cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Synthesis of O-α-l-fucopyranosyl-(1→3)-O-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1→4)-2-acetamido-2-deoxy-d-glucopyranose (N-acetyl-3′-O-α-l-fucopyranosyllactosamine)☆

Abstract Methyl 2- O -benzyl-β- d -galactopyranoside ( 6 ) was obtained in five, good yielding steps from methyl β- d -galactopyranoside ( 1 ). Treatment of 1 with tert -butylchlorodiphenylsilane in N,N -dimethylformamide in the presence of imidazole afforded a 6-( tert -butyldiphenylsilyl) ether, which was converted into its 3,4- O -isopropylidene derivative ( 3 ). Benzylation of 3 with benzyl bromide-silver oxide in N,N -dimethylformamide, and subsequent cleavage of its acetal and ether groups then afforded 6 . On similar benzylation, followed by the same sequence of deprotection, benzyl 2-acetamido-3,6-di- O -benzyl-4- O -[6- O -( tert -butyldiphenylsilyl)- 3,4- O -isopropylidene-β- d -galactopyranosyl]-2-deoxy-α- d -glucopyranoside gave the 2- O -benzyl derivative ( 10 ). Compound 10 was converted into its 4,6- O -benzylidene acetal ( 11 ). Glycosylation (catalyzed by halide-ion) of 11 with 2,3,4-tri- O - benzyl-α- l -fucopyranosyl bromide afforded the fully protected trisaccharide derivative ( 13 ). Cleavage of the benzylidene and then the benzyl groups of 13 furnished the title trisaccharide ( 16 ). The structure of 16 was established by 13 C-n.m.r. spectroscopy.
Outcomes-based assessment in engineering education: A critique of its foundations and practice

In the ten or so years since ABET EC2000 and the ldquonewrdquo way of thinking about accreditation were announced, engineering educators internationally have labored dutifully with the difficult, time-consuming and perplexing demands of outcome-based assessment. Without question, ABET EC2000 has captured the attention of engineering administrators and faculty, but it has also dramatically increased the effort required to sustain accreditation in engineering. This essay critically examines key assumptions behind the outcomes-based assessment (OBA) philosophy on which ABET EC2000 is based, and proposes that perhaps as much as engineering education practices, assessment practices should be the subject of assessment and evaluation.
Generalized Interaction Energy Analysis of Intersubunit Linkage in Shaker Potassium Channels

Voltage-dependent potassium channels are crucial for electrical excitability and cellular signaling; however, the molecular machinery that the channel employs, to relay the state of the voltage sensor to the pore, is not well understood. To gain insight into this voltage-transduction pathway, interacting networks need to be reliably mapped. Here we present a methodology to estimate the strength of site specific interactions called the Generalized Interaction-energy Analysis (or GIA). Our approach involves combining thermodynamic cycle analysis with information from the gating charge verses voltage curves of putative interactors. This methodology was benchmarked against well established kinetic models of Shaker potassium channels and BK channels using Monte Carlo like sampling. Our simulations show that GIA can provide free energy estimates in a self-consistent manner that will be useful to identify site-specific interactors that contribute to gating transitions. Implementing this approach on the Shaker potassium channel, we identify a cluster of highly conserved residues, located in the intracellular side of the channel pore, by the gate, that are energetically coupled. Specifically, it appears that tyrosine 485, on the S6 helix, is critical for maintaining the flexibility of an important hinge in the electromechanical coupling pathway.
Alkyne Complexes of Tungsten(IV)

The complete manuscript of this communication appears in: Angew. Chem. Suppl. 1983, 1409. DOI:10.1002/anie.198314090
HERITABILITY ESTIMATES FOR AGE AND LENGTH AT MATURITY IN TWO POPULATIONS OF MOSQUITOFISH THAT SHARED ANCESTORS IN 1905.

Two broad methods can be used to infer selection pressures: direct observation of factors causing differential survival and fecundity in the field, and inference from estimates of heritabilities made in the laboratory. Where possible, both methods should be used, but for many species and many ecological situations, the laboratory method is more practical and is done first. This paper reports estimates of the heritability of two ecologically important traits, age and length at maturity, in two populations of mosquitofish (Gambusia afjinis: Poeciliidae) that shared ancestors in 1905. It also presents information on the significance of genetic effects on growth parameters in these two populations, and on age and length at maturity in an additional four populations. The use of quantitative genetics to investigate ecologically significant traits is a relatively recent development. Sokal (1970), Mertz (1975), Rose and Charlesworth (1980, 1981 a, 1981 b), Taylor and Condra (1980), Barclay and Gregory (1981), and Mueller and Ayala (1981) did selection experiments on flour beetles or fruit flies aimed at understanding the genetic relationship between longevity and fitness traits expressed early in life. Antagonistic pleiotropy is well-supported as the evolutionary mechanism leading to senescence in fruit flies (Rose and Charlesworth, 1980), and is consistent with results from flour beetles (Sokal, 1970; Mertz, 1975). These results suggest a second point that has been supported by other experiments. Dingle et al. (1977), Istock et al. (1976), Doyle (1981), Rez-
School Climate and Administrative Power Strategies of Elementary School Principals

This study examined teachers' perceptions of the use of power tactics by elementary principals. Elementary teachers (N = 297) in 50 schools in North Dakota and Minnesota reported on the use of powe...
Evolving Prehospital, Emergency Department, and "Inpatient" Management Models for Geriatric Emergencies

Alternative management methods are essential to ensure high-quality and efficient emergency care for the growing number of geriatric adults worldwide. Protocols to support early condition-specific treatment of older adults with acute severe illness and injury are needed. Improved emergency department care for older adults will require providers to address the influence of other factors on the patient's health. This article describes recent and ongoing efforts to enhance the quality of emergency care for older adults using alternative management approaches spanning the spectrum from prehospital care, through the emergency department, and into evolving inpatient or outpatient processes of care.
Solar system colonization and interstellar migration

Abstract Solar system colonization is an essential prelude to interstellar migration. Through the incremental settlement of the solar system we can develop the infrastructure necessary to support costly interstellar flight, new spacefaring technologies needed to cover the great distances and to nurture human life during the long flights, and new forms of social organization to enable humans to flourish in exotic environments. Furthermore, as suggested by the history of the colonization of oceanic islands, the successful settlement of the solar system and the exploitation of its resources will “cosmicize” people, encouraging them to look beyond our Sun to other stars and to the prospects for transplanting human life around them.
Postmodern Contributions to Marxian Economics: Theoretical Innovations and their Implications for Class Politics

In this paper I seek to establish that a widely held criticism of postmodern Marxism – that it is morally relativist and does not offer a basis for a systematic analysis of capitalism – is not warranted. I provide a systematic review of the postmodern Marxist literature in three distinct areas – value theory, class analysis of the household and state, and class justice – and I draw on these contributions to show that postmodern Marxism offers new insights into problems of concern to Marxian theorists. I argue, further, that it provides the normative grounds for a class politics that is open to new alliances and new strategies for engaging in class struggle.
CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV regulates prostate cancer metastasis by degrading SDF-1/CXCL12

Stromal derived factor-1 (SDF-1 or CXCL12) expressed by osteoblasts and endothelial cells, and its receptors CXCR4 and CXCR7/RDC1 are key molecular determinants in prostate cancer (PCa) metastasis. What drives PCa cells into the extravascular marrow space(s) once they make contact with the blood vessel endothelium, however remains unclear. Here, we evaluated whether degradation of CXCL12 facilitates PCa cell entry into the marrow cavity by locally lowering CXCL12 levels intravascularly. To explore this possibility, co-cultured conditioned media from PCa cells and endothelial cells were evaluated for their ability to degrade biotinylated CXCL12 (bCXCL12). Co-culture of PCa cells/endothelial cells resulted in greater digestion of CXCL12 than was achieved by either cell type alone, and this activity regulated invasion in vitro. The ability to degrade CXCL12 was not however observed in PCa and osteoblasts co-cultures. Fractionation and inhibitor studies suggested that the activity was CD26/dipeptidyl peptidase IV (DPPIV) and possibly other cysteine/serine proteases. By inhibiting CD26/DPPIV, invasion and metastasis of PCa cell lines were enhanced in in vitro and in vivo metastasis assays. Together, these data suggest that the degradation of CXCL12 by CD26/DPPIV may be involved in the metastatic cascades of PCa, and suggests that inhibition of CD26/DPPIV may be a trigger of PCa metastasis.
Nanotechnology: how does a nanofibre grow?

Decades of research have failed to decipher the atomic-scale mechanism by which carbon nanofibres grow out of vapour. High-resolution microscopy shows that the carbon atoms have a bumpy ride.
Snowshoe hares display limited phenotypic plasticity to mismatch in seasonal camouflage

As duration of snow cover decreases owing to climate change, species undergoing seasonal colour moults can become colour mismatched with their background. The immediate adaptive solution to this mismatch is phenotypic plasticity, either in phenology of seasonal colour moults or in behaviours that reduce mismatch or its consequences. We observed nearly 200 snowshoe hares across a wide range of snow conditions and two study sites in Montana, USA, and found minimal plasticity in response to mismatch between coat colour and background. We found that moult phenology varied between study sites, likely due to differences in photoperiod and climate, but was largely fixed within study sites with only minimal plasticity to snow conditions during the spring white-to-brown moult. We also found no evidence that hares modify their behaviour in response to colour mismatch. Hiding and fleeing behaviours and resting spot preference of hares were more affected by variables related to season, site and concealment by vegetation, than by colour mismatch. We conclude that plasticity in moult phenology and behaviours in snowshoe hares is insufficient for adaptation to camouflage mismatch, suggesting that any future adaptation to climate change will require natural selection on moult phenology or behaviour.
The Research to Practice Projects: Lessons Learned about Changing Teacher Practice.

In this paper, we present a synthesis of the most valuable lessons learned from five OSEP-funded, directed-research projects as a contribution to the collective understanding of the field of specia...
Genetic variation in cortico-amygdala serotonin function and risk for stress-related disease

The serotonin system is strongly implicated in the pathophysiology and therapeutic alleviation of stress-related disorders such as anxiety and depression. Serotonergic modulation of the acute response to stress and the adaptation to chronic stress is mediated by a myriad of molecules controlling serotonin neuron development (Pet-1), synthesis (tryptophan hydroxylase 1 and 2 isozymes), packaging (vesicular monoamine transporter 2), actions at presynaptic and postsynaptic receptors (5-HT1A, 5-HT1B, 5-HT2A, 5-HT2C, 5-HT3A, 5-HT4, 5-HT5A, 5-HT6, 5-HT7), reuptake (serotonin transporter), and degradation (monoamine oxidase A). A growing body of evidence from preclinical rodents models, and especially genetically modified mice and inbred mouse strains, has provided significant insight into how genetic variation in these molecules can affect the development and function of a key neural circuit between the dorsal raphe nucleus, medial prefrontal cortex and amygdala. By extension, such variation is hypothesized to have a major influence on individual differences in the stress response and risk for stress-related disease in humans. The current article provides an update on this rapidly evolving field of research.
Dependence of phytoplankton carbon isotopic composition on growth rate and [CO2)aq: Theoretical considerations and experimental results

The carbon isotopic composition of the marine diatom Phaeodactylum tricornutum (δ13Cp) was measured over a series of growth rates (μ) in a continuous culture system in which both δ133CCO2 and [CO2]aq were determined. In accord with theory, a linear relationship was found to exist between μ/ [CO2]aq and ɛp (≡1000(δ13CCO2 − δ13Cp)/1000 + d δ13Cp), the biological fractionation associated with carbon fixation. The range of [CO2]aq in the continuous culture system was 13–31 μmol kg−1. Measurements of δ13CCO2 and [CO2]aq in the mixed layer of the equatorial Pacific and estimates of δ13Cp obtained from the δ13C of chlorophyll a combined with the regression line fit to the P. tricornutum data give phytoplankton growth rates that are in excellent agreement with those estimated via other techniques. Measurement of ɛp and [CO2]aq in the field can provide an estimate of in situ phytoplankton growth rates without the potential artifacts associated with incubation methodologies. These findings also suggest that accurate estimations of ancient CO2(aq) concentrations will require knowledge of both ɛp and phytoplankton growth rate.
Clifford Algebra, its Generalizations, and Applications to Quantum Information and Computing

We discuss a generalization of Clifford algebras and its applications in quantum mechanics in finite dimensions.
Potential association between infertility and spinal neural tube defects in offspring.

BACKGROUND: We examined the possible association between infertility and spinal neural tube defects (NTDs). METHODS: This is a nested case-control study within the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program (KPMCP) in Northern California. Among a birth cohort of 110,624 singleton infants ≥36 weeks gestation, 1994–1997, we electronically identified cases of spinal NTDs and confirmed the diagnosis by chart review. Controls (n = 1,608) were randomly selected from the birth population. History of infertility was defined as: (1) physician diagnosis of infertility; (2) prescription for an infertility medication noted in the KPMCP pharmacy; and/or (3) evaluation at 1 of 15 infertility clinics in Northern California. RESULTS: Eighteen infants diagnosed with spinal NTDs (prevalence 1.6/10,000) included 13 with spina bifida cystica and 5 with spina bifida occulta. Case mothers were more likely to have a history of infertility (4/18 vs. 96/1,608, OR 4.3, 95% CI 1.01–14.0), and to have been prescribed clomiphene citrate within the window spanning 60 days before to 15 days after conception (3/18 vs. 32/1,608, OR 11.7, 95% CI 2.0–44.8). CONCLUSION: This exploratory study suggests that infertility may be associated with an increased risk of spinal NTDs among liveborn, term infants. Birth Defects Research (Part A), 2006. © 2006 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The Neurothermostat: Predictive Optimal Control of Residential Heating Systems

The Neurothermostat is an adaptive controller that regulates indoor air temperature in a residence by switching a furnace on or off. The task is framed as an optimal control problem in which both comfort and energy costs are considered as part of the control objective. Because the consequences of control decisions are delayed in time, the Neurothermostat must anticipate heating demands with predictive models of occupancy patterns and the thermal response of the house and furnace. Occupancy pattern prediction is achieved by a hybrid neural net/look-up table. The Neurothermostat searches, at each discrete time step, for a decision sequence that minimizes the expected cost over a fixed planning horizon. The first decision in this sequence is taken, and this process repeats. Simulations of the Neurothermostat were conducted using artificial occupancy data in which regularity was systematically varied, as well as occupancy data from an actual residence. The Neurothermostat is compared against three conventional policies, and achieves reliably lower costs. This result is robust to the relative weighting of comfort and energy costs and the degree of variability in the occupancy patterns.
Hospice Agencies’ Hospital Contract Status and Differing Levels of Hospice Care:

In response to a 2011 finding that approximately 27% of Medicare-certified hospices do not provide a single day of general inpatient care (GIP), the authors explored the extent to which hospices have contracts with hospitals for GIP. Using the 2007 National Home and Hospice Care Survey, we estimated that 1119 (32%) agencies had no contract with any hospitals in 2007 and half of those with no contract did not have a contract with a skilled nursing facility (SNF) either. As a result, these hospices were unable to provide GIP referrals for those in need of inpatient care for acute pain and symptom management. More importantly, not having a contract with a hospital was just one of the factors influencing GIP provision. In the multivariate logistic model, after controlling for contract status with a hospital and other hospice characteristics, agencies in the second quartile of hospice patient census (12-29 vs 73 or more, adjusted odds ratio = 14.10; 95% confidence interval 4.26-46.62) were independently related to providing only routine home care. These hospices are more likely to rely solely on scatter beds for GIP provision. Given that a significant portion of hospices do not have a contract with a hospital, policy makers need to understand barriers to contracts with a hospital/SNF for GIP and consider a hospice's contract status as one of the standards for hospice certification. In addition, further research is necessary to understand why hospices that do have a contract with a hospital do not make GIP referral.
CARD games between virus and host get a new player.

A growing family of cellular proteins encoding the caspase activation and recruitment domain (CARD) has a crucial role in immunity by sensing virus infection and signaling antiviral immune defenses. Four independent studies have identified a novel CARD-containing protein, variously called IPS-1, MAVS, VISA and Cardif, which is an essential signaling adaptor of the host defense mediating CARD–CARD interactions with retinoic acid inducible gene-I (RIG-I) and melanoma differentiation-associated gene 5 (MDAS), sensors of virus infection. Disruption of this novel signaling pathway by hepatitis C virus (HCV) might provide a foundation for viral persistence.
Ferroelectric thin films for monolithic optical devices

Abstract Though many technical barriers must be crossed, current trends in materials fabrication suggest several routes to integrating electrooptic and nonlinear optical materials monolithically with silicon and III-V semiconductor technology. These approaches include poled organic polymers, poled fused silica, and polycrystalline or epitaxially grown dielectric and ferroelectric oxide thin films. Optical waveguides fabricated from these materials may enable applications in integrated optics such as frequency doublers and modulators. Although the principal work in our laboratory is on oxide heterostructures on GaAs and sapphire, the introduction highlights the progress of other approaches. Because optical losses limit the feasibility of many device structures, considerable discussion is devoted to this topic. The use of atomic force microscopy to predict scattering losses. The summary is preceeded by some brief remarks about poling.
Pseudospectral time-domain methods for modeling optical wave propagation in second-order nonlinear materials

Frequency conversion in second-order nonlinear materials is sensitive to the phase velocities of interacting optical waves. Accurate modeling of such problems with the finite-difference time-domain method requires extremely fine grid resolutions to minimize numerical dispersion errors. We propose an alternative approach based on a pseudospectral time-domain (PSTD) method for solving the nonlinear Maxwell’s equations. Low-dispersion PSTD schemes with second- and fourth-order time stepping are developed and investigated. Benchmark simulations of second-harmonic generation (SHG) demonstrate that the PSTD schemes offer significant improvements in computational efficiency and accuracy. We demonstrate use of these schemes by modeling SHG in a nonlinear grating illuminated at an oblique angle, where phase matching is achieved in two dimensions.
Primary lung mucoepidermoid carcinoma: analysis of prognostic factors using surveillance, epidemiology and end results program

Introduction Mucoepidermoid carcinoma (MEC) primarily occurs in salivary glands, but can also arise in other organs; however, the impact of primary location on patient prognosis is largely unknown. Methods Using Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results Program (SEER) data we investigated whether the clinical and prognostic features of MEC differed among multiple organ sites. The SEER-18 dataset from 18 cancer registries in the US between 1972 and 2012 was chosen. The common organ sites with 100 or more cases were further analyzed. Survival analysis included Log-rank tests of Kaplan–Meier curves and univariate/multivariate proportional hazard analysis. Results A total of 7,191 MEC cases with survival data were identified in the SEER data. Major salivary gland (MSG) was the primary site in 52.9% of cases, followed by gum and other mouth (23.6%), lung (5.9%), tongue (3.4%) and others. Compared to MSG-MEC, primary lung MEC had significantly more patients with age <=70, diagnosis in 2002 and earlier, distant stage, undetermined grade and nonsurgical treatment. Primary lung MEC, older age, male gender, early year of diagnosis, distant stage, high histologic grade and radiation alone were significantly associated with poor 5-year disease-specific survival rate. Among patients with primary lung MEC, univariate analysis demonstrated that those with main bronchus or upper lobe primary sites had significantly decreased 5-year disease-specific survival rate. Conclusions This study suggests that there is a major difference in prognosis of MEC among primary sites. Primary lung MEC might have poor prognosis over MSG-MEC.
Correlations and zoning patterns of phosphorus and chromium in olivine from H chondrites and the LL chondrite Semarkona

Phosphorus zoning is observed in olivines in high-FeO (type IIA) chondrules in H chondrites over the entire range of petrologic grades: H3.1–H6. Features in P concentrations such as oscillatory and sector zoning, and high P cores are present in olivines that are otherwise unzoned in the divalent cations. Aluminum concentrations are low and not significantly associated with P zoning in chondrule olivines. In highly unequilibrated H chondrites, phosphorus zoning is generally positively correlated with Cr. Atomic Cr:P in olivine is roughly 1:1 (3:1 for one zone in one olivine in RC 075), consistent with Cr^(3+) charge-balancing P^(5+) substituting for Si^(4+). Normal igneous zonation involving the dominant chrome species Cr^(2+) was observed only in the LL3.0 chondrite Semarkona. In more equilibrated chondrites (H3.5–H3.8), Cr spatially correlated with P is occasionally observed but it is diffuse relative to the P zones. In H4–H6 chondrites, P-correlated Cr is absent. One signature of higher metamorphic grades (≥H3.8) is the presence of near matrix olivines that are devoid of P oscillatory zoning. The restriction to relatively high metamorphic grade and to grains near the chondrule–matrix interface suggests that this is a response to metasomatic processes. We also observed P-enriched halos near the chondrule–matrix interface in H3.3–H3.8 chondrites, likely reflecting the loss of P and Ca from mesostasis and precipitation of Ca phosphate near the chondrule surface. These halos are absent in equilibrated chondrites due to coarsening of the phosphate and in unequilibrated chondrites due to low degrees of metasomatism. Olivines in type IA chondrules show none of the P-zoning ubiquitous in type IIA chondrules or terrestrial igneous olivines, likely reflecting sequestration of P in reduced form within metallic alloys and sulfides during melting of type IA chondrules.
Turbulent Fluxes and Coherent Structures in Marine Boundary Layers: Investigations by Large-Eddy Simulation

The surface planetary boundary layer (PBL) is a dynamically important region in oceanic and atmospheric flows. This is because globally significant fluxes of momentum, energy, and materials occur across the air-sea boundary. The boundary fluxes cause large normal (vertical) gradients in the adjacent velocity and buoyancy fields. The consequent shear and convective instabilities give rise to vigorous turbulence that carries the boundary fluxes some distance into the fluid interior and thereby reshapes the mean vertical profiles. The vertical extent of the PBL is limited by the efficiency of turbulent transport away from its generation sites against its dissipation by cascade to small scales where molecular diffusion acts and its suppression by stable density stratification in the interior. The Coriolis force due to the Earth’s rotation is significant in PBL dynamics whenever the Rossby number, V * /fh (where V* is a turbulent velocity scale, f is the Coriolis frequency, and h is the PBL vertical extent), is not large; this typically is true for oceanic and atmospheric shear layers, but it is only atypically true for purely convective layers (it occurs in especially deep oceanic convection). We seek a fuller understanding of these processes, in order to better interpret PBL observations and develop more skillful models.
Interrater Agreement Between Visual Analysts of Single-Case Data A Meta-Analysis

Visual analysis is the most widely applied method of data interpretation for single-case research as it encompasses multifaceted considerations relevant to evaluating behavior change. However, a previous research synthesis found low levels of interrater agreement between visually analyzed ratings of graphed data across all variables under analysis. The purpose of this meta-analysis was to evaluate the peer-reviewed literature to date for potential moderators affecting the proportion of interrater agreement between visual analysts. Nineteen articles with 32 effects were assembled. Potential moderators evaluated included (a) design families, (b) rater expertise, (c) the provision of contextual information for graphs, (d) the use of visual aids, (e) the provision of an operational definition of the construct being rated, and (f) rating scale ranges. Results yielded an overall weighted interrater agreement proportion of .76. Moderator variables identified produced low to adequate levels of interrater agreemen...
Synthesis and Properties of Poly(5-vinyltetrazole)

Poly(5-vinyltetrazole)(PVT) was synthesized through the tetrazole-cyclization reaction of polyacrylonitrile with sodium azide and ammonium chloride.The structures of PVT were identified by NMR,IR,elemental analysis.Moreover,some properties of PVT were studied by X-ray diffraction(XRD),DSC-TG and sensitivity testing.The results show that PVT has two exothermic peaks: the first one(Td=239,274 ℃) is attributed to decomposition of the pendanted tetrazole group and the second(Td=369.9 ℃) is attributed to thermal decomposition of the polymeric residue.The acid value of PVT(containing water) was determined to be 8.50 mmol·g-1 by neutralized titration with 1.0 mol·L-1 NaOH,and the tetrazole content of PVT calculated via acid value can reach up to 96.62mol%.
Open Source Business Models and Synthetic Biology

The software industry has successfully utilized open source busi-­‐ ness models namely with software such as Android and Linux. Open source business models allow individuals to collaborate and share in-­‐ formation without fear that the shared information will be commer-­‐ cially misused. Given the similarities between software source code and genetic sequences, innovators in the field of synthetic biology feel that open source business models can help further innovation for syn-­‐ thetic biology in a similar manner. However, when determining whether to join an open source project, practitioners must first identify if such a project will be beneficial to their goals. This Comment discuss benefits and risks associated with open source business models as applied to synthetic biology, as well as possible solutions to some of the risks identified. This Comment concludes with possible sugges-­‐ tions to solve some of the issues associated with open source business models with the goal to further current open source initiatives.
The mechanism of red cell aging. I. Relationship between cell age and specific gravity evaluated by ultracentrifugation in a discontinuous density gradient.

Abstract Rabbit red blood cells were separated in groups of different specific gravity by ultracentrifugation in a discontinuous gradient of isosmotic bovine serum albumin. These fractions were easily separated without mixing by slicing the tube through the albumin layers. The red cells behaved as osmometers, and their specific gravity changed with deviation of the medium from isotonicity. Reproducible results could only be obtained if the osmolality was rigidly controlled. The relationship between red cell specific gravity and age of the cells was evaluated by cohort labeling with glycine-2-C 14 and Fe 59 . The results obtained with Fe 59 were confused by the reutilization of the label. The results obtained with glycine-2-C 14 demonstrated a progressive increase of the red cell specific gravity with age. A comparison was made between ultracentrifugation with and without gradient; the use of the gradient allows density equilibrium to be reached and much sharper age-dependent fractionation. A mathematical model has been elaborated, taking into account the random loss of cells as well as the broad normal distribution of cells in regard to specific gravity, to describe the distribution of red cells of different age at various levels in the gradient. The cell volume was found to be decreased in older cells, but hemoglobin content was unchanged; thus, hemoglobin concentration was found to be increased.
The blood-based glycophorin A (GPA) human in vivo somatic mutation assay

The glycophorin A assay concurrently detects and quantifies erythrocytes with allele-loss phenotypes at the autosomal locus responsible for the polymorphic MN blood group. It uses a pair of allele-specific monoclonal antibodies and flow cytometry to efficiently analyze a standard population of five million cells. Two distinct variant phenotypes are detected: simple allele loss and allele loss followed by reduplication of the remaining allele; both are consistent with the mechanisms underlying "loss of heterozygosity" at tumor-suppressor genes. The assay is an intermediate biomarker of biological effect in the somatic mutational model of human cancer and has been applied to populations with a known or suspected genotoxic exposure, to patients with hereditary syndromes causing predisposition to cancer (where the assay has been applied diagnostically), and to patients manifesting cancer as a disease endpoint.
δ18O analysis of Donax denticulatus: Evaluating a proxy for sea surface temperature and nearshore paleoenvironmental reconstructions for the northern Caribbean

Abstract To identify oxygen isotope (δ 18 O) values and associated sea-surface temperature (SST) in the northern Caribbean, 82 δ 18 O values from 3 modern and 11 prehistoric Donax denticulatus shells were sampled. First, we conducted X-ray diffraction (XRD) on several modern shells to confirm aragonite composition. After identifying the biomineralogical composition of the shell, we applied several δ 18 O-to-SST conversion equations and selected the most appropriate formula based on pairing modern isotopic data with SST during the time of collection. We then converted prehistoric isotopic values to SST estimates to reconstruct paleo-SST for nearshore waters off the island of Nevis in the northern Lesser Antilles. Our results indicate that prehistoric isotopic signatures are slightly more depleted than modern signatures, with estimated SST similar to modern conditions for the region. Our study demonstrates the potential for Donax denticulatus to serve as a reliable proxy for recording ambient SST and reconstructing local paleoecology of nearshore environments, important for examining a host of issues related to prehistoric settlement and island adaptations.
Proper Orthogonal Decomposition for Analysis of Plasma-Assisted Premixed Swirl-Stabilized Flame Dynamics

The primary aim of this paper is to establish the effectiveness of microwave plasma discharges to improve combustor flame dynamics and stability through minimizing heat release fluctuations. A continuous, volumetric, direct coupled, nonequilibrium, atmospheric microwave plasma discharge was applied to a swirl-stabilized premixed methane-air flame to minimize combustion instabilities. Proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) is used to postprocess data and extract information on flame dynamics that are usually lost through classical statistical approaches. POD analysis carried out on OH planar laser-induced fluorescence images reveals that even at coupled plasma powers corresponding to less than 5% of the thermal power output, significant improvement in mean energy content of flames (~23%) was observed. The corresponding decrease in heat release fluctuations resulted in improved combustor flame dynamics and flame stability, which was found to be in good agreement with acoustic pressure measurements. In the presence of plasma discharge, an effective decoupling between the flame oscillations and the fluid unsteadiness was established due to the differences in flame stabilization mechanisms resulting in up to 47% reduction in root-mean-square pressure fluctuations. Thus, effective fluid-acoustic decoupling in addition to the accelerated combustion chemistry due to the nonthermal effects of plasma led to significantly improved combustor dynamics, namely, decreased heat release and pressure fluctuations.
Acquiring Creative Requirements from the Crowd: Understanding the Influences of Personality and Creative Potential in Crowd RE

As a creative discipline, Requirements Engineering (RE), lends importance to understanding the associated human factors. Crowd RE, the approach of acquiring requirements from members of the public—the so-called crowd—emphasizes human factors further. We investigate how human personality and creative potential influence a requirement acquisition task. These factors are of specific importance to Crowd RE because (1) crowd workers are generally not trained in RE, and (2) a key motivation in engaging them is to benefit from their creativity. We propose a sequential Crowd RE process, where workers in one stage review requirements from the previous stage and produce additional requirements. To reduce potential information overload in this process, we propose strategies for selecting requirements from one stage to expose to workers in later stages. We conducted a study on Amazon Mechanical Turk tasking 300 workers with creating requirements via the above sequential process (in the domain of smart home applications for concreteness) and tasking an additional 300 workers to rate the creativity (novelty and usefulness) of those requirements. Our findings offer insights on how to carry out Crowd RE effectively. First, we find that a crowd worker's (1) creative potential, and personality traits of openness and conscientiousness have significant positive influence on the novelty of the worker's ideas, and (2) personality traits of agreeableness and conscientiousness have significant positive influence, but extraversion has significant negative influence on the usefulness of the worker's ideas. Second, we find that exposing a worker to ideas from previous workers cognitively stimulates the worker to produce creative ideas. Third, we identify effective strategies based on personality traits and creative potential for selecting a few requirements from a pool of previous requirements to stimulate a worker.
Understanding Self-Catalyzed Epitaxial Growth of III–V Nanowires toward Controlled Synthesis

The self-catalyzed growth of III–V nanowires has drawn plenty of attention due to the potential of integration in current Si-based technologies. The homoparticle-assisted vapor–liquid–solid growth mechanism has been demonstrated for self-catalyzed III–V nanowire growth. However, the understandings of the preferred growth sites of these nanowires are still limited, which obstructs the controlled synthesis and the applications of self-catalyzed nanowire arrays. Here, we experimentally demonstrated that thermally created pits could serve as the preferred sites for self-catalyzed InAs nanowire growth. On that basis, we performed a pregrowth annealing strategy to promote the nanowire density by enhancing the pits formation on the substrate surface and enable the nanowire growth on the substrate that was not capable to facilitate the growth. The discovery of the preferred self-catalyzed nanowire growth sites and the pregrowth annealing strategy have shown great potentials for controlled self-catalyzed III–V nan...
Research to knowledge: promoting the training of physician-scientists in the biology of pregnancy

Common disorders of pregnancy, such as preeclampsia, preterm birth, and fetal growth abnormalities, continue to challenge perinatal biologists seeking insights into disease pathogenesis that will result in better diagnosis, therapy, and disease prevention. These challenges have recently been intensified with discoveries that associate gestational diseases with long-term maternal and neonatal outcomes. Whereas modern high-throughput investigative tools enable scientists and clinicians to noninvasively probe the maternal-fetal genome, epigenome, and other analytes, their implications for clinical medicine remain uncertain. Bridging these knowledge gaps depends on strengthening the existing pool of scientists with expertise in basic, translational, and clinical tools to address pertinent questions in the biology of pregnancy. Although PhD researchers are critical in this quest, physician-scientists would facilitate the inquiry by bringing together clinical challenges and investigative tools, promoting a culture of intellectual curiosity among clinical providers, and helping transform discoveries into relevant knowledge and clinical solutions. Uncertainties related to future administration of health care, federal support for research, attrition of physician-scientists, and an inadequate supply of new scholars may jeopardize our ability to address these challenges. New initiatives are necessary to attract current scholars and future generations of researchers seeking expertise in the scientific method and to support them, through mentorship and guidance, in pursuing a career that combines scientific investigation with clinical medicine. These efforts will promote breadth and depth of inquiry into the biology of pregnancy and enhance the pace of translation of scientific discoveries into better medicine and disease prevention.
Native phonological processing abilities predict post-consolidation nonnative contrast learning in adults

This study examined the relationship between native phonological processing ability and the learning outcome of a trained nonnative (Hindi /ɖ/ - / d /) contrast. Participants were perceptually trained and assessed in the evening, and reassessed early the next morning. Native phonological processing ability did not predict the learning of the nonnative contrasts on Day 1. However, after a period of post-training sleep, Blending ability predicted nonnative Discrimination performance, and Nonword Repetition predicted nonnative Identification. These findings may point to similarities between processes involved in maintaining native phonological representations and that in the retention of nonnative acoustic-phonetic features in adulthood.
Surface Chemistry Dependence of Mechanochemical Reaction of Adsorbed Molecules—An Experimental Study on Tribopolymerization of α-Pinene on Metal, Metal Oxide, and Carbon Surfaces

Mechanochemical reactions between adsorbate molecules sheared at tribological interfaces can induce association of adsorbed molecules, forming oligomeric and polymeric products often called tribopolymers). This study revealed the role or effect of surface chemistry of the solid substrate in mechanochemical polymerization reactions. As a model reactant, α-pinene was chosen because it was known to readily form tribopolymers at the sliding interface of stainless steel under vapor-phase lubrication conditions. Eight different substrate materials were tested—palladium, nickel, copper, stainless steel, gold, silicon oxide, aluminum oxide, and diamond-like carbon (DLC). All metal substrates and DLC were initially covered with surface oxide species formed naturally in air or during the oxidative sample cleaning. It was found that the tribopolymerization yield of α-pinene is much higher on the substrates that can chemisorb α-pinene, compared to the ones on which only physisorption occurs. From the load dependence ...
Hegel's Guilty Conscience: Three Forms of Schuld in the Phenomenology of Spirit

In what we might call its particularly Christian manifestation, “guilt” denotes the feeling or fact of having offended, the failure to uphold an ethical code. Under such terms, “guilt” connotes negative consequences: shame, punishment, and estrangement. Yet, penetrating further into its meaning and value, one finds that guilt extends beyond this narrow classification, playing a productive, necessary, and ineluctable role for recognitive sociality. This paper examines guilt as it appears in Hegel’s thinking. I find that Hegel’s understanding of Schuld (guilt) in the Phenomenology , undergoes a crucial development over the course of the chapter titled, “Spirit,” culminating in a robust understanding of guilt that represents not a hopelessly broken bond, but a bond that awaits its fulfillment, its very incompleteness exerting a palpable pull upon the guilty party towards its fulfillment. I examine three key moments in “Spirit”: Hegel’s treatments of Antigone , the French Revolution, and the confession and forgiveness of evil. By comparing these moments, I distinguish between “abstract guilt,” guilt that only brings about shame and punishment, and what we might call “determinate guilt”: guilt that brings about action, reminds one of her/his indebtedness to the other. Understanding the development of guilt from the beginning to end of “Spirit” provides an entryway into a discussion of the social and political relevance of Hegel’s conception of the subject as—in a certain sense—always already guilty. I go on to argue that guilt as indebtedness and responsibility only exists as embedded within an already recognitive social structure. Re-thinking guilt as responsibility is not, therefore, a call to a new objective a priori moral system. Rather, it invites us to think through our recognitive being-together in a way that shakes off its metaphysical fetters. Such an ethics of recognitive intersubjectivity is an infinite task—not in the futile sense of the “unhappy consciousness”—but in the sense that we are responsible for constantly understanding, critiquing, and reforming ethical commitments that can only be (understood as) ours.
The adrenalin (epinephrin) test as applied to hematologic disorders.

1.The epinephrin test was performed in 12 normal subjects and 63 patients with various hematologic disorders to evaluate its role in the diagnosis of hypersplenic syndromes and aplastic anemias. Attention was directed solely to the early phases of the reaction, that is to the pre-adrenocortical stimulatory effect, which has been claimed to reflect the functional activity of the spleen and bone marrow. 2. The epinephrin response in normal subjects was characterized by transitory pancytosis. Leukocytosis and thrombocytosis were conspicuous features whereas erythrocytosis and reticulocytosis were not regularly seen. Leukocytosis was due to an increase of mature forms of neutrophils, lymphocytes, monocytes and eosinophils. The Arneth count did not show any significant variation after epinephrin. There was no correlation in different cases between the degree of hemopoietic response and the degree of rise of blood pressure, although in each case the time of maximum cellular response usually ran parallel to the time of maximum rise of blood pressure. 3. The response in splenectomized individuals was essentially similar to or slightly greater than that seen in normal subjects. In splenomegalic conditions there was no correlation between the degree of splenic contraction and the degree of hemopoietic response. 4. Results of epinephrin injection into the splenic artery showed that the increase of cellular elements was in general pancellular in type, and not confined to any particular cell deficient in the peripheral blood; it was obviously independent of the nature and degree of peripheral cytopenia. 5. The splenic contraction following epinephrin may possibly be due to a marked constriction of the splenic artery and in its intrasplenic branches with the resultant passive deflation of the organ. 6. In each case there was a close correlation between the epinephrin response and the functional activity of the bone marrow. 7. The epinephrin test per se is not diagnostic of any clinical condition. In the hypersplenic syndromes interpretation of negative tests may actually be misleading. At most, the test provides indirect corroborative evidence regarding the functional status of the blood forming tissues and to some extent of the "reservoir" of blood cells present not only in the bone marrow, but in various tissues and organs throughout the body. The exact degree of splenic participation in the epinephrin response is not known, but our studies indicate that it is minimal.
Anomalous diffusion for neuronal growth on surfaces with controlled geometries

Geometrical cues are known to play a very important role in neuronal growth and the formation of neuronal networks. Here, we present a detailed analysis of axonal growth and dynamics for neuronal cells cultured on patterned polydimethylsiloxane surfaces. We use fluorescence microscopy to image neurons, quantify their dynamics, and demonstrate that the substrate geometrical patterns cause strong directional alignment of axons. We quantify axonal growth and report a general stochastic approach that quantitatively describes the motion of growth cones. The growth cone dynamics is described by Langevin and Fokker-Planck equations with both deterministic and stochastic contributions. We show that the deterministic terms contain both the angular and speed dependence of axonal growth, and that these two contributions can be separated. Growth alignment is determined by surface geometry, and it is quantified by the deterministic part of the Langevin equation. We combine experimental data with theoretical analysis to measure the key parameters of the growth cone motion: speed and angular distributions, correlation functions, diffusion coefficients, characteristics speeds and damping coefficients. We demonstrate that axonal dynamics displays a cross-over from Brownian motion (Ornstein-Uhlenbeck process) at earlier times to anomalous dynamics (superdiffusion) at later times. The superdiffusive regime is characterized by non-Gaussian speed distributions and power law dependence of the axonal mean square length and the velocity correlation functions. These results demonstrate the importance of geometrical cues in guiding axonal growth, and could lead to new methods for bioengineering novel substrates for controlling neuronal growth and regeneration.