cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Thermal conductivity of multi-layer circuit boards

Thermal conductivity has been experimentally determined for multi-layer circuit boards. Conductivity was measured for three orthogonal directions (two inplane and one through-plane) for several circuit boards consisting of ten to twenty copper conductor layers separated by polymeric dielectric planes. Some of these circuit boards contain through-holes, called vias, to allow pins on modules to connect to interior conductor layers. Conductivity results were examined with respect to each other and agreed with results for standard circuit boards with conductor paths only on the top and bottom surfaces. Depending on the ratio of total metallic layer thickness to circuit board thickness, the in-plane conductivity ranged from 24.8 to 129.3 W/mK. The presence of pin holes reduced in-plane conductivity by one-third. In-plane thermal conductivity was 7 to 300 times greater than through-plane conductivity, which was 3.49 and 0.359 W/mK for circuits boards with and without pin holes, respectively. (Author)
Cerebellar Hemangioblastoma and Von Hippel-Lindau Disease

Six pediatric patients with cerebellar hemangioblastoma were screened for germline or somatic mutations of the von Hippel-Landau gene, in a study at Stanford University Medical Center, Palo Alto, CA.
Doxorubicin prodrug for cytoplasmic and nuclear delivery in breast cancer cells

Purpose: The objective of this study was to develop a novel peptide prodrug of doxorubicin which can evade over-expressed efflux pumps in breast cancer cells. This approach may lead to increased uptake and higher drug accumulation in nuclei of cancer cells. Materials and Methods: L-val-L-val doxorubicin prodrug was synthesized following standard f-moc chemistry. The prodrug was analyzed for stability, cellular and nuclear uptake and interaction with efflux and peptide transporters. Breast cancer cells (T47D) were grown on polystyrene 12-well plates. Result: The prodrug Val-Val-doxorubicin was found to be very stable in breast cancer cell homogenate. It was able to evade efflux pumps. The prodrug penetrated cytoplasm and nucleus of cancer cells by interacting with peptide transporters.These transporters (pepT1 and pepT2) are expressed both on plasma and nuclear membrane of breast cancer cells. Uptake of prodrug was found to be 10 times more than parent drug. Conclusion: Peptide prodrug derivatization of doxorubicin has potential to evade efflux pumps and increase availability and nuclear accumulation of doxorubcin in breast cancer cells.
Long-Term Declarative Memory for Generally Intelligent Agents.

The goal of my research is to develop and evaluate long-term declarative memory mechanisms that are effective and efficient across a variety of tasks.
Effective renal plasma flow: clinical significance after spinal cord injury.

Abstract We conducted a study to determine if effective renal plasma flow routinely measured by hippurate clearance during a comprehensive renal scintillation procedure is a relevant measure for assessing renal function in spinal cord injury patients. All subjects had spinal cord injury and had had contemporaneous comprehensive renal scintillation procedures and excretory urograms on 2 occasions 24 months or less apart. Each of the 469 kidneys was placed into 1 of 5 quintiles on the basis of its effective renal plasma flow at the first examination. The percentage of the kidneys that had clinically significant pyelocaliectasis or in which the pyelocaliectasis significantly worsened was 20.4 per cent in the lowest (first) quintile and 9.3, 2.2, 5.4 and 3.2 per cent in the second, third, fourth and fifth quintiles, respectively. Analogous data for ureterectasis were 16.1, 8.2, 2.2, 3.3 and 3.2 per cent. There was a significant (p less than 0.01) correlation between effective renal plasma flow and renal parenchymal thickness. Kidneys with renal calculi averaged effective renal plasma flows about 25 per cent lower than those of kidneys free of calculi. We conclude that effective renal plasma flow is a relevant measure for assessing renal function in spinal cord injury patients.
Toral and spherical Aluthge transforms of 2-variable weighted shifts

Abstract We introduce two natural notions of Aluthge transforms (toral and spherical) for 2-variable weighted shifts and study their basic properties. Next, we study the class of spherically quasinormal 2-variable weighted shifts, which are the fixed points for the spherical Aluthge transform. Finally, we briefly discuss the relation between spherically quasinormal and spherically isometric 2-variable weighted shifts.
A Mathematical Analysis of Scale Similarity

Scale similarity is found in many natural phenomena in the universe, from fluid dynamics to astrophysics. In large eddy simulations of turbulent flows, some sub-grid scale (SGS) models are based on scale similarity. The earliest scale similarity SGS model was developed by Bardina et al., which produced SGS stresses with good correlation to the true stresses. In the present study, we perform a mathematical analysis of scale similarity. The analysis has revealed that the ratio of the resolved stress to the SGS stress is γ 2, where γ is the ratio of the second filter width to the first filter width, under the assumption of small filter width. The implications of this analysis are discussed in the context of large eddy simulation.
A Phase 2 study of AZD2171 in recurrent or persistent ovarian, peritoneal or fallopian tube cancer. A study of the PMH, Chicago, and California Phase II Consortia

B2 Introduction: AZD2171 is a novel, orally-administered, highly potent inhibitor of all three vascular endothelial growth factor receptors (VEGFRs) as well as c-kit and PDGFR-β tyrosine kinase activity.VEGFR is over-expressed in human ovarian tumors and this is associated with a poor prognosis. Preclinical and early clinical data from phase I studies indicates that AZD2171 is well tolerated and shows activity against ovarian cancer. Methods: A two-stage, multicenter phase II clinical trial is underway for women with recurrent ovarian, peritoneal or Fallopian tube cancer. Eligibility criteria include patients (pts) with up to 1 prior platinum chemo regimen; ECOG performance status ≤2; normal marrow, liver and kidney function and exclude pts with uncontrolled blood pressure or any other intercurrent disease. Treatment consists of AZD2171 30 mg PO QD continuously for 4 weeks (one cycle).The primary endpoint is objective response rate, with response evaluated every 8 weeks. This study is stratified into two separate arms: platinum sensitive and platinum resistant pts. Results: 43 pts have been recruited to date. Total number of cycles: 84 (median 3, range 1-9). Median age: 58 (range 31-79), ECOG 0-1:35 pts. 29 pts had ovarian cancer. 19 pts were platinum-sensitive and 24 pts were platinum-resistant. Reasons for off-treatment (sensitive/resistant pts) consisted in PD (2/7), adverse events (AEs) (3/6), investigator decision (1/0) and patient withdrawal (0/1). 22 pts were initially treated at 45 mg with a median (range) of dose intensity of 37. 14 pts required dose modifications and only 8 pts (36%) received the full dose as planned. Dose reduction was necessary in virtually all patients beyond cycle 2.Because of excessive toxicity of the 45 mg dose, the starting dose was reduced to 30 mg PO QD. Grade 3-4 AEs attributable to AZD2171 included hypertension (12), fatigue (6), increased transaminases (3), anorexia (2), headache (2), myocardial infarction (2), proteinuria (1), abdominal pain (1) and intracranial hemorrhage (1). Of 14 platinum sensitive pts evaluable for response, 2 pts had a confirmed PR, 7 had SD (median 6 months) and 1 pt was inadequately assessed. 4 pts on study are too early for evaluation. Of the 17 evaluable platinum resistant patients, 1 pt had an unconfirmed PR, an additional 7 pts had SD (median 4 months) and 3 pts had PD. 6 pts are too early to be assessed. Conclusions: The results show some single agent activity with tolerable toxicity at the 30 mg PO QD dose. This trial continues to accrue to a second stage in both arms. Updated results will be presented.
The role of the arts and humanities in human flourishing: A conceptual model

AbstractThere is much debate on the value of the arts and humanities in our society. Each side provides strong arguments, but there has been little empirical research to draw on. A key reason for the lack of scientific evidence is the absence of a conceptual model on which to base investigations of the ways the arts and the humanities might contribute to human flourishing. To address this, we present a model to demarcate the domain of the arts and humanities by means of an extensional definition (e.g. majors, disciplines, and occupations) integrated with a functional analysis (i.e. modes of engagement and activities of involvement). We suggest immersion, embeddedness, socialisation, and reflectiveness as mechanisms by which the arts and humanities may enhance various forms of human flourishing. We conclude with implications of the model and ideas for future research to investigate the effects of the arts and humanities on human flourishing.
Glycogen Synthase and Its Control

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the characteristics of glycogen synthase and its control mechanisms. Glycogenic steroids in mammalian liver appear to act via insulin, as do puromycin and thyroxine in tadpole liver. Testosterone has been shown to increase weight and glycogen content of rat perineal muscle of castrate animals. The rat levator ani muscle present only in the male is a completely white muscle, which is part of the male reproductive system that is trophically dependent on androgens. The action of injected estrogen has been studied in the rat levator ani of the castrate rat. The covalent conversions act to interchange the allosteric control mechanisms of the two forms of the enzyme. In liver, insulin has both an effect to increase total phosphatase activity and to stimulate conversion of an inactive form of phosphatase to an active form. Glycogen synthase has no pyridoxal phosphate and has much more phosphate than phosphorylase.
Unlocking the Potential of Chemiluminescence Imaging

Improved chemiluminescence probes may help transition the technology into a widely employed tool for whole animal imaging and microscopy.
It’s Good but Is It Right? An Under-the-Hood View of the Location Affordability Index

AbstractIn 2012, the U.S. Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD) released the Location Affordability Index (LAI) as an online portal and downloadable data set. The LAI has elevated the U.S. conversation on affordability to include transportation and access to opportunities, and has been used in state and federal programming, by researchers, and by private households. However, although some researchers have noted concerns with and potential limitations of the data, none has provided practitioners and researchers with an under-the-hood view of the data, analysis of its reliability or validity, or its conceptual limitations. This article recommends methodological improvements dealing with issues of variable construction, aggregation, and modeling. A recreation of the LAI at the census-tract level suggests the LAI overestimates both costs and cost burden, but especially among renters, and especially in metropolitan areas. On the transportation side, model recreation requires partnership and resourc...
Help-seeking Behavior among Urban Black Adults

veloped trust and felt nurtured, the coown reactions with each other so the leaders became more active in discusstherapeutic bond with the mothers ing problems. Mothers began to accept could be maintained, suggestions from the coleaders and The coleaders noted that an impor other group members and were able to tant criterion for successful outcome make noticeable changes in their bewas the preexistence of a friendship havior with their children. between members in the group. In The coleaders were tempted to bethese instances, although severe diffi come advocates for the children when culties between mothers and children it was clear the mothers were neglectmight exist, the mothers were able to ing the children's basic needs. This make a commitment to the group, and would have sabotaged the chances of they and their children could make sig helping the whole family, however, nificant gains by participating. A
Analysis of ß-strand Twist from the 3-dimensional Image of a Protein

Electron cryo-microscopy (Cryo-EM) technique produces density maps that are 3-dimensional (3D) images of molecules. It is challenging to derive atomic structures of proteins from 3D images of medium resolutions. Twist of a α-strand has been studied extensively while little of the known information has been directly obtained from the 3D image of a α-sheet. We describe a method to characterize the twist of α-strands from the 3D image of a protein. An analysis of 11 α-sheet images shows that the Averaged Minimum Twist (AMT) angle is larger for a close set than for a far set of α-traces.
Pedagogical Practices: Lessons from Augustine of Hippo

This chapter seeks insight for the formation of doctoral students from the teaching practices of one of the Christian tradition’s greatest teachers: Augustine of Hippo. Through a reading of his Cassiciacum Dialogues, we will follow Augustine’s claim that the scholarly vocation does not simply entail the act of acquiring information; it is cultivating a way of life. The aim of this life is to participate in a greater love of God. Through the Dialogues, we identify both conceptual and practical moves Augustine makes as he leads one of his students, Licentius, on this path; a path wrought with peril, temptation, and joy.
Transport and Mixing

This chapter is a tutorial overview of physical transport processes in the subsurface, particularly as they pertain to chemical delivery and mixing. This chapter is intended as background material to facilitate the understanding of Chapters 4, 5, 6, 7, 8, 9 and 10. Readers with backgrounds in physical hydrogeology and fluid mechanics may want to skip all or parts of this chapter.
Assessing the reliability of the short form 12 (SF-12) health survey in adults with mental health conditions: a report from the wellness incentive and navigation (WIN) study

Although Short Form (SF)-12 × 2® has been extensively studied and used as a valid measure of health-related quality of life in a variety of population groups, no systematic studies have described the reliability of the measure in patients with behavioral conditions or serious mental illness (SMI). We assessed the internal consistency, split-half reliability and annual test-retest correlations in a sample of 1587 participants with either a combination of physical and behavioral conditions or SMI. The Mosier’s alpha was 0.70 for the Physical Composite Scale (PCS) and 0.69 for the Mental Health Composite Scale (MCS), indicating good internal consistency. We observed strong correlations between physical functioning, physical role and body pain scales (r = 0.55–0.56), and between social functioning, emotional role, and mental health (r = 0.53–0.58). We calculated split-half reliabilities to be 0.74 for physical functioning, 0.75 for physical role, 0.73 for emotional role and 0.65 for mental health respectively. We assessed the annual test-retest correlation using intraclass correlation (ICC) and found an ICC of 0.61 for PCS and 0.57 for MCS composite scores, adjusting for age, sex, race/ethnicity, and CRG. We found no decline in the correlations between baseline and the following study years until year 3. Our results encourage using SF-12v2® to assess health-related quality of life in the Medicaid population with combined physical and behavioral conditions or similar cohorts. The WIN study was registered with clinicaltrials.gov on April 22, 2015. Trial registration number: NCT02440906 . Retrospectively registered.
When Do Firms Initiate Earnings Guidance? The Timing, Consequences, and Characteristics of Firms' First Earnings Guidance

The decision to provide earnings guidance for the first time is an important disclosure decision that has a significant effect on subsequent earnings guidance decisions. We explore how soon managers initiate earnings guidance after an initial public offering (IPO) and the factors associated with the adoption of this new disclosure policy. Our results suggest that managers in the current environment often initiate public guidance soon after their IPOs. Specifically, we find that more than 31 (59) percent of our sample firms provide earnings guidance within 90 (365) days of going public. We explore factors that are likely related to the supply of and demand for early earnings guidance. We find evidence of a positive association between the timing of earnings guidance initiation and the involvement of influential external parties (analysts, venture capital firms, and private equity firms) and the proportion of industry peers that guide and a negative association between the timing of first guidance and IPO information uncertainty. In addition, we find a positive association between abnormal returns and first guidance forecast news, consistent with investors generally relying on first-time guidance. We also find that firms in short-term focused industries tend to provide shorter-horizon initial guidance. Overall, the results indicate that, while the timing of first guidance varies with firm-specific measures of the costs and benefits of disclosure predicted by theory, the horizon of first guidance depends mostly on industry factors.
Harassment charges: Journalists' role

As a woman in science, I find the reporting of allegations against Francisco Ayala (“#Metoo complaints fell noted geneticist,” M. Wadman, News In Brief, 6 July, p. [8][1]) deeply troubling. The title implicates the “complaints” or “complainers” as responsible for the resignation, as opposed to the actions of the accused or the impartial sexual harassment investigation. The term “complaint” gives the impression that the alleged victims have minor grievances as opposed to serious reports of scientific misconduct. Not only is this title biased against whistleblowers, it is also factually incorrect, as the first allegations of harassment were allegedly made 3 years before the resignation. I assert that the investigation, not the allegations, caused the accused to resign. [1]: /lookup/doi/10.1126/science.361.6397.8
Modeling the Influence of Chronopharmacological Administration of Synthetic Glucocorticoids on the Hypothalamic-Pituitary-Adrenal Axis

Natural glucocorticoids, a class of cholesterol-derived hormones, modulate an array of metabolic, anti-inflammatory, immunosuppressive and cognitive signaling. The synthesis of natural glucocorticoids, largely cortisol in humans, is regulated by the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis and exhibits pronounced circadian variation. Considering the central regulatory function of endogenous glucocorticoids, maintenance of the circadian activity of the HPA axis is essential to host survival and chronic disruption of such activity leads to systemic complications. There is a great deal of interest in synthetic glucocorticoids due to the immunosuppressive and anti-inflammatory properties and the development of novel dosing regimens that can minimize the disruption of endogenous activity, while still maintaining the pharmacological benefits of long-term synthetic glucocorticoid therapy. Synthetic glucocorticoids are associated with an increased risk of developing the pathological disorders related to chronic suppression of cortisol rhythmicity as a result of the potent negative feedback by synthetic glucocorticoids on the HPA axis precursors. In this study, a mathematical model was developed to explore the influence of chronopharmacological dosing of exogenous glucocorticoids on the endogenous cortisol rhythm considering intra-venous and oral dosing. Chronic daily dosing resulted in modification of the circadian rhythmicity of endogenous cortisol with the amplitude and acrophase of the altered rhythm dependent on the administration time. Simulations revealed that the circadian features of the endogenous cortisol rhythm can be preserved by proper timing of administration. The response following a single dose was not indicative of the response following long-term, repeated chronopharmacological dosing of synthetic glucocorticoids. Furthermore, simulations revealed the inductive influence of long-term treatment was only associated with low to moderate doses, while high doses generally led to suppression of endogenous activity regardless of the chronopharmacological dose. Finally, chronic daily dosing was found to alter the responsiveness of the HPA axis, such that a decrease in the amplitude of the cortisol rhythm resulted in a partial loss in the time-of-day dependent response to CRH stimulation, while an increase in the amplitude was associated with a more pronounced time-of-day dependence of the response.
Patient-reported outcomes, emoji, and activity measured on the Apple Watch in cancer patients.

6501Background: Patient-reported outcomes (PROs) are important measures in patients with cancer, but may be burdensome to collect. We aimed to measure PROs via mobile technology, using novel emoji ...
Islamophobia and the Mental Health of Rohingya Refugees

The Rohingya, a long-persecuted minority in Myanmar, have been victims of genocide because of their Muslim faith. Through systematic discrimination and apartheid, the state has denied them their fundamental human right of citizenship. For generations, stateless Rohingya have been struggling for survival. Unfortunately, despite clear prior warnings of their genocide, the rest of the world failed the responsibility to protect them. To escape murder, rape, and mass violence, more than a million Rohingya have fled to other countries in desperate conditions. Resonant with rest of their neglect as a group, there is a dearth of research about their mental health challenges and needs. This chapter attempts to understand their historical background, ongoing genocide, and the underlying attitudes that facilitated the perpetration of genocide. Next, this chapter attempts to provide a framework by which to conceptualize the impact of these atrocities on their mental health at an individual, family, and community level. The chapter concludes with ideas and suggestions for intervention based on this understanding of the challenges faced by the Rohingya and other minorities who are victims of similar atrocities.
Investigation of Feedback Schedules on Speech Motor Learning in Older Adults.

Background: The principles of motor learning (PML) emerged from studies of limb motor skills in healthy, young adults. The applicability of these principles to speech motor learning, and to older adults, is uncertain. Aims: The purpose of this study was to examine one PML, feedback frequency, and its effect on retention and generalization of a novel speech and comparable tracing task. Methods: Sixty older adults completed a speech motor learning task requiring the production of a novel phrase at speaking rates 2 times and 3 times slower than habitual rate. Participants also completed a limb motor learning task requiring the tracing of a sine wave 2x and 3x slower than habitual rate. Participants were randomly assigned to receive feedback every trial, every 5th trial, or every 10th trial. Mean absolute error was measured to examine immediate generalization, delayed generalization, and 2-day retention. Findings: Results suggested that feedback frequency did not have an effect on the retention and generalization of the speech or manual task, supporting the small but growing literature highlighting the constraints of generalizing the PML to other modalities and populations. Funding: This research was supported by the National Institute on Deafness and Other Communication Disorders Grants T32 DC000033, P30DC04661, and the University of Washington Royalty Research Fund (A70442) awarded to Dr. Kristie Spencer. The authors gratefully acknowledge Sara Savaglio, Christopher Woollcott, and all participants for their contributions to this study. The content is solely the responsibility of the authors and only represents their views.
Analysis and Detection of Outliers due to Data Falsification Attacks in Vehicular Traffic Prediction Application

This paper presents an analysis of the vehicular traffic prediction system under the data falsification attack. The proposed analysis shows the effect of orchestrated attacks on Deep Neural Network (DNN) based traffic prediction algorithm. We provide an efficient model for traffic data distribution and management. Based on the proposed model, we investigate traffic gradient based anomaly detection algorithm against data falsification attacks. The proposed anomaly detection method uses dynamic time window to find the traffic gradient at different time. The presented approach finds the presence of anomaly and also accurately detects the type of attack launched by an adversary. The simulation results show that the proposed algorithm identifies data falsification attacks with an accuracy of ≈ 70% within a very short interval of attack time and about ≈ 95% for the longer interval. Furthermore, the algorithm detects the attack type with an accuracy of ≈90%.
Photoelectrocyclization Reactions of Amidonaphthoquinones

Readily available acrylamide naphthoquinones can be converted into the corresponding aza-anthraquinones using 6π-photoelectrocyclization reactions. Not only do these reactions not proceed thermally but, as demonstrated here, they can also be used to generate a range of aza-anthraquinone and aza-tetracycline derivatives including the natural products griffithazanone A and marcanine A. Several of the aza-anthraquinones generated in this work showed antibacterial activity.
Operating a treatment planning system using a deep-reinforcement learning-based virtual treatment planner for prostate cancer intensity-modulated radiation therapy treatment planning

PURPOSE In the treatment planning process of intensity-modulated radiation therapy (IMRT), a human planner operates the treatment planning system (TPS) to adjust treatment planning parameters, for example, dose volume histogram (DVH) constraints' locations and weights, to achieve a satisfactory plan for each patient. This process is usually time-consuming, and the plan quality depends on planer's experience and available planning time. In this study, we proposed to model the behaviors of human planners in treatment planning by a deep reinforcement learning (DRL)-based virtual treatment planner network (VTPN), such that it can operate the TPS in a human-like manner for treatment planning. METHODS AND MATERIALS Using prostate cancer IMRT as an example, we established the VTPN using a deep neural network developed. We considered an in-house optimization engine with a weighted quadratic objective function. Virtual treatment planner network was designed to observe an intermediate plan DVHs and decide the action to improve the plan by changing weights and threshold dose in the objective function. We trained the VTPN in an end-to-end DRL process in 10 patient cases. A plan score was used to measure plan quality. We demonstrated the feasibility and effectiveness of the trained VTPN in another 64 patient cases. RESULTS Virtual treatment planner network was trained to spontaneously learn how to adjust treatment planning parameters to generate high-quality treatment plans. In the 64 testing cases, with initialized parameters, quality score was 4.97 (±2.02), with 9.0 being the highest possible score. Using VTPN to perform treatment planning improved quality score to 8.44 (±0.48). CONCLUSIONS To our knowledge, this was the first time that intelligent treatment planning behaviors of human planner in external beam IMRT are autonomously encoded in an artificial intelligence system. The trained VTPN is capable of behaving in a human-like way to produce high-quality plans.
Microfiber coating for flow control: Effects on microfiber length in orientation control

Abstract Bioinspired devices have been studied for their use in passive flow control. A hair-structure microfiber coating is studied as one such bio-inspired device. Key parameters of the microfiber coating are its length and the orientation of the hair structure. The relationship between length and angle of these fibers in a coating created through electrostatic flocking is studied herein. It is found that over 60 % of microfibers can be controlled to be aligned within 60° to 90° of the azimuthal angle regardless of microfiber length.
UNIONS OF LINES IN

We show that if a collection of lines in a vector space over a finite field has “dimension” at least , then its union has “dimension” at least . This is the sharp estimate of its type when no structural assumptions are placed on the collection of lines. We also consider some refinements and extensions of the main result, including estimates for unions of -planes.
How Far Have We Come? An Updated Scoping Review of Young Carers in the U.S.

Approximately 1.4 million young carers (aged 8–18) in the United States are providing multifaceted, extended care to adults with serious illness, in addition to their family, home, and/or school responsibilities. In 2015 an initial review of U.S. research on young carers highlighted the need for longitudinal research, interventions, and national policy. The aim of this review is to identify young carer research since the original review to assess progress in better serving young carers’ needs and to identify persistent gaps for future research. Using Arksey & O’Malley’s Scoping Review Framework to answer our research question of how many studies have been conducted since the initial review, we (1) identified relevant studies, (2) performed study selection, (3) charted the data, and (4) summarized and reported results. We also reviewed young carer research outside of the U.S. to compare transnational progress. The search yielded only four U.S. studies representing 507 CC; age range 8–25 years. Most often the young carers reported more responsibilities than the adult care recipient and a variety of factors contributing to their experience. A separate review yielded eight non-U.S. studies and similar findings. Mirroring the 2015 review, results detail a lack of consistency regarding the terminology and age range for young carers. Despite a previous call to action, there exists both a continued need for tailored interventions to prevent or mitigate potential negative outcomes related to the caregiving role, and a need for further research and global policy development.
Chromium stable isotope geochemistry in the Mobile Bay Estuary

Abstract The chromium (Cr) isotope system is an important redox proxy for understanding Earth's oxygenation history. However, quantitative application of this proxy is hindered by a lack of clear understanding of the global Cr isotope mass balance. Estuarine environments potentially play important roles in influencing the global oceanic Cr mass balance because riverine Cr derived from continental weathering must first travel through estuaries before entering the open ocean. We collected water, suspended particulate matter, and sediment samples across a salinity gradient in the Mobile Bay Estuary located in the Northern Gulf of Mexico, with a purpose of evaluating whether Cr behaves conservatively in estuarine environments. A simple conservative mixing model between the fresh Mobile River water and Gulf of Mexico seawater alone was insufficient to explain the Cr concentration and isotope data, suggesting that Cr behaves non-conservatively in this estuary system. A model incorporating conservative mixing, partial Cr(VI) reduction and partial scavenging of the produced Cr(III) is developed to reproduce the observed data. Our data and modeling exercise suggest that up to 60% of Cr(VI) is reduced to Cr(III) in the Mobile Bay Estuary with a Cr isotope fractionation factor of −1.2‰, and 40% of the produced Cr(III) is removed from solution. Although these parameters may not be the sole solution to the system of equations involved, they are consistent with previous estimates. Future redox-specific Cr isotope data in estuarine environments are needed to place finer constraints on these parameters in estuaries, which is critical for estimating global marine Cr isotope mass balance using riverine Cr concentration and isotope data.
Rethinking the Person-Affecting Principle

In Rethinking the Good, Larry Temkin argues for a principle that he calls the Narrow Person-Affecting View. In its simplest formulation, this principle states that a first outcome can be better than a second outcome only if there is someone who fares better in the first outcome than in the second. Temkin argues that this kind of principle gives us reason to reject the Transitivity Thesis, according to which, if A is better than B, and B is better than C, then A must be better than C. In this paper, I argue that the various formulations which Temkin has offered of the Narrow Person-Affecting View all face serious problems. I then propose an alternative view that captures the spirit of Temkin’s formulations while avoiding their difficulties. I conclude by arguing that, even if we accept such a person-affecting view, we needn’t reject the Transitivity Thesis.
Soil Nematodes of Brassica rapa: Influence of Temperature and pH

An investigation of the soil nematodes associated with Brassica rapa and the effects of temperature and pH on their populations was carried out. The nematodes recovered were categorized into three ecologically functional groups; Nitrogen Releasing Nematodes (NRN, bacterial- and fungal- feeders), Plant-Parasitic Nematodes (PPN), and Pest Suppressor Nematodes (PSN, Carnivorous or predatory (Ca) and Omnivorous (Om), nematodes). While over 67% of the NRN were bacterial feeding nematodes (Ba 2 ), dominated by Plectus and Acrobeloides; over 65% of the PPN were contributed by the Pl 3 nematodes dominated by Helicotylenchus mucronatus and Rotylenchus buxophilus ; and the PSN were dominated (over 63%) by the omnivores (Om 4 ; Mesodorylaimus and Dorylaimus). Populations of all the nematode categories recovered fluctuated significantly (P < 0.01) during the sampling period. All the nematode groups were similarly weakly negatively correlated with pH and temperature. Approximately 1000 H. mucronatus nematodes/100 mL of soil was recorded. This is 10x the value for which the management of PPN is recommended. The entire soil nematode food web structure was represented in the nematodes recovered, all groups of nematodes responded similarly to environmental changes, all groups of nematodes tended to be acidophilic and thermophobic, and the PPN could potentially be a threat for profitable B. rapa production.
A Permutation Coding with Heuristics for the Uncapacitated Facility Location Problem

Given a collection of warehouse locations, each with a fixed cost, and customers to be served from those warehouses, each with a cost associated with both the customer and the one warehouse from which the customer is served, the uncapacitated facility location problem seeks to identify a subset of the warehouse locations that minimizes the total cost. A genetic algorithm for this NP-hard problem encodes candidate subsets of the warehouse locations as permutations of all the available locations; a greedy decoder identifies the subset that such a chromosome represents. Three heuristic extensions reorder chromosomes so that they list included locations before excluded; mutate chromosomes by always swapping an included location with an arbitrary one; and re-scan the included locations to exclude any whose exclusion reduces the total cost. Four versions of the GA implement none, one, two, or all of these extensions. In tests on 235 publicly available problem instances whose optimum solutions are known, all the versions outperform a straightforward binary-coded GA, and the heuristic extensions enable the version that uses them all to find optimum solutions very quickly on almost every trial on the test instances. The heuristic techniques should be effective in permutation-coded evolutionary algorithms for other problems that seek subsets of initially unknown sizes.
Metallothionein-I/II Promotes Axonal Regeneration in the Central Nervous System

The adult CNS does not spontaneously regenerate after injury, due in large part to myelin-associated inhibitors such as myelin-associated glycoprotein (MAG), Nogo-A, and oligodendrocyte-myelin glycoprotein. All three inhibitors can interact with either the Nogo receptor complex or paired immunoglobulin-like receptor B. A conditioning lesion of the sciatic nerve allows the central processes of dorsal root ganglion (DRG) neurons to spontaneously regenerate in vivo after a dorsal column lesion. After a conditioning lesion, DRG neurons are no longer inhibited by myelin, and this effect is cyclic AMP (cAMP)- and transcription-dependent. Using a microarray analysis, we identified several genes that are up-regulated both in adult DRGs after a conditioning lesion and in DRG neurons treated with cAMP analogues. One gene that was up-regulated under both conditions is metallothionein (MT)-I. We show here that treatment with two closely related isoforms of MT (MT-I/II) can overcome the inhibitory effects of both myelin and MAG for cortical, hippocampal, and DRG neurons. Intrathecal delivery of MT-I/II to adult DRGs also promotes neurite outgrowth in the presence of MAG. Adult DRGs from MT-I/II-deficient mice extend significantly shorter processes on MAG compared with wild-type DRG neurons, and regeneration of dorsal column axons does not occur after a conditioning lesion in MT-I/II-deficient mice. Furthermore, a single intravitreal injection of MT-I/II after optic nerve crush promotes axonal regeneration. Mechanistically, MT-I/II ability to overcome MAG-mediated inhibition is transcription-dependent, and MT-I/II can block the proteolytic activity of α-secretase and the activation of PKC and Rho in response to soluble MAG.
Trade Policy, Fiscal Coalitions and the Structure of Taxation in Industrialized Countries, 1870-1918

Why do different countries adopt different tax policies? This paper argues that domestic tax policy outcomes may be strongly influenced by the orientations of different economic and political actors to international trade, as well as by their positions on domestic dimensions. Considering the period between 1870 and 1918 in 9 western European countries provides support to this contention. International openness does matter for tax structure. Further, the dynamics are more complex than a simple tax competition argument might predict. Greater trade is actually associated with higher levels of direct domestic taxation. I propose a theory grounded in the political coalitions underpinning tax and tariff reforms to explain this relationship. Tax as well as tariff outcomes depend on the joint distribution of interests along the potentially independent dimensions of exposure to openness, and relative income. Different distributions yield different political alliances and thus divergent tax outcomes. This theory is considered with regard to comparative case studies of the UK and France between 1890 and 1918.
Predicting AIDS incidence by extrapolating from recent trends

Projections of future acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS) cases are important for public health planning. This report provides a detailed description of the extrapolation method that the Centers for Disease Control has used to make 5-year projections. Reported incidence is first adjusted for reporting delays. The prediction model extrapolates recent trends in incidence by fitting a Box-Cox model to adjusted incidence by maximum likelihood. Prediction intervals can be computed from least squares regression prediction intervals conditional on the Box-Cox transformation parameter or from a bootstrap procedure. Projections for subgroups can also be made by modeling the time series of proportions of AIDS cases in the subgroups. Projections made in early 1986 were quite accurate for 1986 and 1987, but improved methods for adjusting for reporting delays could yield better projections. Our experience indicates that the form of the extrapolation model must be chosen carefully, using both statistical criteria and substantive knowledge.
Eccentric contractions increase the phosphorylation of tuberous sclerosis complex-2 (TSC2) and alter the targeting of TSC2 and the mechanistic target of rapamycin to the lysosome.

Key points • Mechanical stimuli play a major role in the regulation of skeletal muscle mass. • Signalling through a protein kinase called the mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) is essential for mechanically induced changes in muscle mass; however, the mechanism(s) via which mechanical stimuli regulate mTOR signalling have not been defined. • In this study, mouse skeletal muscles were stimulated with eccentric contractions (ECs) to determine if the mechanical activation of mTOR signalling is associated with changes in the phosphorylation of the tuberous sclerosis complex-2 (TSC2) and the targeting of both mTOR and TSC2 to the lysosome. • Our results demonstrate that ECs induce hyper-phosphorylation of TSC2, enhanced lysosomal targeting of mTOR and nearly abolish the lysosomal targeting of TSC2. • These novel observations suggest that alterations in the lysosomal targeting of mTOR/TSC2 could play a fundamental role in the mechanism via which mechanical stimuli regulate mTOR signalling and ultimately skeletal muscle mass. Abstract The goal of this study was to determine whether the mechanical activation of mechanistic target of rapamycin (mTOR) signalling is associated with changes in phosphorylation of tuberous sclerosis complex-2 (TSC2) and targeting of mTOR and TSC2 to the lysosome. As a source of mechanical stimulation, mouse skeletal muscles were subjected to eccentric contractions (ECs). The results demonstrated that ECs induced hyper-phosphorylation of TSC2 and at least part of this increase occurred on residue(s) that fall within RxRxxS/T consensus motif(s). Furthermore, in control muscles, we found that both mTOR and TSC2 are highly enriched at the lysosome. Intriguingly, ECs enhanced the lysosomal association of mTOR and almost completely abolished the lysosomal association of TSC2. Based on these results, we developed a new model that could potentially explain how mechanical stimuli activate mTOR signalling. Furthermore, this is the first study to reveal that the activation of mTOR is associated with the translocation of TSC2 away from the lysosome. Since a large number of signalling pathways rely on TSC2 to control mTOR signalling, our results have potentially revealed a fundamental mechanism via which not only mechanical, but also various other types of stimuli, control mTOR signalling.
Modulation of temporomandibular joint nociception and inflammation in male rats after administering a physiological concentration of 17β‐oestradiol

Background Previous studies have shown 17β-estradiol will reduce temporomandibular joint (TMJ) inflammation and hypersensitivity in female rats. Although male rats contain significant amounts of oestradiol, it was unknown whether a physiological concentration of 17β-estradiol would attenuate male TMJ inflammation and nociception. Methods Intact and castrated rats were given a physiological concentration of oestradiol to examine first, if oestradiol will affect male TMJ nociception/inflammation and, second, if administration of oestradiol would act synergistically with endogenous male hormones to attenuate TMJ nociception. The hormonally treated rats were given TMJ injections of complete Freund's adjuvant (CFA) and then nociception was measured using a validated method in which a lengthening in meal duration is directly correlated to the intensity of deep TMJ nociception. Inflammation was assayed by quantitating pro-inflammatory gene expression. Results Meal duration was significantly lengthened after TMJ CFA injection and this lengthening was significantly attenuated in the castrated but not intact males after administering a physiological concentration of oestradiol. A physiological concentration of 17β-estradiol also significantly increased IL-6 expression in the inflamed TMJ of castrated males while 17β-estradiol did not alter IL-1β, CXCL2 and CCL20 expression. Castration increased pro-inflammatory mediators IL-6, IL-1β and CXCL2 suggesting male sex hormones were anti-inflammatory. Calcitonin gene-related peptide in the trigeminal ganglia was unchanged. Conclusions Similar to females, male rats with TMJ inflammation showed a reduced nociceptive response after treatment with a physiological concentration of oestradiol suggesting the effects of oestradiol treatment were not constrained by organizational processes in the males.
On Identifying Strongly Connected Components in Parallel

The standard serial algorithm for strongly connected components is based on depth first search, which is difficult to parallelize. We describe a divide-and-conquer algorithm for this problem which has significantly greater potential for parallelization. For a graph with n vertices in which degrees are bounded by a constant, we sho w the expected serial running time of our algorithm to be O(n log n).
RECENT ADVANCES IN THE PHARMACOLOGIC MANAGEMENT OF DIABETES MELLITUS

Approximately 16.7 million people in the United States have diabetes mellitus (DM), making it one of the most prevalent chronic diseases in this country as well as worldwide. Type 2 DM, formerly known as non–insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus (NIDDM), comprises 90% of all cases. Type 2 DM is the result of insulin resistance, largely resulting from obesity, with beta cell dysfunction contributing to some cases. Type I DM is characterized by insufficient or absent insulin production. Glycosolated hemoglobin (HbAlc) is used to monitor the adequacy of glycemic control in both groups. In recent years, many advances in the pharmacologic treatment of DM have been introduced in the United States. Because of the prevalence of diabetes and the frequency with which these patients present to the emergency department (ED), either for treatment of the disease itself or one of its complications, or as a comorbid illness, emergency physicians must be familiar with these agents. Although many older drugs remain in common use, and in fact endure as first-line therapy, only those agents recently introduced to the market are discussed here. The drugs used to treat DM are diverse and involve several classes. These drugs, however, can be divided into (1) hypoglycemic agents, such as insulin, the sulfonylureas and the metglitinides; and (2) antihyperglycemic agents, such as the biguanides, the alpha-glucosidase inhibitors, and the thiazolidinediones.
Bleaching tetracycline-stained vital teeth☆

Abstract 1. 1. Six patients with cystic fibrosis, ranging in age from 6 to 18 years, were selected at random for a preliminary study of a technique for bleaching vital teeth which were stained by tetracycline administration. 2. 2. Bleaching was accomplished by warming a 30 per cent hydrogen peroxide solution to approximately 88° F. with a hand-held heating source which was placed over the external surface of the tooth for 30 minutes. The peroxide solution was kept in contact with the tooth by means of a gauze matrix. 3. 3. Each patient was given eight treatments, generally at one-week intervals, and was seen and treated monthly thereafter. 4. 4. There was significant esthetic improvement in five of the six patients. The results were evaluated on the basis of the clinician's observations, pre- and postoperative color photographs, and the recorded comments of the patients and their parents.