cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variable Temperature ROMP: Leveraging Low Ring Strain Thermodynamics To Achieve Well-Defined Polypentenamers

Living-like conditions through ring-opening metathesis polymerization (ROMP) of low ring strain monomers were achieved through temperature variation during the reaction. For a variety of solvents and readily available ruthenium-based catalysts, warm initiation to low conversions followed by immediate thermal quenching and subsequent propagation to high conversions produced polycyclopentene with molar masses close to theoretical and with moderately low dispersities (Đ ≤ 1.3 ± 0.1). Optimization using Grubbs first-generation catalyst and THF as the solvent consistently resulted in narrow dispersities (<1.2) at various molar masses targeted which increased linearly with monomer-to-catalyst ratio. In all cases, intermolecular chain transfer reactions were suppressed at colder temperatures as evidenced by low dispersity for up to 300 min at 0 °C. This approach was extended to 3-cyclopentenol to emphasize the universality of the methodology to other low ring strain monomers with functional group tolerance speci...
Preoperative levels of urinary uromodulin predict acute kidney injury after pediatric cardiopulmonary bypass surgery

Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of cardiopulmonary bypass surgery (CPB) in children. Several promising postoperative AKI biomarkers have been identified, but no preoperative biomarkers are available. We evaluated the association of urinary uromodulin (uUMOD) with postoperative AKI. One hundred and one children undergoing CPB were enrolled. Urine was collected prior to CPB, and AKI was defined as ≧50% increase in serum creatinine from preoperative baseline within 48 h of surgery. Forty-seven patients (47%) developed AKI, and 92% of participants in the lowest quartile of preoperative uUMOD concentrations developed AKI compared with 8% in the highest quartile. Patients with preoperative uUMOD levels in the lowest quartile had 132.3× increased risk of postoperative AKI versus the highest quartile. Raw uUMOD levels were significantly lower in patients with AKI vs. no AKI. Significance was unchanged after correcting uUMOD levels for urinary creatinine. Receiver operating characteristic analysis showed preoperative uUMOD strongly predicted postoperative AKI, with area under the curve (AUC) 0.90. Stepwise logistic regression analysis revealed a model combining uUMOD, and bypass time predicted AKI at p<0.001. Neither Risk Adjustment for Congenital Heart Surgery 1 (RACHS) score nor age improved the model’s ability to predict AKI. Independent analysis demonstrated that while bypass time was associated with AKI, the predictive ability of bypass time (AUC 0.77) was less than that of preoperative uUMOD levels (AUC 0.9). Children with lowest preoperative levels of uUMOD have greatly increased risk of AKI post-CPB. If uUMOD were used to risk-stratify patients undergoing CPB, clinical measures could be taken to minimize AKI development.
Low-loss plasmonic metamaterial waveguides

Surface plasmons (SPs), collective oscillation of electrons at metal/dielectric interface, carry electromagnetic energy in the form of surface-bound propagating wave, offering promising novel applications in various fields. Plasmonics, however, commonly suffers from large absorption losses (propagation length 1mm) and sub-wavelength scale confinement of light in the transverse direction.
Caffeine and SPECT Myocardial Perfusion Imaging

Coffee is the most widely consumed caffeine product in the United States. Caffeine, being a methylxanthine, exerts antagonist effects on adenosine receptors. Because coronary artery disease is a highly prevalent disease in the United States and intermediate-risk patients are evaluated using cardiac stress testing, the interaction between caffeine and adenosine receptors becomes more important. This is due to the mechanism of vasodilator agents used in these single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) myocardial perfusion studies that agonize adenosine receptors. Studies have shown that the antagonist properties of caffeine to these receptors do cause an interference with the results of dipyridamole cardiac stress testing. There are conflicting results regarding limitation on the results of adenosine or regadenoson studies due to coffee intake. The effect of caffeine on exercise stress testing results is limited. Further investigation needs to be performed to assess if coffee abstention is necessary before these types of studies.
Management of Hypertension in Older Patients With Arthritis

Musculoskeletal disorders such as osteoarthritis, rheumatoid arthritis, and gouty arthritis are common problems among the elderly (over 65 years old) population and have an impact on functional status and disability. The National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey reported a greater than 80% incidence of osteoarthritis in people over the age of 55 years (1, 2, 3). Far less common is rheumatoid arthritis, with an incidence of 30 per 100,000 persons; this disease has a peak onset between ages 30 and 55 years, with symptoms progressing later into life (4).
Decompression-Related Disorders: Decompression Sickness, Arterial Gas Embolism, and Ebullism Syndrome

The three maladies to be discussed in this chapter—decompression sickness, arterial gas embolism, and ebullism—all arise from changes in ambient atmospheric pressure, which is the pressure of the gas immediately surrounding an individual. In space flight, the largest planned change in ambient atmospheric pressure is associated with extravehicular activities (EVAs) that take place as the crew moves back and forth between the crew cabin and the environment outside, where they wear pressurized suits. The cabin atmospheric pressure in all current spacecraft typically approximates the atmospheric pressure found at sea level, namely 1 atm absolute pressure (ata) (or 101 kPa). From a strictly physiological point of view, this design specification is probably not optimal, but it serves other interests such as simplifying the conduct of biomedical research. Selected space suit pressures represent a compromise between engineering concerns, which dictate that the internal pressure of a space suit be low to maximize flexibility, and physiological risks. (The space suit used in the current U.S. space program, the extravehicular mobility unit, is pressurized to 30 kPa (4.3 psia); the Orlan suit, used in the current Russian space program, is pressurized to 38 kPa (5.5 psia).) Consequently, crewmembers performing EVAs experience substantial shifts in ambient atmospheric pressure. Unplanned crew cabin or space suit decompressions are also possible while living and working in the hard vacuum of space. The pathophysiological consequences of such exposures are the subject of this chapter [1].
Labeling Regulations and Segregation of First- and Second-Generation GM Products: Innovation Incentives and Welfare Effects

We review some of the most significant issues and results on the economic effects of genetically modified (GM) product innovation, with emphasis on the question of GM labeling and the need for costly segregation and identity preservation activities. The analysis is organized around an explicit model that can accommodate the features of both first-generation and second-generation GM products. The model accounts for the proprietary nature of GM innovations and for the critical role of consumer preferences vis-a-vis GM products, as well as for the impacts of segregation and identity preservation and the effects of a mandatory GM labeling regulation. We also investigate briefly a novel question in this setting, the choice of “research direction” when both cost-reducing and quality-enhancing GM innovations are feasible.
Raman Diagnostics of LaCoO3 Based Perovskites

Micro-Raman spectroscopy of the LaCoO3 based perovskites was performed to characterize vibrational properties of these rhombohedral perovskites. The cobaltites have been found to be Raman active materials and, therefore, Raman spectroscopy was used to characterize temperature and stress induced changes. It was found that the cobaltite spectra are characterized by three E g and one A 1g phonon modes. The semiconductor/metal transition along with a decrease in rhombohedral distortion of the LaCoO3 was discovered. The transition could be driven by laser overheating during a collection of the Raman signal. Significant stress-induced changes in the Raman spectrum of LaCoO3 after indentation were also observed. An increase of the intensities of two 557 and 670 cm-1 bands could be possibly explained by the reversible semiconductor-metal-semiconductor transition upon loading and further unloading of the perovskite during indentation.
Metformin as an Anticancer Agent

Metformin has been a frontline therapy for type 2 diabetes (T2D) for many years. Its effectiveness in T2D treatment is mostly attributed to its suppression of hepatic gluconeogenesis; however, the mechanistic aspects of metformin action remain elusive. In addition to its glucose-lowering effect, metformin possesses other pleiotropic health-promoting effects that include reduced cancer risk and tumorigenesis. Metformin inhibits the electron transport chain (ETC) and ATP synthesis; however, recent data reveal that metformin regulates AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) and the mechanistic target of rapamycin complex 1 (mTORC1) by multiple, mutually nonexclusive mechanisms that do not necessarily depend on the inhibition of ETC and the cellular ATP level. In this review, we discuss recent advances in elucidating the molecular mechanisms that are relevant for metformin use in cancer treatment.
Better survival with fludarabine and timed sequential busulfan regimen in older patients with AML/MDS.

7046Background: We previously reported 6% 100 day NRM with a MA fludarabine (Flu) and busulfan (Bu) in older patients with a median age of 60 years. MA dose of Bu in this timed sequential (TS) regi...
Surf-for-Development: An Exploration of Program Recipient Perspectives in Lobitos, Peru:

Critical sport for development and peace (SDP) and sustainable surf tourism (SST) research calls for sports programming and research that adheres not only to the desires and needs of local communit...
Targeted optimization of regulatory DNA sequences with neural editing architectures

Abstract Targeted optimizing of existing DNA sequences for useful properties, has the potential to enable several synthetic biology applications from modifying DNA to treat genetic disorders to designing regulatory elements to fine tune context-specific gene expression. Current approaches for targeted genome editing are largely based on prior biological knowledge or ad-hoc rules. Few if any machine learning approaches exist for targeted optimization of regulatory DNA sequences. Here, we propose a novel generative neural network architecture for targeted DNA sequence editing - the EDA architecture - consisting of an encoder, decoder, and analyzer. We showcase the use of EDA to optimize regulatory DNA sequences to bind to the transcription factor SPI1. Compared to other state-of-the-art approaches such as a textual variational autoencoder and rule-based editing, EDA significantly improves predicted binding of SPI1 of genomic sequences with the minimal set of edits. We also use EDA to design regulatory elements with optimized grammars of CREB1 binding sites that can tune reporter expression levels as measured by massively parallel reporter assays (MPRA). We analyze the properties of the binding sites in the edited sequences and find patterns that are consistent with previously reported grammatical rules which tie gene expression to CRE binding site density, spacing and affinity.
GLUCOSE UPTAKE BY SKELETAL MUSCLE FROM ACUTE COLD EXPOSED DIABETIC RATS

Publisher Summary This chapter presents some experiments that were undertaken to determine whether some improvements in glucose tolerance could be induced by shivering in muscle from rats made diabetic with streptozotocin before cold exposure. In these experiments, diabetes was induced in 200–250 g male, Sprague–Dawley rats by intravenous injection of streptozotocin at two dose levels, 90 or 40 mg/kg. The higher dose of streptozotocin regularly produced severe diabetes, evidenced by net weight loss, heavy glycosuria, ketonuria, and hyperglycemia. After the removal of the glucose-producing organs by evisceration, the rate of decline in the concentration of glucose in the plasma of the preparations results mainly from its removal by the skeletal muscles. The increased rates of uptake of glucose by muscles isolated during shivering thermogenesis in normal rats may be a reflection of the overall stimulation of carbohydrate oxidation thought to occur in whole animals during acute thermogenesis.
Soils from Fort Huachuca, Arizona, Antenna Test Facility

Abstract Fort Huachuca, AZ samples are representative of moderate-loss soils that occur naturally in many locations. Complete electrical properties are described for three different water contents over a frequency range of 1 kHz–1 GHz. Plots are displayed in this chapter, with detailed numerical data in Appendix D.
Preserve junior faculty in biomedical sciences during and after the pandemic.

COVID-19 has disrupted scientific productivity in unquantifiable ways. Unquestionably, the biggest disruption has been felt by junior faculty. However, these bright young minds do not have to be sacrificed.
Information Provision in Two-Sided Platforms: Optimizing for Supply

While information design has gained significant attention in the recent literature as a tool for shaping consumers' purchase behavior, little is known about its use and implications in two-sided marketplaces, where both supply and demand consist of self-interested strategic agents. In this paper, we develop a dynamic game-theoretic model of a two-sided platform that allows for heterogeneity and endogenous behavior on both sides of the market. We focus on illustrating the potential benefits of optimal information provision in terms of managing supply-side decisions, including supplier entry/exit and pricing. Our analysis identifies three distinct mechanisms through which information design may increase platform revenues. First, when the outside options available to consumers and service providers are relatively unattractive, information design can be used to mimic the so-called "damaged goods" effect, allowing the platform to fine-tune its composition of providers and achieve a more revenue-efficient matching between supply and demand. Second, when consumers and/or providers have access to relatively attractive outside options, information design can help the platform increase its transaction volume significantly; interestingly, we find that in order to ramp up its throughput, the platform may need to understate the quality of its best providers. Third, when the platform uses commission subsidies to resolve the "cold-start" problem and incentivize the entry of new providers, information design can help achieve the same goal while extracting higher commission revenues; thus, we highlight the role of information design as a substitute for commission subsidies. Overall, our numerical experiments suggest that, by influencing supplier decisions, optimal information provision can lead to a substantial increase in platform revenues.
The combination of Cox-2 and EGF serve as potential prognostic biomarkers for hormone refractory prostate cancer

5059 COX enzymes (COX-1 and COX-2) are the rate-limiting step in prostaglandin synthesis. Recent studies have shown that various types of carcinomas have expressed high levels of COX enzymes, but very little is known about which inducers of COX-2 are more prevalent in human prostate cancer. Previous reports have also shown that COX-2 may be induced by Epidermal Growth Factor (EGF). Therefore, our laboratory examined the expression of COX-2and EGF in a human metastatic prostate cell line PC-3 (androgen-independent) during cell growth inhibition. PC-3 cells were treated with novel anticancer agent DJ52 and chemotherapeutic agent finasteride at concentrations of 10-9M, 10-6M and 10-3M for 48 hours. The results indicated that DJ52 inhibited the growth of PC-3 cells in a concentration-dependent manner as well as COX-2 and EGF expressions were decreased with increased concentrations as measured by Western blot analysis. Finasteride did not show any significant decrease in cellular proliferation against PC-3 nor did it demonstrate any significant decrease in COX-2 or EGF expression. These data seem to indicate a direct relationship between EGF and COX-2 protein level changes as growth is inhibited in PC-3 cells. Therefore, it is reported that the use of novel antiprostatic agent DJ52 suppressed both EGF and COX-2 which implies that both may be important inducers of hormone refractory human prostate cancer and may be collectively used as potential prognostic biomarkers.
Fracture-permeability behavior of shale

Abstract The fracture-permeability behavior of Utica shale, an important play for shale gas and oil, was investigated using a triaxial coreflood device and X-ray tomography in combination with finite-discrete element modeling (FDEM). Fractures were generated in both compression and in a direct-shear configuration that allowed permeability to be measured across the faces of cylindrical core. Shale with bedding planes perpendicular to direct-shear loading developed complex fracture networks and peak permeability of 30 mD that fell to 5 mD under hydrostatic conditions. Shale with bedding planes parallel to shear loading developed simple fractures with peak permeability as high as 900 mD. In addition to the large anisotropy in fracture permeability, the amount of deformation required to initiate fractures was greater for perpendicular layering (about 1% versus 0.4%), and in both cases activation of existing fractures are more likely sources of permeability in shale gas plays or damaged caprock in CO2 sequestration because of the significant deformation required to form new fracture networks. FDEM numerical simulations were able to replicate the main features of the fracturing processes while showing the importance of fluid penetration into fractures as well as layering in determining fracture patterns.
Captive Conservation and the Role of the AZA Prosimian Advisory Group

The reduction of wildlife populations all over the world is perhaps most dramatically illustrated by the number of tropical forest species that are endangered. The rapid rate of deforestation in the tropics has resulted in the reduction and fragmentation of populations which directly impacts species vulnerability to extinction. As a taxonomic group found almost exclusively in the tropics, primates are particularly hard hit. At a time when we still have numerous questions concerning the biology of such species as the nocturnal prosimians, many are endangered.
HIV-1 Integrase Inhibitors: A Comparative Review of Efficacy and Safety.

The newest class of antiretrovirals for all persons living with HIV are the integrase strand transfer inhibitors (INSTIs). Since 2007, five INSTIs have been introduced: raltegravir, elvitegravir, dolutegravir, bictegravir, and cabotegravir. The INSTIs have favorable pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic properties, which contribute to both their effectiveness and their ease of use. With the exception of cabotegravir, each INSTI is US Food and Drug Administration approved for treatment-naive individuals initiating antiretroviral therapy. All of the INSTIs, except raltegravir, are approved for antiretroviral treatment simplification for virologically suppressed patients without INSTI resistance. Data also support the use of dolutegravir and raltegravir in individuals with antiretroviral resistance as part of an optimized antiretroviral regimen. INSTIs are generally well tolerated by people living with HIV compared with older classes of antiretrovirals, but emerging data suggest that some INSTIs contribute to weight gain. Due to their efficacy, safety, and ease of use, HIV treatment guidelines recommend oral INSTIs as preferred components of antiretroviral therapy for individuals initiating therapy. The newest INSTI, cabotegravir, represents an alternative to oral administration of life-long antiretroviral therapy with the availability of a long-acting injectable formulation. This review summarizes the current use of INSTIs in adults living with HIV, highlighting the similarities and differences within the class related to pharmacodynamics, pharmacokinetics, safety, dosing, and administration that contribute to their role in modern antiretroviral therapy.
Cross Polarized 2x2 LTE MIMO System for Automotive Shark Fin Application

In this research we propose two orthogonally placed FR4 printed planar monopole antenna elements for use in the automobile roof top shark fin antenna for LTE MIMO applications. The discussed MIMO antenna system is designed to cover the worldwide LTE frequency band from 698MHz to 2700MHz. The goal of this research is to achieve satisfactory MIMO performance across the whole band while staying within physical constraints of the shark fin style antenna. The target reflection coefficient (S11) of each element is -6dB. Because of physical constraints of the automotive shark fin design antenna MIMO decorrelation is achieved by cross polarization and small distance separation. Correlation better than -12dB is targeted and achieved in higher bands, while in lower frequency bands antennas would not benefit from MIMO performance. Numerical simulation of the MIMO antenna system is performed using FEKO in order to verify the design parameters. Simulation findings are confirmed by manufacturing antennas and testing in the lab.
Preschoolers’ gap in understanding of moral and prudential transgressions in real-life parent–child encounters

This paper reports young (3–5 year-olds’) children’s cognitive and affective understanding of actual moral (harm to others) and prudential (harm to self) transgressions in the family, as reported b...
Does Firm Type Affect Factor Payments and Growth

When advanced technologies increase productivity as delays between inputs and output in-crease, a new reason for the existence of corporations appears. A corporation, like government, is potentially deathless and can rationally adopt technological advances with output delays longer than a proprietor’s lifespan because it can make long-term contracts that transfer the value of increased productivity in the distant future into present equity owner income, independent of paying factors their marginal product, or either human or physical capital acquisition, or contracting, transactions, information, and risk costs. Corporations can cause economic growth and income equality that cannot occur with unincorporated firms.
Radiation Recall Pneumonitis After Treatment With Checkpoint Blockade Immunotherapy: A Case Series and Review of Literature.

Background Radiation recall pneumonitis (RRP) is a poorly understood clinical syndrome in which patients develop radiation pneumonitis triggered by a systemic agent, often years after the completion of radiation therapy. Immune checkpoint blockade agents have only recently been posited as a trigger for RRP. Here, we present three cases of immunotherapy-induced RRP. Case presentation Our first patient was diagnosed with primary lung adenocarcinoma, and 4.5 years after completing radiation therapy developed symptomatic RRP immediately following a second dose of nivolumab-containing immunotherapy regimen. Our second patient was diagnosed with primary bladder cancer metastatic to the mediastinum, which was treated twice with radiation therapy. He developed RRP in the days following his second course of ipilimumab-pembrolizumab which was months after his second course of radiation that he received. Our final patient was diagnosed with metastatic small cell lung cancer and received local consolidative radiation therapy in addition to whole-brain radiation. He developed RRP on the 11th day after concluding his 4th cycle of nivolumab-ipilimumab, approximately 7 months after having had completed chest radiation therapy. Conclusions Immunotherapy-induced RRP is a rare diagnosis which can present more focally than traditional immunotherapy pneumonitis and which must be clinically differentiated from other local processes such as pneumonia. Further research should explore the mechanisms underlying these radiation recall reactions as many patients receive radiation and immunotherapy during the course of their cancer treatment.
Educators Revitalize the Classroom “Bulletin Board”: A Case Study of the Influence of Online Dialogue on Face-to-Face Classes from an Adult Learning Perspective

AbstractA case study of 109 graduate education students in face-to-face classes demonstrates how Web-based bulletin boards can facilitate learning and dialogue. Multiple sources of information in the form of bulletin board postings, electronic journals, reflective essays, class discussions, and interviews are analyzed from an adult learning perspective to reveal how these online experiences can influence the face-to-face classroom. A unique characteristic of this study is that the participants are teachers and teachers-in-training and are instrumental in offering their insight as education professionals. Recommendations for the use of electronic bulletin boards in traditional classes are presented.
Characterization of a simian hepatitis A virus (HAV): antigenic and genetic comparison with human HAV.

Abstract PA21, a strain of hepatitis A virus (HAV) recovered from a naturally infected captive owl monkey, is indistinguishable from human HAV in polyclonal radioimmunoassays and cross-neutralization studies. However, cDNA-RNA hybridization has suggested a significant difference at the genomic level between PA21 and a reference human virus, HM175. Further characterization of this unique HAV was undertaken in an effort to determine the extent of genetic divergence from human HAV and its relation to the conserved antigenic structure of the virus. The close similarity between PA21 and HM175 antigens was confirmed with an extended panel of 18 neutralizing murine monoclonal antibodies: a reproducible difference in binding to the two viruses was detected with only one antibody (B5-B3). The nucleotide sequence of the P1 region of the PA21 genome had only 83.2% identity with HM175 virus, a difference approximately twice as great as that found between any two human strains. Most nucleotide changes were in third base positions, and the amino acid sequences of the capsid proteins were largely conserved. Amino acid replacements were clustered in the carboxy terminus of VP1 and the amino-terminal regions of VP2 and VP1. These data indicate that PA21 virus represents a unique genotype of HAV and suggest the existence of an ecologically isolated niche for HAV among feral owl monkeys.
Birds of a feather? Peers, delinquency, and risk

“I know a lot of people think birds of a feather flock together. But that’s not necessarily true.” Benjamin, a 24 year old African American male, described how some of his friends were drug dealers and gang members who were in and out of jail while others were academically successful and ended up in college. Much social science research on youth, peers, and violence has suggested that birds of a feather flock together, as reflected in the common finding that association with delinquent peers is a risk factor for youth violence. In this chapter, we will unpack this statement and show how the lived experiences of youth growing up in a diverse low-income community of Oakland, California complicate this claim.
Fault Current Limiters

This chapter contains sections titled: Introduction Principle and Configuration Design Analysis Challenges Manufacturing Issues Prototypes Summary References
La contienda por el brillo

Cuadros de una exposicion. Guillermo Linero Montes (presentacion de Alberto Rodriguez Tosca). Universidad Nacional de Colombia, Coleccion Viernes de Poesia, num. 8, Bogota, 2000, 47 pags.
LIFE ON THE WIRE

This paper focuses on the construction of racial identity online through the mediating influences of popular culture, old media, weblogs, and Internet users. This paper examines the production of race on the Internet by examining the elements that make up the weblog Freakonomics: the topic, the environment, the medium, and the users. Recent cyberculture research has called for Internet studies to integrate critical theories of race and culture into its analyses. The argument, which this paper seeks to extend, is for the increased recognition of the salience of race in understanding Web content and production. In examining the blog's structure, posts, and comments, I applied Omi and Winant's racial formation theory to the cultural representations and structural phenomena articulated with respect to themes of race, racial interactions, media, and geography. Omi and Winant argue that people interpret the meaning of race by framing it in social structures, and that conversely, recognizing the racial dimension...
In vivo induction of sister-chromatid exchange in Umbra limi by the insecticides endrin, chlordane, diazinon and guthion.

Abstract Central mudminnows, Umbra limi , were exposed to the insecticides endrin, chlordane, diazinon and guthion at concentrations of 5.4 × 10 −12 M to 5.4 × 10 −9 M in the aquaria water. Endrin, chlordane and diazinon caused significant increase in the frequencies of SCE. The results of these tests in part are in contrast to previous work which did not find endrin to be mutagenic. Our results suggest that the in vivo SCE test is an efficacious method of detecting mutagenic pesticides in water.
Efficacy and risks of moricizine in inducible sustained ventricular tachycardia.

Abstract ▪Objective:To assess the efficacy and toxicity of moricizine in treating patients with serious ventricular arrhythmias and inducible sustained ventricular tachycardia. ▪Design:Uncontrolled...
Production of Generalized Learning Deficit and Permanent Growth Stunting by Bilateral Brain Stem Lesions

Production of Generalized Learning Deficit and Permanent Growth Stunting by Bilateral Brain Stem Lesions
Generation of Fbn1 conditional null mice implicates the extracellular microfibrils in osteoprogenitor recruitment

Loss-of-function experiments in mice have yielded invaluable mechanistic insights into the pathogenesis of Marfan syndrome (MFS) and implicitly, into the multiple roles fibrillin-1 microfibrils play in the developing and adult organism. Unfortunately, neonatal death from aortic complications of mice lacking fibrillin-1 (Fbn1(-/-) mice) has limited the scope of these studies. Here, we report the creation of a conditional mutant allele (Fbn1(fneo) ) that contains loxP sites bordering exon1 of Fbn1 and an frt-flanked neo expression cassette downstream of it. Fbn1(fneo/+) mice were crossed with FLPeR mice and the resulting Fbn1(Lox/+) progeny were crossed with Fbn1(+/-) ;CMV-Cre mice to generate Fbn1(CMV-/-) mice, which were found to phenocopy the vascular abnormalities of Fbn1(-/-) mice. Furthermore, mating Fbn1(Lox/+) mice with Prx1-Cre or Osx-Cre mice revealed an unappreciated role of fibrillin-1 microfibrils in restricting osteoprogenitor cell recruitment. Fbn1(Lox/+) mice are, therefore, an informative genetic resource to further dissect MFS pathogenesis and the role of extracellular fibrillin-1 assemblies in organ development and homeostasis.
Do they see it coming? Using expectancy violation to gauge the success of pedagogical reforms

We present a measure, which we have named the Pedagogical Expectancy Violation Assessment (PEVA), for instructors to gauge one aspect of the success of their implementation of pedagogical reform by assessing the expectations and experiences of the students in the classroom. We implemented the PEVA in four physics classes at three institutions that used the Student Centered Active Learning Environment for Undergraduate Programs (SCALE-UP) pedagogy in order to gain an understanding of students' initial expectations, how those expectations are shifted during early classes, and what students report experiencing at the end of the semester. The results indicate appropriate shifts in student expectations during orientation, but some gaps between student expectations and experiences persisted. Students rated the communication aspects of SCALE-UP as desirable and indicated an overall positive affect toward the pedagogy, indicating that violations of their initial expectations were largely positive. By studying the patterns of the shifts in students' expectations and gaps between those expectations and their experiences, we gain insight for improving both the orientation of the students and the implementation of the course.
Reception of Nonhomogeneous Signal Fields in the Presence of Homogeneous Noise Fields

The reception of a nonhomogeneous signal field embedded in a homogeneous noise field, using a simple two-element subtractive array, is studied. For element spacing which is small compared to both the distance to the source and to the center-frequency-wavelength, the signal-to-noise improvement over a single element is shown to be independent of element spacing d, relatively independent of bandwidth and the noise spatial distribution, and to depend only on the distance to the signal source in wavelengths and on the signal ground-wave attenuation rate.
Common Hypercyclic Vectors for the Conjugate Class of a Hypercyclic Operator

Abstract Given a separable, inﬁnite dimensional Hilbert space, it was recently shown by the authors that there is a path of chaotic operators, which is dense in the operator algebra with the strong operator topology, and along which every operator has the exact same dense set of hypercyclic vectors. In the present work, we show that the conjugate set of any hypercyclic operator on a separable, inﬁnite dimensional Banach space always contains a path of operators which is dense with the strong operator topology, and yet the set of common hypercyclic vectors for the entire path is a dense set. As a corollary, the hypercyclic operators on such a Banach space form a connected subset of the operator algebra with the strong operator topology. 1. Introduction Throughout the present paper, let be a separable, inﬁnite dimensional Banach space over the scalar ﬁeld or , and let denote the algebra of bounded linear operators : . An operator in is hypercyclic if there is a vector in for which its orbit,  ,   : 0 , is dense in . Such a vector is called a hypercyclic vector for . An operator in is hypercyclic if and only if the set of hypercyclic vectors for , denoted by ˘ˇ ,is a dense set; see Kitai [23]. For a countable family ˆ of hypercyclic operators, a direct application of the Baire Category Theorem implies that the set ˙
Indoor air pollution exposures of low-income inner-city residents

Abstract This report is based on a pilot project for a large epidemiologic study of inner-city asthma, in which exposures to air pollutants will be related to both incidence and prevalance of asthma. Nitrogen dioxide concentrations were measured in three rooms as well as outdoors in 44 inner-city apartments with gas cooking stoves. Fifty-two separate month-long series of 48-h time-integrated NO 2 samples (Palmes tubes) were gathered from fall 1982 to spring 1984. The 48-h average NO 2 concentrations taken within homes frequently exceeded the U.S. EPA outdoor annual mean NO 2 standard of 100 μg/m 3 , and were observed to reach levels as high as 300 μg/m 3 in some homes. Short-term peaks of NO 2 were as high as 2000 μg/m 3 at 2.3 m from the floor and 1700 μg/m 3 at 1.7 m from the floor in kitchens. Activity records filled out by study subjects indicated an unusually large percentage of time spent indoors at home by inner-city residents, many of whom were asthma patients. On the basis of these activity patterns and the regular occurrence of high NO 2 levels in inner-city apartments, individuals in this population are likely to have elevated personal exposure to this combustion by-product.
Prevalence, Case Characteristics, and Long-Term Psychological Correlates of Child Rape among Women: A National Survey

Using telephone interview methods, a national probability sample of adult women was screened for a history of completed rape in childhood, and characteristics of child rape incidents were assessed....
Digestion treatments and risks of Cr(III)–Cr(VI) interconversions during Cr(VI) determination in soils and sediments—a review

Abstract Threshold values for Cr(VI) in various types of solid matrices have been set up to protect human health and biota. To ascertain the compliance of solids with these limits different types of extractants and different conditions of pH and temperature have been proposed in the literature. These extraction procedures are reviewed and their potentialities in quantitatively extracting Cr(VI) from solids without inducing undesired Cr(VI)–Cr(III) interconversions during the extraction are carefully evaluated. This evaluation takes into account the knowledge of the kinetics of most important redox reactions of chromium gathered in recent years. Among possible Cr(VI) reductants made available during the digestion, a number of species including Fe(II), sulphide, sulfite and humic matter were considered, while oxidants included hydrogen peroxide, dissolved oxygen, manganese oxides. Theoretical calculations suggest that pH higher than 10, high temperature and high concentrations of carbonate and magnesium ions minimize Cr(III)–Cr(VI) interconversions. The EPA Method 3060A meets these basic requirements. However, the applicability of this method to the analysis of Cr(VI) in soil and sediment samples, whose extracts may suffer from the interference by humic matter, is questionable.
Endorsements, Licensing, and Insurance for Electronic Commerce

The users of systems supporting electronic commerce rely on the service providers with which they transact business. Because such systetms span multiple organizations, It is difficult for users to assess the security and competence of such service providers. This article looks at the issue of confidence in distributed systems. When confidences is lacking in tradional commerce, endorsements, licensing, liability insurance, and surety bonds are used to compensate. We show tht by Incorporating such assurances into distributed sysrems, users are better able to evaluate the risks incurred when using a particular service provider.
Josephson current carried by Andreev levels in superconducting quantum point contacts

The dc Josephson effect in a superconducting quantum point contact, where supercurrent flows through a small number of channels, is reviewed. The central role of Andreev levels is emphasized which carry the whole supercurrent in short symmetric Josephson junctions including tunnel junctions. A simple intuitive view of the dc Josephson effect in a quantum point contact is given in terms of multiple Andreev reflections. The quantization of the critical current in superconducting quantum point contacts is briefly discussed.
Synergistic killing effect of chloroquine and androgen deprivation in LNCaP cells

Modulation of autophagy is a new paradigm in cancer therapeutics. Recently a novel function of chloroquine (CLQ) in inhibiting degradation of autophagic vesicles has been revealed, which raises the question whether CLQ can be used as an adjuvant in targeting autophagic pro-survival mechanism in prostate cancer (PCa). We previously showed that autophagy played a protective role during hormone ablation therapy, in part, by consuming lipid droplets in PCa cells. In addition, blocking autophagy by genetic and pharmacological means in the presence of androgen deprivation caused cell death in PCa cells. To further investigate the importance of autophagy in PCa survival and dissect the role of CLQ in PCa death, we treated hormone responsive LNCaP cells with CLQ in combination with androgen deprivation. We observed that CLQ synergistically killed LNCaP cells during androgen deprivation in a dose- and time-dependent manner. We further confirmed that CLQ inhibited the maturation of autophagic vesicles and decreased the cytosolic ATP. Moreover, CLQ induced nuclear condensation and DNA fragmentation, a hallmark of apoptosis, in androgen deprived LNCaP cells. Taken together, our finding suggests that CLQ may be an useful adjuvant in hormone ablation therapy to improve the therapeutic efficacy.
What Drives the Variability of Evaporative Demand across the Conterminous United States

AbstractTo understand the sources of temporal and spatial variability of atmospheric evaporative demand across the conterminous United States (CONUS), a mean-value, second-moment uncertainty analysis is applied to a spatially distributed dataset of daily synthetic pan evaporation for 1980–2009. This evaporative demand measure is from the “PenPan” model, which is a combination equation calibrated to mimic observations from U.S. class-A evaporation pans and here driven by six North American Land Data Assimilation System variables: temperature, specific humidity, station pressure, wind speed, and downwelling shortwave and longwave radiation. The variability of evaporative demand is decomposed across various time scales into contributions from these drivers. Contrary to popular expectation and much hydrologic practice, temperature is not always the most significant driver of temporal variability in evaporative demand, particularly at subannual time scales. Instead, depending on the season, one of four drivers...
Applications and Lipschitz results of Approximation by Smooth Picard and Gauss-Weierstrass Type Singular Integrals

Continuamos nuestros estudios sobre convergencia uniforme de orden superior con radios y sobre convergencia Lp con radios. Concretamente, en este articulo establecemos algunos resultados de tipo Lipschitz para operadores integrales suves del tipo Picard singulares y para operadores integrales singulares de tipo Gauss-Weierstrass.
Spectroscopic evidence for agostic interactions in organocobalt porphyrins

The unusual proton chemical NMR signal positions in the 360 MHz proton and proton-decoupled NMR spectra of five-coordinate organocobalt porphyrins (sixteen-electron species) can be explained by agostic interactions, and we provide spectroscopic evidence for such interactions. We note that the proton NMR chemical shift assignments for similar compounds in the past have been either assigned incorrectly in the literature, or the explanations given for the unsual order of chemical shifts has been unproven or puzzling
Faculty Perceptions of the Adoption and Use of Clickers in the Legal Studies in Business Classroom

The use of clickers in the classroom can improve student engagement and motivation. However, few studies have been conducted on faculty opinions of the use of clickers. The authors measured clicker use in legal studies among business faculty and investigated perceptions and factors associated with the adoption of clickers in the discipline. Survey results indicate that most legal studies in business faculty have either never used or rarely use clickers, and that very few faculty members in the discipline use clickers regularly. Instructors perceive that clickers can improve teaching, but may be reluctant to adopt them because of time constraints.
A survey on image-based rendering—representation, sampling and compression

Image-based rendering (IBR) has attracted a lot of research interest recently. In this paper, we survey the various techniques developed for IBR, including representation, sampling and compression. The goal is to provide an overview of research for IBR in a complete and systematic manner. We observe that essentially all the IBR representations are derived from the plenoptic function, which is seven dimensional and difficult to handle. We classify various IBR representations into two categories based on how the plenoptic function is simplified, namely restraining the viewing space and introducing source descriptions. In the former category, we summarize six common assumptions that were often made in various approaches and discuss how the dimension of the plenoptic function can be reduced based on these assumptions. In the latter category, we further categorize the methods based on what kind of source description was introduced, such as scene geometry, texture map or reflection model. Sampling and compression are also discussed respectively for both categories.
Sex ratios of drinking patterns and problems among blacks and whites: results from a national survey.

Objective: The purpose of this study is to explore whether there are differences in sex ratios of drinking patterns and related problems among blacks and whites, and if so to explain these differences. Method: The study is based on a national survey including 1,947 (male, 723; female, 1,224) black and 1,777 (male, 743; female, 1,034) white men and women who were sampled from U.S. adult households using probability methods. Hierarchical regression methods were used to test whether there are significant racial differences in the sex ratio of drinking patterns and problems in the two racial groups. Results: The findings showed that there were no substantive differences in drinking sex ratios along racial lines. However, white women were at the highest risk of experiencing alcohol-related problems as rates of heavier drinking increased, and the effects of heavier drinking differed much more among the sexes for whites than blacks. Conclusions: The findings for whites are consistent with previous research showi...
Catalysis of Organic Reactions

This special issue of Topics in Catalysis is devoted to discussions of catalysis applied particularly to the preparation of organic compounds and documents the proceedings of the 24th Biennial Conference of the Organic Reactions Catalysis Society (ORCS), held in Annapolis, Maryland from April 15th through April 19th, 2012. ORCS seeks to advance practical applications of catalysis for making organic compounds by fostering discussions, providing opportunities for members to present their work, and facilitating dissemination of scientific knowledge. At the 24th meeting, we celebrated two Paul N. Rylander award winners. The Paul N. Rylander Award is sponsored by BASF and is awarded annually to researchers who have made significant contributions in the application of catalysis in organic reactions. The 2011 winner, Thomas A. Puckette of the Eastman Chemical Company, was honored for his contribution to low-pressure Rh hydroformylation reactions and the development of previously undiscovered ligands. The 2012 winner, Melanie S. Sanford of the University of Michigan, was honored for her work in Pd-catalyzed C–H activation reactions. The two awardees reflect the essence of ORCS. Professor Sanford, through basic research, has been opening new paths for industrially relevant compounds while diminishing the environmental impact of their manufacture. Dr. Puckette’s research has been in an industrial setting where he has specialized in pioneering new pathways for catalyst systems operating at commercial scale. Dr. Puckette’s research has focused on the development of ligands that, prior to his work, were carefully avoided to prevent poisoning. The connection between fundamental and applied research in furthering catalysis deployed throughout the world is the vision of ORCS. Bringing the two worlds together is what makes ORCS, as a society, unique. The 24th biennial conference was organized into six major symposia as follows: