cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
RELATION OF FLORAS OF THE SOUTHERN HEMISPHERE TO CONTINENTAL DRIFT

Summary Anomalous distribution of the Southern Hemisphere floras has long been recognized, and many explanations have been proposed. The occurrences of plants, modern or fossil, rarely point to a unique mode of distribution. A synthesis of pertinent information drawn from many disciplines (geonomy) is required to determine a most probable explanation. Recent studies of crustal mechanics by geophysicists show that sea-floor spreading can serve as an adequate mechanism for continental drift and can be important in explaining the distribution of ancient plants of the Southern Hemisphere. The Permian Glossopteris flora of southern continents contrasts strikingly with the Permian flora of the Northern Hemisphere. The identity of the northern flora that was contemporary with the Glossopteris flora was controversial for many years because of the great degree of isolation existing between the two floras. The botanical relationships of the glossopterids are still imperfectly established, particularly with reference to foliage occasionally found in northern areas or in deposits younger than Permian. Fertile structures of glossopterids seem to provide the only reliable basis for determining botanical relationship. The Glossopteris flora is, in general, extremely distinctive and consists taxonomically of a relatively small array of plants which occurs over an exceptionally large area. It represents an ecologic assemblage with both climatic and edaphic implications. A tentative Permian Gondwanaland reconstruction is presented that is somewhat more condensed than other reconstructions; the area thus reconstructed is more likely to have had a reasonably consistent, seasonal temperate climate in keeping with consistent similarities of the Glossopteris flora. According to this interpretation, most of the present area of the Indian Ocean seems to have been occupied by Permian Gondwanaland. The ridges and rises as recently mapped across the Indian Ocean floor are incompatible with foundered continents or isthmian links, but they can be interpreted as reflecting an historical sequence in sea-floor spreading that can account for the present dispersal of Gondwana continents.
The Effect of Ddt on the Activity of Cytochrome Oxidase

Sacktor (1950) studied the cytochrome oxidase activity of DDT-sensitive and DDT-resistant house flies and found that the resistant strain had a greater oxidase activity than the normal strain. He suggested that the resistance of this insect to DDT may be due to a greater cytochrome oxidase activity. Sacktor (1951) observed that pupae of DDT-resistant house flies had twice the cyanide insensitive respiration of the normal, and that DDT-resistant pupae had less cytochrome oxidase activity than the normal, except immediately before adult emergence. Since cytochrome oxidase is cyanide sensitive, Sacktor suggested that the resistant pupae may by-pass the cytochrome system. These observations suggest that DDT may poison the insect through its effect on cytochrome oxidase.
Toxicological Profiling of Highly Purified Metallic and Semiconducting Single-Walled Carbon Nanotubes in the Rodent Lung and E. coli

The electronic properties of single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs) are potentially useful for electronics, optics, and sensing applications. Depending on the chirality and diameter, individual SWCNTs can be classified as semiconducting (S-SWCNT) or metallic (M-SWCNT). From a biological perspective, the hazard profiling of purified metallic versus semiconducting SWCNTs has been pursued only in bacteria, with the conclusion that aggregated M-SWCNTs are more damaging to bacterial membranes than S-SWCNTs. However, no comparative studies have been performed in a mammalian system, where most toxicity studies have been undertaken using relatively crude SWCNTs that include a M:S mix at 1:2 ratio. In order to compare the toxicological impact of SWCNTs sorted to enrich them for each of the chirality on pulmonary cells and the intact lung, we used density gradient ultracentrifugation and extensive rinsing to prepare S- and M-SWCNTs that are >98% purified. In vitro screening showed that both tube variants trigger s...
Fibrinolytic therapy in thromboembolic disease.

Lytic therapy has been shown to be effective for pulmonary embolism and deep-vein thrombosis and seems promising for acute myocardial infarction. Ongoing trials should help establish its place in the management of thromboembolic disease.
Using instructor-led Facebook groups to enhance students perceptions of course content

Research on the impact of instructor-guided Facebook usage in college classrooms shows that the technology can increase students cognitive and affective learning, yet the role of social media in the classroom remains contentious. Analysis of open- and closed-ended survey data from 87 students enrolled in university courses from 15 institutions showed that students participating in a class Facebook group reported more interest in and perceived more value in course content, felt closer to the course and perceived their instructors as more involved. Effects on perceived closeness to course instructors and classmates were negligible, and effects on instructor immediacy or credibility were not found. As an out-of-class communication tool, Facebook increases student interest.Students who joined course Facebooks groups saw greater utility value of course content.Academic and social reasons are listed for participating in course Facebook groups.
N6-(Δ2-Isopentenyl)adenosine 5'-Monophosphate: Formation and Effect on Purine Metabolism in Cellular and Enzymatic Systems

The growth of Sarcoma 180 cells (S-180), whether dependent on the synthesis of purine nucleotides de novo (folate medium) or on preformed purines (amethopterin medium) such as hypoxanthine, adenine, or adenosine, was inhibityed by 50 and 100% at 15-22 and 100 µM N 6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenosine, respectively. This adenosine analogue was shown to accumulate in the cell water in the form of the 5'-monophosphate at 2 mM when the extracellular nucleoside level was 100 µM. In S-180 cells incubated with 100 and 300 µM N 6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenosine and 30 µM [8-14C]adenine the formation of [8-14C]ATP was inhibited by 55 and 64%, respectively, and [8-14C]AMP accumulated at 53 µM as compared with the control, where AMP was undetectable. Under similar conditions the conversion of 100 µM [8-14C]hypoxanthine to ATP and GTP was inhibited by 51 and 65%, respectively. A study was made on the effect of chemically prepared N 6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenosine 5'-monophosphate on several enzymes involved in the metabolism of purine nucleotides, using cellfree extracts of S-180 cells. This compound inhibited adenosine kinase by competing with ATP ( Ki/Km , 1.4), adenine phosphoribosyltransferase by competing with 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate ( Ki/Km , 4.0), AMP kinase by competing with AMP ( Ki/Km , 8.8), IMP dehydrogenase by competing with IMP ( Ki/Km , 15), and adenylosuccinate synthetase noncompetitively with respect to IMP ( Ki , 3.0 mM). This nucleotide analogue was also a moderate inhibitor of 5-phosphoribosyl 1-pyrophosphate synthetase, and a poor inhibitor of adenylosuccinate lyase, hypoxanthine phosphoribosyltransferase, and guanylate kinase. Since the multiplication of S-180 cells in vitro is independent of preformed purines, it appears that the inhibition of adenine phosphoribosyltransferase or of adenosine kinase cannot be the basis for the cytotoxicity of N 6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenosine. The intracellular pools of AMP and IMP were normally quite low (much less than 0.1 mM) as compared with that of N 6-(Δ2-isopentenyl)adenosine 5'-monophosphate. It appears, therefore, that AMP kinase and IMP dehydrogenase may be the critical sites of action. Inhibition of these enzymatic steps could cause a shortage of ATP and GTP, leading to inhibition of all the synthetic processes requiring these triphosphates and, eventually, to cell death.
Clinical genetics of dementing illness.

This article considers the molecular aspects, population genetics, and familial versus nonfamilial aspects of Huntington’s disease, Alzheimer’s disease, Down’s syndrome, and Pick’s disease. Single-family pedigree studies are discussed.
Alphavirus Infection in Cultured Tissue Cells

Mosquitoes have been recognized since the early 1900s as vectors of a variety of pathogenic viruses that have plagued humans and domestic animals for centuries. Thorough understanding of the life cycles of these pathogens is essential for developing methods for their control. Epidemiological studies have yielded information on the vector species of many of these disease-causing agents and entomological studies have provided details regarding how arboviruses (arthropod-borne viruses) are cycled in nature through their insect and vertebrate hosts. As a result, eradication measures such as mosquito population control and physical barriers to hematophagous insects have developed, which have proven reasonably effective in certain regions of the world. However, the fact that many vectored phatogens are still responsible for disease outbreaks reaching epidemic proportions and remain a threat to the domestic livestock industry necessitates further research on their control.
Myth of Mental Illness

In 1960, I coined the phrase “MYTH OF MENTAL ILLNESS” to identify the intrinsically metaphoric nature of the idea of mental illness, to alert the public to the dangers of viewing distressed and distressing behaviors as diseases, and to undermine the moral legitimacy of psychiatric excuses and coercions. The claim that mental illnesses do not exist was not intended to imply that distressing personal experiences and deviant behaviors do not exist. Anxiety and depression, conflict and crime exist, and indeed are intrinsic to the human condition. But they are not diseases. We classify them as diseases in order to medicalize (mis)behaviors to our profit or at our peril.
BMI, Lifestyle Factors and Taxane-Induced Neuropathy in Breast Cancer Patients: The Pathways Study

Background Lifestyle factors may be associated with chemotherapy-induced peripheral neuropathy (CIPN). We examined associations between body mass index (BMI) and lifestyle factors with CIPN in the Pathways Study, a prospective cohort of women with invasive breast cancer. Methods Analyses included 1237 women who received taxane treatment and provided data on neurotoxicity symptoms. Baseline interviews assessed BMI (normal: 5 hours/week) and fruit/vegetable intake (low: <35 servings/week; high: ≥35 servings/week). Baseline and six-month interviews assessed antioxidant supplement use (nonuser, discontinued, continued user, initiator). CIPN was assessed at baseline, six months, and 24 months using the Functional Assessment of Cancer Therapy-Taxane Neurotoxicity (FACT-NTX); a 10% decrease was considered clinically meaningful. Results At baseline, 65.6% of patients in the sample were overweight or obese, 29.9% had low MVPA, 57.5% had low fruit/vegetable intake, and 9.5% reported antioxidant supplement use during treatment. In multivariable analyses, increased CIPN was more likely to occur in overweight (odds ratio [OR] = 2.37, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.19 to 4.88) and obese patients (OR = 3.21, 95% CI = 1.52 to 7.02) compared with normal weight patients at 24 months and less likely to occur in patients with high MVPA compared with those with low MVPA at six (OR = 0.56, 95% CI = 0.34 to 0.94) and 24 months (OR = 0.43, 95% CI = 0.21 to 0.87). Compared with nonusers, patients who initiated antioxidant use during treatment were more likely to report increased CIPN at six months (OR = 3.81, 95% CI = 1.82 to 8.04). Conclusions Obesity and low MVPA were associated with CIPN in breast cancer patients who received taxane treatment.
Commissioning and operation of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter

The operation and general performance of the CMS electromagnetic calorimeter using cosmic-ray muons recorded after the closure of CMS in late 2008 are described. The overall status of the 75848 channels corresponding to the crystal barrel and endcap detectors is reported. The stability of crucial operational parameters, such as high voltage, temperature and electronic noise, is summarised and the performance of the light monitoring system is presented. The status of the barrel, endcap and preshower detectors following additional cosmic-ray muon tests in 2009 is also summarised.
Bifurcation for Semi-linear Elliptic Problems on an Infinite Strip Via the Nash-Moser Technique

Abstract The one-sided local bifurcation of decaying solutions (solitary waves) for a semi-linear elliptic boundary-value problem is established with an assumption of non-degeneracy. The Nash-Moser technique is used to overcome certain difficulties associated with the unboundedness of the domain and the long wavelength of the solution. The results of Kirchgdssner are thereby strengthened slightly.
Financing Government in a Federal System

(1981). Financing Government in a Federal System. Journal of Economic Issues: Vol. 15, The Papers of J. Fagg Foster, pp. 1106-1108.
Reactivation of Occult HBV Infection in Patients Cured of HCV With Direct-Acting Antivirals

The era of hepatitis C virus (HCV) treatment with direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy has remarkably improved liver-related morbidity and overall mortality with patients achieving rapid and sustained clearance of HCV infection. The initial DAA clinical trials excluded patients with hepatitis B virus (HBV) co-infection, and thus potential complications were unforeseen until case reports of HBV reactivation associated with DAA therapy began to emerge. A recent United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) drug safety communication has brought public attention to the issue of HBV reactivation in patients treated with DAA for HCV co-infection. Reactivation of HBV is well known to occur with a variety of immune-suppressive therapies notably in the context of cancer, rheumatologic treatments, and organ transplantation. While HBV reactivation in the setting of DAA therapy remains rare, the severity of hepatitis can be profound and deadly. Early recognition and treatment are keys to improving patient outcomes. Therefore, it is currently recommended to screen all patients for current or prior HBV infection prior to starting DAA therapy. If either hepatitis B surface antigen (HBsAg) or hepatitis B core antibody (anti-HBc) is positive, HBV DNA should be obtained. With active viremia, prophylactic therapy should be started with DAA treatment with an agent with a high barrier for resistance. If there is no evidence of active viremia, the risks and benefits of prophylactic therapy should be weighed. Those with positive HBsAg should consider prophylactic therapy. Those with an isolated anti-HBc in the absence of HBsAg have an option of monitoring their liver enzymes, HBV DNA, and HBsAg at regular intervals during DAA therapy. If prophylactic HBV therapy is initiated, it should be continued for at least 3 months after DAA therapy is complete. After this period, the risks and benefits of continuing their HBV therapy should be re-addressed.
Menaquinone/Ubiquinone Biosynthesis and Enzymology

The naphthoquinones, menaquinone (Vitamin-K2), demethylmenaquinone, and phylloquinone (Vitamin K1) as well as the benzoquinone, ubiquinone (Coenzyme Q) are derived from the shikimate pathway which has been described as a ‘metabolic tree with many branches’. Although menaquinone (MK) and demethylmenaquinone (DMK) are present in bacteria, phylloquinone (K) occurs in plants, algae, and cyanobacteria. The MK and K differ from each other in that the prenyl side chain of the former is replaced by a phytyl side chain in the latter. In prokaryotes, there are two different pathways for the biosynthesis of MK. Both pathways are branches of the shikimate pathway that diverges at chorismate and converges at DMK. Among the MK-producing bacteria, the vast majority so far examined biosynthesize the quinone by the o-succinylbenzoate (OSB) pathway, whereas a small group of organisms was shown to produce MK by the non-o-succinylbenzoate (non-OSB) pathway or futalosine pathway. The oxygenic photosynthetic organisms synthesize K exclusively by the OSB pathway. However, in plants four of the MK biosynthetic genes menF, menD, menC, and menH are fused into a single gene called PHYLLO. The quinone nucleus of Q is derived from chorismate through 4-hydroxybenzoate (4-HB). However, depending on the organism, the 4-HB can be synthesized by three different routes. In this chapter, the biosynthesis of the naphthoquinone ring of MK and K by the OSB or non-OSB pathways as well as the benzoquinone ring of Q is presented. A comparative analysis of Q biosynthesis between Escherichia coli (a prokaryote) and Saccharomyces cerevisiae (a eukaryote) is provided. The various enzymatic reactions involved in the OSB pathway of MK biosynthesis and that of Q are presented from a mechanistic perspective.
Some People Think There Is Neg Raising, and Some Don’t: Neg Raising Meets Ellipsis

The interaction of Neg raising (NR) with VP-ellipsis (VPE) shows that if NR is a rule of grammar, then the conditions on VPE must be exact syntactic identity and must be insensitive to major semant...
Void Formation and Growth in Thermoplastic Processing

A predictive model for moisture induced void formation and growth is presented. This model incorporates a one-dimensional sub-model for the desorption of moisture. The variation of diffusivity with temperature is accounted for in this sub-model, which shows that high heating rates do not allow sufficient time for desorption of moisture from the thermoplastic polymer/matrix. Thus, significant amounts of moisture are still present within the polymer, facilitating void nucleation at elevated temperatures. The moisture concentration profile obtained from this sub-model is coupled with classical nucleation theory, to enable prediction of whether moisture related voids will be nucleated as a function of the initial moisture profile in the material, the process temperature, applied pressure and the heating rate. If conditions for moisture related void nucleation are satisfied, the spatial location of the void within the polymer/matrix and the critical radius of the void nucleus are used in a void growth sub-model to track the growth of the voids as a function of the process conditions and time, thus giving the final void content of the part.
Experimental Studies of Implosion of Indirectly Driven DT-Filled Targets

It is an important subject at present in inertial confinement fusion (ICF) field that balloon targets are irradiated by laser to cause thermonuclear fusion. Laser driven modes may generally be divided into two kinds: indirect drive and direct drive according to process of energy transportation. Direct drive means: laser directly aims at fuel pellet, laser energy is conducted from absorption region to ablation surface by electron conduction. This is a drive mode with high efficiency, but the requirement for irradiation homogeneity is very strict. Indirect drive means: laser energy is first converted to X-ray energy, then fuel pellet contained in hohlraum target is driven by the X-ray. Indirect drive greatly reduces requirements for homogeneity and symmetry of beams, but it is a two-step process, and efficiency is probably low.
Introduction to Carbon Capture

The capture of CO2 is motivated by the forecasted change in climate as a result of the world’s dependence on fossil fuels for energy generation. Mitigation of CO2 emissions is the challenge of the future for stabilizing global warming. The separation of CO2 from gas mixtures is a commercial activity today in hydrogen, ammonia, and natural gas purification plants. Typically, the CO2 is vented to the atmosphere, but in some cases, it is captured and used. The current primary uses of CO2 include enhanced oil recovery (EOR) and the food industry (carbonated beverages). The traditional approach for CO2 capture for these uses is solvent-based absorption. It is unclear whether this technology will be the optimal choice to tackle the scale of CO2 emitted on an annual basis (~ 30 Gt worldwide). A new global interest in extending CO2 capture to power plants is producing a dramatic expansion in R&D and many new concepts associated with clean energy conversion processes. The application of CO2 capture technologies beyond concentrated sources is in view, but less tractable. The first and second laws of thermodynamics set boundaries on the minimum work required for CO2 separation. Real separation processes will come with irreversibilities and subsequent inefficiencies taking us further from best-case scenarios. The inefficiency of a given process reveals itself in the form of operating and maintenance, and capital costs.
Computational Human Geography

Computational human geography refers to the use of computational methods and techniques to solve problems in human geography research and applications. Geographic information systems (GIS) and science are a big part of computational human geography but the notion is considerably broader, encompassing spatial process modeling and simulation, the modeling of spatial decision and behavior, visualization techniques, most aspects of spatial analysis, and an increasing number of other areas. Computation in human geography goes back to the beginnings of the quantitative revolution and is philosophically related though methodologically distinct from it. Two major thrusts have persisted through the years: the use of numerical techniques to solve large, complex quantitative problems; and the development of models of complex spatial processes expressed directly in computational terms. Typical exponents of the latter kinds of applications are cellular automata models of urban and environmental processes, and agent-based models of spatial decision and behavior. More recent developments involve applications of mobile and portable computing. Critiques of computational human geography originate from both within the field and from the humanistic and social theory perspectives. The former address a number of epistemological and methodological problems while the latter tend to focus on issues of ontology and representation.
Increased production and reduced urinary buffering of acid in uric acid stone formers is ameliorated by pioglitazone

Idiopathic uric acid nephrolithiasis is characterized by an overly acidic urine pH caused by the combination of increased acid production and inadequate buffering of urinary protons by ammonia. A large proportion of uric acid stone formers exhibit features of the metabolic syndrome. We previously demonstrated that thiazolidinediones improved the urinary biochemical profile in an animal model of the metabolic syndrome. In this proof-of-concept study, we examined whether the thiazolidinedione pioglitazone can also ameliorate the overly acidic urine in uric acid stone formers. Thirty-six adults with idiopathic uric acid nephrolithiasis were randomized to pioglitazone 30 mg/day or matching placebo for 24 weeks. At baseline and study end, participants underwent collection of blood and 24-hour urine in an inpatient research unit while consuming a fixed metabolic diet, followed by assessment of the ammoniagenic response to an acute oral acid load. Twenty-eight participants completed the study. Pioglitazone treatment improved features of the metabolic syndrome. Pioglitazone also reduced net acid excretion and increased urine pH (5.37 to 5.59), the proportion of net acid excreted as ammonium, and ammonium excretion in response to an acute acid load, whereas these parameters were unchanged with placebo. Treatment of patients with idiopathic uric acid nephrolithiasis with pioglitazone for 24 weeks led to a reduction in the acid load presented to the kidney and a more robust ammoniagenesis and ammonium excretion, resulting in significantly higher urine pH. Future studies should consider the impact of this targeted therapy on uric acid stone formation.
Exact Recovery by Semidefinite Programming in the Binary Stochastic Block Model with Partially Revealed Side Information

We propose a semidefinite programming (SDP) approach to community detection in graphs in the presence of additional non-graphical side information, and analyze the corresponding exact recovery threshold. The community detection problem is considered in the context of the binary symmetric Stochastic Block Model (SBM), and the side information is in the form of partially revealed labels with erasure probability ϵ. Our results show that the semidefinite programming relaxation of the maximum likelihood estimator can achieve exact recovery down to the optimal threshold. The theoretical findings of this paper are validated via simulations on finite synthetic data-sets, showing that the asymptotic results of this paper can also shed light on the performance at finite n.
Complete Genome Sequence of Bacillus mycoides TH26, Isolated from a Permafrost Thaw Gradient

ABSTRACT Here, we describe the complete genome assembly of a Bacillus mycoides isolate collected from a boreal forest soil associated with permafrost thaw. Using only long-read Nanopore sequences and VolTRAX library preparation, we assembled two circular contigs totaling 5,789,722 bp (N50, 5,306,036), a complete chromosome with one plasmid.
The Impact of an Institutional Grant Program on the Economic, Social, and Cultural Capital of Women Researchers

Introduction: Early funding can have significant impact on a researcher's career. However, funding is not equal for men and women. Not only do female researchers apply for fewer grants than men, but they also experience a lower success rate when they do. The Zucker Grant Program (ZGP) was established in 2000 to promote the early success of women researchers. The purpose of this evaluation is to support other institutions hoping to grow the research careers of women scientists. Methods: This program evaluation reviewed the first 16 years of the program's history. Our mixed-methods, outcomes-based evaluation had four phases: (I) interviews with key stakeholders, (II) development and distribution of a survey to ZGP recipients, (III) focus groups and interviews with ZGP recipients, (IV) document analysis from the ZGP Center and the Tufts University School of Medicine (TUSM) Development Office. This article reports on the qualitative data collection and analysis. Results: Between 2000 and 2016, US$377,050 was awarded for 142 recipients. Qualitative data revealed how grant funding was critical to support pilot data in awardees' research to inform extramural grant applications. However, the program evaluation also identified effects on awardees' confidence as researchers and connection to a community. Conclusion: Outcomes are interpreted through the framework of Bourdieu's three forms of capital, including economic, social, and cultural capital. Viewed through this framework, they provide a critical infrastructure to the development and success of early career female investigators. This work offers other institutions a framework to consider when establishing intramural funding and support programs for their early career investigators.
Genome-wide misexpression associated with hybrid sterility in Mimulus (monkeyflower)

ABSTRACT Divergence in gene expression regulation is common between closely related species and may give rise to incompatibilities in their hybrid progeny. In this study, we investigated the relationship between regulatory evolution within species and reproductive isolation between species. We focused on a well-studied case of hybrid sterility between Mimulus guttatus and M. nasutus, two closely related yellow monkeyflower species, that is caused by two epistatic loci, hybrid male sterility 1 (hms1) and hybrid male sterility 2 (hms2). We quantified and compared global transcript abundance across male and female reproductive tissues (i.e. stamens and carpels) of M. guttatus and M. nasutus, as well as sterile and fertile progeny from an advanced M. nasutus-M. guttatus introgression line that carries the hms1-hms2 incompatibility. We observed substantial variation in transcript abundance between M. guttatus and M. nasutus, including distinct but overlapping patterns of tissue-biased expression, providing evidence for regulatory divergence between these species. Furthermore, we found pervasive genome-wide misexpression exclusively associated with hybrid sterility – only observed in the affected tissues (i.e. stamens) of sterile introgression hybrids. Examining patterns of allele-specific expression in sterile and fertile hybrids, we found evidence of cis- and trans- regulatory divergence, as well as cis-trans compensatory evolution (likely to be driven by stabilizing selection). However, regulatory divergence does not appear to cause misexpression in sterile hybrids, which instead likely manifests as a downstream consequence of sterility itself.
The role of walking experience on whole-body exploration and problem solving

Abstract One hundred and six infants with varied independent walking experience faced the problem of navigating a tunnel to reach a caregiver. Solving the task required infants to switch from standing to crawling so they could fit their bodies into the tunnel. Spontaneous exploratory behaviors were documented. Infants who did not immediately go through the tunnel received a strict 15-step training protocol to highlight relevant details of the task. Age and walk experience were entered as predictors into a series of stepwise regressions on measures of exploratory and problem-solving behaviors. In general, older infants were more successful than younger infants in completing the task. A significant nonlinear relationship was documented between walk experience and some outcome measures. Infants with a moderate amount of walk experience had more difficulty than those with very little or a lot. Microgenetically documenting problem solving as a function of experience revealed that attention is taxed during mastery of a motor skill. Availability of attentional resources, in turn, impacted walkers’ exploratory behaviors and ability to maintain problem-solving strategies.
“Yes, and … ”: continuing the scholarly conversation about teacher labor in PK-12 education *

Prior to my (Dannels’) daughter starting elementary school, I took on the challenge of finding a school as almost a full-blown research project. I toured multiple schools (we live in a school distr...
Induction of renal tumor necrosis factor-α and other autacoids and the beneficial effects of hypertonic saline in acute decompensated heart failure

Although administration of hypertonic saline (HSS) in combination with diuretics has yielded improved weight loss, preservation of renal function, and reduction in hospitalization time in the clini...
Your fairness may vary: Group fairness of pretrained language models in toxic text classification.

We study the performance-fairness trade-off in more than a dozen fine-tuned LMs for toxic text classification. We empirically show that no blanket statement can be made with respect to the bias of large versus regular versus compressed models. Moreover, we find that focusing on fairness-agnostic performance metrics can lead to models with varied fairness characteristics.
Maya: using formal control to obfuscate power side channels

The security of computers is at risk because of information leaking through their power consumption. Attackers can use advanced signal measurement and analysis to recover sensitive data from this side channel. To address this problem, this paper presents Maya, a simple and effective defense against power side channels. The idea is to use formal control to re-shape the power dissipated by a computer in an application-transparent manner---preventing attackers from learning any information about the applications that are running. With formal control, a controller can reliably keep power close to a desired target function even when runtime conditions change unpredictably. By selecting the target function intelligently, the controller can make power to follow any desired shape, appearing to carry activity information which, in reality, is unrelated to the application. Maya can be implemented in privileged software, firmware, or simple hardware. In this paper, we implement Maya on three machines using privileged threads only, and show its effectiveness and ease of deployment. Maya has already thwarted a newly-developed remote power attack.
Near-earth magnetic disturbance in total field at high latitudes. I - Summary of data from Ogo 2, 4, and 6. II - Interpretation of data from Ogo 2, 4, and 6

A complete survey of the near-earth magnetic field magnitude was carried out by the Polar Orbiting Geophysical Observatories (Ogo 2, 4, and 6). The average properties of variations in total magnetic field strength at invariant latitudes greater than 55 deg are given. Data from all degrees of magnetic disturbance are included, the emphasis being on periods when Kp = 2- to 3+. Although individual satellite passes at low altitudes confirm the existence of electrojet currents, neither individual satellite passes nor contours of average delta B are consistent with latitudinally narrow electrojet currents as the principal source of delta B at the satellite. The total field variations at the satellite form a region of positive delta B between about 2200 and 1000 MLT and a region of negative delta B between about 1000 and 2200 MLT. The ratio of delta B magnitudes in these positive and negative regions is variable.
Patient-Centered Outcomes of Deep Brain Stimulation in Parkinson’s Disease. (P1.174)

OBJECTIVE: To determine long-term patient-centered outcomes of bilateral STN DBS in PD, emphasizing satisfaction, quality-of-life and disability. BACKGROUND: STN DBS is effective for motor symptoms of PD but long-term patient-centered outcomes are lacking. DESIGN/METHODS: We developed a survey to query satisfaction in patients >5 years post-DBS, questioning expectations, satisfaction, willingness to hypothetically undergo DBS again, timing of DBS, and confidence in recommending DBS. Patients used scores from 0-10, whereby 0 represented the most ‘positive’ answer. Pre-operative PDQ-39 (quality-of-life, lower score better), UPDRS-II (disability, lower score better), S&E (disability, higher score better) scales were repeated at time of survey. We will report on 100 consecutive patients in this ongoing study. Current data were analyzed using simple comparison. Regression analyses will be used with the future larger data set. RESULTS: 11 patients (mean 9.7±2.7 years post-DBS) completed this ongoing study thus far. Satisfaction was high with median score (range) of 0/10 (0-5) at 1 year, and 1/10 (0-5) at time of survey. Expectation was also high with median score of 3/10 (0-10), but satisfaction still exceeded expectation by 18.18[percnt] after 1 yr and 12.40[percnt] at time of survey. Patients endorsed their decision to undergo DBS, score 0/10, (0-2), would proceed with surgery again, 0/10 (0-4), would have preferred DBS earlier, 2/10 (0-10) and would recommend DBS to others, 0/10 (0-2). Median (range) PDQ-39 scores were 34.24 (22.66-61.67) pre-operatively and 25.11 (12.66-64.38) at time of survey. UPDRS-II-OFF/ON scores were 23/9 (13-32/2-15) pre-operatively and 22/14 (20-27/10-17) at time of survey. S&E-OFF/ON scores were 60[percnt]/90[percnt] (40-90[percnt]/80-100[percnt]) pre-operatively and 50[percnt]/60[percnt] (25-90[percnt]/30-90[percnt]) at time of survey. CONCLUSION: Preliminary results demonstrate that satisfaction with DBS is maintained 9.7±2.7 years after surgery. In general, patients would choose to have surgery again, at an earlier time, and recommend DBS to others. Quality-of-life was maintained as well despite increasing disability. Disclosure: Dr. Karl has nothing to disclose. Dr. Ouyang has nothing to disclose. Dr. Verhagen has received personal compensation for activities with Medtronic Inc., St. Jude Medical, and Depomed as a consultant. Dr. Verhagen has received research support from Medtronic Inc., Adamas Pharmaceuticals, Avanir Pharmaceuticals, US WorldMeds
Finite Element Aircraft Simulation of Turbulence

A turbulence model has been developed for realtime aircraft simulation that accommodates stochastic turbulence and distributed discrete gusts as a function of the terrain. This model is applicable to conventional aircraft, V/STOL aircraft, and disc rotor model helicopter simulations. Vehicle angular activity in response to turbulence is computed from geometrical and temporal relationships rather than by using the conventional continuum approximations that assume uniform gust immersion and low frequency responses. By using techniques similar to those recently developed for blade-element rotor models, the angular-rate filters of conventional turbulence models are not required. The model produces rotational rates as well as air mass translational velocities in response to both stochastic and deterministic disturbances, where the discrete gusts and turbulence magnitudes may be correlated with significant terrain features or ship models. Assuming isotropy, a two-dimensional vertical turbulence field is created. A novel Gaussian interpolation technique is used to distribute vertical turbulence on the wing span or lateral rotor disc, and this distribution is used to compute roll responses. Air mass velocities are applied at significant centers of pressure in the computation of the aircraft's pitch and roll responses.
On LQG control with communication power constraint

We study the problem of LQG control under communication power constraints by naturally extending the LQG cost to include a penalty for communication power. Our problem formulation is inspired by classical LQG control and optimal sensor selection. We study the computational complexity of the resulting optimization by examining its convexity. Although in high dimensional systems, the optimization problem is not known to be convex, we show that the special case of unstable scalar systems yields a convex optimization problem.
Siroheme and Sirohydrochlorin: THE BASIS FOR A NEW TYPE OF PORPHYRIN-RELATED PROSTHETIC GROUP COMMON TO BOTH ASSIMILATORY AND DISSIMILATORY SULFITE REDUCTASES

Abstract The assimilatory NADPH-sulfite reductase (EC 1.8.1.2) of Escherichia coli has been shown to contain a novel heme prosthetic group, characterized as an iron-tetrahydro-porphyrin (isobacteriochlorin type) with eight carboxylate side chains (Murphy, M. J., Siegel, L. M., Kamin, H., and Rosenthal, D. (1973) J. Biol. Chem. 248, 2801). A novel heme with identical spectral properties has now been identified as the prosthetic group of the dissimilatory sulfite reductase of Desulfotomaculum nigrificans (P-582). In contrast, extraction of the dissimilatory sulfite reductase of Desulfovibrio gigas (desulfoviridin) yields a chromophore with absorption and fluorescence spectra and chromatographic properties indistinguishable from those found with the tetrahydroporphyrin moieties obtained by demetallization of the E. coli sulfite reductase and P-582 hemes. Iron can be inserted into the methyl ester of the extracted desulfoviridin chromophore to form a heme ester; absorption spectra of this compound in two solvents are closely similar to those of E. coli sulfite reductase and P-582 hemes under the same conditions. It is concluded that both assimilatory and dissimilatory sulfite reductases contain a common type of tetrahydroporphyrin-based prosthetic group. The name "sirohydrochlorin" has been given to this new class of tetrahydroporphyrin compound. Since the tetrapyrrolic prosthetic groups of the sulfite reductases of E. coli and Desulfotomaculum nigrificans are clearly iron-chelates of sirohydrochlorin, these compounds have been given the name "siroheme." It is not clear as yet whether the tetrapyrrolic prosthetic group of desulfoviridin is present in the enzyme as the free sirohydrochlorin or a metal complex thereof.
Effects of Hypophysectomy on Amino Acid Metabolism and Gluconeogenesis in the Perfused Rat Liver

The effects of hypophysectomy on amino acid metabolism were studied both in vivo and in the perfused rat liver. Hypophysectomized rats exhibited elevated plasma urea concentrations and reduced plasma and liver amino acid levels, while perfused livers from these animals showed enhanced rates of amino acid uptake. No effect of hypophysectomy on hepatic amino acid transport was noted, suggesting that the enhanced hepatic amino acid uptake resulted from an increased flux through the metabolic pathway (or pathways) operating in the liver. Livers from hypophysectomized rats produced substantially more glucose and urea than livers from normal animals when both were perfused with medium containing various levels of amino acids. The rate of glucose synthesis from either labeled alanine, pyruvate, glutamate, or aspartate was stimulated 3- to 4-fold in livers from hypophysectomized rats, showing an increased flux of amino acids through the pathway of gluconeogenesis. Treatment of hypophysectomized rats with growth hormone for 2 days returned the rate of gluconeogenesis from alanine toward normal, although the reversion was incomplete. The data suggested that the enhanced hepatic utilization of amino acids following hypophysectomy resulted from increased metabolism of the compounds in the liver, involving increased fluxes through the pathways of gluconeogenesis and ureogenesis.
A Review of “The Constitutional Origins of the American Revolution”

Jack Greene is an eminent scholar of early America's social, political, and intellectual history and an emeritus professor at Johns Hopkins University. In The Constitutional Origins of the American...
Third Parties, War Systems' Inertia, and Conflict Termination: The Doomed Peace Process in Colombia, 1998-2002

This article discusses the role of third-party interventions in the failed peace process of Colombia that took place between 1998 and 2002. It analyses how both neutral and biased interventions impacted upon conflict dynamics. The article demonstrates that the neutral intervention was limited to the initiation of the peace talks and intermittent particularly in its final phase, while the biased intervention, led by the US, changed the incentive structure of the actors involved, creating hopes among the hard liners that the US could help them in winning the war. In hindsight, this biased intervention failed to tip the balance of power, but contributed to the derailment of the peace process. This article argues that third party intervention, particularly the biased intervention, failed to dismantle the war system. Instead, it has brought the Colombian war system into a phase of fluctuating stalemate, characterized by renewed volatility and violence.
Intracellular Production of Brucella L Forms I. Recovery of L Forms from Tissue Culture Cells Infected with Brucella abortus

Abstract Hatten, Betty A. (The University of Texas Southwestern Medical School, Dallas), and S. Edward Sulkin. Intracellular production of Brucella L forms. I. Recovery of L forms from tissue culture cells infected with Brucella abortus. J. Bacteriol. 91:285–296. 1966.—Infectivity of virulent Brucella abortus strain 3183 was less for hamster macrophages after a 2-hr adsorption period than for an attenuated strain (S19) and its tissue culture variant (30). Both strains S19 and 30 were very toxic for the cells, but 3183 was not toxic. Two types of L forms were recovered from a large percentage of hamster kidney cell cultures when disintegration of infected cells was accelerated by tissue culture medium of high pH. One type grew in finely granular microcolonies, was isolated from cells infected for short periods of time, and often reverted to the bacterial form. The other type occurred in small irregularly shaped forms which later developed into round bodies. Both stained specifically with fluorescein-conjugated B. abortus antiserum. Semisolid media containing 0.7% agar provided optimal subsurface L-form growth. L forms also grew well in Thioglycollate Medium but grew poorly in other liquid media. Surface L-form growth was supported by several agar media, but CO2 was required for optimal growth. Monolayers infected with strain 3183 and examined immediately after adsorption contained occasional small, round bodies. Bizarre forms increased in number with time and, after 24 to 72 hr, large pink-staining inclusions were often present which persisted for several days. Also appearing at about the same time were smaller, dark-staining forms which were first seen in clusters but later dispersed and finally occurred in chainlike configurations. Direct fluorescent-antibody stains of infected cells established that the intracellular forms were related to the infecting strain of B. abortus.
Thermal convection in ice sheets: we look but do not see

Thermal convection in the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets has been dismissed on the grounds that radio-echo stratigraphy is undisturbed for long distances. However, the undisturbed stratigraphy lies, for the most part, above the density inversion in polar ice sheets and therefore does not disprove convection. An echo-free zone is widespread below the density inversion, yet nobody has cited this as a strong indication that convection is indeed present at depth. A generalized Rayleigh criterion for thermal convection in elastic-viscoplastic polycrystalline solids heated from below is developed and applied to ice-sheet convection. An infinite Rayleigh number at the onset of primary creep decreases with time and becomes constant when secondary creep dominates, suggesting that any thermal buoyancy stress can initiate convection but convection cannot be sustained below a buoyancy stress of about 3 kPa. An analysis of the temperature profile down the Byrd Station core hole suggests that about 1000 m of ice below the density inversion will sustain convection. Creep along the Byrd Station strain network, radar sounding in East Antarctica, and seismic sounding in West Antarctica are examined for evidence of convective creep superimposed on advective creep. It is concluded that the evidence for convection is there, if we look for it with the intention of finding it.
Statins in the Reduction of Cardiovascular Events

The major advances in coronary heart disease (CHD) diagnosis and treatment in the past half-century include the detection of thrombosis or a mechanism of acute coronary syndromes that leads to heart attacks and discovery of major risk factors that leads to progression of atherosclerosis. Next was the role of aspirin in prevention. The most eradicable risk factor is smoking cessation in the prevention of CHD. Most modifiable risk factor is lipoprotein (LDL)-cholesterol reduction that has been shown to cause regression of atherosclerosis and reduction in cardiac events. Statins play a major role in reducing LDL-cholesterol, hence reducing cardiac events in every study. Statins not only have their effects through LDL-cholesterol reduction, but have LDL-cholesterol-independent effects. The significance of the pleitropic effects is not well defined. Statins are, nonetheless, the only class of drugs that has been shown to consistently reduce CHD risk. Keywords: coronary heart disease; low-density lipoprotein (LDL); very low-density lipoprotein (VLDL); high-density lipoprotein (HDL); statins