cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Use of Email Paradata in a Survey of Sustainability Culture

Survey data collection is often utilized to study/gage public perceptions of sustainability, and can use considerable resources to carry out. It seems natural that collecting data about sustainability and the culture of sustainability should be done in a sustainable way, optimizing the use of available resources. This paper strives to investigate and understand respondent engagement with web survey email invitations. This is important because often less sustainable contact methods are used in follow-up to raise response rates. This paper uses data from the Sustainability Cultural Indicators Program (SCIP) survey at the University of Michigan (U-M). During the 2014 and 2015 data collections, email paradata was utilized to understand sample members’ engagement with emails sent asking them to complete a survey. Engagement is determined by using email paradata combined with paradata from the survey about access and completion. Low engagement may mean not receiving (e.g. spam, bad email address, etc.) or never opening the email. High engagement with low survey access (and completion) may mean there are other attributes (e.g. survey length, survey topic, incentive, how the data will be used, etc.) of the design affecting the decision to participate that researchers may need to address. The data also provide insight as to when emails are opened. This has the potential for the survey practitioners to focus on optimal times to attempt contact to try to gain cooperation. Three engagement analyses were conducted. The first analysis looks at the open rate for each email type (prenotification, invitation, reminder 1, etc.). The second analysis looks at the elapsed time (lag) between sending and opening of each email type. The final analysis looks at the optimal day to send an email invitation to elicit response. This information can be used to inform future survey design decisions and provide insight into non-response.
Chilaiditi's Sign Associated with Acute Colonic Pseudo-obstruction: A Radiological Diagnosis

Chilaiditi's sign is a rare radiological anomaly of hepato-diaphragmatic interposition of the bowel. We report a case of Chilaiditi's sign associated with acute colonic pseudo-obstruction. A 90-year-old male was admitted for hypertensive emergency. His physical examination showed a distended abdomen, decreased bowel sounds, and right upper quadrant tenderness. A chest radiograph demonstrated marked elevation of the right diaphragm and interposition of the hepatic flexure of the colon between the diaphragm and the liver, along with marked gaseous distension up to 9 cm in the ascending colon without any small bowel distension. The patient was managed conservatively with bowel rest, stool softeners, enemas, and intravenous (IV) hydration. The patient improved clinically with resolution of colonic distension. Chilaiditi's sign and Chilaiditi syndrome are rare entities and therefore are often misdiagnosed and mismanaged. Awareness of the radiological sign, the syndrome itself, and the association with acute colonic pseudo-obstruction is important for all care providers so that they can opt for more conservative management strategies instead of unnecessary interventions including surgeries.
The effects of acrobatic exercise on brain plasticity: a systematic review of animal studies

Acrobatic exercise is considered a complex motor activity and may promote motor learning and neuroplasticity. The objective of this systematic review was to verify possible plastic brain changes induced by acrobatic exercise in non-lesioned rat and mouse through the analysis of experimental studies. Manual and electronic searches were conducted in MEDLINE, EMBASE and ISI Web of Science databases, without restriction to language or publication date. Synaptogenesis and neurogenesis were selected as the primary outcomes. To evaluate the risk of bias of individual studies, we used the Systematic Review Centre for Laboratory Animal Experimentation (SYRCLE) RoB tool. We found 1780 studies, from which 18 fulfilled the inclusion criteria in this review. Seventeen studies evaluated the cerebellum, six the motor cortex, five the striatum and two evaluated the hippocampus. The results showed that acrobatic exercise promotes plastic changes in brain areas of rats, and such changes are dependent of training frequency and duration. However, studies were heterogeneous regarding the proteins analyzed and the training protocols, which made it difficult to compare and determine ideal acrobatic exercise parameters for neuroplasticity. Concerning the methodological quality of studies, most of them presented high risk of bias with absence of relevant study design information. New research with detailing training protocols and analysis might contribute to clarify the role of acrobatic exercise in neuroplasticity and how it could be used in translational research.
Doppler Sonar Observations of Langmuir Circulation

It has become increasingly clear that air-sea coupling is important to the earth’s weather and climate (e.g. Grotzner et al 1998; Xu et al. 1998). The oceanic surface mixed layer is the link by which the air and sea are coupled. Further, the form and strength of the mixing motion are important to important concerns such as the fluxes of gases and nutrients and the growth and health of marine life. Improved understanding of all these processes depends in some measure on our understanding mechanisms and dynamics of the mixed layer.
A CCD BASED DIGITAL DETECTOR FOR WHOLE-BREAST DIGITAL MAMMOGRAPHY

We are developing an 18×27cm digital x-ray detector for whole-breast mammography based on CCD imaging technology [1]. In this paper we report the performance of a 10×20 cm, 2-CCD prototype we have built and tested. Similar to a film system, this detector uses a phosphor screen to convert an x-ray image to visible light. In the digital system the light photons are transferred onto a charge-coupled device (CCD) by a demagnifying fiber optic taper. Dedicated electronics then transfer the image to a PC based viewing station. The dynamic range of the detector is roughly 375 times greater than that of a typical screen film [2]. This difference increases our ability to discriminate low contrast differences in tissue, and allows image exposure to be determined solely by the desired signal-to-noise ratio and acceptable patient dose, whereas in a non-digital system, exposure is determined by film’s narrow linear response range.
The Effects of Taurine and Thiotaurine on Oxidative Stress in the Aorta and Heart of Diabetic Rats

This study has compared the actions of the sulfur-containing compounds taurine (TAU) and thiotaurine (TTAU) with those of insulin (INS) on the oxidative stress that develops in the aorta and heart as a result of diabetes. Diabetes was induced in male Sprague–Dawley rats with streptozotocin (60 mg/kg, i.p.). Starting on day 15, and continuing for the next 41 days, the diabetic rats received each day 2 mL of physiological saline or 2.4 mmol/kg/2 mL of TAU (or TTAU) p.o. or 4 U/kg of isophane INS s.c. Normal rats served as controls. The rats were sacrificed on day 57 to collect blood, heart and thoracic aorta samples. Untreated diabetic rats exhibited a lower body weight gain (by 34%), higher than normal plasma glucose (by ∼4-fold), cholesterol (by 66%) and triglycerides (by 188%) levels, and lower INS levels (by 76%). Also there was a marked increase in catalase activity (≥90%); and clear decreases in nitrite (≥40%), glutathione redox status (≥67%), and glutathione peroxidase (≥66%) and superoxide dismutase (≥51%) activities in both the aorta and heart. With only a few isolated instances (plasma lipids), TTAU was either markedly more effective (plasma glucose, plasma INS, aorta and heart glutathione, aorta redox status, and antioxidant enzymes) or marginally more effective (heart redox status) than TAU in attenuating the alterations brought about by diabetes. These results suggest that replacing the sulfonic acid group of TAU by thiosulfonic acid can lead to a greater potency against diabetes-related biochemical changes in the plasma, heart and aorta. However, except for effects on plasma lipids, these sulfur-containing compounds were less effective than INS in counteracting diabetes-related changes.
Revealing Abuses of Channel Assignment Protocols in Multi-channel Wireless Networks: An Investigation Logic Approach

This paper presents a novel specification-based investigation logic and applies it to tackle abuse of channel assignment protocols in multi-channel wireless networks. The investigation logic looks into malicious operations that violate the specification of channel assignment protocols. With logged operations, it reconstructs the process of channel assignment as an information flow that captures essential dependency relations among protocol-specific channel assignment operations. Then, it derives and applies reasoning rules to conduct consistency check over the logged operations and identify the source of abuse where the logged operations are inconsistent. Through simulation, the proposed investigation logic presents desired quality with zero false negative rate and very low false positive rate.
The roles of Amh in zebrafish gonad development and sex determination

ABSTRACT Fetal mammalian testes secrete Amh (Anti-Mullerian hormone), which inhibits female reproductive tract (Mullerian duct) development. Amh also derives from mature mammalian ovarian follicles, which marks oocyte reserve and characterizes PCOS (polycystic ovarian syndrome). Zebrafish (Danio rerio) lacks Mullerian ducts and the Amh receptor gene amhr2 but, curiously, retains amh. To discover the roles of Amh in the absence of Mullerian ducts and the ancestral receptor gene, we made amh null alleles in zebrafish. Results showed that normal amh prevents female-biased sex ratios. Adult male amh mutants had enormous testes, half of which contained immature oocytes, demonstrating that Amh regulates male germ cell accumulation and inhibits oocyte development or survival. Mutant males formed sperm ducts and some produced a few offspring. Young female mutants laid a few fertile eggs, so they also had functional sex ducts. Older amh mutants accumulated non-vitellogenic follicles in exceedingly large but sterile ovaries, showing that Amh helps control ovarian follicle maturation and proliferation. RNA-seq data partitioned 21-day post-fertilization (dpf) juveniles into two groups that each contained mutant and wild type fish. Group21-1 up-regulated ovary genes compared to Group21-2, which were likely developing as males. By 35dpf, transcriptomes distinguished males from females and, within each sex, mutants from wild types. In adult mutants, ovaries greatly under-expressed granulosa and theca genes and testes under-expressed Leydig cell genes. These results show that ancestral Amh functions included development of the gonadal soma in ovaries and testes and regulation of gamete proliferation and maturation. A major gap in our understanding is the identity of the gene encoding a zebrafish Amh receptor; we show here that the loss of amhr2 is associated with the breakpoint of a chromosome rearrangement shared among cyprinid fishes. Article Summary Anti-Mullerian hormone (Amh) inhibits female reproductive duct development, signals oocyte reserve, and marks polycystic ovarian syndrome. Zebrafish lacks Mullerian ducts and the typical Amh receptor, questioning evolving roles of Amh. We made knockout mutations in zebrafish amh. Most mutants were female and the few males often had oocytes in their testes, showing that Amh promotes male development. Mutant reproductive ducts functioned, but testes were enormous and ovaries accumulated immature oocytes, showing that Amh regulates germ cell proliferation and maturation. Transcriptomics revealed that Amh controls development of steroid-producing gonad cells. Amh in zebrafish preserved ancestral roles despite losing Mullerian ducts and the Amh receptor.
Open Systems Theory for Arts and Cultural Organizations: Linking Structure and Performance

Open systems theory, or seeing an organization as an open and networked structure that is part of and affected by external environments, can offer a new organizational structure model for arts and ...
A decision tree model of cerebral palsy based on risk factors.

Objective: A risk prediction model of cerebral palsy (CP) was established by a decision tree model to predict the individual risk of CP.Methods: A hospital-based case-control study was conducted wi...
Functional TLR-9 expression, regulation and clinical significance in GBM patients

3557 Toll-like receptor-9 (TLR-9) is a pattern recognition receptor, which plays very important role in innate immunity. Placyticoid dendritic cells, B cells, langerhans and NK cells express TLR-9. Unmethylated CpG from bacterials can activate TLR-9. However, TLR-9 expression in tumor cells and its function is still unclear. We found that TLR-9 mRNA was expressed in 65% glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) cultured tumor cells by RT-PCR analysis. The protein expression of TLR-9 in tumor cells and tissue was confirmed by flow cytometry and immunofluorence analysis. Different type of commercial available CpG ODN was tested the function of TLR-9 in GBM. We found that class A CpG increased TRAIL expression and inhibited GBM cells proliferation while class B CpG stimulated IL-6 expression and increased GBM cells proliferation. Receptor tyrosine kinase inhibitor (RTK) geldanamycin and cyclooxygenase-2 (COX-2) inhibitor could significantly increased TLR-9 expression, however, TNF-α treatment significantly decreased TLR-9 expression. Finally, we found that TLR-9 positive GBM patients presented significantly longer survival than those of TLR-9 negative GBM patients. This study suggested that TLR-9 could be a useful prognosis biomarker in GBM patients and class A CpG ODN may be a promising reagent for cancer immunotherapy.
Maternal polyunsaturated fatty acids and risk for autism spectrum disorder in the MARBLES high-risk study.

Prior research studies suggest that maternal polyunsaturated fatty acids could have protective effects on neurodevelopmental outcomes. The objective of this study was to examine associations betwee...
DNA methylation near the INS gene is associated with INS genetic variation (rs689) and type 1 diabetes in the Diabetes Autoimmunity Study in the Young.

OBJECTIVE Mechanisms underlying the role of non-human leukocyte antigen (HLA) genetic risk variants in type 1 diabetes (T1D) are poorly understood. We aimed to test the association between methylation and non-HLA genetic risk. METHODS We conducted a methylation quantitative trait loci (mQTL) analysis in a nested case-control study from the Dietary Autoimmunity Study in the Young. Controls (n = 83) were frequency-matched to T1D cases (n = 83) based on age, race/ethnicity, and sample availability. We evaluated 13 non-HLA genetic markers known be associated with T1D. Genome-wide methylation profiling was performed on peripheral blood samples collected prior to T1D using the Illumina 450 K (discovery set) and infinium methylation EPIC beadchip (EPIC validation) platforms. Linear regression models, adjusting for age and sex, were used to test to each single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) -probe combination. Logistic regression models were used to test the association between T1D and methylation levels among probes with a significant mQTL. A meta-analysis was used to combine odds ratios from the two platforms. RESULTS We identified 10 SNP-methylation probe pairs (false discovery rate (FDR) adjusted P < .05 and validation P < .05). Probes were associated with the GSDMB, C1QTNF6, IL27, and INS genes. The cg03366382 (OR: 1.9, meta-P = .0495), cg21574853 (OR: 2.5, meta-P = .0232), and cg25336198 (odds ratio: 6.6, meta-P = .0081) probes were significantly associated with T1D. The three probes were located upstream from the INS transcription start site. CONCLUSIONS We confirmed an association between DNA methylation and rs689 that has been identified in related studies. Measurements in our study preceded the onset of T1D suggesting methylation may have a role in the relationship between INS variation and T1D development.
Conventional Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting

Conventional coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) on cardiopulmonary bypass (CPB) is the gold standard for treatment of coronary artery disease. The use of CPB and cardioplegic arrest allows optimization of the surgical field and consistent placement of grafts. Improvements in technique and technology have made it a safe, effective, and durable myocardial revascularization strategy with inimitable short and long-term outcomes. This chapter provides an overview of the technical aspects and outcomes of conventional CABG.
Scalable method for micro-CT analysis enables large scale quantitative characterization of brain lesions and implants

Anatomic evaluation is an important aspect of many studies in neuroscience; however, it often lacks information about the three-dimensional structure of the brain. Micro-CT imaging provides an excellent, nondestructive, method for the evaluation of brain structure, but current applications to neurophysiological or lesions studies require removal of the skull and hazardous chemicals, dehydration or embedding, limiting their scalability and utility. Here we present a protocol using eosin in combination with bone decalcification to enhance contrast in the tissue and then employ monochromatic and propagation phase-contrast micro-CT imaging to enable the imaging of brain structure with the preservation of the surrounding skull. Instead of relying on descriptive, time-consuming, or subjective methods, we develop simple quantitative analyses to map the locations of recording electrodes and to characterize the presence and extent of brain lesions.
What Is Digital Health and What Do I Need to Know About It

Digital health technologies improve outcomes within many health care fields. They include telemedicine and telehealth, remote patient monitoring, mobile health applications, data analytics, and social networking. Patients, providers, and insurers benefit from digital health, with time and cost savings as well as access to aggregate data, used to predict disease and outcomes and allowing tailored solutions. Some essentials of digital health implementation include champion providers, patients in need, technology, peer support system, understanding laws and regulations, seed funding, and sustainability. Successful programs can and will be established, leading health care into a more value-based future largely focused on direct-to-consumer care.
Incorporating an Online Interactive Video Platform to Optimize Active Learning and Improve Student Accountability through Educational Videos

Video learning holds an important place in modern STEM classrooms, but more improvements to the learning experience are needed. In order to introduce active-learning components into assignments, questions are often deployed alongside videos. Unfortunately, many students tend to skip videos entirely and solely answer questions, bypassing valuable assigned content. Edpuzzle is an online video-modifying platform that allows instructors to take videos (both instructor-made as well as pre-existing available videos) and insert questions to create active-learning video experiences. Videos can be accessed by students on the Edpuzzle platform or directly from within most learning management systems. As students complete video assignments, instructors can access a variety of progress and performance metrics, use these metrics to identify weak points, and inform instruction. Edpuzzle also has unique student accountability features that allow instructors to choose to prevent students from skipping through videos or questions. Moreover, interactive questions can include chemical structures in the form of images or well-formatted equations or formulas, making Edpuzzle an attractive choice for optimizing video learning in and out of chemistry classrooms.
Tomographic Q Inversion Based on the Adjoint-State Method

Summary Q tomography has been developed for estimating attenuation model for several years but is generally ray-based. It needs to compute the Frechet derivatives in each iteration, which would lead to large computation time when input parameters are increasing. In this paper we propose a new gradient-based method using the adjoint-state technique to estimate the distribution of near surface attenuation without the need for introducing Frechet derivatives. The advantage of this method is that it depends only on the size of velocity and attenuation models, not the amount of input parameters. We describe the details of our workflow with numerical examples and demonstrate how our method can accurately estimate a Q model.
Customer Value: A New Paradigm for Marketing Management

Management must analyze all pertinent "actors and factors" to compete in changing markets. Customer value has emerged as a dominant theme for business success. This paradigm means anticipating and responding to the relevant values of constituencies so as to maximize economic value. This paper examines the concept of customer value, provides a conceptual basis for developing a values-based managerial framework, proposes a four-stage value funnel model, and offers marketers a new view of business dynamics.
The in situ IUD and pregnancy outcome.

Abstract Data are presented concerning the occurrence and outcome of 46 pregnancies associated with 917 intrauterine device (IUD) insertions during the year 1971. The occurrence of pregnancy was studied with reference to the type of IUD, the interval between parturition and insertion, and the interval between insertion and the last menstrual period prior to conception. The outcome of pregnancy was studied with reference to the length of gestation at spontaneous termination, perinatal death, and maternal complications. Only patients followed for 12 months after insertion were included in the study. The pregnancy rate was 15 per cent. There was an unexpected number of pregnancies associated with postpartum insertion. The occurrence of pregnancy was not limited to the first few months after insertion. The incidence of abortion, puerperal infection, and stillborn infants increased when pregnancy was associated with an in situ IUD.
Theory of g-Shift and Linewidth in CeP Excited State EPR

The cerium monopnictides have NaCl structure. In the paramagnetic phase, the Ce3+ (J = 5/2) ion has a Γ7 crystal-field ground state doublet, and an excited Γ8 quartet. In EPR experiments,1 at 9.2 GHz we observed a single resonance peak for polycrystalline CeP (TN ≈ 10 K) from 77 to 300 K. The intensity indicates that the mode originates from within the excited Γ8 quartet. The width is about 300 G, increasing with temperature. Here we apply theory based on the memory function formalism of Mori and Zwanzig2–4 to analyze the behavior of these low lying quasielastic modes and compare the results with the experimental findings.
An 125I Radioimmunoassay for Primary Conjugated Bile Salts

Cholylglycylhistamine, a derivative of cholic acid, has been synthesized and characterized. This derivative has been iodinated using Na 125 I and chloramine-T and purified free from unlabeled cholylglycylhistamine. Application of this iodinated bile salt derivative to radioimmunoassay of bile salts in human serum is reported. Antibody titers have uniformly increased over titers used in tritium-based assays; some antibodies are usable in dilutions of 1:80,000. The radioimmunoassay described here was found to measure predominantly the primary conjugated bile salts. Sensitivity has been maintained, with the least detectable amount being 0.5 pmoles per assay tube. Normal values in human serum are 3.47 ± 2.16 (sd) nmoles per ml.
Thyroxine-mediated Control of Ribonucleic Acid Polymerase Activity in Liver of Rana catesbeiana

Abstract DNA-dependent RNA polymerases from Rana catesbeiana livers were solubilized and chromatographed on DEAE-Sephadex. RNA polymerases I and II were separated and their reaction characteristics determined. The tadpole RNA polymerases exhibited an optimal Mn++:Mg++ activity ratio, a denatured-native template preference and partial subunit structure, similar to those of rat liver RNA polymerases. The increased activity of RNA polymerases in nuclei after thyroxine treatment of the tadpoles was apparent even after the enzymes were solubilized, chromatographed, and assayed on exogenous templates. Cycloheximide treatment of tadpoles injected with thyroxine had no effect on the increase in RNA polymerase activity. These results suggest that neither changes in endogenous template activity nor de novo synthesis of protein are involved in the increase of RNA polymerase activity. The Km for UTP of RNA polymerase II from thyroxine-treated tadpoles was found to be approximately one-half that obtained from control RNA polymerases. These findings are of significance in relation to the intracellular transport of thyroxine to the nucleus and the resulting molecular changes involved in differentiation during metamorphosis.
Minimizing the variation in performance by optimizing the design parameters

We present a design algorithm that minimizes the variation in performance by optimizing the design parameters of micro electro mechanical systems (MEMS). Due to variations from causes such as fabrication processing, packaging, actuation signals, and external disturbances, the true performance can be greater than 100% different than what may be predicted. Given the range and uncertainties of the design parameters, our algorithm finds a set of parameters that minimizes the variation in performance. That is, the resulting design is least sensitive to process variations in geometry and material properties, yet still meets the desired performance specifications. Prior work in this area by others includes a statistical framework for quantifying uncertainties through probability densities. The difference in our method is that it only reduces the variation bounds of desired performance. Due to its lack of distribution detail, our algorithm is computationally efficient. For test cases, we demonstrate the reduction of performance variation of an AFM cantilever and a comb-drive resonator. Our algorithm will be made available online through SugarCube.
Polyclonal CD4 TCR Affinities are not altered in chronic viral infection (VIR7P.1058)

The range of polyclonal CD4 T cell receptor (TCR) affinities that participate during the response to viral infection is currently unknown. Utilizing a highly sensitive two-dimensional micropipette adhesion frequency assay (2D), we determined the TCR affinity and frequency of CD4 T cells that expand and survive throughout multiple phases of the chronic and acute lymphocytic choriomeningitis virus (LCMV) T cell response. We discovered consistently more (4-5 fold) CD4 T cells specific for the IAb GP66-77 LCMV epitope than detected with pMHC II tetramer. The 2D identified lower affinity cells participate in the anti-viral response and are apparent at all time points of acute and chronic infection. Average TCR affinities measured at peak and later stages of the chronic response remained constant and equivalent to corresponding acute response measurements. However, programmed death 1 (PD-1) expressing CD4+ T cells late in chronic infection are functionally unresponsive despite static affinities. In contrast, memory cells in the acute response have a higher functional avidity compared to peak effectors (produce IFNγ in response to lower amount of peptide antigen) yet T cell memory is not restricted to select TCR affinities. Our findings suggest long term antigen exposure and functional enhancement/impairment exert no selective pressure in the survival or deletion of specific CD4 TCR affinities and TCR affinity alone does not always predict biological response.
Change-Of-Bases Abstractions for Non-Linear Systems

We present abstraction techniques that transform a given non-linear dynamical system into a linear system or an algebraic system described by polynomials of bounded degree, such that, invariant properties of the resulting abstraction can be used to infer invariants for the original system. The abstraction techniques rely on a change-of-basis transformation that associates each state variable of the abstract system with a function involving the state variables of the original system. We present conditions under which a given change of basis transformation for a non-linear system can define an abstraction. Furthermore, the techniques developed here apply to continuous systems defined by Ordinary Differential Equations (ODEs), discrete systems defined by transition systems and hybrid systems that combine continuous as well as discrete subsystems. The techniques presented here allow us to discover, given a non-linear system, if a change of bases transformation involving degree-bounded polynomials yielding an algebraic abstraction exists. If so, our technique yields the resulting abstract system, as well. This approach is further extended to search for a change of bases transformation that abstracts a given non-linear system into a system of linear differential inclusions. Our techniques enable the use of analysis techniques for linear systems to infer invariants for non-linear systems. We present preliminary evidence of the practical feasibility of our ideas using a prototype implementation.
Reconstructing the evolutionary history of complex human gene clusters

Clusters of genes that evolved from single progenitors via repeated segmental duplications present significant challenges to the generation of a truly complete human genome sequence. Such clusters can confound both accurate sequence assembly and downstream computational analysis, yet they represent a hotbed of functional innovation, making them of extreme interest. We have developed an algorithm for reconstructing the evolutionary history of gene clusters using only human genomic sequence data. This method allows the tempo of large-scale evolutionary events in human gene clusters to be estimated, which in turn will facilitate primate comparative sequencing studies that will aim to reconstruct their evolutionary history more fully.
Fabrication and creep testing of UO2 tensile specimens

Abstract A technique is described for the fabrication and creep-testing of high density UO 2 tensile specimens. Slip-casting, isostatic compaction, and hot-pressing are used to produce formed specimens without flaws that would cause premature failure. Constant true stress creep tests permit primary, steady-state, and tertiary creep to be separated and studied. Initial results show that these regimes are sequential although some overlap may occur. True strains as large as 35% have been obtained without fracture.
Immunocytochemical localization of caldesmon and calponin in chicken gizzard smooth muscle

The distribution of caldesmon and calponin in chicken gizzard smooth muscle was investigated with immunofluorescence and immunogold electron microscopy. Immunofluorescence microscopy showed that in verapamil treated (relaxed) muscles the distributions of caldesmon and myosin appeared to be uniform throughout the cytoplasm, but clearly more textured than that of actin filaments as revealed by the distribution of tropomyosin. In shortened muscles both caldesmon and myosin became segregated, in contrast to the distribution of actin, which remained uniform. The distribution of calponin was even more textured, with no similarity to those of caldesmon or myosin. Instead, considerable overlap was observed between calponin and the cytoskeletal protein desmin and, to a lesser extent, β-actin. By immunogold electron microscopy caldesmon appeared mostly near and around myosin filaments in both relaxed and shortened muscle. Calponin, on the other hand, was found primarily at the periphery of cytoskeletal structures in the same general region as desmin, and very often adjacent to β-actin, which is mainly in the core. These observations indicated that caldesmon and calponin are associated with different subsets of actin filaments, caldesmon with contractile actin, while calponin with cytoskeletal actin. Thus the in situ localization of caldesmon is consistent with its proposed regulatory function. Calponin, on the other hand, is unlikely to directly regulate actomyosin interactions in these cells; instead, it may function as a bridging protein between the actin and the intermediate filament networks.
Juvenile Prostitution in a Midsize City

ABSTRACT Numerous studies have identified characteristics of juvenile prostitution in large urban areas. This study focuses on whether juvenile prostitution might present itself differently in a midsize city, namely Austin, Texas. To examine this question, a sample of 242 at-risk youth were asked about a number of their activities, including their participation in prostitution. Youth involved in prostitution were compared with other at-risk youth not involved in prostitution on a number of variables correlated with prostitution in previous research. The 21 youth who reported prostitution involvement were significantly more likely than their nonprostitute. counterparts to have been victims of sexual or physical abuse, to live away from their families, to attend school irregularly or not at all and to have a criminal history, particularly drug-related offenses and prostitution. Implications for service delivery to at-risk youth are discussed.
Vibrational spectra and assignment for trans-3,4-dichlorocyclobutene. Revised assignment for the cis isomer

Abstract A complete assignment of the vibrational fundamentals of trans -3,4-dichlorocyclobutene has been derived from infrared and Raman spectra. These freq
Personal Need for Structure and Attitudes Toward Homosexuality

The need of a sample of U.S. students to cognitively structure reality as measured by the Personal Need for Structure (PNS) Scale was examined as a predictor of attitudes toward homosexuality measured by the Attitudes Toward Lesbians and Gay Men (ATLG) Scale. Significant relationships between the two constructs and strong gender differences on the ATLG were found.
John Swallow (1923”1994)

John Swallow passed away on December 3, 1994, at his home in Gunnislake, Cornwall, England. His passing has caused a great loss to the field of physical oceanography, and to those doing research in the Indian Ocean in particular. John was one of the original “Friends of the Indian Ocean,” a group dedicated to the basin and its physical oceanography. His extensive work throughout the basin, beginning in the 1960s in the International Indian Ocean Expedition, continuing through the Indian Ocean Experiment program in 1979, and extending into the 1980s and 1990s with research in the western basin with Fritz Schott at the University of Kiel and in the eastern basin with Michele Fieux at Pierre and Marie Curie University in Paris, gave John an unmatched understanding of the complexities of the circulation in this monsoonal region. This understanding made John the number one choice of organizers when a talk on the Indian Ocean was required. Additionally, when cruises and analyses were planned, the doors to John's “cottage” were under constant siege from visiting oceanographers seeking his input.
Atypical renal adenocarcinoma with features suggesting collecting duct origin and mimicking a mucinous adenocarcinoma

We report a case of an atypical renal adenocarcinoma of the renal medulla associated with a marked desmoplastic response and interstitial mucin production. Collecting duct epithelium of the renal medulla throughout the kidney showed cytologic atypia. These features have been described by others as suggestive of a collecting duct histogenesis. This case represents the fifteenth reported case known to us of a renal adenocarcinoma of collecting duct origin. Prior reports, however, have not described the extensive mucin production that may be associated.
Cold ion–neutral collisions in a hybrid trap

A dual hybrid ion–neutral trap has been built to study collisions between a cloud of ultracold atoms and small numbers of co-trapped atomic or molecular ions, in a common volume. Ultracold Na atoms are trapped in a vapour-cell magneto-optical trap (MOT), via a single-mode frequency-stabilized ring-dye laser, with repumping. A linear rf quadrupole Paul ion trap, centred on the MOT, co-traps selected atomic or molecular ions, for example Ca+. Control of the initial ion temperature involves laser cooling Ca+ ions via the resonant Fraunhofer K line at 397 nm. We showed the rf ion trap can operate simultaneously with the MOT without destroying the ultracold atom cloud. The goal is to investigate the physics of ion–neutral sympathetic cooling, the cooling by neutrals of translationally cold and vibrorotationally hot molecular ions (e.g. Na2 +(v*, J*)), and the observation of other ion–neutral processes near 0 K, of potential interest in astrophysics.
On Grouping for Maximum Homogeneity

Abstract Given a set of arbitrary numbers, what is a practical procedure for grouping them so that the variance within groups is minimized? An answer to this question, including a description of an automatic computer program, is given for problems up to the size where 200 numbers are to be placed in 10 groups. Two basic types of problem are discussed and illustrated. * This paper is the result of work supported by the Social Science Research Council and by the Bureau of General Research of Kansas State College; also by the courtesies extended to the author by the University of Illinois when he visited there during the summer of 1956. The author gratefully acknowledges the helpful suggestions he received from W. A. Neiswanger, Kern Dickman, and D. B. Gillies of the University of Illinois; from J. I. Northam, now with the Upjohn Company; and from Henry Tucker, now of the University of Arizona.
Oxazine dyes. 2. Celestine blue B, gallocyanin and gallamin blue with mordants other than ferric alum.

Experiments with 3 oxazine dyes with 19 mordants failed to produce a more satisfactory staining solution than that recorded by Gray et al. (1956). The most practical solution developed is prepared by adding 0.4 ml concentrated HNO3 to 1gm celestine blue B and dissolving the resulting mass in 100 ml 5% cupric nitrate containing 14 ml glycerol. This solution is less acid (pH 1.4) than the celestine blue B-ferric alum solution (pH 0.8) previously recommended. It gives as intense and sharp a stain but is slightly less stable. Formulae are given for four other combinations of possible practical application.
A new σ-bonded arylcobalt(III) complex

Abstract The reaction of the o -lithio- N,N -dimethylbenzylamine derivative (II) [R H or C(CH 3 ) 3 ] with anhydrous cobalt chloride yielded the complex (III), which contains three carbon cobalt σ_bonds. Evidence for this structure, based on lithium aluminium deuteride reduction of the complex, and on NMR, molecular weight and magnetic susceptibility measurements is presented.
Regulation of Nrf2—an update

Nrf2:INrf2 (Keap1) are cellular sensors of oxidative and electrophilic stress. Nrf2 is a nuclear factor that controls the expression and coordinated induction of a battery of genes that encode detoxifying enzymes, drug transporters, antiapoptotic proteins, and proteasomes. In the basal state, Nrf2 is constantly degraded in the cytoplasm by its inhibitor, INrf2. INrf2 functions as an adapter for Cul3/Rbx1 E3 ubiquitin ligase-mediated degradation of Nrf2. Chemicals, including antioxidants, tocopherols including α-tocopherol (vitamin E), and phytochemicals, and radiation antagonize the Nrf2:INrf2 interaction and lead to the stabilization and activation of Nrf2. The signaling events involve preinduction, induction, and postinduction responses that tightly control Nrf2 activation and repression back to the basal state. Oxidative/electrophilic signals activate unknown tyrosine kinases in a preinduction response that phosphorylates specific residues on Nrf2 negative regulators, INrf2, Fyn, and Bach1, leading to their nuclear export, ubiquitination, and degradation. This prepares nuclei for unhindered import of Nrf2. Oxidative/electrophilic modification of INrf2 cysteine 151 followed by PKC phosphorylation of Nrf2 serine 40 in the induction response results in the escape or release of Nrf2 from INrf2. Nrf2 is thus stabilized and translocates to the nucleus, resulting in a coordinated activation of gene expression. This is followed by a postinduction response that controls the "switching off" of Nrf2-activated gene expression. GSK3β, under the control of AKT and PI3K, phosphorylates Fyn, leading to Fyn nuclear localization. Fyn phosphorylates Nrf2 Y568, resulting in nuclear export and degradation of Nrf2. The activation and repression of Nrf2 provide protection against oxidative/electrophilic stress and associated diseases, including cancer. However, deregulation of INrf2 and Nrf2 due to mutations may lead to nuclear accumulation of Nrf2 that reduces apoptosis and promotes oncogenesis and drug resistance.
The seco-pseodopteosins, new anti-inflammaytory diterpene-glycosides from a caribbean gorgonian octocoral of the genus

A new class of diterpene-pentosides, the seco-pseudopterosins (1–4), has been isolated from a Caribbean sea whip of the genus Pseudopterogorgia. The new compounds are arabinose glycosides possessing aglycones of the serrulatane class, the compounds in the series are mono-acetate positional isomers, and they are related to the recently described pseudopterosins by bond cleavage at the C5 – C13 positions. The seco-pseudopterosins possess potent anti-inflammatory and analgesic activities equivalent to commercial anti-inflammatory drugs. The structures of these new compounds are suggested on the basis of comprehensive spectral analyses and upon chemical transformations.
Quantum noise reduction and generalized two-mode squeezing in a cavity Raman laser

We study a generalized notion of two-mode squeezing for the Stokes and anti-Stokes fields in a model of a cavity Raman laser, which leads to a significant reduction in decoherence or quantum noise. The model comprises a lossless cavity with classical pump, unsaturated medium, and arbitrary homogeneous broadening and dispersion. Allowing for arbitrary linear combinations of the two modes in the definition of quadrature variables, we find that there always exists a combination of the two output modes that exhibits quadrature squeezing with noise reduction below the vacuum level. The number of noise photons for this combination mode is proportional to the square root of the number of Stokes noise photons.
My REU Experience

Research Experience for Undergraduates (REU) programs are research projects funded by the U.S. National Science Foundation. They are typically completed during the summer after a student?s sophomore or junior year. They usually last eight to 12 weeks and fund a small research project at research-oriented universities. REUs are usually targeted toward underrepresented groups and students from smaller, less research-oriented schools.
Random and uncertainty analysis of cylindrical alkaline cells

Abstract A method is presented to analyze the performance of a cylindrical Zn–MnO 2 alkaline cell with parameter randomness and uncertainties. Two kinds of parameters are recognized with different random and uncertain characteristics. These are parameters with randomness such as the particle size, and parameters with uncertainties such as kinetic and transport coefficients. A sampling procedure based on a differential-algebraic equation model of the alkaline cell is developed to simulate a cell's statistical performance. A numerical example is illustrated with an AA-size cell under a 1 A constant current discharge.
High-throughput bayesian computing machine with reconfigurable hardware

We use reconfigurable hardware to construct a high throughput Bayesian computing machine (BCM) capable of evalu- ating probabilistic networks with arbitrary DAG (directed acyclic graph) topology. Our BCM achieves high throughput by exploiting the FPGA's distributed memories and abundant hardware structures (such as long carry-chains and registers), which enables us to 1) develop an innovative memory allocation scheme based on a maximal matching algorithm that completely avoids memory stalls, 2) optimize and deeply pipeline the logic design of each processing node, and 3) optimally schedule them. The BCM architecture we present not only can be applied to many important algorithms in artificial intelligence, signal processing, and digital communications, but also has high reusability, i.e., a new application needs not change a BCM's hardware design, only new task graph processing and code compilation are necessary. Moreover, the throughput of a BCM scales almost linearly with the size of the FPGA on which it is implemented.A prototype of a Bayesian computing machine with 16 processing nodes was implemented with a Virtex-5 FPGA (XCV5LX155T-2) on a BEE3 (Berkeley Emulation Engine) platform. For a wide variety of sample Bayesian problems, comparing running the same network evaluation algorithm on a 2.4 GHz Core 2 Duo Intel processor and a GeForce 9400m using the CUDA software package, the BCM demonstrates 80x and 15x speedups respectively, with a peak throughput of 20.4 GFLOPS (Giga Floating-Point Operations per Second).
Turning Our Attention to Stigma: An Objective Self-Awareness Analysis of Stigma and Its Consequences

Scholars have long debated stigma's effects on the psychological functioning of its targets, with some concluding that stigma does not harm self-esteem (Crocker & Major, 1989), and others taking the opposite stance. We propose a resolution to this debate by applying the theory of objective self-awareness (Duval & Wicklund, 1972) to the literature on the psychological consequences of stigma. We argue that public stigma has negative consequences when its targets focus objectively on their stigmatized status. Explicitly applying objective self-awareness theory to the stigma literature casts new light on past findings and suggests directions for future research.
Management of Newly Diagnosed HIV Infection

A 25-year-old previously healthy woman is found to have a positive test for human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) antibody as part of a routine examination for insurance coverage. Heterosexual contact is her only risk factor for HIV acquisition. She is asymptomatic and has a normal physical examination. The results of routine hematologic and laboratory tests are normal. Her CD4 cell count is 325 per cubic millimeter and her plasma HIV-1 RNA level is 60,000 copies per milliliter. How should her case be managed?
An HPLC and EPR investigation on the stability of DMPO and DMPO spin adducts in vivo

Application of the spin trapping technique in intact animals requires an understanding of the stability and distribution of the spin traps and their spin adducts in vivo. We studied the stability of DMPO in vivo in mice using HPLC and the stability of spin adducts of DMPO by EPR in plasma, whole blood, peritoneal fluid, and homogenized heart tissue of the rat. At 15 minutes after intraperitoneal injection DMPO had similar concentrations in the liver, heart, and blood of the mice and 40% remained in the organs 2 hours after the injection. In contrast, the spin adduct DMPO-OH was short lived, with a half-life of 3.0 minutes in plasma, and was not detectable 1 minute after formation in whole blood and homogenized heart tissue. The carbon centered spin adduct DMPO-CH(OH)CH3 was more stable, having half-lives of 16, 11, 3.6, and 0.79 minutes in plasma, peritoneal fluid, whole blood, and homogenized heart tissue, respectively. The spin adduct DMPO-SO3 was sufficiently stable for the adduct to be observed directly from living mice.