cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toward a Comprehensive Psychology of Creativity

The literature of social influences on creativity contains a curious finding. Not only does first birth order seem to foster creativity, but early death of a parent seems to function in the same way (Albert, 1980). On the average, in the general population, about 8% of people lose a parent through death before they are 16 years old. By contrast, as reported in Chapter 8, the percentages are 26% for eminent scientists (Roe, 1952) 30% for historical geniuses (Cox, 1926), and 55% for eminent English poets and writers (Brown, 1968). The incidence of early parental loss is similarly high for individuals who have achieved eminence in domains not typically considered “creative.” For example, 34% of American presidents and 35% of British prime ministers suffered such loss (Albert, 1980).
Apes in conversation: The role of the human interlocutor

Abstract Ape Language Research has primarily focused on formal linguistic abilities of apes, rather than on the cultural and pragmatic aspects of language found in socio-communicative interactions. Studies with humans exhibiting non-standard language abilities, such as autistic children, have shown that the interlocutor play a constitutive role in enabling communication with these individuals. This contrasts with a general view in primatology that human influence may lead to unjustified anthropomorphism. Through an analysis of conversations between symbolically competent bonobos and humans using the concept of conversational implicature, it will be shown that the assumptions made by the interlocutor are crucial in establishing communicative intersubjectivity. The communicative exchange takes the form of a more distributed activity, a feature also exhibited by non-standard human language subjects.
David Oliver: Hospitals are not the enemy

Even as an acute hospital doctor I recently shouted at the television, when Newsnight reduced a debate on the whole NHS to one about hospitals,1 “There are other services, you know!” I understand why non-hospital staff are even more exasperated at the obsession with hospitals. The health service’s internal commentariat repeatedly blames hospitals, and the frontline staff who work in them, for the NHS’s problems.2 3 4 We’re too financially dominant, apparently, and the government gives us too much priority. It argues that hospitals, in their current form, inhibit vital investment in primary and community services …
Influential Mutations in the SMAD4 Trimer Complex Can Be Detected from Disruptions of Electrostatic Complementarity

Abstract This article examines three techniques for rapidly assessing the electrostatic contribution of individual amino acids to the stability of protein–protein complexes. Whereas the energetic minimization of modeled oligomers may yield more accurate complexes, we examined the possibility that simple modeling may be sufficient to identify amino acids that add to or detract from electrostatic complementarity. The three methods evaluated were (a) the elimination of entire side chains (e.g., glycine scanning), (b) the elimination of the electrostatic contribution from the atoms of a side chain, called nullification, and (c) side chain structure prediction using SCWRL4. These techniques generate models in seconds, enabling large-scale mutational scanning. We evaluated these techniques on the SMAD2/SMAD4 heterotrimer, whose formation plays a crucial role in antitumor pathways. Many studies have documented the clinical and structural effect of specific mutations on trimer formation. Our results describe how ...
Folate hydrolase assay of tissue extracts from prostate specific membrane antigen (PSMA) transgenic mice

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 45, 2004 4302 Protein specific membrane antigen (PSMA) is a type II integral membrane protein, predominantly localized to the epithelial cells of the prostate gland. PSMA expression is upregulated in poorly differentiated and advanced prostate cancers. PSMA is also expressed on the tumor vascular endothelium of virtually all solid carcinomas and sarcomas, but not on normal vascular endothelium. PSMA is an established target for imaging and therapy in cancer treatment. In mice, the strongest expression of PSMA is in the kidney with less expression in the brain, but not in the prostate. Transgenic mice that are expressing human PSMA in their prostates have been generated in our lab using prostate specific antigen (PSA) promoter and enhancer. PSMA has two enzymatic activities: folate hydrolase and N-acetylated-alpha linked-acidic dipeptidase (NAALADase). The objective of this study is to perform enzymatic assay of tissue extracts from transgenic mice in comparison with those from wild type mice. The protein was extracted by 1% Triton-100 from fresh tissue homogenates and protein concentrations were measured by BCA assay. The extracts were added to methotrexate diglutamate (MTXGlu2) and incubated at 37°C for 1 hour. The reaction was stopped by adding Na2HPO4. The amount of methotrexate (MTX) and MTXGlu2 were then determined by HPLC using a PRISM RP column. The results are listed in [Table 1][1]. In wild type mice, the highest enzymatic activity was found in the kidney, followed by the brain and anterior prostate (AP), while very low activity was found in the heart and the dorsal, ventral and lateral lobes of the mouse prostate (DP/VP/LP). The folate hydrolase activity of the tissue extracts concurred with the amount of PSMA expressed in the tissues. In transgenic mice, enzymatic activity was also found in the kidney, brain and AP and the values were close to those of the wild type mice. A significant difference was found in the DP/VP/LP, where an enzymatic activity of 5.07 nmol MTX/mg protein/hour was observed compared with 0.71 nmol MTX/mg protein/hour in wild type mice. The results were in agreement with western blot analysis, where expression of PSMA was found in the DP/VP/LP of transgenic mice but not in that of wild type mice. In conclusion, a transgenic mouse that strongly expresses human PSMA in the prostate has been created. Further interest will be to explore how this animal model can be utilized in developing novel imaging and therapeutic strategies. ![Figure][2] [1]: #F1 [2]: pending:yes
Crowdsourcing Social Media for Military Operations

In this paper, we consider the demographics associated with social media users as a basis for determining how to interact with a population group to inform military operations such as humanitarian aid and disaster relief (HADR). With social media use increasing across most societal groups, information can be shared in a more representative manner than a decade ago. Also, crowdsourcing activities can be more productive and useful as the percentage of citizens using this technology increases. We discuss a recent experiment using the Amazon Mechanical Turk platform to investigate social bias factors associated with information transmission. 759 participants shared their social media usage characteristics as a feature of that study, and we explore those data in this paper to consider social media uses for HADR scenarios. We provide demographic characteristics for ten major social media platforms and discuss how tailored crowdsourcing would benefit decision making in traumatic and confusing conditions.
A sustainable approach to large area transfer of graphene and recycling of the copper substrate

Graphene, the prototypical two-dimensional material, has been a subject of much interest and extensive studies in the past few decades. Carbon dioxide, on the other hand, has gained infamy because of global climate change concerns. In this Communication, we demonstrate an unlikely but useful marriage between these two ostensibly juxtaposing carbon-containing compounds. Specifically, we address the challenges in sustainable graphene manufacturing by developing a new route for graphene transfer and reuse of the copper catalyst substrate via carbonic acid enabled electrochemical under-etching delamination. Electrochemical reduction of the cuprous oxide (Cu2O) interlayer between the copper catalyst substrate and the chemical vapour deposition (CVD) synthesized surface layer graphene is achieved by using carbon dioxide as the precursor for making a conductive carbonic acid electrolyte. This under-etching delamination approach to graphene transfer mitigates the conventional need for harsh chemical etchants that otherwise expend the copper catalyst. This approach also removes the need for the concomitant multiple subsequent rinsing steps typically needed for chemical etching or delamination via salt/alkali based electrolytes, thereby significantly reducing the process water usage. In addition, we also show the application of using food-grade ethyl cellulose as the thin film handle layer for the transfer process. This inexpensive and environmentally benign alternative for the polymeric thin film replaces the conventionally used high grade polymers that are typically solvated in harsh solvents. We expect our development to enable more environmentally sustainable and cost-effective strategies for the large-scale integration of graphene and analogous 2D materials and their devices, and also to generate new application streams for value-added uses of industrially captured carbon dioxide.
Improving graduation rates in drug court: A qualitative study of participants’ lived experiences:

For nearly three decades, drug courts have provided a rehabilitative approach within the criminal justice system for individuals who have a substance use disorder. The goal of drug courts is to red...
Storage Practices of US Gun Owners in 2016

Objectives. To examine gun storage practices and factors influencing those practices among gun owners.Methods. We conducted a nationally representative online survey of US gun owners (n = 1444) in 2016 to assess gun storage practices and attitudes, factors influencing storage practices, and groups that might effectively communicate regarding safe storage. We generated descriptive statistics by using cross-tabulations and used logistic regression to estimate characteristics that influenced safe storage practices.Results. Forty-six percent of gun owners reported safely storing all of their guns. Factors associated with higher odds of reporting safe storage were having a child in the home (adjusted odds ratio [AOR] = 1.44; 95% confidence interval [CI] = 1.03, 2.03), only owning handguns (AOR = 1.84; 95% CI = 1.24, 2.73), and reporting that storage decisions were influenced by a gun safety course (AOR = 2.05; 95% CI = 1.54, 2.74) or discussions with family members (AOR = 1.39; 95% CI = 1.05, 1.86). Gun owners...
Gene Expression Analysis

Large-scale analysis of gene expression in prostate- cancer using gene expression microarrays has revolutionized our understanding of prostate cancer. By allowing analysis of gene expression changes of tens of thousands of genes simultaneously, this technique has facilitated discovery of key biological alterations in prostate cancer such as the TMPRSS2/ERG fusion gene. In addition, this approach has discovered novel diagnostic biomarkers such as alpha methyl-acyl CoA racemase. Careful attention to preanalytical variables such as tissue preservation, tumor purity, the anatomic site of tissue origin, and RNA integrity is critical. Careful attention to the analytical variables and data analysis is also required for optimal results. Currently, next-generation RNA sequencing is displacing gene expression arrays due to superior analytical performance and rapidly decreasing cost. Large-scale expression of gene expression will continue to be a major tool for discovery in prostate cancer for the foreseeable future.
Change in effectivity yields recalibration of affordance geometry to preserve functional dynamics

Mon-Williams and Bingham (Exp Brain Res 211(1):145–160, 2011) developed a geometrical affordance model for reaches-to-grasp, and identified a constant scaling relationship, P, between safety margins (SM) and available apertures (SM) that are determined by the sizes of the objects and the individual hands. Bingham et al. (J Exp Psychol Hum Percept Perform 40(4):1542–1550, 2014) extended the model by introducing a dynamical component that scales the geometrical relationship to the stability of the reaching-to-grasp. The goal of the current study was to explore whether and how quickly change in the relevant effectivity (functionally determined hand size = maximum grip) would affect the geometrical and dynamical scaling relationships. The maximum grip of large-handed males was progressively restricted. Participants responded to this restriction by using progressively smaller safety margins, but progressively larger P (= SM/AA) values that preserved an invariant dynamical scaling relationship. The recalibration was relatively fast, occurring over five trials or less, presumably a number required to detect the variability or stability of performance. The results supported the affordance model for reaches-to-grasp in which the invariance is determined by the dynamical component, because it serves the goal of not colliding with the object before successful grasping can be achieved. The findings were also consistent with those of Snapp-Childs and Bingham (Exp Brain Res 198(4):527–533, 2009) who found changes in age-specific geometric scaling for stepping affordances as a function of changes in effectivities over the life span where those changes preserved a dynamic scaling constant similar to that in the current study.
Intraoperative optical pachymetry in photorefractive keratectomy.

Purpose To study the effect of variables on the accuracy and reliability of the optical pachymeter built into the WaveLight EX500 excimer laser during photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Setting John A. Moran Eye Center, University of Utah, Salt Lake City, USA. Design Retrospective case series. Methods A chart review of 352 eyes (181 patients) that had excimer laser PRK was performed. Programmed excimer laser residual stromal bed (RSB) measurements, optical pachymeter measurements after ablation, and Scheimpflug pachymetry measurements (Pentacam) at the 1-year follow-up were compared. Variables included ablation time, preoperative spherical equivalent (SE), 1-year SE, mitomycin-C use, operating room temperature and humidity, and programmed monovision. Results The mean programmed RSB was 27 μm greater than the optical pachymetry post-ablation measurement (P Conclusions The RSB post-ablation values measured by optical pachymetry during PRK were significantly lower than the programmed excimer laser RSB value and 1-year Scheimpflug pachymetry RSB value. Intraoperative pachymetry during PRK underpredicted the actual long-term RSB thickness. The greater temporary drying effect associated with increased ablation time in higher myopic corrections might have caused this error.
Log-Concave Polynomials, Entropy, and a Deterministic Approximation Algorithm for Counting Bases of Matroids

We give a deterministic polynomial time 2^O(r)-approximation algorithm for the number of bases of a given matroid of rank r and the number of common bases of any two matroids of rank r. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first nontrivial deterministic approximation algorithm that works for arbitrary matroids. Based on a lower bound of Azar, Broder, and Frieze this is almost the best possible assuming oracle access to independent sets of the matroid. There are two main ingredients in our result: For the first, we build upon recent results of Adiprasito, Huh, and Katz and Huh and Wang on combinatorial hodge theory to derive a connection between matroids and log-concave polynomials. We expect that several new applications in approximation algorithms will be derived from this connection in future. Formally, we prove that the multivariate generating polynomial of the bases of any matroid is log-concave as a function over the positive orthant. For the second ingredient, we develop a general framework for approximate counting in discrete problems, based on convex optimization. The connection goes through subadditivity of the entropy. For matroids, we prove that an approximate superadditivity of the entropy holds by relying on the log-concavity of the corresponding polynomials.
Biogenic carbonate mercury and marine temperature records reveal global influence of Late Cretaceous Deccan Traps

The climate and environmental significance of the Deccan Traps large igneous province of west-central India has been the subject of debate in paleontological communities. Nearly one million years of semi-continuous Deccan eruptive activity spanned the Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary, which is renowned for the extinction of most dinosaur groups. Whereas the Chicxulub impactor is acknowledged as the principal cause of these extinctions, the Deccan Traps eruptions are believed to have contributed to extinction patterns and/or enhanced ecological pressures on biota during this interval of geologic time. We present the first coupled records of biogenic carbonate clumped isotope paleothermometry and mercury concentrations as measured from a broad geographic distribution of marine mollusk fossils. These fossils preserve evidence of simultaneous increases in coastal marine temperatures and mercury concentrations at a global scale, which appear attributable to volcanic CO2 and mercury emissions. These early findings warrant further investigation with additional records of combined Late Cretaceous temperatures and mercury concentrations of biogenic carbonate. The relative role of the Deccan Traps volcanic activity versus the role of the Chicxulub impact event in terms of potential contributions to the Cretaceous-Paleogene (K-Pg) mass extinction has been subject to longstanding debate. Here, the authors observe a global signal of abruptly increased ocean temperatures and elevated [Hg] in the same biogenic carbonate specimens, prior to the impact event but aligning with the onset of Deccan volcanism.
A Constructive Model of Directed Univalence in Bicubical Sets

Directed type theory is an analogue of homotopy type theory where types represent categories, generalizing groupoids. A bisimplicial approach to directed type theory, developed by Riehl and Shulman, is based on equipping each type with both a notion of path and a separate notion of directed morphism. In this setting, a directed analogue of the univalence axiom asserts that there is a universe of covariant discrete fibrations whose directed morphisms correspond to functions---a higher-categorical analogue of the category of sets and functions. In this paper, we give a constructive model of a directed type theory with directed univalence in bicubical, rather than bisimplicial, sets. We formalize much of this model using Agda as the internal language of a 1-topos, following Orton and Pitts. First, building on the cubical techniques used to give computational models of homotopy type theory, we show that there is a universe of covariant discrete fibrations, with a partial directed univalence principle asserting that functions are a retract of morphisms in this universe. To complete this retraction into an equivalence, we refine the universe of covariant fibrations using the constructive sheaf models by Coquand and Ruch.
Body, Avatar, and Me: The Presentation and Perception of Self in Social Virtual Reality

Self-presentation in online digital social spaces has been a long standing research interest in HCI and CSCW. As online social spaces evolve towards more embodied digital representations, it is important to understand how users construct and experience their self and interact with others' self in new and more complicated ways, as it may introduce new opportunities and unseen social consequences. Using findings of an interview study (N=30), in this paper we report an in-depth empirical investigation of the presentation and perception of self in Social Virtual Reality (VR) - 3D virtual spaces where multiple users can interact with one another through VR head-mounted displays and full-body tracked avatars. This study contributes to the growing body of CSCW literature on social VR by offering empirical evidence of how social VR platforms afford new phenomena and approaches of novel identity practices and by providing potential design implications to further support such practices. We also expand the existing research agenda in CSCW on the increasing complexity of people's self-presentation in emerging novel sociotechnical systems.
Measuring the NAIRU with Reduced Uncertainty: A Multiple-Indicator Common-Cycle Approach

Abstract Standard estimates of the NAIRU or natural rate of unemployment are subject to considerable uncertainty. We show in this paper that using multiple indicators to extract an estimated NAIRU cuts in half uncertainty as measured by variance and gives a 33% reduction in the confidence band. The inclusion of an Okun's Law relation is particularly valuable. The essential notion is the existence of a common cyclical force driving the macroeconomic variables. Model comparisons based on the use of Bayes factors favor the idea of a common cyclical component.
“I Got Voodoo, I Got Hoodoo”: Ethnography and Its Objects in Disney’s the Princess and the Frog

Since the 2009 release of Disney’s The Princess and the Frog, critiques from within religious studies have focused on the role of its villain, Dr. Facilier, and its stereotypical distortions of Hai...
Mincle Signaling in the Innate Immune Response after Traumatic Brain Injury

Abstract The innate immune response contributes to the inflammatory activity after traumatic brain injury (TBI). In the present study we identify macrophage-inducible C-type lectin (mincle) as a pattern recognition receptor that contributes to innate immunity in neurons after TBI. Here we report that mincle is activated by SAP130 in cortical neurons in culture, resulting in production of the inflammatory cytokine TNF. In addition, mincle and SAP130 are elevated in the brain and cerebrospinal fluid of humans after TBI and the brain of rodents after fluid percussion brain injury. Thus, these findings suggest the involvement of mincle to the pathology of TBI. Importantly, blocking mincle with a neutralizing antibody against mincle in cortical neurons in culture treated with SAP130 resulted in inhibition of mincle signaling and decreased TNF production. Therefore, our findings identify mincle as a contributor to the inflammatory response after TBI.
A Review of: “Inside: Life Behind Bars in America”

Michael Santos' book Inside: Life Behind Bars in America is a must-read for anyone interested in or impacted by the criminal justice system. Despite the 13.5 million people confined to jails and pr...
Observations with high temporal resolution of the solar Ca/+/ K line

High time resolution (Δt = 10s) photometric scans of chromospheric Ca+ K are examined for evidence of propagating waves. The scans refer to a quiet area (1 x 7 arc seconds) near disk center. Diagnostics include line profile movies, time sequence spectrograms and power spectra. Both upward and downward (reflected?) disturbances having lifetimes, ~ 1–2 minutes are seen.
Lower Bounds For Hierarchical Chinese Postman Problem

Arc routing problems aim at finding a least cost traversal on a network with or without additional constraints. The Hierarchical Chinese Postman Problem (HCPP) is an arc routing problem. HCPP is NP-hard and several heuristics have been developed to solve this problem. The Chinese Postman Problem (CPP) tour solution is a known lower bound for the HCPP. This paper presents a heuristic that will prescribe improved lower bounds for the HCPP when compared to the CPP solutions. Better lower bounds aid exact search methods, such as branch-and-bound, to find an optimal solution in a shorter run time. It can also be used to determine the quality of a heuristic solution. Several problem instances were generated to evaluate the proposed heuristic. Experimental results indicate that our lower bounds are better than the CPP solution for all the sample problems chosen.
Environmental study of a methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus epidemic in a burn unit

During an outbreak of infections caused by methicillin-resistant (MR) Staphylococcus aureus in our burn unit, we conducted an extensive 10-week study to define the environmental epidemiology of the organism. The inanimate environment in patient rooms and adjacent areas was examined by using volumetric air samplers and Rodac plates. Airborne and surface level contamination with MR S. aureus was quantitated, and overall, MR S. aureus comprised 16, 31, and 40% of all bacterial growth from air, elevated surfaces, and floor surfaces, respectively. Mean air, elevated surface, and floor surface MR S. aureus contamination in rooms of MR S. aureus-infected burn patients were 1.9 MR S. aureus per ft3 (ca. 0.028 m3), 20 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate and 48 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate, respectively. Peak patient room environmental contamination levels were 6.9 MR S. aureus per ft3 of air, 70 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate per elevated surface and 138 MR S. aureus per Rodac plate per floor surface. Environmental contamination levels in the adjacent work areas were considerably lower than in infected patient rooms. There was ample opportunity for contamination of personnel through the inanimate environment in this unit.
Interim estimates of divergence date and vaccine strain match of human influenza A(H3N2) virus from systematic influenza surveillance (2010–2015) in Hangzhou, southeast of China

Summary Objectives In the post-pandemic period 2010–2015, seasonal influenza A(H3N2) virus predominated in Hangzhou, southeast of China, with an increased activity and semi-annual seasons. This study utilized HA virus gene segment sequences to analyze the divergence date and vaccine strain match of human influenza A(H3N2) virus from systematic influenza surveillance in Hangzhou. Methods Virological and serological analyses of 124 representative A(H3N2) viruses from prospective studies of systematic surveillance samples were conducted to quantify the genetic and antigenic characteristics and their vaccine strain match. Results Bayesian phylogenetic inference showed that two separate subgroups 3C.3 and 3C.2 probably diverged from group 3C in early 2012 and then evolved into groups 3C.3a and 3C.2a, respectively, in the 2014/15 influenza season. Furthermore, high amino acid substitution rates of the HA1 subunit were found in A(H3N2) group 3C.2a variants, indicating that increased antigenic drift of A(H3N2) group 3C.2a virus is associated with a vaccine mismatch to the 2015/16 vaccine reference strain Switzerland/9715293/2013 (group 3C.3a). Conclusions A portion of the group 3C.2a isolates are not covered by the current A(H3N2) vaccine strain. These findings offer insights into the emergence of group 3C.2a variants with epidemic potential in the imminent influenza seasons.
Petrology and Geochemistry of Mafic and Ultramafic Rocks from the Northern Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming

Precambrian intrusive bodies in the northern Bighorn Mountains, Wyoming, were formed during at least two distinct episodes of igneous injection. An older group of metadolerite and metapyroxenite intrusions was emplaced prior to the last regional metamorphism (2.75 b.y. ago) to affect the metasomatic, granitic country rock of the area. A younger group of dolerite and dolerite porphyry dikes has formed since that event. Chemical analyses indicate that both groups of intrusive rocks are of tholeiitic basalt affinity. As a group, the dolerite and dolerite porphyry appear to represent a differentiated sequence dominated by iron enrichment similar to the trend defined by metadolerite and related rocks in the nearby Beartooth Mountains.
Leiomyoma of scrotum

Abstract A case of leiomyoma of the tunica dartos, a benign lesion arising from the wall of the scrotum and not attached to the epididymis, testicular tunics, or adjacent structures, is presented.
Inaccuracy of Estimated Resting Oxygen Uptake in the Clinical Setting

Background—The Fick principle (cardiac output = oxygen uptake (O2)/systemic arterio-venous oxygen difference) is used to determine cardiac output in numerous clinical situations. However, estimated rather than measured O2 is commonly used because of complexities of the measurement, though the accuracy of estimation remains uncertain in contemporary clinical practice. Methods and Results—From 1996 to 2005, resting O2 was measured via the Douglas bag technique in adult patients undergoing right heart catheterization. Resting O2 was estimated by each of 3 published formulae. Agreement between measured and estimated O2 was assessed overall, and across strata of body mass index, sex, and age. The study included 535 patients, with mean age 55 yrs, mean body mass index 28.4 kg/m2; 53% women; 64% non-white. Mean (±standard deviation) measured O2 was 241 ± 57 ml/min. Measured O2 differed significantly from values derived from all 3 formulae, with median (interquartile range) absolute differences of 28.4 (13.1, 50....
Evaluation of specific ultraviolet absorbance as an indicator of the chemical composition and reactivity of dissolved organic carbon.

Specific UV absorbance (SUVA) is defined as the UV absorbance of a water sample at a given wavelength normalized for dissolved organic carbon (DOC) concentration. Our data indicate that SUVA, determined at 254 nm, is strongly correlated with percent aromaticity as determined by 13C NMR for 13 organic matter isolates obtained from a variety of aquatic environments. SUVA, therefore, is shown to be a useful parameter for estimating the dissolved aromatic carbon content in aquatic systems. Experiments involving the reactivity of DOC with chlorine and tetra- methylammonium hydroxide (TMAH), however, show a wide range of reactivity for samples with similar SUVA values. These results indicate that, while SUVA measurements are good predictors of general chemical characteristics of DOC, they do not provide information about reactivity of DOC derived from different types of source materials. Sample pH, nitrate, and iron were found to influence SUVA measurements.
Huascaran δ18O as an indicator of tropical climate during the Last Glacial Maximum

The interpretation of the isotopic composition of Andes tropical mountain glaciers is reconsidered using a simple Rayleigh distillation model. It is shown that Andes snowline depression and Huascaran ice core δ18O are consistent with a 3°C drop in sea surface temperature during the Last Glacial Maximum, accompanied by an increase from 40% at present to 60% during the LGM in the annual mean proportion of atmospheric water lost to continental runoff. Broecker's interpretation of Huascaran δ18O as a paleo-hygrometer is discussed.
Stabilization of pH gradients in buffer electrofocusing on polyacrylamide gel

Abstract pH gradients in buffer electrofocusing on polyacrylamide gel (BEF) have been stabilized for at least 100 hr, 25°C, by replacing the strongly acidic and basic anolyte and catholyte with isoelectric buffers identical to the terminal constituents of the pH gradient and gel. Such stabilization leads to a constant pI position of an electrofocused protein. No stabilization of pH gradients is achieved under otherwise identical conditions when strongly acidic and basic anolyte and catholyte are used.
Identification of conductivity imperfections of small diameter by boundary measurements. Continuous dependence and computational reconstruction

We derive an asymptotic formula for the steady-state voltage potential in the presence of a finite number of diametrically small inhomogeneities with conductivity different from the background conductivity. We use this formula to establish continuous dependence estimates and to design an effective computational identification procedure.
There Is A Problem with Substitutional Quantification

: Whereas arithmetical quantification is substitutional in the sense that a particular quantification is true only if some instance of it is true, it does not follow (and, in fact, is not true) that an account of the truth-conditions of the sentences of a language of arithmetic can be given by a substitutional semantics. A substitutional semantics fails in a most fundamental fashion: It fails to articulate the truth-conditions of the quantifications with which it is concerned. This is what is defended in the paper. In particular, it is defended against remarks to the contrary by Saul Kripke in a well known paper on the topic.
Ex vivo culturing of whole, developing Drosophila brains.

We describe a method for ex vivo culturing of whole Drosophila brains. This can be used as a counterpoint to chronic genetic manipulations for investigating the cell biology and development of central brain structures by allowing acute pharmacological interventions and live imaging of cellular processes. As an example of the technique, prior work from our lab1 has shown that a previously unrecognized subcellular compartment lies between the axonal and somatodendritic compartments of axons of the Drosophila central brain. The development of this compartment, referred to as the axon initial segment (AIS)2, was shown genetically to depend on the neuron-specific cyclin-dependent kinase, Cdk5. We show here that ex vivo treatment of wild-type Drosophila larval brains with the Cdk5-specific pharmacological inhibitors roscovitine and olomoucine3 causes acute changes in actin organization, and in localization of the cell-surface protein Fasciclin 2, that mimic the changes seen in mutants that lack Cdk5 activity genetically. A second example of the ex vivo culture technique is provided for remodeling of the connections of embryonic mushroom body (MB) gamma neurons during metamorphosis from larva to adult. The mushroom body is the center of olfactory learning and memory in the fly4, and these gamma neurons prune their axonal and dendritic branches during pupal development and then re-extend branches at a later timepoint to establish the adult innervation pattern5. Pruning of these neurons of the MB has been shown to occur via local degeneration of neurite branches6, by a mechanism that is triggered by ecdysone, a steroid hormone, acting at the ecdysone receptor B17, and that is dependent on the activity of the ubiquitin-proteasome system6. Our method of ex vivo culturing can be used to interrogate further the mechanism of developmental remodeling. We found that in the ex vivo culture setting, gamma neurons of the MB recapitulated the process of developmental pruning with a time course similar to that in vivo. It was essential, however, to wait until 1.5 hours after puparium formation before explanting the tissue in order for the cells to commit irreversibly to metamorphosis; dissection of animals at the onset of pupariation led to little or no metamorphosis in culture. Thus, with appropriate modification, the ex vivo culture approach can be applied to study dynamic as well as steady state aspects of central brain biology.
Do the Components of Compound Colours in Nature follow a Law of Multiple Proportions

IN view of the letters, recently printed in NATURE, by Mr. H. H. Pillsbury and Mr. Herbert Spencer, it may be well to state that Chevreul published an “Expose d'un moyen de definir et de nommer les couleur d'apres une methode precise et experimentale” (Paris, 1861, also Mem. de l'Acad. xxxiii.), in which elaborate charts are given showing the colours defined by a decimal system and in ten degrees of saturation.
Effects of mechanical alloying on an Al6061–CNT composite fabricated by semi-solid powder processing

Abstract For powder-based metal composite manufacturing, mechanical alloying has been widely used to disperse the clustered carbon nanotubes (CNTs) in the metal matrix. However, the effects of mechanical alloying time and CNT dispersion on the microstructure and mechanical properties of the metal–CNT composite have not been fully investigated. In this study, aluminum alloy 6061 (Al6061)–CNT composites were synthesized by semi-solid powder processing from powders that had been mechanically alloyed for different durations. The powder morphology, microstructure, hardness, flexural strength, fracture surface, and composition of the Al6061–CNT composites were analyzed. The results showed that the multi-walled CNT agglomerates were first crushed into thin layers and then dispersed during the mechanical alloying procedure. The CNTs on the surfaces of Al6061 particles at various mechanical alloying times showed that the CNT length decreased quickly to about 1.2 μm after 1 h of mechanical alloying and below 1 μm after 3 h from the original length of over 5 μm. The grains of the Al6061–CNT composites deformed severely during the mechanical alloying process. The hardness improved as the mechanical alloying time increased. However, the bend test and fracture surface indicated reduction of the composite ductility with increasing mechanical alloying time. Compositional analysis also showed formation of aluminum carbide (Al 4 C 3 ) due to the CNT addition. In addition, a modified shear lag model was used to predict the strength of Al6061–CNT at different mechanical alloying times.
Marcinkiewicz-type strong laws for partially exchangeable arrays

Abstract Let X i , Y j , and Z ij ( i, j ∈ Z + ) be independent families of i.i.d. random variables uniformly distributed on [0, 1], and let 0 p f defined on [0, 1] 3 such that lim 1 n∧m→∞(nm) 1 p ∑ i=1 n ∑ j=1 m f (X 1 ,Y j ,Z 0 )=0 thus extending a result due to McConnell and Rieders when p = 1. For 1 p f satisfying the same conditions, we establish the existence of all moments less than p of the associated maximal function sup 1 nm(nm) 1 p ∑ i=1 n ∑ j=1 m f (X 1 ,Y j ,Z 0 ) An application to degenerate U -statistics of degree two is given.
A Randomized Controlled Trial of a Community-Based Nutrition Education Program for Low-Income Parents

Abstract Objective Assess effectiveness of the Expanded Food and Nutrition Education Program on nutrition behaviors post-education and longitudinally. Design Switching replications randomized experimental design. Participants randomly assigned to immediate education (IE) or delayed education (DE). Participants in IE received intervention the first 8 weeks, and those in DE the second 8 weeks, with no intervention during alternate periods. Data were collected in 3 repeated measures. Participants Parents (n = 168 randomized; n=134 completed) of children in 2 Head Start and 6 low-income schools. Intervention Eight weekly workshops, based on Eating Right is Basic-Enhanced adapted to incorporate dialogue approach with experiential learning. Main Outcome Measures Ten-item self-reported behavior checklist on nutrition, food resource management, food safety, and food security; responses on a 5-point scale reporting frequency of behavior. Analysis Chi-square, analysis of variance, and multiple regression. Results Groups were demographically similar. Both groups reported improved behaviors pre- to post-education ( P β = 5.72, P Conclusions and Implications Positive outcomes were supported by this experimental study in a usual program context, with reported behavior changes retained at least 2 months.
Measurement of collision‐induced shift and broadening of the ultraviolet transitions of OH

Using a cw tunable laser, absorption measurements were made to determine for the first time the shift and broadening of the ultraviolet transitions of OH induced by collisions with molecular nitrogen and oxygen. Similar measurements were also made for collisions with air and inert gases He, Ne, Ar, and Kr. Both the shift and broadening due to these collisions were found to depend linearly upon pressures in the range from 50 Torr up to 1 atm. The homogeneous linewidth for the P1(2) transition of OH in ambient air is determined to be (0.20±0.005) cm−1. Results with Ar and Kr show contributions not accounted for by the polarizability of the colliding species.
Atipamezole, an alpha2 antagonist, augments opiate-induced muscle rigidity in the rat

Atipamezole is a new, highly selective alpha2-adrenoceptor antagonist currently undergoing clinical trials as an antagonist for dexmedetomidine, a potent alpha2 agonist with sedative and analgesic properties. It has previously been demonstrated that dexmedetomidine, acting at central alpha2 adrenoceptors, antagonizes opiate-induced muscle rigidity. However, the role of endogenous alpha2-adrenergic systems in opiate-induced rigidity remains to be elucidated. The present study was designed to assess the effects of atipamezole on basal muscle tone and on alfentanil-induced muscle rigidity in the rat. Muscle tone was measured using gastrocnemius electromyography (EMG). After a 15-min baseline, saline or atipamezole (0.3 or 1.0 mg/kg) was administered, and 10 min later, saline or alfentanil (50, 150, or 300 micrograms/kg) was injected subcutaneously. Data were collected for an additional 60 min. Atipamezole (1.0 mg/kg) pretreatment (in the absence of alfentanil) produced a small increase in tonic EMG activity when compared with saline pretreatment. After saline pretreatment, significant muscle rigidity occurred in the two highest alfentanil dose groups. Atipamezole (0.3 and 1.0 mg/kg) augmented alfentanil-induced muscle rigidity. The ability of the alpha2 antagonist to potentiate both basal muscle tone and alfentanil-induced rigidity suggests that endogenous adrenergic activity and/or direct alpha2-adrenoceptor interaction with opioid receptors mediate opiate-induced muscle rigidity. These findings may be of clinical as well as basic neuropharmacological interest.
Mass of a vortex line in superfluid 4He: Effects of gauge-symmetry breaking.

In previous works the mass of a vortex line in superfluid $^{4}\mathrm{He}$ was argued to arise from the tiny core of the vortex. We show that due to gauge-symmetry breaking, the condensate compressibility contributes to a vortex mass that far exceeds the core mass. This large vortex mass should play an important role in some problems of vortex dynamics.
Evaluation of the effectiveness of low blood alcohol concentration laws for younger drivers

Abstract Objective: This study aimed to determine whether low blood alcohol concentration (BAC) laws among younger drivers reduce motor vehicle injuries. Search Strategies: We used Cochrane Collaboration search strategies of electronic databases, reference lists of past studies and reviews, governmental agency publications, and direct contacts with experts in the field. Selection Criteria: Studies were included if they provided objectively measured data on an injury outcome and if they used an appropriate comparison group to assess the impact of the law. Data Collection and Analysis: Six studies met selection criteria. We abstracted information using standard data collection sheets. Since the studies all were of ecologic designs, we did not carry out any pooled analyses. Main Results: All six studies showed a reduction in injuries or crashes after the implementation of the law, although, for three studies, these reductions were not statistically significant. The study with the smallest reduction in injuries was also the study with the least power. This study only had a power of 70% to detect a hypothetical 10% decline in serious injuries. Reductions in outcome in the other studies ranged from 11% to 33% with a cluster of parameter estimates just under 20%. One study evaluated laws with differing levels of BAC and found a dose-response effect. The greatest reduction (22%) was reported for nighttime, single vehicle fatalities in those states with zero BAC laws. In states with 0.02% BAC laws, the reduction averaged 17% and in states with 0.04 to 0.06% BAC laws, the reduction was only 7%. Conclusions: Despite the methodologic difficulties of ecologic studies, the six studies reviewed represent accumulating evidence in support of the effectiveness of these laws. The sum of the evidence is strengthened because similar results were found in different countries (Australia and the United States), using different laws (some aimed at younger drivers and others aimed at inexperienced drivers), using different outcome variables (fatalities, injuries, and crashes), and using different research methodologies (interrupted time series and pre- and post-studies). In addition, the largest U.S. study found that laws with lower BAC limits resulted in greater casualty reductions, analogous to a dose response effect.
Future Trends in Information Technology in Education

Predicting the future in any field related to technology of any kind is a difficult task, as a host of self-styled “technology futurists” have learned, much to their chagrin. Futurists in the past ...
Effects of nigrostriatal lesions on the levels of messenger RNAs encoding two isoforms of glutamate decarboxylase in the globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus of the rat

The neurotransmitter γ-aminobutyric acid (GABA) is present in efferent neurons of the striatum and of the pallidum, one of the main striatal target areas. Dopaminergic nigrostriatal neurons play a critical role in the regulation of GABAergic neurotransmission in the striatum. In the present study, we investigated their role in the regulation of glutamate-decarboxylase (GAD) mRNA expression in two divisions of the pallidum in rats: the globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus, equivalent to the external and internal pallidum, respectively, of primates. Dopaminergic neurons were lesioned by unilateral injections of 6-hydroxydopamine (6-OHDA) in the substantia nigra of adult rats. Two or 3 weeks after the lesion, frontal cryostat-cut sections of the brain were processed for in situ hybridization histochemistry with 35S-labeled RNA probes synthesized from cDNAs encoding two distinct isoforms of GAD of respective molecular weight 67,000 (GAD67) and 65,000 (GAD65). The number of labeled cells was determined, and intensity of labeling in individual cells was analyzed by computerized image analysis on emulsion radioautographs. In the globus pallidus, the number of labeled neurons and intensity of labeling per cell were increased on the side ipsilateral to the lesion as compared with control rats in sections hybridized with the GAD67 RNA probe. No changes were detected on the side contralateral to the lesion or in the levels of labeling for GAD65 mRNA. Confirming previous data, the level of labeling for GAD65 mRNA was much higher than for GAD67 mRNA in the entopeduncular nucleus of control rats. In rats with a 6-OHDA lesion, labeling for both GAD67 and GAD65 mRNAs was decreased on the side contralateral, but not ipsilateral, to the lesion, as compared with control rats. The results show that lesions of the nigrostriatal pathway in rats affect the levels of mRNAs encoding two distinct isoforms of GAD in neurons of the globus pallidus and entopeduncular nucleus differently. In addition, results in the entopeduncular nucleus further support a bilateral effect of unilateral dopaminergic lesions. © 1992 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Higgs Decays in Gauge Extensions of the Standard Model

We explore the phenomenology of virtual spin-1 contributions to the h! andh! Z decay rates in gauge extensions of the standard model. We consider generic lorentz and gauge invariant vector self-interactions, which can have nontrivial structure after diagonalizing the quadratic part of the action. Such features are phenomenologically relevant in models where the electroweak gauge bosons mix with additional spin-1 elds, such as occurs in little higgs models, extra dimensional models, strongly coupled variants of electroweak symmetry breaking, and other gauge extensions of the standard model. In models where non-renormalizable operators mix eld strengths of gauge groups, the one-loop higgs decay amplitudes can be logarithmically divergent, and we provide power counting for the size of the relevant counter-term. We provide an example calculation in a 4-site moose model that contains degrees of freedom that model the eects of vector and axial vector resonances arising from TeV scale strong dynamics.