cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mechanistic Analysis of Activation of the Innate Immune Sensor PKR by Bacterial RNA

The protein kinase PKR (protein kinase R) is a sensor in innate immunity. PKR autophosphorylates in the presence of double-stranded RNA enabling it to phosphorylate its substrate, eIF2α (eukaryotic initiation factor 2α), halting cellular translation. Classical activators of PKR are long viral double-stranded RNAs, but recently, PKR has been found to be activated by bacterial RNA. However, the features of bacterial RNA that activate PKR are unknown. We studied the Bacillus subtilis trp 5'-UTR (untranslated region), which is an indirect riboswitch with secondary and tertiary RNA structures that regulate gene function. Additionally, the trp 5'-UTR binds a protein, TRAP (tryptophan RNA-binding attenuation protein), which recognizes l-tryptophan. We present the first evidence that multiple structural features in this RNA, which are typical of bacterial RNAs, activate PKR in TRAP-free and TRAP/l-Trp-bound forms. Segments from the 5'-UTR, including the terminator 5'-stem-loop and Shine-Dalgarno blocking hairpins, demonstrated 5'-triphosphate and flanking RNA tail dependence on PKR activation. Disruption of long-distance tertiary interactions in the 5'-UTR led to partial loss in activation, consistent with highly base-paired regions in bacterial RNA activating PKR. One physiological change a bacterial RNA would face in a human cell is a decrease in the concentration of free magnesium. Upon lowering the magnesium concentration to human physiological conditions of 0.5mM, the trp 5'-UTR continued to activate PKR potently. Moreover, total RNA from Escherichia coli, depleted of rRNA, also activated PKR under these ionic conditions. This study demonstrates that PKR can signal the presence of bacterial RNAs under physiological ionic conditions and offers a potential explanation for the apparent absence of riboswitches in the human genome.
Core/shell silicon/polyaniline particles via in-flight plasma-induced polymerization

Although silicon nanoparticles have potential applications in many relevant fields, there is often the need for post-processing steps to tune the property of the nanomaterial and to optimize it for targeted applications. In particular surface modification is generally necessary to both tune dispersibility of the particles in desired solvents to achieve optimal coating conditions, and to interface the particles with other materials to realize functional heterostructures. In this contribution we discuss the realization of core/shell silicon/polymer nanoparticles realized using a plasma-initiated in-flight polymerization process. Silicon particles are produced in a non-thermal plasma reactor using silane as a precursor. After synthesis they are aerodynamically injected into a second plasma reactor into which aniline vapor is introduced. The second plasma initiates the polymerization reactor leading to the formation of a 3–4 nm thick polymer shell surrounding the silicon core. The role of processing conditions on the properties of the polymeric shell is discussed. Preliminary results on the testing of this material as an anode for lithium ion batteries are presented.
Mitotic Cell Cycle Control

This chapter focuses on the current understanding of how control of the mitotic phase of the cell cycle is achieved in filamentous fungi. Survival of filamentous fungi requires exploration by rapid polarized growth to find nutritional requirements, as well as the production of large numbers of asexual and/or sexual spores that can lie dormant until suitable conditions trigger germination. In fungi, the mitotic microtubule organizing center is the spindle pole body, while in mammalian cells the centrosomes perform this function. As suggested by the fact that filamentous fungi often maintain many nuclei in a common cytoplasm, cytokinesis does not accompany every nuclear division. The process of cytokinesis during filamentous growth is generally achieved by the formation of a cross wall called a septum at a specific point in hyphae. The chapter talks about the biochemical activities that regulate mitotic entry, which are conserved in different filamentous fungi. It discusses some of the genes identified in the extragenic suppressor screens and highlights one particular extragenic suppressor screen. This screen, performed by Berl Oakley’s lab, was for extragenic suppressors of the benA33β-tubulin mutant and led to the discovery of mipB, which encoded a new type of tubulin now known by its universal name, γ-tubulin. The chapter also discusses in detail how NIMA regulates changes in mitotic nuclear transport. Filamentous fungi provide rich and varied experimental opportunities to further our understanding of mitosis and its regulation. Until relatively recently, A. nidulans has been the workhorse of the filamentous fungi for studies of mitosis.
Employee's Attitudes Toward Organizational Change: A Cognitive and Social Psychological Perspective.

The present article explores the cognitive and social psychological antecedents of employees’ attitude toward organizational change. I argue that well-informed employees with high social support are more likely to develop a favorable attitude toward organizational change efforts.
On higher-order representations of Polyphase-Coded FM radar waveforms

It has recently been shown that arbitrary polyphase codes can be implemented as FM waveforms through a radar-specific version of the Continuous Phase Modulation (CPM) framework. These waveforms, denoted as Polyphase-Coded FM (PCFM) can be viewed as a first-order hold representation of the phase function (where traditional codes represent a zero-order hold). Here we examine higher-order representations as a means to achieve further variety over the space of possible waveform functions one may optimize. Specifically, the relationships between the first, second, and third-order representations are considered, along with the optimization of the coding for each.
The New Community: Liberal Intergovernmentalism and East African Integration

Mwita Chacha Department of International Affairs The University of Georgia Athens Georgia 30602 mcchacha@uga.edu 28 August 2009 Abstract: Regional integration in sub-Saharan Africa is as old as the post-colonial African political system. Theoretically accounting for the developments and dynamics of regionalism in Africa, however, has been limited. While much has been written about the effects of regional integration schemes on trade and economic development, a theoretical framework accounting for the evolution of these regional blocs is lacking. This paper proposes to apply Liberal Intergovernmentalism, a theoretical model used mainly to explain the European Union, in the case of the East African Community (EAC). The paper seeks to demonstrate that preferences of prominent business groups in the three member-states, Kenya, Uganda, and Tanzania, influenced the governments’ policy positions regarding regional integration during the negotiations for a customs union. These groups, through lobbying and seeking an audience with their respective governments, were able to have their policy preferences reflected in final state policy on integration. Furthermore, the outcomes of interstate bargaining and the institutional choice reflected the wishes of the three member-states of ensuring that integration would maximize their welfare. Liberal Intergovernmentalism offers a more plausible explanation of East African integration by focusing on influences of policy and bargaining outcomes, unlike other explanations such as Pan-Africanism, which as a constructivist/ideational argument, circumvents the power of the state. Prepared for Presentation at the Annual Meeting of the American Political Science Association, Toronto, Canada 3—6 September 2009.
On the Buckling Force of Floating Ice Plates

The calculation of the largest horizontal force a relatively thin floating ice plate may exert on a structure requires the knowledge of the buckling load for this floating plate. In the published literature on the stability of continuously supported beams and plates it is usually assumed that this buckling force corresponds to the lowest bifurcation force pcr. However, recent studies indicate that, generally, this is not the case. The purpose of the present paper is to clarify this situation for floating ice plates.
An Empirical Model of Brain Shape

A method is presented to systematically encode brain shape variation, observed from actual image samples, in the form of empirical distributions that can be applied to guide the Bayesian analysis of future image studies. Unlike eigendecompositions based on intrinsic features of a physical model, our modal basis for describing anatomic variation is derived directly from spatial mappings which bring previous brain samples into alignment with a reference configuration. The resultant representation ensures parsimony, yet captures information about the variation across the entire volumetric extent of the brain samples, and facilitates analyses that are governed by the measured statistics of anatomic variability rather than by the physics of some assumed model.
Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease: Emerging Medical Therapies

As many as 10 million Americans have chronic obstructive pulmonary disease and as a consequence experience disabling symptoms, high cost of care, and substantial mortality. Several new approaches are being investigated for possible benefit in managing (or even reversing) chronic obstructive pulmonary disease. This article reviews 4 new approaches that are either in or close to phase III trials: long-acting bronchodilators, phosphodiesterase-4 inhibitors, vasodilators, and retinoids. Of those tiotropium appears to be the closest to receiving clinical approval in the United States. The risk/benefit ratio and the cost-effectiveness of the other compounds are less clear and await additional study.
Learning sparse geologic dictionaries from low-rank representations of facies connectivity for flow model calibration

[1] Sparse geologic dictionaries provide a novel approach for subsurface flow model representation and calibration. Learning sparse dictionaries from prior training data sets is an effective approach to describe complex geologic connectivity patterns in subsurface imaging applications. However, the computational cost of sparse learning algorithms becomes prohibitive for large models. Performing the sparse dictionary learning process on smaller image patches (segments) provides a simple approach to address this problem in image processing applications. However, in underdetermined subsurface flow model calibration inverse problems, reconstruction of a segmented image can introduce significant structural distortion and discontinuity at the boundaries of the segments. This paper proposes an alternative sparse learning approach where the sparse dictionaries are learned from low-rank representations of the large-scale training data set in spectral domains (e.g., frequency domain). The objective is to develop a computationally efficient dictionary learning approach that emphasizes large-scale spatial connectivity patterns. This is achieved by removing the strong spatial correlations in the training data, thereby eliminating a large number of insignificant components from the sparse learning computation. In addition to improving the computational complexity, sparse learning from low-rank training data sets suppresses the small-scale details from entering the reconstruction of large-scale connectivity patterns, thereby providing a regularization effect in solving the resulting ill-posed inverse problems. We apply the proposed approach to travel-time tomography inversion and nonlinear subsurface flow model calibration inverse problems to demonstrate its effectiveness and practicality.
Differentially-Expressed Pseudogenes in HIV-1 Infection

Not all pseudogenes are transcriptionally silent as previously thought. Pseudogene transcripts, although not translated, contribute to the non-coding RNA pool of the cell that regulates the expression of other genes. Pseudogene transcripts can also directly compete with the parent gene transcripts for mRNA stability and other cell factors, modulating their expression levels. Tissue-specific and cancer-specific differential expression of these "functional" pseudogenes has been reported. To ascertain potential pseudogene:gene interactions in HIV-1 infection, we analyzed transcriptomes from infected and uninfected T-cells and found that 21 pseudogenes are differentially expressed in HIV-1 infection. This is interesting because parent genes of one-third of these differentially-expressed pseudogenes are implicated in HIV-1 life cycle, and parent genes of half of these pseudogenes are involved in different viral infections. Our bioinformatics analysis identifies candidate pseudogene:gene interactions that may be of significance in HIV-1 infection. Experimental validation of these interactions would establish that retroviruses exploit this newly-discovered layer of host gene expression regulation for their own benefit.
Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers, Perspectives in Medical Virology, Volume 11

Viral Haemorrhagic Fevers is a compact and highly readable monograph written by Collin Howard, an authoritative and veteran virologist with hands-on practical experience in this field. This volume is highly satisfying on a variety of levels. Self-contained chapters deal with each of the 4 taxonomic viral families (Flaviviridae, Arenaviridae, Bunyaviridae, and Filoviridae), which make up the category of viral hemorrhagic fever agents. The properties of each virus family are presented in terms of molecular virology and replication strategy, followed by the epidemiology, clinical presentation, and treatment options. Cross-referencing to other chapters is kept to a minimum, enhancing the readability of the text. The information is reasonably current, with the exception of the current Marburg outbreak in Angola. For each virus, the author offers his candid assessment of the available treatment options. My only quibble is that I do not share his pessimism that effective vaccines will not be developed and distributed in the near future. The author made a conscious decision to avoid encyclopedic referencing to enhance readability. On occasion, this results in bold statements that the specialist might wish had been referenced. One example is the discussion of Whitewater Arroyo virus and its probable (but contentious) role in 3 fatal cases of hemorrhagic fever from 1999 to 2000. Another is a statement that infection of endothelial cells is a critical event in the pathogenesis of Ebola virus, which, to my knowledge, has never been adequately documented. The text is enhanced by electron micrographs of representative agents, photographs of rodent reservoirs in their native habitat, maps of geographic distributions, and schematic representations of genome organization and replication strategies. The legend to Figure 2 in the Filovirus chapter compares Marburg and Ebola viruses, but only 1 image (which I recognize to be Marburg) is displayed. The author states that this book was directed "primarily at healthcare workers, clinicians, and microbiologists wishing to gain a rapid overview of these widely varying agents." This book should appeal to that audience, and also to a wider audience of persons interested in the public health ramifications of these serious viral diseases in their geographic niches as well as their potential to cause disease in industrialized nations, either when imported by returning travelers or deliberately released in an act of terrorism. These aspects of viral hemorrhagic fever agents are discussed in both the introductory and concluding chapters of the book. A nice touch was the inclusion of a short annotated bibliography of books for the lay audience dealing with the history of these agents, plus a second list of specialized textbooks of more interest to the practicing virologist. Other appendices list useful Web sites and a capsule explanation of how biocontainment facilities are designed to deal with these fearsome pathogens. There is something for everyone in this book; I will keep my copy handy, next to my desk.
Probe temperature sensor using elliptical-core dual-mode fiber

A probe temperature sensor is constructed by attaching a long single mode fiber to a short (a few millimeters) dual mode elliptical core (e-core) fiber with an offset at the interface. The other endface of the e-core fiber is carefully polished to increase the reflectivity. The LP01 and LP11even modes are excited in the e-core fiber which establishes a spatial two-lobe intensity pattern within the fiber. A temperature variation on the e-core fiber oscillates these two-lobe intensity pattern which gives rise to an intensity variation of the reflected light in the single mode fiber. A resolution of 0.5 degree(s)C has been achieved over the range of 25 degree(s)C to 122 degree(s)C. By adjusting the length of the dual mode e-core fiber, the output of this sensor can be linearized.© (1993) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
MultiCoil: A program for predicting two‐and three‐stranded coiled coils

A new multidimensional scoring approach for identifying and distinguishing trimeric and dimeric coiled coils is implemented in the MultiCoil program. The program extends the two-stranded coiled-coil prediction program PairCoil to the identification of three-stranded coiled coils. The computations are based upon data gathered from a three-stranded coiled-coil database comprising 6,319 amino acid residues, as well as from the previously constructed two-stranded coiled-coil database. In addition to identifying coiled coils not predicted by the two-stranded database programs, MultiCoil accurately classifies the oligomerization states of known dimeric and trimeric coiled coils. Analysis of the MultiCoil scores provides insight into structural features of coiled coils, and yields estimates that 0.9% of all protein residues form three-stranded coiled coils and that 1.5% form two-stranded coiled coils. The MultiCoil program is available at http:/(/)theory.lcs.mit.edu/multicoil.
Idiopathic Pulmonary Hemorrhage in Infancy: Clinical Features and Management With High Frequency Ventilation

Study objectives To describe the clinical characteristics of infants with severe acute pulmonary hemorrhage and the effects of mechanical ventilation on gas exchange. Setting Tertiary care pediatric ICU in a university hospital. Patients and design Case records of patients with severe acute pulmonary hemorrhage from January 1992 to July 1995 were reviewed. Acute pulmonary hemorrhage was defined as hemoptysis and/or epistaxis or blood obtained from endotracheal tube which could not be attributed to cardiac or vascular malformation, infectious process, or known trauma. Interventions Patients were initially managed with conventional ventilation. High frequency ventilation (HFV) was utilized when hypoxemia (PaO 2 /PAO 2 2 ≥60 mm Hg with pH Measurements and results Six African-American male infants from Detroit, with a median age 2.3 months, presented with severe acute pulmonary hemorrhage. Chest radiographs showed diffuse bilateral infiltrates or opacification with a normal sized heart. All infants were managed with HFV, four by oscillation and two by jet. The indications for HFV were persistent hypoxemia (2), respiratory acidosis (1), and a combination of both (3). There was an improvement in pH and PaCO 2 , and a decreased need for oxygen 6 and 24 h after initiating HFV. PaO 2 /PAO 2 and oxygenation index showed a tendency toward improvement. All infants survived, and there were no complications. No cause for pulmonary hemorrhage was found in any of the infants. Conclusions Idiopathic acute pulmonary hemorrhage is a potentially life-threatening disorder encountered among inner-city infants. HFV is highly effective and safe in rapidly reversing the severe oxygenation and ventilation deficits in this setting.
Prospective evaluation of radiologically directed fine‐needle aspiration biopsy of nonpalpable breast lesions

The application of fine-needle aspiration biopsy (FNAB) to the diagnosis of nonpalpable breast lesions was evaluated with a new method which uses standard needle localization under mammographic guidance to assure accurate sampling by FNAB. This method was prospectively applied to 100 mammographically detected breast lesions in 100 women (mean age, 53 years). All 100 patients underwent surgical excision of these nonpalpable lesions after cytologic aspiration. Sufficient aspirated material was obtained for cytologic diagnosis from 91 patients (91%). The histologic and cytologic interpretations were then compared. Twenty malignancies were ultimately diagnosed by histology (12 invasive ductal carcinoma, six ductal carcinoma in situ, and two lobular carcinoma in situ), of which 17 had been cytologically diagnosed. There were no false-positive diagnoses of malignancy by FNAB. False-negative readings (3.3%) included two cases of lobular carcinoma in situ and one case of ductal carcinoma in situ. This technique thus demonstrated a sensitivity of 85%, specificity of 100%, and overall diagnostic accuracy of 96.7% for the nonsurgical detection of malignancy in nonpalpable breast lesions. These results suggest that the established safety, reliability, and cost-effectiveness of FNAB can be maintained in this clinical setting. This procedure may obviate the need for open surgical biopsy in those patients with an unequivocal diagnosis of malignancy. It can also be done using standard techniques and equipment available in many community hospitals.
AZA/Tacrolimus Is Associated with Similar Outcomes as MMF/Tacrolimus among Renal Transplant Recipients

There have been several retrospective studies indicating benefits associated with mycophenalate mofetil (MMF) compared to azathioprine (AZA) for renal transplant recipients. However, these analyses evaluated outcomes prior to changes in utilization patterns of concomitant immunosuppression. Recent prospective trials have indicated similar outcomes among patients treated with MMF and AZA. The aim of this study was to evaluate outcomes in a broad group of patients in the more recent era. We evaluated adult solitary renal transplant recipients from 1998 to 2006 with the national SRTR database. Primary outcomes were time to patient death and graft loss, complications and renal function. Models were adjusted for potential confounding factors, propensity scores and stratified between higher/lower risk transplants and concomitant immunosuppression. Adjusted models indicated a modest risk among AZA patients for graft loss (AHR = 1.14, 95% CI 1.07-1.20); however, this was not apparent among AZA patients also treated with tacrolimus (AHR = 0.97, 95% CI 0.85-1.11]. One-year acute rejection rates were reduced for patients on MMF versus AZA (10 vs. 13%, p < 0.01); there were no statistically significant differences of malignancies, renal function or BK virus at 1 year. The primary findings suggest the association of MMF with improved outcomes may not be apparent in patients also receiving tacrolimus.
On the hierarchy of the Landau-Lifshitz equation

Abstract The Landau-Lifshitz equation (LL-equation) is shown to have infinitely many commuting one-parameter symmetry groups and constants of motion in involution. The infinitesimal generators of these one-parameter symmetry groups define the hierarchy of the LL-equation. We give explicit formulas for these generators and for the conserved densities. Furthermore, infinitely many time-dependent symmetry groups and conservation laws are constructed. All results are obtained via a simple direct Lie algebra approach and without making any use of the quantum inverse scattering method based on the ingenious results of R.J. Baxter.
Alternative splice isoforms of small conductance calcium-activated SK2 channels differ in molecular interactions and surface levels

Small conductance Ca2+-sensitive potassium (SK2) channels are voltage-independent, Ca2+-activated ion channels that conduct potassium cations and thereby modulate the intrinsic excitability and syn...
Salivary film expresses a complex, macromolecular binding site for Streptococcus sanguis

Teeth in the oral cavity are coated with a salivary film or pellicle, which lacks apparent intermolecular organization. This heterogeneous film facilitates binding of early commensal colonizing bacteria, including Streptococcus sanguis. To test the hypothesis that sufficient intermolecular organization exists in salivary films to form binding sites for S. sanguis, an in vitro model of saliva-coated teeth was probed with murine anti-idiotypical monoclonal antibodies (mAb2, anti-ids). The anti-ids were harvested from hybridomas that were developed in response to first generation murine hybridomas that produced anti-S. sanguis adhesin monoclonal antibodies (mAb1). The anti-ids (i) reacted with experimental salivary films and inhibited S. sanguis adhesion in a dose-dependent fashion. In Western blots, the anti-ids (ii) recognized a high molecular weight salivary antigen and (iii) secretory IgA (sIgA) light chain and alpha-amylase. After isolation by gel filtration from whole saliva or mixed secretory IgA and alpha-amylase, the high molecular weight component, containing amylase activity and sIgA, bound to hydroxyapatite to promote adhesion of S. sanguis. Therefore, a complex enriched in secretory immunoglobulin A and alpha-amylase forms a S. sanguis-binding site.
Note on a series representation of the leaky aquifer well function

Abstract A new and fairly simple representation of the well function for leaky aquifers, W(u, r L ) , is presented. This representation when combined with a recursion relation for the exponential integral provides a simple and convenient means of computing W(u, r L ) to high precision for a fairly wide range of values of u and r L . A sample table of values accurate to eight significant figures is given, and selected values are compared with values currently available in the literature.
M. Gazi Yaşargil: Neurosurgery's man of the century.

Dissatisfied with the available macrosurgical techniques and encouraged by colleagues such as Donaghy and Krayenbuhl, M. Gazi Yasargil possessed the ingenuity to take advantage of and further improve emerging technologies such as angiography to develop microsurgery. To enable the advancement of microsurgical techniques, Yasargil created innovative instrumentation, such as the floating microscope, the self-retaining adjustable retractor, microsurgical instruments, and ergonomic aneurysm clips and appliers. His genius in developing microsurgical techniques for use in cerebrovascular neurosurgery has transformed the outcomes of patients with conditions that were previously inoperable.
Using the Primary Literature in an Allied Health Microbiology Course

A strategy was adapted for using the primary literature to foster active learning in an allied health microbiology course. Recent journal articles were selected that underscored the fundamental microbiological principles to be learned in each course unit. At the beginning of the semester, students were taught the relationship between the layout of scientific articles and the scientific method. During the rest of the semester, students were oriented to the topic of each paper by viewing videos from Unseen Life on Earth: an Introduction to Microbiology, reading assigned pages from the text, and participating in mini-lectures and discussions. After all preparatory material was completed, a paper was read and discussed in small groups and as a class. Students were assessed using daily reading quizzes and end-of-unit concept quizzes. While reading quizzes averaged approximately 93%, concept quiz grades averaged approximately 82%. Student recognition of the terms used in each unit’s scientific article was assessed with pre-read and post-read wordlists. For the self-assessment, the percent change between pre-read and post-read word cognition was, as expected, highly significant. Approximately 80% of students agreed that reading the scientific articles was a valuable part of the class and that it provided meaning to their study of microbiology. Using the primary scientific literature facilitated active learning in and out of the classroom. This study showed that introducing the scientific literature in an allied health microbiology class can be an effective way of teaching microbiology by providing meaning through the current literature and understanding of the scientific method.
Inverse Sampling Subset Selection of Multinomial Cells

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTA subset selection procedure R is proposed for selecting a subset which includes the t “best” cells (i.e., cells with the t largest cell probabilities) from a multinomial distribution with k cells (1 ≤ t ≤ k). Procedure R uses inverse sampling; the measure of distance is the ratio of the cell probabilities. Type-2 Dirichlet integrals are used (i) to express the probability of a correct selection in terms of integrals with parameters only in the upper or lower limits of integration, and (ii) to prove that (under a condition on the parameter space) the least-favorable configuration for R is the so-called slippage configuration with k equal cell probabilities.
Employee participation in decision-making: An analysis of the perceptions of members and nonmembers of quality circles

This study sought to assess the perceptions of members and non-members of quality circles with reference to their perceived degree of actual and desired participation in decision making. The sample comprised of 294 non-supervisory employees from three manufacturing plants. The results indicate that the actual amount of perceived participation differed very little between QC and non-QC employees. Only in work related decisions did QC members indicate that they had some say or influence. Outside of these decision areas neither group of employees expressed a strong desire to have more than “some say” on most policy-oriented decisions.
Faculty development on professionalism and medical ethics: The design, development and implementation of Objective Structured Teaching Exercises (OSTEs)

AbstractBackground: As students are expected to develop competency in professionalism and medical ethics, faculty are also expected to facilitate medical students’ learning and understanding of these areas. One of the main challenges to success in this domain has been uncertainty of whether or not faculty know the content and the methods to teach and assess these competencies.Aim: We used the Objective Structured Teaching Exercise (OSTE) format as a faculty development tool to train and evaluate faculty on how to teach professionalism and medical ethics to students in clinical settings.Methods: The process for the design, development and implementation of OSTEs consisted of five phases: (1) performing a literature review and student needs assessment, (2) developing the OSTE cases and performance checklists, (3) recruiting and training of standardized students, (4) conducting a mock training session and (5) organizing faculty development workshops using OSTEs.Results: Twenty clinical faculty members partic...
A comparison of generalizability theory and many-facet Rasch measurement in an analysis of college sophomore writing

Abstract A pilot study was conducted to evaluate and improve the rating procedure proposed for use in a research effort designed to assess the essay writing ability of college sophomores. Generalizability theory and the Many-Facet Rasch Model were each used to (a) estimate potential sources of error in the rating, (b) to obtain reliability estimates, and (c) to make recommendations for improving the rating process. Variance due to Task (writing prompt) and the Person-by-Task interaction were high while the variance attributable to Raters and Occasion was low. Twenty-two percent of the variability in the ratings was unexplained. The common and unique features of generalizability theory and the Many-Facet Rasch Model are described, and the advantages and disadvantages of each are discussed.
Millimeter-wave integrated-horn antenna. II. Experiment

For pt.I see ibid., vol.39, no.11, p.1575-81 (1991). The impedance and radiation patterns of a dipole-fed horn antenna in a ground plane are experimentally investigated at microwave and millimeter-wave frequencies. The agreement with the full-wave analysis technique presented in part I is good. The results indicate that for a 70 degrees flare-angle horn, horn apertures from 1.0 lambda -square to 1.5 lambda -square with dipole positions between 0.36 and 0.55 lambda yield good radiation patterns with a gain of 10-13 dB a cross-polarization level lower than -20 dB, and resonant dipole impedances between 40 Omega and 120 Omega . It is also found that the impedance measurements can be safely used for 2-D horn arrays, but the radiation patterns differ because of the Floquet modes associated with the array environment. The integrated horn antenna is a high-efficiency antenna suitable for applications in millimeter-wave imaging systems, remote-sensing, and radioastronomy. >
Computational study on the mechanism and rate constant for the C6H5 + C6H5NO reaction.

The reaction mechanism of C6H5 + C6H5NO involving four product channels on the doublet-state potential energy surface has been studied at the B3LYP/6-31+G(d, p) level of theory. The first reaction channel occurs by barrierless association forming (C6H5)2NO (biphenyl nitroxide), which can undergo isomerization and decomposition. The second channel takes place by substitution reaction producing C12H10 (biphenyl) and NO. The third and fourth channels involve direct hydrogen abstraction reactions producing C6H4NO + C6H6 and C6H5NOH + C6H4, respectively. Bimolecular rate constants of the above four product channels have been calculated in the temperature range 300−2000 K by the microcanonical Rice−Ramsperger−Kassel−Marcus theory and/or variational transition-state theory. The result shows the dominant reactions are channel 1 at lower temperatures (T 800 K). The total rate constant at 7 Torr He is predicted to be kt = 3.94 × 1021 T-3.09 exp(−699/T) for 300−500 ...
Similarities and differences in the DNA binding/cleaving specificities and mechanisms of [SalenMn(III)]+ and [TMPPMn(III)]5+

Abstract Affinity cleaving analysis reveals that [SalenMn(III)]+ (1) and [TMPPMn(III)]5+ (2) exhibit nearly indistinguishable DNA double strand binding/cleaving specificities. At nucleotide resolution, the complexes generate distinct patterns of cleavage within shared A:T rich target sequences. DNA end product analysis indicates that 1 and 2 produce oxidative cleavage through both common and different mechanisms.
Taming the clot-buster tPA.

Treating stroke with tissue plasminogen activator (tPA) can help dissolve blood clots and improve outcome. But tPA also increases the risk of hemorrhage and has other deleterious effects. A new approach to treatment minimizes these negative effects.
THE SCIENCE OF HAPPINESS AND THE MARGINALIZATION OF ETHICS

An understanding of the relationship between ethics and economics is fundamental to an understanding of social life. Yet on close examination this relationship appears paradoxical and intractable. Both ethics and economics are concerned with the determination of what is valuable and what this prescribes, yet each approaches these matters in substan? tial disregard of the other. Thus either ethics and economics lack any significant relation, which seems implausible since both concern but one social life, or a matter fundamental to the understanding of society appears all but impervious to centuries of reflection. Despite such difficulties, the relationship between ethics and economics was the focus of a recent conference at Marquette University, Community Dimensions of Economic Enterprise,1 at which a number of participants expressed important insights that can be argued to lay the basis for an understand? ing of these fundamental relationships. Peter Danner noted the pre-eminence of economic thinking in social life, and argued that it would be "quixotic" to deny that gain-seeking has occupied a crucial role both in the material and cultural advance? ment of modern civilization. He reasoned that the notion of economic gain, properly conceived, is informed by moderation, justice, and the spirit of poverty, and thus should function as a principle of action in a social economy. The question at hand, he concluded, is not whether individuals pursue gain fully oblivious of moral constraint, such that a moral life only seems possible upon suppression of an economic orienta? tion to the world, but rather "whether people, seeking economic better? ment through profits and gains, can form true community among themselves." [Danner, p. 232] Ethics and economics, that is, do not occupy distinct spheres of social life, competing for attention as the priorities of material well-being or just relations with others alternate in our concern. Ethics and economics are mutually related in a manner that permits human personality both economic rationality and moral intelligibility.
A new high temperature isol ion source

Abstract A new high temperature ion source for on-line isotope separation applications has been developed. Off-line efficiencies of up to 13% for Xe have been measured. On-line efficiencies of 3% for Tl while operating in the plasma mode and about 30% for Fr while operating in the thermal-ionization mode have been obtained. The release of Tl from this source has been determined to occur with a half-life of about 0.6 s and Fr release was measured to be as short as 0.8 s.
Infantile shock traumatization and the mitigating effects of tranquilizing drugs.

(1967). Infantile Shock Traumatization and the Mitigating Effects of Tranquilizing Drugs. The Journal of Genetic Psychology: Vol. 111, No. 2, pp. 263-270.
Mössbauer Effect Studies of Hard Magnetic Materials

When most people think of permanent magnets, they may think of iron. They may also think that permanent magnets have been well understood for years and, therefore, pose a dull subject for research. Try asking someone when they last used a permanent magnet, and the answer may well be that it was when they used one to stick a note on their refrigerator door.
Electronics: The Intelligence in Intelligent Control

Abstract The control systems field has a rich legacy of continuous improvement in control “techniques”. Today we are developing powerful “intelligent control” methods which incorporate adaptation, learning, self diagnosis and reconfiguration/repair. In addition, we are developing “active control systems” which use control intelligence and other attributes which promise dramatic performance beyond all our prior accomplishments. At the same time that dramatic advancements have occurred in control “methodologies”, there has been a parallel evolution in control hardware. Smaller, lower power sensors provide more accurate information regarding system operation; actuators provide more efficient, higher precision control inputs; and controller hardware now performs much more complex algorithms. More powerful electronics, developed over the last two decades, have made these hardware advancements possible. Microprocessors, Digital Signal Processors, and other powerful electronics have been a key contributor to these advancements. By incorporating these electronics, today's control engineers may use “Smart Sensors”, “Smart Actuators”, and “Intelligent Controllers” in their control system designs. Furthermore, plans within the electronics field guarantee that future control systems can be fabricated with even greater capabilities.
CORRELATION BETWEEN THE BINDING OF FORMATE AND DECREASED RATES OF CHARGE TRANSFER THROUGH THE PHOTOSYSTEM II QUINONES

The binding parameters of bicarbonate to the thylakoid membrane at different formate concentrations have been established (Stemler and Murphy (1983) PholOchem. Photobio/, 38, 701-707), Based on these parameters, predictions could be made concerning the effects of bicarbonate and formate on photosynthetic electron flow, In this work these effects of various concentrations of bicarbonate and formate are measured and compared to predictions from the binding study, Electron flow is measured between QA and QB (the primary and secondary quinone acceptors) and Q B and the plastoquinone pooL Also, these same concentration effects are determined for silicomolybdate supported oxygen evolution, It is found that the results of the bicarbonate binding study are in good agreement with the concentration dependence determined for the quinone reactions, as well as the silicomolybdate reaction, The bicarbonate concentrations required for half-maximal effects are approximately 100 fl.M, 300 fl.!'v! and 1.3 mMin the presence of 0, 20 mM and 100 mMformate, respectively, It is concluded that a hierarchy of possible electron flow rates exist. The slowest rates occur when formate is bound. A substantially higher rate occurs when neither formate nor bicarbonate « 2 fl.M) are present, but only chloride is present. The highest rates of electron flow occur when bicarbonate is bound. The Q A- QB-> QA QB-, Q A- QB 2 - PQ -> QA QB pQ2-, and the silicomolybdate reactions all have the same concentration dependence on formate and bicarbonate. From this it is concluded that a single binding site for formate and bicarbonate affect all of these reactions. The possibility that multiple sites exist with approximately equal affinities for bicarbonate cannot be excluded.
Sleep and circadian rhythms in mood disorders

Objective: Self-reported sleep disturbances are present in over 80% of patients with depression. However, sleep electroencephalography (EEG) findings, based on overnight polysomnography have not always differentiated depressed patients from healthy individuals. Method: The present paper will review the findings on sleep EEG studies in depression highlighting how recent technological and methodological advances have impacted on study outcomes. Results: The majority of studies, including our own work, do indicate that sleep homeostasis and sleep EEG rhythms are abnormal in depression, but the sleep disturbances were strongly moderated by gender and age. Melancholic features of depression correlated significantly with low slow-wave activity in depressed men, but not in depressed women. Women with depression showed low temporal coherence of sleep EEG rhythms but the presence or absence of melancholic features did not influence correlations. Conclusion: Diagnostic classification schemas and clinical features of depression may influence sleep EEG findings, but gender may be a more important consideration.
Dynamic properties of the responses of single neurons in the inferior colliculus of the rat

The responses of single cells in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus of the rat were studied with characteristic frequency tones amplitude modulated by pseudorandom noise or sinusoidal waveforms, in order to investigate the degree to which these responses can be described by a linear model. When pseudorandom noise was used as the modulating waveform, period histograms of the response locked to the periodicity of the noise were cross-correlated with a single period of the noise. The response of a model, having this cross-correlogram as its impulse response and the pseudorandom noise sequence as the input waveform, differed in appearance from the corresponding period histogram of the neural discharges, indicating that the latter contained a non-negligible, nonlinear component. Further manipulation of the data showed that the most significant nonlinearities were of even order, which indicates that the changes in neural discharge rate to increments and decrements in stimulus intensity are asymmetrical. In some units, particularly at low mean stimulus intensities, this was clearly evident as a halfwave rectification of the period histogram. The magnitude of the modulation of the period histograms increased as a function of the sound intensity for some units, while in others it decreased; in still other units the magnitude of the modulation of the neural discharges was relatively constant over a large range of stimulus intensities. When the modulation transfer functions were estimated from the responses to noise-modulated sounds they were found to be very similar to those obtained using sinusoidally modulated sound, despite large degrees of nonlinearity being present in the responses to both types of sound.
Till in the marine environment

Till is of common occurrence in the marine environment and can be both subglacial and proglacial in origin. Former glacial margins are often represented by till tongues, that are interbedded with stratified glaciomarine sediment, and the relationship is readily mappable using seismic reflection techniques. It is inferred that within individual till tongues, sediment-gravity flow deposits form transitional contacts with till of subglacial origin, but these contacts cannot be distinguished on seismic profiles. These unstratified, gravity-induced deposits formed in close proximity to the glacial source at the grounding line are considered to be secondary tills (flow-till complex) in terms of the INQUA classification of tills. Till-tongue successions and till deltas are large, ice-marginal depocentres associated with floating front ice-margins, and appear to be closely related in origin. Tabular and hummocky moraines of the mid-Norwegian Shelf also are considered to be products of floating-front margins and represent a large proportion of the retreat tills formed during ice recession. Seismostratigraphic evidence for channelisation in ice-marginal deposits appears to provide a means of distinguishing between former tidewater and floating-front margins.
Rotary bioreactor culture can discern specific behavior phenotypes in Trk-null and Trk-expressing neuroblastoma cell lines

Neuroblastoma is characterized by biological and genetic heterogeneity that leads to diverse, often unpredictable, clinical behavior. Differential expression of the Trk family of neurotrophin receptors strongly correlates with clinical behavior; TrkA expression is associated with favorable outcome, whereas TrkB with unfavorable outcome. Neuroblastoma cells cultured in a microgravity rotary bioreactor spontaneously aggregate into tumor-like structures, called organoids. We wanted to determine if the clinical heterogeneity of TrkA- or TrkB-expressing neuroblastomas was reflected in aggregation kinetics and organoid morphology. Trk-null SY5Y cells were stably transfected to express either TrkA or TrkB. Short-term aggregation kinetics were determined by counting the number of single (non-aggregated) viable cells in the supernatant over time. Organoids were harvested after 8 d of bioreactor culture, stained, and analyzed morphometrically. SY5Y-TrkA cells aggregated significantly slower than SY5Y and SY5Y-TrkB cells, as quantified by several measures of aggregation. SY5Y and TrkB cell lines formed irregularly shaped organoids, featuring stellate projections. In contrast, TrkA cells formed smooth (non-stellate) organoids. SY5Y organoids were slightly smaller on average, but had significantly larger average perimeter than TrkA or TrkB organoids. TrkA expression alone is sufficient to dramatically alter the behavior of neuroblastoma cells in three-dimensional, in vitro rotary bioreactor culture. This pattern is consistent with both clinical behavior and in vivo tumorigenicity, in that SY5Y-TrkA represents a more differentiated, less aggressive phenotype. The microgravity bioreactor is a useful in vitro tool to rapidly investigate the biological characteristics of neuroblastoma and potentially to assess the effect of cytotoxic as well as biologically targeted drugs.