cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Understanding Disorders of Sexual Development

Studies estimate that the incidence of genital anomalies could be as high as 1 in 300 births. While it is rare for an infant to present with truly ambiguous genitalia, it is plausible that the pediatric nurse will encounter a patient with disorders of sexual development in his or her career. Cases of disorders of sexual development are challenging due to complexities of diagnosis, gender assignment, uncertain outcomes, treatment options, and psychosocial stressors. This article discusses the evaluation and management of children with disorders of sexual development and the nurse's role as child advocate and family educator.
Prediction of an individual speech pattern from dyadic interaction.

One mathematical consequence of a Markov model of conversational rhythm is tested empirically. It is that monologue represents a special case of dialogue in which one participant is silent (or abse...
The importance of sweet taste and caloric content in the effects of nicotine on specific food consumption.

There is an inverse relationship between nicotine and body weight that has been partially explained by changes in consumption of sweet-tasting high calorie foods. The present research was designed to determine the relative importance of sweet taste and caloric content in the effects of nicotine on specific food consumption and body weight. Alzet miniosmotic pumps were implanted SC to administer saline or two different concentrations of nicotine to 63 male Sprague-Dawley rats for 17 days. Three experiments were performed in which animals had access to two foods, a nonsweet low calorie food and a “target” food (sweet low calorie, sweet high calorie, or nonsweet high calorie). Body weight, food consumption, and water consumption were measured daily before, during, and after drug administration. In all three experiments, there was an inverse relationship between nicotine and body weight. Both sweet taste and caloric content were involved in the effects of nicotine on specific food consumption and body weight, but sweet taste was particularly important. In fact, the effects of nicotine on body weight were attenuated when sweet-tasting low calorie foods were available. These findings have implications for controlling body weight gains after cessation of cigarette smoking.
A look-up-table digital predistortion technique for high-voltage power amplifiers in ultrasonic applications

In this paper, we present a digital predistortion technique to improve the linearity and power efficiency of a high-voltage class-AB power amplifier (PA) for ultrasound transmitters. The system is composed of a digital-to-analog converter (DAC), an analog-to-digital converter (ADC), and a field-programmable gate array (FPGA) in which the digital predistortion (DPD) algorithm is implemented. The DPD algorithm updates the error, which is the difference between the ideal signal and the attenuated distorted output signal, in the look-up table (LUT) memory during each cycle of a sinusoidal signal using the least-mean-square (LMS) algorithm. On the next signal cycle, the error data are used to equalize the signal with negative harmonic components to cancel the amplifier's nonlinear response. The algorithm also includes a linear interpolation method applied to the windowed sinusoidal signals for the B-mode and Doppler modes. The measurement test bench uses an arbitrary function generator as the DAC to generate the input signal, an oscilloscope as the ADC to capture the output waveform, and software to implement the DPD algorithm. The measurement results show that the proposed system is able to reduce the second-order harmonic distortion (HD2) by 20 dB and the third-order harmonic distortion (HD3) by 14.5 dB, while at the same time improving the power efficiency by 18%.
Light Falling on England: History and Landscape in the Poetry of C. H. Sisson

The defining characteristic of the poetry of C. H. Sisson (1914–2003) may be its complex understanding of time. Pervading his work is an incessant fascination with the history and landscape of England that hinges on a non-linear theory of time. Sisson imagines events past and present swirling together in eddies of dislocated English history. He associates the English landscape not only with a past still vibrantly alive but with moral virtue as well. A profound commitment to Anglicanism and monarchism also notably marks his poetry. Sisson's attention to the history and landscape of England substantiates and justifies his commitments to church and crown. This Drydenesque Toryism, rooted in the landscape of his poetic imagination, enables him to conceptualize time as an undisrupted flow in which history and the present merge seamlessly and offer comfort against an uncertain future. The poetry of C. H. Sisson is the poetry of hope, amid the desolation of the present, located in the living history of the past.
Detection bias and relation of benign breast disease to breast cancer.

Abstract The relation between benign breast disease and breast cancer was investigated in a case-control study of postmenopausal patients selected either by diagnostic procedure sampling (mammography 150 cases and controls, breast biopsy 107 cases and controls) or by conventional sampling procedures (257 controls to match total number of cases). For mammography patients, the odds ratio for association between benign breast disease and breast cancer was 0·9; for biopsy patients the odds ratio was 0·8; but by use of conventional methods, the odds ratio was elevated to a "causal" and statistically significant 2·6. When patients were classified according to cancer stage, benign breast disease was present in 56/147 patients with localised cancer compared with 24/107 patients with non-localised cancer (odds ratio 2·3). Evidence that benign breast disease is a risk factor for breast cancer may therefore be misleading if choice of control groups makes no provision for bias produced by inequalities in detection of disease.
The SUN Attribute Database: Beyond Categories for Deeper Scene Understanding

In this paper we present the first large-scale scene attribute database. First, we perform crowdsourced human studies to find a taxonomy of 102 discriminative attributes. We discover attributes related to materials, surface properties, lighting, affordances, and spatial layout. Next, we build the "SUN attribute database" on top of the diverse SUN categorical database. We use crowdsourcing to annotate attributes for 14,340 images from 707 scene categories. We perform numerous experiments to study the interplay between scene attributes and scene categories. We train and evaluate attribute classifiers and then study the feasibility of attributes as an intermediate scene representation for scene classification, zero shot learning, automatic image captioning, semantic image search, and parsing natural images. We show that when used as features for these tasks, low dimensional scene attributes can compete with or improve on the state of the art performance. The experiments suggest that scene attributes are an effective low-dimensional feature for capturing high-level context and semantics in scenes.
Systematic syntheses of [Hg{M(CO)4}2]2−, [Hg{M(CO)4}]x (M=Fe, Ru, Os), and structures of [Hg{M(CO)4}2]2− (M=Ru, Os)

Abstract The [Hg{M(CO) 4 } 2 ] 2− (M=Fe, Ru, Os) anions were prepared by the reaction of K 2 M(CO) 4 (M=Fe, Ru, Os) with HgCl 2 in a 2:1 molar ratio in THF in high yields. The complexes, K 2 [Hg{M(CO) 4 } 2 ] (M=Ru, Os) are thermally stable. K 2 [Hg{Ru(CO) 4 } 2 ] decomposes at ca. 170°C, while K 2 [Hg{Os(CO) 4 } 2 ] decomposes at ca. 220°C. The structures of [PPN] 2 [Hg{Ru(CO) 4 } 2 ] and [Ph 3 MeP] 2 [Hg{Os(CO) 4 } 2 ] were determined from single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. The anions [Hg{M(CO) 4 } 2 ] 2− (M=Ru, Os), are isostructural with [Hg{Fe(CO) 4 } 2 ] 2− . These consist of two M(CO) 4 units, trigonal-bipyramidal fragments, joined at apical sites by a mercury atom in a linear M–Hg–M array with a staggered arrangement of the three equatorial CO's of the M(CO) 4 units. Crystal data for [PPN] 2 [Hg{Ru(CO) 4 } 2 ]·2CH 3 CN: space group P 1 , a =12.615(2), b =13.374(2), c =13.822(2) A, α =104.97(1), β =106.18(1), γ =108.92(1)°, V =1956.4(6) A 3 , Z =1, mol. wt.=1786.15, ρ =1.481 g cm −3 , μ =24.6 cm −1 for Mo–K α radiation. R f =0.022, R w f =0.028 for 5261 independent reflections with I ≥3 σ ( I ). Crystal data for [Ph 3 MeP] 2 [Hg{Os(CO) 4 } 2 ]: space group P 1 , a =11.437(2), b =13.532(2), c =14.698(2) A, α =83.98(2), β =83.88(2), γ =78.41(2)°, V =2207.5(6) A 3 , Z =2, mol. wt.=1359.68, ρ =2.046 g cm −3 , μ =93.35 cm −1 for Mo–K α radiation. R f =0.0327, R wR 2 =0.0832 for 5375 independent reflections with I ≥3 σ ( I ). When a 1:1 molar ratio of Na 2 [M(CO) 4 ] (M=Fe, Ru, Os) and HgCl 2 was employed the polymeric complexes [Hg{M(CO) 4 }] x were obtained. The polymers are stable in air, but they are not soluble in common organic solvents and in water.
Development of self-organizing, self-directing molecular nanowires: Synthesis and characterization of conjoined DNA-2,5-Bis(2-thienyl)pyrrole oligomers

Specifically designed conducting polymers were prepared from monomers that are covalently linked to duplex DNA. These materials combine the self-assembly properties of DNA with those of conducting ...
Tissue-Directed Antibiotics and Intracellular Parasites: Complex Interaction of Phagocytes, Pathogens, and Drugs

Antibiotics with significant tissue penetration and intracellular accumulation may have an important role in the treatment of intracellular infections. However, clinically relevant evaluation of these antibiotics in vitro remains a challenge. Measurement of serum drug concentrations or serum bactericidal levels may not be relevant. Measurement of intracellular drug concentrations may be simplistic, given the complex interaction of drug, microbe, and phagocyte. The erect of an antibiotic on an intracellular organism depends on the drug's penetration into the cell, its intracellular location, its metabolism within the cell, and its antimicrobial activity within the organism's specific intracellular microenvironment
Significance of the Baie Verte Flexure, Newfoundland

The Baie Verte Flexure is a regional structure defined by the change in trends of early Paleozoic rocks of the Baie Verte Peninsula, Newfoundland. The flexure affects all major geological elements on the peninsula, including the Baie Verte Line, a fundamental polygenetic structural zone that juxtaposes continental polydeformed metaclastic rocks of the Fleur de Lys Supergroup, to the west, against inhomogeneously deformed ophiolites and volcanic rocks to the east. The tectonic history of both sequences has been a major point of contention in northern Appalachian geology; recognition of the flexure resolves this problem. Central to this problem has been the geological setting of an apparently isolated sequence of metaclastic rocks, the Ming9s Bight Group, that occurs in the midst of the ophiolite-volcanic terrane. Previous workers have assumed that the group, which is lithically and structurally similar to parts of the Fleur de Lys, is conformable with the adjacent ophiolitic-volcanic terrane. Delineation of features along the flexure clarifies the stratigraphic and structural relationships of the group. In particular, recognition of a continuous belt of Fleur de Lys rocks that wraps around the northern portion of the peninsula indicates that the Ming9s Bight Group forms part of the supergroup; in addition, the tracing of the Baie Verte Line around the flexure shows that the group is tectonically severed from the ophiolitic-volcanic terrane. The polydeformation of the Fleur de Lys rocks and northerly parts of the ophiolitic-volcanic terrane appears to have been inhomogeneous. Regional relationships and recent Ar 40 / Ar 39 ages indicate that rocks of the main Fleur de Lys outcrop belt were deformed mainly during the Taconic, whereas the Ming9s Bight Group and parts of the ophiolitic-volcanic terrane were affected by an Acadian event. This can be explained by two separate, noncoaxial events acting upon some pre-existing manifestation of the flexure, probably the irregular margin of the ancient continent. Relationships along the Baie Verte Flexure may reflect inherent complexities of larger flexures, salients, and recesses of the Appalachian Orogen and may be important to interpretation throughout the orogen.
A Theoretical Model for Deposition of Aerosols in Rising Spherical Bubbles due to Diffusion, Convection, and Inertia

A novel approximate theoretical analysis is proposed whereby the deposition of aerosols in expanding and shrinking spherical bubbles rising in stagnant liquid due to the combined effects of molecular diffusion, convection, and inertia is modeled. The bubble internal circulation is assumed to be similar to Hill's vortex flow. Using the new method, parametric calculations representing conditions where bubbles remain spherical and nonoscillating, and diffusion, convection, and inertia are the dominant aerosol removal mechanisms, are performed, and the contribution of the inertial transport mechanism is discussed. It is also suggested that the common practice of using Fuchs's methodology, where aerosol fluxes resulting from different mechanisms are separately calculated using simple models and added together to find the total aerosol flux, is inadequate.
Low-Energy Positron Diffraction from a Cu(111) Surface

The first observation of low-energy positron diffraction from a solid surface is reported. Slow (20-400-eV) monochromatic positron beams were focused onto a Cu(111) surface and their elastically scattered distributions detected with a channel electron multiplier. Measurements of the scattered intensity versus angle as a function of incident energy show peaks at the predicted ($0\overline{1}$) and ($0\overline{2}$) diffraction angles. Profiles of intensity versus energy at fixed angles exhibit maxima corresponding to the primary Bragg peaks.
Nonfreezing Interfacial Layers of Cyclohexane in Nanoporous Silica

We have been able to estimate the thickness of nonfreezing interfacial layers of cyclohexane confined in nanoporous silica. This thickness was estimated from calorimetric measurements and simple geometrical analysis. The nonfreezing layers coexist with molecules that can undergo phase transition when the pore size of the confining medium is larger than 3.5 nm. In agreement with the Gibbs−Thompson equation, the melting and freezing temperatures of the molecules capable of undergoing phase transition scale linearly with the inverse pore size of the silica. Experimentally determined (apparent) ΔH, however, seems to vary with physical size, which contradicts the inherent assumptions in the Gibbs−Thompson equation. Corrections to account for the presence of nonfreezing layers of molecules with thickness ca. 2.14 ± 0.2 nm not only leads to a ΔH invariant with physical size, but it also provides insight into density variation due to confinement.
Contribution of protein kinase C and glutamate in Pb2+-induced cytotoxicity

Abstract Activation of protein kinase C (PKC) plays an important role in lead (Pb 2+ )-induced cytotoxicity. The effects of low dose exposure to Pb 2+ on cytosolic free calcium (Ca 2+ ), PKC activity and mechanisms involved in cell death were studied in PC12 cells. Exposure of PC12 cells to low dose Pb 2+ (0.01 μM) increased PKC activity, while exposure to a higher dose (10 μM) led to decreased PKC activity. Additionally, in normal extracellular medium, low concentration of Pb 2+ (0.01 μM) stimulated increase in cytosolic free calcium while the higher concentrations of Pb 2+ (10 μM) did not. However, the effect of low dose Pb 2+ (0.01 μM) was blocked by removing Ca 2+ from external medium. The role of Pb 2+ -induced changes in PKC activity and its relationship to oxidative stress and related cytotoxicity was also studied. Pb 2+ alone (0.01–10 μM) produced reactive oxygen species (ROS) dose dependently over the period of 24 h. Pb 2+ -induced ROS were potentiated in the presence of 500 μM glutamate. Furthermore, a correlation was observed between ROS generation and the levels of cytotoxicity, which was observed after 24 h exposures to Pb 2+ by trypan blue method, and the cytotoxicity was enhanced by glutamate co-treatment. Pb 2+ -induced cell death was blocked partially by staurosporine (PKC inhibitor, 100 nM) and NMDA antagonist, MK-801 (1 μM). It is concluded that, in Pb-induced cytotoxicty, modulation of PKC and intracellular calcium play significant roles in augmenting glutamate receptor mediated oxidative species formation and subsequent cell death.
Growth, respiratory, and cytochrome characteristics of certain of the isoleucine-valine mutants of Neurospora crassa.

Several of the isoleucine-valine requiring mutants of Neurospora crassa have been shown to have differences in growth rate, oxygen uptake rate, cyanide sensitivity, and cytochrome spectral patterns as compared to wild type. This pleiotropic effect seems to be true for mutants with changes at all three known loci affecting isoleucine and valine biosynthesis, the iv-1, iv-2, and iv-3 loci.
Consolidation and column performance of several packing materials for liquid chromatography in a dynamic axial compression column

The mechanical properties of four different packing materials for preparative liquid chromatography were investigated. Their compression kinetics and consolidation behavior were measured under dynamic compression stress in a 5-cm I.D. axial compression column. The internal and external porosities, the packing density, the permeability, and the efficiency of these columns were also measured. The materials studied included two spherical silica-based materials for preparative chromatography, NovaPak C81 (6 μm) and Hyperprep HS BDS C18 (12 μm), another octadecyl bonded silica material made of irregular shaped particles, Baker 1-130 C18 (130 μm), and an unmodified alumina (50 μm). The first two packing materials showed much higher mechanical stability than the third one which experienced extensive particle breakage under high compression stress. The material with the smallest spherical particles (average size, 6 μm) gave a stable, rigid column, but, either because it contains fine particles or because of a small degree of particle breakage, it caused problems. Maintenance after unpacking a column and cleaning the piston frit was difficult. This could lead to a significant decrease of the productivity. The behavior of the fourth column material, unmodified alumina, is very different from the ones of all silica-based materials so far studied; it is not superior to that of the three silica-based materials presented here.
Research Resource: Gonadotropin-Releasing Hormone Receptor-Mediated Signaling Network in LβT2 Cells: A Pathway-Based Web-Accessible Knowledgebase

The GnRH receptor (GnRHR), expressed at the cell surface of the anterior pituitary gonadotrope, is critical for normal secretion of gonadotropins LH and FSH, pubertal development, and reproduction. The signaling network downstream of the GnRHR and the molecular bases of the regulation of gonadotropin expression have been the subject of intense research. The murine LbetaT2 cell line represents a mature gonadotrope and therefore is an important model for the study of GnRHR-signaling pathways and modulation of the gonadotrope cell by physiological regulators. In order to facilitate access to the information contained in this complex and evolving literature, we have developed a pathway-based knowledgebase that is web hosted. At present, using 106 relevant primary publications, we curated a comprehensive knowledgebase of the GnRHR signaling in the LbetaT2 cell in the form of a process diagram. Positive and negative controls of gonadotropin gene expression, which included GnRH itself, hypothalamic factors, gonadal steroids and peptides, as well as other hormones, were illustrated. The knowledgebase contains 187 entities and 206 reactions. It was assembled using CellDesigner software, which provides an annotated graphic representation of interactions, stored in Systems Biology Mark-up Language. We then utilized Biological Pathway Publisher, a software suite previously developed in our laboratory, to host the knowledgebase in a web-accessible format as a public resource. In addition, the network entities were linked to a public wiki, providing a forum for discussion, updating, and error correction. The GnRHR-signaling network is openly accessible at http://tsb.mssm.edu/pathwayPublisher/GnRHR_Pathway/GnRHR_Pathway_ index.html.
The phosphagen of Protozoa.

Abstract The phosphagen of Protozoa is not identical with creatine phosphate, arginine phosphate, or the annelid phosphagen. Studies of molybdate inhibition of hydrolysis indicate that the new phosphagen is probably chemically more similar to arginine phosphate than to the other previously described phosphagens.
Are BL Lac-type objects nearby black holes

It is pointed out that isolated black holes accreting interstellar gas can account for the characteristic properties of the Lacertids. Emission spectra for various interstellar gas densities and black hole masses are compared with the data plotted by Strittmatter et al. (1972) for the BL Lac-type objects. Rough estimates indicate that there may indeed be a finite number of stellar-mass black holes close to the earth as required by the theory. If it is determined that the BL Lac-type objects lie outside of the galactic disk a black hole accretion model may still apply if certain conditions are satisfied.
Design Of Glass Panels For Hydraulic Flumes

The design of glass panels is described, with examples of flume depths up to 10 ft or 3 m for both annealed and tempered glass included. The following support conditions are considered: 1. Supports at top and bottom with vertical supports at the panel edges. 2. Supports at top and bottom, and also at the one-third point above the bottom, with vertical supports at the panel edges. Representative deflections are also computed.
The Strange Death of ‘Zimbabwe-Rhodesia’: The Question of British Recognition of the Muzorewa Regime in Rhodesian Public Opinion, 1979

AbstractIn April/May 1979, following an “internal settlement” in Rhodesia, elections were held for a Parliament with an African majority. On June 1st, Bishop Abel Muzorewa took office as Prime Minister of ‘Zimbabwe-Rhodesia.’ Having conceded power to an African majority government, white Rhodesians expected Britain to recognize the Muzorewa regime and end crippling sanctions. However, contrary to her election promises, Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher withheld recognition and maneuvered the Muzorewa government into accepting new elections inclusive of Joshua Nkomo and Robert Mugabe, who led the ‘Patriotic Front,’ against which Rhodesian security forces had been fighting for years. Thatcher's refusal to recognize the Muzorewa government ultimately allowed Mugabe to take power, an outcome highly unsatisfactory to most whites. My paper will examine primary source evidence, especially newspapers and Parliamentary records, to gauge white Rhodesian opinion from April to August 1979, when the question of British...
The Nicotinamide Biosynthetic Pathway Is a By-Product of the RNA World

Many of the biosynthetic pathways, especially those leading to the coenzymes, must have originated very early, perhaps before enzymes were available to catalyze their synthesis. While a number of enzymatic reactions in metabolism are known to proceed nonenzymatically, there are no examples of entire metabolic sequences that can be achieved in this manner. The most primitive pathway for nicotinic acid biosynthesis is the reaction of aspartic acid with dihydroxyacetone phosphate. We report here that nicotinic acid (NAc) and its metabolic precursor, quinolinic acid (QA), are produced in yields as high as 7% in a six-step nonenzymatic sequence from aspartic acid and dihydroxyacetone phosphate (DHAP). The biosynthesis of ribose phosphate could have produced DHAP and other three carbon compounds. Aspartic acid could have been available from prebiotic synthesis or from the ribozyme synthesis of pyrimidines. These results suggest that NAD could have originated in the RNA world and that the nonenzymatic biosynthesis of the cofactor nicotinamide could have been an inevitable consequence of life based on carbohydrates and amino acids. The enzymes of the modern pathway were later added in any order.
Phosphatidylserine and phorbol myristate acetate stimulation of human lymphocyte guanylate cyclase

Abstract 1. 1. Guanylate cyclase activities of human lymphocyte membrane and cytosol preparations are stimulated up to three-fold by the direct addition of phosphatidylserine. 2. 2. Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA) greatly augments the effect of phosphatidylserine, but has only a small effect when added alone. 3. 3. Stimulation involves an increase in Vmax, with no change in Km. 4. 4. Inhibitor studies suggest that stimulation may be mediated by protein kinase C, but not by phospholipase or lipoxygenase.
Gastroenterology Issues in Schizophrenia: Why the Gut Matters

Genetic and environmental studies implicate immune pathologies in schizophrenia. The body's largest immune organ is the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Historical associations of GI conditions with mental illnesses predate the introduction of antipsychotics. Current studies of antipsychotic-naive patients support that gut dysfunction may be inherent to the schizophrenia disease process. Risk factors for schizophrenia (inflammation, food intolerances, Toxoplasma gondii exposure, cellular barrier defects) are part of biological pathways that intersect those operant in the gut. Central to GI function is a homeostatic microbial community, and early reports show that it is disrupted in schizophrenia. Bioactive and toxic products derived from digestion and microbial dysbiosis activate adaptive and innate immunity. Complement C1q, a brain-active systemic immune component, interacts with gut-related schizophrenia risk factors in clinical and experimental animal models. With accumulating evidence supporting newly discovered gut-brain physiological pathways, treatments to ameliorate brain symptoms of schizophrenia should be supplemented with therapies to correct GI dysfunction.
A study of the feasibility of fusion power with negligible neutron production

Abstract The high-energy neutrons generated in D-T and D-D reactions increase the cost, hazards, and technical problems of fusion reactors. Two neutron-free reactions, p + 11 B → 4 He + 8 Be → 3 4 He and 3 He + 3 He → 2 p + 4 He , are considered and general criteria derived to determine the feasibility of their use for fusion power. Calculations of nτ are made, and for conditions only the “migma” can attain (MeV-range energies) indicate that 3 He as a fuel is very promising but that very high ion confinement will be needed to successfully employ the p- 11 B reaction in a fusion power reactor.
Vocabulary instruction for English learners: Lessons from MCVIP

In this column, the author describes a current research project on vocabulary instruction in settings with high percentages of English learners (EL). The project focuses on designing and implementing a multifaceted, comprehensive vocabulary instructional program (MCVIP) in mixed EL and native English speaker (NES) classrooms in relatively high-poverty schools. The author presents the instructional components of MCVIP, discusses early findings from the project, and encourages teachers and schools to reflect on how the MCVIP approach might inform their own instruction.
A variable geometry combustor for broadened properties fuels

A program was conducted to design and develop a variable geometry combustor, sized for the cycle and envelope of a large commercial turbofan engine. The combustor uses a variable area swirl cup to control stoichiometry in the primary combustion zone. Potential advantages of this design include improved capability to burn non-standard fuels, short system length, and increased operating temperature range for advanced high performance engine cycles. After considerable development, key program emissons and performance goals were met with the variable geometry combustor. Primary development efforts were to evolve improved variable swirl cup configurations. In particular, air leakage through the variable area swirl cup had a strong effect on low power emissions and performance, while smoke level at high power was affected by features for improved mixing of the fuel and swirler air flow. Additional design and development is still needed to evolve a practical variable geometry combustor.
siRNA Screen for Genes That Affect Junín Virus Entry Uncovers Voltage-Gated Calcium Channels as a Therapeutic Target

New World hemorrhagic fever arenavirus infection results in 15 to 30% mortality in humans. We performed a high-throughput small interfering RNA screen with Junin virus glycoprotein-pseudotyped viruses to find potential host therapeutic targets. Voltage-gated calcium channel (VGCC) subunits, for which there are Food and Drug Administration (FDA)-approved drugs, were identified in the screen. Knockdown of VGCC subunits or treatment with channel blockers diminished Junin virus-cell fusion and entry into cells and thereby decreased infection. Gabapentin, an FDA-approved drug used to treat neuropathic pain that targets the α₂δ₂ subunit, inhibited infection of mice by the Candid 1 vaccine strain of the virus. These findings demonstrate that VGCCs play a role in virus infection and have the potential to lead to therapeutic intervention of New World arenavirus infection.
Pressure in a fluid‐filled borehole caused by a seismic source in stratified media

A method for numerically simulating hydrophone vertical seismic profiles (VSP) and crosswell data measured in a fluid-filled borehole (either open or cased) embedded in stratified media is presented. The method makes use of both the borehole coupling theory and the global matrix formulation for computing synthetic seismograms in a stratified medium. The global matrix formulation is used to calculate the stress field at the borehole location. Borehole coupling theory is then employed to obtain the pressure in the borehole fluid. Comparisons with exact solutions for an open borehole in a homogeneous and unbounded formation show that this method is accurate for frequencies below 2 kHz. This method is used to model the Kent Cliffs hydrophone VSP data, where good agreement between the numerical simulations and the field measurements has been found, in both traveltimes and rms amplitudes of the direct P-wave. Examples show that this method is efficient and accurate, and can be applied to model VSP and crosswell experiments using an array of hydrophones.
Effects of a Fipronil Spot Treatment on Field Colonies of Coptotermes formosanus (Isoptera: Rhinotermitidae)

This field study investigated the colony effect of a fipronil spot treatment applied to active infestations of Formosan subterranean termite, Coptotermes formosanus Shiraki. Spot treatments were applied to a single active independent monitor from each of four colonies in which multiple independent monitors were established. All treated monitors were abandoned, and the contents of the treated monitors were replaced with untreated wood at the ≈30-d posttreatment inspection. All colonies survived treatment and only one colony exhibited long-term effects, which included significant reductions in termite collections and increased worker size. The affected colony was treated within 1 m of its primary nest. Two colonies exhibited a correlation between monitor termite production and distance from treatment. Distance appears to be a factor limiting fipronil's colony effects. The Formosan subterranean termite may not be a good candidate for the exterior perimeter and localized interior treatment label option because of the large range and size of the colony.
Performing triple and quadruple figure skating jumps: implications for training.

The purpose of this paper is to review the biomechanics of triple and quadruple figure skating jumps, focusing on information that has implications for strength and conditioning programs. At a mini...
Effects of cultural orientation on the perception of conflict between relationship and education goals for Mexican American college students

Cultural factors internal to the ethnic group may exacerbate external and economic barriers to the pursuit of higher education for Mexican American students. In particular, cultural variables related to traditional, relationship-oriented behaviors and expectations may be perceived to conflict with educational pursuits. The present study examined the relationship between components of cultural orientation and attitudes and values that may create tension between relationship and educational goals for Mexican American men and women. Results of a survey that assessed cultural orientation and marriage and gender role attitudes of Mexican Americans (female, N = 356; male, N = 200) indicated that the ethnic-loyalty component of cultural orientation most consistently predicted adherence to beliefs that may lead to the perception of conflict between relationship and educational goals. Discussion centers on the role of ethnic loyalty as a risk factor for Mexican American men’s and women’s decisions to pursue and co...
Towards a Science of Cyber-Physical Systems Design

Cyber-physical systems (CPS) represent the information technology quest of the 21-st century for a better, cleaner, safer life by integrating computation, communication, and control with physical processes. Physical processes are ubiquitously non-stationary and require time-dependent models for modeling and understanding their behavior. In contrast, most current computing platforms and their design methodologies lack proper models for the time component and mostly assume stationary (i.e., time independent) behavior. In this paper, we use empirical data to identify the main characteristics (e.g., self-similarity, nonstationarity) of various physical processes which can also be observed in the communication workload of real CPS. Starting from the complex characteristics of CPS workloads, we present a statistical physics inspired model which is used to define a new optimal control problem that not only accounts for the observed self-similarity and nonstationarity properties of the CPS workload, but also allows for accurate predictions on CPS dynamical trajectories during the optimization process.
Epidemiological Characteristics of HIV-Infected Women With and Without a History of Criminal Justice Involvement in South Carolina

The circumstances that lead to incarceration may potentiate the HIV/AIDS epidemic and this has become an emerging public health concern. In the United States and in most jurisdictions, HIV prevalen...
Adaptive Antenna Beamforming Using Quiescent Pattern Control

Three adaptive beamforming algorithms are proposed that have a prescribed quiescent beam pattern and utilize the remaining degrees of freedom to reduce interference. The algorithms do not require explicit knowledge of the direction of arrival for the signal of interest. However, a correlated reference is required. These algorithms have well-behaved transient response and fast convergence making them suitable for time-varying channels. The algorithms have improved SINR over the generalized side-lobe canceller (GSC) when multiple interferers impinge upon the main beam of the quiescent pattern.
CT findings at lupus mesenteric vasculitis.

Purpose: To describe the spectrum of early CT findings of lupus mesenteric vasculitis (LMV) and to assess the utility of CT in the management of this uncommon entity.Methods: Abdominal CT was performed within 1–4 days (average 2.2 days) of the onset of severe abdominal pain and tenderness in 15 women with systemic lupus erythematosus. Prompt high-dose i.v. corticosteroid was administered in 11 patients after the CT diagnosis of LMV was made. CT was performed after abdominal symptoms subsided.Results: Eleven cases revealed CT features suggestive of LMV including conspicuous prominence of mesenteric vessels with palisade pattern or comb-like appearance (CT comb sign) supplying focal or diffuse dilated bowel loops (n=11), ascites with slightly increased peritoneal enhancement (n=11), small bowel wall thickening (n=10) with double halo or target sign (n=8). Follow-up CT before high-dose steroid therapy revealed complete or marked resolution of the abnormal CT findings.Conclusion: CT is helpful for confirming ...
The FirstSearch user interface architecture: universal access for any user, in many languages, on any platform

The OCLC FirstSearch® service allows users to search for bibliographic and full text records in over 80 online databases. Web-based, FirstSearch was designed to adapt to unexpected user needs, platform considerations, languages, and changing requirements. The many unknowns during development necessitated an architecture that would allow many types of contributors to modify the interface easily and frequently. For example, marketing, documentation, and user interface designers edited the strings used in the interface, including translation; and user interface and graphic designers edited the screen layout. Structured initialization files with a simple convention for adapting to specific users, platforms, languages, etc., allowed continual broadening of the accessibility of the system without complicating the overall architecture.The paper begins with a discussion of the general requirements for FirstSearch (multi-platform, multi-lingual, levels of users, low-end hardware, accessible) and the need for better coordination of contributions from the FirstSearch team. The architecture is then described, which partitions the specification of the interface into platform - specific, language-specific, and language/platform independent functional components. The user interface, in the form of Web pages, is then generated dynamically (although it would also be possible to generate static pages). The paper ends with a discussion of experiences with the changes to the interface and a cost-benefit analysis of the architecture, with the overall conclusion that addressing many accessibility issues in the architecture facilitated individual accessibility issues.
The fibrinolysis inhibitor alpha2-antiplasmin in the human cornea.

Purpose: To determine whether the cornea contains and expresses, at the gene level, the major plasmin inhibitor α2-antiplasmin. Methods: Corneal sections were immunostained for α2-antiplasmin. Extracts of human corneal stroma, epithelium, and endothelium were subjected to immunodot blot and Western blot analysis. Total RNA and α2-antiplasmin specific primers were used for RT-PCR. The cDNA was sequenced. Results: α2-Antiplasmin was observed in all three corneal layers by immunolocalization and Western blots. The major α2-antiplasmin form observed in most extracts was the 70-kDa form. Total α2-antiplasmin was present at 0.119 ± 0.014 μ g/epithelium (n = 10) and 1.45 ± 0.47 μ g/stroma (n = 10). α2-Antiplasmin mRNA was detected in epithelial and stromal extracts and cultured human corneal stromal cells. The sequences of the PCR products were identical to that for human α2-antiplasmin. Conclusions: α2-Antiplasmin and its mRNA are present in the cornea and may serve to regulate corneal plasmin activity.
Identifying prenatal cannabis exposure and effects of concurrent tobacco exposure on neonatal growth.

BACKGROUND: Cannabis is the most frequently used illicit drug among pregnant women, but data describing the effects of prenatal cannabis exposure and concurrent nicotine and cannabis exposures on neonatal growth are inconsistent. Testing of meconium, the first neonatal feces, offers objective evidence of prenatal cannabis exposure, but the relative ability of meconium testing and maternal self-report to identify affected neonates remains unclear. METHODS: Eighty-six pregnant women provided detailed self-reports of daily cannabis and tobacco consumption throughout pregnancy. Cannabinoids and tobacco biomarkers were identified in oral fluid samples collected each trimester and quantified in meconium at birth. RESULTS: Cannabis-using women were significantly more likely to also consume tobacco, and smoked similar numbers of cigarettes as non–cannabis-using tobacco smokers. As pregnancy progressed, fewer women smoked cannabis and those who continued to use cannabis reported smoking a smaller number of cannabis joints, but positive maternal oral fluid tests cast doubt on the veracity of some maternal self-reports. More neonates were identified as cannabis exposed by maternal self-report than meconium analysis, because many women quit cannabis use after the first or second trimester; meconium was more likely to be positive if cannabis use continued into the third trimester. Cannabis exposure was associated with decreased birth weight, reduced length, and smaller head circumference, even after data were controlled for tobacco coexposure. CONCLUSIONS: Prenatal cannabis exposure was associated with fetal growth reduction. Meconium testing primarily identifies prenatal cannabis exposure occurring in the third trimester of gestation.
A Molecular Basis for Integrin αMβ2 Ligand Binding Promiscuity

Abstract The leukocyte integrin αMβ2 is a highly promiscuous leukocyte receptor capable of binding a multitude of unrelated ligands. To understand the molecular basis for the broad ligand recognition of αMβ2, the inter-integrin chimera was created. In the chimeric integrin, the βd-α5 loop-α5 helix segment comprised of residues Lys245–Arg261 from the αMI domain of αMβ2 was inserted into the framework of αLβ2. The construct was expressed in HEK 293 cells, and the ability of generated cells to adhere to fibrinogen and its derivatives was characterized first. Grafting the αM(Lys245–Arg261) sequence converted αLβ2 into a fibrinogen-binding protein capable of mediating efficient and specific adhesion similar to that of wild-type αMβ2. Verifying a switch in the binding specificity of αLβ2, the chimeric receptor became competent to support cell migration to fibrinogen. Mutations at positions Phe246, Asp254, and Pro257 within Lys245–Arg261 of αMβ2 produced significant decreases in cell adhesion, illustrating the critical role of these residues in ligand binding. The insertion of αM(Lys245–Arg261) imparted to the chimeric integrin the ability to recognize many typical αMβ2 protein ligands. Furthermore, cells expressing the chimeric receptor, but not αLβ2, were able to stick to uncoated plastic, which represents the hallmark of wild-type αMβ2. These results suggest that αM(Lys245–Arg261) serves as a consensus binding site for interaction with a variety of distinct molecules and, thus, may define the degenerate recognition properties inherent to αMβ2.
Radial Variations in Modulus and Hardness in SCS‐6 Silicon Carbide Fibers

The mechanical properties of SCS-6 SiC fibers were measured as a function of fiber radius using nanoindentation techniques. Hardness and Young's modulus were characterized for the material in all of the major regions of these fibers: the carbon core, the graphitic core coating, the inner SiC sheath, and the outer SiC sheath. The carbon core of the fibers was determined to be uniform in properties but extremely compliant. Young's modulus of 28 GPa and a hardness of 4.2 GPa were measured. The graphitic core coating was found to exhibit considerable anelasticity and to have both a low modulus (21 GPa) and a low hardness (1.7 GPa). The inner sheath of the fiber, which contained a varying chemistry, showed a sharp increase in stiffness and hardness from the inner core. Modulus and hardness increased by an order of magnitude over just 1 or 2 μm when transversing radially away from the core into the SiC. This change in properties was pronounced and clearly defined. The outer sheath, which contained a uniform chemistry and microstructure, was consistently stiff and hard when transversing radially. The average modulus and hardness for the full fiber was 333 GPa. The values reported for Young's modulus and hardness clearly showed that the mechanical properties of SCS SiC fibers exhibit dramatic changes across their diameters.
The Fund Balance Conundrum An Ethical Perspective

Researchers have recently taken an interest in the accumulation and use of fund balances by local governments. Nevertheless, there is no consensus on the ideal percentage of savings governments sho...
The biophysical limitations in physiological transport and exchange in plants grown in microgravity.

Abstract This paper describes how changes in the physical behavior of fluids and gases in microgravity can limit the physiological transport and exchange in higher plants. These types of effects are termed indirect effects of microgravity because they are not due to gravity interacting with the mass of the plant body itself. The impact of limiting gravity-dependent transport phenomena has been analyzed by the use of mathematical modeling to simulate and compare biophysical transport in the 1g and spaceflight environments. These data clearly show that the microgravity environment induces significant limitations on basic physiological and biochemical processes within the aerial and rootzone portions of the plant. Furthermore, this mathematical model provides a solid foundation for explaining the physiological effects that have been noted in past spaceflight experiments.
Parameterization of charge model 3 for AM1, PM3, BLYP, and B3LYP.

We have recently developed a new Class IV charge model for calculating partial atomic charges in molecules. The new model, called Charge Model 3 (CM3), was parameterized for calculations on molecules containing H, Li, C, N, O, F, Si, S, P, Cl, and Br by Hartree-Fock theory and by hybrid density functional theory (DFT) based on the modified Perdew-Wang density functional with several basis sets. In the present article we extend CM3 to semiempirical molecular orbital theory, in particular Austin Model 1 (AM1) and Parameterized Model 3 (PM3), and to the popular BLYP and B3LYP DFT and hybrid DFT methods, respectively. For the BLYP extension, we consider the 6-31G(d) basis set, and for the B3LYP extension, we consider three basis sets: 6-31G(d), 6-31+G(d), and MIDI!6D. We begin with the previous CM3 strategy, which involves 34 parameters for 30 pairs of elements. We then refine the model to improve the charges in compounds that contain N and O. This modification, involving two new parameters, leads to improved dipole moments for amides, bifunctional H, C, N, O compounds, aldehydes, ketones, esters, and carboxylic acids; the improvement for compounds not containing N results from obtaining more physical parameters for carbonyl groups when the O=C-N conjugation of amides is addressed in the parameterization. In addition, for the PM3 method, we added an additional parameter to improve dipole moments of compounds that contain bonds between C and N. This additional parameter leads to improved accuracy in the dipole moments of aromatic nitrogen heterocycles with five-membered rings.
Ferroelectric phase transitions: A review of theory and experiment. Part 1—Introduction and Magnetic Resonance

(1970). Ferroelectric phase transitions: A review of theory and experiment. Part 1—Introduction and Magnetic Resonance. Ferroelectrics: Vol. 1, No. 1, pp. 3-10.
Partial Life Tables From Three Generations of Enaphalodes rufulus (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae)

ABSTRACT We used life table analyses to investigate age specific mortality and to better understand the population dynamics of the red oak borer, Enaphalodes rufulus (Haldeman) (Coleoptera: Cerambycidae). We continually sampled populations within 177 trees at primarily two sites in the Ozark National Forest in Arkansas throughout three (2-yr) generations. The first cohort (adults emerged in 2003) was sampled during a severe population outbreak, whereas the second and third (2005 and 2007) were sampled during the population crash that followed. Generation mortality was 94% in 2003 and 99% in both 2005 and 2007. Estimates of apparent mortality indicated that the E. rufulus population crash likely occurred during or before the first overwintering period (2003–2004) of the generation that emerged as adults in 2005. We found limited evidence for density dependent mortality, which suggest that intraspecific competition after the first active feeding period was apparently not an important mortality factor during...