cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Food Microbiology Classroom Activity to Draw Connections between Microbes and Students’ Lives‡

Fermented foods have been prepared for millennia and every society around the world has traditional fermented foods and/or beverages that are identified with that culture. This is an excellent opportunity to help students draw connections between their everyday lives and the microbial sciences. At the same time, this is also a great way to encourage cultural awareness and acceptance. This manuscript describes an active learning approach used in a general microbiology course to encourage students to learn about fermented foods from around the world and share their discoveries with their colleagues. As a group we also spend time discussing some of the lesser known roles microbes have in food preparation such as the production of food additives or in modifying starting ingredients. At the end of the semester, students have the opportunity to sample a variety of foods associated with microbes in a “microbe lunch”. We will also describe the use of similar activities in outreach to foster dialogue between scientists and the general public.
Peer Influence on Teens' Usage of Marijuana and Tobacco Use and Urinary Biomarkers

Background Adolescent dual use of marijuana and tobacco is well documented. In this secondary analysis of self-report survey data (n=517 adolescents, ages 12-21) and urinary biomarkers we sought to: 1. Describe influence of friends’ marijuana and tobacco use on both marijuana and tobacco usage. 2. Describe the relationship between friends’ marijuana and tobacco use on urinary biomarkers (THC, cotinine) for marijuana (THC) and tobacco users (cotinine). Methods: Bivariate and multivariable linear regression analyses were conducted using SPSS 26. Marijuana, e-cigarette, and cigarette users were categorized in 5 groups: …
Harnessing adipose stem cell diversity in regenerative medicine.

Since the first isolation of mesenchymal stem cells from lipoaspirate in the early 2000s, adipose tissue has been a darling of regenerative medicine. It is abundant, easy to access, and contains high concentrations of stem cells (ADSCs) exhibiting multipotency, proregenerative paracrine signaling, and immunomodulation—a winning combination for stem cell-based therapeutics. While basic science, preclinical and clinical findings back up the translational potential of ADSCs, the vast majority of these used cells from a single location—subcutaneous abdominal fat. New data highlight incredible diversity in the adipose morphology and function in different anatomical locations or depots. Even in isolation, ADSCs retain a memory of this diversity, suggesting that the optimal adipose source material for ADSC isolation may be application specific. This review discusses our current understanding of the heterogeneity in the adipose organ, how that heterogeneity translates into depot-specific ADSC characteristics, and how atypical ADSC populations might be harnessed for regenerative medicine applications. While our understanding of the breadth of ADSC heterogeneity is still in its infancy, clear trends are emerging for application-specific sourcing to improve regenerative outcomes.
Measurements of jet quenching with semi-inclusive charged jet distributions in Au + Au collisions at s NN = 200 GeV

Abstract We report measurements of jet quenching in Au+Au collisions at s NN = 200 GeV , based on the semi-inclusive distribution of reconstructed charged particle jets recoiling from a high p T hadron trigger. Jets are reconstructed with the anti- k T algorithm ( R = 0.2 to 0.5), with low IR-cutoff of track constituents ( p T > 0.2 GeV / c ) . Uncorrelated background is corrected using a novel mixed-event technique, with no fragmentation bias imposed by the correction procedure on the accepted recoil jet population. Corrected recoil jet distributions, reported in the range 0 p T , j e t ch 30 GeV / c , are used to measure jet yield suppression, jet energy loss, and intra-jet broadening. The first search for QCD Moliere scattering of jets in hot QCD matter at RHIC is reported.
MCD Spectra of Charge-Transfer Transitions: Octahedral Ir4+

The utility of magnetic circular dichroism (MCD) spectroscopy is now well recognized, and its application to the octahedral transition metal hexahalides provides an excellent example of the power of the technique. In this short report, attention will he focussed on one ‘simple’ example, the Ir4+ ion, in preference to an attempt to survey the considerable number of hexahalides that have now been studied in detail. A study of Ir4+ illustrates many of the features of MCD spectroscopy both at low and high resolution as well as demonstrating important characteristics of the lower energy ligand-to-metal charge-transfer (C.T.) transitions in hexahalides.
Suppressor function of liver mononuclear cells isolated during murine chronic graft-vs-host disease. II. Role of prostaglandins and interferon-gamma.

Mononuclear inflammatory cells (MC) isolated from the livers and spleens of mice with chronic graft-vs-host disease (CGVHD) to minor histocompatibility antigens (B10.D2----BALB/c) show defective proliferation when stimulated with Con A and LPS. In turn, both CGVHD liver and spleen cells suppress the proliferation of mitogen-stimulated normal spleen cells in a genetically unrestricted manner. The suppressor activity of CGVHD spleen cells is mediated by plastic nonadherent null (natural suppressor) cells and involves a soluble suppressor factor(s). In contrast, the suppressor activity of CGVHD liver cells is mediated by macrophages (M phi). In the current studies we show that the suppressor activity of CGVHD liver cells is also mediated by soluble factors and compare the roles of prostaglandins and interferon (IFN)-gamma in mediating defective proliferation and suppressor activities of CGVHD liver and spleen MC. Monoclonal antibody to IFN-gamma partially reversed the defective mitogen-stimulated proliferation of CGVHD spleen MC but had no effect on proliferative response of CGVHD liver MC. Indomethacin did not alter the low proliferative response of either CGVHD liver or spleen MC. Anti-IFN-gamma inhibited the ability of CGVHD spleen cells to suppress proliferation of Con A and LPS-stimulated B10.D2 spleen cells. In contrast, anti-IFN-gamma resulted in a small decrease in the ability of liver MC to suppress Con A (but not LPS)-stimulated cell proliferation. Indomethacin decreased the ability of both CGVHD liver and spleen cells to suppress Con A-stimulated proliferation but had inconsistent effects on LPS-stimulated proliferation. These results show that IFN-gamma and prostaglandins partially mediate the suppressor activity of CGVHD spleen MC. The suppressor activity of CGVHD liver MC also involves prostaglandins but is relatively independent of IFN-gamma.
Managing neurobehavioral capability when social expediency trumps biological imperatives.

Sleep, which is evolutionarily conserved across species, is a biological imperative that cannot be ignored or replaced. However, the percentage of habitually sleep-restricted adults has increased in recent decades. Extended work hours and commutes, shift work schedules, and television viewing are particularly potent social factors that influence sleep duration. Chronic partial sleep restriction, a product of these social expediencies, leads to the accumulation of sleep debt over time and consequently increases sleep propensity, decreases alertness, and impairs critical aspects of cognitive functioning. Significant interindividual variability in the neurobehavioral responses to sleep restriction exists—this variability is stable and phenotypic—suggesting a genetic basis. Identifying vulnerability to sleep loss is essential as many adults cannot accurately judge their level of impairment in response to sleep restriction. Indeed, the consequences of impaired performance and the lack of insight due to sleep loss can be catastrophic. In order to cope with the effects of social expediencies on biological imperatives, identification of biological (including genetic) and behavioral markers of sleep loss vulnerability as well as development of technological approaches for fatigue management are critical.
Perturbative time and frequency allocations for RFID reader networks

RFID reader networks often have to operate in frequency and time constrained regimes. One approach to the allocation of frequency and time to various readers in such regimes is to perturb the network slightly so as to ease the constraints. We investigate how to perform these perturbations in a manner that is profitable from time and frequency allocation point of view.
Income Tax Discrimination and the Political and Economic Integration of Europe

In recent years, the European Court of Justice (ECJ) has invalidated many income tax law provisions of EU member states as violating the guarantees of the European constitutional treaties of freedom of movement for goods, services, persons, and capital. These decisions have not, however, been matched by significant European income tax legislation, because no European political institution has the power to enact such legislation without unanimous consent from the member states. Under the treaties, the member states have retained a veto power over income tax legislation. In this Article, we describe how the developing ECJ jurisprudence threatens the ability of member states to use tax incentives to stimulate their domestic economies and to resolve problems of international double taxation. We conclude that the ECJ approach is ultimately incoherent because it constitutes an impossible quest - in the absence of harmonized income tax bases and rates throughout Europe - to eliminate discrimination based on both origin and destination of economic activity. We also compare the ECJ's jurisprudence with the resolution of related issues in the U.S. taxation of interstate commerce and international taxation. Finally, we consider the potential responses of both the European Union and the United States to these developments.
Requirements for service composition in ultra-large scale software-intensive systems

Ultra-Large Scale Software-Intensive Systems (ULSSIS) are integrated networks of capabilities that serve large communities of stakeholders and have a broad spectrum of crosscutting concerns. The added value of an ULSSIS emerges from the interplay of a set of constituent systems, both existing and emerging systems. We see the systems-of-systems integration challenge as a major concern for ULSSIS. System integration has to address systematic and seamless composition of services, consider upfront crosscutting concerns such as policy and security, assure system dependability and quality of service, and show agility to deal with changes in the requirements and the environment in which the ULSSIS operates. In this paper, we present some of the challenges for service composition, propose an architectural style for addressing them, and discuss the experience gain in designing an ULSSIS, namely the infrastructure for ocean observatories.
Psychoanalytic Diagnosis: Understanding Personality Structure in the Clinical Process

Introduction. A Comment on Terminology. A Comment on Tone. Part I. Conceptual Issues. Why Diagnose? Psychoanalytic Character Diagnosis. Developmental Levels of Personality Organization. Clinical Implications of Developmental Levels of Organization. Primary (Primitive) Defensive Processes. Secondary (Higher-Order). Part II. Types of Character Organization. Psychopathic (Antisocial) Personalities. Narcissistic Personalities. Schizoid Personalities. Paranoid Personalities. Depressive and Manic Personalities. Masochistic (Self-Defeating). Obsessive and Compulsive Personalities. Hysterical (Histrionic) Personalities. Dissociative Personalities. Appendix: Suggested Diagnostic Interview Format. References. Author Index. Subject Index.
An insecure base: Attachment style and orienting response to positive stimuli

In adults as in infants, psychological attachment to close others provides a "secure base" for exploration and pursuit of opportunities. Insecure attachment is likely to interfere with this function. The present study examined the association of individual differences in adult attachment style with peripheral physiological measures of automatic orienting to several kinds of positive, rewarding stimuli. Attachment style was largely unrelated to extent of heart rate deceleration in response to the appearance of positive emotion-eliciting images. However, attachment avoidance was associated with reduced skin conductance responding to the onset of several kinds of positive stimuli. These findings suggest that working models of relationships with close others have complex implications for the early stages of responding to opportunities for reward presented by the environment.
Intimate Partner Violence and Subsequent Depression: Examining the Roles of Neighborhood Supportive Mechanisms

This study examines the direct effects of neighborhood supportive mechanisms (e.g., collective efficacy, social cohesion, social networks) on depressive symptoms among females as well as their moderating effects on the impact of IPV on subsequent depressive symptoms. A multilevel, multivariate Rasch model was used with data from the Project on Human Development in Chicago Neighborhoods to assess the existence of IPV and later susceptibility of depressive symptoms among 2959 adult females in 80 neighborhoods. Results indicate that neighborhood collective efficacy, social cohesion, social interactions, and the number of friends and family in the neighborhood reduce the likelihood that females experience depressive symptoms. However, living in areas with high proportions of friends and relatives exacerbates the impact of IPV on females’ subsequent depressive symptoms. The findings indicate that neighborhood supportive mechanisms impact interpersonal outcomes in both direct and moderating ways, although direct effects were more pronounced for depression than moderating effects. Future research should continue to examine the positive and potentially mitigating influences of neighborhoods in order to better understand for whom and under which circumstances violent relationships and mental health are influenced by contextual factors.
Multivariate search for differentially expressed gene combinations.

Background To identify differentially expressed genes, it is standard practice to test a two-sample hypothesis for each gene with a proper adjustment for multiple testing. Such tests are essentially univariate and disregard the multidimensional structure of microarray data. A more general two-sample hypothesis is formulated in terms of the joint distribution of any sub-vector of expression signals.
Open-Source Data and the Study of Homicide:

To date, no discussion has taken place in the social sciences as to the appropriateness of using open-source data to augment, or replace, official data sources in homicide research. The purpose of this article is to examine whether open-source data have the potential to be used as a valid and reliable data source in testing theory and studying homicide. Official and open-source homicide data were collected as a case study in a single jurisdiction over a 1-year period. The data sets were compared to determine whether open-sources could recreate the population of homicides and variable responses collected in official data. Open-source data were able to replicate the population of homicides identified in the official data. Also, for every variable measured, the open-sources captured as much, or more, of the information presented in the official data. Also, variables not available in official data, but potentially useful for testing theory, were identified in open-sources. The results of the case study show that open-source data are potentially as effective as official data in identifying individual- and situational-level characteristics, provide access to variables not found in official homicide data, and offer geographic data that can be used to link macro-level characteristics to homicide events.
The probability of a real fact

Any statistical observational unit is probabilistic. The probability of such a unit has to be computed on the basis of homogeneous data if we do not want to violate the basic principle of the calculus of probability. The model of the homogeneous representativeness can be employed to test data for homogeneity.
An integrated onboard charger and accessory power converter using WBG devices

Integrating the function of onboard battery charging into the traction drive system and accessory dc-dc converter in plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) is shown to significantly reduce the cost and increase the power density of onboard chargers due to a substantially reduced component count. Replacing silicon (Si) based power devices with wide-band-gap (WBG) devices can further increase the power density and efficiency and lower the cost as WBG device technology matures and production volume increases. This paper presents a bidirectional integrated onboard charger (OBC) and accessory power converter using silicon carbide (SiC) MOSFETs and Schottky Barrier Diodes (SBDs). The galvanically isolated integrated OBC is formed by using the segmented traction drive system of a PEV as the frond converter and a phase shifted dual-active full-bridge converter (PHDAFBC) that is comprised of the transformer and high voltage converter of the 14 V accessory dc-dc converter and an additional full-bridge converter. Experimental results for a 6.8 kW OBC prototype that is implemented on a 90 kW segmented SiC traction inverter and a 6.8 kW SiC PHDAFBC is included.
Regulation of mGluR potentiation by Pin1 peptidyl-prolyl isomerase

Group 1 metabotropic glutamate receptor (mGluR1/5) signaling has been implicated in mechanisms of cortical development, neurodegenerative diseases, associative learning, addiction and neural plasticity. These receptors are localized to the post-synaptic density and upon activation evoke a slow inward current. Strong stimuli, such as seizures, activation of dopamine receptors by amphetamines or exposure to new environment, act via the TrkB kinase cascade to phosphorylate the C-terminal domain of mGluR5 and result in subsequent prolonged potentiation of the mGluR-mediated slow inward current.This phosphorylation dependent signaling pathway has been shown to rely on the rapid upregulation of an immediate early gene coding for Homer 1a protein and its interaction with a specific proline-directed phosphorylation site in the mGluR. Homer 1a was believed to act via simple competition with other Homer family proteins that contain a coiled-coil multimerization domain, absent in Homer1a, thus disrupting physical receptor-receptor couplings maintained by these proteins. More recently, electro-physiological experiments performed at Dr. Worley's lab have indicated that catalytic action of Pin1 peptidyl-prolyl isomerase is essential in the regulation of this pathway. However, the actual mechanism of this three-component switch remains unknown.We are using NMR techniques to investigate the molecular basis for Pin1 and Homer 1a facilitated regulation of the mGluR5. Our results so far suggest a kinetic-trap based switching mechanism for mGluR5-mediated current potentiation.
Programmatic approach to use of technology in communication instruction for children with dual sensory impairments

The purpose of this project was to develop and evaluate an intervention program involving applications of technology to enhance the communication skills and behaviors of children with dual sensory impairments (DSI). Of interest were specific applications designed to increase attention, use of symbols, reception, expression of choice, awareness of contingencies, and social interaction. Participants included 26 children, aged 3 to 15 years, with DSI and other severe disabilities. A team-collaboration model was utilized in which each child's communication goals were first generated, and intervention activities were then implemented and monitored. One case example is presented to illustrate the multistep process. General results indicated that students with DSI, including those with severe to profound cognitive disabilities, could achieve individualized communication goals through the use of microcomputers and other technological resources. Analysis of intervention goals and activities revealed that, for stud...
Wireless gas detection with a smartphone via rf communication

Chemical sensing is of critical importance to human health, safety, and security, yet it is not broadly implemented because existing sensors often require trained personnel, expensive and bulky equipment, and have large power requirements. This study reports the development of a smartphone-based sensing strategy that employs chemiresponsive nanomaterials integrated into the circuitry of commercial near-field communication tags to achieve non-line-of-sight, portable, and inexpensive detection and discrimination of gas-phase chemicals (e.g., ammonia, hydrogen peroxide, cyclohexanone, and water) at part-per-thousand and part-per-million concentrations.
A note on getting started with FLBC: towards a user guide for FLBC

My aim in this note is to provide a series of examples that will serve to illustrate how to symbolize English sentences in a manner concording with the theory I have been developing for an FLBC (formal language for business communication, cf. [3, 6, 8, 7, 5, 9, 4]). In that theory, which can be called the lean event semantics with disquotation (LESD) theory, first-order logic is used for (nearly) all representations. The version of FLBC being illustrated here I shall call Elementary FLBC. The presentation is example-driven. Theory is used and alluded to, but must be accessed in other writings as cited above.
Opportunistic Infections in Patients with Temporal Arteritis Treated with Corticosteroids

emporal arteritis and polymyalgia rheumatica, different T clinical manifestations of the same systemic granulomatous vasculitis, predominantly affect older persons.' Huston and colleagues estimated the prevalence to be 1 in 750 persons older than 50 years of age.' Temporal arteritis often requires high and sometimes sustained corticosteroid therapy to prevent the development of sight threatening complications.'-' Often, corticosteroids alone are used for the entire length of the treatment course, which may exceed 1 year. This is in contrast to other collagen vascular diseases/vasculitides, in which other steroid-sparing immunosuppressive agents are used in combination to reduce the dose of corticosteroids.8 Corticosteroids exert their immunosuppressive effect principally on cell-mediated immunity.' This arm of the immune system is particularly important for defense against a variety of different intracellular pathogens. Thus, patients receiving corticosteroid therapy are at increased risk of infection caused by intracellular organisms. Although intracellular pathogens are frequently thought of in the differential diagnosis of pneumonia and sepsis syndrome in patients with hematological malignancies or transplants, these types of pathogens are rarely considered in the differential diagnosis of patients with temporal arteritis. We report the cases of three patients who received corticosteroids for temporal arteritis and who subsequently were infected with opportunistic pathogens. In all three, the opportunistic infection was not considered with the initial diagnosis.
Canopy gap dynamics of second-growth red spruce-northern hardwood stands in West Virginia

Abstract Forest restoration requires an understanding of the natural disturbance regime of the target community and estimates of the historic range of variability of ecosystem components (composition, structure, and disturbance processes). Management prescriptions that support specific restoration activities should be consistent with these parameters. In this study, we describe gap-phase dynamics of even-aged, second-growth red spruce-northern hardwood stands in West Virginia that have been significantly degraded following early Twentieth Century harvesting and wildfire. In the current stage of stand development, gaps tended to be small, with mean canopy gap and extended canopy gap sizes of 53.4 m2 and 199.3 m2, respectively, and a canopy turnover rate of 1.4% year−1. The majority of gaps resulted from the death of one or two trees. American beech snags were the most frequent gap maker, partially due to the elevated presence of beech-bark disease in the study area. Gaps ranged in age from 1 to 28 years, had a mean of 13 years, and were unimodal in distribution. We projected red spruce to be the eventual gap filler in approximately 40% of the gaps. However, we estimated that most average-sized gaps will close within 15–20 years before red spruce canopy ascension is projected (30–60 years). Accordingly, many understory red spruce will require more than one overhead release – an observation verified by the tree-ring record and consistent with red spruce life history characteristics. Based on our observations, silvicultural prescriptions that include overhead release treatments such as thinning from above or small gap creation through selection harvesting could be an appropriate activity to foster red spruce restoration in the central Appalachians.
Prevalence of human papillomavirus in oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma in the United States across time.

Human papillomaviruses (HPVs) are involved in approximately 5% of all human cancer. Although initially recognized for causing nearly all cases of cervical carcinoma, much data has now emerged implicating HPVs as a causal factor in other anogenital cancers as well as a subset of head and neck squamous cell carcinomas (HNSCCs), most commonly oropharyngeal cancers. Numerous clinical trials have demonstrated that patients with HPV+ oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) have improved survival compared to patients with HPV– cancers. Furthermore, epidemiological evidence shows the incidence of OPSCC has been steadily rising over time in the United States. It has been proposed that an increase in HPV-related OPSCCs is the driving force behind the increasing rate of OPSCC. Although some studies have revealed an increase in HPV+ head and neck malignancies over time in specific regions of the United States, there has not been a comprehensive study validating this trend across the entire country. Therefore, w...
Identification and cloning of differentially expressed genes by long-distance differential display.

Abstract Differential mRNA display (DD-PCR) amplifies short cDNAs (average size 100–350 bp), representing mainly the 3′ untranslated regions (3′ UTR) of transcripts. Sequencing of these cDNAs is predominantly uninformative for prediction of function and selection of clones for further analysis. Differential display of longer amplicons (0.5–2.0 kb) could enable isolation of cDNAs that encompass both 3′ UTR and at least part of the 3′ end of the coding region. The coding sequence information could facilitate selection of candidate clones for further analysis without the necessity of screening cDNA libraries. By combining DD-PCR protocols with long-distance PCR and using hot-start PCR with r Tth DNA polymerase we have successfully amplified and comparatively displayed cDNAs ranging in size from 150 bp to 2 kb. Long-distance DD-PCR (LDD-PCR) has generated highly reproducible primer-specific patterns of cDNA fragments, as well as reproducible duplicate fingerprints, obtained from different RNA and cDNA samples. Sequencing and expression analyses of LDD-PCR clones have shown that LDD-PCR (a) enables nonredundant clone sampling, (b) generates many clones that encompass part of the coding region, and (c) samples both abundant and rare transcripts, ∼60% of which are differentially expressed as confirmed by Northern analysis. Coupled with high-throughput cDNA sequencing and multiplex hybridization of cDNA microarrays for confirmation of differential expression, LDD-PCR could prove to be useful for simultaneous scanning of transcripts from multiple cDNA samples and faster selection of differentially expressed transcripts of interest.
An apple a day to prevent Parkinson disease Reduction of risk by flavonoids

The search for environmental risk factors for Parkinson disease (PD) has yielded few potentially causal associations.1 The recognition of genetic factors in the etiology of PD,2,3 in conjunction with PD pathology, has led to the suggestion that PD results from abnormal α-synuclein, its propagation, eventual deposition as Lewy bodies, and subsequent neurodegeneration.4,5 The potential role of oxidative damage in this process, possibly through mitochondrial insult by environmental toxins,6 has provided additional leads for the effects of environmental factors, notably pesticides.7 The search for environmental factors is made more difficult as the pathology is likely to have begun many years prior to the diagnosis of PD.1 The rarity of PD,8 about 100 per 100,000 in the oldest age groups, presents a challenge for epidemiologic study. A longitudinal cohort study, starting with unaffected persons, requires large numbers and long follow-up to accrue an adequate number of cases for analysis. Another key requirement is reliable and accurate measurement of the hypothesized exposures, at baseline and throughout the study. Further, because “clinical incidence” may occur many years after pathology …
Substituting corporate saving for personal saving: An explanation for falling personal saving rates

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to test the hypothesis that savers may be substituting equity capital gains from stockholdings for traditional measures of personal saving. The analysis also aims to investigate dividend yield (DY) as a signal to investors about corporate saving rates (CSRs).Design/methodology/approach – Regression analysis is used to examine the relationship between personal saving and corporate saving. The personal saving rate (PSR) is the dependent variable while three measures of corporate saving (S&P500 corporate saving rate (SPSR), S&P500 DY and national income and product accounts (NIPA) CSR) alternatively serve as the independent variable.Findings – The results confirm that personal saving is negatively related to corporate saving for large‐cap publicly traded firms. The study also finds a significant positive relationship between DY and PSR, offering support that DY provides an observable signal about corporate saving.Research limitations/implications – The relationship betw...
Behavioral and neuroendocrine effects of diethyl ether exposure in the mouse

Abstract Diethyl ether has diverse behavioral effects and is known for its ability to stimulate stress hormones, yet little is known of the concentrations in which these effects occur. To more fully characterize these effects, adult male NIH mice were exposed to a range of concentrations of ether (1000–30000 ppm) in an inhalation chamber and both behavioral and neuroendocrine responses were assessed. When responding was maintained under FI-60 s schedules of milk presentation, 30-min exposures to 1000 ppm ether resulted in minimal behavioral effects, 3000–10000 ppm increased rates of responding over two-fold and higher concentrations decreased responding almost completely. Five-min exposures to the same range of concentrations resulted in concentration-related effects which were smaller than those produced by 30-min exposures. Exposure to a similar range of concentrations in naive mice increased adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH) and corticosterone levels in a time- and concentration-dependent manner. Five-min exposures to 10000 ppm ether increased levels of ACTH from a baseline of 25.95 pg/ml to 310.5 pg/ml but did not affect corticosterone. Thirty-min exposures to the full range of concentrations of ether, increased corticosterone from control levels of 70 ng/ml to 418 ng/ml at 30000 ppm, and increased ACTH from control levels of 19.13 pg/ml to 80.5 pg/ml at 30000 ppm, in a concentration-dependent manner. The increase in ACTH for 30-min exposures was not as large as that observed for 5-min exposures at 10000 ppm, nor was it as large as that seen for corticosterone. The imidazobenzodiazepine, Ro 15-4513 decreased FI responding at doses greater than 3 mg/kg and attenuated the rate-increasing effects of diethyl ether at 1 mg/kg. Diethyl ether exhibits robust behavioral and neuroendocrine activating effects.
Derivatives of scattering profiles: tools for nanoparticle characterization

This paper presents a new approach to characterize nanoparticles using derivatives of scattering profiles of evanescent waves/surface plasmons. We start the procedure using the scattering profiles for an unknown configuration of nanoparticles, either from physical experiments or numerical simulations conducted for different nanoparticles on surfaces. We apply the statistical technique of compound estimation to recover the derivatives of scattering profiles. The L1 discrepancies with the corresponding curves from known configurations are used to identify the most plausible configuration of particles that could yield the "experimental" profiles. We conduct a simulation study to see how often the new procedure correctly recovers the agglomeration level for gold spherical nanoparticles on a thin gold film. The results suggest that first derivatives are much more effective for characterization than undifferentiated profiles and that M33 is the most useful element for distinguishing among configurations. The proposed compound estimation technique is more effective than typical inverse analyses based on look-up tables and can be used effectively in nanoparticle characterization platforms.
Wireless remote monitoring system for sleep apnea

Sleep plays the important role of rejuvenating the body, especially the central nervous system. However, more than thirty million people suffer from sleep disorders and sleep deprivation. That can cause serious health consequences by increasing the risk of hypertension, diabetes, heart attack and so on. Apart from the physical health risk, sleep disorders can lead to social problems when sleep disorders are not diagnosed and treated. Currently, sleep disorders are diagnosed through sleep study in a sleep laboratory overnight. This involves large expenses in addition to the inconvenience of overnight hospitalization and disruption of daily life activities. Although some systems provide home based diagnosis, most of systems record the sleep data in a memory card, the patient has to face the inconvenience of sending the memory card to a doctor for diagnosis. To solve the problem, we propose a wireless sensor system for sleep apnea, which enables remote monitoring while the patient is at home. The system has 5 channels to measure ECG, Nasal airflow, body position, abdominal/chest efforts and oxygen saturation. A wireless transmitter unit transmits signals with Zigbee and a receiver unit which has two RF modules, Zigbee and Wi-Fi, receives signals from the transmitter unit and retransmits signals to the remote monitoring system with Zigbee and Wi-Fi, respectively. By using both Zigbee and Wi-Fi, the wireless sensor system can achieve a low power consumption and wide range coverage. The system's features are presented, as well as continuous monitoring results of vital signals.
Will entropy decrease if the Universe recollapses

Hawking has proposed a wave function for the Universe which is CPT invariant and which appears to be dominated by smooth configurations when the Universe is small but by irregular configurations when large. He has argued that this behavior connects the thermodynamic arrow of time with the cosmological arrow. Here it is pointed out that although the total wave function may have the properties Hawking describes, an individual WKB component of it that is classically observable generically will not be CPT invariant and will not have its thermodynamic arrow of time reverse if it enters a recollapsing phase.
Validation of a device for fluorescence sensing of rare circulating cells with diffusive light in an optical flow phantom model

Detection and quantification of rare circulating cells in biological tissues is an important problem and has many applications in biomedical research. Current methods normally involve extraction of blood samples and counting of cells ex vivo, or the use of microscopy-based fluorescence in vivo flow cytometry. The goal of this work is to develop an instrument for non-invasively enumerating very rare circulating cells in small animals with diffuse light with several orders of magnitude sensitivity improvement versus current approaches. In this work, we describe the design of our system and show that single, fluorescent microspheres can be detected in limb-mimicking optical flow phantoms with varying optical properties chosen to simulate in vivo conditions. Further, we demonstrate single cell counting capabilities using fluorescently (Vybrant-DiD) labeled Jurkat and Multiple Myeloma cells. Ongoing work includes in vivo testing and characterization of our system in mice.
Scanning tunneling microscopy study of Au growth on Ge(0 0 1): Bulk migration, self-organization, and clustering

Abstract Gold growth on Ge(0 0 1) was studied as a function of coverage and growth temperature using scanning tunneling microscopy (STM). Initial Au deposition at 475 K resulted only in two-dimensional Ge islands and numerous vacancies on the surface. The Ge islands were attributed to Ge atoms ejected onto the surface by Au moving sub-surface. At higher temperatures the vacancies ordered into (1 + 2 + 1) dimer vacancy complexes, and step structures not seen on clean Ge surfaces were observed. When more Au was deposited between 475 and 800 K, alternating bright and dim chains appeared on the surface that were attributed to Au–Au and Au–Ge dimer rows, respectively. An increase in the density of double-height steps was observed as the chains formed suggesting that the Ge atoms incorporated into the mixed dimer rows were extracted from step edges. Increasing the Au coverage further caused the chains to organize into well-ordered (4 × 2) domains. After depositing 1.5 ML of Au at 675 K the surface was completely covered by the chains. Similar chains have been observed during Pt growth on Ge but not during Ag growth, supporting the idea that the 5d metals favor the formation of one-dimensional chains. After the surface was covered with chains, additional Au aggregated into three-dimensional clusters. The smaller of these clusters exhibited a rectangular shape consistent with the formation of Au(1 1 0) clusters. The [1 1 0]-orientation was confirmed through atomic resolution imaging of the tops of larger clusters. Larger clusters, however, adopted a different shape—an asymmetric octagon—and had their top surfaces tilted with respect to the Ge(0 0 1) surface. The tilt was attributed to stress relief due to the lattice mismatch, which broke the equivalence between the surface energies of inclined facets on opposite sides of the cluster, accounting for the asymmetric shape. Annealing the Au-covered surfaces to 1000 K caused all of the Au to move into the bulk leaving a defective Ge surface.
Experimental measurements of benzene oxidation in supercritical water

Oxidation and hydrolysis reactions of benzene in supercritical water were investigated thoroughly using experimental measurements. Little to no reaction occurred without oxygen at temperatures between 530 and 625°C for residence times up to 6 s. Oxidation reactions were studied at temperatures ranging from 479 to 587°C, pressures of 139 to 278 bar, reactor residence times from 3 to 7 s, and with varying initial benzene concentrations from 0.4 to 1.2 mmol/L and oxygen concentrations from 40% of oxygen demand to 100% excess oxygen. To a 95% level of statistical confidence, the oxidation rate was found to be of 0.04 ± 0.07 order in benzene, 0.17 ± 0.05 order in oxygen, and 1.4 ± 0.1 order in water, with an activation energy of 270 ± 10 kJ/mol. The primary oxidation product at all reaction conditions studied was carbon dioxide. Other important oxidation products were carbon monoxide, phenol, and methane. Trace levels of additional light hydrocarbon gases and single- and multi-ringed aromatic species were also detected under some conditions.
Dynamic argument embedding: preserving state on the World Wide Web

At the IBM T.J. Watson Research Center we implemented a way of preserving state during HTTP sessions by modifying hypertext links to encode state information. We call the method dynamic argument embedding, and it was developed in response to problems we encountered implementing the Coyote Virtual Store, a transaction-processing system prototype. Virtual store applications, such as IBM's NetCommerce and Netscape's Merchant System, typically need to maintain information such as the contents of shopping baskets while customers are shopping. We wanted our application to be flexible enough to maintain such state information without restricting the sorts of HTML pages a customer might view. We also wanted a system that did not require extensions to the hypertext transfer protocol (HTTP) and so could be implemented on any standard Web server and client browser. Finally, we wanted to permit customers to access several accounts at once by using the browser's cache to concurrently store pages corresponding to multiple invocations of the virtual store application.
Involvement of the H1 Histamine Receptor, p38 MAP Kinase, Myosin Light Chains Kinase, and Rho/ROCK in Histamine-Induced Endothelial Barrier Dysfunction.

Objective The mechanisms by which histamine increases microvascular permeability remain poorly understood. We tested the hypothesis that H1 receptor activation disrupts the endothelial barrier and investigated potential downstream signals. Methods We used confluent EC monolayers, assessing TER as an index of barrier function. HUVEC, HCMEC, and HDMEC were compared. Receptor expression was investigated using Western blotting, IF confocal microscopy and RT-PCR. Receptor function and downstream signaling pathways were tested using pharmacologic antagonists and inhibitors, respectively. Results We identified H1–H4 receptors on all three EC types. H1 antagonists did not affect basal TER but prevented the histamine-induced decrease in TER. Blockade of H2 or H3 attenuated the histamine response only in HDMEC, while inhibition of H4 attenuated the response only in HUVEC. Combined inhibition of both PKC and PI3K caused exaggerated histamine-induced barrier dysfunction in HDMEC, whereas inhibition of p38 MAP kinase attenuated the histamine response in all three EC types. Inhibition of RhoA, ROCK, or MLCK also prevented the histamine-induced decrease in TER in HDMEC. Conclusion The data suggest that multiple signaling pathways contribute to histamine-induced endothelial barrier dysfunction via the H1 receptor.
Pregnancy complicated by Wegener's granulomatosis

(1995). Pregnancy complicated by Wegener's granulomatosis. Journal of Obstetrics and Gynaecology: Vol. 15, No. 6, pp. 387-388.
Resting Metabolic Rate in African-American and Caucasian Girls

YANOVSKI, SUSAN ZELITCH, JAMES C REYNOLDS, ALLISON J BOYLE, JACK A YANOVSKI. Resting metabolic rate in African-American and Caucasian girls. Recent studies have found a lower resting metabolic rate (RMR) in African-American (AA) women with obesity as compared with Caucasian (C) women with obesity. It is unknown if this difference in RMR is seen in prepubertal girls or in those of average body weight. Therefore, we studied RMR in 21 AA and 24 C girls, ages 7–10, who were well matched for age, weight, body mass index (BMI), and pubertal status. All had BMI between 15% and 85% for age and race, based on data from the First National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Fat free mass (FFM) was measured by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. RMR was measured with a Deltatrac indirect calorimeter under controlled conditions after the subjects underwent an overnight fast. The slopes of the regression equations were similar for both groups (ρ=0.7). After adjustment for FEM, the AA girls had a significantly lower RMR than did the C girls (−92 ± 32 kcal/d, ρ=0.007 by analysis of covariance). This significance was maintained after exclusion of total body bone mineral content. These data suggest that normal-weight prepubertal AA girls may have reduced resting energy expenditure compared with C girls.
mTOR inhibitors and their clinical application in cervical, endometrial and ovarian cancers: a critical review.

Abstract Objectives The mechanistic (mammalian) targets of rapamycin (mTOR) inhibitors with known growth Inhibitory effect are currently in clinical trial for treatment of human cancer. The aim of this review is to present current incorporating these new drugs as single agents or in combination with other therapeutic modalities for treatment of gynecologic cancer. Methods A PubMed search was conducted on "mTOR inhibitors" and "human cancer". The relevant studies published between the year 2000 to present were reviewed. Those related to gynecologic cancer (cervical, endometrial and ovarian) were selected for this manuscript. The result of published data and their clinical application in gynecologic malignancies are presented. Results mTOR is directly involved in many cell signaling pathways, and mTOR inhibitors have demonstrated anti-tumor activity against a variety of human malignancies, including gynecologic cancers. Combinations of mTOR inhibitors with other treatment modalities, e.g. cytotoxic chemotherapy, hormonal therapies, and other targeted molecular agents, have shown encouraging results particularly in endometrial and ovarian cancer. Conclusions Patients with advanced or recurrent gynecologic cancers who have failed initial treatment are need of new treatment modalities. There is strong evidence that mTOR inhibitors limit tumor proliferation and progression. The PI3k/AKT/mTOR pathway is often deregulated in gynecologic cancer. Patients with PIK3CA mutations are more responsive to PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors than patients without these mutations. Routine screening for PIK3CA mutations warrants further investigation when PI3K/AKT/mTOR inhibitors are considered in treatment of patients with gynecologic cancer.
Enrichment of Glycoproteins using Nanoscale Chelating Concanavalin A Monolithic Capillary Chromatography

Immobilized lectin chromatography can be employed for glycoprotein enrichment, but commonly used columns have limitations of yield and resolution. To improve efficiency and to make the technique applicable to minimal sample material, we have developed a nanoscale chelating Concanavalin A (Con A) monolithic capillary prepared using GMA-EDMA (glycidyl methacrylate-co-ethylene dimethacrylate) as polymeric support. Con A was immobilized on Cu(II)-charged iminodiacetic acid (IDA) regenerable sorbents by forming a IDA:Cu(II):Con A sandwich affinity structure that has high column capacity, as well as stability. When compared with conventional Con A lectin chromatography, the monolithic capillary enabled the better reproducible detection of over double the number of unique N-glycoproteins in human urine samples. Utility for analysis of minimal biological samples was confirmed by the successful elucidation of glycoprotein profiles in mouse urine samples at the microliter scale. The improved efficiency of the nanoscale monolithic capillary will impact the analysis of glycoproteins in complex biological samples, especially where only limited material may be available.
Psychology in academic health centers: a true healthcare home.

This article is based on the invited presentation by the author at the American Psychological Association’s Annual Convention, August 4–7, 2011, upon his receipt of the Joseph D. Matarazzo Award for Distinguished Contributions to Psychology in Academic Health Centers presented by the Association of Psychologists in Academic Health Centers. This article relates the history, roles, and responsibilities of psychologists in academic health centers to the ultimate survival and success of professional psychology. It describes implications of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA) on the institutional practice of psychology including how psychology’s place in academic health centers positions the field well for the future of healthcare reform. The article provides several recommendations to help professional psychology prepare for that future of integrated, interprofessional healthcare.