cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rethinking pneumonia: A paradigm shift with practical utility.

We associate the founders of germ theory, Louis Pasteur and Robert Koch, with a dusty, bygone age: gray beards, sepia tones, and antiquated techniques. However, in their own time, both Pasteur and Koch were what we would now call “early adopters,” embracing and advancing the leading edge of available technology in their efforts to identify microbes. Among his many innovations, Pasteur invented anaerobic cultivation and derived a variety of selective culture media. Koch pioneered the use of solid growth media, developed the techniques of pure culture to isolate individual species, and was the first to apply oil-immersion microscopy to respiratory specimens. [Rudolph Virchow, then the revered “Pope of Medicine,” was an old-guard skeptic. When presented with Koch’s oil-immersion discoveries, he scoffed that “What I can not see with my dry lens, I do not need to see” (1).] Though rightfully celebrated for their own scientific genius, both Pasteur and Koch were beneficiaries of recent advances in technology and both propelled their field forward with their own methodological innovations. Nearly a century and a half later, our diagnostic approach to pneumonia is in desperate need of such innovation. Although pneumonia remains a tremendous cause of morbidity, mortality, and healthcare expense, our diagnostic approach remains stuck in the 1880s. Among patients hospitalized for pneumonia in the United States, most have no pathogen identified (2, 3). In the absence of reliable, rapid diagnostic tools, most pneumonia cases are identified and treated based on clinical judgement alone, resulting in widespread and indiscriminate use of empiric antibiotics. Indeed, respiratory infections account for the majority of inappropriate antibiotic prescriptions in the United States (4, 5). Especially among critically ill patients, clinicians do not agree on which patients have pneumonia, with interobserver variability barely better than a coin flip (6). Pneumonia remains a 21st-century problem … [↵][1]1To whom correspondence should be addressed. Email: rodickso{at}med.umich.edu. [1]: #xref-corresp-1-1
The effects of mitragynine and morphine on schedule-controlled responding and antinociception in rats.

Mitragyna speciosa (kratom) may hold promise as both an analgesic and treatment for opioid use disorder. Mitragynine, its primary alkaloid constituent, is an opioid receptor ligand. However, the extent to which the in vivo effects of mitragynine are mediated by opioid receptors, or whether mitragynine interacts with other opioid agonists, is not fully established. The effects of mitragynine and the prototypical opioid agonist morphine were compared for their capacity to decrease operant responding for food delivery, and to increase response latency to a thermal stimulus. Male and female Sprague-Dawley rats responded under a multiple cycle fixed ratio 10 schedule of food delivery and were tested on a hot plate (52 °C) immediately after each cycle. Morphine and mitragynine were administered alone, in combination with each other, and in combination with the opioid antagonist naltrexone. Morphine and mitragynine dose-dependently decreased schedule-controlled responding; the ED50 values were 7.3 and 31.5 mg/kg, respectively. Both drugs increased thermal antinociception; the ED50 value for morphine was 18.3. Further, doses of naltrexone that antagonized morphine did not antagonize mitragynine. Mitragynine (17.8 mg/kg) did not alter the rate-decreasing or antinociceptive effects of morphine. The antinociceptive effects of mitragynine and morphine occur at doses larger than those that disrupt learned behavior. Opioid receptors do not appear to mediate the disruptive effects of mitragynine on learned behavior. Mitragynine had lesser antinociceptive effects than morphine, and these did not appear to be mediated by opioid receptors. The pharmacology of mitragynine includes a substantial non-opioid mechanism.
Incitement in the Era of Trump and Unite the Right

Incitement, a First Amendment doctrine that has long been relegated to the history section of law school case books, is now the centerpiece of two major lawsuits: one against Donald Trump for the violence that erupted in his Louisville, Kentucky rally, and one against the organizers of the fatal Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville, Virginia. Incitement, a long-recognized exception to the freedom of expression, has been rarely used except in times of political unrest. Unsurprisingly, then, as political unrest has re-emerged in the wake of Donald Trump’s presidential campaign, incitement has become relevant once again. However, the alleged incitement at these violent political rallies is largely dependent on the use of modern technology, including ubiquitous media reporting and the ease and anonymity of social media, and therefore presents an odd fit for the more traditional incitement definition stated in Brandenburg v. Ohio. For that reason, this article argues that the Trump rally in Louisville and the Unite the Right rally in Charlottesville show how incitement should evolve to include more context, and how that context will become essential to properly decide incitement cases going forward.
Whose inflation? A characterization of the CPI plutocratic gap

Prais (1958) showed that the standard CPI computed by most statistical agencies can be interpreted as a weighted average of household price indexes, where the weight of each household is determined by its total expenditures. In this paper, we decompose the CPI plutocratic gap--i.e. the difference between the standard CPI and a democratically-weighted index, where each household has the same weight--as the product of expenditure inequality and the sample covariance between the elementary individual price indexes and a term which is a function of the expenditure elasticity of each good. This decomposition allows us to interpret variations in the size and sign of the plutocratic gap, and to discuss issues pertaining to group indexes. Copyright 2005, Oxford University Press.
Identification and Estimation of Heterogeneous Peer Effects on Social Networking Platforms

For social networking platforms like Facebook, understanding the peer effects on it can be valuable to many applications, such as designing efficient advertisements with social endorsement. Therefore, we propose a statistical methodology that provides such understanding. These platforms contain heterogeneous users who may form various links based on their own attributes and interests, which leads to the heterogeneity of peer effects. To understand such heterogeneity, we introduce the concept of community, which is a set of individuals who share some common attributes, observed or not, and who are well connected among themselves because they form links that are characterized by these common attributes. Then we propose a model of informational conformity, which suggests that it is reasonable to assume peer effects to be homogeneous within communities but heterogeneous across communities. Then we propose such a model of peer effects and derive sufficient conditions for identification. The community structure is typically not observable, therefore, we propose a network formation model to uncover it and computationally employ an unsupervised machine learning algorithm to solve the model. Since naturally the community structure is not unique, we use a cross validation procedure to find the most efficient one for estimation. We apply this methodology to the same dataset as previous literature to contrast and show when our methodology outperforms. We use simulation to show that in more realistic social networking platform settings, the importance of introducing heterogeneity into peer effects.
News Releases, Market Intergration, and Market Leadership

Using intraday data we examine the responses of futures on the British Long Gilt (Gilt), the German Government bond (Bund), the U.S. Treasury bond (Bond), the Japanese Government bond (JGB), and the Italian Government bond (IGB) to the release of U.S. macroeconomic news. Bond, Gilt, and Bund futures respond strongly to the news releases. The response of JGB futures is less pronounced, and IGB futures display weak responses at best. The instruments take time to adjust to news in the announcements. Following the announcements Bond futures exert a high degree of market leadership. Evidence of increasing market integration is also noted.
Overview and Historical Perspectives

In this overview, we describe the history of Shiga toxin (Stx)-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) in two phases. In phase one, between 1977 and 2011, we learned that E. coli could produce Shiga toxin and cause both hemorrhagic colitis and the hemolytic-uremic syndrome in humans and that the prototype STEC—E. coli O157:H7—adheres to and effaces intestinal epithelial cells by a mechanism similar to that of enteropathogenic E. coli. We also recognized that the genes for Stx are typically encoded on a lysogenic phage; that STEC O157:H7 harbors a large pathogenicity island that encodes the elements needed for the characteristic attaching and effacing lesion; and that the most severe cases of human disease are linked to production of Stx type 2a, not Stx type 1a. Phase two began with a large food-borne outbreak of hemorrhagic colitis and hemolytic-uremic syndrome in Germany in 2011. That outbreak was caused by a novel strain consisting of enteroaggregative E. coli O104:H4 transduced by a Stx2a-converting phage. From this outbreak we learned that any E. coli strain that can adhere tightly to the human bowel (either by a biofilm-like mechanism as in E. coli O104:H4 or by an attaching and effacing mechanism as in E. coli O157:H7) can cause severe diarrheal and systemic illness when it acquires the capacity to produce Stx2a. This overview provides the basis for the review of current information regarding these fascinating and complex pathogens.
An investigation of the pineapple express phenomenon via bivariate extreme value theory

The pineapple express (PE) phenomenon is responsible for producing extreme winter precipitation events on the west coast of the United States and Canada. We study regional climate models’ ability to reproduce these events by defining a quantity that captures the spatial extent and intensity of PE events. We use bivariate extreme value theory to model the tail dependence of this quantity as seen in observational data and the Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) regional climate model driven by reanalysis, and we find tail dependence between the two. To link to synoptic-scale processes, we use daily mean sea-level pressure fields from the reanalysis product to develop a daily “PE index” for extreme precipitation that exhibits tail dependence with our observational quantity. Other models from the North American Regional Climate Change Assessment Program ensemble are used to estimate the future marginal distributions of reanalysis-driven WRF output and observational precipitation. Finally, we employ the fitted tail dependence model to simulate observational precipitation measurements in the future, given output from a future run of WRF. We find evidence of a change in the tail behavior of precipitation from current to future climates, and examination of PE index values of simulated events suggests increases in frequency and intensity of PE precipitation in the future scenario. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
UAV recharging opportunities and policies for sensor networks

Recharging sensor networks using Unmanned Aerial Vehicles (UAVs) provides a possible method for increasing network lifetime. In this paper, we evaluate that approach, determining how much of a benefit it provides and under what conditions. We base our simulations and field experiments on data collected from charging with our UAV-based wireless power transfer system, which has similar transfer ranges and efficiencies as other such systems. We determine that a UAV can increase the network lifetime up to 290% compared to no recharging, that the UAV should recharge 30% of the sensor node battery capacity at one time for the maximum benefit, and that the UAV should recharge the lowest powered node until the network reaches a size of approximately 306 nodes at which point it should recharge the sink.We also examine how the sensor network can aid this through sink selection. The policy varies as network size increases, with a static approach working well until 200 nodes, and then either a perimeter or heuristic approach works best. These results inform future use of UAVs in recharging and working with sensor networks.
Interpolating the isotopic composition of modern meteoric precipitation

An accurate representation of the spatial distribution of stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes in modern precipitation is required for many hydrological, paleoclimate, and ecological applications. No standardized method for achieving such a representation exists, and potential errors associated with previously employed methods are not understood. Using resampling, we test the accuracy of interpolated bD and δ 1 8 O estimates made using four methods. Prediction error for all methods is strongly related to number of data and will likely decline with the addition of new data. The best method lowers estimation error by 10-15% relative to others tested and gives an average error, using all available data, 2.5% of the global range. We present and interpret global maps of interpolated δD, δ 1 8 O, and deuterium excess in precipitation and the 95% confidence intervals for these values created using the optimal method. These depict global and regional patterns, make evident the robustness of interpolated isotopic patterns, and highlight target areas for future precipitation sampling.
Abstract 1455: Therapeutic synergy between novel tumor suppressor miR-520d-3p and EphA2-targeting siRNA in ovarian cancer

Proceedings: AACR Annual Meeting 2014; April 5-9, 2014; San Diego, CA EphA2 has emerged as an important target for ovarian cancer therapy in recent years. In the present study, we identified miR-520d-3p as an independent favorable prognostic marker for epithelial ovarian cancer patients. We demonstrate that dual targeting of EphA2 in vitro using EphA2-siRNA and miR-520d-3p exhibits synergistic downregulation of EphA2 and inhibits cell proliferation, migration and invasion. In vivo treatment using DOPC (1,2-dioleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphatidylcholine) nano-liposomes conjugated with miR-520d-3p and EphA2-siRNA showed synergistic therapeutic efficacy and superior inhibition of tumor proliferation and angiogenesis than either monotherapy alone. We also identified that EphA2(low)/EphB2(low)/miR-520d-3p(high) gene signature predicts favorable clinical prognosis for ovarian cancer patients. This study addresses a new concept of RNA inhibition therapy by combining miRNA and siRNA to target oncogenic pathways altered in ovarian cancer. Citation Format: Maitri Shah, Gabriel Berestein Lopez, Anil Sood, George Calin. Therapeutic synergy between novel tumor suppressor miR-520d-3p and EphA2-targeting siRNA in ovarian cancer. [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 1455. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2014-1455
Contrast Nephropathy After Coronary Angiography

Contrast nephropathy after coronary angiography is associated with considerable morbidity and mortality. We discuss the incidence, definition, and pathologic mechanisms of contrast nephropathy; provide an overview of risk factors; highlight proven preventive interventions; clarify which interventions have shown no benefit; and discuss future possibilities. The prevention of contrast nephropathy is crucial for the care of patients undergoing coronary angiography and should be possible with an understanding of risk factors and proven management strategies.
Supporting diversity with faculty learning communities: Teaching and learning across boundaries

Both in structure and focus, FLCs create a necessary construct for a cultural transformation of teaching and learning that invites all to achieve their intellectual and social potential.
Contesting power : resistance and everyday social relations in South Asia

Historians, sociologists and political scientists have long been interested in riots, rebellions and revolutions. More recently, however, they have focused attention upon quieter, less dramatic confrontations between oppressors and the oppressed. They have pointed out that resistance can occur in "everday" forms. The specific shapes of everyday resistance are both determined by, and an aspect of, various socio-economic and cultural practices. The present volume explores and analyzes instances of everyday resistance in South Asian history and society. The eight essays cover groups from peasants to urban labourers, and from women to merchants. Several of the essays use unconventional sources and methods to supplement archival research while depicting the processes of the sorts of non-confrontational behaviour which contest existing structures of power. Seen as a whole, the volume suggests that the notion of resistance can be rethought and extended to take in and understand large areas of social activity.
Prehatch color stimulation effects on color pecking preferences and color discrimination learning in white leghorn chicks

Four experiments assessed the effects of stimulating chick embryos with colored light at 2 intensity levels. Both posthatch color pecking preferences (Experiments 1 and 2) and color discrimination learning (Experiments 3 and 4) were unaffected. These results affirm and extend a prior finding of no pre- and posthatch colored light stimulation effect on posthatch color preferences in ducklings. The color pecking preferences found replicated prior findings with chicks. However, they differed from the approach color preferences observed in color discrimination learning.
Genetic Programming for Multiscale Modeling

We propose the use of genetic programming (GP)—a genetic algorithm that evolves computer programs—for bridging simulation methods across multiple scales of time and/or length. The effectiveness of genetic programming in multiscale simulation is demonstrated using two illustrative, non-trivial case studies in science and engineering. The first case is multi-timescale materials kinetics modeling, where genetic programming is used to symbolically regress a mapping of all diffusion barriers from only a few calculated ones, thereby avoiding explicit calculation of all the barriers. The GP-regressed barrier function enables use of kinetic Monte Carlo for realistic potentials and simulation of realistic experimental times (seconds). Specifically, a GP regression is applied to vacancy-assisted migration on a surface of a binary alloy and predict the diffusion barriers within 0.1–1% error using 3% (or less) of the barriers. The second case is the development of constitutive relation between macroscopic variables using measured data, where GP is used to evolve both the function form of the constitutive equation as well as the coefficient values. Specifically, GP regression is used for developing a constitutive relation between flow stress and temperature-compensated strain rate based on microstructural characterization for an aluminum alloy AA7055. We not only reproduce a constitutive relation proposed in literature, but also develop a new constitutive equation that fits both low-strain-rate and high-strainrate data. We hope these disparate example applications exemplify the power of GP for multiscaling at the price, of course, of not knowing physical details at the intermediate scales.
Ultra low power signal processing architectures

An increasing integration of nanoscale sensors is being observed in BioSensing and Biomimetic systems. Power consumption is deemed a major limiter as the complexity of integration increases. Supply voltage based scaling using CMOS is also a challenge due to increasing leakage currents. This work presents alternative devices - Interband Tunnel Field Effect Transistors and Split-Gate Quantum Nanodots to achieve further scaling.
SPIN ASYMMETRIES FOR EXCLUSIVE AND SEMI-EXCLUSIVE REACTIONS WITH CLAS

An extensive experimental program to measure the spin structure of the nucleons is being carried out with the CLAS detector at Jefferson Lab using a longitudinally polarized electron beam incident on a longitudinally polarized target. Spin degrees of freedom offer new tools to explore the baryon structure and test the many theoretical approaches that attempt to characterize it, such as effective Lagrangian models and transverse momentum dependent parton distributions. I will present preliminary results for single and double spin asymmetries for exclusive T O , T+, and 7 electroproduction in the resonance region compared with unitary isobar and dynamical models, as well as p electroproduction for DIS kinematics. I will also report on an analysis of the semi-inclusive and exclusive channels where double and single spin asymmetries were used to study transverse momentum dependent parton distributions.
Kinetic treatment of emulsion polymerization

The kinetics of the emulsion polymerization of styrene are developed on the basis of the Harkins' theory of reaction loci. Only that portion of the reaction is considered in which essentially no polymer nuclei are formed. Agreement is obtained between experiment and theory when the reaction in the monomer-polymer particle is considered three-halves order with respect to monomer. This treatment is further substantiated by the fact that the concentration of monomer in the polymer, when a separate monomer phase exists, is correctly predicted by the kinetic theory. The activation energy for the polymerization of styrene in the monomer-polymer particle is calculated as 22,600 calories per mole. A dilatometer for the precise determination of monomer conversion rates in emulsion polymerization is described.
Characterization of the point spread function for diffuse optical tomographic imaging and the effect of noise on resolution

Diffuse optical tomographic imaging has broad application to the field of clinical diagnosis of diseased tissue states. In particular, there has been considerable interest in applying diffuse optical imaging to breast cancer detection. We explore the effects of such parameters as regularization, source-to-source and detector-to-detector spacing, voxel size and source modulation frequency on characteristics of the point spread function (PSF) of the reconstructed image. An understanding of these effects is critical to the optimization of diffuse optical tomographic imaging techniques. We also present a figure of merit that can be used to compare various reconstruction techniques and parameters when considering the effects of noise on quantitative accuracy and resolution. In all cases we look at heterogeneities with changes in absorption only and limit the analysis to the linear approximation of the diffusion equation. We show that the resolution and quantitative accuracy are fundamentally limited by the degree of regularization required to achieve images of acceptable contrast in the presence of representative noise levels. All simulations are based on Tikhonov regularization and truncated singular value decomposition (TSVD) reconstruction techniques for which we have generally achieved best results.
Teratogens inducing congenital abdominal wall defects in animal models

Congenital abdominal wall defects are common anomalies which include gastroschisis, omphalocele and umbilical cord hernia. Recent reports indicate that gastroschisis is increasing in prevalence, whereas omphalocele has remained steady, suggesting that environmental factors may play a part in their pathogenesis. The aim of this study is to review animal teratogen studies resulting in abdominal wall defects to investigate their possible causes. Each report was examined not only for the teratogens causing the defects, but also to carefully identify the defect occurring and its correlation with the known clinical anomalies. We found many discrepancies between the nomenclature used by animal teratology investigators and that used by clinicians. We were able to confirm the induction of gastroschisis by 22 teratogens, omphalocele by 9 teratogens and umbilical cord hernia by 8. There is no doubt that environmental factors may be responsible, at least in part, for all three of the clinical abdominal wall defects. Future studies should take care to appreciate the differences between these anomalies and describe them in detail, so that accurate and meaningful conclusions can be obtained.
Inhibitors of Thermus thermophilus Isopropylmalate Dehydrogenase

In an attempt to use mechanism-based design for the discovery of inhibitors of the isopropylmalate dehydrogenase from T. thermophilus, we have prepared and studied a number of potential mimics for an intermediate in the oxidative decarboxylation of isopropyl malate, the enol or enolate of α-ketoisocaproate. Because hydroramate and dicarboxylate enolate mimics are strong, uncompetitive inhibitors of the enzyme and vinyl fluoride enol mimics are weak, competitive inhibitors, it is suggested that the reaction involves the enolate. The uncompetitive inhibition by a number of anionic compounds suggests, in combination with previous studies in other laboratories, that they mimic the enolate product of the decarboxylation. An explanation for the potency of the inhibition of IMDH by these compounds is proposed based on the electrostatic interaction of product and cofactor
Oregon Water: Assessing Differences Between the Old and New Wests

Abstract The history of the American West is intimately tied to the movement and management of water. As the West developed, so too did the image of rural Westerners. As stressors like climate change and population growth strain existing water supplies, resource management benefits from understanding whether fundamental differences exist between the residents in the Old (rural) West and the New (urban) West. Using a survey conducted in the spring of 2010 of Oregon residents, this study explores whether residents in Oregon show distinct differences in environmental concern based on rural or urban residency. The results show that there are differences between groups on environmental beliefs, but likely attributed to factors other than rural and urban residency, and there are no significant differences between groups on water.
The Struggle for Optimal Financial Regulation and Governance

Americans searching for improved performance and productivity have been lured by deregulation, efficiency, competition, and privatization for over three decades. Along the way, regulations, effectiveness, and collaborative governance have evaporated. As a result, there have been three major crises in the financial arena: the savings and loan crisis, the predatory financial activities here collectively termed risky business, and the Great Recession. This article analyzes these crises and the regulatory resets implemented to deal with them. It also explores how to achieve more optimal financial regulation and governance in the future.
Comparing the Ethnic Identity and Well-Being of Adopted Korean Americans with Immigrant/U.S.-Born Korean Americans and Korean International Students.

This study compared the ethnic identity and well-being of Korean Americans who were adopted internationally with immigrant/U.S.-born Korean Americans and Korean international students, as well as the relationship between ethnic identity and well-being for each group. One-hundred seven college students completed measures of ethnic identity and subjective well-being. Immigrant/U.S.-born Korean Americans had higher ethnic identity scores than the other two groups. Immigrant/U.S.-born Korean Americans also had higher positive affect scores than international students. Ethnic identity was positively correlated with positive affect for all three groups (r = .27 to .34) but was negatively correlated with negative affect for international students (r = –.44). Overall, the results suggest that ethnic identity, although slightly lower than in non-adopted peers, is relevant to the well-being of adopted Korean American college students.
Tannic acid: Acute hepatotoxicity following administration by feeding tube

Abstract When reagent-grade tannic acid was administered by feeding tube to male Fisher 344 rats in a single dose of 2000 mg/kg, it induced acute hepatocellular changes similar to those observed after the parenteral administration of 700 mg/kg. It affected the RNA and protein synthesis mechanisms, inducing nucleolar macrosegregation and inhibition of RNA synthesis. Inhibition of RNA synthesis was more prominent and more consistent in young animals (80–95 g) than in mature rats (170–200 g). Tannic acid caused degranulation of the rough endoplasmic reticulum, inhibition of protein synthesis and disaggregation of polysomes. Neither orally nor parenterally administered tannic acid induced noticeable DNA damage detectable as single-strand breaks on alkaline-sucrose gradients. The hepatotoxic effects appeared earlier but subsided faster after oral than after parenteral administration of tannic acid.
Optical Waveguide Fabrication by Stoichiometric Implantation of Ti and O into LiNbO3

X-cut substrates of LiNbO{sub 3} have been implanted at 500{degree}C with Ti and O to doses of 2.5 and 7.5 {times} 10{sup 17} ions/cm{sup 2}, respectively. The high substrate temperature during implantation ensures dynamic recrystallization, preserving the crystallinity of the LiNbO{sub 3}. The stability of the stoichiometric implants is enhanced sufficiently that annealing at 1000{degree}C proceeds with no surface degradation of the substrate. Annealing under identical conditions without the O implant usually results in phase separation of an oxide at the surface, even when annealing is performed immediately following implantation. Samples implanted with Ti and O to preserve the stoichiometric metal:oxygen ratio of the substrate can be stored at room temperature for several months without phase separation. Planar optical waveguides have been produced by stoichiometric implantation followed by annealing in water-saturated oxygen for one hour at temperatures of 900 and 1000{degree}C. The sample annealed at 900{degree}C supported a single lossy mode, while the 1000{degree}C sample supported two propagating modes and one lossy mode at {lambda} = 0.6 {mu}m. 7 refs., 5 figs.
Taste dysfunction in BTBR mice due to a mutation of Itpr3, the inositol triphosphate receptor 3 gene

The BTBR T+ tf/J (BTBR) mouse strain is indifferent to exemplars of sweet, Polycose, umami, bitter, and calcium tastes, which share in common transduction by G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). To investigate the genetic basis for this taste dysfunction, we screened 610 BTBR × NZW/LacJ F2 hybrids, identified a potent QTL on chromosome 17, and isolated this in a congenic strain. Mice carrying the BTBR/BTBR haplotype in the 0.8-Mb (21-gene) congenic region were indifferent to sweet, Polycose, umami, bitter, and calcium tastes. To assess the contribution of a likely causative culprit, Itpr3, the inositol triphosphate receptor 3 gene, we produced and tested Itpr3 knockout mice. These were also indifferent to GPCR-mediated taste compounds. Sequencing the BTBR form of Itpr3 revealed a unique 12 bp deletion in Exon 23 (Chr 17: 27238069; Build 37). We conclude that a spontaneous mutation of Itpr3 in a progenitor of the BTBR strain produced a heretofore unrecognized dysfunction of GPCR-mediated taste transduction.
Impedance tomography using the bimodal optical computer technique

The bimodal optical computer (BOC) technique to reconstruct 2-D conductivity is presented. This technique does not require any presimplification or preprocessing for the matrix. The effects of three different factors on the accuracy of the solution are studied.
Voidites in diamond — do they contain nitrogen?

Abstract Octahedral void-like objects (voidites) with diameters of up to 7 nm are observed in some type Ia diamonds. The voidites appear to be associated with the decomposition of platelets. The platelets in diamond contain nitrogen and it is very likely that this nitrogen is going into the voidites when the platelet collapses. The gas pressure in the voidites is expected to be of the order of 2GPa. Experimental images of diamond in the [001] and [011] orientations show fringes within the voidites. Most of the voidites have fringes in them. The fringe spacings are found to be consistent with solid NH3 at 2.8 ± 0.8 GPa pressure.
The Annular Lithium-Drifted Germanium Detector as a Standard-Geometry Gama Spectrometer

Lithium-drifted germanium detectors have been fabricated in the form of a cylindrical annulus. The forming of the annular shape was made feasible by using a spark cutting machine. The annular shape, being highly symmetrical, permits standardization of the techniques of gamma spectroscopy.
IFNγ induction of p21WAF1 in prostate cancer cells : Role in cell cycle, alteration of phenotype and invasive potential

Type I and type II interferons (IFNs) are known to exert antitumor effects on a variety of tissues and cell types. We have previously shown that the type I IFN IFNa induces the expression of the cyclin-dependent kinase inhibitor p21 WAF1 and inhibits the cell cycle of the human prostate adenocarcinoma cell line, DU145, that carries mutations in the tumor suppressor gene products p53 and pRB. We now show that the type II IFN IFNg similarly induces the expression of p21WAF1 and inhibits the cell cycle of DU145 cells. In addition, we show that while both IFNs exert antiproliferative activity, only IFNg induced phenotypic changes in these cells that accompanied the antiproliferative effect. For example, IFNg, but not IFNa, caused a significant reduction in epidermal growth factor receptor expression as well as an increase in the adhesion molecules intercellular adhesion molecule-1 and integrin a3. These phenotypic changes in DU145 cells are suggestive of the acquisition of a non-tumorigenic state. Consistent with these findings, IFNg showed a significantly lower invasive ability in in vitro assays using invasion chambers. Thus, IFNg inhibits both the cell cycle and the metastatic potential of DU145 cells independent of the p53 and RB status, and our data describe a mechanism for mediating the antitumor capabilities of IFNg that bypasses tumor suppressor genes like p53. Int. J. Cancer 77:138‐145, 1998. r 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc. Interferons (IFNs) are a group of proteins that trigger a multitude of cellular responses including antiviral activity, inhibition of cell growth, modulation of cell differentiation and immunoregulation. For this reason, many studies have looked at the potential antitumor effects of IFNs using both in vitro and in vivo models of cancer. Clinical trials using IFNs in the treatment of several cancers have previously been carried out. As a result of these trials, IFNs are currently used for the treatment of cancers such as hairy cell leukemia, chronic myelogenous leukemia, Kaposi’s sarcoma and colorectal carcinoma (Gutterman, 1994). However, IFNs have not been found to be successful in treating some other types of malignancies. The lack of patient improvement seen in some clinical trials could be attributed to inadequate knowledge of the underlying antitumor effects of IFNs. Thus, elucidation of the antitumor mechanisms of IFNs against a particular type of cancer cell are important for indicating which cancers may be susceptible to IFN therapy. In this study, we take a fundamental look at the antitumor effects of the type II IFN, IFNg, using an in vitro system involving the
Job Commitment and the Organizational Woman.

The research literature suggests that women may be committed to their jobs through the same process as men, but their reactions to certain variables differ. Previous models do not include those variables. In the model presented here three independent variables are major direct influences on job commitment. These are (I) sex role conflict, (2) satisfaction of needs, and (3) work commitment Two other variables—intrinsic need strength and job circumstances—exercise direct as well as indirect influences.
Interconversion Between Intestinal Stem Cell Populations in Distinct Niches

Intestinal epithelial stem cell identity and location have been the subject of substantial research. Cells in the +4 niche are slow-cycling and label-retaining, whereas a different stem cell niche located at the crypt base is occupied by crypt base columnar (CBC) cells. CBCs are distinct from +4 cells, and the relationship between them is unknown, though both give rise to all intestinal epithelial lineages. We demonstrate that Hopx, an atypical homeobox protein, is a specific marker of +4 cells. Hopx-expressing cells give rise to CBCs and all mature intestinal epithelial lineages. Conversely, CBCs can give rise to +4 Hopx-positive cells. These findings demonstrate a bidirectional lineage relationship between active and quiescent stem cells in their niches.
The sPHENIX Barrel Upgrade: Jet Physics and Beyond

Abstract The past decade of heavy ion physics at RHIC has produced many surprising discoveries and puzzles. Currently the experiments at the LHC are providing a first look at things to come: a burgeoning program for studying the quark–gluon plasma with reconstructed jets. The PHENIX collaboration has developed a long term plan involving a series of upgrades designed to expand the physics capabilities and make use of the full enhanced luminosity at RHIC. With increased coverage and the addition of hadronic calorimetry, we demonstrate that the sPHENIX upgrade will be well positioned to provide a broad and exciting program of jet probe measurements. Sampling 50 billion Au + Au events annually, we will collect 10 million jets with transverse energy above 20 GeV and 100 thousand jets above 40 GeV. With the addition of new tracking layers and an EM preshower, a crucial program of upsilon measurements, as well as neutral pion measurements with a 40 GeV/c reach, can be made in a flexible accelerator facility capable of providing a diverse range of collision systems across many beam energies. And, ultimately, the sPHENIX detector will provide the base for staging a future electron–ion collider detector at eRHIC.
Early-onset refractive accommodative esotropia.

Abstract Introduction: We studied the natural history of pure refractive accommodative esotropia after spectacle correction in patients with onset before 1 year old to determine whether their outcomes and characteristics were different from those of patients with more typical age at onset of refractive accommodative esotropia. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 17 children with onset of refractive accommodative esotropia before 1 year old. Records of 26 children with onset after 2 years old were reviewed as controls. Results: The mean ages at diagnosis were 9 months and 48 months for the study and control groups, respectively. All 17 study patients and all 26 control patients were initially well aligned with spectacles at distance and near. Follow-up averaged 34 months for study patients and 41 months for control patients. Three study patients (17.6%) and 1 control patient (3.8%) had eventual deterioration and required strabismus surgery ( P = .28). None of the study patients developed amblyopia, whereas 42% of control patients did ( P = .001). Seven of 15 (47%) of the study patients with known birth history were born prematurely, whereas only 3 of 24 (12%) control patients were born prematurely ( P = .03). Conclusions: Refractive accommodative esotropia was diagnosed at as early as and age 4 months. Prematurity appeared to be a risk factor. Amblyopia was not detected in any patient with early-onset refractive accommodative esotropia. Treatment with full hyperopic spectacle correction led to long-term stable alignment, with relatively few patients requiring surgery.
CARING CAPITAL WEBSITES

‘Caring capital’ is that subset of social capital characterized by caregiving, charity and compassion when these actions are given out of a concern for the welfare of others. The relationship between caring and various forms of capital has scarcely been noticed by social scientists, either theoretically or empirically. After reviewing the concepts of caring and capital, 77 websites related to caring capital were analyzed to explore these types of questions: How large, influential and effective is the care-oriented sector of the web? How is it best to categorize the diversity of websites promoting caring capital? What social or interactive and user-generated opportunities are offered by these web sites? What implications for the future do these web organizations have? While we cannot offer any definitive answer to the question of the potential of the Internet for facilitating caring capital, this study's glimpse of the web finds only minimal charitable activity compared to the huge need for greater compass...
Observed Differences in Graduate Record Examination Scores and Mean Undergraduate Grade Point Averages by Gender and Race among Students Admitted to a Master's Degree Program in College Student Affairs

Graduate Record Examination scores and undergraduate grade point averages (GPAs) were examined for 218 students admitted to a master's degree program in college student affairs from August 1985 thr...
Teaching as research: An essay

Abstract Educational research is largely the province of professors. This circumstance leads to undervaluation of the knowledge that is available only to people who work within schools. It also creates the expectation that some people do research, while others act on the results. Collaborative teacher-initiated inquiry, on the other hand, capitalizes on the insider knowledge of teachers and is directed toward changing the professional activities of the researchers themselves. For teacher-initiated research to prosper, however, it probably develops best outside the university setting.
Precision millimeter-wave measurements of complex refractive index, complex dielectric permittivity, and loss tangent of common polymers

Our improved dispersive Fourier transform technique applied to a polarizing two-beam interferometer enables us to provide high-precision continuous spectra of complex refractive index, complex dielectric permittivity, and loss tangent of polyethylene, polypropylene, poly-4 methyl pentene-1 (TPX), polytetrafluorethylene, Plexiglas, acrylic, and nylon over the frequency range 50–300 GHz. The first four are nonpolar polymers and exhibit extremely low-loss characteristics. The last three are typical polar polymers, but they exhibit nearly 20 to 30 times higher loss compared to nonpolar polymers.
GIRLSS: A randomized, pilot study of a multisystemic, school-based intervention to reduce relational aggression.

We tested the effects of a school-based, multisystemic intervention to reduce relational aggression among adolescent girls, Growing Interpersonal Relationships through Learning and Systemic Supports (GIRLSS). GIRLSS is a 10-week, group counseling, caregiver training, and caregiver phone consultation intervention for relationally aggressive middle school girls. The study addresses the pressing need for empirical examination of ecologically valid, secondary intervention practices in this area. Thirty female youth in grades 6–8 (ages 12–15 years) and their parents were randomly assigned to either the intervention group (N = 22) or a wait list control group (N = 12). Changes in self, teacher and school counselor reported relationally aggressive behavior from pretest to posttest was compared across groups for statistical and clinically significant change. Intervention participants demonstrated significantly more change in the desired direction than control participants according to school counselors and an averaged score of school counselor and teacher-reported relational aggression. We discuss the clinical significance findings and implications of perceptual data from social validity surveys of each intervention component. Limitations are also discussed and the need for future research to further examine empirically and ecologically valid interventions for relational aggression in schools, community, and family contexts is highlighted.
Direct Observation of Ostwald Ripening in Free-Interface Diffusion Based Protein Crystallization

In the late stages of first order phase transitions, interfacial energy minimization drives competitive growth between precipitates of the new phase. This dissolution of small precipitates to feed the growth of larger clusters is commonly referred to as Ostwald ripening. Here, Ostwald ripening is directly observed during the late stages of Lysozyme crystallization in a microfluidic free-interface diffusion reactor. In order to measure the wide range of crystal sizes necessary to quantitatively characterize the ripening phenomenon, we developed a novel dynamic light scattering apparatus, with an incorporated microscope, based on the microfluidic crystallization device. The crystal size distribution mean, observed by scattering, grows as t⊥1/3 in agreement with the analytic predictions of Lifshitz Wagner and Slyozov (LSW). In the case where a large crystal emerges outside of the scattering volume, local crystal size distributions deviate from power law growth in an expected fashion. A simulation based on LSW theory is implemented to model the crystal size distribution evolution. The observed growth trajectories show quantitative agreement with simulated kinetics.
Nutrient, metal, and pesticide removal during storm and nonstorm events by a constructed wetland on an urban golf course

Abstract Created wetlands used on a golf course have the potential for accepting, storing and filtering runoff from within the course and from neighboring areas. Our 4-year study was initiated on a renovated 18-hole golf course to evaluate the effect of created wetlands on pollutants originating from both urban runoff and golf course tile drainage systems. During sampled storm events between the period October 1998 and November 2000, golf course wetlands were effective in reducing 11 of the 17 non-zero parameters. These included NO3, NO2, NH3, P, chemical oxygen demand, total organic carbon, Ca, Cl, Mg, Mn, and Na. (A total of 83 chemicals were measured but only 17 were above zero.) Therefore, stormwater exiting the golf course wetlands was an insignificant source of contamination for the watershed. During nonstorm events between the period April 2001 and November 2002, Al, Fe, Na, and SO4 were elevated in concentration in water at the discharge point compared to water at the entrance point of the wetland. However, during nonstorm operations all of the water was held within the golf course's wetland system resulting in no flow or discharge. Our study showed that a golf course wetland can exert a positive effect on water quality compared to water entering the golf course or water in the larger watershed. The created wetland system in our study was efficient in improving quality of water originating during storm runoff and from golf course tile drainage. However, to insure maximum water quality improvement, wetlands should be sized to maximize water holding during storm events and to minimize outputs during nonstorm periods.