cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Extracellular phospholipase A2 activity in two in vivo models of inflammation.

Two “in vivo” models of inflammation have been used to investigate the role of phospholipases A2 (PLA2) in inflammation. These models are caseininduced peritonitis in the rat and zymosan-induced peritonitis in the mouse. The extracellular PLA2 activities from peritoneal lavage fluid in these two models are similar: they are calcium dependent and have broad neutral pH optima. However, the relationship between extracellular PLA2 activity and cell influx in these models are not identical. In zymosan peritonitis, PLA2 activity preceeded peak cell influx, reaching a maximum within 15 min after zymosan injection, while cell influx peaked by 8 hr. In casein-induced peritonitis, the PLA2 activity peaked at 24 hr, while cell influx continued through 48 hr. The origins of the PLA2 activities in both models remain unclear; one potential source is the plasma. Understanding the role of extracellular PLA2 activity in “in vivo” models, and investigating specific inhibitors in these models may aid in our understanding of the role of extracellular PLA2 in diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis, endotoxin shock and pancreatitis.
High Average Power Table-Top Soft X-Ray Lasers Using Diode-Pumped Laser Drivers

Soft X-ray lasers (SXRLs) produce the highest energy pulses of coherent ultrashort wavelength radiation. Their large number of photons per pulse allow us to perform single-shot imaging of nanoscale objects, to develop material composition sensitive nanoprobes, and to conduct interferometric diagnostics of bright dense plasmas. However, until recently, with the exception of capillary discharge lasers at 46.9 nm, their average power was limited by the low repetition rate of the high energy optical pump lasers required to drive them and by the relatively low pumping efficiency. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a diode-pumped, picosecond Yb:YAG CPA laser driver that allowed us to demonstrate the first table-top SXRL capable of 100 Hz repetition rate gain saturated operation. These new pump lasers combined with efficient plasma heating techniques enable the operation of SXRLs at four orders of magnitude higher repetition rate than the first plasma-based collisional SXRLs (Fig. 2.1). Laser operation at 100 Hz repetition rate generated an average power of 0.2 mW at 18.9 nm (Ni-like Mo) and 0.1 mW at λ = 13.9 nm (Ni-like Ag). We have recently improved upon this diode-pumped laser technology, demonstrating a record 0.5 kHz repetition rate, 1 J, picosecond laser with good beam quality and high stability. We will discuss the results of the first demonstration of a compact table-top soft X-ray laser at repetition rates up to 400 Hz using this new pump laser.
Between Research and Activism: Identifying Pathways to Inclusive Research

In a book by anthropologists, it is of course worth mentioning that much of what anthropologists do in their research is already quite participatory. Anthropologists generally live with and as part of the communities that they hope to better understand, and in this process of participant observation they ideally come to know the nuances of everyday life for individual members of a particular group. Indeed, it is not uncommon for anthropologists to share deep and sometimes lifelong bonds with participants in their research, nor is it uncommon for anthropologists to feel a strong sense of self-identification with the communities in which they have become embedded through their fieldwork.
Design and synthesis of structured particles for next-generation lithium-ion batteries

Abstract To meet the increasing demand for energy storage, it is very urgent and crucial to develop next-generation lithium ion batteries (LIBs) using carbon alternative electrode materials. The theoretical capacity of graphite (372 mA h g− 1) is almost achieved and becomes one of the bottlenecks to further increase the energy density of LIBs based on carbon. Therefore, there is an urgent need to develop higher capacity materials to meet the increasing demand for energy storage. Many carbon-alternative electrode materials have been proposed. However, poor cyclability, large volume variation during cycling, and poor conductivity are known issues associated with those high-capacity carbon-alternative electrode materials. One strategy is to design and tailor nano/microstructures of those materials in order to address the challenges. Anisotropic particles, using iron oxides as the model, have been prepared in various sizes, shapes, and structures, which demonstrated impressive electrochemical performances. Therefore, anisotropic particles can find promising application in next-generation LIBs.
Competing assessments of market-driven, sustainability-centered, and stakeholder-focused approaches to the customer-brand relationships and performance

Abstract For over two decades, marketing strategy has centered on the importance of being primarily market-driven to achieve superior customer-brand relationships and firm performance. However, changes in the business environment have prompted some organizations to embrace newer approaches to marketing strategy development, such as being sustainability-centered or stakeholder-focused. Using a competing analysis framework, we assess the marketing performance implications of these three approaches to marketing strategy development (i.e., market-driven, sustainability-centered, and stakeholder-focused) while accounting for other firm and industry effects. The hypotheses are tested using secondary data involving 1716 firms over a four-year period. The results indicate that, in general, placing more emphasis on a broad set of stakeholders (i.e., customers, employees, suppliers, shareholders, communities, and regulators) when developing marketing strategy is more important in achieving superior performance than is engaging in market-driven or sustainability-centered efforts. These findings support previous research that social responsibility associated with a stakeholder-focused strategy has a positive impact on customer-brand relationships resulting in performance. The results also indicate that distinctive marketing strategies exist among tangible product firms, service firms, low/stable tech firms, and high-tech firms.
Internet Access Influences Community Clinic Portal Use

Purpose: To assess whether individuals attending a community clinic had the necessary Internet access and experience to use the patient portal, while examining covariates of education, income, and self-perception of health with past and anticipated portal use. Methods: Adults attending an urban, community primary care clinic were invited to participate in a brief survey assessing current Internet access and use, past portal use, and anticipated future portal use. Survey responses were analyzed using descriptive and multivariate statistics. Results: One hundred fifteen participants ranging in age from 18 to 84 years (mean 42.1, standard deviation 17.1) completed the survey; 6 (5%) in Spanish. Thirty-five (30%) self-identified as Latino; 12 (10%) as Asian; and 20 (17%) as other. Almost 80% reported their health as good or better. Although 38% reported some college and 47% reported being college graduates, 60% reported household incomes were 1 year. Fewer than half (42%) had past portal use, with significant differences associated with weekly Internet use (Fisher's exact=9.59; p=0.02) and smart phone access (Fisher's exact=6.15; p=0.02). Computer Internet access was significantly associated with income (Fisher's exact=16.91; p<0.001). Logistic regression identified that computer Internet access was a significant predictor (odds ratio 9.9 (95% confidence interval: 1.7-58.8) of future portal use, controlling for smart phone use, health status, gender, and age. Conclusions: Among this highly educated but lower economic sample, computer Internet access and smart phone access were associated with past portal use and anticipated future use.
Smart Home Energy Management Considering Real-Time Energy Pricing of Plug-in Electric Vehicles

This paper presents a new energy management algorithm for a smart home with a Plug-in Electric Vehicle (PEV), home energy storage, and photovoltaics (PV), which is based on grid and PEV energy cost minimization. To achieve this, a new term that represents the exact price of stored energy for PEV is presented and referred to as the Energy Price Tag (EPT). The algorithm establishes a priority order between the PEV, battery, and imported power from the grid with the goal of minimizing the overall cost of imported grid energy and PEV charging cost. Simulation results on a typical smart home over a 24-hour period indicate that considering EPT in energy management calculations not only provides more realistic results but also increases the user benefit, by reducing the PEV's final stored energy cost as well as minimizing the total cost of consumed energy from the grid.
DISC 2018 Review

The 32nd International Symposium on Distributed Computing, DISC 2018 was held in New Orleans, USA, from October 15-19, 2018. The conference took place at the Hampton Inn & Suites New Orleans-Convention Center and was organized by Costas Busch of Louisiana State University. The conference included two workshops and three days of main conference this year.
Use of Wearable Technology and Social Media to Improve Physical Activity and Dietary Behaviors among College Students: A 12-Week Randomized Pilot Study.

College students demonstrate poor physical activity (PA) and dietary behaviors. We evaluated the feasibility of a combined smartwatch and theoretically based, social media-delivered health education intervention versus a comparison on improving college students’ health behaviors/outcomes. Thirty-eight students (28 female; Xage = 21.5 ± 3.4 years) participated in this two-arm, randomized 12-week pilot trial (2017–2018). Participants were randomized into: (a) experimental: Polar M400 use and twice-weekly social cognitive theory- and self-determination theory-based Facebook-delivered health education intervention; or (b) comparison: enrollment only in separate, but content-identical, Facebook intervention. Primary outcomes pertained to intervention feasibility. Secondary outcomes included accelerometer-estimated PA, physiological/psychosocial outcomes, and dietary behaviors. Intervention adherence was high (~86%), with a retention of 92.1%. Participants implemented health education tips 1–3 times per week. We observed experimental and comparison groups to have 4.2- and 1.6-min/day increases in moderate-to-vigorous PA (MVPA), respectively, at six weeks—partially maintained at 12 weeks. In both groups, similarly decreased body weight (experimental = −0.6 kg; comparison = −0.5 kg) and increased self-efficacy, social support, and intrinsic motivation were observed pre- and post-intervention. Finally, we observed small decreases in daily caloric consumption over time (experimental = −41.0 calories; comparison = −143.3). Both interventions were feasible/of interest to college students and demonstrated initial effectiveness at improving health behaviors/outcomes. However, smartwatch provision may not result in an additional benefit.
Elevated Risk for Sessile Serrated Polyps in African Americans with Endometrial Polyps

Colorectal and endometrial lesions increase with age. It is not known if these two precursor lesions in sporadic cases associate with each other. To determine the association between colorectal polyps and endometrial polyps (EP) in African Americans. We reviewed records of patients referred to gynecology clinics and had colonoscopy at Howard University Hospital from January 2004 to December 2015. We defined cases as all patients who had EP and underwent colonoscopy. For controls, we used EP-free patients who underwent colonoscopy. Logistic regression analysis was used to assess the association between colon polyps and EP. The median age was 60 years in 118 Cases and 57 years in 664 Controls. The overall colorectal polyps prevalence in the two groups was not statistically different (54% in controls vs. 52% in cases, P = 0.60). Sessile serrated adenoma/polyps (SSPs) were more frequent in cases (8% vs. 2% in controls, P = 0.003). Sigmoid and rectal locations were more prevalent in controls than cases. In multivariate analysis and after adjusting for age, diabetes mellitus (DM), and BMI, SSPs were associated with EP occurrence with an odds ratio of 4.6 (CI 1.2–16.7, P = 0.022). Colorectal polyp prevalence was similar in EP patients compared to EP-free controls. However, we observed a significant association between higher-risk SSPs in patients with EP. The prevalence of smoking and DM was higher in these patients. Females with EP might benefit from a screening for colonic lesions in an age-independent manner.
Duration Analysis of Emergency Shutdown Incidents Regarding Hazardous Liquid Pipelines

AbstractPipelines serve as critical infrastructure, and shutdowns of any duration can cause interruptions to sensitive supply chains. This paper develops a model using 789 incidents involving a haz...
Safety of Enalapril in Infants: Data from the Pediatric Heart Network Infant Single Ventricle Trial.

Objective To assess the safety profile of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitor therapy in infants with single ventricle. Study design The Pediatric Heart Network conducted a double-blind trial involving infants with single ventricle physiology randomized to receive enalapril or placebo and followed to 14 months of age. Data including demographics, drug administration, hemodynamic monitoring, laboratory measurements, adverse events, and survival were extracted from the public use data set and compared between the placebo and enalapril-treated groups. Results The Infant Single Ventricle trial randomized 230 patients, with 115 patients in each group. Initial enalapril dose was 0.10 mg/kg/d and median maximal dose was 0.38 mg/kg/d. There was no significant difference in change in blood pressure at study drug initiation or when resuming study drug after Glenn surgery. The incidence of hyperkalemia and neutropenia did not differ between groups. Renal dysfunction occurred in 3% of the enalapril group and none of the placebo patients, which was not statistically significant. There was a high frequency of serious adverse events in both groups. There was no difference in the frequency of heart transplant or death between groups. Conclusions Enalapril did not have sustained hemodynamic effects at initiation or up-titration of drug. Creatinine and potassium were not different between groups, although renal dysfunction occurred more often in the patients on enalapril. Although efficacy of enalapril in neonates with single ventricle has not been demonstrated, the safety profile of angiotensin-converting enzyme inhibitors appears to be low risk in infants and children with significant heart disease.
Outcomes following liver transplantation from HCV-seropositive donors to HCV-seronegative recipients

Background & Aims Grafts from HCV-seropositive donors can now be considered for liver transplantation (LT) owing to the advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs). We report on our multicenter experience of transplanting liver grafts from HCV-seropositive donors into HCV-seronegative recipients. Methods This is a prospective multicenter observational study evaluating outcomes in adult HCV-seronegative LT recipients who received grafts from HCV-seropositive donors in 3 US centers. Results From 01/18 to 09/19, 34 HCV-seronegative LT recipients received grafts from HCV-seropositive donors (20 HCV-viremic and 14 non-viremic). Seven grafts were from cardiac-dead donors. The median MELD-Na score at allocation was 20. Six recipients underwent simultaneous liver-kidney transplant and 4 repeat LT. No recipient of an HCV-non-viremic graft developed HCV viremia. All 20 patients who received HCV-viremic grafts had HCV viremia confirmed within 3 days after LT. DAA treatment was started at a median of 27.5 days after LT. Median pre-treatment viral load was 723,000 IU/ml. All (20/20) patients completed treatment and achieved SVR12. Treatment was well tolerated with minimal adverse events. One patient developed HCV-related acute membranous nephropathy that resulted in end-stage kidney disease, despite achieving viral clearance. This patient died due to presumed infectious complications. A recipient of an HCV-non-viremic graft died with acute myocardial infarction 610 days post LT. Conclusions Transplantation of liver grafts from HCV-seropositive donors into HCV-seronegative recipients resulted in excellent short-term outcomes. Antiviral therapy was effective and well tolerated. Careful ongoing assessment and prompt initiation of antiviral therapy are recommended. Longer term follow-up in carefully conducted clinical trials is still required to confirm these results. Lay summary This study shows that livers from donors exposed to HCV expand the donor pool and can be used safely in patients who are seronegative for hepatitis C infection. Treatment, initiated early post transplantation, is effective and resulted in cure in all patients.
Bilateral occipital metastases: Visual deficits and management considerations.

Background Metastases to the bilateral occipital lobes pose a difficult clinical scenario due to risk of debilitating visual loss. We sought to characterize clinical outcomes following different treatment modalities to help guide management in this challenging situation. Methods We retrospectively reviewed brain metastases patients treated at a single institution between 2008 and 2017 and assessed visual symptoms before and after treatment, the tumor and peritumoral edema volumes before treatment, and clinical outcomes including mortality. Results Eighteen patients with metastases affecting both occipital lobes were identified. Lung cancer represented the most common primary (n = 10). Visual deficits were present in 12 patients at the time of diagnosis of bilateral occipital metastases (67%). Patients received radiotherapy (n = 5) or combined surgical resection and radiotherapy (n = 13). Among symptomatic patients, two received radiation and 10 received combined surgery and radiation. Nine patients had improved visual symptoms after treatment with no new visual deficits reported as a result of treatment. Among asymptomatic patients, three were treated with radiation alone and three with resection and radiation. Three of these patients developed new visual symptoms following treatment, including one patient with Balint's syndrome. Conclusion Patients with symptomatic bilateral occipital lobe metastases may experience visual improvement following intervention, especially if symptoms stem from compression or edema. Those without visual symptoms are at risk of developing new visual deficits during treatment, which should be included in the decision-making process and when counseling patients. Visual deficits improved after surgery in the majority of patients, with no cases of immediate visual deterioration.
Origin of the anomalously low Raman exponents in single molecule magnets

The Raman exponent of single molecular magnetic relaxation may take various unexpected values because of rich phonon spectra and spin-phonon coupling of molecular crystals. We systematically examine the origins of different abnormalities and clarify misunderstandings of the past, particularly the appropriateness of the fitting procedures for the exponents. We find that exponential laws raised by optical phonons can yield spurious power laws with low exponents. This observation indicates long-standing misunderstandings of the origins of low Raman exponents in a large bulk of single molecule magnets. Resulting from spin-lattice coupling with optical modes, the presence of these exponents suggests the importance of the local dynamical environment for the magnetic relaxation in this regime.
Generation and characterization of an induced pluripotent stem cell line SDQLCHi018-A from a congenital myasthenic syndrome patient carrying compound heterozygote mutations in RAPSN gene

Abstract Mutations in RAPSN are an important cause of congenital myasthenic syndrome (CMS). In this study, we generated an induced pluripotent stem cell line (iPSC) derived from a 14-day-old male CMS patient carrying compound heterozygote mutations (c.532-2A > G and c.264C > A/p.Asn88Lys) in RAPSN gene. The established iPSC line harboring the original mutations, possessing a normal karyotype, is able to differentiate into all three germ layers in vitro and expresses pluripotency markers.
Bayesian inference approaches for the detection and characterization of hidden pitting corrosion

Abstract In this work, we consider a thermographic inspection setup for detection and characterization of corrosion in a steel structure. Solid products of corrosion, if present, interact with the flow of heat within a domain, so that a structure’s thermal response to a known energy input can provide information about internal damage. We focus our study on pitting corrosion, which complicates the detection and characterization tasks because the damage can be both small and hidden on inaccessible areas of the structure. Nevertheless, pitting corrosion poses a threat to structural components, so early detection is important. We develop a procedure based on Bayesian mathematical analysis to achieve rigorous inference over locations and geometric forms of hidden corrosion pits based on their subtle influences within noisy temperature measurements made on observable portions of the structure. A strategy is developed for optimizing a thermographic framework for the purpose of maximizing this response. Numerical experiments are performed to demonstrate our proposed corrosion detection and characterization procedure. It is found that reliable inference can be done on corrosion pits millimeters deep in the rear side of a steel panel using observations on the front side only. The Bayesian inference method is also shown to be effective in more complex structural geometries.
"Your network bandwith is low": Online Participatory Music-Making in the COVID-19 Era

My contribution is a personal account about my experiences with online participatory music-making in the first few months of the pandemic. As an old-time fiddler, I anchored a local Zoom jam and attended a Zoom-based music camp. As a Sacred Harp singer, I participated in regular singings via Facebook Live.
Mentoring Journal Manuscript Reviewers Using a Competency-Based Approach: The Next Developmental Stage for the Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings

Founded in 1994, The Journal of Clinical Psychology in Medical Settings (JCPMS) has paralleled the development of psychology’s role in health care as well as contributing to its growth in science, services, and education in medical settings. JCPMS provides an essential, unique publishing outlet for health service psychology as represented by the recognized psychological specialties in those settings. At this point in its development, The Journal has turned its attention to generativity and contributing further to the field by helping prepare the next generation of journal manuscript reviewers and future psychological scientists. A brief developmental history of The Journal and its relationship to the evolution of health service psychology is offered followed by a description of a task-specific mentoring process for a new generation of manuscript reviewers. Building on work by other authors, a competency-based model is used to rearrange previously published guidance into categories of knowledge, skills, and attitudes required to become a competent manuscript reviewer. General competencies are described within each of those categories as well as specific behavioral anchors that a mentee must master in order to carry out a competent review.
Older immigrant Latino gay men and childhood sexual abuse: Findings from the Palabras Fuertes project

Childhood Sexual Abuse (CSA) and maltreatment have long-term negative impacts on survivors, including older adults. Yet, limited qualitative examinations of how these experiences impact the lives o...
Examining the relationship between motivation, stress, and satisfaction among graduate students

Motivation, stress, and satisfaction are all key elements in academic success. Academic motivation is linked with positive outcomes, such as low levels of stress, high satisfaction, and mental well...
OPTIMUM LIFE OF EQUIPMENT FOR MAXIMUM PROFIT

A GROUP OF EQUATIONS IS DEVELOPED IN THIS PAPER TO STIMULATE THE COSTS OF OWNING, MAINTAINING, AND OPERATING CONSTRUCTION EQUIPMENT. BY MANIPULATING THE VARIABLES IN THESE EQUATIONS, THE DECISION-MAKER IS ABLE TO CONFIRM QUANTITATIVELY THE DECISIONS HE MUST MAKE WHICH INVOLVE THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF HIS EQUIPMENT. THE ECONOMIC LIFE OF A PIECE OF EQUIPMENT IS DEFINED AS THAT LIFE WHICH MAXIMIZES THE RETURN TO THE OWNER DURING THE LIFE OF HIS ENTERPRISE. IN MAKING DESICIONS ABOUT EQUIPMENT POLICY, MODERN ECONOMIC ENVIRONMENT DICTATES A CONSIDERATION OF AT LEAST THE FOLLOWING BASIC CONCEPTS: (1) TIME VALUE OF MONEY; (2) TECHNOLOGICAL ADVANCES IN EQUIPMENT (OBSOLESCENCE); (3) EFFECT OF TAXES (DEPRECIATION TECHNIQUES); (4) INFLUENCE OF INFLATION; (5) INCREASED COST OF BORROWING MONEY; (6) CONTINUING REPLACEMENTS IN THE FUTURE; AND (7) INCREASED COST OF FUTURE MACHINES. ALL OF THESE CONCEPTS ARE INCLUDED IN THE MODEL WHICH IS DESCRIBED. /AUTHOR/
Platelet Secretion Defect in Patients With the Attention Deficit Disorder and Easy Bruising

Platelet function was evaluated in 12 patients with the attention deficit disorder and lifelong history of easy bruising. Aggregation and 14C-serotonin secretion studies in platelet-rich plasma in response to adenosine diphosphate (ADP), epinephrine, and arachidonic acid did not reveal striking abnormalities. Secretion of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), ADP, beta-hexosaminidase, and beta-glucuronidase by gel-filtered platelets in response to the divalent cation ionophore A23187 and low concentrations of thrombin (less than or equal to 0.1 U/ml) was impaired in patients as compared to normals. The aggregation response to A23187 (4 microM) was absent in 8 of the 12 patients. The total stores of the secretable constituents, the retention of incorporated 14C-serotonin, and the arachidonate metabolism of the platelets were normal. Our findings suggest a new platelet disorder with impaired secretion mechanism, without storage pool deficiency or impaired arachidonate metabolism. The secretion defect in platelets represents a tissue disorder in a functional psychiatric disease. We refocus attention on the role of platelets as a model for neurons in functional disorders, with emphasis on secretion mechanisms rather than amine uptake, storage, and metabolism.
Data Flow Modeling and Verification in Business Process Management

Workflow technology has become a standard solution to managing increasingly complex business processes. Successful business process management depends on effective workflow modeling tools. Recently, researchers have developed a variety of workflow models, focusing mainly on the control and coordination of tasks, i.e. the control flow perspective. However, most of these workflow models found in the literature have paid little attention to the data flow perspective. In this paper, we investigate the data flow issues and propose a data flow modeling approach in the context of business process management. Our research objective is to develop a data flow modeling tool that supports data flow verification in workflow systems. Our contributions include also the classification of data flow operations and data flow anomalies.
Cyclic allocation of two-dimensional data

Various proposals have been made for declustering 2D tiled data on multiple I/O devices. Strictly optimal solutions only exist under very restrictive conditions on the tiling of the 2D space or for very few I/O devices. In this paper, we explore allocation methods where no strictly optimal solution exists. We propose a general class of allocation methods, referred to as cyclic allocation methods, and show that many existing methods are instances of this class. As a result, various seemingly ad hoc and unrelated methods are presented in a single framework. Furthermore, the framework is used to develop new allocation methods that give better performance than any previous method and that approach the best feasible performance.
Linker for Activation of T Cells, ζ-Associated Protein-70, and Src Homology 2 Domain-Containing Leukocyte Protein-76 are Required for TCR-Induced Microtubule-Organizing Center Polarization

Engagement of the T cell with Ag on an APC results in a series of immediate signaling events emanating from the stimulation of the TCR. These events include the induced phosphorylation of a number of cellular proteins with a subsequent increase in intracellular calcium and the restructuring of the microtubule and actin cytoskeleton within the T cell. This restructuring of the cytoskeleton culminates in the polarization of the T cell’s secretory apparatus toward the engaging APC, allowing the T cell to direct secretion of cytokines toward the appropriate APC. This polarization can be monitored by analyzing the position of the microtubule-organizing center (MTOC), as it moves toward the interface of the T cell and APC. The requirements for MTOC polarization were examined at a single-cell level by studying the interaction of a Jurkat cell line expressing a fluorescently labeled MTOC with Staphylococcal enterotoxin superantigen-bound Raji B cell line, which served as the APC. We found that repolarization of the MTOC substantially followed fluxes in calcium. We also used immobilized anti-TCR mAb and Jurkat signaling mutants, defective in TCR-induced calcium increases, to determine whether signaling components that are necessary for a calcium response also play a role in MTOC polarization. We found that ζ-associated protein-70 as well as its substrate adaptor proteins linker for activation of T cells and Src homology 2 domain-containing leukocyte protein-76 are required for MTOC polarization. Moreover, our studies revealed that a calcium-dependent event not requiring calcineurin or calcium/calmodulin-dependent kinase is required for TCR-induced polarization of the MTOC.
Theory of magnetostriction with applications to TbxDy1-xFe2

Abstract We present a new approach to magnetostriction that is formulated to describe materials with large magnetostriction. The main idea of the theory is to derive precisely from lattice considerations the potential wells of the anisotropy energy. The theory exhibits frustration in the sense explored by the authors in the rigid case, with fine domains modelled by minimizing sequences. It is applied to the material Tbx Dy1-xFe2 and predicts accurately the domain structures observed by Lord in growth twinned crystals, and suggests a mechanism of magnetostriction involving a switch from a coarse domain structure to a different finer domain structure.
Ambientes de aprendizaje en Física: Evolución hacia ambientes constructivistas

The relevance of the learning environment research can be found in its influence on the human behavior. The scholar learning environment is defined in terms of the shared environment perceptions between students and teachers, involving the different relationships developed among them. The learning environment modifications respond to the needs of the new teaching/learning strategies. There has been some classroom redesign intended to improve the teaching-learning process in physics education. This report presents the evolution of the traditional learning environments to the student centered learning environments. In example, we present the SCALE-UP environment which has shown improvements in the physics students’ learning; it has been replicated in several universities, including a Mexican one. Even though students and teachers recognize the active learning strategies can be implemented in a traditional classroom, the environment generated in a student centered classroom changes the dynamics.
Family planning: Its health rationale

Abstract The achievement of small, well-spaced families for all socioeconomic groups should result in better health for mothers and their families. Increasing family size, particularly with extremely brief nonpregnant intervals in mothers at high risk socially, is associated with: (1) increased maternal, fetal, neonatal, and postneonatal mortality rates; (2) higher prematurity rates; (3) less parental care and more limited educational aspiration for children; (4) greater likelihood of child abuse; (5) increasing incidence of infectious diseases in parents and children; (6) poorer growth—in both height and weight—among preschool- and school-children; (7) lower Intelligence Quotient scores among children; (8) increased prevalence of selected diseases among parents. Under current conditions, a small, well-spaced family appears to offer promise of improved health status for high-risk parents and their children. This sum of our best medical knowledge to date is discussed in the light of its implications for policy development and program implementation.
Estimating the Conditional CAPM with Overlapping Data Inference

Asset pricing models such as the conditional CAPM are typically estimated with MLE using a monthly or quarterly horizon with data sampled to match the horizon even though daily data are available. We develop an overlapping data inference methodology (ODIN) that uses all of the data while maintaining the monthly or quarterly forecasting period, and we apply it to the conditional CAPM. Our approach recognizes that the first order conditions of MLE can be used as orthogonality conditions of GMM. We simulate from GARCH and MIDAS models and examine the substantial reductions in standard errors and increases in power that arise from our methodology. Using historical data, we find considerable differences in the estimates from the non-overlapping samples that begin on different days. Using our overlapping data inference, we find a significant risk-return trade-off in the monthly data from 1955 to 2011 with a symmetric GARCH model.
Socialist Morality: Towards a Political Philosophy for Democratic Socialism*

There has been much discussion in recent years of the role of moral ideas within Marxism. Marx's stringent criticisms of purely philosophical inquiry impose rather narrow limits on the form which a Marxian moral philosophy might take. For Marx often holds that moral ideas and moral theorizing are irremediably ideological. By this Marx appears to mean that moral ideas are part and parcel of a system of class domination, a way of preserving class domination through internalized norms. As many recent commentators have shown, however, these criticisms of moral reasoning, though present in Marx's system, cannot be the beginning and end of his stance on moral matters. For Marx himself is committed to making normative judgments about capitalism and socialism, and there is a richly textured set of normative ideas that run through his writings from early to late. Further, and perhaps more compellingly, there is a pressing need internal to Marxism for discussion of moral ideas in order to steer the course towards the attainment of socialism.
Nonlinear Ehrenfest's urn model.

Ehrenfest's urn model is modified by introducing nonlinear terms in the associated transition probabilities. It is shown that these modifications lead, in the continuous limit, to a Fokker-Planck equation characterized by two competing diffusion terms, namely, the usual linear one and a nonlinear diffusion term typical of anomalous diffusion. By considering a generalized $H$ theorem, the associated entropy is calculated, resulting in a sum of Boltzmann-Gibbs and Tsallis entropic forms. It is shown that the stationary state of the associated Fokker-Planck equation satisfies precisely the same equation obtained by extremization of the entropy. Moreover, the effects of the nonlinear contributions on the entropy production phenomenon are also analyzed.
Simplified Optimum Modulation Indices

The design of a narrowband, phase-modulated, multisubcarrier, phase-coherent, space-communication system requires that the subcarrier modulation indices be kept within close tolerance limits. This need arises since the modulation indices directly affect the division of power among the carrier and subcarriers. If the system is not designed in an optimum manner to handle large tolerance variation, the system performance may degrade sharply in an adverse environment. A universal graphical technique?modulation loss contours?is developed as a design tool for the ?optimum? selection of modulation indices. The technique is novel in that it yields solutions directly from the universal curves and does not require the drawing of additional curves. Two criteria of optimization are considered, simultaneous thresholding and minimal sensitivity. The minimally sensitive case is considered as weighted simultaneous thresholding and is solved by the aid of a graphical algorithm. The technique is applicable to k subcarriers (sinusoidal and/or square wave), considering three subcarriers at a time-two subcarriers as direct variables and the third as a parameter?all other subcarriers remaining constant. Previous techniques required trial and error methods, drawing of curves, or computerized search techniques to arrive at the proper modulation indices and maximum tolerance bands. This method allows a quick solution to the tolerance problem and optimum selection of modulation indices, facilitating the design and/or analysis of narrowband PM systems.
NEW CASCADE SILYLCARBOCYCLIZATION (SICAC) OF ENEDIYNES

Abstract The Rh(acac)(CO)2-catalyzed cascade silylcarbocyclizations (SiCaC) of (6E)- and (6Z)-dodec-6-ene-1,11-diynes stereospecifically give (R∗,R∗)- and (S∗,R∗)-bis(exo-methylenecyclopentyl) respectively in good isolated yields.
Exploring the structural landscape of 2-aminopyrazines via co-crystallizations

A correlation between the electrostatic charge on the hydrogen-bond acceptor sites of 2-aminopyrazine derivatives and the ability of the compound to form intermolecular hydrogen bonds with carboxylic acids in the solid state has been established. The charge on the hydrogen-bond acceptor can be modulated which leads to a predictable lowering of the supramolecular yield of the reaction. The outcome of all reactions was screened using IR spectroscopy, and twelve new crystal structures are reported to verify the spectroscopic assignments, and to examine the exact nature of the primary intermolecular interactions. The binding preference of carboxylic acids towards the two possible binding sites of 2-aminopyrazines has also been examined, and the main driving force for the assembly of the heteromer between bases and carboxylic acids is the two-point O–H⋯N/O⋯H–N synthon. However, seven out of twelve times carboxylic acids also bind via a single-point O–H⋯N synthons. This ‘synthon crossover’ is unavoidable due to highly competitive binding sites present in the N-heterocyclic bases chosen.
Metrical expectations from preceding prosody influence perception of lexical stress

Two visual-world experiments tested the hypothesis that expectations based on preceding prosody influence the perception of suprasegmental cues to lexical stress. The results demonstrate that listeners’ consideration of competing alternatives with different stress patterns (e.g., ‘jury/gi’raffe) can be influenced by the fundamental frequency and syllable timing patterns across material preceding a target word. When preceding stressed syllables distal to the target word shared pitch and timing characteristics with the first syllable of the target word, pictures of alternatives with primary lexical stress on the first syllable (e.g., jury) initially attracted more looks than alternatives with unstressed initial syllables (e.g., giraffe). This effect was modulated when preceding unstressed syllables had pitch and timing characteristics similar to the initial syllable of the target word, with more looks to alternatives with unstressed initial syllables (e.g., giraffe) than to those with stressed initial syllables (e.g., jury). These findings suggest that expectations about the acoustic realization of upcoming speech include information about metrical organization and lexical stress, and that these expectations constrain the initial interpretation of suprasegmental stress cues. These distal prosody effects implicate on-line probabilistic inferences about the sources of acoustic-phonetic variation during spoken-word recognition.
Modeling instability in the control system for human respiration: applications to infant non-REM sleep

Mathematical models of the human respiratory control system have been developed since 1940 to study a wide range of features of this complex system. The phenomena collectively referred to as periodic breathing (including Cheyne-Stokes respiration and apneustic breathing) have important medical implications. The hypothesis that periodic breathing is the result of delay in the feedback signals to the respiratory control system has been studied since the work of F.S. Grodins, J. Gray, A.I. Norins, R.W. Jones [J. Appl. Physiol. 1 (1954) 283-308] in the early 1950s. The purpose of this paper is to extend the model presented by M.C.K. Khoo, R.E. Kronauer, K.P. Strohl, A.S. Slutsky [J. Appl. Physiol. 53 (3) (1982) 644-659] in 1991 to include variable delay in the feedback control loop and to study the phenomena of periodic breathing and apnea as they occur during quiet sleep in infant sleep respiration at around 4 months of age. The nonlinear mathematical model consists of a feedback control system of five delay differential equations. Numerical simulations are performed to study instabilities in the control system and the occurrence of periodic breathing and apnea in the above case which is a time frame of high incidence of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS).
Stability of Blade-Casing Interference in Turbomachinery and the Design Alternatives on Damping Characteristics

Bladed disks in turbomachinery are commonly designed to operate within a very small clearance from the stationary shroud (casing). For variety of reasons, however, they interfere with each other during routine operation which results in undesirable vibrations. The novel idea in this paper originates from the claim that this dynamics is inherently akin to internal machining operation which uses compliant cutters (blades) with relatively rigid workpiece (casing). It is known that machining processes suffer from a phenomenon called chatter, which has been studied over decades to a considerable extend. We propose a new perspective to investigate the stability of blade-casing contact vibrations by a modeling approach borrowed from chatter literature. The mathematical model arises with a signature time-delayed dynamics for which we utilize a recent analytical tool called the Cluster Treatment of Characteristic Roots (CTCR). We present an exhaustive stability analysis and study the effects of altering damping characteristics in the casing structure.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Rac1 Mediates Dendrite Formation in Response to Melanocyte Stimulating Hormone and Ultraviolet Light in a Murine Melanoma Model

Melanocytes are pigment producing cells that reside in the basal layer of the epidermis, and form multiple long dendritic processes that transport melanosomes from the melanocyte cell body to the dendritic tips, and then to keratinocytes. Dendrite formation requires actin polymerization in the newly forming dendrite, and dendrite formation in melanocytes is stimulated by hormones and ultraviolet light. The rho-subfamily of monomeric guanosine triphosphate-binding proteins is implicated in remodeling the cellular actin cytoskeleton, resulting in the formation of filopodia, lamellipodia, and stress fibers, as well as in oncogenesis and activation of the Jun/p38 mitogen activated kinase cascade. In this paper we show that rac1 induces the formation of dendrite-like structures when activated mutants are transiently expressed in B16F1 murine melanoma cells and in four human melanoma cell lines. Activated mutants of cdc42 and rhoA induced the formation of filopodia and stress fibers, respectively, in B16F1 cells, but not dendrites. A dominant negative inhibitor of rac1 abrogated the ability of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone, a peptide hormone known to stimulate melanocyte dendrite formation, and ultraviolet light, to induce dendrite formation in B16F1 cells, and α-melanocyte stimulating hormone and ultraviolet light stimulated the localization of rac1 to dendrite cell membranes. These results suggest that rac1 is an important signaling intermediate in dendrite formation in B16F1 cells, and that rac1 mediates the well-known ability of α-melanocyte stimulating hormone and ultraviolet light to induce dendrite formation.
Resolution, specificity and transphosphorylase activity of calcifying cartilage alkaline phosphatases.

The phosphate releasing activity from calf scapula calcifying cartilage was resolved by DEAE-cellulose chromatography into two distinct phosphatase activities. The activity eluted first from the column (phosphatase I) was active towards a variety of phosphate esters and several linear oligo phosphates including sodium pyrophosphate, while the second phosphatase activity (phosphatase II) was active only towards simple phosphate esters.
An Update on Postoperative Delirium

Postoperative delirium is a change in cognition that occurs frequently during the postoperative period, particularly in the elderly. Postoperative delirium is a major public health concern that negatively affects morbidityand mortalityandplacesa largefiscalburdenonthehealthcare system. Although the anesthesiologist’s care of these patients has often ended well before the symptoms of postoperative delirium begin, they can play an important role in the prevention of this disease.
CREATING OPTIMAL MATHEMATICS LEARNING ENVIRONMENTS: COMBINING ARGUMENTATION AND WRITING TO ENHANCE ACHIEVEMENT

The issue of mathematics underachievement among students has been an increasing international concern over the last few decades. Research suggests that academic success can be achieved by focusing on both the individual and social aspects of learning. Within the area of mathematics education, the development of metacognitive skills and the incorporation of discourse in classroom instruction has resulted in students having deeper conceptual understandings of the content and increased mathematical achievement. However, studies in this field tend to focus on the effects of these practices separately, making research that seeks to harness the potential of both quite rare. This paper reports on a study that was aimed at addressing this gap in the literature by examining the effects of writing and argumentation on achievement. Two hundred and eleven students and five teachers participated in this multimethod study that investigated the effects of three treatment conditions on mathematical achievement. These conditions were writing alone, argumentation alone, and writing and argumentation combined. Analysis of covariance revealed significant differences between the groups, and tests of the contrasts showed that students who engaged in both argumentation and writing had greater knowledge gains than students who engaged in argumentation alone or neither activity.
Structural analysis of charged polymeric networks

A new model was developed to accurately describe the swelling behavior of charged polymeric networks. The model incorporates elastic, mixing and ionic contributions to the chemical potential. Changes in the equilibrium degree of swelling as a function of pH can be predicted.