cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Testing the Efficacy of a Social Networking Gamification App to Improve Pre-Exposure Prophylaxis Adherence (P3: Prepared, Protected, emPowered): Protocol for a Randomized Controlled Trial.

Background: HIV prevalence is high among young men who have sex with men (YMSM) and young transgender women who have sex with men (YTWSM), particularly among minorities. Despite its proven efficacy and safety, the uptake of and adherence to pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) among YMSM and YTWSM is currently limited. To date, evidence-based interventions to promote and sustain PrEP adherence have been limited and not shown to be highly efficacious. Given the widespread adoption of smartphones, mobile apps can be utilized to increase PrEP adherence for many YMSM and YTWSM. Objective: The study consists of a formative research phase to develop an app-based intervention, P3 (Prepared, Protected, emPowered), to increase PrEP adherence, and a randomized controlled trial (RCT) to test its efficacy. P3 is a mobile app built on an established health platform, which includes social networking and game-based components to encourage PrEP adherence among YMSM and YTWSM. P3+ includes all P3 features plus adherence counseling delivered via two-way text messaging (short message service, SMS) through the app. Methods: The formative research phase includes usability testing to assess users’ comprehension of P3’s educational content, understanding and use of intervention features, and overall impressions of app functionality, followed by app refinements. A subsequent field trial will identify and resolve any remaining technical challenges. A three-arm RCT (P3, P3+, and standard of care) will then be conducted at 6 iTech subject recruitment venues to assess intervention efficacy and to conduct a comparison of costs to deliver the 2 intervention arms. Results: This is an ongoing research project with initial results from the formative work expected in 2020 and those from the RCT in 2021. Conclusions: P3 aims to provide an engaging, interactive experience that is highly appealing for the target population, leveraging technology already heavily integrated into the lives of young people, and thus meeting users’ needs in a familiar, stimulating way. If efficacious, P3 could be a sustainable, easily disseminated, lower-cost PrEP intervention for YMSM and YTWSM. Further, the research aims to determine the processes that are essential to developing and implementing future health-related gamification interventions. Trial Registration: ClinicalTrials.gov NCT03320512; https://clinicaltrials.gov/ct2/show/NCT03320512 (Archived by WebCite at http://www.webcitation.org/74OVZkICl) International Registered Report Identifier (IRRID): DERR1-10.2196/10448
Using Farm Practice Variables as Predictors of Listeria spp. Prevalence in Pastured Poultry Farms

Predictive models offer food scientists, farmers, and processors tools to help identify variables that lead to an increase in the food safety risk of a product. Foodborne pathogens, such as Listeria spp., pose a major problem for the pastured poultry industry. Currently, there is a lack of understanding of what farm practices lead to higher prevalence of Listeria spp. This study constructed random forest (RF) models to predict the prevalence of Listeria spp. in pastured poultry farming environments and the final broiler product based on major farm practices and variables. Feces, soil, and whole carcass rinse samples were collected from 11 farms in the southeastern United States and evaluated for Listeria spp. presence. The preharvest sample RF model identified the time of year and age of the broiler flock at time of sampling as factors of increased probability of Listeria spp. presence in feces and soil samples. The final product RF model identified brood feed and the presence of chlorine in processing rinse water as the two most important variables associated with an increased likelihood of Listeria spp. presence. Both the preharvest RF model and final sample RF model performed well on a held-out test set, with area under the receiver operating characteristic curve values of 0.867 and 0.887, respectively. The presented models showed the usefulness of RF models in a food safety context. Both RF models will help pastured poultry farmers and processors guide control strategies to manage Listeria contamination in pastured poultry farms and products.
The Use of Prophylactic Insulin in Women with Gestational Diabetes

Between 1 and 5% of pregnant women develop a disturbance of carbohydrate metabolism known as gestational diabetes (Carpenter and Coustan, 1986). This abnormality is pathophysiologically similar to type II diabetes in that its main feature is insulin resistance, presumably induced by the contrainsulin hormones of pregnancy, and possibly also by placental insulin degradation. In addition, many investigators have also reported that women with gestational diabetes manifest a reduced insulin response to a glucose load when compared with normal pregnant subjects (Blohme etal., 1980; Freinkel etal., 1985; Kuhl etal., 1985).
Transcriptomics and targeted metabolomics profilings for elucidation of pigmentation in Lonicera japonica flowers at different developmental stages

Abstract To explore the molecular and metabolic bases of pigmentation in Lonicera japonica flowers at different developmental stages, we profiled the transcriptome at six developmental stages (S1–S6) and constructed regulatory networks of anthocyanin biosynthesis, chlorophyll metabolism, and carotenoid biosynthesis by weighted gene co-expression network analysis (WGCNA). The transcriptomics results demonstrated that the early flower colors were caused by anthocyanins and chlorophylls, and the late golden flower (S6) by carotenoids rather than anthocyanins. To identify the carotenoids responsible for the golden flowers, targeted metabolomics profiling of the flowers at S1, S4, and S6 was performed. The results showed that the golden flowers contained the highest contents of 11 of the 14 detectable carotenoids, and the total content of α-carotene, γ-carotene, and zeaxanthin accounted for 79.6% of the content of the 13 carotenoids detected at S6, indicating that they are major contributors to the golden flowers.
DYNAMIC PROGRAMMING IN BOREL SPACES

A general theory of dynamic programming must deal with the formidable measurability questions arising from the presence of uncountable probability spaces. In the Borel space framework introduced by Blackwell in 1965, the dynamic programming algorithm can be used to construct Borel measurable policies which are optimal or nearly optimal for p-almost every initial state, where p is a given probability measure. In this paper we provide a presentation of the critical measurability issues and describe how by relaxing the requirement of Borel measurability of policies, one can construct everywhere optimal or nearly optimal policies and thus dispense with the notion of p-optimality.
Genetically Determined Birthweight Associates With Atrial Fibrillation: A Mendelian Randomization Study.

Background: Atrial fibrillation is a common cardiovascular disorder, characterized by irregular electrical activity in the upper chambers of the heart. Both chronic cardiometabolic risk factors and...
Bimodal transmission of plant viruses.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the bimodal transmission of plants. Typically, aphid species transmitting viruses bimodally acquire virus during short probes of several seconds to minutes and also during longer probes of several hours to days. The chapter illustrates the acquisition of cauliflower mosaic virus by the cabbage aphid, and the acquisition of pea seed-borne mosaic virus by the winged and nonwinged forms of the New London biotype of the potato aphid. When acquisition times were plotted against percent transmission, a curve in the form of two peaks and a trough was obtained. The first peak represented the maximum acquisition capacity of the nonpersistent phase of transmission by aphids. The second part of the curve represented the semipersistent phase of transmission. At the region where the nonpersistent transmission terminates and the commencement of the semipersistent phase, the curve may be in the form of a plateau. Theoretically, the values in this region never reached zero percent because of an additive effect where the transmission phases overlapped. There is a progressive increase in transmission as typified by semipersistent viruses, with a much longer period of retention. The effect of preacquisition fasting did not increase the efficiency of transmission at the second acquisition peak. For short feeds, this treatment had inconsistent effects on some vectors of bimodal viruses.
Proactive Discovery of Fake News Domains from Real-Time Social Media Feeds

The proliferation of web sites that disseminate fake news is a growing problem in our society. Not surprisingly, the problem of identifying whether a web page contains fake news has attracted substantial attention. However, the problem of discovering new sources of fake news has been largely unexplored. Timely discovery of such sources is critical to combat misinformation and minimize its potential harm. In this paper, we present an automatic discovery system that proactively surfaces fake news domains before they are flagged by humans. Our system operates in two-steps: first, it uses Twitter feeds to uncover user co-sharing structures to discover political websites; then it uses a topic-agnostic classifier to score and rank newly discovered domains. To demonstrate the effectiveness of our system, we conduct an experimental evaluation in which we collect tweets related to the 2020 presidential impeachment process in the United States, and show that not only our system is able to discover new sites, but that a large percentage of these sites are indeed publishing fake news. We also design an integrated user interface to support fact-checkers and leverage their knowledge. Through this interface, fact-checkers can visualize domain interaction networks, query domain fakeness score, and tag incorrectly predicted results. Our proactive discovery system will expedite fact-checking process and can be a powerful weapon in the toolbox to combat misinformation.
Maternal blood lipidomics analyses link critical metabolic pathways associated with severe preeclampsia

ABSTRACT Preeclampsia is a pregnancy specific syndrome characterized by hypertension and proteinuria after 20 weeks of gestation. To reveal the relationship between lipids and preeclampsia, we conduct lipidomic profiling of maternal serums of 44 severe preeclamptic and 20 healthy pregnancies from a multi-ethnic cohort in Hawaii. Correlation network analysis shows that oxidized phospholipids (OxPLs) have increased inter-correlations and connections in preeclampsia, while other lipids, including triacylglycerols (TAGs), have reduced network correlations and connections. Thirty-one lipid species from various lipid classes demonstrate predominantly reductions and causal relationships with preeclampsia. They include phosphatidylglycerol (PG), TAG, diacylglycerol (DAG), phosphatidylcholine (PC), cholesterol esters (CE), phosphatidylethanolamine (PE), sphingomyelin (SM), ceramides (Cer-NS), hexosyl ceramides (HexCer-NS), lysophosphatidylcholine (LPC), lysophosphatidylethanolamine (LPE), and free fatty acid (FFA). Many of these lipids are also selected as important features by a linear discriminant analysis (LDA) classifier with high predictive accuracy (F-1 statistic 0.941 and balanced accuracy 0.88), indicating their potential to serve as biomarkers for severe preeclampsia. Our study supports the hypothesis of a phospholipid (PL) centered, dysregulated lipidomic metabolic atlas. That is, severe preeclampsia may be originated from hypoxia, which induces the accumulation of OxPLs through oxidative stress whereas reduces many other lipids (eg. reduced PCs, TAGs and ceramides). These molecular changes coherently lead to dysregulated biological functions, such as insulin signaling and inflammation/infections. Moreover, the lipid changes may also be responsible for the comorbidity between preeclampsia and gestational diabetes, a clinically known risk factor for preeclampsia.
Cognitive mechanisms of episodic simulation in psychiatric populations.

Episodic simulation is the construction of a mental representation of a specific autobiographical future event. Episodic simulation has increasingly been studied in psychiatric populations. Here we 1) review evidence indicating that episodic simulation is compromised in patients with depression, anxiety, schizophrenia, bipolar disorder, and PTSD; and 2) consider several potential cognitive mechanisms of episodic simulation in psychiatric populations: episodic retrieval, scene construction, mental imagery, components of the CaRFAX model (i.e., capture and rumination, functional avoidance, and executive functioning), and narrative style. We evaluate evidence regarding these mechanisms across psychiatric populations, and identify areas of future research. Understanding the factors that contribute to episodic simulation impairment in psychiatric populations may lead to targeted and effective treatment approaches.
A Gs-RhoGEF interaction: An old G protein finds a new job

The heterotrimeric G proteins are known to have a variety of downstream effectors, but Gs was long thought to be specifically coupled to adenylyl cyclases. A new study indicates that activated Gs can also directly interact with a guanine nucleotide exchange factor for Rho family small GTPases, PDZ-RhoGEF. This novel interaction mediates activation of the small G protein Cdc42 by Gs-coupled GPCRs, inducing cytoskeletal rearrangements and formation of filopodia-like structures. Furthermore, overexpression of a minimal PDZ-RhoGEF fragment can down-regulate cAMP signaling, suggesting that this effector competes with canonical signaling. This first demonstration that the Gαs subfamily regulates activity of Rho GTPases extends our understanding of Gαs activity and establishes RhoGEF coupling as a universal Gα function.
Institutional Change and Transgender Employment

The purpose of this paper is to recommend non-discriminatory policies and practices regarding transgender individuals in the workplace. This paper will summarize workplace discrimination legal cases involving transgender individuals. Specifically, employers can be held financially responsible if they fire or discriminate against transgender individuals on the basis of gender identity and gender expression and can be required to use affirmed pronouns, revise policies, and provide training to employees regarding non-discrimination. Employers cannot discriminate against transgender individuals for transitioning, cannot prevent transgender individuals from using a particular bathroom or locker room, and cannot require employees to medically transition prior to gender identity recognition. Employers can be required to allow medical services related to transgender care. Finally, transgender individuals are a protected class under Title VII. This paper discusses the historical and current legal cases that prevent employment discrimination and proposes policies and practices. Recommendations for social workers include creating a sufficient non-discrimination policy, consulting with experts, becoming recognized on an equality index, educating others by not shaming them, and following the social work code of ethics.
Combined pharmacotherapy and evidence-based psychosocial Cannabis treatment for youth and selection of cannabis-using friends.

Abstract Background Theoretical models of behavior change argue that youth should decrease their time with cannabis-using friends and increase their time with non-using friends during treatment. Informed by behavior-change models of recovery and socialization and selection peer-influence models, the current study examined whether combining evidence-based psychosocial treatment with adjunctive pharmacotherapy helps youth decrease their affiliations with cannabis-using friends and increase their affiliations with non-using friends during cannabis misuse treatment. Methods Youth ages 15–24 years (51 % male), participated in a double-blind randomized clinical trial that tested the effects of motivational enhancement and cognitive behavioral therapy (MET-CBT) plus topiramate (N = 39) or placebo (N = 26) on cannabis craving and use. Ecological momentary assessment data, collected via smartphones throughout the six-week intervention, assessed youths’ time with cannabis-using and non-using friends, cannabis use, and craving in daily life. Multiple group multilevel structural equation modeling tested study hypotheses. Results Across the topiramate (48 % completion rate) and placebo (77 % completion rate) conditions, greater time spent with cannabis-using friends promoted greater next day cannabis use and craving (socialization effect). In turn, cannabis craving, but not use, promoted continued selection of cannabis-using friends. This indirect effect was only supported in the placebo condition due to the selection piece of this cycle not being significant for youth who received topiramate. Neither cannabis craving nor use were associated with time with non-using friends the next day. Conclusions MET-CBT and adjunctive topiramate pharmacotherapy interrupted youth selection processes. This finding suggests that changing peer affiliations could be one mechanism by which treatments can work.
Making and Unmaking Nations: War, Leadership, and Genocide in Modern Africa: by Scott Straus, Ithaca, NY, London, UK, Cornell University Press, 2015, 401 pp., Potographs, Appendix, References, Index. $25 print, $5. E-Book, ISBN-13 : 978-0801479687.

The year 1994 starting on Saturday of the Gregorian calendar was full of political melodrama in Africa. It marked, among other major events, the official end of apartheid in South Africa. However, ...
Evaluating a spatiotemporal shape-matching model for the generation of synthetic high spatiotemporal resolution time series of multiple satellite data

Abstract Time series of high spatiotemporal resolution satellite data are required to monitor land surface biophysical properties and their seasonal and inter-annual dynamics at sub-field to field scales. To generate such time series, various algorithms have been developed to fuse infrequent cloud-free Landsat observations with daily Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) observations. An early and widely used Spatial and Temporal Adaptive Reflectance Fusion Model (STARFM) was developed based on the assumptions that observations from the two sensors are consistent in terms of spatial aggregation and temporal variation. These assumptions are not always valid in the real world, especially in a complex heterogeneous region. In this study, we investigated a Spatiotemporal Shape-Matching Model (SSMM) to generate synthetic time series of high spatiotemporal resolution satellite data. The SSMM, which is conceptually different from the image pair-based STARFM and STARFM-like approaches, makes full use of all spatiotemporally matched fine and coarse resolution data in an entire time series to establish a temporally uniformed fusion model for a given fine resolution pixel. The SSMM assumes that the temporal shapes of both the fine and coarse resolution time series are similar, but their magnitudes and phenological phases could differ largely even for the same vegetation type. This study assessed the capability of the SSMM to generate high spatiotemporal resolution time series of two-band Enhanced Vegetation Index (EVI2). Specifically, we generated the synthetic 30 m time series using the SSMM and STARFM algorithms in the northeastern United States based on 500 m Visible Infrared Imaging Radiometer Suite (VIIRS) data and 30 m Landsat 8 and Sentinel-2 observations. We then evaluated the SSMM-derived 30 m time series across 15 land cover types and various degrees of heterogeneity. The result indicates that the SSMM is able to effectively generate synthetic time series in all different land cover types, which has advantages over the STARFM approach. Although the SSMM performance is degraded in heterogeneous regions, it can explain 82–91% of variations in 30 m EVI2 time series and produce constant root mean square error (0.053–0.056) across various levels of heterogeneity. Moreover, the SSMM can explain 87%-93% and 69%-87% of variation in 30 m EVI2 time series, respectively, with the models established using more than 10 pairs and 4–10 pairs of fine and coarse resolution observations. This suggests that the SSMM is also capable of generating high spatiotemporal resolution time series using historical Landsat time series with limited cloud-free observations, which are critical for studying vegetation dynamics and monitoring crop conditions.
spaceNtime: an R package for estimating abundance of unmarked animals using camera-trap photographs

The space to event (STE), time to event (TTE), and instantaneous sampling (IS) methods were developed to estimate abundance of unmarked animals from camera trap images (Moeller et al. in Ecosphere 9(8):e02331, 2018). The space and time to event models use camera data in a different way than other abundance estimation methods do. Instead of using counts of animals over independent events, STE uses a measure of sampled space before the first detection of the target species, and TTE uses the time until the first detection. We introduce spaceNtime, a free and open-source R package designed to assist in the implementation of the STE and TTE models, along with the IS estimator. This package takes the user through the steps of transforming data, defining sampling effort, selecting sampling occasions, building encounter histories, and estimating abundance from camera data using these three methods. The package is designed for users with a baseline level of knowledge of R and statistics, without requiring expertise in either.
Coal-Fired Emissions and Legislative Action

This chapter briefly discusses past health episodes, primarily in their role leading to regulations on the use of coal. The emphasis of this chapter is on federal legislation and regulatory trends in the United States. A history of legislative action in the United States as it pertains to coal-fired power plants is presented. Impending legislation is also discussed. The types and quantities of emissions, with the emphasis from coal-fired power plants, are presented along with their trends over time as a consequence of legislative action. A brief discussion of emissions and legislation from other countries and how they compare to the United States is also provided.
Soft Tissue Balancing After Partial Foot Amputations

Partial foot amputations have become common procedures for the foot and ankle surgeon as part of a limb salvage practice. These procedures are highly technique driven and there are many complex factors that affect the outcome and longevity. Appropriate surgical planning must be used with every partial foot amputation to ensure a plantigrade foot with the least potential for future breakdown. When performed appropriately, these amputations have great success with lower energy expenditure and decreased mortality compared with below-knee or above-knee amputations.
PRODUCTION OF DELAYED HYPERSENSITIVITY TO CRYPTOCOCCUS NEOFORMANS IN EXPERIMENTAL ANIMALS.

Lomanitz, Rachel (University of Oklahoma School of Medicine, Oklahoma City) and John M. Hale. Production of delayed hypersensitivity to Cryptococcus neoformans in experimental animals. J. Bacteriol. 86: 505–509. 1963.—Rabbits and guinea pigs have been sensitized to somatic, as well as whole-cell, antigens of a small-capsuled variant of Cryptococcus neoformans ODH-DV. Rabbits have also been sensitized to soma and to whole cells of a large-capsuled patient isolate. The time required for appearance of skin reactivity, after intracutaneous injection of antigenic material, indicated that the hypersensitivity developed was of the delayed type. This was subsequently demonstrated in both rabbits and guinea pigs by passive transfer of the hypersensitivity to normal animals. Efforts to transfer the skin sensitivity to normal rabbits with serum from sensitized animals were unsuccessful, indicating that humoral antibodies are not involved. Preliminary studies suggest that the sensitizing antigen resides in the cell wall and is highly specific.
Local and systemic induction of peroxidase, chitinase and resistance in cucumber plants by K2HPO4☆

Spraying the lower surface of the first true leaf (leaf 1) of cucumber plants with 50 mm K2HPO4 induced systemic resistance to anthracnose caused by Colletotrichum lagenarium, 2 to 7 days later. Within 16 h of application, the activities of peroxidase and chitinase increased in the induced leaf, and they continued to increase over the next 7 days reaching levels at least ten-fold higher than in leaf 1 of plants treated with water. During this period, the activities of both enzymes were usually two-fold or higher in leaf 2 of plants induced with K2HPO4 than in plants treated with water. If the induced plants were not further treated or mock-challenged with water on leaf 2, the enzyme levels increased slightly and levelled out at between two or four-fold higher than in the corresponding control plants. If plants were challenged with C. lagenarium on leaf 2, the enzyme activity at the site of challenge increased in the induced plants prior to rising in the control plants. Large increases in enzyme activity were only evident after the lesions became visible (3–4 days after challenge) in the control plants and this only occurred at the site of challenge. Seven days after challenge, the enzyme activities in the leaf tissue adjacent to the site of inoculation were similar in both the control and induced plants. Correlations were made between peroxidase and chitinase activities induced by several treatments on leaf 1 and the level of protection observed in leaf 2 after challenge with C. lagenarium.
Observation of local radio emission associated with type III radio bursts and Langmuir waves

The first clear detection of fundamental and harmonic radiation from the type III radio source region is presented. This radiation is characterized by its lack of frequency drift, its short rise and decay times, its relative weakness compared to the remotely observed radiation and its temporal coincidence with observed Langmuir waves. The observations were made with the radio and plasma frequency (URAP) receivers on the Ulysses spacecraft between about 1 and 2 AU from the Sun.
Cosmetic Contact Lenses and Iris Recognition Spoofing

Automatically detecting novel types of cosmetic contact lenses in iris images is a very difficult pattern-recognition problem, but experimental datasets that enable researchers to study this problem have recently become available.
Properties of Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-512FMC constitutive dextransucrase.

Leuconostoc mesenteroides B-512FMC, a constitutive mutant for dextransucrase, was grown on glucose, fructose, or sucrose. The amount of cell-associated dextransucrase was about the same for the three sugars at different concentrations (0.6% and 3%). Enzyme produced in glucose medium was adsorbed on Sephadex G-100 and G-200, but much less enzyme was adsorbed when it was produced in sucrose medium. Sephadex adsorption decreased when the glucose-produced enzyme was preincubated with dextrans of molecular size greater than 10 kDa. The release of dextransucrase activity from Sephadex by buffer (20 mM acetate, pH 5.2) was the highest at 28°–30°C. The addition of dextran to the enzyme stimulated dextran synthesis but had very little effect on the temperature or pH stability. Dextransucrase purified by ammonium sulfate precipitation, hydroxyapatite chromatography, and Sephadex G-200 adsorption did not contain any carbohydrate, and it synthesized dextran, showing that primers are not necessary to initiate dextran synthesis. The purified enzyme had a molecular size of 184 kDa on SDS-PAGE. On standing at 4°C for 30 days, the native enzyme was dissociated into three inactive proteins of 65, 62, and 57 kDa. However, two protein bands of 63 and 59 kDa were obtained on SDS-PAGE after heat denaturation of the 184-kDa active enzyme at 100°C. The amount of 63-kDa protein was about twice that of 59-kDa protein. The native enzyme is believed to be a trimer of two 63-kDa and one 59-kDa monomers.
Insulin-like, antilipolytic actions of phospholipase A in isolated rat adipose cells

Abstract Snake-venom phospholipase A (phosphatide acyl-hydrolase, EC 3.1.1.4), at concentrations which mimicked the effects of insulin on the transport of glucose into isolated rat epididymal adipose cells, also had antilipolytic effects against epinephrine and theophylline similar to those obtained with insulin.
Secure graphical password system for high traffic public areas

Graphical passwords are expected to be easier to recall, less likely to be written down and have the potential to provide a richer symbol space than text based passwords. For example, a user might authenticate by clicking a series of points on an image, selecting a series of tiles, or by drawing a series of lines on the screen [Davis et al. 2004]. An example of the tiled approach is the Real User Corporation's PassFaces™ system [Real User, 2005] illustrated in Figure 1. For both text and graphical password entry systems the user needs to carefully enter the password in case a malicious user is observing the session via "shoulder surfing." Although some authors assume that graphical passwords will be entered on a small screen with a reduced observation angle [Jansen 2004], and thus dismiss the likelihood of shoulder surfing, this assumption is not always true.
On computational algorithm for inners

A modification is suggested to the computational algorithm for inners in [1], [2] in order to lessen the roundoff errors arising in computer calculations taking into consideration fixed structure of sparseness of left triangle of zeros without destroying the inners of original matrix.
Characterization of water in proton-conducting membranes by deuterium NMR T1 relaxation.

2H T1 NMR relaxation was used to characterize the molecular motion of deuterated water (2H2O) in Aquivion E87-05, Nafion 117, and sulfonated-Radel proton-exchange membranes. The presence of bound water with solid character was confirmed by the dependence of the 2H T1 relaxation on the magnetic field of the spectrometer. By comparing the 2H T1 relaxation times of the different membranes that were equilibrated in varying humidities, the factors that influence the state of water in the membranes were identified. At low levels of hydration, the molecular motion of 2H2O is affected by the acidity and mobility of the sulfonic acid groups to which the water molecules are coordinated. At higher levels of hydration, the molecular motion of 2H2O is affected by the phase separation of the hydrophilic/hydrophobic domains and the size of the hydrophilic domains.
Technical Report: Absolute Radiometric Calibration at NSLS

For nearly 20 years the U3c and X8a beamlines at the National Synchrotron Light Source (NSLS) have been used for absolute calibration and X-ray characterization of detectors and optics. The motivation behind this capability has been the need of the U.S. Department of Energy's National Nuclear Security Agency (DOE-NNSA) programs at other U.S. national laboratories (Livermore, Sandia, and Los Alamos) to provide diagnostics capabilities for high-temperature plasma physics experiments. For example, specific applications of regularly NSLS-calibrated diagnostics are found at Livermore's National Ignition Facility (NIF) and Sandia's Z machine.
Tamper proofing mechanisms for motion capture data

Repositories of motion captured (Mocap) data can be reused for human motion analysis in physical medicine, biomechanics, and animation related entertainment industry. Mocap data expressed as a matrix can be subject to tampering from shuffling of its elements or change in element values due to motion editing operations. Tampering of the archival system intentionally or due to machine/human errors, may result in loss of research, money and effort. In order to detect and correct errors induced due to tampering; this paper proposes a tamper proofing methodology that combines hash function and watermarking based methods. These patterns (fingerprints) resulting from hash functions help in error detection by identifying the type of attack such as row shuffling, column shuffling, row element shuffling, column element shuffling and their combinations. Random attacks that change data element values are detected by change in watermarks embedded in data elements. Finger prints help in solving the attacks reversal such as column shuffling and element shuffling, whereas watermarking helps in reversing attacks such as column element or row element shuffling. As compared to other attacks, random attacks cannot be reversed, and can be improved using interpolation. Analysis shows that the proposed method uses O(n) space to detect and correct errors, and the time complexity for correction varying from o(n log n) to O(n!).
Tandemly repeated hexanucleotide at tetrahymena rDNA free end is generated from a single copy during development

Abstract The linear extrachromosomal ribosomal DNA of Tetrahymena is generated from a single integrated copy during macronuclear development. The free ends of this extrachromosomal gene contain 20–70 tandem repeats of the hexanucleotide CCCCAA. We have determined the nucleotide sequence at the same (3′) end of the single, integrated micronuclear gene. In contrast to the extrachromosomal gene, only a single CCCCAA sequence was found at this position. The same result was obtained from two independently isolated DNA clones, and was therefore not likely an artifact of cloning. Comparisons of the genomic DNA with the cloned fragment by Southern hybridization also supported this argument. Thus the tandemly repetitive hexanucleotide at the free ends of the extrachromosomal rDNA is not an inherited feature, and must be generated during the development of the macronucleus.
Barrier films made with various lamellar block copolymers

The permeabilities of helium, nitrogen, and oxygen across lamellar block copolymers can be accurately estimated from the properties of the glassy and rubbery blocks. The copolymers tested include poly(styrene-b-isoprene-b-styrene), poly(styrene-b-butadience-b-styrene), and poly(lactide-b-isoprene-b-lactide). The results show improvements in barrier properties that tend to be larger than those expected from the resistances of lamellae in series. These increases are not as large as those achieved with impermeable fillers like mica and clay. The changes in film elastic modulus caused by glassy lamellae are also discussed.
The effect of sonicating Pasteuria penetrans spores on their infection in root-knot nematode Meloidogyne spp. (Tylenchida: Meloidogynidae)

The effect of sonicating Pasteuria penetrans spores on their infection in the root-knot nematodes Meloidogyne spp. was investigated using P penetrans isolates MAP from M. arenaria and MHP from M. hapla. The spores of MAPand MHP taken from adult females were suspended in sterile water, and stored for two months at 5°C. Then, the spores were sonicated for 5, 15, and 30 min. The infection rates of sonicated MAP and MHP spores in females were 2.0-2.3 times and 1.5-3.0 times as high as the respective non-sonicated treatments. After sonication, the infectivity to Meloidogyne females for both MAP and MHP spores was remarkably enhanced.
Combining nanoscale optical phenomena with atomic force microscopy for cellular studies

Evanescent Waves (EWs) and Forster Resonance Energy Transfer (FRET) concepts combined with Atomic Force Microscopy (AFM) have been used for imaging and sensing. For the proposed EW microscopy system, Quantum Dot (QD) embedded Polystyrene microspheres are mounted on AFM cantilevers. When excited by laser, QDs luminescence couples to the Whispering Gallery Modes (WGMs) in the periphery of the microsphere. The resultant EWs extend on the order of 100 nm from the surface of the microsphere. These EWs decay exponentially and are explored as a tool to excite fluorescent labeled trans-membrane and near-membrane proteins. For the FRET system, QD coated silica microspheres are conjugated with fibronectin and mounted on AFM cantilevers. Moving the sphere down to the surface of the RFP-αv integrin tagged cells, fibronectins on the microsphere surface bind to integrins on the cell surface and FRET is observed between the QDs (donor) and RFP (acceptor). The detected fluorescence for the imaging system and the FRET efficiency for the sensing system are both functions of cell surface protein density. These innovative nanoscale imaging and sensing systems can be used to obtain unique dynamic data from living cells to improve understanding of cell adhesion and mechanobiology in cells.
Speaking “common sense”; about the Soviet threat: Reagan's rhetorical stance

This paper examines the symbolic resources employed by Ronald Reagan to characterize his anti‐Soviet policies and increased military expenditures as common‐sense adaptations to a real threat. The pattern of his rhetorical efforts is to establish a basic context of assumptions about Soviet conduct, using the metaphor of savagery and a set of decivilizing vehicles as primary resources. The resulting image is “literalized”; through an interplay of metaphor and evidence in which the trope calls attention to supportive information and discounts inconsistent data. A Presidential persona incarnates the people's voice to lend a further note of rationality to the heroic call for a strong America. Attempts by critics to combat Reagan's rhetoric are frustrated by the absence of a compelling substitute for his image of Soviet barbarism.
Influence of a model's verbal descriptions of toy interactions on kindergarten children's associative learning☆

Abstract Ninety-six kindergarten children observed an adult female model who either labeled pairs of toys, used peer descriptions of toy interactions, or used adult descriptions of the same interactions. Compared to a no verbalization control group, a model's use of labels failed to affect acquisition significantly; however, the model's use of verbal descriptions did facilitate paired associate learning significantly. Adult descriptions, which were more specific and unusual than children's, produced significantly more associative learning. The model's enactive manipulations of the toys improved learning compared to a static presentation, regardless of the model's type of description. The results are discussed in terms of a social learning, contextualist view of cognition.
The absence of confronting cisternae following thymidine-induced synchronization in HeLa cells

This is the first report of the elimination of confronting cisternae (CC), prominent organelles in dividing HeLa cells, upon experimental manipulation of the cells. CC are lost when a double thymidine block is employed to synchronize cell division. This observation is consistent with the hypothesis that the occurrence of CC in some fetal cells and in selected tumor cells depends on the speed at which the cells cycle through mitosis. If thymidine blocks DNA synthesis and arrests cells at the G1/S interface, then thymidine probably has an indirect effect on CC. This paper reports the effect of thymidine on the occurrence of CC and briefly discusses how inhibitors of membrane synthesis or microtubule polymerization may affect the occurrence of CC during mitosis.
What does “occupation” represent as an indicator of socioeconomic status?: Exploring occupational prestige and health

The association between socioeconomic status (SES) and health has been widely documented. However, the role of occupation in this association is not clear because occupation is less often used than income and education as an indicator of SES, especially in the United States. This may be caused by the ambiguity in what occupation represents: both health-enhancing resources (e.g., self-affirmation) and health-damaging hazards (e.g., job stress). SES has two aspects: resources and status. While income and education represent resources and imply status, occupational prestige is an explicit indicator of the social status afforded by one's occupation. Using data from the US General Social Survey in 2002 and 2006 (n = 3151), we examine whether occupational prestige has a significant association with self-rated health independent from other SES indicators (income, education), occupational categories (e.g., managerial, professional, technical, service), and previously established work-related health determinants (job strain, work place social support, job satisfaction). After all covariates were included in the multiple logistic regression model, higher occupational prestige was associated with lower odds of reporting poor/fair self-rated health. We discuss potential mechanisms through which occupational prestige may impact health. Our findings not only suggest multiple ways that occupation is associated with health, but also highlight the utility of occupational prestige as an SES indicator that explicitly represents social standing.
An experimental method for evaluating the H2 and D2 contamination levels in a HD bottle

Abstract Studies of one- and two-electron processes in collisions with hydrogen molecules using the time-of-flight technique are simplified by using the heteronuclear HD isotope because the H+ and D+ fragments can be easily distinguished from each other. The difference in the time-of-flight of H+ and D+ enable the fragments to be measured in coincidence with each other. However, it is hard to determine the purity of the HD target, in particular the H2 contamination, because the H2+ molecular ions coincide with the D+ fragments. A method is suggested to determine the purity of a HD target to a precision of a few percent. This method is based on measuring the yield of very slow ( 1 MeV). The H2 contamination is then determined by subtracting the theoretically evaluated contribution of the ground-state dissociation of the HD+ molecular ion from the measured sum of both H+ and D+ low-energy fragments.
A semi-empirical analysis of the melting curves of synthetic DNA molecules and the calculation of the stacking and pairing energies and entropies in DNA

Abstract A semi-empirical analysis of the available experimental data on the melting temperatures and widths of the melting curves of various synthetic DNA is made using a modified Ising model with the nearest neighbor interactions only. The values for the entropies of denaturation, A-T and G-C bonds energies, and the stacking energies for the various nearest neighbor base pairs are calculated. These values fall within a chemically reasonable range, which suggests that the modified Ising model with the nearest neighbor interactions only, is internally consistent, and satisfactorily describes the melting phenomenon.
The pharmacodynamics of thiopental, medetomidine, butorphanol and atropine in beagle dogs.

This study evaluated the quality of anaesthesia and some of the haemodynamic effects induced by a combination of thiopental, medetomidine, butorphanol and atropine in healthy beagle dogs (n = 12). Following premedication with atropine (ATR, 0.022 mg/kg intravenously (i.v.)) and butorphanol (BUT, 0.22 mg/kg i.v.), medetomidine (MED, 22 micrograms/kg intramuscularly (i.m.)) was administered followed in 5 min by thiopental (THIO, 2.2 mg/kg i.v.). Heart rate, systolic blood pressure (SBP), diastolic blood pressure (DBP) and mean arterial blood pressure (MBP) were monitored continuously with an ECG and direct arterial blood pressure monitor. Atipamezole (ATI, 110 micrograms/kg i.v.) was administered to half of the dogs (n = 6) following surgery to evaluate the speed and quality of arousal from anaesthesia. Anaesthesia was characterized by excellent muscle relaxation, analgesia and absence of purposeful movement in response to surgical castration. Arousal following antagonism of medetomidine was significantly faster (P < 0.05) than in unantagonized dogs. Recoveries were smooth but recovery times following atipamezole administration were highly variable among dogs (sternal time range 6-38 min, standing time range 9-56 min). Medetomidine caused a significant (P < 0.05) increase in SBP, DBP and MBP. Atropine prevented the medetomidine induced bradycardia. In conclusion, this combination provided adequate surgical anaesthesia in healthy beagle dogs. At the dosages used in this study, it seems prudent that this combination should be reserved for dogs free of myocardial disease.
Dioxin and furan formation on CuCl2 from chlorinated phenols with one Ortho chlorine

The formation of chlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (CDDs) and dibenzofurans (CDFs) on CuCl2 particlesfrom four phenols with one ortho chlorine was studied in a flow reactor over the temperature range 300 to 450°C and contrasted with gas-phase results between 500 and 700°C. Heated nitrogen gas streams containing 7/8% oxygen, 1.7% benzene vapor, and equal amounts of 2-chlorophenol 2,3-dichlorophenol, 2,3,5-trichlorophenol, and 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorophenol vapor (450 ppmv, each) were passed through a particle bed containing 0.5% (mass) CuCl2: the nominal gas particle contact time was 0.3 s. CDD/F product yields of greater than 1% phenol conversion were observed between 350 and 425°C. Unlike gas-phase CDD/F formation, formation on CuCl2 favored CDDs over CDFs, and CDDs were formed predominantly with loss of one chlorine atom. While total CDD/F yields varied significantly with temperature, CDD/F isomer distributions did not. Thus, isomer patterns may provide a fingerprint for CDD/F formation from phenol precursors. Based on results of experiments with single phenol precursors, phenol precursors were assigned to all CDD/F products 2,3,4-Trichlorophenol was found to have the greatest propensity to form CDDs, whereas 2,3-dichlorophenol and 2,3,4,5-tetrachlorophenol were found to have the greatest propensity to form CDFs. Similar to gas-phase CDD/F formation, these results on CuCl2 suggest that chlorine substitution at phenol meta sites favors CDF formation, whereas chlorine substitution at ortho and para sites favors CDD formation.
A prospective study of calf factors affecting first-lactation and lifetime milk production and age of cows when removed from the herd1

This prospective study was designed to investigate possible carryover effects of calf management practices and how events occurring during the first 16 wk of life affect first-lactation and lifetime milk production as well as age when animals are removed from production. This is the final of 3 stages in a longitudinal study that encompassed 10 yr of data collection. First, management and nutritional data were collected in the first 16 wk of life. The second part of this study evaluated conditions of animals at the time of first calving as affected by calf management, nutrition, and health. Both of these studies have been previously reported. This third portion covers the same calf effects on lactation performance and age at culling. Observations for the current study were collected from on-farm and Dairy Herd Improvement records. The multiple imputation technique was used in this analysis to avoid bias due to missing data. This study concluded that delivery score, weaning dry matter intake, days of illness before 4 mo, days treated before 4 mo, and body weight at first calving all had significant effects on first-lactation production of Holsteins. Delivery score and grain intake at a young age affected lifetime production. Age at culling was only affected by early grain intake in this study.
Renal hemangioma: Cause of massive hematuria

Renal hemangiomas are an unusual cause of renal hematuria. Although a preoperative diagnosis of renal hemangioma is not always possible, the diagnosis of this case of marked blood loss from a renal hemangioma was made angiographically. The clinical characteristics of hemangiomas, as well as the use of angiography in the investigation of hematuria, are discussed.