cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chronic fatigue syndrome prevalence is grossly overestimated using Oxford criteria compared to Centers for Disease Control (Fukuda) criteria in a U.S. population study

ABSTRACTBackground: Results from treatment studies using the low-threshold Oxford criteria for recruitment may have been overgeneralized to patients diagnosed by more stringent chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) criteria.Purpose: To compare the selectivity of Oxford and Fukuda criteria in a U.S. population.Methods: Fukuda (Center for Disease Control (CDC)) criteria, as operationalized with the CFS Severity Questionnaire (CFSQ), were included in the nationwide rc2004 HealthStyles survey mailed to 6175 participants who were representative of the U.S. 2003 Census population. The 9 questionnaire items (CFS symptoms) were crafted into proxies for Oxford criteria (mild fatigue, minimal exclusions) and Fukuda criteria (fatigue plus ≥4 of 8 ancillary criteria at moderate or severe levels with exclusions). The comparative prevalence estimates of CFS were then determined. Severity scores for fatigue were plotted against the sum of severities for the eight ancillary criteria. The four quadrants of scatter diagrams asses...
Implementation and outcomes of an evidence-based precepting program for burn nurses

Abstract Introduction There is significant nationwide interest in transitioning new and new-to-specialty nurses into practice, especially in burn care. Lack of a structured transition program in our Burn Center was recognized as a contributing factor for nursing dissatisfaction and increased turnover compared to other hospital units. Employee evaluations exposed a need for more didactic instruction, hands-on learning, and preceptor support. The goal of this project was to implement an evidence-based transition to practice program specific to the burn specialty. Material and methods The Iowa Model of Evidence-based Practice served as the model for this project. A working group was formed consisting of nurse scientists, clinical nurse leaders, clinical nurse specialists, lead preceptors, staff nurse preceptors and wound care coordinators. A systematic review of the literature was conducted focusing on nurse transition; preceptor development and transitioning nurse training programs with competency assessment, ongoing multifaceted evaluation and retention strategies were created. The evidence-based Vermont Nurses in Partnership (VNIP) Clinical Transition Framework was selected and subsequent education was provided to all Burn Center leaders and staff. Benchmarks for basic knowledge assessment (BKAT) and burn wound care were established among current staff by work site and education level to help evaluate transitioning nurses. Policies were modified to count each preceptor/transitioning nurse dyad as half an employee on the schedule. Multiple high-fidelity simulation scenarios were created to expand hands-on opportunities. Results From September 2012–December 2013, 110 (57% acute care nursing) Burn Center staff attended the VNIP Clinical Coaching Course, to include 34 interdisciplinary staff (rehabilitation, education, respiratory therapy, and outpatient clinic staff) and 100% of identified preceptors (n = 33). A total of 30 new nurses participated in the transition program: 26 (87%) completed, 3 (10%) did not complete, and 1 (3%) received exception (no patient care). Transitioning nurses achieved passing BKAT scores (n = 22; 76%) and WC scores (n = 24; 93%); individual remediation was provided for those failing to achieve unit benchmarks and transition training was modified to improve areas of weakness. Transitioning nurses’ weekly competency progression average initial ratings on a 10 point scale (10 most competent) were 5 ± 2; final ratings averaged 9 ± 1 (n = 25) (p Conclusions An evidence-based team practice approach toward preceptorship created a standardized, comprehensive and flexible precepting program to assist and support transition to specialty burn practice for experienced nurses. Use of objective metrics enabled ongoing assessment and made training adaptable, individualized, and cost effective. Application of this standardized approach across our organization may improve consistency for all transitions in practice specialty.
Site Response in NEHRP Provisions and NGA Models

Author(s): Seyhan, Emel; Stewart, Jonathan P. | Editor(s): Rollins, Kyle; Zekkos, Dimitris | Abstract: Site factors are used to modify ground motions from a reference rock site condition to reflect the influence of geologic conditions at the site of interest. Site factors typically have a small-strain (linear) site amplification that captures impedance and resonance effects coupled with nonlinear components. Site factors in current NEHRP Provisions are empirically-derived at relatively small ground motion levels and feature simulation-based nonlinearity. We show that NEHRP factors have discrepancies with respect to the site terms in the Next Generation Attenuation (NGA) ground motion prediction equations, both in the linear site amplification (especially for Classes B, C, D, and E) and the degree of nonlinearity (Classes C and D). The misfits are towards larger linear site factors and stronger nonlinearity in theNEHRP factors. The differences in linear site factors result largely from theirnormalization to a reference average shear wave velocity in the upper 30 m of about 1050 m/s, whereas the reference velocity for current application is 760 m/s. We show that the levels of nonlinearity in the NEHRP factors are generally stronger than recent simulation-based models as well as empirically-based models.
Post-conditioning hormesis creates a "subtraction to background" disease process: biological, aging, and environmental risk assessment implications.

The interaction of background disease processes with environmental induced diseases has long been an issue of considerable interest and debate with respect to its impact on risk assessment. Whether and to what extent these processes should be considered independent or additive to background has been the principal focus of debate. The concept of hormesis, a biphasic dose response characterized by a low dose stimulation and a high dose inhibition, as framed within the context of post-conditioning, reveal the occurrence of a third type of “background” possibility, that of “subtraction to background”. This novel application of the hormesis concept, which is framed within the biological context of post-conditioning adaptive processes, offers considerable implications for the assessment of aging and environmental risk assessment.
Angelo degli Ubaldi and the Gulf of the Venetians: Custom, Commerce, and the Control of the Sea Before Grotius

A dismissive critique of the medieval Italian jurist Angelo degli Ubaldi and his argument for Venice’s control of the Adriatic is central to Chap. 7 of Hugo Grotius’s famous 1609 Mare liberum. Yet Grotius had not likely read Angelo’s opinion, relying instead on a summary of it he had found in Giovanni Francesco Balbo’s treatise De praescriptionibus. This essay explores Angelo’s argument, its sources, the milieu in which it was written, and its reception before Grotius. And it argues that medieval and Renaissance Italian jurisprudence is an essential and woefully understudied source for the early history of international law and political economy.
Characterization and mechanical properties of cladded stainless steel 316L with nuclear applications fabricated using electron beam melting

Abstract The ability to fabricate or join components of 316 L austenitic stainless steel using additive manufacturing (AM) processes such as laser and electron beam melting (EBM®) offers several advantages including enhanced part complexity, narrow or absent heat affected zones, increased part precision, avoidance of filler materials (such as traditional welds), and the ability to create metallurgically sound bonds. These attributes can contribute to improved mechanical properties of the fabricated components and component repair in nuclear, aerospace, and chemical industries. In the present work, we report that austenitic 316 L stainless steel additively manufactured by EBM exhibits a 76% increase in the yield strength and a corresponding increase of 29% in the ultimate tensile strength in contrast to the wrought substrate and commercial forged 316 L stainless steel. The EBM clad 316 L stainless steel elongation was 36%. The wrought substrate equiaxed grain size was ∼30 μm in contrast to elongated, columnar grains ∼0.1 mm wide and >1 mm in length for the EBM cladding. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) analysis revealed that these columnar grains, which exhibited very straight, and presumably special grain boundaries having a very high (100) texture, contained a variety of sub-grain microstructures consisting of low-angle sub-grain boundaries containing dislocation tangles and stacking-fault arrays, and homogeneously distributed Cr23C6 carbide precipitates, with no preferential carbide precipitation on either the straight, special columnar grain boundaries, or the very low-angle sub-grain boundaries. This observation and the formation of hierarchical microstructures which produce high strength and possibly corrosion resistance as a consequence of the absence of grain boundary carbide precipitation, illustrate the prospects for AM as a novel concept for achieving grain boundary engineering to promote high-strength and corrosion resistant alloys for high-temperature, corrosive environments, including elevated temperature nuclear reactor applications.
Utilizing Cumulative Logit Model and Human Computation on Automated Speech Assessment

We report two new approaches for building scoring models used by automated speech scoring systems. First, we introduce the Cumulative Logit Model (CLM), which has been widely used in modeling categorical outcomes in statistics. On a large set of responses to an English proficiency test, we systematically compare the CLM with two other scoring models that have been widely used, i.e., linear regression and decision trees. Our experiments suggest that the CLM has advantages in its scoring performance and its robustness to limited-sized training data. Second, we propose a novel way to utilize human rating processes in automated speech scoring. Applying accurate human ratings on a small set of responses can improve the whole scoring system's performance while meeting cost and score-reporting time requirements. We find that the scoring difficulty of each speech response, which could be modeled by the degree to which it challenged human raters, could provide a way to select an optimal set of responses for the application of human scoring. In a simulation, we show that focusing on challenging responses can achieve a larger scoring performance improvement than simply applying human scoring on the same number of randomly selected responses.
Increasing Parental Engagement in School-Based Interventions Using Team Engagement and Motivation Methods

Engaging families in school-based preventive interventions for aggressive youth can be especially challenging. The current paper describes an integration of a parent engagement model, called the Family Check-Up, with an evidence-based intervention for youth with aggressive behaviors called Coping Power. The overall goal of the integration was to increase parental involvement and exposure to the core elements of the Coping Power program in order to optimize impact on families and their children. We describe both models, summarize evidence of their efficacy when implemented alone, and provide a rationale for their integration. We also provide case examples to illustrate the implementation of the integrated program in schools as well as feasibility data supporting its continued study and implementation.
Flow dynamics of QW7437, a new dodecafluoropentane ultrasound contrast agent, in the microcirculation: microvascular mechanisms for persistent tissue echo enhancement.

Abstract OBJECTIVES The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that a subgroup of QW7437 microbubbles, dodecafluoropentane-based ultrasound contrast microspheres, resides for prolonged periods in the microvasculature. BACKGROUND QW7437 produces echo enhancement in myocardium which may persist relatively longer than opacification in the left ventricular cavity. The mechanism for this persistent enhancement remains unknown. METHODS The transit of fluorescently labeled erythrocytes was examined by fluorescence intravital microscopy in the microvessels in five rat mesenteries. Ten rats were used to observe the behavior of fluorescently labeled QW7437 microbubbles in the mesenteric microcirculation. RESULTS There was no significant change in erythrocyte velocity in the arterioles and venules after the administration of QW7437 microbubbles (0.05 ml/kg) preactivated by negative hydrodynamic pressure. Of 552 microbubbles observed in four arterioles and five capillaries, 549 (99.5%) passed without stoppage (≥0.1 s stoppage); only one stopped transiently in arteriole and two in capillaries, each for CONCLUSIONS Prolonged survival as microbubbles in the circulation and transient stoppage of a subgroup of microbubbles in the microvasculature, particularly in venules, are potential mechanisms for the persistent tissue echo enhancement by QW7437 microbubbles during contrast echocardiography.
Low-Temperature Selective Catalytic Reduction (SCR) of NOx with NH3 Over Zeolites and Metal Oxide-Based Catalysts and Recent Developments of H2-SCR

This review provides an introduction to the recent progress in the development of transition metal-exchanged zeolites and mixed oxide-based catalysts for the low-temperature selective catalytic reduction (SCR) of NOx with ammonia. The nature of the different active species over different catalysts and the corresponding relationship between their performance and catalytic properties as well as the mechanism and kinetics of SCR reaction on different catalysts are discussed. In addition, recent developments of H2-SCR are also reviewed.
Relationships between sleep duration and adolescent depression: a conceptual replication

Abstract Objective Given the growing concern about research reproducibility, we conceptually replicated a previous analysis of the relationships between adolescent sleep and mental well-being using a new dataset. Methods We conceptually reproduced an earlier analysis (Sleep Health, June 2017) using baseline data from the START Study. START is a longitudinal research study designed to evaluate a natural experiment in delaying high school start times, examining the impact of sleep duration on weight change in adolescents. In both START and the previous study, school day bedtime, wake-up time, and answers to a 6-item depression subscale were self-reported using a survey administered during the school day. Logistic regression models were used to compute the association and 95% confidence intervals between the sleep variables (sleep duration, wake-up time, and bedtime) and a range of outcomes. Results In both analyses, greater sleep duration was associated with lower odds (P Conclusion Our findings add strength to the evidence supporting an association between short sleep duration and depression. This issue deserves attention from school districts given the current epidemic of short sleep duration among youth and the potential impact school scheduling can have on teen sleep.
Tasting with your eyes: Sensory description substitutes for portion size

Abstract A field study conducted in a diner explored whether a sensory rich description of an indulgent dessert prompts consumers to be willing to pay just as much for a small serving as for a large serving. Diner customers (N = 809) who ordered an entree received a free piece of chocolate cake if they filled out a questionnaire indicating the amount of cake they ate, their willingness to pay (WTP) for the cake, their fullness after eating, and other measures. A between-subjects 2 × 3 design varied the serving size of the cake (6 oz. vs. 12 oz.) and the description of the cake (no description control, nutrition description, or sensory description). Self-reported amount eaten showed a smaller portion size effect in the nutrition description condition than in the other two conditions. Of primary interest, relative to the other conditions, the sensory description caused customers to be willing to pay as much for the small piece as for the large piece and to feel almost as full after eating from the small piece as from the large piece. These results indicate that a sensory rich description makes customers’ evaluations of an indulgent dessert less sensitive to serving size. As a result, sensory descriptions can be used to make customers just as content with a small dessert as they would be with a large dessert.
Apolipoprotein E particle size is increased in Alzheimer's disease.

Abstract Introduction Apolipoprotein E4 (apoE4) is the predominant risk factor for late-onset Alzheimer's disease (AD), but the question of which structural differences might explain its effect remains unclear. Methods We compared high-density lipoprotein–like apoE particles from 12 AD and 10 control patients using size-exclusion chromatography. Results ApoE particles from patients genotyped as e4/e4 were 2.2 ± 0.3 times as massive as particles from e3/e3 control subjects and 1.4 ± 0.1 times as massive as particles from e3/e3 AD patients. The increased particle size was not because of incorporation of amyloid β or apoE proteolysis products. Particles from AD patients genotyped as e3/e3 were 1.59 ± 0.27 times as massive as e3/e3 control subjects. Discussion Increased particle size in AD is affected by APOE genotype and by disease-related differences in assembly or stability. These differences suggest that lipoprotein assembly or stability in AD brain plays an important role in determining apoE4 pathogenicity.
Size flips symmetry switch

Whether a cell divides symmetrically or asymmetrically during early development determines the fate of its progeny. Now cell size has emerged as a key player in making this decision.
Using a Linear Electrodynamic Quadrupole as a Particle Trap

We describe a linear electrodynamic quadrupole trap to interrogate particles in a controlled environment. Single or multiple particles ranging in size from 0.5 um to above 100 um can be held indefinitely for study.
Surgical treatment for duodeno-reno-cutaneous fistula

We report the case of a 58-year-old man diagnosed as having right renal stones and who had undergone shock wave lithotripsy several times. However, residual stones persisted and resulted in pyelonephritis and renal abscess. Percutaneous nephrolithotomy (PCNL) was performed. However, bile content discharge from the PCNL wound was observed later. Abdominal computed tomography revealed multiseptated right renal abscess with the right psoas muscle involvement and obscure plane between the right kidney and the duodenum. A fistulogram demonstrated the presence of duodeno-reno-cutaneous fistula. He underwent right nephrectomy and wedge resection of the duodenum for the closure of the fistula. The postoperative course was smooth, and the PCNL wound healed spontaneously during the admission. He remained asymptomatic 6 months after the operation. This report includes a literature review on the etiology, diagnosis, and treatment of the renoduodenal fistula.
Delays to food-predictive stimuli do not affect suboptimal choice in rats.

A variety of animals sometimes engage in a form of maladaptive decision-making characterized by repeatedly choosing an option providing food-predictive stimuli even though they earn less food for doing so. The temporal information-theoretic model suggests that such suboptimal choice depends on competition between the bits of temporal information conveyed by food-predictive stimuli (which encourages suboptimal choice) and the rate of food delivery (which encourages optimal choice). The model assumes that competition between these two sources of control is based on the ratio of the delay to food (Df) and the delay to food-predictive stimuli (Ds) at the choice point (i.e., Df/Ds). Research with both rats and pigeons suggests that temporal information outcompetes the rate of food delivery, thereby generating suboptimal choice, when the delay to food (Df) is sufficiently long. Limited data with pigeons, and none with rats, suggests that the rate of food delivery outcompetes temporal information, thereby generating optimal choice, when the delay to food-predictive stimuli (Ds) is sufficiently long. The present experiment sought to clarify whether longer delays to food-predictive stimuli decrease suboptimal choice in rats. We found that while longer delays to food (Df) increased suboptimal choice in rats, longer delays to food-predictive stimuli (Ds) did not decrease suboptimal choice. These results suggest a potential difference between rats and pigeons in the manner in which food-predictive stimuli and food itself compete to control choice. In terms of the temporal information-theoretic model, competition between temporal information and the rate of food delivery in rats appears to be influenced only by the delay to food at the choice point. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
Detecting Epistasis in Genome-wide Association Studies with the Marginal EPIstasis Test

Epistasis, commonly defined as the interaction between multiple genes, is an important genetic component underlying phenotypic variation. Many statistical methods have been developed to model and identify epistatic interactions between genetic variants. However, because of the large combinatorial search space of interactions, most epistasis mapping methods face enormous computational challenges and often suffer from low statistical power. Here, we present a novel, alternative strategy for mapping epistasis: instead of directly identifying individual pairwise or higher-order interactions, we focus on mapping variants that have non-zero marginal epistatic effects --- the combined pairwise interaction effects between the given variant and all other variants. By testing marginal epistatic effects, we can identify candidate variants that are involved in epistasis without the need to identify the exact partners with which the variants interact, thus potentially alleviating much of the statistical and computational burden associated with standard epistatic mapping procedures. Our method is based on the variance component model, and relies on a recently developed variance component estimation method for efficient parameter inference and p-value computation. We refer to our method as the "Marginal EPIstasis Test", or MEPIT. With simulations, we show how MEPIT can be used to robustly estimate marginal epistatic effects, produce calibrated test statistics under the null, and facilitate the detection of pairwise epistatic interactions. We further illustrate the benefits of MEPIT on several real datasets, including seven common diseases from the Wellcome Trust Case Control Consortium, as well as body composition traits from a swine genome-wide association study.
Compliant polymer origami bellows in cryogenics

Abstract Mechanical applications for polymers at cryogenic temperatures are extremely limited due to decreased atomic mobility and ductility, resulting from glass transitions above the cryogenic regime (
Reduced top-down attentional control in adolescents with generalized anxiety disorder.

BACKGROUND Generalized anxiety disorder (GAD) can significantly impair quality of life and is associated with a relatively poor long-term prognosis. Anxiety disorders are often associated with hyper-responsiveness to threat, perhaps coupled with impaired executive functioning. However, GAD, particularly adolescent GAD, has been the focus of little functional neuroimaging work compared to other anxiety disorders. Here, we examine the neural association of adolescent GAD with responsiveness to threat and response control. METHODS The study involved 35 adolescents with GAD and 34 healthy comparison individuals (N = 69) matched on age, gender, and IQ. Participants were scanned during an affective number Stroop task. RESULTS We found significant Group-by-Task Condition interactions in regions involved in response control/motor responding (bilateral precentral gyri and cerebellum) and/or cognitive control/attention (dorsomedial and lateral frontal cortex, posterior cingulate cortex, cuneus, and precuneus). In line with predictions, the youth with GAD showed significantly less recruitment during task trials than the healthy comparison individuals. However, no indications of specific heightened responses to threat were seen. CONCLUSIONS GAD involves reduced capacity for engaging regions involved in response control/motor responding and/or cognitive control/attention. This might reflect either a secondary consequence of the patient's worry or an early risk factor for the development of worry.
Coarse-Grained Force Fields from the Perspective of Statistical Mechanics: Better Understanding of the Origins of a MARTINI Hangover.

The popular MARTINI coarse-grained model is used as a test case to analyze the adherence of top-down coarse-grained molecular dynamics models (i.e., models primarily parametrized to match experimen...
Accurate or Biased?: Employees' Perceived Firm-Specific Human Capital and Wages

The theory of perceived firm-specific human capital suggests that employees' perceptions of their own human capital may be biased toward less or not cognizant of firm-specific human capital. This s...
A simple theory for molecular chemotaxis driven by specific binding interactions.

Recent experiments have suggested that enzymes and other small molecules chemotax toward their substrates. However, the physical forces driving this chemotaxis are currently debated. In this work, we consider a simple thermodynamic theory for molecular chemotaxis that is based on the McMillan–Mayer theory of dilute solutions and Schellman’s theory for macromolecular binding. Even in the absence of direct interactions, the chemical binding equilibrium introduces a coupling term into the relevant free energy, which then reduces the chemical potential of both enzymes and their substrates. Assuming a local thermodynamic equilibrium, this binding contribution to the chemical potential generates an effective thermodynamic force that promotes chemotaxis by driving each solute toward its binding partner. Our numerical simulations demonstrate that, although small, this thermodynamic force is qualitatively consistent with several experimental studies. Thus, our study may provide additional insight into the role of the thermodynamic binding free energy for molecular chemotaxis.
A functional analysis of historical memory retrieval bias in the word sense disambiguation task

Effective access to knowledge within large declarative memory stores is one challenge in the development and understanding of long-living, generally intelligent agents. We focus on a sub-component of this problem: given a large store of knowledge, how should an agent's task-independent memory mechanism respond to an ambiguous cue, one that pertains to multiple previously encoded memories. A large body of cognitive modeling work suggests that human memory retrievals are biased in part by the recency and frequency of past memory access. In this paper, we evaluate the functional benefit of a set of memory retrieval heuristics that incorporate these biases, in the context of the word sense disambiguation task, in which an agent must identify the most appropriate word meaning in response to an ambiguous linguistic cue. In addition, we develop methods to integrate these retrieval biases within a task-independent declarative memory system implemented in the Soar cognitive architecture and evaluate their effectiveness and efficiency in three commonly used semantic concordances.
Demo abstract: Cyber-physical tactile imaging system for malignant tumor identification

In this paper, we introduce a Cyber-Physical Tactile Imaging System (TIS) for identifying malignant tumors. The sensing is based on the principle of total internal reflection (TIR) of light. CP-TIS will estimate mechanical properties such as size and elasticity of the embedded objects (e.g. tumor). Based on the mechanical properties determined by TIS, it is possible to generate a malignancy score, since studies have shown that malignant tumors tend to be larger and stiffer. Clinical Breast Examination (CBE) is one of the qualitative techniques used by doctors for early detection of breast tumors. However, this method is effective only in detecting lesions, but not in classifying tumor malignancy. Also this is a subjective method where the performance depends on how the doctors perform CBE. Therefore, it is advantageous to quantify the mechanical properties of a tumor for objective tumor identification.
Monsignor Charles Owen Rice and the FBI

T The occasion for this short note is the Federal Bureau of Investigation’s (FBI) release of Monsignor Charles Owen Rice’s Headquarters (HQ) and Pittsburgh Field Office (FO) files. Rice (1908–2005), as many readers of this journal know, was an extraordinarily controversial figure throughout much of his life. Ordained a Roman Catholic priest in 1934, he was militantly prolabor and anticommunist from the late 1930s through 1950. After heading up parishes in Natrona and Washington outside Pittsburgh, Rice returned to the city in 1966, where he visibly and actively participated in the antiwar and civil rights movements. It should not surprise us, then, that historians have disagreed considerably about how to assess his career. One of the central issues at stake is his connection to the FBI during his anticommunist period, especially during the 1940s.
Using Web Services for Medication Management in a Smart Home Environment

The Smart Home is a house equipped with technology to assist especially the elderly and persons with special needs. Smart Homes rely on Service-Oriented technology usually OSGi. Web Services (WS) receives little emphasis on Smart Homes, but they can be very useful for some applications. That is the case of management of medication as this task can become very difficult and involve different, remote parties. Several solutions have been proposed for applications like medications management but their lack of interoperability limits them. This paper presents a solution that integrates current systems and provides interoperability by using WS. The secure transfer of sensitive data among subsystems is achieved by using secure WS for communication purposes as shown by our prototyped implementation.
A modified inductively coupled plasma for high-speed, ultra-smooth reactive phase etching of silica glass

We report on the etching of borosilicate glass substrates in a conventional and modified inductively coupled plasma - reactive ion etch (ICP-RIE) tool. We present the etch rates and surface roughness of borosilicate glass in various fluorine based plasmas using C 4 F 8 , SF 6 , Ar, NF 3 , and H 2 O gases. In the conventional ICP-RIE etching mode an etch rate of 0.55 µm/min at a rms surface roughness of 25 nm was obtained at C 4 F 8 , SF 6 flow rates of 5 sccm, O 2 flow rate of 50 sccm, 2000 W of ICP power, 475 W of substrate power. A maximum etch rate of 0.67µm/min was obtained at a high rms surface roughness of 450 nm by increasing flow rate of C 4 F 8 to 50 sccm. Using the modified ICP-RIE system consisting of a gas diffuser ring clamped to the substrate holder, the physical component of the etching was considerably reduced and we have been able to achieve etch rates ∼0.72 µm/min with surface smoothness of ∼1 nm for borosilicate glass and fused silica respectively after 5 minutes etches.
A general program for the calculation of internal rotation splittings in microwave spectroscopy: Part II. The n-top problem

Abstract The internal axis method is extended to treat the effects of internal rotation in the microwave spectra of molecules with several internal symmetric tops. As a first approximation the method ignores all top-top coupling and assumes that the potential for each top is purely sinusoidal. We first consider an arbitrary number of tops and then specialize to the most important case, the ground state of a molecule with two equivalent tops, which turns out to be extraordinarily simple. Finally, the refinement of the method which takes the top-top coupling into account is considered.
Altered turnover of allelic variants of hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase is associated with N-terminal amino acid sequence variation.

The results of our previous studies suggested that differences in the primary structures of the hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase (HPRT) A and B proteins (EC 2.4.2.8) of mice are associated with altered turnover of these proteins in reticulocytes. On the basis of nucleotide sequence comparisons of their corresponding cDNAs, we show here that the HPRT A and B proteins differ at two positions; there is an alanine/proline substitution at amino acid position 2 and a valine/alanine substitution at amino acid position 29 (HPRT A/B proteins, respectively; total protein length, 218 amino acids). On the basis of results obtained from sequencing of the N termini of the purified HPRT A and B proteins, we also show that these amino acid substitutions are associated with differences in processing of the proteins; HPRT B, which is encoded as N-terminal Met-Pro, has a free N-terminal proline residue; HPRT A, which is encoded as N-terminal Met-Ala, lacks a free N-terminal alpha-amino group and is presumed to be acetylated following removal of the N-terminal methionine (i.e. AcO-Ala). These observations are discussed in reference to the idea that the N terminus of a protein plays a role in determining the rate at which the protein is degraded in erythroid cells.
Answering Comparison Questions in SHAKEN: A Progress Report

Abstract : An important class of questions for knowledge based systems concern comparisons, such as How is X like Y? and How are X and Y different? This paper describes how we have used a cognitive simulation of analogical processing to answer such questions, to support domain experts in entering new knowledge. We outline techniques for case construction and summarization of comparison results that have been developed and refined based on an independent formative evaluation. In addition to these techniques, we discuss the role of the comparison system in SHAKEN, the larger system in which they are embedded, and our plans for further improvements.
Magnetodielectric effect in Bi(2)NiMnO(6)-La(2)NiMnO(6) superlattices.

Multilayer superlattices consisting of multiferroic Bi2NiMnO6 (BNMO) and La2NiMnO6 (LNMO) have been grown heteroepitaxially on pure and Nb-doped SrTiO3 substrates using the pulsed laser deposition technique. In a series of superlattice structures grown with a fixed BNMO layer thickness of ten unit cells, we find that the c-axis lattice parameter, Curie temperature and magnetocapacitance are strongly dependent upon the number of stacked LNMO unit cells in the repeating units. The thickness-dependent magnetodielectric effect is attributed to the fluctuations in electric and magnetic dipole ordering due to the substrate and interface induced stress in the superlattice structures. An enhanced magnetodielectric effect in multilayers with LNMO thicknesses larger than six unit cells is explained based on possible canting of spin at the interfaces of LNMO and BNMO. (Some figures in this article are in colour only in the electronic version)
Specific Performance versus Damages for Breach of Contract

When would parties to a contract want performance to be specifically required, and when would they prefer payment of money damages to be the remedy for breach? This fundamental question is studied here, and an answer is provided that is based on a simple distinction between contracts to produce goods and contracts to convey property. Setting aside qualifications, the conclusion for breach of contracts to produce goods is that parties would tend to prefer the remedy of damages, essentially because of the problems that would be created under specific performance if production costs were high. In contrast, parties would often favor the remedy of specific performance for breach of contracts to convey property, in part because there can be no problems with production cost when property already exists. The conclusions reached shed light on the choices made between damages and specific performance under Anglo-American and under civil law systems, and they also suggest the desirability of certain changes in our legal doctrine.
Luminal chemosensing in the duodenal mucosa

The upper gastrointestinal (GI) mucosa is exposed to endogenous and exogenous chemicals, including gastric acid, CO₂ and nutrients. Mucosal chemical sensors are necessary to exert physiological responses such as secretion, digestion, absorption and motility. We propose the mucosal chemosensing system by which luminal chemicals are sensed to trigger mucosal defence mechanisms via mucosal acid sensors and taste receptors. Luminal acid/CO₂ is sensed via ecto- and cytosolic carbonic anhydrases and ion transporters in the epithelial cells and via acid sensors on the afferent nerves in the duodenum and the oesophagus. Gastric acid sensing is differentially mediated via endocrine cell acid sensors and afferent nerves. Furthermore, a luminal l-glutamate signal is mediated via epithelial l-glutamate receptors, including metabotropic glutamate receptors and taste receptor 1 family heterodimers, with activation of afferent nerves and cyclooxygenase, whereas luminal Ca²(+) is differently sensed via the calcium-sensing receptor in the duodenum. These luminal chemosensors help to activate mucosal defence mechanisms in order to maintain the mucosal integrity and physiological responses of the upper GI tract. Stimulation of luminal chemosensing in the upper GI mucosa may prevent mucosal injury, affect nutrient metabolism and modulate sensory nerve activity.
Nanoscale inorganic scaffolds as therapeutics and delivery vehicles

Effective vehicles are often required to deliver nucleic acids and drugs to diseased tissues due to poor stability, susceptibility to enzymatic degradation, and/or unfavorable pharmacokinetics associated with these therapeutic molecules. Nanostructures can be employed to load, target, and release nucleic acid and drug therapeutics selectively to pre-determined sites in the body. Following the widespread use and success of organic nanoparticles, inorganic nanoparticles are being increasingly investigated as therapeutics and as vehicles in nucleic acid and drug delivery. Inorganic nanoparticles demonstrate unique physicochemical properties not associated with their organic counterparts. In addition, ease of synthesis and surface modification, tenability of size and shape, and multifunctionality associated with inorganic nanoparticles make them attractive platforms for biomedical applications. This review discusses recent developments in gold nanoparticles, carbon nanotubes, graphene oxide nanoparticles, iron oxide nanoparticles, calcium phosphate nanoparticles, and mesoporous silica nanoparticles as therapeutics and delivery vehicles, with a focus on applications in cancer diseases.
Review: Babies by Design by Ronald M. Green

The arguments against genetically engineered “designer” babies just don't add up, says Arthur Caplan
C3Li4 Revisited: A Theoretical Study

Extensive searches of the C3Li4 potential surface culminated in the location of eight stationary points at the MP2/6-311G* level. Reevaluation of the energetics at the MP4/6-311G(df) level leads to...
Investigating Ligand-Modulation of GPCR Activation Pathways

Molecular dynamics simulations can provide tremendous insight into atomistic details of biological mechanisms, but micro- to milliseconds timescales are historically only accessible on dedicated supercomputers. We demonstrate that cloud computing is a viable alternative, bringing long timescale processes within reach of a broader community. We used Google's Exacycle cloud computing platform to simulate an unprecedented 2 milliseconds of dynamics of the β2 adrenergic receptor (β2AR)_a major drug target G protein-coupled receptor (GPCR). Markov state models aggregating these independent simulations into a single statistical model are validated by previous computational and experimental results and provide the first atomistic description of multiple GPCR activation pathways. We show that agonists and inverse agonists interact differentially with these pathways, creating an opportunity for developing drugs that interact more closely with diverse receptor states, for overall increased efficacy and specificity.
Gender and the Likelihood of Being Securely Detained for Contempt

Several theorists have hypothesized that juvenile court judges are circumventing the proscription contained in the Juvenile Justice and Delinquency Prevention Act (“JJDPA”), which prohibits the secure confinement of status offenders by securely detaining status offenders for contempt. It has also been suggested that girls may be especially likely to be securely detained as a result of violating a valid court order. This study uses descriptive and multivariate techniques to examine the demographic, legal, and jurisdictional variables associated with receiving secure detention for violating a valid court order and to evaluate the degree to which the spirit, if not the letter, of the JJDPA's core requirement of deinstitutionalizing status offenders is being violated because of the exemption permitting juvenile court judges to securely detain children found in contempt. The findings from this study indicate that being female does not contribute to detention for contempt but being accused of a status offense does. Implications of these findings are discussed.
Regionally specific and rapid increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA in the adult rat brain following seizures induced by systemic administration of kainic acid

Abstract In situ hybridization techniques were used to analyse the spatiotemporal pattern of brainderived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA elevation associated with kainic acid-induced seizure activity in the rat. Pronounced increases in hippocampal brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA levels were observed as early as 30 min following the onset of behavioral seizures. The greatest increase (10-fold) occurred in the dentate granule cell layer, while pyramidal layers CA1, CA3, and CA4 exhibited increases of two- to six-fold. Peak elevation of brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA in CA1 hippocampal region was evident at 4 h in CA3, and in the dentate granule layer at 30 min postseizure. Elevations persisted in the dentate and hilar regions to four days, while the increases in CA1 and CA3 returned to control levels by 16 h following seizure. Significant increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA were also observed in the superficial layers of cortex (II and III) and in the piriform cortex which reached peak elevations by 8 h. No detectable changes were observed in the dorsomedial thalamus. Although histologically defined pyramidal and granule cell layers displayed relatively uniform increases in brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA in response to kainate, a closer examination of the labeling patterns using emulsion autoradiography revealed discrete areas of high grain densities overlapping uniform, moderate hybridization densities in the dentate granule cell layer and CA3, suggesting that the capacity to upregulate brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA in these regions may differ among individual neurons. In conclusion, our studies revealed that brain-derived neurotrophic factor messenger RNA induction in response to systemic kainate administration differs in hippocampal and cortical areas, in magnitude, time of onset and duration. The observed temperospatial pattern does not correspond in a simple way to increases in metabolic or electrical activity associated with seizures or neuronal vulnerability coincident with the seizures.
Secretion of insulin induced by amino acids and glucose in diabetes mellitus.

ABSTRACT A mixture of 10 essential amino acids and 1-arginine alone were administered intravenously to patients with mild maturityonset type of diabetes, to subjects with subclinical diabetes (normal standard glucose tolerance test but abnormal cortisone-glucose tolerance test) and to healthy subjects. In addition, glucose was administered orally to each group of subjects. Amino acid-induced secretion of insulin was subnormal in mild maturity-onset type of diabetes, and a similar but less marked defect was also found in subjects with subclinical diabetes mellitus. These 2 groups also secreted less insulin in response to oral glucose than did the healthy subjects. The demonstration of subnormal insulin secretion in patients with mild diabetes and in subjects with subclinical diabetes in response to the infusion of amino acids as well as to orally administered glucose points again to functional impairment of pancreatic islets at these stages of the disease.
First wall fluxes in a theta-pinch feasibility/D-T experiment

From surface effects in controlled thermonuclear fusion devices and reactors meeting; Argonne. Illinois, USA (10 Jan 1974). The Physics Test Reactor (PTR) which will be designed to first demonstrate scientific feasibility and later be converted to handle tritium for D-T burning experiments is briefly discussed. First wall flux calculations are described that considered the implosion heating physics and a thermonuclear burn calculation specifying the time history of neutron and bremsstrahlung production and plasma internal energy. (MOW)
The C‐terminal domain of plant catalases Implications for a glyoxysomal targeting sequence

A castor bean (Ricinus communis cv. Hale) cDNA encoding catalase was cloned and sequenced. The cDNA encoding the carboxy-terminal domain of catalase was compared to the corresponding sequences of six other plant catalases. The deduced amino acid sequences were compared according to the chemical attributes of each amino acid within each carboxy-terminal domain. A tripeptide sequence having the chemical attributes of the peroxisomal targeting sequence [Gould, S.J., Keller, G.-A., Hosken, N., Wilkinson, J. & Subramani, S. (1989) J. Cell Biol. 108, 1657-1664] was common to all the glyoxysomal/peroxisomal plant catalases. This sequence motif was located six amino acids from the carboxy terminus of each of the plant catalases. An identical motif was also found within the carboxy-terminal domain of three mammalian catalases previously sequenced. We hypothesize that these motifs are at least part of the targeting mechanism for catalase entry into plant glyoxysomes/peroxisomes.
Ureteroscopic diagnosis of intraluminal metastatic rectal carcinoma

Ureteral obstruction resulting from metastatic adenocarcinoma is almost always extrinsic in nature. In contast, true intraluminal metastases are extremely rare. With this report, we document the videoendoscopic appearance of true intraluminal ureteral metastases from metastatic rectal cancer confirmed with histopathologic examination. The value of transureteroscopic biopsy for accurate diagnosis is also demonstrated.
Competitive N–H⋯OC and N–H⋯SC hydrogen bonding in alanine dithiocarbamates

The crystal structures of a homologous family of alanine-based dithiocarbamates reveal structural patterns influenced by intermolecular O–H⋯O, N–H⋯O and N–H⋯S interactions. These chemical systems differ by the steric properties of the pendent alkyl groups (i.e., methyl, ethyl, isopropyl and benzyl). Although a carboxylic acid head-to-head dimer provides a common theme for these structures, variations in molecular alignment arise from the use of the dithiocarbamate N–H donor group in either N–H⋯OC or N–H⋯SC interactions. The molecular features and crystal structure patterns responsible for the competitive self-assembly provide the basis of discussion.