cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Gfi-1 Represses C/EBPe and Is Required for the Survival and Proliferation of Myeloid Cells Stimulated by G-CSF.

Granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSF) is a hematopoietic cytokine that plays a major role in granulopoiesis. G-CSF supports the proliferation, differentiation and survival of myeloid progenitor cells. Treatment of cells with G-CSF activates multiple intracellular signal transduction pathways leading to alterations in the activities of transcription factors involved in myeloid development. Gfi-1 is a zinc-finger transcriptional repressor that is required for granulopoiesis. Mutations in Gfi-1 have been associated with severe congenital neutropenia (SCN). How Gfi-1 acts in myeloid cells is still poorly understood. Expression of Gfi-1 was upregulated during granulocytic differentiation induced by G-CSF in myeloid 32D cells. Truncation of the carboxy terminus of the G-CSF receptor, as seen in patients with acute myeloid leukemia (AML) evolving from SCN, disrupted the ability of the G-CSF receptor to upregulate Gfi-1. Ectopic expression of a naturally occurring dominant negative Gfi-1 mutant, N382S, identified in patients with SCN, resulted in premature apoptosis and reduced proliferation of cells induced to differentiate with G-CSF. The expression of neutrophil elastase (NE) and C/EBPe was significantly increased in 32D cells expressing N382S. In contrast, overexpression of wild type Gfi-1 abolished G-CSF-induced upregulation of C/EBPe, but had no apparent effect on NE upregulation by G-CSF. Notably, G-CSF-dependent proliferation and survival were inhibited upon overexpression of C/EBPe, but not NE. These data suggest that a key role of Gfi-1 in granulopoiesis is to repress C/EBPe and that overt C/EBPe overexpression may be deleterious to the proliferation and survival of myeloid cells. Our data may explain why loss of Gfi-1 function, either as a result of gene knockout in mice or gene mutations in human, results in a block of granulocytic differentiation and severe neutropenia.
Madalena: The Entangled History of One Indigenous Floridian Woman in the Atlantic World

In 1549, after 11 years of slavery, and exile, an indigenous woman made it home to her people. In the time of her captivity, she became one of the most geopolitically important and well-traveled indigenous women in the Spanish Empire. Her name—or the name Spanish society gave her—was Madalena, and she returned home to Tocobaga, in what is now Tampa Bay. From bondage in Havana, she was taken to be the translator for a missionary expedition that sought to peacefully convert her people into citizens of the imagined Spanish colony of Florida. That mission, like every other European attempt to settle the region up to the nineteenth century, would fail, but this latest failure of Spanish colonialism meant that Madalena could return to life among her own people, unlike most indigenous slaves of the sixteenth century.
Within-day protein distribution does not influence body composition responses during weight loss in resistance-training adults who are overweight

Background: Emerging research suggests that redistributing total protein intake from 1 high-protein meal/d to multiple moderately high-protein meals improves 24-h muscle protein synthesis. Over time, this may promote positive changes in body composition.Objective: We sought to assess the effects of within-day protein intake distribution on changes in body composition during dietary energy restriction and resistance training.Design: In a randomized parallel-design study, 41 men and women [mean ± SEM age: 35 ± 2 y; body mass index (in kg/m2): 31.5 ± 0.5] consumed an energy-restricted diet (750 kcal/d below the requirement) for 16 wk while performing resistance training 3 d/wk. Subjects consumed 90 g protein/d (1.0 ± 0.03 g · kg-1 · d-1, 125% of the Recommended Dietary Allowance, at intervention week 1) in either a skewed (10 g at breakfast, 20 g at lunch, and 60 g at dinner; n = 20) or even (30 g each at breakfast, lunch, and dinner; n = 21) distribution pattern. Body composition was measured pre- and postintervention.Results: Over time, whole-body mass (least-squares mean ± SE: -7.9 ± 0.6 kg), whole-body lean mass (-1.0 ± 0.2 kg), whole-body fat mass (-6.9 ± 0.5 kg), appendicular lean mass (-0.7 ± 0.1 kg), and appendicular fat mass (-2.6 ± 0.2 kg) each decreased. The midthigh muscle area (0 ± 1 cm2) did not change over time, whereas the midcalf muscle area decreased (-3 ± 1 cm2). Within-day protein distribution did not differentially affect these body-composition responses.Conclusion: The effectiveness of dietary energy restriction combined with resistance training to improve body composition is not influenced by the within-day distribution of protein when adequate total protein is consumed. This trial was registered at clinicaltrials.gov as NCT02066948.
On the Mechanism of Precipitation in Copper-Beryllium Alloys

The existing data on precipitation in Cu-Be alloys have been reconciled with some new data to present a more complete and rational analysis of the atomic rearrangements involved in the process. Two different coherent precipitates were proposed. Each is responsible for a type of diffuse X-ray diffraction effect.
Self-Organized Temporal Criticality: Bottom-Up Resilience versus Top-Down Vulnerability

We propose a social model of spontaneous self-organization generating criticality and resilience, called Self-Organized Temporal Criticality (SOTC). The criticality-induced long-range correlation favors the societal benefit and can be interpreted as the social system becoming cognizant of the fact that altruism generates societal benefit. We show that when the spontaneous bottom-up emergence of altruism is replaced by a top-down process, mimicking the leadership of an elite, the crucial events favoring the system’s resilience are turned into collapses, corresponding to the falls of the leading elites. We also show with numerical simulation that the top-down SOTC lacks the resilience of the bottom-up SOTC. We propose this theoretical model to contribute to the mathematical foundation of theoretical sociology illustrated in 1901 by Pareto to explain the rise and fall of elites.
Special Health Information Needs of Adolescent Care

Adolescent medicine concerns the biological, psychological, and social changes in the transition from childhood to adulthood, and its core clinical data and knowledge comprise a mixture of both pediatric and adult concerns. Adolescent morbidity is predominately the consequence of preventable risk behaviors.1 The importance of preventive services and interventions to adolescents at-risk demands that practitioners address a broad range of concerns during encounters, including physical and mental health screening, detection of and response to hidden agendas, assurance of patient privacy, and guaranteeing access to care for this vulnerable population.2
On a Theory of Cost for Equation Solving

We study algorithms for finding a zero of a single complex polynomial, from the point of view of computational complexity. Thus the problem is to give comparative assessment of the cost of various methods for equation solving. The case of a single polynomial is focused on as the prototype of a non-linear system of equations.
Use of Multimodality Neuromonitoring in the Management of Traumatic Brain Injury

Multimodality neuromonitoring has become an essential part of neurocritical care over the past several decades. Ideally, the management strategies employed based on the information provided by multimodality monitoring should minimize secondary injury and not instigate deleterious effects. The aim of this chapter is to discuss available advanced neuromonitoring techniques, to review evidence for patient outcomes in the setting of multimodality monitoring, and to discuss in brief the logistical implications of implementing these techniques in the neurocritical care unit.
Ruthenium-Catalyzed Cycloisomerizations of Diynols

A wide variety of diynols containing tertiary, secondary, and primary propargylic alcohols undergo a cycloisomerization reaction to form dienones and dienals in the presence of a catalytic amount of [CpRu(CH3CN)3]PF6. The formation of five- and six-membered rings is possible using this methodology. Secondary diynols react to form single geometrical isomeric dienones and -als. Primary diynols undergo a cycloisomerization as well as a hydrative cyclization process. The utility of primary diynol cycloisomerization is demonstrated in a synthesis of (+)-α-kainic acid.
Time-Stretch Spectroscopy Based on Laser Cavity Tuning With a Dual-Function Delay Line

Time-stretch spectroscopy has established as a viable technique with high resolution and single-shot capability. However, it generally requires ultra-wideband photodetectors and electronics, and its performance is often restricted by a fundamental tradeoff between spectral resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. Here, we report a time-stretch spectrometer based on the concept of optical sampling by laser cavity tuning. A kilometer-scale dual-function fiber-optic link serves as both a pulse stretcher and a long delay line in an imbalanced Mach–Zehnder interferometer. Measurement results based on several device and atomic samples are presented. Theoretical forms of the total spectral range and spectral resolution are derived and compared with experimental data. A spectral resolution as small as 8 GHz has been achieved. Resolution-limiting factors are discussed and possible solutions are presented.
The Mongol Princess of Tars: Global Relations and Racial Formation in The King of Tars (c. 1330)

This essay examines the racial formation of Mongols in The King of Tars, a fourteenth-century Middle English romance, in relation to the Syrian geopolitics and Latin European historiographical reco...
Changes in Airway Microbiome and Inflammation with Ivacaftor Treatment in Patients with Cystic Fibrosis and the G551D Mutation.

Rationale: Modulation of the cystic fibrosis (CF) transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) protein improves clinical outcomes in patients with CF and specific CFTR genetic mutations. It remains u...
The Association between Actor/Partner Optimism and Cognitive Functioning among Older Couples

Objective Higher optimism has been linked with health, well-being, and cognitive functioning. Spouses also play an important role on people's health, especially in older adulthood. Yet, whether a spouse's optimism is associated with an individual's cognitive functioning is understudied. Thus, we examined this question. Method Participants were 4,457 heterosexual couples (N = 8,914; Mage = 66.73, SD = 9.67) from the Health and Retirement Study-a large, diverse, prospective, and nationally representative sample of U.S. adults aged >50. Optimism was assessed at baseline (t1 ) and cognition was measured every two years with up to five repeated assessments of cognition data over the 8-year follow-up period (t1 ; t2 ; t3 ; t4 ; t5 ). Results Results from multi-level dyadic data analyses showed small but positive associations between actor optimism and actor cognitive functioning (memory: r = .16, mental status = .10), as well as partner optimism and actor cognitive functioning (memory: r = .04, mental status = .03). These associations mostly persisted over time. Conclusions Participants' own optimism and their partner's optimism were both positively associated with cognitive functioning.Thus, with further research, optimism (at both the individual and couple level) might emerge as an innovative intervention target that helps adults maintain cognitive functioning as they age.
Constitutive compressive behavior of polyurea with exposure to aggressive marine environments

Abstract The constitutive behavior of polyurea after prolonged exposure to aggressive marine environments, including saline water, UV radiation and combinations of both, was investigated in this study. A diffusion study was performed at several temperatures to determine the effect of temperature on saline water ingression into the polyurea using Crank's method. This diffusion data coupled with Arrhenius' methodology allowed for the calculation of an acceleration factor relating laboratory exposure time at elevated temperature to real-life service time. Cast cylindrical specimens were exposed to UV radiation, saline water, and various combinations of UV radiation and saline water. These combinations were: a) exposure to saline water followed by UV radiation, b) UV radiation followed by saline water, and c) saline water and then UV radiation followed by saline water. Uniaxial compressive experiments were conducted on both the virgin and exposed specimens at strain rates of 1.7 × 10 − 3 s − 1 and 2.6 × 10 3 s − 1 . Under quasi-static loading conditions, the elastic modulus of the polyurea dropped by 73% after 84 days of exposure to saline water at 85 °C. Specimens exposed to UV radiation showed a maximum increase in the elastic modulus of 64% after 20 days of exposure. When tested under dynamic loading conditions, specimens exposed to saline water for 84 days showed a 48% decrease in strain energy while those exposed to UV radiation showed a 45% increase.
q-Taylor’s Formula for Formal Power Series and Heine’s Binomial Formula

We now begin to apply what we have learned so far, particularly q-Taylor’s formula (4.1), to study identities involving infinite sums and products. In order to do this, we first have to remark that the generalized Taylor formula (2.2) about a = 0, and hence the q-Taylor formula (4.1) about c = 0, apply not only to polynomials, but also to formal power series. A formal power series, of the form $$ f(x) = \sum\limits_{k = 0}^\infty {c_k x^k } , $$ may be thought of as a polynomial of infinite degree. It is “formal” because often we do not worry about whether the series converges or not, and we can operate on (for example, differentiate) the series formally. We have to assume a and c to be zero in order to avoid divergence problems. Of course, f(0) = c0 by definition.
Sorting between and within coalitions: the Italian case (2001–2008)

How do voters sort within an electoral coalition? Voting literatures on ideology, character valence, and issue ownership provide explanations for inter-coalition or inter-party voting, yet the coalition context remains understudied. Do voters in proportional coalition-based systems use the same ideological and issue-based heuristics ascribed to them in two-party systems that favor single-party government? Voting behavior in Italy in the 2000s is used to explore this question. This paper examines what motivates the voters of the large center-left and center-right coalitions, specifically whether ideology, economic issues, or other considerations lead voters to select their party of choice. Results indicate that, on average, voters select a coalition ideologically-proximal and deemed the more competent on issues, while they select a specific party based upon character and reputation issues. Findings thus suggest that voters sort for both coalition and party-specific reasons.
23 – Laws, Regulations, and Organizations†

Publisher Summary Compliance with licensing rules plays an important role in the operation of any nuclear facility. A number of other organizations have evolved to provide technical information, develop standards, protect against diversion of nuclear materials, improve nuclear power operations, and perform private research and development. This chapter discusses the Atomic Energy Acts. The first law in the U.S. dealing with control of nuclear energy was the Atomic Energy Act of 1946. Issues of the times were involvement of the military, security of information, and freedom of scientists to do research. The federal government through the Nuclear Regulatory Commission (NRC) has the authority to license and regulate nuclear facilities of all types, from a multireactor power station down to isotope research in an individual laboratory. The Office of Nuclear Reactor Regulation of the NRC requires applicants for a reactor license to submit a detailed safety analysis report and an environmental report. These documents provide the basis for issuance of a construction permit, and later when the plant is completed, an operating license. The process involves several steps. Once a plant is licensed, the Office of Inspection and Enforcement has oversight. The nuclear operations are subject to continual scrutiny by the resident inspector and periodic inspection by teams from the regional NRC office. Training of operating personnel goes on continuously, with one shift in training while the other shifts running the plant. The chapter also discusses The Energy Policy Act of 1992, which provides comprehensive national goals and requirements on energy efficiency and generation.
Photo-Cross-Linked Hydrogel Replication of Small Objects: A Multistep Final Project for Undergraduate Polymer Laboratories

We developed a multipart laboratory experiment on the synthesis of free-standing hydrogels for junior to senior undergraduate students. In this experiment series that runs over the course of multip...
Dysphagia and an aberrant subclavian artery: more than just a coincidence

Aberrant subclavian artery (arteria lusoria) is the most common congenital malformation of the aortic arch in the general population. As patients are more often asymptomatic, indications for correcting this abnormality, even in those having dysphagia, are very vague. While presenting a case of a 10-year-old girl who suffered from dysphagia lusoria for 2 years before being cured by a simple surgical translocation, we review the literature and debate various aspects of its management from diagnosis to surgery and cosmesis.
ZIF-8 derived carbon materials with multifunctional selective adsorption abilities

Abstract We report a family of carbon materials (denoted SFZ8C) prepared from templated carbonization of zeolitic imidazolate framework-8 (ZIF-8) in NaCl–ZnCl2 eutectic salt. The hard-templating effect of the salt is utilized to sustain the framework and maximize the porosity during carbonization. In addition to rich surface nitrogen and oxygen species, SFZ8Cs have large specific surface area. These combined features give rise to excellent adsorption properties for light hydrocarbon gases. SFZ8Cs have both C2H2/CO2 selective and C3/C2 selective adsorption, as well as the ability to selectively remove impurities from methane. Particularly noteworthy is the excellent C3/C2 selective adsorption performance by SFZ8C-900. Its propane/ethane selectivity (7.68) is on par with the best value (7.72) reported so far, yet SFZ8C-900 excels in propane uptake capacity. The multifunctional properties together with the ease for the mass production make SFZ8Cs promising for a number of important applications.
3D printing of an anode scaffold for lithium batteries guided by mixture design-based sequential learning

Abstract The application of safe, high energy-density solid-state lithium (Li) metal batteries is hindered by dendrite growth, poor interfacial contact, and side reactions between the Li metal and the solid-state ceramic electrolyte. The use of a three-dimensional (3D) porous copper (Cu) scaffold has shown to be an effective solution to enabling a Li metal anode. However, it is difficult to fabricate such 3D structures rapidly and controllably. Herein, a 3D printing approach has been developed to fabricate a 3D anode structure with controlled dimension, geometry, and chemical composition. In addition, mixture design-based sequential learning is used to guide design and optimization of the printing ink formula as well as the rheological and operating parameters of the 3D printing process. Inks are patterned directly onto the NASICON-type Li1+xAlx3+M2−x4+(PO4)3 (LATP) electrolyte, yielding scaffolds with a range of pore sizes. The printed scaffolds and the electrode-electrolyte interface are characterized using symmetric cell cycling, X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, and scanning electron microscopy. The characterization results show that the 3D printed structure benefits both interfacial stability and the suppression of lithium dendrite growth. The Li|Cu@LATP@Cu|Li symmetrical cell with a 3D printed Cu scaffold exhibits a polarization voltage of 60 mV at a current density of 0.05 mA/cm2. This work shows that machine learning based on experimental design and statistical analysis leads to reduced experimental effort in optimizing the 3D printing process.
High efficiency rare sperm separation from biopsy samples in an inertial focusing device

Immotile and rare sperm isolation from a complex cell background is an essential process for infertility treatment. The traditional sperm collection process from a biopsy sample requires long, tedious searches, yet still results in low sperm retrieval. In this work, a high recovery, high throughput sperm separation process is proposed for the clinical biopsy sperm retrieval process. It is found that sperm have different focusing positions compared with non-sperm cells in the inertial flow, which is explained by a sperm alignment phenomenon. Separation in the spiral channel device results in a 95.6% sperm recovery in which 87.4% of non-sperm cells get removed. Rare sperm isolation from a clinical biopsy sample is performed with the current approach. The chance of finding sperm is shown to increase 8.2 fold in the treated samples. The achieved results highly support this method being used for the development of a rapid biopsy sperm sorting process. In addition, the mechanism was proposed and can be applied for the high-efficiency separation of non-spherical particles in general.
Aggression and Atrocity—The Interstate Element, Politics, and Individual Responsibility

At the heart of the crime of aggression is one State’s breach of its public international law duties to another. Indeed, the criminal responsibility of an individual leader depends on this interstate violation. For many, this makes aggression uniquely challenging to the structure of international criminal law. The putative difficulties are twofold. First, it is not clear in what sense an individual can be responsible for an interstate wrong. Second, the competence of criminal courts to adjudicate a dispute between States is at the very least open to question. These problems are only exacerbated by what some have characterized as fatal ambiguities in the definition of the crime. Aggression is, on this common view, the odd crime out in international law. Such critiques misunderstand the crime and mischaracterize those with which it is contrasted. Aggression does entail an interstate violation and there are ambiguities at its margins, but so do a number of war crimes and crimes against humanity. Moreover, contrary to a common view, the interstate element of aggression does not reflect a deeper normative divergence from such crimes. The large-scale violation of fundamental human rights is as normatively central to the criminality of aggressive war as it is to that of genocide, war crimes or crimes against humanity. In short, the project of criminalizing aggression is the project of international criminal justice, and the problems of the crime of aggression are the problems of international criminal justice. Efforts to isolate aggression underpin both an excessive dismissiveness to the jus ad bellum crime, and a complacency regarding the posture of international criminal law more broadly.
Privacy, Liberty, and the Genetic Modification of Humans

In this paper I will argue that intangible property of this sort can be owned-that the proper subjects of intangible property claims include medical records, genetic profiles, and gene enhancement techniques. Coupled with a right to privacy, these intangible property rights allow individuals a wne of control that will, in most cases. justifiably exclude governmental or societal invasions into private domains. I will argue that the threshold for overriding privacy rights and intangible property rights is higher, in relation to genetic enhancement techniques and sensitive personal information, than is commonly suggested. Once the bar is raised, so-to-speak, the burden of overriding it is formidable. In the end, I am not so worried about the prospects of a brave new world brought upon us by gene manipulation-I am much more worried when societies, committees, and concerned citizens use the force of government to tell us what we can do to and in our own bodies.
Asymptomatic SARS-CoV-2 Infection Following First Dose mRNA-1273 COVID-19 Vaccine in a Veterans Affairs Long Term Care Facility.

An outbreak of SARS-CoV-2 involving four residents of a United States Veterans Affairs long term care facility occurred following administration of the first dose of the mRNA-1273 vaccine (Moderna) to thirty out of 33 residents. Three out of 4 positive cases were partially vaccinated and remained asymptomatic. One of 2 partially vaccinated patients who were tested for anti-spike protein antibodies had detectable levels at the time of diagnosis. The mortality rate was lower compared to a prior outbreak reported in this facility.
A case study on tap water quality in large buildings recommissioned after extended closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic

Extensive building closures due to the unprecedented COVID-19 pandemic resulted in long-term water stagnation within the plumbing of large buildings. This study examined water chemical quality deterioration in ten large buildings after prolonged stagnation caused by the closure of a university campus in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. Volume-based and constant-duration flushing protocols were implemented to replace stagnant water with fresh drinking water. The effectiveness of the developed water flushing protocols was examined by monitoring the disinfectant residuals, heavy metal concentrations and temperature for water samples collected from the buildings' point of entry (POE) and select water fixtures. More than 14 m3 of water were flushed in all ten large buildings. The results demonstrated a significantly greater average total chlorine residual concentration in POE water samples collected after flushing (1.1 mg L−1) compared to the stagnant condition (0.6 mg L−1). For water samples collected from fixtures during the extended stagnation, chlorine was absent in 71% of samples from academic buildings and 69% of samples from athletic buildings. The effectiveness of flushing practices is underscored by increasing the median total chlorine concentration from <0.1 to 1.0 mg L−1 in academic buildings and from <0.1 to 0.75 mg L−1 in athletic buildings. Furthermore, the concentrations of Pb, Zn, and Cu had decreased following the water flushing, but the concentration of Fe had increased in some buildings. This study could be beneficial to prepare for prolonged water stagnation events including but not limited to pandemics.
Radiation and materials

Bombarding particles may have low or high energy. They may be charged, uncharged, or photons; they may be heavy or light in the scale of masses. The targets may be similarly distinguished, but they may also exhibit degrees of binding that range from none, to weak, to strong. In most interactions, the higher the projectile energy in comparison with the energy of binding of the structure, the greater is the effect. Radiation of especial interest includes electrons, heavy charged particles, photons, and neutrons. Each of the particles tends to lose energy by interaction with the electrons and nuclei of matter, and each creates ionization in different degrees. The ranges of beta particles and alpha particles are short, but gamma rays penetrate in accord with an exponential law. Gamma rays can also produce electron–positron pairs. Neutrons of both high and low energy can create radiation damage in molecular materials. This chapter discusses radiation and materials. It also describes neutron reactions, that is, the interaction of neutrons with matter. Neutrons may be scattered by nuclei elastically or inelastically. It may be captured with resulting gamma ray emission, or may cause fission. If their energy is high enough, neutrons may induce (n, p) and (n, α) reactions as well. Neutrons of both high and low energy can create radiation damage in molecular materials.
Therminator 2: a thermodynamics-based method for real-time patternless intrusion detection

A novel system for conducting nonsignature based, or patternless, intrusion detection of computer networks is presented. The initial prototype has been installed at USA Pacific Command and Army Signal Command. This system uses principles of thermodynamics to model network conversation characteristics. Observing the properties of entropy, energy and temperature within the system develops a notion of baseline operating conditions. Perturbations in these properties are considered potential intrusions for further investigation. System functions are decomposed into a network sensing device, a real-time processing component and a forensics component. State definitions for a variety of conditions are discussed. Finally, examples of valid intrusions and other network perturbations in real traffic collected in network operation center backbones are presented. Preliminary results indicate this system has significant potential for revealing anomalies in large network systems.
The support of the Khovanov's invariants for alternating knots

In this article, we prove the conjecture of Bar-Natan, Garoufalidis, and Khovanov's on the support of the Khovanov's invariants for alternating knots.
An experimental study of well-defined turbulent nonpremixed spray flames

Abstract An experiment system was designed for the study of well-defined turbulent nonpremixed spray flames. Particular emphasis was placed on minimizing the influence of the injector design and on maximizing turbulence within the spray flames. A comprehensive description of the structure of such flames was obtained by applying a variety of complementary diagnostic techniques, including: broadband chemiluminescence imaging, CH∗ emission imaging, phase Doppler interferometric techniques, and spontaneous Raman spectroscopy. Two methanol spray flames were examined in detail, with Reynolds number ranging from 2.1 × 10 4 to 2.8 × 10 4 . Flame appearance and detailed measurements confirmed the occurrence of group combustion. Near the burner mouth, a dense column of drops enveloped by a common flame was observed. Further up, large corrugated structures were visualized which eventually developed into separate “islands.” A significant fraction of the spray escaped unburned, which implies that droplet evaporation is slow in this configuration. Detailed scanning of the flames provided an extensive database of average and fluctuating components of gas velocity and temperature, as well as spray and droplet size–classified properties. Key conclusions from such measurements include: the evidence of two-way coupling between the two phases along the centerline near the burner mouth; a velocity acceleration in the densest areas of the spray flames, as a result of momentum addition through vaporization, followed by deceleration farther downstream as the jet spreading predominates; and the droplet inertial behavior, especially for the large size classes, as confirmed by estimates of some relevant Stokes numbers. The average flame height was found to correlate with an overall equivalence ratio and with the initial concentration of droplets at the burner mouth.
Disfluencies along the garden path: Brain electrophysiological evidence of disrupted sentence processing

Bailey and Ferreira (2003) hypothesized and reported behavioral evidence that disfluencies (filled and silent pauses) undesirably affect sentence processing when they appear before disambiguating verbs in Garden Path (GP) sentences. Disfluencies here cause the parser to "linger" on, and apparently accept as correct, an erroneous parse. Critically, the revision process usually associated with GP-disambiguating verbs does not appear to be triggered. In order to verify this effect, we recorded event-related potentials (ERPs) time-locked to disambiguating verbs in spoken GP sentences from 15 adults. A filled pause, silent pause, or no disfluency appeared before the GP-disambiguating verbs. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed that fluent GP sentences elicited P600, an ERP index that revision of the initial parse was attempted. Crucially, P600 was attenuated for sentences containing a filled or silent pause before the GP-disambiguating verb. However, PCA detected an N400-like activation for these items, suggesting that listeners accepted the original (erroneous) parse and continued integrating at the verb; a conclusion that is tentative and requires further study. A left anterior positivity was also detected at GP-disambiguating verbs flanked by a filled pause. Discussion focuses on what these preliminary findings tell us about how oral comprehension proceeds when the time-course of sentence processing is disrupted.
Lake carbonate-δ18O records from the Yukon Territory, Canada: Little Ice Age moisture variability and patterns

Abstract A 1000-yr history of climate change in the central Yukon Territory, Canada, is inferred from sediment composition and isotope geochemistry from small, groundwater fed, Seven Mile Lake. Recent observations of lake-water δ 18 O, lake level, river discharge, and climate variations, suggest that changes in regional effective moisture (precipitation minus evaporation) are reflected by the lake’s hydrologic balance. The observations indicate that the lake is currently 18 O-enriched by summer evaporation and that during years of increased precipitation, when groundwater inflow rates to the lake increase, lake-water δ 18 O values decrease. Past lake-water δ 18 O values are inferred from oxygen isotope ratios of fine-grained sedimentary endogenic carbonate. Variations in carbonate δ 18 O, supplemented by those in carbonate and organic δ 13 C, C/N ratios, and organic carbon, carbonate and biogenic silica accumulation rates, document changes in effective moisture at decadal time scales during the early Little Ice Age period to present. Results indicate that between ∼AD 1000 and 1600, effective moisture was higher than today. A shift to more arid climate conditions occurred after ∼AD 1650. The 19th and 20th centuries have been the driest of the past millennium. Temporal variations correspond with inferred shifts in summer evaporation from Marcella Lake δ 18 O, a similarly small, stratified, alkaline lake located ∼250 km to the southwest, suggesting that the combined reconstructions accurately document the regional paleoclimate of the east-central interior. Comparison with regional glacial activity suggests differing regional moisture patterns during early and late Little Ice Age advances.
Supplementary evidence for T violation.

The only significant experimental evidence for T violation is based on the data on CP violation and other measured properties of the decay amplitudes of neutral K mesons and their combined use in an analysis based on the Bell-Steinberger unitarity relation or its equivalent. It has been pointed out by Kenny and Sachs that there is a technical possibility that this conclusion can be evaded because the argument depends on the assumption that the effective (phenomenological) weak-interaction Hamiltonian from which the decay amplitudes are derived is Hermitian. The purpose of this paper is to show that this assumption can be circumvented by making use of additional data on the unitarity of the decay amplitudes of both the neutral and charged K mesons to establish an upper limit on the magnitude of amplitudes associated with T-invariant anti-Hermitian interactions. It is assumed that the order of magnitude of such terms is in conformity with the values expected on the basis of the usual approximate isotopic spin selection rules for the weak interactions. Then it is found that if all the relevant weak interactions are T invariant, the data on unitarity would place an upper limit on the CP-violation parameter Vertical Bareta/sub +/-Verticalmore » Bar of Vertical Bareta/sub +/-Vertical Bar<0.34 x 10/sup -3/, which is an order of magnitude smaller than the observed value. It is therefore found that the possibility of including in the analysis a non-Hermitian effective weak Hamiltonian up to the limit permitted by the data on unitarity does not alter the conclusion that T invariance is violated.« less
Population and Food Dynamics: A Caloric Measurement in Egypt

Historical and statistical data are employed to analyze past trends and forecast the future behavior of urban and rural population cultivated and cropped area and crop yields. After a brief review of Egyption agriculture and population history associated growth rates are extracted from recent statistics and applied to the estimation of future levels of caloric production per inhabitant urban and rural land-man ratios and rural population. Lastly these predictions are discussed and conclusions bearing on Egypts agricultural and population policies and on its position in the context of the world food crisis are drawn. (EXCERPT)
Determining bioequivalence of topical dermatological drug products by tape-stripping.

The maximum level of drug in the stratum corneum (Cmax) and the area under the curve of drug level in the stratum corneum versus time (AUC) have been proposed as metrics for assessing bioequivalence of topical drugs. These metrics, which require that concentrations be measured at eight or more times, were developed for drugs that are absorbed into the bloodstream, and are less appropriate for topical drugs. Concentrations of topical drugs are measured by tape-stripping, and it is difficult to make a large number of precise measurements due to the limited amount of available skin. We present a new method (the two-time method) for assessing bioequivalence of topical drugs. The method involves some modifications to standard tape-stripping methodology, designed to reduce the variability in measured drug levels. Perhaps most importantly, drug levels are measured at only two times, one during the uptake phase and one during the clearance phase. Measuring concentrations at only two times allows replicate measurements to be made, which increases efficiency. We compared the performance of the two-time method with a standard method through a simulation study that uses a model based on real data. When two drugs are in fact bioequivalent, the two-time method requires only 20 subjects to achieve the efficiency of a standard study with 50 subjects. In a situation in which two drugs are bioinequivalent, the two-time method requires only 30 subjects to achieve the efficiency of a standard study with 100 subjects.
Women's legislative representation

Ever since Hannah Pitkin's seminal theoretical work, The Concept of Representation (1967), scholars of legislative politics have attempted to empirically test how descriptive representation, that i...
Vitreous base classification of retinal tears: Clinical application

Abstract The abundant data about retinal tears has shown that they are prevalent in the general population and that the vast majority of retinal tears do not lead to retinal detachment. What remains to be clarified are the criteria for identifying the few retinal breaks which require prophylactic surgery to prevent their progression to retinal detachment. Numerous reports have identified clinical features which correlate with the risk of retinal detachment. These correlative data offer at best only a suggestion about the need for treatment of any specific retinal break. This paper demonstrates how the categorization of a retinal tear on the basis of vitreoretinal anatomic detail may be used clinically to make an objective and nonstatistical judgment about the prognosis of any specific retinal break. The application of this new categorization offers an advance in the care of patients with retinal tears.
Mist Generation During Metal Machining

Use of metalworking fluids during machining results in a mist that is associated with adverse health effects. Experiments conducted on a small lathe quantified the amount of mist generated by evaporation/condensation, centrifugal force, and impaction. Evaporation/condensation was the most important mechanism, followed by centrifugal force, then impaction. For evaporation/condensation, rotational speed and cut depth determined the amount of heat generated during machining, whereas fluid flow determined the amount of heat transferred to the liquid. The flow-rotational speed interaction influenced mist generation by centrifugal force, whereas mist generation by impaction was determined only by fluid flow.
Red filters in the esophagoscopic diagnosis of esophageal varices.

The accuracy of the endoscopic diagnosis of esophageal varices is limited by difficulty in distinguishing esophageal varices from mucosal folds. This study was undertaken to determine whether the use of a red filter would make esophageal varices more easily recognizable by esophagoscopic examination. Two experienced endoscopists examined 17 cirrhotic patients independently for the presence of esophageal varices with the Eder-Hufford esophagoscope, using both conventional and red-filter lens systems. Fifty-four additional cirrhotic patients were examined by 1 endoscopist who used the red filter after dark adaptation and, subsequently, the conventional lens system. Esophageal varices appeared darker and more readily distinguishable from mucosal folds with use of the red-filter lens system after dark adaptation than with conventional esophagoscopy. Without dark adaptation, however, the red filter did not appear to influence favorably the endoscopic diagnosis of varices. Although these preliminary observations require confirmation, they suggest that the use of red filters may improve the precision of the endoscopic diagnosis of esophageal varices.
Access to Ring-Expanded Analogues of 2-Amino Sugars

Ring-expanded 2-N-acetylamino sugar analogs of d-glucose, d-galactose, and d-mannose have been prepared by a new synthetic route. Aspects of the highly substituted α-amino aldehyde intermediates made them central to the approach. First, they were accessed via diastereoselective addition of a vinyl Grignard onto protected glycosyl amines. Also, the sterics of the bis-protected amine favored the formation of only one glycoside anomer. The new analogues reported here should prove useful in the development of tools to investigate the role of 2-amino sugars in biology.
Vascular Endothelial Cadherin (VE-Cadherin): Cloning and Role in Endothelial Cell-Cell Adhesion

Objective: To identify proteins responsible for intercellular junction integrity in human umbilical vein endothelial cells (HUVEC), we produced a monoclonal antibody that recognized an endothelial cell-specific, junctionally restricted protein. We characterized and cloned the antigen to study its functional properties.Methods: The size and cellular distribution of the antigen were determined by immunofluorescence and immunoprecipitation. The molecule was cloned and transfected into cell lines, and its role in cell-cell adhesion and growth rate was determined.Results: Monoclonal antibody heel recognizes VE-cadherin, an endothelial cell-restricted cell adhesion molecule. VE-cadherin is localized to the borders between apposing endothelial cells but is diffusely distributed on subconfluent or migrating cells. Transfection of fibroblasts with VE-cadherin imparts to them the ability to adhere to each other in a calcium-dependent homophilic manner. Expression of VE-cadherin over a several-log range does not cha...
Time course of phosphorylated CREB and Fos-like immunoreactivity in the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus after salt loading

Abstract Phosphorylation of the CAMP response element binding protein (CREB) precedes the induction of immediate early gene expression. Using antibodies that distinguish CREB from phosphorylated CREB (PCREB), we studied the appearance of PCREB-like immunoreactivity (PCREB-LI) and Fos-LI in the hypothalamic supraoptic nucleus (SON) of rats treated with hypertonic or normal saline and uninjected controls. Fifteen minutes after injection, increased numbers of PCREB-LI cells were seen in both normal and hypertonic saline-treated rats as compared with uninjected controls. Forty-five minutes after injection, levels of c- fos mRNA in the SON were elevated in hypertonic saline-treated rats as compared with normal saline-treated rats, and were minimally detectable in uninjected rats. At this time period, the hypertonic saline-treated rats showed increased number of Fos-LI cells in the SON, whereas normal saline-treated rats showed little or no Fos-LI cells. The discrepancy between levels of PCREB-LI and c- fos mRNA suggests that injection of hypertonic saline may activate additional transcriptional factors besides CREB. The lack of Fos-LI in the presence of modest increases in c- fos mRNA in normal saline-treated rats implies that levels of c- fos mRNA must exceed a threshold before increases in Fos-LI cells are detectable by immunostaining of the SON. Such a threshold might permit neuronal cells to activate diverse genes, through phosphorylation of CREB, without inducing the constellation of Fos-responsive genes.
Lens-care-solution-induced alterations in dynamic interfacial properties of human tear-lipid films.

a b s t r a c t Purpose: To evaluate the influence of lens care solutions (LCS) on interfacial dynamics and rheological properties of human tear-lipid films. Methods: Tear lipids were extracted from Schirmer strips collected from 6 healthy subjects. Sessile bubble tensiometry was used to study interfacial properties at 22 ◦ C. Lipids were deposited on an air bubble immersed into electrolytes solution to form 90 ± 20 nm films. Lipid films were subjected to expansioncompression cycles for dynamic interfacial properties and to step-strain relaxations for assessments of rheological properties. LCS (BioTrue [BT], PureMoist [PM], Revitalens [RL], ClearCare [CC]) were injected into optical chamber and equilibrated for 2 h without or with lipid films. Dynamic interfacial properties of films were measured. Then electrolyte solution was pumped through chamber and properties of films were re-evaluated. Results: Equilibrium surface tension (EST), elasticity modulus (E), and relaxation times (� ) of tear lipids were 22 ± 2.1 mN/m, 10.7–14.8 mN/m, and 80–150 s, respectively. EST for LCS was 45.3 ± 0.8 for CC, 40.3 ± 0.8 for BT, 33.4 ± 1.0 for PM, and 30.1 ± 0.8 mN/m for RL. E for LCS varied within 0.5–6.7 mN/m, and ,
Fasting-induced reduction of intestinal reperfusion injury

Background Fasting is associated with significant structural, functional, and metabolic alterations in the intestinal mucosa. Before abdominal surgery, patients are usually fasted the night before surgery or for a longer period of time if chronic illness is present. The splanchnic organs may experience varying degrees of ischemia/reperfusion as blood vessels are occluded during the various manipulations. Methods To study whether fasting alters intestinal reperfusion injury, rats were fasted for 0 to 2 days, and the mesenteric artery was occluded for 30 minutes and then reperfused for 1 hour. Mucosal atrophy was quantitated by measuring jejunal villus height and crypt depth, and mucosal injury was quantitated by measuring jejunal villus width to villus height and mucosal integrity. To determine whether any effect of fasting on reperfusion injury was due to the absence of luminal nutrients or to a systemic nutrient deficiency, rats were fed parenterally for 7 days before ischemia/reperfusion. Results A 1-day fast produced significant mucosal atrophy. Reperfusion in the 0-day and 1-day fasted animals produced mucosal injury and additional mucosal atrophy. After a 2-day fast, there was no mucosal injury or mucosal atrophy other than that produced by fasting alone. Parenteral feeding before ischemia/reperfusion did not prevent ischemia/reperfusion induced mucosal atrophy and injury. Conclusions The protective effect of a 2-day fast before intestinal ischemia/reperfusion cannot be attributed to the physical and chemical absence of food within the intestinal lumen.