cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Panel: Increasing Female Enrollment and Retention for Computing Degrees

Many technology classrooms see a disparity everyday with the numbers of men and women grossly uneven. As society realizes that more women need to be recruited into math, science and technology jobs, how do we convince young women that these are good careers for them? This panel will discuss initiatives at various universities aiming to recruit and retain female students. We hope to provoke a thoughtful exchange of ideas to help the technology field become a techie-dominated field, instead of a male-dominated field.
Assessment of cerebrovascular dysfunction after traumatic brain injury with fMRI and fNIRS.

Abstract Traumatic cerebral vascular injury (TCVI) is a frequent, but under-recognized, endophenotype of traumatic brain injury (TBI). It likely contributes to functional deficits after TBI and TBI-related chronic disability, and represents an attractive target for targeted therapeutic interventions. The aim of this prospective study is to assess microvascular injury/dysfunction in chronic TBI by measuring cerebral vascular reactivity (CVR) by 2 methods, functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI) and functional Near InfraRed Spectroscopy (fNIRS) imaging, as each has attractive features relevant to clinical utility. 42 subjects (27 chronic TBI, 15 age- and gender-matched non-TBI volunteers) were enrolled and underwent outpatient CVR testing by 2 methods, MRI-BOLD and fNIRS, each with hypercapnia challenge, a neuropsychological testing battery, and symptom survey questionnaires. Chronic TBI subjects showed a significant reduction in global CVR compared to HC (p Global CVR is significantly lower in chronic TBI patients and is reliably measured by both fMRI and fNIRS, the former with better spatial and the latter with better temporal resolution. Both methods show promise as non-invasive measures of CVR function and microvascular integrity after TBI.
Long-Term Outcomes of Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting in Veterans with Ischemic Cardiomyopathy.

Background The Surgical Treatment for Ischemic Heart Failure (STICH) trial showed that surgical revascularization in ischemic cardiomyopathy (ICM) patients improves long-term mortality compared with medical treatment alone. This study examines how veterans with ICM undergoing revascularization fare against patients without ICM; it also examines the outcomes in the veteran population. Methods This is a retrospective review of a single-center database. From 2000 to 2018, 1,461 patients underwent isolated coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG). Two-hundred-one patients with an ejection fraction less than 35% were classified as the ICM cohort. The primary outcome was mortality. Secondary outcomes included postoperative complications. Subgroup analysis was performed within the ICM cohort comparing off-pump CABG (OPCAB) versus on-pump CABG (ONCAB). Results ICM patients had a higher incidence of myocardial infarction (MI), diabetes, chronic kidney disease (CKD), and preoperative intra-aortic balloon pump (IABP) use. The non-ICM cohort was more functionally independent. OPCAB was performed in 80.1% of ICM and 66.3% of non-ICM cohorts. There was no statistical difference between ICM and non-ICM cohorts in 30-day mortality (OR 1.94[0.79 - 4.75], P = .15). The ICM cohort had an increased 5-year mortality (OR 1.75[1.14 - 2.69], P = .01) and 10-year mortality (OR 1.71[1.09 - 2.67], P = .02). The ICM cohort showed improved, although not statistically significant, short-term mortality with OPCAB compared with ONCAB (3.1% versus 12.5%, OR 0.31[0.05 - 1.82], P = .20). Conclusion Veterans with ICM undergoing CABG demonstrated similar short-term survival compared with non-ICM veterans. The long-term survival in the ICM cohort still is inferior to patients without ICM. There is a trend toward improved short-term survival in patients with ICM undergoing OPCAB.
A Comment on: “State Capacity, Reciprocity, and the Social Contract” by Timothy Besley

Treating civic preferences as endogenous and government policies and tax capacities as both an influence on and a consequence of their evolution is an important new strand of thinking to which Besley has contributed. I ask: Does his model provide a convincing explanation of the way that civic cultures and the expansion of the state evolved as a matter of historical fact? And I suggest a number of alternative modeling approaches that both would recognize that policy makers take account of the effects of their policy choices on preferences and, consistent with empirical observations, would support equilibria with culturally heterogeneous rather than homogeneous populations.
Enrollment Challenges: Recruiting Children From Diverse Racial and Ethnic Communities to a Study of Physical Activity and Perceived Stress:

IntroductionEffective recruitment and retention can be particularly difficult when research involves children from diverse backgrounds. The purpose of this article is to describe productive methods...
A low-cost computational approach to analyze spiking activity in cockroach sensory neurons.

Undergraduates use a spike sorting routine developed in Octave to analyze the spiking activity generated from mechanical stimulation of spines of cockroach legs with the inexpensive SpikerBox ampli...
An Uncertain Public - Encouraging Acceptance of Covid-19 Vaccines.

An Uncertain Public An analysis of multiple polls suggests that much of the U.S. public is currently undecided about whether to take a Covid-19 vaccine. These findings can inform outreach efforts t...
Engage!: Co-designing Search Engine Result Pages to Foster Interactions

In this paper, we take a step towards understanding how to design search engine results pages (SERP) that encourage children’s engagement as they seek for online resources. For this, we conducted a participatory design session to enable us to elicit children’s preferences and determine what children (ages 6–12) find lacking in more traditional SERP. We learned that children want more dynamic means of navigating results and additional ways to interact with results via icons. We use these findings to inform the design of a new SERP interface, which we denoted CHIRP. To gauge the type of engagement that a SERP incorporating interactive elements–CHIRP–can foster among children, we conducted a user study at a public school. Analysis of children’s interactions with CHIRP, in addition to responses to a post-task survey, reveals that adding additional interaction points results in a SERP interface that children prefer, but one that does not necessarily change engagement levels through clicks or time spent on SERP.
The design and management of international scientific assessments: Lessons from the climate regime

I n recent decades, international scientiﬁc assessments have become a promi-nent and increasingly important feature of world affairs and global civil society. Facing an array of complex global challenges, diplomats and international public managers have turned to scientiﬁc assessments as a tool not only for identifying policy problems and potential solutions but also for bridging the cultural gaps that divide nations. Many international organizations now conduct scientiﬁc assessments as a regular part of their ongoing activities.1 International environmental, trade, and security agreements increasingly include provisions that establish expert advisory institutions and mandate assessment procedures.2 A growing number of independent and quasi-independent scientific assessment organizations also now exist: some issue specific assessments such as those produced by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) and the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment, while others, including the InterAcademy Council, are designed to provide advice and assessments on a wide range of policy issues.3
Some Early Memories Around Paul Halmos

Paul Halmos 75! To me that brings up another figure: I have known him now for 50 years — a pretty good fraction of my life. He was in fact the first mathematician I met when I arrived in this country, in 1941. I had had the great luck of getting out of Germany in 1936, to study in Switzerland, under Heinz Hopf; and by 1941 it was high time to get out (the Fremdenpolizei called me in frequently to ask me why I was still there). Another piece of luck was that some money was found for a year’s stay at the Institute for Advanced Study in Princeton.
Effect of SO2 on Pd-V catalyst activity for NOx reduction by ammonia

Publisher Summary Catalytic reduction of nitrogen oxides (NO x ) by ammonia is one of the most promising methods for cleaning waste gases from NO x in the presence of oxygen. In the practice, there are widely used high-percentage vanadium oxide catalysts. NO x is selectively reduced by ammonia in the presence of O 2 over the low-percentage Pd-V/Al 2 O 3 . The catalyst is prepared by the impregnation of the support with aqueous solutions of active components. The amount of the impregnating solution is taken depending on pore volume of the support. According to IR data, high stability of the Pd-V catalyst in the presence of SO 2 arises from the fact that its modification with vanadium hinders the production of strongly bound sulphate on the Al 2 O 3 surface and thus inhibits poisoning of the catalyst for the NO x reduction by ammonia. The sulphate species are formed over the vanadium-containing catalysts only at higher temperatures (673K) comparing with those for Pd/Al 2 O 3 (573K).
A generalized eigenvalue problem for solving the discrete-time Riccati equation with singular dynamics and singular measurement noise

The discrete-time Riccati equation plays a central role in the solution of the discrete-time LQG control problem. An interesting aspect of the discrete-time Riccati equation, which is not shared by its continuous-time counterpart, is the fact that the equation may have a meaningful solution even if the measurement noise covariance is singular. These discrete-time singular measurement noise problems arise from sampled-data problems involving averaging A/D devices. These problems involve singular discrete-time plant dynamics as well. The purpose of this paper, therefore, is to extend the generalized eigenvalue approach to solve the discrete-time Riccati equation in the presence of both singular plant dynamics and singular measurement noise. The numerical method we develop allows arbitrary rank deficiency in the measurement noise covariance, including the extreme case of noiseless measurements.
Discriminating microsatellites from Macrophomina phaseolina and their potential association to biological functions

One hundred and eighty-two microsatellites or simple-sequence-repeat (SSR) markers for Macrophomina phaseolina were developed. These were tested on 24 isolates of M. phaseolina obtained from seven plant species, and the genetic variation of isolates was studied in relation to potential biological processes that could be affected in this fungus. A total of 120 SSR markers were polymorphic, amplifying >90% of the 24 isolates tested. Thirty percent of the markers showed multiple alleles on individual samples. A large number of markers showed unique alleles in isolates collected from pumpkin and snap bean. DNA sequences corresponding to 43 markers had significant hits on BLAST xa nd⁄or BLAST2GO, and the polymorphism of 36 of those markers showed specific allele patterns for one or more plant host origin of the isolates. Additional tests on growth rate and copper resistance of the isolates identified markers that could be related to those traits. In addition, 27 markers were monomorphic and amplified all 24 isolates. Whereas polymorphic markers can be used for population genetics studies of M. phaseolina, the group of 27 monomorphic markers could help in the fast identification of this species in clinical specimens. The SSR markers developed here will enrich the limited molecular marker resource in M. phaseolina and could be used as the basis for more in-depth studies of the host-pathogen interactions of M. phaseolina.
Nutrient geochemistry of sediments from two tree islands in Water Conservation Area 3B, the Everglades, Florida.

Sediment cores from two tree islands (Nuthouse and Gumbo Limbo) located in Water Conservation Area 3B of the Everglades, Florida were examined for preliminary studies of their nutrient geochemistry and paleoecology. Cores were collected from sites on the head, tail, and surrounding slough/marsh at each of the islands, and sediments from these cores were analyzed for various chemical constituents. Porewater in cores collected from the head and surrounding slough/marsh was also analyzed for its chemical composition for the purpose of evaluating nutrient recycling from tree island heads. Intervals in selected cores from both tree islands were dated using 14C analysis. The major objectives of the study were to: 1) determine the concentrations and accumulation rates of nutrients (carbon, nitrogen, and phosphorus) in sediments of tree islands, 2) examine the role of nutrients (if any) in the development of tree island tails and 3) examine downcore trends in nutrient element concentrations for evidence of ecological changes through time.
Vaginitis in women, diagnosis and treatment

Abstract 1.1. The Trichomonas vaginalis disappeared from the vaginas of 158 women after treatment with metronidazole. Recurrence in 12 cases was thought to represent reinfection.Seventy-five husbands were treated similarly. Of 45 whose semina were cultured, 10 contained the Trichomonas vaginalis.No significant reactions occurred, including in blood studies of 147 individuals. 2.2. Of 478 consecutive cases with vaginal discharge or clinical vaginitis, the causal agent was attributed to Trichomonas vaginalis in 131 (27.4 per cent), Hemophilus vaginalis in 123 (27.4 per cent), Candida albicans in 99 (20.8 per cent), and nonspecific organisms in 125 (26.2 per cent). 3.3. Vaginal discharge and irritation due to Candida albicans and Hemophilus vaginalis represent primarily an infection of the secretions, rather than inflammation of the vaginal wall.
Market versus administrative reallocation of agricultural land in a period of rapid industrialization

Under communal farm production, there was little incentive to work hard: the communal system guaranteed a livelihood, and there were few private gains from additional efforts. The reform that introduced the household responsibility system in China in the early 1980s sharpened individual work incentives by assigning specific plots and the rights to residual income to individual households. However, the household responsibility system left unresolved questions about the reallocation of land over time - questions that have become increasingly important (for both efficiency and equity) with the rapid growth of the non-farm economy. The authors use household and village data to show that the initially egalitarian distribution of land is becoming more dispersed over time. In what has become a hybrid property rights system, in some areas local village leaders (the cadre) were empowered to periodically redistribute land between households on the basis of economic and demographic changes among households. In other villages, households were granted much greater immunity against redistribution of any sort. Similarly, villages differed in the degree to which individual households could trade land among themselves. Some villages did not regulate the practice, and other required village approval or prohibited land rental relationships. The authors use simulated maximum likelihood methods to estimate hybrid panel models of the determinants of both market-based and administrative reallocation of land. They also use them to estimate the insecurity-induced investment costs of market-based reallocation of land. They find that administrative reallocation responds to the increasing inequality but non-market reallocations come at a significant cost in forgone investment.
Manifiesto en pro de una sociología relacional

En la actualidad, los sociolologos enfrentan un dilema fundamental: se debe concebir el mundo social como conformado ante todo por sustancias o por procesos, por "cosas" estaticas o por relaciones dinamicas y en constante desarrollo. Los modelos basados en la teoria de eleccion racional y los fundados en la norma, diversos holismos y estructuralismos, y el analisis de "variables" estadisticas continuan implicita o explicitamente prefiriendo el primer punto de vista. Diferente a este ultimo punto, este "manifiesto" presenta una alternativa que define la perspectiva "relacional", primero a partir de esquemas filosoficos amplios y luego explorando sus implicaciones tanto en la investigacion teorica como en la empirica. En las paginas finales se reflexionara con respecto a algunas de las dificultades y retos que ahora enfrenta el analisis relacional, asumiendo de manera sucesiva problemas que giran en torno limites y entidades. dinamica de redes, causalidad e implicaciones normativas.
Removal of the cardiac myosin regulatory light chain increases isometric force production

The myosin neck, which is supported by the interactions between light chains and the underlying alpha-helical heavy chain, is thought to act as a lever arm to amplify movements originating in the globular motor domain. Here, we studied the role of the cardiac myosin regulatory light chains (RLCs) in the capacity of myosin to produce force using a novel optical-trap-based isometric force in vitro motility assay. We measured the isometric force and actin filament velocity for native porcine cardiac (PC) myosin, RLC-depleted PC (PC(depl)) myosin, and PC myosin reconstituted with recombinant bacterially expressed human cardiac RLC (PC(recon)). RLC depletion reduced unloaded actin filament velocity by 58% and enhanced the myosin-based isometric force approximately 2-fold. No significant change between PC and PC(depl) preparations was observed in the maximal rate of actin-activated myosin ATPase activity. Reconstitution of PC(depl) myosin with human RLC partially restored the velocity and force levels to near untreated values. The reduction in unloaded velocity after RLC extraction is consistent with the myosin neck acting as a lever, while the enhancement in isometric force can be directly related to enhancement of unitary force. The force data are consistent with a model in which the neck region behaves as a cantilevered beam.
Nuclear data needs for fusion reactors

Abstract The nuclear design of fusion reactor components (e.g., first wall, blanket, shield, magnet, limiter, divertosr, etc.) requires an accurate prediction of the radiation field, the radiation damage parameters, and the activation analysis. The fusion nucleonics for these tasks are reviewed with special attention to point out nuclear data needs and deficiencies which effect the design process. The main areas included in this review are tritium breeding analyses, nuclear heating calculations, radiation damage in reactor components, shield designs, and results of uncertainty analyses as applied to fusion reactor studies. Design choices and reactor parameters that impact the neutronics performance of the blanket are discussed with emphasis on the tritium breeding ratio. Nuclear data required for kerma factors, shielding analysis, and radiation damage are discussed. Improvements in the evaluated data libraries are described to overcome the existing problems.
Parasites as Indicators of English Sole (Parophrys vetulus) Nursery Grounds

Abstract Juvenile English sole (Parophrys vetulus) utilize Yaquina Bay, Oregon as a nursery during at least a portion of their first year of life, but the possibility of the existence of additional nursery grounds offshore has not previously been examined. During 1971, young-of-the-year first appeared in Yaquina Bay in February, were abundant from April to September, and most emigrated to offshore areas in October. Examination of English sole, collected both in the estuary and offshore, revealed certain parasites that appeared to be acquired by the fish only while in the estuary. The acanthocephalan Echinorhynchus lageniformis proved useful in determining the extent of estuarine utilization. The incidence of infection in bay fish before emigration (29.9%) was similar to the incidence in 0-group English sole collected offshore after emigration (28.5%). This result suggests that there was little or no influx of young from other than estuarine nursery grounds to the offshore study area and that on the Oregon...
Voyager-I-Photos von Jupiter und seinen inneren Monden.

Am Anfang stehen eine Beschreibung der Raumfluge von Voyager I und Voyager II sowie ein Uberblick uber die wichtigsten bisher bekannten Ergebnisse dieser Raumfluge. Es folgen Bildtexte zu den 12 Farbbildern von Jupiter, seinem innersten Monde Amalthea und den vier Galileischen Monden sowie eine Darstellung des Weiterfluges von Voyager I zum Saturn.
Detection of weak optical images with photon counting techniques

A technique has been developed to record very weak images with the use of photon counting techniques. It is shown that the photon counting method is about 2 orders of magnitude more sensitive than a photographic emulsion of comparable signal-to-noise ratio.
Comparison of cAMP-responsive DNA sequences and their binding proteins associated with expression of the bovine CYP17 and CYP11A and human CYP21B genes

Maintenance of optimal steriodogenic capacity in the adrenal cortex requires the action of the peptide hormone ACTH. Upon binding to its cell surface receptor ACTH activates adenylate cyclase leading to elevated levels of intracellular cAMP which in turn enhances transcription of the genes encoding the enzymes involved in the conversion of cholesterol to the steroid hormones. By deletion analysis of their upstream regions, the genes encoding the steroid hydroxylases P450c17, P450c21 and P450scc (CYP17, CYP21B and CYP11A, respectively) were found to contain unique cAMP-responsive sequences (CRSs). These sequences are unique in the sense that they have not previously been described to be associated with other genes whose transcription is regulated by cAMP. Furthermore they appear to bind unique nuclear proteins or transcription factors not previously associated with cAMP-dependent transcription. This review summarizes the relatedness of these CRSs in the bovine CYP17 and CYP11A genes and the human CYP12B gene and provides an up-to-date summary of the properties of their nuclear DNA-binding proteins.
Delirium in the ICU and subsequent long-term disability among survivors of mechanical ventilation.

Objective:Survivors of critical illness are frequently left with long-lasting disability. The association between delirium and disability in critically ill patients has not been described. We hypothesized that the duration of delirium in the ICU would be associated with subsequent disability and wor
Estimate of Birthweight Among Post-Term Pregnancy: Clinical Versus Sonographic

The objective was to compare the relative accuracy of clinical versus sonographic estimate of birthweight among post-term pregnancies (gestational age ≥41 weeks). Prospectively over a 2-year period, 84 parturients, with reliable dating criteria, underwent clinical and sonographic estimate (abdominal circumference and femur length) of birthweight. All examinations were performed during the intrapartum period in the labor and delivery suite by one of three obstetricians managing the patient. Among post-term pregnancies, the clinical estimate of birthweight had a significantly lower mean absolute error (322 ± 263 g) and mean absolute percentage error (8.9% ± 7.1%) than sonographic mensuration (547 ± 426 g, 14.8% ± 11.0%, respectively; P < 0.001). Moreover, in post-term pregnancies, clinical estimate was within ±10% of the actual birthweight (65.4%) significantly more frequently than with sonographic (42.8%) mensuration (P = 0.005). Among 20 post-term macrosomic newborns (birthweight ≥4,000 g) clinical estima...
Diversification among coffee smallholders in the highlands of South Sumatra, Indonesia

Over the past decade international organizations and developing countries have been trying to promote agricultural diversification among smallholders under the assumption that smallholders are too dependent upon a narrow range of crops. The International Coffee Organization and the Government of Indonesia have promoted agricultural diversification among coffee farmers to curb production and, thereby, increase prices. In South Sumatra, Indonesia, coffee smallholders diversify on their own initiative and depend upon numerous resource systems. They diversify out of coffee and even agriculture because other investments yield attractive returns and because further diversification within agriculture is often limited by agronomic and financial constraints.
Maternal asthma and microRNA regulation of soluble HLA-G in the airway.

Background We previously reported an interaction between maternal asthma and the child's HLA-G genotype on the child's subsequent risk for asthma. The implicated single nucleotide polymorphism at +3142 disrupted a target site for the microRNA (miR)-152 family. We hypothesized that the interaction effect might be mediated by these miRs. Objective The objective of this study was to test this hypothesis in adults with asthma who are a subset of the same subjects who participated in our earlier family-based studies. Methods We measured soluble HLA-G (sHLA-G) concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid (n = 36) and plasma (n = 57) from adult asthmatic subjects with and without a mother with asthma, and HLA-G and miR-152 family ( miR-148a , miR-148b , and miR-152 ) transcript levels in airway epithelial cells from the same subjects. Results miR-148b levels were significantly increased in airway epithelial cells from asthmatic subjects with an asthmatic mother compared with those seen in asthmatic subjects without an asthmatic mother, and +3142 genotypes were associated with sHLA-G concentrations in bronchoalveolar lavage fluid among asthmatic subjects with an asthmatic mother but not among those with a nonasthmatic mother. Neither effect was observed in the plasma (sHLA-G) or white blood cells (miRNA). Conclusion These combined results are consistent with +3142 allele–specific targeting of HLA-G by the miR-152 family and support our hypothesis that miRNA regulation of sHLA-G in the airway is influenced by both the asthma status of the subject's mother and the subject's genotype. Moreover, we demonstrate that the effects of maternal asthma on the gene regulatory landscape in the airways of the mother's children persist into adulthood.
The characterization of proteins of animal sera separated by zone electrophoresis on starch.

Abstract The electrophoretic separation, the per cent distribution, the concentration, and the recovery of the major protein components of the sera of the dog, rat, and man obtained by zone electrophoresis on starch are reported.
Personality Traits and Symptom Reduction in a Group Treatment for Women With Histories of Childhood Sexual Abuse

The influence of personality on symptom reduction has not been examined in research on treatments for women with childhood sexual abuse histories, although personality has demonstrated predictive value in other treatment contexts. This study examined personality variables associated with symptom reduction in group therapy for hospitalized women with histories of sexual abuse. Personality was measured with the NEO-Five-Factor Inventory (NEO-FFI), which yields scores on neuroticism, extraversion, openness to experience, agreeableness, and conscientiousness. Among 86 women who participated in either the Women's Safety in Recovery (WSIR) group therapy or treatment as usual, 43 completed assessments of symptom reduction at discharge and 6-month follow-up. We hypothesized that extraversion, agreeableness, and openness to experience would be associated with treatment outcome. Our results showed that agreeableness and extraversion moderated the effect of treatment on symptom reduction. WSIR participants who were less agreeable improved more at discharge and 6-month follow-up than more agreeable WSIR participants. Moreover, women in the WSIR group who were more introverted showed greater symptom improvement at discharge than more extraverted women. Our findings suggest that more introverted, less agreeable patients with sexual abuse histories may indeed benefit from structured group treatments.
Differential distribution of Fos expression within the male rat preoptic area and hypothalamus in response to physical vs. psychological stress

Recent studies on stress-induced adrenal glucocorticoid secretion have demonstrated quantitatively different effects of individual stress stimuli on hormone release, suggesting that the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis exhibits discriminative, rather than ubiquitous responses to such challenges, particularly psychological vs. physical stressors. The immediate-early gene, cfos, is expressed by central nervous system neurons in response to numerous physiological stimuli, including stress. The following study investigated whether the distribution and/or intensity of immunolabeling for Fos in the preoptic area and hypothalamus differ after imposition of stressors of variable intensity. Groups of male rats were sacrificed by transcardial perfusion 2 h after (1) transfer to a novel environment (NE stress), (2) confinement within a restraint tube (REST stress), or (3) immobilization (IM) stress. Nonstressed controls remained undisturbed in their home cages. Whereas the NE-stress group exhibited Fos immunoreactivity (ir) only within anterior and lateroanterior hypothalamus, both physical stressors induced immunostaining for Fos in the lateral preoptic area, median preoptic, paraventricular, arcuate, dorsomedial hypothalamic nuclei, and lateral hypothalamus, while numbers of Fos-ir-positive neurons were generally greater in the IM vs. REST stress group. In the IM-stressed rats, additional Fos-ir was observed in the supraoptic and suprachiasmatic nuclei. These studies show that neurons expressing Fos-ir in response to the relatively mild stress of novel environment are distributed differently than those that are transcriptionally activated by more aversive stressors. Findings that Fos-ir occurs in several common sites following exposure to REST or IM stress suggest that local neuron populations may comprise a common neural pathway(s) that is activated by intense forms of stress.
Hedgehog-GLI signaling regulates the behavior of cells with stem cell properties in the developing neocortex

Stem cells are crucial for normal development and homeostasis, and their misbehavior may be related to the origin of cancer. Progress in these areas has been difficult because the mechanisms regulating stem cell lineages are not well understood. Here, we have investigated the role of the SHH-GLI pathway in the developing mouse neocortex. The results show that SHH signaling endogenously regulates the number of embryonic and postnatal mouse neocortical cells with stem cell properties, and controls precursor proliferation in a concentration-dependent manner in cooperation with EGF signaling. These findings identify a crucial mechanism for the regulation of the number of cells with stem cell properties that is unexpectedly conserved in different stem cell niches.
Effects of monensins in on the receptor-mediated endocytosis of 125I-labelled IgG by guinea-pig yolk sac in vitro

Abstract The effects of the carboxylic ionophore, monensin, on the receptor-mediated binding and uptake of 125 I-labelled IgG by the guinea-pig yolk sac have been studied in vitro. Exposure of tissue to 10 μm monensin resulted in a rapid inhibition of uptake which correlated with a time- and time-dependent loss of cell-surface receptor activity. Monensin appeared to bring about a change in receptor distribution since the lost activity could be detected after permeabilizing the tissue with saponin. Electron microscopic examination of monensin-treated tissue revealed that the apical plasma membrane of endoderms cell was depleted of coated and uncoated pits and that the apical cytoplasm contained numerous large vacuoles. Dilatation of the Golgi apparatus was also observed. Normal surface receptor activity and ultrastructural features could be largely recovered by removal of monensin. Recovery of receptor activity was unaffected by the presence of cycloheximide. These results are consistent with a model in which IgG receptors are recycled and in which monensin blocks this process by causing receptors to be trapped intracellularly. Ammonium chloride or a combination of valinomycin and carbonyl cyanide p -(trifluoromethoxy)-phenyllhydrazone also brought about a loss of surface IgGreceptors, lending support to the idea that inhibition of recycling was the result of pertubation of an intracellular acidification event and implying that passage through an acidic compartment may be improtant for correct receptor processing.
The Impact of Noninvariant Intercepts in Latent Means Models

Latent means methods such as multiple-indicator multiple-cause (MIMIC) and structured means modeling (SMM) allow researchers to determine whether or not a significant difference exists between groups' factor means. Strong invariance is typically recommended when interpreting latent mean differences. The extent of the impact of noninvariant intercepts on conclusions made when implementing both MIMIC and SMM methods was the main purpose of this study. The impact of intercept noninvariance on Type I error rates, power, and two model fit indices when using MIMIC and SMM approaches under various conditions were examined. Type I error and power were adversely affected by intercept noninvariance. Although the fit indices did not detect small misspecifications in the form of noninvariant intercepts, one did perform more optimally.
Dr. Strangegod: On the symbolic meaning of nuclear weapons

(1991). Dr. Strangegod: On the symbolic meaning of nuclear weapons. History of European Ideas: Vol. 13, No. 4, pp. 423-423.
Radio-Isotope Identification Algorithms for NaI γ Spectra

Abstract: The performance of Radio-Isotope Identification (RIID) algorithms using NaI-based γ spectroscopy is increasingly important. For example, sensors at locations that screen for illicit nuclear material rely on isotope identification using NaI detectors to distinguish innocent nuisance alarms, arising from naturally occurring radioactive material, from alarms arising from threat isotopes. Recent data collections for RIID testing consist of repeat measurements for each of several measurement scenarios to test RIID algorithms. It is anticipated that vendors can modify their algorithms on the basis of performance on chosen measurement scenarios and then test modified algorithms on data for other measurement scenarios. It is therefore timely to review the current status of RIID algorithms on NaI detectors. This review describes γ spectra from NaI detectors, measurement issues and challenges, current RIID algorithms, data preprocessing steps, the role and current quality of synthetic spectra, and opportunities for improvements.
Variable-focus SU-8 membrane mirror with enhanced stroke using feedback control

We describe enhanced deflection of an electrostatic deformable mirror made from SU-8 epoxy. Using closed-loop feedback control, stable static deflection of a circular mirror to 75% of the air-gap has been achieved.
Disparities in Access to HIV Prevention Among Men of Mexican Descent Living in the Midwestern United States

Men of Mexican descent (MMD) in the U.S. are disproportionately affected by HIV. Understanding MMD’s access to HIV prevention is necessary to reduce their transmission rates. We explored disparities in access to HIV prevention among MMD of different assimilation status, healthcare access, and sexual risk behavior. 322 Midwestern MMD completed a survey assessing their access to passive interventions (e.g., lectures), interactive interventions (e.g., counseling), HIV testing, media information, and information from the Internet. 64% MMD had received passive interventions, 36% interactive interventions, 42% HIV testing, 41% information from media, and 12% from the Internet. MMD who were less assimilated to the U.S., had lower healthcare access, and were at risk for HIV, were less likely to have accessed prevention interventions but more likely to have received media information. Access to HIV prevention among Midwestern MMD is tied to their assimilation and healthcare access. Findings have implications for developing strategies of intervention delivery.
Electron microscopy of subtilisin-treated tobacco etch virus nuclear and cytoplasmic inclusions

Abstract Nuclear and cytoplasmic inclusions in tobacco-etch-virus-infected Nicotiana tabacum L. “Havana 425” leaves were fixed with glutaraldehyde and embedded in Araldite resin. Ultrathin sections of inclusion-containing tissue were partially digested with the proteolytic enzyme subtilisin and then studied with the electron microscope. Incubation times of 5 hours or more resulted in the dissolution of virtually all the cellular proteins as well as the elimination of viral inclusions. With shorter exposures, however, a more selective digestion of certain proteins occurred. Both nuclear and cytoplasmic viral inclusions were sensitive to subtilisin, an indication that they were largely composed of protein. Laminar inclusions, pinwheel central axes, and nuclear crystalline inclusions were significantly digested after less exposure to the enzyme (1–2 hours) than were the pinwheel curved plates (2–3 hours). No digestion of cellular components or of viral inclusions occurred after exposure of thin sections to ribonuclease.
A simple procedure for mounting wrinkle-free sections on formvar-coated slot grids

This paper describes a simple technique for consistent production of clean, unwrinkled, flat thin (500–1000 A) sections for TEM and thick (½−1 μm) sections for HVEM mounted on Formvar-covered slot grids for use in conventional and high voltage electron microscopy. The technique centers around use of a Formvar-covered aluminum supporting rack onto which slot grids that contain sections suspended in water are placed.
Stimulus-reinforcer contingencies and local behavioral contrast.

Four pigeons were exposed to a series of multiple schedules of variable-interval reinforcement in which pecks were required on one key (operant key) and components were signalled on a second key (signal key). Four additional pigeons experienced identical conditions, except that a yoking procedure delivered food on variable-time schedules, with no key pecks required. One of the components of the multiple schedule was constant throughout the experiment as a variable-interval (or variable-time) 30-second schedule. Operant-key responding during the constant component was uniform throughout the component, uninfluenced by changes in the duration of the variable component, and only slightly influenced by changes in reinforcement frequency correlated with the variable component. By comparison, signal-key response rate during the constant component was highest at the onset of the component, was higher when the variable component was 60-sec long than when it was 1-sec long, and was higher when no reinforcement occurred in the variable component than when reinforcement was scheduled in the variable component. These characteristics of signal-key pecking matched characteristics of local positive behavioral contrast. These data are taken to support the “additivity theory” of behavioral contrast and to suggest that Pavlovian stimulus-reinforcer relations contribute primarily to the phenomenon of local positive contrast.
Close binary interactions of intermediate-mass black holes: Possible ultraluminous X-ray sources?

WhilemanyobservedultraluminousX-raysources(ULXs;LX � 10 39 ergss � 1 )couldbeextragalacticX-raybina- ries (XRBs) emitting close to the Eddington limit, the highest luminosity ULXs (LX > 3 ;10 39 ergs s � 1 ) exceed the isotropic Eddington luminosity for even high-stellar-mass-accreting black hole XRBs. It has been suggested that these highest luminosity ULXs may contain accreting intermediate-mass black hole (IMBH) binaries. We consider this hypothesis for dense, young (� 100 Myr) stellar clusters where we assume that a 50-500 Mcentral IMBH has formed through runaway growthof amassivestar.Wedevelopnumerical simulations ofsuch clusters' coresbycom- bining single and binary star evolutionary syntheses with a simple treatment of dynamical interactions. We model interactions of the IMBH with single and binary stars, as well as single-binary and binary-binary interactions, but not the formation of a cusp around the IMBH. The core density and velocity dispersion are assumed to be constant over 100 Myr. We investigate the succession of IMBH binary companions and the evolution of their orbital parameters to obtainestimates oftheincidenceofmasstransferphasesandpossibleULXactivityinvolvingtheIMBH.Wefindthat although it is common for the central black hole to acquire binary companions, there is a very low probability that these interacting binaries will become observable ULX sources. Subject headings: binaries: close — black hole physics — galaxies: star clusters — X-rays: binaries
TENSILE BEHAVIOR OF CLAY-FILLED POLYESTER COMPOSITES.

In this study, the tensile behavior of clay-filled unsaturated orthophthalic polyester composites was evaluated. Specifically, ultimate strength, yield strength, fracture strain, and Young's modulus of two composites with small but varying fractions of clay particulates were determined. Several predictive approaches were considered for correlation with experimental values. Only the Young's modulus of the composites could be predicted satisfactorily. The irregular shape and size distribution of clay particulates seriously complicate attempts to analytically model the mechanical behavior of filled composites. Microcracking response of the composites was evaluated using an acoustic emission (AE) technique. The addition of clay is shown to embrittle the composites and is confirmed by the AE count rate and amplitude distribution data. Scanning electron microscopy of the fracture surface shows evidence of flaw initiated fracture. This study provides an insight into the influence of clay particulates in altering the properties of a polyester matrix.
Nuclear profile dependence of elliptic flow from a parton cascade

The transverse profile dependence of elliptic flow is studied in a parton cascade model. We compare results from the binary scaling profile to results from the wounded nucleon scaling profile. The impact parameter dependence of elliptic flow is shown to depend sensitively on the transverse profile of initial particles, however, if elliptic flow is plotted as a function of the relative multiplicity, the nuclear profile dependence disappears. The insensitivity was found previously in a hydrodynamical calculation. Our calculations indicate that the insensitivity is also valid with additional viscous corrections. In addition, the minimum bias differential elliptic flow is demonstrated to be insensitive to the nuclear profile of the system.
Photoresponses of human rods in vivo derived from paired-flash electroretinograms

In the human eye, domination of the electroretinogram (ERG) by the b-wave and other postreceptor components ordinarily obscures all but the first few milliseconds of the rod photoreceptor response to a stimulating flash. However, recovery of the rod response after a bright rest flash can be analyzed using a paired-flash paradigm in which the test flash, presented at time zero, is followed at time t by a bright probe flash that rapidly saturates the rods (Birch et al., 1995). In ERG experiments on normal subjects, the hypothesis that a similar method can be used to obtain the full time course of the rod response to test flashes of subsaturating intensity was tested. Rod-only responses to probe flashes presented at varying times t after the test flash were used to derive a family of amplitudes A(t) that represented the putative rod response to the test flash. These rod-only responses to the probe flash were obtained by computational subtraction of the cone-mediated component of each probe flash response. With relatively weak test flashes (11-15 scot-td-s), the time course of the rod response to the test flash derived in this manner was consistent with a four-stage impulse response function of time-to-peak approximately 170 ms. A(170), the amplitude of the derived response at 170 ms, increased with test flash intensity (Itest) to a maximum value Amv and exhibited a dependence on Itest given approximately by the relation, A(170)/Amo = 1 - exp(-kItest), where k = 0.092 (scot-td-s)-1. In steady background light, the falling (i.e. recovery) phase of the derived response began earlier, and the sensitivity parameter k was reduced several-fold from its dark-adapted value. As the sensitivity, sensitivity, kinetics, and light-adaptation properties of the derived response correspond closely with those of photocurrent flash responses previously obtained from isolated rods in vitro, it was concluded that the response derived here from the human ERG approximates the course of the massed in vivo rod response to a test flash.
Salivary Cortisol Predicts Cardiovascular Mortality

Methods: The Whitehall II study was a prospective cohort study conducted among civil servants in the United Kingdom, with the participation of 6,941 individuals. The mean age of participants was 61 years and the mean duration of follow-up was 6.1 years. Sequential salivary samples taken from waking to bedtime were analyzed. Six saliva samples in salivettes were collected over the course of a normal weekday at waking, +30 min, +2.5 h, +8 h, +12 h, and at bedtime. The cortisol awakening response (CAR) was calculated by subtracting cortisol measured at waking from cortisol measured 30 min later, and the diurnal slope was calculated by regressing cortisol values on time after waking until bedtime. Z scores were created for CAR, slope, waking cortisol, and cortisol measurement at bedtime. The final number of cortisol samples for analysis was 24,121 from 4,047 participants. Mortality follow-up was available through the National Health Service. Death certificates were categorized as cardiovascular disease based on International Classification of Disease (ICD) codes 100–199.
Assessing ICT's Environmental Impact

Accurately quantifying information and communications technology's footprint is a critical first step toward reducing its environmental burden.
Distribution of Ice Nucleation-Active (INA) Bacteria from Rain-water and Air

Certain bacteria that induce biological ice nucleation are suspected to play an important role in condensation and ice nuclei formation in clouds. Those bacteria can produce biological ice nucleator1, which is a protein and usually found on leaf surface and air. Most studies on INA bacteria were conducted in subtropical areas. In this study, INA bacteria were isolated from rain-water and air between March to May 2008 from Jakarta, Bogor, Bekasi, Tangerang, and Depok. The percentage of INA bacteria from rainfall for those area are 19.4, 18.7, 5.3, 2.2, and 6.4% respectively, while percentage for air are 9.5, 6.5, 0, 2.7, and 1.8%. The highest incidence of INA bacteria were from rain-water and air found in sample from Jakarta and then followed by the samples from Bogor. It was shown that the percentage of INA bacteria from rain-water was higher than air for all of the samples from different areas. The isolate from Jakarta (isolate A32) which had the highest activity for ice nucleation, with the temperature classification at −2.7 °C, revealed 100% similarity with Pantoea sp. The presence of INA bacteria in rain-water and air might play an important role in nucleation process which is required for rainfall induction.