cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
CamForensics: Understanding Visual Privacy Leaks in the Wild

Many mobile apps, including augmented-reality games, bar-code readers, and document scanners, digitize information from the physical world by applying computer-vision algorithms to live camera data. However, because camera permissions for existing mobile operating systems are coarse (i.e., an app may access a camera's entire view or none of it), users are vulnerable to visual privacy leaks. An app violates visual privacy if it extracts information from camera data in unexpected ways. For example, a user might be surprised to find that an augmented-reality makeup app extracts text from the camera's view in addition to detecting faces. This paper presents results from the first large-scale study of visual privacy leaks in the wild. We build CamForensics to identify the kind of information that apps extract from camera data. Our extensive user surveys determine what kind of information users expected an app to extract. Finally, our results show that camera apps frequently defy users' expectations based on their descriptions.
We Know Less Than We Think We Know About Perinatal Outcomes

Most of what we think we know about survival rates for infants born at 22 or 23 weeks’ gestational age is probably wrong. It is wrong because of some well-recognized but oddly persistent quirks in the ways that outcome data are collected and reported. Here are some of those quirks: 1. Outcome statistics are reported for all live births regardless of whether the infants received any active interventions aimed at keeping them alive. For example, Rysavy et al1 reported that for infants born at 22 weeks in the United States, overall survival was 5%, but survival among infants who received active treatment was 25%. Many people and professional societies interpret those results as revealing that the actual survival rate for such infants is 5% regardless of whether attempts were made to resuscitate and save the infants.2 In fact, we simply don’t know … Address correspondence to John D. Lantos, MD, Children’s Mercy Hospital, 2401 Gillham Rd, Kansas City, MO 64108. E-mail: jlantos{at}cmh.edu
Overproduction of l-Glutamate in Corynebacterium glutamicum

l-Glutamic acid (l-Glu) is an industrially important amino acid for the production of the flavor enhancer, monosodium-l-glutamate (MSG), which expresses a savory taste known as umami. The fundamental fermentation process for MSG production was established in 1956 and is based on the l-glutamate-producing bacterium Corynebacterium glutamicum, which was originally isolated from a soil sample. Since the discovery of this epoch-making production method, extensive metabolic engineering studies designed to improve l-glutamate production have been conducted using the genomic information of C. glutamicum. This chapter focuses on recent studies of the molecular mechanism of l-glutamate secretion and metabolic pathway design for efficient overproduction of l-glutamate from glucose in C. glutamicum strains. The mechanism of l-glutamate overproduction is unique, and it has been demonstrated that the product of the NCgl1221 gene, which is homologous to mechano-sensitive channels, plays a crucial role in l-glutamate secretion. It has also been shown that the specific activity of the 2-oxoglutarate dehydrogenase complex decreases during l-glutamate overproduction and that the enzymatic activity is controlled by a novel regulatory mechanism that involves OdhI and serine/threonine protein kinases. On the other hand, a new metabolic pathway was designed to enhance l-glutamate production by bypassing the CO2-releasing pyruvate dehydrogenase reaction in the glycolytic pathway by introducing heterologous phosphoketolase. This attempt improved the conversion yield of l-Glu and reduced the CO2 emission level during the fermentation process of l-glutamate overproduction by C. glutamicum.
Intensive Care: Principles and Therapy

Critical care management principles continue to be an extremely important aspect in the care of penetrating trauma patients, especially with the development of new technologies and advancing insight into human physiology. With the continual progression of new and exciting trauma research, the management of penetrating trauma necessitates all those involved in patient care be as current as possible in order to provide optimal care. The goal of this chapter is to provide a summary of important critical care principles allowing the reader to be successful in the management of penetrating trauma patients.
Endoscopic Techniques for the Management of Active Variceal Bleeding

Endoscopic therapy for active variceal hemorrhage consists of conventional sclerotherapy, polymer injection, and elastic band ligation. The techniques all result in good control of active variceal bleeding but must still be conclusively shown to be associated with improvement in short-term survival when compared with noninvasive and operative therapy. Endoscopic therapy is appropriate and effective initial treatment for active variceal hemorrhage, particularly in centers in which long-term managment of patients with this disorder is by endoscopic methods.
Progeny of Selfed Plants from Tomato Breeding Line ‘NC1 Grape’ Overexpressing Mannitol Dehydrogenase (MTD) Have Increased Resistance to the Early Blight Fungus, Alternaria solani

ABSTRACT Reactive oxygen species (ROS) made by plants in response to pathogen infection not only initiate local and systemic defenses, they are also antimicrobial. A number of fungi are hypothesize...
Impact of human papillomavirus vaccination on racial/ethnic disparities in vaccine-type human papillomavirus prevalence among 14–26 year old females in the U.S.

Abstract Background Low human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccination rates early after introduction, particularly among low income and minority adolescents, may have resulted in disparities in vaccine-type HPV prevalence (types 6, 11, 16, 18). The purpose of this study was to examine racial/ethnic variations in HPV prevalence, and evaluate how HPV vaccination has affected vaccine-type HPV prevalence across time. Methods This study was a retrospective analysis of 6 cycles of the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) data (2003–2014). Results on HPV status from vaginal samples of 14–26 year old females who responded about HPV vaccination were used to determine HPV prevalence. Prevaccine HPV prevalence was compared to post-licensure prevalence. Racial/ethnic comparisons were made across time, and models were developed to examine the role of HPV vaccination in observed variations for vaccine-type HPV prevalence. Results Among 4080 females, 29.7% were black, 25.6% were Mexican American, 8.9% were Hispanic, and 35.8% were white. Compared to prevaccine years (2003–2006), vaccine-type HPV did not decrease until late post-licensure years (2011–2014; 14.2% vs. 5.2%, p 0.05) during the same periods, but the difference was not significant. Interactions between race and time were significant (p Conclusions HPV vaccination was low in among black and Mexican American females, which contributed to disparities in HPV prevalence. Increasing vaccination among all adolescents, particularly 11–12 year olds, is important because most children this age will not have been exposed.
Value of anticancer drugs in castrate-resistant prostate cancer: Hazard ratio and survival-based methodology.

e16013 Background: Survival is not reached at the end of some clinical studies and might vary along the time curve. Hazard ratio (HR) has rarely been integrated in cost and outcome evaluation. In t...
Supplemental chromium picolinate influences nitrogen balance, dry matter digestibility, and carcass traits in growing-finishing pigs.

Four trials were conducted to determine the influence of feeding 200 ppb Cr as chromium picolinate (CrPic) on DM digestibility, N balance, and carcass traits of growing-finishing pigs. A 15% CP corn-soybean meal diet was fed during the grower phase, and a 13% CP corn-soybean meal diet was fed during the finisher phase. In each of three trials, crossbred barrows (six littermate pairs) were used for two N balance periods (end of grower, 61.3 kg; end of finisher, 98.9 kg). After the second balance period, all the barrows were killed and carcass data were collected. Initial and final BW were 23.5 and 104.9 kg, respectively. Growth rate was similar for control and CrPic-fed pigs in all trials. The rate of N absorption was increased by feeding CrPic (P < .05), but N retention was increased only numerically (P = .14). Dry matter digestibility was also increased by feeding CrPic (P < .02). Dressing percentage and backfat thickness at the 10th and last rib did not differ between treatment groups. Longissimus muscle area was larger (P < .05) for pigs fed CrPic. In Trial 4, crossbred barrows (six littermate pairs; initial BW, 82.0 kg) were used in a switch-back design with an extra period. Digestibility of DM (P < .02) and absorption of N (P < .06) were improved with only a numerical increase (P = .22) in N retention. No carryover effect was observed. These findings show that pigs fed 200 ppb Cr from CrPic can have larger longissimus muscle areas and that Cr supplementation improved N absorption and DM digestibility.
Cardiac Development in Zebrafish and Human Embryonic Stem Cells Is Inhibited by Exposure to Tobacco Cigarettes and E-Cigarettes

Background Maternal smoking is a risk factor for low birth weight and other adverse developmental outcomes. Objective We sought to determine the impact of standard tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes on heart development in vitro and in vivo. Methods Zebrafish (Danio rerio) were used to assess developmental effects in vivo and cardiac differentiation of human embryonic stem cells (hESCs) was used as a model for in vitro cardiac development. Results In zebrafish, exposure to both types of cigarettes results in broad, dose-dependent developmental defects coupled with severe heart malformation, pericardial edema and reduced heart function. Tobacco cigarettes are more toxic than e-cigarettes at comparable nicotine concentrations. During cardiac differentiation of hESCs, tobacco smoke exposure results in a delayed transition through mesoderm. Both types of cigarettes decrease expression of cardiac transcription factors in cardiac progenitor cells, suggesting a persistent delay in differentiation. In definitive human cardiomyocytes, both e-cigarette- and tobacco cigarette-treated samples showed reduced expression of sarcomeric genes such as MLC2v and MYL6. Furthermore, tobacco cigarette-treated samples had delayed onset of beating and showed low levels and aberrant localization of N-cadherin, reduced myofilament content with significantly reduced sarcomere length, and increased expression of the immature cardiac marker smooth muscle alpha-actin. Conclusion These data indicate a negative effect of both tobacco cigarettes and e-cigarettes on heart development in vitro and in vivo. Tobacco cigarettes are more toxic than E-cigarettes and exhibit a broader spectrum of cardiac developmental defects.
Abstract 1865: Buserelin trisphenylmethanol derivatives as anti-cancer prodrugs

Buserelin (BUS) is a synthetic nonapeptide agonist analog of LH-RH, first reported by Hoechst in 1976. It is used for the treatment of advanced prostate cancer. Side effects of buserelin include musculoskeletal pain, hearing disorders, increased thirst, worsening hypertension, anxiety, memory and concentration disturbances, fatigue, nervousness, palpitations, leukopenia, thrombocytopenia, altered blood lipids, and glucose intolerance. Therefore, improving of the biological activity of BUS by increasing the cellular uptake and retention is a remedy to this end. In this research, tris(4-methoxyphenyl)methanol (TPM) derivatives were synthesized and linked to BUS through hydrophobic linkers to enhance and optimize the hydrophobicity of this drug with the expectation to improve the cellular uptake. In this regard, several BUS conjugates of TPM derivatives with optimized hydrophobicity were synthesized by the reaction of methoxy benzenes (e.g. anisole, 2-fluoroanisole, 2-trifluoromethylanisole, 2-methylanisole, or 1,2-dimethoxybenzene, and 1,3,5-trioxane, followed by the conjugation with BUS and lauric acid in the presence of HBTU/DIPEA/DIC in moderate yields. Comparative antiproliferative assays between TPM-BUS conjugates and the corresponding non-covalent physical mixtures of the TPM derivatives and BUS were performed against human acute lymphoblastic leukemia (CCRF-CEM), human ovarian adenocarcinoma (SK-OV-3), and mouse pre adipocytes (3T3-L1) cells. TPM-BUS conjugates inhibited the cell proliferation of CCRF-CEM, SK-OV-3 and 3T3-L1 cells by 48-86%, 32-77%, 42-67%, respectively, at a concentration of 1-25 µM after 24-72 h of incubation. These data suggest that TPM-BUS derivatives with optimized hydrophobicity can be used to improve the biological activity of BUS. Note: This abstract was not presented at the meeting. Citation Format: Ryan Beni, William Boadi, Renner Antwi. Buserelin trisphenylmethanol derivatives as anti-cancer prodrugs [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2019; 2019 Mar 29-Apr 3; Atlanta, GA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2019;79(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 1865.
Mitochondrial Quality Control in Age-Related Pulmonary Fibrosis.

Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is age-related interstitial lung disease of unknown etiology. About 100,000 people in the U.S have IPF, with a 3-year median life expectancy post-diagnosis. The development of an effective treatment for pulmonary fibrosis will require an improved understanding of its molecular pathogenesis and the “normal” and “pathological’ hallmarks of the aging lung. An important characteristic of the aging organism is its lowered capacity to adapt quickly to, and counteract, disturbances. While it is likely that DNA damage, chronic endoplasmic reticulum (ER) stress, and accumulation of heat shock proteins are capable of initiating tissue repair, recent studies point to a pathogenic role for mitochondrial dysfunction in the development of pulmonary fibrosis. These studies suggest that damage to the mitochondria induces fibrotic remodeling through a variety of mechanisms including the activation of apoptotic and inflammatory pathways. Mitochondrial quality control (MQC) has been demonstrated to play an important role in the maintenance of mitochondrial homeostasis. Different factors can induce MQC, including mitochondrial DNA damage, proteostasis dysfunction, and mitochondrial protein translational inhibition. MQC constitutes a complex signaling response that affects mitochondrial biogenesis, mitophagy, fusion/fission and the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt) that, together, can produce new mitochondria, degrade the components of the oxidative complex or clearance the entire organelle. In pulmonary fibrosis, defects in mitophagy and mitochondrial biogenesis have been implicated in both cellular apoptosis and senescence during tissue repair. MQC has also been found to have a role in the regulation of other protein activity, inflammatory mediators, latent growth factors, and anti-fibrotic growth factors. In this review, we delineated the role of MQC in the pathogenesis of age-related pulmonary fibrosis.
Dynamic and Thermodynamic Modulators of European Atmospheric Rivers

AbstractLarge-scale analysis of the dynamic and thermodynamic properties of landfalling atmospheric rivers (ARs) over western Europe is performed utilizing 38 years of the Modern-Era Retrospective ...
A phase II trial of regorafenib for advanced urothelial cancer (aUC) following prior chemotherapy.

498Background: Salvage therapy options for aUC following platinum-based chemotherapy and immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) have modest activity. Regorafenib is a multitargeted TKI that targets VE...
An ultrasound pulse-echo technique for the thickness measurement of thin membranes

This paper describes a new signal processing technique for the accurate measurement of small (sub wavelength) thicknesses of membrane-like structures using pulse-echo ultrasound. An examination of the discrete-time signal in complex frequency space reveals easily identifiable features whose location relates directly to a time separation between structures, and hence distance if velocity is known. The technique is compared against two other approaches and is shown to possess superior resolving capabilities, and to be robust to noise. The algorithm may be useful in the measurement of the thickness, consistency and variation of (thin) membrane-like layers.
Optical materials beyond noble metals

The alloying of metals (Ag, Au, Cu, Al) has enabled the development of optical materials with unprecedented permittivity values, not found in its pure counterparts. Specifically, we overcome the constrain imposed by the pre-defined permittivity of pure metals by demonstrating the unique near- and far-field optical properties of these alloys for energy harvesting devices, and how they are correlated with the alloys band structure. Moreover, we demonstrate superabsorbers using Al-Cu/semiconductor with near-unity (>99%) and omnidirectional absorption in the visible and NIR range of the spectrum, formed by a simple dual-layer thin film stack. Concerning reconfigurability, we present a platform for transient photonic devices based exclusively on earth-abundant materials: Mg and MgO. We show color pixels covering the entire sRGB, where the hues can vanish in a few minutes upon system's exposure to water, very relevant for applications ranging from encryption to biodegradable displays.
Adhesion molecule expression on human primary culture lymphatic endothelial cells

4946 Leukocyte trafficking in inflamed tissues is mediated through a coordinated series of adhesive interactions that take place between vascular endothelial cell adhesion molecules (ECAMs) and corresponding receptors on the leukocyte surface. The endothelial glycoprotein, E-selectin, provides a low-affinity contact for circulating leukocytes allowing them to roll along the vascular surface. Two members of the immunoglobulin supergene family, ICAM and VCAM, provide stable adhesive contacts that are necessary for the process of leukocyte transmigration. While the expression patterns of vascular ECAMs have been the focus of investigative efforts, little is known regarding these glycoproteins on lymphatic endothelium. We developed a surgical approach that utilizes human afferent lymphatic vessels to isolate and establish in primary culture lymphatic endothelial cells (LECs). Using these characterized LECs, we examined constitutive and inducible expression patterns of several ECAMs. Methods: Using an Institutional Review Board-approved laboratory protocol, small segments of human sentinel lymphatic vessels (SLVs) identified intraoperatively during sentinel lymph node biopsy were harvested. To isolate LECs, SLV were cannulated and perfused with collagenase. Harvested cells were cultured in endothelial growth medium; individual colonies were cloned. Putative clones were characterized via RT-PCR and/or western analysis for established lymphatic endothelial cell markers: VEGF-R3, LYVE-1, Prox-1 and podoplanin. After establishing the validity of the LECs, the lymphatic ECAM expression profiles were constructed for E-selectin, VCAM-1, ICAM-1 and CD31 (PECAM-1) using immunohistochemical techniques comparing constitutive and inflammatory conditions (TNF-α,10ng/ml). Results: All LEC clones harvested from human SLV expressed the pan-endothelial cell marker CD31 as well as the lymphatic markers VEGFR-3, LYVE-1, Prox-1, and podoplanin. LEC clones expressed considerably higher constitutive levels of VCAM-1 on their surface in comparison to VECs. E-selectin and ICAM-1 were expressed in low levels on unstimulated LECs, but were markedly upregulated in response to TNF-α stimulation. Conclusion: Anatomic techniques using human afferent lymphatic vessels can be used to establish in culture LECs that express lymphatic specific markers such as VEGFR-3, LYVE-1, Prox-1, and podoplanin. This approach allowed us to establish pure populations of LECs and provide novel information regarding the expression of ECAMs on the vessels. It is anticipated that the lymphatic endothelial cells described here will be an invaluable resource for defining and characterizing the interaction between human sentinel lymphatic vessels and tumor cells.
Common Mode Conducted Emissions

This presentation provides an overview of common mode conducted emissions (CMCE) measurements on power and signal cables. The presentation focuses on how such measurements directly apply to electromagnetic compatibility at the system level and provides a discussion of different techniques for performing them correctly and accurately.
Effect of genetic background on the evolution of Vancomycin-Intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA)

Vancomycin-intermediate Staphylococcus aureus (VISA) typically arises through accumulation of chromosomal mutations that alter cell-wall thickness and global regulatory pathways. Genome-based prediction of VISA requires understanding whether strain background influences patterns of mutation that lead to resistance. We used an iterative method to experimentally evolve three important methicillin-resistant S. aureus (MRSA) strain backgrounds-(CC1, CC5 and CC8 (USA300)) to generate a library of 120 laboratory selected VISA isolates. At the endpoint, isolates had vancomycin MICs ranging from 4 to 10 μg/mL. We detected mutations in more than 150 genes, but only six genes (already known to be associated with VISA from prior studies) were mutated in all three background strains (walK, prs, rpoB, rpoC, vraS, yvqF). We found evidence of interactions between loci (e.g., vraS and yvqF mutants were significantly negatively correlated) and rpoB, rpoC, vraS and yvqF were more frequently mutated in one of the backgrounds. Increasing vancomycin resistance was correlated with lower maximal growth rates (a proxy for fitness) regardless of background. However, CC5 VISA isolates had higher MICs with fewer rounds of selection and had lower fitness costs than the CC8 VISA isolates. Using multivariable regression, we found that genes differed in their contribution to overall MIC depending on the background. Overall, these results demonstrated that VISA evolved through mutations in a similar set of loci in all backgrounds, but the effect of mutation in common genes differed with regard to fitness and contribution to resistance in different strains.
Beyond ejection fraction: Novel clinical approaches towards sudden cardiac death risk stratification in patients with dilated cardiomyopathy.

Implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) therapy is indicated for patients at risk for sudden cardiac death due to ventricular tachyarrhythmia. The most commonly used risk stratification algorithms use left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) to determine which patients qualify for ICD therapy, even though LVEF is a better marker of total mortality than ventricular tachyarrhythmias mortality. This review evaluates imaging tools and novel biomarkers proposed for better risk stratifying arrhythmic substrate, thereby identifying optimal ICD therapy candidates.
Influence of flagellin polymorphisms, gene regulation, and responsive memory on the motility of Xanthomonas species that cause bacterial spot disease of solanaceous plants.

Increasingly, new evidence has demonstrated variability in the epitope regions of bacterial flagellin, including in regions harboring the microbe-associated molecular patterns flg22 and flgII-28 that are recognized by the pattern recognition receptors FLS2 and FLS3, respectively. Additionally, since bacterial motility is known to contribute to pathogen virulence and chemotaxis, reductions in or loss of motility can significantly reduce bacterial fitness. In this study, we determined that variations in flg22 and flgII-28 epitopes allow some, but not all, Xanthomonas species to evade both FLS2-and FLS3-mediated oxidative burst responses. We observed variation in the motility for many isolates, irrespective of their flagellin sequence. Instead, we determined that past growth conditions may have a significant impact on the motility status of isolates, as we could minimize this variability by inducing motility using chemoattractant assays. Additionally, motility could be significantly suppressed under nutrient-limited conditions, and bacteria could "remember" its prior motility status after storage at ultra-cold temperatures. Finally, we observed larger bacterial populations of strains with flagellin variants predicted not to be recognized by either FLS2 or FLS3, suggesting that these bacteria can evade flagellin recognition in tomato plants. While some flagellin variants may impart altered motility and differential recognition by the host immune system, external growth parameters and gene expression regulation appear to have more significant impacts on the motility phenotypes for these Xanthomonas species.
Comparison of Maaß Wave Forms

In this note we will discuss various ways to deduce the equality of two cusp forms. Primarily we will work with non-holomorphic cusp forms of weight zero on the classical modular group, although some generalizations will be mentioned. Theorems of this type are often also referred to as multiplicity one theorems. They have been studied by many individuals and many interesting results have been established. Our approach has two goals. We would like to establish theorems that require only approximate amounts of information. The “information” about the two cusp forms we will examine is the set of Fourier coefficients, and the Laplace eigenvalues. The reason that we want to use only approximate information is that, unlike the holomorphic case, Maas cusp forms have no integrality conditions on their Fourier coefficients, so saying that two numbers are equal is a rather strong statement. The second goal is to have, in some of our theorems, results that lead to bounds on the multiplicity of the Laplace spectrum.
Evaluation of fission product yields from fission spectrum n+239Pu using a meta analysis of benchmark data

Los Alamos conducted a dual fission‐chamber experiment in the 1970s in the Bigten critical assembly to determine fission product data in a fast (fission neutron spectrum) environment, and this defined the Laboratory’s fission basis today. We describe how the data from this experiment are consistent with other benchmark fission product yield measurements for 95,97Zr, 140Ba, 143,144Ce, 137Cs from the NIST‐led ILRR fission chamber experiments, and from Maeck’s mass‐spectrometry data. We perform a new evaluation of the fission product yields that is planned for ENDF/B‐VII.1. Because the measurement database for some of the FPs is small—especially for 147Nd and 99Mo—we use a meta‐analysis that incorporates insights from other accurately‐measured benchmark FP data. The %‐relative changes compared to ENDF/B‐VI are small for some FPs (less than 1% for 95Zr, 140Ba, 144Ce), but are larger for 99Mo (3%) and 147Nd (5%). We suggest an incident neutron energy dependence to the 147Nd fission product yield that accounts ...
HUMAN TUMOR ANTIGENS ARE READY TO FLY

Publisher Summary The chapter reviews the current knowledge of tumor antigens recognized by both humoral and cellular arms of the immune system and the promise that some of these antigens currently hold for cancer immunotherapy. The knowledge about tumor-associated antigens detected by antibodies can be and has been used in several ways: (1) the presence of the antigen has been used for detection and diagnosis of malignancy, (2) the antibody specific for the antigen has been conjugated to toxins, drugs, or radioisotopes and used for tumor therapy, (3) the antibodies have been made bispecific or multispecific and used to bring other effector mechanisms, such as T cell, natural killer (NK) cells, and macrophages, to the tumor site, and (4) tumor-associated antigens identified as growth factor receptors or other types of signaling molecules have been used to induce tumor cell death or differentiation when bound by the specific antibody. These uses are all grouped under the term “passive immunotherapy” and have the drawback that repeated treatments are necessary and very high concentrations of tumor-specific antibodies are required for each treatment to see a limited effect. “Active immunotherapy” is perceived to be more desirable based on the hypothesis that induction of an immune response to the tumor antigen would be long lived and would involve multiple components of the immune system. The chapter focuses primarily to antigens known to be immunogenic in patients; it is obvious that they are also candidate immunogens for eliciting immunity in patients through vaccination (“active immunity”). The ultimate success of a vaccine depends on the presence of fully immunocompetent T cells and B cells specific for the tumor antigen used as immunogens.
Electromagnetic scattering and radiation involving dielectric objects

The influence of dielectric objects on electromagnetic fields is an important consideration in many engineering problems. In some applications, the scattering from dielectric objects for a known incident field is of interest. In other situations where dielectric objects interact with radiators - such as biological tissue near a wireless transceiver or a dielectric loaded antenna - the resulting input impedance, far-field radiation and power absorption characteristics are important quantities to determine. In this work an integral equation approach is used to solve these problems for which the method of moments is applied to facilitate a numerical solution. A comprehensive computer program was developed that handles both scattering and radiation problems. With the computer program both dipole and superquadric loop antennas can be modeled which have any arbitrary relative location and orientation to dielectric bodies of interest. The implementation is verified by comparison with finite-difference time-domai...
reply: Investigating T-cell memory

Maris et al. reply — Mantovani suggests that expression of human placental alkaline phosphatase in activated T cells might stimulate an immune response against PLAP and that the anti-PLAP antibodies generated could lead to the elimination of CD8+ T cells expressing large amounts of PLAP on their surface. We therefore tested whether doubly transgenic (GranzymeB–Cre × CD2–STOP–PLAP) mice could mount an antibody response against PLAP during the course of a response against LCMV, and whether the serum of these mice contained antibodies against human PLAP.
Implication of a color multibeam communications satellite in the 30/20 GHz bands

In order to meet the need for increased communications capacity, NASA is conducting a program to develop technology and systems for a 30/20 GHz multibeam domestic U.S. satellite. One way to provide the required national interconnectivity is to permute and time share connections among the involved areas by means of a satellite-borne multiport microwave switch with a Time-Division Multiple Access (TDMA) system. In this connection, the question was analyzed whether a practical satellite message routing system can be developed using FDMA techniques. The total traffic (model A) was derived and used as an input specification for the satellite-routed FDMA study. Attention is given to beam isolations, color and regional systems, the level of service, and the color FDMA satellite. It is concluded that the FDMA system considered can handle substantially all the Customer Premises Service (CPS) and Trunking (TR) traffic in Model A. The (color) scheme completely satisfies the CPS and TR requirements of 23 cities.
A simple method to determine mineralization of 14C-labeled compounds in soil

Degradation of organic compounds in soil is often determined by measuring the decrease of the parent compound and analyzing the occurrence of its metabolites. However, determining carbon species as end products of parent compound dissipation requires using labeled materials that allow more accurate determination of the environmental fate of the compound of interest. The current conventional closed system widely used to monitor degradation of (14) C-labeled compounds in soil is complex and expensive and requires a specialized apparatus and facility. In the present study, the authors describe a simple system that facilitates measurement of mineralization of (14) C-labeled compounds applied to soil samples. In the system, soda lime pellets to trap mineralized (14) C-carbon species, including carbon dioxide, were placed in a cup, which was then inserted above the treated soil sample in a tube. Mineralization of [(14) C]2,4-D applied to soil samples in the simple system was compared with that in the conventional system. The simple system provided an equivalent detection of (14) C-carbon species mineralized from the parent compound. The results demonstrate that this cost- and space-effective simple system is suitable for examining degradation and mineralization of (14) C-labeled compounds in soil and could potentially be used to investigate their mineralization in other biological matrices.
MEASUREMENT OF NEUTRAL-MESON PRODUCTION IN $pi$$sup -$p $Yields$ $pi$$sup - $pX$sup 0$ AT 13.4 GeV/c.

We have measured, by the missing-mass technique, spectra of the neutral-meson system ${X}^{0}$ produced in ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{\ensuremath{\pi}}^{\ensuremath{-}}p{X}^{0}$ at 13.4 GeV/c. The ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$, ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}$, and ${\ensuremath{\omega}}^{0}$ appear as well as a broad enhancement at 450 MeV and a narrow peak at 1280 MeV which is interpreted as the ${D}^{0}$. Most of the ${\ensuremath{\pi}}^{0}$ signal and the events around 450 MeV are correlated with ${N}^{*+}$ production. The ${\ensuremath{\rho}}^{0}$ peak results primarily from ${{A}_{1}}^{\ensuremath{-}}\ensuremath{-}{{A}_{2}}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ decays. We find, however, that the ${\ensuremath{\omega}}^{0}$ and ${D}^{0}$ are largely uncorrelated with ${N}^{*+}$ or ${X}^{\ensuremath{-}}$ resonances.
Amino acid neurotransmitter transporters: structure, function, and molecular diversity

Many biologically active compounds including neurotransmitters, metabolic precursors, and certain drugs are accumulated intracellularly by transporters that are coupled to the transmembrane Na+ gradient. Amino acid neurotransmitter transporters play a key role in the regulation of extracellular amino acid concentrations and termination of neurotransmission in the CNS section. Transporters for the major amino acid neurotransmitters glutamate, GABA, and glycine are found in both neurons and glial cells. Recent work has resulted in the identification of cDNAs encoding several amino acid neurotransmitter transport proteins, all of which belong to the Na(+)- and Cl(-)-dependent transporter gene family. The diversity of this family suggests a degree of transporter heterogeneity that is greater than that indicated by biochemical and pharmacological studies.
Memory impairments following basal forebrain lesions.

Abstract The functional contribution of the nucleus basalis magnocellularis (NBM) and medial septal area (MSA) to memory was evaluated in 4 behavioral tasks. The tasks were postoperative acquisition of a win-stay spatial discrimination in a T-maze, a win-shift spatial discrimination on a radial arm maze, active avoidance in a shuttle box, and passive avoidance in a shuttle box. Bilateral lesions were made by injecting ibotenic acid (IBO) into the NBM of MSA. Control rats received operations in which no neurotoxin was injected. When compared to controls, rats with lesions in either the NBM or MSA had significantly impaired choice accuracy in the T-maze and radial maze tasks, took significantly fewer trials to reach criterion in the acquisition, but not the retention of an active avoidance task, and significantly more trials to reach criterion in the passive avoidance task. The results show that equivalent behavioral changes are obtained from lesions in the NBM and MSA in tasks that vary in their type of motivation, reinforcement, response-reinforcement contingency, and response. These behavioral changes suggest that the NBM and MSA may both be involved in memory.
Role of biogenic sulfide in attenuating zinc oxide and copper nanoparticle toxicity to acetoclastic methanogenesis

Soluble ions released by zinc oxide (ZnO) and copper (Cu(0)) nanoparticles (NPs) have been associated with toxicity to methanogens. This study evaluated the role of biogenic sulfide in attenuating ZnO and Cu(0) NP toxicity to methanogens. Short- and long-term batch experiments were conducted to explore ZnO and Cu(0) NPs toxicity to acetoclastic methanogens in sulfate-containing (0.4mM) and sulfate-free conditions. ZnO and Cu(0) were respectively 14 and 7-fold less toxic in sulfate-containing than in sulfate-free assays as indicated by inhibitory constants (Ki). The Ki with respect to residual soluble metal indicated that soluble metal was well correlated with toxicity irrespective of the metal ion source or presence of biogenic sulfide. Long-term assays indicated that ZnO and Cu(0) NPs caused different effects on methanogens. ZnO NPs without protection of sulfide caused a chronic effect, whereas Cu(0) NPs caused an acute effect and recovered. This study confirms that biogenic sulfide effectively attenuates ZnO and Cu(0) NPs toxicity to methanogens by the formation of metal sulfides.
Defect structure of lanthanum-doped calcium titanate

The defect structure of lanthanum-doped polycrystalline calcium titanate was investigated by measuring the oxygen partial pressure (100–10−18 atm.) dependence of the electrical conductivity at 1000° C and 1050°C. Two types of charge compensation were observed, namely electronic and ionic. For P02 10−13 atm.) the extra charge of the lanthanum was compensated by doubly ionized calcium vacancies (ionic compensation). In the ionic compensation region, a model involving a shear structure is discussed.
Community Care and the Origins of Psychiatric Social Work

Psychiatric social work began in the early twentieth century as a result of a movement for community care of the mentally ill. Formerly preoccupied with institutional care of the mentally ill, psychiatrists now became interested in the control and prevention of mental illness in the community. This paper reviews the contemporary literature on early psychiatric social work. The paper then discusses the mental hygiene movement and early psychiatric social work practice. It concludes with a consideration of the changes in psychiatric social work which accompanied World War I.
Gerrymandering: Out of the Political Thicket and Into the Quagmire

Rule, Wilma, and Joseph F. Zimmerman, eds. 1992. United States Electoral Systems: Their Impact on Women and Minorities. Westport, CT: Greenwood Press. Simpson, G. G. 1961. Principles of Animal Taxonomy. New York: Columbia University. Taagepera, Rein, and Matthew S. Shugart. 1989. Seats and Votes: The Effects and Determinants of Electoral Systems. New Haven: Yale University Press. About the Author
How Much Does School Matter? An Examination of Adolescent Dating Violence Perpetration

The purpose of this study was two-fold: (1) to identify how school factors were related to perpetration of dating violence among adolescents; and (2) to assess how these factors may reduce or exacerbate the relationship between parental domestic violence and adolescents’ perpetration of dating violence, while accounting for individual and family characteristics from early adolescence. Three waves of data from the Welfare, Children, and Families: A Three-City Study were used (N = 765; Ages 16–20 at Wave 3). Lagged Ordinary Least Squares multiple regression techniques were utilized to examine the link between perpetration of dating violence and school factors. Results are presented separately by adolescents’ sex and ethnicity-by-sex. Early involvement with antisocial peers and an increase in involvement with antisocial peers over time were linked to perpetration of dating violence for males, females, African-American females, and Hispanic males. Lack of school safety and academic difficulties during early adolescence exacerbated the impact of parental domestic violence exposure for African-American males and Hispanic males, respectively. Early school involvement, surprisingly, exacerbated this impact for Hispanic females. Implications for the prevention of perpetration of dating violence are explored.
Mixed convection from an open cavity in a horizontal channel

Abstract Heat transfer results for mixed convection from a bottom heated open cavity subjected to an external flow are reported in this study for a wide range of the governing parameters (i.e., 1 ≤ Re ≤ 2000, 0 ≤ Gr ≤ 10 6 ) over cavities with various aspect ratios ( A = 0.5, 1, 2 and 4). It has been found that the Reynolds number and Garshof number control the flow pattern and the occurrence of recirculating cells while the aspect ratio has a significant influence on the orientation of these cells. Heat transfer from the cavity base approaches that of natural convection at a low Reynolds number (i.e., the asymptotic natural convection regime) and approaches that of forced convection at a high Reynolds number (i.e., the asymptotic forced convection regime). In the mixed convection regime, the heat transfer rate is reduced and the flow may become unstable. A unique heat transfer correlation which covers all three convection regimes is also presented.
Infrared Frequency-Modulation Probing of Cl + C3H4 (Allene, Propyne) Reactions: Kinetics of HCl Production from 292 to 850 K

Absolute rate coefficients for the reactions of chlorine atoms with allene (propadiene, H2CCCH2) and propyne (HC⋮C−CH3) have been measured as a function of temperature (292−850 K) and pressure (4−10 Torr) with a laser photolysis/CW infrared long path absorption technique. The reactions are initiated via pulsed laser photolysis of Cl2 and monitored through CW infrared frequency-modulation spectroscopy of the HCl product. At room temperature (292 K), the reaction of Cl with allene proceeds almost exclusively through addition, with little HCl generated through either abstraction or elimination. HCl production increases with temperature, and becomes unity at T ≥ 800 K. Quantitative HCl yield measurements allow the contributions of addition and abstraction/elimination to the total rate to be determined. The rate coefficient for HCl production is described between 292 and 850 K by the Arrhenius expression, (T) = (3.7 ± 1.7) × 10-10 exp[−(1671 ± 286)/T] cm3 molecule-1 s-1, (all error bars ±2σ precision only). In...
Carbohydrate-binding proteins in the leech: I. Isolation and characterization of lactose-binding proteins

Three lactose-binding proteins with apparent molecular masses of 16, 35, and 63 kDa [leech lectin 16, 35, and 63 (LL,16, LL35, and LL63, respectively)] were isolated from leech membranes. Polyclonal antibodies raised against LL35 cross-reacted with LL16 and LL63, indicating that all three lectins were immunologically related. These leech lectins, however, can be subdivided into two groups based on their tissue distributions and binding affinities for galactose derivatives. LL16 and LL35 are endogenous to the leech's CNS, whereas LL63 is only present in peripheral organs. LL16 and LL35, found in the CNS, bind both the alpha and beta anomers of methylgalactose, whereas the peripheral lectin LL63 binds only the beta form. LL35 and LL63 also differ in their binding affinities for galactosamine and N-acetylgalactosamine. The binding activity of LL35 was calcium independent and active over a wide pH range. Triton X-100 and 2-mercaptoethanol were necessary to recover LL35 binding activity during extraction. These characteristics strongly suggest that LL35 is another member of the calcium-independent galactose/lactose-specific lectins previously described in vertebrates and recently demonstrated in sponges and nematodes. Because a single leech expresses up to 100 micrograms of LL35, this leech lectin is readily amenable to structural and functional analysis.
Advancing participation of blind students in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math

Abstract Like their sighted peers, many blind students in elementary, middle, and high school are naturally interested in space. This interest can motivate them to learn fundamental scientific, quantitative, and critical thinking skills, and sometimes even lead to careers in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math (STEM) disciplines. However, these students are often at a disadvantage in science because of the ubiquity of important graphical information that is generally not available in accessible formats, the unfamiliarity of teachers with non-visual teaching methods, lack of access to blind role models, and the low expectations of their teachers and parents. We discuss joint efforts by the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and the National Federation of the Blind’s (NFB) National Center for Blind Youth in Science (NCBYS) to develop and implement strategies to promote opportunities for blind youth in science. These include the development of tactile space science books and curriculum materials, science academies for blind middle school and high school students, and college-level internship and mentoring programs. The partnership with the NFB exemplifies the effectiveness of collaborations between NASA and consumer-directed organizations to improve opportunities for underserved and underrepresented individuals.
Nitric Oxide Not Carbon Monoxide Mediates Nonadrenergic Noncholinergic Relaxation in the Murine Internal Anal Sphincter

Background & Aims: Inhibitory reflexes in the internal anal sphincter (IAS) are controlled by inhibitory nonadrenergic, noncholinergic innervation (i-NANC). We investigated the roles of 3 different neurohumoral agonists as possible i-NANC neurotransmitters: carbon monoxide (CO), nitric oxide (NO), and vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP). Methods: IAS smooth muscle strips were isolated from wild-type (WT), heme oxygenase (HO)-2 knockout (HO-2−/−) and neuronal NO synthase (nNOS) knockout (nNOS−/−) mice. Relaxation of IAS was induced by CO, NO, VIP, and electrical field stimulation (EFS) in the presence and absence of neurohumoral inhibitors (tin protoporphyrin IX [SnPP IX] for CO synthesis, Nω-nitro-L-arginine [L-NNA] for NO synthesis, and VIP10–28 for VIP receptor). Western blot and immunohistochemistry were used to test the presence and localization of HO (for CO synthesis) types 1 (HO-1) and 2 (HO-2), neuronal NO synthase (nNOS, for NO synthesis), and VIP. Results: All 3 neurohumoral agonists produced relaxation (with no difference between WT and HO-2−/− IAS), but CO was over 100 times less potent than NO and VIP. EFS produced relaxation in WT and HO-2−/− IAS with the same intensity. L-NNA and nNOS deletion (∼80%) and VIP10–28 (∼15%) significantly inhibited the relaxations, whereas SnPP IX had no effect. Positive immunoreactivities for HO-2, nNOS, and VIP were found in the myenteric plexus of WT IAS. HO-2−/− IAS did not express immunoreactivity for HO-2. Conclusions: i-NANC relaxations of mouse IAS are primarily mediated via NO (by nNOS activity) and partly via VIP. CO directly relaxes the mouse IAS but does not play any significant role in the i-NANC relaxation.
In-situ ellipsometry studies of adsorption of Hg on CdTe(211)B/Si(211) and molecular beam epitaxy growth of HgCdTe(211)B

We study the adsorption of Hg on CdTe(211)B using an 88-wavelength spectroscopic ellipsometer mounted on a commercial, molecular beam epitaxy (MBE) chamber. A detailed analysis of the pseudo-dielectric function shows that Hg is present at the surface both in chemisorbed and physisorbed form. Effective medium models for a mixture of chemisorbed and physisorbed Hg on the microscopically rough CdTe surface could not fit our data. However, a proposed model in which a partial layer of physisorbed Hg sits on top of a partial layer of chemisorbed Hg fits the measured pseudo-dielectric function well and yields precise values for the thicknesses of the chemisorbed and the physisorbed Hg layers. These values change in the expected manner as a function of Hg flux, temperature, and Te coverage. An analysis of the uncertainty in the measured thicknesses is carried out in detail, and a study of the limitations of the ellipsometer used for this study is presented. The effects of these limitations on the precision and accuracy of in-situ data are enumerated.