cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Functionalized cellulose nanofibril aerogels as cooperative acid–base organocatalysts for liquid flow reactions

Abstract Cellulose nanomaterial aerogels are macroscopic porous solids with relatively high surface areas and are thus an interesting basis for renewable catalyst materials. Cross-linked acid–base bifunctional catalyst aerogels are produced here from TEMPO-oxidized cellulose nanofibrils (TOCNF) and demonstrated in both batch and flow catalysis. Recently established acid–base modification for catalysis is expanded upon for chemical or physical cross-linking with small molecules and polymers. Low density and relatively high surface area (up to 74 m2 g−1) aerogel catalysts are produced with a variety of processing approaches and then freeze-dried from water or tert-butyl alcohol/water mixtures. Finer pore structure and increased surface area are achieved with tert-butyl alcohol as co-solvent. Chemical cross-linking improved aerogel stability to solvents. Homogeneous and aerogel TOCNF catalysts are shown to be effective acid–base cooperative catalysts for aldol condensation reactions in batch reactions. Continuous flow reactions are performed with glass column reactors packed with aerogel catalysts that showed improved rates relative to batch experiments, while also demonstrating physical stability. Catalyst deactivation in flow reactions is observed and observations of deactivation support previously reported mechanisms of site poisoning by competitive chemisorption of reactants in analogous acid–base catalysts. This report is a key demonstration of cellulose nanofibril aerogels for catalysis in continuous liquid flow reactions.
Structural Dynamic Testing Results for Air-Independent Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) Fuel Cell Technologies for Space Applications

In 2016, the NASA Advanced Exploration Systems (AES) project office funded research at the NASA Glenn Research Center to evaluate the maturity of the Proton Exchange Membrane (PEM) fuel cell technology and its viability for supporting launch vehicle and space applications. This technology evaluation included vibration, reactant purity, and vacuum exposure sensitivity testing. The evaluation process did not include microgravity testing. This paper discusses the vibration sensitivity testing of two air-independent fuel cell stacks provided by different vendors to assess the ability of currently available fuel cell stack hardware to survive the projected random vibrational environment that would be encountered in an upper stage launch vehicle. Baseline performance testing was utilized to quantify stack performance and overboard leak rate at standard atmospheric conditions in order to provide a reference for post-test comparison. Both fuel cell stacks were tested at a random vibration qualification level of 10.4 grms for five minutes in each axis. Low-level sinusoidal sweeps were conducted before and after each random vibration level run to see if any significant change in resonances were detected. Following vibration facility testing, the baseline performance testing was repeated. Test results demonstrated no measurable change in fuel cell electrochemical or mechanical performance, indicating that the two evaluated PEM fuel cell stacks may be suitable for space applications pending microgravity testing.
Deep Analysis of Residue Constraints (DARC): identifying determinants of protein functional specificity.

Protein functional constraints are manifest as superfamily and functional-subgroup conserved residues, and as pairwise correlations. Deep Analysis of Residue Constraints (DARC) aids the visualization of these constraints, characterizes how they correlate with each other and with structure, and estimates statistical significance. This can identify determinants of protein functional specificity, as we illustrate for bacterial DNA clamp loader ATPases. These load ring-shaped sliding clamps onto DNA to keep polymerase attached during replication and contain one δ, three γ, and one δ’ AAA+ subunits semi-circularly arranged in the order δ-γ1-γ2-γ3-δ’. Only γ is active, though both γ and δ’ functionally influence an adjacent γ subunit. DARC identifies, as functionally-congruent features linking allosterically the ATP, DNA, and clamp binding sites: residues distinctive of γ and of γ/δ’ that mutually interact in trans, centered on the catalytic base; several γ/δ’-residues and six γ/δ’-covariant residue pairs within the DNA binding N-termini of helices α2 and α3; and γ/δ’-residues associated with the α2 C-terminus and the clamp-binding loop. Most notable is a trans-acting γ/δ’ hydroxyl group that 99% of other AAA+ proteins lack. Mutation of this hydroxyl to a methyl group impedes clamp binding and opening, DNA binding, and ATP hydrolysis—implying a remarkably clamp-loader-specific function.
A master erythroid regulator gets its own GPS.

In this issue of Blood, Ma et al discuss their discovery of a novel function of G protein pathway suppressor 2 (GPS2) in promoting erythroid differentiation through stabilizing the erythroid master regulator erythroid Kruppel-like factor (EKLF, also known as KLF1).
Collateral Responses to Classical Cytotoxic Chemotherapies are Heterogeneous and Sensitivities are Sparse

Abstract Chemotherapy resistance is a major obstacle to curing cancer patients. Combination drug regimens have shown promise as a method to overcome resistance; however, to date only some cancers have been cured with this method. Collateral sensitivity – the phenomenon whereby resistance to one drug is co-occurrent with sensitivity to a second drug – has been gaining traction as a promising new concept to guide rational design of combination regimens. Here we survey collateral responses to acquisition of resistance to four classical chemotherapy agents. Although collateral sensitivities have been documented for antibiotics and targeted cancer therapies, we did not observe collateral sensitivities to any of the cytotoxic agents we studied. Interestingly, we did observe heterogeneity in the phenotypic response to acquisition of resistance to each drug, suggesting the existence of multiple different states of resistance for each drug. Surprisingly, this phenotypic heterogeneity was unrelated to transcriptomic heterogeneity in the resistant cell lines. These features of phenotypic and transcriptomic heterogeneity must be taken into account in future studies of treated tumor subclones and in design of chemotherapy combinations.
Predictors of surgical intervention for those seeking bariatric surgery.

Abstract Background Bariatric surgery has been found to be effective in the treatment of severe obesity. Studies have shown that the majority of eligible patients do not undergo surgery. Objectives It is important to identify variables that may impact patient decision making and potentially lead to the disproportionate underutilization of bariatric surgery. Setting The study was conducted at one academic medical center in central Pennsylvania. Methods Bariatric patients who participated in a preoperative psychological assessment from 2017 to early 2020 completed comprehensive self-report questionnaires addressing sociodemographic variables, health history, psychopathology, and eating behaviors. Body mass index was calculated based on clinical measurements of each patient at the start of the preoperative program. Sociodemographic variables and self-report instrument scores were compared between those who completed surgery and those who did not. Results Of the 1234 participants, significant differences were found between the compared variables. All minority groups were less likely to undergo surgery than White patients. Participants reporting higher impairment were less likely to progress to surgery. Impairments across 3 behavioral eating assessments were associated with a lower likelihood of surgery. Conclusion There are multiple factors that contribute to patient progression to surgery, and ultimately whether the patient undergoes bariatric surgery. Results show a need for further investigation surrounding the sociodemographic and psychosocial variables that influence the patient’s advancement to surgery. Both providers and patients could benefit from a deeper understanding of potential barriers to utilization of bariatric surgery.
Editors’ introduction: civic engagement and student learning in 2021 and beyond

In 2000, the Kellogg Commission on the Future of State and Land-Grant Universities argued that universities and their communities have a reciprocal responsibility to one another, noting that one of...
Improved triggering performance by harnessing GaAs PCSS array

In this study, we report an experimental analysis on the triggering performance of a GaAs photoconductive semiconductor switch (PCSS) array. Resistors in parallel are known to outperform a single resistor in terms of heat management, current manipulation, wattage control, etcetera. Reconstructing the shape of resistors to obtain such a performance can impose limitations that inhibit it to compete with its parallel counterpart. The creation and synchronous triggering of a PCSS array may also result in an improved current and triggering performance which can be useful for high-speed nanosecond applications.
The Effect of a Brief, Web-Based Animated Video for Improving Comprehension and Implementation Feasibility for Reducing Anterior Cruciate Ligament Injury: A Three-Arm Randomized Controlled Trial.

Neuromuscular injury prevention training (IPT) has been shown to reduce anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) injury risk by approximately 50%, but the implementation rate is low. One of the most important modifiable barriers for implementation is coaches’ comprehension of risk and intervention strategies. This study aimed to evaluate the effect of a brief, web-based, animated video on ACL injury prevention comprehension and IPT implementation feasibility. Coaches in landing and cutting sports were recruited and randomized into three groups. (1) Intervention: brief multimedia animated video about ACL injury and prevention. (2) Active control: commonly accessed, text-based web resource about ACL injury and prevention. (3) Placebo control: brief multimedia video about concussions. Overall ACL comprehension—composed of basic ACL knowledge, risk knowledge, prevention knowledge, and severity knowledge—as well as implementation feasibility were all measured prior to and immediately following the interventions. Overall ACL comprehension improved the most in the animated video group (Cohen’s d = 0.86) and, to a lesser degree, in the active control web-based article group (Cohen’s d = 0.39). Both video and web-based article groups had greater implementation feasibility compared to the control group (p = 0.01). Overall, these initial results suggest that a brief, web-based, animated video has the potential to be a superior method for informing stakeholders in order to reduce traumatic injuries in sport.
The “Mask Effect” on the tips that customers leave restaurant servers

Abstract Masks have become the custom among restaurant workers and bartenders as a form of protection against COVID-19. Yet, given the rapid introduction of masks to the uniforms of restaurant servers there is a dearth of extant scholarship that has explored the effects of face coverings on customers’ behaviors. In response, this research offers a preliminary test of the effect of server masks on a common consumer behavior in the full-service restaurant industry—tipping. We review theoretical and empirical reasons suggesting that a mask may have a negative effect on customers’ tipping practices. Potential mask effects on tipping are then explored with a survey experiment that was administered to a large and diverse sample of Amazon Mechanical Turk “workers.” Our results suggest that wearing a mask is not likely to, on average, have a meaningful effect on how much restaurant customers tip their servers. However, we do observe a negative indirect effect of a mask on customer reported tip amount through diminished perceptions of a hypothetical servers’ friendliness. This effect was found to be attenuated among those who are altruistically motivated to tip servers as a way to help them financially. The implications of our results and directions for future research are discussed.
Quality Initiative for the Administration of Vancomycin Prophylaxis in Penicillin-Allergic Neurosurgery Patients

Introduction Vancomycin may be used as an alternative perioperative antibiotic for penicillin-allergic patients but follows a different infusion timing. At the institution presented herein, noncompliance with recommended vancomycin infusion timing has been hypothesized to contribute toward increased risk of surgical site infections and avoidable expenditures. The objective of this project was to utilize the Performance Improvement In Action methodology to identify, address, and solve the problem of vancomycin administration timing. Methodology This study took place at a multi-hospital, urban academic medical center. The protocol was developed by neurosurgery and anesthesia faculty, advanced practice providers, nursing, and pharmacy. Timing of the following points was recorded: initial order, order release, pharmacy verification, vancomycin infusion, and surgical incision. Fifty consecutive penicillin-allergic patients undergoing neurosurgical intervention were prospectively enrolled. Data comparison was made between the pilot and retrospective review cohorts. Results The pilot cohort achieved correct administration of vancomycin in 100% of cases. Average infusion start time prior to incision increased by 257% (p<0.0001). Conclusions This study demonstrates a departmental capacity for optimized timing of vancomycin infusions, in a budget- and workflow-neutral process, while reducing inappropriate administration. In the future, this protocol may be scaled to additional departments and institutions to appropriately and efficiently administer perioperative vancomycin and mitigate the risk for surgical site infections.
Human Development and Political Violence

1. Beyond the youth gap in understanding political violence 2. Youth and society work together 3. Living history 4. From frozen narratives to critical narrating 5. Power genres 6. Sociobiographies 7. Human development in conflict.
Antimicrobial mechanisms of macrophages

The ability to activate macrophage antimicrobial function is essential to survival of the species from pathogens that parasitize macrophages predominantly and that cause some of the world’s most prevalent, life-threatening, nonviral infectious diseases. Twenty years have passed since the initial observations that macrophage activation can be controlled by cytokines (1). Since the last Leiden conference, there has been substantial progress in four major respects: (a) identification of specific cytokine-inducible or cytokine-enhanced biochemical pathways that mediate cytotoxicity by macrophages (2);(b) identification of specific cytokines that induce these paths (3); (c) demonstrations that macrophage-activating cytokines can be clinically useful (4, 5); and (d) recognition that macrophage effector function is regulated not only by cytokines that activate, but also by cytokines that deactivate, a point reviewed elsewhere in this volume (6).
Local Model Checking for Real-Time Systems (Extended Abstract)

We present a local algorithm for model checking in a real-time extension of the modal mu-calculus. As such, the whole state space of the real-time system under investigation need not be explored, but rather only that portion necessary to determine the truthhood of the logical formula. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first local algorithm for the verification of real-time systems to appear in the literature.
Timing of injury in utero causing respiratory inhibition after crying

Background: The aim of this study was to clarify the timing of injuries in utero that cause respiratory inhibition after crying (RIAC). We evaluated infants with cranial ultrasound abnormalities diagnosed during hospitalization. Methods: We retrospectively examined the medical records of preterm infants who were treated in the neonatal intensive care unit at Nara Prefectural Hospital in Nara, Japan from January 2006 through December 2010. Inclusion criterion was gestational age less than 34 weeks. We evaluated the perinatal factors and cranial ultrasound abnormalities associated with RIAC, feeding hypoxemia, and prolonged apnea. We also evaluated the timing of appearance of cranial ultrasound abnormalities. Results: A total of 125 infants were examined. Mean gestational age was 30.6 ± 2.4 weeks and mean birthweight was 1465 ± 454 g. The numbers of infants who showed RIAC, feeding hypoxemia, and prolonged apnea were 44, 48, and 63, respectively. Among 91 infants who showed cranial ultrasound abnormalities, 67 had increased echogenicity in the ganglionic eminence (GE). There was a significant correlation between increased echogenicity and RIAC (P < 0.001). Of the infants who showed increased echogenicity in the GE, 19 had this finding during the course of hospitalization. In these 19 infants, however, gestational age of those with RIAC was less than 31 weeks. Conclusion: We speculate that the timing of intrauterine injury resulting in RIAC in infants is less than 31 gestational weeks.
Syntheses with diacetylenic ketones: 5-Membered rings by anti-michael addition

Abstract Syntheses with diphenylethynylketone and di-n-hexynylketone lead to a variety of products deriving from attack at the ketone and/or one or both triple bonds. Adducts with amines, hydrazines, mercaptans, active methylene compounds, and tetraphenylcyclopentadienone were obtained. Among the 6-membered cyclic products, pyridones, and pyrones are expected, while deca-substituted benzophenones are unusual. A novel route to 5-membered rings, e.g. oxo-Δ 2 -pyrrolines, thiacyclopentenones (and 3-hydroxythiophenes), and cyclopentenones makes the diethynylketones useful intermediates.
Lifting Transformational Models of Product Lines: A Case Study

Model driven development (MDD) of software product lines (SPLs)merges two increasing important paradigms that synthesize programs by transformation. MDD creates programs by transforming models, and SPLs elaborate programs by applying transformations called features. In this paper, we present the design and implementation of a transformational model of a product line of scalar vector graphics and JavaScript applications. We explain how we simplified our implementation by lifting selected features and their compositions from our original product line (whose implementations were complex) to features and their compositions of another product line (whose specifications were simple). We used operators to map higher-level features and their compositions to their lower-level counterparts. Doing so exposed commuting relationships among feature compositions in both product lines that helped validate our model and implementation.
Historical perspective on movement disorders.

Before atypical antipsychotics were developed, neuroleptics given to patients for the treatment of psychosis often caused movement disorders. Although the role of neuroleptics in the development of tardive dyskinesia was never certain, this adverse effect was of great concern to physicians because its effects could be irreversible and devastating to the patient. It is important to understand whether involuntary movement disorders are an intrinsic part of schizophrenia, because if so, then a certain percentage of patients will develop the dyskinetic syndromes whether they are treated or not. To uncover the role of antipsychotic medications in tardive dyskinesia, it is necessary to examine the descriptions of abnormal movements made by those who were first researching schizophrenia, as well as modern descriptions of neuroleptic-naive individuals with schizophrenia. The physicians who initially described the syndrome of tardive dyskinesia had observed pre-neuroleptic schizophrenia first hand and saw a difference in the movements of treated and untreated patients. Nevertheless, the idea of a chronic movement disorder caused by treatment with neuroleptics would become controversial for many years. With the development of the atypical antipsychotics, the incidence and prevalence of tardive dyskinesia have dropped remarkably, suggesting that psychosis, its treatment, and dyskinesias are not inextricably linked.
Estrogen-Induced Alteration of μ-Opioid Receptor Immunoreactivity in the Medial Preoptic Nucleus and Medial Amygdala

The μ-opioid receptor (μ-OR), like most G-protein-coupled receptors, is rapidly internalized after agonist binding. Although opioid peptides induce internalization in vivo , there are no studies that demonstrate μ-OR internalization in response to natural stimuli. In this study, we used laser-scanning microscopy to demonstrate that estrogen treatment induces the translocation of μ-OR immunoreactivity (μ-ORi) from the membrane to an internal location in steroid-sensitive cell groups of the limbic system and hypothalamus. Estrogen-induced internalization was prevented by the opioid antagonist naltrexone, suggesting that translocation was largely dependent on release of endogenous agonists. Estrogen treatment also altered the pattern of μ-ORi at the bright-field light microscopic level. In the absence of stimulation, the majority of immunoreactivity is diffuse, with few definable μ-OR+ cell bodies or processes. After stimulation, the density of distinct processes filled with μ-ORi was significantly increased. We interpreted the increase in the number of μ-OR+ processes as indicating increased levels of internalization. Using this increase in the density of μ-OR+ fibers, we showed that treatment of ovariectomized rats with estradiol benzoate induced a rapid and reversible increase in the number of fibers. Significant internalization was noted within 30 min and lasted for >24 hr after estrogen treatment in the medial preoptic nucleus, the principal part of the bed nucleus, and the posterodorsal medial amygdala. Naltrexone prevented the increase of μ-OR+ processes. These data imply that estrogen treatment stimulates the release of endogenous opioids that activate μ-OR in the limbic system and hypothalamus providing a “neurochemical signature” of steroid activation of these circuits.
Spectral Element and hp Methods

Spectral/hp element methods provide high-order discretization, which is essential in the longtime integration of advection-diffusion systems. Here we review the main formulations for simulations of incompressible, compressible, and plasma viscous flows, and present several examples with some emphasis on moving domains. The first generation of (nodal) spectral elements was limited to relatively simple geometries and smooth solutions. However, the new generation of spectral/hp elements, consisting of both nodal and modal forms, can handle very complex geometries by using unstructured grids and can capture strong shocks by employing discontinuous Galerkin methods. New implementation approaches have also been developed on the basis of multilevel parallel algorithms that allow dynamic p-refinement at constant wall clock time. After two decades of intense developments, spectral element and hp methods are mature and efficient to be used effectively in applications of industrial complexity. They provide the capabilities that standard finite element and finite volume methods do, but, in addition, they exhibit high-order accuracy and error control. Keywords: spectral methods; spectral elements; hp finite elements; complex-geometry; high-order; unstructured grids
An Extension of Radner’s Theorem

Radner’s theorem states that the optimal solution for a static linear quadratic Gaussian (LQG) team is linear. In this paper, we find the optimal solution for a static LQG team in which each player knows which observations he has, but in which the observation set that a player receives (how many, which measuring device, etc.) is random before the team acts. Via the concept of nesting, the result extends to the dynamic case and includes teams in which the order of play of the team members as well as their sets of data are random. We also include random changes in the cost function which depend on the randomness of the observation system but are independent of the stochastic process that the team is observing and controlling.
Changes with age of myocardial creatine phosphokinase in the male Fischer rat.

Abstract Myocardial creatine phosphokinase (CPK) was extracted from crushed tissue in 0.01 M Tris buffer at pH 9.0 and purified by successive ammonium chloride and ethanol precipitations. The CPK activity was estimated by measuring the rate of phosphocreatine formation by the transphosphorylation of creatine by ATP. There was a slight rise in CPK activity from 1 to 2 months of age. Thereafter, there was a progressive fall in the CPK activity of 14% by 7–9 months of age, 20% by about one year of age, and 25% by 16–24 months of age. These data indicate that, with advancing age, there is an inability to rapidly restore adequate cellular levels of the high-energy substrate ATP during muscular contraction. Since the loss with age of myocardial CPK parallels the loss with age in the activity of myocardial actomyosin ATPase, these data represent a strong biochemical correlate for known declining cardiac function in aging mammals, including man.
New Methods and Data Sources for Measuring Economic Consequences of Workplace Injuries

Background Evaluation of programs and policies to reduce the incidence of workplace injuries require that the consequences of injury are estimated correctly. Because workplace injuries are complex events, the availability of data that reflects this complexity is the largest obstacle to this estimation. Methods We review the literature on the consequences of workplace injuries for both workers and employers, focusing on data sources, particularly linked administrative data from different public agencies. We also review other approaches to obtaining data to examine workplace injuries, including public-use longitudinal survey data, primary data collection, and linked employee-employer databases. We make suggestions for future research. Results Recent advances in the literature on the economic consequences of workplace injuries for workers have been driven to a great extent by the availability of new data sources. Much remains unexplored. We find longitudinal survey databases including the National Longitudinal Survey of Youth, and the Health and Retirement Survey, to be very promising though largely untapped sources of data on workplace injuries. We also find that linked employee-employer databases are well suited for the study of consequences for employers. Conclusions We expect that new data sources should lead to rapid advances in our understanding of the economic consequences of workplace injuries for both workers and employers. Am. J. Ind. Med. 40:452–463, 2001. © 2001 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Structural influence on transport properties in [(PbSe)1.00]m(MoSe2)n misfit layered compounds

The dependence of the electrical properties on the structural variation and annealing conditions are explored for the turbostratically disordered misfit layered compounds [(PbSe)1.00]m(MoSe2)n where m and n range between 1 and 5 layers. The thickness of the PbSe and MoSe2 layers both appear to have a significant impact on the transport properties of these materials, although variations in defect levels also make a significant contribution. When the thickness of the MoSe2 unit is thick relative to the PbSe unit, typically both a low resistivity (~0.05 Ωm) as well as a low Seebeck coefficient (~50 µV K−1) are observed, compared to when m and n are both small, which tends to result in a relatively high resistivity and moderate Seebeck coefficient. When the m is large (corresponding to a thick PbSe unit), a large, negative Seebeck coefficient (~−400 µV K−1) is observed simultaneous with a relatively low resistivity (0.01 Ωm). Considering the exceptionally low thermal conductivity values that have been reported for these compounds, this could be a promising regime for optimizing doping levels for thermoelectric applications, where a low electrical resistivity and high Seebeck coefficient result in high efficiencies.
The Brontës in the World of the Arts

The Brontes in the World of the Arts SANDRA HAGAN AND JULIETTE WELLS, eds. Aldershot, Ashgate, 2008 270 pp., ISBN 974 0 75465 752 1, £60 Branwell Bronte's famous portrait of his sisters was, up unt...
A Thyroid Hormone Analog with Reduced Dependence on the Monocarboxylate Transporter 8 for Tissue Transport

Mutations of the thyroid hormone (TH) cell membrane transporter MCT8, on chromosome-X, produce severe mental and neurological impairment in men. We generated a Mct8-deficient mouse (Mct8KO) manifesting the human thyroid phenotype. Although these mice have no neurological manifestations, they have decreased brain T(3) content and high deiodinase 2 (D2) activity, reflecting TH deprivation. In contrast and as in serum, liver T(3) content is high, resulting in increased deiodinase 1 (D1), suggesting that in this tissue TH entry is Mct8 independent. We tested the effect of 3,5-diiodothyropropionic acid (DITPA), a TH receptor agonist, for its dependence on Mct8 in Mct8KO and wild-type (Wt) mice tissues. After depletion of endogenous TH, mice were given three different doses of DITPA. Effects were compared with treatment with two doses of l-T(4). As expected, physiological doses of l-T(4) normalized serum TSH, brain D2, and liver D1 in Wt mice but not the Mct8KO mice. The higher dose of T(4) suppressed TSH in the Wt mice, normalized TSH and brain D2 in Mct8KO mice, but produced a thyrotoxic effect on liver D1 in both genotypes. In contrast DITPA produced similar effects on TSH, D2, and D1 in both Wt and Mct8KO mice. The higher dose fully normalized all measurements and other parameters of TH action. Thus, DITPA is relatively MCT8 independent for entry into the brain and corrects the TH deficit in Mct8KO mice without causing thyrotoxic effect in liver. The potential clinical utility of this analog to patients with MCT8 mutations requires further studies.
Some approximate equations useful in the phenomenological treatment of linear viscoelastic data

Abstract Two new approximation methods for treatment of viscoelastic data are introduced. In the first, the relaxation (or retardation) spectrum is obtained from several values of the real (or imaginary) component of the complex modulus (or compliance) without differentiation. In the second, the relaxation (or creep) function is obtained by a very simple calculation from the real and imaginary parts of the complex modulus (or compliance)
Variability and coding efficiency of noisy neural spike encoders.

Encoding synaptic inputs as a train of action potentials is a fundamental function of nerve cells. Although spike trains recorded in vivo have been shown to be highly variable, it is unclear whether variability in spike timing represents faithful encoding of temporally varying synaptic inputs or noise inherent in the spike encoding mechanism. It has been reported that spike timing variability is more pronounced for constant, unvarying inputs than for inputs with rich temporal structure. This could have significant implications for the nature of neural coding, particularly if precise timing of spikes and temporal synchrony between neurons is used to represent information in the nervous system. To study the potential functional role of spike timing variability, we estimate the fraction of spike timing variability which conveys information about the input for two types of noisy spike encoders — an integrate and fire model with randomly chosen thresholds and a model of a patch of neuronal membrane containing stochastic Na+ and K+ channels obeying Hodgkin–Huxley kinetics. The quality of signal encoding is assessed by reconstructing the input stimuli from the output spike trains using optimal linear mean square estimation. A comparison of the estimation performance of noisy neuronal models of spike generation enables us to assess the impact of neuronal noise on the efficacy of neural coding. The results for both models suggest that spike timing variability reduces the ability of spike trains to encode rapid time-varying stimuli. Moreover, contrary to expectations based on earlier studies, we find that the noisy spike encoding models encode slowly varying stimuli more effectively than rapidly varying ones.
The Arabidopsis Myb transcription factor MTF1 is a unidirectional regulator of susceptibility to Agrobacterium.

We recently described the Arabidopsis Myb transcription factor MTF1 that negatively regulates plant susceptibility to Agrobacterium-mediated transformation. Roots of mtf1 mutant plants show increased susceptibility to several Agrobacterium strains, and complementing the mutants with a MTF1 cDNA decreases transformation susceptibility to wild-type levels. Here, we show that overexpression of MTF1 in a wild-type Arabidopsis background does not result in altered transformation susceptibility. However, MTF1 overexpressing plants show increased root length and larger and darker leaves, indicating that MTF1 plays a role in plant growth and development. MTF1 decreases Arabidopsis root susceptibility specifically to Agrobacterium but plant responses to the pathogens Alternaria brassicicola or Pseudomonas syringae pv Tomato were not altered. However, the homozygous MTF1 mutant mtf1–4 is resistant to Botrytis cinerea strain BO5–10 and is regulated through the ethylene signaling pathway mediated by upregulation of the AP2/ERF transcription factor ORA59.
Introduction to CMOS breathes new life into bit-slice

Abstract A few years ago bit-slice components offered designers of high-performance digital systems the most cost-effective way of implementing their systems. The introduction of ASICs, RISC processors and general purpose DSP chips has rather eclipsed bit-slice components. However, bit-slice technology has not stood still. Companies like IDT have enhanced bit-slice components by producing fast CMOS versions. This application note looks at some of the developments in this field and describes a bit-slice graphics accelerator.
Accurate and efficient free-electron laser performance model including nonideal effects

There are a number of codes that can calculate the performance of a free-electron laser (FEL) in 3D with nonideal electron beams, wigglers, and optics. Unfortunately, these codes can be very computationally intensive. So, given the large number of parameters associated with an FEL, it is often impractical to utilize such a large-scale code to develop a preliminary design. To overcome this problem we developed a reduced FEL model that is sufficiently accurate to provide a realistic performance estimate, while, at the same time, the algorithm is sufficiently efficient to investigate a large number of parameter variations. The low-level algorithms design the wiggler, determine the effective energy distribution of the electron beam inside the wiggler, determine the small-signal gain, determine the saturation gain and efficiency, and design the optics.
The Enduring Culture of Mayo Clinic

Preference for Mayo Clinic as the source of care for serious illness was nearly 3 times greater than the second-leading academic medical center in an internally commissioned 2012 national survey of US households conducted by an external, independent research firm. With more than 4100 physicians and scientists on staff, more than 61,000 employees overall, medical practices in 77 communities, 23 hospitals, $8.8 billion in gross revenue, 1 and the highest brand preference among academic medical centers, Mayo Clinic has come a long way since its beginning. In 1863, Dr William Worrall Mayo came to Rochester, Minnesota, as a medical examiner for Civil War draftees. Following the war, he established a privatepracticeinRochester.Histwosons,William J. and Charles H., went to medical school in the 1880s and then joined the family medical practice. The brothers were skilled, active surgeons who performed a wide range of procedures. Early adopters of antiseptic and aseptic surgical techniques that kept infection rates low, the brothers also benefited from the development of reliable and safe anesthesia that extended the operating time for complex procedures. 2 Word of the brothers’ surgical success spread, and growing numbers of patients from other states and eventually other countries came to the “Mayos’ clinic” for surgery. The
STUDIES ON THE PNEUMOCOCCUS IV. EFFECT OF BILE AT VARYING HYDROGEN ION CONCENTRATIONS ON DISSOLUTION OF PNEUMOCOCCI.

Dissolution of pneumococci takes place most rapidly in bile at a slightly alkaline reaction. This is probably due to death of the organisms and activation of the endocellular enzyme at its optimum hydrogen ion concentration.
A Comparison of Computed Tomography Perfusion-Guided and Time-Guided Endovascular Treatments for Patients With Acute Ischemic Stroke

Background and Purpose— The role of CT perfusion (CT-P) imaging for the selection of patients with acute ischemic stroke who may benefit from endovascular treatment is not defined. The objective of this study was to determine whether CT-P-guided endovascular treatment improves clinical outcomes compared with standard endovascular treatment based on the time interval between symptom onset and presentation and noncontrast cranial CT imaging. Methods— A retrospective study was performed comparing the clinical characteristics, complications, and clinical outcomes of patients with acute ischemic stroke who were treated using endovascular modalities based on either CT-P imaging (CT-P-guided) or time interval between symptom onset and presentation and absence of intracerebral hemorrhage or extensive ischemic changes on noncontrast cranial CT scan (time-guided). Results— The rates of partial and complete recanalization were similar between the CT-P- and time-guided treatment groups (n=61 [88%] versus n=103 [81%];...
Infrared spectra of Ca+NO− and Ca+NO−2 in solid argon at 15 K

Abstract Calcium atoms have been reacted with NO and NO 2 upon condensation at high dilution in argon at 15 K. Infrared absorptions at 1357 and 455 cm −1 show appropriate isotopic shifts to be due to (N ↔ ; O) − and Ca + ↔ ; (NO) − vibrations in the Ca + NO − species. A strong band at 1244 cm −1 is due to ν 3 of NO − 2 in the Ca + NO − 2 complex.
Concurrent exploration of MIMO radar and co-prime array for faster and higher resolution scanning

There are a lot of recent research interests on MIMO radars. Transmitting orthogonal waveforms, the extra degrees of freedom (DoFs) provided by MIMO radar can increase the detection and estimation performance. Besides, the recent work on nested array and co-prime array also bring encouraging results. But whether these two ideas can be employed together remains an open problem. In this work, we investigate the potential benefit of using the two techniques together. Our analysis indicates that the use of the two techniques can speed up the scanning process. Compared to conventional Uniform Linear Array (ULA), our performance studies through simulations further demonstrate the use of co-prime scanning can significantly improve the detection probability and resolution, and reduce the number of antennas needed for a given number of targets.
Male homosexuality in the Rorschach.

(1958). Male Homosexuality In the Rorschach. Journal of Projective Techniques: Vol. 22, No. 1, pp. 33-54.
Public support for the courts: An examination of alternative explanations

Abstract Public opinion surveys consistently show that there are generally high levels of support for the court system. While there exists general public support for the courts, the most often heard criticism is that the courts are too lenient. The purpose of this study is to describe public attitudes toward the courts and examine a number of explanations of public support for, or against, the courts. The article examines five hypotheses: (1) respondents who are pro-punishment would not be supportive of the courts; (2) respondents who are supportive of the police and the correctional system would be supportive of the courts; (3) respondents who are supportive of the police would not be supportive of the courts; (4) respondents who identify themselves as conservative would not be supportive of the courts; and (5) respondents who express fear and/or concern about crime, and/or who have experienced victimization would not be supportive of the courts. It is found that members of the public express diffuse support for the courts, but criticism center around court leniency and plea bargaining. At least partial support is found for all five hypotheses with support for strong punitive sanctions the best predictor of attitudes toward the courts.
Composition methods for four-port couplers in photonic integrated circuitry

Planar photonic integrated circuits based on four-port couplers offer enhanced sophistication and functionality. Each four-port coupler is characterized by sixteen signal coupling coefficients governed by ten energy constraints. The ability to generate the constrained sixteen coupling coefficients is needed in the analysis of the four-port coupler. However, the energy constraint equations are nonlinear and cumbersome to solve directly. We introduce two techniques to reduce these signal coupling coefficients to a set of six free parameters. Hence we can characterize all possible couplers in terms of their sixteen constrained coupling coefficients, or either of two sets of six free parameters. This reduction in parameters has significant ramifications for the design, specification, and empirical characterization of these useful building blocks.
Penalization of aperture complexity in inversely planned volumetric modulated arc therapy.

Purpose: Apertures obtained during volumetric modulated arc therapy (VMAT) planning can be small and irregular, resulting in dosimetric inaccuracies during delivery. Our purpose is to develop and integrate an aperture-regularization objective function into the optimization process for VMAT, and to quantify the impact of using this objective function on dose delivery accuracy and optimized dose distributions. Methods: An aperture-based metric (“edge penalty”) was developed that penalizes complex aperture shapes based on the ratio of MLC side edge length and aperture area. To assess the utility of the metric, VMAT plans were created for example paraspinal, brain, and liver SBRT cases with and without incorporating the edge penalty in the cost function. To investigate the dose calculation accuracy, Gafchromic EBT2 film was used to measure the 15 highest weighted apertures individually and as a composite from each of two paraspinal plans: one with and one without the edge penalty applied. Films were analyzed using a triple-channel nonuniformity correction and measurements were compared directly to calculations. Results: Apertures generated with the edge penalty were larger, more regularly shaped and required up to 30% fewer monitor units than those created without the edge penalty. Dose volume histogram analysis showed that the changes in doses to targets, organs at risk, and normal tissues were negligible. Edge penalty apertures that were measured with film for the paraspinal plan showed a notable decrease in the number of pixels disagreeing with calculation by more than 10%. For a 5% dose passing criterion, the number of pixels passing in the composite dose distributions for the non-edge penalty and edge penalty plans were 52% and 96%, respectively. Employing gamma with 3% dose/1 mm distance criteria resulted in a 79.5% (without penalty)/95.4% (with penalty) pass rate for the two plans. Gradient compensation of 3%/1 mm resulted in 83.3%/96.2% pass rates. Conclusions: The use of the edge penalty during optimization has the potential to markedly improve dose delivery accuracy for VMAT plans while still maintaining high quality optimized dose distributions. The penalty regularizes aperture shape and improves delivery efficiency.
Status report on prostate cancer in African Americans: a national blueprint for action.

"A leadership Conference--Prostate Cancer in the African-AMerican Community: an Agenda for Action" was held November 20 to 22, 1997, in Houston, Texas. The meeting--a collaborative effort of the American Cancer Society, The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, and the National Cancer Institute--examined the unique challenge that prostate cancer poses to the African-American community. This article presents the National Blueprint for Action developed at this historic conference.
Valproic acid inhibits growth, induces apoptosis, and modulates apoptosis-regulatory and differentiation gene expression in human thyroid cancer cells.

Background Among the most promising new therapies for thyroid cancer are the histone deacetylase inhibitors. Valproic acid (VA) is an anticonvulsant that inhibits histone deacetylase activity at nontoxic concentrations. We hypothesized that VA would have antineoplastic effects on human thyroid cancer cells. Methods We treated 1 papillary and 3 follicular thyroid cancer cell lines with VA (0.5-2 mmol/L) for 24 to 72 hours. Cell proliferation was measured with a cell proliferation assay kit. Annexin V–fluorescein isothiocyanate was used to quantitate cells that were undergoing apoptosis. Quantitative polymerase chain reaction was used to measure expression of apoptosis-regulatory and differentiation genes. Results VA inhibited growth in all cell lines by 26% to 59% at 48 hours and up to 77% at 72 hours. Nineteen percent to 30% of VA-treated cells underwent apoptosis, compared with 4% to 8% of the control cells. Expression of pro survival genes bcl-2 and bcl-xl was down-regulated by 10% to 60%; expression of the proapoptosis gene bax was up-regulated by 23% to 85%. Sodium-iodide symporter and thyroglobulin messenger RNA expression were up-regulated by 93% to 370% in follicular cell lines but remained unchanged in the papillary cell line. Conclusion VA inhibits growth, induces apoptosis, and modulates apoptosis-regulatory and differentiation gene expression in thyroid cancer cells. These findings suggest that VA may be useful clinically for patients with thyroid cancers of follicular cell origin.
Effects of alternate types of microsite shade on survival of planted Douglas-fir in southwest Oregon.

Five-year survival of 2-0 bareroot Douglas-fir [Pseudotsuga menziesii (Mirb.) Franco] seedlings was increased by three types of shading (cardboard shadecards placed to the south or east of seedlings, and bottomless styrofoam cups inverted around the seedling base) on two south-facing sites in southwest Oregon. On the drier site, seedlings survived well without shading (89% unshaded, 98% shaded), but on the wetter site, where seedlings were stressed more, shading was more beneficial (62% unshaded, 89% shaded). Shading did not affect growth. Seedlings grew more in 5 years on the drier than the wetter site, likely as a result of better handling and planting practices, less browsing by deer, and better weed control.
Scanning electron microscopy of castrate rat bone.

The study describes the SEM appearances of endosteal and periosteal surfaces of anorganic femoral diaphyses from 16-month-old normal and castrate male rats. Different types of surfaces could be recognized in both groups. Percentage areas occupied by each surface type were analyzed with a Ladd Data Analyzing Digitizer. Endosteal surfaces were composed of significantly more (P<0.05) incompletely mineralized, forming surface and significantly less (P<0.05) completely mineralized, resting surface in castrates than in controls. Both endosteal and periosteal surfaces from experimental bone demonstrated significantly more (P<0.05) osteoblast lucunae than did control surfaces, and vascular canal entrances were significantly wider (P<0.001) on castrate endosteal surfaces than on control endosteal surfaces. There was a greater proportion of small nodule forming surface/large nodule forming surface in castrate endosteal bone than in control, and a greater proportion prolonged resting surface/fibrous resting surface in control periosteal bone than in castrate. The results indicate that, when viewed in the SEM, anorganic endosteal and periosteal bone surfaces from femoral diaphyses of old castrate male rats demonstrate appearances characteristic of changes in bone turnover that occur with osteoporosis.