cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Associations between multipollutant day types and select cardiorespiratory outcomes in Columbia, South Carolina, 2002 to 2013.

Background Health studies of air pollution are increasingly aiming to study associations between air pollutant mixtures and health. Objective Estimate associations between observed combinations of ambient air pollutants and select cardiorespiratory outcomes in Columbia, SC during 2002 to 2013. Methods We estimate associations using a two-stage approach. First, we identified a collection of observed pollutant combinations, which we define as multipollutant day types (MDTs), by applying a self-organizing map (SOM) to daily measures of nitrogen dioxide (NO2), sulfur dioxide (SO2), ozone (O3), and particulate matter ≤ 2.5 microns (PM2.5). Then, overdispersed Poisson time-series models were used to estimate associations between MDTs and each outcome using a 'clean' MDT referent and controlling for long-term, seasonal, and day-of-the-week trends and meteorology. Outcomes included daily emergency department visits for asthma and upper respiratory infection (URI), and hospital admissions for congestive heart failure (CHF) and ischemic heart disease (IHD). Results We found that a number of MDTs were significantly and positively associated (point estimates ranged from~2-5%) with cardiorespiratory outcomes in Columbia when compared to days with low pollution. Estimated associations revealed that outcomes for asthma, URIs, and IHD increased 2-4% on warm, dry days experiencing elevated levels of O3 and PM2.5. We also found that cooler days with higher NO2 pollution associated with increased asthma, CHF, and IHD outcomes (2-5%). Conclusion Our analysis continues support for using self-organizing maps to develop multipollutant exposure metrics and further illustrates how such metrics can be applied to explore associations between pertinent pollutant combinations and health.
Creation and Piloting of a Model for Simulating a Minimally Invasive Myomectomy

Introduction In the era of mandatory work hour restrictions for residency programs, the opportunity for mastery of complex surgical skills in the operating room (OR) has been compromised. All the while, gynecologic surgical techniques have continued to expand. Surgical simulation offers an adjuvant modality for helping young surgeons hone their surgical techniques. We sought to design, construct, and pilot a model for simulating a minimally invasive myomectomy procedure for the purpose of resident training. We undertook a preliminary evaluation of the model's validity. Methods Gynecologic surgical simulation models were constructed from polyvinyl alcohol poured into 3D-printed injection molds. A total of 12 laparoscopic and 12 robot-assisted simulated myomectomies were performed using the models. Face and content validity were evaluated with post-simulation questionnaires. Construct validity was assessed by comparing procedural metrics (time to completion and estimated blood loss) between residents and attending surgeons. Results In the post-simulation survey, the majority of attending surgeons agreed the model was realistic (83.3%) and included the critical steps of a myomectomy (87.5%). Most residents agreed they would feel more prepared for a myomectomy if they practiced on the model beforehand (87.5%) and the majority of attending surgeons agreed they would feel comfortable giving a resident more operative autonomy if the resident had previously completed the simulation (71.4%). Procedural metrics were not significantly associated with expertise level. Conclusion We were able to successfully create a model for simulating a minimally invasive myomectomy. Initial simulations using the model were well received by participants. Further development and investigation of the model will be pursued to determine if this is a valid and useful tool for teaching and practicing a minimally invasive myomectomy.
Probing RNA structure and interaction dynamics at the single molecule level

RNA structures and their dynamic fluctuations lie at the heart of understanding key biological process such as transcription, splicing, translation and RNA decay. While conventional bulk assays have proven to identify and characterize key pathway intermediates, the generally dynamic nature of RNA structures renders the information obtained from time and ensemble averaging techniques necessarily lacking in critical details. Here we detail Single-Molecule Kinetic Analysis of RNA Transient Structure (SiM-KARTS), a method that readily monitors structural fluctuations of single RNA molecules through the repetitive interaction of fluorescent probes with an unlabeled, surface-immobilized RNA target of virtually any length and in any biological context. In addition, we demonstrate the broad applicability of SiM-KARTS by kinetically fingerprinting the binding of cognate tRNA ligand to single immobilized T-box riboswitch molecules. SiM-KARTS represents a valuable tool for probing biologically relevant structure and interaction features of potentially many diverse RNA metabolic pathways.
Structured Reporting for Cardiac CT

Structured cardiac CT reporting allows effective communication with referring physicians, ensures consistency, enables quality improvement, and facilitates research and education. Essential elements involved in structured reporting of cardiac CT examinations, including the use of standardized reporting templates and terminology, are described in this chapter.
Invertebrate systematics or spineless taxonomy

What progress has been made since these words were written by Wilson more than twenty years ago? The answer is a mixed one. We have so far to go in our inventory of Earth’s species that it is easy to be discouraged by advances measured in hundreds of thousands of new species rather than millions. Yet there has been progress and the potential exists for rapid advances. Excellent work continues to be done as evidenced by this special issue of ZooTaxa and the burgeoning popularity of this e-journal. Innovative new funding has appeared at the U. S. National Science Foundation including the Partnerships to Enhance Expertise in Taxonomy (PEET), Assembling the Tree of Life (AToL), and particularly encouraging, the Revisionary Syntheses in Systematics (RevSys) and Planetary Biodiversity Inventory (PBI) projects that focus specifically on descriptive taxonomy. Most promising is an emerging new field, cybertaxonomy, that represents the convergence of traditional taxonomic goals with new, equally ambitious ones, fueled by the full potential of cyberinfrastructure, digital technology, information science, and computer engineering (Atkins et al. 2003, Page et al. 2005, Wheeler 2004, Wheeler et al. 2004).
Tuna Consumption, Mercury Exposure, and Knowledge about Mercury Exposure Risk from Tuna Consumption in University Students

We examined the relationships among tuna consumption, hair mercury levels, and knowledge of mercury exposure risk from tuna consumption in university students that were offered tuna daily at university-run dining halls. Hair total mercury levels in tuna consumers were higher than those in non-tuna consumers (average = 0.466 µg/g ± 0.328 standard deviation [SD], n = 20 vs 0.110 µg/g ± 0.105 SD, n = 33, respectively; p 20 tuna meals/wk, which was related to hair mercury levels >1 µg/g, a level of concern. Study participants had an overall lack of knowledge and confidence in their knowledge about mercury exposure risk from tuna consumption, with >99% of participants reporting low knowledge and low confidence in survey answers. Our study highlights the importance of education about the risks of tuna consumption, particularly in institutional settings where individuals have unlimited access to tuna products. Environ Toxicol Chem 2019;38:1988-1994. © 2019 SETAC.
In Reply: Internal Auditory Canal Variability: Anatomic Variation Affects Cisternal Facial Nerve Visualization.

BACKGROUND The internal auditory canal (IAC) is an important landmark during surgery for lesions of the cerebellopontine angle. There is significant variability in the position and orientation of the IAC radiographically, and the authors have noted differences in surgical exposure depending on the individual anatomy of the IAC. OBJECTIVE To test the hypothesis that IAC position and orientation affects the surgical exposure of the IAC and facial nerve, especially when performing the translabyrinthine approach. METHODS The authors retrospectively reviewed magnetic resonance imaging studies of 50 randomly selected patients with pathologically confirmed vestibular schwannomas. Measurements, including the anterior (APD) and posterior (PPD) petrous distances, the anterior (APA) and posterior (PPA) petro-auditory angles, and the internal auditory angle (IAA), were obtained to quantify the position and orientation of the IAC within the petrous temporal bone. RESULTS The results quantitatively demonstrate tremendous variability of the position and orientation of the IAC in the petrous temporal bone. The measurement ranges were APD 10.2 to 26.1 mm, PPD 15.1 to 37.2 mm, APA 104 to 157°, PPA 30 to 96°, and IAA -5 to 40°. CONCLUSION IAC variability can have a substantial effect on the surgical exposure of the IAC and facial and vestibulocochlear nerves. Specifically, a horizontally oriented IAC with a small IAA may have significant impact on visualization of the facial nerve within its cisternal segment with the translabyrinthine approach. The retrosigmoid approach is less affected with IAC variability in position and angle.
A primer for transitioning to online science labs: “Identifying potential types of guidance for supporting student inquiry when using virtual and remote labs in science”

This paper is in response to the manuscript entitled “Identifying potential types of guidance for supporting student inquiry when using virtual and remote labs in science: a literature review” (Zacharia et al., Identifying potential types of guidance for supporting student inquiry when using virtual and remote labs in science: A literature review. Educational Technology Research and Development, 63(2), 257–302, 2015) from a design perspective. The review article identified specific types of guidance to support all forms of inquiry in online labs within the computer supported inquiry learning (CoSIL) environments. During the sudden shift to digital educators and students faced challenges due to lack of preparation to cultivate skills for teaching and learning in the online format. Educators developing and delivering instructions require a range of tools to operationalize the inquiry process in online science labs. Application of the tools provided in this review will support educators venturing into designing online science labs for engaging learners in scientific inquiry. This review have immense impact on how instructors can provide guidance to support learners’ inquiry in online science labs. The limitations include further investigation and modification of several tools that the review provided for implementation in future. Further research is needed to design and facilitate model CoSIL environment for online science labs to support and sustain the process of inquiry learning. This review has significant implication in providing comprehensive information amidst traversing crisis in context to shifting to online labs for supporting inquiry phases as documented in the CoSIL research.
Isolated Congenital Cleft Mitral Valve Leaflet: A Rare Cause of Refractory Cardiogenic Shock Complicating Acute Myocardial Infarction

We report a unique presentation of isolated congenital cleft mitral valve complicating cardiogenic shock from acute myocardial infarction. Isolated cleft mitral valve is an uncommon diagnosis that can have significant clinical implications, especially if not recognized in patients presenting to the catheterization lab with acute myocardial infarction and cardiogenic shock. A review of this rare diagnosis including the options and timing of therapeutic interventions, which can include MitraClip, is important for publication. The case is of a patient who presented with an anterior acute ST elevation myocardial infarction. Despite early coronary revascularization and conventional support, refractory cardiogenic shock ensued requiring mechanical circulatory support escalation to Veno-arterial extracorporeal membrane oxygenation. Subsequently, left ventriculography revealed a massively dilated left atrium and severe mitral regurgitation raising concerns for a mechanical mitral valve complication. The patient was taken to the operating room for possible mitral valve surgery, but a preoperative transesophageal echocardiogram revealed an isolated posterior cleft mitral valve. Since the patient had stabilized on mechanical circulatory support, emergent surgery was deferred. The patient successfully recovered during index hospitalization with mechanical circulatory support and discharged on guideline directed medical therapy. In conclusion, isolated cleft mitral valve is a rare diagnosis that can often be underrecognized without comprehensive 3-dimensional transesophageal echocardiography evaluation. If diagnosed early with significant regurgitation, surgical treatment results in good outcomes and preservation of LV systolic function. Percutaneous correction of a CMVL with MitraClip has been described and may offer an alternative approach for high risk surgical patients.
BET Bromodomain Targeting Suppresses the PD-1/PD-L1 Pathway in Triple-negative Breast Cancer and Elicits Anti-tumor Immune Response

Therapeutic strategies aiming to leverage anti-tumor immunity are being intensively investigated because they show promising results in several cancer therapies. In tumors able to evade immune clearance, the PD-1/PD-L1 pathway constitutes an important target to restore a functional antitumor immune response. Here, we report that BET protein inhibition suppresses PD-1/PD-L1 in triple-negative breast cancer. BET proteins control PD-1 expression in T cells, and PD-L1 in breast cancer cell models. BET protein targeting reduces T cell-derived interferon-γ production and signaling, thereby suppressing PD-L1 induction in breast cancer cells. Moreover, BET protein inhibition improves tumor cell-specific T cell cytotoxic function. Overall, we demonstrate that BET protein targeting represents a promising strategy to overcome tumor-reactive T cell exhaustion and improve anti-tumor immune responses, by reducing the PD-1/PD-L1 axis in triplenegative breast cancer.
Dust and atmospheric influence on plasma properties observed in light gas gun hypervelocity impact experiments

Abstract Plasma and associated radio frequency (RF) emission produced by hypervelocity impacts of dust and meteoroids are a source of scientific information on stellar dust populations and a potential hazard to spacecraft electrical systems. A previously unexplored aspect of these impacts is the influence that non-vaporized ejecta, or dust, can have on both the plasma and RF emission. Although initially neutral, this dust can gain a charge through collisions with the plasma potentially forming a dusty plasma. Characterizing dust-producing impacts allows for assessing the threat they pose to spacecraft. This paper investigates the influence that a 0.5 Torr background pressure and dust had on the plume evolution of ground-based hypervelocity impact experiments. The effects of material and target charge on dust production and dynamics were explored. Faraday cup plasma sensors were designed and built specifically for these experiments to capture the distribution of charge in the plume and record highly transient charged dust detections. We found that the background gas had a significant effect on the propagation and evolution of the impact plume, slowing the plume from its jetting velocity of 16 km/s down to 10 km/s leading to a Rayleigh-Taylor instability. Charged dust was confirmed by the Faraday cup measurements. Based on high-speed imagery, we observed that plasma was dragged along the trajectory of the expanding dust curtain. The measured signal from this dragged plasma lasted for 10 times longer than plasma that did not contain dust. Plasma with dust was highly negative with current densities measured by the plasma sensors of up to 0.1 A/m2 — 10 to 1000 times more dense than measured on sensors at other elevations — putting spacecraft electronics at greater risk of RF interference and electrical discharges.
Host recognition by Rhinocyllus conicus of floral scents from invasive and threatened thistles

One of the main obstacles of classical biological control is that biological control organisms cannot be recalled once they are released in nature. It is particularly true for the flowerhead weevil, Rhinocyllus conicus Frolich, which was released as a biological control organism for the invasive musk thistle, Carduus nutans L. (MT). While weevils successfully suppressed introduced populations of musk thistles and other invasive thistle species, non-target attacks have been reported on multiple native thistles including federally listed threatened and endangered (T&E) thistle species. To investigate the foraging behavior of female weevils on invasive and native thistles, we examined volatile organic compounds (VOCs) emitted from MT and a T&E plant species, Sacramento Mountains thistle, Cirsium vinaceum Wooton & Standley (SMT) in the Lincoln National Forest, New Mexico. We used a dynamic headspace volatile collection system and gas chromatography-mass spectrometry to compare volatile profiles between MT and SMT. Female weevils reacted to 7 electrophysiologically active chemical compounds in the blends based on gas chromatography-electroantennography. The behavioral response of female weevils was indifferent when VOCs from both thistles were offered in y-tube olfactometry experiments. Yet, they preferred VOCs collected from MT to purified air. The searching time of female weevils was longer to VOCs collected from SMT over controls. Investigating signals during the initial host recognition of released biological control organisms may open new opportunities to reduce non-target attacks on T&E plant species.
Circulating immunity protects the female reproductive tract from Chlamydia infection.

Anatomical positioning of memory lymphocytes within barrier tissues accelerates secondary immune responses and is thought to be essential for protection at mucosal surfaces. However, it remains unclear whether resident memory in the female reproductive tract (FRT) is required for Chlamydial immunity. Here, we describe efficient generation of tissue-resident memory CD4 T cells and memory lymphocyte clusters within the FRT after vaginal infection with Chlamydia. Despite robust establishment of localized memory lymphocytes within the FRT, naive mice surgically joined to immune mice, or mice with only circulating immunity following intranasal immunization, were fully capable of resisting Chlamydia infection via the vaginal route. Blocking the rapid mobilization of circulating memory CD4 T cells to the FRT inhibited this protective response. These data demonstrate that secondary protection in the FRT can occur in the complete absence of tissue-resident immune cells. The ability to confer robust protection to barrier tissues via circulating immune memory provides an unexpected opportunity for vaccine development against infections of the FRT.
Technology and Client Communications: Preparing Law Students and New Lawyers to Make Choices that Comply with the Ethical Duties of Confidentiality, Competence, and Communication

That the use of technology has radically changed the legal profession is beyond dispute. Through technology, lawyers can now represent clients in faraway states and countries, and they can represent even local clients through a “virtual law office.” Gone are the times in which the lawyer’s choices for communicating with clients primarily involved preparing formal business letters to convey advice, holding in-person client meetings in the office, or conducting telephone calls with clients on landlines from the confines of the lawyer’s office. Not only do lawyers have choices about how to communicate with their clients, but they also frequently choose electronic modes of communication.Though using technology for client communications is typically faster and often more convenient than traditional modes of communication, a lawyer’s ethical obligations impact whether or how to use technology. The use of technology impacts three of the lawyer’s most fundamental obligations – the lawyer’s duties to communicate with the client, to protect the confidentiality of that communication, and to provide competent representation. For those reasons, whether a lawyer’s use of technology comports with the lawyer’s ethical requirements has been the source of numerous ethics committee opinions over the last twenty years, as well as a series of amendments to the American Bar Association’s Model Rules of Professional Conduct. Though it is now universally accepted that lawyers can use technology for client communications, the prevalence of technology does not dictate that its use is always appropriate.Part I of this Article analyzes state and ABA ethics opinions that consider the propriety of a lawyer’s use of technology for client communications. Part II discusses changes to the Model Rules since 2000 relating to the use of technology by lawyers and its impact on the practice of law. Part III proposes that law professors and lawyers charged with instructing or mentoring law students and new lawyers regarding client communications educate them regarding not only the content of those communications, but also how and when to use technology. Perhaps ironically, the additional instruction regarding how and when to use technology is a necessity because of the frequency and ease with which the current generation of law students uses technology.
Development and Benefits of Vehicle Gantries and Controlled-Traffic Systems

Summary Controlled traffic is a concept which makes it possible to optimize soil physical conditions for both plants and machines by permanently zoning a field into traffic lanes and crop zones. The controlled-traffic concept has evolved from the original idea of reducing compaction in the crop zone into a complete soil compaction management system. While most of the early research was done with modified tractors, gantry vehicles are ideal for deriving the full benefits of the controlled-traffic concept. The development of gantry vehicles is traced from the 1850's to today's modern versions. An overview of international research is presented which confirms the wide scope of the problem and indicates a rather general agreement on methods of solution.
Lithium Ethylene Dicarbonate Identified as the Primary Product of Chemical and Electrochemical Reduction of EC in 1.2 M LiPF6/EC:EMC Electrolyte

Lithium ethylene dicarbonate ((CH2OCO2Li)2) was chemically synthesized and its Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) spectrum was obtained and compared with that of surface films formed on Ni after cyclic voltammetry (CV) in 1.2 M lithium hexafluorophosphate (LiPF6)/ethylene carbonate (EC):ethyl methyl carbonate (EMC) (3:7, w/w) electrolyte and on metallic lithium cleaved in-situ in the same electrolyte. By comparison of IR experimental spectra with that of the synthesized compound, we established that the title compound is the predominant surface species in both instances. Detailed analysis of the IR spectrum utilizing quantum chemical (Hartree-Fock) calculations indicates that intermolecular association through O...Li...O interactions is very important in this compound. It is likely that the title compound in the passivation layer has a highly associated structure, but the exact intermolecular conformation could not be established on the basis of analysis of the IR spectrum.
pp elastic scattering in the momentum range 1.24 to 1.62 GeV/c

We have measured the pp elastic cross section at incident antiproton momenta of 1.24, 1.32, 1.54 and 1.62 GeV/c to be 43.2 ± 3.5, 43.3 ± 3.0, 38.5 ± 3.0 and 37.2 ± 3.0 mb respectively. The differential cross section in this momentum range is dominated by a diffraction peak for which the slope is found to decrease with incident momentum, consistent with the established “anti-shrinkage” of the pp diffraction peak [3]. The differential cross section shows a well-defined dip at cos θc.m. ≈ 0.4 followed by a broad maximum and a sharp backward peak largely confined to the interval cos θc.m. < −0.8.
Measurement of organ structure and function enhances understanding of the physiological basis of frailty: the Cardiovascular Health Study.

OBJECTIVES: To determine whether disease burden is associated with frailty independent of diagnosed chronic disease and whether physiological measurements provide greater understanding of the etiology of frailty. DESIGN: Cross-sectional. SETTING: Community. PARTICIPANTS: Two thousand four hundred thirty-seven participants in the Cardiovascular Health Study, 1992/93 examination (mean age 74.8±4.8, 43.4% male, 95.8% white). MEASUREMENTS: Disease burden and frailty were tabulated using 10-point scales (0=healthy, 10=unhealthy). Disease burden was the sum of measurements characterizing the vasculature, brain, kidneys, lungs, and glucose metabolism. Frailty was assessed using the frailty index reported by Fried. Multivariate linear models were used to determine the association between disease burden (predictor) and frailty (outcome). RESULTS: Unadjusted, 1-point-higher disease burden was associated with a 0.28-point-higher frailty score (P<.001). White matter grade, forced vital capacity, and cystatin-C were particularly strongly and significantly associated with frailty. Disease burden attenuated the association between frailty and age by 29%, and disease burden and age had similar associations with frailty. Disease burden attenuated the association between frailty and fibrinogen, Factor VIII, and C-reactive protein by 32%, 56%, and 83%, respectively. Frailty was associated with diagnosed depression, stroke, cognitive impairment, arthritis, and pulmonary disease but not coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, or kidney disease in the presence of a summary of disease burden. In the adjusted model, disease burden remained significantly associated with frailty (?=0.11, P<.001). CONCLUSION: Disease burden was independently and significantly associated with frailty. These results emphasize that typically unrecognized physiological changes may contribute significantly to frailty.
Willingness To Self-Disclose among Late Adolescent Female Survivors of Childhood Sexual Abuse.

The primary aim of this study was to compare the willingness of sexually abused (n = 22) and non–sexually abused (n = 36) late adolescent women to self-disclose both general and sexual information to strangers and intimate partners. Results, based on a sample of college women, indicate that those who were sexually abused in childhood are less likely than nonabused counterparts to be highly disclosing of sexual and general information to intimate partners. Avoiding extensive disclosure of personal information to intimate partners may serve to keep survivors of abuse at a relatively safe distance from their own dysphoric feelings and suggests that mistrust of others is an ongoing issue for this population.
Improved tuning and matching of ion cyclotron systems

Future fusion devices will require delivery of ion cyclotron heating and current drive power during plasma changes (e.g., L-H transition, ELMs). The use of a passive circuit (``ELM dump``) to protect the RF sources during transients has been demonstrated on DIII-D, and the results are applied to the ITER ion cyclotron system in this analysis. In addition, the use of frequency shifting to compensate for plasma load changes is illustrated for a possible ITER tuning and matching system.
Climate-induced changes in biome distribution, NPP, and hydrology in the Upper Midwest U.S.: A case study for potential vegetation

[1] We investigated the impacts of recent climate change on potential vegetation distributions and carbon and water cycling across the Upper Midwest from 1948 to 2007. We used the Agro-IBIS dynamic vegetation model driven by a newly developed gridded daily climate data set at 5 min × 5 min spatial resolution. Trends in climate variables were spatially heterogeneous over the study period and were associated with an overall increase in net primary productivity (NPP). We observed an average regional change in total NPP of 41 ± 30 g C m−2 (8%). Increased summer relative humidity and increased annual precipitation were key variables contributing to the positive trends. Mechanisms for increased productivity included a reduction in soil moisture stress as well as increased stomatal conductance resulting from an increase in summertime humidity. Model simulations also showed an average total increase in annual groundwater recharge throughout the region of 39 ± 35 mm (45%) driven by increases in annual precipitation. Evapotranspiration had a highly variable spatial trend over the 60 year period, with an average total change of 5 ± 21 mm (1%) across all grid cells. The location of the Tension Zone, a broad ecotone dividing northern mixed forests and southern hardwood forests and prairies, was not observed to migrate using analysis of meteorological variables.
Parents' depressive symptoms and support from sons and daughters in Rural China.

This investigation examined how initial levels of elder parents’ depressive symptoms influenced financial, instrumental, and emotional support from sons and from daughters in rural China. Data derived from a two-wave (2001, 2003) longitudinal survey of 1,324 parents aged 60 and over living in rural areas of Anhui Province, China. Structural Equation Modeling with latent difference score was used to estimate the reciprocal relatioships between children's support and elder parents’ depressive symptoms. Results showed that older parents who had higher levels of depressive symptoms at baseline experienced reduced financial, instrumental, and emotional support from sons, but not from daughters. In rural China where the patrilineal family system has distinguished sons and daughters with respect to their functions in elder parents’ support networks, the roles of sons and daughters warrant further examination, particularly when elder parents have some depressive symptoms, which elevates the needs of the parents and puts a strain on intergenerational relationships.
Development and evaluation of a computer-aided learning resource in anatomy (725.6)

Teaching professional health science students complex anatomy effectively requires the use of visual aids such as dissection, diagrams, and atlases. The challenges of the structural and functional complexities of the central nervous system, coupled with the reduced basic science curricular hours, necessitated utilizing computer-aided instruction. The objective of the study is to promote mastery of the spinal cord anatomy by developing an efficient online ancillary resource for studying gross anatomy. A 23-minute online learning module on spinal cord anatomy was constructed, presenting images of cadaveric dissections and diagrams. The effectiveness of the module and its perceived educational value were assessed on a naive population of dental students before the gross anatomy course. The results reveal a significant amount of learning occurred based on comparative pre-quiz and post-quiz scores. The survey yielded positive perception of educational value however a few areas of improvements were also identif...
Streptolysin o: activation by thiols.

Various straight-chain thiols produce approximately the same maximal activation of streptolysin O.
Molecular cloning of gene sequences regulated by tumor promoters and mitogens through protein kinase C.

Abstract cDNA clones representing genes whose expression is modulated by treatment with mitogens and tumor promoters were isolated and characterized. TPA-S1 corresponds to an mRNA species whose abundance was increased markedly within 1 h of exposure to the tumor promoter 12-O-tetradecanoyl phorbol-13-acetate (TPA), and TPA-R1 represents an mRNA that was decreased in TPA-treated cells. The induction of TPA-S1 was blocked by actinomycin D but was not affected by cycloheximide, and it was specific for phorbol esters with tumor-promoting activity. The role of protein kinase C in the induction of TPA-S1 is supported by the following lines of evidence. (i) Agents that activated protein kinase C (TPA, platelet-derived growth factor, and diacylglycerol) also increased TPA-S1 mRNA levels. (ii) A potent PKC inhibitor blocked the induction of TPA-S1. (iii) Down-regulation of PKC activity, by treatment of cells with TPA for 24 h, resulted in a loss of responsiveness to TPA-S1 induction by subsequent TPA treatment. DNA sequence analysis of TPA-S1 predicts a cysteine-rich, secreted protein with a molecular weight of 22.6 X 10(3) that exhibits homology with sequences representing a protein with human erythroid-potentiating activity and protease inhibitory activity.
Historical Overview of Improving Cleanliness of Rotor Steels for Electric Utility Applications

Improved cleanliness is perhaps the only approach that results in simultaneous improvement in strength and ductility at elevated temperatures as well as toughness at low temperatures of steels. In addition, superclean steels in which manganese and silicon have also been reduced, provide greater resistance to stress corrosion cracking than conventional steels. Major projects are underway worldwide to promote the use of clean/superclean steel rotor and disk forgings, both for low temperature and for high temperature applications in steam and combustion turbines. An international workshop sponsored by EPRI was held in 1995 in London, at which turbine manufacturers and steelmakers discussed ongoing activities with respect to clean steels. This paper summarises EPRI sponsored research on rotor steel chemistries and provide an overview of developments over the last 15 years.
Activated Protein Kinases and Overall Survival in Patients with Metastatic Melanoma.

Protein tyrosine kinases (PTK) are proteins that may play importants roles in survival, proliferation and progression to metastasis in several tumors, including melanoma. There is little information on the expression pattern of the phosphorylated (i.e. activated) forms of such kinases in melanoma and their impact on overall survival (OS). We sought to determine the expression, by immunohistochemistry, of phosphorylated MAP kinase (pMAPK), Akt (pAkt) and C-kit (pCkit) in primary and metastatic melanoma, and their correlation with OS. Fifteen patients with Stage III and Stage IV (metastatic melanoma) disease were randomly selected from the UT MD Anderson database. Expression was rated by two investigators on intensity (negative, weak, moderate, and strong) and proportion of reactive tumor cells (0 = 25–75%, 3 = >75%). Eleven of the 15 tumors (primary and/or metatasis) exhibited pMAPK expression (73%). Corresponding percentages were 100% for pAKT and <50%(7/15) for pCkit. OS ranged from less than one year to 9 years. However, there was no correlation between OS and expression of any of these markers.
THE CONCEPT OF ORGAN USE REVISITED IN THE GLUTEUS MAXIMUS

Sporadically throughout the history of psychology, the concept of use and disuse of organs, especially the cerebral cortices, has played a relatively minor role (see Gall and Spurzheim, cf. Boring, 1950). The movement of Phrenology (Gall and Spurzheim) emphasized that cortical cells through constant use increased or expanded, thereby producing a protrusion of the dura marer. The primary purpose of the present study was twofold: (1) to investigate the relationship between stimulation, hence use, and organ growth in areas other than the cerebral cortex, i.e., the Gluteus Maximus; and (2) to provide Stat Professor with a humanistic correlative example by which to demonstrate cause and effect relationships. Me thod .Ss in the present study were 24 pairs of naive, undergraduate males and females, randomly selected from the author's introductory psychology class. Each male was asked to measure his hand to the nearest one-hundredth inch from the u p of the medius to the armilla. For those who do not know which finger is the medius, it is frequently seen extended on "Laugh-in" as the flying, fickle finger of fate. The male
Mechanism for Stabilization of Fish Actomyosin by Sodium Lactate

The mechanism for stabilization of actomyosin (AM) by sodium lactate (SL) was studied by comparing physical properties (viscosity, density, surface tension, and water activity) of SL and sucrose solutions. Relatively high intrinsic viscosity [η] and Huggins factor (k‘) values showed SL is an effective water structure-maker. Thermal aggregation studies showed that AM stability increased up to 15% SL; higher concentrations of SL destabilized the AM. Surface tension and water activity measurements indicated that the transition from stabilization to destabilization and from increasing to decreasing surface tension coincided with a change in molecular species in the SL solutions. The decrease in surface tension (and AM stability) with increasing SL concentration above the optimum is presented to be due to formation of the lactate dimer lactoyl lactate. This molecule is amphiphilic and would be expected to preferentially absorb at an interface (with for example air or protein) and thus lower surface tension. Ke...
Measurements of the Gouy Phase Shift for Surface Plasmons

We directly measure the Gouy phase shift of converging surface plasmon-polaritons using terahertz (THz) time-domain spectroscopy. We perform numerical simulations to determine the surface electric field distribution and associate it with Gouy phase shift.
Exact numerical solution of the spinless Salpeter equation for the Coulomb potential in momentum space.

The spinless Salpeter equation with the Coulomb potential is solved exactly in momentum space and is shown to agree very well with a coordinate-space calculation. The agreement is so good that it clearly establishes that the procedure discussed can be used to reliably calculate fine-structure effects in any bound-state system without relying on approximations. The procedure works no matter how large the coupling constant. An equation, called the spinless Salpeter equation with retardation, is introduced and this is also able to be solved exactly.
The reticence of visual phenomenal character: A spatial interpretation of transparency

It is often claimed that the phenomenal character of visual experience is ‘transparent’ in that the phenomenal features of visual experience do not seem ‘mental’. It is then claimed that this transparency speaks in favour of some theories of experience while speaking against others. In this paper, I advance both a negative and a positive thesis about transparency. My negative thesis is that visual phenomenal character is reticent in that it does not reveal whether it is mental or non-mental in nature. This, in turn, means that, by itself, transparency does not speak in favour of (and against) the theories it is often thought to speak in favour of (and against). My positive thesis is that the phenomenon referred to as the ‘transparency’ of visual phenomenal character is best characterized in spatial, not mental, terms.
Two-Stage Fixed-Width Confidence Intervals for a Normal Mean in the Presence of Suspect Outliers

Abstract We revisit fixed-width (= 2d) confidence interval procedures with a preassigned confidence coefficient (≥1 − α) for the mean μ of a normal distribution when its variance σ2 is unknown. Had σ been known, the required optimal fixed sample size would be C ≡ a 2σ2/d 2 where a ≡ a α is the upper 50α% point of N(0, 1). In his fundamental two-stage procedure, Stein (1945, 1949) estimated C by replacing σ2 with a sample variance from pilot data of size m(≥2) and a with t m−1, α/2. Mukhopadhyay (1982) opened the possibility of incorporating less traditional estimators of σ2. We focus on estimating σ2 by a statistic defined via Gini's mean difference (GMD), mean absolute deviation (MAD), and range. Such modifications are warranted especially when we suspect one or more outliers but normality of the data may not be questioned by a standard test for normality assumption. Obviously, then, t m−1, α/2 must be replaced by the upper 50α% point corresponding to a pivotal distribution of the sample mean standardize...
Morphology evolution during the growth of strained-layer superlattices

We present a linear stability analysis for epitaxial growth of strained-layer superlattices, calculating how a shape perturbation propagates through the whole multilayer stack. We assume that bulk diffusion is negligible, so the morphology is controlled by surface diffusion. Unlike the case of a single strained layer, there are conditions under which the growth of the planar superlattice is stable, i.e., perturbations to the growth surface decay. For the conditions of unstable film growth (where the amplitude of the perturbation increases from layer to layer), we find three different types of resulting film morphology, classified according to the phase of the perturbation in successive layers, which is a function of materials parameters and growth conditions. We also determine the growth rate and wave vector of the propagating perturbation corresponding to the fastest growing instability wave.
Extralunar materials in cone-crater soil 14141.

Radiochemical neutron activation analysis has been used to determine Ni, Zn, Ga, Ge, Cd, In, Ir, and Au in duplicate samples of lunar soil 14141 and in one additional replicate each of soils 14163 and 14259. The concentrations of extralunar trace elements Ni, Ge, Ir, and Au in 14141 and 14163 are, respectively, about 69 and 82% as high as those in 14259. Although most of the mass of 14141 appears to be ejecta from Cone Crater, a sizable contamination by mature Fra Mauro soil such as 14259 is also present. The siderophilic-element concentrations of the subregolith Fra Mauro materials are estimated to be 25 plus or minus 25% of those observed in 14259.
Polyhedral dynamics as a tool for machine-part group formation

It has been suggested that the efficiency and economics of a flexible manufacturing system can be improved through judicious grouping of machines and parts. This paper addresses the formulation of families of parts requiring similar manufacturing with closely related machines using the topological concepts of polyhedral dynamics (i.e. q-analysis). An introduction to the concepts of q-analysis is presented and is followed by a discussion of the application to machine-part group formation. Two examples from the literature are presented and the resulting part groupings compared. The results suggest that q-analysis not only provides part grouping capabilities equivalent to current techniques, but also provides additional qualitative information. Measures are available which provide insight into the importance of particular groupings and the strength of the interaction between the groups. The analysis also identifies machines with are potential bottlenecks, and parts whose availability may impact the manufactu...
Pulse induced photocurrents and field distributions in photoconductor-dielectric structures

Abstract The fundamental equations governing the charge carrier dynamics following pulsed injection into a photoconductor are solved exactly (excluding diffusion and trapping) for a configuration consisting of the photoconductor and one or two dielectrics. The solutions are obtained for initial conditions of a short pulse of arbitrarily intense light absorbed close to one surface of the photoconductor. The subsequent behavior of the internal carrier density, electric field strength, and conduction current density distributions are described analytically for all times. The dependence of the results on the number of injected carriers and on the parameter α are discussed. Here α characterizes the photoconductor-dielectric structure and depends upon the relative thicknesses and dielectric constants. The behavior of the electric field inside the photoconductor is presented in a novel manner, in which the time dependence of the field at a variety of spatial locations is displayed. The internal distributions found here are used to calculate expressions for the externally measurable variables. For two special limiting cases these expressions agree with results reported elsewhere.
Prevalence and Repair of Inguinal Hernias in Children with Bladder Exstrophy

AbstractPurpose: We delineated the prevalence, recurrence rates and optimal treatment of inguinal hernia in the exstrophy population.Materials and Methods: Of 181 children with exstrophy followed at our hospital inguinal hernias developed in 121 (66.8 percent).Results: In a 12-year period inguinal hernias developed in 81.8 percent of the boys and 10.5 percent of the girls. In 18.2 percent of the cases the hernia was repaired via a preperitoneal approach at the same time as exstrophy closure. The remaining patients underwent an inguinal operation. Most patients had a wide defect at the internal ring in addition to a patent processus vaginalis. The overall recurrence rate was 8.3 percent. The incidence of synchronous or asynchronous bilaterality was 81.8 percent.Conclusions: Children with bladder exstrophy should be carefully examined for inguinal hernias before bladder closure. If a unilateral hernia is present, the contralateral side should be explored. Careful preperitoneal repair should emphasize repair...
Premating isolation is determined by larval rearing substrates in cactophilic Drosophila mojavensis. IV. Correlated responses in behavioral isolation to artificial selection on a life-history trait.

Studies of behavioral isolation among geographically 1993) emphasized the role of intrademic ''mate recogni- isolated populations of Drosophila mojavensis have provided an tion systems'' as primary determinants of speciation, understanding of incipient speciation wherein phylogeny and ecol- ogy play a prominent role. Populations of D. mojavensis in main- when and if it occurs. Carson (1987, 1995) also pointed land Mexico and southern Arizona exhibit low but significant pre- out that the evolution of common mate recognition sys- mating isolation from Baja California populations in laboratory tems via coadaptation of male-female signaling systems mate choice tests. These same populations have undergone consid- and sexual selection may be a major cause of speciation erable life-history evolution in response to use of different host in animals. He suggested that interactions between po- plants, suggesting that behavioral isolation between populations is tential mates within demes must be the driving force of a pleiotropic consequence of adaptation to different environments, sexual selection with only secondary consequences for re- or Mayr's geographic speciation hypothesis. This hypothesis was tested using bidirectional artificial selection on egg-to-adult devel- productive isolation, consistent with Paterson's recogni- opment time in replicate lines of a mainland and Baja population tion model. Variation in mate recognition systems cultured on two host cacti for 13 generations. Response to selec- among isolated demes may also respond to local ecologi- tion was greatest in the slow lines cultured on one host, yet there cal conditions, leading to the evolution of modified equi- was uneven response in some lines due to variation in cactus tissue librium signaling systems (Butlin 1995). The effects of lo- quality. Realized heritabilities for development time ranged from cal conditions leading to divergence in mating systems 0.04 to 0.16, which is consistent with previous estimates from half- may lead to premating isolation should such demes ever sib/full-sib analyses of genetic variation. In most lines that re- sponded to selection, premating isolation decreased to near zero. come into secondary contact. Identifying these causes for Correlated responses in behavioral isolation suggest that adapta- divergence are essential to the understanding of species tion to contrasting environments can cause secondary responses in formation. mate recognition systems that can influence the formation of new The evolution of premating isolation among popula- species.