cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Willingness to shoot: Public attitudes toward defensive gun use

A survey of 539 residents of Cincinnati is used to examine the willingness to use guns in self-defense against crime. Support for using deadly force against lawbreakers is largely contingent upon the threat of physical harm. In contrast to previous research, firearm owners and non-owners do not differ in their willingness to shoot offenders or in their support for using violence for defensive purposes. Such findings question the distinctiveness of these two groups. Support for firing at criminals, however, did have a cultural component. Willingness to shoot is positively related to childhood socialization into a gun culture and to holding violent attitudes. It also is positively related to the belief that crime is rising, perceived risk of victimization, being nonwhite, and being male.
Preliminary Construction of a Service Provider—Informed Domestic Violence Research Agenda

This article presents the results of a statewide survey of domestic violence (DV) service providers that focused on the needs, background characteristics, and opinions of service providers related to research. The survey included an examination of service providers’ motivation for working in the field, research background and training, and perceptions of research as well as the topics they believe are important for researchers to study, the resources they consult to learn about DV, and their suggestions to help researchers learn more about the nature of their work. The results are integrated into a preliminary agenda for future DV research that accounts for the needs and insight of service providers.
A 10-b Ternary SAR ADC With Quantization Time Information Utilization

The design of a ternary successive approximation (TSAR) analog-to-digital converter (ADC) with quantization time information utilization is proposed. The TSAR examines the transient information of a typical dynamic SAR voltage comparator to provide accuracy, speed, and power benefits. Full half-bit redundancy is shown, allowing for residue shaping which provides an additional 6 dB of signal-to-quantization-noise ratio (SQNR). Synchronous quantizer speed enhancements allow for a shorter worst case conversion time. An increased monotonicity switching algorithm, stage skipping due to reference grouping, and SAR logic modifications minimize overall dynamic energy. The architecture has been shown to reduce capacitor array switching power consumption and digital-to-analog converter (DAC) driver power by about 60% in a mismatch limited SAR, reduce comparator activity by about 20%, and require only 8.03 average comparisons and 6.53 average DAC movements for a 10-b ADC output word. A prototype is fabricated in 0.13-μm CMOS employing on-chip statistical time reference calibration, supply variability from 0.8 to 1.2 V, and small input signal power scaling. The chip consumes 84 μ W at 8 MHz with an effective number of bits of 9.3 for a figure of merit of 16.9 fJ/C-S for the 10-b prototype and 10.0 fJ/C-S for a 12-b enhanced prototype chip.
Money as a weighted aggregate

Although it has been the focus of continuing controversy, statistical definition of the national money-stock has seldom been portrayed as a matter of great analytic import 1. On the criterion that "money is as money does" and the hypothesis that "near-monies can never be ignored", most theorists have been content to designate as money one or another subset of those publicly-held assets capable of serving directly or indirectly as means of domestic payment. This paper takes the position that this all-or-none approach to the measurement of asset-moneyness tends to prejudice our view of the economic process. By suggesting that we can fix upon a definitive set of monetary variables, conventional analysis focuses our attention on totals in these categories and away from changes in the relative moneyness of individual assets over time. In what follows, we argue that cyclical and secular change in the moncyness and liquidity of financial assets tends to be systematic and should, therefore, be incorporated into the body of economic theory. In the short run, such changes are critical forces in the relative success or failure of national economic policy. If, for example, open-market sales of Treasury bills induce persons and corporations to endeavor more energetically to employ these instruments in their money-management plans, these sales will be less deflationary than if habits of money
Reductive cleavage of disulfide bridges in ribonuclease.

This article was the first of many studies that were generally concerned with the eventual total synthesis of the protein. It contained several original observations that would lead to the conclusion that the refolding of the ribonuclease molecule after full denaturation by reductive cleavage of its four disulfide bonds required that only one of the one hundred five possible pairings of eight sulfhydryl groups to form four disulfide linkages take place.
Vibrational relaxation of HCl in HCl/liquid xenon mixtures

Abstract The vibrational relaxation of HCl in liquid xenon at −68°C has been studied. Vibrationally excited HCl is created following UV photolysis of HCl. The rate of relaxation of HCl as a function of HCl mole fraction in liquid xenon is the same as the corresponding rate for gas phase HCl at −68°C. Similarly the rate of relaxation of HCl in HClXe collisions is in good agreement with the corresponding gas phase rate. These observations imply that the isolated binary collision model is valid for this system.
Senior moments: The acceptability of an ageist phrase

Abstract Purpose : This study examines instances of the phrase senior moment in newspapers to identify definitions of the phrase and determine how the phrase operates in discourse. Design and methods : A search on Lexis-Nexus Academic Universe revealed 136 newspaper articles using senior moment 181 times between 1991 and 2000. These articles and instances of the phrase were examined through quantitative and qualitative content analysis. Definitions from the articles were coded into six categories. Qualitative analysis explored how the phrase was used as an expressed attribution. Results : First appearing in 1997, senior moment became more common in 1998, 1999, and 2000. Although senior moments are most frequently defined as brief memory lapses, the phrase also refers to severe cognitive impairment and functional incompetence. Occasionally the phrase highlights a positive event related to an older adult. Attributional themes included two self-directed attributions (excuses and concessions) and three other-directed attributions (condemnations, apprehensions, and dismissals). Implications : These results indicate that senior moment is an ageist attribution. The increasing popularity of the phrase suggests that negative stereotypes of older adults remain socially acceptable.
Cultural Nuances, Assumptions, and the Butterfly Effect: Addressing the Unpredictability Caused by Unconscious Values Structures in Cross‐Cultural Interactions

Cultural values, cross-cultural interaction patterns that are produced by dynamical (chaotic) systems, have a significant impact on interaction, particularly among and between people from different cultures. The butterfly effect, which states that small differences in initial conditions may have severe consequences for patterns in the long run, serves as a creative way of drawing attention to a particularly challenging aspect of such chaotic systems. Forty-six accounts of cross-cultural situations involving the interface of Asian and Western cultures were examined for underlying nuances (using Kluckhohn values orientations; F. R. Kluckhohn & F. L. Strodtbeck, 1961) and their possible effects. The discrepant relational perspective contributed the most to interaction difficulties but was not independent of other spheres.
Growth Response Relationship between Growth Hormone Dose and Short Term Growth in Patients with Turner’s Syndrome

Short stature is a common feature of Turner’s syndrome. We studied the dose-response relationship between short term linear growth and GH dose using the lower legmeasuring device. Three doses of GH (0.05, 0.15, and 0.45 U/kg, three times weekly) were given sc for 1-month treatment periods. Lower leg growth rate increased significantly during treatment with the 0.15 and 0.45 U/kg doses [1.8 ± 0.2 (±SEM) and 1.7 ± 0.3 mm/4 weeks). The higher dose of 0.45 U/kg was no more effective than the 0.15 U/kg dose. Serum somatomedin-C levels increased after treatment with each of the three doses of GH, but did not differ in any of the three dosage groups. We conclude that 0.15 U/kg GH, three times weekly, stimulates short term growth in patients with Turner’s syndrome. Longer term studies are required to determine if this increased growth rate is sustained. (J Clin Endocrinol Metab63: 1028, 1986)
Elastomer solvent interactions III‐effects of methanol mixtures on fluorocarbon elastomers

Fluorocarbon elastomers exhibit high volume swell in methanol, but not in ethanol or other alcohols. Proton nuclear magnetic resonance (NMR) data indicate that neat methanol exists as a hydrogen-bonded tetramer with a solubility parameter close to that of the fluorocarbon elastomer, thus causing the high swell. The NMR and volume swell data show further correlations: Increased temperature or dilution of methanol with nonpolar solvents or water breaks down the hydrogen-bonded structure and reduces the volume swell. Mixtures of methanol and ethanol form mixed tetramer species. In this case the volume swell can be predicted by statistical theory which indicates that an all-methanol tetramer and a tetramer containing one ethanol molecule are the only swelling species. Similarly, a tetramer singly substituted with butanol is too bulky to swell the elastomer. Thus the molecular structure of methanol and its mixtures as determined by NMR provides an explanation for the swelling of fluorocarbon elastomers in these environments.
Enzyme-Amplified Amperometric Detection of Hybridization and of a Single Base Pair Mutation in an 18 Base Oligonucleotide on a 7 µm Diameter Microelectrode

A single base pair mismatch in an 18 base oligonucleotide was detected with a 7 µm diameter carbon microelectrode. The hybridization was followed directly and in real time by steady state amperometry. The microelectrode was coated with a hybridization-sensing layer in a two-step electrophoretic process, which yielded microelectrodes with reproducible dimensions. In the first step, a thin film of an electron-conducting redox polymer was deposited electrophoretically at constant potential in a low ionic strength solution. In the second step a carbodiimide activated single stranded probe was reactively electrophoretically deposited and covalently attached to the redox polymer film. The labeling enzyme, thermostable soybean peroxidase (SBP), was covalently bound to the 5’-end of the target single stranded oligonucleotide. When the redox polymer and the enzyme were brought to close proximity by hybridization of the target and probe oligonucleotides, the film on the electrode switched from being a non-catalyst to a catalyst for H2O2 electroreduction at -0.06 V vs. Ag/AgC1. The current observed corresponded to that generated by approximately 40,000 surface bound and electrically connected SBP molecules.
Prediction of Critical Micelle Concentrations and Synergism of Binary Surfactant Mixtures Containing Zwitterionic Surfactants

We present a simplified “working model” of a recently developed molecular-thermodynamic theory of mixed surfactant solutions which can be utilized to predict critical micelle concentrations (cmc's) and synergism of binary surfactant mixtures in which one of the surfactants is zwitterionic. Given (i) the chemical structures of the hydrophilic heads and the hydrophobic tails of the surfactants, (ii) the cmc's of the pure surfactants, and (iii) the solution conditions such as temperature and the concentration of added salt, the model can predict the βAB interaction parameter characterizing synergism in mixed micelle formation and the mixture cmc as a function of solution composition. The model considers electrostatic interactions as the main contribution to synergism in mixed micelle formation, initially accounting for these interactions at an approximate level. The model applies only to surfactants with linear hydrocarbon tails and neglects synergism due to steric interactions between the surfactant heads o...
Seeing and liking: Biased perception of ambiguous figures consistent with the “inward bias” in aesthetic preferences

Aesthetic preferences are ubiquitous in visual experience. Indeed, it seems nearly impossible in many circumstances to perceive a scene without also liking or disliking it to some degree. Aesthetic factors are only occasionally studied in mainstream vision science, though, and even then they are often treated as functionally independent from other aspects of perception. In contrast, the present study explores the possibility that aesthetic preferences may interact with other types of visual processing. We were inspired, in particular, by the inward bias in aesthetic preferences: When an object with a salient "front" is placed near the border of a frame (say, in a photograph), observers tend to find the image more aesthetically pleasing if the object faces inward (toward the center) than if it faces outward (away from the center). We employed similar stimuli, except that observers viewed framed figures that were ambiguous in terms of the direction they appeared to be facing. The resulting percepts were influenced by the frames in a way that corresponded to the inward bias: When a figure was placed near a frame's border, observers tended to see whichever interpretation was facing inward. This effect occurred for both abstract geometric figures (e.g., ambiguously-oriented triangles) and meaningful line drawings (e.g., left-facing ducks or right-facing rabbits). The match between this new influence on ambiguous figure perception and the previously studied aesthetic bias suggests new ways in which aesthetic factors may relate not only to what we like, but also to what we see in the first place.
What can Students Learn about Practice Programs from Ada's Web Page?

Abstract The use of computer technology has had enormous impact on all aspects of the education of practitioners. The American Dietetic Association (ADA) has made the issue of competency in the use of technology a priority this year, through computer workshops at all of the area meetings of the Dietetic Educators of Practitioners (DEP) practice group. In addition, the web page of ADA includes a complete listing of all of the educational programs for dietitians and dietetic technicians. The purpose of this study was to determine to what extent students could search for information on practice programs through ADA's web page, and to qualitatively evaluate the potential usefulness of this information. In February 1999 the complete ADA web page listings of coordinated programs, AP4 programs and dietetic internships were printed and the information coded onto scantron sheets. In addition, all programs that included an Internet address in their listing were visited online. Statistical analysis using SPSS included descriptive statistics, crosstabulation analysis with degree of significance, and correlation coefficients. A qualitative score was assigned to each program, representing the researchers' evaluation of how useful the program information available on the Internet would be to students. A total of 57% of coordinated programs, 32% of AP4 programs, and 42% of dietetic internships had a web address. Practice programs located in academic institutions are significantly more likely to have information available on the web. In general, hospital-based programs listed the web address of their institution, and did not provide program information on their website. Examination of the qualitative scores for practice programs with web sites shows much variation. In most cases the useful information available to potential students is not enough to assist students in making informed choices. As students become more sophisticated in their use of technology, they will expect to be able to find the information they need on the Internet.
Tapetal dysplasia in a Swedish Vallhund dog.

Objective To describe the gross, histopathological, and ultrastructural findings in a dog with bilateral tapetal dysplasia. Procedures The globes of a 15-year-old neutered male Swedish Vallhund dog with a ventrally displaced tapetum in both eyes were fixed in 10% formalin and submitted to the Comparative Ocular Pathology Laboratory of Wisconsin for histological evaluation. Sections were stained with hematoxylin and eosin, Masson's trichrome, and Melan-A immunohistochemistry (IHC), and tissues were subsequently processed for transmission electron microscopy. Results Bilateral fundic and gross examination revealed a tapetal fundus inferior to the optic nerve head (ONH) and a nontapetal fundus with mild scattering of tapetal tissue superior to the ONH. Histologically, there was decreased pigmentation of the retinal pigment epithelium with only a few melanin granules in the peripheral retina. The affected tapetum was relatively acellular and fibrous with occasional tapetal cells scattered throughout the inner choroid or displaced into the vascular outer choroid. Special stains revealed that the tapetum was mostly composed of collagen (Masson's trichrome) and failed to express Melan-A (IHC) unlike a normal canine control tapetum. Ultrastructurally, the tapetum was markedly dysplastic both superior and inferior to the ONH with no uniformly arranged tapetal cells. The few cells identified within the tapetum contained irregularly arranged and disorganized electron-dense structures within their cytoplasm, which were interpreted as dysplastic tapetal rodlets. Conclusions Based on microscopic and ultrastructural findings, this is the first report of tapetal dysplasia in a dog.
Galectins and their ligands: negative regulators of anti-tumor immunity

Cytotoxic CD8+ T cells are major players of anti-tumor immune responses, as their functional activity can limit tumor growth and progression. Data show that cytotoxic T cells efficiently control the proliferation of tumor cells through major histocompatibility complex class I-mediated mechanisms; nevertheless, the presence of tumor-infiltrating CD8+ T cells in lesional tissue does not always correlate with better prognosis and increased survival of cancer patients. Similarly, adoptive transfer of tumor-specific cytotoxic T cells has only shown marginal improvement in life spans of patients with metastatic disease. In this report, we discuss experimental evidence showing that expression of tumor-derived galectins, galectin (Gal)-1, Gal-3 and Gal-9, and concomitant presence of their ligands on the surface of anti-tumor immunocytes directly compromise anti-tumor CD8+ T cell immune responses and, perhaps, undermine the promise of adoptive CD8+ T cell immunotherapy. Furthermore, we describe novel strategies designed to counteract Gal-1-, Gal-3- and Gal-9-mediated effects and highlight their targeting potential for creating more effective anti-tumor immune responses. We believe that Gal and their ligands represent an efficacious targeted molecular paradigm that warrants clinical evaluation.
On the Taxonomic Status of the Family Pfeifferinellidae (Coccidia), with a Description of Pfeifferinella gugleri sp. n.

SYNOPSIS. Pfeifferinella gugleri sp. n. was found in the liver of each of 2 land snails, Triodopsis albolabris (Say), in Iowa. The stages found, their average length × width dimensions (in μm), and their principal features were as follows: oocysts (21 × 14.5) ovoid, with micropyle and oocyst residuum; meronts (20 × 15) with 24–32 merozoites: microgametocytes (15 × 11.5) with many small microgametes; macrogametes (20 × 10.5) with 1–5 nucleoli and 1–2 wall-forming bodies, but without a “vaginal [fertilization] tube.” This tube, originally described by Leger & Hollande, 1912, from Pfeifferinella impudica, has since been considered a principal taxonomic feature of the family Pfeifferinellidae. In the absence of this structure, the taxonomic status of this monogeneric family is reexamined with the recommendation that the family be retained as distinct, but redefined to exclude the “vaginal tube” as a valid characteristic. The discovery of P. gugleri brings to 3 the number of pfeifferinellids reported, the other 2 being P. impudica Leger & Hollande, 1912, and P. ellipsoides Wasielewski, 1904, all from gastropods.
Analysis of kinetic rate modeling of thermal damage in laser-irradiated tissue

S. Rastegar and T. GlennBioengineering Program, Texas A&M University, College Station, Texas1. INTRODUCTIONTheoretical modeling of the thermal and optical processes involved in the interaction of laser lightwith tissue has progressed both qualitatively and quantitatively as a tool for understanding lasercoagulation and ablation. Optimal procedure and dosimetry prescription for laser irradiation of tissue invarious applications requires a knowledge of the thermal damage process in tissue and its dynamicbehavior. Previous work in the area of thermal damage modeling date back to the work of Henriques(1947) on pig skin. Agah et al. (1987) have evaluated damage coefficients for human vascular tissue.Interesting work on quantitative histology is in progress by Thomsen et al. (1989) in which thermaldamage coefficients are correlated to birefringent microscopic observations. A study of the dynamics ofthermal damage and ablation indicate the presence and variation of damage in different tissues even beforethe onset of the ablative process (Rastegar, et al. 1988). In the present study, using a kinetic rate modelfor thermal damage, the behavior of the damage model has been analyzed to determine sensitivities oftissue parameters, effects of temperature dependence, and possibility of predictions based on isothermpropagation.2. FORMULATIONLaser-tissue interaction is a coupled optical, thermodynamical and biochemical process. Theprocess is a function of laser parameters as well as laser energy distribution and absorption in the media,tissue geometry, and the optical and thermal properties of the tissue.In the one-dimensional situation, temperature distributions can be calculated by the solution of theheat conduction equation:
On the Application of the Source Theory to the Solution of Problems Involving Phase Change: Part 2—Transient Interface Heat and Mass Transfer in Multicomponent Liquid-Vapor System

Time dependent interfacial location and rate of phase change at interface of suddenly pressurized multicomponent liquid-vapor system
Evidence for stabilization of aquaporin-2 folding mutants by N-linked glycosylation in endoplasmic reticulum.

Aquaporin-2 (AQP2) is the vasopressin-sensitive water channel that regulates water reabsorption in the distal nephron collecting duct. Inherited AQP2 mutations that disrupt folding lead to nephroge...
Modified Prosthetic Vascular Conduits

Atherosclerosis in the form of peripheral arterial disease results in significant morbidity. Surgical treatment options for peripheral arterial disease include angioplasty, endarterectomy, and bypass grafting. For bypass grafting, vein remains the conduit of choice; however, poor quality and limited availability have led to the use of prosthetic materials. Unfortunately, because of a lack of endothelium and compliance mismatch, neointimal hyperplasia develops aggressively, resulting in high failure rates. To improve graft patency, investigators have developed surgical, chemical, and biological graft modifications. This review describes common prosthetic materials, as well as approaches currently in use and under investigation to modify and improve prosthetic conduits for bypass grafting in an effort to improve graft patency rates.
Darwin's Manufactory Hypothesis Is Confirmed and Predicts the Extinction Risk of Extant Birds

In the Origin of Species Darwin hypothesized that the “manufactory” of species operates at different rates in different lineages and that the richness of taxonomic units is autocorrelated across levels of the taxonomic hierarchy. We confirm the manufactory hypothesis using a database of all the world's extant avian subspecies, species and genera. The hypothesis is confirmed both in correlations across all genera and in paired comparisons controlling for phylogeny. We also find that the modern risk of extinction, as measured by “Red List” classifications, differs across the different categories of genera identified by Darwin. Specifically, species in “manufactory” genera are less likely to be threatened, endangered or recently extinct than are “weak manufactory” genera. Therefore, although Darwin used his hypothesis to investigate past evolutionary processes, we find that the hypothesis also foreshadows future changes to the evolutionary tree.
Behavioral Treatment for a Female Engaging in Autoerotic Asphyxiation

Once thought to be a phenomenon only practiced by men, autoerotic asphyxiation, a form of sexual masochism that is life-threatening, has been documented in women. This case study presents a 22-year-old college female with comorbid depression and avoidant personality disorder complaining of the use of autoerotic asphyxiation during masturbation. This female was a virgin and reported that asphyxiation by use of a ligature had always been used since puberty during masturbation and was necessary for her to obtain orgasm. This behavior was conceptualized within an obsessive-compulsive cycle. Covert systematic desensitization using her written sexual fantasy across 10 psychotherapy sessions was able to neutralize the power of the fantasy to elicit orgasm. Subsequent behavioral deterrents and experimentation with a vibrator enabled this female to reach orgasm without engaging in asphyxiation. Following this success, psychotherapy continued to focus on managing her depression and avoidance tendencies.
The influence of childhood and adolescent environmental exposure to a westernized environment on the relation between body mass index and adiposity in young Asian American women

Background: Asians who have a healthy body mass index (BMI) range have been observed to have higher levels of obesity and risk of cardiovascular disease than whites, which suggests that the relation between BMI and adiposity may be different for Asians. Objective: The primary aim of this study was to investigate the influence of childhood and adolescent exposure to a westernized environment on the relation between BMI and percentage body fat in young Asian American women. Design: Secondary data from 129 Asian women, aged 20–25 y, with variable lengths of residence in the United States and 327 white women of comparable ages who had participated in the Latina and Asian Bone Health Study (1999–2000) and the Berkeley Bone Health Study (1998–2000), respectively, were analyzed by using multiple linear regression with percentage body fat as the outcome variable and place of birth, ethnicity, length of US residency, and BMI as predictor variables. Results: Asians who lived in the United States <12 y showed the same relation between BMI and percentage body fat as did whites. In contrast, Asians who had lived in the United States ≥12 y had higher percentage body fat than did whites for BMIs (in kg/m2) <20.5 and lower percentage body fat for BMIs in the overweight and obese range. Conclusions: Our findings suggest that childhood environments may influence the relation between BMI and adiposity. Research is warranted on the role that childhood environments play in the accumulation and distribution of body fat and hence metabolic disease risk later in life.
Afferent basis of visual response properties in area MT of the macaque. I. Effects of striate cortex removal

The middle temporal area (MT) of the macaque monkey is a region of extrastriate cortex involved in the analysis of visual motion. MT receives strong projections from striate cortex and from area V2, which is dependent on striate for visual responsiveness. Accordingly, the visual properties of MT neurons have been thought to reflect the further processing of its input from striate cortex. We examined the dependence of MT activity on pathways deriving from striate cortex by recording from MT neurons following removal of their striate input. Repeated recordings in area MT were made in 4 hemispheres of anesthetized macaques following either partial or total ablations of striate cortex. Cells in MT were tested for responsiveness, selectivity for direction of motion and direction tuning, and ocular dominance. Receptive fields were also plotted. In an additional animal, we recorded from MT neurons during reversible cooling of the central representation in striate cortex. We found that striate cortex removal or inactivation did not abolish the visual responsiveness of the majority of MT cells. Although the residual responses were generally much weaker than in the intact animal, direction selectivity and binocularity were still present. Moreover, receptive field size and overall topography appeared unaltered.
Incorporating expert knowledge in evolutionary search: a study of seeding methods

We investigated several methods for utilizing expert knowledge in evolutionary search, and compared their impact on performance and scalability into increasingly complex problems. We collected data over one thousand randomly generated problems. We then simulated collecting expert knowledge for each problem by optimizing an approximated version of the exact solution. We then compared six different methods of seeding the approximate model in to the genetic program, such as using the entire approximate model at once or breaking it into pieces. Contrary to common intuition, we found that inserting the complete expert solution into the population is not the best way to utilize that information; using parts of that solution is often more effective. Additionally, we found that each method scaled differently based on the complexity and accuracy of the approximate solution. Inserting randomized pieces of the approximate solution into the population scaled the best into high complexity problems and was the most invariant to the accuracy of the approximate solution. Furthermore, this method produced the least bloated solutions of all methods. In general, methods that used randomized parameter coefficients scaled best with the approximate error, and methods that inserted entire approximate solutions scaled worst with the problem complexity.
Analyzing Checkpointing Trends for Applications on the IBM Blue Gene/P System

Current petascale systems have tens of thousands of hardware components and complex system software stacks, which increase the probability of faults occurring during the lifetime of a process. Checkpointing has been a popular method of providing fault tolerance in high-end systems. While considerable research has been done to optimize checkpointing, in practice the method still involves a high-cost overhead for users. In this paper, we study the checkpointing overhead seen by applications running on leadership-class machines such as the IBM Blue Gene/P at Argonne National Laboratory. We study various applications and design a methodology to assist users in understanding and choosing checkpointing frequency and reducing the overhead incurred. In particular, we study three popular applications—the Grid-Based Projector-Augmented Wave application, the Carr-Parrinello Molecular Dynamics application, and a Nek5000 computational fluid dynamics application—and analyze their memory usage and possible checkpointing trends on 32,768 processors of the Blue Gene/P system.
Genetic analysis of microtubule motor proteins in Drosophila: a mutation at the ncd locus is a dominant enhancer of nod.

Abstract The nod (no distributive disjunction) and the ncd (non-claret disjunctional) mutations are both female-specific, recessive meiotic mutations in Drosophila melanogaster. Mutations at either locus show high frequencies of nondisjunction at meiosis I and both have been shown to encode kinesin-like proteins. Unlike the ncd mutation, which affects all chromosome pairs, the nod mutation affects only the disjunction of nonexchange chromosomes. Although both the nod and ncd mutations are fully recessive, females doubly heterozygous for nod and ncd mutations show levels of X and fourth chromosome nondisjunction that are 6- to 35-fold above those observed in control females. Exchange between chromosomes can suppress this effect; thus, only nonexchange chromosomes segregating via the distributive system are sensitive in double heterozygotes. Since the phenotype of double heterozygotes mimics that of the nod mutation, we infer that ncd is a dominant enhancer of nod. Failure of ncd to fully complement nod reveals the chromosome segregation machinery to be dosage sensitive. The probability that the distributive system will fail is enhanced in females simultaneously haploinsufficient at the nod and ncd loci.
Detection of Atmospheric Cherenkov Radiation Using Solar Heliostat Mirrors

The gamma-ray energy region between 20 and 250 GeV is largely unexplored. Ground-based atmospheric Cherenkov detectors offer a possible way to explore this region, but large Cherenkov photon collection areas are needed to achieve low energy thresholds. This paper discusses the development of a Cherenkov detector using the heliostat mirrors of a solar power plant as the primary collector. As part of this development, we built a prototype detector consisting of four heliostat mirrors and used it to record atmospheric Cherenkov radiation produced in extensive air showers created by cosmic ray particles.
Developing Skill-Analysis Competency in Physical Education Teachers

Given the known relationship between physical inactivity and chronic disease (US Dept. of Health and Human Services [USDHHS], 2000, 2001), learning more about antecedents for physical activity engagement is an important research priority. In this vein, a number of studies have found a relationship between perceived and actual motor skill competency and physical activity engagement (Burton & Martens, 1986; Carroll & Loumidis, 2001; Feltz & Petlichkoff, 1983; Roberts, Kleiber, & Duda, 1981). These findings call for the need to revisit the priority placed on motor skill acquisition in K–12 physical education curriculum and the prerequisite instructional practice of skill analysis. The purpose of this article is to generate renewed commitment toward developing skill-analysis competency in physical education teachers.
Examples of Time-Shared Computer Use

The time-shared computer is a powerful tool for assisting in the solution to many problems. Four examples are given which illustrate its use: 1) starting transients of an induction motor, 2) dc motor with current limit control, 3) parameter optimization of a speed regulator for a dc shunt motor, and 4) inverse Laplace transform. A brief discussion of each example is given, and typical results are described. Details are not given since that would require a separate paper for each example.
Complex pattern formation of marine gradient bacteria explained by a simple computer model

We report on the formation of conspicuous patterns by the sulfide-oxidizing bacterium Thiovulum majus and a recently described vibrioid bacterium. These microaerophilic bacteria form mucus veils on top of sulfidic marine sediment exhibiting regular spaced bacterial patterns (honeycombs, interwoven bands, or inverse honeycombs). A simple qualitative computer model, based on chemotaxis towards oxygen and the ability of the bacteria to induce water advection when attached, can explain the formation of the observed patterns. Our study shows that complex bacterial patterns in nature can be explained in terms of chemotaxis and resource optimisation without involvement of cell–cell signalling or social behavior amongst bacteria.
Conditional Knockout of Macrophage PPARγIncreases Atherosclerosis in C57BL/6 and Low-Density Lipoprotein Receptor–Deficient Mice

Objective— Peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor gamma (PPARγ) is highly expressed in macrophage-derived foam cells of atherosclerotic lesions, and its expression may have a dramatic impact on atherosclerosis. Methods and Results— To investigate the contribution of macrophage PPARγ expression on atherogenesis in vivo, we generated macrophage-specific PPARγ knockout (MacPPARγKO) mice. C57BL/6 and low-density lipoprotein (LDL) receptor–deficient (LDLR −/− ) mice were reconstituted with MacPPARγKO or wild-type marrow and challenged with an atherogenic diet. No differences were found in serum lipids between recipients reconstituted with MacPPARγKO and wild-type marrow. In contrast, both C57BL/6 and LDLR −/− mice transplanted with MacPPARγKO marrow had significantly larger atherosclerotic lesions than control recipients. In addition, MacPPARγKO→LDLR −/− mice had higher numbers of macrophages in atherosclerotic lesions compared with controls. Peritoneal macrophages isolated from the MacPPARγKO mice had decreased uptake of oxidized but not acetylated LDL and showed no changes in either cholesterol efflux or inflammatory cytokine expression. Macrophages from MacPPARγKO mice had increased levels of migration and CC chemokine receptor 2 (CCR2) expression compared with wild-type macrophages. Conclusion— Thus, macrophage PPARγ deficiency increases atherosclerosis under conditions of mild and severe hypercholesterolemia, indicating an antiatherogenic role for PPARγ, which may be caused, at least in part, by modulation of CCR2 expression and monocyte recruitment.
Endovascular strategies for superior vena cava obstruction

The symptoms of superior vena cava (SVC) obstruction can be extremely debilitating, and current medical and surgical treatments have been only partially successful in providing relief to afflicted patients. Endovascular techniques of venous recanalization have recently shown excellent short-term and mid-term success in patients with both benign and malignant causes of SVC obstruction. Endovascular therapy may be reasonably used as a first-line approach to the palliation of malignant SVC obstruction, and its mid-term patency rates compare favorably with those of modern surgical methods of venous bypass in patients with benign SVC obstruction. In this article, the percutaneous management: of SVC syndrome is discussed, with particular attention to the anatomical considerations and clinical priorities that impact endovascular decision making.
A Bayesian Nonparametric Modeling Framework for Developmental Toxicity Studies

We develop a Bayesian nonparametric mixture modeling framework for replicated count responses in dose-response settings. We explore this methodology for modeling and risk assessment in developmental toxicity studies, where the primary objective is to determine the relationship between the level of exposure to a toxic chemical and the probability of a physiological or biochemical response, or death. Data from these experiments typically involve features that cannot be captured by standard parametric approaches. To provide flexibility in the functional form of both the response distribution and the probability of positive response, the proposed mixture model is built from a dependent Dirichlet process prior, with the dependence of the mixing distributions governed by the dose level. The methodology is tested with a simulation study, which involves also comparison with semiparametric Bayesian approaches to highlight the practical utility of the dependent Dirichlet process nonparametric mixture model. Further...
The Highly Conserved Stt3 Protein Is a Subunit of the Yeast Oligosaccharyltransferase and Forms a Subcomplex with Ost3p and Ost4p

The oligosaccharyltransferase has been purified from Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an hetero-oligomeric complex composed of four or six subunits. Here, the in vivosubunit composition and stoichiometry of the oligosaccharyltransferase were investigated by attaching an epitope coding sequence to a previously characterized subunit gene, OST3. Five (Ost1p, Wbp1p, Swp1p, Ost2p, and Ost5p) of the seven polypeptides that were coimmunoprecipitated with the epitope-tagged Ost3p were identical to those obtained by the conventional purification procedure. Two additional coprecipitating polypeptides with apparent molecular masses of 60 and 3.6 kDa were identified as the 78-kDa Stt3 protein and the 36-residue Ost4 protein, respectively. Stt3p and Ost4p were previously identified in screens for gene products involved in N-linked glycosylation. Quantification of the in vivo radiolabeled subunits and the radioiodinated purified enzyme shows that the yeast oligosaccharyltransferase is composed of equimolar amounts of eight subunits. Exposure of the immunoprecipitated oligosaccharyltransferase to mild protein denaturants yielded a subcomplex comprised of Stt3p, Ost3p, and Ost4p. These experiments, taken together with genetic and biochemical evidence for subunit interactions, suggest that the enzyme is composed of the following three subcomplexes: (a) Stt3p-Ost4p-Ost3p, (b) Swp1p-Wbp1p-Ost2p, and (c) Ost1p-Ost5p.
Optimal solar/viewing geometry for an accurate estimation of leaf area index and leaf angle distribution from bidirectional canopy reflectance data

Abstract Abstract. An analysis of the accuracy in the estimation of agronomic parameters such as leaf area index (LAI) and leaf angle distribution (LAD) from the bidirectional canopy reflectance (BDCR) data is presented. This analysis shows that for a given level of errors in the data, there are certain preferred illumination and viewing directions for which the estimations are most accurate. There are other directions, e.g. nadir viewing, for which estimates can be significantly erroneous. This analysis should be useful in selecting the optimum illumination and viewing directions for off-nadir viewing remote-sensing systems such as the SPOT satellite and the Multispectral Linear Array (MLA) Shuttle.
Compact quantum cascade laser transmitter

In this paper we present design considerations, thermal and optical modeling results, and device performance for a ruggedized, compact laser transmitter that utilizes a room temperature quantum cascade (QC) laser source. The QC laser transmitter is intended for portable mid-infrared spectroscopy applications, where the 3 to 5 μm and 8 to 12 μm atmospheric transmission window is relatively free of water vapor interference and where the molecular rotational vibration absorption features can be used to detect and uniquely identify chemical compounds of interest. Initial QC laser-based sensor development efforts were constrained by the complications of cryogenic operation. However, improvements in both QC laser designs and fabrication processes have provided room-temperature devices that now enable significant miniaturization and integration potential for national security, environmental monitoring, atmospheric science, and industrial safety applications.
The sinus node artery in man.

Thirteen sinus node arteries from human material (2 months post partum to 68 years) were studied by various histologic techniques for connective tissue, muscle, and nerve distribution and arrangement. Its relationship to the sinus node is also emphasized. The outer longitudinal muscle coat of the artery is replaced with a thick adventitia. This loss of smooth muscle is not typically found in other coronary arteries. In addition, many nerve fibers, arranged both circularly and longitudinally, present the possibility of a pressoreceptor mechanism related not only to coronary blood pressure changes but also to the neurogenic control of the heart beat.
Therapy of equine infectious keratitis: a review

The following article briefly discusses the pathogenesis of infectious keratitis in the horse, followed by discussion of management and pharmacological aspects to be considered when devising a therapeutic protocol for affected patients.
Contribution of Ebola Virus Glycoprotein, Nucleoprotein, and VP24 to Budding of VP40 Virus-Like Particles

The VP40 matrix protein of Ebola virus buds from cells in the form of virus-like particles (VLPs) and plays a central role in virus assembly and budding. In this study, we utilized a functional budding assay and cotransfection experiments to examine the contributions of the glycoprotein (GP), nucleoprotein (NP), and VP24 of Ebola virus in facilitating release of VP40 VLPs. We demonstrate that VP24 alone does not affect VP40 VLP release, whereas NP and GP enhance release of VP40 VLPs, individually and to a greater degree in concert. We demonstrate further the following: (i) VP40 L domains are not required for GP-mediated enhancement of budding; (ii) the membrane-bound form of GP is necessary for enhancement of VP40 VLP release; (iii) NP appears to physically interact with VP40 as judged by detection of NP in VP40-containing VLPs; and (iv) the C-terminal 50 amino acids of NP may be important for interacting with and enhancing release of VP40 VLPs. These findings provide a more complete understanding of the role of VP40 and additional Ebola virus proteins during budding.
Time course of thermal adaptation in plasma membranes of trout kidney. II. Molecular species composition

The molecular species composition of phosphatidylcholine (PC) was determined in plasma membranes of kidney for rainbow trout, Salmo gairdneri, undergoing thermal acclimation between 5 and 20 degrees C. Species of PC from 5 degrees C-acclimated trout were characterized by significantly higher values of unsaturation ratio (8.78 vs. 3.15), unsaturation index (2.32 vs. 1.84), and average chain length (34.18 vs. 33.12 carbons) than those of 20 degrees C-acclimated trout, primarily because of elevated proportions of 16:0/20:4 (8.67 vs. 4.42%) and 16:0/22:6 (15.61 vs. 7.18%) and reduced levels of 14:0/16:0 (3.34 vs. 12.41%). Proportions of saturated and monoenoic species responded most rapidly (within 16-48 h) to temperature change, whereas species containing long-chain, polyunsaturated fatty acids increased only after 10-21 days of cold acclimation. The combined results of the present and preceding paper [Hazel and Landrey, Am. J. Physiol. 255 (Regulatory Integrative Comp. Physiol. 24): R352-R357, 1988] indicate that the metabolic adaptation responsible for the thermal compensation of membrane structure differ in response times, which range from rapid adjustments in both headgroup and molecular species composition to considerably slower changes in the proportions of species containing long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids. Furthermore, the restructuring of phospholipid molecular species composition modifies membrane structure in different ways at different times during the acclimation response.