cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Externalities from Recycling Laws: Evidence from Crime Rates

This paper tests whether laws that encourage bottle recycling and also increase the labor incomes of low-wage workers have the additional effect of reducing petty crime rates. A simple choice theory model of crime participation and labor supply suggests that low-wage workers may substitute time and effort away from illegal activity to legal and remunerative recycling activity. Between 1973 and 2001, eleven states and one city enacted bottle recycling laws, and this paper exploits the variation in the year of implementation of the bottle laws to measure and test for any reduction in crime rates. The results show that city-level petty crime rates in bottle law states are on average 11% lower than city-level petty crime rates in non-bottle law states. Although the primary positive benefits of recycling income go to low-income individuals, the unexpected secondary benefit of lower crime rates affects both high- and low-income individuals. (JEL Q50, K40)
Case Report: Simultaneous Hyperprogression and Fulminant Myocarditis in a Patient With Advanced Melanoma Following Treatment With Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy

We report here a patient with stage IV mucosal melanoma treated with dual immune checkpoint inhibitor (ICI) therapy (Nivolumab/Ipilimumab) who experienced rapid disease progression and metastatic spread within three weeks of first infusion. Surprisingly, this patient also developed fulminant myocarditis within the same time frame. Immunohistochemical staining of the primary tumor and a metastatic omental lesion revealed robust CD8+ PD-1+ T cell infiltration after ICI treatment, as would be expected following immune activation. However, the CD8+ T cell infiltrate was largely negative for both Granzyme B and TIA-1, suggesting these T cells were not capable of effective tumor lysis. We discuss the possibility that heightened pro-inflammatory T cell activity (rather than tumor-directed cytolytic activity) was induced by anti-PD-1 and anti-CTLA-4, which could have provoked both rapid tumor resistance mechanisms and myocarditis. This case highlights the fact that the mere presence of tumor infiltrating lymphocytes (TILs) does not necessarily correlate to ICI response and that additional functional markers are necessary to differentiate between inflammatory and cytolytic CD8+ TILs.
Outside and inside the time machines: structure and subjectivity in Alain Resnais’s Je t’aime, je t’aime

This study considers the political significance of Alain Resnais’s Je t’aime, je t’aime through a comparison of the structural determinations imposed on subjectivity by the time machine and the ana...
Serum fructosamine and glycemic status in the presence of the sickle cell mutation.

Abstract Aims The glycated hemoglobin (HbA1c) test can be unreliable in the presence of hemoglobinopathies. The co-existence of type 2 diabetes (T2D) with sickle cell anemia calls for alternative tests. Therefore, we established a reference interval for serum fructosamine and evaluated its utility as a potential glycemic biomarker that is not affected by abnormal hemoglobin. Methods The accuracies of serum fructosamine in monitoring and diagnosing T2D were evaluated using the Area under the Receiver Operating Characteristics and other measures in 618 Nigerians with or without sickle cell trait. The estimated diagnostic cut-off for serum fructosamine was then validated in an independent multi-ethnic cohort of 634 West Africans. Results Serum fructosamine was similar between individuals with or without sickle cell trait (median: 287 vs 275 umol/L, p = 0·11, respectively) despite statistically different HbA1c. Fructosamine was highly correlated with both HbA1c and fasting glucose independently of sickle cell trait. The areas under the curve (AUC) of serum fructosamine in identifying individuals with uncontrolled glycemia and individuals with T2D were similar and independent of sickle cell trait: 0·92 (95% confidence interval [95% CI ], 0·88-0·95 and 0.92 (95% CI, (0.89–0.95) respectively. Conclusions Serum fructosamine is a good alternative to HbA1c for monitoring and diagnosing T2D in the presence of sickle cell trait.
The Structure and Function of Ionotropic Receptors in Drosophila .

Ionotropic receptors (IRs) are a highly divergent subfamily of ionotropic glutamate receptors (iGluR) and are conserved across Protostomia, a major branch of the animal kingdom that encompasses both Ecdysozoa and Lophothrochozoa. They are broadly expressed in peripheral sensory systems, concentrated in sensory dendrites, and function in chemosensation, thermosensation, and hygrosensation. As iGluRs, four IR subunits form a functional ion channel to detect environmental stimuli. Most IR receptors comprise individual stimulus-specific tuning receptors and one or two broadly expressed coreceptors. This review summarizes the discoveries of the structure of IR complexes and the expression and function of each IR, as well as discusses the future direction for IR studies.
CORPORATIONS, PARTNERSHIPS, AND ASSOCIATIONS Partnership: Provide Definitions; Provide Procedures for Limited Liability Partnership Elections; Provide Amendment to Certificate to Comply with Name Requirements Liability to Third Parties

The Act relates to corporations and provides procedures and requirements for a new or existing partnership to become or continue to be a limited liability partnership. The Act further provides for a determination of when a limited partnership becomes a limited liability partnership. The Act provides for changes that occur in a partnership, including real property transfers and agreements for obligations. The Act also provides for one member partnerships. The Act simplifies some election parameters, clarifies tax treatment, and paperwork.
Dietary galactooligosaccharides affect ileal and total-tract nutrient digestibility, ileal and fecal bacterial concentrations, and ileal fermentative characteristics of growing pigs.

The objective of this study was to evaluate dietary galactooligosaccharide (Gal OS) addition on swine nutrient digestibility, ileal and fecal bacterial populations, and ileal short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) production, and to determine their impact on ileal fermentative characteristics in vitro. Twelve T-cannulated pigs (BW = 25 kg) were fed a diet free of Gal OS for 21 d. On d 22, ileal digesta samples were collected for an in vitro fermentation experiment (Exp. 1). Substrates included: raffinose/stachyose combination (R + S), soy solubles (SS), and transgalactooligosaccharides (TOS). Also included were the non-OS components of SS and TOS. Nine pigs (three donors per treatment) served as ileal effluent donors. Each substrate was fermented in vitro for 6 h, and pH and SCFA and gas production were determined. Pigs then were allotted to three treatments: a Gal OS-free control diet and the control diet with either 3.5% added Gal OS from SS or TOS. Diets, feces, and digesta samples collected weekly for 6 wk on d 6 (feces) and 7 (digesta) were analyzed for DM, OM, CP, and chromic oxide concentrations. Feces and ileal digesta were analyzed for bifidobacteria and lactobacilli populations. Ileal digesta samples were analyzed for SCFA. On d 64, a second in vitro fermentation experiment (Exp. 2) was conducted using ileal effluent from three pigs per treatment and the same substrates used in Exp. 1. In vivo results showed that ileal and total tract DM and OM digestion were decreased (P 0.05) compared to SS and TOS. The Gal OS used in this study were prebiotics, increasing beneficial bacteria in vivo and SCFA concentrations both in vivo and in vitro.
Adaptive Force Control of Two Dimensional Milling

This paper deals with adaptive force control of the two dimensional milling process. The resultant feed is adjusted to regulate cutting force at the desired value. The distribution of the feed to x and y axes is accomplished by the CNC interpolator. Several methods are presented for softening large overshoot of cutting force caused by sudden changes in the workpiece geometry. Experimental results are presented to validate the proposed approach.
A slotted beam pipe kicker magnet with solid state drive for SPEAR III

The SPEAR III kicker system uses three magnets, K1, K2, and K3, to inject a 3.3 GeV beam into a light source. A slotted beam pipe magnet design is used. Individual induction type solid state modulators power the magnets. Modulators for K1 and K3 use ten IGBTs to drive ten single turn primaries of a transformer. Bi-polar outputs are achieved by passing two conductive rods in opposite directions through the centers of ten FINEMET cores. Two 22.5 /spl Omega/ cables connect each of the output terminals to the corresponding magnet busses. Magnet K2 is half the length of the other kickers, and thus has one half the inductance. It is required that the pulse shape of each kicker be identical in order to have a closed orbit for the injected beam, so the output impedance of K2 must also be half. Therefore, K2 uses a stack of five cores with four cables connected to each of the output terminals. The modulators for K1 and K3 are designed to produce bi-polar 20 kV, 3 kA pulses of 1 /spl mu/s at 10 Hz, with rise and fall times of less than 350 ns. Prototypes of both the magnet and the modulator have been built, and components for installation are in fabrication. Details of the design, and test data from the prototype system are presented.
Ig nobel marriage vows

Two geologists at Arizona State University (ASU), AGU member Will Stefanov and Lisa Danielson, celebrated their “Ig Nobel” wedding on October 4. The couple married during a 60-second ceremony in front of a crowd of 1200, which included many other scientists and four actual Nobel prize winners at this year's offbeat Ig Nobel Prizes ceremony in Sanders Theater on the campus of Harvard University in Cambridge, Massachusetts. The wedding was the culmination of the Ig Nobel ceremony, an annual fete sponsored by the science humor magazine, Annals of Improbable Research (AIR), which honors oddball scientific achievements. Danielson, a doctoral candidate at ASU whose interests include experimental petrology and geochemistry was one of about 20 people who responded to a notice to wed during the Ig Nobel.
A Martingale System Theorem and Applications

Let (W, F, P) be a probability space with points ω ∊ W and let (y n , F n ), n = 1, 2, …, be an integrable stochastic sequence: y n is a sequence of random variables, F n is a sequence of σ-algebras with F n ⊂ F n +1 ⊂ F, y n is measurable with respect to and F n , and E(yn) exists, –∞ ≦ E(y n ) ≦ ∞. A random variable s = s(ω) with positive integer values is a sampling variable if {s ≦ n} ∊ F n and {s < ∞} = W. (We denote by {…} the set of all ω satisfying the relation in braces, and understand equalities and inequalities to hold up to sets of P-measure 0.) We shall be concerned with the problem of finding, if it exists, a sampling variable s which maximizes E(y s ).
Small Wars: The Cultural Politics of Childhood

Small Wars: The Cultural Politics of Childhood. Nancy Scheper-Hughes and Carolyn Sargent. eds. Los Angeles: University of California Press, 1998. iv. 429 pp.
Review article: orthograde gut lavage for colonoscopy

Most colon cleansing regimens for surgical and diagnostic procedures such as colonoscopy are modifications of older barium enema X-ray preparations which have evolved in gastrointestinal laboratories influenced by empiric experience. Recent formal study allows for careful comparison of gut lavage, diet and cathartic, and oral sodium phosphate preparations. This review will evaluate oral lavage solutions and address their safety, tolerance and efficacy. Administration options are discussed as well as other diet and cathartic methods previously referred to as 'standard preps'.
Hydrogen Spectrum of SS433 System

We propose that the hydrogen spectrum in intense magnetic fields will help clarify the mechanisms which govern the SS433 system. In ultra high magnetic fields the standard hydrogen spectrum is superimposed on the Landau levels. There is, however, one deep-lying level in hydrogen at an energy of 50 eV to greater than 200 eV, depending on the magnetic field strength typical of neutron stars in x-ray binaries. When this level manifests itself it will give an indication of the magnetic field strength at the location of the radiating material; it could thus support the infall model SS433.
Quartet structure and collective effects in the scandium isotopes

The systematics of the excitation energies of the non-normal parity states of the scandium isotopes are interpreted in terms of the formation of a quartet of 1f7/2 nucleons. Calculation of theB(E2) value for a typical radiative transition between non-normal parity states in43Sc, using this model, shows that the transition must involve more than the single quartet formed in the 1f7/2 shell; that is, that core polarization is an important factor in determining theB(E2) value.
The Penetration of New Wealth into the English Governing Class from the Middle Ages to the First World War

A ristocratic it has been from the first', the great Maitland wrote of A the English elite, 'but never oligarchic; always ready to receive into itself new members who would have the time, the means, the will to do the work, without inquiring into the purity of their pedigrees or their right to coat armour." This analysis, made in the morning of modern scholarship by a legal and constitutional expert, became the prevailing orthodoxy among later social and economic historians as well. Scholars balanced important interpretations of English history on the hinges of a door open to advancement. A flexible, mobile society was traced as far back as the thirteenth century. The unique stability of constitutional government, the elastic social fabric that survived the challenges of war and revolution, entrepreneurship in agriculture and industry that made England the first modern society, imperial expansion that led to the most far-flung empire in history, the failure of a separate bourgeois culture arising to challenge aristocratic hegemony, and even the rapid descent from glory in the twentieth century have all been attributed to the fluid interpenetration of ranks and classes.2 Of course, not all scholars embraced the open door argument, either as an historical reality or as an explanation for stability, expansion, and
Silver island films as substrate for surface-enhanced raman spectroscopy (SERS) : A methodological study on their application to artists' red dyestuffs

Surface enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has enormous capabilities for the unambiguous identification of artists' red lake pigments and dyestuff. Until now, red lake pigments have been very poorly characterized with conventional Raman spectroscopy due to their high fluorescence and weak Raman scattering cross section. Furthermore, very small amount of dyestuff is necessary to achieve intense deep colors; therefore a characterization method with enhanced sensitivity is needed to accurately identify the dyestuff. This study focuses on two red dyestuffs, carminic acid and laccaic acid, which are extensively utilized in old masters' paintings. We propose an innovative sensing method using 6 nm silver island films (AgIFs) fabricated with electron beam (e-beam) deposition on the colorant particles under investigation. The results of an in-depth methodological investigation into the signal-enhancement achievable with various experimental conditions applied to these substrates are presented. We explore the effects of varying laser excitation frequencies (532.15 nm 632.8nm and 785.7 nm), laser power at the sample and we investigate the dependence of S/N in the spectra from different spot sizes. Finally, the sensitivity of the method is determined. The results of the semi-quantitative analysis have allowed us to determine the best experimental conditions to achieve the highest sensitivity in the investigation of this important class of artists' colorants.
Inference flexibility in Horn clause knowledge bases and the simplex method

This paper shows that the basis matrix inverse of the linear program associated with a propositional Horn clause knowledge base provides a proof structure of inference by forward chaining. The basis matrix inverse indicates how each assertion determines the others and is itself determined by the others. This tabulated proof structure provides a convenient way of making inference transparent and flexible.
Engineered defects for investigation of laser-induced damage of fused silica at 355 nm

Embedded gold and mechanical deformation in silica were used to investigate initiation of laser-induced damage at 355 nm (7.6 ns). The nanoparticle-covered surfaces were coated with between 0 and 500 nm of SiO2 by e-beam deposition. The threshold for observable damage and initiation site morphology for these engineered surfaces was determined. The gold nanoparticle coated surfaces with 500 nm SiO2 coating exhibited pinpoint damage threshold of <0.7 J/cm2 determined by light scattering and Nomarski microscopy. The gold nanoparticle coated surfaces with the 100 nm SiO2 coatings exhibited what nominally appeared to be film exfoliation damage threshold of 19 J/cm2 via light scattering and Nomarski microscopy. With atomic force microscopy pinholes could be detected at fluences greater than 7 J/cm2 and blisters at fluences greater than 3 J/cm2 on the 100-nm-coated surfaces. A series of mechanical indents and scratches were made in the fused silica substrates using a non-indentor. Plastic deformation without cracking led to damage thresholds of approximately 25 J/cm2, whereas indents and scratches with cracking led to damage thresholds of only approximately 5 J/cm2. Particularly illuminating was the deterministic damage of scratches at the deepest end of the scratch, as if the scratch acted as a waveguide.
Expansion Theorems for Ladder Networks

The well-known expansion theorem of Heaviside applies to circuits whose current-electromotive force relations may be expressed through differential equations, whereas in some networks such as filters and artificial lines, in which the network consists of a repeated pattern or mesh, the relations give what are known as difference equations. These are equations involving the mesh number of the network. The solutions of such networks are given in this paper in the form of expansion theorems similar to Heaviside's expansion theorem and its extensions.
Proton beam irradiation for neovascular age-related macular degeneration.

Objective To evaluate safety and visual outcomes after proton therapy for subfoveal neovascular age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Design Randomized dose-ranging clinical trial. Participants One hundred sixty-six patients with angiographic evidence of classic choroidal neovascularization resulting from AMD and best-corrected visual acuity of 20/320 or better. Methods Patients were assigned randomly (1:1) to receive 16-cobalt gray equivalent (CGE) or 24-CGE proton radiation in 2 equal fractions. Visual acuity was measured using standardized protocol refraction. Complete ophthalmological examinations, color fundus photography, and fluorescein angiography were performed before and 3, 6, 12, 18, and 24 months after treatment. Main Outcome Measure Proportion of eyes losing 3 or more lines of vision from baseline. Kaplan–Meier statistics were used to compare cumulative rates of vision loss between the 2 treatment groups. Results At 12 months after treatment, 36 eyes (42%) and 27 eyes (35%) lost 3 or more lines of vision in the 16-CGE and 24-CGE groups, respectively. Rates increased to 62% in the 16-CGE group and 53% in the 24-CGE group by 24 months after treatment ( P = 0.40). Radiation complications developed in 15.7% of patients receiving 16 CGE and 14.8% of patients receiving 24 CGE. Conclusions No significant differences in rates of visual loss were found between the 2 dose groups. Proton radiation may be useful as an adjuvant therapy or as an alternative for patients who decline or are not appropriate for approved therapies.
Parametrization of total and differential cross sections for pi d-->pp below 1 GeV.

The energy dependence of the total cross section for \ensuremath{\pi}d\ensuremath{\rightarrow}pp below 1 GeV pion laboratory kinetic energy is described using a form similar to a previous parametrization of that energy dependence below 330 MeV. Measured angular distributions for the reaction below 1 GeV were fitted using a Legendre polynomial expansion. The energy dependences of the coefficients of the expansion have been fitted with a semiempirical form, giving a simple parametrization for the energy dependence of the differential cross sections for the reaction below 1 GeV.
Performance of expert non native and non expert native readers of scientific french

The study compared the performance of expert non‐native and nonexpert native readers of an experimental report written in French. The dependent measures were number and type of idea units remembered on a twenty‐four hour delayed written recall protocol. Subjects read the text in one of three conditions: canonical experimental report order, scrambled order or very scrambled order. It was found that the difference in number of idea units recalled by both groups was non‐significant although expert non‐native readers recalled more. Recall of expert non‐native readers decreased as text order was more scrambled. Text order appeared to have no effect upon non‐expert native recall patterns. Both groups tended to structure recalls according to the input order. The data analysis includes application of non‐parametrics. Studies of reading in a foreign/second language during the past decade have produced one undisputed finding about comprehension: familiarity with text content and structure can attenuate the effects ...
Temperature-Induced Rebound in Power MOSFETs

Enhancement-mode n-channel power MOSFETs were investigated for rebound. They received 300 krad(Si) gamma dose under positive gate bias with source and drain grounded. The irradiated transistors were thermally annealed with all terminals shorted or under positive gate bias with drain and source shorted, at temperatures from 60°C to 150°C. Threshold voltage rebound was observed for some transistor types under certain experimental conditions.
Pre-Liver Transplant: Tips Versus Distal Splenorenal Shunt

Recurrent variceal bleeding in liver transplant candidates with end-stage liver disease can complicate or even prohibit a subsequent transplant procedure (OLT). Endoscopic sclero-therapy and medical therapy are considered as first-line management with surgical shunts reserved for refractory situations. Surgical shunts can be associated with a high mortality in this population and may complicate subsequent OLT. The transjugular intrahepatic portosystemic shunt (TIPS) has been recommended in these patients as a bridge to OLT. This is a new modality that has not been compared with previously established therapies such as the distal splenorenal shunt (DSRS). In this study we report our experience with 35 liver transplant recipients who had a previous TIPS (18 patients) or DSRS (17 patients) for variceal bleeding. The TIPS group had a significantly larger proportion of critically ill and Child-Pugh C patients. Mean operating time was more prolonged in the DSRS group (P=0.014) but transfusion requirements were similar. Intraoperative portal vein blood flow measurements averaged 2132±725 ml/min in the TIPS group compared with 1120±351ml/min in the DSRS group (P<0.001). Arterial flows were similar. Mean ICU and hospital stays were similar. There were 3 hospital mortalities in the DSRS group and none in the TIPS group (P=0.1). We conclude that TIPS is a valuable tool in the management of recurrent variceal bleeding prior to liver transplantation. Intra0Perative hemodynamic measurements suggest a theoretical advantage with TIPS. In a group of patients with advanced liver disease we report an outcome that is similar to patients treated with DSRS prior to liver transplantation. The role of TIPS in the treatment of nontransplant candidates remains to be clarified.
A time-resolved scattering data acquisition system at the SUNY X21A beamline at NSLS

Abstract Details of a versatile data acquisition system for time-resolved X-ray scattering and diffraction experiments are presented. Specific examples from SAXS biophysics experiments are used to illustrate the capabilities of the system when coupled with focused X-rays from the SUNY X21A beamline at NSLS. Difficulties encountered with the time variation of the X-ray beam are discussed.
The effect of soybean moisture during storage on the lipid composition of extracted crude oil.

The quality of soybean oil extracted from seed stored under constant temperature and relative humidity for 42 days was evaluated over a wide range of moisture levels. Storage of soybeans at 9, 13 and 18% moisture had little affect on the major lipid components (neutral lipids), even though seed stored at 18% moisture became infected with mold. The level of phospholipid in the extracted crude oil decreased during the last 3 weeks of storage in seeds stored at 13 and 18% moisture from 4 to 2.5% of the total oil. During the same period, the level of free fatty acids, (FFA) (primarily 16∶0 and 18∶2) in these samples increased. This study indicated that the increase in FFA during seed storage at high moisture levels was the result of soybean lipase and possibly phospholipase activity. These findings suggested that soybeans should be kept at less than 13% moisture for long-term on-farm storage to preserve oil quality.
Fluctuations of Antarctic Bottom Water velocity in the Vema Channel during the last 160,000 years

Abstract The Vema Channel is a gap in the Rio Grande Rise in the southwest Atlantic Ocean through which Antarctic Bottom Water (AABW) flows north from the Argentine Basin into the Brazil Basin. The bathymetry of the gap restricts the flow direction within narrow limits, and has possibly amplified velocity fluctuations. The history of three major fluctuations in bottom water velocity during the last 160,000 years has been determined by combining detailed stratigraphy and sedimentological analyses. Magnetostratigraphy, biostratigraphy, oxygen isotopic stratigraphy, and total carbonate fluctuations provide the chronology in eighteen deep-sea cores from the Vema Channel. Sedimentation rates show a pattern which is related to the present hydrography in the channel. Three cores near the present-day eastern margin of the AABW have the highest sedimentation rates, suggesting the existence of a stagnation zone where fine-grained sediment is deposited. The mean particle size of the carbonate-free silt fraction was selected as a sensitive, direct monitor of bottom water velocity fluctuations. Three major and one minor increase in bottom water velocity are indicated during the last 160,000 years. The relationship of these increases in bottom water velocity to paleoclimate is not clear and may require modification of available models relating paleoclimate to abyssal circulation. The paleovelocity of bottom water in the Vema Channel has been greater than at present both during glacial and interglacial periods for the last 160,000 years. Separate periods of similar paleoclimate may be quite different with respect to Southern Hemisphere bottom water production so that the trends in relative paleovelocity are more complex than predicted by the models of Newell (1974) and Weyl (1968).
Improving Tests for Superior Treatment in Contingency Tables

Abstract When comparing two treatments on the basis of ordinal data, a natural alternative is stochastic order, as it implies that more favorable outcomes receive greater probability. Results of Eaton can be used to provide a complete class of tests. We find that many tests in current use are not in this class and hence are inadmissible. More important, we present methods of improving such tests. Often, the increase in power is substantial although the size remains the same.
“Here be Dragons”: A Wayfinding Approach to Teaching Cataloguing

Teaching cataloguing requires instructors to present and integrate information about the variety and complexity of the field while providing an adequate theoretical foundation for practice. A problem solving pedagogy called “wayfinding” that focuses on instruction about ways to navigate the structural features of rule sets is described. It enables students to learn not only about common rules but also about less well known cataloguing problems (“dragons”), embedding this knowledge in the theoretical foundation of the rule sets underlying cataloguing practice. It provides both pragmatic and pedagogical benefits that mitigate differences between face-to-face and distance learning environments.
Bandpass interference filters for very far infrared astronomy

Abstract Three bandpass filters have been constructed for use with a 0.3K bolometer. The center frequencies and bandwidths of the filters are chosen to correspond with the 1, 2 and 3 mm atmospheric windows. The filters are formed of resonant metallic grids separated by air spacers. Peak transmissivities of about 90% at 3 mm and 65% at 1 mm have been achieved.
Photonic Crystal Fiber as an Optofluidic Platform for Surface- Enhanced Raman Scattering

As both a waveguide and a gas/liquid transmission cell, photonic crystal fiber (PCF) allows synergistic integration of optics and microfluidics to form an unconventional optofluidic platform with long interaction path. In this paper, we report our strategy to achieve surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) PCF optofluidics by polyelectrolyte-mediated immobilization of Ag nanoparticles (NPs) inside the fiber air channels. Through forward propagating Raman measurements and hyperspectral Raman imaging, we demonstrate the realization of SERS-active PCF optofluidics with accumulative Raman signal gain along the entire fiber length using both solid-core PCF (SC PCF) and hollow-core PCF (HC PCF). By numerical simulation and Raman measurements, we show that suspended-core PCF (SP PCF) consisting of a silica core surrounded by three large air channels conjoined by a thin silica web is the most robust platform of the three SC PCF microstructures investigated for evanescent-field SERS spectroscopy.
L-selectin-mediated lymphocyte-cancer cell interactions under low fluid shear conditions.

Cell migration in blood flow is mediated by engagement of specialized adhesion molecules that function under hemodynamic shear conditions, and many of the effectors of these adhesive interactions, such as the selectins and their ligands, are well defined. However, in contrast, our knowledge of the adhesion molecules operant under lymphatic flow conditions is incomplete. Among human malignancies, head and neck squamous cell cancer displays a marked predilection for locoregional lymph node metastasis. Based on this distinct tropism, we hypothesized that these cells express adhesion molecules that promote their binding to lymphoid tissue under lymphatic fluid shear stress. Accordingly, we investigated adhesive interactions between these and other cancer cells and the principal resident cells of lymphoid organs, lymphocytes. Parallel plate flow chamber studies under defined shear conditions, together with biochemical analyses, showed that human head and neck squamous cell cancer cells express heretofore unrecognized L-selectin ligand(s) that mediate binding to lymphocyte L-selectin at conspicuously low shear stress levels of 0.07–0.08 dynes/cm2, consistent with lymphatic flow. The binding of head and neck squamous cancer cells to L-selectin displays canonical biochemical features, such as requirements for sialylation, sulfation, and N-glycosylation, but displays a novel operational shear threshold differing from all other L-selectin ligands, including those expressed on colon cancer and leukemic cells (e.g. HCELL). These data define a novel class of L-selectin ligands and expand the scope of function for L-selectin within circulatory systems to now include a novel activity within shear stresses characteristic of lymphatic flow.
New approach to the "forward problem" of optical diffusion tomography of turbid media

This article proposes a new approach to the `forward problem' by directly solving the radiative transport equation. A new phase function introduced by the authors' previous work has been used in the new approach in a simplified form. A function modeling the spatial, directional and temporal distributions of the incident laser pulse is proposed. For every small time increment, analytical approximation solutions to the time-dependent radiative transport equation are formulated. Preliminary results of computer simulation of the approach are provided.
Derivatization with Girard reagent T combined with LC-MS/MS for the sensitive detection of 5-formyl-2'-deoxyuridine in cellular DNA.

Nucleoside 5-formyl-2‘-deoxyuridine (FodU) is a major thymidine lesion generated by reactive oxygen species. In vitro and in vivo replication studies revealed that FodU can be mutagenic. A reliable and sensitive quantification method is, therefore, important for assessing the biological implications of this lesion. However, the detection limit of FodU by liquid chromatography−tandem mass spectrometry (LC−MS/MS) was relatively poor compared with those of other oxidative DNA base damages. In this paper we described a new approach for the highly sensitive detection of FodU. We derivatized FodU with Girard reagent T to form a hydrazone conjugate harboring a precharged quaternary ammonium moiety, which enabled the facile detection of the resulting conjugate by positive-ion electrospray ionization MS. We also showed that the combination of derivatization with LC−MS/MS on a linear-ion-trap mass spectrometer could allow for the quantification of FodU at a detection limit of 3−4 fmol, which is ∼20-fold better than...
Nitrosamine formation pathway revisited: the importance of chloramine speciation and dissolved oxygen.

Nitrosamine formation during chloramination previously has been linked to a reaction between monochloramine and organic nitrogen precursors via unsymmetrical dialkylhydrazine intermediates. Our results demonstrate the critical importance of dichloramine and dissolved oxygen. We propose a new nitrosamine formation pathway in which dichloramine reacts with secondary amine precursors to form chlorinated unsymmetrical dialkylhydrazine intermediates. Oxidation of these intermediates by dissolved oxygen to form nitrosamines competes with their oxidation by chloramines. Even when preformed monochloramine was applied, our model explained nearly all N-nitrosodimethylamine formation from the traces of dichloramine formed via monochloramine disproportionation. We suggest that, in contrast to unsymmetrical dialkylhydrazines, the weak, nonpolar nature of the N−Cl linkage in chlorinated unsymmetrical dialkylhydrazine intermediates enables incorporation of dissolved oxygen to form nitrosamines. With the improved underst...
Outcome of second hematopoietic cell transplantation in Hurler syndrome

Hurler syndrome (HS) is an autosomal recessive, inherited metabolic storage disorder due to deficiency of lysosomal alpha-L-iduronidase (IDU) enzyme activity. Untreated patients develop progressive mental retardation and multisystem morbidity with a median life expectancy of 5 years. Allogeneic hematopoietic cell transplantation (HCT) can achieve stabilization and even improvement of intellect, with long-term survival. However, children with HS have an increased incidence of graft failure, usually with concomitant autologous marrow reconstitution. Between 1983 and 2000, 71 Hurler children underwent HCT at the University of Minnesota. Of these 71, 19 (27%) experienced graft failure. We report HCT outcomes in all 11 Hurler patients receiving a second HCT at the University of Minnesota. Median age at second HCT was 25 months (range, 16 to 45 months); median time from first HCT was 8 months (range, 4 to 18.5 months). The conditioning regimen consisted of cyclophosphamide/TBI/ATG (n = 8) or busulfan/cyclophosphamide/ATG (n = 3). The source of bone marrow was an unrelated donor in six, matched sibling in four, and mismatched related in one. Five of the 11 grafts were T cell depleted prior to infusion. Overall, 10 of 11 patients showed donor-derived engraftment, of whom three developed grade 3 to 4 acute GVHD. Five of 11 patients are surviving a median of 25 months (range, 2 months to 12 years) with an overall actuarial survival of 50% (95% CI, 27% to 93%) at 4 years. All five show sustained donor engraftment with normalization of IDU activity levels. Three of five evaluable patients demonstrated stabilization of neuropsychological function after second HCT. Currently, allogeneic donor-derived hematopoiesis provides the only chance for long-term survival and improved quality of life in Hurler patients. While graft failure in Hurler patients requires further investigation, a timely second HCT can be well-tolerated and beneficial.
Predictive partitioned vector quantization for hyperspectral sounder data compression

The compression of three-dimensional hyperspectral sounder data is a challenging task given its unprecedented size and nature. Vector quantization (VQ) is explored for the compression of this hyperspectral sounder data. The high dimensional vectors are partitioned into subvectors to reduce codebook search and storage complexity in coding of the data. The partitions are made by use of statistical properties of the sounder data in the spectral dimension. Moreover, the data is decorrelated at first to make it better suited for vector quantization. Due to the data characteristics, the iterative codebook generation procedure converges much faster and also leads to a better reconstruction of the sounder data. For lossless compression of the hyperspectral sounder data, the residual error and the quantization indices are entropy coded. The independent vector quantizers for different partitions make this scheme practical for compression of the large volume 3D hyperspectral sounder data.
Nrf2 deficiency improves glucose tolerance in mice fed a high-fat diet

Nrf2, a master regulator of intracellular redox homeostasis, is indicated to participate in fatty acid metabolism in liver. However, its role in diet-induced obesity remains controversial. In the current study, genetically engineered Nrf2-null, wild-type (WT), and Nrf2-activated, Keap1-knockdown (K1-KD) mice were fed either a control or a high-fat Western diet (HFD) for 12 weeks. The results indicate that the absence or enhancement of Nrf2 activity did not prevent diet-induced obesity, had limited effects on lipid metabolism, but affected blood glucose homeostasis. Whereas the Nrf2-null mice were resistant to HFD-induced glucose intolerance, the Nrf2-activated K1-KD mice exhibited prolonged elevation of circulating glucose during a glucose tolerance test even on the control diet. Feeding a HFD did not activate the Nrf2 signaling pathway in mouse livers. Fibroblast growth factor 21 (Fgf21) is a liver-derived anti-diabetic hormone that exerts glucose- and lipid-lowering effects. Fgf21 mRNA and protein were both elevated in livers of Nrf2-null mice, and Fgf21 protein was lower in K1-KD mice than WT mice. The inverse correlation between Nrf2 activity and hepatic expression of Fgf21 might explain the improved glucose tolerance in Nrf2-null mice. Furthermore, a more oxidative cellular environment in Nrf2-null mice could affect insulin signaling in liver. For example, mRNA of insulin-like growth factor binding protein 1, a gene repressed by insulin in hepatocytes, was markedly elevated in livers of Nrf2-null mice. In conclusion, genetic alteration of Nrf2 does not prevent diet-induced obesity in mice, but deficiency of Nrf2 improves glucose homeostasis, possibly through its effects on Fgf21 and/or insulin signaling.
Social dynamics among females and their influence on social structure in an East African chimpanzee community

Social structure in group-living animals is defined by the nature and patterning of social interactions among members of the society. Social structure is shaped in large part by kinship and competition among group members, but can also be influenced by affiliative interactions among both kin and nonkin and can vary based on sex differences in dispersal patterns and social dynamics. Chimpanzees, Pan troglodytes, live in fission–fusion societies in which males form strong dyadic bonds and have social networks that can influence the social structure of the community. Females are generally less gregarious than males and bonding among females is considered rare or absent in East African populations. Although females in some populations are known to form ‘neighbourhoods’, these are assumed to reflect passive spatial arrangements. In this study I used data on female chimpanzee association and social interactions to examine how social dynamics among the dispersing sex influence social structure at Ngogo, Kibale National Park. Females at Ngogo were relatively gregarious and exhibited association preferences that extended beyond the dyadic level. Females formed distinct association clusters termed ‘cliques’ within which affiliative interactions occurred more than expected by chance. In addition, association patterns were found to be active social units and not a by-product of space use overlap. These findings demonstrate that intrasexual bonding is not limited to males in this population and that female social relationships, not just those of males, can influence chimpanzee grouping patterns and the corresponding social structure of the community. This study contributes to our growing understanding chimpanzee behavioural diversity.
Minimax strategies for a predator—Prey game

Abstract Suppose prey are distributed in patches. The predator knows the fraction of patches containing 0, 1, 2,… prey, but not how many prey a particular patch contains. It searches each patch randomly, at constant speed. It leaves a patch when the intercapture times satisfy a formula designed to maximize the number of prey eaten per unit time. We show that, if the prey distribution is Poisson, the predator should stay in each patch for the same time, regardless of what happens there. Accordingly, the prey can minimize the predator's maximum intake by choosing the Poisson distribution, and the predator can maximize its minimum intake (against a “smart” prey) by choosing the constant-time strategy.
An Attributional Analysis of Punishment Goals and Public Reactions to O. J. Simpson

Two studies examined the attributional determinants of punishment decisions. Study 1 investigated public reactions to 0. J. Simpson during the week following his arrest for the murder of his ex-wife. Respondents who believed Simpson was guilty were asked about their perceptions of the causes of his alleged crime, their affective reactions of anger and sympathy, how much punishment he should receive, and their endorsement of retributive and utilitarian punishment goals. In Study 2 college students made similar judgments about a hypothetical defendant accused of murder. Both studies support an attributional analysis of relations between causal controllability, stability, sympathy and anger, punishment severity, and specific punishment goals. Implications for attribution theory, as well as the distinction between retributive versus utilitarian punishment goals, are discussed.
Distribution of Z-scores in a University cohort with an emphasis on "high" bone mineral density.

Abstract High bone mineral density (BMD) is currently not defined by the International Society for Clinical Densitometry with a specific Z-score cutoff; however, it has been suggested that a Z-score greater than or equal to 2.5 is not normal. Institutional Review Board approval was obtained. We evaluated a University dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry database over the previous 24mo to define Z-score distributions. A Z-score greater than or equal to 2.5 was selected as the outcome event of interest in a logistic regression for adjusted odds ratio. The covariates were height; weight; body mass index (BMI); gender; menopausal status; use of female hormones; presence of insufficiency fractures after 50yr of age; previous fractures; previous surgeries (back surgeries, vertebroplasty, or kyphoplasty); transplant history; presence of long-term chronic conditions (asthma, lupus, rheumatoid arthritis, or cystic fibrosis); eating disorder; current use of glucocorticoids; smoking status; and current and past use of osteoporosis pharmacological therapies. The study included a total of 8216 patients; 7212 (87.8%) were females, and 1044 (12.2%) were males. In the total population, 13.6% had a Z-score greater than or equal to 2.5 at the lumbar spine, femoral neck, or total hip. Only 0.2% of the males and 0.8% of the females had a Z-score greater than or equal to 2.5 at all 3 sites. The 97.5th percentiles for Z-scores in our population for men and women, respectively, were 3.4 and 3.9 at the lumbar spine, 1.5 and 2.1 at the femoral neck, and 1.6 and 2.2 at the total hip. The 99th percentile for Z-scores for men and women, respectively, were 4.9 and 4.7 at the lumbar spine, 2.4 and 2.7 at the femoral neck, and 2.2 and 2.7 at the total hip. At the lumbar spine, female gender and weight were found to be risk factors for a high Z-score (≥2.5). The use of glucocorticoids, bone-active medications, BMI, and smoking were significantly less likely to predict a lumbar spine Z-score greater than or equal to 2.5. A high total-hip Z-score is predicted by increasing weight, whereas those patients using bone-active medications were less likely to have high BMD at the total hip. At the femoral neck, there were no significant risk factors related to a Z-score greater than or equal to 2.5; those taking bone-active medications were significantly less likely to have a high Z-score. These data suggest that a high Z-score is common at 1 or more sites. Further research about the criteria for the diagnosis of high BMD is warranted.
Monitoring and Diagnosis of Assembly Fixture Faults Using Modified Multivariate Control Charts and Surface Scanning Content

Recent advances in process monitoring technology have introduced an influx of exceptionally large data sets containing information on manufacturing process health. Recorded data sets are comprised of numerous parameters for which multivariate statistical process control (MSPC) methodologies are required. Current multivariate control charts are ideal for monitoring data sets with a minimal amount of parameters, however, new monitoring devices such as surface scanning cameras increase the number of parameters by two orders of magnitude in some cases. This paper proposes a modified form of the original multivariate Hotelling T2 chart possessing the capability to monitor manufacturing processes containing a large number of parameters and a fault diagnosis procedure incorporating least squares analysis in conjunction with univariate control charts. A case study considering surface scanning of compliant sheet metal components and comparisons to processes utilizing Optical CMM’s is presented as verification of the proposed assembly fixture fault diagnosis methodology and modified Hotelling T2 multivariate control chart.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Contemporary sport sociology and ancient Greek athletics

Situated at a point of critical intersection between leisure and labour, ancient athletics was in the most essential respects just as complex and ‘modern’ as its contemporary counterpart and can thus benefit from the methods of contemporary sport sociology, which can in turn find in ancient Greece a useful comparandum. As with contemporary sport, athletic pursuits must be situated within the broader economy of leisure in ancient Greece. However, a process of professionalisation gradually developed during the fifth century bce, turning athletics into what was arguably a form of labour. While many continued to derive their pedigree from the elite ‘leisure class’ that almost exclusively dominated the sixth century athletics, a growing number came from less‐distinguished families, their inclusion rendered possible by the construction of public gymnasia, private patronage, cash prizes for victory and other forms of social advancement. Some scholars have pointed to this development as an index of democratisatio...