cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Red light stimulates flowering and anthocyanin biosynthesis in American cranberry

Morphological responses of American cranberry (Vacciniummacrocarpon Ait, Ericaceae) to different light conditions (red,far-red, white light and sunlight) were examined. Root growth and development,stem elongation, leaf enlargement, de-etiolation of stem and leaf, flower budformation, and flowering of American cranberry were measured under each lightcondition and in the dark. It was found that red light promotes development ofroots and leaves, flowering, and de-etiolation of stem and leaf of Americancranberry. Stem elongation and etiolation of stem and leaf were shown infar-redlight and dark. Anthocyanin biosynthesis as phytochemical response in cranberryplants was most sensitive to red light. Estimation of anthocyanin levels indifferent parts of cranberry plant suggested that anthocyanins were presentonlyin red fruit skins, and not in peeled fruits, green fruits, green leaves, greenstems, roots and seeds.
Variation and Formal Theories of Language: HPSG

HPSG conceptualizes language as a system of signs, or form-meaning pairings. Taking ‘meaning’ to include social meaning is the first step to modeling sociolinguistic variation. HPSG is well suited for this task because it lacks cross-derivational constraints; it can capture detailed information and generalizations at varying degrees of granularity; and it is a ‘performance-plausible’ theory of linguistic competence. Attaching probabilities of occurrence to signs in addition to social meaning produces a model of corpus frequency. Making those probabilities dependent on the linguistic context extends the model to ‘internal’ constraints on variation and their effect on the social evaluation of linguistic variables.
Visual Perseverance—Palinopsia a Type of Binocular Problem

Palinopsia is a form of a visual perseverance. The main presentation to the patient is an awareness of two separate images. Since this can appear like a diplopia, we reviewed the findings and cause...
Performance comparison of total variation minimization and group sparse reconstructions for extended target imaging in multilayered dielectric media

Imaging of targets embedded in multilayered dielectric media has attracted growing interest in microwave remote sensing, nondestructive testing, ground penetrating radar, and urban sensing. Compressive sensing has been successfully applied in the aforementioned applications for efficient target imaging, leading to prompt actionable intelligence. Recently, a total variation minimization (TVM) based approach was proposed, which offers superior performance over standard L1- minimization based sparse reconstruction in terms of target shape reconstruction and distinguishing closely-spaced point targets from an extended target. Alternatively, group sparse reconstruction (GSR) schemes can also be employed to account for target extent. In this paper, we provide a performance comparison between TVM and GSR schemes for extended target imaging in multi-layered media using numerical electromagnetic data.
Sensor Data Fusion Framework to Improve Holographic Object Registration Accuracy for a Shared Augmented Reality Mission Planning Scenario

Accurate 3D holographic object registration for a shared augmented reality application is a challenging proposition with Microsoft HoloLens. We investigated using a sensor data fusion framework which uses both sensor data from an external positional tracking system and the Microsoft HoloLens to reduce augmented reality registration errors. In our setup, positional tracking data from the OptiTrack motion capture system was used to improve the registration of the 3D holographic object for a shared Augmented Reality application running on three Microsoft HoloLens displays. We showed an improved and more accurate 3D holographic object registration in our shared Augmented Reality application compared to the shared augmented reality application using HoloToolkit Sharing Service released by Microsoft. The result of our comparative study of the two applications also showed participants’ responses consistent with our initial assessment on the improved registration accuracy using our sensor data fusion framework. Using our sensor data fusion framework, we developed a shared augmented reality application to support a mission planning scenario using multiple holographic displays to illustrate details of the mission.
Fibroblast Activation Protein-α: A Key Modulator of the Microenvironment in Multiple Pathologies

Fibroblast activation protein-α (FAP) is a serine protease that can provide target specificity to therapeutic agents because in adults its expression is restricted to pathologic sites, including cancer, fibrosis, arthritis, wounding, or inflammation. It is not expressed in most normal tissues. The majority of FAP is expressed by activated fibroblasts responding to the pathologic situations. FAP is typically found as a type II transmembrane protein physically attached to cells and with the bulk of the protein, including the catalytic domain, exposed to the extracellular space and accessible to small molecules. In this chapter, we review the structure, substrate specificities, signaling functions, and current design of FAP inhibitors. Evidence indicating the presence of FAP in multiple cancers, arthritis, fibrosis, keloids, and other pathologies is described and indicates possible roles for FAP in facilitating cell invasion and growth. Separate sections are devoted to the role of FAP in coordinating the stromal response to cancer, including a role in angiogenesis and a potential role in modulation of the antitumor immune response. Finally studies attempting to demonstrate the clinical potential of FAP are discussed, as well as some novel applications employing FAP in therapy or diagnosis. Throughout this review, effort is made to highlight areas where information is lacking and to highlight important questions that require further investigation.
Gene and Cell Therapies for the Failing Heart to Prevent Sudden Arrhythmic Death

Current therapies for treatment and prevention of sudden cardiac death have certain limitations, and a search for new therapeutic approaches is desirable to reduce the burden of sudden arrhythmic death. Gene therapy and stem cell therapy have been investigated as new, valuable tools in treating cardiac diseases such as arrhythmias. In this review, the basics of each modality, important related experimental and clinical studies, and potential advantages and limitations of these treatments will be discussed. The future success of gene and cell therapy to become practical clinical tools greatly depends on our understanding of the mechanisms of ventricular arrhythmia and the mechanisms of action of gene and cell therapy.
Ia Genes, Gene Products, and Determinants

The I region of the mouse H-2 gene complex codes for four Ia genes, Aα, Aβ, Eβ and Eα, whose gene products express the Ia determinants. Aα, Aβ and Eβ map within the I-A subregion, while Eα maps to the I-E subregion. Aα and Eα genes code for a 34,000 dalton polypeptide while Aβ and Eβ genes code for a 28,000 dalton polypeptide. The noncovalent association of AβAα and EβEα form the I-A and I-E Ia molecules.
An Experience Teaching an Undergraduate Level Course in Biophysics.

The importance of including concepts, examples, and techniques from mathematics and the physical and information sciences in biology courses to fulfill the need of today‘s undergraduates has been the principle motivation for developing interdisciplinary biology-focused courses. Although this movement started many years ago, developing and offering courses like biophysics is still new in many liberal arts colleges. Taking advantage of the experiences gained by introducing an interdisciplinary course, simply titled Biophysics, this paper was developed to present the adapted structure, challenges, and useful factors to further develop such a course in order to heighten students‘ retention of the material.
The Movement, Persistence, and Fate of the Phenoxy Herbicides and TCDD in the Forest

The phenoxy herbicides 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D), 2,4,5-trichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4,5-T), 2- (2,4-dichlorophenoxy) propionic acid (dichlorprop), 2-(2,4,5-trichlorophenoxy)propionic acid (silvex), and 2-methyl-4-chlorophenoxyacetic acid (MCPA) are important tools for weed and brush control.1 They have played important roles in the culture of agricultural crops, forest and rangeland management, and a wide variety of noncropland weed control programs.
The Travel Cost Model

The travel cost model is used to value recreational uses of the environment. For example, it may be used to value the recreation loss associated with a beach closure due to an oil spill or to value the recreation gain associated with improved water quality on a river. The model is commonly applied in benefit-cost analyses and in natural resource damage assessments where recreation values play a role. Since the model is based on observed behavior, it is used to estimate use values only.
Through the Eyes of Others: History’s Reckoning

In the main the author’s own personal reflections, this chapter reveals snippets of what “other” non-Jewish Lebanese remember—or choose to remember—about Lebanese Jewish life, often with a palpable hint of nostalgia. Lebanon, the entity that the French established in 1920 as a multi-cultural multiethnic republic in the thicket of a monochromatic Arab-Muslim world, open and receptive to all human conflations of identities and beliefs, has been etiolated, noted one respondent featured in this chapter. The Middle Eastern adage “first the Saturday people, then the Sunday people” might have come to pass in Lebanon: The country with arguably the most “hope” in the early twentieth century has been rendered the homeland of the most abject “hopelessness” with the exodus of Lebanese Jewry.
Topochemical synthesis of 2D materials

Since the demonstration of the unique properties of single-layer graphene and transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDs), research on two-dimensional (2D) materials has become one of the hottest topics, with the family of 2D materials quickly expanding. This expansion is mainly attributable to the development of new synthesis methods to create new materials. This review will summarize and critically analyze topochemical synthesis methods for synthesizing novel 2D materials. For example, the emerging family of 2D transition metal carbides, nitrides and carbonitrides (MXenes) are synthesized primarily by selective etching of “A” (metal) elements from MAX phases. Another 2D material, hydrogenated germanene is produced by selective etching of calcium digermanide (CaGe2). The topochemical transformation of one dichalcogenide into another and 2D oxides into 2D carbides or nitrides have attracted great attention because materials with many useful and diverse properties can be obtained by these methods. Topochemical synthesis methods provide alternative ways of synthesizing 2D materials not requiring van der Waals bonded solid precursors or vapor phase deposition, but they have not been comprehensively reviewed. In this review, we describe common principles of topochemical synthesis of 2D materials, explain synthesis mechanisms and offer an outlook for future research.
Partial characterization of a divergent isolate of pokeweed mosaic virus from Mississippi

An isolate of pokeweed mosaic virus (PkMV), referred to as MSFR03, collected from southwestern Mississippi was partially characterized biologically and molecularly. The virus induced pinwheel-like inclusions in infected cells of its natural host (Phytolacca americana L.) and was mechanically transmitted to Chenopodium quinoa, provoking localized infections. The viral genome is 9516 nt in size, excluding the 3′-terminal poly(A) tail, and contains a large ORF encoding a 3056 amino acids long polyprotein and a small overlapping PIPO ORF. Phylogenetic analyses of the whole polyprotein grouped PkMV with turnip mosaic virus (TuMV), potato virus A (PVA) and related potyviruses. Pairwise sequence comparisons showed that PkMV-MSFR03 is a distinct molecular variant of the virus, differing by more than 15% in nucleotide sequences with any of the four previously sequenced isolates from Pennsylvania, Maryland, New Jersey and Arkansas. Our data suggest that the PkMV population in the United States is genetically more diverse than previously known.
Longitudinal Aerodynamic Characteristics and Wing Pressure Distributions of a Blended-Wing-Body Configuration at Low and High Reynolds Numbers

Force balance and wing pressure data were obtained on a 0.017-Scale Model of a blended-wing-body configuration (without a simulated propulsion system installation) to validate the capability of computational fluid dynamic codes to predict the performance of such thick sectioned subsonic transport configurations. The tests were conducted in the National Transonic Facility of the Langley Research Center at Reynolds numbers from 3.5 to 25.0 million at Mach numbers from 0.25 to 0.86. Data were obtained in the pitch plane only at angles of attack from -1 to 8 deg at Mach numbers greater than 0.25. A configuration with winglets was tested at a Reynolds number of 25.0 million at Mach numbers from 0.83 to 0.86.
HIV infection among women in the United States: 2000-2017

Although HIV diagnoses among women have declined in recent years in the United States (U.S.), women accounted for 19% of new HIV diagnoses in 2016. In addition, women comprise 24% of the 973,846 persons living with HIV infection in the U.S. However, HIV prevention interventions targeting women are limited. We performed a review on HIV infection in women to increase awareness, improve overall care, and inform intervention development. A systematic literature review was conducted using literature published in PubMed, PsychINFO (EBSCO), and Scopus from July 2000 and June 2017. We included studies that: (1) were conducted in the U.S., (2) enrolled at least 50 HIV-positive women, and (3) utilized a case-control, cohort, or surveillance study design. Of 7497 articles, 48 articles met inclusion criteria. HIV diagnoses among women declined 32% between 2001 and 2016. In 2016, 61% of diagnoses in women were among African American women, and 56% were in the South. Women reported barriers to HIV care largely due to psychosocial challenges and social/structural determinants of health (SDH) barriers. Though new diagnoses among women have declined, racial and regional disparities remain. HIV prevention and research efforts with women are vital to inform interventions and reduce disparities.
Anxiety Affect Aliens and Other Non-Paranoid Performances Against Capitalism

In 2014, the Institute for Precarious Consciousness published a number of propositions on the relationship between anxiety, precarity, and neoliberal capitalism. IPC argues that anxiety is the dominant affect of neoliberal capitalism and proposes consciousness-raising circles as a technique for combating anxiety, exposing anxiety as a “public secret,” and ushering in the new anxiety-fighting machine. Heeding the roots of consciousness-raising in feminist movements, this paper puts the IPC’s proposed approach in conversation with affect theory. What is the relationship between neoliberal capitalism and anxiety, and how can anxiety be brought, through performance, into a political phenomenology of the emotions in order to combat capitalism as the dominant ideology? Following Judith Butler’s use of Hannah Arendt’s view of action and simultaneous resistance to Arendt’s division of mind and body in her conception of public and private spheres, I ask: how can embodied techniques (in approaches such as Brechtian alienation and situational choreography) be used in conjunction with speech acts to address precarity’s effects on mind and body? Rather than seeking to subdue anxiety, I argue that breaking the cycle of affect production requires a praxis-based use of alienation, and the supplementation of paranoid approaches to criticism and activism with reparative approaches.
Inequality, redistribution, and growth: new evidence on the trade-off between equality and efficiency

The past several decades have seen a significant and sustained increase in income inequality across many countries. Against this backdrop, some policymakers and economists are calling for distributive policies to address the rising inequality directly. Yet, there has been little systematic analysis of whether and how redistribution affects economic growth. To our knowledge, this is the first paper that systematically analyzes and presents evidence in a large panel of countries over 1965–2010 that redistribution can involve a non-trivial “trade-off” between equity and growth. Making it richer and more interesting, evidence also shows that the degree of trade-off between equity and growth tends to vary with the initial level of market income inequality and the size of redistribution itself. Extensive robustness checks confirm the results.
Power System Frequency Dynamics and challenges in achieving a 100% renewable grid

In conventional power systems, synchronous machines determine the system frequency due to virtue of their electromechanical coupling. The replacement of conventional synchronous generators by environmentally-friendly, inverter based renewable energy solutions such as solar and wind generation systems, can lead to frequency stability issues. This is because the overall system rotational inertia is reduced as the share of inverter based renewable technologies increases. This paper presents an analysis of the effects on system frequency dynamics, specifically on the inertial response and Rate of Change of Frequency (RoCoF), due to increased penetration of Renewable Energy Sources (RES). This paper presents an analysis of the IEEE 14 bus system, under various levels of renewable energy penetration as well as for different contingency cases. The results presented in the paper will help address challenges associated with maintaining power grid robustness in order to transition into environmentally-friendly power networks, with the ultimate objective of achieving 100% renewable grids.
Conditional feeder cattle hedge ratios: Cross hedging with fluctuating corn prices

Abstract Feeder cattle are a heterogeneous commodity whose prices differ in important ways relative to the cattle specified in the CME Group Feeder Cattle futures contract. This necessitates estimation of optimal feeder cattle hedge ratios to manage price risk. Corn price is an important and often overlooked consideration when estimating feeder cattle hedge ratios. Corn price impacts feeder cattle weight-price slides and associated hedge ratios, which can result in over- or under-hedging. Utilizing transaction data from four feeder cattle markets, we estimate hedge ratios conditioned on corn price and compare risk of using corn-conditioned hedge ratios to using hedge ratios not dependent on corn price. Feeder cattle hedge ratios vary substantially across time, sex, location, and weight, which necessitates more frequent and detailed hedge ratio estimation. However, hedging risk is not generally statistically or economically significantly reduced by using corn-conditioned hedge ratios.
Inhibiting Wnt/beta-catenin in CTNNB1-mutated endometrial cancer

The role of β-catenin/TCF transcriptional activity in endometrial cancer (EC) recurrence is not well understood. We assessed the impact of Wnt/β-catenin inhibition in EC models. In an analysis of the Cancer Genome Atlas, we confirmed that CTNNB1 mutations are enriched in recurrent low-risk EC and showed that aberrant Wnt/β-catenin pathway activation is associated with recurrence. We studied CTNNB1-wildtype (HEC1B, Ishikawa) and CTNNB1-mutant (HEC108, HEC265, HEC1B-S33Y, Ishikawa-S33Y) EC cell lines. Dose response curves were determined for 5 Wnt/β-catenin pathway inhibitors (Wnt-C59, XAV-939, PyrPam, PRI-724, SM04690). XAV939, Wnt-C59 and PyrPam inhibited function upstream of β-catenin transcriptional activity and were ineffective at inhibiting cell viability. In contrast, PRI724 and SM04690 indirectly inhibited β-catenin transcriptional activity and significantly reduced cell viability in CTNNB1-mutant cell lines. Treatment with SM04690 reduced cell viability (Licor Cell stain) in all EC cell lines, but viability was significantly lower in CTNNB1-mutant cell lines (p < 0.01). Mechanistically, SM04690 significantly inhibited proliferation measured via 5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation and reduced T cell factor (TCF) transcriptional activity. HEC1B, HEC1B-S33Y and HEC265 tumor-bearing mice were treated with vehicle or SM04690. Tumors treated with SM04690 had smaller mean volumes than those treated with vehicle (p < 0.001, p = 0.014, p = 0.06). In HEC1B-S33Y and HEC265 tumors, SM04690 treatment significantly reduced Ki67 H-scores compared to vehicle (p = 0.035, p = 0.024). Targeting the Wnt/β-catenin pathway in CTNNB1-mutant EC effectively inhibited proliferation and β-catenin/TCF transcriptional activity and blunted tumor progression in in vivo models. These studies suggest β-catenin transcriptional inhibitors are effective in EC and particularly in CTNNB1-mutant EC, highlighting a potential therapeutic vulnerability for treatment of CTNNB1-mutant EC.
Predicting Status of Pre and Post M&A Deals Using Machine Learning and Deep Learning Techniques.

Risk arbitrage or merger arbitrage is a well-known investment strategy that speculates on the success of M&A deals. Prediction of the deal status in advance is of great importance for risk arbitrageurs. If a deal is mistakenly classified as a completed deal, then enormous cost can be incurred as a result of investing in target company shares. On the contrary, risk arbitrageurs may lose the opportunity of making profit. In this paper, we present an ML and DL based methodology for takeover success prediction problem. We initially apply various ML techniques for data preprocessing such as kNN for data imputation, PCA for lower dimensional representation of numerical variables, MCA for categorical variables, and LSTM autoencoder for sentiment scores. We experiment with different cost functions, different evaluation metrics, and oversampling techniques to address class imbalance in our dataset. We then implement feedforward neural networks to predict the success of the deal status. Our preliminary results indicate that our methodology outperforms the benchmark models such as logit and weighted logit models. We also integrate sentiment scores into our methodology using different model architectures, but our preliminary results show that the performance is not changing much compared to the simple FFNN framework. We will explore different architectures and employ a thorough hyperparameter tuning for sentiment scores as a future work.
Global Changes in Electricity Consumption During COVID-19

SUMMARY Understanding how the COVID-19 pandemic has altered electricity consumption can provide insights into society's responses to future shocks and other extreme events. We quantify changes in electricity consumption in 58 different countries/regions around the world from January-October 2020, and examine how those changes relate to government restrictions, health outcomes, GDP, mobility metrics, and electricity sector characteristics in different countries. We cluster the timeseries of electricity consumption changes to identify impact groupings that capture systematic differences in timing, depth of initial changes and recovery rate, revealing substantial heterogeneity. Results show that stricter government restrictions and larger decreases in mobility (particularly retail and recreation) are most tightly linked to decreases in electricity consumption, though these relationships are strongest during the initial phase of the pandemic. We find indications that decreases in electricity consumption relate to pre-pandemic sensitivity to holidays, suggesting a new direction for future research.
Application of Angle-Selected Electron Nuclear Double Resonance to Characterize Structured Solvent in Small Molecules and Macromolecules

Applications of angle-selected electron nuclear double resonance (ENDOR) spectroscopy using the vanadyl (VO 2+ ) cation or nitroxyl spin-labels as paramagnetic probes are reviewed in which structured solvent in small molecule and macromolecular complexes have been identified and characterized. By determination of the principal hyperfine (hf) coupling components (A) of magnetic nuclei in the vicinity of the paramagnetic probe, electron-nucleus distances are estimated according to the dipolar equation, and the relative coordinates of the nuclei are assigned on the basis of the orientation dependence of magnetic interactions. The precision in determining electron-nucleus distances over an approximate 3–8 A range for VO 2+ and 4–11 A range for spinlabels is generally S5% based on ENDOR line widths and is exceeded only by that associated with X-ray diffraction of single crystals. The detailed structure of metal-bound or hydrogen-bonded solvent in small molecules, nucleotide complexes, and proteins in frozen glassy solutions is described. In particular, comparison of the structural details of solvent hydrogen-bonded to spin-labeled β-lactam antibiotics free in solution and sequestered in the active site of a spinlabeled penicilloyl acylenzyme reaction intermediate of TEM-1 β-lactamase is shown to bring improved understanding of the origin of the reactivity of β-lactam antibiotics and the mechanism of action of β-lactamases. Future directions that may allow a richer level of structural detail for assessment of macromolecular structure are also briefly discussed.
Indigenous Ritual, Girardian Sacrifice, and Sense of Place in The Last of the Mohicans and Hope Leslie

By applying Rene Girard's theory of the scapegoat to two examples of nineteenth-century American literature, this paper argues that these literatures graft fictional American Indian ritual sacrifice onto real, recently colonized geographical sites to sacralize European settlers' relationship to their new lands. The essay begins from two geographical sites of contested belonging-Glens Falls in New York and Laurel Hill in Massachusetts, respectively, as they appear in two scenes of thwarted Indian sacrifice of Europeans in James Fennimore Cooper's "The Last of the Mohicans" (1826), and Catharine Maria Sedgwick's "Hope Leslie" (1827). "The Last of the Mohicans" and "Hope Leslie" both contain scenes of American Indian ritual human sacrifice, and both imagine these Indian rituals to take place on actual geographic locations which were familiar to the scenes' authors. This essay provides a close reading of these scenes and employs Girard's theory of the scapegoat to read this elision of imagined ritual onto actual geographic spaces as a solution to the dilemma of 19th-century European Americans' sense of historical and spiritual disconnection from recently appropriated Indian land. The symptoms of this dilemma appear in the relationships these scenes create between American Native and American colonist, and between romantic sacralizing religion and colonialist material history on American lands. These scenes similarly attempt the resolution of this dilemma by fictionally eliding indigenous and colonizing cultures, to monumentalize the actual geographic space on which the authors imagine the scenes to take place. And this elision has apparently found some success: both fictional scenes are today commemorated by nonfictional historical markers on the sites in which these sacralizing rituals are imagined.
"Interest" and the Paradox of Contemporary Islamic Law and Finance

... [T]he manner in which an act was qualified as morally good or bad in the spiritual domain of Islamic religion was quite different from the manner in which that same act was qualified as legally valid or invalid in the temporal domain of Islamic law. Islamic law was secular, not canonical... Thus, it was a system focused on ensuring that an individual received justice, not that one be a good person.
Measures, Methods, and Models of Doctor Satisfaction: Future Research Challenges

This paper outlines the way in which various concepts measuring doctor reactions to their jobs and careers (e.g., satisfaction, burnout, etc.) have been developed. The variety of measures, methods, and models reflect differing disciplinary and theoretical approaches and research traditions. In order to identify productive ways to advance the field, this paper presents a proposal for how multi-disciplinary, cross-national comparative research might be conducted to resolve some of the issues linking medical care organization, physicians' experiences, and patient outcomes. In seeking buy-in from stakeholders, researchers need to be cognizant that various ideologies and agendas shape the nature of the concerns that these interest groups (e.g., professional associations, clinical managers, payers, patient advocates, etc.) have about physician satisfaction, its precursors, and its consequences.Keywords: Physician satisfaction, burnout, measurement, methodology, medical autonomy
Remaking The Meaning of Dependence: The Case of a Supervised Injection Site

What role can the state play in fostering autonomy in citizens who are dependent on drugs, but also deeply stigmatized, marginalized, and disenfranchised? In this paper I draw on interviews conducted with people associated with Insite, North America’s first and only supervised injection facility located in Vancouver, Canada, as well as philosophical accounts of autonomy to consider this question. At Insite, a government funded facility, injection drug users can consume pre-obtained illegal drugs under medical supervision. Fostering autonomy entails on the one hand, putting in place the relational, embodied, and material support necessary to facilitate the capacity for autonomy, the capacity to determine one’s ends or meaningfully shape one’s life plans, and on the other hand, creating the conditions wherein people are ascribed the status of an autonomous individual. In order for the state to achieve both goals where drug users and other marginalized people who are classified as dependent are concerned, it must generate institutional and social conditions that reshape the meaning of stigmatized forms of dependence. I argue that through services delivered at Insite the state is relatively successful in creating some of the institutional and material conditions for recreating the meaning of dependence on drugs (addiction) and therefore fostering autonomy. However, because of the political context in which the struggle to keep the doors of Insite open has taken place and, in turn, the ensuing public health discourse adopted by its advocates, there are limitations to the state’s ability to use Insite as a means for reconceiving dependence in such a away that it fosters the recognition-elements of autonomy. Though political expedient, the public health discourse limits recognition of autonomy in favor of recognition of “humanity,” which has different implications. This speaks more broadly to some of the limitations the state may face in attempting to foster autonomy. Nonetheless, the expanded opportunity for capacity-based autonomy that Insite offers may also provide the tools for other means of generating recognition.
Glutathione S-transferase π in squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck

Objectives/Hypothesis Oxidative/reductive (redox) DNA damage from radical species such as nitric oxide (NO·) are increasingly being implicated in the development of cancer. Moreover, redox-protective cellular mechanisms, such as glutathione S-transferase, may determine cellular susceptibility to this redox-mediated damage. Methods Formalin-fixed, paraffin-embedded tissue samples of 11 normal oral mucosa, 15 reactive/dysplastic lesions, and 131 head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs) were immunohistochemically stained using a polyclonal antibody against glutathione S-transferase π (GST-π). Slides were reviewed in a blinded fashion by the study pathologist (g.k.h.) and intensity was graded, noting the pattern of immunostaining. These staining characteristics were compared with those obtained using monoclonal antibodies against endothelial constitutive nitric oxide synthase (ecNOS) and nitrotyrosine, a marker of NO·'s pathological nitrosylation of proteins on serial sections of the same tissue. Patient charts were reviewed and clinical data collected. Results The expression of GST-π was significantly increased in reactive/dysplastic and HNSCC samples compared with normal squamous mucosa (P < .001 for both). Furthermore, among the carcinomas the expression of GST-π was significantly increased in higher-grade lesions (P < .02). The expression of GST-π correlated highly with the expression of ecNOS and nitrotyrosine (P < .0001 for both). Conclusions These findings demonstrate that GST-π is upregulated in conjunction with the NO·-generating ecNOS isoform and implicate GST-π in protecting HNSCC from the cytotoxic effects of high concentrations of NO· found in the tumor bed.
The Management Audit as a Teaching Tool in Social Work Administration

The role of social work administrators as change agents who can improve organizational outcomes is receiving increased attention in this era of higher expectations for effectiveness and efficiency. This article describes two course assignments in which administration concentration students complete a management audit of their practicum agency, and then design a change plan for addressing an identified weak area. Data collected from audits over a four-year period are presented, and examples of proposed and implemented change plans are presented. The author also provides suggestions for enhancing education for social work administration.
Autoamplification of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α : A Potential Mechanism for the Maintenance of Elevated Tumor Necrosis Factor-α in Male but Not Female Obese Mice

Although tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is elevated in adipose tissue in obesity and may contribute to the cardiovascular and metabolic risks associated with this condition, the mechanisms leading to elevated TNF-α remain elusive. We hypothesized that autoamplification of TNF-α contributes to the maintenance of elevated TNF-α in obesity. Treatment of 3T3-L1 adipocytes with TNF-α, or injection of TNF-α into C57BL/6J mice, up-regulated TNF-α mRNA in adipocytes and in adipose tissues, respectively. Ob/ob male but not female mice lacking TNF-α receptors showed significantly lower levels of adipose TNF-α mRNA when compared with TNF-α receptor-expressing ob/ob mice. Thus, the lack of endogenous TNF-α signaling reduced adipose TNF-α mRNA in ob/ob male mice. Additionally, hyperinsulinemia potentiated this TNF-α-mediated autoamplification response in adipose tissues and in adipocytes in a synergistic and dose-dependent manner. Studies in which TNF-α was injected into lean mice lacking individual TNF-α receptors indicated that TNF-α autoamplification in adipose tissues was mediated primarily via the p55 TNF-α receptor whereas the p75 TNF-α receptor appeared to augment this response. Finally, TNF-α autoamplification in adipocytes occurred via the protein kinase C signaling pathway and the transcription factor nuclear factor-κB. Thus, TNF-α can positively autoregulate its own biosynthesis in adipose tissue, contributing to the maintenance of elevated TNF-α in obesity.
Current Practices in the Use of Televised Child Testimony: Questions of Constitutionality and Personal Biases

This study surveyed prosecuting attorneys' offices to determine the current practices involving the use of televised testimony of child witnesses. Members (or designates) of the National District Attorneys Association (n = 768) completed questionnaires that assessed whether they had ever used televised child testimony and whether its use had led to an appeal. Respondents who had never used televised testimony were asked to indicate the reason(s) why they had chosen not to use it. Results suggested that televised testimony is not a common practice among respondents in that only 17.1% of the sample used it. If a respondent did use it, it was unlikely to lead to an appeal (only 22.9% of the time). Respondents who had never used this type of testimony reported that a variety of legal and practical restrictions, as well as their own personal beliefs, prevented them from doing so. Results are discussed in terms of the controversy regarding the use of televised testimony.
Scanning Near‐Field Optical Microscopy

This article describes the setup and use of scanning near-field optical microscopes for use in nanometer scale material imaging and characterization. We describe the concepts behind near-field imaging that allow the technique to reach spatial resolution far below the diffraction limit of conventional optical microscopy. Keywords: optical microscopy; near-field optics; evanescent fields; scanning microscopy; spectroscopy; apertureless microscopy; tip-enhanced microscopy; fluorescence imaging; Raman scattering
Patient, center and geographic characteristics of nationally placed livers.

Once a liver offer has been refused locally and regionally, it is offered nationally. We characterized nationally (n = 1567) versus locally (n = 19 893) placed grafts from adult, nonfulminant, deceased donor liver transplants (LT) from 2/1/05 to 1/31/10. Donors of nationally versus locally placed livers differed by age (50 vs. 42 years), positive HCV antibody (11 vs. 2%) and death from stroke (51 vs. 42%) (p < 0.001 for all). Recipients of nationally versus locally placed livers differed by LT-MELD (20 vs. 24), rates of ascites (35 vs. 37%), encephalopathy (12 vs. 15%), hepatocellular (17 vs. 24%) and nonhepatocellular exceptions (6 vs. 11%) (p ≤ 0.03 for all). Six (5%) centers utilized 64% of the nationally placed grafts while 43 (38%) centers accepted zero during the 5-year period; all high volume centers used ≥1. Compared to local distribution, transplantation with a nationally placed liver was associated with a similar adjusted risk of graft (HR, 0.99; 95% CI, 0.86–1.14) and patient (HR, 0.98; 95% CI, 0.84–1.14; p = 0.77) survival. In conclusion, utilization of nationally placed livers is highly concentrated in very few centers, with no increased adjusted risk of graft loss. These findings provide the foundation for a more informed discussion about changing our current liver allocation and distribution policies.
Two-Stage Atomic Layer Deposition of Aluminum Oxide on Alkanethiolate Self-Assembled Monolayers Using n-Propanol and Water as Oxygen Sources

Aluminum oxide (AlOx) was deposited onto strong hydrophobic surfaces of alkanethiolate self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) by a two-stage atomic layer deposition (ALD) process; the first stage utilized n-propanol as the oxygen source, and the second stage proceeded with water. The resulting AlOx layers were characterized with spectroscopic ellipsometry, reflection−absorption infrared spectroscopy, low-energy X-ray emission spectroscopy, and atomic force microscopy. The optimized two-step ALD process significantly improved the surface morphology of AlOx layers and effectively protected the structural integrities of underlying SAMs.
Prostaglandin D2 Synthase Inhibits the Exaggerated Growth Phenotype of Spontaneously Hypertensive Rat Vascular Smooth Muscle Cells

Lipocalin-type prostaglandin D2 synthase (L-PGDS) has recently been linked to a variety of pathophysiological cardiovascular conditions including hypertension and diabetes. In this study, we report on the 50% increase in L-PGDS protein expression observed in vascular smooth muscle cells (VSMC) isolated from spontaneously hypertensive rats (SHR). L-PGDS expression also increased 50% upon the differentiation of normotensive control cells (WKY, from Wistar-Kyoto rats). In addition, we demonstrate differential effects of L-PGDS treatment on cell proliferation and apoptosis in VSMCs isolated from SHR versus WKY controls. L-PGDS (50 microg/ml) was able to significantly inhibit VSMC proliferation and DNA synthesis and induce the apoptotic genes bax, bcl-x, and ei24 in SHR but had no effect on WKY cells. Hyperglycemic conditions also had opposite effects, in which increased glucose concentrations (20 mm) resulted in decreased L-PGDS expression in control cells but actually stimulated L-PGDS expression in SHR. Furthermore, we examined the effect of L-PGDS incubation on insulin-stimulated Akt, glycogen synthase kinase-3beta (GSK-3beta), and ERK phosphorylation. Unexpectedly, we found that when WKY cells were pretreated with L-PGDS, insulin could actually induce apoptosis and failed to stimulate Akt/GSK-3beta phosphorylation. Insulin-stimulated ERK phosphorylation was unaffected by L-PGDS pretreatment in both cell lines. We propose that L-PGDS is involved in the balance of VSMC proliferation and apoptosis and in the increased expression observed in the hypertensive state is an attempt to maintain a proper equilibrium between the two processes via the induction of apoptosis and inhibition of cell proliferation.
Estimating the standard deviation for222Rn scintillation counting — a note concerning the paper by Sarmiento et al.

Abstract In a recent report Sarmiento et al. (1976) presented a method for estimating the statistical error associated with 222 Rn scintillation counting. Because of certain approximations, the method is less accurate than that of an earlier work by Lucas and Woodward (1964) . We have compared the Sarmiento method and the Lucas method, and determined the magnitude of errors incurred using the approximations. For counting times greater than 300 minutes, the disadvantage of the slight inaccuracies of the Sarmiento method are outweighed by the advantage of easier calculation.
Absence of impulse activity in cortical neurons with transient projections to the cerebellum.

Abstract During the second postnatal week of development in cats, neurons in layer V of the primary sensorimotor cortex project transiently, by way of collaterals of pyramidal tract axons, to the cerebellum. All cerebrocerebellar collaterals are subsequently eliminated, while the collaterals in the pyramidal tract persist into the adult. To determine if the transience of the projection to the cerebellum could be due to the lack of functional activity in cerebrocerebellar projection neurons, single-unit extracellular recordings were made from neurons in the primary somatosensory cortex (S-I) in 8–14-day-old kittens. Projection neurons were identified by their antidromic activation from pyramidal tract or cerebellum. Collision experiments confirmed that some neurons had collateral projections to both structures. Recordings from both generally anesthetized as well as locally anesthetized, but awake preparations, indicated that pyramidal tract and cerebrocerebellar projection neurons never fired action potentials spontaneously or were orthodromically activated following stimulation of the medial lemniscus. Stimulation of the medial lemniscus did synaptically activate neurons in the cortex, but these were always located superficial to the antidromically activated projection neurons. These findings indicate that pyramidal tract and/or cerebrocerebellar S-I projection neurons are physiologically silent during the period of development that cortical axons are transiently present in the cerebellum, suggesting that cerebrocerebellar projections may be eliminated because of the lack of impulse activity.
Effects of ingredient composition on optical and mechanical properties of pullulan film for food-packaging applications

Abstract In the present research, the effects of pullulan ( Pul ), glycerin ( Gly ), xanthan gum ( Xa ) and locust bean ( Lb ) concentrations on pullulan film properties were investigated using a Central Composite Rotatable Design. Optimal ingredient combination was determined and antimicrobial activity of films combined with sakacin A was confirmed against Listeria monocytogenes . Using predictive models, contour plots and the characteristics of commercial LDPE films as constraints, the following combination within the optimal region was selected: Pul 100 g/l, Gly 10 g/l, Xa 1 g/l and Lb 1 g/l. Statistical analysis demonstrated that Pul and Gly significantly influenced the properties of pullulan films. Strong interactions were observed between Pul - Gly and Xa - Gly . When sakacin A was added to the film mixture, no significant influence on films optical properties was reported, while an increase in flexibility was observed. Results obtained indicate the potential application of pullulan film developed in this study as an effective antimicrobial biopolymer in food-packaging systems.
Mining the web to create minority language corpora

The Web is a valuable source of language specific resources but the process of collecting, organizing and utilizing these resources is difficult. We describe CorpusBuilder, an approach for automatically generating Web-search queries for collecting documents in a minority language. It differs from pseudo-relevance feedback in that retrieved documents are labeled by an automatic language classifier as relevant or irrelevant, and this feedback is used to generate new queries. We experiment with various query-generation methods and query-lengths to find inclusion/exclusion terms that are helpful for retrieving documents in the target language and find that using odds-ratio scores calculated over the documents acquired so far was one of the most consistently accurate query-generation methods. We also describe experiments using a handful of words elicited from a user instead of initial documents and show that the methods perform similarly. Experiments applying the same approach to multiple languages are also presented showing that our approach generalizes to a variety of languages.
Phase velocities of irregularities in the equatorial electrojet

Spectral decomposition of the power spectrum of radar echoes at 50 MHz from the equatorial electrojet reveals information as to the phase velocities of several classes of electron density irregularities and permits inferences as to the electron drift velocity and the electron and ion temperatures in the electrojet. In particular, it is shown that the phase velocity of two-stream irregularities is comparable to the ion-acoustic speed and independent of the horizontal phase velocity of coexistent non-two-stream irregularities. The latter can exceed the ion-acoustic speed and is probably a measure of the electron drift velocity. Thus a probable inference is that the electron drift velocity can itself be supersonic, contrary to some existing theoretical opinions.
Aortico–left ventricular tunnel: 35-year experience

OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to review our 35 years of experience with aortico-left ventricular tunnel (ALVT), with emphasis on diagnosis, surgical details, and follow-up. BACKGROUND Aortico-left ventricular tunnel is a rare congenital anomaly. Neonatal surgery has been advocated in all due to long-term concern of valvar aortic regurgitation (AR). METHODS We identified 11 patients from 1963 to August 2002. Clinical, echocardiographic, catheterization, and surgical details were reviewed. RESULTS Eight of 11 patients presented at less than six months old (six with congestive heart failure) and three later with a murmur, all with clinical evidence of AR. Associated lesions, most commonly aortic valve and coronary artery anomalies, were present in 45%. Catheter occlusion was considered but not performed in five. Spontaneous occlusion was documented in one. Ten had surgery (nine in our institution), seven with direct suture and two by patch closure of the aortic end of the AVLT. At follow-up (median, 5 years; 1 month to 35 years), all were asymptomatic; three had residual ALVT (one moderate, two small/trivial), with at most mild AR. CONCLUSIONS Aortico-left ventricular tunnel is a rare cardiac malformation with a good post-operative long-term outcome. Associated lesions occurred in 45%. Catheterization should be reserved for patients with unclear non-invasive findings or transcatheter closure. We recommend surgery for most patients. We report spontaneous closure in one patient, prompting consideration of conservative follow-up in rare small, asymptomatic AVLT.