cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
UTASiMo: a simulation-based tool for task analysis:

Research on task analysis and human performance has focused on the development of adequate tools, models, and methods to understand, analyze, and improve the relationship between humans and systems...
Level lifetimes and the structure of Xe 134 from inelastic neutron scattering

The level structure of $^{134}\mathrm{Xe}$ was studied with the inelastic neutron scattering reaction followed by $\ensuremath{\gamma}$-ray detection. A number of level lifetimes were determined for the first time with the Doppler-shift attenuation method and the low-lying excited states were characterized. From this new spectroscopic information, the third excited state, a ${0}^{+}$ level which had only been observed in a previous inelastic neutron scattering study, was verified. Reduced transition probabilities were calculated; comparisons were drawn with a vibrational description of the nucleus and found lacking. The ${3}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ octupole phonon has been confirmed, and the complete negative-parity multiplet resulting from the $\ensuremath{\nu}(1{h}_{11/2}2{d}_{3/2})$ configuration has also been tentatively identified for the first time in the $N=80$ isotones.
Perspective: Neuroregenerative Nutrition

Good health while aging depends upon optimal cellular and organ functioning that contribute to the regenerative ability of the body during the lifespan, especially when injuries and diseases occur. Although diet may help in the maintenance of cellular fitness during periods of stability or modest decline in the regenerative function of an organ, this approach is inadequate in an aged system, in which the ability to maintain homeostasis is further challenged by aging and the ensuing suboptimal functioning of the regenerative unit, tissue-specific stem cells. Focused nutritional approaches can be used as an intervention to reduce decline in the body's regenerative capacity. This article brings together nutrition-associated therapeutic approaches with the fields of aging, immunology, neurodegenerative disease, and cancer to propose ways in which diet and nutrition can work with standard-of-care and integrated medicine to help improve the brain's function as it ages. The field of regenerative medicine has exploded during the past 2 decades as a result of the discovery of stem cells in nearly every organ system of the body, including the brain, where neural stem cells persist in discrete areas throughout life. This fact, and the uncovering of the genetic basis of plasticity in somatic cells and cancer stem cells, open a door to a world where maintenance and regeneration of organ systems maintain health and extend life expectancy beyond its present limits. An area that has received little attention in regenerative medicine is the influence on regulatory mechanisms and therapeutic potential of nutrition. We propose that a strong relation exists between brain regenerative medicine and nutrition and that nutritional intervention at key times of life could be used to not only maintain optimal functioning of regenerative units as humans age but also play a primary role in therapeutic treatments to combat injury and diseases (in particular, those that occur in the latter one-third of the lifespan).
Musicians injuries: Upper quarter motor control deficits in musicians with prolonged symptoms - A case-control study.

Abstract Study Design Case-control study. Background A large number of student and professional musicians are affected by long term playing related musculoskeletal disorders (PRMSDs) during their career, with prevalence rates above 80%. Objective To investigate if there were differences between musicians with and without prolonged symptoms of upper quarter PRMSDs in the presence of: (1) scapular dyskinesis; (2) cervical motor control and endurance deficits. Methods Seventy-two musicians (24 males; 48 females) were matched based on sex, type of instrument and average hours played per week and assigned to one of two groups: A symptomatic group (mean age 23.3 ± 8.2 years) with history of prolonged PRMSDs (constant symptoms lasting more than one week) during the past year; and a control group (mean age 25 ± 10.5 years) with no history of PRMSDs lasting more than one week. Musicians completed a questionnaire and underwent clinical testing for the presence of scapular dyskinesis and cervical motor control and endurance deficits using the following tests: (1) cervical flexor endurance test; (2) scapular dyskinesis test; and (3) craniocervical flexion test. Assessor blinding as to group assignment was ensured. Results Participants in the symptomatic group presented with a statistically significant higher prevalence of positive scapular dyskinesis (P Conclusion Musicians with prolonged symptoms of PRMSDs presented with higher prevalence of scapular and cervical motor control deficits detected by standard clinical tests when compared to the control group. Level of Evidence Therapy, level 4. ClinicalTrials.gov Identifier NCT02267395 .
Atrial and Ventricular Tachycardias: Invasive validation and reproducibility of magnetocardiographic imaging

Magnetic localization of the site of onset of cardiac arrhythmias both of atrial and ventricular origin was first reported in 1986 (Fenici et al, 1987–89). However the accuracy of such localization procedures had not been validated so far. In this paper the reproducibility of such measurements is reported in several patients. Moreover the validation of magnetic localisation of ventricular tachycardia with conventional invasive endocardial mapping is described in one patient with previous myocardial infarction (MI).
Current and Future Views on Pulpal Tissue Engineering

Better understanding of the function of stem cells in the biology of the dental pulp has led to the development of novel mechanism-based approaches for regeneration of this complex tissue. These therapeutic approaches are in different stages of development ranging from the FDA-approved procedure involving evoked bleeding by over-instrumentation to incipient clinical trials testing the safety/efficacy of stem cell transplantation. The purpose of this chapter is to discuss the state of the science on dental pulp tissue regeneration and focus on approaches involving the transplantation of stem cells for dental pulp tissue engineering. We also discuss the prospectus of dental pulp tissue engineering to evolve towards clinical application and the potential it has to become standard of care for the treatment of selected necrotic teeth.
Invasive autumn olive performance varies in different reclamation conditions: implications for restoration

Surface mining has caused significant disturbance globally, and is responsible for the loss of more than 600,000 ha of the world's largest temperate deciduous forest in the Appalachian region of the United States alone. Due to the heavy disturbance on mine lands, invasive plants have become dominant on many former coalfields, some of which were intentionally planted with exotic species. The establishment of invasive plants on these disturbed lands has often led to reductions in establishment of desirable native species. Autumn olive (Elaeagnus umbellata), an exotic nitrogen‐fixing shrub, is a problematic invasive species on reclaimed sites in Appalachia. To better understand how reclamation conditions affect autumn olive, we assessed the effects of the mine‐soil substrate and vegetation seeding on autumn olive establishment and growth. In each experiment, we also manipulated the herbaceous plant community to further examine effects on autumn olive establishment and growth. In spring 2015, we transplanted 480 1‐year‐old autumn olive seedlings across both experiments. After 2 years of growth, autumn olive performed better in weathered‐rock than in unweathered‐rock substrates; in bare‐ground plots than in vegetated plots; and in tree‐compatible (low‐competition) seeding than in more‐competitive conventional seeding. No treatment precluded autumn olive establishment. However, our results show that strategic use of beginning substrates and planting mixes can have strong inhibitory effects on invasive plants, but also that substrate and herbaceous‐plant community conditions favorable to establishment of native trees are also favorable to autumn olive.
The New Barbarism: The Contest Between Classical Humanist Culture and Techno-Economic Pragmatism

Today, the threat of a new barbarism looms over the West. “Barbarism” is here understood as the ignorance or forgetfulness of the classical ideal of culture. The historical origin of this crisis can be found at the very dawn of modernity when Sir. Francis Bacon gives to knowledge a new aim. For the classics, and in particular for Aristotle, wisdom has its own proper excellence, as does the theoretic life devoted it. From this claim followed the Greco-Roman hierarchy of the arts which subordinates technology (from τἐχνη) to true culture (παιδeία). True culture - philosophy, poetry, and music - are noble and good in themselves, while technical activities are tools, merely useful for other, practical ends. Bacon however re-conceives of knowledge not as an intrinsic value, but as a ripe instrument of human power. Bacon’s new science would lay bare the dormant secrets of nature, unleash the potencies of technology, and uplift the material conditions of human existence. The project to establish the primacy of technology and economics was carried forward by moderns with relentless energy. Who can doubt that the Baconian revolution has radically overturned the classical hierarchy? The liberal arts today are subordinated in favor of pragmatic technological and economic skills serviceable for Bacon’s “relief of man’s estate.”. Lost is Greek παιδeία, which aimed neither at economic acquisition nor at technical mastery, but rather at educating man’s intellectual, moral, and aesthetic faculties to perceive beauty and truth. We face in short, the eclipse of what is properly human.
Teaching and Testing Structural Competency in Pre-health Undergraduate Classrooms

The inclusion of structural competency training in pre-health undergraduate programs may offer significant benefits to future healthcare professionals. This excerpted chapter presents the results of a comparative study of an interdisciplinary pre-health curriculum based in structural competency with a traditional premedical curriculum. The authors describe the interdisciplinary pre-health curriculum, titled Medicine, Health, and Society (MHS) at Vanderbilt University. The authors then use a new survey tool, the Structural Foundations of Health Survey, to evaluate structural skills and sensibilities. The analysis compares MHS majors (n = 185) with premed science majors (n = 63) and first-semester freshmen (n = 91), with particular attention to understanding how structural factors shape health. Results suggest that MHS majors identified and analyzed relationships between structural factors and health outcomes at higher rates and in deeper ways than did premed science majors and freshmen and also demonstrated higher understanding of structural and implicit racism and health disparities. The skills that MHS students exhibited represent proficiencies increasingly stressed by the MCAT, the AAMC, and other educational bodies that emphasize how contextual factors shape expressions of health and illness.
Preventing leisure from being overlooked: Intersecting leisure and prevention sciences

AbstractLeisure opportunities and experiences make powerful contributions to individual and community health by promoting positive and reducing negative health outcomes at individual, community, st...
Monitoring individuals in drug trafficking organizations: a social network analysis

The United Nations, in their annual World Drug Report in 2018, reported that the production of Opium, Cocaine, Cannabis, etc. all observed record highs, which indicates the ever-growing demand of these drugs. Social networks of individuals associated with Drug Trafficking Organizations (DTO) have been created and studied by various research groups to capture key individuals, in order to disrupt operations of a DTO. With drug offenses increasing globally, the list of suspect individuals has also been growing over the past decade. As it takes significant amount of technical and human resources to monitor a suspect, an increasing list entails higher resource requirements on the part of law enforcement agencies. Monitoring all the suspects soon becomes an impossible task. In this paper, we present a novel methodology which ensures reduction in resources on the part of law enforcement authorities, without compromising the ability to uniquely identify a suspect, when they become "active" in drug related activities. Our approach utilizes the mathematical notion of Identifying Codes, which generates unique identification for all the nodes in a network. We find that just monitoring important individuals in the network leads to a wastage in resources and show how our approach overcomes this shortcoming. Finally, we evaluate the efficacy of our approach on real world datasets.
Utility of the Modified Isolated-check Visual Evoked Potential Technique in Functional Glaucoma Assessment.

PRE[COMBINING ACUTE ACCENT]CIS:: Cortical response to low-contrast stimuli, as measured by isolated-check visual evoked potential (icVEP) technology, has the potential to provide functional assessment that may complement standard achromatic perimetry in assessing glaucomatous change. PURPOSE To evaluate the utility of modified icVEP testing in detecting functional glaucomatous damage. MATERIALS AND METHODS Subjects who met predetermined criteria of controls, glaucoma suspects, preperimetric glaucoma, or glaucoma were enrolled in this prospective cross-sectional study from a single tertiary care center. Glaucoma patients were further categorized as early, moderate, advanced, or severe on the basis of Hodapp-Anderson-Parrish criteria. icVEP testing was performed with ten 2-second runs per qualified eye using the EvokeDx testing software. Multivariate statistics were used to calculate signal-to-noise ratios (SNR) and perform outlier analysis. RESULTS In total, 140 eyes met criteria (mean±SD; age of 63±14 y; 49% male; logMAR visual acuity, 0.11±0.089). There was no significant difference in age, sex, or logMAR visual acuity among the groups. Controls had a significantly higher SNR than all other groups (P<0.003), including patients with preperimetric glaucoma. Among those with glaucoma, the early glaucoma patients had significantly higher SNR than the moderate, advanced, or severe glaucoma cohorts (P<0.04). The optimal SNR cutoff for differentiating between glaucomatous and nonglaucomatous eyes was 0.95, both with (sensitivity 82%, specificity 76%) and without (sensitivity 82%, specificity 100%) glaucoma suspects included in analysis. CONCLUSIONS icVEP technology has the potential to complement standard achromatic perimetry in functional assessment of glaucomatous defects.
Dose Prediction for Prostate Radiation Treatment: Feasibility of a Distance-Based Deep Learning Model

This study aims to demonstrate the feasibility of using a novel distance-based representation of 3D CT-scan images to train a deep learning model for dose predictions in radiation treatment planning. The distance representation is inspired by previous knowledge of the domain to increase the generalizability of the deep learning models for radiation treatment planning. Conventional knowledge-based planning methods extract engineered features from 3D CT-scan images, as well as other patients' features, to predict the best achievable dose in a cancerous area and other organs at risk. Recent studies have shown higher accuracy in voxel-level dose prediction using deep learning models compared to the conventional machine learning approaches. Since the data resources for training these models are limited, most of the studies use 2D contour information to represent the patient anatomy. This representation loses volumetric information, and it is sensitive to small changes in patient orientation and translation. The distance-based representation introduced in this paper is inspired by the domain knowledge and is able to maintain the volumetric distance information despite the 2D slicing of 3D CT-image. According to prior studies in the radiation treatment planning domain, there is a strong association between the organs-at-risk distance from the cancerous volume and the patient's vulnerability to receive excessive dose. Therefore, the contour value in prior representation was replaced by voxel distance from cancerous volume. This modification in representation makes it transition and orientation invariant and adds potential robustness to patient positioning differences during the imaging/planning process. We evaluated the distance-based deep learning models through experiments for prediction of prostate cancer patients' vulnerability and voxel-level dose distribution using convolutional neural network and U-net models, respectively. The results were compared with contour-based U-net model as well as conventional machine learning with engineered representations. We found that the performance was comparable or higher than the prior state-of-the-art results for prostate-cancer dose distribution prediction.
The Term “Hypnosis” Suggests a Sleep-Like State and Recent Evidence Regarding Lucid Dreaming Bears on the Notion of a “Hidden Observer.” What Is Your View of the Analogy of Dreaming and Hypnosis?

That Hobson’s grand reformulation of the meaning of dreaming to consciousness has been greeted with hostility as well as approbation is testimony to its vigor. “To sleep, perchance to dream – aye there’s the rub,” quoth Hamlet, and rubbing generates friction. The idea that dreaming is a kind of warming up of consciousness for the demands of the day is consistent with the fact that REM sleep usually does not start until 90 min after falling asleep, and REM periods increase in length from 10 min at the beginning of the sleep cycle to an hour toward morning. Loss of REM sleep adversely affects daytime consciousness more than does loss of nonREM sleep. Depriving animals of REM sleep for several weeks leads to their death. Salient to Hobson’s theory is the fact that the percentage of sleep devoted to REM activity is highest in infancy and childhood, even controlling for the fact that infants and children sleep longer than do adults. So as consciousness is growing and developing, REM activity is stirring it up. So perhaps dreaming is something akin to running the engine to start a balky car when the engine is cold – revving it up to catch and run normally.
Solar-Electric Ion Propulsion: Future Possibilities

The paper, which is speculative, examines the theoretical, extreme performance limits of solar-electric ion propulsion when applied to space probes.
Measuring Functional Status in Huntington's Disease

Background Neuropsychiatric and cognitive symptoms account for substantial morbidity in Huntington's disease (HD), but their impact on functional status may not be captured using the Total Functional Capacity (TFC) scale. The objective of this study was to assess the impact of motor, cognitive, and neuropsychiatric symptoms on functional status in persons with HD, comparing two instruments. Methods Multiple regression analyses assessed the relationship between neuropsychiatric, cognitive, and motor symptoms and functional status as measured using TFC and Adult Functional Adaptive Behavior (AFAB) scales. Results Greater burden of neuropsychiatric (P = 0.017), cognitive (P = 0.001), and motor (P = 0.001) symptoms was associated with greater impairments to functional status as measured by the AFAB scale. Only motor symptoms were associated with TFC scores (P = 0.002). The 3 symptom domains explained more of the variance in AFAB than TFC scores (P = 0.016). Conclusions TFC may have limited applicability, particularly in early-stage HD patients, as a measure of functional status. The AFAB scale can be used in HD studies as a more holistic measure of functional status. © 2020 International Parkinson and Movement Disorder Society.
Passive sensing of a microparticle modified hybrid, fiber-reinforced composite

The widespread commercial adoption of high-performance, fiber-reinforced composites has pushed research interests toward the next generation of composites. These new composites are tasked with integrating additional functionalities into the structures without causing a trade-off in mechanical performance. One such functionality that has received significant interest is sensing. This is especially important for composites using high-performance fibers (e.g., carbon fiber) because their strain-to-failure is relatively low, resulting in brittle fracture. Besides, fiber damage can be hidden within the composite, potentially leading to premature catastrophic failure if not detected. In prior research, we demonstrated continuous feed-through deposition of ceramic nanoparticles on carbon fiber’s surface that simultaneously enhanced both the piezoresistive response and interlaminar shear strength. In this work, a similar continuous feed-through deposition process was used to demonstrate passive sensing and energy harvesting by integrating ferroelectric microparticles on the surface of electrically nonconductive fibers. The sensing and energy harvesting capabilities were characterized by mechanically straining composite beams and measuring the power generated. The improvements in mechanical properties are shown through interlaminar shear strength tests. Therefore, this research aims to demonstrate a high throughput, commercially scalable approach to coat fibers with ferroelectric microparticles that enable passive sensing as well as improved mechanical performance when fabricated into a fiber-reinforced composite.
Insect Behavioral Change and the Potential Contributions of Neuroinflammation-A Call for Future Research.

Many organisms are able to elicit behavioral change in other organisms. Examples include different microbes (e.g., viruses and fungi), parasites (e.g., hairworms and trematodes), and parasitoid wasps. In most cases, the mechanisms underlying host behavioral change remain relatively unclear. There is a growing body of literature linking alterations in immune signaling with neuron health, communication, and function; however, there is a paucity of data detailing the effects of altered neuroimmune signaling on insect neuron function and how glial cells may contribute toward neuron dysregulation. It is important to consider the potential impacts of altered neuroimmune communication on host behavior and reflect on its potential role as an important tool in the “neuro-engineer” toolkit. In this review, we examine what is known about the relationships between the insect immune and nervous systems. We highlight organisms that are able to influence insect behavior and discuss possible mechanisms of behavioral manipulation, including potentially dysregulated neuroimmune communication. We close by identifying opportunities for integrating research in insect innate immunity, glial cell physiology, and neurobiology in the investigation of behavioral manipulation.
The concept of a “merit good” the ethical dimension in economic theory and the history of economic thought or the transformation of economics into socio-economics

Abstract The purpose of this paper is to defend the concept of a “merit good” and to expand its application. This is achieved by using a Kantian philosophical argument applied to the writings of foundational economists such as Adam Smith and Henry Simons (and Walter Eucken in the German literature). As a result the concept of a “merit good” is used to classify and argue for a number of governmental tasks such as the institutional arrangements to make a free market economy work, work efficiently and work in a humane way. Methodologically, this paper connects—as the work of Joseph A. Schumpeter already has—economic theory, the history of economic thought and institutional economics and thereby demonstrates that economics is necessarily about socio-economics.
Field Evaluation of Sensing Sheet Prototype Exposed to Cracking

Reliable crack detection and characterization is challenging. Sparsely spaced discrete strain sensors are insensitive to cracks if placed at even modest distances from damage. Improving spatial density of sensors significantly improves reliability in crack detection and characterization, but also significantly increases the costs associated with hardware, sensor installation, and data analysis and management. In the case of very large structures, one-dimensional distributed fiber optic sensors can be applied with reasonable costs, and while they significantly improve reliability in crack detection and characterization, they still cover only one dimension of a structure. In order to address the above challenges, two-dimensional sensor, called sensing sheet, have been developed. It consists of dense array of discrete sensors patterned over thin-film substrate, with integrated computational and power management circuits. The aim of this paper is to present field test performed on the sensing part of sensing sheet and evaluate its performance in crack detection and characterization in real-life settings. Two prototypes of sensing sheet were manufactured and tested. Each of them consisted of eight discrete full-bridge resistive strain sensors. One prototype was installed on the underside of the superstructure of a deck stiffened arch and the other over existing shrinkage cracks on the foundation of Streicker Bridge. The behavior of the sensors was observed under daily temperature change. The test confirmed applicability of sensing sheet in real-life settings and its excellent performance in crack detection and characterization.
Experimental Validation of Full Geometry MCNP Model of the UFTR based on NAA

The energy spectrum and spatial distribution of the neutron beam from a reactor is an essential component of designing experimentations utilizing the reactor as a radiation source. Obtaining such information requires the use of detailed MCNP model of the reactor and experimental validation procedures. After updating the MCNP model of the University of Florida Training Reactor (UFTR) to align it with the current core arrangement that uses low enriched uranium (LEU), both the radial neutron flux toward the beam ports and the energy spectrum at the reactor core were generated using the model. This was followed by experimental validations based on neutron activation analysis (NAA) by irradiating multiple activation foils. A constant ratio between MCNP and measured neutron flux values was obtained at multiple locations along the reactor's beam ports, showing that the model captures the spatial distribution of neutron flux profiles without a significant systematic error. The energy spectrum at the core was extracted using the Unfolding with MAXED and GRAVEL (UMG) software. The spectrum unfolded by both MAXED and GRAVEL algorithms display features expected in thermal reactor neutron energy distribution, i.e., thermal, fast or fission, and intermediate or slowing down regions. The thermal and epithermal neutron fluxes at the reactor core calculated from the spectrum unfolded by the MAXED algorithm are 1.56 ± 0.12 × 1012n/cm2s and 1.98 ± 0.01 × 1012n/cm2s, whereas the corresponding values calculated from the spectrum unfolded by the GRAVEL algorithm are 1. 50 ± 0. 12 × 1012n/cm2s and 3.74 ± 0.21 × 1012 n/cm2s. Following the n/cm2s. experimental validation, the full geometry MCNP model of the reactor has been utilized for a neutron tomography research project and it will continue to benefit future projects using the reactor facility.
Teacher preparation for social justice: A synthesis of the literature, 1999–2019

Abstract Social justice is prevalent in teacher preparation and encompasses a large body of conceptual and empirical literature. In this manuscript, we provide an overview of theories of justice in teacher preparation, and we review 125 empirical articles published in the U.S. and Canada between 1999 and 2019. In our synthesis, we examine preservice and novice teachers’ opportunities and experiences with learning to teach for social justice. Looking across the literature, we identify themes of identity, tensions between teacher preparation and school contexts, community, resistance, and emotions. We highlight holes and redundancies across the literature, and we conclude with implications and recommendations for advancing the field.
Einfluß von natürlicher, Selektion auf die Genfrequenzen

Naturliche Selektion war das zentrale Prinzip in Darwins Theorie des evolutionaren Wandels und ist weiterhin der beherrschende Begriff in der Evolutionsbiologie. Die genetische Drift spielt naturlich eine wichtige Rolle in der Evolution, aber wir mussen uns der Selektion zuwenden, um eine Erklarung fur viele der komplexen Eigenschaften von Organismen und fur die zahllosen Merkmale zu finden, durch die sie lebenstauglich sind.
Dual inhibition of Staphylococcus aureus DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV activity by phenylalanine-derived (Z)-5-arylmethylidene rhodanines

Methicillin resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) is a major drug resistant bacteria that persists in both community and clinical settings due to growing resistance to current drug regimens. Thus, there is a continued need for novel compounds that are active against this organism. Previously, we reported that various rhodanine derivatives inhibited the supercoiling activity of DNA gyrase. In this study, we determined the effect of new phenylalanine-derived (Z)-5-arylmethylidene rhodanines (which are efficacious against MRSA) on the activity of the two type II bacterial topoisomerases, DNA gyrase and topoisomerase IV (Topo IV). Compounds 1 and 9 showed the greatest efficacy against DNA gyrase with a minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC) of 5 μM while compounds 2 and 3 were the most efficacious against Topo IV with MIC values of 0.75 μM and 0.5 μM, respectively. Induced fit docking, using the crystallographic structures of the target enzymes, indicated that these rhodanine derivatives bind to the ATPase domain of gyrB and ParE subunits on DNA gyrase and Topo IV, respectively. These new compounds were efficacious against both DNA gyrase and Topo IV. The increased efficacy of these new rhodanine compounds, as compared to other rhodanine derivatives, results from their dual inhibition of DNA gyrase and Topo IV, thereby making them good candidates for further drug design and development.
Man-Induced Eutrophication of Lakes

Many lakes the world over are becoming less desirable places on which to live because of nutrient wastes pouring into them from a man-changed environment. Man’s activities, which introduce excess nutrients to lakes, streams, and estuaries are rapidly accelerating the process of cultural eutrophication. Excessive enrichment, brought about by population and industrial growth, intensified agriculture, river-basin development, recreational use of public waters, and domestic and industrial exploitation of shore properties, accelerates the deterioration of waters. The process causes changes in plant and animal life which usually interfere with multiple uses of waters, reduce their aesthetic qualities and economic value, and threaten the destruction of precious water resources. Overwhelming excessive scums of blue-green algae and aquatic plants chokes the open water, makes the water turbid and nonpotable. They die, rot and repel human residents with repugnant odors. Organic matter from this crop sinks and consumes the deep-water oxygen vital for fish and other animal life.
Resistance switching in Sn/sub x/Mn/sub y/Te/sub z/-based devices

Electronic devices comprised of a single layer of the chalcogenide material Sn/sub x/Mn/sub y/Te/sub z/ (35 < x,z < 50; 0 < y < 28) deposited between two electrodes were fabricated and electrically tested for their ability to switch between high and low resistance states. Materials that have the ability to resistively switch when a potential is applied across them are promising as new electronic memory materials. In this work, the type of electrodes and the concentration of Mn present in the Sn/sub x/Mn/sub y/Te/sub z/ layer were both found to influence the ability of the device to resistively switch. When the top electrode material was Ag, resistance switching was observed. Additionally, only Sn/sub x/Mn/sub y/Te/sub z/ films with concentrations of Mn between 3 and 10 % were found to exhibit consistent switching.
Naloxone blockade of apomorphine-induced stereotyped behavior: Interaction of endogenous opiates with dopamine

The specific opiate antagonist, naloxone, inhibits the in vivo and in vitro activity of the endogenous opiate compounds which have heretofore been identified. In this study systemic naloxone administration successfully blocked the production of stereotyped behavior induced by the direct dopamine agonist apomorphine. This implies that the endogenous opiates contribute to the production of stereotyped behavior initiated by dopaminergic stimulation and that endogenous opiates may function as central neurotransmitters with dopaminergic activity.
Regulation of tyrosine hydroxylase by neuropeptides.

Publisher Summary The rate-limiting step in catecholamine biosynthesis, the hydroxylation of tyrosine (TH), is regulated primarily by two processes, one involving activation of preexisting TH molecules and the other involving the synthesis of new enzyme molecules. Activation of TH occurs rapidly after a stimulus, is quickly reversible, and involves post-translational modification of preexisting TH molecules. Increasing both cholinergic antagonists by an order of magnitude does not further diminish the increase in TH activity. This unexpected finding eventually led to the discovery that certain neuropeptides cause the activation of TH. Of the large number of neuropeptides that were tested as possible mediators of the noncholinergic transsynaptic regulation of TH, only a subgroup of the peptides of the secretin-glucagon family were found to be candidates. Five peptides from this family, namely secretin, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), peptide histidine isoleucineamide (PHI), rat growth hormone-releasing hormone, and helodermin, increase TH activity acutely. With regard to the mechanisms underlying this peptidergic activation of TH, an important observation was the finding that those peptides that caused TH activation also cause increased levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) in the SCG, whereas those peptides that have no effect on TH activity have no effect on cAMP levels. To determine whether neuropeptides of the secretin-glucagon family might influence catecholamine biosynthesis not only in adrenergic cells but also in adrenergic nerve terminals, tissues innervated by the SCG were examined, namely, the iris, pineal gland, and submaxillary gland. Incubation of these target tissues with secretin and VIP leads to TH activation.
Web search query privacy: Evaluating query obfuscation and anonymizing networks

Web Search is one of the most rapidly growing applications on the internet today. However, the current practice followed by most search engines --of logging and analyzing users' queries --raises serious privacy concerns. In this paper, we concentrate on two existing solutions which are relatively easy to deploy --namely Query Obfuscation and Anonymizing Networks. In query obfuscation, a client-side software attempts to mask real user queries via injection of certain noisy queries. Anonymizing networks route the user queries through a series of relay servers, hiding the actual query source from the search engine. A fundamental problem with these solutions, however, is that user queries are still obviously revealed to the search engine, although they are “mixed” among queries generated either by a machine or by other users. We focus on TrackMeNot TMN, a popular query obfuscation tool, and the Tor anonymizing network, and try to analyse whether these solutions can actually preserve users' privacy in practice against an adversarial search engine. We demonstrate that a search engine, equipped with only a short-term history of a user's search queries, can break the privacy guarantees of TMN and Tor by only utilizing off-the-shelf machine learning techniques.
Techniques for the Creation and Exploration of Digital Video Libraries

The Information Age is fully upon us. A recent article noted that there are perhaps 50 million people using the Internet on a regular basis, and That “the current growth rate is about 15% per month (!) and this could well continue until almost all of those in the ‘developed world’ are connected” [FM94, p. 30]. In addition, the digital domain consists not only of text but increasingly of other media representations, from graphics images to audio to motion video. As the amount of information and number of users exponentially escalate, more attention focuses on the basic problems of information management: How do you digitize information? How can you then visualize it and find what you need? How do you use and manipulate it effectively? How is it stored and managed? The proliferation of technical articles and special issues addressing these questions underscore their importance; see for example the special issue on Content-based retrieval [Nar95] or digital libraries [F+95]. This chapter will survey some of that work, especially that which relates to the treatment of video and the use of digital video libraries For education.
The mod 2 Hopf ring for connective Morava K-theory

This paper examines the mod 2 homology of the spaces in the Omega-spectrum for connective Morava K-theory, i.e., the mod 2 Hopf ring for connective Morava K-theory. A natural set of generators for this Hopf ring arising from the homology and homotopy of the connective Morava K-theory spectrum is calculated and the non-trivial circle product relations among the generators arising from homology and homotopy are determined. This Hopf ring calculation is accomplished using Dieudonne ring theory and Adams spectral sequences for the connective Morava K-theory of Brown–Gitler spectra.
Roles of a ribosome-binding site and mRNA secondary structure in differential expression of Shiga toxin genes.

Abstract The Shiga toxin operon (stx) is composed of two genes for the A and B subunits, which are transcribed from a promoter 5' to the stxA gene. The 1A:5B subunit stoichiometry of the holotoxin suggests that the stxA and stxB genes are differentially regulated. In a previous study, we demonstrated the existence of a second promoter which independently transcribes the stxB gene. However, transcription fusion analysis revealed that the independent stxB gene promoter is not solely responsible for a fivefold increase in B polypeptide production. In this study, we have investigated the role of an independent stxB gene ribosome-binding site (RBS) in the overexpression of STX B subunits. Site-directed mutagenesis was used to eliminate this RBS and establish its role in StxB production. Examination of the nucleotide sequences surrounding the stxB gene RBS revealed a potential for the formation of a stem-loop structure with a calculated delta G of -7.563 kcal/mol (ca. -31.64 kJ/mol). Sequences surrounding the stxA gene RBS were found not to possess a similar potential for secondary-structure formation. Disruption of the stem-loop surrounding the stxB gene RBS by 2- and 4-nucleotide substitutions caused a significant reduction in B polypeptide and holotoxin production, establishing the role of this secondary structure in the enhancement of translation of the stxB gene.
On Marcuse and Caring in Education

Can caring and standardized testing coincide? Marcuse criticized the misuse of science because it also legitimizes social and economic hierarchy. By the same token, scholars develop standardized testing, claiming these tests are scientific and can measure objectively individuals’ learning and intelligence capabilities. However, if inclusive caring embraces human beings’ diversity and recognizes diverse learning styles and intelligences, the concept of standards promotes the opposite agenda. Standardized testing aims toward what Marcuse called a one-dimensional human being and social stratification. Can standardized testing promote learning and tolerance? The public and academic debate on this issue also needs to address the moral and social ramifications on society. If the emphasis in education is primarily on quantity, then society devalues human life and narrows it down, as Horkheimer & Adorno claimed, to zero. Such an agenda serves mostly those in power. Marcuse criticized the social ramifications and ...
Middle Adulthood (Ages 40–60)

Recently, Roger Gould (1990) said “concepts of time, aging, and death represent the ‘entities’ of the life-cycle developmental process. Therapeutic attention can no longer focus entirely on the conflicts of memory; it must include current reality and the struggle to adapt to ever-changing time” (p. 346). Certainly, these issues are at the core of understanding and treating individuals between the ages of 40 and 60, that is, those who are in midlife. Despite the ominous sound of time, aging, and death, the middle years are probably the best time in life for many. Middle adulthood is the golden age of adulthood (similar to late latency in childhood, although much longer) because it is an interval of relative stability characterized (for most) by physical health, emotional maturity, a clearly defined sense of self, competence and power in the work situation, and gratifying relationships with spouse, children, parents, friends, and colleagues.
Domains of tobacco mosaic virus movement protein essential for its membrane association

A series of deletion mutants of tobacco mosaic virus movement protein (TMV-MP) was used to identify domains of the protein necessary for membrane association. A membrane fraction was isolated from tobacco BY-2 protoplasts infected with wild-type and mutant TMV that produce MP carrying a 3 aa deletion. Deletions that affected membrane association were clustered around the two major hydrophobic regions of MP that are predicted to be transmembrane. Deletions in other hydrophobic regions also reduced membrane association. In addition, a non-functional mutant of MP, in which one of the known phosphorylation sites was eliminated, was not associated with cellular membranes, while a functional second site revertant restored membrane association. This indicates that MP function requires interaction with membrane; however, membrane association was not sufficient for function. Results are consistent with the hypothesis that TMV-MP is an integral or tightly associated membrane protein that includes two hydrophobic transmembrane domains.
Visualizing the Energetics of the Dissociation of a Metastable Molecule

Introduction Shown in Figure 1 is the simulation of the energetics of the dissociation of a metastable molecule. The simulation was computed by Dr. Robert Wyatt, a Professor of Chemistry at The University of Texas at Austin. Dr. Wyatt’s simulation uses a model molecule composed of two fragments, A and B. Starting from the molecular state AB, the simulation computes the probability that, under any given conditions, AB will dissociate into the separated components A + B. This may seem like a toy problem, but in real life many molecules demonstrate metastable behavior--a propensity to dissociate--and the work that this simulation is doing may ultimately have an impact on studies of the energetics of larger molecules. An important class of these is biomolecular. This work may be particularly applicable to energy transfer problems in biological systems.
Evidence that Plasmalogen is Protective Against Oxidative Stress in the Rat Brain

The antioxidant capabilities of phosphatidylethanolamine plasmalogen (PlsEtn), in vivo, against lipid peroxidation were investigated via acute phosphine (PH3) administration in rats. Oxidative stress was assessed from measures of malondialdehyde and various enzyme activities, while NMR analyses of lipid and aqueous tissue extracts provided metabolic information in cerebellum, brainstem, and cortex. Brainstem had the highest basal [PlsEtn], and showed only moderate PH3-induced oxidative damage with no loss of ATP. The lowest basal [PlsEtn] was observed in cortex, where PH3 caused a 51% decrease in [ATP]. The largest oxidative effect occurred in cerebellum, but [ATP] was unaffected. Myo-inositol+ethanolamine pretreatment attenuated all PH3 effects. Specifically, the pretreatment attenuated the ATP decrease in cortex, and elevated brain [PlsEtn] in the cerebellum, nearly abolishing the cerebellar oxidative effects. Our data suggest a high basal [PlsEtn], or the capacity to synthesize new ethanolamine lipids (particularly PlsEtn) may protect against PH3 toxicity.
Loxosceles deserta Spider Venom Induces NF-κB-Dependent Chemokine Production by Endothelial Cells

Background: Loxosceles spider evenomation in man frequently results in disfiguring necrotic skin lesions. Recent studies suggest that several proinflammatory mediators participate in lesion development. We have observed that Loxosceles deserta venom induces production of the chemokines interleukin-8, growth-related oncogene α, and monocyte chemoattractant protein-1 by human umbilical vein endothelial cells. Members of the Rel/Nuclear factor (NF)-κB family of transcription factors are important regulators of many genes involved in immune and inflammatory responses. We hypothesized that Loxosceles-venom–induced chemokine expression in human umbilical vein endothelial cells is mediated by NF-κB. Methods: Human umbilical vein endothelial cell monolayers were exposed to activating concentrations of Loxosceles deserta venom. Nuclear extracts of these monolayers were analyzed by electrophoretic mobility shift assay. A direct cause and effect linkage between NF-κB activation and chemokine expression by Loxosceles...
The Fuss about Mus81

Endonucleolytic cleavage of Holliday junctions is important in recombination and replication. Mus81 proteins in yeasts and humans appear to have many, but not all, of the expected properties of eukaryotic Holliday junction resolvases, with intriguing connections to DNA replication checkpoints.
Protective Effect of Lifor Solution in Experimental Renal Ischemia-Reperfusion Injury

Background Improved kidney preservation methods are needed to reduce ischemia-reperfusion (IR) injury in kidney allografts. Lifor is an artificial preservation solution comprised of nutrients, growth factors, and a non-protein oxygen and nutrient carrier. The current study compared the effectiveness of Lifor to University of Wisconsin solution (UW) in protecting rat kidneys from warm IR and cold storage injury. Materials and Methods In a warm IR model, rat kidneys were perfused in situ with either saline, UW, or Lifor for 45 min. Renal function and histology were assessed 24 h later. In a cold IR model, kidney slices were cold-stored in saline, UW, or Lifor at 4°C. Kidney injury was assessed by the release of lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) and immunoblot analysis for cleaved caspase-3. Results Lifor perfusion significantly mitigated renal dysfunction and tubular injury at 24 h compared with saline or UW. Lifor and UW prevented LDH release in hypoxic kidney slices in vitro, however activation of caspase-3 following hypoxia-reoxygenation was attenuated only with Lifor. Cold storage with Lifor or UW significantly decreased LDH release from kidney slices or normal rat kidney cells in comparison to storage in saline or culture media. After 24 h of cold storage there was a significant decrease in cleaved caspase-3 in Lifor stored slices compared that seen following cold storage in saline or UW solution. Conclusions Lifor solution mitigates both warm and cold renal IR and appears to provide greater protection from apoptosis compared with UW solution.