cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Stronger Than We Think: More Capable Than We Know

Criminal victimization has been widely described by the actions and motivations of the offender in committing the crime. This limited understanding can lead to many viewing criminal victimization as random, senseless, and unmanageable events where targets have very little input and control. While the criminal is a key player in the criminal event, the targets, third parties, the situation, and the physical setting play significant roles in influencing the criminal’s decision to proceed with the attack. Criminals have many advantages including the use of deception, but they are far from invincible. Many targets possess considerable abilities and resources to manage or prevent criminal victimization. In addition, many individuals and professional guardians are willing to help them and are capable of doing so (Fig. 1.1).
Should BMI Rather than Age Guide the Decision for Endometrial Sampling in Premenopausal Women with AUB

Study Objective Screening guidelines for endometrial hyperplasia/malignancy are based on a patient population predating the current obesity epidemic. With the rise in obesity and related malignancies, the objective of this study is to evaluate various risk factors for endometrial hyperplasia/malignancy in premenopausal women with AUB or oligomenorrhea. Specifically the study aims to elucidate whether obesity or age confers higher risk of disease in the premenopausal population. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting Large urban academic center. Patients or Participants Premenopausal women undergoing endometrial sampling for AUB or oligomenorrhea. Interventions Endometrial sampling via office biopsy or dilation and curettage. Measurements and Main Results A cohort of women (N = 7001) ages 18-51 who underwent endometrial sampling for AUB or oligomenorrhea were identified from a large deidentified database of clinical records from approximately 1990 to 2019 unique to our institution. A preliminary convenience sample (N= 250) was analyzed and a total of 13 cases (5.6%) of hyperplasia or malignancy were noted. Mean age was found to be 42.6 overall in this sample and 45.9 in those with disease. Mean BMI of the sample was found to be 31.8 overall and 40.7 in those with disease. Logistic regression was performed and revealed that BMI (coefficient = 0.096, p = 0.001) was a significant predictor of malignancy/hyperplasia in this population while age (coefficient = 0.018, p = 0.102) was not. Conclusion While both age and obesity are risk factors for endometrial hyperplasia and malignancy in the postmenopausal population, obesity appears to be a risk factor for disease in the premenopausal while age does not. Our study suggests that BMI may be a more important risk factor to prompt screening. Further study of risk factors for endometrial malignancy in a contemporary demographic setting is needed.
A CS Course for Non-Majors Based on the Arduino Platform

We present a model for enhancing an introductory computer science course for non-majors through the use of the Arduino platform. We have developed and tested curricular modules and associated hands-on laboratories for this model. The use of the highly visual and interactive Arduino system has improved students' learning experiences, enabling them to apply and relate fundamental computational thinking concepts of algorithmic reasoning, data representation, and computational efficiency to real-world problems. Assessment results show that the approach has been effective. We present the curricular modules, our experiences using them, as well as assessment results.
A Proposal for the Standardized Reporting of Error and Paradata Regarding Structure from Motion (SfM) 3D Models Used in Recording and Consolidating Archaeological Architecture

In the past decade, archaeologists have increasingly made use of photogrammetry, the process of creating 3D models from photographs, in a variety of field and lab settings. We argue that we must, as a discipline, develop a consistent methodology to ensure that 3D models are held to a consistent standard, including not only photographic protocol but also the documentation of model accuracy using an agreed-upon measure. To help develop this discussion, we present our system for incorporating photogrammetry into the documentation of architecture. This technique was developed at the site of Nim Li Punit, Belize, in 2018. Excavating architecture involves documenting the pre-excavated building, liberating overburden, documenting all in situ construction (including wall fall, fill stones, and standing architecture), drawing consolidated architecture, and documenting the final state of the post-excavated buildings. The generation of 3D models greatly assisted in all facets of the excavation, documentation, analysis, and consolidation processes. To ensure that our models were accurate, we documented the reprojection error and final model horizontal distortion to assess the quality of the model. We suggest that documenting both forms of error should become standard practice in any discussion of archaeological applications of photogrammetry.
A question that has no end: the politics of life and death in the search for disappeared migrants in Mexico

This article explores the struggles of Central American families of disappeared migrants to maintain hope in the search for their loved ones along the migrant route in Mexico. The militarization of...
Potential Contribution of Deflection-Induced Fuel Consumption to U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions:

Various methods have been proposed to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions associated with transportation. We investigate the potential of increasing the elastic modulus of pavement surface layers...
Delocalization Effects in Chlorophyll Fluorescence: Nonperturbative Line Shape Analysis of a Vibronically Coupled Dimer

Non-adiabatic vibrational/electronic (vibronic) interactions in photosynthetic pigment/protein complexes (PPCs) have recently attracted considerable interest as a potential source for long-lived dy...
Quantitative analysis of the ubiquitin-proteasome system under proteolytic and folding stressors

Abstract Aging, disease, and environmental stressors are associated with failures in the ubiquitin-proteasome system (UPS), yet a quantitative understanding of how stressors affect the proteome and how the UPS responds is lacking. Here we assessed UPS performance and adaptability in yeast under stressors using quantitative measurements of misfolded substrate stability and stress-dependent UPS regulation by the transcription factor Rpn4. We found that impairing degradation rates (proteolytic stress) and generating misfolded proteins (folding stress) elicited distinct effects on the proteome and on UPS adaptation. Folding stressors stabilized proteins via aggregation rather than overburdening the proteasome, as occurred under proteolytic stress. Still, the UPS productively adapted to both stressors using separate mechanisms: proteolytic stressors caused Rpn4 stabilization while folding stressors increased RPN4 transcription. In some cases, adaptation completely prevented loss of UPS substrate degradation. Our work reveals the distinct effects of proteotoxic stressors and the versatility of cells in adapting the UPS.
The Spatial and Time-Varying Contagion Effect of Foreclosures

We employ a Cox proportional hazard model to examine the effect of observed mortgage defaults within a neighborhood on homeowners’ strategic default decisions, using multiple datasets from the Fres...
Autoregressive Affective Language Forecasting: A Self-Supervised Task.

Human natural language is mentioned at a specific point in time while human emotions change over time. While much work has established a strong link between language use and emotional states, few have attempted to model emotional language in time. Here, we introduce the task of affective language forecasting – predicting future change in language based on past changes of language, a task with real-world applications such as treating mental health or forecasting trends in consumer confidence. We establish some of the fundamental autoregressive characteristics of the task (necessary history size, static versus dynamic length, varying time-step resolutions) and then build on popular sequence models for words to instead model sequences of language-based emotion in time. Over a novel Twitter dataset of 1,900 users and weekly + daily scores for 6 emotions and 2 additional linguistic attributes, we find a novel dual-sequence GRU model with decayed hidden states achieves best results (r = .66) significantly out-predicting, e.g., a moving averaging based on the past time-steps (r = .49). We make our anonymized dataset as well as task setup and evaluation code available for others to build on.
Novel Validated Index for the Measurement of Disinformation Susceptibility at the County Level

In the past decade, disinformation has become an increasingly dangerous enemy of public health, scientific advancement, and social stability. To address and counter this trend, it is essential to first identify communities most at risk for disinformation. The Jin-Hafiz Disinformation Index (JHDI) is developed and validated as a tool to counter disinformation and address deficits of good information on a county level in the United States. Once vulnerable communities are identified with the JHDI, targeted interventions with community partnerships can be conducted to address knowledge concerns.
Assessment of computer workstations for compliance with ergonomic guidelines: A field study.

Background Computer workstation use is a risk factor for the development of musculoskeletal disorders. Governmental guidelines have been developed as a resource for workstation set-up to minimize this risk. The degree of worksite compliance with guidelines has not been examined. Objective The purpose of this study was to examine workstations using the VDT Workstation Checklist to determine compliance, and potential modifications. Methods Subjects were recruited from a variety of work settings in Erie, PA. Workstations were assessed with the worker present, using the VDT Workstation Checklist. Adjustments and recommendations were made as appropriate. Results Of the 60 workstations examined, 48%did not receive a passing score. All but one were correctable to an acceptable level with minimal low-cost modifications. The recommendation for wrist rests (43%), changes in monitor height (30%) or position (27%) and reposition of the keyboard (13.3%) and mouse (13.3%) were the most frequent modifications. Ten (16.7%) workstations did not require modification. Conclusions Almost half of workstations reviewed were not in compliance with current guidelines, however almost all (98%) could be brought into compliance with simple modifications. Office workers need guidance in setting up workspace and adjusting ergonomic equipment to provide comfortable and safe work settings and minimize musculoskeletal symptoms.
Oral Anticoagulant Use in Morbid Obesity and Post Bariatric Surgery: A Review.

Abstract Bariatric surgery has emerged as a therapy for obesity and the associated comorbidities. Obesity has been shown to be a risk factor for atrial fibrillation as well as venous thromboembolism, both of which are conditions that warrant anticoagulation. There is significant underrepresentation of the morbidly obese population in prospective trials that evaluated direct oral anticoagulants and vitamin K antagonists in atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. We aim to review all the available data that assessed these oral anticoagulants in the morbidly obese population (body mass index >40 kg/m2 and weight >120 kg) and in the post-bariatric surgery population. Our findings suggest that direct oral anticoagulants may be safe and effective for anticoagulation in morbidly obese patients for both atrial fibrillation and venous thromboembolism. However, warfarin is the preferred agent in the post-bariatric surgery population, given the limited number of studies on direct oral anticoagulants in this population. Further adequately powered randomized control trials are needed to confirm the safety and efficacy of these oral anticoagulants in the morbidly obese and post-bariatric surgery population.
Osteoporosis and Cardiovascular Disease in the Elderly

Osteoporosis and cardiovascular disease are common disorders that increase with aging. Accumulating evidence indicates that both disorders may share common pathophysiologic mechanisms as well as risk factors. Besides age and sedentary lifestyle, diabetes, hypertension, dyslipidemia, estrogen deficiency, and hyperhomocysteinemia are common risk factors for both disorders. Furthermore, therapeutic agents for osteoporosis have antiatherosclerotic properties and agents such as statins that are atheroprotective, and appear to increase bone mass and perhaps protect against fractures.
Remembrance of streams past: overload-sensitive management of archived streams

This paper studies Data Stream Management Systems that combine real-time data streams with historical data, and hence access incoming streams and archived data simultaneously. A significant problem for these systems is the I/O cost of fetching historical data which inhibits processing of the live data streams. Our solution is to reduce the I/O cost for accessing the archive by retrieving only a reduced (summarized or sampled) version of the historical data. This paper does not propose new summarization or sampling techniques, but rather a framework in which multiple resolutions of summarization/sampling can be generated efficiently. The query engine can select the appropriate level of summarization to use depending on the resources currently available. The central research problem studied is whether to generate the multiple representations of archived data eagerly upon data-arrival, lazily at query-time, or in a hybrid fashion. Concrete techniques for each approach are presented, which are tied to a specific data reduction technique (random sampling). The tradeoffs among the three approaches are studied both analytically and experimentally.
Alteration of fractures by precipitation and dissolution in gradient reaction environments: Computational results and stochastic analysis

[1] Precipitation and dissolution reactions within fractures alter apertures, which in turn affects their flow and transport properties. Different aperture alteration patterns occur in different flow and reaction regimes, and they are also influenced by preferential flow resulting from spatial variations in the aperture. We consider the alteration of variable-aperture fractures in gradient reaction regimes, where fluids are in chemical equilibrium with a mineral everywhere but precipitation and dissolution are driven by solubility gradients associated with temperature variations. The temperature field is defined by a geothermal gradient corresponding to a conduction-dominated heat transfer regime. Monte Carlo simulations on computer-generated aperture fields vividly illustrate pattern formation resulting from two-way feedback between fluid flow and reactive alteration. In dissolution-controlled systems, distinct dissolution channels develop along the dominant flow direction, while elongated precipitate bodies form perpendicular to the mean flow direction in precipitation-controlled systems. Aperture variability accelerates the increase and decrease of effective transmissivity by dissolution and precipitation, respectively. The dominance of precipitation versus dissolution is determined by the angle between the mean hydraulic gradient and solubility/temperature gradient. Development of pronounced anisotropy with oriented elongate features is the key feature of aperture alteration in gradient reaction regimes. A stochastic analysis is developed, which consistently predicts general trends in the aperture field during reactive alteration, including the mean, variance, and spatial covariance structure. Our results are relevant to understanding the long-term diagenetic evolution of fractures in conduction-dominated heat transfer regimes and related problems such as emplacement of ocean bed methane hydrates.
Offence specialisation and versatility among juveniles.

There exists a largely unrecognised consensus on a major characteristic of delinquency, namely that delinquent behaviour is primarily unpat terned. It has been rather commonly assumed that the opposite is true, that many or most juveniles show specialisation in offence types and a progression over time from less to more serious categories of offences. These assumptions are particularly well fixed in the minds of practitioners who use them as part of the rationale for behaviour-specific treatment modalities and for early intervention strategies. Academic scholars have also tended to accept these assumptions of specialisation and progression in seriousness, and for several reasons. Among these are (a) generalisation from data and assumptions concerning adult crime patterns ; (b) the common use of reifying descriptive terms such as "auto-thief" or "doper" or "status offender"; (c) the influence of behaviour theory which tends to emphasise discrete behaviour patterns as learned and correctable modules; (d) desires to "discover" clues to early intervention and prevention success; and (e) generalisations stemming from writings on juvenile gang theory. The latter resembles a cultural artifact, the continued use of concepts of specific types of gangs (violent, conflict, theft, retreatist) derived from the work of Yablonsky (1963) and of Cloward and Ohlin (1960) despite the lack of empirical support for the patterns they posited (Short and Strodtbeck, 1965; Klein, 1971). There are, as noted above, two dominant approaches to the meaning of patterning: offence specialisation and progression in offence seriousness. The latter has failed to receive consistent empirical support; a variety of studies suggest that continued delinquency does not correlate well with an increase in the seriousness of offence committed (Klein, 1979). The number of prior offences does not predict the seriousness of the next act. However, we are still left with the issue of offence patterning in the sense of specialisation versus versatility. My own introduction to this issue took place in the mid-sixties. In an attempt to find sensitive measures of the impact of a gang intervention programme, we undertook a factor analysis of over 40 types of offences in the official records of some 800 gang members (Klein, 1971). Five factors ' An earlier draft of this paper, prepared for presentation at the 1980 meetings of the Society for the Study of Social Problems, was sent to a number of the cited authors for their critical comments and for their suggestions of other studies appropriate for inclusion in the review. The author is grateful
Soft-switched inverter for electric vehicle drives

A new type of soft-switched inverter which has particular potential for battery powered applications such as electric vehicle drives is proposed. The topology is derived from the passively clamped quasi resonant link (PCQRL) circuit. By introducing magnetic coupling between the two resonant inductors, the auxiliary switches can be reduced from two to one and only a single magnetic core is required for the resonant DC link. An analysis of this novel PCQRL topology with coupled inductors is presented to reveal the various soft switching characteristics. In comparison with the conventional passively clamped continuously resonant DC link inverter, this novel soft switched inverter can reduce voltage stresses from more than 2 p.u. to 1.1-1.3 p.u. It can also provide soft-switched PWM operation. Simulation and experiment are performed to backup the analysis. >
SNPHunter: a bioinformatic software for single nucleotide polymorphism data acquisition and management.

Single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) provide an important tool in pinpointing susceptibility genes for complex diseases and in unveiling human molecular evolution. Selection and retrieval of an optimal SNP set from publicly available databases have emerged as the foremost bottlenecks in designing large-scale linkage disequilibrium studies, particularly in case-control settings. We describe the architectural structure and implementations of a novel software program, SNPHunter, which allows for both ad hoc-mode and batch-mode SNP search, automatic SNP filtering, and retrieval of SNP data, including physical position, function class, flanking sequences at user-defined lengths, and heterozygosity from NCBI dbSNP. The SNP data extracted from dbSNP via SNPHunter can be exported and saved in plain text format for further down-stream analyses. As an illustration, we applied SNPHunter for selecting SNPs for 10 major candidate genes for type 2 diabetes, including CAPN10, FABP4, IL6, NOS3, PPARG, TNF, UCP2, CRP, ESR1, and AR. SNPHunter constitutes an efficient and user-friendly tool for SNP screening, selection, and acquisition. The executable and user's manual are available at http://www.hsph.harvard.edu/ppg/software.htm .
Effects of velocity-dependent dark matter annihilation on the energy spectrum of the extragalactic gamma-ray background

We calculate the effects of velocity-dependent dark matter annihilation cross sections on the intensity of the extragalactic gamma-ray background. Our formalism does not assume a locally thermal distribution of dark matter particles in phase space, and is valid for arbitrary velocity-dependent annihilation. Although the model of the dark matter distribution we use is simple and may not describe nature precisely, it is sufficient for quantifying the effects of velocity-dependent annihilations: different halo models would be expected to produce the same general features. As concrete examples, we calculate the effects of p-wave annihilation (with the $v$-weighted cross section of $\ensuremath{\sigma}v=a+b{v}^{2}$) on the mean intensity of extragalactic gamma rays produced in cosmological dark matter halos. This velocity variation makes the shape of the energy spectrum harder, but this change in the shape is too small to see unless $b/a\ensuremath{\gtrsim}{10}^{6}$. While we find no such models in the parameter space of the minimal supersymmetric standard model, we show that it is possible to find $b/a\ensuremath{\gtrsim}{10}^{6}$ in the extension $\mathrm{MSSM}\ensuremath{\bigotimes}U(1{)}_{B\ensuremath{-}L}$. However, we find that the most dominant effect of the p-wave annihilation is the suppression of the amplitude of the gamma-ray background. A nonzero $b$ at the dark matter freeze-out epoch requires a smaller value of $a$ in order for the relic density constraint to be satisfied, suppressing the amplitude by a factor as low as ${10}^{\ensuremath{-}6}$ for a thermal relic. Nonthermal relics will have weaker amplitude suppression. As another velocity-dependent effect, we calculate the spectrum for s-wave annihilation into fermions enhanced by the attractive Sommerfeld effect. Resonances associated with this effect result in significantly enhanced intensities, with a slightly softer energy spectrum.
Immunity and the Endocrine System

In conclusion, interaction between the immune and endocrine systems is highly complex. Generally, abnormalities of T suppressor cells, a result of HLA antigen genetic abnormalities, result in autoimmunity that causes endocrine gland destruction and hormone deficiency, as seen in lymphocytic thyroiditis of dogs, type I DM, hypoparathyroidism, hypoadrenocorticism, and APS. On the other hand, endocrine deficiency (hypothyroidism, DM) or excess (hyperadrenocorticism) states may cause abnormalities of cell-mediated and antibody-associated immunity, leading to susceptibility to a variety of viral, bacterial, and fungal infections. It is hoped that this article sheds some light on the complex and highly integrated endocrine-immune interactions.
Viscoelastic Characterization of Surimi Gel: Effects of Setting and Starch

Rheological properties of Alaska pollock surimi gels were affected by setting and addition of corn starch. Setting increased (p < 0.05) both elastic and loss moduli of gel in the absence of starch. However, in the presence of corn starch, setting decreased (p < 0.05) the elastic and loss moduli of the gels. In stress relaxation, the residual forces increased from 37.1 Newton (N) (nonsetting) to 51.8N (setting) in the absence of starch. However, in the presence of starch, the residual force decreased from 49.1N (nonsetting) to 39.0N (setting) which indicated an antagonistic effect between corn starch and setting. A Maxwell model was useful to quantify relaxation behavior of surimi gel and to evaluate the effects of changes in processing conditions.
Preparation and properties of plasma membranes from guinea pig hearts.

Morphologically intact plasma membranes from guinea pig ventricles were obtained by exposing isolated cell segments to osmotic shock, followed by extraction of actomyosin in 1 m-KCl. These preparations contain approximately 16 of the protein and 5 to 10% of the mitochondrial markers present in the original cell preparations. Both adenylate cyclase and (Na+ + K+)-activated ATPase activities are enriched 3 to 4 fold, with activities of 200 to 250 pmol cAMP min−1 mg−1 for the former and 4 to 5 μmol Pi h−1 mg−1 for the latter. The receptors for both epinephrine and NaF stimulation of adenylate cyclase are retained, as evidenced by 20 to 40% stimulation by 10−4 m-epinephrine and 40 to 50% stimulation by 10 mm-NaF. This preparation is suitable for studies of drug and ion interactions with the cardiac plasma membrane, and for studies of the hormone-sensitive cardiac adenylate cyclase.
MaJIC: compiling MATLAB for speed and responsiveness

This paper presents and evaluates techniques to improve the execution performance of MATLAB. Previous efforts concentrated on source to source translation and batch compilation; MaJIC provides an interactive frontend that looks like MATLAB and compiles/optimizes code behind the scenes in real time, employing a combination of just-in-time and speculative ahead-of-time compilation. Performance results show that the proper mixture of these two techniques can yield near-zero response time as well as performance gains previously achieved only by batch compilers.
Trunk stiffness and dynamics during active extension exertions

Spinal stability is related to the recruitment and control of active muscle stiffness. Stochastic system identification techniques were used to calculate the effective stiffness and dynamics of the trunk during active trunk extension exertions. Twenty-one healthy adult subjects (10 males, 11 females) wore a harness with a cable attached to a servomotor such that isotonic flexion preloads of 100, 135, and 170 N were applied at the T10 level of the trunk. A pseudorandom stochastic force sequence (bandwidth 0-10 Hz, amplitude +/-30 N) was superimposed on the preload causing small amplitude trunk movements. Nonparametric impulse response functions of trunk dynamics were computed and revealed that the system exhibited underdamped second-order behavior. Second-order trunk dynamics were determined by calculating the best least-squares fit to the IRF. The quality of the model was quantified by comparing estimated and observed displacement variance accounted for (VAF), and quality of the second-order fits was calculated as a percentage and referred to as fit accuracy. Mean VAF and fit accuracy were 87.8 +/- 4.0% and 96.0 +/- 4.3%, respectively, indicating that the model accurately represented active trunk kinematic response. The accuracy of the kinematic representation was not influenced by preload or gender. Mean effective stiffness was 2.78 +/- 0.96 N/mm and increased significantly with preload (p < 0.001), but did not vary with gender (p = 0.425). Mean effective damping was 314 +/- 72 Ns/m and effective trunk mass was 37.0 +/- 9.3 kg. We conclude that stochastic system identification techniques should be used to calculate effective trunk stiffness and dynamics.
Ringleader Bullying: Association with Psychopathic Narcissism and Theory of Mind Among Child Psychiatric Inpatients

This study examined the association of ringleader bullying with psychopathic traits and theory of mind among 100 youth aged 10–15 (62 boys and 38 girls) receiving inpatient psychiatric services at a state facility. Results of hierarchical multiple regression analyses indicated a positive association between ringleader bullying and psychopathic narcissism, and a significant interaction effect between narcissism and theory of mind. More specifically, narcissism moderated the relationship between theory of mind and ringleader bullying such that theory of mind was positively associated with ringleader bullying when levels of narcissism were high, and theory of mind was negatively associated ringleader bullying when levels of narcissism were low. The discussion of these results focuses on the importance of developing effective treatment techniques for youth whose bullying behavior is associated with narcissistic features and social acuity.
Urban Elementary School Teachers' Knowledge and Practices in Teaching Science to English Language Learners.

This study examined urban elementary teachers' knowledge and practices in teaching science while supporting English language development of English language learning (ELL) students. As part of a larger 5-year research project in the United States, the study involved 38 third-grade teachers who participated in the first-year implementation of a professional development intervention that consisted of curriculum units and teacher workshops. The study examined four areas—teacher knowledge of science content, teaching science for understanding, teaching science for inquiry, and teacher support for English language development—through a questionnaire, classroom observations, and postobservation interviews. Results indicate that teachers' knowledge and practices were generally within the bounds supported by the intervention; however, such knowledge and practices fell short of the goal of reform-oriented practices. The results provide insights for our ongoing intervention and other similar efforts and contribute to the emerging knowledge base on science and English language and literacy with ELL students. © 2007 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Sci Ed92:733–758, 2008
Climate Change and Climate Modeling

[1] In long-established fields like fluid mechanics or quantum theory, the contents of introductory textbooks are mostly predictable: The basics are covered in more or less the same order, and while cutting-edge research occasionally gets a look-in (depending on the inclinations of the authors), the contents are far more frequently reworkings of previous textbooks than a synthesis of recent primary literature. In a field like climate science, however, where there is a much shorter history of textbook writing, much of the subject matter is extracted directly from papers published in the past 10 years. This makes the resulting textbooks far more varied and interesting.
Are sons worth more than daughters

Red Deer: Behaviour and Ecology of Two Sexes. By T.H. Clutton-Brock, F.E. Guinness and S.D. Albon. Edinburgh University Press/University of Chicago Press: 1983. Pp.400. Hbk £20; pbk £9.75, $12.95.
Bacterial infection as assessed by in vivo gene expression

In vivo expression technology (IVET) has been used to identify >100 Salmonella typhimurium genes that are specifically expressed during infection of BALB/c mice and/or murine cultured macrophages. Induction of these genes is shown to be required for survival in the animal under conditions of the IVET selection. One class of in vivo induced (ivi) genes, iviVI-A and iviVI-B, constitute an operon that resides in a region of the Salmonella genome with low G+C content and presumably has been acquired by horizontal transfer. These ivi genes encode predicted proteins that are similar to adhesins and invasins from prokaryotic and eukaryotic pathogens (Escherichia coli [tia], Plasmodium falciparum [PfEMP1]) and have coopted the PhoPQ regulatory circuitry of Salmonella virulence genes. Examination of the in vivo induction profile indicates (i) many ivi genes encode regulatory functions (e.g., phoPQ and pmrAB) that serve to enhance the sensitivity and amplitude of virulence gene expression (e.g., spvB); (ii) the biochemical function of many metabolic genes may not represent their sole contribution to virulence; (iii) the host ecology can be inferred from the biochemical functions of ivi genes; and (iv) nutrient limitation plays a dual signaling role in pathogenesis: to induce metabolic functions that complement host nutritional deficiencies and to induce virulence functions required for immediate survival and spread to subsequent host sites.
The Testing of Binocular and Monocular Oral Reading Skill

The Keystone Tests of Binocular Skill (Gray's Oral Reading Check Tests) seek to measure the relative efficiency of binocular and monocular oral reading. Reference 1 has been made to reading disability cases who could read more effectively under monocular than under binocular con ditions, although no group testing statistics have been published. The purpose of this study is to report an evaluation of this test when used with college students. METHOD
Robust stability of a special class of polynomial matrices with control applications

Abstract The robust stability problem of uncertain continuous-time systems described by higher-order dynamic equations is considered in this paper. Previous results on robust stability of Metzlerian matrices are extended to matrix polynomials, with the coefficient matrices having exactly the same Metzlerian structure. After defining the structured uncertainty for this class of polynomial matrices, we provide an explicit expression for the real stability radius and derive simplified formulae for several special cases. We also report on alternative approaches for investigating robust Hurwitz stability and strong stability of polynomial matrices. Several illustrative examples throughout the paper support the theoretical development. Moreover, an application example is included to demonstrate uncertainty modeling and robust stability analysis used in control design.
Selective role of PKCβ enzymatic function in regulating cell survival mediated by B cell antigen receptor cross-linking

Cross-linking of the B cell antigen receptor (BCR) results in the activation of several protein tyrosine kinases leading to phospholipase C-gamma2-dependent phospholipid hydrolysis and Ca2+ mobilization, followed by activation of the protein kinase C (PKC) family members. Sustained Ca2+ release in B lymphocytes is dependent on the membrane localization and activation of the protein tyrosine kinase BTK. Ca2+ release is a tightly regulated process involving BTK membrane localization through its phosphorylation by PKCbeta. A selective role of PKCbeta in B cell signaling was first revealed by the characterization of PKCbeta knockout mice, which displayed decreased B cell proliferation in response to various mitogenic stimuli. However, it is not clear whether the B cell defects displayed by the PKCbeta knockout mice are due a B cell developmental defect or the scaffolding function of PKCbeta, resulting in a defect in the recruitment or formation of signal transducing complex molecules. Thus, in this report we investigated the effects of pharmacologic inhibition of the catalytic function of PKCbeta on B cell survival and growth. Treatment of Daudi B lymphoma cell line with a selective PKCbeta inhibitor, LY333531, inhibited anti-IgM-induced phosphorylation of BTK on Ser180 in a concentration-dependent manner, which was concomitant with an increase in BTK activation, and Ca2+ mobilization. In primary splenic B cells, LY333531 inhibited BCR-induced B cell proliferation, but did not affect basal or LPS-induced proliferation. Finally, LY333531 treatment resulted in the induction of apoptosis of anti-IgM-activated B cells, which corroborated with their inability to up-regulate pro-survival factors, Bcl-X(L) and Bcl-2. These results support the important and selective role of the PKCbeta enzymatic function in controlling Ca2+ release during BCR signaling leading to B lymphocyte survival and growth.
A Study of Estrogenic Action on the Collagen, Hexosamine and Nitrogen Content of Skin, Uterus and Vagina

Although it has been assumed that estrogenic treatment of the skin changes its collagen and moisture content, our experiments indicated that neither topical administration of estrogens (estradiol-17βorhexestrol) in large doses to the skin sample site nor subcutaneous injections in a wide range of doses for 3-week periods altered: 1) collagen, as measured by hydroxyproline; 2) hexosamine; 3) total nitrogen; 4) moisture content in the skin of castrated rats. The action of estradiol-17β, in a wide range of doses (0.01–5.0 μg/day/21 days), upon the above components, plus the effect of the estrogen on the noncollagen protein in the uterus and vagina of the castrate rat, was also studied. Castrate animals which did not receive the estrogen served as controls. The results were expressed in terms of: 1) the concentration (μM/g of dry tissue) and 2) the total amount in the organ (μM/total dry organ). The collagen and noncollagen protein were compared on the basis of dry weight in mg. Analysis of our findings with ...
The role of orography in determining the Sahelian climate

We have examined numerical modelling evidence based on the NASA GEOS-1 general circulation model in order to investigate the role of orography in determining the West African summer climate anomalies. Orographic climatic control and the influence of sea-surface temperature (SST) anomaly forcing were investigated by systematic suppression or inclusion of these effects in the numerical experiments. Our main finding is that the orography of Africa plays a major role in determining the climate of the Sahel and the coastal region of West Africa during the northern hemispheric summer season. These orographic effects are comprised of: (i) a quasi-stationary orographic ridge–trough dipole generated by the passage of the low-level prevailing easterlies over the Atlas–Ahaggar mountain complex over northern Africa, and (ii) an elongated zonal windward orographic ridge generated as the cross-equatorial summer monsoons from the South Atlantic Ocean basin ascends over the elevated landmass of West Africa. Over the Sahel, the moist south-westerly flow emanating from the Atlas–Ahaggar orographic trough over the Atlantic Ocean and the dry hot north-easterlies originating from the corresponding orographic windward ridge tend to converge along a zonal axis thus reinforcing the Inter-Tropical Convergence Zone. This results in wetter conditions over the Sahel than would have been the case in the absence of orography. The model simulations show that further to the south along the coastal region of West Africa, the zonal orographic ridge results in drier conditions than in the model runs when orography is suppressed. The net result is a permanent orographic-induced rainfall dipole pattern over West Africa. Further model simulations were conducted in which the 1973 SST anomaly conditions were described with or without the orography of Africa. The 1973 SST anomaly pattern is characterized by positive anomalies in the Southern Hemisphere and negative anomalies in the Northern Hemisphere. The model results show a weaker orographic-induced rainfall dipole pattern across West Africa in response to the 1973 SST anomaly pattern. The net result is wetter conditions along the coastal region and rainfall deficits over the Sahelian zonal strip. © 1997 by the Royal Meteorological Society.
Ventricular septal defect: An analysis of twenty-eight patients

Summary The first twenty-eight patients with ventricular septal defect proved by cardiac catheterization have been summarized. The patients were children, with no special selection other than the diagnosis made clinically. The lesion usually was associated with electrocardiographic and roentgenologic abnormalities and with significantly elevated pressures in the right ventricle and pulmonary artery. We consider ventricular septal defect an abnormality which is serious enough in most instances to justify surgical repair with the least possible delay. Of twenty-eight patients sixteen have had surgery with fourteen successful repairs.
Pseudo-random binary sequence closed-loop system identification error with integration control

AbstractThis paper studies the closed-loop system identification (ID) error when a dynamic integral controller is used. Pseudo-random binary sequence (PRBS) q-Markov covariance equivalent realization (Cover) is used to identify the closed-loop model, and the open-loop model is obtained based upon the identified closed-loop model. Accurate open-loop models were obtained using PRBS q-Markov Cover system ID directly. For closed-loop system ID, accurate open-loop identified models were obtained with a proportional controller, but when a dynamic controller was used, low-frequency system ID error was found. This study suggests that extra caution is required when a dynamic integral controller is used for closed-loop system identification. The closed-loop identification framework also has significant effects on closed-loop identification error. Both first- and second-order examples are provided in this paper.
Problems for Moral Twin Earth Arguments

Terry Horgan and Mark Timmons have recently presented a series of papers in which they argue against what has come to be called the ‘new wave’ moral realism and moral semantics of David Brink, Richard Boyd, Peter Railton, and a number of other philosophers. The central idea behind Horgan and Timmons’s criticism of these ‘new wave’ theories has been extended by Sean Holland to include the sort of realism that drops out of response-dependent accounts that make use of an analogy between moral properties and secondary qualities. This paper argues that Holland’s extension depends crucially on the fact that his target is a direct response-dependent account of moral value. His argument does not work against such accounts of more basic normative notions such as ‘harm’ or ‘benefit’. And these more basic notions may then serve as the basic normative building blocks for an indirectly response-dependent moral theory.
On the Gruneisen parameter in the noble gas solids

The Gruneisen parameter atT=0 K in neon, argon, krypton, and xenon is calculated in first-order self-consistent phonon theory. The results are discussed in the context of existing calculations of the Gruneisen parameter at higher temperatures and are compared with the available experimental data.
Scattering by an oscillating barrier: Quantum, classical, and semiclassical comparison

We present a detailed study of scattering by an amplitude-modulated potential barrier using three distinct physical frameworks: quantum, classical, and semiclassical. Classical physics gives bounds on the energy and momentum of the scattered particle, while also providing the foundation for semiclassical theory. We use the semiclassical approach to selectively add quantum-mechanical effects such as interference and diffraction. We find good agreement between the quantum and semiclassical momentum distributions. Our methods and results can be used to understand quantum and classical aspects of transport mechanisms involving time-varying potentials, such as quantum pumping.
What must we mean by "community"? A processive account.

The term “community” in ethics and bioethics traditionally has been used to designate either a specific kind of moral relationship available to rational agents or, in contrast, the context in which any sense of rational agency can even be understood. I argue that bioethics is better served when both “selves” and “community” are expressed through a more processive language that highlights the functional character of such concepts. In particular, I see the turn to “processive” community in bioethics as a turn towards method, contextualization, and narrative. In clinical practice, such a processive account demands that bioethics concentrate on methods of developing healthy dialogue and deeper understanding from within the problematic situation rather than trying to “fix” problems using ethical tools developed from outside the present situation. “Community,” I argue, is in and of the interactive processes of inquiry itself. Such inquiry, such “communitying,” requires that we engage individual patients in context; it demands more than simply gaining their permission or mere consent; it demands developing a supportive environment for participation.
The Lumenal Loop Met672–Pro707 of Copper-transporting ATPase ATP7A Binds Metals and Facilitates Copper Release from the Intramembrane Sites

The copper-transporting ATPase ATP7A has an essential role in human physiology. ATP7A transfers the copper cofactor to metalloenzymes within the secretory pathway; inactivation of ATP7A results in an untreatable neurodegenerative disorder, Menkes disease. Presently, the mechanism of ATP7A-mediated copper release into the secretory pathway is not understood. We demonstrate that the characteristic His/Met-rich segment Met672–Pro707 (HM-loop) that connects the first two transmembrane segments of ATP7A is important for copper release. Mutations within this loop do not prevent the ability of ATP7A to form a phosphorylated intermediate during ATP hydrolysis but inhibit subsequent dephosphorylation, a step associated with copper release. The HM-loop inserted into a scaffold protein forms two structurally distinct binding sites and coordinates copper in a mixed His-Met environment with an ∼2:1 stoichiometry. Binding of either copper or silver, a Cu(I) analog, induces structural changes in the loop. Mutations of 4 Met residues to Ile or two His-His pairs to Ala-Gly decrease affinity for copper. Altogether, the data suggest a two-step process, where copper released from the transport sites binds to the first His(Met)2 site, triggering a structural change and binding to a second 2-coordinate His-His or His-Met site. We also show that copper binding within the HM-loop stabilizes Cu(I) and protects it from oxidation, which may further aid the transfer of copper from ATP7A to acceptor proteins. The mechanism of copper entry into the secretory pathway is discussed.
Enantiospecific sublethal effects of the antidepressant fluoxetine to a model aquatic vertebrate and invertebrate.

Abstract Many contaminants are chiral compounds with enantiomers that may differ markedly in environmental fate, bioavailability, and toxicity. Enantiospecific environmental fate and ecotoxicological information are lacking for many chiral contaminants. The primary objective of this investigation included an assessment of potential enantiospecific differences in sublethal standardized and behavioral responses of the model organisms Pimephales promelas (teleost) and Daphnia magna (crustacean) to the widely prescribed chiral antidepressant fluoxetine. Endpoints assessed included D. magna immobilization, reproduction, and grazing rate and P. promelas survival, growth, and feeding rate. S -Fluoxetine was found to be more toxic to sublethal standardized and behavioral endpoints in P. promelas , potentially because its primary active metabolite, S -norfluoxetine, is more potent than the same metabolite of R -fluoxetine in mammals. This was not observed for D. magna responses. This differential enantiospecific response between model organisms may have resulted from closer target homology between mammals and fish than between mammals and crustaceans. P. promelas feeding rate, an ecologically relevant and mode-of-action related response, was the most sensitive endpoint tested for R - and S -fluoxetine with 10% effect concentration (EC10) values (±SE) of 16.1 (±20.2) and 3.7 (±4.6) μg l −1 , respectively. Up to a 9.4-fold difference in toxicity between enantiomers was observed; P. promelas growth EC10s (±SE) for R - and S -fluoxetine were 132.9 (±21.2) and 14.1 (±8.1) μg l −1 , respectively. Such differences in sublethal responses to fluoxetine enantiomers suggest that enantiospecific toxicity and mode-of-action related responses that are ecologically relevant (e.g., feeding rate) should be considered in future ecological hazard and risk assessments for chiral contaminants.