cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trimming and Sheared Edge Stretchability of Light Weight Sheet Metal Blanks

Abstract In recent years, implementation of aluminum alloys, advanced high strength steels (AHSS) and ultra high strength steels (UHSS) is quickly increasing in automotive components due to their superior structural performance and vehicle weight reduction capabilities. However, these materials are often sensitive to sheared edge cracking if stretching along the sheared edge occurs in such processes as drawing of panels with blanked windows, stretch flanging and stretch hemming of edges of the panel. This study is dedicated to development of experimental techniques necessary to account for all these factors as well as reporting the experimental results and general trends. Analysis of hole punching process indicated that uniformity of the cutting clearance is rather difficult to keep consistent, especially for UHSS material where cutting forces are substantially higher than for mild steels or aluminum alloys, and stiffness of the tool starts playing critical role. Therefore, majority of experimental studies were performed as tensile tests of samples sheared along straight line in a dedicated trim tool where special measures were taken to achieve consistency of the die clearance. Experimental results on sheared edge stretchability of Aluminum alloy 6111-T4 and UHSS steel DP980 are reported. Mechanism of fracture propagation in trimming and hole punching processes is discussed in conjunction with sheared edge stretchability. Propagation of fracture from the upper cutting edge to the lower cutting edge of the trim die is the mechanism which enables higher stretchability of the sheared edge. Mechanism of fracture leading to crack propagation to the free surface of the blank usually results in formation of burrs and lower sheared edge stretchability. Rather unique mechanism of fracture observed for trimming of UHSS DP980 steel leads to burr breaking at the final stage of the shearing process.
Fibroblast growth factor 2 induces proliferation and fibrosis via SNAI1-mediated activation of CDK2 and ZEB1 in corneal endothelium

Investigating stimulation of endogenous wound healing in corneal endothelial cells (CECs) may help address the global shortage of donor corneas by decreasing the number of transplants performed for blindness because of endothelial dysfunction. We previously reported that IL-1β stimulation leads to fibroblast growth factor (FGF2) expression, enhancing migration and proliferation of mammalian CECs. However, FGF2 also promotes the endothelial-mesenchymal transition, which can lead to retrocorneal membrane formation and blindness. This prompted us to investigate downstream FGF2 signaling targets that could be manipulated to prevent retrocorneal membrane formation. FGF2 stimulation altered cell morphology and induced expression of mesenchymal transition marker genes such as snail family transcriptional repressor 1 (SNAI1), SNAI2, zinc finger E-box–binding homeobox 1 (ZEB1), and ZEB2. This, in turn, induced expression of fibronectin, vimentin, and type I collagen, and suppressed E-cadherin in CECs in vitro and ex vivo. siRNA-mediated SNAI1 knockdown revealed that SNAI1 induces ZEB1 expression, in turn inducing expression of type I collagen, the major component of retrocorneal membranes, and of cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2) and cyclin E1, promoting cell proliferation. siRNA-mediated knockdown of SNAI1 or ZEB1, but not of CDK2, inhibited FGF2-dependent expression of fibronectin, vimentin, and type I collagen and of suppression of E-cadherin expression. We conclude that SNAI1 is a key regulator of FGF2-dependent mesenchymal transition in human ex vivo corneal endothelium, with ZEB1 regulating type I collagen expression and CDK2 regulating cell proliferation. These results suggest that SNAI1 promotes fibrosis and cell proliferation in human corneal endothelium through ZEB1 and CDK2.
Integration of Neuropsychology in Primary Care

The field of neuropsychology is making inroads in primary care as the importance of cognition in physical health is increasingly acknowledged. With neuropsychology primary care integration, patients receive a range of cognitive assessments (e.g., screens, brief neuropsychological assessments, treatment recommendations through provider-to-neuropsychologist consultations) based on a stepped model of care which can more efficiently diagnose cognitive disorders/problems and assist with treatment. Two case studies are described to illuminate this process. Information is provided to illustrate how neuropsychology integration was introduced in two primary care clinics at a community-based hospital system.
Follow-up of negative MRI-targeted prostate biopsies: when are we missing cancer?

Multiparametric magnetic resonance imaging (mpMRI) has improved clinicians’ ability to detect clinically significant prostate cancer (csPCa). Combining or fusing these images with the real-time imaging of transrectal ultrasound (TRUS) allows urologists to better sample lesions with a targeted biopsy (Tbx) leading to the detection of greater rates of csPCa and decreased rates of low-risk PCa. In this review, we evaluate the technical aspects of the mpMRI-guided Tbx procedure to identify possible sources of error and provide clinical context to a negative Tbx. A literature search was conducted of possible reasons for false-negative TBx. This includes discussion on false-positive mpMRI findings, termed “PCa mimics,” that may incorrectly suggest high likelihood of csPCa as well as errors during Tbx resulting in inexact image fusion or biopsy needle placement. Despite the strong negative predictive value associated with Tbx, concerns of missed disease often remain, especially with MR-visible lesions. This raises questions about what to do next after a negative Tbx result. Potential sources of error can arise from each step in the targeted biopsy process ranging from “PCa mimics” or technical errors during mpMRI acquisition to failure to properly register MRI and TRUS images on a fusion biopsy platform to technical or anatomic limits on needle placement accuracy. A better understanding of these potential pitfalls in the mpMRI-guided Tbx procedure will aid interpretation of a negative Tbx, identify areas for improving technical proficiency, and improve both physician understanding of negative Tbx and patient-management options.
The Gest Oriental Library at Princeton University

The Gest Oriental Library was founded by two men, Guion Moore Gest and his friend and adviser Commander I. V. Gillis. Mr. Gest (1864–1948) was a Quaker in religion and an engineer by profession. In 1914 he founded in New York City the construction engineering firm bearing his name, which specialized in laying underground electrical conduits and which did important engineering work in South America and Asia as well as in the United States and Canada. It was during one of his business visits to China that Mr. Gest met Commander Gillis, then Naval Attache at the United States Legation in Peking, who later was to resign his naval commission and become Mr. Gest’ s adviser and agent in the selection and purchase of the Chinese books which now form the Gest Oriental Library. In a true sense, Gillis (who died also in 1948) was a cofounder of the Gest Library.
Carlos Monsiváis: Discurso a dos voces

TEXTOS HIBRIDOS Vol. 1, No. 1 (julio 2011) CARLOS MONSIVAIS: DISCURSO A DOS VOCES 1 Anadeli Bencomo University of Houston Atisbar la Historia, inmiscuirse en la Historia, fotografiar la Historia, ?que aliciente mayor? Carlos Monsivais Creo estar en lo justo pero nunca de modo suficiente. Corregir de modo incesante es la minima demostracion de seriedad. Carlos Monsivais EN el ano 2008, la Universidad Autonoma de la Ciudad de Mexico (UACM) convoco a un coloquio para celebrar los 70 anos de Carlos Monsivais y su importante trayectoria dentro de la cultura mexicana y latinoamericana. En esa ocasion presente una version abreviada de este texto, cuyo objetivo central era comentar la reedicion de una de las cronicas de Monsivais. “No sin nosotros”. Los dias del terremoto 1985-2005 (2005). La reedicion de la cronica monsivaita sobre el terremoto que sacudiera a la Ciudad de Mexico en 1985 constituia algo mas que un gesto rememorativo al presentar un extenso prologo a modo de portico ensayistico que contextualizaba el texto original dentro de las dos decadas que habian transcurrido desde entonces. 2 En este prologo, titulado “Despues del terremoto: de algunas transformaciones de la vida nacional”, el cronista se propone resenar de manera critica “algo de lo muchisimo que ha ocurrido en veinte anos” en materia de movilizaciones sociales en Mexico. Me interesa abordar este libro en particular dentro de la amplia obra de este autor, puesto que la factura textual de esta reedicion conmemorativa pone de relieve un rasgo importante dentro de su produccion, esto es, la publicacion de sus cronicas dentro del formato de libro va generalmente acompanada de un ensayo introductorio que contextualiza la tematica de la prosa cronistica y el estado de animo autorial. Esta doble condicion generica del volumen en cuestion tendria la ventaja de permitirnos Este texto forma parte de mi libro Entre heroes, fantasmas y apocalipticos: testigos y paisajes en la cronica mexicana. La cronica “Los dias del terremoto” fue publicada originalmente en el ano 1987 dentro del volumen Entrada Libre. Cronicas de la sociedad que se organiza.
Evaluation of Helical-Cruciform Fuel Rod Assemblies for High-Power-Density LWRs

Because of the immense capital costs associated with new nuclear construction, interest remains high in developing strategies to uprate existing light water reactors (LWRs) for higher power density...
Parkin: A Multipurpose Neuroprotective Agent?

Abstract An autosomal recessive juvenile-onset form of Parkinson's disease (AR-JP) is caused by loss-of-function mutations of the parkin gene, which encodes a ubiquitin-protein ligase. Three recent reports demonstrate that parkin can protect neurons from diverse cellular insults, including α-synuclein toxicity, proteasomal dysfunction, Pael-R accumulation, and kainate-induced excitotoxicity. These findings suggest a central role for parkin in maintaining dopaminergic neuronal integrity and strengthen the link between AR-JP and the more common sporadic form of Parkinson's disease.
Development of a System for Correlation of Time Motion and Two Dimensional Cardiac Images

In order to perform quantitative ultrasonic assessment of cardiac function, it is essential that the necessary muscle blood interfaces be accurately located. Numerous articles have reported on structure recognition and quantitative measurements using Time Motion (TM) mode ultrasonic records. More recently researchers have demonstrated the ability to perform measurements from stop action two dimensional (B-mode) cardiac images. Uncertainty in detection of the appropriate interfaces has been noted in both of these modes. That is, TM records often exhibit echo groups which appear to move in parallel, any one or none of which might actually be the structure of interest. A similar difficulty arises in the two dimensional mode where the lower level endocardial echoes often display little spatial continuity and can easily be confused with non-interface echoes. This is especially true of gated images where even a small amount of physiological noise can destroy any fine positional continuity. Because of the obvious complementary relationship between the two modes of scanning, it is of interest to explore methods of combining and correlating information measured by both recording modes.
Biogeographical archaeology in the Eastern North American Arctic

Environmental conditions of the Eastern North American Arctic make this region suitable for biogeographical approaches to culture. Although composed of a vast assemblage of large and small islands, the Eastern Arctic differs from other “oceanic” environments where modern biogeographical work has been pioneered. This paper outlines conditions which make the Eastern Arctic suitable for biogeographical study and considers the nature of “islands” as analytical constructs rather than as discrete entities. Biogeographical concepts are considered in relation to the “core-periphery model” that has been the organizing principle for interpreting patterns of Eastern Arctic culture history. Abstractions, aspects, and conclusions reached from these studies outline some of the opportunities available for application of more directed anthropological biogeographical work in the future.
The Right to Own the Means of Production

All liberals agree that certain civil and political liberties such as freedom of speech and assembly are “basic liberties”—that is, liberties whose protection takes priority over other political goals. However, liberals disagree about the status of “productive private property,” i.e. property used for economic production. Some liberals argue that the right to privately own the means of productive property ought to be considered a basic human right, yet most liberals remain unconvinced. This paper offers a new defense of the human right to own productive private property. We argue that the right is implied by two other rights that all liberals recognize as basic human rights—the right to dispose of personal property and the right of occupational choice. On our account, the right to productive private property is simply one specification of the rights to personal property and occupational choice in roughly the same way that the right to work as a motivational speaker is one specification of the rights to freedom of speech and occupational choice. We consider the major objections lodged against previous defenses of the basic right to own productive private property and conclude that they are unsuccessful against our own case.
Current state of clinical trials in breast cancer brain metastases.

Background Breast cancer brain metastases (BCBM) are the final frontier in neuro-oncology for which more efficacious therapies are required. In this work, we explore clinical trials in BCBM, and determine the shortcomings in the development of new BCBM therapies to shed light on potential areas for enhancement. Methods On July 9, 2018, we searched ClinicalTrials.gov for all interventional and therapeutic clinical trials involving BCBM, without limiting for date or location. Information on trial characteristics, including phase, status, start and end dates, study design, primary endpoints, selection criteria, sample size, experimental interventions, results, and publications were collected and analyzed. Results Fifty-three trials fulfilled the selection criteria. Median trial duration across phases ranged between 3 and 6 years. More than half of the trials were conducted in the United States. Although 94% of the trials were in early phases (I-II), 20% of patients were in phase III trials. Two phase III trials were anteceded by phase II trials that were non-randomized; one reported positive results. Approximately one-third of the trials were completed, whereas 23% of trials were terminated early; mostly due to inadequate enrollment. Only 13% of all trials and 22% of completed trials had published results directly linked to their primary outcomes. Conclusions The low number of trials and accrual numbers, the lack of diversity, and the scarcity of published results represent the main troubles in clinical BCBM research. Optimization of BCBM trials is necessary to achieve effective therapies.
Apoptosis induction in mammary tumors in mice improves the intratumoral distribution and efficacy of oncolytic viral therapy

4945 The large size of viral vectors limits their distribution through the interstitial matrix (IM) and the narrow space between tumor cells. We hypothesized that the induction of apoptosis in tumor cells would create large void spaces in the tumor that could enhance the intratumoral distribution and thus the anti-tumor efficacy of replication-competent Herpes Simplex Virus (HSV). We have recently shown that paclitaxel/TRAIL improves the distribution of HSV injected into human MDA-MB-435S tumors implanted in the mammary fat pad and that HSV-infected cells were predominantly located in the periphery of apoptotic areas. In the present study, we determined the effect of paclitaxel/TRAIL on the IM composition and on tumor growth before and after the intratumoral injection of HSV, and developed a genetic approach to regulate the levels of apoptosis in tumors. To determine if a reduction in IM content could influence the viral distribution, we stained MDA-MB-435S sections for collagen I and hyaluronan. Paclitaxel/TRAIL treatment had no effect on the collagen I content but significantly increased the levels of hyaluronan in tumors. Therefore, the increased distribution of HSV was not associated to a decrease in collagen or hyaluronan content. To test if paclitaxel/TRAIL-induced apoptosis improves the therapeutic efficacy of oncolytic viral therapy, we measured the volume of MDA-MB-435S tumors in thefollowing treatment groups, (1) saline plus vehicle, (2) saline plus HSV, (3) HSV plus paclitaxel (15 mg/Kg) /TRAIL (500 µg/mouse) or (4) Paclitaxel/TRAIL plus HSV. The average tumor doubling time was (1) 23.7 ±2.1, (2) 38.8 ±3.9, (3) 46 ±2.9 and (4) 59 ±4.7 days. The administration of paclitaxel/TRAIL before the intratumoral injection of HSV produced a significantly longer tumor growth delay than the injection of HSV followed by paclitaxel/TRAIL (p
Drivers of differences in inventiveness across urban and rural regions

Heterogeneity of inventiveness across urban, metro-adjacent rural and remote rural counties is analyzed using a spatial autoregressive negative binomial regression model, taking into account spatia...
Deceiving Portable Executable Malware Classifiers into Targeted Misclassification with Practical Adversarial Examples

Due to voluminous malware attacks in the cyberspace, machine learning has become popular for automating malware detection and classification. In this work we play devil's advocate by investigating a new type of threats aimed at deceiving multi-class Portable Executable (PE) malware classifiers into targeted misclassification with practical adversarial samples. Using a malware dataset with tens of thousands of samples, we construct three types of PE malware classifiers, the first one based on frequencies of opcodes in the disassembled malware code (opcode classifier), the second one the list of API functions imported by each PE sample (API classifier), and the third one the list of system calls observed in dynamic execution (system call classifier). We develop a genetic algorithm augmented with different support functions to deceive these classifiers into misclassifying a PE sample into any target family. Using an Rbot malware sample whose source code is publicly available, we are able to create practical adversarial samples that can deceive the opcode classifier into targeted misclassification with a successful rate of 75%, the API classifier with a successful rate of 83.3%, and the system call classifier with a successful rate of 91.7%.
Mass Sporting Event Coverage

Medical coverage for mass sporting events, including marathons, ultramarathons, and triathlons, presents unique logistical challenges for the medical team. The medical director needs to work closely with the race director in understanding the particular challenges specific to the event. Because these events typically take place over a large geographic area, developing a clear communication plan within the medical team is crucial to ensure that proper care is being provided to the athletes. Preparation for these events also involves creating a race protocol specific to the event, communicating expectations with athletes, coordinating care with local emergency medicine services (EMS), recruiting and organizing medical staff, and providing medical supplies appropriate to the care required for the individual race.
Chapter 21 – Organization and Financing of Health Care

Publisher Summary Growth in the costs of Medicare and Medicaid is attributable to the same factors generating rising costs in the rest of the health care system. The constant development of new technologies and procedures, increasing rates of utilization, and a high rate of inflation in the overall health care arena have much greater effects. Medicaid offers generous fill-in benefits for persons with low incomes and assets. The financing issues facing Medicaid are also complicated. The concern about crowding out within state budgets can be made for this program as well, especially because the constitutions of almost all states require them to balance their budgets. A number of studies have tracked changes in employer behavior, each showing the same downward trend. Medigap is most useful for reducing potential catastrophic expenses for those who have high costs in a particular year. The financing of the Medicare program is likely to face key challenges in moving forward. The future of Medicare remains a controversial political issue mainly because this is a large and popular public program that faces projections of rapid growth. A good area to begin improvements in knowledge about the effectiveness of medical care would be with prescription drugs. Issues of fairness raise important considerations about how much beneficiaries can be asked to pay and how much should be required from others.
Pseudocowpox virus infection in an American bison (Bison bison).

The present report describes a case of pseudocowpox virus (PCPV) infection in a seven-year-old female bison euthanized due to a history of declining condition and sores on the vulva and udder. External examination revealed multifocal, raised, keratinized plaques (0.5–2 cm) covering the skin of the ventral surface of the tail, perineum, caudoventral abdomen, udder, both inguinal recesses, and the medial aspects of both thighs. No significant gross lesions were present in the reminder of the tissues examined. Histopathological examination of the affected skin showed moderate epidermal hyperplasia with rete pegs, marked parakeratotic hyperkeratosis with crusts of degenerate neutrophils and cell debris, and few epithelial cells undergoing ballooning degeneration with occasional eosinophilic intracytoplasmic inclusion bodies (3–5 μm Bollinger body). Negative staining electron microscopy from skin revealed typical Parapoxvirus (PPV) particles, which were also confirmed by real-time PCR (Ct =18.6). Metagenomic analysis of the skin samples revealed only poxviruses. The bison parapox B2L envelope gene clustered with other parapox sequences identified from ruminants. This is the first report of PCPV virus infection in an American bison. Identification of novel susceptible hosts of parapox viruses sheds light on the viral evolution and highlights the importance of potential economic impact of this disease to the bison industry.
CYP2D6 Phenotype Influences Aripiprazole Tolerability in Pediatric Patients with Mood Disorders.

Objective: To determine the effect of CYP2D6 metabolizer status on aripiprazole tolerability in pediatric patients with mood disorders. Methods: We retrospectively reviewed electronic medical recor...
A cyber-resilient privacy framework for the smart grid with dynamic billing capabilities

The desired features for the smart grid include dynamic billing capabilities along with consumer privacy protection. Existing aggregation-based privacy frameworks have limitations such as centralized designs prone to single points of failure and/or a high computational overload on the smart meters due to in-network aggregation or complex algorithmic operations. Additionally, these existing schemes do not consider how dynamic billing can be implemented while consumer privacy is preserved. In this paper, a cyber-resilient framework that enables dynamic billing while focusing on consumer privacy preservation is proposed. The distributed design provides a framework for spatio-temporal aggregation and keeps the process lightweight for the smart meters. The comparative analysis of our proposed work with existing work shows a significant improvement in terms of the spatial aggregation overhead, overhead on smart meters and scalability. The paper also discusses the resilience of our framework against privacy attacks.
A note on Möbius functions and a breaking process

Links between Mobius functions and inverse semigroups are an interesting topic for study. In this paper, we restrict our interest to the submonoid of right units (as a Mobius monoid) of a combinato...
Rethinking Museum Shops in the Context of the Climate Crisis

This paper critically evaluates the role of the museum shop in the context of the climate crisis. Specifically, it considers how museum shops might be reconceptualized as an important facet of visitor communication within the emerging category of climate museums. Theoretically, the paper references the conceptual linkages of material and commodity culture in relation to climate issues, while practically, it frames the shop as a space that can both support exhibition messaging and prompt behavioral changes among visitors that might help reduce their planetary impact. These claims are explored with reference to the concepts of “gestalt” and “nudge” theory. The paper presents three approaches for effecting such changes: 1. Extended exhibition messaging through shop products; 2. Consistency of tone between exhibition and shop spaces; 3. Imposing limits on the shop space to convey environmental messages. Ultimately, the paper argues for the shop as a more integral cultural component of the museum complex.
Uniquely intersectable graphs

Abstract The concept of unique intersectability of a graph is introduced; this is related to the intersection number of a graph. The triangle-free condition is sufficient but not necessary for a graph to be uniquely intersectable. Other results related to the intersection number of a graph and its unique intersectability are established. Four families of graphs with triangles are shown to be uniquely intersectable.
Building a Resilient LIASE Program by Developing Multiple Field Sites

Most LIASE-sponsored programs incorporate some type of fieldwork in Asia as a primary element. Sustaining these field sites over the long term is vulnerable to varying levels of faculty commitment, personal relationships with overseas partner institutions, and the vicissitudes of student interest, especially given the small student pools at liberal arts colleges. Eckerd College has met this challenge by using a joint on-campus program to feed into multiple field research locations, which broadens the opportunities for faculty and student engagement. It has also allowed us to let some field sites lapse when they were not working out, without undermining the integrity and continuity of the overall program.
Early Hospital Compliance With Federal Requirements for Price Transparency.

This cross-sectional study assesses compliance within a random sample of hospitals with a federal rule requiring hospitals to disclose the prices they negotiate with insurers.
Nostalgia and rumors in the rural methamphetamine market

Rural Missouri previously had among the highest numbers of “mom and pop” methamphetamine laboratories in the United States, but after the Combat Methamphetamine Epidemic Act was passed (2005) such laboratories declined dramatically. Today, industrially produced methamphetamine imported from Mexico, ice, dominates in the United States (DEA in: National Drug Threat Assessment. United States Drug Enforcement Administration, 2020). Our analysis of semi-structured interviews conducted in 2019 with 40 women involved in the methamphetamine market in rural Missouri shows their cultural responses to this market shift. Our data revealed widespread nostalgia towards former, locally produced meth types, along with rumors regarding the new ice. The rumors resembled horror stories and portrayed the imported ice as a dangerous fungus, and also thematized “Mexicans”/“cartels,” and the federal government. We interpret nostalgia and rumors as cultural symptoms following the loss of control over means of meth production and resulting limited knowledge about production and contents of ice. Additionally, ice represents a pressing power threat in response to perceived racial heterogenization, changing of rural communities, and interconnected threats to their collective identities.
The Study of Brain Electrical Activity in Infants

Publisher Summary This chapter describes the descriptive aspects of the developmental electrophysiology of the human brain. Much relevant data derived from animal studies are found in the literature. It remains for future investigations to relate such data systematically to anatomical development and other physiological and behavioral processes in the developing infant. Critical periods could be sought; for example, the available data suggest that at age 3–4 months the visual system is ready to participate in complex perceptual processes. It is the epoch during which the dominant occipital rhythm appears and just prior to which the latency of visual evoked responses approaches the adult level; anatomical studies show striking development of occipital cortical neurons between birth and 3 months. It should be possible to devise or adapt test situations involving a range of visual-motor performances from the simplest to the more complex with which to measure the capacity of the infant visual system before, during, and after this probable critical period. Further information is obviously needed on the physiological development of the auditory and somesthetic sensory systems as well as of high level motor functions. Developmental relationships among the conventionally designated “systems” of the brain and the development of interaction among these systems have been studied less. Such studies will be of great importance, because complex behavior, such as conditioning and learning, necessarily involves constant interaction of widespread portions of the nervous system.
Long-term precipitation database, Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed, Arizona, United States

[1] An extensive precipitation database at the ∼149 km2 Walnut Gulch Experimental Watershed (WGEW) has been developed over the past 53 years with the first records starting in August 1953 and continuing to the present. The WGEW is a tributary of the San Pedro River, is located in southeastern Arizona, and surrounds the town of Tombstone. Average annual precipitation for the period of 1956–2005, as measured with six gauges, is roughly 312 mm, with approximately 60% falling during the summer monsoon. From a historical high of 95 rain gauges, a current network of 88 gauges is operational. This constitutes one of the densest rain gauge networks in the world (∼0.6 gauges/km2) for watersheds greater than 10 km2. Through 1999, the network consisted of analog recording weighing rain gauges. In 2000, a newly designed digital gauge with telemetry was placed adjacent (∼1 m) to the analog gauges. Both the analog and digital networks of gauges were in operation from 2000 to 2005 to enable a comparative analysis of the two systems. The analog data were digitized from paper charts and were stored in breakpoint format. The digital data consist of rainfall depths at 1-min intervals during periods of rainfall. All these data can be obtained in a variety of formats and were accumulated over various time intervals (daily, monthly, and annual) via a web interface at http://www.tucson.ars.ag.gov/dap/.
A Locus Determining β-Galactosidase Activity in the Mouse

A group of inbred mouse strains, typified by C3H/HeJ, have twice as much β-galactosidase activity in their tissues as mice of a second group of strains represented by DBA/2J. In all organs tested, the higher activity in C3H/HeJ is expressed throughout development. The difference in activity is determined by a locus designated β-galactosidase (Bgs) on chromosome 9. The alleles present in C3H/HeJ (Bgsh) and in DBA/LiHa (Bgsd) show additive inheritance. Studies of pH optima, heat lability, intracellular location, and molecular weight of the β-galactosidase activity in crude homogenates suggest that only a single enzyme component is present. Partially purified enzyme preparations from C3H/HeJ and DBA/2J were indistinguishable with respect to heat lability, Km for p-nitrophenylgalactoside, and molecular weight. The presence of a single enzyme component, the absence of detectable structural differences, and the additive inheritance of Bgs alleles suggest that this locus may be either a structural gene duplication or a regulatory site controlling the transcription or translation of a closely linked β-galactosidase structural gene.
Stochastic Model for BOD and DO in Estuaries

Using the additional assumption that the degrading process in nature is discrete rather than continuous, one obtains a stochastic model for the process. Unlike the results previously obtained for streams the mean effects did not coincide with previously obtained deterministic results. The mean effect and the fluctuations about this effect were compared with data from the Potomac estuary. The comparison is remarkably good, and strongly indicates the validity of the stochastic model.
Effect of iron status on iron absorption in different habitual meals in young south Indian women

Nutritional iron (Fe) deficiency and consequent anaemia arises when physiological requirements cannot be met by Fe absorption from diet. Data from India indicate that about 40-60 per cent of women of childbearing age may suffer from anaemia1, mostly due to iron deficiency (ID). Women of childbearing age are at risk for a negative Fe balance due to their increased Fe loss through menstruation, gastrointestinal blood loss due to intestinal parasitic infections, and high parity2,3. Vegetarian diets in these women add to the problem3. Dietary Fe bioavailability is low in populations consuming predominantly plant-based diets with little meat4. In meat, 30-70 per cent of Fe is heme Fe, of which 15-35 per cent is absorbed. However, in plant-based diets in developing countries, dietary Fe is non-heme, and its absorption is often less than 10 per cent5. Studies of dietary Fe intake in Indian low socio-economic populations have revealed that the intake was lower than the requirement6, as the diets were predominantly plant based (rice, pulses and vegetables) with high phytic acid levels7. The absorption of Fe from these diets is likely to be poor. The human body tightly regulates the absorption of Fe, such that there is an inverse relationship between Fe status and absorption9. Our previous study, using stable isotopes of Fe in a neutral meal matrix showed mean fractional Fe absorption from a neutral rice meal to be 17.5% in Fe deficient subjects and 7.0 per cent in controls10. This has relevance to the setting of the recommended dietary allowance (RDA) for the daily intake of Fe, which is critically based on the expected bioavailability of Fe from the diet. At present, the bioavailability of Fe from plant based diets is assumed to be 8 per cent in calculating the RDA for Indians11; this means that the RDA for Fe, which is the daily physiological Fe requirement adjusted for bioavailability, is 21 mg/day. Since the key assumption in this recommendation is the Fe bioavailability, and considering lack of human data on the bioavailability of Fe from typical Indian diet in normal or anaemic states, the present study was aimed to measure and compare Fe absorption in both iron deficiency and iron replete (ID and IR) states, using a stable isotopic tracer technique, in a variety of common south Indian meals.
Knowledge and Methods in IS Research: From Beginnings to the Future

The purpose of this paper is to identify some of the key challenges that the Information Systems research community needs to address in order to improve interpretive and critical research approaches in the next decade. In order to achieve this goal, a high level review of the principal trends in IS research methodology since the late 1960s set the stage for an analysis of challenges to be met in the next decade. The past trends in IS research methods are analyzed from the perspective of two questions: what is the implied concept of knowledge and what are the methods of inquiry preferred by various research methods schools? Even though the analysis attempted here should be viewed as tentative and preliminary, it leads to several provocative conclusions. The most significant of these concern the interrelationships between critical and interpretive research.
Thomas Browne's A Letter to a Friend and the semiotics of disease

In its opening pages, Thomas Browne's Letter to a Friend (published posthumously, 1690) declares the physician's instant certainty about the fatal prognosis of a consumptive patient for the benefit of a mutual friend who has asked Browne for a report. If Browne aims to come across as an authoritative physician – and he does – this authority proves a far more complex semiotic affair than his immediate recognition of a fatal consumption. A Letter to a Friend epitomizes how, for Browne, the truly authoritative physician moves beyond the diagnosis of an obvious consumption and its fatal consequences to a heroic wrestling match with the endlessly varied circumstances in which disease was experienced, interpreted, and applied to future lives. Browne's essential point in Letter to A Friend is that even with the most commonplace of diseases and the most certain of prognoses, the true physician faces a swarm of interpretive problems in the service of a wide range of religious, moral, as well as medical roles in a closely knit and intensely felt social context.
Parkinson's disease: neurotransmitter and neurotoxin receptors and their genes.

Studies of the changes in brain neurotransmitter and neurotoxin receptors in Parkinson’s disease now provide information about the state of many receptors. The status of dopamine receptors in the stri
Cinacalcet HCl attenuates parathyroid hyperplasia in a rat model of secondary hyperparathyroidism

Cinacalcet HCl attenuates parathyroid hyperplasia in a rat model of secondary hyperparathyroidism . Background Secondary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) in chronic kidney disease (CKD) is a physiologic response to kidney failure characterized by elevated serum parathyroid hormone (PTH) levels and parathyroid gland enlargement. Calcimimetic agents acting through allosteric modification of the calcium-sensing receptor (CaR) can attenuate parathyroid hyperplasia in rats with secondary HPT. The present study explores the effects of the calcimimetic cinacalcet HCl on parathyroid hyperplasia, apoptosis, and PTH secretion in a rat model of secondary HPT. Methods Cinacalcet HCl was gavaged daily (1, 5, or 10 mg/kg) for 4 weeks starting 6 weeks post-5/6 nephrectomy. After dosing, hyperplasia was determined using parathyroid weight and proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) immunochemistry. Apoptosis was determined using in situ techniques. Serum PTH (1–34) and blood chemistries were determined throughout the course of the study. Results Administration of cinacalcet HCl (5 or 10 mg/kg) significantly reduced the number of PCNA-positive cells and decreased parathyroid weight compared with vehicle-treated 5/6 nephrectomized rats. There was no difference in apoptosis from cinacalcet HCl–treated or vehicle-treated animals. Serum PTH and blood ionized calcium levels decreased in cinacalcet HCl–treated animals compared with vehicle-treated controls. Conclusion The results confirm previous work demonstrating that calcimimetic agents attenuate the progression of parathyroid hyperplasia in subtotally nephrectomized rats, extending earlier observations to now include cinacalcet HCl. These results support a role for the CaR in regulating parathyroid cell proliferation. Therefore, cinacalcet HCl may represent a novel therapy for improving the management of secondary HPT.
Intratympanic steroids for sensorineural hearing loss.

Corticosteroids have been used to treat a variety of inner ear disorders of putative inflammatory or immune-mediated origin. These disorders include idiopathic sudden sensorineural hearing loss (SSNHL), idiopathic rapidly progressive sensorineural hearing loss (ie, autoimmune inner ear disease), otologic manifestations of systemic autoimmune disease such as Cogan’s syndrome or lupus, tertiary syphilis, acute bacterial meningitic deafness, and Meniere’s disease. Conventional administration of steroids for these conditions has been by the oral route, with occasional intravenous administration in more dangerous diseases, such as meningitis or Cogan’s syndrome. In the last few years a number of reports have begun to appear suggesting that intratympanic (IT) administration of corticosteroids may be as good or better than oral administration. The theoretical advantages of IT steroids include high local concentration of the drug within the inner ear fluids and avoidance of systemic steroid side effects. Unfortunately the literature on this topic is limited both in quantity and quality. Autoimmune inner ear disease, Cogan’s syndrome, lupus otitis, and tertiary syphilis are so rare that no single investigator can report anything but anecdotal case reports. Meniere’s disease is far more common, but the disease itself is so variable and outcomes are so difficult to assess objectively that large series and long follow-up intervals are needed to draw statistically valid conclusions about treatment efficacy. In fact there is only one prospective, double-blind, randomized, crossover clinical trial of intratympanic dexamethasone versus placebo for treatment of Meniere’s disease [1]. In this study of 20 subjects, there was no difference in hearing outcome or subjective symptoms between the steroid- and placebo-treated groups.
Induction of CYP1A1 by β-Naphthoflavone in IEC-18 Rat Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Potentiation of Induction by Dibutyryl cAMP

We have examined the inducibility of CYP1A1 by β-naphthoflavone (BNF) in a rat intestinal epithelial cell line, IEC-18, and the associated interaction between cAMP and BNF. CYP1A1 was not constitutively expressed in IEC-18 cells. Upon treatment with BNF, CYP1A1 RNA, protein, and microsomal 7-ethoxyresorufin O-deethylase activity were detected. Treatment with dibutyryl cAMP resulted in a 2-fold increase in the extent of induction at both RNA and protein levels, with corresponding increases in CYP1A1 enzymatic activity. These results support the involvement of protein kinase A in Ah receptor-mediated induction of CYP1A1 and provide anin vitromodel for further studies on the mechanisms underlying regional and cellular differences in the regulation of CYP1A1 gene expression in the small intestine.
Antigen presentation by B cells and macrophages of cytochrome c and its antigenic fragment when conjugated to the surface of liposomes

An in vitro antigen presentation system was used to study how antigens coupled to the surface of phospholipid vesicles (liposomes) are presented to antigen specific T cells. Liposome-bound pigeon cytochrome c (PCC) was 30–40-fold more potent than free PCC when peritoneal macrophages were the presenting cell. B cells presented surface-bound PCC, albeit less efficiently than unmodified PCC. Surface-bound peptide epitope was presented by both cell types, but not as efficiently as unmodified peptide. With the T cell epitope, antigen processing was not required since glutaraldehyde fixed cells could present surface-bound peptide.
Clearing the Fog Constructing Shared Stories of a Novice Teacher's Journey

This study presents parallel perspectives of a novice teacher's struggle to improve his teaching during his third year as an elementary string teacher. Throughout that year, Jelani met with and was observed by his school district supervisor and a faculty member at the local university. All three of us agreed that we wanted Jelani to succeed, yet we each felt as if wandering in a dense fog, unable to discern a clear route to the hoped-for outcome. Alternating between our voices, we tell the stories of our individual experiences as we worked together, creating here the story of our shared journey through gradually lifting haze. We identified four elements that helped disperse the fog: Jelani's increasing pedagogical content knowledge, his self-confidence and persistence, the opportunity for Jelani to work in the university's String Project classes, and the supervisor's mentoring style.
Vocational and Social Adjustment of Learning Disabled Young Adults: A Followup Study

Twenty-one young adults who had received educational services for learning disabilities as young children were interviewed in regard to their adjustment as adults. An interview technique was used to obtain: (a) demographic information, (b) school adjustment information, (c) vocational adjustment information, and (d) social adjustment information. Analysis of the results indicated that the majority of subjects 1) had required additional supportive educational service throughout their schooling; 2) needed vocational assistance; and 3) were often dependent on family support for social activities. The findings are discussed in terms of future investigation with learning disabled adolescents.
Sculpting Cellular Membranes from Inside or Outside

The shape of cellular membranes can be induced by in situ transmembrane proteins as well as by peripheral proteins. Membrane sculpting is a dynamic process and few, if any, experimental methods can capture it. However, molecular dynamics simulations can reveal the process in atomic detail as local membrane bending, once the protein components are in place, occurs within microseconds or faster. Two cases will be discussed.Purple bacteria develop pseudo-organelles made of photosynthetic membranes that are spherically shaped (diameter 70 nm) in some species while they are flat in other species. The main molecular component of the membranes are transmembrane proteins, namely light-harvesting protein LH1 complexed with reaction centers and light-harvesting protein LH2. Simulations in combination with crystallography, electron microscopy, atomic force microscopy and spectroscopy provide a close-up view of membrane sculpting by these photosynthetic transmembrane proteins while also offering an explanation of the geometrical and physical principles at work.The sculpting strategy of N-BAR and F-BAR domains, which have been observed in vitro to form tubular membranes from vesicles, has also been revealed in simulations. A combination of coarse-grained and all-atom molecular dynamics simulations demonstrated that these peripheral proteins, in forming regular lattices as observed by electron microscopy, bend flat membranes into tubes which remain stable even after the proteins are removed. The simulations also revealed that certain protein-lipid interactions are responsible for membrane bending. While the highly regular BAR domain latices seen under in vitro conditions are likely artifactual, the simulations suggest that the proteins work in localized teams in vivo as well.Membrane sculpting poses a fascinating conceptual challenge to biophysicists as an explanation of the process needs to link physical properties at a wide range of time and length scales.
Creutzfeldt-Jakob Disease in the Obstetric Patient

Recent reports have indicated the presence of transmissible spongiform encephalopathy or Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in the United States. This disease can occur as a rare, sporadic disease with no recognizable pattern of transmission or as a familial disease associated with prion protein gene mutations. This article discusses the presence of sporadic Creutzfeldt-Jakob disease in a woman who became pregnant early in the course of the disease and subsequent care pre- and postdelivery.