cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The effect of calcium and high-energy phosphate compounds on myocardial contracture in the newborn and adult rabbit.

Abstract Anoxic myocardial contracture was studied in the arterially perfused septal preparation of the newborn and adult rabbit. Myocardial energy requirement was varied by changing the pacing rate, and myocardial energy supplies were varied by altering the perfusion rate or adding iodoacetate to the perfusate. Myocardial contracture began at an ATP concentration of 16μmol/g dry weight. Full myocardial contracture was observed at a higher ATP concentration in the newborn as compared with the adult. In the absence of external calcium the onset of myocardial contracture was delayed and the degree of contracture was attenuated. At similar ATP concentrations myocardial contracture was significantly (P
B: THE NORMATIVE/IDEOLOGICAL CONTEXT OF POLICY FORMATION FAMILY POLICY: HAS THE UNITED STATES LEARNED FROM EUROPE?

“Family Policy” is a term that is used increasingly in the U.S. to describe policies affecting children and their families. In this article, the authors focus on whether societal learning has occurred across the Atlantic with regard to family policy and what, if anything, the U.S. has learned or borrowed from Europe. The authors conclude that there has been some borrowing, albeit modest; currently, some of that learning is reflected in an expanding child policy debate.
Improved procedures for the selective chemical fragmentation of rhamnogalacturonans

The structural characterization of branched rhamnogalacturonans (RGs) requires the availability of methods that selectively cleave the Rhap-(1-->4)-alpha-GalAp linkage and thereby generate oligosaccharide fragments that are suitable for mass spectrometric and NMR spectroscopic analyses. Enzymic cleavage of this linkage is often ineffective, especially in highly branched RGs. Therefore, we have developed an improved chemical fragmentation method based on beta-elimination of esterified 4-linked GalpA residues. At least 85% of the carboxyl groups of the GalA residues in Arabidopsis thaliana seed mucilage RG is esterified using methyl iodide or 3-iodopropanol in Me(2)SO containing 8% water and 1% tetrabutylammonium fluoride. However, beta-elimination fragmentation at pH 7.3 and 120 degrees C is far more extensive with hydroxypropyl-esterified RG than with methyl-esterified RG. The non-reducing 4-deoxy-beta-l-threo-hex-4-enepyranosyluronic acid residue formed by the beta-elimination reaction is completely removed by treatment with aqueous N-bromosuccinimide, thereby simplifying the structural characterization of the chemically generated oligoglycosyl fragments. This newly developed procedure was used to selectively fragment the branched RG from peppergrass seed mucilage. The products were characterized using MALDI-TOF mass spectrometry, glycosyl residue composition analysis, and 1 and 2D NMR spectroscopy. Our data show that the most abundant low-molecular weight fragments contained a backbone rhamnose residue substituted at O-4 with a single sidechain, and suggest that peppergrass seed mucilage RG is composed mainly of the repeating unit 4-O-methyl-alpha-d-GlcpA-(1-->4)-beta-d-Galp-(1-->4)-[-->4)-alpha-d-GalpA-(1-->2)-]-alpha-l-Rhap-(1-->.
Precision Machining Implications For Optical Systems Employing Large Off-Axis Elements

Precision machining implications for optical systemsemploying large off -axis elementsJ. Bilotta and D. MooneyRockwell International Corporation, Satellite Systems DivisionP. 0. Box 3644, Seal Beach, CA 90740 -7644AbstractThis paper concentrates on system trade -offs and their impact on the fabrication of quantities of large
Alkaline phosphatase of Drosophila melanogaster. I. Partial purification and characterization.

Two allelic forms (Aph-4 and Aph-6) of the alkaline phosphatase of late third instar larvae of Drosophila melanogaster have been partially purified and characterized. Both forms of the enzyme are inhibited by inorganic phosphate, cyanide ion, and cysteine. Aph-6 has a pH optimum of 8.0 and Aph-4 of 8.5. Zn2+ has been shown to be required for activity. Of the 22 phosphorylated compounds tested as substrates, only O-phosphotyrosine possesses a relative activity equal to that of the artificial substrate, p-nitrophenyl-phosphate. O-phosphothreonine, O-phosphoserine, and phosphoethanolamine are also good substrates. A majority of the compounds exhibits a relative activity of 0.5 or less.
Stimulation of cyclic AMP accumulation by pentylenetetrazol.

Abstract The convulsant agent, pentylenetetrazol (PTZ), increased the content of cyclic AMP (cAMP) in rat cortical slices incubated in vitro in physiologic media. This increase was partially reversed by theophylline. The addition of PTZ to maximally effective concentrations of either adenosine or 2-chloroadeosine resulted in a significantly greater than additive augmentation of cAMP accumulation, suggesting that PTZ may produce its effect by enhancing the action of endogenous adenosine. The PTZ response was not antagonized by either diphenylhydantoin, phenobarbital or ethosuximide.
Serum hyaluronan levels and radiographic knee and hip osteoarthritis in African Americans and Caucasians in the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project.

Objective Serum hyaluronan (HA) has been proposed as a potential biomarker of osteoarthritis (OA). We examined associations between serum HA and radiographic OA in an ethnically diverse, population-based sample. Methods Participants were selected from the Johnston County Osteoarthritis Project, using stratified simple random sampling to achieve balance according to radiographic knee OA status, ethnic group, sex, and age group. Serum HA was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Radiographic OA variables included knee OA, knee OA laterality, knee OA severity, concomitant knee and hip OA, and total number of OA-affected knee and hip joints. Analysis of covariance was used to assess differences in mean serum levels of natural log–transformed HA (ln serum HA) between groups, adjusting for ethnicity, sex, age, body mass index (BMI), and self-reported comorbidities. Results Levels of ln serum HA were positively associated with all definitions of radiographic OA (P < 0.0001). Levels of ln serum HA were higher in Caucasians (P = 0.0094) and in men (P = 0.0038) and were moderately correlated with age (r = 0.35, P < 0.0001). The associations with radiographic OA, ethnicity, sex, and age remained statistically significant after adjustment (P < 0.0045). There were no interactions between ethnicity and the other covariates. Conclusion These cross-sectional data support a role for serum HA as a biomarker of radiographic OA. The variations in levels of serum HA attributable to ethnicity, sex, and age were not explained by radiographic OA, BMI, or comorbidities. The lack of strong confounding between serum HA and comorbidities further supports a role for serum HA as a potential biomarker.
Abstract 1240: Characterization of Notch3 in senescence regulation and tumor suppression

Notch signaling has been shown to regulate a broad spectrum of cell fate decisions and differentiation. However, very little is known about the role of Notch signaling in cellular senescence. Here we report that the level of Notch3, a member of Notch transmembrane receptors, is specifically elevated in human fibroblasts during senescence induced by different senescence stimuli. This up-regulation of Notch3 is required for the induction of p21 in senescent cells, whereas adventitious expression of Notch3 in early passage fibroblasts induces senescence accompanied by p21 elevation. Furthermore, we find that Notch3-mediated senescence requires a canonic Notch singling, and deletion of p21 can partially abolish Notch3-induced senescence. The expression of Notch3 is undetectable in a number of human cancer cell lines, and restored expression of Notch3 in these cancer cell lines with undetectable level of Notch3 leads to proliferative arrest. Interestingly, the expression of Notch3 in the luminal subtype of human breast cancer is significantly decreased as compared to other subtypes of breast cancer. More importantly, low level of Notch3 expression in patients with luminal type of breast cancer correlates significantly with poor clinical prognosis. Our results reveal a novel function of Notch3 in senescence regulation and tumor suppression, suggesting that modulation of Notch3 provides a potential therapeutic approach for luminal subtype of breast cancer. 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 1240. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-1240
Quantitative autoradiographic studies of dopamine D3 receptors in rat cerebellum using [125I]S(-)5-OH-PIPAT.

Abstract Recently, [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT (5-hydroxy-2-(N-n-propyl-N-3′-iodo-2′-propenyl)amino-tetralin) was reported to be a selective radioiodinated ligand for dopamine D2-like receptors. This ligand displayed a high binding affinity (Kd=0.3–0.4 nM) and an agonist binding profile to dopamine D2 and D3 receptors expressed in HEK293 cells and dopamine D4 receptors expressed in CHO cells. Herein, a series of studies to characterize D3 receptors in native tissues is presented. Based on studies of the distribution of receptor mRNA, D3, but not D2, receptors are present in the rat cerebellum. Quantitative autoradiographic experiments using [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT to label molecular layers 9 and 10 of rat cerebellum were conducted. Saturation experiments demonstrated that [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT bound with high affinity (Kd=0.1 nM) to a low density (∼3 fmol/mg protein) of sites in molecular layers 9 and 10 of rat cerebellum. Increasing concentrations of Gpp(NH)p, but not ATP, decreased the specific binding of [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT in rat cerebellum slices. In comparison studies, binding of [125I]NCQ298, a dopamine D2/D3 receptor antagonist, with a similar affinity (Kd=0.2 nM) for D3 receptors as [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT, was not sensitive to Gpp(NH)p. Analysis of inhibition by S(−)5-OH-PIPAT of [125I]NCQ298 binding to rat cerebellum resulted in two-site binding with IC50 values of 0.07 nM and 6.0 nM. In the presence of GTP (300 μM), the data best fit a one-site model with an IC50 value of 1.6 nM. Agonists and antagonists inhibited the binding of [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT in the cerebellum with a rank order of potency consistent with an interaction at D3 receptors. These results indicate that [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT binds to D3 receptors in rat cerebellum. Furthermore, [125I]S(−)5-OH-PIPAT binds to GTP sensitive and GTP insensitive states of D3 receptors with distinctive high and low affinity states, respectively.
Protective action recommendations based upon plant conditions

Analyses conducted by the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) indicate that timely and effective protective action would be necessary to protect the public in a major nuclear power plant accident. Given the large amount of time required to implement an evacuation around most reactor sites, protective action recommendations (PARs) must be based upon specific plant indicators regarding the status of the core and systems that protect the core. This article describes the assumptions made, and the analyses conducted, by the NRC in developing its procedures for PARs based upon plant conditions.
The Use of Citric Acid and Sodium Citrate in Starter Cultures

Summary 1. Under ordinary conditions the citric acid content of milk disappears in two to four days. 2. If milk is allowed to remain after the disappearance of the citric acid and then analyzed by the method used, another substance appears which behaves similarly to the compound formed by the mercury and citric acid. The nature of this material is unknown. 3. The addition of either citric acid or an equivalent amount of sodium citrate to milk increases the volatile acidity produced by approximately 50 percent and does not increase the total acidity more than 10 percent. 4. In most cases and with different men, cultures to which citric acid or sodium citrate was added were preferred to the untreated ones from the same original culture. 5. From this work and that to be presented later it would seem that as satisfactory results are obtained when citric acid or its equivalent of sodium citrate was added to the milk only at the time of inoculation as when the culture is carried in milk having these reagents added at each transfer. In conclusion the authors wish to express their thanks to the Charles Pfizer and Company, Inc. for giving the fellowship under which this work was done. The commercial cultures used were supplied by the Ohio Dairy and Food Laboratory, the Elov Ericsson Laboratory, the Dairy Laboratories of Philadelphia, and the Chr. Hansen Laboratories. The cultures were placed in order of their preference by Messrs. L. C. Thomsen, H. T. Sondergaard, H. C. Larson, A. T. Bruhn, C. W. Vilbrandt, L. Germain, L. L. Bishop, and W. B. Sarles.
Homework in Physical Education: Benefits and Implementation

This article identifies homework as an underutilized strategy in physical education. It reviews the benefits associated with the use of homework in the physical education setting, and provides guidelines for the effective implementation of this strategy. The guidelines include practical application examples and define structured active homework and nonstructured active homework assignments. Finally, readers are provided with three active homework assignments to implement in their classrooms.
Library Mashups: Exploring New Ways to Deliver Library Data

A mashup is "a web application that uses content from more than one source to create a single new service displayed in a single graphical interface." (p. 3) Nicole Engard, Open Source Evangelist at library automation vendor LibLime, brings together a rich and useful collection of practical applications of mashups in library surroundings that is useful to a wide variety of libraries. All librarians seeking to remain up-to-date on emerging technologies and how to integrate them into existing library services will find this book a valuable resource.
Atomic and Molecular Imaging at the Single-Cell Level with TOF-SIMS

A complete cold chain freeze-fracture methodology has been developed to test the feasibility of using time-of-flight secondary ion mass spectrometry (TOF-SIMS) imaging for the molecular analysis of frozen hydrated biological samples. Because the technique only samples the first few monolayers of a sample, water on the surface of a sample can be a major source of interference. This problem can be minimized by placing a cold trap (fracture knife and housing at -196 degrees C) near the fractured sample that is held at a warmer temperature (-97 to -113 degrees C). This results in removal of surface water and prevents condensation on the surface. Although this approach is effective, it has been found that sample warming needs to be carefully controlled due to the volatility of other matrix molecules and the morphological effects imparted onto the cell surface during drying. By utilizing the above handling technique, it has been possible to demonstrate for the first time that TOF-SIMS imaging technology can be used to obtain images of molecular species across a cell surface with a submicrometer ion probe beam. Images of small hydrocarbons and the deliberately added dopants DMSO and cocaine have been obtained with TOF-SIMS of the single-cell organism Paramecium.
Cloning and characterization of a Moraxella bovis cytotoxin gene.

Objective To identify the Moraxella bovis cytotoxin gene. Procedure Hemolytic and nonhemolytic strains of M. bovis were compared by use of western blotting to identify proteins unique to hemolytic strains. Oligonucleotide primers, designed on the basis of amino acid sequences of 2 tryptic peptides derived from 1 such protein and conserved regions of the C and B genes from members of the repeats in the structural toxin (RTX) family of bacterial toxins, were used to amplify cytotoxin-specific genes from M. bovis genomic DNA. Recombinant proteins were expressed, and antisera against these proteins were produced in rabbits. Results Several proteins ranging in molecular mass from 55 to 75 kd were unique to the hemolytic strain. An open reading frame encoding a 927-amino acid protein with a predicted molecular mass of 98.8 kd was amplified from M. bovis genomic DNA. The deduced amino acid sequence encoded by this open reading frame was homologous to RTX toxins. Antisera against the recombinant carboxy terminus encoded by this open reading frame neutralized hemolytic and cytolytic activities of native M. bovis cytotoxin. Conclusions and clinical relevance A gene was identified in M bovis that encodes a protein with sequence homology to other RTX toxins. Results of cytotoxin neutralization assays support the hypothesis that M. bovis cytotoxin is encoded by this gene and belongs in the RTX family of bacterial exoproteins. Identification of this gene and expression of recombinant cytotoxin could facilitate the development of improved vaccines against infectious bovine keratoconjunctivitis.
Temperature dependent release of beta-beta' subunits of DNA dependent RNA polymerase from the folded chromosome of a dnaAts mutant of Escherichia coli.

DNA-dependent RNA polymerase has been found to be preferentially released at 43° C from the folded nucleoids of an E. coli dnaAts mutant when compared with the same nucleoids at 30° C or with nucleoids of a dnaA+ strain at either 30° or 43° C. The polypeptides released are identical in molecular weight with those of the β and β′ constituent polypeptides of the core enzyme of a known E. coli RNA polymerase. In addition, these polypeptides are precipitated by specific anti-RNA polymerase rabbit IgG. The implications of the interactions of RNA polymerase with the dnaA gene product are discussed.
Revising Responsibility in a Proposal for Greenhouse Development Rights

The Greenhouse Development Rights (GDRs) developed by Paul Baer, Sivan Kartha, Tom Athanasiou, and Eric Kemp-Benedict (2008; Baer, 2009) are grounded in two fundamental ethical considerations: caus...
Arsenic metabolism by microbes in nature and the impact on arsenic remediation

In nature, both prokaryotes and eukaryotes have evolved a wide spectrum of pathways such as oxidation/reduction, compartmentalization, exclusion, and immobilization [16] as the main natural defense mechanisms to arsenic. This review highlights our current understanding of the biochemistry and molecular biology involved in these natural arsenic metabolisms, and some successful examples of engineered microbes by harnessing these natural mechanisms for effective remediation.
Analysis of the superconducting transition temperature's pressure dependence for YBa2Cu3O7-δ within a BCS framework

Abstract The pressure dependence of the superconducting transition temperature d T c /d P of the YBa 2 Cu 3 O 7 high- T c superconductor is addressed. A value of dln T c /dln V (where V is the volume) comparable to the phonon Gruneisen parameter is revealed, thereby allowing for reasonable analysis using the Allen-Dynes equation for T c . The electronic contribution to the electron-phonon coupling parameter η is found to be positively influenced by pressure, with a volume dependence of dln η/dln V ≈ −3, and to offset the Gruneisen parameter's contribution in the equation for dln T c /dln V by about a factor of 1.5 thus resulting in a positive pressure dependence of T c . This value is comparable to that observed in conventional superconductors. The possible influence of a van Hove singularity near the Fermi energy on T c ( P ) results is discussed.
Properties of a maonovalent and divalent requiring endoribonuclease with novel specificity from calf heart

Abstract A new monovalent and divalent requiring endoribonuclease has been identified in extracts of calf heart tissue using a natural substrate molecule. This ribonuclease creates 5' hydroxyl and 3' phosphate groups in its cleavage products. It cleaves predominantly between pyrimidine and A residues though not all such possible sites are attacked in the substrates tested.
Growth in Tissue Culture of Single-Cell Clones From Grape Stem & Phylloxera Gall

Information about the behavior of clones of plant tissue of single-cell origin is valuable for our understanding of diseased and normal cell growth. Questions appeared about the variability of the cells in the insect-induced galls. Perhaps only a few diseased cells were responsible for the mass of abnormal, rapidly increasing cells, and the majority of the other cells provided a favorable nutritional and physical environment. A large number of single-cell cultures from the mother callus strains of both the normal grape stem tissue and gall tissue incited by Phylloxera vastatrix Planch, were available for study of cell variability (8). Increase in wet weight of the tissue culture resulted from the cell division and growth of the cellular mass, and indicated the degree of the activity of the tissues. Differences were observed in the fresh weight of the clones after 4 to 5 weeks of growth of both the normal and diseased clones when grown on basal mineral salts, 2.0 % sucrose agar medium, supplemented with coconut milk (CM) and additional growth promoting substances including alpha-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA), calcium pantothenate, and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D). The purpose of this study was to clarify the behavior of the selected clones at different periods of their development, and to compare the growth characteristics of the clones with cell counts and dry weight.
Monk parakeet nest-site selection of electric utility structures in Texas

Abstract Monk parakeets ( Myiopsitta monachus ) build nests of twigs and use them year-round for both breeding and roosting. In their native South American range, monk parakeets historically nested in the tallest, sturdiest trees in an area. In their North American range, monk parakeets often construct nests on anthropogenic structures, most notably electric utility structures. This nesting behavior causes economic damage. We investigated monk parakeets nesting in Dallas and Tarrant counties, Texas, United States, to identify which features and spatial scales influenced their selection of electric stations as nest sites. Examining 28 pairs of electric stations (with and without nests), we found monk parakeets selected those with flat, multiple surfaces and acute-angled construction within small fenced enclosure areas and surrounded by large canopy trees and taller anthropogenic structures within 100 m. Further analysis of land use and land cover classifications (pavement, building, canopy, grass, and water) on 3 scales (100 m, 625 m, and 1250 m) suggested the surrounding landscape had little impact on monk parakeet nest-site selection. We recommend that electric utility managers who want to prevent monk parakeets from nesting on vulnerable structures conduct a cost–benefit analysis exploring the feasibility of retrofitting or replacing existing construction style elements preferred by monk parakeets. Managers should also consider redesigning future electric station construction to reduce risk of monk parakeets nesting on new structures.
Oxazolochlorins 11: Tuning the dynamic high pH sensing range of [meso-tetraarylporpholactonato]M(II) complexes by variation of the central metal ion, the aryl substituents, and introduction of a β-nitro group

Based on the high pH-sensing ability of [meso-tetrakis(pentafluorophenyl) porpholactonato]-platinum(II), we investigated the influence of the metal (M = Zn(II), Ni(II), Cu(II), Pd(II), Ag(II), Pt(II)), the aryl group (Ar = C6H5, C6F5), and the presence of a β-NO2 group on the pH sensing range. The syntheses of the novel β-nitroporpholactone derivatives are described, and their regiochemistry deduced by spectroscopic and single crystal X-ray diffraction methods. The UV-vis base titration midpoints for all derivatives were determined in an aqueous solution containing a surfactant, showing that the metal has the least influence, thus identifying a cheaper and easier method to prepare porpholactone M complex-based high pH-sensors. The influence of the pentafluorophenyl groups and the β-nitration were comparable with respect to their ability to increase the nucleophilicity of the porpholactone toward hydroxide, but the optical response for the pentafluorophenyl-substituted derivative were stronger. β-Nitration and pentafluorophenyl-substitution had additive effects.
Proteolytic Surface Functionalization Enhances in Vitro Magnetic Nanoparticle Mobility through Extracellular Matrix

Steric barriers such as collagen I sharply limit interstitial delivery of macromolecular and nanoparticle (NP) based therapeutic agents. Collagenase-linked superparamagnetic NPs overcame these barr...
Racial/Ethnic, socioeconomic, and geographic disparities of cervical cancer advanced-stage diagnosis in Texas.

Abstract Background Advanced-stage diagnosis is among the primary causes of mortality among cervical cancer patients. With the wide use of Pap smear screening, cervical cancer advanced-stage diagnosis rates have decreased. However, disparities of advanced-stage diagnosis persist among different population groups. A challenging task in cervical cancer disparity reduction is to identify where underserved population groups are. Methods Based on cervical cancer incidence data between 1995 and 2008, this study investigated advanced-stage cervical cancer disparities in Texas from three social domains: Race/ethnicity, socioeconomic status (SES), and geographic location. Effects of individual and contextual factors, including age, tumor grade, race/ethnicity, as well as contextual SES, spatial access to health care, sociocultural factors, percentage of African Americans, and insurance expenditures, on these disparities were examined using multilevel logistic regressions. Findings Significant variations by race/ethnicity and SES were found in cervical cancer advanced-stage diagnosis. We also found a decline in racial/ethnic disparities of advanced cervical cancer diagnosis rate from 1995 to 2008. However, the progress was slower among African Americans than Hispanics. Geographic disparities could be explained by age, race/ethnicity, SES, and the percentage of African Americans in a census tract. Conclusions Our findings have important implications for developing effective cervical cancer screening and control programs. We identified the location of underserved populations who need the most assistance with cervical cancer screening. Cervical cancer intervention programs should target Hispanics and African Americans, as well as individuals from communities with lower SES in geographic areas where higher advanced-stage diagnosis rates were identified in this study.
Dynamic modeling for rate-dependent and mode-dependent cohesive interface failure analysis

Accurate modeling of interface failure represents an important consideration for analysis cases such as adhesive bonds or phase interface failure of inhomogeneous materials. In the current work, a cohesive element based model for interface failure has been developed in the context of a butterfly-type Hopkinson Bar interface specimen. Simulation has enabled insight into the dynamic in-situ stress state and crack growth under impact for property determination and test specimen evaluation. A failure criterion has been successfully employed and agrees closely with experimental results at multiple strain rates. Strain rate effects and fracture mode effects are implemented to modify the allowable strain to failure at the interface. Calculated fracture toughness values and crack propagation rates have compared closely to published experimental results at multiple strain rates. An analytical parametric evaluation of the interface failure model has been performed to illustrate the relative importance of material p...
Role of line-beam on the removal of particulate contaminations from solid surfaces by pulsed laser

In this paper, we have examined the particulate removal efficiency of a laser from solid surfaces. The silicon wafers were contaminated with 0.05 to 0.5 µm sized alumina particles. The silicon wafers with uniform surface-distribution of alumina particles were subjected to pulsed laser beams at varying conditions. The results obtained have shown that line beam lasers can remove submicron particles more efficiently from solid surfaces. The mechanism responsible for higher particulate removal-efficiency of line beam laser has also been discussed.
NOTE ON PSYCHOMETRIC PROPERTIES OF PLAYFULNESS SCALES WITH ADOLESCENTS

105 female and 85 male high school students completed two scales designed to measure playfulness, the Playfulness Scale for Adults and the Adult Playfulness Scale, and two scales designed to measure creativity, the Similes Test and The Franck Drawing Completion Test. The playfulness scales exhibited high internal consistency and good construct validity. Cronbach alpha was .84 for the Playfulness Scale for Adults and .88 for the Adult Playfulness Scale, and split-half reliability was .79 (Spearman-Brown) and .79 (Guttman) for the Adult Playfulness Scale and .87 (Spearman-Brown) and .86 (Guttman) for the Playfulness Scale for Adults. 2-wk. test-retest reliability for the Playfulness Scale for Adults was .89, which compared favorably to the test-retest reliability of .84 previously reported for the Adult Playfulness Scale.
Acquisitions and inflation

The scope of American academic libraries during 1969–1990. Reviews the literature on price increases in library materials. Describes price increases in terms of material types, size and reasons for increases as well as possible solutions. Commercial (especially European) publishers raise prices freely because researchers must publish articles and read journals to succeed. Paper costs, foreign exchange rates, increased numbers of titles and pages, and falling subscription rates are also factors. Possible solutions are to cancel journals, use document delivery and electronic journals. Librarians and researchers should use their influence to control costs.
A rule-based approach for RNA pseudoknot prediction

RNA plays a critical role in mediating every step of cellular information transfer from genes to functional proteins. Pseudoknots are functionally important and widely occurring structural motifs found in all types of RNA. Therefore predicting their structures is an important problem. In this paper, we present a new RNA pseudoknot structure prediction method based on term rewriting. The method is implemented using the Mfold RNA/DNA folding package and the term rewriting language Maude. In our method, RNA structures are treated as terms and rules are discovered for predicting pseudoknots. Our method was tested on 211 pseudoknots in PseudoBase and achieves an average accuracy of 74.085% compared to the experimentally determined structure. In fact, most pseudoknots discovered by our method achieve an accuracy of above 90%. These results indicate that term rewriting has a broad potential in RNA applications ranging from prediction of pseudoknots to discovery of higher level RNA structures involving complex RNA tertiary interactions.
TSH receptor sequences recognized by CD4+ T cells in Graves' disease patients and healthy controls.

Abstract Twenty-nine overlapping synthetic peptides, twenty residues long, representing the entire extracellular sequence of the human thyroid stimulating hormone receptor (hTSHr), were used to test the epitope repertoire of CD4+T lymphocytes from patients with Graves' disease and from healthy subjects. The peptides were used to propagate and test short term CD4+T cell lines specific for hTSHr epitopes, and to directly test CD8+depleted, CD4+enriched peripheral blood lymphocytes. Analysis of the response of short-term CD4+T cell lines and CD8+depleted peripheral blood lymphocytes to the individual peptides revealed that 14 of the 15 patients and nine of the ten controls responded to at least one hTSHr peptide. There was no common response pattern, nor any region of the hTSHr sequence that was predominantly recognized. Several peptides were recognized by both patients and controls. These results support the notion that immunological tolerance to hTSHr is due to peripheral tolerance of potentially autoreactive CD4+T cells, not their clonal deletion. The presence of self-reactive, hTSHr-specific CD4+T cells in healthy individuals implies that these cells are not permanently anergized, since they can be activatedin vitro.
Ballistic transport in Saturn's rings: An analytic theory

Ejecta from impacts of micrometeoroids on Saturn's ring particles will, in most cases, remain in orbit about Saturn and eventually be reaccreted by the rings, possibly at a different radial location. The resulting mass transport has been suggested as the cause of some of the features observed in Saturn's rings. Previous attempts to model this transport have used numerical simulations which have not included the effects of the angular momentum transport coincident with mass transport. An analytical model for ballistic mass transport in Saturn's rings is developed. The model includes the effects of angular momentum advection and shows that the net material movement due to angular momentum advection is comparable to that caused by direct ballistic mass transport.
Phanerochaete chrysosporium pretreatment of biomass to enhance solvent production in subsequent bacterial solid-substrate cultivation

Abstract This study investigated pretreatment of corn stover using solid substrate cultivation (SSC) of Phanerochaete chrysosporium (P. chrysosporium) to improve subsequent accessibility to cellulose. Thereafter, Clostridium thermocellum (C. thermocellum) was directly inoculated onto the pretreated biomass to accomplish hydrolysis, followed by solventogenesis by introducing Clostridium beijerinckii (C. beijerinckii). An enzyme suite containing laccase, lignin peroxidase and manganese peroxidase activity was detected during the cultivation of P. chrysosporium on corn stover within 288 h at an initial moisture content w H 2 O = 80% (mass of water/total mass). Incubation factors, such as substrate moisture content and cultivation temperature affected the percent of lignin removal which ranged from 14.4% to 36.4% of the original lignin. Lignin removal increased as the cultivation of P. chrysosporium continued but was accompanied by increased cellulose loss. The 7-day fungal cultivation sufficiently delignified the corn stover for the subsequent processing. Approximately 25% of the original lignin was removed; however 18% of the initial cellulose was also removed with the lignin. The investigations of the effect of fungal pretreatment were extended to miscanthus, wheat straw and switch grass. The yield of reducing sugar produced by C. thermocellum on pretreated biomass was doubled compared with non-pretreated biomass, demonstrating that pretreatment resulted in a more accessible carbon source for the solvent-producing bacterium. The final comprehensive comparison between the pretreated biomass and non-pretreated biomass on the three-stage SSC for butanol production showed pretreatment by P. chrysosporium improved microbial utilization of lignocellulosic materials for solvent production by approximate 4–7 folds.
Ultra-low-power biomedical circuit design and optimization: Catching the don't cares

To reduce healthcare cost while simultaneously delivering high-quality health services, developing new portable and/or implantable biomedical devices is of great importance for both health monitoring and clinical treatment. In this paper, we describe a radically new design framework for ultra-low-power biomedical circuit design and optimization. The proposed framework seamlessly integrates data processing algorithms and their customized ASIC implementations for co-optimization. The efficacy of the proposed framework is demonstrated by a case study of brain computer interfaces (BCIs).
Glass-forming region and structure in SiS2Li2SLiX(X= Br, I)

Abstract The glass-forming region in the SiS2Li2SLiX (X = Br, I) system, as determined by X-ray diffraction, has been extended to higher lithium content by the use of a direct liquid nitrogen quench. The base glass, 0.4SiS20.6Li2S, was synthesized and doping up to 0.28SiS20.42Li2S0.30LiBr and 0.24SiS20.36Li2S0.40LiI was achieved. The properties of these glasses are compared to the glasses formed by previously reported quenching methods. Vibrational assignments have been made from infrared investigation of the glasses using FT-IR. The basic glass network consists of SiS4 tetrahedra while the addition of Li2S as a network modifier produced nonbridging sulfur. Doping with lithium halide did not significantly change the glass network, i.e., no changes in IR peak positions were observed. However, the higher lithium ion concentration resulted in higher mobility and ionic conduction.
Reversible catalytic dehydrogenation of alcohols for energy storage

Reversibility of a dehydrogenation/hydrogenation catalytic reaction has been an elusive target for homogeneous catalysis. In this report, reversible acceptorless dehydrogenation of secondary alcohols and diols on iron pincer complexes and reversible oxidative dehydrogenation of primary alcohols/reduction of aldehydes with separate transfer of protons and electrons on iridium complexes are shown. This reactivity suggests a strategy for the development of reversible fuel cell electrocatalysts for partial oxidation (dehydrogenation) of hydroxyl-containing fuels.
Epilepsy after central nervous system infection: clinical characteristics and outcome after epilepsy surgery.

Abstract Fifty-six (5.8%) patients with partial epilepsy secondary to central nervous system (CNS) infection (meningitis = 20 and encephalitis = 36) were identified from 963 patients studied with prolonged video-EEG monitoring. Twenty-seven (48.2%) patients had unilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (UMTLE), 9 (16.1%) had bilateral mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (BMTLE), and 20 (35.7%) had neocortical epilepsy (NE). Younger age at infection and prolonged latency between the time of infection and development of epilepsy were predictive factors for UMTLE. Predictors for BMTLE were late age of infection and short latency between infection and epilepsy development. Development of NE was associated with short latency between infection and epilepsy, and younger age at infection. When outcome after temporal lobectomy was compared between the UMTLE group and a control group with UMTLE without history of CNS infection, no statistically significant differences were found. Central nervous system infection may lead to epilepsy, which in many cases,3is generated by a single portion of the brain. In such cases, epilepsy surgery should be considered, as in patients without history of CNS infection.
Economically optimal crop sequences using risk-adjusted network flows: Modeling cotton crop rotations in the southeastern United States

Abstract Crop rotation is a long-standing agricultural practice whose agronomic and economic benefits are well documented. The crop rotation decision at the farm level is very complex with a myriad of factors which can ultimately impact observed net returns from the decision choice. Network models have been proposed as one method of modeling this decision problem in a logically consistent framework. The aspect of this problem considered in this article is how to incorporate not only expected net returns from alternative rotation sequence choices, but also the relative impacts of net income risk on the decision process. A transshipment network formulation of the crop rotation decision problem is presented with the incorporation of risk constraints, providing the ability to derive sets of optimal solutions, allowing the decision maker to select optimal crop rotation sequence sets based upon net income risk preferences.
Borehole video analysis of a temperate glacier' englacial and subglacial structure: Implications for glacier flow models

Video observations made in 16 boreholes drilled through a deforming valley glacier affirm that temperate glacier ice may be reasonably well represented as homogeneous in glacier flow models, but raise warnings about the complexities of basal boundary conditions and glacier sliding. Discrete englacial structures, including clear-ice layers, voids, and water conduits, compose a total of <3% of the ice mass. Planar features (clear-ice layers) are oriented near vertical and are not aligned with the sense of shear strain, meaning that the layers probably do not influence the homogeneity of the strain. Both direct observations of the ice and analysis of its light reflectance suggest an increase in crystal size and decrease in bubble content with depth. However, previous laboratory work indicates that such changes are unimportant in terms of the viscosity of the ice. Observations of the basal boundary or sliding surface indicate that there are areas of both “hard” bedrock and “soft” deformable till, which should cause spacial and temporal gradients in sliding rate.
Programmable design environments: integrating end-user programming with domain-oriented assistance

Programmable design environments (PDEs) are computational environments that integrate the conceptual frameworks and components of (a) design environments and (b) programmable applications. The integration of these two approaches provides elements (such as software "critics" and "query-able objects") that assist users in learning both the application and its domain; in addition, an interactive "appl ic ation-enriched" end-user programming environment stresses the values of expressiveness and modifiability_ By way of illustration, we present a newly-developed programmable design environment, SchemeChart, for the domain of charting and information displays.
A mixed abstraction level simulation model of large-scale Internet worm infestations

Large-scale worm infestations, such as last year's Code Red, Code Red II, and Nimda, have led to increased interest in modeling these events to assess threat levels, evaluate countermeasures and investigate possible influence on the Internet infrastructure. However the inherently large scale of these phenomena pose significant challenges for models that include infrastructure detail. We explore the use of selective abstraction through epidemiological models in conjunction with detailed protocol models as a means to scale up simulations to a point where we can ask meaningful questions regarding a hypothesized link between worms and inter-domain routing instability. We find that this approach shows significant promise, in contrast to some of our early attempts using all-out packet level models. We also describe some approaches we are taking to collect the underlying data for our models.
An effective modeling and solution approach for the generalized independent set problem

The generalized independent set (GIS) problem was first introduced by Hochbaum and Pathria (Forest Sci 43(4), 544–554, 1997) and independently explored in greater detail by Hochbaum (Manage Sci 50(6), 709–123, 2004). This problem, with applications in forest management and a variety of related areas, is a generalization of the classical maximum independent set problem. In this paper we highlight a natural, nonlinear formulation for the problem that is an attractive alternative to the linear model found in the literature. The effectiveness of this alternative formulation is demonstrated by computational experience on test problems of varying size and density, disclosing a dramatic reduction in the time to obtain optimal and near optimal solutions and an ability to solve much larger problems.
Hysteretic response of a nine-storey reinforced concrete building

The Millikan Library on the campus of the California Institute of Technology was strongly shaken during the San Fernando earthquake of 9 February 1971. The building was not damaged structurally, but the observed E-W response of the building showed a fundamental period of about 1.0 sec, significantly longer than the 0.66 sec observed in pre-earthquake vibration tests. In this study, the response of the fundamental mode was treated as that of a single-degree-of-freedom hysteretic structure, and four simple models, two stationary and two with changing properties, were examined to see if they could describe the observed response. It was found that an equivalent linear model and a bilinear hysteretic model both could match the response, provided their properties were changed during the earthquake. (Four changes were used.) A linear model with constant properties and a stationary, bilinear hysteretic model did not give nearly as good agreement as the non-stationary models. The results indicated, in general, a degrading of the stiffness and energy dissipation capacity of the building, with the suggestion that the changes were sudden rather than gradual.
Cyclosporin-mediated depression of luteinizing hormone receptors and heme biosynthesis in rat testes: a possible mechanism for decrease in serum testosterone.

The toxic side-effects of the immunosuppressive drug cyclosporin (CsA) include testicular dysfunction and a decline in circulating testosterone. However, mechanisms for the consistently observed CsA-mediated depression of serum testosterone levels are unclear because of conflicting reports concerning circulating gonadotropin levels and incomplete studies of intratesticular steroidogenesis. To elucidate these mechanisms, endocrine-regulated testicular steroidogenesis and heme metabolic parameters were studied in male rats given sc injections of either 25 or 40 mg/kg-day CsA for 6 days and then killed on the seventh day. Consistent with earlier reports, CsA treatment dramatically suppressed serum testosterone levels (<20% of control at both CsA doses). Additionally, the intratesticular testosterone content declined with the higher CsA dose. Serum LH and FSH levels were elevated up to 2- to 4-fold after the higher CsA treatment regimen. Measurement of decreases in testicular receptors for LH revealed for the...
In Vitro Activities of the Everninomicin SCH 27899 and Other Newer Antimicrobial Agents against Borrelia burgdorferi

The in vitro activity of the everninomicin antibiotic SCH 27899 against 17 isolates of Borrelia spp. was investigated. MICs ranged from 0.06 to 0.5 microg/ml. Time-kill studies with the B31 strain of B. burgdorferi demonstrated >/=3-log10-unit killing after 72 h with concentrations representing four times the MIC. The in vitro activity of four other newer antimicrobial agents, meropenem, cefepime, quinupristin-dalfopristin, and linezolid, was also tested against the B31 strain. Meropenem was the most potent of the latter agents, with an MIC of 0.125 microg/ml.
Design of precision capacitors for analog applications

The authors describe and analyze two capacitors which are incorporated in a baseline BiCMOS technology without added process complexity. The first capacitor is formed between degenerated doped polysilicon and silicon. The second is formed between two degenerately doped polysilicon layers. In both structures, the insulator is a deposited or grown oxide. The sensitivity of the capacitor voltage coefficient to oxide thickness and surface dopant concentration is discussed theoretically and compared to measured data. The two capacitors are optimized to exhibit very low voltage coefficients. >