cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electrical conductivity manipulation and switching phenomena of poly(p-phenylenebenzobisthiazole) thin film by doping process

Current–voltage (i-v) characteristics of dry poly(p-phenylenebenzobisthiazole) (PBZT) thin films are studied before and after various doping processes. Conductivity switching phenomenon is observed after doping with HCl and H2SO4 acidic solutions at different concentration levels. The conductivity is 10 folds higher in a relatively high sweeping voltage range (0.2–0.3 V) than that sweeping in a lower range of 0–0.1 V. The conductivity switching phenomenon becomes more obvious with an increase of acid concentration. HCl shows to be more favorable for a quick and efficient switching behavior than H2SO4. The reduction of PBZT with metal (Fe, Cu and Pd) doping process produces linear conductivity along the whole sweeping range of voltage. A 30% electrical conductivity enhancement is observed after applying an external dc voltage on the acid soaked PBZT film and different voltages enhance the conductivity to the same level. The conductivity returns gradually after removing the applied voltage. Four-point probe conductivity measurements, FT-IR, scanning electron microscopy, EDAX elemental analysis, X-ray diffraction and TGA thermal analysis were used for better understanding the doping processes and conductivity switching mechanisms. A molecular structure transformation during the doping process is proposed.
Complete genomic sequence and analysis of 117 kb of human DNA containing the gene BRCA1.

Over 100 distinct disease-associated mutations have been identified in the breast-ovarian cancer susceptibility gene BRCAI. Loss of the wild-type allele in >90% of tumors from patients with inherited BRCAI mutations indicates tumor suppressive function. The low incidence of somatic mutations suggests that BRCAI inactivation in sporadic tumors occurs by alternative mechanisms, such as interstitial chromosomal deletion or reduced transcription. To identify possible features of the BRCA1 genomic region that may contribute to chromosomal instability as well as potential transcriptional regulatory elements, a 117,143-bp DNA sequence encompassing BRCA1 was obtained by random sequencing of four cosmids identified from a human chromosome 17 specific library. The 24 exons of BRCAI span an 81-kb region that has an unusually high density of AJu repetitive DNA {41.5%), but relatively low density [4.8%) of other repetitive sequences. BRCAI intron lengths range in size from 403 bp to 9.2 kb and contain the intragenic microsatellite markers DI7S1323, DI7SI322, and DI7S855, which localize to introns 12, 19, and 20, respectively. In addition to BRCAI, the contig contains two complete genes: RhoT, a member of the rho family of GTP binding proteins, and VAT1, an abundant membrane protein of cholinergic synaptic vesicles. Partial sequences of the IAI-JB B-box protein pseudogene and lip JS, an interferon induced leucine zipper protein, reside within the contig. An L21 ribosomal protein pseudogene is embedded in BRCA1 intron 13. The order of genes on the chromosome is: centromere-lFP JS-VATI-P, hoTBRCAI-IAI-JB- telomere.
PARAESOPHAGEAL HERNIA IN AN ELDERLY WOMAN WITH VOMITING

We describe the case of a 79-year-old woman who presented with resolved episodes of vomiting and was found to have a paraesophageal hernia. Her initial evaluation was unremarkable, and the diagnosis was established only by the use of screening chest radiography. Once the diagnosis was confirmed, the patient required urgent surgical repair. Paraesophageal hernia is a rare clinical entity with the potential for life-threatening complications, making the diagnosis itself an indication for surgery. This case illustrates the fact that significant pathology may be present with few, if any, physical findings in the elderly patient, and thorough evaluations are required for the diagnosis of such occult pathology.
LES CRÉOLES: L'INDISPENSABLE SURVIE . Marie-Christine Hazaël-Massieux . Paris: Éditions Entente, 1999. Pp. 319. F 150, paper.

This book, which appears in a series called Langues en Peril“languages in peril,” is an accessible and well-written panoramic view of the French-based creoles spoken in the Caribbean and the Indian Ocean. In her introductory remarks, author Marie-Christine Hazael-Massieux addresses the confusions regarding the notions of language and dialect, presenting clearly and concisely how a linguistic system can be a language without being written or prestigious or belonging to any given geographical region. She touches on why some of the French-based creoles, such as Louisiana Creole French, may be endangered and extends the definition of an endangered language to include cases in which a creole can lose its “creoleness” through decreolization. This allows her also to discuss the question of diversity among French-based creoles, although, as she points out, this rich diversity is often overlooked for ideological or other reasons.
Sensitivity of an atmospheric correction algorithm for non-Lambertian vegetation surfaces to atmospheric parameters

An atmospheric correction algorithm has been proposed by S.A.W. Gerstl and C. Simmer (1986) that removes atmospheric perturbations from off-nadir radiances measured at the top of the atmosphere in the visible and near-infrared wavelength regions. The correction formalism requires as minimum information the total optical depth of the atmosphere and the surface albedo. The sensitivity of the model to assumptions about the aerosol scattering phase function, the single scattering albedo, and the vertical profile of the optical depth are tested. The authors find that the forward scattering asymmetry must be known most accurately to perform a reliable atmospheric correction for aerosol-laden atmospheres when high-resolution and off-nadir imagery is considered and the surface bidirectional reflectance distribution function is to be retrieved. >
RISK SOCIETY, MEDIA, AND POWER: THE CASE OF NANOTECHNOLOGY

Risk society theory posits that the transformation of industrial to postindustrial society corresponded with a transformation of societal power structured by capital, to one structured by the ability to define risk. Perceptions of risk are, in part, socially constructed and created through the framing efforts of various institutional actors. The resulting struggle over meaning is particularly acute when the issues contain many unknown elements—as is the case with emerging technologies. Applying insights from media studies, frame analysis, and organizational theory, we analyze coverage of nanotechnology (NT) in popular press, trade, and general science publications. The findings document the extent to which the risks of this emerging technology are presented or ignored across, between, and within organizational subfields. The analysis empirically assesses a key proposition of risk society theory and reveals how institutional processes reflect and reproduce power differentials. We discuss the implications o...
Inter-Industry Wage Structures: New Evidence from the OECD

This paper presents an analysis of the evolution of industrial wages in a selection of OECD countries, using data drawn from the Structural Analysis Database and a sequence of techniques that apply cluster and discriminant analysis to time-series of wage change by industry. The principal finding is that a small number of well defined groups of industries usually exist, whose cross-group differences account for almost all inter-industry wage variation. While the specific structure of groups varies according to patterns of natural resources, comparative advantage and trade union organization within each country, the between-group variation across time usually reflects the movement of macroeconomic variables, some of them internal and other external, such as inflation and exchange rates. In other words, individual countries appear to be able to control their internal institutional structures, perhaps best understood as pattern bargains, wage contours, or industrial sectors distinguished by type and degree of exposure to international trade. But they do not exercise internal control over the evolution of wage differentials across these groups, except insofar as they can manipulate the macro conditions to which the groups are differentially sensitive.
Early Resolution of Herpes Simplex Virus Type 2 Infection of the Murine Genital Tract Involves Stimulation of Genital Parenchymal Cells by Gamma Interferon

Early clearance of a thymidine kinase-deficient strain of herpes simplex virus type 2 from the female genital tract required T-cell-produced gamma interferon (IFN-gamma). Transfer of activated CD8+ T cells to irradiated C57BL/6 mice resulted in rapid virus clearance, but clearance was greatly delayed in recipients deficient in the IFN-gamma receptor (IFN-gammaR). Early virus clearance was demonstrated in radiation chimeras in which IFN-gammaR expression was limited to parenchymal cells, but resolution was significantly delayed in chimeras deficient in IFN-gammaR expression and chimeras expressing IFN-gammaR only on hematopoietic cells. Together, these results suggest that early IFN-gamma-mediated protection was manifested mainly by stimulation of genital parenchymal cells.
Information Technologies as Discursive Agents: Methodological Implications for the Empirical Study of Knowledge Work:

Work activities that are mediated by information rely on the production of discourse-based objects of work. Designs, evaluations, and conditions are all objects that originate and materialize in discourse. They are created and maintained through the coordinated efforts of human and non-human agents. Genres help foster such coordination from the top down, by providing guidance to create and recreate discourse objects of recurring social value. From where, however, does coordination emerge in more ad hoc discursive activities, where the work objects are novel, unknown, or unstable? In these situations, coordination emerges from simple discursive operations, reliably mediated by information and communication technologies (ICTs) that appear to act as discursive agents. This article theorizes the discursive agency of ICTs, explores the discursive operations they mediate, and the coordination that emerges. The article also offers and models a study methodology for the empirical observation of such interactions.
Stereoselective deuterium labeling of proR beta-protons in the NMR structure determination of a helix-turn-helix turn peptide mimic.

The NMR structure of a small, side-chain-cyclized tripeptide mimic of the turn in the helix-turn-helix (HTH) motif was determined. The four beta-protons were stereospecifically assigned by stereoselective deuterium replacement of only the proR beta-protons. All 24 of 30 NOESY cross-peaks not involving chemically defined or freely rotating protons, and six of seven coupling constants from the P.COSY were used as distance and angle constraints in molecular modeling. MacroModel found 33/1000 structures in the NMR constrained search and 263/1000 structures in the unconstrained search, indicating meaningful constraint by the NMR data. However, the 10 lowest-energy structures from the unconstrained and constrained searches are very similar, so modeling alone was able to find the experimentally determined structure.
Ketoconazole and phorbol myristate acetate regulate osteoclast precursor fusion in primary murine marrow culture.

Osteoclast formation requires both precursor proliferation and then fusion into a multinuclear cell. These processes can be separated in primary murine marrow culture where osteoclastogenesis is stimulated by 1,25-dihydroxyvitamin D 3 (1,25(OH) 2 D 3 ). Here we investigate the regulation of precursor fusion. Ketoconazole, an agent known to inhibit cell fusion, added during the fusion period (days 5-6), dose-dependently inhibited formation of tartrate-resistant acid phosphatase + (TRAP + ) multinucleated cells (TRAP + MNCs), maximally at 62 ± 4% (n = 10). TRAP + MNCs in cultures exposed to 48 h of ketoconazole (1 μM) during fusion had fewer nuclei compared with control (11.7 ± 0.6 vs. 15.1 ± 0.9). This inhibitory effect was completely reversed 24 h after removal of ketoconazole from culture. Phorbol myristate acetate (PMA) stimulated TRAP + MNC formation when given during the last 12 h of culture (23 ± 0.2 fold compared with control). This increased formation was unaffected by the addition of hydroxyurea and accompanied by an increase in nuclei per TRAP + MNC (15.5 ± 0.9 vs. 13.1 ± 0.6). Finally, staurosporine decreased TRAP + MNC formation in the presence or absence of PMA, implying that protein kinase C is involved in fusogenic processes. Regulation of fusion appears to be another mechanism by which bone remodeling can be modulated in vivo.
Fast gas chromatography-time-of-flight mass spectrometry of polychlorinated biphenyls and other environmental contaminants.

Practical applications of fast gas chromatography (GC) with time-of-flight mass spectrometry (TOFMS) are presented. A narrow-bore column (0.10-mm i.d.) is used to analyze over 100 specific polychlorinated biphenyl congeners in an Aroclor mix and a sediment sample in 10.5 min. Sample preparation is minimized for the sediment to more closely match the speed advantage gained by using fast GC-TOFMS. The possibility of using a 0.53-mm-i.d. column operated under vacuum-outlet conditions for fast GC-TOFMS is established for Aroclors and a suite of environmental contaminants. Fast acquisition rates and automated peak-find and spectral deconvolution capabilities are demonstrated for TOFMS.
Delayed Nesting by Female Canada Geese (Branta canadensis): Benefits and Costs

ABSTRACT. In many avian species, females do not nest the first year they attain sexual maturity. I examined the benefits and costs of delayed nesting in a nonmigratory population of Canada Geese (Branta canadensis) in New Haven County, Connecticut, from 1984 through 2008. I individually marked 381 female goslings and monitored them throughout their lives. Eighty-seven females were recruited into the local breeding population; 16 of these started nesting when 1 or 2 years old (young nesters), and 71 started nesting when 3 to 9 years old (delayed nesters). During their first reproductive effort, young nesters and delayed nesters produced similar-sized clutches but young nesters produced fewer hatchlings or fledglings. Young nesters died sooner than delayed nesters, but the two groups were similar in number of years of life following first nesting effort, number of nesting years during life span, and total lifetime production of eggs, hatchlings, and fledglings. Both young nesters and delayed nesters had sim...
Sensitivity-based generation rescheduling for voltage stability enhancement

This paper proposes a method of voltage stability enhancement using generation rescheduling. Sensitivities of the voltage stability margin with respect to the MW output of the generators are used to choose the generators to increase and reduce the MW output. The amount of change in generation is also determined using the sensitivity information and the available MW margin in the direction of change in generation. Case studies are presented to illustrate the effectiveness of the proposed method.
Learning in 3D Virtual Environments: Collaboration and Knowledge Spirals

The purpose of this case study was to determine if learning occurred within a 3D virtual learning environment by determining if elements of collaboration and Nonaka and Takeuchi's (1995) knowledge spiral were present. A key portion of this research was the creation of a Virtual Learning Environment. This 3D VLE utilized the Torque Game Engine provided by Garage Games and a content pack created by BraveTree Productions, LLC. By creating this 3D didactic constructivist virtual environment, conversations were observed for collaborative and knowledge creation elements. Data for this mixed-design case study were gathered through three sources: the 3D virtual environment; a survey created by the researchers; and follow-up interviews. Findings revealed that the five forms of collaboration (Elementary Clarification, In-Depth Clarification, Inference, Judgment, and Application) amplified the knowledge creation process and indeed occurred within the virtual learning environment. It was also determined that all four...
Abundance of Terrestrial Gymnamoebae at a Northeastern U. S. Site: A Four-year Study, Including the El Niño Winter of 1997–1998

Abstract The abundance, sizes, and when appropriate, diversity of gymnamoebae were documented at approximately monthly intervals for four years (1995–1998) at a grassy, terrestrial site slightly upslope from a freshwater pond. Soil samples were analyzed for viable gymnamoebae using a standard laboratory culturing protocol. The mean density of gymnamoebae based on the total data set was ca.1,600/g (s.e. ± 190). Minimum densities of gymnamoebae (156/g) occurred in January 1995, and a maximum for the sampling period (5,838/g) occurred in July 1997, when a rainy period followed an extended period of drought. Among the environmental variables monitored (precipitation, soil moisture, organic content, and temperature) only precipitation correlated significantly with abundance of gymnamoebae (r = 0.34, p = 0.02). During the mild, moist El Nino winter of 1997–1998, a larger than usual number of gymnamoebae was recorded at the site (∼3,800/g) compared to a mean density of ∼900/g for comparable periods in preceding ...
NEW SPECIES OF GYRODACTYLUS (MONOGENOIDEA, GYRODACTYLIDAE) FROM THE WHITE SANDS PUPFISH, CYPRINODON TULAROSA, IN NEW MEXICO

Abstract A new species of Gyrodactylus (Monogenoidea, Gyrodactylidae) is described from the skin of the White Sands pupfish, Cyprinodon tularosa Miller and Echelle, 1975 (Cyprinodontiformes, Cyprinodontidae) from Salt Creek, White Sands Missile Range, Tularosa Basin, New Mexico. The new species is compared with the 6 species of Gyrodactylidae known to parasitize pupfish in the southern United States.
Analytical solution for Gamo entropy under spatially partial coherent illumination

We present a methodology for obtaining the analytical solution of the Gamo entropy, defined by the intensity matrix proposed by Gamo [J. Opt. Soc. Am.47, 976 (1957)JOSAAH0030-394110.1364/JOSA.47.000976]. The matrix, which consists of numerous image amplitudes at all the sampling points of the entire imaging plane, is generally infinite-dimensional. The essence of our theory is that the computational difficulties arising because of the infinite-dimensionality are avoided by introducing the inner products of two image amplitudes. The integral in continuous space plays the role of a buffer against the infinite-dimensionality. The validity of the approach is confirmed by comparing our analytical solution and Yamazoe's numerical simulations [J. Opt. Soc. Am. A28, 448 (2011)JOAOD60740-323210.1364/JOSAA.28.000448].
Preferential Breakpoints in the Recovery of Broken Dicentric Chromosomes in Drosophila melanogaster

We designed a system to determine whether dicentric chromosomes in Drosophila melanogaster break at random or at preferred sites. Sister chromatid exchange in a Ring-X chromosome produced dicentric chromosomes with two bridging arms connecting segregating centromeres as cells divide. This double bridge can break in mitosis. A genetic screen recovered chromosomes that were linearized by breakage in the male germline. Because the screen required viability of males with this X chromosome, the breakpoints in each arm of the double bridge must be closely matched to produce a nearly euploid chromosome. We expected that most linear chromosomes would be broken in heterochromatin because there are no vital genes in heterochromatin, and breakpoint distribution would be relatively unconstrained. Surprisingly, approximately half the breakpoints are found in euchromatin, and the breakpoints are clustered in just a few regions of the chromosome that closely match regions identified as intercalary heterochromatin. The results support the Laird hypothesis that intercalary heterochromatin can explain fragile sites in mitotic chromosomes, including fragile X. Opened rings also were recovered after male larvae were exposed to X-rays. This method was much less efficient and produced chromosomes with a strikingly different array of breakpoints, with almost all located in heterochromatin. A series of circularly permuted linear X chromosomes was generated that may be useful for investigating aspects of chromosome behavior, such as crossover distribution and interference in meiosis, or questions of nuclear organization and function.
WITHDRAWN: Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis in the setting of a hunting injury

Abstract Human Granulocytic Anaplasmosis is a traditionally tick borne illness characterized by non-specific symptoms. 63 year old man with medical history of HIV on ART, presented to EO-VAMC with a complaint of cyclic fevers, chills, and diarrhea. Symptoms began with generalized weakness one week prior to presentation. Patient revealed he was a hunter and experienced trauma to his hand while butchering a deer. He denied vomiting, hematemesis, sick contacts, changes in diet, shortness of breath, recent travel or known tick exposure. Patient was tachycardic, ill-appearing and was admitted to MICU. Initial labs were significant for thrombocytopenia, coagulopathy and transaminitis. He was fluid resuscitated and Infectious Disease service was consulted. He was started on broad spectrum antibiotics given his recent hunting injury and possible tick exposure. The patient's clinical status improved throughout his hospital stay and he was discharged on Azithromycin, Atovoquone and Doxycycline. The patient returned to ID clinic two weeks after discharge and reported complete resolution of symptoms. Titers at that time revealed (+) IgM against HGA and re-examination of the peripheral smear revealed intraleukocytic morulae characteristic of Erlichia/Anaplasmosis infection. Given patient's history of trauma while butchering a deer, timeline of symptoms and positive Anaplasmosis serology, diagnosis of HGA with transmission via handling of infected butchered deer meat was made. This case illustrates an uncommon mode of HGA transmission and emphasizes value of obtaining thorough history.
Assay of Foreign-body Reaction

1. A method is described for comparison of metallic substances with reference to their capacity to evoke inflammation when used subcutaneously. 2. Powders of the test metal may be compared with similar powders of other umetals by injecting suspensions of them into animals and examining the histological reaction at intervals. 3. By this method, very fine powders of several substances including type 316 stainless steel, and a cobalt chromium alloy were compared. All showed some degree of reaction, the least being evoked by the cobalt chrome alloy.
Abstract 3006: A systematical view on key genetic factors affecting somatic copy number alternations in different cancers

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Along with somatic mutations and translocations, somatic copy number alternations (SCNAs) play essential roles in the development of cancers. However, it remains poorly understood what mutagenic features driving cancer SCNAs are encoded in the genome sequence and how their effects vary across different cancer types. Taking advantage of recently available the Cancer Genome Atlas (TCGA) data, we performed a systematic analysis on the effects of various genetic sequence features on cancer SCNAs. We first assessed the correlations of breakpoint density across different cancer types and found that they overall showed very strong positive correlations, but in some cases, the correlations varied from chromosome to chromosome. Next, we investigated the dependence of SCNAs on 16 sequence features and found that compared to copy number variations in human populations, SCNAs showed much weaker correlations, suggesting a stronger effect of functional selection on their observed patterns. Finally, we built integrative models to identify key features affecting different cancer SCNAs. Our study provides a systematic view how genome-wide sequence features affect cancer SCNAs and lays a foundation for identifying key SCNAs driving cancer pathogenesis. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3006. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-3006
Immunoglobulin Surface Adsorption Studied by Total Internal Reflection with Fluorescence Correlation Spectroscopy

Total internal reflection with fluorescence correlation spectroscopy (TIR/FCS) is a new technique for studying binding and surface diffusion of fluorescent molecules in equilibrium at a surface. We apply TIR/FCS to the rapidly reversible nonspecific adsorption of rhodamine-labeled immunoglobulin to fused silica coated with bovine serum albumin. The measured characteristic time is 6.3ms and is limited by the rate of diffusion in solution. TIR/FCS is shown to be a feasible technique for measuring nonspecific binding kinetic rates at equilibrium and should prove useful for measuring specific solute/surface site kinetic rates in systems where nonspecific binding is low.
Detection and staging of renal cancer

Although MR imaging is not a first-line modality for detecting renal cancers, it is useful when computed tomography or ultrasound are limited by artifacts or when contrast media cannot be administered because of renal dysfunction or allergy. MR imaging is commonly used in staging renal cancers, particularly in assessing the presence and extent of inferior vena caval thrombus. Additionally, MR imaging can be useful in detecting adenopathy, hepatic metastases, direct organ invasion, and bony metastases to the spine. Thus, MR imaging has an established role in the detection and staging of renal cancers.
Cross-national research and international business: An interdisciplinary path

Comparative cross-national research is among the oldest approaches of scientific inquiry in the social sciences. We investigate the foundations of published works in cross-national research (CNR) in international business (IB), sociology, and psychology with an eye on leveraging their rich traditions for future IB research. Our approach aims to contribute and address repeated calls for taking an interdisciplinary approach in IB. We examined published CNR in 106 scholarly journals and identified 817 articles with 51,738 citations in IB, 477 works with 30,017 citations in sociology, and 835 articles with 54,519 citations in psychology. We use metric multidimensional scaling to examine the co-citation data for each field and identify knowledge and approaches commonplace in sociology and psychology to propose future research paths in IB. In particular multilevel analysis, which is scarcely used in IB, offers the potential of unfolding new dimensions within the field. Based on the emergent results from our MDS solutions, we recommend multiple future paths for CNR, particularly with respect to IB relationships, market entry, and related domains.
Breaches in the Public Sphere. Racialized Terms of Inclusion in a Text of Transition: Francisco Calcagno's Aponte

AbstractIn an analysis of a late nineteenth-century novel written at moment of political transition where the terms of inclusion for racialized peoples were debated, I explore how nations promoted a partial and selective liberalism, including and excluding principles as they saw fit. In Cuba, Francisco Calcagno's Aponte has been traditionally classified as an anti-slavery novel representative of the liberal politics of the nascent Cuban republic. Without negating its denunciation of slavery, I argue that its claim of racial democracy is conflicted, as it does not square liberalism with racial equality. Calcagno's slave protagonist goes through a transformative process but is barred from full political participation. The white slave-owner turned abolitionist advocates for the civic training and education of the population of colour in Cuba, yet his fear of what such education could mean for the privileged position of white Creoles destabilizes this argument. I examine what the presentation of a new, proble...
III-V compound semiconductors: Growth and structures

Abstract The semiconductors formed from group 13 metals and from group 15 anions, referred to as the III-V semiconductors, have found use in a broad range of technologies. Their versatility arises from the wide range of optical and electronic properties accessed through the formation of multi-component alloys. These alloys can be synthesized using the epitaxial growth techniques for devices consisting of several-to-hundreds of highly controlled individual layers monolithically formed into a nearly defect-free structure. This ability to design and fabricate such detailed structures, whose dimensions can be at the nanometer scale, has been driven by an understanding of the crystal growth and materials technology. The paper introduces key features of these materials, their materials science and crystal growth.
Neisseria gonorrhoeae Crippled Its Peptidoglycan Fragment Permease To Facilitate Toxic Peptidoglycan Monomer Release

ABSTRACT Neisseria gonorrhoeae (gonococci) and Neisseria meningitidis (meningococci) are human pathogens that cause gonorrhea and meningococcal meningitis, respectively. Both N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis release a number of small peptidoglycan (PG) fragments, including proinflammatory PG monomers, although N. meningitidis releases fewer PG monomers. The PG fragments released by N. gonorrhoeae and N. meningitidis are generated in the periplasm during cell wall remodeling, and a majority of these fragments are transported into the cytoplasm by an inner membrane permease, AmpG; however, a portion of the PG fragments are released into the extracellular environment through unknown mechanisms. We previously reported that the expression of meningococcal ampG in N. gonorrhoeae reduced PG monomer release by gonococci. This finding suggested that the efficiency of AmpG-mediated PG fragment recycling regulates the amount of PG fragments released into the extracellular milieu. We determined that three AmpG residues near the C-terminal end of the protein modulate AmpG9s efficiency. We also investigated the association between PG fragment recycling and release in two species of human-associated nonpathogenic Neisseria: N. sicca and N. mucosa. Both N. sicca and N. mucosa release lower levels of PG fragments and are more efficient at recycling PG fragments than N. gonorrhoeae. Our results suggest that N. gonorrhoeae has evolved to increase the amounts of toxic PG fragments released by reducing its PG recycling efficiency. IMPORTANCENeisseria gonorrhoeae and Neisseria meningitidis are human pathogens that cause highly inflammatory diseases, although N. meningitidis is also frequently found as a normal member of the nasopharyngeal microbiota. Nonpathogenic Neisseria, such as N. sicca and N. mucosa, also colonize the nasopharynx without causing disease. Although all four species release peptidoglycan fragments, N. gonorrhoeae is the least efficient at recycling and releases the largest amount of proinflammatory peptidoglycan monomers, partly due to differences in the recycling permease AmpG. Studying the interplay between bacterial physiology (peptidoglycan metabolism) and pathogenesis (release of toxic monomers) leads to an increased understanding of how different bacterial species maintain asymptomatic colonization or cause disease and may contribute to efforts to mitigate disease.
Notes on the Manufacture and Use of Carretas in Northern Sinaloa, Mexico

AbstractDuring the course of field work in northern Sinaloa in the period 1964-1968, the author had occasion to photograph traditional oxcarts in use and visit an oxcart maker. The data obtained on these occasions are presented.
A Validation Study of the What's My School Mindset? Survey.

The What’s My School Mindset? (WMSM) survey is purported to operationalize teachers’ beliefs of their school’s ability to help all children learn and grow. In today’s data driven educational climate it is important to select a reliable instrument for collecting teacher perceptions about their school culture. Accurate data is necessary to support development of realistic continuous improvement goals and to measure progress toward those goals. This study collected teacher and administrator responses (n = 348) from a stratified random sample of 31 PK-12 public schools in a large northwestern state. A split-half exploratory factor analysis (n = 178) was used to identify a proposed factor structure model. The proposed model was tested using the second half confirmatory factor analysis sample (n = 174) and confirmed the model revealing school mindset is a second order, unidimensional factor with three subfactors. The results of this study are useful for school leaders and researchers who seek to use the What’s My School Mindset? scale to measure growth mindset within a school’s culture. Accurately interpreting the measurement of one’s school culture can increase administrator effectiveness and provide a foundation for opening realistic dialogues with teachers about their self-reported beliefs. A useful discussion of the background of school growth mindset, development of the What’s My School Mindset? instrument, and theoretical framework of learning organization theory is provided.
A latent promotion time cure rate model using dependent tail‐free mixtures

Summary The paper extends the latent promotion time cure rate marker model of Kim, Xi and Chen for right-censored survival data. Instead of modelling the cure rate parameter as a deterministic function of risk factors, they assumed that the cure rate parameter of a targeted population is distributed over a number of ordinal levels according to the probabilities governed by the risk factors. We propose to use a mixture of linear dependent tail-free processes as the prior for the distribution of the cure rate parameter, resulting in a latent promotion time cure rate model. This approach provides an immediate answer to perhaps one of the most pressing questions ‘what is the probability that a targeted population has high proportions (e.g. greater than 70%) of being cured?’. The approach proposed can accommodate a rich class of distributions for the cure rate parameter, while centred at gamma densities. The algorithms that are developed in this work allow the fitting of latent promotion time cure rate models with several survival models for metastatic tumour cells.
The Rise and Demise of Trailing Vortices

Experiments were conducted with three Delta wings and two rectangular wings to investigate the evolution of trailing vortices in stratified and unstratified water. The vortex trajectories were determined as a function of the normalized time t* = V o t/b o , stratification parameter N* = Nb o /V o , and an effective vortex core size r* = r e/b o. The results have shown that the vortices rise only to a finite height as they demise gradually at first and rapidly thereafter under the influence of turbulence, sinusoidal instability, and core bursting. The effect of stratification is to reduce the lifespan of vortices and the maximum height attained by them.
Phase Behavior and Self-Assembly of a New Family of Stimulus Responsive Peptide Polymers

Elastin like polypeptides (ELPs), composed of repeats of VPGXG pentapeptides that recur in all tropoelastin sequences, are the best studied class of peptide polymers that exhibit lower critical solution temperature (LCST) phase behavior in water, and these polymers have enabled innovative approaches to nanoparticle self-assembly, cancer therapy, regenerative medicine and protein purification These prototypical ELPs, show aqueous coacervation behavior above their cloud point, leading to the formation of a polymer rich phase and a second, largely aqueous phase. To investigate the origins of coacervation in these systems, we asked the question, how is LCST phase behavior encoded in peptide polymers at their amino acid —primary— sequence level? To understand the sequence determinants of LCST phase behavior, we used bioinformatics to guide the synthesis of a large family of peptide polymers that are predicted to exhibit LCST phase behavior. Analysis of the LCST phase behavior of these polymers provides sequence heuristics to encode LCST phase behavior in intrinsically disordered peptide polymers and enables the design of polymers that encode two orthogonal functions —phase behavior and bioactivity— seamlessly at the primary sequence level. These studies also identified polymers that display tunable degrees of thermal hysteresis in their LCST phase behavior, a property that is exploited for the design of thermal “shape memory” nanoparticles.
Synthesis, Reactivity, and Catalytic Applications of Isolable (NHC)Cu(CHF2) Complexes

Difluoromethyl copper complexes have been proposed as key intermediates in a variety of Cu-catalyzed difluoromethylation reactions. However, studies of these putative intermediates have been impeded by the low stability of these [Cu(CHF2)] species. This report describes the synthesis of isolable N-heterocyclic carbene ligated copper(I) difluoromethyl complexes. The stoichiometric reactions of these complexes with aryl electrophiles (i.e., diaryliodonium salts, aryl iodides, and aryl bromides) are described. In addition, N-heterocyclic carbene copper(I) species are demonstrated to serve as catalysts for the cross-coupling of aryl iodides with (difluoromethyl)trimethylsilane to afford difluoromethyl arene products.
Variation in actigraphy-estimated rest-activity patterns by demographic factors.

Rest-activity patterns provide an indication of circadian rhythmicity in the free-living setting. We aimed to describe the distributions of rest-activity patterns in a sample of adults and children...
Improved methods and calibration technique in gas-phase electron-diffraction experiments: Use of nitrogen as a wavelength standard

Abstract Improved methods are described for extracting electron-scattering data from films used in gas-phase electron-diffraction (GED) experiments. These involve use of a precision transmission scanner in conjunction with powerful, public-domain image-processing software (ImageJ). Procedures for finding an accurate center of the diffraction ring pattern are given and the software permits flexible determination of the intensity average of each radial circle or any arc thereof. In addition, nitrogen gas is proposed as the ideal calibration molecule because virtually all molecules are in the ground vibrational state at all temperatures normally encountered in GED experiments. For this state the rotational constant is very accurately known, as are several small corrections needed to obtain an appropriate calibration value for the GED experiment. The result from theory is r a (N≡N) = 1.10087 A with a standard deviation (σ) of 0.00035 A from fitting experiments.
Hot Tub Lung: A Diagnostic Challenge.

Hot tub lung (HTL) is a granulomatous lung disease thought to occur as a result of a hypersensitivity response to non-tuberculous mycobacteria (NTM). Typical radiographic findings are diffuse micronodular and/or ground glass opacities. We report an interesting case of HTL that presented with unique radiographic features, making its diagnosis a predicament. A 56-year-old immunocompetent female with chronic dyspnea and dry cough was found to have subcentimeter cavitary nodules, predominantly in the upper lung zones. Tissue culture obtained via bronchoscopy was positive for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC). The patient’s clinical and radiographic status, however, deteriorated on antimycobacterial therapy. Complete clinical and radiographic resolution was achieved only after avoidance of hot tub use and treatment with steroids. We believe this is the first reported case of HTL manifesting as cavitary lung nodules with mediastinal lymphadenopathy, and we recommend physicians keep HTL in consideration when encountering patients with these radiographic findings.
Robotic Parastomal Hernia Repair With Biologic Mesh.

Introduction Parastomal hernia is a common and vexing problem after ileal conduit urinary diversion that can cause pain, bowel symptoms, and problems with the stoma appliance, resulting in leakage, odor, and impairment of quality of life. Historically, these hernias have been managed open surgically, which requires considerable dissection of the abdominal wall for mesh placement, and may also require relocating the stoma to the contralateral side. Further, open parastomal hernia repair can be a morbid procedure with recurrence rates of approximately 30%. Materials and Methods We present our technique of robotic parastomal hernia repair with a biologic mesh. We used a biologic mesh with the keyhole technique to avoid risk of erosion into the bowel segment. We present a case series of 3 patients undergoing robotic parastomal hernia repair. The illustrative case in the video is that of a 63-year-old obese woman with a parastomal hernia resulting in poor stoma appliance adhesion and bothersome urinary leakage. Results Robotic repair was completed successfully without intraoperative complications in all 3 patients. The mean age was 72 years. Mean body mass index was 30 kg/m2. Mean operating time was 3.5 hours. Mean estimated blood loss was 7.5 mL. Mean length of hospital stay was 3 days. On follow-up, all 3 patients were asymptomatic with stoma appliance issues and had no recurrence. Conclusion Our initial series suggests that robotic repair of parastomal hernia is safe and feasible with minimal morbidity and good short-term outcomes. Further studies are required to confirm the efficacy of our technique.
The Role of Cyclic Adenosine Monophosphate, Cyclic Guanosine Monophosphate, Endothelium and Nonadrenergic, Noncholinergic Neurotransmission in Canine Penile Erection

AbstractTo elucidate the neuropharmacology of erection, we undertook an in vivo canine study to examine the role of cholinergic and nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (NANC) neuroeffectors and the sinusoidal endothelium in erection induced by electrostimulation. We also examined the effect of adenylate cyclase and guanylate cyclase blockers by intravenous injection of N-ethylmaleimide and methylene blue, respectively. In addition, the effects of intracavernous injection of the nitric oxide-releasing substance, nitroprusside, and bromocyclic adenosine monophosphate (AMP) and bromocyclic guanosine monophosphate (GMP) were also studied.In contrast to in vitro results, atropine reduced the increase of intracavernous pressure after neurostimulation (ρ = 0.029). Intracavernous injection of CHAPS to destroy the sinusoidal endothelium abolished the response to acetylcholine (p = 0.001), but only partially inhibited the response to electrostimulation (mean = 75% pressure increase, ρ = 0.022), indicating that neuronal n...
Preclinical and clinical studies for transplant tolerance via the mixed chimerism approach.

Abstract Based upon observations in murine models, we have developed protocols to induce renal allograft tolerance by combined kidney and bone marrow transplantation (CKBMT) in non-human primates (NHP) and in humans. Induction of persistent mixed chimerism has proved to be extremely difficult in major histocompatibility complex (MHC)-mismatched primates, with detectable chimerism typically disappearing within 30–60 days. Nevertheless, in MHC mismatched NHP, long-term immunosuppression-free renal allograft survival has been achieved reproducibly, using a non-myeloablative conditioning approach that has also been successfully extended to human kidney transplant recipients. CKBMT has also been applied to the patients with end stage renal disease with hematologic malignancies. Renal allograft tolerance and long-term remission of myeloma have been achieved by transient mixed or persistent full chimerism. This review summarizes the current status of preclinical and clinical studies for renal and non-renal allograft tolerance induction by CKBMT. Improving the consistency of tolerance induction with less morbidity, extending this approach to deceased donor transplantation and inducing tolerance of non-renal transplants, are critical next steps for bringing this strategy to a wider range of clinical applications.
Philanthropy and the nation-state in global health: The Gates Foundation in India.

In recent years, philanthropic actors such as the Gates Foundation have been understood as commanding sweeping influence in global health. They have been associated with the outsourcing of public health services, shifting of policy priorities, and the eventual sidelining of national governments. This article makes a different argument about the impact of global philanthropic actors. It focuses on the work of the Gates Foundation in India over the last decade and a half, tracing how the foundation initially circumvented the national government but then moved on to a discourse of partnership. Ironically, after an early discounting of the role of the government, the foundation later sought to transition its programmes to the state. The foundation's evolving trajectory reflects its experiences on the ground and also the difficulties of realising its original ambitions. While the foundation's work in India is marked by ebbs and flows, the state's institutions remain constant. The article argues that there is not always a straightforward marginalisation of the government vis-a-vis global philanthropic actors. Actors such as the Gates Foundation, perceived as enormously powerful in global health institutions in Geneva and New York, may have a far more qualified impact in large developing countries such as India.
The role of domain-general cognitive resources in children's construction of a vitalist theory of biology.

Abstract Some episodes of learning are easier than others. Preschoolers can learn certain facts, such as “my grandmother gave me this purse,” only after one or two exposures (easy to learn; fast mapping), but they require several years to learn that plants are alive or that the sun is not alive (hard to learn). One difference between the two kinds of knowledge acquisition is that hard cases often require conceptual construction, such as the construction of the biological concept alive, whereas easy cases merely involve forming new beliefs formulated over concepts the child already has (belief revision, a form of knowledge enrichment). We asked whether different domain-general cognitive resources support these two types of knowledge acquisition (conceptual construction and knowledge enrichment that supports fast mapping) by testing 82 6-year-olds in a pre-training/training/post-training study. We measured children’s improvement in an episode involving theory construction (the beginning steps of acquisition of the framework theory of vitalist biology, which requires conceptual change) and in an episode involving knowledge enrichment alone (acquisition of little known facts about animals, such as the location of crickets’ ears and the color of octopus blood). In addition, we measured children’s executive functions and receptive vocabulary to directly compare the resources drawn upon in the two episodes of learning. We replicated and extended previous findings highlighting the differences between conceptual construction and knowledge enrichment, and we found that Executive Functions predict improvement on the Vitalism battery but not on the Fun Facts battery and that Receptive Vocabulary predicts improvement the Fun Facts battery but not on the Vitalism battery. This double dissociation provides new evidence for the distinction between the two types of knowledge acquisition, and bears on the nature of the learning mechanisms involved in each.
Neurogenesis in adult brain: understanding its mechanism and regulation

Adult neurogenesis is an intriguing phenomenon because of the promise it holds for leading to a new understanding of brain functions and in providing new therapeutic tools for regeneration and repair of diseased and injured adult CNS. We need to truly understand adult neurogenesis - what triggers it, what inhibits it and how it is regulated - before we can use this phenomenon appropriately.