cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The many facets of meaning making: Comparing multiple measures of meaning making and their relations to psychological distress

The goals of the present study were to (1) provide a first examination of the potential overlap/independence of three meaning making constructs emerging from distinct literatures, (2) examine those meaning making constructs in relation to psychological distress and (3) assess the extent to which these constructs relate to unique variance regarding psychological distress. Multiple measures of meaning making, including narrative coherence, cognitive mechanisms, narrative theme and post-traumatic growth, and their relations to psychological distress, measured as PTSD and depression, were compared in narratives written by university undergraduates regarding their most traumatic events. Results show that growth, elements of narrative coherence and narrative theme independently relate to PTSD, but not to depression. Stepwise multiple regression analyses and partial correlations suggest that the inclusion of multiple measures of meaning making account for additional variance within psychological distress. These findings suggest that meaning making is multifaceted.
Repeatability of lower extremity kinetics and kinematics for standardized and self-selected running speeds.

Introduction: The purpose of this study was to determine the effects of self-selected versus standardized running speeds on within-day and between-day repeatability of lower extremity kinematics and kinetics for running gait. Methods: Subjects (six female, six male, age 18–35) were recreational athletes with no lower extremity injuries. The following study variables were analyzed using the coefficient of variation (CV): the peak angles for knee internal rotation, external rotation, varus, valgus, flexion, and extension; peak angles for ankle dorsiflexion and plantar flexion; peak impact force and propulsive force; and peak anterior, posterior, medial, and lateral ground reaction forces (GRFs). Data for the entire stance phase were analyzed using the coefficient of multiple correlation (CMC) for the following variables: anterior–posterior, medial–lateral, and vertical GRF; the angles and angular velocities for knee internal-external rotation, valgus–varus, flexion–extension, and ankle dorsiflexion–plantar flexion. Each variable was analyzed using a 2 2 (speed day) repeated measures ANOVA (a = 0.05). Results: The within-day repeatability for all of the significantly different variables was greater than the between-day repeatability. For variables with a significant difference based on speed, the standardized running speed had greater repeatability. Conclusions: Within-day repeatability is generally greater than between-day repeatability. Running speed had little effect on the repeatability of any study variable. Having subjects run at a standardized speed may not be as important as previously thought. # 2005 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
On solvents and Lagrange interpolating λ-matrices

@l-matrices are encountered in the study of dynamical systems. This paper discusses some mathematical theory of @l-matrices, in particular solvents and interpolating @l-matrices. The necessary and sufficient conditions for the existence of solvents and the corresponding generalized Lagrange interpolating @l-matrices are given. The fundamental properties of the interpolating @l-matrices are given, as well as a computational scheme for the determination of the interpolating matrices.
Simulation of flow in compounding machinery: Internal mixers and modular corotating intermeshing twin‐screw extruders

Hydrodynamic lubrication theory has been applied to analyze flow in internal mixers and twin-screw extruders. Fluid motions in mixing regions are interpreted as being due to coupling of drag flow and pressure gradients. Pressure fields and mean flow patterns have been computed. Distributive and dispersive mixing are interpreted in terms of computed fluid fluxes in the processing machinery.
Cholinergic substrates of cognition and organism-environment interaction

Abstract 1. 1. Several lines of evidence support the notion of cholinergicity of cognition and organism-environment interaction: a) Certain central pathways which were amply demonstrated as cholinergic in nature were also shown as significant for cognition and related processes; this is indicated by lesion experiments in animals and related evidence collected in man which includes that obtained in SDAT. b) Cholinergic agonists evoke a specific EEG alerting and hippocampal theta patterns that were shown to be the EEG counterparts of learning. c) The REM sleep reflects significant cholinergic correlates, and this phenomenology relates to the EEG components of cognition. d) Cholinergic agonists facilitate and cholinergic antagonists disrupt animal learning; in fact, beneficial effects were obtained with cholinergic agonists in animal models specifically designed to reflect impaired animal-environment interaction. e) Trophic factors restore cognition in lesioned animals and may exhibit similar action in human subjects suffering from cholinergic deficit. 2. 2. While many of these effects show that the cholinergic phenomena underlie cognitive facilitation and specific alerting, certain depressive symptoms are evoked in man and animals by muscarinic agonists. 3. 3. Altogether, it is speculated that, overall the central cholinergic function in awaken man and animals represents a cholinergic syndrome which relates to REM sleep and which exhibits a number of characteristic EEG, functional and behavioral phenomena. This syndrome is referred to as CANMB and its normal function underlies appropriate animal-organism interaction.
The Comparative Anatomy of Certain Species of Smilax

A comparative anatomical study of the vegetative organs of five native species of Smilax is reported upon.Particular attention is given to histological features of the roots, the leaves, the aerial stems, and the rhizomes, which aid in distinguishing one species from another.
Ultraviolet Spectroscopic Study of Ferric Equilibria at High Chloride Concentrations

The equilibria among the species Fe3+, FeCl2+, FeCl2+, FeOH2+ and Fe(OH)2+ have been examined by ultraviolet absorption spectroscopy. Our results indicate that previous workers have generally overestimated the stability constant of FeCl2+ and that the association of Fe3+ and Cl− is predominantly inner sphere. The formation constant of FeOH2+ obtained in 0.68 m NaCl is in good agreement with our earlier results obtained in 0.68 m NaClO4. Our results indicate that formation of FeOHCl+ is much less significant than has been previously reported. Molar absorptivities for the species Fe3+, FeCl2+, FeCl2+ and FeOH2+ are reported for wavelengths between 220 and 400 nanometers.
RNA isolation from recalcitrant plant tissue

The isolation of high-quality RNA from various tissues (leaves, pedicels, glandular trichomes) of garden geranium (Pelargonium xhortorum) using various published methods is difficult due to numerous oxidizing compounds. A new RNA extraction method was developed through the combination and modification of two separate procedures (Rochester et al., 1986; Manning 1991). In addition to geranium tissues, this method is successful when used with other recalcitrant tissues such as mature needles of white pine (Pinus strobus) and mature leaves of poinsettia (Euphorbia pulcherrima). RNA quality was judged by spectrophotometric readings, denaturing agarose gels, and successful reverse transcription.
Municipal solid waste composting: Policy and regulation

Abstract Municipal Solid Waste (MSW) composting is a rapidly evolving technology, and as such is subject to shifting policies and changing regulations. Composting is a viable way of recycling organic wastes which comprise a large fraction of the municipal solid waste stream, but there is debate about whether compost inputs should be restricted to source separated “biowastes” or whether centralized processing of mixed solid waste is acceptable. Several additional key policy issues include: how MSW composting fits into an integrated waste management system; compost quality standards and restrictions on compost utilization; facility siting, design, and operation; and regulatory enforcement. As with other policies and regulations, those related to MSW composting are influenced by a combination of science, economics, and philosophy as mediated by the political process. Current MSW compost regulations in North America and Europe provide examples of widely differing policy frameworks and the standards and criteria which result. Risk-based assessments drive compost standards in the United States, while a policy of “no net degradation” of existing soil quality is the basis for standards in parts of Europe and Canada. These different policies result in large differences in the allowable levels of some heavy metals. Unrestricted use of “clean” composts meeting quality standards is generally allowed under all regulations, but restrictions on the use of composts which may contain levels of one or more contaminant that exceed those standards vary. The underlying differences between these frameworks are described, and important uncertainties which research can help resolve are discussed.
The 1985 Nevado del Ruiz volcano catastrophe: anatomy and retrospection

Abstract This paper seeks to analyze in an objective way the circumstances and events that contributed to the 1985 Nevado del Ruiz catastrophe, in order to provide useful guidelines for future emergencies. The paper is organized into two principal parts. In the first part, an Anatomy of the catastrophe is developed as a step-by-step chronicle of events and actions taken by individuals and organizations during the period November 1984 through November 1985. This chronicle provides the essential background for the crucial events of November 13. This year-long period is broken down further to emphasize important chapters: the gradual awareness of the awakening of the volcano; a long period of institutional skepticism reflecting an absence of credibility; the closure of the credibility gap with the September 11 phreatic eruption, followed by an intensive effort to gird for the worst; and a detailed account of the day of reckoning. The second part of the paper, Retrospection , examines the numerous complicated factors that influenced the catastrophic outcome, and attempts to cull a few “lessons from Armero” in order to avoid similar occurrences in the future. In a nutshell, the government on the whole acted responsibly but was not willing to bear the economic or political costs of early evacuation or a false alarm. Science accurately foresaw the hazards but was insufficiently precise to render reliable warning of the crucial event at the last possible minute. Catastrophe was therefore a calculated risk, and this combination - the limitations of prediction/detection, the refusal to bear a false alarm and the lack of will to act on the uncertain information available - provided its immediate and most obvious causes. But because the crucial event occurred just two days before the Armero emergency management plan was to be critically examined and improved, the numerous circumstances which delayed progress of emergency management over the previous year also may be said to have contributed to the outcome. Thus the catastrophe was not caused by technological ineffectiveness or defectiveness, nor by an overwhelming eruption, or by an improbable run of bad luck, but rather by cumulative human error - by misjudgment, indecision and bureaucratic shortsightedness. Armero could have produced no victims, and therein dwells its immense tragedy.
Why Compliance with the U.S. Foreign Corrupt Practices Act Matters in China

How is it that U.S. law can apply to certain Chinese companies and the conduct of Chinese business executives‘ The answer is the Foreign Corrupt Practices Act ("FCPA"), a broad-reaching U.S. law enacted to prohibit bribery as a means of obtaining and retaining business. A common misperception is the business community is that the FCPA applies only to U.S. companies and US citizens. However, under certain circumstances, the FCPA can also apply to the conduct of Chinese companies and Chinese business executives, making FCPA compliance in China crucial. This article does not aim to show how the actions of Chinese nationals employed by U.S. companies in China can expose their U.S. employer to FCPA liability - even though there have been several examples in recent years of this occuring. Rather, this article discusses how Chinese companies and Chinese business executives can directly be subject to U.S. prosecution for violating the FCPA.
Calcium Transport in Isolated Sarcoplasmic Reticulum during Muscle Maturation

THERE is abundant evidence that the sarcoplasmic reticulum (SR) of skeletal muscle plays an important part in excitation–contraction coupling and in relaxation of muscle fibres1. It is usually accepted that the ability of this membrane system to transport calcium ions rapidly in the immediate vicinity of the contractile proteins accounts for its effects. Thus release of calcium from SR to myofilaments leads to muscle contraction; removal and sequestration of calcium by the reticulum bring about relaxation.
A convenient synthesis of spherical cryptands by a quaternization-dealkylation procedure.

Abstract The construction of spherical cryptands has been accomplished from bis -diamines by a stepwise quaternization-demethylation sequence. Cryptands with diverse bridges can be easily prepared by this procedure.
Parametric studies of the hot isostatic pressing of rapidly solidified 304 stainless steel powder

Abstract The increasing importance of powder materials fabrication by use of hot isostatic pressing (HIP) has led to recent emphasis on analytical techniques for describing and understanding the process. Understanding of particle consolidation during the HIP process has been attempted through the modelling of densification behavior by considering the deformation of a representative particle due to forces transmitted through the particle contacts. However, the properties of HIPed material have not been thoroughly investigated in terms of their deformation maps and HIP parameters. Mechanical properties of a compact can be quite different depending on the location of various deformation map boundaries. Diffusional creep is involved not only in densification but also in bonding at particle contacts. HIP pressure increases mechanical contact and enhances density but not particle bonding per se. Discrepancies between experimental and calculated data points for shorter HIP times may have been affected by oxide film layer on the original powder.
COMPETITION AND COOPERATION : BEYOND GRICEAN PRAGMATICS

An argument is presented for augmenting Gricean pragmatics with cognitively significant information about whether the participants in the interaction share the same goals, the same amount of information, and the degree of their awareness of both. The additions handle situations of competitive conversational exchanges, where the cooperative principle has been claimed to be inoperative, and show that cooperation underlies competitive exchanges as well. Some examples of competitive exchanges are examined, including witness cross-examination, sales pitches, propaganda, and lies.
Mass-selection of reactant ions for chemical ionization in quadrupole ion trap and triple quadrupole mass spectrometers

Abstract Charge exchange (CE), proton transfer, and hydride abstraction chemical ionization (CI) were examined as selective modes of ionization. The utility of mass selecting reactant ions for CI has been demonstrated with a quadrupole ion trap (QITMS) and a triple quadrupole mass spectrometer (TQMS). The instrumental parameters that allow mass-selection of reactant ions are addressed. The non-mass-selected and mass-selected CI results are compared and the advantages of mass-selected CI are discussed. A comparison between mass-selected CI on the QITMS and TQMS is also made. Finally, the ability to determine ionization energies rapidly and simply on a computer-controlled TQMS is demonstrated.
Plasticity in development: Concepts and issues for intervention☆

Abstract Because of its pertinence both to key theoretical issues and to applied concerns, plasticity is a central concept within developmental psychology. Our concept of plasticity derives from a comparative developmental, probabilistic epigenetic perspective: Plasticity is the relative flexibility, or capacity to modify behavior to fit contextual demands, shown by a species (or individual) at its most advanced level of development. We argue that processes of development should be conceived of as plastic, and that they should be studied in relation to constancies and constraints on change. Finally, we indicate that, for intervenors, plasticity represents a double-edged sword: Processes available to be changed for the better may be also changed for tho worse. As such, we discuss several developmental and contextual issues that must be confronted by intervenors if a person's potential plasticity across life is to be actualized in the service of enhancing or optimizing the life course.
Radial Basis Function Network (RBFN) Approximation of Finite Element Models for Real-Time Simulation

Nonlinearities inherent in soft-tissue interactions create roadblocks to realization of high-fidelity real-time haptics-based medical simulations. While finite element (FE) formulations offer greater accuracy over conventional spring-mass-network models, computational-complexity limits achievable simulation-update rates. Direct interaction with sensorized physical surrogates, in offline or online modes, allows a temporary sidestepping of computational issues but hinders parametric analysis and true exploitation of a simulation-based testing paradigm. Hence, in this paper, we develop Radial-Basis Neural-Network approximations, to FE-model data within a Modified Resource Allocating Network (MRAN) framework. Real-time simulation of the reduced order neural-network approximations at high temporal resolution provided the haptic-feedback. Validation studies are being conducted to evaluate the kinesthetic realism of these models with medical experts.Copyright © 2011 by ASME
Microlite textures and volatile contents of obsidian from the Inyo volcanic chain, California

[1] We test the hypothesis that microlite textures record progressive degassing during magma ascent. We compare microlite number density (NV) and H2O concentrations in pyroclastic and effusive obsidian (OBS) from the Inyo Volcanic Chain, CA. Comparisons reveal a weak correlation between microlite NV and H2O; however, most obsidians (OBSs) of a given volatile content exhibit a wide range of NV. Factors other than degassing must also influence final groundmass texture. We postulate that OBS textures record different ascent rates and residence histories prior to eruption from the conduit. We conclude that microlites do not sensitively indicate the extent of magmatic degassing, rather, they provide qualitative indications of magma ascent and residence time.
The Hypopi (Acarina: Sarcoptiformes: Hypoderidae) from the subcutaneous tissues of birds in Louisiana.

Hypopial nymphs of mites of the family Hypoderidae were recovered from the subcutaneous tissues of 10 species of birds in Louisiana. New host records are established for Hypodectes (Hypodectoides) propus bubulci from Leucophoyx thula and Dichromonassa rufescens and Hypodectes (Hypodectes) nycticoracis from Ixobrychus exilis and Florida caerulea. Additional host records for the above are the former species from Ardea herodius herodius, Bubulcus ibis, and Florida caerulea and the latter from Nycticorax nycticorax. Also, Neottialges (Pelecanectes) eudocimae and Phalacrodectes whartoni from Eudocimus albus, Neottialges (Petecanectes) evansi from Phalacrocorax auritus, and Toucanectes dryocopi from Dryocopus pileatus were collected. Hypodectes (Hypodectoides) propus similimus Ĉerný, 1969 is considered to be a synonym of H. (H.) propus bubulci Fain, 1967 and Alcedinectes alcyon is proposed as a new combination for Gabucinia alcyon Boyd, 1967. The affinities of these species, host-parasite relationships, and certain aspects of the biology of these mites are discussed.
Critical Literacy for Xenophobia: A Wake‐Up Call

Critical literacy has been on the map of literacy pedagogy internationally since the time of Freire, and more commonplace in the United States in the last few decades. However, in this column the authors argue that the common practices of critical literacy are insufficient for critical engagement with texts. The tools of critical literacy are employed to explore ways in which recent legislation about immigration and ethnicity in Arizona is connected to racialized laws of exclusion and inclusion in the United States.
N-trifluoroacetyl-L-norvalyl-L-norvaline cyclohexyl ester as a stationary phase and its interaction with asymmetric solutes.

Abstract N-Trifluoroacetyl- l -norvalyl- l -norvaline 1 cyclohexyl ester has been synthesized in high yield and used as a stationary phase for the gas chromatographic enantiomeric separation of N-trifluoroacetyl- d,l -amino acid isopropyl esters. Separation factors and enthalpies of solution have shown a marked increase on solute-solvent interaction to occur for α-amino acids with a four-carbon group on the asymmetric carbon, while the same factors decrease as the substituent grows from one- to three-carbon. Mixtures of d,l -serine and d,l -leucine can now be resolved. Earlier phases have shown significant overlap between d isomers of leucine and serine as well as their l isomers, thereby precluding an accurate qualitative analysis of naturally occurring volatile amino acid derivatives. The phase has also been examined with respect to the separation of a mixture of common amino acids and their enantiomers and was found to be satisfactory.
Influence of Transverse Shear and Edge Condition on Nonlinear Vibration and Dynamic Buckling of Homogeneous and Sandwich Plates

Abstract : In a previous paper the variational equation of motion was applied to the nonlinear analysis of dynamic buckling of simply supported homogeneous (Timoshenko beam) and sandwich plates executing plane-strain motion. To investigate the influence of the edge condition and the interaction between the edge condition and transverse shear effect, the analysis is further extended in this paper to such plates with clamped edges. Results show that the transverse shear effect is much greater for sandwich than for homogeneous plates. They further show that the shear effect is always greater for the clamped than for the simply supported case and is in fact not entirely negligible even for a homogeneous plate if it is clamped. The same conclusions apply to nonlinear vibrations of such plates, which are also investigated. (Author)
Prior reduced fill-in in solving equations in interior point algorithms

The efficiency of interior-point algorithms for linear programming is related to the effort required to factorize the matrix used to solve for the search direction at each iteration. When the linear program is in symmetric form (i.e., the constraints are Ax @? b, x >= 0), then there are two mathematically equivalent forms of the search direction, involving different matrices. One form necessitates factoring a matrix whose sparsity pattern has the same form as that of (AA^T). The other form necessitates factoring a matrix whose sparsity pattern has the same form as that of (A^TA). Depending on the structure of the matrix A, one of these two forms may produce significantly less fill-in than the other. Furthermore, by analyzing the fill-in of both forms prior to starting the iterative phase of the algorithm, the form with the least fill-in can be computed and used throughout the algorithm. Finally, this methodology can be applied to linear programs that are not in symmetric form, that contain both equality and inequality constraints.
Ice collapse over trapped water bodies on Enceladus and Europa

Icy satellite surfaces are riddled with geological indicators that can inform what lies beneath. Here we investigate effects of trapped or perched subsurface liquid water on the surface above. We use two models to investigate these effects: first, an analytical model to determine the flexural response of an ice shell to the existence of trapped water, and second, a discrete element model that simulates collapse of ice through granular interactions to determine possible topography that would result from this stress being placed on the ice. We find that for Europa's likely trapped water pockets below chaos terrains and a localized sea below Enceladus' South Polar Terrain, these models can reproduce observed geology of both features. Thus, we postulate that it is likely that Europa's chaos terrains and Enceladus' South Polar Terrain formed due to a similar mechanism: ice collapse above trapped water.
Uses of approximate wave functions

Abstract A procedure is given for using approximate wave functions (derived, say, by the Ritz variational method), to calculate properties of the system other than the energy to an accuracy much greater than that previously thought to be possible. The method is based on the form of perturbation theory discussed in the previous paper but stands by itself as an independent and, it is believed, very powerful innovation. Several sample problems, based on the two-electron atom, are worked out; and a program of greatly increasing the accuracy in the calculation of many properties of atomic systems is envisaged.
Chronic Electroconvulsive Seizures Down–Regulate Expression of the Immediate‐Early Genes c‐fos and c‐jun in Rat Cerebral Cortex

: Acute seizures and other stimuli that increase neuronal activity cause a rapid induction of the immediate-early genes c-fos and c-jun, also referred to as nuclear proto-on-cogenes, in the nervous system. In the present study, rats were administered one or more electroconvulsive seizures (ECS) and the responsiveness of c-fos and c-jun to an acute, “test” seizure was examined. Four hours after a single ECS, the induction of c-fos mRNA by a test seizure was blocked, in agreement with earlier findings, but by 18 h the levels of c-fos mRNA could be reinduced by the test seizure, suggesting that 1 day is sufficient to “reset” the responsiveness of this system. However, it was found that chronic, daily ECS treatments resulted in a time-dependent decrease in the expression of c-fos mRNA in response to a test seizure administered 18 h after the last daily ECS; this effect was maximal after 8–10 days of treatment, at which time the induction of c-fos mRNA by the test seizure was blocked dramatically. Chronic ECS also blocked the induction of c-jun in response to an acute, test seizure. The effect of chronic ECS on levels of Fos protein was also investigated. It was found that basal levels of Fos protein were reduced after chronic (10 days) ECS and were not induced by a test seizure. Because levels of Fos protein remain elevated 4 h after a single seizure this finding suggests that the mechanisms by which acute (4 h) and chronic (8–10 days) ECS block the induction of c-fos may differ.
Infants with complex congenital heart diseases show poor short-term memory in the mobile paradigm at 3 months of age.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine learning, short-term memory and general development including cognitive, motor, and language domains in infants with Complex Congenital Heart Defects (CCDH). Ten infants with CCHD (4 males, 6 females) and 14 infants with typical development (TD) were examined at 3 months of age. The mobile paradigm, where an infant's leg is tethered to an overhead mobile, was used to evaluate learning and short-term memory. The Bayley Scales of Infant Development 3rd edition (Bayley-III) was used to evaluate general development in cognitive, motor, and language domains. Infants with CCHD and infants with TD both showed learning with significant increase in kicking rate (p
Further studies on the induction of mutation in Haemophilus influenzae by N-methyl-N'-nitro-N-nitrosoguanidine: lack of an inducible error-free repair system and the effect of exposure medium.

Abstract Haemophilis influenzae is shown to lack the inducible, error-free repair system for alkylation damage that others have found in Escherichia coli . Prior growth in a low concentration of N -methyl- N ′-nitro- N -nitrosoguanidine had only an additive effect on a subsequent brief exposure to a high concentration. Furthermore, chloramphenicol did not significantly modify the mutagenic response. In both respects, H. influenzae differs from E. coli . Experiments carried out in preparation for these tests showed that exposure to N -methyl- N ′-nitro- N -nitrosoguanidine in complex growth medium was more effective by about an order of magnitude than exposure in pH 6.0 tris-maelare buffer in inducing mutations, in killing the cells, and in causing strand breaks in the preexisting DNA and gaps in newly synthesized DNA. Thus the effect of the medium is on the amount of initial damage rather than on some special feature of the mutation process. Part but not all of the effect can be accounted for by the difference in pH of the 2 media. The nature of the mutagenic process is the same under the 2 exposure conditions; i.e., reparable pre-mutational damage is produced by the agent and subsequently converted to final mutation by replication. The dose—effect curves have a non-linear initial portion under both exposure conditions, and possible reasons for this non-linearity are discussed.
Cellular sublocalization of Cx43 and the establishment of functional coupling in IMR‐32 neuroblastoma cells

Neuroblastoma (NB) is the most common solid pediatric tumor. IMR-32 cells are a highly malignant human NB cell line with uncontrolled proliferation but with the potential to be differentiated under specific conditions. Preliminary research indicated that connexin 43 (Cx43), the most widespread of the Cx family, is aberrantly located in IMR-32 cells, which renders these cells incapable of gap junction (GJ) intercellular communication. Functioning GJ intercellular communication has been strongly associated with growth control and a decrease in tumorigenicity. 8-br-cAMP, known to initiate the differentiation process in cancer cells, was used to examine changes in Cx43 localization and expression via immunocytochemistry, Western blot analysis, and flow cytometry. Exposure of IMR-32 cells to 8-br-cAMP decreased cell proliferation, restored the abnormally localized Cx43 from around the nucleus to the cell membrane, increased de novo Cx43 protein expression, and appeared to phosphorylate Cx43 on serine (Ser) 255 and Ser262. Forskolin, an activator of cAMP dependent protein kinase (PKA), produced identical results to 8-br-cAMP demonstrating the effect that was not unique to a cAMP analog. The use of a PKA inhibitor further confirmed the specificity of 8-br-cAMP and forskolin's effect on Cx43. The cellular relocation of Cx43, combined with the increased protein expression, established first ever GJ intercellular communication between IMR-32 cells as revealed by scrape loading. These results suggest that the GJ-mediated return of growth control, as a prerequisite for further differentiation, offers a new therapeutic avenue in the treatment of NB.
Lack of evidence for direct involvement of NMDA receptors or polyamines in blood–brain barrier injury after cerebral ischemia in rats

Abstract It is hypothesized that after various types of brain injury, blood–brain barrier (BBB) opening and vasogenic edema result from excessive neuronal release of glutamate and stimulation of capillary N-methyl- d -aspartate (NMDA) receptors linked to polyamine (putrescine) synthesis in endothelial cells. We produced cerebral ischemia in rats and measured BBB opening 6 h later as the increase in regional transfer constants (Ki) for blood to brain diffusion of [ 3 H ]sucrose. Such BBB opening was not mitigated by drugs which block NMDA receptors (MK801 or AR-R 15896AR) or polyamine synthesis (difluoromethylornithine). These results question generality of the capillary NMDA receptor/polyamine hypothesis.
Avoiding pitfalls in the determination of halocarboxylic acids: the photochemistry of methylation.

Haloethanoic (haloacetic) acids are formed during chlorination of drinking water and are regulated by the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). These compounds are normally quantified by gas chromatography with electron capture detection (GC-ECD) as the methyl esters. EPA Method 552 uses diazomethane (CH2N2) for this purpose, but has only been validated by EPA for HAA6: chloro-, dichloro-, bromo-, dibromo-, bromochloro- and trichloroacetic acids. EPA Method 552.2 was developed and validated for all nine analytes (HAA9 = HAA6 + dibromochloro-, bromodichloro- and tribromoethanoic acids). Since the promulgation of Method 552.2, which uses acidic methanol, a debate has ensued over discrepancies observed by various laboratories when using diazomethane instead. In an effort to identify and eliminate potential sources for these discrepancies, a comparative study was undertaken for HAA9. Better accuracy and precision were observed for all HAA9 species by Method 552.2; recoveries were satisfactory in de-ionized and tap water. Method 552 remains satisfactory for HAA6. Systematic differences in instrumental response are observed for the two methods, but these are precise and may be accounted for using similarly treated standards and analyte-fortified (spiked) samples. That notwithstanding, Method 552 (CH2N2) was shown to be unsuitable for dibromochloro-, bromodichloro- and tribromoethanoic acids (HAA9–6). The primary problem appears to be a photoactivated reaction between diazomethane and the HAA9–6 analytes; however, side reactions were found to occur even in the dark. Analyte loss is most pronounced under typical laboratory lighting (white F40 fluorescent lamps + sunlight), but it is also observed under Philips gold F40 lamps (λ ≥ 520 nm), and in the dark.
Quantum correlations violate Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen assumptions

The inconsistency between quantum mechanics and Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen assumptions about locality and reality cannot be avoided by restricting attention to correlations. This is demonstrated by reworking the logical scheme that was developed to show inconsistency without inequalities for two particles, adapting it to correlations in two pairs of particles, so the Einstein-Podolsky-Rosen arguments can be made entirely in terms of correlations. A simple example is given.
Postnatal development of identified medium-sized caudate spiny neurons in the cat

Abstract The morphology of intracellularly recorded neurons in the cat caudate nucleus (Cd) was studied during postnatal development. After intracellular recording of evoked responses in these neurons, horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was injected iontophoretically through the recording micropipette. Fifty-eight Cd neurons in cats ranging from 6 days of age through adulthood were identified morphologically. All of the recovered Cd cells were medium-sized spiny neurons. The basic somatodendritic morphology of these neurons was evident in the youngest kittens. The most striking morphological change was the postnatal formation of an extensive local axonal collateral plexus. The development of these local axonal collaterals was also quantified with computer assistance in medium-sized Cd spiny neurons selected from silver-impregnated material. This analysis showed that the major development of the branches of this local plexus occurred between birth and 3–4 months of postnatal age. Data from both the HRP-filled and silver-stained axons indicated that the postnatal growth of the local axonal collaterals of the medium spiny cells was associated with the elaboration and increasing prevalence of evoked inhibitory postsynaptic potentials in Cd neurons.
Potentiation of brominated halomethane hepatotoxicity by chlordecone in the male rat

Abstract The potentiation of hepatotoxicity by CCl 4 and a series of brominated analogs by chlordecone (CD) and phenobarbital (PB) pretreatment was investigated, using individually nontoxic levels of the halomethanes and the potentiating agents. Hepatotoxicity was determined by biochemical, functional, and histopathological parameters. Male Sprague-Dawley rats were maintained on a diet of 0 or 10 ppm CD or 225 ppm PB for 15 days. On Day 15, the animals were challenged with an approximately equimolar ip dose (10 μl/kg) of CCl 4 , CCl 3 Br, CBr 4 , or CHBr 3 in corn oil. Twenty-four hours later, biliary excretion of phenolphthalein glucuronide (PG) and bile flow were determined in intact cannulated animals over a 60-min period. While biliary excretion of PG was significantly decreased by CD-CCl 3 Br and PB-CBr 4 combinations, the former combination was not accompanied by decreased bile flow. Of the four halomethanes tested, CD significantly elevated serum transaminase (SGPT, SGOT) and isocitrate dehydrogenase (ICD) activities only for the CCl 3 Br combination, while phenobarbital treatment was without effect. Histopathological examination indicated that livers from the CD-CCl 3 Br combination alone displayed extensive centrilobular necrosis. Based on these features of hepatotoxicity, CD resulted in readily observable potentiation of CCl 3 Br hepatotoxicity. The PB-CCl 3 Br combination did not result in potentiated CCl 3 Br hepatotoxicity at the dose level utilized in this study. These results emphasize the extremely powerful nature of the CD-CCl 3 Br interaction.
Workers' compensation: Determining a feasible payment structure in a regulatory environment

Moral hazard complicates the design of an optimal benefit structure in a regulated social insurance program such as workers' compensation. We discuss the type of empirical information necessary to set optimal benefit levels in the presence of moral hazard. Since we present trends in indemnity and medical expenditures that indicate the presence of “claims rate moral hazard,” we develop and estimate a model of this type of moral hazard. We find evidence of moral hazard effects that are roughly consistent with those found elsewhere in the literature. We also present the first direct estimates of the impact of benefits on the output of the firm. We find that an increase in real benefits significantly decreases the output of the firm. This is consistent with notion that higher benefits induce more jobless spells and increase production costs using skilled labor. We close by illustrating how these estimates can be used to provide information on the feasible benefit schedule, given the presence of moral hazard.
A provenance-aware virtual sensor system using the Open Provenance Model

Sensor web applications such as real-time environmental decision support systems require the use of sensors from multiple heterogeneous sources for purposes beyond the scope of the original sensor design and deployment. In such cyberenvironments, provenance plays a critical role as it enables users to understand, verify, reproduce, and ascertain the quality of derived data products. Such capabilities are yet to be developed in many sensor web enablement (SWE) applications. This paper develops a provenance-aware “Virtual Sensor” system, where a new persistent live “virtual” sensor is re-published in realtime after some model-based computational transformations of the raw sensor data streams. We describe the underlying OPM (Open Provenance Model) API's (Application Programming Interfaces), architecture for provenance capture, creation of the provenance graph and publishing of the provenance-aware virtual sensor where the new virtual sensor time-series data is augmented with OPM-compliant provenance information. A case study on creating real-time provenance-aware virtual rainfall sensors is illustrated. Such a provenance-aware virtual sensor system allows digital preservation and verification of the new virtual sensors.
Examination of Enzymatic H-Tunneling through Kinetics and Dynamics

In recent years, kinetic measurements of isotope effects of enzyme-catalyzed reactions and their temperature dependence led to the development of theoretical models that were used to rationalize the findings. These models suggested that motions at the femto- to picosecond (fs to ps) time scale modulate the environment of the catalyzed reaction. Due to the fast nature of motions that directly affect the cleavage of a covalent bond, it is challenging to correlate the enzyme kinetics and dynamics related to that step. We report a study of formate dehydrogenase (FDH) that compares the temperature dependence of intrinsic kinetic isotope effects (KIEs) to measurements of the environmental dynamics at the fs-ps time scale (Bandaria et al. J. Am. Chem. Soc. 2008, 130, 22−23). The findings from this comparison of experimental kinetics and dynamics are consistent with models of environmentally coupled H-tunneling models, also known as Marcus-like models. Apparently, at tunneling ready conformations, the donor−accep...
Are All Associations Alike?: Member Diversity, Associational Type, and the Creation of Social Capital

Associational memberships have become the indicator of choice for examining the formation and destruction of social capital. Memberships in associations are believed to create generalized interpersonal trust, which can be used as a lubricant that makes possible a variety of forms of social interaction and cooperation. Clearly, not all types of associations will be equally effective in their relative capacity to create generalized, or public, social capital. Each indicator of social capital that we examine is positively related to associational membership. However, some association memberships, particularly in cultural groups, are correlated with a wide range of forms of social capital. The diversity of an association also has an effect on the connection between social capital and association memberships. Homogeneous associations are less likely to inculcate high levels of generalized trust and community reciprocity among their members. These results indicate the need for further specification of the socia...
Colonization and Invasion of Humans by Entamoeba histolytica

Entamoeba parasites have a two-stage life cycle consisting of a disease-causing trophozoite stage and an infectious cyst stage. Ingestion of Entamoeba histolytica cysts from fecally contaminated food or water initiates infection in humans. The ingested cyst is quadrinucleate and is resistant to chlorination, gastric acidity, and desiccation. The first line of defense against E. histolytica invasion is provided by the intestinal mucins, which are high-molecular-weight glycoproteins lining the mucosal epithelium. DNA fragmentation characteristic of apoptosis is observed in host cells upon intestinal invasion by E. histolytica. Apoptosis occurs when a signal activates effectors such as caspases (cysteine proteinases with specificity for aspartate residues) to degrade cell components. The role of caspases in vivo on amoebic liver abscesses has been studied by using a mouse model of infection. Infection with E. histolytica usually results in asymptomatic colonization, but there is an approximately 10% risk of developing invasive disease. Interestingly, there was actually an increased rate of new E. histolytica infections in children with serum IgG antibodies to the lectin: children with serum anti-lectin IgG antibodies had 53% more new infections. The discovery that humans naturally acquire partial immunity gives hope that an effective vaccine can be made, and the Gal/GalNac lectin, which mediates adherence, is an intriguing vaccine candidate. Importantly, since humans are the only significant reservoir for E. histolytica infections, a vaccine that blocks colonization could lead to the elimination of amoebiasis.
Assieme: finding and leveraging implicit references in a web search interface for programmers

Programmers regularly use search as part of the development process, attempting to identify an appropriate API for a problem, seeking more information about an API, and seeking samples that show how to use an API. However, neither general-purpose search engines nor existing code search engines currently fit their needs, in large part because the information programmers need is distributed across many pages. We present Assieme, a Web search interface that effectively supports common programming search tasks by combining information from Web-accessible Java Archive (JAR) files, API documentation, and pages that include explanatory text and sample code. Assieme uses a novel approach to finding and resolving implicit references to Java packages, types, and members within sample code on the Web. In a study of programmers performing searches related to common programming tasks, we show that programmers obtain better solutions, using fewer queries, in the same amount of time spent using a general Web search interface.
Robust content-driven reputation

In content-driven reputation systems for collaborative content, users gain or lose reputation according to how their contributions fare: authors of long-lived contributions gain reputation, while authors of reverted contributions lose reputation. Existing content-driven systems are prone to Sybil attacks, in which multiple identities, controlled by the same person, perform coordinated actions to increase their reputation. We show that content-driven reputation systems can be made resistant to such attacks by taking advantage of the fact that the reputation increments and decrements depend on content modifications, which are visible to all. We present an algorithm for content-driven reputation that prevents a set of identities from increasing their maximum reputation without doing any useful work. Here, work is considered useful if it causes content to evolve in a direction that is consistent with the actions of high-reputation users. We argue that the content modifications that require no effort, such as the insertion or deletion of arbitrary text, are invariably non-useful. We prove a truthfullness result for the resulting system, stating that users who wish to perform a contribution do not gain by employing complex contribution schemes, compared to simply performing the contribution at once. In particular, splitting the contribution in multiple portions, or employing the coordinated actions of multiple identities, do not yield additional reputation. Taken together, these results indicate that content-driven systems can be made robust with respect to Sybil attacks.
Blue matter: approaching the limits of concurrency for classical molecular dynamics

This paper describes a novel spatial-force decomposition for N-body simulations for which we observe O(sqrt(p)) communication scaling. This has enabled Blue Matter to approach the effective limits of concurrency for molecular dynamics using particle-mesh (FFT-based) methods for handling electrostatic interactions. Using this decomposition, Blue Matter running on Blue Gene/L has achieved simulation rates in excess of 1000 time steps per second and demonstrated significant speed-ups to O(1) atom per node. Blue Matter employs a Communicating Sequential Process (CSP) style model with application communication state machines compiled to hardware interfaces. The scalability achieved has enabled methodologically rigorous biomolecular simulations on biologically interesting systems, such as membrane-bound proteins, whose time scales dwarf previous work on those systems, Major scaling improvements will require exploration of alternative algorithms for treating the long range electrostatics.