cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Toxic Sites as Places of Culture and Memory

The urgent effort to clean and reclaim blasted landscapes — EPA Superfund sites and other polluted brownfields — often involves an unfortunate exercise of cultural and historical amnesia. The sites are cleaned of their toxic substances but they are also scrubbed of their history. This need not be the case. If former buildings and landscapes on Superfund sites were adapted to new uses and interpreted for the public, rather than destroyed during redevelopment, we would retain an important material framework for better understanding both the sites themselves and their surrounding communities. Moreover, with tangible traces of former uses left in place, we would have an important venue for learning about the human use, abuse, and stewardship of the built and natural landscape. On Superfund and brownfield sites where traces of industrial use and pollution are removed entirely, the landscape makes less sense to residents and visitors alike. People whose lives and livelihoods were bound up with these places lose important landmarks from their locality. We have pursued cleanup and redevelopment policies that fail to recognize the power and possibilities of the historical memories that hover over these sites.
Integration of sUAS-enabled sensing for leak identification with oil and gas pipeline maintenance crews

The U.S. Department of Energy and Transportation considers pipeline security and the timely containment of leaks as a top priority for the oil and natural gas industry. However, despite significant investment in network sensing and maintenance, utilities still incur significant delays (and associated losses) in managing failures. This article focuses on the use of small Unmanned Aerial Systems (sUASs) for the inspection of network components and to facilitate timely repair of failures. Our framework integrates sUAS-enabled sensing with fixed sensing systems and ground-based maintenance crews, and aims to minimize the time to repair multiple network failures. It also reduces human effort in network inspection (e.g. manned reconnaissance, ground patrols, and leak surveys). We consider inspection tasks on a set of failure regions (localization sets) that are generated from fixed sensors installed on the network (e.g. pressure sensors). We focus on the problem of routing a set of available maintenance vehicles at specified yard (base) locations carrying sUASs to optimally identify and repair the network failures. To address this problem, we propose two Mixed- Integer Programming (MIP) formulations: (a) the multi-trip sUAS exploration problem, and (b) maintenance vehicle routing problem. We show that these formulations can be integrated to optimally route the sUASs for identification of multiple network failures that may occur anywhere within the localization sets (MIP-a); and to optimally dispatch maintenance vehicles to repair the identified network failures (MIP-b). We illustrate this approach on a benchmark pipeline network, and demonstrate the inherent tradeoffs between sUAS exploration time and maintenance vehicle travel time in our solution.
High-frequency compensation of low sample-rate audio files: a wavelet-based spectral excitation algorithm

The present work documents the design and implementation of a wavelet-based excitation algorithm for low sample-rate audio files. This algorithm is an analysis/resynthesis method which converts a low sample-rate audio file to a higher sample-rate audio file, while inserting high frequency content in the wavelet domain. This paper presents relevant wavelet theory, along with the theory of the excitation algorithm and some sonic results. We find that the excitation algorithm works reasonably well for percussive, transient-oriented sounds, but fails for highly-resonant steady-state sounds, e.g., vocalic segments of speech.
Developmentally Specific Associations Between CNR1 Genotype and Cannabis Use Across Emerging Adulthood.

Objective:Previous studies have found preliminary evidence for associations between common single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) in the cannabinoid receptor gene CNR1 and cannabis use and dependence. The present study examined a set of eight independent SNPs in or near CNR1 in relation to cannabis use measured longitudinally across emerging adulthood.Method:Using latent growth curve modeling of 10 waves of longitudinal data spanning mean ages 18.4–23.8 years in a sample of non-Hispanic White individuals (n = 334), we tested if genotype at each CNR1 SNP was associated with both level and growth of cannabis use over time. Peer group drug use, a known correlate of individual use, was evaluated as a time-varying predictor of cannabis use and as a moderator of the relationship between SNPs and individual use.Results:After correction for multiple comparisons, one SNP, rs806374, was significantly associated with individual differences in level—but not growth—of cannabis use over time, such that C carriers were ...
Interindividual variation of p53 expression in response to ionizing radiation in HMECs of healthy women undergoing reduction mammoplasty.

556 p53 is a critical element for maintaining genomic integrity, and regulating apoptosis, and cell cycle control. The interindividual variation in p53 response (induction and degredation) is unknown, and we hypothesize that this might in turn be related to cancer risk. To investigate this hypothesis, we studied p53 expression in primary human mammary epithelial cells (HMECs) in first or second passage from 34 healthy women undergoing reduction mammoplasty. These women had no priory history of cancer. The cells were exposed to four doses of gamma-radiation (0, 5, 10 and 20 Gy) to elicit DNA damage and induction of p53. Protein concentrations were quantitated by ELISA. All women had induction of p53, but there was variability in response. The p53 mean concentration at baseline was 348.53 pg/ml (SD 627.49; range 1 to 2677.36), for 5 Gy it was 1502.44 pg/ml (SD 2148.66; range 1 to 9418.88), for 10 Gy it was 1908.97 pg/ml (SD 2325.21; range 1 to 8985.2) and for 20 Gy it was 3568.15 pg/ml (SD 3378.35; range 1 to 10882). The mean difference between 5 Gy and the baseline was 1170 (SD 1703; range -206.5 to 7614), between 10 Gy and the baseline was 1544 (SD 2071; range -269.1 to 8984) and between 20 Gy and the baseline was 3338 (SD 3176; range 0 to 10578). In order to classify the individual responses, we considered the p53 median concentration of each dose: for 0 Gy 1, for 5 Gy 537.4, for 10 Gy 1195.96, and for 20 Gy 2529.22. We scored each concentration of p53 as 0 if the it was below the median or as 1 if it was above. The scores were summed and the individuals were classified as low responders if the sum of the scores was 0, moderate responders if it was 1, 2 or 3 and high responders if it was 4. We found that among the individuals there are 10 low responders, 13 moderate responders and 11 high responders.The wide interindividual variation in p53 induction following a DNA damaging agent suggests that women will have varying response to DNA damaging agents in vivo . This variation might contribute to breast cancer risk. Additional studies will focus on the interindividual differences in p53 induction and degredation, and genetic susceptibilities related to that.
The Top 50 Most-Cited Articles on Cervical Spondylotic Myelopathy

Background Cervical spondylotic myelopathy (CSM) occurs due to chronic degenerative changes in the cervical spine causing compression of the spinal cord. CSM has been studied for decades, and numerous articles have been published on the topic. We sought to identify the top 50 most-cited articles on CSM. Methods The top 50 most-cited articles were retrieved from the Scopus database using the search criteria “cervical spondylosis with myelopathy” OR “cervical spondylotic myelopathy.” Levels of evidence were also calculated and descriptive and statistical analyses were carried out. Results The total number of citations of the top 50 most-cited papers was 7072. The paper with the highest number of citations had 287. All articles were published between 1966 and 2010, with most published between 1990 and 1999 (n = 22). The most prolific country in terms of the total number of publications was United States, with 25 publications, followed by Japan. The majority of the articles were level IV. Conclusions There is a deficiency of high-level articles in the top 50 most-cited list. This study provides an important overview of historical development of treatment methods, as well as publication trends related to this pathology. Regardless, this comprehensive list of the top 50 most-cited articles can serve as a resource for future trainees and surgeons to draw on to build their knowledge base.
Assessing the severity of atopic dermatitis in clinical trials and practice

There is a tremendous need for accurate and reproducible scoring systems for the grading of skin disease to further the development of research and standards of care. There are presently greater than 60 measures that have been used to assess the severity of atopic dermatitis. These assessments vary considerably with respect to content, scale, instructions, validity, and concordance. This contribution reviews the available scoring systems of atopic dermatitis signs based on their design and merit in specific settings. These scores assess lesional intensity and/or extent, symptoms, disease course, and epidermal function. Scoring atopic dermatitis, Investigator Global Assessment, and Eczema Area and Severity Index are the most commonly used assessments of atopic dermatitis signs. Eczema Area and Severity Index has emerged as the preferred outcome measure of atopic dermatitis signs for use in clinical trials. Unfortunately, Eczema Area and Severity Index can be cumbersome in clinical practice. Itch intensity (visual analog or numeric rating scales) and Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure have emerged as the preferred patient-reported outcome in clinical trials. Clinicians' gestalt global assessment of severity, Patient-Oriented Eczema Measure, and intensity of itch may be feasible for clinical practice.
Fever of Unknown Origin: Could It Be a Pheochromocytoma? A Case Report and Review of the Literature

Pheochromocytomas are rare tumors that arise from the adrenal medulla, with an incidence of less than 1 per 100,000 person-years. These tumors are characterized by excess catecholamine secretion and classically present with the triad of headaches, palpitations, and sweating episodes. However, the clinical presentation can be quite variable. Herein, we present a patient who presented with persistent fevers. An adrenal mass was incidentally discovered during the extensive investigation for the fever of unknown origin. Consequently, blood and urine tests were done and found to be consistent with a pheochromocytoma. The resection of this pheochromocytoma resulted in resolution of fevers. It is hypothesized that fevers in patients with pheochromocytomas occur due to the excess catecholamine or possibly due to interleukins. This clinical presentation serves as a learning point that adrenal incidentalomas in the setting of fever of unknown origin should not be ignored. It also reminds clinicians that pheochromocytomas which present with fevers may have tumor necrosis and many such patients are at risk for multisystem crises.
Strategies for second-line antiretroviral therapy in adults with HIV infection.

With the use of combination antiretroviral therapy for treatment of human immunodeficiency virus type one (HIV) infection, patient outcome has improved. Rates of deaths from acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) and rates of new AIDS-defining illnesses have decreased in countries with resources to make treatment widely available to persons with HIV infection.1,2 However, as the number of agents and tools available to treat and monitor HIV infection have increased, the complexity of management has also increased.3,4 The management issues about patients on antiretroviral therapy who are having less than an ideal response are especially challenging, and will be discussed in this chapter.
Enzymatic Labeling of Proteins with 125 I

A major disadvantage of the earlier protein iodination procedures lies in the use of some harsh chemicals which can introduce unwanted and irreversible changes in the structure of the labeled preparations. To circumvent this, iodination by peroxidase enzyme-containing or peroxide generating systems was applied by numerous authors since the first short report on the feasibility of this by Keston (1944), It has been used for Immunoglobulin labeling by Marchalonis (1969) using lactoperoxidase, hydrogen peroxide, and iodide. The procedure described here in Part A is based on this procedure. Part B describes the procedure used by Dr. Ah-kau Ng (NIH, National Cancer Institute, Bethesda, MD) to iodinate exposed proteins on human tumor cell surfaces, based on the publication of Phillips and Morrison (1971).
Horsley Gantt: through the camera eye.

The following comments were made on some forgotten occasion honoring Gantt in 1968. I submit them now in memory of the anniversary of his birth on October 24, 1893.
Significance of bone scintigraphy to confirm vertebral compression fractures in elderly osteoporotic population

1038 Learning Objectives 1.To understand the various modalities for evaluating vertebral compression fractures. 2. To understand the unique challenges that the elderly osteoporotic population might pose and the significant role of bone scintigraphy. Summary: Vertebral compression fractures represent a common cause of severe back pain among the elderly osteoporotic population. X-ray, CT scan, MRI and bone scan are the various modalities available for diagnosis of vertebral compression fractures. Vertebroplasty, kyphoplasty or sacroplasty are the interventions used to manage compression fractures. Bone scintigraphy is used to confirm the presence of fracture, estimate the acuteness of the fracture or to predict response to intervention. The elderly osteoporotic population presents a diagnostic challenge with non-specific or ill-localized pain, claustrophobia, motion artifact, multiple fractures, medical implants, severe pain and atypical radiological findings. Bone scan is frequently helpful in such equivocal cases. The following scintigraphic presentations might be encountered: 1) A classical vertebral compression fracture on both CT scan and bone scintigraphy, 2) In elderly patients with multiple radiographic fractures, bone scintigraphy will be able to detect the most acute lesion likely responsible for the patient’s symptoms and guide management appropriately. 3) The reactive bone response might be delayed and variable in elderly osteoporotic population and a negative exam merits close follow up and re-evaluation as indicated. Examples of various scintigraphic patterns and correlative radiological images for vertebral compression fractures in the elderly osteoporotic population will be included for illustration.
Context modeling for decision support

This paper addresses the issue of how one can model, represent and use context in a DSS. The modeling approach builds upon a decision making framework and concepts from sociology in developing five classes of decision support objects: interpretative scheme, facility (resources), norm (preferences), argumentation process, and task context (set of options). Specific instances of these five classes are iteratively adjusted in providing support to the decision makers. Additional support is provided by the use of formal procedures adapted from automated reasoning research. The result is a context sensitive DSS that supports decision makers in the communication of an argument for a particular course of action.
Antepartum nephrolithiasis and the risk of preterm delivery

Antepartum nephrolithiasis presents a complex clinical scenario which often requires an intervention such as ureteral stent or percutaneous nephrostomy tube (PCNT) placement, especially in the setting of urinary tract infection (UTI). We assess the risk of UTI and preterm labor in the setting of antepartum nephrolithiasis. A retrospective review of an administrative dataset for California and Florida was performed, which included pregnant women admitted for a delivery between 2008 and 2011. Antepartum nephrolithiasis admissions were identified, as were urological intervention (ureteral stent/ureteroscopy) or PCNT placement. Descriptive statistics were performed, as was multivariable logistic regression to identify predictors of UTI and preterm delivery. Of the 2,750,776 deliveries included in this dataset, 3904 (0.14%) were complicated by antepartum nephrolithiasis. 71.4% of these patients were managed conservatively, while 20.6% (n = 803) underwent urological intervention and 8.0% (n = 312) underwent PCNT placement. Preterm delivery rates increased from a baseline of 7.0% for patients without a stone to 9.1% for patients with stones managed conservatively, 11.2% for those undergoing a urologic intervention, and 19.6% for patients who had PCNT placement. On multivariable analysis, conservative management (adjusted odds ratio, aOR 1.3), urologic intervention (aOR 1.5), and PCNT (aOR 2.3) placement each independently increased the risk of preterm delivery (all p < 0.001). Antepartum nephrolithiasis is a condition that affects 1 in 714 women and has been correlated with increased risk of UTI and preterm labor. Intervention with ureteral stent or PCNT placement independently increase these risks, however, receipt of a nephrostomy tube confers the greatest risk of UTI and preterm delivery to the antepartum nephrolithiasis patient.
Optical Fiber Refractive Index Profiling by Iterative Optical Diffraction Tomography

A non-destructive iterative interferometric tomographic technique is proposed for imaging fibers with high refractive index contrast, complex structures, and/or large optical path differences. Both simulation and experimental results demonstrate that this technique enables the reconstruction of fiber refractive index profiles accurately and robustly with sub-wavelength resolution.
Prognostic factors and survival in low grade gliomas of the spinal cord: A population-based analysis from 2006 to 2012.

Abstract Purpose Primary spinal cord tumors are rare, and evidence-based management of these patients remains a source of controversy. This study used a large cohort of low-grade spinal cord astrocytomas to determine the effectiveness of prognostic factors and survival. Methods The Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) cancer registry was used to identify patients with WHO grade I-II primary spinal cord astrocytomas from 1973 to 2012; however, patients before 2006 were excluded due to ambiguity diagnosis. Univariate and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models were created to compare survival across covariates and summarized using the Kaplan-Meier method. Results A total of 561 patients with low-grade glioma (astrocytoma) were identified. Among these, 15.5% of patients received a gross total resection (GTR), 26.1% subtotal resection (STR), and 46.2% unidentified extent of resection. 59.4% did not receive any radiation therapy at any point of the treatment course, while 40.6% underwent radiation therapy. In our cohort, only patients with GTR demonstrated statistically improved survival (HR: 0.22, P Conclusion Our study suggests that GTR results in improved survival among patients with low-grade gliomas within the spinal cord. Future, considerable data research efforts will aim to better define the role of radiotherapy and tumor grading in this patient population.
Experimental Modeling of Hydrogen Evolution Rates from Surfaces with Exposed Zinc Metal or Zinc Primer Coating in Contact with Containment Sprays in PWR Nuclear Power Plants

In the event of a loss-of-coolant accident in a nuclear power plant with a pressurized water reactor, interior surfaces of the reactor containment and zinc-coated equipment within containment would be exposed to spray solutions at temperatures up to 425 K (305/degree/F). This paper reports hydrogen evolution rates from zinc metal, galvanized zinc, and zinc-primer-coated steel surfaces immersed in two spray solutions of different compositions representing the spray solutions to be used at TVA's Bellefonte and Yellow Creek Nuclear Plants. 5 refs.
Advancing interdisciplinary research on illegal wildlife trade using a conservation criminology framework

Green criminologists have recently entered a period of self-assessment, critiquing the discursive nature of theory, over-reliance on case studies, and lack of interdisciplinarity in this area of st...
Inelastic deformation of (Ti, V)C alloys - Part 1 Hot-pressing kinetics

Preparation d'alliages de carbures de Ti et V a une seule phase par pressage chaud entre 1300 et 1900°C. Etude de la cinetique de densification
A Timely Redux for Personal Unemployment Insurance Savings Accounts

In response to the coronavirus pandemic, local and state governments ordered households to self-quarantine and nonessential businesses to shut down The economy
Cooperative dynamics across distinct structural elements regulate PTP1B activity

Protein-tyrosine phosphatase 1B (PTP1B) is the canonical enzyme for investigating how distinct structural elements influence enzyme catalytic activity. Although it is recognized that dynamics are essential for PTP1B function, the data collected thus far have not resolved whether distinct elements are dynamically coordinated or, alternatively, whether they fulfill their respective functions independently. To answer this question, we performed a comprehensive 13C-methyl relaxation study of Ile, Leu, and Val (ILV) residues of PTP1B, which, because of its substantially increased sensitivity, provides a comprehensive understanding of the influence of protein motions on different time scales for enzyme function. We discovered that PTP1B exhibits dynamics at three distinct time scales. First, it undergoes a distinctive slow motion that allows for the dynamic binding and release of its two most N-terminal helices from the catalytic core. Second, we showed that PTP1B 13C-methyl group side chain fast time-scale dynamics and 15N backbone fast time-scale dynamics are fully consistent, demonstrating that fast fluctuations are essential for the allosteric control of PTP1B activity. Third, and most importantly, using 13C ILV constant-time Carr–Purcell–Meiboom–Gill relaxation measurements experiments, we demonstrated that all four catalytically important loops—the WPD, Q, E, and substrate-binding loops—work in dynamic unity throughout the catalytic cycle of PTP1B. Thus, these data show that PTP1B activity is not controlled by a single functional element, but instead all key elements are dynamically coordinated. Together, these data provide the first fully comprehensive picture on how the validated drug target PTP1B functions.
Pioneering groundwater contamination investigation, research, and in situ treatment.

The 1972 paper by Professor Jack McKee of the California Institute of Technology, consulting engineer Finley Laverty and Raymond Hertzel of the California Regional Water Quality Control Board-Los Angeles (McKee et al., 1972) was an early, important contribution to the understanding of groundwater contamination with organic liquids and to the integrated use of field, laboratory, and modeling studies to develop remediation approaches. The work presented in the paper was ahead of the curve and helped provide the foundation for the intense research, development, and education in investigation and remediation of groundwater contamination problems that began around 1980 and lasted for two decades. Reading the paper in the current context of more than 40 years of research and field experience provides perspective on how little was known in 1972 about groundwater contamination and how to address it, and how well-formulated and forward-looking was the work of McKee et al. PRACTITIONER POINTS: McKee et al. (1972) was an early, important contribution to the understanding of groundwater contamination with organic liquids and to the integrated use of field, laboratory and modeling studies to develop remediation approaches. McKee et al. present the results of site investigation and remediation planning studies for a large-scale groundwater contamination site in the Los Angeles-Glendale, California area. Four specific remediation goals were established, and a comprehensive program of site investigation, research, and modeling was developed to support the achievement of the remediation goals. The comprehensive site investigation and remedial planning involving field, laboratory, and modeling studies described by McKee et al. was a forerunner of what came into standard contaminated site remediation practice in the 1980s and 1990s.
Buffer-aided relaying: a survey on relay selection policies

Ever since the idea of buffers was incorporated in wireless communications, buffer-aided relaying has become an emerging breakthrough in the world of transmitting and receiving signals. Equipping the relays with buffers adds a new degree of freedom capable of enhancing numerous quality-of-service (QoS) metrics including throughput, outage probability, power efficiency and physical-layer security. The QoS enhancement is achieved by compromising the end-to-end delay that is inflicted by storing the packets in the relays' buffers until a suitable source–relay or relay–destination link is selected. In this context, the selection of a relay for transmission/reception is important since it governs the QoS-delay trade-off that can be contemplated. In this survey, the authors review and analyse various link selection protocols in buffer-aided relaying systems. These relaying strategies are categorised and contrasted according to their performance levels, limitations, applications, system model assumptions and complexity. Finally, they discuss current challenges, and highlight future research directions.
Dynamic control of the dopamine transporter in neurotransmission and homeostasis

The dopamine transporter (DAT) transports extracellular dopamine into the intracellular space contributing to the regulation of dopamine neurotransmission. A reduction of DAT density is implicated in Parkinson’s disease (PD) by neuroimaging; dopamine turnover is dopamine turnover is elevated in early symptomatic PD and in presymptomatic individuals with monogenic mutations causal for parkinsonism. As an integral plasma membrane protein, DAT surface expression is dynamically regulated through endocytic trafficking, enabling flexible control of dopamine signaling in time and space, which in turn critically modulates movement, motivation and learning behavior. Yet the cellular machinery and functional implications of DAT trafficking remain enigmatic. In this review we summarize mechanisms governing DAT trafficking under normal physiological conditions and discuss how PD-linked mutations may disturb DAT homeostasis. We highlight the complexity of DAT trafficking and reveal DAT dysregulation as a common theme in genetic models of parkinsonism.
Moral Injury and the Absurd: The suffering of moral paradox

Drawing upon qualitative and construct validity evidence within MI research and the oral histories of combat-exposed Veterans, this paper explores the role of moral paradox (MP) as a precondition of moral injury (MI). Research is recommended to clearly delineate MP as a causative factor leading to more intractable cases of MI in the definitional literature, beyond the recognized impact of perpetration and betrayal-based conditions. Veteran stories collected during the normal course of providing spiritual care to combat-exposed Veterans and used by permission will provide insight into the theoretical concepts and interrelations of MP; proposed here as: circumstances in which moral obligations and/or ethical values come into conflict, forcing a choice between sides, none of which can be honored without violating the other. Acquainted with religious traditions that elucidate the perplexity and liberating effects of paradox, the work of Chaplains will also be recommended to address the problem of MP in wartime situations, highlighting the efficacy of acceptance-based spiritual interventions and therapeutic programs. Psychological and spiritual interventions that facilitate self-transcendence and non-dual awareness through experiential acceptance and a subscale measuring paradox-induced injury will be recommended for future research as well.
A Genome-First Approach to Rare Variants in Dominant Postlingual Hearing Loss Genes in a Large Adult Population:

ObjectiveTo investigate the importance of rare variants in adult-onset hearing loss.Study DesignGenomic association study.SettingLarge biobank from tertiary care center.MethodsWe investigated rare ...
On designing lightweight threads for substrate software

Existing user-level thread packages employ a "black box" design approach, where the implementation of the threads is hidden from the user. While this approach is often sufficient for application-level programmers, it hides critical design decisions that system-level programmers must be able to change in order to provide efficient service for high-level systems. By applying the principles of Open Implementation Analysis and Design, we construct a new user-level threads package that supports common thread abstractions and a well-defined meta-interface for altering the behavior of these abstractions. As a result, system-level programmers will have the advantages of using high-level thread abstractions without having to sacrifice performance, flexibility, or portability.
Spinohypothalamic tract neurons in the cervical enlargement of rats: descending axons in the ipsilateral brain

Spinohypothalamic tract (SHT) cells are spinal cord neurons with axons that project directly to or through the contralateral hypothalamus. Frequently, SHT axons decussate in the posterior optic chiasm, turn posteriorly and descend to unknown locations in the ipsilateral brain. We attempted to determine the course and the termination of these descending axons. Sixty neurons in the cervical enlargement of rats were antidromically activated initially from the contralateral hypothalamus and then from multiple anterior-posterior levels in the ipsilateral brain. Fifty-three (88%) were backfired with low currents at increased latencies from the ipsilateral brain. The axons of 35 neurons were surrounded with electrode penetrations from which high currents could not activate the neuron antidromically, suggesting the examined axons terminated in the surrounded areas. Seven SHT axons that were surrounded (20%) appeared to terminate in the contralateral hypothalamus, 5 (14%) in the ipsilateral hypothalamus, and 9 (26%) in the ipsilateral thalamus. Fourteen SHT axons (40%) ended in the ipsilateral midbrain mainly in the superior colliculus, cuneiform nucleus or nucleus brachium inferior colliculus. An additional 11 axons were followed even further posteriorly into the ventral pons or rostral medulla. Each of the 26 neurons that could be physiologically classified responded either preferentially or specifically to noxious mechanical stimuli. These results indicate that SHT axons course through a surprisingly long and complex path. After decussating in the hypothalamus, the axons of many SHT neurons descend into the ipsilateral posterior thalamus, midbrain, pons, or even rostral medulla. These axons may provide nociceptive information to a variety of nuclei throughout the diencephalon and brainstem bilaterally.
Discovering classification rules using variable-valued logic system VL

The paper presents a set-theoretical definition of the classification problem, and then discusses and illustrates by examples the application of the variable-valued logic system VL. to the synthesis of minimal (or simplest) classification rules under cost (or simplicity) functionals designed by a user from available criteria.
Effects of Stock or Purified Diet on Rat Liver Enzymes Involved in the Synthesis of Dimethyl Selenide

Rats fed either a stock deit or a purified diet based on casein were tested for their ability to convert 75Se-sodium selenite to volatile selenium (dimethyl selenide) in vivo. This conversion was also studied in liver and kidney in vitro. When injected with a subacute dose of selenite (2 mg Se/kg), rats previously fed stock diet volatilized more than twice as much of the dose compared to rats fed the purified diet, confirming earlier findings. Parallel dietary effects were also observed in vitro using subcellular fractions incubated with 75Se-selenite, glutathione, TPNH, and S-adenosylmethionine. The 9-000 X g supernate prepared from rats fed stock diet synthesized dimethyl selenide at approximately twice the rate of that prepared from rats fed purified diet. A fourfold higher activity was observed with liver microsomal fractions from rats fed the stock diet, whereas cytosol was slightly more active in rats fed the purified diet. Kidney fractions showed analogous changes with diet, although the activity of kidney microsomal fraction was very low. Only minor differences in the levels of glutathione reductase, nonspecific disulfide reducatse, and non-protein thiols were observed in liver and kidney from rats fed the two diets. Considering the effects of diet on the various enzymes known from our previous studies to be involved in dimethyl selenide synthesis, it was concluded that the enhanced ability of rats fed stock diet to synthesize dimethyl selenide results from the induction of a liver microsomal enzyme, apparently a Se-methyltransferase, caused by unknown substances in the stock diet.
Specificity of streptolysin O in cytolysin-mediated translocation

Summary Cytolysin-mediated translocation (CMT) is a recently described process in the Gram-positive pathogen Streptococcus pyogenes that translocates an effector protein of streptococcal origin into the cytoplasm of a host cell. At least two proteins participate in CMT, the pore-forming molecule streptolysin O (SLO) and an effector protein with the characteristics of a signal transduction protein, the Streptococcus pyogenes NAD-glycohydrolase (SPN). In order to begin to elucidate the molecular details of the translocation process, we examined whether perfringolysin O (PFO), a pore-forming protein related to SLO, could substitute for SLO in the translocation of SPN. When expressed by S. pyogenes , PFO, like SLO, had the ability to form functional pores in keratinocyte membranes. However, unlike SLO, PFO was not competent for translocation of SPN across the host cell membrane. Thus, pore formation by itself was not sufficient to promote CMT, suggesting that an additional feature of SLO was required. This conclusion was supported by the construction of a series of mutations in SLO that uncoupled pore formation and competence for CMT. These mutations defined a domain in SLO that was dispensable for pore formation, but was essential for CMT. However, introduction of this domain into PFO did not render PFO competent for CMT, implying that an additional domain of SLO is also critical for translocation. Taken together, these data indicate that SLO plays an active role in the translocation process that extends beyond that of a passive pore.
As Imagination Bodies Forth the Forms of Things Unknown

Review of Raymond W. Gibbs, Jr., The Poetics of Mind: Figurative Thought, Language, and Understanding, Cambridge: University Press, 1994. ix 527 pages
Advertising-Pricing Conduct in Meat Retailing *

For a decade or longer it has been recognized that pricing of food products in supermarkets is not a matter of competitive price discovery but of intricately interwoven pricing and merchandising strategy. In the search for patterns of that strategy, the more conventional approach has been to apply customary data on market structure. In a further search for conduct patterns, because of the prohibitive expense of a comprehensive multi-city study, the best research course is to build up a library of case studies. This case study of 14 supermarkets in Columbia, Mo., reports two contrasting patterns of advertising-pricing behavior. Prices are not varied as much as the ads imply.
A Comparison of Generated Wikipedia Profiles Using Social Labeling and Automatic Keyword Extraction

In many collaborative systems, researchers are interested in creating representative user profiles. In this paper, we are particularly interested in using social labeling and automatic keyword extraction techniques for generating user profiles. Social labeling is a process in which users manually tag other users with keywords. Automatic keyword extraction is a technique that selects the most salient words to represent a user’s contribution. We apply each of these two profile generation methods to highly active Wikipedia editors and their contributions, and compare the results. We found that profiles generated through social labeling matches the profiles generated via automatic keyword extraction, and vice versa. The results suggest that user profiles generated from one method can be used as a seed or bootstrapping proxy for the other method.
What Matters Most? Money, Relationships, and Visions of Masculinity as Key Correlates of Father Involvement

This research examines the influence of human capital and masculine identity on fathers’ verbal interactions with children. Random effects techniques were applied to the Fragile Families and Child Well-Being Study and addressed the importance of time-variant indicators of economic capital and relational capital alongside fathers’ visions of masculinity at the child’s birth. Results indicated that higher levels of human capital were positively associated with father involvement—though relational capital was more consequential for involvement than economic capital. Visions of masculinity served as a poor predictor of father involvement suggesting masculinities per se did not influence father involvement. Findings suggested program and policy initiatives designed to encourage co-parenting and healthy relationships with birth mothers might be more effective in bolstering involvement than educational or training programs.
The role of testing methodologies in open systems standards

This paper describes the lifecycle role of a conformance testing research facility in the open systems standards environment. This facility, the Clemson Automated Testing System (CATS), has demonstrated the value of integrating formalized test methods within all phases of standards development. IEEE's effort to develop a standard for operating systems interfaces (POSIX) has provided a working environment to investigate and evaluate the capabilities of CATS. In this arena, CATS has proven valuable in exposing critical issues in the emerging standard and in formulating feasible solutions on multiple occasions. The role of CATS in the areas of automated testing, profile development and real-time extensions is described. A discussion of future directions for CATS and testing in open system standards concludes the paper. >
Poly-(α-methyl benzyl methacrylate). Preparation and preliminary observations

Poly-(α-methyl benzyl methacrylate) (PMBMA) polymers were prepared in isotactic, syndiotactic, and atactic forms using both optically active and racemic monomers. The isotactic material was prepared by anionic polymerization in a hydrocarbon solvent at a low temperature (∼−60°C), the syndiotactic and atactic polymers were synthesized by ultraviolet initiated free radical polymerization at –65 and 32°C, respectively. From the proton magnetic resonance spectrum, it could be determined that the isotactic polymer was of high stereochemical purity. The syndiotactic material was less pure, and the atactic polymer was largely syndiotactic. Racemic and optically active α-methyl benzyl pivalates were prepared to serve as monomeric analogues of the polymer. The optical activity of the isotactic polymer in dioxane is one-third greater than that of the monomeric analogue at 5890 A; the syndiotactic polymer is slightly less optically active than the monomeric analogue, and the atactic polymer is between the syndio- and iso-polymers but much nearer the syndio material. The enhancement or decrease of the optical activity is associated with the orientation correlation of successive chain segments, the specific chemical structure of the optically active group, and on solvent-polymer interactions. The orientation correlations persist over a short range only. Poly-α-methylbenzyl-methacrylat-(PMBMA) Polymere der isotaktischen, syndiotaktischen und ataktischen Form wurden sowohl unter der Verwendung von optisch aktiven als auch von racemischen Monomeren hergestellt. Das isotaktische Material wurde durch anionische Polymerisation in einem Kohlenwasserstoff als Losungsmittel bei tiefer Temperature (∼−60°C) hergestellt. Die syndiotaktischen und ataktischen Polymeren wurden durch radikalische Polymerisation bei –65 bis 32°C synthetisiert, die durch Bestrahlen mit ultraviolettem Licht eingeleitet worden war. Magnetische Protonenresonanzspektren ergaben, das die isotaktischen Polymeren eine hohe stereochemische Reinheit hatten, das das syndiotaktische Produkt weniger rein und das ataktische Polymere grostenteils syndiotaktisch waren. Zum Vergleich mit dem Grundbaustein des Polymeren wurden racemisches und optisch aktives α-Methylbenzyl-pivalat hergestellt. Die optische Aktivitat des isotaktischen Polymeren in Dioxan bei 5840 A ist um ein Drittel groser als die des analogen Monomeren; die des syndiotaktischen Polymeren ist etwas geringer als die des monomeren Analogen. Die optische Aktivitat des ataktischen Polymeren liegt zwischen der des Syndio- und des Isopolymeren, jedoch mehr in der Nahe des syndiotaktischen Stoffes. Die Verstarkung wie auch die Abschwachung der optischen Aktivitat ist verknupft mit der Orientierung der aufeinanderfolgenden Grundbausteine, mit der verschiedenen Konfiguration der optisch aktiven Gruppen und mit der Wechselwirkung zwischen Losungsmittel und dem Polymeren. Die Beziehungen zur Orientierung erstrecken sich nur auf kurze Entfernung.
The aryl hydrocarbon receptor ligand omeprazole inhibits breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis

Patients with ER-negative breast tumors are among the most difficult to treat and exhibit low survival rates due, in part, to metastasis from the breast to various distal sites. Aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AHR) ligands show promise as antimetastatic drugs for estrogen receptor (ER)-negative breast cancer. Triple negative MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cells were treated with eight AHR-active pharmaceuticals including 4-hydroxtamoxifen, flutamide leflunomide, mexiletine, nimodipine, omeprazole, sulindac and tranilast, and the effects of these compounds on cell proliferation (MTT assay) and cell migration (Boyden chamber assay) were examined. The role of the AHR in mediating inhibition of MDA-MB-231 cell invasion was investigated by RNA interference (RNAi) and knockdown of AHR or cotreatment with AHR agonists. Lung metastasis of MDA-MB-231 cells was evaluated in mice administered cells by tail vein injection and prometastatic gene expression was examined by immunohistochemistry. We showed that only the proton pump inhibitor omeprazole decreased MDA-MB-231 breast cancer cell invasion in vitro. Omeprazole also significantly decreased MDA-MB-231 cancer cell metastasis to the lung in a mouse model (tail vein injection), and in vitro studies showed that omeprazole decreased expression of at least two prometastatic genes, namely matrix metalloproteinase-9 (MMP-9) and C-X-C chemokine receptor 4 (CXCR4). Results of RNA interference studies confirmed that omeprazole-mediated downregulation of CXCR4 (but not MMP-9) was AHR-dependent. Chromatin immunoprecipitation assays demonstrated that omeprazole recruited the AHR to regions in the CXCR4 promoter that contain dioxin response elements (DREs) and this was accompanied by the loss of pol II on the promoter and decreased expression of CXCR4. AHR-active pharmaceuticals such as omeprazole that decrease breast cancer cell invasion and metastasis may have important clinical applications for late stage breast cancer chemotherapy.
Marital Uncertainty and Childbearing

The author uses data from a U.S. sample of married adults and hypotheses guided by the Uncertainty Reduction Theory of Parenthood, developed by D. Friedman, M. Hechter and S. Kanazawa, in 1994 to examine how marital solidarity and uncertainty affect the odds of having a child. The analyses do not support the idea that couples who lack marital solidarity and are unhappy with their marriages use childbearing as a strategy to increase solidarity and, in turn, reduce marital uncertainty. Instead, the dominant pattern is that a solid marriage and compatability between spouses encourage parenthood and higher-order childbearing. The results are also discussed in terms of economic and normative theories of fertility
Optimization of Ultrasonic Irradiation as an Advanced Oxidation Technology

The optimization of ultrasonic irradiation as an advanced oxidation technology can be achieved by adjusting the ultrasonic frequency and saturating gas during sonolysis. The sonolytic production of hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) and hydroxyl radical (•OH) has been investigated at the ultrasonic frequencies of 20, 40, 80, and 500 kHz, respectively, in the presence of four different saturating gases (i.e., Kr, Ar, He, O2) at each frequency. H2O2 was measured with a KI dosimeter, and the formation of •OH was monitored by trapping with terephthalic acid. Both the applied frequency and the physicochemical properties of the saturating gases influ ence the sonochemical rates of production of •OH and H2O2. At 20 kHz, the rate contants for the production of H2O2 vary over an order of magnitude as a function of the nature of the dissolved gas (0.0508 and 1.31 μM min-1). Similar trends are observed for the production of •OH at the same frequencies and under an identical set of saturating gases. The highest rates of produc...
Long-term use of high-efficiency vacuum cleaners and residential airborne fungal-spore exposure

Exposure to fungal allergens is an important contributor to allergic respiratory disease, but information on the efficacy of residential fungal allergen-avoidance in allergic-disease management is lacking. Using vacuum cleaners with high-efficiency exhaust filtration is one method recommended for reducing residential allergen exposure levels, but their use to reduce fungal-spore exposure levels has not been evaluated. To evaluate the effectiveness of high-efficiency vacuuming to control airborne fungal-spore levels, fungal bioaerosols were repeatedly assessed over the course of 10 months in homes randomly assigned to groups using either conventionally filtered (control) or high-efficiency-filtered vacuum cleaners for routine vacuum cleaning. Air samples were analyzed for three fungal-spore categories representing taxa with predominantly outdoor sources and one representing taxa that commonly have indoor sources. In a two-way analysis of variance, sampling period had a significant effect on mean levels of all fungal-spore categories. Vacuum cleaner type had a marginally significant effect on the indoor spore category, with one high-efficiency vacuum group mean (of three) significantly lower than one control mean. No effect was observed of vacuum cleaner type on outdoor spore categories. Including home-environment variables in analysis of covariance models strengthened the effect of the vacuum-type treatment on the indoor spore category, with no effect on the three outdoor spore categories. Decreased indoor spore levels vs. controls were only observed in high-efficiency vacuum groups during the last sampling period, at the end of the heating season. The results suggest that using a vacuum with high-efficiency filtered exhaust could have some modest effectiveness in controlling airborne fungal-spore exposure in homes when infiltration of outdoor air is very limited.
The solubility of germanium (II) hydroxide in perchloric acid and sodium hydroxide at 25°C

Abstract The solubility of Ge(OH) 2 was measured in dilute solutions of perchloric acid and sodium hydroxide and in water at 25°C. Apparently this oxide does not form true solutions in sodium hydroxide as evidenced by the formation of a deep red colour both in the solid and in the liquid media. Other observations also indicate that colloids form.