cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Late Quaternary Spring-Fed Deposits of the Grand Canyon and Their Implication for Deep Lava-Dammed Lakes

One of the most intriguing episodes in the Quaternary evolution of the Grand Canyon of the Colorado River, Arizona, was the development of vast lakes that are thought to have backed up behind lava erupted into the gorge. Stratigraphic evidence for these deep lava-dammed lakes is expectedly sparse. Possible lacustrine deposits at six areas in the eastern canyon yielded no compelling evidence for sediment deposited in a deep lake. At two of the sites the sediment was associated with late Quaternary spring-fed pools and marshes. Water-lain silt and sand at lower Havasu Creek was deposited ∼3000 cal yr ago. The deposit contains an ostracode assemblage similar to that living in the modern travertine-dammed pools adjacent to the outcrop. The second deposit, at Lees Ferry, formed in a spring-fed marsh ∼43,000 cal yr ago, as determined by 14C and amino acid geochronology. It contains abundant ostracode and mollusk fossils, the richest assemblages reported from the Grand Canyon to date. Our interpretation of these sediments as spring-fed deposits, and their relative youth, provides an alternative to the conventional view that deposits like these were formed in deep lava-dammed lakes that filled the Grand Canyon.
Scrapie prions selectively modify the stress response in neuroblastoma cells.

Abstract The fundamental event underlying scrapie infection seems to be a conformational change in the prion protein. To investigate proteins that might feature in the conversion of the cellular prion protein (PrPC) into the scrapie isoform (PrPSc), we examined mouse neuroblastoma N2a cells for the expression and cellular distribution of heat shock proteins (Hsps), some of which function as molecular chaperones. In scrapie-infected N2a (ScN2a) cells, Hsp72 and Hsp28 were not induced by heat shock, sodium arsenite, or an amino acid analog, in contrast to uninfected control N2a cells, while other inducible Hsps were increased by these treatments. Following heat shock of the N2a cells, constitutively expressed Hsp73 was translocated from the cytoplasm into the nucleus and nucleolus. In contrast, the distribution of Hsp73 in ScN2a cells was not altered by heat shock; the discrete cytoplasmic structures containing Hsp73 were largely resistant to detergent extraction. These alterations in the expression and subcellular translocation of specific Hsps in ScN2a cells may reflect the cellular response to the accumulation of PrPSc. Whether any of these Hsps feature in the conversion of PrPC into PrPSc or the pathogenesis of prion diseases remains to be established.
Estimates of ion sources in deciduous and coniferous throughfall

Abstract Estimates of external and internal sources of ions in net througfall deposition were derived for a deciduous and coniferous canopy by use of multiple regression. The external source component appears to be dominated by dry deposition of Ca 2+ , SO 2 and NO 3 − during dormant and growing seasons for the two canopy types. Increases in the leaching rates of K + and Mg 2+ during the growing season reflect the presence of leaves in the deciduous canopy and increased physiological activity in both canopies. Internal leaching rates for SO 4 2− doubled during the growing season presumably caused by increased physiological activity and uptake of SO 2 through stomates. Net deposition of SO 4 2− in throughfall during the growing season appears highly dependent on stomatal uptake of SO 2 . Estimates of SO 2 deposition velocities were 0.06 cm s −1 and 0.13 cm s −1 for the deciduous and coniferous canopies, respectively, during the dormant seasons, and 0.30 cm s −1 and 0.43 cm s −1 for the deciduous and coniferous canopies, respectively, during the growing season. For the ions of major interest with respect to ecosystem effects, namely H + , NO 3 − and SO 4 2− , precipitation inputs generally outweighed estimates of dry deposition input. However, net throughfall deposition of NO 3 − and SO 4 2− accounted for 20–47 and 34–50 per cent, respectively, of total deposition of those ions. Error estimates of ion sources were at least 50–100 per cent and the method is subject to several assumptions and limitations.
Long-range resonance transfer of electronic excitations in close-packed CdSe quantum-dot solids.

We show spectroscopically that electronic energy transfer in close-packed CdSe quantum-dot (QD) solids arises from dipole-dipole interdot interactions between proximal dots. We use cw and time-resolved photoluminescence to study electronic energy transfer in optically thin and clear, close-packed QD solids prepared from CdSe QD samples tunable from 17 to 150 \AA{} in diameter (\ensuremath{\sigma}4.5%). High-resolution scanning electron microscopy and small-angle x-ray scattering are used to build a well-defined structural model for the QD solids. In mixed QD solids of small and large dots, we measure quenching of the luminescence (lifetime) of the small dots accompanied by enhancement of the luminescence (lifetime) of the large dots consistent with electronic energy transfer from the small to the large dots. In QD solids of single size dots, a redshifted and modified emission line shape is consistent with electronic energy transfer within the sample inhomogeneous distribution. We use F\"orster theory for long-range resonance transfer through dipole-dipole interdot interactions to explain electronic energy transfer in these close-packed QD solids. \textcopyright{} 1996 The American Physical Society.
Tesseral resonance on IMP 4 orbit.

Tesseral harmonics of Explorer 34 satellite orbit perturbation in time of perigee passage due to third harmonic of earth gravitational field
Characteristics of pregnant women, utilization, and satisfaction with prenatal services in St. Petersburg, Russia.

Findings are presented from a convenience sample drawn from two birthing homes in St. Petersburg Russia. Questionnaires were distributed among mothers after delivery and prior to discharge. 19% of the sample were under 19 years old; 58% were aged 20-29 years. 91% were married. 61% had received prenatal care during their first trimester of pregnancy and 35% initiated care within their second trimester. Among women receiving care during the first trimester 25% were adolescents and 70% were young adults. The need for counseling was perceived to be a concern largely among young adult mothers. There were significant differences in expressed need for counseling between older and young adult mothers. Older mothers were more likely to perceive that social support was available from in-laws and children. 33% of low birth weight infants were born to adolescent mothers and 50% were born to young adult mothers. 14% of mothers who began prenatal care in the first trimester and 6% of mothers who began care after the first trimester had low birth weight infants. Mothers reporting less stress (worry about money or health difficulties with a husband or problems at work or with child care) had normal weight births. 11% of adolescents 37% of young adults and 82% of mature adults reported that the pregnancy was planned. Receptivity to prenatal care was found to be related to early initiation of prenatal care. Reasons for delaying prenatal care included poor service in a prior pregnancy long waiting time frequent examinations fear dislike of visiting a doctor and poor quality of care. Satisfaction with prenatal care was found to be related to the perception of the staff as warm and caring a lengthy visit with the doctor ease in contacting the doctor waiting time and fewer difficulties with child care. Younger mothers received less infant care information from staff than older mothers. It is concluded that younger mothers and quality of care should be the focus of health interventions.
Depletion by 1,2-dibromoethane, 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane, tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate,and hexachloro-1,3-butadiene of reduced non-protein sulfhydryl groups in target and non-target organs☆

Abstract the abilities of several aliphatic organohalide compounds to deplete reduced non-protein sulfhydryl (NPS)concentrations in rodent kidney, liver, lung, stomach, and testis were measured. the sites of NPS loss were compared to the sites of tissue injury as documented in previous reports. Single intraperitoneal (i.p.) injections of 1,2-dibromo-3-chloropropane (DBCP), 1,2-dibromoethane (ethylene dibromide, EDB), or hexachloro-1,3-butadiene (HCBD) decreased hepatic and renal NPS concentrations in mice in a dose-related manner. Small NPS losses were produced in lung, testis and stomach, but oniy at high organohalide doses. Administration of tris(2,3-dibromopropyl)phosphate (TRIS) decreased NPS content in liver only. Pretreatments with the enzyme inducer polybrominated biphenyls (PBB) or the enzyme inhibitor piperonyl butoxide quantitatively decreased the renal and hepatic NPS-depleting actions of DBCP or EDB in vivo , but the enzyme inhibitor β-diethylaminoethyl diphenylpropylacetate (SKF 525-A) was without demonstrable effect. the acute, i.p. LD 50 value of DBCP was increased by prior treatment of mice with PBB. the LD 50 values of DBCP and EDB, however, were unaffected by prior treatment with piperonyl butoxide. DBCP or EDB enhanced the loss of reduced NPS groups from rat hepatic homogenates in vitro ; the reaction was time dependent and appeared to be enzyme mediated. Although the primary target organs for DBCP or TRIS toxicity are reported to be the kidney and the testis, the major site of NPS depletion was found to be the liver. Also, HCBD depleted renal NPS in mice only (not rats), though HCBD is nephrotoxic in rats as well as in mice. the correlations between tissue depletion of NPS and sites of organohalide injury, therefore, were poor.
Restructuring for import competition from developing countries, I: Labor displacement and economic redeployment in the United States

Abstract The widely-held belief that imports into America have been responsible for job losses in labor intensive industries is examined. It is shown that economic growth impacts on these industries, and that productivity growth and chaning demand patterns, have been quantitatively larger than changes in trade levels affecting employment in individual industries. It is concluded that protection can do very little to affect employment trends in affected industries.
Immunotherapeutic Approaches for Glioma

The development of effective immunotherapy strategies for glioma requires adequate understanding of the unique immunological microenvironment in the central nervous system (CNS) and CNS tumors. Although the CNS is often considered to be an immunologically privileged site and poses unique challenges for the delivery of effector cells and molecules, recent advances in technology and discoveries in CNS immunology suggest novel mechanisms that may significantly improve the efficacy of immunotherapy against gliomas. In this review, we first summarize recent advances in the CNS and CNS tumor immunology. We address factors that may promote immune escape of gliomas. We also review advances in passive and active immunotherapy strategies for glioma, with an emphasis on lessons learned from recent early-phase clinical trials. We also discuss novel immunotherapy strategies that have been recently tested in non-CNS tumors and show great potential for application to gliomas. Finally, we discuss how each of these promising strategies can be combined to achieve clinical benefit for patients with gliomas.
Learning for All: Teaching Students, Faculty, and Staff with Screencasting

Three academic librarians from different departments at the Auraria Library—instruction, systems, and technical services—share a common methodology to teach students, academic faculty, and colleagues. These librarians use screencasting as an essential and creative technique to instruct all users. Patrons receive greater value when the authors sacrifice perfection and respond immediately to on-campus and distance learners' needs with short and rapidly-produced online tutorials. This article presents guidance and rationale for creating, evaluating, and publicizing similar tutorials.
EM colocalization of AMPA and NMDA receptor subunits at synapses in rat cerebral cortex

Electrophysiology and light microscopy suggest that a single excitatory synapse may use both amino-3-hydroxy-5-methylisoxazole-4-propionate (AMPA) and N-methyl-D-aspartate (NMDA) receptors. Using immunogold electron microscopy, we here provide direct evidence for colocalization at individual synapses in sensorimotor cortex of adult rats. Colocalization was most commonly observed on dendritic spines; subunits of the two classes of receptors seemed to be independently distributed within the synaptic active zone.
A Dendritic-Cell-Stromal Axis Maintains Immune Responses in Lymph Nodes

Within secondary lymphoid tissues, stromal reticular cells support lymphocyte function, and targeting reticular cells is a potential strategy for controlling pathogenic lymphocytes in disease. However, the mechanisms that regulate reticular cell function are not well understood. Here we found that during an immune response in lymph nodes, dendritic cells (DCs) maintain reticular cell survival in multiple compartments. DC-derived lymphotoxin beta receptor (LTβR) ligands were critical mediators, and LTβR signaling on reticular cells mediated cell survival by modulating podoplanin (PDPN). PDPN modulated integrin-mediated cell adhesion, which maintained cell survival. This DC-stromal axis maintained lymphocyte survival and the ongoing immune response. Our findings provide insight into the functions of DCs, LTβR, and PDPN and delineate a DC-stromal axis that can potentially be targeted in autoimmune or lymphoproliferative diseases.
Spectra and structure of salts of N-methylquinolones

The structures of salts of N-methylquinol-2- and -4-one are considered, using their IR spectra. It is shown that formation of salts from N-methylquinolones is accompanied by protonation of the carbonyl group. The problem of relating the 1500–1700 cm−1 band in the IR spectrum of N-methylquinol-4-one is considered.
The energetics of reproduction in endotherms and its implication for their conservation

The energy expenditure of endotherms, through its impact on the rate of reproduction, affects their ability to withstand competition, to tolerate environmental disturbances, and to endure predation. The fecundity of eutherian mammals increases with rate of metabolism because the post-natal growth rate increases and the gestation and conception-to-weaning periods decrease with a mass-independent increase in basal rate of metabolism. These correlations account for the observation that species that have large population fluctuations have high rates of metabolism and reproduction. Species with high rates of metabolism out-compete species with low rates when using resources that permit consumers to have high rates of metabolism, which explains why eutherian carnivores replace marsupial carnivores, none of which have high basal rates as a result of their form of reproduction. Fecundity in birds also appears to correlate with energy expenditure, which may account for the huge die-off of birds endemic to oceanic islands after the invasion of humans: island endemics, many of which have low rates of metabolism, are unable to increase fecundity in response to a human-based increase in mortality. The long-term protection for endotherms characterized by low rates of energy expenditure requires their isolation from high levels of predation and competition, conditions that are likely to occur only on islands free from eutherian predators and with low species diversity. Such endotherms may survive on continents if they are ecologically isolated from the general fauna.
BMP and non-canonical Wnt signaling are required for inhibition of secondary tail formation in zebrafish

The role of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) signaling in specifying cell fate in the zebrafish tailbud has been well established. In addition to a loss of ventral tissues, such as ventral tailfin and cloaca, some embryos with compromised BMP signaling produce an additional phenotype: a ventrally located secondary tail containing both somitic muscle and notochord. This phenotype has been proposed to reflect a fate-patterning defect due to a change in a hypothesized BMP activity gradient. Here, we show that a defect in morphogenetic movements, not fate patterning, underlies the formation of secondary tails in BMP-inhibited embryos. Our data indicate that BMP signaling is activated in the ventroposterior tailbud to promote cell migration during tailbud protrusion, and that defective migration of these cells in BMP mutants ultimately leads to bifurcation of the caudal notochord. Additionally, we show that non-canonical Wnt signaling is also required for proper tail morphogenesis, possibly by maintaining cohesion of notochord progenitors by regulation of cadherin localization. We propose a model in which BMP and the non-canonical Wnt pathway regulate tail morphogenesis by controlling cell migration and cell adhesion within the tailbud.
The Materials World Module Series and the Polymer Module: A Design-Oriented Approach to Teach Scientific Concepts to Grades 9-12 Students through Materials Science

The Materials World Modules (MWM), funded by the National Science Foundation, is a series of nine short texts that introduce science and scientific concepts to high school students through guided investigations of the materials that surrounds us in the modern world. Designed to be flexible, these modules can be incorporated into a high school science curriculum as a learning-by-inquiry addition to the main science texts. Depending on the time that the teacher has, each module can be covered in 8 to 15 class periods. Using an inquiry method of learning, the modules prompt the students to generate questions about a subject and find experimental approaches which will lead them to the answers. The modules encourage the students to learn by carrying out simple experiments using readily available materials. The Polymers Module of the MWM series aims at introducing the concepts of polymer chemistry and polymeric materials to an audience that has had some exposure to general chemistry. It asks the students to investigate their surroundings to find polymer-based objects and to infer the properties of those objects from knowing the structures of the monomeric building blocks. It introduces the relation between polymer properties and structure and that between polymer properties and molecular weight by suggesting experiments that students can do with poly(vinyl alcohol) and poly(vinyl acetate) films. Finally, it encourages the students to use what they have learned to design simple devices using polymeric materials. An example of such a device is a humidity sensor that is fabricated from thin polymer films.
The Role of Hole Localization in Sacrificial Hydrogen Production by Semiconductor-Metal Heterostructured Nanocrystals

The effect of hole localization on photocatalytic activity of Pt-tipped semiconductor nanocrystals is investigated. By tuning the energy balance at the semiconductor–ligand interface, we demonstrate that hydrogen production on Pt sites is efficient only when electron-donating molecules are used for stabilizing semiconductor surfaces. These surfactants play an important role in enabling an efficient and stable reduction of water by heterostructured nanocrystals as they fill vacancies in the valence band of the semiconductor domain, preventing its degradation. In particular, we show that the energy of oxidizing holes can be efficiently transferred to a ligand moiety, leaving the semiconductor domain intact. This allows reusing the inorganic portion of the “degraded” nanocrystal-ligand system simply by recharging these nanoparticles with fresh ligands.
Cooperativity and extrema of the Hill slope for symmetric protein-ligand binding polynomials

The relationships between cooperativity types, both macro- and microscopic, and extrema of the slope of Hill plots for symmetric binding polynomials of degrees three and four are analyzed in detail. It is shown that the Hill plot for 1 + ax + ax 2 + x 3 has three extrema for a > 15 which occurs in the presence of totally negative microscopic cooperativity sequences. The extrema are a maximum and a pair of minima and the absolute minimum slope is shown to be 3(√a + 1 − 2)/( a − 3). For a symmetric binding polynomial of degree four, necessary and sufficient conditions for three extrema of the Hill slope are derived and again it is shown that this phenomenon can occur in the presence of totally negative microscopic cooperativity sequences. An upper bound, which is an improvement on the current best bound of two, is obtained for the absolute maximum slope when a minimum and a pair of maxima occur. A lower bound for the absolute minimum slope is found when a maximum and a pair of minima occur.
Osteoclast development in marrow cultured in calvaria-conditioned media

The precise signals responsible for recruitment and differentiation of osteoclasts (OCs) from their mononuclear precursors are poorly understood. Marrow mononuclear cells, a reputed source of OC precursors, fuse in culture, forming multinucleated cells. These cells, although similar to OCs, differ from osteoclasts in cell-surface morphology and are not recognized by an OC-specific monoclonal antibody. We have used the expression of an osteoclast-specific membrane epitope designated by monoclonal antibody 121F to delineate OCs from marrow-derived giant cells (MAGC). In this report we describe a series of experiments designed to better define the role of the bone environment in the osteoclast differentiation process. Periosteum-free calvariae from hatchling chicks or their conditioned media were combined with adherent Day 1 cultured marrow cells. The time course of OC marker expression was monitored by ELISA and the requirement for live bone and PTH was investigated. Freshly isolated marrow, MAGC, and calvariae were devoid of OC expression. Antigen expression developed in cultured MAGC after 4 days of coplating with either live bone or live bone-conditioned media. The presence of PTH in the cocultures or conditioned media from PTH-treated calvariae did not significantly alter the level of expression. These data indicate that live bone is, in part, responsible for the production of osteoclasts from mononuclear precursors.
Snow pressure on rigid obstacles

In this paper a continuum mechanical formulation of snow pressure is given. The snow pressure against retaining structures on slopes is considered in two separate parts: (1) the static component due to the regression of transverse expansion as discussed by Haefeli, and (2) the dynamic component due to the interruption of the creep (internal deformation) and glide (slip of the entire snow cover over the ground). Snow-pressure calculations made using the non-linear viscous constitutive equations given by McClung (in press) are given for the plane strain-rate problem of a rigid barrier on a snow-covered slope. These calculations are compared with the previous formulation of snow pressure given by Haefeli for the expected range of boundary conditions for the structure and for the snow-earth interface. The results show that the original formulation by Haefeli gives a dynamic component of similar magnitude to the present calculations. Substantial differences are apparent when the up-slope distances for interruption of the creep and glide processes are compared.
Advances in Tumor Screening, Imaging, and Avatar Technologies for High-Grade Serous Ovarian Cancer

The majority of high-grade serous ovarian carcinoma cases are detected in advanced stages when treatment options are limited. Surgery is less effective at eradicating the disease when it is widespread, resulting in high rates of disease relapse and chemoresistance. Current screening techniques are ineffective for early tumor detection and consequently, BRCA mutations carriers, with an increased risk for developing high-grade serous ovarian cancer, elect to undergo risk-reducing surgery. While prophylactic surgery is associated with a significant reduction in the risk of cancer development, it also results in surgical menopause and significant adverse side effects. The development of efficient early-stage screening protocols and imaging technologies is critical to improving the outcome and quality of life for current patients and women at increased risk. In addition, more accurate animal models are necessary in order to provide relevant in vivo testing systems and advance our understanding of the disease origin and progression. Moreover, both genetically engineered and tumor xenograft animal models enable the preclinical testing of novel imaging techniques and molecularly targeted therapies as they become available. Recent advances in xenograft technologies have made possible the creation of avatar mice, personalized tumorgrafts, which can be used as therapy testing surrogates for individual patients prior to or during treatment. High-grade serous ovarian cancer may be an ideal candidate for use with avatar models based on key characteristics of the tumorgraft platform. This review explores multiple strategies, including novel imaging and screening technologies in both patients and animal models, aimed at detecting cancer in the early stages and improving the disease prognosis.
Sickle cell anemia: A review of the dental concerns and a retrospective study of dental and bony changes

This paper is a review of the medical concerns pertinent to dental care and a preliminary study of dental findings of the sickle cell anemia (SS) patient. The dental characteristics observed in 21 dental patients with SS are described. Radiographic findings included "stepladder" trabeculae pattern (70%), enamel hypomineralization (24%), calcified canals (5%), increased overbite (30-80%), and increased overjet (56%). Comparisons are made with other studies of the sickle cell patient, and the need for further study is suggested.
The treatment of traumatic anterior instability of the shoulder: nonoperative and surgical treatment.

Purpose Traumatic anterior instability of the shoulder is a common condition associated with a high recurrence rate in young patients. The role of nonoperative versus operative treatment and the optimal surgical approach for this condition is debated. The purpose of this study was to review the literature for the latest evidence comparing outcomes of treatment for traumatic anterior instability of the shoulder. Methods A systematic review of the literature was performed to identify studies comparing operative versus nonoperative treatment for traumatic anterior shoulder instability and studies comparing open versus arthroscopic stabilization for traumatic anterior shoulder instability. Results Surgical treatment was associated with a significantly lower rate of recurrent instability at 2 years of follow-up (7% v 46%) and at longer-term follow-up (10% v 58%) for first-time traumatic anterior shoulder dislocation, all in younger patients. The rates of recurrent instability were roughly equal after arthroscopic stabilization with suture anchors and open stabilization with anchors (open, 8.2%; arthroscopic, 6.4%). Conclusions Rates of recurrent instability after a first-time anterior shoulder dislocation, particularly in young active male patients, are reduced by surgical intervention compared with nonoperative treatment. If surgical treatment is indicated, an arthroscopic approach using suture anchors appears to have similar results in terms of recurrent instability to an open approach using suture anchors.
Cost Comparison of Recombinant Human Erythropoietin and Blood Transfusion in Cancer Chemotherapy-Induced Anemia

OBJECTIVE:To compare the cost of recombinant human erythropoietin (rHuEPO) with that of blood transfusion in the treatment of chemotherapy-induced anemia from a healthcare system perspective.DESIGN:A decision analytic model. Baseline estimates were obtained from a review of clinical trials data and economic evaluation studies.SUBJECTS:Secondary data analyses of patients with advanced malignancies, excluding hematologic malignancies and metastasized solid tumors.INTERVENTIONS:Patients received either leukocyte-depleted packed red blood cells (PRBCs) or rHuEPO 150 units/kg sc three times per week for 6 months (24 wk). After 6 weeks, if rHuEPO recipients did not display a response, they received rHuEPO 300 units/kg sc three times weekly for the duration of therapy. If rHuEPO recipients still exhibited no response, they were given blood transfusions.MEASUREMENTS AND MAIN RESULTS:For a treatment period of 24 weeks, approximately 64% of rHuEPO recipients responded at an average expected cost of $12 971 per pati...
Introspective knowledge of experience and its role in consciousness studies

In response to Petitmengin and Bitbol's recent account of first-person methodologies in the study of consciousness, I provide a revised model of our introspective knowledge of our own conscious experience. This model, which I call the existential constitution model of phenomenal knowledge, avoids the problems that Petitmengin and Bitbol identify with standard observational models of introspection while also avoiding an underlying metaphorical misconception in their own proximity model, which misconstrues first-person knowl- edge of consciousness in terms of a dichotomous epistemic relation- ship. The end result is a clearer understanding of the unique nature and epistemic properties of our knowledge of consciousness, as well as the epistemic status of subsequent first-person reports on con- scious experience.
Multiple Antibiotic Resistance in Neisseria gonorrhoeae

The sensitivities of gonococcal isolates to six antibiotics were determined for gonococci isolated in Philadelphia in 1972. The degree of association between susceptibilities to any two antibiotics was determined (coefficient of correlation). The correlation between penicillin and tetracycline (r = 0.75) was almost as good as that between two penicillins, penicillin G and ampicillin (r = 0.85), but the difference was statistically significant. The lowest correlation found was between erythromycin and chloramphenicol (r = 0.62), two antibiotics seldom used in gonorrhea therapy. In addition, gonococci most resistant to one antibiotic were the most likely to be multiply resistant. This was found with respect to penicillin, tetracycline, erythromycin, and chloramphenicol. Approximately 40% of gonococci classified as “most resistant” (exceeding the resistance of 75% of all isolates) to one antibiotic were also “most resistant” to three others. Finally, multiply resistant mutants were isolated by selection for resistance to either penicillin or tetracycline. These results provide evidence for the existence of a common mechanism for multiple antibiotic resistance in the gonococcus.
Successes and challenges to implementing an early childhood supplemental feeding program in rural Honduras: a qualitative study.

BACKGROUND: Malnutrition is a major cause of childhood illness, stunted growth and death worldwide. A supplemental nutrition program for young children was implemented in Guachipilincito, Honduras. This study explores early successes and challenges to implementing this program. METHODS: We conducted a qualitative, semi-structured, key informant interview study in 2012. Two researchers analyzed interview transcripts using the immersion/ crystallization method of qualitative analysis. RESULTS: The program evolved from addressing macronutrient deficiency in 2010, to targeting micronutrient deficiency. Successes include: consistent food distribu tion, positive community feedback and establishment of a Honduran community oversight committee. Challenges include: tracking growth data, sharing of food among family members, and long-term sustainability. Next steps include: obtaining stable funding, utilizing local food suppliers, and increasing crop diversity. Participants identified cultural and economic factors contributing to challenges with these steps. CONCLUSION: While the feeding program is having successes, it still faces many challenges. Additional interviews with Honduran-based staff, community leaders and program recipients may identify the best ways to address these challenges.
Extractables analysis of single-use flexible plastic biocontainers.

Studies of the extractable profiles of bioprocessing components have become an integral part of drug development efforts to minimize possible compromise in process performance, decrease in drug product quality, and potential safety risk to patients due to the possibility of small molecules leaching out from the components. In this study, an effective extraction solvent system was developed to evaluate the organic extractable profiles of single-use bioprocess equipment, which has been gaining increasing popularity in the biopharmaceutical industry because of the many advantages over the traditional stainless steel-based bioreactors and other fluid mixing and storage vessels. The chosen extraction conditions were intended to represent aggressive conditions relative to the application of single-use bags in biopharmaceutical manufacture, in which aqueous based systems are largely utilized. Those extraction conditions, along with a non-targeted analytical strategy, allowed for the generation and identification of an array of extractable compounds; a total of 53 organic compounds were identified from four types of commercially available single-use bags, the majority of which are degradation products of polymer additives. The success of this overall extractables analysis strategy was reflected partially by the effectiveness in the extraction and identification of a compound that was later found to be highly detrimental to mammalian cell growth. LAY ABSTRACT: The usage of single-use bioreactors has been increasing in biopharmaceutical industry because of the appealing advantages that it promises regarding to the cleaning, sterilization, operational flexibility, and so on, during manufacturing of biologics. However, compared to its conventional counterparts based mainly on stainless steel, single-use bioreactors are more susceptible to potential problems associated with compound leaching into the bioprocessing fluid. As a result, extractable profiling of the single-use system has become essential in the qualification of such systems for its use in drug manufacturing. The aim of this study is to evaluate the effectiveness of an extraction solvent system developed to study the extraction profile of single-use bioreactors in which aqueous-based systems are largely used. The results showed that with a non-targeted analytical approach, the extraction solvent allowed the generation and identification of an array of extractable compounds from four commercially available single-use bioreactors. Most of extractables are degradation products of polymer additives, among which was a compound that was later found to be highly detrimental to mammalian cell growth.
On the relation between stable matrix fraction factorizations and regulable realizations of linear systems over rings

Various types of transfer matrix factorizations are of interest when designing regulators for generalized types of linear systems (delay differential, 2-D, and families of systems). This paper studies the existence of stable and of stable proper factorizations, in the context of the theory of systems over rings. Factorability is related to stabilizability and detectability properties of realizations of the transfer matrix.
Outcasts in a white-lie society: The enigmatic worlds of people with negative self-conceptions.

Although people with negative self-views want to be liked at some level, they repeatedly enact behaviors that alienate their relationship partners. Why? One possibility is that such persons reside in social environments that offer them little insight into what they are doing wrong. Although persons who had negative self-views elicited unfavorable reactions, they did not appreciate this fact because their interaction partners concealed their aversion behind a facade of kind words. To be sure, the interaction partners of people with negative self-views tended to leak their disdain nonverbally. These negative nonverbal messages proved to be uninformative, however, because people with negative self-views overlooked them. These data imply that people with negative self-views may live in social worlds in which they are deprived of corrective feedback that could allow them to improve themselves.
In Vitro Resistance Studies of Hepatitis C Virus Serine Protease Inhibitors, VX-950 and BILN 2061 STRUCTURAL ANALYSIS INDICATES DIFFERENT RESISTANCE MECHANISMS

We have used a structure-based drug design approach to identify small molecule inhibitors of the hepatitis C virus (HCV) NS3·4A protease as potential candidates for new anti-HCV therapies. VX-950 is a potent NS3·4A protease inhibitor that was recently selected as a clinical development candidate for hepatitis C treatment. In this report, we describe in vitro resistance studies using a subgenomic replicon system to compare VX-950 with another HCV NS3·4A protease inhibitor, BILN 2061, for which the Phase I clinical trial results were reported recently. Distinct drug-resistant substitutions of a single amino acid were identified in the HCV NS3 serine protease domain for both inhibitors. The resistance conferred by these mutations was confirmed by characterization of the mutant enzymes and replicon cells that contain the single amino acid substitutions. The major BILN 2061-resistant mutations at Asp168 are fully susceptible to VX-950, and the dominant resistant mutation against VX-950 at Ala156 remains sensitive to BILN 2061. Modeling analysis suggests that there are different mechanisms of resistance to VX-950 and BILN 2061.
Binding of Paclitaxel to Lipid Interfaces: Correlations with Interface Compliance

AbstractIn the present work, we have studied the paclitaxel loading efficiency of lipid bilayers with respect to their compositional behavior, which in turn determines their mechanical properties. We have found that, if a drug with a low water solubility like paclitaxel (or at least a part of this molecule) associates with lipid bilayers, then binding is enhanced if the interface was soft, i.e., highly expandable (low elastic area modulus and tensile strength). We have systematically varied the surface softness of stearoyl oleoyl phosphatidylcholine (SOPC) bilayers by incorporating the lysolipid, monooleoyl phosphatidylcholine (MOPC) to create maximum softness and 50 mol% cholesterol (CHOL) to create less soft, and more stiff membranes, respectively. It was observed that the least soft SOPC bilayers (high elastic area modulus and tensile strength) composed of 50 mol% CHOL, load a negligible amount of paclitaxel (β5µM) in comparison to soft SOPC bilayers made by the incorporation of 28 mol% MOPC, which loa...
Ab Initio and Nonlocal Density Functional Study of 1,3,5-Trinitro-s-triazine (RDX) Conformers

Geometry optimizations and normal-mode analyses of three conformers of 1,3,5-trinitro-s-triazine (RDX) are performed using second-order Moller−Plesset (MP2) and nonlocal density functional theory (DFT) methods. The density functional used in this study is B3LYP. The three conformers of RDX are distinguished mainly by the arrangement of the nitro groups relative to the ring atoms of the RDX molecule. NO2 groups arranged in either pseudo-equatorial or axial positions are denoted with (E) or (A), respectively. The AAE conformer has Cs symmetry and is the structure in the room-temperature stable crystal (α-RDX). The AAA and EEE conformers have C3v symmetry, a symmetry consistent with vapor and β-solid infrared spectra. The AAE and AAA conformers are studied at the MP2/6-31G*, B3LYP/6-31G*, and B3LYP/6-311+G** levels, and the EEE conformer is studied using the B3LYP density functional and the 6-31G* and 6-311+G** basis sets. The geometric parameters and infrared spectra of the AAA conformer are in good agreeme...
Speech modelling using cepstral-time feature matrices and hidden Markov models

Conventional HMMs assume that speech spectral vectors are uncorrelated. The use of information on the temporal evolution of spectral features, within each state, can improve recognition accuracy and produce a more robust recognition system. The authors present experimental results on improvements in speech recognition using cepstral-time matrix units. Experimental evaluation using a spoken digit data base and a spoken alphabet data base, indicates that the use of cepstral-time matrix features in noisy conditions can provide an improvement in recognition of as much as 20% in comparison to a conventional spectral vector comprising of cepstral, delta cepstral and delta-delta cepstral features. >
Heterogeneity in “Homogeneous” Warehouse-Scale Computers: A Performance Opportunity

The class of modern datacenters recently coined as “warehouse scale computers” (WSCs) has traditionally been embraced as homogeneous computing platforms. However, due to frequent machine replacements and upgrades, modern WSCs are in fact composed of diverse commodity microarchitectures and machine configurations. Yet, current WSCs are designed with an assumption of homogeneity, leaving a potentially significant performance opportunity unexplored. In this paper, we investigate the key factors impacting the available heterogeneity in modern WSCs, and the benefit of exploiting this heterogeneity to maximize overall performance. We also introduce a new metric, opportunity factor, which can be used to quantify an application's sensitivity to the heterogeneity in a given WSC. For applications that are sensitive to heterogeneity, we observe a performance improvement of up to 70% when employing our approach. In a WSC composed of state-of-the-art machines, we can improve the overall performance of the entire datacenter by 16% over the status quo.
Finding “ pax plantation ” at Camp Gordon, Georgia: Historian Ulrich Bonnell Phillips and World War I

This article examines the World War I service of the University of Michigan historian Ulrich Bonnell Phillips (1877–1934). Phillips worked first with black recruits as a volunteer officer for the Young Men's Christian Association at Camp Gordon, Georgia, and later as a U.S. Army Military Intelligence officer in Washington, DC. In these years, Phillips ranked as America's foremost authority on the antebellum South generally and of African American slavery in particular. In 1918 he published his landmark American Negro Slavery. While on leave from Ann Arbor, Phillips taught English and French, planned educational and recreational programs, and supervised the management and construction of buildings at Camp Gordon's segregated facilities. Phillips's daily interactions with black troops in the cantonment reaffirmed—at least as he saw it—his conclusions that North American slavery had been a relatively benign institution, his belief in the virtues of plantation paternalism and in the management of subject peoples by educated whites, and his attitude that contemporary race relations were generally harmonious. Phillips's observations of African American recruits validated his conviction that blacks benefited most from white-run, regimented organizations and strengthened his belief in economic assimilation and social segregation. His military intelligence work confirmed Phillips's overall commitment to conservative change, whether in foreign or race relations.
Response to Comment on American Diabetes Association. Approaches to Glycemic Treatment. Sec. 7. In Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2015. Diabetes Care 2015;38(Suppl. 1):S41–S48

We would like to thank Pinsker et al. (1) for their thoughtful letter addressing the American Diabetes Association’s article about glycemic treatment in the Standards of Medical Care in Diabetes—2015 (2). The Professional …
Enhanced Social Attention in Female Infant Siblings at Risk for Autism

Objective Sexual dimorphism in autism spectrum disorders (ASD) is a well-recognized but poorly understood phenomenon. Females are four times less likely to be diagnosed with ASD than males and, when diagnosed, are more likely to exhibit comorbid anxiety symptoms. One of the key phenotypic features of ASD is atypical attention to socially relevant stimuli. Eye-tracking studies indicate atypical patterns of spontaneous social orienting during the prodromal and early syndromic stages of ASD. However, there have been no studies evaluating sex differences in early social orienting and their potential contribution to later outcomes. Method We examined sex differences in social orienting in 6-, 9-, and 12-month-old infants at high genetic risk for ASD (n = 101) and in low-risk controls (n = 61), focusing on neurobehavioral measures of function across a spectrum of autism risk. Results Results suggest that, between 6 and 12 months of age, a period highly consequential for the development of nonverbal social engagement competencies, high-risk females show enhanced attention to social targets, including faces, compared to both high-risk males and low-risk males and females. Greater attention to social targets in high-risk infants was associated with less severe social impairments at 2 years. Conclusion The results suggest an alternative expression of autism risk in females, which manifests in infancy as increased attention toward socially relevant stimuli. This increased attention may serve as a female protective factor against ASD by providing increased access to social experiences in early development.
Demographic Bait Trap

A 12-sided carrion bait trap permits omnidirectional sampling of arthropods. A system of eight immigrant and four emigrant funnels allows simultaneous sampling of immigrating and emigrating populations. Morrill's solution is the preferred general killing and preserving agent.
Ductile Tantalum Oxide Protective Coatings

Amorphous, anodic Ta2O5 films of 400 A thickness deposited on deformable polymer substrates deformed by microshear banding even at 5–10% tensile strain. Electron beam evaporated Ta2O5 (EBE) were considerably more brittle in tension on the same substrates, fracturing at strains less than 1%. Even though both films were amorphous to electron diffraction the EBE vibrational spectrum in the Ta2O5 region (900 cm−1 – 400 cm−1) was more reminiscent of thermally oxidized material that appears to have greater microstructural order. A significant dynamic mechanical peak was observed at 60–90°C for both Al and Ta foils coated with either anodic or EBE Ta2O5 films. This process was assigned to relaxation of interfacial stresses induced by atomic motion in the oxide in this temperature range. In the face of the rather similar dynamic mechanical spectra we suspect that the presence of a greater Packing heterogeneity might explain the greater brittleness of the EBE films.
Emission switching of 4,6-diphenylpyrimidones: solvent and solid state effects.

The photophysics of 1-ethyl-4,6-bis(4-methoxyphenyl)-2(1H)-pyrimidone (1) and 1-ethyl-4,6-bis(4-(dimethylamino)phenyl)-2(1H)-pyrimidone (2) were investigated to determine the mechanisms of emission switching in response to protonation. UV–vis and steady state emission spectroscopy of the protonated and unprotonated forms across a range of solvents reveal the polarity dependence of the vertical excitation energies. Emission lifetimes and quantum yields show the solvent dependency of the excited states. Emission enhancements were observed in polyethylene glycol solutions and in the solid state (both thin film and single crystal), demonstrating the role of intramolecular rotation in thermal relaxation of the excited states. TD-DFT calculations provide insights into the excited state geometries and the role of intramolecular charge transfer. The collected data show that emission of diphenylpyrimidones can be modulated by four factors, including the identity of the electron-donating auxochrome, protonation sta...