cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Low-Resistant Ion-Exchange Membranes for Energy Efficient Membrane Capacitive Deionization

Membrane capacitive deionization (MCDI) has emerged as an effective and energy efficient desalination technology for treating brackish water streams used in numerous industrial processes. Most material research studies on MCDI focus on improving the porous electrodes or using flowing electrode architectures, and little emphasis is given to the rationale design of ion-exchange membranes (IEMs) for MCDI. In this work, the ionic conductivity, permselectivity, and thickness for three different IEM chemistries (polyaliphatic, poly(arylene ether), and perfluorinated) were correlated to MCDI performance attributes: energy expended per ion removed, salt removal efficiency, and Coulombic efficiency. A 5- to 10-fold reduction in area specific resistance, which accounts for thickness and ionic conductivity, with unconventional perfluorinated and poly(arylene ether) IEMs reduced the energy expended per ion removed in MCDI by a factor of 2 when compared to conventional electrodialysis IEMs. In situ electrochemical imp...
Análisis antropológico del modelo de desarrollo y la desigualdad social, política y económica de Puerto Rico / Anthropological analysis on the development model, and the social, political and economic inequality of Puerto Rico

The following article present an ethnographic and historical analysis of the main political, economic and social problems of Puerto Rico. In addition, the article present an ethnographic description of the main problems related to poverty and urban gentrification that affect the living conditions of the marginalized communities. The communities where the data were obtained were: Los Filtros, Municipality of Guaynabo and La Perla, Municipality of San Juan. At the theoretical level, will be discussed a series of community ethnographic research focused on the analysis of poverty, development and political project of Puerto Rico. Such as: La Vida: A Puerto Rican Family in the Culture of Poverty by Oscar Lewis (1967). The following concepts will also be analyzed: “Innercity” by Phillipe Bourgois “In Search of Respect” (2010), and Urban Gentrification from the anthropological perspective by Conrad Phillip Kottak and Kathryn A. Kozaitis (2012). Finally, the article present a reflections of the current economic crisis and the most important events during the recovery process after the impact of the Hurricane Maria in 2017.
Female XX sex chromosomes increase survival and extend lifespan in aging mice

Female longevity is observed in humans and much of the animal kingdom, but its causes remain elusive. Using a genetic manipulation that generates XX and XY mice, each with either ovaries or testes, we show that the female XX sex chromosome complement increases survival during aging in male and female mice. In combination with ovaries, it also extends lifespan. Understanding causes of sex-based differences in aging could lead to new pathways to counter age-induced decline in both sexes.
Communicating about bullying: Examining disclosure among gifted students:

Although research on bullying has grown in scope in recent years, research specifically focused on gifted children’s experiences with bullying has been more limited. Studies of gifted children and ...
For better or for worse? a nationwide study of the social psychological effects of gender and ability grouping in mathematics

This exploratory investigation employs the National Education Longitudinal Surveybreak(NELS:88) to examine equity in tracking from a new, less-studied angle, with the view that tracking may not be all good or all bad, but that its effects are variable. The present study considers how these variable effects might, in part, be produced through a mechanism of social comparison conceptualized by Marsh et al. as the big-fish-little-pond effect (BFLPE). It compares similar students, except that some are in schools that use tracking and some are in schools that do not use tracking. Unlike previous studies of between-track effects, it asks whether tracking works uniformly for males and females within the same track placement in a particular subject area. Analyses yielded significant differences in students' attitudes toward mathematics, educational aspirations, self-esteem, locus of control, and engagement in school. These systematic effects suggest the mechanisms of the BFLPE. Despite the ‘reflected glory’ of being in a high ability track, when males, in contrast to females, are grouped with peers of similar high ability in a subject area that defines their competence, they seem to lose their competitive edge. Low ability males are positively affected through the mechanism of comparing with their peers because the competition to do well is relatively less keen than in high tracks.
Digitizing the Ancestors: Issues in Indigenous Digital Heritage Projects

Between 2002 and 2007, several university researchers (Christen, Ridington, and Hennessy; Shorter, Srinivasan, Verran, and Christie) collaborated with Indigenous communities to create digital heritage projects. Although the initial build and methodology surrounding the projects are well documented, the current status and end results are not. Now that a decade has passed since their production, this article examines the issues that have arisen with these Indigenous digital heritage projects. The primary emphasis is on sustainability, and the discussion concentrates on outdated software, funding problems, and maintenance issues that have afflicted these projects over the years. This study concludes that researchers need to take sustainability practices into consideration when creating specialized digital heritage projects.
Serial participants of social media climate discussion as a community of practice: a longitudinal network analysis

Serial participants of social media conversations are characterized by their sustained commitment to contentious politics. Previous research has mainly focused on the characteristics and motivation...
Radiomics of hepatocellular carcinoma

The diagnosis of hepatocellular carcinoma relies largely on non-invasive imaging, and is well suited for radiomics analysis. Radiomics is an emerging method for quantification of tumor heterogeneity by mathematically analyzing the spatial distribution and relationships of gray levels in medical images. The published studies on radiomics analysis of HCC provide encouraging data demonstrating potential utility for prediction of tumor biology, molecular profiles, post-therapy response, and outcome. The combination of radiomics data and clinical/laboratory information provides added value in many studies. Radiomics is a multi-step process that requires optimization and standardization, the development of semi-automated or automated segmentation methods, robust data quality control, and refinement of algorithms and modeling approaches for high-throughput data analysis. While radiomics remains largely in the research setting, the strong associations of predictive models and nomograms with certain pathologic, molecular, and immune markers with tumor aggressiveness and patient outcomes, provide great potential for clinical applications to inform optimized treatment strategies and patient prognosis.
A comparison of labetalol plus hospitalization versus hospitalization alone in the management of preeclampsia remote from term.

Two hundred primigravid women with mild preeclampsia at 26-35 weeks' gestation were randomly allocated to treatment with hospitalization alone or combined with labetalol. There were no differences between the two groups in mean systolic or diastolic pressures, mean gestational age, or initial laboratory findings at time of entry. Patients in the labetalol group demonstrated a statistically significant (P less than .005) decrease in blood pressure during treatment. No such decrease occurred in the hospitalization-alone group. Both groups exhibited significant deterioration in proteinuria, creatinine, and uric acid. The average days of pregnancy prolongation (mean +/- SD) were 21.3 +/- 13 and 20.1 +/- 14 days in the hospitalization and labetalol groups, respectively. There were no differences between the groups regarding any of the following: gestational age at delivery, birth weight, number of infants admitted to the special care unit, or cord blood gas measurements. However, the incidence of small-for-gestational-age infants was significantly higher in the labetalol group (19 versus 9%, P less than .05). There were no stillbirths, but one neonatal death in the labetalol group. Treatment of maternal blood pressure in preeclamptic pregnancies with labetalol did not improve perinatal outcome, and was associated with a higher frequency of fetal growth retardation.
Motivating and Engaging Students Using Educational Technologies

The aim of this chapter is to examine learners’ motivation and engagement in educational settings, with a focus on educational technologies. This chapter is intended to serve a variety of audiences, including those who are interested in (a) understanding how motivation has been conceptualized and studied and/or (b) applying motivation concepts in instructional settings. The chapter begins by providing definitions of motivation and engagement, which are concepts that are commonly used in educational settings, but which are difficult to define precisely. Next, the chapter discusses factors that affect, and that are affected by, learners’ motivation and engagement. Because learners’ motivation cannot be explained fully with one theory, the chapter explains that motivation is studied using many different constructs and mini-theories. The following section presents the means through which motivation and engagement have been assessed, including self-reports, behavioral measures, ratings by others, and physiological data. Next, the chapter explains how instructors can design instruction intentionally to motivate and engage students by using strategies that empower students, help students to understand the usefulness of the content, help students to succeed, make the educational environment interesting, and show students that others in the learning environment care about them. The next section briefly examines the potential motivating effects of current technologies, and the chapter ends with an examination of the construct issues, methodological issues, and interpretation issues faced by researchers studying motivation and engagement.
Comparing Particle Counters: Cost vs. Reproducibility

Particle counters are used in evaluating particle concentrations in liquids and gases and on surfaces. Even for the same purpose, several types are commercially available. Many factors will go into a decision about which to buy. These include upper and lower particle size detection limits; particle size subdivisions; data display, communication, and analysis capabilities; ease of use; reliability; accuracy; reproducibility (precision); and cost. A method is presented to allow comparisons based on reproducibility of measurements and cost.
The Darkest Domain: Deference, Judicial Review, and the Bill of Rights

Deference presents one of the greatest threats to liberalism in the modern age, undermining judicial review for fundamental constitutional rights such as freedom of speech, freedom of religion, and due process. In contrast to existing critiques which dismiss deference as an ideological tool wielded by conservative judges, this article explores deference more systematically and rigorously, addressing it at its conceptual underpinnings. Deference has a strong conceptual backbone rooted in the long-accepted principle that the judiciary must avoid doing what was done in Lochner - the substitution of judicial judgment for that of the policymaker or legislature. The article argues that deference is a misguided attempt to carry out this principle in practice, an attempt based on an impoverished conception of how the judiciary and government institutions evaluate factual and empirical evidence.
Coro2a, An Expression Quantitative Trait Gene Underlying Estq1, Controls Uterine Responsiveness to Estradiol

AO_SCPLOWBSTRACTC_SCPLOWThe response of the uterus to 17{beta}-estradiol (E2) is genetically controlled, with marked variation observed depending on the mouse strain studied. Previous studies from our laboratory using high (C57BL6/J; B6) and low uterine responders (C3H/HeJ; C3H) to E2 led to the identification of Estq1-Estq5, five quantitative trait loci (QTL) controlling phenotypic variation in uterine growth and eosinophilic leukocyte infiltration. Transcriptional profiling subsequently identified coronin actin binding protein 2A (Coro2a) as a candidate for an expression quantitative trait gene (eQTG) underlying Estq1. Here we show that like mRNA expression, allele specific expression of CORO2A in both the uterine epithelium and stroma similarly co-segregates with uterine responsiveness. Utilizing B6.C3H congenic mice carrying the Coro2aC3H allele, we confirm the genetic linkage between Coro2a and Estq1. Lastly, we show that B6-Coro2a-/- and B6-Coro2aB6/- mice phenocopy uterine responsiveness of mice carrying the Coro2aC3H/C3H and Coro2aB6/C3H alleles respectively, consistent with a haploinsufficiency model of genetic control. Together, these results identify Coro2a as the eQTG underlying Estq1, and establish a critical role for Coro2a in E2-regulated responses.
Eliciting Social Knowledge for Creditworthiness Assessment

Access to capital is a major constraint for economic growth in the developing world. Yet those attempting to lend in this space face high defaults due to their inability to distinguish creditworthy borrowers from the rest. In this paper, we propose two novel scoring mechanisms that incentivize community members to truthfully report their signal on the creditworthiness of others in their community. We first design a truncated asymmetric scoring-rule for a setting where the lender has no liquidity constraints. We then derive a novel, strictly-proper VCG scoring mechanism for the liquidity-constrained setting. Whereas Chen et al. [2011] give an impossibility result for an analogous setting in which sequential reports are made in the context of decision markets, we achieve a positive result through appeal to interim beliefs about the reports of others in a setting with simultaneous reports.Moreover, the use of VCG methods allows for the integration of linear belief aggregation methods.
Effects of Pulmonary Surfactant Combined with Noninvasive Positive Pressure Ventilation on KRT-14 and ET-1 Levels in Peripheral Blood and Therapeutic Effects in Neonates with Respiratory Distress Syndrome

This study is aimed at exploring the effect of pulmonary surfactant (PS) combined with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation on the levels of Keratin-14 (KRT-14) and Endothelin-1 (ET-1) in peripheral blood and the therapeutic effect of neonatal respiratory distress syndrome (NRDS). Altogether 137 cases of neonates with respiratory distress syndrome treated in our hospital from April 2016 to July 2018 were collected. Among them, 64 cases treated with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation were considered as the control group, and 73 cases treated with PS combined with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation were considered as the observation group. The expression of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the two groups was compared. The therapeutic effect, death, complications, and blood gas indexes PaO2, PaCO2, and PaO2/FiO2 in the two groups were compared. Receiver operating characteristic curve (ROC) was applied to analyze the diagnostic value of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the therapeutic effect of NRDS. The effective rate of the observation group was higher than that of the control group. After treatment, PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 in both groups were notably higher than that before treatment, while PaCO2 was notably lower than that before treatment. And after treatment, the levels of PaO2 and PaO2/FiO2 in the observation group were remarkably higher than that in the control group; PaCO2 was notably lower than that in the control group. After treatment, the levels of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the two groups were remarkably lower than those before treatment, and the levels of KRT-14 and ET-1 in the observation group were considerably lower than those in the control group after treatment. ROC curve showed that the area under the curve (AUC) of KRT-14 was 0.791, and the AUC of ET-1 was 0.816. PS combined with noninvasive positive pressure ventilation can notably improve the therapeutic effect of NRDS. KRT-14 and ET-1 levels may be potential therapeutic diagnostic indicators.
Problems and Progress in Low-Pressures Research

The nature of the theoretical and experimental problems associated with the field of rarefied gas dynamics is discussed. The types of laboratory equipment judged to be most suitable for studying these problems are low-pressure supersonic wind tunnels, molecular beams, and rotating cylinders. Experimental results with a model wind tunnel and typical supersonic nozzles illustrate the existence of the expected large viscous effects and possible slip at the boundary. The techniques used and under development for pressure measurement and flow visualization are described.
Public and Private Enforcement of the Securities Laws: Have Things Changed Since Enron?

In this paper, we examine how those corporations that have been the targets of SEC enforcement efforts compare in terms of their size and financial health vis-a-vis firms that are targeted only by the private securities class action. We also ask whether the SEC or the private bar systematically proceeds against violators that cause the greatest loss to investors. In this regard, we are intrigued by the most basic question posed by private suits, whether settlements bear any relationship to the losses suffered by the class and whether those losses bear any relationship to the size of either the firm itself or the duration of the class action. Our data set consists of 389 securities class action settlements that occurred between 1990 and 2003. Using multivariate regression analysis to examine the determinants of government litigation, we find a sharp change in the pattern of SEC enforcement actions after the end of 2001. We find that the SEC seems to have shifted its enforcement focus away from targeting frauds at firms in financial distress to seeking out frauds at companies where investors may have suffered larger losses, especially if they are smaller firms. Again applying multivariate regression analysis, we look at settlement sizes in private class actions. We find that provable losses, total assets, class period and the presence of an SEC enforcement action, are all positively and significantly related to the dollar amount of the settlement obtained in a private action. These effects do not change over the time period of our sample. The fact that provable losses are such an important determinant of the size of actual recoveries supports the view that the "merits do matter."
Biases in Assessments of Probabilities: New Evidence from Greyhound Races

This paper investigates biases in the perceptions of probabilities using data from the 1989 and 1994 seasons at the Woodlands greyhound park in Kansas City, Kansas. Results reveal consistent evidence that the gambler's fallacy exists. The results also reveal that gamblers overestimate the probability of a win by the favorite and the dog in the “lucky” seven position. However, the comparison also suggests some learning by bettors between the first season of operation in 1989 and the 1994 season.
Erythrocyte Sodium Transport in Dialyzed Uremic Patients

To investigate the status of the Na+ concentration and ionic fluxes in red cells of human subjects with dialyzed chronic uremia, the authors measured the Na+-K+ pump activity as well as Na+-K+ cotransport (CoT), Na+-Li+ countertransport (CTT) and Na+ passive permeability in erythrocytes from 37 normal subjects and 23 chronic uremic patiens receiving maintenance hemodialysis. The mean intracellular Na+ concentration [Na+]i value in the pre-dialytic group was significantly lower than that in control subjects (p<.0001), but tended to recover to the normal value of [Na+]i in the post-dialytic group. The mean intracellular K+ concentration value in the post-dialytic group was significantly higher than that of the control group (p<.001), but not significantly different from that of the pre-dialytic group. It was found that the Na+-K+ pump activity of erythrocytes in the pre- and post-dialytic groups markedly decreased over that of the normal control group with statistical significance (p<.0001, respectively). The Na+-K+ pump activity in the post-dialytic group, however, tended to recover, but not significantly. The rate constant for ouabain-sensitive Na+ efflux in the post-dialytic group was significantly decreased over that of the normal controls (p<.05). The authors observed a significant decrease of the Na+ CoT value (p<.001 respectively) and rate constant for Na+ CoT (p<.05, respectively) in the patients with pre- and post-dialytic uremia vs. that of normal subjects. Also, the authors observed a marked decrease of the Na+-Li+ CTT value in the patients in the pre- and post-dialytic groups than that of the control subjects (p<.05, respectively). Passive Na+ permeability in the patients with pre-dialytic uremia was decreased markedly compared to the normal subjects (p<10−5), but its value in the post-dialytic group tended to recover to the normal value. In conclusion, our studies demonstrate that another possible mechanism of inhibition of the Na+-K+ pump in pre- dialytic uremia might then be a secondary adaptive response of the cell to maintain normal intracellular ion concentration and transmembrane ion gradients in the face of the reduced [Na+]i due to decreased passive Na+ permeability.
Elementary Particles, Universes, and Singularity Surfaces

Nearly half a century after this assessment by Einstein of the state of physical theory we still have today a dualistic theory with two kinds of physical realities: matter on the one hand, and electromagnetic field and gravitation on the other hand. Although in modern quantum field theory both entities are described mathematically by fields, they are distinct fields, a field A µ (x) for the electromagnetic field, for example, and fields Ѱ i (x) for the electrons, protons, etc.—or a curved space and fields Ѱ i (x), to describe the interaction of matter and gravitational field. The action (of the world) in the first case is a sum of three terms, one for the matter field (or fields), one for the radiation field, and a local coupling or interaction term involving the products of both kinds of fields.
Data Acquisition and Conversion

The sections in this article are 1 Sensors 2 Data Converters 3 System Designs Examples 4 Conclusion
FPGA implementation of a feature detection and tracking algorithm for real-time applications

An efficient algorithm to detect, correlate, and track features in a scene was implemented on an FPGA in order to obtain real-time performance. The algorithm implemented was a Harris Feature Detector combined with a correlator based on a priority queue of feature strengths that considered minimum distances between features. The remaining processing of frame to frame movement is completed in software to determine an affine homography including translation, rotation, and scaling. A RANSAC method is used to remove mismatched features and increase accuracy. This implementation was designed specifically for use as an onboard vision solution in determining movement of small unmanned air vehicles that have size, weight, and power limitations.
Prototheca wickerhamii algaemia: an emerging infection in solid organ transplant recipients.

Prototheca wickerhamii is an alga that rarely causes human disease but has been reported increasingly among immunocompromised individuals. We report a fatal case of P. wickerhamii in a renal transplant recipient who presented with a cutaneous lesion that led to disseminated disease despite treatment with voriconazole. We reviewed previous cases of protothecosis involving solid organ transplant recipients in the literature and discussed the value of newer microbiology platforms, i.e., matrix- assisted laser desorption ionization time-of-flight mass spectrometry (MALDI-TOF), to achieve early diagnosis and impact outcomes.
Abandonment and accumulation: embryonic futures in the United States and Ecuador.

When frozen embryos are publically debated in the United States, they are most often positioned as having two possible future trajectories: (1) as individual humans and (2) as contributors to stem cell research. Long-term embryo accumulation threatens both of these futures. An accumulated embryo is stuck in a clinic, held back from having an individual future or from contributing to science. There are other kinds of futures, though. For some patients in the United States and Ecuador, where I conducted ethnographic research, future reckoning involves a vision of responsibility toward embryos embedded within a specific family. For these patients, frozen embryo donation to another family or to science constitutes abandonment. The future at stake is not that of an individual embryo's life, but a group's future who would abandon one of its own. These patients would rather destroy embryos than freeze them for a future away from their relations.
Inhibition of bacteriophage development in bacteria illumination with visible light.

Les auteurs montrent que des bacteries illuminees avec de la lumiere visible perdent leur capacite de multiplier les bacteriophages; cela aussi bien lorsque la bacterie (Escherichia Coli B) a ete infectee de l'exterieur par un phage virulent (T 2) que lorsque la bacterie lysogene (Escherichia Coli K 12) a ete induite a multiplier le phage (λ) qu'elle portait. Dans ce dernier cas cet effet de la lumiere peut simuler une photoreactivation.
Protein kinase C and CYPlAl induction in rainbow trout (Oncorhynchus mykiss) hepatocyte culture

1. The role of protein kinase C (PKC) in B-naphthoflavone (BNF) induction of CYP1A1 in rainbow trout hepatocytes was investigated. 2. Primary cultures of rainbow trout hepatocytes treated with BNF for 24 hr showed an increase in microsomal 7-ethyoxyresorufm-O-deethylase (EROD) activity compared to cells treated with vehicle (DMSO) only. 3. Increases in EROD activities were proportional to increased concentrations of BNF from 1 to 10 nM reaching a plateau at higher concentrations (20–100 nM) of BNF. 4. Western blot analysis using specific antibody (LM4b) against CYP1A1 showed that changes in microsomal CYP1A1 protein paralleled that of EROD activity. 5. The induction of EROD activity by BNF required both protein and RNA synthesis since the process was blocked by both cycloheximide and actinomycin D. 6. Pretreatment of hepatocytes with 12-O-tetradecanoyl-phorbol-13-acetate (TPA) led to a dose dependent suppression of BNF-induced EROD activity and CYP1A1 content. TPA alone had no effect on hepatic EROD activity and CYP1A1 protein level. 7. Pretreatment with sn-1,2 didecanoylglycerol, a PKC activator, had no effect on BNF-induced EROD activity in these cells. 8. Pretreatment of cells with staurosporine, a PKC inhibitor, effectively blocked BNF-induced EROD activity. 9. PKC may play a role in the induction of CYP1A1 gene expression in fish liver by BNF.
THE EFFECTS OF PARENTAL LOSS ON THE FORMATION OF INTIMATE RELATIONSHIPS

Effects of parental loss on subsequent intimate relationships were studied with a sample of young married couples and with a sample of college students. Compared to those with no parental loss, young adults with parental loss tended to exhibit one of two patterns: avoidance of intimacy, or accelerated courtship. Persons with parental death exhibited both of the described patterns, but tended as a group to be more hesitant about intimate relationships. Persons with parental divorce generally indicated accelerated courtship patterns. Theoretical and clinical implications are discussed.
Isolation and identification of Coccidioides immitis from natural sources.

The review of media and techniques that have been developed to date appears to provide more than adequate choice for investigators in endemic areas to perform ecological studies of this organism. The final identification of this organism still lies in the demonstration of itsin vivo morphology.
SoSE Modeling and Simulation Approaches to Evaluate Security and Performance Limitations of a Next Generation National Healthcare Information Network (NHIN-2)

The emerging national healthcare information network (NHIN) is intended to improve the efficacy, efficiency, and safety of healthcare. At the same time. Service oriented architectures (SOAs) are rapidly becoming an accepted means of providing network information exchange across a heterogeneous fabric of node, and may be suitable for a next-generation NHIN-2s. Given the complexity NHIN and SOA due to multiple levels of system interactions, creating a valid and usable SoSE model for SOA application using a single technique that captures the desired level of details can be a daunting task. In this paper we give details of a hybrid approach to modeling and simulation of a specific SOA that is named MCSOA and has been configured for potential defense applications. Further, we show how MCSOA could be used to link low-comnmunications-capability healthcare data from sources like, the Alaska telemedicine testbed project (ATTP) to the proposed NHIN-2.
Horticulture: the font for the baptism of genetics

This year marks the centenary of the rediscovery of the laws of heredity, and their introduction to the English-speaking world. Here I introduce the main events and the characters who figure in this story before turning to the task of this essay — to ask why it was that support in England for the emerging science of genetics, or Mendelism as it was then called, came chiefly from horticulture, and was only belatedly accepted into the mainstream of British academic biology.
Structure of a Hexanucleotide RNA Hairpin Loop Conserved in Ribosomal RNAs

The structure of 5′-pppGGAC(GUAAUA)GUCC has been deduced from NMR data. The six-nucleotide hairpin loop is highly conserved in large subunit ribosomal RNA and confers unusual stability on RNA hairpins. Standard assignment methods, including through-bond strategies for backbone protons, were used to assign all31P resonances and all but two of the non-exchangeable protons. The model calculated by restrained molecular dynamics shows that the loop adopts a specific structure stabilized by five non-canonical hydrogen bonds. An edge-to-edge G·A pair (hydrogen bonds G5 N3 – A10 NH6, G5 H2 – A10 N7 and A10 NH6 – G5 O2′) closes the hairpin loop. Atrans5′ P-O bond at A7 reverses the direction of the backbone and is stabilized by two base – backbone hydrogen bonds (U6 NH3 – U9 OP and U6 O2′ – A8 N7). The only unstructured part of the loop is U9, which is completely unstacked and also the only phylogenetically variable position. The U6 – A7 – A8 “U-turn” reproduces hydrogen bonds and backbone torsion seen in the tRNA anticodon loop and TΨC loop, and in an internal loop of the hammerhead ribozyme. G·A is a common closing mismatch in ribosomal RNA hairpin loops. The U-turn and G·A pair found in this hexaloop structure may therefore be common structural units of RNA hairpin loops.
Building Empathy in Online Courses: Effective Practical Approaches

This research study examined the empathetic practices of effective higher education faculty from seven universities that offer online programs. Using a phenomenological approach with a purposeful sample of fourteen faculty interviews identified eight common themes of practice that faculty employ to promote empathy in the online higher education arena.
Knockdown of the β1 integrin subunit reduces primary tumor growth and inhibits pancreatic cancer metastasis

To address the role of β1 integrins in pancreatic cancer progression, we stably knocked down β1 integrin subunit expression in human FG-RFP pancreatic cancer cells using lentiviral-based RNA interference. We then examined the effects of β1 integrin subunit knockdown on pancreatic cancer cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation on tumor microenvironment-specific ECM proteins in vitro, and on tumor progression in vivo using a clinically-relevant fluorescent orthotopic mouse model of pancreatic cancer. Knockdown of the β1 integrin subunit inhibited cell adhesion, migration, and proliferation on types I and IV collagen, fibronectin, and laminin in vitro. In vivo, knockdown of the β1 integrin subunit reduced primary tumor growth by 50% and completely inhibited spontaneously occurring metastasis. These observations indicate a critical role for the β1 integrin subunit in pancreatic cancer progression, and metastasis in particular. Our results suggest the β1 integrin subunit as a therapeutic target for the treatment of pancreatic cancer, especially in the adjuvant setting to prevent metastasis of this highly aggressive cancer.
Irreducible polynomials and full elasticity in rings of integer-valued polynomials

Let D be a unique factorization domain and S an infinite subset of D. If f(X) is an element in the ring of integer-valued polynomials over S with respect to D (denoted Int(S,D)), then we characterize the irreducible elements of Int(S,D) in terms of the fixed-divisor of f(X). The characterization allows us to show that every nonzero rational number n/m is the leading coefficient of infinitely many irreducible polynomials in the ring Int(Z)=Int(Z,Z). Further use of the characterization leads to an analysis of the particular factorization properties of such integer-valued polynomial rings. In the case where D=Z, we are able to show that every rational number greater than 1 serves as the elasticity of some polynomial in Int(S,Z) (i.e., Int(S,Z) is fully elastic).
Fourier image sharpness sensor for high-speed wavefront correction

Conventional adaptive optics systems use direct wavefront sensing such as the Shack-Hartmann sensor requiring a point source such as a natural star or a laser guide star. In situations where a natural guide star isn't available or a laser guide star isn't practical it is beneficial to use an indirect wavefront sensing approach based upon information in the image itself. We are developing an image sharpness sensor using information found in the Fourier spectrum of the image. Since high spatial frequencies contain information about the edges and fine detail of the image our premise is that maximizing the high spatial frequencies will sharpen the image. The Fourier transform of the image is generated optically (and essentially instantaneously) and then various spatial-frequency bands are filtered out with an opaque mask. The remaining Fourier spectrum is integrated optically resulting in a single sharpness signal from a photodetector. The collected sharpness value is used in a closed-loop to control the deformable mirror until the sharpness is maximized. We have created a simulation to study the sensor and its performance in an adaptive optics system; results and limitations will be discussed.
Intertemporal non-separability and “rule of thumb” consumption

Abstract This paper reexamines previous findings that some 50% of disposable income goes to households who consume their current incomes in violation of the Permanent Income Hypothesis. In particular, I test whether such findings are robust to assumed intertemporal non-separability in the utility function. When the household utility function is permitted to be non-separable in consumption in adjacent time periods, the estimated fraction of disposable income which goes to such “rule of thumb” households is quantitatively small, sometimes negative, and never statistically significant.
Hemisphericity and its validity for education, vocation, and cognitive style.

Six studies are described demonstrating practical use for individual assessment of specialized cognitive function associated with the left and right cerebral hemispheres. Study # 1 demonstrates that the majority of referred reading difficulties have a cognitive profile for which verbosequential abilities are 0.5 SD below average, while visuospatial abilities are 0.5 SD above average. Study # 2 also demonstrates that first degree family members of dyslexics favor visuospatial skills. Study # 3 demonstrates that public school children have lower reading but not lower arithmetic scores if their cognitive profile favors visuospatial skills. Study #4 demonstrates that visuospatial skills were predictive of success in training military pilots. Study #5 demonstrates a modest association of cognitive function and management skill. Finally, study #6 demonstrates that valid tests of brain function were not related to preference inventories purportedly designed to measure the same thing. The conclusion from these st...
Cerebral Hypoxia-Ischemia Stimulates Cytokine Gene Expression in Perinatal Rats

Background and Purpose We tested the hypothesis that cerebral hypoxia-ischemia selectively stimulates interleukin-1β (IL-1β) and tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) gene expression in brain regions susceptible to irreversible injury in perinatal rats. Methods To elicit focal hypoxic-ischemic brain injury, 7-day-old perinatal (P7) rats were subjected to right carotid artery ligation followed by 3 hours of 8% O2 exposure and were killed 0 to 48 hours after hypoxia. Regional tissue IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA content were measured by reverse transcription followed by polymerase chain reaction amplification (RT-PCR) in samples prepared from cortex and hippocampus of the lesioned and contralateral hemispheres. cDNAs were amplified with primers specific for IL-1β, TNF-α, and the housekeeping gene glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase (GAPDH), which served as an internal control. The RT-PCR products were subjected to Southern blot analysis and hybridized with 32P-labeled gene-specific probes. Radioactivity was measured in excised bands, and results were normalized on the basis of levels of GAPDH expression. Results In unlesioned P7 brain, IL-1β mRNA was barely detectable. In lesioned forebrain, there was a marked, transient stimulation of IL-1β mRNA expression, peaking at 4 hours after hypoxia. Hybridization signal was increased 16- to 30-fold over values from contralateral hemisphere samples in three independent assays ( P <.05 comparing values in left and right cortex and in left and right hippocampus with the Kruskal-Wallis ranking test); by 24 hours after hypoxia, levels returned to normal. Similar transient increases in TNF-α mRNA expression were detected. In a closely related model of perinatal brain injury elicited by focal intracerebral N -methyl-d-aspartate injection, there was a corresponding acute stimulation of IL-1β and TNF-α mRNA expression at 4 hours after injection. Conclusions These results suggest that IL-1β and TNF-α may play important roles in the response of the developing brain to acute hypoxic-ischemic injury.
Air Pollution Particulate Matter Collected from an Appalachian Mountaintop Mining Site Induces Microvascular Dysfunction

Objective Air pollution PM is associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. In Appalachia, PM from mining may represent a health burden to this sensitive population that leads the nation in cardiovascular disease, among others. Cardiovascular consequences following inhalation of PMMTM are unclear, but must be identified to establish causal effects. Methods PM was collected within 1 mile of an active MTM site in southern WV. The PM was extracted and was primarily <10 μm in diameter (PM10), consisting largely of sulfur (38%) and silica (24%). Adult male rats were IT with 300 μg PMMTM. Twenty-four hours following exposure, rats were prepared for intravital microscopy, or isolated arteriole experiments. Results PMMTM exposure blunted endothelium-dependent dilation in mesenteric and coronary arterioles by 26%, and 25%, respectively, as well as endothelium-independent dilation. In vivo, PMMTM exposure inhibited endothelium-dependent arteriolar dilation (60% reduction). α-adrenergic receptor blockade inhibited PVNS-induced vasoconstriction in exposed animals compared with sham. Conclusions These data suggest that PMMTM exposure impairs microvascular function in disparate microvascular beds, through alterations in NO-mediated dilation and sympathetic nerve influences. Microvascular dysfunction may contribute to cardiovascular disease in regions with MTM sites.
Asset Allocation? How About Common Sense?

In the process of debating asset allocation numbers, the discussion has lost touch with simple common sense. The authors use a common data set to evaluate different approaches, illustrating a common-sense approach that provides a close-enough representation of these results. They conclude that much of the debate has missed the major point of asset allocation.
The emotional quality of scenes and observation points: A look at prospect and refuge

Abstract This research examined affect as a function of both prospect and refuge. Four sites — an open view with a protected observation point, an open view with an open observation point, a closed view with a protected observation point and a closed view with an open observation point — were selected such that each was similar along a variety of other attributes. Subjects (Ss) were stopped at each site until 60 (15 per site) had agreed to take part in the study. Ss were asked to assess the view on nine bi-polar adjective scales. Ss rated the more open view as safer than the enclosed one. For the open as compared to the protected observation point, this effect was more pronounced. Assessed safety for females was less than that for males, and the preference scores for females were higher from the protected location than the unprotected one, while the opposite was true for males.
Teratogenic potential of cocaine hydrochloride in CF-1 mice

This investigation revealed that cocaine hydrochloride was teratogenic when administered in nontoxic doses to gravid CF-1 mice on Days 7–12 of gestation. The teratogenic susceptibility of the CF-1 mouse fetus to cocaine hydrochloride was evident throughout this portion of the gestation period. The early appearance of eye defects and the occurrence of skeletal defects later in gestation after cocaine hydrochloride challenge paralleled the sequence of ontogenesis.
Functional carbons and carbon nanohybrids for the catalytic conversion of biomass to renewable chemicals in the condensed phase

Abstract The production of chemicals from lignocellulosic biomass provides opportunities to synthesize chemicals with new functionalities and grow a more sustainable chemical industry. However, new challenges emerge as research transitions from petrochemistry to biorenewable chemistry. Compared to petrochemisty, the selective conversion of biomass-derived carbohydrates requires most catalytic reactions to take place at low temperatures (
AEROBIC EXERCISE REDUCES HIPPOCAMPAL ATROPHY IN INDIVIDUALS WITH EARLY ALZHEIMER'S DISEASE

Owen Thomas Carmichael, Tom Meade, Dementia Research Centre, London, England, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London, United Kingdom; UCL, London, United Kingdom; London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, London; University College London, London, United Kingdom; UCL Institute of Neurology, London, United Kingdom; University of California, Davis, Davis, California, United States. Contact e-mail: jennifer.nicholas@lshtm. ac.uk
An investigation of framing and scaling as confounding variables in information outcomes: the case of technophobia

Technophobia has been an enduring problem in industrial economies over the last 20 years. Though explanatory models have been proposed to explain the prevalence of technophobia, these efforts have been diffuse, contradictory, and lacking in integration and explanatory and predictive utility. Using technophobia as the background variable, this research examines the role of scaling and framing in organizational research. It is argued that these particular issues, though endemic to research in other areas of social sciences as well, are worthy of exploration in the context of technophobia particularly in light of contradictory findings.
Computer Simulations of Diffraction Effects due to Stacking Faults in β‐SiC: II, Experimental Verification

Earlier results from computer simulation studies suggest a correlation between the spatial distribution of stacking errors in the β-SiC structure and features observed in XRD patterns of the material. Reported here are experimental results obtained from two types of nominally β-SiC specimens, which yield distinct XRD data. These samples were analyzed using high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HRTEM) and the stacking error distribution was directly determined. The HRTEM results compare well to those deduced by matching the XRD data with simulated spectra, confirming the hypothesis that the XRD data are indicative not only of the presence and density of stacking errors, but also that it can yield information regarding their distribution. Moreover, the stacking error population in both specimens is related to their synthesis conditions, and is similar to the relation developed by others to explain the formation of the corresponding polytypes.
Couples' Coping After Stroke-A Pilot Intervention Study.

Purpose This mixed-methods pilot study examined the impact of a psychoeducational intervention (PEI) to expand coping skills and identify themes for focused nursing strategies to assist poststroke couples. Design Outcome variables, including dyadic coping, quality of life, depression, and self-care self-efficacy, were measured in experimental and control groups initially and after PEI was created with experimental couples in six home sessions. Method Repeated measures analysis of variance compared control (n = 5 stroke survivors; n = 5 spouses) and experimental groups' (n = 5 stroke survivors; n = 5 spouses) on outcomes. Findings Significant increase occurred in experimental group stroke survivors in coping by oneself and quality of life; depressive symptoms decreased. Significant increase in positive dyadic coping occurred for experimental group spouses. PEI intervention generated a major theme. Conclusions Nurse-initiated cognitive coping intervention was supported by experimental group's elements. Clinical Relevance Nurses may use psychoeducational techniques to motivate stroke couples.
In vitro and in vivo studies on the mechanism of experimental autoimmune thyroiditis in guinea pigs

Abstract Thyroid explants of inbred strain 13 guinea pigs were grown in a semisynthetic medium containing 0.3 IU of thyroid-stimulating hormone. The monolayer retained the capacity in vitro to form thyroglobulin. Sensitized lymphocytes from animals with autoimmune thyroiditis could specifically lyse these thyroid target cells in vitro in the presence of an appropriate amount of specific antigen. This cytotoxicity was not observed in thyroid epithelial cells which had been incubated (a) with normal lymphocytes or (b) with purified macrophages either from normal animals or from animals with autoimmune thyroiditis. When thyroid cells were incubated with hyperimmune antithyroglobulin serum, cytolysis did not occur, whether or not complement was added. The cytopathic effect of sensitized lymphocytes was further demonstrated to be caused by a soluble cellular product, termed thyroid cytotoxic factor, or TCF, which was released from sensitized lymphocytes under the stimulation of specific antigen, thyroglobulin, and could exert a cytotoxic effect directly on the target cells. Direct cell-to-cell contact was not required in this type of cell-mediated cytolysis.