cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
NanoJapan--International research experience for undergraduates program: Fostering U.S.-Japan research collaborations in terahertz science and technology of nanostructures

The international nature of science and engineering research demands that students have the skillsets necessary to collaborate internationally. However, limited options exist for science and engineering undergraduates who want to pursue research abroad. The NanoJapan International Research Experience for Undergraduates Program is an innovative response to this need. Developed to foster research and international engagement among young undergraduate students, it is funded by a National Science Foundation Partnerships for International Research and Education (PIRE) grant. Each summer, NanoJapan sends 12 U.S. students to Japan to conduct research internships with world leaders in terahertz (THz) spectroscopy, nanophotonics, and ultrafast optics. The students participate in cutting-edge research projects managed within the framework of the U.S-Japan NSF-PIRE collaboration. One of our focus topics is THz science and technology of nanosystems (or ‘TeraNano’), which investigates the physics and applications of THz dynamics of carriers and phonons in nanostructures and nanomaterials. In this article, we will introduce the program model, with specific emphasis on designing high-quality international student research experiences. We will specifically address the program curriculum that introduces students to THz research, Japanese language, and intercultural communications, in preparation for work in their labs. Ultimately, the program aims to increase the number of U.S. students who choose to pursue graduate study in this field, while cultivating a generation of globally aware engineers and scientists who are prepared for international research collaboration.
Preparation of peroxisomes from mouse liver by rate-zonal centrifugation.

SummaryA procedure is described for the isolation of peroxisomes from mouse liver by two successive rate-zonal centrifugations through sucrose gradients. A feature of the technique is the pretreatment of the animals with Triton WR-1339 and prednisolone to decrease the sedimentability of the lysosomes and to increase that of the mitochondria. On the basis of enzyme activities, preparations can be obtained that contain 40–50% of the peroxisomes of the original liver homogenate, at a purity of over 90%.
Sleep Patterns in Older Bereaved Spouses

The study examined the prevalence and pattern of reports of sleep disturbance over two years in a group of 296 adults aged 50 years and over, and assessed the relationship between patterns of sleep disturbance and bereavement adjustment over time. A sample of 192 widows and widowers were compared to a matched sample of 104 non-bereaved persons. About half of the bereaved respondents experienced sleep disruption in the first month following their loss. Regardless of bereavement status, one-third of the sample experienced ongoing sleep disruption, and 10% consulted a physician for difficulty sleeping. Persons with a pattern of consistent sleep disturbance showed statistically significant differences in grief outcomes that persisted over time and tended to be female, older, with poor health, and taking more medications.
Ferroelectric Thin Films for Microactuator Applications

Ferroelectric thin films of PZT and PMN-PT were fabricated by the solgel spin-on technique. The films show high dielectric constants, polarization and breakdown strength values. Using a laser interferometer (ultradilatometer), the piezoelectric and electrostrictive coefficients of the films were measured. The results indicate that the sol-gel derived ferroelectric thin films have good electromechanical properties and can be used in rnicroactuator applications.
PREVAIL: IBM's e-beam technology for next generation lithography

PREVAIL - Projection Reduction Exposure with Variable Axis Immersion Lenses represents the high throughput e-beam projection approach to NGL which IBM is pursuing in cooperation with Nikon Corporation as alliance partner. This paper discusses the challenges and accomplishments of the PREVAIL project. The supreme challenge facing all e-beam lithography approaches has been and still is throughput. Since the throughput of e-beam projection systems is severely limited by the available optical field size, the key to success is the ability to overcome this limitation. The PREVAIL technique overcomes field-limiting off-axis aberrations through the use of variable axis lenses, which electronically shift the optical axis simultaneously with the deflected beam so that the beam effectively remains on axis. The resist images obtained with the Proof-of-Concept (POC) system demonstrate that PREVAIL effectively eliminates off- axis aberrations affecting both resolution and placement accuracy of pixels. As part of the POC system a high emittance gun has been developed to provide uniform illumination of the patterned subfield and to fill the large numerical aperture projection optics designed to significantly reduce beam blur caused by Coulomb interaction.
Seed-crop size and eruptions of North American boreal seed-eating birds

Summary 1. Eruptions occur when a species appears in unusually high densities within and often outside of its normal range. We used 30 years of Christmas Bird Counts combined with cone/seed-crop data on boreal coniferous trees, breeding bird surveys, and weather records to test correlates of winter eruptions by 11 species of primarily boreal North American seed-eating birds. 2. Eruptions of six species in eastern (red-breasted nuthatch Sitta canadensis L., blackcapped chickadee Parus atricapillus L., evening grosbeak Hesperiphona vespertina Cooper, pine grosbeak Pinicola enucleator L., red crossbill Loxia curvirostra L. and bohemian waxwing Bombycilla garrulus L.) and five species in western North America (pine grosbeak, pine siskin Carduelis pinus Wilson, evening grosbeak, bohemian waxwing and red-breasted nuthatch) correlated with a combination of large coniferous seed crops in the previous year followed by a poor crop. Breeding population size in the year of the eruption was also correlated positively with the event in two of the species. Eruptions in these species apparently occur when large boreal seed crops resulting in high population densities (via high overwinter survivorship and/or high reproductive success) are confronted with a relatively poor seed crop the next autumn. 3. Eruptions of common redpolls Carduelis flammea L. and black-capped chickadees in the west followed only large seed crops the previous year, suggesting that high density is a more important factor leading to eruptions than seed crop failure. The opposite was true for white-winged crossbills ( Loxia leucoptera Gmelin) in the east, where eruptions correlated only with poor current year seed crops. This was the only species supporting the ‘seed-crop failure’ hypothesis as the sole cause of eruptions. 4. Purple finches Carpodacus purpureus Gmelin erupted following years when breeding population densities were high for reasons apparently unrelated to the seed crop. Eruptions of three species in both regions were uncorrelated with any of the variables tested. 5. We conclude that seed crops of boreal trees play a pivotal role in causing eruptions for a majority of boreal species, usually through a combination of a large seed crop resulting in high population densities followed by a poor seed crop rather than seed-crop failure alone. Weather conditions were not a significant factor correlating with eruptions in any of the species.
Demonstrating the Value of Antimicrobial Stewardship Programs to Hospital Administrators

The movement away from fee-for-service models to those that emphasize quality of care and patient outcomes affords a unique opportunity for antimicrobial stewardship programs to expand their value for hospital administration. Antimicrobial stewardship participants must collaborate with administrators and key stakeholders to position themselves to improve economic, process, and outcomes measures. This will allow the establishment of antimicrobial stewardship programs as essential components of the present and future healthcare quality journey.
754: High-normal liver and renal function tests are associated with small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborns in preeclamptic patients

are associated with small-for-gestational age (SGA) newborns in preeclamptic patients Frances Hsieh, Adam C Urato Tufts Medical Center, Obstetrics and Gynecology, Boston, MA, Tufts Medical Center, Obstetrics & Gynecology, Division of Maternal-Fetal Medicine, Boston, MA OBJECTIVE: Preeclamptic patients with abnormal liver and renal function tests are considered to have a more severe form of the disease. This study investigates whether preeclamptic patients with high-normal laboratory values also have evidence of more severe disease. STUDY DESIGN: A retrospective cohort study was performed on consecutive patients delivered at a single tertiary care center in Boston with a diagnosis of preeclampsia from Dec 2006 to July 2010. Maternal / neonatal demographic data were abstracted from the medical records, including liver and renal function laboratory data (BUN, Creatinine, AST, ALT, LDH) and birth weight. Subjects were excluded if data were incomplete. SGA was defined as birth weight 13 mg/dl, Creatinine 1.0 mg/dl, AST 42 IU/L, ALT 40 IU/L, LDH 433 IU/L). RESULTS: 379 patients were included in the final analysis. 111 patients had an SGA newborn. Table 1 demonstrates that preeclamptic patients with both abnormal and high-normal liver and renal function tests were significantly more likely to have an SGA newborn compared with preeclamptic patients with low-normal lab values. CONCLUSION: Preeclamptic patients with high-normal laboratory values were significantly more likely to deliver an SGA newborn compared with preeclamptic patients with low-normal values. These findings suggest that preeclamptic patients with high-normal chemistry lab values may have a disease pathophysiology that more closely resembles that of patients with abnormal values than those with lownormal values.
Oxidation Increases the Proteolytic Susceptibility of a Localized Region in Rhodanese

For the first time, the enzyme rhodanese has been proteolytically cleaved to give species that most likely correspond to individual domains. This indicates cleavage can occur in the interdomain tether. Further, the conditions for cleavage show that availability of the susceptible bond(s) depends on conformational changes triggered by oxidative inactivation. Rhodanese, without persulfide sulfur (E), was oxidized consequent to incubation with phenylglyoxal, NADH, or hydrogen peroxide. The oxidized enzyme (Eox) was probed using the proteolytic enzymes endoproteinase glutamate C (V8), trypsin, chymotrypsin, or subtilisin. The proteolytic susceptibility of Eox, formed using hydrogen peroxide, was compared with that of E and the form of the enzyme containing transferred sulfur, ES. ES was totally refractory to proteolysis, while E was only clipped to a small extent by trypsin or V8 and not at all by chymotrypsin or subtilisin. Eox was susceptible to proteolysis by all the proteases used, and, although there were some differences among the proteolytic patterns, there was always a band on sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis corresponding to Mr = 16,500. This was the only band observed in addition to the parent species (Mr = 33,000) when Eox was digested with chymotrypsin, and conservation of total protein was observed after digestion up to 90 min. No additional species were observable on silver staining, although there was some indication that the band at 16,500 might be a doublet. The results are consistent with the occurrence of a conformational change after oxidation that results in increased exposure and/or flexibility of the interdomain tether which contains residues that meet the specificity requirements of the proteases used.
A pair of Sox: distinct and overlapping functions of zebrafish sox9 co-orthologs in craniofacial and pectoral fin development

Understanding how developmental systems evolve after genome amplification is important for discerning the origins of vertebrate novelties, including neural crest, placodes, cartilage and bone. Sox9 is important for the development of these features, and zebrafish has two co-orthologs of tetrapod SOX9 stemming from an ancient genome duplication event in the lineage of ray-fin fish. We have used a genotype-driven screen to isolate a mutation deleting sox9b function, and investigated its phenotype and genetic interactions with a sox9a null mutation. Analysis of mutant phenotypes strongly supports the interpretation that ancestral gene functions partitioned spatially and temporally between Sox9 co-orthologs. Distinct subsets of the craniofacial skeleton, otic placode and pectoral appendage express each gene, and are defective in each single mutant. The double mutant phenotype is additive or synergistic. Ears are somewhat reduced in each single mutant but are mostly absent in the double mutant. Loss-of-function animals from mutations and morpholino injections, and gain-of-function animals injected with sox9a and sox9b mRNAs showed that sox9 helps regulate other early crest genes, including foxd3, sox10, snai1b and crestin, as well as the cartilage gene col2a1 and the bone gene runx2a; however, tfap2a was nearly unchanged in mutants. Chondrocytes failed to stack in sox9a mutants, failed to attain proper numbers in sox9b mutants and failed in both morphogenetic processes in double mutants. Pleiotropy can cause mutations in single copy tetrapod genes, such as Sox9, to block development early and obscure later gene functions. By contrast, subfunction partitioning between zebrafish co-orthologs of tetrapod genes, such as sox9a and sox9b, can relax pleiotropy and reveal both early and late developmental gene functions.
Class I and III polyhydroxyalkanoate synthases from Ralstonia eutropha and Allochromatium vinosum: characterization and substrate specificity studies.

Class I and III polyhydroxyalkanoate (PHA) synthases catalyze the conversion of beta-hydroxybutyryl coenzyme A (HBCoA) to polyhydroxybutyrate. The Class I PHA synthase from Ralstonia eutropha has been purified by numerous labs with reported specific activities that vary between 1 and 160 U/mg. An N-terminal (His)6-PHA synthase was constructed and purified with specific activity of 40 U/mg. The variable activity is shown to be related to the protein's propensity to aggregate and not to incomplete post-translational modification by coenzyme A and a phosphopantetheinyl transferase. The substrate specificities of this enzyme and the Class III PHA synthase from Allochromatium vinosum have been determined with nine analogs of varied chain length and branching, OH group position within the chain, and thioesters. The results suggest that in vitro, both PHA synthases are very specific and provide further support for their active site structural similarities. In vitro results differ from studies in vivo.
Developing an acoustic survey of euphausiids to understand trophic interactions in the Bering Sea ecosystem

541N 641N 1551W 1851W abstract Euphausiids (principally Thysanoessa spp.) are a key group of organisms in the Bering Sea ecosystem, linking production at lower trophic levels to top predators and important commercial fish stocks such as walleye pollock (Theragra chalcogramma). Here, we combine multifrequency acoustic survey methods, physics-based models of euphausiid backscatter, and net sampling to provide a means of monitoring the status and trends of euphausiid standing stock biomass on the Bering Sea shelf. Observations made using this approach during six summers (2004 and 2006-2010) indicate that standing stocks of euphausiids and pollock were inversely correlated over time as well as in space across the continental shelf. First-order calculations show that when pollock abundance was at its peak during these years, the pollock stock could have consumed 10-87% of the euphausiid standing stock between May and September. We hypothesize that predation by pollock is a significant top-down control on euphausiid standing stock in this system. Published by Elsevier Ltd.
A study of student strategies for the corrective maintenance of concurrent software

Graduates of computer science degree programs are increasingly being asked to maintain large, multi-threaded software systems; however, the maintenance of such systems is typically not well-covered by software engineering texts or curricula. We conducted a think-aloud study with 15 students in a graduate-level computer science class to discover the strategies that students apply, and to what effect, in performing corrective maintenance on concurrent software. We collected think-aloud and action protocols, and annotated the protocols for a number of behavioral attributes and maintenance strategies. We divided the protocols into groups based on the success of the participant in both diagnosing and correcting the failure. We evaluated these groups for statistically significant differences in these attributes and strategies. In this paper, we report a number of interesting observations that came from this study. All participants performed diagnostic executions of the program to aid program comprehension; however, the participants that used this as their predominant strategy for diagnosing the fault were all unsuccessful. Among the participants that successfully diagnosed the fault and displayed high confidence in their diagnosis, we found two commonalities. They all recognized that the fault involved the violation of a concurrent-programming idiom. And, they all constructed detailed behavioral models (similar to UML sequence diagrams) of execution scenarios. We present detailed analyses to explain the attributes that correlated with success or lack of success. Based on these analyses, we make recommendations for improving software engineering curriculums by better training students how to apply these strategies effectively.
Chemical agents incineration exhaust fallout and effects

Incineration strengths of hazardous (2.8×108μg/s) and nonhazardous (6.31×108μg/s) materials were found from the quantities to be incinerated, chemical formulas, and the incineration time. The smoke stack geometry, exhaust dynamics, and different atmospheric stability conditions were used in the Gaussian model to predict the maximum concentration distances of 0.5 to about 6 km at the ground level in the downwind direction. However, trailing edges of some of exhaust distributions were found to extend beyond 120 km under some atmospheric stability conditions. The counties of Jefferson, Lonoke, Pulaski, Dallas, Cleveland, Calhoun, and Grant in the state of Arkansas are more likely to be affected than others. The possible major products in the hazardous incineration exhaust are chlorinated compounds. The results of this study are important to know the areas that fall under comparatively higher concentrations of incineration exhaust for further observations because of its inherent impact upon living beings, cro...
Gas-Phase Reaction in Nanoaluminum Combustion

The presence or absence of gas phase species during combustion of aluminum nanoparticles (n-Al) is a crucial observable in evaluating competing theories such as a diffusive oxidation mechanism and the melt dispersion mechanism. Absorption spectroscopy was used to probe the ground state of aluminum monoxide (AlO) and Al vapor in order to quantify the amount of Al and AlO present under conditions where these species were not observed in emission previously. Absorption measurements were made during combustion of nanoaluminum and micron-sized aluminum in a heterogeneous shock tube. AlO was detected in absorption at temperatures as low as 2000 K in n-Al combustion, slightly below the limit seen in micro-Al combustion. Al vapor was detected during n-Al combustion at temperatures as low as 1500 K, significantly lower than in micro-Al combustion, suggestive of a gas phase component. The detection limit for Al vapor was 1 × 1012 cm−3. The gas phase component was much weaker than that seen in 10 μm Al combustion. A...
Isolation and Identification of Rickettsia massiliae from Rhipicephalus sanguineus Ticks Collected in Arizona

Twenty Rhipicephalus sanguineus ticks collected in eastern Arizona were tested by PCR assay to establish their infection rate with spotted fever group rickettsiae. With a nested PCR assay which detects a fragment of the Rickettsia genus-specific 17-kDa antigen gene (htrA), five ticks (25%) were found to contain rickettsial DNA. One rickettsial isolate was obtained from these ticks by inoculating a suspension of a triturated tick into monolayers of Vero E6 monkey kidney cells and XTC-2 clawed toad cells, and its cell culture and genotypic characteristics were determined. Fragments of the 16S rRNA, GltA, rOmpA, rOmpB, and Sca4 genes had 100%, 100%, 99%, 99%, and 99%, respectively, nucleotide similarity to Rickettsia massiliae strain Bar29, previously isolated from R. sanguineus in Catalonia, Spain (L. Beati et al., J. Clin. Microbiol. 34:2688-2694, 1996). The new isolate, AZT80, does not elicit cytotoxic effects in Vero cells and causes a persistent infection in XTC-2 cells. The AZT80 strain is susceptible to doxycycline but resistant to rifampin and erythromycin. Whether R. massiliae AZT80 is pathogenic or infectious for dogs and humans or can cause seroconversion to spotted fever group antigens in the United States is unknown.
Effects of testosterone therapy on cardiovascular risk markers in androgen-deficient women with hypopituitarism.

Context: Low-dose testosterone replacement therapy in women with relative androgen deficiency has been shown to have beneficial effects on body composition, bone mass, and psychosexual function. However, the safety of chronic testosterone administration on cardiovascular risk and insulin resistance is unknown. Objective: The aim of the study was to determine the effects of physiological testosterone replacement on cardiovascular risk markers and insulin resistance in women. Design: A 12-month, randomized, placebo-controlled study was conducted. Setting: A General Clinical Research Center was the setting for the study. Study Participants: A total of 51 women of reproductive age with androgen deficiency due to hypopituitarism participated.
Dynamic Mechanical Analysis of Polymers and Rubbers

Dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) is the technique of applying a stress or strain to a sample and analyzing the response to obtain phase angle and deformation data. These data allow the calculation of the damping or tan δ, storage, loss, and complex modulus, complex viscosity and compliance. Two approaches are used: (a) forced frequency, where the signal is applied at a set frequency, and (b) free resonance, where the material is perturbed and allowed to exhibit free resonance decay. Most DMAs are the former type while the torsional braid analyzer (TBA) is of the latter. In both approaches, the technique is very sensitive to the motions of the polymer chains and it is a powerful tool for measuring transitions in polymers. It is estimated to be 100 times more sensitive to the glass transition than differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and it resolves other more localized transitions not detected in DSC. In addition, the technique allows the rapid scanning of a material's modulus and viscosity as a function of temperature or of frequency. DMA may also be referred to as dynamic mechanical thermal analysis (DMTA), dynamic mechanical spectroscopy (DMS), or dynamic thermomechanical analysis (DTMA).
Cracking Characteristics of Dual-Wall Structures Following Simulated Orbital Debris Particle Impact

Data from 103 high-velocity impact tests of dual-wall structures are presented. From the test results, empirical models are developed forholesize and various cracking phenomena that accompany theperforation of a dual-wall spacecraft hull by an orbital debris particle. The models show that increasing the pressure wall thickness not only increases the ballistic limit of the dual-wall system but also reduces the cracking damage sustained by the system. In addition, for dual-wall systems with relatively thin pressure walls, placing a thermal insulation blanket at a position away from the pressure wall decreases the extent of the cracking damage sustained by the system. However, for dual-wall systems with relatively thick pressure walls, the extent of cracking damage sustained by the pressure wall is fairly independent of the location of the thermal insulation blanket.
Oak loss increases foliar nitrogen, δ15N and growth rates of Betula lenta in a northern temperate deciduous forest

Oak forests dominate much of the eastern USA, but their future is uncertain due to a number of threats and widespread failure of oak regeneration. A sudden loss of oaks (Quercus spp.) could be accompanied by major changes in forest nitrogen (N) cycles with important implications for plant nutrient uptake and tree species composition. In this study, we measured the changes in N use and growth rates of black birch trees (Betula lenta L.) following oak girdling at the Black Rock Forest in southeastern New York, USA. Data were collected from nine experimental plots composed of three treatments: 100% oaks girdled (OG), 50% oaks girdled (O50) and control (C). Foliar N concentration and foliar 15 N abundance increased significantly in the oak-girdled plots relative to the control, indicating that the loss of oaks significantly altered N cycling dynamics. As mineralization and nitrification rates increase following oak loss, black birch trees increase N absorption as indicated by higher foliar N content and increased growth rates. Foliar N concentration increased by 15.5% in the O50 and 30.6% in the OG plots relative to the control, while O50 and OG plots were enriched in 15 N by 1.08‰ and 3.33‰, respectively (P < 0 .0001). A 641% increase in black birch growth rates in OG plots suggests that this species is able to respond to additional N availability and/or increased light availability. The loss of oaks and subsequent increase in black birch productivity may have a lasting impact on ecosystem form and function.
The physics and mathematics of Calogero particles

We give a review of the mathematical and physical properties of the celebrated family of Calogero-like models and related spin chains.
Isogeneic or allogeneic transplantation of duct-ligated pancreas in streptozotocin diabetic mice

Recovery from hyperglycaemia was observed in three different mouse hybrids that were made diabetic with streptozotocin, and then transplanted with pancreas from isogeneic donors whose pancreatic ducts were ligated over 8 weeks earlier. Recovery did not occur in recipients of allografts indicating that islets in ligated pancreas cannot be successfully transplanted across a major histocompatibility barrier. However, in lethally irradiated mice injected with allogeneic bone marrow (allogeneic radiation chimeras), subsequent transplantation of ligated pancreas from either isogeneic donors or allogeneic donors of the same strain as the bone marrow donor decreased blood glucose of diabetic recipients. Thus, irradiation and allogeneic bone marrow therapy allow subsequent allogeneic transplantation of functional islet tissue in diabetic mice. Observations on diabetic mice transplanted isogeneically with ligated pancreas suggest that recovery from hyperglycaemia was more consistent when grafts were placed subcutaneously rather than intraperitoneally and when hosts received ligated pancreas from three donors rather than one. Thus, the site and amount of tissue transplanted are important considerations in the transplantation of ligated pancreas. Persistence of endocrine beta-cells in ligated pancreas was required for recovery in grafted mice since diabetic hosts failed to recover when grafted with ligated pancreas obtained from alloxan or streptozotocin-treated, diabetic donors.
Negative mood regulation mediates the relationship between distraction and engagement in pleasurable activities among college smokers

Smoking for negative mood alleviation is a strong predictor of early smoking and early dependence among undergraduates. Little is known about whether adaptive cognitive coping processes (e.g., distraction) may help decrease the likelihood of student smoking for negative mood regulation. The present study tested the hypothesis that distraction would predict (a) greater engagement in adaptive pleasant pastimes and (b) lower rates of smoking behavior among undergraduates (n = 162, 41.9% female). We further assessed whether negative mood regulation expectations would explain both relationships. Results indicated that negative mood regulation fully mediated the relationship between distraction and engagement in pleasurable activities among college smokers. Although the relationships among distraction, negative mood regulation, and cigarette consumption were not significant, they were in the expected direction (negative). Results from the present study point to the importance of prevention efforts focused on enhancing cognitive coping skills in college smokers. Such a focus may lead to more frequent adaptive cognitive coping during negative mood states, presumably instead of smoking. � 2007 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.
PRIMARY TEACHERS' STATISTICAL REASONING ABOUT DATA

This study offers a descriptive qualitative analysis of one third-grade teacher’s statistical reasoning about data and distribution in the applied context of classroombased statistical investigation. During this study, the teacher used the process of statistical investigation as a means for teaching about topics across the elementary curriculum, including dinosaurs, animal habitats, and an author study. In this context, the teacher’s statistical reasoning plays a central role in the planning and orchestration of the class investigation. The potential for surprise questions, unanticipated responses, and unintended outcomes is high, requiring the teacher to “think on her feet” statistically and react immediately to accomplish content objectives as well as to convey correct statistical principles and reasoning. This study explores the complexity of teaching and learning statistics, and offers insight into the role and interplay of statistical knowledge and context.
Towards the Enantiomorph Specific Probabilistic Theory of the Structure Invariants

It is now generally recognized that the availability of single wavelength anomalous scattering (SAS) diffraction data greatly increases the power of the direct method. This enhancement of the direct method is undoubtedly due to the fact that, in contrast to the usual case, the observed data in the SAS case serve to fix the enantiomorph. It is now proposed to reach the same goal, even when SAS data are not available, by a suitable probabilistic approach which yields relationships among the structure invariants which respect the enantiomorph, that is to say, which are valid for fixed choice of enantiomorph. Specifically, this approach will derive relationships among the sines of the triplets, the value of any one of which is not uniquely determined by the diffraction intensities (in sharp contrast to the cosines) but is determined by the crystal structure, i.e. by either one of the two enantiomorphs permitted by the measured intensities. Only a brief summary of the final results is given here.
Novel habitat use supports population maintenance in a reconfigured landscape

Given the limited scope of unaltered, protected areas in most regions, understanding the contributions to imperiled species conservation by landscapes in which habitat elements have been reconfigured is critical. Commercial forestry has been a driver of altered structure and composition of forests and of distribution and character of aquatic systems. In eastern North America, extensive historical wetland drainage reconfigured hydrologic environments from low-gradient wet flats and isolated wetlands to connected networks of linear ditches. Landscapes where both uplands and aquatic environments differ from historic conditions may affect most ecological aspects of semi-aquatic species, including reptiles. Our objective was to determine if habitat selection and use decisions by spotted turtles (Clemmys guttata), a rare semi-aquatic species, supported population maintenance in a reconfigured forest landscape in eastern North Carolina, USA. We captured 280 individuals and radiomarked 31 adults to examine habitat selection at multiple spatial scales with paired logistic regression, movements and home ranges with location data and utilization distributions (UDs), survival with a known-fate model, and abundance with N-mixture modeling. Across local and landscape scales, turtles selected features associated with ditches despite abundant, more natural aquatic depressions across the study area. Habitat metrics describing understory closure and substrate characteristics were important at local scales, and closed canopy forest and habitat heterogeneity was positively associated with activity areas at landscape-scale spatial grains. Both movements and home ranges were centered on ditches, and turtles exploited ditches to access mates, nest sites, or uplands for estivation. In this highly reconfigured landscape, this species appeared to have sufficient behavioral plasticity to acquire key resources contributing to high survival and an abundant population. Isolation from road traffic and collection, both which negatively affect turtles elsewhere, was facilitated by limited public access. Our results suggest that conservation and management of rare species should not rely solely on habitat information gained from studies in more pristine areas because such results may not demonstrate the range in variation in behavior that might allow persistence in novel environments, absent key threats.
Photoisomerization of cis-1-(3-methyl-2-naphthyl)-2-phenylethene in glassy methylcyclohexane at 77 K.

The cis–trans photoisomerizations of cis-1-(3-methyl-2-naphthyl)-2-phenylethene (c-3-MPE) was studied in methylcyclohexane (MCH) glass at 77 K. The fluorescence spectra of c- and t-3-MPE are excitation wavelength (λexc) independent because the steric requirement of the methyl group restricts the conformational space of each isomer to a single conformer. Photocyclization, the dominant reaction pathway of c-3-MPE in solution, is entirely suppressed in MCH glass at 77 K. The only reaction on 313 nm irradiation of c-3-MPE in MCH glass is cis–trans isomerization. As the reaction progresses, the structureless fluorescence of c-3-MPE is replaced by the vibronically resolved fluorescence of the stable conformer of the trans isomer. The results are consistent with photoisomerization by the conventional one bond twist (OBT) pathway. Previously reported results on the photoisomerization of cis-1-(2-naphthyl)-2-(o-tolyl)ethene (c-NTE) are reinterpreted. Calculated geometries and energy differences for c- and t-3-MPE ...
A statistical analysis of methods using truncated data to shorten thermal evaluation time

As a customer of insulation products, the Navy has had and continues to have a serious interest in the thermal stability of insulation materials and systems. This interest, of course, is dedicated to improving the reliability of its vessels. To achieve this, in the area of electrical equipment, the Navy found it necessary to develop functional methods capable of measuring the thermal stability of materials and insulation systems. These methods have allowed the Navy to select the best materials and insulation systems, as well as design new systems.
Coagulation for blood bankers.

This article reviews the current understanding of coagulation and its role in overall hemostasis. Also provided is an overview of current screening and specialized tests of coagulation.
Abstract 2614: Surgical weight loss via sleeve gastrectomy, but not a low-fat diet, reverses the pro-tumorigenic effects of obesity

Background: Obesity is associated with increased incidence of basal-like breast cancer (BLBC), the most aggressive and lethal breast cancer subtype. Epidemiological data is conflicting regarding whether weight loss offers protection against BLBC in obese women; only interventions that typically result in significant sustained weight loss, such as bariatric surgery, produce a consistent anti-cancer benefit. Purpose: We sought to determine the differential effects of surgical and non-surgical weight loss interventions on inflammation, metabolic hormones and tumor burden in a mouse model of pre-menopausal breast cancer. Methods: Mice were fed a low fat control or high fat diet-induced obesity (DIO) regimen for 15 weeks to model chronic obesity. Diet-induced obese mice (n = 75) were randomized to receive either a surgical weight loss intervention (sleeve gastrectomy) or dietary weight loss intervention (switch to low fat control diet), resulting in formerly obese (FOb)-Surg or FOb-Diet mice, respectively. Additionally, a subset of mice remained on the DIO diet (Obese, n = 25), with another subset of normoweight control mice (Con, n = 25) maintained on a low fat diet throughout the study. FOb-Surg and FOb-Diet mice lost a nearly identical amount of weight and body fat; both groups had significantly lower weight and percent body fat than Con. Four weeks after weight stabilized, all mice on study were orthotopically injected with E0771 mammary tumor cells, which model BLBC. Results: At study endpoint, the average tumor weight in FOb-Surg mice was statistically equivalent to normoweight control mice. However, the average tumor weight in FOb-Diet mice was significantly greater than controls and statistically equivalent to the Obese mice. Furthermore, FOb-Surg mice had statistically lower levels of serum interleukin-6 and insulin compared to FOb-Diet, suggesting that in obese mice sleeve gastrectomy, relative to diet-induced weight loss, more effectively reduced obesity-associated inflammation, hyperinsulinemia and mammary tumor growth. Conclusion: Our results suggest that the strong anti-cancer benefits seen with bariatric surgery may be related to a significant reduction in systemic inflammation and growth factor signaling, which did not occur with non-surgical weight loss despite an equivalent amount of weight and body fat loss in FOb-Diet mice. Identifying the mechanisms underlying the protective effects of bariatric surgery against breast cancer could help identify new targets and strategies for breaking the obesity-cancer link. Citation Format: Emily L. Rossi, Laura W. Bowers, Subreen A. Khatib, Laura A. Smith, Steven S. Doerstling, Alfor Lewis, Randy J. Seeley, Stephen D. Hursting. Surgical weight loss via sleeve gastrectomy, but not a low-fat diet, reverses the pro-tumorigenic effects of obesity. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr 2614.
Review of optical phase conjugation

Concise review of optical phase conjugation will be presented, including popular optical schemes, nonlinear media, applications, and beam combining in master oscillator-power amplifiers scheme. Microsoft access database of published PC works will be described.
Using Search Engines to Investigate Shared Migraine Experiences.

Objectives To investigate migraine patterns in the United States using Google search data and utilize this information to better understand societal-level trends. Additionally, we aimed to evaluate time-series relationships between migraines and social factors. Background Extensive research has been done on clinical factors associated with migraines, yet population-level social factors have not been widely explored. Migraine internet search data may provide insight into migraine trends beyond information that can be gleaned from other sources. Methods In this longitudinal analysis of open access data, we performed a time-series analysis in which about 12 years of Google Trends data (January 1, 2004 to August 15, 2016) were assessed. Data points were captured at a daily level and Google's 0-100 adjusted scale was used as the primary outcome to enable the comparison of relative popularity in the migraine search term. We hypothesized that the volume of relative migraine Google searches would be affected by societal aspects such as day of the week, holidays, and novel social events. Results Several recurrent social factors that drive migraine searches were identified. Of these, day of the week had the most significant impact on the volume of Google migraine searches. On average, Mondays accumulated 13.31 higher relative search volume than Fridays (95% CI: 11.12-15.51, P ≤ .001). Surprisingly, holidays were associated with lower relative migraine search volumes. Christmas Day had 13.84 lower relative search volumes (95% CI: 6.26-21.43, P ≤ .001) and Thanks giving had 20.18 lower relative search volumes (95% CI: 12.55-27.82, P ≤ .001) than days that were not holidays. Certain novel social events and extreme weather also appear to be associated with relative migraine Google search volume. Conclusions Social factors play a crucial role in explaining population level migraine patterns, and thus, warrant further exploration.
Information Asymmetry and Voluntary SFAS 157 Fair Value Disclosures by Bank Holding Companies During the 2007 Financial Crisis

We hand-collect SFAS 157 voluntary fair value disclosures of 18 bank holding companies. The SEC's Division of Corporate Finance likely targeted these entities in 2008 through their “Dear CFO” letters in which they requested specific, additional disclosure items. We collect disclosures that match the SEC recommendations and create eight common factor disclosure variables to examine the effect of such disclosures on information asymmetry. We find that disclosure variables about the use of broker quotes or prices from pricing services and the use of market indices and illiquidity adjustments are related to lower information asymmetry. However, disclosure variables about valuation techniques and asset-backed securities are related to greater information asymmetry. We also document that disclosure complexity, and disclosure tone (uncertainty and litigious) is related to greater information asymmetry. These findings are consistent with criticism that corporate disclosures are voluminous; management may obfuscate unfavorable information which in turn increases market participants’ assessment of uncertainty associated with the fair value measures. We caveat that the setting of the financial crisis and a small sample size may limit the ability to generalize these inferences to other time periods or other financial firms.
Research Article: Social instability stimulates molting in Orconectes obscurus

Abstract Agonistic interactions in most animals reflect individual social experience and nutritional status. Crustaceans establish social hierarchies in which dominant individuals tend to be largest, most aggressive, and have the greatest access to resources such as mates, shelter, and food. Subordinates, on the other hand, are smaller and lack access to resources. However, to become dominant, individuals must grow, a process that requires nutrients. Crustacean grow through a process known as molting, where animals shed their external skeleton and rebuild a larger carapace. During molt, animals are very vulnerable to predators and potential competitors. Thus, an animal must balance the potential benefit of growth with the risk of injury resulting from agonistic interactions during molting. In this study we asked how being in a social group influences molting behavior. The crayfish Orconectes obscurus were isolated for 7 days and then placed into either an individual tank or into a tank with 2 same-sex cra...
Rethinking the role of postoperative critical care in an inequitable world.

Inpatient care is a concept that is likely to be as old as medicine itself. Infirmaries and hospitals were established as places for providing better care for the sick, and often to isolate and keep them away in order to protect the community. In such establishments, it would have been logical to arrange patients in a way that those who were sicker would be more at sight to receive better care from the staff.
Propagating actomyosin-generated force to intercellular junction

Actomyosin II contractility in epithelial cells plays an essential role in tension-dependent adhesion strengthening. One key unsettling question is how cellular contraction transmits force to nascent cell-cell adhesion when there is no stable attachment between the nascent adhesion complex and actin filament. Here, we showed that application of intercellular tension induces myosin 1c accumulation at the lateral membrane between epithelial cells. We hypothesized that the accumulation of myosin 1c at the cell-cell interface allows coupling of actomyosin contractility to the generation of intercellular tension, thus is essential for tension-induced junction maturation. We showed that myosin 1c KD compromises a-actinin-4 recruitment to cell-cell adhesion during normal junction maturation driven by endogenous actomyosin contractility. However, application of cyclic tension to intercellular junction from outside of the cells rescued tension-dependent a-actinin-4 accumulation, suggesting that myosin-1c KD did not compromise the tension response or disrupt the overall integrity of the junctional complex. Our study identifies myosin-1c as a novel tension-sensitive protein on the lateral membrane and underscores a non-junctional contribution to adhesion strengthening at the epithelial cell-cell adhesion interface.
Adaptive sequential selection procedures with random subset sizes

ABSTRACTWe introduce a new family of sequential selection procedures wherein the subsets selected have random sizes. In comparison to subset selection procedures that select subsets of fixed size, the new procedures alleviate the need to specify the subset size prior to the experiment. We discuss the application of such procedures in the context of early phase clinical trials. The new procedures retain the adaptive features of the Levin-Robbins-Leu family of sequential subset selection procedures for selecting subsets of fixed size, namely, sequential elimination of inferior treatments and sequential recruitment of superior treatments. These two adaptive features respectively address ethical concerns that diminish interest in nonadaptive procedures and also allow promising treatments to be brought forward for further testing without having to wait until the end of the trial. The new procedures differ from the classical subset selection procedures of Shanti S. Gupta in terms of their respective goals and o...
Rice Phyllosphere Bacillus Species and Their Secreted Metabolites Suppress Aspergillus flavus Growth and Aflatoxin Production In Vitro and in Maize Seeds

The emergence of super-toxigenic strains by recombination is a risk from an intensive use of intraspecific aflatoxin (AF) biocontrol agents (BCAs). Periodical alternation with interspecific-BCAs will be safer since they preclude recombination. We are developing an AF-biocontrol system using rice-associated Bacilli reported previously (RABs). More than 50% of RABs inhibited the growth of multiple A. flavus strains, with RAB4R being the most inhibitory and RAB1 among the least. The fungistatic activity of RAB4R is associated with the lysis of A. flavus hyphal tips. In field trails with the top five fungistatic RABs, RAB4R consistently inhibited AF contamination of maize by Tox4, a highly toxigenic A. flavus strain from Louisiana corn fields. RAB1 did not suppress A. flavus growth, but strongly inhibited AF production. Total and HPLC-fractionated lipopeptides (LPs) isolated from culture filtrates of RAB1 and RAB4R also inhibited AF accumulation. LPs were stable in vitro with little loss of activity even after autoclaving, indicating their potential field efficacy as a tank-mix application. A. flavus colonization and AF were suppressed in RAB1- or RAB4R-coated maize seeds. Since RAB4R provided both fungistatic and strong anti-mycotoxigenic activities in the laboratory and field, it can be a potent alternative to atoxigenic A. flavus strains. On the other hand, RAB1 may serve as an environmentally safe helper BCA with atoxigenic A. flavus strains, due its lack of strong fungistatic and hemolytic activities.