cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reproductive outcomes predicted by phase imaging with computational specificity of spermatozoon ultrastructure

The ability to evaluate sperm at the microscopic level, at high-throughput, would be useful for assisted reproductive technologies (ARTs), as it can allow specific selection of sperm cells for in vitro fertilization (IVF). The tradeoff between intrinsic imaging and external contrast agents is particularly acute in reproductive medicine. The use of fluorescence labels has enabled new cell-sorting strategies and given new insights into developmental biology. Nevertheless, using extrinsic contrast agents is often too invasive for routine clinical operation. Raising questions about cell viability, especially for single-cell selection, clinicians prefer intrinsic contrast in the form of phase-contrast, differential-interference contrast, or Hoffman modulation contrast. While such instruments are nondestructive, the resulting image suffers from a lack of specificity. In this work, we provide a template to circumvent the tradeoff between cell viability and specificity by combining high-sensitivity phase imaging with deep learning. In order to introduce specificity to label-free images, we trained a deep-convolutional neural network to perform semantic segmentation on quantitative phase maps. This approach, a form of phase imaging with computational specificity (PICS), allowed us to efficiently analyze thousands of sperm cells and identify correlations between dry-mass content and artificial-reproduction outcomes. Specifically, we found that the dry-mass content ratios between the head, midpiece, and tail of the cells can predict the percentages of success for zygote cleavage and embryo blastocyst formation.
Presidential Power, Scandal, and Misdirection

This chapter begins with a discussion of the broad features of the systemic playing field with which presidents have had to contend from the Nixon administration to the Trump administration. These features provide a backdrop for explaining why particular types of scandals—those based on sexual misconduct, financial wrongdoing, or the abuse of power—have the most likely strategic “fit” for presidents in their quest to manage the fallout of a scandal. Exploring the relationships between the systemic features of the political system and the scandal types creates a framework to then understand if and why a president may have considered using misdirection. This framework also allows for an evaluation of the level of effectiveness that the use of misdirection could have in tamping down or deflecting the potential damage of a scandal. The chapter also operationalizes the backfire concept in relation to other forms of misdirection.
A Synthesis of the Sustainability of Remedial Reading Intervention Effects for Struggling Adolescent Readers.

A majority of reading-related intervention studies aiming to remediate struggling readers' reading outcomes assess student performance immediately following the conclusion of an intervention to determine intervention effects. Few studies collect follow-up data to measure the long-term sustainability of treatment effects. Hence, the aim of the current synthesis was to examine follow-up intervention effects of reading interventions involving adolescent struggling readers in Grades 6 to 12. Our literature search yielded only 10 studies that reported follow-up data for intervention participants, which highlights the dearth of intervention research that examines sustainability of intervention effects. Of the 10 included studies, the weighted mean effect size for all reading outcome measures was gw = 0.78 at immediate posttest and gw = 0.27 at follow-up, in favor of treatment group students. Although the magnitude of difference between treatment and control groups diminished at follow-up time, a comparison of treatment group students' immediate posttest and follow-up scores showed that students mostly maintained gains made during intervention at follow-up time points.
Thematic Integration Impairments in Primary Progressive Aphasia: Evidence From Eye-Tracking

Primary progressive aphasia (PPA) is a degenerative disease affecting language while leaving other cognitive facilities relatively unscathed. The agrammatic subtype of PPA (PPA-G) is characterized by agrammatic language production with impaired comprehension of noncanonical filler-gap syntactic structures, such as object-relatives [e.g., The sandwich that the girl ate (gap) was tasty], in which the filler (the sandwich) is displaced from the object position within the relative clause to a position preceding both the verb and the agent (the girl) and is replaced by a gap linked with the filler. One hypothesis suggests that the observed deficits of these structures reflect impaired thematic integration, including impaired prediction of the thematic role of the filler and impaired thematic integration at the gap, but spared structure building (i.e., creation of the gap). In the current study, we examined the on-line comprehension of object-relative and subject-relative clauses in healthy controls and individuals with agrammatic and logopenic PPA using eye-tracking. Eye-movement patterns in canonical subject-relative clause structures were essentially spared in both PPA groups. In contrast, eye-movement patterns in noncanonical object-relative clauses revealed delayed thematic prediction in both agrammatic and logopenic PPA, on-time structure building (i.e., gap-filling) in both groups, and abnormal thematic integration in agrammatic, but not logopenic, PPA. We argue that these results are consistent with the hypothesis that agrammatic comprehension deficits reflect impaired thematic integration.
Teacher-developed Multi-Dimensional Science Assessments Supporting Elementary Teacher Learning about the Next Generation Science Standards

The onset of the Next-Generation Science Standards [NGSS] has created a need for elementary teachers to develop purposeful, multi-dimensional formative assessments (FAs). In order to promote this p...
Competing Nodal d-Wave Superconductivity and Antiferromagnetism.

Competing unconventional superconductivity and antiferromagnetism widely exist in several strongly correlated quantum materials whose direct simulation generally suffers from fermion sign problem. Here, we report unbiased quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) simulations on a sign-problem-free repulsive toy model with same on site symmetries as the standard Hubbard model on a 2D square lattice. Using QMC simulations, supplemented with mean-field and continuum field-theory arguments, we find that it hosts three distinct phases: a nodal $d$-wave phase, an antiferromagnet, and an intervening phase which hosts coexisting antiferromagnetism and nodeless $d$-wave superconductivity. The transition from the coexisting phase to the antiferromagnet is described by the $2+1\text{\ensuremath{-}}D$ $XY$ universality class, while the one from the coexisting phase to the nodal $d$-wave phase is described by the Heisenberg-Gross-Neveu theory. The topology of our phase diagram resembles that of layered organic materials which host pressure tuned Mott transition from antiferromagnet to unconventional superconductor at half-filling.
Pointwise Fabrication and Fluidic Shaping of Carbon Nanotube Field Emitters

We introduce a new method for fabricating fiber-like field emitters using pointwise deposition of aqueous suspensions of carbon nanotubes (CNTs). Liquid ink is held between a flat base and an upper locating pin as the ink solvent dries and CNTs densify via capillary forces. The resulting field emitters have high aspect ratios, dense packing of CNTs and, importantly, a large base providing mechanical stability and enhanced thermal/electrical contact compared to emitters fabricated from wet-spun CNT fibers and CNT forests. These attributes enable excellent field emission properties—namely, a high field enhancement factor and low turn-on voltage—for a range of tested emitter sizes. The noteworthy improvements in emission from these CNT structures alongside the versatile fabrication process motivates future work on emitter array manufacturing and device integration.
Customizing Early Intervention Treatment for Psychosis in the UTHealth – Harris County Psychiatric Center:

High-need, high-cost patients include those with diagnosed serious mental illnesses (e.g., schizophrenia; SMI). They often delay or fail to seek treatment. If they receive treatment, care is often sought from generalist settings (e.g., primary care or emergency medicine) or is suboptimal due to the provision of limited, non-evidence-based intervention and lack of communication, integration, and coordination among providers. This results in high aggregate costs and poor outcomes. Value-based health care requires care coordination to address the medical and social needs of this population. We describe a unique early intervention program for SMI that emanates from an inpatient setting: The Early Onset Treatment Program (EOTP) at the University of Texas Health Science Center at Houston-Harris County Psychiatric Center. The EOTP offers free, phase-specific, multidisciplinary treatment to young adults without health insurance with the aim of improving their long-term outcomes and reducing the rate of rehospitalization. An evaluation of the EOTP indicates program participants were significantly less likely to be rehospitalized at six months (4.73 times less likely) and at 12 months (3.5 times less likely) than a comparison group (p <.001), and participants' scores of symptomatology and disability significantly decreased following treatment.
Overview of results from phase I of the Beam Energy Scan program at RHIC

The first phase of the Beam Energy Scan (BES) program at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) was successfully completed during the years 2010, 2011 and 2014, with Au+Au collisions at center-of-mass energies (√s NN ) of 7.7, 11.5, 14.5, 19.6, 27, and 39 GeV. The BES has three distinct goals: search for the turning off of the signatures of the Quark Gluon Plasma (QGP), search for the first-order phase transition, and search for the critical point. We report several interesting results that address each of these goals of the BES program.
Rocket-borne instrument to detect charged smoke and cloud particles in the mesospheric region

Summary form only given. A design of an instrument is described that is capable of detecting charged sub-visible particles in the upper atmosphere. The instrument is placed at the top of a sounding rocket with a /spl sim/20 cm/sup 2/ entrance slit. The sampled air flows between three pairs of graphite patch electrodes placed one above another, and connected to sensitive electrometers. The pairs of electrodes are biased symmetrically and the bias potential increases downward. The static electric field allows the charge- and mass-selective collection. The first pair of electrodes captures the electrons and light ions. Heavier ions within a mass range of 100-1000 amu are collected on the second pair and smoke particles or heavy cluster ions up to 10000 amu are collected on the third pair. The design of the detector has been optimized with a consideration to the possible coning motion of the rocket, collection efficiency, and gas flow dynamics. Numerical Monte Carlo and Direct Simulation codes were used to study the effect of collisions. The results show that above 50 km collisions with neutrals have only a small effect on the detector performance and that vacuum pumping is not required.
Hourly Rhythms in Blood Pressure in Persons With Normal and Elevated Pressures

Excerpt It has been known that the systemic blood pressure is not fixed, but is subject to variations from moment to moment and from hour to hour. Many workers have called attention to this variabi...
The Origin of White Dwarf Rotation Velocities

The rotation rates of single white dwarfs have been measured, via as teroseismology, to range from 5 hours to 2 days and more (Kawaler 2001, Koester et al. 1998). However, if the progenitor stars always rotate as solid bodies, the rotation period should be much longer. Considering another limit, conservation of specific angular momentum j(=J/M), AGB stars should develop steep angular velocity gradients between the core and the envelope. Such gradients could trigger dynamo magnetic field generation — and thereby provide a shaping mechanism to produce assymetric planetary nebulae at the end of AGB evolution (Blackman et al. 2001).
An explanation-based constraint debugger

Constraints have become a central feature of advanced simulation-based verification. Effective debugging of constraints is an ongoing challenge. In this paper we present GenDebugger - an innovative GUI-based tool for debugging constraints. GenDebugger shows how a set of constraints is solved in a step by step flow, allowing the user to easily pick out steps that are key to the buggy behavior. It is unique in that it is designed for dealing with various types of constraint-related problems, not only constraint-conflicts or performance issues. GenDebugger utilizes principles from the explanation-based debug paradigm [1], in that it displays information justifying each step of the solution. A unique contribution is that it enables the user to easily combine separate explanations of individual steps into a comprehensive full explanation of the constraint-solver's behavior. GenDebugger was lately released for full production, after an extensive process of evaluation with early access users. Our own experience and our users feedback indicate that GenDebugger provides highly valuable help in resolving problems found in constraints.
Laser cooling of a solid by 21 K starting from room temperature

We demonstrate the laser cooling of an impurity-doped insulator by 0.3 K below room temperature. The cooling effect takes advantage of anti-Stokes photoluminescence of laser-excited Yb/sup 3+/ impurities and relies on the near-unit fluorescence quantum efficiency for this ion in a highly purified ZrF/sub 4/-BaF/sub 2/-LaF/sub 3/-ALF/sub 3/-NaF-PbF/sub 2/ (ZBLANP) glass host.
Sublingual immunotherapy: current concepts for the U.S. practitioner

Background Estimates of the prevalence of allergic rhinitis in the United States range from 20% to 40%. Allergen-specific immunotherapy (SIT) is typically recommended for patients with allergic rhinitis who fail medical treatment, desire an alternative to pharmacotherapy, or would like to pursue therapy that can potentially change the natural history of the disease. Sublingual immunotherapy (SLIT) involves dosing the allergen under the tongue of the sensitized individual in controlled amounts, frequently, over a period of several years, in order to increase immunologic tolerance and diminish symptoms to that allergen. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of SLIT tablets in 2014, whereas the use of aqueous SLIT by U.S. practitioners is considered an “off-label” use. Methods This study is a review of published English language scientific literature, focusing on systematic reviews and randomized controlled trials of SLIT for inhalant allergic rhinitis. Results SLIT is a safe and effective immune modulating treatment that decreases symptoms and medication use for allergic rhinitis. Further study is needed to determine the relative effectiveness of SLIT compared to subcutaneous immunotherapy, the role of multiple-allergen vs single-allergen SLIT, the use of SLIT in special populations (pregnancy, patients taking beta-blockers), and optimal dosing of U.S. products. Conclusion SLIT is safe and effective, and offers a convenient alternative to injection immunotherapy for appropriate patients with allergic rhinitis.
Glucose-6 phosphate dehydrogenase mutations and haplotypes in various ethnic groups

Mutations that produce glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase (G6PD) deficiency have been identified in samples from patients with hemolytic disease in the United States, and in G6PD-deficient samples from Greece, the Canary Islands, the Czech and Slovak Republics, South China, and in samples from the Coriell Cell Repository. Eight new mutations are described. Particularly unusual were a nonsense mutation ("G6PD Georgia"1284A), a deletion of six bases ("G6PD Stony Brook" 724-729 del) coding for two amino acids, and a deletion of the invariant dinucleotide ApG at the 3' acceptor splice site in the highly conserved sequence between intron 10 and exon 11 ("G6PD Varnsdorf"). In addition, five new missense point mutations were identified: "G6PD Cleveland"820A creates a deduced AA 274 Glu-->Lys; "G6PD West Virginia"910T AA 303 Val-->Phe; "G6PD Fushan"1004A, AA 335 Ala-->Asp; "G6PD Olomouc"1141C AA 381 Leu-->Phe; and "G6PD Praha"1166G AA 389 Glu-->Gly. All of the new mutations except for "G6PD Fushan"1004A were found in patients with hereditary nonspherocytic hemolytic anemia. A coincidental finding in the case of G6PD "West Virginia" was a C-->T transition at nucleotide 1,191. This silent mutation, Asn-->Asn, appears to be rare. Haplotype analysis of mutations in samples from the Canary Islands and South China agreed with previous findings.
Protection of Alcohols Using 2‐Benzyloxy‐1‐Methylpyridinium Trifluoromethanesulfonate: Methyl (R)‐(−)‐3‐Benzyloxy‐2‐Methyl Propanote

Benzyl alcohol 2-Chloropyridine 2-Benzyloxypyridine 2-Benzyloxy-1-methylpyridinium trifluoromethanesulfonate Methyl (R)-(−)-3-benzyloxy-2-methyl propanoate Magnesium oxide Methyl (R)-(−)-3-hydroxy-2-methyl propionate Keywords: alcohol protection; benzylation reactions; benzyl ethers; Williamson ether synthesis; coupling; trifluoromethanesulfonic acid; benzyloxymethylpyridinium triflate; waste disposal
The Dilma Effect: Symbolic, Descriptive, and Substantive Representation Under Rousseff's Presidency

This paper examines Dilma Rousseff, the first female president of Brazil. The case of Dilma Rousseff presents scholars a unique opportunity to examine the potential representational effects offered by strong women presidents. Through an analysis of original interviews conducted in Brazil, we offer preliminary assessments of how gender shapes her actions on behalf of women’s representation thus far. We find evidence supporting the notion for a “Dilma Effect,” suggesting that Dilma Rousseff indeed represents women symbolically, descriptively, and substantively.
Summary-based pointer analysis framework for modular bug finding

Modern society is irreversibly dependent on computers and, consequently, on software. However, as the complexity of programs increase, so does the number of defects within them. To alleviate the problem, automated techniques are constantly used to improve software quality. Static analysis is one such approach in which violations of correctness properties are searched and reported. Static analysis has many advantages, but it is necessarily conservative because it symbolically executes the program instead of using real inputs, and it considers all possible executions simultaneously. Being conservative often means issuing false alarms, or missing real program errors. Pointer variables are a challenging aspect of many languages that can force static analysis tools to be overly conservative. It is often unclear what variables are affected by pointer-manipulating expressions, and aliasing between variables is one of the banes of program analysis. To alleviate that, a common solution is to allow the programmer to provide annotations such as declaring a variable as unaliased in a given scope, or providing special constructs such as the "never-null" pointer of Cyclone. However, programmers rarely keep these annotations up-to-date. The solution is to provide some form of pointer analysis, which derives useful information about pointer variables in the program. An appropriate pointer analysis equips the static tool so that it is capable of reporting more errors without risking too many false alarms. This dissertation proposes a methodology for pointer analysis that is specially tailored for "modular bug finding." It presents a new analysis space for pointer analysis, defined by finer-grain "dimensions of precision," which allows us to explore and evaluate a variety of different algorithms to achieve better trade-offs between analysis precision and efficiency. This framework is developed around a new abstraction for computing points-to sets, the Assign-Fetch Graph, that has many interesting features. Empirical evaluation shows promising results, as some unknown errors in well-known applications were discovered.
Neutrophils activate alveolar macrophages by producing caspase-6-mediated cleavage of IL-1 receptor-associated kinase-M.

Alveolar macrophages (AMs) are exposed to respirable microbial particles. Similar to phagocytes in the gastrointestinal tract, AMs can suppress inflammation after exposure to nonpathogenic organisms. IL-1R–associated kinase-M (IRAK-M) is one inhibitor of innate immunity, normally suppressing pulmonary inflammation. During pneumonia, polymorphonuclear neutrophils (PMNs) are recruited by chemotactic factors released by AMs to produce an intense inflammation. We report that intact IRAK-M is strongly expressed in resting human AMs but is cleaved in patients with pneumonia via PMN-mediated induction of caspase-6 (CASP-6) activity. PMN contact is necessary and PMN membranes are sufficient for CASP-6 induction in macrophages. PMNs fail to induce TNF-α fully in macrophages expressing CASP-6 cleavage-resistant IRAK-M. Without CASP-6 expression, PMN stimulation fails to cleave IRAK-M, degrade IκBα, or induce TNF-α. CASP-6 −/− mice subjected to cecal ligation and puncture have impaired TNF-α production in the lung and decreased mortality. LPS did not induce or require CASP-6 activity demonstrating that TLR2/4 signaling is independent from the CASP-6 regulated pathway. These data define a central role for CASP-6 in PMN-driven macrophage activation and identify IRAK-M as an important target for CASP-6. PMNs de-repress AMs via CASP-6–mediated IRAK-M cleavage. This regulatory system will blunt lung inflammation unless PMNs infiltrate the alveolar spaces.
Optimal Dosage of Erythromycin Thiocyanate in a New Feed Additive to Control Bacterial Kidney Disease

Abstract An experimental feed additive containing erythromycin thiocyanate was formulated into fish feeds and tested to determine the optimal dosage and length of administration to treat acute infections of Renibacterium salmoninarum in chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha. Trials were conducted on groups of yearling salmon acclimated and held in the laboratory at 10°C or 14°C in both the winter and spring. Parametric and nonparametric statistical analyses were used to assess survival rates during the tests and to evaluate the condition of fish alive at the completion of the trials. Survival was highest in trials of fish held at 10°C and among those fish that consumed higher quantities of erythromycin for 28 d of continuous therapy. Because portions of the daily rations were more likely to be refused when target dosages exceeded 100 mg/kg body weight, particularly in winter conditions, we recommend a standard therapeutic dosage of 100 mg/kg for 28 d.
Bufo alvarius: a potent hallucinogen of animal origin

Anthropologists have long speculated that ancient peoples of Mesoameria used a toad, Bufo marinus, as a ritual intoxicant. This hypothesis rests on many iconographic and mythological representations of toads and on a number of speculative ethnographic reports. The authors reject B. marinus as a candidate for such use because of the toxicity of its venom. A more likely candidate is the Sonoran desert toad, Bufo alvarius, which secretes large amounts of the potent known hallucinogen, 5-methoxy-N,N-dimethyltryptamine (5-MeO-DMT). The authors demonstrate that the venom of B. alvarius, although known to be toxic when consumed orally, may be safely smoked and is powerfully psychoactive by that route of administration. These experiments are the first documentation of an hallucinogenic agent from the animal kingdom, and they provide clear evidence of a psychoactive toad that could have been employed by Precolumbian peoples of the New World.
A posteriori processing of spatiotemporal digital microholograms

In an accompanying paper [G. Indebetouw and P. Klysubun, J. Opt. Soc. Am. A 18, 319 (2001)], the theoretical background of a spatiotemporal digital microholographic method was described, and some experimental results were presented. Here the usefulness of the method for microholographic imaging of biological specimens such as cells is demonstrated. The vast possibility of a posteriori processing of the microholograms is discussed. Dark-field, phase-contrast, and interference-contrast images, as well as quantitative phase maps, all obtained a posteriori from the same microhologram, are illustrated as examples.
Is hepatitis B immunoglobulin prophylaxis needed for liver transplantation in the era of new antivirals

Chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) is one of the most common causes of cirrhosis of the liver and hepatocellular carcinoma worldwide, frequently requiring liver transplantation. Other nonliver organ transplants get infected de novo or through reactivation from previous active or inactive infections. With significant improvements in the surgical techniques and immunosuppressive regimens over the last 20 years, organ transplantation has become the most effective and lifesaving therapy for patients with chronic renal failure, cirrhosis, hepatocarcinoma, and heart failure. Until recently chronic HBV infection was considered a formal contraindication for liver transplantation, since recurrence of infection without prophylaxis occurs in 75% to 90% of the patients, with significant morbidity and mortality and few therapeutic alternatives. However, the introduction of hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) a decade ago to reduce the risk of reinfection of liver grafts, and more recently the availability of nucleoside analogues with few side effects and easy administration, have led to a dramatic improvement in patient outcomes with a risk of long-term HBV reinfection of less than 10% with combined HBIG and lamivudine prophylaxis. Chronic HBV infection in kidney, heart, and other organs has become a serious long-term problem and one of the most frequent and important comorbidities affecting graft and patient survival. Fortunately the introduction of nucleoside analogues allows significant control of viral replication and prevents progression of liver disease and other organ damage. In the present article we discuss the current indications for HBV prophylaxis and treatment prior to and after organ transplantation, as well as the most cost-effective way to apply different regimens to reduce side effects and improve survival and quality of life after transplantation.
Calorimetric Measurement of the Plastic Vtork of Fatigue Crack Propagation in 4140 Steel

A calorimetric technique has been developed for measurement of the effective surface energy of fatigue crack propagation,U, and the cyclic plastic work in the plastic zone,Q. The technique has several distinct advantages over existing methods. Measurements on 4140 steel (650 °C temper) show thatU andQ are direct functions of the stress intensity factor,hK, and indirect functions of crack growth rate,daldN. Measurement of the change ofU andQ after the application of a tensile overload supports this conclusion and provides strong evidence supporting crack closure theories.
The Development of the Peasant Commune in Russia

This article argues that the development of the peasant commune in Russia, with its periodic repartition of serf holdings, hierarchy of authority, and dependence on corvee as a form of obligation, was a consequence of enslavement of the Russian peasant. These features of the commune are seen as reducing the costs of both monitoring labor effort, and maintaining the productive capacity of the serf. The chronology of their development and their association with the more fertile land of European Russia and with private as opposed to state ownership provide evidence for the argument.
Physical properties of active stars and stellar systems

We study spectra of 18 active stars and stellar systems, drawn from lists of known active binaries or newly discovered extreme-ultraviolet and soft X-ray sources. Using spectral synthesis and template modelling, we measure (often for the first time) a variety of physical properties of the stars, including spectral types, luminosities and v sin i values. We report direct observation of previously undetected secondary components in three systems, and refine the orbital elements for two of these (HR 7275 and HD 217344).
Operating Characteristic Curves for Reliability Measurement

Here are seven charts on operating characteristic curves. They illustrate the definitions, of course. They show some of the relations between quality control and reliability. But most important, the charts cover the usual range of reliability measurements. Here, you have a useful tool for reli ability demonstration tests, qualification and acceptance tests, and other life tests. All of these charts cover reliability measurement problems that have come up in AC's reliability programs. The emphasis is on usefulness.
Effects of plume impingement on a momentum bias communications satellite

The Satcom communications satellite is structured such that the solar array panels are affected by significant impingement due to the inclination control jets. Theoretical predictions of the plume induced disturbance torques and forces were estimated via computer modeling. These predictions were doubled for use as the design criteria for the attitude control subsystem and for the allocation of fuel. Once the satellite was in geosynchronous orbit, several tests were performed to check and validate both the attitude control design and the plume modeling. The results of these tests indicated that the actual plume disturbances were approximately equal to the design criteria values (double the theoretically predicted values) and within the limits of the control system. In addition, it was indicated that the solar array surface properties/geometry modeling is critical in precise predictions of plume impingement effects.
Characterization of the Ni-Fe-C complex formed by reaction of carbon monoxide with the carbon monoxide dehydrogenase from Clostridium thermoaceticum by Q-band ENDOR.

Q-Band ENDOR studies on carbon monoxide dehydrogenase (CODH) from the acetogenic bacterium Clostridium thermoaceticum provided unambiguous evidence that the reaction of CO with CODH produces a novel metal center that includes at least one nickel, at least three iron sites, and the carbon of one CO. The 57Fe hyperfine couplings determined by ENDOR are similar to the values used in simulation of the Mossbauer spectra [Lindahl et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 3880-3888]. EPR simulation using these AFe values is equally good for a 4Fe or a 3Fe center. The 13C ENDOR data are consistent with the binding of a carbon atom to either the Ni or the Fe component of the spin-coupled cluster. The 13C hyperfine couplings are similar to those determined earlier for the C0-bound form of the H cluster of the Clostridium pasteurianum hydrogenase, proposed to be the active site of hydrogen activation [Telser et al. (1987) J. Biol. Chem. 262, 6589-5694]. The 61 Ni ENDOR data are the first nickel ENDOR recorded for an enzyme. The EPR simulation using the ENDOR-derived hyperfine values for 61Ni is consistent with a single nickel site in the Ni-Fe-C complex. On the basis of our results and the Mossbauer data [Lindahl et al. (1989) J. Biol. Chem. 265, 3880-3888], we propose the stoichiometry of the components of the Ni-Fe-C complex to be Ni1Fe3-4S greater than or equal to 4C1, with four acid-labile sulfides.
Contributions of scanning electron microscopy to corneal pathology

Abstract The increasing use of scanning electron microscopy in pathology has provided new avenues of observation and evaluation for the pathologist and researcher. The cell surface changes noted by scanning electron microscopy can contribute to an overall understanding of the pathoanatomy and pathophysiology of disease states when correlated with light microscopy and transmission electron microscopy. Our laboratory routinely evaluates corneal pathology specimens by correlative light, transmission and scanning electron microscopy. This procedure has provided new and in some cases previously undocumented corneal pathologic surface morphology of epithelial downgrowth, experimental epithelial-endothelial interactions and ichthyosiform erythroderma.
Two-dimensional resolution of isotropic and anisotropic chemical shifts in magic angle spinning NMR

Abstract We describe a two-dimensional (2D) magic angle spinning nuclear magnetic resonance experiment which yields a complete separation of isotropic and anisotropic chemical shifts. The experiment relies upon the fact that the evolution of magnetization which occurs under the TOSS sequence can be reversed by the application of a “mirror image” sequence. This leads to a 2D spectrum with isotropic and anisotropic shifts in ω 2 and isotropic shifts alone in ω 1 .
An Efficient Method for Predicting Fracture of Hard Food Source

In this paper we present a fast and reliable method for estimating the bite force required to fracture hard foods. The process involves complementary physical testing and finite element modeling. For physical testing, metal castings of upper or lower teeth are prepared. Metal tooth castings are mounted on a pivoting fixture interfaced to an Instron machine to simulate bite mechanics and thus to fracture hard food specimens. For the finite element model the tooth surfaces are modeled as rigid surface bodies in a nonlinear multi-load step contact analysis, while the food item is modeled as an elastic body. However, because only tooth surface information is needed in the model, we are able to automatically develop the geometry of the tooth surface using a tactile digitizing stylus with stereo lithographic surface profile information directly exported and subsequently imported into the FEA tool. We therefore avoid the need to laser scan tooth geometry which introduces significant “noise” into the surface model representation that must be painstakingly “cleaned” manually using software tools. The physical testing provides the force required to fracture the food item, while the finite element model provides the complete stress and strain state of the food item at the moment of fracture. Using this approach we have simulated the tooth biting mechanics of fossil primates to estimate biting force required to initiate a crack in a hard food source such as a macadamia nut. These analyses are designed to measure how occlusal morphology affects feeding performance, as the bite force needed to initiate a crack may vary according to tooth shape. The bite forces found using this approach will be used as an input for full-skull finite element models of early hominids (extinct fossil relatives of humans). The results of this work will be useful in testing the hypothesis that derived craniodental features in some of these hominids are adaptations for feeding on hard, brittle, seasonally available foods.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
SaveDisney.com and Activist Challenges: A Habermasian Perspective on Corporate Legitimacy

This study develops a Habermasian framework for evaluating and generating challenges to organizational legitimacy. The launch of the SaveDisney.com web site represents an innovative example of an Internet-based activist public successfully challenging a corporation's legitimacy and advocating for changes in corporate governance. Legitimacy research has focused on strategies used by organizations to build legitimacy (e.g., Dowling & Pfeffer, 1975; Metzler, 2001), but scholars rarely address how publics challenge legitimacy claims. Using Habermas' conceptualization of communicative action and legitimacy to explore the SaveDisney.com case offers insight into ways that activist publics successfully challenge and reject the legitimacy claims of powerful corporations.
AN IMPROVED SYNTHESIS OF INDOLE-3-CARBOXYLIC ACIDS

(1970). AN IMPROVED SYNTHESIS OF INDOLE-3-CARBOXYLIC ACIDS. Organic Preparations and Procedures: Vol. 2, No. 4, pp. 297-303.
Comparison of online and face-to-face dissemination of a theory-based after school nutrition and physical activity training and curriculum.

This study was conducted to compare two different online delivery methods to train after school program leaders (ASPLs) to implement a nutrition and physical activity curriculum for children to each other and to a face-to-face (FTF) training model. A three-group design was used in which ASPLs from 12 states were randomized to either standard (n = 34) or an enhanced interaction (n = 31) online training, while a FTF group (n = 24) served as comparison. All ASPLs completed training and implemented curriculum lessons over 16 weeks from March to June 2007. Weekly evaluations and pre and post-intervention questionnaires compared number of lessons implemented, subjective ratings of lesson success, and pre and post leader nutrition and physical activity knowledge. Multivariate linear regression analyses were used for among-group comparisons, paired Ttests for within-group knowledge change. Knowledge scores increased significantly (p < .001) within each group. All ASPLs fulfilled the goal of conducting at least 9 ...
Properties of rapidly solidified Nd-Fe-Ga-Co-B alloys

Investigations carried out to study the properties of rapidly solidified Nd-Fe-B alloys containing gallium and cobalt are reported. The gallium content that gives maximum room-temperature B/sub r/ and BH/sub max/ was found to be 0.6 wt.%. Further investigations were carried out with 0.6 wt.% gallium and varying cobalt contents. Transmission electron micrographs of the ribbons indicate a three-phase structure as compared to the two-phase structure in Nd-Fe-B alloys. The three phases are Nd/sub 2/(Fe,Co)/sub 14/B, Nd(Fe,Co)/sub 4/B, and a neodymium-iron-gallium grain boundary phase. The latter phase is depleted in iron, which is believed to increase the coercive force by increasing its effectiveness as a pinning site. Anisotropic magnets were prepared from the above alloys by hot deformation techniques. Energy products up to 40 MGOe were achieved with a magnet uniformity of +or-1.5 MGOe through the cross section. >
Prospective contouring rounds: A novel, high-impact tool for optimizing quality assurance

Abstract Purpose This study was designed to present the results of a novel prospective contouring rounds (CR), in which peer review occurs once the contours and written directive are completed but before initiation of treatment planning. Methods and materials Beginning in 2012, all patients undergoing conventionally fractionated radiation therapy at a high-volume academic center were reviewed in a newly initiated daily, prospective, multidisciplinary CR. Cases were scheduled for presentation 2 days after simulation with the expectation that contours would be complete. The clinical suitability of the clinical plan, prescription, contours, and written directive were evaluated and recorded in a prospective database. Treatment planning did not commence until CR approval. Patient information and the prospective database from the first 6 months since program inception, which represented 581 consecutive treatment plans, were pooled and analyzed retrospectively to determine the impact of the prospective peer review at this stage of care delivery. Results Sixty-four percent of cases were completed on time without correction. The remaining 36% of cases required modification before treatment planning was initiated. Incomplete contours, target-volume modifications, and alterations to the written directive were the most common corrections or reasons for delay. Decreasing rates of incomplete contours, contour modifications, and miscellaneous delays were seen over time as the program became established. The percentage of cases that had no delays or modifications increased continuously as the program matured in the first 6 months, from 59% to 70%. Conclusions Prospective CR is a meaningful and impactful tool in the quality assurance process. More than one-third of cases required contour, directive, or scheduling modification. The establishment of CR improved quality of care, with the percentage of timely, errorless cases increasing steadily over time. The impact of clinical peer review may be optimized by implementation at this early stage of delivery of care rather than at the time of traditional chart rounds.
Antimicrobial peptides and induced membrane curvature: geometry, coordination chemistry, and molecular engineering.

Short cationic, amphipathic antimicrobial peptides are multi-functional molecules that have roles in host defense as direct microbicides and modulators of the immune response. While a general mechanism of microbicidal activity involves the selective disruption and permeabilization of cell membranes, the relationships between peptide sequence and membrane activity are still under investigation. Here, we review the diverse functions that AMPs collectively have in host defense, and show that these functions can be multiplexed with a membrane mechanism of activity derived from the generation of negative Gaussian membrane curvature. As AMPs preferentially generate this curvature in model bacterial cell membranes, the selective generation of negative Gaussian curvature provides AMPs with a broad mechanism to target microbial membranes. The amino acid constraints placed on AMPs by the geometric requirement to induce negative Gaussian curvature are consistent with known AMP sequences. This ‘saddle-splay curvature selection rule’ is not strongly restrictive so AMPs have significant compositional freedom to multiplex membrane activity with other useful functions. The observation that certain proteins involved in cellular processes which require negative Gaussian curvature contain domains with similar motifs as AMPs, suggests this rule may be applicable to other curvature-generating proteins. Since our saddle-splay curvature design rule is based upon both a mechanism of activity and the existing motifs of natural AMPs, we believe it will assist the development of synthetic antimicrobials.
PROGRESSIVE TEARING FAILURE OF PULTRUDED COMPOSITE BOX BEAMS: EXPERIMENT AND SIMULATION

The phenomenon of progressive tearing failure in thin-walled, rectangular-cross-section pultruded composite beams has been observed in beams loaded in flexure. In this failure mode, unique to composite materials, tearing refers to the separation of the vertical and horizontal members at the corners of the cross-section. In the experimental part of this investigation, pultruded composite box beams were loaded in three-point bending and subjected to a midspan deflection large enough to cause failure. This test measured the force vs displacement behavior of the beam. Tearing typically begins directly under the loading head and progresses toward the ends of the beam as vertical deflection increases. A methodology to simulate the three-point bending test numerically is being developed. The tearing action was modeled by using the LS-DYNA3D explicit finite-element software package. Comparison of numerically obtained force vs displacement results and experimental data showed that the finite-element model captures the overall behavior of the beam with sufficient accuracy to demonstrate its feasibility.
The unique Duvernoy's secretion of the brown tree snake (Boiga irregularis)

Recently, bites by the colubrid Boiga irregularis (brown tree snake) in infants and young children on Guam have produced severe systemic reactions which bear some resemblance to classical manifestations of neurotoxic venom poisoning. This study demonstrates that the Duvernoy's secretion which elicits these reactions is a remarkably simple venom secretion with comparatively low toxicity and generally weak enzymatic activity. The intravenous LD50 for Swiss-Webster mice was approximately 80 mg/kg; significant neurotoxic manifestations were not observed in mouse trials. Deaths of lethally challenged mice occurred within minutes of injection, and appeared to result from cardiopulmonary crises. Duvernoy's secretion yields, protein content, enzyme activities, electrophoretic data and toxicity characteristics of the secretion are presented.
S-Alkylation and S-Amination of Methyl Thioethers − Derivatives of closo-[B12H12]2-. Synthesis of a Boronated Phosphonate, gem-Bisphosphonates, and Dodecaborane-ortho-carborane Oligomers

A variety of S-alkylated products was prepared by alkylation of methyl thioethers [MeSB12H11]2- (5), [1-(MeS)-2(7,12)-(Me2S)B12H10]- (6−8), and [1,2(7,12)-(MeS)2B12H10]2- (9−11) with alkyl halides and tosylates in acetonitrile. Since these methyl thioethers can be prepared easily in B-10-enriched form on a large scale and due to their chemical versatility, they are potentially very attractive boron entities for the design and synthesis of therapeutics for boron neutron capture therapy of cancer. It was found that alkylation of 6−8 can be complicated by an equilibrium which establishes between, on the one hand, one of the former species and, on the other hand, 1,2(7,12)-(Me2S)2B12H10 (2−4) and [1,2(7,12)-(MeS)2B12H10]2- (9−11). A boronated phosphonate 1-(MeS(CH2)4P(O)(OEt)2)-7-(Me2S)B12H10 (14g) and a gem-bisphosphonate 1-(MeS(CH2)3CH[P(O)(OEt)2]2)-7-(Me2S)B12H10 (14h) were prepared from thioether 7 and the corresponding iodide and tosylate, respectively, and subsequently converted to their sodium salts. T...
Vectorized transforms in scalar processors

We disclose a generalized approach to creating efficient implementations of linear, orthogonal transforms, with specific examples discussed for the 8 x 8 DCT used in image compression. We connect this with a method for performing signed, parallel processing in scalar, off-the-shelf processors for integer transforms. Uniform data precision may be used, but is not required for the method. The coefficients resulting from the new algorithm converge more quickly than the approximation made to the coefficients. Furthermore, the new algorithm allows more control of the specific representation chosen for the coefficients, as is detailed below. The methods described were designed for addressing this need with two's-complement arithmetic. Data that can be processed in parallel, because of the algorithm structure, are packed in a "vector" format, described, into registers. Many signed arithmetic operations can be performed on these vectors, including addition, subtraction, multiplication by scalars, shifting, and others. When the parallel processing is completed, the vectors can be unpacked into scalar values for storage or subsequent processing. The importance of these methods lies in their handling of carries and borrows in the packed vector format. The generalized method is described. Notation is given at the beginning to establish consistency through the article. We discuss a generalized approach to integer transforms, using the DCT as a specific example. Then we detail the vector format, which allows vector computation in scalar processors of parallelizable algorithms. The IDCT is used as a numerical example in the discussion of the vector format. The results were developed for high-end printers (e.g., more than 100 pages per minute), where image compression and decompression must be performed in real time, either in FPGAs, or in embedded processors; however, the methods are applicable to a broad range of signal processing systems.
Response to Tracy's under the "big tent": establishing universal criteria for evaluating qualitative research

In this paper, we consider Tracy’s proposal for universal criteria to judge the goodness of qualitative studies, and we explore her criteria by applying them to our own work. As a test of Tracy’s claim to universality, we situate her ideas within a womanist caring framework, using it as an exemplar to theorize deliberately Tracy’s criteria. We do this to evaluate just how theoretically limber Tracy’s criteria actually are. We conclude that Tracy’s criteria are useful because they are universal but not fixed and we build on her thinking to foreground ethics as an overarching framework for criteria rather than a standalone category. We highlight the urgency of returning the debate about criteria for qualitative work to the qualitative research community during a period when the legitimacy of qualitative work is under assault.