cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Raman Spectroscopy of Ammonia Monohydrate to 13.5 Gpa

Raman spectra of NH3 • H2O and ND3 • D20 have been studied from 120 to 450 K between 0 to 13.5 GPa in diamond-anvil high pressure cells. Only one solid and the liquid phase were found. The melting line was determined to about 400 K at 6 GPa. The v 1 and site-split v 3 N-H modes at 3300, 3370, 3395, and 3400 cm-1 do not shift with pressure, suggesting that the N-H -.0 hydrogen bonds are weak. The O-H •••N stretch shifts by -3L5 cm-1 GPa-1 in NH3- H2O and -25.5 cm-1 GPa in ND3 • D20. Two other very weak features unaffected by pressure are assigned to O-H -.0 stretches along the water chains. These spectra imply that NH3. H20($) is incompressible along the water chains and compresses by decreasing separations between these chains and the bridging NH3 molecules. Raman spectra of the external modes are very weak and shift much less with pressure (by 3 to 7 cm-1 GPa-1) than might be expected.
Arrestin-Dependent Activation of ERK and Src Family Kinases

The four members of the mammalian arrestin family, two visual and two nonvisual, share the property of stimulus-dependent docking to G protein-coupled receptors. This conformational selectivity permits them to function in receptor desensitization, as arrestin binding sterically inhibits G protein coupling. The two nonvisual arrestins further act as adapter proteins, linking receptors to the clathrin-dependent endocytic machinery and regulating receptor sequestration, intracellular trafficking, recycling, and degradation. Arrestins also function as ligand-regulated scaffolds, recruiting catalytically active proteins into receptor-based multiprotein “signalsome” complexes. Arrestin binding thus marks the transition from a transient G protein-coupled state on the plasma membrane to a persistent arrestin-coupled state that continues to signal as the receptor internalizes. Two of the earliest discovered and most studied arrestin-dependent signaling pathways involve regulation of Src family nonreceptor tyrosine kinases and the ERK1/2 mitogen-activated kinase cascade. In each case, arrestin scaffolding imposes constraints on kinase activity that dictate signal duration and substrate specificity. Evidence suggests that arrestin-bound ERK1/2 and Src not only play regulatory roles in receptor desensitization and trafficking but also mediate longer term effects on cell growth, migration, proliferation, and survival.
Development of self-control in early childhood—a growth mixture modeling approach

Self-control emerges in early childhood and is shown to be strongly related to poor adulthood outcomes. The development of self-control was long believed to be homogeneous among individuals and sta...
Cbl-b deficiency renders T cells resistant to PD-L1/PD-1 mediated suppression

The PD-L1/PD-1 pathway is a critical regulator of T cell responses that has become a significant focus in cancer immunotherapy. Cbl-b is an E3 ubiquitin ligase that regulates many aspects of T cell activation. In humans, polymorphisms in the CBLB gene are associated with autoimmunity. Cbl-b deficient (Cbl-b −/− ) mice demonstrate spontaneous autoimmunity and enhanced anti-tumor T cell responses. Thus, there is now great interest in manipulating Cbl-b to enhance anti-tumor T cell responses. We now report that, in contrast to WT T cells, in vitro TCR-stimulated proliferative responses of Cbl-b −/− CD4 + and CD8 + T cells are not suppressed by a recombinant PD-L1 fusion protein (PD-L1 Ig) (% suppression in CD4 + : WT 40%, Cbl-b 0%, p + : WT 32%, Cbl-b 5%, p −/− CD4 + T cells is less suppressed by PD-L1 Ig than that of WT cells (% Suppression: WT 68%, Cbl-b 20%, p −/− and WT T cells. To confirm this PD-L1 resistance in vivo, we used a model of B16 melanoma in which liver metastases develop only when PD-L1/PD-1 immune regulation is functionally intact. We confirmed that WT mice develop numerous liver metastases which are significantly reduced by anti-PD-1 antibody treatment. Strikingly, Cbl-b −/− mice develop only rare liver metastases even in the absence of anti-PD-1. In sum, we report for the first time that Cbl-b −/− T cells are resistant in vitro and in vivo to suppression by PD-L1/PD-1. Our finding of Cbl-b −/− T cell resistance to PD-L1/PD-1-mediated inhibition broadens our understanding of Cbl-b’s role in autoimmunity and suggests a new mechanism by which manipulation of Cbl-b function may lead to enhanced anti-tumor T cell responses.
TGR5 Protects Against Colitis in Mice, but Vertical Sleeve Gastrectomy Increases Colitis Severity.

Bariatric surgery, such as vertical sleeve gastrectomy (VSG), is the most effective long-term treatment for obesity. However, there are conflicting reports on the effect of bariatric surgery on inflammatory bowel disease (IBD). Bariatric surgery increases bile acid concentrations, which can decrease inflammation by signaling through the bile acid receptor, TGR5. TGR5 signaling protects against chemically induced colitis in mice. VSG increases circulating bile acid concentrations to increase TGR5 signaling, which contributes to improved metabolic regulation after VSG. Therefore, we investigated the effect of VSG on chemically induced colitis development and the role of TGR5 in this context. VSG or sham surgery was performed in high fat diet-fed male Tgr5+/+ and Tgr5−/− littermates. Sham-operated mice were food restricted to match their body weight to VSG-operated mice. Colitis was induced with 2.5% dextran sodium sulfate (DSS) in water post-operatively. Body weight, energy intake, fecal scoring, colon histopathology, colonic markers of inflammation, goblet cell counts, and colonic microRNA-21 levels were assessed. VSG decreased body weight independently of genotype. Consistent with previous work, genetic ablation of TGR5 increased the severity of DSS-induced colitis. Notably, despite the effect of VSG to decrease body weight and increase TGR5 signaling, VSG increased the severity of DSS-induced colitis. VSG-induced increases in colitis were associated with increased colonic expression of TNF-α, IL-6, MCP-1, and microRNA-21. While our data demonstrate that TGR5 protects against colitis, they also demonstrate that VSG potentiates chemically induced colitis in mice. These data suggest that individuals undergoing VSG may be at increased risk for developing colitis; however, further study is needed.
1992 and 1993’s Difficult Masculinities

This chapter concentrates on the Sky political series and period drama 1992 (2015) and 1993 (2017) which unfold against the backdrop of the tangentopoli or Bribesville scandals, Operation “Mani pulite” or “Clean Hands,” and Silvio Berlusconi’s rise to political power. It examines how a series of traumas, losses, and maladies renders male protagonists sympathetic, an operation traditionally at work in male melodrama wherein male protagonists are celebrated, their lives idealized, and their creativity foregrounded. More broadly, this chapter charts male and female bodies that move primarily in and between Milan and Rome. Performing bodies, political bodies, frail bodies, queer bodies, abject bodies, and spectral bodies populate the series and point toward the difficult masculinities that helped construct 1992 and 1993s complex political and entertainment landscape.
DISSEMINATED COCCIDIOMYCOSIS: NO SPARING OF THE HEART!

Coccidiomycosis is an fungal infection commonly found in the Southwestern United States that most commonly involved the respiratory system. Only 1% of patients develop disseminated Coccidiomycosis that can involve other organ systems. A 65-year-old white female with rheumatoid arthritis presented
Age-related variation in the oral microbiome of urban Cooper’s hawks ( Accipiter cooperii )

Bird species worldwide are affected by trichomoniasis caused by the protist Trichomonas gallinae. In avivorous raptors such as Cooper’s hawks (Accipiter cooperii), nestlings are more susceptible than fledglings and adults. Previous research suggested a link between oral pH and susceptibility: the oral pH of fledgling and adult hawks is more than seven times more acidic than that of nestlings. We speculated that this age-specific difference in pH would correspond to age-specific differences in the oral microbiota of Cooper’s hawks. We examined the oral microbiomes of 31 healthy, wild Cooper’s hawks in Tucson, Arizona (USA). Individuals represented three age classes (nestlings, fledglings, and adults). We designed our study with multiple controls, replicated sampling, mock communities, and stringent quality-controls to address challenges that can limit the inferential quality of microbiome data sets. Richness of bacterial communities in oral cavities of Cooper’s hawks differed as a function of age but not as a function of sex, sampling date, or sampling location. Bacterial communities in oral cavities of nestlings differed from those of fledglings and adults, whereas communities in fledglings and adults did not differ from each other. Communities were similar in males and females and did not differ over the sampling season. Prevalence of acid-producing bacteria in fledgling and adults vs. nestlings is consistent with previous reports of age-specific variation in oral pH, but further research is needed to establish a causal link to pH levels or susceptibility to disease. Analyses of mock communities demonstrated high repeatability and showed that operon number and read abundance were highly correlated. The oral microbiota of wild Cooper’s hawks differs between nestlings and older birds. Variation in the oral microbiome is consistent with differences in oral pH between nestlings and older individuals. Overall our study provides a first perspective on bacterial communities associated with oral cavities of a wild raptor.
Quantifying Community Resilience Using Hierarchical Bayesian Kernel Methods: A Case Study on Recovery from Power Outages

The ability to accurately measure recovery rate of infrastructure systems and communities impacted by disasters is vital to ensure effective response and resource allocation before, during, and after a disruption. However, a challenge in quantifying such measures resides in the lack of data as community recovery information is seldom recorded. To provide accurate community recovery measures, a hierarchical Bayesian kernel model (HBKM) is developed to predict the recovery rate of communities experiencing power outages during storms. The performance of the proposed method is evaluated using cross-validation and compared with two models, the hierarchical Bayesian regression model and the Poisson generalized linear model. A case study focusing on the recovery of communities in Shelby County, Tennessee after severe storms between 2007 and 2017 is presented to illustrate the proposed approach. The predictive accuracy of the models is evaluated using the log-likelihood and root mean squared error. The HBKM yields on average the highest out-of-sample predictive accuracy. This approach can help assess the recoverability of a community when data are scarce and inform decision making in the aftermath of a disaster. An illustrative example is presented demonstrating how accurate measures of community resilience can help reduce the cost of infrastructure restoration.
The Dilemma of 'Free': Facebook's Monopsony Power and the Need For an Antitrust Renaissance

A significant industry has developed around gathering the information of free-to-use platform users—targeted advertising. This information has granted Facebook much power, not only in that it is one of the most profitable companies in the world, but also that it has perplexed scholarship and the application of antitrust laws to the unfortunate result of endowing free-to-use platforms the freedom from liability to the individuals whose information has been gathered. This article is the first to address the monopsonistic antitrust realities behind the relationship between Facebook and its users concerning the firm’s collection of user data. The confusion behind the relationship is unnecessary. This article provides a clear test to determine whether monopsony (buyer side) or monopoly (seller side) theory is relevant and unequivocally demonstrates that Facebook acts as a buyer of user data; and thus, monopsony theory is the only logical theory to analyze this relationship. Further, the article provides solutions to both Congress and courts in how to adjust to this unique relationship while providing Facebook users with a cognizable claim without overextending courts. The technology and data industries are rapidly developing and changing the basic understandings of how these relationships work under antitrust law. The attempt to fit the relationship between Facebook and Facebook users in the incorrect mold has kept users out of court with claims for antitrust violations. When misapplications close the doors of justice to citizens of the United States, an unacceptable result occurs. This article seeks to identify attainable methods for granting potential plaintiffs redress through an antitrust renaissance by identifying the correct mold this relationship should be viewed under—monopsony.
How Can Literary and Film Studies Contribute to Science Policy? The Case of Henrietta Lacks

This chapter proposes a new model for literary scholars to contribute to large-scale, multiyear collaborative research on public policy that brings together science and the humanities. Clayton and Sisco King discuss the impact of literature, film, and television on public concerns about the privacy of their medical data. Rebecca Skloot’s bestseller, The Immortal Life of Henrietta Lacks, and Oprah Winfrey’s adaptation of the book, serve as a case study that combines analyses of literary texts with qualitative and quantitative research. These works demonstrate that the violation of a patient’s privacy can have devastating and far-reaching effects beyond the individual. It can affect relatives for generations; touch neighbors and friends; and influence attitudes of a still-wider community—in this case, African Americans in Baltimore and beyond.
Moderate Aerobic Exercise Prevents Matrix Degradation and Death in a Mouse Model of Aortic Dissection and Aneurysm.

Thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection (TAAD) is a deadly disease characterized by intimal disruption induced by hemodynamic forces of the circulation. The effect of exercise in patients with TAAD is largely unknown. β-Aminopropionitrile (BAPN) is an irreversible inhibitor of lysyl oxidase that induces TAAD in mice. The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of aerobic exercise on BAPN-induced TAAD. Upon weaning, mice were given either BAPN-containing water or standard drinking water and subjected to either conventional cage activity (BAPN-CONV) or forced treadmill exercise (BAPN-EX) for up to 26 wk. Mortality was 23.5% (20/85) for BAPN-CONV mice versus 0% (0/22) for BAPN-EX mice (hazard ratio 3.8; P = 0.01). BAPN induced significant elastic lamina fragmentation and intimal-medial thickening compared with BAPN-untreated controls, and aneurysms were identified in 50% (5/10) of mice that underwent contrast-enhanced CT scanning. Exercise significantly decreased BAPN-induced wall thickening, calculated circumferential wall tension, and lumen diameter, with 0% (0/5) of BAPN-EX demonstrating chronic aortic aneurysm formation on CT scan. Expression of selected genes relevant to vascular diseases was analyzed by qRT-PCR. Notably, exercise normalized BAPN-induced increases in TGF-β pathway-related genes Cd109, Smad4, and Tgfβr1; inflammation-related genes Vcam1, Bcl2a1, Ccr2, Pparg, Il1r1, Il1r1, Itgb2, and Itgax; and vascular injury- and response-related genes Mmp3, Fn1, and Vwf. Additionally, exercise significantly increased elastin expression in BAPN-treated animals compared with controls. This study suggests that moderate aerobic exercise may be safe and effective in preventing the most devastating outcomes in TAAD.NEW & NOTEWORTHY Moderate aerobic exercise was shown to significantly reduce mortality, extracellular matrix degradation, and thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissection formation associated with lysyl oxidase inhibition in a mouse model. Gene expression suggested a reversal of TGF-β, inflammation, and extracellular matrix remodeling pathway dysregulation, along with augmented elastogenesis with exercise.
Procedural Jus Cogens

Jus cogens are a species of supernorm in international law. They are universally binding and trump all contrary rules—such as treaties and customary international law. They are typically framed in terms of substantive prohibitions: no genocide, no slavery, no crimes against humanity, etc. This Article seeks to identify a procedural jus cogens; namely, the right to due process of law made up of notice, a hearing, and an impartial and independent decisionmaker. To do so, it draws from what are called “general principles of international law”; that is, principles common to legal systems around the world, which make up a source of international law. It argues that a comparative approach to these principles can reveal an empirically supported, objective underlying natural law right. In particular, by looking to rights states deem most important, hierarchically superior, and foundational to their legal systems as contained in their constitutions, this approach solves major seemingly intractable jurisprudential and practical dilemmas for the international law of jus cogens by providing an alternative to horizontal, consent-based positivistic law of treaties and custom. To make its argument it examines the 193 member states of the United Nations, plus Kosovo, the Republic of China (Taiwan), and the Vatican City (Holy See). Diligent research has revealed that virtually all states in the world secure the most basic requirements of due process: notice, a hearing, and an impartial and independent decisionmaker. More specifically, 189 states provide notice to the accused, 196 states provide for the right to a hearing, and 196 states provide for an impartial and independent decisionmaker. Moreover, the vast majority of these protections are constitutional. The right to notice is protected in 179 constitutions, the right to a hearing is protected in 193 constitutions, and the right to an impartial and independent decisionmaker is protected in 193 constitutions. This analysis easily satisfies the recent International Law Commission criteria that for a norm to qualify as jus cogens it must be accepted by “a very large majority of states . . . across regions, legal systems and cultures.” Discovering a procedural jus cogens would be revolutionary in some respects. A procedural jus cogens norm would expand the concept of jus cogens because such a norm would qualitatively differ from a substantive one since it is not merely a negative obligation on a state but imposes a positive duty to provide a right. Further, the Article’s argument holds powerful implications not just for international law but for domestic U.S. law as well. The Supreme Court long ago held that international law is part of our law, including the law of jus cogens, and mechanisms exist to enforce that law in U.S. courts.
First Report of Southern Blight of Industrial Hemp Caused by Athelia rolfsii in Louisiana

Louisiana growers planted their first industrial hemp (Cannabis sativa L.) crop in 2020. A total of 932 licensed acres were planted, predominantly with CBD cultivars, for hemp fiber, extraction of ...
Information Flow Testing

Noninterference, which is an information flow property, is typically used as a baseline security policy to formalize confidentiality of secret information manipulated by a program. Noninterference verification mechanisms are usually based on static analyses and, to a lesser extent, on dynamic analyses. In contrast to those works, this paper proposes an information flow testing mechanism. This mechanism is sound from the point of view of noninterference. It is based on standard testing techniques and on a combination of dynamic and static analyses. Concretely, a semantics integrating a dynamic information flow analysis is proposed. This analysis makes use of static analyses results. This special semantics is built such that, once a path coverage property has been achieved on a program, a sound conclusion regarding the noninterfering behavior of the program can be established.
What Does “Highly Qualified” Mean for Urban Special Educators?

In this article, the authors discuss the context of urban special education and the complexities of meeting the demands of standards-based reform in urban settings. The study presented highlights the voices of urban special educators in two large urban school districts as they navigate meeting the demands of teaching students with disabilities, and share their perceptions of their roles and responsibilities as a result of No Child Left Behind Act. Findings reveal several implications for educational policy and areas of future research in teacher quality and workplace conditions for urban special educators.
Suffix ordering in Bantu: a morphocentric approach

In the previous sections I have presented a number of arguments in favor of the view that suffix ordering in Bantu is templatic in the default case. In almost all Bantu languages, causative and applicative suffixes must appear in a single fixed order. Where suffixes occur in two different orders, e.g. CAUS and REC, one sequence is licensed by the general CARP template, while the other is attributable to a specific MIRROR constraint referring to that sequence. The striking conclusion to drawn from this study is that there is no evidence that Bantu suffix ordering is driven by semantic compositionality or by a general Mirror Principle. Instead, these pressures are low-ranked in Bantu and, when present, have a limited effect on the overall system, as we have seen.27 That Bantu suffix ordering is largely templatic is also supported by phonological conditions which enter into the realization of suffix combinations.28 As I have also implied, the elaborated synchronic CARCP template in (28) is in part arbitrary, the product of history. This conclusion thus challenges the fundamental approach of those who have cited Bantu derivational suffixes in support of a non-arbitrary relation between morphology and syntax, or between morphology and semantics. Whether or not such relations occur elsewhere, Bantu suffixation provides strong evidence for the autonomy of morphology.
Property Rights and Ownership

Property rights are a complex, socially-constituted bundle of obligations and permissions. It is a common mistake to think of property as one thing and the rights that attach to it as another. Ownership is best understood as package of claim-rights, liberties, powers, and immunities. Keywords: community; economic efficiency; justice; labor theory of property; rights
Trace: parallel trace replay with approximate causal events

//TRACE is a new approach for extracting and replaying traces of parallel applications to recreate their I/O behavior. Its tracing engine automatically discovers internode data dependencies and inter-I/O compute times for each node (process) in an application. This information is reflected in per-node annotated I/O traces. Such annotation allows a parallel replayer to closely mimic the behavior of a traced application across a variety of storage systems. When compared to other replay mechanisms, //TRACE offers significant gains in replay accuracy. Overall, the average replay error for the parallel applications evaluated in this paper is below 6%.
A Bernstein type theorem for minimal volume preserving maps

We show that any minimal volume preserving map from the Euclidean plane into itself is a linear diffeomorphism. We derive this from a similar result on minimal diffeomorphisms. We also show that the classical Bernstein theorem on minimal graphs is a corollary of our result.
Enucleation vs Ophthalmic Artery Chemosurgery for Advanced Intraocular Retinoblastoma: A Retrospective Analysis.

Importance Ophthalmic artery chemosurgery (OAC) has emerged as a primary treatment for advanced-stage retinoblastoma. To our knowledge, the incidence of orbital recurrence in eyes treated with OAC has not been described. Objective To determine the incidence of orbital recurrence following enucleation or OAC as primary treatments for advanced-stage retinoblastoma. Design, Setting, and Participants Single-institution cohort study with retrospective record review at an academic ophthalmic oncology practice. A total of 140 eyes in 135 patients who presented between February 14, 2006, and March 4, 2014, and were classified as having Reese-Ellsworth group 5 or International Classification of Retinoblastoma (Children’s Oncology Group) group D or E retinoblastoma were included; 63 patients (63 eyes) were primarily treated with enucleation and 72 patients (77 eyes) were primarily treated with OAC. This analysis was conducted between August 1, 2014, and March 1, 2015. Main Outcomes and Measures Incidence of and time to orbital recurrence, metastasis, and death. Results There were 5 orbital recurrences (incidence, 7.9%) in the primary enucleation group and 1 orbital recurrence (incidence, 1.3%) in the primary OAC group during median follow-up times of 42.6 months (range, 6.2-97.1 months) and 38.7 months (range, 9.0-104.3 months), respectively. The 24-month Kaplan-Meier estimate for orbital recurrence–free survival was worse for the enucleation group (92.1%; 95% CI, 82.0-96.7) than for the OAC group (100%) (log-rank test, P = .049). The enucleation group had 5 cases of metastatic disease (7.9%) and 2 deaths (3.2%). In the OAC group, there were 3 cases of metastatic disease (4.2%) and no deaths. Kaplan-Meier analysis of metastasis-free survival and overall survival yielded no differences between the 2 treatment groups. Analysis of a number of features of the 2 groups revealed more eyes with iris neovascularization in the enucleation group (25.4%) than in the OAC group (5.2%) and more eyes with group E retinoblastoma in the enucleation group (87.3%) than in the OAC group (29.9%), although neither of these factors was an independent predictor of orbital relapse in a Cox proportional hazards model. Conclusions and Relevance In this single-institution retrospective study of advanced intraocular retinoblastoma, there were more orbital recurrences in the group primarily treated with enucleation. Ophthalmic artery chemosurgery for advanced intraocular retinoblastoma was not found to increase the chance of orbital recurrence, metastatic disease, or death compared with primary enucleation.
Financing environmental improvements: A literature review of the constraints on financing environmental innovation

Daniel K.N. Johnson Kristina M. Lybecker Department of Economics and Business Colorado College 14 E. Cache la Poudre Street Colorado Springs, CO 80903 July 29, 2009 Daniel K.N. Johnson is the Gerald L. Schlessman Professor of Economics and Director of the Innovative Minds Program at Colorado College, 14 East Cache La Poudre, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, tel 719-389-6654, djohnson@ColoradoCollege.edu. Kristina M. Lybecker is Assistant Professor of Economics at Colorado College, 14 East Cache La Poudre, Colorado Springs, CO 80903, tel 719-389-6445, kristina.lybecker@ColoradoCollege.edu
Stressed-Out Endoplasmic Reticulum Inflames the Mitochondria

Bacterial infection induces inflammasome activation and release of interleukin-1 (IL-1) cytokines. Bronner et al. (2015) show that during Brucella abortus infection, an endoplasmic reticulum stress sensor, IRE1α, initiates NLRP3- and caspase-2-mediated mitochondrial damage that potentiates NLRP3 inflammasome assembly.
Renormalization Group Calculation Applied to the Nematic-Isotropic Phase Transition

Abstract The renormalization group technique is used to calculate the difference between Tc, the nematic-isotropic transition temperature and T* the temperature at which the reciprocal of the light scattering intensity extrapolates to zero. The model free energy is the Landau de Gennes form. This calculation gives results which are in better agreement with experiment than the mean field approximation results
Automobiles and Acid Rain

In his editorial Acid rain Philip H. Abelson writes that everyone who drives an automobile is a contributor to acid rain. Examination of emissions data indicates that controlling automobile emissions will contribute little to solving acid precipitation problems. Of the strong acid anions associated with precipitation acidity, sulfate accounts for about 60% and nitrate for about 40%, on an equivalence basis. The contribution to national SO/sub 2/ emissions by all forms of transportation is about 3%. The corresponding value for national NO/sub x/ emissions is about 44%. If ground-level emissions from highway vehicles contribute to long-range transport of atmospheric pollutants and to precipitation acidity on an equal basis with other sources, for example, power plant smokestacks, then the respective contributions to precipitation acidity can be approximated. The atmospheric chemistry of NO/sub x/ and its interaction with SO/sub 2/ is poorly known. However, it is likely that automobiles account for less than 14% of total equivalents of strong acid anions in either wet or dry deposition in the eastern US. The implication of these data for regulatory policies aimed at controlling acid precipitation by reducing SO/sub 2/ and NO/sub x/ emissions is obvious.
Schatzki ring in pediatric and young adult patients

Background A Schatzki ring (SR) is an uncommon finding in children. Entities previously associated with an SR include gastroesophageal reflux (GER), hiatal hernia (HH) and eosinophilic esophagitis (EE).
Characterization of nonwoven structures by spatial partitioning of local thickness and mass density

In this investigation the distributions of local mass, thickness, and density for various nonwoven materials were mapped and analyzed. Non-contacting twin laser profilometry was used to map 10 mm square regions to a resolution of 25 μm. The areal distribution of mass was obtained using β-transmission radiographic imaging. Samples were selected from three common categories: nonwoven hybrids, polymer extruded nonwovens, and wet laid nonwovens. Several samples had embossed regions where the structure was compressed by melt bonding to impart strength. Structural maps were partitioned using binary masks to isolate the embossed features from the stochastic background structure. The joint distributions of thickness versus areal density were plotted and used to characterize the separated regions. Based on the structural distributions obtained from mapped regions, the background structure of most of the samples provided similar results to those observed for other stochastic fibrous web materials, such as paper. The wet laid samples and one spun-bonded extruded polymer nonwoven appeared stochastic with good correlation between local thickness and local areal mass density. In contrast samples with induced features such as embossing, melt bonding, and calendering show that thickness became independent of mass as a result. Examination of the thickness distributions within embossed regions for different samples showed different responses to compression that appeared dependent on material density and thickness.
Annual cycles of physical and biological properties in an uncultivated and an irrigated soil in the San Joaquin Valley of California

Abstract The temperature, moisture and CO2 content of an uncultivated and an irrigated soil in the western San Joaquin Valley of California were monitored for more than 1 year in order to determine the degree to which irrigated agriculture affected the annual variations of these important ecological properties. The uncultivated soil underwent strong seasonal changes in moisture and CO2, the highest values being obtained in the late winter and early spring and the lowest occuring in the late summer and early autumn. In contrast, as adequate moisture for biological activity was available year round in the irrigated soil, the CO2 levels varied in response to variations in temperature. The organic C content of the irrigated soil was half that of the uncultivated soil (1.8 versus 3.6 kg m−2), presumably owing to an enhanced level of organic matter decomposition in the irrigated soil. Calculated annual rates of soil respiration for the two soils were nearly identical (0.25 g m−2 h−1). Based on estimates of annual biomass production in the uncultivated soil, it was estimated that the mean residence time of soil organic matter was approximately 61 years. Although this estimate indicates a relatively rapid turnover of C, it is consistent with previous work indicating rapid nutrient cycling in annual grasslands.
Single dose propranolol does not affect physiologic or emotional reactivity to smoking cues

Background Smoking cue exposure reactivates salient smoking-related memories, triggering craving to smoke, a phenomenon associated with maintenance of smoking behavior and relapse after periods of abstinence. Acute β-adrenergic blockade with propranolol reduces physiologic reactivity during subsequent recollection of traumatic events by inhibiting reconsolidation of reactivated memories in a process called memory reconsolidation blockade.
Star coloring bipartite planar graphs

A star coloring of a graph is a proper vertex-coloring such that no path on four vertices is 2-colored. We prove that the vertices of every bipartite planar graph can be star colored from lists of size 14, and we give an example of a bipartite planar graph that requires at least eight colors to star color. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Graph Theory 60: 1–10, 2009
Adsorption dynamics of CO on copper and gold clusters supported on silica – How special is nanogold?

Abstract A twist about an atomistic explanation for the unusual particle size-dependent reactivity enhancement of supported gold clusters still exists in the surface science and catalysis communities. A molecular beam scattering technique allowed the active sites of a catalyst to be mapped. In doing so, copper and gold clusters, both supported on silica, were studied. Indeed, Au clusters showed quite unusual behavior, however, that would be consistent with the influence of defects rather than quantum size effects.
APPLICATION OF POLYGONAL FINITE ELEMENTS IN LINEAR ELASTICITY

In this paper, a conforming polygonal finite element method is applied to problems in linear elasticity. Meshfree natural neighbor (Laplace) shape functions are used to construct conforming interpolating functions on any convex polygon. This provides greater flexibility to solve partial differential equations on complicated geometries. Closed-form expressions for Laplace shape functions on pentagonal, hexagonal, heptagonal, and octagonal reference elements are derived. Numerical examples are presented to demonstrate the accuracy of the method in two-dimensional elastostatics.
Stereoregularity of PVC studied by 13C NMR

The proton decoupled 13C NMR spectra of PVC polymerized at various temperatures were obtained using a 150-MHz NMR spectrometer. Chemical shift changes induced by a solvent effect were utilized to allow the detection of the six possible tetrads. Eight of ten possible pentads were also observed. The relative areas of tetrads and triads indicate that the polymerization of PVC above −20°C is Bernoullian.
Analyses and Corrections of Instrumental Errors in Ellipsometry

Expressions for the errors produced in an ellipsometer due to an imperfect compensator, due to birefringence in windows of a cell containing the sample, and due to tilting of the sample are derived. Methods of analyzing the ellipsometer readings to eliminate these errors are given.
Investigation of causes leading to dielectric flashover in a laser triggered gas switch

Summary form only given. In support of Sandia pulsed power efforts, we are beginning a study of dielectric flashover in a laser triggered gas switch. The goal of this study is to determine important factors leading to flashover in a laser triggered gas switch (LTGS) filled with SF6. The University of Missouri - terawatt test stand is testing a rim fire LTGS housing to understand and improve the flashover characteristics of these switches. A rim fire LTGS was modified to mimic normal operating conditions of the trigger section of a switch tested on Z20. The modified switch was tested repeatedly over a range of pressures to acquire insulator flashover statistics. The switch was then altered and tested under various conditions to try to improve the flashover characteristics of the trigger section. The aspects of the switch that were identified for testing include, but were not limited to, geometry of the insulator, switch cleaning procedure, field shaping and type of insulator. An analysis of the findings of this study is presented
Lack of effect of vanadyl trichloride on hepatic drug metabolism in the rat

Summary This investigation was undertaken to assess the influence of vanadyl trichloride on drug action in male rats. Following the addition of vanadyl trichloride (2.5×10 −6 M to 2.5×10 −3 M) to rat liver supernatant fractions, significant inhibition of drug metabolism was evident only at vanadium ion concentrations greater than 2.5×10 −4 M. Following in vivo vanadium administration (2 mg V/kg, i.p. for 2 days) duration of pentobarbital hypnosis measured 48 hours later was not significantly prolonged. Brain and plasma concentrations of pentobarbital determined at the time of awakening were not significantly different from controls. Pretreatment with vanadium did not exert any significant effects on hepatic microsomal metabolism of either aniline or p -nitroanisole nor did it alter microsomal levels of cytochrome P-450. These data indicate that vanadyl trichloride is a weak inhibitor of the drug metabolizing enzyme system when added in vitro , but does not alter enzyme activity following in vivo administration.
Management of advanced heart failure

Congestive heart failure (CHF) due to progressive systolic dysfunction has become a modern-day epidemic. Despite the increased incidence and prevalence, significant progress has been made in the past 10 to 15 years in the treatment of CHF at all stages. The current outlook for patients with newly diagnosed, mild heart failure is encouraging. It should be noted, however, that most of the morbidity and health care expenditure is incurred by a minority of patients diagnosed with CHF who are in the advanced stages of their disease. The thrust of this article will be to provide practical advice beyond current guidelines on the management of advanced CHF.
Electrical transport properties of epitaxial BaTiO3 thin films

Measurements of the temperature dependent transport properties of epitaxial BaTiO3 are reported. Electrical resistivity and thermoelectric power were measured over the temperature range of 77–300 K. Room temperature resistivities of the as‐deposited, undoped films range from 105 to 108 Ω cm, while values as low as 55 Ω cm are obtained for the La‐doped films. The resistivity shows an activated temperature dependence with the measured activation energies ranging between 0.11 and 0.50 eV. The activation energy depends strongly upon the thin film carrier concentration. Thermoelectric power measurements indicate that the films are n‐type. The Seebeck coefficient for La‐doped BaTiO3 exhibits metallike behavior, with its magnitude directly proportional to temperature. Temperature dependent resistivity and thermopower measurements indicate that the carrier mobility is activated. A transport model is proposed whereby conduction occurs in the La‐doped films via hopping between localized states within a pseudogap fo...
Feedstocks Affect the Diversity and Distribution of Propionate CoA-Transferase Genes (pct) in Anaerobic Digesters

Anaerobic digestion (AD) is an attractive microbiological technology for both waste treatment and energy production. Syntrophic acetogenic bacteria are an important guild because they are essential for maintaining efficient and stable AD operation. However, this guild is poorly understood due to difficulties to culture them. In this study, we developed specific PCR assays targeting the propionate-CoA transferase genes (pct) to investigate their diversity and distribution in several mesophilic anaerobic digesters and a bench-scale temperature-phased AD (TPAD) system. Phylogenetic analysis of sequenced pct amplicons revealed the occurrence of Syntrophobacter fumaroxidans and six other clusters of putative pct genes. Principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) showed that pct diversity and abundance were largely correlated to the feedstocks of the digesters, while little difference was seen between the granular and the liquid fractions of each digester or between the two digesters of the TPAD system. Cluster-specific qPCR analysis revealed major impact of feedstocks and fractions on the abundance of pct genes. Readily fermentable substrates such as sugar- or starch-rich feedstocks selected for pct genes (Cluster I) related to Syntrophobacter, while manure feedstock selected for pct clusters related to pct of Clostridium spp. These results suggest that propionate metabolism can be affected by feedstocks and partition differently between solid and liquid phases in digesters. The PCR assays developed in this study may serve as a tool to investigate propionate-oxidizing bacteria in anaerobic digesters and other anaerobic environments.
3D fluorescence microscopy imaging accounting for depth-varying point-spread functions predicted by a strata interpolation method and a principal component analysis method

In three-dimensional (3D) computational imaging for wide-field microscopy, estimation methods that solve the inverse imaging problem play an important role. The accuracy of the forward model has a significant impact on the complexity of the estimation method and consequently on the accuracy of the estimated intensity. Previous studies have shown that a forward model based on a depth-varying point-spread function (DV-PSF) leads to a substantial improvement in the resulting images because it accounts for depth-induced aberrations present in the imaging system. In this depth-varying (DV) model, the depth-dependent imaging effects are handled using a stratum-based interpolation method defined on discrete, non-overlapping layers or strata along the Z axis. Recently, a new approximation method based on a principle component analysis (PCA) was developed to predict DV-PSFs1 with improved accuracy over the DV-PSFs predicted by the strata interpolation method of Ref. [11]. In this study, we implemented the PCA-based forward model for DV imaging to further compare the two approaches. DV-PSFs and forward models were computed using both the strata-based and the new PCA-based approximation schemes. Differences are quantified as a function of the approximation, i.e. the number of bases or strata used in each case respectively. A new PCA-based image estimation method was also developed based on the DV expectation maximization (DV-EM) algorithm of Ref. [11]. Preliminary evaluation of the performance of the PCA-based estimation shows promising results and consistency with previous results obtained in previous studies.
Sponge: a case study in practice-based collaborative art research

In this paper, we describe the origins, thematics, projects and practices of the art research collective Sponge. In particular, we focus on Sponge as a useful case study in transdisciplinary, collaborative practice-based research in creative art and design production and specifically, on Sponge as a unique example of a community of practice that spans artistic production, techno-scientific research, and critical studies. Issues essential to collaborative work practices such as shared language, construction of boundary objects, accommodation of differing epistemic cultures as well Sponge's thematic interest in performance, materiality and agency are examined in the context of several large scale artistic projects produced in the US, Canada and Europe. Finally, we examine the relationship between Sponge and the second author's Topological Media Lab in trying to come to terms with the differing scales and life cycles in partnering between the university-based research lab and the sphere of artistic and cultural production.
A new spectroscopy method for in situ rapid detection and classification of micro-organisms

Recent developments in the characterization of particle dispersions have demonstrated that complementary information on the joint particle property distribution (size-shape-chemical composition) of micron and sub-micron particles is available from multiwavelength spectrophotometric measurements. The UV-VIS transmission spectra of the microorganism suspensions reported herein were recorded using a Hewlett-Packard 8453 diode array spectrometer with an acceptance angle smaller than 2 degrees. To eliminate concentration and particle number effects, the transmission spectra were normalized with the average optical density between 230-900 nm. Experimental results demonstrate that microorganisms at various states of growth give rise to spectral differences that can be used for their identification and classification and that this technology can be used for the characterization of the joint particle property distribution for a large variety of continuous, on-line, and in-situ particle characterization applications. An interpretation model has been developed for the quantitative interpretation of spectral patterns resulting from transmission measurements of microorganism suspensions. The interpretation model is based on light scattering theory and spectral deconvolution techniques and yields the quantitative information necessary to define the probability of the detection and identification of microorganisms. A data base of 54 pathogens has been created and demonstrates that the technology can be used in the field for real-time in-situ monitoring applications.
Genomic DNA-mediated gene transfer for argininosuccinate synthetase.

Canavanine-resistant (Canr) human cells overproduce argininosuccinate synthetase without the occurrence of gene amplification. Using calcium phosphate precipitation, genomic DNA from Canr human cells was used to carry out gene transfer into Chinese hamster cells, which do not express argininosuccinate synthetase activity. Growth in tissue culture medium with citrulline substituted for arginine was adequate to select enzyme-positive colonies. Six independent isolates were selected for detailed analysis by enzyme assay, Southern blotting, Northern blotting, and S1 nuclease analysis, the last of which distinguishes human and hamster mRNA. Five isolates were transferrants containing the human structural gene and synthesizing human enzyme. One isolate represented a cell line synthesizing Chinese hamster enzyme. The data document (1) gene transfer of DNA fragments at least 80 kb in length, (2) the low level of spontaneous activation of the argininosuccnate synthetase locus in Chinese hamster cells, (3) the feasibility of this expression and selection system for DNA-mediated gene transfer, and (4) a method for distinguishing the human and hamster gene products at an RNA level.
A contemporary analysis of outcomes for operative repair of type A aortic dissection in the United States.

Background Despite recent advances, reported mortality rates after repair for acute type A aortic dissection vary from 5% to 30%. This study was conducted to assess cross-sectional mortality after operative repair of type A dissection in the United States, and to determine whether a volume–outcome relationship exists for this operative procedure. Methods Data were obtained from the Nationwide Inpatient Sample, which is a cross-sectional administrative database incorporating 20% of all annual US hospital discharges. From 1995 to 2003, a cohort of 3013 patients with thoracic or thoracoabdominal dissection who underwent aortic resection was identified. Patient demographics, hospital volumes, and teaching status were included as independent variables. Results The mean age was 62 ± 14 years (65% male). In-hospital mortality for the study period was 26%, but it decreased from 27% in 1995 to 23% in 2003 ( P = .03). A significant correlation was found between procedural volume and mortality ( P P P = .002). Conclusions Operative mortality for repair of ascending aortic dissection in the United States has shown modest temporal improvements. More importantly, operative mortality seems to be dependent on the arena of care.