cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Alcohol's Dysregulation of Maternal–Fetal IL‐6 and p‐STAT3 Is a Function of Maternal Iron Status

BACKGROUND Prenatal alcohol exposure (PAE) causes long-term growth and neurodevelopmental deficits that are worsened by maternal iron deficiency (ID). In our preclinical rat model, PAE causes fetal anemia, brain ID, and elevated hepatic iron via increased maternal and fetal hepcidin synthesis. These changes are normalized by a prenatal iron-fortified (IF) diet. Here, we hypothesize that iron status and PAE dysregulate the major upstream pathways that govern hepcidin production-EPO/BMP6/SMAD and IL-6/JAK2/STAT3. METHODS Pregnant, Long Evans rat dams consumed ID (2 to 6 ppm iron), iron-sufficient (IS, 100 ppm iron), or IF (500 ppm iron) diets and received alcohol (5 g/kg) or isocaloric maltodextrin daily from gestational days (GD) 13.5 to 19.5. Protein and gene expression were quantified in the 6 experimental groups at GD 20.5. RESULTS PAE did not affect Epo or Bmp6 expression, but reduced p-SMAD1/5/8/SMAD1/5/8 protein ratios in both IS and ID maternal and fetal liver (all p's < 0.01). In contrast, PAE stimulated maternal hepatic expression of Il-6 (p = 0.03) and elevated p-STAT3/STAT3 protein ratios in both IS and ID maternal and fetal liver (all p's < 0.02). PAE modestly elevated maternal Il-1β, Tnf-α, and Ifn-γ. Fetal cytokine responses to PAE were muted compared with dams, and PAE did not affect hepatic Il-6 (p = 0.78) in IS and ID fetuses. Dietary iron fortification sharply attenuated Il-6 expression in response to PAE, with IF driving a 150-fold decrease (p < 0.001) in maternal liver and a 10-fold decrease (p < 0.01) in fetal liver. The IF diet also normalized p-STAT3/STAT3 ratios in both maternal and fetal liver. CONCLUSIONS These findings suggest that alcohol-driven stimulation of the IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway mediates the elevated hepcidin observed in the PAE dam and fetus. Normalization of these signals by IF suggests that dysregulated hepcidin is driven by alcohol's disruption of the IL-6/JAK2/STAT3 pathway. Prenatal dietary IF represents a potential therapeutic approach for PAE that warrants further investigation.
Low-dose loxapine in the treatment of schizophrenia: is it more effective and more "atypical" than standard-dose loxapine?

Loxapine is chemically related to clozapine and shares with it and other atypical antipsychotic drugs relatively greater affinity for serotonin (5-HT)2A than for dopamine D2 receptors. However, as is the case for risperidone, the occupancy of 5-HT2A and D2 receptors can range from partial to full, depending upon the dose. It was, therefore, of interest to determine whether loxapine at low doses ( or = 60 mg/day). We retrospectively examined data from 75 patients treated with loxapine and found psychopathology data from 10 and 12 patients treated with low-dose or standard-dose loxapine, respectively. No data were available on the other 53 patients, 28 of whom were initially treated with low-dose and 25 with standard-dose loxapine. For those treated for at least 6 weeks, there was evidence of equivalent efficacy for both low- and standard-dose loxapine with regard to improvement in Brief Psychiatric Rating Scale (BPRS) and Global Assessment Scale scores. There were 6 patients with a history of neuroleptic resistance among the 22 completers. Four of the low-dose group (40%) and 8 of the standard-dose group (67%) had at least a 20% decrease in BPRS total scores. Further study of the dose-response curve for loxapine and its usefulness in treating neuroleptic-resistant schizophrenia is indicated.
Editorial Perspective: Childhood maltreatment – the problematic unisex assumption

Childhood maltreatment (CM) is a heterogeneous group of childhood adversities that can range from different forms of abuse (physical, sexual, emotional) or neglect (physical, emotional, cognitive), to severe bullying by peers. With an annual estimated cost of $500 billion in the United States alone, CM is recognized as one of the most significant risk factors for a range of psychiatric and medical conditions (White and Kaffman, 2019). Further, rates of numerous psychiatric, neurological, and medical conditions differ significantly between males and females (Gillies and McArthur, 2010), inspiring decades of research on how sex moderates consequences of CM (Gershon et al., 2008). Although vulnerability to CM has been reported to vary by sex, very few findings have been consistent across studies. Moreover, most work to date has focused on how sex alters the frequencies of different psychopathologies in maltreated individuals, with little attention to whether different developmental processes may underlie these psychopathologies in males and females (White and Kaffman, 2019). The primary goal of this editorial was to advocate for more effective research strategies to address these questions. We first examine the rationale for studying sex as an important moderator of consequences of CM, briefly summarize some of the most consistent clinical findings, and discuss the implications of sex in treatment response. We then highlight important obstacles that contribute to the large number of inconsistent findings and make five recommendations on how to move forward.
Investigating Factorial Invariance of the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms - 34 (CCAPS-34) with Military and Nonmilitary Students.

This study assessed factorial invariance of scores from the Counseling Center Assessment of Psychological Symptoms − 34 (CCAPS-34) across military (n = 2,836) and nonmilitary (n = 2,836) students a...
A phase I/II study to assess safety and dose of ixazomib in combination with cyclophosphamide and dexamethasone in newly diagnosed patients with light chain (AL) amyloidosis.

8065Background: AL amyloidosis is an incurable clonal plasma cell disorder characterized by tissue deposits of immunoglobulin light chain fragments leading to organ dysfunction and death. Standard ...
Zinc shapes the folding landscape of p53 and establishes a new pathway for reactivating structurally diverse p53 mutants

ABSTRACT Missense mutations in the DNA binding domain (DBD) of the p53 tumor suppressor contribute to approximately half of new cancer cases each year worldwide. A primary goal in cancer therapy is to develop drugs that rescue the transcription function of mutant p53. Here we present a thermodynamic model that quantifies and links the major pathways by which mutations inactivate p53. The model is constructed by measuring folding free energies, zinc dissociation constants, and DNA dissociation constants of 20 of the most common DBD mutations in the p53 database. We report here that DBD possesses two unusual properties——one of the highest zinc binding affinities of any eukaryotic protein and extreme instability in the absence of zinc—which are predicted to cause p53 to be poised on the edge of folding/unfolding in the cell, with a major determinant being the concentration of available zinc. Eighty percent of the mutations examined impair either thermodynamic stability, zinc binding affinity, or both. Using a combination of biophysical experiments, cell based assays, and murine cancer models, we demonstrate for the first time that a synthetic zinc metallochaperone not only rescues mutants with decreased zinc affinities, but also mutants that destabilize DBD without impairing zinc binding. The latter is a broad class of p53 mutants of which only one member (Y220C) has been successfully targeted by small molecules. The results suggest that zinc metallochaperones have the capability to treat 120,500 patients per year in the U.S. SUMMARY Restoring tumor suppressing function to mutant p53 has the capability of treating millions of new cancer patients worldwide each year. An important step toward this goal is to categorize the spectrum of mutations based on how they inactivate p53. This study finds that the majority of the most common tumorigenic mutations compromise p53’s thermodynamic stability or its interaction with zinc, and demonstrates for the first time that members of both classes can be reactivated in cells by synthetic zinc metallochaperones. These results serve to stratify patients for potential zinc metallochaperone therapy.
Effective Pruning of Binary Activation Neural Networks

Deep learning networks have become a vital tool for image and data processing tasks for deployed and edge applications. Resource constraints, particularly low power budgets, have motivated methods and devices for efficient on-edge inference. Two promising methods are reduced precision communication networks (e.g. binary activation spiking neural networks) and weight pruning. In this paper, we provide a preliminary exploration for combining these two methods, specifically in-training weight pruning of whetstone networks, to achieve deep networks with both sparse weights and binary activations.
The Use of Cartiform in the Knee for Osteochondral Defects

Osteochondral defects and injuries in the knee account for significant functional disability and morbidity, especially in younger patients. There have been several techniques developed in order to treat this spectrum of diseases. Each treatment option has a variety of indications and contraindications to their uses. In the current chapter, we discuss the use of Cartiform® (Arthrex, Inc.), a cryopreserved osteochondral allograft composed of viable chondrocytes, chondrogenic growth factors, and extracellular matrix proteins and its use for the treatment of full-thickness cartilage defects of the knee.
Brain-Computer Interfacing: An Introduction

The idea of interfacing minds with machines has long captured the human imagination. Recent advances in neuroscience and engineering are making this a reality, opening the door to restoring and potentially augmenting human physical and mental capabilities. Medical applications such as cochlear implants for the deaf and deep brain stimulation for Parkinson's disease are becoming increasingly commonplace. Brain- computer interfaces (BCIs) (also known as brain- machine interfaces or BMIs) are now being explored in applications as diverse as security, lie detection, alertness monitoring, telepresence, gaming, education, art, and human augmentation. This introduction to the field is designed as a textbook for upper- level undergraduate and first year graduate courses in neural engineering or brain- computer interfacing for students from a wide range of disciplines. It can also be used for self- study and as a reference by neuroscientists, computer scientists, engineers, and medical practitioners. Key features include: Essential background in neuroscience, brain recording and stimulation technologies, signal processing, and machine learning Detailed description of the major types of BCIs in animals and humans, including invasive, semi-invasive, noninvasive, stimulating, and bidirectional BCIs In-depth discussion of BCI applications and BCI ethics Questions and exercises in each chapter Supporting Web site with annotated list of book- related links
Correct generalized solar radiation pressure force on a circular cylinder in an arbitrary orientation

In response to the inconsistency seen in Geogevic (1973) with respect to the solution for solar radiation pressure in the case of a circular cylinder, a succinct derivation of the correct solution is presented. Numerical comparisons of the two sets of results confirm that the new formulation yields physically reasonable results for both general and special cases. A detailed graphic representation of the mathematical model used is included.
Growing Biomass Fuel Industry; Declining Local Forage Demands; and Changing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from US Agriculture: A Case Study

This paper investigates the effect of a biomass crop introduction in a local market where field crops, cattle forage and biomass crops compete for the agricultural resources and determine land use. A simulation study for a State in the US (Minnesota) with extensive and diverse agricultural resources that could also support a biomass industry is reported. Local market impact on prices and land use is summarized. A local biofuel industry with 1.0 billion gallon capacity can transform declining local land values to stable or moderately increasing land values, partly because secular declines in cattle forage can be replaced with biofuel demands. The effects of greenhouse gas emissions and sinks are also estimated. The local agriculture sectors’ net greenhouse gas changes are converted from a net emission to a net sink position with a biofuels industry-we calculate an annual net improvement of 55 bil. Lbs CO2 –equivalent, due, in part, declining cattle emissions and favorable land use effects from expanding hay production.
INFERENCE IN NONPARAMETRIC INSTRUMENTAL VARIABLES WITH PARTIAL IDENTIFICATION

This paper develops methods for hypothesis testing in a nonparametric instrumental variables setting within a partial identification framework. We construct and derive the asymptotic distribution of a test statistic for the hypothesis that at least one element of the identified set satisfies a conjectured restriction. The same test statistic can be employed under identification, in which case the hypothesis is whether the true model satisfies the posited property. An almost sure consistent bootstrap procedure is provided for obtaining critical values. Possible applications include testing for semiparametric specifications as well as building confidence regions for certain functionals on the identified set. As an illustration we obtain confidence intervals for the level and slope of Brazilian fuel Engel curves. A Monte Carlo study examines finite sample performance.
Circulatory Response to Cold Showers: Effect of Varied Time Lapses before Exercise

Abstract This study investigated the duration of the cold shower effect on circulatory response to exercise in order to determine how long a performer may wait before beginning exercise after a cold shower and still receive benefit from it. In addition to a control condition of exercise without a shower, the time intervals between the shower and exercise were 10, 20, and 30 minutes. The showers were 10 minutes at an average temperature of 68 F. Each of 10 male subjects followed each experimental condition on separate days. Heart rates were recorded during a five-minute walk at four miles per hour and six percent grade on a motor driven treadmill. Heart rates during the first five minutes of recovery were also recorded. Analysis of variance for a randomized complete blocks design and the Student-Newman-Keuls Test were used in analysis of the data. Results indicated that even after a 20-minute interval before exercise begins, the 10-minute cold shower at 68 F will significantly reduce the exercise and recov...
Interferometry for Gravity Wave Detection

Much of the physics of general relativity (GR) is contained in the metric, g μν. The inherent non-linearity of GR in general makes the computation of the metric very difficult if not impossible, but here on earth the gravitational fields are always weak enough so that they can be described by the so-called linearized theory. In this weak field limit, the metric can be approximated as g μν ≈ ημν + h μν, ǀh μνǀ « 1. The Weak-field Einstein equations in vacuum (for a suitable choice of gauge) then take the form of a wave equation: □2 h μν = 0. For a plane wave traveling in the z direction, the field can have components in the x and y directions; i.e., the field is transverse, with two independent polarizations.
Envisioning the Urban Past: GIS Reconstruction of a Lost Denver District

Large areas within the old urban core of American cities were destroyed in the post-war era as city leaders sought to counteract metropolitan decentralization by implementing urban renewal programs. For the most part, these places were deemed not worthy of documentation; indeed, areas declared as “blighted” were widely viewed as ugly, cancerous threats to the future health of the city and were enthusiastically demolished. For this reason they have rarely been the object of study. This paper attempts to address the neglect of such lost landscapes by using GIS to provide a means to envision the urban past. Focusing on the case of the old Auraria district in downtown Denver, the paper pursues three aims. The first is to develop and test a new method for reconstructing urban landscapes at the district scale using GIS methods and data derived from historic Sanborn fire insurance maps. The second aim is to conduct preliminary analysis of this historic district-scale GIS, focusing on land use, spatial connectivity, and building massing, in order to evaluate its utility in generating new insight into the form, character, and functioning of the historic city core. The third aim is to assess the degree to which historic urban reconstructions of this kind can become valuable tools in contemporary urban planning efforts.
Comparison of outcomes between endoscopic ultrasound-guided transcolonic and transrectal drainage of abdominopelvic abscesses.

Background Transrectal endoscopic ultrasound (EUS)-guided pelvic abscess drainage has been reported, but data on transcolonic drainage are scant. Aim To compare outcomes in patients undergoing transcolonic and transrectal drainage of abdominopelvic abscesses. Methods Retrospective study of all patients who underwent EUS-guided drainage of abdominopelvic abscesses over a 7-year period. Abscesses were drained by a standard single-step EUS-guided technique with deployment of double-pigtail stents ± catheters. Technical success was defined as successful placement of stents or drainage catheters within the abscess cavity. Treatment success was defined as resolution of abscess on follow-up computed tomography at 2 weeks with symptom improvement. Results Of 38 patients, 11 underwent transcolonic and 27 transrectal drainages. There was no difference in patient demographics, laboratory values, and median abscess size (65 vs 70 mm, P = 0.85) between the two cohorts. Etiology of abscess was postsurgical in 65.7%, diverticulitis in 13.1%, perforated viscus in 10.5%, and other causes in 10.5%. There was no difference in rates of technical success (100% in each cohort), treatment success (70% vs 96.3%, P = 0.052), or complications (none). Three patients in the transcolonic and one in the transrectal cohort underwent surgery for failed endoscopic drainage (27.3% vs 3.7%, P = 0.06). When evaluated by etiology, treatment success for diverticular abscess was significantly lower compared with others (25% vs 97%, P = 0.002). At a median follow-up of 1228.5 days (interquartile range = 131–1660), all patients with treatment success were doing well with no recurrence. Conclusion Except for patients with diverticular etiology, treatment of abdominopelvic abscess under EUS guidance is highly effective and safe for both routes.
Predicting Participation in Postsecondary Education for School Leavers with Disabilities

This study examined predictors of participation in postsecondary education for school leavers with disabilities, using instruments, procedures, and logistic regression analyses that were used in an original study. Both studies found six predictors to be associated with participation in postsecondary education: (a) high scores on a functional achievement inventory, (b) completing instruction successfully in certain relevant curricular areas, (c) participating in transition planning (d) parent satisfaction and (e) student satisfaction with instruction received by the student, and (f) parent perception that the student no longer needed help in certain critical skill areas.
A review of MEMS-based microscale and nanoscale tensile and bending testing

Thin films at the micrometer and submicrometer scales exhibit mechanical properties that are different than those of bulk polycrystals. Industrial application of these materials requires accurate mechanical characterization. Also, a fundamental understanding of the deformation processes at smaller length scales is required to exploit the size and interface effects to develop new and technologically attractive materials. Specimen fabrication, small-scale force and displacement generation, and high resolution in the measurements are generic challenges in microscale and nanoscale mechanical testing. In this paper, we review small-scale materials testing techniques with special focus on the application of microelectromechanical systems (MEMS). Small size and high force and displacement resolution make MEMS suitable for small-scale mechanical testing. We discuss the development of tensile and bending testing techniques using MEMS, along with the experimental results on nanoscale aluminum specimens.
Minimally invasive lumbar spinal decompression in the elderly: outcomes of 50 patients aged 75 years and older.

OBJECTIVE: Lumbar spinal stenosis and spondylosis are major causes of morbidity among the elderly. Surgical decompression is an effective treatment, but many elderly patients are not considered as candidates for surgery based on age or comorbidities. Minimally invasive surgical techniques have recently been developed and used successfully for the treatment of lumbar spinal disease. Our objective was to examine the safety and efficacy of minimally invasive lumbar spinal surgery for elderly patients. METHODS: We reviewed demographic information, pre- and postoperative Visual Analog Scale pain scores, Oswestry Disability Index scores, and Short-Form 36 scores of prospectively accrued patients who underwent minimally invasive decompression of lumbar degenerative disease at two institutions between January 2002 and December 2005. Data from patients who were at least 75 years old were selected. Statistical analysis methods included paired t test, multiple linear regression, and linear mixed effects modeling. RESULTS: Fifty-seven patients with a mean age of 81 years met the study criteria (median follow-up period, 7 mo; mean follow-up period, 10 mo). No major complications or deaths occurred. Fifty patients had sufficient outcomes data for analysis. Visual Analog Scale pain scores decreased from 5.7 to 2.2 for back pain and from 5.7 to 2.3 for symptomatic leg pain (P < 0.05). Oswestry Disability Index scores decreased from 48 to 27; Short-Form 36 Body Pain and Physical Function scores also showed statistically significant improvements after surgery (P < 0.05). The longitudinal analysis demonstrated durability of the symptom relief. CONCLUSION: Minimally invasive lumbar spine decompression is a safe and efficacious treatment for elderly patients with spinal stenosis and spondylosis. Elderly patients should be considered good candidates for lumbar surgical decompression using minimally invasive techniques.
Potential invasion of microorganisms and pathogens via ‘interior hull fouling’: biofilms inside ballast water tanks

Surfaces submerged in an aquatic milieu are covered to some degree with biofilms – organic matrices that can contain bacteria, microalgae, and protozoans, sometimes including disease-causing forms. One unquantified risk of aquatic biological invasions is the potential for biofilms within ships’ ballast water tanks to harbor pathogens, and, in turn, seed other waters. To begin to evaluate this vector, we collected biofilm samples from tanks’ surfaces and deployed controlled-surface sampling units within tanks. We then measured a variety of microbial metrics within the biofilms to test the hypotheses that pathogens are present in biofilms and that biofilms have higher microbial densities compared to ballast water. Field experiments and sampling of coastwise and oceangoing ships arriving at ports in Chesapeake Bay and the North American Great Lakes showed the presence of abundant microorganisms, including pathogens, in biofilms. These results suggest that ballast-tank biofilms represent an additional risk of microbial invasion, provided they release cells into the water or they are sloughed off during normal ballasting operations.
Resistance to Xanthomonas campestris pv. pelargonii in geranium and diagnosis of the bacterial blight using polymerase chain reaction

Geranium bacterial blight is caused by Xanthomonas campestris pv. pelargonii (Xcp). In this study, we tested the susceptibility and resistance of 17 geranium species to infection by Xcp based on both visually scored leaf blight symptoms and bacterial detections with Xcp-specific PCR. The initial symptom observation indicated that most of the tested geraniums are susceptible to Xcp infection with six exceptions of Geranium maderense, G. pratense, G. sanguineum, G. wallichianum, Pelargonium peltatum, and P. regalia. Of these, G. sanguineum showed delayed, mild symptoms and proved tolerant to Xcp infection, whereas the other five species displayed few symptoms and are resistant to the infection. Using PCR, the presence of Xcp bacterium could be detected in G. sanguineum only after the onset of symptoms but was never detected in the five resistant species. In contrast, the presence of the bacterium could be detected from the susceptible Pelargonium plants before the onset of symptoms. To our knowledge, this i...
SURGICAL RESECTION OF BRAIN METASTASES FROM RENAL CELL CARCINOMA IN 50 PATIENTS

Abstract Objectives Metastases are frequently diagnosed among patients with renal cell carcinoma (RCC). Of 709 patients with brain metastases (BMET) who were operated on at our institution between 1974 and 1993, 50 (7%) were of renal origin. Methods Medical records were reviewed retrospectively. Survival time was calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and Cox proportional hazards model. Results There were 38 men and 12 women. The median age was 60 years. The primary RCC was resected in 47 patients. Forty patients had a metachronous diagnosis of RCC and BMET. Median interval between the diagnosis of RCC and BMET was 17 months. In all 50 patients overall median survival (MS) from diagnosis of primary RCC was 31.4 months and from craniotomy was 12.6 months. Postoperative mortality was 10% (5 patients). In patients with primary RCC in the left kidney (n = 25) versus right kidney (n = 25) median survival from craniotomy was longer: 21.3 versus 7.4 months ( P Conclusions Only the resection of lung metastasis, supratentorial location of BMET, left-sided localization of primary RCC, and lack of neurologic deficit before craniotomy were statistically significant prognostic factors in Cox regression analysis. In the absence of effective systemic treatment, we suggest that patients with BMET from RCC be considered for operative resection for treatment and palliation.
A New Device That Allows Synchronous Intermittent Inspiratory Chest Tube Occlusion with any Mechanical Ventilator

Controlling a massively leaking bronchopleural fistula (BPF) can prove difficult. In combination with acute respiratory failure (ARF), BPF results in a mortality of 81 percent. Intermittent inspiratory chest tube occlusion (IICTO) is recognized as effective in controlling even the largest BPF; however, IICTO, as previously described, is difficult to use for a variety of reasons. We report two cases of BPF in association with ARF managed with a simple new device that allows the application of IICTO with virtually any mechanical ventilator. The effectiveness of the device and associated technique in controlling BPF leaks is clearly demonstrated and may have played a role in the eventual recovery of a patient with BPF. Further study of the technique is warranted.
Antioxidant constituents of Nymphaea caerulea flowers

As part of an ongoing search for antioxidants from medicinal plants, 20 constituents were isolated from the Nymphaea caerulea flowers, including two 2S,3S,4S-trihydroxypentanoic acid (1), and myricetin 3-O-(3''-O-acetyl)-alpha-L-rhamnoside (2), along with the known myricetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (3), myricetin 3-O-beta-D-glucoside (4), quercetin 3-O-(3''-O-acetyl)-alpha-L-rhamnoside (5), quercetin 3-O-alpha-L-rhamnoside (6), quercetin 3-O-beta-D-glucoside (7), kaempferol 3-O-(3''-O-acetyl)-alpha-L-rhamnoside (8), kaempferol 3-O-beta-D-glucoside (9), naringenin (10), (S)-naringenin 5-O-beta-D-glucoside (11), isosalipurposide (12), beta-sitosterol (13), beta-sitosterol palmitate (14), 24-methylenecholesterol palmitate (15), 4alpha-methyl-5alpha-ergosta-7,24(28)-diene-3beta,4beta-diol (16), ethyl gallate (17), gallic acid (18), p-coumaric acid (19), and 4-methoxybenzoic acid (20). The structures were determined by spectroscopic means. Compounds were tested for antioxidant activity and nine compounds 2-7, 11, 12 and 18 were considered active with IC(50) of 1.16, 4.1, 0.75, 1.7, 1.0, 0.34, 11.0, 1.7 and 0.95 microg/ml, respectively, while 1 was marginally active (IC(50)>31.25 microg/ml). The most promising activity was found in the EtOAc fraction (IC(50) 0.2 microg/ml). This can be attributed to the synergistic effect of the compounds present in it.
Geological Observations of Damage Asymmetry in the Structure of the San Jacinto, San Andreas and Punchbowl Faults in Southern California: A Possible Indicator for Preferred Rupture Propagation Direction

We present new in situ observations of systematic asymmetry in the pattern of damage expressed by fault zone rocks along sections of the San Andreas, San Jacinto, and Punchbowl faults in southern California. The observed structural asymmetry has consistent manifestations at a fault core scale of millimeters to meters, a fault zone scale of meters to tens of meters and related geomorphologic features. The observed asymmetric signals are in agreement with other geological and geophysical observations of structural asymmetry in a damage zone scale of tens to hundreds of meters. In all of those scales, more damage is found on the side of the fault with faster seismic velocities at seismogenic depths. The observed correlation between the damage asymmetry and local seismic velocity structure is compatible with theoretical predictions associated with preferred propagation direction of earthquake ruptures along faults that separate different crustal blocks. The data are consistent with a preferred northwestward propagation direction for ruptures on all three faults. If our results are supported by additional observations, asymmetry of structural properties determined in field studies can be utilized to infer preferred propagation direction of large earthquake ruptures along a given fault section. The property of a preferred rupture direction can explain anomalous behavior of historic rupture events, and may have profound implications for many aspects of earthquake physics on large faults.
Ultraviolet light curves of V535 Arae

The light curve of V535 Ara is determined from observations of this long-period W UMa binary in the UV, and its gravity darkening is estimated. The UV colors and spectral type correspond to (B - V)0 = 0.24, or A8V, and imply that the star should have very little residual convection in its envelope. It is concluded that the gravity darkening is large, as in a radiative star, unless it is modified by circulation in the common envelope, or unless all stars this warm are convective. Four solutions are obtained to a combination of optical and UV light curves, two for high radiative gravity darkening, and two for low convective gravity darkening. The light curves were fitted equally well in all four cases, while in all but the one with low-gravity darkening and a hot inner face there was a rather large global temperature difference between the two stars. It is suggested that the W UMa binaries are found only at spectral types later than about A8 because their outer envelopes must be convective to transfer luminosity.
Porphyrins XXIV. Energy, oscillator strength, and Zeeman splitting calculations (SCMO-CI) for phthalocyanine, porphyrins, and related ring systems

Extensive CI calculations have been done on free base porphin and the metallo derivative of porphin, tetrazaporphin, phthalocyanine, various benzporphins, chlorin, and bacteriochlorin. The transition gradient operator gives good agreement with experimental intensities. Free base porphin may have a weakπ-π* transition around 480nm. Tetrabenzporphin and phthalocyanine are predicted to have much more intensity around 50000 cm−1 than porphin and tetrazaporphin due to benzenoid transitions, a prediction borne out by the available data. Magnetic effects are calculated for the low energy excited states. Q state angular momentum is calculated to be 4.35ħ for porphin and 3.13h for phthalocyanine. Although these numbers agree with some experimental results, the calculations show that the experimental analysis needs further refinement.
Restriction of moloney murine leukemia virus replication in moloney murine sarcoma virus-infected cells

MuSV349 is a TB-cell line which produces infectious MuSV with little or no MuLV detectable by the XC assay. The apparent restriction of MuLV replication in MuSV349 cells was investigated. A replication-competent helper virus, with protein composition nearly identical to that of Mo-MuLV was isolated from the viruses produced by MuSV349 cells. This helper MuLV after it was separated from MuSV and upon infection of TB cells produced viral titer similar to that of Mo-MuLV-infected TB cells indicating that its replication might have been restricted in the MuSV349 cells. To find out whether the suppression of the helper virus replication is due to the genetic peculiarities of the virus or MuSV349 cells, the relative amounts of MuLV and MuSV produced by several distinct clonal MuSV isolates (derived from a common progenitor) upon superinfection with Mo-MuLV were determined. The results of these experiments showed that while both SV7 and SV15F on coinfection with Mo-MuLV produced MuSV in excess over MuLV; and ts110 and tsSV13 on coinfection with Mo-MuLV produced MuLV in excess over MuSV. Since the same Mo-MuLV is used in these experiments and since upon transfer to a different cell, SV7, SV15F, and ts110 retain the property to restrict or not restrict MuLV replication it appears that the above property is determined by the genetics of the MuSV.
An evaluation of individualized behavioral obesity treatment and maintenance strategies

The present study examined the efficacy of individualized behavioral obesity treatment and maintenance procedures. Three behavioral treatments (group-administered standardized treatment, individually administered standardized treatment, and individually administered individualized treatment) were crossed with two maintenance strategies (individual problem-solving sessions and optional weighins). Of the 49 obese women who entered the 10-week program, 42 completed it. No differences emerged among treatments at posttest. However, during the 91/2 month period from posttest to follow-ups, subjects in the standardized group treatment and the individualized treatment continued to lose weight, while those in the individually administered standardized treatment regained much of the weight they had lost in treatment. The individual problem-solving maintenance procedure was significantly more effective than optinal weight-ins for producing weight loss during the maintenance period. Furthermore, during the maintenance period, treatment and maintenance strategies interacted such that subjects receiving individually administered standardized treatment with optinal weigh-ins relapsed significantly. In contrast, the other group either maintained their posttest weight or continued to lose.
An ecologically significant new species of Dacryodes from the northern Andes. Studies in neotropical Burseraceae XV

Dacryodes uruts-kunchae is described, illustrated, and contrasted with D. steyermarkii. It is from white-sand plateaus and slopes of the sub-Andean cordilleras east of the Eastern Cordillera of the Andes in Ecuador, and from eastern foothills of the Andes in Peru. The new species is unusual for a number of reasons: (1) relatively few Burseraceae are found in tropical pre-montane and montane habitats; (2) it is dominant where it occurs, a rare phenomenon for Neotropical Dacryodes; (3) its staminate flowers show three stages in the transition from disk+pistillode to “ovariodisk”; and (4) it has relatively small, densely glandular-punctate, sclerophyllous leaflets.
Bacterial Sensor Nod2 Prevents Inflammation of the Small Intestine by Restricting the Expansion of the Commensal Bacteroides vulgatus

Summary Nod2 has been extensively characterized as a bacterial sensor that induces an antimicrobial and inflammatory gene expression program. Therefore, it is unclear why Nod2 mutations that disrupt bacterial recognition are paradoxically among the highest risk factors for Crohn's disease, which involves an exaggerated immune response directed at intestinal bacteria. Here, we identified several abnormalities in the small-intestinal epithelium of Nod2 −/− mice including inflammatory gene expression and goblet cell dysfunction, which were associated with excess interferon-γ production by intraepithelial lymphocytes and Myd88 activity. Remarkably, these abnormalities were dependent on the expansion of a common member of the intestinal microbiota Bacteroides vulgatus , which also mediated exacerbated inflammation in Nod2 −/− mice upon small-intestinal injury. These results indicate that Nod2 prevents inflammatory pathologies by controlling the microbiota and support a multihit disease model involving specific gene-microbe interactions. Video Abstract
Further possible consequences of the asymmetric development of the ring current belt - effect of variations in ionospheric conductivity

Abstract Numerical calculations of the magnetospheric electrostatic field and ionospheric current field have been made assuming that the auroral zone ionosphere is represented by a ring of enhanced conductivity centered on the geomagnetic pole. These calculations are compared with similar calculations assuming that the ionosphere has a uniform conductivity. For certain ring current particle energies, the computation shows that the ring of enhanced ionospheric conductivity results in a near reversal and intensification of the electrostatic field. Intense ionospheric currents are driven along segments of the ionospheric ring. These calculations suggest that the asymmetric ring current may be the responsible agent for driving the auroral electrojet. The results of the calculations are used to formulate a model of the magnetic substorm associated with the auroral breakup.
SU-FF-T-198: Head-Scatter Off-Axis for MLC Shaped Fields

Purpose: Off-axis head-scatter is the major contributor to doses outside x-ray collimation. For an IMRT beam, these scattered photons also affect the dose inside the treatment field. This study determines the headscatter components for an accelerator with MLC as an attachment. Method and Materials: Head-scatter is measured for the 6 and 18 MV photon beams from a Varian 2100C linear accelerator. The head scatter off-axis, HOA, is defined as the scatter-to-primary ratio for head-scatter with collimator setting cx □ cy at off-axis position x, i.e., HOA(cx,cy,x) = (T(cx,cy,x) − P(cx,x))/P(cx,0), where T is the total dose measured in a graphite miniphantom for collimator setting cx □ cy at position x and P is the primary dose measured at the same location x under a collimator setting of 3 □ cx. The collimator setting along x, cx, is kept the same so that the primary remains unchanged. The results are fitted to a two-source model [1]. Results: The widths of the two Gaussian sources are 1.4 and 16 cm, respectively, for both energies. Compared to the leakage outside beam collimation, HOA at 2 cm outside field width is 100 % of the primary for c = 5 cm to 400 % of the primary for c = 30 cm. Conclusion: Compared with the conventional collimator jaws, HOA for MLC shaped field is lower at off-axis locations due to the difference in physical locations of the MLC and the collimator jaws. 1. Zhu TC and Bjarngard BE, “Head scatter off-axis for megavoltage x rays,” Med Phys 30: 533 – 543 (2003).
Advantage Girls: A Look at Women's Language in the Classroom.

ABSTRACT While Others have focused on gender-based language and the workplace, this research study explores gender-based language, in this case women's language, and the classroom. The study specifically examines examples of women's language and how this language affects student response in the classroom. Five variables have been identified as characteristic of women's language—politeness, gestures, intonation, praise/saving face for others, and tag questions—and were used to evaluate the language of a female teacher in an Algebra II classroom. The data, consisting of field notes and transcriptions of audiotaped lessons, were analyzed for evidence of terms, expressions, and gestures associated with women's language. Observed student responses to the teacher's use of women's language were also analyzed. Findings indicate that the teacher used examples of traits associated with women's language throughout the lessons, as well as a range of intonation patterns and numerous hand gestures. Findings also showed...
Passive quasi-free states of the noninteracting Fermi gas

Abstract The passive quasi-free states of the noninteracting Fermi gas with continuous one-particle hamiltonian H are computed. They turn out to be the well-known Fermi-Dirac states, or limits thereof. This still holds true if the spectrum of H has both a continuous and a discrete part, except for the appearance of a class of “ground state-like” states showing a local random excitation of the point spectrum in a neighborhood of the Fermi energy. When H has only pure point spectrum, the requirement that a state be passive and quasi-free is no longer sufficient to charac terize the Fermi-Dirac distributions.
In situ neutron radiography analysis of graphite/NCA lithium-ion battery during overcharge

Overcharge of lithium-ion batteries can lead to the deposition of lithium ions on the surface of graphite electrodes. The phenomenon of lithium deposition causes reduced electrochemical performance and presents safety concerns for lithium-ion batteries in high-power applications. This study presents a technique using neutron radiography (NR) for in situ visualization of the effects of overcharge in a graphite/NCA (LiNi0.8Co0.15Al0.05O2) lithium-ion cell. Patterns of deposition of solid material on the surface of the graphite electrode observed in the radiographs were confirmed by direct observation of the electrode. Inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry was used to verify the elemental contents of the deposited material. NR is shown to be a promising tool for the study of lithium-ion batteries in high-power applications.
A new technique for solid NMR imaging and application to phosphorus imaging in solid bone

A new imaging technique for solids with lines broadened by inhomogeneous dipolar interactions is described. A model of loosely coupled spin-1/2 pairs is used to explain how the technique works. Using this technique, the radiofrequency pulse sequence induces a solid echo which effectively prolongs the lifetime of a transverse signal because of the independence of the echo amplitude from the dipolar interactions. In addition the refocused gradients turned on throughout the echo formation are capable of encoding spatial information. The imaging technique is illustrated with one-dimensional images of calcium phosphate mineral distribution in solid bone samples.
Organizational commitment: Clarifying the concept and simplifying the existing construct typology.

This paper examines popular concepts and "types" of organizational commitment in light of the definition of commitment and common factors that pertain to all commitments. It argues that a commitment is best conceptualized as a single, fundamental construct that may vary according to differences in focus, terms, and time-specific evaluation. Analysis of affective commitment measures indicates that certain measures contain more than one set of terms and make assumptions about evaluation that add constraints to the basic meaning of commitment. Recommendations include the argument that commitment measures address one set of terms and avoid evaluative phraseology.
The gravity multiple server location problem

Models for locating facilities and service providers to serve a set of demand points are proposed. The number of facilities is unknown, however, there is a given number of servers to be distributed among the facilities. Each facility acts as an M/M/k queuing system. The objective function is the minimization of the combined travel time and the waiting time at the facility for all customers. The distribution of demand among the facilities is governed by the gravity rule. Two models are proposed: a stationary one and an interactive one. In the stationary model it is assumed that customers do not consider the waiting time at the facility in their facility selection decision. In the interactive model we assume that customers know the expected waiting time at the facility and consider it in their facility selection decision. The interactive model is more complicated because the allocation of the demand among the facilities depends on the demand itself. The models are analyzed and three heuristic solution algorithms are proposed. The algorithms were tested on a set of problems with up to 1000 demand points and 20 servers.
Meteorologically‐dependent trends in urban ozone

Ozone concentrations are affected by precursor emissions and by meteorological conditions. As part of a broad study to assess the effects of standards imposed by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), it is of interest to analyze trends in ozone after adjusting for meteorological influences. Previous papers have studied this problem for ozone data from Chicago, using a variety of regression techniques. This paper presents a different approach, in which the meteorological influence is treated nonlinearly through a regression tree. A particular advantage of this approach is that it allows us to consider different trends within the clusters produced by the regression tree analysis. The variability of trend estimates between clusters is reduced by applying an empirical Bayes adjustment. The results confirm the findings of previous authors that there is an overall downward trend in Chicago ozone values, but they also go beyond previous analyses by showing that the trend is stronger at higher levels of ozone. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Plant community and tissue chemistry responses to fertilizer and litter nutrient manipulations in a temperate grassland

Human-mediated nutrient amendments have widespread effects on plant communities. One of the major consequences has been the loss of species diversity under increased nutrient inputs. The loss of species can be functional group dependent with certain functional groups being more prone to decline than others. We present results from the sixth year of a long-term fertilization and litter manipulation study in an old-field grassland. We measured plant tissue chemistry (C:N ratio) to understand the role of plant physiological responses in the increase or decline of functional groups under nutrient manipulations. Fertilized plots had significantly more total aboveground biomass and live biomass than unfertilized plots, which was largely due to greater productivity by exotic C3 grasses. We found that both fertilization and litter treatments affected plant species richness. Species richness was lower on plots that were fertilized or had litter intact; species losses were primarily from forbs and non-Poaceae graminoids. C3 grasses and forbs had lower C:N ratios under fertilization with forbs having marginally greater %N responses to fertilization than grasses. Tissue chemistry in the C3 grasses also varied depending on tissue type with reproductive tillers having higher C:N ratios than vegetative tillers. Although forbs had greater tissue chemistry responses to fertilization, they did not have a similar positive response in productivity and the number of forb species is decreasing on our experimental plots. Overall, differential nutrient uptake and use among functional groups influenced biomass production and species interactions, favoring exotic C3 grasses and leading to their dominance. These data suggest functional groups may differ in their responses to anthropogenic nutrient amendments, ultimately influencing plant community composition.