cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Structural and thermal effects of ion-irradiation induced defect configurations in silicon

Classical molecular dynamics calculations were used to investigate the formation of defects produced during irradiation of energetic ions on silicon. The aim of this study was to characterize the nature of defects and defective regions formed through ion irradiation and to establish a connection between the ion irradiation parameters, lattice defect configurations, and the resulting modified lattice thermal conductivity of silicon. The defective regions were characterized according to the total number of defects generated, the size and the density of the defective region, and the longitudinal and radial distribution of defects along the ion impact path. In addition, the clustering of the defects into amorphous pockets is analyzed and the effect of these processing parameters on the properties of the clusters is also studied. Further, the lattice defect configurations produced during continuous bombardment of multiple ions are directly investigated and compared to the single-ion impact results. A range of irradiation parameters including ion species, ion energies, fluence, and beam width have been explored to elucidate the dependence of the resulting defect configurations on these experimental design parameters. High density defective regions are found to be produced by low-energy ions with high atomic number. Analysis of the defects produced under varying beam diameters indicates that the beam diameter, rather than the beam energy, is the more prominent factor in determining the extent of the defective region. We demonstrate that the thermal conductivity of the material is most significantly influenced by the effective diameter of the defective region, making the beam diameter the most influential experimental parameter for tuning the lattice thermal conductivity. A reduction in thermal conductivity of up to 80% from pristine silicon was achieved with the processing parameters used in this work. This study indicates that ion beam irradiation can be a realizable manufacturing process with high tunability and control to achieve desired material properties.
The Return of Concept Empiricism

Abstract This chapter outlines and defends a version of concept empiricism. The theory has four central tenets: concepts represent categories by reliable causal relations to category instances; conceptual representations of categories vary from occasion to occasion; these representations are perceptually based; and these representations are all learned, not innate. The last two tenets on this list have been central to empiricism historically, while the first two have been developed in more recent years. Each tenet is looked at in turn, and then the most obvious objection to empiricism is discussed: that some concepts cannot be perceptually based because they represent things that are abstract, and hence unperceivable. Two standard examples are discussed: democracy and moral badness. It is argued that both examples can be explained using resources available to the empiricist.
Finite Element Analysis of Engine Rotor Failure and Containment

The complex dynamical interactions among failed rotor fragments and the engine containment structure is studied by the finite element method. Dyna3d is used for the finite element analysis which is an explicit, three-dimensional, transient finite element code. A number of different rotor fragments are considered for this study and for each type, the containment structure thickness is varied and the fragment trajectories, contact forces and the critical thickness are determined. The multiple interactions among the rotor fragment and the other blades are also modeled and their effects on the failure of containment structures are evaluated. Some of the numerical results are compared with the experimental results obtained in a spin chamber facility.
Iron oxide nanowire-based filter for inactivation of airborne bacteria

Heating, ventilation, and air conditioning (HVAC) systems are among the most common methods to improve indoor air quality. However, after long-term operation, the HVAC filter can result in a proliferation of bacteria, which may release into the filtered air subsequently. This issue can be addressed by designing antibacterial filters. In this study, we report an iron oxide nanowires-based filter fabricated from commercially available iron mesh through a thermal treatment. At optimal conditions, the filter demonstrated a log inactivation efficiency of > 7 within 10 seconds towards S. epidermidis (Gram-positive), a common bacterial species of indoor bioaerosol. 52 % of bioaerosol cells can be captured by a single filter, which can be further improved to 98.7 % by connecting five filters in-tandem. The capture and inactivation capacity of the reported filter did not degrade over long-term use. The inactivation of bacteria is attributed to the synergic effects of the hydroxyl radicals, electroporation, and Joule heating, which disrupted the cell wall and nucleoid of S. epidermidis, as verified by the model simulations, fluorescence microscopy, electron microscopy, and infrared spectroscopy. The relative humidity plays an important role in the inactivation process. The filter also exhibited a satisfactory inactivation efficiency towards E. coli (Gram-negative). The robust synthesis, low cost, and satisfactory inactivation performance towards both Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria make the filter demonstrated here suitable to be assembled into HVAC filters as an antibacterial layer for efficient control of indoor bioaerosols.
Management of Neovascular AMD

VEGF is the most important regulator of angiogenesis and a potent promoter of vascular permeability in different ocular diseases, including AMD. For this reason, VEGF is a key target in treating ocular neovasculari-zation. Two anti-VEGF agents have achieved regulatory approval, with others in clinical trials. Clinical trials have shown that intravitreal ranibizumab is safe drug and effective, being the first agent to promote visual acuity improvement in patients with wet AMD. Bevacizumab, a monoclonal antibody against VEGF, was approved for intravenous, systemic therapy for different types of cancer. It has been used off-label as an intravitreal injection in wet AMD since 2005 with clinical results similar to ranibizumab. CATT head-to-head trial comparing bevacizumab versus ranibizumab demonstrated that they have similar outcomes when the same treatment regimen is applied. New promising anti-VEGF drugs (VEGF-Trap, KH902, and Pazopanib) are in ongoing clinical trials.
Inductive sites for rat tear IgA antibody responses.

The mucosal immune system is an important mediator of acquired immunity at the ocular surface.1,2 In mammals, the lacrimal gland serves as the predominant source of tear IgA3,4 and functions as an effector site for mucosal antibody responses.1,2 Evidence for the linkage of lacrimal glands to the mucosal network has come from cell trafficking5,6 as well as antibody expression data.7–9 In a number of species, oral or gastrointestinal antigen stimulation has resulted in tear IgA antibody induction.7–12 In addition, topical application of particulate antigen7–9 or microparticle-encapsulated soluble antigen13 to the conjunctiva (ocular topical, OT) has been documented to be an effective means of eliciting tear IgA antibody responses. Furthermore, evidence indicates that nasal-associated lymphoid tissue (NALT) is a major inductive site in the mucosal immune network,14,15 and NALT appears to serve as an inductive site for tear IgA antibody responses.16
Choice No-Fault Insurance: Efficiency and Equity

Although slightly more that one-half of the fifty American states require automobile insurers to offer no-fault personal injury coverages (i.e., PIP), many of these states fail to provide any accompanying barrier to tort recovery. In fact, fewer than one-third of all states impose any barrier to recovery, and these barriers invariably take the form of a monetary or verbal threshold’ that must be satisfied before an accident victim can seek recovery for non-economic (pain and suffering) damages. Currently, no state imposes a barrier to third-party recovery for economic damages.
Fluorescence Polarization Anisotropy to Measure RNA Dynamics

RNA requires helical motion to fold and carry out its function. As RNA helical motion occurs on the nanosecond timescale, the timescale probed by fluorescence dyes, fluorescence polarization anisotropy (FPA) is a simple, yet powerful, technique to study helical dynamics in RNA. With the recent development of several fluorescent base analogs that have a nanosecond timescale lifetime in a duplex, FPA has begun to be used for characterizing RNA dynamics. Using the probe 6-methylisoxanthopterin (6-MI) as an example, we describe the procedure for carrying out FPA experiments on model oligonucleotide systems and in a complex RNA, the Tetrahymena group I intron. For smaller RNA systems, isolating the motion of the target helix from the overall tumbling of the whole RNA system is necessary, and nucleic acids binding proteins can be incorporated into the RNA system to increase the overall size of the system, slow the overall tumbling, and thereby reduce the anisotropy contribution from the overall tumbling to negligible. The procedure for incorporating one such protein, the Lac Repressor, is given as an example.
The Ecology of Regulated Streams: Past Accomplishments and Directions for Future Research

The control of stream discharge by man made dams has been practiced for millennia (Smith 1971), yet recognition of the often dramatic ecological changes in downstream lotic reaches has been slow. Until quite recently most research focused on the lentic water body behind the dam, despite the fact that virtually all of the world’s river systems are regulated by dams. Reviews dealing with ecological effects of impoundment, although otherwise comprehensive, often give only cursory and general consideration to the receiving stream environment (Ridley & Steel 1975; Baxter 1977).
Should Those Who Attack the Nation Have an Absolute Right to Remain Its Citizens

Macklin is certainly right to worry about the possible abuses of denationalisation. But a liberal constitutional regime can control such abuses by scrupulously controlling the state’s exercise of this power through a variety of familiar institutions and practices. These include a careful definition and exacting limitation of the grounds for revocation; demanding procedural and evidentiary requirements before such a power can be exercised; a right to legal counsel; and an independent judiciary accustomed to challenging state power in the name of protecting individual rights. We have entrusted our precious liberties to the faithful working through of these institutions and practices. Some of these liberties are even more precious than our right to retain our citizenship when we have knowingly acted in horrendous ways that make it justifiable, under the safeguards I describe, for the state to declare that status forfeited.
Harnessing Bandit Online Learning to Low-Latency Fog Computing

This paper focuses on the online fog computing tasks in the Internet-of-Things (IoT), where online decisions must flexibly adapt to the changing user preferences (loss functions), and the temporally unpredictable availability of resources (constraints). Tailored for such human-in-the-loop systems where the loss functions are hard to model, a family of bandit online saddle-point (BanSP) schemes are developed, which adaptively adjust the online operations based on (possibly multiple) bandit feedback of the loss functions, and the changing environment. Performance here is assessed by: i) dynamic regret that generalizes the widely used static regret; and, ii) fit that captures the accumulated amount of constraint violations. Specifically, BanSP is proved to simultaneously yield sub-linear dynamic regret and fit, provided that the best dynamic solutions vary slowly over time. Numerical tests on fog computing tasks corroborate that BanSP offers desired performance under such limited information.
Examining the Pueblo II–III Transition in the Moapa Valley, Southern Nevada

Based on the limited data available to her at the time, Margaret Lyneis proposed that the transition between the Pueblo II and Pueblo III periods in the Moapa Valley was marked by differences in so...
Children's Coverage Vulnerabilities With Loss of a Parent's Employer-Sponsored Insurance.

* Abbreviations: ACA — : Affordable Care Act COVID-19 — : coronavirus disease ESI — : employer-sponsored insurance FPL — : federal poverty level In addition to the devastating health effects of the coronavirus disease (COVID-19) pandemic, the United States is experiencing the highest rates of unemployment since the Great Depression.1 One important and overlooked consequence of unemployment is the loss of employer-sponsored insurance (ESI) coverage for children whose parents lose their jobs. It is estimated 27 million US adults will become uninsured because of unemployment and lose ESI during the pandemic.2 During the pandemic, >4 out of 10 parents with children <19 years old reported they or a family member lost a job, work hours, or work-related income, which is slightly more than for childless adults.3 Two out of 5 adults in newly unemployed households reported having obtained their health insurance coverage from that employer. More than half of US children are covered by ESI,4 including 49% of children with preexisting conditions who have special health care needs.5 For lower-income and minority families, this loss of ESI during the COVID-19 pandemic will likely intensify already existing health disparities for children. Unemployment during the pandemic has differentially affected low-income and minority populations in the US. Children of low-wage workers are at risk for resulting coverage loss, including the 25% of children from families with incomes <138% of the federal poverty level (FPL) … Address correspondence to Lois K. Lee, MD, MPH, Division of Emergency Medicine, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston Children’s Hospital, Boston, MA 02115. E-mail: lois.lee{at}childrens.harvard.edu
The impact of gender on long-term outcomes following supratentorial brain tumor resection.

Purpose Gender is a known social determinant of health which has been linked disparities in medical care. This study intends to assess the impact of gender on 90-day and long-term morbidity and mortality outcomes following supratentorial brain tumor resection in a coarsened-exact matched population. Materials and methods A total of 1970 consecutive patients at a single, university-wide health system undergoing supratentorial brain tumor resection over a six-year period (09 June 2013 to 26 April 2019) were analyzed retrospectively. Coarsened Exact Matching was employed to match patients on key demographic factors including history of prior surgery, smoking status, median household income, American Society of Anesthesiologists (ASA) grade, and Charlson Comorbidity Index (CCI), amongst others. Primary outcomes assessed included readmission, ED visit, unplanned reoperation, and mortality within 90 days of surgery. Long-term outcomes such as mortality and unplanned return to surgery during the entire follow-up period were also recorded. Results Whole-population regression demonstrated significantly increased mortality throughout the entire follow-up period for the male cohort (p = 0.004, OR = 1.32, 95% CI = 1.09 - 1.59); however, no significant difference was found after coarsened exact matching was performed (p = 0.08). In both the whole-population regression and matched-cohort analysis, no significant difference was observed between gender and readmission, ED visit, unplanned reoperation, or mortality in the 90-day post-operative window, in addition to return to surgery after throughout the entire follow-up period. Conclusion After controlling for confounding variables, female birth gender did not significantly predict any difference in morbidity and mortality outcomes following supratentorial brain tumor resection. Difference between mortality outcomes in the pre-matched population versus the matched cohort suggests the need to better manage the underlying health conditions of male patients in order to prevent future disparities.
Long term mortality and readmissions after transcatheter aortic valve replacement.

Background Readmissions following transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) are common but detailed analysis of cardiac and non-cardiac inpatient readmissions beyond thirty days to different levels of care are limited. Methods Our study population was 1,037 consecutive patients who underwent TAVR between 2011-2017 within a multi-hospital quaternary health system. A retrospective chart review was performed and readmissions were adjudicated and classified based on primary readmission diagnosis (cardiac versus noncardiac) and level of care [intensive care unit (ICU) admission vs. non-ICU admission]. Incidence, causes, and outcomes of readmissions to up to three years post procedure were evaluated. Results Of the 1,017 patients who survived their index hospitalization, there were readmissions due to noncardiac causes in 350 (34.4%) and cardiac causes in 208 (20.5%) during a mean 1.96 years of follow-up. The most common non-cardiac causes of readmission were sepsis/infection (14.3%), gastrointestinal (8.3%), and respiratory (4.8%), whereas heart failure (14.0%) and arrhythmias (4.6%) were the most common cardiac causes of readmission. A total of 191 (18.8%) patients were readmitted to the ICU and 372 patients (36.6%) were non-ICU readmissions. The risk of a noncardiac readmission was highest in the period immediately following TAVR (~4.5% per month) with an early high hazard phase that gradually declined over months. However, the risk of cardiac readmission remained stable at ~1% per month throughout. TAVR patients that were readmitted for any cause had markedly increased mortality; this was especially true for patients readmitted to an ICU. Conclusions In TAVR patients who survived their index hospitalization, non-cardiac readmissions were more prevalent than cardiac. The risk of readmission and subsequent mortality was highest immediately post-procedure and declined thereafter. Readmission to ICU portends the highest risk of subsequent death in this cohort. Patient baseline co-morbidities are an important consideration for TAVR patients and play a significant role in readmissions and outcomes.
Carbon clusters formed from shocked benzene.

Benzene (C6H6), while stable under ambient conditions, can become chemically reactive at high pressures and temperatures, such as under shock loading conditions. Here, we report in situ x-ray diffraction and small angle x-ray scattering measurements of liquid benzene shocked to 55 GPa, capturing the morphology and crystalline structure of the shock-driven reaction products at nanosecond timescales. The shock-driven chemical reactions in benzene observed using coherent XFEL x-rays were a complex mixture of products composed of carbon and hydrocarbon allotropes. In contrast to the conventional description of diamond, methane and hydrogen formation, our present results indicate that benzene’s shock-driven reaction products consist of layered sheet-like hydrocarbon structures and nanosized carbon clusters with mixed sp2-sp3 hybridized bonding. Implications of these findings range from guiding shock synthesis of novel compounds to the fundamentals of carbon transport in planetary physics. Shock-wave driven reactions of organic molecules may have played a key role in prebiotic chemistry, but their mechanisms are difficult to investigate. The authors, using time-resolved x-ray diffraction and small-angle x-ray scattering experiments, observe the transformation of liquid benzene during a shock, identifying carbon and hydrocarbon solid products.
Incremental algorithms for depth-from-motion

The Bayesian models which we have developed in this book allow us to obtain optimal estimates of static visible surfaces, to integrate information from multiple viewpoints, and to analyze the uncertainty in our estimates. Many computer vision applications, however, deal with dynamic environments. This may involve tracking moving objects or updating the model of the environment as the observer moves around. Recent results by Aloimonos et al. (1987) suggest that taking an active role in vision (either through eye or observer movements) greatly simplifies the complexity of certain low-level vision problems. In this chapter, we will examine one such problem, namely the recovery of depth from motion sequences.
Acceleration of fetal lung maturation following prolonged rupture of the membranes.

Abstract Prolonged rupture of the membranes exerts an accelerating effect on fetal lung maturation independent of gestational age or birth weight and resulting in absence of the respiratory distress syndrome (RDS). Sixty-four true-premature infants born of mothers with no complications of pregnancy other than prolonged rupture of the membranes were evaluated for the presence of RDS. In 42 of these infants, membranes were ruptured 24 hours or less prior to delivery, and RDS occurred in 64 per cent. In 22 infants with membranes ruptured more than 24 hours prior to delivery, 31 per cent developed RDS. Lecithin/sphingomyelin ratios showed marked acceleration following membrane rupture, irrespective of gestational age.
Normal Insulin Secretion in Humans

Normal insulin secretion in humans is mainly regulated by glucose, but additional factors including other nutrients, hormones, and neural input play an important role. In the basal state, insulin is released in a rapid pulsatile manner, with pulses occurring every 6–10 min. These pulses are superimposed on an oscillatory pattern of 11–15 oscillations per 24 h. Dynamic insulin release also occurs in response to stimuli. The insulin response to intravenous glucose has been shown to have two distinct phases: an early first phase response lasting for 10 min, and a slower longer second phase response lasting as long as the glucose level is elevated. Preexistent elevations in the plasma glucose level are able to increase the insulin response to a subsequent glucose stimulus, an effect called priming. Glucose is also capable of potentiating the insulin response to non-glucose secretagogues such as amino acids, peptides, and sulfonylureas. Non-glucose factors that affect insulin secretion include amino acids, free fatty acids, medications, and the response to stress. Neural inputs regulate islet secretory function through both the sympathetic and parasympathetic nervous systems. The gastrointestinal peptides glucagon-like peptide 1 (GLP-1) and glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypeptide (GIP), released from the intestine during oral intake, have been found to play a significant role in augmenting insulin release, an effect known as the incretin effect. When assessing the effect of all these different secretagogues on β-cell function, it is important to take into account the prevailing insulin sensitivity, as variations in insulin sensitivity lead to compensatory changes in insulin release. Understanding the dynamics and complex regulation of normal insulin secretion in humans provides the basis for understanding the consequences of β-cell dysfunction observed in diabetes. Keywords: β-cell; insulin secretion; insulin secretion—lucose; insulin secretion—amino acids; insulin secretion—fatty acids; insulin secretion—neural control; insulin secretion—incretins; insulin secretion—glucagon-like peptide 1; insulin secretion—glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypetide; insulin sensitivity; insulin resistance; incretins; glucagon-like peptide 1; glucose-dependent insulinotropic polypetide; β-cell function
Iranians and the Bomb: Elite Cues and Support and Opposition to the Development of Nuclear Weapons

A 2008 poll of Iranians revealed that approximately twenty-four percent of those surveyed support the development nuclear weapons by Iran, while seventy-four percent of those surveyed support the development of exclusively peaceful nuclear capabilities. This essay develops an argument that explains why Iranians hold different views on nuclear weapons. We contend that the elite discourse on the legitimacy of nuclear weapons within a nation will play a very large role in shaping public attitudes on the development of such weapons. In post-revolution Iran, ruling elites have invoked Islam to shape the discourse on nuclear weapons, and top clerics have argued that Islam forbids the development of such weapons. Thus we would expect that acceptance or rejection of this view of nuclear weapons will be the primary factor explaining an Iranian’s support for or opposition to their development. Our regression analyses indicate that a respondent’s views on whether Islam tolerates the development of nuclear weapons explain, in large measure, the observed variation in Iranian support for developing nuclear weapons.
Health-related quality of life in obese persons seeking treatment.

Background The relationship between obesity and increased risks of morbidity and mortality is well established. Less is known about the impact of obesity on functional health status and subjective well-being. Methods We examined health-related quality of life (HRQL), measured by the Medical Outcomes Study Short Form-36 Health Survey (SF-36), and clinical characteristics of 312 consecutive persons seeking outpatient treatment for obesity at a university-based weight management center. SF-36 scores were adjusted for sociodemographic factors and various comorbidities, including depression, to better estimate the effect of obesity on HRQL. Health-related quality of life of the obese patients was then compared with that of the general population and with a sample of patients who have other chronic medical conditions. Results Compared with general population norms, participants who had a mean body-mass index (BMI) of 38.1 reported significantly lower scores (i.e., more impairment) on all eight quality-of-life domains, especially bodily pain and vitality. The morbidly obese (mean BMI, 48.7) reported significantly worse physical, social, and role functioning, worse perceived general health, and greater bodily pain than did either the mildly (mean BMI, 29.2) or moderately to severely obese (mean BMI, 34.5). The obese also reported significantly greater disability due to bodily pain than did patients with other chronic medical conditions. Conclusions Obesity profoundly affects quality of life. Bodily pain is a prevalent problem among obese persons seeking weight loss and may be an important consideration in the treatment of this population.
Prevention of recurrent attacks

Prophylaxis of recurrences is the finest achievement of medicine in rheumatic fever. It is markedly effective and, in fact, it practically eliminates recurrences if injectable benzathine penicillin G is used. However, a great deal of patience, perseverance, and persuasiveness are required on the part of the health personnel involved. The success of secondary prophylaxis is way out of proportion to the numerical reduction of rheumatic fever attacks, because recurrences cause a disproportionate number of deaths and disabilities. Actually, the change in morbidity and mortality of the disease in the Western world is largely due to the reduction of recurrences.
Effect of lean growth genotype and dietary amino acid regimen on the lactational performance of sows.

The effect of dietary amino acid regimen and genetic capacity for lean tissue growth on the lactational performance of sows was determined in primiparous sows with a high (350 to 390 g/d) or low (240 to 280 g/d) genetic capacity for lean tissue growth from 18 to 110 kg of body weight. During lactation, sows were offered daily 6.5 kg of one of four fortified corn-soybean meal diets containing.58,.77, .96, and 1.15% lysine (L). Litters were standardized to 14 pigs within 8 h after birth. On d 2 of lactation, the high lean growth (LG) sows possessed more proteinaceous tissues and protein and less fat tissue and lipid. During lactation (d 2 to 28 postpartum), high LG sows consumed more feed, mobilized more body protein, and lost less body lipid. Milk, milk energy, and milk lysine yields (pooled across dietary regimens) were similar between genotypes. As daily dietary lysine intakes increased from 27 to 62 g and total digestible lysine supplies (from diet and mobilized tissues) increased from 39 to 68 g, daily yields of milk, milk energy, and milk lysine increased, but the magnitude of the response differed ( P <.05) between genotypes, evidently because of differences in the ability of the high and low LG sows to mobilize energy from body tissue. Based on these data, the lactational capacities of high and low LG sows nursing 12 to 14 pigs are similar when similar supplies of lysine and energy are available from dietary intake and mobilized body tissue stores. When supplies of ME do not limit milk synthesis, daily digestible lysine intakes of at least 54 g (≥ 66 g from a corn-soy diet) are needed by these sows nursing litters of 12 to 14 pigs to support milk synthesis and minimize maternal protein losses. This is equivalent to a total digestible lysine need of 4.3 to 4.6 g/kg of milk produced. When ME provided by the diet is less than that needed to fuel maximum milk synthesis, however, the dietary amino acid needs of genetically lean sows may be reduced because of their inability to mobilize sufficient body fat stores.
Evaluation of a bimanual simultaneous 7DOF interaction technique in virtual environments

This paper introduces our novel bimanual interaction technique, Spindle+Wheel that provides simultaneous 7DOF. Spindle+Wheel takes advantage of greater finger dexterity, the “bandwidth-of-the-fingers” and passive haptics, by using a pair of precision-grasp 6DOF isotonic input devices rather than using either a tracked pair of pinch gloves or a pair of power-grasped 6DOF isotonic input devices. Two user studies were conducted to show that our simultaneous 7DOF interaction technique outperforms a previous two-handed technique as well as a one-handed scene-in-hand technique for a 7DOF travel task.
Identification of nuclear proteins that specifically interact with adeno-associated virus type 2 inverted terminal repeat hairpin DNA.

Abstract A palindromic hairpin duplex containing the inverted terminal repeat sequence of adeno-associated virus type 2 (AAV) DNA was used as a substrate in gel retardation assays to detect putative proteins that specifically interact with the AAV hairpin DNA structures. Nuclear proteins were detected in extracts prepared from human KB cells coinfected with AAV and adenovirus type 2 that interacted with the hairpin duplex but not in nuclear extracts prepared from uninfected, AAV-infected, or adenovirus type 2-infected KB cells. The binding was specific for the hairpin duplex, since no binding occurred with a double-stranded DNA duplex with the identical nucleotide sequence. Furthermore, in competition experiments, the binding could be reduced with increasing concentrations of the hairpin duplex but not with the double-stranded duplex DNA with the identical nucleotide sequence. S1 nuclease assays revealed that the binding was sensitive to digestion with the enzyme, whereas the protein-bound hairpin duplex was resistant to digestion with S1 nuclease. The nucleotide sequence involved in the protein binding was localized within the inverted terminal repeat of the AAV genome by methylation interference assays. These nuclear proteins may be likely candidates for the pivotal enzyme nickase required for replication or resolution (or both) of single-stranded palindromic hairpin termini of the AAV genome.
Ethics of Depicting Perilous Crossings: Africa to Europe and Europe to Africa in Recent Fictions of J-M G. Le Clezio and Marie Ndiaye

In 2009, French novelists J-M G. Le Clezio and Marie Ndiaye published works on perilous African-European immigrations. Le Clezios Histoire du pied et autres fantaisies (The Story of the Foot and Other Fantasies), devotes three fantasies to recent immigration between Senegal and the Canary Islands, civilian movements between Sierra Leone and Liberia during the civil war (1999-2003), and voluntary migration from 19th-century London to the Gold Coast. Le Clezio recounts successful if stressful survival tales, except for the third migration story which ends in the death of the poet Elizabeth Laetitia Landon. Ndiayes Trois femmes puissantes (Three Powerful Women) intertwines stories depicting harsh passage from Senegal to France and vice versa. Norah, French protagonist of the first story, visits her aging Senegalese father, once domineering, now vulnerable, whom she must help or abandon. In a second tale, Khady Demba crosses the Sahara toward the Spanish enclaves of Ceuta and Melila, where she perishes attempting to storm the barriers. Le Clezios fantasies clash with Ndiayes dark voyages without hint of idyll or pastorale. I will critique Le Clezios and Ndiayes differing ethics of migration, referencing studies of recent migrational flows by African sociologists Serigne Mansour Tall and Ali Tandian.
An auditory evoked potential measurement system to study tinnitus

Tinnitus is a consciously experienced 'ringing' sensation in the auditory system which, so far, can only be diagnosed by behavioral response. The study of tinnitus has resulted in a number of speculated mechanisms and suspected origins within the human auditory pathway. A definitive model for this phenomenon is yet to be formulated. The tinnitus sensation is typically reported to be prominent during silence. In addition, the complete withdrawal of auditory stimulus usually precedes the onset of the tinnitus sensation. Therefore, the objective of our research is to facilitate the study of the auditory evoked potential (AEP) response during the silent period that ensues simulation, as well as to observe the transitional nature of the AEP. This paper describes the conceptualization, integration and testing of an experimental instrument setup for observing AEP in order to identify possible EEG correlates of tinnitus.
Comparative analysis of glucagonergic cells, glia, and the circumferential marginal zone in the reptilian retina

Retinal progenitors in the circumferential marginal zone (CMZ) and Muller glia-derived progenitors have been well described for the eyes of fish, amphibians, and birds. However, there is no information regarding a CMZ and the nature of retinal glia in species phylogenetically bridging amphibians and birds. The purpose of this study was to examine the retinal glia and investigate whether a CMZ is present in the eyes of reptilian species. We used immunohistochemical analyses to study retinal glia, neurons that could influence CMZ progenitors, the retinal margin, and the nonpigmented epithelium of ciliary body of garter snakes, queen snakes, anole lizards, snapping turtles, and painted turtles. We compare our observations on reptile eyes to the CMZ and glia of fish, amphibians, and birds. In all species, Sox9, Pax6, and the glucocorticoid receptor are expressed by Muller glia and cells at the retinal margin. However, proliferating cells were found only in the CMZ of turtles and not in the eyes of anoles and snakes. Similar to eyes of chickens, the retinal margin in turtles contains accumulations of GLP1/glucagonergic neurites. We find that filamentous proteins, vimentin and GFAP, are expressed by Muller glia, but have different patterns of subcellular localization in the different species of reptiles. We provide evidence that the reptile retina may contain nonastrocytic inner retinal glial cells, similar to those described in the avian retina. We conclude that the retinal glia, glucagonergic neurons, and CMZ of turtles appear to be most similar to those of fish, amphibians, and birds.
Exploring Learner to Content Interaction as a Success Factor in Online Courses

Interaction plays a critical role in the learning process. For online course participants, interaction with the course content (learner-content interaction) is especially important because it can contribute to successful learning outcomes and course completion. This study aims to examine the relationship between learner-content interaction and course grade to determine if this interaction type is a contributing success factor. Data related to student interaction with course content, including time spent reviewing online course materials, such as module PowerPoint presentations and course videos and time spent completing weekly quizzes, were collected for students in three sections of an online course ( N = 139). The data were then correlated against grades achieved in the course to determine if there was any relationship. Findings indicate statistically significant relationships between the amount of time the learner spent with the content and weekly quiz grades ( r = .-72). The study concludes that learners who spent more time interacting with course content achieve higher grades than those who spent less time with the content.
Stress Analysis for Novices Using Autodesk Inventor

Finite element analysis (FEA) is a numerical method for calculating stress and strain (and other quantities) in structures that cannot be easily analyzed any other way. FEA analysts use complex software to create a mathematic representation of the physical structure being studied, apply loads to the structure and then solve for the resulting displacements and stresses. In years past, FEA was performed by highly trained analysts with master's level engineering degrees or higher. Today, the combination of competitive market pressures, powerful computer hardware and well designed software has resulted in CAD designers being asked to perform FEA early in the design process. To enable these designers to perform FEA analysis, solid modeling software vendors have incorporated FEA into their solid modeling and design drafting packages. Autodesk Inventor Professional 9 now includes FEA capability from ANSYS, Inc. Earlier versions of this software (without FEA) were used at this University to instruct students in solid modeling and design drafting. With new and ever expanding software capabilities, faculty had to determine how to prepare engineering technology students to use the software appropriately. This paper begins with a discussion of the implementation of FEA in Inventor and strategies for educating engineering technology students in FEA. Then it describes an assignment that demonstrates the stress analysis capability of Inventor after the students have mastered solid modeling. This paper discusses the assignment and compares the results achieved by the students to the expected stress values. Each of the steps of the FEA procedure is examined; define the geometry and material, apply constraints, apply loads, solve and then interpret the results; and the likely areas of student error are discussed. Lastly is a description of the assessment, evaluation and planned improvements to the FEA assignments.© 2006 ASME
Lack of association of a functionally relevant single nucleotide polymorphism of matrix metalloproteinase-1 promoter with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma).

Lack of association of a functionally relevant single nucleotide polymorphism of matrix metalloproteinase-1 promoter with systemic sclerosis (scleroderma)
Robust/ H ∞ filtering for nonlinear systems

Abstract A robust (or H∞) approach to filtering for nonlinear systems is considered. A bound on the estimate error as a function of the disturbance energy is obtained. The corresponding dynamic programming equation is a first-order PDE. This has computational ramifications. The case where the measurements are discrete time is considered also. A numerical method is discussed.
Interazione nucleare dei mesoni π in orbite atomiche

L’interazione speoiflcamente nucleare fra un mesone π e un nucleo influenza in due modi lo spettro dei raggi X degli atomi mesonici: la cattura nuoleare riduce l’intensita delle linee, e le forze fra il nucleo e il mesone spostano la posizione dei termini spettrali. Entrambi questi efietti sono stati investigati sperimentalmente. Risultati preliminari sulle intensita, indioano che le lineeK dei mesoni sono effettivamente attenuate dalla eattura nucleare perZ > 8; le lineeL perZ > 20, e quelleM perZ > 50. L’energia delle linee e stata stttdiata sia con la tecnica delia selezione degli impulsi di un contatore a NaI, sia, qualora possibile, con misure di assorbimento critico. Le energie teoriche per le lineeL eM, corrette per l’estensione finita del nucleo, per la polarizzazione del vuoto ecc. sono in accordo con i valori misurati se la massa del mesone π e fra 272.2 e 273.6 masse elettroniche. Usando lo stesso valore delia massa e le correzioni di cui sopra per calcolare le energie delle righeK, si ottengono valori piu alti di quelli osservati sperimentalmente. Cio puo interpretarsi come dovuto a una repulsione fra il nucleo e il mesone π nello stato 1S. La grandezza dello spostamento del termineIS e in grossolano accordo con l’ipotesi ehe l’effetto dei vari nucleoni sia additivo, e che l’azione dei nucleoni individuali possa descriversi con «S scattering lenghts », a1 ea3 (per spin isotopico 1/2 e 1/3 rispettivamente, e per energia zero) tali chea1 + 2a3 = - 0.06 lunghezze d’onda Compton per il mesone.
Integrating Foreign Languages and Cultures into U.S. International Business Programs: Best Practices and Future Considerations

This paper describes the importance of foreign languages and cultures and their integration into U.S. international business programs. The author juxtaposes globalization strategies of European and American business schools and highlights pre-university foreign language study in Europe and the U.S. The paper goes on to describe model U.S. undergraduate and graduate international business programs and their use of strategies that lead to professional proficiency. The author concludes with a discussion of strategies to be considered by U.S. business schools.
Women Who Die Young: The Cumulative Disadvantage of Race

The current study used cumulative disadvantage theory to assess the relative influence of race on mortality among 2,288 young women. The findings indicate that race is a robust predictor of women’s mortality at young ages even when human, social, personal, institutional, and community capital are accounted for. They suggest that feminists and other advocates for social justice who seek to create more equitable life-course outcomes in the society at large should not ignore race when they consider women’s issues.
Major depression in elderly medical inpatients in Greece, prevalence and identification

Background: The aim of this study was to report the prevalence of episodes of DSM-IV major depression, as well as their identification rates, in elderly inpatients in a general hospital in Greece. Methods: 200 selected patients, 65 years old and over, hospitalized in Surgery and Internal Medicine Departments, were assessed for major depression over a period of 12 months (October 2006–November 2007) by means of SCID-I/P, HADS, BDI and GDS-15. During the same period, liaison calls from the same departments were evaluated and findings were compared. Results: When psychiatric screening was performed, 28 patients (14%) were diagnosed as suffering from a major depressive episode. During the same period, there were only 20 liaison calls from the same departments for patients over 65 years old, from which 4 patients were found to be suffering from major depression. Comparison between the two periods showed significant underestimation of depression. All psychometric scales detected depression sufficiently. Conclusions: In general hospital elderly inpatients, depression still remains underestimated. Depression symptom scales could be used as routine tests for screening major depression.
Toll-like receptor 4 (TLR4) on hepatocytes mediates high mobility group box-1 (HMGB1) release after hepatic ischemia reperfusion in a JNK-dependent manner

Acute graft vs host disease (GVHD) induced by in utero hematopoietic cell transplantation is reversed by a regulatory response resulting in a potent graft vs hematopoietic effect without clinical GVHD Miho Watanabe, MD, PhD, Jesse D Vrecenak, MD, Jacqueline Tsai, MD, Jason P Sulkowski, MD, Edem Timpo, MD, Yan Li, MD, PhD, Haying Li, BSc(Hons), Alan W Flake, MD, FACS Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
Toward a quantitative theory for performance differences between anticipation and study‐test procedures: The retention interval model

In an effort to account quantitatively for performance differences between study-test and anticipation methods, a rudimentary theory, the retention interval model, is proposed. This model postulates three different theoretical functions for the three operationally distinguishable and qualitatively different events in the retention interval: intercycle rest, intervening-study-events and intervening-test-events intervals. The retention interval model satisfactorily accounted for 144 data points based on 35, 136 observations (164 subjects) by using only 30 estimated parameters in three experiments (48 points via 10 parameters per experiment), with massed as well as spaced practice, under both anticipation and study-test (RT) methods. In spite of a restrictive parameter estimation mode, close agreements were achieved between the model and data. The retention interval appears to generate powerful effects in determining the absolute performance levels for both anticipation and study-test learning procedures in the various intercycle intervals.
Significant Discrepancies Between Diagnostic and Pathologic Gleason Sums in Prostate Cancer: The Predictive Role of Age and Prostate-Specific Antigen

Objectives To assess the discrepancies between diagnostic and pathologic Gleason sums and the predictive role of age and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) level on Gleason sum discrepancies. Methods A total of 2963 patients receiving radical prostatectomy at Duke University from 1988 to 2006 were divided into two groups according to year of diagnosis: 1988 to 1999 and 2000 to 2006. The Gleason sum discrepancies were evaluated in the above groups. The predictive roles of diagnostic age (less than 50, 50 to 60, 60.1 to 70, and greater than 70 years), PSA level (less than 10, 10 to 20, and greater than 20 ng/mL), race, body mass index, and prostate weight on the discrepancies were analyzed. Results Overall, 55.8% of diagnostic Gleason sums differed from those on final surgical pathology (58.6% in the 1988 to 1999 and 49.3% in the 2000 to 2006 groups). Diagnostic Gleason sums were undergraded in 41.2% of cases and overgraded in 12.8% of cases. Men older than 60 years were more likely to have their diagnostic Gleason sums undergraded than men younger than 50 (odds ratio in age groups less than 50, 50 to 60, 60.1 to 70, and greater than 70 years: 1.00, 2.30, 4.03, and 3.96, respectively). Biopsy Gleason sums in men with a high PSA level were more likely to be undergraded compared with the PSA group less than 10 ng/mL (odds ratio in PSA groups less than 10, 10 to 20, and greater than 20 ng/mL: 1.00, 2.11, and 3.64, respectively). Conclusions Significant discrepancies between diagnostic and pathologic Gleason sums remain in recent years. The rate of diagnostic Gleason sum undergrading was 3.2-fold that of overgrading. Advanced age and high PSA level were predictive of diagnostic Gleason sum undergrading, and caution should be exercised when recommending active surveillance in older men.
Paradichlorobenzene as a Fumigant for the Immature Stages of Clothes Moths

Paradichlorobenzene has been used as a fumigant for the immature stages of clothes moths in a series of experiments extending over a period of several months. It was used at the rate of 12 ounces and of 16 ounces to 100 cu. ft. The gas of Paradichlorobenzene proved toxic to the eggs, the larvae, and the pupae when confined in a tight box, trunk or closet. The immature stages were usually killed if they were subjected to the gas over a sufficient period of time. In thin, cheap, garment bags the gas did not prove very effective against the larvae. In the heavier, vapor-proof paper bags the larvae were killed.