cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Uber in Bangladesh: The Tangled Web of Mobility and Justice

Ridesharing services have been viewed as heralding the next generation of mobility and recognized for their potential to provide an alternate and more flexible model of work. These services have also been critiqued for their treatment of employees, low wages, and other concerns. In this paper, we present a qualitative investigation of the introduction of Uber in Dhaka, Bangladesh. Using interview data from drivers and riders, and content analysis of riders' Facebook posts, we highlight how Uber's introduction into Dhaka's existing transportation infrastructure influenced experiences and practices of mobility in the city. Drawing on Iris Marion Young's theory of justice, we demonstrate how the introduction of Uber in Dhaka reinforces existing modes of oppression and introduces new ones, even as it generates room for creative modes of resistance. Finally, we underline algorithms' opacity and veneer of objectivity as a potential source of oppression, call for deepening the postcolonial computing perspective, and make a case for stronger connections between technology interventions and policy.
RetroNectin® Reagent: A novel method to increase gene transduction efficiency

1194 A variety of both viral (adenovirus, retroviral, lentiviral, adeno-associated virus (AAV)) and non-viral (liposomes, injection, gene gun) methods are currently available for the transfer of exogenous genes to mammalian cells. Non-viral, adenovirus, and AAV based methods offer ease-of-use and high efficiency, but these vectors are generally only transiently maintained and/or expressed. Retroviral and lentiviral vectors offer targeted delivery via binding to cell surface receptors and stable integration of a construct into the cell genome. However, the weakness of retroviral techniques has historically been relatively low efficiency of gene transfer. Takara created RetroNectin® Reagent in an effort to improve transduction efficiency. Several regions of the fibronectin molecule are known to bind cells and retrovirus. Performing transduction in the presence of fibronectin has been observed to improve transduction efficiency. RetroNectin® is a recombinant peptide consisting of a selection of fibronectin fragments which is pre-coated onto plates prior to transduction. RetroNectin® allows easy and efficient gene transduction into a variety of target cells, including difficult-to-transduce cells such as hematopoietic stem cells. Here we describe the use of Takara’s RetroNectin® Reagent for retrovirus-mediated gene transfer and its ability to dramatically increase retroviral transduction efficiency with a variety of target cells.
Abstract P061: Incidence of Major Cardiovascular Disease and Subsequent Risk of End-stage Renal Disease: the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities (ARIC) Study

Background: Cardiorenal syndrome is a well-known concept. However, in contrast to extensive investigations of chronic kidney disease (CKD) as a risk factor of cardiovascular disease (CVD), whether ...
Pharmacologic and Immunologic Approaches to the Problems of Posttraumatic Glial Proliferation Following CNS Damage

Numerous severe pathologic changes occur following damage to the central nervous system (CNS) of mammals. Formation of a neuroglial scar following damage is seen throughout the neuraxis and is attributed to both hyperplastic (1) and hypertrophic responses (2) of non-neuronal cells near the lesion. One conceptual approach has been to consider the glial scar as a mechanical impediment for the regrowth of axons across this barrier (3, 4). Thus, numerous attempts have been made to reduce the extent of the glial scar via surgical (5) and pharmacologic means (6). However, there have been few attempts to establish a rational pharmacologic approach to the problem of inhibition of glial scars. Clearly, attempts at pharmacotherapy must follow several guidelines which can established based on the metabolic differences between neurons and glial cells. The therapeutic modalities currently used in the treatment of head trauma focus primarily on reduction of brain edema (7) and maintenance of adequate cardiovascular perfusion to the nervous system (8). Beyond this initial stage of therapeutic intervention, there are no currently acceptable pharmacologic approaches which can either prevent the induction of or inhibit neuroglial scar formation. The goal of this manuscript is to outline possible therapeutic modalities which may prove useful in the prevention of neuroglial proliferation following trauma. We will also explore several experimental models of in vivo glial cell proliferation which may prove useful in evaluating experimental therapeutic approaches.
Hierarchical Porous Carbon Derived from Covalent Triazine Frameworks for High Mass Loading Supercapacitors

Here, we report a straightforward approach to synthesize hierarchical porous carbons (HPCs) via a high-temperature ionothermal synthesis and partial pyrolysis of covalent triazine frameworks (CTFs)...
Suppression of membranous LRP5 recycling, WNT/β-catenin signaling, and colorectal tumorigenesis by 15-LOX-1 peroxidation of PI3P_linoleic acid

Aberrant Wnt/{beta}-catenin activation is a major driver of colorectal cancer (CRC), which is typically initiated by APC mutations. Additional modifiable factors beyond APC mutations have been recognized to be important for further potentiation of aberrant {beta}-catenin activation to promote colorectal tumorigenesis. These factors have yet to be clearly identified. Western-type diets are increasingly enriched in linoleic acid (LA). LA-enriched diet however promotes chemically-induced colorectal tumorigenesis in rodent models. Furthermore, the main metabolizing enzyme of LA, 15-lipoxygenase-1 (15-LOX-1), is transcriptionally silenced in CRC. Whether LA and 15-LOX-1 affect Wnt/{beta}-catenin signaling to modulate colorectal tumorigenesis is poorly understood. Herein, we report that high dietary LA promoted colorectal tumorigenesis in mice with intestinally targeted APC mutation (Apc{Delta}580) by upregulating a Wnt receptor, LRP5 expression, and {beta}-catenin activation. 15-LOX-1 transgenic expression in intestinal epithelial cells suppressed LRP5 expression, {beta}-catenin activation and subsequently CRC in these mice. In particular, 15-LOX-1 peroxidation of LA in phosphatidylinositol-3-phosphates (PI3P_LA) into PI3P_13-HODE decreased PI3P binding to SNX17and LRP5, which inhibited LRP5 recycling from endosomes to the plasma membrane, thereby leading to an increase of LRP5 lysosomal degradation. Our findings demonstrate for the first time that 15-LOX-1 metabolism of LA in PI3P to regulate LRP5 membrane abundance is a modifiable factor of Wnt/{beta}-catenin aberrant signaling that could be potentially therapeutically targeted to suppress colorectal tumorigenesis and progression.
Ancient Greece: Social Structure and Evolution

This book examines the development of ancient Greek civilization through a path-breaking application of social scientific theories. David B. Small charts the rise of the Minoan and Mycenaean civilizations and the unique characteristics of the later classical Greeks through the lens of ancient social structure and complexity theory, opening up new ideas and perspectives on these societies. He argues that Minoan and Mycenaean institutions evolved from elaborate feasting, and that the genesis of Greek colonization was born from structural chaos in the eighth century. Small isolates distinctions between Iron Age Crete and the rest of the Greek world, focusing on important differences in social structure. His book differs from others on Ancient Greece, highlighting the perpetuation of classical Greek social structure into the middle years of the Roman Empire, and concluding with a comparison of the social structure of classical Greece to that of the classical Maya civilization.
Neuroimaging research with diverse children with ASD: Impact of a social story on parent understanding and likelihood of participation

Abstract Background The successful inclusion of youth with autism spectrum disorder (ASD) in neuroimaging research is imperative for advancing our understanding of the neurobiological underpinnings of ASD. In order to generate knowledge that is representative of all affected youth, it is essential to include participants who are culturally and linguistically diverse. However, these families often face barriers to participation in neuroimaging research, including distrust and limited knowledge about research, above and beyond any challenges associated with ASD (e.g., behaviors, sensory hypersensitivities). Method This study included a diverse group of Spanish- and English-speaking parents of children with ASD (N = 79) to examine the impact of a social story on (a) their understanding of EEG study procedures and (b) their likelihood to enroll in a neuroimaging study. Results Both English- and Spanish-speaking parents who viewed a social story demonstrated better understanding of EEG procedures than parents who read a written explanation, with Spanish-speaking parents also perceiving their understanding to be better in the social story condition. Although parents who viewed a social story were not more likely to participate in neuroimaging research than parents who read a written description, they were less likely to indicate needing more information and more likely to cite their child’s specific behavior problems as the rationale for unlikelihood to participate. Conclusion These results suggest that social stories may be effective tools in the informed consent process for promoting parent understanding of neuroimaging procedures, and useful during recruitment to aid parents in determining whether their child with ASD will be successful in a neuroimaging study.
Material Options for the Esthetic Dental Team

This chapter examines the material options, optical properties, and space management in the restorative case. First, the tooth preparation is considered with respect to four key factors in the process. The author highlights the importance of the preservation of healthy tooth structure and the impact of spatial availability on the choice of materials. The multitude of veneer materials that are available to technicians today is then addressed, and the author emphasizes the importance of understanding tooth form in order to properly sift through this vast selection of materials. The author also evaluates the usefulness of megapascals as a measurement of materials and concludes that the MPa test may not be the most efficient way to assess materials. In discussing zirconia, the author addresses the challenges of using this material, such as its bond ability and rigidness, and asserts that zirconia is best used as a cemented material. The author views lithium disilicate as one of the most universal materials and prefers its use over zirconia for veneering. Continuing to a discussion of hybrid veneers, and particularly nano-hybrids, with their rigid strength as well as flexibility, the author notes the progression of materials and the way in which these materials continue to better emulate nature. The author then asserts that feldspathic veneers are the best esthetic choice in restorations, though they require greater knowledge of ceramic materials. In a discussion of cast fabrication, the author details the steps of the alveolar cast. In conclusion, the author discusses the importance of being knowledgeable with regard to the materials available to technicians today, as this will boost patients’ confidence in the dental team.
Long Non-Coding RNA Hotairm1 Promotes S100A9 Support of MDSC Expansion during Sepsis

Myeloid-derived suppressor cells (MDSCs) expand during mouse and human sepsis, but the mechanism responsible for this is unclear. We previously reported that nuclear transport of S100A9 protein programs Gr1+CD11b+ myeloid precursors into MDSCs in septic mice. Here, we show that long non-coding RNA Hotairm1 converts MDSCs from an activator to a repressor state. Mechanistically, increased Hotairm1 expression in MDSCs in mice converted S100A9 from a secreted proinflammatory mediator to an immune repressor by binding to and shuttling it from cytosol to nucleus during late sepsis. High Hotairm1 levels were detected in exosomes shed from MDSCs from late septic mice. These exosomes inhibited lipopolysaccharide-stimulated secretion of S100A9 from early sepsis Gr1+CD11b+ cells. Importantly, Hotairm1 knockdown in late sepsis Gr1+CD11b+ MDSCs prevented S100A9 cytosol to nuclear transfer and decreased repression of proimmune T cells. Notably, ectopic expression of Hotairm1 in early sepsis Gr1+CD11b+ cells shuttled S100A9 to the nucleus and promoted the MDSC repressor phenotype. In support of translating the mechanistic concept to human sepsis, we found that Hotairm1 binds S100A9 protein in CD33+CD11b+HLA-DR- MDSCs during established sepsis. Together, these data support that Hotairm1 is a plausible molecular target for treating late sepsis immune suppression in humans and its immune repressor mechanism may be cell autonomous.
Conversion and the Rehabilitation of the Penal System: A Theological Rereading of Criminal Justice

Andrew Skotnicki’s latest work, Conversion and the Rehabilitation of the Penal System, makes significant contributions to the theological study of carcerality by articulating necessary theological ...
Fichte’s Subject and Its Romantic Transformations

This essay explores Fichte’s influence on German Romantic literary theory and composition in the work of Novalis and Friedrich Schlegel. The key moment in Fichte that gets taken up by Novalis and Schlegel is the idea that the subject must posit itself. For Novalis, such self-positing is always a matter of self-representation, and thus an aesthetic act. Schlegel adds to this by showing that such self-positing is never certain of success, that one can never truly possess oneself fully. Each author begins from a Fichtean position in order to show not its limitations, but its primacy for aesthetic creation.
A multi-tracer and well-bore flow profile approach to determine occurrence, movement, and sources of perchlorate in groundwater

Abstract The purpose of this study is to determine the occurrence, movement, and sources of perchlorate in groundwater using a comprehensive set of environmental tracers coupled with discrete borehole data. Potential sources of perchlorate to groundwater at the study site have been attributed to waste disposal and industrial activities as well as to past agricultural operations. Perchlorate concentrations in samples ranged from
Dynamic metabolic modelling predicts efficient acetogen-gut bacterium cocultures for CO-to-butyrate conversion.

Aims While gas-fermenting acetogens have been engineered to secrete non-native metabolites such as butyrate, acetate remains the most thermodynamically favourable product. An alternative to metabolic engineering is to exploit native capabilities for CO-to-acetate conversion by coculturing an acetogen with a second bacterium that provides efficient acetate-butyrate conversion. Methods and results We used dynamic metabolic modelling to computationally evaluate the CO-to-butyrate conversion capabilities of candidate coculture systems by exploiting the diversity of human gut bacteria for anaerobic synthesis of butyrate from acetate and ethanol. A preliminary screening procedure based on flux balance analysis was developed to identify 48 gut bacteria which satisfied minimal growth rate and acetate-to-butyrate conversion requirements when cultured on minimal medium containing acetate and a simple sugar not consumed by the paired acetogen. A total of 170 acetogen/gut bacterium/sugar combinations were dynamically simulated for continuous growth using a 70/30 CO/CO2 feed gas mixture and minimal medium computationally determined for each combination. Conclusions While coculture systems involving the acetogens Eubacterium limosum or Blautia producta yielded low butyrate productivities and CO-to-ethanol conversion had minimal impact on system performance, dynamic simulations predicted a large number of promising coculture designs with Clostridium ljungdahlii or C. autoethanogenum as the CO-to-acetate converter. Pairings with the gut bacterium Clostridium hylemonae or Roseburia hominis were particularly promising due to their ability to generate high butyrate productivities over a range of dilution rates with a variety of sugars. The higher specific acetate secretion rate of C. ljungdahlii proved more beneficial than the elevated growth rate of C. autoethanogenum for coculture butyrate productivity. Significance and impact of the study Our study demonstrated that metabolic modelling could provide useful insights into coculture design that can guide future experimental studies. More specifically, our predictions generated several favourable designs, which could serve as the first coculture systems realized experimentally.
Clinical Outcomes With Definitive Treatment of Methicillin-Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Bacteremia With Retained Daptomycin and Ceftaroline Combination Therapy vs De-escalation to Monotherapy With Vancomycin, Daptomycin, or Ceftaroline.

Background Lower mortality has been observed with combination therapy compared to monotherapy for methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) bacteremia; however, there is a lack of evidence for continued combination therapy over de-escalation to monotherapy following bacteremia clearance. Methods This was a single-center, retrospective study evaluating patients with MRSA bacteremia hospitalized from November 1, 2011, through July 31, 2019. Patients who received three to ten days of combination therapy followed by de-escalation to monotherapy were directly compared to patients retained on combination therapy. The primary composite outcome included inpatient infection-related mortality, 60-day readmission, and 60-day bacteremia recurrence. Results A total of 286 patients with MRSA bacteremia were identified, with 146 patients omitted based on exclusion criteria. The study population included 66 in the combination therapy group and 74 in the monotherapy group. Study population was 51% female (n = 71) and 78% white (n = 109) with median age of 46 years (IQR 34.5-61). No significant difference was observed in the primary composite outcome (21% combination therapy group vs 24% monotherapy group; P =.66), with retained observations after controlling for confounders. Within this outcome, there was no significant difference in 60-day readmission (20% combination therapy group vs 18% monotherapy group; P =.75), bacteremia recurrence (3% combination therapy group vs 7% monotherapy group; P =.45), or inpatient infection-related mortality (2% combination therapy group vs 5% monotherapy group; P = 1.00). Conclusions No difference was found in the composite outcome of 60-day bacteremia recurrence, readmission, or inpatient infection-related mortality for patients with MRSA bacteremia retained on combination therapy versus those de-escalated to monotherapy.
Building positive internal and external stakeholder perceptions through CSR storytelling

In this paper, we propose organizations can leverage the storytelling process to convey corporate social responsibility (CSR) actions and events. In doing so, organizations may mitigate the major c...
Transcriptional regulation by p53 during apoptosis.

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 47, 2006 SY08-02 The tumor suppressor protein p53 regulates transcriptional programs that control the cellular response to stress resulting in cell cycle arrest, senescence or apoptosis. This is largely achieved through selective activation of subsets of p53 target genes that in combination direct specific cell fate decisions. In an effort to understand these processes, we have identified distinct stress- and promoter-specific mechanisms utilized by p53 to activate expression of its numerous responsive genes. We find that p53 functions in a temporal manner to regulate promoter activity both before and after stress. Before stress, p53 is required to establish a gradient of bound RNA polymerase II (RNAP II) among its target promoters. For example, high levels of a poised RNAP II complex already exists on the pro-cell cycle arrest p21 promoter before stress which is rapidly converted to an elongating form after DNA damage. By contrast, pro-apoptotic promoters such as Fas/APO1, PUMA, and PTEN contain very low levels of RNAP II but undergo stress-induction through efficient re-initiation. Surprisingly, we find that initiation factors TFIIB and TAFII250 assemble onto the p21 and Fas/APO1 promoters in a stress-specific manner that is dependent upon p53. Such differences in the composition and binding affinity of the basal transcription machinery may regulate the relative kinetics of expression of specific genes within the p53 program and ultimately determine cell fate. Human colon cancer cells undergo cell cycle arrest or apoptosis in response to different forms of stress. These distinct outcomes are correlated with very different kinetics of expression of p21 and PUMA. This may be modulated by the stress-specific recruitment of TAFII250 and rapid loss of TFIIB from the p21 promoter for high level, transient expression after UV radiation or retention of TFIIB for sustained transcription after doxorubicin-induced damage. We are currently exploring the mechanisms by which p53 controls the behavior and composition of basal transcription initiation and elongation complexes in response to specific stressors. Interestingly, our recent studies demonstrate that certain p53-regulated genes, such as p21 and PUMA, continue to be expressed in cells treated with compounds that shut down global RNA synthesis through inhibition of RNAP II phosphorylation. This reveals the existence of bypass mechanisms that preserve the p53 transcriptional response even under conditions in which most other promoters are susceptible to inactivation. We are examining the basis for these mechanisms and the possible involvement of novel activities that regulate RNAP II function on select p53 target promoters.
Chapter 9 Approximate Nonlinear Forecasting Methods

Abstract We review key aspects of forecasting using nonlinear models. Because economic models are typically misspecified, the resulting forecasts provide only an approximation to the best possible forecast. Although it is in principle possible to obtain superior approximations to the optimal forecast using nonlinear methods, there are some potentially serious practical challenges. Primary among these are computational difficulties, the dangers of overfit, and potential difficulties of interpretation. In this chapter we discuss these issues in detail. Then we propose and illustrate the use of a new family of methods (QuickNet) that achieves the benefits of using a forecasting model that is nonlinear in the predictors while avoiding or mitigating the other challenges to the use of nonlinear forecasting methods.
Public Debt Targeting an Application to the Caribbean

This paper proposes a fiscal policy framework we call Public Debt Targeting. The framework seeks to smooth primary spending over the business cycle while remaining consistent with public debt sustainability. Under the proposed framework, a government announces a commitment to a public debt band trajectory over the medium term, while sequentially announcing primary expenditures for the next budget cycle, which are determined recursively based on the history of shocks. Public debt targeting differs from a structural balance rule in that it internalizes the effect of the deterioration in creditworthiness from fiscal deficits and public debt accumulation, which tend to affect sovereign spreads, interest rates, exchange rates, and economic activity. The proposed framework is applied to Caribbean economies, which in general show high levels of public debt and procyclical primary expenditure.
Anticipatory eye movements stabilize gaze during self‐generated head movements

Visual acuity and motion perception are degraded during head movements unless the eyes counter-rotate so as to stabilize the line of sight and the retinal image. The vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) is assumed to produce this ocular counter-rotation. Consistent with this assumption, oscillopsia is a common complaint of patients with bilateral vestibular weakness. Shanidze et al. (2010b) described compensatory eye movements in normal guinea pigs that appear to anticipate self-generated head movements. These responses effectively stabilize gaze and occur independently of the vestibular system. These new findings suggest that the VOR stabilizes gaze during passive perturbations of the head in space, but anticipatory responses may supplement or even supplant the VOR during actively generated head movements. This report reviews these findings, potential neurophysiological mechanisms, and their potential application to human clinical treatment of patients with vestibular disease.
Amanda D. Lotz, Cable Guys: Television and Masculinities in the 21st Century

Ten years ago, television critics and scholars alike rang a death knell for quality television, which was said to be suffocating under an avalanche of reality shows and online user-generated content. How then can we make sense of the recent renaissance on cable channels of high-quality dramas that offer complex narratives, ambivalent characters, and moral ambiguity? Amanda D. Lotz’s new book, Cable Guys: Television and Masculinities in the 21st Century leads the vanguard of new scholarship that grapples with making sense of our contemporary television landscape. Lotz focuses on representations of masculinity in (mostly) dramas on (mostly) cable channels in the United States since 2000, looking at male protagonists in shows such as The Sopranos, Mad Men, Nip/Tuck, Breaking Bad, Entourage, and Rescue Me. She rigorously explores these male characters and their relationships to investigate revised articulations of masculinity in the new century, and contextualizes these protagonists within current industrial, cultural, and television genre contexts.
ESTIMABILITY AND ESTIMATION IN CASE-REFERENT STUDIES

The concepts that case-referent studies provide for the estimation of "relative risk" only if the illness is "rare", and that the rates and risks themselves are inestimable, are overly superficial and restrictve. The ratio of incidence densities (forces of morbidity)-and thereby the instantaneous risk-ratio-is estimable without any rarity-assumption. Long-term risk-ratio can be computed through the coupling of case-referent data on exposure rates for various age-categories with estimates, possibly from the study itself, or the corresponding age-specific incidence-densities for the exposed and nonexposed combined-but again, no rarity-assumption is involved. Such data also provide for the assessment of exposure-specific absolute incidence-rates and risks. Point estimation of the various parameters can be based on simple relationships among them, and in interval estimation it is sufficient simply to couple the point estimate with the value of the chi square statistic used in significance testing.
Quantifying the benefits of immersion for collaboration in virtual environments

Collaborative Virtual Environments allow multiple users to interact collaboratively while taking advantage of the perceptual richness that Virtual Environments (VEs) provide. In this paper, we demonstrate empirically that increasing the level of immersion in a VE can have a beneficial effect on the usability of that environment in a collaborative context. We present the results of a study in which we varied two immersive factors, stereo and head tracking, within the context of a two person collaborative task. Our results indicate that stereo can have a positive effect on task performance; that different levels of immersion have effects that vary with gender; and that varying the level of immersion has a pronounced effect on communication between users. These results show that the level of immersion can play an important role in determining user performance on some collaborative tasks.
Load sharing in the growth of bundled biopolymers.

To elucidate the nature of load sharing in the growth of multiple biopolymers, we perform stochastic simulations of the growth of biopolymer bundles against obstacles under a broad range of conditions and varying assumptions. The obstacle motion due to thermal fluctuations is treated explicitly. We assume the “Perfect Brownian Ratchet” (PBR) model, in which the polymerization rate equals the free-filament rate as soon as the filament-obstacle distance exceeds the monomer size. Accurate closed-form formulas are obtained for the case of a rapidly moving obstacle. We find the following: (1) load sharing is usually sub-perfect in the sense that polymerization is slower than for a single filament carrying the same average force; (2) the sub-perfect behavior becomes significant at a total force proportional to the logarithm or the square root of the number of filaments, depending on the alignment of the filaments; (3) for the special case of slow barrier diffusion and low opposing force, an enhanced obstacle velocity for an increasing number of filaments is possible; (4) the obstacle velocity is very sensitive to the alignment of the filaments in the bundle, with a staggered alignment being an order of magnitude faster than an unstaggered one at forces of only 0.5 pN per filament for 20 filaments; (5) for large numbers of filaments, the power is maximized at a force well below 1 pN per filament; (6) for intermediate values of the obstacle diffusion coefficient, the shape of the force velocity relation is very similar to that for rapid obstacle diffusion.
Nucleotide sequence of the avian influenza A/Mallard/NY/6750/78 virus polymerase genes

The avian influenza A/Mallard/NY/6750/78 virus is currently being evaluated as a donor of attenuating genes in the construction of live avian-human influenza A reassortant virus vaccines for use in humans. We determined the nucleotide sequences of the three polymerase gene segments of this virus. This completes the nucleotide sequence of the six transferrable genes of the avian donor virus. Comparison of the nucleotide and deduced amino acid sequences of the non-glycoprotein genes of the avian A/Mallard/78 virus with representative avian and human influenza A viruses suggests that the PB1 gene of H2N2 subtype human influenza A viruses may have been derived from a non-human, possibly avian influenza A virus by genetic reassortment. In addition, several regions of conserved amino acids with potential functional significance were identified in the deduced amino acid sequences of the polymerase proteins.
Women, Career Orientation, and Employment

This study examines age and life-cycle stage variance in women's career orientation (i.e., intention to pursue a career) and in the expression of career orientation through employment. The study group is a cross-sectional, non-probability sample of 1,120 women, ages 22–64, who contacted a major mid-western university's Center for Continuing Education of Women. Three findings predominate: (1) Career orientation is negatively related to age, reflecting greater career interest among younger women. (2) In all marital and parental status categories, high proportions of young women are career oriented, suggesting that career interest persists through the periods of family formation and expansion. (3) The greatest discrepancy between career orientation and rate of full-time employment occurs among married mothers of preschool children, suggesting that career plans are deferred during early motherhood. Discussion focuses on the implications of the findings for work and family policy and further research.
Are barriers to mental health and substance abuse care still rising

This study estimates unmet need and barriers to alcohol, drug, and mental health (ADM) services in 1997 to 1998 using data from a national household survey (n=9,585). In 1997 to 1998, 10.9% of the population perceived a need for ADM services, with 15% obtaining no treatment and 11% experiencing delays or obtaining less care than needed. The rate of unmet need due to no treatment is similar to earlier studies, but the group experiencing delays/less care is almost as large. This finding emphasizes the importance of defining access to care more broadly by including timeliness and intensity of care. Economic barriers are highest for the uninsured, but also are high among the privately insured. Individuals with unmet need are significantly more likely to use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM). Those with no conventional mental health care rely on self-administered treatment, while those with delayed/insufficient conventional care use CAM providers and self-administered treatment.
Taiwanese first-grade teachers' perceptions of inclusive education

This study investigated the influence of three types of variables (teachers' backgrounds, the current teaching situation and characteristics of students with disabilities) on Taiwanese first-grade teachers' perceptions of inclusive education. A mail survey was conducted with all first-grade teachers in a metropolitan city in central Taiwan. After excluding cases with missing data, the sample size for this study was 321. Results showed that in general teachers' perceptions of inclusive education were in the middle range, neither highly negative nor highly positive. Two variables related to the teachers' current teaching situation (having at least one student with disabilities in their classrooms and school size) were found to have significant but opposite effects on teachers' perceptions, with the former being positive and the latter being negative. None of the variables related to teachers' backgrounds appeared to be significantly associated with perceptions of inclusive education. However, the relationsh...
Arginine-42 and threonine-45 are required for FAD incorporation and catalytic activity in human monoamine oxidase B.

Monoamine oxidase B (MAO B) is an integral protein of the outer mitochondrial membrane that is involved in the deamination of vasoactive and neuroactive amines. The oxidation of these amine substrates requires the cofactor FAD, which is covalently bound to Cys-397 of human MAO B. Previously, Glu-34 and Tyr-44 of MAO B have been identified as residues which engage in noncovalent interactions with FAD that are required for subsequent covalent FAD binding and generation of catalytic activity. In this study, we have identified two additional residues, Arg-42 and Thr-45, which form noncovalent contacts with FAD that are prerequisite steps to the covalent attachment of FAD. Arg-42 and Thr-45, along with Tyr-44, comprise part of a highly conserved flavin binding sequence, RXY(T,S), that is found in other flavoproteins, several of which have well-defined X-ray crystal structures. We tested the roles of Arg-42 and Thr-45 in MAO B by constructing mutant MAO B cDNAs which encode amino acid substitutions at these res...
Genetic identification of a hantavirus associated with an outbreak of acute respiratory illness

A mysterious respiratory illness with high mortality was recently reported in the southwestern United States. Serologic studies implicated the hantaviruses, rodent-borne RNA viruses usually associated elsewhere in the world with hemorrhagic fever with renal syndrome. A genetic detection assay amplified hantavirus-specific DNA fragments from RNA extracted from the tissues of patients and deer mice (Peromyscus maniculatus) caught at or near patient residences. Nucleotide sequence analysis revealed the associated virus to be a new hantavirus and provided a direct genetic link between infection in patients and rodents.
River meanders and channel size

Abstract This study uses an enlarged data set to (1) compare measured meander geometry to that predicted by the Langbein and Leopold (1966) theory, (2) examine the frequency distribution of the ratio radius of curvature/channel width, and (3) derive 40 empirical equations (31 of which are original) involving meander and channel size features. The data set, part of which comes from publications by other authors, consists of 194 sites from a large variety of physiographic environments in various countries. The Langbein-Leopold sine-generated-curve theory for predicting radius of curvature agrees very well with the field data (78 sites). The ratio radius of curvature/channel width has a modal value in the range of 2 to 3, in accordance with earlier work; about one third of the 79 values is less than 2.0. The 40 empirical relations, most of which include only two variables, involve channel cross-section dimensions (bankfull area, width, and mean depth) and meander features (wavelength, bend length, radius of curvature, and belt width). These relations have very high correlation coefficients, most being in the range of 0.95–0.99. Although channel width traditionally has served as a scale indicator, bankfull cross-sectional area and mean depth also can be used for this purpose.
Fatigue crack growth mechanisms in steels

Abstract Fatigue crack growth behavior of structural steels is examined by using the Unified Approach developed by the authors. In this approach, fatigue requires two-load parameters involving maximum stress intensity, Kmax, and stress intensity amplitude, △K. For a fatigue crack to grow, both Kmax and △K must exceed their respective threshold values. Similarly, for any other crack growth rate, two limiting values, Kmax∗ and △K∗ are required to enforce the growth rate. The variation of these two critical values forms the crack growth trajectory map, which is defined by plotting △K∗ vs. Kmax∗ as a function of crack growth rate. In this trajectory map, the line defined by △ K ∗= K max ∗ represents pure fatigue crack growth behavior induced by cyclic strains. It is shown that this line provides a reference norm for defining deviations in the trajectory resulting from environmental and/or monotonic fracture modes superimposed on fatigue. Using this approach, we have examined the crack growth behavior of many structural steels. The trajectory maps of these steels show deviations due to superimposed environmental effects. These effects vary with grain size, yield strength, microstructure, and chemistry. In addition, for a given material, changes in the trajectory paths occur because of changing crack growth mechanisms. Analysis of material behavior using trajectory maps provides a clear understanding of the relative magnitude of cyclic and environmental damage and how the microstructure, chemistry, and crack tip plasticity affect fatigue crack growth behavior of steels.
Turtleback Surfaces of Death Valley Viewed as Phenomena of Extensional Tectonics

The controversial turtleback surfaces of Death Valley may be colossal fault mullions resulting from severe crustal extension which were localized along undulating and northwest-plunging zones of weakness that were in existence prior to this deformation. Supporting evidence includes (1) a coincidence between the surfaces and carbonate layers in folded metamorphic rocks beneath the surfaces, and (2) striations, slickensides, and extensional fractures with orientations compatible with northwest extension.
Benchmarking mechanical engineering collections using the WorldCat Collection Analysis tool

The WorldCat Collection Analysis (WCA) tool was utilized to benchmark engineering monograph collections generally and mechanical engineering in depth. This was accomplished by quantitatively comparing the collections of 13 aspirational peer institutions and assessing local holdings based on those benchmarks. This study also explored trends in print and ebook engineering monograph holdings from 2005 to 2010. In addition to benchmarking, limitations and challenges of using WCA and aspirational peers are also discussed.
Determination of dispersoid size distributions in Inconel MA 754 by small-angle x-ray scattering

Abstract The dispersoid size frequency distribution and volume fraction of the nickel based oxide dispersion strengthened alloy Inconel MA 754 have been determined using small-angle X-ray scattering (SAXS). Two methods of determining dispersoid size distributions from the SAXS spectra are utilized. One method involves a calculation of log-normal distribution parameters from the integrated intensity, forward scattering and the Porod radius. A second method employs an integral transform of the data to calculate the size distribution. Dispersoid size distributions from the transform method exhibit close agreement with histograms obtained from thin foil transmission electron microscopy. Measurement of dispersoid volume fractions from the integrated intensity, coupled with dispersoid size frequency distributions allow a calculation of the average planar separation distance of the dispersoids. The results for two heats of MA 754 lead to predicted dislocation creep strengths which are in reasonable agreement with short time creep data at 1000 and 1093°C. The effect of the presence of mixed aluminum-yttrium oxides in MA 754 is considered.
Equivalent Circuit Model for Metamaterial-Based Electromagnetic Band-Gap Isolator

This letter describes the performance characteristics of single-layer 1-D periodic resonant structures embedded in a metal-backed substrate. Such structures are known to behave as an electromagnetic band-gap (EBG) layer that can suppress the dominant substrate mode. For short distances in thin substrates, it is shown that the dominant TM0odd with a zero cutoff frequency can be approximated by a TEM wave inside and in the vicinity of the thin substrate. The propagation of this TEM wave is then modeled by an equivalent transmission-line model. The effect of the resonant EBG structure on the wave propagation in the equivalent transmission-line model is taken into consideration by modeling the EBG structure in terms of an equivalent LC circuit and establishing the proper electric and magnetic mutual couplings between the LC circuit and the transmission-line model. The performance of the equivalent circuit model is compared to the full-wave simulation of the actual structure, and a very good agreement is shown.
Chocolate craving and disordered eating. Beyond the gender divide

Chocolate craving in women has previously been linked to disordered eating behaviors. A relatively higher prevalence of eating disorder pathology may account for the fact that chocolate craving is significantly more common in women in North America, compared to many other countries. While support for a causal role of disordered eating in the etiology of craving in women is growing, little is known about the extent to which food cravings are associated with disordered eating behaviors in men. This study was designed to systematically assess the impact of gender and chocolate craving on measures of attitudes to chocolate, responsiveness to food cues in the environment, body shape dissatisfaction, dietary restraint, and eating disorder and general pathology. Undergraduate men and women (n = 645, 37.2% male) were invited to complete self-report questionnaires assessing demographics, height and weight, food cravings, dietary attitudes and behaviors, along with eating disorder and general pathology. Data suggest that the relationship between chocolate craving and disordered eating behaviors in men is the opposite of what has previously been observed in women: compared to non-cravers, male chocolate cravers reported significantly more guilt related to craving, but were significantly less likely to diet and reported lower levels of dietary restraint, less frequent weight fluctuations, and fewer symptoms of eating disorders. Findings indicate that a positive relationship between disordered eating behaviors and chocolate craving may be unique to women (and potentially women in North America). Findings have important implications for our understanding of cultural and psychosocial factors involved in the etiology of food cravings.
Soil lead levels in orchards and roadsides of mission Peninsula, Michigan

The Pb content in orchard soils at Mission Peninsula, Michigan was determined to assess the impact of historical lead arsenate applications. Soil samples at 72 sites located in five orchards were collected at depths of 2−, 20-, 50−, and 100 cm. Atomic absorption spectroscopy was used to quantify Pb levels (jig g−1). Mean surface Pb levels at individual orchards ranged from <1–136 pg g−1 and rapidly decreased with depth, to < 1-5 μg g−1 at 100 cm. The impact of textural class and slope angle on Pb levels was also analyzed. Correlation coefficients linking Pb levels with textural class were weak, ranging from 0.21 to −0.07. Varying slope steepness and slope position within orchards failed to affect the spatial pattern of soil Pb.
Suppression of defective-sporulation phenotypes by mutations in the major sigma factor gene (rpoD) of Bacillus subtilis

Mutations (crsA47 and crsA4) in the major sigma factor gene (rpoD) of Bacillus subtilis RNA polymerase have been found to be powerful intergenic suppressors of spoOB, spoOE, spoOF, spoOK and spoIIG mutations. The crsA47 suppressor restores sporulation of spoOE, spoOF, spoOK and spoIIG mutants to levels near those of wild type bacteria and substantially improves the sporulation of a spoOB strain. The crsA mutations are shown to prevent the induction by aliphatic alcohols of SpoO phenocopies in wild type B. subtilis cells.
Evolution of white light speckle method and its application to micro/nanotechnology and heart mechanics

The use of Fourier transforms to delineate displacement information between a pair of shifted random speckle patterns is exploited for applications to the fields of micro/nanotechnology and biomechanics. Examples include crack tip deformation, differential thermal strain distribution in electronic packaging, mechanical properties of MEMS material, and epicardium deformation of globally and regionally ischemic hearts.
Responses of locusts in a paradigm which tests postural load compensatory reactions.

Abstract The abilities of locusts to generate postural load compensatory reactions were tested by placing them in a chamber that was mounted on a swivel joint and repetitively swayed (an adaption of the paradigm of Nashner). Tests were performed when the animals stood upon a screen on the wall of the cage and sinusoidal displacements wer imposed that repeatedly forced the animal away from and toward the side of the chamber upon which it was standing. Myographic activities of muscles of the middle legs and the angle of the chamber relative to the horizontal plane were recorded during these tests. Locusts were readily able to maintain postures during these tests. Myographic recordings of activities of muscles of the mesothoracic legs showed repetitive bursting in the trochanteral levator, tibial flexor and tarsal levator muscles that was coupled to the cycles of movement of the chamber. Similar bursts were not regularly recorded in antagonist muscle. Comparison of the phase of onset of bursting among different muscle demonstrated that the levator and flexor muscles are activated nearly synchronously during the phase of movement when the surface upon which the animal was standing was being moved away from it. Measurements of the forces developed by all the legs during similar reactions in semi-restrained preparations showed that these bursts can regularly generate force levels in excess of 3 times the animal's weight. We conclude that the patterns of muscle activity seen during the tests in which animals were swayed could effectively function in postural load compensation. These patterns of activity are compared with similar responses of vertebrates.