cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cigarette smoking, cytogenetic abnormalities, and acute myelogenous leukemia.

Government advisories warning of the ill-effects of using tobacco products date back at least to the proclamation of James I of England (James VI of Scotland) (1566–1625), who in 1604, the year he commissioned the King James version of the Bible, described their use as 'A custome lothsome to the eye, hatefull to the Nose, harmefull to the braine, dangerous to the Lungs, and in the blacke stinking fume thereof, neerest resembling the horrible Stigian smoke of the pit that is bottomlesse'.1 Although published anonymously, there was apparently little doubt about the author of those remarks, the King of England. The King also required Thomas Earle of Dorset, High Treasurer of England, to collect a tax on each pound of tobacco imported. It is said that when the royal exchequer grew from the tobacco tax imposed on imports from the Virginia colony, James's criticism of using tobacco products became muted. In any event, ascribing one more disease, acute myelogenous leukemia (AML), to the effect of smoking on its victims may add little to the substantial arguments that already exist for abstention.
First asymmetric synthesis of chiral β-iodo Baylis-Hillman esters via tandem 1,4-conjugate addition/carbonyl coupling reactions

A new asymmetric approach to chiral β-iodo Baylis-Hillman hydroxy esters was developed via a tandem asymmetric I-C/C-C formation reaction. The reaction was conveniently carried out by slow addition of diethylaluminum iodide into a mixture of aldehyde and α,β-acetylenic menthyl ester in dichloromethane at −23°C. Excellent geometric selectivity, promising diastereoselectivity and modest to high yields (up to 91%) were obtained. Chirality 15:139–142, 2003. © 2003 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Recording and manipulating the in vivo correlational structure of neuronal activity during visual cortical development.

Many aspects of visual cortical functional architecture, such as orientation and ocular dominance columns, are present before animals have had any visual experience, indicating that the initial formation of cortical circuitry takes place without the influence of environmental cues. For this reason, it has been proposed that spontaneous activity within the developing visual pathway carries instructive information to guide the early establishment of cortical circuits. Recently developed recording and stimulation techniques are revealing new information about the in vivo organization of this spontaneous activity and its contribution to cortical development. Multielectrode recordings in the developing lateral geniculate nucleus (LGN) of ferrets demonstrate that retinal spontaneous activity is not simply relayed to the visual cortex, but is reshaped and transformed by a variety of mechanisms including cortical feedback and endogenous oscillatory activity. The resulting patterns are consistent with many of the predictions of correlation-based models of cortical development. In addition, the introduction of artificially correlated activity into the visual pathway disrupts some but not all aspects of orientation tuning development. Thus, while these results support an instructive role of spontaneous activity in shaping cortical development, there still appears to be a number of aspects of this process that cannot be accounted for by activity alone.
Dirac Quantization of the Chiral Superfield

We extend the method of Dirac quantization in superspace to the case of chiral superfields. We obtain quantization conditions in superspace which are consistent with the conditions for the component fields. Furthermore, we show that with these modified Dirac brackets and the modified Hamiltonian the correct Heisenberg equations of motion are obtained.
Microbiology: A piece of the methane puzzle

The identification of a sea-floor microorganism that single-handedly conducts anaerobic oxidation of methane changes our picture of how the flux of this greenhouse gas from the ocean to the atmosphere is regulated. See Article p.541 Anaerobic methane oxidation in marine sediments is coupled to sulphate reduction and is carried out by a consortium of methanotrophic archaea (ANME) and Deltaproteobacteria. However, the underlying biochemical pathway and electron-transfer mechanism between the two species has been difficult to determine. Jana Milucka et al. now demonstrate that this transformation involves the reduction of sulphate to elemental sulphur by ANME and disulphide disproportionation (simultaneous oxidation and reduction of a substance reacting with itself) by the Deltaproteobacterium — the latter process a previously unknown microbial sulphur transformation.
Modular MT with a learned bilingual dictionary: rapid deployment of a new language pair

The MT system described in this paper combines hand-built analysis and generation components with automatically learned example-based transfer patterns. Up to now, the transfer component used a traditional bilingual dictionary to seed the transfer pattern learning process and to provide fallback translations at runtime. This paper describes an improvement to the system by which the bilingual dictionary used for these purposes is instead learned automatically from aligned bilingual corpora, making the system's transfer knowledge entirely derivable from corpora. We show that this system with a fully automated transfer process performs better than the system with a hand-crafted bilingual dictionary. More importantly, this has enabled us to create in less than one day a new language pair, French-Spanish, which, for a technical domain, surpasses the quality bar of the commercial system chosen for comparison.
Comparison of Two Approaches for Modeling Freight Movement at Seaports

Seaports host international cargo operations and are primary generators of freight traffic in the United States. Truck/rail trip generation and modal split models provide public agencies with valuable information necessary to prioritize funds for roadway upgrade projects and port infrastructure modifications. This paper presents two approaches for developing freight trip generation models: regression analysis and backpropagation neural networks (BPN). These models are used for predicting the levels of cargo truck traffic moving inbound and outbound at seaports. Based on the Port of Miami case, it was found that the BPN model is more accurate than the regression model. However, the BPN model requires a sizable database. Using the BPN approach, the paper presents a new combined truck trip generation and truck-rail modal split model for the Port of Jacksonville. It was found that the primary factors affecting truck-rail volume are the amount and direction of cargo vessel freight, commodity type, and the particular weekday of operation. In summary, the neural network model results were found significantly accurate for both Florida ports.
Macrodimers: ultralong range Rydberg molecules.

We study long range interactions between two Rydberg atoms and predict the existence of ultralong range Rydberg dimers with equilibrium distances of many thousands of Bohr radii. We calculate the dispersion coefficients ${C}_{5}$, ${C}_{6}$, and ${C}_{8}$ for two rubidium atoms in the same excited level $\mathrm{np}$ and find that they scale like ${n}^{8}$, ${n}^{11}$, and ${n}^{15}$, respectively. We show that for certain molecular symmetries these coefficients lead to long range potential wells that can support molecular bound levels. Such macrodimers would be very sensitive to their environment and could probe weak interactions. We suggest experiments to detect these macrodimers.
Cytokines and cognition--the case for a head-to-toe inflammatory paradigm.

The brain is not only immunologically active of its own accord, but also has complex peripheral immune interactions. Given the central role of cytokines in neuroimmmunoendocrine processes, it is hypothesized that these molecules influence cognition via diverse mechanisms. Peripheral cytokines penetrate the blood-brain barrier directly via active transport mechanisms or indirectly via vagal nerve stimulation. Peripheral administration of certain cytokines as biological response modifiers produces adverse cognitive effects in animals and humans. There is abundant evidence that inflammatory mechanisms within the central nervous system (CNS) contribute to cognitive impairment via cytokine-mediated interactions between neurons and glial cells. Cytokines mediate cellular mechanisms subserving cognition (e.g., cholinergic and dopaminergic pathways) and can modulate neuronal and glial cell function to facilitate neuronal regeneration or neurodegeneration. As such, there is a growing appreciation of the role of cytokine-mediated inflammatory processes in neurodegenerative diseases such as Alzheimer's disease and vascular dementia. Consistent with their involvement as mediators of bidirectional communication between the CNS and the peripheral immune system, cytokines play a key role in the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis activation seen in stress and depression. In addition, complex cognitive systems such as those that underlie religious beliefs, can modulate the effects of stress on the immune system. Indirect means by which peripheral or central cytokine dysregulation could affect cognition include impaired sleep regulation, micronutrient deficiency induced by appetite suppression, and an array of endocrine interactions. Given the multiple levels at which cytokines are capable of influencing cognition it is plausible that peripheral cytokine dysregulation with advancing age interacts with cognitive aging.
Resin-supported catalysts for CuAAC click reactions in aqueous or organic solvents.

The copper-catalyzed azide–alkyne cycloaddition click reaction is a valuable process for the synthesis of libraries of drug candidates, derivatized polymers and materials, and a wide variety of other functional molecules. In some circumstances, the removal of the copper catalyst is both necessary and inconvenient. We describe here two immobilized forms of a Cu-binding ligand that has been shown to accelerate triazole formation under many different conditions, using different resin supports that are appropriate for aqueous or organic solvents. Copper leaching from these resins was modest, allowing them to be reused in many reaction/filtration cycles without recharging with metal ion. The utility of this catalyst form was demonstrated in the convenient synthesis of 20 N-acetylgalactosamine derivatives for biological testing.
Damage response of submerged imperfect cylindrical structures to underwater explosion

The effect of the initial geometric imperfections to the damage response of submerged structures is investigated. The type of the submerged structure investigated is the ring-stiffened long circular cylinders submerged in the fluid. The strain hardening mild steel is used in the analysis. The type of the loading is the underwater shock induced by underwater explosions. The modal imperfection concept has been used to simulate the initial geometric imperfections. The numerical analyses were performed to look into the details of damage response of ring-stiffened cylindrical shells. The following models were considered: (i) three-dimensional infinite ring-stiffened cylinder model, and (ii) three-dimensional finite ring-stiffened cylinder model. A finite element hydrocode was used to numerically predict model responses.
Histochemical localization of some enzymes in cysticercoids of two species of Hymenolepis

Abstract The intermediate cell layers of the cysts surrounding the larvae of Hymenolepis diminuta and H. microstoma show acid phosphatase activity. This activity appears to be optimal at pH 5.0. Another phosphatase is assocciated with the larval teguments. This phosphatase has a pH range of 6.0–9.0. It is hypothesized that the former enzyme is associated with lysosomes and may be involved in the excystation of the cysticercoids. Several mitochondrial enzymes, lactic dehydrogenase, succinic dehydrogenase, malic dehydrogenase, and NADH-NBT reductase, are associated with the larvae and the intermediate cell layer of the cysts. Also, a cholinesterase is associated with the tegument and with the nerves of the larvae. Nonspecific esterase activity is evident in the larval parenchyma and in the intermediate cell layers of the cysts.
Liposomes as vehicles for cellular incorporation of biologically active macromolecules

Lipid vesicles (liposome) have recently been shown to be a useful vehicle for the delivery of a variety of compounds to cultured cells. Using large unilamellar vesicles composed of phosphatidylserine [LUV(PS)] we were able to encapsulate poliovirus and purified poliovirus ribonucleic acid (RNA) and show that it can be delivered efficiently to cells in an infectious form. LUV-entrapped poliovirus RNA produced infectious titers 100-fold higher than comparable RNA preparations delivered to cells by other techniques. We have made a quantitative analysis of the uptake and infectivity of the vesicle-encapsulated RNA by using various ratios of RNA copies per vesicle and by determining the percentage uptake of labelled lipid and RNA by HeLa cells.
Changes in the nuclear power industry after TMI

Abstract The Three Mile Island accident has led to institutional changes and to changes in reactor instrumentation, operator training, and emergency preparedness. These changes, as described in detail in this special issue of Progress in Nuclear Energy, are briefly summarized.
A “Rightful Place” in the World of Languages: Rethinking Discourses of Dis-Ability in Indigenous Language Planning and Policy

The labels used to name, classify, and analyze language varieties and competencies construct realities that enable or disable the (re)acquisition of those languages and the empowerment of their speakers. Focusing on Indigenous American languages, I first consider the classificatory schemas used to assign linguistic vitality hierarchies. I then examine parallel discourses of linguistic “dysfluency” (Meek, 2011)and disinterest often assigned to younger members of Indigenous speech communities. Expanding upon Ramanathan's (2010, 2013) notion of dis-citizenship, I argue that linguistic naming and classification, while foregrounding important issues of endangerment, can create a logic whereby threatened languages are viewed as “dis-citizens” in the world of languages—incomplete, non-normative, and disabled—potentially undermining revitalization efforts. Drawing on comparative ethnographic research on Native American language loss and reclamation, I explore the ways in which Indigenous communities are interrupt...
Abstract LB-48: DCLK1 targeted monoclonal antibodies demonstrate therapeutic potential against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA Doublecortin-like kinase 1 (DCLK1) is overexpressed and marks a population of tumor-initiating cells in pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma (PDAC). It regulates key oncogenes, pluripotency factors, angiogenic factors, and epithelial mesenchymal transition (EMT) related transcription factors. Therefore, DCLK1 may be a novel therapeutic target in PDAC. In this study we evaluated whether DCLK1-targeted monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) demonstrate therapeutic activity against pancreatic cancer. Human pancreatic cancer cells (AsPC-1) were treated with mAbs against the C-terminal domain of human DCLK1 to assess their effect on gene expression, cell proliferation, migration, invasion, and tumorigenicity. Gene expression levels were analyzed by quantitative real-time RT-PCR. The proliferative and invasive potential of cells with or without mAb treatment were compared using a MTT assay for proliferation, wound healing assay for migration, and Matrigel coated transwell assay for invasion. Tumor xenografts originated from AsPC-1 cells in nude mice were also treated with these mAbs. Here we demonstrate that treating AsPC-1 cells with mAb against DCLK1 resulted in a more than 50% decrease in DCLK1 mRNA expression. The expression levels of several key tumor suppressor microRNAs, let7a, miR144, and miR200, were upregulated in cells treated with these mAbs. The expression levels of pancreatic cancer related oncogenes KRAS, NOTCH, and REG4, angiogenic factors, VEGFR1 and VEGFR2, and EMT related genes, ZEB1, ZEB2, SNAIL, SLUG, and TWIST, were significantly downregulated (among 30-50% reduction) in the cells treated with mAb against DCLK1. Furthermore, AsPC-1 cells exhibited more than 20% decrease in migration and more than 40% decrease in invasion following anti-DCLK1 mAb treatment. Moreover, AsPC-1 xenograft tumor volumes were reduced approximately 20% following mAb treatment. These data implicate the C-terminal of DCLK1 as a potential signal transduction regulator of DCLK1 in cancer via tumor suppressor microRNA related mechanism similar to siRNA mediated knockdown of DCLK1. These results suggest that utilizing mAb targeting DCLK1 may represent a potential novel therapeutic strategy to reduce the tumor stem-like cell subpopulation in PDAC. Citation Format: Dongfeng Qu, Nathaniel Weygant, Randal May, Parthasarathy Chandrakesan, Daniel Owen, Sripathi Sureban, Courtney Houchen. DCLK1 targeted monoclonal antibodies demonstrate therapeutic potential against pancreatic ductal adenocarcinoma. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 105th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2014 Apr 5-9; San Diego, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2014;74(19 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-48. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-LB-48
Metabolism of pyrrolizidine alkaloids by Peptostreptococcus heliotrinreducens and a mixed culture derived from ovine ruminal fluid.

Abstract A mixed culture of ovine ruminal microbes metabolizes the macrocyclic pyrrolizidine alkaloids present in the plant Senecio jacobaea , including jacobine and seneciphylline. Previous attempts to identify metabolites of these alkaloids have not been successful. The objective of this study was to compare the metabolism of pyrrolizidine alkaloids by a mixed culture of ovine ruminal microbes to the metabolism of pyrrolizidine alkaloids by the known organism Peptostreptococcus heliotrinreducens . P. heliotrinreducens metabolizes the pyrrolizidine alkaloids heliotrine and lasiocarpine to 7α-hydroxy-1-methylene-8α-pyrrolizidine and 7α-angelyl-1-methylene-8α-pyrrolizidine, respectively. This organism does not metabolize the pyrrolizidine alkaloids jacobine or seneciphylline. A mixed culture of ovine ruminal microbes also metabolized heliotrine and lasiocarpine to identical methylene compounds. This mixed culture also metabolized jacobine and seneciphylline, with the production of very low levels of the corresponding 1-methylene compounds. Samples were analyzed by TLC and GC/MS.
N- and O-Glycans Modulate Galectin-1 Binding, CD45 Signaling, and T Cell Death

Galectin-1, a β-galactoside-binding protein highly expressed in the thymus, induces apoptosis of specific thymocyte subsets and activated T cells. Galectin-1 binds to N- and O-glycans on several glycoprotein receptors, including CD7, CD43, and CD45. Here we show that galectin-1 signaling through CD45, which carries both N- and O-glycans, is regulated by CD45 isoform expression, core 2 O-glycan formation and the balance of N-glycan sialylation. Regulation of galectin-1 T cell death by O-glycans is mediated through CD45 phosphatase activity. While galectin-1 signaling in cells expressing low molecular weight isoforms of CD45 requires expression of core 2 O-glycans (high affinity ligands for galectin-1), galectin-1 signaling in cells expressing a high molecular weight isoform of CD45 does not require core 2 O-glycans, suggesting that a larger amount of core 1 O-glycans (low affinity ligands for galectin-1) is sufficient to overcome lack of core 2 O-glycans. Furthermore, regulation of galectin-1 signaling by α2,6-sialylation of N-glycans is not solely dependent on CD45 phosphatase activity and can be modulated by the relative expression of enzymes that attach sialic acid in an α2,6- or α2,3-linkage. Thus, N- and O-glycans modulate galectin-1 T cell death by distinct mechanisms, and different glycosylation events can render thymocytes susceptible or resistant to galectin-1.
Is embolization of segment 4 portal veins before extended right hepatectomy justified

Background Preoperative portal vein embolization (PVE) is increasingly used as a preparation for major hepatectomy in patients with inadequate liver remnant volume or function. However, whether segment 4 (S4) portal veins should be embolized is controversial. The effect of S4 PVE on the volume gain of segments 2 and 3 (S2+3) was examined. Methods Among 73 patients with uninjured liver who underwent right portal vein embolization (RPVE, n = 15) or RPVE extended to S4 portal veins (RPVE+4, n = 58), volume changes in S2+3 and S4 after embolization were compared. Clinical outcomes and PVE complications were assessed. Results After a median of 27 days, the S2+3 volume increased significantly after both RPVE and RPVE+4, but the absolute increase was significantly higher for RPVE+4 (median, 106 mL vs 141 mL; P = .044), as was the hypertrophy rate (median, 26% vs 54%; P = .021). There was no significant difference between RPVE and RPVE+4 in the absolute S4 volume increase (52 mL for RPVE vs 55 mL for RPVE+4; P = .61) or the hypertrophy rate of S4 (30% for RPVE vs 26% for RPVE+4; P = .45). Complications of PVE occurred in 1 patient (7%) after RPVE and 6 (10%) after RPVE+4 (P > .99). No PVE complication precluded subsequent resection. Curative hepatectomy was performed in 13 patients (87%) after RPVE and 40 (69%) after RPVE+4 (P = .21). Conclusions RPVE+4 significantly improves S2+3 hypertrophy compared with RPVE alone. Extending RPVE to S4 does not increase PVE-associated complications.
Social networks and the treatment of schizophrenia

The importance of social network relations to the clinical status of schizophrenic patients is documented. The author notes that recent innovative clinical treatment programs incorporate social network concepts, although not always using such theoretical concepts. The importance of social network concepts in treatment and rehabilitation is noted.
The infrared spectrum of CH3D. Ground state constants and perturbation allowed transitions

The ground state rotational constants of CH3D have been determined by a simultaneous least squares fit of combifation differences obtained from twelve infrared absorption bands recorded in the region of 2380–3160 cm−1. The direct determination of A0 and D0K has been accomplished through combination differences obtained from transitions not ordinarily allowed in the infrared spectrum of a symmetric top molecule, but made possible through perturbations between excited rovibronic levels.
Bitter taste receptors on airway smooth muscle as targets for novel bronchodilators

Introduction: There is an unmet need for a new class of direct bronchodilators for the treatment of asthma and chronic obstructive lung disease. Unexpectedly, bitter taste receptors (TAS2Rs) have been localized on airway smooth muscle and when activated cause marked smooth muscle relaxation through a mechanism that is distinct from β2-adrenegic receptors. Thus TAS2R agonists have emerged as a novel class of bronchodilator. Areas covered: A synopsis of the TAS2R family and its biology for bitter taste perception on the tongue is provided, followed by a review of the identification and molecular and physiological characterization of TAS2R subtypes on human and mouse airway smooth muscle. The proposed molecular mechanisms leading to the relaxation response are provided, along with gaps in our understanding at certain points in the signaling cascade. Unresolved issues that may need to be considered for drug development are discussed. Expert opinion: TAS2R agonists show promise as a new class of highly efficac...
Modelling the molecular basis of cardiac repolarization.

Aims To study the properties of ion-channel gating ( I Ks, the slow delayed rectifier K+ channel) that underlie the channel's participation in rate-dependent repolarization of the cardiac action potential (AP). Methods Computational biology approach was used to simulate the channel gating and the AP of a mammalian ventricular myocyte. Results At fast rate, channels accumulate at closed state near the open state, from which they can rapidly open to generate large repolarizing current late during the AP, effectively shortening its duration. Conclusion I Ks builds an ‘available reserve’ of channels that can open ‘on-demand’ to repolarize the AP and shorten its duration at fast rate (‘rate-adaptation’). This property also makes I Ks effective in providing repolarization reserve when other repolarizing currents are compromised by disease or drugs.
Characteristics of Plasma Powders as Affected by Deglucosing

Abstract Avian, bovine, and porcine plasmas were treated with glucose oxidase and dried. Results indicated that the deglucosed plasma powders were less (P
Work in progress — The process of evaluating the impact of an international experience on students' global engineering skills

This paper describes the pedagogy, including the related international experience, being employed in the College of Engineering at a Research I university that is designed to develop competencies associated with a global engineer. In addition, the assessment methodology that has been developed to determine the extent to which students are developing the skills needed for engineering in a global context and their perceptions of a global engineer as a result of this comprehensive experience is discussed.
Automatic transformation of bit-level C code to support multiple equivalent data layouts

Portable low-level C programs must often support multiple equivalent in-memory layouts of data, due to the byte or bit order of the compiler, architecture, or external data formats. Code that makes assumptions about data layout often consists of multiple highly similar pieces of code, each designed to handle a different layout. Writing and maintaining this code is difficult and bug-prone: Because the differences among data layouts are subtle, implicit, and inherently low-level, it is difficult to understand or change the highly similar pieces of code consistently. We have developed a small extension for C that lets programmers write concise declarative descriptions of how different layouts of the same data relate to each other. Programmers then write code assuming only one layout and rely on our translation to generate code for the others. In this work, we describe our declarative language for specifying data layouts, how we perform the automatic translation of C code to equivalent code assuming a different layout, and our success in applying our approach to simplify the code base of some widely available software.
The relevance voxel machine (RVoxM): A Bayesian method for image-based prediction

This paper presents the Relevance VoxelMachine (RVoxM), a Bayesian multivariate pattern analysis (MVPA) algorithm that is specifically designed for making predictions based on image data. In contrast to generic MVPA algorithms that have often been used for this purpose, the method is designed to utilize a small number of spatially clustered sets of voxels that are particularly suited for clinical interpretation. RVoxM automatically tunes all its free parameters during the training phase, and offers the additional advantage of producing probabilistic prediction outcomes. Experiments on age prediction from structural brain MRI indicate that RVoxM yields biologically meaningful models that provide excellent predictive accuracy.
In situ preparation of a Ti³⁺ self-doped TiO₂ film with enhanced activity as photoanode by N₂H₄ reduction.

A new synthetic method to fabricate Ti3+-modified, highly stable TiO2 photoanodes for H2O oxidation is reported. With Ti foil as both the conducting substrate and the Ti3+/Ti4+ source, one-dimensional blue Ti3+/TiO2 crystals were grown by a one-step hydrothermal reaction. The concentration of Ti3+ was further tuned by N2H4 reduction, leading to a greater photoelectrocatalytic activity, as evidenced by a high photocurrent density of 0.64 mA cm−2 at 1.0 V vs RHE under simulated AM 1.5 G illumination. Electron paramagnetic resonance and Mott–Schottky plots reveal that higher charge-carrier density owing to N2H4 reduction contributes to the observed improvement. The generality of this synthesis method was demonstrated by its effectiveness in improving the performance of other types of photoanodes. By integrating the advantages of the 1D TiO2 architecture with those of Ti3+ self-doping, this work provides a versatile tool toward the fabrication of efficient TiO2 photoanodes.
Predicting the employment of minority officers in U.S. cities: OLS fixed-effect panel model results for African American and Latino officers for 1993, 1996, and 2000

Using panel data collected on a representative sample of police departments serving populations of 25,000+ residents across the country in 1993, 1996, and 2000 (N=281), fixed-effect panel models were used to assess the influence of environmental and institutional variables on the hiring of African American and Latino officers. The primary findings were that the presence of a substantial minority population was among the most important predictors of minority officer employment in city police departments. The presence of a Latino mayor and the presence of an African American or a Latino police chief were also significantly associated with increased minority police officer employment. Additionally, no evidence was found to suggest a detrimental impact caused by different minority groups competing with each other for limited police employment resources. Implications for future research are discussed in some detail.
Nanomechanics of Surface Modified Nanohydroxyapatite Particulates Used in Biomaterials

Hydroxyapatite is an important constituent of natural bone, and possesses excellent biocompatibility and bioactivity, but its brittle nature limits its use for bone tissue engineering. Nanohydroxyapatite nanoHAP has been used in synthesis of biomimetic composites for more than a decade, yet the mechanics of nanoHAP particles is not fully understood. The present work attempts to advance the current understanding of mechanics of hydroxyapatite at nanoscale, by carrying out systematic nanoindentation experiments on nanoHAP and surface modified nanoHAP prepared by in situ mineralization in presence of polyacrylic acid PAAc. Quantitative nanomodulus maps of both modified and unmodified HAP nanoparticles indicate that various surface features of HAP nanoparticles can be probed. Dips in values of elastic moduli across the nanoparticle surfaces in modified nanohydroxyapatite are indicative of composite responses from both polymer and mineral phases PAAc-HAP on the surface. Nanoindentation experiments were performed at 100, 1,000, 3,000, 5,000, and 8,000 N loads, respectively, to obtain the indentation response from both shallow and deep penetration depths. Nanoindentation results at shallow penetration depths are influenced by nanoscale surface roughness of irregular-shaped HAP nanopar- ticles and nonuniform distribution of PAAc in the microstructure. Significant nonbonded interactions between HAP and PAAc, as well as the mechanical properties of individual constituents HAP and PAAc lead to superior nanomechanical properties of surface-modified nanoHAP as compared to unmodified HAP. The overall inelastic nanomechanical response including damage leading to reduced overall elastic modulus is strongly influenced by the nature of the interfaces between the nanoparticles, especially when indent size is much larger than the particle size.
Anatomic organization of basoventral and mediodorsal visual recipient prefrontal regions in the rhesus monkey.

The sources of ipsilateral cortical afferent projections to basoventral and mediodorsal prefrontal cortices that receive some visual input were studied with retrograde tracers (horseradish peroxidase or fluorescent dyes) in eight rhesus monkeys. The basoventral regions injected with tracers included basal (orbital) areas 11 and 12, lateral area 12, and ventral area 46. The mediodorsal regions included portions of medial area 32 and the caudal part of dorsal area 8. These sites represent areas within basoventral and mediodorsal prefrontal cortices that show a gradual increase in architectonic differentiation in a direction from the least differentiated orbital and medial limbic cortices toward the most differentiated cortices in the arcuate concavity. The results showed that the visual input to basoventral and mediodorsal prefrontal cortices originated largely in topographically distinct visual areas. Thus, basoventral sites received most of their visual cortical projections from the inferior temporal cortex. The rostral inferior temporal region was the predominant source of visual projections to orbital prefrontal sites, whereas lateral area 12 and ventral area 46 also received projections which were found more caudally. In contrast, mediodorsal prefrontal sites received most of their visual projections from dorsolateral and dorsomedial visual areas. The cells of origin were located in rostromedial visual cortices after injection of retrograde tracers in area 32 and in more caudal medial and dorsolateral visual areas after injection in caudal area 8. The latter also received substantial projections from visuomotor regions in the caudal portion of the lateral bank of the intraparietal sulcus. These results suggest that the basoventral prefrontal cortices are connected with ventral visual areas implicated in pattern recognition and discrimination, whereas the mediodorsal cortices are connected with medial and dorsolateral occipital and parietal areas associated with visuospatial functions. In addition, the prefrontal areas studied received projections from auditory and/or somatosensory cortices, from areas associated with more than one modality, and from limbic regions. Orbital area 12 seemed to be a major target of projections from somatosensory cortices and the rostral portion of medial area 32 received substantial projections from auditory cortices. The least architectonically differentiated areas (orbital area 11 and medial area 32) had more widespread corticocortical connections, including strong links with limbic cortices. In contrast, areas which showed the highest degree of architectonic differentiation within the basoventral (area 46) and the mediodorsal (area 8) prefrontal cortices had restricted corticocortical connections.
Smooth Mesh Generation for Numerical Analysis of Blood Vessel Fluid Flow

A Matlab-based approach to image segmentation and mesh generation for creating high-quality hexagonal meshes is developed. The successful use of the procedure in patient-specific simulations of blood flow in a carotid artery is demonstrated.
PowerUp: an accessible virtual world

PowerUp is a multi-player virtual world educational game with a broad set of accessibility features built in. This paper considers what features are necessary to make virtual worlds usable by individuals with a range of perceptual, physical, and cognitive disabilities. The accessibility features were included in the PowerUp game and validated, to date, with blind and partially sighted users. These features include in-world navigation and orientation tools, font customization, self-voicing text-to-speech output, and keyboard-only and mouse-only navigation. We discuss user requirements gathering, the validation study, and further work needed.
Direct observations of fish incapacitation rates at a large electrical fish barrier in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal

The electric barrier system in the Chicago Sanitary and Ship Canal was designed to eliminate interbasin transfer of aquatic nuisance species between the Mississippi River and Great Lakes Basins. Electrical output was recently increased in an effort to more effectively eliminate the upstream migration of bighead carp (Hypophthalmichthys nobilis) and silver carp (Hypophthalmichthys molitrix). Using gizzard shad (Dorosoma cepedianum) as a surrogate species, we examined the effectiveness of the barrier at incapacitating fish by placing them in a non-conductive cage and transporting the fish through the barrier. This experiment was conducted before and after changes in operating parameters. Higher electrical output increased barrier effectiveness by decreasing the distance required to incapacitation. Overall, 97% and 100% of fish became incapacitated at the lower and higher electrical operating parameters, respectively. Fish were incapacitated the soonest during the winter and spring, which was likely influenced by the reduced movement activity in the cooler months and the larger fish available for testing later in the spring. Moreover, effectiveness was influenced by type of boat hull material used during testing. Fish that were transported through the barrier along an aluminum-hull boat were able to swim nearly twice the distance into the barrier as those transported with a fiberglass-hull boat during the summer. The delayed incapacitations along the aluminum boat were presumably due to distortion of the electrical field caused by the conductive hull. These results raise concerns regarding the effect that metal-hull barges might have on the effectiveness of the barrier during navigation.
LPI waveforms for active sonar

The idea of a low probability of intercept (LPI) waveform is that its form is chaotic. It can of course be recalled by the transmitter (platform), and matched to what is received; but to the target it appears only as noise, and consequently the robust target receiver can only detect a rise in energy. However, the platform pays a heavy two-way attenuation penalty: its signal to noise ratio (SNR) is far lower than that at the target. It is not immediately apparent that how these two factors trade off against one another, and that is the topic of this paper.
Statin therapy in patients with cirrhosis

Cardiovascular disease is one of the leading causes of death among patients with cirrhosis and following liver transplantation. Although 3-hydroxy-3-methyl-glutaryl-CoA reductase inhibitors ('statins') reduce the risk of cardiovascular events, fears about hepatotoxicity have historically led to underuse in patients with liver disease. In addition, the pharmacokinetics of statins can be significantly altered in cirrhosis, creating challenges with their use in liver disease. However, emerging data from randomised controlled trials and observational studies suggest that statin therapy appears to be safe and effective in patients with chronic liver disease and compensated cirrhosis. The cardiovascular risk benefits as well as the potential pleiotropic benefits of statins warrants strong consideration of use of statin therapy in patients with cirrhosis.
Mechanics of edge effects on frictionlesscontacts

Abstract This paper investigates edge effects on frictionless contacts. Edge phenomena are simulated by considering elastic contact near the edge of a wedge with varying wedge angle. Previous two-dimensional analysis is first reviewed and discussed to develop an understanding of the mechics when edges are in contact. Three-dimensional wedge contact is then considered. The integral equation for rigid indentation of an incompressible wedge derived by the authors is presently modified to study indentation by a dissimilar elastic body. The analysis will focus on evaluating the effect of proximity to the wedge apex on contact stress, contact area geometry and contact compliance. The effect of varying wedge angles and elastic mismatch (encompassed by the Dundurs constant α) will also be quantified. The conditions under which elastic mismatch results in a singular contact stress when contact extends to the wedge apex, derived by Dundurs and Lee, will be discussed and used to interpret the present numerical results.
Multiple views of spatial memory

Recent evidence indicates that mental representations of large (i.e., navigable) spaces are viewpoint dependent when observers are restricted to a single view. The purpose of the present study was to determine whether two views of a space would produce a single viewpoint-independent representation or two viewpoint-dependent representations. Participants learned the locations of objects in a room from two viewpoints and then made judgments of relative direction from imagined headings either aligned or misaligned with the studied views. The results indicated that mental representations of large spaces were viewpoint dependent, and that two views of a spatial layout appeared to produce two viewpoint-dependent representations in memory. Imagined headings aligned with the study views were more accessible than were novel headings in terms of both speed and accuracy of pointing judgments.
Formula: a programming language for expressive computer music

An overview is given of Formula (an abbreviation for Forth Music Language), a language for controlling synthesizers that can model the expressiveness of a human performance. Formula supports algorithmic composition, interactive performance, and programmed interpretation of traditional scores. It uses concurrent processes that share a single address space and are scheduled by the runtime system. Note-playing processes compute sequences of pitches and play these pitches as notes or chords. Auxiliary processes are attached to note-playing processes or groups to supply note parameters such as volume, duration, and articulation. Input-handling processes execute when input arrives from a particular device. Two representative Formula programs are described. >
The voice of emotion: an FMRI study of neural responses to angry and happy vocal expressions

The human voice is one of the principal conveyers of social and affective communication. Yet relatively little is known about the neural circuitry that supports the recognition of different vocally expressed emotions. We conducted an FMRI study to examine the brain responses to vocal expressions of anger and happiness, and to test whether specific brain regions showed preferential engagement in the processing of one emotion over the other. We also tested the extent to which simultaneously presented facial expressions of the same or different emotions would enhance brain responses, and to what degree such responses depend on attention towards the vocal expression. Forty healthy individuals were scanned while listening to vocal expressions of anger or happiness, while at the same time watching congruent or discrepant facial expressions. Happy voices elicited significantly more activation than angry voices in right anterior and posterior middle temporal gyrus (MTG), left posterior MTG and right inferior frontal gyrus. Furthermore, for the left MTG region, happy voices were related to higher activation only when paired with happy faces. Activation in the left insula, left amygdala and hippocampus, and rostral anterior cingulate cortex showed an effect of selectively attending to the vocal stimuli. Our results identify a network of regions implicated in the processing of vocal emotion, and suggest a particularly salient role for vocal expressions of happiness.
A 400 MHz Hyperthermia System using Rotating Spiral Antennas for Uniform Treatment of Large Superficial and Sub-Surface Tumors

Numerous studies have shown that hyperthermia can significantly increase the tumor-killing effects of radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy. Superficial tumors are usually treated with waveguide-based systems operating at 915 MHz which do not heat evenly or deeply enough for typical disease that spreads below and across the skin surface. A 400 MHz system that has been shown capable of treating somewhat larger and deeper volumes in previous animal and human clinical trials is investigated in this effort with the intent to further improve the technology. Real-time temperature, oxygen, and power reflection coefficient measurements are added for accurate control and deposition of the prescribed thermal dose while also assessing physiological response of the treated area. The heating performance of three spiral antenna applicators is evaluated in two ways. First the power deposition pattern is simulated with Ansoft HFSS for a single stationary microstrip spiral applicator radiating into muscle tissue. Next the power deposition averaged over one cycle of rotation is simulated with Ansoft HFSS for a single asymmetrically rotated spiral, and for larger heating patterns an asymmetrically rotated two antenna spiral array. To verify the simulations, the power deposition pattern of the largest dual spiral scanning applicator was evaluated in a muscle equivalent tissue phantom using infrared imaging of a 'split-phantom' load and the results compared to the HFSS simulated patterns. The data show that these spiral antennas heat uniformly above 50% of the maximum heating rate just beyond the perimeter of the scanning or fixed spiral structure, producing for the largest dual spiral a 17 cm diameter region at a depth of 3 cm. The results of a previous human clinical trial using these spiral applicators is presented along with our plans to optimize the applicator in terms of real time control and extent of heating based on new HFSS modeling and thermal analysis tools.
Assessing Illinois’s flood vulnerability using Hazus-MH

In this study, we developed a flood vulnerability index to help planners screen the relative flood vulnerability across the entire state of Illinois at the county, jurisdictional, and census block scales. Our flood vulnerability index was comprised of a deterministic flood loss assessment using the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s Hazus-MH multi-hazard loss estimation software, coupled with a parametric social vulnerability index developed from US Census data. The flood-vulnerability screening revealed that approximately half (46 %; 8500 km2) of Illinois’s 18,500 km2 special flood hazard areas (i.e., 100-year floodplain) had low flood vulnerability (i.e., few people affected, with little or no flood losses). This finding substantially reduces the area that Illinois planners may need to focus their mitigation efforts. The relative flood vulnerability across the three spatial scales evaluated in this study generally mirrored each other (i.e., counties with high flood vulnerability had a substantial number of its jurisdictions and census blocks with high flood vulnerability). However, the census block-level analysis revealed that counties and a substantial number of jurisdictions with moderate-to-low relative flood vulnerability often had pockets (one to a few census blocks) of high relative flood vulnerability. This suggests flood-vulnerability screening should be performed to at least the census block scale to ensure pockets of vulnerability are not overlooked. Jurisdictional flood loss ratios (flood losses proportional to total floodplain exposure) in Illinois were generally largest in rural and relatively unprotected floodplain communities located along the state’s large rivers. This suggests the economic impacts related to riverine flooding would be more severe in these rural jurisdictions, relative to their economic base, and likely exceed the economic resources these communities could assemble for flood recovery. The jurisdiction flood-vulnerability screening results indicated the primary driver of flood vulnerability was different between urban and rural communities. In urban jurisdictions, social vulnerability was the main driver in flood vulnerability where in the rural jurisdictions flood losses tended to be the primary driver. This suggests different mitigation strategies will likely need to be employed in urban versus rural jurisdictions in order to reduce flood vulnerability.
4-[(8-Alkyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octyl-3-yl)-3-arylanilino]-N,N-diethylbenzamides: high affinity, selective ligands for the delta opioid receptor illustrate factors important to antagonist activity

The tropane derived compounds, 4-[(8-alkyl-8-azabicyclo[3.2.1]octyl-3-yl)-3-arylanilino]-N,N-d iethylbenzamides (5a-d), were synthesized and found to have high affinity and selectivity for the delta receptor. Compounds 5a-d are structurally similar to the full agonist (-)-RTI-5989-54 (3); yet, efficacy studies for compounds in this series (5a-d) reveal greatly diminished agonist activity as well as antagonism not found in piperidine-based compounds like 3.