cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Conjugation of Paclitaxel to Hybrid Peptide Carrier and Biological Evaluation in Jurkat and A549 Cancer Cell Lines

Paclitaxel (PTX) is one of the most potent cancer drugs; however, its low solubility and strong systemic side effects limit its clinical applications. To overcome these issues, new drug formulations and chemical modifications have been proposed. In this study, we present conjugation of PTX to hybrid collagen-cell penetrating peptide (COL-CPP) carriers. The peptide carrier is highly soluble and utilizes a unique stabilization strategy: folding into a triple helix. Here, we report the formation of PTX-COL-CPP prodrug that has similar drug potency as free PTX when tested in Jurkat (human T lymphocyte of acute T cell leukemia) cells but not in A549 (human epithelial of lung carcinoma) cells. Confocal images and flow cytometry show that this behavior originates from lower cellular uptake of COL-CPP and endosomal entrapment of the prodrug in A549, but not in Jurkat cells.
Sex Chromosome Complement Defines Diffuse Versus Focal Angiotensin II–Induced Aortic Pathology

Objective—Aortic pathologies exhibit sexual dimorphism, with aneurysms in both the thoracic and abdominal aorta (ie, abdominal aortic aneurysm [AAA]) exhibiting higher male prevalence. Women have lower prevalence of aneurysms, but when they occur, aneurysms progress rapidly. To define mechanisms for these sex differences, we determined the role of sex chromosome complement and testosterone on the location and progression of angiotensin II (AngII)–induced aortic pathologies. Approach and Results—We used transgenic male mice expressing Sry (sex-determining region Y) on an autosome to create Ldlr (low-density lipoprotein receptor)–deficient male mice with an XY or XX sex chromosome complement. Transcriptional profiling was performed on abdominal aortas from XY or XX males, demonstrating 1746 genes influenced by sex chromosomes or sex hormones. Males (XY or XX) were either sham-operated or orchiectomized before AngII infusions. Diffuse aortic aneurysm pathology developed in XY AngII-infused males, whereas XX ...
School Counselors as Curricular Leaders: A Content Analysis of ASCA Lesson Plans

The authors examined school counselors design of classroom curriculum lessons through a content analysis of lesson plans located on the American School Counselor Association (ASCA) Scene website. T...
3D smart mobile platform design for modeling motion artifacts in CT imaging of cancer patients

Motion artifacts are a common feature of CT images, especially in imaging heart, lungs, abdomen and pelvis. These artifacts are produced mainly by the respiratory motion of patient during the scanning process. In cancer diagnosis and therapy, CT images are used for tumor characterization and dose calculations. Thus, presence of image artifacts can cause erroneous calculation of volume and characterization of the targets (tumors); hence affecting the accuracy of dose calculation, patient setup and dose delivery. To reduce these artifacts, the patient motion needs to be suppressed or correction has to be applied to the reconstructed CT images. One way to investigate quantitatively the artifacts induced by patient's motion is with simulation using mobile phantoms. However, most of the phantoms currently used for motion simulation move only in one dimension and move as a rigid body. We have built a three-dimensional motion platform that is CT compatible. This platform is designed for lung phantoms which can be expanded to other body organs. The motion patterns of the platform are programmable with a wide range of motion amplitudes and frequencies that can simulate complicated respiratory and other motion patterns.
Genre-specific television viewing: state of the literature

ABSTRACTTelevision programs continue to be important storytelling mechanisms for people around the world. Moving away from traditional research examining relationships with general television expos...
Poroelastic Response Resulting from Magma Intrusion

The pore pressures that develop around magmatic intrusions in saturated porous media are of interest in both defining the characteristics of the intrusive process and evaluating the potential for destabilization of volcano flanks. Magmatic dike emplacement may be represented as an analog to a moving dislocation in a poroelastic medium, enabling parameters such as intrusion rate, volume, intrusion morphology and location to be determined from the form of the pressure history response. Solutions for moving point and line dislocations within infinite and semi-infinite media are reported as analogs to pencil and sheet dike forms, respectively. Where the mechanical and flow parameters of the system are defined, a priori, type curve matching of responses may be used to evaluate both emplacement location and intrusion volume, uniquely. For slow emplacement, the intrusion rate may also be determined. Poroelastic pressures developed around dike intrusions are substantial and may contribute to the triggering of deep seated earthquakes and the development of large-scale instability of volcano flanks. Recognition of the role of emplacement generated pore fluid pressures in the triggering of flank failure addresses the enigma in the failure of shallow inclination flanks of oceanic shield type volcanoes, in the absence of obvious sufficient destabilizing forces.
Platinum(II) reduction to platinum nanoparticles in anaerobic sludge.

Background To help mitigate future problems in the supply of platinum group metals (PGM) due to their scarcity and high demand, new recovery processes must be developed. Microbial processes are a great alternative for the recovery of PGM from waste since they are clean and environmentally friendly techniques. This research studied the microbial reduction of Pt(II) using an anaerobic granular sludge under different physiological conditions. Results The anaerobic granular sludge was able to reduce Pt(II) to Pt(0) nanoparticles that were deposited intracellularly as well as extracellularly as confirmed by X-ray diffraction (XRD) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM) analyses. Hydrogen (H2) and formate supported the chemical reduction of Pt(II) while ethanol supported the biologically catalyzed reduction of Pt(II). Increasing initial concentrations of Pt(II), ethanol or biomass were each shown to increase the Pt(II) reduction rates. Conclusions This study reported for the first time the reduction of Pt(II) using anaerobic granular sludge and provided insights that could help develop biorecovery techniques to alleviate future problems in the supply of PGMs.
Combined CFX and Structural Simulation for Bow Thrusters Loading under Operating Conditions

The purpose of this paper is to simulate the bow thrusters loading under operating conditions installed onboard ships. The bow thrusters are specially designed to operate in seawater. In some cases the blades operate in difficult conditions like ice. The software analysis of the bow thrusters events associated to a jammed propeller blade is performed in operation conditions. As a result, it has been identified the forces acting on blades during operation in ice or jammed by objects. Also, we present a result for pressure and speeds acting on the propeller.
Associations between causal attributions for obesity and long-term weight loss.

Obesity is a complex disease caused by a wide array of behavioral, biological, and environmental factors. However, obesity is often attributed to oversimplified and stigmatizing causal factors such as laziness, lack of willpower, and failure to take personal responsibility for one's health. Understanding of the causal factors that contribute to obesity among people with obesity may affect their weight management efforts. The current study explored associations between causal attributions for obesity and long-term weight loss, as well as examined potential changes in attributions with weight reduction. The 16-item Causal Attributions for Obesity scale (rated 1-7) was administered to 178 patients seeking behavioral/pharmacological weight-loss treatment. Causal attributions and weight were assessed at baseline, after 14 weeks of a low-calorie diet, and again at weeks 24 and 52 of a subsequent randomized trial (i.e., 66 weeks total). Logistic and linear regression examined effects of baseline causal attribution ratings on weight loss. Higher baseline ratings of personal responsibility attributions predicted 38% reduced odds of achieving ≥10% weight loss at week 52 (p = 0.02). Causal attribution ratings did not change over time or correlate continuously with weight change. Thus, attributing obesity to a failure of personal responsibility may impair long-term weight management efforts for individuals seeking ≥10% weight loss. Targeted techniques are needed to reduce patients' stigmatizing beliefs about the causes of obesity.
Comment: Response to “Kohlberg at the ‘Is-Ought’ Gap”

In 1932 Jean Piaget’s, The Moral Judgment of the Child, was published. This work stimulated much of the current research concerning the development of moral reasoning. Piaget argued that the child first is a moral realist who views rules as absolute, fixed, and unchangeable. Moral judgments are based on consequences external to the child. Around 9 to 13 years of age the transition to moral relativist occurs— intentionality now providing the basis for moral judgments. In the broadest sense, Piaget proposed a two-stage sequence of moral development: initially, the child uses objective moral reasoning and later uses subjective moral reasoning when confronted with problems requiring moral judgments. Contrary to popular impressions, Piaget did recognize the role that parents might play in facilitating the transition to moral relativist. For example, in The Moral Judgment of the Child, he asserts that “those parents who try to give their children a moral education based on intention, achieve very early results….” (1932, p. 130).
Measurements of the Reaction e + e − → e + e − at Center-of-Mass Energies of 7.0 and 7.4 GeV

Measurements of the cross section for the reaction ${e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{e}^{+}{e}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ (Bhabha scattering) at angles close to 90\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, relative to Bhabha scattering at 4\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}, are reported at center-of-mass energies of 7.0 and 7.4 GeV. The results are in agreement with quantum electrodynamics, and new limits on cutoff parameters for the photon propagator are given.
A Robust Encoding Scheme for Delivering Artificial Sensory Information via Direct Brain Stimulation

Innovations for creating somatosensation via direct electrical stimulation of the brain will be required for the next generation of bi-directional cortical neuroprostheses. The current lack of tactile perception and proprioceptive input likely imposes a fundamental limit on speed and accuracy of brain-controlled prostheses or re-animated limbs. This study addresses the unique challenge of identifying a robust, high bandwidth sensory encoding scheme in a high-dimensional parameter space. Previous studies demonstrated single dimensional encoding schemes delivering low bandwidth sensory information, but no comparison has been performed across parameters, nor with update rates suitable for real-time operation of a neuroprosthesis. Here, we report the first comprehensive measurement of the resolution of key stimulation parameters such as pulse amplitude, pulse width, frequency, train interval and number of pulses. Surprisingly, modulation of stimulation frequency was largely undetectable. While we initially expected high frequency content to be an ideal candidate for passing high throughput sensory signals to the brain, we found only modulation of very low frequencies were detectable. Instead, the charge-per-phase of each pulse yields the highest resolution sensory signal, and is the key parameter modulating perceived intensity. The stimulation encoding patterns were designed for high-bandwidth information transfer that will be required for bi-directional brain interfaces. Our discovery of the stimulation features which best encode perceived intensity have significant implications for design of any neural interface seeking to convey information directly to the brain via electrical stimulation.
Hormone-secreting and hormone-responsive cell cultures.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses a cell culture approach to the study of the site of action of hormones and a cell culture system for studying differentiation. The procedures are designed to obviate the selective advantages of fibroblasts in culture and owe much to enrichment culture techniques, which have been successful in microbiology. With these methods, several cell lines are developed, which are clonally derived, permanently established in culture, and persistent in performing the functions of the tissue of origin. These strains include ACTH responsive, steroid-secreting adrenal cortex cells, ACTH-secreting pituitary cells, growth hormone-secreting pituitary cells, cyclic AMP-responsive and steroid-secreting mouse Leydig cells, hormone-secreting rat Leydig cells, glucocorticoid-responsive rat glial cells, neuroblastoma cells capable of synthesizing epinephrine and acetylcholine, and teratoma cells that maintain their multipotent capacity for differentiation. These cell cultures are hormone-secreting, hormone-responsive, or potentially hormone-responsive systems.
The Moral Ecology of Good Wealth

This chapter defines “good wealth” in terms of its interdependent and organic relationship among wealth’s creation, distribution and charitable dimensions. The relationship among these three functions of wealth fits well with what Catholic social teaching refers to as “moral ecology.” In terms of wealth creation, business enterprises are the economic engine of society. We also need to speak of wealth distribution, and in particular a just distribution. The third dimension of wealth is its charitable function, in many respects the most excellent of the three functions of wealth. This chapter addresses the tensions and challenges among these three dimensions and points to innovative practices where the three dimensions of good wealth can be integrated.
El camino del ostracismo: la justicia en el mundo andino y la negación de la reciprocidad en Guaman Poma de Ayala

La Nueva coronica y buen gobierno apunta un mundo “al reves” en el que la justicia no mantiene equilibrio en el mundo andino. Este ensayo estudia como en el “Primer capitulo de la Justicia” Guaman Poma realizauna valoracion de la administracion de justicia en el mundo andino y como la implementacion de condenas afecta el lugar social del individuo en la comunidad. Rastrea entonces los temas de la justicia y castigos, asi como la narracion del viaje del autor a la Ciudad de los Reyes en el capitulo “Camina el autor” como una version andina del ostracismo. Entiendo ostracismo como la reclusion fisica con posibilidades de integracion y la condena social del wakcha (huerfano) a traves de la negacion de la reciprocidad. Por su parte, el ostracismo espiritual del autor es su sacrifcio para llevar la justicia al mundo andino.
Incidental news exposure via social media and political participation: Evidence of reciprocal effects:

The aim of this study is to investigate the causal direction of the relationship between incidental news exposure via social media and political participation. Unlike prior studies, which have reli...
Caregiving burden among informal caregivers of African American cancer survivors.

Relatively little is known about caregivers of African American cancer survivors. Our goal was to identify the extent of burden among this group of caregivers. Responses from 560 informal caregivers of African American participants of the Research on Cancer Survivors (ROCS) study in Detroit, MI, were analyzed including demographics, assistance provided including activities of daily living (ADLs) and instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), time spent in caregiving, and caregiver burden (CGB). We assessed relationships between CGB and demographic variables, ADLs/IADLs, and level of care. Multivariable logistic regression determined which ADLs and IADLs were associated with high CGB. Over 75% of caregivers were female and 97% identified as African American. Mean age was 52.6 years. Fifty-six percent were employed outside the home, and 90% were related to the survivor. Caregivers averaged 35.7 h/week providing care, assisting with on average 2.8 ADLs and 5.0 IADLs. Despite the many hours and activities reported, no caregivers rated CGB as severe; only 4% rated it moderate to severe. ADLs associated with the top quartile of CGB were feeding and toileting; IADLs were finances, telephoning, housework, and medications. Caregivers for African American cancer survivors provide many hours of care, yet most describe their CGB as low. Although ADL assistance is often available through the healthcare system, assistance with IADLs presents an opportunity to lessen the burden for these caregivers and their care recipients. African American cancer survivors receive much care from informal family caregivers, who assist with multiple ADLs and IADLs. Formal IADL assistance programs, similar to those available for ADLs, would benefit both survivors and caregivers.
A Comprehensive Guide to Sweet Briar College’s Greenhouse Hydroponics System

Completed in the summer of 2020, Sweet Briar College’s 26,000 square foot greenhouse is home to a variety of vegetables, providing fresh food for the campus dining hall as well as giving students the opportunity to learn about food sustainability. The current horticulture practices in the greenhouse are functional, but growth rates and processing could be improved with a hydroponic system. Hydroponics is a subset of horticulture in which plants are rooted in nutrient-rich water rather than soil. A hydroponics system would not only serve as an educational opportunity for Sweet Briar’s environmental science students but would also allow for the experimentation of a variety of new plants and growing methods. Some other benefits of a hydroponic system include a significant decrease in water waste, reduced need for pesticides and herbicides, and more efficient use of space.Through extensive research and compliance with customer specifications, we determined that using a Nutrient Film Technique with an A-frame design would be the best option for the Sweet Briar College greenhouse. The NFT water flow method is one of the most respected in the field of hydroponics, as it is typically extremely reliable and user-friendly. A thin film of nutrient-laden water gently passes over the roots of the system, allowing the plant to absorb as needed. Incorporating this technique with an A-frame design would allow for the best use of space while still allowing each plant to receive optimal sunlight as compared to other vertically designed hydroponic systems. By incorporating microcontrollers and sensors to monitor the water level, pH, and electrical conductivity in the reservoir, our system will be able to dispense nutrient solution and water as needed. We plan to measure and track plant growth and survivability based on both new plant growth as well as fruit/vegetable production with the goal of exceeding that of standard soil-grown plants of the same variety and anticipate having results by April 2021. We would also like to track system water loss, either from leaks, evaporation, or absorption, by monitoring the main water reservoirs with the goal of 75% efficiency over the course of a month. Finally, we would like to measure the amount of light the plants are getting throughout the day, using either a photoresistor and microcontroller or a lux meter, to determine if additional synthetic lighting options would be beneficial to the system. We plan to have the system fully functioning and operable by May 2021.
Prevalence of incidental brain MRI findings of clinical relevance in a diverse Hispanic/Latino population

Background and purpose There is limited literature on the prevalence of incidental brain MRI findings in the Hispanic/Latino population, despite their increased prevalence of vascular disease and undertreatment of chronic conditions. The purpose of our study was to determine the prevalence of clinically relevant incidental findings on brain MRI examinations obtained as a part of the Study of Latinos-Investigation of NeuroCognitive Aging MRI (SOL-INCA-MRI) study. Methods Brain MRI examinations were obtained on 1389 participants in the SOL-INCA-MRI study, a cross-sectional ancillary study of the Hispanic Community Health Study, Study of Latinos, which is a longitudinal, community-based study. Study design of SOL-INCA-MRI involves imaging cognitively normal and participants with mild cognitive impairment. Brain MRI findings were categorized as Level 1 (normal), Level 1.5 (findings of unclear medical significance), Level 2 (potential medical concern), or Level 3 (medically urgent). This article focuses on Level 2 and Level 3 findings. Results The average age of the sample was 60.8 years (+/- 10.3 years), 66.1% were females. Level 2 and 3 findings were identified in 117 participants, (8.4%), of which 109 (7.8%) were recommended for medical follow-up (Level 2), and 8 (0.6%) were recommended for immediate medical attention (Level 3). Brain MRI findings consisted of chronic infarction in 33 (2.4%), vascular abnormality in 27 (1.9%), intracranial mass in 20 (1.4%), other intracranial findings in 28 (2.0%), and skull base/extracranial findings in 26 (1.9%) patients. Conclusion Incidental findings of clinical relevance were common among SOL-INCA-MRI participants, but rarely required urgent medical intervention.
Primary anti-infective prophylaxis during routine treatment of lymphoma in the United States: A large real-world cohort analysis.

268Background: While infectious complications contribute to considerable morbidity and mortality in patients with cancer, most scenarios lack evidence to guide optimal anti-infective prophylaxis (A...
Unlocking bulk and surface oxygen transport properties of mixed oxide-ion and electron conducting membranes with combined oxygen permeation cell and oxygen probe method

Abstract Surface exchange kinetics and bulk diffusion of oxygen are of paramount importance to the activity of oxygen electrocatalysis and performance of electrochemical devices such as fuel cell, metal-air batteries, and oxygen separation membranes. Conventional approaches to obtaining these transport properties are often limited to single property under a specific non-operation related condition. Here we use a combined oxygen permeation cell and oxygen probe methodology to simultaneously attain rates of oxygen surface exchange and bulk conductivity/chemical diffusivity of three representative mixed oxide-ion and electron conductors, namely SrCo0.9Ta0.1O3-δ (SCT), La0.6Sr0.4CoO3-δ (LSC) and La0.6Sr0.4FeO3-δ (LSF), operated under a steady-state oxygen flux. The results explicitly show that SCT exhibit the highest oxide-ion conductivity/chemical diffusivity, fastest rates of surface oxygen exchange kinetics, thus promising to be the best oxygen electrocatalyst. We have also mapped out the distribution of oxygen chemical potential gradient across the membranes and applied B-transport number concept to illustrate the rate-limiting steps in the overall oxygen permeation process.
The political influence of churches

1. A theory of religious influence on political behavior 2. Social networks and church structure: congregations, small groups, informal contacts 3. Clergy influences and religious commitment reconsidered: reconciling old and new influences on political behavior 4. Church-centered influences on public opinion 5. The resourceful believer: generating civic skills in church 6. The construction of political mobilization in churches 7. Present but not accounted for: churches, institutional treatment, and gender differences in civic resources 8. Conclusion.
Post-silicon fault localisation using maximum satisfiability and backbones

The localisation of faults in integrated circuits is a challenging problem and a dominating factor in the overall verification effort. Electrical bugs, in particular, surface only in the fabricated prototypes, leading to behaviour deviating from the golden model. Limited observability complicates their localisation: Logging mechanisms such as trace buffers allow us to retain only a limited execution history. A symbolic analysis of the RTL design can find discrepancies between the values recorded in the trace buffer and the intended behaviour. Contemporary MAX-SAT solvers are then able to identify a maximal subset of the RTL design that is consistent with the observed behaviour. The elements in the complement of this subset represent potential locations of the fault. The scalability of contemporary decision procedures dictates the size of a window of execution cycles which we can analyse using symbolic techniques. Current MAX-SAT-based fault localisation techniques require this window to span the fault as well as the error it causes. To address the scalability issues resulting from large window sizes, we propose to slide a smaller window along the temporal axis, constraining it with the information recorded in the trace buffer for the respective execution cycles. In this scenario, the localisation attempt may fail: The limited information provided by the trace buffer may be insufficient to pin down the exact temporal and spatial location of the fault. We propose to use backbones to identify information that can be propagated across sliding windows. The backbone of a symbolic representation of a circuit is the set of signals that are immutable under the given constraints (e.g., the output and trace buffer values). This additional information has several benefits: Firstly, it may be instrumental in locating the fault. Secondly, it may enable a reduction of the size of the of trace buffers and the sliding window. Our preliminary experimental results demonstrate that the use of backbones allows us to reduce the size of the sliding windows or the trace buffer.
Glossary: Tort Liability Law, P.R.C. Civil Code

This is the working glossary, and author's final version of the English translation of Part 8, Articles 1 - 68, Tort Liability Law, of the current draft (December 17, 2002) of the Civil Code of the People's Republic of China. The version published in China by Peking University Press in the journal SiFa [Private Law Review] contained no glossary, nor did the pinyin have phonetic tone marks. This version is intended for use as teaching materials. The pinyin here - in both the glossary and the translation - does have phonetic tone marks. A facsimile of the Si Fa version of the translation published in China is available on SSRN: Conk, George W., People's Republic of China Civil Code: Tort Liability Law, Private Law Review, Vol. 5, No. 2 (The 10th Issue), pp. 77-111, December 2005. Available at: http://ssrn.com/abstract=892432
Development affects in vitro vascular tone and calcium sensitivity in ovine cerebral arteries.

We have shown recently that development from neonatal to adult life affects cerebrovascular tone of mouse cerebral arteries through endothelium-derived vasodilatory mechanisms. The current study tested the hypothesis that development from fetal to adult life affects cerebral artery vascular smooth muscle (VSM) [Ca2+]i sensitivity and tone through a mechanism partially dependent upon endothelium-dependent signalling. In pressurized resistance sized cerebral arteries (∼150 μm) from preterm (95 ± 2 days gestation (95 d)) and near-term (140 ± 2 days gestation (140 d)) fetuses, and non-pregnant adults, we measured vascular diameter (μm) and [Ca2+]i (nm) as a function of intravascular pressure. We repeated these studies in the presence of inhibition of nitric oxide synthase (NOS; with l-NAME), cyclo-oxygenase (COX; with indomethacin) and endothelium removal (E–). Cerebrovasculature tone (E+) was greater in arteries from 95 d fetuses and adults compared to 140 d sheep. Ca2+ sensitivity was similar in 95 d fetuses and adults, but much lower in 140 d fetuses. Removal of endothelium resulted in a reduction in lumen diameter as a function of pressure (greater tone) in all treatment groups. [Ca2+]i sensitivity differences among groups were magnified after E–. NOS inhibition decreased diameter as a function of pressure in each age group, with a significant increase in [Ca2+]i to pressure ratio only in the 140 d fetuses. Indomethacin increased tone and increased [Ca2+]i in the 140 d fetuses, but not the other age groups. Development from near-term to adulthood uncovered an interaction between NOS- and COX-sensitive substances that functioned to modulate artery diameter but not [Ca2+]i. This study suggests that development is associated with significant alterations in cerebral vascular smooth muscle (VSM), endothelium, NOS and COX responses to intravascular pressure. We speculate that these changes have important implications in the regulation of cerebral blood flow in the developing organism.
Gamma-Ray Views on the Galactic Cosmic-Ray Distribution

Recent γ-ray studies of the distribution of cosmic rays throughout the Galaxy are discussed based on the observations obtained with the SAS-2 COS-B satellites. For reasons addressed in this paper the picture arising from recent analyses of both data bases differs from the one generally advocated in the past.
Efficient structures for quadratic time-frequency and time-scale array processors

Sensor arrays are able to enhance desired signal reception while simultaneously suppressing undesired components through the use of directionality. In many important applications, the return signal is best modeled as being nonstationary and may lose coherence between sensors, severely limiting the performance of traditional array processors based on matched-field beamforming. Quadratic array processing is optimal for many stochastic signals of interest, but direct implementation poses a significant computational burden making it impractical in many situations. It has been shown that quadratic time-frequency representations and time-scale representations (TFRs and TSRs) provide a structured detection framework for detecting certain nonstationary signals in the presence of nonstationary noise using a partially coherent sensor array, making quadratic array processing a viable alternative to suboptimal matched-filter techniques. In this paper we discuss restrictions on the decorrelation between sensors which lead to efficient TFR/TSR-based processors known as banded and subarray beamformers.
ASYMMETRICAL BEHAVIOR IN RATS FOLLOWING STRIATAL LESIONS AND FETAL TRANSPLANTS: THE ELEVATED BODY SWING TEST

Animals with unilateral neurotoxic lesions in the striatum exhibit a stereotypical biased rotational behavior in response to dopamine agonists. We recently argued that the rotational test may be subject to sensitization effects of the drug. Accordingly, we proposed the drug-free elevated body swing test (EBST) as an alternative behavioral index of motor asymmetry in striatal lesioned animals. EBST involves elevating the animal from the ground by holding its tail and simply recording the number of swings to either side made by the animal over 30 s. We previously reported that Sprague-Dawley, male 8-week-old rats, intrastriatally lesioned with 500 nanomoles of 3-nitropropionic acid or 225 nanomoles of quinolinic acid, exhibit biased swing activity at 7, 14, 21 and 28 days post-lesion. In the present study, we extended the efficacy of the EBST in measuring the recovery of motor function following fetal striatal transplants. At 2 months post-lesion, lesioned animals which show 70% or higher biased swing activity were transplanted with rat fetal striatal lateral eminence (16-day-old gestational age). When tested in the EBST at 1 and 3 months post-transplant, these transplanted animals displayed normalization of the biased swing activity. In contrast, animals transplanted with medium alone continued to exhibit a biased swing activity. The present study thus extends our previous EBST data to include successful behavioral characterization by EBST of recovery of motor function in lesioned animals receiving fetal transplants.
DNA Simplified: The Hitchhiker’s Guide to DNA. Daniel H. Farkas, Washington, DC: AACC Press, 1996, 110 pp, $14.95. ISBN 0-915274-84-1.

I give a “thumbs up” to this concise and wittily written text. Any driver who picks up this Hitchhiker will fully appreciate and be entertained by the light-hearted discussion on such interesting subjects as hairpin, lagging strand, minor groove, mismatch, SSSR, 60 000, nonsense, OJ, and others as profound as you D …
High frequency characterization of carbon nanotube and graphene materials

Carbon nanotube and graphene based materials and devices have been extensively studied since they were discovered and are considered as potential building blocks for nano-scale circuits in virtue of their unique mechanical, electrical and thermal properties. Numerous other potential applications in areas ranging from field emission displays, microscopy and scanning/tunneling microscope tips to fuel cells and batteries have been investigated. Many microwave and THz applications have been suggested as well recently, including nano-antennas and nano-interconnects. However, over the microwave and THz regimes, the electrical properties of CNTs are yet to be thoroughly investigated [1]. Characterizing the high frequency properties of these materials is rather difficult, mainly due to the nanometer sized samples and much larger wavelength associated with microwave and THz spectra [2]. In addition, one of the biggest obstacles for massive production of nanotube circuits is the difficulty of separating semiconducting tubes from metallic tubes [3].
From restoration to transformation: Victim‐offender mediation as transformative justice

In this essay I make the case that victim offender mediation (VOM) adheres to a hind of legal formalism characteristic of relations among lawyers, clients, and the courts. I contend that mediators guide restitution agreements toward activities consistent with dominant cultural interests. Mediators cajole offenders to engage in secondary sector labor market activities, and demonstrate a commitment to dominant cultural norms and values. Having established the system-reproducing aspects of VOM, I conclude by arguing that there is a place for critical application of VOM to perennial social problems in our cities and rural communities. A two-stage process is recommended to achieve this end: (1) offenders must acknowledge harm done to offenders, and (2) offenders must be required to attend critical literacy workshops. It is my belief that when offenders are exposed to the process of uncovering dominant cultural manifestations of power, a truly emancipator praxis unfolds. In this way, mediators are viewed as transformative intellectuals.
Simulate skill mix to validate a resource planning system

Resource management, planning, and provisioning are first-order issues for service providers in today's IT service market. Project managers must pro-actively ensure they have sufficient resources to meet expected future skill demand while ensuring their existing resources are fully utilized. In this paper, we developed a simulation method that generates realistic demand and skill mixture scenarios to validate an optimization-based resource planning system.
Electrified black holes

Black holes with accretion disks are self-excited dynamos that generate large electric and magnetic fields. Along the spin axis they emit oppositely-directed narrow beams of high energy positrons and photons. The beams emanating from superholes are sufficiently powerful to explain extragalactic radio sources.
Preliminary observations on the need for control angiography after peripheral endovascular brachytherapy using a centering balloon.

Purpose:To examine the need for completion angiography after endovascular femoropopliteal brachytherapy using a centering catheter.Methods:Nine consecutive patients (7 men; mean age 68 years, range 53–79) were enrolled in a double-blinded multicenter randomized trial of endovascular brachytherapy after femoropopliteal balloon angioplasty. All patients underwent postdilation angiography, after which the centering catheter was placed in the dilated segment. The patients were randomized and transferred to the radiotherapy unit; the centering catheter was inflated only in patients randomized to receive brachytherapy (18 Gy of γ radiation delivered to the target site 2 mm from an iridium-192 source axis). Because the local ethics committee required angiography after any interventional procedure (not stipulated in the study protocol), our patients were taken back to the angiosuite for angiography.Results:There were no complications of angioplasty or centering catheter introduction. In the 5 patients randomized ...
Pharmaceuticals and the Strategic National Stockpile Program

This article discusses current stockpile practices after exploring a history of the use of biologic agents as weapons, the preventive measures that the federal government has used in the past, and the establishment of a Strategic National Stockpile Program in 2003. The article also describes the additional medical supplies from the managed inventory and the federal medical stations. The issues (financial burden, personnel, and materiel selection) for local asset development are also discussed. Critical is the cost to local communities of the development and maintenance of a therapeutic agent stockpile and the need for personnel to staff clinics and medical stations. Finally, the important role of the dental profession for dispensing medication and providing mass immunization in the event of a disaster is described.
Femorofemoral artery bypass for blunt iliac artery occlusion in a child

Vascular injuries from blunt trauma are rare in children. This report concerns traumatic occlusion of the common iliac artery with limb-threatening ischemia in a 6-year-old boy sustained while wearing a lap belt. Associated injuries included fracture of the third lumbar vertebra, perforation of the sigmoid colon, and disruption of the anterior abdominal wall musculature. Because of fecal contamination from the colon perforation, revascularization using a subcutaneous prosthetic femorofemoral artery bypass was performed and proved successful in limb salvage. As improved prosthetic vascular conduits of smaller caliber are developed, applications in small children with vascular injuries may increase.
Cell specificity of a rat neuronal nicotinic acetylcholine receptor α7 subunit gene promoter

Neuronal nAChRs are pentameric transmembrane proteins which function as ligand-gated ion channels and are composed of multiple alpha and beta subunits. Nine neuronal nAChR alpha subunit genes (alpha2-alpha10) and three nAChR beta subunit genes (beta2-beta4) have been identified. nAChR subtypes are heteromers, composed of various combinations of nAChR subunits or homomers composed of alpha7, alpha8, or alpha9 subunits. nAChR subtypes are widely expressed in the nervous system, yet each subunit has a distinct and unique pattern of expression. This report focuses on the expression of the nAChR alpha7 gene since homomeric nAChRs can be formed from this one subunit, simplifying a study of the expression of a specific nAChR subtype. Alpha7 nAChRs are involved in several important biological activities in addition to synaptic transmission including mediating neurite outgrowth, neuronal development and cell death, and in presynaptic control of neurotransmitter release. Transcriptional regulation of alpha7 gene expression may be important to control the location and timing of these events. We previously isolated a rat alpha7 nAChR promoter and studied expression in PC12 cells. In this study we examined the expression of the alpha7 promoter in PC12, HEK293, L6, SN17 and Neuro-2A cells in order to define elements necessary for cell-specific expression. Elements promoting expression of alpha7 in muscle and fibroblasts were identified. We also demonstrated that several other nAChR genes are also expressed in SN 17 and Neuro-2A cells, supporting use of these cell lines as models to study transcriptional control of nAChR genes.
Evidence from Bone Growth that Most of the Infants Dying in the Neonatal Period had been 111 Before Birth

Summary A survey of the pattern of growth, as revealed by the structure of the costo-chondral junction, suggests that the great majority of infants dying in the neonatal period had intrauterine disease antedating labour. This involves approximately 60% of premature birth deaths and around 75 % of perinatal deaths at term.
BaO/W(100) thermionic emitters and the effects of Sc, Y, La, and the density functional used in computations

Density functional theory is used to predict workfunctions, {psi}. For relaxed clean W(1 0 0), the local density approximation (LDA) agrees with experiment better than the newer generalized gradient approximation, probably due to the surface electron self-energy. The large Ba metallic radius indicates it covers W(1 0 0) at about 0.5 monolayer (ML). However, Ba{sup 2+}, O{sup 2-}, and metallic W all have similar radii. Thus 1 ML of BaO (one BaO unit for each two W atoms) produces minimum strain, indicating commensurate interfaces. BaO (1 ML) and Ba (1/2 ML) have the same {psi} to within 0.02 V, so at these coverages reduction or oxidation is not important. Due to greater chemical activity of ScO vs. highly ionic BaO, when mixing the latter with this suboxide of scandia, the overlayer always has BaO as the top layer and ScO as the second layer. The BaO/ScO bilayer has a rocksalt structure, suggesting high stability. In the series BaO/ScO/, BaO/YO/, and BaO/LaO/W(1 0 0), the latter has a remarkably low {psi} of 1.3 V (LDA), but 2 ML of rocksalt BaO also has {psi} at 1.3 V. We suggest BaO (1 ML) does not exist and that it is worthwhile tomore » attempt the direct synthesis and study of BaO (2 ML) and BaO/LaO.« less
Involvement of the Toll-like receptor 4 pathway and use of TNF-α antagonists for treatment of the mucopolysaccharidoses

Enzyme replacement therapy is currently available for three of the mucopolysaccharidoses (MPSs) but has limited effects on the skeletal lesions. We investigated the involvement of the Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) signaling pathway in the pathogenesis of MPS bone and joint disease, and the use of the anti-TNF-alpha drug, Remicade (Centocor, Inc.), for treatment. TLR4 KO (TLR4(lps-/-)) mice were interbred with MPS VII mice to produce double-KO (DKO) animals. The DKO mice had longer and thinner faces and longer femora as revealed by micro-computed tomography analysis compared with MPS VII mice. Histological analyses also revealed more organized and thinner growth plates. The serum levels of TNF-alpha were normalized in the DKO animals, and the levels of phosphorylated STAT1 and STAT3 in articular chondrocytes were corrected. These findings led us to evaluate the effects of Remicade in MPS VI rats. When initiated at 1 month of age, i.v. treatment prevented the elevation of TNF-alpha, receptor activator of NF-kappaB, and other inflammatory molecules not only in the blood but in articular chondrocytes and fibroblast-like synoviocytes (FLSs). Treatment of 6-month-old animals also reduced the levels of these molecules to normal. The number of apoptotic articular chondrocytes in MPS VI rats was similarly reduced, with less infiltration of synovial tissue into the underlying bone. These studies revealed the important role of TLR4 signaling in MPS bone and joint disease and suggest that targeting TNF-alpha may have positive therapeutic effects.
Do mortgage rates vary by neighborhood? Implications for loan pricing and redlining

Abstract Using a nationally representative sample of conventional single-family mortgage loans that originated during 1992–1995 with detailed loan pricing information, this paper examines whether interest rates vary by neighborhood income and racial composition. The estimates suggest that borrowers financing homes in low- and moderate-income neighborhoods generally paid 2–4 basis points more for 30-year loans, but there was no difference for 15-year loans. Results by racial composition of the neighborhood were more mixed, with borrowers in predominately Hispanic and Asian neighborhoods paying slighting higher rates, while borrowers in predominately African–American neighborhoods occasionally paid slightly lower rates. Omitted variables could account for some of these differences. Overall, the small effects suggest that redlining is unlikely to be a factor, although no firm conclusions can be drawn.
Effects of Nanoscale Patterns on the Spectral Absorptance of Wafers

This paper presents a parametric study of the radiative properties of patterned wafers with a polysilicon gate array on the Si substrate, considering the effect of wavelength and polarization. While the gate sizes are very small compared to wavelength, the results show rather unusual phenomena. The absorptance calculated by effective medium theory (EMT) is in agreement with finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) in the cases with small gate and period sizes. With the increase of period and decrease of the ratio of the gate width to the pattern pitch, both EMT and FDTD results for TM mode approach to pure silicon since the grating effect diminishes. Besides, the TE absorptance curve separates from that of plain Si at the wavelength equals to the grating period, this is because the gate can interact with its neighboring region by diffraction and the diffraction effects are weak, when the wavelength is small. It also shows a slight increase in the gate height can drastically increase the absorptance and the increased gate height shifts the peak absorptance to longer wavelength. This work is of great importance for optimization of advanced annealing techniques in semiconductor manufacturing.
Pre- and postoperative neuroimaging of cavernous malformations

The introduction of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) has revolutionized the diagnosis and treatment of cavernous malformations. The MRI characteristics of these lesions are in most cases pathognomonic and the diagnosis of cavernous malformation can frequently be established on the basis of neuroimaging findings alone, without the need for pathological confirmation. MRI also precisely demonstrates the location of the lesion and defines its relationship to surrounding structures, providing essential data for preoperative evaluation and surgical planning. The role of MR imaging in the immediate postoperative setting remains less clear, as the extent of the surgical resection and correspondingly, the presence of residual cavernous malformation tissue is frequently difficult to determine. In the postoperative setting, long-term follow up is generally required to confirm a curative resection.