cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Behavior of organic compounds in the pore solution of cement—experimental and molecular dynamics study

This study summarizes molecular dynamics (MD) simulations and experiments using four ester-based cement shrinkage reducing agents (SRa) in pure water and simulated cement pore solution. The esters were found to completely dissociate in the alkaline pore solution to form acid and alcohol analog compounds. The alcohol analogs were further found to be entirely responsible for the surface tension reduction capacity of the parent compounds. In addition, the surface tension reduction capacity of the alcohol analogs are not affected by relevant counter-ions present in the pore solution. The MD-based analysis show that water molecules form stable hydrogen bonds with head groups of the alcohol analogues and that relevant dissolved ions, K+ and Na+, have virtually no effect on hydrogen bond stability. Furthermore, the higher the self-diffusion coefficient of water molecules in the neighborhood of the head groups the lower the resulting surface tension at the air-water interface. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
ADL: Active dictionary learning for sparse representation

Using dictionary atoms to reconstruct input vectors is of great interest in spare representation. However, a key challenge is how to find a proper dictionary. In this paper, we introduce an active dictionary learning (ADL) method which incorporates active learning criteria to select atoms for dictionary construction with the consideration of both classification and reconstruction errors. Specifically, we apply a sparse representation based classification (SRC) method to calculate the learned dictionary and use the classification accuracy and the reconstruction error to evaluate the proposed dictionary learning method. In our experiments, we compare the performance of our proposed dictionary learning method with many other methods, including unsupervised dictionary learning and whole-training-data dictionary, on several UCI data sets and the Extended Yale B face data set. The superior performance demonstrates the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Lung Cancer Stem Cells: Drivers of a Genetically and Histologically Complex Disease

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths worldwide. The study of cancer stem cells (CSCs) may offer new ways to combat and control lung cancer growth. However, CSCs have not been precisely defined in human lung cancers. The resemblance of CSCs to normal cell counterparts likely varies with regard to multiple factors, including the genetic lesions initiating tumorigenesis and progression, the tumor microenvironment, and the cell of origin of the tumor—that is, the cell type in which oncogenesis occurs. Almost every epithelial cell type in the adult lung has been described with stem cell properties in some context, making links between “normal” lung stem cells and tumorigenic cells more complex. Studies in human lung cancer and mouse models aim to determine if cellular hierarchies exist within the predominant subtypes of lung cancer, and if so, how the genetic mutations present in the tumors modulate these hierarchies. CSCs and their links to metastasis, drug resistance, and immunotherapy could provide new opportunities for the assessment and treatment of lung cancer.
Designing relational agents as long term social companions for older adults

Older adults with strong social connections are at a reduced risk for health problems and mortality. We describe two field studies to inform the development of a virtual agent designed to provide long-term, continuous social support to isolated older adults. Findings include the topics that older adults would like to discuss with a companion agent, in addition to overall reactions to interacting with a remote-controlled companion agent installed in their home for a week. Results indicate a generally positive attitude towards companion agents and a rich research agenda for virtual companion agents.
Bus Arrivals and Bunching

Finding suitable projects for introductory courses that blend real-world data with relevant questions and feasible instructor effort is often difficult. This paper describes one such project — tabu...
Neuronal Loss in the Developing Cerebral Cortex of Normal and Bax-Deficient Mice: Effects of Ethanol Exposure.

Fetal alcohol spectrum disorder is associated with defects in neuronal generation, migration, and differentiation. The present study tested the hypothesis that ethanol exposure during the period of naturally occurring neuronal death causes a time- and Bax-dependent neuronal loss. Wild-type and Bax knockout mice were given a pair of injections (two hours apart) of ethanol (2.5 g/kg) or saline on postnatal day (P) 4, P7, P10, or P13. Mean blood ethanol concentration was 435 mg/dl one hour after the second injection. The total numbers of neurons in individual layers of somatosensory cortex were stereologically determined in 30-day-old mice and the expressions of active caspase 3 immunopositivity and terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase dUTP nick-end labeling (TUNEL) were determined 2-36 h after the first injection. On P30, ethanol caused up to 36% neuronal loss in cortical laminae of wild-type mice. In contrast, no ethanol-induced loss was detected in Bax knockout mice. Ethanol also caused an acute bilaminar (layers II/III and V) increase in caspase 3 immunoexpression and TUNEL in wild-type mice. The changes in the expression of these markers were age- and lamina-dependent. No ethanol-induced expression of caspase 3 or TUNEL was detected in Bax knockout animals. Thus, ethanol-induced death of cortical neurons is Bax-dependent, occurs concurrently in all layers, but does not correspond to lamina- and age-dependent expression of DNA fragmentation. Both ethanol-induced and naturally occurring death of cortical neurons rely on caspase 3-dependent and independent mechanisms.
HIV Risk perception and eligibility for pre-exposure prophylaxis in women involved in the criminal justice system.

Women involved in the criminal justice system (WICJ) are at high risk of acquiring HIV and would benefit from HIV pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) but there are no studies in this population to info...
Revolution at the hotel: Panama and luxury travel in the age of decolonisation

From the grounds of the famous Hotel Tivoli in Panama, this article retraces the entangled relationship between anti-colonial struggle and international tourism. Luxury hotels like the Tivoli – sit...
Review of Use of Statistics in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene for January–December 1988

Abstract A statistical review of all 201 scientific articles published during the calendar year 1988 in The American Journal of Tropical Medicine and Hygiene was made to determine the type of study published by the journal, the level of statistics that was employed by the published articles, and the extent of common statistical errors. Sixty-five (32%) of the articles were classified as experimental, with most of the remaining observational studies classified as cross-sectional in design. A reader with the knowledge of only simple descriptive statistics would be able to understand 60% of the statistical procedures used in the published papers. Knowledge of the usual components of a single semester course in introductory statistics increases understanding to 91% of the techniques used. It was determined that 148 (73.5%) of the 201 articles had at least 1 detectable statistical error; most of these errors involved improper documentation or application of statistical hypothesis testing. The most common descriptive statistical error was the misuse of the concepts of "standard deviation" and "standard error" which was found in greater than 20% of the articles. Examples of each of the common statistical errors seen are given with suggestions for improvement.
Statistical Tolerancing: The State of the Art, Part III. Shifts and Drifts

In Part I tolerancing was discussed in general and statistical tolerancing in particular. Part II focused on general methods for determining the distribution of the response of a mechanism when the component tolerances are given distributions. Here in P..
Strategies for Expressing Analogs of PADPRP in Eukaryotic Cells

Towards our goal of obtaining cell lines expressing altered levels of poly(ADP-ribose) polymerase (PADPRP), we have constructed expressing plasmids containing various mutagenized forms of PADPRP and have stably introduced these into NIH3T3 cells. We reasoned that it might be feasible to compete out or enhance the activity of the endogenous PADPRP in intact cells with a homologous or partial PADPRP protein. This might molecularly perturb the various functions of PADPRP in vivo. One recombinant plasmid was constructed with the heavy-metal inducible mouse metallothionein (MT) promoter upstream of the partial cDNA coding the PADPRP DNA-binding and part of the automodification domains. Another mutagenized PADPRP with a deletion of 132bp in the NAD-binding domain and shown in in vitro assay to be inactive, was subcloned downstream of SV40 early promoter. Each plasmid was stably co-transfected with pNeomycin vector into NIH3T3 cells.
High field magnetic resonance imaging is comparable with gross anatomy for description of the normal appearance of soft tissues in the equine stifle

High field magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is increasingly used for horses with suspected stifle disease, however there is limited available information on normal imaging anatomy and potential incidental findings. The aim of this prospective, anatomic study was to develop an optimized high field MRI protocol for evaluation of the equine stifle and provide detailed descriptions of the normal MRI appearance of the stifle soft tissues, using ultrasound and gross pathological examination as comparison tests. Nine cadaver limbs were acquired from clinically normal horses. Stifles were evaluated ultrasonographically and then by an extensive 1.5 T MRI protocol. Subsequently, all stifles were evaluated for gross pathologic change. Findings were compared between gross evaluation and MRI imaging and described. No soft tissue structure abnormalities were identified on any evaluation. Specific descriptive findings of the meniscotibial, meniscofemoral, collateral, patellar and cruciate ligaments, and the menisci were reported. The high field MRI protocol described in this study provided high spatial and contrast resolution of the soft tissue structures, and this in turn allowed visualization of detailed structural characteristics, such as striations and variations in signal intensity. Findings supported the use of high field MRI as a modality for the evaluation of the soft tissues of the equine stifle. As clinical availability of this modality increases in the future, authors anticipate that new stifle diseases will be detected that have not previously been identified with other imaging modalities.
Trends and correlates of perceived access to heroin among young adults in the United States, 2002-2016.

Abstract Background We are at a unique moment in United States (US) history as heroin overdose rates are higher than at any time in recent memory. Based on prior research and the developmental risks faced by young adults (ages 18–25), we examine the trends and correlates of perceived access to heroin among this group over a 15-year period. Methods We analyzed national trend data from the National Survey on Drug Use and Health (2002–2016) on young adults’ (N = 247,679; ages 18–25) perceived access to heroin. We conducted logistic regression analyses with survey year specified as an independent variable and heroin access specified as the dependent variable while controlling for sociodemographic factors. Results A majority of respondents reported that it would be difficult or impossible to obtain heroin, if desired. Young adult reports that it would be “probably impossible” to access heroin increased significantly from 31% in 2002 to 41% in 2016. The upward trend in the perceived lack of access was most robust among African Americans and Hispanics as well as those reporting no past-year substance use or drug/criminal justice system involvement. Conclusions In the midst of a very serious opioid epidemic, the present study found that most young adults in the US consider that it would be “probably impossible” to obtain heroin. This trend was observed across young adulthood and across gender, racial/ethnic, and family income differences. However, we found that these trends are largely driven by those at relatively low risk of drug misuse and deviant behaviors generally.
Centers of Excellence and Payer-Defined Quality Assessment

Over the last several decades, there has been an increased focus on value-based healthcare. In spine care, the cost of treatment can be high for patients, providers, and payers. In response, hospitals have focused on the development of specialized facilities designed to deliver high-quality, cost-effective healthcare called “centers of excellence.” These centers are an attempt to consolidate treatment for a specific specialty such as spine care under one facility, theoretically resulting in reduced costs due to cost-effective care delivered by acknowledged experts. This movement has been congruent with payers focusing on incentivized reimbursement plans. Payers such as the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) have begun to pressure hospitals to produce cost savings or risk reduced payments. Payers are utilizing certain national quality measures and assessments to support their hospital reimbursement decisions. In this chapter, we will discuss the concept of “centers of excellence” and how they are applied to spine care. We will also discuss how payers have attempted to implement incentivized healthcare quality measures with payer-defined quality assessment.
CLINICAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PERIPARTUM CARDIOMYOPATHY COMPARED TO PREECLAMPSIA

Pregnancy related heart disease is prevalent & exhibits significant morbidity. Peripartum Cardiomyopathy (PPCM) & Preeclampsia (PE) are 2 conditions with significant overlap. We sought to determine clinical risk factors of PPCM versus PE. A retrospective case control study was undertaken using our
Topological design of carbon nanotube-based nanocomposites for strain sensing

Flexible and highly sensitive piezoresistive nanocomposites have been demonstrated to possess considerable potential for monitoring structural integrity and human physiological performance. To enhance the mechanical and strain sensing properties of these nanocomposites, different nanofillers (e.g., metal nanowires, carbon nanotube, and graphene) have been incorporated in polymeric matrices to establish electrically conductive pathways that are also sensitive to applied strains. Their piezoresistivity mainly stem from nanofillers’ intrinsic piezoresistivity, tunneling effect, and contact resistance changes of the nanofiller networks. Although many high-performance nanocomposite strain sensors have been developed and using different techniques, the empirically guided fabrication approach can be laborious, inefficient, and, most importantly, unpredictable. Therefore, this study proposes a topological design-based approach to strategically control and manipulate the strain sensing performance of the nanocomposites, simply by altering its geometric pattern design. First, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) substrates were patterned with pre-designed hierarchical inhomogeneous topologies and kirigami cuts created using a laser cutter. Second, the substrates were spray-coated using a carbon nanotube (CNT)-latex to deposit the strain-sensitive thin films. Third, the strain sensing performance of the CNT-latex nanocomposite thin films of different topologies was characterized and compared. It was found that, as the initial solid mechanics analysis predicted, the hierarchical inhomogeneous topology effectively enhanced the nanocomposites’ strain sensitivity, while the kirigami cuts significantly reduced sensitivity. The proposed methodology can help guide the development of high-performance nanocomposites with pre-programmed sensing properties for structural and human health monitoring applications.
Mothers Use More Structure-Based Feeding in Firstborns Than Secondborn Siblings (P11-117-19)

Objectives To explore the discordance of maternal feeding practices by birth order and weight status between FBs participating in the Intervention Nurses Start Infants Growing on Health Trajectories (INSIGHT) trial and their secondborn (SB) siblings.
The Future of Nuclear Medicine as an Independent Specialty

In this article, we provide an overview of established and emerging conventional nuclear medicine and PET imaging biomarkers, as the diagnostic nuclear medicine portfolio is rapidly expanding. Next, we review briefly nuclear theranostic approaches that have already entered or are about to enter clinical routine. Using some approximations and taking into account emerging applications, we also provide some simplified business forecasts for nuclear theranostics. We argue that an optimistic outlook by the nuclear medicine community is crucial to the growth of the specialty and emphasize the urgent need for training adaptations.
Improving the Quality of a Quality Improvement and Patient Safety Curriculum in a Pediatric Residency Program

BACKGROUND: Quality improvement and patient safety (QIPS) principles are a curriculum requirement of the Residency Review Committee for pediatric residency programs. Our institution has a formal quality improvement curriculum, but no formal patient safety curriculum. Furthermore, we lack a validated system of evaluating resident knowledge, attitudes, and behaviors (KAB) related to QIPS. The objective of this project is to develop, implement and measure the effectiveness of a more formalized QIPS program. METHODS: A task force of faculty and residents was developed to review and evaluate the …
Durability of pneumatic dilation monotherapy in treatment-naive achalasia patients.

Pneumatic dilation (PD) is often billed as a “short term” treatment for achalasia but anecdotally can last years. This study sought to explore how long a single pneumatic dilation may induce symptom remission in a treatment-naive achalasia patient. A single center, retrospective chart review of patients with an ICD-9 or − 10 code of achalasia between 2005 and 2017 was performed. Treatment naive patients with manometric diagnosis of primary achalasia were included. Outcomes (success or failure); single vs multiple PD; age; and estimated duration of effect were evaluated. Each patient underwent a single PD unless re-intervention was required for relapse. 83 patients (52% female, median 51.6 ± 3.6 years) were included. 43% underwent 2 PD and 13% underwent 3 PD. There was no significant relation between age, gender, and number of PDs. After 1 PD, 87.5% of patients reported > 1 year of symptom remission. 80.5% of relapsed patients reported success after a 2nd dilation. 1 PD was more likely to result in success than multiple PDs (p < 0.001). The measured median duration of remission after 1 PD was 4.23 years, and for 2 PDs, 3.71 years. The median estimated remission time after 1 PD was 8.5 years (CI 7.3–9.7, p = 0.03). PD is a safe, durable treatment for achalasia. A single PD is likely to last years. A second PD, if required, also has a high likelihood of success.
The development, patterning and evolution of neural crest cell differentiation into cartilage and bone

Neural crest cells are a vertebrate-specific migratory, multipotent cell population that give rise to a diverse array of cells and tissues during development. Cranial neural crest cells, in particular, generate cartilage, bone, tendons and connective tissue in the head and face as well as neurons, glia and melanocytes. In this review, we focus on the chondrogenic and osteogenic potential of cranial neural crest cells and discuss the roles of Sox9, Runx2 and Msx1/2 transcription factors and WNT, FGF and TGFβ signaling pathways in regulating neural crest cell differentiation into cartilage and bone. We also describe cranioskeletal defects and disorders arising from gain or loss-of-function of genes that are required for patterning and differentiation of cranial neural crest cells. Finally, we discuss the evolution of skeletogenic potential in neural crest cells and their function as a conduit for intraspecies and interspecies variation, and the evolution of craniofacial novelties.
A New Bayesian Group Bridge to Solve the Tobit Model

In this paper, we propose a new approach of regularization for the left censored data (Tobit). Specifically, we propose a new Bayesian group Bridge for left-censored regression ( BGBRLC). We developed a new Bayesian hierarchical model and we suggest a new Gibbs sampler for posterior sampling. The results show that the new approach performs very well compared to some existing approaches.
Application of Nanomaterials for Chemical and Biological Sensors: A Review

Advancement in novel materials for sensing application has revolutionized the field of biological and chemical sensors. Nanomaterials such as nanowires, nanorods, nanobelts, carbon nanotubes, graphene, and MXenes have served as the building blocks in the fabrication of a variety of sensor technologies using both bottom-up and top-down approaches. Nanomaterials continue to be attractive for the development of high−performance sensors due to their extraordinary electrical and physical properties deriving from their 1D and 2D structures. These properties can be tuned through experimentation to achieve the desired sensor characteristics and sensing performance. This review will discuss the advances in sensor fabrication technology that rely on nanomaterials, their synthesis, properties, and applications. The current limitations of these nanomaterials and their prospects as sensing materials are also discussed.
Epidemiology and Outcomes of Patients with Hemoptysis in a Pediatric Referral Center

PURPOSE: Hemoptysis is an uncommon pediatric symptom often associated with underlying medical conditions. There is limited contemporary literature, but significant morbidity and mortality have been reported. We aimed to describe the epidemiology of patients with hemoptysis in a quaternary pediatric center, and identify factors associated with mortality. METHODS. We performed a retrospective, single center study of patients with hemoptysis at presentation or during admission from 1 January 2008 to 30 June 2017. Demographics, hemoptysis etiology, severity and onset were collated. Severe hemoptysis was defined as Intensive …
FMRP Interacts with RARα in Synaptic Retinoic Acid Signaling and Homeostatic Synaptic Plasticity

The fragile X syndrome (FXS) is an X-chromosome-linked neurodevelopmental disorder with severe intellectual disability caused by inactivation of the fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) gene and subsequent loss of the fragile X mental retardation protein (FMRP). Among the various types of abnormal synaptic function and synaptic plasticity phenotypes reported in FXS animal models, defective synaptic retinoic acid (RA) signaling and subsequent defective homeostatic plasticity have emerged as a major synaptic dysfunction. However, the mechanism underlying the defective synaptic RA signaling in the absence of FMRP is unknown. Here, we show that RARα, the RA receptor critically involved in synaptic RA signaling, directly interacts with FMRP. This interaction is enhanced in the presence of RA. Blocking the interaction between FMRP and RARα with a small peptide corresponding to the critical binding site in RARα abolishes RA-induced increases in excitatory synaptic transmission, recapitulating the phenotype seen in the Fmr1 knockout mouse. Taken together, these data suggest that not only are functional FMRP and RARα necessary for RA-dependent homeostatic synaptic plasticity, but that the interaction between these two proteins is essential for proper transcription-independent RA signaling. Our results may provide further mechanistic understanding into FXS synaptic pathophysiology.
The Motivation to Enlist Among Kurds

Although humans have voluntarily joined militaries throughout history, research on the motivation to enlist has increased dramatically since the adoption of the All-Volunteer Force in the United St...
Infusing Culture into the Long-Term Care Environment to Improve Public Health and Quality-of-Life Experience

This article examines long-term care quality from a cultural perspective, using Hawaii as its locale. Discussions will center around communication and language, socialization and activities, morals, values, and beliefs. Analyzing the role culture, cultural understanding, and cultural competence plays in the long-term care environment, especially to improve public health and quality of life, ensures programs and services meet the psycho-social needs and promote health, happiness, and satisfaction for the consumer. Based on this study, suggested strategies are relevant and recommended for other US and European long-term care providers to incorporate into their organizational culture when providing long-term care services and support (LTSS).
The Ethical Significance of Free Choice: A Reply to Professor West

The editors have graciously invited me to reply to Professor West's article criticizing on the basis of Franz Kafka's fiction an ethical view that I have defended.' As an admirer of Kafka, whom she has given me an excuse to reread and call it work, I am happy to accept the invitation. I would be happier still if her paper and this reply had been submitted to a journal of philosophy or literature rather than to the Harvard Law Review; for though I would be the last person in the world to quarrel with the application to law of insights from other disciplines, there are no applications to law in Professor West's article. But having said this, I must quickly add that I am almost too deeply flattered for words to be bracketed with Kafka in the pages of this or any other journal, as in, "For both writers [Kafka and Posner], the consequence of this central paradox is . . 2 Whether or not one agrees with W.H. Auden that Kafka is to the twentieth century what Dante was to the fourteenth,3 he is one of the deities of modern culture. The particular target of Professor West's criticism is not some idiosyncratic view of mine; it is the fundamental tenet of classical liberalism: that the government generally should not interfere with voluntary transactions that impose no uncompensated costs on nonparties what economists today call Pareto-superior transactions. This is not to say that every such transaction is beyond ethical reproach. But the function of Pareto superiority when conceived as a principle of political philosophy is not to provide the ultimate standard for ethical choice but merely to delimit the proper role of the state. In some of my academic writings, I have defended under the name of "wealth maximization"4 what many consider an extreme version of
Chaos polynomial creux et adaptatif pour la propagation d'incertitudes et l'analyse de sensibilité

Cette these s'insere dans le contexte general de la propagation d'incertitudes et de l'analyse de sensibilite de modeles de simulation numerique, en vue d'applications industrielles. Son objectif est d'effectuer de telles etudes en minimisant le nombre d'evaluations du modele, potentiellement couteuses. Le present travail repose sur une approximation de la reponse du modele sur la base du chaos polynomial(CP), qui permet de realiser des post-traitements a un cout de calcul negligeable. Toutefois, l'ajustement du CP peut necessiter un nombre consequent d'appels au modele si ce dernier depend d'un nombre eleve de parametres (e.g. superieur a 10). Pour contourner ce probleme, on propose deux algorithmes pour ne selectionner qu'un faible nombre de termes importants dans la representation par CP, a savoir une procedure de regression pas-a-pas et une procedure basee sur la methode de Least Angle Regression (LAR). Le faible nombre de coefficients associes aux CP creux obtenus peuvent ainsi etre determines a partir d'un nombre reduit d'evaluations du modele. Les methodes sont validees sur des cas-tests academiques de mecanique, puis appliquees sur le cas industriel de l'analyse d'integrite d'une cuve de reacteur a eau pressurisee. Les resultats obtenus confirment l'efficacite des methodes proposees pour traiter les problemes de propagation d'incertitudes et d'analyse de sensibilite en grande dimension.
The Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR): Extent of actualization 25 years later?

Abstract In 1990, the Movement for the Survival of Ogoni People (MOSOP) under the aegis of Kenule Beesor Saro-Wiwa, submitted the Ogoni Bill of Rights (OBR) to the Federal government of Nigeria and Shell. MOSOP’s action, at the time, came as a result of more than 30 years of Shell’s oil exploration and exploitation that severely despoiled the Ogoni environment. The OBR made several key demands on the Shell and the federal government. This article takes a “relook” at the OBR and the extent of actualization, 25 years later. The author finds, among others, that: (a) Saro-Wiwa sculpted one of most viable instruments of demand in Nigeria; (b) although none of the key demands enshrined in the OBR has been fully actualized, the document remains a potent working instrument for the Ogoni people and a framework of demand for other ethnicities in the Niger Delta (b) Ogoni still wallows in environmental degradation and the 2011 UNEP Report is yet to be implemented; (c) demand for autonomy (statehood) although made, has been rebuffed by Nigerian government; (d) although the OBR’s actualization is limited, it made great impact on the socio-political, environmental, and human rights consciousness of the Nigerian state and Shell.
The General Truthmaker View of Ontological Commitment

In this paper, I articulate and argue for a new truthmaker view of ontological commitment, which I call the “General Truthmaker View”: when one affirms a sentence, one is ontologically committed to there being something (or some things) that makes (or make) true the proposition expressed by the sentence. This view comes apart from Quinean orthodoxy in that we are not ontologically committed to the things over which we quantify, and it comes apart from extant truthmaker views of ontological commitment in that we are not ontologically committed to the truthmakers of our sentences.
On a Theorem of Cobham Concerning Undecidable Theories

Publisher Summary This introductory chapter discusses the general method for establishing the undecidability of theories. The chapter presents a new proof of Cobham's theorem that may be called as “existential interpretation.” Cobham's theorem can be derived from a theorem of Trahtenbrot. The chapter also discusses several other ways in which Cobham's theorem can be improved or generalized along with a new proof of Cobham's theorem. Any axiomatizable theory whose undecidability follows from Trahtenbrots theorem also fulfills the hypothesis of Tarski's condition. The chapter shows a way to proof that the similar conclusion also applies to axiomatizable theories whose undecidability follows from Cobham's Theorem. Cobham proves the theory of groups (G) of finite groups in hereditarily and undecidable manner (and, hence, not axiomatizable).The chapter also illustrates several related problems to Cobham's theorem.
Modulation of inflammatory response and mucus production through adiponectin deficiency in a murine model of DSS-induced acute colitis (650.14)

BACKGROUND: Inflammatory Bowel Disease (IBD) is an idiopathic disease comprising of Ulcerative colitis and Crohn’s disease, and characterized by abrasion of the colon lining and altered mucus production by goblet cells. Adiponectin (APN), an adipocytokine which is known to bind epithelial growth factor (EGF), acts as a pro-inflammatory molecule such that, its absence has a protective role against inflammation in acute colitis. The present study establishes this role in a murine model of acute colitis. METHODS: WT and APNKO mice were given 2.5% DSS ad libidum in drinking water for 5 days, followed by normal drinking water for next 5 days to induce acute inflammation. Mice were injected with 1.5 mg/kg of recombinant APN intraperitoneally every alternative day. Clinical score parameters included weight loss, diarrhea and blood in stools. Relative numbers of epithelial and goblet cells, expression levels of pro- and anti-inflammatory cytokines and mucin genes in colon tissues were studied using histochemical ...
The Decomposition Theorem

If K ⊂ Ω is compact and u is harmonic on Ω \ K, then u might be badly behaved near both ∂K and ∂Ω; see, for example, Theorem 11.18. In this chapter we will see that u is the sum of two harmonic functions, one extending harmonically across ∂K, the other extending harmonically across ∂Ω. More precisely, u has a decomposition of the form $$u = \nu + w$$ on Ω \ K, where v is harmonic on Ω and w is harmonic on R n \ K. Furthermore, there is a canonical choice for w that makes this decomposition unique.
Fertility in cryptorchidism

It is common knowledge that the testis that remains cryptorchid through puberty will be sterile later in life. However, a number of patients who are treated prepubertally, even with unilateral cryptorchidism, will also be infertile in adulthood. At a conservative estimate, some 25% of unilateral and 50% of bilateral cryptorchids will be infertile in spite of successful prepubertal orchidopexy.
Both open and closed NMDA receptor channels desensitize

Desensitization of NMDA receptors was studied at the single-channel level using outside-out patches taken from rat hippocampus CA neurons maintained short term in culture. The amount of desensitization that accumulated as a function of time during the application of NMDA (2.5 microM) was measured by the response to the rapid application of NMDA at a high concentration (100 microM). Records were sorted into two classes: those in which no openings were detected during the application of 2.5 microM NMDA, and those in which some channel openings occurred. Analysis of these data reveals that some desensitization accumulated when no channels opened, but that more desensitization developed when channels opened. The observations indicate that channels can pass from the closed state to the desensitized state, but that desensitization occurs more rapidly from the open state.
Isolation and characterization of fluorophore-binding RNA aptamers

Background: In vitro selection has been shown previously to be a powerful method for isolating nucleic acids with specific ligand-binding functions (‘aptamers'). Given this capacity, we have sought to isolate RNA motifs that can confer fluorescent labeling to tagged RNA transcripts, potentially allowing in vivo detection and in vitro spectroscopic analysis of RNAs. Results: Two aptamers that recognize the fluorophore sulforhodamine B were isolated by the in vitro selection process. An unusually large motif of approximately 60 nucleotides is responsible for binding in one RNA (SRB-2). This motif consists of a three-way helical junction with two large, highly conserved unpaired regions. Phosphorothioate mapping with an iodoacetamide-tagged form of the ligand shows that these two regions make close contacts with the fluorophore, suggesting that the two loops combine to form separate halves of a binding pocket. The aptamer binds the fluorophore with high affinity, recognizing both the planar aromatic ring system and a negatively charged sulfonate, a rare example of anion recognition by RNA. An aptamer (FB-1) that specifically binds fluorescein has also been isolated by mutagenesis of a sulforhodamine aptamer followed by re-selection. In a simple in vitro test, SRB-2 and FB-1 have been shown to discriminate between sulforhodamine and fluorescein, specifically localizing each fluorophore to beads tagged with the corresponding aptamer. Conclusions: In addition to serving as a model system for understanding the basis of RNA folding and function, these experiments demonstrate potential applications for the aptamers in transcript double labeling or fluorescence resonance energy transfer studies.
Simulations of flows and water depth in a dendritic river system

This paper presents the development of a channel hydrodynamic model for simulating the behaviour of flows and water depths in a river network that may consist of any number of joined and branched rivers/streams, including both tidal and non-tidal rivers. The model employs a numerical method—an integrated compartment method (ICM). The method greatly facilitates the set-up of algebraic equations for the discrete field approximating the corresponding continuous field. Most of the possible boundary conditions that may be anticipated in real-world problems are considered. These include junctions, prescribed flow, prescribed water depth (or cross-sectional area), and rating curve boundaries. The use of ICM makes the implementation of these four types of boundary conditions relatively easy. The model is applied to two case studies: first to a single river and then to a network of five river branches in a watershed. Results indicate that the model can simulate the behaviour of the hydrodynamic variables that are required to compute chemical transport in a river-stream network.
Using IQ Discrepancy Scores To Examine the Neural Correlates of Specific Cognitive Abilities

The underlying neural determinants of general intelligence have been studied intensively, and seem to derive from the anatomical and functional characteristics of a frontoparietal network. Little is known, however, about the underlying neural correlates of domain-specific cognitive abilities, the other factors hypothesized to explain individual performance on intelligence tests. Previous preliminary studies have suggested that spatially distinct neural structures do not support domain-specific cognitive abilities. To test whether differences between abilities that affect performance on verbal and performance tasks derive instead from the morphological features of a single anatomical network, we assessed in two independent samples of healthy human participants (N = 83 and N = 58; age range, 5–57 years) the correlation of cortical thickness with the magnitude of the verbal intelligence quotient (VIQ)-performance intelligence quotient (PIQ) discrepancy. We operationalized the VIQ-PIQ discrepancy by regressing VIQ onto PIQ (VIQ-regressed-on-PIQ score), and by regressing PIQ onto VIQ (PIQ-regressed-on-VIQ score). In both samples, a progressively thinner cortical mantle in anterior and posterior regions bilaterally was associated with progressively greater (more positive) VIQ-regressed-on-PIQ scores. A progressively thicker cortical mantle in anterior and posterior regions bilaterally was associated with progressively greater (more positive) PIQ-regressed-on-VIQ scores. Variation in cortical thickness in these regions accounted for a large portion of the overall variance in magnitude of the VIQ-PIQ discrepancy. The degree of hemispheric asymmetry in cortical thickness accounted for a much smaller but statistically significant portion of variance in VIQ-PIQ discrepancy.
Abstract 4272: Elimination of human lung cancer stem cells through targeting of the SCF-c-kit autocrine signaling loop

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are thought to be responsible for tumor initiation and tumor regeneration after chemotherapy. Earlier we demonstrated that chemotherapy led to the selection of CSCs and that the high malignancy of lung CSCs was associated with an efficient cytokine network. Here we propose that blocking SCF-c-kit signaling will inhibit CSC proliferation and survival. CSCs were isolated from nonsmal cell lung cancer (NSCLC) cell lines as tumor spheres under CSC-selective conditions, and their stem/progenitor properties were confirmed. A Cellomics ArrayScan HCS Reader was applied to test the cell surface markers, the intracellular protein distribution and cell proliferation. CSCs in contrast to bulk cells expressed high levels of c-kit receptors and produced SCF. Proliferation of CSCs was stimulated by exogenous SCF and was inhibited by antibodies neutralizing SCF and by imatinib (Gleevec), a specific inhibitor of c-kit. Cisplatin treatment eliminated major of bulk cells but not CSCs, whereas imatinib or anti-SCF antibody destroyed CSCs. In combination cisplatin and imatinib or anti-SCF antibody prevented growth of both tumor cell subpopulations. Our results elucidate the important role of SCF-c-kit signaling axis for the self-renewal and proliferation of lung CSCs. Blocking SCF-c-kit signaling by anti-SCF antibody or imatinib in combination with cisplatin could be more efficient in elimination of human tumor cells than each modality used separately. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4272.
Recognition of a bicoid mRNA Localization Signal by a Protein Complex Containing Swallow, Nod, and RNA Binding Proteins

Localization of mRNAs, a process essential for embryonic body patterning in Drosophila, requires recognition of cis-acting signals by cellular components responsible for movement and anchoring. We have purified a large multiprotein complex that binds a minimal form of the bicoid mRNA localization signal in a manner both specific and sensitive to inactivating mutations. Identified complex components include the RNA binding proteins Modulo, PABP, and Smooth, the known localization factor Swallow, and the kinesin family member Nod. We demonstrate that localization of bcd mRNA is defective in modulo mutants. The presence of three required localization components (Swallow, Modulo, and specific RNA binding activity) within the recognition complex strongly implicates it in mRNA localization.
Preparing Students for Junior High School

The entrance into junior high school is a critical but seldom studied event in the life of the adolescent. Little has been done to prepare youths for the transition. This study evaluated a skills building approach to prepare sixth graders for the entry to junior high. The curriculum was administered to two grade schools (n = 138) with two additional grade schools (n= 140) serving as controls. At the conclusion of post testing, youths in the skills training condition were more informed about junior high school, percieved themselves to be more prepared, and were better able to handle stress and peer pressure than the youths in the control condition. They used more direct refusals as a tactic in handling peer pressure, and were able to generate more options for dealing with tough situations. Generally, results of the study support claims of program effectiveness.
Hydrogen absorption in LaNi4.9Fe0.1

Abstract The magnetic properties of LaNi4.9Fe0.1 and its hydride have been studied by making Mossbauer and magnetic susceptibility measurements. 57Fe Mossbauer spectroscopy shows a small increase in the isomer shift after hydriding. An increase in the magnetic susceptibility after hydriding was observed.
University Water Resources Research and State Legislatures

: Societal trends indicate an increased need for university water researchers to develop and improve working relationships with state legislatures to help ensure that water related legislation is based on sound water resources information. Recommendations for providing technical support to state legislatures on water resources issues include: the necessity for researchers to take the initiative; the importance of researchers capitalizing on existing linkages; the need to maintain a continuous link between key legislators, legislative staff, and researchers; and the need for researchers to provide comprehensible information in a timely manner.
Random Alpha PageRank

We suggest a revision to the PageRank random surfer model that considers the influence of a population of random surfers on the PageRank vector. In the revised model, each member of the population has its own teleportation parameter chosen from a probability distribution, and consequently, the ranking vector is random. We propose three algorithms for computing the statistics of the random ranking vector based respectively on (i) random sampling, (ii) paths along the links of the underlying graph, and (iii) quadrature formulas. We find that the expectation of the random ranking vector produces similar rankings to its deterministic analogue, but the standard deviation gives uncorrelated information (under a Kendall-tau metric) with myriad potential uses. We examine applications of this model to web spam.
Timing and executive resources: dual-task interference patterns between temporal production and shifting, updating, and inhibition tasks.

Three dual-task experiments were designed to assess the contribution of executive cognitive functions to the perception of time. Each experiment combined a serial temporal production timing task with an executive task emphasizing either shifting, updating, or inhibition. The experiments uncovered evidence of bidirectional interference between the concurrent tasks, such that the executive tasks interfered with timing performance and the timing task interfered with executive performance. Each experiment also included 3 dual-task conditions in which subjects allocated attention to the concurrent tasks in specified proportions. The results showed a reciprocal tradeoff in performance on each task: More attention allocated to timing caused timing performance to improve and executive performance to decline, whereas more attention allocated to the executive task produced the opposite pattern. The findings suggest that timing relies on the same processing resources that support basic executive functions. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2012 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Functionalized aligned silver nanorod arrays for glucose sensing through surface enhanced Raman scattering

Glucose detection through surface enhanced Raman scattering (SERS) has recently attracted a lot of interest due to its potential as a minimally-invasive, in vivo sensing technology. However, the application of SERS to glucose detection is greatly limited because of its small Raman scattering cross-section and low affinity with bare metal surfaces. In this work, an active SERS substrate composed of nearly aligned silver nanorods with uniform distribution was fabricated using high vacuum electron beam physical vapor deposition. A monolayer of 4-mercaptophenylboronic acid (MPBA) was self-assembled on the Ag nanorod surfaces, through the covalent interaction between its thio group and the Ag surface, thus resulting in a functional SERS substrate for glucose detection. The results from X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy and Raman spectroscopy clearly indicate that MPBA was successfully functionalized on the Ag nanorod surfaces. The specific binding of glucose with the boronic acid motif in MPBA significantly affects the SERS signal of MPBA on Ag nanorods, which can be measured and correlated to glucose concentrations. Quantitative detection of glucose in a clinically relevant (0–20 mM) concentration range was successfully demonstrated. The fundamental mechanism behind this approach was also discussed, and both electromagnetic and chemical enhancement mechanisms are attributed to the enhanced SERS signals. These results provide new insights into the development of SERS-based glucose sensors using Ag nanorod arrays.