cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Electromagnetic form factors and charge densities from hadrons to nuclei

A simple exact covariant model in which a scalar particle $\ensuremath{\Psi}$ is modeled as a bound state of two different particles is used to elucidate relativistic aspects of electromagnetic form factors $F({Q}^{2})$. The model form factor is computed using an exact covariant calculation of the lowest order triangle diagram. The light-front technique of integrating over the minus component of the virtual momentum gives the same result and is the same as the one obtained originally by Gunion et al. [Phys. Rev. D 8, 287 (1973)] by using time-ordered perturbation theory in the infinite-momentum frame. The meaning of the transverse density $\ensuremath{\rho}(b)$ is explained by providing a general derivation, using three spatial coordinates, of its relationship with the form factor. This allows us to identify a mean-square transverse size $\ensuremath{\langle}{b}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}=\ensuremath{\int}{d}^{2}b {b}^{2}\ensuremath{\rho}(b)=\ensuremath{-}4\frac{\mathit{dF}}{{\mathit{dQ}}^{2}}({Q}^{2}=0)$. The quantity $\ensuremath{\langle}{b}^{2}\ensuremath{\rangle}$ is a true measure of hadronic size because of its direct relationship with the transverse density. We show that the rest-frame charge distribution is generally not observable by studying the explicit failure to uphold current conservation. Neutral systems of two charged constituents are shown to obey the conventional lore that the heavier one is generally closer to the transverse origin than the lighter one. It is argued that the negative central charge density of the neutron arises, in pion-cloud models, from pions of high longitudinal momentum that reside at the center. The nonrelativistic limit is defined precisely, and the ratio of the binding energy $B$ to the mass $\mathcal{M}$ of the lightest constituent is shown to govern the influence of relativistic effects. It is shown that the exact relativistic formula for $F({Q}^{2})$ is the same as the familiar one of the three-dimensional Fourier transform of a square of a wave function for very small values of $B/\mathcal{M}$, but this only occurs for values of $B/\mathcal{M}$ less than about $0.001$. For masses that mimic the quark-diquark model of the nucleon we find that there are substantial relativistic corrections to the form factor for any value of ${Q}^{2}$. A schematic model of the lowest $s$ states of nuclei is developed. Relativistic effects are found to decrease the form factor for light nuclei but to increase the form factor for heavy nuclei. Furthermore, these lowest $s$ states are likely to be strongly influenced by relativistic effects that are of the order of $15%\text{\ensuremath{-}}20%$.
AN ANALYSIS OF CHANGES IN THE USE OF CHAPTER 13 SINCE THE ENACTMENT OF THE BANKRUPTCY REFORM ACT OF 1978

The premises of the bill with respect to consumer bankruptcy are that use of the bankruptcy law should be a last resort; that if it is used, debtors should attempt repayment under Chapter 13, Adjustments of Debts of an Individual with Regular Income, and finally, whether the debtor used Chapter 7, Liquidation, or Chapter 13 … bankruptcy should be effective, and should provide the debtor with a fresh start.1
A1,3-strain enabled retention of chirality during bis-cyclization of β-ketoamides: total synthesis of (−)-salinosporamide A and (−)-homosalinosporamide A

A concise, enantioselective synthesis of the Phase I anticancer agent, (−)-salinosporamide A, is described. The brevity of the described strategy stems from a key bis-cyclization of a β-keto tertiary amide, accomplished on gram scale, which retains optical purity enabled by A1,3-strain rendering epimerization slow relative to the rate of bis-cyclization. The versatility of the strategy for derivative synthesis is demonstrated by the synthesis of (−)-homosalinosporamide A.
Room temperature infrared imaging array fabricated using heterogeneous integration methods

This paper presents the design, fabrication, and characterization of temperature sensitive quartz resonators fabricated using heterogeneous integration methods for realizing high-density, thermal conductance fluctuation limited infrared imaging arrays operating at room temperature. High frequency (241 MHz) micromachined resonators from Y-cut quartz crystal cuts were fabricated with a temperature sensitivity of 22.16kHz/∘C. Infrared measurements on the resonator pixel resulted in a noise equivalent power (NEP) of 3.90 nW/Hz1/2, a detectivity D∗ of 9.17×107 cm Hz1/2/W, and noise equivalent temperature difference (NETD) of 46.6 mK in the 8.14 m wavelength range. The thermal frequency response of the resonator was determined to be faster than 33 Hz, demonstrating its applicability as a video-rate uncooled infrared sensor.
Dynamic Vickers indentation of brittle materials

Abstract Static and dynamic Vickers indentations were performed on brittle materials to investigate the rate effects in hardness, induced crack morphologies, and fracture toughness. The dynamic indentations were performed on a hardness tester, which utilizes elastic stress wave propagation phenomena in a slender rod that can deliver indentation loads of 100 μs durations. Under dynamic indentations, an increase in hardness was observed in all the brittle materials compared to their static hardness measurements. Analysis of the evolved crack morphology revealed an increase in fracture toughness for zirconia ceramics and a decrease in fracture toughness for pyrex glass under dynamic indentations. The implications of the rate dependence of hardness and fracture toughness on material removal mechanisms are discussed.
Viscosity estimation at low temperatures (Tr<0.75) for organic liquids from group contributions

Abstract A group-contribution method has been developed for calculating the viscosity of organic liquids at temperature Tr
The splicing regulator PTBP2 controls a program of embryonic splicing required for neuronal maturation

We show that the splicing regulator PTBP2 controls a genetic program essential for neuronal maturation. Depletion of PTBP2 in developing mouse cortex leads to degeneration of these tissues over the first three postnatal weeks, a time when the normal cortex expands and develops mature circuits. Cultured Ptbp2(-/-) neurons exhibit the same initial viability as wild type, with proper neurite outgrowth and marker expression. However, these mutant cells subsequently fail to mature and die after a week in culture. Transcriptome-wide analyses identify many exons that share a pattern of mis-regulation in the mutant brains, where isoforms normally found in adults are precociously expressed in the developing embryo. These transcripts encode proteins affecting neurite growth, pre- and post-synaptic assembly, and synaptic transmission. Our results define a new genetic regulatory program, where PTBP2 acts to temporarily repress expression of adult protein isoforms until the final maturation of the neuron. DOI: http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.01201.001.
Phase-shift calibration algorithm for phase-shifting interferometry

We propose a novel phase-shift calibration algorithm. With this technique we determine the unknown phase shift between two interferograms by examining the sums and differences of the intensities on each interferogram at the same spatial location, i.e., I1(x, y) +/- I2(x, y). These intensities are normalized so that they become sinusoidal in form. A uniformly illuminated region of the interferograms that contains at least a 2pi variation in phase is examined. The extrema of these sums and differences are found in this region and are used to find the unknown phase shift. An error analysis of the algorithm is provided. In addition, an error-correction algorithm is implemented. The method is tested by numerical simulation and implemented experimentally. The numerical tests, including digitization error, indicate that the phase step has a root-mean-square (RMS) phase error of less than 10(-6) deg. Even in the presence of added intensity noise (5% amplitude) the RMS error does not exceed 1 deg. The accuracy of the technique is not sensitive to nonlinearity in the interferogram.
Spin, Charge, and Lattice States in Layered Magnetoresistive Oxides

Colossal magnetoresistive materials are perovskite-related mixed-valent (Mn3+/Mn4+) manganese oxides that exhibit both spontaneous (at a Curie transition) and magnetic field-induced insulator−metal transitions. In concert with the dramatic changes in electrical conductivity, these oxides exhibit large lattice anomalies, ferro- and antiferromagnetism, charge ordering of the Mn3+/Mn4+ sites, etc. In this article, we discuss how a particular class of these manganite materials, naturally layered manganites La2-2xSr1+2xMn2O7, has allowed us to experimentally probe many of these tightly coupled phenomena. In particular, we examine the structure−property relationships that determine the critical magnetic ground states, we discuss how conductivity and its field dependence can test prevailing models for the magnetoresistance effect, and we explore the interplay and competition between charge- and magnetic-order on both long- and short range length scales. Finally, we present evidence from neutron and X-ray scatter...
College date rape: incidence and reporting.

The present survey based on 70% returns (N=140) of a random sample of 200 women at one college indicated that, although 5% had been date raped, none reported the rapes to authorities due to feeling...
An improved method for the characterization of supersaturation and precipitation of poorly soluble drugs using pulsatile microdialysis (PMD)

In current pharmaceutical drug discovery, most candidates are poorly soluble in water, which can result in poor bioavailability. To overcome this problem, formulations that create supersaturation of the drug are a well-studied alternative. Characterizing the dissolution from these systems is challenging because conventional methods, such as sampling with a syringe then filtering with a 0.2-0.45 μm filter before an HPLC assay, can overestimate the concentration of dissolved drug by allowing nuclei or small precipitated particles to pass, which then dissolve in the HPLC mobile phase. Nuclei and small particles can also cause overestimation of the dissolved concentration when using optical methods. Such overestimations can lead to failure of in vivo prediction of drug bioavailability from supersaturated systems. This paper reports a novel method to determine the free dissolved drug concentration in a dissolution medium using pulsatile microdialysis (PMD). Ibuprofen was used as a model drug for determining precipitation and supersaturation. Supersaturation was induced chemically by changing pH, and also by dissolution/release from an in-house formulation. The adaptation of a previously developed PMD model is summarized, and experimental results comparing dissolved concentrations determined using PMD and direct sampling by syringe and filtering are presented.
Communication and Motivational Predictors of the Dynamics of Organizational Innovation

This paper reports on research designed to test a dynamic model of the causes of organizational innovation. Two communication variables level of information and group communication and three motivational variables perceptions of equity, expectations of benefits, and perceived social pressure were derived from equity theory, expectancy theory and the theory of reasoned action. These variables were used to predict the number of innovative ideas contributed by members of the organizations. Weekly data were collected for over a year from five firms and were analyzed with multivariate time series techniques. The results indicated that the communication variables were causes of organizational innovation but the motivational variables were not. Across the five firms, the variance explained by the model ranged from a low of 30 percent to a high of 78 percent. In four of the five firms, the forecast accuracy for the amount of individual innovation ranged from a low of 77 percent to a high of 85 percent.
Butorphanol tartrate: 1. Safety and efficacy in multidose control of postoperative pain

Butorphanol tartrate is a potent synthetic analgesic. It was administered to 150 consenting patients with severe pain after recovery from anaesthesia. Three dose levels were used and the initial dose was based on the size and physical condition of the patient. The drug was subsequently repeated, as requested by the patients, for 12 to 18 hours following major surgery. Each patient was kept under direct surveillance by trained observers during the course of this study and the pain relief medication was evaluated for efficacy and safety. Ten patients requested a change of medication after their initial treatment, usually because pain relief was said to be inadequate, and two subjects may have developed behavioural disturbances that we related to multiple doses of butorphanol tartrate, but which could have been due to the fear of a lethal lesion. None of the patients developed appreciable changes in vital signs due to the analgesic. We have concluded that this analgesic is safe and that it is as efficacious as equipotent doses of morphine and pentazocine, with a similar duration of action. It is therefore worthy of further evaluation since its propensity to causing addiction and respiratory depression is low.
Stromal damage in rabbit corneas exposed to CO2 laser radiation

Threshold damage to the cornea from CO2 lasers is confined to the epithelium. Exposures well above the threshold for epithelial damage produce bowl-shaped stromal wounds. Light and electron microscopy and slit-lamp photographs all show a sharp demarcation between the damaged and undamaged regions 48 hr after exposure. The micrographs also show that the damaged region is accellular. Calculations of the expected temperature increases combined with analyses of slit lamp photographs show that the wound boundary corresponds to a surface of equal peak temperature increase. Comparisons with epithelial and endothelial damage conditions suggest that stromal, endothelial and epithelial cells have essentially the same thermal damage mechanism.
Schedule-induced ethanol polydipsia: Enhancement by saccharin

Abstract The effect of adding sodium saccharin to a 5% ethanol solution on intake was examined. One set of animals were maintained at 80% of their free-feeding weight, in their home-cages with either 5% ethanol, or 5% ethanol-0.25% sodium saccharin as the only fluid available for three months (home-cage condition). A second set of animals were maintained in cages with automatic food dispensers that provided a 24 hr feeding regimen known to produce ethanol overdrinking (schedule-induced condition). These animals had 5% ethanol as their only available fluid for one month, followed by the 5% ethanol-0.25% sodium saccharin mixture for two months. No significant differences in ethanol intake were found between the 2 home-cage conditions (5% ethanol = 11.6 g ethanol/kg/day; 5% ethanol in 0.25% sodium saccharin = 11.7 g ethanol/kg/day. However, the addition of saccharin in the schedule-induced condition produced a marked increase in ethanol intake (5% ethanol = 13.1 g ethanol/kg/day; 5% ethanol in 0.25% sodium saccharin = 15.1 g ethanol/kg/day). The home-cage animals showed no sign of an abstinence syndrome upon substitution of water for ethanol. In the schedule-induced group, severe tonic-clonic seizures occured as a result of ethanol withdrawal.
Monitoring muscle optical scattering properties during rigor mortis

Sarcomere is the fundamental functional unit in skeletal muscle for force generation. In addition, sarcomere structure is also an important factor that affects the eating quality of muscle food, the meat. The sarcomere structure is altered significantly during rigor mortis, which is the critical stage involved in transforming muscle to meat. In this paper, we investigated optical scattering changes during the rigor process in Sternomandibularis muscles. The measured optical scattering parameters were analyzed along with the simultaneously measured passive tension, pH value, and histology analysis. We found that the temporal changes of optical scattering, passive tension, pH value and fiber microstructures were closely correlated during the rigor process. These results suggested that sarcomere structure changes during rigor mortis can be monitored and characterized by optical scattering, which may find practical applications in predicting meat quality.
Applied physics: Molecules that convert heat into light.

A class of fluorescent organic molecule has been designed that enables highly efficient light-emitting diodes to be made. The devices may turn out to be competitors to their conventional analogues. See Letter p.234 One successful way of enhancing the efficiency of organic light-emitting diodes (OLEDs) is to incorporate additional phosphorescent metal-organic molecules that are powered by the normally non-emitting 'triplet' excitons (triplet excitons typically account for 75% of the injected charge carriers). Now Hiroki Uoyama and colleagues describe an alternative strategy in which the electronic properties of the organic host material are tuned by molecular design to achieve the same net result without the need for adding phosphorescent entities. The new method makes use of metal-free organic electroluminescent molecules in which the energy gap between the singlet and triplet excited states is minimized by design, so that triplet excitons are efficiently converted into states that can contribute effectively to the overall emissions. Their devices reach levels of efficiency in excess of 19%, comparable to those of phosphorescence-based OLEDs.
Early Determinants of Women in the IT Workforce: A Model of Girls' Career Choices

Purpose – To develop a testable model for girls' career choices in technology fields based on past research and hypotheses about the future of the information technology (IT) workforce.Design/methodology/approach – Review and assimilation of literature from education, psychology, sociology, computer science, IT, and business in a model that identifies factors that can potentially influence a girl's choice towards or against IT careers. The factors are categorized into social factors (family, peers, and media), structural factors (computer use, teacher/counselor influence, same sex versus coeducational schools), and individual differences. The impact of culture on these various factors is also explored.Findings – The model indicates that parents, particularly fathers, are the key influencers of girls' choice of IT careers. Teachers and counselors provide little or no career direction. Hypotheses propose that early access to computers may reduce intimidation with technology and that same‐sex education may s...
Structure evolution in the PbO-ZrO2-TiO2 sol-gel system: Part I — Characterization of prehydrolyzed precursors

In this investigation, several spectroscopic and analytical techniques were used to determine the chemical compositions and structures of the lead, zirconium, titanium, and Pb-(Zr, Ti) alkoxides involved in the sol-gel synthesis of PZT thin films. These techniques included 1H, 13C, and 207Pb NMR; FT-IR; gas chromatography; Karl Fischer titration; and number-average molecular weights (Mn) determined by cryoscopy. It was found that the titanium precursor had a Mnof 548 and a formula of [Ti(OCH2CH2OCH3)4]1.6; the zirconium precursor had a Mnof 1015 and a formula of [Zr(OCH2CH2OCH3)4]2.6; and the lead precursor had a formula Pb6(OOCCH3)5(OCH2CH2OCH3)7. 4 H2O and a molecular weight of 2131 (Mn=2113). It was observed that residual water from the incomplete dehydration of lead acetate trihydrate coupled with released water due to the esterification of acetic acid caused M-O-M (M=Pb, Zr, Ti) bonds in the Pb-(Zr, Ti) alkoxide. Two possible isomeric structures of the Pb-(Zr, Ti) alkoxide have been proposed. They are both cyclic and have a formula of Pb2M′M″O2(OR)8(ROH)2, (M′M″=Zr and/or Ti) and a molecular weight of 1336 (Mn=1386).
Switching modes for G protein-coupled receptor activation.

Specialized transmembrane proteins known as G protein–coupled receptors (GPCRs) serve as universal cell surface switches to transmit hormones, neurotransmitter and other extracellular chemical signals into cells. Testing ligands of different efficacies reveals two independent modes of receptor switching.
Impact Parameter Filters for 36Ar + 197Au Collisions at E/A = 50, 80 and 110 MeV

Abstract Collisions between 36Ar projectiles and 197Au target nuclei at E A = 50, 80 and 110 MeV have been studied with the MSU Miniball, a 4π phoswich array with a low detection threshold. Various impact-parameter filters, based upon total charged-particle multiplicity, transverse energy, midrapidity charge and multiplicity of emitted hydrogen nuclei, are compared and cross-correlated. The relative selectivity of each prescription for small impact-parameter collisions is evaluated by assessing the suppression of fast-particle emission at forward angles.
Tornado intensity estimated from damage path dimensions

The Newcastle/Moore and El Reno tornadoes of May 2013 are recent reminders of the destructive power of tornadoes. A direct estimate of a tornado's power is difficult and dangerous to get. An indirect estimate on a categorical scale is available from a post-storm survery of the damage. Wind speed bounds are attached to the scale, but the scale is not adequate for analyzing trends in tornado intensity separate from trends in tornado frequency. Here tornado intensity on a continuum is estimated from damage path length and width, which are measured on continuous scales and correlated to the EF rating. The wind speeds on the EF scale are treated as interval censored data and regressed onto the path dimensions and fatalities. The regression model indicates a 25% increase in expected intensity over a threshold intensity of 29 m s(-1) for a 100 km increase in path length and a 17% increase in expected intensity for a one km increase in path width. The model shows a 43% increase in the expected intensity when fatalities are observed controlling for path dimensions. The estimated wind speeds correlate at a level of .77 (.34, .93) [95% confidence interval] with a small sample of wind speeds estimated independently from a doppler radar calibration. The estimated wind speeds allow analyses to be done on the tornado database that are not possible with the categorical scale. The modeled intensities can be used in climatology and in environmental and engineering applications. Research is needed to understand the upward trends in path length and width.
Dynamic Association between HIV-1 Gag and Membrane Domains

HIV-1 particle assembly is driven by the structural protein Gag. Gag binds to and multimerizes on the inner leaflet of the plasma membrane, eventually resulting in formation of spherical particles. During virus spread among T cells, Gag accumulates to the plasma membrane domain that, together with target cell membrane, forms a cell junction known as the virological synapse. While Gag association with plasma membrane microdomains has been implicated in virus assembly and cell-to-cell transmission, recent studies suggest that, rather than merely accumulating to pre-existing microdomains, Gag plays an active role in reorganizing the microdomains via its multimerization activity. In this paper, we will discuss this emerging view of Gag microdomain interactions. Relationships between Gag multimerization and microdomain association will be further discussed in the context of Gag localization to T-cell uropods and virological synapses.
Abstract 1410: Bmi-1 enhances the radioresistance of cells by suppressing the expression of NADPH oxidase genes

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC Bmi-1 is a polycomb group protein necessary for cellular proliferation and maintenance of stem cell phenotype. The current study was undertaken to determine the radioprotective effects of Bmi-1 in human epithelial cells. Primary normal human keratinocytes (NHK) from oral mucosa or epidermis were infected with retroviral vectors expressing Bmi-1. NHK infected with empty virus (NHK/B0) rapidly underwent premature senescence upon exposure to 5 or 10 Gy of ionizing radiation (IR). However, the cells transduced with Bmi-1 (NHK/Bmi-1) maintained cell proliferation and clonogenicity after IR. To determine the mechanism underlying the radioresistance conferred by Bmi-1, we compared the DNA damage response (DDR), production of reactive oxygen species (ROS), and DNA repair activities in both cell types. NHK/B0 and NHK/Bmi-1 cells demonstrated rapid induction of DDR after 5 Gy irradiation. ROS production was increased by irradiation, but Bmi-1 transduction suppressed the ROS production. Irradiation strongly induced the genes encoding the enzymes involved in ROS production, mainly of NADPH oxidase subunits, but Bmi-1 completely abolished the expression of these genes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation (ChIP) revealed binding of Bmi-1 to the promoter regions of these genes in vivo, suggesting transcriptional repression by Bmi-1. In vitro DNA end joining and in vivo double strand break (DSB) repair activities were enhanced in NHK/Bmi-1 cells compared with NHK/B0. These data indicate that Bmi-1 enhances the radioresistance of NHK in part by mitigating the genotoxicity of radiation. This study was supported in part by the grants, UCLA/CBPR (U19) from NIAID and R01DE18295/K02DE18959 from NIDCR/NIH. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 1410.
Six-degree-of-freedom guidance and control analysis of Mars aerocapture

A six-degree-of-freedom (6DOF) simulation is developed to investigate the control and guidance issues of a Mars aerobraking vehicle. The guidance algorithm used is a predictor-corrector guidance formulation designed to control the exit orbital apoapsis and wedge angle using bank-angle modulation. Major features of this predictor-corrector guidance algorithm include: (1) integration of the 3DOF equations of motion within an inner-loop simulation; (2) load-relief logic; (3) finite roll rates; and (4) an aerodynamic feedback multiplier. The algorithm is capable of successfully guiding the vehicle through combinations of atmospheric density dispersions, aerodynamic mispredictions, and off-nominal atmospheric interface conditions. This study demonstrated that the addition of vehicle dynamics to the Mars aerobraking simulation does not significantly impact mission feasibility. That is, a robust control system design coupled with an adaptive guidance algorithm can assure mission success in the presence of numerous off-nominal conditions.
Glutathione S‐transferases in the Japanese quail: Tissue distribution and purification of the liver isozymes

Cytosolic glutathione S-transferase (GST) activities toward 1-chloro-2,4-dinitro-benzene (CDNB), 1,2-dichloro-4-nitrobenzene (DCNB), ethacrynic acid (EA), 1,2-epoxy-3-(p-nitrophenoxyl)propane (EPNP), trans-4-phenyl-3-buten-2-one(t-PBO), delta 5-androstene-3,17-dione (ASD) and trans-stilbene oxide (t-SO); cytosolic glutathione peroxidase activity toward cumene hydroperoxide (CuOOH); and microsomal GST activity toward CDNB were examined in liver, kidney, brain, and lung of adult male and female Japanese quail. In all cases, the renal specific activity per milligram protein was higher than the hepatic activity and was the highest among the four tissues examined. No consistent sex differences in GST activity were observed. The GSTs were purified from quail liver cytosol by S-hexylglutathione and glutathione affinity chromatography. Total GSTs eluted from the S-hexylglutathione affinity column were further separated by chromatofocusing, and the microheterogeneity of the GST isozymes was shown by high-resolution native isoelectrofocusing (IEF) in polyacrylamide slab gels and by SDS-PAGE. Five subunits were identified: QL1 (30.5 kDa), QL2 (27.2 kDa), QL3a (26.8 kDa), QL3b (26.5 kDa), and QL4 (25.5 kDa). Western blot analysis revealed that QL1 and QL2 reacted with antibodies raised against the rat Mu class GSTs (Yb1 and Yb2), and QL3a and QL3b reacted with those raised against the Alpha class (rat Ya and mouse a). Substrate specific activity of each isoform was determined with CDNB, DCNB, CuOOH, EA, t-PBO, ASD, and t-SO. QL3a and QL3b have high reactivity toward CuOOH, while QL1 and QL2 showed high activity toward t-SO. The N-terminal amino acid sequence of QL2 was identical to that of the chicken Mu class GST subunit CL2. However, no sequence was obtained with QL1 due to possible N-terminal blockage.
Due Process in Wartime? Secret Imperial Russian Police Files on the Forced Relocation of Russian Germans during World War I

In 1762 and 1763, manifestos were issued by Catherine II, and later were extended further by her son Paul I, inviting foreign artisans and others to settle in far-flung rural areas of the Russian E...
Promoting healthy beginnings: a randomized controlled trial of a preventive intervention to preserve marital quality during the transition to parenthood.

Couples expecting their first child were randomly assigned to intervention (n 28) and comparison groups (n 38) to assess the efficacy of a couples intervention and examine marital satisfaction trajectories across the transition to parenthood. The primarily European American sample (M age 30 years) completed assessments of marital satisfaction at 5 points from the final trimester of pregnancy to 66 months postpartum. Growth curve analyses indicated a normative linear decline in marital satisfaction. Intervention participants experienced significantly less decline than comparison participants, providing support for the efficacy of the intervention. Comparable childless couples (n 13) did not show a decline in marital satisfaction. The results suggest that early family transitions that strain couple relationships provide critical opportunities for preventive interventions to strengthen marriage.
Generation of 150-fs tunable pulses in Cr:LiSrAlF6.

We report ultrashort-pulse generation in a Cr:LiSrAlF6 solid-state laser. The 15-mm crystal was pumped by 1 W of red light from a cw krypton laser and actively mode locked at an 82-MHz repetition frequency using an acousto-optic modulator. Wavelength tuning was demonstrated over the range 800–880 nm, limited by the bandwidth of the optical components. By including intracavity dispersion compensation, pulse widths of 150 fs were obtained with evidence that self-phase modulation contributes to spectral broadening and pulse shortening.
Quantitative fit-test method for powered air-purifying respirators

Current respirator approval regulations require that powered air-purifying respirators be worn by several persons into an atmosphere containing isoamyl acetate vapor and that none of the persons smell the characteristic odor of the isoamyl acetate. The National Institute for Occupational Safety and Health (NIOSH) has funded a project at the Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory (LASL) designed to develop a quantitative fit-test for powered air-purifying respirators so that the actual leakage rate of a known concentration of contaminant into the respiratory inlet covering can be measured with near real time analysis. The system developed uses a scattered light aerosol photometer for analysis and 25 mg/m3 of submicrometer diameter dioctyl phthalate (DOP) aerosol as the contaminant. Five types of powered air-purifying respirators, all equipped with a full facepiece, a hood, or a helmet, were tested on 10 different people using this method. All of the devices provided protection factors of 1000 or better to all 10...
Effects of concanavalin a and cholera toxin on epidermal cAMP and migration rate during wound closure in adult newts

Abstract 1. Following removal of a skin patch from each hind limb of a series of adult newts, the limbs were explanted into small dishes of Holtfreter solution containing various combinations of test drugs. Later, the amount of wound epithelium that formed on each limb was determined using a planimeter on wound tracings obtained with the aid of a drawing tube-equipped microscope. 2. Exposure of migrating cells to the plant lectin, concanavalin A (con A), lowered cyclic AMP (cAMP) levels and depressed migration. 3. Exposure to cholera toxin and theophylline (CTX) significantly elevated cAMP levels and significantly depressed migration rate. 4. Exposure of CTX-treated cells to con A tended to lower CTX-elevated cAMP levels while depressing the migration rate well beyond the depression caused by CTX alone. 5. These results provide further evidence that cAMP can regulate the rate of newt epidermal cell migration. They also show that the inhibitory effect of con A on motility in these cells is independent of its effects on cAMP.
A description of the Omo I postcranial skeleton, including newly discovered fossils

Abstract Recent fieldwork in the Kibish Formation has expanded our knowledge of the geological, archaeological, and faunal context of the Omo I skeleton, the earliest known anatomically modern human. In the course of this fieldwork, several additional fragments of the skeleton were recovered: a middle manual phalanx, a distal manual phalanx, a right talus, a large and a small fragment of the left os coxae, a portion of the distal diaphysis of the right femur that conjoins with the distal epiphysis recovered in 1967, and a costal fragment. Some researchers have described the original postcranial fragments of Omo I as anatomically modern but have noted that a variety of aspects of the specimen's morphology depart from the usual anatomy of many recent populations. Reanalysis confirms this conclusion. Some of the unusual features in Omo I—a medially facing radial tuberosity, a laterally flaring facet on the talus for the lateral malleolus, and reduced dorsovolar curvature of the base of metacarpal I—are shared with Neandertals, some early modern humans from Skhul and Qafzeh, and some individuals from the European Gravettian, raising the possibility that Eurasian early modern humans inherited these features from an African predecessor rather than Neandertals. The fragment of the os coxae does not unambiguously diagnose Omo I's sex: the greater sciatic notch is intermediate in form, the acetabulum is large (male?), and a preauricular sulcus is present (female?). The preserved portion of the left humerus suggests that Omo I was quite tall, perhaps 178–182 cm, but the first metatarsal suggests a shorter stature of 162–173 cm. The morphology of the auricular surface of the os coxae suggests a young adult age.
Solid-state physics: join the dots.

A new variation on an old theme in atomic physics, a spectral distortion known as the Fano effect, has been revealed — not in an atom, but in an artificial nanostructure known as a quantum dot. The Fano effect is a spectral distortion arising from quantum-mechanical resonance or interference between two competing optical pathways. It is ubiquitous in optical spectroscopy of atoms, solids and semiconductor heterostructures. It indicates how discrete energy states, for example of an atom, are coupled to the continuum of states in its environment. The effect has been widely studied, but usually in a linear regime at low excitation power. A new study uses semiconductor quantum dots to explore the physics of the nonlinear Fano regime. Clear Fano resonances are observed, and they can be tuned by changing the device design or with applied voltages. In the nonlinear regime, visibility of Fano interferences increases dramatically, which could be used as a sensitive probe of the degree of coupling between discrete states and the continuum, which is relevant for example for qubits where coupling to the environment needs to be kept to a minimum.
Sentinel lymphonodectomy in nonmelanoma skin malignancies.

Summary Background Whereas the value of sentinel lymphonodectomy (SLNE) in malignant melanoma is established, experience with SLNE in nonmelanoma skin cancers is limited. Objectives The feasibility of SLNE in nonmelanoma skin tumours is evaluated. Methods Thirty-seven patients with high-risk nonmelanoma skin tumours underwent SLNE: 11 squamous cell carcinomas (SCCs), seven Merkel cell carcinomas (MCCs), five cutaneous lymphomas, eight adnexal carcinomas and six other skin cancers, all clinical stage N0. Results In nine patients (four MCCs, two SCCs, three lymphomas) the sentinel lymph nodes (SLNs) showed histological evidence of microinvolvement. In five of these nine patients, radical lymph node dissection (RLND) was performed, revealing further micrometastases in three patients (two SCCs, one MCC). No patient with negative SLN showed tumour dissemination during the follow-up over a mean of 2·5 years (range 2 months to 4·5 years, median 2·4 years). Conclusions Our data provide evidence that SLNE is a minimally invasive and highly sensitive staging tool in selected patients with high-risk nonmelanoma skin cancers.
Intelligent-Design Theory: An Argument for Biotic Laws

A central thesis of intelligent-design theorists is that physical and chemical laws and chance are insufficient to account for irreducibly complex biological structures and that intelligent design is necessary to account for such phenomena. This assertion, however, still implies a reductionist ontology. We need to recognize that reality displays multiple modes of being beyond simply chemical and physical modes of being, each of which is governed by laws for that mode of being. This essay argues for an alternate framework for understanding life phenomena that is neither philosophical materialism nor intelligent-design theory.
Interspecific association between bail-out behavior and habitat is geographically and phylogenetically widespread

Abstract When an intertidal substratum is rolled about its horizontal axis, some species of gastropod release their hold and fall away. Previous work on such “bail-out” in limpets suggested that this behavior might be (1) phylogenetically widespread, as well as (2) ecologically associated with species epizooic (at least in part) on mussels of the high energy intertidal zone. The present study investigated these two hypotheses by testing for bail out in bivalve and gastropod mollusks from different habitats. Individuals of the bivalve, Mytilus trossulus Gould, were found to bail out by releasing their byssus threads. This response was surprisingly similar to that observed in limpets: rotation about both vertical and horizontal axes were sufficient stimuli (translation and “yaw” were not sufficient), and bailed out mussels reattached much more quickly than did mussels that were forcibly removed. Mytilus trossulus inhabits the high-energy intertidal. In contrast to M. trossulus , another mussel species [ Brachidontes exustus (Linne)] which inhabits bays, estuaries, and marshes, only rarely showed bail-out behavior in response to a rotating substratum. Bail-out behavior in limpets was associated with species that typically inhabit mussel beds (4 species); limpet species typically inhabiting boulders or movable rocks (3 species) were less likely to bail out in response to a rotating substratum. This association was not found at the intraspecific level however; one species [ Tectura scutum (Rathke)] found on both mussels and boulders only rarely bailed out from either substratum. The phylogenetically wide distribution of bail out, the consistent nature of the required stimulus, and the stereotypy of the response itself (release followed by rapid reattachment), raise the possibility that this behavior is the result of selective pressure in a dangerous habitat. Possession of this behavior may allow intertidal organisms to inhabit potentially unstable substrata in marine environments.
Floodplain Management: Some Observations on the Corps of Engineers' Attitudes and Approaches

: Methods of floodplain management are changing in the United States. There has been a gradual shift in emphasis from “flood control” to “management” of the floodplain. The complexities of multilevel governmental involvement in floodplain management demand an analysis of a new means to coordinate these efforts. It is the intent of this paper to discuss the role of the Corps of Engineers in this area and the problems the Corps has encountered in its endeavors. The occurrence of these problems indicates that there is a need to strengthen the federal role to ensure a comprehensive view of floodplain management.
Paired helical filaments are not the major binding sites for wheat germ and Dolichos biflorus agglutinins in the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease.

The isolated paired helical filaments (PHF) that occur in the neurofibrillary tangles of Alzheimer's disease were assayed to determine if they contained N-acetyl-glucosamine and N-acetyl-galactosamine residues. The enzyme-linked lectin assay was used to detect their total content in the PHF preparation. The assay employed biotinylated Dolichos biflorus and wheat germ agglutinins and was developed with avidin-horseradish peroxidase. The total PHF preparation was shown to contain very little of these glycosylated control proteins. Colloidal gold-labeled lectins were used to study the PHF by electron microscopy to assess whether the minor amount of lectin binding in the total preparation was directly associated with the PHF. These studies showed no significant association of the colloidal gold-labeled lectins with the isolated filaments. We conclude that the PHF themselves contain few or no N-acetyl-glucosamine or N-acetyl-galactosamine residues.
5α-reductases in human physiology: an unfolding story.

ABSTRACT Objective 5a-reductases are a family of isozymes expressed in a wide host of tissues including the central nervous system (CNS) and play a pivotal role in male sex ual differentiation, development and physiology. Methods A comprehensive literature search from 1970 to 2011 was made through PubMed and the relevant information was summarized. Results 5a reductases convert testosterone, proges terone, deoxycorticosterone, aldosterone and corticoste rone into their respective 5a-dihydro-derivatives, which serve as substrates for 3a-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase enzymes. The latter transforms these 5a-reduced metabo lites into a subclass of neuroactive steroid hormones with distinct physiological functions. The neuroactive steroid hormones modulate a multitude of functions in human physiology encompassing regulation of sexual differen tiation, neuroprotection, memory enhancement, anxiety, sleep and stress, among others. In addition, 5a -reductase type 3 is also implicated in the N-glycosylation of pro teins via formation of dolichol phosphate. The family of 5a-reductases was targeted for drug development to treat pathophysiological conditions, such as benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenetic alopecia. While the clinical use of 5a-reductase inhibitors was well established, the scope and the magnitude of the adverse side effects of such drugs, especially on the CNS, is still unrecognized due to lack of knowledge of the various physiological functions of this family of enzymes, especially in the CNS. Conclusion There is an urgent need to better under stand the function of 5a-reductases and the role of neuro active steroids in human physiology in order to minimize the potential adverse side effects of inhibitors targeting 5a-reductases to treat benign prostatic hyperplasia and androgenic alopecia. (Endocr Pract. 2012;18:965-975)
A packetized SPIHT algorithm with overcomplete wavelet coefficients for increased robustness

This paper presents a wavelet-based image encoding scheme with error resilience and error concealment suitable for transmission over networks prone to packet losses. The scheme involves partitioning the data into independent descriptions of roughly equal lengths, achieved by a combination of packetization and modifications to the wavelet tree structure without additional redundancy. With a weighted-averaging-based interpolation method, our proposed encoding scheme attains an improvement of about 0.5-1.5 dB in PSNR over other similar methods. We also investigate the use of overcomplete wavelet transform coefficients as side information for our encoding scheme to improve the error resilience when severe packet losses occur. Experiments show that we are able to achieve a high coding performance along with a good perceptual quality for the reconstructed image.
The Mayo Lung Project: a perspective.

BACKGROUND. The Mayo Lung Project (MLP) was a randomized, controlled, clinical trial designed to determine whether intensive radiologic and cytologic screening for lung carcinoma could reduce lung carcinoma mortality significantly. METHODS. Half the MLP population was encouraged (and reminded) to undergo free chest X-rays and free sputum cytology tests every 4 months for 6 years, whereas the other half of the population was advised to undergo the 2 tests yearly. RESULTS. Lung carcinoma incidence rate, resectability, and survivorship were greater in the intensively screened group compared with the control group, but there was no significant difference in the lung carcinoma mortality rate between the two groups. CONCLUSIONS. The intensive screening program cannot be recommended as a public health measure because it did not appear to result in decreased lung carcinoma mortality, even though it did yield an increased rate of incidence of apparently indolent tumors.
Can tau filaments be both physiologically beneficial and toxic

Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive disease of aging primarily characterized at the behavioral level by symptoms of memory loss. The pathological hallmarks of AD are extracellular plaques and intracellular neurofibrillary tangles that are composed of filamentous polymers of beta-amyloid (Abeta) and tau, respectively. Aggregates of filaments are not unique to AD--fibrous polymers are the pathological signatures of many diseases of aging such as Huntington's disease and Parkinson's disease. Whether Abeta or tau filaments cause AD is still an open question, as a wide variety of proteins and pathways have been implicated in the initiation and advancement of the disease--processes such as apoptosis, oxidative stress, and protein degradation. That polymers are the prevalent species observed in aging disorders suggests that this morphology of aggregation represents a significant physiological role. As a consequence of an independent insult or aging itself, the filament shifts from a physiological role to one with pathological implications. The relative importance of Abeta filaments versus tau filaments has also been a focus of significant debate within the research community. Although genetic evidence indicates that Abeta filaments are an integral component in AD, only tau pathology has been found to correlate with symptom presentation in patients. Not only do tau filaments greatly contribute to the systematic loss of neurons and the pathological presentation of memory loss, but they may represent a physiological process whose regulation may be controlled.
The Project Adventure RESPECT Program: implementing an experientially-based intervention as an agent for whole school social and academic change in the era of evidence-based practice

As experiential education attempts to achieve more prominent influence in school reform efforts, organisations often bring adventure into the classroom. This paper will use the Project Adventure RESPECT Program as a means to explore the challenge of implementing a system-wide experientially-based programme as an agent for whole school social and academic change. Developed to address the current requirements of evidence-based research in United States education, this programme provides valuable insights into the use of experiential methods in traditional school settings. Initial results and conclusions will be discussed from the first two years of this three-year research project.