cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Shifts in momentary motivation to quit smoking based on experimental context and perceptions of motivational instability

Abstract Background Smoking quit intentions (i.e., plans or commitments to reduce smoking) are distinct from quit motivation (i.e., desire to quit). Motivation to quit is a dynamic avoidance motivational state, likely subject to frequent fluctuations and shifts based on environmental context, similar to craving (an approach motivational state). Moreover, people's perceptions of motivational instability may influence their momentary quit motivation and beliefs surrounding their abilities to manage the quit process successfully. Methods In the current study, smokers were recruited online. Baseline motivation to quit was examined along with perceptions of motivational instability. Participants who reported some interest in eventually quitting (n = 174; Mage = 45.29, SD = 14.81, 74.1% women) were randomly assigned to negative affect, cigarette or neutral cue conditions and then momentary motivation to quit was assessed, followed by a validated index of quit intentions. Results Participants in the negative affect and cigarette cue conditions reported greater momentary motivation to quit than participants in the neutral condition (F = 3.73, p = .03), particularly for people who reported upfront that their motivation did not change from day-to-day (F = 3.97, p = .02). In addition, greater momentary quit motivation predicted stronger quit intentions (B = 0.66, p Conclusion Findings from this study suggest that motivation to quit is likely dynamic and influenced by context as well as by self-perceptions. Implications suggest that further efforts to separate motivation from intention may be useful in understanding smokers' desires and plans to quit smoking.
Disordered Eating in Collegiate Athletes: Prevalence and Relationships Between Sub-Threshold Behaviors and Body Composition (P23-007-19)

Disordered eating (DE), although subclinical, increases the risk for clinical eating disorders and is prevalent in collegiate athletes. At the same time, athletes are often more aware of and therefore behave in ways that modify their body composition, as it can influence performance. Despite this understanding, relevant data is lacking and therefore research is needed to establish prevalence rates within specific collegiate sports, and to better understand the relationships between DE behaviors and body composition in student athletes. Therefore, the aims of this study were 1) to determine the prevalence of DE among collegiate athletes and 2) to determine the relationship between prevalence of DE behaviors and body composition. NCAA Division 1 student athletes (n = 56) during the 2018–2019 academic year were recruited from various sports: football (n = 13), men's soccer (n = 2), women's soccer, (n = 13), women's swimming (n = 12), women's basketball (n = 12), track and field (n = 4), and gymnastics (n = 8). DE was assessed using the Eating Attitudes Test (EAT-26) questionnaire, which classified athletes as either asymptomatic (EAT-26 20). Height and weight were measured and % body fat, fat mass and lean mass were assessed by dual energy X-ray absorptiometry. Athlete ages ranged between 18–22 years, 71% (n = 40) identified as female, and their mean BMI was 25.4 kg/m2. No athletes met criteria to be classified as symptomatic for DE (EAT-26 range: 0 to 15). Female athletes had higher mean EAT-26 scores than males (5.6 ± 3.8 vs 2.9 ± 2.1, P = 0.008). Gymnastics had the highest mean EAT-26 score (7.3 ± 3.9) and football had the lowest (3.4 ± 3.5). Although there were no correlations between EAT-26 and % body fat (P = 0.345) or fat mass (P = 0.984), it was negatively correlated with lean mass (P = 0.038). In contrast to current research, no athletes were at risk for disordered eating. Despite this, the fact that asymptomatic EAT-26 scores (which assesses prevalence of DE behavior) were still inversely correlated with lean mass, prompts a need for further research to clarify these interactions in collegiate athletes. N/A.
Gaussian-Process-Driven Adaptive Sampling for Reduced-Order Modeling of Texture Effects in Polycrystalline Alpha-Ti

Data-driven tools for finding structure–property (S–P) relations, such as the Materials Knowledge System (MKS) framework, can accelerate materials design, once the costly and technical calibration process has been completed. A three-model method is proposed to reduce the expense of S–P relation model calibration: (1) direct simulations are performed as per (2) a Gaussian process-based data collection model, to calibrate (3) an MKS homogenization model in an application to α-Ti. The new methods are compared favorably with expert texture selection on the performance of the so-calibrated MKS models. Benefits for the development of new and improved materials are discussed.
Impact of the American Tax Payer Relief Act on stereotactic radiosurgery utilization in the United States

Single-fraction stereotactic radiosurgery (SRS) is delivered predominantly via two modalities: Gamma Knife, and linear accelerator (LINAC). Implementation of the American Tax Payer Relief Act (ATRA) in 2013 represented the first time limitations specifically targeting SRS reimbursement were introduced into federal law. The subsequent impact of the ATRA on SRS utilization in the United States (US) has yet to be examined. The National Cancer Database from 2010–2016 identified brain metastases patients from non-small cell lung cancer throughout the US having undergone SRS. Utilization between GKRS and LINAC was assessed before (2010–2012), during (2013–2014) and after (2015–2016) ATRA implementation. In 2013, there was a substantial decrease of LINAC SRS in favor of GKRS in non-academic centers. Over the 3-year span immediately preceding ATRA implementation, 39% of all eligible SRS cases received LINAC. There was a modest decrease in LINAC utilization over the 2 years immediately following ATRA implementation (35%), followed by an increase over the next two years (40%). SRS modality showed differences over the three time periods (unadjusted, p = 0.043), primarily in non-academic centers (unadjusted, p = 0.003). ATRA implementation in 2013 caused an initial spike in Gamma Knife SRS utilization, followed by a decline to rates similar to the years before implementation. These findings indicate that the ATRA provision mandating Medicare reduction of outpatient payment rates for Gamma Knife to be equivalent with those of LINAC SRS had a significant short-term impact on the radiosurgical treatment of metastatic brain disease throughout the US, serving as a reminder of the importance/impact of public policy on treatment modality utilization by physicians and hospitals.
The effects of child and adult victimization on psychological distress: a mediated structural equation modeling analysis

Justice-involved women experience significantly higher rates of victimization and psychological distress, and these experiences place women at greater risk of initial and ongoing involvement in the...
Time Warp Simulation on multi-core platforms

Parallel Discrete Event Simulation (PDES) is concerned with the parallel and distributed execution of discrete event simulation models. This tutorial reviews parallel computing and the properties of Discrete Event Simulation (DES) models and then examines the construction of PDES solutions that use the Time Warp Synchronization Mechanism. A review of the general challenges to building high-performance Time Warp Synchronized PDES on multi-core processors and clusters composed of multi-core processors is presented. These challenges include considerations of the general quantitative metrics exhibited by DES simulation models as well as a review of the impact that small overheads and serial portions of a program can have on the potential peak performance of a parallel solution. Finally, directions for future opportunities with heterogeneous computing, domain specific hardware solutions, and edge computing will be explored.
Immunology of Inflammatory Bowel Disease

Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis are chronic inflammatory diseases of the intestine, the causes of which are not known. Although genetic factors, biochemical abnormalities, and infectious or other exogenous agents might contribute to the etiopathogenesis or trigger the onset of disease, the immune system probably mediates the tissue damage.1–3 The role of the immune system in the pathogenesis of inflammatory bowel disease was first suspected on clinical grounds. These included an association with other putative immunologically mediated disorders, a responsiveness to immunosuppressive agents and the failure to consistently detect an infectious culprit. Subsequent investigations revealed multiple and varied immunological alterations that have been difficult to interpret or to fit to a coherent concept of the pathogenetic sequence. A major problem has been the difficulty in distinguishing primary immunological abnormalities from those that are secondary to the disease process itself. In addition, research progress has been impeded by the absence of a suitable animal model of inflammatory bowel disease; most of the available models exhibit an acute mucosal inflammation and do not mimic the chronic relapsing condition in hu mans.4 However, several advances have been made, and the purpose of this chapter is to review current theories and experimental approaches to the im-munopathology of these disorders. Recent developments will be emphasized; other sources provide comprehensive accounts of earlier work.5–11
Retrospective investigation of Echinococcus canadensis emergence in translocated elk ( Cervus canadensis ) in Tennessee, USA, and examination of canid definitive hosts

Few reports of Echinococcus spp. have been described in the USA; however, the geographical distribution of Echinococcus spp. in wild hosts is increasing consequent to human activities. In the early 2000’s, 253 elk (Cervus canadensis) originating from Alberta, Canada were released into the Great Smoky Mountains National Park and North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area in an effort to re-establish their historical range. We investigated the prevalence of Echinococcus spp. in re-established elk populations in the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area and the Great Smoky Mountains National Park via a retrospective analysis of banked elk tissues and helminth examinations on intestinal contents from coyotes (Canis latrans) from the North Cumberland Wildlife Management Area. Four elk were PCR and sequence positive for E. canadensis. Each sequence had 98% or greater coverage and identity to multiple E. canadensis genotypes on GenBank. Adult Echinococcus spp. were not detected in any of the coyotes examined in this study. Continued surveillance of this disease in susceptible species in these areas is warranted, and these data further underscore the risk of zoonotic pathogen introduction secondary to wildlife translocation.
Whither Fluorescence Biosensors

Over the past couple of decades, fluorescence-based biosensors have emerged as a powerful means for performing chemical analyses. From our standpoint, fluorescence-based biosensors use a biological (or biomimetic) molecule to transduce the presence or level of an analyte as a change in some fluorescence observable such as intensity ratio or lifetime. In general we use the term “sensor” to mean an indicator system that does not consume a reagent (or the analyte) like an enzyme substrate, and thus in principle can measure the analyte continuously over a period of time (Thompson and Walt 1994). The majority of such sensors bind the analyte reversibly, and at equilibrium the fractional occupancy of the binding site is a simple function of the analyte activity. The purpose of this chapter is to identify issues and opportunities for the development of fluorescence biosensors, both as research tools and for practical applications, especially in the clinical realm. It is not intended as a comprehensive review: several recent and forthcoming articles and books (including this one) serve this purpose admirably (Lakowicz 1999; Wolfbeis 1991) (Thompson 2004). Thus we will highlight selected developments in recognition chemistry, transduction mechanisms, and fluorescent labels; as well as new target analytes, techniques for in vivo measurements, new imaging approaches, and new opportunities in clinical analysis
Computerised risk scores to guide recognition and diagnosis in patients with possible heparin-induced thrombocytopenia

The heparin-induced thrombocytopenia computerised risk (HIT-CR) score is designed to aid in the diagnosis of HIT. We sought to evaluate its potential clinical utility. In this retrospective cohort study, we collected HIT-CR scores on all inpatients receiving heparin over a 4-month period and performed chart reviews on the subset who independently underwent clinical diagnostic testing for HIT to identify patients with HIT. In all, 34 342 patients received heparin, 1744 had high-risk HIT-CR scores of ≥3 and 220 had the maximal risk score of 4. Only 6% of high-risk and 10% of maximal-risk patients underwent testing for HIT. Conversely, among all 317 patients who underwent independent testing for HIT, 67% had low-risk HIT-CR scores (<3). Among patients independently tested, the positive predictive value (PPV) was 6·6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 4·9-8·8%] and the negative predictive value (NPV) was 99·5% (95% CI 97·1-99·9%) at a HIT-CR score cut-off of 3, and the PPV was 22·7% (95% CI 12·7-37·4%) and NPV was 99·0% (95% CI 97·6-99·6%) at a cut-off of 4. This study suggests clinicians fail to test most high-risk patients and unnecessarily test many low-risk patients for HIT. A reasonable approach to clinical application of HIT-CR scores would be recommending no testing for patients with a score of <3 and recommend testing for patients with a score of 4.
REINTERPRETING THE ROLE OF MUSLIMS IN THE WEST AFRICAN MIDDLE AGES

Recent research points to a renewed scholarly interest in the West African Middle Ages and the Sahelian imperial tradition. However, in these works only tangential attention is paid to the role of Muslims, and especially to clerical communities. This essay tackles theoretical and historiographical insights on the role of African Muslims in the era of the medieval empires and argues that the study of Islam in this region during the Middle Ages still suffers from undertheorizing. On the contrary, by using a ‘discursive approach’ scholars can unravel access to fascinating aspects of the history of West African Muslims and in particular to the crucial role played by clerical communities, who represented one node of the web of diffused authority which is characteristic of precolonial West African social and political structures.
Sustainable Process Design and Synthesis for HDPE Recycling

Abstract Plastic pollution is an ongoing problem in the U.S. This work focuses on the sustainable process design and synthesis of waste high-density polyethylene (HDPE) recycling systems to mitigate plastic pollution. A superstructure that can be implemented to manufacture various chemical products is proposed. We formulate the following superstructure optimization problem as a multi-objective mixed-integer nonlinear fractional programming (MINFP) problem, which is efficiently solved by a tailored global optimization algorithm that integrates parametric algorithm and branch-and-refine algorithm. Results reveal the economic profitability via displaying unit NPVs of optimal solutions ($107.2 to $151.3 per ton HDPE treated), while the unit GHG emissions of the good-choice optimal design are 0.44 ton CO2-eq/ton HDPE treated.
Acute Glucagon-Like Peptide-1 Receptor Agonist Liraglutide Prevents Drug-Induced Heroin Seeking in Rats

Substance use disorder is a difficult disease to treat due to its relapsing nature. In the last decade, opioid use disorder has been a threat to public health, being declared an epidemic by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. This is a tragic situation, considering there are currently effective, yet not ideal, treatments to prevent relapse. Recent research has shown that hormones that modulate hunger and satiety also can modulate motivated behavior for drugs of abuse. For example, the short-acting analog of glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1), an incretin hormone that regulates homeostatic feeding, has been shown to reduce responding for rewarding stimuli such as food, cocaine, heroin and nicotine. Here, we tested the acute effects of the long-acting GLP-1 analog, liraglutide, on heroin seeking. We found that, in rats with heroin self-administration experience, subcutaneous (sc) administration of an acute dose of 0.3 mg/kg liraglutide was effective in preventing relapse after exposure to three major precipitators: drug-associated cues, stress, and the drug itself. However, the effects of the drug were contingent upon the pretreatment time, with the drug being fully effective when administered using a 6 h, rather than a 4 h pretreatment time. Finally, we confirmed that the reduction in drug seeking is not due to a locomotor impairment, as liraglutide did not significantly alter performance in a rotarod test. As such, this acute non-opioid treatment may serve as a new and effective bridge to treatment.
Short-Term Impact of Bracing in Multi-Level Posterior Lumbar Spinal Fusion

ABSTRACT Background Clinical practice in postoperative bracing after posterior lumbar spine fusion (PLF) is inconsistent between providers. This paper attempts to assess the effect of bracing on short-term outcomes related to safety, quality of care, and direct costs. Methods Retrospective cohort analysis of consecutive patients undergoing multilevel PLF with or without bracing (2013–2017) was undertaken (n = 980). Patient demographics and comorbidities were analyzed. Outcomes assessed included length of stay (LOS), discharge disposition, quality-adjusted life years (QALY), surgical-site infection (SSI), total cost, readmission within 30 days, and emergency department (ED) evaluation within 30 days. Results Amongst the study population, 936 were braced and 44 were not braced. There was no difference between the braced and unbraced cohorts regarding LOS (P = .106), discharge disposition (P = .898), 30-day readmission (P = .434), and 30-day ED evaluation (P = 1.000). There was also no difference in total cost (P = .230) or QALY gain (P = .740). The results indicate a significantly lower likelihood of SSI in the braced population (1.50% versus 6.82%, odds ratio = 0.208, 95% confidence interval = 0.057–0.751, P = .037). There was no difference in relevant comorbidities (P = .259–1.000), although the braced cohort was older than the unbraced cohort (63 versus 56 y, P = .003). Conclusion Bracing following multilevel posterior lumbar fixation does not alter short-term postoperative course or reduce the risk for early adverse events. Cost analysis show no difference in direct costs between the 2 treatment approaches. Short-term data suggest that removal of bracing from the postoperative regimen for PLF will not result in increased adverse outcomes.
Phytoplankton biodiversity and the inverted paradox

Earth’s aquatic food webs are overwhelmingly supported by planktonic microalgae that live in the sunlit water column where only a minimum number of physical niches are readily identifiable. Despite this paucity of environmental differentiation, these “phytoplankton” populations exhibit a rich biodiversity, an observation not easily reconciled with broadly accepted rules of resource-based competitive exclusion. This conundrum is referred to as the “Paradox of the Plankton”. Consideration of physical distancing between nutrient depletion zones around individual phytoplankton, however, suggests a competition-neutral resource landscape. Application of neutral theory to the sheer number of phytoplankton in physically-mixed water masses yields a prediction of astronomical biodiversity, suggesting the inverted paradox: Why are there so few phytoplankton species? Here, we introduce a trophic constraint on phytoplankton that, when combined with stochastic principals of ecological drift, predicts only modest levels of diversity in an otherwise competition-neutral landscape. Our “trophic exclusion” principle predicts diversity to be independent of population size and yields a species richness across cell-size classes that is consistent with broad oceanographic survey observations.
The Elusive Symbiosis: The Impact of Radio on the Record Industry

Unlike television broadcasters, who must negotiate with the copyright owners before they can broadcast movies, radio broadcasters need not negotiate with the copyright holders for the sound recordings broadcast on radio. In the United States radio broadcasters have no obligations whatsoever to the copyright owners of the sound recordings (although they do have obligations to the copyright holders of the music contained in the sound recording). The reason for this discrepancy appears to be that radio broadcasters have argued, and it is generally accepted, that radio play benefits record sales and thus there is no need for radio broadcasters to purchase the rights to broadcast the sound recording. This impact of radio play on record sales is commonly referred to as a "symbiotic" relationship between these two industries. Yet there appears to be no systematic examination of this relationship. In this paper I present evidence indicating that radio play does not benefit overall record sales. There are obvious implications for copyright. I also examine, by way of comparison, television's negative impact on the movie industry.
Phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase in isolated rat adipocytes. Activation by insulin and subcellular distribution.

Insulin increases phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI-3-kinase) activity in Chinese hamster ovary cells transfected with human insulin receptor (Ruderman, N. B., Kapeller, R., White, M. F., and Cantley, L. C. (1990) Proc. Natl. Acad. Sci. U.S.A. 87, 1411-1415). The subcellular distribution of PI-3-kinase has not been investigated, and it is unclear if insulin has a stimulatory effect on PI-3-kinase in a nonproliferating target tissue, and, if so, whether this effect is subject to counter-regulation. To address these questions, we studied the effect of insulin on PI-3-kinase activity in isolated rat adipocytes. Activity was measured in plasma membranes, intracellular membranes, and cytosol of control and insulin-treated adipocytes, and in anti-Tyr(P) immunoprecipitates prepared from these fractions and from whole cell lysates. Treatment of adipocytes with insulin (200 nM) caused a half-maximal increase in anti-Tyr(P)-immunoprecipitable PI-3-kinase activity in whole cell lysates within 2 min. This effect was concentration-dependent, and it was sensitive to inhibition by norepinephrine. In insulin-stimulated cells, 75% of anti-Tyr(P)-immunoprecipitable PI-3-kinase activity was found in the low density microsomes. This fraction also exhibited the highest specific activity of PI-3-kinase, and insulin caused a further increase in this activity. Anti-Tyr(P)-immunoprecipitable PI-3-kinase activity was also found in the plasma membranes of insulin-treated cells, but this accounted for only a minor portion of the total and anti-Tyr(P)-immunoprecipitable PI-3-kinase activity. The majority of PI-3-kinase activity (90%) in control cells was cytosolic, but this was not increased in response to insulin nor was it anti-Tyr(P)-immunoprecipitable. These data demonstrate that insulin increases the activity of PI-3-kinase in adipocytes and this effect is subject to inhibition by a physiological antagonist of insulin action. The data also indicate that the effect of insulin to increase PI-3-kinase activity is expressed primarily in the low density intracellular membranes and to a lesser extent in the plasma membranes.
Image-analysis techniques for determination of morphology and kinematics in Arctic sea ice

SAR data have been used to study sea ice with respect to its motion and formation/deformation. With the prospect of the Alaska SAR Facility development in the near future, there is a great need for robust and efficient sea-ice analysis techniques. This paper presents a sea-ice motion analysis technique that can be used for: (1) local motion analysis of a selected ice patch, and (2) a global ice motion over the entire image area. In order to meet the operational speed requirement (over fifty images per day) a sea-ice motion analysis technique has been developed which requires very little human interaction. The proposed technique uses a subset of easily distinguishable features to predict global motion characteristics. The developed technique is applied to two pairs of SEASAT SAR images, one pair with a minor motion of 'ice pack' and another with a larger and discontinuous motion of 'fast ice'. The new approach enables the development of a set of computer-aided tools for feature selection and registration and the implementation of an optimal search strategy for automatic template matching via a motion prediction model.
The effect of groES on the groEL-dependent assembly of dodecameric glutamine synthetase in the presence of ATP and ADP.

The yields of active dodecameric glutamine synthetase (GS) are significantly increased when in vitro folding is initiated in the presence of the Escherichia coli groE chaperonins and ATP (37 degrees C). To observe the effects of chaperonins and ATP on GS assembly, the GS assembly intermediates were separated by nondenaturing gel electrophoresis, visualized by Western analysis, and studied as a function of time. The form of GS that was initially released from groEL is monomeric. After the monomers formed dimers, active GS oligomers were assembled by the association of assembly competent dimers with higher order even-numbered oligomers until the dodecamer was formed. When ATP was added to the groEL.GS complex (no groES), a groEL.GS complex remained visible for up to 30 min after the renaturation was initiated. This slow disappearance of the groEL.GS complex is consistent with observed lags in both the GS activity regain profile and the assembly-dependent increase in GS tryptophan fluorescence. When groES was present, the addition of ATP resulted in the disappearance of observable complex at early sample times ( or = 2 mM), the rates were identical. Since ATP hydrolysis is not absolutely required, the combined binding energies of groES and ATP (or ADP) appear to be sufficient to weaken the binding affinity of groEL for GS subunits and facilitate the release and refolding of assembly competent GS monomers from groEL.
Organization of Genes Required for the Oxidation of Methanol to Formaldehyde in Three Type II Methylotrophs.

Restriction maps of genes required for the synthesis of active methanol dehydrogenase in Methylobacterium organophilum XX and Methylobacterium sp. strain AM1 have been completed and compared. In these two species of pink-pigmented, type II methylotrophs, 15 genes were identified that were required for the expression of methanol dehydrogenase activity. None of these genes were required for the synthesis of the prosthetic group of methanol dehydrogenase, pyrroloquinoline quinone. The structural gene required for the synthesis of cytochrome cL, an electron acceptor uniquely required for methanol dehydrogenase, and the genes encoding small basic peptides that copurified with methanol dehydrogenases were closely linked to the methanol dehydrogenase structural genes. A cloned 22-kilobase DNA insert from Methylsporovibrio methanica 81Z, an obligate type II methanotroph, complemented mutants that contained lesions in four genes closely linked to the methanol dehydrogenase structural genes. The methanol dehydrogenase and cytochrome cL structural genes were found to be transcribed independently in M. organophilum XX. Only two of the genes required for methanol dehydrogenase synthesis in this bacterium were found to be cotranscribed.
Separation and fusion of overlapping underwater sound streams

It is shown that the instantaneous frequency (IF) of multicomponent whale acoustic signals can be estimated using a new non-parametric AM-FM signal representation proposed by Kumaresan and observe the presence of synchronous IF micromodulations across multiple narrowband components, and utilize this information for grouping components by physical source.
The role of regulated protein degradation in auxin response

Auxin-regulated gene expression is mediated by two families of transcription factors. The ARF proteins bind to a conserved DNA sequence called the AuxRE and activate transcription. The Aux/IAA proteins repress ARF function, presumably by forming dimers with ARF proteins. Recent genetic studies in Arabidopsis indicate that auxin regulates this system by promoting the ubiquitin-mediated degradation of the Aux/IAA proteins, thus permitting ARF function. Mutations in components of SCFTIR1, a ubiquitin protein ligase (E3) result in stabilization of Aux/IAA proteins and decreased auxin response. Further, recent biochemical experiments indicate that the Aux/IAA proteins bind SCFTIR1 in an auxin-dependent manner.
Quantification of MUC2 and MUC5AC Transcripts in Human Conjunctiva

Purpose Transcripts of mucins 1, 4, and 5AC have been identified in human conjunctival tissue. Of these, only MUC5AC has been localized to goblet cells. MUC2 is a goblet cell mucin originally identified in the intestinal mucosa. The presence of MUC2 transcripts and levels of MUC2 and MUC5AC transcripts in normal human conjunctiva, as determined by quantitative polymerase chain reaction (PCR), is reported. Methods RNA from conjunctivae of six donors (3 men, 3 women, 44 to 69 years, all white) was isolated and subjected to competitive reverse transcription-PCR. Internal standards, which are dsDNA molecules with ends complementary to a given primer pair but containing nonhomologous central sequences, were prepared for each gene assayed. Titration of a constant amount of cDNA against serial dilutions of the internal standard allowed quantification of the template cDNA. MUC2 and MUC5AC levels were compared to levels of the "housekeeping" gene, beta2-microglobulin (beta2M). The identity of PCR products was confirmed by sequencing. Results In the six individual samples tested, beta2M mRNA is expressed, on average, at approximately 10(-20) moles per sample (1 microg RNA) or approximately 63.5x10(4) molecules. The mRNA encoding MUC5AC, a relatively abundant ocular mucin, exists at levels 10-fold lower than beta2M. In contrast to previous reports of MUC2 mRNA being absent at the ocular surface, these results show that MUC2 transcripts are present and expressed at levels 5900-fold lower than for MUC5AC. Apparently, MUC2 transcripts exist on the order of only approximately 100 to 1000 molecules/microg of RNA in the analyzed samples. Conclusions MUC2 transcripts are present in human conjunctival tissue and their abundance is much lower than that of MUC5AC. This is the first application of competitive PCR to the quantitative analysis of mucin expression in human ocular tissue. The sensitivity of this method allows the detection of MUC2 transcripts that were not detected by Northern blot analysis or in situ hybridization in previous studies. It also makes possible the comparison of relative levels of expression for ocular mucins.
Probing Earth's dynamo

Most of the planets in the Solar System, Earth included, have magnetic fields that originate from self-sustaining dynamos. The inner workings of such dynamos are not at all clear, however, not least because it is not possible to carry out meaningful experiments to address the issue. A way forward is to use numerical simulations of the main parameters involved, and two new examples of such work provide a happy combination of characteristics that allow them to be tested against one another.
First-principles study of ( BiScO 3 ) 1 − x − ( PbTiO 3 ) x piezoelectric alloys

We report a first-principles study of a class of $({\mathrm{BiScO}}_{3}{)}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}\ensuremath{-}({\mathrm{PbTiO}}_{3}{)}_{x}$ (BS-PT) alloys recently proposed by Eitel et al. as promising materials for piezoelectric actuator applications. We show that (i) BS-PT displays very large structural distortions and polarizations at the morphotropic phase boundary (MPB) (we obtain a $c/a$ of $\ensuremath{\sim}1.05--1.08$ and ${P}_{\mathrm{tet}}\ensuremath{\approx}0.9\mathrm{C}/{\mathrm{m}}^{2});$ (ii) the ferroelectric and piezoelectric properties of BS-PT are dominated by the onset of hybridization between $\mathrm{B}\mathrm{i}/\mathrm{P}\mathrm{b}\ensuremath{-}6p$ and $\mathrm{O}\ensuremath{-}2p$ orbitals, a mechanism that is enhanced upon substitution of Pb by Bi; and (iii) the piezoelectric responses of BS-PT and $\mathrm{Pb}({\mathrm{Zr}}_{1\ensuremath{-}x}{\mathrm{Ti}}_{x}){\mathrm{O}}_{3}$ (PZT) at the MPB are comparable, at least as far as the computed values of the piezoelectric coefficient ${d}_{15}$ are concerned. While our results are generally consistent with experiment, they also suggest that certain intrinsic properties of BS-PT may be even better than has been indicated by experiments to date. We also discuss results for PZT that demonstrate the prominent role played by Pb displacements in its piezoelectric properties.
Predicting Oleic and Linoleic Acid Content of Single Peanut Seeds using Near-Infrared Reflectance Spectroscopy

One objective of peanut breeders is to develop cultivars with elevated oleic acid content (>740 g kg−1). Testing single seeds for oleic acid content is possible using gas chromatography (GC), but it is time-consuming and requires cutting a portion of the seed which could reduce germination. Using single, intact peanut seeds, we developed a near-infrared reflectance spectroscopy (NIR) calibration equation relating oleic acid measured with GC to oleic acid predicted by NIR. The slope of the regression line of oleic acid measured with GC on oleic acid predicted by NIR was 1.01 g kg−1 (P > t t < .0001) and the intercept was not different from zero. By selecting seeds with at least 700 g kg−1 NIR predicted oleic acid content, only four of the 43 seeds (validation set) with elevated oleic acid content were misclassified by NIR, and none with normal oleic acid content were misidentified. Results were similar for linoleic acid content. This research shows that NIR prediction of oleic acid and linoleic acid using intact peanut seeds is accurate and rapid and should be especially useful for early generation screening.
Race, social class and ability patterns on the WISC-R.

The national standardization sample of whites and blacks on the Wechsler Intelligence Scale for Children—Revised (WISC-R) was the basis for a detailed analysis of the psychometric nature of racial and social class differences on the original 13 subscales of the WISC-R. The profiles of subtest scores of whites and blacks were compared directly and also after the racial groups were statistically equated on Full Scale IQ (FSIQ). Under the latter condition, the races differ only very slightly, although significantly, on some of the subtests, in ways generally contrary to popular expectations. The profile of white-black differences on the WISC-R subtests is markedly different, and negatively correlated with, the profiles of social class differences within each racial group, indicating that the pattern of racial differences is not explainable in terms of the difference in the average socio-economic status (SES) of blacks and whites. A Schmid-Leiman orthogonalized hierarchical factor analysis yields virtually identical factor structures and highly congruent factor loadings on the subtests for whites and blacks. Analysis of factor scores shows that by far the largest proportion of the variance between races is attributable to the general factor (g) common to all the subtests, whereas the group factors (verbal, performance and memory) contribute only minutely to the interracial variance. Hence the white-black differences on the diverse subtests of the WISC-R, and in the Full Scale IQ, are interpreted primarily as a difference in Spearman's g, rather than as differences in the more specific factors peculiar to particular content, knowledge, acquired skills or type of test. However, some slight but significant differences in patterns of ability also occur that are independent of g.
Enzymes involved in oxygen detoxification during development ofDrosophila melanogaster

Activities of superoxide dismutase (SOD), catalase (CAT), and peroxidases (PER) were examined at 24-h intervals duringDrosophila development. SOD activities show a U-shaped curve from egg to adult stages whereas CAT and PER are consistently low in egg through larval stages. Male and female larvae have similar activities of SOD, CAT, and PER whereas male adults have elevated activites of these enzymes. Larvae are more sensitive to H2O2 and 3-amino-1,2,4-triazole (an inhibitor of CAT) than adults.
Intensity / Correlation Thresholding of FMRI Data: Data-driven Regions of Interest using Bridge Voxels

Analysis of functional magnetic resonance imaging data considers temporal correlation of hemodynamic intensity patterns to a known activation paradigm as well as spatial regions of similar responses. Default regions of interest are often obtained by analyst-directed thresholding of intensity or correlation values. This paper presents a method to determine data-driven regions of interest using image erosion to identify structurally significant components in the default regions, namely bridge voxels
XXXVIII. The relation of electrode fall in gases to the contact potential series

(1904). XXXVIII. The relation of electrode fall in gases to the contact potential series. The London, Edinburgh, and Dublin Philosophical Magazine and Journal of Science: Vol. 8, No. 45, pp. 387-400.
Charge collection ion microscopy: Imaging of defects in semiconductors with a positive ion microbeam

Abstract The new technique of Charge Collection Ion Microscopy (CCIM) for investigating defects in semiconductors is described. It utilizes the SUNY/Albany ion microbeam and is based on the collection efficiency of electron-hole (e-h) pairs produced by individual ions penetrating the sample. Compared to the technique of electron beam induced conductivity (EBIC), CCIM produces more damage per projectile but has the compensating advantage that more e-h pairs are created. Analysis of individual pulses rather than an average current therefore is necessary and practicable. Illustrative results are presented for Schottky diodes which have been locally damaged by ion bombardment.
An expanded scoring system including an index of nutritional status for patients with cystic fibrosis

Evaluation of success or failure of therapy for patients with cystic fibrosis (CF) commonly relies on the results of a single pulmonary function test (PFT). Most PFT measurements reflect different functional aspects of the lung. Although no single parameter can summarize all aspects of lung function, a combination of several may provide an advantage by reflecting the overall abnormality of lung function in one number. Cropp et al. (1982, Am Rev Respir Dis 126:211–216) developed a multiparameter pulmonary function score (PFS) using the results of six separate parameters obtained from a PFT. In CF, there is also the potential for declining nutritional status (NS), leading to malnutrition and skeletal muscle wasting. Our aim was to expand the PFS by including weighted information on NS, and to determine whether the expanded score (nutritional-pulmonary function score, NPFS) was more sensitive in detecting change in outcome variables than the PFS. Individual PFT parameters, percent ideal body weight (%IBW), and an index of anaerobic performance (AP) were measured in 21 patients on admission to the hospital and again at discharge. In the group as a whole, in-hospital therapy resulted in improvement (P < 0.01) in individual PFT parameters, YJBW, PFS, and NPFS, and no change in AP. While the PFS more effectively reflected improvement in lung function than did any single PFT parameter, the NPFS resulted in an even more sensitive index of change. Based on these results, we believe that the NPFS, which includes both lung and nutritional status, provides an effective and sensitive index of disease severity that can be used as a unifying measure to: (1) detect disease progression; (2) guide rehabilitation and training; (3) stratify patients for clinical trials; or (4) evaluate the effects of a therapeutic intervention.Pediatr Pulmonol. 1994;18:199–205. ©1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Recent advances in type-II interband cascade lasers

Interband cascade (IC) lasers are a new class of mid-IR light sources, which take advantage of the broken-gap alignment in type-II quantum wells to reuse electrons for sequential photon emissions from serially connected active regions. Here, we describe recent advances in InAs/GaInSb type-II IC lasers at emission wavelengths of 3.6 - 4 micrometer; these semiconductor lasers have exhibited significantly higher differential quantum efficiencies and peak powers than previously reported. Low threshold current densities (e.g., approximately 56 A/cm 2 at 80 K) and power efficiency exceeding 9% were observed from a mesa-stripe laser in cw operation. Also, these lasers were able to operate at temperatures up to 250 K in pulsed mode and to 120 K in cw mode. We observed from several devices at temperatures above 80 K a slope efficiency of approximately 800 mW/A per facet, corresponding to a differential external quantum efficiency of approximately 500%. Peak optical output powers exceeding 4 W per facet were observed from several type-II IC laser at 80 K.
Epilepsy in Ancient India

The ancient Indian medical system, Ayurveda, meaning science of life, is the oldest system of medicine in the world. Epilepsy is defined as Apasmara: apa, meaning negation or loss of; smara, meaning recollection or consciousness. Aura was recognized and was called Apasmara Poorva Roopa. A large number of symptoms indicative of aura were listed. Worthy of mention are subjective sensation of sounds, sensation of darkness, feeling of delusion, and dream-like state. An actual attack of Apasmara includes falling down; shaking of the hands, legs, and body; rolling up of the eyes; grinding of the teeth; and foaming at the mouth. Four major types of epilepsy based on the disturbance of doshas (humors) that govern the physiological and physiochemical activities of the body are mentioned. Apasmara is considered a dangerous disease that is chronic and difficult to treat. Several causes are mentioned. Treatment included correcting the etiological factors and dietary regimen and avoiding dangerous places that may result in injuries.
13C NMR Studies on Carboranes and Derivatives: Experimental/Calculational Correlations

The measured 13C chemical shifts of over forty carborane compounds correlate very well with ab-initio/IGLO/NMR calculated values at both the DZ//3-21G and DZ//6-31G* (IGLO-NMR//Gaussian-geometry-optimized) levels of theory as well as with the ab-initio/GIAO/NMR values at the 6-31G*//6-31G* level of theory. For the carboranes in this study, the linear relationships δ(13C-IGLO-DZ//6-31G*) = 0.941δ(13C-exp) − 1.897 (r2 = 0.990) and δ(13C-GIAO-6-31G*//6-31G*) = 0.893δ(13C-exp) − 2.554 (r2 = 0.991) are derived. Combined together with recently reported 11B NMR correlations between experiment and theory, a significant means is added to the arsenal of carborane NMR structure proof methods available to the experimentalist having access to only modest computational resources. And this procedure, of course, also has the additional feature of yielding reasonably good structural information (bond distances, angles, etc.).
Linguistic Indexicality in Algebra Discussions.

Abstract In discussion-oriented classrooms, students create mathematical ideas through conversations that reflect growing collective knowledge. Linguistic forms known as indexicals assist in the analysis of this collective, negotiated understanding. Indexical words and phrases create meaning through reference to the physical, verbal and ideational context. While some indexicals such as pronouns and demonstratives (e.g. this, that) are fairly well-known in mathematics education research, other structures play significant roles in math discussions as well. We describe students’ use of entailing and presupposing indexicality, verbs of motion, and poetic structures to express and negotiate mathematical ideas and classroom norms including pedagogical responsibility, conjecturing, evaluating and expressing reified mathematical knowledge. The multiple forms and functions of indexical language help describe the dynamic and emergent nature of mathematical classroom discussions. Because interactive learning depends on linguistically established connections among ideas, indexical language may prove to be a communicative resource that makes collaborative mathematical learning possible.
Does abortion reduce self-esteem and life satisfaction?

Purpose This study aims to assess the effects of obtaining an abortion versus being denied an abortion on self-esteem and life satisfaction. Methods We present the first 2.5 years of a 5-year longitudinal telephone-interview study that follows 956 women who sought an abortion from 30 facilities across the USA. We examine the self-esteem and life satisfaction trajectories of women who sought and received abortions just under the facility’s gestational age limit, of women who sought and received abortions in their first trimester of pregnancy, and of women who sought abortions just beyond the facility gestational limit and were denied an abortion. We use adjusted mixed effects linear regression analyses to assess whether the trajectories of women who sought and obtained an abortion differ from those who were denied one. Results Women denied an abortion initially reported lower self-esteem and life satisfaction than women who sought and obtained an abortion. For all study groups, except those who obtained first trimester abortions, selfesteem and life satisfaction improved over time. The initially lower levels of self-esteem and life satisfaction among women denied an abortion improved more rapidly reaching similar levels as those obtaining abortions at 6 months to one year after abortion seeking. For women obtaining first trimester abortions, initially higher levels of life satisfaction remained steady over time. Conclusions There is no evidence that abortion harms women’s self-esteem or life satisfaction in the short term.
Phenotypic differences in viral immune escape explained by linking within-host dynamics to host-population immunity

Viruses that do not cause life-long immunity persist by evolving rapidly in response to prevailing host immunity. The immune-escape mutants emerge frequently, displacing or co-circulating with native strains even though mutations conferring immune evasion are often detrimental to viral replication. The epidemiological dynamics of immune-escape in acute-infection viruses with high transmissibility have been interpreted mainly through immunity dynamics at the host population level, despite the fact that immune-escape evolution involves dynamical processes that feedback across the within- and between-host scales. To address this gap, we use a nested model of within- and between-host infection dynamics to examine how the interaction of viral replication rate and cross-immunity imprint host population immunity, which in turn determines viral immune escape. Our explicit consideration of direct and immune-mediated competitive interactions between strains within-hosts revealed three insights pertaining to risk and control of viral immune-escape: (1) replication rate and immune-stimulation deficiencies (i.e., original antigenic sin) act synergistically to increase immune escape, (2) immune-escape mutants with replication deficiencies relative to their wildtype progenitor are most successful under moderate cross-immunity and frequent re-infections, and (3) the immunity profile along short host-transmission chains (local host-network structure) is a key determinant of immune escape.