cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Discrete Delta Estimation of the Variance of the Logistic Scores Estimator of ED50

A discrete delta method is applied to estimation of the standard error of the logistic scores estimator of ED50 in quantal bioassay. Results of a simulation study suggest that the standard error estimator is useful for assessing the precision of the ED50 estimate and for interval estimation of ED50.
A low cost rigid-flex opto-electrical link for mobile devices

One 4-Ch × 2.5 Gbps rigid-flex opto-electrical link integrated with two connectors, one transmitter, one receiver, one rigid-flex PCB was demonstrated. One optical waveguide film was separately fabricated and laminated in the flex PCB, and the optical assembly tolerance of alignment system is maintained less than 5 urn. Optical coupling from optical devices of transmitter into the waveguides and transmit light through the waveguide to the receiver. The prototype was fabricated to be compatible with a conventional PCB process with high precision, and further has the advantage of a large batch of production to simplify the manufacture processes. The propagation loss of the waveguide was measured to be less 0.4 dB/cm after lamination, and the eye diagram of the 2.5 Gb/s data transmission rate is tested compliantly with eye mask margin.
Assertion guided symbolic execution of multithreaded programs

Symbolic execution is a powerful technique for systematic testing of sequential and multithreaded programs. However, its application is limited by the high cost of covering all feasible intra-thread paths and inter-thread interleavings. We propose a new assertion guided pruning framework that identifies executions guaranteed not to lead to an error and removes them during symbolic execution. By summarizing the reasons why previously explored executions cannot reach an error and using the information to prune redundant executions in the future, we can soundly reduce the search space. We also use static concurrent program slicing and heuristic minimization of symbolic constraints to further reduce the computational overhead. We have implemented our method in the Cloud9 symbolic execution tool and evaluated it on a large set of multithreaded C/C++ programs. Our experiments show that the new method can reduce the overall computational cost significantly.
Effect of Chylomicrons on the Fibrinolytic Activity of Normal Human Plasma in Vitro

The reported inhibition of fibrinolytic activity of blood plasma after ingestion of fat has been confirmed. It is shown that the chylomicrons present in such plasma are responsible for this phenomenon.
Robust Growth of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 (HIV-1)

The persistence of human immunodeficiency virus type-1 (HIV-1) has long been attributed to its high mutation rate and the capacity of its resulting heterogeneous virus populations to evade host immune responses and antiviral drugs. However, this view is incomplete because it does not explain how the virus persists in light of the adverse effects mutations in the viral genome and variations in host functions can potentially have on viral functions and growth. Here we show that the resilience of HIV-1 can be credited, at least in part, to a robust response to perturbations that emerges as an intrinsic property of its intracellular development. Specifically, robustness in HIV-1 arises through the coupling of two feedback loops: a Rev-mediated negative feedback and a Tat-mediated positive feedback. By employing a mechanistic kinetic model for its growth we found that HIV-1 buffers the effects of many potentially detrimental variations in essential viral and cellular functions, including the binding of Rev to mRNA; the level of rev mRNA in the pool of fully spliced mRNA; the splicing of mRNA; the Rev-mediated nuclear export of incompletely-spliced mRNAs; and the nuclear import of Tat and Rev. The virus did not, however, perform robustly to perturbations in all functions. Notably, HIV-1 tended to amplify rather than buffer adverse effects of variations in the interaction of Tat with viral mRNA. This result shows how targeting therapeutics against molecular components of the viral positive-feedback loop open new possibilities and potential in the effective treatment of HIV-1.
Biomolecular materials: structure, interactions and higher order self-assembly

Abstract We review recent experimental work in two-dimensional (2D) membrane-protein assemblies, in lamellar fluid membrane phases containing tail anchored polymer-lipids, and in binary lipid mixtures which self-assemble into equilibrium tubular vesicle phases. We outline new directions in the development of technologically useful biomolecular materials. Synchrotron X-ray scattering studies of the purple membrane comprised of the 2D self-assembly of the membrane protein bacteriorhodopsin (bR) are described. In particular, experiments are described in the low humidity regime where a remarkable, exceedingly high temperature phase of bR has been discovered. Higher order self-assemblies of the stacked 2D membranes, achieved by water removal, result in the complete suppression of the melting transition, and the absence of protein denaturation up to 140°C. Aside from the scientific interest of elucidating the intraprotein and interprotein forces responsible for retaining the folded structure at high temperatures, the findings suggest methods for the development of “heat-proof proteins”. Higher order self-assemblies of functional proteins used in biosensors (e.g. toxin detectors), in bioreactors (purifying genetically engineered proteins with high temperature sieves) and in catalytic applications should be stabilized to high temperatures. In another series of experiments, we shall describe the properties of a new class of lamellar hydrogels based on fluid membranes which contain small amounts of single-end-anchored polymer-lipids. There are striking differences between these membrane-based liquid crystalline biogels labeled L α,g and isotropic hydrogels of polymer networks; for example, mixtures with a larger water content require a smaller polymer concentration for gelation. A defining signature of these lamellar hydrogels is the presence of a highly defected underlying microstructure. “Bioactive gels” useful in tissue healing or drug delivery applications may be envisaged with activity derived from membrane-anchored peptides, proteins or other drug molecules, and mechanical stability resulting from the polymer-lipid minority component.
Can Sexual Orientation Be Changed

This paper was presented at a 2013 conference at the United Nations Church Center in New York City. The conference, “Selling the Promise of Change: International Health and Policy Consequences of Sexual Orientation Change Efforts (SOCE),” was sponsored by the NGO Committee on Human Rights and the NGO Committee on HIV/AIDS. The paper begins with a review of the history of mental health attitudes toward homosexuality from the 19th century to the present. This is followed by a discussion of how SOCE shifted from a clinical debate to a culture war issue. The paper then reviews some research issues raised by the Spitzer (2003) study, some of the problematic clinical and ethical issues raised by efforts to change sexual orientation, and concludes with a summary of the position statements of the American Psychiatric Association and American Psychological Association.
On Transverse Vibrations of Rectangular Plates of Unidirectional Parabolic Thickness Variation

This paper presents an approach for finding the solution of partial differential equation describing the motion of transverse vibrations of rectangular plates of unidirectional convex parabolic varying thickness. The partial differential equation consists of three operators: fourth-order spatial-dependent, second-order spatial-dependent, and second-order time-dependent. Using the method of multiple scales, the partial differential equation has been reduced to two simpler partial differential equations which can be analytically solved and which represent two levels of approximation. The first partial differential equation was a homogeneous equation and consisted of two operators, the fourth-order spatial-dependent and second-order time-dependent. Using the factorization method, so-called zero-order approximation of the exact solution has been found. The second partial differential equation was an inhomogeneous equation. Its solution, so-called first-order approximation of the exact solution has been found. This way the first-order approximations of the natural frequencies and mode shapes are found. Various boundary conditions can be considered. The influence of Poisson’s ratio on the natural frequencies and mode shapes could be further studied using the approximations reported here. This approach can be extended to nonlinear, and/or forced vibrations.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Mass spectral studies of some β-diketones and their beryllium complexes

Detailed comparison of the fragmentation behavior of a series of beryllium β-diketonates with that of the corresponding series of β-diketones reveals a number of striking differences. A-typical fragmentations are observed for diketones and diketonates with trifluoromethyl and α-phenyl substituents.
Antiphospholipid Syndrome and the Brain in Pediatric and Adult Patients

The most common neurological manifestations of APS in all age-groups include stroke and transient ischemic attacks due to arterial thromboses and cerebral ischemia. Antiphospholipid antibodies may cause additional non-criteria neurological impairments through vascular, neuroinflammatory and direct neuronal effects. Anti-aggregant or anti-coagulant therapies are indicated for APS related ischemic strokes. Treatment regimens for asymptomatic antibody positive patients and those with refractory or recurrent disease remain controversial. There is scant literature on the epidemiology and therapy of neurological APS manifestations in pediatric patients. Assessments of modifiable cardiovascular and inherited thrombophila risk factors are essential in patients with APS. There may be a role for novel neuroimaging modalities in quantifying APS related micro-structural brain damage. The clinical utility of statins, anti-malarials, ACE inhibitors and thrombin inhibitors warrant further research.
Eh and fission product solubilities: Two factors in the leaching of UO2?☆

Abstract Eh was found to have a large effect on the dissolution of UO 2 in water at pH 4. As was estimated from thermodynamic data, the solubility was found to decrease as the oxygen fugacity, and therefore the Eh of the water, was decreased. Some of the rare earths and other actinides such as europium, cerium, americium, and plutonium released during the leaching of a spent fuel element behaved differently. These elements were not affected to any large extent by the variation in Eh of these experiments. It has been postulated that these elements reached their solubility limits and precipitated as the spent fuel was leached.
Optimal media sharing policies in peer-to-peer networks

Multimedia content distribution through a distributed system, a peer-to-peer (P2P) network for instance, is attractive since it harnesses the resources available with the numerous peers in the network. Another advantage of such a system is that the potentially available resources scale in proportion to the demand as more and more peers join the system. Recent studies have concentrated mainly on such aspects of these distributed networks as querying, indexing, etc. These studies however take for granted the voluntary contribution of resources by peers in the system. Empirical evidence however points to the contrary, i.e. in existing P2P systems, a substantial fraction of peers do not contribute resources to the system, while benefiting from the services it provides at the expense of the contributing peers. In this paper we analyze a P2P system in a game-theoretic setting in which games involving content exchange are played repeatedly. The model takes into account the manner in which a peer adapts his contribution to the system depending on the benefit he has derived from the system so far and expects to derive in the long run. The model enables us to formulate an optimization problem that ields optimal content sharing trategies that a peer should adopt in rder to maximize his net benefit by participating in the system.
Making connections: using networks to stratify human tumors.

Network-based stratification (NBS) enables the subtyping of tumors on the basis of their mutational profiles, providing new avenues for cancer research and precision oncology.
A note on the multidimensional dual

Abstract Lexicographic linear goal programming (i.e., the specific form of goal programming wherein one seeks the lexicographic minimum of an ordered set of goal deviations) represents one of the most common and, evidently, widely used forms of goal programming. This form, also described as linear goal programming with a ‘preemptive priority’ structure, has also engendered considerable interest in the literature. However, the dual of the lexicographic linear goal programming model has, thus far, received only minimal exposure. This despite the fact that this dual was developed more than ten years ago. The purpose of this note is to provide a single, unified presentation of the fundamental notion of duality in lexicographic linear goal programming and to indicate existing as well as potential exploitations of this concept.
Using side scan sonar in the characterization of the continental shelf: Touros area

This paper presents a sonographic mapping of an area of the Brazilian continental shelf adjacent to Touros city-RN, NE Brazil. Data were acquired in lines parallel to the coast line, with a total area of 58 km2. The equipment used was Side Scan Sonar 272 - TD, operated both with frequency of 100 kHz. As a result was possible to correlate clearly the sonar data with the satellite image and identify different reflection patterns.
Load testing of a steel beam bridge using acoustic strain gauges

This paper describes a load test performed on a bridge that has a deflected steel I-beam. The test was conducted using acoustic strain gauges. Results from the test were used to evaluate the extent of composite action between the deck and the beams thereby eliminating speculation in the load rating analysis of the structure.
Blending Authentic Work Projects and Instructional Assignments: An Adaptation Process.

This study examined the implementation of a situated-learning approach used in a nontraditional setting for an instructional technology course. Students were a cohort of corporate employees taking the course at their workplace and using authentic work projects for learning. Grounded-theory methodology was used to generate explanations about how participants crafted their projects with dual purposes: business performance improvements for the company and acquisition of knowledge and skills for the students. Research questions focused on what it was like to blend business and academic goals and requirements, what kinds of problems occurred, how they were solved, and what outcomes situated learning generated in this context. As projects began, business and academic goals and requirements seemed to align. As projects progressed, conflicts in goals and requirements were often identified and solved pragmatically. A process of adaptation was discovered as the key means to accomplish this blend.
Physician attitudes toward opioid prescribing for patients with persistent noncancer pain.

Objectives: Physicians frequently express dissatisfaction about caring for patients with chronic pain and frequently report that inadequate training and concern about addiction are impediments to prescribing opioids. Elderly patients with chronic pain may be at increased risk of experiencing uncontrolled pain and this patient population is increasingly being cared for by geriatricians rather than internists. We sought to determine if there is a differential impact on internists and geriatricians of the factors that adversely affect attitudes toward opioid prescribing. Methods: Anonymous survey of geriatric and internal medicine physicians at a large urban academic medical center about their beliefs and behaviors regarding opioid prescribing. Results: One hundred thirty-two of 187 physicians completed the survey for an overall response rate of 71%. Controlling for level of training, internists were more likely to be concerned about illegal diversion (adjusted odds ratio = 10.0, P = 0.004), were more concerned about causing addiction (38% vs. 0%, P< 0.001), and were more likely to be concerned about their inability to prescribe the correct opioid dose (adjusted odds ratio = 11.1, P = 0.020). Discussion: Factors shown to have an adverse affect on opioid prescribing disproportionately impact on the attitudes of internists compared with geriatricians. Further research is needed to determine if there is also a differential impact on how internists care for their elderly patients with chronic pain.
Emerging trends in carrer counselling

This paper examines the emerging trends in counselling, particularly career counselling, in relation to education, career and employment. It deals with the counselling issues associated with each of these emphases and with the comprehensive populations for whom education, career, and employment content may be different but important in various settings: schools, universities, business and industry, community. Particularly important are the counselling emphases associated with unemployment, underemployment, career and job change, and persons with disabilities. Major attention is given to emerging perspectives on the relationship of career counselling to mental health, stress and anger management, and behavioural health.
Focus on Family: Parent Connection: Media in the Home With Young Children

We can see young children interacting with technology everywhere. Go to a restaurant and you can see young children playing on their tablets. On the road, you can see young children watching televi...
Retinoids Putting the “A” in Alopecia

Vitamin A (vitA) has many roles in human biology. With respect to hair, knockout mice for vitA receptor, hairless, and vitamin D genes have similar phenotypes, and follicle loss occurs during catagen. Hypovitaminosis A from inadequate vitA intake causes hair loss. This work suggests that dietary vitA may have a role in precipitating and maintaining alopecias as well.
Valuing ecosystem services: Theory, practice, and the need for a transdisciplinary synthesis

The concept of ecosystem services has shifted our paradigm of how nature matters to human societies. Instead of viewing the preservation of nature as something for which we have to sacrifice our well-being, we now perceive the environment as natural capital, one of society's important assets. But ecosystem services are becoming increasingly scarce. In order to stop this trend, the challenge is to provoke society to acknowledge the value of natural capital. Ecosystem services valuation (ESV) is the method to tackle such a challenge. ESV is the process of assessing the contributions of ecosystem services to sustainable scale, fair distribution, and efficient allocation. It is a tool that (1) provides for comparisons of natural capital to physical and human capital in regard to their contributions to human welfare; (2) monitors the quantity and quality of natural capital over time with respect to its contribution to human welfare; and (3) provides for evaluation of projects that will affect natural capital stocks. This review covers: (1) what has been done in ESV research in the last 50 years; (2) how it has been used in ecosystem management; and (3) prospects for the future. Our survey of the literature has shown that over time, there has been movement toward a more transdisciplinary approach to ESV research which is more consistent with the nature of the problems being addressed. On the other hand, the contribution of ESV to ecosystem management has not been as significant as hoped nor as clearly defined. Conclusions drawn from the review are as follows: first, ESV researchers will have to transcend disciplinary boundaries and synthesize tools, skills, and methodologies from various disciplines; second, ESV research has to become more problem-driven rather than tool-driven because ultimately the success of ESV will be judged on how well it facilitates real-world decision making and the conservation of natural capital.
The Roads to Transformation: Budgeting Issues in the Czech and Slovak Federal Republic 1989–1992

The Czech and Slovak Federal Republic no longer exists, but by the time of its dissolution, the transformation from a socialist to a democratic model of budgeting to another was well under way. This article illustrates some of the major issues facing countries attempting to remodel their systems of budgeting and financial management toward a more liberalized and democratic society.
Incidence of post-anaesthetic arrhythmias in the dog

A total of 50 dogs, judged to be free of cardiovascular disease on the basis of physical and electrocardiographic (ECG) examination, underwent ECG monitoring during recovery from general anaesthesia. Fifteen of these dogs (30 per cent) developed some form of cardiac arrhythmia during the recovery period. The arrhythmias most frequently observed were premature ventricular contractions and atrioventricular conduction defects of varying degrees of severity. The observed arrhythmias had ceased by the end of the observation period and did not require specific therapy. There was no apparent correlation between the duration of anaesthesia, the type of medical or surgical procedure and the development of arrhythmias. However, the dogs developing arrhythmias were older than those that did not. The relatively high frequency of occurrence of cardiac arrhythmias must be considered in the evaluation of ECG data from dogs being monitored during recovery from anaesthesia.
Amino Silane, Vinyl Silane, TESPD, ZS(TESPD/Zinc Complex) Effects on Carbon Black/Clay Filled Chlorobutyl Rubber(CIIR) Compounds Part I: Effects on Hard Clay/Carbon Black Filled Compounds

Various silanes, amino silane, vinyl silane, TESPD, and ZS (TESPD/zinc soap complex), are added into chlorinated isobutylene-isoprene copolymer (CIIR)/hard clay/carbon black (CB) compound and they are investigated with respect to the vulcanization characteristics, the processability, and the mechanical properties. In hard clay/CB filled system, only ZS silane added compound shows both lower Mooney viscosity and extrusion torque while vinyl silane added compound showed only a lower extrusion torque. All the ZS added compounds showed the lowest viscosity among them. The silane added compounds showed an increased modulus. In ‘fatigue to failure’ count test, the ZS added compound showed superior counts compared to other silane (amino, vinyl, TESPD) added compounds. The mechanical properties were significantly increased when the S2 and ZS were added into CIIR/hard clay/CB compound. The ZS added compounds showed a significant improvement on elongation modulus.
Classification and Diagnostic Systems

This chapter examines the constructs of intellectual disability (ID), psychopathology, and dual diagnosis. It explores how historical and modern diagnostic criterion of ID and past and present constructs of psychopathology, including models of understanding psychopathology and current leading definitions, have impacted modern concepts of psychopathology in individuals with ID. Diagnostic trends and dilemmas are discussed.
Isolated popliteal vein entrapment by the popliteus muscle: a case report

Isolated popliteal vein entrapment is a very rare occurrence. We present a case of a young man who developed isolated popliteal venous entrapment resulting from extrinsic compression by the popliteus muscle soon after initiating an exercise program.
Exploratory factor analysis of borderline personality disorder criteria in hospitalized adolescents

Abstract Objective The authors examined the factor structure of borderline personality disorder (BPD) in hospitalized adolescents and also sought to add to the theoretical and clinical understanding of any homogeneous components by determining whether they may be related to specific forms of Axis I pathology. Method Subjects were 123 adolescent inpatients, who were reliably assessed with structured diagnostic interviews for Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders, Revised Third Edition Axes I and II disorders. Exploratory factor analysis identified BPD components, and logistic regression analyses tested whether these components were predictive of specific Axis I disorders. Results Factor analysis revealed a 4-factor solution that accounted for 67.0% of the variance. Factor 1 (“suicidal threats or gestures” and “emptiness or boredom”) predicted depressive disorders and alcohol use disorders. Factor 2 (“affective instability,” “uncontrolled anger,” and “identity disturbance”) predicted anxiety disorders and oppositional defiant disorder. Factor 3 (“unstable relationships” and “abandonment fears”) predicted only anxiety disorders. Factor 4 (“impulsiveness” and “identity disturbance”) predicted conduct disorder and substance use disorders. Conclusions Exploratory factor analysis of BPD criteria in adolescent inpatients revealed 4 BPD factors that appear to differ from those reported for similar studies of adults. The factors represent components of self-negation, irritability, poorly modulated relationships, and impulsivity—each of which is associated with characteristic Axis I pathology. These findings shed light on the nature of BPD in adolescents and may also have implications for treatment.
Fertility clinic, egg donation agency, and sperm bank policies.

Objective To assess the level of openness in U.S. gamete donation policies across fertility clinics, egg donation agencies, and sperm banks. Design Primarily a content analysis of organizational materials (e.g., websites, brochures). Setting Not applicable. Participant(s) A total of 219 fertility clinics, 100 egg donation agencies, and 30 sperm banks. Intervention(s) Not applicable. Main Outcome Measure(s) Use of donor photographs, anonymity between parties, cycle outcome disclosure, and postcycle contact. Result(s) Agencies were more likely to provide donor photographs, have proactive policies to inform donors of the cycle outcome, and have nonanonymous options compared with sperm banks and clinics. Sperm banks were more likely to offer institutionalized donor identity-release programs. Conclusion(s) Clinics, agencies, and sperm banks have different policies to address the level of openness between donors, recipients, and donor-conceived children. Although agencies generally offer more open arrangements, only a minority of organizations restricted all types of contact and communication between parties.
Adequacy Assessment of Power-generating Systems Including Wind Power Integration Based on Ant Colony System Algorithm

Adequacy assessment of power-generating systems is an effective measure to ensure proper system operations in the face of various uncertainties such as equipment failures and variations of generation and load. The integration of time- dependent sources such as wind turbine generators (WTGs) makes the reliability evaluation process more challenging. Due to the large number of system states involved in a power-generating system, it is normally not feasible to enumerate all possible failure states to calculate the reliability indices. Thus, some metaheuristics-based search algorithms, through their inherent convergence mechanisms, appear promising to find out the most meaningful system states in a reasonable time. In this paper, an ant colony system (ACS) based optimization procedure is adopted to assess the power-generating system adequacy including wind power integration since ACS has shown to be an outstanding discrete optimizer. The most probable failure states are searched out by ACS and they contribute most significantly to the adequacy indices including loss of load expectation (LOLE), loss of load frequency (LOLF), and expected energy not supplied (EENS). A modified IEEE Reliability Test System (IEEE-RTS) is used to verify the applicability and validity of the proposed approach.
Rats' novel object interaction as a measure of environmental familiarity

Abstract Environmental familiarization is a learning phenomenon embedded within most tasks used to study learning and motivation. Given its prevalence there is surprisingly little systematic behavioral research on factors affecting familiarization. The six experiments reported in the present report used rats’ tendency to interact more with a novel object in a familiar than in a novel environment as a measure of environmental familiarization. We found that 3 min of exposure to the environment was sufficient to increase object interaction above unfamiliar controls even when testing occurred up to 48 h after initial exposure to the environment; 1 or 1.5 min of exposure was not sufficient. Also, in the brief 2 min test, 10 min of environment exposure did not appear to increase object interaction above the 3-min condition. The 3-min of environment exposure was sufficient for familiarization whether environment exposure occurred in one 3 min placement or two 1.5 min placements. Environmental familiarization as measured by object interaction was also sensitive to ‘interference’ manipulations. That is, a distinct object present during initial exposure to the environment produced a level of object interaction in testing comparable to an unfamiliar control. Similarly, exposure to a second distinct alternate environment immediately after , but not before , initial exposure to the test environment partially disrupted environmental familiarization. In sum, object interaction might serve as a useful measure for studying processes mediating environmental familiarity.
Symptoms of Interstitial Cystitis, Painful Bladder Syndrome and Similar Diseases in Women: A Systematic Review

Purpose: In women symptoms of interstitial cystitis are difficult to distinguish from those of painful bladder syndrome and they appear to overlap with those of urinary tract infection, chronic urethral syndrome, overactive bladder, vulvodynia and endometriosis. This has led to difficulties in formulating a case definition for interstitial cystitis, and complications in the treatment and evaluation of its impact on the lives of women. We performed a systematic literature review to determine how best to distinguish interstitial cystitis from related conditions. Materials and Methods: We performed comprehensive literature searches using the terms diagnosis, and each of interstitial cystitis, painful bladder syndrome, urinary tract infection, overactive bladder, chronic urethral syndrome, vulvodynia and endometriosis. Results: Of 2,680 screened titles 604 articles were read in full. The most commonly reported interstitial cystitis symptoms were bladder/pelvic pain, urgency, frequency and nocturia. Interstitial cystitis and painful bladder syndrome share the same cluster of symptoms. Chronic urethral syndrome is an outdated term. Self-reports regarding symptoms and effective antibiotic use can distinguish recurrent urinary tract infections from interstitial cystitis in some but not all women. Urine cultures may also be necessary. Pain distinguishes interstitial cystitis from overactive bladder and vulvar pain may distinguish vulvodynia from interstitial cystitis. Dysmenorrhea distinguishes endometriosis from interstitial cystitis, although many women have endometriosis plus interstitial cystitis. Conclusions: In terms of symptoms interstitial cystitis and painful bladder syndrome may be the same entity. Recurrent urinary tract infections may be distinguished from interstitial cystitis and painful bladder syndrome via a combination of self-report and urine culture information. Interstitial cystitis and painful bladder syndrome may be distinguished from overactive bladder, vulvodynia and endometriosis, although identifying interstitial cystitis and painful bladder syndrome in women with more than 1 of these diseases may be difficult.
DEGRADATION OF GUAR GUM BY ENZYMES PRODUCED BY A BACTERIUM FROM THE HUMAN COLON

A strain of Bacteroides ovatus from the human colon was grown on guar gum, a highly-branched galactomannan which is widely used as a food additive. Growth on guar gum induced production o f extracellular enzymes which partially degraded and/or deaggregated guar gum. The enzymes rapidly reduced the viscosity of guar gum solutions, while breaking only a limited number of glycosidic bonds. The molecular weight (versus dextran standards) of the guar gum decreased sharply as the viscosity decreased. No mono-, di- or trisaccharides were produced during enzyme action, although small quantities of higher oligomers were present after longer (5–8 h) incubations. The enzyme had a sharp temperature optimum at 37°C for an incubation time of 60 min, but was stable for only a few hours at this temperature. These results demonstrate how enzymes produced and elaborated by human colon bacteria can markedly alter the physical properties of a dietary component which reaches the colon. Further studies of both substrate and enzymes will be required to establish the mechanism of this alteration and to establish how B. ovatus is able to utilize guar gum for growth.
The Effect of Corporate Environmental Performance on Financial Outcomes - Profits, Revenues, and Costs: Evidence from the Czech Transition Economy *

This empirical study analyzes the effect of corporate environmental performance on financial performance in a transition economy. In particular, it assesses whether good environmental performance affects profits, and if so, in which direction. Then the study decomposes profits into revenues and costs in order to identify the channel(s) of any identified effect of environmental performance on profits. For example, as environmental performance improves, do revenues rise and costs fall so that profits increase? For this assessment, our study analyzes the links from environmental performance to revenues, costs, and profits using an unbalanced panel of Czech firms from the years 1996 to 1998. The empirical results indicate strongly and robustly that better environmental performance improves profitability by driving down costs more than it drives down revenues. The strong reduction in costs is consistent with the substantial regulatory scrutiny exerted by environmental agencies during the sample period in the forms of prevalent monitoring (i.e., inspections) and enforcement and escalating emission charge rates.
A multifrequency EPR study of Fe2+ and Mn2+ ions in a ZnSiF6·6H2O single crystal at liquid-helium temperatures

Abstract A liquid-helium temperature study of Fe 2+ and Mn 2+ ions has been carried out on a single crystal of Fe 2+ -doped ZnSiF 6 ·6H 2 O at 5–35 K at 170, 222.4 and 333.2 GHz. The spectra are found to be an overlap of two magnetically inequivalent Fe 2+ ions, as well as that of an Mn 2+ ion. From the simulation of the EPR line positions for the Fe 2+ (d 6 , S = 2) ion the spin-Hamiltonian parameters were estimated for the two inequivalent Fe 2+ ions at the various temperatures. From the relative intensities of lines the absolute sign of the fine-structure parameters have been estimated. In addition, the fine-structure and hyperfine-structure spin-Hamiltonian parameters for the Mn 2+ ion, present as impurity at interstitial sites, were estimated from the hyperfine allowed and forbidden line positions. The particular virtues of such a single-crystal study vs. that on powders are noted.
CRANIAL OSTEOLOGY OF SUUWASSEA EMILIEAE (SAUROPODA: DIPLODOCOIDEA: FLAGELLICAUDATA) FROM THE UPPER JURASSIC MORRISON FORMATION OF MONTANA, USA

Abstract Cranial elements of Suuwassea emilieae (Sauropoda: Diplodocoidea) from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation of Montana, U.S.A., represent one of only a few flagellicaudatan skulls known. Preserved elements include a left premaxilla, a fragment of right maxilla, a right squamosal, a right quadrate, a basicranium and skull roof lacking only the rostral end of the frontals, basipterygoid processes, and parasphenoid rostrum. Autapomorphic features of the skull include: premaxillary teeth projecting parallel to long axis of premaxilla; single optic nerve foramen; postparietal foramen present and larger than parietal foramen; supraoccipital with elongate ventral process contributing little to dorsal margin of foramen magnum; basioccipital not contributing to floor of median condylar incisure; and antotic processes with no dorsal contact with frontals. The basicranium more closely resembles that of Apatosaurus rather than Diplodocus and is also unlike the skull of Dicraeosaurus, despite its possession ...
Taxonomic Status of White-Backed Hog-Nosed Skunks, Genus Conepatus (Carnivora: Mephitidae)

Abstract The taxonomic status of white-backed hog-nosed skunks (genus Conepatus, subgenus Oryctogale) was examined using external and cranial morphology as well as mitochondrial deoxyribonucleic acid sequence. Two species, Conepatus leuconotus and C. mesoleucus, and their subspecies were determined to represent only a single species, C. leuconotus. Within this species there are 3 management units, or subspecies, recognized conservatively. These subspecies are C. l. leuconotus (including C. l. texensis, C. m. mearnsi, C. m. mesoleucus, C. m. nelsoni, C. m. venaticus, C. m. nicaraguae, C. m. sonoriensis, and C. m. filipensis); C. l. figginsi (=C. m. figginsi and including C. m. fremonti); and C. l. telmalestes (=C. m. telmalestes). In the case of C. l. figginsi and C. l. telmalestes, further genetic research may indicate that these taxa are not valid, but the populations that they represent (if not extinct) will require different management strategies from the wide-ranging C. l. leuconotus.
Converting biology into clinical benefit: Lessons learned from BRAF inhibitors

The identification and pharmacological targeting of activating BRAF mutations in melanoma has led to significant improvements in patient outcomes. This perspective paper illustrates the lessons learned from the study of BRAF mutations and the development of BRAF inhibitors. The relevance of these lessons to the development of future targeted therapies is highlighted.
Synthesis of Xylylene-Bridged Periodic Mesoporous Organosilicas and Related Hollow Spherical Nanoparticles

A variety of organosilicas with p-xylylene bridging groups in the framework were synthesized using Pluronic F127 triblock copolymer as a micellar template under moderately acidic conditions in the presence of xylene as a micelle swelling agent. The resulting materials were characterized by using nitrogen adsorption, small-angle X-ray scattering, transmission electron microscopy, and 29Si and 13C cross-polarization magic angle spinning NMR. As the ratio of the organosilica precursor to Pluronic F127 was decreased, the structure evolved from highly ordered periodic mesoporous organosilica (PMO) to weakly ordered PMO, loosely aggregated hollow organosilica nanospheres, and finally to a significantly aggregated disordered structure. The highly ordered PMO with primarily face-centered cubic structure was effectively a closed-pore material. However, the weakly ordered variant exhibited large-diameter (∼15 nm) spherical mesopores, which were accessible after calcination under appropriate conditions or after extr...
Plasmonic Metasurfaces to Steer Near-Field and Far-Field Optical Waves

We present anomalous dispersion engineering of surface plasmons based on metallic grating metasurfaces, a new type of surface waves supported by bi-hyperbolic materials, and tunable graphene metasurfaces for far-field, infrared light steering.
Freeboard Allowances for Waves in Inland Reservoirs

Several considerations that should enter into the selection of freeboard allowances for wind-generated waves in large inland reservoirs are reviewed herein. Certain research studies conducted by th...
Inductive Modeling: A Framework Marrying Systems Theory and Non-monotonic Reasoning

This article develops a framework for inductive modelling that works at the input/output level of system description. Rather than attempt to construct a state-space model from given observed data, an inductive modeler can employ non-monotonic logic to manage a data base of observed and hypothesized input/output time segments. Also, some basic criteria are established to guide the evaluation of the inductive modeler's performance.
T-clustering: Image clustering by tensor decomposition

Image clustering is an important tool for organizing evergrowing image repositories for efficient search and retrieval. A variety of clustering algorithms have been employed to cluster images. In this paper, we present a clustering algorithm, named T-Clustering, especially tailored to suit image collections. T-Clustering is based on tensor decomposition and takes into account the spatial configuration of images. This algorithm is non-parametric and works very well with raw images, thus alleviating the need for transformation of images in any feature domain. Our experiments prove that this algorithm outperforms well-known non-parametric clustering algorithms for a variety of image collections.
Dioxol and dihydrodioxin analogs of 2- and 3-phenylacetonitriles as potent anti-cancer agents with nanomolar activity against a variety of human cancer cells

A small library of (Z)-2-(benzo[d][1,3]dioxol-5-yl) and (Z)-2,3-dihydrobenzo[b][1,4]dioxin-6-yl analogs of 2- and 3-phenylacetonitriles has been synthesized and evaluated for their anti-cancer activities against a panel of 60 human cancer cell lines. The dihydrodioxin analog 3j and dioxol analogs 5e and 7e exhibited the most potent anti-cancer activity of all the analogs synthesized in this study, with GI50 values of <100 nM against almost all of the cell lines in the human cancer cell panel. Of these three, only compound 3j inhibited tubulin polymerization to any degree in vitro. The binding modes of 3j and the structurally related tubulin-inhibitor DMU-212 were determined by virtual docking studies with tubulin dimer. Compound 3j docked at the colchicine-binding site at the dimer interface of tubulin. The Full-Fitness (FF) score of 3j was observed to be substantially higher than DMU-212, which agrees well with the observed anti-cancer potency (GI50 values). The mechanism by which dioxol analogs 5e and 7e exert their cytotoxic effects remains unknown at this stage, but it is unlikely that they affect tubulin dynamics. Nevertheless, these findings suggest that both dioxol and dihydrodioxin analogs of phenylacrylonitrile may have potential for development as clinical candidates to treat a variety of human cancers.
Insights into the activation mechanism of the visual receptor rhodopsin

Recent advances in the structural biology of GPCRs (G-protein-coupled receptors) have provided insights into their structure and function. Comparisons of the visual and ligand-activated receptors highlight the unique elements of rhodopsin that allow it to function as a highly sensitive dim-light photoreceptor in vertebrates, as well as the common elements that it shares with the large class A GPCR family. However, despite progress, a number of questions remain unanswered about how these receptors are activated.
Recognition of Emotions as a Function of Display Type, Emotion and Presentation Style:

In recent situations such as Bosnia and Haiti, the failure of soldiers to interpret cultural expression has led to embarrassing and potentially dangerous situations. The current research represents an evaluation of virtual reality as a display medium for emotion recognition training. The research utilized a 3 × 3 × 6 mixed research design. Forty-eight undergraduates from the University of Houston viewed a human model that presented facial, gestural, and combined (facial and gestural) emotional expressions by means of a helmet-mounted display, monitor, or set of photographs. Participants then described and labeled the expressed emotions. Participants were equally accurate identifying emotions across presentation media, but recognized certain emotions more readily than others across presentation conditions. This research suggests that virtual environments may be effectively used to train cultural display recognition skills.
Improving Low-Achieving Schools: Building State Capacity to Support School Improvement through Race to the Top.

Improving low-achieving schools is a critical challenge facing urban education. Recent national policy shifts have pressed states to take an expanded role in school improvement efforts. In 2009, a ...
The social process of globalization: return migration and cultural change in Kazakhstan

Crossing cultural borders may not only carry implications for the way people view themselves; such an act may also contribute to the broader and ongoing process of cultural change. Cultural globali...
Replication of CMV in the gut of HIV-infected individuals and epithelial barrier dysfunction

Although invasive cytomegalovirus (CMV) disease is uncommon in the era of antiretroviral therapy (ART), asymptomatic CMV coinfection is nearly ubiquitous in HIV infected individuals. While microbial translocation and gut epithelial barrier dysfunction may promote persistent immune activation in treated HIV infection, potentially contributing to morbidity and mortality, it has been unclear whether CMV replication in individuals with no symptoms of CMV disease might play a role in this process. We hypothesized that persistent CMV replication in the intestinal epithelium of HIV/CMV-coinfected individuals impairs gut epithelial barrier function. Using a combination of state-of-the-art in situ hybridization technology (RNAscope) and immunohistochemistry, we detected CMV DNA and proteins and evidence of intestinal damage in rectosigmoid samples from CMV-positive individuals with both untreated and ART-suppressed HIV infection. Two different model systems, primary human intestinal cells differentiated in vitro to form polarized monolayers and a humanized mouse model of human gut, together demonstrated that intestinal epithelial cells are fully permissive to CMV replication. Independent of HIV, CMV disrupted tight junctions of polarized intestinal cells, significantly reducing transepithelial electrical resistance, a measure of monolayer integrity, and enhancing transepithelial permeability. The effect of CMV infection on the intestinal epithelium is mediated, at least in part, by the CMV-induced proinflammatory cytokine IL-6. Furthermore, letermovir, a novel anti-CMV drug, dampened the effects of CMV on the epithelium. Together, our data strongly suggest that CMV can disrupt epithelial junctions, leading to bacterial translocation and chronic inflammation in the gut and that CMV could serve as a target for therapeutic intervention to prevent or treat gut epithelial barrier dysfunction during HIV infection.
Anecdote as Philosophical Intervention: Hans Blumenberg's Figure of the Absent-minded Phenomenologist

This article discusses anecdotes functions’ to express philosophical anxieties and skepticism towards philosophical generalizations. By taking up Hans Blumenberg’s work on the rhetoric of philosophical discourse, this article examines an unpublished one-page story written by Blumenberg about his advisor, phenomenologist Ludwig Landgrebe. The story becomes absurd when Landgrebe (identified as “L.”) uses his pocket-watch to time a ferry trip, which he is only taking in order to go home and search his house for the selfsame pocket-watch. The article interprets the story as an illustration both of Heideggerian Being-in-the-World and of Landgrebe’s little-known variation on Heidegger’s model. Blumenberg’s anecdote conveys a reductio ad absurdum of the notion that we only notice objects when they are not handy ( zuhanden ). Besides critiquing Heidegger and Landgrebe, the anecdote exposes problems of phenomenology that an argument would express less satisfactorily.