cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Method to Quantify Freeze-Thaw Effects on Temperate Climate Soils: Calvert Cliffs

AbstractThe Calvert Cliffs form much of the western coastline of the Chesapeake Bay in Calvert County, Maryland, and are actively eroding, resulting in a critical situation for many homes in close proximity to the slope’s crest. Past studies have qualitatively shown that where waves do not regularly interact with the slope toe, the main control mechanism for slope recession is freeze-thaw events. In this study, an attempt was made to quantitatively assess the validity of this claim by analyzing the recession rate and freeze-thaw behavior of six study sites along the Calvert Cliffs that are not directly affected by waves. The freeze-thaw susceptibility of soil can be quantified by assessing its material and thermal properties. The freezing can also commonly be quantified using a freezing index. For a temperate climate like that of the Calvert Cliffs, however, a freezing index is not an effective way to quantify freeze-thaw behavior due to a lack of a well-defined freezing season. Instead, the study investi...
Stability of Three-Dimensional Mixing Layers

*† . A theoretical model of harmonic perturbations in a three-dimensional incompressible turbulent mixing layer is proposed. The mean flow is modeled as the Falkner-Skan-Cooke self-similar solution. The governing equations for the coherent perturbation are closed with the help of the Newtonian eddy viscosity model. The method of multiple scales is used to take into account the nonparallel flow effects. The numerical results illustrate that the spectrum of the discrete modes might be very complicated depending on the flow geometry. Particularly, one can find two unstable modes in three-dimensional mixing layers. Nomenclature Aj = vector functions of the direct problem a(X) = slow amplitude function of perturbation B B j
Determination of 14 Kinds of Volatile Organic Pollutants in Water by Purge and Trap GC/MS

[Objective]To establish a method for determining 14 kinds of volatile organic pollutants in water by purge and trap with gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer(GC/MS).[Methods]The water sample was purged,trapped and baked,and then was qualitative and quantitative detected by GC/MS.[Results]14 kinds of volatile organic pollutants in water were detected by purge and trap GC/MS,the detection limits were 0.002～0.01 μg/L.The recoveries of the method were 97.9%～106.3%,the correlation coefficient was all greater than 0.998.The relative standard deviation was 2.26%～9.09%.[Conclusion]This method can separate 14 kinds of volatile organic pollutants,with characteristics of good linearity,simply operation,rapid,high sensitivity,etc.
Controlling Angiogenic Response of Endothelial Cells via Intracellular Microparticle Depot containing Growth Factors

Controlling of endothelial cell and its microenvironment is crucial to promote angiogenic response during tissue regeneration. However, current strategies are limited to genetic cellular engineering or matrix-based methods which are complex and highly variable. To overcome this, we engineer endothelial cells by intracellular loading of growth factor containing microparticles. These microparticle depots control the host cells and its microenvironment through intracellular and extracellular release of growth factors. Specifically, human endothelial cells engineered with vascular endothelial growth factor loaded poly lactic-co-glycolic acid (PLGA) microparticle show enhanced angiogenic response through extended endothelial network and sprouting. Enhancement of angiogenic response is attributed to autocrine and paracrine-endocrine like signaling from the growth factors.
Water, the Solid Earth, and the Atmosphere: The Genesis and Effects of a Wet Surface on a Mostly Dry Planet

The terrestrial hydrosphere likely formed early and rapidly, probably through degassing during accretion and/or rapid degassing of the interior, in the first roughly ∼100 My of Earth history. The most important contributors of water to the early Earth were likely carbonaceous chondrites or objects possessing D/H ratios identical to both carbonaceous chondrites and the Earth. In contrast to the apparent constancy of the oceans through time, the atmosphere has transitioned from an early atmosphere far richer in CO2 and CH4 to our current oxygen-bearing atmosphere. Abundant mechanisms exist by which the deep Earth could hold significant quantities of water, varying from separate crystalline hydrous phases, to water-bearing nominally anhydrous phases, to iron hydride within Earth’s core: accordingly, there are ample means by which subducted water could be taken up in Earth’s mantle. But, at least the portion of the upper mantle represented by the mid-ocean ridge basalts (MORB) source region is fairly dry: of order 100 ppm of water. More deeply derived upwellings (hot spot associated magmas) are somewhat wetter, but not hugely so. The importance of water transcends its rather small abundance in the silicate portion of the planet: its effect on melting relations (and thus crustal generation) is profound; and its role in dramatically lowering the viscosity of silicates is likely critical for our current style of mantle convection.
The Climate–KD Link

The agent of Kawasaki disease (KD) remains unknown after more than 40 years of intensive research, but new information from analyses of KD time series from locations worldwide suggests that KD activity is modulated by weather and climate processes. Most Northern Hemisphere locations with a sufficient number of KD cases to allow for analysis exhibit seasonal fluctuations in KD incidence. Analyses of climate variables have linked seasonal and shorter period variations of KD with fluctuations in large-scale tropospheric wind patterns. A recent set of analyses suggests that the KD agent is transported to particular regions by distinct wind flow patterns and that a potential source region for Japan is upstream over northeast China. Analysis of aerosol samples from peak and trough periods of KD activity in Japan is ongoing and will likely yield further insights into the nature of the causative agent.
The Structure of Agriculture

As indicated in the previous chapter, the structural arrangement of the industries that provide inputs to agriculture and buy the products produced by agricultural firms tends toward the monopoly position. They are made up of a few large firms. Each has a sizable share of the market, and actions of each have an impact on market price. They do not act independently of each other because they are very much aware of potential actions of other firms in the industry. Those who sell to agriculture are price makers with respect to prices received for their products. The buyers of agricultural products are also price makers with respect to the prices at which they offer to buy products from agricultural firms.
Cerebrovascular Abnormalities and Celiac Disease

Cortical vascular abnormalities including pial angiomatosis and fibrosis of small veins are described in a 12 year old girl with celiac disease, occipital calcifications, and folate deficiency who underwent surgery for intractable complex partial seizures at the Montreal Neurological Institute, Canada.
Kluver-Bucy Syndrome after Meningoencephalitis

Researchers at Medical College of Georgia, Augusta, GA, report a 10-year-old girl with a history of Listeria monocytogenes meningoencephalitis, contracted at 2½ years of age, who developed behavioral changes consistent with Kluver-Bucy syndrome at 2 months following discharge.
Genetic by environmental variation but no local adaptation in oysters (Crassostrea virginica).

Functional trait variation within and across populations can strongly influence population, community, and ecosystem processes, but the relative contributions of genetic vs. environmental factors to this variation are often not clear, potentially complicating conservation and restoration efforts. For example, local adaptation, a particular type of genetic by environmental (G*E) interaction in which the fitness of a population in its own habitat is greater than in other habitats, is often invoked in management practices, even in the absence of supporting evidence. Despite increasing attention to the potential for G*E interactions, few studies have tested multiple populations and environments simultaneously, limiting our understanding of the spatial consistency in patterns of adaptive genetic variation. In addition, few studies explicitly differentiate adaptation in response to predation from other biological and environmental factors. We conducted a reciprocal transplant experiment of first-generation eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) juveniles from six populations across three field sites spanning 1000 km in the southeastern Atlantic Bight in both the presence and absence of predation to test for G*E variation in this economically valuable and ecologically important species. We documented significant G*E variation in survival and growth, yet there was no evidence for local adaptation. Condition varied across oyster cohorts: Offspring of northern populations had better condition than offspring from the center of our region. Oyster populations in the southeastern Atlantic Bight differ in juvenile survival, growth, and condition, yet offspring from local broodstock do not have higher survival or growth than those from farther away. In the absence of population-specific performance information, oyster restoration and aquaculture may benefit from incorporating multiple populations into their practices.
Efficacy of antibody-based therapies against Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) in common marmosets.

Cases of Middle East respiratory syndrome coronavirus (MERS-CoV) continue to be identified and with a lack of effective clinical treatment and no preventative strategies, treatment using convalescent plasma or monoclonal antibodies (mAbs) is a potential quick route to an intervention. Passive immunotherapy via either convalescent plasma or mAbs has proven to be effective for other infectious agents. Following infection with MERS-CoV, common marmosets were treated with high titer hyperimmune plasma or the mAb m336, at 6 and 48 h post inoculation. Both treatments reduced signs of clinical disease, but reduction in viral loads in the respiratory tract were only found in the hyperimmune plasma group. A decrease in gross pathology was found only in the mAb-treated group, but no histological differences were observed between treated and control animals. While both hyperimmune plasma and the m336 treatments reduced the severity of disease in the common marmoset, neither treatment resulted in full protection against disease.
Black Raspberries and Their Anthocyanin and Fiber Fractions Alter the Composition and Diversity of Gut Microbiota in F-344 Rats.

ABSTRACTNatural compounds can alter the diversity and composition of the gut microbiome, potentially benefiting our health. We previously demonstrated chemopreventive effects of black raspberries (BRBs) in colorectal cancer, which is associated with gut dysbiosis. To investigate the effects of whole BRBs and their fractions on gut microbiota, we fed F-344 rats a control diet, 5% BRBs, the BRB anthocyanin fraction, or the BRB residue fraction for 6 weeks. Feces were collected at baseline and at weeks 3 and 6, and bacterial sequence counts were analyzed. We observed distinct patterns of microbiota from different diet groups. Beta diversity analysis suggested that all diet groups exerted time-dependent changes in the bacterial diversity. Hierarchical clustering analysis revealed that post-diet fecal microbiota was segregated from baseline fecal microbiota within each diet. It is interesting to note that fractions of BRBs induced different changes in gut bacteria compared to whole BRBs. The abundance of speci...
Encoding of distributional regularities independent of markedness: Evidence from unimpaired speakers.

Romani, Galuzzi, Guariglia, and Goslin (Comparing phoneme frequency, age of acquisition and loss in aphasia: Implications for phonological universals. Cognitive Neuropsychology) used speech error d...
Vom Labor zum Krankenhaus

So wurde um die Mitte 1961 offensichtlich, das das Gleichgewicht des Uberlebens leichter mit chemischen Substanzen erzielt wird als mit dem schwerfalligen und ungezielten Schlag einer Totalbestrahlung. Der Ubergang von der Korperganzbestrahlung zur Immunsuppression mit Drogen war in nur wenigen Monaten erreicht. Die Patienten, die fur eine Transplantation in Frage kamen, waren jene, deren Uberlebensaussichten zu jener Zeit nur einige Wochen betrugen; die meisten von ihnen litten unter einem chronischen Nierenversagen infolge einer Glomerulonephritis oder Pyelonephritis1. Damals erhielten Patienten, die bereits vorher bestrahlt worden waren, chemische Immunsuppressiva. Eine solche Behandlung wurde in einigen der franzosischen Falle verfolgt, bei denen Drogen einige Wochen oder Monate nach der anfanglichen Bestrahlung angewendet wurden. Sofort erkannte man, das diese Drogen einen grosen Fortschritt darstellten, obwohl in den fruheren Fallen kein aufsehenerregender Erfolg erreicht worden war.
Tissue Engineering Techniques for Closure of Bladder Exstrophy

The prenatal diagnosis of patients with the exstrophy-epispadias complex is now more prevalent. Prenatal ultrasonography allows for a thorough survey of fetal anatomy. The absence of bladder filling, a mass of echogenic tissue of the lower abdominal wall or a low set umbilicus during prenatal sonographic examination may suggest the diagnosis of bladder exstrophy. These findings and the presence of intraluminal intestinal calcifications suggest the presence of a cloacal malformation.
Application of Learning Algorithms to Image Spam Evolution

Spam filters have become very proficient at identifying text spam, so spammers have developed different techniques to bypass filters. One such method is image spam, which first appeared in 2005 and quickly grew in popularity. KnujOn is a web site that collects and sorts spam for investigations and data analysis of emailbased threats. We have been collecting image spam from KnujOn on a daily basis since April 2008, culminating in a significantly large corpus of real data. In this chapter, we have identified eight features for the detection of computer generated image spam versus ham (non-spam). We use J48 and J48 with reduced error pruning decision trees to classify the images. Finally, we perform a validation by feature analysis on thirteen months of our corpus and observe that our classification scheme is not affected by changes made to images for the purpose of avoiding OCR detection.
Fast Determination of Distribution-Connected PV Impacts Using a Variable-Time-Step Quasi-Static Time-Series Approach

The increasing deployment of distribution-connected photovoltaic (DPV) systems requires utilities to complete ever more complex interconnection studies. Relatively simple interconnection study methods worked well for low penetrations of photovoltaic systems, but more complicated quasistatic time-series (QSTS) analysis is required to make better interconnection decisions as DPV penetration levels increase. Tools and methods must be developed to support this type of complex analysis to enable efficient completion of PV impact studies. This paper presents a variable-time-step solver for QSTS analysis that significantly shortens the computational time and effort to complete a detailed analysis of the operation of a distribution circuit with many DPV systems. Specifically, it demonstrates that the proposed variable-time-step solver can reduce the required computational time by as much as 84% without introducing any important errors to metrics, such as the number of voltage regulator tap operations and highest and lowest voltage occurring on the distribution circuit during a 1-yr simulation period. Further improvement in computational speed is possible with the introduction of only modest errors in these metrics, such as a 91% reduction with less than 5% error when predicting voltage regulator operations. Furthermore, an alternate variable time-step method is also shown to perform adequately and shows promise of even greater reductions in simulation runtime.
5 – Color Appearance and Color Difference Specification

The physical properties of color stimuli may be specified using spectral measurements or tristimulus coordinates. Such specification provides little intuition about how the stimuli will appear. For applications such as color selection, color is specified using appearance terms and an automatic method for computing the corresponding tristimulus coordinates. To do so, one needs to understand the relation between the physical description of a color stimulus and a quantitative description of its color appearance. Another aspect of practical importance is to specify the magnitude of differences between colored stimuli. This requires the understanding of the relation between changes in the physical description of a color stimulus and corresponding changes in appearance. This chapter provides an introduction to color specification systems and describes their use. The chapter also discusses the phenomenology of color appearance and describes the psychological attributes of hue, saturation/ chroma, and brightness/lightness.
3049 Prenatal care as a protective factor for preterm birth and smoking during pregnancy in nulliparous patients: a propensity score analysis

OBJECTIVES/SPECIFIC AIMS: Preterm birth rates have been rising in the United States, and reducing preterm birth is a high-priority clinical and public health concern. There are no existing strategies to reduce preterm birth in nulliparous individuals. The present study aims to evaluate prenatal care as a protective factor for preterm birth in this population. METHODS/STUDY POPULATION: Missouri birth record data for child birth years 1993-2016 were used to create a sample of 325,088 singleton births to nulliparous women, themselves born in MO 1975-1985. Logistic regressions, stratified by maternal race (White, African-American, Asian, American Indian/Alaskan Native, Other), were used to predict preterm birth (< 37 weeks gestational age) as a function of 1) initiation of prenatal care of by end of first trimester and 2) Adequacy of Prenatal Care Utilization Index, with sociodemographic covariates of child birth year, maternal age, highest educational level, and marital status (four level variable, including married yes/no, and partner named on birth record, yes/no). Subsequent analyses will use this logistic regression to create a propensity score predicting smoking during pregnancy using birth record parental sociodemographic characteristics, stratified by maternal race. Primary analyses will focus on the role of prenatal care in predicting smoking during pregnancy and preterm birth risk within propensity score stratum. Secondary analyses will consider the role of other risk factors, including maternal pre-pregnancy BMI and maternal DUI history, on preterm birth risk. RESULTS/ANTICIPATED RESULTS: Preliminary logistic regressions predicting preterm birth were analyzed, stratified by maternal race. In White mothers, preterm birth prevalence was 8.2%, and risk was significantly increased by maternal age ≤ 15 and ≥ 31, being unmarried, and by receiving no prenatal care, yet unaffected by timing of prenatal care initiation. For African-American mothers, preterm birth prevalence was 11.9%, and risk was significantly increased by being unmarried and both by not initiating prenatal care by end of first trimester and receiving no prenatal care. Preliminary samples were too small for solid inferences for other races. Anticipated results are that after propensity score match, earlier initiation of prenatal care will show modest protective effect on preterm birth, but other characteristics such as maternal cigarette smoking during pregnancy and DUI status will show stronger effects on predicting preterm birth risk. DISCUSSION/SIGNIFICANCE OF IMPACT: By evaluating the role of prenatal care initiation and delivery on preterm birth, this work provides an evidence base for prenatal care schedules and for understanding the interplay of sociodemographics, healthcare delivery, and individual characteristics in the context of preterm birth risk and potentially reduce negative health outcomes.
A latent variable approach to measuring and explaining peace agreement strength

Much of the peace agreement durability literature assumes that stronger peace agreements are more likely to survive the trials of the post-conflict environment. This work does an excellent job identifying which provisions indicate that agreements are more likely to endure. However, there is no widely accepted way to directly measure the strength of agreements, and existing measures suffer from a lack of nuance or reliance on subjective weighting. We use a Bayesian item response theory model to develop a principled measure of the latent strength of peace agreements in civil conflicts from 1975 to 2005. We illustrate the measure's utility by exploring how various international factors such as sanctions and mediation contribute to the strength or weakness of agreements.
“Saor an tSeanbhean Bhocht!”: Moving from Cailleach to Spéirbhean

This chapter addresses Early Irish songs and tales that feature Ireland as a cailleach or hag transformed into a speirbhean or sky-queen, imagery adapted into the anti-imperial vision-quest poetry of Jacobite aislingi. The translations of those verses during the Irish Revival by numerous writers, such as J. C. Mangan and P. H. Pearse followed by repeated satirizations of them in regard to the possible failures of transformative sovereign autonomy by Modernists James Joyce and Mairtin O Cadhain, as well as many contemporary poets, including Seamus Heaney, Paul Muldoon, and Nuala Ni Dhomhnaill, instantiate the interrelation of power, desire, and place in English and Irish and reveal the limits of female bodies as a tool of dissident discourses that often still deny real women sociopolitical autonomy as a result of lingering neo-imperialist, nationalist, and religious sexisms.
Structure and Mechanism for Alkane Oxidation and Alkene Epoxidation with Hydroperoxides, α-Hydroxy Hydroperoxides, and Peroxyacids: A Theoretical Study.

DFT calculations (B3LYP/6-311+G(d,p)) have been employed to reexamine the mechanism of the oxidation of saturated hydrocarbons and the epoxidation of alkenes with a series of hydroperoxides, α-hydr...
AI and Medicine

Which part of medicine, if any, can and should be entrusted to AI, now or at some moment in the future? That both medicine and AI will continue to change goes without saying.
Distress Intolerance in Relation to Reliance on Cigarettes for Weight, Shape, and Appetite Control

Distress intolerance, one’s inability to withstand distressing emotional or physical states, is a transdiagnostic vulnerability implicated in affect-based health behaviors, including cigarette smoking and poor weight control. The current study evaluated associations between distress intolerance and the reliance on cigarettes for management of weight, appetite, or body dissatisfaction, which may pose a burden for cessation and increase risk of weight-related health problems. Daily smokers (n = 577) completed an online survey assessing distress tolerance and reliance on cigarettes for weight and shape control with the four subscales of the Smoking and Weight Eating Episodes Test (SWEET). Four hierarchical regression models were constructed to test the association between distress intolerance and SWEET scores, accounting for the effect of relevant covarying factors. After adjusting for model covariates, distress intolerance was significantly incrementally associated with greater tendency to rely on cigarettes to suppress appetite (adjR2 = .040), prevent overeating (adjR2 = .034), cope with body dissatisfaction (adjR2 = .046), and cope with nicotine withdrawal–related appetite increases (adjR2 = .030). Distress intolerance may play an etiological role in maladaptive use of cigarettes to control appetite, weight, and body dissatisfaction among daily smokers, particularly those with weight- or shape-related concerns. Interventions aimed at increasing perceived ability to withstand distress could potentially reduce reliance on cigarettes for the aforementioned purposes.
MAPT haplotype–stratified GWAS reveals differential association for AD risk variants

INTRODUCTION MAPT H1 haplotype is implicated as a risk factor for neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer's disease (AD). METHODS Using Alzheimer's Disease Genetics Consortium (ADGC) genome-wide association study (GWAS) data (n = 18,841), we conducted a MAPT H1/H2 haplotype-stratified association to discover MAPT haplotype-specific AD risk loci. RESULTS We identified 11 loci-5 in H2-non-carriers and 6 in H2-carriers-although none of the MAPT haplotype-specific associations achieved genome-wide significance. The most significant H2 non-carrier-specific association was with a NECTIN2 intronic (P = 1.33E-07) variant, and that for H2 carriers was near NKX6-1 (P = 1.99E-06). The GABRG2 locus had the strongest epistasis with MAPT H1/H2 variant rs8070723 (P = 3.91E-06). Eight of the 12 genes at these loci had transcriptome-wide significant differential expression in AD versus control temporal cortex (q < 0.05). Six genes were members of the brain transcriptional co-expression network implicated in "synaptic transmission" (P = 9.85E-59), which is also enriched for neuronal genes (P = 1.0E-164), including MAPT. DISCUSSION This stratified GWAS identified loci that may confer AD risk in a MAPT haplotype-specific manner. This approach may preferentially enrich for neuronal genes implicated in synaptic transmission.
Cardiopulmonary phenotypic variability and discordance in Duchenne muscular dystrophy: Implications for new therapies

Neuromuscular respiratory medicine has traditionally focused on assisted lung ventilation and mucus clearance. These therapies have prolonged survival for patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD). However, the field is rapidly evolving in a new direction: it is being revolutionized by molecular and genetic therapies. A good correlation between a patient's dystrophin mutation and his cardiopulmonary phenotype would allow accurate prediction of patient prognosis and would facilitate the design of studies that assess new DMD therapies. Instead, patient prognosis and the design of valid therapeutic studies are complicated by cardiopulmonary phenotypic discordance and variability, by which a notable proportion of DMD patients have unexpectedly good or poor cardiopulmonary function. The likely cause of phenotypic variability and discordance is genetic modifiers. Once the modifiers that affect cardiopulmonary function are better understood, it should be possible to create a personalized genetic profile that accurately predicts the prognosis of each individual DMD patient. This would allow investigators to assess the effect of new therapies in the context of each patient's particular cardiopulmonary natural history. Amplification of beneficial cardiopulmonary genetic modifiers and blocking of detrimental modifiers is a promising strategy for creating new DMD therapies. When patients with chronic respiratory failure are treated with assisted ventilation, cardiac function determines their survival. Therefore, prioritizing new cardiac therapies is most likely to prolong patient survival. By focusing on these topics we aim to move neuromuscular respiratory medicine beyond assisted ventilation and coughing and into the age of translational medicine.
Polyphenolic fractions isolated from red raspberry whole fruit, pulp, and seed differentially alter the gut microbiota of mice with diet-induced obesity

Abstract Polyphenol extracts from red raspberry (RR) whole fruit or pulp, but not seed, attenuate high-fat (HF) diet-induced obesity in mice. Because host metabolism is linked to the microbiota, we investigated the effects of polyphenols from RR fruit, pulp, and seed on the microbiome. RR polyphenols significantly decreased the abundance of specific taxa that were increased during HF feeding relative to a low-fat diet, including Ruminococcus and an unclassified genus from Clostridiales. Compared to a HF diet, pulp and seed polyphenols increased Roseburia abundance and decreased levels of an unclassified genus from Mogibacteriaceae. RR seed polyphenols uniquely increased Bifidobacterium compared to a HF diet. The most notable taxon driving differential abundance among all diets was an unclassified genus from Coriobacteriaceae. Importantly, host metabolic markers improved by pulp polyphenols were strongly correlated with select microbiome features, indicating that specific gut bacteria may be involved in RR polyphenol catabolism and/or mediating health benefits.
Malignancy Risks of Dermatologic Therapies

Patients with inflammatory skin diseases such as psoriasis and atopic dermatitis may have higher risks of malignancies compared to healthy individuals regardless of their treatments. Many of the therapies used to treat inflammatory skin diseases modulate the immune system. It is important to determine whether dermatologic therapies influence the risk of malignancies in patients with psoriasis and atopic dermatitis. However, assessing the association between dermatologic therapies and malignancies is challenging because clinical trials lack adequate population sizes and long-term follow-up needed to detect clinically important differences in malignancy rates in those receiving the medication compared to placebo. This chapter synthesizes and interprets the literature on the malignancy risks of dermatologic therapies with a focus on long-term follow-up data. Dermatologic therapies discussed in this chapter include oral systemic therapies, phototherapies, and biologic therapies. This chapter will also discuss malignancy risk in special immunosuppressed populations such as organ transplant and HIV patients.
Universal self-driving laboratory for accelerated discovery of materials and molecules

Self-driving laboratories are quickly growing in capability, making research in the exploration of advanced functional materials and molecules on the edge of a new era of productivity. As researchers near the widespread adoption of these powerful tools, we must assess their trajectory and the impact of their future developments.
Reinforcement matters: A preliminary, laboratory-based component-process analysis of Functional Analytic Psychotherapy’s model of social connection

Abstract A therapeutic model of social connection derived from Functional Analytic Psychotherapy (FAP) that applies to both the client’s outside-of-therapy relationships and the psychotherapeutic relationship is explored in two studies. The model integrates established behavioral principles with existing research on the reciprocal process of self-disclosure and responsiveness that occurs during development of intimate relationships to highlight a promising therapeutic process. In this process, self-disclosure (“courage” in FAP’s model) is evoked by the therapist and then reinforced with therapeutic responsiveness (“love” in the FAP model) resulting in improved self-disclosure and more connectedness in the therapy and other relationships. Study 1 included a sample of 77 undergraduate participants who self-disclosed responses to a series of closeness generating questions to undergraduate research assistants trained in responsiveness. Findings indicated that social connection increased following this full procedure. Study 2 included a sample of 99 undergraduate participants and provided evidence that the responsiveness of the research assistant is key to promoting increased feelings of connectedness and also improves the depth of disclosure.
Computer-assisted foreign language instruction: task based vs. form focused

The purpose of this article is twofold: to describe a prototype for a computer-assisted task-based language instruction (CATBI) tool designed and developed for Turkish as a Foreign Language, and to report on the effectiveness of the CATBI tool. More specifically, this work discusses an experimental study that examined the role of teaching approach in foreign language development by comparing CATBI to computer-assisted form-focused language instruction (CAFFI) on language production in terms of accuracy, lexical complexity, and fluency. For a duration of 7 days, two intermediate-level Turkish as a Foreign Language classes consisting of 28 high school students participated in this experiment. The classes were randomly assigned to two treatment groups: an experimental group with CATBI and a control group with CAFFI. Statistical analyses revealed that students in the CATBI group produced significantly better and more fluent language than students with CAFFI. However, no significant effects were found in terms of accuracy and lexical complexity of the language produced. Based on these results, it was concluded that CATBI is more effective than CAFFI in enhancing language production in general, and fluency in particular.
Music and Revolution: Cultural Change in Socialist Cuba

Reviewed Medium: book Authors: Robin D. Moore Year: 2006 Pages: xvi + 350 Publisher: University of California Press ISBN: 978-0-520-24710-9 (hard cover). Prices: $60.00 USD(hard cover).
Adaptive and phylogenetic influences on musculoskeletal design in cercopithecine primates.

Broad allometric studies of the musculoskeletal system have frequently sought to explain how locomotor variables have been influenced by body mass. To examine animals that vary widely in body mass, these studies have included taxa that differ in their locomotor adaptations and phylogenetic relatedness. Because these sources of diversity could obscure the effects of body mass, this study was designed to test the effects of adaptive differences in limb proportions and phylogeny, as well as body mass, on locomotor kinematics and extensor muscle mechanical advantage. More specifically, two hypotheses were tested in a sample of closely related animals: (i) that, among animals with similar body mass, those with longer limb segments should adopt more extended limb postures to moderate the joint and midshaft bending moments that they experience, and (ii) that body mass will have similar influences on joint posture and joint moments in closely related and diverse mammalian samples. Three-dimensional kinematic and synchronous force-platform data were collected for six individual cercopithecine monkeys ranging in mass from 4kg to 24kg and at a range of walking speeds. Comparisons among three monkeys with similar body mass but different limb segment lengths reveal a significant effect of limb proportion on posture. That is, animals with longer limbs frequently use more extended limb postures and can have correspondingly lower joint moments. The scaling of locomotor variables across the entire sample of closely related monkeys was generally similar to published results for a diverse sample of mammals, with larger monkeys having more extended limb postures, lower joint moments and greater effective mechanical advantage (EMA) for their limb extensor musculature. Ankle EMA, however, did not increase with body mass in the primate sample, suggesting that clade-specific adaptive differences (e.g. the use of arboreal supports by primates) may constrain the effects of body mass.
CD40 deficiency in mice exacerbates obesity-induced adipose tissue inflammation, hepatic steatosis, and insulin resistance.

The pathophysiology of obesity and type 2 diabetes in rodents and humans is characterized by low-grade inflammation in adipose tissue and liver. The CD40 receptor and its ligand CD40L initiate immu...
Cut and Print! The Gulf War as Movie Narrative in Larry Beinhart's American Hero

Abstract “Sir, do we get to win this time?” —Rambo: First Blood Part II (1985) “Operation Desert Cloud, I mean Storm, is now under way.”—Peter Jennings, 16 January 1991 when John J. Rambo asks his commanding officer whether we get to win this time, he articulates an age-old concern that transcends the desire of one Vietnam vet returning to Southeast Asia to search for Americans presumed missing in action-namely, can I do it over? Rambo, of course, does do it over, and not just in Vietnam where he rescues a group of captured Americans single-handedly and still feels enough shame over America's defeat in Vietnam to attempt yet another rescue mission in Afghanistan.
Set potential regulation reveals additional oxidation peaks of Geobacter sulfurreducens anodic biofilms

Abstract Higher current densities produced in microbial fuel cells and other bioelectrochemical systems are associated with the presence of various Geobacter species. A number of electron transfer components are involved in extracellular electron transfer by the model exoelectrogen, Geobacter sulfurreducens . It has previously been shown that 5 main oxidation peaks can be identified in cyclic voltammetry scans. It is shown here that 7 separate oxidation peaks emerged over relatively long periods of time when a larger range of set potentials was used to acclimate electroactive biofilms. The potentials of oxidation peaks obtained with G. sulfurreducens biofilms acclimated at 0.60 V (vs. Ag/AgCl) were different from those that developed at − 0.46 V, and both of their peaks were different from those obtained for biofilms incubated at − 0.30 V, 0 V, and 0.30 V. These results expand the known range of potentials for which G. sulfurreducens produces identifiable oxidation peaks that could be important for extracellular electron transfer.
Speciated Hydrocarbon Emissions from the Combustion of Single Component Fuels. I. Effect of Fuel Structure

Speciated hydrocarbon emissions data have been collected for six single-component fuels run in a laboratory pulse flame combustor (PFC). The six fuels include n-heptane, isooctane (2, 2, 4-trimethylpentane), cyclohexane, 1-hexene, toluene, and methyl-t-butyl ether (MTBE: an oxygenated fuel extender). Combustion of non-aromatic fuels in the PFC (at a fuel/air equivalence ratio of Φ = 1.02) produced low levels of unburned fuel and high yields of methane and olefins (> 75 percent combined) irrespective of the molecular structure of the fuel. In contrast, hydrocarbon emissions from toluene combustion in the PFC were comprised predominantly of unburned fuel (72 percent). With the PFC, low levels of 1, 3-butadiene (0.3-1.8 percent) were observed from all the fuels except MTBE, for which no measurable level (<0.2 percent) was detected; low levels of benzene were observed from isooctane, heptane, and 1-hexene, but significant levels (9 percent) from cyclohexane and toluene. No measurable amount of benzene (< 0.2 ...
Stability of RNA from the retina and retinal pigment epithelium in a porcine model simulating human eye bank conditions.

PURPOSE To assess RNA stability after death in a porcine model to simulate current human eye bank techniques. METHODS Eye bank time interval data were collected from 191 donor specimens: death to refrigeration, enucleation, and tissue processing. A control porcine eye was enucleated, retina and RPE isolated, and specimens frozen (-80 degrees C). Fourteen porcine eyes remained at room temperature for 2 hours and then cooled to 4 degrees C. Retina and RPE were isolated and frozen (-80 degrees C) at 5, 12, 24, 29, 36, 48, and 72 hours. Four globes remained in a moist chamber, five whole and five sectioned globes were immersed in RNAlater (Ambion, Austin, TX) at 5, 12, 24, or 48 hours. RNA was isolated. The 28S and 18S rRNA peaks were analyzed by electrophoresis. RT-PCR was performed on each sample. Messenger RNA for GAPDH, beta-actin, mouse rhodopsin from retina (mRHO), and RPE-65 (from RPE) were analyzed with gel electrophoresis. RESULTS The average time from death to refrigeration was 4.2 hours, to enucleation 6.4 hours, and to tissue processing 10.7 hours. RT-PCR gel electrophoresis patterns from retinal tissue had bands of similar intensity at each interval from beta-actin, GAPDH, and RHO. Band patterns from RPE demonstrated decay of the RT-PCR gene products after 5 hours. This decay was delayed by at least 24 hours with the use of RNAlater. The 28S rRNA decay was similar for retina and RPE. CONCLUSIONS Retinal tissue RNA can be analyzed within the time constraints of current eye bank tissue processing, whereas analysis of RPE necessitates either rapid processing or use of RNAlater. These results should aid in future studies in which eye bank tissue is used for RNA analysis.
Risk of preterm delivery in non-diabetic women with polycystic ovarian syndrome

To examine the risk and etiology of preterm delivery in women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS). Retrospective cohort study comparing preterm delivery rate among non-diabetic PCOS and non-PCOS women with singleton pregnancy. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify predictors of preterm delivery among PCOS women. Among 908 PCOS women with singleton pregnancy, 12.9% delivered preterm compared with 7.4% among non-PCOS women (P<0.01). Causes of preterm delivery among PCOS women included preterm labor (41%), cervical insufficiency (11%), hypertensive complications (20%), preterm premature rupture of membranes (15%), fetal–placental concerns (9%) and intrauterine fetal demise (5%). Maternal age, race/ethnicity and nulliparity were significant predictors of preterm delivery in PCOS, whereas body mass index and fertility medications were not. A higher proportion of PCOS women delivered preterm (12.9%) compared with non-PCOS women, with the majority of cases due to spontaneous preterm birth. Future studies should explore etiologies and strategies to improve pregnancy outcomes in PCOS.
The active form of DNA polymerase V is UmuD′ 2 C–RecA–ATP

DNA-damage-induced SOS mutations arise when Escherichia coli DNA polymerase (pol) V, activated by a RecA nucleoprotein filament (RecA*), catalyses translesion DNA synthesis. Here we address two longstanding enigmatic aspects of SOS mutagenesis, the molecular composition of mutagenically active pol V and the role of RecA*. We show that RecA* transfers a single RecA-ATP stoichiometrically from its DNA 3'-end to free pol V (UmuD'(2)C) to form an active mutasome (pol V Mut) with the composition UmuD'(2)C-RecA-ATP. Pol V Mut catalyses TLS in the absence of RecA* and deactivates rapidly upon dissociation from DNA. Deactivation occurs more slowly in the absence of DNA synthesis, while retaining RecA-ATP in the complex. Reactivation of pol V Mut is triggered by replacement of RecA-ATP from RecA*. Thus, the principal role of RecA* in SOS mutagenesis is to transfer RecA-ATP to pol V, and thus generate active mutasomal complex for translesion synthesis.
TKIE ENTROPIC SPRING IN RUBBER ELASTICITY

The concept of a long-chain molecule acting as a spring in tension with the restoring force based on changes in entropy rather than energy has played a central role in the molecular theory of rubber elasticity since its inception over 50 years ago [1, 2], It is here reviewed and discussed from several different viewpoints based, in part, on insights gained from the computer simulation of atomistic models. Included are (a) kinetic interpretation of the force [3], (b) the role of excluded volume interactions in dense polymer systems [4], and (c) the extent of the utility of the entropic spring concept in nonequilib-rium situations [5].
Vacuum-ultraviolet stimulated emission from two-photon-excited molecular hydrogen

Intense vacuum-ultraviolet stimulated emission in molecular hydrogen, on both the Lyman and Werner bands, following excitation by two-quantum absorption at 193 nm on the X /sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/..-->..E,F /sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/ transition, has been observed. The shortest wavelength seen in the stimulated-emission spectrum was 117.6 nm corresponding to the C /sup 1/Pi/sub u/..-->..X /sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/ (2-5) Q(2) transition. The C /sup 1/Pi/sub u/ state appears to be populated with a mechanism involving electron collisions. The radiative cascade mechanism found to lead to the vacuum-ultraviolet emissions on the Lyman band also causes strong infrared stimulated emission to occur on the E,F /sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/..-->..B /sup 1/..sigma../sub u//sup +/ band. Two entirely separate radiative excitation channels are observed to play important roles in the state-selective molecular population of the E, F /sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/ level. One involves two 193-nm quanta in the Xreverse arrowE,F amplitude while the other process combines a 193-nm quantum with a first Stokes-shifted photon in H/sub 2/. The optical Stark effect was seen to play a significant role in the excitation process with shifts of molecular resonances as large as approx.45 cm/sup -1/. Substantial deviations from Born-Oppenheimer behavior, resulting in a dramaticmore » shift of the stimulated spectrum depending upon the excited-state rotational quantum number, were clearly observed for molecular levels close to the potential maximum separating the inner and outer wells of the E,F /sup 1/..sigma../sub g//sup +/ state. The maximum energy observed in the strongest stimulated line was approx.100 ..mu..J, a value corresponding to an energy conversion efficiency of approx.0.5%. The pulse duration of the stimulated emission is estimated from collisional data to be approx.10 ps, a figure indicating a maximum converted vacuum-ultraviolet power of approx.10 MW.« less
Analytical model for ultrasonic modulation of multiply scattered light: an extension from isotropic scattering to anisotropic scattering

We have calculated analytically the temporal autocorrelation function of the electric field component of multiply scattered coherent light transmitted through an anisotropically scattering mediuma irradiated with a plane ultrasonic wave. The accuracy of the analytical solution is verified with an independent Monte Carlo simulation. The analytical model shows that an approximate similarity relation exists.
Sex and species differences in plasma testosterone and in counts of androgen receptor-positive cells in key brain regions of Sceloporus lizard species that differ in aggression.

Abstract We studied neuroendocrine correlates of aggression differences in adults of two Sceloporus lizard species. These species differ in the degree of sex difference in aggressive color signals (belly patches) and in aggression: Sceloporus undulatus (males blue, high aggression; females white, low aggression) and Sceloporus virgatus (both sexes white, lower aggression). We measured plasma testosterone and counted cells expressing androgen receptor-like immunoreactivity to the affinity-purified polyclonal AR antibody, PG-21, in three brain regions of breeding season adults. Male S. undulatus had the highest mean plasma testosterone and differed significantly from conspecific females. In contrast, there was no sex difference in plasma testosterone concentrations in S. virgatus . Male S. undulatus also had the highest mean number of AR-positive cells in the preoptic area: the sexes differed in S. undulatus but not in S. virgatus , and females of the two species did not differ. In the ventral medial hypothalamus, S. undulatus males had higher mean AR cell counts compared to females, but again there was no sex difference in S. virgatus . In the habenula, a control brain region, the sexes did not differ, and although the sex by species interaction significant was not significant, there was a trend ( p = 0.050) for S. virgatus to have higher mean AR cell counts than S. undulatus . Thus hypothalamic AR cell counts paralleled sex and species differences in aggression, as did mean plasma testosterone levels in these breeding-season animals.