cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Psychiatry chief resident opinions toward basic and clinical neuroscience training and practice.

The authors queried attendees to a chief resident conference on whether program education and training in neuroscience or in translating neuroscience research into practice is sufficient and what changes are needed. The authors developed and administered a 26-item voluntary questionnaire to each attendee at the Chief Residents’ Leadership Conference at the American Psychiatric Association 2013 annual meeting in San Francisco, CA. Out of 94 attendees, 55 completed and returned questionnaires (58.5 %). A majority of respondents stated that their program provided adequate training in neuroscience (61.8 %); opportunities for neuroscience research existed for them (78.2 %), but that their program did not prepare them for translating future neuroscience research findings into clinical practice (78.9 %) or educate them on the NIMH Research Domain Criteria (83.3 %). A majority of respondents stated that the ACGME should require a specific neuroscience curriculum (79.6 %). Chief residents believe that curricular and cultural change is needed in psychiatry residency neuroscience education.
Some properties of the scalar potential in gauged supergravity theories

A new coordinate system is defined on the scalar manifold of N = 8 supergravity. This enables one to obtain the scalar potential, V, and the T-tensor in closed form in both N = 6 and N = 8 gauged supergravity. Using this formalism it is shown that V has a critical point defining a vacuum in which all the supersymmetry is broken and the gauge symmetry is reduced from SO(8) to SO(3)×SO(3).
Representations of Buddhism in Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost

Marlene Goldman suggests in her paper "Representations of Buddhism in Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost" that at first glance Ondaatje appears to promote the idea of a Sri Lankan Buddhist faith as transcending history. Ondaatje introduces the subject of Buddhism early on in the novel, emphasizing initially the devastation wrought by imperial and colonial forces. Goldman, however, argues that subsequent references to Buddhism undermine the initial portrayal of a religion besieged by external imperialist forces. For example, at one point, the character Palipana refers to the assassination of his brother, Narada, a Buddhist monk. Narada was possibly the victim of a "political killing" and rumours suggest he was killed by a novice and thus his death recalls the historical connection between the JVP (termed "the antigovernment insurgents" in the novel) and young Buddhist monks. Goldman argues that rather than offering a sanitized account that ignores Buddhism's enmeshment in politics, Ondaatje's novel addresses the complex relationship between religion, politics, and violence in Sri Lanka. Marlene Goldman, "Representations of Buddhism in Ondaatje's Anil's Ghost" page 2 of 9 CLCWeb: Comparative Literature and Culture 6.3 (2004):
Diurnal variation in saliva estriol level during pregnancy: A pilot study

OBJECTIVE: The object of the study was to characterize daily values and patterns of salivary estriol levels during normal pregnancy at mid to late gestation. STUDY DESIGN: We measured salivary estriol levels in a clinical research center setting with an established enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Fourteen pregnant women (24-36 weeks' gestation) submitted unstimulated saliva samples hourly from 10:00 am until 10:00 pm and at midnight and 2:00, 4:00, 6:00, and 8:00 am. RESULTS: Each subject demonstrated greater salivary estriol levels at night (10:00 pm-6:00 am) than in the daytime (8:00 am-9:00 pm, P <.001). Salivary estriol levels consistently increased at 10:00 pm, peaked at 4:00 am, and returned to daytime levels between 6:00 and 7:00 am. Salivary estriol concentrations were stable during daylight hours. CONCLUSIONS: (1) There was a dramatic diurnal variation in salivary estriol levels (nadir during daylight with nighttime apogee). (2) Diurnal patterns and salivary estriol levels were consistent in each of 14 subjects evaluated in the latter half of pregnancy. Samples for baseline measurements of salivary estriol level should be obtained during daylight hours (8:00 am-8:00 pm).
LOCALIZATION OF ANTI-HUMAN GROWTH HORMONE SERUM WITHIN THE HUMAN PLACENTA: EVIDENCE FOR A HUMAN CHORIONIC 'GROWTH HORMONE-PROLACTIN'.

Josimovich and MacLaren1 have recently reported the presence in human placenta of a component which cross-reacts with rabbit anti-human growth hormone serum. This protein, which gave a reaction of partial identity with human growth hormone, exhibited prolactin activity and was detected in peripheral venous serum at term and in retroplacental serum by the Ouchterlony gel diffusion technique. Further immunochemical, physicochemical, and biological characterization of this cross-reacting placental protein, detectable in fresh saline homogenates of human and simian placenta, has been described by Kaplan and Grumbach2. Immuno-electrophoresis in agar gel (barbital buffer, pH 8.2) and starch gel electrophoresis (discontinuous buffer system of Ferguson and Wallace) indicate that the migration of the placental component differs from that of native and purified human growth hormone. A partially purified preparation of the cross-reacting placental component contains significant growth-promoting activity2.
Fabrication of III-V Semiconductor Quantum Dots in Porous Glass

Spatially quantized systems of III–V compounds have, in recent years, attracted considerable theoretical interest. However, the fabrication of quantum dots, a three-dimensionally quantum-confined microstructure, is particularly cumbersome and requires sophisticated lateral patterning techniques. A method, reported recently, which utilizes the microporosity of Vycor brand porous glass to produce quantum-confined microcrystals of II–VI and IV–VI semiconductors, is now extended to the fabrication of III–V quantum dots, by incorporating a microwave plasma assisted MOCVD technique. In this process, organometallic precursors impregnated in porous glass can be effectively cracked to deposit III–V microcrystals in glass. The results are discussed in light of the quantum size effect manifested by the optical absorption and photoluminescence data.
on man, nature & air pollution

Barbara J. Finlayson-Pitts on man, nature & air pollution About three decades ago, it was reported that a correlation existed between wet winters in San Francisco and episodes of air pollution the following summer. Wet winters, it was hypothesized, led to greater plant growth, with an associ- ated rise in natural, or biogenic, emis- sions. These biogenic emissions, it was held, caused the increase in air pollution. This hypothesis generated many head- lines and cartoons along the lines of “Forests unsafe to walk in!” and “Trees are the source of air pollution.” The idea that natural emissions were at fault for Barbara J. Finlayson-Pitts, a Fellow of the Amer- ican Academy since 2006, is professor of chem- istry at the University of California at Irvine. She has carried out research on atmospheric chemis- try and air pollution for more than three decades. In addition to research publications, she has co- authored two books in this area, “Atmospheric Chemistry” (with James N. Pitts, Jr., 1986) and “Chemistry of the Upper and Lower Atmosphere” (with James N. Pitts, Jr., 2000). © 2008 by the American Academy of Arts & Sciences air pollution flew in the face of abun- dant evidence that human activities, par- ticularly fossil-fuel combustion, are the source of air pollution. The combustion of fossil fuels gener- ates nitrogen oxides ( no x)–which in- clude nitric oxide ( no ) and nitrogen di- oxide ( no 2)–as well as particles, organ- ic compounds, and sulfur dioxide ( so 2). Amounts produced vary, depending on the nature of the particular fuel and the combustion conditions. While these ini- tial emissions, or primary pollutants, are harmful, the greater threat comes from the chemical transformations that the primary pollutants undergo in air. These reactions form pollutants that are often more toxic than are primary pollutants, and certainly more wide-ranging in their impacts. These ‘secondary pollutants’ include ozone (O 3), acids such as nitric and sulfuric acids, and new aerosol par- ticles. Ozone damages agricultural products, weakens ecosystems, and causes materi- als such as those made of rubber to dete- riorate. In fact, in the past, one way of measuring ozone was to count the num- ber and depth of cracks formed per hour in a stretched rubber band suspended in air. The damage ozone inflicts on health has been particularly well documented. As a result, air quality standards ( aqs ) for ozone, set to protect public health, have become more stringent, as evidence of the harmful effects of ozone at lower atmospheric levels has accumulated. While ozone produced in natural cycles in the upper atmosphere acts as a shield against ultraviolet light from the sun, ozone in the lower atmosphere, where people live, is a highly toxic pollutant. The current U.S. federal aqs for ozone is 80 parts per billion (ppb) over eight hours. Particulate matter, especially those particles with a diameter of 2.5 microns Daedalus Summer 2008
Impact of a brief intervention on physical activity and social cognitive determinants among working mothers: a randomized trial

Working mothers exhibit high levels of inactivity, and theory-based interventions to bolster physical activity within this population are needed. This study examined the effectiveness of a brief social cognitive theory-based intervention designed to increase physical activity among working mothers. Participants (N = 141) were randomly assigned to an intervention only, intervention plus follow-up support, or waitlist control condition. The intervention consisted of two group-based workshop sessions designed to teach behavior modification strategies using social cognitive theory. Data were collected at baseline, immediately post-intervention, and 6-month follow-up. Results showed intervention participants exhibited short-term increases in physical activity, which were partially maintained 6 months later. Improvements in physical activity were mediated by increases in self-regulation and self-efficacy. This study provides some support for the effectiveness of a brief intervention to increase physical activity among working mothers. Future programs should explore alternative support mechanisms which may lead to more effective maintenance of initial behavior changes.
Temperature dependence of flexural and torsional elastic constants of two nickel-based superalloys

A sonic resonance technique has been used to determine Young's and shear moduli of one directionally solidified polycrystalline alloy, Rene 80H, and one single crystal of alloy Rene N4 as functions of temperature from 300 to 1373 and 1298 K, respectively. The variations in the elastic constants of these two alloys are best represented by quadratic functions of temperature.
Testing large-scale cloud management

Testing for correctness and reliability is a major challenge in the development and deployment of cloud computing platforms. Testing a cloud composed of hundreds to thousands of servers is often cost-prohibitive because of the extensive amount of hardware required. Simulation and emulation, i.e., traditional alternatives to hardware, are too abstract or too slow for testing production code in environments with many servers. We propose a testing approach that combines simulation and emulation in a cloud simulator that runs on a single processor yet enables testing of cloud management software as if the software were managing hundreds of servers and thousands of virtual machine instances. This approach alleviates a significant obstacle on the path to high-quality cloud computing systems.
Identification of RNA ligands that bind hepatitis C virus polymerase selectively and inhibit its RNA synthesis from the natural viral RNA templates.

Abstract To identify the potential RNA inhibitors of HCV polymerase, we have isolated high-affinity RNA ligands specific to hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS5B protein from a combinatorial RNA library using the Systematic Evolution of Ligands by EXponential enrichment (SELEX) procedure. Thirty-seven selected ligands were classified into eight groups on the basis of their sequence homologies. Most (60%) of the ligands carry the conserved YGUAGR hexamer (Y = pyrimidine, R = purine) at the 5′ end of the 40-nt randomized region, and 74% of the ligands end in (A/C)U at the 3′end. However, strong binding to NS5B required the whole RNA ligand including the flanking conserved nucleotides at both ends. The binding of the selected ligands to NS5B is highly specific and strong, as reflected in their low dissociation rate constants ( k d ∼ 10 −4 s −1 ). Analysis of secondary structure by computer program and RNase footprints of the two different aptamers from two most conserved groups revealed RNA structures containing three stem loops with internal bulges. NS5B bound these RNA at a region between the two stem loops from the 5′ -end. Some of these RNA aptamers could serve as a template for the HCV polymerase, but some interfered with the activity of the viral enzyme. These RNA ligands will be useful for further characterization of NS5B-binding properties and, with further modifications, may have potential therapeutic value.
Two matrix approaches for aerial image formation obtained by extending and modifying the transmission cross coefficients

This paper physically compares two different matrix representations of partially coherent imaging with the introduction of matrices E and Z, containing the source, object, and pupil. The matrix E is obtained by extending the Hopkins transmission cross coefficient (TCC) approach such that the pupil function is shifted while the matrix Z is obtained by shifting the object spectrum. The aerial image I can be written as a convex quadratic form I=⟨ϕ|E|ϕ⟩=⟨ϕ|Z|ϕ⟩, where |ϕ⟩ is a column vector representing plane waves. It is shown that rank(Z)≤rank(E)=rank(T)=N, where T is the TCC matrix and N is the number of the point sources for a given unpolarized illumination. Therefore, the matrix Z requires fewer than N eigenfunctions for a complete aerial image formation, while the matrix E or T always requires N eigenfunctions. More importantly, rank(Z) varies depending on the degree of coherence determined by the von Neumann entropy, which is shown to relate to the mutual intensity. For an ideal pinhole as an object, emitting spatially coherent light, only one eigenfunction—i.e., the pupil function—is enough to describe the coherent imaging. In this case, we obtain rank(Z)=1 and the pupil function as the only eigenfunction regardless of the illumination. However, rank(E)=rank(T)=N even when the object is an ideal pinhole. In this sense, aerial image formation with the matrix Z is physically more meaningful than with the matrix E. The matrix Z is decomposed as B†B, where B is a singular matrix, suggesting that the matrix B as well as Z is a principal operator characterizing the degree of coherence of the partially coherent imaging.
Activation Energy of Ventricular Contraction in Anionically Modified Solutions

The activation energy of ventricular contraction and relaxation in chloride and nitrate-Ringer's solution was studied on the driven rat ventricle strip by measurement of the specific contraction and relaxation velocities over a 17 degrees C range of temperature. Nitrate ion produced a small but significant reduction in the activation energy of contraction.
Steven Stack's Ecological Research on Suicide Applied to Homicide

In a sample of 72 nations in 1980, birth rates proved to be the strongest predictor of national homicide rates. Language: en
Improving quality versus increasing the quantity of schooling: Estimates of rates of return from rural Pakistan

Abstract This paper's approach permits a more satisfactory assessment than previously of the rates of return to improving school quality versus increasing quantity in terms of labor earnings and their implications for educational policy in developing countries. Special data from rural Pakistan collected for this study are used to make estimates within a conceptual framework that controls for important individual and household choices. The results indicate that rates of return were much higher for investing in primary school quality or quantity than for investing in middle schools and, at the primary school level, somewhat higher for expanding low-quality schools than for increasing quality in existing schools.
ECHOCARDIOGRAPHICALLY GUIDED PERCUTANEOUS PERICARDIOCENTESIS : PROCEDURE OF FIRST CHOICE IN CHILDREN. 151

ECHOCARDIOGRAPHICALLY GUIDED PERCUTANEOUS PERICARDIOCENTESIS : PROCEDURE OF FIRST CHOICE IN CHILDREN. 151
Magnetism in dodecanethiol-capped gold nanoparticles: Role of size and capping agent

In gold nanoparticles (Au NPs) capped with dodecanethiol (DT), the authors report the observation of superparamagnetic blocking temperature TB≃50K in D≃5nm NPs but only diamagnetism in 12nm NPs. For T<TB=50K, the strong temperature dependence of coercivity Hc, saturation magnetization Ms, and exchange bias He (in the field-cooled sample) confirm the blocked state resembling ferromagnetism with Hc≃250Oe, He≃−40Oe, and Ms≃10−2emu∕g at 5K. The observed electron magnetic resonance line shows expected shift, broadening, and reduced intensity below TB. A magnetic moment μ≃0.006μB per Au atom attached to DT is determined using a model which yields Ms varying as 1∕D, with its source being holes in the 5d band of Au produced by charge transfer from Au to S atoms in DT.
International elective during orthopaedic residency in North America: perceived barriers and opportunities.

The prevalence of musculoskeletal trauma, including motor vehicle-related injuries, is increasing worldwide. It is estimated that global trauma will increase by 80% from 2010 to 20201, with a large number of these injuries occurring in regions with limited resources. In addition to neglected musculoskeletal trauma, other clinical entities such as untreated clubfoot, persistent bone and joint infections, and neuromuscular disorders add to the unmet burden in the daily lives of patients and caretakers who reside in such areas around the world. Various organizations have responded to this increasing health-care demand by providing volunteer opportunities for orthopaedic surgeons to teach and train overseas in regions with limited resources2-4. International volunteerism comes in many forms, including short-term surgical aid, disaster relief, and teaching and training local health-care providers2. It is well known that physicians who volunteer internationally during training are more likely to volunteer locally and internationally later in their careers5. Some orthopaedic residency programs in North America offer an international elective, and such an elective has been found to be beneficial2-4,6,7 (Table I). Aside from a few publications primarily resulting from experiences in a single orthopaedic residency program3,4,6, there is scant literature providing a detailed description of the barriers to setting up an international elective for orthopaedic residents. Given the variability in the size and characteristics of orthopaedic residency programs across North America, the challenges and opportunities for establishing such electives may vary among institutions. Furthermore, there is limited information on establishing such an international elective in residency programs that currently do not offer one. View this table: TABLE I Perceived Benefits of an Overseas Orthopaedic Resident Elective in a Resource-Challenged Environment We surveyed U.S. and Canadian orthopaedic residency programs to ascertain the …
Continuous queries over data streams

Continuous queries (CQs) represent a new paradigm for interacting with dynamically-changing data. Unlike traditional one-time queries, a CQ is registered with a data management system and provides continuous results as data and updates stream into the system. Applications include tracking real-time trends in stock market data, monitoring the health of a computer network, and online processing of sensor data. This thesis addresses several fundamental challenges in building a system for processing declaratively-specified continuous queries. We first present a new language---an intuitive and natural extension of a traditional database query language---for specifying CQs. The language has been implemented in a comprehensive, publicly-available research prototype called STREAM (for STanford stREam datA Manager). Since CQs are long-running, potentially requiring large amounts of memory, we next present a precise characterization of the amount of memory required for any query in the language. For an important class of queries that require unbounded memory, we describe algorithms that trade off answer accuracy for a lower memory requirement. Finally, we describe techniques for sharing resources such as computation and state across multiple CQs, enabling scalability to a very large number of concurrent CQs.
On linkages and leakages: measuring the secondary effects of tourism

Tourism multipliers are widely used tools of services trade analysis. Yet, their derivation and interpretation has often been inconsistent and confusing. This article presents a unifying approach for calculating indicators of tourism linkages and leakages, derives these multipliers for a large sample of more than 150 countries and statistically assesses the relationship among the multipliers, along with several other economic indicators. Contrary to widely held views, the multipliers for tourism linkages and leakages are noncomplementary, as they are based on different economic concepts, so that no particular correlation is to be expected. This independence is confirmed in the empirical cross-country analysis. Moreover, the analysis finds a positive association between the degree of linkages and per-capita income, trade openness and the friendliness of the business climate.
Process mobility in distributed-memory simulation systems

Our focus is on the novel use of a process-oriented methodology in distributed-memory simulation systems. To the best of our knowledge, the few existing systems which adopt a process-view strictly use message-passing to effect process-interaction in distributed-memory settings. As a result, these systems avoid scenarios in which processes access passive but shared components. This can restrict the manner in which a system is modelled and hinder the phase of distributed model construction. In this paper, we propose an approach which utilizes mobile processes in distributed-memory simulation systems. Mobile processes can move around the system at will, with easy access to remote system components. The approach basically entails the migration of a requesting process with its timestamp to the remote site hosting the requested passive object. Major advantages of this approach include one-time transmission, fixed communication topology, and increased locality of reference. Early results based on lightweight processes show that the mobile process paradigm can be as efficient as the message-passing paradigm.
Wilfred Cantwell Smith: Love, Science, and the Study of Religion

Wilfred Cantwell Smith, the influential scholar of Islam and reformer of the modern comparative study of religion, provoked controversy in arguing that one cannot understand a religion without studying persons, or persons without studying their faith. Scholarship has largely neglected his further claim that faith cannot be adequately known except in the context of friendship, understood as a mode of love. Here, I explain Smith’s notion of love as constitutive of rationality and discuss how it emerges out of his critique of the norms of objectivity and impersonality long thought to be characteristic of the natural sciences. I conclude by suggesting the relevance of Smith’s notion of love to the contemporary study of religion.
Improving tactical plans with genetic algorithms

The problem of learning decision rules for sequential tasks is addressed, focusing on the problem of learning tactical plans from a simple flight simulator where a plane must avoid a missile. The learning method relies on the notion of competition and uses genetic algorithms to search the space of decision policies. In the research presented here, the use of available heuristic domain knowledge to initialize the population to produce better plans is investigated. >
Interracial Friendships in the Transition to College: Do Birds of a Feather Flock Together Once They Leave the Nest?

Because of segregation in neighborhoods and schools, college may provide the first opportunity for many young adults to interact closely with members of different racial and ethnic groups. Little research has examined how interracial friendships form during this period. This article investigates changes in the racial composition of friendship networks in the transition from high school to college and how aspects of the college environment are related to such changes. Interracial friendships increase for whites, decrease for blacks, and show little change for Latinos and Asians. The habits of friendship formation that are acquired during adolescence and features of residential and extracurricular college contexts influence the formation of interracial friendships. The race of one's roommate, the degree of interracial contact in residence halls, and participation in various types of extracurricular activities are most strongly related to the formation of interracial friendships.
Synergisms and Antagonisms of Testosterone: Progesterone and Estradiol-17β Estrone: Progesterone Mixtures in a Uterine Bioassay in the Mouse

Bioassay for progestin activity by the Hooker-Forbes method of mixtures of testosterone and progesterone and of estrone, estradiol-17β, and progesterone indicated that, depending on the proportions of the mixtures, the progestin response may be partly or completelyinhibited, unaffected, or synergized. As little as 1 part of testosterone, or 101 parts of estrone plus estradiol-17β, to 100,000 parts of progesterone blocked the response, but blocking did not necessarily occur at lesser proportions. (Endocrinology 83: 411, 1968)
The Languages of Jerusalem

The Languages of Jerusalem. Bernard Spolsky and Robert L. Cooper. Oxford Studies in Language Contact. Oxford: Clarendon Press, 1991. 166 pp.
Discriminant analysis of Holland's occupational types using the sixteen personality factor questionnaire

Abstract Sixteen Personality Factor Questionnaire (16 PF) profiles for 69 occupational groups were analyzed according to Holland's six occupational types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. Three discriminant functions, labeled Independence, Extraversion, and Anxiety, enabled correct classification of 75% of the groups to Holland's types. Personality profiles for the six occupational types based on standard 16 PF scale descriptions were highly consistent with Holland's characterizations of the types. A two-dimensional graphic plot of the group centroids corresponded exactly to Holland's hypothesized ordering of occupational types.
Thin Slices of Negotiation: Predicting Outcomes from Conversational Dynamics Within the First Five Minutes

In this research we examine whether conversational dynamics occurring within the first five minutes of a negotiation can predict negotiated outcomes. In a simulated employment negotiation, micro-coding conducted by a computer showed that activity level, conversational engagement, prosodic emphasis, and vocal mirroring predicted 30% of the variance in individual outcomes. The conversational dynamics associated with individual success among high-status parties were different from those associated with individual success among low-status parties. Results are interpreted in light of theory and research exploring the predictive power of "thin slices" (Ambady & Rosenthal, 1992). Implications include the development of new technology to diagnose and improve negotiation processes.
Generalizations of Rent's rule

This paper describes some new results with respect to the classic problem of the component-to-pin ratio. Generalizations of Rent's rule, providing greater accuracy and extending the domain of applicability are presented. The two weaknesses of Rent's rule-the limited range on the number of components in a block and on the Rent exponent-are eliminated. The resulting generalized rules are based on parameters that can be measured from actual designs. The new rules have been found to produce very satisfactory results on test and industrial circuits. >
Oxidative and Heat Stress Gene Changes in Hypertrophic Scar Fibroblasts Stimulated with Interleukin-1β1

Introduction Cutaneous wounds that involve loss of tissue heal through a complex process of generating granulation tissue to initially cover the wound, followed by epithelialization, and contraction. Normal healing requires a delicate balance between cellular, matrix, and vascularity build up and breakdown. Defects in the regulation of this balance can alter normal scar formation through fibroblastic hyperproliferation, which is characteristic of hypertrophic scar formation. Methods Primary fibroblasts cultures from hypertrophic scar or adjacent normal skin were seeded in growth medium. Half of each was stimulated with interleukin (IL)-1β for 6 h and half served as control nonstimulated fibroblasts. Supernatants were tested for expressed proteins and the fibroblasts for changes in gene expression. Results Comparison between normal skin and hypertrophic scar fibroblasts stimulated with IL-1β indicate that 15 genes increased and 8 genes decreased expression. When normal skin was stimulated with IL-1β, there were increases in the expression of heat shock transcription factor-1, hsp70, and IL-6 When hypertrophic scar was stimulated with IL-1β, there was a decrease in nuclear factor-κB, GADD45-α, p53, p53 binding protein, and Cox-2 genes. These genes may play specific but different roles in controlling the cellular response to cell stress and apoptosis. Conclusion Data presented suggest that oxidative and heat stress proteins, stimulated through IL-1β, may be important mediators of abnormal scarring.
NS21: Re-defined and modified supplement B27 for neuronal cultures

In vitro culturing of primary neurons is a mainstay of neurobiological research. Many of these culture paradigms have taken advantage of defined culture media rather than serum additives that contain undefined survival factors to facilitate experimental manipulations and interpretation of the results. To culture neurons in the absence of serum, defined supplements such as B27 are now widely used. However, commercially available supplements exhibit large variability in their capabilities to support neurons in culture. We re-optimized and modified earlier published formulations of B27 using 21 different ingredients (NS21). NS21 supports neuronal cultures of high quality as manifested by their morphological characteristics, formation of synapses, and postsynaptic responses. Much of the variability in the quality of B27/NS21 was due to variability in the quality of different sources of bovine serum albumin. Furthermore, we found that holo-transferrin used in NS21 is preferable over apo-transferrin used in B27 for the quality of neuronal cultures.
Nanoscale spatial phase modulation of GaN on a V-grooved Si Substrate-cubic phase GaN on Si(001) for monolithic integration

Nanoscale spatial phase modulation of GaN grown on a 355-nm period array of V-grooves fabricated in a Si(001) substrate is reported. Orientation-dependent selective nucleation of GaN in metal-organic vapor phase epitaxy begins from the opposing Si{111} sidewalls and rapidly fills each V-groove. At the initial stages of growth, the GaN deposited on the sidewalls has hexagonal phase with the c-axis normal to the Si{111}. As the growth continues, the filling of the V-groove over these misaligned hexagonal phase regions results in a transition to a cubic phase with its principal crystal axes parallel to those of the Si substrate. In a cross-sectional view perpendicular to the grooves, the defected hexagonal phase region and the clean cubic phase region above it form a boundary at the inside of each V-groove which is parallel to the Si{111} sidewalls. The GaN surface is almost planarized for only 75-nm deposition and is parallel to the original [001] plane of the Si substrate. The GaN clearly exhibits nanoscale spatial phase modulation with a periodic separation of hexagonal and cubic crystal structures across the groove direction for 600-nm deposition, implying a possibility of cubic phase GaN on an isolated single V-groove fabricated in a Si(001) substrate for monolithic integration. The structural/optical properties and stress measurements of this phase-modulated GaN grown on a nanoscale faceted Si surface are presented.
Purification and crystallization of benzoylformate decarboxylase

A new large-scale purification method for benzoylformate decarboxylase from Pseudomonas putida has allowed us to undertake an X-ray crystallographic study of the enzyme. The previously observed instability of the enzyme was overcome by addition of 100 microM thiamine pyrophosphate to buffers used in the purification. The final enzyme preparation was more than 97% pure, as determined by denaturing gel electrophoresis and densitometry. The mobility of the enzyme on a gel filtration column indicates that it is a tetramer of 57-kDa subunits. Large, single crystals of benzoylformate decarboxylase were grown from solutions of buffered polyethylene glycol 400, pH 8.5. The crystals diffract to beyond 1.6 A resolution and are stable for days to X-ray radiation. Analysis of X-ray data from the crystals, along with the newly determined quaternary structure, identifies the space group as I222. The unit cell dimensions are a = 82 A, b = 97 A, c = 138 A. An average Vm value for the crystals is consistent with one subunit per asymmetric unit. The subunits of the tetramer must be arranged with tetrahedral 222 symmetry.
Structure, Function, and Regulation of Budding Yeast Kinetochores

…S. cerevisiae centromeres represent the ultimate stage of centromere optimization… ▪ Abstract (Malik & Henikoff 2002) Kinetochores are multiprotein complexes that assemble on centromeric DNA and mediate the attachment and movement of chromosomes along the microtubules (MTs) of the mitotic spindle. This review focuses on the simplest eukaryotic centromeres and kinetochores, those found in the budding yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae. Research on kinetochore function and chromosome segregation is focused on four questions of general significance: What specifies the location of centromeres? What are the protein components of kinetochores, and how do they assemble a MT attachment site? How do MT attachments generate force? How do cells sense the state of attachment via the spindle assembly checkpoint?
Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma: Use of HBME1 and CK19 as Diagnostic Markers

Thyroid cancer is the most common endocrine malignancy in the United States and accounts for 1.5% of all cancers exclusive of carcinomas of the skin. Approximately 19,500 new cases of thyroid carcinoma are diagnosed each year, with most cases occurring in women. The annual death rate for thyroid cancer of all types is approximately 1,300 cases (Greenlee et al. 2001). The incidence of thyroid cancer has increased three- to fivefold between 1935 and 1975, without obvious reasons.
Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 Ex-Vessel Prediction: Core Concrete Interaction

Lower head failure and corium-concrete interaction were predicted to occur at Fukushima Daiichi Unit 1 (1F1) by several different system-level code analyses, including MELCOR v2.1 and MAAP5. Althou...
How drug resistance takes shape

Mutations in a hormone receptor can lead to therapeutic resistance by making it less able to bind and respond to hormone blocking drugs and by making it active, even when the hormome is not present.
Hemopoietic tissue volume is a heritable trait in the schistosome‐transmitting snail Biomphalaria glabrata

The anterior pericardial wall or amebocyte-producing organ (APO) is a site of hemocyte formation in the schistosome-transmitting snail Biomphalaria glabrata. Histological sections of the APOs of adult schistosome-resistant Salvador strain snails, and two schistosome-susceptible M-line strains, BRI-M and USF-M, showed qualitatively differing amounts of hemopoietic tissue (HT), with Salvador>BRI-M>USF-M. Adult Salvador snails also had a significantly higher concentration of hemocytes in the hemolymph than the two M-Line strains. In juvenile snails of the same three strains, measurements of total APO HT volume confirmed the qualitative differences seen in adults, and differences between the three strains were statistically significant. Crosses between Salvador (large HT volume) and USF-M (small HT volume) show that a large HT volume is dominant in juvenile F1s. Analysis of the distribution of HT volume among F2s shows it to be a quantitative trait. Although USF-M juvenile F0s had a significantly lower APO HT volume than that of BRI-M F0s, they had a significantly higher mitotic index, possibly as a compensatory mechanism. Salvador APO allografts maintained HT volume and mitotic activity equally well in USF-M and Salvador recipients after 2 weeks, suggesting that the low HT volume in USF-M snails may result from a developmental defect rather than a lack of HT-supportive plasma factors.
Glucose transporters of the glomerulus and the implications for diabetic nephropathy.

Abstract Several glucose transporters have recently been identified in glomeruli, and in cultured glomerular cells. These include the facilitative glucose transporter isoforms GLUTs 1, 3 and 4, and sodium-glucose cotransport activity with characteristics of SGLT1. GLUTs 1, 3 and 4 are all high affinity, low capacity, facilitative glucose transporters which typically would be saturated at or near physiologic glucose concentrations. The SGLT transporter of mesangial cells is also a high affinity transporter which similarly could be saturated under normal glucose conditions. This suggests that in order for mesangial cells to take up excessive quantities of glucose in diabetes, changes in glucose transporter expression, translocation or activity may be required. Accordingly, recent investigations discovered positive-feedback regulation of the mesangial cell GLUT1 transporter by glucose, and a regulatory role for GLUT1 in glucose metabolism and extracellular matrix synthesis. Future investigations of glucose transporters in the pathogenesis of diabetic renal disease will now likely proceed in multiple directions, including but not limited to: (1) examination of their regulation by growth factors implicated in diabetic nephropathy, and the resultant effects on ECM synthesis; (2) determination of the mechanisms by which GLUT1 regulates the expression of aldose reductase, PKC, GLUT1, and other genes in the mesangial cell; and (3) Suppression of glucose transporters in attempts to prevent high glucose-induced diabetic glomerulosclerosis.
Prediction analysis for typhoid and paratyphoid fever with GM(1,1) grey model in Wuhan

Objective To predict the incidence trend of typhoid and paratyphoid fever in Wuhan city,and provide reference for policy making.Methods According to the incidence data of typhoid and paratyphoid fever in Wuhan city from 2000 to 2009,the predicting model using grey system theory was established to carry out the predicting research.Results The grey model was(t+1)=-11.784 809e-0.118 065+13.994 809.The goodness-of-fit test indicated that the precision(degree 1) was qualified(C=0.358,P=1.000) and the model was capable in predicting the incidence of typhoid and paratyphoid fever..Conclusions The results indicate that the incidence of typhoid and paratyphoid fever will continue to decrease from 2012 to 2014,however,it is still necessary to strengthen comprehensive prevention and control measures,including: improvement of drinking water hygiene,strengthening of health monitoring and health education,so as to reduce the Incidence of typhoid and paratyphoid fever.
Active transport of methadone in synaptosomes.

The synaptosomal uptake of methadone was kinetically resolved into a diffusional and a saturable transport component. The latter process had an apparent Km and Vmax of 8.5 µM and 56.5 pmol/mg protein per 30 seconds, and led to synaptosomal accumulation of the drug. Lowering the temperature noncompetitively inhibited saturable transport which displayed a Q10 of 1.99. Incubation with 2,4-dinitrophenol had differential effects on methadone transport. While total uptake was slightly enhanced due to stimulation of the diffusional component, mediated transport was inhibited 93%. The pH dependence of uptake indicated that methadone was transported in its unionized form. The transport process was independent of sodium, lacked stereospecificity, and was insensitive to ouabain. In disrupted synaptosomes drug uptake was markedly diminished and the process lost its dependence on temperature and pH. Exodus of methadone from synaptosomes occurred rapidly, and reached equilibrium in 3 minutes. During efflux, counter-transport of methadone was demonstrated. Methadone efflux was also transaccelerated by desipramine, levorphanol and pentazocine. Furthermore, these drugs, but not biogenic amines and morphine, competitively inhibited synaptosomal uptake of methadone displaying Ki values between 8 and 24 µM. The findings characterize an active transport system for methadone in synaptosomes, and provide evidence for sharing of the transport carrier by several other drugs, structurally related to basic amines.
Digital nerve repairs.

Digital nerve injuries, which are very common, are best treated by careful debridement and microsurgical repair with fine suture material. Protective sensation can uniformly be restored and a two point discrimination of under 6 mm. can be expected in 60 per cent of patients.
How do cells know what shape they are

Studies on a yeast cell cycle checkpoint that can delay mitosis depending on whether cells have built a bud have identified a "sensor" that seems to recognize the organization of filament-forming septin proteins. Innovative work applying correlative light and platinum replica electron microscopy suggests that the informative septin organization involves parallel alignment of septin filaments, and another striking study shows that septin filaments prefer to populate membranes that have positive micron-scale curvature. Together, these findings suggest a model for how cells may monitor aspects of their own shape to influence cell behavior.
Exploring the Role of Context in Students' Understanding of Sampling.

Context provides meaning for data analysis and the evaluation of evidence but may be distracting to students. This research explores the role of context in students’ reasoning about sampling: specifically, the relationship between the strength of students’ opinions about a topic, which provides the context for a study, and their ability to judge the quality of the sampling method and the scope of the conclusions in the study. Data were collected at four diverse institutions in both a testing environment and through individual interviews. Student responses were analyzed using a grounded theory approach. Testing environment results showed little evidence of the use of context whereas interview results showed more evidence of reliance on context-based opinions rather than statistical principles. First published November 2013 at Statistics Education Research Journal Archives
Cavitating response of passively controlled tidal turbines

Abstract The use of passive pitch control in marine hydrokinetic turbine (MHK) blades has been shown to provide structural and performance improvements over similar systems with non-adaptive blades. Recent work has demonstrated such advantages as increased lifetime energy capture, reduced hydrodynamic instabilities, and improved efficiency, load shedding, fatigue behavior, and structural integrity. Additionally, passively adaptive blades have been shown to delay cavitation and decrease cavitation volume for marine propellers. For MHK turbines, a reduction in cavitation susceptibility could increase effectiveness of the turbine and reduce the rate of fatigue on the system. In this work, a previously validated, coupled 3-D boundary element method-finite element method solver is used to model two adaptive blades and a non-adaptive reference blade under both uniform and non-uniform inflow conditions. A numerical investigation of the onset of sheet cavitation on an MHK turbine blade and the structural response of a blade under cavitating conditions is presented. Results show that passive control can be used to delay cavitation and decrease cavitation volume under normal operating conditions. Cavitation is shown to increase the rate of fatigue on the system and has the potential to lead to unanticipated failures if proper cavitation analysis is not integral to the MHK turbine design process.
The Ethical Context of Either/Or

This is a sequel to an earlier paper ('Kierkegaard's Ethicist' Archiv 2006) in which I argued that J.G. Fichte (rather than Kant or Hegel or some amalgam) was the primary historical model for the ethical standpoint described in Kierkegaard’s Either/Or II. Here I offer some new support for that claim. In the first section I present some evidence for Fichte’s prominence in the landscape of philosophical ethics in the 1830s and ’40s in Germany and Denmark. I argue that Kierkegaard’s use of Fichte as a foil was not idiosyncratic, but was rather the obvious choice in the historical context. In the second section I describe some additional substantive and textual reasons for thinking Fichte was the figure looming largest in the background of Kierkegaard’s construction of the ethical standpoint in Either/Or.
Abstract 1504: Quantification of dedifferentiation rates in breast cancer using fluorescent reporter constructs and lineage tracing

Proceedings: AACR 106th Annual Meeting 2015; April 18-22, 2015; Philadelphia, PA Breast cancer is the second most common cancer in women and despite significant advances in treatment, once metastatic it is almost universally fatal. One explanation for this is that current treatments don't target the true driver of tumor growth, cancer stem cells (CSCs). It has been shown that many cancers, including breast cancer, are hierarchically organized with CSCs driving tumor growth. It is also well known that a hallmark of tumor biology is an increased phenotypic plasticity, which helps tumor cells to evade treatment. It has been hypothesized that one consequence of this is an increased rate of dedifferentiation of bulk tumor cells back to CSCs. While a good deal of research has shown that this can sometimes occur, recent work showing the existence of multiple CSC states in breast cancer combined with a lack of direct lineage tracing experiments merits further investigation into the rate, and biological significance, of dedifferentiation in breast cancer. In order to monitor movement between cell states, we have developed a number of fluorescent reporter constructs for genes important in breast cancer including stemness genes (CD44, ALDH1A1, ALDH1A3, Sox2, Oct4), luminal genes (ESR1, Gata3, KRT19, E-Cadherin), myoepithelial/basal genes (CD10, p63, KRT7, Vimentin), and proliferation genes (Ki67, PCNA). These genes will be used in combination with each other in Cre-Recombinase mediated LoxP-STOP-LoxP lineage tracing constructs to track movement between luminal or basal bulk tumor cells and cancer stem cells. Validation of ALDH1A1 and ALDH1A3 reporters by immunofluorescent staining and the AldeFluor Assay has shown good concordance between the reporters and native expression of the genes. These reporters will help to quantify the rate of dedifferentiation and cell state flux in breast cancer. Citation Format: Michael D. Brooks, Max S. Wicha. Quantification of dedifferentiation rates in breast cancer using fluorescent reporter constructs and lineage tracing. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 1504. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-1504