cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Amino-modified diamond as a durable stationary phase for solid-phase extraction.

We report the formation of a highly stable amino stationary phase on diamond and demonstrate its use in solid-phase extraction (SPE). This process consists of spontaneous and self-limiting adsorption of polyallylamine (PAAm) from aqueous solution onto oxidized diamond. Thermal curing under reduced pressure or chemical cross-linking with a diepoxide was shown to fix the polymer to the particles. The resulting adsorbents are stable under even extreme pH conditions (from at least pH 0−14) and significantly more stable than a commercially available amino SPE adsorbent. Coated diamond particles were characterized by X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and diffuse reflectance Fourier transform-infrared spectroscopy (DRIFT). Model silicon surfaces were characterized by spectroscopic ellipsometry and wetting. Solid-phase extraction was demonstrated using cholesterol, hexadecanedioic acid, and palmitoyloleoylphosphatidylcholine as analytes, and these results were compared to those obtained with commercially ava...
The feminine name Wealhtheow and the problem of Beowulfian anthroponymy

Since names in Beowulf are widely understood to reflect aspects of the characters who bear them, the standard translation of Wealhtheow as “Welsh slave” has caused scholarship to entertain two propositions regarding the significance of its etymology: either Wealhtheow was some sort of slave or captive, or the standard translation of her name is faulty, a name indicating bondage being unworthy of Hrothgar’s queen. What these divergent analyses of the name have in common is a shared conviction that names were meaningful in the era Beowulf describes. As this essay demonstrates, such a view is complicated by most of the current scholarly literature on the principles of name-formation in Old English. Since a number of the names in Beowulf are demonstrably real names that circulated outside of the poem rather than the coinage of the poet, conclusions about their meaningfulness cannot be offered without reference to these ideas. Accordingly, this essay approaches Wealhtheow as an onomastic rather than literary anomaly. In the process, it demonstrates that no meaning can be construed in a principled manner for the name-element Wealh- and uncovers a possible analogue for the peculiar behavior of the name-element -þeow in this compound.
A fast‐GC/MS system to measure C2 to C4 carbonyls and methanol aboard aircraft

[1] A fast response gas chromatograph/mass spectrometer (FGCMS) instrument to measure ≤C2 through C4 carbonyl compounds and methanol was developed for the NASA Global Tropospheric Experiment (GTE) Transport and Chemical Evolution over the Pacific (TRACE-P) mission. The system consists of four major components: sample inlet, preconcentration system, gas chromatograph (GC), and detector. The preconcentration system is a custom-built cryogen-conservative system. The GC is a compact, custom-built unit that can be temperature programmed and rapidly cooled. Detection is accomplished with an Agilent Technologies 5973 mass spectrometer. The FGCMS instrument provides positive identification because the compounds are chromatographically separated and mass selected. During TRACE-P, a sample was analyzed every 5 min. The FGCMS limit of detection was between 5 and 75 pptv, depending on the compound. The entire instrument package is contained in a standard NASA instrument rack (106 cm × 61 cm × 135 cm), consumes less than 1200 watts and is fully automated with LabVIEW™ 6i. Methods were developed for producing highly accurate gas phase standards for the target compounds and for testing the system in the presence of potential interferents. This paper presents data on these tests and on the general overall performance of the system in the laboratory and aboard the DC-8 aircraft during the mission. Vertical profiles for acetaldehyde, methanol, acetone, propanal, methyl ethyl ketone, and butanal from FGCMS data collected over the entire mission are also presented.
Feasibility of adolescents to conduct community-based participatory research on obesity and diabetes in rural Appalachia

Community-Based Participatory Research (CBPR) has been advocated to translate advances in health care sciences to the community. We describe a novel approach applied to obesity management and diabetes prevention. This takes advantage of a network of science clubs organized by the Health Sciences and Technology Academy (HSTA) for extracurricular activity of disadvantaged high school students in rural Appalachia. Physician scientists and educators provided an intensive summer course on CBPR, ethics, and study design on obesity management and diabetes prevention. Ethical certification for CBPR investigation was obtained for 210 students and 18 mentors for a study on the prevalence of obesity and Type II diabetes within their community. Over a 6-month period, 989 had a collection of complete analyzable data, of which 103 had diabetes. The proportion with obesity (BMI > or = 30) was over 50%. The frequency of diabetes was related to increasing BMI. When BMI > or = 40, the frequency approached 50%, and exhibited a clear familial distribution. We conclude that trained adolescents can effectively conduct CBPR, and obesity and diabetes are more prevalent than previously reported in this community. This experience provides encouragement to conduct future studies to infl uence weight management from high-risk populations in this medically disadvantaged community.
The correlation quiz: an aid in curbing cheating in programming assignments

In order to develop programming ability, computer science courses typically include a number of out-of-class assignments. To motivate the students in completing these assignments, these projects are usually graded and the values included in the computation of the final grade for the course. However, the amount of cheating done on the programming assignments makes it unfair to heavily weigh these values. Some systems of grading have been developed that downplay the effect of the programming assignment grades but this negates the effort of the students and the importance of developing the practical aspects of a programming language. Within the constraints of an out-of-class programming assignment, this paper proposes a new system that can potentially reduce the incidence of cheating while requiring honest students to review their program after completion. (The development of the Correlation quiz was done while the author was a Senior Lecturer at Widener University.)
The role of phospholipases from inflammatory macrophages in demyelination.

Activated macrophages harvested from rat peritoneum were shown to contain phospholipase A1, A2 and lysophospholipase activities which were defined on a series of radiolabelled phospholipid substrates. During in vitro culture of these elicited macrophage populations, phospholipase enzymes were secreted into the culture medium. Radiolabelled myelin, prepared from young rats after intracerebral injection of14C acetate, was used as a substrate to analyze the susceptibility of central nervous system (CNS) myelin to attack by cell-associated and secreted macrophage enzymes. Homogenates of peritoneal macrophages degraded the myelin lipids at acid pH; phosphatidyl choline (PC) and ethanolamine phosphatide (EP) were both degraded with liberation of free fatty acid and small amounts of lysolipids. The ethanolamine lipids were most vulnerable; up to 20% of this fraction was degraded in six hours. Selected batches of macrophage culture supernatant similarly degraded the myelin EP at acid pH. These results suggest that phospholipase enzymes, released from activated macrophages in close proximity to the myelin sheath, may participate in primary demyelination in inflammatory CNS lesions.
Correlating the Transcriptome, Proteome, and Metabolome in the Environmental Adaptation of a Hyperthermophile

We have performed a comprehensive characterization of global molecular changes for a model organism Pyrococcus furiosus using transcriptomic (DNA microarray), proteomic, and metabolomic analysis as it undergoes a cold adaptation response from its optimal 95 to 72 degrees C. Metabolic profiling on the same set of samples shows the down-regulation of many metabolites. However, some metabolites are found to be strongly up-regulated. An approach using accurate mass, isotopic pattern, database searching, and retention time is used to putatively identify several metabolites of interest. Many of the up-regulated metabolites are part of an alternative polyamine biosynthesis pathway previously established in a thermophilic bacterium Thermus thermophilus. Arginine, agmatine, spermidine, and branched polyamines N4-aminopropylspermidine and N4-( N-acetylaminopropyl)spermidine were unambiguously identified based on their accurate mass, isotopic pattern, and matching of MS/MS data acquired under identical conditions for the natural metabolite and a high purity standard. Both DNA microarray and semiquantitative proteomic analysis using a label-free spectral counting approach indicate the down-regulation of a large majority of genes with diverse predicted functions related to growth such as transcription, amino acid biosynthesis, and translation. Some genes are, however, found to be up-regulated through the measurement of their relative mRNA and protein levels. The complimentary information obtained by the various "omics" techniques is used to catalogue and correlate the overall molecular changes.
Upper Eocene ejecta of the New Jersey continental margin reveal dynamics of Chesapeake Bay impact

Evidence for the Chesapeake Bay Crater as the source for New Jersey continental margin ejecta is provided by fine-grained tektites and coarse-grained unmelted ejecta. The Upper Eocene ejecta deposit, now demonstrated to be part of the North American strewn field, occurs on the New Jersey continental margin at Ocean Drilling Program (ODP) Sites 904 and 903. The mineralogy, major oxide composition of the ejecta materials, and biostratigraphic age of the enclosing sediments link the origin of these ejecta to the recently recognized Chesapeake Bay impact crater, located only 330 km away. Sediments associated with the ejecta provide information about the dynamics of impact events. The 35-cm-thick ejecta-bearing layer can be subdivided into three subunits that indicate a sequence of events. Bottom subunit III documents sediment failure and deposition of gravel-sized fragments, middle subunit II records deposition of abundant sand-sized ejecta by gravity settling, and upper subunit I contains a 12-cm-thick sedimentary deposit containing rare silt-sized tektites and evidence of waning currents. These events are interpreted by linking sediment deposition to seismic ground motion and subsequent tsunami waves triggered by both the Chesapeake Bay impact and slope failures.
Deploying Bioinformatics Workflows on Clouds with Galaxy and Globus Provision

Cloud computing is attracting increasing attention as a means of providing users with fast provisioning of computational and storage resources, elastic scaling, and payas-you-go pricing. The integration of scientific workflows and Cloud computing has the potential to significantly improve resource utilization, processing speed, and user experience. This paper proposes a novel approach for deploying bioinformatics workflows in Cloud environments using Galaxy, a platform for scientific workflows, and Globus Provision, a tool for deploying distributed computing clusters on Amazon EC2. Collectively this combination of tools provides an easy to use, high performance and scalable workflow environment that addresses the needs of data-intensive applications through dynamic cluster configuration, automatic user-defined node provisioning, high speed data transfer, and automated deployment and configuration of domain-specific software. To demonstrate how this approach can be used in practice we present a domain-specific workflow use case and performance evaluation.
Science reporting to the public: Does the message get twisted?

1present in this issue (page 1399) suggests that these assumptions are not well founded. Their results indicate that media reports are reasonably accurate, except in specific types of controversial areas, and that cases of inaccuracy may be as much a product of the researcher’s overenthusiasm as of error by the reporter. These findings are consonant with related research. Early social scientific research on genetics reporting tended to assume that the media were “getting it wrong,” 2
Low Plasma Leptin in Response to Dietary Fat in Diabetes- and Obesity-Prone Mice

Despite the fact that mutations resulting in the absence of leptin or its receptor have been associated with severe obesity and diabetes, such mutations do not appear to be responsible for most human obesity. Indeed, diet-induced obesity in animals and humans has been characterized by hyperleptinemia. This has been interpreted as evidence for leptin resistance. However, no careful longitudinal studies evaluating the role of leptin in the development of obesity exist. We report a series of studies in A/J and C57BL/6J (B/6) mice that demonstrate a direct relationship between the ability to increase plasma leptin levels in response to a high-fat diet and resistance to the subsequent development of obesity and diabetes. While leptin levels are similar in lean, low-fat-fed A/J and B/6 mice, the effects of a high-fat diet on plasma leptin differ dramatically between the two strains. After 4 weeks of high-fat feeding, leptin levels in A/J mice increased 10-fold, and this elevated level was maintained independent of weight gain throughout a 14-week feeding period. However, in B/6 mice, leptin levels remained at least twofold lower and only rose very gradually along with a significant increase in adiposity, hyperglycemia, and hyperinsulinemia. These differences in the response of leptin to diet are independent of food intake and plasma insulin levels during the 1st month of feeding. Further, we demonstrated that leptin administration did not influence the expression of the novel uncoupling protein UCP2, which also responds to dietary fat. From these results, we suggest that the response of leptin to fat feeding may be an important predictor of the development of subsequent obesity.
Treatment of cervical dystonia with botulinum toxin

ervical dystonia is an abnormal involuntary movement f the head and neck that is frequently associated with ain. Typically presenting in middle to late adulthood and sually with no identifiable cause, cervical dystonia (also eferred to in some texts as “spasmodic torticolli”) often esults in permanent disability caused by a decreased ange of motion, involuntary movements, and pain in the eck and head muscles. The prevalence of cervical dysonia has been estimated to be 9 per 100,000, but this stimate is thought to be conservative because it is based n a retrospective chart review. In the United States, The ystonia Medical Research Foundation estimates that 50,000 people suffer from cervical dystonia; however, it is uspected that many more are undiagnosed and/or unreated. The discovery of botulinum toxin produced by Clostridum botulinum as a localized injectable treatment to relax veractive muscles is one of the interventional neuroloist’s most potent tools in treating dystonia. The introuction of botulinum toxin type A in 1989 in the United tates has dramatically improved the ability of physicians o treat dystonic movements of the head and neck. The ddition of botulinum toxin type B as an alternative treatent, particularly in those patients who develop resisance to type A, has further expanded the resources availble to treat this disabling disease. The bacteria Clostridium botulinum produces 7 immunoogically distinct serotypes, but only serotype A, B, nd F have been used in clinical practice. There are 2 orms of botulinum toxin type A (BTX-A)—BOTOX (Alergan, Irvine, CA), available worldwide, and Dysport Ipsen), available outside of the United States. Serotype B s available as botulinum toxin type B (BTX-B; formulated s MyoblocTM in the United States and NeuroBloc elsehere), and serotype F (BTX-F) is available only on a imited basis in Japan. Each of the 7 toxins is synthesized as a single-chain olypeptide with a molecular weight of 150 kDa. The isulfide bond holding the heavy chain and light chain ogether must be cleaved and the light chain internalized nto the cytosol by the process of chemodenervation. Chemical denervation is a 3-step process. First, after njection into the target muscle, the heavy chain of the oxin recognizes a specific receptor on the presynaptic erve terminal in the neuromuscular junction. Second, the oxin is internalized by endocytosis and translocated to the ytosol of the presynaptic nerve terminal. Third, the light
Purification and Characterization of the Pseudomonas multivorans Glucose-6-Phosphate Dehydrogenase Active with Nicotinamide Adenine Dinucleotide

The Pseudomonas multivorans glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (EC 1.1.1.49) active with nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, which is inhibitable by adenosine-59-triphosphate, was purified approximately 1,000-fold from extracts of glucose-grown bacteria, and characterized with respect to subunit composition, response to different inhibitory ligands, and certain other properties. The enzyme was found to be an oligomer composed of four subunits of about 60,000 molecular weight. Reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate, but not reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide, was found to be a potent inhibitor of its activity. The range of concentrations of reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate over which inhibition occurred was about 100-fold lower than that for adenosine-59-triphosphate. The data suggest that reduced nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate may play an important role in regulation of hexose phosphate metabolism in P. multivorans . Antisera prepared against the purified enzyme strongly inhibited its activity, but failed to inhibit the activity of the nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide phosphate-specific glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase which is also present in extracts of this bacterium. Immunodiffusion experiments confirmed the results of the enzyme inhibition studies, and failed to support the idea that the two glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase species from P. multivorans represent different oligomeric forms of the same protein. Images
Algebraic Function Calculations Using Potential Analog Pairs

A new potential analog method is developed, in which both the magnitude and the angle of functions of a complex variable are calculated from their pole-zero plots. The method is based on a pair of "factor analog" voltage distributions in a complex plane, on which voltage measurements at the zeros and poles of the function are used for the calculation.
Abyssal currents and advection of resuspended sediment along the northeastern Bermuda Rise

Abstract An integrated study using current meters, time-series nephelometers, and water samplers for measurements of particulate matter concentration revealed an intense nepheloid layer centered on the slopes of the Eastward Scarp—the northeastern boundary of the Bermuda Rise. These slopes also contained extensive furrows, truncated seismic reflectors, and Wisconsin-age and older surface sediments. The abyssal circulation in this region appears to be accelerated when it encounters the steep topography of the Eastward Scarp, eroding sediments, creating the erosional furrows, and moving eroded sediment upslope. Instruments on top of the Bermuda Rise recorded episodic events (“benthic storms”) where particle concentrations at 25 m above the bottom increased from a background level of 60 μg 1−1 to maximum of 251 μg 1−1 and current velocities were nearly 20 cm s−1. Net transport of both water and entrained sediment was to the west-northwest. During the largest benthic storm water temperature decreased by 0.1°C, consistent with a 300–600 m upslope transport of water and resuspended sediments from the upper slopes of the Eastward Scarp. When currents carry resuspended sediment over the rim of the Eastward Scarp to the plateau region, the current slows, depositing its sediment load. Thus the plateau is growing upwards slowly at the expense of the surrounding scarps.
Critique of "Socioemotional Adjustment of Adolescent Girls Enrolled in a Residential Acceleration Program"

The professional literature on entering college underage is reviewed briefly. Several spectacularly young college graduates are mentioned. Two high-schools-within-college institutions are discussed...
Positive and negative regulation of Raf kinase activity and function by phosphorylation

Activating and inhibitory phosphorylation mechanisms play an essential role in regulating Raf kinase activity. Here we demonstrate that phosphorylation of C-Raf in the kinase activation loop (residues T491 and S494) is necessary, but not sufficient, for activation. C-Raf has additional activating phosphorylation sites at S338 and Y341. Mutating all four of these residues to acidic residues, S338D/Y341D/T491E/S494D (DDED), in C-Raf results in constitutive activity. However, acidic residue substitutions at the corresponding activation loop sites in B-Raf are sufficient to confer constitutive activity. B-Raf and C-Raf also utilize similar inhibitory phosphorylation mechanisms to regulate kinase activity. B-Raf has multiple inhibitory phosphorylation sites necessary for full kinase inhibition where C-Raf requires only one. We examined the functional significance of these inhibitory and activating phosphorylations in Caenorhabditis elegans lin-45 Raf. Eliminating the inhibitory phosphorylation or mimicking activating phosphorylation sites is sufficient to confer constitutive activity upon lin-45 Raf and induce multi-vulva phenotypes in C.elegans. Our results demonstrate that different members of the Raf family kinases have both common and distinct phosphorylation mechanisms to regulate kinase activity and biological function.
Functional gene differences in soil microbial communities from conventional, low-input and organic farmlands

Various agriculture management practices may have distinct influences on soil microbial communities and their ecological functions. In this study, we utilized GeoChip, a high-throughput microarray-based technique containing approximately 28,000 probes for genes involved in nitrogen (N)/carbon (C)/sulfur (S)/phosphorus (P) cycles and other processes, to evaluate the potential functions of soil microbial communities under conventional (CT), low-input (LI), and organic (ORG) management systems at an agricultural research site in Michigan. Compared to CT, a high diversity of functional genes was observed in LI. The functional gene diversity in ORG did not differ significantly from that of either CT or LI. Abundances of genes encoding enzymes involved in C/N/P/S cycles were generally lower in CT than in LI or ORG, with the exceptions of genes in pathways for lignin degradation, methane generation/oxidation, and assimilatory N reduction, which all remained unchanged. Canonical correlation analysis showed that selected soil (bulk density, pH, cation exchange capacity, total C, C/N ratio, NO3 ,NH4 , available phosphorus content, and available potassium content) and crop (seed and whole biomass) variables could explain 69.5% of the variation of soil microbial community composition. Also, significant correlations were observed between NO3 concentration and denitrification genes, NH 4 concentration and ammonification genes, and N2Oflux and denitrification genes, indicating a close linkage between soil N availability or process and associated functional genes.
Techniques for assessing 3-D cell–matrix mechanical interactions in vitro and in vivo

Abstract Cellular interactions with extracellular matrices (ECM) through the application of mechanical forces mediate numerous biological processes including developmental morphogenesis, wound healing and cancer metastasis. They also play a key role in the cellular repopulation and/or remodeling of engineered tissues and organs. While 2-D studies can provide important insights into many aspects of cellular mechanobiology, cells reside within 3-D ECMs in vivo, and matrix structure and dimensionality have been shown to impact cell morphology, protein organization and mechanical behavior. Global measurements of cell-induced compaction of 3-D collagen matrices can provide important insights into the regulation of overall cell contractility by various cytokines and signaling pathways. However, to understand how the mechanics of cell spreading, migration, contraction and matrix remodeling are regulated at the molecular level, these processes must also be studied in individual cells. Here we review the evolution and application of techniques for imaging and assessing local cell–matrix mechanical interactions in 3-D culture models, tissue explants and living animals.
Pattern transfer of directed self-assembly patterns for CMOS device applications

A study on the optimization of etch transfer processes using 200-mm-scale production type plasma etch tools for circuit relevant patterning in the sub-30-nm pitch regime using directed self-assembly (DSA) line–space patterning is presented. This work focuses on etch stack selection and process tuning, such as plasma power, chuck temperature, and end point strategy, to improve critical dimension control, pattern fidelity, and process window. Results from DSA patterning of gate structures featuring a high-k dielectric, a metal nitride and poly Si gate electrode, and a SiN capping layer are also presented. These results further establish the viability of DSA pattern generation as a potential method for Complementary metal–oxide–semiconductor (CMOS) integrated circuit patterning beyond the 10-nm node.
Psychological-mindedness as "reading between the lines": Vigilance, locus of control, and sagacious judgment.

Based on Scheibe's (1979) concept of sagacity, the first purpose of this research was to assess the role of vigilance in a judgment task wherein subjects “read between the lines” of target persons' word associations Second, on the basis of the locus of control and cue expectation literature, we tested the prediction that internals would be more successful judges than would externals only when a vigilant strategy was not emphasized in the task instructions In keeping with the first prediction, judges who used the vigilant strategy of circling what they thought to be clues did significantly better on the judgment task and on a post-judgment clue awareness task However, the results provided no support for the predicted interaction of instructions and locus of control These null findings emerged in a conceptual replication using a different version of the judgment task and a different form of cue explication In both studies, externals did significantly better than did internals on the clue awareness task Finally, a supplementary study tested whether good- and poor-vigilant judges processed different clues in the judgment task Analyses of the clues circled while making judgments revealed that, relative to poor judges, good judges more often selected the most important clue in the task, and the discrepancy between good and poor judges increased over trials of the task Together with previous studies, the results provide strong support for conceptualizing the judgment task in terms of Scheibe's concept of sagacity.
Back pain in intercollegiate rowers.

Background:Back pain is prevalent among intercollegiate rowers.Purpose:We conducted a large-scale study to determine the rate of and the potential etiologic factors for clearly defined back pain that developed during intercollegiate rowing.Study Design:Survey.Methods:Surveys from 1632 former intercollegiate rowing athletes were analyzed. These surveys concerned training methods and back pain before and during intercollegiate rowing. Back pain was defined as pain that lasted at least 1 week.Results:Five hundred twenty-six subjects reported that back pain developed during intercollegiate rowing. Factors significantly associated with the development of back pain included age at the time of the survey; history of rowing before age 16; use of a hatchet oar blade; training with free weights, weight machines, and an ergometer; midline ergometer cable position; and ergometer training sessions longer than 30 minutes. Back pain while in college also was associated with higher mean college weight and height.Conclusi...
Cortical blood flow imaging with a portable MEMS based 2-photon fluorescence microendoscope

We present a portable microendoscope based on a microelectromechanical systems (MEMS) scanner, compound gradient refractive index micro-lenses and a photonics bandgap fiber (PBF). It overcomes the size (2.0 × 1.9 × 1.1 cm3) and weight (less than 3 grams) limitations of conventional two-photon fluorescence microscopy toward freely moving subjects. The microendoscope utilizes a photonic bandgap fiber for laser excitation and large core fiber for fluorescence collection. We demonstrated cortical blood flow imaging in live mice with transverse (Δx) and axial resolutions (Δz) of 1.6 µm and 13.5 µm, respectively.
Disability and rehabilitation in head and neck cancer patients after treatment.

In an effort to obtain quantitative and qualitative information regarding the extent of disability sustained following definitive treatment for head and neck cancer, 51 patients–28 who had had laryngectomy and 23 who had had other major surgery–were interviewed. Also examined were the types of rehabilitation measures taken. In all cases, the following areas in which disability could occur were identified and explored: physical appearance, speech, deglutition, mastication, salivation, sensory deficits, cranial motor-nerve deficits, pain, nutrition, activities of daily living, psychosocial functioning, vocational status, environmental parameters, and delayed complications. Where appropriate, ratings and delineations of severity were compiled. Nine methods of rehabilitation were assessed with regard to frequency of utilization: surgical reconstruction, dental-maxillofacial prosthetics, speech therapy, physical therapy, rehabilitation nursing, occupational therapy, vocational rehabilitation, rehabilitation counseling, and social service. Our conclusions were that half of the patients studied had sustained significant disability in three to four areas, while 43% had moderate or severe disability in five to nine areas. Additionally, the head and neck surgeon was found to have used surgical reconstructive and dental-maxillofacial prosthetic measures, as well as the services of seven categories of allied health professionals, to provide rehabilitation.
Double-barrelled colovaginoplasty in a patient with cloacal exstrophy variant

Abstract Description of a new technique for combining colovaginoplasty with rectal pull-through.
Visual acuity in the presence of retinal-image motion*

Resolution thresholds for Landolt C’s and for vernier targets remain the same whether the target is stationary or moving with horizontal or vertical velocities of up to 2.5°/s for foveal presentations lasting 0.1 and 0.2 s. Oblique target motions are tolerated only up to 1°/s. Because visual pursuit is ruled out by randomization of direction of motion and by the short exposure, it is concluded that a stationary retinal image is not a prerequisite for good acuity.
The TALKS study to improve communication, logistical, and financial barriers to live donor kidney transplantation in African Americans: protocol of a randomized clinical trial.

Live donor kidney transplantation (LDKT), an optimal therapy for many patients with end-stage kidney disease, is underutilized, particularly by African Americans. Potential recipient difficulties initiating and sustaining conversations about LDKT, identifying willing and medically eligible donors, and potential donors’ logistical and financial hurdles have been cited as potential contributors to race disparities in LDKT. Few interventions specifically targeting these factors have been tested. We report the protocol of the Talking about Living Kidney Donation Support (TALKS) study, a study designed to evaluate the effectiveness of behavioral, educational and financial assistance interventions to improve access to LDKT among African Americans on the deceased donor kidney transplant recipient waiting list. We adapted a previously tested educational and social worker intervention shown to improve consideration and pursuit of LDKT among patients and their family members for its use among patients on the kidney transplant waiting list. We also developed a financial assistance intervention to help potential donors overcome logistical and financial challenges they might face during the pursuit of live kidney donation. We will evaluate the effectiveness of these interventions by conducting a randomized controlled trial in which patients on the deceased donor waiting list receive 1) usual care while on the transplant waiting list, 2) the educational and social worker intervention, or 3) the educational and social worker intervention plus the option of participating in the financial assistance program. The primary outcome of the randomized controlled trial will measure potential recipients’ live kidney donor activation (a composite rate of live donor inquiries, completed new live donor evaluations, or live kidney donation) at 1 year. The TALKS study will rigorously assess the effectiveness of promising interventions to reduce race disparities in LDKT. NCT02369354 .
Enhanced chlorophyll at the shelfbreak of the Mid-Atlantic Bight, and Georges Bank during the spring transition

In 8 yr (1979‐1986) of Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) imagery, we find annual enhancement of chlorophyll at the shelfbreak of the Mid-Atlantic Bight (MAB) and Georges Bank during the spring transition from well-mixed to stratified conditions. Spatial and temporal extents of enhancement vary interannually, and expression is intermittent intraannually. This feature can span the entire MAB and southern flank of Georges Bank ( ;1,100 km) and can be expressed for as long as 10 weeks (mid-April to late June). Pigment concentrations within the feature average more than two times that of adjacent shelf and slope waters. Enhanced shelfbreak chlorophyll consistently coincided with the shelf-slope front and often extended inshore of the surface outcrop of the front a few to ;10 km. In all years except 1986, it coincided with seaward entrainment of shelf water by Gulf Stream warm-core rings (WCRs) or meanders. Shelfbreak chlorophyll enhancement was most pronounced during 1980. Using satellite and in situ observations, we found that during 1980, it coincided with the shelf-slope front for 10 weeks, and, unlike the spring bloom, it was dominated by the nanophytoplankton (,20 mm) size fraction. During the peak of the 1980 occurrence, four WCRs simultaneously interacted with shelf water, and chlorophyll enhancement inshore of one WCR coincided with a slope-water intrusion onto the shelf. Empirical orthogonal function (EOF) decomposition of CZCS images for late March‐June 1980 showed that shelfbreak enhancement was strongly pronounced in an EOF that accounted for .10% of the variance about the mean. This annual biological feature, brought to light in satellite ocean color imagery, is an important aspect of the shelf-slope ecology of the MAB and Georges Bank.
Stochastic representation and recognition of high-level group activities: Describing structural uncertainties in human activities

Summary form only given. A significant amount of computer vision research has addressed the recognition of human activities recently. Researchers are particularly successful in recognizing the activities of one individual or between two individuals, such as pushing and fighting. Notably, in our previous work, we have presented a representation syntax to describe high-level human-human interactions based on their sub-events, and proposed a hierarchical algorithm to recognize represented interactions probabilistically. Not only simple interactions such as punching, kicking, and shaking hands are recognized, but also recursive interactions like “fighting” between two persons are recognized with our previous framework. In this paper, we take our next evolutionary step in human activity recognition: recognition of group activities. Group activities are the activities that can be characterized by movements of members who belong to one or more conceptual groups. Recognition of groups and their activities will make the detection of high-level events possible. Especially, when such events are semantically meaningful in terms of overall actions of multiple persons considered jointly but not when they are considered individually. Automated recognition of suspicious groups and their activities such as 'a group of thieves robbing the bank' are essential for the construction of high-level surveillance systems. The analysis of movements and plays in team sports also becomes possible with the group activity recognition system. The semantic understanding of military operations and joint works is another application of group activity recognition. This paper describes a stochastic methodology for the recognition of various types of high-level group activities. Our system maintains the probabilistic representation of a group activity, describing how individual activities of its group members must be organized temporally, spatially, and logically. In order to recognize each of the represented group activities, the system searches for a set of group members that has the maximum posterior probability while satisfying its representation. A hierarchical recognition algorithm utilizing a Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)- based probability distribution sampling has been designed to detect group activities and find the acting groups simultaneously. The system is developed to recognize complex activities such as 'two groups fighting', 'a group of thieves stealing an object from another group', and 'a group assaulting a person'. Videos downloaded from YouTube as well as videos that we have taken are tested. Experimental results shows that our system recognizes complicated group activities, and it does it more reliably and accurately compared to previous approaches by analyzing them probabilistically.
Gender differences in the effects of bereavement-related psychological distress in health outcomes.

Background This study examined whether traumatic grief, depressive and anxiety symptoms formed three distinct factors for widows and widowers. In addition, we examined whether high symptom levels of traumatic grief, depression and anxiety predicted different mental and physical health outcomes for widows and widowers. Method Ninety-two future widows and 58 future widowers were interviewed at the time of their spouse's hospital admission and then at 6 weeks, 6, 13 and 25 month follow-ups. Principal axis factor analyses tested the distinctiveness of traumatic grief, depressive and anxiety symptoms, by gender. Repeated measures ANOVA tested for gender differences and changes over time in mean symptom levels of traumatic grief, depression and anxiety. Linear and logistic regression models estimated the effects of high symptom levels of traumatic grief, depression and anxiety at 6 months on health outcomes at 13 and 25 months post-intake by gender. Results Three distinct symptom clusters (i.e. traumatic grief, depressive and anxiety symptoms) were found to emerge for both widows and widowers. Widows had higher mean levels of traumatic grief, depressive and anxiety symptoms. High symptom levels of traumatic grief measured at 6 months predicted a physical health event (e.g. cancer, heart attack) at 25 months post-intake for widows. High symptom levels of anxiety measured at 6 months predicted suicidal ideation at 25 months for widowers. Conclusions The results suggest that there are gender differences in the levels of psychological symptoms resulting from bereavement and in their effects on subsequent mental and physical health for widows and widowers.
Semantic Web in the context broker architecture

This document describes a new architecture that exploits semantic Web technologies for supporting pervasive context-aware systems. This architecture called context broker architecture (CobrA) differs from other architectures in using the Web ontology language OWL for modelling ontologies of context and for supporting context reasoning. Central to our architecture is a broker agent that maintains a shared model of context for all computing entities in the space and enforces the privacy policies defined by the users when sharing their contextual information. We describe the use of CoBrA, its associated ontologies, and its privacy protection mechanism in an intelligent meeting room prototype.
Enhanced Photocurrent Response of Titania‐Nanotube Heterojunction Devices Capped with Titanium Disilicide

The coating of titania nanotubes to enhance their photocurrent response is presented. Electrochemically anodized titania nanotubes were capped by coating a 25 nm layer of titanium disilicide using the radio frequency (RF) magnetron sputtering technique. The optical properties of titania nanotubes were unchanged as a result of coating, but the titanium disilicide acted as an enhanced charge-transfer barrier, which reduced the electron–hole recombination on the surface of the titania nanotubes. A considerable increase in the photocurrent density was observed for the coated titania nanotubes resulting from the enhanced charge-transfer process. As both the electrochemical anodization and RF magnetron sputtering technique are highly scalable, the composite device could be useful in designing cheaper photoanodes for energy applications, as well as environmental applications such as water purification.
Regulating Reproductive Technologies: Timing, Uncertainty and Donor Anonymity

Two global trends have emerged in the regulation of Artificial Reproductive Technology (“ART”): the adoption of a comprehensive regime to regulate the practice of ART and the prohibition on gamete donor anonymity. This Essay uses the publication of Naomi Cahn’s book, Test Tube Families, which advocates both the adoption of a comprehensive regime and the anonymity prohibition, as a lens through which to assess the suitability of these regulatory trends to the United States. First, this Essay develops two dimensions of law and technology theory – timing and uncertainty – to evaluate the effectiveness of adopting a comprehensive regulatory regime. This Essay argues that although belated regulation of a new technology may incur enforcement hurdles due to the entrenchment of social norms, these hurdles are alleviated when, as in the case of ART, the technology is administered by intermediaries. This Essay then distinguishes between two ultimate goals of reducing uncertainty surrounding the use of new technologies: alleviating fears that inhibit the adoption of a new technology and protecting individuals already using a widely adopted technology from unexpected legal circumstances. It argues that the adoption of a comprehensive regulatory regime for ART will relieve the latter type of uncertainty. Secondly, the Essay examines the effects of the prohibition on gamete donor anonymity on the availability of donor gametes and the consequent social adoption of ART technology that is dependent on donor gametes. The Essay analyzes the data from three representative jurisdictions that prohibit anonymity: Sweden, Victoria (Australia), and the United Kingdom. It reveals that these jurisdictions suffer from significant shortages in donor gametes and underscores that efforts to combat these shortages resulted in eroding commitments to equality and the prevention of commodification. The Essay, therefore, cautions against the adoption of a prohibition on donor gamete anonymity in the United States.
Fast Difference Schemes for Edge Enhancing Beltrami Flow and Subjective Surfaces

Numerical integration of space-scale PDE is one of the most time consuming operation of image processing. The scale step is limited by conditional stability of explicit schemes. In this work, we introduce the unconditionally stable semi-implicit linearized difference scheme for the Beltrami flow. The Beltrami flow [14, 15] is one of the most effective denoising algorithms in image processing. For gray-level images, we show that the Beltrami flow equation can be arranged in a reaction-diffusion form. This reveals the edge-enhancing properties of the equation and suggests the application of additive operator split (AOS) methods [4, 5] for faster convergence. As we show with numerical simulations, the AOS method results in an unconditionally stable semi-implicit linearized difference scheme in 2D and 3D. The values of the edge indicator function are used from the previous step in scale, while the pixel values of the next step are used to approximate the flow. The optimum ratio between the reaction and diffusion counterparts of the governing PDE is studied. We then apply this approach to fast subjective surface computation. The computational time decreases by a factor of 20 and more, as compared to the explicit scheme.
Overcoming challenges in the diagnosis and treatment of myasthenia gravis

In recent years, the discovery of new autoantigens and the use of sensitive assays have expanded the clinical spectrum of myasthenia gravis (MG). In particular, antibodies binding to clustered acetylcholine receptors and to the low-density lipoprotein receptor-related protein 4 have not only bridged a significant gap in diagnosis but also have relevant clinical implications. MG management includes different therapeutic options, from symptomatic agents as the only therapy in mildly affected cases to combined long-term immunosuppression and thymectomy in patients with severe disabling disease. MG biological diversity can influence the response to therapies and should be taken into account when planning treatment. Biologic agents are promising, though their use is currently limited to patients with refractory disease.
Wiener, the Man and the Teacher: Authenticity and Prejudice in his Attitudes and Writings

Wiener’s absent-mindedness, quirkishness and idiosyncrasy, amusing and even endearing, lent themselves to easy anecdote. The stories varied in sobriety. Here is one.
Multifunctional Cyanate Ester Nanocomposites Reinforced by Hexagonal Boron Nitride after Noncovalent Biomimetic Functionalization

Boron nitride (BN) reinforced polymer nanocomposites have attracted a growing research interest in the microelectronic industry for their uniquely thermal conductive but electrical insulating properties. To overcome the challenges in surface functionalization, in this study, hexagonal boron nitride (h-BN) nanoparticles were noncovalently modified with polydopamine in a solvent-free aqueous condition. The strong π–π interaction between the hexagonal structural BN and aromatic dopamine molecules facilitated 15 wt % polydopamine encapsulating the nanoparticles. High-performance bisphenol E cyanate ester (BECy) was incorporated by homogeneously dispersed h-BN at different loadings and functionalities to investigate their effects on thermo-mechanical, dynamic-mechanical, and dielectric properties, as well as thermal conductivity. Different theoretical and empirical models were successfully applied to predict thermal and dielectric properties of h-BN/BECy nanocomposites. Overall, the prepared h-BN/BECy nanocomp...