cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
When children put their fingers in their mouths. Should parents and dentists care

We have heard mothers tell their children not to stick their fingers in their mouths because they will get sick. Medical and dental professionals know this is true. Oral habits like thumb sucking and nail biting can damage the structure of the mouth and can lead to the spread of infectious diseases.
Influence of Built Environment Quality and Social Capital on Mental Health of Residents of Assisted Living Communities in Louisville, Kentucky.

Objectives: Prior research has shown social capital and built environment quality are associated with overall health status and the incidence of mental illness. This study explores the relationship...
Book review: e-Learning in the workplace: A performance-oriented approach beyond technology

The book has been an attempt to address technology-oriented approach to e-learning, which makes e-learning initiatives less effective and demotivating for individuals and organizations. It has also been intended to explore approaches and strategies to create an effective and manageable system to improve workplace e-learning through a performance-oriented approach. The goals of the book are to provide a comprehensive review and analysis of workplace e-learning research and development and to present a theory-driven design, implementation, and analysis of a performance-oriented, technology-enabled approach for e-learning. The book features performance-oriented approach by addressing the following areas: (a) establishing workplace learning on measurable goals, (b) aligning individual needs with organizational goals in setting the performance measures, and (c) using clearly specified measurable performance goals to facilitate self-directed learning at workplace. https://doi.org/10.34105/j.kmel.2018.10.021
Evaluation of pilot-scale biochar-amended woodchip bioreactors to remove nitrate, metals, and trace organic contaminants from urban stormwater runoff.

Abstract Stormwater is increasingly being valued as a freshwater resource in arid regions and can provide opportunities for beneficial reuse via aquifer recharge if adequate pollutant removal can be achieved. We envision a multi-unit operation approach to capture, treat, and recharge (CTR) stormwater using low energy, cost-effective technologies appropriate for larger magnitude, less frequent events. Herein, we tested nutrient, metal, and trace organic contaminant removal of a pilot-scale CTR system in the laboratory using biochar-amended woodchip bioreactors following eight months of aging under field conditions with exposure to real stormwater. Replicate columns with woodchips and biochar (33% by weight), woodchips and straw, or woodchips only were operated with continuous, saturated flow for eight months using water from a watershed that drained an urban area consisting of residential housing and parks in Sonoma, California. After aging, columns were challenged for five months by continuous exposure to synthetic stormwater amended with 50 μg L−1 of six trace organic contaminants (i.e., fipronil, diuron, 1H-benzotriazole, atrazine, 2,4-D, and TCEP) and five metals (Cd, Cu, Ni, Pb, Zn) frequently detected in stormwater in order to replicate the treatment unit operation of a CTR system. Throughout the eight-month aging and five-month challenge experiment, nitrate concentrations were below the detection limit after treatment (i.e., 80% for Ni, Cu, Cd, and Pb. For Zn, about 50% removal occurred in the woodchip-biochar systems while the other systems achieved about 20% removal. No breakthrough of the trace organic compounds was observed in any biochar-containing columns. Woodchip columns without biochar removed approximately 99% of influent atrazine and 90% of influent fipronil, but exhibited relatively rapid breakthrough of TCEP, 2,4-D, 1H-benzotriazole, and diuron. The addition of straw to the woodchip columns provided no significant benefit compared to woodchips alone. Due to the lack of breakthrough of trace organics in the biochar-woodchip columns, we estimated column breakthrough with a diffusion-limited sorption model. Results of the model indicate breakthrough for the trace organics would occur between 10,000 and 32,000 pore volumes. Under ideal conditions this could be equivalent to decades of service, assuming failure by other processes (e.g., clogging, biofouling) does not occur. These results indicate that multiple contaminants can be removed in woodchip-biochar reactors employed in stormwater treatment systems with suitable flow control and that the removal of trace organic contaminants is enhanced significantly by addition of biochar.
Cool future fashion: Personal cooling as part of social adaptation to hotter climates.

“Deadly heat waves: it’s only getting worse”, a headline from this summer, succinctly summarizes recent weather and predictions on its future patterns. According to World Metrological Organization,...
The city in the age of Trumpism: From sanctuary to abolition:

The city as sanctuary is an ancient concept. As a modern practice in North America and Europe, it has entailed refuge for subjects rendered illegal and placeless by the state, be it asylum-seekers ...
Pharmacists as environmental stewards: Strategies for minimizing and managing drug waste

Abstract As the awareness about the negative effects of disposed medications on the environment increases, pharmacists and pharmacy administrators must be aware of potential waste minimization strategies to implement in community and hospital pharmacies. Education on appropriate disposal of different types of medications is the key intervention for all pharmacy settings. Other interventions include medication reviews, de-prescription, and drug take-back programs. Hospital pharmacies can focus on assessing the frequency of batch compounding of sterile products and using smaller vials and products with longer expiration dates. Finally, rounding of biologic or cytotoxic agents can be implemented in hospital pharmacies and infusion clinics.
Computational description of key spectroscopic features of zeolite SSZ-13

The catalytic properties of zeolites are intimately linked to the distribution and relative positions of Al atoms and defects in the pore network. However, characterizing this distribution is challenging, in particular when different local Al arrangements are considered. In this contribution we use a combination of first principles calculations and experimental measurements to develop a model for the Al-distribution in protonated SSZ-13. We furthermore apply this model to understand trends in OH-IR, 27Al-NMR and 29Si-NMR spectra. We use a Boltzmann distribution to predict the proton position for a given local Al configuration and show that for each configuration several H positions are occupied. Therefore a multi-peak spectrum in OH-IR vibrational spectroscopy is observed for all Al configurations, which is in line with experimentally measured spectra for zeolites at different Si/Al ratios. From NMR spectroscopy we find that the proton position leads to significant shifts in 27Al-NMR and 29Si-NMR spectra due to the modification of the local strain, which is lost when a uniform background charge is introduced. These findings are supported by experimental measurements. Finally we discuss the shortcomings of the presented model in terms of unit cell size and the impact of adjacent unit cells.
Dissolved Organic Carbon Turnover in Permafrost-Influenced Watersheds of Interior Alaska: Molecular Insights and the Priming Effect

Increased permafrost thaw due to climate change in northern high-latitudes has prompted concern over impacts on soil and stream biogeochemistry that affect the fate of dissolved organic carbon (DOC). Few studies to-date have examined the link between molecular composition and biolability of dissolved organic matter (DOM) mobilized from different soil horizons despite its importance in understanding carbon turnover in aquatic systems. Additionally, the effect of mixed DOM sources on microbial metabolism (e.g., priming) is not well understood. No studies to-date have addressed potential priming effects in northern high-latitude or permafrost-influenced aquatic ecosystems, yet these ecosystems may be hot spots of priming where biolabile, ancient permafrost DOC mixes with relatively stable, modern stream DOC. To assess biodegradability and priming of DOC in permafrost-influenced streams, we conducted 28 day bioincubation experiments utilizing a suite of stream samples and leachates of fresh vegetation and different soil horizons, including permafrost, from Interior Alaska. The molecular composition of unamended DOM samples at initial and final time points was determined by ultrahigh resolution mass spectrometry. Initial molecular composition was correlated to DOC biodegradability, particularly the contribution of energy-rich aliphatic compounds, and stream microbial communities utilized 50-56% of aliphatics in permafrost-derived DOM within 28 days. Biodegradability of DOC followed a continuum from relatively stable stream DOC to relatively biolabile DOC derived from permafrost, active layer organic soil, and vegetation leachates. Microbial utilization of DOC was ~3-11% for stream bioincubations and ranged from 9% (active layer mineral soil-derived) to 66% (vegetation-derived) for leachate bioincubations. To investigate the presence or absence of a priming effect, bioincubation experiments included treatments amended with 1% relative carbon concentrations of simple, biolabile organic carbon substrates (i.e., primers). The amount of DOC consumed in primed treatments was not significantly different from the control in any of the bioincubation experiments after 28 days, making it apparent that the addition of biolabile permafrost-derived DOC to aquatic ecosystems will likely not enhance the biodegradation of relatively modern, stable DOC sources. Thus, future projections of carbon turnover in northern high-latitude region streams may not have to account for a priming effect.
The global challenge of the neglect of children.

Abstract Background The neglect of children is a serious global problem. The 1989 United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child (CRC) was a major international achievement spurring national efforts to prevent and address neglect. However, the scope of neglect worldwide and progress in addressing it remain unclear. Objective This analysis assessed the current state of child neglect through much of the world, including its prevalence and efforts to address it. Method The scope of neglect was assessed through a literature review of recent peer-reviewed research and analysis of the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF) child protective services (CPS) and early childhood development data. National responses to neglect in 73 countries were described in the International Society for the Prevention of Child Abuse and Neglect’s World Perspectives 2016 data and through illustrative case studies of recent CRC country reports for Australia, China, India and Mozambique. Results Neglect is prevalent throughout the world, although its extent and form vary. Most countries recognize neglect as a form of maltreatment and have basic CPS policies and some system in place, but implementation of prevention and intervention services remains inadequate even in high-income countries. Economic and other barriers inhibit progress to address the neglect of children. Conclusions Progress has been made in establishing basic child protections and other safeguards for neglect in most countries, but significant barriers and inadequacies remain. Implementation of the CRC is uneven and there are large gaps in needed services. Much work remains to better assess and address this serious problem, in every country.
The Role of Ion Transition from the Pore Cavity to the Selectivity Filter in the Mechanism of Selectivity and Rectification in the Kv1.2 Potassium Channel: Transfer of Ion Solvation from Cavity Water to the Protein and Water of the Selectivity Filter

Abstract Potassium channels generally have a selectivity filter that includes the sequence threonine-threonine-valine-glycine-tyrosine-glycine (TTVGYG). The last five amino acids are conserved over practically the entire range of evolution, so the sequence obviously is necessary to the function of the channel. Here we show by quantum calculations on the upper part of the channel “cavity” (aqueous compartment between the gate and selectivity filter) and lower part of the selectivity filter (SF) how the channel with two sets of four threonines (the channel is fourfold symmetric) effects rectification and selectivity. The threonines are at the location in which the ion transfers from the cavity into the SF; in this calculation they play a key role in selectivity. The channel is also a rectifier. The wild type channel with K+ and three other cases are considered: 1) the upper set of four threonines is replaced by serines. 2) and 3) Related computations with the Na+ and NH4+ ions help to clarify the important factors in moving the ion from the cavity to the SF. In particular, one set of angles (not bond angles, O(T373–C=O) – O(T374–OH) – H(T374–OH)) flips a hydrogen into and out of the ion path, allowing the K+ to go forward but not back. This is essentially a ratchet and pawl mechanism, with the ratchet driven by electrostatics. This also allows a clear path forward for K+ but not for Na+ or NH4+, nor for K+ in a T→S mutant. Atomic charges in the lowest positions in the SF are the driving force moving the ion forward, but the O - O - H angle just specified is key to making the “knock-on” mechanism move the ions forward only, using the ratchet with the pawl formed by the hydrogen in the bonds that flip. A water interacts with threonine hydroxyls to allow ion passage, and another water moves together with the K+.
The Second Amendment and the War on Guns

The right to keep and bear arms is a vital element of the liberal order that our Founders handed down to us. They understood that those who hold political power will almost always strive to reduce the freedom of those they rule, and that many of the ruled will always be tempted to trade their liberty for empty promises of security. The causes of these political phenomena are sown in the nature of man. The U.S. Constitution, including the Second Amendment, is a device designed to frustrate the domineering tendencies of the politically ambitious. The Second Amendment also plays an important role in fostering the kind of civic virtue that resists the cowardly urge to trade liberty for an illusion of safety. Armed citizens take responsibility for their own security, thereby exhibiting and cultivating the self-reliance and vigorous spirit that is ultimately indispensable for genuine self-government. While much has changed since the eighteenth century, for better and for worse, human nature has not changed. The fundamental principles of our regime, and the understanding of human nature on which those principles are based, can still be grasped today. Once grasped, they can be defended. Such a defense demands an appreciation of the right to arms that goes beyond the legalistic and narrowly political considerations that drive contemporary gun control debates.
Stephen T. Warren 1953-2021.

Stephen T. Warren was a key contributor to the 1991 discovery of an unstable trinucleotide repeat that expands in families and causes loss of function in fragile X syndrome.
Real-time recognition of team behaviors by multisensory graph-embedded robot learning

Awareness of team behaviors (e.g., individual activities and team intents) plays a critical role in human–robot teaming. Autonomous robots need to be aware of the overall intent of the team they ar...
Structure and Variation in the Human Serum Amyloid A Gene Family

The small acute phase proteins collectively known as serum amyloid A (SAA) represent a family of molecules highly conserved in vertebrate evolution (Marhaug et al., 1986). Although of unknown function, they are likely related to host defense.
Advanced geometric techniques in 3D process simulation

The modeling of semiconductor devices in the deep submicron era is a complicated and challenging procedure. Due to continuous scaling of IC structures many physical effects pose requirements for a full 3D simulation. The incorporation of advanced computational geometry techniques is imperative in the realization of such 3D process simulation tools. The simulation of a virtual factory, with the various processing steps (ion implantation, diffusion, oxidation, etching and deposition) directly modeled on a 3D tetrahedral grid presents many advantages, such as the direct geometry extraction for subsequent interconnect analysis and device simulation. Advanced geometric techniques for the realization of a virtual IC fabrication simulator directly on a 3D tetrahedral grid are presented. A highly efficient algorithm for refining unstructured tetrahedral meshes, having an O(n) computational complexity which generate very high quality elements, is used as the main tool for adaptive mesh generation. Techniques for the automatic grid formation based on the mask layout and processing information and deposition of material layers are also presented.
Fine Structure in a High-Resolution Vortex Dissipation Study of YBa2 Cu3O7- delta.

Using high-{ital Q} double-torsional silicon oscillators vibrating at extremely low amplitude, numerous fine minima and maxima have been observed in the dissipation vs temperature data for certain characteristic fields perpendicular to the {ital c} axis in single crystal YBa{sub 2}Cu{sub 3}O{sub 7{minus}{delta}}. These features are mirrored in the frequency shift vs temperature data. An intrinsic pinning model in which the dissipation minima correspond to conditions of commensureability between the interlayer spacing and both the coherence length and Abrikosov lattice spacing is suggested to explain these features. {copyright} {ital 1996 The American Physical Society.}
Identification of the major cytoplasmic regions of the Neurospora crassa plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase using protein chemical techniques.

The transmembrane topography of the Neurospora crassa plasma membrane H(+)-ATPase has been investigated using purified, reconstituted components and direct protein chemical techniques. Reconstituted proteoliposomes containing H(+)-ATPase molecules oriented predominantly with their cytoplasmic surface facing outward were treated with trypsin to liberate peptides present on the cytoplasmic surface of the H(+)-ATPase as recently described (Hennessey, J.P., Jr., and Scarborough, G. (1990) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 532-537. The released peptides were then separated from the proteoliposomes by gel filtration chromatography and further purified by high performance liquid chromatography. Fourteen such peptides were identified by NH2-terminal amino acid sequence analysis, directly defining these parts of the molecule as present on the cytoplasmic surface of the membrane. Moreover, this information identified several additional flanking stretches as likely to be cytoplasmically located by virtue of the fact that they are too short to cross the membrane and return. These results and the results of other recent experiments establish 417 residues of the 919 present in the ATPase molecule, at positions 2-100, 186-256, 441-663, and 897-920, as cytoplasmically located. Taken together with the results of our preliminary investigations of the membrane embedded sectors of the ATPase, this information allows the formulation of a reasonably detailed model for the transmembrane topography of the ATPase polypeptide chain.
Test program synthesis for path delay faults in microprocessor cores

This paper addresses the problem of testing path delay faults in a microprocessor core using its instruction set. We propose to self-test a processor core by running an automatically synthesized test program which can achieve a high path delay fault coverage. This paper discusses the method and the prototype software framework for synthesizing such a test program. Based on the processor's instruction set architecture, micro-architecture, RTL netlist as well as gate-level netlist on which the path delay faults are modeled, the method generates deterministic tests (in the form of instruction sequences) by cleverly combining structural and instruction-level test generation techniques. The experimental results for two microprocessors indicate that the test instruction sequences can be successfully generated for a high percentage of testable path delay faults.
Attenuation of Lg in the western US using the USArray

[1] The unprecedented breadth and density of the USArray allows us to resolve lateral variations of 1-Hz Lg attenuation to 0.5 degrees over much of the western United States. We collected over 31,000 Lg amplitudes from 547 events and 408 stations of the initial USArray footprint. Two-dimensional tomographic inversion yielded Q ranging from 60 to 550, with a variance reduction of 47% relative to the best-fit constant Q model (Q = 155). Q is low over most of the region, with lowest values associated with recent volcanic activity, and active shear zones. High Q is found in older, stable crust, notably the Colorado and Columbia plateaus, while smaller islands of high Q are associated with batholiths, including the Sierra Nevada, Peninsular, and Bitterroot Ranges, the western Mojave, and Okanogan Highlands, as well as other areas of competent crust such as the Harcuvar range, and two topographically bounded blocks in the Basin and Range.
Effect of intrauterine transfusion on maternal estrogen excretion

Abstract Maternal estrogen excretion was measured before and after intrauterine transfusion in 5 patients. Total estrogen excretion decreased in all cases following transfusion and in one case in which the catheter was improperly placed in the fetal abdomen so that transfusion could not be done. In the latter case when a catheter was satisfactorily introduced into the fetus 18 hours later and transfusion then carried out estrogen levels decreased further and the fetus died. In other cases where estrogen levels were followed for a sufficient length of time, they were found to return to pretransfusion levels after 24 hours. Measurement of maternal estrogen levels may enable the clinician to determine the intensity and duration of fetal distress following intrauterine procedures.
Redesign and genetic dissection of the rhabdoviruses.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the redesign and genetic dissection of the rhabdoviruses. Since the time of the initial reports describing the recovery of recombinant rhabdoviruses from plasmid DNA, applications have been made in analysis of viral assembly, in novel targeting of recombinant viruses to combat human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), in vaccine and vaccine vector development, and in the permanent attenuation of wild-type viruses through deletion and gene rearrangement. Full understanding of the mechanisms that control viral transcription, replication, and virulence can now be facilitated by genetic analysis. In the 21st century, the ability to reengineer rhabdoviruses and other nonsegmented negative-strand (NNS) RNA viruses will give the much needed tools in the fight against nature's most notorious pathogens. Prior to the recovery of complete, infectious, negative-strand RNA viruses from DNA, several laboratories developed systems that allowed replication of small, defective, negative-strand RNA genomes or RNA minigenomes derived from DNA copies. These systems either used wild-type viruses to supply the nucleocapsid and polymerase proteins or generated expression of these proteins from plasmids with T7 promoters after the infection of cells with vaccinia virus encoding bacteriophage T7 RNA polymerase. Several laboratories had attempted to recover complete, infectious NNS viruses with the use of these or similar systems, but none was successful starting with the negative-strand genome RNA.
Recovering DNA Sequences from Electrophoresis Data

Many similarities exist between the problem of recognizing features in images or connected speech and that of determining the underlying DNA sequence from the output of an automated fluorescence-based gel sequencer. In many ways the problem of sequence determination is more tractable. For instance, the underlying vocabulary is quite small, consisting of just four nucleotides denoted by “A”, “T”, “G”, and “C”. In other ways, however, the problem is more complex. For instance, most sequencers can currently sequence several hundred bases at a stretch, with some laboratories publishing results that extend that length to over 1000 bases at a time. In addition, the point-spread function is non-stationary and the signal-to-noise ratio in electrophoresis experiments decreases continually as time progresses.
Serum enzyme inhibitors, immunoglobulins, and upper respiratory tract bacteria in asthma.

A controlled, prospective study of 3 factors in asthmatic children was undertaken: immunoglobulin and enzyme inhibitor concentrations in the serum and bacterial flora of the nose and throat. Serum concentrations of immunoglobulins G, A, and M and α1-antitrypsin, and total trypsin inhibitory capacity were comparable in the asthmatic children and a control group. There was significantly more nasal colonization with Staphylococcus aureus among the asthmatic children than the control subjects, but this finding was not correlated with disease. β-hemolytic streptococci were not recovered, and gram-negative bacilli were rare. Pneumococci were present in 1 to 5 per cent, without significant difference between patients and control subjects. It was concluded that the asthmatic children and control subjects did not differ with regard to these 3 factors.
Negativity bias in attitude learning: a possible indicator of vulnerability to emotional disorders?

Abstract Negativity biases, i.e., tendencies for negative features and interpretations to predominate over positive, are known to play a role in the etiology and maintenance of emotional disorders. Both depression and anxiety have been associated with such negative cognitive styles. Recently, Fazio, R.H., Eiser, J.R., and Shook, N.J. [(2004). Attitude formation through exploration: Valence asymmetries. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 87, 293–311] have observed similar valence asymmetries in the domain of attitude formation and generalization. The present research examined the possibility that the extent to which individuals display a learning bias in attitude formation is related to negative cognitive style and emotional disorder symptoms. Participants played a computer game that required learning whether novel stimuli produced positive or negative outcomes. Poorer learning was associated with more negative cognitive style, greater depression, and a tendency toward greater anxiety. Interestingly, these relations were most evident with respect to the learning of the positive stimuli, suggesting that an under-appreciation of positive objects and events may underlie vulnerability to emotional disorders. The potential value of various indices of negativity bias that can be assessed when examining attitude formation and generalization is discussed.
The Incredible Economics of Geoengineering

The focus of climate policy so far has been on reducing the accumulation of greenhouse gases. That approach, however, requires broad international cooperation and, being expensive, has been hindered by free riding; so far, little action has been taken. An alternative approach is to counteract climate change by reducing the amount of solar radiation that strikes the Earth—“geoengineering.” In contrast to emission reductions, this approach is inexpensive and can be undertaken by a single country, unilaterally. But geoengineering also has worrying consequences: it may harm some countries; it would not address ocean acidification; it would pose new risks. The fundamental challenge posed by this new technology is not free riding but governance: who should decide if and under what circumstances geoengineering should be used?
Comparison of cAMP System in Parietal Cells from Rat and Guinea Pig

Adenylyl cyclase activity, cAMP content, and activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase were measured in rat and guinea pig parietal cells isolated by the same procedure. Incubation of parietal cells with histamine resulted in aminopyrine uptake, stimulation of adenylyl cyclase activity, accumulation of intracellular cAMP, and activation of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. In addition, aminopyrine uptake and the cAMP system were stimulated in rat cells by epinephrine, whereas guinea pig cells were unresponsive to epinephrine. It is suggested that there may be differences between the two species with regard to receptors on the parietal cells.
The seeding of two red tide blooms by the germination of benthic Gonyaulax tamarensis hypnocysts

Abstract Complementary laboratory and field data are presented that demonstrate the seeding of a spring and a fall bloom of the toxic dinoflagellate Gonyaulax tamarensis by the temperature-induced germination of benthic hypnocysts. Nutrient, salinity, temperature and rainfall data collected before, during, and after a spring bloom in a Cape Cod salt pond indicate that germination of the overwintering hypnocysts was initiated by a temperature increase. Laboratory experiments with hypnocysts exposed to a gradual temperature increase after storage at 5 °C for four months verified this result. The fall bloom was apparently seeded by hypnocyst germination as well, but with excystment initiated by a temperature decrease from the summer level of 20–22 °C. This result was also confirmed in the laboratory using hypnocysts stored at 22 °C and subjected to a gradual decrease in temperature. The reasons for the eventual decline of both blooms are not known, but it is proposed that the motile populations were transformed into new hypnocysts that settled to the sediments. Immediately after both bloom peaks, there was a sharp decrease in the percentage of hypnocysts that germinated during laboratory incubation after isolation from fresh, unstored sediment samples. The duration of these periods of limited excystment after the declines suggests that cold storage (or overwintering) is not a required conditioning mechanism prior to germination but that a prolonged period of conditioning at higher temperatures will suffice. Finally, data are presented that suggest that the extreme localization of the blooms within the salt pond was due to limited tidal advection of the motile population and the favourable trace metal chemistry of the estuarine environment compared to the adjacent coastal waters.
Effect of functionalization and boron and nitrogen substitution on some properties of carbon nanotubes

Abstract Molecular orbital calculations of the ionization potential of single wall carbon nanotubes having donor NH2 and acceptor NO2 groups bonded to the side walls and ends and boron and nitrogen substituted for carbon show substantial increases in ionization potential compared to carbon nanotubes with no functional groups and no carbon substitutions. The presence of a carbon vacancy on the side wall also causes a substantial increase in the ionization potential. The effect of tube length on the ionization energy is also calculated. The calculations also suggest that at appropriate levels of boron and nitrogen doping the armchair carbon nanotubes could be high temperature organic ferromagnetic materials.
SHOOT APEX DEVELOPMENT OF WINTER BARLEY AS INFLUENCED BY POTASSIUM GIBBERELLATE

Treatment of nonvernalized winter barley plants at early stages of growth with potassium gibberellate accelerated floral initiation and rapid development of shoot apices until after stages of anther formation. Later developmental stages were not stimulated by continued applications of potassium gibberellate or the addition of other plant growth regulators. In some cases supernumerary spikes formed at the lower rachis nodes of the main spike when potassium gibberellate was applied periodically until spike emergence.
Fiber laser with in-cavity polarization switching

In this work, we demonstrate how a polarization switching technique can be used to create multiple fiber ends, and allow the radiation to pass twice through each amplifying section for more efficient energy extraction. The technique uses a polarizing beam splitter combined with polarization switching in each arm of the cavity to define a ring-like cavity with multiple gain sections that can be end pumped. Polarization-maintaining double-clad rare-earth-doped fiber with slightly multi-mode core was used as the gain sections. A laser system based on the in-cavity polarization switching design has been demonstrated with maximum measured 62% slope efficiency and close to 30W output. The relatively low output power is only limited by the available pump sources.
Sex Role Expectations in Children's Vocational Aspirations and Perceptions of Occupations

To study sex role expectations, 120 boys and girls from three age groups—preschool, second grade, and fifth grade—in two socioeconomic levels were asked to name their vocational aspirations and to choose whether a man, woman, or both could do the work in 30 occupations depicted in a slide-tape series. Results indicated that sex typing was present in the way their aspirations conformed to traditional sex roles, with a significant relationship (p <.001) between sex typing of aspirations and sex of the respondents. Significant differences in responses to the occupational slides were found on the variables of sex (p <.01), grade level (p <.001), and socioeconomic level (p <.05), with greater sex typing indicated by boys than girls, by preschool children than by older children, and by lower to lower-middle class children than by middle to upper-middle class children. The study revealed a disparity between many children's perceptions of occupations as ones in which both sexes could work and their own personalized, sex-typed aspirations.
Stress-sensitive tissue regeneration in viscoelastic biomaterials subjected to modulated tensile strain.

Abstract This research contribution addresses the mechanochemistry of intra-tissue mass transfer for nutrients, oxygen, growth factors, and other essential ingredients that anchorage-dependent cells require for successful proliferation on biocompatible surfaces. The unsteady state reaction–diffusion equation (i.e., modified diffusion equation) is solved according to the von Karman–Pohlhausen integral method of boundary layer analysis when nutrient consumption and tissue regeneration are stimulated by harmonically imposed stress. The mass balance with diffusion and stress-sensitive kinetics represents a rare example where the Damkohler and Deborah numbers appear together in an effort to simulate the development of mass transfer boundary layers in porous viscoelastic biomaterials. The Boltzmann superposition integral is employed to calculate time-dependent strain in terms of the real and imaginary components of dynamic compliance for viscoelastic solids that transmit harmonic excitation to anchorage-dependent cells. Rates of nutrient consumption under stress-free conditions are described by third-order kinetics which include local mass densities of nutrients, oxygen, and attached cells that maintain dynamic equilibrium with active protein sites in the porous matrix. Thinner nutrient mass transfer boundary layers are stabilized at shorter dimensionless diffusion times when the stress-free intra-tissue Damkohler number increases above its initial-condition-sensitive critical value. The critical stress-sensitive intra-tissue Damkohler number, above which it is necessary to consider the effect of harmonic strain on nutrient consumption and tissue regeneration, is proportional to the Deborah number and corresponds to a larger fraction of the stress-free intra-tissue Damkohler number in rigid biomaterials.
The place of sirolimus in kidney transplantation: Can we reduce calcineurin inhibitor renal toxicity?

Sirolimus, a macrocylic lactone, blocks T-cell activation by a mechanism of action distinct from calcineurin inhibitors (CNIs). Therefore, it may be expected that sirolimus would display a safety profile without the vasomotor form of nephrotoxicity characteristic of CNIs. Initial studies in rodent models and in psoriasis patients showed that sirolimus alone did not impair renal function. Subsequently, two pivotal, randomized double dummy, phase III trials in human renal transplantation demonstrated that sirolimus exacerbated the nephrotoxicity of full doses of CNIs. Both pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic mechanisms have been implicated in the pathogenesis of this disorder. Subsequent experience has shown that cyclosporin A dose reduction, elimination, or avoidance mitigates these effects, particularly in patients distant from the transplant procedure. However, there is concern about recovery from ischemia–reperfusion injury. Animal models suggesting that sirolimus may delay recovery in this setting have been supported by non-randomized experiences at single centers, which have observed an increased incidence of delayed graft function among sirolimus-treated recipients. In contrast, large single- and multi-center studies have not confirmed this finding; impaired renal recovery has been observed in only occasional instances. Thus, present data indicate that sirolimus does not impair the function of an uninjured kidney, but whether the drug acts alone or potentiates conditions that delay recovery after ischemic injury remains to be established by large randomized trials specifically targeted to recipients at high risk for this complication.
catena-Poly[[[{5,5'-dimeth-oxy-2,2'-[ethane-1,2-diylbis(nitrilo-methyl-idyne)]diphenolato}manganese(III)]-μ-acetato] methanol monosolvate].

The title MnIII compound, {[Mn(C18H18N2O4)(CH3COO)]·CH3OH}n, was synthesized by a reaction between mangan­ese(II) acetate and ethyl­enebis(4-meth­oxy­salicylaldimine). The structure is made up of bis­(4-meth­oxy­salicyldene)ethyl­enediaminatomanganese(III) units bridged by acetate groups, with Mn—N = 1.9786 (9), Mn—O = 1.8784 (10) and Mn—Oacetate = 2.056 (9) and 2.2571 (9) A, forming a one dimensional polymer (–Mn–acetate–Mn–acetate–) along [100]. The MnIII atom is in a Jahn–Teller-distorted octa­hedral environment with cis angles ranging from 81.87 (4) to 96.53 (4)° and trans angles ranging from 166.11 (3) to 173.93 (3)°. The methanol solvent mol­ecule is hydrogen bonded to the phenolate O atom. In addition to this classical hydrogen bond, there are weak C—H⋯O inter­actions. The structure was determined from a crystal twinned by pseudo-merohedry.
CO adsorption on the stepped Ag(2 2 1) surface

Abstract The adsorption and geometry of CO on the stepped Ag(2 2 1) surface, Ag(S)[4(1 1 1) × (1 1 1)], has been studied by temperature programmed desorption (TPD) and time-of-flight electron-stimulated desorption ion angular desorption (TOF-ESDIAD) methods. The adsorbed CO molecule exhibits two distinct desorption processes near 80 K (α1) and near 90 K (α2). At low coverage, only the α2 desorption feature is observed while at higher coverage the α1 feature can be seen as well. Upon electron bombardment, three desorption species can be identified by TOF-ESDIAD, O+, CO+, and CO* (electronically excited neutral CO species). The coverage-dependent CO* angular distribution pattern was studied by annealing the surface. At low coverage, a two-beam pattern aligned along the 〈 1 ¯ 1 0 〉 azimuth is obtained indicating that CO molecules tilt in both directions along the step edges. At higher coverage, an additional feature is observed, producing a three beam pattern, which contains contributions both from terrace and step sites. This suggests that CO preferentially adsorbs at the step sites of Ag(2 2 1) at low coverages, and that both terrace and step sites are occupied at higher coverages. It is also concluded that the CO molecules adsorb perpendicular to the terrace surface.
Independence of sex-role and gender identity.

This study replicates Bern's original standardization study with a large sample of college students (N = 860) and utilizes stepwise backward regression analysis with the 60 personality characteristics as predictor variables and gender as the criterion variable. The Kruskal-Wallis one-way analysis of variance test was used to analyze the order in which the personality characteristics were dropped by regression. Rankings of the three independent groups, neutral, masculine, and feminine, were not different. Thus the data confirm Bern's construct of role identity as independent of biological gender.
Opioid gene expression in the developing and adult rat heart.

Opioid peptides are known to play a role in the function and growth of the mammalian heart. Although some information about gene expression of opioids in the heart is available, there is no data on the cellular location of opioid gene expression during development or in the adult. Using in situ hybridization and rat heart ranging from embryonic day 14 (E14) to adulthood, we have evaluated the distribution of gene expression for proenkephalin, proopiomelanocortin, and prodynorphin. With respect to preproenkephalin mRNA (PPE mRNA), message in the ventricle was abundant from E14 (the first time point examined) until shortly after birth, with a marked reduction noted on postnatal days 5, 10, and 21. Adults displayed considerable message, though less than in preparations of embryonic and neonatal heart. PPE mRNA was detected in epicardial, myocardial, and endocardial cells, as well as the walls of blood vessels, capillaries, and fibroblasts. Preproopiomelanocortin (POMC) mRNA was only found in adults, and was localized to the myocardium. Message for preprodynorphin could not be observed in the ventricles of developing or adult rats. These results are the first to define the temporal and spatial ontogeny of opioid gene expression with regard to the emergence of cardiac architecture. The data suggest that gene expression for proenkephalin is especially prevalent in embryonic and neonatal rats and may be related to the modulatory activity of the opioid growth factor, [Met5]-enkephalin, on cell proliferation and differentiation. The role of PPE and POMC mRNA in adult rat heart requires elucidation. Dev. Dyn. 1998;211:153–163. © 1998 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Innovative environmental sampling during the summer of 2010 in the western Gulf of Mexico

The recent Gulf of Mexico (GOM) oil tragedy is emphasizing the importance of collecting sound, real-time ocean observations through collaborations of academia, government, and industry. Ocean observing systems (OOS) provide continuous data for various environmental, oceanographic, and atmospheric parameters. Many systems, such as moorings and buoys, are in fixed locations providing excellent time series, but are limited in spatial coverage. To improve spatial and temporal resolution, a Sea Sciences Inc. Inc. Acrobat system was deployed in summer 2010 to aide in the cross-shelf sampling of the western GOM coastal waters as part of a multi-year National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) to understand mechanisms controlling GOM hypoxia. Two weeklong surveys were conducted in the northern GOM, in which the Acrobat was deployed to determine the spatial and temporal extents of the Louisiana dead zone and the areal extent of the Texas hypoxic region. The data from this state-of-the-art cabled instrument combined with a real-time mooring, Galveston Instrument Garden for Environmental Monitoring (GIGEM OOS), deployed since 2009 provides valuable insight into the spatial and temporal scales of hypoxia on the Texas shelf, as well as emphasizes the need to developing management policies and future plans for surveying the northern GOM to accurately monitor processes responsible for hypoxia and to provide immediate data in the event of an unexpected environmental hazard.
Therapeutic Response to Vasoconstrictors in Hepatorenal Syndrome Parallels Increase in Mean Arterial Pressure: A Pooled Analysis of Clinical Trials

Background Vasoconstrictor therapy has been advocated as treatment for hepatorenal syndrome (HRS). Our aim was to explore across all tested vasoconstrictors whether achievement of a substantial increase in arterial blood pressure is associated with recovery of kidney function in HRS. Study Design Pooled analysis of published studies identified by electronic database search. Setting & Population Data pooled across 501 participants in 21 studies. Selection Criteria for Studies Human studies evaluating the efficacy of a vasoconstrictor administered for 72 hours or longer in adults with HRS type 1 or 2. Intervention Vasoconstrictor therapy. Outcomes & Measurements Cohorts' mean arterial pressure (MAP), serum creatinine level, urinary output, and plasma renin activity (PRA) at baseline and subsequent times during treatment. Linear regression models were constructed to estimate mean daily changes in MAP, serum creatinine level, urinary output, and PRA for each study subgroup. Correlations were used to assess for association between variables. Results An increase in MAP is associated strongly with a decrease in serum creatinine level, but is not associated with an increase in urinary output. Associations were stronger when analyses were restricted to randomized clinical trials and were not limited to cohorts with either lower baseline MAP or lower baseline serum creatinine level. Most studies tested terlipressin as vasoconstrictor, whereas fewer studies tested ornipressin, midodrine, octreotide, or norepinephrine. Excluding cohorts of participants treated with terlipressin or ornipressin did not eliminate the association. Furthermore, a decrease in PRA correlated with improvement in kidney function. Limitations Studies were not originally designed to test our question. We lacked access to individual patient data. Conclusions An increase in MAP during vasoconstrictor therapy in patients with HRS is associated with improvement in kidney function across the spectrum of drugs tested to date. These results support consideration for a goal-directed approach to the treatment of HRS.
Cross-flow membrane filtration of yeast suspensions

Abstract The feasibility of harvesting yeast cells using synthetic membranes was studied. Three cross-flow membrane filters were compared in terms of flux and cell yields: a pleated-sheet microfilter, a tubular microfilter and a hollow fiber ultrafiltration module. Flux declined in an exponential manner with time with all three modules. In general, lower fouling rates were observed at lower cell concentrations, lower transmembrane pressures and higher velocity. Media components played a relatively greater role in the fouling phenomenon at low cell concentrations. The ultrafiltration module had much lower fouling rates than the microfilters. The pleated-sheet microfilter experienced rapid plugging, significant cell loss and considerably greater difficulty in cleaning. In contrast, the other membrane modules showed almost quantitative cell recoveries. The flux of the tubular microfilter was more than 100 L m −2 h −1 (LMH) at yeast cell concentrations of 100 g L −1 , while the hollow fibers had a flux of 40 LMH at 250 g L −1 .
Accelerated convergence for incompressible flow calculations

Two improved algorithms which solve the steady-state Navier-Stokes equations, PISO and SIMPLER, are studied. Computations were carried out on progressively finer grids for the driven cavity and flow over a backward-facing step. The effects of relaxation factor, number of grid nodes and number of sweeps through the pressure equations are studied to evaluate the performance of the PISO and SIMPLER schemes. Results show that these improved schemes accelerate the convergence rate of the solution generally by a factor of two as compared to the SIMPLE method.