cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of quantum and classical local-field effects on two-level atoms in a dielectric

The macroscopic quantum theory of the electromagnetic field in a dielectric medium interacting with a dense collection of embedded two-level atoms fails to reproduce a result that is obtained from an application of the classical Lorentz local-field condition. Specifically, macroscopic quantum electrodynamics predicts that the Lorentz redshift of the resonance frequency of the atoms will be enhanced by a factor of the refractive index $n$ of the host medium. However, an enhancement factor of $({n}^{2}+2)∕3$ is derived using the Bloembergen procedure in which the classical Lorentz local-field condition is applied to the optical Bloch equations. Both derivations are short and uncomplicated and are based on well-established physical theories, yet lead to contradictory results. Microscopic quantum electrodynamics confirms the classical local-field-based results. Then the application of macroscopic quantum electrodynamic theory to embedded atoms is proved false by a specific example in which both the correspondence principle and microscopic theory of quantum electrodynamics are violated.
“It’s complicated” The continuity and correlates of cycling in cohabiting and marital relationships

Given previous research on the risks associated with cycling in young adult dating relationships, the present study examines the frequency with which cyclical dating relationships (relationships that end and renew) persist into cohabitation and marriage, the characteristics of these relationships, and the constraints associated with cycling during these stages using a nationally representative sample of cohabiting (n = 323) and married (n = 752) couples. Using retrospective accounts, results suggest that over one-third of cohabiters and one-fifth of spouses have experienced a breakup and renewal in their current relationship. Additionally, partners who have experienced cycling are at greater risk for further cycling and experiencing greater constraints to permanently ending the relationship, greater uncertainty in their relationship’s future, and lower satisfaction.
Using least squares support vector machines for the airframe structures manufacturing cost estimation

Abstract Accurate cost estimation plays a significant role in industrial product development and production. This research applied least squares support vector machines (LS-SVM) method solving the problem of estimating the manufacturing cost for airframe structural projects. This research evaluated the estimation performance using back-propagation neural networks and statistical regression analysis. In case studies, this research considered structural weight and manufacturing complexity as the main factors in determining the manufacturing labor hour. The test results verified that the LS-SVM model can provide accurate estimation performance and outperform other methods. This research provides a feasible solution for airframe manufacture industry.
The role of guidance in children's discovery learning

Discovery learning is an important, yet controversial topic in the fields of psychology, education, and cognitive science. Though traditional views emphasize a lack of instructional constraint or scaffolding, more recent evidence suggests that guidance should be included in the process of discovery learning. The present review summarizes three general approaches which have been shown to facilitate guided discovery learning: (1) strategic presentation of materials, (2) consequential feedback, and (3) probing questions and self-explanations. Techniques for implementing approaches are discussed, as well as the underlying mechanisms that contribute to their effectiveness. WIREs Cogn Sci 2012. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1199 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Modeling the Response of Premixed Flames to Mixture Ratio Perturbations

Combustion instabilities continue to cause significant reliability and availability problems in low emissions gas turbine combustors. It is known that these instabilities are often caused by a self-exciting feedback loop between unsteady heat release rate and reactive mixture equivalence ratio perturbations. We present an analysis of the flame’s response to equivalence ratio perturbations by considering the kinematic equations for the flame front. This response is controlled by three processes: heat of reaction, flame speed, and flame area. The first two are directly generated by equivalence ratio oscillations. The third is indirect, as it is generated by the flame speed fluctuations. The first process dominates the response of the flame at low Strouhal numbers, roughly defined as frequency times flame length divided by mean flow velocity. All three processes play equal roles at Strouhal numbers of O(1). The mean equivalence ratio exerts little effect upon this transfer function at low Strouhal numbers. At O(1) Strouhal numbers, the flame response increases with decreasing values of the mean equivalence ratio. Thus, these results are in partial agreement with heuristic arguments made in prior studies that the flame response to equivalence ratio oscillations increases as the fuel/air ratio becomes leaner. In addition, a result is derived for the sensitivity of this transfer function to uncertainties in mean flame position. For example, a sensitivity of 10 means that a 5% uncertainty in flame position translates into a 50% uncertainty in transfer function. This sensitivity is of O(1) for St<<1, but has very high values for St~O(1). NOMENCLATURE
A web-based, patient-centered toolkit to engage patients and caregivers in the acute care setting: a preliminary evaluation

We implemented a web-based, patient-centered toolkit that engages patients/caregivers in the hospital plan of care by facilitating education and patient-provider communication. Of the 585 eligible patients approached on medical intensive care and oncology units, 239 were enrolled (119 patients, 120 caregivers). The most common reason for not approaching the patient was our inability to identify a health care proxy when a patient was incapacitated. Significantly more caregivers were enrolled in medical intensive care units compared with oncology units (75% vs 32%; P < .01). Of the 239 patient/caregivers, 158 (66%) and 97 (41%) inputted a daily and overall goal, respectively. Use of educational content was highest for medications and test results and infrequent for problems. The most common clinical theme identified in 291 messages sent by 158 patients/caregivers was health concerns, needs, preferences, or questions (19%, 55 of 291). The average system usability scores and satisfaction ratings of a sample of surveyed enrollees were favorable. From analysis of feedback, we identified barriers to adoption and outlined strategies to promote use.
Mechanism of poloxamer 407-induced hypertriglyceridemia in the rat.

One 300 mg i.p. injection of the nonionic surfactant poloxamer 407 (Pluronic F-127) produces a significant increase above control of both circulating cholesterol and triglyceride (TG) concentrations. The present study was conducted to determine the effect of poloxamer 407 (P-407) on the capacity to hydrolyze circulating TG by lipoprotein lipase (LPL) in an attempt to determine the mechanism of action of P-407. The concentration of TG in the rat following a single 300 mg i.p. injection of P-407 was marked, increasing from 84 +/- 10 to 3175 +/- 322 mg/dL at 24 hr. The maximal rate of TG accumulation (5.74 mg/dL/min) in the plasma of P-407-injected rats occurred between 2 and 4 hr post-injection. In vitro incubation of LPL with P-407 significantly inhibited enzyme activity with an inhibitory concentration at which 50% of the enzymatic activity was lost of approximately 24 microM. Concentrations of P-407 exceeding 350 microM in vitro completely inhibited LPL activity. The effects of P-407 on the enzymatic activity of LPL in post-heparin plasma obtained following a single 300 mg dose of P-407 to rats demonstrated greater than 95% suppression of LPL activity 3 hr post-injection compared with controls. Inhibition of LPL activity was greater than 90% as long as 24 hr following a single i.p. injection of P-407. However, while the heparin-releasable fraction of capillary-bound LPL was inhibited in the plasma, LPL activity significantly increased in cardiac and skeletal muscle in poloxamer-injected animals compared with sham-injected controls. Although there was no significant change in LPL activity in adipose tissue, testes, and lung resulting from P-407 treatment, LPL activity increased by 37% in myocardium, 69% in soleus, and 66% in gastrocnemius muscle in P-407-injected rats when compared with controls. Our studies would suggest that the predominant mechanism by which P-407 induced an increase in circulating TG was by a reduction in the rate at which TG was hydrolyzed due to inhibition of heparin-releasable LPL by the surfactant.
Performance analysis of directional random access scheme for multiple access mobile ad-hoc wireless networks

It has been proposed to upgrade the performance of medium access control (MAC) schemes through the use of beamforming directional antennas, to achieve better power and bandwidth utilization. In this paper, we consider a shared wireless medium as employed in a mobile ad hoc wireless network. We present and analyze a random access MAC algorithm that is combined with the use of directional beamforming formed by each transmitting mobile entity. Mathematical equations are derived to characterize the throughput performance of such a directional-ALOHA (D-ALOHA) algorithm. We describe the interferences occurring at each receiving node by considering both distance based and SINR based interference models. The D-ALOHA protocol includes the establishment of a (in-band or out of band) control sub-channel that is used for the transmission of location update messages. The latter is used for allowing mobile nodes to track the location of their intended destination mobiles. We employ our derived mathematical equations, as well as carry out simulation evaluations, to present an extensive set of performance results. We characterize the throughput performance of such a beamforming based MAC protocol in terms of the system's traffic loading conditions, the selected beamwidths of the antennas at the transmitting mobiles, and the mobility levels of the nodal entities. We show that the D-ALOHA protocol can provide a significant upgrade of network performance
Performance of SM6, SM8, and SMD on the SAMPL1 test set for the prediction of small-molecule solvation free energies.

The SM6, SM8, and SMD quantum mechanical aqueous continuum solvation models are applied to predict free energies of aqueous solvation for 61 molecules in the SAMPL1 test set described elsewhere (Guthrie. J. Phys. Chem. B 2009, 113, 4501−4507). For direct comparison to other models, frozen geometries, provided by Guthrie, were used together with the M06-2X density functional and the 6-31G(d) basis set. For the bulk electrostatic component of the solvation free energy, SM6 and SM8 employ a generalized Born model that uses polarized discrete partial atomic charges to model the electron density, with these charges being calculated by the CM4 and CM4M class IV charge models, respectively; SMD uses the polarized continuous quantum mechanical charge density. If five sulfonylureas are removed from the SAMPL1 set, the root-mean-square deviations (RMSDs) of SM6, SM8, and SMD on the remaining 56 molecules are 2.4, 2.6, and 2.5 kcal mol−1, respectively. The SM6, SM8, and SMD RMSDs on the five sulfonylureas are 14.2, ...
The Role of Telavancin in Hospital-Acquired Pneumonia and Ventilator-Associated Pneumonia

Hospital-acquired pneumonia (HAP) due to gram-positive pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) continues to be a major cause of morbid conditions and death. Telavancin is a lipoglycopeptide antibiotic with potent in vitro activity against a range of gram-positive pathogens, including MRSA, methicillin-susceptible S. aureus, and Streptococcus species. In 2 phase 3 clinical trials, telavancin was noninferior to vancomycin in patients with HAP due to gram-positive pathogens. Clinically evaluable patients with S. aureus as the sole pathogen or S. aureus with a vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentration >1 µg/mL, however, had higher cure rates with telavancin than with vancomycin. In patients with bacteremic HAP, telavancin resulted in clearance of blood cultures. It was associated with increased serum creatinine levels and higher mortality rates in patients with moderate to severe renal impairment at baseline; however, on subsequent analysis, the outcomes seemed to have been at least partially affected by the adequacy of empiric gram-negative antimicrobial therapy. Thus, clinicians need to consider the risk-benefit balance when choosing telavancin in patients with severe renal impairment at baseline. Overall, these data support the use of telavancin in the treatment of HAP due to S. aureus, including MRSA and strains with elevated vancomycin minimum inhibitory concentrations, but clinicians should always weigh the risks and benefits of various treatment options.
Cytomegalovirus antibodies in dried blood spots: a minimally invasive method for assessing stress, immune function, and aging

Background Cytomegalovirus (CMV) is a prevalent herpesvirus with links to both stress and aging. This paper describes and validates a minimally invasive method for assessing antibodies against CMV in finger stick whole blood spot samples for use as an indirect marker of an aspect of cell-mediated immunity.
A storm-related origin for the Jurassic Brentskardhaugen Bed of Spitsbergen, Norway

The laterally persistent but thin, Jurassic age (Bathonian-Callovian) Brentskardhaugen bed is poorly sorted (often with mud to cobble size), and is crudely normally and/or reversely graded without internal discontinuities. These traits may indicate a short-lived depositional event, and are inconsistent with an origin as a basal, transgressive gravel lag formed in a terrestrial or shoreline setting. Mega-storm events on a shallow marine shelf with an underlying condensed section may account for the poor sorting, grading, stratigraphic position and remanie character of the bed.
Ultrafast third harmonic micro-spectroscopy reveals a two-photon resonance in human hemoglobin

The recently developed technique of ultrafast third harmonic generation (THG) micro-spectroscopy is discussed. The approach is easily adapted to a standard laser scanning microscope and allows for two and three photon resonances to be identified in non-fluorescent unlabeled samples. This work provides nonlinear microscopists with a tool for further understanding the contrast and damage mechanisms they will encounter under nonlinear excitation. Here, we use THG micro-spectroscopy to investigate the nonlinear optical properties of hemoglobin over the spectral range of 770 -1000 nm with 100-fs duration, ~1-nJ energy laser pulses. We demonstrate the ability of this approach to distinguish different ligand binding states in physiological solutions of human hemoglobin.
Sensitivity of intensifying Atlantic hurricanes to vortex structure

Sensitivity analysis is performed to objectively determine the role of storm structure during periods of rapid intensification in a sample of five Atlantic hurricanes. Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model 24-hour forecasts for 96-member ensembles provide the basis for analysis of hurricanes Bill (2009), Earl (2010), Igor (2010), Katia (2011), and Ophelia (2011). Ensemble sensitivity analysis is used to investigate which patterns in the analysis have a strong influence on the forecast intensity and then a novel sensitivity compositing technique is used to identify common patterns that affect the forecast intensity. We find a common response for increasing intensity associated with an initial increased primary and secondary circulation, an increased warm core, a raised tropopause and moistening of the rain band region. Perturbed initial-condition experiments show a linear response for modest initial amplitude, and also signs of nonlinearity for large perturbations, indicating that these sensitivity patterns are robust for limited additional strengthening of the hurricane. When initial perturbations are partitioned into dry and moist variables, we find that most of the forecast change is achieved by the dry dynamics. Further investigation into convective indicators reveal that simulations in which only moist variables are perturbed experience less convective development in the eyewall throughout the forecast. These findings are consistent with recent observational studies of intensifying tropical cyclones.
Crosstalk-aware anycast routing and wavelength assignment in optical WDM networks

In this paper we discuss the performance of physical-layer impairment-aware anycast communication over transparent optical networks. High-bandwidth applications, such as grid computing over optical networks will benefit from using anycast requests. From the simulation results we observe that the proposed anycast routing algorithms can significantly decrease the blocking probability of requests due to impairments, such as crosstalk and ASE noise. 1
Informal Institutional Arrangements in Credit, Land Markets and Infrastructure Delivery in Trinidad

Informal institutional arrangements, permeating both formal and informal housing settlements, allow markets to function in developing countries. Yet their economic, social and policy impacts are largely unexamined. Insights from the new institutional economics literature are used to show the significance of informal institutional arrangements in credit, land markets and infrastructure delivery. The analysis is grounded in the experience of Trinidad and Tobago, with empirical information drawn from fieldwork research done in 1993 and 1997. Research findings show that informal institutions of cooperation (e.g. sou-sou, CBOs) support transactions by reducing transaction costs, by lowering risk and by providing mechanisms to cope with uncertainty. They are therefore used instead of formal institutions. Policy-makers should expect intense utilization of such locally designed institutions that use social capital in the process of land and housing market reform in developing countries. Ce sont les arrangements institutionnels informels, organisent l'habitat officiel et officieux, qui donnent aux marches la possibilite de fonctionner dans les pays en voie de developpement. Neanmoins leur impact economique, social et politique n'ont generalement pas ete examines. J'utilise des outils provenant des travaux sur l'economie neo-institutionaliste pour demontrer la signification des arrangements institutionnels officieux pour le credit, les marches agraires et la distribution des infrastructures. L'analyse est basee sur l'experience de Trinidad et Tobago, et l'information empirique provient d'une recherche de terrain faite entre 1993 et 1997. Les resultats montrent que les institutions officieuses de cooperation (par exemple sou-sou, CBOs) supportent les transactions en reduisant leurs couts, en abaissant les risques, et en fournissant des mecanismes pour faire face a l'incertitude. Elles sont donc utilisees a la place des institutions officielles. Les politiciens peuvent s'attendre a une utilisation intense de telles institutions designees localement et qui utilisent le capital social dans le processus de reformes du marche agraire et du logement dans les pays en voie de developpement.
Clinical Application of C-Reactive Protein for Cardiovascular Disease Detection and Prevention

In an attempt to improve global cardiovascular risk prediction, considerable interest has focused on C-reactive protein (CRP), a marker of inflammation that has been shown in multiple prospective epidemiological studies to predict incident myocardial infarction, stroke, peripheral arterial disease, and sudden cardiac death. CRP levels have also been shown to predict risk of both recurrent ischemia and death among those with stable and unstable angina, those undergoing percutaneous angioplasty, and those presenting to emergency rooms with acute coronary syndromes. These highly consistent clinical data are supported by abundant laboratory and experimental evidence that demonstrate that atherothrombosis, in addition to being a disease of lipid accumulation, also represents a chronic inflammatory process. In terms of clinical application, CRP seems to be a stronger predictor of cardiovascular events than LDL cholesterol, and it adds prognostic information at all levels of calculated Framingham Risk and at all levels of the metabolic syndrome. Using widely available high-sensitivity assays, CRP levels of 3 mg/L correspond to low-, moderate-, and high-risk groups for future cardiovascular events. Individuals with LDL cholesterol below 130 mg/dL who have CRP levels >3 mg/L represent a high-risk group often missed in clinical practice. The addition of CRP to standard cholesterol evaluation may thus provide a simple and inexpensive method to improve global risk prediction and compliance with preventive approaches. Composed of five 23 kDa subunits, C-reactive protein (CRP) is an hepatically derived pentraxin that plays a key role in the innate immune response. CRP has a long plasma half-life and is now understood to be a mediator as well as a marker of atherothrombotic disease. To date, over a dozen prospective epidemiological studies carried out among individuals with no prior history of cardiovascular disease demonstrate that a single, non-fasting measure of CRP is a strong predictor …
Exercise-Induced Changes of the Upper Extremity in Chronic Stroke Survivors

Problems with daily activities due to decreased aerobic capacity and decreased strength are common in people who survive a stroke. Implementation of exercise for the upper extremity is challenging because of weakness and other impairments that limit performance of exercise activities. Although maximal exercise testing protocols are difficult to administer, submaximal testing may be a safe and effective means for prescribing exercise. Research studies have demonstrated that people with stroke can improve aerobic capacity and upper extremity muscle strength with exercise intervention, although the number of randomized controlled trials is limited and this area requires further investigation.
Hepatic microsomal metabolism of leukotriene B4 in rats: Biochemical characterization, effect of inducers, and age- and sex-dependent differences

1. The cytochrome P-450-dependent metabolism of leukotriene B4 (LTB4) by rat hepatic microsomes was characterized. Hepatic microsomes were found to metabolize LTB4 to 20-hydroxy-LTB4 and 20-carboxy:LTB4. The rate of formation of 20-hydroxy-LTB4 (14.6 pmol/min per mg protein) was 5.8-fold higher than that of 20-carboxy-LTB4 (2.5 pmol/min per mg protein).2. LTB4 ω-hydroxylase activity required NADPH and oxygen indicating that the reaction is mediated by a mono-oxygenase system. The ω-hydroxylase activity was optimal at pH 7.4 and product formation was linear with respect to time of incubation and protein concentration. The reaction was significantly inhibited by carbon monoxide (89%), SKF 525-A (1 mM), and metyrapone (0.1 mM) whereas α-naphthoflavone had only marginal inhibitory effects. The apparent Km and Vmax of LTB4 ω-hydroxylase were 4 μ and 19.6 pmol/min per mg protein, respectively.3. Ontogenic studies revealed that LTB4 ω-hydroxylase activity was low in 4-day-old rats and that there was a steady inc...
Nation, State and the Modern Transformation of Korean Social Structure in the Early Twentieth Century

When assessing social change in modern Korea, the tremendous material transformation of the second half of the twentieth century has tended to obscure the advances of the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. This article examines the distinctive means by which both nation building and state making contributed to the formation of Korea's modern social structure well before the full advent of industrialisation and urbanisation. It argues that the processes of national identity formation, particularly in the absence of an autonomous state during the period of Japanese colonial rule (1910–45), drew from multiple stimuli, including religion, class and a recognition of the urgency of social levelling. The state, meanwhile, followed different developmental paths in its institutional and ideological manifestations, but in both instances, the contributions of Koreans themselves to the process, even during the colonial period, placed a lasting imprint on the state's relationship to modern social change. The legacy of this connection continues to shape how Koreans perceive both their present and their past.
Psychometric Properties of the Sport Motivation Scale: An Evaluation with College Varsity Athletes from the U.S.

Motivation, particularly different types of motivation (i.e., intrinsic, extrinsic, and amotivation), is a topic that has been of interest to both psychologists and sport psychologists. One area of interest in sport psychology is the assessment of different types of motivation. The Sport Motivation Scale (SMS) (Pelletier et al., 1995) was created to assess an athlete's intrinsic motivation, extrinsic-motivation, and a motivation toward sport participation. The psychometric properties of the SMS, however, have not been tested on a sample of college athletes in the U.S., which is an important component if researchers and applied sport psychologists are to use the SMS with this population. A total of 270 U.S. college athletes participated in this study. Results provided some evidence for the reliability and validity of the SMS for this population, although a confirmatory factor analysis yielded relatively poor fit indices, indicating problems with model specification. A "piecewise" model testing approach, in which different components of the model were tested separately, indicated that the biggest problems with model specification may involve the extrinsic and amotivation components of the measure.
Independence of Propagation Ability and Developmental Processes in Irradiated Cellular Slime-moulds

SummaryWhen assayed for reproductive ability, the cellular slime mould Dictyostelium discoideum NC-4 is resistant to 60Co gamma-rays (D10 = 300 krads) whereas a derived mutant, γs-13, is much more sensitive (D10 = 4 krads). If ability to proceed through development to form normal-appearing spores (a process requiring neither DNA synthesis nor cell division) is assayed after irradiation of amoeboid cells, the γs-13 strain is more sensitive than NC-4, but the differential sensitivity is only about 4× at the 20 per cent level (270 krads for NC-4). When the reproductive ability of these spores is determined, those of γs-13 are mostly inviable at doses above 20 krads, while those of NC-4 are largely viable up to 200 krads. Quantitatively, the proportion of viable spores among those produced closely follows the proportion of viable cells in the irradiated population used to initiate development. The greatest diminution of spore production occurs for irradiation done at the beginning of aggregation; however, the...
Delay analysis of IEEE 802.11 in single-hop networks

This paper presents an analytical model to compute the average service time and jitter experienced by a packet when transmitted in a saturated IEEE 802.11 ad hoc network. In contrast to traditional work in the literature, in which a distribution is usually fitted or assumed, we use a bottom-up approach and build the first two moments of the service time based on the IEEE 802.11 binary exponential backoff algorithm and the events underneath its operation. Our model is general enough to be applied to any type of IEEE 802.11 wireless ad hoc network where the channel state probabilities driving a node's backoff operation are known. We apply our model to saturated single-hop ad hoc networks under ideal channel conditions. We validate our model through extensive simulations and conduct a performance evaluation of a node's average service time and jitter for both direct sequence and frequency-hopping spread spectrum physical layers.
On the reconstruction of dynamic permeability of cancellous bones

This article focuses on the mathematical problem of reconstructing dynamic permeability K(!) of two-phase composites from data at different frequencies, utilizing the analytic structure of K(!). To numerically simulate the data by solving the unsteady Stokes equations in the 3D domain reconstructed from -CT scans of the composites, the issue of segmentation is also addressed in this paper and an efficient segmentation scheme is suggested and implemented for cancellous bone.
Sequential gelation of tyramine-substituted hyaluronic acid hydrogels enhances mechanical integrity and cell viability

Tyramine-substituted hyaluronic acid (HA-Tyr) hydrogels formed by the oxidative coupling reaction of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and horseradish peroxidase (HRP) have been used for cellular encapsulation and protein delivery. Crosslinking density and gelation time can be tuned by altering the H2O2 and HRP concentrations. Previous studies using HA-Tyr constructs report significant mechanical degradation after 21 days of culture. In this work, exogenous supplementation of HRP after initial gelation resulted in superior mechanical properties in acellular hydrogels and improved viability and proliferation in cell-laden constructs. Swelling of the acellular hydrogels was prevented in the samples receiving exogenous HRP. Monolayer studies showed no negative effect of relevant HRP concentrations on the viability of human adipose-derived stem cells (hASCs) and improved the viability of hASCs cultured with HRP and H2O2 compared to H2O2 alone. Taken together, this study demonstrates that HA-Tyr hydrogel properties could be modified by exogenous supplementation of HRP to tune scaffold degradation and improve cell viability by mitigating the negative effects of oxidative stress.
The effect of dietary α-linolenic acid in the rat on fatty acid profiles of immunocompetent cell populations

Analysis of diet-induced fatty acid changes in the major phospholipids of various immune cell populations has not been previously documented, particularly modifications induced by dietary α-linolenic acid. Rats were fed purified diets containing either 10% corn oil (CO), 10% linseed oil (LO) or 10% soybean oil-linseed mixture (SL) for 8 weeks. The α-linolenic to linoleic acid ratios of the diets were 1∶32, 1∶1 and 3∶1, respectively. Fatty acid analysis of cell populations isolated from the spleen, thymus, thoracic cavity and peripheral blood phospholipids showed increases in ω3 fatty acids accompanied by decreases in the ω6 fatty acids when diets high in α-linolenic to linoleic acid ratios were fed. The extent of change observed was dependent on the magnitude of the α-linolenic to linoleic acid ratio. Both magnitude of change and the specific fatty acids altered varied with the cell population examined.
Classroom Uses for BeSocratic

This paper describes how BeSocratic can be used to improve learning and class interaction. BeSocratic is a novel intelligent tutoring system that aims to fill the gap between simple multiple-choice systems and free-response systems. The system includes a set of interactive modules that provide instructors with powerful tools to assess student performance. Beyond text boxes and multiple-choice questions, BeSocratic contains several feedback driven modules that can capture free-form student drawings. These drawings can be automatically recognized and evaluated as complex structures including Euclidean graphs, chemistry molecules, computer science graphs, or simple drawings for use within science, technology, engineering, and mathematics courses. This paper describes three use-cases for BeSocratic and how each scenario can improve learning and class interaction throughout the curriculum. These scenarios are: (1) formative assessments and tutorials, (2) free-response exercises, and (3) in-class real-time activities.
Murine Hybridoma Antibodies Against Human Transitional Carcinoma-Associated Antigens

Abstract Spleen cells from mice immunized with the human urinary bladder transitional cell carcinoma cell line 647V have been fused with a syngeneic myeloma cell line to produce hybridomas. Screening of supernatants from 40 hybridomas which reacted with the immunizing cell line identified antibodies recognizing a variety of common, shared and tumor-associated antigens as well as newborn calf serum dependent antigens. Three hybridoma antibodies, 9A7, 2E1 and 2A6, recognize antigens found on all the human transitional cell carcinoma cell lines and tissue preparations tested, but the antigens were not found on normal human tissue (including urothelium), thus demonstrating the capability of the antibodies to distinguish normal from malignant bladder transitional epithelium. These antibodies, however, otherwise differ in their patterns of reactivity, with 1 recognizing an antigen which is also expressed on highly anaplastic malignant non-transitional cell carcinoma cell lines and tumors, while the other 2 demonstrate reactivities which are far more restricted to transitional cell carcinoma.
Clinical analysis of mother-infant transmission of syphilis and RCH

OBJECTIVE To compare mother-infant transmission of syphilis and RCH.METHODS The infections of syphilis and RCH in our hospital were retrospectively analyzed.34 cases of RCH IgM positive and 22 cases of syphilis infection were undertaken cordocentesis to get fetal umbilical blood samples.RESULTS The number of syphilis infection patient increased in recent years,the rate of RCH infection in normal pregnancy was lower(1.26%) than that of in abortion patient(2.46%),fetal malformation(28.54%) and stillbirth patient(5.26%).Only one case of HSV-IgM positive was also found in fetal umbilical blood samples.7 cases were RPR and TPHA positive and 15 cases were TPHA positive,while RPR was negative in fetal blood among total 22 patients with syphilis infection.CONCLUSION The vertical transmission of syphilis is more common than RCH in causing intrauterine infection.
A role for ion channels in perivascular glioma invasion

Malignant gliomas are devastating tumors, frequently killing those diagnosed in little over a year. The profuse infiltration of glioma cells into healthy tissue surrounding the main tumor mass is one of the major obstacles limiting the improvement of patient survival. Migration along the abluminal side of blood vessels is one of the salient features of glioma cell invasion. Invading glioma cells are attracted to the vascular network, in part by the neuropeptide bradykinin, where glioma cells actively modify the gliovascular interface and undergo volumetric alterations to navigate the confined space. Critical to these volume modifications is a proposed hydrodynamic model that involves the flux of ions in and out of the cell, followed by osmotically obligated water. Ion and water channels expressed by the glioma cell are essential in this model of invasion and make opportune therapeutic targets. Lastly, there is growing evidence that vascular-associated glioma cells are able to control the vascular tone, presumably to free up space for invasion and growth. The unique mechanisms that enable perivascular glioma invasion may offer critical targets for therapeutic intervention in this devastating disease. Indeed, a chloride channel-blocking peptide has already been successfully tested in human clinical trials.
Evaluation and Management of the Patient with Subluxated Lenses

Patients with subluxated lenses present a number of diagnostic and therapeutic challenges. In addition to ascertaining the effect of the lens subluxation on vision and planning the appropriate treatment, one must determine whether there is an associated underlying systemic disorder or whether the subluxation is the result of an inherited purely ocular disease or the result of an injury or malformative process. Underlying systemic disorders can have serious cardiac and other organ involvement and need to be managed by a team of subspecialists best coordinated by a clinical geneticist. Ophthalmic management includes the correction of errors of refraction, the screening for and sometimes the treatment of glaucoma, the therapy of associated amblyopia and strabismus, and, in some cases, lens extraction and the management of the resulting aphakia. This chapter provides an algorithm for the diagnosis and management of such patients as well as some information on the clinical findings and genetics of associated systemic and ocular diseases.
Allogeneic Precursor Cells for Systolic Heart Failure: A Need for Mechanisms in Humans

Congestive heart failure (CHF) is a major cause of cardiac morbidity and mortality. Loss of cardiomyocytes with replacement fibrosis is a common feature of all end-stage heart disease. Although data suggest that there is at least some regeneration of cardiomyocytes throughout life, it is clear that exogenous drug therapy and endogenous sources of regeneration and repair are insufficient to stop the progression of heart failure. The great need for improved therapies has stimulated the rapid translation of studies of stem and precursor cell therapy into clinical trials for heart failure and myocardial infarction.1,2 In this issue, Perin et al describe a phase II, dose escalation study of a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) product for advanced heart failure. Article, see p 576 MSCs are mesodermal-derived, multipotent, stromal cells found in several organs, most numerous in bone marrow and adipose tissue. They are defined by the ability to grow well in culture, differentiate into adipocytes, osteoblasts, and chondrocytes, and being positive for several surface markers, including CD90, CD105, MHCI, CD73, and CD271, whereas being negative for CD45 and MHCII.3 Mesenchymal progenitor cells (MPCs) are related, but also positive for surface markers CD31, CD105, Stro-1/3.4 Most MSC-like cells can also be differentiated in vitro into endothelial cells, smooth muscle cells, and fibroblasts.5 MSCs were enthusiastically studied in vitro and showed therapeutic promise to (1) increase endothelial proliferation and vessel formation, (2) promote cardiomyocyte survival, and (3) differentiate into cardiomyocytes. In preclinical animal models, MSC/MPCs can increase endothelial and cardiomyocyte generation and preservation, improved infarct healing, and rescue of heart failure.2,6 Similar in vitro data were generated with other stem cells with mesenchymal origins, including cardiac- and bone marrow–derived (CD34+) stem cells. Spring boarding from these preclinical studies, many small human trials have been …
Tourist Innovation in Air Travel

This essay explores the recent phenomenon associated with tourists’ adaptability to new services driven by technologies and proposes the concept of tourist innovation as the theoretical underpinnings describing tourists’ adaptability to novel services. To glean the underlying concept of tourist innovation, a series of in-depth personal interviews are deployed. An online survey containing 40 indicators representing the innovation dimensions is distributed that gathers 524 useable responses from air travelers. In the data analysis, a parsimonious model derived from a confirmatory factor analysis validates a four-dimensional solution: (1) novelty seeking, (2) vigilance, (3) hedonic experience seeking, and (4) social distinctiveness. This scale is explained by 10-item tourist innovation measurement, wherein the validity of the resultant scale is achieved.
Hiding Behind the Veil: Informed Trading and Pre-Trade Opacity

We investigate exchange-based hidden orders from an information perspective. Using order flow data that categorizes each order submitter into one of many institutional and non-institutional categories, we test several hypotheses and document substantial evidence on a spectrum of issues in this context. First, institutional investors (both domestic and foreign) submit more hidden orders than non-institutional investors. Second, the contribution of hidden orders to overall price discovery is significantly greater than that of non-hidden orders. Third, traders with higher information levels are significantly more likely to hide a larger proportion of trades. Fourth, informed traders are significantly more likely to submit hidden orders than uninformed traders. Fifth, informed trader categories that submit hidden orders make significantly greater economic profits than those that do not; while, in contrast, uninformed trader categories make significantly lower economic profits when they submit hidden orders than when do not hide their orders. Finally, relative to other periods, informed trader categories submit more hidden orders in the five days before and after earnings announcements (an exogenous information-intensive period), while the uninformed trader categories do not change their hidden order submission strategies around earnings announcements. Overall, we present overwhelming evidence linking informed traders with the propensity for pre-trade opacity.
Impact of Medical Disorders

Medical conditions commonly disrupt sleep quantity and quality by directly affecting normal brain function or by indirect metabolic or structural ailments affecting other parts of the body. Sleep disruption may present before the onset of a more serious disease or appear with an exacerbation of a medical condition. Restoration of normal wake–sleep cycles in the medically ill also follows improvement of health in general. Sleep should be considered in general another ‘vital sign’ that tells medical providers about the health of an individual and followed closely during recovery.
Effect of Liquid Viscosity on Mass Transfer Area and Liquid Film Mass Transfer Coefficient for GT-OPTIMPAK 250Y

Abstract The viscosity of amine solutions used for post-combustion CO 2 capture is significantly greater than water. The effect of liquid viscosity ( μ L ) on both the effective mass transfer area ( a e ) and the liquid film mass transfer coefficient ( k L ) of packings is required to predict mass transfer rate and design the absorber and stripper. Existing correlations are mostly based on water so they do not represent the viscosity of amine solvents. In this work, a e and k L were measured in a packed column (0.43 m inner diameter) with 3 meters of GT-OPTIMPAK 250Y. Liquid viscosities of 65, 15, 4, and 1 cP were obtained by adding 85, 65, 44, and 0 wt % glycerol to water. The a e was determined by reactive absorption of ambient CO 2 into 0.1 M sodium hydroxide solution with the absorption rate ( k g ’ ) calculated from a kinetic model specific to the viscous system. The k L was determined by air stripping toluene from the liquid. Liquid viscosity does not show significant effect on a e over the range of μ L investigated. The total dependence of k L on μ L is -0.73 for the packing examined. The variance of μ L is the greatest that can be found in open literature with larger scale equipment, and the result with this packing is believed to be qualitatively representative of other structured packings.
The Social Construction of Morality

This chapter is evidence that we seem to be witnessing the re-birth of what is being labeled “the sociology of morality.” Why this re-birth should occur at all and why it is occurring just now are interesting questions into which I shall not enter here. Doubtless, it is due in part to the now flourishing studies of morality among both humans and animals by psychologists and biologists and in part to dissatisfaction among some philosophers with exclusively conceptual and analytical reasoning and among some economists with model building and abstract theorizing that fail to address the complexities of what motivates economic behavior. Cultural anthropologists have also entered this increasingly lively scene, sometimes (an old story) at the behest of philosophers in search of exotic examples but increasingly as contributors to an ever-more lively series of cross-disciplinary debates. Until now, however, it is a scene from which sociologists have been largely absent; and why that is so is another interesting question. Perhaps, this chapter will herald the entry of the sociologists.
Influenza-specific ASC development is controlled by a T follicular helper cell dependent T-bet controlled feedforward loop.

Understanding the factors that drive differentiation of long-lived plasma cells (LLPCs) remains a significant roadblock en route to rationale vaccine design. Our lab previously described a prominent role for the cytokine-induced transcription factor, T-bet, in driving LLPC differentiation during a pulmonary viral infection. We observed that T-bet is upregulated by a significant proportion of virus-specific germinal center B cells (GCBs), which are the precursors of LLPCs. However, the cells and signals responsible for inducing T-bet and the T-bet transcriptional program in B cells remain unknown. It is likely that the interaction between the T follicular helper cells (TFHs) and the GCBs is primarily responsible for this programming. Drawing from research done with human samples, a subset of TFHs that express the T-bet regulated gene, CXCR3, has been described. We therefore hypothesize that these CXCR3 + TFHs express T-bet and are responsible for inducing T-bet expression by the GCBs and initiating T-bet transcriptional programming in the B cells. Studying the role of these CXCR3 + TFHs in mice gives us a unique opportunity to study the interaction between TFHs and GCBs, and determine how this specific interaction drives LLPC differentiation. Elucidation of these mechanisms will, in the future, allow us to address whether we can develop better and longer-lasting vaccines by choosing adjuvants that activate T-bet-dependent transcriptional programming in B cells.
Oxytocin and sex differences in behavior

Oxytocin is an evolutionarily ancient neuropeptide that is implicated in the neural modulation of behavior in vertebrates. While this system is well known for its species-specific effects, there is a lack of consensus regarding oxytocin's sex-specific effects — due in part to shortcomings in the way that studies have traditionally been designed. Sex differences in the neuroanatomy of the oxytocin system are not abundant and are generally not predictive of sex differences in behavior. Rather, it is possible that the differential evolution of these systems in males and females has resulted in sex differences in the sensitivity to oxytocin as well as sex differences in the function of the neural circuitry important for behavioral displays. This hypothesis is supported by work which suggests that sex differences in behavior are likely due to sex-specific patterns of activity between brain regions that have been implicated in the regulation of social behavior. It is also important to consider how oxytocin's sex-specific behavioral effects are shaped by social context, species evolution, and an animal's behavioral ecology.
Identification of a Recurrent LMO7-BRAF Fusion in Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma.

Background: The BRAFV600E mutation is the most common driver in papillary thyroid carcinoma (PTC) tumors. In recent years, gene fusions have also been recognized as important drivers of cancer in P...
Pain: Its Pathophysiology, a Brief Review

Much of human existence is devoted to the avoidance of pain or seeking relief from persistent pain. Pain is an important part of the human protective mechanism, but when pain becomes chronic, it may occupy all of a human’s existence. Scientifically, pain can be defined as an unpleasant sensory and emotional experience associated with actual or potential tissue damage or it can be described in terms of such tissue damage. Nociception denotes the experimental approach to the study of neuronal representation of noxious stimuli in humans and animals. The nature of pain has permeated human thought since ancient times; even the book of Genesis reminds us that pain came to man through the fall. Ancient myths record the painful suffering of gods and certain theological dogma has centered on the role of pain and suffering in human existence.