cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Analysis of gold nanoparticle mixtures: a comparison of hydrodynamic chromatography (HDC) and asymmetrical flow field-flow fractionation (AF4) coupled to ICP-MS

Robust methods to detect and characterize engineered nanoparticles (ENPs) in environmental samples are an urgent need, particularly given the increasing use of ENPs in consumer products. To be successful, methods should enable differentiation of ENPs from background nanoparticulates and other system components. The element specificity of inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) can, to some degree, satisfy this requirement. Given the polydisperse nature of particles in natural systems, combining ICP-MS with a size separation method holds particular promise. This paper compares hydrodynamic chromatography (HDC) and asymmetrical flow field flow fractionation (AF4), both coupled with ICP-MS, in their capacity to detect, quantify, and characterize nanoparticles. The detection limits, resolution, and recoveries for both techniques were determined using gold nanoparticle standards. AF4 is capable of separating mixtures of 5, 20, 50 and 100 nm gold ENPs with significantly greater resolution than HDC, with these resolution differences being most pronounced in the smaller size range. However, HDC recoveries ranged from 77 to 96%, while recovery during AF4 ranged from 4 to 89%. The low AF4 recoveries generally occurred for the largest ENPs at the lowest concentrations examined. The limits of detection for both techniques were found to be approximately 5 μg L−1, however different experimental conditions could lower this value. HDC provides an additional benefit over AF4 by proving capable of separating a dissolved signal from a NP sample.
Application of Infrastructure as a Service in IT Education

This paper considers cloud service development to support hands-on practice in IT education. For IT education, cloud services can be used to reduce cost, enhance security, and provide flexibility. This paper presents a case study to illustrate how cloud services can be used to support hands-on practice for IT courses. It also provides a five-step development strategy to develop cloud based computer labs for various types of IT courses.
Maternal Attributions of Taiwanese and American Toddlers’ Misdeeds and Accomplishments

Parental beliefs are important influences on their child-rearing practices, which, in turn, affect their children’s personal-social development. Such parental beliefs are derived from the culture in which a parent and child reside. The differences might contribute to observed differences in children’s behaviors across nationalities. In the present study, parental beliefs (attributions) regarding the reasons for their children’s and their own positive and negative behaviors are examined. Five attributional orientations were assessed: (a) external/uncontrollable (situation), (b) external/unstable (luck-fate- chance), (c) internal/unstable (emotions), (d) internal/stable (traits), and (e) maternal socialization. Participants included 21 Taiwanese and 36 American mothers of children ranging from 24 to 36 months old. Results suggested that American mothers typically attributed positive behaviors to internal/stable dispositions and blamed external/unstable factors for negative behaviors, whereas Taiwanese mothe...
Benefits and Costs of Shanghai's Environmental Citizen Complaints System

The Shanghai Municipal Government's environmental complaints system allows citizens to report environmental problems to local authorities and provides timely feedback regarding how the complaint was resolved. Using both statistical data and case studies, we conduct a qualitative analysis of the system's costs and benefits as of early 2002. The analysis shows that the complaints system is an important, yet somewhat unreliable source of information about the many environmental problems not otherwise detected by regulators. Moreover, the opportunity cost of the system is significant; the system is dominated by nuisance complaints that are either trivial or without significance to environmental quality except at a very limited geographical scale. Analysis of patterns in the case studies provides the basis for constructing hypotheses concerning whether a particular pollution problem is likely to be the subject of a complaint. This offers insights into how the system could be improved so that the benefits of citizen involvement could be enhanced.
The Impact of Regulatory News and Discount Rate Changes on the Time Varying Volatility of Interest Rate Swap Spreads

The explosive growth of the interest rate swap market (as well as the entire derivative market) has drawn regulatory concern. Among the reasons for concern is the belief that the interest rate swap is a risky interest rate management tool. The exposure created by the use of an interest rate swap is a function of unexpected changes in interest rates, regulatory, legal, and accounting documentation. Prior studies that addressed the risk of interest rate swaps have focused on the actual and potential risk of default ensuing from these unexpected changes. While the loss from default is arguably the most important exposure created by the use of interest rate swaps, understanding swap price movements in different market environments facilitates the efficient management of interest rate swap positions, and could therefore reduce the riskiness of this interest rate risk management tool. This study conducts an empirical analysis of the impact of regulatory news and discount rate changes on the time varying volatility of interest rate swap spreads across various maturities.
Sociological Paradigms: Analogies of Teleology, Apocalypse and Prophecy

Following Thomas Kuhn's conception of the periodic revolutions that interrupt the normal accretive growth of a science, an analogy is drawn between the typology of theological postures ("teleology," "apocalypse," and "prophecy") offered by Harvey Cox and paradigms central to an understanding of the crisis confronting contemporary sociology. Correlated with the teleological stance is the "system" image that stood as sociologically orthodox through the 1950's; the "conflict" image which threatened to replace "system" in the 1960's is immediately congruent with an apocalyptic posture; and there is increasing evidence that the "system-conflict" polarity will be resolved in decade of the 1970's in a manner analogous to the stance of the Old Testament prophet. A dialectical' image is coming to the fore which is motivated, as were the nabi, by the assumption that the revelation of modes of present and past social order will operate in the longer run to free those who become aware of such order from its compulsive repetiton.
Landscape of Long Noncoding RNAs in Psoriatic and Healthy Skin

We used RNA sequencing to study and characterize the long noncoding RNA (lncRNA) transcriptome in lesional skin from psoriasis patients before (PP) and after treatment (PT) with adalimumab and in normal skin from healthy individuals (NN). To this end, we sequenced total RNA from 18 psoriasis patients and 16 healthy controls. We merged three lncRNA reference datasets to create a single combined reference of 67,157 lncRNA transcripts with no overlaps. We identified differential expression of 971 lncRNAs between PP and NN, 157 between PP and PT, and 377 between PT and NN. Using differentially expressed lncRNAs between PP and NN, we identified a molecular lncRNA signature that distinguishes psoriatic skin from healthy skin. Furthermore, we performed an unsupervised hierarchical analysis that revealed distinct clustering of PP samples from NN. A coding noncoding network analysis revealed a large network of highly correlated lncRNA and protein coding transcripts that provided insight into the potential functions of unannotated lncRNAs. To the best of our knowledge, this description of both polyadenylated as well as nonpolyadenylated lncRNA transcripts in psoriasis has not been previously reported. Our findings highlight the potential importance of lncRNAs in the biology of psoriasis and response to treatment.
Evaluation of Heating and Shearing on the Viscoelastic Properties of Calcium Hydroxyapatite Used in Injection Laryngoplasty

ObjectiveTo compare the viscoelastic properties of calcium hydroxyapatite (CaHA) to carboxymethylcellulose (CMC) injectables used for injection laryngoplasty and determine if they are affected by heating and shearing.Study DesignExperimental.SettingUniversity laboratory.Subjects and MethodsVocal fold injection laryngoplasty with CaHA is oftentimes challenging due to the amount of pressure necessary to push the injectate through a needle. Anecdotal techniques, such as heating the product, have been suggested to facilitate injection. The viscoelastic properties of CaHA and CMC were measured with a rheometer. The effects of heating and shearing on sample viscoelasticity were recorded.ResultsCaHA was 9.5 times more viscous than CMC (43,100 vs 4540 Pa·s). Heating temporarily decreased the viscosity of CaHA by 32%. However, it also caused the viscosity to subsequently increase after time. Shearing of CaHA reduced its viscosity by 26%. Heating and shearing together temporarily reduced the viscosity of CaHA by 52...
On Multivariate Sign Tests

SUMMARY Certain properties of the multivariate normal integral are used to develop sign tests for the equality of means in two correlated multivariate populations with p < 4 characters each. A numerical example from the anthropometric data of Frets illustrates the particular case p = 2. CERTAIN properties of the multivariate normal integral provide a statistical test for the equality of means in two correlated multivariate populations which is analogous to the familiar sign test for samples from a single bivariate distribution (Dixon and Mood, 1946). Hodges (1955) also has proposed a general bivariate sign test.
Upregulation of AKT3 Confers Resistance to the AKT Inhibitor MK2206 in Breast Cancer

Acquired resistance to molecular targeted therapy represents a major challenge for the effective treatment of cancer. Hyperactivation of the PI3K/AKT pathway is frequently observed in virtually all human malignancies, and numerous PI3K and AKT inhibitors are currently under clinical evaluation. However, mechanisms of acquired resistance to AKT inhibitors have yet to be described. Here, we use a breast cancer preclinical model to identify resistance mechanisms to a small molecule allosteric AKT inhibitor, MK2206. Using a step-wise and chronic high-dose exposure, breast cancer cell lines harboring oncogenic PI3K resistant to MK2206 were established. Using this model, we reveal that AKT3 expression is markedly upregulated in AKT inhibitor-resistant cells. Induction of AKT3 is regulated epigenetically by the bromodomain and extra terminal domain proteins. Importantly, knockdown of AKT3, but not AKT1 or AKT2, in resistant cells restores sensitivity to MK2206. AKT inhibitor-resistant cells also display an epithelial to mesenchymal transition phenotype as assessed by alterations in the levels of E-Cadherin, N-Cadherin, and vimentin, as well as enhanced invasiveness of tumor spheroids. Notably, the invasive morphology of resistant spheroids is diminished upon AKT3 depletion. We also show that resistance to MK2206 is reversible because upon drug removal resistant cells regain sensitivity to AKT inhibition, accompanied by reexpression of epithelial markers and reduction of AKT3 expression, implying that epigenetic reprogramming contributes to acquisition of resistance. These findings provide a rationale for developing therapeutics targeting AKT3 to circumvent acquired resistance in breast cancer. Mol Cancer Ther; 15(8); 1964-74. ©2016 AACR.
Advances in 4D Gated Cardiac PET Imaging for Image Quality Improvement and Cardiac Motion and Contractility Estimation

Quantitative four-dimensional (4D) image reconstruction methods with respiratory and cardiac motion compensation are an active area of research in ECT imaging, including SPECT and PET. They are the extensions of three-dimensional (3D) statistical image reconstruction methods with iterative algorithms that incorporate accurate models of the imaging process and provide significant improvement in the quality and quantitative accuracy of the reconstructed images as compared to that obtained from conventional analytical image reconstruction methods. The new 4D image reconstruction methods incorporate additional models of the respiratory and cardiac motion of the patient to reduce image blurring due to respiratory motion and image noise of the cardiac-gated frames of the 4D cardiac-gated images. We describe respiratory motion estimation and gating method based on patient PET list-mode data. The estimated respiratory motion is applied to the respiratory gated data to reduce respiratory motion blur. The gated cardiac images derived from the list-model data are used to estimate cardiac motion. They are then used in the cardiac-gated images summing the motion-transformed cardiac-gated images for significant reduction in the gated images noise. Dual respiratory and cardiac motion compensation is achieved by combining the respiratory and cardiac motion compensation steps. The results are further significant improvements of the 4D gated cardiac PET images. The much improved gated cardiac PET image quality increases the visibility of anatomical details of the heart, which can be explored to provide more accurate estimation of the cardiac motion vector field and cardiac contractility.
Steroid-independent male sexual behavior in B6D2F2 male mice

It is well established that male sexual behavior (MSB) is regulated by gonadal steroids; however, individual differences in MSB, independent of gonadal steroids, are prevalent across a wide range of species, and further investigation is necessary to advance our understanding of steroid-independent MSB. Studies utilizing B6D2F1 hybrid male mice in which a significant proportion retain MSB after long-term orchidectomy, identified as steroid-independent-maters (SI-maters), have begun to unravel the genetic underpinnings of steroid-independent MSB. A recent study demonstrated that steroid-independent MSB is a heritable behavioral phenotype that is mainly passed down from B6D2F1 hybrid SI-maters when crossed with C57BL6J female mice. To begin to uncover whether the strain of the dam plays a role in the inheritance of steroid-independent MSB, B6D2F1 hybrid females were crossed with B6D2F1 hybrid males. While the present study confirms the finding that steroid-independent MSB is a heritable behavioral phenotype and that SI-mater sires are more likely to pass down some components of MSB than SI-non-maters to their offspring, it also reveals that the B6D2F2 male offspring that were identified as SI-maters that displayed the full repertoire of steroid-independent MSB had the same probability of being sired from either a B6D2F1 SI-mater or SI-non-mater. These results, in conjunction with previous findings, indicate that the specific chromosomal loci pattern that codes for steroid-independent MSB in the B6D2F2 male offspring may result regardless of whether the father was a SI-mater or SI-non-mater, and that the maternal strain may be an important factor in the inheritance of steroid-independent MSB.
On impacts and extinction; biological solutions to biological problems

There appears to be an overwhelming urge in the study of earth sciences currently to discover the “cosmic generality.” Certainly, no observational and descriptive aspects of the study of earth history can be concluded until one has placed the observations into a broader context. On the other hand, there are not very many “cosmic generalities” and few lasting generalizations have been developed before the basic data have been gathered. When generalizations do precede observations, the former fall into the category of testable hypotheses or speculations, depending upon the overall plausibility of the ideas and the generosity of the reader.
First-passage time analysis for digital communication over erasure channels with delay-sensitive traffic

This article explores the relation between queueing behavior and code-rate selection for digital communication over correlated erasure channels. The focus is on non-asymptotic system analysis, with finite block-lengths and non-vanishing probabilities of decoding failure. The transmit buffer is assumed to possess a given initial distribution and performance is evaluated in terms of the time required for the queue to become empty. Special attention is given to channel memory and its impact on the decoding process at the receiver. The system is ultimately defined in terms of a finite-state erasure channel. Using a Markov structure, the evolution of the transmit buffer is characterized and the distribution of the first-passage time to an empty queue is obtained. The proposed methodology is employed to optimally select code-rate. This provides new insights on the natural tradeoff between error protection and data content in the finite block-length regime.
Scavenging with a laptop robot

This synopsis presents Harvey Mudd College's entry into the 2005 AAAI scavenger hunt competition. We are submiting a lap-controlled robot which uses commodity parts and limited sensors to localize itself and perform arrow following and object recognition.
Medication adherence and rejection rates in older vs younger adult liver transplant recipients

A growing number of older adults are undergoing liver transplantation (LT) in the United States. In some settings, it is thought that adherence declines with age. This retrospective study examined adherence and clinical outcomes in older vs younger adult LT recipients. Medical records of adult LT recipients from 2009 to 2012 from a single urban center were reviewed. The medication level variability index (MLVI) was the predefined primary outcome, with nonadherence defined as MLVI >2.5. The secondary outcome was incidence of rejection. Outcomes were evaluated starting 1 year post-LT until 2015. A total of 42 of 248 patients were ≥65 at transplant. Older adults had significantly better adherence than younger ones (65%≥65 were adherent vs 42% younger adults; chi-square two-tailed P=.02). Survival analyses of rejection between age groups censored by time since transplant showed no difference among the four age groups (χ2 =0.84, P=.84). Older age was not found to be a risk factor for reduced adherence or graft rejection in patients surviving at least 1 year post-LT.
Routes of Exposure to Nanoparticles: Hazard Tests Related to Portal Entries

The basic principles for evaluating the health risks posed by nanoparticles (NPs) require an identification and recognition of potential exposures;—in addition to the associated hazards that may occur. Accordingly, this brief chapter has been developed to describe the range and types of potential human exposures that may result from interactions with NPs—either in the occupational/workplace environment, in consumer products (including food materials), or in a diagnostic/therapeutic medical setting. Very little is known about the ecological consequences to flora and fauna from environmental exposures to NPs—thus this particular issue will not be discussed further. In addition, following a brief description of the possible NP exposures that may stem from applications and portal routes such as inhalation, dermal, oral, etc., a Nano Risk Framework is presented and its components defined. This brief summary takes into account the various routes of exposure during the lifecycle of an NP-containing product, and seeks to develop a risk framework/management tool for screening potential hazards.
Population structure of a widespread bat (Tadarida brasiliensis) in an island system.

Dispersal is a driving factor in the creation and maintenance of biodiversity, yet little is known about the effects of habitat variation and geography on dispersal and population connectivity in most mammalian groups. Bats of the family Molossidae are fast-flying mammals thought to have potentially high dispersal ability, and recent studies have indicated gene flow across hundreds of kilometers in continental North American populations of the Brazilian free-tailed bat, Tadarida brasiliensis. We examined the population genetics, phylogeography, and morphology of this species in Florida and across islands of The Bahamas, which are part of an island archipelago in the West Indies. Previous studies indicate that bats in the family Phyllostomidae, which are possibly less mobile than members of the family Molossidae, exhibit population structuring across The Bahamas. We hypothesized that T. brasiliensis would show high population connectivity throughout the islands and that T. brasiliensis would show higher connectivity than two species of phyllostomid bats that have been previously examined in The Bahamas. Contrary to our predictions, T. brasiliensis shows high population structure between two groups of islands in The Bahamas, similar to the structure exhibited by one species of phyllostomid bat. Phylogenetic and morphological analyses suggest that this structure may be the result of ancient divergence between two populations of T. brasiliensis that subsequently came into contact in The Bahamas. Our findings additionally suggest that there may be cryptic species within T. brasiliensis in The Bahamas and the West Indies more broadly.
Self-Distancing to Reduce Anger in High School Students

The present pilot study employed an experimental design to examine the efficacy of a self-distancing intervention for promoting adolescent’s reflective adaptation to anger inducing events. Recent e...
VATS Resection of Large Ectopic Posterior Mediastinal Cystic Parathyroid Adenoma.

Ectopic parathyroids can often present a diagnostic and therapeutic conundrum for clinicians. Mediastinal parathyroid adenomas are usually small and located anteriorly within thymic tissue. To our knowledge, this is the first reported case of a large cystic parathyroid adenoma presenting as a 6-cm posterior mediastinal mass. After a successful thoracoscopic resection, parathyroid hormone levels normalized and the patient was discharged home on postoperative day 2.
Physics and applications of optical vortices in fibers

Polarisation- and phase-vortices are emerging as light-beams of immense interest in several scientific and technological applications. We review recently developed techniques for generating them, as well as manipulating their nonlinear optical properties, with optical fibers.
The Truth Does Not Exist: An Interview with Writer Antoine Bello

In this interview, French-American author Antoine Bello discusses his work An American Novel (2014) and the role of fiction and literature in creating truth. He also comments on current trends in t...
Clinical Trials: Understanding Patient Perspectives and Beliefs About Treatment.

Background Understanding the experiences of patients with solid tumors who are in phase 1 clinical trials can help nurses to provide optimal care. Objectives The purpose of this article is to describe patient perspectives of participating in a phase 1 trial and understanding their disease status and treatment options. In addition, the authors describe the impact of the disease and clinical trial participation on quality of life. Methods 30 patients were interviewed and audio recorded; the interviews were transcribed and content analysis methods were used to identify common themes. Findings Patients reported participating in the phase 1 clinical trial because their doctors informed and encouraged them, they had no other treatment options if they wanted to live longer, or they wanted to help future patients with cancer. Most believed that participation would improve or stabilize their illness and quality of life. They believed that, when the clinical trial ended, there would be new treatments. Participants reported that healthcare providers and family members provided support, and that compassion, cultural awareness, spiritual support, and the need for individual attention were important.
Comparative transcriptomics reveals PrrAB-mediated control of metabolic, respiration, energy-generating, and dormancy pathways in Mycobacterium smegmatis.

Following the publication of the original article [1], the authors reported an error in Fig. 2 of the PDF version of their article.
K3Ir2O6 and K16.3Ir8O30, Low-Dimensional Iridates with Infinite IrO6 Chains

A previously unreported 1D iridate, K3Ir2O6, has been grown by a flux method in O2-rich environment, and its crystal structure was determined via single crystal structural analysis. It exhibits straight chains of face-sharing [IrO6] octahedra, which are arranged along the crystallographic c axis, separated by nonmagnetic K ions. No magnetic transitions are observed during measured range, and the material is electrically insulating. Potentially interesting electronic behavior for K3Ir2O6 is supported by electronic structure calculations. A structurally related material, K16.3Ir8O30, which displays similar fundamental geometric units but in a different spatial arrangement-zigzag chains-based on edge and face sharing [IrO6] octahedra, is also reported. Both materials are of interest for probing the properties of a 1D system with strong spin-orbit coupling.
Herpes simplex virus type 2 trivalent protein vaccine containing glycoproteins C, D and E protects guinea pigs against HSV-1 genital infection.

A vaccine to prevent genital herpes is an unmet public health need. We previously reported that a trivalent vaccine containing herpes simplex virus type 2 (HSV-2) glycoproteins C, D, and E (gC2, gD...
Contested City: Art and Public History as Mediation at New York’s Seward Park Urban Renewal Area: by Gabrielle Bendiner-Viani, Iowa City: University of Iowa Press, 2018, 234 pp., US$50 (paperback).

Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses may yet wage at least one more battle beyond the grave, and Gabrielle Bendiner-Viani has pledged to help us all keep score. In her book Contested City: Art and Public H...
Delayed Manifestations of Congenital Rubella

As children born with congenital rubella syndrome during the 1960s reach young adulthood, professionals are seeing additional manifestations of the syndrome. Manifestations include changes in heari...
Development of a Predictive Algorithm to Identify Adults With Mobility Limitations Using VA Health Care Administrative Data

An estimated 31.5 million Americans have a mobility limitation. Health care administrative data could be a valuable resource for research on this population but methods for cohort identification are lacking. We developed and tested an algorithm to reliably identify adults with mobility limitation in U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs health care data. We linked diagnosis, encounter, durable medical equipment, and demographic data for 964 veterans to their self-reported mobility limitation from the Medicare Current Beneficiary Survey. We evaluated performance of logistic regression models in classifying mobility limitation. The binary approach (yes/no limitation) had good sensitivity (70%) and specificity (79%), whereas the multilevel approach did not perform well. The algorithms for predicting a binary mobility limitation outcome performed well at discriminating between veterans who did and did not have mobility limitation. Future work should focus on multilevel approaches to predicting mobility limitation and samples with greater proportions of women and younger adults.
The role of sex-based developmental class in predicting group reproductive output in wild callitrichids

Prior research on cooperative breeders has considered correlations between group reproductive output (GRO) and the number of individuals in each age-sex class, but without controlling for uneven sampling efforts, the underlying effects of group size, and pseudoreplication at the group and species levels. Among callitrichids, age-sex classes do not provide meaningful categories, as individuals within an age-sex class can demonstrate varying reproductive development due to reproductive dominance of a few individuals per group. This study re-assesses the drivers of GRO in callitrichids by a) conducting a meta-analysis of published studies of callitrichid group composition; b) determining a novel method to assign developmental class based on reproductive morphology; and c) utilizing a multistep modeling approach to assess whether any sex-based developmental class predicts both the presence and the numbers of surviving offspring among free-ranging saddleback ( Leontocebus weddelli ) and emperor tamarins ( Saguinus imperator ) in Peru. The meta-analysis utilizing a historical dataset revealed that adult females and group size, but not the number of adult males is significantly correlated with GRO. Statistical models of the new dataset revealed that only mature males predicted if groups had any infants at all, but that the number of surviving infants was predicted by mature females and group size. Thus mature males appear to be necessary for groups to raise any infants, but mature females and a larger group size increase group reproductive output overall.
Molecular dynamics simulations of a dicationic ionic liquid for CO2 capture

Abstract A dicationic ionic liquid ([DBU-PEG][Tf2N]2) was studied using classical molecular dynamics simulations to examine its structural and gas separation properties. The dication was designed in an attempt to improve CO2 solubility by means of tuning the cation-anion interactions of the ionic liquid (IL). The computational model was compared to experimentally obtained density, viscosity, and powder X-ray diffraction spectra. The structure of the IL was further investigated with radial distribution functions and free volume analysis through cavity distributions. It was found that the shape and charge distribution of the dication enhances CO2 interaction: the CO2 molecule is hugged by the dication along the PEG linker and close to one of the cationic ends. The geminal design of the dication allows for strong interaction with CO2, showing promise as a means of carbon capture.
A new species of Setodes Rambur (Trichoptera: Leptoceridae) from northern Michigan, USA

Setodes truncatus n. sp. is illustrated and described herein based on specimens collected from 2 adjacent watersheds of the Huron Mountains in northern Michigan (USA). Both known populations inhabit undisturbed sandy rivers. Males of S. truncatus appear most similar to those of S. incertus (Walker) but can be separated based on their short and truncate inferior appendages and by other differences in the genitalia. The larva and female both remain unknown. A revised key to males of the 10 North American species of Setodes is provided.
Retracing our steps to understand ketamine in depression: A focused review of hypothesized mechanisms of action

Introduction MDD represents a significant burden worldwide, and while a number of approved treatments exist, there are high rates of treatment resistance and refractoriness. Ketamine, an N-methyl-d-aspartate receptor (NMDAR) antagonist, is a novel, rapid-acting antidepressant, however the mechanisms underlying the efficacy of ketamine are not well understood and many other mechanisms outside of NMDAR antagonism have been postulated based on preclinical data. This focused review aims to present a summary of the proposed mechanisms of action by which ketamine functions in depressive disorders supported by preclinical data and clinical studies in humans. Methods A literature search was completed using the PubMed and Google Scholar databases. Results were limited to clinical trials and case studies in humans that were published in English. The findings were used to compile this article. Results The antidepressant effects associated with ketamine are mediated via a complex interplay of mechanisms; key steps include NMDAR blockade on γ-aminobutyric acid interneurons, glutamate surge, and subsequent activation and upregulation of α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor. Discussion Coadministration of ketamine for MDD with other psychotropic agents, for example benzodiazepines, may attenuate antidepressant effects. Limited evidence exists for these effects and should be evaluated on a case-by-case basis.
High-resolution single-particle cryo-EM of samples vitrified in boiling nitro­gen

Based on work by Dubochet and others in the 1980s and 1990s, samples for single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) have been vitrified using ethane, propane or ethane/propane mixtures. These liquid cryogens have a large difference between their melting and boiling temperatures and so can absorb substantial heat without formation of an insulating vapor layer adjacent to a cooling sample. However, ethane and propane are flammable, they must be liquified in liquid nitro­gen immediately before cryo-EM sample preparation, and cryocooled samples must be transferred to liquid nitro­gen for storage, complicating workflows and increasing the chance of sample damage during handling. Experiments over the last 15 years have shown that cooling rates required to vitrify pure water are only ∼250 000 K s−1, at the low end of earlier estimates, and that the dominant factor that has limited cooling rates of small samples in liquid nitro­gen is sample precooling in cold gas present above the liquid cryogen surface, not the Leidenfrost effect. Using an automated cryocooling instrument developed for cryocrystallography that combines high plunge speeds with efficient removal of cold gas, we show that single-particle cryo-EM samples on commercial grids can be routinely vitrified using only boiling nitro­gen and obtain apoferritin datasets and refined structures with 2.65 A resolution. The use of liquid nitro­gen as the primary coolant may allow manual and automated workflows to be simplified and may reduce sample stresses that contribute to beam-induced motion.
Telomere length assessments of muscle stem cells in rodent and human skeletal muscle sections.

Summary Measurements of telomere length in skeletal muscle stem cells (MuSCs), a rare cell population within muscles, provide insights into cellular dysfunction in diseased conditions. Here, we describe a protocol ( cryo section mu scle q uantitative f luorescent i n s itu h ybridization) using skeletal muscle cryosections for assessments of telomere length in MuSCs, in their native environment. Using a free software, telomere length measurements are assessed on a single-cell level. We also provide methodology to perform data analyses in several ways. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Tichy et al. (2021) .
Trend Alert: A Cross-Platform Organization Manipulated Twitter Trends in the Indian General Election

Political organizations worldwide keep innovating their use of social media technologies. In the 2019 Indian general election, organizers used a network of WhatsApp groups to manipulate Twitter trends through coordinated mass postings. We joined 600 WhatsApp groups that support the Bharatiya Janata Party, the right-wing party that won the general election, to investigate these campaigns. We found evidence of 75 hashtag manipulation campaigns in the form of mobilization messages with lists of pre-written tweets. Building on this evidence, we estimate the campaigns' size, describe their organization and determine whether they succeeded in creating controlled social media narratives. Our findings show that the campaigns produced hundreds of nationwide Twitter trends throughout the election. Centrally controlled but voluntary in participation, this hybrid configuration of technologies and organizational strategies shows how profoundly online tools transform campaign politics. Trend alerts complicate the debates over the legitimate use of digital tools for political participation and may have provided a blueprint for participatory media manipulation by a party with popular support.
Factor XI activity and factor XI antigen in homozygous and heterozygous factor XI deficiency

A relatively potent antiserum against highly purified, unactivated human factor XI antigen was raised in a rabbit. This antiserum, after concentration, neutralized 50% of the factor XI clotting activity of a standard normal plasma at an antiserum dilution of 1/900. The antiserum was used in a neutralization-inhibition assay to study the relation between factor XI clotting activity and factor XI antigen in plasma from ten unrelated patients with homozygous factor XI deficiency and from 12 heterozygous family members of these patients. No evidence of factor XI antigen significantly in excess of factor XI activity was found in either group. All data to date have been consistent with the hypothesis that hereditary factor XI deficiency represents a genetic disorder resulting from the absence of factor XI molecule. Severity of bleeding in factor XI deficiency could not be correlated with the level of factor XI activity or factor XI antigen.
Sea Surface Microlayer

The top few millimeters of the ocean surface, where properties are most altered relative to deeper water, are often referred to as the sea surface microlayer. Physics, chemistry, and biology of the sea surface microlayer are the subject of this chapter. Very close to the air–sea interface, turbulent mixing is suppressed and molecular diffusion appears to dominate the vertical property transport. The viscous, thermal, and diffusive sublayers close to the ocean surface that exist as characteristic features of the air–sea momentum, heat, and mass transport are considered. Their dynamics are quite complex due to the presence of surface waves, capillary effects, penetrating solar radiation, rainfall, and surface films due to the presence of surfactants. The existing theories of the sea surface microlayer, numerical model parameterizations, available observations and new approaches, including computational fluid dynamics modeling and DNA analysis of the bacterial content of the sea surface microlayer, are critically analyzed in this chapter.
Integration of Descriptive and Procedural Language Constructs

Concepts for an integration of descriptive and procedural language are presented. On the descriptive level, full predicate logic is considered, while the procedural level is represented by a conventional imperative programming language. Syntax and semantics of the combined language are defined. Some aspects of the proof strategy are discussed. An example demonstrates the use of the combined language.
Timber Lane Technology Tales

AbstractThere is a scarcity of adequate K–12 school sites to serve as field-experience placements where preservice candidates can observe, let alone practice, lessons involving technology integration (Wetzel, Zambo, & Buss, 2000). Although technology-in-education courses have positive effects on preservice candidates’ attitudes toward using technology, these improved attitudes are limited when preservice candidates are unable to apply learned strategies in their field experiences (Strudler, McKinney, & Jones, 1998). This exploratory design experiment examines a field-based project where faculty members and preservice candidates collaborated to implement a problem-centered, technology-integrated curriculum. Preservice candidates’ reflections on what they learned about themselves, teaching, young learners, and technology integration are compared with similar reflections from preservice candidates who completed a less-structured field experience.
On two more Eigenvalue methods for an alternating sequential parallel system

The methods of Jacobi, Givens and Householder were adapted for an “Alternating Sequential Parallel”, the ASP-system in [1]; the poer, inverse-power and the bisection method (using Sturm sequences) in [2]. This shrot paper extends the collection of methods. Section 1 describes the simultaneous vector-iteration method, shows a modification for thue normal uniprocesor execution and an adaptation for ASP. In Section 2, the historically important method of Levlerrrier is parallelized because of two reasons: It exemplifies a general approach of solving problems on the ASP and can be used also for the Krylov, Danilewski or Lanczos methods which are gaining importane lately. This paper is a continuation of [1] and uses the same notation.
socratic inquiry for all ages

In the last 16 years, I have travelled extensively to engage with diverse others in Socratic inquiry. These 'Socrates Cafe' gatherings often bring together people of vastly disparate backgrounds and experiences and ages who nonetheless have a shared striving for impassioned yet thoughtful discourse. Why does my approach to practicing philosophical inquiry merit the sobriquet ‘Socratic’? What are its intellectual and processual underpinnings? In addressing these questions, the overarching aim here is to present a genealogy of one way of doing philosophical inquiry that can legitimately be called Socratic – a way that is open and accessible to people of all ages.
Who Authorized Preparations for War with China

The Pentagon has concluded that the time has come to prepare for war with China, and in a manner well beyond crafting the sort of contingency plans that are expected for wide a range of possible confrontations. It is a momentous conclusion that will shape the United States’ defense systems, force posture, and overall strategy for dealing with the economically and militarily resurgent China. Thus far, however, the military’s assessment of and preparations for the threat posed by China have not received the high level of review from elected civilian officials that such developments require. The start of a second Obama administration provides an opportunity for civilian authorities to live up to their obligations in this matter and to conduct a proper review of the United States’ China strategy and the military’s role in it.
Ultra-High Resolution Separation Comes of Age

The potential of Capillary Electrophoresis (CE) for the automated and rapid analysis of complex mixtures with high resolution and high sensitivity is being realized as we enter the new millennium. CE coupled with sensitive microdetection laser methods is being employed in devices, such as microchips, to isolate, detect, and provide analysis on samples of only a few hundred atoms. Sophisticated data collection and data processing and computer control facilitate the integration of CE with other analytical, chemical, and/or biochemical steps to further facilitate lab-on-a-chip technologies. This article provides a description of the theory and use of modern CE devices.
The application of first order mixing statistics to the variation of the diffusivity of carbon in austenite

An expression for the variation with composition of the diffusivity of the solute atoms in interstitial solid solutions is derived. The diffusion model is based on the application of the absolute reaction rate theory to a solution whose mixing statistics are described by first order pairwise interactions. The theoretical expression is compared with experimental data for carbon in austenite and excellent agreement is found using a solute-solute binding energy identical to that found from the equilibrium thermodynamics of the system.
Intravascular coagulation in abruptio placentae

Abstract Sequential coagulation profiles were performed in a series of 17 consecutive patients with abruptio placentae. These patients were divided into 3 groups on the basis of the fibrinogen concentration and the severity of coagulation defects. Group A consisted of 7 patients with no obvious coagulation disturbance and fibrinogen concentrations comparable to those found in normal women at term. Statistical analysis, however, revealed a significantly decreased mean level of factor VIII and a prolonged Clauss fibrinogen time. Group B consisted of 5 patients with fibrinogen concentrations between 200 and 300 mg. per cent and clearly disturbed coagulation profiles characterized by decreased levels of factors V, VIII, and XIII and by the presence of circulating fibrin-split products. Group C consisted of the 5 most severely affected patients. The concentrations of fibrinogen and factor V were lower than those in Group B. In addition, these patients differed from Group B in that the vitamin K-dependent factors II and X were decreased. Clinical severity and extent of bleeding increased from Group A through Group C. Tests for increased systemic fibrinolysis were, in general, negative. This result and the occurrence of severe deficiencies of fibrinogen and other clotting factors, which cannot be explained on the basis of blood loss alone, indicate that the coagulation disturbance was caused by consumption coagulopathy. Evacuation of the uterus resulted in prompt improvement in all patients.
Properties of Synchrotron Radiation

Physics students are taught at an early age that the electromagnetic field mediates the interaction of charged particles. Furthermore, the acceleration of charged particles generates an electromagnetic wave which propagates at a speed c which is independent of the frequency of the radiation. As a practical matter, electrons or positrons are the favored particles to accelerate for the generation of electromagnetic fields, because of their low mass. As a further practical matter, useful electromagnetic fields are generated by four techniques: direct manipulation, as in electron tubes, klystrons, and magnetrons (often called physical electronics); atomic transitions, as in incandescent sources, lasers, and x-ray generators; bremsstrahlung, as in continuum x-ray sources and high energy physics sources; and nuclear transitions, resulting in quanta from a few KeV to hundreds of MeV.
Salmonella acid shock proteins are required for the adaptive acid tolerance response.

Salmonella typhimurium, as well as other enteric bacteria, experiences significant fluctuations in H+ ion concentrations during growth in diverse ecological niches. In fact, some pH conditions which should kill cells rapidly, such as stomach acidity, are nevertheless tolerated. The complete mechanism for this tolerance is unknown. However, I have recently demonstrated that S. typhimurium has the ability to survive extreme low pH (pH 3.0 to 4.0) if first adapted to mild pH (pH 5.5 to 6.0). This phenomenon has been referred to as the acidification tolerance response (ATR). The exposure to mild acid is referred to as preshock, and the proteins involved are called preshock ATR proteins. A second type of encounter with acid, called acid shock, involves shifting cells directly from alkaline conditions (pH 7.7) to acid conditions (pH 4.5 or below). During acid shock, the organism immediately ceases reproduction and dramatically changes the expression of at least 52 proteins. All but four are distinct from the preshock ATR proteins. Surprisingly, acid shock alone did not afford significant protection against strong acid challenge in minimal medium. Furthermore, inhibiting protein synthesis prior to acid shock revealed that the acid shock proteins do not appear to contribute to acid survival in minimal medium even at pH 4.3. Constitutive cellular pH homeostatic mechanisms seem sufficient to protect cells at this pH. The data suggest that the induction of acid shock and preshock ATR proteins are separate processes requiring separate signals. However, for S. typhimurium to survive extreme acid conditions, it must induce both the preshock and acid shock systems. Preventing the expression of one or the other eliminates acid tolerance. I propose a two-stage process that allows S. typhimurium to phase in acid tolerance as the environmental pH becomes progressively more acidic. Images
Gravitationally induced neutrino oscillation phases in static spacetimes

We critically examine the recent claim of a {open_quotes}new effect{close_quotes} of gravitationally induced quantum mechanical phases in neutrino oscillations. Because this claim has generated some discussion in the literature we present here a straightforward calculation of the phase and clarify some of the conceptual issues involved, particularly in relation to the equivalence principle. When expressed in terms of the asymptotic energy of the neutrinos E and Schwarzschild radial coordinates r, the lowest order at which such a gravitational effect appears is (GM{Delta}m{sup 4}/{h_bar}E{sup 3})ln(r{sub B}/r{sub A}). {copyright} {ital 1999} {ital The American Physical Society}