cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
UPA, a universal protein array system for quantitative detection of protein–protein, protein–DNA, protein–RNA and protein–ligand interactions

Protein–protein interactions have been widely used to study gene expression pathways and may be considered as a new approach to drug discovery. Here I report the development of a universal protein array (UPA) system that provides a sensitive, quantitative, multi-purpose, effective and easy technology to determine not only specific protein–protein interactions, but also specific interactions of proteins with DNA, RNA, ligands and other small chemicals. (i) Since purified proteins are used, the results can be easily interpreted. (ii) UPA can be used multiple times for different targets, making it economically affordable for most laboratories, hospitals and biotechnology companies. (iii) Unlike DNA chips or DNA microarrays, no additional instrumentation is required. (iv) Since the UPA uses active proteins (without denaturation and renaturation), it is more sensitive compared with most existing methods. (v) Because the UPA can analyze hundreds (even thousands on a protein microarray) of proteins in a single experiment, it is a very effective method to screen proteins as drug targets in cancer and other human diseases.
Axisymmetric bubble profiles in a slowly rotating helium dewar under low and microgravity environments

The Gravity Probe-B (GP-B) Spacecraft is designed to test the General Theory of Relativity through long-term monitoring the precession of a set of gyros in free-fall around the earth. The potential problems for GP-B Spacecraft design requirements could be due to asymmetry in the static liquid helium distribution, or to perturbations in free surface which is present in the partially-filled liquid helium dewar. In this study, doughnut-shaped helium bubble equilibrium profiles in rotating dewar, under the conditions during the period of GP-B experiment instrument calibration and also during the period of normal operation stages of GP-B Spacecraft, have been numerically calculated. For academic interest, the range of coverage has been extended beyond the conditions assigned by the GP-B Spacecraft experiment.
Does cognitive science show belief in god to be irrational? The epistemic consequences of the cognitive science of religion

The last 15 years or so has seen the development of a fascinating new area of cognitive science: the cognitive science of religion (CSR). Scientists in this field aim to explain religious beliefs and various other religious human activities by appeal to basic cognitive structures that all humans possess. The CSR scientific theories raise an interesting philosophical question: do they somehow show that religious belief, more specifically belief in a god of some kind, is irrational? In this paper I investigate this question and argue that CSR does not show that belief in god is irrational.
Children's responses to angry adult behavior as a function of experimentally manipulated exposure to resolved and unresolved conflict

Children's past experiences with anger between adults are likely to affect their reactions to ongoing conflict episodes. Four- to ten-year-olds' responses to interadult anger were examined as a function of experimentally manipulated exposures to resolved and unresolved anger. To manipulate exposure histories, children were first presented with videotaped segments of both resolved and unresolved angry interactions. They were then presented with arguments between the two couples that were interrupted in progress; children were interviewed next. At the point of argument interruption, the couple with a history of unresolved anger was perceived by girls as more sad, expected by children to be more sad in the future, and expected to be less likely to either have a positive future outcome or to resolve their disputes, in comparison to the couple with a resolved anger history. Similarly, children tended to expect to feel sad themselves in the future, in response to the discordant versus the harmonious couple. Several age differences in affective responding were found.
Algebraicity of real analytic hypersurfaces and blowing-down

We show that a germ (M, 0) of real analytic strongly pseudoconvex hypersurface is holomorphically equivalent to a germ of real algebraic hypersurface if and only if there is a blowing-down from (M, 0) to a germ of real algebraic hypersurface.
deLeeuw′s Theorem on Triebel-Lizorkin Spaces

Abstract We prove a deLeeuw′s theorem on both homogeneous and non-homogeneous Triebel-Lizorkin spaces which discusses the relations between multipliers on Triebel-Lizorkin spaces on the n-dimensional Euclidean space and those on the n-torus.
Optimal growth under discounting in the two-sector Robinson–Solow–Srinivasan model: a dynamic programming approach†

We use a version of a two-sector model to provide a strong form of a “folk-theorem” on the existence of a threshold discount factor such that: (i) for discount factors above this threshold value, optimal behavior is qualitatively similar to that in the corresponding undiscounted optimization problem, (ii) for discount factors below this threshold value, optimal behavior is qualitatively different from that in the undiscounted case. In the process, we provide an explicit solution of a non-linear optimal policy function for all discount factors above the threshold value. Our bifurcation analysis is conducted by using the dynamic programming approach, and we exploit the convex structure of our model to develop a variation of the standard method in dynamic programming used to identify the optimal policy correspondence.
Secondary Flow Velocity Patterns in a Pulmonary Artery Model With Varying Degrees of Valvular Pulmonic Stenosis: Pulsatile In Vitro Studies

The objective of this study was to characterize in detail the secondary flow velocity patterns in an in vitro model of a human (adult) pulmonary artery with varying degrees of valvular pulmonic stenosis. A two-dimensional laser Doppler anemometer (LDA) system was used to map the flow fields in the main (MPA), left (LPA), and right (RPA) branches of the pulmonary artery model. The study was conducted in the Georgia Tech right heart pulse duplicator system. A pair of counter-rotating secondary flows were observed in each daughter branch in which the fluid moved outwardly along the side walls and then circled back inwardly toward the center of the vessel. For the case of the "normal" valve, the two counter-rotating secondary flows were symmetric about the centerline. The strength of secondary flows in the RPA was much stronger than in the LPA. However, as the pulmonic valve became more stenotic, the two counter-rotating secondary flows in both the LPA and RPA were no longer symmetric. In addition, the strength of secondary flows in both daughter branches increased with increasing degree of valvular stenosis. The increment in the LPA was, however, greater than in the RPA. The study demonstrates the importance of analyzing complex biological flows from a three-dimensional viewpoint.
Sonar Array Detection of Gaussian Signals in Gaussian Noise of Unknown Power

A statistical test is postulated for detecting, with an M-element hydrophone array, a Gaussian signal in spatially independent Gaussian noise of unknown power. The test is an extension of the uniformly-most-powerful (UMP) unbiased test for a two-element array. The output signal-to-noise ratio of the test is calculated and, for a large number of independent space-time samples, is shown to be no better than a mean-level detector (MLD). Receiver operating characteristic curves (ROC) for the MLD are computed and compared to the ROC curves for the optimum (Bayes) parametric detector. The input signal-to-noise power ratios required to provide a detection probability of 0.5 differ by less than 0.2 dB for a fifty-element array with wide variation in false-alarm probability and time-bandwidth product. This result suggests that both the extended bivariate UMP unbiased test and the MLD perform close to the unknown UMP unbiased test for independence of a multivariate Gaussian distribution.
Tall precordial T waves as the earliest sign in diaphragmatic wall infarction

Abstract Two cases are presented in which the earliest electrocardiographic evidence of myocardial necrosis was tall, sharply pointed T waves in precordial Leads V 2–5 . The mechanism of their production is discussed. Serial electrocardiograms revealed the evolutionary pattern of diaphragmatic wall infarction.
Part—whole information is useful in visual search for size × size but not orientation × orientation conjunctions

In visual search tasks, subjects look for a target among a variable number of distractor items. If the target is defined by a conjunction of two different features (e.g., color × orientation), efficient search is possible when parallel processing of information about color and about orientation is used to “guid” the deployment of attention to the target. Another type of conjunction search has targets defined by two instances of one type of feature (e.g., a conjunction of two colors). In this case, search is inefficient when the target is an item defined by parts of two different colors but much more efficient if the target can be described as a whole item of one color with a part of another color (Wolfe, Friedman-Hill, & Bilsky, 1994). In this paper, we show that the same distinction holds for size. “Part— whole” size × size conjunction searches are efficient; “part-part” searches are not (Experiments 1–3). In contrast, all orientation × orientation searches are inefficient (Experiments 4–6). This difference between preattentive processing of color and size, on the one hand, and orientation, on the other, may reflect structural relationships between features in real-world objects.
Efficient disk replacement and data migration algorithms for large disk subsystems

Random data placement, which is efficient and scalable for large-scale storage systems, has recently emerged as an alternative to traditional data striping. In this report, we study the disk replacement problem (DRP) to find a sequence of disk additions and removals for a storage system, while migrating the data and respecting the following constraints: (1) the data is initially balanced across the existing distributed disk configuration, (2) the data must again be balanced across the new configuration, and (3) the data migration cost must be minimized. In practice, migrating data from old disks to new devices is complicated by the fact that the total number of disks connected to the storage system is often limited by a fixed number of available slots and not all the old and new disks can be connected at the same time. This article presents solutions for both cases where the number of disk slots is either unconstrained or constrained.
Convergence rates of the strong law for stationary mixing sequences

In this note we estimate the rate of convergence in Marcinkiewicz-Zygmung strong law, for partial sumsS n of strong stationary mixing sequences of random variables. The results improve the corresponding ones obtained by Tze Leung Lai (1977) and Christian Hipp (1979).
Correlation of Cavitation Inception Data for a Centrifugal Pump Operating in Water and in Sodium-Potassium Alloy (NaK)

For the centrifugal pump under investigation, the static head at pump suction, in feet absolute, at cavitation inception was correlated for water and for 1500 F NaK on the basis of the differences of the vapor pressures of the two liquids. The difference between the vapor pressure of water and NaK, for the same conditions of pump speed and liquid flow, was added to the water-test cavitation inception value, and this estimate proved to be a good approximation to the experimental value found for cavitation inception with NaK. (auth)
Health services reforms: political and managerial aims--an international perspective.

Health policy everywhere is in flux. In marked contrast with the impenetrable orthodoxy and inaction characteristic of past decades, health policy currently is in the midst of large-scale upheaval. Many of the fundamental assumptions and principles that long guided health-sector development are in the process of being turned upside down Whether a country is rich or poor, it matters not. Virtually every country either has or is contemplating major reforms in its provisions for the organization and financing of health services. Moreover, the differences in health services structure which divided nations, are becoming smaller—to the point where formerly shunned international exchanges now are considered useful mediums for the exposition of common tensions and the exploration of choices for adapting health care to complex and new economic realities.
Lie groups for atomic shells

Abstract Applications of Lie groups to atomic shells are described from Racah's classic article of 1949 to the present day. Emphasis is placed on the f shell, where the groups SO(7) and G 2 play major roles. Attention is focussed on the unexpected simplifications that frequently arise when the Wigner-Eckart theorem for G 2 is applied to the matrix elements of atomic operators. The origin of these surprises is sought in various ways. A detailed description is given of the so-called quark model of the f shell, in which the angular properties of the electronic states are exactly reproduced by the configuration ( s + ƒ ) 4 built from four fictitious particles with angular momenta 0 and 3. They are called quarks to reflect some similarities to the particles of high-energy physics. Two parity labels have to be added to the quark configuration to make the description complete. The 8-dimensional space of s + ƒ leads to the introduction of SO(8) and with it two other SO(7) groups, for one of which the Wigner-Eckart theorem provides a new source of selection rules. Explanations are given for a number of unexpected relations satisfied by 1-, 2- and 3-electron operators coming from the separation of various physical interactions into components with well-defined group labels. Expanded versions of the quark model are discussed, as well as several unresolved problems.
Diagnosing unknown aberrations in an adaptive optics system using phase diversity

We outline a novel method for the estimating a fixed aberration that is in the image path, but not in the wavefront sensor (WFS) path of an adaptive optics (AO) imaging system. We accomplish this through a non-traditional application of the Gonsalves least-squares phase diversity technique using an ensemble of images and WFS data. The diversity phases required for the Gonsalves technique are provided by the temporal differences in WFS residual phase measurements for different members of the ensemble. The technique is demonstrated using actual observations from an operational AO system exhibiting such aberration. An estimate of this aberration was obtained using the proposed algorithm which agrees reasonably well with the observed point-spread function.
Age as a criterion for surgery in primary hyperparathyroidism

Only about 20% of patients with primary hyperparathyroidism in the United States have nephrolithiasis, and osteitis fibrosa cystica is rare (1– 4). The evolution of primary hyperparathyroidism into a disorder that is asymptomatic in the vast majority of patients has led to considerable controversy concerning appropriate management of these patients (4 – 8). Surgery is the only treatment for primary hyperparathyroidism, but because most patients do not have symptoms, the need for definitive treatment in all patients has been questioned (4 –7). To address this and other issues, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) held a Consensus Development Conference on the Management of Asymptomatic Primary Hyperparathyroidism that developed clinical criteria for surgical intervention (9). Patients meeting certain guidelines (severe hypercalcemia, nephrolithiasis, and reduced bone mass) benefit from parathyroidectomy (10 –14). However, the recommendation for surgery in those less than 50 years of age was based more on concern about the consequences of nonintervention, along with the notion that “years of disease” per se conferred risk. There was no clear sense that the disease was worse or tended to be more progressive in younger patients. Data from our 15-year prospective study of primary hyperparathyroidism provide information about the clinical course of patients younger than 50 years who were followed without parathyroidectomy.
Classification of Annual Great Lakes Ice Cycles: Winters of 1973–2002*

Abstract Annual seasonal average ice cover from 1973 to 2002 and associated dates of first ice, last ice, and ice duration are presented and discussed. The annual seasonal average ice cover of each Great Lake is used to define three ice cycle classes: mild, typical, and severe. About half of the severe ice cycles occurred from 1977 to 1982 and about half of the mild ice cycles occurred from 1998 to 2002. The seasonal progression of daily lake-averaged ice cover, spatial differences in ice cover, and differences among the Great Lakes for mild, typical, and severe ice cycles are discussed within the context of lake bathymetry and winter air temperatures. Seasonal average ice cover is larger on Lakes Superior, Erie, and Huron relative to Lakes Michigan and Ontario, because of shallower depths (for Erie and Huron) and lower air temperatures (for Superior) relative to Lakes Michigan and Ontario. This ice cycle classification scheme can be used to compare future Great Lakes ice cycle severity with this 30-winte...
New molecules for hippocampal development

Pathfinding by developing axons towards their proper targets is an essential step in establishing appropriate neuronal connections. Recent work involving cell culture assays and molecular biology strategies, including knockout animals, strongly indicates that a complex network of guidance signals regulates the formation of hippocampal connections during development. Outgrowing axons are routed towards the hippocampal formation by specific expression of long-range cues, which include secreted class 3 semaphorins, netrin 1 and Slit proteins. Local membrane- or substrate-anchored molecules, such as ligands of the ephrin A subclass, provide layer-specific positional information. Understanding the molecular mechanisms that underlie axonal guidance during hippocampal development might be of importance in making therapeutic use of sprouting fibers, which are produced following the loss of afferents in CNS lesion.
Identity Style and Spirituality in a Collegiate Context

Though exploration of religion has been considered an important part of identity since Erikson's original work, little research has explored the connection explicitly. This study investigated the relationship between identity and faith development in undergraduates (N = 153) from a private, Catholic university and a public college. Participants completed measures of identity style, identity distress, spiritual exploration (willingness to question beliefs, valuing doubts, openness to change), and strength of faith. Higher informational identity style scores related to stronger faith and higher scores on all measures of spiritual exploration. Higher normative style scores related to stronger faith and less value placed on religious doubts. Identity distress was related to greater questioning of beliefs and expecting future change in those beliefs.
P.7.14 Effects of a regular aquatic therapy program on one individual with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy (DMD): A case study

The specific aims of this study are to (1) Evaluate the impact of a regular aquatic therapy program on quality of life of an individual with DMD (2) Evaluate the impact of a regular aquatic therapy program on motor function in an individual with DMD (3) Evaluate the impact of a regular aquatic therapy program on pulmonary function in an individual with DMD. This is a case report of one individual with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy that has undergone a standardized aquatic program. In addition to continued participation in a home exercise program, the subject received a standard protocol of aquatic therapy one time per week for 6 weeks. Following completion of the 6 week protocol, the individual was discharged from the aquatic therapy program and continued with his home exercise program that included regular stretching and use of bracing. The subject underwent assessments of the following dependent measures: hand held myometry, Timed Function Testing, 6 min Walk Distance, Pulmonary Function Tests, and PedsQL. To ensure a stable baseline (TI), the initial assessments were completed 2 times over a span of 5 days. The battery of dependent measures was then repeated at the completion of intervention (T2) and again at the end of 12 weeks (T3). We found slight increases in strength and improvement in quality of life based on parent report at the conclusion of intervention. Pulmonary function, 6 min walk distance and timed function tests appeared to remain steady throughout. Due to the degenerative nature of this disease, any improvement in function or steady maintenance of function over time could be considered a positive outcome. Based upon our results, we may conclude that individuals with DMD may benefit from aquatic therapy. Further studies, including randomized control trials, are needed to determine the effects of a regular aquatic therapy program on individuals with Duchenne Muscular Dystrophy.
Inhibitory effects of technical grade methoxychlor on development of neonatal male mouse reproductive organs.

Effects of technical grade methoxychlor (MX), an estrogenic insecticide, and 17 beta-estradiol (E2) were examined on serum testosterone (T) concentrations and growth and histology of neonatal male mouse reproductive organs. Male NIH/Swiss mice received i.p. injections daily from birth to Day 9 with one of the following: 10 micrograms E2 or 0.1 or 1.0 mg MX or sesame oil vehicle. The mice were killed on Day 10. MX or did not affect body weights or mortality. Serum T concentrations in control mice were 0.29 +/- 0.03 ng/ml; T concentrations in males treated with MX or E2 were reduced. The 1.0-mg dose of both MX and E2 significantly decreased DNA contents of the seminal vesicles (SV), bulbourethral glands (BUG), and ventral prostate (VP) compared to controls. In the same animals, DNA contents of testes, epididymides, and efferent ductules were not decreased. The lower dose of MX (0.1 mg) decreased DNA content of only BUG and SV. DNA content of the ductus deferens was not affected by any treatment. E2 and both doses of MX also decreased epithelial morphogenesis in the SV and BUG, and inhibited the onset of mucin production in BUG epithelium and smooth muscle differentiation in the ductus deferens. In summary, our results indicate that technical grade MX, at doses as low as 0.1 mg/day, and E2 inhibit neonatal male reproductive tract development and decrease serum T concentrations.
The ratio of induced fission vs. spontaneous fission in pitchblende and natural occurrence of radiochlorine

Abstract Chlorine was isolated from kilogram quantities of both Canadian and African pitchblende, exhaustively purified, and counted. The specific activity of chlorine obtained from African pitchblende was found to be (7 ± 1) disintegrations per minute per gramme of chlorine, while that from Canadian pitchblende was (4 ± 1) disintegrations per minute per gramme of chlorine. The ratio of induced fission of 235U vs spontaneous fission of 238U in these minerals was calculated from the radiochlorine data. A value of 0·33 was obtained for the African pitchblende and a value of 0·19 for the Canadian pitchblende.
Effect of configuration and simultaneous feeding upon the gastrointestinal absorption of the amino acids.

Abstract The gastrointestinal absorption of the d and l isomers of several amino acids was studied in rats by the Cori technique. In one series of tests each isomer was fed separately, and in a second series a dl mixture was employed in which one optical component was labeled and the other was unlabeled. In the first series, l -methionine underwent absorption more slowly than d -methionine, and l -aspartic acid insignificantly more slowly than d -aspartic acid. In similar tests of the l and d forms of valine, histidine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan, the l isomer was the more rapidly absorbed. When equal quantities of the l and d forms of methionine, valine, histidine, phenylalanine, and tryptophan, respectively, were mixed and fed, each isomeric component was absorbed more slowly than it had been when it was fed alone, but in every instance the l component was more rapidly absorbed than the d . Joint feeding with the l isomer of methionine slowed the absorption of l -tryptophan, l -histidine, and an amino acid mixture more so than did joint feeding with the d isomer. Absorption of the amino acid mixture was retarded more strongly by methionine than by tryptophan.
Information on Selected Water Quality Characteristics for the Production of Black Sea Bass, Centropristis striata, Juveniles

Abstract Recent interest in the culture of black sea bass, Centropristis striata, has led to questions regarding the environmental requirements of this species for economically-viable production. Here, we present the results of short-term laboratory studies on ammonia toxicity, nitrite toxicity and oxygen consumption rates. Fifty percent of the juveniles died when exposed to 0.7-0.8 mg/L un-ionized ammonia-N for 24 hours (25°C, 23 g/L salinity). All exposed fish survived exposure to ≤ 0.6 mg/L un-ionized ammonia-N for 10 days. Black sea bass juveniles survived 24-hours exposure to 250 mg/L nitrite-N when exposed in 12 or 20 g/L salinity. Fish exposed for 24 hours to nitrite in 35 g/L salinity died when exposed to 250 mg/L nitrite-N, but survived exposure to 100 g/L nitrite-N. All fish exposed to 50 mg/L nitrite-N for 10 days survived (salinities of 12, 20 and 35 g/L). Mean oxygen consumption rate was 0.09 mg/hour/g (25°C). Fish weight significantly affected oxygen consumption rate with larger fish consumi...
Coping and support effects on mothers' stress responses to their child's hematopoietic stem cell transplantation

A hematopoietic stem cell transplantation (HSCT) is used as a treatment for cancer or nonmalignant hematological disorders in children. Little information is known about how an HSCT affects the mothers of these patients. The purposes of this repeated measures study were to examine the stress responses of mothers at four times during their child's hospitalization for an HSCT and to determine the relationships among mothers' stress responses and the resources for coping and social support. Maternal anxiety mean scores decreased significantly over time although a majority of the mothers had moderately high anxiety scores at all times. Mean scores of mothers' depressive symptomatologies decreased significantly over time. A majority of the mothers had depressive symptomatology scores above the cut-off score that indicates being at-risk for developing depression. At each of four data collection times, a specific coping style (defined as active reviewing of feelings or information associated with the situation) significantly explained the variance in mothers' scores for anxiety, depressive symptomatology, somatic complaints, and sleep behavior. Social support significantly explained differences in depressive symptomatology scores only at data collection times 1 and 3. Health care providers need to assess mothers for stress responses and assist them in dealing with their feelings and in understanding the information associated with an HSCT.
Reconfigurable spherical helical Electrically Small Antenna in UHF band

This paper presents a TE 10 mode spherical helical Electrically Small Antenna (ESA) for ground communication applications. By choosing proper physical dimensions of the antenna, it could operate at unfolded and folded states for different operating frequencies. And the simulated and measured frequency reconfigurabilities are respectively 34 MHz and 33.2 MHz. Simulated radiation efficiencies are over 98% for both states.
Decline and Compensation in Aging Brain and Cognition: Promises and Constraints

Age-related cognitive declines are common and inevitable, but life trajectories of brain and cognitive functions are variable and plastic. To identify the mechanisms of decline, the prospects for improvement, and the constraints on the remedial approaches, the contributors of this special issuer examine several diverse areas of cognitive and brain aging: from structural and metabolic brain aging to genetics, and from age-sensitive cognitive domains to those that resist aging. In spite of such thematic diversity, several common threads are clear. To achieve better compensation for age-related changes in cognition, we need to understand their brain substrates, telling cognitively relevant from epiphenomenal. We also need to understand the sources of profound individual variability in aging trajectories, and to learn to tailor interventions to specific individual profiles of decline.
High-sensitivity atomic magnetometer unaffected by spin-exchange relaxation.

Alkali-metal magnetometers compete with SQUID detectors as the most sensitive magnetic field sensors. Their sensitivity is limited by relaxation due to spin-exchange collisions. We demonstrate a K magnetometer in which spin-exchange relaxation is completely eliminated by operating at high K density and low magnetic field. Direct measurements of the signal-to-noise ratio give a magnetometer sensitivity of $10\text{ }\mathrm{f}\mathrm{T}\text{ }\mathrm{H}{\mathrm{z}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{1}\mathrm{/}\mathrm{2}}$, limited by magnetic noise produced by Johnson currents in the magnetic shields. We extend a previous theoretical analysis of spin exchange in low magnetic fields to arbitrary spin polarizations and estimate the shot-noise limit of the magnetometer to be $2\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{\ensuremath{-}18}\text{ }\mathrm{T}\text{ }\mathrm{H}{\mathrm{z}}^{\mathrm{\ensuremath{-}}\mathrm{1}\mathrm{/}\mathrm{2}}$.
AN IMPROVED VOLUMENOMETER

A volumcnometer of improved design has been developed for measuring the solid volumes of specimens varying in size up to that of standard refractory bricks. The chief feature of the new design is the use of a closed-cistern, altitude-type mercurial barometer to replace the simple manometer previously used. The barometer is de signed for use in a constant temperature room (21.1°C.) where the acceleration of gravity is 980.1 cm. per sec.2. Under these conditions, pressure readings are auto matically corrected to standard conditions. A vernier permits rapid readings to 0.1 mm. of mercury.
Object Familiarity Facilitates Foreign Word Learning in Preschoolers

Studying how children learn words in a foreign language can shed light on how language learning changes with development. In one experiment, we examined whether three-, four-, and five-year-olds could learn and remember words for familiar and unfamiliar objects in their native English and a foreign language. All age groups could learn and remember words in their native language better than in a foreign language. Yet they all performed above chance when learning foreign words for familiar objects. Five-year-olds could also learn foreign words for unfamiliar objects and remember them for several days; with additional presentations, four-year-olds and some three-year-olds could do the same. English vocabulary size was associated with the ability to remember words learned in English but not in the foreign language. The results indicate that preschoolers are capable of learning foreign words for familiar objects, and suggest how these abilities improve during the preschool years.
Autistic regression and disintegrative disorder: how important the role of epilepsy?

At least a third of autistic toddlers regress in language, sociability, play, and often cognition. Many fewer children undergo a similar, unexplained regression after language is fully developed (disintegrative disorder [DD]). Epilepsy or a paroxysmal electroencephalogram (EEG) with/without clinical seizures, including electrical status epilepticus in slow wave sleep (ESES), may be associated, in occasional children, with either selective loss of language (Landau-Kleffner syndrome [LKS]) or with pervasive autistic regression. Fluctuation in language and behavior deficits should raise the suspicion of epilepsy. Review of the literature and of the author's experience suggests that epilepsy probably plays a relatively minor, although non-negligibie, pathogenetic role in autistic regression. Multidisciplinary, possibly multi-institutional, longitudinal studies that encompass the regression are needed to sharpen diagnostic criterla to devise more effective theraples.
Neonatal Androgen or Estrogen Treatment and the Adrenal Cortica Response to Stress in Adult Rats

Female rats treated with androgen 120 hr after birth or estrogen 96 hr after birth exhibited normal stress-induced elevations in plasma corticosterone concentrations. Both hormones produced the expected anovulatory condition, and significantly increased adrenal and body weights. Male rats treated with androgen neonatally showed a significant increase in body weight and a slight decrease in testicularweight. No effect was observed in the adrenal cortical response to stress. Neonatal estrogen treatment did significantly elevate the response to stress in adult males. Testicular and body weights were markedly reduced but adrenal weights were increased as a function of neonatal estrogen treatment and were comparable to those of normal females. (Endocrinology 80:1177,1967)
Development of a Fast and Efficient Sample Enrichment Device for Semivolatile Organics

A rapid-cycling, low-volume, and inert sampling and enrichment device for organic vapors is described. The device consists of two concentric fused silica capillaries. A small portion of the inter-capillary volume, which is cooled with a burst of compressed carbon dioxide, serves as a trap for the semivolatile organics. The trap's low mass permits rapid sampling and desorption cycles suitable for applications requiring fast monitoring of volatile and semivolatile chemicals. The device is devoid of switching valves in the sampling train and consequently does not suffer from analyte loss due to irreversible adsorption or cross contamination. The device was successfully used for sampling highly adsorptive nitroaromatic explosives in air at low concentrations.
Biaxially textured superconductor Bi-oxide films via an electrodeposition process

An electrodeposition process was used to deposit Bi-2212 precursor films. Biaxially textured Bi-2212 superconductor films were prepared from electrodeposited precursor films by melt-quench/melt-growth processing on Ag-coated LAO substrates. Magnetization measurements for the electrodeposited, Bi-2212 superconductor films show critical current density values greater than 5 /spl times/ 10/sup 6/ A/cm/sup 2/ at 4 K in zero field.
MicroRNA-responsive 'sensor' transgenes uncover Hox-like and other developmentally regulated patterns of vertebrate microRNA expression

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are a class of short (∼22-nt) noncoding RNA molecules that downregulate expression of their mRNA targets. Since their discovery as regulators of developmental timing in Caenorhabditis elegans, hundreds of miRNAs have been identified in both animals and plants1. Here, we report a technique for visualizing detailed miRNA expression patterns in mouse embryos. We elucidate the tissue-specific expression of several miRNAs during embryogenesis, including two encoded by genes embedded in homeobox (Hox) clusters, miR-10a and miR-196a. These two miRNAs are expressed in patterns that are markedly reminiscent of those of Hox genes. Furthermore, miR-196a negatively regulates Hoxb8, indicating that its restricted expression pattern probably reflects a role in the patterning function of the Hox complex.
Fasthypo — A Hypocenter Location Program

A simple, understandable FORTRAN computer program for the location of hypocenters of local and regional earthquakes is presented. The program is designed for interactive timesharing use and offers the ability to locate earthquakes quickly, obviating the need of punching data cards and submitting them to a central computer facility. Variations of the program have been run on Honeywell 6023 and DEC PDP 11/70 computers.
A method of image reconstruction in fan beam tomography

This paper addresses the problems of image reconstruction in fan beam straight-path tomography from complete and incomplete data. A method for restoring the parallel beam projections of an object from its fan beam projections is introduced. The scheme utilizes FFT routines for this purpose. It is shown that the approach reduces the required amount of the collected fan beam data by half. Moreover, a noniterative method of image reconstruction, when arbitrary segments of the object projections cannot be detected, is presented. The technique exploits the functional properties of the object projections, in conjunction with a priori information available about the test object, to restore the unknown data.
Association of CYP2A6 polymorphisms with S-1 plus docetaxel therapy outcomes in metastatic gastric cancer

Aims: S-1, an oral fluoropyrimidine, contains tegafur, which is converted to 5-fluorouracil mainly by CYP2A6. We evaluated the association between CYP2A6 polymorphisms and treatment outcome in metastatic gastric cancer patients treated with S-1 plus docetaxel. Materials & methods: Chemonaive patients received S-1 40 mg/m2 twice daily on days 1–14 and docetaxel 35 mg/m2 on days 1 and 8 of a 3-week cycle. We analyzed the wild-type (W) allele (CYP2A6*1) and four variant (V) alleles that abolish or reduce enzyme activity (CYP2A6*4, *7, *9 and *10). A total of 50 patients were enrolled. Results: The genotype frequencies were as follows: W/W (n = 14, 28%), W/V (n = 26, 52%) and V/V (n = 10, 20%). Patients having fewer variant alleles had significantly better response rates (W/W vs W/V vs V/V = 79 vs 65 vs 30%; p = 0.04) and median progression-free survival (W/W vs W/V vs V/V = 8.1 vs 6.9 vs 3.1 months; p = 0.0009). Conclusion: Our findings showed that the CYP2A6 genotype correlated with the treatment efficacy o...
Fear Conditioning Potentiates Synaptic Transmission onto Long-Range Projection Neurons in the Lateral Subdivision of Central Amygdala

Recent studies indicate that the lateral subdivision of the central amygdala (CeL) is essential for fear learning. Specifically, fear conditioning induces cell-type-specific synaptic plasticity in CeL neurons that is required for the storage of fear memories. The CeL also controls fear expression by gating the activity of the medial subdivision of the central amygdala (CeM), the canonical amygdala output to areas that mediate defensive responses. In addition to the connection with CeM, the CeL sends long-range projections to innervate extra-amygdala areas. However, the long-range projection CeL neurons have not been well characterized, and their role in fear regulation is unknown. Here we show in mice that a subset of CeL neurons directly project to the midbrain periaqueductal gray (PAG) and the paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus, two brain areas implicated in defensive behavior. These long-range projection CeL neurons are predominantly somatostatin-positive (SOM(+)) neurons, which can directly inhibit PAG neurons, and some of which innervate both the PAG and paraventricular nucleus of the thalamus. Notably, fear conditioning potentiates excitatory synaptic transmission onto these long-range projection CeL neurons. Thus, our study identifies a subpopulation of SOM(+) CeL neurons that may contribute to fear learning and regulate fear expression independent of CeM.
Information using likeness measures

A suggestion is made regarding the nature of information: That the information in a theory be evaluated by measuring either its distance from the perfect theory or by measuring its distance from the right answer to the information seeking question that led to it. The measures here are provided by the Tichy-Hilpinen-Oddie-Niiniluoto-likeness measures which were introduced in the context of the philosophical problem of verisimilitude. One feature of this suggestion that differentiates it from most theories of information is that it does not use or depend on probabilities or uncertainty. Another unusual feature of it is that it permits false views or theories to possess information. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Interviews of 21 adolescents reveal a desire for structured education programme specifically tailored to their needs.

Commentary on: D Chaney, V Coates, M Shevlin, et al.. Diabetes education: what do adolescents want?J Clin Nurs2012;21:216–23.
Point-Spread Wagering Markets' Analogue to Realized Return in Financial Markets

Tests for market efficiency and rational behavior in financial markets commonly utilize realized return as the variable of interest. Researchers who study point-spread wagering markets for sporting events generally agree that the point spread is these markets' analogue to asset price in financial markets. An issue that is less clear, to date, is upon exactly which variable researchers should focus when testing for efficiency and rationality in point-spread betting markets. The objective of this article is to verify that change in point spread is an acceptable proxy for realized return.
The Effect of Fatherhood on Employment Hours: Variation by Birth Timing, Marriage, and Coresidence

Drawing on the life course paradigm, I assess how the effect of fatherhood on employment hours varies by age of becoming a parent and time elapsed since the birth. Using the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth - 1979 Cohort from 1979 to 2002 (N = 28,514 observations), separate effects are estimated based on fathers' marital status and co-residence with own children. Only unmarried men who became fathers before 24 work longer hours immediately after a first birth, but in the long run, most early fathers work fewer hours as a result of parenthood. Over time, unmarried but coresident men who became fathers between 24 and 29 increase their hours, as do married, coresident men who delayed fatherhood until 30 or older. However, the latter increase is moderated by support for egalitarian gender roles. The findings shed light on the contemporary transition to adulthood and on men's work-family balance.
Solvent effects on the screening of parallel combinatorial libraries for selectors for chiral chromatography.

The correlation between the resin-swelling property and the outcome of the crucial equilibration assay used in our parallel library screening method is investigated. It is found that the incorporation of CHCl 3 (an effective swelling solvent for both the polystyrene and TentaGel resins) into the equilibration solvent leads to faster equilibration and thus shorter library screening time. The outcome of the equilibration experiment is also found to depend on the chemical nature of the solid base resins. It appears that polystyrene resin, which has a relatively inert surface, provides higher enantioselectivity than the polar TentaGel resin. The importance of a thoroughly swelled resin for the direct assay of functional groups on the resin is demonstrated.
Justice, amnesty, and the strange lessons of 1945

If, as Max Weber famously argued, science in general (Wissenschaft)*that is, the focused, disciplined use of reason*cannot justify itself on its own terms, then each individual science*law is among his examples*remains without foundation. Law, Weber wrote, operates by distinguishing between legality and illegality. Whatever is brought before it by way of formally correct procedures demands and receives judgment. An action is either legal or illegal; a person either not-guilty or guilty. But law itself remains in legal limbo. Law as a science cannot determine whether the science of law is legal.1 This conundrum, Niklas Luhmann would say, is the foundational paradox, the paradox of all foundations, and thus the foundation of all of Luhmann’s speculations. Modernity consists in the functioning of operationally closed social systems that reproduce themselves internally, autopoietically, by means of their own elements. Seen from the perspective of sociology, or at least Luhmann’s sociology, social systems - law included - find their legitimacy only through the continued success of their operations. Legitimation durch Verfahren [Legitimation through procedure],2 as Luhmann famously and controversially put it early in his career. (Published: 1 September 2010) Citation: Ethics & Global Politics, Vol. 3, No. 3, 2010, pp. 239-254. DOI: 10.3402/egp.v3i3.5488
A Theoretical Study of Two Novel Concept Systems for Maximum Thermal-Chemical Conversion of Biomass to Hydrogen

Two concept systems that are based on the thermochemical process of high-temperature steam gasification of lignocellulosic biomass and municipal solid waste are introduced. The primary objectives of the concept systems are 1) to develop the best scientific, engineering, and technology solutions for converting lignocellulosic biomass, as well as agricultural, forest and municipal waste to clean energy (pure hydrogen fuel), and 2) to minimize water consumption and detrimental impacts of energy production on the environment (air pollution and global warming). The production of superheated steam is by hydrogen combustion using recycled hydrogen produced in the first concept system while in the second concept system concentrated solar energy is used for the steam production. A membrane reactor that performs the hydrogen separation and water gas shift reaction is involved in both systems for producing more pure hydrogen and CO2 sequestration. Based on obtaining the maximum hydrogen production rate the hydrogen recycled ratio is around 20% for the hydrogen combustion steam heating system. Combined with pure hydrogen production, both high temperature steam gasification systems potentially possess more than 80% in first law overall system thermodynamic efficiencies.
Identification of a Vanadium-Associated Protein from the Vanadium-Rich Ascidian, Ascidia sydneiensis samea

Abstract Ascidians are known to accumulate vanadium in their blood cells (vanadocytes) at extremely high levels which correspond to about 106 to 107 times the levels of vanadium ions in seawater. The route for the accumulation of vanadium ions from the outside environment into the blood system in ascidians has not yet been discovered. In the present experiments, using a combined technique of anion exchange column and atomic absorption spectrometry, we first extracted a vanadium-associated protein (VAP) from the blood cells of the ascidian Ascidia sydneiensis samea. VAP was estimated to associate with vanadium at an approximate ratio of 1 mol: 16 mols. SDS-PAGE and a polyclonal antibody against VAP (anti-VAP) revealed that VAP is composed of at least two types of peptides estimated to be 12.5 kDa and 15 kDa with a minor peptide of 16 kDa and that VAP is localized in the cytoplasm of the vanadocytes.
A Control-Theoretic Approach to Adaptive Physiological Games

We present an adaptive biofeedback game that aims to maintain the player's arousal level by monitoring physiological signals. We use concepts from control theory to model the interaction between human physiology and game difficulty during game play. We validate the approach on a car-racing game with real-time adaptive game mechanics. Specifically, we use car speed, road visibility, and steering jitter as three mechanisms to manipulate game difficulty. We propose quantitative measures to characterize the effectiveness of these game adaptations in manipulating the player's arousal. For this purpose, we use electro dermal activity (EDA) as a physiological correlate of arousal. Experimental trials with 20 subjects in both open-loop (no feedback) and closed-loop (negative feedback) conditions show statistically significant differences among the three game mechanics in terms of their effectiveness. Specifically, manipulating car speed provides higher arousal levels than changing road visibility or vehicle steering. Finally, we discuss the theoretical and practical implications of our approach.