cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Strength and plastic deformation behavior of nanolaminate composites with pre-existing dislocations

Abstract Pre-existing dislocations (PED) are ubiquitous inside crystalline lattices which in turn affect the yield stress and the process of plastic deformation. Hence, understanding the onset of dislocations motion and interaction is critical in modifying or designing new materials with advanced properties so that their mechanical behavior approach realistic conditions. One such family of new materials is the ceramic/metallic nanolaminates. In this work, we have investigated the effect of pre-existing dislocations on the mechanical behavior of NbC/Nb nanolaminates using molecular dynamics simulations. Upon unloading at different strains from stress-strain curve of 3 nm NbC/7 nm Nb sample, we were able to generate structures with various pre-existing dislocation densities inside the layers. Uniaxial loadings parallel to the interface at two different temperatures (10 K and 300 K) were performed on each structure. Also, the yield locus was determined at 300 K by applying biaxial in-plane loading and fitted with a general flow potential to be used in macroscale analysis. Finally, the tension-compression asymmetry (TCA) was investigated for the structures with pre-existing dislocations along two different in-plane loading directions.
A novel dual inhibitor of microtubule and Bruton's tyrosine kinase inhibits survival of multiple myeloma and osteoclastogenesis.

Bruton's tyrosine kinase (BTK) regulates many vital signaling pathways and plays a critical role in cell proliferation, survival, migration, and resistance. Previously, we reported that a small molecule, KS99, is an inhibitor of tubulin polymerization. In the present study, we explored whether KS99 is a dual inhibitor of BTK and tubulin polymerization. Although it is known that BTK is required for clonogenic growth and resistance, and microtubules are essential for cancer cell growth, dual targeting of these two components has not been explored previously. Through docking studies, we predicted that KS99 interacts directly with the catalytic domain of BTK and inhibits phosphorylation at the Y223 residue and kinase activities. Treatment of KS99 reduces the cell viability of multiple myeloma (MM) and CD138+ cells, with an IC50 of between 0.5 and 1.0 μmol/L. We found that KS99 is able to induce apoptosis in MM cells in a caspase-dependent manner. KS99 suppressed the receptor activator of NF-κB ligand (RANKL)-induced differentiation of macrophages to osteoclasts in a dose-dependent manner and, importantly, inhibited the expression of cytokines associated with bone loss. Finally, we found that KS99 inhibits the in vivo tumor growth of MM cells through the inhibition of BTK and tubulin. Overall, our results show that dual inhibition of BTK and tubulin polymerization by KS99 is a viable option in MM treatment, particularly in the inhibition of refraction and relapse.
Targeting the Noncoding Genome: Superenhancers Meet Their Kryptonite.

In this study, McKeown and colleagues carried out a genome-wide characterization and stratification of the enhancer landscape in acute myeloid leukemia (AML). The authors' analysis led to the discovery of a novel RARA superenhancer found in a subset of patients with AML, rendering these leukemia cells highly sensitive to SY-1425, a highly potent RARA agonist able to induce myeloid differentiation in these high-expressing RARA AML subtypes. Cancer Discov; 7(10); 1065-6. ©2017 AACR.See related article by McKeown et al., p. 1136.
Mindsets Matter: A New Framework for Harnessing the Placebo Effect in Modern Medicine

Abstract The clinical utility of the placebo effect has long hinged on physicians deceptively administering an objective placebo treatment to their patients. However, the power of the placebo does not reside in the sham treatment itself; rather, it comes from the psychosocial forces that surround the patient and the treatment. To this end, we propose a new framework for understanding and leveraging the placebo effect in clinical care. In outlining this framework, we first present the placebo effect as a neurobiological effect that is evoked by psychological processes. Next, we argue that along with implicit learning and expectation formation, mindsets are a key psychological process involved in the placebo effect. Finally, we illustrate the critical role of the social environment and treatment context in shaping these psychological processes. In doing so, we offer a guide for how the placebo effect can be understood, harnessed, and leveraged in the practice of modern medicine.
Intestinal Villus and Crypt Cell Responses to Cholera Toxin

Adenylate cyclase activity was measured in rat small intestinal villus and crypt cells after in vivo and in vitro exposure to cholera toxin. The increase in intestinal adenylate cyclase induced by cholera toxin in vivo appeared to be largely confined to the villus cell with the largest increase observed for upper villus cells. Crypt cell adenylate cyclase was not responsive to cholera toxin. No response could be demonstrated for isolated villus or crypt cells incubated with cholera toxin in vitro. In vivo incubation with 125I-cholera toxin demonstrated binding to only villus cells. These results suggest that the major effect of cholera toxin was on villus cells rather than crypt cells and this was due to the greater accessibility or binding capacity of the villus cell to luminal cholera toxin.
Basics of Sterilization Methods

The manufacturing of parenteral formulations should include a sterilization step in order to maintain product quality. How the most common sterilization techniques are performed and some of the advantages and disadvantages of each type will be summarized. Sterilization methods that will be covered include the fundamentals of steam, radiation, and ethylene oxide terminal sterilizations, as well as aseptic processing. Once a sterilization cycle or procedure has been chosen and developed, its effectiveness should be validated according to the guidelines of the respective authorities. Some of the documentation that regulators may review to decide whether they believe a method is acceptable is summarized in this chapter. While regional regulatory authorities may differ on what types of information should be submitted to their agencies and what should be reviewed during field inspections of a manufacturing facility, the focus for this chapter will be validation information and Good Manufacturing Practices aspects of sterilization techniques.
The Vacuum Microbalance and Omegatron Spectrometer: Study of the Interaction of Oxygen and Clean Germanium Surfaces

An investigation of the interaction of oxygen with atomically clean germanium and silicon surfaces has been performed with a very sensitive quartz microbalance housed in an ultra-high vacuum system. Since such studies necessitate rigorous conditions of cleanliness, an omegatron spectrometer has been developed to provide a continuous analysis of the gaseous ambient. Considerable information has been obtained concerning the species introduced into the ambient due to bakeout, ion-bombardment, and other necessary procedures involving the heating of metal, Pyrex, and quartz regions. The apparatus and techniques are described. The effect of the experimental process upon the kinetics of oxidation and thermal restoration of germanium surfaces is discussed.
Three Reasons to Consider the Role of Tiredness in Sexual Risk-Taking Among Gay and Bisexual Men

Numerous factors have been shown to increase sexual risk-taking-especially among gay and bisexual men (GBM), who remain disproportionately affected by HIV and STIs. We present three lines of evidence that highlight the need to consider a previously under-explored situational factor in sexual risk-taking: tiredness. While tiredness has been shown, in sleep science literature, to impair cognition, emotional functioning, and decision-making in a wide range of behaviors, it has yet to be considered in-depth as a risk factor in sexual behavior. Counter to the common-sense assumption that being tired should impede the performance of active, effortful behaviors such as sex, we propose that tiredness may actually increase sexual risk-taking. Analyzing data from an online survey of 1113 HIV-negative GBM, we found that sex with casual partners most commonly occurred at night, especially among younger GBM and those with an evening chronotype, and that sex without condoms more often occurred at or later than one's usual time of feeling tired (as was reported by 44.2% of men) than did sex with condoms (reported by 36.6%). We also found that tiredness can increase sexual desire in many GBM (endorsed by 29.9%), and increases the likelihood of engaging in receptive positioning in anal sex (endorsed by almost 40% of men with a versatile sexual positioning identity). These findings highlight the importance of considering tiredness as a situational risk factor in sexual health-especially among younger GBM-and of counting sex among the behaviors that can be adversely impacted by poor or overdue sleep.
Limits of Yang–Mills $${\varvec{\alpha }}$$ α -connections

In the spirit of recent work of Lamm, Malchiodi and Micallef in the setting of harmonic maps (Lamm et al. in Limits of $$\alpha $$ -harmonic maps, 2015), we identify Yang–Mills connections obtained by approximations with respect to the Yang–Mills $$\alpha $$ -energy. More specifically, we show that for the $${{\,\mathrm{SU}\,}}(2)$$ Hopf fibration over $${\mathbb {S}}^4$$ , for sufficiently small $$\alpha $$ values the $${{\,\mathrm{SO}\,}}(4)$$ invariant ADHM instanton is the unique $$\alpha $$ -critical point which has Yang–Mills $$\alpha $$ -energy lower than a specific threshold.
Amorphous and crystalline TiO2 nanoparticle negative electrodes for sodium-ion batteries

Abstract Titanium dioxide (TiO2) is a promising negative electrode for sodium ion batteries (SIBs). Although TiO2 materials with amorphous (A-TiO2) and single-phase crystalline structures (C–TiO2) have been separately explored, the study to compare the fundamental electrochemistry of A-TiO2 and C–TiO2 is limited. In this work, we investigated A-TiO2 and C–TiO2 nanoparticles with identical chemical composition and morphology. C–TiO2 exhibits enhanced electrochemical performance than A-TiO2 in terms of rate capability and cycle life. Cyclic voltammetry (CV) analysis suggests reversible Na ion insertion/extraction in C–TiO2. However, such process is irreversible in the case of A-TiO2. The charge storage mechanisms in both samples were studied to show that diffusion-controlled intercalation process becomes significant in C–TiO2 sample. The C–TiO2 sample has a better Na+ diffusivity measured through the galvanostatic intermittent titration technique (GITT) compared to A-TiO2, which corroborates well with the rate capability study. Furthermore, the evolution of local structure of the TiO2 samples was analyzed by ex situ pair distribution function (PDF) to understand the variation in electrochemical properties. It reveals that the corner-shared Ti–Ti distance along Na ion diffusion pathway increases with the increase of crystallinity, leading to the expanded diffusion channels and therefore more active sites and faster diffusion.
Structure of the aqueous electron

Recently there has been a revival of interest in the basic structure of the aqueous or “hydrated” electron, e−(aq). According to the conventional picture, this species occupies a cavity or excluded volume in the structure of liquid water, with a characteristic absorption spectrum ascribable to s → p excitations of a particle in a quasi-spherical box. This traditional picture has been questioned over the past few years, however, on the basis of a one-electron pseudopotential model that predicts a more delocalized spin density and no distinct cavity. This Perspective reviews the known experimental properties of e−(aq) along with attempts to reproduce and understand them using both one-electron models and many-electron quantum chemistry calculations. The overwhelming weight of the evidence continues to support the conventional excluded-volume picture of the aqueous electron.
Reduction Mammaplasty in Adolescents: A Comparison of Wise and Vertical Incision Patterns.

Background Reduction mammaplasty was shown to ameliorate physical and psychological problems in adolescents suffering from macromastia. However, benefits of the Wise compared to the vertical incision pattern have not yet been established in this population. The aim of this study is to compare the outcomes of these 2 techniques in adolescents undergoing reduction mammaplasty. Methods A retrospective study of adolescents undergoing breast reduction by a single surgeon between 2011 and 2017 was conducted. Wise and vertical reduction techniques were compared based on demographics, surgical outcomes, patient satisfaction, and aesthetic outcomes. Patient satisfaction was determined using the validated BREAST-Q survey, and aesthetic outcomes using the validated ABNSW system. Results A total of 60 adolescents underwent reduction mammaplasty (Wise/inferior pedicle = 80.0%, Wise/superior medial pedicle = 1.7%, vertical/superior medial pedicle = 18.3%). Patients who reported preoperative pain (Wise = 95.9%, vertical = 72.7%, P = 0.039) were more likely to undergo Wise reduction. Patients with Wise reductions also were more likely to undergo bilateral reduction (Wise = 93.9%; vertical = 63.6%, P = 0.017). The major and minor complication rates were 1.7% (Wise = 2.0%, vertical = 0%, P = NS) and 23.3% (Wise = 20.4%, vertical = 36.4%, P = NS), respectively. Adolescents undergoing Wise incision demonstrated statistically significant improvement in NAC contour (Wise = 61%, vertical = 47%, P = 0.028) and overall aesthetic outcome (Wise = 25%, vertical = 17%, P = 0.008) with scarring not being a negative factor (Wise = -16%; vertical = -35%, P = 0.004). Patient satisfaction was comparable in both groups. Conclusions Reduction mammaplasty is a safe, effective treatment for adolescent macromastia. The similarity in complication and satisfaction rates between Wise and vertical patterns suggests that both techniques can be safely performed in the adolescent population and allow for overall improvements in aesthetic outcomes.
Predicting Adherent Perinephric Fat Using Preoperative Clinical and Radiological Factors in Patients Undergoing Partial Nephrectomy.

Abstract Background The decision to perform a partial nephrectomy (PN) relies largely upon the complexity of the renal mass and its surrounding anatomy. The presence of adherent perinephric fat (APF) can increase surgical complexity and extend operative times. The accurate prediction of APF may improve surgical planning and aid in decision making for the surgical approach. Objective We sought to develop and externally validate a score that predicts APF based on preoperative clinical and radiological prognostic factors. Design, setting, and participants We retrospectively analyzed 495 consecutive patients who underwent open or minimally invasive PN. APF was defined as the presence of “dense,” “adherent,” or “sticky” perinephric fat at the time of dissection by the surgeon, and this did not require subcapsular dissection. Additionally, we analyzed an independent cohort of 285 patients for external validation. Outcome measurements and statistical analysis A score model was developed using multivariate logistic regression analysis. Calibration of the fitted model was assessed graphically with a plot of the predicted versus the actual probability of APF, and discrimination was assessed by calculating the area under the receiver operating characteristic curve. Results and limitations Of the 495 patients, 95 (19%) had APF. Patients with APF had longer operative (p = 0.02) and arterial clamp (p = 0.01) times than non-APF patients. On multivariate analyses, diabetes mellitus (p = 0.009), posterior perinephric fat thickness (p Conclusions The APF score can accurately predict the presence of APF in patients with a small renal mass who are planning to undergo PN. This score could aid in pre- and intraoperative planning and impact the surgical approach. Patient summary The presence of “sticky” fat surrounding the kidney in patients undergoing partial nephrectomy has previously been linked to longer operative times, intraoperative complications, and surgical conversion. In our study, we found that this feature is more often presented in patients with diabetes mellitus, and thicker and more inflammatory fat on renal imaging. Based on these findings, we developed a risk score that can accurately predict this feature before surgery, in order to improve surgical planning and better counsel the patients.
Clinical outcomes and protocol for the management of isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia based on our prenatal risk stratification system

Abstract Background/Purpose The aim of this study was to evaluate our prenatal risk stratification system for risk-adjusted management in fetuses with isolated congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH). Methods Ninety-four infants prenatally diagnosed with isolated CDH treated between 1998 and 2017 at our institution were included in this retrospective single-center cohort study. Results The patients were prenatally classified into four risk groups: Group A (n = 54), which consisted of infants with neither liver-up nor a contralateral lung-to-thorax transverse area (L/T) ratio Conclusions Our prenatal risk stratification system demonstrated a significant difference in the severity of postnatal status and clinical outcomes between the groups. Study type Case Series, Retrospective Review. Levels of Evidence LEVEL IV.
Asymmetric binarity as a cognitive universal: The rhythm of syntactic structures

Abstract In syntactic and rhythmic structure, universal rules group elements hierarchically and asymmetrically. In syntax, the operation ‘merge’ is theorized to combine elements in phrasal structures, with one element governing the other, recursively, to form sentences. In rhythm, a similar asymmetric hierarchy of beats is proposed in the Generative Theory of Tonal Music. Just like syntactic processing, assigning beats into rhythmic strings, ‘beat induction,’ is automatic and subconscious. Merge and beat induction assign structure not only to grammatical phrases, but also to inherently unstructured sequences. Prompted by overlapping neural support for the processing of both language and music, this study tested whether the process of assigning asymmetric binarity has a domain-general neural substrate. Structurally comparable syntactic and rhythmic stimuli were presented in a functional MRI experiment, with region-of-interest analyses focusing on core regions of the language network, inferior frontal and posterior superior temporal cortex. Results support prior research suggesting overlap in brain regions responsible for both rhythmic and syntactic processing, specifically in the inferior frontal operculum. However, the function of these regions for syntactic and rhythmic input is likely different, as syntactic and rhythmic grammaticality were not processed symmetrically within each region. These results suggest that the left inferior frontal operculum and the posterior superior temporal gyrus are domain general in their overall cortical roles, yet domain-specific in the type of processes they support within the domains of syntactic and rhythmic processing.
Chapter 60 – Vibrio cholerae

Vibrio cholerae causes cholera, a profound secretory diarrhoea. V. cholerae are halophilic, highly motile, curved, Gram-negative rods. While V. cholerae is a natural member of aquatic environments, only a small portion of environmental V. cholerae is capable of causing cholera. Strains of V. cholerae that cause cholera harbour a filamentous bacteriophage (CTXΦ) that encodes cholera toxin, and a coordinately regulated virulence factor, the toxin co-regulated pilus (TCP), which is essential for colonization. Pandemic strains of V. cholerae serogroup O1 have evolved rapidly through horizontal acquisition of clusters of virulence genes including CTXΦ. In the aquatic environment V. cholerae can form conditionally viable biofilm-like aggregates regulated by canonical quorum sensing pathways. In patients with cholera, V. cholerae is shed in prodigious quantities in the stool and vomitus. Disease-causing strains of V. cholerae employ a variety of mechanisms to survive both in aquatic reservoirs and in the human host.
Conceptions of Politics in Comparative Perspective

Every democratic society must settle upon some method by which diversity of public opinion may be narrowed and then transformed into concrete, binding, politically legitimate decisions about what the polity should do. In representative democracies, a key step in that process is choosing an electoral system, an institution that plays a critical role in transforming diversity of opinion among the demos into unified, presumptively consensual official policy. Although human ingenuity has devised many possible methods by which a democratic polity can record and calculate public opinion through voting, in today’s world the salient decision tends to boil down to a choice among two families of electoral systems: winner-take-all (WTA) and proportional representation (PR). Today, among the world’s democracies, more than sixty use WTA for elections to at least one national governing institution, and more than forty use PR. It is tempting to think of electoral systems as little more than alternative methods for tabulating votes, as interchangeable as jam and marmalade, and thus a matter solely of personal taste. This is false in two ways. First, the seemingly trivial methodologies of recording and tabulating votes in WTA and PR systems rest upon profoundly different conceptual foundations encompassing distinct and incompatible beliefs about the nature of the good, the epistemology of the good, and the nature and function of political representation. Second, the choice between the two methodologies has significant consequences for how politics is practiced and experienced by members of the polity, both locally and nationally, and by their elected representatives. To choose between the two systems is thus to choose not merely between electoral methodologies, but between fundamentally distinct conceptions of politics itself.
Micropatterning Decellularized ECM as a Bioactive Surface to Guide Cell Alignment, Proliferation, and Migration

Bioactive surfaces and materials have displayed great potential in a variety of tissue engineering applications but often struggle to completely emulate complex bodily systems. The extracellular matrix (ECM) is a crucial, bioactive component in all tissues and has recently been identified as a potential solution to be utilized in combination with biomaterials. In tissue engineering, the ECM can be utilized in a variety of applications by employing the biochemical and biomechanical cues that are crucial to regenerative processes. However, viable solutions for maintaining the dimensionality, spatial orientation, and protein composition of a naturally cell-secreted ECM remain challenging in tissue engineering. Therefore, this work used soft lithography to create micropatterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) substrates of a three-dimensional nature to control cell adhesion and alignment. Cells aligned on the micropatterned PDMS, secreted and assembled an ECM, and were decellularized to produce an aligned matrix biomaterial. The cells seeded onto the decellularized, patterned ECM showed a high degree of alignment and migration along the patterns compared to controls. This work begins to lay the groundwork for elucidating the immense potential of a natural, cell-secreted ECM for directing cell function and offers further guidance for the incorporation of natural, bioactive components for emerging tissue engineering technologies.
Development and Pilot Testing of a Tailored Text Messaging Intervention to Improve Self-efficacy and Health Beliefs About Self-care in People with Heart Failure

Introduction Self-efficacy and health beliefs are important modifiable factors influencing adherence to self-care behaviors in patients with heart failure (HF). Text messaging (TM) is a low-cost and scalable solution for delivering behavior change intervention and improving patient outcomes, yet it is largely unexplored in patients with HF. Hypotheses We developed a tailored TM intervention and conducted a pilot randomized control trial (RCT) to assess feasibility and preliminary efficacy in urban-dwelling patients with HF over 60 days. We hypothesized that patients receiving TM would report higher HF self-care efficacy, as well as fewer barriers and more benefits to medication, low-sodium, and self-monitoring compliance compared with patients receiving usual care. Methods We translated a validated, theory-based program of tailored Heart Messages into a Short Message Service TM intervention, and further enhanced its content using stakeholder input. We conducted a pilot RCT with two arms (TM intervention vs usual care). Eligibility criteria were medical diagnosis of HF (Stage C), access to a cell phone, and ability to read and speak English. Self-efficacy was assessed with the Self-Care Heart Failure Index (self-confidence subscale). Health Beliefs (perceived benefits and barriers) were assessed with the Beliefs about Medication, Diet and Self-monitoring Compliance Scales. Participants in the TM group received 3 individually tailored TM per week for 60 days based on their responses to the Health Belief scales at baseline and 30 days. Results Twenty-five patients (mean age 56±8.3, female=11, African American=23) were enrolled and completed the study (TM=11, control=14). Baseline characteristics were similar between groups. Although not reaching statistical significance, participants in the TM group reported better self-efficacy (mean difference (MD) 10.0, 95% Confidence Interval (CI): -2.21 to 22.21; Cohen's d=0.66, p=0.166), and more perceived benefits with medication (MD 1.88, 95% CI: -0.53 to 4.29; Cohen's d=0.64, p=0.15) and low-sodium diet compliance (MD 2.35, 95% CI: -1.20 to 5.90; Cohen's d=0.54, p=0.105). TM significantly improved perceived benefits of HF self-monitoring (MD 3.48, 95% CI: 0.40 to 6.56; Cohen's d=0.86, p=0.047) and trended to reduce perceived barriers (MD -1.32, 95% CI: -6.03 to 3.39; Cohen's d=-0.24, p=0.473). Compared with usual care, TM did not reduce barriers of medication (MD 0.64 95% CI: -2.46 to 3.75; Cohen's d=0.18, p=0.977) or low-sodium diet compliance (MD 1.37 95% CI: -0.56 to 3.30; Cohen's d=0.58, p=0.166). Satisfaction with the TM intervention was high (2.94±0.07; Low=1, High=3). Conclusions The TM program was feasible to deliver and was associated with beneficial trends. It is now ready for testing in intervention studies with larger sample sizes.
Emotional responses to prosocial messages increase willingness to self-isolate during the COVID-19 pandemic

Abstract The COVID-19 pandemic may be one of the greatest modern societal challenges that requires widespread collective action and cooperation. While a handful of actions can help reduce pathogen transmission, one critical behavior is to self-isolate. Public health messages often use persuasive language to change attitudes and behaviors, which can evoke a wide range of negative and positive emotional responses. In a U.S. representative sample (N = 955), we presented two messages that leveraged either threatening or prosocial persuasive language, and measured self-reported emotional reactions and willingness to self-isolate. Although emotional responses to the interventions were highly heterogeneous, personality traits known to be linked with distinct emotional experiences (extraversion and neuroticism) explained significant variance in the arousal response. While results show that both types of appeals increased willingness to self-isolate (Cohen's d = 0.41), compared to the threat message, the efficacy of the prosocial message was more dependent on the magnitude of the evoked emotional response on both arousal and valence dimensions. Together, these results imply that prosocial appeals have the potential to be associated with greater compliance if they evoke highly positive emotional responses.
FASB 95, Cash Flow and bankruptcy

In this paper, the authors evaluate the effectiveness of Statement of Cash Flows measures in the classification and prediction of bankruptcy. The problems of biased estimators and bankruptcy probabilities and of optimal cut-off rates are addressed by using a large random sample and conditional marginal probability density functions. It is found that cashflow variables provide statistically better classification and prediction rates when used with traditional accounting variables when bankruptcy is defined as a Chapter 11 filing.
Pre-clinical models for therapeutic ultrasound

Before clinical translation, all therapeutic ultrasound therapies require testing in pre-clinical models that can be broadly categorized as in vitro (cells), tissue-mimicking phantoms, ex vivo (tissues), and in vivo (animals) to establish safety and effectiveness. Choice of pre-clinical models is governed by the target application, the desired bioeffect, and the types of data that can be collected; other considerations include cost, access, and time. In this tutorial session, an overview of the four main pre-clinical categories will be presented, including common formulations used for therapeutic ultrasound. Within each category, experimental design considerations as well as the relative advantages and disadvantages to each will be discussed.
Focused on Their Families: Religion, Parenting, and Child Well-Being

In recent years, scholars have drawn attention to religious commitments to patriarchy and parental authority to argue that religion?especially conservative Protestantism?fosters an authoritarian approach to parenting. Indeed, using data from the National Survey of Families and Households (NSFH), this study does find that religious attendance and theological conservatism are associated with higher levels of corporal punishment among parents?potentially an indicator of authoritarian parenting. But religious attendance and theological conservatism are also associated with lower levels of parental yelling and with higher levels of praising and hugging among parents, which are indicators of an authoritative style of parenting. Moreover, data from the Survey of Adults and Youth (SAY) indicate that religious attendance and orthodoxy are generally associated with greater parental investments in childrearing, more intergenerational closure, and more social control. In other words, conservative Protestants, Orthodox Jews, traditional Catholics, and other parents who regularly attend religious services are more likely than other parents to adopt an authoritative style of parenting that is beneficial to children.
Distributed interactive ray tracing for large volume visualization

We have constructed a distributed parallel ray tracing system that interactively produces isosurface renderings from large data sets on a cluster of commodity PCs. The program was derived from the SCI Institute's interactive ray tracer (*-Ray), which utilizes small to large shared memory platforms, such as the SGI Origin series, to interact with very large-scale data sets. Making this approach work efficiently on a cluster requires attention to numerous system-level issues, especially when rendering data sets larger than the address space of each cluster node. The rendering engine is an image parallel ray tracer with a supervisor/workers organization. Each node in the cluster runs a multithreaded application. A minimal abstraction layer on top of TCP links the nodes, and enables asynchronous message handling. For large volumes, render threads obtain data bricks on demand from an object-based software distributed shared memory. Caching improves performance by reducing the amount of data transfers for a reasonable working set size. For large data sets, the cluster-based interactive ray tracer performs comparably with an SGI Origin system. We examine the parameter space of the renderer and provide experimental results for interactive rendering of large (7.5 GB) data sets.
Transesterification Reactions Catalyzed by Subtilisins

Abstract The hydrolysis of l-tyrosine ethyl ester by Carlsberg subtilisin, subtilisin BPN', and Novo bacterial proteinase has been examined in mixtures of water with various alcohols. The presence of straight chain alcohols resulted in an apparent inhibition of acid release. It was shown that this inhibition could be accounted for by enzyme-catalyzed transesterification reactions between tyrosine ethyl ester and the various alcohols studied. The subtilisin-catalyzed transesterification reactions are very similar to those catalyzed by chymotrypsin, trypsin, and a Pseudomonas fluorescens cholinesterase.
The Relationship Between Microstructure and Creep Behavior in AE42 Magnesium Die Casting Alloy

Microstructural analysis of die cast AE42 reveals a correlation between microstructure and creep strength. A lamellar phase Al11RE3 which dominates the interdendritic microstructure of the alloy partly decomposes above 150°C into Al2RE and Al (forming Mg17Al12). The creep strength decreases sharply with these phase changes. A mechanism for the decrease in creep strength of AE42 is proposed whereby reduced presence of lamellar Al11RE3 and/or the presence of Mgl7Al12 contribute to the observed poor creep strength at the higher temperature. The increased solubility of AI in Mg at higher temperature may also promote the decomposition of Al11RE3.
Complementation of an Escherichia coli proC mutation by a gene cloned from Treponema pallidum.

Abstract Little is known concerning the biosynthetic and metabolic capabilities of the syphilis agent, Treponema pallidum, because of the inability to cultivate continuously the organism in vitro. To circumvent the problem of cultivation, researchers have used recombinant DNA technology to express treponemal protein antigens in Escherichia coli. However, with a few notable exceptions, the specific cellular roles of these cloned treponemal proteins have not been determined. In this study, a cosmid library of T. pallidum genomic DNA was constructed and amplified by repackaging infective lambda bacteriophage particles in vivo. Recombinant clones capable of complementing a null mutation in the E. coli proC gene encoding 1-pyrroline-5-carboxylate (P5C) reductase (EC 1.5.1.2) were subsequently identified. The complementing activity was eventually localized to a 2.3-kilobase BglII-HindIII fragment that hybridized to the same-size fragment of a BglII-HindIII digest of T. pallidum DNA. Two proteins of 41 and 27 kilodaltons (kDa) were encoded by this fragment, as determined by maxicell analysis. Although only the 41-kDa protein could be specifically precipitated by experimental syphilitic rabbit antisera, it was the 27-kDa protein that was responsible for the proC-complementing activity. The recombinant P5C reductase differed from the native E. coli enzyme by a number of biochemical properties. The cloning of a T. pallidum gene encoding P5C reductase strongly suggests that this pathogen has the ability to synthesize proline and possibly other amino acids.
Development of general considerations for clinical research and assessment index for cancer clinical trials on traditional Korean medicine

C78 With the tremendous expansion in the use of Traditional Korean Medicine(TKM) worldwide, safety and efficacy as well as quality control have become important issues. Researchers and pharmaceutical manufacturers were increasingly requesting KFDA to provide standards and information on these concerns. This guidelines were carefully developed through the various experts9 opinions, guidelines of KFDA, WHO, EMEA, FDA, NCI, TGA and ICH related to clinical study. The contents of the " General considerations for clinical research on TKM" are definition, general concerns, methodologies for research and evaluation of TKM products. The methodologies are composed of basic principles, sample size, study design, selection of patients, control groups, randomization and blind assessment, study outcome measure and safety and efficacy assessment, interaction between drugs, evaluation of quality of life, traditional medicinal diagnosis and other issues related to clinical trials. The "Assessment index for cancer clinical trials on TKM" suggest that syndrome improvement is mainly evaluated by Zubrod and Karnofsky(%) methods. Questionnaire on physical, emotional, cognitive, social and role subjects availability, three more syndromes (Fatigue, Pain and Nausea/Vomit), quality of life(QOL) will be evaluated by GLM statistics. The assessment endpoints for efficacy to reduce side effects induced by chemotherapy and radiotherapy, the data of image scanning and hemato-urinalysis can be usefully applied on immune response, weight loss, indigestion, hematopoietic damage and injury of liver and kidney. However, it is still necessary to determine the ratio between scientific analytical method and traditional medicine differentiation method as well as confirm the traditional medicine assessment endpoints by clinical trial. These guidelines could be contributed to improving of the quality and value of clinical research in TKM and developing of TKM.
WELFARE EFFECTS OF RISING OIL PRICES IN OIL-IMPORTING DEVELOPING COUNTRIES

Oil prices began climbing consistently in 2002, reaching a record high in July 2008. Though this trend slipped back thereafter, owing to the global economic crisis, oil prices seem to be gradually regaining upward movement. Through an analysis of counterfactual simulations based on a dynamic computable general equilibrium model, this paper shows that the negative impact on GDP of the most recent oil price boom has been substantial in six oil-importing developing countries, as high as 2% to 3% of GDP per year in some cases, producing unemployment and higher consumer prices and, as a consequence, reduced welfare. Importantly, welfare losses have been much less for countries that have witnessed gains from higher export-commodity prices. Even for these countries, however, policy action is called for to soften the impact of potential future oil price booms.
Polychlorinated biphenyls, polybrominated biphenyls, and dioxin reduction during processing/cooking food.

This chapter presents information on the levels of environmental contaminants found in recent market basket surveys as well as the effect of processing and cooking on the reduction of these contaminants. Although consumers have expressed concern over the level of environmental contaminants in the food supply, market basket surveys involving over 8,000 analyses of foods ready-to-eat, found measurable amounts (ppb levels) of PCBs in only 24 foods. Processing/cooking has been shown to reduce PCBs by 20–100%. Although PBBs got into the food chain as the result of one incredible accident and thus are not expected to be found in foods today, cooking/processing was also effective in reducing PBBs. Dioxins are the result of combustion processes and chemical manufacturing processes. TCDD levels found in Great Lakes fish were in the low part per trillion level. Again, cooking and processing resulted in substantially less TCDD in fish as eaten.
Gallows Humor in Medicine

Medical professionals regularly joke about their patients' problems. Some of these jokes are clearly wrong, but are all jokes wrong?
Invariant Chain Structure and MHC Class II Function

Structural analysis using X-ray crystallography (Ghosh et al. 1995xGhosh, P., Amaya, M., Mellins, E., and Wiley, D.C. Nature. 1995; 378: 457–462Crossref | PubMedSee all ReferencesGhosh et al. 1995) indicates that the interaction of CLIP with the DR3 molecule is virtually identical to that of an antigenic peptide, derived from influenza virus hemagglutinin, with HLA-DR1 αβ dimers (Stern et al. 1994xStern, L.J., Brown, J.H., Jardetzky, T.S., Gorga, J.C., Urban, R.G., Strominger, J.L., and Wiley, D.C. Nature. 1994; 368: 215–221Crossref | PubMed | Scopus (1207)See all ReferencesStern et al. 1994). CLIP, like the hemagglutinin peptide, is bound in an extended conformation. It forms an almost identical network of hydrogen bonds to conserved residues in the class II–binding groove and its side chains fit into the same pockets as those of the hemagglutinin peptide. The smallest of the CLIP side chains that fit into pockets (Ala-94 and Pro-96) insert into variable pockets, while the largest fit into conserved pockets. This probably explains the fact that CLIP binds to the products of most class II alleles with reasonable affinity. The large side chains provide significant binding energy, while the small side chains insert easily without sacrificing binding energy.What is not obviously explained by the DR3–CLIP structure is its susceptibility to dissociation by HLA-DM. The bulk of peptides associated with class II molecules are not dissociated by HLA-DM, including the hemagglutinin peptide from HLA-DR1. The great hope that the structure of DR3–CLIP would give an obvious explanation for the ease of dissociation of CLIP relative to other peptides has not been met. The only measurable difference between DR3–CLIP and the DR1–hemagglutinin peptide structures is a 1.5 A shift of a segment of the β-chain α helix. Whether this might be involved in HLA-DM function is unclear. Wiley and coworkers argue that it is unlikely that DM acts upon an alternative equilibrium conformation of class II–CLIP complexes that is missing in normal class II–peptide complexes. Their rationale is basically that such a conformation is not observed, and there are insufficient differences between the DR3–CLIP structure and the DR1–hemagglutinin peptide structure to suggest why such a conformation should be possible for the former and not for the latter. Rather, they favor the idea that DM may bind and stabilize a transition state–like conformer, which lowers the free-energy barrier for the dissociation of CLIP or any other peptides lacking optimal anchor residues. A final resolution of the problem will probably come from mutational structure–function studies of the class II molecule, CLIP, and DM, combined with determination of the structure of the putative DR–DM complex.
The Effect of Group III A and IV A Element Substitutions (M) on the Hydrogen Dissociation Pressures of LaNi5−xMx Hydrides

Ternary modifications of the hydrogen absorbing alloy LaNi5 have been found to have a large effect on the hydrogen dissociation pressure of the corresponding hydride (1–4). Recently, we have studied a series of alloys LaNi4.6M0.4 (M = Al, Ga, In, Sn) to establish the effect of various group III A and IV A element substitutions on the dissociation pressures of their corresponding hydrides (5). In this paper, we extend those results to include the alloys LaNi4.6Si0.4, LaNi4.6Ge0.4 and LaNi4.4B0.6. Further dissociation pressure measurements have been made on the alloy LaNi4.6Ga0.4 as well as two additional indium alloys. The data obtained for the three indium alloys appear to follow a linear correlation of 1nP or ΔG with the amount of substituted element as has been previously observed for Al (1,6).
Evidence for a Concerted Mechanism in a Palladium Trimethylenemethane Cycloaddition

Carbon kinetic isotope effects were determined at natural abundance for the palladium trimethylenemethane cycloaddition of ester−amide 5. Substantial intermolecular 13C KIEs were observed for both olefinic carbons of 5. In contrast, a Michael addition to 5 exhibits a significant 13C KIE only at the carbon β to the ester group. Intramolecular KIEs determined for the product-determining step(s) for reaction of the Pd−TMM intermediate would require a surprising isotope-dependent selection between diastereomeric ring closures. These results cannot be reconciled with a stepwise cycloaddition mechanism but are readily interpreted in terms of a concerted cycloaddition.
Overcoming mask etch challenges for 45 nm and beyond

Increasingly complex RET techniques need to be used in the sub wavelength regime which will drive up the mask costs, as well as the design costs. Some of the RET techniques used involves the use of OPC, PSM and hard mask. In order to reduce the costs it is desirable to have uniform performance on shuttle masks, which can help to reduce manufacturing costs. The micro loading and macro loading are of concern to mask makers because of the varying loads being etched within the mask. It is critical to have a mask etcher that provides excellent CD uniformity, CD bias, CD linearity and etch profile in order to have image fidelity of the OPC structures as well as sustainable yields. This paper discusses micro and macro loading challenges on BIM and APSM masks and the advantages of using the Applied Materials' next generation mask etcher.
Single scale for odor intensity in rat olfaction.

Summary Humans and laboratory animals are thought to discriminate sensory objects using elemental perceptual features computed by neural circuits in the brain [1, 2]. However, it is often difficult to identify the perceptual features that animals use to make specific comparisons. In olfaction, changes in the concentration of a given odor lead to discriminable changes in both its perceived quality [3, 4] and intensity [5, 6]. Humans use perceived intensity to compare quantities of different odors. Here we establish that laboratory rats also use perceived intensity to compare concentrations of different odors and reveal the perceptual organization of this elemental feature. We first trained rats to classify concentrations of single odors as high or low. When subsequently classifying concentrations of two odors presented on different trials of the same session, rats made errors consistent with using a single intensity criterion for both odors. This allowed us to investigate the relative perceived intensity of different odor pairs. Odor intensity was not only a function of concentration, but varied also with molecular weight and exposure time. These findings demonstrate the role of perceived intensity as an elemental perceptual feature of odors in rat olfaction.
Cardiovascular risk factors and homocysteine in epilepsy

Summary Epidemiological studies have found the risk for heart disease and stroke are increased in persons with epilepsy. Anti-epileptic drugs (AEDs) have varying effects on serum lipids and homocysteine—an independent risk factor for coronary disease. The prevalence of cardiovascular risk factors (high cholesterol, hypertension, diabetes, obesity and smoking) and homocysteine were investigated in a multiethnic epilepsy population. Data included demographics, clinical factors, lab assessments and supplementation patterns. Mean age was 45 years (71 males and 94 females)—75 were African American, 27 Latino and 60 Caucasian. Fifty-two percent of participants had two or more cardiovascular risk factors when compared with rates for the general population of 28%. The Framingham risk score (FRS) assessment was also used to compare risk levels. Twenty-nine percent of men and 1% of women had a FRS indicating >5% level of risk, only 7% had a FRS > 10%. Cardiovascular screening and primary preventative recommendations based on the American Heart Association and supplementation should be suggested for the adult epilepsy population when appropriate.
Contributions to the History of the Hungarian-German Waffenbruderschaft (Weapon-Friendship)

The Kingdom of Hungary had to face a post-war clutter in 1918–1919. Each center of power tried to establish a kind of armed forces and police in this period. For a long time, Hungary did not have a general staff. Therefore, the Ministry of Defense had an office which worked like general staff, severely ‘sub rosa’. Officially the Hungarian General Staff and the branch for intelligence and/or counterintelligence were established in 1938. It had good relationship with its German counterpart and included the Hungarian entity for political investigations. The officials knew which German officer had a Hungarian “connection” and who this person was. It is only a historical quaintness that soldiers or Reichssicherheitshauptamt (Reich Security Main Office [RSHA]) officers and Hungarian police officers joined Office of Strategic Services (OSS) after World War II.