cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Assimilation of Symbiotically-Reduced Nitrogen in Tropical Legumes: Regulation of Induction of de novo Purine Biosynthesis and Peroxisome Proliferation Leading to Ureide Production

Tropical legumes, such as soybean and Vigna, transport fixed nitrogen as ureides. We have earlier demonstrated that glutamine produced in the host cell cytoplasm as a result of ammonia assimilation is not transported out of the infection zone and is funneled in to plastids of the infected cells where it is converted in to purines. These de novo synthesized purines are then exported to the uninfected cells of the infection zone and inner cortex of the nodule where they are oxidized into allantoin and allantoic acids (ureides) and transported to the shoot. This pathway of nitrogen assimilation is apparently more energy efficient in comparison to amides that are normally transported in temperate nodules. To understand the regulation of assimilation of reduced nitrogen through ureide synthesis, we cloned phosphoribosylpyrophosphate amidotransferase (PRPP-AT) gene from soybean and showed that its expression is regulated by glutamine. This was accomplished by fusing the promoter of this gene with GUS reporter and transfer to hairy roots of soybean. The transgenic hairy roots showed glutamine-induced expression of GUS. Since PRPP-AT gene controls the entire de novo purine biosynthesis understanding the mechanism of its regulation is important for our ability to modify nitrogen assimilation process. Purines also induce peroxisome proliferation in the uninfected cells and the synthesis of enzymes necessary for oxidation of purines.
Ovarian pregnancy: an unusual presentation -

Ovarian pregnancy is a rare type of ectopic pregnancy and usually, it ends with rupture before the end of the first trimester. The clinical picture generally mimics that of ruptured tubal ectopic pregnancy and hemorrhagic ovarian cyst. Transvaginal sonography may be helpful. We report a rare primary ruptured ovarian pregnancy in a 23 years lady.
Receptors Based on van der Waals Forces

In this chapter, we discuss the molecular recognition capabilities of hosts that employ van der Waals interactions as the major driving force for recognition. These hosts are generally tailored for hydrocarbon recognition, which is a challenging target as the substrate contains no functional groups and so directed, specific molecular recognition with a functionalized receptor motif is not possible. These hosts provide defined cavities of suitable size and shape that can be filled via reversible, non-covalent target binding. The hosts range in size from shallow bowls and clefts, to flexible deep cavities and fully enclosed cages and capsules. They allow study of both the kinetics and thermodynamics of hydrocarbon recognition, as well as the conformation and motion of guests when confined in small spaces.
Bisphosphonates in the treatment of osteoporosis: a review of skeletal safety concerns

ABSTRACTIntroduction: The use of bisphosphonates in treatment of osteoporosis declined significantly over the past decade. There is currently great concern, among patients and physicians, about two potential skeletal adverse effects associated with bisphosphonates- jaw osteonecrosis and atypical femur fractures. This has become a major public health issue since untreated osteoporosis carries a significant burden in terms of fracture-related morbidity and mortality, and bisphosphonates, considered first-line therapy for osteoporosis, have established efficacy in fracture and mortality reduction.Areas covered: In this review we discuss current literature on osteonecrosis of the jaw and atypical femur fractures in patients with osteoporosis treated with bisphosphonates, including case definition, pathogenesis, epidemiology, risk factors, clinical presentation, management and prevention. We conducted a literature search using PubMed and PubMed Central, using the search terms ‘bisphosphonates’, ‘osteonecrosis ...
Influence of fire disturbance and biophysical heterogeneity on pre-settlement ponderosa pine and mixed conifer forests

Fire frequency is assumed to have exerted a strong influence on historical forest communities in the inland Pacific Northwest. This study reconstructs forest structure and composition in the year 1890 and fire frequency from 1760 to 1890 at 10 sites spanning a broad productivity gradient in the southern Blue Mountains of eastern Oregon. We tested for the relative influence of fire frequency, climate, soils, and topography by fitting variables to ordinations of forest structural and compositional configurations. We also built formal statistical models using non-parametric permutational multivariate analysis of variance. Because fire disturbance and biophysical influences on forest structure and composition may vary depending on the scale at which relationships are examined, we tested the influence of variables at the scale of 4- to 12-ha sites and at the scale of three equal-sized areas within each site. The proportion of fire-intolerant species basal area reconstructed within sites in the year 1890 ranged from 0% to 43%. The proportion of fire-intolerant species basal area reconstructed within equal-sized areas within sites ranged from 0% to 75%. Despite significant differences in historical species composition between and within sites, fire frequencies were relatively similar. Mean fire return intervals (MFRIs) calculated for sites ranged from 10.6 to 21.2 yr. MFRIs calculated for equal-sized areas within sites ranged from 10.6 to 28.8 yr. Fitting fire frequency and biophysical variables to ordinations and model building with perMANOVA showed that topographic position index and vapor pressure deficit had stronger influences on site-scale forest structure and composition than fire frequency metrics. Available soil water was the most important influence on forest structure and composition within equal-sized areas within sites. Relatively frequent fire across a broad range of forest types in the southern Blues appears to have been a relatively uniform influence on forest dynamics modulated by fine-scale biophysical heterogeneity. If return to historical conditions is a goal of management, treatments to reduce fuel and restore frequent fire are appropriate across a broad productivity gradient in the southern Blues.
Moral Emotions Toward Others at Work and Implications for Employee Behavior: a Qualitative Analysis Using Critical Incidents

We propose a theoretical framework for and, via critical incidents, inductively investigate (a) the situations that trigger moral emotions toward others at work and (b) worker responses to these situations. Critical incidents were collected from a heterogeneous sample of 423 workers. Participants described an incident that caused each of four moral emotions (gratitude, anger, admiration, and contempt) and their response. Incidents and responses were coded, and frequencies, differences across the moral emotions, and associations between incidents and responses were analyzed. Several morally relevant situations at work were found to trigger the moral emotions. Participants responded in ways that had implications for their performance and their own well-being. The incidents largely align with moral foundations theory (Haidt and Graham in Social Justice Research, 20, 98–116, 2007). Responses also show evidence for social exchange, social learning, and rational expectancy-based processes and behavior. The incidents specify several practices for managers and organizations to encourage and avoid. This was the first qualitative study of moral emotions at work and one of the few workplace studies to examine these emotions empirically. Several understudied factors and behavioral responses emerged.
McGurk Effect in Gender Identification: Vision Trumps Audition in Voice Judgments.

ABSTRACTDemonstrations of non-speech McGurk effects are rare, mostly limited to emotion identification, and sometimes not considered true analogues. We presented videos of males and females singing a single syllable on the same pitch and asked participants to indicate the true range of the voice–soprano, alto, tenor, or bass. For one group of participants, the gender shown on the video matched the gender of the voice heard, and for the other group they were mismatched. Soprano or alto responses were interpreted as “female voice” decisions and tenor or bass responses as “male voice” decisions. Identification of the voice gender was 100% correct in the preceding audio-only condition. However, whereas performance was also 100% correct in the matched video/audio condition, it was only 31% correct in the mismatched video/audio condition. Thus, the visual gender information overrode the voice gender identification, showing a robust non-speech McGurk effect.
A comparative and historical study of locative-based periphrastic verbal forms in Fula dialects

This paper is an investigation of periphrastic verbal constructions developed from locative expressions in Fula. First, a comparison of relevant features in the verbal systems of nine Fula dialects is given. Second, the dynamics of the verbal system of Fula is reconstructed through an analysis of these data. It is shown that the most significant and linguistically relevant aspects of the developments were several semantic shifts, some motivated by the appearance of new items in the verbal paradigm which led to changes in the status of existing items. An explanation of the direction and nature of these changes is offered. This explanation requires the notion of a prototype, as developed by Rosch [1973J, and thereby argues for its utility in modelling semantic changes. Moreover, implications of these results for aspectual theory are presented.
Identity Work and Tensions in Organizational Internships: A Comparative Analysis

This paper examines an increasingly popular yet underexplored form of organizational employment: internships. Drawing on interviews with 40 interns, this study explores the communicative tensions they faced and how two different groups of interns, satisfied versus dissatisfied, reported their responses to these tensions. Data revealed three key tensions that distinguished the two groups: identity work based on being an inexperienced student worker versus a competent employee, a focus on present versus future, and a preference for close versus distant supervision. The article discusses the implications of using different approaches to manage these tensions on identity work.
Parental Self-Efficacy to Support Teens During a Suicidal Crisis and Future Adolescent Emergency Department Visits and Suicide Attempts

This study of adolescents seeking emergency department (ED) services and their parents examined parents’ self-efficacy beliefs to engage in suicide prevention activities, whether these beliefs varied based on teens’ characteristics, and the extent to which they were associated with adolescents’ suicide-related outcomes. Participants included 162 adolescents (57% female, 81.5% Caucasian), ages 13–17, and their parents. At index visit, parents rated their self-efficacy to engage in suicide prevention activities and their expectations regarding their teen’s future suicide risk. Adolescents’ ED visits for suicide-related concerns and suicide attempts were assessed 4 months later. Parents endorsed high self-efficacy to engage in most suicide prevention activities. At the same time, they endorsed considerable doubt in being able to keep their child safe if the teen has thoughts of suicide and in their child not attempting suicide in the future. Parents whose teens experienced follow-up suicide-related outcomes ...
United Nations General Assembly Vote Similarity Networks

We construct a network of member states of the United Nations General Assembly based on how similarly they vote on resolutions. We describe a similarity metric that we feel better describes the inter-nation relationships than previously proposed models. Next, we introduce a mechanism to infer the best diplomatic path between countries that do not have high similarity in voting. Lastly, we create a bilateral commodity trade network between countries and evaluate the overlap between the trade and voting networks by applying community detection analysis. Our findings show that generated communities mimic real-world groupings and that there indeed is an alignment between voting and trade networks, paving the way for further studies on the connection between economic dependence and voting behavior.
Targeting the C481S Ibrutinib-Resistance Mutation in Bruton’s Tyrosine Kinase Using PROTAC-Mediated Degradation

Inhibition of Bruton’s tyrosine kinase (BTK) with the irreversible inhibitor ibrutinib has emerged as a transformative treatment option for patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and other B-cell malignancies, yet >80% of CLL patients develop resistance due to a cysteine to serine mutation at the site covalently bound by ibrutinib (C481S). Currently, an effective treatment option for C481S patients exhibiting relapse to ibrutinib does not exist, and these patients have poor outcomes. To address this, we have developed a PROteolysis TArgeting Chimera (PROTAC) that induces degradation of both wild-type and C481S mutant BTK. We selected a lead PROTAC, MT-802, from several candidates on the basis of its potency to induce BTK knockdown. MT-802 recruits BTK to the cereblon E3 ubiquitin ligase complex to trigger BTK ubiquitination and degradation via the proteasome. MT-802 binds fewer off-target kinases than ibrutinib does and retains an equivalent potency (>99% degradation at nanomolar concentrations)...
Age and Sex Differences in Cerebral Blood Flow and Autoregulation after Pediatric Traumatic Brain Injury

Traumatic brain injury (TBI) is a global health concern and is the leading cause of traumatic morbidity and mortality in children. Despite a lower overall mortality than in adult traumatic brain injury, the cost to society from the sequelae of pediatric traumatic brain injury is very high. Predictors of poor outcome after traumatic brain injury include altered systemic and cerebral physiology, including altered cerebral hemodynamics. Impaired cerebral hemodynamics including cerebral blood flow and autoregulation following TBI may adversely impact poor outcome and may be age and or sex dependent. Yet, there is a paucity of information regarding changes in cerebral blood flow and cerebral autoregulation after pediatric traumatic brain injury by age and sex. In this chapter, we discuss the impact of pediatric TBI by observations made in children and in a piglet model of fluid percussion injury on normal pediatric cerebral physiology and cerebrovascular pathophysiology, such as CO2 vasoreactivity and pressure autoregulation, focusing on age and sex differences observed in a bench to bedside translational paradigm. The first half of this chapter discusses the present understanding of age- and sex-dependent differences in cerebral hemodynamics in children, and the second half of the chapter presents information on what we have learned about the mechanisms of those age- and sex-related observations made in children.
Social Affect and Political Disagreement on Social Media

The perception of political disagreement is more prevalent on social media than it is in face-to-face communication, and it may be associated with negative affect toward others. This research inves...
Tropomyosin pseudo-phosphorylation results in dilated cardiomyopathy

Phosphorylation of cardiac sarcomeric proteins plays a major role in the regulation of the physiological performance of the heart. Phosphorylation of thin filament proteins, such as troponin I and T, dramatically affects calcium sensitivity of the myofiber and systolic and diastolic functions. Phosphorylation of the regulatory protein tropomyosin (Tpm) results in altered biochemical properties of contraction; however, little is known about the physiological effect of Tpm phosphorylation on cardiac function. To address the in vivo significance of Tpm phosphorylation, here we generated transgenic mouse lines having a phosphomimetic substitution in the phosphorylation site of α-Tpm (S283D). High expression of Tpm S283D variant in one transgenic mouse line resulted in an increased heart:body weight ratio, coupled with a severe dilated cardiomyopathic phenotype resulting in death within 1 month of birth. Moderate Tpm S283D mice expression in other lines caused mild myocyte hypertrophy and fibrosis, did not affect lifespan, and was coupled with decreased expression of extracellular signal-regulated kinase 1/2 kinase signaling. Physiological analysis revealed that the transgenic mice exhibit impaired diastolic function, without changes in systolic performance. Surprisingly, we observed no alterations in calcium sensitivity of the myofibers, cooperativity, or calcium-ATPase activity in the myofibers. Our experiments also disclosed that casein kinase 2 plays an integral role in Tpm phosphorylation. In summary, increased expression of pseudo-phosphorylated Tpm impairs diastolic function in the intact heart, without altering calcium sensitivity or cooperativity of myofibers. Our findings provide the first extensive in vivo assessment of Tpm phosphorylation in the heart and its functional role in cardiac performance.
Lake-level variability in Salar de Coipasa, Bolivia during the past ∼40,000 yr

Various paleoclimatic records have been used to reconstruct the hydrologic history of the Altiplano, relating this history to past variability of the South American summer monsoon. Prior studies of the southern Altiplano, the location of the world's largest salt flat, the Salar de Uyuni, and its neighbor, the Salar de Coipasa, generally agree in their reconstructions of the climate history of the past ∼24 ka. Some studies, however, have highly divergent climatic records and interpretations of earlier periods. In this study, lake-level variation was reconstructed from a ∼14-m-long sediment core from the Salar de Coipasa. These sediments span the last ∼40 ka. Lacustrine sediment accumulation was apparently continuous in the basin from ∼40 to 6 ka, with dry or very shallow conditions afterward. The fossil diatom stratigraphy and geochemical data (δ 13 C, δ 15 N, %Ca, C/N) indicate fluctuations in lake level from shallow to moderately deep, with the deepest conditions correlative with the Heinrich-1 and Younger Dryas events. The stratigraphy shows a continuous lake of variable depth and salinity during the last glacial maximum and latter stages of Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 3 and is consistent with environmental inferences and the original chronology of a drill core from Salar de Uyuni.
Patterns of Beverages Consumed and Risk of Incident Kidney Disease.

Background and objectives Selected beverages, such as sugar-sweetened beverages, have been reported to influence kidney disease risk, although previous studies have been inconsistent. Further research is necessary to comprehensively evaluate all types of beverages in association with CKD risk to better inform dietary guidelines. Design, setting, participants, & measurements We conducted a prospective analysis in the Jackson Heart Study, a cohort of black men and women in Jackson, Mississippi. Beverage intake was assessed using a food frequency questionnaire administered at baseline (2000–2004). Incident CKD was defined as onset of eGFR Results Among 3003 participants, 185 (6%) developed incident CKD over a median follow-up of 8 years. At baseline, mean age was 54 (SD 12) years, 64% were women, and mean eGFR was 98 (SD 18) ml/min per 1.73 m2. After adjusting for total energy intake, age, sex, education, body mass index, smoking, physical activity, hypertension, diabetes, HDL cholesterol, LDL cholesterol, history of cardiovascular disease, and baseline eGFR, a principal components analysis–derived beverage pattern consisting of higher consumption of soda, sweetened fruit drinks, and water was associated with significantly greater odds of incident CKD (odds ratio tertile 3 versus 1 =1.61; 95% confidence interval, 1.07 to 2.41). Conclusions Higher consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages was associated with an elevated risk of subsequent CKD in this community-based cohort of black Americans.
Carba-Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide: Synthesis and Enzymological Application of a Novel Inhibitor of ADP-ribosyl Transfer

The covalent modification of proteins has been demonstrated to be an important and general in vivo mechanism for metabolic regulation (1). More recently it has been shown that nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide (NAD) can participate in such reactions as a donor of the adenosine diphosphate ribose (ADP-ribose) moiety (2, 3). Although the biological function of these reactions is still unknown, evidence has begun to accumulate suggesting that this class of modification constitutes an important regulatory mechanism.
Molecular Mechanisms in Brain Metastasis

Although responsible for the vast majority of cancer deaths [1], understanding of the molecular mechanisms underlying metastasis lags far behind that of other aspects of carcinogenesis. Of all sites of metastases, those to the central nervous system (CNS) result in disproportionate disability and death [2, 3], reflecting both the physiologic primacy of the CNS and our insufficient understanding of this site of metastasis. Metastasis is perhaps the most overt expression of cancer’s evolutionary dynamics. A central tenant of this paradigm is that tumor heterogeneity provides the necessary variability to allow cancer to adapt to and ultimately flourish within a target secondary organ [4]. In support of this, genomic investigative approaches have found that cancer cells metastatic to the CNS are genetically divergent from their preceding primary tumors [5] and display decreased genetic heterogeneity consistent with a founder effect [6]. It is tempting to posit that common genetic drivers for brain metastasis may result from such selective processes, somatically acquired and selected during tumor evolution. However, despite large-scale efforts, genetic changes have not been found to dictate site of metastasis [4, 7].
Improved Nd Doped Silica Fiber for E-Band Amplification

Building on previous work, we have designed a Nd doped fiber for E-band amplification. Modeling results indicate a fiber design that is applicable to telecom amplifiers.
RGB Color Sensors for Occupant Detection: An Alternative to PIR Sensors

RGB color sensors are examined as an economical replacement for non-lighting based occupancy sensors such as PIR sensors and ultrasonic sensors. RGB color sensors are inexpensive and able to accurately detect and track occupants in an illuminated space by monitoring color shifts from background color distribution caused by occupants. By examining the temporal dependence of color shifts caused by small occupant movements, it is possible to avoid false occupancy/vacancy detections associated with other sensor types. Additionally, RGB color sensors provide information about the spectral reflectance of the illuminated space and this information can be used to compensate for spectral absorption properties of surfaces that alter the perceived emitted spectral power distribution (SPD) from the lighting. These changes may impact occupant perception and circadian performance.
The Qualifications Gap: Why Women Must Be Better than Men to Win Political Office

What does it take for women to win political office? This book uncovers a gendered qualifications gap, showing that women need to be significantly more qualified than men to win elections. Applying insights from psychology and political science and drawing on experiments, public opinion data, and content analysis, Nichole M. Bauer presents new evidence of how voter biases and informational asymmetries combine to disadvantage female candidates. The book shows that voters conflate masculinity and political leadership, receive less information about the political experiences of female candidates, and hold female candidates to a higher qualifications standard. This higher standard is especially problematic for Republican female candidates. The demand for masculinity in political leaders means these women must “look like men” but also be better than men to win elections.
Properties of some $$\psi$$ ψ -Hilfer fractional Fredholm-type integro-differential equations

In this paper, we study some properties of Fredholm-type fractional integro-differential equations. For obtaining the results, $$\psi$$ -Hilfer fractional derivative and $$\psi$$ Riemann–Liouville integral operator are used. The existence and uniqueness of solution are studied using fixed point theorem and $$\psi$$ -fractional Bielecki-type norm, and the properties such as estimates and continuous dependence of solution are studied using $$\psi$$ -fractional Gronwall type of inequalities.
In situ resin age assessment using dielectric analysis and resin cure map for efficient vacuum infusion

The physical state of epoxy resin designed for vacuum infusion was assessed in situ by immersing a dielectric sensor into the resin pot. The measured ion viscosity of aged resin was directly conver...
Changes in Sediment Transport and Bed Topography in Response to Step-Up Flows in Laboratory Flume

AbstractIt can be difficult to predict sediment transport in sand-bedded ephemeral streams because of rapidly changing conditions that may not be sustained long enough to reach equilibrium. This si...
ORCAS – Orbiting Configurable Artificial Star Mission Architecture

In this paper, we establish the mission operation concept for the Orbiting Configurable Artificial Star mission, a hybrid space-ground observatory, which aims to enable ground observations of near-diffraction limited resolution and exquisite sensitivity. We present the mission requirements, introduce a potential orbit solution that can meet them, detail the concrete operational steps to be taken to enable such observations, and develop a mission planning tool which generates a mission schedule that meets all mission requirements and can be altered in real time in the case of disruptions to the mission. Finally, we show the the mission could enable 300 adaptive optics and 1500 flux calibration observations throughout its lifetime.
Why the diabetic heart is energy inefficient: a ketogenesis and ketolysis perspective

Lack of glucose uptake compromises metabolic flexibility and reduces energy efficiency in the diabetes mellitus (DM) heart. Although increased use of fatty acid to compensate glucose substrate has ...
Atomistic calculations of thermal conductivity in films made from graphene sheets for electron emitter applications

Simulations for the thermal conductivity of carbon fibers (CFs) are carried out based on a molecular dynamics (MD) approach. Our calculations are geared toward providing a general trend for thermal conductivity and its dependence on sample length and to probe the suitability of this material for high power applications from the thermal management standpoint. Since abundant data are not available for carbon fibers, calculations are first carried out in silicon to validate the predictions. The MD results yield a bulk thermal conductivity of 148 W m−1 K−1 for silicon in good agreement with published reports. However, for CF, a much lower bulk value of ∼14 W m−1 K−1 is predicted. This suggests that thermal management would likely be an issue for this material and that CF emitters of lengths below 2 µm should be avoided. The predicted increases in thermal conductivity with temperature may help alleviate the issue to a minor degree. Carbon nanotubes would likely be a better alternative in this context of field emitter arrays.
Climate Change and Forest Values

Interactions between changes in biophysical environments (climate, disturbance, and ecological function) and human responses to those changes (management and policy) will determine the effects of climate change on human communities. Effects of climate change on forests could result in a ripple effect of policy and economic response on economic sectors and human communities. The United States produces more timber than any other nation, and although timber volume nearly doubled between 1945 and the late 1980s, production since then has declined. Per capita consumption of wood products has declined since the late 1980s, but population growth has continued to increase consumption to 0.57 billion m3 in the 2000s. Increased production will be concentrated on a smaller land base with a projected net loss of 9.3 million ha of forest land in the United States over the next 50 years, mostly on private lands subject to urbanization. In natural resource-based communities, socioeconomic relationships based on commodities (e.g., timber) or amenities (e.g., recreation) will be disproportionately affected by climate-forest interactions. Anticipated climate changes, coupled with population growth, strongly increase the value of urban trees in providing ecosystem services and for mitigating climate change impacts at fine scales. Policies targeting climate mitigation directly influence forest extent and use, and responses may include more harvesting (a result of new product markets such as biofuels) and altered forest management (responding to demands for forest-based C storage). Preparation for future climate stresses in rural, urban, and wildland-urban interface communities will be enhanced by ensuring that present-day communities have diverse economies and are capable of adapting to change.
The Other Dimension of Caring Thinking (with a new commentary by Phillip Cam)

Life comes from physical or biological survival. But the good life comes from what we care about, what we value, what we think truly important, as distinguished from what we think merely trivial. What we care about is the source of the criteria we use to evaluate ideas, ideals, persons, events, things, and their importance in our lives. And it is these criteria that determine the judgments we make in our everyday lives. In the second edition of Thinking in Education, Matthew Lipman ( 2002 ) has indicated the importance of fostering critical, creative and caring thinking in children, if one is to prepare them to make better judgments and live qualitatively better lives. He tells us that caring thinking is appreciative thinking, active thinking, normative thinking, affective thinking and empathetic thinking and then goes on to list a number of mental acts under each of these categories. Maybe it is because ‘caring thinking’ is not as common a term as ‘critical thinking’ and ‘creative thinking’ in everyday educational language that we stop for pause when we hear it. However when we read what Lipman says about caring thinking, we find ourselves nodding and saying to ourselves, ‘Yes, that makes sense. To think caringly means to think ethically, affectively, normatively, appreciatively and to actively participate in society with a concern for the common good’ ( Lipman 2002, p. 271 ). In a real sense what we care about is manifest in how we perform, participate, build, contribute and how we relate to others. It is thinking that reveals our ideals as well as what we think is valuable, what we are willing to fight and suffer for.
Fundamental study on solder paste for fine pitch soldering

For fine pitch QFP soldering, solder amount and locations applied on pad must be precisely controlled. Solder paste has been printed individually on each pad for most card assemblies, but this printing method is confronted with process control difficulties. As a solution of these potential problems, a new type of printing method, in which many pads are covered with one bar (or belt) shaped paste pattern, is under evaluation. The author describes some experimental studies of solder paste suitable for this printing method and the feasibility for fine pitch soldering. An experiment on three kinds of solder pastes showed that low-melting solder containing SN-Pb-Bi eutectic solder was suitable for this method because of its good solderability and even solder amount on each pad after reflow soldering. These advantages seemed to result from partial melting of low-melting solder and bonding between solder particles during preheating in the reflow process. This was confirmed by scanning electron microscopy. With this printing method, soldering of fine pitch (0.5/0.3 mm) leads was successfully demonstrated. >
Domestic Violence Statutes and Rates of Intimate Partner and Family Homicide A Research Note

This study explores whether states adopting specific domestic violence laws have significantly lower rates of intimate partner and family homicide, as well as a lower average of the two homicide rates. Point biserial correlation and multiple regression were used to analyze homicide rates, as measures of domestic violence, across seven statutory categories of state domestic violence laws for 47 continental states in the United States. With two exceptions, data show that state laws on domestic violence were not related to intimate partner and family homicide rates by state, or the average of the two homicide rates. The exceptions were moderate, but significant inverse correlations were found between family homicide and the average of family homicide and intimate partner homicide rates and states prohibiting firearm possession during a restraining order. However, in three separate regression models, no more than 23% of the variance in homicide rates was explained.
Chemical Exploration of the Microhabitat by Electron Probe Microanalysis of Decomposer Organisms

INCREASING emphasis on the role of microorganisms as nutrient concentrators in ecosystems calls for the accurate, reliable chemical analysis of these cells within their microhabitats. The inability to perform such analyses has been a principal limitation of existing macrochemical techniques. Witkamp1, Stark2, and Todd and Cromack3 have demonstrated that terrestrial microflora can concentrate calcium, potassium and magnesium to a point that each becomes a major nutrient pool. Microarthropods—important grazers of microflora—link the terrestrial detritus-based food chain to other chains. This paper outlines a technique which enables the chemical composition of the microfloral and faunal biomass to be analysed without its destruction or separation from the detrital matrix. With the exception of laboratory bacterial cultures, all samples were collected from the US Forest Service Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory field site, North Carolina.
Multiplicity of Child Maltreatment and Biopsychosocial Outcomes in Young Adulthood: The Moderating Role of Resiliency Characteristics Among Female Survivors

This study examined the moderating role of resiliency characteristics in the relationship between multiplicity of child maltreatment and biopsychosocial outcomes (i.e., psychological, physical, and interpersonal distress) in young adulthood. Participants included 765 college women who completed surveys. Structural equation modeling showed that resiliency characteristics moderated the relationship between multiplicity of child maltreatment and psychological distress; at high levels of resiliency characteristics, there was a nonsignificant relationship between multiplicity of child maltreatment and psychological distress. There was no evidence of moderation for physical or interpersonal distress. However, for both interpersonal and physical distress, the main effects of multiplicity of child maltreatment were positively related to each form of distress, and the main effect of resiliency characteristics was negatively related to each form of distress. These findings underscore the importance of promoting res...
Automatic Pre- to Intra-Operative CT Registration for Image-Guided Cochlear Implant Surgery

Percutaneous cochlear implantation (PCI) is a minimally-invasive image-guided cochlear implant approach, where access to the cochlea is achieved by drilling a linear channel from the skull surface to the cochlea. The PCI approach requires pre- and intra-operative planning. Computation of a safe linear drilling trajectory is performed in a preoperative CT. This trajectory is mapped to intraoperative space using the transformation matrix that registers the pre- and intra-operative CTs. However, the difference in orientation between the pre- and intra-operative CTs is too extreme to be recovered by standard, gradient descent-based registration methods. Thus far, the registration has been initialized manually by an expert. In this paper, we present a method that aligns the scans completely automatically. We compared the performance of the automatic approach to the registration approach when an expert does the manual initialization on 11 pairs of scans. There is a maximum difference of 0.18 mm between the entry and target points of the trajectory mapped with expert initialization and the automatic registration method. This suggests that the automatic registration method is accurate enough to be used in a PCI surgery.
Memory attributions for choices: How beliefs shape our memories

Abstract When remembering past choices, people tend to attribute positive features to chosen options and negative features to rejected options. The present experiments reveal the important role beliefs play in memory reconstruction of choices. In Experiment 1, participants who misremembered which option they chose favored their believed choice in their memory attributions more than their actual choice. In Experiment 2, we manipulated participants’ beliefs by either “reminding” participants they chose an option they actually rejected or providing a correct reminder. Participants’ memory attributions favored the option they believed they chose, both when that belief was correct and when it was erroneous. Furthermore, features attributed in a fashion favoring believed choices were more vividly remembered than features attributed in a non-choice-supportive fashion. Thus, beliefs at the time of retrieval about a choice lead to memory biases about both the valence and the vividness of remembered choice option features.
Leveraging protocol knowledge in slack matching

Stalls, due to mis-matches in communication rates, are a major performance obstacle in pipelined circuits. If the rate of data production is faster than the rate of consumption, the resulting design performs slower than when the communication rate is matched. This can be remedied by inserting pipeline buffers (to temporarily hold data), allowing the producer to proceed if the consumer is not ready to accept data. The problem of deciding which channels need these buffers (and how many) for an arbitrary communication profile is called the slack matching problem; the optimal solution to this problem has been shown to be NP-complete. In this paper, we present a heuristic that uses knowledge of the communication protocol to explicitly model these bottlenecks, and an iterative algorithm to progressively remove these bottlenecks by inserting buffers. We apply this algorithm to asynchronous circuits, and show that it naturally handles large designs with arbitrarily cyclic and acyclic topologies, which exhibit various types of control choice. The heuristic is efficient, achieving linear time complexity in practice, and produces solutions that (a) achieve up to 60% performance speedup on large media processing kernels, and (b) can either be verified to be optimal, or the approximation margin can be bounded.
A REAPPEARANCE OF WHEELS

Recently, a number of authors [KS, Oh2, Ro] have independently shown that the universal finite type invariant of rational homology 3-spheres on the level of ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2$ can be recovered from the Reshetikhin-Turaev ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2$ invariant. An important role in Ohtsuki's proof [Oh3] plays a map j1 (which joins the legs of 2-legged chinese characters) and its relation to a map α in terms of a power series (on the level of ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2$). The purpose of the present note is to give a universal formula of the map α in terms of a power series F of wheel chinese characters. The above formula is similar to universal formulas of wheel chinese characters considered in [BGRT1] and leads to a simple conceptual proof of the above mentioned relation between the maps j1 and α on the level of ${\mathfrak{sl}}_2$.
A systematic approach for extraction of phenolic compounds using parsley (Petroselinum crispum) flakes as a model substrate

The impact of extraction methodology and polarity of extraction solvents on the assay of phenolic compounds was investigated using parsley (Petroselinum crispum) flakes as a model substrate. This systematic study was undertaken to address substantial variations in the extraction procedures, solvents and conditions as described in the recent literature. Five different extraction procedures [shaking, vortex mixing, sonication, stirring and pressurized liquid extraction (PLE)] and three different solvents (methanol, ethanol and acetone), with five different solvent to water ratios per solvent, were used for extraction. Extracts were analyzed for phenolic content by high-performance liquid chromatography and Folin–Ciocalteu assays. The yields of phenolic compounds extracted with a pressurized liquid extractor were comparable to or better than those of four classical extraction procedures. Optimum extraction efficiency with PLE was obtained when extractions were performed with four extraction cycles using ethanol–water (50:50, v/v). The amount of apiin (4,5,7-trihydroxyflavone 7-apiosylglucoside) and malonylapiin (apigenin malonylapiosylglucoside) isolated from parsley varied with the composition of extraction solvent. Apiin extractability was found to be a maximum when the solvent (ethanol, methanol or acetone) to water ratio was 30:70 (v/v), whereas higher amounts of malonylapiin were isolated with a reverse solvent to water ratio (70:30, v/v). Malonylapiin was not detected when parsley samples were extracted with organic solvent to water ratios of 10:90 (v/v) and 30:70 (v/v). Published in 2006 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd
Conversion of benzal chloride to stilbene by electrogenerated cobalt(I)(Salen) : a doubly electrocatalytic process

Abstract Benzal chloride is converted to a mixture consisting primarily of cis- and trans-stilbene by the action of electrochemically-generated cobalt(I)(salen). The process involves a sequence involving electrocatalytic conversion of benzal chloride to a mixture of meso- and dl -1,2-dichloro-1,2-diphenylethane, followed by electrocatalyzed conversion of the latter to the stilbenes. Each of the diastereomeric dichlorides affords the same mixture of stilbenes under the reaction conditions.
Metal ions and chloramphenicol inhibition of soluble methane monooxygenase from Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b

Transcription of soluble methane monooxygenase (sMMO) of methanotrophs is tightly regulated by low concentrations of copper ions [Cu(II); e.g., transcription is completely repressed at copper concentrations higher than 0.86 μmol/g dry cell weight]. In addition to this genetic-level regulation, copper ions have been shown to inhibit the in vitro activity of sMMO from the type X methanotroph Methylococcus capsulatus (Bath) by inactivating only the reductase component of this enzyme (Green et al. 1985). In this study, in vitro sMMO inhibition by 12 metal ions and 10 medium ingredients was investigated for the first time using sMMO purified from the type II methanotroph Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b. Cu(I) and Cu(II) decreased sMMO activity of Methylosinus trichosporium OB3b by inhibiting not only the reductase but the hydroxylase component as well. Ni(II) also inhibited both enzyme components, but the inhibition was weaker than with copper ions. Zn(II) inhibited sMMO by lowering the activity of the hydroxylase only. Other transition metals such as Co(II), Mn(II), Fe(II) and Fe(III) did not show considerable impact on sMMO activity. The inhibition mechanisms were not determined, but Ni(II) and Zn(II) aggregated the reductase component of sMMO, and Zn(II) also precipitated the hydroxylase component. Cu(II) caused the reductase to precipitate, but Cu(I) did not aggregate either sMMO component. The aggregated proteins could not be dissolved in the solution of ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid disodium salt. Little or no sMMO inhibition was observed with various medium components examined including glucose, methanol, ethanol, dimethyl sulfone, ammonium chloride, methylamine (at a 500 molar ratio of medium component to the hydroxylase), kanamycin, and isopropylthiogalactopyranoside (at a molar ratio of 50); however, chloramphenicol inhibited sMMO at a molar ratio of 50.
Nuclease P1 Digestion Combined with Tandem Mass Spectrometry for the Structure Determination of DNA Photoproducts

UV irradiation of oligodeoxynucleotides at 254 nm generates several different types of DNA photoproducts, such as cis-syn cyclobutane pyrimidine dimers, pyrimidine[6−4]pyrimidone photoproducts and their Dewar valence isomers, and thymine-adenine photoproducts (TA*). Nuclease P1 degrades the oligodeoxynucleotide photoproducts to small photoproduct-containing trinucleotides which are more amenable to tandem mass spectrometry (MS/MS) and HPLC. Product-ion mass spectra of these digestion products give characteristic fragmentations, allowing us to identify quickly the types of photomodifications. The results also show that mass spectrometry will be a tool for studying enzyme reaction mechanisms because it can determine rapidly and with high sensitivity the structures of the products that are generated.
CELLULAR AND IMMUNOLOGIC INJURY WITH PM-10 INHALATION

Airborne particles Jess than 10 μsm (PM-10) in mass median aerodynamic diameter (MMAD) are associated with adverse effects on human health including chronic lung diseases and mortality, but the mec...
Reform and Re-invention in Public Higher Education

For more than a decade, experts have warned of a widening gap between available revenue and rising costs associated with the array of programs Americans hold dear. The shock of the worst economic downturn since the Great Depression has provided new perspective on this warning. Few economists, if indeed any, predict a rapid recovery. At the same time, we must confront another and perhaps even more daunting challenge. Within the course of a few years, the United States has lost its preeminence in terms of the educational attainment of our citizenry, slipping to the second tier; and in all likelihood we will slip farther into the third tier unless we take action. Higher education, however, has the opportunity to make a difference if those involved seize the moment and make the right choices, as President Gordon Gee of The Ohio State University noted in a recent keynote address to the American Council on Education (Gee 2009). To assure that desired outcome, they must revamp how they do their work, which will involve a great deal more than stressing student-centeredness, interdisciplinarity, and adequate funding. In brief, they must engage in reform and re-invention even as they accept the challenge of increasing the portion of American citizens with educational degrees from roughly 36 to 55% (McPherson and Shulenburger 2009). That magnitude of change occurred during the 1960s, thanks largely to the creation of hundreds of community colleges. Does our society have the will to do it again? Innov High Educ (2010) 35:75–78 DOI 10.1007/s10755-009-9131-2
The Destruction of Byssochlamys fulva asci by Low Concentrations of Gaseous Methyl Bromide and by Aqueous Solutions of Chlorine, an Iodophor and Peracetic Acid

Summary: Byssochlamys fulva asci are resistant to high concentrations of aqueous chlorine and iodophor solutions, but are sensitive to peracetic acid. Concentrations of 2% and 4% of peracetic acid gave 99·9% reductions in 2·5 and 1·3 min, respectively. The asci were also sensitive to methyl bromide gas (MeBr), c. 5 × 104 asci/g inoculated into tapioca starch powder (aw= 0·69) being killed in 30 days by 90 mg of MeBr/kg of starch. About 180 asci/g were killed by adding 60 mg of MeBr/kg of starch.