cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Factors Influencing African American Mothers’ Decisions About Sleep Position: A Qualitative Study

Abstract Background African American infants continue to be at more than twice the risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) than Caucasian Americans. In addition, African Americans are twice as likely to place their infants prone for sleep. Objective To investigate, using qualitative methods, factors influencing African American parents’ decisions regarding infant sleep position. Methods Eighty-three mothers participated in focus groups or individual interviews. Questions probed reasons for infant sleep position decisions and influences on decision making. Results All of the mothers in this study were aware of the recommendation to place infants supine for sleep. Mothers largely chose infant sleep position for either safety or comfort reasons. Many mothers who chose the prone position did so because they perceived it to be safer than supine. Sleep position decisions were influenced by parental needs (largely the need for sleep), perception of SIDS risk and biological plausibility, and trusted sources of information. Mothers sought information from multiple trusted sources before making any decision. Even if mothers had trust in their pediatrician, they were comfortable making decisions counter to their pediatrician’s recommendations if they felt it to be in the best interests of their infant. Conclusions African American mothers are generally aware of the Back to Sleep recommendation. However, many may not believe that the supine position is the safest position. Other mothers may use the prone position because of infant comfort or parent’s need for longer sleep. Trust in the pediatrician may not be sufficient reason for parents to use the supine position.
Antibiotic-induced decreases in the levels of microbial-derived short-chain fatty acids promote gastrointestinal colonization of Candida albicans

Candida albicans is the fourth most common cause of systemic nosocomial infections, posing a significant risk in immunocompromised individuals. As the majority of systemic C. albicans infections stem from endogenous gastrointestinal (GI) colonization, understanding the mechanisms associated with GI colonization is essential in the development of novel methods to prevent C. albicans-related mortality. In this study, we investigated the role of microbial-derived short-chain fatty acids (SCFAs) including acetate, butyrate, and propionate on growth, morphogenesis, and GI colonization of C. albicans. Our results indicate that cefoperazone-treated mice susceptible to C. albicans infection had significantly decreased levels of SCFAs in the cecal contents that correlate with a higher fungal load in the feces. Further, using in vivo concentration of SCFAs, we demonstrated that SCFAs inhibit the growth, germ tube, hyphae and biofilm development of C. albicans in vitro. Collectively, results from this study demonstrate that antibiotic-induced decreases in the levels of SCFAs in the cecum enhances the growth and GI colonization of C. albicans.
"It Looks Beautiful but Scary": How Low Vision People Navigate Stairs and Other Surface Level Changes

Walking in environments with stairs and curbs is potentially dangerous for people with low vision. We sought to understand what challenges low vision people face and what strategies and tools they use when navigating such surface level changes. Using contextual inquiry, we interviewed and observed 14 low vision participants as they completed navigation tasks in two buildings and through two city blocks. The tasks involved walking in- and outdoors, across four staircases and two city blocks. We found that surface level changes were a source of uncertainty and even fear for all participants. Besides the white cane that many participants did not want to use, participants did not use technology in the study. Participants mostly used their vision, which was exhausting and sometimes deceptive. Our findings highlight the need for systems that support surface level changes and other depth-perception tasks; they should consider low vision people's distinct experiences from blind people, their sensitivity to different lighting conditions, and leverage visual enhancements.
Phage Ligands for Identification of Mesenchymal-Like Breast Cancer Cells and Cancer-Associated Fibroblasts

Epithelial to mesenchymal transition (EMT) is believed to be crucial for primary tumors to escape their original residence and invade and metastasize. To properly define EMT, there is a need for ligands that can identify this phenomenon in tumor tissue and invivo. A phage-display selection screening was performed to select novel binding phage peptides for identification of EMT in breast cancer. Epithelial breast cancer cell line, MCF-7 was transformed to mesenchymal phenotype by TGF-β treatment and was used for selection. Breast fibroblasts were used for subtractive depletion and breast cancer metastatic cell lines MDA-MB-231, T47D-shNMI were used for specificity assay. The binding peptides were identified, and their binding capacities were confirmed by phage capture assay, phage-based ELISA, immunofluorescence microscopy. The phage peptide bearing the 7-amino acid sequence, LGLRGSL, demonstrated selective binding to EMT phenotypic cells (MCF-7/TGF-β and MDA-MB-231) as compared to epithelial subtype, MCF-7, T47D and breast fibroblasts (Hs578T). The selected phage was also able to identify metastatic breast cancer tumor in breast cancer tissue microarray (TMA). These studies suggest that the selected phage peptide LGLRGSL identified by phage-display library, showed significant ability to bind to mesenchymal-like breast cancer cells/ tissues and can serve as a novel probe/ligand for metastatic breast cancer diagnostic and imaging.
The Effect of Tempered Glass on Bullet Trajectory

It was determined that tempered glass automobile windows may severely influence the trajectory of .38 Special projectiles. In replicating an actual case situation, deflections as great as 26.4 degrees were observed with jacketed hollow-point ammunition, and as high as 10.8 degrees for lead ammunition.
An advanced bioprocessing concept for the conversion of waste paper to ethanol: Scientific note

Waste paper is a plentiful and low-cost lignocellulosic feed material that may represent the most direct way to penetrate the market with an advanced bioprocessing system. Innovative bioprocessing concepts integrated into such a system for the production of ethanol should be economically viable. Several of the proposed processing advances for such a system have only been studied on a laboratory scale, so a more thorough process development and scale-up effort will be required.
Hospital Surveys by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services: An Analysis of More Than 34,000 Deficiencies.

Objectives The aims of the study were to analyze hospital deficiencies reported by the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) for a 10-year period (2007-2017) and thereby determine the specific conditions of participation (CoP) cited in each deficiency. Methods Deficiency data from the CMS Web site was downloaded and analyzed. A determination was made regarding the CoP assigned to each deficiency. In addition, deficiencies were analyzed according to the presence or absence of an immediate jeopardy (the most serious potential risk) and whether there was state-to-state variation. Results A total of 30,808 of 34,522 deficiencies were assigned specific "tags" related to a COP, with 77% of the A tags assigned to the following six CoP: patient rights, nursing services, quality improvement, medical records, governing body, and emergency services. Immediate jeopardy was assigned in 730 tags, and a patient death was more likely to be associated with the determination of immediate jeopardy; actual patient deaths were associated with 21% of surveys that resulted in immediate jeopardy. Survey rates varied state-to-state; 14.3 surveys per 1 million population at the 80th percentile and 6.0 surveys per million at the 20th percentile, respectively. Utah and Vermont had the least (1.7) and greatest (70.3) rates, respectively, a 41-fold difference. Conclusions These data indicate that (a) hospital surveys result in most deficiencies being assigned to a subset of CoP; (b) a patient death is more likely to be associated with a finding of immediate jeopardy, and (c) there is significant state-to-state variation in survey rates.
Patient-independent human induced pluripotent stem cell model: A new tool for rapid determination of genetic variant pathogenicity in long QT syndrome.

Background Commercial genetic testing for long QT syndrome (LQTS) has rapidly expanded, but the inability to accurately predict whether a rare variant is pathogenic has limited its clinical benefit. Novel missense variants are routinely reported as variant of unknown significance (VUS) and cannot be used to screen family members at risk for sudden cardiac death. Better approaches to determine the pathogenicity of VUS are needed. Objective The purpose of this study was to rapidly determine the pathogenicity of a CACNA1C variant reported by commercial genetic testing as a VUS using a patient-independent human induced pluripotent stem cell (hiPSC) model. Methods Using CRISPR/Cas9 genome editing, CACNA1C-p.N639T was introduced into a previously established hiPSC from an unrelated healthy volunteer, thereby generating a patient-independent hiPSC model. Three independent heterozygous N639T hiPSC lines were generated and differentiated into cardiomyocytes (CM). Electrophysiological properties of N639T hiPSC-CM were compared to those of isogenic and population control hiPSC-CM by measuring the extracellular field potential (EFP) of 96-well hiPSC-CM monolayers and by patch clamp. Results Significant EFP prolongation was observed only in optically stimulated but not in spontaneously beating N639T hiPSC-CM. Patch-clamp studies revealed that N639T prolonged the ventricular action potential by slowing voltage-dependent inactivation of CaV1.2 currents. Heterologous expression studies confirmed the effect of N639T on CaV1.2 inactivation. Conclusion The patient-independent hiPSC model enabled rapid generation of functional data to support reclassification of a CACNA1C VUS to likely pathogenic, thereby establishing a novel LQTS type 8 mutation. Furthermore, our results indicate the importance of controlling beating rates to evaluate the functional significance of LQTS VUS in high-throughput hiPSC-CM assays.
Diversity, Inclusive Leadership, and Health Outcomes

In this time of polarization and divisiveness across increasingly diverse communities, health policy and management research offers an important insight: engaging diversity meaningfully through inclusive leadership-that embraces staff across hierarchies and engages difference perspectives so that all healthcare workers of all kinds feel they can speak up and participate-can save lives. In multiple studies of quality in cardiovascular care, top performing hospitals have been shown to exhibit the capacity to embrace staff across hierarchies and engage differences so that healthcare workers of all kinds feel they can speak up and participate meaningfully in improvement efforts. Most recently, in the two-year, longitudinal Leadership Saves Lives study of 10 hospitals, the ability to adopt a culture of improvement rather than blaming was linked to significant reductions in risk-standardized mortality rates. Moreover, the guiding coalitions (ie, quality improvement teams) in six of the 10 hospitals that were most successful were distinguished in three ways that give insight about effective modes of engaging differences: (1) including staff from difference disciplines and levels in the organizational hierarchy, (2) encouraging authentic participation by the members, and (3) using constructive patterns of managing conflict (ie, having clear role definitions, working to surface minority viewpoints, and collectively revisiting the shared goal of saving lives). Based on this literature, adequately engaging a wide range of diverse viewpoints and staff roles can have a marked impact on health outcomes. Although the studies reviewed do not examine racial/ethnic diversity per se, they do lend insight into effectively navigating environments with extensive diversity of perspectives, professional identities, and experiences. Future research may assess whether these insights have application to other forms of diversity as well. In this time of extreme polarization and division globally and locally, health policy and management research has an opportunity to share evidence that could help navigate an increasingly diverse environment, at least within the field of healthcare, towards a more inclusive, humane, and life-giving approach to our collective future.
G-protein coupled receptor signaling probed by a microtoroid-proteolipid system (Conference Presentation)

Most biosensors rely on immobilized antibodies or aptamers. In contrast, receptor proteins exist naturally in lipid bilayers and are highly specific to small molecules. We use a frequency-locked optical whispering evanescent resonator (FLOWER) system for real-time quantification of rhodopsin incorporation into an artificial lipid membrane and observe photo-induced molecular transformations upon light activation. Our study of proteolipid membrane coated microtoroids for probing the local activity of G-protein coupled receptors was further expanded to kappa-opioid receptors and their endogenous ligand Dynorphin-A. G-protein coupled receptor signaling probed by a microtoroid-proteolipid system will facilitate drug discovery and therapeutic interventions.
Interactive Navigation System in Mixed-Reality for Neurosurgery

In many bedside procedures, surgeons must rely on their spatiotemporal reasoning to estimate the position of an internal target by manually measuring external anatomical landmarks. One example of such a procedure is ventriculostomy, where the surgeon inserts the catheter in the patient’s skull to divert the cerebrospinal fluid and alleviate the intracranial pressure. However, one-quarter to one-third of the insertions miss the target which can ultimately lead to undesirable surgical outcomes. We have developed an interactive navigation system using mixed reality on a head-mounted display that overlays the target directly on the patient’s anatomy and provides visual guidance for the surgeon to insert the catheter on the correct path to the target.
Multicomponent diffusion in a basaltic melt: Temperature dependence

Abstract Eighteen successful diffusion couple experiments in 8-component SiO2–TiO2–Al2O3–FeO–MgO–CaO–Na2O–K2O basaltic melts were conducted at 1260 °C and 0.5 GPa and at 1500 °C and 1.0 GPa. These experiments are combined with previous data at 1350 °C and 1.0 GPa (Guo and Zhang, 2018) to study the temperature dependence of multicomponent diffusion in basaltic melts. Effective binary diffusion coefficients of components with monotonic diffusion profiles were extracted and show a strong dependence on their counter-diffusing component even though the average (or interface) compositions are the same. The diffusion matrix at 1260 °C was obtained by simultaneously fitting diffusion profiles of all diffusion couple experiments as well as appropriate data from the literature. All features of concentration profiles in both diffusion couples and mineral dissolution are well reproduced by this new diffusion matrix. At 1500 °C, only diffusion couple experiments are used to obtain the diffusion matrix. Eigenvectors of the diffusion matrix are used to discuss the diffusion (exchange) mechanism, and eigenvalues characterize the diffusion rate. Diffusion mechanisms at both 1260 and 1500 °C are inferred from eigenvectors of diffusion matrices and compared with those at 1350 °C reported in Guo and Zhang (2018). There is indication that diffusion eigenvectors in basaltic melts do not depend much on temperature, but complexity is present for some eigenvectors. The two slowest eigenvectors involve the exchange of SiO2 and/or Al2O3 with nonalkalis. The third slowest eigenvector is due to the exchange of divalent oxides with other oxides. The fastest eigenvector is due to the exchange of Na2O with other oxide components. Some eigenvalues differ from each other by Ti oxide mineralization.
The Cambridge History of Atheism

The two-volume Cambridge History of Atheism offers an authoritative and up to date account of a subject of contemporary interest. Comprised of sixty essays by an international team of scholars, this History is comprehensive in scope. The essays are written from a variety of disciplinary perspectives, including religious studies, philosophy, sociology, and classics. Offering a global overview of the subject, from antiquity to the present, the volumes examine the phenomenon of unbelief in the context of Christian, Islamic, Buddhist, Hindu, and Jewish societies. They explore atheism and the early modern Scientific Revolution, as well as the development of Charles Darwin's theory of evolution and its continuing implications. The History also includes general survey essays on the impact of scepticism, agnosticism and atheism, as well as contemporary assessments of thinking. Providing essential information on the nature and history of atheism, The Cambridge History of Atheism will be indispensable for both scholarship and teaching, at all levels.
Prognostic value of cardiac magnetic resonance septal late gadolinium enhancement patterns for periaortic ventricular tachycardia ablation: Heterogeneity of the anteroseptal substrate in nonischemic cardiomyopathy.

Background Ventricular tachycardia (VT) from the anteroseptal subtype of nonischemic cardiomyopathy has a high probability of recurrence after catheter ablation. Objective The purpose of this study was to determine the predictive value of septal scar patterns by late gadolinium enhancement (LGE) cardiac magnetic resonance (CMR) on ablation outcomes in patients with VT arising from an anteroseptal substrate. Methods Patients with periaortic VT arising from an anteroseptal substrate with preprocedural wideband LGE-CMR were divided into 2 groups by the degree of longitudinal septal LGE extension as full-length septal (≥80% anteroposterior length) or partial septal ( Results Among 234 patients referred for scar-related VT ablation between 2017 and 2020, 25 patients (92% male; age 64 ± 8 years) and a total of 108 VTs were analyzed. A greater number of VT morphologies were induced in patients with full-length septal LGE compared to partial septal LGE (median [interquartile range]: 5 [3–9] vs 2 [1–4]; P = .005). Patients with VT recurrence had larger septal LGE volumes compared to those without recurrence (11.4 mL [8.8–13.9] vs 4.2 mL [0–9.5]; P = .012). At median follow-up of 16 months (5–22), overall freedom from VT recurrence was 52% and significantly higher in patients with partial septal LGE than in those with full-length septal LGE (80% vs 20%; P = .005). Conclusion VT originating from an anteroseptal substrate is associated with heterogeneous patterns and extent of CMR septal scar. Preprocedural imaging may substratify this challenging patient population for the propensity for multiple induced VT morphologies and recurrence after catheter ablation.
Outcomes Associated With Fibrin Sealant Use in Lateral Neck Dissections.

ObjectiveTo determine whether the use of fibrin sealant tissue adhesives during lateral neck dissections is associated with a change in postoperative outcomes.Study DesignRetrospective cohort.Setti...
The impact of treatment facility type on the survival of brain metastases patients regardless of the primary cancer type.

Cancer patients with brain metastases (BMs) require multidisciplinary care, and treatment facility may play a role. This study aimed to investigate the impact of receiving treatment at academic centers on the overall survival (OS) of cancer patients with brain metastases (BMs) regardless of the primary cancer site. This retrospective analysis of the National Cancer Database (NCDB) included patients diagnosed with non-small cell lung cancer, small-cell lung cancer, other types of lung cancer, breast cancer, melanoma, colorectal cancer, and kidney cancer and had brain metastases at the time of diagnosis. The data were extracted from the de-identified file of the NCDB, a joint program of the Commission on Cancer of the American College of Surgeons and the American Cancer Society. The Cox proportional hazard model adjusted for age at diagnosis, race, sex, place of living, income, education, primary tumor type, year of diagnosis, chemotherapy, radiation therapy (RT), and surgery of the primary cancer site was used to determine treatment facility-associated hazard ratios (HR) for survival. Overall survival was the primary outcome, which was analyzed with multivariable Cox proportional hazards regression modeling. A total of 93,633 patients were analyzed, among whom 31,579/93,633 (34.09%) were treated at academic centers. Based on the log-rank analysis, patients who received treatment at an academic facility had significantly improved OS (median OS: 6.18, CI: 6.05–6.31 vs. 4.57, CI: 4.50–4.63 months; p < 0.001) compared to patients who were treated at non-academic facilities. In the multivariable Cox regression analysis, receiving treatment at an academic facility was associated with significantly improved OS (HR: 0.85, CI: 0.84–0.87; p < 0.001) compared to non-academic facility. In this extensive analysis of the NCDB, receiving treatment at academic centers was associated with significantly improved OS compared to treatment at non-academic centers.
The liver X receptor agonist LXR 623 restricts flavivirus replication

The vector-borne flaviviruses (VBFVs) are well known for causing great misery and death in humans worldwide. The VBFVs include those transmitted by mosquitos, such as Zika virus (ZIKV), dengue viru...
James W. Foley, martyr, ou comment sublimer une mort violente en ligne

Seul avec son bourreau dans le desert, James Wright Foley est mort devant l’oeil de deux cameras et aux regards d’une multitude. Aujourd’hui, le journaliste etatsunien est une celebrite post mortem, et ce, en partie grâce a ce qui devait a priori l’effacer… Peut-on des lors dire que son execution, par son enregistrement, sa mise en ligne et surtout sa diffusion, est devenue autre chose? Est-ce que la censure et l’omnipresence des ecrans permettant la diffraction des images contenues dans la video ont permis d’annuler en quelque sorte sa disparition, un peu comme c’est le cas avec les martyrs, lesquels acceptent la mort sans pour autant sombrer dans l’oubli? Le present « arret sur images » vise a questionner l’effet d’une pareille video sur la vision de la mort et de ses limites.
Disentangling the Effects of Racial Self-identification and Classification by Others: The Case of Arrest

Scholars of race have stressed the importance of thinking about race as a multidimensional construct, yet research on racial inequality does not routinely take this multidimensionality into account. We draw on data from the U.S. National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent Health to disentangle the effects of self-identifying as black and being classified by others as black on subsequently being arrested. Results reveal that the odds of arrest are nearly three times higher for people who were classified by others as black, even if they did not identify themselves as black. By contrast, we find no effect of self-identifying as black among people who were not seen by others as black. These results suggest that racial perceptions play an important role in racial disparities in arrest rates and provide a useful analytical approach for disentangling the effects of race on other outcomes.
Tracking Capacity Measured by Informational Statistics

Information-theory statistics were used as performance measures during selfpaced pursuit tracking tasks with a time-discrete band-limited white Gaussian noise reference input and both time-discrete and time-continuous response signals. The experimental results from 64 subjects showed that the generated information rate increased exponentially with increasing input variance or input entropy. The spacing between successive input points had no general significant effects on the information rate. Discrete responses produced significantly higher information rates than continuous responses. The maximum information capacity was determined to be centered at about 10 bits/sec with asymptotes at about 11 bits/sec for discrete responses and 9 bits/sec for continuous responses. Language: en
An open software architecture for high-integrity and high-availability avionics

We describe a software architecture that can greatly reduce re-certification costs associated with the re-hosting of avionics applications from one platform to another. This is achieved by (1) enabling the development of core application components independent of platform specific concerns related to I/O and fault-tolerance, (2) defining abstractions of platform I/O and fault-tolerance strategies for use by application components, and (3) providing transforms that enable system integrators to build a system with its specific I/O and fault-tolerance requirements using platform-independent application components. Application component and transform source code (and in many cases, binaries) can be moved from one platform to another without the need for modification. The system configuration and any new transforms developed still need to be recertified. The I/O abstractions defined by the architecture are key to enable the development of platform independent application components. Inputs to components are simple values (signals) with attributes such as refresh rate and units. On different platforms, these values may be generated at different rates, in different units, and in different ways (by combining values from multiple sources, produced by a fail-stop source, etc.). Transforms mask these platform differences from application components. Similarly, differences in component output attributes and those required by the platform are handled by transforms. The architecture makes provision for application specific built-in-tests, fault-detectors, and reconfiguration strategies. Again, these are specified and implemented independent of core application functionality, allowing application components to be moved across platforms with different fault-tolerance strategies. A software framework based on this architecture has been implemented and demonstrated using an FMS-like application. Core application functionality was implemented as components and packaged as shared libraries. Multiple I/O and redundancy schemes were then constructed using these application modules by changing only the configuration. This demonstrated the feasibility of developing application components in a platform independent manner and configuring them for different platforms.
Methodological considerations for the assessment of traffic safety trends and interventions.

Long-term trends in traffic safety are usually modeled by regressing the fatal accident rate on time. Safety interventions can then be assessed by evaluating their impact relative to these baseline trends. However, this approach confounds the accident rate with the fatality rate and introduces a number of statistical problems. Methods for avoiding these problems are illustrated by modeling California traffic safety data for the years 1939 to 1973. These models reveal a substantial reduction in the proportion of accidents involving fatalities. No such reduction is evident in accident frequency, after changes in vehicle mix and the driver age distribution are taken into account. Language: en
Superconductive magnetic energy storage for electric utilities-a review of the 20 year Wisconsin program

The University of Wisconsin's experience as a superconductivity engineering research center since the invention of the superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) system is described. The SMES used today consists of a superconductive storage coil charged and discharged by a Graetz bridge. The topics discussed are the following: the electrical use of SMES; configurations; structure and conductor requirements; the status of present SMES design; rippled design; nonrippled design; conductor stability; SMES coil protection systems; and the use of high-temperature superconductors in SMES systems. >
The relative significance of human placental lactogen in the diagnosis of retarded fetal growth

The purpose of this prospective study was to determine whether serial maternal venous hPL determinations could identify pregnancies resulting in growth-retarded infants from a selected population at presumed high risk for IUGR. Our results demonstrated that mean hPL levels in IUGR outcome pregnancies were significantly lower than normal after 33 weeks' gestation. Mean hPL was also lower in some pregnancies resulting in normal-weight neonates with abnormally low PI or short CHL, suggesting that these neonates, despite normal birth weight achievement, may represent previously unsuspected.
The Conflict and Peace Data Bank (COPDAB) Project

As students of politics and political science, we should and we do care about the events which lead to war, instability, and international tension as well as about events which lead to equitable interdependence, integration, peace, improvement of quality of life, reduction of colonialism, and so on. Because we care about these matters, we try to advance procedures and theories about systematizing our observations and improving our skills of analysis. Recent developments in international relations have tended to (a) emphasize the exploration of more specific problems and testing of hypotheses with quantified data and (b) deemphasized the search for general theories of internation behavior. This trend appears to be undergoing slight modification for many reasons. Events contain useful information which permit a student of foreign policy to use events singularly or in the aggregate to study foreign policy outputs and inputs. A student of international systems uses events singularly or in the aggregate to stu...
Presidential Address*. TALKING ACROSS THE DIFFERENCES IN COLLABORATIVE FIELDWORK: Unanticipated Consequences

L'A. porte son attention sur la notion de difference et plus particulierement sur les recherches menees en ce domaine. Il estime que la discussion et l'ecoute constitue les instruments methodologiques les plus utiles en cette affaire. Il examine la notion de difference et pose le probleme de la collaboration au sein des travaux de recherche
Chemical and physical characteristics of four soil types under conventional and no-tillage systems

This study was conducted to determine how soils of different origin respond to no-till practices, with emphasis on organic C accumulation and its subsequent effect on soil properties. Tillage experiments which had been running for between 5 and 15 years on four southeastern USA soils with textures of sandy loam, loam, silt, and sandy clay loam were utilized. Soil samples were collected from conventional and no-tillage treatments at depths of 0–2.5, 2.5–7.6, and 7.6–15.2 cm. No-tillage plots had higher bulk density, aggregate stability, organic C, exchangeable cations and acidity, cation exchange capacity, and extractable P, K, and Mn, but most of these properties were not significantly different (P < 0.05) from those of conventional plots. Modulus of rupture and extractable Fe decreased in the no-till plots. Most of these changes, other than bulk density, occurred as a result of increases in organic C content, and the lack of more significant differences is attributed to inadequate residue production and/or its rapid decomposition in this relatively hot, moist climate.
Characterization of composite microstructure and damage using optical coherence tomography

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) is a non-destructive and non-contact technique that images microstructure within scattering media. In this work, the versatility of OCT for non-destructive evaluation is demonstrated through imaging of composite microstructure and damage. Imaging of composite microstructure is demonstrated through tomographic reconstructions of an epoxy/unidirectional E-glass composite and an epoxy/0-90 degree woven E-glass composite. Imaging of damage is shown by tomographic reconstruction of impact damage in a epoxy/unidirectional E-glass composite. The volumetric reconstruction of the composite is re-sliced along the thickness axis to reveal the propagation of cracks through the reinforcement layers. Advantages and limitations of OCT are discussed.
Natural 15N enrichment of amide‐exporting legume nodules

The natural 15N abundance of amide-exporting nodules was compared to that of shoots in 12 plant species. Nodules were statistically less abundant in 15N than shoots in one of three cultivars of Pisum sativum L., in Vicia faba L. and in Medicago sativa L., but the 15N depletion of nodules was very samall. Nodules were statistically more abundant in 15N than shoots in Trifolium pratense L., depending on time during the growing season, Cyamopsis tetragonaloba L. Taub. and 7 Lupinus species, but the enrichment was small except for C. tetragonalova and 6 Lupinus species. Nodules of 3 Lupinus species infected with Rhizobium lupini isolated from Lupinus subcarnosa Hook, were only slightly enriched in 15N, but nodules of two of these species were substantially enriched in 15N when infected with a mix of other Rhizobium lupini strains. The third species, L. texensis Hook., was not infected by this mix of strains. Differences in 15N abundance between nodules and other tissues of amide-exporting and ureide-exporting nodules from several studies are tabulated. All ureide-exporting nodules in this tabulation are enriched in 15N. Amide-exporting nodules are considerably more variable in this regard. These results confirm that events associated with ureide synthesis or transport cannot be the sole cause of the substantial 15N enrichment seen in nodules.
Small mass- and trap-imbalanced two-component Fermi systems

Motivated by the prospect of optical lattice experiments with two-component Fermi gases consisting of different atomic species such as Li and K, we calculate the energies for $N$ fermions under harmonic confinement as a function of the mass and trap imbalance, i.e., as a function of the ratio between the masses and frequencies of species one and two, using microscopic approaches. Our energies for $N=2\ensuremath{-}6$ can be used to determine the energetically most favorable configuration for a given number of atoms per species of a deep lattice in which each lattice site is approximately harmonic and in which tunneling between neighboring sites can be neglected. We also determine and interpret the excitation gap for unequal-mass systems with up to $N=13$ atoms for equal oscillator lengths.
PHENOMENOLOGICAL IMPLICATIONS OF COLLIDING REGGE POLES AND CUTS.

It is suggested that Regge pole-cut combinations should, in the t < 0 region and until high energies are reached, always be parametrized simply by a complex conjugate pair of Regge poles, with no explicit contribution from the Regge cut. Effects of Regge cuts, at moderate energies, are well represented by complex pairs of poles. Some consequences of this suggestion are described.
Technology with No Human Responsibility

A major thrust of Richard De George’s book, The Ethics of Information Technology and Business (2003), was to draw attention to the ethical challenges for business as business practices were being reconfigured as a result of the introduction of computing and information technology. The topics on which he focused and his analysis are still relevant a decade later. Today privacy issues are pervasive. Intellectual and other kinds of property rights in electronic data and devices continue to challenge courts of law and legislative bodies. E-business is now the norm as most businesses are online in some form or another. The nature of work continues to change as new technologies are introduced; the new technologies change what workers do, when, where, and how they do it, and the extent to which they are monitored. As De George himself wrote, he was addressing a rapidly moving target, and the target—changes in the way business is done due to changes in computing and information technology—continues to move. The starting place for De George’s analysis in The Ethics of Information Technology and Business is a critique of what he refers to as the myth of amoral computing and information technology (MACIT). This myth, he claims, blinds us to the powerful changes taking place as a result of computing and information technology. Despite increased awareness today of many of the issues identified by De George, the business community and the public still seem to hold some version of the MACIT. That is, the belief that technological choices are amoral is fairly common even in the face of blatant evidence to the contrary, evidence indicating that technological choices have moral consequences. De George agrees with at least part of the MACIT; he acknowledges that it ‘‘like all myths, partially reveals and partially hides reality.’’ He writes:
Morphologic study of effects of kanamycin on the developing cochlea of the rat

The development of the rat inner ear starts about day 9 of a 22-day gestational period. The sensory and supporting cells are morphologically identifiable by day 18 of gestation; however, auditory function is not evident until day 9 postnatally. The organ of Corti attains adult maturity about day 16 postnatally. Morphologic and physiologic studies have shown that administration of sublethal doses of aminoglycosidic antibiotics, including kanamycin, damages the sensory and supporting cells of the inner ear in mammals. This results in the impairment of auditory function. This study was designed to determine the earliest stage in cochlear duct development at which kanamycin toxicity can be morphologically detected. A sublethal dose of kanamycin was administered to pregnant rats on days 10 through 20 of gestation and to neonates from days 1 to 8 or from days 8 to 16 postnatally. The inner ears were dissected and processed for light microscopic and ultrastructural observations. The cochlear ducts of fetuses exposed in utero to kanamycin and those of neonates exposed from days to 1 to 8 postnatally were unaffected. Kanamycin toxicity was evident in the cochlear ducts of neonates exposed from days 8 to 16 postnatally. The most severe damage occurred in the basal coil of the cochlea where in many instances sensory cells were totally absent. The sensory cells in the middle and apical coils exhibited abnormal morphology. These results suggest: (1) kanamycin does not have any permanent toxic effects on the rat cochlear duct during gestation and the first week of postnatal life. This provides a basis for further studies into the possible pharmacologic application of this finding in humans. (2) A correlation exists between the initiation of auditory function and the vulnerability of the organ of Corti to kanamycin toxicity.
Msx2 Promotes Osteogenesis and Suppresses Adipogenic Differentiation of Multipotent Mesenchymal Progenitors

In the aorta, diabetes activates an osteogenic program that includes expression of bone morphogenetic protein-2 (BMP2) and the osteoblast homeoprotein Msx2. To evaluate BMP2-Msx2 signaling in vascular calcification, we studied primary aortic myofibroblasts. These cells express vascular smooth muscle cell (VSMC) markers, respond to BMP2 by up-regulating Msx2, and undergo osteogenic differentiation with BMP2 treatment or transduction with a virus encoding Msx2. The osteoblast factor osterix (Osx) is up-regulated 10-fold by Msx2, but Runx2 mRNA is unchanged; the early osteoblast marker alkaline phosphatase increases 50-fold with mineralized nodule formation enhanced 30-fold. Adipocyte markers are concomitantly suppressed. To better understand Msx2 actions on osteogenesis versus adipogenesis, mechanistic studies were extended to C3H10T1/2 mesenchymal cells. Msx2 enhances osteogenic differentiation in synergy with BMP2. Osteogenic actions depend upon intrinsic Msx2 DNA binding; the gain-of-function variant Msx2(P148H) directs enhanced mineralization, whereas the binding-deficient variant Msx2(T147A) is inactive. Adipogenesis (lipid accumulation, Pparg expression) is inhibited by Msx2. By contrast, suppression of adipogenesis does not require Msx2 DNA binding; inhibition occurs in part via protein-protein interactions with C/EBPalpha that control Pparg transcription. Thus, Msx2 regulates osteogenic versus adipogenic differentiation of aortic myofibroblasts. Myofibroblasts capable of both fates can be diverted to the osteogenic lineage by BMP2-Msx2 signaling and contribute to vascular calcification.
CD40 and its ligand in the regulation of humoral immunity

T cells provide help for B cell antibody production by cell-cell contact and by soluble factors. CD40L is the predominant protein induced on activated T cells which constitutes contact-dependent help, and lack of CD40L or blocking CD40-CD40L interactions leads to severely impaired antibody production. In addition to CD40-CD40L, B and T cells express costimulatory, accessory molecules which amplify T and B cell function and allow for reciprocal dialogues during antigen presentation. Interactions between costimulatory counter-receptors can determine lymphocyte activation or nonresponsiveness, and provides a means for regulating self-tolerance.
What do applicants want? Examining changes in attribute judgments over time

Despite years of research examining the types of job and organizational attributes (e.g. pay, fit) that influence applicants' perceptions of organizational attractiveness, almost no research has examined how and why the weighting placed on these attributes may change across the stages of a recruitment and selection process. Using a longitudinal policy-capturing methodology, doctoral applicants to a psychology graduate programme were surveyed at three points in time. Results revealed the weighting of fit and funding (pay) attributes increased over time, and there were individual differences in attribute weighting over time. Individual differences in applicant marketability partially explained these changes.
Hydrocarbons in cores of northwestern Atlantic coastal and continental margin sediments

Abstract The concentrations and composition of hydrocarbons in sections from a 210 Pb dated core from Buzzards Bay, Massachusetts are reported. Terrigenous n -alkane concentrations remain constant throughout the 62 cm and 195 years sampled. Gas Chromatographic analysis on SCOT columns revealed an unresolved complex mixture of alkanes and cycloalkanes which decreases in concentration with increasing depth. Phenanthrene and C 1 and C 2 substituted phenanthrene concentrations also decreased with increasing depth and the relative abundance of C 1 and C 2 homologs compared to phenanthrene suggest a pyrolytic origin for these aromatic hydrocarbons. The various sources of hydrocarbons in surface sediments and the processes which could govern their distribution are discussed. The most likely source of the phenanthrenes and the unresolved complex mixture of alkanes and cycloalkanes in the upper core sections circa 1900 to the present seems to be urban air fallout. A depth distribution of alkanes and cycloalkanes similar to the Buzzards Bay core was found for a second area of Buzzards Bay and for cores from sediments of the Gulf of Maine and Hudson Canyon. Two C 25 cycloalkenes were identified as major hydrocarbons in the sediments. Their concentrations decrease with increasing depth in the cores. Mass spectra of these compounds and their hydrogenation products are reported.
Protein databases for compacted eight-cell and blastocyst-stage mouse embryos

High-resolution two-dimensional sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide (2D-SDS) gel electrophoresis combined with computerized analysis of gel images was used to construct and analyze protein data-bases for two stages of preimplantation mouse embryogenesis, the compacted eight-cell stage and the fully expanded blastocyst stage. These stages were chosen for their ease in identification of multiple synchronous embryos. Synchronous cohorts of 30-50 embryos were labelled with L-[35S]methionine for 2 hr. The embryos were then lysed in 30 microliters hot SDS sample buffer, and the lysates were stored at -80 degrees C until the gels were run. Five replicates were run for eight-cell embryos, and four for blastocyst-stage embryos. The samples were processed for 2D gel electrophoresis and fluorography; multiple exposures were made. Gel images were analyzed using the PDQUEST system, and databases were constructed. Analysis of the databases for both developmental stages showed high reproducibility of protein spots in multiple gel images. Of 1,674 total spots in eight-cell embryo standards, > 79% of spots had a percentage error (S.E.M./average) 45% had a percentage error < 30%. Similarly, of 1,653 total spots in blastocyst-stage embryo standards, 74% of spots had a percentage error < 50%, and approximately 47% of spots had a percentage error < 30%. Forty-three spots (approximately 3% of the total spots) were found to be detected only in the eight-cell stage, while 75 spots were detected solely in the blastocyst stage. Sixty-nine proteins showed a greater than threefold increase in isotope incorporation from the eight-cell to the blastocyst stage, with a percentage error < 50% in both the eight-cell and the blastocyst stages. In contrast, 41 of the proteins showed a decrease during this period. Analysis of the protein databases described in this study has allowed us to document the overall quantitative changes in proteins from the compacted eight-cell stage to the blastocyst stage of mouse preimplantation development. These data-bases provide a valuable tool for further detailed quantitative analysis of specific proteins associated with developmental events. In addition they will permit analysis of the effects of environmental factors, such as growth factors, on early embryo development.
A scientist in American society

The Rise of Robert Millikan: Portrait of a Life in American Science. By Robert H. Kargon. Pp.204. ISBN 0-8014-1459-8. (Cornell University Press: 1982.) £18.15, $29.25.
The phenomena of anuran metamorphosis. III. The development of the thyroid gland

This paper presents a study of the growth and histological development of the thyroid in three species of frogs, the small Pseudacris triseriata, the large Rana catesbeiana and the intermediate Rana palustris. It was found that the history of the gland in relation to metamorphosis is essentially the same in all. Previous to metamorphosis the gland is small, and the cells very poor in cytoplasm. At the beginning of metamorphosis (i.e., rapid hind leg growth) the thyroid shows a marked acceleration of growth and activity, which continues and reaches a peak at the time of the emergence of the front legs. Late in metamorphosis a regression occurs. The conclusion is drawn that there is a rising concentration of thyroid hormone during the course of metamorphosis. The author has previously shown that such a rising concentration will induce the normal pattern as to sequence and time spacing of metamorphic events. The beginning of metamorphosis is conceived as dependent upon the time of stimulation of the thyroid and the pattern of its subsequent continuance as dependent upon the pattern of response of this gland.
Electronic coupling between molybdenum or tungsten quadruple bonds linked by dicarboxylate ligands

The preparations and structures of dicarboxylate bridged complexes having MM quadruple bonds are described where M = Mo or W. The electronic structure of these complexes is shown to be dramatically altered by M2 δ-bridge π orbital interactions. The significance of M2 δ-bridge π conjugation is revealed by electronic structure calculations employing density functional theory and is manifest in the attendant spectroscopies of these compounds (UV-vis, Raman and resonance Raman), together with electrochemical studies and the EPR spectra of the single electron oxidized radical cations.