cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Planning Optimal Library Spaces: Principles, Processes, and Practices

Substantial library renovations are typically a once in a career experience for library staff. Given the large expense, complexity, and time commitments, the task can be daunting. Board members, li...
Assessing the availability and quality of Spanish‐language genetic resources for patients on the internet

In recent years, people increasingly are accessing health information on the Internet. A significant percentage of the United States (US) population has limited English proficiency with Spanish being the most common other language spoken. There is limited research on the presence or quality of Spanish-language health information, particularly in genetics, on the Internet overall. Therefore, we aimed to assess the availability and quality of patient-specific education resources in Spanish available on US-based support group websites for a wide range of genetic conditions. We assessed 630 websites through the Disease InfoSearch website (www.diseaseinfosearch.org), created by Genetic Alliance, for the presence of Spanish genetic resources for patients with a new diagnosis of a genetic condition. Of these, 261 (41.4%) websites met study criteria for further evaluation. Of the 99 websites (37.9%) that had any Spanish content, 45 Spanish resources and a paired English resource from the same site met criteria for a quality assessment. Scoring was performed by two independent raters using Ensuring Quality Information for Patients (EQIP), a previously validated tool to assess the quality of written health information. The mean scores for Spanish and English resources were 57.3% and 58.4%, respectively, corresponding to a good quality score according to guidelines proposed by authors of EQIP. An independent two-sample t test showed no significant difference in the mean quality scores between Spanish and English resources (p-value = .506). Overall, we found limited availability of Spanish resources on the websites analyzed, but of those identified, there was no difference between the quality of Spanish resources and the paired English resources from the same site. These results highlight the need for genetics professionals to advocate for the creation of more Spanish patient resources. However, genetics professionals can have some reassurance that if a support group does produce a Spanish resource, it likely has comparable quality to its English equivalent.
Exocyst Genes Are Essential for Recycling Membrane Proteins and Maintaining Slit Diaphragm in Drosophila Nephrocytes.

Background Studies have linked mutations in genes encoding the eight-protein exocyst protein complex to kidney disease, but the underlying mechanism is unclear. Because Drosophila nephrocytes share molecular and structural features with mammalian podocytes, they provide an efficient model for studying this issue. Methods We silenced genes encoding exocyst complex proteins specifically in Drosophila nephrocytes and studied the effects on protein reabsorption by lacuna channels and filtration by the slit diaphragm. We performed nephrocyte functional assays, carried out super-resolution confocal microscopy of slit diaphragm proteins, and used transmission electron microscopy to analyze ultrastructural changes. We also examined the colocalization of slit diaphragm proteins with exocyst protein Sec15 and with endocytosis and recycling regulators Rab5, Rab7, and Rab11. Results Silencing exocyst genes in nephrocytes led to profound changes in structure and function. Abolition of cellular accumulation of hemolymph proteins with dramatically reduced lacuna channel membrane invaginations offered a strong indication of reabsorption defects. Moreover, the slit diaphragm's highly organized surface structure-essential for filtration-was disrupted, and key proteins were mislocalized. Ultrastructural analysis revealed that exocyst gene silencing led to the striking appearance of novel electron-dense structures that we named "exocyst rods," which likely represent accumulated membrane proteins following defective exocytosis or recycling. The slit diaphragm proteins partially colocalized with Sec15, Rab5, and Rab11. Conclusions Our findings suggest that the slit diaphragm of Drosophila nephrocytes requires balanced endocytosis and recycling to maintain its structural integrity and that impairment of the exocyst complex leads to disruption of the slit diaphragm and nephrocyte malfunction. This model may help identify therapeutic targets for treating kidney diseases featuring molecular defects in vesicle endocytosis, exocytosis, and recycling.
Microscopic Insights into the Reconstructive Phase Transition of KNaNbOF5with 19F NMR Spectroscopy

The centrosymmetric polymorph of KNaNbOF5 undergoes a reconstructive transition from a rare A-site vacancy ordered perovskite to a unique nonperovskite high-temperature phase. Previously, the high ...
COVID-19 cardiac injury: Implications for long-term surveillance and outcomes in survivors.

Up to 20%–30% of patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) have evidence of myocardial involvement. Acute cardiac injury in patients hospitalized with COVID-19 is associated with higher morbidity and mortality. There are no data on how acute treatment of COVID-19 may affect the convalescent phase or long-term cardiac recovery and function. Myocarditis from other viral pathogens can evolve into overt or subclinical myocardial dysfunction, and sudden death has been described in the convalescent phase of viral myocarditis. This raises concerns for patients recovering from COVID-19. Some patients will have subclinical and possibly overt cardiovascular abnormalities. Patients with ostensibly recovered cardiac function may still be at risk of cardiomyopathy and cardiac arrhythmias. Screening for residual cardiac involvement in the convalescent phase for patients recovered from COVID-19–associated cardiac injury is needed. The type of testing and therapies for post COVID-19 myocardial dysfunction will need to be determined. Therefore, now is the time to plan for appropriate registries and clinical trials to properly assess these issues and prepare for long-term sequelae of “post–COVID-19 cardiac syndrome.”
Dediazoniative functionalization of chromen-4-one and chromen-2-one diazonium-BF4 salts in BMIM-ILs. direct access to the F, I, OSO(CF3)NTf, and N(Tf)2 derivatives, and facile synthesis of chromenone azo-dyes by coupling to activated arenes

Abstract Chromenone-diazonium-BF4 salts were isolated as stable powders by diazotization of the 7-amino-derivatives with NaNO2/HBF4. The 7-Fluoro-derivatives were synthesized by fluorodediazoniation in [BMIM][PF6], while the 7-iodo-derivatives were obtained by iododediazoniation with TMSI/[BMIM][PF6]. Further iodination with NIS furnished the 2,7-di-iodo derivative. Dediazoniation in [BMIM][Tf2N] gave the corresponding chromenone-OSO(CF3) NTf compounds as major products, along with chromenone N(Tf)2 and the 7-fluoro-derivatives. Chromenone-diazonium salts undergo facile diazo-coupling with isomeric trimethoxybenzenes and dimethylaniline at r.t in aqueous EtOH or in [BMIM][PF6] to give azo-dyes.
6MNEP: a molecular cation with large hyperpolarizability and promise for nonlinear optical applications

Molecular organic crystals are strategically designed for nonlinear optical applications using push–pull chromophores as the core feature. In this approach, electron-donating and accepting groups are connected through a π-conjugated bridge to obtain planar molecules with high hyperpolarizability. However, the non-centrosymmetric packing that is required for nonlinear optical (NLO) applications is a critical challenge that must be addressed to design useful materials. In this article, we present the new organic cation 6MNEP that shows a large hyperpolarizability and can be crystallized in ideal non-centrosymmetric structures for NLO applications, when paired with T and 4NBS anions. The 6MNEP cation was obtained by extending the conjugation length of already existing chromophores. We compare the 6MNEP crystals with other crystals that also have cations with extended conjugation lengths, but result in centrosymmetric crystal structures. Using the effective hyperpolarizability, we found 6MNEP-T and 6MNEP-4NBS to have 1.6 to 2.5 times larger macroscopic nonlinearities than benchmark NLO organic crystals. Additionally, the significantly lower absorption wavelength compared with other state-of-the-art crystals make 6MNEP-T and 6MNEP-4NBS promising materials for NLO applications like intense terahertz generation.
Nonionic Surfactant Blends to Control the Size of Microgels and Their Catalytic Performance during Glycoside Hydrolyses

In a proof of concept study, a series of nonionic surfactant blends derived from Tween 80 and Span 80 were used to prepare catalytic microgels from stabilized droplets in miniemulsions. The goal of this study is to optimize the catalytic efficiency of microgels by decreasing their particle size with surfactants that are custom-made for the respective prepolymerization mixture. The effectiveness of the approach is examined by evaluating the catalytic efficiency of the resulting microgels in comparison to their counterparts made in the presence of ionic sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) solution. Spherical particles with hydrophilic–lipophilic balance (HLB) value dependent mean hydrodynamic diameters between 99 and 200 nm are obtained. Addition of Cu­(II) ions and selected other transition metal ions activated the dormant catalysts for cleavage of glycosidic bonds in 2-[4-(2-hydroxyethyl)­piperazin-1-yl]­ethanesulfonic acid (HEPES) buffer at pH 7.00 and 37 °C using a fluorescent model substrate. The highest proficiency for the catalytic hydrolysis was observed for Cu­(II)-containing microgels (kcat/KM × knon = 870 000) with the lowest diameter indicating an almost twofold better stabilization of the transition state compared to a microgel prepared in the presence of ionic SDS solution. The study establishes a correlation of the HLB value of the nonionic surfactant blend used during material synthesis to the particle size and catalytic performance of the resulting microgels.
Retrieving functional pathways of biomolecules from single-particle snapshots.

A primary reason for the intense interest in structural biology is the fact that knowledge of structure can elucidate macromolecular functions in living organisms. Sustained effort has resulted in an impressive arsenal of tools for determining the static structures. But under physiological conditions, macromolecules undergo continuous conformational changes, a subset of which are functionally important. Techniques for capturing the continuous conformational changes underlying function are essential for further progress. Here, we present chemically-detailed conformational movies of biological function, extracted data-analytically from experimental single-particle cryo-electron microscopy (cryo-EM) snapshots of ryanodine receptor type 1 (RyR1), a calcium-activated calcium channel engaged in the binding of ligands. The functional motions differ substantially from those inferred from static structures in the nature of conformationally active structural domains, the sequence and extent of conformational motions, and the way allosteric signals are transduced within and between domains. Our approach highlights the importance of combining experiment, advanced data analysis, and molecular simulations. There is a great interest in retrieving functional pathways from cryo-EM single-particle data. Here, the authors present an approach that combines cryo-EM with advanced data-analytical methods and molecular dynamics simulations to reveal the functional pathways traversed on experimentally derived energy landscapes using the ryanodine receptor type 1 as an example.
Automatic discovery and selection of most qualified electric vehicle charging station

Media reports show that electric vehicles (EVs) still outnumber public charging stations by more than six to one, which is consistent with the early stage of electric car deployment. Thus finding charging stations may be a daunting task for EV drivers. Though the issue can be dealt with by providing online directories, web-based charging station locators, global positioning system (GPS) assisted gears, however, these methods are not adequate, because they do not help EV drivers automatically discover and select the most qualified EV charging station. Thus it will be frustrating for a driver to reach a certain location, or multiple locations, and not find a service because of gird inadequacy, long waiting queue, neighbourhood safety, or the value he was looking for. This paper introduces a method and apparatus based on which the smart client installed in EV would automatically discover, shortlist, and select, or to recommend the EV driver, the most qualified EV charging station.
Development and Application of Artificial Intelligence Technology Based on Machine Learning Algorithm.

Disastrous weather is the most important factor causing power grid defects and then power equipment failure. This paper attempts to find out the relationship between disastrous meteorological factors and power grid defects. By improving the existing APRO π I algorithm, an association model suitable for the southern coastal power grid is obtained. The paper also discusses the problem of low support caused by the number of samples. At the end of the paper, the application of the model is explained by an example of a southern power grid.
Prospective relations between maternal emotional eating, feeding to soothe, and infant appetitive behaviors.

BACKGROUND Infant obesogenic appetitive behaviors are associated with greater infant weight and child obesity, yet little is known about maternal influences on infant appetitive behaviors. This study examines the relations between maternal eating behaviors, feeding to soothe, and infant appetitive behaviors in a longitudinal sample of United States mothers. METHODS Pregnant women were recruited in the first trimester (< 12 weeks) and followed through 1 year postpartum. Mothers reported their own eating behaviors (eating competence, restrained, emotional, and external eating) in pregnancy; feeding to soothe their infant at 2, 6, and 12 months postpartum; and their infants' appetitive behaviors (enjoyment of food, food responsiveness, slowness in eating, and satiety responsiveness) at 6 months. Three path models were estimated to examine the direct relations of maternal eating behaviors with infant appetitive behaviors, the indirect relations of maternal eating behaviors with infant appetitive behaviors through feeding to soothe, and the longitudinal relations between feeding to soothe and infant appetitive behaviors. RESULTS Maternal eating behaviors and infant appetitive behaviors were directly and indirectly related in all three models. Greater maternal eating competence was related to greater enjoyment of food but was not related to feeding to soothe. Greater maternal restrained and external eating were not directly related to infant appetitive behaviors but were indirectly related to greater infant responsiveness to food through more frequent feeding to soothe. Additionally, several longitudinal relations between feeding to soothe behaviors and infant appetitive behaviors were present. More frequent feeding to soothe at 2 months was related to greater responsiveness to food at 6 months, which was then related to more frequent feeding to soothe at 6 months. Furthermore, greater satiety responsiveness, faster eating speed, and greater responsiveness to food at 6 months were related to more frequent feeding to soothe at 12 months. CONCLUSIONS Maternal eating behaviors were related to infant appetitive behaviors directly and indirectly through feeding to soothe. Additionally, results suggest feeding to soothe and infant appetitive behaviors may be bidirectionally linked. These results underscore the need to examine how parental feeding behaviors are influenced both by parental eating behaviors and child appetitive behaviors throughout infancy. TRIAL REGISTRATION Clinicaltrials.gov. Registration ID - NCT02217462 . Date of registration - August 13, 2014.
The Role of the Basal Ganglia --Anterior Prefrontal Circuit as a Biological Instruction Interpreter

Intelligent and versatile behavior requires the capability of adapting to novel and unanticipated situations. When facing novel and unexpected tasks, a fast and general solution consists in creating new declarative task representations, and subsequently acting upon them. Although this mechanism seems straightforward in general terms, it poses significant difficulties to be implemented in a biological model, and the exact neural substrates of this process are still unknown. Based on the analysis of two different computational models, we hypothesized that the brain circuit for interpreting instructions would comprise the aPFC (holding dependencies among specialized cortical areas) and the basal ganglia (orchestrating the exchange of information among regions). To verify this hypothesis, we designed and ran an fMRI experiment where participants had to perform changing tasks that consisted of different combinations of atomic cognitive operations. Both models and experimental data suggest that the aPFC is critical in representing abstract knowledge that reflects planned cognitive operations. This is consistent with the late appearance of aPFC in the evolution of the human brain, and its role in enabling human intelligence and culture. On the other hand, results and simulations show that the effect of this cortical region is made possible by the contribution of the basal ganglia circuit, which works as a general-purpose interpreter of declarative knowledge.
Low‐Energy Electron Diffraction

Low-energy electron diffraction (LEED) is a powerful method for determining the geometric structure of solid surfaces. It is similar to x-ray diffraction (XRD) in the type of information that it provides, and XRD will be frequently referred to for analogy throughout this unit. The most obvious difference is that a beam of electrons, rather than x rays, is used. Since electrons have a mean free path (or attenuation length) measured in angstroms (A) as opposed to microns (μ) for x rays, LEED is particularly sensitive to surface geometry. LEED is a structural technique that can provide essentially two levels of information. In both cases, it is most commonly used to determine the structure of a solid surface when the bulk structure of the material is already known by other means (e.g., XRD). It is possible, and indeed straightforwardly simple, to use LEED to determine both the absolute dimensions of the surface unit cell and the unit cell symmetry. One can easily deduce that, for example, a surface has a two-dimensional (2D) unit cell twice as large as that of the bulk; this often allows a reasonable guess at the true structure. Sometimes it is sufficient to know that a particular phase is present without knowing the details of the structure. Determination of the exact atomic positions is more difficult, but quantitative experiments can elucidate this second level of information. Sophisticated calculations, generally run on a workstation, can provide atomic coordinates with a typical precision of ±0.05 A, which is generally more than adequate to determine the adsorption site of a molecule or the atomic positions in a reconstructed surface. Many different surfaces can be examined by LEED, and their terminology must be understood. LEED is a mature area of surface science and it is useful to consider the state of the art in this field. A great deal of work has been done on clean metal and semiconductor surfaces, and much of this is considered “done”; current work in this area consists mostly of refinements. Keywords: low-energy electron diffraction (LEED); complementary techniques; related techniques; principles; qualitative observations; quantitative measurements; practical aspects; method automation; data analysis; initial interpretation; sample preparation; specimen modification; problems; coherence length
Properties of the DNA-binding domain of the Saccharomyces cerevisiae STE12 protein.

Abstract The STE12 protein of the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae binds to the pheromone response element (PRE) present in the upstream region of genes whose transcription is induced by pheromone. Using DNase I footprinting assays with bacterially made STE12 fragments, we localized the DNA-binding domain to 164 amino acids near the amino terminus. Footprinting of oligonucleotide-derived sequences containing one PRE, or two PREs in head-to-tail or tail-to-tail orientation, showed that the N-terminal 215 amino acids of STE12 has similar binding affinity to either of the dimer sites and a binding affinity 5- to 10-fold lower for the monomer site. This binding cooperativity was also evident on a fragment from the MFA2 gene, which encodes the a-factor pheromone. On this fragment, the 215-amino-acid STE12 fragment protected both a consensus PRE as well as a degenerate PRE containing an additional residue. Mutation of the degenerate site led to a 5- to 10-fold decrease in binding; mutation of the consensus site led to a 25-fold decrease in binding. The ability of PREs to function as pheromone-inducible upstream activation sequences in yeast correlated with their ability to bind the STE12 domain in vitro. The sequence of the STE12 DNA-binding domain contains similarities to the homeodomain, although it is highly diverged from other known examples of this motif. Moreover, the alignment between STE12 and the homeodomain postulates loops after both the putative helix 1 and helix 2 of the STE12 sequence.
Abnormalities of granule cell dendritic structure are a prominent feature of the intrahippocampal kainic acid model of epilepsy despite reduced postinjury neurogenesis.

SUMMARY Purpose: Aberrant plastic changes among adult-generated hippocampal dentate granule cells are hypothesized to contribute to the development of temporal lobe epilepsy. Changes include formation of basal dendrites projecting into the dentate hilus. Innervation of these processes by granule cell mossy fiber axons leads to the creation of recurrent excitatory circuits within the dentate. The destabilizing effect of these recurrent circuits may contribute to hyperexcitability and seizures. Although basal dendrites have been identified in status epilepticus models of epilepsy associated with increased neurogenesis, we do not know whether similar changes are present in the intrahippocampal kainic acid model of epilepsy, which is associated with reduced neurogenesis. Methods: In the present study, we used Thy1-YFP‐ expressing transgenic mice to determine whether hippocampal dentate granule cells develop hilar-projecting basal dendrites in the intrahippocampal kainic acid model. Brain sections were examined 2 weeks after treatment. Tissue was also examined using ZnT-3 immunostaining for granule cell mossy fiber terminals to assess recurrent connectivity. Adult neurogenesis was assessed using the proliferative marker Ki-67 and the immature granule cell marker calretinin. Key Findings: Significant numbers of cells with basal dendrites were found in this model, but their structure was distinct from basal dendrites seen in other epilepsy models, often ending in complex tufts of short branches and spines. Even more unusual, asubset of cells with basal dendrites had an inverted appearance; they completely lacked apical dendrites. Spines on basal dendrites were found to be apposed to ZnT-3 immunoreactive puncta, suggestive of recurrent mossy fiber input. Finally, YFPexpressing abnormal granule cells did not colocalize Ki-67 or calretinin, indicating that these cells were more than a few weeks old, but were found almost exclusively in proximity to the neurogenic subgranular zone, where the youngest granule cells are located. Significance: Recent studies have demonstrated in other models of epilepsy that dentate pathology develops following the aberrant integration of immature, adult-generated granule cells. Given these findings, one might predict that the intrahippocampal kainic acid model of epilepsy, which is associated with a dramatic reduction in adult neurogenesis, would not exhibit these changes. Herein we demonstrate that hilar basal dendrites are a common feature of this model, with the abnormal cells likely resulting from the disruption of juvenile granule cell born in the weeks before the insult. These studies demonstrate that postinjury neurogenesis is not required for the
The role of [clinical] legal education in legal reform in the People’s Republic of China: chicken, egg – or fox?

China has a long and sophisticated “legal” history. This makes commenting upon it a daunting and humbling task, particularly for someone like me, who comes from a nation with only a fairly short and (relatively) straight-line story by comparison. Nonetheless, I shall begin by attempting both to describe the current situation in the People’s Republic of China and to place it in some historical context.
Octopod, a homeotic mutation of the moth Manduca sexta, influences the fate of identifiable pattern elements within the CNS

Octopod (Octo) is a mutation of the moth Manduca sexta, which results in the homeotic transformation of the ventral surface of the first (A1) and less often the second (A2) abdominal segments in the anterior direction. The extent of the transformation ranges from a slight deformation of the ventral cuticle, up to the formation of miniature thoracic legs on A1. The extent of the transformation is always less within A2 as compared to A1. A genetic analysis revealed that Octo is an autosomal mutation which shows incomplete dominance. The effect of this mutation on the central nervous system (CNS) was assessed by examining the distribution and fate of the postembryonic neuroblasts in the segmental ganglia of Octo larvae. In each of the thoracic ganglia of wild-type larvae, there is a set of 45–47 neuroblasts; a reduced but homologous array of 24 and 10 neuroblasts are found in A1 and A2, respectively. Ganglion A1 of Octo larvae had 1 to 6 supernumerary neuroblasts, and 20% of the A2 ganglia showed a single ectopic neuroblast. The supernumerary neuroblasts corresponded to identifiable neuroblasts normally found in more anterior ganglia. The Octo mutation also influenced the mitotic activity of stem cells normally present in A1. In this case, the neuroblasts generated a lineage of cells that were typical of a thoracic location rather than A1. These data demonstrate that homeotic mutations can influence the fate of identifiable pattern elements within the CNS of an insect.
Argentine Women Against Fascism: The Junta de la Victoria, 1941–1947

The Junta de la Victoria (Victory Board; 1941–1947) was an Argentine anti-fascist women's group that sent aid to the Allies. With its 45,000 members, the Junta became the largest women's political group before Juan Peron's presidency (1946–1955), when women obtained suffrage (1947). Unlike other women's anti-fascist groups in Europe and Latin America, the Junta concentrated on modeling and amplifying democratic practices in the face of an increasingly dictatorial government and Axis advances in World War II. Thus it was unique. To a certain degree, the Junta tried to implement a broader view of democracy that went beyond protecting individual rights, free elections, and the rule of law to include men and women of different classes, faiths, ethnicities, and regions in the polity. Aside from helping the Allies, it mobilised a spectrum of women and inserted them into the political arena, bridged differences among them, and fostered their engagement. It broadly disseminated its message in order to bring the m...
Preserving ancient artifacts for the next millennia.

When wood is kept dry, it can remain intact for millennia, as evidenced by numerous artifacts from ancient Egypt (1). However, when wood interacts with water, numerous problems arise that can cause the wood to become permanently damaged or destroyed completely. Wood exhibits swelling on moisture uptake and shrinkage on drying, and these cyclical moisture changes lead to internal stresses and can eventually form splits and checks within the wood. When there is an abundance of moisture in the wood, it is susceptible to microbial growth, fungal decay, corrosion of embedded metals, and chemical depolymerization from certain ions and free radicals. These moisture-induced damage mechanisms pose problems for conservation of wooden artifacts that were at one time waterlogged, notably recovered warships such as the Mary Rose. In PNAS, Walsh et al. (2) propose a way to protect historical artifacts from moisture-induced damage mechanisms by introducing chemicals that polymerize within the wood structure. The interpenetrating polymer network strengthens the artifact, while at the same time, functional groups on the polymers protect the wood from further breakdown by biodeterioration and chemically induced depolymerization.
Gender difference in carpal tunnel compliance

The purposes of this study were to investigate the mechanical properties of the carpal tunnel and to examine carpal tunnel compliance as it related to gender difference. Twelve male and twelve female subjects without any neuromusculoskeletal disorders in the upper extremities participated in the study. Indentation testing was manually performed on the wrist volar to the transverse carpal ligament. Effective compliance was defined as the slope of the regression analyses of indentation force and displacement data. In the tested indentation force range (2.45–19.60 N), the displacement of females was 1.38 ± 0.25 mm, significantly smaller than that of the males, 1.82 ± 0.30 mm (p < 0.001). Regression analyses in the force range showed that the effective compliance for females, 0.075 ± 0.012 mm/N, was 26.3% lower than that for males, 0.101 ± 0.018 mm/N (p < 0.005). It was concluded that females have less compliant carpal tunnel than males. The gender difference in carpal tunnel mechanics may predispose females to detrimental compression of the median nerve and carpal tunnel syndrome.
College chemistry and piaget: The relationship of aptitude and achievement measures

Cognitive performance on “An Inventory of Piaget's Developmental Tasks” (IPDT) was related to the Scholastic Aptitude Tests and performance in both college chemistry lecture and laboratory classes. The IPDT is a valid and reliable 72-item, untimed, multiple-choice paper-and-pencil inventory. It has 18 subtests grouped into five problem areas representing different Piagetian tasks. Subjects (n = 225) from two different levels of introductory chemistry courses participated. IPDT scores were significantly correlated with SAT and placement data. In overall Piagetian development, “A” students rated higher than others. Performance in classification and proportional reasoning problem areas correlated with course achievement, particularly for higher-level students. Weakest areas of development were indicated by subtest scores and are described with implications for course performance. Finally, Piagetian tasks were related to learning and instructional activities in introductory chemistry classes and are discussed.
Professional views of self-help groups

The authors report data from a survey of mental health professionals who are employed in community mental health centers, private hospital psychiatric units, and state hospitals. Respondents rated how helpful they perceived professionally-led, support, and self-help groups. Results suggest that professionals may hold certain attitudes that may interfere with collaboration with self-help organizations. Additional results indicate that the settings in which professionals work have more impact on their views of helping groups than their professional identity. Suggestions are made for professional education which is setting rather than professional identity based.
Malignant granular cell tumor: A case report and review of the recent literature

We report a case of an extremely rare neoplasm, malignant granular cell tumor (MGCT). The tumor occurred in the infratemporal fossa of a 30-year-old man, extended to the left orbital base, into the foramen ovale, and invaded the mandible. A granular cell tumor (GCT) was diagnosed by fine-needle aspiration and core needle biopsy of the mass. The patient underwent a radical subtotal debulking procedure followed by radiotherapy. He is alive with recurrent disease 12 months after presentation. Cytologically, the aspirated material was abundantly cellular showing large polygonal cells with ample granular eosinophilic cytoplasm, eccentric nuclei, and often prominent nucleoli. Histologically, the tumor consisted of solid sheets of similar cells that stained strongly with S-100 protein, neuron-specific enolase (NSE), and vimentin. There was moderate nuclear pleomorphism and broad zones of necrosis. Four mitotic figures per 100 high-power field (HPF) were counted. By electron microscopy, the cytoplasm of the tumor cells was filled with lysosomes. Although, some observers advocate that the diagnosis of a MGCT should be reserved for cases in which lymph node and/or distant organ metastasis is evident, we believe malignancy ought to be considered in any GCT with aggressive clinical course defined by persistent local recurrence and destruction of neighboring structures. Nuclear pleomorphism, necrosis, and presence of any mitotic activity should indicate malignancy.
Echocardiographic evaluation of normal and prolapsed tricuspid valve leaflets.

The tricuspid valve was examined by 2-dimensional (2-D) echocardiography in 14 patients with tricuspid valve prolapse (TVP) and in 16 normal subjects. Individual leaflets were identified anatomically and for frequency of prolapse. Maximal and minimal anular sizes were measured. Multiple tomograms of the tricuspid anulus were recorded at 30 ° intervals around the tricuspid anulus with the transducer placed at the right ventricular apex. Anuli were reconstructed from the 6 planes and corrected for body surface area. Three leaflets of the tricuspid valve could be anatomically identified in all patients. Prolapse of all 3 leaflets was observed in 6 patients, 2 leaflets in 5 and 1 in 3. Frequency of individual leaflet prolapse was 93% for the septal cusp, 86% for the anterior and 43% for the posterior. Maximal anular circumference and area in TVP were 7.9 ± 0.6 and 8.9 ± 1.3 cm2/m2, respectively—significantly larger than values in normal subjects (6.4 ± 0.5 cm/m2 and 6.1 ± 0.9 cm2/m2, respectively) (p < 0.001). Percent reductions in circumference and area in TVP were 14 ± 3 and 25 ± 5%, respectively—significantly smaller values than in normal subjects (19 ± 4 and 33 ± 4%, respectively). Tricuspid regurgitation (TR) was detected by contrast echocardiography in 7 of 14 patients with TVP. The severity of TR appeared to be minimal in 6 of the 7 patients, and was not associated with an increase in anular size. Thus, TVP is associated with anular dilatation irrespective of associated TR, probably as a primary pathologic characteristic.
The Impact of a Novel Curriculum on Secondary Biology Teachers’ Dispositions Toward Using Authentic Data and Media in Their Human Impact and Ecology Lessons

This study examines how the implementation of a novel curriculum, that emphasizes the use of published scientific data and media to learn about human impact and ecological function, influenced ninth-grade biology teacher (N-36) dispositions toward using data and media in their ecology and human impact lesson plans. It explores how integration of these elements shaped their lesson plans. Research questions addressed are 1. How do teachers' use of data and media change as a result of implementing this novel curriculum? 2. How do the integration of data and media influence teachers' lesson plans? Findings show that implementation positively affected teachers’ dispositions toward using authentic data and real-world media about scientific research to explain how people impact ecological function. Teachers also demonstrated increased appreciation and capacity for using data and media for learning how humans disrupt ecological function. Importantly, prior to implementation, 42 % of teachers specifically reported not using data when teaching human impact. Additionally, content analysis of teachers' lesson plan reports shows that focusing lesson plans around data and media can support teachers in making human impact lessons more specific and that a data- and media-centered curriculum can assist teachers in moving away from discussions of the generalized effect of people on the environment to specific real-world examples of how humans impact ecological function.
The relationship between early concentrations of 25 blood proteins and cerebral white matter injury in preterm newborns: the ELGAN study.

Objective To evaluate whether concentrations of inflammation-related proteins are elevated in the blood of preterm newborns who develop cerebral white matter damage. Study design We measured 25 proteins in blood collected on days 1, 7, and 14 from 939 infants born before the 28th week of gestation. Brain ultrasound scans were read by at least two sonologists, who agreed on the presence or absence of lesions. A protein concentration was considered elevated if it was in the highest quartile for gestational age and the day on which the specimen was collected. Results In time-oriented models, elevated concentrations of vascular endothelial growth factor receptor 1, serum amyloid A, and macrophage inflammatory protein 1β on day 1 and interleukin-8 on day 7 were associated with increased risk of ventriculomegaly. Elevated concentrations of macrophage inflammatory protein 1β on day 1 and intercellular adhesion molecule 1 on day 7 were associated with increased risk of an echolucent lesion. Infants with elevated concentrations of inflammation-related proteins on two separate days were at significantly increased risk for ventriculomegaly, but at only modestly increased risk for an echolucent lesion. Conclusions Concentrations of inflammation-related proteins in the circulation in the first days after preterm birth provide information about the risk of sonographic white matter damage. The inflammatory process might begin in utero.
Double-Layer Crystalline Silicon on Insulator Material Platform for Integrated Photonic Applications

We report a high optical-quality double-layer silicon (Si) material platform with a thin interface oxide using a low-temperature wafer bonding technique. To assess the quality of the platform, resonators with different radii are fabricated, and their quality factors (Q) are measured. Q's of 25 k and 350 k are demonstrated in 2- $\mu{\rm m}$ - and 20- $\mu{\rm m}$ -radius microring resonators, respectively. The former is the most compact high-Q resonator demonstrated in any type of double-layer Si platform, and the latter is the highest Q demonstrated in a double-layer Si platform to date. This material platform enables a new set of integrated optical devices for a wide range of applications, including high-speed modulators, tunable filters, and low-power switches.
Relational production systems

A relational production system (rps) is a general purpose, formal information processing model developed to support research in artificial intelligence and related areas where a conjunction of predicate calculus literals is a convenient state description language. Rps maintains a strong analogy with type O string grammars. It consists of a "situation", which is a conjunction of literals, and an unordered set of "relational productions", analogous to type O string productions. These productions cause the replacement of a subset of literals in the situation by other literals, just as type O string productions cause the replacement of substrings by other substrings. Predictably, this system resembles the more empirical, existing knowledge representation systems, particularly STRIPS, while maintaining a mathematical precision and simplicity which allows proof of useful results. Rps is first defined and exercised on some familiar examples. A relational production composition theorem is then formulated and proved. It is demonstrated that without a sponge-like component in the antecedent of a production, composition of two arbitrary productions is in general impossible.
S3: A Service-Oriented Reference Architecture

For most businesses, a service-oriented architecture offers considerable flexibility in aligning IT functions and business processes and goals. An SOA decouples reusable functions, for example, and lets an organization externalize quality-of-service (QoS) variations in declarative specifications such as WS-Policy and related standards. As a flexible, extensible architectural framework, SOA reduces cost, increases revenue, and enables rapid application delivery and integration across organizations and siloed applications. There's a challenging downside to SOA, however, in that it's significantly difficult to create an SOA solution. The architect must figure out how to produce a solution using a well-defined notation or how to organize the solution as an architectural framework with interconnected architectures and transformation capabilities. There is also the question of how to design for reusability and which tools will take the guesswork out of architecture validation and capacity planning
Resonant two-photon ionization mass spectrometry of jet-cooled phenolic acids and polyphenols.

A method for analyzing phenolic acids and polyphenols by means of resonant two-photon ionization (R2PI) mass spectrometry coupled with laser desorption and supersonic jet cooling is described. The R2PI spectra of gallic acid, 3-O-methylgallic acid, protocatechuic acid, syringic acid, vanillic acid, and trans-resveratrol are vibronically resolved and distinct to allow for unambiguous identification. For vanillic acid, its R2PI spectrum can be separated into contributions of two rotational isomers based on UV−UV and IR−UV double-resonance spectroscopy. Since R2PI spectra display sharp and well-resolved peaks, the laser wavelength can be tuned for selective ionization of targeted molecules. The mass spectrum recorded under jet-cooled conditions and at the resonant wavelength displays only the molecular ion peak with no fragmentation or background peaks. Picogram sensitivity and linear response over a nanogram range allows trace quantitative measurements of target molecules in complex matrixes. These techniqu...
Managing a text reference consortium: the My Info Quest experience

Purpose – This paper aims to describe management and operational considerations for collaborative text reference services.Design/methodology/approach – The authors conducted in‐depth interviews with members of the My Info Quest (MIQ) management team. The paper reports on the interviews in the context of MIQ's operations as the first US nationwide, collaborative text reference service.Findings – MIQ is a non‐hierarchal organization that relies on frequent communication, enthusiastic and dedicated member librarians, and a collective sense of commitment. Challenges and lessons from MIQ's operations are discussed in the following areas: policies and procedures, staffing, service software, training, marketing, communicating and problem solving, and overall project operation.Research limitations/implications – This paper examines collaborative text reference service only from the management perspective. Future research should investigate other aspects of collaboratively providing text reference service.Practica...
The use of pyridine-2-azo-p-dimethylaniline as an indicator in glacial acetic acid

Abstract Pyridine-2-azo- p -dimethylaniline is suggested as an indicator in the titration of amines (aniline, butylamine, p -phenylenediamine and ethylenediamine) with perchloric acid in glacialacetic acid medium. The precision obtainable is much better than that with crystal violet indicator. The pyridine dye can also be used satisfactorily in the titration of sodium carbonate and sodium acetate.
A facile synthesis of trimethylsilyl thioethers

Abstract Imidazole catalyzes the reaction of thiols with hexamethyldisilazane. This procedure affords a convenient method for the synthesis of trimethylsilyl thioethers. Some aspects of the mechanism of this reaction are discussed.
Quantitative evaluation of Barkhausen jumps according to the signals of magnetoacoustic emission

We propose an analytic model for the quantitative assessment of a volume jump of domain walls, caused by the Barkhausen effect, under the action of a magnetic field accompanied by magnetoelastic acoustic emission. Dependences for the evaluation of its amplitudes are constructed. Initial data for the calculation of displacements with the proposed model are obtained. It is shown that the method of magnetoelastic acoustic emission is sensitive to the reconstruction of the domain structure of ferromagnets.
Amphioxus AmphiDRAL encoding a LIM-domain protein: expression in the epidermis but not in the presumptive neuroectoderm

Abstract The sequence and developmental expression have been determined for amphioxus AmphiDRAL , which encodes a homolog of vertebrate DRAL (down-regulated in rhabdomyosarcoma LIM-protein). This is the first clear example of a DRAL homolog in an invertebrate. Detectable developmental expression begins at the gastrula stage in the epidermis, but not in the neuroectoderm; thus the early stages of AmphiDRAL expression indicate the neural/non-neural boundary. During subsequent embryonic stages, expression continues in the epidermis (but not in the developing central nervous system) until it fades during the later larval stages.
Surgical outcomes and complications associated with presurgical tyrosine kinase inhibition for advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC)

Abstract Background Tyrosine kinase inhibitors (TKI) have dramatically changed the management paradigm of advanced renal cell carcinoma (RCC) and are increasingly being used preoperatively to achieve cytoreduction. Objective To review our case series of post-TKI surgical procedures to add to the current perioperative efficacy and complication profile. Materials and methods Between October 2006 and February 2010, 14 cytoreductive nephrectomies, radical nephrectomies, and metastectomies were performed after neoadjuvant sunitinib or sorafenib for advanced RCC. During the same time frame, a control group of 73 consecutive patients underwent radical nephrectomy, cytoreductive nephrectomy, or metastectomy in the absence of prior systemic therapy. We compared the incidence of perioperative complications and outcomes after surgical procedures between the two cohorts. Results Median preoperative renal mass size was 11 cm (6.7–24.2 cm). Primary tumor shrinkage was seen in 57%; median shrinkage was 18% (8%–25%). The median treatment period was 17 weeks, and the median time from TKI discontinuation was 2 weeks. Compared with a control group and after adjusting for confounding covariates, presurgical TKI use was not associated with a significant increase in perioperative complications (50% vs. 40%, P = 0.25) or perioperative bleeding (36% vs. 34%, P = 0.97) but was associated with increased incidence and grade of intraoperative adhesions (86% vs. 58%, P = 0.001; grade 3 vs. 1, P = 0.002). Conclusions Compared with the published reports, we observed less hemorrhagic and wound healing issues but a significant increase in incidence and severity of intraoperative adhesions, which can present a formidable technical challenge. Potential reasons for our lower complication rate could be increased time from TKI discontinuation to surgery, longer time to postoperative TKI re-initiation, increased use of preoperative angioembolization, and the lack of preoperative bevacizumab administration. Presurgical TKI therapy can permit effective surgical cytoreduction with a safety and complication profile equivalent to that of non-TKI-nephrectomy; however safety data continue to evolve, and preoperative TKI use requires further prospective investigation.