cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The new moral education: A northwestern perspective

U 'ntil the early 1970s, college administrators acted in loco parentis by laying down codes of conduct for students. Curfews, single-sex dorms, and strict regulations against alcohol possession were among the many restrictions that attempted to hold student behavior to a university-sanctioned norm. Students devised ingenious schemes--like faking trips home for the weekend and hiding beer in toilet tanks--to circumvent the rules. Some went so far as to wed early, since marriage exempted them from in loco parentis regulations. Violation of these codes could be punished with anything from verbal reprimands to dormitory confinement. The sixties generation fought hard to relax in loco parentis restrictions. Authority came under scrutiny as free-spirited students threw convention to the wind. Communal living, free love, and the drug culture replaced the family unit, Judeo-Christian values, and traditional forms of social activity. With popular values rapidly changing, conventional in loco parentis collapsed under the weight of student protest. Ironically, the campus radicals of the past are largely behind the current effort to institutionalize new codes of campus conduct. The fight now, however, is not over curfews or dormitories, but over efforts to curb the expression of thought in the name of moral education. Recently, the mainstream media have taken note of moral education's increasing prevalence on America's campuses. On my campus, as I will later discuss, moral education manifested itself in confessional exercises. Many colleges and universities go further, however, establishing codes of political correctness. On some campuses, misdirecting a laugh or merely conversing in what appears to be a racially exclusive group can be grounds for receiving sensitivity training. Conventional in loco parentis, with its authoritative and absolute emphasis on the restriction of student behavior, provides a tradition from which current moral educators can draw legitimacy. Social reformers can use the earlier practice of in loco parentis in much the same way as justifications of affirmative action can be found in the citation of alternative admission standards for athletes and children of alumni. But both these gambits simply involve the use of one set of wrongs to justify others. Unlike the traditional form of in loco parentis, the new moral education draws a distinct line between parent and university. Rather than assuming the role of
Life span of imperfect composite columns subjected to creep

Abstract The problem of creep failure of composite columns subjected to a compressive load has been considered. The failure is associated with allowable stresses and the corresponding allowable deformations. The approach can be used to establish tolerances for initial imperfections of viscoelastic columns based on a predicted longevity. Another approach can predict an allowable duration of the action of the load based on predicted (or allowable) initial imperfections. Numerical examples illustrate that the allowable duration of loading is drastically reduced due to either large initial imperfections or significant applied compressive stresses. As could be expected, an increase of the allowable stresses and a decrease of the column length have beneficial effects on the allowable duration of loading.
Exploitation of orbital angular momentum for electromagnetic scattering

Access to higher order material multipole moments via interactions with Laguerre-Gauss beams is discussed in the context of scattering from metal nanoparticles. Exciting these responses in nanoparticle can have import in chemical applications.
Organic/Inorganic Polymer Solar Cells Using a Buffer Layer from All-Water-Solution Processing

We present an environmentally friendly polymer solar cell based on a hybrid organic/inorganic device structure from an all-water-solution processing and fabricated using a blend of the hydrophilic conjugated polymer PTEBS and water-dispersible TiO2 nanocrystals. Generally, the low viscosity and high surface tension of the water-based solution inhibits the formation of a homogeneous PTEBS/TiO2 composite film on the transparent electrode (FTO). To overcome this, a TiO2 buffer layer was first spin coated onto the FTO surface to modify and improve the PTEBS/TiO2 film formation. The results show that solar cell performance has been significantly improved by the buffer layer. The fill factor for devices fabricated using the buffer layer is improved by a factor of 2 over those without the buffer layer, and the external energy conversion efficiency is increased by a factor of 4 as a result of improved interfacial contact between the absorbing layer and the electrodes, as well as the improved film morphology. The ...
Therapeutic effect of water-soluble bioflavonoids in gingival inflammatory conditions

Abstract 1. Patients with gingival hemorrhage, without blood dyscrasias or serious debilitating diseases and with dietary deficiencies of fresh fruits and vegetables, were treated. 2. Thirteen patients, 9 to 31 years of age, were given one or two capsules of duo-C.V.P. (200 mg. water-soluble bioflavonoids plus 200 mg. ascorbic acid per capsule) two to three times daily for periods of eleven days to ten months. 3. Seven patients, 7 to 29 years of age, in a double-blind study were given placebos or active medication, one or two capsules three times daily for periods of six days to two months. 4. Gingival biopsies were performed in four cases. 5. There were no changes in diet or oral hygiene, and no local therapy (for example, scaling) was given. 6. In all patients who received duo-C.V.P., oozing of blood and hemorrhaging stopped and there was visible regression of gingival lesions in two weeks or less; biopsies gave added evidence of clinical improvement. In patients who received placebos there was no improvement in bleeding or lesions, and discontinuation of therapy or the use of placebo after active medication resulted in relapse with bleeding; renewal of treatment with active medication again stopped the bleeding.
Low grade salivary duct carcinoma. A distinctive variant with a low grade histology and a predominant intraductal growth pattern.

BACKGROUND Salivary duct carcinoma (SDC) has been established as a morphologically distinct and highly aggressive (HG) malignancy of the major salivary glands. However, a low grade (LG) or intermediate grade salivary duct neoplasm has not been described. METHODS We report the clinicopathologic findings of 10 cases believed to represent the (LG) counterpart of SDC. Immunoperoxidase stains were performed on five cases, and electron microscopy on three. RESULTS All of the tumors occurred in adult patients with no sex predilection, and presented as slow growing parotid gland lesions. Four cases involved the superficial lobe, one the deep lobe, and one arose within an intraparotid lymph node. The exact location of the tumor within the parotid gland was not stated in four cases. The size of the tumors ranged from 0.7 to 4 cm in greatest dimension, with most measuring between 1 and 2 cm. The gross appearance was focally to predominantly cystic. Microscopically, the tumors were characterized by intraductal proliferative lesions exhibiting three main patterns: (1) cystic ducts with micropapillary, tufted, and plaque-like intraluminal projections; (2) ducts distended by a solid or pseudocribriform (fenestrated) cellular proliferation, with varied cystic dilatation; and (3) ducts exhibiting architectural atypia. The three patterns coexisted and merged in most tumors, in varying proportions. All tumors shared bland to LG cytologic features, with the exception of one that had focal high-grade cytologic ductal atypia. Despite gross circumscription, there was microscopic multifocality, and in one case, stromal invasion. By immunohistochemistry, the neoplastic cells expressed the conventional ductal and glandular epithelial cell markers in addition to strong positivity for S-100 with coexpression for CK-903. Electron microscopy confirmed the ductal phenotype of the tumors and supported an in situ process evidenced by the presence of native myoepithelial cells. Nine patients underwent total parotidectomy and one superficial parotidectomy. One patient received radiation therapy following total parotidecotmy. Follow-up for 6 cases ranged from 2 to 12 years and revealed no evidence of disease. CONCLUSIONS LG-SDC represents the LG end of the spectrum of salivary duct malignant neoplasms and exhibits differentiation towards an intercalated duct-like cell phenotype. Its relationship to HG-SDC should be further explored. Cancer 1996;78:948-57.
Moment-based tail index estimation

Abstract A general method of tail index estimation for heavy-tailed time series, based on examining the growth rate of the logged sample second moment of the data was proposed and studied in Meerschaert and Scheffler (1998. A simple robust estimator for the thickness of heavy tails. J. Statist. Plann. Inference 71, 19–34) as well as Politis (2002. A new approach on estimation of the tail index. C. R. Acad. Sci. Paris, Ser. I 335, 279–282). To improve upon the basic estimator, we introduce a scale-invariant estimator that is computed over subsets of the whole data set. We show that the new estimator, under some stronger conditions on the data, has a polynomial rate of consistency for the tail index. Empirical studies explore how the new method compares with the Hill, Pickands, and DEdH estimators.
Beginning to understand microRNA function

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are ~22 nt small RNAs expressed by plants, animals, viruses and at least one unicellular organism, the green alga, Chlamydomonas reinhardtii 1. Most miRNAs are transcribed as primary miRNAs (pri-miRNAs) by RNA polymerase II, although a few are transcribed by RNA polymerase III. In animals, pri-miRNAs are converted to mature miRNAs by two successive endonucleolytic cleavages 2. The pri-miRNA is first cut in the nucleus by Drosha, a ribonuclease III (RNase III) enzyme, acting with its double-stranded RNA-binding domain (dsRBD) protein partner, called DGCR8 in vertebrates and Pasha in invertebrates, into an ~70 nt stem loop, the precursor miRNA (pre-miRNA). After its export to cytoplasm by Exportin 5, the pre-miRNA is cut into mature miRNA by a second RNase III enzyme, Dicer, which partners in mammals with one of two dsRBD proteins—TRBP (HIV-1 tar RNA-binding protein) or PACT, or in Drosophila melanogaster with the dsRBD protein Loquacious (Loqs). The mature miRNA is then loaded into an effector complex, the RNA-induced silencing complex (RISC), whose core component is always a member of the Argonaute (Ago) family of RNA-guided RNA regulatory proteins 3. Recently, an alternative processing pathway was identified for a distinct sub-group of miRNAs in Drosophila and C. elegans 4, 5. These miRNAs exploit the pre-mRNA splicing machinery to generate a pre-miRNA directly, bypassing the processing of a pri-miRNA by Drosha. For these miRNAs, the pre-miRNA is at once the precursor of a mature miRNA and a compact, fully functional intron, hence the name, 'mirtrons'.
Development of a fuse simulant for mine-detection tests

Preliminary analysis has shown that accurate mine simulants are not available for metallic and non-metallic mine detectors; there is a need for a precise mine simulant. This paper contains the methodology for the development of a fuze simulant to replace the fuze in a real mine. Conclusions shall discuss the feasibility of an accurate fuze simulant. Mine detectors have been proven worthy by testing its capability to detect simulants or real mines without the fuze. Different detectors perceive changes in different properties of the mine; unfortunately, one simulant which reflects every property of the mine is not available. Another approach is to bury real mines, but for safety concerns, bury the mine without the fuze. This target still does not represent a real mine, especially for a metal detector. Many non-metallic mines contain a considerably quantity of metal in the fuze in comparison to the rest of the body of the mine; therefore, the absence of the fuze results in the absence of a significant amount of metal. The NVESD Countermine Division with the Energetic Materials Research Test Center of Socorro, NM, is developing a fuze simulant which more accurately represents the quantity of metal in a real time. They are investigating the contents of the fuze; this will be followed by fabrication and testing using infrared, ground penetrating radar, and metal detectors. The paper contains the methodology for the development of the fuze and discussions with respect to the benefits to mine detection.© (1996) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Role of nuclear dynamics in the Asymmetric molecular-frame photoelectron angular distributions for C 1s photoejection from CO{sub 2}

We report the results of semiclassical calculations of the asymmetric molecular-frame photoelectron angular distributions for C 1s ionization of CO{sub 2} measured with respect to the CO{sup +} and O{sup +} ions produced by subsequent Auger decay, and show how the decay event can be used to probe ultrafast molecular dynamics of the transient cation. The fixed-nuclei photoionization amplitudes were constructed using variationally obtained electron-molecular ion scattering wave functions. The amplitudes are then used in a semiclassical manner to investigate their dependence on the nuclear dynamics of the cation. The method introduced here can be used to study other core-level ionization events.
The regulation of equatorial Pacific new production and pCO2 by silicate-limited diatoms

Abstract Modeling and data from the JGOFS EqPac program suggested that the eastern equatorial Pacific upwelling ecosystem includes a quasi-chemostat culture system dominated by diatoms and limited by Si(OH) 4 due to a low ratio of Si(OH) 4 to NO 3 in the upwelling source water, the Equatorial Undercurrent. Diatoms were hypothesized to be the major users of NO 3 in this system and the amount assimilated limited by the low amount of Si(OH) 4 available. As a consequence NO 3 is left in the surface waters along with unused CO 2 . Two cruises to the eastern equatorial Pacific (EB04 and EB05) were made to test the existing hypothesis of Si(OH) 4 limitation, and study the roles of source concentrations of Si(OH) 4 and Fe, and nutrient uptake kinetics for comparison with model predictions. Fractionated nitrogen uptake measurements showed that diatoms at times take up the major portion of the NO 3 . Picoplankton and some phytoplankton in the >5-μm size group carried out primarily regenerated production, i.e. NH 4 uptake in a grazing dominated system. Equatorial diatoms followed uptake kinetics for Si(OH) 4 and NO 3 uptake as observed in laboratory investigations of diatoms under Si(OH) 4 and Fe limitations. Si(OH) 4 uptake responded to additions of Si(OH) 4 on a time scale of hours in uptake kinetic experiments while NO 3 uptake was unaffected by added NO 3 . The uptake of Si(OH) 4 varied in a narrow range on a Michaelis-Menten hyperbola of Si(OH) 4 uptake vs. Si(OH) 4 concentration, with a maximal Si(OH) 4 uptake rate, V′ maxSi set to a relatively low value by some factor(s) other than Fe on a longer time scale, i.e., days in shipboard enclosures. Simply enclosing water collected from the mid euphotic zone and incubating for some days on deck at 50% surface irradiance increased V′ maxSi in accordance with V′ maxSi being a function of incident irradiance. Fe additions to the enclosures also increased V′ maxSi but not to the same extent as only enclosing the water and incubating on deck. The values of V′ maxSi and V′Si showed no relation to ambient Fe concentrations. The study was carried out in a region relatively rich in Fe, from 140°W eastward. These results call into question conclusions that Fe and Si(OH) 4 co-limit production based upon enclosure experiments amended with Fe and incubated at near surface irradiance without first considering what causes the initial large increase in V′ maxSi in the on-deck control enclosures. Some evidence for an Fe effect was seen at the eastern end of the EB04 equatorial section, where Fe concentration generally declined in the eastward direction and at about 118°W reached a low level that may have resulted in the reduction of the V′ maxSi . Data from the EB04 and EB05 cruises showed a close correlation between surface TCO 2 and NO 3 concentration as expected from the demonstrated limitation of diatom NO 3 uptake by Si(OH) 4 , highlighting the important role of equatorial diatoms in the global carbon cycle.
Surface Cusp Formation in Si Homoepitaxy

We report a study of the surface morphology and microstructure of Si epitaxial layers grown by MBE on (001) Si at temperatures at which epitaxy breakdown is observed. For films grown in the 400 - 450 °C temperature range the epitaxy breakdown is very sluggish and characterized by a columnar growth and the formation of surface cusps. We have used atomic force microscopy to study the shape, size and distribution of those surface cusps. Surface cusps are of square shape with sides predominantly oriented along directions and are typically of 50 nm size and 5 nm depth. The cusps can be very regular in size and their surface density (typically of 10 9 -10 10 cm- 2 ) is dependent on the growth temperature. The epitaxial Si in this temperature regime exhibits a residual strain of the order of -5 × 10 −5 in the growth direction. Photoluminescence (PL) from cusped Si films is characterized by a broad PL at low energy possibly due to impurities incorporation at low growth temperatures. We have observed that Ge self-assembled dots can be grown on cusped surfaces. Large area AFM measurements reveal that surface cusps are “decorated” by clusters of large dome-like Ge dots, while a lower density of smaller dome and pyramid shape islands are seen away from the cusps.
An Efficient Nickel Catalyst for the Reduction of Carbon Dioxide with a Borane

Nickel hydride with a diphosphinite-based ligand catalyzes the highly efficient reduction of CO2 with catecholborane, and the hydrolysis of the resulting methoxyboryl species produces CH3OH in good yield. The mechanism involves a nickel formate, formaldehyde, and a nickel methoxide as different reduced stages for CO2. The reaction may also be catalyzed by an air-stable nickel formate.
Toll-like receptor-4 signaling mediates pulmonary neutrophil sequestration in response to gram-positive bacterial enterotoxin.

Abstract Background. Toll-like receptors (TLRs) serve as mediators of innate immune responses to pathogen-associated molecular patterns (PAMPs) which include lipopolysaccharide (LPS) and staphylococcal enterotoxin B (SEB). TLR-4 is thought to act as the primary effector of LPS recognition and TLR-2 is thought to mediate responses to Gram-positive bacterial proteins. Chemokines such as macrophage inflammatory protein (MIP-2) are peptides that are responsible for lung neutrophil (PMN) sequestration following an infectious or inflammatory insult. Given the Gram-positive origin of SEB, we hypothesized that mice with altered TLR-4 signaling would exhibit no difference in lung PMN sequestration following SEB when compared to wild-type mice. Methods. Wild-type and TLR-4 mutant mice were administered intratracheal saline, LPS ( Escherichia coli 0.1 mg/kg), or SEB (1 mg/kg). After 24 h, lung PMN accumulation was determined by myeloperoxidase (MPO) assay and bronchoalveolar lavage fluid cell count (BALfcc). Total lung and BALf MIP-2 was measured by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay. Results. There was an increase in lung PMN accumulation (by both MPO and BALfcc) and MIP-2 following LPS and SEB in wild-type mice compared to saline-treated controls. In contrast, TLR-4 mice failed to exhibit an increase in lung MIP-2 or PMN accumulation following either LPS or SEB compared to wild-type mice. Conclusions. TLR-4 mutant mice are unresponsive to intratracheal LPS. SEB elicited an increase in lung MIP-2 and PMN accumulation in wild-type mice. However, TLR-4 mutant mice were protected from this process. This suggests that TLR-4 signaling may mediate the responses to other PAMPs in addition to LPS.
Inhalation Injury in Children: A 10 Year Experience at Shriners Hospitals for Children

Inhalation injury remains a significant source of morbidity and mortality in children with burn injury. The purpose of this study is to analyze the incidence, demographic characteristics, and outcomes for children who have sustained burn injury at one of four regional pediatric burn centers. A retrospective review of children aged 0 to 18 years admitted to one of four pediatric burn centers from 1997 to 2007 with a diagnosis of inhalation injury was performed. Factors analyzed included demographics, injury severity, treatment duration, and outcomes. A total of 850 patients with a mean age of 7.9 +/- 0.2 years and a mean total body surface area burn of 48.6 +/- 0.9% were admitted with a diagnosis of inhalation injury. Mean interval between injury and hospital admission was 4.2 +/- 0.3 days. Inhalation injury was diagnosed by bronchoscopy in 71%, via elevated carboxyhemoglobin in 4%, and by clinical signs/history alone in 25%. Hospital length of stay averaged 44.8 +/- 1.7 days, and patients required mechanical ventilation for a mean of 15.2 +/- 0.8 days. Mortality was 16.4%. Inhalation injury in children is associated with significant morbidity and mortality, and diagnosis of inhalation injury does not follow consistent guidelines. Further studies are required to standardize diagnostic criteria for inhalation injury and to optimize the treatment of children with inhalation injury.
Leadership: A Frame of Reference

The word “leadership” has been widely used. Political orators, business executives, social workers, and scholars employ it in speech and writing. Yet, there is widespread disagreement as to its meaning. Among social scientists, the theoretical formulations of the leadership concept have continued to shift, focusing first upon one aspect and then upon another. Much still needs to be done to develop a basic, systematic theory. The time seems ripe for attempting a careful statement of a frame of reference which may serve to make available research more meaningful, and which may guide future research and practice. Specifically, such a frame of reference can perform the useful function of pointing to the variables which need to be measured. It can help us to state hypotheses concerning the key variables underlying leadership effectiveness. It can also provide meaningful objectives for the development of more adequate leaders.
Evaluation of 850 degrees C wet oxide as the gate dielectric in a 0.8- mu m CMOS process

The authors describe a detailed comparison of a 850 degrees C wet oxide and a 900 degrees C dry oxide as the MOS gate dielectric in a 0.8- mu m CMOS process. The device fabrication involves a GE 0.8- mu m CMOS process. Emphasis is given to poly-Si gate linewidth measurements which are crucial to the interpretation of the results. The comparison of thin oxide integrity, device characteristics, hot-electron reliability, and total-dose radiation hardness between the two oxides is discussed. Specifically, it is pointed out why the PMOS punchthrough voltage requirements mandate the use of a 850 degrees C wet oxide for the gate dielectric. >
The Fertile Eunuch Variant of Idiopathic Hypogonadotropic Hypogonadism: Spontaneous Reversal Associated with a Homozygous Mutation in the Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor

Mutations in the GnRH receptor (GnRH-R) gene have been reported to cause idiopathic hypogonadotropic hypogonadism (IHH). Herein, we describe a 26-yr-old male with a mild phenotypic form of IHH, the fertile eunuch syndrome (IHH in the presence of normal testicular size and some degree of spermatogenesis), associated with a homozygous mutation (Gln106Arg) in the GnRH-R. This mutation, located in the first extracellular loop of the GnRH-R, has been previously shown to decrease but not eliminate GnRH binding. The proband had hypogonadal testosterone levels, detectable but apulsatile gonadotropin secretion, and a normal adult male testicular size of 17 mL at baseline. After only 4 months of treatment with hCG alone, he developed sperm in his ejaculate and his wife conceived. Following cessation of hCG therapy, the patient demonstrated reversal of his hypogonadotropism as evidenced by normal adult male testosterone levels and the appearance of pulsatile luteinizing hormone secretion. This case thus expands the emerging clinical spectrum of GnRH-R mutations, provides the first genetic basis for the fertile eunuch variant of IHH and documents the occurrence of reversible IHH in a patient with a GnRH-R mutation.
Like a Caterpillar Losing its Cocoon: Rediscovery of Self in Marisa Labozzetta’s Thieves Never Steal in the Rain

We ward off loss as best we can, but rarely are we so lucky. We attach significance to our rituals and collected items. This theme of warding off loss and searching for ways to cope with it is woven through the linked stories of Marisa Labozzetta’s Thieves Never Steal in the Rain, especially in the stories about Joanna and Barbara. Barbara’s ritualistic collecting links her directly to the past. Through these objects, the past and present become fluid for Barbara, and she believes that they can even affect her future. Because of this, she gathers objects in an attempt to preserve her luckiness as she has been since she was a child. This idea of actively working against or shielding oneself and loved ones from loss is also apparent in Labozetta’s stories that feature Joanna. Joanna’s daughter, Jill, died in a terrible accident, and Joanna blames herself because she thinks she should have been able to prevent Jill’s death. Joanna also emphasizes the importance of things in a way that is similar to Barbara’s. When she thinks she has lost her artistic eye, Joanna reclaims the things from her childhood desk. Unfortunately, and despite their best efforts, neither Joanna nor Barbara is able to stave off loss forever: Barbara’s house burns down and Jill cannot be resurrected. However, Barbara feels liberated after her house burns, and Joanna rediscovers her artistic eye. Perhaps what we need to remember, and what the stories in Marisa Labozzetta’s Thieves Never Steal in the Rain remind us, is that we can’t prevent loss and somehow we have to cope with it. In coping with the loss, we can rediscover our best selves.
Effect of femoral offset on pain and function after total hip arthroplasty

The effects of altering patients' femoral offset (FO) during total hip arthroplasty on postoperative pain and function have not been well described. This study compared clinical outcomes as assessed by the Short Form 12 Health Survey and Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index between patients who had their FOs restored to varying degrees (compared to the contralateral normal hip [CL]). We retrospectively measured postoperative FOs on standard anteroposterior pelvis radiographs and compared to the CL. Patients were categorized into one of 3 groups: decreased offset ( +5 mm). The decreased offset group exhibited Western Ontario and McMaster University Osteoarthritis Index Physical Function scores that were less than those of the normal offset and increased offset groups (72.03, 82.23, and 79.51, respectively [P = .019]). In conclusion, reducing a patients' native FO led to inferior functional outcome scores.
Does A Strong Ethical Commitment Create A Strategic Human Resource Competitive Advantage

This paper empirically examined whether a comprehensive corporate ethical commitment by firms can create and enhance their competitive advantage by attracting and retaining the highest caliber of employees. The study examined the ethical commitment of the most desirable companies to work for in the United Kingdom by using a sample from The Times ranking of The 100 Best Firms to Work For In the UK. The results of the study showed that a majority of the firms that were desirable to work for also had a code of ethics, a commitment to corporate social responsibility, a commitment to serve the needs of their stakeholders, a commitment to be environmentally proactive and a commitment to establish a positive work environment for their employees
A Method for High-Throughput Gene Expression Signature Analysis

Genome-wide transcriptional profiling has shown that different biologic states (for instance, disease and response to pharmacologic manipulation) can be recognized by the expression pattern of relatively small numbers of genes. However, the lack of a practical and cost-effective technology for detection of these gene expression 'signatures' in large numbers of samples has severely limited their exploitation in important medical and pharmaceutical discovery applications. Here, we describe a solution based on the combination of ligation-mediated amplification with an optically addressed microsphere and flow cytometric detection system.
UVB phototherapy is an effective treatment for pruritus in patients infected with HIV

Abstract Background: Pruritus in patients positive for HIV may be debilitating. Objective: Our purpose was to evaluate the efficacy of UVB therapy in the treatment of pruritus in patients positive for HIV. Methods: Twenty-one male HIV-positive patients with intractable pruritus (14 with eosinophilic folliculitis and 7 with primary pruritus) were treated three times weekly with UVB phototherapy. Pruritus was quantified with use of a subjective score of 0 (none) to 10 (severe). Results: Mean CD4 counts at the initiation of therapy were 91.0 ± 31.9 cells/μl. Pruritus scores before and after treatment were 8.6 ± 0.4 and 2.2 ± 0.5, respectively ( p 2 . No significant difference was found between the group with eosinophilic folliculitis and the group with primary pruritus. Conclusion: UVB phototherapy can produce significant relief of pruritus and improvement in the quality of life in patients positive for HIV. (J Am Acad dermatol 1997;37:414-7.)
Divine Omniscience, Immutability, Aseity and Human Free Will

If classical Western theism is correct that God's timeless omniscience is compatible with human free will, then it is incoherent to hold that this God can in any strict sense be immutable and a se as well as omniscient. That is my thesis. ‘Classical theism’ shall refer here to the tradition of philosophical theology centring on such mainstream authors as Augustine, Anselm, and Aquinas. ‘Divine omniscience’ shall mean that the eternal God knows all events as a timeless observer of them. ‘Human free will’ shall mean that human beings are, at least sometimes, self-determining agents who make choices not decisively caused to be what they are by external or internal factors other than the free willing itself – choices that these agents have the capacity and the freedom to make differently than they do. Except where stipulated otherwise, ‘divine immutability’ shall ‘mean that God is neither subject to, nor capable of, change in being, knowing, or willing, since God is immune to external influences, and without internal needs, of the sorts that might give rise to such change. Finally, ‘aseity’ shall be used to underline the divine immunity to external influences, since a being that is wholly a se or self-caused (is ‘pure act’ in the Thomistic sense), cannot be open to such influences, cannot be made to be what or how it is by anything other than itself.
Pesticide Contamination of a Shallow Bored Well in the Southeastern Coastal Plainsa

A comprehensive examination was made of a shallow farm well which was contaminated with persistent pesticides when contaminated soil was used as backfill material around the well casing. The well location was less than 25 feet from a site previously used for flushing an insecticide sprayer. Pesticide level in the water has been monitored for more than 4 years, during which a gradual decline in concentration has occurred. Soil core samples taken in the area surrounding the well indicate relatively high surface contamination but very little downward movement. Sediment samples from the bottom of the well exhibited highest concentration of all samples.
New approaches to block filtering of images using symmetric convolution and the DST or DCT

New approaches to block filtering of images are presented based on the recently introduced operation of symmetric convolution. Symmetric convolution is a formalized approach to convolving symmetric finite impulse response (FIR) filters with symmetrically extended data. It is efficient because the discrete sine and cosine transforms (DST & DCT) can be used to perform the convolution as a transform-domain multiplication. With proper zero-padding of the input data, symmetric convolution gives the same result as linear convolution. As a consequence, it is now possible to use the overlap-add and overlap-save techniques with DSTs and DCTs in order to efficiently filter large images. An alternative method to conventional block filtering is proposed, whereby the blocks need not be overlapped. This approach is extended for those applications where reduced complexity is needed and the approximation to conventional linear filtering is adequate. >
The CPH1 Gene of Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Encodes Two Forms of Cryptochrome Whose Levels Are Controlled by Light-Induced Proteolysis

Cryptochromes are proteins related to DNA photolyases and have been shown to function as blue-light photoreceptors and to play important roles in circadian rhythms in both plants and animals. The CPH1 gene from Chlamydomonas reinhardtii was originally predicted to encode a putative cryptochrome protein of 867 amino acids with a predicted molecular mass of 91 kD (Small et al., 1995). However, western blotting with antibodies specific to the CPH1 protein revealed the presence of two proteins that migrate at apparent molecular mass of approximately 126 and 143 kD. A reexamination of the assigned intron-exon boundaries has shown that the previously assigned intron 7 is in fact part of exon 7 which leads to a predicted protein of 1,007 amino acids corresponding to a size of 104.6 kD. The two forms of CPH1 that migrate slower on SDS-PAGE presumably result from unknown posttranslational modifications. In C. reinhardtii cells synchronized by light to dark cycles, the two slow migrating forms of CPH1 protein accumulate in the dark and disappear rapidly in the light. Both red and blue light are effective at inducing the degradation of the CPH1 proteins. Proteasomes are implicated because degradation is inhibited by MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. Studies with deletion mutants indicate that the C-terminal region is important for both the posttranslational modification and the protein's stability under both light and dark conditions.
Active electromagnetic-vibroacoustic control and optimization of microelectromechanical motion devices

This paper examines control of rotational permanent-magnet mini- and microscale electromechanical motion devices focusing on control of complex electromagnetic- electromechanical-vibroacoustic phenomena, energy conversion, torque production, motion dynamics, etc. The studied devices, integrated with controlling/driving ICs, are referenced as microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). We research design concepts and synthesize control algorithms to improve overall performance and enhance MEMS capabilities. Data-intensive analysis and coherent synthesis are accomplished by: (1) Examining device physics; (2) Deriving, validating and applying high-fidelity models; (3) Performing heterogeneous simulations, consistent experiments and sound evaluation; (4) Developing an adaptive performance-seeking design concept; (5) Implementing enabling minimal complexity control laws. It is possible to optimize performance and expand MEMS capabilities by designing sound closed-loop systems. The synthesized minimal complexity control laws ensure a near-balanced operation. Processing, controlling and driving circuitry with high-switching-frequency (~10 MHz) PWM amplifiers can be implemented by monolithic ICs. We control the duty cycle of transistors varying the phase voltages applied to the permanent-magnet synchronous minimotors. The results reported enable one to apply fundamental concepts to design high-performance mini- and microsystems. Complex electromagnetic, electromechanical and vibroacoustic phenomena are controlled and optimized in the behavioral domain. The experimental results are reported for proof-of-concept systems.
Cross‐sectional geometry of Pecos Pueblo femora and tibiae: a biomechanical investigation, II: sex, age, and side differences

Intra-populational variation in cross-sectional geometric properties of the femur and tibia are investigated in the Pecos Pueblo skeletal sample. Sex differences in geometric parameters suggest that male lower limb bones are more adapted for A-P bending, females for M-L bending. Proposed explanations for this finding include sexual dimorphism in pelvic structure and culturally prescribed sex-related activities at Pecos. With aging, both males and females undergo endosteal resorption and cortical thinning, greater among females. Both sexes also demonstrate an increase with age in subperiosteal area and second moments of area, supporting results reported in some studies of modern population samples. Sex and site-specific remodeling of the femur and tibia with aging also occur. These localized remodeling changes appear to selectively conserve more compact cortical bone in areas of high mechanical stress. Side differences in cross-sectional geometric properties indicate that left lower limb bones are generally larger than right lower limb bones, with asymmetry greater among females. In particular, left femora and tibiae are relatively stronger in A-P bending, again more so in females.
Potassium channels (including KCNQ) and epilepsy

Potassium channels are integral to neuronal excitability. They set the resting membrane potential and shape depolarizations caused by excitatory synaptic inputs and action potentials. One potassium channel subgroup—alternatively called the KCNQ, Kv7, or M—channels—has recently emerged as a viable target for antiepileptic drugs. For an expanded treatment of this topic see Jasper's Basic Mechanisms of the Epilepsies, Fourth Edition (Noebels JL, Avoli M, Rogawski MA, Olsen RW, Delgado-Escueta AV, eds) published by Oxford University Press (available on the National Library of Medicine Bookshelf [NCBI] at www. ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books).
Proofs of the Parisi and Coppersmith-Sorkin conjectures for the finite random assignment problem

Suppose that there are n jobs and n machines and it costs c/sub ij/ to execute job i on machine j. The assignment problem concerns the determination of a one-to-one assignment of jobs onto machines so as to minimize the cost of executing all the jobs. The average case analysis of the classical random assignment problem has received a lot of interest in the recent literature, mainly due to the following pleasing conjecture of Parisi: The average value of the minimum-cost permutation in an n /spl times/ n matrix with i.i.d. exp(1) entries equals /spl Sigma//sub i=1//sup n/ 1/(i/sup 2/). D. Coppersmith and G. Sorkin (1999) have generalized Parisi's conjecture to the average value of the smallest k-assignment when there are n jobs and m machines. We prove both conjectures based on a common set of combinatorial and probabilistic arguments.
Enhanced energy conversion efficiencies of solar cells by multiple carrier excitation

Energy conversion efficiencies for solar cells utilising multiple carrier excitation were calculated for various solar concentration factors based on the detailed balance limit formalism. The theoretical efficiency limit for the solar cells generating up to eight electron-hole pairs from one photon was 58% under a 1000-sun illumination relative to 38% without multiple carrier excitation with their optimised energy bandgaps.
Two-dimensional calculations of the prompt and delayed radiation fields of a 2.1 m CIT design

Two-dimensional models of a 2.1 m CIT (Compact Ignition Tokamak) machine design have been set up using the DOT code to calculate the global prompt and delayed radiation fields. The modeling approach is discussed. Detailed contour plots of the results are given. The results are used for assessing many of the radiation-related design problems. >
Optimal Resource Rental Planning for Elastic Applications in Cloud Market

This paper studies the optimization problem of minimizing resource rental cost for running elastic applications in cloud while meeting application service requirements. Such a problem arises when excessive generated data incurs significant monetary cost on transfer and inventory in cloud. The goal of planning is to make resource rental decisions in response to varying application progress in the most cost-effective way. To address this problem, we first develop a Deterministic Resource Rental Planning (DRRP) model, using a mixed integer linear program, to generate optimal rental decisions given fixed cost parameters. Next, we systematically analyze the predictability of the time-varying spot instance prices in Amazon EC2 and find that the best achievable prediction is insufficient to provide a close approximation to the actual prices. This fact motivates us to propose a Stochastic Resource Rental Planning (SRRP) model that explicitly considers the price uncertainty in rental decision making. Using empirical spot price data sets and realistic cost parameters, we conduct simulations over a wide range of experimental scenarios. Results show that DRRP achieves as much as 50% cost reduction compared to the no-planning scheme. Moreover, SRRP consistently outperforms its DRRP counterpart in terms of cost saving, which demonstrates that SRRP is highly adaptive to the unpredictable nature of spot price in cloud resource market.
Cytoplasmic dynein crosslinks and slides anti-parallel microtubules using its two motor domains

Cytoplasmic dynein is the predominant minus-end-directed microtubule (MT) motor in most eukaryotic cells. In addition to transporting vesicular cargos, dynein helps to organize MTs within MT networks such as mitotic spindles. How dynein performs such non-canonical functions is unknown. Here we demonstrate that dynein crosslinks and slides anti-parallel MTs in vitro. Surprisingly, a minimal dimeric motor lacking a tail domain and associated subunits can cause MT sliding. Single molecule imaging reveals that motors pause and frequently reverse direction when encountering an anti-parallel MT overlap, suggesting that the two motor domains can bind both MTs simultaneously. In the mitotic spindle, inward microtubule sliding by dynein counteracts outward sliding generated by kinesin-5, and we show that a tailless, dimeric motor is sufficient to drive this activity in mammalian cells. Our results identify an unexpected mechanism for dynein-driven microtubule sliding, which differs from filament sliding mechanisms described for other motor proteins. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00943.001.
Inducible Resistance to d-Cycloserine in Bacillus subtilis 168

Resistance to d-cycloserine could be induced in Bacillus subtilis 168 by sublethal concentrations of d-cycloserine. Sensitivity to the antibiotic could be regained by growth in the absence of d-cycloserine. The bactericidal activity of d-cycloserine apparently was not altered by resistant cells, and peptidoglycan synthesis was still inhibited by d-cycloserine in resistant cells. The d-cycloserine resistance apparently resulted from a decreased uptake of the antibiotic. The decrease in d-cycloserine transport could be prevented by simultaneous treatment of the cells with rifampin and d-cycloserine. d-Cycloserine was transported by the same system as glycine in B. subtilis. d-Cycloserine was able to exchange for intracellular glycine in both sensitive and resistant cells, suggesting that d-cycloserine is not excluded from the cell in resistant cultures.
DYNAMIC TOUCH IN VARYING MEDIA AND FOR PROPRIOCEPTION

Christopher C. Pagano Clemson University Clemson, SC The perception of actively manipulated objects via muscle sensitivity has been referred to as 'dynamic touch.' Recent research has indicated that the perception of various properties of occluded objects by dynamic touch is a function of the object's resistances to angular rotation, as quantified by the inertia tensor. Additional findings have generalized this hypothesis to the proprioception of occluded limbs. It is suggested that the mechanisms supporting the perception of intact limbs, prosthetic devices, and hand held tools and implements via dynamic touch may be one and the same—the detection of movement-produced physical invariants such as the inertia tensor. Research will also be presented showing that the kinesthetic perception of the length of occluded objects remains unchanged when wielding occurs in air or water. This demonstrates that the constancy of perception can be derived from the invariant nature of physical stimulation available to the perceiver, as Gibson (1966) hypothesized. Implications of this work for the design of hand-held tools and attachments to the body are discussed.
Sources of Emergency Help and Routine Assistance in Old Age

Les AA. presentent un certain nombre de donnees collectees aux Etats-Unis entre 1987 et 1988. Ils examinent les sources de soutien et d'aide pour les personnes âgees. Ils montrent que celles-ci pendant des periodes difficiles peuvent faire appel a une personne, generalement un enfant adulte, pour obtenir une aide financiere ou un soutien psychologique. La structure des reseaux d'aide sociale en cette matiere est tres simple. La grande majorite des personnes âgees aux Etats-Unis ne parait pas beneficier d'une aide sociale informelle. Ce phenomene ne semble concerner que celles qui sont dans le besoin
Higher frequencies of GARP+ CTLA-4+ Foxp3+ T regulatory cells and myeloid-derived suppressor cells in hepatocellular carcinoma patients are associated with impaired T cell functionality

The extent to which T cell-mediated immune surveillance is impaired in human cancer remains a question of major importance, given its potential impact on the development of generalized treatments for advanced disease where the highest degree of heterogeneity exists. Here we report the first global analysis of immune dysfunction in patients with advanced hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). Using multi-parameter FACS analysis, we quantified the cumulative frequency of T regulatory cells (Tregs), exhausted CD4+ helper T cells, and myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSC) to gain concurrent views on the overall level of immune dysfunction in these inoperable patients. We documented augmented numbers of Tregs, MDSC, PD-1+ exhausted T cells and increased levels of immunosuppressive cytokines in HCC patients, compared to normal controls, revealing a network of potential mechanisms of immune dysregulation in HCC patients. In dampening T cell-mediated anti-tumor immunity, we hypothesized that these processes may facilitate HCC progression and thwart the efficacy of immunotherapeutic interventions. In testing this hypothesis, we demonstrated that combined regimens to deplete Tregs, MDSC, and PD-1+ T cells in advanced HCC patients restored production of granzyme B by CD8+ T cells, reaching levels observed in normal controls, and also modestly increased the number of IFN-γ producing CD4+ T cells. These clinical findings encourage efforts to restore T cell function in patients with advanced stage disease, by highlighting combined approaches to deplete endogenous suppressor cell populations that can also expand effector T cell populations.
Finite element analysis of dental structures — axisymmetric and plane stress idealizations

The finite element method used to study stress generated in a maxillary second premolar as a result of occlusal forces. This mathematical technique has been applied extensively in structural engineering and structural mechanics. It is well suited to the analysis of stress in teeth and dental restorations because it can closely simulate the geometries, loads, and material inhomogeneities in the system being studied.