cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Beyond eye gaze: What else can eyetracking reveal about cognition and cognitive development?

This review provides an introduction to two eyetracking measures that can be used to study cognitive development and plasticity: pupil dilation and spontaneous blink rate. We begin by outlining the rich history of gaze analysis, which can reveal the current focus of attention as well as cognitive strategies. We then turn to the two lesser-utilized ocular measures. Pupil dilation is modulated by the brain’s locus coeruleus-norepinephrine system, which controls physiological arousal and attention, and has been used as a measure of subjective task difficulty, mental effort, and neural gain. Spontaneous eyeblink rate correlates with levels of dopamine in the central nervous system, and can reveal processes underlying learning and goal-directed behavior. Taken together, gaze, pupil dilation, and blink rate are three non-invasive and complementary measures of cognition with high temporal resolution and well-understood neural foundations. Here we review the neural foundations of pupil dilation and blink rate, provide examples of their usage, describe analytic methods and methodological considerations, and discuss their potential for research on learning, cognitive development, and plasticity.
Associations between pathologic tumor features and preadjuvant therapy cognitive performance in women diagnosed with breast cancer

Intertumor heterogeneity has been proposed as a potential mechanism to account for variability in cognitive performance in women diagnosed with breast cancer. The purpose of this study was to explore associations between variation in pathologic tumor features (PTFs) and variability in preadjuvant therapy cognitive performance in postmenopausal women newly diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer. Participants (N = 329) completed a comprehensive battery of neuropsychological tests to evaluate cognitive performance after primary surgery but prior to initiation of adjuvant anastrozole±chemotherapy. PTF data were abstracted from medical records. Robust multiple linear regression models were fit to estimate associations between individual PTFs and the cognitive function composite domain scores. All models controlled for age, estimated intelligence, and levels of depressive symptoms, anxiety, fatigue, and pain. Diagnosis of a HER2-positive tumor contributed to poorer verbal (b = -0.287, P = 0.018), visual (b = -0.270, P = 0.001), and visual working (b = -0.490, P < 0.001) memory performance compared to diagnosis of a HER2-negative tumor. Similarly, as HER2 immunohistochemistry classification score increased, verbal (b = -0.072, P = 0.093), visual (b = -0.081, P = 0.003), and visual working (b = -0.170, P < 0.001) memory performance score decreased. Associations with performance were also noted between location, focality/centricity, hormone receptor expression, cellular proliferation (i.e., Ki67), and Oncotype DX® Breast Cancer Assay Recurrence Score® .) Our results suggest that certain PTFs related to more aggressive tumor phenotypes or inferior breast cancer prognosis may be implicated in poorer preadjuvant therapy cognitive performance. Follow-up studies that include a cognitive assessment before primary surgery should be conducted to further delineate the role of intertumor heterogeneity on cognitive performance.
Solving F ( z + 1) = b F(z) in the complex plane

The generalized tetration, defined by the equation F(z+1) = b F(z) in the complex plane with F(0) = 1, is considered for any b > e 1/e . By comparing other solutions to Kneser’s solution, natural conditions are found which force Kneser’s solution to be the unique solution to the equation. This answers a conjecture posed by Trappmann and Kouznetsov. Also, a new iteration method is developed which numerically approximates the function F(z) with an error of less than 10−50 for most bases b, using only 180 nodes, with each iteration gaining one or two places of accuracy. This method can be applied to other problems involving the Abel equation.
Predicting Ga and Cu Profiles in Co-Evaporated Cu(In,Ga)Se2 Using Modified Diffusion Equations and a Spreadsheet

Cu(In,Ga)Se2 (CIGS) photovoltaic absorbers frequently develop Ga gradients during growth. These gradients vary as a function of growth recipe, and are important to device performance. Prediction of Ga profiles using classic diffusion equations is not possible because In and Ga atoms occupy the same lattice sites and thus diffuse interdependently, and there is not yet a detailed experimental knowledge of the chemical potential as a function of composition that describes this interaction. We show how diffusion equations can be modified to account for site sharing between In and Ga atoms. The analysis has been implemented in an Excel spreadsheet, and outputs predicted Cu, In, and Ga profiles for entered deposition recipes. A single set of diffusion coefficients and activation energies are chosen, such that simulated elemental profiles track with published data and those from this study. Extent and limits of agreement between elemental profiles predicted from the growth recipes and the spreadsheet tool are demonstrated.
Giant Magnetoresistive Biosensor Array for Detecting Magnetorelaxation

In this paper, a time-domain magnetorelaxometry biosensing scheme is presented using giant magnetoresistive (GMR) sensors to measure the fast relaxation response of superparamagnetic magnetic nanoparticles (MNPs) in a pulsed magnetic field. The system consists of an 8 × 10 GMR sensor array, a Helmholtz coil, an electromagnet driver, and an integrator-based analog front-end needed to capture the fast relaxation dynamics of MNPs. A custom designed electromagnet driver and Helmholtz coil improve the switch-off speed to >5 Oe/μs, limiting the dead zone time to <10 μs, and thus enables the system to monitor fast relaxation processes of 30 nm MNPs. A magnetic correlated double sampling technique is proposed to reduce sensor-to-sensor variation by 99.98% while also reducing temperature drift, circuit offset, and nonlinearity below the noise level. An optimum integration time is calculated and experimentally verified to maximize the SNR. Experiments with dried MNPs have shown successful relaxation detection, and immunoassay experiments have demonstrated their binding kinetics.
Differential UBE2C and HOXA1 expression in melanocytic nevi and melanoma.

Background Recent molecular advances suggest that Spitz nevi and other spitzoid neoplasms are biologically distinct from melanoma and conventional nevi. The ubiquitin ligase UBE2C and the homeobox transcription factor HOXA1 are candidate oncogenes in melanoma. Methods Using RNA expression analysis and immunohistochemistry, we evaluated these biomarkers in Spitz nevi (n = 20), melanoma (n = 20), and by immunohistochemistry in conventional nevi (n = 20). Results RNA analysis with branched DNA multiplex assay identified upregulation of UBE2C in melanomas vs Spitz nevi (P = .003), whereas HOXA1 was downregulated in melanoma (P < .0001). Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed increased nuclear expression of UBE2C in melanoma (mean = 18% of cells; range 3%-44%) when compared with Spitz nevi (mean = 9%; range 2%-28%; P = .001) and conventional nevi (mean = 1.5%; range 0-9%; P < .0001). Strong UBE2C staining was identified in cells undergoing mitosis. UBE2C RNA and protein detection correlated with mitotic rate (P < .0001). On the other hand, HOXA1 nuclear staining was low in melanoma (mean = 69%; range 5%-100%) when compared with Spitz nevi (mean = 94%; range 66%-100%; P = .0024) and conventional nevi (mean = 94%; range 83%-99%; P = .009). Conclusions UBE2C and HOXA1 RNA and protein are differentially expressed in conventional and Spitz nevi and melanoma.
Esophageal Squamous Cell Carcinoma Presenting with Streptococcus intermedius Cerebral Abscess.

Background. Cerebral abscess is caused by inoculation of an organism into the brain parenchyma from a site distant from the central nervous system. Streptococcus intermedius (S. intermedius) is a commensal organism that is normally present in the aerodigestive tract and was reported to be the cause of brain abscesses after esophageal dilatation or upper endoscopy. Case Presentation. We report the case of a 53-year-old female who presented with hematemesis and melena followed by left-sided weakness. Initially, her hemiplegia was found to be secondary to a right thalamic brain abscess caused by S. intermedius. Investigations led to the diagnosis of a mid-esophageal squamous cell carcinoma. We hypothesize that the cause of the abscess with this bacterium that naturally resides in the digestive tract and oral cavity is secondary to hematogenous spread from breach in the mucosal integrity from ulceration due to the cancer. Conclusion. To our knowledge, our case is the first in the literature to describe a brain abscess caused by S. intermedius in association with a previously undiagnosed esophageal squamous cell carcinoma without any prior esophageal intervention.
The Impact of a Course on Nature of Science Pedagogical Views and Rationales

This study explored changes in preservice teachers’ (PSTs) nature of science pedagogical (NOSP) views and nature of science (NOS) rationales using pre- and post-course written responses as well as interview data. Through systematic analysis, themes were generated and compared to the NOS literature. Comparisons between pre- and post-course data demonstrate improved and deepened NOS views, NOSP views that are more aligned with NOS literature, and a greater number of rationales for including NOS. All participants were enrolled in the “Inquiry and Natures of Science, Technology, and Engineering” (INSTE) course. However, six participants were enrolled in INSTE as their first course in which NOS and NOSP were addressed. The other six participants were enrolled in INSTE as their second course in which NOS and NOSP were addressed, with science methods as their first course in which NOS and NOSP were addressed. By comparing participants enrolled in INSTE as their first course to those enrolled in INSTE as their second course, we observed that NOS understanding seemed to develop in a first experience alongside some NOS rationales, but NOSP views lagged for participants in INSTE as their first course. Participants enrolled in INSTE as their second course developed more robust and literature-aligned NOSP views and more multifaceted NOS rationales. Therefore, this study bolsters arguments that teachers need to receive extended NOS and NOSP instruction.
Activation of intestinal tuft cell-expressed Sucnr1 triggers type 2 immunity in the mouse small intestine.

The hallmark features of type 2 mucosal immunity include intestinal tuft and goblet cell expansion initiated by tuft cell activation. How infectious agents that induce type 2 mucosal immunity are detected by tuft cells is unknown. Published microarray analysis suggested that succinate receptor 1 (Sucnr1) is specifically expressed in tuft cells. Thus, we hypothesized that the succinate–Sucnr1 axis may be utilized by tuft cells to detect certain infectious agents. Here we confirmed that Sucnr1 is specifically expressed in intestinal tuft cells but not in other types of intestinal epithelial cells, and demonstrated that dietary succinate induces tuft and goblet cell hyperplasia via Sucnr1 and the tuft cell-expressed chemosensory signaling elements gustducin and Trpm5. Conventional mice with a genetic Sucnr1 deficiency (Sucnr1−/−) showed diminished immune responses to treatment with polyethylene glycol and streptomycin, which are known to enhance microbiota-derived succinate, but responded normally to inoculation with the parasitic worm Nippostrongylus brasiliensis that also produces succinate. Thus, Sucnr1 is required for microbiota-induced but not for a generalized worm-induced type 2 immunity.
Cytokine Gene Therapy of Cancer

Host effector cell populations have received intensive scrutiny in the past decade as investigators have tried new modalities able to destroy tumour cells. A hormone originally called T-cell growth factor and now known as Interleukin-2 (IL-2) was noticed to be capable of inducing in vitro proliferation of these cells. These IL-2 responsive cells and others, such as LAK cells and NK cells, have been used in a multitude of approaches in an attempt to generate antitumour responses in the host [1–4].
Orr’s Laws (2004)

F ifteen years or so after its founding, the editorial staff of Conservation Biology decided to undertake an extensive review of the journal to assess its ftness as a medium of scientific communication. As part of the exercise, reviewers were asked to evaluate the 47 columns I’d written for the journal up to that time. Responses ranged from those saying such things as “I subscribe to Conservation Biology solely for David Orr’s essays” and his “column is the first part I eagerly flip to” and “keep Orr as long as you can” to one saying that “folks such as David Orr are such hypocritical, unpatriotic blows as to make me sick.… He and his Saab-driving, white zinfandel–sipping bunch of pseudo-intellectual know-it-all, sanctimonious culls &” and so forth. Actually, at the time I drove a Ford Ranger pickup truck (I now drive a Prius and do, indeed, feel much more sanctimonious), and generally prefer a fine cabernet or pinot. Notwithstanding, I thought it a good time to reflect on what I’d learned over those years from comments from readers and editors alike, and from what I hoped suggested a process of thoughtful maturing, not merely aging.
Visual Cues and the Candidate Evaluation Process

There was a time when politicians conveyed their message to the American public predominantly through newspaper and radio communication. This is no longer the case today. Most American citizens encounter political events through their television sets, and television news plays a central role in bringing political events to the attention of the American electorate (Ansolabeher, Behr, & Iyengar, 1993). The increasing importance of television has influenced many facets of the political communication process. For one thing, politicians must learn to project a positive image if they are to succeed in gaining (and maintaining) their political office. As noted by Masters, Frey, & Bente (1991), television emphasizes the visible and especially nonverbal cues of political leadership. Given these considerations, it is not surprising that President Reagan sought the expertise of Tuesday Team Incorporated—a prominent Madison Avenue group that specializes in creating attractive televised images.
On Volterra-Lotka differential equations and multiplicative algorithms for monotone complementarity problems

We study multiplicative iterative algorithms for the solution of strongly inverse monotone complementarity problems. The guiding principle in our analysis is the connection with differential equations of Volterra-Lotka type and their Lyapunov functions. The results are applied to linear complementarity problems with monotone resp. diagonally dominant coefficient matrices.
Natural variability in seizure frequency: Implications for trials and placebo.

Abstract Background : Changes in patient-reported seizure frequencies are the gold standard used to test efficacy of new treatments in randomized controlled trials (RCTs). Recent analyses of patient seizure diary data suggest that the placebo response may be attributable to natural fluctuations in seizure frequency, though the evidence is incomplete. Here we develop a data-driven statistical model and assess the impact of the model on interpretation of placebo response. Methods A synthetic seizure diary generator matching statistical properties seen across multiple epilepsy diary datasets was constructed. The model was used to simulate the placebo arm of 5000 RCTs. A meta-analysis of 23 historical RCTs was compared to the simulations. Results The placebo 50 %-responder rate (RR50) was 27.3 ± 3.6 % (simulated) and 21.1 ± 10.0 % (historical). The placebo median percent change (MPC) was 22.0 ± 6.0 % (simulated) and 16.7 ± 10.3 % (historical). Conclusions A statistical model of daily seizure count generation which incorporates quantities related to the natural fluctuations of seizure count data produces a placebo response comparable to those seen in historical RCTs. This model may be useful in better understanding the seizure count fluctuations seen in patients in other clinical settings.
Integrated intervention for comorbid posttraumatic stress disorder and fibromyalgia: A pilot study of women veterans.

Objective Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) are two commonly co-occurring conditions among women veterans. Each contributes to functional impairment that is compounded in those with both diagnoses. This emphasizes the need for integrated evidence-based treatments aimed at reducing symptoms of both. This pilot study examined feasibility and preliminary effectiveness of an integrated treatment combining elements of cognitive behavioral therapy for chronic pain and cognitive processing therapy in a small sample of women veterans with PTSD and FMS. Method Participants completed 12 sessions of an integrated treatment for PTSD and FMS, and symptoms of PTSD, FMS, and depression were evaluated using the PTSD Checklist-Civilian (PCL-C), Fibromyalgia Impact Questionnaire-Revised (FIQR), and Patient Health Questionnaire-9 (PHQ-9), respectively. Data were analyzed by identification of trends in scores due to small sample size. Results Five of 11 eligible veterans completed all 12 sessions of the treatment. The mean pretreatment score on the FIQR was 82.81, and the mean pretreatment PCL-C score was 72.5. At posttreatment, the mean FIQR score decreased to 68.9 and the PCL-C score decreased to 60.8. The average reduction on PHQ-9 scores was 11 points, and all participants reported high satisfaction with treatment. Conclusions Preliminary results suggest that integrated treatment of PTSD and FMS symptoms may help to improve chronic pain, PTSD, and depressive symptoms in women veterans with PTSD, in light of several identified limitations. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2020 APA, all rights reserved).
EXTRINSIC COMPRESSION OF CIRCUMFLEX CORONARY ARTERY BY MYCOTIC AORTIC SINUS ANEURYSM

Myocardial infarction due to extrinsic left circumflex artery (LCX) compression by mycotic left aortic sinus of valsava aneurysm (SVA) is rare. A 42 year old male with end stage renal disease on chronic hemodialysis is admitted on 4/3/19 for methicillin sensitive Staphylococcus aureus endocarditis
Prevalence of anxiety, depression and suicidal behaviors among Brazilian undergraduate students: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Background The university context can be an overwhelming background, being especially harmful to undergraduates’ mental health. Considering that several studies have reported on the prevalence of psychological distress among Brazilian undergraduate students, this study aimed to conduct a systematic review and meta-analysis of the prevalence and associated factors of anxiety, depression and suicidal behavior in this population. Methods Studies reporting on the prevalence of anxiety, depression and suicidal behavior and its associated factors among Brazilian undergraduate students were systematically searched in scientific electronic databases. Pooled prevalence was calculated using a random-effects meta-analysis. Individual associated factors were summarized, and study characteristics associated with outcome prevalence were tested through meta-regression analysis. Results Forty-seven articles were included, of which 44 were meta-analyzed (37,486 undergraduates). The pooled prevalence estimates of anxiety, depression and suicidal behavior were 37.75%, 28.51%, and 9.10%, respectively. Meta-regression analysis showed that investigations with probabilistic samples presented a higher prevalence of anxiety and that studies conducted within public institutions and with samples of exclusively medical students presented higher frequencies of depression. Limitations Cross-sectional data do not allow the establishment of temporality and causal inference. Furthermore, the high heterogeneity of the included studies may also constitute a weakness of this review. Conclusions The prevalence of anxiety, depression and suicidal behavior among Brazilian undergraduates was high. These results have scientific and practical implications, the former regarding the need for the standardization of the methodology of studies and the latter regarding the need for comprehensive mental health care for Brazilian undergraduates.
Anatomy and Pathophysiology of ATOS

The anatomy and pathophysiology of ATOS is centered on congenital bony anomalies such as cervical and anomalous first ribs. These ribs lie just inferior to the subclavian artery causing the artery to constantly beat against the rib. This results in damage to the inferior wall of the artery which becomes fibrotic and eventually stenotic. The resulting turbulent flow induces vibrations leading to the histologic changes in the artery causing post-stenotic dilatation and aneurysm formation. Both stenosis and aneurysms can produce non-occlusive arterial thrombosis which is the source of distal emboli and subsequent digital ischemia or even limb ischemia.
Thinking Like (Law-And-) Economists – Legal Rules, Economic Prescriptions and Public Perceptions of Fairness

Using vignettes that are based on seminal cases in law and economics, I find that judicial decisions across different areas of the common law are considered to be fairer when they follow prescriptions for efficiency based on law-and-economic reasoning. Vignettes describe legal disputes and require respondents to rate the fairness of a judge’s resolution. For each vignette, fairness ratings are compared across a version that follows a particular economic prescription and a version that does not, with differences across versions generated by subtle changes in context that are motivated by the economic logic that either was used in the relevant case’s actual judicial opinion or has been applied to the case by scholars of law and economics. The results suggest that the economic logic that underlies the Coase theorem, the Hand rule and the foreseeability doctrine, and generates prescriptions for efficient use of strict product liability and efficient breach of contract, aligns with lay intuitions of fairness. The results also identify two areas, fugitive property and punitive damages, where law-and-economic prescriptions do not align with perceptions of fairness.
Sums of Powers Via Matrices

Power sums of integers have always been fascinating for professional mathematicians and amateurs alike. There is something intriguing about these sums, a mixture of complexity and simplicity that h...
Tertiary Lymphoid Organs Orchestrate Altered Gut to Lymph Node Communication Through Association With Collecting Lymphatic Vessels

Tertiary lymphoid organs often arise during chronic inflammation, including in inflammatory bowel diseases like ileitis. The impact of TLOs on disease progression or immunity and how they integrate with or influence the surrounding tissue microenvironment remain unclear. In human Crohn's disease, we earlier observed that TLOs were positioned along mesenteric collecting lymphatic vessels (CLVs) that govern lymph outflow from the intestine. Here we show in the TNFΔARE mouse model of Crohn’s-like ileitis that TLOs form at valve regions of CLVs, supporting lymphangiogenic outgrowths. These TLOs compress CLVs, preventing forward lymph flow and immune cell egress to draining lymph nodes, while fostering lymph leak and backflow. Lymph transport through TLOs was restored if TNF neutralization was begun early. However, robustly developed TLOs resisted regression and restoration of flow. Thus, TLOs can profoundly remodel communication between tissues and their draining lymph nodes by strongly suppressing dissemination of cells and molecules.
Recent Advances in the Application of CRISPR/Cas9 Gene Editing System in Poultry Species

CRISPR/Cas9 system genome editing is revolutionizing genetics research in a wide spectrum of animal models in the genetic era. Among these animals, is the poultry species. CRISPR technology is the newest and most advanced gene-editing tool that allows researchers to modify and alter gene functions for transcriptional regulation, gene targeting, epigenetic modification, gene therapy, and drug delivery in the animal genome. The applicability of the CRISPR/Cas9 system in gene editing and modification of genomes in the avian species is still emerging. Up to date, substantial progress in using CRISPR/Cas9 technology has been made in only two poultry species (chicken and quail), with chicken taking the lead. There have been major recent advances in the modification of the avian genome through their germ cell lineages. In the poultry industry, breeders and producers can utilize CRISPR-mediated approaches to enhance the many required genetic variations towards the poultry population that are absent in a given poultry flock. Thus, CRISPR allows the benefit of accessing genetic characteristics that cannot otherwise be used for poultry production. Therefore CRISPR/Cas9 becomes a very powerful and robust tool for editing genes that allow for the introduction or regulation of genetic information in poultry genomes. However, the CRISPR/Cas9 technology has several limitations that need to be addressed to enhance its use in the poultry industry. This review evaluates and provides a summary of recent advances in applying CRISPR/Cas9 gene editing technology in poultry research and explores its potential use in advancing poultry breeding and production with a major focus on chicken and quail. This could aid future advancements in the use of CRISPR technology to improve poultry production.
A Direct Numerical Study of Transport and Anisotropy in a Stably Stratified Turbulent Flow with Uniform Horizontal Shear

Direct numerical simulations of homogeneous turbulence in stably stratified shear flow have been performed to aid the understanding of turbulence and turbulent mixing in geophysical flow. Two cases are compared. In the first case, which has been studied in the past, the mean velocity has vertical shear and the mean density is vertically stably stratified. In the second case, which has not been studied systematically before, the mean velocity has horizontal shear and the mean density is again vertically stably stratified. The critical value of the gradient Richardson number, for which a constant turbulence level is obtained, is found to be an order of magnitude larger in the horizontal shear case. The turbulent transport coefficients of momentum and vertical mass transfer are also an order of magnitude larger in the horizontal shear case. The anisotropy of the turbulence intensities are found to be in the range expected of flows with mean shear with no major qualitative change in the range of Richardson numbers studied here. However, the anisotropy of the turbulent dissipation rate is strongly affected by stratification with the vertical component dominating the others.
Lead, Follow, or Get Out of the Way: Elite Party Actor Endorsements in Presidential Nominating Contests, 2004-2012

Party elites influence the outcomes of presidential nomination contests through endorsements, financial support, encouragements to run, and other means. In this paper, we compare the patterns of elite endorsements of presidential candidates in four recent nomination contests – the Democratic races in 2004 and 2008 and the Republican contests in 2008 and 2012. We examine these contests with an eye not toward their eventual outcomes but to the manner in which a set of elite party actors – governors and members of Congress – made their public endorsements of candidates for the nominations including both the timing and (for Romney in 2012) their stated rationales as a communication to party members and the broader public. Our findings suggest that Republican officeholders are more reluctant than their Democratic counterparts to endorse candidates in contested presidential nomination contests, even – or perhaps particularly – when the field of candidates is less than stellar. Furthermore, in the case of Romney, they were strategic in offering rationales, emphasizing personal qualities earlier and the process later while downplaying ideology.
Dynamic fracture predictions of microstructural mechanisms and characteristics in martensitic steels

A dislocation-density-based multiple-slip crystalline plasticity formulation, and an overlapping fracture method were used to investigate the effects of carbide precipitates, M23C6, and martensitic block size on dynamic fracture in martensitic steels. The interrelated effects of dislocation-density evolution, orientation relations (ORs), adiabatic heating, and heat conduction on fracture behavior were investigated. Precipitates interfaces are shown to be the sites of crack nucleation due to dislocation-density impedance. Dislocation-densities are also shown to relieve tensile stresses and blunt crack propagation. These predictions indicate that the size refinement of martensitic blocks increases crack deflection at block/packet boundaries, which can significantly improve fracture toughness.
Extending the Vision: An Empowerment Identity Approach to Work-Family Regulation as Applied to School Involvement Leave Statutes

Using school leave legislation as the focus for analysis, this article proposes 'empowerment identity' approach to work-family legislation as an alternative or complement to the commonly used accomodation and antidiscrimination approaches. In many households, working parents struggle to meet routine demands of parenting, such as caring for a sick child or attending a child's school activity. Interestingly, one of the most common forms of state-level legislation designed to address the routine demands of parenting is school involvement leave legislation. Although state school involvement leave statutes vary widely in how and for what reasons they permit time away from work for parents to attend a child's school functions, they represent the common view that the purpose of work-family legislation is to (1) accomodate episodic parenting needs when those needs interfere with work obligations or (2) prohibit discrimination by an employer when a worker-parent requires time away from work to attend to those caregiving needs. After analyzing exisiting school involvement leave legislation and demonstrating that this legislation takes both accomodation and antidiscrimination approaches to regulating school involvement leave, this article suggests that an alternative approach to critiquing and crafting work-family legislation, particularly school involvement leave legislation, is the empowerment identity approach. An empowerment identity apprach, adapted from organizational communication theory, frames legislation as a discursive structure in which worker-parents should be empowered to construct individualized worker-parent identities through language related action. Accordingly, after explaining the empowerment identity approach, this article concludes that school involvement leave statutes, fall short of full empowerment but have the potential to empower parents to accomplish plural, individualized, and authentic identities as both worker-parents and as important stewards of their children's educations.
bcc transition metals under pressure: results from ultrasonic interferometry and diamond-cell experiments. [Nb--Mo, Ta--W]

Hydrostatic pressure derivatives of the single-crystal elastic moduli, dC/sub ij//dP, have been measured ultrasonically for b.c.c. Nb--Mo and Ta--W solid solutions. The composition dependence of various electronic properties of these alloys is known to be reasonably well approximated by a rigid-electron-band filling model where e/a, the electron per atom ratio, is the primary parameter. The results indicate that the elastic moduli and their pressure derivatives may also be calculated in such a model. In particular, the dC/sub ij//dP show relatively sharp increases at e/a compositions of 5.4 for Nb--Mo and 5.7 for Ta--W. Both compositions correspond to changes in Fermi surface topology, as deduced from existing band calculations and the rigid band assumption. The results are discussed in the light of related electronic properties and possible geophysical applications. A comparison is also made between ultrasonic results and X-ray diffraction data for Nb. Using diamond-anvil pressure cell, compression of Nb was determined by X-ray diffraction up to 55 kbar in a liquid medium under purely hydrostatic conditions, and up to 175 kbar in a solid medium under nonhydrostatic conditions. The data obtained under hydrostatic conditions agree well with the ultrasonic equation of state and shock wave data, whereas the nonhydrostatic resultsmore » tend to imply either a higher bulk modulus K/sub s/ or a higher (par. deltaK/sub s//par. deltaP)/sub T/.« less
Male Hypoactive Sexual Desire Disorder

Abstract Desire is the core element in healthy, vital sexuality. The majority of professional and public focus has been on female desire problems. Although male hypoactive sexual desire is a common problem, there is a paucity of research on this stigmatized disorder. This clinically oriented paper discusses understanding, assessment, treatment, and relapse prevention for both lifelong and acquired male hypoactive sexual desire disorder.
Sarcolipin interaction with SERCA is distinct from Phospholamban; only Sarcolipin can promote uncoupling of the SERCA pump (LB244)

Sarcolipin (SLN) and Phospholamban (PLB) modulate the activity of the Sarco-Endoplasmic Reticulum Ca2+ ATPase (SERCA) pump, in cardiac and skeletal muscle. Recent data suggest that SLN could play a role in muscle thermogenesis by promoting the uncoupling of SERCA ATP hydrolysis activity from its Ca2+ transport function. However, the mechanistic details of this uncoupling are unknown. In order to define how SLN promotes uncoupling of SERCA, we compared the interaction of SLN and SERCA1, with that of PLB. We used the cross-linker (1, 6-bismaleimidohexane (BMH)) to detect dynamic protein interaction during the SERCA cycle. We also performed Ca2+ uptake and ATP hydrolysis assays to study the effect of SLN on SERCA. Our studies reveal that 1) SLN affects the Vmax of SERCA Ca2+ uptake but not the pump affinity for Ca2+ 2) SLN can bind to SERCA in the presence of high [Ca2+] whereas PLB can only interact with the ATP bound, Ca2+ free E2 state and 3) unlike PLB, SLN interacts with SERCA throughout the kinetic cyc...
Pictures at an exhibition: design of a hybrid puppetry performance piece

Pictures at an Exhibition is a physical/digital puppetry piece that uses tangible interface puppets to modify a virtual scene projected at the back of the stage in real-time. The piece merges traditional puppeteering practices with tangible interaction technologies and virtual environments to create a novel performance for the live stage. This paper describes the design and development of piece, as well as our lessons learned from this process and from on-stage performances of Pictures at an Exhibition in a puppetry theatre.
History of Interdepartmental Committee on Nutrition for National Defense: Course of Events and Nutrition Methodology in Typical Surveys

It was my good fortune to help brief many of the survey teams on dietary methods and to serve on 2 survey teams. Dr. Arnold E. Schaefer, executive director of the International Committee on Nutrition for National Defense (ICNND), dictated his reflections, which I edited, for the symposium, "Reflections of Dr. Arnold E. Schaefer." The course of events in a typical ICNND nutrition survey were described. This included the following: 1) protocol, 2) organization of survey team, appropriate for the country, 3) briefing of team members, 4) provision of needed equipment and supplies, and 5) planning the survey with the host country. The advance mission visit usually included Dr. Frank Berry, assistant secretary of Defense for Health and the ICNND executive director, who briefed local government officials about the survey. The supply and the equipment needs included clinical and laboratory equipment, reference books and supplies needed for routine physical examinations, dietary studies, and laboratory determinations. Host countries provided 1) personnel to serve on survey teams, 2) logistical support, and 3) unbiased random population samples for clinical and dietary studies. The methods of measuring dietary intake used are described in the manual. Measuring the nutrient intake of military personnel is usually much less difficult than of civilians. The food preparation and consumption (recipe) and food composite analysis methods were most commonly used. The diet questionnaire used for civilians, recorded amounts of specific foods consumed the previous day (24-h recall). During the Ecuador survey, Combs and Wolfe obtained similar results with the recipe, the food composite, and the 24-h recall methods in the same 28 families.
The dependence of the Markstein length on stoichiometry

Both theory and experiment predict a linear relationship between flame speed and stretch, and the sensitivity of this dependence is given in terms of the Markstein number. In this note the dependence of Markstein number on mixture strength is explicitly determined. Results are presented for hydrogen-air, hydrocarbon-air, and alcohol-air mixtures over a range of equivalence ratio.
A Low-Affinity Antagonist Reveals Saturation and Desensitization in Mature Synapses in the Auditory Brain Stem

Postsynaptic receptor desensitization has been observed to contribute to depression in immature synapses. However, it is not clear whether desensitization persists and causes depression in mature synapses. We investigate this issue at the endbulb of Held, the synapse made by auditory nerve (AN) fibers onto bushy cells (BCs) of the anteroventral cochlear nucleus, where depression could influence the processing of sound information. Experiments using cyclothiazide (CTZ) have implicated desensitization in endbulbs from postnatal day 16 (P16) to P21 mice, but application of γ-d-glutamylglycine (DGG) did not reveal desensitization in endbulbs >P22. To reconcile these findings, we have studied the effects of both CTZ and DGG on endbulbs from P5 to P40 CBA/CaJ mice. In paired-pulse protocols, both CTZ and DGG reduced depression in all ages at intervals 20 ms, consistent with DGG's use to prevent satu...
Enduring Gender Differences in Political Interest: The Impact of Socialization and Political Dispositions

Although women now vote in national elections at the same rate as men, they are still less politically interested. Using regression analysis and two new scales to tap an orientation toward women's place in the public arena (Traditional Feminine Role Scale) and political interest (Political Apathy Scale), this article seeks to test the utility of the three standard explanations for women's political orientations (situational, structural, and sex-role socialization) in understanding the continuing "gender gap" in political interest. Other than education, situational and structural factors are found to have minimal explanatory capacity. Aside from education, political dispositions far outstrip situational and structural factors as predictors of attentiveness. Strongest support for the impact of socialization is provided by the different predictors of interest among different age groups. Among women under 30 education is less important as a predictor than is partisanship. Among women over 45, the Traditional ...
A study of flux transfer events at different planets

Flux transfer events (FTEs) are disturbances in and near the magnetopause current layer that cause a characteristic signature in the component of the magnetic field parallel to the average boundary normal. These disturbances have been observed at Mercury, Earth and Jupiter but not at Saturn, Uranus or Neptune. At Earth, FTEs last about 1 minute and repeat about every 8 but at Mercury, a much smaller magnetosphere, the events last seconds and are tens of seconds apart. These features have been interpreted in terms of magnetospheric flux ropes connected to the interplanetary magnetic field, arising as the result of reconnection. An analogous phenomenon occurs at Venus where magnetic flux ropes arise at the ionosphere, a boundary between a very strongly magnetized one. However, here the flux ropes do not appear to be due to reconnection.
Formative evaluation of a mobile liquid portion size estimation interface for people with varying literacy skills

Chronically ill people, especially those with low literacy skills, often have difficulty estimating portion sizes of liquids to help them stay within their recommended fluid limits. There is a plethora of mobile applications that can help people monitor their nutritional intake but unfortunately these applications require the user to have high-literacy and numeracy skills for portion size recording. In this paper, we present two studies in which the low- and the high-fidelity versions of a portion size estimation interface, designed using the cognitive strategies adults employ for portion size estimation during diet recall studies, was evaluated by a chronically ill population with varying literacy skills. The low fidelity interface was evaluated by ten patients who were all able to accurately estimate portion sizes of various liquids with the interface. Eighteen participants did an in situ evaluation of the high-fidelity version incorporated in a diet and fluid monitoring mobile application for 6 weeks. Although the accuracy of the estimation cannot be confirmed in the second study but the participants who actively interacted with the interface showed better health outcomes by the end of the study. Based on these findings, we provide recommendations for designing the next iteration of an accurate and low literacy-accessible liquid portion size estimation mobile interface.
Abstract Routing of Logic Networks for Custom Module Generation

This paper describes a switchbox-type router for custom VLSI module generation as performed by a module planner. A module is decomposed into abstract cells consisting of global routes and boolean functional specifications. Each abstract cell is given to a cell synthesizer which generates the circuit layout and through-the-cell routing. Abstract routing for a module planner is in some sense similar to switchbox routing to the degree that all of the routes are generated internally within a rectangular boundary (routes are coming from four sides). The principle difference with respect to standard switchbox routing is at the geometric level, where a cell synthesizer generates the routing conduction layers along with circuit devices for each abstract cell within this rectangular region. The aspects of this paper which are thought to be novel contributions are 1) a relative pin assignment algorithm for the abstract cells; 2) a global routing penalty function which not only considers previous routes, but also considers gate complexity within the cells; 3) an efficient optimization algorithm for minimizing the number of tracks running through the module.
Early Mississippian climate based on oxygen isotope compositions of brachiopods, Alamogordo Member of the Lake Valley Formation, south-central New Mexico

Stable isotope compositions of brachiopod shells from the Alamogordo Member of the Lake Valley Formation (south-central New Mexico) provide information about Early Mississippian paleoclimate. The Alamogordo Member was deposited on a ramp at the southwestern edge of the North American craton, at lat 20°S. It consists of cherty lime-mudstone to lime-packstone (predominantly mudstone and wackestone) strata and scattered mud-cement (Waulsortian) mounds. The brachiopods analyzed lived at water depths estimated to have been between 100 and 300 m. The δ 1 8 O values of well-preserved shells of a single species of brachiopod average -2.3‰ relative to PDB (the Peedee belemnite isotope standard). This average represents a temperature of 21-26 °C if the isotopic composition of the seawater (δ 1 8 O s w ) was between 0‰ and -1‰, as inferred from Pleistocene and Holocene δ 1 8 O s w and other considerations. Sea-surface temperature would have been 26-31 °C (after we applied a +5 °C correction for water depth). This tropical climate for an Early Mississippian low-latitude site agrees with previous isotopic and climate-modeling results, but contrasts with a temperate climate inferred from comparison of the lithology and biota of the Alamogordo Member with those of modern temperate carbonates.
Recognition Specificity for the Bacterial Avirulence Protein AvrPto Is Determined by Thr-204 in the Activation Loop of the Tomato Pto Kinase

The Pto kinase confers resistance in tomato to P. syringae pv. tomato strains expressing the AvrPto protein. Physical interaction of the Pto kinase and AvrPto protein in the plant cell initiates host defense responses. The recognition event between these two proteins is very specific; AvrPto does not interact with other closely related kinases, including the Fen kinase, which shares 80% amino acid identity with Pto. By using Pto-Fen chimeric proteins and site-directed mutagenesis, we found that Thr-204 is required for Pto interaction with AvrPto in a yeast two-hybrid system and for recognition specificity in a tobacco leaf transient assay. Substitution of Thr-204 into the Fen kinase allowed that kinase to interact with AvrPto and to confer an AvrPto-specific defense response in tobacco leaves. Thus, simple mutations appear capable of giving rise to new resistance gene specificities.
PHLPP and a Second Isoform, PHLPP2, Differentially Attenuate the Amplitude of Akt Signaling by Regulating Distinct Akt Isoforms

Summary Akt/protein kinase B controls cell growth, proliferation, and survival. We recently discovered a novel phosphatase PHLPP, for P H domain l eucine-rich repeat p rotein p hosphatase, which terminates Akt signaling by directly dephosphorylating and inactivating Akt. Here we describe a second family member, PHLPP2, which also inactivates Akt, inhibits cell-cycle progression, and promotes apoptosis. These phosphatases control the amplitude of Akt signaling: depletion of either isoform increases the magnitude of agonist-evoked Akt phosphorylation by almost two orders of magnitude. Although PHLPP1 and PHLPP2 both dephosphorylate the same residue (hydrophobic phosphorylation motif) on Akt, they differentially terminate Akt signaling by regulating distinct Akt isoforms. Knockdown studies reveal that PHLPP1 specifically modulates the phosphorylation of HDM2 and GSK-3α through Akt2, whereas PHLPP2 specifically modulates the phosphorylation of p27 through Akt3. Our data unveil a mechanism to selectively terminate Akt-signaling pathways through the differential inactivation of specific Akt isoforms by specific PHLPP isoforms.
A second microsporidian in the honeybee.

Abstract A microsporidian with a cylindrical spore 3.5 to 5.0 μm in length and 0.6 to 1.0 μm in diameter from three honeybee workers collected in southwestern Georgia is reported. Brief descriptions of developmental stages from wet and dry fixed smears and electron micrographs are given. Its lack of diplokarya, the presence of a single nucleus in the spore, and the presence of filopodia that appear to engulf host cytoplasm are its outstanding features.
Stage I B glassy cell carcinoma of the cervix with ovarian metastases

Abstract A patient with stage IB glassy cell carcinoma of the uterine cervix and ovarian metastases is described. The aggressive nature of this tumor necessitates its histologic and clinical distinction from other forms of cervical carcinoma. Ovarian conservation at the time of radical surgery for this type of cervical carcinoma may not be advisable.