cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Slow Roll Reconstruction: Constraints on Inflation from the 3 Year WMAP Dataset

We study the constraints on the inflationary parameter space derived from the 3 year WMAP dataset using ``slow roll reconstruction'', using the SDSS galaxy power spectrum to gain further leverage where appropriate. This approach inserts the inflationary slow roll parameters directly into a Monte Carlo Markov chain estimate of the cosmological parameters, and uses the inflationary flow hierarchy to compute the parameters' scale-dependence. We work with the first three parameters (epsilon, eta and xi) and pay close attention to the possibility that the 3 year WMAP dataset contains evidence for a ``running'' spectral index, which is dominated by the xi term. Mirroring the WMAP team's analysis we find that the permitted distribution of xi is broad, and centered away from zero. However, when we require that inflationary parameters yield at least 30 additional e-folds of inflation after the largest observable scales leave the horizon, the bounds on xi tighten dramatically. We make use of the absence of an explicit pivot scale in the slow roll reconstruction formalism to determine the dependence of the computed parameter distributions on the pivot. We show that the choice of pivot has a significant effect on the inferred constraints on the inflationary variables, and the spectral index and running derived from them. Finally, we argue that the next round of cosmological data can be expected to place very stringent constraints on the region of parameter space open to single field models of slow roll inflation.
Integration of a Virtual Dispensing Simulator "MyDispense" in an Experiential Education Program to Prepare Students for Community Introductory Pharmacy Practice Experience.

Background: Technology is increasingly used to enhance pharmacy education. We sought to evaluate student learning and preparedness for community introductory pharmacy practice experiences (IPPEs) after implementation of “MyDispense” into experiential education. Methods: Both first-year pharmacy students and assigned community IPPE preceptors were eligible. Students were stratified based on previous community pharmacy experience (< or ≥ 50 h), then randomized to complete MyDispense exercises before IPPE (group A) or after 24–32 h of IPPE (group B). We evaluated preceptors’ assessment of student readiness using a 6-item Likert scale survey and students’ readiness and opinion of MyDispense using an anonymous 9-item survey. Descriptive statistics were used to characterize data. The Mann–Whitney U test was used to compare groups and a p-value < 0.05 was considered statistically significant. Results: Of 177 eligible students, 155 were randomized and 56 completed study. Group A included 32 students; 56.3% had prior community practice experience. Group B included 24 students; 50% had prior community practice experience. Forty-eight preceptors were enrolled. Students who completed exercises before rotation received higher preceptor scores for patient counseling of self-care and of medications (p < 0.05 for both). Students self-assessed their counseling skills lower than all other skills; 30.4% and 42.9% of students felt mostly or always prepared to counsel for self-care and medications, respectively. Students found MyDispense straightforward, realistic, and appreciated the ability to practice in a safe, electronic, community pharmacy, patient-care environment. Conclusion: Simulation-based software, such as MyDispense, can enhance learner understanding of the prescription fill and counseling process in a community pharmacy practice setting.
Dynamics of Complex Service Systems

This article suggests that important trends in education can be understood if we view and study universities as complex systems that provide educational services. Methodologically, we draw on the service science theoretical framework, which we adapt to education, and then supplement our analysis with a computational model. We build a system dynamics model that represents a typical US university. The model takes into account complex interrelationships between faculty, physical plant, tuition revenue, financials, reputation and service outcomes. We use the model to analyze the strategic behavior and resulting dynamics of a typical tuition-based university in the context of rapid and accelerating transformation caused by market forces.
“People Don’t Just Start Shooting Heroin on Their 18th Birthday”: A Qualitative Study of Community Stakeholders’ Perspectives on Adolescent Opioid Use and Opportunities for Intervention in Baltimore, Maryland

Initiation of non-medical prescription opioid use (NMPO) during early adolescence is tightly linked to heroin and other drug use disorders and related sequelae in later adolescence and young adulthood. Few studies explore stakeholders’ perspectives on the burden and determinants of youth opioid use and barriers and facilitators to engaging youth in opioid use prevention and treatment services in urban settings with longstanding opioid epidemics. In-depth interviews were conducted with 22 stakeholders representing health and social service agencies in Baltimore, Maryland from May 2018- February 2019, to examine their perspectives on the burden and context of adolescent opioid use and identify barriers and facilitators to preventing and responding to adolescent opioid use. Transcripts were analyzed using the constant comparison method to identify themes. Most respondents described a recent uptick in opioid use independently, and in combination with other substances. As compared to heroin, NMPO was perceived to be more frequently used and less stigmatized among youth. Stakeholders perceived the process of transitioning from using NMPO to heroin as more common among White vs. Black youth and was perceived as occurring faster among White vs. Black youth. Some stakeholders believed racial differences in internal stigma against heroin use, and differential health service use among Black youth and White youth may have influenced these differences. Trauma and poverty were noted determinants of youth opioid use. Barriers to service provision included youth cognitive development, stigma and structural factors (e.g., disinvestment, lack of youth-centered and integrated services). Stakeholders perceive prevalent NMPO among Baltimore youth and identify multilevel barriers to delivering prevention, treatment and harm reduction services to this population. These findings encourage further investigation of determinants and consequences of opioid use among diverse racial/ethnic groups of youth in urban settings, and development of multilevel, youth-driven and youth-centered approaches to prevention and treatment.
Factors associated with the refusal of surgery and the associated impact on survival in patients with rectal cancer using the National Cancer Database.

Background Surgical resection is an integral component of the curative-intent treatment for most patients with non-metastatic rectal cancer. However, some patients refuse surgery for a number of reasons. Utilizing the National Cancer Database (NCDB), we investigated the sociodemographic and clinical factors associated with patients who were coded as having been offered but refused surgery, and the factors affecting overall survival (OS) in these patients. Methods Adult patients with adenocarcinoma of the rectum (excluding T1N0M0 and M1 disease) diagnosed from 2004 to 2015 were analyzed in this retrospective cohort study. Logistic regression was performed to identify factors associated with refusal of surgery. OS of patients refusing surgery was compared using Kaplan-Meier estimate, log-rank test, propensity score matching, and proportional hazards regression. Results A total of 55,704 patients were identified: 54,266 received definitive surgery (97.4%) and 1,438 refused (2.6%). Of patients refusing surgery, 135 (9.4%) were stage I, 709 (49.3%) were stage II, and 594 (41.3%) were stage III. Patients were more likely to refuse surgery as the study period progressed (P<0.01). Factors associated with refusal of surgery on multivariate analysis include: age ≥70 years, Black race, non-private insurance, and tumor size greater than 2 cm (all values P≤0.01). The 5-year OS was 61.6% for the surgery cohort and 35.7% for the refusal cohort. In the propensity matched groups, median survival was 84.2 months in patients who received definitive surgery compared to 43.7 months in patients who refused surgery. As an index for comparison, patients who refused surgery but received both radiotherapy and chemotherapy had a median survival of 48.5 months. Among patients that refused surgery, those that received radiotherapy alone, chemotherapy alone, or radiotherapy and chemotherapy (compared to no treatment) experienced a survival benefit (all values P≤0.01). Conclusions In patients with non-metastatic adenocarcinoma of the rectum reported in the NCDB, age, race, and insurance status were associated with refusal of surgery. Refusal of surgery was more common in the later years of the study. Survival is poor in patients who refused surgical resection.
Cetyltrimethylammonium Bromide PAGE and Eastern Blotting

The standard method of subjecting a protein or protein mixture to gel electrophoresis has been using the denaturing gel electrophoresis of Laemmli using the negatively charged detergent sodium dodecyl sulfate. However, in some cases, this procedure does not give good results. In such instances, one can carry out electrophoresis using a positively charged detergent known as cetyltrimethylammonium bromide (CTAB). This procedure, originally devised and described by Engelbert Buxbaum, gives detailed steps to carry out eastern blotting.
Extensive hybridization of mafic and silicic magmas at the confluence of the Cascade Arc and High Lava Plains: The Newberry Volcano of Central Oregon

Abstract Newberry volcano lies at the intersection of the north-south trending Cascade Arc with the margin of the High Lava Plains trend. Newberry is unusual as a Cascade volcano in that it is dominantly basaltic and geochemically bimodal between basalt and silicic rocks. The youngest calc-alkaline mafic to intermediate lavas of Newberry Volcano have major and trace element characteristics consistent with up to 35–40 wt% mixing and hybridization of an evolved tholeiitic basalt with silicic magmas similar to that present as domes and flows within the caldera of the volcano. This unusual extensive hybridization is the combined result of voluminous influx of basaltic magma into the crust, fractionation within subvolcanic chambers, anatexsis of crustal rocks to produce silicic magmas, superheating of these silicic magmas, and complex interaction of mafic and silicic magma within the substructure of the volcano and especially within a dike swarm underlying the northwest rift of the volcano. The most primitive basaltic rocks of the volcano include both tholeiitic and calc-alkaline varieties derived from melting of variously subduction-influenced lithospheric mantle at depth. The evolved tholeiitic end member of mixing within the Northwest Rift was produced by fractionation of a primitive tholeiitic parent. This evolved tholeiite mixed substantially with at least two silicic magmas to generate the calc-alkaline intermediate rocks of the Northwest Rift of the volcano.
Comparing the relationship between subjective memory complaints, objective memory performance, and medial temporal lobe volumes in patients with mild cognitive impairment

Introduction This study examined the relationship between subjective memory complaints (both self- and informant-report), objective memory performance, and medial temporal lobe (MTL) volume.
Small manufacturing plants, pollution, and poverty : new evidence from Brazil and Mexico

Small, dirty manufacturing plants dominate poor regions but have only a small impact on pollution. Large plants in high-income areas cause most of the damage to human health. Dasgupta, Lucas, and Wheeler use new data from Brazil and Mexico to analyze relationships linking economic development, the size distribution of manufacturing plants, and exposure to industrial pollution. For lack of data, prior work in this field has been limited largely to water pollution and medium-size plants. This study examines air pollution and encompasses small plants (with 1 to 20 employees) as well as medium-size and large plants. Four main questions are addressed (with answers from plant-level data): Are small plants more pollution-intensive than large facilities? Clearly, yes. Are there proportionately more small plants in low-income regions? The answer is yes, in thousands of Brazilian municipalities. Small plants dominate poor regions and are a relatively low source of employment in high-income areas. Is industry more pollution-intensive in low-income regions? In Brazil, yes. For each municipality, the authors estimate the share of the six most pollution-intensive (dirty) sectors in total industrial activity. They find that the dirty-sector share declines continuously with increases in municipality income per capita. Do poor areas suffer more than wealthy areas from industrial air pollution? Paradoxically, no. The risk of mortality from industrial air pollution is much higher in the top two income deciles among Brazil's municipalities and the great majority of projected deaths is attributable to emissions from large plants. The scale of large-plant emissions dominates all other factors. Lower-income areas suffer much less from industrial air pollution in Brazil, despite the greater emissions-intensity of smaller plants and the prevalence of smaller plants in lower income areas. This paper - a product of Infrastructure and Environment, Development Research Group - is part of a larger effort in the group to understand the economics of industrial pollution control in developing countries. The study was funded by the Bank's Research Support Budget under research project Small Plants, Pollution, and Poverty (RPO 682-66).
Bacteriophage φC31 Integrase Mediated Transgenesis in Xenopus laevis for Protein Expression at Endogenous Levels

Bacteriophage phiC31 inserts its genome into that of its host bacterium via the integrase enzyme which catalyzes recombination between a phage attachment site (attP) and a bacterial attachment site (attB). Integrase requires no accessory factors, has a high efficiency of recombination, and does not need perfect sequence fidelity for recognition and recombination between these attachment sites. These imperfect attachment sites, or pseudo-attachment sites, are present in many organisms and have been used to insert transgenes in a variety of species. Here we describe the phiC31 integrase approach to make transgenic Xenopus laevis embryos.
Signaling Vascular Morphogenesis and Maintenance

[ Douglas Hanahan ][1] Blood vessels are formed and maintained by a family of soluble factors that interact with tyrosine kinase receptors on the endothelial cell surface. A new angiogenesis factor (Ang2) is reported in an article by [ Maisonpierre et al .][2] in this week's issue. Hanahan describes what is known about the process of vascular morphogenesis and maintenance and how this new factor fits into this complex regulatory system. [][3] [1]: http://www.sciencemag.org#affiliation [2]: http://www.sciencemag.org/cgi/content/short/277/5322/55 [3]: http://
Differential density labeling and gradient centrifugation of Tetrahymena: a new procedure for selection synchrony.

Abstract A simple technique has been developed which selectively separates late division and post-division cells from a culture of logarithmically growing, asynchronous Tetrahymena . The technique takes advantage of the division-related cessation of feeding. After a 5 min exposure to minute particles of tantalum, 90% of the population will have incorporated and concentrated the particles into food vacuoles. The remaining 10% constitutes a division population. Centrifugation through a Ficoll step-gradient separates the non-feeding and therefore less heavy division population from the feeding, interphase population. The separated cells show a peak of division at 170 ± 10 min and the cell number is doubled by the division. The bulk of DNA synthesis, as measured by 3 H-thymidine incorporation occurs between 30 and 120 min. At least with respect to the generation time and the duration of replication the selection procedure leaves the cell cycle unaltered.
Research and clinical potential of receptor based radiopharmaceuticals.

Receptors are proteins that have specific binding affinity for substances that produce a physiological event in the body. Receptor-binding radiotracers are being used increasingly to study the function of receptors in health and disease. This review summarizes the proceedings of a symposium on research in the development of receptor-binding radiopharmaceuticals. The key phases in this research include: (1) selection of the receptor system and ligand; (2) synthesis of radiolabeled ligand; (3) validation in animal models; and (4) clinical application. Current research involves a variety of biological systems, such as butyrophenone neuroleptics for dopamine receptors and steroidal estrogens for the estrogen receptor. In the future, it is believed that receptor-binding radiopharmaceuticals will be useful, not only to validate receptor systems in vivo, but also to aid in the diagnosis and therapy of human diseases.
Application of automated revision for UML models: a case study

Modern systems often need to address changing environment and/or faults. The economic and practical issues dictate that the existing models and/or programs be reused while providing fault-tolerance in the presence of faults. Our paper proposes a framework of automated revision of existing program design modeled in UML to add fault-tolerance. Our framework starts with program design modeled in UML state diagram, and then automatically transforms design model to the corresponding underlying computational model. Subsequently, automated revision algorithms are applied to the underlying computational model. Finally the revised program model is converted into an UML model that provides the desired fault-tolerance property. We illustrate the whole work-flow with a case study from automotive systems.
Atomic Structure and Vibrations in Zinc Crystals. V. The Diffuse Scattering of X-Rays at Various Scattering Angles

Former experimental results on the diffuse scattering of x-rays from single crystals of zinc at room temperature were not accurate enough to give certain evidence for the existence of asymmetry in the electron atmospheres of the zinc atoms. More exact and careful measurements of the diffuse scattering of x-rays at scattering angles ranging from $\ensuremath{\varphi}={15}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ to $\ensuremath{\varphi}={40}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ for the two orientation angles $\ensuremath{\psi}={14}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ and $\ensuremath{\psi}={90}^{\ensuremath{\circ}}$ are described. The results are discussed in paper VI.
Intensity and balance concept as an approach to optimal vegetable production.

Abstract Optimal yields have been obtained by establishing and maintaining a specified ionic root environment. An Intensity and Balance Concept has been developed, utilizing intensity and balance soil testing procedures. Total salts and the proportionate concentration of cations and anions in a soil saturation extract are used to evaluate the ionic environment. That combination of ionic concentrations which gives the best yield is used as the standard forming the basis for fertilizer recommendations. Consistently high yields of fresh market tomatoes from 96,000 to 117,000 kg/ha were produced during 9 seasons using the procedures described where ionic environments were established and maintained. During these same seasons, the average Florida production for fresh market tomatoes was considerably less, ranging from 10,000 to 50,000 kg/ha.
Production of a molybdophore during metal-targeted dissolution of silicates by soil bacteria

Although many bioessential metals are scarce in natural water and rock systems, microbial secretion of high-affinity ligands for metal extraction from solid phases has only been documented for Fe. However, we have discovered that Mo is extracted from a silicate by a high-affinity ligand (a possible “molybdophore”) secreted by an N2-fixing soil bacterium. The putative molybdophore, aminochelin, is secreted as a siderophore under Fe-depleted conditions, but is also secreted under Fe-sufficient, Mo-depleted conditions. Presumably, molybdophore production facilitates uptake of Mo for use in Mo enzymes. In contrast, an Fe-requiring soil bacterium without a special Mo requirement only enhances the release of Fe from the silicate. Fractionation of Mo stable isotopes during uptake to cells may provide a “fingerprint” for the importance of chelating ligands in such systems. Many such metal-specific ligands secreted by prokaryotes for extraction of bioessential metals, their effects on Earth materials, and their possible utility in the recovery of economic metals remain to be discovered.
Effects of Dietary Vitamin C on Growth, Caudal Fin Development, and Tolerance of Aquaculture-Related Stressors in Channel Catfish

Abstract The effects of dietary vitamin C on growth, caudal fin development, and stress tolerance of channel catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) were investigated by feeding fry diets containing either 0, 78, or 390 mg vitamin C/kg feed for 120 d. Channel catfish fed a vitamin C-free diet grew less, had a higher incidence of caudal fin malformation, exhibited a lower tolerance of ammonia, and died of hypoxia at higher dissolved oxygen levels than the fish fed the diets containing medium or high levels of vitamin C. Fish fed either of the diets with vitamin C exhibited similar growth, caudal fin development, and tolerance of stressors. Dietary vitamin C had no observable effect on the tolerance of any treatment group for stress induced by confinement in a net for up to 10 d.
A Simple, Efficient, and Highly Enantioselective Synthesis of MS-153 Employing a Chiral Silane Lewis Acid-Promoted Acylhydrazone-Enol Ether [3+2] Cycloaddition

Our previously reported chiral silane-promoted enol ether-acylhydrazone [3+2] cycloaddition reaction has been applied to a brief and efficient synthesis of the neuroprotective agent MS-153. Unsatisfactory and variable levels of efficiency and enantioselectivity with the requisite acetaldehyde-derived acylhydrazone occasioned a modification to the chiral silane Lewis acid, which led to the key cycloaddition step proceeding with excellent efficiency (85 % yield) and enantioselectivity (≥98 % ee).
Astigmatic changes after excimer laser refractive surgery

Abstract Purpose To compare the astigmatic changes induced by spherical and elliptical excimer laser in situ keratomileusis (LASIK) and photorefractive keratectomy (PRK). Setting University-based refractive surgery practice. Methods Three-month refractive data from 317 eyes of consecutive patients having spherical PRK, astigmatic PRK (A-PRK), spherical LASIK, and astigmatic LASIK (A-LASIK) by a single surgeon (J.S.P.) using VISX 2020B and Star lasers over 2 years were studied for astigmatic changes resulting from the surgical procedure. Results At 3 months, the mean change in absolute astigmatism was +0.15 diopter (D) and −0.07 D in the spherical PRK and LASIK groups, respectively. Photorefractive keratectomy tended to induce with-the-rule (WTR) astigmatism, while LASIK was astigmatically neutral. As expected, the eyes treated with A-PRK and A-LASIK achieved a greater reduction in absolute astigmatism (−1.02 D and −1.28 D, respectively) than those treated with spherical PRK and LASIK. The qualitative nature of the astigmatic change was different between flap-based and PRK-based procedures. Conclusions Spherical PRK is more likely than spherical LASIK to induce astigmatism, with a tendency toward WTR astigmatism. The eyes treated with spherical LASIK had no preponderant change in the direction of astigmatic magnitude or axis. Astigmatic PRK and LASIK effectively reduced astigmatism along the preoperative axis; A-LASIK tended to induce a random resultant axis in most patients.
Static light scattering resolves colloid structure in index-matched porous media

Colloidal phenomena play an important role in natural porous media, where they influence soil structuring, contaminant migration, filtration, and clogging. Several methods are available to measure pore space geometry within porous media, but these methods have limited applicability when the relevant physical, chemical, or biological processes are dominated by dynamic colloidal phenomena. Here we report a new technique to quantify colloid aggregate structure as a fractal dimension using static light scattering within index-matched porous media (granular Nafion). We validate the method by obtaining consistent results for scattering in suspensions and in porous media, and verify that multiple scattering at environmentally relevant colloid concentrations does not affect the determination of fractal dimension. We also observe restructuring of aggregates during homogenization in the porous media, indicated by an apparent increase in fractal dimension, which can be explained by an analysis of the fluid shear stress caused by repeated inversions of test tubes either containing or not containing granular media. This technique will permit progress in obtaining fundamental descriptions of colloidal phenomena in porous media.
Imagining and Building Robots (in Capes

As part of the 21st Century Robot project, a team from Intel collaborated with three middle school students, helping them design and build their own unique robots. The Web extra at http://youtu.be/HMhQbofhzdo is an audio podcast in which author Brian David Johnson expands on his column, sitting down with Sandy Winkelman, his creative partner and illustrator of the 21st Century Robot stories, to discuss the actual creation of robotic science fiction prototypes.
Differential regulation of protein synthesis by estradiol in uterine component tissues.

High resolution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis was used to examine [35S]methionine incorporation into intracellular proteins of the stromal, myometrial, and epithelial tissue fractions of the mouse uterus and into uterine secretory products. This procedure revealed that estradiol promotes preferential synthesis of different proteins in the myometrium, stroma, and epithelium. Conversely, synthesis of some proteins in the myometrial and stromal fractions was depressed by estradiol treatment; estrogen did not appear to depress synthesis of specific proteins in the epithelium. Thus, estradiol treatment influences protein synthesis in each uterine compartment in a different manner. This system provides a useful model to examine hormonal regulation of protein synthesis within different tissue compartments of a target organ. (Endocrinology 115: 687–697, 1984)
Perturbation solutions for wave propagation in nonlinearly elastic rods

Abstract An asymptotic method for the problem of wave propagation in rods is applied to a nonlinearly elastic material obeying the neo-Hookean constitutive law. The displacement field is described by a perturbation series in the small radius of the rod. The first-order term corresponds to elementary theory, while subsequent terms give lateral inertia, shear and higher-order effects. First-order and second-order solutions are obtained for several values of the parameter characterizing the nonlinearity of the constitutive law.
Tracking kinesin-driven movements with nanometre-scale precision

Several enzyme complexes drive cellular movements by coupling free energy-liberating chemical reactions to the production of mechanical work1–3. A key goal in the study of these systems is to characterize at the molecular level mechanical events associated with individual reaction steps in the catalytic cycles of single enzyme molecules. Ideally, one would like to measure movements driven by single (or a few) enzyme molecules with sufficient temporal resolution and spatial precision that these events can be directly observed. Kinesin, a force-generating ATPase involved in microtubule-based intracellular organelle transport4–10, will drive the unidirectional movement of microscopic plastic beads along microtubules in vitro4,9. Under certain conditions, a few (≤10) kinesin molecules may be sufficient to drive either bead movement or organelle transport. Here we describe a method for determining precise positional information from light-microscope images. The method is applied to measure kinesin-driven bead movements in vitro with a precision of 1–2 nm. Our measurements reveal basic mechanical features of kinesin-driven movements along the micro-tubule lattice, and place significant constraints on possible molecular mechanisms of movement.
Intelligent adaptation and the nature of software changes

The present paper examines the evolutionary nature of software programming. In a preliminary stage we deal with two referential notions: human intelligence and information systems. Later we discuss the evolutionary properties of software programs in relation with the notions introduced in the previous stage. Finally we see how the theoretical conclusions match with some practical aspects of the software development and maintenance.
Rapid growth and centrolobular emphysema after stenosing tracheitis and continuous exposure to low concentrations of oxygen.

SUMMARY An 846 g newborn survives critical apnea, pseudomonad pneumonia and stenosing tracheitis, and thrives during 3 months of exposure to 40% oxygen. When he dies unexpectedly during an excellent convalescence, his lungs show a surprisingly advanced centro-lobular emphysema. The history excites skepticism about the clinical evaluation of “silent” lungs of newborns, and demonstrates how remarkable a disparity may exist between ventilatory function and morphological damage in newborns. The possibility for contributory etiological roles is discussed for oxygen therapy, tracheal obstruction and rapid growth, but not for pneumonia. The case recalls the disturbing increase in neonatal emphysema since 1960. Restricted use of the term, Wilson-Mikity disease, is urged while generic use of the term, lobular emphysema, is condoned.
Response of Multi-Element Foam-Filled Preform RTM Structures, II: Low-Velocity Impact and Post-Impact Crush Response

Resin transfer molding has opened the potential for structures incorporating multi-element preform architectures and cores, tailored for combinations of requirements that would not previously have been possible in one structure. The response of foam-filled RTM structural elements to low-velocity impact and post-impact progressive crush is investigated. Six different architectures based on a stiffened plate-type structural element were tested, and comparisons of behavior prior to and after impact are made based on overall response and damage mechanisms. Differences in preform architecture are shown to result in differences in post-impact crush response through the triggering of damage modes that are architecturally driven. Failure mechanisms are seen to be driven by the use of a woven layer in the outer preform element, or through damage imparted to the central rib as a function of the damage events. Results based on the comparison of crush and post-impact crush response indicate that preform selection sho...
Gelsolin Activates DNase I in Vitro and in Cystic Fibrosis Sputum

Because actin can form a complex in vitro containing both gelsolin and DNase I, gelsolin and DNase I have been assumed to bind independently to actin. Although this assumption is consistent with the known crystalline structures of gelsolin with one actin and of actin with DNase I, which suggest that the binding sites on actin for both gelsolin and DNase I are distinct and separate, we propose that a second actin binding site on gelsolin competes with DNase I for actin. Since actin is an inhibitor of DNase I, competition at the second binding site results in activation of DNase I by gelsolin. Covalent cross-linking experiments confirm that DNase I prevents dimerization of actin by gelsolin, consistent with displacement of one actin from gelsolin by DNase I. Activation of DNase I by gelsolin is a novel function for a cytoskeletal protein and could have broad implications for biology, such as a role in initiating apoptosis. These results also may explain why both gelsolin and DNase I decrease sputum viscosit...
Learning and Education: A Continuing Frontier for AI

Learning is the most important part of artificial intelligence. A basic research effort can explore how to build software that can learn and be educated very broadly
Analysis of variation in prostate-specific antigen values

This retrospective study analyzes variation in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels in 129 males who were not diagnosed with prostate cancer or other known malignancies. The extent to which the assay and the biologic variation contributed to the variation in PSA concentration was evaluated from analysis of slopes characterizing PSA concentration as a function of time. The mean coefficient of variation on observations was 58.0 percent. The estimated mean biologic coefficient of variation was 55.3 percent versus a mean assay coefficient of variation of 13.2 percent, indicating that the assay variation contributed negligibly to variation compared with the biologic variation. The concept that a PSA level which rises more than that attributable to assay variation indicates the need for invasive testing for prostate cancer is questionable. A decreasing PSA level was seen as often and of the same magnitude as an increasing level within a relatively narrow window of approximately one year. We are aware of no reason why this variability in PSA values would not be observed in patients with occult prostate cancer.
The Hodge structure of the coloring complex of a hypergraph

Let G be a simple graph with n vertices. The coloring complex Δ ( G ) was defined by Steingrimsson, and the homology of Δ ( G ) was shown to be nonzero only in dimension n - 3 by Jonsson. Hanlon recently showed that the Eulerian idempotents provide a decomposition of the homology group H n - 3 ( Δ ( G ) ) where the dimension of the j th component in the decomposition, H n - 3 ( j ) ( Δ ( G ) ) , equals the absolute value of the coefficient of λ j in the chromatic polynomial of G , ? G ( λ ) .Let H be a hypergraph with n vertices. In this paper, we define the coloring complex of a hypergraph, Δ ( H ) , and show that the coefficient of λ j in ? H ( λ ) gives the Euler Characteristic of the j th Hodge subcomplex of the Hodge decomposition of Δ ( H ) . We also examine conditions on a hypergraph, H , for which its Hodge subcomplexes are Cohen-Macaulay, and thus where the absolute value of the coefficient of λ j in ? H ( λ ) equals the dimension of the j th Hodge piece of the Hodge decomposition of Δ ( H ) . We also note that the Euler Characteristic of the j th Hodge subcomplex of the Hodge decomposition of the intersection of coloring complexes is given by the coefficient of j th term in the associated chromatic polynomial. Highlights? We define the coloring complex of a hypergraph. ? A chromatic polynomial is related to the Euler Characteristic of the Hodge subcomplexes. ? We examine when the Hodge subcomplexes of the coloring complex are Cohen-Macaulay.
Applying posttraumatic stress disorder MMPI subscale to World War II POW veterans

In order to determine whether the MMPI-PTSD subscale has application for assessing DSM-III diagnosed PTSD among populations other than Vietnam veterans, a group of WWII POWs (N = 69) were given the subscale. Results indicated that the use of the PTSD subscale can be generalized to older veterans; in a small sample of Pacific POWs, PTSD is more common among those from the Pacific theater than those from Europe. However, the subscale fails to distinguish between Pacific and European POW veterans. Difficulties in sampling and confounding stressors are discussed, as well as implications for treatment of WWII veterans.
Transgenic analysis of the anterior eye-specific enhancers of the zebrafish gelsolin-like 1 (gsnl1) gene.

The anterior segment of the eye includes such structures as the cornea, lens, iris, and ciliary body and is essential for many visual and physiological functions of the eye. The zebrafish gelsolin-like 1 (gsnl1) gene encodes an actin regulatory protein and is expressed in the anterior segment of the eye. We report the transgenic analyses of the gsnl1 promoter and enhancer that are required for expression in the anterior segment of the eye. A 6.4-kb genomic fragment upstream from the translation initiation site (ATG) was capable of driving green fluorescent protein (GFP) expression in transient transgenic embryos and stable transgenic adult fish, which mimics the endogenous gsnl1 expression. The GFP expression was localized in the corneal epithelium (CE) and the annular ligament (AL) at the iridocorneal angle. A unique enhancer for each of these two tissues was identified at 3.7-kb upstream from the ATG. The 60-bp AL and 25-bp CE enhancers were separated by 100-bp and functioned independently from each other. Deletion analysis indicated that the proximal promoter was located 1.6-kb upstream from the ATG. Stable GFP transgenic lines were established for future studies of genetic regulation in the anterior segment of the fish eye. Developmental Dynamics 236:1929 –1938, 2007. © 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Developmental Disfluency in 2-, 4-, and 6-Year-Old Boys in Neutral and Stress Situations

Disfluency characteristics of 36 nonstuttering boys aged 2, 4, and 6 were analyzed from tape-recorded speech samples made during free play within neutral and stress situations. Comtparisons of freq...
Dynamical Symmetries for Fermions

An introduction is given to the Fermion-Dynamical-Symmetry Model (FDSM). The analytical symmetry limits of the model are then applied to the calculation of physical quantities such as ground-state masses and B(E2) values in heavy nuclei. These comparisons with data provide strong support for a new principle of collective motion, the Dynamical Pauli Effect, and suggest that dynamical symmetries which properly account for the pauli principle are much more persistent in nuclear structure than the corresponding boson symmetries. Finally, we present an assessment of criticisms which have been voiced concerning the FDSM and a discussion of new phenomena and “exotic spectroscopy” which maybe suggested by the model.
The Uneven Globality of Children

The article shows that geography is still destiny for millions of children. Based on global UN data about various demographic factors and the urban explosion after 1950, the geography of regional poverty and power reveals three major trends. First, over 50 percent of the world population will live in cities after 2007. Second, by 2030, the cities of the poor countries of the world will house four times as many people as the cities of the well-to-do countries. Third, the population living in urban slums—the most rapidly growing structure of the urban landscape in the less developed world—will double to almost 2 billion in the next 15 years. The rifting apart of affluent and poor urban environments thus marks the "uneven globality" of children today. A theoretical note on global homogenization, its political potential and differential force in the socionatural system of global technoscience and local cultures, concludes this contribution.
Geometry and force constant determination from correlated wave functions for polyatomic molecules: Ground states of H2O and CH2

Ab initio calculations including electron correlation are reported for the water and methylene molecules as a function of geometry. A large contracted gaussian basis set is used and the multiconfiguration wave functions, optimized by the iterative natural orbital procedure, include 277 and 617 configurations for H2O and CH2 respectively. The method of selecting configurations, yielding “first-order” wave functions, is discussed in some detail. For H2O, the SCF geometry is r=0,942 A, θ=105,8°, the correlated result is r=0,968 A, θ=103,2°, and the experimental r=0,957 A, θ=104,5°. The water stretching force constants, in millidynes/A, are 8,72 (SCF), 8,75 (CI), and 8,4 (experiment). Bending force constants are 0,88 (SCF), 0,83 (CI), and 0,76 (experiment). For methylene the SCF geometry is r=1,072 A, θ=129,5°, while the result from first-order wave functions is r=1,088 A, θ=134°. The predicted CH2 force constants are 6,16 (SCF) and 6,13 (CI) for stretching and 0,44 (SCF) and 0,33 (CI) for bending.
PREVALENCE OF Pharurus pallasii IN THE BELUGA WHALE ( Delphinapterus leucas ) OF CHURCHILL RIVER BASIN, MANITOBA.

Eight of 9 beluga whale (Delphinapterus leucas) in the Churchill River Basin were infected with Pharurus pallasii. The age range of infected whales was from under 1 year to 30 years. All adult infected animals had a large number of parasites in the accessory sinus, together with variable degrees of pulmonary granulomatous response. Histopathologic examination of lung revealed little host response to adult P. pallasii, but a strong inflammatory reaction to larval structures. Within the head, P. pallasii were found in the accessory sinus, ear canal and cerebral spinal fluid.
Optimization of Thiazole Analogues of Resveratrol for Induction of NAD(P)H:quinone Reductase 1 (QR1)

NAD(P)H:quinone reductase 1 (QR1) belongs to a class of enzymes called cytoprotective enzymes. It exhibits its cancer protective activity mainly by inhibiting the formation of intracellular semiquinone radicals, and by generating α-tocopherolhydroquinone, which acts as a free radical scavenger. It is therefore believed that QR1 inducers can act as cancer chemopreventive agents. Resveratrol (1) is a naturally occurring stilbene derivative that requires a concentration of 21 μM to double QR1 activity (CD = 21 μM). The stilbene double bond of resveratrol was replaced with a thiadiazole ring and the phenols were eliminated to provide a more potent and selective derivative 2 (CD = 2.1 μM). Optimizing the substitution pattern of the two phenyl rings and the central heterocyclic linker led to a highly potent and selective QR1 inducer 9o with a CD value of 0.087 μM.
The discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine in the rhesus monkey

Abstract Three rhesus monkeys were trained to discriminate IM injections of cocaine (0.25 mg/kg) from saline under conditions where responding was maintained on one of two levers under a fixed-ratio 30 schedule of food delivery. The ability of other doses of cocaine and other compounds to substitute for the training dose of cocaine in controlling cocaine-appropriate responding was assessed. Cocaine (0.008–0.5 mg/kg), d -amphetamine (0.03–0.25 mg/kg) and l -cathinone (0.03–0.5 mg/kg) produced dose dependent increases in the percent of cocaine-appropriate responding in test sessions. At the highest doses tested, these three compounds produced more than 90% cocaine-appropriate responding suggesting that they share discriminative stimulus properties. When nicotine (0.125–16 mg/kg) and procaine (0.06–8.0 mg/kg) were tested, some of the monkeys responded 90% or more on the cocaine-appropriate lever; in other cases there was a trend towards generalization at lower doses but when higher doses were administered, responding was suppressed. These data suggest that these two compounds have discriminative stimulus properties which differ to some extent from cocaine. Finally, when pentobarbital (2–16 mg/kg) was administered, responding occurred on the saline-appropriate lever indicating that this drug does not share the discriminative stimulus properties of cocaine.
Extracellular matrix-based materials for neural interfacing

Extracellular matrix (ECM)-based materials used for neural interfaces allow for prolonged effective interaction between foreign devices and the neural cells in vivo because they mimic the natural environment. This review will highlight studies that have demonstrated how ECM-based materials can benefit neural interfacing applications as neural electrode coatings, scaffolds, and nanoparticle (NP) coatings. The performance of neural electrodes can degrade from inflammatory response as indicated by the signal obstruction between neurons and electrodes from glial scar formation during prolonged implantation. ECM materials can mitigate an inflammatory response because they are naturally biocompatible and biodegradable. Scaffolds composed from ECM-based materials have the characteristic length scale and biochemical cues that promote directional neural cell growth. ECM-based scaffolds can also be utilized as drug delivery vessels to infuse the neural tissue with neural growth factors and anti-inflammatory cytokines. The NPs currently employed for drug delivery and imaging use various ECM-based coating materials that shield them from the neural cells because many types of NPs are cytotoxic. As demonstrated by these three neural interfacing applications, ECM-based materials are very promising candidates for the development of next-generation neural regeneration and therapeutic devices.
Sigma production in p-p collisions at 5 GeV/c☆

Abstract The cross section for the reaction pp → Σ + K + n at 5 GeV/ c is measured to be 48.1 ± 3.5 μ b. The KΣ mass spectrum shows an enhancement at 1.86 GeV, which may due to the Δ (1920) resonance. Adequacy of the one-pion exchange model for the reaction is discussed. The cross section for the reaction pp → Σ + K o p is found to be 24.9 ± 2.3 μ b.
Monitoring of Glycoprotein Products in Cell Culture Lysates Using Lectin Affinity Chromatography and Capillary HPLC Coupled to Electrospray Linear Ion Trap‐Fourier Transform Mass Spectrometry (LTQ/FTMS)

In this paper, we describe the combination of lectin chromatography with capillary LC coupled to a linear ion trap-Fourier transform mass spectrometer (LTQ/FTMS) to enrich and characterize overexpressed glycoproteins froma cell culture lysate. A well-characterized glycoprotein, recombinant tissue plasminogen activator (rt-PA), was used as a standard, and we demonstrated that the three N-linked glycopeptides (including glycan structures) present in a tryptic digest of the rt-PA standard could be characterized in the new hybrid MS platform. A feature of this approach is that a significant amount of information can be obtained about the carbohydrate structures by direct analysis of the tryptic digest without the need for additional time-consuming sample preparation protocols. A combination of lectins was then studied for improved recovery of captured glycopeptides and was related to the selectivity of different lectins for specific glycosylation motifs. This approach was then extended to the lysate of a cell line routinely used in biotechnology manufacture (Chinese hamster ovary, CHO). This study showed that the combinations of lectins could enrich glycoproteins significantly from a CHO cell lysate. We also demonstrated that with this level of enrichment and with the new hybrid mass spectrometer, we could study the structures of N-linked glycopeptides of rt-PA present in a crude CHO cell lysate, at a ratio of 1:200 (rtPA:total cell lysate protein, w/w) by accurate mass measurement in the FTMS and tandem MS n in the linear ion trap. The generic and high throughput nature of the lectin approach combined with the ability to directly analyze the glycan structures in the tryptic digest suggest that this platform has the potential to routinely monitor glycoprotein products at early stage manufacturing in the biotech industry.
Arab Women Writers as Revolutionary Orators and Catalytic Agents of Emancipation

In her article "Contemporary Egyptian and Palestinian Women's Writing as 'Committed Literature'" Safaa S. Nasser discusses the role of Arab women writers whose works were harbingers of the Arab Spring of 2011. Nasser's analysis demonstrate that the majority of Arab women writers acted as agents of feminist action and social change through their critique of patriarchal, phallocentric domi-nation and through their call for a secular sensibility. Their works demonstrate the symbiotic relation-ship between political, national, and feminist struggle for equality between genders. To exemplify this revolutionary perspective, Nasser analyzes texts by Nawal El Saadawi, Ahdaf Soueif, Salwa Bakr, Saki-na Fuad, Mona Rageb, Amina Kazak, Samira Azzam, Sahar Khalifeh, and Fadwa Tuqan.