cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of FXR1 by alternative splicing is required for muscle development and controls liquid-like condensates in muscle cells

Fragile-X mental retardation autosomal homolog-1 (FXR1) is a muscle-enriched RNA-binding protein. FXR1 depletion is perinatally lethal in mice, Xenopus, and zebrafish; however, the mechanisms driving these phenotypes remain unclear. The FXR1 gene undergoes alternative splicing, producing multiple protein isoforms and mis-splicing has been implicated in disease. Furthermore, mutations that cause frameshifts in muscle-specific isoforms result in congenital multi-minicore myopathy. We observed that FXR1 alternative splicing is pronounced in the serine and arginine-rich intrinsically-disordered domain; these domains are known to promote biomolecular condensation. Here, we show that tissue-specific splicing of fxr1 is required for Xenopus development and alters the disordered domain of FXR1. FXR1 isoforms vary in the formation of RNA-dependent biomolecular condensates in cells and in vitro. This work shows that regulation of tissue-specific splicing can influence FXR1 condensates in muscle development and how mis-splicing promotes disease.nnHIGHLIGHTSO_LIThe muscle-specific exon 15 impacts FXR1 functionsnC_LIO_LIAlternative splicing of FXR1 is tissue- and developmental stage specificnC_LIO_LIFXR1 forms RNA-dependent condensatesnC_LIO_LISplicing regulation changes FXR1 condensate propertiesnC_LI
Homeschooling and Educational Freedom: Why School Choice Is Good for Homeschoolers

Over the past 50 years, homeschooling has grown from a fringe act to a widely accepted education model reflective of a diverse American population. Many parents choose homeschooling to avoid the constraints of the conventional classroom and to embrace education in a broader, often more pluralistic way. Increasingly, homeschooling is driving education innovation, as entrepreneurial parents and educators create hybrid learning models that redefine and expand the homeschooling paradigm. According to the National Center for Education Statistics, the U.S. homeschooling population more than doubled between 1999 and 2012, from 850,000 to 1.8 million children, or 3.4 percent of the K–12 student population. Federal data show that the homeschooling population dipped slightly between 2012 and 2016, but state-level data reveal that some states with robust education choice programs saw rising numbers of homeschoolers during that time. Fluctuation in the homeschooling population is likely due to many factors, including regulatory changes that could make homeschooling either easier or more difficult for parents, but some homeschooling families may be taking advantage of school choice mechanisms, like education savings accounts (ESAs) and tax-credit scholarships. Even if they are not, an environment that supports educational freedom may encourage homeschooling growth. This paper offers an overview of homeschooling trends and a glimpse at the current homeschooling population while arguing that educational freedom creates momentum for families to seek alternatives to conventional mass schooling. By expanding the definition of education and placing families in charge, education choice programs can empower parents, provide varied learning opportunities for young people, and stimulate education innovation and entrepreneurship. Despite legitimate fears of regulation, homeschoolers should generally support school choice proposals.
Sleep endoscopy findings in children in supine versus left lateral position.

Abstract Objective To describe how drug-induced sleep endoscopy (DISE) findings in children with obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) change with lateral positioning. Methods Children undergoing DISE for OSA in 2018–19 at a tertiary care children's hospital were positioned first supine and then in left lateral (LL) and findings were compared. Results 63 children were included, 30 (47.6%) female and 33 (52.4%) male, mean age 4.64 years, and a mean Z-score 0.70. Mean pre-op Apnea Hypopnea Index (AHI) was 6.41 and REM AHI was 15.04. In supine position, 20 had obstruction at the palate (31.7%), 39 (61.9%) had obstruction at each of the base of tongue and the larynx, 17 (27.0%) had obstruction at the tonsils. In LL position, 11 (17.5%) were obstructed at the palate, 21 (33.3%) at the tonsils, 8 (12.7%) at the base of tongue and 7 (11.1%) at the larynx. Larynx and base of tongue were most likely to improve in LL position, as 54% of patients obstructed in supine position were open in LL position. Overall 38 (60.3%) patients improved on LL, 18 (28.6%) had no change, and 7 (11.1%) worsened. 30 (47.6%) patients improved in 1 site while 12 (19.0%) improved in more than 1 site. 16 (25.4%) patients worsened in 1 site and 9 (56.3%) of these had improvement in another site. Conclusion A significant number of patients improved airway patency, particularly at the base of tongue/larynx, during DISE when placed in LL position as compared to standard supine positioning.
Thermodynamically consistent forward and reverse degrees of rate control in reversible reactions

Abstract The net rate of a composite reaction is the difference between the forward and reverse reaction rates, which are kinetically distinct despite sharing elementary reaction steps and therefore have different rate-controlling transition states and species. Thus, degrees of rate control defined to identify rate-controlling transition states and species for the net rate confound contributions from the forward and reverse reactions. Herein, the forward and reverse degrees of rate control are defined to independently quantify the extent that species and transition states control the forward and reverse rates in reversible reactions. These degrees of rate control are defined as the relative change in the forward and reverse reaction rates per k B T decrease in the standard-state molecular free energies of transition states and species, and they are related to experimentally measurable quantities such as steady-state fractional coverages, reaction orders, and energies and entropies of activation of the forward and reverse reaction rates. The forward/reverse degrees of rate control represent stoichiometric coefficients for species and transition states in an equilibrium between the initial states and transition states of the apparent rate-controlling steps of forward and reverse overall reactions. At equilibrium, the apparent transition states for the forward reaction and reverse reaction converge, and thus the forward and reverse rate-controlling steps combine to form a single apparent rate-controlling step. This apparent rate-controlling step is comprised of an apparent initial state, transition state, and final state, where the apparent final state of the forward reaction is the apparent initial state of the reverse reaction. The apparent rate-controlling step behaves identically to an elementary step reaction at equilibrium with a pseudo-mass-action rate function given by the transition-state-theory (TST) form rate function (Foley and Bhan, 2020) with a stoichiometric number equal to the affinity-averaged stoichiometric number, σ ¯ . The ratio of the forward and reverse TST-form rate functions is identical to the overall thermodynamic equilibrium relation, consistent with the principles of microscopic reversibility and detailed balance at equilibrium.
One-dimensional holographic superconductor from AdS3/CFT2 correspondence

We obtain a holographical description of a superconductor by using the d = 2 case of the AdSd+1/CFT d correspondence. The gravity system is a (2+1)-dimensional AdS black hole coupled to a Maxwell field and charged scalar. The dual (1+1)-dimensional superconductor will be strongly correlated. The characteristic exponents for vector perturbations at the boundary degenerate, which implies that d = 2 is a critical dimension and the Green’s function needs to be regularized. In the normal phase, the current-current correlation function and the conductivity can be analytically solved at zero chemical potential. The dc conductivity can be analytically solved at finite chemical potential. When we add a scalar hair to the black hole, a charged condensate happens at low temperatures. We compare our results with higher-dimensional cases.
The Legal Imagination (Book Review)

Prof. Rachel Smith reviews the 45th-anniversary edition of James Boyd White’s The Legal Imagination. She explores, among other things, whether its lessons and language have withstood the intervening decades.
Nicotine preference and affective behavior of Cd81 knockout mice.

Cd81 -/- (knockout) mice have previously been reported to have reduced cocaine preference and increased striatal dopamine content and dopamine turnover, but normal learning and memory in the Morris water maze. The effects of Cd81 on other behaviors and drugs of abuse have not been investigated. We measured the effects of Cd81 -/- in a modified two-bottle choice test for nicotine, as well as in somatic signs of nicotine withdrawal, four tests of affective behavior, and tyrosine hydroxylase gene expression assays. We found that Cd81 loss-of-function significantly increased voluntary nicotine consumption and somatic signs of nicotine withdrawal. Nicotine consumption of Cd81 -/- female mice increased for 3 weeks and then remained relatively stable for the next 5 weeks, suggesting that their nicotine consumption continued to be limited by aversion to higher nicotine doses. Cd81 -/- also produced a dramatic and significant increase in struggling in the forced swim test and a significant increase in the time spent in the light chamber of the light/dark box. The elevated plus maze and the tail suspension test did not show a main effect of genotype. Therefore, we conclude that Cd81 did not have an overall effect on anxiety- or depression-like behavior. Tyrosine hydroxylase mRNA levels were unchanged. Cd81 knockouts have a strongly increased nicotine preference, plus a proactive response to specific stressful situations. Together with reports of increased striatal dopamine content and anecdotal reports of increased aggressiveness, these provide intriguing parallels to some aspects of post-traumatic stress disorder.
Treatment for alcohol use disorder among persons with and without HIV in a clinical care setting in the United States

Abstract Background Alcohol use disorders (AUD) can lead to poor health outcomes. Little is known about AUD treatment among persons with HIV (PWH). In an integrated health system in Northern California, 2014–2017, we compared AUD treatment rates between PWH with AUD and persons without HIV (PWoH) with AUD. Methods Using Poisson regression with GEE, we estimated prevalence ratios (PRs) comparing the annual probability of receiving AUD treatment (behavioral intervention or dispensed medication), adjusted for sociodemographics, psychiatric comorbidities, insurance type, and calendar year. Among PWH, we examined independent AUD treatment predictors using PRs adjusted for calendar year only. Results PWH with AUD (N = 633; 93% men, median age 49) were likelier than PWoH with AUD (N = 7006; 95% men, median age 52) to have depression (38% vs. 21%) and a non-alcohol substance use disorder (SUD, 48% vs. 25%) (both P Conclusions PWH with AUD had higher AUD treatment rates than PWoH with AUD in unadjusted but not adjusted analyses, which may be explained by higher psychiatric comorbidity burden among PWH.
Low Dimensional Models, Wavelet Transforms and Control

If we examine pictures of various turbulent flows, we will discover that the proportion of organized and disorganized turbulence in each flow is different. For example, if we look at mixing layers from undisturbed initial conditions (with only thin laminar boundary layers on the splitter plate), we find that there is an energetically large organized component, which only relatively slowly becomes three-dimensional and disorganized, although the nearly two-dimensional organized structures have from the beginning a stochastic component, so that their occurrence is not precisely periodic, nor are their strengths equal. On the other hand, if we examine a mixing layer from quite disturbed initial conditions, with a thick, turbulent boundary layer on the splitter plate, we find that the proportion of organized component is considerably less — although the organized component is still visible, it is no longer dominant. Thus, in the same type of flow, we find that the initial conditions change the relative strength of the organized and disorganized components. We we examine a different flow, for example a jet, we find the same difference — that is, if the flow from the orifice is initially undisturbed — thin laminar boundary layers on the inner surface of the nozzle — then there is initially a laminar instability which gradually becomes three-dimensional and undergoes transition, leaving in the downstream development of the turbulence the remnants of the instability structure. On the other hand, if the boundary layers on the inside of the nozzle are initially thick and turbulent, there is no initial laminar instability, and there are no visible organized remnants in the turbulent motion. More than this, however, there is evidently a substantial difference between this flow and the mixing layer. Even in the undisturbed state, the organized component of this flow is a very great deal weaker than that in the mixing layer under the same circumstances. It is bearly discernible; when the initial conditions are disturbed, the organized structure becomes essentially undetectable. Thus, we can conclude that different flows, even under similar conditions, have different relative strengths of organized and disorganized components.
The legitimate and illegitimate offspring of English

In this chapter I extend the discussion of chapter 3 to the broader context of Englishes around the world. I start with the question of what criteria have been used to name and assign them to different categories. I show that there is a social bias behind the labels used to distinguish “ new Englishes ” from each other. The term new English applies technically to all those varieties that have resulted from the English colonial expansion, although British English today is as new as the other varieties. I also argue that mutual intelligibility between speakers of different varieties is not a reliable criterion for determining whether or not they are separate languages. This especially regards the way English pidgins and creoles have been disfranchised from the group of Englishes, except when it is necessary to determine what proportion of the world's population is anglophone. The question of social bias is discussed mostly regarding the distinction “native” vs. “non-native Englishes,” with the adjectives native and non-native used as modifiers of language varieties rather than of the competences of speakers. I show that language contact has been a relevant ecological factor in the evolution of English since its inception. Much of the debate about the above distinction between Englishes is indirectly related to norm-setting. Chaudenson (1992) argues convincingly that much about the identification of creoles as separate languages has to do with their autonomization , i.e., the ability of their speakers to develop norms that are community-based rather than imposed by speakers of other varieties of the lexifier.
Stability and Transcriptional Regulation of Gamma-Glutamyl Transpeptidase mRNA Expression in the Initial Segment of the Rat Epididymis

Gamma-glutamyl transpeptidase (GGT) is an en- zyme believed to play a role in the protection of maturing sper- matozoa in the epididymis. Our previous studies have shown that four GGT mRNA5 (l-IV) transcribed from the single-copy rat GGT gene are differentially expressed and regulated in the rat epidid- ymis. In particular, the normal expression of GGT mRNA in the epididymal initial segment is dependent upon the presence of tes- ticular factors. The objective of this study was to test the hypoth- esis that the decreased expression of GOT mRNA in the initial segment following the in vivo removal of testicular factors by ef- ferent duct ligation (EDL) is due to a decrease in stability and/or transcription rate. The stability of the GGT mRNA5 was evaluated by measuring the rate of mRNA decay. These stability studies showed that GGT mRNA exhibited a rapid initial decay that slowed at later times to a decay rate similar to that of GGT m- RNAs. The decay rates were not different following sham-op- eration or EDL, and thus the stability of GOT mRNA5 were not influenced by the in vivo loss of testicular factors. Results of tran- scription analysis revealed that the transcription rate of GGT mRNA in the initial segment fell by approximately 68% following a 12-hour EDL. Additionally, secondary-structure models indicate two families of folding patterns for GGT mRNA, which could be the reason for the two decay regimes detected in the stability study. Thus, the decreased expression level of GGT mRNA1 in the initial segment following the in vivo loss of testicular factors is a function of a decreased transcription rate and intricate decay kinetics.
Galilean satellites: analysis of photometric eclipses.

The excellent series of photometric eclipses of the Galilean satellites observed at Harvard from 1878 to 1903, which formed the basis for Sampson's study of the Galilean satellites, have been combined with the relatively few available post-1903 photometric eclipse observations in order to evaluate the satellite parameters which occur in the new theory of motion of the satellites. After obtaining values for the epsilon-beta parameters, the mutual eclipses and occultations observed in 1973 are compared with the new theory in order to assess the degradation which might occur in the 84 years which have elapsed since the mean epoch of the photometric eclipses. The results indicate that the new theory satisfactorily can predict ephemeris positions of the Galilean satellites over spans of nearly a century and that it will be a useful tool for analyzing future observations.
Substance Abuse and Risky Sex in Young People: The Development and Validation of the Risky Sex Scale

Young people continue to be at considerable risk for HIV infection, and risky sexual practices that sometimes lead to infection are often precipitated by the abuse of alcohol. In the current study of three hundred and sixty one sexually active undergraduates cited their first time for university substance abuse violations, confirmatory factor analysis was employed to validate the Risky Sex Scale. A three factor solution appears to fit the data significantly, and three subscales (risky sex expectancies, risky sex behavior, and gender-based perceptions of risky sex) demonstrate good to excellent reliability and vary significantly with problem drinking, context-related drinking, and gender X context interactions. Implications for prevention are discussed.
Impedance Audiometry Suggested

The findings of Kaplan et al.1 with respect to impairment of verbal ability in Alaskan children with hearing loss greater than 25 dB ISO secondary to chronic suppurative otitis media warrant renewed attention to a similar otologic problem which constitutes a threat to the verbal development of a significant percentage of all children—hearing impairment secondary to chronic secretory otitis media. Although the hearing loss in chronic secretory otitis media may fluctuate, a significant conductive impairment will persist as long as fluid remains in the middle ear.
Associations between Obstructive Sleep Apnea, Sleep Duration, and Abnormal Fasting Glucose. The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis.

Rationale: No data exist as to the role of ethnicity in the associations between obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), sleep duration, and metabolic dysfunction.Objectives: To examine links between OSA, objectively measured habitual sleep duration, and fasting glucose in U.S. ethnic groups.Methods: The Multi-Ethnic Study of Atherosclerosis is a multisite community-based study that conducted polysomnography and wrist actigraphy. In 2,151 subjects (1,839 in fully adjusted models), the apnea–hypopnea index was used to classify OSA as none (0–4.9/h), mild (5–14.9/h), or moderate to severe (≥15/h). Actigraphic sleep duration was classified as short (≤5 h/night), intermediate (>5 and <8 h/night), or long (≥8 h/night). Subjects were classified as having normal fasting glucose (<100 mg/dl and no hypoglycemic medication use) or abnormal fasting glucose (≥100 mg/dl and/or hypoglycemic medication use).Measurements and Main Results: The sample was 45.8% male, age 68.5 ± 9.2 (mean ± SD) years, and 27.3% African American, 37....
An algorithm for the approximate solution of Wiener-Hopf integral equations

An explicit approximate solution ƒ(h)a is given for the equation ƒ(t) = ∫∞0k(t - t)ƒ(t) dt + g(t), t > 0, (*) where k, g ∈ L1(- ∞, ∞) ∩ L2(-∞, ∞), and where it is assumed that the classical Wiener-Hopf technique may be applied to (*) to yield a solution ƒ ∈ L1(0, ∞) ∩ L2(0, ∞) for every such given g. It is furthermore assumed that the Fourier transforms K and G+ of k and g respectively are known explicitly, where K(x) = ∫∞-∞ exp (ixt)k(t) dt, G+(x) = ∫∞0 exp (ixt)g(t) dt. The approximate solution ƒ(h)a of (*) depends on two positive parameters, h and a.If K(z) and G+(z) are analytic functions of z = x + iy in the region {x + iy : | y | ≤ d}, and if K is real on (-∞, ∞), then | ƒ(t) - ƒ(h)a(t) | ≤ c1 exp (-pd/h) + c2 exp (-pd/a) where c1 and c2 are constants. As an example, we compute ƒ(h)a(t), t = 0.2(0.2)1, h = p/10, a = p/50, for the case of k(t) = exp(-| t |)/(2p), g(t) = t4 exp (-3t). The resulting solution is correct to five decimals.
Emergency department diagnosis of massive pleural effusion causing right ventricular diastolic collapse using bedside ultrasonography

A 75-year-old man with a 150-pack-year smoking history presented to the emergency department with progressively worsening shortness of breath, dyspnea on exertion, cough with white sputum and right-sided chest pain with right shoulder radiation for 1 week. Chest X-ray and bedside ultrasonography revealed a massive pleural effusion. Bedside subcostal ultrasound examination of the heart showed diastolic collapse of the right ventricle, a tamponade-like picture, that corrected after thoracentesis and pleural fluid removal. Bedside emergency department ultrasonography was used to assist in the diagnosis of massive pleural effusion causing right ventricular diastolic collapse.
Enkephalin enhances responsiveness to perforant path input while decreasing spontaneous activity in the dentate gyrus

Abstract The opioid peptide [ d -Ala 2 -Met 5 ]-enkephalin-amide (DAMEA) was electrophoretically applied to the dentate gyrus in vivo to investigate opioid effects on evoked responsiveness to perforant path input and on spontaneous granule cell activity. DAMEA increased the amplitude of population spikes evoked by stimulation of the perforant path, and decreased sequential (recurrent or feed-forward) inhibition as determined by a paired-pulse paradigm. However, DAMEA concurrently inhibited spontaneous activity of individual granule cells. The effects of DAMEA on population and unit responses were antagonized by intravenous naloxone. These results confirm previous findings of opioid enhanced responsiveness to perforant path input and decreased sequential inhibition, but demonstrate a paradoxical inhibition of spontaneous unit activity by opioids in the granule cell layer.
Learning word syntactic subcategorizations interactively

Learning algorithms that acquire syntactic knowledge for a parser from sample sentences entered by users who have no knowledge of the parser or English syntax are described. It is shown how the subcategorizations of verbs, nouns and adjectives can be inferred from sample sentences entered by end users. Then, if the parser fails to parse a sentence, for example Peter knows how to read books, because it has limited knowledge or no knowledge at all about 'know', an interface which incorporates the acquisition algorithms can be activated, and 'know' can be defined by entering some sample sentences, one of which can be the one which the parser failed to parse.
Abstract 4504: Potential use of polyethyleneimine as a gene delivery vehicle for breast cancer.

Proceedings: AACR 104th Annual Meeting 2013; Apr 6-10, 2013; Washington, DC Breast cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death in US women, after lung cancer. A major impediment in advancing gene therapy approaches to breast cancer is the resistance of cancer cell membrane to transport DNA/RNA. Viral vectors are efficient to deliver target genes; however, they are associated with the risk of immune response, random integration into the host genome or recombination with other wild type viruses. In contrast, non-viral vectors, that include lipoplex and polyplex forming carriers, are more advantageous as they are less expensive, easier to manufacture, and can carry large molecules of DNA. Polyethyleneimine (PEI) has emerged as a very effective gene transfection agent. PEI is water soluble, positively charged, and can envelope negatively charged DNA and protect it from lysosomal degradation. However, gene transfection efficacy of PEI for breast cancer cells remains poorly understood. In addition, information on the relationship between the polymer structure and its biological function, such as DNA condensation, toxicity and transfection efficacy is still limited. In this study, we evaluated the transfection efficiency of PEIs differing in molecular weight and branching. pGL3 control plasmid (5256 bp) containing a coding for the firefly luciferase gene driven by the SV40 promoter was used for this study. pGL3 complexed with different PEIs was tested for gene transfection study in breast cancer cells, using luciferase activity measurements with a luminometer. Cytotoxicity was measured by trypan blue exclusion assay. Static and dynamic laser light scattering was used to determine the ability of PEIs to condense plasmid DNA to nanoparticles and determine the size of the nanoparticles. Our results showed maximum transfection efficiency with 22 kDa linear PEI at N/P (nitrogen/phosphorus) ratio of 4.8 to 6. Linear and branched 25 kDa PEIs were less efficient than 22 kDa PEI. Low molecular weight (0.6 and 1.2 kDa) PEIs had negligible effect in transporting plasmid DNA, whereas 10 kDa PEI showed some activity. Cytotoxic effects of the PEIs were suppressed by DNA complexation. Both branched and linear PEIs condensed plasmid DNA to nanoparticles (hydrodynamic radius: ∼155 nm). Taken together, these results demonstrate structure-function relationships of PEIs in condensing and transporting plasmid DNA. Our results might be useful in selecting and improving the properties of PEI as a gene delivery vehicle for breast cancer. Citation Format: T. J. Thomas, Sripriya Venkiteswaran, Thresia Thomas. Potential use of polyethyleneimine as a gene delivery vehicle for breast cancer. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 104th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2013 Apr 6-10; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2013;73(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4504. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2013-4504
Energy Transmission and Power Sources for Mechanical Circulatory Support Devices to Achieve Total Implantability

Left ventricular assist device therapy has radically improved congestive heart failure survival with smaller rotary pumps. The driveline used to power today's left ventricular assist devices, however, continues to be a source of infection, traumatic damage, and rehospitalization. Previous attempts to wirelessly power left ventricular assist devices using transcutaneous energy transfer systems have been limited by restrictions on separation distance and alignment between the transmit and receive coils. Resonant electrical energy transfer allows power delivery at larger distances without compromising safety and efficiency. This review covers the efforts to wirelessly power mechanical circulatory assist devices and the progress made in enhancing their energy sources.
Belief that Experiments Work and Equal Distribution of Ignorance: What Happens when these Tendencies Compete?

Subjects were presented with hypothetical experiments and given results for the experimental or control conditions, in terms of relative frequency of occurrence of favorable or unfavorable outcomes on a dependent variable. They then estimated likelihood of outcome on the dependent variable for the other condition in absolute terms and relative to the condition with given results Individuals frequently made two estimates that were incompatible with each other. For example, they often judged that the control condition had a 50% chance of producing a favorable outcome, but that the likelihood of a favorable outcome for the control condition was less than that for an experimental condition producing 20? favorable outcomes. Results were interpreted in terms of preexisting belief in the efficacy of experimental intervention, a tendency to assign a probability of .50 to an event in the face of uncertainty, and information-processing difficulties in integrating judgments made in different contexts.
The Effects of Environment and Fatigue on the Adhesion and Subcritical Debonding of Dielectric Polymers

The adhesion of thin film polymers will be critical in the integration of low-κ materials into microelectronic processing. This study describes the adhesion of two promising low-κ polymers (polyimide and benzocyclobutene) to a silicon dioxide surface. Critical adhesion values were measured using interface fracture mechanics samples in a double cantilever beam geometry. The effect of subcritical (time-dependent) delamination was also evaluated for these systems. Subcritical debonding data are important in understanding the effect of environment and temperature on interface reliability. To that end, experiments were conducted over a range of humidities to elucidate the effect of moisture on interface delamination. The important effect of the acceleration of debond growth rates due to cyclic loading is also described. In addition, XPS studies are presented to characterize the debond path in these layered systems.
Field-scale dynamic modeling of agriculture-operation dust dispersion

The frequency and intensities of dust exposures in and near farm fields, which potentially contribute to high intensity human exposure events, are rarely documented due to the transient nature of local dust plumes and the difficulties of making accurate concentration measurements. This paper presents a dynamic random-walk model which simulates the field-scale PM10 (particle diameter =10 µm) dust dispersion from agriculture disking operation. The major inputs are the friction velocity (u*) and wind direction in the simulation period, atmospheric stability, and source strength (mg/s, or particle numbers/s). In each time step (Lagrangian time scale, usually dt «1 s determined by the friction velocity and stability) of the model simulation, 3 instantaneous wind velocities (x, y and z directions) are produced randomly based on friction velocity and atmospheric stability. Then, the wind velocities drive each particle to fly. The particle deposition algorithm judges if a particle is deposited based on the particle settling speed and vertical wind velocity when it touches the ground surface. The particle concentration in 3-D can be obtained at any instant in time by counting the particle numbers in a unit volume. The time resolution of the outputs can be less than 1 s and the spatial resolution can be smaller than 1 m. Simulations from this model are compared with point sampler measurements (PM10) and spatial distributions of dust concentration data which were obtained by elastic Lidar. The model accuracy is acceptable.
Rice and red rice interference. II. Rice response to population densities of three red rice (Oryza sativa) ecotypes

Abstract Red rice, which grows taller and produces more tillers than domestic rice and shatters most of its seeds early, is a major weed in many rice-growing areas of the world. Field experiments were conducted at Stuttgart, AR in 1997 and 1998 to evaluate the growth response of the Kaybonnet (KBNT) rice cultivar to various population densities of three red rice ecotypes. The ecotypes tested were Louisiana3 (LA3), Stuttgart strawhull (Stgstraw), and Katy red rice (KatyRR). Compared with KBNT alone, LA3, the tallest of the three red rice ecotypes, reduced tiller density of KBNT 51%, aboveground biomass at 91 d after emergence (DAE) 35%, and yield 80%. Stgstraw, a medium-height red rice, reduced KBNT tiller density 49%, aboveground biomass 26%, and yield 61%. KatyRR, the shortest red rice, reduced KBNT tiller density 30%, aboveground biomass 16%, and yield 21%. Tiller density of rice was reduced by 20 to 48% when red rice density increased from 25 to 51 plants m−2. Rice biomass at 91 DAE was reduced by 9 an...
Does the Cultural Formulation Interview for the fifth revision of the diagnostic and statistical manual of mental disorders (DSM-5) affect medical communication? A qualitative exploratory study from the New York site

Objectives. Cross-cultural mental health researchers often analyze patient explanatory models of illness to optimize service provision. The Cultural Formulation Interview (CFI) is a cross-cultural assessment tool released in May 2013 with DSM-5 to revise shortcomings from the DSM-IV Outline for Cultural Formulation (OCF). The CFI field trial took place in 6 countries, 14 sites, and with 321 patients to explore its feasibility, acceptability, and clinical utility with patients and clinicians. We sought to analyze if and how CFI feasibility, acceptability, and clinical utility were related to patient–clinician communication.Design. We report data from the New York site which enrolled 7 clinicians and 32 patients in 32 patient–clinician dyads. We undertook a data analysis independent of the parent field trial by conducting content analyses of debriefing interviews with all participants (n = 64) based on codebooks derived from frameworks for medical communication and implementation outcomes. Three coders crea...
Is predation rational? Is it profitable?

Predation, according to New Learning theorists, is defined "as a firm's deliberate aggression against one or more rivals through the employment of business practices that would not be considered profit maximizing except for the expectations either that (1) rivals will be driven from the market, leaving the predator with a market share sufficient to command monopoly profits, or (2) rivals will be chastened sufficiently to abandon competitive behavior the predator finds inconvenient or threatening" (Bork, 1978, p. 14). In the case of price predation, they contend, a "firm contemplating predatory price warfare will perceive a series of obstacles that make the prospect of such a campaign exceedingly unattractive. The losses during the war will be proportionally higher for the predator than for the victim; merger law will make it all but impossible for the predator to purchase the victim, so the campaign will have to last until the victim's organization and assets are dissolved; ease of entry will be symmetrical with ease of exit; and anticipated monopoly revenues, being deferred, must be discounted at the current interest rate", (Bork, 1978, p. 149). Therefore, the New Learning advocates conclude, predatory pricing "is most unlikely to exist . . . attempts to outlaw it are likely to harm consumers more than would abandoning the effort" (Bork, 1978, p. 155). This view has found resonance not only among economists,1 but has also penetrated the antitrust bar and the courts. Its dominance was assured when the Supreme Court, in a series of landmark antitrust decisions, held that predation is so irrational and so fraught with uncertainty and perils that a rational profit-maximizing
Regioselective reductions of 2,3-epoxy alcohols

Abstract Regioselective reduction of 3-substituted-2,3-epoxy alcohols to 1,3-diols with sodium bis(2-methoxyethoxy)aluminum hydride (Red-al) is shown to be a general reaction for these substitutes.
Electron detachment of the hydrogen-bonded amino acid side-chain guanine complexes

Abstract The photoelectron spectra of the hydrogen-bonded amino acid side-chain–guanine complexes has been studied at the partial third order (P3) self-energy approximation of the electron propagator theory. The correlation between the vertical electron detachment energy and the charge distributions on the guanine moiety reveals that the vertical electron detachment energy (VDE) increases as the positive charge distribution on the guanine increases. The low VDE values determined for the negatively charged complexes of the guanine–side-chain-group of Asp/Glu suggest that the influence of the H-bonded anionic groups on the VDE of guanine could be more important than that of the anionic backbone structure. The even lower vertical electron detachment energy for guanine is thus can be expected in the H-bonded protein–DNA systems.
Verification of sensitivity enhancement factors for cw ultrasonic resonators

Sensitivity enhancement factors predicted by an analysis of cw ultrasonic resonator systems using the propagating wave model are verified. Absorption and dispersion sensitivity factors were obtained by producing small changes in the acoustic properties of a CdS resonator with a light beam.
Multi-mode behavior of optical phonons in II-VI ternary and quaternary alloys

Zone-center optical phonons of tetrahedrally coordinatedII-VI semiconductor ternary (AB1-xCx) and quaternary (AB1-x-yCxDy) alloys display a variety of distinct multi-mode behavior patterns. A brief review of the modified random element isodisplacement model, which can satisfactorily account for the composition dependence of the frequencies of the zone-center optical phonons, is presented; in this model, one uses the macroscopic parameters of the binary end members and their LO-TO phonon frequencies. When a constituent is present in extreme dilution in a binary (or in a ternary), e.g., C in AB (or in AB1-y Dy), one sees either a local or a gap mode associated with it. For higher concentrations, one can see two (three) LO-TO phonon pairs for the ternary (quaternary) in the first order Raman spectrum or in the infra-red deduced from an analysis of the reststrahlen bands, when the masses of B and C differ significantly but are lighter than that of A. We illustrate these features in the Raman spectra of Cd1-xMgxTe and Cd1-x-y MgxMnyTe. Also shown are the infra-red spectra of the local mode of Mg2+ and Mn2+ in Cd Te, where their isotopic nature is clearly manifested.
Tensor sliced inverse regression

Sliced inverse regression (SIR) is a widely used non-parametric method for supervised dimension reduction. Conventional SIR mainly tackles simple data structure but is inappropriate for data with array (tensor)-valued predictors. Such data are commonly encountered in modern biomedical imaging and social network areas. For these complex data, dimension reduction is generally demanding to extract useful information from abundant measurements. In this article, we propose higher-order sufficient dimension reduction mainly by extending SIR to general tensor-valued predictors and refer to it as tensor SIR. Tensor SIR is constructed based on tensor decompositions to reduce a tensor-valued predictor's multiple dimensions simultaneously. The proposed method provides fast and efficient estimation. It circumvents high-dimensional covariance matrix inversion that researchers often suffer when dealing with such data. We further investigate its asymptotic properties and show its advantages by simulation studies and a real data application.
SU-8 3D microoptic components fabricated by inclined UV lithography in water

Out-of-plane microlenses and microoptical fiber holder are two of the most important components for building an integrated microoptic system with a precise alignment accuracy. In this paper, a simple and convenient method to fabricate these components from SU-8 by using inclined UV lithography in water is proposed. It consists of two perpendicular exposures in SU-8 at ±45°. DI water possesses a low absorption coefficient and a moderate and stable value of refractive index in near UV. Using water, the exposure angle in SU-8 can be increased to 50° from 35° in air necessary to pattern the desired 45° slope of the sidewalls. The principle of the proposed technique and the detailed fabrication process of the microoptic components will be presented. The integratability of the fabricated components was demonstrated by the fabrication of the microoptical fiber holder with a pre-aligned out-of-plane microlens.
Hardwareߝsoftware tradeoffs in testing

The application of digital computers to reliability testing, although not a new concept, is gaining wider acceptance in the manufacturing and aerospace industries; it is replacing or supplementing special hardware that has provided the necessary test capabilities in the past. Unfortunately, arbitrary decisions are sometimes made as to tradeoff between software and special hardware. Before such decisions are made concerning the total system, it is necessary to analyze the needs of the information, control, and interface subsystems as well as the unit to be tested.
Some Strategy Implications of a Matrix Approach to the Classification of Marketing Goods and Services

The traditional schemes for the classfication of goods and services do not adequately incorporate the marketing characteristics of services. However, rather than pose a separate classification scheme for services, the author proposes a broadened classification approach to include both goods and services. Some marketing strategy implications of this classification approach are discussed.
Adding pathogens by genomic subtraction

Two studies report the application of high-throughput sequencing technologies to discover infectious agents associated with diseased human tissues. These findings herald a breakthrough in the field of pathogen discovery.
What's behind different kinds of kinds: effects of statistical density on learning and representation of categories.

This research examined how differences in category structure affect category learning and category representation across points of development. The authors specifically focused on category density—or the proportion of category-relevant variance to the total variance. Results of Experiments 1–3 showed a clear dissociation between dense and sparse categories: Whereas dense categories were readily learned without supervision, learning of sparse categories required supervision. There were also developmental differences in how statistical density affected category representation. Although children represented both dense and sparse categories on the basis of the overall similarity (Experiment 4A), adults represented dense categories on the basis of similarity and represented sparse categories on the basis of the inclusion rule (Experiment 4B). The results support the notion that statistical structure interacts with the learning regime in their effects on category learning. In addition, these results elucidate important developmental differences in how categories are represented, which presents interesting challenges for theories of categorization.
Inertial and Gravitational Deposition of Particles in a Square Cross Section Bifurcating Airway

Deposition of spherical particles in an airway bifurcation is studied numerically. Airway dimensions are based on the third airway generation of the Weibel symmetric lung model (1963). A square cross-sectional airway area is assumed, with parent and daughter tubes having different diameters. The flow field is solved by a finite element method for Reynolds numbers of 100 and 1000 with uniform and parabolic parent inlet velocities. The flow field is then used to calculate particle deposition in this geometry. Deposition by the mechanisms of impaction and sedimentation are incorporated. The results show that for particles larger than 10 μm, sedimentation losses are weakly dependent on the flow Reynolds number and the inlet condition, whereas impaction losses depend strongly on Reynolds number and inlet condition. Also, the calculated results gave good agreement with the predictive model of Pich (1972) for sedimentation losses in flows through parallel plates. For losses by impaction, the calculated results a...
Ultrastructure of a human spinal neuroma

Abstract The ultrastructure of a neuroma within the spinal cord of a paraplegic patient is described. The neuroma consisted of a discrete circular collection of cells and nerve fibers surrounded by a capsule of glial fibrils. The axis cylinders of the nerve fibers present often did not fill the myelin sheath. The myelin sheaths formed by Schwann-like cells were replete with Schmidt-Lanterman incisures and nodes of Ranvier. These data indicate that this central neuroma is of dorsal root or perivascular origin.
Estimation of the initial equilibrium constants in the formation of tetragonal lysozyme nuclei

Results are presented from a study of the equilibria, kinetic rates, and the aggregation pathway which leads from a lysozyme monomer crystal to a tetragonal crystal, using dialyzed and recrystallized commercial hen eggwhite lysozyme. Relative light scattering intensity measurements were used to estimate the initial equilibrium constants for undersaturated lysozyme solutions in the tetragonal regime. The K1 value was estimated to be (1-3) x 10 exp 4 L/mol. Estimates of subsequent equilibrium constants depend on the crystal aggregation model chosen or determined. Experimental data suggest that tetragonal lysozyme crystal grows by addition of aggregates preformed in the bulk solution, rather than by monomer addition.
Transgenic and knockout mice to study the renin-angiotensin system and other interacting vasoactive pathways

Essential hypertension is an insidious disease in which the afflicted person risks disability and death from myocardial infarction and stroke. Many factors contribute to the development of essential hypertension, including environment, diet, daily stress, and genetics. Although several single gene disorders causing high blood pressure have been identified, the genetics of essential hypertension are much more complicated. The current hypothesis is that a combination of genetic variations in multiple genes may predispose a person to hypertension. Both overexpression and gene inactivation ("knockout") have proven useful tools to evaluate the genetics of essential hypertension and to identify pathways regulating blood pressure. Molecular and physiologic evaluations of transgenic and knockout mice carried out over the past 5 years have provided a plethora of information about the mechanisms of blood pressure regulation and the development and maintenance of hypertension. This review focuses on the newer mouse models that have been developed to investigate hypertension with an emphasis on vascular and renal mechanisms, contributed by the renin-angiotensin system, and other pathways intersecting with the renin-angiotensin system.
On the calculations of the diffusion coefficients of oxygen and nitrogen in niobium

The Snoek peaks for oxygen and nitrogen in niobium have been remeasured using a torsion pendulum equipped with LVDT transducers connected to an oscillograph for automatic data recording. The peak temperatures were determined using a new numerical analysis of the peak shape. These new low temperature data have been combined with high temperature direct data and intermediate temperature high frequency internal friction data reported in the literature. When it is assumed that the oxygen and nitrogen] occupied octahedral positions in the niobium matrix, the diffusion coefficients for both oxygen and nitrogen atoms follow a simple Arrhenius behavior. In the temperature range of this analysis (140 to 1000°C for oxygen and 270 to 1800°C for nitrogen) the equationsD = (5.3E - 7) exp - (1.095E5)/RT andD = (2.6E - 6) exp - (1.523E5)/RT apply for the diffusion of oxygen and nitrogen, respectively. Entropy of activation calculations were made using the above activation energies and frequency factors, and the results agree well with reported values for other systems as well as with the theory of Keyes. This good agreement suggests that the assumption that oxygen and nitrogen prefer octahedral sites is probably correct.