cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermodynamic perspectives and the origin of life

In relating thermodynamic concepts to the understanding of the origin of life, we shall examine the recently enlarged experimental laboratory model for macromolecular and cellular origins (Fox and Dose, 1972). The experimental model now extends from organic matter in the Solar System (Fox, 1974) through amino acids (Fox, 1973a), protoprotein, and a reproducing, heterotrophic protocell to systems able to make their own internucleotide and peptide bonds (Fox, Jungck, and Nakashima, 1974) and relates to the origin of the genetic code (Fox, 1974). The experiments have been performed under geologically relevant conditions. When we consider the question of thermodynamic relevance, we find unifying concepts in the formation of peptide bonds both before and after the formation of cellular systems.
A reinvestigation of Potoniea angularis (Lesquereux) Stidd

Potoniea angularis (Lesquereux) Stidd from the Middle Pennsylvanian Herrin (No.6) coal, southern Illinois, is re-described. The associated megafloral components are assessed and identified, and an attempt is made to isolate prepollen from individual sporangia from six well-preserved specimens.
Computers in Oceanography

Oceanography is a broad topic encompassing not only marine geology and geophysics but also physical, chemical, and biological oceanography. Computers are used for data storage, analysis, and modeling. Data storage for this field is centralized in the National Oceanographic Data Center which archives a vast amount of data in a variety of forms. Many of the oceanographic institutions also archive sets of data of particular interest at that institution. The Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) archives measurements and observations on the cores that have been recoved by drilling, and this constitutes the largest body of homogenous computer-accessible data in geology. The DSDP computer files have been transferred by duplication to Germany and to the USSR. Computer analysis ranges from complex processing problems, such as multichannel seismics and satellite images, to relatively simpler current dynamics, paleoecologic interpretations, lithologie analysis, and construction of agedepth curves in marine stratigraphie sequences. Modeling is most sophisticated in physical oceanography and atmospheric science, where the general circulation models require large computing facilities. Process modeling is developing rapidly in marine chemistry. Ecological modeling is an active area in biology, with much interesting work being carried out on analog computers. A unique development in oceanographic computing is the use of satellites to transmit data from ships and buoys to shore laboratories for processing and return by satellite of the processed data to the ships in time to permit modification of experiments in process as conditions change.
Clinical activity of a polyvalent melanoma antigen vaccine.

We have developed a partially purified, polyvalent melanoma vaccine from surface material shed into culture medium by a pool of selected melanoma cells. The vaccine contains a broad spectrum of melanoma antigens to circumvent the antigenic heterogeneity of melanoma and to obviate the need to identify individual antigens that mediate tumor-protective immunity.
The Self-Contaminating Nature of Repeated Reports of Negative Emotions

Three experiments examined effects of measuring self-reported emotional intensity on subsequent self-reported emotional intensity. Across 3 experiments, we induced sadness, envy, and happiness and ...
Acoustic metamaterials and additive manufacturing

Acoustic metamaterials (AMM) have captured the attention of a wide range of researchers for their potential to create materials with properties or functionality that exceed naturally occurring materials or conventional composites. Progress in acoustic metamaterials is largely the product of a combination of technological advances that have been made in the past three decades. Specifically, AMM research is a prototypical example of novel concepts in physics converging with advances in technology, primarily additive manufacturing and widespread access to robust computational tools. Additive manufacturing is a key component to this area of research since it allows for rapid build and test cycles as well as the production of elaborate structures for acoustic wave manipulation that follow from rigorous mathematical predictions. This talk will highlight physical concepts central to AMM research and the role that advanced manufacturing processes play in present and future research. It will then discuss the significant technical challenges that must be overcome if AMM are to be brought to their full potential, including the need to fabricate large amounts of subwavelength dynamic microstructure spanning orders of magnitude in length scale.
Factors Predictive of Remission of Chronic Anterior Uveitis.

Purpose To estimate the incidence of medication-free remission of chronic anterior uveitis and identify predictors thereof. Design Retrospective cohort study. Participants Patients diagnosed with anterior uveitis of longer than 3 months’ duration followed up at United States tertiary uveitis care facilities. Methods Estimation of remission incidence and identification of associated predictors used survival analysis. Main Outcome Measures Incidence of medication-free remission. For the primary analysis, remission was defined as inactive uveitis while off treatment at all visits spanning an interval of at least 90 days or—for patients who did not return for follow-up after 90 days—remaining inactive without receiving suppressive medications at all of the last visits. Association of factors potentially predictive of medication-free remission was also studied. Results Two thousand seven hundred ninety-five eyes of 1634 patients with chronic anterior uveitis were followed up over 7936 eye-years (4676 person-years). The cumulative medication-free, person-year remission incidence within 5 years was 32.7% (95% confidence interval [CI], 30.4%–35.2%). Baseline clinical factors predictive of reduced remission incidence included longer duration of uveitis at presentation (for 2 to 5 years vs. less than 6 months: adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 0.61; 95% CI, 0.44–0.83), bilateral uveitis (aHR, 0.75; 95% CI, 0.59–0.96), prior cataract surgery (aHR, 0.70; 95% CI 0.56–0.88), and glaucoma surgery (aHR, 0.63; 95% CI, 0.45–0.90). Two time-updated characteristics were also predictive of reduced remission incidence: keratic precipitates (aHR, 0.36; 95% CI, 0.21–0.60) and synechiae (aHR, 0.62; 95% CI, 0.41–0.93). Systemic diagnosis with juvenile idiopathic arthritis and spondyloarthropathy were also associated with reduced remission incidence. Older age at presentation was associated with higher incidence of remission (for age ≥40 years vs. Conclusions Approximately one third of patients with chronic anterior uveitis remit within 5 years. Longer duration of uveitis, younger age, bilateral uveitis, prior cataract surgery, glaucoma surgery, presence of keratic precipitates and synechiae, and systemic diagnoses of juvenile idiopathic arthritis and spondyloarthropathy predict reduced remission incidence; patients with these factors should be managed taking into account the higher probability of a longer disease course.
Cybersecurity in Big Data Era: From Securing Big Data to Data-Driven Security

"Knowledge is power" is an old adage that has been found to be true in today's information age. Knowledge is derived from having access to information. The ability to gather information from large volumes of data has become an issue of relative importance. Big Data Analytics (BDA) is the term coined by researchers to describe the art of processing, storing and gathering large amounts of data for future examination. Data is being produced at an alarming rate. The rapid growth of the Internet, Internet of Things (IoT) and other technological advances are the main culprits behind this sustained growth. The data generated is a reflection of the environment it is produced out of, thus we can use the data we get out of systems to figure out the inner workings of that system. This has become an important feature in cybersecurity where the goal is to protect assets. Furthermore, the growing value of data has made big data a high value target. In this paper, we explore recent research works in cybersecurity in relation to big data. We highlight how big data is protected and how big data can also be used as a tool for cybersecurity. We summarize recent works in the form of tables and have presented trends, open research challenges and problems. With this paper, readers can have a more thorough understanding of cybersecurity in the big data era, as well as research trends and open challenges in this active research area.
Reproducibility, preservation, and access to research with ReproZip and ReproServer

The adoption of reproducibility remains low, despite incentives becoming increasingly common in different domains, conferences, and journals. The truth is, reproducibility is technically difficult to achieve due to the complexities of computational environments. To address these technical challenges, we created ReproZip, an open-source tool that automatically packs research along with all the necessary information to reproduce it, including data files, software, OS version, and environment variables. Everything is then bundled into an rpz file, which users can use to reproduce the work with ReproZip and a suitable unpacker (e.g.: using Vagrant or Docker). The rpz file is general and contains rich metadata: more unpackers can be added as needed, better guaranteeing long-term preservation. However, installing the unpackers can still be burdensome for secondary users of ReproZip bundles. In this paper, we will discuss how ReproZip and our new tool, ReproServer, can be used together to facilitate access to well-preserved, reproducible work. ReproServer is a web application that allows users to upload or provide a link to a ReproZip bundle, and then interact with/reproduce the contents from the comfort of their browser. Users are then provided a persistent link to the unpacked work on ReproServer which they can share with reviewers or colleagues.
Spinal Cord Stimulation Attenuates Below-Level Mechanical Hypersensitivity in Rats After Thoracic Spinal Cord Injury.

Objectives The burden of pain after spinal cord injury (SCI), which may occur above, at, or below injury level, is high worldwide. Spinal cord stimulation (SCS) is an important neuromodulation pain therapy, but its efficacy in SCI pain remains unclear. In SCI rats, we tested whether conventional SCS (50 Hz, 80% motor threshold [MoT]) and 1200 Hz, low-intensity SCS (40% MoT) inhibit hind paw mechanical hypersensitivity, and whether conventional SCS attenuates evoked responses of wide-dynamic range (WDR) neurons in lumbar spinal cord. Materials and methods Male rats underwent a moderate contusive injury at the T9 vertebral level. Six to eight weeks later, SCS or sham stimulation (120 min, n = 10) was delivered through epidural miniature electrodes placed at upper-lumbar spinal cord, with using a crossover design. Mechanical hypersensitivity was examined in awake rats by measuring paw withdrawal threshold (PWT) to stimulation with von Frey filaments. WDR neurons were recorded with in vivo electrophysiologic methods in a separate study of anesthetized rats. Results Both conventional SCS and 1200 Hz SCS increased PWTs from prestimulation level in SCI rats, but the effects were modest and short-lived. Sham SCS was not effective. Conventional SCS (10 min) at an intensity that evokes the peak Aα/β waveform of sciatic compound action potential did not inhibit WDR neuronal responses (n = 19) to graded or repeated electrical stimulation that induces windup. Conclusions Conventional SCS and 1200 Hz, low-intensity SCS modestly attenuated below-level mechanical hypersensitivity after SCI. Inhibition of WDR neurons was not associated with pain inhibition from conventional SCS.
Ionic Polymer-Metal Composite (IPMC) Artificial Muscles in Underwater Environments: Review of Actuation, Sensing, Controls, and Applications to Soft Robotics

In the field of soft robotics, ionic polymer-metal composites (IPMCs) have shown great promise in the advancement of bioinspired actuators and sensors. Their affinity for use in aqueous environments, as well as their low-driving voltages (<5 V), large deformation performance, and capacity for miniaturization, makes them excellent candidates for biomimetic soft robotic systems. Scientists and researchers have explored the many possibilities of using IPMCs in underwater applications as actuators and sensors. This includes the development of artificial fins and other biocomponents such as cilia arrays, artificial skin, and sensing systems akin to fish lateral lines. Herein, the current advances and implementation of the IPMC-based artificial muscles are discussed. This includes an overview of the material and fabrication techniques, examples of bioinspired actuator and sensor designs, utilization of shape memory properties and segmented electrodes for more complex actuation, as well as the application and performance of fabricated devices in underwater environments.
Determinants of Investment Cash Flow Sensitivity

I classify firms into groups of high, low, and negative sensitivity. I find that investment-cash flow sensitivity is nonmonotonic with respect to financial constraints, cash flows, and growth opportunities. Firms classified as negative cash flow sensitive have the lowest cash flows, highest growth opportunities, and appear the most financially constrained. Cash flow insensitive firms have the highest cash flows, lowest growth opportunities, and appear the least financially constrained. To a large extent, the negative relationship between cash flow and investment is driven by the opposite trends followed by investment and cash flow, as firms grow through stages of their life cycle.
Emerging investigator series: rapid defluorination of 22 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances in water using sulfite irradiated by medium-pressure UV

The removal of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from drinking water supplies is crucial to protect the public from their health hazards. We investigated rapid defluorination of 22 PFAS species using a high-photon-flux medium-pressure UV/sulfite process. Defluorination rates followed pseudo first-order kinetics ranging from 0.0003 to 0.1604 min−1. Defluorination was faster and less subject to the effects of pH and dissolved oxygen (O2) concentrations than lower energy systems, likely due to the greater number of hydrated electrons (eaq−) produced. Ammonium perfluoro-2-methyl-3-oxahexanoate (GenX) was the most rapidly defluorinated PFAS with a half-life of 4.3 min at pH 12 and 10 mM sulfite. Perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs) also exhibited appreciable defluorination with half-lives between 7.8 and 577.6 min. PFCA defluorination rates increased with decreasing fluoroalkyl chain length. Perfluorooctanoic acid and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid, the most commonly detected PFAS in water, were rapidly defluorinated with half-lives of 11.3 and 22.1 min, respectively. Natural water constitutes present in surface and wastewater caused a decrease in defluorination efficiency. Overall, utilization of a medium-pressure lamp increased eaq− production and caused fast defluorination of selected PFAS. However, ∼97% of the energy produced by the medium-pressure lamp is not absorbed by sulfite, thus does not result in the production of eaq−, and is therefore wasted. The finding that the challenges of pH adjustment and scavenging by O2 may be overcome provides the pathway to field-scale applications (e.g., groundwater remediation) of either low-pressure or medium-pressure lamps given that the system energy input is great enough.
Land cover change-induced decline in terrestrial gross primary production over the conterminous United States from 2001 to 2016

Abstract As one of the most dynamic aspects of global environmental change, land cover change (LCC) has a profound impact on terrestrial carbon sequestration. However, LCC-induced carbon fluxes are still the most uncertain terms in global and regional carbon budgets. Ecosystem gross primary production (GPP) is the total carbon uptake by vegetation through photosynthesis, serving as a major control on ecosystem function and land carbon balance during and after the modification of the land surface. However, accurately capturing LCC-induced GPP changes requires both high-quality land cover data and controlling for variation driven by other environmental factors such as climate. In this study, we comprehensively examined the effects of LCC on annual GPP trends over the conterminous United States (CONUS) from 2001 to 2016 using the USGS National Land Cover Database, a remote sensing-driven ecosystem model, and the Google Earth Engine cloud computing platform. We designed a series of model experiments to identify LCC effects on GPP by controlling climate effects. During the study period, LCC exerted a strong negative effect on total GPP across the CONUS ([-2.2, -1.8] Tg C yr−2), while climate had smaller positive effects ([0.17, 0. 92] Tg C yr−2). The LCC-induced reduction of GPP was mainly caused by net forest loss ([-1.98, -1.39] Tg C yr−2) and urban expansion ([-2.03, -1.92] Tg C yr−2), but was partially offset by increases in crop area ([+0.66, +0.79] Tg C yr−2). Ensemble simulations from TRENDY did not capture the strong negative LCC influences on GPP, likely due to limitations of the adopted land use/cover data. Our study provides a novel perspective on LCC-induced GPP changes, which could help to improve our understanding of ecosystem function changes and constrain the estimation of land carbon balance in the context of anthropogenic activity and climate change.
Promoting Early Mobility in Patients After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement: An Evidence-Based Protocol.

Background Aortic stenosis is prevalent among older adults and is commonly treated with transcatheter aortic valve replacement. Both high- and low-risk patients benefit from early mobility and discharge after this procedure; however, hospital protocols to improve patient mobility and shorten hospital stays have not been systematically implemented. Objective To develop and evaluate a post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement protocol to standardize care and efficiently advance patients from the operating room to discharge. Methods A prospective pre-post design was used to evaluate the effect of the new standardized protocol on length of stay, timing of mobility, time spent in intensive care, and quality of life in patients undergoing transcatheter aortic valve replacement between April 2019 and March 2020. Interventions Interventions included team-based education and integration of an evidence-based order set into the electronic health record. Education was provided to both patients and staff. Results At 6 months after implementation of the intervention, statistically significant improvements were observed in mean overall (5.26 vs 2.45 days; P = .001) and postprocedure (3.05 vs 2.16 days; P = .004) length of stay. No significant difference was found in performance on the 5-meter walk test. Quality of life improved in both groups from baseline to 30-day follow-up (P = .01). Conclusion Implementation of the post-transcatheter aortic valve replacement protocol was associated with significant improvement in overall and postprocedure length of stay and improved quality of life. Additional work is needed to examine strategies to ensure safe next-day discharge.
Assessment of the retinal toxicity and sealing strength of tissue adhesives.

Purpose: The purpose of this in vitro prospective nonrandomized study is to compare the toxicity and strength of cyanoacrylate and hydrogel adhesives on human retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) cells and porcine retina, respectively. Methods: The toxicity of cyanoacrylate (histoacryl, dermabond, superglue), ReSure PEG, and Tisseel fibrin glue on human RPE cells was determined by growing RPE cells in vitro, applying the different adhesives to the cells, and monitoring for disruption of growth over 3 days. The relative strength of these adhesives was tested by gluing a 3 mm piece of foam to a porcine retina and determining the amount of force needed to break the attachment. Results: 0.085 N of force was required to break the porcine retinal tissue (p=0.913). Histoacryl adhesive exhibited high strength (0.247 N) and high RPE toxicity (0.55 mm inhibition zone after 24 hrs). The strength of Tisseel fibrin glue was 0.078 N while that of ReSure was only 0.053 N. Both Tisseel and ReSure were nontoxic to the RPE cells. Conclusions: Tisseel VH fibrin sealant may provide the best option for sealing retinal breaks because of its high strength and low retinal toxicity.
Paternalism and Autonomy

A recent issue of Vanity Fair magazine contained an article called “Gloria’s Euphoria.” It was a story about the wealthy heiress Gloria Vanderbilt, who, as is well known, is wealthy by virtue of having selected wealthy parents, but who also amassed wealth by swathing the nubile bottoms of millions of American youths with “designer jeans.” The author of the article had asked Ms. Vanderbilt “which was better; inherited or earned wealth,” to which she is reported to have unhesitatingly replied: “Oh, darling, the money you make is better.”1 I had a skeptical chuckle when first reading that—bearing in mind how much easier it is to earn wealth when you already possess some-but, on reflection, I realized that Ms. Vanderbilt had enunciated a (somewhat) philosophically significant truth. In general, we much prefer the goods we have acquired through our own labors, efforts, planning, skills, talents, and so on. As I shall argue later, this fact is importantly connected to issues of paternalism. In particular, Ms. Vanderbilt had discovered the joy of being an autonomous person, and that is importantly connected to the arguments about paternalism.
MTOR directs breast morphogenesis through the PKC-alpha-Rac1 signaling axis.

Akt phosphorylation is a major driver of cell survival, motility, and proliferation in development and disease, causing increased interest in upstream regulators of Akt like mTOR complex 2 (mTORC2). We used genetic disruption of Rictor to impair mTORC2 activity in mouse mammary epithelia, which decreased Akt phosphorylation, ductal length, secondary branching, cell motility, and cell survival. These effects were recapitulated with a pharmacological dual inhibitor of mTORC1/mTORC2, but not upon genetic disruption of mTORC1 function via Raptor deletion. Surprisingly, Akt re-activation was not sufficient to rescue cell survival or invasion, and modestly increased branching of mTORC2-impaired mammary epithelial cells (MECs) in culture and in vivo. However, another mTORC2 substrate, protein kinase C (PKC)-alpha, fully rescued mTORC2-impaired MEC branching, invasion, and survival, as well as branching morphogenesis in vivo. PKC-alpha-mediated signaling through the small GTPase Rac1 was necessary for mTORC2-dependent mammary epithelial development during puberty, revealing a novel role for Rictor/mTORC2 in MEC survival and motility during branching morphogenesis through a PKC-alpha/Rac1-dependent mechanism.
[2] Intracellular distribution of thiols and disulfides: Assay of mitochondrial glutathione transport

Publisher Summary This chapter describes methods to quantify transport of glutathione (GSH) as the intact tripeptide into rat renal mitochondria. Procedures are described to analyze uptake of GSH into mitochondria using both isolated renal cells and isolated renal cortical mitochondria, although the methods are applicable to measurement of transport into mitochondria from other tissues with appropriate, minor modifications. Metabolism of GSH in mammalian cells exhibits many unique characteristics: GSH is synthesized by two ATP-dependent enzymes, rather than by the normal protein synthetic mechanism, and is degraded by a specific enzyme, γ-glutamyltransferase, which is found selectively on the luminal plasma membranes of epithelial cells, including those of the renal proximal tubule and the small intestinal epithelium. Besides synthesis and degradation, another component of the turnover of cellular GSH is transport across plasma membranes and intracellular membranes. Two methods can be employed to analyze uptake of GSH into mitochondria with intact renal cells as the biological system. In the first method, the mitochondrial content of GSH is determined after incubations with intact cells by fractionation of cells with digitonin. The second method enables preparation of mitochondria from suspensions of intact cells, thereby providing isolated mitochondria for direct measurement of transport.
Linkage Analysis of Longitudinal Data and Design Consideration

Statistical methods have been proposed recently to analyze longitudinal data in genetic studies. So far, little attention has been paid to examine the relationship among key factors in genetic longitudinal studies including power, the number of families or sibships, and the number of repeated measures per individual subjects. We proposed a variance component model that extends classic variance component models for a single quantitative trait to mapping longitudinal traits. Our model includes covariate effects and allows genetic effects to vary over time. Using our proposed model, we examined the power, pedigree structures, and sample size through simulation experiments. Our simulation results provide useful insights into the study design for genetic, longitudinal studies. For example, collecting a small number of large sibships is much more powerful than collecting a large number of small sibships or increasing the number of repeated measures, when the total number of measurements is comparable.
DETERMINANTS OF CHARITABLE GIVING OF BUSINESS SCHOOL ALUMNI

This study investigated the propensity of Business School alumni to donate cash to the alma mater. A logit regression model was fitted to the survey response data from the 1955/56–1990/91 alumni of a large, Carnegie-classified, Doctoral University I public higher educational institution. The marginal probability of giving was found to be significantly related to factors such as time since graduation, major area of degree, willingness to recommend the university to others, household attributes and family ties to the alma mater, the number of other voluntary donors known, and the availability of matching gift accounts where alumni are employed. The logit estimates can be used to predict the likelihood of giving and for selecting fund-raising prospects more efficiently. Potentially rich future research directions are explored.
Stranded niobium-tin superconductor

Abstract It has been found that stranded niobium-tin wire can be used to fabricate superconducting solenoids with exceptionally high current density. Heat-treatment temperature and time, tin content, and wire size have all been found to influence the performance of the wire. Coil construction and heat treatment techniques are fairly simple, and have been used to fabricate numerous solenoids operating at self-fields up to 100 kG and within external fields up to 200 kG.
Safety, functionality and acceptability of a prototype polyurethane condom.

Male condoms made from synthetic materials offer an alternative to latexcondoms that may be more acceptable to users, thereby potentially resultingin more protected acts of intercourse. A prospective, noncomparativeclinical study was conducted to evaluate the safety of using certainpolyurethane materials to make condoms. Fifty-one healthy, contracepting,mutually monogamous couples were recruited between June 30 and November 24,1993 to use a prototype roll-on polyurethane condom developed by FamilyHealth International. Couples were to use the condoms for 10 consecutiveacts of vaginal intercourse over a 4-week period. Baseline and postexposuregenital examinations, including colposcopy for female participants, wereperformed. Fifty couples completed the study requirements and 517 acts ofintercourse occurred using the condoms. Two adverse events were reported:irritation of introitus in a female participant and a small irritatederythematous lesion on a male participant‘s penis. Neither event wasconsidered to be serious and both were resolved without treatment. Breakageand slippage rates were similar to those reported for latex condoms. Theseresults suggest that polyurethane condoms represent a safe, functional andacceptable alternative to latex condoms.
Assessment of ADHD with Culturally Different Groups: The Use of Behavioral Rating Scales.

This article examines the extent to which behavioral rating scales constitute a valid measure for assessment of Attention-Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) in culturally different groups. First...
One-shot or Embedded? Assessing Different Delivery Timing for Information Resources Relevant to Assignments

Objective – This study aims to determine if the timing of library in-class presentations makes a difference in the type and quality of resources students use for each of four assignments in an introductory speech class. This comparison of content delivery timing contrasts a single, 50-minute lecture early in the semester with four approximately 12-minute lectures offered just before each assignment. Methods – First-year engineering students taking Fundamentals of Speech Communication provide the study group. Each speech assignment requires students to turn in an outline and list of references. The list of references for each student was given to the librarians, after the assignments were appropriately anonymized, for analysis of resource type, quality of resource, and completeness of citation. Researchers coded a random sample of bibliographies from the assignments using a framework to identify resource type (book, periodical, Web, facts & figures, unknown) and quality, based on intended audience and purpose (scholarly, entertainment, persuasion/bias), and compared them to each other to determine if a difference is evident. The authors coordinated what material would be presented to the students to minimize variation between the sections. Results – The study found a statistically significant difference between groups of students, demonstrating that the frequent, short library instruction sessions produce an increased use of high-quality content. Similarly, the sections with multiple library interactions show more use of periodicals than websites, while completeness of references is not significantly different across teaching methods. Conclusions – More frequent and timely interaction between students and library instruction increases the quality of sources used and the completeness of the citations written. While researchers found statistically significant differences, the use of a citation coding framework developed for specific engineering research and design tasks means the analysis done in this study is not as accurate as it might be with a framework designed for analyzing the resources required for researching and writing speech assignments.
Gentle lysis of Staphylococcus aureus at low temperature.

A low-temperature lysis procedure for Staphylococcus aureus is described. It is simple and requires no special equipment.
Kinematic Diffraction of X‐Rays

Diffraction by x-rays, electrons, or neutrons has enjoyed great success in crystal structure determination. For a perfectly ordered crystal, diffraction results in arrays of sharp Bragg reflection spots periodically arranged in reciprocal space. Analysis of the Bragg peak locations and their intensities leads to the identification of crystal lattice type, symmetry group, unit cell dimensions, and atomic configuration within a unit cell. On the other hand, for crystals containing lattice defects such as dislocations, precipitates, local ordered domains, surface, and interfaces, diffuse intensities are produced in addition to Bragg peaks. The distribution and magnitude of diffuse intensities are dependent on the type of imperfection present and the x-ray energy used in a diffraction experiment. Diffuse scattering is usually weak, and thus more difficult to measure, but it is rich in structure information that often cannot be obtained by other experimental means. Since real crystals are generally far from perfect, many properties exhibited by them are therefore determined by the lattice imperfections present. Consequently, understanding of the atomic structures of these lattice imperfections and of the roles these imperfections play is of paramount importance if these materials properties are to be exploited for optimal use. This article addresses the fundamental principles of diffraction based upon the kinematic diffraction theory for x-rays. Nevertheless, the diffraction principles described here may be extended to kinematic diffraction events involving thermal neutrons or electrons. In practice, most x-ray diffraction experiments are carried out on crystals containing a sufficiently large number of defects that kinematic theory is generally applicable. This article is divided into two major sections. In the first section, the fundamental principles of kinematic diffraction of x-rays are discussed and a systematic treatment of theory is given. In the second section, the practical aspects of the method are discussed; specific expressions for kinematically diffracted x-ray intensities are described and used to interpret diffraction behavior from real crystals containing lattice defects. Neither specific diffraction techniques and analysis nor sample preparation methods are described in this article. Keywords: scattering processes; kinematic diffraction; Bragg reflection; diffraction; x-rays; thermal diffuse scattering; small-angle scattering; structure factor; Guinier approximation; Porod approximation
Finding the local angle in national news

Journalists often localize news stories that are not explicitly about the community they serve by investigating and describing how those stories affect that community. This is, in essence, a form of personalization based not on a reader's personal interests, but rather on their ties to a geographic location. In this paper we present The Local Angle, an approach for automating the process of finding national and international news stories that are locally relevant. The Local Angle associates the people, companies, and organizations mentioned in news stories with geographic locations using semantic analysis tools and online knowledge bases. We describe the design and implementation of our prototype system that helps content curators and consumers discover articles that are of local interest even if they do not originate locally.
Diamond thin film growth on silicon at temperatures between 500 and 600 °C using an electron cyclotron resonance microwave plasma source

Abstract The possibility of low temperature growth of diamond films on silicon substrates was investigated using an electron cyclotron resonance microwave plasma source to provide activated precursor species from CH 4 -H 2 and CO-H 2 gas mixtures at low pressures (1.33 Pa (10 mTorr) to 5.32 Pa (40 mTorr)). Diamond crystallites and continuous diamond films were nucleated and grown on (100) and (111) oriented silicon substrates over the temperature range 500–600 °C. Above 600 °C, microcrystalline graphite was formed. The morphology of the films was investigated using scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and the structure was investigated using laser micro-Raman spectroscopy and X-ray diffraction (XRD) as a function of the deposition parameters. The Raman and XRD results indicated that the films were nanocrystalline with a high defect concentration.
Synthesis of Rigid Multivalent Scaffolds Based on Adamantane

An efficient route to novel 1,3,5,7-tetrasubstituted derivatives of adamantane is described. This route starts from adamantane and gives the tetrafunctionalized derivative 9 in eight steps with an overall yield of 23%. These tetrahedrally shaped molecules possess three identical arms terminated by an activated carboxylic acid derivative and a protected amino function in the 1-position. We propose these tetravalent cage compounds such as 9 as scaffolds for the assembly of ligand/marker conjugates for studies of multivalent ligand receptor interactions.
Attestation-based policy enforcement for remote access

Intranet access has become an essential function for corporate users. At the same time, corporation's security administrators have little ability to control access to corporate data once it is released to remote clients. At present, no confidentiality or integrity guarantees about the remote access clients are made, so it is possible that an attacker may have compromised a client process and is now downloading or modifying corporate data. Even though we have corporate-wide access control over remote users, the access control approach is currently insufficient to stop these malicious processes. We have designed and implemented a novel system that empowers corporations to verify client integrity properties and establish trust upon the client policy enforcement before allowing clients (remote) access to corporate Intranet services. Client integrity is measured using a Trusted Platform Module (TPM), a new security technology that is becoming broadly available on client systems, and our system uses these measurements for access policy decisions enforced upon the client's processes. We have implemented a Linux 2.6 prototype system that utilizes the TPM measurement and attestation, existing Linux network control (Netfilter), and existing corporate policy management tools in the Tivoli Access Manager to control remote client access to corporate data. This prototype illustrates that our solution integrates seamlessly into scalable corporate policy management and introduces only a minor performance overhead.
The nature of noise

Noise, defined as sound undesired by the listeners, has long been regarded as the tribute we pay for progress. No longer is this true, for the engineering tools with which effectively to combat noise already exist. Developing and applying reasonable and acceptable legal and economic pressures has forced increasing use of these tools. In this Symposium there will be detailed discussions on these operational aspects of noise control. Here we concentrate on measurement aspects.
Facilitation of corticostriatal plasticity by the amygdala requires Ca2+-induced Ca2+ release in the ventral striatum.

Motor learning and habit formation are thought to depend on corticostriatal synaptic plasticity. Moreover, basolateral amygdala (BLA) activity facilitates consolidation of striatal-dependent memori...
Simulation model for an EB-PVD coating structure using the level set method

A comprehensive modeling approach to link machine dynamics, deposition, and substrate kinematics in an electron beam physical vapor deposition (EB-PVD) is presented in this paper. The machine dynamics in EB-PVD process are captured by finite element models, resulting in the prediction of evaporation rate and vapor distribution. The deposition process is modeled using the level set method, which is one of the computational techniques for tracking topographic evolution. The proposed simulation model is implemented in Matlab and is compared with experimental results published by other researchers. Results indicate that the proposed simulation model can be used to predict microstructure features such as zigzag and helical columnar shapes. The pitch of a zigzag microstructure can be predicted within 20% at the 0.3 to 6 μm level for Yttira-stabilized Zirconia (YSZ) coating.
The politics of Nation Branding: Collective identity and public sphere in the neoliberal state

Nation Branding is broadly conceived of as an apolitical marketing strategy that targets external markets to establish and communicate a specific image of national identity. However, in this article it is argued that Nation Branding displays characteristics that make it constructive to analyse in terms of an implicit cultural policy. The main point is that Nation Branding is essentially an inner-oriented, cultural-political measure that targets the citizens of the national state, characterized by conservative, transformative and transferring political agendas. On the background of an analysis of these characteristics, it will be argued that Nation Branding may work in a self-defeating manner and endanger democratic processes.
Transcriptional and phylogenetic analysis of five complete ambystomatid salamander mitochondrial genomes

We report on a study that extended mitochondrial transcript information from a recent EST project to obtain complete mitochondrial genome sequence for 5 tiger salamander complex species (Ambystoma mexicanum, A. t. tigrinum, A. andersoni, A. californiense, and A. dumerilii). We describe, for the first time, aspects of mitochondrial transcription in a representative amphibian, and then use complete mitochondrial sequence data to examine salamander phylogeny at both deep and shallow levels of evolutionary divergence. The available mitochondrial ESTs for A. mexicanum (N=2481) and A. t. tigrinum (N=1205) provided 92% and 87% coverage of the mitochondrial genome, respectively. Complete mitochondrial sequences for all species were rapidly obtained by using long distance PCR and DNA sequencing. A number of genome structural characteristics (base pair length, base composition, gene number, gene boundaries, codon usage) were highly similar among all species and to other distantly related salamanders. Overall, mitochondrial transcription in Ambystoma approximated the pattern observed in other vertebrates. We inferred from the mapping of ESTs onto mtDNA that transcription occurs from both heavy and light strand promoters and continues around the entire length of the mtDNA, followed by post-transcriptional processing. However, the observation of many short transcripts corresponding to rRNA genes indicates that transcription may often terminate prematurely to bias transcription of rRNA genes; indeed an rRNA transcription termination signal sequence was observed immediately following the 16S rRNA gene. Phylogenetic analyses of salamander family relationships consistently grouped Ambystomatidae in a clade containing Cryptobranchidae and Hynobiidae, to the exclusion of Salamandridae. This robust result suggests a novel alternative hypothesis because previous studies have consistently identified Ambystomatidae and Salamandridae as closely related taxa. Phylogenetic analyses of tiger salamander complex species also produced robustly supported trees. The D-loop, used in previous molecular phylogenetic studies of the complex, was found to contain a relatively low level of variation and we identified mitochondrial regions with higher rates of molecular evolution that are more useful in resolving relationships among species. Our results show the benefit of using complete genome mitochondrial information in studies of recently and rapidly diverged taxa.
Catalysis of the CC-1065 and duocarmycin DNA alkylation reaction: DNA binding induced conformational change in the agent results in activation.

Abstract A number of indirect observations are summarized that suggest the rate acceleration for the CC-1065 and duocarmycin DNA alkylation reaction is derived in part from a DNA binding-induced conformational change in the agents which substantially increases their inherent reactivity. This ground-state destabilization of the agent, which we suggest results from a binding-induced twist in the linking N2 amide and requires a rigid extended N2 amide substituent, disrupts the vinylogous amide stabilization and activates the agents for DNA alkylation. A number of observations are reviewed that suggest the rate acceleration for the CC-1065 and duocarmycin DNA alkylation reaction is derived in part from a DNA binding-induced conformational change in the agents which increases their inherent reactivity. This activation for DNA alkylation, which requires a rigid extended N2 amide substituent, results from a binding-induced twist in the linking N2 amide which disrupts the vinylogous amide stabilization of the reacting alkylation subunit.
Quantum cosmology: Exact solution for the Gowdy T 3 model

A complete set of orthonormal wave functions valid at all times including that of the classical singularity is obtained in closed form for each mode of the quantized Gowdy ${T}^{3}$ universe. These wave functions are superposed to yield that wave function for each mode which reduces to a given initial state near the classical singularity. The expected number of quanta in each mode at times far from the singularity is obtained and depends only on the constants which characterize the initial state. All expectation values agree with those obtained classically and semiclassically except for a smearing out of the essentially classical picture due to quantum fluctuations. The precise description of the initial state at the singularity yields a model with the size and shape parameter of the universe satisfying an initial free-particle-like equation and later captured in the $N$-quantum state of a rising harmonic-oscillator potential. This contrasts with the graviton creation from vacuum fluctuations description of an earlier treatment by Berger. Misner has shown that the Gowdy ${T}^{3}$ model universe may be described as a scattering process in minisuperspace. He obtains a Klein-Gordon equation for the wave function of the universe which is separable in Fourier components of the wave part of the gravitational field. It is shown here that exact solutions exist for the Klein-Gordon equation which reduces for each mode to the Schr\"odinger equation for a time-dependent-frequency harmonic oscillator. The methods of Salusti and Zirilli are used to obtain wave functions characterized by the quantum number $N$ with harmonic-oscillator spatial (in superspace) dependence and time-dependent coefficients. These $N$-quantum wave functions are fixed uniquely by requiring agreement with the known large-time-limit wave functions. Initial states are constructed for each mode near the time of the classical singularity which are wave packets characterized by an initial position and an initial momentum. These states form an overcomplete family of states. Their expectation values follow the classical equations of motion.
Adolescent fluoxetine exposure produces enduring, sex-specific alterations of visual discrimination and attention in rats.

Abstract Over the past two decades the use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) to treat behavioral disorders in children has grown rapidly, despite little evidence regarding the safety and efficacy of these drugs for use in children. Utilizing a rat model, this study investigated whether post-weaning exposure to a prototype SSRI, fluoxetine (FLX), influenced performance on visual tasks designed to measure discrimination learning, sustained attention, inhibitory control, and reaction time. Additionally, sex differences in response to varying doses of fluoxetine were examined. In Experiment 1, female rats were administered (P.O.) fluoxetine (10 mg/kg ) or vehicle (apple juice) from PND 25 thru PND 49. After a 14 day washout period, subjects were trained to perform a simultaneous visual discrimination task. Subjects were then tested for 20 sessions on a visual attention task that consisted of varied stimulus delays (0, 3, 6, or 9 s) and cue durations (200, 400, or 700 ms). In Experiment 2, both male and female Long–Evans rats (24 F, 24 M) were administered fluoxetine (0, 5, 10, or 15 mg/kg) then tested in the same visual tasks used in Experiment 1, with the addition of open-field and elevated plus-maze testing. Few FLX-related differences were seen in the visual discrimination, open field, or plus-maze tasks. However, results from the visual attention task indicated a dose-dependent reduction in the performance of fluoxetine-treated males, whereas fluoxetine-treated females tended to improve over baseline. These findings indicate that enduring, behaviorally-relevant alterations of the CNS can occur following pharmacological manipulation of the serotonin system during postnatal development.