cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A phase II study of extended dose temozolomide and thalidomide in previously treated patients with metastatic melanoma

To assess the efficacy and tolerability of extended dose temozolomide and continuous thalidomide in patients with advanced metastatic cutaneous melanoma. Eligibility criteria included adults with histologic diagnosis of metastatic melanoma with adequate organ function and performance status. Temozolomide (75 mg/m2/day) was administered for 6 weeks followed by a 2-week rest. Thalidomide (200 mg/day) was given for the first 2 weeks and increased by 100 mg/day at weekly intervals up to a maximum of 400 mg/day, if no toxicity. For patients older than 70 years, thalidomide was started at 100 mg/day and the dose was increased by 50 mg/day up to a maximum of 250 mg/day. Twenty-six extensively pretreated subjects, with poor prognostic factors, were entered into this study and included in all analyses. According to the RECIST criteria, one (4%) subject achieved a complete response (CR), two (8%) partial response (PR), and five (19%) stable disease (SD), for a response rate (CR + PR) of 12% [95% confidence interval (CI), 0–24.7%] and a clinical benefit (CR + PR + SD) of 31%. Median time to progression was 1.8 months (95% CI, 1.2–2.4 months) and median survival was 5.2 months (95% CI, 4.1–6.2 months). The combination of temozolomide and thalidomide is well tolerated in patients with very advanced heavily pretreated metastatic melanoma. It has modest activity in this population with grave prognosis.
Assistive/rehabilitation technology, disability, and service delivery models

The United Nation’s Millennium Development Goals do not explicitly articulate a focus on disability; similar failures in the past resulted in research, policy, and practice that are not generalizable and did not meet the needs of persons with disabilities since they were developed for an “average” population. Academics and professionals in health and other disciplines should have a knowledge base in evidence-based practices that improve well-being and participation of people with disabilities through effective service delivery of assistive technology. Grounded by a theoretical framework that incorporates a multivariate perspective of disability that is acknowledged in the convention on the rights of persons with disabilities and the World Health Organization’s International Classification of Functioning, Disability and Health, we present a review of models of assistive technology service delivery and call for future syntheses of the fragmented evidence base that would permit a comparative effectiveness approach to evaluation.
Comments on “Stuttering prevention I”

Abstract Hamre has argued that stuttering is qualitatively different from other disfluencies, that it is easy to identify, and that procedures directed at its prevention are misguided. This paper focuses on the lack of empirical evidence either to support or refute these arguments in a conclusive manner. Nevertheless, it is acknowledged that persuasive arguments will continue to have unwarranted influence on this area of clinical practice until there is systematic longitudinal research with large numbers of young children who are at risk for stuttering.
Cosmology of Nordström’s first theory of gravitation

Nordstrom’s first theory of gravitation, which is a Lorentz covariant scalar theory, is discussed, and the cosmological solution to the field equation is derived. It is shown that there are two physically equivalent representations of the theory that differ in the system of units with which measurements are made. The cosmological solution is found to be an infinite, Euclidean universe with a big bang and a big crunch.
Effect of H2S on the CO2 corrosion of carbon steel in acidic solutions

Abstract The objective of this study is to evaluate the effect of low-level hydrogen sulfide (H 2 S) on carbon dioxide (CO 2 ) corrosion of carbon steel in acidic solutions, and to investigate the mechanism of iron sulfide scale formation in CO 2 /H 2 S environments. Corrosion tests were conducted using 1018 carbon steel in 1 wt.% NaCl solution (25 °C) at pH of 3 and 4, and under atmospheric pressure. The test solution was saturated with flowing gases that change with increasing time from CO 2 (stage 1) to CO 2 /100 ppm H 2 S (stage 2) and back to CO 2 (stage 3). Corrosion rate and behavior were investigated using linear polarization resistance (LPR) technique. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) and potentiodynamic tests were performed at the end of each stage. The morphology and compositions of surface corrosion products were analyzed using scanning electron microscopy (SEM)/energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS) and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS). The results showed that the addition of 100 ppm H 2 S to CO 2 induced rapid reduction in the corrosion rate at both pHs 3 and 4. This H 2 S inhibition effect is attributed to the formation of thin FeS film (tarnish) on the steel surface that suppressed the anodic dissolution reaction. The study results suggested that the precipitation of iron sulfide as well as iron carbonate film is possible in the acidic solutions due to the local supersaturation in regions immediately above the steel surface, and these films provide corrosion protection in the acidic solutions.
A polymer nanostructured Fabry-Perot interferometer based biosensor.

Abstract A polymer nanostructured Fabry–Perot interferometer (FPI) based biosensor is reported. Different from a conventional FPI, the nanostructured FPI has a layer of Au-coated nanopores inside its cavity. The Au-coated nanostructure layer offers significant enhancement of optical transducing signals due to the localized surface plasmon resonance effect and also due to the significantly increased sensing surface area, which is up to at least two orders of magnitude larger than that of a conventional FPI-based biosensor. Using this technical platform, the immobilization of captures proteins (protein A) on the nanostructure layer and their binding with immunoglobulin G (IgG) has been monitored in real time, resulting in the shift of the interference fringes of the optical transducing signals. Current results show that the limit-of-detection of the biosensor should be lower than 10 pg/mL for IgG-protein A binding.
Charlas Culinarias: Mexican Women Speak from Their Public Kitchens

By exploring how working-class Mexican women transform their home cooking abilities into an economic resource to support themselves and their families, this paper looks at the philosophical approach women give to their entrepreneurial efforts. In particular, I offer the concept of familial wealth as the conceptual process to articulate the value and meaning women give to the implication of owning a small business. Familial wealth recognizes the social, cultural, personal, and ideological benefits that owning a business offers not only women business owners and their immediate family, but also the community they serve. This community goes beyond a customer eating a meal or buying food at a public kitchen. As a scholar conducting research with women who own small food stands in El Paso, Texas, and Ciudad Juarez, Chihuahua, Mexico, my scholarship is also served by women's philosophical views about their work. It is through the methodology of charlas culinarias (culinary chats), which is an ethnographic appro...
Influence of chemical reactions on fluxes of non-electrolytes across membranes

Abstract The concentration profile of a reactant species of an association-dissociation reaction occurring in an inhomogeneous diffusion barrier and the reaction rate profiles under stationary state conditions are obtained as solutions satisfying certain non-linear differential equations. Approximate expressions to make contact with experimentally available information is included.
Discovery of amide replacements that improve activity and metabolic stability of a bis-amide smoothened antagonist hit

A bis-amide antagonist of Smoothened, a seven-transmembrane receptor in the Hedgehog signaling pathway, was discovered via high throughput screening. In vitro and in vivo experiments demonstrated that the bis-amide was susceptible to N-acyl transferase mediated amide scission. Several bioisosteric replacements of the labile amide that maintained in vitro potency were identified and shown to be metabolically stable in vitro and in vivo.
Thermal transport in liquid and glassy water computed with normal modes

Abstract We compute thermal transport coefficients for glassy and liquid water in terms of the normal modes of the glass. We find the thermal diffusivity at 300 K to be close to the actual value of 15 A 2 ps −1 , indicating that this property arises largely from the vibrations of the water network. The computed thermal conductivity is about a factor of 2 smaller than the actual value of 6.1 mW cm −1 K −1 for liquid water at 300 K, due to neglect of the configurational contribution to the heat capacity.
The role of secondary nucleation in epitaxial growth: the template model

Abstract The traditional view of epitaxial growth of a crystal on an underlying substrate, having appropriate lattice matches, is that the growth proceeds immediately and that nucleation considerations are unnecessary. In the case of substrates having limited dimensions, it is necessary to ensure that the dimensions of the critical secondary nucleus do not exceed the dimensions of the substrate crystal. It is shown that this condition is very important when polymeric substrates are used. In essence, there is a necessity for the elementary growth ‘template’ of the depositing polymer to fit the elementary existing lamellar template of the substrate. For the case of polyethylene growing on a polypropylene substrate, it is shown that a simple theory explains all the known facts and resolves a current controversy involving epitaxy versus nucleation for that system.
When the collection of ε-balls is locally finite

Consider the class N of metrizable spaces which admit a metric d such that, for every e>0, the collection {B(x,ɛ):x∈X} of all e-balls is locally finite. We show that N is precisely the class of strongly metrizable spaces, i.e., X∈N iff X is homeomorphic to a subspace of κω×[0,1]ω for some cardinal κ (where κ carries the discrete topology). In particular, this shows that not every metrizable space admits such a metric, thereby answering a question of Nagata.
Surface characterization of biocidal polyurethane modifiers having poly(3,3-substituted)oxetane soft blocks with alkylammonium side chains.

This paper focuses on surface characterization of P[AB] copolyoxetane soft block polyurethanes having either fluorous (3FOx, -CH2OCH2CF3) or PEG-like (ME2Ox, -CH2(OCH2CH2)2OCH3), A side chains and alkylammonium, B side chains. Physical surface characterization data were analyzed in light of the previously observed order of antimicrobial effectiveness for a set of four surface modifiers. Ample physical evidence for surface concentration of fluorous 2 wt % P[AB]-polyurethane modifiers was obtained from XPS, contact angles, ATR-IR spectroscopy, and TM-AFM. In TM-AFM phase imaging, the most effective biocidal surface modifier, 2 wt % HMDI-BD(30)/P[(3FOx)(C12)-0.89:0.11]-PU, showed a nanoscale phase-separated structure consisting of 200 nm domains with background features about 10 times smaller. Despite similar surface characterization data, the 2 wt % fluorous C6 analog ranked third in contact biocidal effectiveness. Physical evidence for surface concentration of 2 wt % P[(ME2Ox)(C12)-0.86:0.14]-PU was modest...
Effect of serum on prostaglandin production during the co-culture of human thyroid cells and peripheral blood mononuclear cells.

Prostaglandin generation by human peripheral blood mononuclear cells is enhanced during co-culture with human thyroid cells. The objective of the present study was to determine the influence of various sera on this process. Human thyroid adenoma cell monolayers were cultured with normal human peripheral blood mononuclear cells for three days in the presence of a variety of sera, or serum fractions. Prostaglandin E (PGE) in the medium was measured by bioassay or by radioimmunoassay. Significantly more PGE was generated in cultures containing fetal calf serum than in those containing human serum. This difference was not abolished by dialysis of the human serum. When the 50% (NH4) 2SO4 precipitate of the serum was used, PGE generation was similar to that in fetal calf serum, indicating the presence of an inhibitory factor in human serum. The degree of this inhibitory activity was similar in autologous and heterologous human serum, as well as in normal subjects and patients with Graves' disease. Gel filtration and ion-exchange chomatography of human serum showed the inhibitor to co-migrate with albumin. Evidence presented suggests that the inhibitor is not albumin itself but is, instead, a factor tightly bound to albumin. Inhibitory activity was also found in rabbit, goat, rat and cow serum. Prostaglandins are potent modulators of immune-cell function. These data indicate that this process may be modulated by a factor in mammalian serum. The relative absence of this factor in fetal serum may have important implications in regard to the profound changes which occur in the immune system after birth.
Magnetic gap and partial charge transfer in mixed donor—acceptor stacks

The ground state charge transfer γ(z) and magnetic gap ΔEm(z) of organic donor—acceptor complexes with one dimensional⋯D+γA−γD+γA+γ⋯ stacks are computed for arbitrary ratios of z = δ/212|t|where |t| is the charge-transfer integral and −2δ is the excitation energy for a D+A− electron—hole pair. Valence bond techniques give exact results for rings of N = 4, 6, 8, and 10 sites, which suffice to show that the neutral—ionic transition and ΔEm(z) → 0 occur at zc = 0.53 ± 0.01 with γ(zc) = 0.68 ± 0.01.
Attraction as a function of attitude similarity-dissimilarity: the effect of topic importance

The similarity-dissimilarity of a stranger’s attitudes with respect to those of Ss and the importance of the attitudinal topics were experimentally varied, and the attraction responses of 112 Ss obtained. Proportion of similar attitudes was found to have a highly significant effect on attraction, but neither topic importance nor the interaction was statistically significant.
Transient and steady state of a rising bubble in a viscoelastic fluid

A finite element code based on the level-set method is used to perform direct numerical simulations (DNS) of the transient and steady-state motion of bubbles rising in a viscoelastic liquid modelled by the Oldroyd-B constitutive equation. The role of the governing dimensionless parameters, the capillary number (Ca), the Deborah number (De) and the polymer concentration parameter c, in both the rising speed and the deformation of the bubbles is studied. Simulations show that there exists a critical bubble volume at which there is a sharp increase in the terminal velocity with increasing bubble volume, similar to the behaviour observed in experiments, and that the shape of both the bubble and its wake structure changes fundamentally at that critical volume value. The bubbles with volumes smaller than the critical volume are prolate shaped while those with volumes larger than the critical volume have cusp-like trailing ends. In the latter situation, we show that there is a net force in the upward direction because the surface tension no longer integrates to zero. In addition, the structure of the wake of a bubble with a volume smaller than the critical volume is similar to that of a bubble rising in a Newtonian fluid, whereas the wake structure of a bubble with a volume larger than the critical value is strikingly different. Specifically, in addition to the vortex ring located at the equator of the bubble similar to the one present for a Newtonian fluid, a vortex ring is also present in the wake of a larger bubble, with a circulation of opposite sign, thus corresponding to the formation of a negative wake. This not only coincides with the appearance of a cusp-like trailing end of the rising bubble but also propels the bubble, the direction of the fluid velocity behind the bubble being in the opposite direction to that of the bubble. These DNS results are in agreement with experiments.
The social production of postmodern skepticism

Abstract Traditionally, skepticism has been treated as a particular epistemological position within the philosophy of science. In this paper, however, I examine skepticism using the work of neo-Durkheimian theorists and constructivists in social studies of science. I argue that the current version of skepticism associated with postmodern theory can be seen as an outcome of a particular type of organizational arrangement between knowledge producers within certain fields. I contend that fields with a high degree of organizational permeability, high task uncertainty and low mutual dependence, such as philosophy and literary criticism, tend to produce skeptical, relativistic and reflexivistic styles of knowledge. Such fields are more likely to produce skepticism because they lack the organizational cohesiveness and rigid hierarchies necessary to form and to enforce strong and allencompassing associational ties and shared codes and symbols among members.
Hibernation of the Big Brown Bat, Eptesicus fuscus, in Buildings

Although little empirical evidence was available prior to our study, many big brown bats, Eptesicus fuscus , were thought to hibernate in buildings in or near their summer roost. A total of 189 maternity colonies of Eptesicus was located during the summers of 1987 and 1988 in buildings in Indiana and extreme eastcentral Illinois. Numbers of individuals occupying the summer colonies were counted. Sixty-seven roost sites with characteristics that might make them suitable as hibernacula were revisited in winter and examined for hibernating bats. In 32 sites, one to 86 hibernating big brown bats were found (total, 593; X = 9.3). Most bats were solitary, but some formed small groups. Temperatures in hibernacula ranged from 3–20°C at times that hibernating bats were observed. Thirteen other buildings lacking maternity colonies contained hibernating bats, one for 3 consecutive years, and three for 2 consecutive years.
Low-temperature fast-neutron radiation damage studies in superconducting materials

Abstract The residual resistivity increase rate, dpi/dt ,as a function of induced resistivity for fast-neutron irradiated Cu, Nb, Nb doped with oxygen, V, Ta, Pb, Cd and NbTi has been studied after 18 K fast neutron irradiation, dpi/dt as a function of irradiation induced resistivity was approximately linear for all samples. Saturation values of the resistivity and defect concentrations have been determined and are comparable with previous values for Cu and Nb. The isochronal recovery has been studied up to 579 K. Large effects of oxygen on the annealing behavior are observed in niobium and vanadium and annealing peaks are identified with oxygen migration near 460 K.
MENTORING WORK VALUES: IMPLICATIONS FOR COUNSELORS

Older employees in the work place have the opportunity to translate work values to younger workers. The life experience and knowledge older adults possess are significant resources for educating today's young adults. Either through formal or informal means, mentors can lead individuals to gain important life values that make the work place more productive and contribute to a better society. The following account describes one man's life mentoring work values to younger generations.
The Mechanisms of Colour-Based Mate Choice in Female Threespine Sticklebacks: Hue, Contrast and Configurational Cues

We investigated the importance of male nuptial colouration as a cue for female mate choice in the threespine stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus L. In courtship preference tests, sexually receptive females were presented with pairs of dummies that differed in the hue, extent or distribution of colouration. Females preferred to court i) a red-bellied dummy over a green-bellied dummy, a uniformly tan dummy, and an all-red dummy and ii) a yellow-bellied dummy over a red-bellied dummy. Females showed no preferences when presented with i) an all-red and uniformly tan dummy and ii) two dummies that differed only in the location of red colouration (belly versus dorsum). In the three experiments in which females preferred a 25% red dummy, the proportion of courtship directed to this dummy increased with overall female responsiveness. The results of mathematical models of colour opponent and luminosity processing suggest that female preferences are influenced by a male's belly colour contrast and not by merely its brightness contrast.
25-Gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy

Purpose of review The history and development of 25-gauge transconjunctival sutureless vitrectomy are reviewed in this paper. The expanded spectrum of appropriate cases and recent innovations in vitrectomy surgery are discussed, as are longer-term outcomes and possible complications. Recent findings 25-Gauge pars plana vitrectomy has evolved significantly since its introduction in 2002, with newer instruments and novel techniques expanding the scope and improving outcomes in vitreoretinal surgery. Proper case selection is imperative, as the smaller scale of the instruments and decreased fluidics work most efficiently when extensive manipulation of intraocular tissue or significant membrane dissection is not required. Unique complications of 25-gauge surgery such as hypotony and a possible increased rate of endophthalmitis may be related to unsutured sclerotomies, and revisions in surgical approach may help to decrease these potentially devastating complications. Summary Clinical experience over the last several years has proven that this sutureless system is both safe and efficacious. Decreased surgical times, reduced postoperative inflammation, and more rapid patient recovery have all contributed to an increased acceptance of 25-gauge vitrectomy by retinal physicians.
Seismic Performance of Semirigid Moment-Resisting Frames under Far and Near Field Records

The seismic performance of low-rise frames with energy dissipative semirigid connections is evaluated under far and near field artificial ground motion records. Four different connection capacities are employed in the frames and are characterized by two different moment-hardening ratios and two different hysteresis models. Nonlinear time-history and Fourier analyses are utilized to assess the seismic performance of 24 semirigid and 2 rigid frames. In the nonlinear time-history analyses, nine far field and nine near field artificial ground motion records generated from three different attenuation relations are used. Finally, the seismic performance of the rigid frames and the semirigid frames are compared, and the conditions under which the semirigid frames show better seismic performance than rigid frames are investigated. The results show that 25 of 26 sample frames satisfy all acceptance criteria and exhibit reliable seismic performance.
Pierre Robin Sequence : Evaluation, Management, Indications for Surgery, and Pitfalls

This article reviews the various treatment methods for airway obstruction and feeding difficulty in infants with Pierre Robin Sequence (PRS), and highlights the benefits and limitations of early mandibular distraction osteogenesis in particular as a way of managing both airway obstruction and feeding difficulty in these children.
Biogenic habitat structure and characteristics of temperate reef fish assemblages

Assemblages of non-cryptic, substrate-oriented species of fish were compared on a series of reefs in Southern California, USA. Reefs were grouped according to algal cover: dense beds of giant kelp (Macrocystis pyrifera) with turf understorey; sparse beds of giant kelp with foliose algae understorey: foliose algae < 1 m in height; and open barrens. Despite affinities to particular algal substrates by many individual species, we detected no differences in fish species richness and only weak differences in species composition among reefs of different habitat types. Planktivores and species that consume macro-invertebrates were less likely to occur on reefs that supported giant kelp; the frequencies of occurrence of three other trophic groups (piscivores, herbivores and micro-carnivores) were unaffected by giant kelp. Algal composition on reefs in Southern California is temporally highly dynamic. Changes in macro-algal composition of reefs influenced population dynamics of two fish species (black surfperch and striped surfperch) examined. Overall, the weak spatial variation in fish assemblages on reefs in Southern California appears to result from relatively unspecialized ecological requirements of many species combined with temporal changes in algal structure on reefs that are rapid relative to generation times of the fish. We hypothesize that the degree of spatial differentiation in assemblages of substrate-associated species of fish may be inversely related to the temporal constancy of biogenic reef structure.
Cohesive properties of crystalline solids by the generalized gradient approximation

The cohesive properties of Al, C, and Si are calculated using the generalized gradient approximation (GGA) of Perdew and co-workers. Results of numerical tests of atomic total energies and ionization energies are also presented. Cohesive energies calculated with the GGA agree much better with experimental values than results calculated with the local-density approximation, which usually overbinds. The improvement is mainly due to the better error-cancellation property of GGA.
The Sylvia Plath Effect: Mental Illness in Eminent Creative Writers

Although many studies (e.g., Andreasen, 1987; Jamison, 1989; Ludwig, 1995) have demonstrated that creative writers are prone to suffer from mental illness, this relationship has not been truly examined in depth. Is this finding true of all writers? In Study One, 1,629 writers were analyzed for signs of mental illness. Female poets were found to be significantly more likely to suffer from mental illness than female fiction writers or male writers of any type. Study Two extended the analysis to 520 eminent women (poets, fiction writers, non-fiction writers, visual artists, politicians, and actresses), and again found the poets to be significantly more likely to experience mental illness. This early finding has been dubbed “the Sylvia Plath effect,” and implications and possibilities for future research are discussed.
Use of RNA-based genotypic approaches for quantification of viable but non-culturable Salmonella sp. in biosolids

Recent research efforts demonstrated an increase in fecal coliform counts in anaerobically digested biosolids after dewatering. Variety of bacteria enters viable but nonculturable (VNC) state as a survival response when exposed to environmental stress. Increase in coliform concentration after digestion and dewatering processes have been attributed to cells going into a viable but non-culturable state implying that traditional coliform enumeration methods are not sufficient to determine number of viable cells. Therefore, this research has been undertaken to develop a method for rapid and accurate quantification of viable but non-culturable pathogens in biosolids via monitoring and quantifying stress-related genes in Salmonella sp. The proposed method has the potential to allow accurate detection of pathogens in biosolids even when the cells are non-culturable due to environmental stress. The research proposed identification of stress related genes in Salmonella when cells are exposed to heat for different durations by using available Salmonella microarrays. In the context of this study the identified stress genes can be quantified through reverse transcription, complementary DNA (cDNA) synthesis, and amplification of cDNA via quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (qRT-PCR). Then quantity of mRNA can be correlated to cell viability and cells ability to grow, i.e., their culturability. Development of a novel approach to understand the pathogen behaviour in biosolids is key to ensure low public health risks from biosolids. Nevertheless, the initial results suggest that intact RNA isolation from biosolids is still challenging task.
Reprint of: Toward Establishing a Realistic Benchmark for Airframe Noise Research: Issues and Challenges

Abstract The availability of realistic benchmark configurations is essential to enable the validation of current Computational Aeroacoustic (CAA) methodologies and to further the development of new ideas and concepts that will foster the technologies of the next generation of CAA tools. The selection of a real-world configuration, the subsequent design and fabrication of an appropriate model for testing, and the acquisition of the necessarily comprehensive aeroacoustic data base are critical steps that demand great care and attention. In this paper, a brief account of the nose landing-gear configuration, being proposed jointly by NASA and the Gulfstream Aerospace Company as an airframe noise benchmark, is provided. The underlying thought processes and the resulting building block steps that were taken during the development of this benchmark case are given. Resolution of critical, yet conflicting issues is discussed – the desire to maintain geometric fidelity versus model modifications required to accommodate instrumentation; balancing model scale size versus Reynolds number effects; and time, cost, and facility availability versus important parameters like surface finish and installation effects. The decisions taken during the experimental phase of a study can significantly affect the ability of a CAA calculation to reproduce the prevalent flow conditions and associated measurements. For the nose landing gear, the most critical of such issues are highlighted and the compromises made to resolve them are discussed. The results of these compromises will be summarized by examining the positive attributes and shortcomings of this particular benchmark case.
Photoacoustic measurement of absolute overtone cross sections

Abstract Using the photoacoustic effect, integrated absorption cross sections for the 5–0 and 6–0 CH stretching overtones of ethane and ethylene were calibrated against the well-known cross sections for the 4–0 and 5–0 overtones of HD. The results of this calibration procedure agree well with FT-IR measurements by Quack and co-workers. Thus, these absorption cross sections would serve well as secondary reference standards in overtone measurements.
Evening Nest-box Departure Times of Eastern Screech-Owls

Abstract I observed 514 nest-box departures of 12 different individual Eastern Screech-Owls (Megascops asio), both males and females, at dusk in Falmouth, Massachusetts over a period of 12 years and compared their departure times to local sunset. Mean (± SD) delay after sunset was 21 ± 12 min, identical for males and females, but longer than those reported for more southerly locations. Females departed significantly earlier on overcast evenings. Females advanced their departure times during the nestling period by as much as 2.6 min/day, on average, over a 25-day period. The observed differences in departure delays among populations in Texas, the Washington, D.C. area, and Massachusetts may be an expression of differences in behavior among subspecies of M. asio.
Asian Americans for equality: A case study of strategies for expanding immigrant homeownership

Abstract At a time when the overall homeownership rate in the United States is at a historic high, many groups still face severe hurdles in realizing the American dream. The public, private, and nonprofit sectors are working to address these barriers, and this article examines one nonprofit's activities. Asian Americans for Equality (AAFE) is a civil rights and housing organization providing homeownership and other services to Asian Americans, a group that often faces language, cultural, credit, and financial difficulties in achieving homeownership. AAFE addresses these challenges by providing aggressive outreach through housing fairs and neighborhood publications; it offers homeownership education and counseling in a variety of languages and settings, secures multiple housing subsidies and develops affordable housing, and educates lenders on the employment and credit practices of the Asian community. AAFE thus helps tailor the complex web of activities required to expand homeownership to traditionally un...
Some REALLY beautiful Hadamard matrices

While all Hadamard matrices are beautiful in the eyes of the mathematician, those which arise as the ±1-incidence matrix of a design with a regular group of automorphisms are especially appealing. This paper reviews some of the history of the development of Hadamard difference sets, illustrating some aspects with representative matrices whose beauty makes them appropriate decorations as we celebrate the birthday and the work of our friend and colleague Warwick de Launey.
Conversion of Lysine to Nϵ-(Carboxymethyl)lysine Increases Susceptibility of Proteins to Metal-Catalyzed Oxidation

Abstract Metal-catalyzed oxidation (MCO) of proteins leads to the conversion of some amino acid residues to carbonyl derivatives, and may result in loss of protein function. It is well documented that reactions with oxidation products of sugars, lipids, and amino acids can lead to the conversion of some lysine residues of proteins to Nϵ-(carboxymethyl)lysine (CML) derivatives, and that this increases their metal binding capacity. Because post-translational modifications that enhance their metal binding capacity should also increase their susceptibility to MCO, we have investigated the effect of lysine carboxymethylation on the oxidation of bovine serum albumin (BSA) by the Fe3+/ascorbate system. Introduction of ∼10 or more mol CML/mol BSA led to increased formation of carbonyls and of the specific oxidation products glutamic and adipic semialdehydes. These results support the view that the generation of CML derivatives on proteins may contribute to the oxidative damage that is associated with aging and a number of age-related diseases.
THE FERN UNDERSTORY AS AN ECOLOGICAL FILTER: EMERGENCE AND ESTABLISHMENT OF CANOPY‐TREE SEEDLINGS

We investigated the role of the fern understory as an ecological filter that influences the organization of the seedling bank in New England deciduous forests. Microenvironmental variables—including light levels, litter depth, soil exposure, soil moisture, and soil organic matter content—were quantified in experimental plots where the fern understory was undisturbed, partially removed or completely removed and were related to natural recruitment and 1st-yr survival of Acer rubrum, Betula lenta, B. alleghaniensis, Fraxinus americana, Pinus strobus, and Quercus rubra. We conducted a series of three field emergence experiments to test hypotheses regarding mechanisms of fern interference with seedling emergence. The fern understory reduced light levels from 3.4% of full sun to 1.1% of full sun beneath its canopy. Soil exposure was lower and litter depth was greater under fern cover, whereas soil moisture and soil organic-matter content were not affected by fern cover. The understory filter differentially infl...
Computational Analysis of the Interaction Between Paired CH-Domains - Implications for their F-actin Bound Conformations

Paired calponin-homology (CH)-domains form the actin-binding domains (ABD) of an important family of cytoskeletal proteins, including utrophin, dystrophin, fimbrin, alpha-actinin, plectin, and spectrin. While the crystal structures of various ABDs exhibit extensive inter-CH interactions and display a compact conformation, the functional conformation of F-actin-bound ABDs is still unresolved. Studies suggest that upon binding to F-actin the compact conformation observed in crystal structures persists; others suggest that the CHs separate and the ABD becomes extended. To resolve this, we calculated the energy of inter-CH interfaces by computational alanine scanning (ΔΔGbinding = 32.9kcal/mol) and computed the energy (6.7kcal/mol) of the utrophin-F-actin interaction based on the 13uM Kd (Moores, 2000). This sets a lower limit for the ΔΔGbinding for the open CH model of the utrophin-F-actin interaction at 39.6kcal/mol. Without ABD-actin crystal structures, we cannot compare the interfaces to see if there is enough energy to bind the ABD while disassociating the CH domains. Instead, we computed the minimum energy density of a utrophin-F-actin interface necessary to open the CH domains and compared this value with other known actin interfaces. We divided the area (610A2 obtained from the closed fimbrin-fitted model [Galkin 2008]) by the core binding energy (39.6kcal/mol) to get 15.6A2/kcal/mol; an energy density that is statistically significantly different (p=0.0491) than the mean value for other actin-binding proteins (26.7A2/kcals/mol), including DNase-I, gelsolin, profilin, and DBP. This seems to contraindicate a model of an ABD extended into solution because the actin interface proposed to disassociate the CH domains would be unusually energy dense with respect to other known actin binding interfaces and if this solvent exposed model is an intermediate on the path to extended ABD binding, this would preclude the formation of an extended interface on actin.
Electrochromic Crystalline WO 3 Films Prepared At Ambient Temperature By Ion Assisted Deposition

ELECTROCHROMIC CRYSTALLINE W03 FILMSPREPARED AT AMBIENT TEMPERATURE BY IONASSISTED DEPOSITIONP.O. Arntz, R.B. Goldner, B. Morel,T.E. HaasElectro-Optics Technology CenterTufts UniversityMedford, MA 02155AbstractElectrochromic crystalline W03 films which exhibit reversible metal- insulator transitions associated with lithium intercalation have been produced by an ion assisted deposition technique at substrate temperatures below 100°C. Electrochemical insertion of lithium in these films has resulted in a near infra-red reflection greater than 50 % .selective reflectance modulation, particularly in the near-infrared and red portions of the solar spectrum [2,3,4]. Heating to temperatures as high as 450°C, either during sputter deposition, thermal evaporation, or following such depositions, is normally required to obtain c-W03 films that have low enough free electron scattering to exhibit relatively high near-infrared reflectance modulation. To fabricate useful smart windows, it is important to avoid : (i) strain , (ii) undesirable heating-cooling scheduling and (iii) undesirable diffusions during the 5-layer deposition process ; and ,on the other hand, to allow for the use of economical low-temperature substrates such as plastic. Hence, it is highly desirable to be able to use low- temperature deposition processing for all the layers and yet be able to obtain a highly controlled degree of crystallinity (including lack of crystallinity in one of the layers) while ensuring stoichiometry in each of the layers.1. IntroductionAn electrochromic smart window consists of a completely solid, multi­ layer structure (usually 5-layers) deposited on transparent glass or other amorphous substrates. Electrochromic windows which exhibit large reflectivity modulation in contrast with those principally displaying absorption modulation have potentially important energy-savings applications for architectural and automobile windows [1]. The layers are generally metal oxides; and the leading candidate for the electrochromic layer is thin film crystalline tungsten trioxide (c- W00). Such films have been shown to
A simplified method of timing frozen embryo transfers

Abstract Objective: Our purpose was to compare a simple artificial hormone replacement regimen with two other protocols incorporating pituitary down-regulation with gonadotropin-releasing hormone agonist for frozen embryo transfers. Study design: We performed a retrospective analysis of pregnancy outcomes after 366 frozen embryo transfers times by one of three hormone replacement regimens. The three regimens used were regimen A, leuprolide acetate and transdermal estradiol patches; regimen B, leuprolide acetate and oral micronized estradiol; regimen C, only oral micronized estradiol. Results: The outcomes of 366 consecutive frozen embryo transfers according to one of the three regimens were compared and analyzed. The clinical pregnancy rates were 13.7%, 11.4% and 13.5% in regimens A, B and C, respectively. No statistical differences were found among the three regimens. The mean age of the patients in the three groups was comparable. The mean number of frozen embryos transferred with regimen B was slighly higher, but it did not have a positive impact on the pregnancy rate in this group. Conclusion: Controlled sequential hormone replacement results in an endometrium suitable for frozen embryo transfers. Pituitary down-regulation is not necessary. Therefore this regimen is not only more simple to use but also more economical.
Striking Pathology Gold: A Singular Experience with Daily Reverberations: Sinonasal Hemangiopericytoma (Glomangiopericytoma) and Oncogenic Osteomalacia

Sinonasal hemangiopericytoma-like tumors(SNHPC)(glomangiopericytomas)were originally conceived as histologically similar to, but biologically distinct from, their soft tissue counterparts. Re-evaluation of “hemangiopericytiomas” has determined that SNHPC (glomangiopericytomas) represent bona-fide pericyte-derived tumors, whereas most soft tissue neoplasms previously designated as hemangiopericytomas represent cellular variants of solitary fibrous tumors or other lesions with a hemangiopericytomalike growth pattern. We present an interesting case of a woman with SNHPC (glomangiopericytomas) causing oncogenic osteomalacia, and discuss the recent advances in our understanding of phosphaturic mesenchymal tumors. This particular case is an example of “Striking Pathology Gold”—a situation where the pathologist actively guides the diagnostic process, and witnesses its repercussions. “Striking Pathology Gold” may be a rare event in one’s career. However it serves to remind us of our place in the world as physicians. Working behind the scenes, we quietly change the course of countless individual destinies for the better.
Empirical Analysis of Attackers Activity on Multi-tier Web Systems

Web-based systems commonly face unique set of vulnerabilities and security threats due to their high exposure, access by browsers, and integration with databases. In this paper we present empirical analysis of attackers activities based on data collected by two high-interaction honeypots. The contributions of our work include: (1) Classification of the malicious traffic to port scans, vulnerability scans, and attacks; (2) Conducting experiments which, in addition to attackers activities aimed at individual components, allowed us to observe and study vulnerability scans and attacks that span multiple system components; and (3) Statistical characterization of the malicious traffic.
Endogenous peroxidatic activity in brain stem neurons as demonstrated by their staining with diaminobenzidine in normal squirrel monkeys

In order to test for the presence or absence of endogenous peroxidatic activities within the brains of normal squirrel monkeys, sections from the brain stems were incubated in buffered media of diaminobenzidine (DAB) and hydrogen peroxide, according to the methods of Graham and Karnovsky20 or Novikooff and Goldfischer39. It was found that neurons within certain regions were consistently stained both media. These reactive neurons belong to the extrapyramidal motor system (globus pallidus, substantia nigra (pars diffusa), red nucleus, pontine and mesencephalic reticular formation), to certain cranial nerve nuclei (oculomotor, trochlear, abducens, mesencephalic trigeminal, vestibular) and to relay nuclei of the auditory pathway (superior olivary nucleus and nucleus of the trapezoid body). Neurons within other regions of the brain stem, such as thalamus, hypothalamus and corpus striatum were not stained. On the other hand, the neuropil, excluding the neurons, in other motor areas (such as the subthalamic nucleus, inferior olivary nucleus and corpus striatum) and other auditory relay nuclei (inferior colliculus, nucleus of lateral lemniscus) were also significantly stained. Processes around the Purkinje cells of the cerebellum were particularly reactive. Under the electron microscope, reaction products were localized prominently along the cristae and limiting membranes of the mitochondria and within peroxisome-like bodies of the staiined neurons. Non-reactive neurons have little or no reaction products in their organelles. The staining was absent when DAB was withheld, and it was weak or absent if H2O2 was omitted from the media. The addition of inhibitors of catalase, 3-amino-1, 2,4-triazole and 2,6-dichlorophenolindophenol did not affect the staining intensity, whereas the addition of potassium cyanide, a strong inhibitor of metalloenzymes, especially heme-enzymes, almost completely abolished the reactions. In addition, a 3-day ‘bleaching treatment’ with 30% H2O2 did not affect the reactions. These results suggest that the reactivity in the above regions was due not to neuromelanin or other pigments, but rather to heme-enzymes and/or other hemoproteins. It was postulated that a higher concentration of the reactive agents was characteristic of certain neuronal types in the brain stem of the squirrel monkeys, and could be related to the cells' functional needs, energy requirements and perhaps to the metabolism of their specific neurotransmitters.
Concepts for Exploring the Social Aspects of Human–Wildlife Conflict in a Global Context

This article develops an approach for exploring the social and cultural aspects of human–wildlife conflict in a global context. The proposed micro-macro level model integrates the cognitive hierarchy theory of human behavior and materialist theory of culture. This model guides research of human behavior in these situations and yields information that can aid conflict prevention and mitigation on the local level and offer suggestions for effective coordinated global, national, or regional efforts. Past applications of the micro (individual level) component and preliminary research and potential areas of future exploration for the macro (cultural level) component are discussed. Cross-cultural research will be highly useful in advancing an understanding of human–wildlife conflict.
Coexistent fixed congenital and idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis.

Abstract Three patients with coexisting fixed subaortic stenosis and idiopathic hypertrophie subaortic stenosis were diagnosed by cardiac catheterization and cineangiography. Although clinical features inconsistent with a single obstructive lesion were present in 2 cases, in the other case there was no evidence to suggest an associated lesion. After removal of the subvalvular obstruction in 2 patients, postoperative problems developed that were attributed to idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis. In the first patient the use of isoproterenol and digitalis aggravated hypotension. In the second patient symptomatic idiopathic hypertrophic subaortic stenosis subsequently developed; this was confirmed at repeat catheterization. This lesion was ameliorated by treatment with propranolol. These cases underscore the importance of recognizing coexisting lesions that cause obstruction to left ventricular outflow, both in establishing the correct diagnosis at catheterization and in postoperative care.
Implementation of sliding mode controller for linear synchronous motors based on direct thrust control theory

Permanent magnet linear synchronous motors (PMLSMs) are a type of linear synchronous motors that are widely used in motor control applications. However, in PMLSMs, the accuracy of position control is easily affected by variations in its parameters and load disturbances. In this study, the implementation of a direct thrust control (DTC) method by using a modified integrator for flux estimation is proposed. The proposed algorithm can be used to obtain accurate flux magnitudes and phase angles of the controlled motors. The sliding mode control (SMC) method is a well-established control method used in non-linear systems because of its robustness. The authors use DTC along with SMC to construct a motor control system. The advantage of the proposed approach is that the control system behaviour can be tracked easily. The authors conducted simulations and experimental studies, and the results obtained agreed well.