cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medical and nonmedical use of prescription drugs among secondary school students.

Purpose The main objective of this study was to assess the prevalence of medical and nonmedical use of four categories of prescription drugs (opioid, stimulant, sleeping, and sedative/anxiety medication) in a racially diverse sample of secondary public school students in the Detroit metropolitan area. A secondary objective was to examine the association between the use of four categories of prescription medications and illicit drug use and probable drug abuse.
Emotional well-being: The role of social achievement goals and self-esteem

The current study examined how self-esteem and social achievement goals affect individuals’ emotions independently and jointly using the data collected from 367 college students. Social development goals were related to positive emotions (i.e., love and joy). Social demonstration-avoid goals were related to maladaptive patterns (low levels of joy but high levels of fear, shame and sadness). Social demonstration-approach goals were positively associated with joy but had null relations with all other emotions. The results indicated that social development goals buffered students with low self-esteem against negative emotions and amplified the positive emotional experiences. In contrast, social demonstration-avoid goals were especially harmful for students with low self-esteem.
Engaging With Criminal Prosecution: The Victim's Perspective

Despite more than a decade of policies that encourage prosecutors to proceed without the victim's input or actions in cases of intimate partner violence (IPV), prosecutors still often rely on the victim's participation to move a case forward. The purpose of this study was to identify the barriers and motivators influencing female IPV victims' engagement with the criminal justice system and their preferences regarding prosecution. Findings from focus groups with women who had experienced police response to IPV revealed that women wanted the violence to end but faced numerous barriers to engaging with the criminal prosecution process. The dominant voice favored police and prosecutors taking action toward prosecution without depending solely or heavily on the victim's active participation.
Surgical treatment of intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma in the USA

Cholangiocarcinoma (CC) is a malignancy that arises from the epithelial cells of the biliary system (ductules as well as large ducts, and likely from progenitor cells, as well). Intrahepatic CC (ICC) is the second most common primary hepatic malignancy after hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and accounts for 10–15% of primary liver cancers. ICC differs from both extrahepatic and CC and HCC and has unique risk factors, histological features, genetic alterations and clinical outcomes. The natural history and results of surgical intervention are not well described as ICC is a relatively uncommon tumor, especially in the USA. This article reviews the literature relevant to the surgical management and outcome of patients with ICC in the USA.
Finite difference model for vertical axis wind turbines

A numerical technique based on Patankar's "SIMPLER" algorithm is developed to determine the flow characteristics and performance of a two-dimensional vertical axis wind turbine. The conservation of mass and momentum equations are solved using a finite difference procedure without the necessity of introducing an irrotationality constraint. The computational domain is subdivided into control volumes in cylindrical coordinates and the turbine blades are modeled as a porous cylindrical shell of one control volume thickness. The characteristics of the turbine are computed and compared with previous investigations. The results show a very good agreement.
Detection by radioimmunoassay of nicotinamide nucleotide analogues in tissues of rabbits injected with nicotine and cotinine.

Abstract The formation of the NAD and NADP analogues of nicotine and cotinine in vitro by the NAD glycohydrolase-catalyzed exchange reaction suggested that such compounds (and the related mononucleotides) might also be produced in animals receiving the alkaloid or its metabolite. Since only sensitive and specific analytical methods could detect small amounts of the nicotine and eotinine analogues in the presence of the naturally occurring and abundant NMN, NAD and NADP compounds, radioimmunoassays were developed and used for this purpose. In rabbits injected with cotinine, cotinine nucleotide analogues were found at pmole levels/g of wet tissue in extracts from liver, kidney and lung. In both liver and lung extracts, cotinine mononucleotide was identified as the major product. Cotinine nucleotides were also found in the tissues of rabbits injected with nicotine. The rapid metabolism of nicotine to continue in vivo probably contributes to the sparsity of the nicotine analogues in tissue extracts from these animals.
High-Performance Liquid Chromatographic Determination of The Nitrate Esters Isosorbide Dinitrate, Pentaerythritol Tetranitrate, and Erythrityl Tetranitrate in Various Tablet Forms

A reliable, sensitive, and specific assay for isosorbide dinitrate, pentaerythritol tetranitrate, and erythrityl tetranitrate in sublingual, uncoated, sustained-release, and chewable dosage forms, using high-performance liquid chromatography, is described. The nitrate ester dosage forms were dissolved in methanol, filtered, and injected directly into the liquid chromatograph. A variable-wavelength UV detector, operated at 220 nm, and a reverse-phase C18 microporous silica column were employed. The mobile phase was methanol-water (40:60). The proposed method is quantitative and reproducible.
Oxidative Stress, Mitochondrial Dysfunction, and Aging

Aging is an intricate phenomenon characterized by progressive decline in physiological functions and increase in mortality that is often accompanied by many pathological diseases. Although aging is almost universally conserved among all organisms, the underlying molecular mechanisms of aging remain largely elusive. Many theories of aging have been proposed, including the free-radical and mitochondrial theories of aging. Both theories speculate that cumulative damage to mitochondria and mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) caused by reactive oxygen species (ROS) is one of the causes of aging. Oxidative damage affects replication and transcription of mtDNA and results in a decline in mitochondrial function which in turn leads to enhanced ROS production and further damage to mtDNA. In this paper, we will present the current understanding of the interplay between ROS and mitochondria and will discuss their potential impact on aging and age-related diseases.
Dependence of coal liquefaction behaviour on coal characteristics. 3. Statistical correlations of conversion in coal-tetralin interactions

Abstract The liquefaction behaviour of coals can vary over a wide range depending on both their chemical and petrographic characteristics. Sixty-eight coals have been studied under standard liquefaction conditions, in the presence of tetralin but with no added catalyst or molecular hydrogen. Simple correlations between conversion and individual coal parameters proved unsatisfactory. A novel approach utilizing a stepwise multiple regression analysis led to a number of linear equations relating conversion simultaneously to several coal characteristics. Such linear equations provide a basis for accurately predicting liquefaction behaviour and confirm that wise selection of appropriate feedstocks will have an important economic value. It seems permissible to infer that the behaviour of coals in any processing conditions can only be adequately accounted for by consideration of at least three coal properties; attempts to correlate coal properties solely with a rank parameter, such as carbon content, can no longer be considered adequate.
Modeling Tire Performance During Antilock Braking

Abstract This paper develops an analytical‐numerical model of antilock braking system (ABS) cycles, vehicle slowdown dynamics and their concomitant influence on tire tread lug wear. Overall, the model handles the effects of tire slip‐friction behavior, brake‐slip behavior, vehicle slowdown dynamics including lift and drag, ABS cycling, tire wheel rotation and vibration dynamics, and local tread level thermomechanical‐chemical degradation “shear off” of the surface rubber. The results of several benchmark studies are also presented. These demonstrate potential tire wear characteristics under ABS.
Hierarchical resource allocation decisions

A model of resource allocations within a hierarchical bureaucracy is presented. Since at the departmental level programs of other departments overlap on certain objectives, allocations independently determined by departments are not optimal. It is well known that if only budgetary guidelines are transmitted by a central decision maker they are insufficient to assure desired allocations. A minimal set of guidelines exist which, when transmitted to departmental advisors, result in desired allocations.
Nearly 50 Years Post-Jim Crow Persisting and Expansive School Segregation for African American, Latina/o, and ELL Students in Texas

This study addresses the segregation of English language learner (ELL) students in schools across Texas. We descriptively analyze levels of racial, economic, and linguistic isolation experienced by ELL students across the state of Texas. We also examine the association between segregation by race/ethnicity, economic disadvantage, and language proficiency with high-stakes accountability ratings. Despite nearly two decades of accountability policies that have promised equality, our statistical analyses show that a majority of ELL students in Texas still attend high-poverty and high-minority schools, and we find that segregation by socioeconomic status (SES) and race and ethnicity is highly significant for predicting whether schools will be low performing relative to high performing.
Substantial contribution of the two imidazole rings of the His13-His14 dyad to Cu(II) binding in amyloid-β(1-16) at physiological pH and its significance.

The interaction of amyloid-β (Aβ) peptide with Cu(II) appears to play an important role in the etiology of Alzheimer’s disease. At physiological pH, the Cu(II) coordination in Aβ is heterogeneous, ...
Relaxation of muscle fibres by photolysis of caged ATP

A novel method has been developed for studying the reaction kinetics of the force-generating mechanism in muscle. Inert photolabile precursors of ATP or ADP are incorporated into muscle fibres having their surface membrane barrier removed. The nucleotide is then rapidly liberated by laser pulse photolysis. This circumvents the limitation in time resolution set by diffusion of nucleotide from the medium bathing the fibre. This laser photolysis method may be applicable to studies of the dynamic properties of many biological systems.
Binding of gefitinib, an inhibitor of epidermal growth factor receptor-tyrosine kinase, to plasma proteins and blood cells: in vitro and in cancer patients.

Gefitinib exhibits wide inter-subject pharmacokinetic variability which may contribute to differences in treatment outcome. Unbound drug concentrations are believed to be more relevant to pharmacological and toxicological responses than total drug. Thus it is desirable to determine gefitinib binding in plasma and factors affecting this process. An equilibrium dialysis method using 96-well microdialysis plates was optimized and validated for determining the fraction unbound (fu) gefitinib in human plasma. Gefitinib binding in plasma from four different species and isolated protein solutions as well as drug partitioning in human blood cells were investigated. Unbound gefitinib plasma concentrations were measured in 21 cancer patients receiving daily oral gefitinib 250 mg or 500 mg. It was found that gefitinib was extensively bound in human rat mouse and dog plasma with mean fu values of 3.4%, 3.8%, 5.1% and 6.0% respectively. In isolated protein solutions approximately 90% and 78% of gefitinib was bound to human serum albumin (HSA) (40 mg/dL) and alpha1-acid glycoprotein (AAG) (1.4 mg/dL) with binding constants of 1.85 × 104 M−1 and 1.13 × 105 M−1 respectively. In whole blood 2.8% of gefitinib existed as the free drug while 79.4% and 17.8% was bound to plasma proteins and blood cells respectively. In plasma from cancer patients fu at pre-treatment varied 2.4-fold (mean 3.4 ± 0.6%; range 2.2–5.4%) and fu was constant over the 28-days of treatment (P > 0.05). Pre-treatment AAG concentration was negatively correlated with pre-treatment fu (R2 = 0.28, P = 0.01). In conclusion gefitinib is highly protein bound (∼97%) in human plasma. Variable AAG concentrations observed in cancer patients may affect gefitinib fu with implications for inter-subject variation in drug toxicity and response.
Water Solution in High-Voltage Dielectric Liquids

IT HAS long been recognized by the practical engineer responsible for the proper maintenance of high-voltage oilfilled electrical equipment that water constitutes one of the chief and in some instances the only serious threat to successful service. However, consideration of the dangers presented by water during the operation of high-voltage machines must not be limited to a study of the relation between the dielectric strength and the water content of the insulating liquid used. For successful operation, the cellulosic insulation must be maintained in a dry condition.
Beyond shareholders versus stakeholders: Towards a Rawlsian concept of the firm

Abstract This paper critiques the principle of shareholder value and offers an alternative paradigm. We consider different theories describing the corporation and its relationship with shareholders, concluding that much of the modern academic discourse on corporate governance centres around the notion of the firm as a contractual arrangement. We provide a full critique of shareholder primacy from an economic as well as a moral perspective, which includes a focus on Rawls. An alternative contractarian paradigm is offered, one that is based on the concept of the corporation as a ‘social union.’ This characterisation justifies participation of a wider group of stakeholders in the governance of a corporation, and we make a distinction between electoral and moral constituents. A role for the application of the principles of deliberative democracy is also discussed.
Improved Recognition of Sedimentary Fabrics using Fluorescence Microscopy--Implications for Interpreting Carbonate Facies and Diagenetic History: ABSTRACT

Blue-light fluorescence microscopy applied to carbonate petrography can result in more accurate recognition of depositional facies, diagenetic history, and porosity evolution in some pervasively dolomitized or recrystallized limestones previously uninterpretable using existing petrographic techniques. Fluorescence microscopy also has other useful applications for the study of less diagenetically altered carbonates. Preliminary observations establish that fluorescence microscopy potentially can: (1) make depositional grain types and textures visible in thin sections of massively dolomitized or recrystallized limestones; (2) identify or clarify diagenetic fabrics; (3) more precisely relate porosity evolution to depositional fabric and diagenesis; (4) provide a clearer understanding of the relative timing of diagenetic events (dolomitization, pressure solution, cementation, neomorphism) and their relationship to porosity evolution; (5) aid in the differentiation of carbonate cement from neomorphic spar, both for calcite and dolomite; (6) permit more rapid evaluation of mineralogical stabilization and neomorphism in Holocene and Pleistocene carbonates; and (7) improve delineation of porosity and por geometries. Fluorescence microscopy is a rapid, easily-used and nondestructive technique that requires no special sample preparation. As with standard staining techniques or cathodoluminescence, this tool does not work for all samples. However, when fluorescence microscopy is successfully applied to the study of carbonates, it elicits important information from a thin section that, in many cases, other standard petrographic techniques fail to detect. Based on its potential usefulness, fluorescence microscopy should become a routine tool for the petrographic evaluation of carbonates. End_of_Article - Last_Page 542------------
In vivo Cortisol Action on RNA Synthesis in Rat Liver Nuclei and Mitochondria

VARIOUS mechanisms have been proposed for the action of hormones in cells. One is a cytoplasmic mechanism involving mitochondria1,2; a second implies that cytoplasmic protein receptors act as sites3 for the hormone action; a third proposes that the nuclei act as a primary site for hormone action4,5. We now demonstrate that cortisol, when used for brief periods and in physiological doses, increased the RNA polymerase activity of rat liver mitochondria. In these conditions nuclear RNA synthesis was not affected. Hormone treatment for longer periods or treatment with large doses for short time periods increased the nuclear RNA polymerase activity and suppressed the mitochondrial enzyme.
Direct mechanical torque sensor for model wind turbines

A torque sensor is developed to measure the mechanical power extracted by model wind turbines. The torque is measured by mounting the model generator (a small dc motor) through ball bearings to the hub and by preventing its rotation by the deflection of a strain-gauge-instrumented plate. By multiplying the measured torque and rotor angular velocity, a direct measurement of the fluid mechanical power extracted from the flow is obtained. Such a measurement is more advantageous compared to measuring the electrical power generated by the model generator (dc motor), since the electrical power is largely affected by internal frictional, electric and magnetic losses. Calibration experiments are performed, and during testing, the torque sensor is mounted on a model wind turbine in a 3 rows × 3 columns array of wind turbines in a wind tunnel experiment. The resulting electrical and mechanical powers are quantified and compared over a range of applied loads, for three different incoming wind velocities. Also, the power coefficients are obtained as a function of the tip speed ratio. Significant differences between the electrical and mechanical powers are observed, which highlights the importance of using the direct mechanical power measurement for fluid dynamically meaningful results. A direct calibration with the measured current is also explored. The new torque sensor is expected to contribute to more accurate model wind tunnel tests which should provide added flexibility in model studies of the power that can be harvested from wind turbines and wind-turbine farms.
The Use of Reference Reports in Personnel Selection: A Review and Evaluation

Of all the techniques used in personnel selection, reference reports are the most under-researched. This paper reviews the current research on reference reports from four perspectives: (1) their frequency of use in business and industry; (2) their desired and empirical content; (3) their evaluation as selection instruments via traditional psychometric criteria (i.e. reliability and validity); and (4) legal considerations and constraints associated with their use. While the existing literature on reference reports indicates that they are frequently used as a selection device, their psychometric properties do not warrant the extensive use they receive. Reference reports are characterized by low inter-rater reliability and low criterion-related validity. Problems of leniency and restriction in range in reference reports are discussed. The impact of recent legislation influencing the use of reference reports in personnel selection is reviewed. The paper concludes with an evaluation of the utility of reference reports as a selection device in personnel management.
Investigation of single-event upset (SEU) in an advanced bipolar process

An extensive analytical and experimental study of SEU in an advanced silicon bipolar process was made. The modeling used process and device parameters to model the SEU charge, collection, and circuit response derived from a special version of PISCES in cylindrical coordinates and SPICE, respectively. Data are reported for test cells of various sizes. >
Directional sensitivity of anterior, posterior, and horizontal canal vestibulo-ocular neurons in the cat

Neurons subserving the vestibulo-ocular reflex transform the directionality and timing of input from semicircular canals into commands that are appropriate to rotate the eyes in a compensatory fashion. In order to assess the degree to which this transformation is evident in vestibular nucleus neurons of alert cats, we recorded the extracellular discharge properties of 138 second-order vestibular neurons in the superior and medial vestibular nucleus, including 64 neurons identified as second-order vestibulo-ocular neurons by antidromic responses to oculomotor nucleus stimulation and short-latency orthodromic responses to labyrinth stimulation (1.3 ms or less). Neuronal response gains and phases were recorded during 0.5-Hz sinusoidal oscillations about many different horizontal axes and during vertical axis rotations to define neuronal response directionality more precisely than in past studies. Neurons with spatial responses similar to anterior semicircular canal afferents were found to have more diverse maximal activation direction vectors than neurons with responses resembling those of posterior or horizontal canal afferents. The mean angle from neuron response vector to the axis of the nearest canal or canal pair was 19° for anterior canal second-order neurons (n=28) and 20° for anterior canal second-order vestibulo-ocular neurons (n=18), compared with 11° for posterior canal second-order neurons (n=43) and 11° for posterior canal second-order vestibulo-ocular neurons (n=25). Only two second-order vestibulo-ocular neurons (3%) showed a marked dependence of response phase on rotation direction, which is indicative of convergent inputs that differ in both dynamics and directionality. This suggests that spatiotemporal convergence is uncommon in the three-neuron vestibulo-ocular reflex arc of the cat. Neuron vectors included many that were closely aligned with canal axes and several that were better aligned with oblique or superior rectus extraocular muscle excitation axis vectors. Only single examples of second-order vestibulo-ocular neuron vectors were approximately aligned with the pitch and roll coordinate axes. We conclude that second-order vestibulo-ocular neurons do not exclusively represent either the semicircular canal sensory coordinate frame or the extraocular muscle excitation motor coordinate frame, and instead are mostly distributed on a continuum between the input and output coordinate frames, with anterior canal neurons having the widest distribution of directionality.
THE REVOLUTION IN TRANSPORTATION ANALYSIS AND POLICY

This article, one from an issue devoted to "Economics: Progress and Prospects", describes the effects of transportation regulation on all segments of transport with special emphasis on railroads. It demonstrates the lagging interest in transportation economics into the 1950s and then portrays a revived attention to this subject as railroad fortunes declined in the face of competition from unregulated competitors and as a result of the absence of adequate return on investment. The topics include Penn Central collapse, the 3R and 4R Acts, subsidy action and state rail plans, rail cost behavior, the trucking industry, the air transport industry, shifting modal shares, Amtrak, urban transportation, the Canadian experience, and 1979 prospects.
Feedback switching and the evolution of U.S. coastal management

Abstract Feedbacks occur when advocates engage to clarify the implementation of a policy innovation such as the requirement that federal activities be consistent with objectives of state coastal management plans. Discrete policy feedbacks include advocacy, litigation, appeals of decisions as well as other activities inserted into policy implementation by interests or government agencies acting in their behalf. Feedback analysis is applied to the time after the passage of the 1972 U.S. Coastal Zone Management Act. Conflicts after passage of the law resulted in a negative feedback in the form of a Supreme Court decision in 1984 and a subsequent positive feedback through the 1990 revision of the law effectively reversing the Court decision. New insights documented here suggest that feedback switching, wherein old disputes are moved to new arenas, provides the greatest opportunity for overcoming negative feedbacks that could diminish or eliminate the policy innovation. Furthermore observing feedbacks through time and across multiple policy spaces as demonstrated here provides a robust interpretation of policy evolution from a new perspective. This analysis demonstrates how feedbacks convert a voluntary state program into one with authority over certain federal actions. These findings will be important for other areas of coastal policy and, more broadly, policy evolution in general.
Electronic transport properties of hafnium/zirconium multilayers

Abstract We have investigated the electrical resistivity, superconducting transition temperature, and upper critical field as a function of layer thickness in hafnium/zirconium ( Hf Zr ) metallic superlattices. These films have equal Hf and Zr layer thicknesses (dh and dz, respectively). We have studied a series of samples with modulation wavelength λ = dh + dz ranging from 20 to 250 A. All films show a metallic type of resistivity, with remarkably little difference in both room temperature and liquid helium resistivities. All structures undergo a transition to a superconducting state, with the transition temperature remaining nearly constant across the series. This indicates that the interface region of these structures is of rather high quality. Upper critical fields both parallel and perpendicular to the sample plane were determined. Because of the relatively large superconducting coherence length, these films behave essentially three-dimenstionally throughout the range of λ studied. However, we also observe a somewhat anomalous behavior in the ratio of the parallel to perpendicular critical fields near the transition temperature, the origin of which is not yet known.
Modeling influenza epidemics and pandemics: insights into the future of swine flu (H1N1)

Here we present a review of the literature of influenza modeling studies, and discuss how these models can provide insights into the future of the currently circulating novel strain of influenza A (H1N1), formerly known as swine flu. We discuss how the feasibility of controlling an epidemic critically depends on the value of the Basic Reproduction Number (R0). The R0 for novel influenza A (H1N1) has recently been estimated to be between 1.4 and 1.6. This value is below values of R0 estimated for the 1918–1919 pandemic strain (mean R0~2: range 1.4 to 2.8) and is comparable to R0 values estimated for seasonal strains of influenza (mean R0 1.3: range 0.9 to 2.1). By reviewing results from previous modeling studies we conclude it is theoretically possible that a pandemic of H1N1 could be contained. However it may not be feasible, even in resource-rich countries, to achieve the necessary levels of vaccination and treatment for control. As a recent modeling study has shown, a global cooperative strategy will be essential in order to control a pandemic. This strategy will require resource-rich countries to share their vaccines and antivirals with resource-constrained and resource-poor countries. We conclude our review by discussing the necessity of developing new biologically complex models. We suggest that these models should simultaneously track the transmission dynamics of multiple strains of influenza in bird, pig and human populations. Such models could be critical for identifying effective new interventions, and informing pandemic preparedness planning. Finally, we show that by modeling cross-species transmission it may be possible to predict the emergence of pandemic strains of influenza.
A High Order Numerical Investigation of Electromagnetic Scattering From a Torus and a Circular Loop

The normally integrated magnetic field integral equation (NIMFIE) formulation is used to generate accurate numerical results for toroidal scatterers. Numerical data for the surface currents and scattering cross section induced by a plane wave on a perfectly conducting torus are presented. The special case of a thin circular loop is also examined. These results are expected to find use in numerical validation.
Traction Forces of Neutrophils Migrating on Compliant Substrates

Proper functioning of the innate immune response depends on migration of circulating neutrophils into tissues at sites of infection and inflammation. Migration of highly motile, amoeboid cells such as neutrophils has significant physiological relevance, yet the traction forces that drive neutrophil motion in response to chemical cues are not well characterized. To better understand the relationship between chemotactic signals and the organization of forces in motile neutrophils, force measurements were made on hydrogel surfaces under well-defined chemotactic gradients created with a microfluidic device. Two parameters, the mean chemoattractant concentration (CM) and the gradient magnitude (Δc/Δx) were varied. Cells experiencing a large gradient with CM near the chemotactic receptor KD displayed strong punctate centers of uropodial contractile force and strong directional motion on stiff (12 kPa) surfaces. Under conditions of ideal chemotaxis—cells in strong gradients with mean chemoattractant near the receptor KD and on stiffer substrates—there is a correlation between the magnitude of force generation and directional motion as measured by the chemotactic index. However, on soft materials or under weaker chemotactic conditions, directional motion is uncorrelated with the magnitude of traction force. Inhibition of either β2 integrins or Rho-associated kinase, a kinase downstream from RhoA, greatly reduced rearward traction forces and directional motion, although some vestigial lamellipodium-driven motility remained. In summary, neutrophils display a diverse repertoire of methods for organizing their internal machinery to generate directional motion.
Effect of Sharp Jumps at the Edges of Phase Response Curves on Synchronization of Electrically Coupled Neuronal Oscillators

We study synchronization phenomenon of coupled neuronal oscillators using the theory of weakly coupled oscillators. The role of sudden jumps in the phase response curve profiles found in some experimental recordings and models on the ability of coupled neurons to exhibit synchronous and antisynchronous behavior is investigated, when the coupling between the neurons is electrical. The level of jumps in the phase response curve at either end, spike width and frequency of voltage time course of the coupled neurons are parameterized using piecewise linear functional forms, and the conditions for stable synchrony and stable antisynchrony in terms of those parameters are computed analytically. The role of the peak position of the phase response curve on phase-locking is also investigated.
Definition of the Molecular Basis for Estrogen Receptor-Related Receptor-α-Cofactor Interactions

Estrogen receptor-related receptor-α (ERRα) is an orphan nuclear receptor that does not appear to require a classical small molecule ligand to facilitate its interaction with coactivators and/or hormone response elements within target genes. Instead, the apo-receptor is capable of interacting in a constitutive manner with coactivators that stimulate transcription by acting as protein ligands. We have screened combinatorial phage libraries for peptides that selectively interact with ERRα to probe the architecture of the ERRα-coactivator pocket. In this manner, we have uncovered a fundamental difference in the mechanism by which this receptor interacts with peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ coactivator-1α, as compared with members of the steroid receptor coactivator subfamily of coactivators. Our findings suggest that it may be possible to develop ERRα ligands that exhibit different pharmacological activities as a consequence of their ability to differentially regulate coactivator recruitment. In...
Redshifts of the Gravitational Lenses B1422+231 and PG 1115+080

B1422+231 and PG 1115+080 are gravitational lens systems that produce quadruple QSO images. In each, there is real promise that time delays can constrain the Hubble constant, and both belong to systems that can play an important role in modeling the lens potential. This article reports redshifts for the lensing galaxies and three neighboring galaxies in each of the two systems. B1422+231 comprises a group at z = 0.339 with a dispersion of 733 km s-1, and PG 1115+080 comprises a group at z = 0.311 with a dispersion of 326 km s-1. One of the neighboring galaxies in the B1422+231 system turned out to be an emission-line galaxy at z = 0.536, suggesting that QSO light passing through B1422+231 may have been subjected to lensing by a cluster at this more distant redshift. The velocity dispersion of the lensing galaxy in PG 1115+080 is determined to be 281 ± 25 km s-1 (1'' square aperture), which is surprisingly large, given the image splittings of 12 in that system.
Electron-Rich CpIr(biphenyl-2,2′-diyl) Complexes with π–Accepting Carbon Donor Ligands

Cp*IrIII and CpIrIII complexes have attracted interest as catalysts for oxidative transformations, and highly oxidizing iridium species are postulated as key intermediates in both catalytic water and C–H bond oxidation. Strongly electron-donating ligand sets have been shown to stabilize IrIV complexes. We describe the synthesis and reactivity of complexes containing the CpIr(biphenyl-2,2′-diyl) moiety stabilized by a series of strong donor carbon-based ligands. The oxidation chemistry of these complexes has been characterized electrochemically, and a singly oxidized IrIV species has been observed by X-band EPR for the complex CpIr(biph)(p-CNCH2SO2C6H4CH3).
The effects of pantothenic acid, pantoyltaurine, salicylate and related compounds on the in vitro and in vivo growth of Trypanosoma lewisi.

Abstract 1. 1. Pantothenate and pantoate inhibit the growth of trypanosoma lewisi in vitro. Salicylate alleviates this inhibition. 2. 2. Pantothenate, injected into rat, stimulated growth of the trypanosomes early in the infection. There was no detectable effect on ablastin and the immune response. The inhibition of reproduction and the crisis occur at the same time as in infected control animals. 3. 3. Pantoyltaurine, taurine and para-aminobenzoate do not alter the growth of the trypasomes in vitro or vivo. 4. 4. the significance of these data is d iscussed with respect to the metabolism of T. lewisi.
Ethanol self-administration and motor deficits in adult C57BL/6J mice exposed prenatally to cocaine

Daily injections of 10 mg/kg cocaine on gestation days 12-18 did not alter maternal weight gain or offspring birth weight, viability, growth, or adult weight compared to saline controls. Adult male and female offspring were food deprived and trained to lever press for ethanol. Responding on an FR2 schedule and ethanol intake (g/kg) were recorded as measures of the reinforcing effects of ethanol. Lever press duration was used to assess motor performance. Results demonstrate that C57 mice will work for and consume large quantities of ethanol and that prenatal cocaine exposure increased the amounts ingested by both male and female mice. Prenatal-cocaine-exposed males also exhibited motor deficits as indicated by longer response duration times compared to controls. The consumption of large amounts of ethanol exacerbated the motor impairment in prenatal-cocaine males and revealed such deficits in cocaine females. The present results demonstrate that maternal cocaine exposure, at doses having no observable effect upon pregnancy, birth, or offspring growth, can increase the consumption of ethanol and enhance its motor impairing effects on fully mature offspring.
Sox17 and chordin are required for formation of Kupffer's vesicle and left-right asymmetry determination in zebrafish.

Kupffer's vesicle (KV), a ciliated fluid-filled sphere in the zebrafish embryo with a critical role in laterality determination, is derived from a group of superficial cells in the organizer region of the gastrula named the dorsal forerunner cells (DFC). We have examined the role of the expression of sox17 and chordin (chd) in the DFC in KV formation and laterality determination. Whereas sox17 was known to be expressed in DFC, its function in these cells was not studied before. Further, expression of chd in these cells has not been reported previously. Targeted knockdown of Sox17 and Chd in DFC led to aberrant Left-Right (L-R) asymmetry establishment, as visualized by the expression of southpaw and lefty, and heart and pancreas placement in the embryo. These defects correlated with the formation of small KVs with apparently diminished cilia, consistent with the known requirement for ciliary function in the laterality organ for the establishment of L-R asymmetry. Developmental Dynamics 239:2980–2988, 2010. Published 2010 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Phosphor‐d(+)‐weinsäure

Es werden Synthese und Eigenschaften der Phosphor-d(+)-weinsaure beschrieben und im Zusammenhang damit eine Hypothese zur Biogenese der Weinsaure in Vorschlag gebracht.
Stabilizing carrier-envelope phase by controlling grating separation of compressor

The carrier-envelope phase of amplified laser pulses was stabilized to 230 mrad by controlling compressor grating separation. This technique can be used to synthesize two amplified laser pulses.
Thyroid Crisis in the Maxillofacial Trauma Patient

Thyroid crisis, also known as thyroid storm, is a rare complication of thyrotoxicosis that results in a hypermetabolic and hyperadrenergic state. This condition requires prompt recognition and treatment because the mortality from thyroid crisis approaches 30%. Thyrotoxicosis alone will usually not progress to thyroid crisis. Thyroid crisis will typically be precipitated by some concomitant event such as infection, iodine-containing contrast agents, medications such as amiodarone, pregnancy, or surgery. Trauma is a rare precipitator of thyroid crisis. Several published studies have reported thyroid crisis resulting from blunt or penetrating neck trauma. Significant systemic trauma, such as motor vehicle accidents, has also been reported to precipitate thyroid crisis. It is very unusual for minor trauma to precipitate thyroid crisis. In the present study, we report the case of a patient who had incurred relatively minor maxillofacial trauma and developed thyroid crisis 2 weeks after the initial trauma.
The Faraday-type microwave Kerr effect in tellurium

Abstract The Faraday-type Kerr effect in single-crystal tellurium (a naturally anisotropic semiconductor) is analyzed in terms of R , the complex polarization factor of the reflected wave, for the special cases of propagation parallel and perpendicular to the crystal's c -axis. For the direction of propagation perpendicular to the c -axis, a magnetic-field-independent change in polarization upon reflection is also present, with reflected-wave polarization factor denoted here by R o . A plane wave analysis is given using the complex d.c. magneto-permittivity tensor for low magnetic fields. Expressions in terms of material parameters are obtained for R o and R B , the magneto-Kerr effect polarization factor, for the plane wave case. These expressions are modified for application to the TE 11 circular waveguide mode. Good agreement is found with experimental data obtained from intrinsic Te at 35 GHz and a temperature of 28°C. Measured values of the relative permittivities parallel and perpendicular to the c -axis were ϵ η = 60 and ϵ r ⊥ = 34 respectively, values which are consistent with previously published data at slightly lower temperatures. With Te, careful surface preparation was found to be very important, which was not the case with Ge, Si and InSb previously investigated.
Effect of Substrate Wettability on Frost Properties

Microscopic observations of frost deposition on clean glass (hydrophilic) and polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) (hydrophobic) substrates allow the quantification of frost growth and characterization of structure. In contrast to early growth behavior, the thickness of the frost layer during the mature growth increases faster on substrates that have lower contact angles, and the frost density is less than that measured for high-contact angle substrates. This behavior is explained in terms of the effects of substrate wettability and its impact on condensate distribution, the initial condition for frost growth. A higher conductivity layer is formed on the hydrophilic than on the hydrophobic substrate. Modeling that is based on a relation between thermal conductivity and frost structure is used to predict the growth rate and density on the two different substrates. These predictions agree with the experimental data and support the explanation that substrate wettability affects mature frost growth through its effect on condensate distribution at frosting incipience.
A study of the scalability of on-chip routing for just-in-time FPGA compilation

Just-in-time (JIT) compilation has been used in many applications to enable standard software binaries to execute on different underlying processor architectures. We previously introduced the concept of a standard hardware binary, using a just-in-time compiler to compile the hardware binary to a field-programmable gate array (FPGA). Our JIT compiler includes lean versions of technology mapping, placement, and routing algorithms, of which routing is the most computationally and memory expensive step. As FPGAs continue to increase in size, a JIT FPGA compiler must be capable of efficiently mapping increasingly larger hardware circuits. In this paper, we analyze the scalability of our lean on-chip router, the Riverside on-chip router (ROCR), for routing increasingly large hardware circuits. We demonstrate that ROCR scales well in terms of execution time, memory usage and circuit quality, and we compare the scalability of ROCR to the well known versatile place and route (VPR) timing-driven routing algorithm, comparing to both their standard routing algorithm and their fast routing algorithm. Our results show that on average ROCR executes 3 times faster using 18 times less memory than VPR. ROCR requires only 1% more routing resources, while creating a critical path 30% longer VPR's standard timing-driven router. Furthermore, for the largest hardware circuit, ROCR executes 3 times faster using 14 times less memory, and results in a critical path 2.6% shorter than VPR's fast timing-driven router.
Neural Evidence Linking Visual Object Enumeration and Attention

Visual object enumeration is rapid and accurate for four or fewer items but slow and error-prone for over four items. This dichotomy has recently been linked to visual attentional phenomena by findings suggesting that ''subitizing'' of small sets of objects is preattentive whereas ''counting'' of over four items demands spatial shifts of attention. We evaluated this link at a neural level, using H215O positron emission tomography to measure changes in regional cerebral blood flow while subjects enumerated the number of target vertical bars that ''popped out'' of a 16-bar visual display consisting of both horizontal and vertical bars. Relative to a condition with a single target, subi tizing (one to four targets) activated foci in the occipital extrastriate cortex, consistent with involvement of early,preattentive visual processes. Relative to subitizing, counting (five to eight targets) activated a widespread network of brain regions, including multiple foci implicated in shifting visual attention- large regions of the superior parietal cortex bilaterally and a focus in the right inferior frontal cortex.These results offer the first direct neural support for mapping the subitizing-counting dichotomy onto separable processes mediating preattentive vision and shifts of visual attention.
The yeast vacuolar ABC transporter Ybt1p regulates membrane fusion through Ca2+ transport modulation.

Ybt1p is a class C ABC transporter (ATP-binding cassette transporter) that is localized to the vacuole of Saccharomyces cerevisiae . Although Ybt1p was originally identified as a bile acid transporter, it has also been found to function in other capacities, including the translocation of phosphatidylcholine to the vacuole lumen, and the regulation of Ca 2+ homoeostasis. In the present study we found that deletion of YBT1 enhanced in vitro homotypic vacuole fusion by up to 50% relative to wild-type vacuoles. The increased vacuole fusion was not due to aberrant protein sorting of SNAREs (soluble N -ethylmaleimide-sensitive factor-attachment protein receptors) or recruitment of factors from the cytosol such as Ypt7p and the HOPS (homotypic fusion and vacuole protein sorting) tethering complex. In addition, ybt1 Δ vacuoles displayed no observable differences in the formation of SNARE complexes, interactions between SNAREs and HOPS, or formation of vertex microdomains. However, the absence of Ybt1p caused significant changes in Ca 2+ transport during fusion. One difference was the prolonged Ca 2+ influx exhibited by ybt1 Δ vacuoles at the start of the fusion reaction. We also observed a striking delay in SNARE-dependent Ca 2+ efflux. As vacuole fusion can be inhibited by high Ca 2+ concentrations, we suggest that the delayed efflux in ybt1 Δ vacuoles leads to the enhanced SNARE function.
Difficulty Voiding and Overactive Bladder Symptoms

A 23-yr-old woman presents with slow onset over the course of 2 yrs of worsening hesitancy and slowing of urinary stream and recent onset of urgency and frequency. Her physical exam is normal. Postvoid residual (PVR) is 100 cc. Urodynamics reveal a detrusor pressure at maximum flow of 28 cc H2O and a peak flow of 4 cc/s. Electromyography (EMG) of the external sphincter is normal (not shown on urodynamic studies tracing). Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the pelvis is normal.
The impact of democracy, government ideology, and globalization on social spending in less developed countries

This study examines how democracy, government ideology, and globalization have shaped social expenditures in 67 less developed countries from 1975 to 2005. The empirical results show that more democratic nations spend a greater amount on social security and welfare (SSW), while leftist governments spend more on education. This is because, in most less developed nations, SSW programs disproportionately benefit formal-sector workers, who tend to be the decisive voters in the countries, and education spending helps a broader spectrum of people. The article also examines factors related to globalization and finds that a higher level of external debt is strongly associated with reduced SSW spending, which imposes direct costs and burdens to business. The results in this article provide evidence that, even in less developed countries, political leaders’ commitment to social expenditures varies according to their electoral, ideological, and economic interests.
Departmental Dialogues: Facilitating Positive Academic Climates to Improve Equity in STEM Disciplines

This exploratory qualitative study examined faculty responses to a collegiality-building process called Dialogues. The process used a series of discussions and activities to guide faculty members toward a common, mutually beneficially goal, while changing patterns of interaction. The responses revealed how faculty members experienced collegiality-building practices, including individual reflection, small group discussions, idea generation and prioritization, and consensus-building. The study examined faculty responses within STEM departments. We conclude with recommendations for encouraging inclusive and participatory departmental norms and behaviors in order to promote a positive departmental climate, which is crucial to achieving equity in all disciplines of the academia.