cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Personalized Advantage Index: translating research on prediction into individualized treatment recommendations. A demonstration.

Background: Advances in personalized medicine require the identification of variables that predict differential response to treatments as well as the development and refinement of methods to transform predictive information into actionable recommendations. Objective: To illustrate and test a new method for integrating predictive information to aid in treatment selection, using data from a randomized treatment comparison. Method: Data from a trial of antidepressant medications (N = 104) versus cognitive behavioral therapy (N = 50) for Major Depressive Disorder were used to produce predictions of post-treatment scores on the Hamilton Rating Scale for Depression (HRSD) in each of the two treatments for each of the 154 patients. The patient's own data were not used in the models that yielded these predictions. Five pre-randomization variables that predicted differential response (marital status, employment status, life events, comorbid personality disorder, and prior medication trials) were included in regression models, permitting the calculation of each patient's Personalized Advantage Index (PAI), in HRSD units. Results: For 60% of the sample a clinically meaningful advantage (PAI≥3) was predicted for one of the treatments, relative to the other. When these patients were divided into those randomly assigned to their "Optimal" treatment versus those assigned to their "Non-optimal" treatment, outcomes in the former group were superior (d = 0.58, 95% CI .17-1.01). Conclusions: This approach to treatment selection, implemented in the context of two equally effective treatments, yielded effects that, if obtained prospectively, would rival those routinely observed in comparisons of active versus control treatments. © 2014 DeRubeis et al.
Three Mars years: Viking Lander 1 imaging observations

The Mutch Memorial Station (Viking Lander 1) on Mars acquired imaging and meteorological data over a period of 2245 martian days (3:3 martian years). This article discusses the deposition and erosion of thin deposits (ten to hundreds of micrometers) of bright red dust associated with global dust storms, and the removal of centimeter amounts of material in selected areas during a dust storm late in the third winter. Atmospheric pressure data acquired during the period of intense erosion imply that baroclinic disturbances and strong diurnal solar tidal heating combined to produce strong winds. Erosion occurred principally in areas where soil cohesion was reduced by earlier surface sampler activities. Except for redistribution of thin layers of materials, the surface appears to be remarkably stable, perhaps because of cohesion of the undisturbed surface material.
Separation of aniline, N-heterocyclic, and sulfonamide derivatives on paper impregnated with strong acid exchange resin

Abstract The retention of aniline derivatives, sulfonamides, and several N-heterocyclics on paper impregnated with a strong acidic H + -form resin was investigated. Solvent systems used were ethanol, acetonitrile, dimethylformamide, dimethylsulfoxide, pyridine, and butylamine mixed with water. Either aprotic, amphiprotic, basic, or acidic developing mixtures can be used for separations. The retention data can be correlated, in general, to the p K a values for the weak bases and to column and batch retention data obtained with strongly acidic cation resin.
Effect of reverse polarity on space charge evolution in polypropylene with different concentration of natural and synthetic nano clay

Space charge evolution in Polypropylene (PP) loaded with two types of nanoparticles, synthetic and natural clay were investigated using weekly reversing polarity. The space charges were measured with the PEA technique after certain periods of poling with both polarities. The charge distribution in the host materials was substantially smaller with reverse polarity compared to single negative polarity. This majority of charge injected with single polarity is likely due to compatibilizers, which are polar materials. The apparent charges due to dipoles are neutralized when the field is inversed and the remaining charges that fall in deep traps require more than ± 25 kV/mm to be released. To obtain and maintain space charge suppression for both polarities the nanoclay concentration in PP should be below the percolation threshold and ensure uniform distribution of nano-particles throughout polymer matrix. The PNC with 2-wt% of synthetic clay stores lots of charges with reverse polarity, especially after the end of the positive periods. So the synthetic PNC with 2-wt% will not be an optimal concentration. It is seen that 4-wt% (PP1-S4%) for the synthetic PNC and the 2-wt% (PP2-N2%) for the natural PNC are the optimal PNC concentrations. They store minimal charge, particularly in central zones. The absolute value of charge with reverse polarity of all the filled and unfilled materials could store charges relatively of same order. The quantity of charge in the unfilled material, PP1-0% shows continuous increase of charges and it becomes higher than the filled PNC, (except the PP1-S2%), after the 1st W of single polarity poling and the 12th W of reverse polarity poling. But the quantity of charge in the natural PNC was small and unaffected by the loading with nanoclay. Therefore, more poling time is necessary to examine the effect of long term poling on the charge evolution as we have reported earlier for single poling.
Student Motive for Communicating and Instructor Immediacy: A Matched-Race Institutional Comparison

Abstract This study explores the notion that mainstream and minority institutions of higher education set different expectations for successful communication in the classroom that are reflected in the cultural majority student population's communication preferences. In this study, African-American students (N = 136) perceived their instructors to be more nonverbally immediate than their Euro-American counterparts (N = 142), regardless of instructor ethnicity. Their motives to communicate with their instructors for functional, excuse-making, and sycophantic reasons were greater than those for Euro-American students. Further, instructor verbal immediacy has a significant impact on African-American students' motives to communicate with their instructors for relational and participation purposes whereas instructor verbal and nonverbal immediacy has a negative impact on Euro-American students' motives to communicate for functional purposes.
Identifying sampling locations for field‐scale soil moisture estimation using K‐means clustering

Identifying and understanding the impact of field-scale soil moisture patterns is currently limited by the time and resources required to do sufficient monitoring. This study uses K-means clustering to find critical sampling points to estimate field-scale near-surface soil moisture. Points within the field are clustered based upon topographic and soils data and the points representing the center of those clusters are identified as the critical sampling points. Soil moisture observations at 42 sites across the growing seasons of 4 years were collected several times per week. Using soil moisture observations at the critical sampling points and the number of points within each cluster, a weighted average is found and used as the estimated mean field-scale soil moisture. Field-scale soil moisture estimations from this method are compared to the rank stability approach (RSA) to find optimal sampling locations based upon temporal soil moisture data. The clustering approach on soil and topography data resulted in field-scale average moisture estimates that were as good or better than RSA, but without the need for exhaustive presampling of soil moisture. Using an electromagnetic inductance map as a proxy for soils data significantly improved the estimates over those obtained based on topography alone.
Inhibitory behavioral control: A stochastic dynamic causal modeling study comparing cocaine dependent subjects and controls.

Cocaine dependence is associated with increased impulsivity in humans. Both cocaine dependence and impulsive behavior are under the regulatory control of cortico-striatal networks. One behavioral laboratory measure of impulsivity is response inhibition (ability to withhold a prepotent response) in which altered patterns of regional brain activation during executive tasks in service of normal performance are frequently found in cocaine dependent (CD) subjects studied with functional magnetic resonance imaging (fMRI). However, little is known about aberrations in specific directional neuronal connectivity in CD subjects. The present study employed fMRI-based dynamic causal modeling (DCM) to study the effective (directional) neuronal connectivity associated with response inhibition in CD subjects, elicited under performance of a Go/NoGo task with two levels of NoGo difficulty (Easy and Hard). The performance on the Go/NoGo task was not significantly different between CD subjects and controls. The DCM analysis revealed that prefrontal–striatal connectivity was modulated (influenced) during the NoGo conditions for both groups. The effective connectivity from left (L) anterior cingulate cortex (ACC) to L caudate was similarly modulated during the Easy NoGo condition for both groups. During the Hard NoGo condition in controls, the effective connectivity from right (R) dorsolateral prefrontal cortex (DLPFC) to L caudate became more positive, and the effective connectivity from R ventrolateral prefrontal cortex (VLPFC) to L caudate became more negative. In CD subjects, the effective connectivity from L ACC to L caudate became more negative during the Hard NoGo conditions. These results indicate that during Hard NoGo trials in CD subjects, the ACC rather than DLPFC or VLPFC influenced caudate during response inhibition.
Noncontact measurement of cardiopulmonary movements: A review of system architectures and the path to micro-radars

This paper reviews the technology development history of noncontact measurement of respiration and heartbeat using microwave techniques, and shows how the technology evolved into small micro-radars. Through understandings of its detection mechanism and advances in hardware and software, the once bulky bench-top systems can be miniaturized while achieving better performance. The evolution of system architectures, detection methods, and choice of frequencies are reviewed. Vital-sign micro-radar sensors implemented in complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) and system-in-package technologies at the 5.8-GHz and 60-GHz industrial, scientific, and medical (ISM) bands are presented. The noncontact vital sign micro-radars can be used for various potential applications including healthcare, veterinary medicine, and biological research.
Genetics and phenotyping in chronic sinusitis

Chronic sinusitis with nasal polyposis historically has been treated as a single monolithic clinical disorder. Just as asthma is now accepted as numerous heterogeneous diseases, chronic sinusitis should also be viewed as comprising several diseases with varying causes, with each one characterized by distinct histologic and gene and protein expression patterns. This includes recognition of the need to define these diseases based on the presence or absence of an eosinophilic infiltrate but also on additional distinctions based on unique agents that drive their development and perpetuation. As a collection of heterogeneous diseases, proper differential diagnosis is required to delineate appropriate therapeutic intervention. This review will focus on recognized distinct presentations of chronic sinus disease, including distinguishing the clinical presentations, cellular and molecular characteristics, genetic differences, and current treatment options for each.
The status, distribution and ecology of wildlife on the U.S. Doe Hanford Site: A historical overview of research activities

Since the inception of the U.S. DOE Hanford Site in 1943, numerous studies have been conducted on terrestrial wildlife. Onsite contractors have focused their attention on the role of wildlife in the uptake and transport of radionuclides. Graduate students from across the nation have also completed more than 15 theses on wildlife. This paper discusses the past history of wildlife research at Hanford and the individual species of wildlife that have been observed at Hanford. Forty species of mammals, 187 species of birds, 3 species of amphibians and 9 species of reptiles have been documented on the Hanford Site to date.
A new method to measure 45calcium accumulation by matrix vesicles in slices of rachitic growth plate cartilage

Abstract Slices of rachitic growth plate cartilage have proven a difficult tissue in which to study 45Ca uptake because, even in rickets, there exists an area of preformed mineral at the base of the growth plate. This extraneous mineral accumulates 45Ca through exchange and apatite crystal proliferation when exposed to a calcifying solution, thus creating a background of radioactivity which obscures 45Ca uptake into vesicle-initiated mineral. We have succeeded in removing the preformed mineral, and hence much background radioactivity by exposing slices of rachitic rat epiphyseal plate to 30 mM EGTA for 30 minutes prior to incubation in a calcifying solution. After EGTA, an alizarin-red stainable extraneous mineral line is removed, and then following incubation all newly formed mineral is deposited primarily in vesicle-containing areas. Thus, it was possible to enhance significantly the 45Ca uptake into living versus heat inactivated growth plates. Preliminary studies with the EGTA-treated rachitic cartilage also indicate that supplying a matrix vesicle phosphatase substrate such as beta-glycerophosphate (BGP) rather than supplying orthophosphate (Pi) in the incubation mixture leads to more active 45 Ca deposition. We conclude that BGP can be hydrolyzed by vesicle phosphatases to supply Pi for nascent mineral formation, and that our new system promises to be useful in analyzing agents which may stimulate matrix vesicle calcification.
On using control signals for word-level identification in a gate-level netlist

This work tackles the problem of reverse engineering a gate-level netlist in order to identify groups of wires corresponding to words. It serves as the major step to find high-level modules and analyze their correct functionality in the presence of Hardware Trojans. Our core idea is to find and utilize control signals to more effectively identify words. Specifically, modern designs provide ample opportunities because they contain numerous control signals which are automatically inserted by the CAD tools. But finding control signals is itself an unresolved challenge. We propose a procedure to identify words which at its core finds and utilizes a small subset of relevant control signals by exploiting partial structural similarity. In our experiments, we show the effectiveness of our procedure by showing a high number of identified words with high accuracy using many benchmarks with already-identified words as the reference case.
Desmocollin 3 is required for pre-implantation development of the mouse embryo

Desmocollin 3 (Dsc3) is a transmembrane glycoprotein that belongs to the cadherin family of cell adhesion receptors. Together with desmoglein(s), it forms the transmembrane core of desmosomes, a multiprotein complex involved in cell adhesion, organization of the cytoskeleton, cell sorting and cell signaling. Previous reports have suggested that Dsc3 synthesis is largely restricted to stratified epithelia, and that it plays a role in the proper differentiation of these tissues during mammalian embryonic development. To test these hypotheses, we generated Dsc3-null mice. Unexpectedly, homozygous mutants show a pre-implantation lethal phenotype. In fact, most mutants die even before mature desmosomes are formed in the embryo, suggesting a new and unexpected role of Dsc3 during early development.
Recognizing Personality Differences Among Teachers Can Help Supervisors

A study of 579 preservice teachers in nine different subject areas showed significant differences in personality patterns. Principals who are aware of these differences can be more effective supervi sors, contends this writer.
No gene-specific optimization of mutation rate in Escherichia coli

Mutation rate is one of the most fundamental parameters in genetics and evolutionary biology because mutation rate has major impacts on the incidence of disease, the amount of genetic variation, and the rate and trajectory of evolution. Based on estimates of synonymous nucleotide diversity in Escherichia coli, a recent study claimed that the per-nucleotide mutation rate in a gene decreases with the rise of its expression level or the intensity of purifying selection and that this trend reflects adaptive risk management. Here, we demonstrate that this argument is theoretically untenable, especially in the lack of mechanisms that simultaneously tune the mutabilities of multiple genes with similar fractions of deleterious mutations. Analyzing published genome sequences of E. coli mutation accumulation lines, we show that mutation rates are actually higher in more highly expressed genes,similar to previous genome-wide observations in Salmonella typhimurium, Saccharomyces cerevisiae, and the human germline. These general patterns likely arise from transcriptionassociated mutagenesis that exceeds transcription-coupled repair.
Reasoning with Loose Concepts

A Man whose height is four feet is short; adding one tenthof an inch to a short man's height leaves him short; therefore, a man whose height is four feet and one tenth of an inch is short. Now begin again and argue in the same pattern. A man whose height is four feet and one tenth of an inch is short; adding one tenth of an inch to a short man's height leaves him short; therefore, a man whose height is four feet and two tenths of an inch is short. In this way, it seems, we can reach the absurd result that a man whose height is four feet plus any number of tenths of an inch is short. For, if the first argument is sound, so is the second; and if the second, so is the third; and so on. There appears to be no good reason for stopping at any one point rather than at another; it is hard to see why the chain of arguments should ever be broken. But the conclusion is ridiculous; it is, for example, preposterous to say that a man whose height is seven feet is, nevertheless, short.
Quantitation of rat embryonic development in vitro: a morphological scoring system

In order to realize the maximum potential of whole-embryo culture techniques, definitive parameters must be developed for the quantitative estimation of embryonic growth and development. An objective scoring system has been devised which provides a precise measure of morphological development. Examination of rat conceptuses from dams on pregnancy days 10, 11, 12, and 13 (sperm positive = day 1) led to the selection of 17 morphological features for use in the system. Up to six developmental stages of each feature were defined and assigned scores of 0 to 5. The numerical total of scores for an individual embryo is taken as the overall morphological score (MS). The system was applied prospectively to 103 Sprague-Dawley rat conceptuses aged 9 to 12.7 days (0 = time of copulation). The variation of score with embryonic age (EA, days) was highly linear: MS = 202.28 + 20.932 EA (R2 = 0.991). Thus, the morphological score can be used to compute apparent embryonic age, and the calculated standard error of prediction is +/- 2.2 hrs. The number of somites (SN) was also found to vary linearly with age over this period: SN = -126.23 + 13.217 EA (R2 = 0.982), and could be used to estimate development. However, the standard error for prediction of apparent embryonic age is greater (+/- 3.1 hours) than that for morphological score, and this single feature will not necessarily reflect overall development. Several parameters were examined as estimates of embryonic growth, as distinct from development. Yolk sac diameter, crown-rump length, and head length were found to vary with EA as quadratic functions over this time. Total embryonic protein increased logarithmically with EA and was considered to be the most suitable measure of embryonic growth. Use of the morphological scoring system in embryo culture experiments provides a precise index of embryonic development, aids the detection of retardation or dysmorphogenesis of specific primordia, and allows a quantitative comparison of development and growth.
Proteasome inhibition induces TNFR1 shedding from human airway epithelial (NCI-H292) cells

The type 1 55-kDa TNF receptor (TNFR1) is an important modulator of lung inflammation. Here, we hypothesized that the proteasome might regulate TNFR1 shedding from human airway epithelial cells. Tr...
Aqueous speciation and electrochemical properties of a water-soluble manganese phthalocyanine complex.

The speciation behavior of a water-soluble manganese(III) tetrasulfonated phthalocyanine complex was investigated with UV-visible and electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopies, as well as cyclic voltammetry. Parallel-mode EPR (in dimethylformamide : pyridine solvent mix) reveals a six-line hyperfine signal, centered at a g-value of 8.8, for the manganese(III) monomer, characteristic of the d4S = 2 system. The color of an aqueous solution containing the complex is dependent upon the pH of the solution; the phthalocyanine complex can exist as a water-bound monomer, a hydroxide-bound monomer, or an oxo-bridged dimer. Addition of coordinating bases such as borate or pyridine changes the speciation behavior by coordinating the manganese center. From the UV-visible spectra, complete speciation diagrams are plotted by global analysis of the pH-dependent UV-visible spectra, and a complete set of pKa values is obtained by fitting the data to a standard pKa model. Electrochemical studies reveal a pH-independent quasi-reversible oxidation event for the monomeric species, which likely involves oxidation of the organic ligand to the radical cation species. Adsorption of the phthalocyanine complex on the carbon working electrode was sometimes observed. The pKa values and electrochemistry data are discussed in the context of the development of mononuclear water-oxidation catalysts.
The Constipation Assessment Scale for Pregnancy

Objective: To determine the reliability and validity of the Constipation Assessment Scale (CAS) during pregnancy. Design: Survey. Setting: The assessment tool was administered first to a group of healthy women of childbearing age in a school of nursing and then to pregnant women in their physicians' offices. Participants: A nonrandom sample of 16 nonpregnant women of childbearing age and 30 women pregnant 28 weeks or longer, 15 of whom had low-risk pregnancies and 15 of whom had high-risk pregnancies. Main Outcome Measures: The test-retest reliability, content validity, and internal consistency of the CAS were determined. Results: An expert panel review found a calculated percentage of agreement for content validity of .75 and a Cohen's kappa of .714. Test-retest reliability based on 16 nursing students yielded high positive correlations ranging from r tt = .84 to r tt = .92. Internal consistency of the CAS for pregnancy based on the 30 surveys indicated an alpha coefficient of .82. Conclusions: The CAS for pregnancy was found to be reliable and valid within the context of this study. Future studies designed to identify potential therapeutic interventions for constipation during pregnancy could use the CAS for pregnancy as a measurement instrument.
Modeling SAGE tag formation and its effects on data interpretation within a Bayesian framework

Serial Analysis of Gene Expression (SAGE) is a high-throughput method for inferring mRNA expression levels from the experimentally generated sequence based tags. Standard analyses of SAGE data, however, ignore the fact that the probability of generating an observable tag varies across genes and between experiments. As a consequence, these analyses result in biased estimators and posterior probability intervals for gene expression levels in the transcriptome. Using the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae as an example, we introduce a new Bayesian method of data analysis which is based on a model of SAGE tag formation. Our approach incorporates the variation in the probability of tag formation into the interpretation of SAGE data and allows us to derive exact joint and approximate marginal posterior distributions for the mRNA frequency of genes detectable using SAGE. Our analysis of these distributions indicates that the frequency of a gene in the tag pool is influenced by its mRNA frequency, the cleavage efficiency of the anchoring enzyme (AE), and the number of informative and uninformative AE cleavage sites within its mRNA. With a mechanistic, model based approach for SAGE data analysis, we find that inter-genic variation in SAGE tag formation is large. However, this variation can be estimated and, importantly, accounted for using the methods we develop here. As a result, SAGE based estimates of mRNA frequencies can be adjusted to remove the bias introduced by the SAGE tag formation process.
Translation of Maternal Messenger Ribonucleic Acids Encoding Transcription Factors During Genome Activation in Early Mouse Embryos

Embryonic genome activation (EGA) in mice is sensitive to treatment with cycloheximide, indicating that protein synthesis plays an important role in mediating EGA. We hypothesized that regulated maternal mRNA recruitment may control the time of EGA by controlling the time of appearance of certain transcription factors (TFs). We also hypothesized that synthesis of other TFs may contribute to EGA independently of controlling the timing of EGA. To test these hypotheses, we used sucrose density gradient fractionation coupled to a quantitative reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction method to compare polysomal mRNA abundances of specific TF mRNAs between metaphase II oocytes, 1-cell-stage embryos, and 2-cell-stage embryos. We observed a 2-cell-stage-specific increase in polysomal abundance of mouse TEA DNA binding domain 2 (mTEAD-2) mRNA, coincident with the first appearance of mTEAD activity in the early embryo. The mRNAs encoding Sp1, TATA binding protein, and cyclic AMP response element binding protein did not undergo translational recruitment, but exhibited differences in polysomal abundance. We also observed a continuous, high proportion in the polysomal fraction for the mRNA encoding ribosomal protein L23 mRNA, which contrasted with the patterns observed for other maternal transcripts. These observations are consistent with the hypothesis that regulated recruitment of maternal TF mRNAs may control the time of activation of some genes during EGA, and that continuous synthesis of other TFs, like Sp1, may facilitate EGA.
Unusual inorganic phase formation in ultraviolet-curable organic-inorganic hybrid films

Inorganic-organic hybrid materials were prepared with a cycloaliphatic epoxide adduct of linseed oil with tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) oligomers via a cationic UV-curing process. The TEOS oligomers were prepared in the presence of water and ethanol with hydrochloric acid as a catalyst. The TEOS oligomers were characterized with 1 H and 29 Si NMR and matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry. Hybrid films were cured, and the dynamic mechanical and thermal properties of the hybrid films were evaluated as a function of the TEOS oligomer content. The morphology of the hybrid films was examined with atomic force microscopy, transmission electron microscopy, and small-angle light scattering. The microscopy and dynamic mechanical data indicated that the hybrid films were heterogeneous materials with various inorganic particle sizes dispersed within the organic matrix. In addition, 29 Si solid-state NMR spectroscopy was used to investigate the coupling between the silicate region and organic regions. A schematic model is proposed to address structural features of hybrid materials.
Biodegradable Polymer (PLGA) Coatings Featuring Cinnamaldehyde and Carvacrol Mitigate Biofilm Formation

Biofilm-associated infections are one of the leading causes of death in the United States. Although infections may be treated with antibiotics, the overuse of antibiotics has led to the spread of antibiotic resistance. Many natural antimicrobial compounds derived from edible plants are safe for human use and target bacteria nonspecifically. Therefore, they may impair biofilm formation with less evolutionary pressure on pathogens. Here, we explore the use of two natural antimicrobial compounds, cinnamaldehyde (CA, from cinnamon) and carvacrol (CARV, from oregano), for biofilm prevention. We have fabricated and characterized films that incorporate CA and CARV into the biodegradable, FDA-approved polymer poly(lactic-co-glycolic acid), PLGA. The addition of CA and CARV to PLGA films not only adds antimicrobial activity but also changes the surface properties of the films, making them more hydrophilic and therefore more resistant to bacterial attachment. An addition of 0.1% CA to a PLGA film significantly impairs biofilm development by Staphylococcus aureus, and 0.1% CARV in PLGA significantly decreases biofilm formation by both Escherichia coli and S. aureus. Pseudomonas aeruginosa, which is less susceptible to CA and CARV, was not affected by the addition of 0.1% CA or CARV to the PLGA coatings; however, P. aeruginosa biofilm was significantly reduced by 1.0% CA. These results indicate that both CA and CARV could potentially be used in low concentrations as natural additives in polymer coatings for indwelling devices to delay colonization by bacteria.
Multiple tests for each gate delay fault: higher coverage and lower test application cost

Different tests for a single gate delay fault can detect different ranges of delay fault sizes. It is of interests to determine whether, for most faults, a single test covers all the ranges of delay fault sizes covered collectively by all tests for the fault. Using an enhanced gate delay fault simulation algorithm, we show that for a considerable number of gate delay faults in benchmark circuits, multiple tests collectively provide more comprehensive coverage than any single test. We then present many key implications of this observation, especially in the areas of test generation and test set compaction
Phytic Acid as a Food Antioxidant

Phytic acid has been shown previously to form an iron chelate that inhibits iron-catalyzed hydroxyl radical formation and lipid peroxidation. To further characterize its antioxidant properties in model food systems, we investigated the effects of phytic acid on ascorbic acid degradation in aqueous solution and on stability of oil-in-water emulsions. In both systems 1 mM phytic acid provided significant protection against oxidative damage and increased emulsion shelf-life fourfold. To test antioxidant efficacy of phytic acid in a whole food system, its effect on development of warmed-over flavor was determined. Phytic acid substantially inhibited oxygen uptake, malondialdehyde formation and warmed-over flavor development in refrigerated chicken.
Kinetics and thermodynamics of T cell receptor– autoantigen interactions in murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis

In the current study, cellular and molecular approaches have been used to analyze the biophysical nature of T cell receptor (TCR)-peptide MHC (pMHC) interactions for two autoreactive TCRs. These two TCRs recognize the N-terminal epitope of myelin basic protein (MBP1-11) bound to the MHC class II protein, I-A(u), and are associated with murine experimental autoimmune encephalomyelitis. Mice transgenic for the TCRs have been generated and characterized in other laboratories. These analyses indicate that the mice either develop encephalomyelitis spontaneously (172.10 TCR) or only if immunized with autoantigen in adjuvant (1934.4 TCR). Here, we show that the 172.10 TCR binds MBP1-11:I-A(u) with a 4-5-fold higher affinity than the 1934.4 TCR. Consistent with the higher affinity, 172.10 T hybridoma cells are significantly more responsive to autoantigen than 1934.4 cells. The interaction of the 172.10 TCR with cognate ligand is more entropically unfavorable than that of the 1934.4 TCR, indicating that the 172.10 TCR undergoes greater conformational rearrangements upon ligand binding. The studies therefore suggest a correlation between the strength and plasticity of a TCR-pMHC interaction and the frequency of spontaneous disease in the corresponding TCR transgenic mice. The comparative analysis of these two TCRs has implications for understanding autoreactive T cell recognition and activation.
Seismic Monitoring and Eruption Forecasting of Volcanoes: A Review of the State-of-the-Art and Case Histories

Seismology is an important and effective tool for monitoring volcanoes and forecasting eruptions. In the last two decades, improvements in computerized acquisition and analysis systems, and more precise and higher quality data, have lead to significant scientific advances as well as a number of successful forecasts. Well-monitored volcanoes have six or more local seismic stations (1–15 km) and several regional stations (30–200 km), which are able to detect volcanic earthquakes of M = 0 to 1 and larger. Recording of several years of background seismicity is important to establish a baseline for evaluation of possible precursors. Four main types of events are recorded: high-frequency earthquakes, low-frequency earthquakes, explosion earthquakes, and volcanic tremor, although terminology varies considerably and there is no consensus about physical processes in all cases. Source mechanisms may include shear failure, tensile failure, and active and passive fluid involvement (e.g., resonance) in both linear and nonlinear processes. Volcanic earthquakes generally (1) occur in swarms as opposed to tectonic mainshock-aftershock sequences; (2) have smaller maximum sizes (typically M < 5) than earthquakes associated with tectonic structures; (3) include many events with similar waveforms; (4) have high b-values; (5) increase in numbers before eruptions; and (6) occur beneath or near the site of eruption.
Lead on Painted Handles of Kitchen Utensils

The lead content of paint on wooden handles of kitchen utensils ranged from 0 to 9.7 per cent (97,000 ppm). Yellow paint showed the highest con centration of lead followed by green and red colors. The values of lead often exceeded the legal limit on toys and paint for use indoors.
Progenitor Cell Transplantation for Retinal Disease

Diseases of the retina frequently result in permanent visual impairment. One strategy for recovering lost function is to replace retinal neurons lost to the disease process, while another is to protect these neurons from dying in the first place. Retinal progenitor cell transplantation is an experimental approach that has relevance to both strategies and holds promise as a potential therapeutic intervention. Work to date has shown that retinal progenitor cells can be cultured from the neural retina in a range of mammalian species, from mouse to human. These cells proliferate in response to exogenous mitogens and express primitive neuroepithelial genes. Unlike many other cell types, they express retinal-specific markers under conditions favoring differentiation, particularly transplantation to the subretinal space. The cells integrate into the retina, exhibit morphologies appropriate to their location, and have been associated with photoreceptor phenotype and preservation of photosensitivity. In mouse and pig allograft models, retinal progenitor cells survive transplantation to the retina for extended periods without exogenous immune suppression. Research areas of ongoing interest include detailed examination of marker expression, alternate potential cell types, optimization of proliferation and differentiation, genetic modification of donor cells, elucidation of the role of stem cells in cancer, assuring cessation of proliferation following transplantation, and the use of biodegradable materials as a substrate for cell delivery. Attention to these issues should hasten the advent of regenerative therapies for retinal diseases.
Note on Piedmont's regulation of skin temperature through hypnosis and biofeedback.

Summary.-Piedmont's cognitive interpretation of hypnosis, based on the control of dermal temperature in a biodfeedback situation, is questioned on the basis of no statistically significant changes in the hypnotized group's temperatures and none between the temperatures of the hypnotized and control groups. A relaxation interpretation of hypnosis seems equally tenable. Piedmont (3) reported data which, contrary to his own interpretation, leave doubt as to the necessity of a cognitive interpretation of hypnosis. They are, in fact, consistent with the view that hypnosis is basically and fundamentally relaxation. Using two groups of randomly assigned subjects, one hypnotized by the Stanford Survey: C and the other not, he offered 10 min. of biofeedback to test the proposition that hypnotized subjects would be able to lower their peripheral skin temperature more than non-hypnotized subjects if there were a major cognitive, rather than relaxation, component to hypnosis. He contended that if hypnosis potentiates the performance of the task (lowering skin temperature), then there are cognitive factors at work which are not accounted for by the relaxation hypothesis. In his words: ". . . if those subjects under hypnosis lower their temperatures significantly more than subjects not under hypnosis, then relaxation cannot be used to account for the results" (p. 856). However, Piedmont's data do not show this to be the case. No main effect for groups (hypnosis vs non-hypnosis) was demonstrated. Instead, there was a significant effect for trials and a significant interaction of groups x trials. Both findings are instructive with respect to what Piedmont hoped to find. Although the goal of the biofeedback task was to lower skin temperature, average finger temperature increased slgn~ficantly over trials for both groups combined. Looking at the interaction, we find that the significant effect of trials was from the group without hypnosis in that those subjects significantly increased their peripheral temperatures over time [t = 2.10, fi = .05; between baseline (91.84 f 5.78) and Trial 5 (93.33 f 6.07)], while the hypnotized subjects' temperatures did not change over time [r = 1.41 between Trials 1 (90.93 f 6.58) and 4 (91.26 f 6.65)]. The rate of change indicated by the interaction term is attributable to only one of the groups.
Utilization of labeled proteins in synthesis of tissue proteins.

SummaryEhrlich ascites cells were incubated in vitro with radioactive amino acids or radioactive ascites proteins prepared biosynthetically. Incubations with free amino acids resulted in accumulation of large amounts of radioactivity in the acid-soluble fraction and in incorporation of radioactivity into the proteins. Incubations with labeled proteins resulted in labeling of cell proteins without significant accumulation of radioactivity in the acid-soluble fraction. Radioactive proteins were isolated from various cell fractions of ascites cells following incubation with labeled free amino acids or proteins. These results suggest that proteins enter ascites cells where they are utilized for synthesis of cellular proteins; free amino acids do not appear to be intermediates in this process.
Louisiana Death Sentenced Cases and Their Reversals, 1976-2015

Since 1976, Louisiana’s experience with capital punishment has been deeply dysfunctional, with a significantly higher case reversal rate than the national average, and marked disparities in sentencing, reversals, and executions depending on the race and gender of the victim and accused. Our comprehensive analysis of each of 241 death-sentence cases in the post-Gregg period suggests that the “modern” death penalty has not resolved the issues of arbitrariness and bias that concerned the US Supreme Court in the 1972 Furman decision, which invalidated previous death penalty statutes throughout the country. Among 155 resolved death-sentence cases, there have been 127 reversals (of which nine were exonerations) and 28 executions. Since 2000, Louisiana has seen 50 reversals of previous death sentences, including seven exonerations, and only two executions. Not only are these reversal rates extremely high, but the racial discrepancies are shocking as well. Death sentences are imposed in 0.52% of cases with black male offenders and black male victims, but in 15.56% of cases with black male offenders and white female victims – 30 times more likely. No matter the race of the offender, killers of whites are more than six times more likely to receive a death penalty than killers of blacks, and 14 times more likely to be executed. The racial disparities even extend into the appeals process, where cases of killers of whites are clearly less likely to be reversed. No white person has been executed in Louisiana for a crime against a black victim since 1752. The underlying data table for this article can be found here: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2772052. More graphical views of Louisiana death sentences can be found here: http://ssrn.com/abstract=2770790.
Whitehead Versus Russell

This paper sets out some of the most striking intellectual differences between Whitehead and Russell pertaining to logic, mind and matter. It may seem surprising that there are such striking differences given their philosophical collaboration and very close personal relationship. The Whitehead’s regarded Russell as one of the family. But family members have rows.
Acceleration of particles to high energy via gravitational repulsion in the Schwarzschild field

Abstract Gravitational repulsion is an inherent aspect of the Schwarzschild solution of the Einstein-Hilbert field equations of general relativity. We show that this circumstance means that it is possible to gravitationally accelerate particles to the highest cosmic ray energies.
Factors Affecting Residential Care Facility Charges

ABSTRACTResidential care facilities, known by a variety of names such as assisted living or group homes, offer assistance to people who find it difficult to live alone but who do not need or wish to enter a nursing home. There is substantial variation in the amount that residents are charged each month. Data from the 2010 National Survey of Residential Care Facilities were used to identify factors that affect the total monthly charges to residents. These findings can inform an individual's search for an appropriate, affordable option.
Plastic Anisotropy of Zinc Monocrystals

Glide on the basal (0001) and prismatic (1010) planes of zinc monocrystals has been investigated at 250° to 400°C. Prismatic glide obeys Schmid’s law and an equation of state relating the glide strain rate and the shear stress, γ = 700 τ8 e−38,000/RT. Impurities raise the stress exponent and the activation energy; the stress for prismatic glide at a given rate is much higher than for basal glide; and multiple prismatic glide causes no appreciable strain hardening. The creep of polycrystalline zinc is controlled by prismatic glide at high temperatures. The discussion considers the anisotropy of zinc crystals and its effect on dislocation motion.
Endoscopic balloon catheter dilatation via retrograde or static technique is safe and effective for cricopharyngeal dysfunction.

Endoscopic balloon catheter dilatation via retrograde or static technique is safe and effective for cricopharyngeal dysfunction
High-Throughput and Fair Scheduling for Access Point Cooperation in Dense Wireless Networks

This paper studies the fair scheduling problem for dense wireless networks with AP cooperation and MIMO links. The problem is to maximize the aggregate throughput while meeting a specified fairness objective. The proposed scheduling algorithm works with a novel single-slot throughput optimization procedure to first generate a set of candidate communication sets that are both high-performing and have good representation among all users. For a given set of candidate communication sets, our algorithm then produces a communication schedule that achieves near-optimal aggregate throughput among solutions that meet the specified fairness objective. Simulation results show that our proposed scheduling algorithm achieves high aggregate throughput while maintaining very good fairness. We also include a mechanism to relax the fairness constraint by a specified amount, which produces a range of solutions that permit a tradeoff between performance and fairness.
Myth, Reality and America’s Public Schools

Hollywood is not in the business of representing the reality of American life. Nor does it make the pretense of imagining a new and different future, apart from the escapist, science-fiction fantasies of blockbuster summer movies. These agendas would not sell tickets at the box office or DVDs in big box stores. Instead, the entertainment industry sets out to tap into trends within the society, to capture the cultural zeitgeist.
Avian Resources of the Northern Gulf of Mexico

Fifteen indicator species with different lifestyles and behavioral patterns are used to examine the health of the Gulf avifauna before the Deepwater Horizon accident. There are 395 bird species recorded for the Gulf, and 31 % occur along all coasts of the Gulf. The highest avian diversity is along the Mexican Gulf Coast. A high proportion of the US nesting population of Reddish Egret, Sandwich Tern, Black Skimmer, Royal Tern, Forster’s Tern, Laughing Gull, Snowy Plover, and Roseate Spoonbill occur along the Gulf. Several seabirds (boobies, frigatebirds) nest primarily on the Campeche Banks in the southern Gulf of Mexico. Habitat loss, due to both anthropogenic and natural causes (sea level rise, erosion), is the primary threat facing birds in the Gulf of Mexico, followed by predators, human disturbance, high tides, storm tides, and other weather-related events. Loss of habitat is most severe at the land margin, where the land meets the sea. Pollutants have affected behavior and populations of birds in the Gulf although to a far lesser degree than habitat loss and modification. Oil can cause immediate mortality and chronic injury, but it has not been demonstrated to permanently affect any populations of birds in the Gulf. Plastics and fishing lines cause mortality, particularly in seabirds foraging in the Gulf.
The reactions of fertilizer phosphate with soils

The composition of the solution formed on dissolution of the fertilizer in the soil is a major factor in the reaction of the phosphate with the soil minerals. Orthophosphates are rapidly precipitat...
Managing the Science-Policy Interface in a Complex and Contentious World

Most of the significant problems planners, resource managers, and public sector decision makers have to deal with are emergent from dynamic interactions among component elements of complex adaptive systems. Such problems are known as ‘wicked’ problems because inherent uncertainty is high, so that it is not possible to precisely predict the outcomes of any action or event, and addressing the problems involve trade-offs between competing and often incompatible objectives and thus require balancing among differing value judgments. This complexity has profound implications for the role of science in policy making. Adaptive co-management has been suggested as an appropriate approach for addressing science-intensive ‘wicked’ problems, but has proven difficult to implement. Successful cultivation of an effective collaborative adaptive management process requires careful attention to process design to ensure that the necessary diversity of viewpoints and expertise - scientific, technical, and experiential - are fully included and that substantive and constructive dialogue is supported. Scientists seeking to more effectively integrate their science into such a process face the challenge of how to participate effectively without compromising the quality of their science. In this paper, we present concepts and recommendations that should be considered when designing an adaptive co-management process, and explore ideas for management of the science-policy interface.