cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Pediatric surgery fellowship compliance to the 80-hour work week

Abstract Objective The goal of this study was to determine the compliance of pediatric surgery fellowships with Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME) duty hour restrictions while confronting a reduced resident workforce. Materials and Methods An evaluation of training programs was performed by surveying pediatric surgery fellows on aspects of work hours, ACGME guideline compliance, operative case volume, employment of physician extenders, and didactic education. Results A 74% survey response rate was achieved. Of the respondents, 95% felt fully aware of ACGME guidelines. Although 95% of programs had mechanisms for compliance in place, only 45% of fellows felt compliant. Median work hours were 80 to 90 hours per week. Although subordinate residents were felt to obtain better compliance (>86%), only 69% of fellows perceived greater service commitment as a result. No impact on volume of operative cases was perceived. Of the programs, 89% employed physician extenders and 55% used additional fellows, but no overall effect on fellow work hours was evident. Fellows did not identify an improvement in the quality of clinical fellowships with guideline implementation. Conclusions A minority of fellows comply with ACGME guidelines. Vigilance of duty hour tracking correlates to better compliance. A shift of patient care to fellows is perceived. Use of support personnel did not significantly aid compliance.
Importance of BEOL Modeling in Single Event Effect Analysis

Novel techniques have been developed to simulate particle transport in arbitrarily complex back-end-of-line topologies. They are shown to be critical for single event effect analyses of new device structures for 65 nm CMOS technologies and beyond. The salient features of the new modeling methods are illustrated by the simulation results taken from several case studies of particle-induced radiation problems in the back end.
Basolateral amygdala and morphine-induced taste avoidance in the rat

The present experiment examined the influence of excitotoxic lesions of the basolateral amygdala (BLA) on morphine-induced saccharin avoidance. Neurologically intact subjects rapidly learned to avoid drinking the taste conditioned stimulus (CS), an effect that was sustained throughout the experiment. Although the BLA-lesioned (BLAX) rats showed CS avoidance over the first few trials, the effect was not sustained. That is, by the end of the experiment, the BLAX rats were drinking the same amount of saccharin after seven saccharin-morphine trials as they did on the first trial (i.e., prior to the morphine injections). Potential interpretations of the results are discussed including a disruption of the mechanism that governs drug-induced taste avoidance in normal subjects and the more rapid development of tolerance in BLAX rats.
Hydration of stressed nuclear waste glass

Abstract Simulated nuclear waste glasses containing varying degrees of stress were subjected to saturated water vapor at 200°C. The stressed glass hydrated at a rate proportional to time and at a rate up to 100% faster than the nonstressed glass, which showed t 1 2 dependence. The importance to nuclear waste disposal is discussed.
Estimation Given Conditionals from an Exponential Family

Abstract Suppose we are given n independent observations (X 1, Y 1), …, (Xn, Yn ) from a conditionally specified distribution with density f(x, y). The problem of estimating the unknown parameters of f(x, y) is complicated by the presence of an intractable normalizing constant that, in this conditional approach, is chosen so that the density integrates to 1. An approach to estimation is used here that is known to result in asymptotically efficient estimators of the unknown parameters when f(x, y) is from an exponential family. It is an application of a method that has appeared in the literature and is due to J. K. Lindsey. It very conveniently avoids the dependence on the normalizing constants in the joint distribution. The usual maximum-likelihood estimates of the parameters can be obtained using software readily available for Poisson regression. The usefulness of this estimation method is illustrated for a model resulting from specifying that the conditionals are two-parameter, shape and scale, gamma. I...
Signal transduction through the receptor for erythropoietin.

Abstract Erythropoietin (EPO) supports the proliferation and differentiation of erythroid lineage cells. The receptor for erythropoietin is a member of the cytokine receptor family. Introduction of EPOR into IL-3 dependent cells confers the ability to proliferate in response to EPO. Associated with this, EPO induces the expression of a number of immediate-early response genes. Mutagenesis studies have addressed the function role of various motifs and domains in receptor function and established essential roles for the conserved cysteines and the WSXWS motif The signal transducing pathways activated by EPOR include induction of tyrosine phosphorylation. Within the cytoplasmic domain a relatively small membrane proximal region is essential for induction of tyrosine phosphorylation, expression of immediate early genes and for mitogenesis. The role of various kinases in this response is discussed as well as an assessment of potential substrates of tyrosine phosphorylation.
IDENTIFICATION OF A REGION OF P53 THAT CONFERS LABILITY

Degradation provides one means for controlling the cellular level of the p53 tumor suppressor. Here we have determined a structural element of p53 required for degradation. To create a substrate amenable to in vitro analysis of proteolysis, we appended to p53 the N terminus of antizyme, a protein that binds to and induces degradation of mammalian ornithine decarboxylase (ODC). We found using deletion analysis that an element within amino acids 100-150 is required for degradation of the fusion protein. A monoclonal antibody (PAb246) that binds close to this region prevents the degradation induced by human papillomavirus 16 E6 protein. Furthermore, we found that amino acids 100-150 of p53 can function as an independent domain to induce Trypanosoma brucei ODC, a stable protein, to be degraded in vivo or, by cooperating with an antizyme binding domain of ODC, to confer polyamine-dependent regulation.
SU‐E‐J‐26: Real‐Time Dynamic Management of the Correlation Between Internal Tumor Movement and External Abdominal Motion

Purpose: To reduce radiation exposure, internal/external correlation has been applied to derive tumor position based on radiation free external motion tracking. However, the reliability and stability of the correlation is a big concern. This study will characterize the temporal correlation patterns and provide a dynamic approach to build reliable correlation with minimum internal imaging. Methods: Retrospective analysis has been performed on simultaneously collected 3D internal and 1D external motion of eight patients with 51 treatment days and 165 beams. Both static and dynamic correlations are built through linear and quadratic functions. Static approach compares and summarized the correlation patterns of different granularities (different patients, treatment fractions, beams, and breathing cycles). Dynamic approach studies the temporal correlation patterns and derives tumor positions by adjusting three parameters: internal imaging frequency, previous acquired tumor positions, and future tumor positions. The correlation coefficient and the difference between derived and truly observed tumor positions are used to evaluate the accuracy. Results: The statistical analysis showed that the internal/external correlation is patient specific. Overall, the quadratic correlation outperforms the linear correlation. For the 8 patients, three patients have steady internal/external correlation (1 SD <0.35%), three with medium variation (<0.65%), and two with significant changes (<2.50%). The temporal changes of the last two patients showed that considerable correlation variations exist from day to day, beam to beam, and breathing cycle to cycle during the same beam delivery. Different combinations of the three parameters for the dynamic approach showed the most recent breathing patterns are of more importance in building a reliable correlation and internal imaging frequency of 1 Hz is sufficient for most patients. Conclusions: This study addressed several major concerns for establishing reliable internal/ external correlations. Dynamic correlation with proper settings will yield improved tumor tracking precision with minimal internal imaging. In part supported by NIH/NCI 1R21CA130849
Reduced Acute Recovery from Alcohol Impairment in Adults with ADHD

Prior research has found that adults with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) show increased sensitivity to the impairing effects of alcohol (Weafer et al., Exp Clin Psychopharmacol 17: 113–121, 2009). However, these studies have focused exclusively on the ascending limb of the blood alcohol concentration (BAC) curve, and it is unclear whether these adults continue to show increased sensitivity during the later phase of the dose as BAC is declining. This study tested the hypothesis that those with ADHD would display increased response to alcohol during the ascending limb of the BAC curve and less recovery from the impairing effects during the descending limb. Adult social drinkers with ADHD and control adults completed measures of motor coordination, reaction time (RT), and subjective intoxication twice following 0.64 g/kg alcohol and placebo. The measures were administered during the ascending limb of the BAC curve and again during the descending limb. During the ascending limb, alcohol reduced motor coordination, slowed RT, and increased self-reports of subjective intoxication. Those with ADHD displayed greater impairment of motor coordination compared with controls. During the descending limb, controls reported diminished subjective intoxication and showed recovery from the impairing effects of alcohol on both their motor coordination and their RT. Those with ADHD showed reduced subjective intoxication and faster RT during this time, but they did not recover motor control. The protracted time course of motor impairment in adults with ADHD despite reductions in subjective intoxication may contribute to poor decision making and diminished behavioral control in this group.
Luminescence studies of rare earth complexes: Benzoylacetonate and dibenzoylmethide chelates

Systematic studies of the luminescence of the trisbenzoylacetonates and trisdibenzoylmethides of the trivalent rare earth ions (except promethium and cerium) are reported. Molecular fluorescence and phosphorescence spectra of both series of chelates are presented. The chelates have been arranged according to total luminescence and phosphorescence yields, and the variations in yields are interpreted in terms of internal radiationless processes. The role of intramolecular energy transfer in these systems as a quenching mechanism is discussed. Photographs of bright line spectra of coordinated Eu3+, Tb3+, Dy3+, and Sm3+ are included and the possibility of employing these compounds as optical masers is pointed out.
The density of volatile bearing melts in the Earth's deep mantle: The role of chemical composition

Abstract Density of silicate melts in the Earth's deep interior is important to understand the material circulations in the mantle. We study the role of chemical composition on melt density based on the ideal-mixing model and the third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state (EOS). Using this EOS, the role of composition can be understood through its effect on three EOS parameters: room-pressure density, room-pressure bulk modulus, and the pressure derivative of bulk modulus at room pressure. The dependences of these parameters on compositional variables such as Mg# (molar MgO/(MgO + FeO) × 100) of the melt, SiO2 content in the dry part of the melt, and H2O content in the melt are estimated from available experimental data in the literature using the ideal-mixing model. Results show that H2O content and Mg# of the melt are the most important factors that control the melt density at high pressure. Calculated densities of silicate melts are compared to the density of the ambient upper mantle from the PREM model near 410 km depth where dehydration-induced melting may occur. The relative density between the melt and the surrounding solid minerals is sensitive to the water content, Mg# and temperature at the conditions of melting. For an Mg# that is consistent with the pyrolite model, the conditions for density crossovers are marginally satisfied for a system when water (hydrogen) is the only volatile component to promote melting.
Addressing Health Disparities: The Role of an African American Health Ministry Committee

Healthy People 2010 identified the need to address health disparities among African Americans, Asians, American Indians, Hispanics, Alaskan American, and Pacific Islanders. These are groups disproportionately affected by cancer, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, HIV infection, and AIDSs. Despite the growing body of research on health disparities and effective interventions, there is a great need to learn more about culturally appropriate interventions. Social work professional values and ethics require that service delivery be culturally competent and effective. Social workers can collaborate with community based health promotion services, exploring new ways to ensure that health disparities can be addressed in institutions to which African Americans belong. This article presents findings of an African American health ministry committee's health promotion initiatives and probed the viability of a health ministry committee' role in addressing health disparities through education. The promising role of the Black church in addressing health disparities is explored.
Isolation and sequence of the Drosophila virilis 60 A gene, a transforming growth factor-β superfamily member related to vertebrate bone morphogenetic proteins

Abstract The complete protein-coding region of the Drosophila uirilis 60A gene, a member of the transforming growth factor-β superfamily, was isolated and sequenced. The mature domain of the protein-coding region is 99% identical to the Drosophila melanogaster 60A gene and 73% identical to human bone morphogenetic protein 5. In the pro-domain, a number of large blocks of amino acids are also highly conserved, indicating an important functional role for this portion of the protein as well. In the putative 5′ and 3′ untranslated regions, several short sequence motifs are conserved between D. uirilis and D. melanogaster.
Linkage at 5q14.3-15 in multiplex systemic lupus erythematosus pedigrees stratified by autoimmune thyroid disease.

Objective To identify genetic effects potentially shared between systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) and autoimmune thyroiditis (AITD). Methods Families from the Lupus Multiplex Registry and Repository were studied in which there was at least 1 member who had both SLE and AITD (Graves' disease or Hashimoto thyroiditis). Genome scan genotyping findings in these pedigrees were evaluated for evidence of genetic linkage, by the maximum-likelihood parametric method. Nineteen pedigrees were used in the initial genome scan. Subsequently, an independent sample of 16 pedigrees was used to replicate findings. Results Studies of the first set of 19 pedigrees yielded a 2-point parametric logarithm of odds (LOD) of 4.97, which was independently confirmed in the replication sample of 16 pedigrees (LOD 2.89). For all 35 pedigrees together, the 2-point LOD was 7.86, under a dominant model used for screening with 90% penetrance and a disease allele frequency of 10%. The multipoint locus homogeneity LOD in the 35 pedigrees was 6.90 (α = 1.0) at 5q14.3–15 between D5S1725 and D5S1453, a 12-cM interval, with the peak at D5S1462 at 96.64 cM (nonparametric linkage P = 0.00002). Fine mapping further confirmed the genetic linkage effect and narrowed the region likely to contain the gene to ∼5 Mb. Conclusion These results suggest that stratifying SLE pedigrees by the presence of other autoimmune disorders may facilitate the discovery of genes related to SLE and that 5q14.3–15 harbors a susceptibility gene shared by SLE and AITD.
Manipulating Light Pulses via Dynamically Controlled Photonic Band gap

When a resonance associated with electromagnetically induced transparency in an atomic ensemble is modulated by an off-resonant standing light wave, a band of frequencies can appear for which light propagation is forbidden. We show that dynamic control of such a band gap can be used to coherently convert a propagating light pulse into a stationary excitation with nonvanishing photonic component. This can be accomplished with high efficiency and negligible noise even at the level of few-photon quantum fields thereby facilitating possible applications in quantum nonlinear optics and quantum information.
Prevention of breast cancer.

Abstract With the advent of screening and the increased incidence of breast cancer, concern for the prevention of breast cancer has become forefront in today’s society. Determining individual risk is the key to prescribing prevention. Prevention of breast cancer is still under clinical investigation with only one drug, tamoxifen, showing benefit in high risk patients. This paper reviews the possible sites for prevention of neoplastic transformation via biomarkers in a breast cell as well as the investigational drugs and their potential use in the chemoprevention of breast cancer.
Stability of the rotating Skyrmion

We find, numerically, that internally rotating classical Skyrmions corresponding to the N and the \ensuremath{\Delta} cannot be stabilized, even in the presence of a pion-mass term, unless the fourth-order Skyrme term is also retained. We give arguments explaining this finding. Upon including the Skyrme term, and using reasonable parameters, we find that a stable localized solution exists for the N, but not for the \ensuremath{\Delta}. This is in agreement with earlier results in the literature.
Collaborative Writing and Children’s Use of Literate Language: A Sequential Analysis of Social Interaction:

Research in children’s oral language and early literacy learning currently emphasizes the facilitative role of social context. This study examined the sequential interactions of first-grade students during collaborative writing to determine the ways in which peer collaboration relate to literate language use. Same gender dyads of seven- and eight-year-old children were observed during collaborative writing tasks and measures of oral language were collected. Sequential analyses of social interaction suggested that children’s use of literate language during collaborative writing tasks is related to various forms of social regulation such as offering assistance, checking, or guiding. The data support the proposition that social forms of regulation elicit literate language and self-regulation strategies. The results are discussed in terms of the role of social regulation in the context of peer collaboration.
A cross‐sectional study of tetanus and diphtheria antibody concentrations post vaccination among lung transplant patients compared with healthy individuals

Background Lung transplant (LuTx) patients are routinely immunized against tetanus and diphtheria. However, few studies have been done to measure serologic immunity in the transplant population. Objectives The primary objective of this study was to compare tetanus and diphtheria antibody concentrations in LuTx vs. healthy subjects. Methods Serum was used from an available sample of 111 total individuals (n = 36 healthy; n = 75 LuTx). Tetanus and diphtheria antibody concentrations were measured using an enzyme-linked immunosorbant assay method. Results A statistically significant difference in both tetanus and diphtheria antibody concentrations was found between the groups. The median concentration of tetanus antibody was higher for healthy individuals compared with the LuTx group (3.2 IU/mL [1.2–5.2 interquartile range {IQR}] vs. 1.3 IU/mL [0.4–2.6 IQR], respectively; P = 0.0001). No difference in time was found since the last tetanus-diphtheria vaccine or tetanus-diphtheria-pertussis vaccine dose between the groups (healthy 76.5 months [16–114 IQR] vs. LuTx 74.5 months [45–118 IQR]; P = 0.44). Conclusions Tetanus and diphtheria immunizations are recommended for LuTx patients to reduce the risk of infection. Because the LuTx group has lower antibody concentrations, further studies should investigate the possible need for more frequent tetanus and diphtheria boosters.
Measurement of crystallization in stretched rubber by rapid-passage NMR

Continuous-wave rapid-passage proton NMR (30 MHz) was performed on lightly crosslinked natural cis-polyisoprene at elongations up to 720%, at temperatures between −100° and 100°C, and after delays of up to several weeks after stretch. A method of separating the spectra into a narrow and a wide component was developed and applied. The results are interpreted in terms of the effects of a glass transition and strain-induced crystallinity and are in general agreement with results by other methods. The degree of crystallinity is found to increase strongly with strain (from zero for unstretched samples to 31% at elongations of 720% at room temperature), to increase with time, reaching equilibirium most rapidly in the most highly strained samples, and to decrease approximately linearly with temperature above about 20°C.
A review of currently available IGS network summaries

Abstract All components of the International GPS Service (IGS) community have cause to seek metrics, reports, or summaries of the IGS network. Station personnel may wish to monitor the performance of their own stations, users need to select subnetworks of stations appropriate to a particular study, and analysts must understand station configurations to assure high quality results. With its role in day-to-day management and coordination of the IGS, the Central Bureau devises and maintains information appropriate to these needs on its information system, and also refers users to useful summaries maintained at IGS Data Centers and Analysis Centers. This paper reviews the content and possible usage of several network summaries that are located at or useful to the Central Bureau, with the intent of ensuring that the community has ready access to information that enables both assessment and improvement of network performance.
The elastic strain energy of growth ledges on coherent and partially coherent precipitates

The formation rate of growth ledges on a faceted precipitate strongly affects the growth kinetics and the shape of the precipitate. An Eshelby-type model is used to compare the strain energy associated with the nucleation of a ledge on different facet planes of a body-centered cubic (bcc) precipitate in face-centered cubic (fcc) matrix. Ledge nucleation is only likely at facet areas where the interaction energy between the ledge and the precipitate is negative. The strain energy for ledge formation is not symmetric on any of the facet planes, but it is symmetric about the center of the precipitate. For coherent precipitates comparable to those observed in the Ni-Cr system, ledges form with the lowest strain energy on the broad facet of the precipitate implying that precipitate thickening should occur faster than lengthening and widening. A procedure for modifying the Eshelby model is suggested in order to allow strain-energy calculations of partially coherent precipitates. The strain energy for ledge formation on at least one type of partially coherent lath is lowest for a ledge located on the facet perpendicular to the crystallographic invariant line (IL). This situation favors precipitate lengthening in the invariant line direction.
Preliminary thermodynamic data for the inversion curve of He3

Abstract This paper gives preliminary data on the inversion curve of He3. This involved establishing an entropy versus temperature chart of isobars and isenthalps. This was done using mainly the tabulations of thermodynamic functions of He3 issued by Gibbons and Nathan. Then with this chart the maxima in the isenthalps, where (∂T/∂S)H is zero, were identified with points on the inversion curve. When expressed in reduced units, namely reduced pressure π = p/pc and reduced temperature τ = T/Tc (pc and Tc are the critical pressure and temperature), it was found that the inversion curve for He3 was, within experimental error, the same as that for He4, as reported, for example, by Zelmanov. Furthermore one point on the curve was obtained from experimental observations of Joule-Thomson liquefaction of He3 by Daunt and Lerner.
Cyclic ureas as solvents for poly(aryl ether) synthesis

The synthesis of various poly(aryl ethers) and related small molecule compounds were examined using the cyclic urea 1,3-Dimethyl-3,4,5,6-tetrahydro-2(IH)-pyrimidinone (N,N′-dimethylpropylene urea, DMPU) as the solvent. The results showed that generally higher molecular weight or yields were obtained under less stringent conditions, as compared to other common polymerization solvents. The enhancement was most notable for polymerizations involving aryl fluorides with a lower reactivity than conventionally activated dihalide monomers, e.g. ketones, sulfones. Poly(aryl ethers) displayed excellent solubility in DMPU, which was beneficial in the cases where more rigid heterocyclic-aryl ether polymers are formed.
Least square equalization and variable thresholding for 3D page-oriented optical data storage systems

We describe equalization and detection techniques that overcome both inter-page interference (IPI) and intersymbol interference (ISI) in volumetric (3D) page-oriented optical data storage (PODS) systems.
Surgical management of skull base tumors.

Abstract Aim To present a review of the contemporary surgical management of skull base tumors. Background Over the last two decades, the treatment of skull base tumors has evolved from observation, to partial resection combined with other therapy modalities, to gross total resection and no adjuvant treatment with good surgical results and excellent clinical outcomes. Materials and methods The literature review of current surgical strategies and management of skull base tumors was performed and complemented with the experience of Barrow Neurological Institute. Results Skull base tumors include meningiomas, pituitary tumors, sellar/parasellar tumors, vestibular and trigeminal schwannomas, esthesioneuroblastomas, chordomas, chondrosarcomas, and metastases. Surgical approaches include the modified orbitozygomatic, pterional, middle fossa, retrosigmoid, far lateral craniotomy, midline suboccipital craniotomy, and a combination of these approaches. The selection of an appropriate surgical approach depends on the characteristics of the patient and the tumor, as well as the experience of the neurosurgeon. Conclusion Modern microsurgical techniques, diagnostic imaging, intraoperative neuronavigation, and endoscopic technology have remarkably changed the concept of skull base surgery. These refinements have extended the boundaries of tumor resection with minimal morbidity.
Substituted methanes part XXXIII. Mean square amplitudes, rotational distortion constants, and shrinkage constants for CF4, CCl4, and CBr4

Abstract Using the potential energy constants obtained in previous investigations in this laboratory, the mean square amplitudes of vibration of CF 4 , CCl 4 , and CBr 4 were calculated by the secular equation method. The mean square amplitudes tudes σ r ( r = C X ; X = F, Cl, and Br) at 298.16°K for CF 4 , CCl 4 , and CBr 4 are, respectively: 18.76, 24.84, and 26.43 pm 2 (1 pm 2 = 10 −24 m 2 = 10 −4 A 2 ). The corresponding mean square amplitudes σ d ( d = X ⋯ X ) are 29.36, 46.36, and 58.77 pm 2 . For CCl 4 , the values of the root mean square amplitudes σ r 1 2 and σ d 1 2 , calculated at 295°K, are, respectively, 4.98 and 6.77 pm ( p = pico = 10 −12 ); the corresponding experimental values are 5.05 and 6.96 pm. The calculated values of the shrinkage constants δ for CF 4 , CCl 4 , and CBr 4 are, respectively, 0.20, 0.35, and 0.44 pm. The rotational distortion constants of CF 4 , CCl 4 , and CBr 4 are, respectively: D J -1650, 176.7, and 26.5 c/s; D Jr -1156, 132.9, and 21.1 c/s.
Advances in one-point quadrature shell elements

Abstract A one-point quadrature element is developed for shells which overcomes two drawbacks of a similar element developed previously by the senior author and co-workers. The kinematics are improved so that the element is accurate for warped configurations, such as the twisted beam. A nodal projection is added and as result the element passes the quadratic transverse-deflection patch test. The element is applied to a number of test problems which illustrate its effectiveness. One of these is the patch test, and a method for implementing the patch test in an explicit dynamic program is described.
Laboratory measurements of spatialQ, wave velocities, attenuation of Rayleigh waves with distance and depth

This paper presents the experimental results obtained for the values ofQ, andP, S, and Rayleigh wave velocities in plates of plexiglass and plaster of paris. The attenuation of Rayleigh waves with distance and with depth is also determined. The values ofQ and the attenuation constant are obtained for frequencies of 20, 25, and 30 kHz. Also, the dissipation functionQ is considered to be independent of frequency within the frequency range of this experiment, and the attenuation constant α is treated as a function of frequency. Some of the models for the attenuation constant are also discussed.
Multi-Slew-Rate Output Driver and Optimized Impedance-Calibration Circuit for 66nm 3.0Gb/s/pin DRAM Interface

In this work, a multi-slew-rate output driver is developed to cope with the supply voltage variation and the different I/O component capacitance (denoted by CIO) condition. For accurate data transfer, it is necessary to reduce the design loss in the impedance-calibration circuit and to minimize CIO in the coded output driver. With these methods, a data rate of 3 Gb/s/pin is achieved and the shmoo plot. The micrograph of the output driver and impedance calibration circuit, which is implemented in a 66 nm 512 Mb GDDR3 SDRAM.
High pressure raman study of isotropic lineshapes of aqueous sodium nitrate solutions

The isotropic lineshape of the v1 (A1) stretching mode of the nitrate ion in solutions of sodium nitrate has been studied at 25°C as a function of NaNO3 concentration ranging from 0.1 to 6M. The pressure dependence has been determined for 1 and 6M solutions at pressures ranging from 1 bar to 3 kbar. The isotropic band becomes more asymmetric with increasing concentration, and its v1 peak frequency undergoes a blue shift both with increased concentration and increased pressure. At low concentration the vibrational correlation function is well described by the Kubo formula, whereas at higher concentration it becomes more Gaussian. The experimental data indicate that the v1 vibrational lineshape in aqueous solutions of NaNO3 is dominated by strong intermolecular interactions which produce inhomogeneous broadening at higher concentration.
Killer cell inhibitory receptors specific for HLA-C and HLA-B identified by direct binding and by functional transfer

Abstract An inhibitory signal is delivered to natural killer (NK) cells and a subset of cytotoxic T cells upon recognition of HLA class 1 molecules on target cells. We demonstrate that soluble forms of killer cell inhibitory receptors (KIR) bind directly and specifically to HLA-C alleles on transfected cells. Furthermore, transfer of individual KIR Into NK clones reconstituted recognition of HLA-C on target cells, leading to inhibition of lysis. Using such functional reconstitution, a related KIR that confers specificity for some HLA-B alleles was also identified. These KIR share conserved tyrosine phosphorylation motifs in their cytoplasmic tails. Thus, a single receptor in NK cells provides both specificity for HLA class I on target cells and the Inhibitory signal that prevents lysis.
A Hydrophilic Azacyclooctyne for Cu-Free Click Chemistry

Biomolecules labeled with azides can be detected through Cu-free click chemistry with cyclooctyne probes, but their intrinsic hydrophobicity can compromise bioavailability. Here, we report the synthesis and evaluation of a novel azacyclooctyne, 6,7-dimethoxyazacyclooct-4-yne (DIMAC). Generated in nine steps from a glucose analogue, DIMAC reacted with azide-labeled proteins and cells similarly to cyclooctynes. However, its superior polarity and water solubility reduced nonspecific binding, thereby improving the sensitivity of azide detection.
Remaking Chinese Cinema: Through the Prism of Shanghai, Hong Kong, and Hollywood

A veritable industry has developed in recent years around the brokering of remaking rights, effectively selling Asian cinematic productions for their cannibalisation by the industry giants in Holly...
Ballots, a Barrier against the Use of Bullets and Bombs: Democratization and Military Intervention

Numerous empirical investigations have demonstrated that democracies are prone to cooperate with one another and that they almost never wage war against one another. Such research has inspired hope that so-called democratic peace might be achieved in the post-cold-war era, especially in light of the rapid diffusion of democracy worldwide since the mid-1970s. This article collates two streams of previously unexamined evidence that speak to the promise of this hope. Looking cross-nationally at the incidence of overt military intervention between 1975 and 1991, the study discovers that democracies were unlikely to be the targets of this form of coercive diplomacy. Both democracies and nondemocracies intervened in the internal affairs of democracies less than would be expected by chance. After exploring several contending explanations for this finding, this article advances some hypotheses about why being a democracy may shelter such states from foreign attack and considers the contribution democratization ca...
Integrated design of synthetic aperture radars for unmanned aircraft

The use of synthetic aperture radar (SAR) on unmanned aircraft (UAVs) is often contemplated for aerial observation of regions where unmanned, long duration (tens of hours) observations are advantageous. Some current applications are severe weather, military surveillance and environmental observations. However, in most cases the initial SAR and aircraft designs are done independently and one is either trying to design a SAR to fit a particular UAV or a UAV to fit a particular SAR. For example, Schwartz et al. (1990) designed and built a SAR to fit the Amber UAV (Cassidy, 1991). This process is likely to lead to a restricted range of choices to accomplish a given objective and fails to provide the system designer with a complete range of possible choices and trade offs. The authors develop a first order, integrated approach to design in which the SAR and aircraft designs are coupled. This approach allows a broader exploration of the options available in SARs for UAVs. There are a number of ways in which the SAR and aircraft interact. For example, radar echo power is influenced by antenna size, but aircraft size constrains the antenna size-as does azimuth resolution. The aircraft velocity V impacts virtually all aircraft relationships as well as SAR azimuth resolution. For applications that push the limits of small UAV SARs it is important to note that the aircraft power plant will need to power both the aircraft and the SAR.
A NOTE ON TIME VARIATION IN A FORWARD-LOOKING MONETARY POLICY RULE: EVIDENCE FROM EUROPEAN COUNTRIES

This paper estimates time-varying forward-looking monetary policy reaction functions for the central banks of France, Germany, Italy, and the United Kingdom. We utilize the framework developed by Kim [Economics Letters 91 (2006) 21–26] and Kim and Nelson [Journal of Monetary Economics (2006) 1949–1966] to deal with the issue of endogeneity in a time varying–parameter model. Our results find substantial time variation in the conduct of monetary policy in these four countries, which cannot be adequately captured by the conventional fixed-coefficient approach. Our findings suggest that there was a significant decline in the Bank of France's and the Bank of Italy's response to the German interest rate in 1992, and it coincided with the breakdown of the exchange rate management system in Europe. Our results suggest that the Bank of England was slower than the Bundesbank to increase its response to expected inflation, as its response to inflation became more than one-for-one only in the early 1980s.
Rethinking urban transformation: Temporary uses for vacant land

Abstract As some cities grapple with economic decline and depopulating neighborhoods, a number of academics and professionals have focused their attention on the causes, conditions and patterns of the resultant vacant land, whereas others lay out broad programmatic, institutional, fiscal and design responses to address vacancy on site or citywide scales. We find that, regardless of condition and context, most responses advocate complex, officially sanctioned, formal programs and policies that call for or depend on implementation over several multi-year phases. While laudable in scope, we question whether “permanent” solutions are appropriate given the widely varying causes, durations, contexts and patterns of vacancy and the inability of similarly scoped government-led programs to thus far achieve intended goals or improve local quality of life. We present examples that make the case for temporary, incremental, flexible and experimental responses to urban vacant land, then conclude by outlining the potential benefits and drawbacks of this temporary use model.
Investigating the Usability of Classroom Management Strategies among Elementary Schoolteachers.

Although teachers are often asked to implement classroom interventions to address student behavior, little is known about their perceived usability of many evidence-based strategies. One thousand five elementary schoolteachers completed the Usage Rating Profile–Intervention–Revised (URP-IR) with regard to the use of one of five evidence-based classroom management strategies described in a hypothetical vignette. Results suggested that participants understood implementation procedures and did not feel that they would require external support to carry out the procedures with integrity. However, group contingencies were rated as less acceptable and less compatible with school climate than other strategies, and acceptability ratings were found to be the lowest for dependent group contingencies. Implications of the role of teachers’ perceived usability in the adoption and implementation of evidence-based interventions in schools are discussed.
Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of Drug‐Induced Tumor Apoptosis with a Caspase‐Triggered Nanoaggregation Probe

Drug Design: An (18)F-labeled caspase-3-sensitive nanoaggregation positron emission tomography tracer was prepared and evaluated for imaging the caspase-3 activity in doxorubicin-treated tumor xenografts. Enhanced retention of the (18)F activity in apoptotic tumors is achieved through intramolecular macrocyclization and in situ aggregation upon caspase-3 activation (see picture).
Self‐Healing Microencapsulation of Biomacromolecules without Organic Solvents

Microencapsulation of biomacromolecules in PLGA is routinely performed with organic solvent through multiple complex steps deleterious to the biomacromolecule. The new self-healing based PLGA microencapsulation obviates micronization- and organic solvent-induced protein damage, provides very high encapsulation efficiency, exhibit stabilization and slow release of labile tetanus protein antigen, and provides long-term testosterone suppression in rats following a single injection of encapsulated leuprolide.
Recombinant reflectin-based optical materials

Abstract : Reflectins are a unique group of structural proteins involved in dynamic optical systems in cephalopods that modulate incident light or bioluminescence. We describe cloning structural characterization, and optical properties of a reflectinbased domain, refCBA, from reflectin 1a of Hawaiian bobtail squid, Euprymna scolopes. Thin films created from the recombinant protein refCBA display interesting optical features when the recombinant protein is appropriately organized. RefCBA was cloned and expressed as a soluble protein enabling purification, with little structural organization found using Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy and circular dichroism. Single-layer and multi-layer thin films of refCBA were then produced by flow coating and spin coating, and displayed colors due to thin film interference. Diffraction experiments showed the assemblies were ordered enough to work as diffraction gratings to generate diffraction patterns. Nano-spheres and lamellar microstructures of refCBA samples were observed by scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. Despite the reduced complexity of the refCBA protein compared to natural reflectins, unique biomaterials with similar properties to reflectins were generated by self-assembled reflectin-based refCBA molecules.
Chromatin Insulators: Linking genome organization to cellular function

A growing body of evidence suggests that insulators have a primary role in orchestrating the topological arrangement of higher-order chromatin architecture. Insulator-mediated long-range interactions can influence the epigenetic status of the genome and, in certain contexts, may have important effects on gene expression. Here we discuss higher-order chromatin organization as a unifying mechanism for diverse insulator actions across the genome.
School-Wide Positive Behavior Support and Students with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders: Implications for Prevention, Identification and Intervention

Special education continues to document the poor within and post-school outcomes among children and youth with Emotional/Behavioral Disorders (EBD). While the poor outcomes are due to a myriad of causes, three issues routinely emerge as problematic in the field. First, the need for early intervention and prevention has been well documented, and yet educators continue to struggle with building effective prevention systems. Second, a clear disconnect exists between the current federal definition of “seriously emotionally disturbed” and the educational focus and intent of the law leading to inconsistencies and under-identification of students and the adoption of a pathology model versus a strength-based educational model. Finally, the field continues to struggle with the implementation and sustained use of evidence-based practices within and across schools and school districts. The purpose of this article is to discuss how School-Wide Positive Behavior Support can assist in addressing the issues related to t...
Quality of the Literacy Environment in Inclusive Early Childhood Special Education Classrooms.

The purpose of this study was to examine the quality of the literacy environment in inclusive early childhood special education (ECSE) classrooms (N = 54). The first aim was to describe the quality of the literacy environment in terms of structure (i.e., book materials and print/writing materials) and instruction (i.e., instructional support). The second aim was to examine the interrelationships among teacher and classroom factors and the quality of the literacy environment. Results showed that, on average, the quality of the structural literacy environment was low to moderate, and the quality of the instructional literacy environment was generally low. Only one factor, the number of children who were dual-language learners, related to the quality of the structural literacy environment, whereas the quality of the instructional literacy environment was positively associated with two teacher-level factors (teacher education and self-efficacy) and negatively associated with one teacher-level factor (the numb...
Workshop - bringing engineering into middle schools: Learning science and math through guided inquiry and engineering design

For five years, faculty and students at the University of Virginia have been designing, implementing, testing, and distributing Engineering Teaching Kits (ETKs). We identify topics from science, math, and technology that have interesting engineering applications, and then help students learn science and math in the context of engineering design. Each ETK includes real-world constraints (budget, cost, time, risk, reliability, safety, and customer needs and demands), and each involves a design challenge that requires creativity and teamwork. These kits are used to introduce engineering concepts and methods into existing middle school science and math classes. ETKs promote awareness of the nature of engineering, and stimulate excitement about its practice. They also help develop an appreciation for the tradeoffs involved in the practice of engineering, and how engineering decisions impact society and the environment. In this workshop, we will introduce our approach to designing and testing Engineering Teaching Kits, show how our ETKs relate to educational standards (both state and national), demonstrate several ETKs, and have the participants work through others as though they were students.
Evolutionary Origins of Transcription Factor Binding Site Clusters

Empirical studies have revealed that regulatory DNA sequences such as enhancers or promoters often harbor multiple binding sites for the same transcription factor. Such "homotypic site clustering" has been hypothesized as arising out of functional requirements of the sequences. Here, we propose an alternative explanation of this phenomenon that multisite enhancers are common because they are favored by evolutionary sampling of the genotype-phenotype landscape. To test this hypothesis, we developed a new computational framework specialized for population genetic simulations of enhancer evolution. It uses a thermodynamics-based model of enhancer function, integrating information from strong as well as weak binding sites, to determine the strength of selection. Using this framework, we found that even when simpler genotypes exist for a desired strength of regulation, relatively complex genotypes (enhancers with more sites) are more readily reached by the simulated evolutionary process. We show that there are more ways to "build" a fit genotype with many weak sites than with a few strong sites, and this is why evolution finds complex genotypes more often. Our claims are consistent with an empirical analysis of binding site content in enhancers characterized in Drosophila melanogaster and their orthologs in other Drosophila species. We also characterized a subtle but significant difference between genotypes likely to be sampled by evolution and equally fit genotypes one would obtain by uniform sampling of the fitness landscape, that is, an "evolutionary signature" in enhancer sequences. Finally, we investigated potential effects of other factors, such as rugged fitness landscapes, short local duplications, and noise characteristics of enhancers, on the emergence of homotypic site clustering. Homotypic site clustering is an important contributor to the complexity and function of cis-regulatory sequences. This work provides a simple null hypothesis for its origin, against which alternative adaptationist explanations may be evaluated, and cautions against "evolutionary mirages" present in common features of genomic sequence. The quantitative framework we develop here can be used more generally to understand how mechanisms of enhancer action influence their composition and evolution.