cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functional analysis of a species-specific inhibitor selective for human Na+-coupled citrate transporter (NaCT/SLC13A5/mINDY)

The Na+-coupled citrate transporter (NaCT/SLC13A5/mINDY) in the liver delivers citrate from the blood into hepatocytes. As citrate is a key metabolite and regulator of multiple biochemical pathways, deletion of Slc13a5 in mice protects against diet-induced obesity, diabetes, and metabolic syndrome. Silencing the transporter suppresses hepatocellular carcinoma. Therefore, selective blockers of NaCT hold the potential to treat various diseases. Here we report on the characteristics of one such inhibitor, BI01383298. It is known that BI01383298 is a high-affinity inhibitor selective for human NaCT with no effect on mouse NaCT. Here we show that this compound is an irreversible and non-competitive inhibitor of human NaCT, thus describing the first irreversible inhibitor for this transporter. The mouse NaCT is not affected by this compound. The inhibition of human NaCT by BI01383298 is evident for the constitutively expressed transporter in HepG2 cells and for the ectopically expressed human NaCT in HEK293 cells. The IC50 is ∼100 nM, representing the highest potency among the NaCT inhibitors known to date. Exposure of HepG2 cells to this inhibitor results in decreased cell proliferation. We performed molecular modeling of the 3D-structures of human and mouse NaCTs using the crystal structure of a humanized variant of VcINDY as the template, and docking studies to identify the amino acid residues involved in the binding of citrate and BI01383298. These studies provide insight into the probable bases for the differential effects of the inhibitor on human NaCT versus mouse NaCT as well as for the marked species-specific difference in citrate affinity.
Identifying factors that nurses consider in the decision-making process related to patient care during the COVID-19 pandemic.

Background Nurse identification of patient deterioration is critical, particularly during the COVID-19 pandemic, as patients can deteriorate quickly. While the literature has shown that nurses rely on intuition to make decisions, there is limited information on what sources of data experienced nurses utilize to inform their intuition. The objectives of this study were to identify sources of data that inform nurse decision-making related to recognition of deteriorating patients, and explore how COVID-19 has impacted nurse decision-making. Methods In this qualitative study, experienced nurses voluntarily participated in focused interviews. During focused interviews, expert nurses were asked to share descriptions of memorable patient encounters, and questions were posed to facilitate reflections on thoughts and actions that hindered or helped their decision-making. They were also asked to consider the impact of COVID-19 on nursing and decision-making. Interviews were transcribed verbatim, study team members reviewed transcripts and coded responses, and organized key findings into themes. Results Several themes related to decision-making were identified by the research team, including: identifying patient care needs, workload management, and reflecting on missed care opportunities to inform learning. Participants (n = 10) also indicated that COVID-19 presented a number of unique barriers to nurse decision-making. Conclusions Findings from this study indicate that experienced nurses utilize several sources of information to inform their intuition. It is apparent that the demands on nurses in response to pandemics are heightened. Decision-making themes drawn from participants' experiences can to assist nurse educators for training nursing students on decision-making for deteriorating patients and how to manage the potential barriers (e.g., resource constraints, lack of family) associated with caring for patients during these challenging times prior to encountering these issues in the clinical environment. Nurse practice can utilize these findings to increase awareness among experienced nurses on recognizing how pandemic situations can impact to their decision-making capability.
Identification of CD105+ Extracellular Vesicles as a Candidate Biomarker for Metastatic Breast Cancer.

ABSTRACT Background Extracellular vehicles (EVs) released by malignant tumor cells can mediate the immune response and promote metastasis through intercellular communication. EV analysis is an emerging cancer surveillance tool with advantages over traditional liquid biopsy methods. The aim of this pilot study is to identify actionable EV signatures in metastatic breast cancer. Materials and methods Under an IRB-approved protocol for the analysis of patient plasma, samples were collected from women with newly diagnosed or progressive metastatic breast cancer and from women without cancer. Enriched EVs were analyzed via a bead-based multiplex assay designed to detect 37 distinct tumor-relevant epitopes. The mean fluorescent intensity of EV epitopes meeting a minimum threshold of detectability was compared between groups via independent samples t-test. Subgroup analysis was conducted for metastatic breast cancer patients who were positive for estrogen and/or progesterone receptors and negative for HER2. Other variables potentially affecting CD105 levels were also analyzed. Results CD105 was found to have a significantly higher mean fluorescent intensity in participants with metastatic breast cancer compared to control participants (P = 0.04). ER/PR+ subgroup analysis revealed a similar pattern compared to control participants (P = 0.01). Other analyzed variables were not found to have a significant correlation with CD105 levels. Conclusions CD105 EV levels were significantly higher in samples from participants with breast cancer compared to controls. Given that CD105 is known to mediate angiogenesis and promote metastasis, EV-associated CD105 in plasma represents a potential biomarker for diagnosis, surveillance and therapeutic targeting in patients with metastatic breast cancer.
Evidence against instantaneous transfer of spatial knowledge in the house mouse (Mus musculus)

Perceptual vector deduction (instantaneous transfer) is the ability of a displaced animal to deduce the vector toward home from a novel location solely on the basis of its current perception of a previously learned constellation of landmarks. Different groups of house mice, Mus musculus, subjected to different treatments, were tested for such an ability. The tests were done on a circular arena, 1.5 m in diameter, that had a nest attached to the periphery. Mice that were confined to the nest for 24 h, with a full view of the room, failed to home accurately when deprived of the opportunity of integrating the path from the nest to the center of the arena. Similar failures were obtained when the mice were tested after they had freely explored an adjacent arena for 24 h, exposed to the same distal landmarks. However, the mice were able to home after being passively transported from the nest to the center of the arena. Free exploration of the test arena for 24 h improved homing in terms of directness and speed of locomotion toward the nest. Shuttling the mice 10 times between the nest and the release point in the center of the arena, in addition to 24-h free exploration, did not improve subsequent homing accuracy over that obtained from 24-h free exploration. In conclusion, the mice were unable to perceptually deduce a homing vector, and homing was improved by movement through the part of the environment that was used for homing.
51. Humidified oxygen gas perfusion (persufflation) in organ preservation and cryobanking

It is widely recognized that exposure to ischemia and its metabolic and sequelae during procurement and preservation results in tissue injury and/or death and that normothermic reperfusion during transplantation further amplifies the damage. This is also now a recognized issue in organ cryopreservation with data suggesting that inadequately preserved (damaged) organs may not be successfully cryopreserved and rewarmed for transplantation. Published literature reports demonstrate that enhanced oxygenation during organ preservation for kidney, heart, pancreas, and liver, results in improved organ viability, leading to better short and long-term outcomes including limiting chronic rejection in a porcine kidney and heart transplant model. Persufflation (PSF) the flow of hypothermic humidified oxygen gas through the vasculature of organs has been shown to be effective in oxygenating and preserving as well as reconditioning a variety of organs including kidneys, livers, hearts, and pancreata from expanded criteria donors (including Donors after Cardiac Death) in a variety of small and large animal models with excellent outcomes. Persufflation is currently in a clinical trial for reconditioning (after hypothermic static storage) and transplanting livers that would have otherwise been discarded in Europe. PSF also extended significantly the allowable window for organ preservation (for example 14 h instead of 4–6 for the heart and 24 h instead of 8–12 h for the pancreas) without compromising outcomes. However, perhaps due to the unavailability of a “turnkey” portable persufflator and the requirement for use of pressurized oxygen gas cylinders, PSF has not been widely used clinically and has been until recently limited to reconditioning organs after prolonged cold ischemia times (shipped on hypothermic static storage). The development and current availability of a novel portable battery operated electrochemical oxygen generator (“persufflator”) that can be used during flight and deliver humidified oxygen gas to the vasculature of organs may change that. This PSF has been extensively tested with porcine and human pancreata and to a limited extent with porcine kidneys, livers, hearts and composite tissues. It is currently in pilot clinical testing in Canada for pancreas preservation prior to rewarming for digestion and islet purification for clinical islet allo transplantation. In this paper we present we discuss the utility of PSF in organ preservation and in particular organ (re) conditioning prior to cryopreservation as well as during thawing and rewarming prior to transplantation. Financial Support: NIH/NIDDK SBIR R44DK070400.
The Unintended Consequences of the Technology in Clinical Settings

In this chapter, we highlight unexpected outcomes created by technology use in clinical settings. We define unintended consequences as both positive serendipitous results as well as negative, unintended, and potentially harmful consequences of technology in use. A review of different classification systems for studying the unanticipated impacts of health information technology (HIT) is followed by specific examples from the use of electronic health records (EHR). EHR systems are one example of how even well-designed technology can yield unexpected results. Although HIT such as EHRs has the potential to improve care by reducing the burden placed on its users, it can also increase memory demands, alter communication channels, and provoke sub-optimal decision-making. This can lead to errors, inefficiencies in workflows, overdependence on technology and, importantly, risk to patients. By understanding the impact of technology on performance we can potentially manage the negative unintended consequences engendered by HIT systems allowing such systems to function as expected. Additionally, by understanding unanticipated beneficial outcomes, we can promote the development of future tools that further induce positive results.
INTERACTION OF SOLAR ENERGETIC PARTICLES WITH THE EARTH'S BOW SHOCK AND MAGNETOPAUSE.

For many years, energetic particles emitted by the sun have been studied for the purposes of determining the acceleration process producing them and the properties of the interplanetary medium as deduced from the propagation features of the particles. As a result, it is now generally recognized that the sun accelerates protons, He nuclei, and electrons impulsively as well as continuously to energies of many MeV, that these particles initially populate a zone of limited solar longitude, and that propagation to the vicinity of the earth occurs by streaming along and diffusion across the interplanetary field lines.
Mass spectrometry in coupling with affinity capture-release and isotope-coded affinity tags for quantitative protein analysis.

Affinity capture-release electrospray ionization mass spectrometry (ACESIMS) and isotope-coded affinity tags (ICAT) are two recently introduced techniques for the quantitation of protein activity and content with applications to clinical enzymology and functional proteomics, respectively. One common feature of these methods is that they use biotinylated tags that function as molecular handles for highly selective and reversible affinity capture of conjugates from complex biological mixtures such as cell homogenates and sub-cellular organelles. ACESIMS uses synthetic substrate conjugates specifically to target cellular enzymes that, when deficient, are the cause of genetic diseases. Multiplex determination of enzyme activities is used for the diagnosis of lysosomal storage diseases. The ICAT method relies on selective conjugation of cysteine thiol groups in proteins, followed by enzymatic digestion and quantitative analysis of peptide conjugates by mass spectrometry. Another common feature of the ACESIMS and ICAT approaches is that both use conjugates labeled with stable heavy isotopes as internal standards for quantitation. Selected applications of the ACESIMS and ICAT techniques are presented that include molecular-level diagnosis of genetic diseases in children and quantitative determination of protein expression in cells.
Princelings and Paupers? State Employment and the Distribution of Human Capital Investments Among Vietnamese Households

Unequal access to education is known to be a key driver of income inequality in developing countries. Vietnam, a transitional economy, exhibits significant segmentation in the market for skilled labor based on more remunerative employment in government and state firms. We ask whether this segmentation is also reflected in human capital investments at household level. We find that households whose heads hold state jobs keep their children in school longer, spend more on education, and are more likely to enroll their children in tertiary institutions relative to households whose heads hold non-state jobs. The estimates are robust to a wide range of household and individual controls. Over time, disparities in educational investments based on differential access to jobs that reward skills and/or credentials help widen existing income and earnings gaps between well-connected “princelings” and the rest of the labor market. Capital market policies that create segmentation in the market for skills also crowd out investment in private sector firms, further reducing incentives for human capital deepening.
A Review of “War, Violence, and Population: Making the Body Count”

Until recently, a large rift has existed between geographic and military scholarship. So dismayed by the role geography played in the Vietnam War, geographers have traditionally shied away from lin...
Sophisticated Learning and Learning Sophistication

We test the population rule learning model for symmetric normal-form games, and strongly reject: (i) no rule learning, (ii) no diversity, and (iii) no sophisticated evidence. Further, trembles and herd behavior decline and level-2 behavior increases over time.
Strategic Use of Native Species on Environmental Gradients Increases Diversity and Biomass Relative to Switchgrass Monocultures

Abstract Switchgrass (Panicum virgatum) monocultures are a leading feedstock choice for producing cellulosic biofuels. However, in natural stands, switchgrass is only dominant in a narrow ecological niche of the Tallgrass Prairie. This suggests that strategically selected monocultures or binary mixtures of species, adapted to particular ecological niches, might outyield switchgrass monocultures while increasing biodiversity at the field and landscape scales. To test this hypothesis, we planted monocultures of switchgrass and three alternative species at each of three landscape positions (shoulderslope, midslope, and footslope). Alternative species were also mixed with switchgrass such that they composed 33 or 67% of the total number of plants in each plot. Alternative species at each position included a C3 grass, a C4 grass, and a forb. Biomass data were collected in autumn during each of the two consecutive years following the establishment year. At the shoulderslope, the highest-yielding treatments were those containing little bluestem (Schizachyrium scoparium; 12.0 Mg ha−1) and those dominated by switchgrass (10.4 Mg ha−1). At the midslope and footslope, there were interactions of year × treatment (p
A 350-Year Reconstruction of the Response of South Cascade Glacier to Interannual and Interdecadal Climatic Variability

Mountain hemlock growth chronologies were used to reconstruct the mass balance of South Cascade Glacier, an alpine glacier in the North Cascade Range of Washington State. The net balance reconstruction spans 350 years, from 1659 to 2009. Summer and winter balances were reconstructed for 1346–2009 and 1615–2009, respectively. Relationships between mass balance and winter precipitation, temperature, the Pacific Decadal Oscillation index, and the El Nino Southern Oscillation index indicate that these influence glacier balance at various temporal scales. Above-average net, summer, and winter mass balance occurred mainly in 1690–1710, 1810–1820, 1845–1860, 1865–1890, and 1975–1990, and below-average balance periods include 1680–1690, 1790–1810, 1820–1840, and 1930–1960. Above- and below-average reconstructed mass balances at South Cascade Glacier were concurrent with similar periods from other glacier balance reconstructions in the Pacific Northwest region of North America. Agreement among these records suggests that changes in South Cascade Glacier mass balance are good indicators of regional balance fluctuations, and glaciers in the Pacific Northwest are responding similarly to regional external forcings. The current rate of decline, from 2000 to 2009, in the reconstructed balance record has been faster than any decline in a century. This decreasing trend is projected to continue with increasing temperatures, and will likely affect glacier-influenced water resources in the Pacific Northwest.
Understanding software component technologies: JavaBeans and ActiveX

Summary form only given, as follows. In component-based software development (CBSD), reusable software components are assembled within appropriate software architectures. This delivers the promise of large-scale software reuse and has the potential to improve software reliability, time-to-market, maintainability and quality. This tutorial will provide participants with the opportunity to acquire a good understanding of the two leading component technologies: JavaBeans and ActiveX (DCOM), so as to be able to select the right one for their projects.
VARIANTS OF HERPES SIMPLEX VIRUS: ISOLATION, CHARACTERIZATION, AND FACTORS INFLUENCING PLAQUE FORMATION

Rapp, Fred (Baylor University College of Medicine, Houston, Tex.). Variants of herpes simplex virus: isolation, characterization, and factors influencing plaque formation. J. Bacteriol. 86:985-991. 1963.-Variants of herpes simplex virus were isolated which differed in plaque size and in virulence for rabbits and mice. Keratitis on the rabbit cornea and generalized disease were associated with the large, but not the small, plaque variants. The large plaque variants were about as neurovirulent as was the parent strain for weanling mice, but the majority of the small plaque variants were only 1% as virulent for mice as was the parent virus. Agar inhibited the formation of plaques by the parent strain and all variants tested; development of plaques was retarded and the number of plaques was approximately 60% less than those developing under an overlay in which methyl cellulose had been substituted for the agar. Rabbit kidney cells and human embryonic lung fibroblasts were more sensitive than mouse embryo fibrolasts to infection with all variants tested.
The Effect of Nonaudit Fees and Family Owned Businesses on Earnings Management in the Indian Industry

This paper extends the findings of Frankel, Johnson, and Nelson (2002) by providing empirical evidence on the relation between nonaudit fees and earnings management for a sample of Indian firms. In addition, we investigate whether there is a greater incidence of earnings management in family owned firms versus non family owned firms. Our tests are motivated by concerns about decreasing auditor independence due to a greater economic bond between the firm and the auditor in the presence of nonaudit fees. These concerns are reflected by the SEC, who issued auditor independence rules in November 2000 that required firms to file proxy statements on or after February 5, 2001 that disclose the amount of total audit fees paid along with a breakdown between audit fees and nonaudit fees. We find a positive association between nonaudit fees and the magnitude of absolute discretionary accruals. We also find a positive association between family owned firms and the magnitude of discretionary accruals.
Defective epithelial adhesion in anterior corneal dystrophies.

Experimental and pathologic studies implicated the role of the epithelial basement membrane and its associated hemidesmosomes and anchoring fibrils in mediating tight adhesion between corneal epithelium and stroma. We evaluated the ultrastructural quality of basement membrane complexes in patients with Reis-Bucklers dystrophy, Cogan's microcystic dystrophy, and nontraumatic recurrent erosion who presented with clinically significant erosive symptoms. Despite the variable clinical and histopathologic appearances among these dystrophies, incompleteness of basement membrane complexes apparently was a common fault shared by these erosive disorders. Such basic incompetence at the basement membrane level can both provoke and sustain erosions, while the more individual pathologic manifestations of a given anterior dystrophy may be of less primary significance.
Positron stopping in elemental systems: Monte Carlo calculations and scaling properties.

The scaling of positron-implantation (stopping) profiles has been reported by Ghosh [ital et] [ital al]., who used the BNL Monte Carlo scheme to generate stopping profiles in semi-infinite elemental metals. A simple scaling relationship reduced the stopping profiles of positrons implanted at different energies (ranging from 1--10 keV) onto a single universal curve for that particular metal. We have confirmed that the scaling relationship also applies to the quite different Jensen and Walker Monte Carlo scheme, for more materials, and over an expanded energy range of 1--25 keV. The mean depths of the stopping profiles calculated by the two Monte Carlo schemes are found to be different, mainly due to differences in the inelastic mean free paths and the energy-loss functions. However, after scaling, the profiles generated by the two schemes can be superimposed onto a single curve which can be appropriately parametrized. The scaled profiles are found to be only weakly material dependent. The mean depths, backscattered fractions, and scaled stopping profiles are fitted to simple parametric functions, and the values of these parameters are obtained for several elements.
QUANTITATIVE MICROPHOTOMETRY AT THE CELLULAR LEVEL: A SIMPLE TECHNIQUE FOR MEASURING CHLOROPLAST MOVEMENTS IN VIVO*

— A recording microphotometer was developed to permit quantitative analysis of light-induced chloroplast aggregation in single filaments of the alga Vaucheria. Optical fibers were used both to irradiate the cells and to collect the transmitted light. Light transmittance was examined as a function of time at a fixed point along an algal filament. The photoresponse was stimulated by combining an additional actinic beam with the measuring beams such that both actinic and measuring beams followed the same optical path. The quasi-opalescent properties of the optical fibers and dual-wavelength measurements compensated for light scattering and variations in sample geometry. Chloroplast aggregation, marked by a passive accumulation of organelles in the irradiated region of the cell, resulted in a decline of cell transmittance to 675 and 743 nm light. During stimulation with moderate intensities of actinic, 473 nm light the relative transmittance to 675 nm light (corrected for scattering, measured at 743 nm) fell below 0.1 within 5 min. The exponential form of this transmittance change as a function of time was consistent with changes in optical geometry of the aggregate during the photoresponse. It follows that the decay in algal transmittance can provide a measure of the rate of chloroplast accumulation in the light path.
Soil‐moisture records from burned and unburned plots in certain grazing areas of California

A paper [see 4 of “References” at end of paper] published in the Transactions of the American Geophysical Union, 1938, referred to experiments which showed that plant-transpiration is the chief means by which water is lost from soils, and that the loss of water by evaporation directly from the surface of the soil is almost entirely confined to a shallow surface layer of about four to eight inches It was pointed out that water, when applied to dry soils, is rather quickly distributed until a condition known as the field-capacity is reached. After this, the movement of the water, for practical purposes, may be considered to have ceased. The field-capacity of soils cannot be changed markedly by the addition of organic matter or fertilizers, nor can the amount of water usable by plants be changed materially by the applications of such materials.
Response to Letters Regarding Article, “Should Off-Pump Coronary Artery Bypass Grafting Be Abandoned?”

I thank the authors for their comments regarding my recent clinical review.1 All the authors commented on the reduced incidence of stroke with the use of techniques that avoid aortic manipulation. However, this can be achieved with both on-pump and off-pump coronary artery bypass (OPCAB) techniques. Edelman and colleagues are correct in stating that large trials comparing on-pump and OPCAB have not reported the incidence of aortic side-biting clamp techniques. Our own incidence of perioperative strokes has decreased to <0.5% with the single clamp technique in a population of elderly, high-risk …
Assessment of the Natural History of Treated and Untreated Scars with a Novel Imaging System

A multimodal imaging system and a compression device were designed for the characterization of hypertrophic scars during compression therapy. Physiological and structural scar components were observed in treated and untreated lesions and compared to histology. Article not available.
Temperature dependent linear HEMT model extracted with multi-temperature optimization

Temperature dependent model is conventionally developed with 1) individual linear model extraction at each temperature and 2) temperature dependence extraction for each model parameter. A novel approach based on a multi-temperature optimization is proposed in this study. The new approach is faster and more accurate since the linear models at different temperatures are extracted simultaneously and inter-relatedly. It has been found, based on the model extracted, that there is a specific gate-source voltage of Vgs0, where the transconductance (Gm) keeps constant versus temperature. Gm increases (decreases) with temperature for Vgs Vgs0). With increasing temperature, a substantial decrease in extrinsic inductance is also observed. Our findings are believed to be useful for designing HEMT amplifiers with less temperature dependence.
Millisecond time resolution with the Kitt Peak Photon-Counting Array

The Kitt Peak Photon-Counting Array (KPCA) has been modified to provide access to individual frames, with the accompanying short frame time per exposure of between two and five milliseconds. These changes are described and the instrument's performance is illustrated. Imaging of the Crab pulsar with millisecond time resolution is presented as an astronomical example. Poor observing conditions precluded the photometric quality which would normally be achieved with a photon counter.
Edmund Vincent Cowdry and the Making of Gerontology as a Multidisciplinary Scientific Field in the United States

The Canadian–American biologist Edmund Vincent Cowdry played an important role in the birth and development of the science of aging, gerontology. In particular, he contributed to the growth of gerontology as a multidisciplinary scientific field in the United States during the 1930s and 1940s. With the support of the Josiah Macy, Jr. Foundation, he organized the first scientific conference on aging at Woods Hole, Massachusetts, where scientists from various fields gathered to discuss aging as a scientific research topic. He also edited Problems of Ageing (1939), the first handbook on the current state of aging research, to which specialists from diverse disciplines contributed. The authors of this book eventually formed the Gerontological Society in 1945 as a multidisciplinary scientific organization, and some of its members, under Cowdry’s leadership, formed the International Association of Gerontology in 1950. This article historically traces this development by focusing on Cowdry’s ideas and activities. I argue that the social and economic turmoil during the Great Depression along with Cowdry’s training and experience as a biologist – cytologist in particular – and as a textbook editor became an important basis of his efforts to construct gerontology in this direction.
Evidence that a leukocyte type of 12-lipoxygenase is expressed and regulated by angiotensin II in human adrenal glomerulosa cells.

The 12-lipoxygenase (LO) pathway of arachidonic acid plays an important role in angiotensin II (AII)-mediated aldosterone synthesis. Several distinct isoforms of 12-LO have been cloned. However, in humans only the platelet form of 12-LO has been reported to be present. Western immunoblotting analysis in cultured human adrenal glomerulosa cells using polyclonal antibodies to porcine leukocyte 12-LO enzyme or peptide showed a specific 72-kilodalton band, which is identical to the molecular size of the porcine leukocyte form of 12-LO. In addition, AII (10(-7)) increased the intensity of the 72-kilodalton band nearly 2-fold over basal. In situ hybridization analysis indicated a strong positive reaction with the porcine leukocyte type of 12-LO antisense riboprobe in the zona glomerulosa of the adrenal cortex. The 12-LO probe also recognized a near 4-kilobase messenger RNA (mRNA) from human glomerulosa cells in Northern blots. Since the leukocyte type of 12-LO is highly homologous to human 15-LO, a reverse tran...
Moisture Ingression in Honeycomb Core Sandwich Panels: Directional Aspects

Moisture ingression was studied in several composite sandwich panels.No observable ingression was found in a panel with HRP core of density 0.13 g/cc (8.0 lb/ft'). Significant moisture ingression occurred in a panel with Korex 3.0-lb core with density 0,048 g/cc, (3.0 lb/cu ft). It was as faster in the Y-axis (core ribbon) direction, per unit distance than in other directions.
Predictive models from statistically nonconforming databases

Data sets in civil and structural engineering are often statistically challenging. This is because the data are from one-of-a-kind systems such as buildings and other large facilities, as opposed to replicated systems as found in most other fields of engineering. Special care is required in developing predictive models from such data. Herein a database of building natural period and damping is used to provide a rich context for analyzing one-of-a-kind systems. The database is statistically nonconforming in three ways. The data are nested, where measurements from different excitation sources are obtained for each building; the data set is unbalanced with measurements unevenly distributed among different building categories; and the variability is nonuniform. Furthermore, the number of possibly relevant building parameters is large. The goal is to develop a relatively simple, yet general approach for deriving predictive models based on such statistically nonconforming data sets. The approach is based on the statistical framework of generalized linear models and is structured in a manner to allow for engineering insights into the model. In the companion paper, it is shown how this approach can be applied to develop comprehensive models for building natural period and damping.
INCLUSION AND EXCLUSION: FEMINISM'S RELATIONSHIP WITH POLITICAL SCIENCE

Feminist political scientists argue that women's political roles may be best understood in terms of a split between the public and private spheres. Ignoring the private sphere predisposes politicalscience to misunderstanding the complex relationship between gender and politics. Despite interesting advances, mainstream political science does not seriously incorporate this critique and dismisses gender's importance. If political science continues to ignore feminism, it cannot gain a comprehensive understanding of politics. So, while feminist demands may change the discipline significantly, political science should consider feminism more seriously. After considering the dynamics of the relationship between feminism and political science, this article suggests ways to improve the dialogue between feminist and mainstream researchers.
Reconstructing the Lost Cause in the Memphis City Parks Renaming Controversy

This essay examines the rhetorical responses by citizens who opposed efforts to rename (Nathan Bedford) Forrest Park in Memphis, Tennessee, in 2005. Letters to the editor published in the city's primary newspaper, The Commercial Appeal, were examined and revealed a rhetorical reliance on tenets of the Lost Cause myth that ennobled Southern states following the Civil War. The findings reveal that this controversy's true consequence rests in the political control of Memphis's historical narrative. The Lost Cause's signification in these letters reaffirms White antebellum privilege by preserving and fortifying White historical narratives in light of the mid-20th century's Second Reconstruction.
Effect of nearby Pearl vortices upon the I c versus B characteristics of planar Josephson junctions in thin and narrow superconducting strips

In this paper I show how to calculate the effect of a nearby Pearl vortex or antivortex upon the critical current ${I}_{c}(B)$ when a perpendicular magnetic induction $B$ is applied to a planar Josephson junction in a long, thin, superconducting strip of width $W$ much less than the Pearl length $\ensuremath{\Lambda}=2{\ensuremath{\lambda}}^{2}/d$, where $\ensuremath{\lambda}$ is the London penetration depth and $d$ is the thickness ($dl\ensuremath{\lambda}$). The theoretical results provide a qualitative explanation of unusual features recently observed experimentally by Golod et al. [Phys. Rev. Lett. 104, 227003 (2010)] in a device with a similar geometry.
Sustainable Design Re-examined: Integrated Approach to Knowledge Creation for Sustainable Interior Design

The article focuses on a systematic approach to the instructional framework to incorporate three aspects of sustainable design. It also aims to provide an instruction model for sustainable design stressing a collective effort to advance knowledge creation as a community. It develops a framework conjoining the concept of integrated process in sustainable building practice and the learning as knowledge creation theory. It presents a case study where the framework was applied to a project emphasising the role of interior design in downtown rehabilitation by addressing economy, community and environment collectively. The integrated process involving various stakeholders for sustainable solutions is a collective effort to teach sustainable design as a knowledge creating community and sustaining knowledge advancement in society.
Depolarizing agents and tumor necrosis factor-α modulate protein phosphorylation in oligodendrocytes

Membrane depolarization and changes in ionic fluxes have been implicated in the signaling mechanisms between neurons and glial cells. We report here that K+-induced depolarization of cultured ovine oligodendrocytes (OLGs) decreases the phosphorylation of myelin basic protein (MBP) and 2′3′-cyclic nucleotide phosphohydrolase (CNPase). Membrane depolarization and decrease in phosphorylation of MBP and CNPase can also be elicited by inhibition of the inward rectifier with Ba2+ but not by inhibition of outward K+ channels with 4-aminopyridine or tetraethylammonium. These findings demonstrate that modulation of K+ currents can influence phosphorylation states of OLG proteins. Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α), an immune peptide implicated in autoimmune demyelinating diseases, also inhibits the phosphorylation of these proteins. In contrast to elevated [K+]0, TNF-α does not decrease the stimulatory effect of protein kinase C activators or phosphatase inhibitors on MBP and CNPase phosphorylation, suggesting that depolarizing agents and TNF-α act via distinct mechanisms. We postulate that the presence of elevated extracellular K+ and/or cytokines under certain pathological conditions can perturb OLG function by altering the phosphorylation states of their proteins and perhaps affect myelin maintenance, contributing to demyelination. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Performance Measurement and Improvement: an Assessment of the State of the Art

This article attempts to show the frontier of government performance measurement. First, it introduces the sophisticated and effective strategies that public agencies have utilized for performance measurement within a comprehensive approach to productivity improvement. Multiple measures have been developed to improve a variety of management functions such as goal-setting and resource allocation. The article then outlines the cutting edge of performance measurement. Based on a number of case studies throughout the United States, this article discusses the state of the art in three performance areas: citizen-driven government performance, use of citizen surveys and performance reporting. Finally, the article concludes that the essential question in the future is how government can move to full adoption and implementation of citizen-driven, data-driven decision-making.
ESR observation of isotopic preference in static distortions of Jahn-Teller active radical cations: Partially deuterated ethane radical cations in SF6 at 4 K

Abstract The paper describes the observation of deuterium substitution effects in the static distortion of Jahn-Teller active species at 4 K. In partially deuterated ethane radical cations a CH bond preferentially occupies the in-plane upright position if H is in the methyl group, whereas a CD bond occupies essentially the same upright position when CH3 is replaced by CD3. The activation energy for pseudorotation is estimated to be 250 cal/mol for CH3CH3+ and is higher than 500 cal/mol with partial deuteration of a CH3.
Flexo printed sol-gel derived vanadium oxide films as an interfacial hole-transporting layer for organic solar cells

In this paper we report on the synthesis and development of vanadium oxide precursor flexographic ink for the printing of hole-transporting layers in organic solar cells. For the synthesis of vanadium oxide inks, a sol-gel methodology was utilized. By modifying the vanadium alkoxide precursor with a right type of coordinating ligands a stable and flexoprintable ink has been successfully developed. Flexo-printing afforded smooth and uniform vanadium oxide sol-gel films on top of PCDTBT:PC 70 BM films. The conversion of the synthesized sol-gel film into a corresponding vanadium oxide layer was followed by DSC/TGA and XPS analyses. The inks were used for the fabrication of inverted organic solar cells by flexo-printing. Power conversion efficiencies ranging between 3.5 % and 4.5 % were achieved, which are slightly lower than the reference cells using vacuum-deposited MoO 3 as the hole-transporting layers.
Transient scattering using finite elements with curved absorbing boundaries

We present a time-domain solution to 2D TM/TE electromagnetic scattering problems using the finite element method. We implement Barry-Bielak-MacCamy (BBM) time and space local absorbing conditions (proposed in 1988) on a curved convex truncated domain boundary. The BBM boundary conditions, which encompass the popular Bayliss-Turkle mode annihilating boundary conditions and Kriegsmann on-surface boundary conditions, yield symmetric second order systems, which are then integrated using Newmark's schemes. Numerical examples are provided and validated against published data. The method can be in principle extended to 3D transient scattering.
Investigation of the link between micromechanical interparticle bond rigidity measurements and macroscopic shear moduli of colloidal gels

Abstract Recent research has been reported on the development of a direct measurement of the particle–particle bond rigidity, κo, between aggregated colloids using a micromechanical three point bending test of assembled linear aggregates employing laser tweezers [J.P. Pantina, E.M. Furst, Colloidal aggregate micromechanics in the presence of divalent ions, Langmuir 22 (2006) 5282–5288]. Current theory suggests how one may use measured κo to estimate bulk colloidal gel shear moduli, G. In cases where the theory is appropriate, direct measurement of κo allows this estimation to be made regardless of the source of interparticle attractions. This work investigates the comparison of G-values computed using the reported κo measurements to values obtained by bulk rheometry. Bulk colloidal gel shear moduli are predicted within a factor of two, and the general trends predicted are observed.
Pelvic angiosarcoma occurring in a postmenopausal female: case report and review of the literature.

Sarcomas of the soft tissue are uncommon tumors which are difficult to diagnose due to their frequency and subtle presentation [1]. Angiosarcomas only count for less than 2 % from all soft tissue sarcomas, which makes the diagnosis even harder [2, 3]. Literature about them is scarce and obtained from small series and case reports. We present a clinicpathologic reported case of a biphasic pelvic angiosarcoma in a 55-year old female with abdominal pain and ascites.
A physical mechanism for long‐term survival of ground ice in Beacon Valley, Antarctica

[1] Radiometric dating, geomorphology, biostratigraphy, and diffusion physics provide conflicting evidence for the age of the ground ice found in Beacon Valley, Antarctica. The rate of vapor diffusion into a dry atmosphere is incompatible with a minimum radiometric age of 8 Ma. Recent measurements of meteorological conditions in Beacon Valley show that the humidity of the atmosphere, although small, is comparable to the saturation vapor pressure at the ice. Analogous conditions explain the survival of ground ice at the high latitudes of Mars. At the study site, atmospheric vapor slows the sublimation loss by a factor of three and the retreat will cease entirely if temperatures are lower by 5°C. Detailed model simulations show that advection, including the advection from changes in surface pressure caused by winds, has a negligible effect on sublimation loss.
National Projects in Civilian Technology

Every once in a while, decisions are made to push the technological frontier to create new products or processes. Such decisions occur in a number of places on a variety of scales. When they are made, they bring into being R & D projects. A small percentage of these projects are especially significant because of costs, or risk or policy implications. They usually require decisions by governments to be initiated and implemented. These are the national technology projects.
A note on adaptive-wall wind tunnels

The scheme proposed by Ferri/Baronti and by Sears, in which the walls of a wind tunnel are iteratively adjusted in accordance with certain flow-perturbation measurements, is reviewed briefly. The iterative process is then simulated, within the scope of the theory of small-perturbation subsonic flows, for three cases of sinusoidal bodies in two-dimensional and circular tunnels. One of these cases is that of a lifting sinusoidal wing of small span tested in a circular tunnel. It is shown that convergence occurs in all cases if the ‘relaxation parameter’k, which is the fraction of the measured discrepancy distribution employed after each iteration, is chosen anywhere within a rather wide range of positive values. It is suggested that the results of this study cast light on the adaptive-wall scheme in general.
Females Exhibit Relative Resistance to Depressive Effects of Tumor Necrosis Factor-α on the Myocardium

Background Tumor necrosis factor-alpha (TNF-α) plays a critical role in myocardial dysfunction following acute injury. It is unknown, however, if a gender-specific response to TNF infusion exists in isolated rat hearts. Elucidating such mechanisms is important to understanding the myocardial gender differences during acute injury. We hypothesize that females will exhibit a relative resistance to TNF-induced myocardial dysfunction compared to males and that menstrual cycle would influence the degree of female myocardial resistance to TNF-induced myocardial functional depression. Materials and methods Adult male, proestrus female, and metestrus/diestrus female hearts were subjected to 60 min of TNF infusion at 10,000 pg/mL · min via Langendorff. Myocardial contractile function (left ventricular developed pressure, and the positive/negative first derivative of pressure) was continuously recorded. Results 10,000 pg/mL · min of TNF markedly depressed myocardial function in males compared with other doses of TNF. Myocardial function was significantly decreased in males compared to females following TNF infusion. Additionally, both the proestrus and the metestrus/diestrus females exhibited equal resistance to TNF-induced myocardial dysfunction. Conclusion Our study shows that females exhibit a significantly greater degree of resistance to TNF-induced myocardial depression. Moreover, data from this study suggest that fluctuations in estrogen during the reproductive cycle may have little to no influence on TNF-induced myocardial depression.
Child advocacy: A progress report

Child advocacy thinking has stirred discussion and does offer a banner under which communities and professionals can identify their needs, stimulate new program development, and modify existing programs. As a result, it is likely that both laymen and professionals concerned about children will assume a more active, advocate attitude in their roles. It is also clear that education in child mental health is needed at all levels. Whether or not a child advocacy system emerges with the passage of time, public planners should have access to child advocacy consultation, and an individual advocate should reach each child.
Comments on two theorems by Kandel

This correspondence points out the incorrectness of two theorems and two corollaries in ( Kandel, 1973 ). Four counterexamples are presented. The places in the proof of the two theorems which are incorrect are identified.