cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cell armor for protection against environmental stress: Advances, challenges and applications in micro- and nanoencapsulation of mammalian cells

Unlike unicellular organisms and plant cells surrounded with a cell wall, naked plasma membranes of mammalian cells make them more susceptible to environmental stresses encountered during in vitro biofabrication and in vivo cell therapy applications. Recent advances in micro- and nanoencapsulation of single mammalian cells provide an effective strategy to isolate cells from their surroundings and protect them against harsh environmental conditions. Microemulsification and droplet-based microfluidics have enabled researchers to encapsulate single cells within a variety of microscale hydrogel materials with a range of biochemical and mechanical properties and functionalities including enhanced cell-matrix interactions or on-demand degradation. In addition to microcapsules, nanocoatings of various organic and inorganic substances on mammalian cells have allowed for the formation of protective shells. A wide range of synthetic and natural polymers, minerals and supramolecular metal-organic complexes have been deposited as nanolayers on the cells via electrostatic interactions, receptor-ligand binding, non-specific interactions, and in situ polymerization/crosslinking. Here, current strategies in encapsulation of single mammalian cells along with challenges and advances are reviewed. Protection of encapsulated stem cells, fibroblasts, red and white blood cells and cancer cells against harsh in vitro and in vivo conditions including anoikis, UV radiation, physical forces, proteolytic enzymes and immune clearance are discussed. STATEMENT OF SIGNIFICANCE: The mechanical fragility of the plasma membrane and susceptibility to extracellular biochemical factors due to the lack of a physical barrier like a tough cell wall or exoskeleton make mammalian cells extra sensitive to harsh environmental conditions. This sensitively, in turn, limits the ex vivo storage, handling and manipulation of mammalian cells, as well as their in vivo applications. Environmental stresses such as exposure to UV, reactive chemicals and mechanical stress during biofabrication processes like 3D bioprinting can often compromise cell viability and function. Micro- and nanoencapsulation of single mammalian cells in protective shells have emerged as promising approaches to isolate cells from their surroundings and enhance resistance against perturbations in conditions during regenerative medicine and tissue engineering applications. In this review, the current state of art of single cell encapsulation strategies and the challenges associated with these technologies are discussed in detail. This is followed by the review of the protection provided by cell armor against a range of harsh in vitro and in vivo conditions.
Recruitment of Immigrant Hispanic Mothers in Research: An Application of the EERC Guidelines

Introduction: Innovative and culturally sensitive strategies are needed to promote research participation among minorities and develop targeted interventions aimed at decreasing health disparities. The purpose of this article is to illustrate application of the EERC (evaluate, engage, reflect, and carefully match) guidelines in facilitating participant recruitment in a study exploring infant feeding practices of Hispanic mothers. Methodology: Retrospective application of the EERC guidelines assessed using data extracted from the researcher-study recruitment field notes. A systematic categorical process was used to determine if each of the guidelines' key concepts were incorporated in the recruitment process. Results: Successful recruitment of 62 immigrant Hispanic mothers (approximately 82% of target goal) was accomplished through implementation of most of EERC criteria (90%) in planning and recruitment phases of the study. Discussion: Application of EERC guidelines facilitates recruitment of minority populations. Enhanced participant recruitment assists in assessment of population-unique conditions and targeted interventions leading to disease prevention and improved outcomes.
Contributions of Candida albicans Dimorphism, Adhesive Interactions, and Extracellular Matrix to the Formation of Dual-Species Biofilms with Streptococcus gordonii

ABSTRACT Fungal and bacterial populations coexist in the oral cavity, frequently forming mixed-species biofilms that complicate treatment against polymicrobial infections. However, despite relevance to oral health, the bidirectional interactions between these microbial populations are poorly understood. In this study, we aimed to elucidate the mechanisms underlying the interactions between the fungal species Candida albicans and the bacterial species Streptococcus gordonii as they coexist in mixed-species biofilms. Specifically, the interactions of different C. albicans mutant strains deficient in filamentation (efg1Δ/Δ and brg1Δ/Δ), adhesive interactions (als3Δ/Δ and bcr1Δ/Δ), and production of matrix exopolymeric substances (EPS) (kre5Δ/Δ, mnn9Δ/Δ, rlm1Δ/Δ, and zap1Δ/Δ) were evaluated with S. gordonii under different conditions mimicking the environment in the oral cavity. Interestingly, our results revealed that growth of the biofilm-deficient C. albicansals3Δ/Δ and bcr1Δ/Δ mutant strains in synthetic saliva or with S. gordonii restored their biofilm-forming ability. Moreover, challenging previous observations indicating an important role of morphogenetic conversions in the interactions between these two species, our results indicated a highly synergistic interaction between S. gordonii and the C. albicans filamentation-deficient efg1Δ/Δ and brg1Δ/Δ deletion mutants, which was particularly noticeable when the mixed biofilms were grown in synthetic saliva. Importantly, dual-species biofilms were found to exhibit increase in antimicrobial resistance, indicating that components of the fungal exopolymeric material confer protection to streptococcal cells against antibacterial treatment. Collectively, these findings unravel a high degree of complexity in the interactions between C. albicans and S. gordonii in mixed-species biofilms, which may impact homeostasis in the oral cavity. IMPORTANCE Microbial communities have a great impact in health and disease. C. albicans interacts with multiple microorganisms in the oral cavity, frequently forming polymicrobial biofilms. We report on the synergistic interactions between C. albicans and the Gram-positive bacterium S. gordonii, for which we have examined the different contributions of adhesive interactions, filamentation, and the extracellular matrix to the formation of dual-species biofilms. Our results demonstrate that growth in the presence of the bacterium can restore the biofilm-forming ability of different C. albicans mutant strains with defects in adhesion and filamentation. The mixed-species biofilms also show high levels of resistance to antibacterial and antifungal antibiotics, and our results indicate that the fungal biofilm matrix protects bacterial cells within these mixed-species biofilms. Our observations add to a growing body of evidence indicating a high level of complexity in the reciprocal interactions and consortial behavior of fungal/bacterial biofilms.
48. OBSERVING THE IMPACT OF EMBRYO CULTURING CONDITIONS ON NON-INVASIVE PREIMPLANTATION GENETIC TESTING FOR ANEUPLOIDY DETECTION (NI-PGT-A)

Introduction There are several options available to clinics culturing IVF embryos, including group and individual droplet culture, sequential or single-step medium culture and the possibility to renew the medium during culture. The absence of standardised culturing conditions or molecular testing methodologies, including whole genome amplification (WGA) used for non-invasive preimplantation genetic testing for aneuploidy (NI-PGT-A) may explain the variable rates of concordance reported between the spent embryo culture media and embryo biopsy results to-date. Culture conditions contribute to the accumulation of embryonic and contaminating DNA in spent embryo culture media. Optimisation of either the culturing conditions, molecular testing methodologies, or both, should yield the highest accuracy results for NI-PGT-A. This study examined rates of concordance between spent embryo culture media and embryo biopsies with the aim of evaluating the impact of culturing conditions on NI-PGT-A results. Material and methods Spent embryo culture media was collected from single embryo culture droplets following biopsy of the embryo for PGT-A, then stored at -20°C, with ethics approval. Spent embryo culture media samples from 10ul-60ul culture droplets were whole genome amplified using DOPlify® kit reagents (PerkinElmer). WGA DNA yield was assessed following gel electrophoresis and high sensitivity Qubit instrument quantification (ThermoFisher). Next generation sequencing libraries and sequencing was performed according to the standard PG-SeqTM kit 48 sample protocol on a MiSeq® instrument sequencer (Illumina). Data was bioinformatically aligned to hg19 and analysed using PG-SeqTM kit software. WGA DNA yield, NGS metrics, and whole chromosome aneuploidy concordance with the PGT-A result for the embryo biopsy were determined. Results Results were collated for each set of culturing conditions, including whether the media was renewed during culture. Whole genome amplification using DOPlify® kit reagents resulted in the amplification of 78-100% of spent embryo culture media samples (WGA failure rate 0-22%). Ploidy concordance with the embryo biopsy ranged from 33-55% for autosomal chromosomes and 47-53% for sex chromosomes using a single-step culturing system (n=3 protocols), compared with concordance rates of 60-95% and 50-97% respectively when media was changed during the 5-6 day culture (n=4 protocols). Conclusions Successful NI-PGT-A using spent embryo culture media will possibly require specific culturing conditions and/or specialised molecular methodologies for accurate and representative amplification and testing of the embryonic DNA. In a step toward this, we identified that renewing culture media during IVF improves overall concordance rates between the embryo biopsy and spent embryo culture media for NI-PGT-A.
Optical communications downlink from a low-earth orbiting 1.5U CubeSat.

In this article, we present the first demonstration of an optical communications downlink from a low-earth orbiting free-flying CubeSat. Two 1.5U vehicles, AC7-B&C, built under NASA’s Optical Communications and Sensors Demonstration (OCSD) program were launched in November 2017 and subsequently placed into a 450-km, 51.6° inc. circular orbit. Pseudorandom data streams using on-off key (OOK) modulation were transmitted from AC-7B to a 40 cm aperture telescope located at sea level in El Segundo, CA. At 200 Mbps, without forward error correction (FEC), we achieved a 115-second link that was ~78% error free, with the remaining portion exhibiting an error rate below 1E-5. At the time of the engagement, the 1064-nm laser transmitter was operating at 2 W (half capacity) with a full width half maximum (FWHM) beam divergence of ~1 mrad, which was approximately double the anticipated pointing accuracy of the vehicle.
Market power and second degree price discrimination in retail gasoline markets

Abstract Empirical evidence of ‘quality-based’ second degree price discrimination is scarce. The co-existence of regular-grade 10% ethanol-blended gasoline (E10) and regular-grade non-blended gasoline (E0) in a major metropolitan city allows for second degree price discrimination to be examined while eliminating the issue of endogenous product differentiation because the two blends of gasoline are near-perfect substitutes. Using a unique data set including daily price information for 402 retailers that sell only E0 gasoline, only ethanol-blended E10 gasoline, or both blends simultaneously, I find evidence that retailers use second degree price discrimination to segment the population between perceived lower and higher quality gasoline; despite the fact that both blends can safely be used in nearly all vehicles. Additionally, I uncover two elasticities of demand for gasoline and discuss the welfare effects of price changes and market segmentation.
Practical considerations for the implementation of adaptive designs for oncology Phase I dose-finding trials.

The traditional 3 + 3 design continues to be commonly used for Phase I dose-finding oncology trials, despite increasing criticisms and development of innovative methods. Unfortunately, it is a challenge to convince principal investigators to use novel designs. The goal of this paper is to persuade researchers to break away from 3 + 3 design and provide potential solutions to better designs and implementation strategy. We reviewed the statistical methods for adaptive Phase I designs. The barriers among all the major components of the implementation team have been emphasized and potential solutions have been discussed. Institutional support to the principal investigators and statistician, as well as to other team members is essential to design and implement adaptive trials in academic medical institutions.
Perceptions of Adults With Autism of an Inclusive University-Based Social Group

Date Presented 04/05/19 Adults with autism shared perceptions about Towson University's inclusive social group model via a descriptive survey study with closed and open-ended questions. Data from 18 respondents reflect the positive impact of university student peers and adult participants with autism feeling welcome, safe, and accepted. They also identified social skills goals associated with attending. This model for supporting social participation of adults with autism has potential for replication in other settings. Primary Author and Speaker: Charlotte Exner Contributing Authors: Alyson Frydman
Kidney, Adrenal Gland, and Retroperitoneum

Fine needle aspiration (FNA) biopsy of kidney, adrenal, and retroperitoneal lesions yields challenging specimens in cytology due to the variety of diagnostic entities that can be encountered and their relative infrequency. Familiarity with the clinical and radiologic context is key to answer pertinent clinical questions at the time of rapid on-site evaluation (ROSE) and to render the complete final diagnosis for the case. This chapter is intended to provide a practical guide to cytopathologists evaluating these specimens in real time. It provides guidance on which entities to expect at the time of biopsy, how to allocate fresh specimen to maximize diagnostic yield, important information to convey at the time of ROSE, and key points that should be addressed in the final report, including classification and grading. An emphasis is placed on radiologic correlation, new entities and updates in recent WHO Classifications, ancillary testing, and potential pitfalls.
4D Flow with MRI

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has become an important tool for the clinical evaluation of patients with cardiac and vascular diseases. Since its introduction in the late 1980s, quantitative flow imaging with MRI has become a routine part of standard-of-care cardiothoracic and vascular MRI for the assessment of pathological changes in blood flow in patients with cardiovascular disease. More recently, time-resolved flow imaging with velocity encoding along all three flow directions and three-dimensional (3D) anatomic coverage (4D flow MRI) has been developed and applied to enable comprehensive 3D visualization and quantification of hemodynamics throughout the human circulatory system. This article provides an overview of the use of 4D flow applications in different cardiac and vascular regions in the human circulatory system, with a focus on using 4D flow MRI in cardiothoracic and cerebrovascular diseases.
Bridging Storage Semantics Using Data Labels and Asynchronous I/O

In the era of data-intensive computing, large-scale applications, in both scientific and the BigData communities, demonstrate unique I/O requirements leading to a proliferation of different storage devices and software stacks, many of which have conflicting requirements. Further, new hardware technologies and system designs create a hierarchical composition that may be ideal for computational storage operations. In this article, we investigate how to support a wide variety of conflicting I/O workloads under a single storage system. We introduce the idea of a Label, a new data representation, and, we present LABIOS: a new, distributed, Label- based I/O system. LABIOS boosts I/O performance by up to 17× via asynchronous I/O, supports heterogeneous storage resources, offers storage elasticity, and promotes in situ analytics and software defined storage support via data provisioning. LABIOS demonstrates the effectiveness of storage bridging to support the convergence of HPC and BigData workloads on a single platform.
Better together: Third party helping is enhanced when the decision to help is made jointly.

Abstract When spouses decide together how much of their joint income to donate to charity, or the parents of several children in a classroom agree to chip in for the cost of a group gift for a teacher, they are engaging in a joint act of benefiting a third party. Past work has typically conceptualized the decision to provide benefits to others as an individual one. But as these examples illustrate, the decision to engage in third-party helping is often initiated at the group level. And there are compelling reasons to expect that the helping behavior initiated jointly by multiple people will differ from that initiated by individuals, even after holding constant the costs and benefits of helping. Here I demonstrate that people provide more benefits to a third party when they must come to an agreement with another benefactor about a joint helping decision, compared to when they communicate about the decision, but then make decisions separately, or when they make helping decisions alone. I show that this is because people engage in generous “talk” in communication with other benefactors - and joint decisions, but not individual decisions, bind them to the high levels of helping that they discuss. Put differently, results show that when people make decisions individually, they give according to their individual preferences about benefiting others; when they make decisions jointly, they give according to their public statements about benefiting others, which tend to be more other-regarding. The results have important implications for understanding the mechanisms driving prosocial behavior.
State Courts, State Territory, State Power: Reflections on the Extraterritoriality Principle in Choice of Law and Legislation

An important (if sometimes poorly understood) extraterritoriality principle constrains the reach of the laws state legislatures may constitutionally enact. Indeed, the Supreme Court has at times suggested that this principle serves to invalidate any “application of a state statute to commerce that takes place wholly outside of the State’s borders.” In the choice-of-law context, however, state courts make the decision to apply state law (including state statutory law) to out-of-state activities (including commercial activities) constantly and routinely. Yet because state courts’ choice-of-law decisions are subject only to the very minimal constraints of the Due Process Clause, the application of forum law to out-of-state events has seldom been thought to raise constitutional concerns.This Article argues that no principled justification exists for this distinction between the activities of state courts and of state legislatures. When a state court applies forum law to out-of-state events, it exercises a similar sort of state power as does a state legislature that purports to pass a regulation governing out-of-state conduct. As a result, the separation of the lines of cases applicable to choice-of-law decisions and to state regulations is conceptually impossible to maintain. Indeed, in many areas of law – most notably, the Supreme Court’s punitive damages jurisprudence in Gore v. BMW and State Farm v. Campbell – the distinction between these lines of cases is already breaking down. In light of this blurring of boundaries between judicial choice-of-law decisions and legislative activities, this Article argues for a comprehensive re-examination of the extraterritoriality principle that incorporates an understanding of the extraterritorial effects of state courts’ choice of forum law.
Genetics and General Husbandry of Tree Kangaroos in Zoos

Abstract Tree kangaroos have been kept in captive facilities for over a century. Up until the early 1980s, much of the knowledge on their behavior and reproduction was limited and based on anecdotal reports. Since the mid-1980s there has been more emphasis on behavior and reproductive research, focusing on Matschie's tree kangaroos (Dendrolagus matschiei), with recent additional research being conducted on Goodfellow's (D. goodfellowi) and Lumholtz's (D. lumholtzi) species. In the past 40 years, the knowledge of tree kangaroo genetics and husbandry in managed facilities has improved immensely. While anecdotal reports still have a place in capturing information about species and individuals, research projects and data collection have become regular components of improving tree kangaroo husbandry around the world. Genetics research has been conducted on managed Matschie's tree kangaroos to help determine founder population demographics. These data emphasized the importance of carefully planned pairings for reproductive success, while maintaining genetic diversity. Husbandry techniques are continually being evaluated and adjusted for optimal quality animal care. Through research and data collection, more questions will be answered that will continue to improve tree kangaroo husbandry in managed facilities.
Correction to: ASO Author Reflections: Cumulative GRAS Score Predicts Outcomes After Resection for Adrenal Cortical Carcinoma.

Jordan J. Baechle and Paula Marincola Smith contributed equally to this paper. The original article has been updated.
Reframing adherence: Active ingredients and impromptu interactions that support vocabulary implementation effectiveness

Abstract Most educational research treats teachers' deviations from prescribed or scripted programs as a nuisance for efficacy studies. This study reframes this approach to explore how kindergarten teachers' use of critical vocabulary program ingredients as well as improvised interactions contribute to instructional effectiveness. Data from 181 kindergarten teachers and their approximately 1,404 kindergarten students were analyzed using multilevel modeling. Findings demonstrate that teachers with students with large vocabulary gains had higher levels of adherence to the more structured program components and engaged in more adaptive impromptu teacher-student interactions than their less successful teacher peers. This study provides a more flexible and dynamic understanding of implementation fidelity.
Many ways to stick the landing: novel righting strategies allow spotted lanternfly nymphs to land on diverse substrates

Unlike large animals, insects and other very small animals are so unsusceptible to impact-related injuries that they can use falling for dispersal and predator evasion. Reorienting to land upright can mitigate lost access to resources and predation risk. Such behaviors are critical for the spotted lanternfly (SLF) (Lycorma delicatula), an invasive, destructive insect pest spreading rapidly in the US. High-speed video of SLF nymphs released under different conditions showed that these insects self-right using both active midair righting motions previously reported for other insects, and novel post-impact mechanisms that take advantage of their ability to experience near-total energy loss on impact. Unlike during terrestrial self-righting, in which an animal initially at rest on its back uses appendage motions to flip over, SLF nymphs impacted the surface at varying angles and then self-righted during the rebound using coordinated body rotations, foot-substrate adhesion, and active leg motions. These previously-unreported strategies were found to promote disproportionately upright, secure landings on both hard, flat surfaces and tilted, compliant host plant leaves. Our results highlight the importance of examining biomechanical phenomena in ecologically-relevant contexts, and show that, for small animals, the post-impact bounce period can be critical for achieving an upright landing.
Underrepresentation of diverse populations and clinical characterization in opioid agonist treatment research: A systematic review of the neurocognitive effects of buprenorphine and methadone treatment.

Abstract Introduction The relative neurocognitive effects of the two most common opioid agonist treatments (OAT; buprenorphine and methadone) for opioid use disorder (OUD) are poorly understood. The aim of this systematic review is to examine the neurocognitive effects of OAT (buprenorphine and methadone) and the clinical and sociodemographic characteristics of study samples. Methods: The research team queried PubMed, PsycINFO and Cochrane Reviews for articles (01/1980–01/2020) with terms related to neurocognitive testing in adults (age ≥ 18) prescribed OAT. The team extracted neurocognitive data and grouped them by domain (e.g., executive functioning, learning/memory), and assessed study quality. Results The search retrieved 2341 abstracts, the team reviewed 278 full articles, and 32 met inclusion criteria. Of these, 31 were observational designs and one was an experimental design. Healthy controls performed better across neurocognitive domains than OAT-treated persons (buprenorphine or methadone). Compared to those with active OUD, OAT-treated persons had better neurocognition in various domains. However, in seven studies comparing buprenorphine- and methadone-treated persons, buprenorphine was associated with better neurocognition than was methadone, with moderate to large effect sizes in executive functioning, attention/working memory, and learning/memory. Additionally, OAT research underreports clinical characteristics and underrepresents Black and Latinx adults, as well as women. Conclusions Findings suggest that compared to active opioid use, both buprenorphine and methadone treatment are associated with better neurocognitive functioning, but buprenorphine is associated with better executive functioning, attention/working memory, and learning/memory. These findings should be interpreted with caution given widespread methodological heterogeneity, and limited representation of ethnoracially diverse adults and women. Rigorous longitudinal comparisons with more diverse, better characterized samples will help to inform treatment and policy recommendations for persons with OUD.
The landscape of coding RNA editing events in pediatric cancer.

Background RNA editing leads to post-transcriptional variation in protein sequences and has important biological implications. We sought to elucidate the landscape of RNA editing events across pediatric cancers. Methods Using RNA-Seq data mapped by a pipeline designed to minimize mapping ambiguity, we investigated RNA editing in 711 pediatric cancers from the St. Jude/Washington University Pediatric Cancer Genome Project focusing on coding variants which can potentially increase protein sequence diversity. We combined de novo detection using paired tumor DNA-RNA data with analysis of known RNA editing sites. Results We identified 722 unique RNA editing sites in coding regions across pediatric cancers, 70% of which were nonsynonymous recoding variants. Nearly all editing sites represented the canonical A-to-I (n = 706) or C-to-U sites (n = 14). RNA editing was enriched in brain tumors compared to other cancers, including editing of glutamate receptors and ion channels involved in neurotransmitter signaling. RNA editing profiles of each pediatric cancer subtype resembled those of the corresponding normal tissue profiled by the Genotype-Tissue Expression (GTEx) project. Conclusions In this first comprehensive analysis of RNA editing events in pediatric cancer, we found that the RNA editing profile of each cancer subtype is similar to its normal tissue of origin. Tumor-specific RNA editing events were not identified indicating that successful immunotherapeutic targeting of RNA-edited peptides in pediatric cancer should rely on increased antigen presentation on tumor cells compared to normal but not on tumor-specific RNA editing per se.
EFFECT OF USING REPURPOSED SCIENCE RICH FEATURE FILMS WITH VARYING LEVELS OF STUDENT ACTIVITY IN MIDDLE GRADES SCIENCE INSTRUCTION

This study provided an initial investigation into the use of repurposed content-rich entertainment videos (versus traditional educational videos) presented in either an active or passive educational setting. Eight classes of seventh grade general science students (n=361) were randomly assigned to one of four video treatment groups: 1) repurposed content-rich entertainment video in a passive setting, 2) repurposed content-rich entertainment video in an active setting, 3) traditional educational video in a passive setting, and 4) traditional educational video in an active setting.
Doping of bi-layer graphene by gradually polarizing a ferroelectric polymer

The influence of the gradual polarization of a ferroelectric polymer on isotopically labeled bi-layer graphene has been investigated by Raman spectroscopy. The Raman frequencies of the 13C graphene modes are downshifted with respect to the Raman frequencies of 12C graphene, which enabled us to study the individual layer components of bi-layer graphene. The polarization of the ferroelectric polymer has a similar influence on the electron and hole concentration at the 13C graphene and the 12C graphene layer despite the 13C graphene layer being only in direct contact with the ferroelectric polymer. In the Raman experiment the doping of graphene was confirmed by a similar frequency shift of the G modes and similar changes in the intensities of the G′ modes during the electrochemical charging of the ferroelectric polymer.
Probabilistic concept formation in relational domains

Publisher Summary This chapter describes COBWEBR’ s representation of objects and concepts along with its organization of concepts in memory. COBWEBR is based on Fisher's (1987) C O B W E B system, an incremental conceptual clustering algorithm that uses an attribute-value language to represent its instances and concepts. The two systems are consequently similar in both structure and control. COBWEBR classifies instances described in a relational language, that is, each instance is a set of ground literals. COBWEBR represents concepts by storing an associated set of features, which correspond to the literals of the input language. The features are variabilized to allow them to record the relational structure of the instances without being bound to the particular objects being related. Associated with each feature is a conditional probability of occurrence, called the confirmed count, and a conditional probability of nonoccurrence, called the missing count. The concepts in the hierarchy are partially-ordered by generality. Each internal node contains all of the features of its children, storing them in such a way as to reflect the amount of overlap in their relational structures. If several of the children have a feature that can be consistently unified, that feature in the parent will have a high confirmed conditional probability.
Are Instant Messages Speech

Instant messaging (IM) is commonly viewed as a “spoken” medium, in light of its reputation for informality, non-standard spelling and punctuation, and use of lexical shortenings and emoticons. However, the actual nature of IM is an empirical issue that bears linguistic analysis.
Chasing Phantoms in a Hollow Defense of Coase

Patrick Gunning refuses to acknowledge the most salient arguments against the “Chicago” law and economics case for negligence made by Austrian economists. Because of this, he makes the same errors in his defense of Coase that permeate the Chicago paradigm. In particular, his defense of Coasean type analysis completely ignores Austrian cost theory, i.e., that all economically relevant costs are strictly subjective and therefore conceptually impossible to measure. He also fails to grasp the implications of disequilibrium market process theory for the use of any kind of least-cost-avoider rule in the economic analysis of the law. As a result, Gunning's defense of Coase suffers from the same “pretense of knowledge” as the analysis that he is defending.
Dependence of the Putrescine Content of Escherichia coli on the Osmotic Strength of the Medium

Putrescine is the polyamine present in highest concentration in Escherichia coli; however, few specific functions for it are known. We found that cells growing in nutrient broth supplemented with high concentrations of NaCl, KCl, MgCl2, or sucrose had greatly reduced levels of cellular putrescine. On the basis of osmotic strength, all four solutes produced similar decreases in putrescine content. In contrast, glycerol had little effect on the amount of cellular putrescine. Cellular spermidine content was not affected by any of the additives. When cells were grown in high NaCl, pools for most amino acids increased; a few remained the same or decreased slightly. A sudden increase in the osmolarity of the medium led to a rapid excretion of cellular putrescine while there was no decrease in spermidine or free amino acids. This loss of putrescine could be blocked by sodium azide or sodium arsenate. The mechanism of putrescine excretion has two components; one is dependent on high concentrations of potassium ion in the medium, and the other is not. Cells grown in the presence of 11 mm potassium and then put into high osmolarity medium lacking potassium failed to excrete [14C]putrescine rapidly. Replacing the potassium greatly stimulated putrescine excretion within 1 min. The rate of [14C]putrescine excretion was half-maximal at a potassium concentration of 0.69 mm. E. coli which were grown in medium containing 0.1 mm potassium and resuspended in 11 mm potassium initially could excrete [14C]putrescine only slowly but regained the ability to excrete putrescine maximally after 15 min. Sodium, magnesium, ammonium, and rubidium ions and pH from 6.4 to 7.3 did not affect the rate of [14C]putrescine excretion. A sudden increase in the osmolarity of the medium produces a rapid increase in the cellular potassium content. However, this rapid uptake of potassium was not dependent on excretion of large quantities of cellular putrescine. When cells growing in high salt medium were transferred to low salt medium, the putrescine content approached the low salt value only after 140 min. However, the ability of cells to take up [14C]putrescine from the medium did increase 6-fold within 2 min after resuspension in low salt medium. [14C]Spermidine was not metabolized to a measurable extent over 70 min in either low salt or high salt nutrient broth cultures. Because the cellular spermidine contents were similar in the two cultures and because [14C]spermidine was not catabolized in either culture, the rates of spermidine synthesis must also be similar, even though the precursor (putrescine) pool sizes are quite different.
Reconfigurable Computer Array: The Bridge between High Speed Sensors and Low Speed Computing

A universal limitation of RF and imaging front-end sensors is that they easily produce data at a higher rate than any general-purpose computer can continuously handle. Therefore, Los Alamos National Laboratory has developed a custom Reconfigurable Computing Array board to support a large variety of processing applications including wideband RF signals, LIDAR and multi-dimensional imaging. The boards design exploits three key features to achieve its performance. First, there are large banks of fast memory dedicated to each reconfigurable processor and also shared between pairs of processors. Second, there are dedicated data paths between processors, and from a processor to flexible I/O interfaces. Third, the design provides the ability to link multiple boards into a serial and/or parallel structure.
A Review of “Information Resource Description: Creating and Managing Metadata”

This book aspires to be an introductory text and an overview “intended primarily for students and practitioners.” It focuses on both “the process and the product” of information resource descriptio...
Different Transcripts of the Drosophila Abd-B Gene Correlate With Distinct Genetic Sub-Functions

Abdominal-B (Abd-B) is a homeotic selector gene required for the correct development of abdominal segments 5-9. This gene contains at least two different genetic sub-functions which act as 'morphogenetic' or 'regulatory' elements within a single lethal complementation group. In an effort to identify the molecular nature of these sub-functions we have characterized homeobox-containing transcripts of Abd-B. The Abd-B transcripts can be grouped into four major classes whose diversity arises through differential exon splicing. We have isolated cDNAs which represent three of the transcript classes, designated alpha, beta and gamma. Their expression patterns, coupled with previous molecular genetic analyses of Abd-B, suggest that the alpha transcript class encodes the 'morphogenetic' sub-function while the beta transcript class contributes to the 'regulatory' sub-function.
Political Liberalism and Citizenship Education

John Rawls claims that the kind of citizenship education required by political liberalism demands ‘far less’ than that required by comprehensive liberalism. Many educational and political theorists who have explored the implications of political liberalism for education policy have disputed Rawls's claim. Writing from a comprehensive liberal perspective, Amy Gutmann contends that the justificatory differences between political and comprehensive liberalism generally have no practical significance for citizenship education. Political liberals such as Stephen Macedo and Victoria Costa maintain that political liberalism requires a form of citizenship education that is far more demanding than that suggested by Rawls. Gordon Davis and Blain Neufeld, in contrast, defend Rawls's position. These different views have implications for the content of mandatory citizenship education, understanding of the ‘common school ideal,’ and the scope for educational choice within the framework of political liberalism. However, the differences between Gutmann, Macedo, and Costa, on the one hand, and Davis and Neufeld, on the other, might be attributable, at least in part, to their different foci. Gutmann, Macedo, and Costa focus on non-ideal theory, specifically the contemporary American context, whereas Davis and Neufeld begin, as does Rawls, within ideal theory, and consider non-ideal circumstances from that perspective.
Coupling mechanisms in airway smooth muscle

Our goal in this chapter is to summarize knowledge about the coupling mechanisms that operate during contraction of airway smooth muscle and to coordinate the material presented in other chapters. As electrophysiologists, our orientation to this area is to classify coupling mechanisms as membrane potential (Em) dependent and Em independent. Early observations indicated that K+-depolarized smooth muscle can be contracted by various agonists (Evans et al., 1958). Agonist-evoked smooth muscle contractions can occur without detectable membrane depolarizations (Ito et al., 1979). Agonist-induced contraction of canine trachealis muscle occurs with a smaller membrane depolarization than that seen at equivalent force during K+-evoked contractions (Coburn, 1979). During ACh-induced depolarization and contraction, there is very little effect on force of repolarizing the membrane by injecting hyperpolarizing current, where-as during K+-evoked contractions, repolarization of membrane depolarization using this technique, reverses contraction (Coburn, 1977, 1979). K+-induced contractions of airway smooth muscle appear to be entirely dependent on extracellular Ca2+, but ACh-induced contractions are resistant to removal of extracellular Ca2+ (Farley and Miles, 1977). Thus, ACh-evoked contractions are driven at least in part, by the release of Ca2+ from intracellular stores.
Theory & Methods: Partition‐based Goodness‐of‐fit Tests on the Line and the Circle

This paper proposes a way of constructing new, consistent generalizations of the Cramer–von Mises test on the line, and the Watson Un2 test on the circle, based on classes of partitions invariant under various groups of coordinate transformations. It is illustrated with a set of data where there is reason to look for clustering in more than one local region. The framework developed extends the authors' earlier work generalizing the Kolmogorov–Smirnov and Kuiper goodness-of-fit tests, and provides a conceptually unifying description. For this construction, the distribution for the null hypothesis does not have to be uniform, and tests can be invariant under general coordinate transformations. The properties of some specific tests are explored through numerical simulations.
Amine Modulation of Glutamate Responses From Pyloric Motor Neurons in Lobster Stomatogastric Ganglion

Johnson, Bruce R. and Ronald M. Harris-Warrick. Amine modulation of glutamate responses from pyloric motor neurons in lobster stomatogastric ganglion. J. Neurophysiol. 78: 3210–3221, 1997. The amin...
A spin-lattice relaxation time study of N2H5HC2O4 and (N2H5)2C2O4

Abstract Laboratory and rotating frame relaxation times, T1 and T1ϱ, have been measured as a function of temperature for the protons in N2H5HC2O4 and (N2H5)2C2O4. For N2H5HC2O4 a single T1 minimum and two T1ϱ minima were observed. The T1 minimum and the low-temperature T1ϱ minimum are analyzed in terms of reorientation of the − N H 3 + groups. The high-temperature T1ϱ minimum is analyzed in terms of reorientation of the −NH2 groups. Complete correlation times for these motions are determined, and the activation energies are compared with reported values obtained from linewidth measurements and from barrier height calculations. For (N2H5)2C2O4 a single T1 minimum and a low-temperature T1ϱ minimum have also been measured and are analyzed in terms of − N H 3 + reorientatioev and the positional and motional parameters determined are almost identical to those for − N H 3 + reorientation in N2H5HC2O4. A decrease in T1ϱ at high temperatures is attributed to −NH2 reorientation. A full minimum could not be observed, so only limited parameters for this motion are obtained. However, the correlation time for the −NH2 motion in (N2H5)2C2O4 is longer than in N2H5HC2O4.
Photon Counting with Fiber-Optic Coupled Scintillators

By coupling a scintillation crystal to a photomultiplier with fiber optics, one can place the detector in areas not normally accessible to a crystal-photomultiplier combination. Although fiber optics provide a flexible optical coupling, serious light losses cause about a factor of 10 reduction in the light intensity reaching the photomultiplier. Most of the light loss is due to the small acceptance angle of the fiber optics with transmission losses and crystal aperture losses playing secondary roles. Attention to the design and to the selection of the crystals and fiber optics help to optimize the light collection efficiency. The light losses lower the scintillation intensity from low-energy (10 to 40 keV) radiation into the region where photomultiplier noise becomes important (3.5 - 18 photoelectron equivalents). This noise consists of Cerenkov events, faceplate scintillations, electroluminescence, afterpulses and thermionic emissions. For effective low background counting this noise must be reduced. A combination of pulse-shape discrimination, magnetically limiting the photocathode area and shielding were effective in reducing the background rate from 513±3 counts/minute to 10.0±0.5 counts/minute in the energy range from 6.5 to 40 keV. By coincidence counting, in the same energy region, a background rate of 1.60±0.28 counts/minute was obtained.
Thiol-containing RNA for the study of structure and function of ribozymes.

Abstract RNA performs multiple functions in cellular environments, such as transferring genetic information, catalyzing chemical reactions, and providing an integral component of ribonucleoprotein complexes involved in mRNA processing and translation. Many of these functions are poorly understood, mainly due to the lack of structural information. Because limited information has been obtained by physical and biophysical techniques, chemical and biochemical methods have been extensively used for studying RNA structure. This article outlines one such method which relies on site-specific incorporation of thiols into RNA. A brief overview of the methods for incorporation of thiols into RNA is followed by a detailed description of a procedure which utilizes postsynthetic modification of 2′-amino-containing RNA for incorporation of thiols. The use of thiol-containing RNA to form disulfide cross-links for the study of the structure and dynamics of ribozymes is subsequently described.
Thalamic stimulation largely elicits orthodromic, rather than antidromic, cortical activation in an auditory thalamocortical slice

Stimulation of the medial geniculate body in an auditory thalamocortical slice elicits a short-latency current sink in the middle cortical layers, as would be expected following activation of thalamocortical relay neurons. However, corticothalamic neurons can have axon collaterals that project to the middle layers, thus, a middle-layer current sink could also result from antidromic activation of corticothalamic neurons and their axon collaterals. The likelihood of thalamic stimulation activating corticothalamic neurons would be reduced substantially if the corticothalamic pathway was not well preserved in the slice, and/or if the threshold for antidromic activation was significantly higher than for orthodromic activation. To determine the prevalence and threshold of antidromic activation, we recorded intracellularly from day 14-17 mouse brain slices containing infragranular cortical neurons while stimulating the medial geniculate or thalamocortical pathway. Antidromic spikes were confirmed by spike collision and characterized according to spike latency "jitter" and the ability to follow a high-frequency (100 Hz) stimulus train. The ability to follow a 100-Hz tetanus was a reliable indicator of antidromic activation, but both antidromic and orthodromic spikes could have low jitter. Thalamic stimulation produced antidromic activation in two of 69 infragranular cortical neurons (<3%), indicating the presence of antidromic activity, but implying a limited corticothalamic connection in the slice. Antidromic spikes in 13 additional neurons were obtained by stimulating axons in the thalamocortical pathway. The antidromic threshold averaged 214+/-40.6 microA (range 6-475 microA), over seven times the orthodromic threshold for medial geniculate-evoked responses in layer IV extracellular (28+/-5.4 microA) or intracellular (27+/-5.6 microA) recordings. We conclude that medial geniculate stimulation activates relatively few corticothalamic neurons. Conversely, low-intensity thalamic stimulation strongly activates thalamocortical neurons. Thus, at low-stimulus intensities, the auditory thalamocortical slice can be used to probe mechanisms of thalamocortical function with limited antidromic activation of corticothalamic neurons.