cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemiologic Considerations in Assessing Adverse Reproductive Outcomes Following Genotoxic Exposures

Observational studies of human populations, which are the essence of epidemiology, have inherent limitations when compared to experimental studies of laboratory animals. Our methods often appear laborious, our investigations expensive, our inferences weak. These shortcomings are even more apparent in studying toxic exposures than in most other areas of epidemiologic research, for the real-life situations are in this case particularly complex. The fullest exploitation of human observational studies is often greatly restricted by concern for confidentiality on the part of exposed and affected persons, for parsimony by health authorities, for safeguards on the part of industry, and for political considerations on the part of government agencies.
Metal-metal oxide pH sensor: The effect of anions and aeration on pH measurements

The pH of a solution is one of the most important parameters used for characterizing an electrolyte during corrosion processes. This work examines the electrochemical growth of iridium oxide electrodes for use as a pH sensor and further evaluates the usefulness of these probes in a variety of solutions with sulfur-containing anions. Electrodes were grown and calibrated according to reports in the literature and exposed to sulfate-, sulfite-, bisulfite-, and thiosulfate-containing solutions in various concentrations. No effect of changes in sulfate and sulfite ion concentration were observed, however, significant changes in the calibration behavior of the electrodes was observed after the exposure to the solutions with bisulfite and thiosulfate ions.
An Invariance Principle for Vector Liapunov Functions

This chapter describes an invariance principle for vector Liapunov functions. In the definition of a Liapunov function V by LaSalle, the differential equation is assumed to be defined on an open set G* of R n and V is taken to be locally Lipschitz continuous on an arbitrary set G with ⊂ G* . Motivated by applications to economics, the assumption that ⊂ G* is dropped and the local Lipschitz continuity is replaced by continuity. The chapter presents an assumption in which the equation x = ƒ ( x ) , ƒ: G* ⊂ R n → R n , denoted by (1), where G* is an open set of R n and ƒ is continuous on G* and also the assumption that solutions are unique. There are many instances in applications where it is advantageous to use more than one Liapunov function to study the stability and the asymptotic behavior of systems. The simplest result is also expressible by the fact that sum of a finite number of Liapunov functions is a Liapunov function. The chapter presents sufficient condition that a C 1 function V mapping R n into R n be a vector Liapunov function.
The Molecular Electrostatics of Glycosphingolipids in Oriented Interfaces

Glycosphingolipids (GSLs) are abundant in nerve cell membranes. They are involved in cellular plasticity, recognition, receptor function and neurodegenerative processes (Ledeen et al., 1988). At the molecular level these lipids modify lipid-lipid and lipid-protein interactions. This has amplified consequences on the membrane structure, phase state and recognition. Figure 1 shows space-filling models of representative major GSLs.
Collective model of the hadrons

We describe a model of the baryons and mesons as trilocal and bilocal collective excitations of a self-consistent ground state. The fundamental theory we adopt (in analogy with the BCS Hamiltonian) is quantum chromodynamics (QCD). The hadrons are flavored excitations of a color-singlet vacuum condensate of $\overline{q}q$ pairs. Our approach is completely conventional, fully relativistic, and incorporates both a ${\ensuremath{\gamma}}_{5}$-noninvariant vacuum [partially conserved axial-vector current (PCAC)] and quark confinement. We derive the Gor'kov or gap excitation equations for mesons from QCD. These Gor'kov equations provide the connection between QCD and the phenomenological theory of the hadrons. We also discuss the solutions to the gap equation and the gap excitation equation for confined quarks. It is noted that for an infrared-singular gauge field propagator the exact gap equation becomes a differential equation for the quark propagator. These equations are solved analytically and have the property of PCAC and confinement in the infrared limit. Qualitatively, the same features are found as in two-dimensional QCD. The Gor'kov equations for the bound states are obtained, and the ground-state meson mass spectrum is computed. Potentially, this approach can provide for the determination of the fundamental features of hadron phenomenology.
Challenges, Opportunities and a Framework for Web Environment Forensics

The web has evolved into a robust and ubiquitous platform, changing almost every aspect of people’s lives. The unique characteristics of the web pose new challenges to digital forensic investigators. For example, it is much more difficult to gain access to data that is stored online than it is to access data on the hard drive of a laptop. Despite the fact that data from the web is more challenging for forensic investigators to acquire and analyze, web environments continue to store more data than ever on behalf of users.
Coverage of Network-Based Structures: Paths, Tours and Trees

Generally speaking, location analysis and modeling is often characterized as a network based problem. Classic location books have reinforced this characterization, such as that by Handler and Mirchandani (1979) titled Location on Networks and that of Daskin (1995) titled Network and Discrete Location, as well as many other books and papers (the seminal work of Hakimi 1965, likely influenced this too). In fact, location modeling tools in ArcGIS, as an example, are part of the Network Analyst toolbox and strictly require an underlying network in order to structure and solve associated location (coverage) models. However, as reflected in the much of this book, there is no inherent need or assumption that location decision making be restricted to a network, even if attribute data is derived from a corresponding network. This chapter deviates from much of the book in this respect, and assumes the underlying representation of an analysis region, including demand and potential facility locations, is based on a network. Most network location problems involve the positioning of one or more facilities at nodes or along arcs in order to optimize a level of service or access. Often, however, site selection is restricted to the nodes of the network. In the early 1980s Morgan and Slater (1980), Current (1981), and Slater (1982) broke new ground within location science when they independently suggested that facilities may be represented by some type of network structure. Examples include a path, a tree, a tour, or even the network itself. Slater (1982) suggested that facilities “… can be of an extended nature, rather than occupying a single point of a network.” They suggested, for example, that facilities may be modeled as network paths representing railroad lines, pipelines, or transit routes. Slater (1982) proposed that four classes of locational problems should be considered within the context of network location: point-serves-point, point-serves-structure, structure-serves-point, and structure-serves-structure (see also Slater 1981, 1983). In this chapter we address the problem of designing a structure to serve points. One of the first examples in the literature is that of Morgan and Slater (1980) who defined the “core” of a tree network as the shortest path connecting two endpoints of the tree, minimizing the sum of distances to all other nodes of the tree.
Dynamic remodeling of the interactomes of Nematostella vectensis Hsp70 isoforms under heat shock

Abstract Heat shock protein 70s (Hsp70s) are a highly conserved class of molecular chaperones that fold a large proportion of the proteome. Nematostella vectensis (Nv) is an estuarine sea anemone that has emerged as a model species to characterize molecular responses to physiological stressors due to its exposure to diverse, extreme abiotic conditions. Previous transcriptional data has shown dramatic differences among expression profiles of three NvHsp70 isoforms (NvHsp70A, B and D) under stress but it is unknown if, and to what extent, the client proteins for these chaperones differ. In order to determine client specificity, NvHsp70A, B and D were expressed in Saccharomyces cerevisiae budding yeast lacking native Hsp70 and interacting proteins for each Hsp70 were determined with mass spectrometry in yeast ambient and heat shock conditions. Our analyses showed Biological significance Although the Hsp70 family of molecular chaperones has been studied for >50 years, it is still not fully understood why organisms encode and express many highly-similar Hsp70 isoforms. The prevailing theory is that these isoforms have identical function, but are expressed under unique cellular conditions that include heat shock to cope with increased number of unfolded/misfolded proteins. The sea anemone Nematostella vectensis encodes three Hsp70 isoforms A, B and D that when expressed in yeast demonstrate unique functionalities. This study provides the interactome of NvHsp70s A, B and D and demonstrates that Hsp70 isoforms, while highly similar in sequence, have unique co-chaperone and client interactors.
T T ¯ , J T ¯ , T J ¯ $$ T\overline{T},J\overline{T},T\overline{J} $$ partition sums from string theory

We calculate the torus partition sum of a general CFT2 with left and right moving conserved currents J and $$ \overline{J} $$ , perturbed by a combination of the irrelevant operators $$ T\overline{T},J\overline{T} $$ and $$ T\overline{J} $$ . We use string theory techniques to write it as an integral transform of the partition sum of the unperturbed CFT with chemical potentials for the left and right moving conserved charges. The resulting expression transforms in the right way under the modular group, and reproduces the known spectrum of these models. We also derive a formula for the partition function of deformed CFT2 with non-vanishing chemical potentials.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation to reduce suicidality - A review and naturalistic outcomes.

Abstract Although there is growing interest in the use of repetitive Transcranial Magnetic Stimulation (TMS) as a treatment for suicidality, efficacy data in this area, and knowledge of potential treatment mechanisms, remains limited. The first objective of this study was to systematically review clinical trial data examining the effectiveness of TMS as a treatment for suicidal ideation. Our secondary objective was to investigate the extent to which changes in suicidality are independent of improvements in depression in a clinical sample of veterans who received TMS treatment. In Study 1, we searched the Pubmed and biRxiv databases from inception until July 2019 to identify studies that examined the efficacy of TMS for suicidal thoughts and/or behaviors. Data regarding sample characteristics, treatment parameters, and results were synthesized from six randomized controlled trials and five unblinded trials (total n = 593). Our systematic review indicated that while TMS was consistently associated with reduced depression, its impact on suicidality is unclear. Interpretation of results related to suicidality were complicated by study design elements and modest sample sizes. In Study 2, we conducted a retrospective analysis of 43 patients who received care for depression in a neuromodulation clinic at a Veteran's Affairs hospital. Results found significant decreases in suicidal ideation, and depressive symptom change did not always account for improvements in ideation. Taken together, our literature review and clinic study indicate preliminary promise of TMS for suicide, and underscore the need for more fine-grained, suicide-specific TMS research.
Tacrolimus Trough Variability- Predictors and Outcomes in Pediatric Heart Transplantation

Purpose Tacrolimus is a narrow therapeutic index drug, requiring consistent levels to maximize solid organ transplant success while reducing adverse effects. High tacrolimus trough level variability (TTLV) is a significant predictor of late rejection in both kidney and liver transplant. We sought to describe the prevalence of high TTLV in our pediatric heart transplant (HT) population, and identify whether this variability is associated with patient specific factors and poor outcomes. Methods Single center, retrospective study of HT patients from 1/2002 - 12/2018. Multi-organ recipients and retransplants were excluded. Records were reviewed for demographics, tacrolimus trough levels (TTLs) and outcomes (rejection, coronary vasculopathy, need for re-transplantation, death). Variability was calculated as the TTL standard deviation (SD) using each patient's TTLs from 1 year post-HT to last follow-up. High TTLV was defined as SD ≥3. Statistical analysis included Kruskal-Wallis, Chi-squared, and Wilcoxon rank sum testing. Results A total of 119 patients were included (male, 57%) with pre-HT diagnoses of congenital heart disease (57%) and cardiomyopathy (42%). The median age at HT was 2.7 yrs (IQR 0.8, 12.2) with a follow-up time post HT of 5.7 yrs (IQR 3.3, 9.9). A total of 6,344 TTLs were included, with a median of 33 TTLs/pt (IQR 14, 76). The median SD for the entire cohort was 3.1 (IQR 2.3, 4.0) with 55% of the population having a SD ≥3. Levels obtained from 1-5 yrs of age were found to have significantly greater variability (median SD 3.1 [IQR 2.4, 4.1]; p-value Conclusion TTLV is high in pediatric HT recipients, especially in those
The Inter-Relationships of Extremely Low Birth Weight, Asthma, and Behavior: A Study of Common Cause, Mediation, and Moderation

Abstract Background Extremely low birth weight (ELBW; Methods We used data from a prospective cohort of ELBW infants born 1992 to 1995. Exposure was ELBW; primary outcomes were parent-reported diagnosis of asthma and symptoms of inattention, hyperactivity, anxiety, and depression at age 8 years. Covariates included child sex and maternal socioeconomic status. Results There were 139 ELBW and 101 normal BW (>2500 g) children followed to 8 years. ELBW children were more likely to have asthma (35.7% vs 14.4%, P Conclusion Asthma does not underlie or amplify the effect of ELBW on behavioral and emotional problems at school age, suggesting that increased risk for respiratory morbidity and neurodevelopment represent largely independent consequences of developmental vulnerability related to ELBW. Noting the impact of chronic illnesses on neurodevelopment in other populations, data focused on symptom trajectories over time in a larger cohort may be necessary to shed further light onto this question.
Abuse liability, antinociceptive, and discriminative stimulus properties of IBNtxA

Rationale: IBNtxA (3-iodobenzoyl naltrexamine) is a novel μ opioid receptor (MOR) agonist structurally related to the classical MOR antagonist naltrexone. Recent studies suggest IBNtxA preferentially signals through truncated MOR splice variants, producing a unique pharmacological profile resulting in antinociception with reduced side effects, including no conditioned place preference (CPP) when tested at a single dose. IBNtxA represents an intriguing lead compound for preclinical drug development targeting truncated MOR splice variants but further evaluation of its in vivo pharmacological profile is necessary to evaluate its potential. Objective: The purpose of this study was to independently verify the antinociceptive properties of IBNtxA and to more completely examine the rewarding properties and discriminative stimulus effects of IBNtxA. These results will allow broader assessment of IBNtxA as a translational candidate or lead compound for further development. Results: IBNtxA was synthesized and compared to morphine in a variety of mouse behavioral assays. 3 mg/kg IBNtxA was equipotent to 10 mg/kg morphine in a hot plate analgesia assay. In drug discrimination testing using mice trained to discriminate between 3 mg/kg IBNtxA and DMSO/saline vehicle, the κ agonist U-50488 fully substituted for IBNtxA. Classical μ agonist morphine, δ agonist SNC162, NOP agonist SCH 221510, and μ/NOP partial agonist buprenorphine each partially substituted for IBNtxA. IBNtxA up to 3 mg/kg did not produce a place preference in CPP. Pretreatment with 3 mg/kg IBNtxA but not 1 mg/kg IBNtxA attenuated acquisition of place preference for 10 mg/kg morphine. 3 mg/kg IBNtxA attenuated morphine-induced hyperlocomotion but did not alter naloxone-precipitated morphine withdrawal. Conclusions: Overall IBNtxA has a complicated opioid receptor pharmacology in vivo. These results indicate that IBNtxA produces potent antinociception and has low abuse liability, likely driven by substantial κ agonist signaling effects.
Unfolded protein response in cardiovascular disease

Abstract The unfolded protein response (UPR) is a highly conserved molecular machinery, which protects the cells against a diverse variety of stimuli. Activation of this element has been associated with both human health and disease. The purpose of the current manuscript is to provide the most updated information on the involvement of UPR towards the improvement; or deterioration of cardiovascular functions. Since UPR is consisted of three distinct elements, namely the activating transcription factor 6, the protein kinase RNA-like endoplasmic reticulum kinase; and the inositol-requiring enzyme-1α, a highly orchestrated manipulation of those molecular branches may provide new therapeutic possibilities against the severe outcomes of cardiovascular disease.
Ion Channels and Insulin Secretion

Pancreatic beta cells respond to glucose and other secretagogues with electrical activity. Action potentials are the primary electrical signal of the beta cell and are shaped by the orchestrated flux of ions through various types of ion channels. The expression of a diverse set of ion channels allows dynamic modulation of action potentials in response to multiple input signals. This chapter provides an overview of the ion channels of the beta cell and their role in the regulation of insulin secretion.
Physical activity is associated with reduced risk of liver disease in the prospective UK Biobank cohort.

Background & Aims Previous studies have identified physical activity as an important lifestyle factor in the pathogenesis of chronic liver diseases (CLD). However, most studies were short in follow-up, and based on self-reported activity. Moreover, it is unknown whether physical activity affects the risk of liver disease development in the general population. Herein, we aimed to clarify the association between physical activity and CLD by examining the risk of liver disease and progression in relation to accelerometer-based physical activity in a large subset of prospectively recruited participants in the UK Biobank. Methods We analysed data from 96,688 participants that recorded their physical activity through the use of a wrist accelerometer. Relative risks for development of liver diseases were calculated using multivariable-adjusted Cox regression models. In a subgroup of participants without any previously diagnosed liver disease (n = 95,974), a total of 374 liver disease cases were diagnosed during follow-up (mean = 5.5 years). Results Participants in the top compared with the bottom quartile of physical activity had a reduced risk of both overall CLD (hazard ratio [HR]: 0.41 [0.29–0.59]) and NAFLD (HR: 0.39 [0.21–0.70]). An activity increase of an additional 2,500 steps per day, was associated with a 38% reduction in CLD and a 47% reduction in NAFLD development, independent of adiposity. In the subgroup of participants with previously diagnosed liver disease (n = 714), participants in the top compared with the bottom quartile of physical activity had a striking 89% risk reduction in liver-related death (HR: 0.11 [0.02–0.86]), and 85% risk reduction in all-cause mortality (adjusted HR: 0.15 [0.05–0.44]). Walking an additional 2,500 steps per day was associated with 44% reduction in liver disease progression. Conclusions Greater physical activity is associated with a dose-dependent reduction in liver disease, which appears to be independent of adiposity. Lay summary In this study, we aimed to clarify the association between accelerometer-measured physical activity and chronic liver disease by examining risk of overall and specific liver diseases and their progression in relation to accelerometer-based physical activity in 96,688 participants in the UK Biobank. Our results show a clear, dose-dependent protective association between accelerometer-measured physical activity and liver disease development and progression. The linkage of device-measured activity could therefore create a framework for using wearables for personalised prevention of liver diseases.
MRI brain templates of the male Yucatan minipig

Abstract The pig is growing in popularity as an experimental animal because its gyrencephalic brain is similar to humans. Currently, however, there is a lack of appropriate brain templates to support functional and structural neuroimaging pipelines. The primary contribution of this work is an average volume from an iterative, non-linear registration of 70 five- to seven-month-old male Yucatan minipigs. In addition, several aspects of this study are unique, including the comparison of linear and non-linear template generation, the characterization of a large and homogeneous cohort, an analysis of effective resolution after averaging, and the evaluation of potential in-template bias as well as a comparison with a template from another minipig species using a “left-out” validation set. We found that within our highly homogeneous cohort, non-linear registration produced better templates, but only marginally so. Although our T1-weighted data were resolution limited, we preserved effective resolution across the multi-subject average, produced templates that have high gray-white matter contrast and demonstrate superior registration accuracy compared to an alternative minipig template.
Hidden order across online extremist movements can be disrupted by nudging collective chemistry.

Disrupting the emergence and evolution of potentially violent online extremist movements is a crucial challenge. Extremism research has analyzed such movements in detail, focusing on individual- and movement-level characteristics. But are there system-level commonalities in the ways these movements emerge and grow? Here we compare the growth of the Boogaloos, a new and increasingly prominent U.S. extremist movement, to the growth of online support for ISIS, a militant, terrorist organization based in the Middle East that follows a radical version of Islam. We show that the early dynamics of these two online movements follow the same mathematical order despite their stark ideological, geographical, and cultural differences. The evolution of both movements, across scales, follows a single shockwave equation that accounts for heterogeneity in online interactions. These scientific properties suggest specific policies to address online extremism and radicalization. We show how actions by social media platforms could disrupt the onset and ‘flatten the curve’ of such online extremism by nudging its collective chemistry. Our results provide a system-level understanding of the emergence of extremist movements that yields fresh insight into their evolution and possible interventions to limit their growth.
Mentalizing in Nonhuman Primates

Humans effortlessly infer the mental states of other agents, spontaneously making swift and accurate predictions about how others will act based on these inferences. These theory of mind capacities are early emerging, with human infants beginning to make accurate predictions about how other agents should act based on the other agent’s mental states within the first 2 years of life (Buttelmann, Carpenter, & Tomasello, 2009; Helming, Strickland, & Jacob, 2014; Luo, 2011; Onishi & Baillargeon, 2005; Scott & Baillargeon, 2017; Sodian, 2011). The end result is a sophisticated set of social cognitive abilities that make the human species an outlier in most domains, especially in terms of our hyper-collaboration and unique cultural evolution (Seed & Tomasello, 2010; Tomasello, 2000; Tomasello, Carpenter, Call, Behne, & Moll, 2005).
The Perceptions and Experiences of Faculty Implementing Florida’s Developmental Education Reform:

Florida Senate Bill 1720 drastically changed developmental education, beginning in fall 2014. This paper considers affected faculty members’ perceptions and experiences with the passage and impleme...
A Non-Linear Macroeconomic Term Structure Model

This model uses three implicit states (Core CPI, the unemployment rate, and the quarterly growth rate of non-farm payrolls) which follow a multivariate continuous-time Ornstein-Uhlenbeck (OU) process. The instantaneous risk-free rate (Fed Funds) is set using a policy rule (following Black (1995)) which is affine in the implicit states with a lower bound at one basis point. The policy rule is fixed throughout the sample period from November, 1985 through March, 2013. While the policy rule is fixed throughout the sample, the economy responds differently when Fed Funds are stuck at their minimum (the Zero Period) than it does when the Fed can use Fed Funds more effectively to influence the economy (the Normal Period). The implicit state OU processes have different coefficients, both physical and risk neutral, in the two response periods. While market participants may know the implicit states, an econometrician must estimate from them market and macroeconomic data. I estimate the implicit states and the OU processes parameters by maximizing the joint conditional likelihood that the implicit states are close to the government states estimates; that the model accurately determines the yield curve; and that the actual one-month returns are forecasted by the model. The data are monthly estimates of the state variables published by the government, month-end zero coupon yield curves with maturities from 2 to 30 years published by the Fed, and one month returns for the benchmark 2, 10, and 30 year Treasury zeros calculated from the month-end yield curves from November, 1985 through March, 2013. Over the entire sample the root mean square error (RMSE) in fitting yield curves is only 4.6 basis points. I find conditional yield curve responses to changes in the state variables, which are significantly different from the unconditional factors. The model is tested out-of-sample by fitting Treasury Inflation Protected Securities. I find ample profit opportunities.
Polygenic Scores in Epidemiology: Risk Prediction, Etiology, and Clinical Utility.

Genes account for a significant proportion of the risk for most common diseases. The genome-wide association scan (GWAS) era of genetic epidemiology has generated a massive amount of data, revolutionized our thinking on the genetic architecture of common diseases and positioned the field to realistically consider risk prediction for common polygenic diseases, such as non-familial cancers, and autoimmune, cardiovascular, and psychiatric diseases. Polygenic scoring is an approach that shows promise for understanding the polygenic contribution to common human diseases. This is an approach typically relying on genome-wide SNP data, where a set of SNPs identified in a discovery GWAS are used to construct composite polygenic scores. These scores are then used in additional samples for association testing or risk prediction. This review summarizes the extant literature on the use, power, and accuracy of polygenic scores in studies of the etiology of disease and the promise for disease risk prediction.
Hegel's Dialectic of Artistic Meaning

WHATEVER ELSE they are, works of art are intentional human products. Our responses to such works are understandings and interpretations. That the works are or may be physical objects, cultural symptoms, or commodities and that audiences may be shocked, sexually excited, or politically instructed are irrelevant to the cognitive poles of intention and interpretation; these make art philosophically significant and differentiate it from that which has no meaning, despite possible similarities in apparent structure or emotional effect. Cognitivist theories of art usually tend to focus rather exclusively on just one of the two poles which characterize art so conceived the artist's intention or the interpretation given by audience or critics. Philosophers with idealistic commitments have often argued, as do Croce and Collingwood, that the artist's experience, understood as a unique expression, is not merely the meaning of the work of art, but the work itself. New Critics object to any reference to the artist's intentions as tending to distort the sense of "the text itself." The structure of disputes in aesthetics, to a large extent, consists either of conflicts within these tendencies or between them.1 So intentionalists may very well disagree as to whether intentions are general or unique, conscious or unconscious. Those who reject intentionalism but retain a cognitive conception of interpretation may dis-
A Grammar of the Natural Law: A Celebration of Josef Fuchs and His Legacy for Natural Law Renewal

One of the most influential international moral theologians of the twentieth century was the German Jesuit, Josef Fuchs (1912–2005). Not only did he live through the tumult of two world wars and experience the radical reorientation and renewal that occurred during the Second Vatican Council, he also witnessed firsthand the rise of globalization and the need to secure human rights on a global scale. Rooted in an appropriation of the natural law, Fuchs’s theological ethic was sustained and ordered by his acceptance of moral realism, which affirms that an objective moral order exists independently of human understanding. Perhaps this is the most consistent thread that runs throughout the entire corpus of Fuchs’s contribution to the field and practice of theological ethics. Salient though this thread is, Fuchs’s reflections on the objective moral order were not static, but dynamic and subject to profound shifts throughout his career. This article celebrates the life and thought of Josef Fuchs with respect to his contributions to natural law theory in theological ethics. In the first section, I provide a brief introduction to Fuchs’s theological reflections on the natural law and chart its early development citing his text Natural Law: A Theological Investigation. In the second section, I use Mark Graham’s work Josef Fuchs on Natural Law as a guide for exploring the profound shift that occurred in Fuchs’s thought due to the twofold influence of his colleague, another German Jesuit theologian, Karl Rahner, and his service with the Pontifical Commission on Population, Family, and Birth. In the third section, I explore the fruits of that conversion experience made manifest in two of his later works, Christian Ethics in a Secular Arena and Moral Demands and Personal Obligations. Inspired by Fuchs’s two post-conversion works, I call for a renewal of the natural law accompanied by its elevation within contemporary theological and ethical discourse for the twin purpose of securing human rights and promoting the conditions that contribute to the overall flourishing of human beings. To advance this claim, I contend that Fuchs is an insurmountable and invaluable figure for any contemporary project of natural law renewal.
High-resolution spectroscopy of the 4T2 state of Cr3+ in LiCaAlF6

Abstract We have identified three different sites in the absorption and flourescence spectra of the zero-phonon 4A2 → 4T2 transitions of LiCaAlF6 : Cr3+. Using fluorescence line-narrowing techniques we have measured within the inhomogeneous line the splitting of the ground state (6.1 GHz) and of an excited 4T2 (Γ8 state (26 GHz) as well as the g-values of the ground (g⋎ = 1.98) and the two excited states 4T2 (Γ7) (g⋎ = 3.07) and 4T2 (Γ6) (g⋎ = 2.0) of the majority ions . The minority sites seem to be associated with the nearest and next-nearest neighbor chromium pairs. In the FLN spectra of one of the minority sites we believe that the magnetic dipole-dipole interaction of an ion pair has been observed directly by optical means. In this way an upper limit for exchange interactions is obtained. Additionally some features of the vibronic spectra are discussed.
Sense and antisense transcripts of the developmentally regulated murine hsp70.2 gene are expressed in distinct and only partially overlapping areas in the adult brain

We have examined the spatial pattern of expression of a member of the hsp70 gene family, hsp70.2, in the mouse central nervous system. Surprisingly, RNA blot analysis and in situ hybridization revealed abundant expression of an 'antisense' hsp70.2 transcript in several areas of adult mouse brain. Two different transcripts recognized by sense and antisense riboprobes for the hsp70.2 gene were expressed in distinct and only partially overlapping neuronal populations. RNA blot analysis revealed low levels of the 2.7 kb transcript of hsp70.2 in several areas of the brain, with highest signal in the hippocampus. Abundant expression of a slightly larger (approximately 2.8 kb) 'antisense' transcript was detected in several brain regions, notably in the brainstem, cerebellum, mesencephalic tectum, thalamus, cortex, and hippocampus. In situ hybridization revealed that the sense and antisense transcripts were both predominantly neuronal and localized to the same cell types in the granular layer of the cerebellum, trapezoid nucleus of the superior olivary complex, locus coeruleus and hippocampus. The hsp70.2 antisense transcripts were particularly abundant in the frontal cortex, dentate gyrus, subthalamic nucleus, zona incerta, superior and inferior colliculi, central gray, brainstem, and cerebellar Purkinje cells. Our findings have revealed a distinct cellular and spatial localization of both sense and antisense transcripts, demonstrating a new level of complexity in the function of the heat shock genes.
Optimal search direction for an animal flying or swimming in a wind or current

The problem of the optimal direction in which a flying or swimming animal should search for a chemical plume was addressed. Active spaces were approximated by sphere, prolate ellipsoids, or rectangular parallelepipeds of various length-to-width ratios. The optimum course direction for the sphere was in the direction of flow (downwind). For active spaces that were highly elongated along the direction of the wind or current, the optimal course heading (with respect to the moving medium) was nearly across the flow. For intermediate shapes, the optimal course was intermediate. Because of the effect of the moving medium, these course headings resulted in actual ground tracks that were more in the direction of the flow, depending on the relative speeds of flying (swimming) and the wind (current). When the two speeds were equal, the magnitude of the advantage of choosing the optimum direction over a random direction was close to 50% with a small dependence on the shape of the active space. If the active space was spherical or highly elongated or locomotor speed was much greater than the speed of the current, the advantage approached a factor of π/2 (≈ 1.57).
Choosing Childlessness: Weber's Typology of Action and Motives of the Voluntarily Childless*

There has been little in-depth theoretical study in sociology of the motives of women and men who are childless by choice. This article begins to remedy this deficiency by analyzing the motives articulated by twenty-three childless women and men using Weber's typology of social action and distinction between primary and end motives. In-depth interview and focus group data reveal that, compared to men, women more often were affected by the parenting models of significant others, saw parenting as conflicting with career and leisured identities, and claimed the lack of a “maternal instinct” or disinterest in children as dominant influences. Men more explicitly than women rejected parenthood because of its perceived sacrifices, including financial expense. Both women and men were motivated by personality traits that they deemed incongruent with good parenting. Declared motives especially demonstrated instrumentally rational action in Weber's schema, although affectual and value-rational actions also were present. Respondent motives are compared to those that they, and empirical studies, have attributed to parents.
Bayes estimation of the reliability of a system under a random environment governed by a dirichlet prior

Abstract We consider a system of components whose lifetimes are independent and identically distributed as exponential random variables. The parameter of the exponential distribution is affected by environmental factors specified by a random variable η, whose uncertainty is described by a Dirichlet process D(α), with parameter α. Under this prior, the Bayes estimator of the reliability of the system is derived using the Monte Carlo simulation and the estimates of the parallel and series systems are compared for specific choices of the lifetime distributions and the environment. The analysis extends the results of the earlier work of the authors for the case of a single component to that of a multi-component system.
Baroclinic instability of easterly jets with applications to the summer mesosphere

Abstract anally and seasonally averaged zonal wind fields in the summer mesosphere are unstable in the Charney-Stern sense, with a primarily baroclinic component. Two-dimensional stability analyses show peaks in the unstable wave growth spectrum at zonal wavenumbers 2–4, with periods of 1.4–3 days, for a variety of basic state flows. Wavenumbers of peak growth are consistently lower for the two-dimensional analyses than for the one-dimensional analyses, with the lowest wavenumber peaks found for the basic state flows with the smallest latitudinal scale. For strongly baroclinic basic state flows, wave growth was inhibited by introducing stronger latitudinal variations in the basic state flow; however, for marginally unstable flows, stronger latitudinal variations slightly enhance the peak growth rates. The strong thermal damping in the mesosphere reduces growth rates by 20–60% of the damping rate, but has little effect on the wave structure. The primary significance of the thermal damping is that basic sta...
Opposing Effects of 15-Lipoxygenase-1 and -2 Metabolites on MAPK Signaling in Prostate ALTERATION IN PEROXISOME PROLIFERATOR-ACTIVATED RECEPTOR γ

Human prostate tumors have elevated levels of 15-lipoxygenase-1 (15-LOX-1) and data suggest that 15-LOX-1 may play a role in the development of prostate cancer. In contrast, 15-LOX-2 expression is higher in normal rather than in tumor prostate tissue and appears to suppress cancer development. We recently reported that 13-(S)-HODE, the 15-LOX-1 metabolite, up-regulates the MAP kinase signaling pathway and subsequently down-regulates PPARγ in human colorectal carcinoma cells. To determine whether this mechanism is applicable to prostate cancer and what the effects of 15-LOX-2 are, we investigated the effect of 15-LOX-1, 15-LOX-2, and their metabolites on epidermal growth factor (EGF)- and insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-1 signaling in prostate carcinoma cells. In PC3 cells, 13-(S)-HODE, a 15-LOX-1 metabolite, up-regulated MAP kinase while in contrast 15-(S)-HETE, a 15-LOX-2 metabolite, down-regulated MAP kinase. As a result, 13-(S)-HODE increased PPARγ phosphorylation while a subsequent decrease in PPARγ phosphorylation was observed with 15-(S)-HETE. Thus, 15-LOX metabolites have opposing effects on the regulation of the MAP kinase signaling pathway and a downstream target of MAP kinase signaling like PPARγ. In addition to the EGF signaling pathway, the IGF signaling pathway appears to be linked to prostate cancer. 13-(S)-HODE and 15-(S)-HETE up-regulate or down-regulate, respectively, both the MAPK and Akt pathways after activation with IGF-1. Thus, the effect of these lipid metabolites is not solely restricted to EGF signaling and not solely restricted to MAPK signaling. These results provide a plausible mechanism to explain the apparent opposing effects 15-LOX-1 and 15-LOX-2 play in prostate cancer.
Distributed system simulation using infinite product expansions

Linear distributed dynamic system simulation using infinite product expansions for transcendental terms in transfer functions
The effect of mixing methods and polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) cycles on the densification of silicon carbide inert matrix fuel through a polymer precursor route

Abstract The effect of mixing methods on the fabrication of silicon carbide (SiC) inert matrix fuel through a polymer precursor route was investigated in order to break up the agglomerates of the SiC particles observed in earlier studies. It was found that a high energy shaker mill could effectively break up the agglomerates and thereby achieve a higher pellet density. Moreover, it was found that the pellet density depended less on the pressing pressure, when the particles are well mixed. SEM images showed cracks caused by the springback effect on pellets with a high cold pressing pressure of 600 MPa, but no signs of springback effect were observed for the 200 MPa pressed pellets. The polymer infiltration and pyrolysis (PIP) cycles were used to further increase the pellet density and close the open pores. The first PIP cycle was found to increase the theoretical density of the pellets from 81.2% to 86.0% and close ∼50% of the open pores. The pore size distribution showed that most of the remaining open pores had diameters smaller than 10 nm. The successive second PIP cycle is not as effective on either the density or the pore size distribution because the small pores present before the second PIP cycle made the infiltration process difficult.
Theory of Transparency of the Eye

The present work relates the turbidity of the eye to microscopic spatial fluctuations in its index of refraction. Such fluctuations are indicated in electron microscope photographs. By examining the superposition of phases of waves scattered from each point in the medium, we provide a mathematical demonstration of the Bragg reflection principle which we have recently used in the interpretation of experimental investigations: namely, that the scattering of light is produced only by those fluctuations whose fourier components have a wavelength equal to or larger than one half the wavelength of light in the medium. This consideration is applied first to the scattering of light from collagen fibers in the normal cornea. We demonstrate physically and quantitatively that a limited correlation in the position of near neighbor collagen fibers leads to corneal transparency. Next, the theory is extended to predict the turbidity of swollen, pathologic corneas, wherein the normal distribution of collagen fibers is disturbed by the presence of numerous lakes-regions where collagen is absent. A quantitative expression for the turbidity of the swollen cornea is given in terms of the size and density of such lakes. Finally, the theory is applied to the case of the cataractous lens. We assume that the cataracts are produced by aggregation of the normal lens proteins into an albuminoid fraction and provide a formula for the lens turbidity in terms of the molecular weight and index of refraction of the individual albuminoid macromolecules. We provide a crude estimate of the mean albuminoid molecular weight required for lens opacity.
Glucose Biosensor Based on Oxygen Electrode. Part II: Long-Term Operational Stability of the Rechargeable Glucose Biosensor

Abstract A potentially implantable glucose biosensor for measuring blood or tissue glucose levels in diabetic patients has been developed. The glucose biosensor is based on an amperometric oxygen electrode and immobilized glucose oxidase enzyme, in which the immobilized enzyme can be replaced (the sensor recharged) without surgical removal of the sensor from the patient. Recharging of the sensor is achieved by injecting fresh immobilized enzyme into the sensor using a septum. A special technique for immobilization of the enzyme on Ultra-Low Temperature Isotropic (ULTI) carbon powder held in a liquid suspension has been developed. In vitro studies of the sensors show stable performance during several recharge cycles over a period of 3 months of continuous operation. Diffusion membranes which ensure linear dependence of the sensor response on glucose concentration have been developed. These membranes comprise silastic latex-rubber coatings over a microporous polycarbonate membrane. Calibration curves of the...
Solid-angle theory and heart rate adjustment of ST-segment depression for the identification and quantification of coronary artery disease

Determinants of the ST-segment response to exercise can be mathematically modeled by solid-angle theory, and heart rate adjustment of the magnitude of exercise-induced ST-segment depression can remodel the solid-angle relationship to provide a theoretic and practical basis for application of heart rate-adjusted indexes of ST depression in exercise electrocardiography. Solid-angle theory indicates that the magnitude of ST depression recorded at a surface electrode (epsilon) can be described as the product of spatial and nonspatial determinants: epsilon = (omega/4 pi).(delta Vm).K (equation 1), where omega is the solid angle subtending the boundary of the ischemic territory, delta Vm is the difference in transmembrane voltage between the ischemic and adjacent nonischemic regions, and K is a term correcting for differences in intracellular and extracellular conductivity and changes in end-plate conductance. As a consequence, the magnitude of ST depression recorded by a surface electrode will be proportional both to the area of ischemic territory subtended by the recording electrode, which reflects the solid angle, and to the local transmembrane potential difference, which in turn reflects the electric consequences of the metabolic severity of ischemia at the level of the myocardial cell. It follows from equation 1 that the amplitude of ST depression can accurately reflect the area of ischemic boundary only when the severity of ischemia is constant or otherwise controlled, and differences in ST depression will only reflect varying areas of underlying ischemia when similar severity of ischemia is present. During exercise the severity of ischemia is directly proportional to changes in myocardial oxygen demand and coronary blood flow, which in turn are directly related to increasing heart rate (delta HR). Because the change in transmembrane voltage across the ischemic boundary is linearly proportional to delta HR, delta Vm/delta HR remains constant as ischemia develops. Dividing the solid-angle relationship in equation 1 by delta HR and making the appropriate substitution for a constant delta Vm/delta HR then indicates that epsilon/delta HR = (omega/4 pi).(c . K) [equation 2], where c is the new constant. Under conditions where changes in conductance are proportional or small, this simplified relationship reduces to delta ST/delta HR = c'.omega [equation 3], where delta ST reflects the magnitude of ST depression recorded by the surface electrode, delta HR the change in heart rate during developing ischemia, and c' the resulting empiric constant.