cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Is Multidrug Resistance (P-Glycoprotein) an Intrinsic Characteristic of Plasma Cells in Patients with Monoclonal Gammopathy of Undetermined Significance, Plasmacytoma, Multiple Myeloma and Amyloidosis?

Multiple myeloma is not a curable disease, and most patients relapse after plateau phase. Drug resistance is a major problem in effective chemotherapy in this kind of disease. Current approaches are aimed at reversing or preventing drug resistance late in the disease. We studied a drug resistance marker, P-glycoprotein (P-gp), in a total of 43 patients with monoclonal gammopathy. This group included eight with monoclonal gammopathy of undetermined significance (MGUS), five with plasmacytoma (PCM), nineteen with multiple myeloma (MM; six newly diagnosed, seven plateau, five refractory, one relapse) and eleven amyloidosis (seven newly diagnosed, four after treatment). Using 3-color flow cytometry, a plasma cell gate was selected on the basis of CD38+/45- (dim) staining and the population was examined for the expression of P-gp using two monoclonal antibodies (MRK16 and UIC2). P-gp expression was positive on marrow plasma cells in 42/43 patients. The resistance index (RI) in these cases (range 2.0–7.07) is c...
Resolution time of Escherichia coli cystitis is correlated with levels of preinfection antibody to the infecting Escherichia coli strain.

Objectives. A number of studies in animals have demonstrated that immunization against uropathogenic bacteria can lessen the severity or duration of induced urinary tract infections (UTI). This study examined whether preinfection levels of serum or urinary anti-Escherichia coli antibodies were correlated with length of time needed to resolve an induced E coli cystitis.
Wavelet and Gabor transforms for detection

We consider wavelet and Gabor transforms for detection of candidate regions of interest in a 2-D scene. We generate wavelet and Gabor coefficients for each spatial region of a scene using new linear combination optical filters to reduce the output dimensionality and to simplify postprocessing. We use two sets of wavelet coefficients as indicators of edge activity to suppress background clutter. The Gabor coefficients are found to be excellent for object detection and robust to object distortions and contrast differences. We provide insight into the selection of the Gabor parameters.
Electroclinic liquid crystals with large tilt angles for grayscale applications

Smectic-A liquid crystals exhibiting a large electroclinic effect are important for applications in view of their analog gray scale capability. In most of these materials, large electroclinic tilt angles are accompanied by buckling effects due to layer compression. This layer buckling is easily observed in an optical microscope as periodic stripes and drastically reduces the high contrast ratio necessary for optical devices. We have performed optical and x-ray scattering studies on a chiral, organosiloxane smectic-A liquid crystal. It is found that while the optical tilt angle exhibits a large dependence on the field, reaching values of about 31 degrees (for 5 V/micrometer applied field), the layer spacing shows only a very weak field-dependence, suggesting that the molecules have a nonzero tilt even with no applied field, and that the primary effect of the field is to induce long range order in the direction of the molecular tilt. This important result -- large field-induced optical tilt without a layer shrinkage -- has led to the development of materials with 256 gray -- large field-induced optical tilt without a layer shrinkage -- has led to the development of materials with 256 gray levels.
The relative importance of gender role attitudes to male and female attitudes toward lesbians

Previous studies suggest that gender role attitudes, parental attitudes, authoritarianism, religiosity, contact with homosexuals, and exposure to educational influences are associated with attitudes toward homosexuals. Few studies have been conducted on attitudes toward lesbians specifically. This study investigated the pattern of predictors for male and female attitudes toward lesbians. The regression analysis on males revealed that gender role attitudes were the only significant predictor, while gender role attitudes, parental attitudes, authoritarianism, and educational and media influences made a contribution to female attitudes toward lesbians. Despite more liberal gender role attitudes expressed by female respondents, there was no difference between male and female attitudes toward lesbians. This finding and the additional contribution to female attitudes toward lesbians made by the other predictors besides gender role attitudes suggests that the female respondents' development of attitudes toward lesbians is a product of a wider array of variables, with gender role attitudes playing a more central role in the development of male attitudes toward lesbians. Nevertheless, the importance of gender role attitudes to both male and female attitudes toward lesbians suggests that stratification by sex might be an underlying variable for both gender role attitudes and attitudes toward lesbians.
Presentation in relation to publication of results from clinical trials

Background Results from clinical trials are typically disseminated first by presentation at scientific meetings. An important question has to do with the role of presentation in improving the quality of manuscripts submitted to the journals as well as the effect of presentation in speeding, or delaying subsequent publication. The aim of this research is focused on presentation practices of trialists to examine their effect on the timing of publications of clinical trial results.
Conformational stability of helical peptides containing a thioamide linkage.

Thioxo peptide analogues of the α-helical peptide GCN4-p1 were synthesized and evaluated for helicity and oligomeric state. Sedimentation equilibrium and CD measurements indicate that the thioxo pe...
Evidence that endopeptidase-catalyzed luteinizing hormone releasing hormone cleavage contributes to the regulation of median eminence LHRH levels during positive steroid feedback.

In previous studies we provided evidence that the degradation of LHRH is regulated so as to contribute to the establishment of appropriate levels of the decapeptide during the events leading to gonadotropin secretion in the first estrous cycle at puberty in the rat. In the present report, we present the first evidence that this apparent regulation of LHRH degradation can be studied in an experimental positive feedback model. We show that LHRH degradation in the median eminence was decreased 3 h after progesterone administration, at a time when LHRH content in this region is increasing, and when serum levels of LH remained at basal levels. Six h after progesterone administration, at the time of the LH surge, median eminence LHRH degradation was still low and LHRH content had fallen to basal levels. Additionally, we exploited this model to examine the mechanism of peptidase activity change by showing that blockade of noradrenergic neurotransmission by diethyldithiocarbamate abolishes the inhibition of LHRH ...
The kinetics and mechanisms of reactions of human tooth enamel in buffered solutions of high fluoride concentrations

Abstract The experimental results were quantitatively compared with the theory based on a physical model representing the reaction and with the experiments involving synthetic hydroxyapatite discs. The experimental initial rates self-consistently compared well with the theoretical predictions. An analysis of the experimental initial rate data yielded a reaction constant, κ, for the reaction representing apatite dissolution and calcium fluoride precipitation. It is proposed that the value for κ is a result of both supersaturation with respect to calcium fluoride and undersaturation with respect to apatite at the apatite-calcium fluoride reaction sites. This finding is also consistent with the analysis of the experiments with synthetic apatite discs. Important similarities and significant differences were found between the experiments with the enamel sections and with synthetic apatite discs. The experiments with the synthetic apatite discs were reported to proceed “normally” as predicted by the physical model over the entire course of the reaction. In contrast to these findings, while the initial rates of the enamel-fluoride reaction were found to proceed relatively rapidly and according to the theoretical predictions, the rates at later times were drastically reduced. This “choking off” was observed to be most severe in the experiments at low pH and high fluoride concentrations, and little or no “choking oft” was observed at low fluoride concentrations and high pH.
ESTIMATION OF CHANGES IN THE AVAILABILITY OF EACH INDIVIDUAL ESSENTIAL AMINO ACID IN FOOD PROTEINS

A technique has been developed for determining decreases in the availability of individual essential amino acids in a food as a result of processing, cooking or other treatments. Diets containing casein and free L-amino acids were used to establish critical dietary amino acid levels. These critical levels were such that reductions of 20% in the level of any of nine essential amino acids significantly reduced protein utilization as estimated by rat bioassays. When these critical levels were used in evaluating amino acid availability in unheated and heated lactalbumin, each of the nine essential amino acids was found to be affected by the heat treatment.
Comparison of a single global item and an index of a multi-item health status measure among persons with and without diabetes in the US

This study examined the hypothesis that a single global item can be substituted for an index of a multi-item assessment and lead to equivalent interpretative outcomes. Substitutability would be demonstrated if: (1) the two measures were strongly correlated, and regression analysis showed that the same variables accounted for variation in each measure, and (2) difference scores between multi-item and global scores were close to zero and remained so as socio-demographic and co-morbid conditions varied. A multi-item assessment was constructed by mapping items from the NHANES I Epidemiologic Follow-up Study (NHEFS), using available data for persons with and without diabetes, onto the health-status classification system of the Health Utilities Index Mark 1 (HUI), creating the NHEFS-HUI. NHEFS-HUI data, when correlated to the self-assessed health status (SAHS) item, revealed a coefficient of 0.55. Regression analyses identified 9 of 14 variables contributed to the variability of each health status index, but differences existed in which variables were significant for which measure. Five of the possible 14 difference scores for persons with diabetes and non-diabetics approached zero. Persons with diabetes had lower NHEFS-HUI scores than non-diabetics. These data were considered insufficient for demonstrating substitutability. Suggestions were made on how optimal substitutability could be achieved.
Note on optimization of individual psychotherapeutic processes

Abstract Individual psychotherapy typically involves a sequence of recurrent sessions of client–therapist interaction. Accordingly, the psychotherapeutic process can be conceived of as evolving at least at two different time scales: a fast time scale pertaining to the on-going interaction within each session and a slow time scale associated with sequential regularities occurring between consecutive sessions. It is possible to exploit the sequential regularities between sessions in order to assess and optimize an ongoing individual psychotherapeutic process in real time. In this note a computational paradigm is outlined according to which this can be implemented and applied in flexible ways. Illustrations are given with simulated data. A heuristic summary is provided in the closing section.
Mental workload in decision and control

This paper briefly reviews the problems of defining and measuring the "mental workload" of aircraft pilots and other human operators of complex dynamic systems. Of the alternative approaches the author indicates a clear preference for the use of subjective scaling. Some recent experiments from MIT and elsewhere are described Which utilize subjective mental workload scales in conjunction with human decision and control tasks in the laboratory. Finally a new three-dimensional mental Workload rating scale, under current development for use by IFR aircraft pilots, is presented.
Evaluation of a Statistical Equivalence Test Applied to Microarray Data

Microarray technology is commonly used to identify differentially expressed (DE) genes across conditions. A related issue that has rarely been discussed but is equally important is to identify commonly expressed genes or constantly expressed genes across different organs, tissues, or species. A common practice in the literature for such studies is to apply the differential expression analysis and conclude that a gene is unchanged if there is no statistical evidence to conclude for differential expression. However, genes that are not statistically significantly DE could be (1) truly non-DE genes or (2) truly DE genes not detected by the statistical test of differential expression due to lack of power resulted from high noise level or lack of replication. Therefore, the practice of treating non-statistically significantly DE genes as non-DE genes has the risk of including genes that are truly DE without controlling such errors. We argue that if one wants to identify genes that are truly non-DE, one needs to show statistical evidence through valid statistical tests with the appropriate type I error rate control. In this paper, we consider the identification of non-DE genes through statistical equivalence tests under the framework of multiple testing. In particular, we consider the average equivalence criterion and study the power and false discovery rate (FDR) of the standard average equivalence test, the "two one-sided tests" (TOST), through extensive simulation studies based on real microarray data sets. We study the effects of various factors that can affect the power and FDR of the equivalence test including the proportion of non-DE genes. We also compare the ROC curves of the equivalence test with those of the naive method of selecting genes that are not statistically significant DE.
Oligomer formation via reactions of 3-ethyl-1-azabicyclo[1.1.0]butane with arenesulfonyl azides

Abstract Electrophilic additions of arenesulfonyl azides (i.e., TsN 3 and NsN 3 ) to 3-ethyl-1-azabicyclo[1.1.0]butane ( 1 ) in CDCl 3 at 80°C has been observed to result in the formation of oligomeric products. The mechanism of these reactions probably involves the formation of a carbocationic intermediate, i.e., N -arenesulfonyl-3-ethyl-3-azetidinyl carbocation, which subsequently can be trapped in situ either by :N 3 − or by 1 to afford the observed reaction products.
Pore-sealing process initiated by self-assembled layer for extreme low-k SiOCH (k=2.0)

A pore sealing process by Plasma-enhanced ALD (PEALD) with an amino-silane precursor has been developed, which enabled simultaneous restoration and pore-sealing film formation on damaged low-k film with k = 2.0. The precursor adsorbed preferentially at OR termination on the low-k surface to form self-assembled (SA) SiOC layer, which simultaneously recovered low-k damage. It is suggested that the SA-SiOC layer narrowed the pore opening at the low-k surface, and was followed by hermetic SiCN layer formation by PEALD. Sealing of pores against wet chemical was confirmed by forming 1.3 nm SiCN. Leakage current after pore-sealing formation was reduced by more than one magnitude compared to the pristine low-k. The current process will pave the way for enabling extremely thin diffusion barrier <;2nm at IX nm node Cu interconnect.
Satellite-sensed winter nocturnal temperature patterns of the Everglades Agricultural Area

Surface temperature patterns of drained organic soil farmland in the Everglades Agricultural Area south of Lake Okeechobee, Florida, were studied using GOES-1 satellite infrared digital data for the winters of 1976-77 and 1977-78. Local thermal features were explained in terms of soil types, soil depths and climate modification caused by organic soil drainage. A cold-prone area was delineated in the Everglades Agricultural Area with satellite data. The winter nighttime surface temperatures of this area were more characteristic of north central Florida, approximately 370 km further north, than of surrounding areas of mineral soil or undrained organic soil.
Modeling Detailed Energy-Efficiency Technologies and Technology Policies within a CGE Framework

Policy makers and analysts are raising questions about the adequacy of policy and technology representation in conventional energy and economic models. Most conventional models rely on a highly stylized and limited characterization of technology. In these models, any desired changes in energy demand are driven largely by pure price mechanisms such as energy taxes or carbon charges. In this paper, however, we explore the mapping of discrete technology characterizations and examine how cost-effective technologies and programs might prompt desirable increases in energy efficiency. Using the commercial health care sector as an example, we show how changes in energy efficiency and technology investments might be more properly represented in policy models.
Significance of the reduction of alkali carbonates in catalytic carbon gasification

Abstract The catalytic effect of alkali carbonates on carbon gasification depends not only on the initial catalyst loading but also on how these carbonates are reduced to surface complexes during the initial heating of the samples. This effect is primarily due to three important processes which take place simultaneously during the initial heat treatment: 1, catalyst re-distribution on the surface; 2, catalyst loss by vaporization; and 3, change in the substrate surface area due to carbon conversion.
Pleomorphic lobular carcinoma in situ

SUMMARY Pleomorphic lobular carcinoma in situ (PLCIS), the cytologic in situ correlate of invasive pleomorphic carcinoma (iPLC), was first recognized as an entity in 2002; however, previous descriptions of in situ lesions in association with iPLC were made in 1992. Recognition of the pleomorphic subtype of lobular carcinoma in situ is important because the combination of cellular features, necrosis and calcification can lead to difficulty in differentiating it from ductal carcinoma in situ and classic lobular carcinoma in situ, lesions for which standard treatment algorithms are supported by data regarding their natural history and risk of subsequent cancer. This article addresses the histological and molecular features that distinguish PLCIS from classic lobular carcinoma in situ and other variants of lobular neoplasia, describes the relationship between PLCIS and iPLC, reviews current challenges in the clinical management of PLCIS and provides a framework for future investigation.
A "Gap Bridger"

I knew Jim Gray as a colleague, a friend and an employee. He created the first Microsoft Research group outside of our initial research lab in Redmond, WA. Jim's impact on industry and science was not limited to his own area of research. He championed new ways of thinking about how computer science and information processing could be integrated into other areas of research. In so doing; he will have a lasting impact on the rate of progress in many disciplines. His success stemmed not just from what he knew and what he could do with his knowledge, but also from who he was as a person. Jim was a "Gap Bridger" -- someone who could connect people, groups, companies and disciplines.
Vortex dynamics in YBaCuO single crystals with point- and line-like defects-flux creep studies

Studies of vortex dynamics and pinning were conducted in irradiated Y1Ba2Cu3O7 single crystals by observing the decay of supercurrents with time. The materials contained either point-like defects from proton irradiation or line-like defects from irradiation with energetic heavy ions. Analysis of the first case gives clear support for collective creep theory. With linear defects, the experiments give evidence for thermal smearing of the vortex pinning potential at higher temperatures, as predicted theoretically.
Acid strength and bifunctional catalytic behavior of alloys comprised of noble metals and oxophilic metal promoters

Abstract The promotion of metal catalysts with partially oxidized oxophilic MO x species, such as ReO x -promoted Rh, has been demonstrated to produce Bronsted acid sites that can promote hydrogenolysis of oxygenate intermediates such as those found in biomass-derived species. A wide variety of alloy compositions and structures are examined in this work to investigate strongly acidic promoters by using DFT-calculated deprotonation energies (DPE) as a measure of acid strength. Sites with the highest acid strength had DPE less than 1100 kJ mol −1 , similar to DPE values of heteropolyacids or acid-containing zeolites, and were found on alloys composed of an oxophilic metal (such as Re or W) with a noble metal (such as Rh or Pt). NH 3 adsorbs more strongly to sites with increasing acid strength and the activation barriers for acid-catalyzed ring opening of a furan ring decrease with increasing acid strength, which was also shown to be stronger for OH acid sites bound to multiple oxophilic metal atoms in a three-fold configuration rather than OH sites adsorbed in an atop configuration on one oxophilic metal, indicating that small MO x clusters may yield sites with the highest acid strength.
TERMINATION OF GROWTH HORMONE PULSE-INDUCED STAT5B SIGNALING

STAT5b (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5b) is a key mediator of the effects of plasma GH pulses on male-specific liver gene expression. STAT5b is activated in liver cells in vivo by physiological pulses of GH and then is rapidly deactivated. Investigation of the cellular events involved in this activation/deactivation cycle using the rat liver cell line CWSV-1 established that a brief exposure to GH and the associated activation of JAK2 (Janus kinase 2) tyrosine kinase activity are both necessary and sufficient to initiate all of the downstream steps associated with STAT5b activation by tyrosine phosphorylation and the subsequent deactivation of both JAK2 kinase and STAT5b. JAK2 signaling to STAT5b at the conclusion of a GH pulse could be sustained by the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide or by the proteasome inhibitor MG132, indicating that termination of this JAK2-catalyzed STAT activation loop requires synthesis of a labile or GH-inducible protein factor and is facilitated by ...
The Structural Basis of Cholesterol Activation in Membranes

Regulation of cholesterol homeostasis is essential to mammalian cell function, and multiple response pathways are responsible for detecting and maintaining cholesterol levels in different membranes. Recent work has suggested that these pathways selectively respond to an active form of cholesterol that is observed only above a threshold concentration. However, the differences between active and inactive forms of cholesterol are still poorly understood. To identify structural changes in cholesterol-membrane interactions associated with activation, we use molecular dynamics simulations of phospholipid/cholesterol membrane bilayers to obtain atomic-level detail of how the dynamic structure of membranes is perturbed as the cholesterol concentration increases, which are analyzed for changes consistent with activation. We find that at high cholesterol concentrations, cholesterol becomes significantly more exposed to solvent and partially shifts out of the membrane. This effect is seen in membranes composed of either saturated or unsaturated lipids, and shifts in experimentally measured activation thresholds with membrane composition are consistent with changes in increased cholesterol exposure in simulations. We have identified several structural changes in cholesterol within membranes coincident with cholesterol activation as measured in experimental systems. These results demonstrate that the activation of cholesterol believed to be responsible for regulating cholesterol trafficking and homeostasis has a common structural basis in its interactions with the membrane. Future studies will focus on validation of these simulated results with biophysical and spectroscopic experiments and exploration of the effects of small molecules on cholesterol activation.
Gold cluster coatings enhancing Raman scattering from surfaces: Ink analysis and document identification

Abstract Based on the method of laser-ablation in liquids (LAL) with a strategy of bubbling nitrogen through a custom-made chamber, we prepared chemically-pure gold clusters which were found to be metastable for an extensive period of time beyond months. A practical use of discrimination among different surfaces is demonstrated here by applying the gold clusters as surface coatings which result in surface-enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) due to the surface plasmon resonance (SPR). This technique identifies various documents from different printers/copiers and written with different pen-inks. The stable and additive-free gold clusters enable repetitive examinations without impurity interference.
Effects of information cascades on collaborative decision-making in river engineering projects on the Rio Grande

ABSTRACTConventional wisdom is that early involvement of stakeholders leads to better results in engineering decision-making processes. A commonly documented advantage of early stakeholder involvement is increased acceptance and ownership of the project by everyone involved, resulting in fewer disputes throughout the planning and decision-making process. However, information cascade theory suggests that early involvement and development of close working relationships among stakeholders may decrease a group's ability to objectively and effectively evaluate engineering alternatives, as group members substitute the consensus of the group for their personal judgements. Additionally, innovation in design may be inversely correlated with the extent of group interaction prior to the selection of a preferred alternative. Experience in river engineering projects of the US Bureau of Reclamation on the Rio Grande in New Mexico supports the idea that early stakeholder involvement, while effective in reducing disputes...
Chlorpyrifos exposure during neurulation: cholinergic synaptic dysfunction and cellular alterations in brain regions at adolescence and adulthood.

Abstract The developmental neurotoxicity of chlorpyrifos (CPF) involves multiple mechanisms, thus rendering the immature brain susceptible to adverse effects over a wide window of vulnerability. Earlier work indicated that CPF exposure at the neural tube stage elicits apoptosis and disrupts mitotic patterns in the brain primordium but that rapid recovery ensues before birth. In the current study, we assessed whether defects in cholinergic synaptic activity emerge later in development. CPF was given to pregnant rats on gestational days 9–12, using regimens devoid of overt maternal or fetal toxicity. We then examined subsequent development of acetylcholine systems and compared the effects to those on general biomarkers of cell development. Choline acetyltransferase (ChAT), a constitutive marker for cholinergic nerve terminals, was increased in the hippocampus and striatum in adolescence and adulthood. In contrast, hemicholinium-3 (HC-3) binding to the presynaptic choline transporter, an index of nerve impulse activity, was markedly subnormal. Furthermore, m 2 -muscarinic cholinergic receptor binding was significantly reduced, instead of showing the expected compensatory upregulation for reduced neural input. CPF also elicited delayed-onset alterations in biomarkers of cell packing density, cell number, cell size and neuritic projections, involving brain regions both with and without reductions in indices of cholinergic activity. In combination with earlier results, the current findings indicate that the developing brain, and especially the hippocampus, is adversely affected by CPF regardless of whether exposure occurs early or late in brain development, and that defects emerge in adolescence or adulthood even in situations where normative values are initially restored in the immediate post-exposure period.
Influence of Thymic Mass on Murine Viral Leukaemogenesis

THE origin of lymphoma in the thymuses of mice is now well documented1. Of interest is the fact that regardless of the means used to induce the lymphoma (virus, chemicals, hormones, X-rays), the pattern of the thymic response is always similar. Recently, in pathogenesis investigations of a virus-induced lymphoma, attention was directed to the thymic anatomy. It was demonstrated that the two ‘lobes’ of ‘the thymus’ actually are two separate, paired organs2–4. This was of interest because it was noted that the lymphoma change occurred in only one of the two thymuses. Tumour cells frequently disseminated from a tumour-transformed thymus at a time when the opposite thymus was still histologically normal. The process of tumour formation studied histologically in serial sections suggested that the tumour cells evolved throughout a single thymus rather than at a single point3. Regarding the thymuses as organs which provide the site for the lymphoma evolution5, it was of interest to investigate the anatomic unit of thymic tissue necessary for such a change.
ENERGY TRANSFORMATION FUNCTIONS

Abstract Separate energy equations for potential energy, kinetic energy of averaged motion, kinetic energy of eddy motion, and thermal energy are derived on the basis of four postulates concerning natural processes. The equations are transformed for use with space- and time-averaged values of the dependent variables in a general system whose boundaries have arbitrary shape and motion. The equations are written in a manner that makes apparent the significance of energy transformation functions, which are the mathematical expressions of the physical mechanisms by which one kind of energy is transformed into another.
Factors Related to the Underachievement of University Students in Turkey.

The study aims to elucidate the characteristics of gifted underachievers at the university level and the reasons for their underachievement. The sample consisted of students from Bogazici University in Istanbul. The School Attitude Assessment Survey‐Revised (SAAS‐R) instrument was administered to 91 underachievers and a comparison group of 74 university students. The instrument employed five subscales: academic self‐perceptions, attitudes toward teachers, attitudes toward school, goal valuation, and motivation/self‐regulation. Findings indicated that the comparison students and the underachieving students differed on all five subscales of the SAAS‐R. In addition, the instrument correctly classified almost 80% of the students in the present sample as either underachievers or comparison students. Among the five subscales, the motivation/self‐regulation subscale was most predictive of underachievement status.
A Model Program for Bringing Neuroscience to Children: An Informal Neuroscience Education Program Bridges a Gap

Growing concern about science literacy in the United States has led to the active involvement of scientists in educational reform. Yet scientists have often found it difficult to communicate content knowledge in an effective manner to both teachers and children. This model project, funded by the National Institute of Drug Abuse, has been aimed at increasing the awareness and understanding of neuroscience among elementary school children to indirectly decrease drug use and unhealthy behaviors. The project created a partnership between neuroscientists, health professionals, and the Boys and Girls Clubs of Omaha, Nebraska, to present hands-on activities about basic and applied aspects of the nervous system in a “reverse” science fair setting. Neuroscientists and health professionals created hands-on, interactive exhibits that the children judged. This particular study examined the perceptions of neuroscientists and allied health professionals regarding their ability to communicate neuroscience knowledge to s...
Open-end mutual funds and capital-gains taxes

Despite the fact that taxable investors would prefer to defer the realization of capital gains indefinitely, most open-end mutual funds regularly realize and distribute a large portion of their gains. We present a model in which unrealized gains in the fund's portfolio increase expected future taxable distributions, and thus increase the present value of a new investor's tax liability. In equilibrium, managers interested in attracting new investors pass through taxable capital gains to reduce the overhang of unrealized gains. This model contains a number of empirical predictions that are consistent with data on actual fund overhangs.
Measurement of radiation-pressure-induced optomechanical dynamics in a suspended Fabry-Perot cavity

We report on experimental observation of radiation-pressure induced effects in a high-power optical cavity. These effects play an important role in next-generation gravitational wave detectors, as well as in quantum nondemolition interferometers. We measure the properties of an optical spring, created by coupling of an intense laser field to the pendulum mode of a suspended mirror, and also the parametric instability (PI) that arises from the coupling between acoustic modes of the cavity mirrors and the cavity optical mode. We measure an unprecedented optical rigidity of $K=(3.08\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.09)\ifmmode\times\else\texttimes\fi{}{10}^{4}\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}\mathrm{N}∕\mathrm{m}$, corresponding to an optical rigidity that is 6000 times stiffer than the mechanical stiffness, and PI strength $R\ensuremath{\approx}3$. We measure the unstable nature of the optical spring resonance, and demonstrate that the PI can be stabilized by feedback to the frequency of the laser source.
Fit Testing Respirators for Public Health Medical Emergencies

Concerns about limiting pandemic infectious disease transmission when vaccines are not yet available prompted the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to develop guidance for marketing respirators for use in public health medical emergencies. This project describes the results of filtering facepiece fit tests using 35 untrained, inexperienced subjects meeting the face size criteria of the National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health bivariate panel, in preparation for an FDA 510(k) application. Quantitative fit factors were measured for each subject on two replicates of each of two N95 filtering facepiece respirators (A and B) using the TSI Portacount Plus with N95 Companion. Subjects received no training or assistance with donning and had no prior experience with wearing respirators. The panel consisted of 20 females and 15 males; 80% were between 18 and 34 years of age. Almost all subjects properly placed the respirator on the face and formed the nose clip. Straps were improperly placed 25% of the time. Users reviewed the donning instructions 73% of the time and performed a seal check 80% of the time. Leaks were observed during 80% of the fit tests, most frequently at the chin during the head up and down exercise. For Respirator A, all but one subject had a 95% fit factor greater than 2 (the minimum required by FDA); one subject had a 95% fit factor of 1.5. All subjects had a 95% fit factor greater than 2.5 for Respirator B. Geometric mean fit factors ranged from 19-28 for these two respirators, and a majority of subjects were able to achieve a fit factor of 10 most of the time. However, fewer than 25% of subjects received the fit factor of 100 expected in workplace settings.
The Preparation of (2R,5S)‐2‐t‐Butyl‐3,5‐Dimethylimidazolidin‐4‐One

Acetyl chloride l-Alanine methyl ester hydrochloride Benzyl chloroformate, carbobenzoxy chloride Methylamine Pivaldehyde, trimethylacetaldehyde Triethylamine, N,N-diethyl-ethanamine Keywords: (2R,5S)-2-t-butyl-3,5-dimethylimidazolidin-4-one; organocatalysis; SOMO catalysis; α-trifluoromethylation; cascade catalysis
Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative 2 Clinical Core: Progress and plans

Abstract Introduction This article reviews the current status of the Clinical Core of the Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), and summarizes planning for the next stage of the project. Methods Clinical Core activities and plans were synthesized based on discussions among the Core leaders and external advisors. Results The longitudinal data in ADNI-2 provide natural history data on a clinical trials population and continue to inform refinement and standardization of assessments, models of trajectories, and clinical trial methods that have been extended into sporadic preclinical Alzheimer's disease (AD). Discussion Plans for the next phase of the ADNI project include maintaining longitudinal follow-up of the normal and mild cognitive impairment cohorts, augmenting specific clinical cohorts, and incorporating novel computerized cognitive assessments and patient-reported outcomes. A major hypothesis is that AD represents a gradually progressive disease that can be identified precisely in its long presymptomatic phase, during which intervention with potentially disease-modifying agents may be most useful.
Frequency of Development and Associated Physiological Cost of Azithromycin Resistance in Chlamydia psittaci 6BC and C. trachomatis L2

Azithromycin is a major drug used in the treatment and prophylaxis of chlamydial infections. Spontaneous azithromycin-resistant mutants of Chlamydia psittaci 6BC were isolated in vitro in the plaque assay at a frequency of about 10 −8 . Isogenic clonal variants with A 2058 C, A 2059 G, or A 2059 C mutations in the unique 23S rRNA gene ( Escherichia coli numbering system) displayed MICs for multiple macrolides (i.e., azithromycin, erythromycin, josamycin, and spiramycin) at least 100 times higher than those of the parent strain and were also more resistant to the lincosamide clindamycin. Chlamydia trachomatis L2 variants with a Gln-to-Lys substitution in ribosomal protein L4 at position 66 ( E. coli numbering system), conferring an eightfold decrease in azithromycin and erythromycin sensitivities and a fourfold decrease in josamycin and spiramycin sensitivities, were isolated following serial passage in subinhibitory concentrations of azithromycin. Each mutation was stably maintained in the absence of selection but severely affected chlamydial infectivity, as determined by monitoring the development of each isolate over 46 h in the absence of selection, in pure culture or in 1:1 competition with the isogenic parent. Data in this study support the hypothesis that the mechanisms which confer high-level macrolide resistance in chlamydiae carry a prohibitive physiological cost and may thus limit the emergence of highly resistant clones of these important pathogens in vivo.
Classic and novel methods of dislocation reduction in heteroepitaxial nitride layers

Due to the lack of commercially available large size native substrates, reduction of threading dislocations remains one of the main challenges of group III-nitride based technology. This paper reviews major methods aimed at producing high-quality heteroepitaxial nitride films with reduced densities of dislocations. Methods such as, incorporation of buffer layers, substrate nitridation, interlayer insertion, silane-ammonia treatment, lateral overgrowth and growth of thick nitride layers are reviewed. Advantages and drawbacks of these methods are discussed and compared. (© 2005 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Transfer cross entropy for fast sociometric inference in longitudinal collections of multi-party conversation

A means is proposed of extracting participant-pair interaction measures from a binary representation of behavior in multi-party conversation, by leveraging an extension of transfer entropy. The technique allows for the inexpensive construction of sociomatrices, requiring only a minimum of detection technology. It is expected that the method will tractably enable the application of social network analysis to conversational behavior mined from very large collections of unannotated audio.
Impact of a brief telephone referral on quitline use, quit attempts and abstinence

Quitline use can prompt quit attempts and promote abstinence among smokers, but rates of use are low and outcomes of brief quitline referrals unclear. In this study, a brief intervention was delivered to smokers who expressed motivation to quit in the next 30 days (N = 221) to encourage use of their state quitline. Correlates of quitline use were examined, and quitline callers versus non-callers were compared on the following outcomes at 2-month follow-up: cessation medication use, quit attempts and abstinence. Of the 221 smokers given a quitline referral, 34% called the quitline. Baseline motivation alone distinguished quitline callers from non-callers. Quitline use was positively associated with use of cessation medication, an association that remained robust even after adjusting for baseline motivation to quit. A trend was observed in which callers were marginally more likely than non-callers to report both a 24-h quit attempt and 7-day point prevalence abstinence. Relative to non-callers, callers also endorsed greater confidence to quit and increased self-efficacy to resist smoking temptations at follow-up. This study demonstrates a minimal intervention can promote acceptance of quitlines and favorable cessation outcomes among smokers motivated to quit.
THE REAL K-THEORY OF COMPACT LIE GROUPS

Let G be a compact, connected, and simply-connected Lie group, equipped with a Lie group involution G and viewed as a G-space with the conjugation action. In this paper, we present a description of the ring structure of the (equivariant) KR-theory of (G; G) by drawing on previous results on the module structure of the KR-theory and the ring structure of the equivariant K-theory.
Regional variation in the allocation of development assistance for health

The Global Burden of Disease (GBD) 2010 Study has published disability-adjusted life year (DALY) data at both regional and country levels from 1990 to 2010. Concurrently, the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation (IHME) has published estimates of development assistance for health (DAH) at the country-disease level for this same period of time. We use disease burden data from the GBD 2010 study and financing data from IHME to calculate ratios of DAH to DALYs across regions and diseases. We examine the magnitude of these ratios and how they have varied over time. We hypothesize that the variation in this ratio across regions would be relatively small. However, from 2006 to 2010, we find there was considerable variation in the levels of DAH per DALY across regions. For total funding, the relative standard deviation (standard deviation as a percentage of the mean) across regions was 50%. For DAH specific to HIV/AIDS, malaria and tuberculosis, the relative standard deviations were 50%, 200% and 60%, respectively. While these deviations are high, with the exception of malaria, they have decreased since the 1990s. There are no evident explanations for so much variation in funding across regions, especially holding the purpose of the funding constant. This suggests donors’ allocation processes have not been particularly sensitive to disease burdens. To maximize health gains, donors should explicitly incorporate new disease burden data along with the relative costs and efficacy of interventions into their allocation process.
Spatial-Locality-Aware Virtual Storage Devices with Tangible QoS Expressions

Consolidated storage service receives its momentum in the building of various IT system infrastructures because of its cost efficiency, reliability, and maintainability. Meanwhile, only when users who run their applications on the consolidated storage system have a similar or better performance experience compared to those using direct-attached storage on each server can the storage design really be widely accepted. We propose a framework in which performance of servicing requests from one user is well isolated from that for the others in such a way that each user can be regarded as being allocated an independent virtual disk (VD) of performance as specified in its service-level agreement (SLA). Three SLA expressions that we believe are most tangible to users are supported in the spatial-locality-aware framework, which we name as rent-a-disk, latency-conscious, and throughput-conscious. Our proposed I/O scheduling algorithm for implementing the three types of VDs provides strong isolation, low interference, and high fidelity of performance for each VD if SLA is not violated. Our algorithm also enables different types of VDs to cooperate with each other to improve performance for each VD as well as for the entire physical storage.
Amebic Liver Abscesses Masquerading as Pyemic Abscesses

We describe a 50-year-old man who presented with multiple liver abscesses that suggested biliary sepsis or portal pyemia. A wet preparation of a sample of aspirate showed the presence of amebic trophozoites, and subsequent serological testing for amebae was strongly reactive.
Water Cherenkov Detectors:Milagro

This paper discusses the properties of using the water Cherenkov technique to detect air showers in the few hundred GeV to 100 TeV energy range. The responses of a 6 m2 2 m deep water Cherenkov counter and that of a 6 m2 10cm thick scintillator-lead sandwich counter to air shower electrons and photons is described. The advantages of water Cherenkov detector is outlined. Its application to do VHE gamma ray astronomy is discussed with particular reference to the MILAGRO telescope currently under construction. Milagro, a water-Cherenkov detector to do gamma ray astronomy above 100 Gev, uses an existing pool 60m x 80m by 8m, located in the Jemez mountains near Los Alamos, NM. The threshold of the MILAGRO detector is comparable to atmospheric Cherenkov detectors, however it has several advantages over these optical detectors. MILAGRO can operate 24 hours a day in all weather conditions and it has an open aperture which allows it to view the entire northern sky every day. These capabilities allow for a systematic all-sky survey to be done for the first time at these energies. MILAGRO will measure the Crab spectrum with high significance over a wide energy range, it will detect and measure the spectra from AGN’s such as MRK 421 and it will search for short duration bursts from GRBs and possibly evaporating PBHs.
The 48-kDa subunit of the mammalian oligosaccharyltransferase complex is homologous to the essential yeast protein WBP1

Oligosaccharyltransferase has been purified from canine microsomal membranes as a protein complex with three nonidentical subunits of 66, 63/64, and 48 kDa. The 66- and 63/64-kDa subunits were found to be identical to ribophorins I and II, respectively. The ribophorins are integral membrane glycoproteins that were previously shown to be localized exclusively to the rough endoplasmic reticulum. The 48-kDa subunit (OST48) of the oligosaccharyltransferase complex is not a glycoprotein and is not recognized by antibodies to either ribophorin. Here, we describe the characterization of a cDNA clone that encodes OST48. Like ribophorins I and II, OST48 was found to be an integral membrane protein, with the majority of the polypeptide located within the lumen of the endoplasmic reticulum. OST48 does not show significant amino acid sequence homology to either ribophorin I or II. A 45-kDa integral membrane protein, designated WBP1, from the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae was found to be 25% identical in sequence to OST48. Recently, WBP1 was shown to be essential for in vivo and in vitro expression of oligosaccharyltransferase activity in yeast. We conclude that OST48 and WBP1 are homologous gene products.