cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Cyclic nucleotide concentrations and protein kinase activities of bovine mammary tissue maintained in athymic nude mice: effects of mammogenic and lactogenic hormones.

Abstract Mammary tissue (4×4×.3mm) from five cows was placed subcutaneously in ovariectomized athymic nude mice. After 30 d mice were injected daily for 20 d with saline (controls), 17β-estradiol (1μg), progesterone (1mg), or estradiol plus progesterone. Deoxyrobonucleic acid synthesis of bovine ductal epithelium was increased by estradiol, progesterone, or both. Cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate concentration of bovine mammary grafts was also increased by estradiol or progesterone. Estradiol increased cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase activity and decreased cyclic 3′,5′-guanosine monophosphate concentration in bovine mammary tissue. Progesterone decreased cyclic 3′,5′-guanosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase activity of bovine mammary tissue. In a second experiment, athymic nude mice bearing mammary tissue from five cows first received 20 d of pretreatment with saline or estradiol plus progesterone. Mice were then injected with saline or hydrocortisone (.2 mg/d) plus bovine prolactin (1 mg/d) for 2 d. Hydrocortisone plus prolactin enhanced α-lactalbumin production by bovine mammary tissue and had a greater effect in mice that had received estradiol plus progesterone. Pretreatment with estrogen plus progesterone increased tissue cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine and monophosphate and cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase and decreased cyclic 3′,5′-guanosine monophosphate and cyclic 3′,5′-guanosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase. In mice that received estradiol plus progesterone, treatment with hydrocortisone plus prolactin decreased bovine mammary tissue cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate and cyclic 3′,5′-adenosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase but increased tissue cyclic 3′,5′-guanosine monophosphate-dependent protein kinase.
Activators Regenerated by Electron Transfer for Atom Transfer Radical Polymerization of Styrene

The amount of Cu-based catalysts in atom transfer radical polymerization (ATRP) of styrene has been reduced to a few ppm in the presence of the appropriate reducing agents such as FDA approved tin(II) 2-ethylhexanoate (Sn(EH)2) or glucose. The reducing agents constantly regenerate ATRP activator, the Cu(I) species, from the Cu(II) species, formed during termination process, without directly or indirectly producing initiating species that generate new chains. Moreover, the reducing agents allow starting an ATRP with the oxidatively stable Cu(II) species. The reducing/reactivating cycle may also eliminate air or some other radical traps in the system. This new catalytic system is based on regeneration of the activators for an ATRP by electron transfer and therefore was named activators regenerated by electron transfer (ARGET) ATRP. The optimum amount of reducing agent and minimal amount of ATRP Cu catalyst depend on the particular system. For example, styrene was polymerized with 10 ppm of CuCl2/Me6TREN and...
In-situ resistance measurement during the growth of Cu(In, Ga)Se 2 films by multi-source evaporation

A novel in-situ resistance measurement technique is presented and used to monitor the evolution of the resistance of Cu(In, Ga)Se2 films during growth. Both 1-stage and 3-stage evaporation processes are evaluated. The resistance of the film is initially > 104 Ω and decreases to ~100 Ω by the end of the deposition, and during cooling, increases again to ~ 104 Ω. When the bell jar is opened and the samples are exposed to air, the resistance rapidly reduces to ~100 Ω. This decrease in resistances requires air and/or moisture and does not occur when the bell jar is `back-filled' with N2, O2 or 5% H2 + Ar. Since the resistance is a cross grain measurement and the change is so abrupt, the air exposure most likely affects the grain boundary chemistry.
A sensitivity study of printed wiring board vibrations using a statistical method

Abstract The dynamic behavior of a printed wiring (PW) board plays an important role in its reliability. One key parameter in determining such behavior is the fundamental frequency of the PW board. This paper shows how the sensitivity of the natural frequencies of the board with respect to some design variables can be studied using a statistical approach and how this can guide the experimental and modeling phases of the design.
Raman spectroscopic investigation on Jarosite-Yavapaiite stability.

Abstract The stability of synthetic Jarosite (KFe3(SO4)2(OH)6) at low temperature and reduced atmospheric pressure has been studied by Raman spectroscopy. Jarosite remains stable between 8 and 295 K, provided that the sample is not exposed to reduced atmospheric pressure. When exposed to reduced atmospheric pressure (2.0 × 10−2 Torr), however, the conversion of Jarosite into a different mineral is readily detected at room temperature by the appearance of a new Raman peak. The Raman shift of this peak (1032 cm−1) matches with that of Yavapaiite (KFe(SO4)2), which can be obtained by thermal decomposition of Jarosite above 473 K. These studies provide a better understanding of the stability of Jarosite subjected to conditions similar to that on the surface of Mars.
Simulated colonoscopy training using a low-cost physical model improves responsiveness of surgery interns

AIM Surgery residents are required to become proficient in colonoscopy before completing training. The aim of this study was to evaluate the responsiveness of surgery interns to simulated colonoscopy training. METHOD Interns, defined as postgraduate year 1 residents without exposure to endoscopy, underwent training in a physical model including colonoscopy, synthetic anatomy trays with luminal tattoos and a hybrid simulator. After baseline testing and mentored training, final testing was performed using five predetermined proficiency criteria. Content-valid metrics defined by the extent of departure from clinical reality were evaluated by two blinded assessors. Responsiveness was defined as change in performance over time and assessed comparing baseline testing with nonmentored final testing. RESULTS Twelve interns (eight male, mean age 26, 80% right-handed) performed 48 colonoscopies each over 1 year. Improvement was seen in the overall procedure time (24 min 46 s vs 20 min 54 s; P = 0.03), passing the splenic flexure (20 min 33 s vs 10 min 45 s; P = 0.007), passing the hepatic flexure (23 min 31 s vs 12 min 45 s; P = 0.003), caecal intubation time (23 min 38 s vs 13 min 26 s; P = 0.008), the duration of loss of view of the lumen (75% vs 8.3%; P = 0.023), incomplete colonoscopy (100% vs 33.3%; P = 0.042), colonoscope withdrawal < 6 min (16.7% vs 8.3%; P = 0.052). Tattoo identification time (9 min 16 s vs 12 min 25 s; P = 0.50), colon looped time (2 min 12 s vs 1 min 45 s; P = 0.50) and rate of colon perforation (8.3% vs 8.3%; P = 1) remained unchanged. Interrater reliability was 1.0 for all measures. CONCLUSION Simulated colonoscopy training in a low-cost physical model improved the performance of surgery interns with decreased procedure time, increased rates of complete colonoscopy and appropriate scope withdrawal.
An Investigation of Financial Spending and Distributive Justice Principles in NCAA Division I Athletic Departments

The Knight Commission cites two critical spending issues in Division I college athletics: the imbalance of rapidly rising expenditures against slow-moving revenues and the widening gap between wealthy conferences and struggling conferences (2009). The purpose of this study is to compare expenditure trends in men’s revenue sports, men’s non-revenue sports, and female sports from 2006–2009, to determine if differences in distributive justice principles exist in budget decisions of athletic departments that fall within three Division I classifications: Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS), Football Championship Subdivision (FCS), and the Non-Football Subdivision (Division I without Football). FBS institutions were found to almost completely abide by equity principles when making budgetary decisions while the FCS and Non-Football Subdivision made more decisions founded in principles of equality and need.
Planar glass waveguide ring resonators with gain

The frequency resolution of an active waveguide ring resonator spectrometer is fundamentally limited by spontaneous emission noise produced by the gain medium. A closed-form expression for this resolution is derived, and the result is used to determine the minimum, rms, angular rotation rate, random walk error achievable by an active ring resonator gyroscope. An active waveguide ring resonator is demonstrated in a neodymium-doped glass, and a finesse of 250 at a signal wavelength of 1060 nm is achieved for the 1.6 cm diameter ring under laser diode pumping. This finesse corresponds to an effective propagation loss on the order of 0.013 dB/cm, which is the lowest value reported to date for rings of this size.
Laboratory Measurements of Bed Load Sediment Transport Dynamics

A video technique has been developed to study the motion of individual sediment particles under waves. The technique was developed for moveable bed conditions under waves in the Davidson Laboratory's large wave tank. Experiments were conducted with grain sizes of 1, 2, and 3 mm. All runs were applied to a modified Shields diagram and accurately predicted the region of motion and no motion. This proves that shear stress is an accurate predictor of grain movement initiation for a flat bed. The individual particle velocities were also measured. An ensemble average of particle velocity with respect to wave phase compared well with Sleath's expression for instantaneous bed load transport.
Structural and functional organization of TRAP220, the TRAP/mediator subunit that is targeted by nuclear receptors.

The TRAP/Mediator complex serves as a coactivator for many transcriptional activators, including nuclear receptors such as the thyroid hormone receptor (TR) that targets the TRAP220 subunit. The critical but selective function of TRAP220 is evidenced by the embryonic lethal phenotype of Trap220−/− mice and by the observation that Trap220−/− fibroblasts (isolated before embryonic death) are impaired in specific nuclear receptor-dependent pathways. Here we have used a biochemical and genetic approach to understand the basis of specificity in TRAP220 function. We show that Trap220−/− cells possess a TRAP/Mediator complex that is relatively intact and compromised in its ability to support TR-dependent, but not VP16-dependent, transcription in vitro. Transfection studies using TRAP220 mutants revealed that the N terminus of TRAP220 is necessary and sufficient for stable association with the TRAP/Mediator complex and, further, that TRAP220-dependent TR function in transfected cells requires both of the NR boxes that contain the LXXLL motif implicated in nuclear receptor binding. Similarly, an analysis of isolated TRAP/Mediator complexes with mutations in either or both of the two NR boxes confirmed a critical role for them in in vitro coactivator function. The implications of these observations are discussed in terms of our present understanding of coactivator function.
Individual muscle contributions to circular turning mechanics

Turning is an activity of daily living that involves both the acceleration of the body center-of-mass (COM) towards the center of curvature and rotation of the pelvis towards the new heading. The purpose of this study was to understand which muscles contribute to turning using experimentation, musculoskeletal modeling and simulation. Ten healthy adults consented to walk around a 1-m radius circular path at their self-selected walking speed and then along a straight line at the same speed. Forward dynamics simulations of the individual subjects during the turning and straight-line walking tasks were generated to identify the contributions of individual muscle groups to the body mediolateral and anterior-posterior COM acceleration impulse and to the pelvis angular acceleration impulse. The stance leg gluteus medius and ankle plantarflexor muscles and the swing leg adductor muscles were the primary contributors to redirect the body's COM relative to straight-line walking. In some cases, contributions to mediolateral COM acceleration were modulated through changes in leg orientation rather than through changes in muscle force. While modulation of the muscle contributions generally occurred in both the inner and outer legs, greater changes were observed during inner single-leg support than during outer single-leg support. Total pelvis angular acceleration was minimal during the single-support phase, but the swing leg muscles contributed significantly to balancing the internal and external rotation of the pelvis. The understanding of which muscles contribute to turning the body during walking may help guide the development of more effective locomotor therapies for those with movement impairments.
Ecological niche conservation and differentiation in the wood‐feeding cockroaches, Cryptocercus, in the United States

The distribution of a species is determined by a set of ecological correlates (biotic and abiotic factors) and historical phenomena that define and constrain its ecological niche. By examining the geographical projection of the ecological niche, it is possible to identify areas that are suitable for the species ecologically but that are not actually inhabited. Previous studies have used such discords to anticipate the existence of undescribed species; the absence of species may also result from historical barriers that have prevented colonization of the area. Thus, discords between potential and realized niches of a species may result from aspects of the species’s biology (e.g. lack of dispersal ability, specific habitat requirements) or from barriers to dispersal. In this study, we developed ecological niche models of the five Nearctic species of wood-feeding cockroaches in the genus Cryptocercus. One species, C. clevelandi, occurs in the western USA and four (C. darwini, C. garciai, C. punctulatus, C. wrighti) are distributed in the Appalachian Mountains in the eastern USA. In general, modelled niches for all species showed ecological restriction relative to the total range of available conditions. Niche models for the eastern USA species predicted the geographical distributions of the other eastern USA species, with the exception of C. garciai, suggesting general overall conservatism in ecological characteristics. Some interspecific differences in modelled niches were also apparent. In general, C. clevelandi was predicted to occupy cooler and drier areas relative to the eastern USA species; among the eastern USA species, C. darwini and C. garciai were predicted to inhabit warmer areas relative to C. punctulatus and C. wrighti. Interspecific differences and similarities were consistent with the phylogenetic relationships among Cryptocercus species previously reported. © 2007 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2007, 90, 457–466.
Exclusion, engagement and identity construction in a socioeconomically diverse middle school wind band classroom

The purpose of this multiple case study was to explore the wind band classroom as a social context and examine its influence on middle-school students' identity constructions. The integration of sociologically based identity theory and social identity theory from social psychology suggested by Deaux and Martin as well as Stets and Burke proved most applicable to this inquiry. Findings in this study indicated that middle-school band students made choices regarding course enrolment based on influences of those around them. Based on others' affirmation or rejection of their competency in particular band classroom roles, they reevaluated whether they felt they belonged to the band. Those who felt rejected or less competent chose to enrol in other courses. Students who felt successful and found unique roles within the band more strongly identified with the group. Additionally, increased awareness of socio-economic status appeared to influence students' emerging musical identities.
Transverse joint details with tight bend diameter U-bars for accelerated bridge construction

AbstractThis paper focuses on an investigation of transverse joint details with tight bend diameter U-bars for accelerated bridge construction. It presents the testing results of potential alternate reinforcing materials and joint details in two phases. Headed bar and U-bar [stainless steel and deformed wire reinforcement (DWR)] specimens with the same joint detail configuration were tested and compared in Phase I, followed by testing of U-bars (DWR) with varied concrete strength, bar spacing, and overlap length in Phase II. Test results were evaluated based on tension capacity, cracking at service loading and failure, and steel strain. A strut-and-tie model is proposed to predict the tension capacity of a transverse joint, which is capable of identifying the most critical parameters and yields safe and consistent predictions. Based on the experimental results, a No. 5 U-bar joint detail with no less than 152 mm (6 in.) overlap length and No. 4 lacer bars was recommended.
Racial differences in IQ: Item analysis of the Stanford-Binet at 3 years

Abstract The present study explored the nature of differences in performance on the 3rd revision of the Stanford-Binet for groups and white preschoolers matched for parental education in two independent experiments. Large mean differences, favoring the white children, were found in both experiments. In addition, significant race × items interactions at level III, in both experiments, and level III-6, in Experiment 2, indicated that the differences in performance between blacks and whites were much larger on some items relative to others. Results were further examined by contrasting items on which black and white performance was not significantly different with items which showed large significant differences in performance.
The Role of Surface Diffusion in Dynamic Boundary Conditions: Where Do We Stand?

In this study, we investigate reaction-diffusion and elliptic-like equations with two classes of dynamic boundary conditions, of reactive and reactive-diffusive type. We provide sharp upper and lower bounds on the dimension of the global attractor in all these cases. In particular, we emphasize how surface diffusion can act as a damping force in reducing the degree of complexity in these systems. We obtain a new Weyl asymptotic law for eigenvalue sequences associated with a family of perturbed Wentzell operators which is of independent interest.
Nerve growth factor-dependence of herpes simplex virus latency in peripheral sympathetic and sensory neurons in vitro

Previously, we reported that nerve growth factor (NGF) is required to maintain herpes simplex virus (HSV) latency in cultures of rat sympathetic neurons (Wilcox and Johnson, 1987, 1988). Here, we extend these results by showing that NGF was also required to maintain HSV latency in cultures of sensory neurons obtained from dorsal root ganglia of rats, monkeys, and humans. The interruption of the neuronal supply of NGF for 1 hr reactivated HSV, indicating that the latent virus was exquisitely sensitive to perturbations in the concentration or binding of NGF. A species-specific monoclonal antibody directed against the human NGF-receptor, which blocks NGF binding, reactivated latent HSV in human, but not rat, sensory neurons. In contrast, a monoclonal antibody against the rat NGF-receptor, which binds the receptor without blocking NGF action, did not produce reactivation. These results indicate that the effects of NGF on HSV latency are mediated via NGF binding to the NGF receptor. In addition, treatments that interfere with specific steps in the transduction of the NGF signal, including treatment with 6-hydroxydopamine and colchicine, reactivated latent HSV. Further, in neurons harboring latent virus, interruption of protein synthesis or RNA transcription for 1 hr resulted in viral reactivation, suggesting that a short-lived factor may be present in neurons which represses viral reactivation.
A [2]Catenane-Based Solid State Electronically Reconfigurable Switch

A solid state, electronically addressable, bistable [2]catenane-based molecular switching device was fabricated from a single monolayer of the [2]catenane, anchored with phospholipid counterions, and sandwiched between an n-type polycrystalline silicon bottom electrode and a metallic top electrode. The device exhibits hysteretic (bistable) current/voltage characteristics. The switch is opened at +2 volts, closed at −2 volts, and read at ∼0.1 volt and may be recycled many times under ambient conditions. A mechanochemical mechanism for the action of the switch is presented and shown to be consistent with temperature-dependent measurements of the device operation.
Cancer mutation signatures, DNA damage mechanisms, and potential clinical implications

Knowledge of cancer genomic DNA sequences has created unprecedented opportunities for mutation studies. Computational analyses have begun to decipher mutational signatures that identify underlying causes. A recent analysis encompassing 30 cancer types reported 20 distinct mutation signatures, resulting from ultraviolet light, deficiencies in DNA replication and repair, and unexpectedly large contributions from both spontaneous and APOBEC-catalyzed DNA cytosine deamination. Mutational signatures have the potential to become diagnostic, prognostic, and therapeutic biomarkers as well as factors in therapy development.
The Potential for Economic Application of Maskless Lithography in Semiconductor Manufacturing

Maskless lithography has never played more than a niche role in semiconductor manufacturing, but with costs of masks for hard layers rising and the numbers of masks purchased over product lifetimes increasing, there is renewed interest today in maskless lithography. We assess the economics of production application of maskless lithography at the 45-nm technology node assuming the availability of a maskless lithography tool with various throughput capabilities. The analysis finds that selective and shrewd application of maskless lithography to layers with the most expensive masks and shortest mask lives would be economically attractive to many fabrication operations even for 300-mm maskless tool throughputs less than five wafers per hour. While a vendor of the desired maskless tools does not now exist, the business case for such a vendor is shown to be promising.
A note on effluent charges and market structure

The purpose of this paper is to reexamine the role of market structure for effluent charges. Tax systems based on minimizing the resource input costs of pollution abatement versus those which also consider the value of the output vectors associated with pre- and post-tax allocations are compared. A simple model is developed which shows that efficient resource allocation in the presence of product market distortions and a pollution externality requires two policy instruments.
The genetic and molecular organization of the dense cluster of functionally related, vital genes in the DOPA decarboxylase region of the Drosophila melanogaster genome.

The presence in the genome of clusters of functionally related genes exhibiting some sequence homology with each other has generally been interpreted to be due to the previous occurrence of the appropriate number of gene duplication events along with varying amounts of subsequent, divergent evolution of the duplicated genes. Just how far the genes within a cluster have diverged probably has been dependent on a number of different factors such as how early in the phylogeny the duplication event occurred, dosage considerations, i.e., the need for large amounts of more or less identical proteins or RNA molecules, and selective pressures to maintain similar, but new functions. Furthermore, the existence of clusters of duplicated genes, some of which may include pseudogenes, may be due to random chance, with the duplications providing no selective advantage or disadvantage to the organism (Loomis and Gilpin 1986). On the other hand, clusters of homologous, but diverged genes with related functions may be maintained in the genome to facilitate the coordinate or sequential regulation of genes in time and space.
Raman Spectroscopy of Thin Organic Films by Integrated Optical Techniques

Vibrational spectroscopy of molecules at the surfaces of thin films has become increasingly important for surface studies. Enhancement mechanisms are however needed to improve the signal to noise ratio in order to observe these surface molecules. To this end integrated optical techniques have been utilized to measure the resonant and nonresonant Raman spectra of some organic molecules in thin films ranging in thickness from 3 to 80 nm. These films were deposited on glass optical waveguides and laser radiation was coupled into the layered structure by prism coupling techniques. The streak of light in the waveguide was focused onto the slit of a JY RAMANOR HG-2S double monochromator to collect the Raman scattered light. The increased optical intensity and scattering volume (the optical ray makes the order of a thousand reflections) enabled us to obtain high S/N spectra, therefore making this technique very generally applicable to the study of organic and polymeric thin films. Our non-resonant Raman results on thin films of poly(styrene) and our resonant Raman results on a Langmuir-Blodgett monolayer of squarylium and cyanine dyes will be presented as well as details of the method.
Establishing Diagnosis of Chronic Abdominal Pain: Gastroenterologist View

Chronic abdominal pain is a common presentation to gastroenterology clinic. While most patients will have a functional disorder, some may have a serious or life-threatening illness. This duality leads to a challenge of performing appropriate testing to exclude serious illness, while avoiding excessive testing in patients with a functional disorder. Evaluation begins with a thorough history and physical examination which helps direct subsequent testing. Laboratory tests range from general screens for systemic disease, to specific tests of rarer conditions. Radiologic imaging detects structural abnormalities and can focus on particular areas of interest (MRCP for biliary tract evaluation, CT angiogram for arterial evaluation, etc.). Endoscopy can evaluate mucosal and intraluminal disease. Endoscopic ultrasound provides high resolution imaging of organs surrounding the upper gastrointestinal tract, while allowing fine needle aspiration of lesions. Endoscopic retrograde cholangiopancreatography (ERCP) is the gold standard of biliary tract evaluation and treatment, but careful selection is necessary due to its risk profile. This chapter reviews the diagnostic process and tools that are available to a gastroenterologist in the evaluation of chronic abdominal pain.
Nipple Angiofibromas with Loss of TSC2 Are Associated with Tuberous Sclerosis Complex

Nevertheless, our ability to identify meaningful differences between these two populations suggests that this is a reasonable cutpoint. One hypothesis for the increasing incidence rates of early-onset BCC has been increased awareness and skin surveillance. However, lesion size has not decreased over time, as might be anticipated if earlier detection were the underlying cause of increased incidence (Christenson et al., 2005). Our results likewise suggest that early-onset BCC is associated with aggressive histologic characteristics, as opposed to a less aggressive phenotype that might be expected if surveillance bias were operating. Although additional studies are needed, these results suggest there may be underlying biological differences between earlyand late-onset BCC.
The role of Gesture in instructional communication: evidence from an early algebra lesson

Little is known about how teachers vary their communicative behavior in order to scaffold students' understanding in naturalistic instructional settings. We examined a teacher's instructional discourse and gesture use during a sixth-grade mathematics lesson that focused on algebraic equations. Informed by prior research in non-educational settings, we hypothesized that the teacher would regularly use gesture to "ground" her verbal utterances, and that she would exhibit more gestures for aspects of the lesson content that are more abstract. We found that the teacher frequently used gestures with instructional utterances, and that she used more gesture when discussing abstract concepts and referents. Pointing was the most frequent grounding act overall, and was often used to highlight abstract relations between referents (e.g., the pan balance and the equation). Representational gestures were next most frequent, and often served to provide a familiar ground (such as removing equal objects) for new, abstract ideas (canceling out equal variables). Gesture thus seems to serve as a form of scaffolding. It may also provide insights into teachers' expectations about difficult material as well as their beliefs about student knowledge and conceptual development.
Classification of Aedes by Numerical Taxonomic Methods (Diptera: Culicidae)

The procedures of numerical taxonomy were applied to 48 species of Aedes mosquitoes, of which 45 were from North America. Seventy-one characters from the larvae and 77 from the adults were expressed in numerical codes. Distance coefficients were computed between pairs of species after the characters had been standardized. The phenetic relationships were summarized in the form of a dendrogram by the unweighted pair group method of cluster analysis, using arithmetic averages (UPGMA). Much agreement was found between the relationships indicated by this dendrogram and the current classification, but changes in the current classification were also indicated. Some of the more noteworthy changes are: the fulvus species group should be raised to the subgeneric level ( Chrysoconops Goeldi); the subgenus Culicelsa should be lowered to the species group level ( taeniorhynchus species group); sierrensis should be returned to the subgenus Finlaya ; and within the subgenus Ochlerotatus the communis species group should be split, and minor codifications made in the other species groups.
Visualizing Vapor Pressure: A Mechanical Demonstration of Liquid–Vapor Phase Equilibrium

AbstractWater phase transitions are central to climate and weather. Yet it is a common experience that the principles of phase equilibrium are challenging to understand and teach. A simple mechanical analogy has been developed to demonstrate key principles of liquid evaporation and the temperature dependence of equilibrium vapor pressure. The system is composed of a circular plate with a central depression and several hundred metal balls. Mechanical agitation of the plate causes the balls to bounce and interact in much the same statistical way that molecules do in real liquid–vapor systems. The data, consisting of the number of balls escaping the central well at different forcing energies, exhibit a logarithmic dependence on the reciprocal of the applied energy (analogous to thermal energy kBT) that is similar to that given by Boltzmann statistics and the Clausius–Clapeyron equation. These results demonstrate that the enthalpy (i.e., latent heat) of evaporation is well interpreted as the potential energy ...
Levodopa : pharmacology pharmacokinetics, and pharmacodynamics

The success of L-dopa therapy in patients with Parkinson's disease and the concepts discussed in this article are summarized in Figure 6. Even in advanced stages of disease, 80% of parkinsonian disability remains responsive to L-dopa therapy. The 50% of the response contaminated by response fluctuations should be viewed, at least in part, as a hopeful sign that the system is still responding to L-dopa therapy. Unfortunately suboptimal control of response fluctuations is still a source of consternation for patient and treating physicians alike. Response fluctuations notwithstanding, it should be emphasized that patients actually do better at every stage of disease for having been on L-dopa, as recently confirmed in a retrospective study of the relationship between response fluctuations and the timing of initiation of therapy. To the extent that the increasing frequency, amplitude, and complexity of response fluctuations add to the overall parkinsonian disability, the phenomenon demands a better understanding that will hopefully lead to better corrective or preventive measures.
To Dust or Not To Dust: a Systematic Review of Ureteroscopic Laser Lithotripsy Techniques.

Purpose of Review This review discusses factors affecting outcomes during ureteroscopy (URS) with laser lithotripsy (LL), explores specific clinical challenges to the efficacy of URS LL, and reviews the available literature comparing the dusting and basketing approaches to URS LL.
House or Lineage? How Intracemetery Kinship Analysis Contributes to the Debate in the Maya Area

Houses and lineages are both named, corporate units of social organization defined in part on the connection between people and place. They are distinguished from one another by the relative emphasis on biological descent in societies organized on the basis of corporate group membership. Over the past 15 years, researchers have debated whether ancient Maya social organization was characterized by house or lineage organization. Drawing on ethnographic, epigraphic, and archaeological data, researchers have concluded that the ancient Maya had some characteristics of house societies, but that biological descent was an important principle. One relevant line of evidence conspicuously absent from this debate is biological distance analysis as a means of identifying patterns of biological relatedness within sites. In this chapter we review intracemetery analyses from Mesoamerica, focusing on the Maya area, and discuss what, if any, insight such analyses of biological spatial organization might bring to bear on the house versus lineage debate. We suggest that the use of biological distance analysis will not resolve debates about the relevant importance of house and biological lineage in ancient Maya society, but increasing incorporation of intracemetery analyses within existing research programs will help identify those the circumstances in which biological kinship was emphasized in Maya society. As such, intracemetery biodistance adds an important and independent line of evidence that is currently underutilized in studies of ancient Maya social organization.
The Identity Trap: Managing Paradox in Intractable Conflict

While much has been written about intractable conflict by Peter Coleman (2003), Daniel Bar-Tal (2000) and others, Saadia Touval (1992) raises the point that identity issues clearly complicate efforts to manage an ultimately resolve such conflicts. The purpose of this paper is to explain how conflicts degenerate into an intractable form focusing on the construct of identity. I will argue that disputants often fall into an identity trap that disables them from seeing more constructive paths of problem solving. The identity trap emerges when parties build relational parameters that ultimately results in a relational paradox that escalates the importance of identity that inherently limits rational problem solving. To understand this argument, this paper explores what we know about how relational frames emerge in conflict.
Preclinical Trials for Stem Cell Therapy

Stem cell-based therapy holds great promise for the treatment of human diseases attributable to the loss or dysfunction of a single cell type. However, before stem cells can be used clinically, their safety and efficacy must be clearly established. This is particularly important for endocrine applications in which hormone replacement treatments are available. Indeed, new stem cell-based treatments must meet or exceed the gold standard already established for safety and efficacy (1). Traditional hormone replacement therapies are, however, frequently inadequate, either overtreating or undertreating the respective disorder. Stem cell therapies could offer the significant advantage of linking hormone release to physiologic stimuli resulting in improved hormonal control. This potential must be established and the risks assessed through rigorous preclinical testing before stem cell-based therapies are applied to humans.
Optimal control problems for distributed parameter systems governed by semilinear parabolic equations in l1 and l∞ spaces

We consider the infinite dimensional nonlinear programming problem of minimizing a real valued function f0(u) defined in a metric space V subject to the constraint f(u) e Y, where f(u) is defined in V and takes values in a Banach space E and Y is a subset of E. We use an extension of a theorem of Kuhn — Tucker type due to Frankowska to obtain Pontryagin's maximum principle for distributed parameter systems described by semilinear parabolic equations in spaces of bounded measurable functions and spaces of regular measures, under general assumptions on the nonlinear term.
Discussion on the key aspects of risk control and problems of quality management systems for allogeneic bone products

From the view of the potential risks of allogeneic bone products in clinical use. the key aspects of risk control and quality management for these products are discussed, as well as the general problems existing in the quality management system of their production enterprises in China are briefly introduced.
Electrothermal characterization of AlMn transition-edge sensor bolometers for advanced ACTPol

Current and future Cosmic Microwave Background (CMB) polarization anisotropy measurements demand large (104-105) numbers of high-performing detectors in order to unveil minute signals. At the forefront of the detector options available to this field are transition-edge sensor (TES) bolometers, which use superconducting thin films as extremely sensitive thermistors. Understanding the behavior of these TESes is critical to leveraging their full potential and identifying trade-offs between robustness and sensitivity in their design. In this work, we report on measurements of TES bolometers designed for the Advanced ACTPol (AdvACT) upgrade to the Atacama Cosmology Telescope (ACT). Using a three-stage SQUID amplifier chain, time-division multiplexing electronics, and an external signal generator, we characterize the impedance and noise properties of a set of test TES bolometers measured in the laboratory, encompassing various designs, over a wide signal band. Using the impedance data, we are able to explore deviations from the assumed bolometer model in use for TES design and instrument sensitivity forecasts. Modeling these deviations as the result of decoupling of bolometer elements, we extract parameters describing this extended model. We are then able to compare the noise spectra of the devices to forward modeling based on the TES parameters in the extended model. We explore how excess noise varies, and conclude with a discussion of how our results can be useful for designing future TES arrays based on the expected impact of the measured effects on instrumental sensitivities, and the relevance of these results to bolometer designs for upcoming CMB experiments like Simons Observatory and CMB-S4.
Tuberculosis Incidence Among Populations at High Risk in California, Florida, New York, and Texas, 2011–2015

Objectives. To illustrate the magnitude of between-state heterogeneities in tuberculosis (TB) incidence among US populations at high risk for TB that may help guide state-specific strategies for TB...
Long‐term effects of vehicular passages on soil carbon sequestration and carbon dioxide emission in a no‐till corn‐soybean rotation on a Crosby silt loam in Central Ohio, USA

Research information from a systematic planned study on the effects of vehicular passages and axle load on soil carbon dioxide (CO₂) fluxes and soil carbon (C) sequestration under long‐term NT farming is scanty. Therefore, the present study was conducted on an on‐going 20‐year experiment to assess the impacts of variable vehicular passages of a low axle load on soil CO₂ emission and soil C sequestration from a no‐till (NT) managed corn (Zea mays L.)–soybean (Glycine max Linneo) rotation in comparison with that a soil under woodlots (soils under natural wooded plantation). The experimental treatment consisted of an empty wagon [0 Mg load for compaction (C‐0; control)] compared with 2 (C‐2) and 4 (C‐4) passages of 2.5 Mg water wagon axle load, applied to the entire plot every year during April/May for 20 consecutive years. Soil samples were obtained in November 2016 to determine the effects of various vehicular passages on C and nitrogen (N) contents and CO₂ emissions. Soil CO₂ fluxes were measured from November 16, 2016, to May 30, 2017, on the bi‐weekly (November to December and April to May) and monthly (January to March) basis by using high‐density polyvinyl chloride static gas chambers. The soil CO₂ fluxes ranged from –1.05 to 9.03 g CO₂ m⁻² d⁻¹. The lowest soil CO₂ fluxes were observed in December coinciding with the minimum soil temperature. In general, daily soil CO₂ fluxes were higher under C‐0 than those under other treatments. Vehicular traffic and axle load reduced the cumulative emission of CO₂ by 22.6 and 29.8% under C‐2 and C‐4, respectively, compared with that under C‐0 (6.09 Mg ha⁻¹). Soil and air temperatures had a significant positive correlation with the diurnal fluxes of soil CO₂ in all the treatments except that under C‐4. Electrical conductivity, soil C and N contents and pools did not differ significantly among the treatments. Further, 2 to 4 passages of vehicles with 2.5 Mg of axle load decreased the soil CO₂ emission on Crosby silt loam under NT as compared to that under the control. Therefore, continuous cultivation of row crops with moderate trafficking under NT and residue retention is recommended, and it also reduces the potential of soil CO₂ emission while improving the soil organic C pools of well‐drained soils of Central Ohio.
Measuring electronic structure properties of flavins and flavoproteins by electronic Stark spectroscopy

The optical spectrum of a flavoprotein is one of its signature properties. No two flavoprotein absorption spectra are exactly alike as each encodes the details of the interaction of the flavin cofactor electronic structure with the specific protein binding pocket. Electronic Stark spectroscopy has the potential to elucidate these interactions with high sensitivity, at low cost, and requiring minimal technical sophistication. In this chapter we will outline the theoretical basis for Stark spectroscopy and describe the construction of the Stark spectrometer. Step-by-step instructions are given for acquiring and interpreting Stark spectra to retrieve difference moments of the flavin ground versus excited state charge distributions.
Hydration-state-modulated morphology, wetting and vapor permeation of the Opuntia surface

Self-regulating membranes that adjust mass transfer in response to environmental stimuli occur in nature and have a wide range of potential industrial applications. Inspired by the vapor transport ...
Evaluating the performance of past climate model projections

Author Posting. © American Geophysical Union, 2020. This article is posted here by permission of American Geophysical Union for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Geophysical Research Letters 47(1), (2020): e2019GL085378, doi:10.1029/2019GL085378.
Hölder Continuity of the Integrated Density of States for the Fibonacci Hamiltonian

We obtain the asymptotics of the optimal global Holder exponent of the integrated density of states of the Fibonacci Hamiltonian for large and small couplings.
The Timing and Abundance of IL-2Rβ (CD122) Expression Control Thymic i NKT Cell Generation and NKT1 Subset Differentiation

Invariant NKT (iNKT) cells are thymus-generated innate-like T cells, comprised of three distinct subsets with divergent effector functions. The molecular mechanism that drives the lineage trifurcation of immature iNKT cells into the NKT1, NKT2, and NKT17 subsets remains a controversial issue that remains to be resolved. Because cytokine receptor signaling is necessary for iNKT cell generation, cytokines are proposed to contribute to iNKT subset differentiation also. However, the precise roles and requirements of cytokines in these processes are not fully understood. Here, we show that IL-2Rβ, a nonredundant component of the IL-15 receptor complex, plays a critical role in both the development and differentiation of thymic iNKT cells. While the induction of IL-2Rβ expression on postselection thymocytes is necessary to drive the generation of iNKT cells, surprisingly, premature IL-2Rβ expression on immature iNKT cells was detrimental to their development. Moreover, while IL-2Rβ is necessary for NKT1 generation, paradoxically, we found that the increased abundance of IL-2Rβ suppressed NKT1 generation without affecting NKT2 and NKT17 cell differentiation. Thus, the timing and abundance of IL-2Rβ expression control iNKT lineage fate and development, thereby establishing cytokine receptor expression as a critical regulator of thymic iNKT cell differentiation.
Evolution of Single-Use Urologic Endoscopy: Benchtop and Initial Clinical Assessment of a New Single-Use Flexible Cystoscope.

Introduction Office cystoscopy is one of the most frequently performed procedures by a urologist. However, single-use cystoscopes remain quite undeveloped. Ambu® has developed single-use broncoscopes, rhinolaryngoscopes and duodenoscopes. Recently, they released a single-use cystoscope. In this study, we performed a benchtop and initial clinical assessment of the Ambu® aScope™ (4) Cysto single-use cystoscope. Methods Ten new, never-used Ambu® aScope™ (4) Cysto single-use cystoscopes were assessed for optical performance, maximal tip flexion and irrigation flow rate with empty working channel, 365μm laser fiber, 0.035in hydrophilic-tipped wire, 1.9Fr nitinol basket and a 1.8mm flexible stent grasper. All cystoscopes were then fully flexed 25 times in each direction, and maximal flexion angles were re-measured with and without instruments. Optical resolution, distortion, and depth of field was measured and compared to our reusable digital flexible cystoscopes. Assessment of clinical use was performed for inpatient bedside procedures using a Likert feedback survey and the NASA Task-Load-Index. Results Maximal upward flexion exceeded 200○ and 160○ for all working instruments in upward and downward flexion. Downward flexion demonstrated different flexion between instrument groups in pre- and post-cycling (p<0.001). There was no clinical difference between the pre- or post-cycling flexion. Flow rate decreased with increasing working instrument size (p<0.001). The Olympus HD cystoscope resolution was superior at 3mm and 5mm distance, but not at other distances. The Ambu® scope was superior to the Olympus SD scope at all distances except 3mm. The aScope™ (4) Cysto had higher Likert scale survey scores for clinical use. Conclusions The new Ambu® single-use cystoscope demonstrates good flexion across instruments and comparable optics to reusable cystoscopes. Additionally, initial inpatient bedside use of the aScope™ (4) Cysto and Monitor system compares favorably to the Olympus reusable cystoscope. Further testing in clinical scenarios such as hematuria, urothelial carcinoma and operative endoscopy is warranted.