cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Three-Coordinate Copper(II) Alkynyl Complex in C-C Bond Formation: The Sesquicentennial of the Glaser Coupling.

Copper(II) alkynyl species are proposed as key intermediates in numerous Cu-catalyzed C-C coupling reactions. Supported by a β-diketiminate ligand, the three-coordinate copper(II) alkynyl [CuII]-C≡CAr (Ar = 2,6-Cl2C6H3) forms upon reaction of the alkyne H-C≡CAr with the copper(II) tert-butoxide complex [CuII]-OtBu. In solution, this [CuII]-C≡CAr species cleanly transforms to the Glaser coupling product ArC≡C-C≡CAr and [CuI](solvent). Addition of nucleophiles R'C≡C-Li (R' = aryl, silyl) and Ph-Li to [CuII]-C≡CAr affords the corresponding Csp-Csp and Csp-Csp2 coupled products RC≡C-C≡CAr and Ph-C≡CAr with concomitant generation of [CuI](solvent) and {[CuI]-C≡CAr}-, respectively. Supported by density functional theory (DFT) calculations, redox disproportionation forms [CuIII](C≡CAr)(R) species that reductively eliminate R-C≡CAr products. [CuII]-C≡CAr also captures the trityl radical Ph3C· to give Ph3C-C≡CAr. Radical capture represents the key Csp-Csp3 bond-forming step in the copper-catalyzed C-H functionalization of benzylic substrates R-H with alkynes H-C≡CR' (R' = (hetero)aryl, silyl) that provide Csp-Csp3 coupled products R-C≡CR via radical relay with tBuOOtBu as oxidant.
Co-Expression Networks in the Green Alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii Empower Gene Discovery and Functional Exploration

ABSTRACT The unicellular green alga Chlamydomonas reinhardtii is a choice reference system for the study of photosynthesis, cilium assembly and function, lipid and starch metabolism and metal homeostasis. Despite decades of research, the functions of thousands of genes remain largely unknown, and new approaches are needed to categorically assign genes to cellular pathways. Growing collections of transcriptome and proteome data now allow a systematic approach based on integrative co-expression analysis. We used a dataset comprising 518 deep transcriptome samples derived from 58 independent experiments to identify potential co-expression relationships between genes. We visualized co-expression potential with the R package corrplot, to easily assess co-expression and anti-correlation between genes from manually-curated and community-generated gene lists. We extracted 400 high-confidence cilia-related genes at the intersection of multiple co-expressed lists, illustrating the power of our simple method. Surprisingly, Chlamydomonas experiments did not cluster according to an obvious pattern, suggesting an underappreciated variable during sample collection. One possible source of variation may stem from the strong clustering of nuclear genes as a function of their diurnal phase, even in samples collected in constant conditions, indicating substantial residual synchronization in batch cultures. We provide a step-by-step guide into the analysis of co-expression across Chlamydomonas transcriptome datasets to help foster gene function discovery. One-sentence summary we reveal co-expression potential between Chlamydomonas genes and describe strong synchronization of cells grown in batch cultures as a possible source of underappreciated variation.
Metagenomic Analysis of the Microbial Communities and Resistomes of Veal Calf Feces

Antimicrobial resistance (AMR) is a major public health concern, and dairy calves, including veal calves, are known reservoirs of resistant bacteria. To investigate AMR in the fecal microbial communities of veal calves, we conducted metagenomic sequencing of feces collected from individual animals on four commercial veal operations in Pennsylvania. Fecal samples from three randomly selected calves on each farm were collected soon after the calves were brought onto the farms (n = 12), and again, just before the calves from the same cohorts were ready for slaughter (n = 12). Results indicated that the most frequently identified phyla were Firmicutes, Bacteroidetes, Proteobacteria, and Actinobacteria. Fecal microbial communities in samples collected from the calves at the early and late stages of production were significantly different at the genus level (analysis of similarities [ANOSIM] on Bray-Curtis distances, R = 0.37, p < 0.05), but not at the phylum level. Variances among microbial communities in the feces of the younger calves were significantly higher than those from the feces of calves at the late stage of production (betadisper F = 8.25, p < 0.05). Additionally, our analyses identified a diverse set of mobile antimicrobial resistance genes (ARGs) in the veal calf feces. The fecal resistomes mostly consisted of ARGs that confer resistance to aminoglycosides, tetracyclines, and macrolide-lincosamide-streptogramin B (MLS), and these ARGs represented more than 70% of the fecal resistomes. Factors that are responsible for selection and persistence of resistant bacteria in the veal calf gut need to be identified to implement novel control points and interrupt detrimental AMR occurrence and shedding.
Collaborating with Strangers: How Personal Values Affect Generalized Exchange

Cooperation and reciprocity are the bedrock of organizational work. They have gained renewed attention as technological advances avail new venues for collaborative work. Yet a challenge remains: While expanding possibilities, computer-mediated interaction also removes some presumed guardians of reciprocity, elevating the risk of breakdown in collaboration. How does large-scale reciprocity emerge among strangers? One mechanism is generalized exchange, a fundamental form of reciprocity. Prior work, in the social and biological sciences, has stressed its dependence on situational factors, such as reputation. We complement theory by focusing on individual factors, defining and testing a novel measure based on personal values. We test it alongside situational factors in experiments in the US and Asia, and demonstrate how individual and situational factors contribute separately but also interact to affect generalized exchange, ultimately fostering it among strangers. The findings inform diverse conversations, including those on organizational help, knowledge sharing, crowds, and open collaboration.
What’s Your Excuse? Sensemaking About Chronic Absenteeism in a Rural, Latinx High School

Nationwide, over seven million students are chronically absent from school each year, impacting academic success and future job earnings. Latinx high school students have among the highest absentee...
Duration of noninvasive ventilation is not a predictor of clinical outcomes in patients with acute exacerbation of COPD and respiratory failure.

Purpose Acute exacerbation of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is a major cause of mortality and morbidity. Noninvasive ventilation (NIV) is proven to be effective in the majority of patients with acute exacerbation COPD (AECOPD) complicated with respiratory failure. NIV could be lifesaving but also can delay mechanical ventilation if its efficacy is not assessed in a timely manner. In this study, we analyzed potential predictors of NIV failure in AECOPD in a tertiary medical intensive care unit (MICU). In particular, we wondered whether duration of NIV among those who eventually failed was associated with poor outcomes. Methods A retrospective review of consecutive patients with a primary diagnosis of AECOPD requiring NIV admitted to the MICU was conducted for the period between 2012 and 2017. Baseline data included demographics, APACHE III score, albumin level, blood lactate, and blood gas elements. Additional chart review was performed to collect NIV setting parameters on presentation to the MICU. Clinical outcome variables collected included outcome and duration of NIV, duration of invasive mechanical ventilation, MICU length of stay, hospital length of stay, and in-hospital mortality. Multivariate regression analysis was performed to determine independent variables associated with clinical outcomes. Results There were 370 patients who met the inclusion criteria; 53.2% were male. Mean age was 64.7 ± 11.2 years old. Mean baseline FEV1 was 34 ±17% of predicted. Patients had mean pH of 7.20 ± 0.54 and PaCO2 of 70.3 ± 28.7 on presentation; 323 patients (87.3%) were successfully weaned off NIV; 47 patients (12.7%) failed NIV and required invasive mechanical ventilation. APACHE III score was higher among patients who failed NIV (68.3±18.9 versus 48.8± 15.2, P < 0.001). In the subset of 47 patients who failed NIV requiring intubation, duration of NIV was 25.0 ± 58.8 h. Multivariate regression analysis yielded a model consisting of APACHE III score and body mass index as predictive variables for NIV failure (C-statistic = 0.809). Duration of NIV was not associated with worse clinical outcomes among patients who failed NIV. Conclusions NIV is successful in preventing invasive mechanical ventilation in majority of patients with acute respiratory failure due to COPD. Patients with worse clinical status at presentation are more likely to fail NIV and require mechanical ventilation. In the subgroup of patients who failed NIV, duration of NIV prior to intubation was not associated with poor clinical outcomes.
Biomass Regressions for Understory Species in Young-Growth Sitka Spruce–Western Hemlock Forests of Southeast Alaska

Quantifying forest understory biomass is important for understanding ecological processes, but there are few methods for non-destructive measurement of understory biomass in southeast Alaska. We developed cover-to-biomass equations for common understory species in young-growth Sitka spruce (Picea sitchensis)–western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla) forests. A sampling method of visually estimating cover and destructively measuring biomass was used at 35 stands aged 10 to 67 years on Prince of Wales Island in southeast Alaska from 2007 to 2018. Linear cover to biomass regressions were fitted for 42 species and other genera. In addition to total biomass, regressions were fitted by part (leaves, twigs, wood) for all woody species. Regressions were also fitted for graminoid, fern, forb, shrub, tree, and conifer functional classes. We demonstrate the utility of these regressions by applying them to the Tongass-wide young-growth studies, a rich dataset with understory cover measurements from treated and un-treated stands in four young-growth age classes. Understory biomass was greater in 0- to 5-year-old even-aged stands than stands greater than 15 years old. Treated stands (thinned, etc.) had a greater understory biomass, annual growth, and carbon than untreated stands older than 15 years. Additionally, biomass composition became less woody with increasing stand age in treated stands. These regressions provide an approach to estimate understory biomass, which can be used for evaluation of forest functions, including understory dynamics, wildlife habitats, and total stand carbon.
Self-reported hepatitis A vaccination as a predictor of hepatitis A virus antibody protection in U.S. adults: National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2007–2012

Objectives To estimate the predictive value of self-reported hepatitis A vaccine (HepA) receipt for the presence of hepatitis A virus (HAV) antibody (anti-HAV) from either past infection or vaccination, as an indicator of HAV protection.
Retina: An Overview

The retina consists of rod and cone photoreceptors and four major classes of neurons, each of which consists of many subtypes. The responses of ganglion cells, the retinal output neurons, can be classified basically as ON cells with OFF surrounds, OFF cells with ON surrounds, or ON–OFF cells, and as giving principally sustained or transient responses. However, a variety of subtle image representations are sent to the brain via the optic nerve, and that reflect complex excitatory and inhibitory synaptic interactions occurring among the neurons at different levels of the retina. Few substances appear to serve as excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters in the retina, but numerous neuromodulatory substances are present. Retinal responses reflect not only the direct excitatory and inhibitory synaptic interactions between neurons but also modulation of the synaptic interactions.
Plate Tectonics as a Far‐ From‐ Equilibrium Self‐Organized System

Contained fluids heated from below spontaneously organize into convection cells when sufficiently far from conductive equilibrium. Fluids can also be organized by surface tension and other forces at the top. Plate tectonics was once regarded as passive motion of plates on top of mantle convection cells but it now appears that continents and plate tectonics organize the flow in the mantle. The flow is driven by instability of the cold surface layer and near-surface lateral temperature gradients. Plate tectonics may be a self-driven far-from-equilibrium system that organizes itself by dissipation in and between the plates. In this case the mantle is a passive provider of energy and material. The effect of pressure suppresses the role of the lower thermal boundary layer. I suggest that the state of stress in the lithosphere defines the plates, plate boundaries and locations of midplate volcanism, and that fluctuations in stress are responsible for global plate reorganizations and evolution of volcanic chains. Stress controls the orientations and activity of volcanic chains. The state of stress in the lithosphere is probably more important than the temperature of the mantle in localizing volcanism, although the normal variations of temperature in the mantle influence the topography and stress of the plate. Stress also controls the strength of the lithosphere. Volcanic chains should be regarded as stress-gauges and not as indicators of absolute plate motions. Changes in the orientation and magmatic activity of volcanic chains (e. g. Hawaiian and Emperor chains) cannot be due to abrupt changes in plate motions but can reflect changes in stress.
Epidemiology of an endemic strain of beta-lactamase-producing Enterococcus faecalis.

Abstract Three previously reported beta-lactamase-producing (Bla+) enterococci with distinct but related antibiotic resistance phenotypes, plasmid profiles, and plasmid restriction endonuclease digestion patterns were isolated at the West Haven Veterans Administration Medical Center in Connecticut (WH245, WH257, WH571) in July 1986 and March 1987. In this study, we analyzed the whole-cell DNA of these isolates by using pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of large chromosomal fragments generated by SmaI digestion. The three West Haven isolates showed very similar chromosomal restriction endonuclease digestion patterns; these patterns were distinct from those of Bla+ and Bla- enterococci from other geographic areas and from those of other West Haven enterococci, suggesting an endemic Bla+ strain at this institution. Clinical information regarding these isolates suggests that exposure to the genitourinary clinic, obstructive urinary tract disease, and frequent antibiotic therapy may have been common risk factors for acquisition of this endemic strain.
Shared Understanding or Consensus-Masked Disagreement? The Anti-Torture Framework in the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities

The adoption of the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities (CRPD or Convention) offers an opportunity to assess both the state of international human rights law generally and the progressive development of the international anti-torture framework in particular. As a core international human rights convention, and the first to be adopted in the twenty-first century, its constellation of civil, political, economic, social, and cultural rights offers a window through which to view human rights law in the context of disability, including the prohibition against torture and other cruel, inhuman, and degrading treatment or punishment. The Convention was opened for signature on March 30, 2007, and entered into force on May 3, 2008. The CRPD provisions that are closely linked to physical and mental integrity, in particular Article 12 on legal capacity, have attracted reservations and interpretive declarations by ratifying States. This calls into question the depth of consensus on the anti-torture framework in its disability- specific application. Notwithstanding some unsettled questions as to the specific circumstances falling within the torture prohibition in the CRPD, it represents a significant development that should not be lost on scholars and practitioners.
Intra-bit polarization diversity modulation for PMD mitigation

We propose and demonstrate a novel intra-bit polarization diversity modulation technique that can completely remove first-order polarization mode dispersion (PMD). The performance is independent of the differential group delay (DGD) value. A 4 dB improvement of 2% received optical power tail is obtained over the conventional NRZ format in the presence of higher-order PMD.
Optimal Jamming Against Digital Modulation

Jamming attacks can significantly impact the performance of wireless communication systems, and can lead to significant overhead in terms of re-transmissions and increased power consumption. This paper considers the problem of optimal jamming over an additive white Gaussian noise channel. We derive the optimal jamming signal for various digital amplitude-phase-modulated constellations and show that it is not always optimal to match the jammer’s signal to the victim signal in order to maximize the error probability at the victim receiver. Connections between the optimum jammer obtained in this analysis and the well-known pulsed jammer, popularly analyzed in the context of spread spectrum communication systems, are illustrated. The gains obtained by the jammer when it knows the victim’s modulation scheme and uses the optimal jamming signals obtained in this paper as opposed to conventional additive white Gaussian noise jamming are evaluated in terms of the additional signal power needed by the victim receiver to achieve the same error rates under these two jamming strategies. We then extend these findings to obtain the optimal jamming signal distribution: 1) when the victim uses an orthogonal frequency-division multiplexing (OFDM)-modulated signal and 2) when there is multiple jammer attacking a single victim transmitter–receiver pair. Numerical results are presented in all the above cases to validate the theoretical inferences presented.
Understanding university campus network reliability characteristics using a big data analytics tool

Understanding the health of a network via offline outage and failure analysis is important to assess the availability of the network and understand the pattern of failures and the root cause of them for the future network reliability improvement. In this paper, we perform a university campus network outage and failure analysis (UMKC access network) that has not been investigated well due to the lack of effective methodologies. We used Splunk, one of the big data analysis tools, to effectively handle the sheer amount of node outage and link failure log data and topology information. We investigate the network reliability characteristics via SNMP and syslog data, causes of failures, and their impact. Our study shows that the general characteristics of the different layers are very distinct from each other and the wireless network is less reliable compared to the wired network and is affected by the performance of the wired network.
IFN Mimetic as a Therapeutic for Lethal Vaccinia Virus Infection: Possible Effects on Innate and Adaptive Immune Responses

We have developed small peptide mimetics of IFN-γ that can bypass the poxvirus virulence factor B8R protein, which binds to intact IFN-γ and prevents its interaction with receptor extracellular domain. Thus, these peptides inhibit vaccinia virus replication in cell culture where intact IFN-γ is ineffective. We demonstrate here that the mouse IFN-γ-mimetic peptide, IFN-γ 95–132 , protects C57BL/6 mice against overwhelming lethal vaccinia virus infection. The mimetic peptide was synthesized with an attached lipophilic group for penetration of cell plasma membrane. Injection of mimetic i.p. before and at the time of intranasal (10 6 PFU) or i.p. (10 7 PFU) challenge with virus resulted in complete protection at 200 μg of mimetic and 40–60% protection at 5 μg of mimetic. Initiation of treatment of mice with IFN-γ mimetic up to 2 days postinfection resulted in complete protection against death, whereas initiation of treatment at 6 days postinfection resulted in 40% protection. Administration of mimetic by the oral route also completely protected mice against the intranasal route of a lethal dose of vaccinia virus challenge. In addition to its direct antiviral effect, the mimetic also possessed adjuvant effects in boosting humoral and cellular immunity to vaccinia virus. The combination of antiviral and adjuvant effects by the IFN mimetic probably plays a role in its potent anti-vaccinia virus properties. These results suggest an effective therapeutic against ongoing, lethal poxvirus infections that taps into innate and adaptive host defenses.
Molecular beam epitaxy of low-resistance polycrystalline p-type GaSb

We report, for the first time, the growth and electrical properties of low resistance carbon-doped polycrystalline GaSb (poly-GaSb) by molecular beam epitaxy using CBr/sub 4/. The resistivity of poly-GaSb has strong dependence on film thickness and the grain size of the polycrystalline film, particularly when the film thickness is comparable with the grain size. It is found that grain size is determined by growth temperature, while hole concentration is significantly affected by antimony to gallium beam flux ratio. With same doping level, grain size, and similar film thickness, the resistivity of carbon-doped poly-GaSb is more than one order of magnitude lower than that of carbon-doped poly-GaAs. This is attributed to GaSb's favorable surface Fermi-level pinning in the valence band and higher hole mobility. It is proposed that carbon-doped poly-GaSb be used as extrinsic base material in InP heterojunction bipolar transistor to improve the device's high-frequency performance.
The rhetorician's craft, distinctions in science, and political morality

In his response to Szasz' Secular Humanism and Scientific Psychiatry, the author considers the use of rhetorical devices in Szasz' work, Szasz' avoidance of acknowledging psychiatry's scientific distinctions, and Szaszian libertarianism versus liberalism.
Idiopathic Hemophagocytic Lymphohistiocytosis During Pregnancy Treated with Steroids

Hemophagocytic lymphohistiocytosis (HLH) is a rare and severe clinical syndrome characterized by a dysregulated hyperinflammatory immune response. The diagnosis of HLH during pregnancy is especially challenging due to the rarity of this condition. The highly variable clinical presentation, laboratory findings, and associated diagnoses accompanying this syndrome further complicate the problem. A pronounced hyperferritinemia in the setting of systemic signs and symptoms along with a negative infectious and rheumatological workup should raise suspicions for HLH. While treatment ideally consists of immunosuppressive chemotherapy and hematopoietic stem cell transplant, the potential toxicity to both the pregnant woman and the fetus poses a challenging decision. We report the first case of idiopathic HLH presenting as fever of unknown origin in a pregnant woman successfully treated with steroids.
What American Legal Theory Might Learn from Islamic Law: Some Lessons About 'The Rule of Law' from 'Shari‘a Court' Practice in India

In 2010, voters in the state of Oklahoma passed a constitutional amendment that prohibits the Oklahoma courts from considering "Sharia Law." A great deal of the support for this amendment and similar (ongoing) legal initiatives appears to be generated by a deep-seated paranoia about Muslims and Islamic law that has taken root in many parts of the post-9/11 United States. This Article contends that the passage of this Oklahoma constitutional amendment should not have been surprising given that it is not only right-wing partisans who have felt the need to strictly demarcate and police the boundaries of the American legal system, but also liberal partisans too. Indeed, this Article argues that certain modes of American liberal legal thought actually facilitate the anti-shari‘a mania currently sweeping the United States. As a result, an adequate response to this mania cannot simply rely on traditional, American-style, liberal legal theorizing. Indeed, as this Article argues and explains, some extant American liberal understandings of 'law,' 'legal systems,' and 'the rule of law' are eminently inappropriate resources in the struggle against American forms of reactionary parochialism because these liberal understandings are themselves deeply compromised by their own forms of parochialism. This state of theoretical affairs is unfortunate. As a result, in the course of demonstrating some of the theoretical inadequacies of American liberal legalism, this Article also commences an alternative theorization about 'law,' 'legal systems' and, more particularly, 'the rule of law.' This theorization relies heavily on what can be learned about 'the rule of law' — including whatever exists of it in the United States — from the experiences of an Indian Muslim woman, 'Ayesha,' who recently used a non-state 'shari‘a court' (specifically, a 'dar ul qaza') in Delhi to exercise her Indian Islamic divorce rights. I recently interviewed Ayesha at length as part of a larger project on liberalism and Islamophobia.
Teaching Sustainable Design: A Hands-on Interdisciplinary Model

Students and instructors from the Department of Landscape Architecture and Horticulture, located on the Temple University Ambler Campus, collaborated on the design and construction of an exhibit for the 2009 Bella Italia Philadelphia Flower Show. The design of the exhibit, inspired by Italian traditions, promoted sustainable principles and practices through the use of indigenous and recycled materials and conservation of natural resources. Temple University’s exhibit received five awards, including the American Horticultural Society Environmental Award and the Garden Club Federation of Pennsylvania Award for Conservation. This article documents the interdisciplinary and hands-on teaching model used in creating and implementing a sustainable design, as well as the results of the followup student surveys about the lessons learned and public responses to the exhibit.
A uni-planar fed 2D slot array for digital beamforming

A compact design of 2D antenna array for digital beamforming is proposed in this paper. The essential idea is based on switchable microstrip slot antennas in conjunction with spatial multiplexing of local elements (SMILE) techniques. The SMILE technique makes it possible to realize a series-fed digital-beamforming (DBF) antenna array in one dimension and leaves room for parallel element in the other dimension. This provides a simple way of constructing 2D DBF arrays with a simple and uni-planar feed network. It also offers other advantages such as low cost and compatibility with MMICs for the receiver system. A 4/spl times/4 receiving array test-bed at 5.5GHz operating frequency is fabricated and digital beamforming on this test-bed is successfully demonstrated in the E- and H- planes.
A multiple-beam tuning-fork gyroscope with high quality factors

Abstract This paper presents the design, theoretical analysis, fabrication, and experimental results of a multiple-beam tuning-fork gyroscope (MB-TFG). Based on a numerical model of thermoelastic damping, a multiple-beam tuning-fork structure is designed with high quality factors ( Q s ) in its two operation modes. A comprehensive theoretical analysis of the MB-TFG design is conducted to relate the design parameters to its operation parameters and further performance parameters. In conjunction with a mask that defines the device through trenches to alleviate previously identified severe fabrication effect on anchor loss, a simple one-mask fabrication process is employed to implement this MB-TFG design on silicon-on-insulator wafers. Experimental results of the fabricated MB-TFGs are thoroughly compared with the theoretical analysis for accurate interpretation. The highest measured Q s of the fabricated MB-TFGs in vacuum are 255,000 in the drive-mode and 103,000 in the sense-mode, at a frequency of 15.7 kHz. Under a frequency difference of 4 Hz between the two modes (operation frequency is 16.8 kHz) and a drive-mode vibration amplitude of 3.0 μm, the measured rate sensitivity is 80 μ V PP /°/s with an equivalent impedance of 2.5 MΩ. The calculated overall rate resolution of this device is 0.37°/h/√Hz, while the measured angle random walk (ARW) and bias instability are 6.67°/√h and 95°/h, respectively.
Kronecker product matrices for compressive sensing

Compressive sensing (CS) is an emerging approach for acquisition of signals having a sparse or compressible representation in some basis. While CS literature has mostly focused on problems involving 1-D and 2-D signals, many important applications involve signals that are multidimensional. We propose the use of Kronecker product matrices in CS for two purposes. First, we can use such matrices as sparsifying bases that jointly model the different types of structure present in the signal. Second, the measurement matrices used in distributed measurement settings can be easily expressed as Kronecker products. This new formulation enables the derivation of analytical bounds for sparse approximation and CS recovery of multidimensional signals.
The discontinuous finite element method with the Taylor-Galerkin approach for nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws

Abstract A one step, explicit finite element scheme which is second order accurate in both time and space is developed for the computation of weak solutions of nonlinear hyperbolic conservation laws in one dimension. The scheme is an improved version of the discontinuous finite element method using the Taylor-Galerkin procedure. It is linearly stable under a fixed CFL number up to CFL number up to early 0.4 (or 1/2 for the alternative two step explicit scheme also developed here) and TVDM which guarantees convergence of the solution to the entropy one even for nonconvex flux cases. The scheme captures stationary discontinuities perfectly.
Cutmarks made by stone tools on bones from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania

Fossils from Olduvai Gorge, Tanzania, show cutmarks which establish that hominids were using stone tools on animal tissues during the Lower Pleistocene in Africa. We identified cutmarks by elimination of other likely causes of the marks on the bone surfaces, for example, gnawing or chewing by carnivores or rodents, and damage made by tools of excavators or preparators. This was achieved by comparing the marks on the fossils with those produced by known causes on modern bones, using scanning electron microscopy (SEM). Because the fossils occur as part of accumulations of animal remains in relatively undisturbed geological contexts, we conclude that there is a functional association between the stone artefacts and bones at these sites, rather than an accidental, postmortem association1,2.
Abstract B56: Activation of Chk1 by Piperine causes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in melanoma cells

The National Cancer Institute estimates that about 76,250 new cases of melanomas will be diagnosed in 2012 in the United States leading to at least 9810 related deaths. Therefore, novel strategies to control and treat melanoma are of prime importance. In this study, we determined the cytotoxic effects of piperine, a major constituent of black (Piper nigrum Linn) and long pepper (Piper longum Linn), in melanoma cell lines. Piperine treatment inhibited the growth of SKMEL-28 and B16-F0 cells in a dose and time-dependent manner. The growth inhibitory effects of piperine were mediated by cell cycle arrest of both the cell lines in G1 phase. The G1 arrest by piperine correlated with the down-regulation of cyclin D1 and induction of p21. Furthermore, this growth arrest was associated with DNA damage caused by piperine treatment as indicated by phosphorylation of H2A.X at Ser139, activation of ataxia telangiectasia and Rad3-related protein (ATR) and checkpoint kinase 1 (Chk1). Pretreatment with AZD 7762, a Chk1 inhibitor not only abrogated the activation of Chk1 but also piperine mediated G1 arrest. Furthermore, transfection of cells with Chk1 siRNA completely protected the cells from G1 arrest induced by piperine treatment. The G1 arrest by piperine was also confirmed with the down-regulation of E2F1 and decreased phosphorylation of retinoblastoma protein (Rb), indicating the inhibition of the dynamic transcription complex. In addition, apoptosis induced by piperine was associated with down-regulation of XIAP and Bid (uncleaved) and cleavage of Caspase-3 and PARP. In addition, our results showed that piperine treatment generated ROS in melanoma cells. Blocking ROS generation by Tiron prevented the cells from piperine mediated cell cycle arrest. Taken together, our results demonstrate that activation of Chk1 is required for piperine induced G1 phase cell cycle arrest. [Supported in part by R01 grants CA 106953 and CA 129038 awarded to S.K.S by National Cancer Institute, NIH] Citation Format: Neel Fofaria, Sanjay K. Srivastava. Activation of Chk1 by Piperine causes cell cycle arrest and apoptosis in melanoma cells. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Eleventh Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2012 Oct 16-19; Anaheim, CA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Prev Res 2012;5(11 Suppl):Abstract nr B56.
Analysis of the 300 MHz pmr spectrum of poly(2-vinyl thiophene)

The 300 MHz pmr spectrum of poly(2-vinyl thiophene), poly-2-VT, is presented and analyzed. The aliphatic proton resonance of this polymer is very similar to that of polystyrene, but the aromatic proton resonance is rather well defined, especially that of protons in the 3-position of the thiophene ring. The resonance of such protons occurs as a three peak pattern that has been interpreted in terms of pentad stereosequences. Based on the assignments made in this paper, poly-2-VT prepared by free radical initiated polymerization seems to be atactic.
Pubertal height velocity and associations with prepubertal and adult heights in cystic fibrosis.

Objectives To test the hypothesis that pubertal peak height velocity (PHV) in cystic fibrosis (CF) has improved and is influenced by prepubertal growth and genetic potential. Study design PHV from 1862 children born in 1984-87 and documented in the 1986-2008 US CF Foundation Registry was determined by statistical modeling and classified into normal, delayed (2-SD > average age), attenuated (magnitude Conclusions Pubertal PHV has improved in children with CF born after mid-1980s compared with older cohorts but remains below normal. Suboptimal prepubertal and pubertal growth led to adult height below genetic potential in CF.
Comparison of Silver Sulfadiazine, Povidone‐Iodine and Physiologic Saline in the Treatment of Chronic Pressure Ulcers

The presence of bacteria and local infection is an important factor in the local management of chronic pressure ulcers. For successful closure of the ulcer, the bacterial count should be 10(5) or less per gram of tissue in the granulating wound. In a prospective randomized study of 45 (eventually 40) hospitalized patients, silver sulfadiazine (Silvadene) cream and povidone-iodine (Betadine) solution were compared to physiologic saline for effectiveness in preparing pressure ulcers for closure. Quantitative bacteriologic techniques on tissue biopsy specimens were used for objective evaluation. In 100 percent of the ulcers treated with silver sulfadiazine cream (15 patients) the bacterial counts were reduced to 10(5) or less per gram of tissue within the three-week test period, compared to 78.6 percent in those treated with saline (14 patients) and 63.6 percent in those treated with povidone-iodine solution (11 patients). Moreover, the ulcers treated with silver sulfadiazine cream responded more rapidly, with one-third showing bacterial levels of less than 10(5) within three days, and half within a week.
Text reference service: delivery, characteristics, and best practices

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a detailed depiction of the text reference environment and its affordance, and suggest strategies to help librarians adhere to the Reference and User Services Association (RUSA) behavioral guidelines in text reference service.Design/methodology/approach – The author reviews the current text reference literature as well as conducts qualitative and quantitative analysis of reference services provided by My Info Quest, the USA's first collaborative text reference service.Findings – Two models of text reference service are uncovered: mobile device based and computer application based. The considerations for developing a service are primarily defined as relating to budget, staffing, and usability. Text reference is characterized as somewhere between synchronous and asynchronous, increasing in volume, and mostly concerned with short, straightforward questions and answers. These factors all influence adherence to RUSA guidelines for behavioral performance of refe...
Determination of Pentachlorophenol and Cymiazole in Water and Honey by C-18 Solid Phase Extraction and Quantitative HPTLC

Abstract Pentachlorophenol and cymiazole were extracted from water and honey using C-18 solid phase extraction, column eluates were chromatographed on a high performance preadsorbent silica gel plate containing a fluorescent phosphor, and the pesticides were quantified by densitometric scanning of fluorescence quenching. Recoveries from water at concentrations of 0.25–5 ppm ranged from 97.7 to 100% for PCP and 89.5–94.9 for cymiazole. Recoveries from honey at 10 and 50 ppm ranged from 94.0–96.1% for PCP and 91.9–93.7 for cymiazole.
Integration in the mortgage market

The deregulatory trend and advances in technology during the 1980s removed many restrictions on the ability of U.S. depository financial institutions to obtain and redistribute funds across diverse geographical markets. This pervasive deregulation and innovation should have increased the degree of integration between different geographical financial markets. Yet there is little empirical evidence available on the validity of this expectation. It is important to provide such evidence since much of the U.S. depository institution regulatory policy is predicated on the assumption of highly localized, segmented financial markets. Considering alternative breakpoints at 1980 (DIDMCA) and at 1982 (Garn-St Germain), the current study tests the hypothesis that the degree of geographical financial integration after this period exceeded that prior to this period. Mortgage markets are focused on due to their historical importance in the regulation of funds flows. The study finds a significant increase in the mean contemporaneous correlation among FHLB districts' mortagage rate residuals in a vector-autoregressive system between two test periods. Further analysis shows that the distance between FHLB districts' headquarters and their respective pairwise interdistrict correlation coefficients are negatively related in the prior period but not significantly related in the later period. Economic “booms” and “busts” alternated among the districts over the two sample periods in a manner consistent with the reallocation of capital among more integrated financial markets. Individual districts' mortgage rates have been more sensitive to variations in national credit market conditions since deregulation was legally recognized by DIDMCA in 1980. Thus, the collective empirical evidence found in this study indicates that mortgage markets have responded to deregulation and marked technological advances by moving toward a national, highly integrated market. Regulators' preoccupation with highly localized, segmented markets must consequently be reexamined.
PHANToM haptic device implemented in a projection screen virtual environment

This research combines the PHANToM 1.5 haptic device with a six-sided projection screen virtual environment in order to explore the benefits haptic devices bring to this type of immersive environment. The PHANToM is placed on a specially designed and constructed work stand which allows the device to be moved anywhere in the virtual environment. An algorithm has been developed which maps the size of the CAD model represented in the virtual environment, or the movement of the CAD model, to the working space of the PHANToM. Two applications are explored which illustrate using the PHANToM for different tasks: exploring a large NURBS surface and installing an aircraft rudder pedal assembly.
Van der Waals parameters, refractive indices and dispersion equations of spectrin, actin and other mammalian proteins

Abstract Van der Waals' parameters and dispersion equations of some mammalian proteins including actin, spectrin, haemoglobin, myoglobin, fibrinogen, ribonuclease A, and a calf serum protein are determined from refractive indices of their solutions and the solvents. The results indicate that van der Waals' parameters of these proteins, and also those of bovine serum albumin, fall within a relatively narrow range of values; which slightly overlap those of sugars and are above those of phospholipids.
DNA Sequence Analysis and Restriction Fragment Length Polymorphism (RFLP) Typing of the HLA-DQw2 Alleles Associated with Dermatitis Herpetiformis

Abstract Dermatitis herpetiformis (DH) is a blistering autoimmune skin disease associated with a 95–100% incidence of the HLA class II antigen HLA-DQw2. Although the precise role of this antigen in the pathogenesis of DH is unclear, one theory proposes that patients with DH possess a molecularly unique subtype of the HLA-DQw2 antigen that causes immune abnormalities eventuating in the clinical manifestations of DH. To test this hypothesis, we performed DNA sequence analysis on the highly polymorphic HLA-DQB1 and HLA-DQA1 loci of eight patients with dermatitis herpetiformis. All DQB 1 alleles sequenced were identical to the previously described HLA-DQB∗0201 allele from HLADQw2 normal subjects. In addition, DQA1 alleles sequenced were identical to those alleles previously associated with HLA-DQw2 (DQA∗0201, DQA∗0501). These data document that although HLA-DQw2 appears to be a necessary element in the pathogenesis of DH, the development of DH is not dependent on the presence of a unique HLA-DQw2 antigen. HLA-DQ allelic typing by restriction fragment length polymorphism analysis of PCR-amplified HLA-DQA1 and HLA-DQB1 fragments was also performed in ten patients with DH to determine the allelic distribution among both HLA-DR3 (eight patients) and non-DR3 (two patients) DH patients. At the HLA-DQ β chain locus, all patients possessed the DQB1∗0201 allele. At the HLA-DQ α chain focus, all HLA-DR3 patients and one non-DR3 patient displayed a pattern consistent with the DQA1∗0501 allele, whereas one non-DR3 patient displayed a pattern consistent with the DQA1∗0201 allele. These data document that patients with DH do not express a unique HLA-DQw2 heterodimer, that the HLA-DQw2 molecules present in patients with DH have no DNA sequence differences from those found in normal HLA-DQw2 subjects and therefore that susceptibility to DH is not due to a unique HLA-DQw2 molecule.
The effect of charge regulation on cell adhesion to substrates: salt-induced repulsion

Abstract The long-range forces controlling cell or bacteria adsorption onto substrates are governed by electrostatic interactions. In this paper we use a simple mean field model (Debye–Huckel) to examine the interactions between cells and surfaces. We model the cell interface as an ion-penetrable, charge-regulating layer, thereby accounting for the finite thickness of the cell's extra-cellular (glycocalyx) layer. We find that charge regulation leads to several non-intuitive trends regarding the repulsion between a cell and similarly charged substrates: (I) instead of increasing monotonically with decreasing cell–substrate separation, the pressure varies non-monotonically, and (II) instead of monotonically decreasing the repulsion (at contact) between the cell and the substrate, there is a regime where adding salt leads to an increase in the repulsion.
Decomposition and nutrient dynamics of hardwood leaf litter in the Fernow Whole-Watershed Acidification Experiment

Abstract Two watersheds are part of an on-going long-term artificial acidification experiment: the treatment watershed (WS3) has recieved 60.5 kg S ha −1 year −1 and 54 kg N ha −1 year −1 via aerial applications of ammonium sulfate fertilizer since 1989. After 3 years of treatment, freshly fallen leaves of four hardwood tree species ( Liriodendron tulipifera, Prunus serotina, Acer saccharum , and Betula lenta ) were collected and placed in litter bags, which were placed in stands in the treatment and control watersheds. Decay rates differed for L. tulipifera, Prunus serotina , and B. lenta between the two watersheds, with litter from WS3 decaying more slowly over the 2 year study period than litter from the control watershed. Initial concentrations of N, Ca, and K differed between treatment and control watersheds, but these differences disappeared after 2 years. Nutrient loss rates did not vary with treatment.
Preservation of weak order equivalence

Abstract A study is made of the exact nature of a class of cluster methods that are suitable for use with data having only ordinal significance.
Energy demand and population change.

Since World War II, US energy demand has grown more rapidly than population, so that per capita consumption of energy was about 60% higher in 1978 than in 1947. Population growth and the expansion of per capita real incomes have led to a greater use of energy. The aging of the US population is expected to increase per capita energy consumption, despite the increase in the proportion of persons over 65, who consume less energy than employed persons. The sharp decline in the population under 18 has led to an expansion in the relative proportion of population in the prime-labor-force age groups. Employed persons are heavy users of energy. The growth of the work force and GNP is largely attributable to the growing participation of females. Another important consequence of female employment is the growth in ownership of personal automobiles. A third factor pushing up labor-force growth is the steady influx of illegal aliens.
Synthesis and structure-activity relationship study of isoglobotrihexosylceramide analogues.

Invariant natural killer T (iNKT) cells are innate T lymphocytes that express T cell receptors binding to exogenous and endogenous glycosphingolpid antigens presented by a nonpolymorphic, non-MHC antigen presenting molecule, CD1d. The endogenous glycosphingolipid metabolite, isoglobotrihexosylceramide (iGb3), is the first known natural ligand for both human and mouse iNKT cells, whose activity has been confirmed in a variety of iNKT cell clones generated by different investigators, representing the majority of the iNKT cell population. The signaling pathway mediated by T cell receptor is largely influenced by the structural variation of glycosphingolpid antigens, leading to multiple and varied biological functions of iNKT cells. In order to investigate the structural requirements behind iGb3 triggered iNKT cell activation, the structure−activity relationship (SAR) of iGb3 needs to be characterized. In this study, iGb3 analogues containing 2‘ ‘‘, 3‘ ‘‘, 4‘ ‘‘ and 6‘ ‘‘ deoxy terminal galactose were synthes...