cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The ROS Signaling Network of Cells

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are toxic derivatives of atmospheric oxygen used by plant cells to control many different biological processes, including growth, development, and response to biotic and abiotic stimuli. Because of their toxicity, as well as their important signaling role, the steady-state level of ROS in cells is tightly regulated by a network of genes termed the “ROS gene network”. In the flowering plant Arabidopsis thaliana, the ROS gene network includes more than 150 genes that manage the level of ROS in cells. The ROS network is highly dynamic and redundant, and encodes for ROS-scavenging as well as ROS-producing proteins. Recent studies have unraveled some of the key players of the network and shed light on some of the questions related to its mode of regulation, its protective roles, and its modulation of signaling networks that control growth, development, and stress response. In this chapter we will describe some of these findings.
Efficacy of neutralizing buffered peptone water for recovery of Salmonella, Campylobacter, and Enterobacteriaceae from broiler carcasses at various points along a commercial immersion chilling process with peroxyacetic acid

ABSTRACT In 2016, USDA-Food Safety and Inspection Service began using a neutralizing buffered peptone water (nBPW) to rinse broiler carcasses for Salmonella and Campylobacter performance standard testing. The nBPW contains standard buffered peptone water (BPW) with compounds to neutralize residual antimicrobials that may be transferred from the carcass to the sample rinsate. However, a direct comparison of nBPW and BPW on carcasses commercially treated with antimicrobials has not been conducted. On 3 replicate days in a commercial broiler processing plant, an immersion chilling biomap using whole carcass rinse samples taken prior to any chilling treatment (30), after pre-chill treatment (30), after primary chill (30), after secondary chill (30), after post-chill treatment (50), and after post-chill treatment without the pre-chill treatment (49) were tested. Carcasses were rinsed with either BPW (without neutralizer) or nBPW. Rinsates were sampled for Salmonella and Campylobacter prevalence and both Enterobacteriaceae (EB) prevalence and counts. No significant differences were observed between sampling sites or rinse media for Salmonella due to an overall low prevalence (4 positive/219 samples). Campylobacter prevalence significantly decreased from prior to chilling (93%) to after all chilling steps (47%) as anticipated (P
Parental preferences and patterns of child care use among low-income families: A Bayesian analysis

Abstract Parents' selections of child care arrangements involve complex decisions made in the context of child and family needs, resources and constraints. This study analyzed data from a survey of low-income parents to examine the factors associated with the type of care arrangement used most often. We employed Bayesian estimation methods to account for the interrelated nature of parental employment and child care decisions. We incorporated parental preferences for characteristics of child care to predict the type of care setting based on a factor analysis of parent responses about the importance of different care characteristics. We found that latent factors that were associated with a higher probability of working, or of working more hours, also increased the probability of using centers or family child care, and decreased the likelihood of using family, friend or neighbor (informal) care. In concordance with the existing literature, low-income families in Minnesota were more likely to use informal care for infants (relative to preschool-age children), and households with more educated parents were more likely to use centers. Hispanic families were less likely to use any form of non-parental care. Given the potential of high-quality child care to increase the well-being and developmental trajectories of low-income children, understanding parents' decisions about child care and employment is fundamental to improving child and family outcomes.
Sorted Golden-step phase encoding: an improved Golden-step imaging technique for cardiac and respiratory self-gated cine cardiovascular magnetic resonance imaging.

Numerous self-gated cardiac imaging techniques have been reported in the literature. Most can track either cardiac or respiratory motion, and many incur some overhead to imaging data acquisition. We previously described a Cartesian cine imaging technique, pseudo-projection motion tracking with golden-step phase encoding, capable of tracking both cardiac and respiratory motion at no cost to imaging data acquisition. In this work, we describe improvements to the technique by dramatically reducing its vulnerability to eddy current and flow artifacts and demonstrating its effectiveness in expanded cardiovascular applications. As with our previous golden-step technique, the Cartesian phase encodes over time were arranged based on the integer golden step, and readouts near ky = 0 (pseudo-projections) were used to derive motion. In this work, however, the readouts were divided into equal and consecutive temporal segments, within which the readouts were sorted according to ky. The sorting reduces the phase encode jump between consecutive readouts while maintaining the pseudo-randomness of ky to sample both cardiac and respiratory motion without comprising the ability to retrospectively set the temporal resolution of the original technique. On human volunteers, free-breathing, electrocardiographic (ECG)-free cine scans were acquired for all slices of the short axis stack and the 4-chamber view of the long axis. Retrospectively, cardiac motion and respiratory motion were automatically extracted from the pseudo-projections to guide cine reconstruction. The resultant image quality in terms of sharpness and cardiac functional metrics was compared against breath-hold ECG-gated reference cines. With sorting, motion tracking of both cardiac and respiratory motion was effective for all slices orientations imaged, and artifact occurrence due to eddy current and flow was efficiently eliminated. The image sharpness derived from the self-gated cines was found to be comparable to the reference cines (mean difference less than 0.05 mm− 1 for short-axis images and 0.075 mm− 1 for long-axis images), and the functional metrics (mean difference < 4 ml) were found not to be statistically different from those from the reference. This technique dramatically reduced the eddy current and flow artifacts while preserving the ability of cost-free motion tracking and the flexibility of choosing arbitrary navigator zone width, number of cardiac phases, and duration of scanning. With the restriction of the artifacts removed, the Cartesian golden-step cine imaging can now be applied to cardiac imaging slices of more diverse orientation and anatomy at greater reliability.
3-(3,5-Di­chloro­phen­yl)benzene-1,2-diol

The title structure, C12H8Cl2O2, is a putative metabolite of 3,5-di­chloro­biphenyl (PCB 14). The dihedral angle between the two benzene rings of the title compounds is 58.86 (4)°. In the crystal, it displays intra- and inter­molecular O—H⋯O hydrogen bonding and inter­molecular O—H⋯Cl hydrogen⋯chlorine inter­actions. The inter­molecular inter­actions form a two-dimensional network parallel to (010).
Impact of energy benchmarking and disclosure policy on office buildings

Abstract Building energy benchmarking policies require owners to publicly disclose their building’s energy performance. In the US, the adoption of such policies is contributing to an increased awareness among tenants and buyers and is expected to motivate the owners of less efficient buildings to invest in energy efficiency improvements. However, there is a lack of studies specifically aimed at investigating the impact of such policies on office buildings among major cities through quantitative analyses. In response, this study evaluated the effectiveness of the benchmarking policy on energy efficiency improvements decision-making and on real estate performances, by applying two interrupted time series analyses to office buildings in downtown Chicago. The initial results indicate a lack of statistically strong evidence that the policy affected the annual vacancy trend of the energy efficient buildings (represented by ENERGY STAR labeled buildings). However, the use of interrupted time series in a more in-depth analysis shows that the policy is associated with a 6.7% decrease in vacancy among energy efficient buildings. The study proposed a method to quantitatively evaluate the impact of energy policies on the real estate performance of office buildings, and the result confirms the positive impact of energy-efficient retrofits on the real estate performance. The study findings support the reasoning behind the owners’ decision in implementing energy efficiency improvements in their office buildings to remain competitive in the market.
Cold-Cycle Dilution Refrigeration

A new type of 3 He– 4 He dilution refrigerator where the working fluid is circulated at temperatures below 0.87 K is proposed and analyzed. A cold compressor design for the refrigerator is analyzed and shown to be feasible. The cold cycle refrigerator is shown to be more efficient and compact than standard dilution refrigerator designs.
Characteristics of paediatric out-of-hospital cardiac arrest in the United States.

Abstract Background The absence of nationwide surveillance data on out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA) in the United States (US) limits understanding of the epidemiology of paediatric OHCA. We investigated the national characteristics of paediatric OHCA using the National Emergency Medical Services Information System (NEMSIS). Methods We conducted a cross-sectional study using the 2016 NEMSIS dataset, a national registry of emergency medical services (EMS) activations at 46 states in the US. We included paediatric patients (age Results Among 1,531,469 paediatric EMS responses, we identified a total of 23,514 EMS responses to paediatric OHCA (95% confidence interval [CI], 23,217–23,814), incidence of 15.4 per 1000 paediatric EMS responses (95% CI, 15.2–15.5), and estimated national incidence of 37.9 per 100,000 child-years (95% CI, 37.4–38.4). Among 23,514 EMS responses to paediatric OHCA, we observed 4515 (19.2%) of EMS responses in infants, 5588 (23.8%) in young children, 4976 (21.2%) in older children, and 8435 (35.9%) in adolescents. Conclusion Using data from the NEMSIS, we estimate that there are over 23,000 annual paediatric OHCA in the US. These data provide key insights of paediatric OHCA in the US.
Emergence of Low-density Inflammatory Neutrophils Correlates with Hypercoagulable State and Disease Severity in COVID-19 Patients

Abstract Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) is a novel viral pathogen that causes a clinical disease called coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). Approximately 20% of infected patients experience a severe manifestation of the disease, causing bilateral pneumonia and acute respiratory distress syndrome. Severe COVID-19 patients also have a pronounced coagulopathy with approximately 30% of patients experiencing thromboembolic complications. However, the etiology driving the coagulopathy remains unknown. Here, we explore whether the prominent neutrophilia seen in severe COVID-19 patients contributes to inflammation-associated coagulation. We found in severe patients the emergence of a CD16IntCD44lowCD11bInt low-density inflammatory band (LDIB) neutrophil population that trends over time with changes in disease status. These cells demonstrated spontaneous neutrophil extracellular trap (NET) formation, phagocytic capacity, enhanced cytokine production, and associated clinically with D-dimer and systemic IL-6 and TNF-α levels, particularly for CD40+ LDIBs. We conclude that the LDIB subset contributes to COVID-19-associated coagulopathy (CAC) and could be used as an adjunct clinical marker to monitor disease status and progression. Identifying patients who are trending towards LDIB crisis and implementing early, appropriate treatment could improve all-cause mortality rates for severe COVID-19 patients. One Sentence Summary In this study, we discover that low-density neutrophils significantly contribute to COVID-19-associated coagulopathy and inflammation
Considerations for using race and ethnicity as quantitative variables in medical education research.

Throughout history, race and ethnicity have been used as key descriptors to categorize and label individuals. The use of these concepts as variables can impact resources, policy, and perceptions in medical education. Despite the pervasive use of race and ethnicity as quantitative variables, it is unclear whether researchers use them in their proper context. In this Eye Opener, we present the following seven considerations with corresponding recommendations, for using race and ethnicity as variables in medical education research: 1) Ensure race and ethnicity variables are used to address questions directly related to these concepts. 2) Use race and ethnicity to represent social experiences, not biological facts, to explain the phenomenon under study. 3) Allow study participants to define their preferred racial and ethnic identity. 4) Collect complete and accurate race and ethnicity data that maximizes data richness and minimizes opportunities for researchers’ assumptions about participants’ identity. 5) Follow evidence-based practices to describe and collapse individual-level race and ethnicity data into broader categories. 6) Align statistical analyses with the study’s conceptualization and operationalization of race and ethnicity. 7) Provide thorough interpretation of results beyond simple reporting of statistical significance. By following these recommendations, medical education researchers can avoid major pitfalls associated with the use of race and ethnicity and make informed decisions around some of the most challenging race and ethnicity topics in medical education.
Adenylate Kinase 4 Modulates the Resistance of Breast Cancer Cells to Tamoxifen through an m6A-Based Epitranscriptomic Mechanism.

N6-methyladenosine (m6A) is the most abundant internal modification in mRNA and this methylation constitutes an important regulatory mechanism for the stability and translational efficiency of mRNA. In this study, we found that the protein levels of adenylate kinase 4 (AK4) and m6A writer METTL3 are significantly higher in tamoxifen-resistant (TamR) MCF-7 cells than in parental cells. The TamR MCF-7 cells also exhibit increased methylation at multiple m6A consensus motif sites in the 5′ untranslated region (5′ UTR) of AK4 mRNA, and genetic depletion of METTL3 in TamR MCF-7 cells led to a diminished AK4 protein level and attenuated resistance to tamoxifen. In addition, we observed augmented levels of reactive oxygen species (ROS) and p38 activity in TamR MCF-7 cells, and both are diminished upon genetic depletion of AK4. Reciprocally, overexpression of AK4 in MCF-7 cells stimulates ROS and p38 phosphorylation levels, and it suppresses mitochondrial apoptosis. Moreover, scavenging of intracellular ROS leads to reduced p38 activity and re-sensitizes TamR MCF-7 cells to tamoxifen. Thus, our results uncover a novel m6A-mediated epitranscriptomic mechanism for the regulation of AK4, illustrate the cellular pathways through which increased AK4 expression contributes to tamoxifen resistance, and reveal AK4 as a potential therapeutic target for overcoming tamoxifen resistance.
Aggregate Idiosyncratic Volatility, Dynamic Aspects of Loss Aversion, and Narrow Framing

We test the dynamic aspects of the loss aversion feature of Kahneman and Tversky (1979) and find that idiosyncratic volatility is negatively associated with unrealized gains of stock returns. Moreover, we show that this negative relationship is stronger for stocks with high individual investors’ holdings. Finally, we show that controlling for firm age as defined by Fink et al (2010) eliminates the significance of retail trading proportions as a driver of idiosyncratic volatility. These findings are robust to price, sentiment, and IPO dates. Bivariate vector auto-regression (VAR) confirms the causality of unrealized gains of stock returns on idiosyncratic volatility.
Association of Urine Biomarkers of Kidney Tubule Injury and Dysfunction With Frailty Index and Cognitive Function in Persons With CKD in SPRINT.

Rationale & Objective The associations of the glomerular markers of kidney disease, estimated glomerular filtration rate (eGFR) and albuminuria, with frailty and cognition are well established. However, the relationship of kidney tubule injury and dysfunction with frailty and cognition is unknown. Study Design Observational cross-sectional study. Setting & Participants 2,253 participants with eGFR Exposure Eight urine biomarkers: interleukin 18 (IL-18), kidney injury molecule 1 (KIM-1), neutrophil gelatinase-associated lipocalin (NGAL), chitinase-3-like protein 1 (YKL-40), monocyte chemoattractant protein 1 (MCP-1), α1-microglobulin (A1M), β2-microglobulin (B2M), and uromodulin (Umod). Outcome Frailty was measured using a previously validated frailty index (FI), categorized as fit (FI ≤ 0.10), less fit (0.10 0.21). Cognitive function was assessed using the Montreal Cognitive Assessment (MoCA). Analytical Approach Associations between kidney tubule biomarkers with categorical FI were evaluated using multinomial logistic regression with the fit group as the reference. Cognitive function was evaluated using linear regression. Models were adjusted for demographic, behavioral, and clinical variables including eGFR and urine albumin. Results Three of the 8 urine biomarkers of tubule injury and dysfunction were independently associated with FI. Each 2-fold higher level of urine KIM-1, a marker of tubule injury, was associated with a 1.22 (95% CI, 1.01-1.49) greater odds of being in the frail group. MCP-1, a marker of tubulointerstitial fibrosis, was associated with a 1.30 (95% CI, 1.04-1.64) greater odds of being in the frail group, and A1M, a marker of tubule reabsorptive capacity, was associated with a 1.48 (95% CI, 1.11-1.96) greater odds of being in the frail group. These associations were independent of confounders including eGFR and urine albumin, and were stronger than those of urine albumin with FI (1.15 [95% CI, 0.99-1.34]). Higher urine B2M, another marker of tubule reabsorptive capacity, was associated with worse cognitive scores at baseline (β: −0.09 [95% CI, −0.17 to −0.01]). Urine albumin was not associated with cognitive function. Limitations Cross-sectional design, and FI may not be generalizable in other populations. Conclusions Urine biomarkers of tubule injury, fibrosis, and proximal tubule reabsorptive capacity are variably associated with FI and worse cognition, independent of glomerular markers of kidney health. Future studies are needed to validate these results among other patient populations.
Chapter 1 – Overview

This first chapter is intended to present an overview of the topics covered in the eighth edition of Understanding Automotive Electronics. The primary goal here is to explain the organization of the topics covered and to identify the chapter in which each of the subjects, including electronic systems, subsystems, and individual components, and their associated technically detailed theory are presented. For certain readers, there are some subjects that are redundant to their backgrounds. Therefore, it is one of the goals of this chapter to provide the book content in such a way as to permit each reader to select those chapters of individual interest and to be aware that much of the basic theory is presented in the appendices.
Recovering Lost Tax Revenue Through Taxation of Transnational Households

This Article addresses the difficult problem of raising revenue in developing countries with significant outmigration. Migrant-source country governments face a unique policy dilemma because emigration reduces domestic human capital and tax revenue, but simultaneously improves outcomes for migrant workers and their families. Thus, governments must balance contrasting needs to maximize government revenue while protecting the welfare of migrant worker households. I argue that migrant-source countries may find a solution to this dilemma by taxing income remitted by migrant workers to family members remaining in their home countries. If constructed properly, a tax on remittance payments could raise revenue without burdening migrant workers or restricting their freedom to migrate. In this Article, I push back against common anti-remittance-taxation arguments based on both normative and practical considerations, with a focus on improving and updating the taxation of families separated by national borders. After surveying the tax policy instruments available in remittance-receiving developing countries, I offer a menu of policy designs through which policymakers can leverage these important inflows. Proposed policies range from an ideal case of bilateral cooperation between host and home countries to a third-best regime that seeks to harness remittance gains indirectly via consumption and property taxation.
Validation of High-Sensitivity Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus 2 Testing for Stool-Toward the New Normal for Fecal Microbiota Transplantation.

INTRODUCTION: Mounting evidence demonstrates potential for fecal-oral transmission of severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2). The US Food and Drug Administration now requires SARS-CoV-2 testing of potential feces donors before the use of stool manufactured for fecal microbiota transplantation. We sought to develop and validate a high-sensitivity SARS-CoV-2 reverse transcriptase polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) procedure for testing stool specimens. METHODS: A modified extraction method was used with an RT-PCR assay adapted from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention PCR protocol for respiratory specimens. Contrived specimens were created using pre-COVID-19 banked stool specimens and spiking in known concentrations of SARS-CoV-2-specific nucleic acid. The highest transcript concentration at which 2/2 or 1/2 SARS-CoV-2 targets were detected in 9/10 replicates was defined as the dual-target limit and single-target limit of detection, respectively. The clinical performance of the assay was evaluated with stool samples collected from 17 nasopharyngeal swab RT-PCR-positive patients and 14 nasopharyngeal RT-PCR-negative patients. RESULTS: The dual-target and single-target limit of detection were 56 copies/µL and 3 copies/µL, respectively. SARS-CoV-2 was detected at concentrations as low as 0.6 copies/µL. Clinical stool samples from known COVID-19-positive patients demonstrated the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in stool up to 29 days from symptom onset with a high agreement with nasopharyngeal swab tests (kappa statistic of 0.95, P value < 0.001). DISCUSSION: The described RT-PCR test is a sensitive and flexible approach for the detection of SARS-CoV-2 in stool specimens. We propose an integrated screening approach that incorporates this stool test to support continuation of fecal microbiota transplantation programs.
Highly selective GaAs/AlGaAs dry etching using HBr/SF6/He

Selective etching of GaAs is critical for many applications, including flat optical components and high electron mobility transistors. It is long-known that F-containing process gases produce a nonvolatile AlF x layer on AlGaAs. In this work, we present a selective GaAs etch using an inductively coupled plasma with an HBr/SF 6/He etch chemistry. The optimized process exhibits >1μm/min etch rates, >200:1 GaAs:AlGaAs selectivity, >50:1 GaAs:photoresist selectivity, sub-nm surface roughness, and minimal undercut. The effect of aspect ratio is investigated, revealing limitations for deposition of an Si-rich passivation layer. Moreover, selectivity dramatically increases with an AlGaAs etch stop with high (90%) Al content. By characterizing an HBr-based selective GaAs etch, this work provides a possible alternative to the better established chlorine-based selective processes.
Automated Robotic Assembly of 3D Mesostructure via Guided Mechanical Buckling

We present an automated assembly approach to forming 3D mesostructures using guided mechanical buckling of patterned thin films. This task requires accurate positioning of mesostructures over large distances. We use an industrial robot with a high degree of repeatability and large reach. We utilize image-guided localization and positioning to enable accurate pick and place of mesoscale thin films, dispensing of nanoliter adhesive in targeted regions, and automatic 2D to 3D shape transformation via mechanical buckling. We achieved the positioning accuracy of 80 µm, as demonstrated in the example of automated mechanical assembly of 3D mesostructures. The positioning accuracy could be further improved by enhancing the positioning accuracy of the robot, increasing the image resolution and optimizing the assembly process. The use of industrial robots with image-guided localization and positioning provides potential opportunities for high-accuracy, low-cost, and complex robotic manipulation at meso- and microscale.
New Federal Indian Law

Is federal Indian law dead? Despite a declining docket during the Rehnquist Court, the Supreme Court continued to take a disproportionately high number of Indian law cases - and deciding more than 75 percent of them against tribal interests. While many scholars suggest that the Court's conservative views drive these Indian law decisions and criticize the Court for failing to follow foundational principles of federal Indian law, this Article asserts that the Court's reasons for granting certiorari and for deciding against tribal interests in these cases are not Indian law-related. Instead, the Court identifies important, unrelated constitutional concerns that appear to arise more frequently in Indian law cases, decides those matters, and only then turns to the federal Indian law questions. Once the Court disposes of the important constitutional concern in its analysis, the Court's federal Indian law analysis is secondary and often driven by pragmatism. This Article concludes by arguing that advocates for tribal interests must locate an important constitutional concern or a significant pragmatic consideration that will drive the Court's analysis before they will turn around the win-loss ratio.
How Millennials are Engaging and Building Relationships with Organizations on Facebook

More than half of Facebook’s 900 million active users in the U.S. consist of the Millennial generation (ages 13 to 29). With more organizations taking advantage of the site’s reach, determining how organizations are interacting with Millennials on Facebook is important. This study used qualitative focus groups and a quantitative survey to examine how Millennials preferred to interact and engage with organizations on Facebook. Results found participants were not opposed to interacting with organizations on Facebook, but were very specific in terms of how, with who, and why they wanted to engage. While Millennials did want updates and other information depending on the type of organization or group, they also wanted discounts or other benefits. Millennials identified reasons why they would actively terminate the relationship with an organization.
David Bushnell. TheMaking of Modern Colombia: A Nation in Spite of lt self.

David Bushnell. TheMaking of Modern Colombia: A Nation in Spite of lt self. Los Angeles: University of Los Angeles Press, 1993. 334 paginas.
Volume dependence of Schwinger functions in the Yukawa2 quantum field theory

We prove upper bounds on the partition function and Schwinger functions for the Euclidean Yukawa2 quantum field theory which depend on the interaction volume Λ only through a term of the form (const)|Λ|. We also prove a lower bound of the form (const)|λ| for the partition function. We work throughout in the Matthews-Salam representation with the fermions integrated out.
Historical background to conflicts over religion in public schools

Conflict over religion in state-supported schooling, always simmering in the United States, has become increasingly common in Western Europe as well. Germans divided, a few years ago, over whether schools in Bavaria should be required – when parents objected – to remove the crucifixes which have traditionally hung in each classroom, and it required a ruling by the national Constitutional Court. More recently, the same court has considered whether Muslim teachers in public schools have a right to wear the hijab or scarf covering their hair, and this will have to be addressed by legislators. While the issue seems to have been resolved in Germany, as the 2003–2004 school year started litigation over a crucifix in a public school classroom stirred passions in Italy. Devout Catholics were not necessarily those most opposed to the removal of crucifixes on demand of a parent who had converted to Islam; for others it was a convenient symbol of unwelcome societal changes resulting from immigration and from a rapidly-evolving culture. In England, the requirement that schools arrange a daily act of worship “of a predominantly Christian character” is a continuing source of friction. Whether to include the theory of evolution in state-mandated examinations caused a political crisis in the Netherlands in mid-1995. In France, the determination of hundreds of Muslim girls to wear the hijab or scarf covering their hair in school has divided opinions on the Left and Right alike, and seems no closer to resolution after fourteen years of controversy. Government sponsorship of religious expression in schools is the norm in the United Kingdom as in much of Germany, but there has been controversy over how this expression should adapt to a religiously-pluralistic society. Law requires that schools conduct a daily act of collective worship “wholly or mainly of a broadly Christian character.” Hundreds of schools enroll a majority of non-Christian pupils, mostly Muslim or Hindu; how should they meet this requirement? Many are not, finding one way or another to evade the law. It does not appear that the resistance is coming primarily from non-Christian pupils or parents, but from school staff who, out of efforts to be “multicultural,” are unwilling to lead acts of worship. Many Christian leaders also have misgivings about the integrity of worship which must seek to avoid 277
An in-situ record of major environmental transitions on early Mars at Northeast Syrtis Major

The Noachian-Hesperian transition on Mars was a period marked by changes in volcanic processes and styles of aqueous alteration. Understanding the timing and nature of environmental change requires the exploration of units recording both sets of processes. Herein, we report the compositional stratigraphy of distinctive Noachian to Hesperian units along the northeastern margin of the Syrtis Major volcanic flows. A layered, polyhydrated sulfate-bearing unit with jarosite ridges has been discovered beneath the Syrtis Major lava flows and above the regionally-extensive stratigraphy of Noachian plains units reported previously. Sequential clay-, carbonate-, and sulfate-bearing units formed in-situ and record a transition from alkaline pH to acidic pH waters. The sequence is chronologically bookended by the Isidis impact and Syrtis Major flows, and is one of the most temporally-constrained and well-preserved stratigraphic sections from early Mars available for landed exploration.
Cheating and Lying

Criminal behavior can be, partially at least, explained and predicted by economic principles. Economists have created something of a cottage industry explaining how criminals can be treated as entrepreneurs out to maximize their “firms” profits from revenues gleaned from muggings and burglaries and to minimize their costs of operation, with the threat of getting caught, prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned being one of the “risk costs” of doing business, which also can be a check on crimes. Raise the probability of criminals actually doing time, and you raise their risk costs and curb crimes, or so economists (and policymakers) predict. Likewise, raise the costs states must incur to imprison criminals, and the criminals risk costs can go down as states try to check expenditures on prisons by reducing the number of criminals who are actually caught, prosecuted, convicted, and imprisoned.
Insulin gene expression in nonexpressing cells appears to be regulated by multiple distinct negative-acting control elements.

Selective transcription of the insulin gene in pancreatic beta cells is regulated by its enhancer, located between nucleotides -340 and -91 relative to the transcription start site. Transcription from the enhancer is controlled by both positive- and negative-acting cellular factors. Cell-type-specific expression is mediated principally by a single cis-acting enhancer element located between -100 and -91 in the rat insulin II gene (referred to as the insulin control element [ICE]), which is acted upon by both of these cellular activities. Analysis of the effect of 5' deletions within the insulin enhancer has identified a region between nucleotides -217 and -197 that is also a site of negative control. Deletion of these sequences from the 5' end of the enhancer leads to transcription of the enhancer in non-insulin-producing cells, even though the ICE is intact. Derepression of this ICE-mediated effect was shown to be due to the binding of a ubiquitously distributed cellular factor to a sequence element which resides just upstream of the ICE (i.e., between nucleotides -110 and -100). We discuss the possible relationship of these results to cell-type-specific regulation of the insulin gene.
Effect of growth conditions on accumulation of internal nitrate, ammonium, amino acids, and protein in three marine diatoms

Abstract The capacity of marine phytoplankton to change their cellular content of nitrate, ammonium, amino acids, and protein in response to different growth conditions was systematically investigated. Cellular concentrations of these compounds were measured in N-starved, N-deficient, and N-sufficient Skeletonema costatum (Grev.) Cleve and in N-deficient Chaetoceros debilis Cleve and Thalassiosira gravida Cleve, both before and after the addition of a pulse of nitrogen. N-sufficient Skeletonema costatum contains high concentrations of protein, large persistent pools of amino acids, and, if it is growing on nitrate, sizeable amounts of nitrate. As it becomes N-starved, the total cellular nitrogen decreases, the internal nitrate and amino acids become entirely depleted, and the protein content is drastically reduced. After nitrogen additions to N-deficient and N-starved cultures, transient pools of unassimilated nitrogen form which can account for a large fraction of newly taken up nitrogen. The size and kind of pool which accumulates is determined by the preconditioning of the cells, the nitrogen compound which is added, and the species identity. The pools which form in S. costatum indicate that nitrate reduction is the slowest step in nitrogen assimilation, the synthesis of protein from amino acids is the next slowest, and the incorporation of ammonium into amino acid is the fastest. However, the rate limiting steps may vary between diatom species. For the first time, measurements of the variation in cellular nitrogen compounds over a wide range of environmental conditions reveal the ability of some phytoplankton to buffer the effects of a changing, and sometimes growth-limiting, nitrogen supply. They accomplish this by utilizing stored internal nitrogen for growth when the external supply is low and by quickly storing unassimilated nitrogen when the external supply is suddenly increased beyond their ability to immediately assimilate it. The accumulation of large pools of unassimilated nitrogen compounds can explain the often observed difference between nitrogen uptake rates and growth rates.
Structure and Vibrational Properties of Isolated Carbon Nanocrystallites

Small isolated nanocrystallites of carbon have been prepared on amorphous SiO2 and studied by interference enhanced Raman scattering (IERS) and scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM). A new mode of dark field STEM, using a thin annular detector, has allowed imaging of 1-2 nm graphite-like particles using (002) diffraction. For such small particles, the Raman spectra provide the first evidence for changes in the phonon density of states of a nanocrystalline system.
An ethnographic study of an online, mutual-aid health community: group dynamics, roles, and relationships

The research project will examine a fairly well studied, long established, and thriving online health bulletin board through a multi level, in-depth analysis. Ethnographic research methods will be used in combination with social network analysis and an examination of issues related to usability. The purpose of the research is to document the role the online community plays in the lives of its members; define the patterns of interaction within the group; compare group dynamics in the online community to those in face to face mutual aid groups, and examine the impact of usability issues on group process.
First principles theoretical explanation of incommensurate behavior in Rb2ZnCl4.

Etude ab initio basee sur l'utilisation du potentiel de Gordon-Kim, montrant que la transition incommensurable est due a la relaxation d'helices hexagonales imparfaites formees par les ions ZnCl 4 2−
Synthesis and in vitro evaluation of α-synuclein ligands.

Abstract Accumulation of misfolded α-synuclein in Lewy bodies and Lewy neurites is the pathological hallmark of Parkinson’s disease (PD). To identify ligands having high binding potency toward aggregated α-synuclein, we synthesized a series of phenothiazine derivatives and assessed their binding affinity to recombinant α-synuclein fibrils using a fluorescent thioflavin T competition assay. Among 16 new analogues, the in vitro data suggest that compound 11b has high affinity to α-synuclein fibrils (Ki = 32.10 ± 1.25 nM) and compounds 11d, 16a and16b have moderate affinity to α-synuclein fibrils (Ki ≈ 50–100 nM). Further optimization of the structure of these analogues may yield compounds with high affinity and selectivity for aggregated α-synuclein.
Synthesis and molecular structure of a tetra-t-butylethylene derivative obtained from a propellanic carbenoid. ☆

Abstract The carbonic dimers of some tricyclic cyclopropylidenoids have been isolated. The X-ray structure of one ( 12 ) has been determined. These are derivatives of tetra- t -butylethylene ( 1 ).
Endovascular treatment of tandem lesions of the carotid arteries.

Background High-grade stenoses of both common (CCA) and the internal (ICA) carotid arteries are rare and represent a therapeutic dilemma for the treating physician. The aim of this article is to present our experience with fully endovascular repair of those lesions. Methods Between January 2011 and December 2012, 5 patients (all male, age 73.6 years) with concomitant CCA and ICA stenoses were treated endovascularly. All patients were asymptomatic. The lesions involved the left carotid in 3 and the right carotid in 2 cases. Common carotid artery stenosis was located at the ostium (1 patient), the middle (3 patients) and the distal segment (1 patient) of the CCA. In 3 cases, CCA stenting was initially performed followed by ICA treatment, whereas in the remaining 2, ICA stenting preceded CCA stenting. A filter embolic protection device was used in 2 cases. Results All procedures were successfully completed. Technical success rate was 100%. Mortality rate was 0%. One patient experienced transient neurologic complication. An 82-year-old who underwent left mid-CCA and ICA stenosis without embolic protection device suffered a transient ischemic attack with dysarthria lasting for a few minutes. A 73-year-old patient with left CCA and ICA stenosis and occlusion of the right ICA who underwent stenting under cerebral protection experienced symptoms consistent with cerebral hyperperfusion. Patients were followed up for a mean of 6 months. No neurologic complications or stent restenosis were detected. Conclusions Angioplasty and stenting is a technically feasible method for the treatment of concomitant CCA and ICA stenosis with acceptable short- and mid-term results.
College credits for previous learning experiences: Reaching nontraditional students

This paper describes how an undergraduate department in the School of Education at the University of Wisconsin-Milwaukee grants college credits for previous learning experiences to attract and retain nontraditional students from an urban environment. At first students earned these credits by writing a loose biography, but the process by which these credits are earned has become more structured. These Prior Professional Educational Experience credits (as they are named) are now granted on a course-specific basis, where students respond in writing to questions designed to test their knowledge of competency areas offered by the department. Earning these credits has helped older students get through the university and has given them a sense of accomplishment about learnings acquired in nonuniversity settings.
Breast-feeding problems and telephone consultation

Parents and health care providers may have difficulty obtaining accurate and current information for the management of breast-feeding concerns. This study documents the types of problems that lead family members and health care professionals to seek telephone consultation from a breast-feeding service managed as an activity of a school of nursing faculty practice. During the 6-month study period, calls from 387 individuals (64% mothers and 31% health care providers) were received, for a mean of 64 calls per month. These calls required approximately 9.5 hours monthly to manage. Thirty-one percent of the calls were requests for general information (including stooling and urination or frequency and duration of breast-feeding); an additional 24% requested consultation from or referral to the service. Twenty-five percent of the calls resulted in a consultation with either the clinicians (9.9% inpatient; 9.6% outpatient) or referral to another health care professional (6%). Suggestions for pediatric nurse practitioner practice with breast-feeding mothers and babies were developed from the results of this clinical study.
Association of CHI3L1 in African-Americans with Prior History of Asthma Exacerbations and Stress

Rationale. Asthma exacerbations are influenced by multiple factors including environmental exposures, psychosocial interactions, and genetic variations. Aim. To better understand the correlation between clinical, physiologic, genetic, and psychological dimensions in asthma phenotypes and exacerbations. Methods. Supervised cluster analysis of a previously conducted clinical trial of asthma was used to identify subpopulations with differing exacerbation rates in an African-American study population (n = 475). The clusters were characterized by their clinical characteristics and genetic variations. The genetic analysis (n = 322) compared subgroups across 40 different polymorphisms of 10 genes associated with asthma exacerbations. Results. Four clusters were identified with varying annualized rates of exacerbations. Cluster 1 (n = 272) was represented by subjects with a mean age of 25 years and 52% females. In contrast, cluster 4, most divergent from cluster 1, was represented by subjects with the highest rat...
Do NF1 gene deletions result in a characteristic phenotype

Neurofibromatosis-1 (NF1) is an autosomal dominant disorder with marked variability of expression. Analysis of the NF1 gene (NF1) has detected a variety of mutations without any clear correlation with phenotype. However, deletions which remove all of NF1 have been reported in a small number of patients who have minor facial abnormalities, mental retardation, learning disabilities, and early or excessive burden of cutaneous or plexiform neurofibromas. The purpose of this study was to determine whether these phenotypic traits are associated with whole gene deletions. Out of 406 of our NF1 patients, 70 patients had manifestations previously associated with gene deletions. Thirty-five of these patients from 26 families were available for study. By fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) analysis, 4 were found to have deletions of the entire gene, including 2 sporadic cases, 1 familial case, and 1 case where family history could not be verified. In addition, the mother of the familial case was found to be mosaic for the deletion. Our results suggest that although large NF1 deletions occur with relatively high frequency in patients with certain findings, the presence of a deletion cannot be predicted solely on the basis of clinical phenotype.
Age and magnitude of the late Pleistocene sea-level rise on the eastern Yucatan Peninsula

230 Th ages of fossil corals from upper Pleistocene limestones on the eastern Yucatan Peninsula and Cozumel Island are about 122,000 yr. Similar ages for corals at about the same elevations at other areas in the Caribbean region indicate that eastern Yucatan has been tectonically stable since late Pleistocene time. Stratigraphic relationships in Yucatan suggest that maximum sea level during the late Pleistocene period was 5 to 6 m above present sea level.
Approximate Bayesian evaluation of multiple treatment effects.

Summary. We propose an approximate Bayesian method for comparing an experimental treatment to a control based on a randomized clinical trial with multivariate patient outcomes. Overall treatment effect is characterized by a vector of parameters corresponding to effects on the individual patient outcomes. We partition the parameter space into four sets where, respectively, the experimental treatment is superior to the control, the control is superior to the experimental, the two treatments are equivalent, and the treatment effects are discordant. We compute posterior probabilities of the parameter sets by treating an estimator of the parameter vector like a random variable in the Bayesian paradigm. The approximation may be used in any setting where a consistent, asymptotically normal estimator of the parameter vector is available. The method is illustrated by application to a breast cancer data set consisting of multiple time-to-event outcomes with covariates and to count data arising from a cross-classification of response, infection, and treatment in an acute leukemia trial.
The Affordable Care Act: Implications for African Americans Living with HIV

This article reviews the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), 2010. It highlights the implications of the ACA for African Americans living with HIV/AIDS. This law is a practical step toward decreasing disproportionate chronic disease in vulnerable communities. Proper implementation of provisions will help the United States catch up to other industrialized nations with well-established public health care programs. Included is a concise table referencing notable provisions that support increased access to treatment, health education, and quality of care for clients. Social workers can use this information to ensure that clients benefit from this legislation.
Games: good/evil

In this special session we present arguments for and against a game-centric computing curriculum. To highlight the issues and ensure equal time for arguments on either side, our session is staged as a debate with three speakers on each side. Our audience is educators and educational researchers interested in the role of game development in the CS curriculum.