cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Emergent leadership in small groups using computer-mediated communication

When small groups meet online, the communication channel they use may affect the emergent leadership styles that individuals attempt. We studied 66 three-person groups playing a social dilemma game and communicating via one of four channels: face-to-face, videoconference, audio conference, or Internet chatroom. We found that the narrower the channel, the less likely groups were to use relationship-focused leadership styles. We also found that for mixed-gender groups, lower levels of relationship-focused leadership led to poorer group performance on the cooperation task. The more autocratic task-focused leadership style was not inhibited by communication channel. Additional results are also given linking gender composition to choice of leadership style. The statistical technique used in this research, Hierarchical Linear Modeling is particularly useful for studying group work, and so is explained in some detail.
Specific and Nonspecific Solvation Contributions to Intervalence Electron Transfer Transitions and Redox Potentials in Ruthenium Ammine Complexes

A series of binuclear complexes of general formula LmRu−BL−RuL‘mn+ where L and L‘ are monodentate or bidentate ligands bound to one metal center and BL is a bridging ligand are analyzed with the recently reported unified solvation model (USM). The solvent dependence of ΔE1/2 and EIT data are analyzed for cases where L is the same as L‘ and where L and L‘ differ. Data for the change in E1/2 and EIT as the Lewis base, B, is varied in (bpy)2ClRupyz Ru(NH3)4B (where bpy is 2,2‘-bipyridine and pyz is pyrazine) are also correlated. The USM provides the relative contributions of specific and nonspecific solvation to the solvent dependence of the physicochemical property. The factoring of the solvent dependence permits the construction of potential energy surfaces providing unprecedented detail concerning the influence of solvent donor−acceptor and solvation contributions to these measurements. The ability of USM to correlate Franck−Condon energies and the failure of donor numbers (DN) to do so emphasizes the nee...
Community associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus among New York City men who have sex with men: Qualitative research findings and implications for public health practice

Academic literature has recorded increased microbial resistance in the United States and recent news media has adversely portrayed men who have sex with men (MSM) at increased risk for community associated methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (CA-MRSA) transmission. CA-MRSA is a specific type of bacteria resistant to certain antibiotics, which limits treatment options for those needing clinical care. Infection can manifest as painful abscesses and can cause severe illness. With increased CA-MRSA infections overall, and attention given to MSM populations regarding CA-MRSA, as well as the fact that limited data on sociocultural factors that may facilitate transmission, we undertook a qualitative study to explore contextual influences that may fuel infection among MSM in New York City so that public health professionals can better recognize, and respond appropriately to, potential future outbreaks. In-depth interviews were used to qualitatively investigate perceptions and beliefs regarding transmission, as well as community understandings of treatment options. Participants included thirteen MSM who reported a previous CA-MRSA infection and nine community practitioners. A thematic content analysis of these interviews was conducted and data suggests that behaviors and exposures associated with transmission of CA-MRSA are common in certain MSM networks. Specifically, sociocultural influences and methamphetamine use activities were found to contribute to CA-MRSA transmission. We underscore the role of public health and health services practitioners in providing appropriate CA-MRSA awareness and education to MSM populations.
The Baby and the Bathwater: Balancing Disciplinary Debates and Community Engagement to Advance Student Interest in Publicly Engaged Sociology

Sociologists eager to engage in social change work may see both promise and risk in two interrelated movements: initiatives to renew the role of civic and community engagement in higher education a...
The post-treatment experience of cancer survivors with pre-existing cardiopulmonary disease

Purpose The purpose of this study was to explore the cancer experience of survivors with pre-existing diagnoses of heart and/or lung disease following active treatment.
Probenecid uptake by slices of rabbit kidney cortex.

Abstract The present studies were undertaken to provide a detailed analysis of probenecid transport. It was anticipated that a study of the interaction of probenecid with renal tissue would help clarify certain aspects of organic acid transport. Probenecid was analyzed chemically by a modification of the method of Dayton et al . Incubation of freehand slices was performed in a phosphate buffer system containing in most experiments 10 −4 M probenecid. Slices of rabbit kidney cortex showed steady-state probenecid levels four to five times as high as the bathing solution, i.e. slice/medium ratios of 4:5. Rabbit kidney medulla and liver failed to show this degree of uptake. Unlike the accumulation of p -aminohippurate (PAH), probenecid uptake was uninfluenced by cyanide, succinate, or iodoacetamide. Furthermore, the removal of potassium or acetate from the bathing solution did not alter uptake of the drug. Although PAH did not reduce probenecid accumulation, the organic dye bromcresol green did significantly reduce uptake by about 40 per cent. Ouabain also produced a 40 per cent reduction in probenecid accumulation.
Dose to the Inferior Rectum Has the Strongest Association With Patient-Reported Bowel Quality of Life (QOL) After External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) for Prostate Cancer

Dose to the Inferior Rectum Has the Strongest Association With Patient-Reported Bowel Quality of Life (QOL) After External Beam Radiation Therapy (EBRT) for Prostate Cancer M.H. Stenmark, S. Johnson, A.S. Conlon, S. Dainault, R. Marsh, T. Ritter, D. Litzenberg, H.M. Sandler, M.G. Sanda, and D.A. Hamstra; University of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, Veterans Affairs Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI, Cedars-Sinai Medical Center, Los Angeles, CA, Emory University, Atlanta, GA
New Cytotoxic Epidithiodioxopiperazines Related to Verticillin A From A Marine Isolate of the Fungus Penicillium

Abstract Two new cytotoxic dioxopiperazine dimers, 11,11′-dideoxyverticillin A (1) and 11′-deoxyverticillin A (2), and the previously described verticillin A (3), have been isolated from the mycelium of a marine-derived fungus of the genus Penicillium. an inactive, but new bisdethio-bis(methylthio)-dioxopiperazine, 4, was also obtained by extraction of the culture broth. the structures and absolute stereochemistries of the new compounds were assigned on the basis of NMR and CD experiments. Compounds 1 and 2 exhibit potent in vitro cytotoxicity against HCT-116 human colon carcinoma (IC50= 30ng/ml).
Optical switching and transient carrier transport phenomena in MQW structures

We have investigated vertical transport in two different multiple quantum well (MQW) semiconductor optical switching elements; a self electro-optic device and a waveguide directional coupler, using picosecond resolution pump-probe measurements. Cross-well charge transfer mechanisms in semiconductor MQW structures are basic to the operation of a number of optical switching devices currently being researched for applications in signal routing, optical processing, and computing. The cross-well motion of charge carriers in multiple quantum wells, and specifically how rapidly photogenerated carriers can be ejected from quantum well, sets the fundamental limit on the speed of operation of some devices and can be employed to speed the recovery time of others. A self-consistent, time and spatially resolved model of cross-well transport gives good agreement with experimental results. The use of cross-well carrier sweep-out is shown to give significantly improved recovery times for all- optical waveguide directional coupler switches.© (1992) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Assessing database privacy using the area under the receiver-operator characteristic curve

One of the most pressing issues in the confidentiality literature is the quantification of privacy. One proposal, $$ \epsilon $$ -differential privacy, moves away from absolute guarantees of privacy to relative guarantees. However, the selection of an appropriate $$ \epsilon $$ is difficult because its interpretation is unclear. Further, when comparing different privacy preserving techniques to one another, a direct comparison cannot be made by simply comparing the respective values of $$ \epsilon $$ . The aim of this work is to provide a measure that allows for direct comparison across different privacy schemes and is more easily interpreted. In turn, this will aid in policy debate pertaining to how much privacy is acceptable. Our proposal sets the problem in a hypothesis testing framework and uses the area under the receiver-operator characteristic (ROC) curve as a measure of privacy.
The role of divalent cations in electrically elicited release of a neurohormone from crab pericardial organs.

Abstract Isolated pericardial organs of Libinia emarginata were stimulated electrically, and propagated nerve activity was recorded from the neurohemal area. Released cardioexcitor hormone was assayed by perfusing the bathing fluid through an isolated crab heart. Increasing the magnesium concentration to 3.5 times normal, or decreasing the calcium to one-third reduces the electrically elicited release of hormone; heart response to cardioexcitor released under these conditions averages 43–45% of the response to hormone released in normal saline. Decreasing the magnesium to one-third results in an increase in hormone release, but increasing the calcium 3.5 times has no such effect. There are no regular changes in the form or amplitude of the compound action potentials recorded extracellularly in altered ionic media, although conduction velocities are altered. Application of tetrodotoxin, or reduction of sodium, reversibly blocks conduction in all axons in the pericardial organ. Substitution of barium for 80% of the normal calcium results in marked increases in cardioexcitor release both spontaneously and in response to stimulation. This is accompanied by an increase in spontaneous electrical activity recorded from the pericardial organ, and by prolonged repetitive activity following individual stimuli.
Local stimulation induces shedding throughout the frog retina

Our previous work has demonstrated that rod shedding in the frog retina can be driven by environmental cues such as light onset. Although shedding normally occurs binocularly, we found that shedding could be initiated independently in either eye of the frog by monocular stimulation. Further, rod shedding occurs in vitro in the isolated eyecup under appropriate incubation conditions when provided with a light stimulus following a dark incubation period. Thus, the control mechanism for light induced rod shedding in the frog seems to be located within the eye, and does not seem to be systemically or centrally located. However, the exact link between light onset and shedding of the distal rod tips remains unknown. To elucidate further the control site for initiation of rod shedding, we used a variety of stimulus conditions, including front and rear screens as well as spots and slits projected directly on the retina, to stimulate a small portion of the frog retina with a range of light intensities and stimulus paradigms. In all cases where shedding occurred, it was uniform throughout the retina. Thus, it appears that the light-cued message received by a small population of photoreceptors is sufficient to initiate shedding throughout the retina. These results differ significantly from those found by Easter and Macy for light-induced photomechanical movements, which were found to be locally controlled.
Trust as an Obstacle in Environmental-Economic Disputes

At the core of environmental-economic disputes is an inherent distrust of “the other side.” This article draws on past research to identify factors that contribute to and exacerbate these negative expectations. Contextual features of these negotiations—including uncertainty, power asymmetries, and standard and surveillance systems—are argued to produce construal discrepancies and thus to act as generators of distrust and expectations of unethical behavior. In turn, these negative expectations and actions decrease the likelihood that optimal agreements will be formed. Recommendations directed toward improving the resulting hostile atmosphere are provided.
Observation of plasma sheath modulation in the plasma bipolar junction transistor

Summary form only given. The coupling of a low-temperature, weakly-ionized gas phase plasma with the electron-hole (e−-h+) plasma of a semiconductor was demonstrated in 2010 by Wagner, Tchertchian and Eden in the form of the plasma bipolar junction transistor (PBJT).1 By specifying the densities of electrons in both the conduction band and the valence band, the electronic properties of the surface of the semiconductor base (collector cathode) can be controlled. The structure of this device presents an opportunity for studying the underlying physics occurring at the interface between two genres of plasmas, and allows the investigation of the impact of a pn junction on the effective secondary electron emission coefficient at the surface of the PBJT's base.2
A new algorithm for finding the shortest path between a specified pair of nodes in a graph of nonnegative arcs

Abstract This paper presents a new algorithm for finding the shortest path between a specified pair of nodes in a directed nonnegatively weighted graph. The average number of operations of this algorithm is competitive with that of the best existing algorithm presented by Dijkstra.
A finite element collocation method for variably saturated flows in porous media

One common formulation of Richard's equation for variably saturated flows in porous media treats pressure head as the principal unknown and moisture content as a constitutive variable. Numerical approximations to this “head-based” formulation often exhibit mass-balance errors arising from inaccuracies in the temporal discretization. This article presents a finite-element collocation scheme using a mass-conserving formulation. The article also proposes a computable index of global mass balance.
THE OCCURRENCE AND ROLE OF GLUCOSE IN SEAWATER1

Glucose in the Atlantic was measured along a transoceanic section by two independent techniques. The concentrations varied from a high of 10−8 m to values below 10−8 m. The highest concentrations occurred within 480 km of Bermuda although significant concentrations were also associated with the area of upwelling off Senegal. Densities of phytoplankton exhibited a positive correlation with the glucose concentration. Experiments on glucose uptake by the natural microbial population showed the common occurrence of glucose users in the sea but also pointed out the need for enzymatic adaptation whenever glucose was absent or present below a critical concentration.
But who do you really belong to — black studies or Women's Studies?

(1989). But who do you really belong to — black studies or Women's Studies? Women's Studies: Vol. 17, Across Cultures: The Spectrum of Women's Lives, pp. 17-23.
Reachability computation of low-order models for the safety verification of high-order road vehicle models

We present an approach to verify the planned maneuvers of an automated car. The main idea is to compute the occupancy of the automated car on the road using reachable sets, which makes it possible to check if one collides with other traffic participants, or leaves the drivable area. The specialty of the presented approach is that all possible uncertainties in the form of sensor noise, uncertain friction coefficient, and uncertain initial states, are considered. Maneuvers are periodically verified on-board to account for the variety of possible traffic situations, requiring an efficient algorithm. Thus, the underlying vehicle model has to be a compromise between accuracy and simplicity. The inexactness of the model is compensated by adding disturbance to the model such that it contains high-order model behavior. This is demonstrated by exploring the state space with rapidly-exploring random trees (RRTs) of a high-order model and check whether it leaves the reachable area of the low-order model used for verification.
The potential of using billing data for emergency department injury surveillance

Objective: To determine the availability of and sample statewide ED injury information obtained from hospital billing data for the purpose of demonstrating the feasibility of information acquisition for subsequent data linkage. Methods: A retrospective, database investigation was conducted to obtain data describing a statewide stratified sample of ED patients. The aim was to collect a computerized billing summary record for each injured ED patient seen at each sampled hospital over a 1-year period. All 215 Pennsylvania acute care hospitals in 1991 were eligible for sample selection. Data collection for the project was conducted in 1993. Participants included directors of hospital medical records and billing departments. Results: Twenty-four hospitals contributed data sets from the original target goal of 31 strata. The final combined data set contained 187,404 records with injury diagnoses from approximately 616,000 ED patient visits, representing a 12% sample of all annual statewide ED visits. Age, sex, date of visit, and primary diagnosis fields were completed from the retrieved data >99% of the time. More than two-thirds of the sampled records had a social security number, and total charges were recorded >90% of the time. Other variables such as name and address were contained in <50% of the records submitted. E-codes were usually not available. Conclusions: Retrospective compilation of multihospital ED billing data to create a statewide ED data sample—with the potential for injury research and probabilistic database linkage—can be accomplished; there are, however, important limitations.
A simple theory of plasticity

Abstract An internal-variable model of rate-independent plastic behavior, based on loading-unloading irreversibility, is proposed. The model is compatible with thermodynamics and assumes no yield or loading function, stability postulate or specific nature of the internal variables. It is shown that current theories of plasticity are restricted forms of the proposed theory.
What can we expect from epidemiologic studies of chemical mixtures

Determining the health risks of complex mixtures is equally daunting to toxicologists using experimental approaches and to epidemiologists using observational approaches. Accurate exposure estimation is essential in investigating the health consequences of exposures to chemical mixtures; random and non-random errors in exposure estimation typically blunt the sensitivity of epidemiologic studies and constrain interpretation of findings. On the other hand, epidemiologic data have the implicit strength of directly addressing risks of exposures in human populations and, for this reason, the findings of epidemiologic research have received prominence in the development of regulations. Epidemiologic studies have proved informative about many complex mixtures including cigarette smoke, diesel exhaust, and even the human diet, perhaps one of the most complex mixtures to which we are exposed. The continued interest in studying complex chemical mixtures is emphasized by this and other recent meetings directed at the topic. The variety of approaches used by epidemiologists in approaching complex mixtures reflects the difficulty of exposure estimation. Five general strategies can be identified, each with differing underlying assumptions and yielding results with distinct implications from biological and public health perspectives. These include treating the mixture as though it were a single agent, using a single component as a surrogate for the mixture, creating a summary index involving multiple components, attempting to estimate independent effects of individual components, and characterizing the independent and joint effects of key components of the mixture. These approaches have proved successful in establishing the adverse effects of a number of complex chemical mixtures including mainstream and environmental tobacco smoke and outdoor air pollution. New approaches for exposure assessment, including personal monitoring and biomarkers, should strengthen future epidemiologic investigations of complex chemical mixtures.
The effects of traumatic brain injury on regional cerebral blood flow in rats.

ABSTRACT Alterations in cerebral blood flow (CBF) are among the most important secondary pathophysiologic consequences of traumatic brain injury. The present study compared CBF in control rats (n = 20) and in rats that received a calibrated experimental traumatic brain injury (n = 17). The traumatized rats were anesthetized with ketamine (25 mg/kg) and xylazine (10 mg/kg), and prepared for fluid percussion injury (FPI). Twenty-four hours later, the rats were anesthetized with 1% halothane in nitrous oxide–oxygen (70:30) and the left atrium was catheterized via a thoroacotomy. The atrial cannula was used to inject 15 μm radiolabeled microspheres to measure CBF. Following surgery, the concentration of halothane was reduced to 0.5% and the rats were paralyzed with pancuronium bromide (0.1 mg/kg). Thirty minutes later, baseline microsphere determinations were made, and the rats were injured (2.47 ± 0.08 atm). Each rat received additional injections of microspheres at two of the following four times (T): 5, 15...
Management of Well-Differentiated Gastrointestinal Neuroendocrine Tumors Metastatic to the Liver

Neuroendocrine tumors (NETs) can have indolent clinical courses and patients with metastatic disease may live many years after the initial diagnosis. Recent studies have suggested that aggressive treatments may extend survival. In this review, we assess the recent literature regarding management of well-differentiated NETs from the gastrointestinal (GI) tract metastatic to the liver. We focus on studies regarding surgical resection, embolization, or ablation of hepatic lesions. We also present a management algorithm for patients who present with metastatic lesions but the primary lesion cannot be located. Since NETs are rare, all of the available evidence is based on retrospective studies that have limited sample size. As a result, recommendations are offered with caution.
Atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization as a plume diagnostic tool in laser evaporation methods

Abstract Laser evaporation techniques, including matrix-assisted pulsed laser evaporation (MAPLE), are attracting increasing attention due to their ability to deposit thin layers of undegraded synthetic and biopolymers. Laser evaporation methods can be implemented in reflection geometry with the laser and the substrate positioned on the same side of the target. In some applications (e.g. direct write, DW), however, transmission geometry is used, i.e. the thin target is placed between the laser and the substrate. In this case, the laser pulse perforates the target and transfers some target material to the substrate. In order to optimize evaporation processes it is important to know the composition of the target plume and the material deposited from the plume. We used a recently introduced analytical method, atmospheric pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption ionization (AP-MALDI) to characterize the ionic components of the plume both in reflection and in transmission geometry. This technique can also be used to directly probe materials deposited on surfaces (such as glass slides) by laser evaporation methods. The test compound (small peptides, e.g. Angiotensin I, ATI or Substance P) was mixed with a MALDI matrix (α-cyano-4-hydroxycinnamic acid (CHCA), sinapinic acid (SA) or 2,5-dihydroxybenzoic acid (DHB)) and applied to the stainless steel (reflection geometry) or transparent conducting (transmission geometry) target holder. In addition to the classical dried droplet method, we also used electrospray target deposition to gain better control of crystallite size, thickness and homogeneity. The target was mounted in front of the inlet orifice of an ion trap mass spectrometer (IT-MS) that sampled the ionic components of the plume generated by a nitrogen laser. We studied the effect of several parameters, such as, the orifice to target distance, illumination geometry, extracting voltage distribution and sample preparation on the generated ions. Various analyte–matrix and matrix–matrix cluster ions were observed with relatively low abundance of the matrix ions.
Nittrouer Receives 2013 Luna B. Leopold Young Scientist Award: Citation

Jeffrey Nittrouer has earned the 2013 Luna B. Leopold Award based on his research related to the most significant new discovery in fluvial morphology since the turn of the century, that is, for the identification of the lower Mississippi River as a mixed bedrock-alluvial stream, for his thorough quantification and elucidation of the dynamics of sand flow through it, and for his contributions to the use of Mississippi River sand as a tool for restoring lost land in the Mississippi delta wetlands.
Neurofilament (NF) Assembly; Divergent Characteristics of Human and Rodent NF-L Subunits

Previous studies have shown that rodent neurofilaments (NF) are obligate heteropolymers requiring NF-L plus either NF-M or NF-H for filament formation. We have assessed the competence of human NF-L and NF-M to assemble and find that unlike rat NF-L, human NF-L is capable of self-assembly. However, human NF-M cannot form homopolymers and requires the presence of NF-L for incorporation into filaments. To investigate the stage at which filament formation is blocked, the rod domains or the full-length subunits of human NF-L, human NF-M, and rodent NF-L were analyzed in the yeast "interaction trap" system. These studies demonstrated that the fundamental block to filament formation in those neurofilaments that do not form homopolymers is at the level of dimer formation. Based on theoretical biophysical considerations of the requirements for the formation of coiled-coil structures, we predicted which amino acid differences were likely to be responsible for the differing dimerization potentials of the rat and human NF-L rod domains. We tested these predictions using site-specific mutagenesis. Interestingly, single amino acid changes in the rod domains designed to restore or eliminate the coiled-coil propensity were found respectively to convert rat NF-L into a subunit capable of homopolymerization and human NF-L into a protein that is no longer able to self-assemble. Our results additionally suggest that the functional properties of the L12 linker region of human NF-L, generally thought to assume an extended beta-sheet conformation, are consonant with an alpha-helix that positions the heptad repeats before and after it in an orientation that allows coiled-coil dimerization. These studies reveal an important difference between the assembly properties of the human and rodent NF-L subunits possibly suggesting that the initiating events in neurofilament assembly may differ in the two species.
Labor Market and Policy Constraints on the Work Disincentive Effect of Welfare

Abstract The popular image of U.S. welfare assistance is that it reduces the motivation to work by offering an alternative to employment. This study examines the work disincentive effect of welfare under spatially variant conditions in the labor market and in the public assistance system. The contention is that the decision between work and welfare, and therefore the work disincentive effect of welfare, is constrained by variable opportunities for employment and for obtaining public assistance in different parts of the country. This proposition is examined, using a model of the response of welfare participation to work disincentives, across different labor market and public assistance contexts. Results of an analysis of AFDC recipiency in the states indicate that welfare participation is most responsive to work disincentives in the upper Midwest, lower New England, and on the West Coast, where welfare provision is relatively liberal and the employment structure is not oriented toward the needs of the AFDC...
Bias correction of an ocean-atmosphere coupled model

A serious problem in the initialization of a climate forecast model is the model-data incompatibility caused by systematic model biases. Here we use the Lamont model to demonstrate that these biases can be effectively reduced with a simple statistical correction, and the bias-corrected model can have a more realistic internal variability as well as an improved forecast performance. The results reported here should be of practical use to other ocean-atmosphere coupled models for climate prediction.
Quantitative regional associations between remodeling, modeling, and osteocyte apoptosis and density in rabbit tibial midshafts

Evidence suggests that osteocyte apoptosis is involved in the adaptive response of bone, although the specific role of osteocytes in the signaling mechanism is unknown. Here, we examined and correlated regional variability in indices of remodeling, modeling, osteocyte apoptosis, and osteocyte density in rabbit tibia midshafts. Histomorphometric analysis indicated that remodeling parameters (BMU activation frequency, osteon density, forming osteon density, and resorption cavity density) were lower in the cranial region compared to other quadrants. In addition, pericortical subregions displayed less remodeling relative to intracortical and endocortical ones. Modeling indices also demonstrated regional variability in that periosteal surfaces exhibited a greater extent of bone forming surface than endosteal ones across all anatomic quadrants. In contrast, endosteal surfaces demonstrated significantly greater surface mineral apposition rates compared to periosteal surfaces in caudal, medial, and lateral but not cranial quadrants. Using TUNEL analysis to detect osteocytes undergoing apoptosis, the density of apoptotic osteocytes was found to be lower in cranial quadrants relative to medial ones. In addition, the densities of osteocyte lacunae, empty lacunae, and total osteocytes were higher in lateral fields relative to caudal quadrants. There was a strong, statistically significant linear correlation between the remodeling indices and apoptotic osteocyte density, supporting the theory that osteocytes undergoing apoptosis produce signals that attract or direct bone remodeling. In contrast, the modeling parameters did not exhibit a correlation with apoptotic osteocytes, although there was a strong correlation between the modeling indices and the density of empty osteocyte lacunae, corroborating previous studies that have found that osteocytes inhibit bone formation. It was found that osteocyte density and osteocyte lacunar density did not significantly correlate with modeling or remodeling parameters, suggesting that cell viability should be examined in studies correlating bone turnover parameters with the functional role of osteocytes in bone adaptation.
Progress toward the development of a point-of-care photonic crystal ammonia sensor

We have developed an ammonia-sensitive material by coupling the Berthelot reaction to our polymerized crystalline colloidal array (PCCA) technology. The material consists of a periodic array of highly charged colloidal particles (110 nm diameter) embedded in a poly(hydroxyethyl acrylate) hydrogel. The particles have a lattice spacing such that they Bragg-diffract visible light. In the Berthelot reaction, ammonia, hypochlorite, and phenol react to produce the dye molecule indophenol blue in an aqueous solution. We use this reaction in our sensor by covalently attaching 3-aminophenol to the hydrogel backbone, which forms cross-links through the Berthelot mechanism. Ammonia reacts with hypochlorite, forming monochloramine, which then reacts with a pendant aminophenol to form a benzoquinone chlorimine. The benzoquinone chlorimine reacts with another pendant aminophenol to form a cross-link. The creation of new cross-links causes the hydrogel to shrink, which reduces the lattice spacing of the embedded colloidal array. This volume change results in a blue-shift in the diffracted light proportional to the concentration of NH3 in the sample. We demonstrate that the NH3 photonic crystal sensing material is capable of quantitative determination of concentrations in the physiological range (50–350 μmol NH3 L−1) in human blood serum.
Psychosocial predictors, higher body mass index, and aspects of neurocognitive dysfunction.

This longitudinal (22-year) study examined several psychosocial predictors of higher than normal recommended BMI and aspects of neurocognitive dysfunction in a community-based sample of 470 participants interviewed in private during childhood, adolescence, emerging adulthood, and adulthood. We included five psychosocial measures; Internalizing Behaviors (i.e., symptoms of internal distress), Educational Expectations and Aspirations (i.e., components of cognitive functioning), Impulsivity (i.e., emotional control), BMI (a measure of weight by height), and Aspects of Neurocognitive Dysfunction (e.g., memory). Results, based on Structural Equation Modeling, indicated that earlier Internalizing Behaviors, Low Educational Expectations and Aspirations, and Impulsivity predict greater BMI. Greater than normal BMI in the early thirties is associated with later Aspects of Neurocognitive Dysfunction in the middle thirties. Adolescent Internalizing Behaviors are also associated with Aspects of Neurocognitive Dysfunction in the middle thirties. Public health implications suggest increasing education about diet, health, and exercise in order to prevent aspects of neurocognitive dysfunction. Clinical implications suggest the importance of providing appropriate prevention and intervention for people with internalizing behaviors, impulsivity, and greater BMI.
Glycogenolytic action of epinephrine on mouse parietal bone.

The parietal bones from the calvarium of the infant mouse have been us;d to study the glycogenolytic action of epinephrine on cartilage-free bone. Subcutaneous injection of epinephrine at a dose of 0.3 mg/kg 1 hr before removal of the calvarium caused a 40% decrease in the glycogen content and a 45% increase in the in vitro aerobic lactic acid production in mouse parietal bones, demonstrating for the first time a glycogenolytic action of epinephrine in bone. In rat calvarium, aerobic lactic acid production was increased by 67% following a 1.0 mg/kg dose of epinehrine.
Screening for Asymptomatic Bacteriuria in Adults: Evidence for the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force Reaffirmation Recommendation Statement

Lin and Fajardo's systematic review supports the USPSTF recommendation in this issue on screening for asymptomatic bacteriuria. This article is only available at www.annals.org.
Thermal Inactivation of Asparagus Lipoxygenase and Peroxidase

Thermal stability of lipoxygenase (LOX) and peroxidase (POD) in fresh asparagus tips and partially purified asparagus LOX and POD were compared. In all cases, heating at 50, 60 and 70°C resulted in higher percentages of residual LOX activity than POD activity. Inactivation of LOX followed first order kinetics while inactivation of POD followed a biphasic curve. Activation energies for thermal denaturation of the partially purified enzymes were 47.5 kcal/mol for LOX and 41.9 kcal/mol for POD.
Update in hospital medicine.

The articles discussed in this Update cover topics important for general internists with active inpatient practices. These original research papers published in 2002 gave new insights into common i...
Economic Analysis of Conservation Forestry Practices: a South Carolina Lowcountry Example

Abstract The Lowcountry Forest Conservation Project was designed to encourage conservation forestry practices on South Carolina's lower coastal plain. The area has great ecological diversity and need for the type of protections afforded by conservation forestry. The project provided demonstrations of these practices and offered forest owners an estimate of the cost-effectiveness of the techniques. This article reports on a financial analysis of the three main practices: (1) the reintroduction of longleaf pine (Pinus palustris P. Miller) into areas that are now loblolly pine plantations (Pinus taeda L.), (2) more and better use of prescribed fire, and (3) bottomland hardwood management. Longleaf pine reintroduction was accomplished using partial clearcuts of existing pine plantations over several decades. Financial return was shown to be competitive with intensively-managed loblolly pine plantations. Pine straw production played a large role in increasing cash flows. Prescribed burning was shown to “pay fo...
Thermal-driven multilevel routing for 3-D ICs

3-D IC has a great potential for improving circuit performance and degree of integration. It is also an attractive platform for system-on-chip or system-in-package solutions. A critical issue in 3-D circuit design is heat dissipation. In this paper we propose an efficient 3-D multilevel routing approach that includes a novel through-the-silicon via (TS-via) planning algorithm. The proposed approach features an adaptive lumped resistive thermal model and a two-step multilevel TS-via planning scheme. Experimental results show that with multilevel TS-via planning, the thermal-driven approach can reduce the maximum temperature to the required temperature with reasonable wirelength increase. Compared to a post processing approach for dummy TS-via insertion, to achieve the same required temperature, our approach uses 80% fewer TS-vias. To our knowledge, this proposed approach is the first thermal-driven 3-D routing algorithm.
Examples of clean commutative group rings

Abstract A ring R is said to be clean if each element of R can be written as the sum of a unit and an idempotent. In this article we give examples of clean commutative group rings. In particular, we characterize when the group ring Z ( p ) [ C n ] is clean. The notion of a group ring being clean locally is defined, and it is investigated when the commutative group ring Z ( p ) [ C n ] is clean locally. It is proved that when R is a commutative Hensel ring, the commutative group ring R [ G ] is clean if and only if G is torsion.
Gas-loaded free-electron laser experiments on the Stanford superconducting accelerator

The modification of the free-electron laser (FEL) on the Stanford superconducting accelerator to operate as a gas-loaded FEL (GFEL) is described. The addition of a gas to the wiggler chamber of a FEL changes the phase velocity of the electromagnetic wave, and so provides a simple method for wavelength tuning without changing beam energy or wiggler parameters. A wavelength shift of over 950 AA has been achieved from a vacuum wavelength of 1.6 mu m by using 15 torr of hydrogen gas, in agreement with the GFEL synchronism condition incorporating the index of refraction of the gas. >
Analyses of tropistic responses using metabolomics

PREMISE OF THE STUDY Characterization of phototropism and gravitropism has been through gene expression studies, assessment of curvature response, and protein expression experiments. To our knowledge, the current study is the first to determine how the metabolome, the complete set of small-molecule metabolites within a plant, is impacted during these tropisms. METHODS We have determined the metabolic profile of plants during gravitropism and phototropism. Seedlings of Arabidopsis thaliana wild type (WT) and phyB mutant were exposed to unidirectional light (red or blue) or reoriented to induce a tropistic response, and small-molecule metabolites were assayed and quantified. A subset of the WT was analyzed using microarray experiments to obtain gene profiling data. KEY RESULTS Analyses of the metabolomic data using principal component analysis showed a common profile in the WT during the different tropistic curvatures, but phyB mutants produced a distinctive profile for each tropism. Interestingly, the gravity treatment elicited the greatest changes in gene expression of the WT, followed by blue light, then by red light treatments. For all tropisms, we identified genes that were downregulated by a large magnitude in carbohydrate metabolism and secondary metabolism. These included ATCSLA15, CELLULOSE SYNTHASE-LIKE, and ATCHS/SHS/TT4, CHALCONE SYNTHASE. In addition, genes involved in amino acid biosynthesis were strongly upregulated, and these included THA1 (THREONINE ALDOLASE 1) and ASN1 (DARK INDUCIBLE asparagine synthase). CONCLUSIONS We have established the first metabolic profile of tropisms in conjunction with transcriptomic analyses. This approach has been useful in characterizing the similarities and differences in the molecular mechanisms involved with phototropism and gravitropism.
FIBER COATINGS FOR COMPOSITE FABRICATION

ABSTRACT Graphite fibers resist wetting when immersed in most molten metals. They must be coated with a material that allows wetting and that also protects the fibers against chemical degradation during composite fabrication. The titanium-boron chemical vapor deposition process, as well as the graphite-metalinterfacethat results from that process, is discussed. This is followed by a description of a solution coating process developed at The Aerospace Corporation to produce air stable coatings. In this process, the fibers are passed through appropriate organometallic solutions, followed by either hydrolysis or pyrolysis of the organometallic compounds to form the desired coating on the fiber surfaces. Fibers have been coated with selected oxides, nitrides, and carbides. A modification of this technique can also be used to coat fibers with amorphous carbon. These coatings can be applied to other fibers as well as graphite, and some are easily wet by metals. In addition, the coatings are expected to prove us...
Active stereo: integrating disparity, vergence, focus, aperture and calibration for surface estimation

An approach to integrating stereo disparity, camera vergence, and lens focus to exploit their complementary strengths and weaknesses through active control of camera focus and orientations is presented. In addition, the aperture and zoom settings of the cameras are controlled. The result is an active vision system that dynamically and cooperatively interleaves image acquisition with surface estimation. A dense composite map of a single contiguous surface is synthesized by automatically scanning the surface and combining estimates of adjacent, local surface patches. This problem is formulated as one of minimizing a pair of objective functions. The first such function is concerned with the selection of a target for fixation. The second objective function guides the surface estimation process in the vicinity of the fixation point. Calibration parameters of the cameras are treated as variables during optimization, thus making camera calibration an integral, flexible component of surface estimation. An implementation of this method is described, and a performance evaluation of the system is presented. An average absolute error of less than 0.15% in estimated depth was achieved for a large surface having a depth of approximately 2 m. >
Rumo ao discipulado de iguais: a ekklesia de mulheres

Da Teologia Feminista vem o artigo “Rumo ao Discipulado de Iguais: a Ekklesia de Mulheres”, da teologa Elisabeth Schussler Fiorenza, ocupante dessa cadeira na Harvard Divinity School e professora-visitante do Instituto Ecumenico de Pos-Graduacao no 2o semestre deste ano. Com a expressao, contraditoria em si, “ ekklesia de mulheres”, a autora procura articular o etos do discipulado de iguais, destoando e conscientizando “ do fato de que a igreja, o mundo academico e o estado dominantes sao representados por homens e tem excluido as mulheres durante seculos”. Ao resgatar a memoria perigosa do conceito ekklesia como “assembleia democratica dos cidadaos plenos”, Schussler Fiorenza encontra um novo paradigma para a comunidade nao mais dominada pelo “etos senhorial”.
When the party is over: depressive-like states in rats following termination of cortical D1 receptor overexpression

Increased activity of prefrontal D1 dopamine receptors (D1R) is involved in reward-related behavior found in bipolar disorder and drug addiction. While the effects of elevated D1R are known, depressive-like behaviors also occur in these disorders after reward-seeking ends. The goal is to characterize how termination of D1R overexpression influences depressive-like behaviors. An inducible (Tet.On), lentiviral vector was used to manipulate the expression of the DRD1 gene in glutamate neurons within the prefrontal cortex in male, adult rats. Sexual activity and sucrose preference were studied in both D1R elevated ON and relatively reduced OFF states. Following termination of the D1R ON state, depressive-like behavior was determined in the OFF state. Expression of the transcriptional regulator, cyclic AMP-responsive element-binding protein (CREB), was used as an indication of downstream effects in the nucleus accumbens (NA). ON D1R expression increased sexual activity that returned to baseline in the OFF state. Sucrose preferences increased ~6 % in ON state but fell 11 % below control levels when OFF. Consistent with a depressive-like phenotype, D1R OFF decreased activity by 40 %, impaired the ability to control (43 %) and motivation to escape shock (27 % more impaired) relative to dsRed OFF. CREB increased 29 % in the NA in the D1R OFF state relative to the ON state. This novel approach demonstrates that elevated D1R expression increased hedonic behavior, whereas the termination of D1R overexpression often resulted in depressive-like behavior. These observations support a role for D1R expression cycling in bipolar-associated behaviors and addiction.
An Analysis of the Publication Pattern of Pervasive Developmental Disorders, 2000-2005

Bibliometric study conducted to examine, analyze and report the publishing trends of professional journals about the various forms of PDD between the years of 2000 and 2005.
Quasiparticle energies, excitons, and optical spectra of few-layer black phosphorus

We report first-principles GW?Bethe?Salpeter-equation (BSE) studies of excited-state properties of few-layer black phosphorus (BP) (phosphorene). With improved GW computational methods, we obtained converged quasiparticle band gaps and optical absorption spectra by the single-shot (G0W0) procedure. Moreover, we reveal fine structures of anisotropic excitons, including the series of one-dimensional like wave functions, spin singlet?triplet splitting, and electron?hole binding energy spectra by solving BSE. An effective-mass model is employed to describe these electron?hole pairs, shedding light on estimating the exciton binding energy of anisotropic two-dimensional semiconductors without expensive ab initio simulations. Finally, the anisotropic optical response of BP is explained by using optical selection rules based on the projected single-particle density of states at band edges.
Surface Reactions Leading to Contamination of Metal Films Photochemically Deposited from the Hexacarbonyls

A systematic study of the origin of contaminants in metal films photochemically deposited from the group VI hexacarbonyls is described. Background gas present in the cell during deposition, exposure to air and incomplctc removal of CO groups from the surface of the growing film all affect C and O incorporation. The data are compared to results of recent experiments examining surface photoproducts of the metal carbonyls.