cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Rungs of the “Ethical” Ladder

In his famous letter to Ludwig von Ficker, Wittgenstein writes: … the point of the book is ethical. I once wanted to give a few words in the foreword which now actually are not in it, which, however, I’ll write for you now because they might be a key for you: I wanted to write that my work consists of two parts: the one which is here, and of everything which I have not written. And precisely this second part is the important one. For the Ethical is delimited from within, as it were, by my book; and I’m convinced that, strictly speaking, it can ONLY be delimited this way. In brief, I think: All of that which many are babbling today, I have defined in my book by remaining silent about it. Therefore the book will, unless I’m quite wrong, have much to say which you want to say yourself, but perhaps you won’t notice that it is said in it. For the time being, I’d recommend that you read the foreword and the conclusion since these express the point most directly.1 Some of the themes in this letter do not come as a surprise for those familiar with the Tractatus and its peculiar relation to ethics. From the beginning, we meet the groundbreaking claim in Wittgenstein’s thought that there can be no ethical propositions, and following this statement we encounter the demand to remain silent.
Materials Selection and Processing Techniques for Small Spacecraft Solar Cell Arrays

Body mounted germanium substrate solar cell arrays form the faces of many small satellite designs to provide the primary power source on orbit. High efficiency solar cells are made affordable for University scale satellite programs as triangular devices trimmed from wafer scale solar cells. The smaller cells allow the array designs to pack tightly around antenna mounts and payload instruments, giving the board design more flexibility. We are investigating the reliability of solar cells attached to FR-4 and carbon core laminate printed circuit boards. FR-4 circuit boards have significantly higher thermal expansion coefficients and lower thermal conductivities than germanium. This thermal expansion coefficient mismatch between the FR-4 board and the components used cause major concern for the power system when considering a failure of the solar cells, such as a series of cracked cells or faulty solder joints. These failures are most likely to happen with a longer orbital lifetime and longer exposure to the ...
Audiovisual sentence recognition not predicted by susceptibility to the McGurk effect

In noisy situations, visual information plays a critical role in the success of speech communication: listeners are better able to understand speech when they can see the speaker. Visual influence on auditory speech perception is also observed in the McGurk effect, in which discrepant visual information alters listeners' auditory perception of a spoken syllable. When hearing /ba/ while seeing a person saying /ga/, for example, listeners may report hearing /da/. Because these two phenomena have been assumed to arise from a common integration mechanism, the McGurk effect has often been used as a measure of audiovisual integration in speech perception. In this study, we test whether this assumed relationship exists within individual listeners. We measured participants' susceptibility to the McGurk illusion as well as their ability to identify sentences in noise across a range of signal-to-noise ratios in audio-only and audiovisual modalities. Our results do not show a relationship between listeners' McGurk susceptibility and their ability to use visual cues to understand spoken sentences in noise, suggesting that McGurk susceptibility may not be a valid measure of audiovisual integration in everyday speech processing.
Real Time Study of Transposable Element Activity

Current understanding of transposable element activity is restricted due to limited study methods. Sequence analysis or bulk measurements fail when information is lost in ensemble averages or affected lineages go extinct and do not remain in the phylogenetic record. We have developed a method for studying the activity of the transposable element IS608 in Escherichia coli using real-time detection techniques combined with microfluidic platforms, providing an opportunity to study natural IS608's activity in vivo, with single cell resolution and real-time tracking. IS608 was originally found in Helicobacter pylori. Here we describe our quantitative measurements of IS608's activity in Escherichia coli and discuss their implications.
Property, Predation, and Protection: Piranha Capitalism in Russia and Ukraine (Introduction)

What threatens the property rights of business owners? And what makes these rights secure? This book transcends the conventional diagnosis of the issue in modern developing countries by moving beyond expropriation by the state ruler or by petty bureaucratic corruption. It identifies 'agent predation' as a novel threat type, showing it to be particularly widespread and detrimental. The book also questions the orthodox prescription: institutionalized state commitment cannot secure property rights against agent predation. Instead, this volume argues that business actors can hold the predatory state agents accountable through firm-level alliances with foreign actors, labor, and local communities. Beyond securing ownership, such alliances promote rule of law in a rent-seeking society. Taking Russia and Ukraine between 2000 and 2012 as its empirical focus, the book advances these arguments by drawing on more than 150 qualitative interviews with business owners, policy makers, and bureaucrats, as well as an original large-N survey of firms. * Winner of the 2016 Stein Rokkan Prize for Comparative Social Science Research by the International Social Science Council and the European Consortium for Political Research
What Do New Faculty Members Want From Their University

We both recently completed our first-year teaching in higher education. Being at a new place and starting a new career has been very exciting, but it also has been stressful. Anxiety can be high fo...
Some Rules of Constitutional Design

Events in both Eastern Europe and the former USSR illustrate the intimate connection between economic and political processes. Those events also remind us that political and economic institutions are human creations, and that when those institutions are poorly designed, political-economic failure is a direct consequence. It is axiomatic, then, that the transition to stable and prosperous societies in those former Communist states requires careful attention to the design and implementation of democratic institutions.
Deciphering cyanobacterial phenotypes for fast photoautotrophic growth via isotopically nonstationary metabolic flux analysis

Synechococcus elongatus UTEX 2973 is the fastest growing cyanobacterium characterized to date. Its genome was found to be 99.8% identical to S. elongatus 7942 yet it grows twice as fast. Current genome-to-phenome mapping is still poorly performed for non-model organisms. Even for species with identical genomes, cell phenotypes can be strikingly different. To understand Synechococcus 2973’s fast-growth phenotype and its metabolic features advantageous to photo-biorefineries, 13C isotopically nonstationary metabolic flux analysis (INST-MFA), biomass compositional analysis, gene knockouts, and metabolite profiling were performed on both strains under various growth conditions. The Synechococcus 2973 flux maps show substantial carbon flow through the Calvin cycle, glycolysis, photorespiration and pyruvate kinase, but minimal flux through the malic enzyme and oxidative pentose phosphate pathways under high light/CO2 conditions. During fast growth, its pool sizes of key metabolites in central pathways were lower than suboptimal growth. Synechococcus 2973 demonstrated similar flux ratios to Synechococcus 7942 (under fast growth conditions), but exhibited greater carbon assimilation, higher NADPH concentrations, higher energy charge (relative ATP ratio over ADP and AMP), less accumulation of glycogen, and potentially metabolite channeling. Furthermore, Synechococcus 2973 has very limited flux through the TCA pathway with small pool sizes of acetyl-CoA/TCA intermediates under all growth conditions. This study employed flux analysis to investigate phenotypic heterogeneity among two cyanobacterial strains with near-identical genome background. The flux/metabolite profiling, biomass composition analysis, and genetic modification results elucidate a highly effective metabolic topology for CO2 assimilatory and biosynthesis in Synechococcus 2973. Comparisons across multiple Synechococcus strains indicate faster metabolism is also driven by proportional increases in both photosynthesis and key central pathway fluxes. Moreover, the flux distribution in Synechococcus 2973 supports the use of its strong sugar phosphate pathways for optimal bio-productions. The integrated methodologies in this study can be applied for characterizing non-model microbial metabolism.
Ultrasonic Beam Propagation in Cast Stainless Steel

The ultrasonic examination of cast stainless steel components found in nuclear reactors has been plagued by problems such as difficulties in achieving sufficient penetration, poor signal-to-noise ratios, false indications, and mislocated flaws. One factor which plays an important role in these problems is anisotropy of the material, whereas many metal components can be viewed as isotropic, having randomly oriented, equi-axed grains, such is not the case for cast austenitic steels, in which the structure tends to crystallize with the [100]-axis of each grain parallel to the local thermal gradient. A consequence is that the ultrasonic wave speeds vary with direction, which in turn leads to such phenomena as beam skewing and excess beam divergence. The materials, anisotropic or not, can also exhibit large grain sizes which can lead to excess attenuation and background noise. Much effort has been placed on classifying the various microstructures and determining their elastic properties as well as studying beam propagation through them [1–8]. The theoretical modeling of beam propagation in anisotropic and inhomogeneous materials has also received much attention recently [9–16].
Adaptive wavelet compression of large additive manufacturing experimental and simulation datasets

New manufacturing technologies such as additive manufacturing require research and development to minimize the uncertainties in the produced parts. The research involves experimental measurements and large simulations, which result in huge quantities of data to store and analyze. We address this challenge by alleviating the data storage requirements using lossy data compression. We select wavelet bases as the mathematical tool for compression. Unlike images, additive manufacturing data is often represented on irregular geometries and unstructured meshes. Thus, we use Alpert tree-wavelets as bases for our data compression method. We first analyze different basis functions for the wavelets and find the one that results in maximal compression and miminal error in the reconstructed data. We then devise a new adaptive thresholding method that is data-agnostic and allows a priori estimation of the reconstruction error. Finally, we propose metrics to quantify the global and local errors in the reconstructed data. One of the error metrics addresses the preservation of physical constraints in reconstructed data fields, such as divergence-free stress field in structural simulations. While our compression and decompression method is general, we apply it to both experimental and computational data obtained from measurements and thermal/structural modeling of the sintering of a hollow cylinder from metal powders using a Laser Engineered Net Shape process. The results show that monomials achieve optimal compression performance when used as wavelet bases. The new thresholding method results in compression ratios that are two to seven times larger than the ones obtained with commonly used thresholds. Overall, adaptive Alpert tree-wavelets can achieve compression ratios between one and three orders of magnitude depending on the features in the data that are required to preserve. These results show that Alpert tree-wavelet compression is a viable and promising technique to reduce the size of large data structures found in both experiments and simulations.
Co-regulation and functional cooperativity of FOXM1 and RHNO1 bidirectional genes in ovarian cancer

Summary We report that the oncogenic transcription factor FOXM1 is arranged in a head-to-head configuration with RHNO1, a gene involved in the ATR/CHK1-dependent DNA replication stress (DRS) response. FOXM1 and RHNO1 are both amplified and upregulated in high-grade serous ovarian cancer (HGSC). FOXM1 and RHNO1 expression are closely associated in normal and cancer tissues, including single cells, and a bidirectional promoter (F/R-BDP) mediates balanced expression. Targeting of FOXM1 and RHNO1 in HGSC cells using shRNA, CRISPR mutagenesis, or CRISPR interference directed to the F/R-BDP reduced DNA homologous recombination repair (HR) capacity, increased DNA damage, reduced clonogenic survival, and sensitized HGSC cells to the poly-ADP ribosylase inhibitor (PARPi) olaparib. Thus, there is functional cooperativity between FOXM1 and RHNO1 in cancer cells, and combinatorial targeting of this bidirectional gene pair may be a novel cancer therapeutic strategy. More broadly, our data provide evidence that bidirectional gene units function in human cancer.
Therapeutic potential of AAV9-S15D-RLC gene delivery in humanized MYL2 mouse model of HCM.

Familial hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM) is an autosomal dominant disorder characterized by ventricular hypertrophy, myofibrillar disarray, and fibrosis, and is primarily caused by mutations in sarcomeric genes. With no definitive cure for HCM, there is an urgent need for the development of novel preventive and reparative therapies. This study is focused on aspartic acid-to-valine (D166V) mutation in the myosin regulatory light chain, RLC (MYL2 gene), associated with a malignant form of HCM. Since myosin RLC phosphorylation is critical for normal cardiac function, we aimed to exploit this post-translational modification via phosphomimetic-RLC gene therapy. We hypothesized that mimicking/modulating cardiac RLC phosphorylation in non-phosphorylatable D166V myocardium would improve heart function of HCM-D166V mice. Adeno-associated virus, serotype-9 (AAV9) was used to deliver phosphomimetic human RLC variant with serine-to-aspartic acid substitution at Ser15-RLC phosphorylation site (S15D-RLC) into the hearts of humanized HCM-D166V mice. Improvement of heart function was monitored by echocardiography, invasive hemodynamics (PV-loops) and muscle contractile mechanics. A significant increase in cardiac output and stroke work and a decrease in relaxation constant, Tau, shown to be prolonged in HCM mice, were observed in AAV- vs. PBS-injected HCM mice. Strain analysis showed enhanced myocardial longitudinal shortening in AAV-treated vs. control mice. In addition, increased maximal contractile force was observed in skinned papillary muscles from AAV-injected HCM hearts. Our data suggest that myosin RLC phosphorylation may have important translational implications for the treatment of RLC mutations-induced HCM and possibly play a role in other disease settings accompanied by depressed Ser15-RLC phosphorylation.
Analytical developments and experimental validation of a thermocouple model through an experimentally acquired impulse response function

Abstract This paper addresses the significance of and need for understanding the thermal impulse response function for (1) validating in-situ thermocouple models; and, (2) forming a “parameter free” inverse heat conduction methodology. The former application is the focus of the present study but it will be evident how to implement the findings of this presentation into the latter situation. The experimental component of this study utilizes a new small-sample, high-accuracy, electrical heating test facility for producing a quantifiable and accurate heat flux source. The impulse response kernel at the probe site is extracted and used for verifying the proposed in-depth thermocouple model. A linear, first-order thermocouple model is proposed based on the orientation of the probe and limited test temperature range. The location of the thermocouple and time constant are assumed known from some independent means or experiments. The impulse response function is determined and compared with the kernel of the resulting solution of the heat equation using the first-order model. Both kernels should nearly replicate if the model is not physically deficient. This preliminary investigation demonstrates a new means for (1) reconstructing the impulse response function and (2) validating a thermocouple model. Further, this experimentally generated impulse function can be used for resolving inverse heat conduction problems.
Evaluation of dicamba retention in spray tanks and its impact on flue-cured tobacco

In recent years, there has been increased use of dicamba due to the introduction of dicamba-resistant cotton and soybean in the United States. Therefore, there is a potential increase in off-target movement of dicamba and injury to sensitive crops. Flue-cured tobacco is extremely sensitive to auxin herbicides, particularly dicamba. In addition to yield loss, residue from drift or equipment contamination can have severe repercussions for the marketability of the crop. Studies were conducted in 2016, 2017, and 2018 in North Carolina to evaluate spray-tank cleanout efficiency of dicamba using various cleaning procedures. No difference in dicamba recovery was observed regardless of dicamba formulation and cleaning agent. Dicamba residue decreased with the number of rinses. There was no difference in dicamba residue recovered from the third rinse compared with residue from the tank after being refilled for subsequent tank use. Recovery ranged from 2% to 19% of the original concentration rate among the three rinses. Field studies were also conducted in 2018 to evaluate flue-cured tobacco response to reduced rates of dicamba ranging, from 1/5 to 1/10,000 of a labeled rate. Injury and yield reductions varied by environment and application timing. When exposed to 1/500 of a labeled rate at 7 and 11 wk after transplanting, tobacco injury ranged from 39% to 53% and 10% to 16% 24 days after application, respectively. The maximum yield reduction was 62%, with a 55% reduction in value when exposed to 112 g ha–1 of dicamba. Correlations showed significant relationships between crop injury assessment and yield and value reductions, with Pearson values ranging from 0.24 to 0.63. These data can provide guidance to growers and stakeholders and emphasize the need for diligent stewardship when using dicamba technology.Nomenclature: Dicamba; cotton; Gossypium hirsutum L.; flue-cured tobacco; Nicotiana tabacum L.; soybean; Glycine max (L.) Merr.
Advances in High Performance RDL Technologies for Enabling IO Density of 500 IOs/mm/layer and 8-μm IO Pitch Using Low-k Dielectrics

Currently, the IC industry has been steadily advancing towards 7 nm and 5 nm nodes with further reductions projected in the near future to progressively create large number of inputs and outputs (IOs) at finer pitch. Today the high-density interconnect (HDI) organic redistribution layer (RDL) can only achieve an IO density of about 40 IOs per mm per layer with line and space of 6 μm and microvia diameter of 20 μm at 50 μm pitch. However, to achieve further increases in IO density, RDL with 1 μm routing lines and spaces together with 1 to 2 μm diameter microvias are required. Such advances in the RDL technology are of great importance to accomplish IO densities of 500 IOs/mm/layer to enable high bandwidths of 500 Gb/s at low cost. In this paper we present the latest progress at the Packaging Research Center, Georgia Institute of Technology in the following 4 key areas.1. Fine line photolithography: Various methods that can achieve 1 μm critical dimension (CD) are discussed and recent results on 1 μm L/S using both dry film and liquid photoresists together with advanced lithographic tools are presented.2. Small microvia creation: Microvia is the most important barrier limiting the RDL to achieve high IO density and fine IO pitch. In this paper, microvia diameter scaling down to 2 μm along with the feasibility to achieve 1 μm and via pitch of 4 to 8 μm using both photo and picosecond pulsed UV laser will be presented.3. Low Dk and Low Df dielectric materials: Dielectric material layers are an important part of RDL. For achieving multi-functional high speed and/or low loss systems and modules, dielectric layers with low Dk and/or low Df materials are critical. The material requirements, availability and process challenges will be addressed in this paper.4. Process methodology: The semi-additive process (SAP) has been the process of record for RDL fabrication. In this paper, the conventional SAP and its modifications such as modified-SAP (m-SAP) and advanced SAP (a-SAP) together with alternative organic damascene process (ODP) along with back-end- of-line (BEOL) will be reviewed and compared.Finally, considerations for future trends are presented.
The Hell of Lies, Denial, and Distraction: Critical Environmental Pedagogy Through Popular Dystopic Films

This chapter discusses the importance of global warming and its representation in popular dystopic films. The chapter analyzes the status of climate change in the era of lies, climate change deniers, popular climate disaster films, cultural hegemony, critical media literacy, and critical eco-pedagogy. It demonstrates that there is an essential connection between critical pedagogy and critical media literacy in education and activism. Neoliberal schooling is taken to task for its standardization, testing, and accountability fetish. This “mainstream” schooling is shown to lead to acquiescence and the development of consumer citizens rather than critical citizens. The development of a critical eco-pedagogy and critical media literacy are proposed as alternatives.
Interventional radiology procedural volume changes during COVID-19 initial phase: A tertiary level Midwest health system experience.

BACKGROUND: To evaluate Interventional Radiology (IR) procedural volume changes at a large Midwest health system between March 17, 2020 and April 30, 2020 following a state-mandated shutdown of nonessential procedures during the initial phase of COVID-19. METHODS: IR procedural volumes were compiled, stratified by location and compared with Diagnostic Radiology (DR) volumes during the same timeframe. Procedure volume was categorized by type, including oncology, dialysis interventions, and drainage procedures with comparisons made using Z-score test for proportions. IR and system-wide surgical procedural volume was compared with baseline values. RESULTS: System-wide IR procedural volume decreased by 35%, with a 41% decrease in outpatient and a 25% decrease in inpatient volume during the state-mandated order. DR volume decreased by 45%, with a 57% decrease in outpatient and a 22% decrease in inpatient volume. Total IR procedural volume during the mandate was 1077 versus 1518 during the preceding six weeks. The proportion of Interventional Oncology and dialysis interventions showed no significant change (p > 0.05) while that of drainage procedures increased (p < 0.05). Compared to baseline values, system-wide procedural volumes for IR, Vascular Surgery, Urology, General Surgery, Gastroenterology and Gynecology decreased by 3%, 11%, 25%, 20%, 38% and 31% in March 2020 and 25%, 47%, 68%, 63%, 79% and 73% in April 2020 respectively. CONCLUSION: Outpatient IR volumes were less impacted compared to DR during the initial phase of COVID-19. Oncology, dialysis and drainage interventions may be considered essential procedures due to their stability. IR volumes were less affected compared to other procedural specialties.
Estimated Health Care Utilization and Expenditures in Individuals With Heart Failure From the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey.

Background: Heart failure (HF) constitutes a growing burden for public health and the US health care system. While the prevalence of HF is increasing, differences in health care utilization and exp...
Emerging technologies to enhance traffic signal coordination practices

Emerging technologies and tools play a vital role for advancing the state of practice on signal timing and coordination. The discussions in this chapter primarily focused on addressing the four critical aspects and challenges facing management agencies and signal timing engineers: timing management and documentation, optimization without traffic volumes, trajectory -based timing diagnosis, and performance evaluation. Such emerging technologies and techniques help practitioners economize the laborious processes of the traditional signal timing process. It is anticipated that new technologies will continue to emerge and hold promises for significantly changing how traffic signal control issues are addressed. For example, with connected -vehicle technologies gaining increased market penetration, traffic flows would be predictable and guidable, which allow quicker and more accurate information exchange and signal control response. Although emerging technologies are promising, practitioners should not simply deem that such technologies would automatically achieve better results. A careful investigation before applying any technologies and a comprehensive performance evaluation after the implementation are always necessary.
Pharmacology of Nerve Membrane Sodium Channels

Publisher Summary Squid giant axons have been used extensively for the study of the action of various neuroactive agents. This chapter focuses on the sodium channels of squid axons as related to the action of a variety of chemicals. It deals with two basic types of drug action that are generally recognized. One is a drug-channel interaction that leads to a block of the channel, and the other is the one that causes a modulation of the channel including changes in gating kinetics. The chapter reviews the general features of the sodium-channel block caused by drugs and discusses the mechanisms whereby the sodium-channel kinetics is modulated by certain chemicals It also discusses the ionic-channel block by chemicals. Channel block by chemicals may be divided into two categories with respect to the gating status of the channel that exhibits a high affinity for the blocker. One is “closed-channel block” as represented by polyarginine and tetrodotoxin (TTX). The other type is “open-channel block.” The drug molecule can bind to a channel only when it is open, thereby causing a block.
Chapter 91 Hydrogen Effects on Plasticity

Abstract The effects of solutes on dislocation behavior have been extensively studied over many years. Among this body of literature is a very large amount of work on the effects of hydrogen on dislocation behavior and on plastic deformation. These studies are closely related to the very much larger body of work on hydrogen effects on fracture. In this paper, we focus on the influence of solute hydrogen on dislocation behavior, the manifestation of these effects on the plastic deformation of solids and, finally, present some mechanistic approaches that allow the rationalization of the very diverse set of observations. We do not discuss the effects of hydrogen on the fracture of solids.
Stochastic modeling of fatigue damage dynamics for failure prognostics and risk analysis

Failure prognostics and risk analysis facilitate maintenance scheduling and operation planning of aging mechanical systems (e.g., power and processing plants, aircraft, and civil infrastructures such as bridges and industrial buildings). Decision tools for failure prognostics must have the capability of incorporating the dynamic behavior of material damage under both normal and off-normal operating conditions. This paper presents a nonlinear stochastic model of fatigue damage dynamics and a filter for online estimation of the first two moments of the time-dependent damage accumulation. The results have been verified with experimental data of fatigue damage statistics for the 2024-T3 Aluminum alloy.
Representing Minority Shareholders in Close Corporations under Modern Business Corporations Act

This article discusses representing minority shareholders under modern corporation statute based on the Model Business Corporation Act. Passage through the thicket of problems that such representation presents is a learning experience never to be forgotten. Counsel will have found a statute strongly biased in favor of management and the corporation’s majority shareholders, a common law of corporations which until recently turned a cold shoulder to the legitimate needs of minority shareholders, and if the counselor were a corporate specialist, his own “cultural” bias toward his usual client class – those in control of the enterprise.
Opposite Orientations of an Inverted Duplication and Allelic Variation at the Mouse Agouti Locus

The mouse agouti protein is a paracrine signaling molecule that causes yellow pigment synthesis. A pale ventral coloration distinguishes the light-bellied agouti (A(w)) from the agouti (A) allele, and is caused by expression of ventral-specific mRNA isoforms with a unique 5' untranslated exon. Molecular cloning demonstrates this ventral-specific exon lies within a 3.1-kb element that is duplicated in the opposite orientation 15-kb upstream to produce an interrupted palindrome and that similarity between the duplicated elements has been maintained by gene conversion. Orientation of the palindrome is reversed in A compared to A(w), which suggests that mutation from one allele to the other is caused by intrachromosomal homologous recombination mediated by sequences within the duplicated elements. Analysis of 15 inbred strains of laboratory and wild-derived mice with Southern hybridization probes and closely linked microsatellite markers suggests six haplotype groups: one typical for most strains that carry A(w) (129/SvJ, LP/J, CE/J, CAST/Ei), one typical for most strains that carry A (Balb/cJ, CBA/J, FVB/N, PERA/Rk, RBB/Dn); and four that are atypical (MOLC/Rk, MOLG/Dn, PERA/Ei, PERC/Ei, SPRET/Ei, RBA/Dn). Our results suggest a model for molecular evolution of the agouti locus in which homologous recombination can produce a reversible switch in allelic identity.
Development of culturally competent food-frequency questionnaires

Health-related behaviors, including food choices, are culturally determined. Culture is the medium through which people interpret their world and the tool individuals use to guide decisions. Recognition of the effect of culture on health-related behaviors has led public health investigators, including nutritionists, to address the concepts of cultural relevancy as applied to intervention strategies and assessment techniques. Drawing on a project involving the development of food-frequency questionnaires for Native American communities, I provide definitions of cultural awareness, cultural sensitivity, cultural appropriateness, and cultural competency. Cultural competency, which involves working within the cultural context of a culturally distinct population, is the approach most likely to reduce miscommunication between investigators and participants and to yield reliable and valid data. Step-by-step guidelines for creating a culturally competent food-frequency questionnaire have been developed.
Endoscopic laser therapy in colorectal cancer.

Strong consideration should be given to the use of laser treatment as an alternative to surgery for palliation in patients with advanced metastatic rectal cancer. Based upon the lower cost and equivalent efficacy with surgery, laser treatment is cost-effective. In the light of this, laser treatment should be considered as an option to surgery in some patients with advanced disease. It is in these patients, however, where one must be cautious in recommending laser treatment indiscriminately. Advanced age alone should not be a sufficient reason for deciding against surgery. While it may be generally desirable to preserve the rectum, it is clear from our analysis that the presence of a rectum in no way assures satisfactory defecation. Thus, long circumferential lesions, especially those traversing the rectosigmoid angle, may be better treated with surgery even in the presence of metastic disease, as long as the overall condition of the patient suggests reasonable survival, i.e. of more than 6 months. Any future advance in ontological therapy resulting in significant improvement in survival in patients with metastatic disease will also change the therapeutic approach to the primary tumor. Further studies are required to define which patients should be selected for endoscopic therapy. It is clear that laser treatment can eradicate totally a rectal cancer localized to the bowel wall at the time of initial treatment. Five of our patients have no evidence of residual or recurrent disease more than 12 months after laser treatment. Escourrou has reported a similar experience in a larger series [4]. These patients were however selected for laser treatment only owing to the presence of special contraindications for surgery and at the present time laser treatment cannot be recommended as the treatment of choice for curative intent.
Placental estrogen suppresses cyclin D1 expression in the nonhuman primate fetal adrenal cortex.

We have previously shown that estrogen selectively suppresses growth of the fetal zone of the baboon fetal adrenal cortex, which produces the C19-steroid precursors, eg, dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate, which are aromatized to estrogen within the placenta. In the present study, we determined whether fetal adrenal expression of cell cycle regulators are altered by estrogen and thus provide a mechanism by which estrogen regulates fetal adrenocortical development. Cyclin D1 mRNA levels in the whole fetal adrenal were increased 50% (P < .05), and the number of cells in the fetal adrenal definitive zone expressing cyclin D1 protein was increased 2.5-fold (P < .05), whereas the total number of cells in the fetal zone and fetal serum dehydroepiandrosterone sulfate levels were elevated 2-fold (P < .05) near term in baboons in which fetal serum estradiol levels were decreased by 95% (P < .05) after maternal administration of the aromatase inhibitor letrozole and restored to normal by concomitant administration of letrozole plus estradiol throughout second half of gestation. However, fetal adrenocortical expression of cyclin D2, the cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk)-2, Cdk4, and Cdk6, and Cdk regulatory proteins p27Kip1 and p57Kip2 were not changed by letrozole or letrozole plus estradiol administration. We suggest that estrogen controls the growth of the fetal zone of the fetal adrenal by down-regulating cyclin D1 expression and thus proliferation of progenitor cells within the definitive zone that migrate to the fetal zone. We propose that estrogen restrains growth and function of the fetal zone via cyclin D1 to maintain estrogen levels in a physiological range during primate pregnancy.
Complex dielectric function of AlGaN/GaN/InGaN heterojunction structures

Theoretical calculations of the complex dielectric function of AlGaN/GaN heterojunction field-effect transistor (HFETs) structures and InGaN/GaN single quantum wells (SQWs) are presented. The model is based on a self-consistent calculation of the band structure, taking into account the spontaneous and piezoelectric polarizations and the presence of a two-dimensional electron gas (2DEG) at the interface. The calculated results show that the large built-in electric field at the heterojunction smears out any fine structures in the dielectric function that would ordinarily be expected from transitions between the valence band edge and the confined electron states. For HFET structures, two broad features are seen in the calculated spectra, one due to the GaN layer and the other to the AlGaN barrier. There are no features due to the confined states in the 2DEG. (© 2004 WILEY-VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)
Information-Gathering Properties of a Nonverbal Reinforcer: An Effect of Expectancy Violation

A 2-person tutoring task was used to investigate the possibility that one individual's nonverbal reinforcers can be used in an attempt to gain information from the other person. Information- seeking behavior is increased by expectancy-violation (Brickman, 1972). Increasing a reinforcer's occurrance by violating an expectancy would suggest that the reinforcer also serves to gain information. A nonverbal reinforcer, head nodding, was monitored in a 2 x 2 design orthogonally manipulating (1) instructed expectancies of "good" vs. "poor" perfor mance by a confederate-student and (2) "good" vs. "poor" actual perfor mance. Violating subject-tutors' expectancies resulted in significantly greater head nodding. Also, a hypothesized lack of relationship was found between task-specific behaviors (informative comments and praise) and head nodding, not required to perform the task.
The Need for Interventions to Prevent Skin Bleaching: A Look at Tanzania

The practice of skin bleaching, or chemically lightening the skin, has become more common worldwide in the past 30 years. In Africa, the practice is especially problematic, because caustic ingredie...
Effect of recapitulation on accuracy of electronically determined canal length

The accuracy of an electronic apex locator to measure canal length during instrumentation when nonrecapitulated dentin debris is present has not been evaluated. The purposes of this study were (1) to compare actual with electronic canal length before and after instrumentation, and (2) to compare the accuracy of electronic length in recapitulated and nonrecapitulated canals. Actual canal lengths of 30 mature anterior teeth were determined, teeth mounted in an in vitro system, and canal lengths determined with the electronic apex locator. Canals were step-back prepared to a size 35 file. Fifteen canals were recapitulated and the other 15 were not. Canals were dried and lengths again determined with the electronic apex locator. Data showed that for electronically determined versus actual lengths: 1) 63% were longer, 23% equal, and 13% shorter before instrumentation, 2) 30% were longer, 0% equal, and 70% shorter after instrumentation, 3) instrumentation caused a mean shortening of 0.63 mm, and 4) recapitulation of nonpatent canals was necessary to obtain length reading with the electronic apex locator.
EFFECTS OF 5-BROMODEOXYURIDINE ON CELL DIVISION AND DNA REPLICATION IN HELA CELLS.

Normal DNA Synthesis The DNA molecule is a double helix consisting of two complementary chains of nitrogenous bases connected by sugar-phosphate backbones [ 171. Complementarity is introduced by the rule that adenine must pair with thymine and guanine with cytosine. Fig. 1 illustrates the three general schemes by which such a molecule may duplicate [3]. It is possible to distinguish among these models of replication by giving the progeny and parental DNA different density labels and using the density gradient technique developed by Meselson, Stahl, and Vinograd [lo]. Meselson and Stahl [9] used 15N to label the DNA of E. coli and found that after the first division all of the DNA was l/2 labeled, and that after the second division l/2 the DNA was l/2 labeled and l/2 fully labeled. These results were P&RENT FIRST DIVISION SEiJND DI”ISION
Transfer-function synthesis using a single operational amplifier

A simple method of active RC realisation of a voltage-transfer ratio is proposed. The final structure employs a single operational amplifier.
Comparison of Adult Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) Trapping Techniques as Population Estimators

Eight trapping methods were compared for their ability to sample populations of adult northern and western corn rootworms, Diabrotica barberi Smith and Lawrence and Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, respectively. Comparisons of sampling efficiency, fidelity with standard sampling methods (ear zone and plant counts), sampling precision, and sex and species capture ratios were made among these sampling techniques. Two of the trapping techniques, the unbaited Pherocon AM trap and the ear level, cylindrical sticky trap, were found to have the best adult corn rootworm sampling characteristics. These trapping techniques were significantly correlated with the standard sampling methods, and their sampling precisions were the highest of all the traps tested. Also, both techniques sampled corn rootworm populations similarly with respect to sex and species captured. Therefore, either the unbaited Pherocon AM trap or the ear level, cylindrical sticky trap could be used effectively as a relative sampling method for adult corn rootworms.
Consumption, Consumerism, and Things from the Earth

(1994). Consumption, Consumerism, and Things from the Earth. Historical Methods: A Journal of Quantitative and Interdisciplinary History: Vol. 27, No. 2, pp. 61-70.
Effect of thiamine deficiency on glutathione contents of erythrocytes and tissues in the rat.

SummaryThiamine deficiency results in decrease in concentration of glutathione in erythrocytes and heart, but an increase in level of glutathione in liver tissue. The exact nature of the alteration of glutathione content is not known. The possible interrelationship of thiamine and glutathione in carbohydrate metabolism is discussed.
Fretting damage in thin sheets: Analysis of an experimental configuration

Abstract A method for evaluating fretting damage in thin sheets was developed for AISI 301 stainless steel in full hard condition in contact with AISI 52100 steel and cast ANSI A356 aluminum. Samples were subjected to fretting and then were subsequently fatigue tested to determine the impact of the fretting damage on fatigue life. A finite element model of the experimental configuration was used to determine the response for the experimental conditions imposed. The values of Fatemi–Socie critical-plane fatigue damage parameter are shown to correspond to the trends in the observed residual fatigue life for contact with AISI 52100 steel.
Trading off between makespan and customer responsiveness in flow shop sequencing

There is a vast literature on the problem of how to sequence products in a blocking flow shop so as to minimise makespan. It is often the case, however, that problem instances have multiple optima, and that within the set of optimal (or near optimal) solutions, other characteristics of importance vary substantially. Thus, the solution found by an approach that solely minimises makespan may be inferior to alternate solutions that have comparable makespan but superior value with regard to other criteria. In this paper, we demonstrate this by considering makespan and customer responsiveness, the potential that a sequence has for modification so as to incorporate customer order changes after production has begun. We consider the relationship between these two metrics and present computational results to show how different approaches to making trade-offs between them can change the solution characteristics substantially.
Genetic monitoring system for SAM strains utilizing DNA markers

Abstract Senescence-Accelerated Mouse (SAM) strains were characterized with molecular genetic tools. Microsatellite DNA markers were utilized to obtain genetic profiles of these strains. Out of 581 microsatellite markers examined, 215 were polymorphic among the SAM strains. All strains had different genetic profiles. The cluster analysis of the strains calculated from the rate of shared alleles at the microsatellite loci corresponded well to the strain genealogy. A minimum set of microsatellite loci to distinguish each strain (critical set) was selected for genetic monitoring. Also complete mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) sequences were determined from the SAM strains. Sequence comparisons revealed four variations among the strains at positions 2256, 10,847, 11,181, and 13,053. These variations were not found in other mouse strains, which included strain AKR/J, one of the parental strains of SAM. The SAM strains could be classified into three types according to combinations of the four variations. A genetic monitoring system for SAM strains has been established based on these genetic profiles. We propose that all SAM colony holders adopt this system and periodically practice genetic monitoring on their SAM colonies.
Radiative Ignition of Double Base Propellants: I. Some Formulation Effects

In this first paper of a two part study, the ignition response to arc image radiative heating (5 to 100 cal/cm sec) of several double-base propellants is examined; comparisons with certain AP and HMX propellants are made also. Ignition delay is affected by chemical factors in propellant formulation (stability of the condensed phase, reaction rate in the gas phase) and by optical factors in propellant formulation (opacifiers affecting reflectivity and in-depth absorption). The results show that comparisons of the chemical factors in the formulation can only be made properly when the optical factors are minimized (as by carbon addition). When optical factors are minimized by opacifying the propellant, one finds, in order of increasing ease of ignitability, the formulations tested fall as follows: HMX composite, AP composite, double base (noncatalyzed), double base (catalyzed).
Optimization of the lyophilization process for long-term stability of solid–lipid nanoparticles

Objectives: To optimize a lyophilization protocol for solid–lipid nanoparticles (SLNs) loaded with dexamethasone palmitate (Dex-P) and to compare the long-term stability of lyophilized SLNs and aqueous SLN suspensions at two storage conditions.Materials and Methods: The effect of various parameters of the lyophilization process on SLN redispersibility was evaluated. A three month stability study was conducted to compare changes in the particle size and drug loading of lyophilized SLNs with SLNs stored as aqueous suspensions at either 4°C or 25°C/60% relative humidity (RH).Results and Discussion: Of nine possible lyoprotectants tested, sucrose was shown to be the most efficient at achieving SLN redispersibility. Higher freezing temperatures, slower freezing rates, and longer secondary drying times were also shown to be beneficial. Loading of the SLNs with Dex-P led to slightly larger particle size and polydispersity index increases, but both parameters remained within an acceptable range. Drug loading and ...
A Preliminary Examination of Emotional and Cognitive Mediators in the Relations between Violence Exposure and Violent Behaviors in Youth.

This study examined the possible mediational roles of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms and acceptance of violence cognitions in the association between violence exposure and youth violent behaviors. This study also examined whether the strength of the relations between exposure and behavior varied across context of exposure and across sex. Participants were 123 early adolescents from the Midwest. Findings indicate a strong positive association between violence exposure at home and in the community. Regardless of context, violence exposure was significantly related to PTSD symptoms, acceptance of violence cognitions, and violent behaviors in youth. PTSD symptoms and acceptance of violence cognitions were both significant mediators in the exposure—behavior relationship but the associations differed for girls and boys and varied across context of exposure. © 2008 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Recursive structure of S-matrices and an O(m2) algorithm for recognizing strong sign solvability

Abstract An S-matrix is an m ×( m +1) real matrix A such that for each matrix A of the same sign pattern as A , A 's columns are the vertices of an m -simplex in R m that has the origin in its interior. An S ∗ - matrix is one that can be made into an S -matrix by replacing some columns with their negatives. Such matrices are of interest because of their fundamental role in the study of sign solvability. New results on the recursive structure of these classes of matrices are presented here, and are used as the basis of algorithms of time complexity O ( m 2 ) for recognizing members of the classes and for testing the strong sign solvability of linear systems.