cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multimodal Single-Cell Characterization of the Human Granulocyte Lineage

High throughput single cell transcriptomics (scRNA-seq) has been successfully applied to characterize immune cell heterogeneity across a diverse range of settings; however, analysis of human granulocytes remains a significant challenge due to their low gene expression transcript detection. Consequently, granulocytes are typically either absent or highly under-represented and inaccurately enumerated in most human scRNA-seq datasets. Here, we apply multi-modal CITE-seq profiling to characterize granulocytes in human whole blood and bone marrow, and we show that these populations can be accurately detected and analyzed using the antibody-based modality, and that their frequencies and phenotype align well with antibody-based characterization of the same samples using CyTOF. These analyses also clearly highlight extremely low gene transcript detection across the entire granulocyte lineage including the earliest neutrophil progenitor populations when using the 10X Genomics platform. By contrast, when performing parallel analyses of the same samples using the BD Rhapsody platform, we recovered a much higher proportion of granulocyte gene transcripts, enabling true multi-modal characterization of human granulocyte heterogeneity.
Robust Optimization for Stability of I-Walls and Levee System Resting on Sandy Foundation

During Hurricane Katrina in 2005 and the events thereafter, failures of levees with I-walls caused extensive flooding and damage. The geological background in the New Orleans area and associated uncertainties contributed significantly to the failures. To increase the robustness of the I-walls and levee system and reduce the associated risk of failure, the uncertainties of the system must be incorporated into the design procedures, especially in a geological environment mainly composed of sand deposits. This paper presents a robust optimization procedure to identify optimal designs for the stability of an I-walls and levee system supported on sandy foundation soil in the face of flood hazards. The uncertainties associated with the I-walls and levee system, including the strength parameters of levee and foundation soils and the height of the floodwater behind the I-walls, were considered in a systematic manner. The wall embedded depth, levee crown width, and slope ratio of the levee in the landside were considered as the design parameters. For the robust optimization, the construction cost of the I-walls and levee system and the standard deviation of the failure probability were considered as the design objectives. Finally, the multi-objective optimization resulted in a set of acceptable designs that were presented in a graphical form called Pareto front, which is combined with the knee point concept to provide useful decision aids for selecting the most preferred design that meets both the economics and performance requirements.
Racial differences in institutional trust and COVID-19 vaccine hesitancy and refusal

Background Previous research has indicated that demographic differences affect COVID-19 vaccination rates. Trust, in both the vaccine itself and institutional trust, is one possible factor. The present study examines racial differences in institutional trust and vaccine status among a nationally representative sample of adults in the United States. Methods Data for the current study was collected as part of Wave 8 Omnibus 2000 survey conducted by RAND ALP and consisted of 2080 participants. Responses were collected through the online RAND ALP survey in March 2021. Results Trust in the scientific community was the strongest predictor for already receiving at least one dose of the COVID-19 vaccine at the time of study. Asians had a significantly higher trust in the scientific community compared to all other groups. Results also showed a significant difference in level of trust of the government's response to the COVID-19 pandemic with Indian/Alaskan Natives reporting lower trust compared to Whites, Blacks and Asians. Asians also had a significantly higher level of trust when compared to those who identified as racial Other. Those who identify as American Indian/Alaskan Natives had the lowest levels of institutional trust. Trust in the government's response was not indicative of vaccination within the sample. Conclusions Strategies to increase trust of the scientific community can be employed to address vaccine hesitancy through community-based initiatives and building of partnerships between the scientific community and local community stakeholders.
Centrin-2 (Cetn2) mediated regulation of FGF/FGFR gene expression in Xenopus.

Centrins (Cetns) are highly conserved, widely expressed, and multifunctional Ca2+-binding eukaryotic signature proteins best known for their roles in ciliogenesis and as critical components of the global genome nucleotide excision repair system. Two distinct Cetn subtypes, Cetn2-like and Cetn3-like, have been recognized and implicated in a range of cellular processes. In the course of morpholino-based loss of function studies in Xenopus laevis, we have identified a previously unreported Cetn2-specific function, namely in fibroblast growth factor (FGF) mediated signaling, specifically through the regulation of FGF and FGF receptor RNA levels. Cetn2 was found associated with the RNA polymerase II binding sites of the Cetn2-regulated FGF8 and FGFR1a genes, but not at the promoter of a gene (BMP4) whose expression was altered indirectly in Cent2 morphant embryos. These observations point to a previously unexpected role of Cetn2 in the regulation of gene expression and embryonic development.
Perihematomal Cellular Injury Is Reduced by Trans-sodium Crocetinate in a Model of Intracerebral Hemorrhage

The carotenoid compound trans-sodium crocetinate (TSC) has been shown to increase oxygenation in various tissues, including the brain. Notably, TSC can enhance oxygenation under conditions of reduced blood flow, thus attenuating the depth of an ischemic challenge. This study examined the impact of TSC on neuronal loss in an animal model of intracerebral hemorrhage (ICH). Utilizing a rat model of collagenase injection, TSC was shown to reduce perihematomal cellular loss after ICH, as assessed by Fluoro-Jade B staining in tissue sections. This is the first evidence demonstrating that TSC is capable of limiting hemorrhagic injury to neurons in the brain. The finding supports the concept that TSC may represent a candidate therapeutic for early intervention regardless of whether a stroke is hemorrhagic or ischemic in nature.
Home Practice Language Use

The objective of this home practice is to continue to: 1. Develop an awareness of one’s verbal behavior. 2. Develop the ability to change this behavior. 3. Observe the effect of such change.
WE-AB-BRA-07: Quantitative Evaluation of 2D-2D and 2D-3D Image Guided Radiation Therapy for Clinical Trial Credentialing, NRG Oncology/RTOG

Purpose: 2D-2D kV image guided radiation therapy (IGRT) credentialing evaluation for clinical trial qualification was historically qualitative through submitting screen captures of the fusion process. However, as quantitative DICOM 2D-2D and 2D-3D image registration tools are implemented in clinical practice for better precision, especially in centers that treat patients with protons, better IGRT credentialing techniques are needed. The aim of this work is to establish methodologies for quantitatively reviewing IGRT submissions based on DICOM 2D-2D and 2D-3D image registration and to test the methodologies in reviewing 2D-2D and 2D-3D IGRT submissions for RTOG/NRG Oncology clinical trials qualifications. Methods: DICOM 2D-2D and 2D-3D automated and manual image registration have been tested using the Harmony tool in MIM software. 2D kV orthogonal portal images are fused with the reference digital reconstructed radiographs (DRR) in the 2D-2D registration while the 2D portal images are fused with DICOM planning CT image in the 2D-3D registration. The Harmony tool allows alignment of the two images used in the registration process and also calculates the required shifts. Shifts calculated using MIM are compared with those submitted by institutions for IGRT credentialing. Reported shifts are considered to be acceptable if differences are less than 3mm. Results: Several tests have been performed on the 2D-2D and 2D-3D registration. The results indicated good agreement between submitted and calculated shifts. A workflow for reviewing these IGRT submissions has been developed and will eventually be used to review IGRT submissions. Conclusion: The IROC Philadelphia RTQA center has developed and tested a new workflow for reviewing DICOM 2D-2D and 2D-3D IGRT credentialing submissions made by different cancer clinical centers, especially proton centers. NRG Center for Innovation in Radiation Oncology (CIRO) and IROC RTQA center continue their collaborative efforts to enhance quality assurance services and to be consistently adaptive to the new advances in radiation therapy. This project was supported by NCI grants U10CA180868, U10CA180822, U24CA180803, U24CA12014 and PA CURE Grant.
A Numerical Evaluation of the Suspension and Driveline Dynamic Coupling in Heavy Trucks

This study provides a numerical evaluation of the dynamic coupling that exists between the powertrain, suspensions, and tire dynamics in class 8 trucks. The spatial dynamics of the driveline, including the offset angels that commonly exist in practice, are modeled along with a lumped-parameter representation of the suspension and tire dynamics in vertical, longitudinal, and torsional directions. The model is used to show how the suspension dynamics and the angle change that it causes in driveline geometry can\affect the vibrations resulting from the powertrain. The numerical model is also used for a parametric study in which the effect of various suspension and powertrain parameters on the dynamic coupling that exists between the two is evaluated. The parametric study indicates that, among more than twenty different parameters that are evaluated, reducing the driveline angles, increasing the drive axle suspension stiffness and damping have the biggest influence on reducing powertrain-induced vibrations, as measured by the vehicle CG vertical and pitch accelerations.
Deranomized Learning of Boolean Functions

We define a new model of learning called the Always Approximately Correct or AAC model. In this model the learner does not have random bits at its disposal, and instead learns by making the usual membership queries from a deterministic “training set.” This model is an extension of Angluin's Query model of exact learning with membership queries alone.
A nuclear escort for beta-catenin.

Understanding the regulation of β-catenin, a key component of the Wnt signalling pathway, has important implications for developmental processes, maintenance of stem cells and the formation of many cancers. The latest report suggests that a nuclear complex consisting of Pygopus and Legless is required for β-catenin's nuclear localization, thereby promoting its transcriptional activity.
Detection, Recognition, and Expression Analysis of Human Faces

Automated processing of facial images is a problem of interest since the beginning of computer vision. Recently the interest has revived for biometrics and human-computer interaction. I am going to talk about our recent progress in face image analysis: detecting faces in an image with arbitrary size, pose and background, understanding facial actions units of FACS to understand facial expression, and recognizing people by face images. Also, I will talk about "recovering" a higher resolution image of the face from an extremely low resolution image (the process we nicknamed "hallucination"). Common to these methods is a combination of probabilistic approach and critical care of registration in order to obtain better results than previous attempts.
Vectorized fault simulation on the Cray X-MP supercomputer

A highly vectorized parallel fault simulation (VPFS) algorithm developed to take advantage of the specific hardware architecture of the Cray X-MP is described. The data structure is optimized to suit the constraints imposed by the design of the main memory on the Cray supercomputer. The implementation of VPFS on a Cray X-MP/24 achieved a peak performance of about 2.5*10/sup 9/ gate evaluations per second on one processor, for a maximal speedup of approximately=30 over scalar processing. >
On Analytic Theology

My primary aims in this paper are to give an overview of a recent movement which goes by the name of ‘analytic theology’, to locate that movement within the larger context of contemporary philosophy of religion, and to identify some of the weakness or objections that analytic theology will need to address moving forward. While I think that some of these objections have merit, I also think that the promise of analytic theology’s contribution to theology more broadly is, in my view, sufficiently robust that we should continue to engage in it as a theological enterprise (even if one among many).
EFFECTS OF HYPOTHYROIDISM AND UNDERNUTRITION ON DNA CONTENT AND THYMIDINE KINASE ACTIVITY DURING CEREBELLAR DEVELOPMENT IN THE RAT1,2

—The effects of hypothyroidism and several degrees of undernutrition on the development of cerebellar weight, DNA, and thymidine kinase activity were studied in young rats ranging in age from 2 to 22 days. Early propylthiouracil treatment caused a delayed cerebellar cell multiplication. The activity of cerebellar thymidine kinase was suppressed at ages 2 and 5 days and was in excess of control values on days 15 and 22, thus resulting in a delay in the developmental spectrum for thymidine kinase, and extending the time span of activity beyond that of controls. Undernutrition led to varying degrees of reduced cell proliferation at experimental ages 5, 12, and 19 days. Cerebella from the most undernourished animals showed significant differences from controls in thymidine kinase activity at ages 5 and 12 days. Comparisons between sub-groups from within the oversized litters at 5 and 12 days suggested that changes in thymidine kinase activity relate to the degree of undernutrition to which the sub-group is subjected and that during development there may be a critical degree of undernutrition at which a particular essential enzyme becomes affected. This study emphasizes the biochemical similarities and differences between neonatal hypothyroidism and undernutrition, while pointing out the difficulties which exist in biochemical separation of components of the two conditions. Further evidence is presented that thymidine kinase is responsive to hormonal stimuli during cerebellar development and may play an important role in the regulation of DNA biosynthesis in brain as well as other organs.
What patients with addiction disorders need from their primary care physicians: A qualitative study.

ABSTRACTBackground: Although strong relationships between primary care providers (PCPs) and patients with addictive disease are essential for care, these relationships are often strained. Providers frequently have negative attitudes about treating these patients, in part due to the practical and psychosocial challenges that come with addictive disease. Resulting hostility frequently causes avoidance of primary care by patients with potentially increased morbidity. However, gaining knowledge of patient perspectives on these relationships could improve physician attitudes toward patients with addictive disease and relatedly improve care. Methods: The authors conducted 18 semistructured interviews of patients with current or prior debilitating addictive disease recruited from a primary care practice in East Baltimore. Interview transcripts were analyzed using editing analysis to reveal major themes. Results: Participants elucidated several provider characteristics that were essential for successful relations...
Wearable sensor based stress management using integrated respiratory and ECG waveforms

Wearable technology and mobile platforms are becoming more and more popular in health care. This paper introduces a real time stress management system using wearable sensors and Smartphone mobile platform. The new system estimates stress level in real time using heart rate variability and patient activity cycles, and provides relaxation exercises instantaneously to help manage stress. The system relies on a wearable sensor to collect data (i.e., heart rate and respiration rate) and transmits data to Smartphones using Bluetooth to further process data. We also introduce a new breathing template matching algorithm to identify the best breathing exercise for users. A 2D visualization display shows that stress can be effectively relieved by the proposed stress management system.
Design and characterization of an improved protein tyrosine phosphatase substrate-trapping mutant.

Although members of the protein tyrosine phosphatase (PTPase) family share a common mechanism of action (hydrolysis of phosphotyrosine), the cellular processes in which they are involved can be both highly specialized and fundamentally important. Identification of cellular PTPase substrates will help elucidate the biological functions of individual PTPases. Two types of substrate-trapping mutants are being used to isolate PTPase substrates. In the first, the active site Cys residue is replaced by a Ser (e.g., PTP1B/C215S) while in the second, the general acid Asp residue is substituted by an Ala (e.g., PTP1B/D181A). Unfortunately, only a limited number of PTPase substrates have been identified with these two mutants, which are usually relatively abundant cellular proteins. Based on mechanistic considerations, we seek to create novel PTPase mutants with improved substrate-trapping properties. Kinetic and thermodynamic characterization of the newly designed PTP1B mutants indicates that PTP1B/D181A/Q262A displays lower catalytic activity than that of D181A. In addition, D181A/Q262A also possesses 6- and 28-fold higher substrate-binding affinity than those of D181A and C215S, respectively. In vivo substrate-trapping experiments indicate that D181A/Q262A exhibits much higher affinity than both D181A and C215S for a bona fide PTP1B substrate, the epidermal growth factor receptor. Moreover, D181A/Q262A can also identify novel, less abundant substrates, that are missed by D181A. Thus, this newly developed and improved substrate-trapping mutant can serve as a powerful affinity reagent to isolate and purify both high- and low-abundant protein substrates. Given that both Asp181 and Gln262 are invariant among the PTPase family, it is predicted that this improved substrate-trapping mutant would be applicable to all members of PTPases for substrate identification.
Transitions in critical size in metal (100) and metal (111) homoepitaxy

Abstract Transitions in the critical island size i in submonolayer growth from i = 1 to i = 2 and from i = 1 to i = 3, corresponding to homoepitaxial growth on metal (111) and (100) surfaces, are studied using kinetic Monte Carlo simulations of a restricted pairbond model, both with and without island relaxation, and are compared with rate-equation predictions. In both cases, the rate equations significantly underestimate the transition temperature from i = 1 behavior to a higher critical island size. The difference is due to the neglect of spatial correlations in the standard rate-equation approach. A partial solution involving the use of effective detachment rates is proposed.
Human fetal trachea-scid mouse xenografts: efficacy of vesicular stomatitis virus-G pseudotyped lentiviral-mediated gene transfer

Abstract Background/Purpose Postnatal gene transfer in respiratory epithelium has been inefficient, particularly in submucosal gland cells, the target cells for cystic fibrosis transmembrane regulator (CFTR) gene transfer in cystic fibrosis. The authors hypothesized that fetal tracheobronchial epithelium may be more receptive to gene transfer in that precursor cells of the respiratory epithelium may be more accessible. Methods Vesicular stomatitis virus-G (VSV-G) pseudotyped lentiviral vector was first tested in human fetal tracheal organ culture then validated in a human fetal tracheal xenograft model in severe combined immunodeficiency (SCID) mice. Between 7 × 10 7 and 1.6 × 10 8 transducing units of lentiviral vector encoding the transgene LacZ under the control of the human CMV promoter were administered onto the lumenal surface of the xenografts (n = 6). Biopsy specimens were taken from the xenografts at one month (n = 1), 2 months (n = 2), 3 months (n = 1), 6 months (n = 4), and 9 months (n = 1) after vector administration. Analysis of transgene expression was performed on X-gal stained sections. Results Transgene expression was observed in 20.2% to 99% of the surface epithelial cells (mean, 70.8 ± 32.3% SD) and in 28.4% to 99% of the submucosal gland cells (mean, 68.5 ± 26.2% SD) out to 9 months after vector administration in the tracheal xenografts, equivalent to 63 weeks postconceptual age. No staining was seen in the controls. Conclusions Excellent gene transfer in human fetal tracheal xenografts after VSV-G pseudotyped lentiviral vector administration, which may result from more accessible target precursor cells during development, suggests the feasibility of fetal gene therapy for the treatment of congenital airway disease such as cystic fibrosis.
The hemocyanin of the ramshorn snail, Marisa cornuarieties (Linné)

Abstract 1. 1. The hemocyanin of the freshwater snail, Marisa cornuarietis exists predominantly as a di-decamer with the approximate mol. wt of 8.5 × 10 6 and a sedimentation coefficient of 100 S . Sedimentation and scanning transmission electron microscopy experiments indicate that about 18–20% of the hemocyanin forms tri-decameric and possibly higher aggregates with mol. wts of 12.5 × 10 6 and 130 S . 2. 2. The fully dissociated subunits in 8.0 urea and 6.0 M GdmCl have mol. wts of 4.1 to 4.7 × 10 5 which is close to one-twentieth of the major di-decameric component of the native hemocyanin. 3. 3. Subunit dissociation by the urea series and the Hofmeister salt series of reagents suggests hydrophobic stabilization of the decamers or half-molecules of the parent hemocyanin. As with the other molluscan hemocyanins the order of effectiveness of the ureas as dissociating agents shows increased efficacy with increasing hydrophobicity or chain-length of the urea substituents. 4. 4. Denaturation of the hemocyanin subunits by the ureas and Hofmeister salt series, investigated by circular dichroism measurements, essentially follow the same trend in effectiveness as observed by changes in subunit dissociation followed by light-scattering mol. wt measurements. 5. 5. The observed denaturation transitions are shifted to much higher ranges of reagent concentration than the concentrations required for the dissociation of the hemocyanin subunits.
Modeling and analysis of Bernoulli production systems with split and merge

Many production systems have split and merge operations to increase production capacity and variety, improve product quality, and implement product control and scheduling policies. In this paper, we present analytical methods to model and analyze Bernoulli production systems with circulate and priority split/merge policies. The recursive procedures for performance analysis are derived, the convergence of the procedures and uniqueness of the solutions, along with the structural properties, are proved analytically, and the accuracy of the estimation is justified numerically with high precision.
The Importance of Being... Bored

Maria Ebling discusses an NPR program called "Bored and Brilliant," which, based on a study that found that boredom can lead to creativity, has challenged listeners to spend more time daydreaming. What are we giving up by spending all of our spare time checking our smartphones? Are we losing the potential time to daydream and find creative, imaginative solutions to important problems? The related Web Extra provides a list of those who acted as reviewers for IEEE Pervasive Computing in 2014. We thank them for making volume 13 possible.
Advanced drive for low cost permanent magnet synchronous machines used for HEV - a review

This paper studies different magnetization process of low cost permanent magnets used for permanent magnet synchronous machines (PMSM). Due to the limited resource availability of the rare earth materials, it is required to have an alternate solution for magnets used for permanent magnet machines. The type of magnet should be readily available and low cost. This paper gives a thorough review of the existing low cost magnets, those are generally being use in the PMSM machine and their control using power electronics converters.
The unhealthy road not taken: Licensing indulgence by exaggerating counterfactual sins

Abstract This research examined two hypotheses: 1) reflecting on foregone indulgences licenses people to indulge, and 2) to justify future indulgence, people will exaggerate the sinfulness of actions not taken, thereby creating the illusion of having previously foregone indulgence. In Study 1 (a longitudinal study), dieters induced to reflect on unhealthy alternatives to their prior behavior (compared to dieters in a control condition) expressed weaker intentions to pursue their weight-loss goals — and one week later, they said that they had actually done less and intended to continue doing less to pursue such goals. In Study 2, weight-conscious participants who expected to eat cookies (compared to those merely shown cookies) inflated the unhealthiness of snack foods that they previously declined to eat, and exaggerated the extent to which dieting concerns explained why they had declined these snacks. Implications for moral behavior, self-control, and motivated construal processes are discussed.
Rehabilitation and the nursing home patient

Although the nursing home is a final domicile for many, it is also a place to be rehabilitated to a more functional state. Our impression over time was that despite being classified as “Rehabilitation B”, a special category within the standardized New York State classification for nursing home placement, persons were not returning to the community as would have been presumed and outcome was quite varied. We therefore studied all persons gaining admission to our 400-bed academically affiliated nursing home during 1990 who were categorized as “Rehabilitation B” (n=24) and compared outcome to a randomly selected group of persons admitted for non-rehabilitation reasons (n=22). There were no differences in regard to age, sex, time spent in the hospital prior to coming to the nursing home, place of domicile prior to admission, mean number of diseases, medications taken, functional status after 6 months, or discharge rates from the nursing home between the two groups. There were differences, however, in the actual diseases that persons in the two groups had as well as in functional capabilities prior to admission with the rehabilitation candidates being more dependent in their activities of daily living. Discharge from the nursing home is only one measure of success for a rehabilitation program; although there were no differences in discharge rates from the nursing home, persons admitted as “Rehabilitation B” patients exhibited the most improvement in functional status. Rehabilitation can play an important role in improving one’s quality of life.
An Episode in the Administration of the Great Whale River Eskimo

In this paper, it is intended to record the responses of a group of people to certain changes introduced into its customary life by an administrative authority. This report is not a dramatic event. As case material, however, together with other comparable instances, the record should serve to increase understanding of the regularities governing human behavior.
Controlled Nonlinear Stochastic Delay Equations: Part II: Approximations and Pipe-Flow Representations

This is the second part of a work dealing with key issues that have not been addressed in the modeling and numerical optimization of nonlinear stochastic delay systems. We consider new classes of models, such as those with nonlinear functions of several controls (such as products), each with is own delay, controlled random Poisson measure driving terms, admissions control with delayed retrials, and others. Part I was concerned with issues concerning the class of admissible controls and their approximations, since the classical definitions are inadequate for our models. This part is concerned with transportation equation representations and their approximations. Such representations of nonlinear stochastic delay models have been crucial in the development of numerical algorithms with much reduced memory and computational requirements. The representations for the new models are not obvious and are developed. They also provide a template for the adaptation of the Markov chain approximation numerical methods.
Apixaban reduced stroke and systemic embolism compared with warfarin in atrial fibrillation.

Source Citation Granger CB, Alexander JH, McMurray JJ, et al. Apixaban versus warfarin in patients with atrial fibrillation. N Engl J Med. 2011;365:981-92. 21870978
Complete Genome Sequences of Lactobacillus johnsonii Strain N6.2 and Lactobacillus reuteri Strain TD1

ABSTRACT We report here the complete genome sequences of Lactobacillus johnsonii strain N6.2, a homofermentative lactic acid intestinal bacterium, and Lactobacillus reuteri strain TD1, a heterofermentative lactic acid intestinal bacterium, both isolated from a type 1 diabetes-resistant rat model.
Intrinsic functional connectivity of the brain swallowing network during subliminal esophageal acid stimulation.

Background Intrinsic synchronous fluctuations of the functional magnetic resonance imaging signal are indicative of the underlying ‘functional connectivity’ (FC) and serve as a technique to study dynamics of the neuronal networks of the human brain. Earlier studies have characterized the functional connectivity of a distributed network of brain regions involved in swallowing, called brain swallowing network (BSN). The potential modulatory effect of esophageal afferent signals on the BSN, however, has not been systematically studied. Methods Fourteen healthy volunteers underwent steady state functional magnetic resonance imaging across three conditions: (i) transnasal catheter placed in the esophagus without infusion; (ii) buffer solution infused at 1 mL/min; and (iii) acidic solution infused at 1 mL/min. Data were preprocessed according to the standard FC analysis pipeline. We determined the correlation coefficient values of pairs of brain regions involved in swallowing and calculated average group FC matrices across conditions. Effects of subliminal esophageal acidification and nasopharyngeal intubation were determined. Key Results Subliminal esophageal acid stimulation augmented the overall FC of the right anterior insula and specifically the FC to the left inferior parietal lobule. Conscious stimulation by nasopharyngeal intubation reduced the overall FC of the right posterior insula, particularly the FC to the right prefrontal operculum. Conclusions & Inferences The FC of BSN is amenable to modulation by sensory input. The modulatory effect of sensory pharyngoesophageal stimulation on BSN is mainly mediated through changes in the FC of the insula. The alteration induced by subliminal visceral esophageal acid stimulation is in different insular connections compared with that of conscious somatic pharyngeal stimulation.
“Jumping in”: trust and communication in mentoring student teachers

Abstract The purpose of this study was to uncover how two student teacher/mentor teacher pairs made sense of their roles during a year-long field placement. We learned about the ways in which the pairs discussed the idea of “jumping in” as they framed trust and communication as integral components of mentoring in learning to teach. Qualitative data sources informed our analysis of the ways people made sense of their roles in a mentoring relationship and provided participants’ perspectives on involvement in group conversations about mentoring. Implications include: (1) mentoring as “jumping in”; (2) conscious collaboration in learning to teach; and (3) mutual mentoring.
A new synthetic route for the synthesis of hydrogen terminated silicon nanoparticles

Abstract We describe the synthesis and characterization of nanocrystalline Si prepared by the initial reaction of the metal silicide, Mg 2 Si, with either SiCl 4 or Br 2 and, subsequently, with LiAlH 4 . These reactions produce Si nanoparticles with surfaces that are covalently terminated with H. The resultant nanoparticles can be suspended in organic solvent and are characterized by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR), UV–vis absorption, and photoluminescence (PL) spectroscopy. This work provides the first direct evidence of hydrogen terminated Si nanoparticles synthesized in solution.
Promoting promotions: Does showcasing free gifts backfire?

Abstract Two experiments examine the effect of the visual size of a gift in a free gift promotion on consumer judgments. Results show that promotional offers that highlight the free gift (rather than the product) are less effective than those that highlight the product to be purchased. Increasing the visual size of the free gift leads to perceptions of poorer product quality and has unfavorable consequences for purchase intentions of the offer. We propose that the larger the size of the gift in a promotional ad, the higher the perceived component of gift value in the total promotional offer, and accordingly the lower the value of the promoted product. Therefore, visually larger gifts can backfire and hurt the overall promotional offer. The presence of price information about the product moderates these effects. Implications for the use of visual cues to draw inferences, and managerial implications for advertising free gift offers are discussed.
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum: evaluation of diagnostic criteria based on molecular data

Summary Background Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE) is a genetic disorder due to mutations in the gene encoding the transmembrane transporter protein adenosine triphosphate binding cassette (ABC)-C6, resulting in calcification of elastic fibres in the skin, eyes and cardiovascular system. Objectives To evaluate the diagnostic criteria for PXE based on molecular data. Methods Of 10 families with a positive history of PXE 142 subjects were investigated for clinical symptoms, histological findings and genetic haplotype analysis. Results Of these, 25 subjects were haplotypic homozygous for PXE and 23 had typical clinical and histopathological manifestations. Two of the 25 patients showed such marked solar elastosis and macular degeneration that PXE could not be confirmed clinically. Sixty-seven subjects were haplotypic heterozygous carriers and 50 were haplotypic homozygous unaffected. Of these 117 subjects, 116 showed no cutaneous or ophthalmological signs of PXE. In one of the 50 haplotypic homozygous unaffected patients important solar elastosis and scarring of the retina mimicked PXE lesions. Only four of the 67 haplotypic heterozygous carriers had biopsies of nonlesional skin; all were histopathologically normal. Conclusions In our patients, PXE presents as an autosomal recessive genodermatosis. Correlation of haplotype and phenotype confirmed actual major diagnostic criteria. In patients with marked solar elastosis and/or severe macular degeneration clinical diagnosis can be impossible and molecular testing is needed to confirm the presence of PXE. To the best of our knowledge our large study compares for the first time clinical findings with molecular data.
Interactions of ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays with photons in the galactic center

Abstract Ultrahigh-energy cosmic rays passing through the central region of the Galaxy interact with starlight and the infrared photons. Both nuclei and protons generate secondary fluxes of photons and neutrinos on their passage through the central region. We compute the fluxes of these secondary particles, the observations of which can be used to improve one’s understanding of origin and composition of ultrahigh-energy comic rays, especially if the violation of the Greisen–Zatespin–Kuzmin cutoff is confirmed by the future data.
Influence of Strain-Rate on Coagulation Kinetics

The nature of hydrodynamically induced particle collisions in orthokinetic coagulation is examined. For a discrete region of fluid that is exposed to linear velocity-gradients, the frequency of collisions between particles is shown to be a function of the strain rates acting on the volume element of fluid containing the particles. Through transformation of the strain-rate tensor by diagonalization into principal components, a new scalar value is obtained that accurately estimates the total collision rate. This value, the \Iabsolute maximum principal strain-rate\N, is used in conjunction with a new collision-frequency function derived for the normal strain rates to yield an accurate relation for orthokinetic coagulation. The new method is contrasted with estimates of a global average velocity-gradient based on energy dissipation and power input to the fluid system. It is also shown that the square root of the dissipation function is not directly proportional to the velocity-gradient and that a global average of the energy dissipation function does not represent a mean-square velocity-gradient.
Ultrastructure and electrical properties of the hyperneural muscle of Periplaneta americana

Abstract The hyperneural muscle of Periplaneta americana is striated with an A-band at least 2 μm long. Z-bands were discrete units, but arranged with some order in the myoplasm. The sarcoplasmic reticulum was reduced and 1 thick was surrounded by 10 to 12 thin myofilaments. The muscle is innervated from the median nerves by axons containing electron-dense granules which may be opaque near the neuromuscular junction amid numerous synaptic vesicles. Depolarizing intracellular current injection produces an ohmic voltage response of the membrane potential and neurally evoked contraction is effected by summated excitatory postsynaptic potentials. All contractal activity ceases when the innervation is removed. The muscle appears to be electrically inexcitable and to be under obligatory control of central motor units. By virtue of attachments along the ventral nerve cord in the abdomen, the hyperneural muscle, when activated, moves the nerve cord unidirectionally. In effect, the hyperneural muscle is called upon by the central nervous system to move the ventral nerve cord presumably into a greater mix with the haemolymph in response to as yet unknown stimuli.
Comparison of White Sucker Age Estimates from Scales, Pectoral Fin Rays, and Otoliths

Abstract The ages of 229 white suckers Catostomus commersonii from six drainages in the upper Missouri River basin were estimated from scales, pectoral fin ray sections, and lapilli otolith sections to evaluate the potential bias of age estimates between structures. Age estimates were compared by calculating the coefficient of variation, average percent error, percent agreement, and percent agreement within 1 year, as well as by constructing age bias plots. Overall, the relative precision of age estimates from pectoral fin rays and otoliths was higher than that of age estimates from scales and otoliths, but neither pair differed in precision from scales and fin rays. The relative precision of age estimates between pairs of structures was variable both within and among drainages, and few trends could be detected. The percent agreement between structures ranged from 50.0% to 93.8% among drainages, but 9 of 18 pairs had agreement rates greater than 70.0%. Percent agreement within 1 year was greater than 85.0...
Feeling Uncertain and Acting on It During the Preschool Years: A Metacognitive Approach

The ability to experience uncertainty (i.e., uncertainty monitoring) is an important skill that enables us to optimize our performance by acting cautiously or seeking additional information when we feel uncertain, and by expressing our knowledge when we feel certain (i.e., uncertainty control). Research reveals that even young preschoolers can introspect on uncertainty and act appropriately based on these introspections. We conclude that uncertainty monitoring and control can be driving forces of cognitive development during the preschool years. In this article, we review the emerging literature on this topic, highlight open questions, and draw connections with other research domains.
Inelastic response of ring-stiffened cylindrical shells to external pressure shock waves

Abstract : An incremental finite-differences approach based on an absolute minimum principle in dynamic finite plasticity is developed to study the inelastic response of ring-stiffened cylindrical shells to underwater explosions. The pressure in the shock wave caused by an underwater explosion is treated as a prescribed transient load acting on a shell. Numerical results for five cases are presented. The results indicate that dynamic stress concentrations and yielding occur in the shell near the ring stiffeners or other hard points.
Highly dispersive photonic crystal waveguides and their applications in optical modulators and true-time delay lines

An ultra-compact silicon electro-optic modulator was experimentally demonstrated based on highly dispersive silicon photonic crystal (PhC) waveguides. Modulation operation was demonstrated by carrier injection into an 80 μm-long silicon PhC waveguide of a Mach-Zehnder interferometer (MZI) structure. The π phase shift driving current, I π , across the active region is as low as 0.15 mA, which is equivalent to a V π of 7.5 mV when a 50 Ω impedance-matched structure is applied. The modulation depth is 92%. Highly dispersive PhC fibers were previously proposed to reduce the payload of true-time delay (TTD) modules for phased-array antenna (PAA) systems. The payload reduction factor is proportional to the enhanced dispersion of highly dispersive PhC fibers. An ultra-large dispersion of -1.1×10 4 ps/nm•km with the full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 40 nm was numerically simulated from a dual core PhC fibers. The payload reduction factor of the TTD module is as high as 110 compared to that using conventional dispersion compensation fibers (D = -100 ps/nm•km).
High frequency permeability measurements on Ni/sub 76/Fe/sub 10/Co/sub 14//Cu giant magnetoresistive multilayers

High frequency permeability was measured on a [Ni/sub 76/Fe/sub 10/Co/sub 14/(16 /spl Aring/)/Cu(23 /spl Aring/)]/sub 10/ giant magnetoresistive multilayer. The real part of the permeability was essentially flat at least up to 100 MHz with a value of 360. The intrinsic anisotropy field, and the bilinear and the biquadratic exchange fields were determined from measurements of the transverse biased permeability along both the easy and hard axes. >
Mental status examination of children with learning problems

Questionnaires were submitted to 163 board-certified/eligible child neurologists to determine whether they employed a consistent approach to the mental status examination of children with learning problems and whether this approach appropriately emphasized the assessment of higher and related cortical functions. The responders' frequency of testing in 6 major categories of mental status function was independent of their age, sex, board-certified/eligible status, type of practice, and years elapsed since completion of training. The results of the entire study group and comparisons among demographic subgroups demonstrated a progressive decline in testing frequency with increasing complexity of mental status function. Child neurologists' approach to the mental status examination was remarkably uniform across a wide range of demographic variables. Higher and related cortical functions are tested significantly less often in children with learning problems than are other more elementary categories of mental status function; therefore, the importance of the mental status examination in this context must be questioned. It is likely that the diagnosis ascribed to a child with learning problems is based on findings other than those provided by the mental status examination.
Color distribution analysis and quantization for image retrieval

Color space selection and quantization are critical to content-based image retrieval based on color histograms. In this work, we first examine the color distribution in different color spaces including RGB, HSV, YUV and Munsell spaces and discuss the appropriate quantization strategies in these color spaces based on the distribution of colors. Then, we propose a color quantization scheme which applies the Lloyd-Max quantizer along each axis independently. The proposed scheme is simple yet efficient. Retrieval using the proposed quantization scheme on different color spaces are compared through experiments.
Production of transforming growth factor beta by human peripheral blood monocytes and neutrophils.

Human peripheral blood monocytes and neutrophils secrete TGF-beta. Activation of monocytes with LPS stimulates the secretion of TGF-beta; however, the production of TGF-beta by neutrophils was not altered by treatment with LPS. The secreted TGF-beta appears to be in a fully active form since acid treatment of the conditioned medium does not increase the amount of TGF-beta activity. TGF-beta 1 transcripts were detected at similar levels in both activated and nonacti-vated monocytes and neutrophils, suggesting that the increase in TGF-beta secretion after activation of monocytes is regulated by a posttranscriptional mechanism. Western blot analysis with anti-N-terminal TGF-beta 1 peptide antibodies indicate the leukocyte-derived TGF-beta is beta 1. In addition, TGF-beta 1 transcripts were detected in rat peritoneal macrophages and in a differentiating human hematopoietic tumor cell line (HEL). The ability of inflammatory cells such as monocytes and neutrophils to produce TGF-beta may play an important role in the function of these cells in wound repair, in the immune response, and in the pathogenesis of fibrotic diseases.
Interactions between invasive round gobies (Neogobius melanostomus) and fantail darters (Etheostoma flabellare) in a tributary of the St. Lawrence River, New York, USA

The initial, rapid expansion of the invasive round goby (Neogobius melanostomus) throughout the Great Lakes drainage was largely confined to lentic systems. We recently observed round gobies ascending two tributaries of the St. Lawrence River. The expansion of gobies into small lotic environments may place ecologically similar species at risk. Fantail darter (Etheostoma flabellare) is one of the several benthic species of the New York Great Lakes drainages that are threatened by round goby invasion. We examined the habitat use and diet composition of fantail darters and round gobies in Mullet Creek, a third-order tributary of the St. Lawrence River, NY, USA. The objectives of this study were to determine the degree of habitat and diet overlap between fantail darters and round gobies in a tributary of the St. Lawrence River. Gobies and darters co-occurred at 22% of capture sites. Of the four habitat variables examined (cover, depth, substrate and velocity), only depth use was significantly different with g...