cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Delivery of therapeutic laser light using a singlemode silica fiber for a scanning fiber endoscope system

The feasibility of integrating laser-based therapy using a singlemode fiberoptic delivery system in an endoscopic procedure has been investigated. The maximum transmissible optical power in a high-resolution scanning fiber endoscope system is limited by the requirement for small-core singlemode light propagation, thus impeding the capacity for optical therapies. Since the scanning fiber endoscope can be fabricated from low-cost components, the maximum power capacity of the singlemode optical fiber can be approached in the single use of the medical device. In preparation for future tissue studies, 29.4 micron nominally thick samples of Low Density Poly-Ethylene (LDPE) were used as standardized targets. To model the transient pulse-sample interaction of a scanning fiber endoscope, a pulsed, 50mW, 404nm Coherent Cub TM laser system was used to replicate the conditions present in a scanning fiber endoscope that images by measuring the backscatter of combined red, green, and blue laser illumination. Preliminary tests indicate that thermal damage thresholds in LDPE are 120kW/cm 2 . Dwell time and repetition characteristics were investigated and thermal damage thresholds for full-power single pulses was approximately 1ms, using 0.125 NA lens to the LDPE film. The higher-power 405 nm laser diodes are able to be directly modulated so that small regions of interest within the scanned sample can be irradiated for diagnosis (autofluorescence) and therapy (cutting and necrosis). Future studies will integrate the violet laser light with red, green, and blue light for frame-sequential imaging, diagnosis, and therapy.
Parks and young people: An environmental justice study of park proximity, acreage, and quality in Denver, Colorado

Abstract Young people − including children and teenagers − are spending less time playing outside in nature than previous generations. This decrease is problematic, as parks can provide young people with physical and mental health benefits. Also, growing health disparities exist between white and ethnic minority young people in the U.S. These concerns motivate an investigation into access to parks for young people of different ethnicity and socioeconomic status. Although several recent studies have focused on park quality, no previous inquiry has employed a youth-centered framework to measure access, nor has used an index of park quality describing young people’s park needs. To address these gaps, I investigated access to parks in Denver, Colorado through a comprehensive geospatial approach − including park proximity, acreage, and quality − that models park and walkability features supporting frequent park use for children and teenagers. My findings show a multifaceted pattern of environmental injustice. Ethnic minority and low-income people have better access than other groups in terms of park proximity. High-income and white people, however, have access to significantly more acres of parks per youth, to more parks with excellent levels of quality, and to safer parks than other groups. The dramatic disparities in park safety might strongly limit park use among Denver’s low-income young people of color. This analytical framework can help park planners identify specific gaps in park provision for youth and develop strategies to address quality and acreage disparities.
Continual learning in generative adversarial nets

Developments in deep generative models have allowed for tractable learning of high-dimensional data distributions. While the employed learning procedures typically assume that training data is drawn i.i.d. from the distribution of interest, it may be desirable to model distinct distributions which are observed sequentially, such as when different classes are encountered over time. Although conditional variations of deep generative models permit multiple distributions to be modeled by a single network in a disentangled fashion, they are susceptible to catastrophic forgetting when the distributions are encountered sequentially. In this paper, we adapt recent work in reducing catastrophic forgetting to the task of training generative adversarial networks on a sequence of distinct distributions, enabling continual generative modeling.
Physiologic and exogenous hormone effects on the endometrium: important aspects for the surgical pathologist

Abstract The endometrium exhibits a unique physiology in its ability to cyclically respond to steroid hormones, resulting in morphologic changes that allow the pathologist's interpretation of proper endometrial function. Distinctive changes are also observed during times of physiologic hormonal changes, such as in pregnancy, or in pathologic and iatrogenic hormonal imbalances, as in certain functioning ovarian tumours and hormone therapy, respectively. The ubiquity of these states, in particular the widespread use of oral contraception, hormone replacement therapy, hormonal intrauterine devices, and nowadays frequent use of progestin as treatment for endometrial hyperplasia and carcinoma, requires that the pathologist be familiar with both the patient history as well as the histologic patterns specific to each entity in order to render an accurate, practical diagnosis for the clinician. Notably, some changes may mimic more worrisome lesions, and vigilance of these similarities and differential diagnosis is necessary in the evaluation of endometrial samples.
Vodún, Spiritual Insecurity, and Religious Importation in Benin

The Republic of Benin (formerly Dahomey) is known as the African source of New World Vodou and Voodoo , but the country’s religious landscape is best characterized by religious importation. Since precolonial times Beninois Vodun has exhibited ongoing amalgamation of deities introduced from neighboring peoples. This essay outlines historical Vodun imports along with more-recent spiritual influences from abroad. I argue that while Beninois people have always been accepting of foreign religions, today this process is largely motivated by the dangers and promises of witchcraft. The current constellation of spiritual traditions embodies a dynamic moment of religious transformation that prompts people to collect even more distant spiritual remedies to seemingly old problems. In this analysis we see that what scholars call syncretism is not necessarily an ideological or hegemonic process, but a product of Beninois people’s pragmatic response to life’s troubles, inequalities, and opportunities.
Of models and myths: Asian(Americans) in STEM and the neoliberal racial project

AbstractThis paper examines historical and contemporary racializations of Asian(Americans) within the STEM system. The prevailing perception of Asian(Americans) as model minorities masks how their multiple and contradictory positionings in the STEM system perpetuate the neoliberal racial project and reproduce systems of racism and oppression. Through a multidisciplinary analysis of STEM education and industry, we demonstrate that the shifting racialization of Asian(Americans) secures advantages for White Americans by promoting meritocracy and producerism and justifies White supremacy. By serving these functions, the racialization of Asian(Americans) within the STEM system is central to the neoliberal racial project. This paper also suggests how STEM education researchers can reveal and resist, rather than veil and support, the neoliberal racial project in STEM.
Combinatorial Discovery of Lanthanum–Tantalum Oxynitride Solar Light Absorbers with Dilute Nitrogen for Solar Fuel Applications

Oxynitrides with the photoelectrochemical stability of oxides and desirable band energetics of nitrides comprise a promising class of materials for solar photochemistry. Challenges in synthesizing a wide variety of oxynitride materials has limited exploration of this class of functional materials, which we address using a reactive cosputtering combined with rapid thermal processing method to synthesize multi-cation–multi-anion libraries. We demonstrate the synthesis of a LaxTa1–xOyNz thin film composition spread library and its characterization by both traditional thin film materials characterization and custom combinatorial optical spectroscopy and X-ray absorption near edge spectroscopy (XANES) techniques, ultimately establishing structure-chemistry-property relationships. We observe that over a substantial La–Ta composition range the thin films crystallize in the same perovskite LaTaON2 structure with significant variation of anion chemistry. The relative invariance in optical band gap demonstrates a r...
Lower Bounds on Substructure Antenna $Q$ -Factor

Calculation of the lower bound on $Q$ -factor for currents within a fixed region (equivalently on a perfectly conducting structure) is used to derive corresponding bounds for currents located within any subregion (substructure). Both tuned and untuned $Q$ -factors are studied using eigenvalue techniques and the Poincare separation theorem. We show that the tuned $Q$ -factor of a substructure is bounded from below by the minimum $Q$ -factor of the full structure. Furthermore, we derive that all modal untuned $Q$ -factors of a substructure are bounded from below by the corresponding modal untuned $Q$ -factors of the full structure. Mathematical results are demonstrated through numerical examples involving substructures produced at random, by heuristic design and by genetic optimization.
Terraforming and monumentality in hunter-gatherer-fisher societies

Terraforming and monumentality have been integral to the practices of many hunter-gatherer-fisher (HGF) societies around the world. Both mobile and sedentary HGFs were capable of producing large, p...
Discovery and quantification of bioactive peptides in fermented cucumber by direct analysis IR-MALDESI mass spectrometry and LC-QQQ-MS.

Bioactive peptides have been identified in lactic acid bacteria fermented foods including cultured milk, sourdough, and cured meats; however, their presence has not been investigated in fermented vegetables. In this study, infrared, matrix-assisted laser desorption electrospray ionization (IR-MALDESI) mass spectrometry (MS) was employed to identify bioactive peptides in fermented cucumber. Natural and starter culture fermented cucumbers were prepared in triplicate in sodium chloride brines and compared to acidified cucumbers. Putative matches of known food-derived bioactive peptides were identified by direct analysis using IR-MALDESI-MS. Peptides were confirmed by IR-MALDESI MS/MS and quantified by LC-MS/MS. Three angiotensin converting enzyme (ACE) inhibitory peptides, IPP (0.42–0.49 mg/kg), LPP (0.30–0.33 mg/kg), and VPP (0.32–0.35 mg/kg) were formed in fermented cucumbers. A fourth ACE inhibitory peptide, KP (0.93–1.5 mg/kg), was enhanced 3–5 fold in fermented cucumbers compared with acidified cucumbers. This work demonstrates that lactic acid bacteria fermentation can enhance bioactive peptide content in vegetables.
Global health in tropical medicine: Developed at the Center for International Health Research and Exported to the World

Center for International Health Research (CIHR) was founded in 2005 with the mission to apply interdisciplinary perspectives to research and training to improve the health of populations in developing countries. CIHR has a fully equipped modern research laboratory located at the Claverick Research Building of the Rhode Island Hospital, Brown University school of Medicine. CIHR faculty have been working on projects trying to understand the mechanisms of morbidity due to parasitic diseases, primarily malaria, and schistosomiasis, among children and pregnant women living in the endemic areas. Vaccine identification and development for falciparum malaria and Asiatic schistosomiasis are another focus of the Center’s goal of improving human health. CIHR has applied a “field to laboratory to field” approach and conducted cutting edge research from basic science to complex biostatistical modeling. This approach collects data in the field, returns samples to the laboratory to understand mechanisms of disease or identify vaccine candidates, and then uses this to design new interventions or test vaccine candidates. Our research project “Schistosoma japonicum and pregnancy outcomes: An RCT” strongly influenced the modification of WHO’s schistosomiasis treatment guideline to pregnancy women. Using whole proteome differential screening approach, we identified pfSEA-1, a promising malaria vaccine candidate with findings published in Science. Our collaborative work with scientists from China and The Philippines, clarified the critical role of water buffalo in schistosomiasis transmission in The Philippines. Our center is currently conducting studies of three vaccine candidates for malaria and schistosomiasis in large animal trials in the US (malaria), and The Philippines and China (schistosomiasis). We have four ongoing NIH funded R01 projects with collaborators from Kenya, the Philippines, and China. We’ve also trained students and scholars from more than five countries. CIHR looks forward to expanding our efforts in combating the tropical diseases with stronger partnership and multinational collaborations.
Decomposition kinetics for HONO and HNO2

This work presents a detailed investigation into the isomerization and decomposition of HONO and HNO2. State-of-the-art electronic structure theory is used to compute the HNO2 potential energy surface. Temperature and pressure dependent rate coefficients are computed using microcanonical rate theory and the master equation. The electronic structure theory properties are optimized against the relevant experimental data. A novel strategy was developed to incorporate uncertainty in the minimum energy pathway into the optimized mechanism. The new mechanism is in excellent agreement with all available experimental data for H + NO2 → OH + NO and OH + NO → HONO. The calculations identify OH + NO as the dominant products for HNO2, which were neglected from all previous mechanisms in the literature.
The principles and practice of narrative medicine, edited by Rita Charon, Sayantani DasGupta, Nellie Hermann, Craig Irvine, Eric Marcus, Edgar Rivera Colón, Danielle Spencer, and Maura Spiegel.

When Columbia University opened its Program in Narrative Medicine nearly 20 years ago, Rita Charon and the other faculty had to make a case for the centrality of storytelling and listening within h...
Union Time: Fighting for Workers' Rights. Documentary film. Directed by Matthew Barr

A stunning moment of deja vu hit me about forty-five minutes into viewing the documentary Union Time, which charts the union organizing campaign at the Smithfield Foods hog slaughtering plant in Ta...
Cervical vertebral body growth and emergence of sexual dimorphism: a developmental study using computed tomography.

The size and shape of human cervical vertebral bodies serve as a reference for measurement or treatment planning in multiple disciplines. It is therefore necessary to understand thoroughly the developmental changes in the cervical vertebrae in relation to the changing biomechanical demands on the neck during the first two decades of life. To delineate sex-specific changes in human cervical vertebral bodies, 23 landmarks were placed in the midsagittal plane to define the boundaries of C2 to C7 in 123 (73 M; 50 F) computed tomography scans from individuals, ages 6 months to 19 years. Size was calculated as the geometric area, from which sex-specific growth trend, rate, and type for each vertebral body were determined, as well as length measures of local deformation-based morphometry vectors from the centroid to each landmark. Additionally, for each of the four pubertal-staged age cohorts, sex-specific vertebral body wireframes were superimposed using generalized Procrustes analysis to determine sex-specific changes in form (size and shape) and shape alone. Our findings reveal that C2 was unique in achieving more of its adult size by 5 years, particularly in females. In contrast, C3-C7 had a second period of accelerated growth during puberty. The vertebrae of males and females were significantly different in size, particularly after puberty, when males had larger cervical vertebral bodies. Male growth outpaced female growth around age 10 years and persisted until around age 19-20 years, whereas females completed growth earlier, around age 17-18 years. The greatest shape differences between males and females occurred during puberty. Both sexes had similar growth in the superoinferior height, but males also displayed more growth in anteroposterior depth. Such prominent sex differences in size, shape, and form are likely the result of differences in growth rate and growth duration. Female vertebrae are thus not simply smaller versions of the male vertebrae. Additional research is needed to further quantify growth and help improve age- and sex-specific guidance in clinical practice.
Sugar partitioning and source-sink interaction are key determinants of leaf senescence in maize.

Source-sink communication is one of the key regulators of senescence; however, the mechanisms underlying such regulation are largely unknown. We analysed senescence induced by the lack of grain sink in maize, termed source-sink regulated senescence (SSRS), and compared the associated physiological and metabolic changes with those accompanying natural senescence. Phenotypic characterization of 31 diverse field-grown inbreds revealed substantial variation for both SSRS and natural senescence. Partitioning of excess carbohydrates to alternative sinks, mainly internodes and husks, emerged as a critical mechanism underlying both SSRS and stay-green. Time-course analyses of SSRS sensitive (B73) and resistant (PHG35) inbreds confirmed the role of sugar partitioning in SSRS and stay-green. Elevated hemicellulose content in PHG35 internodes highlighted the role of the cell wall as a significant alternative sink. Sugar signalling emerged as an important regulator of SSRS as evident from an increased accumulation of trehalose-6-phosphate and decreased transcript levels of snf1-related protein kinase1, two signalling components associated with senescence, in B73. These findings demonstrate a crucial role of sugar partitioning, signalling, and utilization in SSRS. Available genetic variation for SSRS and a better understanding of the underlying mechanisms would help modify sugar partitioning and senescence to enhance the productivity of maize and related grasses.
The impact of non-medical reading on clinician burnout: a national survey of palliative care providers

Background: Clinician burnout in hospice and palliative care (HPC) has potentially widespread negative consequences including increased clinical errors, decreased professionalism, decreased staff retention, and decreased empathy. Reading non-medical literature has been associated with increased empathy, but no studies on the effect of reading on burnout have previously been conducted. We wished to assess reading patterns of practicing HPC clinicians and determine associations between non-medical reading and burnout. Methods: Sixteen-item electronic survey regarding reading practices, exposure to non-medical literature, fatigue, quality of life, and burnout symptoms was administered to members of the American Academy of Hospice and Palliative Medicine. Burnout measures of emotional exhaustion and depersonalization were assessed by the validated 2-item Maslach Burnout Inventory. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and multivariate regression. Results: Seven hundred nine members responded (15.2% response rate), of which 129 (18.2%) met the criteria for burnout, with 117 (16.6%) meeting the criteria for high emotional exhaustion and 45 (7.9%) meeting the criteria for high depersonalization. On univariate analysis, burnout was associated with age, reading habits, and fatigue, but not years in practice. On multivariable logistic regression consistent readers had decreased odds of overall burnout compared to inconsistent readers (OR 0.61; 95% CI, 0.39–0.97, P=0.036). This was true across the depersonalization (OR 0.58; 95% CI, 0.36–0.93, P=0.025), but not the emotional exhaustion domain. Conclusions: Reading non-medical literature on a consistent basis may be associated with a significantly decreased likelihood of burnout, specifically across the depersonalization domain.
Dual Lewis site creation for activation of methanol on Fe3O4(111) thin films.

Despite a wide application in heterogeneous catalysis, the surface termination of Fe3O4(111) remains controversial. Herein, a surface with both Lewis acid and base sites is created through formation of an Fe3O4(111) film on α-Fe2O3(0001). The dual functionality is generated from a locally nonuniform surface layer of O adatoms and Fetet1 sites. This reactive layer is reproducibly formed even in oxygen-free environments because of the high mobility of ions in the underlying α-Fe2O3(0001). The atomic structure of the Fe3O4(111) surface was identified by scanning tunneling microscopy (STM) and density functional theory (DFT) using the registry of the overlayers with the surface and the distinct electronic structure of oxygen adatom (Oad) and uncovered lattice Fetet1. The surface is dominated by the interface of Oad and Fetet1, a Lewis acid–base pair, which favors methanol dissociation at room temperature to form methoxy. Methoxy is further oxidized to yield formaldehyde at 700 K in temperature programmed reaction spectra, corresponding to an approximate activation barrier of 179 kJ mol−1. The surface termination of Fe3O4(111) is fully recovered by rapid heating to 720 K in vacuum, demonstrating the high mobility of ions in this material. The work establishes a clear fundamental understanding of a unique magnetite surface and provides insights into the origin of selective oxidation of alcohols on magnetite-terminated catalysts.
A Process-Oriented Guided-Inquiry Learning (POGIL)-Based Curriculum for the Experimental Psychology Laboratory:

We implemented NSF-funded computerized Experimental Psychology Laboratories at Touro College and incorporated process-oriented guided-inquiry learning (POGIL). We designed POGIL modules for the lab...
Financial Bailout Spending Would Have Almost Paid for Thirty Years of Global Green New Deal Climate: Triage, Regeneration, and Mitigation:

Human-induced climate crisis is destroying the capacity of our planet to support our species and other life at an unprecedented rate. The most urgent of climate crisis tipping points is Arctic warm...
Transcranial focused ultrasound alters conflict and emotional processing, physiology, and performance I: dorsal anterior cingulate cortex targeting.

ABSTRACT The dorsal anterior cingulate cortex (dACC) operates as an integrator of bottom-up and top-down signals and is implicated in both cognitive control and emotional processing. The dACC is believed to be causally involved in switching between attention networks, and previous work has linked it to cognitive performance, concentration, relaxation, and emotional distraction. The present study was designed to evaluate the feasibility of influencing default mode network (DMN) activity and emotional attention by targeting and modulating the dACC with transcranial focused ultrasound (tFUS). Subjects were divided into two groups, one receiving MR-neuronavigated tFUS to the dACC and the other an identical, but inactive tFUS sham. Subjects performed a modified version of the Erikson flanker paradigm using fear and neutral faces as emotional background distractors. Our observations demonstrate that tFUS can be targeted to the human dACC to produce effects consistent with those expected from relaxed contention, including significantly reduced reaction time slowing due to emotional distractors, and an increase in parasympathetic markers of the HRV. These results suggest that tFUS altered emotional processing and enhanced sustained attention, perhaps by facilitating reduced attentional engagement with emotional distractors and reduced need for attention switching evidenced by significant effects on event related potentials (ERPs), reduced alpha suppression, and modulation of delta and theta EEG activity. We conclude that the dACC represents a viable neuroanatomical target for tFUS in order to modulate DMN activity, including emotional attention, conflict resolution, and cognitive control. These effects of dACC-targeted tFUS may prove useful for treating certain mental health disorders known to involve perturbed DMN activity, such as depression and anxiety.
Ferrate(VI) Oxidation of Pharmaceuticals in Hydrolyzed Urine: Enhancement by Creatinine and the Role of Fe(IV)

Treatment of human urine is an emerging approach to minimize environmental pharmaceutical contamination. This study investigated the application of ferrate(VI) (FeVIO42–, Fe(VI)) oxidation to degra...
Machen die Medien die Krise? Trifft es immer nur die anderen? Warum und wie sich jedes Unternehmen auf den Ernstfall vorbereiten sollte.

Was waren die Medien ohne die tagliche Krise? Der „Aufreger des Tages“ ist naturlich die nicht zu ubersehende Katastrophe. Oft handelt es sich aber auch um Vorfalle, die erst durch medialen Groseinsatz an Fahrt gewinnen und Unternehmen, Institutionen, Organisationen in Bedrangnis bringen.
Progress towards integrating an understanding of chemical ecology into sea lamprey control

Abstract The sea lamprey, Petromyzon marinus, is a destructive invader in the Laurentian Great Lakes that relies on several complex chemical cues to complete their life cycle. The central roles of chemical cues in sea lamprey reproduction provide opportunities to leverage knowledge of sea lamprey chemical ecology when developing alternative or supplemental strategies for sea lamprey control. A solid foundation has been laid regarding sea lamprey chemical ecology, with recent advances in our understanding of the migratory pheromone, male sex pheromone, and alarm cues broadening our fundamental understanding of the diversity, complexity, and evolution of chemical cues used by sea lamprey. Additionally, research applying semiochemicals in differing management scenarios has provided useful insights into the challenges of incorporating chemical cues into the sea lamprey control program. Here, we synthesize new findings related to fundamental research of chemosensory cues along with knowledge learned from management-based tests and explore options for integrating an understanding of chemical ecology into sea lamprey control in light of new knowledge. We also highlight current unknowns and future research needs that should be addressed prior to implementation of sea lamprey chemical ecology into the sea lamprey control program.
The Neuromuscular Junction: Roles in Aging and Neuromuscular Disease

The neuromuscular junction (NMJ) is a specialized synapse that bridges the motor neuron and the skeletal muscle fiber and is crucial for conversion of electrical impulses originating in the motor neuron to action potentials in the muscle fiber. The consideration of contributing factors to skeletal muscle injury, muscular dystrophy and sarcopenia cannot be restricted only to processes intrinsic to the muscle, as data show that these conditions incur denervation-like findings, such as fragmented NMJ morphology and corresponding functional changes in neuromuscular transmission. Primary defects in the NMJ also influence functional loss in motor neuron disease, congenital myasthenic syndromes and myasthenia gravis, resulting in skeletal muscle weakness and heightened fatigue. Such findings underscore the role that the NMJ plays in neuromuscular performance. Regardless of cause or effect, functional denervation is now an accepted consequence of sarcopenia and muscle disease. In this short review, we provide an overview of the pathologic etiology, symptoms, and therapeutic strategies related to the NMJ. In particular, we examine the role of the NMJ as a disease modifier and a potential therapeutic target in neuromuscular injury and disease.
A staged approach to address youth unresponsive to initial obesity intervention: a randomized clinical trial.

Maintenance interventions inherently require BMI improvement to maintain. This overlooks individuals initially unresponsive to obesity interventions. Staged pediatric clinical treatment guidelines were adapted to the school setting to develop an escalated treatment option for individuals initially unresponsive. This staged randomized controlled trial examined differences between escalated treatment (Take CHARGE!) and a maintenance program (PE Planners). Take CHARGE was hypothesized to have greater improvements in BMI as a percentage of the 95th BMI Percentile (%BMIp95) than PE Planners. From 2018 to 2020, 171 middle and high schoolers (BMI Percentile ≥ 85) were recruited from a Houston school district to participate in a staged obesity intervention in their physical education (PE) class. After receiving a semester-long intensive lifestyle intervention (ILI) with established efficacy, all participants were randomized to Take CHARGE (n = 85) or PE Planners (n = 86). Take CHARGE escalated the behavioral treatment of obesity received in ILI with more frequent individual sessions, additional opportunities for parental and school staff involvement, and increased mentorship from trained college students. PE Planners allowed participants to decide how they wanted to be active in PE class. Mixed linear modeling examined %BMIp95 overtime between groups. This trial was registered at ClinicalTrials.gov (#NCT04362280). Participants were 13.63 ± 1.32 years old; 59% were female, and 85% were Hispanic. Among those initially unresponsive to ILI, Take CHARGE had significantly greater decreases in %BMIp95 than PE Planners (β = −0.01, p < 0.01). Conversely, among those initially responsive, Take CHARGE had significantly smaller decreases in %BMIp95 than PE Planners (β = 0.02, p < 0.05). Intention-to-treat analysis had similar results. Participant outcomes in semester two differed based on initial response. Individuals responsive to initial intervention were most likely to benefit from a maintenance intervention and those initially unresponsive benefited more from escalated treatment. This indicates the need for staged intervention protocols to better address obesity in the school setting.
Effect of Residual Stress on Brittle Fracture Testing

Residual stress present in coupons used for fracture testing will influence the experimental determination of fracture toughness. Triaxial residual stress (e.g., due to welding) can alter both the driving force for fracture and the crack-tip constraint at a specified load, so that the apparent toughness of a coupon depends on the residual stress present. In this paper, we employ a micromechanical failure theory (the RKR model) to predict brittle fracture loads for three-point bend samples with and without triaxial residual stress. Finite element modeling is used in the study to introduce an idealized welding residual stress field, to simulate the crushing of the coupon by circular platens (referred to as homogenization or local compression), and to simulate three-point bend testing. Results show that the residual stress markedly changes load at fracture, which would be used to compute apparent fracture toughness. Furthermore, the method of superposition commonly used is not able to accurately predict this effect.
Spacelab Life Sciences-2 ARC payload - An overview

The effects of microgravity on the anatomy and physiology of rodent and primate systems will be investigated on the Spacelab Life Sciences 2 (SLS-2) mission. Here, the payload being developed at NASA Ames Research Center (ARC) is described and illustrated with drawings. The ARC payload will build upon the success of previous missions. Experiments includes asssessment of rodent cardiovascular and vestibular system responses, primate thermoregulation and metabolic responses.
Chapter 4 Predicting motion: A psychophysical study

Abstract Assad and Maunsell (1995) found neurons in the primate posterior parietal cortex (PPC) whose response seems to be tuned to the animal's inference of the motion of a visual target. These neurons maintain an appreciable response in the absence of retinal stimulation when the visual target is inferred to move behind an occluder. In the present study we investigated psychophysically the ability of human observers to predict the position of a visual target after it disappears behind an imaginary occluder by using a task similar to that by Assad and Maunsell. The accuracy of the predictions were measured psychophysically as a function of the velocity of the target and the time the target was visible by using a forced choice paradigm. The results were interpreted in the context of a simple model that reflects known properties on neurons in PPC.
Polymorphisms in estrogen-metabolizing and estrogen receptor genes and the risk of developing breast cancer among a cohort of women with benign breast disease

A cohort study was conducted to examine the role of genetic polymorphisms in three estrogen metabolizing enzymes (COMT, CYP1A1, CYP1B1) and the two estrogen receptors (ESR1, ESR2) in the progression of benign breast disease (BBD) to breast cancer. Among participants in an ongoing cohort study, 1438 Caucasian women had a breast biopsy for BBD and were successfully genotyped for at least one of the polymorphisms examined in this study. Genotypes were determined using DNA extracted from blood specimens collected in 1989. Incident cases of breast cancer occurring subsequent to BBD diagnosis up to 2003 were identified through cancer registries. Among all participants, the ESR2 *5772G allele was associated with a significant decrease in the risk of breast cancer among women with BBD (Odds Ratio (OR) 0.38; 95% Confidence Interval (CI) 0.15, 0.96). Compared to the reference wild-type genotypes, marginally significant associations with the development of breast cancer were observed between carriers of the variant ESR1 – 104062T allele (OR 0.70, 95% CI 0.45, 1.09), the variant ESR2 *38A allele (OR 1.40; 95% CI 0.88, 2.25), and the variant CYP1B1 453Ser allele (OR 1.48, 95% CI 0.95, 2.32). The results indicate that specific polymorphisms in the CYP1B1, ESR1, and ESR2 genes may play a role in progression of BBD to breast cancer among Caucasian women. Although additional studies are needed to confirm or refute our findings, these results suggest that genetic markers may aid in the identification of women who are at risk for progression of BBD to cancer.
Effects of protein kinase C inhibitors in in situ and isolated ischemic rabbit myocardium

We tested the effects of the protein kinase C (PKC) inhibitors bisindolylmaleimide (1 microM) and chelerythrine (2 microM) on myocardial ischemia-reperfusion injury in in situ and isolated perfused rabbit hearts. In non-ischemic isolated hearts, bisindolylmaleimide (1 microM) and chelerythrine (2 microM) blocked sn-1,2-dioctanoylglycerol (DOG)-induced coronary vasoconstriction by approximately 80%. Intact hearts were subjected to 45 min coronary artery occlusion and 2 h reperfusion. Infarct size, determined by triphenyltetrazolium chloride (TTC)-staining and expressed as percentage of risk area, was reduced approximately 50% by both bisindolylmaleimide (0.05 mg/kg, i.v.) and chelerythrine (0.1 mg/kg, i.v.) compared to vehicle treated controls. In contrast, a higher dose of chelerythrine (3.8 mg/kg, i.v.) did not significantly reduce infarct size. Isolated hearts were subjected to 45 min of global normothermic (37 degrees C) ischemia and 60 min reperfusion. Control hearts exhibited 45+/-2% recovery of pre-ischemic left ventricular developed pressure (LVDP) compared to bisindolylmaleimide- (73+/-7%) and chelerythrine-treated hearts (70+/-11%). Bisindolylmaleimide and cherythrine reduced infarct size from a control value of 24+/-4 to 8+/-2 and 9+/-3%, respectively. Preconditioning isolated hearts with 5 min ischemia and 10 min reperfusion prior to prolonged ischemia reduced infarct size to 10.4+/-2.3%, an effect which was blocked by chelerythrine (22.5+/-4.2% infarct size). These results suggest that although PKC may play a role in ischemic preconditioning, PKC inhibitors can be cardioprotective during prolonged ischemia.
Simon Says, 'Expand the Definition of Bounded Rationality in Management Research'

Most mainstream strategy research does not define the concept of bounded rationality as Herbert Simon originally intended. Instead, the major theories in strategy research rely on the simplified operationalization of bounded rationality as the inability to know every possible contingency or outcome. However, Simon’s conceptualization of bounded rationality was much more complex, incorporating all potential cognitive deficits that limit rational behavior, including framing effects, heuristics, influence of prior expectations, and emotions. In this paper, we suggest that the field of strategy could greatly benefit by expanding its definition of bounded rationality to incorporate all of the elements originally specified by Simon. With a more complex definition of bounded rationality, strategy researchers can ask new questions in areas that have already been well explored, thus enhancing our understanding of these topics even further. Additionally, firms that understand how certain elements of bounded rationality predictably impact decisions can build a capability based in decision-making that can positively impact firm performance, as well as intra-firm and inter-firm relationships.
The negative communication dynamic

Purpose – The purpose of this research is to present a study designed to test if anger is a mediator in the relationship between crisis responsibility and negative word‐of‐mouth and crisis responsibility and purchase intention. Emphasizes the relationship between anger, crisis responsibility, and intended negative word‐of‐mouth, what we call the negative communication dynamic. Researchers have just begun to explore the role of affect in crisis communication by linking it to behavioral intentions and proving that crisis affect is largely a function of crisis responsibility (perceived organizational responsibility for the crisis).Design/methodology/approach – An experimental design is used to test for the mediator relationship. The design reflects the study's theoretical link to Attribution Theory.Findings – The results support that anger is a moderator in the relationship between crisis responsibility and intended negative word‐of‐mouth and between crisis responsibility and purchase intention.Research limi...
Idealism and Scepticism

It is argued that contrary to appearances, Berkeleyan Idealism lacks anti-sceptical force. The problem stems from the way in which the idealist draws the appearance/reality distinction.
N6-methyladenosine Modulates Messenger RNA Translation Efficiency

N(6)-methyladenosine (m(6)A) is the most abundant internal modification in mammalian mRNA. This modification is reversible and non-stoichiometric and adds another layer to the dynamic control of mRNA metabolism. The stability of m(6)A-modified mRNA is regulated by an m(6)A reader protein, human YTHDF2, which recognizes m(6)A and reduces the stability of target transcripts. Looking at additional functional roles for the modification, we find that another m(6)A reader protein, human YTHDF1, actively promotes protein synthesis by interacting with translation machinery. In a unified mechanism of m(6)A-based regulation in the cytoplasm, YTHDF2-mediated degradation controls the lifetime of target transcripts, whereas YTHDF1-mediated translation promotion increases translation efficiency, ensuring effective protein production from dynamic transcripts that are marked by m(6)A. Therefore, the m(6)A modification in mRNA endows gene expression with fast responses and controllable protein production through these mechanisms.
Smart, texture‐sensitive instrument classification for in situ rock and layer analysis

[1] Science missions have limited lifetimes, necessitating an efficient investigation of the field site. The efficiency of onboard cameras, critical for planning, is limited by the need to downlink images to Earth for every decision. Recent advances have enabled rovers to take follow-up actions without waiting hours or days for new instructions. We propose using built-in processing by the instrument itself for adaptive data collection, faster reconnaissance, and increased mission science yield. We have developed a machine learning pixel classifier that is sensitive to texture differences in surface materials, enabling more sophisticated onboard classification than was previously possible. This classifier can be implemented in a Field Programmable Gate Array (FPGA) for maximal efficiency and minimal impact on the rest of the system's functions. In this paper, we report on initial results from applying the texture-sensitive classifier to three example analysis tasks using data from the Mars Exploration Rovers.
A new look at thermal properties of nanotubes

The thermal conductance of nanotubes is examined over a wide temperature range and as a function of mechanical manipulation. It is found that carbon nanotubes maintain impressive thermal conductance up to their decomposition temperature of ∼ 3200 K. For both carbon and boron nitride multiwalled nanotubes the thermal conductance is relatively independent of tube bending angle, but it can be substantially tuned by "telescoping" the tubes.
Synthesis and Characterization of Liquid Crystal Type Stationary Phases on a Silica Hydride Surface

Abstract Two liquid crystal materials, 4-methoxyphenyl-4-allyloxybenzoate and cholesteryl-10-undecenoate, containing terminal olefin groups are bonded to a silica hydride surface via a metal complex catalyzed hydrosilation reaction. Bonding is confirmed by DRIFT, carbon-13 CP-MAS NMR and DSC. The effects of different catalysts, reaction temperature, catalyst to olefin ratio, and reaction time were studied to maximize the surface coverage. Chromatographic studies indicate that these bonded materials behave similarly to liquid crystal phases prepared by organosilanization. The hydrosilation method offers the possibility of bonding a wider variety of liquid crystal moieties in order to utilize the unique separation properties of these materials.
Fibronectin Antibody Labels Corneal Stromal Collagen Fibrils In Situ Along Their Length and Circumference and Demonstrates Distinct Staining Along the Cell and Stromal Interfaces of Descemet's Membrane

AbstractPurpose/Aim of the study: An immunoperoxidase cytochemical study of fibronectin localization in the rat corneal stroma and Descemet’s membrane was conducted following organ culture to determine whether stromal swelling allowed better primary antibody penetration into the normally tough fibrous corneal stroma.Materials and Methods: Following 24 h organ culture, corneas were fixed in 4% paraformaldehyde, washed and stained overnight at 4 °C in anti-fibronectin followed by washing and incubation in an appropriate secondary antibody and exposure to protein A-HRP. Cytochemical processing was carried out in a DAB-containing medium followed by dehydration and Epon embedding.Results: Observations of the stromal lamellae revealed the presence of a novel punctate staining pattern along the length of the collagen fibrils that extended around the fibril’s circumference. Measurements on the peroxidase reaction product spacing indicated a periodicity of approximately 20.69 ± 3.57 nm along the fibril’s length. L...
Inhibition of ascorbate oxidation by urate

Abstract Cupric sulfate is reduced by ascorbate to the cuprous ion. The cuprous ion is then oxidized back to the cupric form by oxygen. A steady state concentration of the cupric ion is thus established to maintain a continuous oxidation of ascorbate in the presence of a trace amount of copper. In the presence of urate there is an instantaneous oxidation of ascorbate by the cupric ion. However, urate complexes with the cuprous ion and thus reduces the steady state concentration of the cupric ion. This decrease in cupric ion concentration interrupts ascorbate oxidation. The interaction of urate and cuprous ion was documented by analysis of uv absorption spectrum and the isolation of urate-Cu + by high-pressure liquid chromatography.
Detecting randomly modulated pulses in noise

All signals that are normally called "periodic" have some amplitude and phase variation from period to period. For example an active sonar system transmits a periodic pulse train to detect targets. The received pulses are not perfectly periodic due to random modulation of the pulses from scattering and attenuation. Target scattering and propagation distortion of the transmitted and received signals produce seemingly random variation from pulse to pulse. A stochastic nonparametric model of period-to-period variation is presented in this paper. This model is used to derive an asymptotic likelihood-ratio test for wide bandwidth pulses that undergo a random modulation from pulse to pulse. It is shown that the test statistic is a linear combination of the matched filter using the expected value of the received signal as the matching vector and the signal's periodogram.
Digital home technologies and transformation of households

The basic issue I examine here is whether and how contemporary home life is being transformed with the arrival of new digital technologies. As new technologies diffuse into the home, new terminology has begun to emerge as, for example, in smart homes, home automation, digital home, digital living, networked home, home of the future, smart appliances and so on. To simplify the terminology, in this paper, I will use the term “digital home technologies” and smart home technologies interchangeably to describe all of them. Although digital home technologies have developed in different directions because of the types of industry players involved, some common themes underlie these developments. They all seem to point to a great sense of anticipation that home life as we have understood in the past two or three decades will undergo some fundamental changes. It is claimed that some of the changes may be the result of advances at the technological frontier. It is generally acknowledged that the digital home idea has been around for at least a decade and people had known about its potential possibility even in the mid-1980s from the prototypes built in the USA, UK and Scandinavia. Embedded in the concept of digital home are smart appliances, multimedia systems, energy devices, sensors, lighting systems, sensors and control systems, and home robots which manifest basic qualities of programmable machine intelligence. However, their implementation has not been very successful and has been a little slow. Recent developments seem to suggest that digital home concepts are closer to reality and must be taken seriously. To put these developments in a historical perspective, one can trace all such advances to the early 1980s with the introduction of the PC into the home. This was also the period when various electronic gadgets entered the domestic space: VCRs, microwave ovens, answering machines, cable TV to name important few. A lot has happened since then. For example, the technological scene changed dramatically with the arrival of the Internet connecting the household to the external environment in some fundamental ways. The introduction of mobile phones and wireless technologies has further opened up the technological boundaries. The possibilities seem endless. In this ever increasing technological frenzy, some caution must be exercised as new technologies knock on the door to gain acceptance by families. Our previous studies show that families are reluctant to “overtechnologize” their homes, but at the same time are quite open to technologies that fit with their current patterns of behaviors and possibly add value to the family life. It is this balance between too much and too little technology that one must seek and it is also what motivates our thinking in this area.