cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Student Employment for the Real World: Experiential Learning and Student Development

“Without meaningful reflection, there is no learning.” This realization led to reconsidering the ways in which we guide students through college employment and, ultimately, through a multitude of programs and initiatives offered throughout student development. The nationally recognized Student Employment for the Real World program in the Center for Student Involvement is one example of utilizing experiential learning techniques to capitalize on the impactful experiences students engage in outside the classroom. Discover how we evolved the concept of student employment from punching in and out of a time clock, to a standard for meaning-making in order to create transferable experiences for our 100+ students. In this chapter, we will discuss the challenges of gaining buy-in, program sustainability, and delegating the program to a new staff member, from the perspective of the program creator. To build upon this, we will share reflections from the staff member who has been entrusted with adapting the program to serve a new generation of students as it looks toward its ninth year. Finally, we will share accounts from students who have engaged with the program and have seen the impact of experiential learning in their undergraduate careers as well as their lives after college.
Single Laboratory Validation of UHPLC-MS/MS Assays for Six Milk Thistle Flavonolignans in Human Serum

BACKGROUND Extracts of milk thistle, Silybum marianum (L.) Gaertn., are used as dietary supplements for their hepatoprotective, anti-inflammatory, and anti-tumor activities. OBJECTIVE An assay based on UHPLC-MS/MS was developed and validated for the quantitative analysis of six major milk thistle flavonolignans extracted from human serum. METHODS Ethyl acetate containing 0.1% formic acid was used to extract flavonolignans from human serum. A 10-min UHPLC-MS/MS method using selected reaction ion monitoring was developed for measuring extracts for silybin A, silybin B, isosilybin A, isosilybin B, silychristin, and silydianin. RESULTS The quantitative method was validated with respect to selectivity, specificity, accuracy, linearity, precision, LOD, and LLOQ. Extraction efficiency for the quality control standards at LLOQ, low, medium, and high concentrations ranged between 81% and 109%, and the calibration curves were linear (R2 > 0.997) for all flavonolignans. The method precision was determined using coefficients of variation, which were <15%. The method accuracy was assessed using percent relative error which was <15%. CONCLUSIONS The UHPLC-MS/MS assay is fast, precise, sensitive, selective, accurate, and useful for the analysis of milk thistle flavonolignans in human serum. HIGHLIGHTS The UHPLC-MS/MS assay is suitable for rapid quantitative analysis of milk thistle flavonolignans in human serum.
Fighting Crises with Secrecy

How does central bank lending during a crisis restore confidence? Emergency lending facilities that are opaque (in that names of borrowers are kept secret) raise the perceived average quality of bank assets in the economy, creating an information externality that prevents runs. Stigma (the cost of a bank's participation at the lending facility becoming public) is desirable to implement opacity as an equilibrium outcome, as no bank wants to reveal its participation status. The central bank's key policy instrument for limiting the use of lending facilities while maintaining secrecy is the haircut applied to bank assets used as collateral.
Finite time blowup for a supercritical defocusing nonlinear Schrödinger system

We consider the global regularity problem for defocusing nonlinear Schrodinger systems i ∂ t + Δ u = ( ∇ ℝ m F ) ( u ) + G on Galilean spacetime ℝ×ℝd, where the field u:ℝ1+d→ℂm is vector-valued, F:ℂm→ℝ is a smooth potential which is positive, phase-rotation-invariant, and homogeneous of order p+1 outside of the unit ball for some exponent p>1, and G:ℝ×ℝd→ℂm is a smooth, compactly supported forcing term. This generalises the scalar defocusing nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation, in which m=1 and F(v)=1∕(p+1)|v|p+1. It is well known that in the energy-subcritical and energy-critical cases when d≤2 or d≥3 and p≤1+4∕(d−2), one has global existence of smooth solutions from arbitrary smooth compactly supported initial data u(0) and forcing term G, at least in low dimensions. In this paper we study the supercritical case where d≥3 and p>1+4∕(d−2). We show that in this case, there exists a smooth potential F for some sufficiently large m, positive and homogeneous of order p+1 outside of the unit ball, and a smooth compactly supported choice of initial data u(0) and forcing term G for which the solution develops a finite time singularity. In fact the solution is locally discretely self-similar with respect to parabolic rescaling of spacetime. This demonstrates that one cannot hope to establish a global regularity result for the scalar defocusing NLS unless one uses some special property of that equation that is not shared by these defocusing nonlinear Schrodinger systems. As in a previous paper of the author (Anal. PDE 9:8 (2016), 1999–2030) considering the analogous problem for the nonlinear wave equation, the basic strategy is to first select the mass, momentum, and energy densities of u, then u itself, and then finally design the potential F in order to solve the required equation.
Revelations of ancient head shape: Cranial modification in the Cuzco region of Peru, Early Horizon to Inca Imperial Period.

Objectives Cranial vault modification (CVM), the intentional reshaping of the head, indicated group affiliation in prehistoric Andean South America. This study aims to analyze CVM data from the Cuzco region of Peru to illuminate patterns of early migration and settlement along with the later impact of the Inca Empire (AD 1438-1532) on the ethnic landscape. Materials and methods 419 individuals from 10 archaeological sites spanning over 2300 years were assessed for CVM using morphological analysis. Results CVM patterns show distinct temporal attributes: the tabular type of modification appeared first and dominated the early sample (900 BC-AD 600), followed by an influx of unmodified crania during the Middle Horizon (AD 600-1000). The annular type appeared later during the Late Intermediate Period (AD 1000-1438). In the subsequent period of Inca imperialism, modification rates were higher at sites in the Cuzco countryside than in Cuzco city sites. Discussion The study results, combined with archaeological and ethnohistoric data, reveal the sociopolitical transformations that occurred prior to and during the rise of the Inca Empire. The influx of unmodified crania during the Middle Horizon resulted at least partly from Wari occupation, while the appearance of the annular type during the LIP points to migration into the area, possibly from the Lake Titicaca region. In the Inca Imperial Period, Inca individuals at Cuzco city sites refrained from modification as a sign of their ethnic identity, while modification patterns in the Cuzco countryside likely reflect state-coerced resettlement of different ethnic groups.
Antisense Downregulation of the Apoptosis-related Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL Proteins: A New Approach to Cancer Therapy

Members of the bcl-2 family genes are thought to be central regulators of apoptosis. Overexpression of antiapoptotic proteins, such as Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL, contributes not only to the development of cancer but also to its resistance against a wide variety of anticancer agents. Thus, downregulation of Bcl-2 and Bcl-xL can potentially be used to improve therapeutic approaches to advanced cancer. The use of antisense biotechnology to downregulate antiapoptotic bcl family members in diverse cancers in vitro and in vivo is reviewed. The effects and potential limitations of antisense strategies are also discussed in the context of a critical view of recent research in the field.
Opening a new gateway towards the applications of chitosan nanoparticles stabilized Pickering emulsion in the realm of aquaculture

Abstract In the current study, we synthesized eugenol (EU) based Pickering emulsion (PE) stabilized by food grade ingredients such as chitosan (CS) and tripolyphosphate (TPP) not only to enhance water miscibility of EU but also to decrease stress and damage to the immune system of fish due to anesthetic procedures. The formulated EUPEs were characterized in terms of droplet size, size distribution and the effects of environmental conditions e.g. pH and temperature on the behavior of the EUPEs. The results showed that EU PEs with 5% EU had smaller size with uniform distribution and were stable in the range of pH 5–7.5 and temperature 30–80 °C. The anesthetic effect of the EUPE was investigated by taking Common carp as a sample species. Interestingly, it was found that the induction time to anesthesia and recovery for the fish that received the PE was significantly shorter than that received EU at the same eugenol concentration (50 ppm). Most importantly, the improved hematological and bio-chemical parameters in the PE group further confirmed the immuno-protective and stress control efficacy of the PE. The results of this study propose a novel useful and potential application of PE in fishery where sedation is needed.
Spontaneously Broken Gauge Symmetry in SUSY Yang-Mills Theories with Matter

The analysis of spontaneous gauge symmetry breaking of N=1 supersymmetric SU(N_c) Yang-Mills theory with matter is performed. The supersymmetric $R_\xi$-gauge is used and its non-local effects investigated. Superpropagators and vertices are computed, and it is shown that the non-local terms introduced by the $R_\xi$-gauge-fixing are well-behaved in general gauge at one-loop. It is argued that this feature generalizes to multiple loops.
Exploitation of Mineral and Rock Raw Materials

Mineral and rock deposits are unevenly distributed throughout the world and throughout most countries where they occur. Thus trade or exchange began early in human society to overcome this uneven distribution. Those who exploited rock and mineral deposits in the ancient world were limited to extracting material from surface or very near-surface deposits. The nature and quality of an exploitable deposit reside ultimately in the kind, amount, and properties of the minerals and rocks that comprise the deposit as well as the ease with which the desired material can be extracted. There is only a limited primary literature on recovery/extraction of mineral raw materials in antiquity. Wilsdorf (1952) and Weisgerber (1976) have studied Corinthian clay tablets and vases for mining and metallurgical displays. Apparently, only clay mining and ore smelting are depicted.
Into the Frying Pan: Standing and Privity under the Telecommunications Act of 1996 and Beyond

Any legal system must make a trade-off between two components of optimal law enforcement. The first requires all persons injured by some wrongful conduct to recover full damages in order to create optimal incentives for primary conduct. The second requires some limit on the number of potential of wrongful suits arising out of wrongful conduct, in order to contain the administrative and error costs of legal enforcement. In most practical settings, the second of these concerns has proved more important than the former, which has led to the creation of a practical standing doctrine recognized in the Supreme Court's decisions in Illinois Brick (1977) and Holmes (1992). One component of standing is the so-called privity limitation, which limits suits to parties who are immediate purchasers from the wrongdoer. The privity limitation has applied to common law actions, and to statutory causes of action under both the general antitrust law and direct schemes of regulation. This paper explores the evolution and justifications for the privity doctrine, and then argues that the recent suits, such as Goldwasser (2000) and Trinko (2002) that have allowed indirect purchasers of telecommunications services to have standing against Local Exchange Carriers under the Sherman Act misread the relevant legal authority, and overlooks the important practical function of both standing and privity limitations.
A Note on the Isolation Performance of Nonuniform Capacitively Loaded Mushroom-Type EBG Surfaces Within a Parallel Plate Waveguide

A heuristic approach is presented to quantify the broadband isolation performance of nonuniform capacitively loaded electromagnetic bandgap (EBG) surfaces embedded inside a parallel plate waveguide (PPW). The approach is based on the effective mapping of the stop-band properties of the EBG to the attenuation factor (AF) of a homogeneous material slab. Subsequently, it is demonstrated that the electromagnetic wave propagation through the EBG-loaded PPW is equivalent to the propagation through a multilayered medium where each layer is characterized by a different AF. When these AFs are engineered so that their nonzero values spectrally overlap, a cumulative broadband attenuation effect can be obtained. Based on this interpretation, the broad bandgap properties that are characteristic of nonuniform capacitively loaded EBG surfaces are fully quantified.
Islands in the City: West Indian Migration to New York

Islands in the City: West Indian Migration to New York. Nancy Foner (ed.). Berkeley, CA, and London, UK: University of California Press, 2001. viii. 304 pp. (Cloth US$55.00; Paper US$22.50)
Sources of verbalizations of psychotherapists about patients.

(1963). Sources of Verbalizations of Psychotherapists about Patients. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 68, No. 1, pp. 89-98.
Growth of CdS Nanorods in Nonionic Amphiphilic Triblock Copolymer Systems

Size-tunable CdS nanorods have been synthesized via the reaction at low temperature (25−65 °C) of air-insensitive inorganic precursors cadmium acetate and sodium sulfide in an aqueous phase with surfactant. Nonionic pluronic amphiphilic triblock copolymers, (EO)x(PO)y(EO)x, were employed as structure-directing agents. The effects of the (EO)/(PO) ratio, surfactant size, and mole ratio between surfactant and precursors in controlling the diameter and the morphology of the final product were investigated. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images show that the diameter of the CdS nanorods synthesized by this method can be controlled by varying the surfactant species, the mole ratio between the inorganic precursors and triblock copolymer, and the reaction temperature. However, if the reaction is refluxed in organic solvent (ethylene glycol and glyme) without surfactant, the morphology of the product will change to microrods with flat ends, dumbbell-shaped microrods, and cotton-ball-like microparticles. T...
Beta Error and the Consultant

Excerpt To the editor: The choice between alternative therapies rests on careful consideration of anticipated results and ideally is based on the observation of an improved outcome in a controlled ...
Phosphorylation Is Required for Alteration of Kv1.5 K+ Channel Function by the Kvβ1.3 Subunit

Abstract The Kv1.5 K+ channel is functionally altered by coassembly with the Kvβ1.3 subunit, which induces fast inactivation and a hyperpolarizing shift in the activation curve. Here we examine kinase regulation of Kv1.5/Kvβ1.3 interaction after coexpression in human embryonic kidney 293 cells. The protein kinase C inhibitor calphostin C (3 μm) removed the fast inactivation (66 ± 1.9 versus 11 ± 0.25%, steady state/peak current) and the β-induced hyperpolarizing voltage shift in the activation midpoint (V 1/2) (−21.9 ± 1.4 versus −4.3 ± 2.0 mV). Calphostin C had no effect on Kv1.5 alone with respect to inactivation kinetics and V 1/2. Okadaic acid, but not the inactive derivative, blunted both calphostin C effects (V 1/2 = −17.6 ± 2.2 mV, 38 ± 1.8% inactivation), consistent with dephosphorylation being required for calphostin C action. Calphostin C also removed the fast inactivation (57 ± 2.6 versus 16 ± 0.6%) and the shift inV 1/2 (−22.1 ± 1.4 versus-2.1 ± 2.0 mV) conferred onto Kv1.5 by the Kvβ1.2 subunit, which shares only C terminus sequence identity with Kvβ1.3. In contrast, modulation of Kv1.5 by the Kvβ2.1 subunit was unaffected by calphostin C. These data suggest that Kvβ1.2 and Kvβ1.3 subunit modification of Kv1.5 inactivation and voltage sensitivity require phosphorylation by protein kinase C or a related kinase.
Fractionation of selenium isotopes during bacterial respiratory reduction of selenium oxyanions

Reduction of selenium oxyanions by microorganisms is an important process in the biogeochemical cycling of selenium. Numerous bacteria can reduce Se oxyanions, which are used as electron acceptors during the oxidation of organic matter in anoxic environments. In this study, we used a double spike (82Se and 74Se) thermal ionization mass spectrometry technique to quantify the isotopic fractionation achieved by three different species of anaerobic bacteria capable of accomplishing growth by respiratory reduction of selenate [SeO42− or Se(VI)] or selenite [SeO32− or Se(IV)] to Se(IV) or elemental selenium [Se(0)] coupled with the oxidation of lactate. Isotopic discrimination in these closed system experiments was evaluated by Rayleigh fractionation equations and numerical models. Growing cultures of Bacillus selenitireducens, a haloalkaliphile capable of growth using Se(IV) as an electron acceptor, induced a 80Se/76Se fractionation of −8.0 ± 0.4‰ (instantaneous ϵ value) during reduction of Se(IV) to Se(0). With Bacillus arsenicoselenatis, a haloalkaliphile capable of growth using Se(VI) as an electron acceptor, fractionations of −5.0 ± 0.5‰ and −6.0 ± 1.0‰ were observed for reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV) and reduction of Se(IV) to Se(0), respectively. In growing cultures of Sulfurospirillum barnesii, a freshwater species capable of growth using Se(VI), fractionation was small initially, but near the end of the log growth phase, it increased to −4.0 ± 1.0‰ and −8.4 ± 0.4‰ for reduction of Se(VI) to Se(IV) and reduction of Se(IV) to Se(0), respectively. Washed cell suspensions of S. barnesii induced fractionations of −1.1 ± 0.4‰ during Se(VI) reduction, and −9.1 ± 0.5% for Se(IV) reduction, with some evidence for smaller values (e.g., −1.7‰) in the earliest-formed Se(0) results. These results demonstrate that dissimilatory reduction of selenate or selenite induces significant isotopic fractionation, and suggest that significant Se isotope ratio variation will be found in nature.
SNAREs take the stage: a prime time to trigger neurotransmitter secretion

The secretion of neurotransmitters requires formation of the SNARE complex, a protein complex comprised of vesicle and plasma-membrane proteins. Recent data indicate that the SNARE complex forms in stages, suggesting that its assembly might be one way by which synaptic efficacy is regulated.
Numerical investigation of two-dimensional pure electron plasma equilibria on magnetic surfaces

Two-dimensional solutions to the equilibrium equation for finite temperature, low density pure electron plasmas confined on magnetic surfaces [T. S. Pedersen and A. H. Boozer, Phys. Rev. Lett. 88, 205002 (2002)] are presented for the first time. These equilibria are not maximum energy states, in contrast to Penning trap equilibria [J. Notte et al., Phys. Rev. Lett. 69, 3056 (1992)]. By varying the number of Debye lengths in the plasma, a/λD, from 0.1 to 10, we explore both relatively warm and relatively cold plasma equilibria. The effects of different boundary conditions and the implications for collisional transport rates are discussed.
Topology optimization of interconnection networks

This paper describes an automatic optimization tool that searches a family of network topologies to select the topology that best achieves a specified set of design goals while satisfying specified packaging constraints. Our tool uses a model of signaling technology that relates bandwidth, cost and distance of links. This model captures the distance-dependent bandwidth of modern high-speed electrical links and the cost differential between electrical and optical links. Using our optimization tool, we explore the design space of hybrid Clos-torus (C-T) networks. For a representative set of packaging constraints we determine the optimal hybrid C-T topology to minimize cost and the optimal C-T topology to minimize latency for various packet lengths. We then use the tool to measure the sensitivity of the optimal topology to several important packaging constraints such as pin count and critical distance
Adventitious shoot regeneration of pear ( Pyrus spp.) genotypes

Adventitious shoot regeneration of twenty-four pear genotypes was compared in a common in vitro shoot induction and development protocol. This study also compared cultures newly established from scionwood with cultures that been in long-term cold storage. In vitro cultures of 13 Pyrus genotypes and budwood from 23 Pyrus genotypes were obtained from the National Clonal Germplasm Repository (NCGR) in Corvallis, Oregon. With the exception of one genotype of P. elaeagrifolia Pall., and ‘Ya Li’ (P. pyrifolia var. sinensis Teng & Tanabe), all were P. communis L. cultivars. The basal shoot induction media consisted of Chevreau and Leblay (CL) basal nutrients, vitamins, and organics (Chevreau and Leblay in Acta Hortic 336: 263–268, 1993). The analysis of variance indicated that differences among genotypes were highly significant and the main effect of culture origin was non-significant. However, there was a significant interaction between genotype and culture origin, with percentage regeneration of ‘Abate Fetel’ from new budwood significantly greater than that from long-term in vitro cultures, while ‘Jesinji Vodenac’ cultures derived from the old NCGR cultures regenerated significantly more adventitious shoots. The ranges of mean regeneration frequency were similar for both in vitro (0–87.7%) and scionwood-derived cultures (0–70.7%). Maximum regeneration was observed for ‘Conference’, followed by ‘Magness’, ‘Dr. Jules Guyot’, and Packham’s Triumph’. The range of number of adventitious shoots was relatively narrow, with the minimum of 1.0 for seven genotypes to 2.2 for ‘Conference’.
SNR efficient 3D reconstruction algorithm for multi-source inverse geometry CT system

The multi-source Inverse-Geometry CT(MS-IGCT) system uses a 2D array of sources opposite a smaller 2D detector array. One sample system design uses 3 rows of 21 sources each. Because the MS-IGCT system provides sufficient sampling in the axial direction, cone beam artifacts can be reduced. Projection data from the 21 sources at the same zlocation can be rebinned into one cone beam projection, therefore, we can have 3 different cone beam projection data sets after rebinning, and reconstruction can be performed by using the FDK algorithm. However, if FDK is used, each of the three data sets by itself produces different cone beam artifacts. For example, the upper sources can provide artifact free images in the upper reconstruction volume, but cone beam artifacts can be observed in the central and lower reconstruction volume. The central and lower sources also provide artifact free image at different z-locations. We can achieve an artifact free volume by using artifact free images at different z-locations. However, if we could use all the data, the SNR can be improved. In this study, we develop a method to combine reconstructed volumes in Fourier space, and the main goal is to keep the exactness and improve the SNR in the combined image. The method was tested with a simulation of a Defrise phantom and the proposed method did not show cone beam artifacts. A noise simulation was also performed by using ideal bowtie filter so that all projection data had the same noise level. A noise simulation showed that the noise variance was ~1/3 of that in a single FDK reconstruction.
Are Central Asian leaders learning from upheavals in Kyrgyzstan

Abstract Kyrgyzstan has experienced two violent overthrows of its government in recent years. Some hoped or feared these events would inspire or spark political change elsewhere. This article examines what the relevant lessons of those events are and if other Central Asian leaders, especially those in Kazakhstan and Uzbekistan, have learned these lessons and made adjustments to preserve their rule. It argues that while many of the lessons from Kyrgyzstan have already been incorporated into policy, the toughest task for rulers in the region is managing patronage politics, something that was done poorly in Kyrgyzstan.
Emotion perception and social skill over the course of psychosis: a comparison of individuals "at-risk" for psychosis and individuals with early and chronic schizophrenia spectrum illness.

Introduction. Deficits in emotion perception and social skill have been well established in schizophrenia; however, little is known about the extent of these deficits across the course of the illness; that is, prior to illness onset and as the duration of the illness increases. Method. We compared emotion perception (i.e., the Face Emotion Identification Task [FEIT] and Face Emotion Discrimination Task [FEDT]; Kerr & Neale, 1993) and social skill (Conversation Probe role-play test) performance in four groups: individuals “at risk” for psychosis who met criteria for a prodromal state, individuals early in the course of a schizophrenia spectrum illness (SSI), individuals with a chronic SSI, and healthy control individuals. Results. At-risk individuals did not significantly differ from control participants on emotion perception measures; however, early and chronic SSI groups performed significantly worse than controls, although not different from one another. Conversely, there was evidence that deficits in s...
CORRELATIONS AND INTERMITTENCY IN HIGH ENERGY MULTIHADRON DISTRIBUTIONS

The linked-pair approximation to the hierarchy of cumulant correlation functions is tested in the central rapidity domain, where approximate translation invariance is appropriate. The bin-averaged factorial moments up to the fifth order are well described in terms of the second-order experimental moment for final states created in hadronic collisions. Given the two-particle correlation function, the only constants appearing in the higher moments are very close to those-appropriate to the negative binomial distribution, as pointed out recently by De Wolf. The close correspondence of the linked-pair decomposition to the same structure occurring in galaxy correlations (with slightly different coefficients) is noted, as is the apparently negative binomial character of the number distribution of galaxies in clusters. Preliminary results are discussed for the rapidity distributions arising in proton-nucleus and nucleus-nucleus collisions. We present a variety of fits to correlation functions and also discuss bin-bin correlations deriving from our model.
Change and Continuity in Student Achievement from Grades 3 to 5: A Policy Dilemma

In this article, we examine student performance on mandated tests in grades 3, 4, and 5 in one state. We focus on this interval, which we term "the fourth grade window," based on our hypothesis that students in grade four are particularly vulnerable to decrements in achievement. The national focus on the third grade as the critical benchmark in student performance has distracted researchers and policy makers from recognition that the fourth grade transition is essential to our understanding of how to promote complex thinking and reasoning that are built upon a foundation of basic skills that may be necessary, but are not sufficient, for the more nuanced learning expected in subsequent grades. We hypothesized that the basic skills that define a successful third grade performance do not predict successful performance in subsequent years. We examined student performance over time using two measures of student success: the Arizona Instrument to Measure Standards (AIMS), a standards based test; and the Stanford 9 (SAT9), a norm-referenced test. Three groups of schools were included in these analyses. Schools were individually matched to the original sample of interest, which were schools serving students of poverty that received state funding to implement Comprehensive School Reform (CSR) models that emphasize continuity across grade levels. The first comparison sample includes schools that also serve students of poverty but did not receive CSR funding, "nonCSR" schools. The second comparison sample includes schools individually matched on all variables except economic status. These schools, which we term "ow poverty" schools, are the wealthiest public schools in the state, with less than 10% of attending students receiving free or reduced lunch. Student test scores in math, reading, and writing (AIMS) or language (SAT9) were analyzed for the years 2000-2003. These intervals allowed the analysis of two cohorts of the fourth grade window. Our results suggest that the reliance on third grade performance to label students and schools is untenable.
Effect of deceptive referrals on system stability

We study the problem of agents attempting to find quality service providers in a distributed environment. While referrals from other agents can be used to locate high-quality providers, referrers may be malicious and provide incorrect referrals to reduce traffic to their preferred service providers. Whereas apparently it would seem that such deceptive referrals can disrupt system stability, we observe that homogeneous groups of deceptive referrals converge faster to stable agent distributions over service providers compared to homogeneous groups of truthful referrers. We conjecture that deceptive referrers can unwittingly reduce the entropy, a measure of volatility, of the system as the recipient of a bad referral may not be inclined to move even if it is not satisfied with its current service providers. Additionally, we observe that mixed groups of truthful and deceptive referrers converge faster to stable distributions compared to homogeneous group of truthful referrers. These results highlight the unexpected positive effect of deceptive agents in stabilizing a population.
Mechanisms Underlying Very-Low-Frequency RR-Interval Oscillations in Humans

Background—Survival of post–myocardial infarction patients is related inversely to their levels of very-low-frequency (0.003 to 0.03 Hz) RR-interval variability. The physiological basis for such os...
A dominant role of thromboxane formation in secondary aggregation of platelets

Aggregation of human platelets in vitro can occur in two phases—primary and secondary aggregation1. Primary aggregation is due to the direct interaction of the aggregating agent with its receptor2,3, whereas secondary aggregation is associated with both the secretion of dense granule constituents, including the aggregating agents, serotonin and ADP (ref. 4) and the activation of a pathway for the conversion of arachidonic acid to prostaglandins (PGs)5. Both secondary aggregation and the associated secretion of dense granule constituents are contingent on the formation of PGG2 and PGH2 which can, in part, be transformed into thromboxane (TX) A2 (refs 1,3,6,7). TXA2 is a potent aggregating agent and apparently the functionally active compound in the arachidonate pathway8–10. However, the precise role of TXA2 in mediating secondary aggregation is a matter of controversy as it is not clear whether secondary aggregation can occur independently of secretion. We report here that platelets from cats with the Chediak–Higashi (CH) syndrome11 aggregate with arachidonate in a cyclooxygenase-dependent manner and that biphasic aggregation produced by serotonin is accompanied by TXB2 formation without detectable ADP secretion. These results demonstrate that secondary platelet aggregation can be mediated through thromboxane formation without participation of secreted ADP.
Urodynamic changes and initial results of the AdVance male sling.

OBJECTIVES To present the urodynamic changes and early results associated with the AdVance male sling. The AdVance male sling is a treatment option for postprostatectomy incontinence (PPI), with the goal of eliminating urinary incontinence without affecting voiding parameters. A concern of any procedure in treating men with PPI is whether the treatment induces obstruction and causes retention. METHODS Data were prospectively collected from 13 patients undergoing AdVance male sling placement for PPI. Urodynamic testing was performed at baseline and repeated at 6 months postoperatively. A 24-hour pad test and the Incontinence Quality of Life questionnaire were completed preoperatively and at 3 and 6 months postoperatively. RESULTS The median age at the procedure was 63.3 years (range 44.7-74.7). The mean preoperative and 6-month postoperative patient-reported pad use was 4.52 and 1.04, respectively (2-tailed t test, P = .0009). The 24-hour pad test, performed preoperatively and at 6 months postoperatively, yielded a pad weight of 779.3 and 67.6 g, respectively (P = .03). The Valsalva leak point pressure improved significantly (P = .032), but the detrusor voiding pressure, postvoid residual urine volume, and maximal and average flow rates remained relatively unchanged. At 3 and 6 months postoperatively, the Incontinence Quality of Life scores had improved significantly compared with the preoperative scores (P <.01). CONCLUSIONS These results are encouraging, because this series has demonstrated a significant improvement in patient-reported pad use, 24-hour pad test weights, and Valsalva leak point pressure without signs of obstruction. The improvement in incontinence was accompanied without any changes in the other voiding parameters and with significant improvement in the quality-of-life measures. Ongoing studies with longer follow-up are pending to compare their results with these promising early results.
Endoscopic surveillance of Barrett's esophagus

The incidence of adenocarcinoma of the esophagus is on the rise. Esophageal adenocarcinoma is a lethal disease and survival is stage dependent. Barrett's esophagus and its associated dysplasia are the only recognized risk factors for esophageal adenocarcinoma. Given the dismal outcome among patients with symptomatic esophageal cancer, current practice guidelines recommend endoscopic surveillance of patients with Barrett's esophagus in an attempt to detect cancer at an early and potentially curable stage. Endoscopic surveillance biopsies in Barrett's esophagus patients should be obtained in 4 quadrants at 2-cm intervals when inflammation related to gastroesophageal reflux disease is controlled with antisecretory therapy. The rationale for such a comprehensive biopsy program comes from observations that high-grade dysplasia and early carcinoma in Barrett's esophagus often occur in the absence of endoscopic abnormalities and the focal nature of dysplasia. Surveillance intervals are determined by the presence and grade of dysplasia. Future improvements in technology may enhance the efficiency and effectiveness of endoscopic surveillance techniques by permitting sampling of larger areas of Barrett's mucosa or targeting our biopsies to areas with a higher probability of harboring dysplasia.
Second-Generation Synthesis of (−)-Viriditoxin

Viriditoxin is a secondary metabolite isolated from Aspergillus viridinutans that has been shown to inhibit FtsZ, the bacterial homologue of eukaryotic tubulin. A streamlined, scalable, and highly diastereoselective synthesis of this complex natural product is described. Key advances include a more efficient synthesis of the requisite unsaturated pyranone, scalable assembly of the naphthopyranone monomer, and improved diastereoselectivity in the biaryl-coupling reaction. In addition, we disclose a serendipitous ruthenium-catalyzed anion dimerization resulting from trace metal left by an RCM reaction.
Double flourescence detection of XANES and EXAFS signals from dilute species in competing fluorescent matrices

Abstract A double flourescence scheme for detecting XANES (X-ray absorption near-edge structure) and EXAFS (extended X-ray absorption fine structure) signals from a dilute species in a bulk competing flourescent matrix is reported. The new scheme has been demonstrated for the case of a Western Australian mineral specimen containing ∼ 900 ppm of Au, and is particularly suitable for chemical and structural investigation of low concentration species in a matrix of similar, but slightly lower atomic number(s). The technique has the advantage of largely eliminating unwanted background arising from the bulk matrix.
Detecting adult Phycitinae (Lepidoptera: Pyralidae) infestations in a raisin-marketing channel

Populations of stored-product moths in raisin-marketing channels were evaluated with the pheromone ( Z-E ) 9–12 tetradecadien-l-ol acetate. Sticky traps baited with this pheromone attracted Indianmeal moth, Plodia interpunctella (Hubner); almond moth, Cadra cautella (Walker); raisin moth, Cadra figulilella (Gregson); Mediterranean flour moth, Anagasta kuehniella (Zeller); and tobacco moth, Ephestia elutella (Hubner). Indianmeal moth was found in very low numbers in a U.S. raisin-processing plant. Raisin moths were plentiful outside the plant, but were rarely found inside the plant. During transport of raisins to Rotterdam, The Netherlands, only almond moths were captured. Western European warehouses were infested with Indian meal moth, tobacco moth, Mediterranean flour moth, and almond moth. Only one raisin moth was trapped in these warehouses. Pheromone-baited traps are valuable for detection of insect infestation in marketing channels, and their use could lead to improved insect control programs and thus cleaner raisin products for the consumer.
Psychiatric risk factors for HIV disease progression: the role of inconsistent patterns of antiretroviral therapy utilization.

Background In the era of anti-retroviral therapy (ART), depression and substance use predict hastened HIV disease progression but the underlying biological or behavioral mechanisms that explain these effects are not fully understood.
Isolation, characterization, and properties of factor F1 from mitochondrial preparations of housefly (Musca domestica L.) thorax

Abstract A water-soluble Mg2+-dependent ATPase (coupling factor F1) was isolated from the mitochondria of housefly thorax. It comprised about 14% of the proteins from a crude preparation. The F1 preparation was nearly homogeneous as assessed by gel electrophoresis, isoelectric focusing, and electron microscopy. It was composed of five subunits with the following apparent molecular weights: α, 68,000; β, 61,000; γ, 38,000; δ, 27,000; and ϵ, 17,500. The isoelectric pH (pI) of this protein was 7.3. F1 had a pH optimum of 8.2 and a temperature optimum between 37 and 45°C. The enzyme was fairly stable at 25°C. Nearly complete loss of activity was noticed at 0°C, while at 0 or 25°C, glycerol (20%) partially stabilized the enzyme activity against such inactivation. The Km value of the enzyme with respect to ATP was 0.4 mM. The activity was stimulated by low concentrations of 2,4-dinitrophenol. The enzyme was inhibited by azide, p-hydroxymercuribenzoate, and guanidine hydrochloride. Oligomycin and the pesticides pyrethrin, cyhexatin, and DDT have no effect on the enzyme activity. However, all of these chemicals inhibited intact Mg2+- ATPase. The results are discussed in the light of differential responses of soluble and intact ATPase to these pesticides.
A Sharp Computational Method for the Simulation of the Solidification of Binary Alloys

We present a numerical method for the simulation of binary alloys. We make use of the level-set method to capture the evolution of the solidification front and of an adaptive mesh refinement framework based on non-graded quadtree grids to efficiently capture the multiscale nature of the alloys' concentration profile. In addition, our approach is based on a sharp treatment of the boundary conditions at the solidification front. We apply this algorithm to the solidification of an Ni---Cu alloy and report results that agree quantitatively with theoretical analyses. We also apply this algorithm to show that solidification mechanism maps predicting growth regimes as a function of tip velocities and thermal gradients can be accurately computed with this method; these include the important transitions from planar to cellular to dendritic regimes.
X-ray photoelectron spectroscopic study of surface chemistry of dibenzyl disulfide on steel under mild and severe wear conditions

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy was used to characterize the chemical composition of 304 stainless steel surfaces run in oil containing dibenzyl disulfide under both mild and severe wear conditions. In severe wear a sulfide was formed at the expense of the normal oxide. This was due to either chemical attack on the oxide or reaction with clean metal exposed by the wear process. In the mild wear scars there was no evidence of either sulfide or mercaptide. The oxide, however, was approximately twice as thick as the normal oxide on an unworn surface. The change in surface chemistry was primarily a function of wear rate rather than load.
Progressive Collapse of Towers: The Resistance Effect

In the recent paper (Cherepanov, 2006), objections were raised against the widely accepted version of the WTC collapse and an alternative calculation was presented. The present work uses the model advanced in the mentioned paper and incorporates the effect of non-zero resistance that slows down the progressive collapse. The analysis shows that the collapses of twin towers started from a floor located significantly lower than the floors hit by terrorists.
Earthquakes in Museums

For the last fifteen years, the National Science Foundation and the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) along with other federal agencies, private foundations, and universities have invested close to $100 million in the development of the Global Seismographic Network (GSN) (Butler, 1994) and its associated data collection facilities. The GSN has resulted in a bonanza of new discoveries for the scientific research community. We now exploit this scientific resource also for educational purposes, by making data from the GSN accessible (both mechanically and conceptually) to the general public through museum exhibits. Most people are amazed to learn that an earthquake occurred today, and they are astonished to discover that earthquakes are continually occurring. In general, the public views earthquakes as unusual events that result in cataclysmic destruction. We develop exhibits that are designed to change the public perception of earthquakes and present earthquakes not as destructive events but rather as signals of the geological forces that build our mountains and create our ocean basins. In other words, we are using earthquakes to introduce the concepts of plate tectonics and a dynamic Earth to museum visitors. In preliminary meetings with several museums, we found a strong interest in displaying real-time seismic data. Our discussions led to the development of prototype exhibit concepts (Hutt et al., 1997; Hennet, 1998; Hennet, 1999; Hennet, 2000; Hennet et al., 2002) that combine electronic and mechanical data-recording systems for displaying earthquake information in real-time. We also developed interactive displays that allow museum visitors to “create their own earthquakes” as a means of introducing them to the concept of recorded ground motion and the principles of how a seismometer works. By bringing live seismic data over the Internet and broadcasting them in museums, we provide visitors with direct evidence that the Earth's surface is …
Molecular population genetics of the gene encoding the human fertilization protein zonadhesin reveals rapid adaptive evolution.

A hallmark of positive selection (adaptive evolution) in protein-coding regions is a dN/dS ratio >1, where dN is the number of nonsynonymous substitutions/nonsynonymous sites and dS is the number of synonymous substitutions/synonymous sites. Zonadhesin is a male reproductive protein localized on the sperm head, comprising many domains known to be involved in cell-cell interaction or cell adhesion. Previous studies have shown that VWD domains (homologous to the D domains of the von Willebrand factor) are involved directly in binding to the female zona pellucida (ZP) in a species-specific manner. In this study, we sequenced 47 coding exons in 12 primate species and, by using maximum-likelihood methods to determine sites under positive selection, we show that VWD2, membrane/A5 antigen mu receptor, and mucin-like domains in zonadhesin are rapidly evolving and, thus, may be involved in binding to the ZP in a species-specific manner in primates. In addition, polymorphism data from 48 human individuals revealed significant polymorphism-to-divergence heterogeneity and a significant departure from equilibrium-neutral expectations in the frequency spectrum, suggesting balancing selection and positive selection occurring in zonadhesin (ZAN) within human populations. Finally, we observe adaptive evolution in haplotypes segregating for a frameshift mutation that was previously thought to indicate that ZAN was a potential pseudogene.
Character N -Gram Tokenization for European Language Text Retrieval

The Cross-Language Evaluation Forum has encouraged research in text retrieval methods for numerous European languages and has developed durable test suites that allow language-specific techniques to be investigated and compared. The labor associated with crafting a retrieval system that takes advantage of sophisticated linguistic methods is daunting. We examine whether language-neutral methods can achieve accuracy comparable to language-specific methods with less concomitant software complexity. Using the CLEF 2002 test set we demonstrate empirically how overlapping character n-gram tokenization can provide retrieval accuracy that rivals the best current language-specific approaches for European languages. We show that n e 4 is a good choice for those languages, and document the increased storage and time requirements of the technique. We report on the benefits of and challenges posed by n-grams, and explain peculiarities attendant to bilingual retrieval. Our findings demonstrate clearly that accuracy using n-gram indexing rivals or exceeds accuracy using unnormalized words, for both monolingual and bilingual retrieval.
Educating for Deliberative Democracy: The Role of Public Reason and Reasoning

Across the country, Americans are experimenting with a form of democracy–often referred to as deliberative democracy–in which ordinary citizens, public officials, and politicians engage in an open, inclusive process of dialogue, deliberation, and action in order to address matters of public concern. At the core of deliberative democracy is a conviction that conflict and competing policy concerns are best resolved through a process of collective, or public, reasoning. Our political and social systems should be organized to encourage citizens and policy makers alike to be reasonable and to be able to give reasons for their views, actions, or policy choices. This article explores the role of reason in public life. It reviews how terms such as reasonableness and public reason are used in legal and political theory. It then calls upon higher education to examine the role of reason and reasoning in student learning and development and as a critical component of education for citizenship in a diverse democracy.
Optical Scattering from Cubic Electro-optical Films

The dielectric tensor e of cubic electro-optical materials polarized along a cube edge is of the same form as e for magneto-optical materials except that the former is symmetric and the latter anti-symmetric. The polar, longitudinal, and transverse characteristic matrices necessary to solve multi-layer thin film electro- or magneto-optical scattering problems are given in terms of a symmetry parameter σ = ±. Using a λ/4 ZnS film in the transverse orientation and placed on an E-mirror, and a multi-layer dielectric structure consisting of R double λ /4 layers plus an additional λ /4 film, phase shifts of 180° are predicted for R = 3 and a controlling electric field of ∼ 1 volt/cm.
Metals: Setting a trap for copper

In the assembly of metalloenzymes, the matching of metals and proteins must occur with absolute precision. When zinc-starved, Chlamydomonas maintains its balance of metals by sequestering copper in electron-dense traps for metals, thus preventing mishaps in protein metallation.