cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Boys and Girls Together: A Case for Creating Gender-Friendly Middle School Classrooms

Close your eyes and picture an average grade school class. Watch the boys and girls as they learn, interact, and deal with problems. Do they look alike in your mind's eye? Do they learn the same way? Do they interact with you and with one another similarly? Do they solve problems-both relationship and academic-in the same ways? Not likely. No, there appears to be a very real difference between boys and girls. What is the nature of that difference, and from where does it come? Moreover, if there is such a striking difference, are there things we should be doing in the classroom to accommodate for these differences? These are all significant questions that might affect the academic growth of our students. As young people move into adolescence, they begin to explore gender roles. Finding their way through this potential minefield is complicated and challenging for middle school students. The process of determining the variations in masculinity and femininity is largely a social function, not a biological one (Rice and Dolgin 2002). What it means to be a man, and what it means to be a woman, are communicated to children by all the adults in a child's life, including teachers.
Is There a Neglected Firm Effect

Excerpt] The objective of this paper is to examine the statistical basis of the neglected firm effect: whether it is indeed statistically distinct from the small firm and January effects or not. Relative to previous work on neglected securities, the results reported are obtained from the use of superior data bases and a more rigorous statistical analysis. The paper proceeds with sections on data and statistical methodology, and an analysis of the neglected firm effect.
Novel mutation in the SPG3A gene in an African American family with an early onset of hereditary spastic paraplegia.

Background Mutations in a novel GTPase gene SPG3A cause an autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia linked to chromosome 14q ( SPG3 ), which accounts for approximately 10% to 15% of all autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia cases. The mutational spectrum of the SPG3A gene and the phenotype/genotype correlations have not yet been established. Objective To describe a kindred with an infantile onset of hereditary spastic paraplegia caused by a novel mutation in the SPG3A gene. Patients Complete neurological examination and genetic analysis were performed on 6 affected members of a small African American kindred. Linkage analysis to genetic markers near autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia loci on chromosomes 2p and 14q was performed. The coding sequence of the SPG3A gene was analyzed, and the identified change in the sequence was tested for being a benign polymorphism by sequencing 200 chromosomes from normal controls. Results Every affected individual had signs of uncomplicated spastic paraparesis without additional neurological abnormalities. None of the affected family members had ever walked normally. The history was consistent with an infantile onset, despite the normal acquisition of motor milestones. Genetic analysis suggested linkage to the SPG3A locus on chromosome 14q. Analysis of the SPG3A gene revealed a missense mutation C635T, predicted to result in a threonine to isoleucine substitution at codon 156. Analysis of 200 normal chromosomes did not identify the same change in healthy subjects. Conclusion We report a novel mutation in the SPG3A gene in an African American family with an infantile onset of autosomal dominant hereditary spastic paraplegia.
Recombination and ion loss in C-Mod detached divertor discharges

Abstract We present detailed profiles of the magnitude and location of volumetric recombination occurring in the Alcator C-Mod divertor region during detached divertor discharges. The recombination sink (for ions) is compared to the ion current collected at the divertor plates both as a function of location on the plate and across the entire divertor. We find that, depending on plasma conditions, volume recombination can account for the removal of 10–75% of the ions flowing on detached flux surfaces. A similarly important cause of the observed ion current loss appears to be the reduction in divertor ion sources upstream from the plate. Changes in the ion source rate are consistent with changes in power flowing from the SOL into the divertor region. The lowest levels of recombination are found in H-mode discharges where detachment is induced through puffing of N 2 gas. In these cases the observed ion current loss is due almost entirely to decrease in the ion source. This shows that recombination is not a necessary condition for detachment.
NUCLEASE OVEREXPRESSION MUTANTS OF SERRATIA MARCESCENS

A family of mutants overexpressing the Serratia marcescens extracellular nuclease has been known for decades. A number of these alleles are characterized here at the molecular level, and the mutant genes are identified, yielding a likely model for their phenotype. The known mutations exert their effect indirectly on nucA expression by elevating the basal SOS response of the cell. Mutations have been found in xerC and uvrD, both of which result in partial SOS induction. A classic nuc su allele, that of strain W1050, is also likely to be in xerC.
SENSORY, NUTRITIONAL AND STORAGE PROPERTIES OF COWPEA POWDERS PROCESSED TO REDUCE BEANY FLAVOR

Acidified water soaking of cowpeas followed by blanching reduced the beany flavor of drum-dried cowpea powders. A taste panel preferred the low-beany cowpea powders in a porridge-like baby food formula but not in bread where the reduction in beaniness was less apparent or in moin-moin, an African traditional dish, where beany flavor is desirable. The amino acid compositions and available lysine contents of the low-beany powders did not differ appreciably from those of raw cowpeas or from powder not reduced in beaniness. Biological value, as measured by the PER test, was not decreased in powders lowered in beaniness and was enhanced by methionine fortification. Storage stability of low-beany powders evaluated in the baby food formula was excellent for at least 16 wk at 30°C.
Improvement of reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatographic resolution of benzo[a]pyrene metabolites using organic amines: application to metabolites produced by fish.

Addition of primary organic amines, such as n-butylamine, to the mobile phase altered the capacity factors and selectivity of benzo[a]pyrene metabolites obtained with reverse-phase high pressure liquid chromatography on an ODS column. Separation of benzo[a]pyrene phenols in particular was improved with 8 of the 10 available metabolites resolved, including those known to be biologically produced. The method offers sufficiently improved resolution or convenience that it should prove useful in comparative studies of metabolism of benzo[a]-pyrene and other polynuclear aromatic hydrocarbons. Applying the method to analysis of benzo[a]pyrene metabolites produced in vitro by hepatic microsomes from the marine fish Stenotomus versicolor indicated the principal phenolic derivatives produced by this fish were 1-hydroxy-, 3-hydroxy-, 7-hydroxy-, and 9-hydroxybenzo[a]pyrene.
An Undescribed Species of Papulospora Parasitic on Rhizoctonia Solani Kuhn

1. A previously undescribed species of Papulospora, isolated from soil, is described.2. This species has been found to be parasitic on R. solani by both an internal and an external type of parasiti...
A modified Chang–Brown model for the determination of the dopant distribution in a Bridgman–Stockbarger semiconductor crystal growth system

Abstract In this paper, we start from the Chang–Brown model which allows computation of flow, temperature and dopant concentration in a vertical Bridgman–Stockbarger semiconductor growth system. The modifications made by us concern the melt/solid interface. Namely, we assume that the phase transition does not take place on a flat mathematical surface, but in a thin region (the so-called precrystallization-zone), masking the crystal, where both phases, liquid and solid, co-exist. We deduce for this zone new effective equations which govern flow, heat and dopant transport and make the coupling of these equations with those governing the same phenomena in the pure melt. We compute flow, temperature and dopant concentration for crystal and melt with thermophysical properties similar to gallium-doped germanium using the modified Chang–Brown model and compare the results to those obtained using the Chang–Brown model.
Estimation of the total amorphous content of Hawai'i soils by the Rietveld method.

The crystalline and amorphous phases of the clay fraction of 10 agriculturally important Hawaiian surface soils were analyzed by x-ray diffraction (XRD) and the Rietveld method. The clay fraction of these soils was also analyzed by x-ray fluorescence (XRF). A balance sheet method was used to assign the oxide content of the clays to the crystalline phases. The remaining oxides after the crystalline phases were accounted for served as an estimate of the chemical composition of the amorphous fraction. Amorphous phase mass fractions ranged from 0.28 to 0.77. Loss of weight on ignition (LOI) was found to be an important constituent of the amorphous fraction. Acid ammonium oxalate extractions were compared with the results of the Rietveld method. Because of the differences between the results of the two methods, it was apparent that they were determining different fractions of the amorphous material. The Rietveld method determines the total amorphous content of a sample, whereas oxalate extraction determines what we refer to as the chemically active portion of the amorphous fraction. The influence of the amorphous fraction on a soil's chemical and physical properties has remained speculative because the determination of the actual percentage of the total noncrystalline component was not possible by past analytical procedures. Furthermore, because the amorphous component is not considered in the Rietveld computation of the mass fraction breakout of the crystalline phases, estimates of the actual crystalline phases' mass fractions cannot be made without a reliable estimate of the total amorphous content.
Assessing the Effectiveness of Whole Person Learning Pedagogy in Skill Acquisition

We describe a whole person learning experiential/behavioral skill pedagogy developed in an executive skills course. The pedagogy was designed to address recent criticisms of MBA education relative ...
Influence of plant severing on movement of Ostrinia nubilalis larvae in Zea mays hybrid seed production fields.

Abstract Genetically engineered corn hybrids that contain a cry gene from the bacterium Bacillus thuringiensis Berliner (Bt) are gaining popularity for controlling the corn pest Ostrinia nubilalis (Hubner). Continuous use of Bt corn, however, could select for O. nubilalis that are resistant to this corn. Monitoring for insect resistance is important, because it could help maintain the Bt technology. A possible monitoring method is to collect larval insects in commercial drying bins after harvest from Bt seed production fields. A drawback to this method is that these collections may be contaminated by insects that moved as later instars from severed non-Bt male rows into the adjacent Bt female rows. These larvae have little to no exposure to Bt toxin, resulting in possible “false positives.” The objectives of this study were to first find which combination of planting and severing dates produces the least number of larvae that move from non-Bt male plants to Bt female plants and to assess O. nubilalis larv...
Pull-in and snap-through instabilities in transient deformations of microelectromechanical systems

We analyze transient finite electroelastodynamic deformations of a perfect electrically conducting undamped clamped–clamped beam, a clamped–clamped parabolic arch and a clamped–clamped bell-shaped arch suspended over a flat rigid semi-infinite perfect conductor. The pull-in instability in a beam and the pull-in and the snap-through instabilities in the two arches due to time-dependent potential difference between the two electrodes have been studied. The potential difference is applied either suddenly or is increased linearly in time. Since the time scale of the transient electric forces is very small as compared to that of the mechanical forces, inertia effects only in the mechanical deformations are considered. Effects of both material and geometric nonlinearities are incorporated in the problem formulation and solution; however, damping due to the interaction of the structure with the surrounding medium is neglected. The coupled nonlinear partial differential equations for mechanical deformations are solved numerically by the finite element method and those for the electrical problem by the boundary element method. The Coulomb pressure due to the potential difference between the two electrodes is a nonlinear function of the a priori unknown distance between them. The potential difference that induces either the pull-in instability in a beam or the snap-through followed by the pull-in instabilities in an arch has been computed. Wherever possible these results are compared with those available in the literature. With a decrease in the rate of the applied potential difference, the pull-in and the snap-through parameters approach those for a static problem. Also, for large rates of increase in the potential difference between the two electrodes, the snap-through instability in an arch is suppressed and only the pull-in instability occurs.
Integrin-associated Lyn kinase promotes cell survival by suppressing acid sphingomyelinase activity.

Integrins govern cellular adhesion and transmit signals leading to activation of intracellular signaling pathways aimed to prevent apoptosis. Herein we report that attachment of oligodendrocytes (OLs) to fibronectin via αvβ3 integrin receptors rendered the cells more resistant to apoptosis than the cells attached to laminin via α6β1 integrins. Investigation of molecular mechanisms involved in αvβ3 integrin-mediated cell survival revealed that ligation of the integrin with fibronectin results in higher expression of activated Lyn kinase. Both in OLs and in the mouse brain, Lyn selectively associates with αvβ3 integrin, not with αvβ5 integrin, leading to suppression of acid sphingomyelinase activity and preventing ceramide-mediated apoptosis. In OLs, knockdown of Lyn with small interfering RNA resulted in OL apoptosis with concomitant accumulation of C16-ceramide due to activation of acid sphingomyelinase (ASMase) and sphingomyelin hydrolysis. Knocking down ASMase partially protected OLs from apoptosis. In the brain, ischemia/reperfusion (IR) triggered rearrangements in the αvβ3 integrin-Lyn kinase complex leading to disruption of Lyn kinase-mediated suppression of ASMase activity. Thus, co-immunoprecipitation studies revealed an increased association of αvβ3 integrin-Lyn kinase complex with ionotropic glutamate receptor subunits, GluR2 and GluR4, after cerebral IR. Sphingolipid analysis of the brain demonstrated significant accumulation of ceramide and sphingomyelin hydrolysis. The data suggest a novel mechanism for regulation of ASMase activity during cell adhesion in which Lyn acts as a key upstream kinase that may play a critical role in cerebral IR injury.
The risk of developing a work disability across the adulthood years.

Abstract Background Work disability has implications for individual health, national health care expenditures, economic productivity, and the social safety net. Knowledge about population dynamics and risk factors associated with work disability are not delineated by cross-sectional research. Objective In this paper the authors estimate, for the first time, the prospective lifetime risk that a head of household will report a work disability. Methods Using forty years of longitudinal data from the Panel Study of Income Dynamics (PSID), we estimate the lifetime risk of developing a work disability and conduct a logistic regression analysis to examine personal characteristics that increase the likelihood of a self-reported work disability. Life table methods are used to calculate lifetime prevalence, and to compute covariate effects. Results Between the ages of 25 and 60, over half (54.6%) of U.S. household heads will self-report a work disability, and approximately one quarter (24.1%) will self-report a severe work disability. Persons with income below 150% of the federal poverty level, or lower educational attainment, have an increased likelihood of reporting a work disability. Conclusions This study finds that more than half of U.S. household heads will self-report a work disability, which is a higher prevalence than in existing cross-sectional estimates. The social context for this finding is that work disability is a major driver of spending on health care services and the social safety net.
The West Wing as Endorsement of the U.S. Presidency: Expanding the Bounds of Priming in Political Communication

This study uses priming as a theoretical basis from which to investigate potential effects of NBC's The West Wing on individual-level perceptions of the U.S. presidency. As a result, this work extends political communication-based priming research to entertainment television content. Josiah Bartlet, the fictional president portrayed on the show, is generally perceived more positively by viewers than either the Republican President George W. Bush or Democrat William Jefferson Clinton. Perceptions of the importance of being engaging to presidential success rose as a result of watching the program, and The West Wing viewers retained more positive images of Bush and Clinton after the viewing experience. Viewing The West Wing seems to prime more positive images of the U.S. presidency that subsequently influence individual-level perceptions of those individuals most directly associated with this office. The authors make theoretical connections to previous work on role display and trust in democratic institutions.
A comparison of verbal and tangible stimulus preference assessment methods in adults with schizophrenia

Verbal stimulus preference assessments were compared with tangible stimulus preference assessments for four adults with a diagnosis of schizophrenia. In the verbal assessment, participants were asked, ‘Do you want X or Y?’, the items were not present, and the participant chose an item verbally. In the tangible assessment, pairs of items were placed in front of the participant and s/he was asked to choose by approaching the stimuli. The two assessment methods yielded identical highest preference items for three of the four participants and identical lowest preference items for all participants. In addition, the verbal assessment method took less time to complete than the tangible assessment method. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Differential stable isotope labeling of peptides for quantitation and de novo sequence derivation

We have demonstrated the use of per-methyl esterification of peptides for relative quantification of proteins between two mixtures of proteins and automated de novo sequence derivation on the same dataset. Protein mixtures for comparison were digested to peptides and resultant peptides methylated using either d0- or d3-methanol. Methyl esterification of peptides converted carboxylic acids, such as are present on the side chains of aspartic and glutamic acid as well as the carboxyl terminus, to their corresponding methyl esters. The separate d0- and d3-methylated peptide mixtures were combined and the mixture subjected to microcapillary high performance liquid chromatography/tandem mass spectrometry (HPLC/MS/MS). Parent proteins of methylated peptides were identified by correlative database searching of peptide tandem mass spectra. Ratios of proteins in the two original mixtures could be calculated by normalization of the area under the curve for identical charge states of d0- to d3-methylated peptides. An algorithm was developed that derived, without intervention, peptide sequence de novo by comparison of tandem mass spectra of d0- and d3-peptide methyl esters.
TGF-β1 sensitizes TRPV1 through Cdk5 signaling in odontoblast-like cells

Odontoblasts are specialized cells that form dentin and they are believed to be sensors for tooth pain. Transforming growth factor-β1 (TGF-β1), a pro-inflammatory cytokine expressed early in odontoblasts, plays an important role in the immune response during tooth inflammation and infection. TGF-β1 is also known to participate in pain signaling by regulating cyclin-dependent kinase 5 (Cdk5) in nociceptive neurons of the trigeminal and dorsal root ganglia. However, the precise role of TGF-β1 in tooth pain signaling is not well characterized. The aim of our present study was to determine whether or not in odontoblasts Cdk5 is functionally active, if it is regulated by TGF-β1, and if it affects the downstream pain receptor, transient receptor potential vanilloid-1 (TRPV1). We first determined that Cdk5 and p35 are indeed expressed in an odontoblast-enriched primary preparation from murine teeth. For the subsequent analysis, we used an odontoblast-like cell line (MDPC-23) and found that Cdk5 is functionally active in these cells and its kinase activity is upregulated during cell differentiation. We found that TGF-β1 treatment potentiated Cdk5 kinase activity in undifferentiated MDPC-23 cells. SB431542, a specific inhibitor of TGF-β1 receptor 1 (Tgfbr1), when co-administered with TGF-β1, blocked the induction of Cdk5 activity. TGF-β1 treatment also activated the ERK1/2 signaling pathway, causing an increase in early growth response-1 (Egr-1), a transcription factor that induces p35 expression. In MDPC-23 cells transfected with TRPV1, Cdk5-mediated phosphorylation of TRPV1 at threonine-407 was significantly increased after TGF-β1 treatment. In contrast, SB431542 co-treatment blocked TRPV1 phosphorylation. Moreover, TGF-β1 treatment enhanced both proton- and capsaicin-induced Ca2+ influx in TRPV1-expressing MDPC-23 cells, while co-treatment with either SB431542 or roscovitine blocked this effect. Cdk5 and p35 are expressed in a murine odontoblast-enriched primary preparation of cells from teeth. Cdk5 is also functionally active in odontoblast-like MDPC-23 cells. TGF-β1 sensitizes TRPV1 through Cdk5 signaling in MDPC-23 cells, suggesting the direct involvement of odontoblasts and Cdk5 in dental nociceptive pain transduction.
Reviewing the ketamine model for schizophrenia.

The observation that antagonists of the N-methyl-D-aspartate glutamate receptor (NMDAR), such as phencyclidine (PCP) and ketamine, transiently induce symptoms of acute schizophrenia had led to a paradigm shift from dopaminergic to glutamatergic dysfunction in pharmacological models of schizophrenia. The glutamate hypothesis can explain negative and cognitive symptoms of schizophrenia better than the dopamine hypothesis, and has the potential to explain dopamine dysfunction itself. The pharmacological and psychomimetic effects of ketamine, which is safer for human subjects than phencyclidine, are herein reviewed. Ketamine binds to a variety of receptors, but principally acts at the NMDAR, and convergent genetic and molecular evidence point to NMDAR hypofunction in schizophrenia. Furthermore, NMDAR hypofunction can explain connectional and oscillatory abnormalities in schizophrenia in terms of both weakened excitation of inhibitory -aminobutyric acidergic (GABAergic) interneurons that synchronize cortical networks and disinhibition of principal cells. Individuals with prenatal aberrations of NMDAR might experience the onset of schizophrenia towards the completion of synaptic pruning in adolescence, when network connectivity drops below a critical value. We conclude that ketamine challenge is useful for studying the positive, negative, and cognitive symptoms, dopaminergic and GABAergic dysfunction, age of onset, functional dysconnectivity, and abnormal cortical oscillations observed in acute schizophrenia.
TWO DIMENSIONAL LATTICE VIBRATIONS FROM DIRECT PRODUCT REPRESENTATIONS OF SYMMETRY GROUPS

Arrangements of point masses and ideal harmonic springs are used to model two dimensional crystals. First, the Born cyclic condition is applied to a double chain composed of coupled linear lattices to obtain a cylindrical arrangement. Then the quadratic Lagrangian function for the system is written in matrix notation. The Lagrangian is diagonalized to yield the natural frequencies of the system. The trans- formation to achieve the diagonalization was obtained from group theorectic considera- tions. Next, the techniques developed for the double chain are applied to a square lattice. The square lattice is transformed into the toroidal Ising model. The direct product nature of the symmetry group of the torus reveals the transformation to diag- onalize the Lagrangian for the Ising model, and the natural frequencies for the prin- cipal directions in the model are obtained in closed form.
A Study of Suppository Bases: II. A Colorimetric Method for Measuring Medicinal Release from Suppository Bases†

Suppositories of previously reported bases were made by the fusion method, and their physical appearance, stability, and rate of medicinal release were compared. Several new bases were developed and tested; some polyoxyethylene stearate analogs and some monostearate esters of polyethylene glycol polymers were found to have excellent properties. The colorimetric method developed and used in this investigation serves as one standard for determining the relative value of a suppository base in regard to the release of its active medicament, but is limited to an in vitro study.
Body Composition and Physical Activity in End-Stage Renal Disease

Objective The study objective was to examine the relationship between visceral and somatic protein stores and physical activity in individuals with end-stage renal disease. Design This was a prospective single-center study. Setting The study took place at the Vanderbilt University Outpatient Dialysis Unit and General Clinical Research Center. Patients Fifty-five patients with prevalent chronic hemodialysis (CHD) were included: 33 males, 22 females, 45 African Americans, 9 Caucasians, and 1 Asian. The mean age was 47.0 ± 1.6 years, height was 166.4 ± 13.9 cm, and weight was 83.1 ± 2.6 kg. Methods Body composition was measured by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry. Minute-by-minute physical activity was assessed over a 7-day period with a triaxial accelerometer. Participants were interviewed by a trained registered dietitian for two 24-hour diet recalls (one from a hemodialysis day; one from a nonhemodialysis day). Laboratory values for serum concentrations of albumin, prealbumin, C-reactive protein, and creatinine were also collected. Main Outcome Measure Predictors of somatic protein stores were the main outcome measure. Results Serum albumin was negatively and significantly correlated with the percentage of fat mass ( P = .016) and kg of fat mass ( P = .044). C-reactive protein was positively and significantly correlated with body weight ( P = .006), percentage of fat mass ( P = .017), kg of fat mass ( P = .006), and body mass index ( P = .004). Physical activity and total daily protein intake were the strongest predictors of the amount of lean body mass ( P = .01 and .003, respectively). Conclusion The association between somatic protein and visceral protein stores is weak in patients with CHD. Whereas increased levels of physical activity and total daily protein intake are associated with higher lean body mass in patients with CHD, higher adiposity is associated with higher C-reactive protein and lower albumin values.
Scheduling packet transmissions in a multi-hop packet switched network based on message length

This paper describes two algorithms for scheduling packets in a multi-hop network. The objective of the algorithms is to reduce end-to-end message (not packet) transmission delays. Both algorithms schedule packet transmissions based on the length of the original message that the packet belongs to. The first algorithm is preemptive and is based on the shortest-message-first principle and the second is based on the shortest-remaining-transmit-time principle. We develop simulation models for analyzing the algorithms. The simulations show that when message sizes vary widely, these algorithms can significantly reduce average end-to-end message delays compared to first-come-first-serve scheduling.
Losing ground: the demise of the Office of Technology Assessment and the role of experts in congressional decision-making

In many ways during its 23 year existence the Congressional Office of Technology Assessment (OTA) proved to be a remarkably successful experiment-an experiment that incorporated expertise into the Congressional process in a manner that raised the level of debate on science and technology issues. Over time, OTA became widely recognized as an agency that effectively met the needs of Congress, was inclusive of a wide range of policy-actors, and produced useful results. Given the central role of science and technology in many of the most pressing issues facing Congress today, it is difficult to understand its recent decision to abolish OTA. I describe OTA's origins, history, accomplishments, and the process of its demise. I argue that, with respect to science and technology issues, the demise of OTA is likely to result in a shift toward a more short-term focus in Congress, an increasing role for experts and lobbyist in the policy-making process, and a shift in the balance of power toward the executive branch agencies.
Human Thymus Mesenchymal Stromal Cells Augment Force Production in Self-Organized Cardiac Tissue

Background Mesenchymal stromal cells have been recently isolated from thymus gland tissue discarded after surgical procedures. The role of this novel cell type in heart regeneration has yet to be defined. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the therapeutic potential of human thymus-derived mesenchymal stromal cells using self-organized cardiac tissue as an in vitro platform for quantitative assessment. Methods Mesenchymal stromal cells were isolated from discarded thymus tissue from neonates undergoing heart surgery and were incubated in differentiation media to demonstrate multipotency. Neonatal rat cardiomyocytes self-organized into cardiac tissue fibers in a custom culture dish either alone or in combination with varying numbers of mesenchymal stromal cells. A transducer measured force generated by spontaneously contracting self-organized cardiac tissue fibers. Work and power outputs were calculated from force tracings. Immunofluorescence was performed to determine the fate of the thymus-derived mesenchymal stromal cells. Results Mesenchymal stromal cells were successfully isolated from discarded thymus tissue. After incubation in differentiation media, mesenchymal stromal cells attained the expected phenotypes. Although mesenchymal stromal cells did not differentiate into mature cardiomyocytes, addition of these cells increased the rate of fiber formation, force production, and work and power outputs. Self-organized cardiac tissue containing mesenchymal stromal cells acquired a defined microscopic architecture. Conclusions Discarded thymus tissue contains mesenchymal stromal cells, which can augment force production and work and power outputs of self-organized cardiac tissue fibers by several-fold. These findings indicate the potential utility of mesenchymal stromal cells in treating heart failure.
Multidimensional curve fitting to unorganized data points by nonlinear minimization

Abstract Many papers have addressed the problem of fitting curves to data points. However, most of the approaches are subject to a restriction that the data points must be ordered. The paper presents a method for generating a piecewise continuous parametric curve from a set of unordered and error-filled data points. The resulting curve not only provides a good fit to the original data but also possesses good fairness. Excluding the endpoints of the curve, none of the connectivity information needs to be specified, thus eliminating the necessity of an initial parameterization. The standard regularization method for univariate functions is modified for multidimensional parametric functions and results in a nonlinear minimization problem. Successive quadratic programming is applied to find the optimal solution. A physical model is also supplied to facilitate an intuitive understanding of the mathematical background.
On the Applicability of the Green Chemistry Principles to Sustainability of Organic Matter on Asteroids

The connection between astrobiology and green chemistry represents a new approach to sustainability of organic matter on asteroids or similar bodies. Green chemistry is chemistry which is environmentally friendly. One obvious way for chemistry to be green is to use water as a solvent, instead of more toxic organic solvents. Many astrobiological reactions occur in the aqueous medium, for example in the prebiotic soup or during the aqueous alteration period on asteroids. Thus any advances in the green organic reactions in water are directly applicable to astrobiology. Another green chemistry approach is to abolish use of toxic solvents. This can be accomplished by carrying out the reactions without a solvent in the solventless or solid-state reactions. The advances in these green reactions are directly applicable to the chemistry on asteroids during the periods when water was not available. Many reactions on asteroids may have been done in the solid mixtures. These reactions may be responsible for a myriad of organic compounds that have been isolated from the meteorites.
Comparative gene expression by WC1+ γδ and CD4+ αβ T lymphocytes, which respond to Anaplasma marginale, demonstrates higher expression of chemokines and other myeloid cell‐associated genes by WC1+ γδ T cells

The functions of gammadelta T cells are enigmatic, and these cells are often considered as evolutionary remnants of well-characterized alphabeta T cells. However, their conservation throughout evolution suggests that gammadelta T cells are biologically unique. In ruminants, gammadelta T cells expressing the workshop cluster 1 (WC1) scavenger receptor comprise a large proportion of circulating lymphocytes, suggesting these cells are biologically relevant and functionally different from alphabeta T cells. In fact, bovine WC1(+) gammadelta T cells can act as APC for alphabeta T cells, indicating they may express genes encoding proteins associated with innate immunity. The present study was designed to compare immune function gene expression profiles of clonal populations of WC1(+) gammadelta and CD4(+) alphabeta T cells derived from the same animal, which respond to major surface protein 2 (MSP2) of the intraerythrocytic rickettsial pathogen of cattle, Anaplasma marginale. Gene expression profiles of activated T cell clones were compared using a microarray format, and differential gene expression was confirmed by real-time RT-PCR and protein analyses. We demonstrate that although MSP2-specific alphabeta and gammadelta T cell clones express many of the same genes, gammadelta T cell clones express high levels of genes associated with myeloid cells, including chemokines CCL2, CXCL1, CXCL2, CXCL6, and surface receptors CD68, CD11b, macrophage scavenger receptor 1, macrophage mannose receptor, and galectin-3. It is important that many of these genes were also expressed at higher levels in polyclonal WC1(+) gammadelta T cells when compared with CD4(+) alphabeta T cells selected from peripheral blood.
Preliminary framework for studying self-reported data in electronic medical records within a continuing care retirement community

This paper serves as a preliminary framework design for studying data that is reported by patient's living within a retirement community and how this impacts the quality of care that is received when using a telemonitoring device. It reviews concepts that are involved in usage of this type of technology and presents some initial research questions in studying this population.
Experiment Design of Secondary Neutron and Charged-Particle Measurement with Stopping Targets Bombarded by 100 and 230 MeV/amu 4He Ions

Stopping target measurements with energetic ion beams are important for building and validating physics models used to predict nuclear fragmentation fields created by interactions between incoming ...
A Gallery of Discrete Volumes

A unifying theme of this book is the study of the number of integer points in polytopes, where the polytopes live in a real Euclidean space \(\mathbb{R}^{d}\). The integer points \(\mathbb{Z}^{d}\) form a lattice in \(\mathbb{R}^{d}\), and we often call the integer points lattice points. This chapter carries us through concrete examples of lattice-point enumeration in various infinite families of integral and rational polytopes, and we will realize that many well-known families of numbers and polynomials, such as Bernoulli and Stirling numbers, make an appearance as the lattice-point enumerators of some concrete families of polytopes.
OS X El Capitan forensics

Abstract Apple’s OS X has a steady growth within the United States. This also means digital forensics laboratories will likely see more OS X products. This chapter looks at Mac OS X 10.11 El Capitan. The chapter begins at the top level or root directory, and it works down the file system. This chapter highlight areas of forensic interest. However, it also takes a basic look at the file system as a whole. This chapter gives the analyst a foundation in OS X. There is also a quick guide at the back of the chapter providing paths to key forensic information.
Implementing the Civic Engagement Graduation Requirement at Kingsborough Community College.

This chapter describes the process and challenges of implementing a civic engagement graduation requirement at Kingsborough Community College.
The Role of Speaker and Hearer in the Character of Demonstratives

Demonstratives have different semantic values relative to different contexts of utterance. But it is surprisingly difficult to describe the function from contexts to contents (i.e. the character) which determines the semantic value of a given use of a demonstrative. It is very natural to think that the intentions of the speaker should play a significant role here. The aim of this paper is to discuss a pair of problems that arise for views which give intentions this central role in explaining the characters of demonstratives. As will emerge, these problems lead quickly to a foundational question about the semantics of demonstratives and many other context-sensitive expressions: the question of whether, in explaining their characters, we need to understand them as sensitive, not just to facts about the psychology of the speaker of the context, but also to facts about the audience of the context. I critically examine Jeffrey King’s theory of demonstratives, which answers this question in the affirmative, and argue that it ultimately collapses into a purely speaker-based view of the character of demonstratives. I then show how to develop a much simpler speaker-based theory which both handles all of the cases handled by King’s theory and avoids some of the more serious problems which King’s theory faces. Towards the end I consider how we might solve the very difficult problems which result from cases in which speakers use demonstratives with conflicting referential intentions
Mapping Poverty Point

Even though the general configuration of the Poverty Point site has been known for over forty years, the entire site was mapped for the first time in 1999–2000. In this paper we examine how Poverty Point has been portrayed in the archaeological literature. Tracings of stereoscopic aerial photographs were used to construct previous maps of the site. Features that could not be traced because of tree cover were interpolated. Succeeding representations of the site show different features and emphasize the symmetrical form of the site, including the presence of ridges separated by aisles. The 1999–2000 map demonstrates that earlier images of the site overemphasize earthworm symmetry. Our data suggest that the northern aisle does not exist and may have been introduced into earlier maps in order to complete a hypothesized regular site plan. Images of a site like Poverty Point are powerful representations of a perceived reality. For example, existing maps of Poverty Point have been used to bolster claims that the site represents a "great town," with a large population and some kind of centralized leadership. Despite a considerable history of research at Poverty Point map data alone cannot and probably will never provide sufficient evidence to support or reject such a claim. While mapping alone cannot answer questions about the nature of site organization or social behavior, differences between existing images and the current topographic map underscore the need to view maps and pictures of Poverty Point as a means for generating testable hypotheses, rather than an end unto itself.
Who Fits the Left-Right Divide? Partisan Polarization in the American Electorate

How has the American public responded to elite partisan polarization? Using panel data from both the Cooperative Campaign Analysis Project and the American National Election Studies, we explore the partisan consequences of the discrepancy between the one-dimensional structure of elite policy preferences and the two-dimensional structure of citizens’ policy preferences. We find that those citizens with preferences that are consistently liberal or consistently conservative across both economic and social issues have responded to elite polarization with mass polarization. However, we also find that the sizable number of citizens who hold preferences on economic and social issues that do not perfectly match the menu of options provided by elite Republicans and Democrats have not responded to elite polarization; indeed, these citizens are more likely to shift their partisan allegiance in the short-term and less likely to strengthen their party identification in the long term.
Effect of fever on serum polysaccharide level.

Summary and ConclusionsExperimental fever in dogs caused by external heating or by injection of a pyrogenic substance resulted in a significant elevation of total serum nonglu-cosamine polysaccharide. An elevation of the polysaccharide content of the pseudo-globulin was noted in all animals, while an elevation of mucoprotein was noted only in the animals subjected to the injections of the pyrogenic substance, pyromen.
Calculations of the Electric Fields in Liquid Solutions

The electric field created by a condensed-phase environment is a powerful and convenient descriptor for intermolecular interactions. Not only does it provide a unifying language to compare many different types of interactions, but it also possesses clear connections to experimental observables, such as vibrational Stark effects. We calculate here the electric fields experienced by a vibrational chromophore (the carbonyl group of acetophenone) in an array of solvents of diverse polarities using molecular dynamics simulations with the AMOEBA polarizable force field. The mean and variance of the calculated electric fields correlate well with solvent-induced frequency shifts and band broadening, suggesting Stark effects as the underlying mechanism of these key solution-phase spectral effects. Compared to fixed-charge and continuum models, AMOEBA was the only model examined that could describe nonpolar, polar, and hydrogen bonding environments in a consistent fashion. Nevertheless, we found that fixed-charge f...
Evaluation on schistosomiasis control in Jingzhou City ( 2008-2012)

Objective The efficiency of schistosomiasis control was evaluated in Jingzhou City of Hubei Province from 2008 to 2012,and the difficulties and effective measures taken to reach the goal of achieving transmission control were analyzed.Methods Retrospective survey was adopted,annual reports on schistosomiasis control from 2008 to 2012 in nine counties of Jingzhou city were analyzed.Results The rate of both human and animal schistosomiasis were 1.15% and 0.44% respectively in Jingzhou city in 2012,it had a decrease of 65.77% and 84.56% than that in 2008 respectively.Take the administrative village as the basic unit,the number of the villages,in which the rate of both human and animal schistosomiasis were controlled above 1%,were 316 and 47 respectively,the proportion of the total villages dropped from 76.57% and 70.54% in 2008 to 16.84% and 2.50% in 2012.No acute schistosomiasis was found,in the past five years,there was no outbreak as well.No infected snail was found in the fall of 2012.Conclusions Since 2008,schistosomiasis prevalence has decreased obviously in Jingzhou city,however,not all the indicators reached the standard of the control of the transmission of schistosomiasis.Effective measures should be taken so as to reach the target of the control of schistosomiasis transmission in 2013.
Magnetic Multifunctional Nanostructures as High-efficiency Catalysts for Oxygen Evolution Reactions

The search for high-efficiency and environmentally benign water splitting catalysts has been on the rise since this process is a source of renewable, clean energy. However the process is inherently slow, especially for the production of O2 from H2O (water oxidation) due to the high electron count and energy intensive bond formation of the reaction. Hence the search for novel catalysts for oxygen evolution reactions (OER) has led researchers to focus on various families of compounds including oxides and recently selenides. Multifunctional nanostructures containing the semiconductor electrocatalyst grafted onto an optically active metallic component might boost the catalytic activity even further due to efficient charge injection. Magnetically active catalysts will also be lucrative since that might induce better adhesion of the oxygenated species at the catalytically active site. In this report we introduce multifunctional, magnetic Au3Pd–CoSe nanostructures as high-efficiency OER electrocatalysts. These multifunctional nanostructures were synthesized by a chemical vapor deposition (CVD) reaction with cobalt acetylacetonate and elemental selenium on Au-Pd sputter coated silica substrate at 800°C. The morphology of these multifunctional nanostructures were mostly bifunctional Janus-like nanoparticles as seen through scanning and transmission electron microscopy. They also showed soft ferromagnetic behavior. These bifunctional nanoparticles were coated on the anodes of a water oxidation cell and it was observed that these nanoparticles showed a higher OER activity with lower onset potential for O2 evolution as compared to the conventional oxide-based OER electrocatalysts.
A Randomized Study of 12-mm and 15.9-mm Cannulas in Midtrimester Abortion by Laminaria and Vacuum Curettage

We evaluated the adequacy of a new large-bore vacuum cannula system for midtrimester abortion by randomly allocating patients to be treated with a standard 12-mm vacuum system or the new 15.9-mm system. Cervical dilatation was accomplished by overnight placement of laminaria tents. Blood loss was similar for the two treatment groups and was significantly greater at gestational ages 17 to 18 weeks than for abortions at 16 weeks or less. Operating time was slightly less in the large-cannula group. When the 12-mm cannula was used beyond 13 weeks' gestation, forceps were usually needed to empty the uterus completely. The large-cannula system was able to empty the uterus through 16 weeks, but at 17 and 18 weeks it offered no advantage over the smaller system and forceps were always needed. Complications were minimal. We caution against forcible cervical dilatation to 16mm and urge the use of laminaria instead. Our findings, together with published reports of the safety of late dilatations and evacuation, would appear to justify wider clinical trials by experienced investigators.