cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A Computational Assessment of Target Engagement in the Treatment of Auditory Hallucinations with Transcranial Direct Current Stimulation.

We use auditory verbal hallucinations (AVH) to illustrate the challenges in defining and assessing target engagement in the context of transcranial direct current stimulation (tDCS) for psychiatric disorders. We defined the target network as the cluster of regions-of-interest (ROIs) that are consistently implicated in AVH based on the conjunction of multimodal meta-analytic neuroimaging data. These were prescribed in the New York Head (a population derived model) and head models of four single individuals. We appraised two potential measures of target engagement, tDCS-induced peak electric field strength and tDCS-modulated volume defined as the percentage of the volume of the AVH network exposed to electric field magnitude stronger than the postulated threshold for neuronal excitability. We examined a left unilateral (LUL) montage targeting the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and temporoparietal junction (TPJ), a bilateral (BL) prefrontal montage and a 2x1 montage targeting the left PFC and the TPJ bilaterally. Using computational modeling we estimated the peak electric field strength and modulated volume induced by each montage for current amplitudes ranging 1-4 mA. We found that the LUL montage was inferior to both other montages in terms of peak electric field strengths in right-sided AVH-ROIs. The BL montage was inferior to both other montages in terms of modulated volume of the left-sided AVH-ROIs. As the modulated volume is non-linear, its variability between montages reduced for current amplitudes above 3 mA. These findings illustrate how computationally-informed target engagement for tDCS can be tailored to specific networks and provide a principled approach for future study design.
Neuroimaging the Microbiome-Gut–Brain Axis

The brain is the most complex organ in the human body, interacting with every other major organ system to continuously maintain homeostasis. Thus it is not surprising that the brain also interacts with our microbiota, the trillions of bacteria and other organisms inhabiting the ecosystem of the human being. As we gather knowledge about the way that our microbiota interact with their local environments, there is also increasing interest in their communication with the brain.
Contributions of a Child Interview to Multimethod Assessment of Children with EBD and LD.

This study tested the predictive power of a child interview, combined with two standardized parent and teacher rating scales, for differentiating matched samples of children with emotional and beha...
The Sociology of Aging and the Life Course Comes of Age

As I thought about this chapter and the occasion it presented to reflect on my years as a sociologist and social gerontologist, two trends significant to my career repeatedly surfaced. The first is the growing legitimization of aging as a topic of investigation, and the second is the development of a research infrastructure supporting the study of aging. I make no claim that these two represent the most significant developments. I single them out only because of their personal importance and because of my belief that they represent critical indicators of how the field of aging has evolved over the past 4 decades. In what follows, I will place these trends in an autobiographical context.
Engineering linear, branched-chain triterpene metabolism in monocots.

Triterpenes are thirty-carbon compounds derived from the universal five-carbon prenyl precursors isopentenyl diphosphate (IPP) and dimethylallyl diphosphate (DMAPP). Normally, triterpenes are synthesized via the mevalonate (MVA) pathway operating in the cytoplasm of eukaryotes where DMAPP is condensed with two IPPs to yield farnesyl diphosphate (FPP), catalyzed by FPP synthase (FPS). Squalene synthase (SQS) condenses two molecules of FPP to generate the symmetrical product squalene, the first committed precursor to sterols and most other triterpenes. In the green algae Botryococcus braunii, two FPP molecules can also be condensed in an asymmetric manner yielding the more highly branched triterpene, botryococcene. Botryococcene is an attractive molecule because of its potential as a biofuel and petrochemical feedstock. Because B. braunii, the only native host for botryococcene biosynthesis, is difficult to grow, there have been efforts to move botryococcene biosynthesis into organisms more amenable to large-scale production. Here, we report the genetic engineering of the model monocot, Brachypodium distachyon, for botryococcene biosynthesis and accumulation. A subcellular targeting strategy was used, directing the enzymes (botryococcene synthase [BS] and FPS) to either the cytosol or the plastid. High titres of botryococcene (>1 mg/g FW in T0 mature plants) were obtained using the cytosolic-targeting strategy. Plastid-targeted BS + FPS lines accumulated botryococcene (albeit in lesser amounts than the cytosolic BS + FPS lines), but they showed a detrimental phenotype dependent on plastid-targeted FPS, and could not proliferate and survive to set seed under phototrophic conditions. These results highlight intriguing differences in isoprenoid metabolism between dicots and monocots.
Polymerase Chain Reaction-Based K-ras Mutation Detection of Pancreatic Adenocarcinoma in Routine Cytology Smears

The cytologic diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma is notoriously difficult, particularly in distinguishing benign atypia from well-differentiated adenocarcinoma. Mutation of codon 12 in the K-ras oncogene is frequently found with pancreatic cancers. Detection by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) followed by restriction endonuclease digestion can provide a powerful tool to improve and confirm diagnosis. The authors examined the utility of PCR-based detection in the diagnosis of pancreatic carcinoma using routinely obtained cytology smears that could be collected at most hospitals. Pancreatic cytology smears were collected retrospectively from 60 patients. DNA was extracted from the slides and amplified by PCR using mismatched primers that generated a Bst-N1 recognition site with the wild type codon 12 but not with the mutant allele. Results were compared with clinical follow-up. K-ras codon 12 mutations were observed in 44 of 46 (95.7%) cases of pancreatic cancer, but not in 12 benign cases nor in 2 cases of islet cell tumor. The amplification and digestion steps proved robust and sensitive, capable of detecting mutant K-ras alleles from cytology smears that contained only small foci of suspicious cells. Our results indicate that K-ras mutation analysis can be done reliably within 1 to 2 days from routine cytology slides without special handling, increasing the sensitivity of diagnosis in ambiguous cases while maintaining cost-effective and relatively noninvasive sampling strategy.
Oculus Coastal Glider : A New Shallow-water Oceanographic Glider

A new autonomous, underwater glider is presented that uses core technology from the University of Washington gliders and features a novel buoyancy engine for coastal profiling. This free-swimming, self-contained, 74 kg instrument is a companion to the 1000 m Seaglider and the 6000 m Deepglider, and was developed in partnership with NOAA's Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory. The Oculus Coastal Glider is specifically designed for shallow water operation $( < 200\mathrm {m})$ to meet NOAA observing requirements in the US Arctic by using a new buoyancy engine based on a hydraulic amplifier. The sensor suite on this initial deployment included conductivity-temperature-depth, photosynthetically active radiation, dissolved oxygen, chlorophyll a fluorescence, colored dissolved organic matter, and backscatter. The Oculus Coastal Glider also has a new modular architecture that allows easy expansion to carry larger and higher power sensors in dedicated hull sections. We present the results of laboratory testing of the buoyancy system, system field testing in a fresh water lake (50 m), Puget Sound (200 m), and an initial science mission in the Bering Sea (70 m).
Thermal analysis of projected molten salt compositions during FFTF and EBR-II used nuclear fuel processing

Abstract This work examines the change in liquidus temperature of the salt used in the Mk-IV electrorefiner at the Idaho National Laboratory during processing campaigns of sodium-bonded driver fuels from Experimental Breeder Reactor II and the Fast Flux Test Facility reactor. Modeling and Simulation Tool for Electrochemical Recycling Systems (MASTERS), an INL proprietary pyroprocessing flowsheet simulation tool, was used to simulate the processing campaigns and determine the resulting composition changes of the Mark-IV electrorefiner salt. Surrogate salt samples simulating the Mk-IV electrorefiner salt during the fuel processing campaigns were prepared, and the thermal properties were measured via differential scanning calorimetry. Results from this study indicate that after processing approximately 2,150 kg of uranium metal from used fuel, the liquidus temperature of the molten salt exceeds 520 °C, which is a significant increase from 352 °C (the melting temperature of eutectic LiCl KCl). It was also found that the liquidus temperature is strongly dependent on the amount of NaCl accumulating in the Mk-IV electrorefiner salt. Thus, the assessment of the liquidus temperature during the subsequent fuel processing campaigns can be simplified by considering the ternary LiCl KCl NaCl system only.
Targeted Defective Interfering HIV-1 Particles as Renewable Antivirals?

Defective viruses are viral mutants which are incapable of replication because they lack essential regions of the viral genome. They are ubiquitous and can be detected within all DNA and RNA virus families.1 The replication of the defective virus requires functions which are carried out by gene products encoded in the missing regions. These functions must be provided in trans by a helper virus, which is usually the virus from which the defective virus originated. Many defective viral genomes contain all essential cis-acting nucleotide sequences, such as the origin of replication and the packaging signal necessary for viral assembly.2 With defective proviruses, some of these cis elements may also be deleted and replaced by host sequences. In such cases, the defective virus cannot be transmitted by virus particle formation. Initial observations with acute transforming retroviruses led to the discoveries of oncogenes and the roles of defective proviruses and their regulatory sequences in neoplastic transformation.3 Most defective proviruses, however, do not give rise to a recognizable cellular phenotype. Replication of these defective proviruses only occurs by cell division which the provirus itself can promote in some cases.
SAGES Advanced GI/MIS fellowship redesign: pilot results and adoption of new standards.

SAGES is responsible for defining educational content for Advanced GI/MIS fellowships administered through the fellowship council (FC). In Fall 2016, to better define core content contained in these fellowships, SAGES proposed new case log criteria including minimum volumes within six defined categories. To test feasibility of these criteria, SAGES conducted a pilot study during the 2017–2018 academic year. Advanced GI/MIS fellowship programs directors (PD’s) who also held leadership roles in SAGES were invited to participate in the pilot. Fourteen programs including 17 fellows volunteered. To assess generalizability, 2016–2017 case log data for the volunteered pilot programs were compared to all other advanced GI/MIS programs (n = 92). To assess feasibility of the new criteria, pilot programs’ 2017–2018 case logs were compared to 3 years of historical fellows’ case logs (n = 326). Fisher’s exact test was used for comparisons with p < 0.05 considered significant. Complete data were available for 16 pilot fellows (median 251.5 advanced MIS cases and 62.5 endoscopies per fellow). According to 2016–2017 data, pilot programs were not statistically different from non-pilot programs regarding achievement of any defined category minimum. Compared to historical controls, the 2017–2018 pilot fellows were significantly more likely to meet the defined category minimum for foregut cases and demonstrated a non-significant trend toward higher achievement of minimums for bariatrics, inguinal hernia, ventral hernia, and endoscopy. Pilot fellows were significantly less likely to meet the minimum for HPB/solid organ/colorectal/thoracic cases. Based on these data, SAGES eliminated the HPB/solid organ/colon/thoracic category and, in partnership with the FC, approved staged implementation of the remaining criteria over 3 years. The pilot study provided feasibility and generalizability evidence that allowed inclusion of appropriate defined categories for establishment of the new Advance GI/MIS fellowship criteria. We anticipate that the revised criteria will enhance the educational benefit of these fellowships.
Perception of Value and the Minimally Conscious State

The “disability paradox” is the idea that for those who become severely disabled, their own quality of life (QoL) assessment remains at or slightly below the QoL assessments of normal controls. This is a source of skepticism regarding third-person QoL judgments of the disabled. I argue here that this skepticism applies as well to those who are in the minimally conscious state (MCS). For rather simple means of sustaining an MCS patient’s life (for example, tube feeding), the cost of being wrong that the patient would not want further support is high. Pair this cost with the reason to be skeptical of third-person judgments, and my argument suggests not withholding food and water from MCS patients.
Autonomous Color Based Object Tracking of a Hexapod with Efficient Intuitive Characteristics

This paper proposes an autonomous color-based object tracking hexapod with efficient movement characteristics by intuitively coordinating its neck and six legs. The custom neck enables the hexapod to track faster without having to move much which conserves energy and increases efficiency. The hexapod performs without any additional sensors but a camera which is the only way to gain information about its surrounding environment. The process starts with the camera acquiring visual data to track a user specified object. Then the local coordinates of the object are determined by an uninterrupted color-based object detection technique. After that, a control method is implemented and applied to all servo motors so that the neck and legs of hexapod act in synchronization to continuously maintain the object in the center of its field of view. Finally, the experimental results are presented to show the effectiveness of the proposed tracking method and control scheme.
Excitatory Amino Acid Receptors

The potent neuroexcitatory effects of acidic amino acids were first described over 25 years ago (Hayashi, 1954). In the interim, through the sustained efforts of several neurophysiologic laboratories, evidence has accrued that glutamic acid and possibly aspartic acid may serve as excitatory neurotransmitters in the mammalian central nervous system (Curtis et al., 1972; Curtis and Johnston, 1974; Krnjevic, 1974; McLennan, 1975). Prompted by these neurophysiologic observations, neurochemists over the last several years have attempted to identify neuronal pathways in the mammalian CNS that may utilize the acidic amino acids as their neurotransmitters; and neuropharmacologists have begun to explore interactions between drugs and the excitatory amino acids. An overview of this research suggests that the excitatory amino acids may play a fundamental role in brain function that is only beginning to gain wide appreciation. Thus, circumstantial evidence has implicated L-glutamic acid as the neurotransmitter for cortical pyramidal cells (Divak et al., 1977; Lund-Karlsen and Fonnum, 1978), cerebellar granule cells (Young et al., 1974) and primary sensory afferents (Johnson, 1972), in the mechanisms of action of sedatives and anticonvulsants (Richards and Smaje, 1976; MacDonald and Barker, 1979), and in the pathophysiology of certain neurodegenerative disorders (Perry et al., 1977; Coyle, 1979).
Understanding Calibration and Error Propagation in Longitudinal and Lateral Manganin Gauge Shock Experiments

Soda-lime glass remains elastic under shock pressures up to approximately 6.5 GPa. In this paper, soda lime glass shock experiments are used to understand the calibration and error propagation in longitudinal and lateral manganin gauge experiments. The errors in the calibration process for both longitudinal and lateral manganin gauge experiments are identified and discussed. Five soda-lime glass experiments up to 3 GPa are analyzed using this refined technique. The results show good agreement between the experimental data and the published calibration by Rosenberg and Moshel. Errors are propagated from the experimental data measurements and the assumptions that are made in the calibration, where the bulk of the error seems to come from uncertainty in the dynamic yield strength of manganin. The method presented in this paper allows for analysis of dynamic shock experiments with longitudinal and lateral manganin gauges including error propagation.
The New NDP: Moderation, Modernization, and Political Marketing: by David McGrane, Vancouver, UBC Press, 2019, 390 pp., CAN $39.95 (paper), ISBN: 978-0-7748-6045-1

After a dearth of material regarding the New Democratic Party (NDP) and its predecessor, the Cooperative Commonwealth Federation, from the early 1980s to the mid-2010s, it is nice that scholarly re...
After identity: migration, critique, Italian American culture: After identity: migration, critique, Italian American culture, by Peter Carravetta, New York, Bordighera Press, 2017, 278 pages, $19.09 (soft cover), ISBN: 978159954072

Peter Carravetta’s After Identity: Migration, Critique, Italian American Culture is a welcome addition to the field of Italian American studies. The author’s goal is to re-theorize Italian American...
Graphic Medicine: Comics as a Patient Education Resource

Graphic medicine is a field of literature that integrates the use of comics into medical education and the delivery of healthcare. By emphasizing the role of art, relatability, and empathy in patie...
The Use of Intraoperative Digital Radiography Alignment Software to Assess Implant Placement in Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Purpose of review Total hip arthroplasty (THA) is a highly successful surgery with growing rates of utilization in the USA, but surgical outliers leading to postoperative complications remain a concern. There is need for a standard system of accurate, predictable intraoperative evaluation to decrease component positioning outliers. Many current intraoperative imaging systems have shown promise, but there are drawbacks that have led to slow adoption. Digital radiography, in conjunction with Radlink™ technology, is a potential solution to this problem. This review summarizes the clinical application and scientific literature regarding the use of Radlink™ in THA. Recent findings Traditional surgeon-directed component placement can result in surgical outliers. This is especially true not only among low-volume arthroplasty surgeons, but can also occur with experienced, high-volume surgeons. Digital radiography allows for more precise and accurate placement of the acetabular cup in a targeted range in an effort to improve THA outcomes. Intraoperative images are obtained quickly, and they are accurate when compared to postoperative images. Additionally, the use of Radlink™ results in a significant decrease in leg length and femoral offset outliers. The adoption of Radlink™ technology in THA can significantly decrease surgical outliers, especially errors in acetabular cup placement, leg length, and femoral offset. Digital radiography avoids many of the previous aversions to intraoperative imaging as it produces a fast, reliable image with little radiation exposure and minimal interruption to workflow. There is the potential for Radlink™ use to provide superior patient outcomes, as a decrease in surgical outliers can minimize implant malpositioning with resultant need for revision THAs. Radlink™ may also provide benefit in analyzing other parameters, such as component sizing.
A pragmatist philosophy of democracy

1. Pragmatism's Ambiguous Legacy 2. Can Democracy be a Way of Life? 3. Peirce, Inquiry, and Politics 4. Pluralism and the Peircean View 5. Posner's Pragmatic Realism 6. The Case of Sidney Hook 7. Epilogue: The Eclipse Narrative Revisited
On the Economics and Scope of Implicit Pension Debt: An International Perspective

This paper examines the concept and scope of unfunded public pension liabilities, or implicit pension debt (IPD), from an international perspective. First, the paper discusses the importance and public finance background of IPD. Second, it presents and compares different methods for estimating IPD. Third, it provides international estimates of IPD based on accrued-to-date or termination liability methods with consistent assumptions across all countries using the World Bank's ``Pension Reform Options Simulation Toolkit'' (PROST) computer model. The policy conclusions stress the need for standardized international reporting of this indicator.
Abstract 11657: Frequency and Severity of Hypoglycemia in Children With Beta Blocker-Treated Long QT Syndrome

Background: Beta-blockers are the treatment of choice for most children with long QT syndrome (LQTS). Hypoglycemia is a known adverse effect of beta-blocker therapy, however, only a few such cases have been reported in the literature in pediatric patients. Here, we determined the frequency and severity of hypoglycemia among children with beta-blocker treated LQTS. Methods: A retrospective electronic medical record review identified 323 children with clinically/genetically diagnosed LQTS on beta-blocker therapy (157 males, average age at diagnosis 8 ± 5 years old, average QTc 470 ± 53 ms, LQT1 in 157, LQT2 in 105, and LQT3 in 13) who were evaluated in Mayo Clinic’s LQTS Clinic from 2000 - 2014. Results: Overall, 10 children (3.1%; 7 males, average QTc 486 ± 35 ms) developed 12 episodes of hypoglycemia (mean initial glucose 19 ± 7 mg/dL) with beta-blocker associated hypoglycemic episodes in 6/105 LQT2 patients (5.7%) and 3/157 LQT1 patients (1.9%, p = 0.16). The mean age at hypoglycemia was 3.5 ± 2 years (r...
Liver transplantation for hepatitis B liver disease and concomitant hepatocellular carcinoma in the United States with hepatitis B immunoglobulin and nucleoside/nucleotide analogues

Reinfection with hepatitis B virus (HBV) after liver transplantation (LT) may favor the recurrence of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), and combination therapy with hepatitis B immunoglobulin (HBIG) and nucleoside/nucleotide analogues may reduce HBV recurrence after LT. To test associations between HBV, HCC, and survival, we performed a retrospective chart review of patients undergoing LT for HBV between January 1985 and December 2010 at 7 US transplant centers. After we divided the patients into 3 eras based on evolving strategies in antiviral therapy (1985-1994, 1995-2004, and 2005-2010), we reviewed 16 variables to determine whether there were associations between survival and HCC recurrence. Seven hundred thirty-eight patients underwent transplantation for HBV, and 354 (48.0%) had concomitant HCC, which recurred in 58 patients (16.4%). Three-year survival was much better in era 3 versus era 1 (87% versus 40%, P = 0.001), and the incidence of HCC recurrence was lower (12% versus 29%, P = 0.009). The lungs were the most frequent first site of HCC recurrence, and they were followed by the liver. A multivariate analysis showed that HBV reinfection, HCC recurrence, and HBIG use were associated with worse survival (P < 0.001, P < 0.001, and P = 0.002, respectively); HCC recurrence and stage 3 HCC, among other factors, were associated with HBV reinfection (P < 0.001 and P = 0.004); and stage 3 HCC, vascular invasion of the explanted tumor, and post-LT chemotherapy were associated with HCC recurrence (P = 0.008, P < 0.001, and P < 0.001, respectively). Patients with HBV reinfection were 3.6 times more likely than patients without HBV to have HCC recurrence. These data suggest further study of attempts at LT for patients with HBV and HCC beyond the Milan criteria if their HBV is aggressively and successfully treated. Liver Transpl 19:1020-1029, 2013. © 2013 AASLD.
Ethanol in the media agenda: The life cycle of an issue in different geographic areas

The rise of ethanol as a fuel alternative has come with much controversy over its true benefits. Much of this debate has been played out in the media. This study aims to determine patterns in media coverage of ethanol through a content analysis of reports published from 1999 to 2008 in three newspapers whose respective service areas exhibit different dispositions about the topic—the Des Moines Register, the Houston Chronicle and the Fresno Bee. The study also aimed to expand on the attributes of coverage within each identified phase of the coverage cycle The study found only one cycle of pre-hoopla, hoopla, and post-hoopla stages in the sample of 383 articles. The three papers had very similar patterns of coverage, although the Chronicle had not entered the post-hoopla stage at the end of the study timeframe. Differences were found among the newspapers in sources cited. During the pre-hoopla period, the most-quoted sources were politicians. Ethanol industry workers were heavily quoted throughout the hoopla periods. The majority of the articles in the Register and the Bee had at least one local source, while more than half of the Chronicle’s stories did not have local sources. Contrary to previous studies, the initial sources in this study were political figures, government officials and ethanol industry workers rather than scientists. The predominance of political, industry, environmental and economic frames in all papers suggests that the ethanol issue was portrayed less as a scientific issue. Only the Register exhibited a consistent positive tone throughout the coverage phases.
Crash Resilient Communication in Dynamic Networks (Preliminary Version)

An end-to-end data delivery protocol for dynamic communication networks is presented. The protocol uses bounded sequence numbers and can tolerate both link failures and processor crashes. Previous bounded end-to-end protocols could not tolerate crashes. A reliable data link layer is not assumed; instead the protocol is designed to work on top of the “bare” network, consisting of nodes connected by FIFO non-duplicating links that can lose messages. Our protocol retransmits messages and uses multiple paths, and thus causes messages to be duplicated and reordered. Yet the data items are delivered without omission or duplication and in FIFO fashion.
SOUTHEAST ASIA: HISTORY, MODERNITY, AND RELIGIOUS CHANGE

Southeast Asia or Southeastern Asia, with more than six hundred million populations, is home to millions of Buddhists, Muslims, Confucians, Protestants, Catholics, and now Pentecostals, as well as many followers of local religions and spiritual beliefs. Notwithstanding its great historical, political, cultural legacies, however, the region has long been neglected as a site for religious studies in the Western academia. Aiming at filling the gap in Asian and religious studies as well as exploring the richness of Southeast Asian cultures, this article discusses the dynamics, diversity, and complexity of Southeast Asian societies in their response to the region’s richly political, cultural, and religious traditions spanning from pre-modern era to modern one. The article also examines the “integrative revolutions” that shaped and reshaped warfare, state organization and economics of Southeast Asia, particularly in the pre-European colonial era. In addition, the work discusses the wave of Islamization, particularly since the nineteenth century, as well as the upsurge of religious resurgence that shift the nature of religiosity and the formation of religious groupings in the area. The advent of Islam, with some interventions of political regimes, had been an important cause for the decline of Hindu-Buddhist traditions in some areas of Southeast Asia, especially Indonesia, the coming of Pentecostalism has challenged the well-established mainstream Protestantism and Catholicism, especially in Indonesia and the Philippines. Keywords: history, modernity, religious change, Southeast Asia
Fundamental Cryobiology of Mammalian Spermatozoa

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the fundamental cryobiology of mammalian spermatozoa. The low motility of cryopreserved mammalian spermatozoa and the often lower conception rates may be due to the fact that procedures for cryopreservation of many mammalian cell types, including sperm, have evolved empirically. The primary assay of sperm function is the use of insemination and measurement of pregnancy initiation. The approaches to measuring sperm plasma membrane integrity include supervital staining and hyposmotic swelling. The other general approach to evaluating plasma membrane integrity is to assay the maintenance of membrane semipermeability by testing the cell's ability to change its volume when exposed to anisomotic conditions. Survival of cells subjected to cryopreservation depends not only on the presence of a permeating cryoprotective agent (CPA) but also on the concentration of the CPA. Viability of mammalian sperm is very sensitive to osmotic stress and the associated cell volume excursion. The optimization of CPA addition and removal procedures is also elaborated.
Real-time Earthquake Damage Mitigation Measures

Some reflections on real-time earthquake information and early warning methods application to risk mitigation are discussed. A list of application and the recent obtained results are discussed. The main seismological problems related to the implementation of the method are outlined.
An Eassay about Research on Sparse NP Complete Sets

The purpose of this paper is to review the origins and motivation for the conjecture that sparse NP complete sets do not exist (unless P = NP) and to describe the development of the ideas and techniques which led to the recent solution of this conjecture.
Prostate-specific Expression of the Diphtheria Toxin A Chain (DT-A): Studies of Inducibility and Specificity of Expression of Prostate-specific Antigen Promoter-driven DT-A Adenoviral-mediated Gene Transfer

Diphtheria toxin (DT) is a potent inhibitor of protein synthesis. As little asa single molecule of DT can result in cell-cycle independent cell death. This profound potency has led to difficulties in the development of DT as a suicide gene in cancer gene therapy, because toxicity appears to be related primarily to the fidelity of basal gene expression and the yield of viral titer. We evaluated the feasibility of prostate-specific DT gene therapy by cloning the catalytic domain (A chain) of DT under the control of the prostate-specific antigen (PSA) promoter, the PSA promoter and enhancer, or the cytomegalovirus promoter. The data on expression of DT from the plasmid constructs demonstrate that the basal level of DT gene expression determines the toxicity. To better test the potential therapeutic efficacy of DT suicide gene therapy, we first developed a DT-resistant adenoviral packaging line (293DTR). This allowed us to manufacture a relatively high titer adenoviral vector encoding the DT-A gene under the control of the PSA promoter and enhancer (Ad5PSE-DT-A) as well as an attenuated DT-A virus (Ad5PSE-tox176). In vitro studies showed that our viral constructs preferentially kill PSA-positive prostate cancer cells in the presence of exogenous androgen (R1881). In vivo studies showed that the nu/nu mice with PSA-positive cancer cell LNCaP xenograft treated with wild-type DT-A virus had a rapid regression of tumors and survived over a year without tumor progression, whereas the attenuated DT-A virus restricted tumor growth for only 1 month. The same constructs had no significant effect on the non-PSA-secreting cell line DU-145. These encouraging results suggest that DT-A viral gene transfer may ultimately have a therapeutic role in the treatment of advanced human prostate cancer.
The interactive effects of chytrid fungus, pesticides, and exposure timing on gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) larvae

Aquatic organisms are often exposed to a wide variety of perturbations in nature, including pathogens and chemical contaminants. Despite the co-occurrence of these 2 stressors, few studies have examined the effects of chemical contaminants on host-pathogen dynamics. The authors tested the individual and combined effects on gray treefrog (Hyla versicolor) tadpoles of 2 commonly used pesticides (Roundup® and Sevin®) and the pathogenic fungus Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd). A fully factorial design was used, and tadpoles were exposed to Bd, Roundup, or Sevin alone, or a combination of Bd and either pesticide at 3 points during larval development (early, mid, late). It was predicted that pesticides would mediate the effect of Bd on tadpoles and reduce the likelihood of negative consequences of infection and that timing of exposure would influence these effects. Tadpoles exposed to Bd at the mid point experienced higher survival through metamorphosis than those exposed to Bd at the early or late points, while tadpoles exposed to Sevin at the early point experienced reduced survival compared with those exposed to Roundup or no-pesticide control at the same exposure point. Roundup ameliorated the effects of Bd on survival compared with tadpoles exposed to Bd alone, while there was no interactive effect of Sevin on survival. In addition, Sevin reduced mass of new metamorphs compared with Roundup and reduced snout-vent length compared with all other treatments. The present study supports the hypothesis that pesticides can mitigate the effects of Bd on amphibian hosts and that such effects may depend on the timing of exposure.
Nationalism and the Power of Business: The Manufacturers' Association of Israel

One of the few areas of consensus in the research on Israeli politics is that of the political weakness of the Israeli business sector during the first two decades of statehood. The author claims that this consensus does not, however, justify the avoidance by scholars of the Israeli polity of conducting a systematic research into the factors that shaped the weakness of such an important sector, and therefore aims to suggest an explanation of the power of the Israeli businesses through an examination of the role and the behaviour of one of the leading interest groups in Israeli society—The Manufacturers' Association of Israel (MAI). The passive role played by the MAI in shaping the industrial-development policy during the period 1956–65 is analysed through: (a) analysis of the organisational resources of the MAI; and (b) examination of the MAI's role in two cases of public-policy making, namely the Textile Industry Development Plan and the Trade Liberalisation Program. The current political science literat...
A BUS vehicular network integrated with traffic infrastructure

With the development of wireless communications, Vehicular Ad Hoc Network (VANET) has received considerable attention on information sharing and data delivery services. In order to collect and control traffic conditions, Intelligent Transportations Systems (ITS) has deployed a number of Road Side Units (RSUs) along the roads to collect and deliver traffic information to the Traffic Control Center (TCC) for analyzing traffic data. Although some VANET models have been proposed based on the predictable routes and schedules of buses, none of them considered taking advantage of such traffic infrastructure which already been supplied by ITS and combine them with scheduled buses. In this paper, we propose a two-tier BUS-VANET that is fully integrated with RSUs and TCC as traffic infrastructures. In this new architecture, the communications of vehicles, not only benefit from the existence of buses, but also consider the effects of using RSUs and TCC. RSUs are used to ensure service coverage while TCC is helpful for locating the destination vehicle quickly. We also investigate how much benefits can be obtained by taking advantage of traffic infrastructure.
The Power of Ignorance and The Roaring Girl

AbstractThis essay explores the ways in which power employs ignorance in the construction of manageable subjects. Framing The Roaring Girl in epistemological terms, I suggest that Moll exceeds cultural categories of knowledge and makes visible what had previously and necessarily been ignored. She reveals that categories of social identity are produced as much by enforced ignorance as by regimented knowledge. Her transgressions of propriety and cultural expectations reveal that the cultural deployment of power‐knowledge is arbitrary and unstable, based on negative control and exclusion as much as on codified traditions of knowledge. By forcing the objects of power‐ignorance into the field of perception, she occupies contradictory positions. On the one hand, she offers the potential of a transgressive performance that punctures hegemonic power, demonstrating the possibility to fashion new selves against the dominant and oppressive norm when existing in the moment and space of rupture. On the other hand, she...
Tissue-Selective Estrogen Complex Bazedoxifene and Conjugated Estrogens for the Treatment of Menopausal Vasomotor Symptoms

Menopause occurs on average at age 51.4 years. Most, but not all, women who undergo menopause experience significant vasomotor symptoms (VMS). Although single agent estrogen therapy can relieve VMS, over time estrogen can stimulate the endometrial lining leading to an increased risk for endometrial hyperplasia and adenocarcinoma. Although a progestin has traditionally been given in combination with estrogen to ‘protect’ the endometrium, a new and innovative approach to this traditional combination hormone therapy is to substitute the progestin with an alternative agent. One such alternative agent is bazedoxifene, an estrogen agonist-antagonist. Based on data from randomized trials, when bazedoxifene is given in combination with oral conjugated estrogens to post-menopausal women, the risk of estrogen-associated endometrial stimulation is significantly reduced. The combination of bazedoxifene and conjugated estrogens has also been shown to relieve menopause-associated VMS and vaginal atrophy, and has been shown to be safe for short-term use. Long-term studies of this combination are needed to determine if the combination of conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene can be used for >3 years without increasing the risk of breast cancer, stroke, cognitive deficit, pulmonary embolism or coronary heart disease. Short-term data regarding this combination has been submitted to the FDA and is currently under review for clinical use, with the relief of VMS as its primary indication. Data regarding the effects of combination conjugated estrogens/bazedoxifene therapy on bone are promising in terms of the prevention and treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis.
The dissolution and repassivation kinetics of Fe-Cr alloys in pit solutions

Abstract A study of the dissolution and repassivation of Fe-11.6 at%Cr, Fe-17.4 at%Cr and Fe-24.3 at%Cr alloys in a pencil type artificial pit simulating one-dimensional diffusion has been carried out in chloride-containing bulk solution. The attainment of saturation of dissolution products within the pit was characterized by the formation of a salt layer on the alloy surface. A transport model has been used to calculate the decrease in concentration at the metal interface for currents below that required to maintain the salt layer. The concentration at the metal surface was calculated from the balance of electrochemical dissolution and diffusion in the localized environment. It was found that the dissolution rate of the alloy showed a maximum at a particular concentration and that the rate increased with increasing chromium concentration in the alloy. Passivation took place when the concentration dropped below a critical concentration. The concentration at which the repassivation took place and hence, the tendency for repassivation was found to increase with increasing chromium content in the alloy. It was also found that the dissolution kinetics were affected by a film that was present on the metal surface after the salt layer had dissolved. It could be slowly removed or undermined by maintaining high anodic currents in the absence of a salt layer.
Elementary Student Talent Searches: Establishing Appropriate Guidelines for Qualifying Test Scores.

Traditionally, talent searches administer college entrance examinations to seventh and eighth graders who score in the top 3-5% on in-grade achievement tests. Research dating back to the 1970s indi...
A three-terminal spatial light modulator optically addressed by an a-Si:H photosensor

Abstract We have developed a new, three-terminal optically addressed spatial light modulator (OASLM) which utilizes a hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H) p-i-n photodiode as the photosensor and a ferroelectric liquid crystal (FLC) as the modulator. A patterned metal layer deposited between the a-Si:H and FLC forms the third terminal. This structure allows for dc operation and has the potential for a variable threshold response to an optical input signal.
PEROXISOMES AND STEROL CARRIER PROTEIN-2 IN LUTEAL CELL STEROIDOGENESIS : A POSSIBLE ROLE IN CHOLESTEROL TRANSPORT FROM LIPID DROPLETS TO MITOCHONDRIA

In the present investigation, we have studied peroxisomes and sterol carrier protein-2 (SCP2) in control and luteinizing hormone stimulated rat luteal cells. Superovulated immature rats in mid-luteal phase (8 days after ovulation) were divided into two groups (n = 4/group) and treated with vehicle (0.2 ml saline), or luteinizing hormone (LH, 20 micrograms/rat). In this animal model, LH acutely stimulates steroidogenesis. Thirty minutes later, corpora lutea were fixed by whole body perfusion and processed for (1) electron microscopic immunocytochemistry to localize SCP2 via the protein A gold immunolabeling technique, and for (2) electron microscopic histochemistry to stain peroxisomal catalase via the alkaline 3,3'-diaminobenzidine tetrahydrochloride method. In the steroidogenic, mid-phase luteal cells of vehicle treated rats (controls), SCP2 was highly concentrated in peroxisomes and sparsely scattered on mitochondria, but no labeling was observed in lipid droplets. In the luteal cells of rats acutely stimulated with LH, peroxisomes immunolabeled for SCP2 were observed within the luteal cell lipid droplets and mitochondria, and in union with lipid droplets and mitochondria. Moreover, in contrast to control luteal cells, significant immunolabeling for SCP2 was detected within the lipid droplets and mitochondria in luteal cells of LH-treated rats. As SCP2 binds cholesterol to 1:1 molar ratio and is known to be involved in the intracellular movement of cholesterol, these findings suggest that peroxisomes and SCP2 may possibly be involved in delivering cholesterol from lipid droplets to the mitochondria when luteal cell steroidogenesis is acutely stimulated by LH.
Low temperatures during early development influence subsequent maternal and reproductive function in adult female mice.

Abstract Challenging conditions early in development can have enduring effects into adulthood. The effects of low temperatures were examined on subsequent sex-specific morphology (anogenital distance [AGD]), maternal care, and reproductive performance in adult female mice. Dams (F 0 ) were maintained either in (1) standard laboratory room temperatures (21 ± 2 °C) or (2) low temperatures (10 ± 2 °C) throughout gestation. Their progeny (F 1 ) either remained in the temperature condition in which they were conceived or were switched to the other temperature condition at 2 days of age until weaning. Reproductive performance and maternal behaviors were assessed in adulthood. F 0 dams that were maintained in low temperatures bore larger litters as compared to F 0 animals housed in standard temperatures throughout their pregnancy. In contrast, mean litter size was reduced for all groups of F 1 females that experienced low temperatures. Infant mortality was elevated in litters of F 1 females that were exposed to low temperatures both before and after birth. Prenatal exposure to low temperatures was associated with reduced responsiveness towards the nursing young and decreased maternal aggression in F 1 animals. Prenatally treated F 1 females had longer, male-like AGDs on Day 2 following birth compared to animals not subjected to experimental manipulations. Our results indicate that exposure to low temperatures during early development impairs reproductive function and is associated with important fitness costs as evidenced by reduced offspring survival. Our findings also suggest that chronic low temperatures experienced only after birth may have less deleterious effects than exposure to a combination of pre- and postnatal or prenatal treatments alone.
Dissociative nitrogen chemisorption and bonding on Gd(0001)

Abstract The electronic structure of dissociatively chemisorbed nitrogen on Gd(0001) has been studied using angle-resolved photoemission at 150 K. The symmetry of the nitrogen-induced states and bonding configuration for the initial chemisorption has been identified. Bonding occurs above the Gd(0001) surface plane via the N p z orbital. Two possible adsorption sites are postulated, with preferential occupancy that is dependent upon coverage.
Structure-activity studies of new imidazolines on adrenoceptors of rat aorta and human platelets.

Potencies of new aromatic substituted fluoro or iodo analogues of catecholimidazolines on functional responses in rat aorta (α1) and platelets (α2) were quantified.
Service-Learning and Faith Formation

Although "spiritual growth" is occasionally cited as an outcome of participation in servicelearning events and classes, little research has focused on this particular area. This article describes a...
A suggested quantitative evaluation of the degree of sensitivity of patients with ragweed pollinosis.

Abstract 1.1. A quantitative method is presented whereby the response of the eye, nose, and bronchi to a specific antigen can be determined. 2.2. Twenty patients with ragweed pollinosis without desensitization therapy showed a greater sensitivity than that found in another group of 20 ragweed sensitive patients who had had more than one year of such treatment. 3.3. There was correlation between the history of clinical symptoms in a particular shock organ and the degree of sensitivity as shown by quantitative tests in the various tissues. 4.4. The methods, or future modifications of it, should be applicable to the study of various factors. Among these are variations in procedures in desensitization therapy, modified allergens, the effect of various nonspecific factors and nonspecific therapy and the establishment of safe levels at which to discontinue treatment.
Selective Alcohol Dehydrogenation and Hydrogenolysis with Semiconductor-Metal Photocatalysts: Toward Solar-to-Chemical Energy Conversion of Biomass-Relevant Substrates

Photocatalytic conversion of biomass is a potentially transformative concept in renewable energy. Dehydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of biomass-derived alcohols can produce renewable fuels such as H2 and hydrocarbons, respectively. We have successfully used semiconductor-metal heterostructures for sunlight-driven dehydrogenation and hydrogenolysis of benzyl alcohol. The heterostructure composition dictates activity, product distribution, and turnovers. A few metal (M = Pt, Pd) islands on the semiconductor (SC) surface significantly enhance activity and selectivity and also greatly stabilize the SC against photoinduced etching and degradation. Under selected conditions, CdS-Pt favors dehydrogenation (H2) over hydrogenolysis (toluene) 8:1, whereas CdS0.4Se0.6-Pd favors hydrogenolysis over dehydrogenation 3:1. Photochemically generated, surface-adsorbed hydrogen is useful in tandem catalysis, for example, via transfer hydrogenation. We expect this work will lead to new paradigms for sunlight-driven conversio...