cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Protocol for Efficient Cell-Free Synthesis of Cowpea Chlorotic Mottle Virus-Like Particles Containing Heterologous RNAs

We report a protocol for efficient cell-free synthesis of cowpea chlorotic mottle virus (CCMV)-like particles containing a broad range of lengths and sequences of RNA. Our protocol starts with a purified stock of wild-type CCMV (protocols for harvesting and purifying the virus are detailed elsewhere) and features three basic steps: disassembly of the CCMV and purification of the capsid protein (CP) from the viral RNA; coassembly of the purified CP and an RNA of choice; and characterization of the assembly products. We highlight several key factors that increase the yield of the assembly reaction: the CP should be uncleaved and sufficiently free of viral RNA; the length of the RNA should be between about 100 and 4000 nucleotides; and the stoichiometry of CP and RNA should be 6-1 by mass. Additionally, we point out that separating the assembly reaction into multiple steps-by successively lowering the ionic strength and then the pH of the assembly buffers-results in the highest yields of well-formed, nuclease-resistant, CCMV-like particles. Finally, we describe methods for characterizing the assembly products using native agarose gel electrophoresis and negative-stain transmission electron microscopy.
Considerations for Performing Level-2 Centiloid Transformations for Amyloid PET SUVR values

The Centiloid Project describes a post-hoc data transformation to standardize amyloid PET measurements to enable direct data comparisons across sites and studies using differing acquisition/analysis methods. It uses linear regression that transforms values using different measurement scales to match those from a standard Centiloid unit scale. Our group's measurement method differs from the Centiloid's standard method in both acquisition and analysis methods. In this work we examine multiple variations for performing these transformations and compare several approaches. We hypothesized that using Deming regression, which accounts for error on both axes, would produce a more optimal transformation than the recommended standard linear regression. We also examined the effects of performing separate regressions for differences in acquisition and analysis methods, rather than a direct single-regression approach. Our results found that all transformation approaches had very similar performance and were within the recommended tolerance thresholds.
Immune responses during measles virus infection

The characteristic disease features of measles--fever and rash--are associated with the immune response to infection and are coincident with virus clearance. MV-specific antibody and CD4 and CD8 T cell responses are generated and contribute to virus clearance and protection from reinfection. During this same phase of immune activation immunologic abnormalities are also apparent. There is a generalized suppression of cellular immune responses that may contribute to increased susceptibility to other infections. Autoimmune disease may appear in the form of acute disseminated encephalomyelitis. If virus-specific immune responses are inadequate infection may progress with pulmonary or CNS manifestations, but without a rash. The pathogenesis of the rare disease SSPE, that occurs many years after primary infection is not clear, but immune responses show increased antibody to measles and cellular immune responses similar to those seen after uncomplicated infection.
Behavioral Choices and the Built Environment

Conditions in the built environment can directly affect health and can indirectly affect health by influencing behavioral choices. The environment is not the only determinant of behavioral choices; it acts together with other factors including cultural preferences, economic incentives, and social cues.(If you give them a sidewalk, they still may not walk.) Current social trends include behavioral choices aimed at health (such as quitting smoking) and behavioral choices aimed at environmental sustainability (such as recycling). The built environment can foster choices that advance both goals (such as walking instead of driving). Behavioral change strategies that complement changes to the built environment include education, regulation, market mechanisms, and social marketing.
Determination of Data-Acquisition Rate — The Nyquist Frequency

In many applications of laboratory computers, it is necessary to sample a periodically varying analog signal and to store its digitized representation in the computer. In general, such data is meaningful only if certain conditions are met during the acquisition phase. The purpose of this experiment is to illustrate the principles involved in meeting these conditions. A more detailed discussion, including a detailed error analysis, is available in ref. D-4.
Photogeneration Mechanism and Mobility in Polydiacetylene

Transient photoconductivity experiments have been carried out on single crystals of polydiacetylene-(bis p-toluene sulfonate), PDA-TS. The low electric field photocurrent decay consists of a temperature-independent fast (picosecond) initial component and a longer time (nanosecond) component with magnitude that is strongly temperature dependent. Using very small spacings between electrodes on the sample, we have succeeded in achieving sweep-out for the longer-lived carriers; the data yield a mobility of H 5 cm2/Vs at room temperature in the ns regime. These results demonstrate that the Onsager geminate recombination model, previously used extensively for the polydiacetylenes, is not applicable to PDA-TS.
Pigtail Chest Catheter Placement with Ultrasound Guidance

A bedside thoracentesis is performed for both diagnostic and therapeutic purposes in patients with pleural effusions. The needle should be advanced just above the superior aspect of the rib to avoid injuries to the neurovascular bundle (intercostal artery, vein, and nerve) (Fig. 9.1). The use of ultrasound for guidance is recommended to reduce the risk of complications. A low-frequency (3.5–5 MHz) ultrasound transducer is best suited for thoracentesis. The patient should be evaluated for any risk factors (e.g., coagulopathy).
Live-cell fluorescence imaging of echinoderm embryos

The rapid development, simplicity and optical clarity of the sea urchin embryo make it an excellent model system for studying the dynamic events of early development. An ever-growing palette of fluorescent proteins and biosensors can now be applied to studying sea urchin development, and there are now a wide variety of imaging modes that can be employed to image sea urchin embryogenesis. However, when performing live-cell imaging, one must take into consideration the sensitivity of embryos (and fluorescent probes) to the intense light associated with confocal microscopes. Here, we discuss general considerations for keeping embryos viable on the microscope stage, as well as probes for imaging cellular membranes and the cytoskeleton. We compare the relative merits of different confocal microscopes for live imaging of embryos and describe the potential for live-cell super-resolution microscopy.
Mississippi Diabetes Telehealth Network: A Collaborative Approach to Chronic Care Management

Background/Introduction: Ineffective management of chronic illness and lack of referral sources in underserved areas has contributed to increased health care spending and a decline in quality of life for the affected. In 2016, 15.4% of the adult population of Mississippi had diabetes. Telehealth in the home is a viable way to bring a care team to patients to assist them as they manage their illnesses. The purpose of the study was to determine the relationship between the Mississippi Diabetes Telehealth Network clinical care model and selected diabetes outcomes over time. Methods: A prospective, longitudinal cohort study design evaluated the relationship between using telehealth for chronic care management and diabetes outcomes over a 12-month period. Eligible participants were patients over 18 years old diagnosed with diabetes at a rural health clinic with an hemoglobin A1c (HbA1c) ≥7.0%. Rolling enrollment continued until the pool of eligible participants was depleted. A total of 171 were enrolled. Results: There was a significant difference in HbA1c values from baseline to 3-, 6-, 9-, and 12-month values. A significant difference was found between baseline and 12-month measures for total cholesterol, low density lipoproteins (LDL), high density lipoproteins (HDL), triglycerides, creatinine clearance, glomerular filtration rate, and potassium. There were no differences in baseline and 12-month measures for weight, blood pressure, blood urea nitrogen (BUN), and microalbumin. Discussion/Conclusions: Even with the limited sample size and design, remote patient monitoring and telehealth may be an effective tool for assisting home-based patients in the self-management of diabetes in rural areas. The maximum benefit was achieved after 3-4 months on the program and maintained over the 12-month period.
A Needs-based Partial Theory of Human Injustice: Oppression, Dehumanization, Exploitation, and Systematic Inequality in Opportunities to Address Human Needs

This article presents an original needs-based partial theory of human injustice and shows its relationship to existing theories of human need and human liberation. The theory is based on an origina...
Subnational variation in forest protection in the Argentine Chaco

Abstract In a context of booming commodity prices, what factors drive subnational authorities to implement forest protection regulations in active agricultural frontiers?. Focusing on one of the world’s deforestation hotspots, the Argentine Chaco Forest, we argue that subnational variation in the implementation of forest protection legislation is driven by governors’ attempts to avoid conflict produced by agricultural expansion. Through process tracing, we show how governors’ implementation decisions—regarding both the design and enforcement of provincial regulations—sought to mitigate pressures from large producers opposed to clearing restrictions and from various groups contesting agricultural expansion. As the power of these actors varies across provinces, governors’ conflict avoidance strategies resulted in markedly different subnational regulations as well as contrasting levels of enforcement and deforestation. We substantiate our argument through an empirical strategy that combines department-level geocoded data on deforestation and levels of forest protection in the Argentine Chaco with extensive fieldwork and interviews in the core provinces in which the forest is located. Our findings aim to contribute to academic debates in political science and environmental science on the determinants of subnational policy and deforestation, respectively, and have the potential to inform both donors and policymakers about the factors shaping the uneven impact of decentralized arrangements to combat climate change.
Fugitive Practices: Learning in a Settler Colony

In this article, I connect the ways that learning is fundamental to life, for human and nonhuman beings. I write this article at a time of crystalline xenophobic backlash, the rise of several total...
Consumer stockpiling in response to the U.S. EISA “light bulb ban”

Abstract This study investigates consumer behavior in anticipation of the United States Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) energy mandate that effectively banned production and import (not the sale) of incandescent light bulbs. We use the gradual implementation of U.S. EISA energy standards, where only 100-watt incandescent bulbs were initially banned, to estimate a series of difference-in-difference models that examine consumer behavior. Our results show that stockpiling in response to the EISA mandate resulted in a 96.9% increase in 100-watt incandescent bulbs sold per store per week. A back-of-the-envelope calculation shows stockpiling reduced private energy savings between $7 million and $21 million in Ohio and between $199 million and $589 million in the United States. Stockpiling also reduced social carbon cost savings between $56 million and $166 million across the United States.
Haunted Mountains, Supershelters, and the Afterlives of Cold War Infrastructure

A dominant architectural form in the global North since the end of the Second World War, the deep-level supershelters, command centers, and hidden fortifications built within mountains mobilize an ambivalent imaginary called here the ‘bunker fantasy’. This cluster of images is simultaneously technologized and sacred. During the Cold War, imagined mountain bunkers in nuclear war fiction are shown to be haunted by what they exclude. After the Cold War, repurposed mountain-side bunkers and installations invoke new forms of the sacred as part of their reckoning with the past. Because the nuclear condition works against a progressive sense of history, it permits previously discredited or marginalized beliefs to begin recirculating in a new context. Through sacred mountains like Mount Shasta, the apocalyptic prospect of nuclear war becomes just one element within a cosmic and cyclical history that imagines alternate possibilities for the twentieth century.
Does Religiosity Delay Adolescent Alcohol Initiation? A Long-Term Analysis (2008-2015) of Nationally Representatives Sample of 12th Graders.

Objective: Underage alcohol consumption is associated with deleterious consequences, with earlier initiation leading to increased likelihood of alcohol misuse and dependence later in life. Religios...
Nanoconfinement and Mass Transport in Silica Mesopores: the Role of Charge at the Single Molecule and Single Pore Levels

Polarization-dependent single molecule tracking was employed to simultaneously probe the translational and orientational diffusion of four perylene diimide (PDI) dyes, having different lengths and charges, within the one-dimensional (1D) nanoscale pores of surfactant-templated mesoporous silica films. The wide-field fluorescence videos acquired reveal that a significant fraction of the molecules follow 1D pathways and exhibit highly polarized fluorescence, consistent with their orientational confinement. Single-frame step size distributions prepared from these data were fit to a new model that accurately describes the distribution for 1D Fickian diffusion in the presence of finite localization precision. Average diffusion coefficients obtained from mean square displacement (DMSD) data were 20-100% larger for the two uncharged PDIs compared to the charged PDIs, reflecting electrostatic interactions of the latter with oppositely charged sites on the cationic surfactant headgroups and deprotonated silanol sites on the pore walls. Polarization-dependent tracking data show that the longest uncharged PDI was most strongly confined, while the three shorter dyes were less confined. The cationic PDI produced a wobbling angle distribution that was broader than the others, suggesting it explores more of the pore diameter. The results provide new knowledge on the mechanisms by which the dye molecules interact with the pore-filling medium and the pore surfaces, helping to elucidate the factors controlling the rate of mass transport.
Anti-fibrotic activity of gold and platinum complexes - Au(I) compounds as a new class of anti-fibrotic agents.

Abstract Molecular gold(I) and platinum(II) species were examined for the inhibition of liver fibrosis and the hepatitis C virus (HCV). Determination of inhibition efficiency was conducted via morphological analysis, cell viability, western blot analysis, and quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR). Auranofin and Ph3PAuCl demonstrated the greatest inhibition of liver fibrosis amongst the tested gold species in human hepatic stellate LX-2 cells. Western blot analysis indicated that auranofin and Ph3PAuCl prevent signal transducer and activator of transcription 3 (STAT3) phosphorylation, which may be a key connection to fibrosis and inflammation. Auranofin and Ph3PAuCl also reduced expression of HCV-nonstructural protein 3 (NS3) and HCV-NS5a proteins in a HCV subgenomic replicon system. These results demonstrate significant promise for the use of gold compounds in treating liver diseases such as HCV.
Effect of polarization forces on carbon deposition on a non-spherical nanoparticle. Monte Carlo simulations

Trajectories of a polarizable species (atoms or molecules) in the vicinity of a negatively charged nanoparticle (at a floating potential) are considered. The atoms are pulled into regions of strong electric field by polarization forces. The polarization increases the deposition rate of the atoms and molecules at the nanoparticle. The effect of the non-spherical shape of the nanoparticle is investigated by the Monte Carlo method. The shape of the non-spherical nanoparticle is approximated by an ellipsoid. The total deposition rate and its flux density distribution along the nanoparticle surface are calculated. It is shown that the flux density is not uniform along the surface. It is maximal at the nanoparticle tips.
Detection and Management of Interstitial Lung Diseases Associated With Connective Tissue Diseases

Interstitial lung disease (ILD) is a common manifestation of connective tissue diseases (CTDs). A proportion of patients with CTD-ILDs develop progressive fibrosing ILD, which is characterized by worsening fibrotic abnormalities on high-resolution computed tomography scan, decline in lung function, worsening symptoms, and early mortality. Here, we review the impact of ILD in patients with CTDs, the importance of prompt diagnosis and close monitoring, and the evidence available to guide the management of CTD-ILDs. Management of patients with CTD-ILDs should be individualized and involve close collaboration between rheumatologists and pulmonologists. Immunosuppression is the mainstay of therapy for CTDs, but evidence for its effectiveness in slowing the progression of ILD is limited. Recently, nintedanib has been approved to slow decline in lung function in patients with systemic sclerosis-associated ILD and chronic fibrosing ILDs with a progressive phenotype. The results of ongoing clinical trials will help clinicians take a more evidence-based approach to the treatment of CTD-ILDs.
Strategies for alleviating students’ math anxiety: Control-value theory in practice

Mathematics educators often know the widespread nature of mathematics anxiety and may even be aware of the debilitating effect it can have on their students. Although educators may develop tricks o...
Pyosyn: A new framework for conceptual design modeling and optimization

Abstract We present Pyosyn, an open-source framework for systematic superstructure-based process synthesis, including a new representation, superstructure generation approaches, modeling, and solution strategies. The new P yo s yn G raph (PSG) representation consists of units, ports, and streams, and includes support for nested units, including new “single-choice” units and modular superstructure construction. We introduce superstructure generation strategies based on both library-assisted and direct-hierarchical means-ends analysis. For the library-assisted approach, we describe generalized port annotations that describe conditions for compatibility between connected unit ports. We extend literature methods to present seven screening rules based on new material port annotations that categorize process chemical species as primary, secondary, or residual. We then describe high-level mathematical modeling of PSG representation elements using Pyomo.Network and Pyomo.GDP, including the automated handling of special cases. We also introduce the use of tailored logic-based decomposition algorithms to address “zero-flow” singularities characteristic of synthesis problems. Finally, we demonstrate the flexible use of Pyosyn tools on a set of diverse case studies.
A Convex Optimization Approach to Multiple Stopping: Pricing Chooser Caps and Swing Options

In this current work, we generalize the recent Pathwise Optimization approach of Desai et al to Multiple stopping problems. The approach also minimizes the dual bound as in Desai et al to find the best approximation architecture for the Multiple stopping problem. Though, we establish the convexity of the dual operator, in this setting as well, we cannot directly take advantage of this property because of the computational issues that arise due to the combinatorial nature of the problem. Hence, we deviate from the pure martingale dual approach to marginal dual approach of Meinshausen and Hambly and solve each such optimal stopping problem in the framework of Desai et al. Though, this Pathwise Optimization approach as generalized to the Multiple stopping problem is computationally intensive, we highlight that it can produce superior dual and primal bounds in certain settings.
Mom Guilt, Work family Conflict, and cognitive dissonance during the COVID-19 pandemic

In this study, we explored how the Covid-19 pandemic affected women via changes in organizational justice perspectives, amplification of work-family conflict (WFC) from additional responsibilities ...
A fully automated FAIMS-DIA proteomic pipeline for high-throughput characterization of iPSC-derived neurons

Fully automated proteomic pipelines have the potential to achieve deep coverage of cellular proteomes with high throughput and scalability. However, it is important to evaluate performance, including both reproducibility and ability to provide meaningful levels of biological insight. Here, we present an approach combining high field asymmetric waveform ion mobility spectrometer (FAIMS) interface and data independent acquisition (DIA) proteomics approach developed as part of the induced pluripotent stem cell (iPSC) Neurodegenerative Disease Initiative (iNDI), a large-scale effort to understand how inherited diseases may manifest in neuronal cells. Our FAIMS-DIA approach identified more than 8000 proteins per mass spectrometry (MS) acquisition as well as superior total identification, reproducibility, and accuracy compared to other existing DIA methods. Next, we applied this approach to perform a longitudinal proteomic profiling of the differentiation of iPSC-derived neurons from the KOLF2.1J parental line used in iNDI. This analysis demonstrated a steady increase in expression of mature cortical neuron markers over the course of neuron differentiation. We validated the performance of our proteomics pipeline by comparing it to single cell RNA-Seq datasets obtained in parallel, confirming expression of key markers and cell type annotations. An interactive webapp of this temporal data is available for aligned-UMAP visualization and data browsing (https://share.streamlit.io/anant-droid/singlecellumap). In summary, we report an extensively optimized and validated proteomic pipeline that will be suitable for large-scale studies such as iNDI.
Merleau-Ponty's reading of Heidegger

In a letter dated February 2, 1972, Hannah Arendt confided, in passing, to Heidegger: “In the course of the last weeks, I took a break and read Merleau-Ponty, whom you know well, for the first time. To me, he seems to be much better and more interesting than Sartre. Don’t you think so, too?”
Effects of ouabain on catecholamine-stimulated sodium transport in turkey erythrocytes.

Abstract In intact turkey erythrocytes ouabain, a specific inhibitor of sodium- and potassium-dependent ATPase, inhibits fractional sodium outflux but does not alter sodium influx. Ouabain increases isoproterenol-stimulated sodium influx by 50%, decreases isoproterenol-stimulated sodium outflux by 20%, but does not alter either the minimally effective concentration of isoproterenol (10-9 m) or the concentration (10-7 m) required for maximal stimulation of sodium fluxes. The glycoside also prolongs the duration of catecholaminestimulated sodium transport but has no effect on either the magnitude or the time course of catecholamine-stimulated cellular accumulation of cyclic 3' : 5'-AMP. This ability of ouabain to relieve the refractoriness of turkey erythrocytes to endogenous cyclic 3' : 5'-AMP suggests that the mechanisms through which ouabain and the cyclic nucleotide exert their effects may at some point share a common biochemical pathway.
GIANT HYDRONEPHROSIS IN CHILDREN

Giant hydronephrosis in children, and particularly in infants, is frequently responsible for abdominal masses. High dose intravenous urography has proved very useful in studying the degree of pyelocalyceal dilatation, as well as the amount of residual renal parenchyma and the possible recovery of these kidneys. Reparative surgery, rather than primary nephrectomy, should always be considered. Renal transplantation may save those with giant bilateral hydronephrosis who appear now to be beyond the possibility of surgical repair.
Digital Filtering in VLSI

In this paper we take a first step in the study of VLSI realizations of digital filtering. For increasing input rate. processing is feasible only by resorting to massive parallelism, i.e., to an nq-th extension of the original order-n filter. We show that the operation is reducible to convolutions with fixed n-vectors and propose to realize the computation by means of the twisted-reflected-tree, a network naturally suited for prefix computation. We discuss the issues of precision and operand length, and illustrate the arising area/data-rate/delay trade-offs.
Model Spectra for Accretion Disks Truncated at the Inner Edge

Attempts to model the FUV spectra of accretion disks in cataclysmic variables have suggested that in some cases the innermost part of the disk is “missing”. We present computed spectra of accretion disks with various amounts of the inner disk removed arbitrarily, to illustrate whether the absence of the inner disk can be detected via the profiles of strong lines. Results are presented for lines in the UV and FUV for selected disk parameters and inclinations. UV/FUV line diagnostics can in principle establish whether the hot inner disk is present as expected from standard steady-state disk theory. The presence or absence of the inner disk has direct impact on the interpretation of the EUV spectra of cataclysmic variables, in particular the boundary layer emission.
Generation of 369.4 nm Radiation by Efficient Doubling of a Diode Laser

A resonant cavity second harmonic generation system has been developed to produce 369.4 nm radiation from a 738.8 nm diode laser with 10 mW nominal output power. This system utilizes a polarization technique to lock the cavity to the laser frequency. In this paper we report on an evaluation of the system using a Titanium:Sapphire laser as the input source, and preliminary results with a diode laser source. To our knowledge, this is the deepest uv light ever produced by frequency-doubling a diode laser.
On preposition repetition: A study in the history of syntactic government in Old Russian

The results described above diverge somewhat from those obtained by Worth (1982), and suggest an explanation for the purely formal hierarchies established by Zaliznjak (1986).
An Adaptive Coping Model of Intervention with the Severely Burn-Injured:

Aspects of severe burn injury which distinguish it from other injuries or physical illnesses are outlined, and psychosocial issues in hospitalization and rehabilitation are discussed. With this as background, a psychotherapeutic approach to severe burn injury based upon an adaptive coping model is proposed. Specific adaptive tasks required to adjust to severe burn injury and therapeutic interventions considered best suited to facilitate adaptation are presented.
Pointwise estimates of eigenfunctions for Schrödinger operators

Abstract A new method is derived for the pointwise estimation of wavefunctions of a class of Schrodinger operators. It is based upon the use of an arbitrary trial function in a Sobolev inequality and permits the rigorous evaluation of many physical quantities for the first time.
Tornadic Supercell Environments Analyzed Using Surface and Reanalysis Data: A Spatiotemporal Relational Data-Mining Approach

AbstractOklahoma Mesonet surface data and North American Regional Reanalysis data were integrated with the tracks of over 900 tornadic and nontornadic supercell thunderstorms in Oklahoma from 1994 to 2003 to observe the evolution of near-storm environments with data currently available to operational forecasters. These data are used to train a complex data-mining algorithm that can analyze the variability of meteorological data in both space and time and produce a probabilistic prediction of tornadogenesis given variables describing the near-storm environment. The algorithm was assessed for utility in four ways. First, its probability forecasts were scored. The algorithm did produce some useful skill in discriminating between tornadic and nontornadic supercells as well as in producing reliable probabilities. Second, its selection of relevant attributes was assessed for physical significance. Surface thermodynamic parameters, instability, and bulk wind shear were among the most significant attributes. Thir...
Insulated covering for temporary pacemaker leads.

Abstract A type of insulation tubing to cover external pacemaker leads is described. The tubing prevents accidental contact with an electrical source and allows for rapid attachment to an external pacemaker.
Can Talk Be Inconsequential? Social and Interactional Aspects of Elicited Second‐Language Interaction

This article investigates social and interactional aspects of second-language (L2) talk elicited for research purposes from a conversation analytic angle, examining existing theoretical notions regarding elicited data in light of their collaborative and interactional contingencies. The analysis suggests that participants may draw from fundamental aspects underlying naturally occurring interaction in elicited L2 interaction, even when demonstrably "doing role-play." Classifying elicited interaction primarily with dichotomous notions surrounding the authenticity, artificiality, or social consequences of such talk oversimplifies the nature of the talk and fails to acknowledge other elements structuring elicited interaction that, thus far, have not yet been fully explored. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]
Implementation of V2G technology using DC Fast Charging

The first implementation of vehicle-to-grid (V2G) technology utilizing Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) compliant standards for DC Fast Charging was recently deployed on a U.S. Army base and certified as operational. We discuss the system deployed and the capabilities it provides, focusing especially on the energy aggregation system. We further explain why this is of significant importance in moving the state of V2G technology forward.
Disruption of neuroendocrine function in atlantic croaker exposed to Aroclor 1254

To investigate the effects of a polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) mixture (Aroclor 1254) on reproductive neuroendocrine function, male Atlantic croaker (Micropogonias undulatus) were exposed to the PCB mixture in the diet (0.1 mg/100. g body wt/day) for 30 days during gonadal recrudescence. Concentrations of the monoamines (5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT), dopamine (DA) and norepinephrine (NE)) and their major metabolites (5-hydroxyindolacetic acid, dihydroxyphenylacetic acid and 3-methoxytyramine) were measured in the preoptic-anterior hypothalamus (POAH) and medial and posterior hypothalamus (MPH) using HPLC with electrochemical detection. There was a significant decline in 5-HT and DA concentrations and an increase in their metabolite to parent amine ratios in both the POAH and MPH of Aroclor 1254-exposed fish. In addition, Aroclor 1254 exposure resulted in the loss of the in vitro gonadotropin (GtH) response to stimulation by a luteinizing hormone-releasing hormone analog (LHRHa). The reduced availability of 5-HT in the nerve terminals may be responsible for the loss of pituitary GtH response to stimulation by LHRHa. These results support the hypothesis that Aroclor 1254-induced alterations in pituitary gonadotropin release may be mediated, at least partially, by altered hypothalamic serotonergic activity.
Toxicokinetics of dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxy-benzoic acid) and its 3,5-dichloro isomer following intravenous administration to rats

Abstract The distribution and elimination of dicamba (3,6-dichloro-2-methoxy benzoic acid) and another isomer present in dicamba formulation (3,5-dichloro-2-methoxy benzoic acid) were studied in rats following single intravenous injections. Concentrations of dicamba and the isomer were measured at various times in whole blood by EC-GLC after extraction and derivatization with diazomethane. The isomer had different toxicokinetic parameters compared to dicamba. The elimination of dicamba from the blood was rapid with a biological half-life of 0.64 hr (following 100 mg/kg iv dose) while the elimination of the isomer from the blood was much slower with a biological half-life of 16.5 hr (following 20 mg/kg iv dose). However, upon combined dosing of the two compounds the elimination rate constant of dicamba significantly decreased. The isomer had a greater degree of binding to blood serum proteins than dicamba.
Testing the Limits of Elite Influence on Public Opinion: An Examination of Sports Facility Referendums

A great deal of scholarly research has demonstrated that elites have considerable influence over the preference formation process of individuals. What scholars understand less is just how far the influence of elites extends. We test the pofential limits of elite influence by examining the public opinion dynamics that surrounded referendurns raising local taxes to finance the construction of new professional sports stadiums and arenas in the United States from 1984 to August 2000. Our research concludes that the shape of elite opinion does indeed matter, with a united elite positively affecting the likelihood that referendums will be approved. An independent effect for the degree of elite unity exists even when controlling for campaign expenditures, the public's share of the cost of building sports facilities, and pre-existing public support for the proposals.
Twenty-Two–Year Trends in Incidence of Myocardial Infarction, Coronary Heart Disease Mortality, and Case Fatality in 4 US Communities, 1987–2008

Background—Knowledge of trends in the incidence of and survival after myocardial infarction (MI) in a community setting is important to understanding trends in coronary heart disease (CHD) mortalit...
Censoring Freedom: Community-Based Professional Development and the Politics of Profanity.

The lack of strong literacy skills and practices among students is perhaps the clearest indicator that the education system continues to leave millions of children behind. To advance the reading, writing, and speaking skills of middle and high school students, this study examines a professional development model that brought trained community-based poets into the classroom to conduct weekly writing workshops. Over the course of two years, poet-mentor educators worked alongside 30 English Language Arts and Special Education teachers, reaching over 800 students. When the literacy program entered its second year, issues of propriety and language usages unveiled deep rifts between who students were as individuals and who educators wanted them to be as learners. The literature on multiple literacies and cultural relevancy helped frame the professional development within a larger movement to bring student voices and experiences into the curriculum (e.g., Gay, 2000; Ladson-Billings, 1994, 1995; Mahiri, 1998a, 19...
Yesterday’s tomorrows: notes on ubiquitous computing’s dominant vision

Ubiquitous computing is unusual amongst technological research arenas. Most areas of computer science research, such as programming language implementation, distributed operating system design, or denotational semantics, are defined largely by technical problems, and driven by building upon and elaborating a body of past results. Ubiquitous computing, by contrast, encompasses a wide range of disparate technological areas brought together by a focus upon a common vision. It is driven, then, not so much by the problems of the past but by the possibilities of the future. Ubiquitous computing’s vision, however, is over a decade old at this point, and we now inhabit the future imagined by its pioneers. The future, though, may not have worked out as the field collectively imagined. In this article, we explore the vision that has driven the ubiquitous computing research agenda and the contemporary practice that has emerged. Drawing on cross-cultural investigations of technology adoption, we argue for developing a “ubicomp of the present” which takes the messiness of everyday life as a central theme.
Factors Associated with the Drug Use of Fifth through Eighth Grade Students

This study examines demographic and psychosocial factors associated with drug use of fifth through eighth grade students (N = 873). Nearly 28 percent of the students surveyed reported using cigarettes, alcohol or marijuana in the preceding four months. Associations with drug using peers had twice as much influence on drug use as the adolescent's own favorable drug use attitude. Both variables together explained 55 percent of the variance. Involvement in problem behaviors, beliefs about personal consequences of drug-taking, and adult and peer reinforcement and expectations were statistically significant and accounted for an additional 8 percent of the variance.
Scan patterns on overland navigation in varying route difficulty: is total-flight-hours (TFH) a good measure of expertise?

Helicopter overland navigation is a cognitively complex task that requires continuous monitoring of system and environment parameters and many hours of training to master. This study investigated the effect of expertise on pilots’ gaze measurements, navigation accuracy, and subjective assessment of their navigation accuracy in overland navigation on easy and difficult routes. Twelve military officers who ranged in flight experience, as measured by total flight hours (TFH) completed a simulated overland task. They first completed map study of a route comprised of easy and difficult route sections, and then had to ‘fly’ this simulated route in a fixed-base helicopter simulator. They also completed pre-task estimations and post-task assessments of how hard it would be to navigate to each waypoint in the route. Their scan pattern was tracked via two eye tracking systems. The tracking systems captured both the participant’s out-the-window (OTW) and topographical map scan data. TFH was not associated with navig...
Epicuticular waxes of Andropogon hallii and A. Scoparius

Abstract Leaf waxes of Andropogon hallii and A. scoparius contain hydrocarbons (2%, 2%), esters (4%, 2%), free acids (3%, 4%), free alcohols (1%, 0.2%, major component dotriacontanol) β-diketones (67%, 80%) and hydroxy β-diketones (16%, 5%). β-Diketones of A. hallii consist mainly of tritriacontane-12,14-dione and hentriacontane-12,14-dione (86:8) and of A. scoparius of tritriacontane-12,14-dione and hentriacontane-10,12-dione (67:29). Hydroxy β-diketones of A. hallii are composed mainly of 5-hydroxytritriacontane-12,14-dione and 5-hydroxy-hentriacontane-12,14-dione (90:8); wax of A. scoparius contains only 5-hydroxytritriacontane-12,14-dione. The hydroxyl group of the major hydroxy β-diketone has the R -configuration opposite to that of all previously described hydroxy β-diketones.
Normal immunologic reactivity in patients with the lymphoma mycosis fungoides

Patients having the lymphoma, mycosis fungoides, make circulating antibodies to parenterally administered antigens in all stages of the illness. The titers are normal or slightly reduced in these patients. There is little, if any, alteration of delayed hypersensitivity responses in patients with mycosis fungoides. Serum immunoglobulin G levels are normal in patients with mycosis fungoides whereas the immunoglobulin A levels are elevated markedly. Serum immunoglobulin M levels are within normal limits. Possible reasons for these phenomena are discussed.
March of the living, a holocaust educational tour: effect on adolescent Jewish identity.

March of the Living (MOTL) is a worldwide two-week trip for high school seniors to learn about the Holocaust by traveling to sites of concentration/death camps and Jewish historical sites in Poland and Israel. The mission statement of MOTL International states that participants will be able to “bolster their Jewish identity by acquainting them with the rich Jewish heritage in pre-war Eastern Europe.” However, this claim has never been studied quantitatively. Therefore, 152 adolescents who participated in MOTL voluntarily completed an initial background questionnaire, a Jewish Identity Survey and a Global Domains Survey pre-MOTL, end-Poland and end-Israel. Results suggest that Jewish identity did not substantially increase overall or from one time period to the next.
Comparison of techniques for stent assisted coil embolization of aneurysms

Introduction Stent assisted coiling (SAC) of aneurysms has been adopted with potential mechanical, hemodynamic and biologic properties imparting an advantage over coil embolization alone. The purpose of this investigation is to compare the various techniques of SAC at a single institution with regards to clinical, technical and angiographic complications and success. Methods Patients who underwent SAC between 2003 and 2010 were identified. Clinical charts, procedures, angiographic and non-invasive radiological images were analyzed to determine the anatomical and procedural details and adverse events. Immediate post-procedural angiograms as well as follow-up imaging were studied to assess the degree of aneurysm occlusion. Results 260 aneurysms were identified. The ‘coil through’ technique was employed in 37.3%, ‘balloon stent’ in 36.2%, ‘jailing’ in 10.8% and the ‘coil stent’ technique in 7.7%. Overall rate of adverse events was higher with the ‘coil stent’ and ‘jailing’ techniques compared with the ‘balloon stent’ technique. The ‘coil through’ technique was associated with a significantly lower packing density (31.4±20%) than all other techniques (‘coil stent’ 45.4±22%, ‘jailing’ 42.2±20%, ‘balloon stent’ 44.3±22%). Among ‘coil stent’ patients, an initial Raymond class 1 was achieved in 40%, compared with 57% of ‘jailing’, 28% of ‘coil through’ and 63% of ‘balloon stent’ cases. Conclusion Balloon assisted coil embolization followed by adjunctive stent deployment across the aneurysm neck appears to be the superior technique among stent assisted coiling methods at our institution. It combines a lower rate of thrombotic and coil related complications with a high rate of complete occlusion on initial and follow-up imaging.
Interpretation in doctor-patient interviews: A sociolinguistic analysis

This paper discusses interpretation in doctor-patient interviews from a sociolinguistic perspective. A meaning-centered orientation to clinical practice calls for practitioners to create a clinical picture of the illness that is compatible with the patient's experience. This requires that appropriate interpretation of symptoms take place. Using transcripts of doctor-patient interviews, this paper demonstrates that another interpretive process, necessary to understanding illness, occurs at the level of conversation. Contrasting examples illustrate that without an adequate degree of “conversational cooperation,” interpretation cannot take place. The results of poor conversational interpretation are the creation of an inaccurate clinical picture and the loss of clinically relevant information. The anthropological and sociolinguistic paradigms are linked by showing how differing perspectives on the illness affect conversational interpretation.
COMPUTER-CONTROLLED FILTRATION AND STRENGTH ANALYSIS OF BLOOD ICROAGGREGATES

A microcomputer-controlled blood filtration system was developed to control the filtration pressure independent of flowrate. Using the device, a mathematical model of constant-pressure filtration (CPF) of suspended particulars was confirmed using microspheres. Microaggregates were generated in whole citrated human blood by exposure to polymethylmethacrylate (PMMA) surfaces for 15, 30, and 60 minutes and were then filtered through 20μ pore filters at various pressures using the computer-controlled device. Resulting filtration flowrate curves were consistent with the mathematical model, and microemboli “effective concentrations” were obtained. The occlusion of the filters decreased with increasing filtration pressure, and an index of aggregate “fragility” was derived. As exposure time to the PMMA increased, the “effective concentration” of microemboli increased, but the average microaggregate strength did not change significantly. The contribution to filter blockage by a few very large microemboli (diameter...
Quantum simulation of the t- J model

Abstract Computer simulation of a many-particle quantum system is bound to reach the inevitable limits of its ability as the system size increases. The primary reason for this is that the memory size used in a classical simulator grows polynomially whereas the Hilbert space of the quantum system does so exponentially. Replacing the classical simulator by a quantum simulator would be an effective method of surmounting this obstacle. The prevailing techniques for simulating quantum systems on a quantum computer have been developed for purposes of computing numerical algorithms designed to obtain approximate physical quantities of interest. The method suggested here requires no numerical algorithms; it is a direct isomorphic translation between a quantum simulator and the quantum system to be simulated. In the quantum simulator, physical parameters of the system, which are the fixed parameters of the simulated quantum system, are under the control of the experimenter. A method of simulating a model for high-temperature superconducting oxides, the t–J model, by optical control, as an example of such a quantum simulation, is presented.
AQUAFAC 3: aqueous functional group activity coefficients; application to the estimation of aqueous solubility

Abstract AQUAFAC is a group contribution approach for estimating the aqueous activity coefficients of organic compounds. The present study derives 44 new group contribution values. These group values are based on 970 different organic compounds representing over 2,432 individual sohibility measurements. Ten fold cross validation of the present AQUAFAC model gives an average root mean square error of 0.448 log units. In addition, the AQUAFAC group values are used to estimate the aqueous solubility of a diverse set of organic compounds. It is shown to be modestly more accurate than the conventional octanol/water (log P) method, giving average absolute standard errors of 0.41 and 0.61, respectively
Fischer-Tropsch synthesis: Effects of hydrohalic acids in syngas on a precipitated iron catalyst

The current investigation was undertaken to identify limits of hydrohalic acid (HX, X = F, Cl, Br) impurities in syngas and shed light on the mechanism of HX poisoning of a 100 Fe/5.1 Si/2 Cu/3 K FTS catalyst under industrially relevant conditions using a 1-L slurry-phase reactor. Co-feeding <2.0 ppm of HCl or HBr in syngas for 72–170 h did not significantly deactivate the Fe catalyst. On the other hand, cofeeding 3.0–5.0 ppm of HCl or HBr in syngas for a similar time period resulted in slow deactivation. A higher tolerance, that is, 5–10 ppm, was observed for HF, indicating a weaker poisoning effect. In all cases, rapid deactivation was accompanied by decreases in C5+ and CO2 selectivities at higher levels of HX (i.e., 20 ppm and above). Mossbauer spectroscopy and XRD were used to study the Fe phases in the catalyst before and after deactivation induced by each of the HX poisons. Results of Mossbauer spectroscopy suggest that an adsorptive mechanism is responsible for the deactivation of Fe catalysts by ...