cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Inactive supply wells as conduits for flow and contaminant migration: conditions of occurrence and suggestions for management

Water supply wells can act as conduits for vertical flow and contaminant migration between water-bearing strata under common hydrogeologic and well construction conditions. While recognized by some for decades, there is little published data on the magnitude of flows and extent of resulting water quality impacts. Consequently, the issue may not be acknowledged widely enough and the need for better management persists. This is especially true for unconsolidated alluvial groundwater basins that are hydrologically stressed by agricultural activities. Theoretical and practical considerations indicate that significant water volumes can migrate vertically through wells. The flow is often downward, with shallow groundwater, usually poorer in quality, migrating through conduit wells to degrade deeper water quality. Field data from locations in California, USA, are presented in combination with modeling results to illustrate both the prevalence of conditions conducive to intraborehole flow and the resulting impacts to water quality. Suggestions for management of planned wells include better enforcement of current regulations and more detailed consideration of hydrogeologic conditions during design and installation. A potentially greater management challenge is presented by the large number of existing wells. Monitoring for evidence of conduit flow and solute transport in areas of high well density is recommended to identify wells that pose greater risks to water quality. Conduit wells that are discovered may be addressed through approaches that include structural modification and changes in operations.
Mago: Mode of Transport Inference Using the Hall-Effect Magnetic Sensor and Accelerometer

In this paper, we introduce Mago, a novel system that can infer a person's mode of transport (MOT) using the Hall-effect magnetic sensor and accelerometer present in most smart devices. When a vehicle is moving, the motions of its mechanical components such as the wheels, transmission and the differential distort the earth's magnetic field. The magnetic field is distorted corresponding to the vehicle structure (e.g., bike chain or car transmission system), which manifests itself as a strong signal for sensing a person's transportation modality. We utilize this magnetic signal combined with the accelerometer and design a robust algorithm for the MOT detection. In particular, our system extracts frame-based features from the sensor data and can run in nearly real-time with only a few seconds of delay. We evaluated Mago using over 70 hours of daily commute data from 7 participants and the leave-one-out analysis of our cross-user, cross-device model reports an average accuracy of 94.4% among seven classes (stationary, bus, bike, car, train, light rail and scooter). Besides MOT, our system is able to reliably differentiate the phone's in-car position at an average accuracy of 92.9%. We believe Mago could potentially benefit many contextually-aware applications that require MOT detection such as a digital personal assistant or a life coaching application.
Linear and Nonlinear Optical Properties of Improved Single Crystal PTS

Improved methods for the growth and polymerization of single crystals of polydiacetylene PTS, poly bis(p-toluene sulfonate) of 2,4-hexadiyne-1,6-diol, have allowed new optical measurements to be made. The absorption spectrum, and typical Z-scans for measuring the optical nonlinearity up to fourth order are described.
Intellectual Property, Competition, and Science versus Technology

This paper models pre-invention-insight research effort and explores the proposition that competition among potential inventors, who can freely enter into the discovery process and who freely share their ideas without taking intellectual property as they strive to discover invention insights, increases research effort above what would occur without the free sharing of ideas, hence stimulating invention and ultimately innovation. Given an idealized dichotomy between pre-invention-insight research and investment in research and development (R&D), the proposition is shown to be true. Although it is also shown that the proposition is not necessarily true given realistic overlapping of R&D investment with the search for invention insight, historical evidence suggests that the idealized dichotomy may be a sufficiently accurate description to allow the proposition to provide good guidance for public policy toward intellectual property in scientific findings.
Cyclostratigraphic and δ13C record of the Lower Cretaceous Adriatic Platform, Croatia: Assessment of Milankovitch-forcing

Abstract The 700-m-thick Hauterivian to Albian section from the interior of the large, Adriatic Platform is exposed on Mljet and Korcula islands, Croatia. The cyclic platform consists of meter-scale parasequences, bundled into parasequence sets, superbundles and then into breccia-bounded depositional sequences. Spectral analysis of time series (cycle number vs. cycle thickness) shows peaks in the short-term eccentricity (95 to 130 kyr) bands and 160 to 200 kyr bands. Isotope samples from micrite matrix of mudstone and wackestone have δ13C values generally from −1.5 to +2‰ VPDB, and δ18O from −1 to −3.5‰ VPDB. Adriatic Platform δ13C values are shifted ~2‰ VPDB more negative than marine pelagic values. A δ13C and δ18O meteoric signal is limited to just beneath sequence boundaries, suggesting that the isotopic shift is due mainly to marine phreatic‐ and synorogenic burial diagenesis. Major excursions on the 5-point smoothed δ13C profile of the Adriatic Platform, tied biostratigraphically to δ13C curves from pelagic sections, include the oceanic anoxic events OAE1a, 1b, and 1c. Time series constructed from δ13C values (unsmoothed data) vs. stratigraphic position show peaks in the Milankovitch band, especially short-term eccentricity. Most positive peaks are near parasequence set boundaries (50 to 60%) and regressive parts of parasequences (20%). Although diagenetically shifted, the δ13C record retains a highly clipped memory of astronomically-driven global δ13C fluctuations albeit modified by platform water restriction during cyclic deposition.
Radar Observations of Behavior of Migrating Birds in Response to Sounds Broadcast from the Ground

Field experiments with a tracking radar and loudspeaker system have been performed to investigate birds’ behavior in response to sounds (thunder, bird calls) heard during migration. Some, but not all, sounds elicited changes in flight paths. Most reactions occurred quickly and were turns away from the source of the sound. Thunder was more effec-tive on totally overcast than on clear or partly cloudy nights.
Integration of text mining with systems biology provides new insight into the pathogenesis of diabetic neuropathy

Diabetic neuropathy (DN) is the most common complication of diabetes affecting approximately 60% of all diabetic patients leading to significant mortality, morbidity, and poor quality of life. Though more than 50% of patients with DN develop substantial nerve damage prior to noticeable symptoms, no biomarkers for predicting the onset or progression of DN are currently available. Here we present a biomarker discovery platform integrating literature mining and a systems biology approach to identify potential DN biomarkers. A web-based target identification and functional analysis tool, SciMiner ( http://jdrf.neurology.med.umich.edu/SciMiner), was developed that identifies targets using a context specific analysis of MEDLINE abstracts and full texts. A comprehensive list of 1,026 targets from diabetes and reactive oxygen species (ROS) related literature was compiled by SciMiner. The expression levels of nine genes, selected from the over-represented ROS-diabetes targets, were measured in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of diabetic and non-diabetic DBA/2J mice. Eight genes exhibited significant differential expression and the directions of expression change in six of those genes paralleled enhanced oxidative stress in the DRG, suggesting the involvement of ROS related targets in DN. A microarray analysis was also performed on sural nerve biopsies from two DN patient groups with fast or slow DN progression to identify gene expression profiles related to DN progression. In the fast progressing DN, defense response and inflammatory response related genes were up-regulated, while lipid metabolic process and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor (PPAR) signaling pathway related genes were down-regulated. We also developed mRNA expression signatures that predict DN progression in humans with a high prediction accuracy. Ridge-regression based predictive models with 14 genes achieved a prediction accuracy of 92% (correct prediction of 11 out of 12 patients). Our results identifying the unique gene signatures of progressive DN and compiling ROS-diabetes targets can facilitate the development of new mechanism-based therapies and predictive biomarkers of DN.
Precipitation Sensitivity to Local Variations in Tropical Sea Surface Temperature

AbstractThe driving of tropical precipitation by the variability of the underlying sea surface temperature (SST) plays a critical role in the atmospheric general circulation. To assess the precipit...
Damage Accumulation in CMCs

Silicon carbide/ silicon carbide ceramic matrix composites (SiC/SiC CMCs) are a subgroup of structural ceramics that are well-suited for high-temperature aerospace applications, due to their low weight, excellent creep resistance, damage tolerance, and high specific strength. Damage initiation and accumulation in CMCs depends on a number of factors, including constituent architecture, thermo-mechanical loading parameters, and environmental conditions. However, much is still unknown about the impact of these factors and the interactions between them. In order to accurately predict life of these advanced composites, it is critical to understand the relationships between damage initiation/accumulation and key microstructural features, and to characterize which early damage mechanisms subsequently lead to crack coalescence and macroscopic failure. In this study, SiC/SiC minicomposites, which are representative of a fundamental element of the macroscopic CMC, are characterized via an experimental approach combining acoustic emission (AE) with microscale deformation tracking via digital image correlation inside a scanning electron microscope (SEM-DIC) in order to examine early damage initiation at room temperature below the proportional limit. This dual technique enables the capture of multi-modal data on early damage mechanisms in CMCs at both the subsurface and surface levels. This research provides the foundation for characterization of damage in SiC/SiC CMCs under more complex testing conditions.
KLF11 (Krüppel-Like Factor 11) Inhibits Arterial Thrombosis via Suppression of Tissue Factor in the Vascular Wall.

Objective- Mutations in Kruppel like factor-11 ( KLF11), a gene also known as maturity-onset diabetes mellitus of the young type 7, contribute to the development of diabetes mellitus. KLF11 has anti-inflammatory effects in endothelial cells and beneficial effects on stroke. However, the function of KLF11 in the cardiovascular system is not fully unraveled. In this study, we investigated the role of KLF11 in vascular smooth muscle cell biology and arterial thrombosis. Approach and Results- Using a ferric chloride-induced thrombosis model, we found that the occlusion time was significantly reduced in conventional Klf11 knockout mice, whereas bone marrow transplantation could not rescue this phenotype, suggesting that vascular KLF11 is critical for inhibition of arterial thrombosis. We further demonstrated that vascular smooth muscle cell-specific Klf11 knockout mice also exhibited significantly reduced occlusion time. The expression of tissue factor (encoded by the F3 gene), a main initiator of the coagulation cascade, was increased in the artery of Klf11 knockout mice, as determined by real-time quantitative polymerase chain reaction and immunofluorescence. Furthermore, vascular smooth muscle cells isolated from Klf11 knockout mouse aortas showed increased tissue factor expression, which was rescued by KLF11 overexpression. In human aortic smooth muscle cells, small interfering RNA-mediated knockdown of KLF11 increased tissue factor expression. Consistent results were observed on adenovirus-mediated overexpression of KLF11. Mechanistically, KLF11 downregulates F3 at the transcriptional level as determined by reporter and chromatin immunoprecipitation assays. Conclusions- Our data demonstrate that KLF11 is a novel transcriptional suppressor of F3 in vascular smooth muscle cells, constituting a potential molecular target for inhibition of arterial thrombosis.
The gripper table mounted retraction system: A tireless surgical assistant

Abstract The Gripper Table Mounted System (Gripper™) is comprised of a pulley system that is table mounted on attachable posts and can be used to provide retraction in place of surgical assistants. It accepts flat handled retractors and provides constant retraction. It can be particularly helpful during surgeries that require multiple surgical hands such as the direct anterior approach for total hip replacement. The system is adaptable and can be used in a variety of settings with different types of retractors. Preliminary experiences indicate its potential as a cost effective substitute for at least one surgical assistant.
SMALL-TIME ACCOUNTING: A 19TH CENTURY MEAT MERCHANT IN MAINE

The journal of Amos K. Hersey, a 19th century meat merchant from Pembroke, Maine is examined in this paper. The accounting system used by Hersey is analyzed and compared with contemporary prescriptions for account keeping. The paper seeks to contribute to the emerging literature on the history of accounting among ordinary people. It shows how the accounts kept by Hersey reflect and illuminate several features of a local economy and society.
Abstract 34: Implementation of a Novel Fast-Track Extubation Protocol after Routine and Complex Adult Cardiovascular Operations

Background: The Society of Thoracic Surgeons (STS) defines early extubation after cardiac operations as endotracheal extubation and separation from mechanical ventilation in less than 6 hours of su...
Prevention of excessive exercise‐induced adverse effects in rats with Bacillus subtilis BSB3

Aims To characterize efficacy of the Bacillus subtilis BSB3 (BSB3) strain in the prevention of excessive exercise-induced side effects and in maintaining stability of the gut microbiota. Methods and results Rats were pretreated by oral gavage with B. subtilis BSB3 (BSB3) or with phosphate-buffered saline (PBS) twice a day for 2 days, and were either exposed forced treadmill running or remained sedentary. Histological analysis of intestine, immunofluorescence staining of tight junction (TJ) proteins, serum lipopolysaccharide and intestinal fatty acid-binding protein assay, culture-based analysis and pyrosequencing for the gut microbiota were performed for each rat. Forced running resulted in a substantial decrease in intestinal villi height and total mucosa thickness, the depletion of Paneth cells, an inhibition of TJ proteins expression. Short-term treatment of rats with BSB3 before running prevented these adverse effects. Culture-based analysis of the gut microbiota revealed significant elevation of pathogenic microorganisms only in treadmill-exercised rats pretreated with PBS. High-throughput 16S rRNA gene sequencing also revealed an increase in pathobionts in this group. Preventive treatment of animals with BSB3 resulted in predominance of beneficial bacteria. Conclusions BSB3 prevents excessive exercise-associated complications by beneficial modulation of the gut microbiota. Significance and impact of the study Our study shows a new application of beneficial bacteria for prevention the adverse effects of excessive exercise.
Underwater Docking System for a Wave Energy Converter based Mobile Station

Autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) docking and wave energy converters (WECs) have been investigated thoroughly over past decades. Separate development of these technologies in the past few years by the authors are being brought together to propose an underwater docking system for a WEC-based mobile station. This paper presents the concept of WEC-based offshore AUV residency and reports the development of the proposed system. A finite-horizon model predictive control approach is presented to demonstrate the feasibility of “rendezvous” style docking of a box-type AUV to a simulated WEC experiencing sinusoidal vertical oscillations. It is found that the AUV tends to approach the dock when its oscillatory velocity approaches zero.
Estructura Sectorial y Productividad de la Economía Española

This paper analyzes the recent Spanish economy evolution, after a phase of expansion in which it had achieved an important advance in the convergence of well-being with other European countries and with the United States, suffers the impact of the Great Recession. First, the study focuses on the Spanish productive structure during the years 2000 to 2015, characterizing the Spanish productive model and analyzing the contribution of the large productive sectors to economic growth. Next, the work focuses on the labour productivity in Spain and it is contextualized in the international framework. The results indicate that the international convergence path of the Spanish economy is mainly due to the evolution of its employed population.
The Art and Science of Systemic Wellness in Black Communities: Qualitative Evaluation of a Multimodal Theatrical Production.

Background:Edutainment has long been used as a strategy in health promotion and public health wellness interventions. In March 2019, a large US southeastern university hosted a multimodal theatrica...
Cation order control of correlations in double perovskite Sr 2 VNbO 6

This paper studies the double perovskite Sr2VNbO6 using first principles DFT+DMFT, and shows that the charge transfer between the B-site cations can lead to strongly correlated behavior. The authors also observe that the crystal structure parameters predicted by DFT+DMFT and DFT+U can be different, and these subtle differences can result in different electronic structures.
The Integrated Sunyaev-Zeldovich Effect as the Superior Method for Measuring the Mass of Clusters of Galaxies

We investigate empirical scaling relations between the thermal Sunyaev-Zeldovich effect (SZE) and cluster mass in simulated clusters of galaxies. The simulated clusters have been compiled from four different samples that differ only in their assumed baryonic physics. We show that the strength of the thermal SZE integrated over a significant fraction of the virialized region of the clusters is relatively insensitive to the detailed heating and cooling processes in the cores of clusters by demonstrating that the derived scaling relations are nearly identical between the four cluster samples considered. For our synthetic images, the central Comptonization parameter shows significant boosting during transient merging events, but the integrated SZE appears to be relatively insensitive to these events. Most importantly, the integrated SZE closely tracks the underlying cluster mass. Observations through the thermal SZE allow a strikingly accurate mass estimation from relatively simple measurements that do not require either parametric modeling or geometric deprojection and thus avoid assumptions regarding the physics of the ICM or the symmetry of the cluster. This result offers significant promise for precision cosmology using clusters of galaxies.
A Foundational Guide to Understanding Radiology Department Business Operations for Trainees.

The financial success of a radiology department is crucial to the well-being of both the hospital and the community it serves. Radiology trainees should therefore be conscious of how the department maintains its value within the health system. The purpose of this review is to provide a concise foundational resource for contemporary radiology residents and fellows to understand the basic financial operations of a hospital-based radiology department and to demonstrate its importance in supporting clinical activities. The radiology report is at the heart of reimbursement. Coders use this tool to assign International Classification of Diseases and Current Procedural Terminology codes to file reimbursement claims. Medicare, commanding the highest market share for third-party payers, sets algorithmic standards for compensation practices. Private insurers contract with hospitals, and providers use these systems or create their own contractual framework. Radiology leaders strategically balance these revenue streams with various departmental costs utilizing tools such as budgets and forecasts to ensure long-term organizational viability. Notably, payment practices in the United States are transforming from fee-for-service to value-based care. The roles of the radiologist and the radiology report are evolving with it. Examples of value-based payment models are accountable care organizations and bundled payments. Radiologists participating in these models are increasingly expected to be stewards of imaging utilization and effectively manage health care resources. Within this context of a globally changing incentive structure, trainees must reconceptualize their educational experience to equip themselves for both current and future types of clinical practice.
Diagnostic Errors and Their Associated Cognitive Biases

Diagnostic errors in medical practice are common, but they have only recently received more attention within the patient safety movement. These errors result from a variety of failure modes that involve poor communication among providers and patients, a healthcare system that inadequately supports the diagnostic process, and a culture that is often punitive and nontransparent about medical errors. In this chapter, we present the case of a teenage girl with a common medical complaint whose correct diagnosis and appropriate therapy were delayed because of cognitive biases that influenced the critical thinking of the clinicians involved in her medical care. We discuss the diagnostic process and the systems of thinking that drive its outcome. The case illustrates how cognitive biases such as representativeness bias, availability bias, anchoring bias, and premature closure bias influence physicians as they engage in the diagnostic process. We discuss ways to measure and minimize diagnostic errors and mitigate cognitive biases.
What’s Next for a National Infrastructure Policy: An Encore or a Requiem?:

In an essay almost 30 years ago, Professor Dick Netzer of NYU asked the question “Do We Really Need a National Infrastructure Policy?” and came to the conclusion that we did not. As the Biden Admin...
Story hour at a family homeless center: contribution to graduate students’ preparation and confidence in preliteracy skills

Abstract Purpose This study evaluated the potential benefit to graduate students’ of participating in a service-learning program conducting a storybook reading program for children in a family homeless shelter. Method Ten graduate students in the second year of a two-year master's degree program in communication science and disorders participated in the storybook reading program. The graduate students engaged in reflective writing about their experiences and completed self-ratings of confidence in preliteracy skills before and after program participation. Twenty graduate students in two comparison groups (10 students in a pre-program comparison group, and 10 in a post-program comparison group) also completed questionnaires. The mixed-methods study used quantitative analyses to analyze questionnaire ratings and qualitative methods to analyze reflective writings. Results Together, the quantitative and qualitative results indicated positive outcomes from the service-learning experience with regard to graduate students’ perceived confidence in preliteracy skills and preparation for careers as speech-language pathologists. The results provide empirical data showing that service-learning experiences with at-risk populations can contribute to graduate students’ clinical education and preparation as speech-language pathologists. Conclusion The results support the value of service-learning experiences in communication sciences and disorders. Clinical preparation in preliteracy development also supports the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association statement on the roles and responsibilities of speech-language pathologists in relation to reading and writing in children.
The Other Shore: Essays on Writers and Writing

Preface The Other Shore The Red Road Kindred Spirits Writing Under the Influence A Typewriter Collecting Dust Writing In Limbo The Magical Power of Words Flights of Fancy Writing Fellowship There Go I Writing Between Friends Writing So As Not To Die Chinese Boxes The Writing on the Wall Writing For Bare Life Writing Out Of The Blue A Storyteller's Story The Muse Writing in the Dark Writing In The Zone Writing, Naturally Writing Workshop The Books in my Life Writing Utopia Writing In Search of Lost Time Writing About Writers Writing in Ruins Writing As A Way Of Life
Regional Patterns of Agricultural Reform in Russia

This paper analyzes the results of the first period of agricultural reform in Russia (1991-1993) by examining the patterns of peasant farms and of the reorganization of state and collective farms across 74 oblast-level regions. It also relates socioeconomic variables, agricultural productivity, capital investment and other agricultural inputs, and environmental factors to indices of agricultural reform to determine the main causes of variation in agricultural reform among the oblasts. The results are extremely complex, with reform indicators relating to peasant farms showing very different patterns of change from indica-tors describing the reorganization of collective and state farms. 9 figures, 2 tables, 46 references.
Epigenetic regulation in CD91+ cells following immunization with heat shock proteins (VAC3P.948)

The immunogenic HSPs are intracellular chaperones of peptides. When HSPs are released from cells they interact with the receptor CD91 on the surface of antigen presenting cells. This allows for cross-presentation of the chaperoned peptides and initiation of various signaling pathways. We have shown that low or high dose gp96 immunization of mice leads to priming of TH1 and Treg responses respectively. Although the mechanisms driving this switch remain largely unknown, these responses have been harnessed for immunotherapy of cancer and autoimmune disease. Our preliminary studies have indicated changes in accumulation and/or recruitment of multiple immune cell subsets in the draining lymph nodes and spleens of mice following immunization with gp96. We propose that such regulation is controlled by DNA methylation states in CD91+ cells. Using next generation sequencing, we have identified these modifications following gp96 immunization. Methyl-seq analysis of CD91+ cells derived from mice immunized with low or high doses of gp96 reveals differential methylation across at least 80 promoter regions, including genes involved in chemotaxis, signaling, and cytokine response. Further exploration will determine which, if any, of these regions are associated with gene silencing. Importantly, these studies show an early requirement for epigenetic changes in response to gp96 and will provide further understanding of the APC-T cell interaction following gp96 immunization and in general.
The Role of Soft and Hard Information in the Pricing of Assets and Contract Design - Evidence from Screenplay Sales

There is a growing literature on the differential impact of soft vs. hard information on organizational structure and behavior. Most empirical papers on soft information study the financial intermediation industry. This is one of the few papers that measure the impact of soft information in a different industry, namely, on sales of spec (unsolicited) screenplays. In our empirical analysis, we find that hard information (measurable experience) variables as well as soft information proxies, such as descriptive complexity, are priced. Screenplays with high soft information content are priced lower than harder information-type scripts. This is especially true for less experienced writers. We also find that large studios shun soft information, as predicted by most theories. This paper is also one of the few studies that analyze empirical contract design. We show that soft information and screenwriter reputation will affect the type of contracts offered, suggesting that contingent contracts may work when uncertainty and asymmetric information interact. We also find that large firms tend to offer more contingent contracts and pay a premium for hard information, similar to the findings in the banking literature. In the last part of the paper we follow some of the screenplays to production, and find that buyers seem to be able to forecast the success of a script, paying more for screenplays resulting in more successful films. In other words, harder information screenplays sell for more and result in more successful movies.
Volatile loss from dry food polymer systems resulting from chemical reactions

Abstract This study focuses on the loss of desirable flavour when encapsulated via spray drying in selected food polymers examining the relative importance of chemical reactions versus diffusion out of the polymer into the product headspace. The food polymers examined include whey protein isolate (WPI), gum acacia and 10 DE maltodextrin. Both diffusive and reactive losses of our model volatile system (18 compounds) occurred during storage and the extent of loss was dependent upon both the food polymer and volatile being considered. Losses tended to be related to the presence of protein in the food polymer although some volatiles were most stable in the whey protein isolate (e.g. acetaldehyde and pyrrole). Based on the average value of loss across all volatiles for each food polymer, volatile loss attributed to chemical reaction was approximately 35% for the 10 DE maltodextrin system, 50% for the gum acacia system and 80% for the WPI system.
White coats for Black lives: medical students responding to racism and police brutality

Last fall, Black people and their allies took to social media and the streets to assert that, despite the non-indictment of officers responsible for the deaths of Michael Brown and Eric Garner, Black lives matter. While these protests sparked national dialogue about racism and violence against communities of color, our medical school campuses remained silent and detached. As medical trainees invested in the lives and well-being of people of color, we felt called to action by the #BlackLivesMatter movement. Medicine is not immune to the racism that pervades our education, housing, employment, and criminal justice systems. Moreover, racism and police brutality damage the health and lives of people of color, particularly Black people, and must be addressed as a public health crisis. Initially, students at different medical schools initiated conversations and planned separate actions to engage with larger, national struggles for racial justice. For example, students at the University of California San Francisco, School of Medicine and the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai independently planned die-in demonstrations regionally and locally, respectively, in solidarity with national die-ins in public spaces. Students at the Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania, who at the time were writing an open letter calling for a public response to racism from medical professionals, heard about the actions being planned at UCSF and Mount Sinai and created a line of communication among the three schools. Students at these schools coordinated a single, national die-in demonstration on December 10, International Human Rights Day. Through social media, interpersonal connections, and a press release sent out by Physicians for a National Health Program, who endorsed the action, news of the die-in quickly spread nationwide. Ultimately, over 3000 students at more than 80
Global Stability with Spillovers

This paper investigates the stability of a small, highly stylized economy, which has imperfectly informed traders visiting markets sequentially. Trading out of equilibrium is allowed. Roughly speaking, this system is found to be stable, even though spillovers are present, as long as the direct effects of price changes dominate the spillovers.
Platelet membrane early activation markers during prolonged storage.

The relationship between platelet aging and early markers of membrane activation have not been defined clearly. Activation markers expressed during prolonged storage are similar if not identical to those that appear after exposure to thrombin. Using flow cytometry, we investigated platelet membrane expression of CD62P, CD63, and annexin V binding (i.e., loss of membrane asymmetry) in platelets stored for up to 11 days under standard blood banking conditions. We compared five apheresis platelets to two random donor platelet concentrates, and to one pooled platelet preparation from six single platelet concentrates before and after exposure to thrombin. CD62P, CD63 expression, and annexin V binding increased during storage albeit with different kinetics. The differential increments observed between resting and thrombin (1 unit/ml) activated platelets showed an inverse correlation to storage time for CD62P, CD63, and annexin V binding, which was identical to published survival curves. A difference between apheresis platelets and platelet concentrates was observed only on day 1. Our data indicate that the in vitro platelet reserve activity to thrombin activation mirrors that of radiolabeled platelet survival in vivo and that platelet cross-sectional residual life span can explain their diminished capacity to respond to thrombin as a function of viability.
Effect of ionic strength on skinned rabbit psoas fibers in the presence of magnesium pyrophosphate.

The effect of ionic strength on the kinetics of myosin cross-bridges in the presence of the ATP analogue PP, has been examined. It was found that increasing ionic strength from moderate values (mu approximately 100 mM) to high values (mu approximately 200 mM) has three effects. It causes a big decrease in the half time for the force decay after a small stretch, it causes a significant decrease in the sigmoidicity of the nucleotide analogue concentration dependence of the "apparent rate constant" of force decay after a small stretch, and it causes a big decrease in the range of rate constants necessary to describe the multiexponential force decay. It causes the last of these by causing a much larger increase in the slowest rate constants of the decay than in the fastest rate constants. The results suggest that whereas the behavior of cross-bridges in the presence of ATP is well-described by the simple independent-head equilibrium cross-bridge model of Schoenberg (1985. Biophys. J. 48:467–475), cross-bridges in the presence of the ATP analogue PPi require the more complicated double-headed equilibrium cross-bridge model of Anderson and Schoenberg (1987. Biophys. J. 52: 1077–1082) to describe their behavior.
Defects of the Testosterone Biosynthetic Pathway in Boys With Hypospadias

AbstractPurpose: We determined the incidence of defects in 3 enzymes, namely 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase, 17 alpha-hydroxylase and 17,20-lyase, on the testosterone biosynthetic pathway in boys with hypospadias.Materials and Methods: We evaluated 30 boys with a 46,XY karyotype, fully descended testes and penoscrotal or proximal shaft hypospadias. Serum concentrations of the metabolites mediated by these enzymes were measured, from which the precursor-to-product ratios were calculated. Seven patients underwent adrenocorticotropic hormone stimulation. Findings were compared to previously published data on age matched normal boys.Results: A total of 11 boys had evidence of impaired function of 3 beta-hydroxysteroid dehydrogenase alone or in combination with impaired 17,20-lyase or 17 alpha-hydroxylase activity. An additional 4 boys had evidence of isolated 17,20-lyase deficiency. Thus, of the 30 boys studied 15 (50%) had evidence of a testosterone biosynthetic defect. The effect of adrenocorticotropic...
Feature based models for anatomical data fitting

Abstract Taking advantage of the known, geometric structure of the data being fit, a generic model having this shape is used as an initial approximation. The model is first globally sized and aligned with the data on the basis of the min/max box, principal axes and landmarks. Once aligned, features embedded within the model, corresponding to pertinent characteristics of the data, are adjusted to better fit the data. Finally, vertices and weights of the rational B-spline are optimized to locally deform the model and approximate the data to within a specified tolerance. The feature based modelling approach is demonstrated in 2D by the fitting of facial profiles.
Analyzing Structure–Photophysical Property Relationships for Isolated T8, T10, and T12 Stilbenevinylsilsesquioxanes

Silsesquioxanes (SQs) are of considerable interest for hybrid electronic and photonic materials. However, to date, their photophysical properties have not been studied extensively, thus their potential remains conjecture. Here we describe the first known efforts to map structure–photophysical properties as a function of cage symmetry and size by comparing identically functionalized systems. Our focus here is on the solution photophysical properties of the title stilbenevinyl-SQs, which were characterized using single photon absorption, two-photon absorption, fluorescence emission, and fluorescence lifetime kinetics. We offer here the first detailed photophysical study of the larger pure T10 and T12 silsesquioxanes and show photophysical properties that differ as a function of size, especially in their fluorescence behavior, indicating that cage size and/or symmetry can strongly affect photophysical properties. We also find that they offer excitation-dependent emission (evidence of rare “red-edge” effects)...
Secretory Immunity and the Bacterial IgA Proteases

The characteristics and functions of microbial IgA proteases are reviewed. These enzymes represent a structurally heterogeneous group of proteins that are secreted into the extracellular environment by bacteria capable of causing human disease. The IgA proteases, which vary in their requirements for metal ions, are neutral endopeptidases whose role in the infectious process is not known but whose pronounced substrate specificity for human proteins of the IgA1 subclass has repeatedly been demonstrated. As reagents, the IgA proteases are useful in cleaving IgA molecules to yield intact Fc alpha and Fab alpha fragments that will allow the study of the structure and function of the two large regions of IgA immunoglobulin proteins. The role, if any, of these enzymes in promoting infection by pathogenic members of the genera Neisseria, Hemophilus, and Streptococcus is not known, although the secretory immune system is primarily mediated by antibodies of the IgA isotype, among which are IgA1 subclass proteins, and these proteins are susceptible to cleavage by IgA protease. The determination of the role of these enzymes in the pathogenesis of human infection must await clearer understanding of antigenicity and antibody function at secretory sites and of the relative roles of the two subclasses of human IgA in immune defense.
A bayesian approach to inference for monotone failure rates

Abstract In reliability theory, the notion of monotone failure rates plays a central role. When prior information indicates that such monotonicity is meaningful, it must be incorporated into the prior distribution whenever inference about the failure rates needs to be made. In this paper we show how this can be done in a straightforward and intuitively pleasing manner. The time interval is partitioned into subintervals of equal width and the number of failures and censoring in each interval is recorded. By defining a Dirichlet as the joint prior distribution for the forward or the backward differences of the conditional probabilities of survival in each interval, we find that the monotonicity is presenved in the posterior estimate of the failure rates. A posterior estimate of the survival function can also be obtained. We illustrate our method by applying it to some real life medical data.
The Effect of Stress on Menstrual Function

Historically difficult to define, stress is, in one sense, the factor that stressors have in common in their impact on the body. Menstrual function is disrupted by stressors that activate the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal (HPA) axis; this activation is part of a catabolic response of the whole body that mobilizes metabolic fuels to meet energy demand. Functional menstrual disorders are associated with an increase in cortisol and with a broad spectrum of other symptoms of energy deficiency. Recent experiments suggest that exercise and other stressors have no disruptive effect on reproductive function beyond the impact of their energy cost on energy availability. These studies suggest that treatments for functional menstrual disorders should aim at dietary reform and that stress is simply low energy availability. Future experiments should carefully test this hypothesis.
Comparison of backwards and forwards scalar relative dispersion in turbulent shear flow

Abstract Turbulent mixing is characteristically identifiable with backwards relative dispersion, where pairs of particles get transported to the mixing location. However, relative dispersion models are insensitive to this fact and predominantly apply forwards relative dispersion concepts. The goal of the current study is to highlight and interpret differences, if any, between the forwards and backwards relative dispersion. Direct numerical simulation is used to obtain the flow field in an infinitely long channel. A Lagrangian technique is used in conjunction with the direct numerical simulation to track scalar markers released into this flow field. Two different types of flow, Poiseuille channel flow, where the walls of the channel are stationary, and plane Couette flow, where the walls of the channel move in opposite directions relative to each other, are simulated. Forwards relative dispersion is found to be faster in the viscous sub-layer, the transition region and the logarithmic regions of the Poiseuille channel flow, while the backwards relative dispersion is faster in the center of the channel. Faster forwards relative dispersion is seen in the center of the Couette flow channel and the logarithmic region, while higher rate of backwards relative dispersion is observed in the viscous sub-layer and the transition region. The underlying reason for differences in relative dispersion is related to the turbulence velocity structure and the velocity fluctuation probability density function that the particle pairs experience while traveling towards or away from a point. It is also found that the Prandtl number affects rates of forwards and backwards relative dispersion in a systematic manner.
Tumor necrosis factor-alpha- and interleukin-1-stimulated intercellular adhesion molecule-1 expression by murine renal tubular epithelial cells is transcriptionally regulated and involves protein kinase C.

The regulation of intercellular adhesion molecule-1 (ICAM-1) expression by renal tubular epithelial cells (TEC) has been studied in vitro. ICAM-1 expression in TEC is stimulated with phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), but not with forskolin, suggesting a role for protein kinase C (PKC) but not for protein kinase A (PKA). The tumor necrosis factor-Α- (TNF-Α) and interleukin-1 (IL-1)-stimulated ICAM-1 expression in TEC is blocked with the PKC/PKA inhibitor staurosporine, and also with the PKC-selective inhibitor calphostin C. The TNF-Α-stimulated ICAM-1 expression is resistant however to downregulation of PKC with PMA. The TNF-Α- and IL-1-stimulated ICAM-1 expression is also inhibited with the transcriptional inhibitor actinomycin D and with the protein synthesis inhibitor cycloheximide. Thus, ICAM-1 expression by TEC may involve a downregulation-resistant PKC which induces ICAM-1 expression at a transcriptional level.
Sol−Gel Template Synthesis of Semiconductor Nanostructures

The template method for preparing nanostructures entails synthesis of the desired material within the pores of a nanoporous membrane or other solid. A nanofibril or tubule of the desired material is obtained within each pore. Methods used previously to deposit materials within the pores of such membranes include electrochemical and electroless deposition and in situ polymerization. This paper describes the first use of sol−gel chemistry to prepare semiconductor nanofibrils and tubules within the pores of an alumina template membrane. TiO2, WO3, and ZnO nanostructures have been prepared. TiO2 nanofibrils with diameters of 22 nm were found to be single crystals of anatase with the c-axis oriented along the fibril axis. Bundles of these fibrils were also found to be single crystalline, suggesting that the indiviual fibrils are arranged in a highly organized fashion within the bundle. Finally, 200 nm diameter TiO2 fibrils were used as photocatalysts for the decomposition of salicylic acid.
The initial boundary value problems for the semilinear diffusion equations with data in L p spaces

In this paper, I have established conditions under which the existence and uniqueness of weak solutions of some Semilinear diffusion equations with initial and boundary data in fractional LL p spaces can be established in a bounded domain with smooth boundary The interest of this method relies on the fact that it is by successive approximations and hence amenable to numerical treatment. The paper also considers the semigroups theory on the existence of weak classical solutions.
Mass spectrometry studies on the complexation of several organometallic complexes by α- and β-cyclodextrins

The complexation of ferrocene and several ferrocene derivatives with the hosts α-cyclodextrin (α-CD) and β-cyclodextrin (β-CD) was investigated by electrospray mass spectrometry. A 2:1 complex was detected between α-CD and ferrocene while a 1:1 complex was observed with β-CD and this organometallic guest. All the remaining ferrocene derivatives surveyed in this work exhibited mass spectrometry signals corresponding to 1:1 complexes with either host. In contrast to previous electrochemical and proton NMR spectroscopic studies, no evidence was found for ternary or quaternary complexes in these host–guest systems. These results demonstrate for the first time that complexes between cyclodextrins and organometallic compounds are detected in the gas phase. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Information Cues and Processes Shaping Middle Managers' Change Readiness Sentiments

Much has been written about managing change in the workplace, including how to develop change readiness in the organization. However, little is known about how middle managers form their change rea...