cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Early cellular responses to diverse growth stimuli independent of protein and RNA synthesis

Serum, elevated pH, excess Zn++, 9,10 dimethyl-1,2 dibenzanthracene (DMBA) and insulin accelerate the progress of growth-inhibited chick embryo cells into the S-period of DNA synthesis. A comparative study was made of their capacity to elicit other cellular responses within two hours after their application. All the agents studied stimulated the uptake of the glucose analogue 2-deoxy-D-glucose (2-dGlc). Elevated pH elicited a more striking increase than the other agents in the uptake of the amino acid analogue α-amino isobutyric acid (AIB). The application of subtoxic concentrations of Zn++ or DMBA did not stimulate the uptake of uridine by cells nor its incorporation into RNA when tested at 2 hours. However, it was found that the stimulation of uridine utilization did occur but was delayed several hours. Similarly, the accelerated onset of DNA synthesis was also delayed for several hours by these agents. Insulin acted like serum in stimulating the utilization of 2-dGlc, AIB and uridine. Serum and DMBA were particularly effective in stimulating the utilization of choline. It was concluded that the utilization of 2-dGlc, uridine and thymidine are affected similarly by all the agents, but that there may be differential effects in the utilization of AIB and choline. The inhibition of RNA synthesis by actinomycin D did not prevent the relative stimulation of 2-dGlc, AIB and choline utilization by serum and pH treatment. The inhibition of protein synthesis by cycloheximide did not prevent the relative stimulation of 2-dGlc and choline utilization by serum and pH treatment. It partially blocked the increased uptake of AIB and had erratic effects on the utilization of uridine. It was concluded that neither RNA nor protein synthesis is required for some, if not all, the early responses to growth stimuli measured here. The inhibited cell appears to be a poised system which carries out a programmed array of reactions characteristic of the cell type following perturbation by a variety of unrelated agents. In vivo specificity is provided by the physiological reagents available (i.e., hormones) and their capacity to interact with different cell types.
Dextran-gold nanoparticle hybrid material for biomolecule immobilization and detection.

The formation of a hybrid metal−biopolymer material is described. The synthesis of this material consists of functionalizing the surface of gold nanoparticles through a series of steps that lead to epoxy-functionalized nanoparticles. These are subsequently reacted with hydroxyl moieties of the α-d-glucopyranosyl groups of dextran. Subsequently, the dextran chains are carboxylated through treatment with bromoacetic acid. The resultant material combines the unique optical properties of gold nanoparticles with the versatility that carboxylated dextran offers for further functionalization with biomolecules. The interaction of this material with three proteins was then investigated through changes in the plasmon resonance properties of the gold nanoparticles. Concanavalin A, a lectin that binds glucose and mannose by means of specific molecular recognition, interacts readily with this material and such interaction is easily detected using optical absorption spectroscopy. Through reaction of the carboxyl groups...
Taking aim on empowerment research: On the distinction between individual and psychological conceptions

Empowerment theory need not remain a mystery. Efforts, such as those described in this special section, to outline more clearly the nomological network of empowerment at multiple levels of analysis will advance empowerment theory. Tough-minded rigorous research is needed to advance the concept of empowerment. Empowerment research requires us to shift our attention from a debate between the merits of research at one level of analysis versus another to building bridges between levels of analysis. We must integrate theories and methods from other disciplines and develop research strategies that incorporate qualitative procedures and the voices of the research participants. The papers in this special section take aim on these tasks and add to our understanding of empowerment.
Surgical results of double-orifice left atrioventricular valve associated with atrioventricular septal defects.

Abstract Background . Double-orifice left atrioventricular valve (LAVV) is a rare but surgically important anomaly, which is regarded as a risk factor for surgical correction of atrioventricular septal defects (AVSDs). Methods . Of 209 consecutive patients with AVSDs, double-orifice LAVV was identified in 19 patients (9.1%, including 7 infants). Preoperative LAVV function, surgical procedures and results, incidence of postoperative LAVV dysfunction and reoperations were reviewed and compared between patients with this valve malformation (group I, n=19) and those without it (group II, n=190). Results . There were no operative or late deaths in group I. Preoperative LAVV function was similar in both groups. The cleft was totally closed in 77.2% of group II and 47.1% of group I ( p p = 0.009) and freedom from reoperation was 89.9% in group II versus 58.3% in group I at 5 years ( p = 0.012); however, there was no difference in complete AVSDs. None of the infants in group I underwent total cleft closure and 4 of them showed more than moderate LAVV insufficiency postoperatively. Conclusions . Double-orifice LAVV is a significant predictor for postoperative LAVV incompetence and reoperation in partial AVSDs, but not in complete AVSDs. Surgical procedures for the cleft should be individualized with careful intraoperative evaluation of the structure and function of this abnormal valve, especially in partial AVSDs and infants.
Ultraviolet properties of halo coronal mass ejections : Doppler shifts, angles, shocks, and bulk morphology

We present UV spectral information for 22 halo or partial halo CMEs observed by UVCS. The CME fronts show broad line profiles, while the line intensities are comparable to the background corona. The Doppler shifts of the front material are generally small, showing that the motion of gas in the fronts is mostly transverse to the line of sight. This indicates that, at least in halo CMEs, the fronts generally correspond to coronal plasma swept up by a shock or compression wave, rather than plasma carried outward by magnetic loops. This favors an ice cream cone (or a spherical shell) model, as opposed to an expanding arcade of loops. We use the line widths to discriminate between shock heating and bulk expansion. Of 14 cases where we detected the CME front, the line broadening in 7 cases can be attributed to shock heating, while in 3 cases it is the line-of-sight component of the CME expansion. For the CME cores we determine the angles between the motion and the plane of the sky, along with the actual heliocentric distances, in order to provide quantitative estimates of projection effects.
Costs and Benefits of American Corporate Capitalism

Kudos to Tim Kasser and colleagues for their provocative analysis of what they view as American corporate capitalism's (ACC's) benefits and costs. My response in a nutshell: for the economic benefi...
Fault-Scarp Dating Utilizing Soil Strength Behavior Techniques

Field and laboratory studies of the alluvial and colluvial soils, of varying lithology, that comprise the 1954 Dixie Valley–Fairview Peak fault scarps and the 1915 Pleasant Valley fault scarps of west-central Nevada, show that the engineering properties of these soils play a significant role in the development of scarp morphology. Cohesive strengths of these scarp soils increase in an approximately linear manner with increasing ratio of free face to total scarp height, and comparable linear relationships exist between the bulk densities and the ratio of free face to scarp height. The correlation coefficients between the soil-engineering parameters and the scarp ratios are very high. The peak friction angles for the Dixie Valley–Fairview Peak study area also exhibit a linear trend and a high correlation coefficient; those of Pleasant Valley did not, probably due to the smaller sampling base. Such results help explain the often abrupt changes in the free face/total scarp height ratios observed along fault scarps at the boundaries between differing soil types. Studies along the Lone Pine scarp (1872 – most recent offset) of central Owens Valley, California, reveal similar relationships between the soil-engineering properties and the free face to scarp height ratios. Shear tests performed on three different age scarp bevels (due to three faulting episodes) show a consistent decrease in soil strength with increasing bevel age, indicated by graphical plots of cohesion vs age and cohesion vs bevel inclination. Use of this data with more qualitative methods can be utilized in the assessment of fault scarp ages in regions of comparable aridity and rock/soil types.
Race and the validity of self-reported cancer screening behaviors: development of a conceptual model.

Abstract Background Many estimates of cancer screening are based on self-reported screening behavior. There is growing concern that self-reported screening measures may be less accurate among members of racial and ethnic minority groups. This would have considerable implications for research on racial and ethnic disparities in cancer screening. Objectives To review the literature on the relationship between race/ethnicity and the accuracy of self-reported cancer screening behavior and develop a conceptual framework that would provide a deeper understanding of factors underlying this relationship. Methods We developed a conceptual framework drawing from diverse literatures including validation studies examining the accuracy of self-reported cancer screening behaviors and articles on survey response bias. Results and conclusions Evidence suggests that racial and ethnic minorities may be less likely to provide accurate reports of their cancer screening behavior and that overreporting may be particularly problematic. Research conducted in other areas suggests that these sources of measurement error may stem from cognitive and motivational processes and that they can be moderated by question wording and data collection characteristics. At this point, however, the quality of the evidence is not strong and more research is needed before definitive conclusions can be drawn.
Strength degradation in SiC and Si3N4 ceramics by exposure to coal slags at high temperatures

Several commercial SiC and Si3N4 ceramics were exposed to the slag-like combustion products of coal—oil mixtures at approximately 1200° C to assess the effects of the ceramics composition on its corrosion behaviour and related changes in flexure strength including its temperature dependence. In the case of exposure to a slag from combustion of a basic coal—oil mixture, very accelerated corrosive attack occurs in both the SiC and Si3N4 ceramics such that the general rate of surface recession compared with localized corrosive attack limits the long-term load bearing capacity of the materials. Both the high-temperature corrosion for two different acidic slags and the resultant flexure strengths are dominated by either local enhanced surface corrosion (i.e. pitting) or slag penetration into the various materials which are strongly influenced by processing defects, impurities and/or second phases initially present in the ceramics. The SiC ceramics generally exhibited greater resistance to corrosive attack than did the Si3N4 ceramics.
MEASURING COMPETITION IN A SPATIALLY HETEROGENEOUS ENVIRONMENT

This article addresses two types of spatial heterogeneity that may act to mitigate competition among species: variability in resource quality and variability in the densities of species that is not correlated with resource quality. I develop a method for quantifying these types of spatial heterogeneity both for animals that use patchily distributed resources and for annual plants. The method assesses spatial heterogeneity in terms of the expected intensity of intra- and interspecific competition experienced by individuals. A particular problem in studying the effects of spatial heterogeneity is the need to know the strength of competitive interactions across a range of resource qualities and population densities, which makes field experiments difficult. The method developed here may simplify field experiments by assessing the importance of spatial heterogeneity in a way that requires knowing only the spatial distribution of species relative to their resources, not the details of competitive interactions a...
Generation of aberrant forms of DFF40 concurrent with caspase-3 activation during acute and chronic liver injury in rats

DNA fragmentation factors (DFF) form protein complexes consisting of nuclease DFF40/CAD and inhibitory chaperon DFF45/ICAD. Although activated caspase-3 has been shown to cleave DFF complexes with the release of active DFF40 and DNA fragmentation, the organ-specific mechanisms of DFF turnover during liver injury accompanied by massive apoptosis are unclear. In this study, we investigated hepatic profile of DFF40-immunopositive proteins in two models of liver injury in rats: acute ischemia/reperfusion (I/R) and chronic alcohol administration. We show that DFF40-like proteins occur in intact rat liver mainly as a 52kDa protein. Hepatic I/R-induced caspase-3 activation and a time-dependent accumulation of DFF40-positive protein fragments (40 and 20kDa), most likely via specific caspase-3 cleavage as evidenced by in vitro digestion of intact liver tissue with recombinant caspase-3. In addition, immunoprecipitation with DFF40 followed by Western blot with active caspase-3 antibody revealed the presence of active caspase-3 in DFF40-immunopositive 20kDa proteins. Chronic alcohol administration in rats also resulted in a dose-dependent fragmentation of DFF40 proteins similar to I/R injury. Collectively, these data demonstrate that DFF40 immunopositive proteins exist in the liver as distinct, tissue-specific molecular forms that may be processed by caspase-3 during both acute and chronic liver injury.
Persistence and Dose Escalation of Tumor Necrosis Factor Inhibitors in US Veterans with Rheumatoid Arthritis

Objective. Limited evidence exists comparing the persistence, effectiveness, and costs of biologic therapies for rheumatoid arthritis in clinical practice. Comparative effectiveness studies are needed to understand real-world experience with these agents. We evaluated treatment patterns, costs, and effectiveness of tumor necrosis factor inhibitor (TNFi) agents in patients enrolled in the Veterans Affairs Rheumatoid Arthritis (VARA) registry. Methods. Observational data from the VARA registry and linked administrative databases were analyzed. Longitudinal data from VARA patients initiating adalimumab (ADA), etanercept (ETN), or infliximab (IFX) from 2003 (the date all agents were available within the Veteran Affairs) to 2010 were analyzed. Outcomes included Disease Activity Score using 28 joints (DAS28), treatment persistence, dose escalation, and direct costs of drugs and drug administration. Results. For 563 eligible patients, baseline DAS28, DAS28 improvements, and persistence on initial treatment were similar across agents. Fewer patients receiving ETN (n = 5/290; 2%) underwent dose escalation than did patients taking ADA (n = 32/204; 16%) or IFX (n = 44/69; 64%). Annual costs for first course of TNFi therapy were lower for injectable ADA ($13,100 US) and ETN ($13,500 US) than for intravenously administered IFX ($16,900 US). Conclusion. Despite similar persistence and clinical disease activity for these TNFi agents, rates of dose escalation were highest with ADA and IFX. Higher overall costs were noted for IFX without increases in effectiveness.
Nur(R1)turing a notion on the etiopathogenesis of Parkinson's disease.

The canonical histopathological feature of Parkinson’s disease (PD) is the loss of dopaminergic neurons in the ventral midbrain. Although the common sporadic/idiopathic form of PD most often presents clinically at around 60 years of age when the levels of striatal dopamine and numbers of ventral dopaminergic neurons are posited to have declined by 80 and 60%, respectively, the temporal pattern of injury to these vulnerable cells is unknown. The conventional view is that PD results from an accelerated age-related loss of dopamine neurons. However, an alternative hypothesis is that dopamine neuron loss is a developmental phenomenon. What evidence might support this alternative view? Apart from the rare familial forms, wherein loss or gain of function mutations in single genes convey highly penetrant PD, sporadic disease is genetically complex and may have other contributory non-genetic components. Epidemiologic and twin studies have strongly implicated gene–environmental interaction as a pathogenic dyad in the etiology of PD. Among the most attractive candidates that may connect the environment to inherited vulnerability is the nuclear receptor, Nurr1. Encoding an orphan transcription factor that is expressed at high levels within discrete regions of the developing and adult mammalian brain, Nurr1 is essential for the formation of ventral midbrain dopamine neurons. Given the absence of a known lipophilic small molecule regulator and established transcriptional role in the formation of the definitive dopaminergic phenotype, Nurr1 represents an intriguing molecule to explore in the context of sporadic PD as a developmental disorder. The study described herein addresses two features of Nurr1 biology that provide plausibility for this hypothesis. First is the description of Nurr1 regulation of a potent dopaminergic neuronal trophic factor, vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), and second is the identification of a protein, termed Nurr1 interacting protein (NuIP) that appears to link upstream signaling pathways in the regulation of Nurr1 transcriptional activity.
Factors that Affect Emergent Literacy Development When Engaging with Electronic Books

This article reviews extant literature with the purpose of identifying factors that affect the potential efficacy of electronic books to support literacy development during early childhood. Selection criteria include experimental, quasi-experimental, and observational studies from peer-reviewed journals from 2000 to 2013 with a target population of 3–7 year olds. Results established the following factors as relevant to potential literacy outcomes: interactive features, quality assessment, repetition, and adult interaction. Each factor is discussed in its relationship to literacy skills in order to identify optimal conditions for literacy growth. Findings in this review are pertinent to parents, educators, legislators, and software developers who are making software decisions that will impact early childhood students at home or in school. Future research and implications are considered.
Disturbing politics: neo-paulinism and the scrambling of religious and secular identities

: One of the most remarkable characteristics of recent cultural theory is its obsession with the early Christian apostle Paul. With this interest in Paul as contemporary cultural theory, a panoply of modern identities find themselves obsolesced, scrambled, or otherwise useless. This essay attempts to find new points of orientation within those scrambled identities that have appeared with this new Paul, and the essay does so by exploring the idea that we are now repeating a Pauline moment of kairos, that apocalyptic moment in which meaningful transformation of the world may occur.
An elegant perturbation solution for the Lane–Emden equation of the second kind

Abstract Perturbation solutions are obtained for the Lane–Emden equation of the second kind which describe Bonnor–Ebert gas spheres. In particular, we employ the field-theoretic perturbative procedure due to Bender et al. to obtain analytical solutions to the nonlinear initial value problem. We find that the method allows one to construct perturbation solutions which converge rapidly to the true solutions in many cases, as it allows one to more accurately represent the influence of nonlinear terms in the linearized equations. The rapid convergence of the method results in qualitatively accurate solutions in relatively few iterations.
The hyaline layer: Its isolation and role in echinoderm development

Abstract A method is described for isolating large numbers of clean, intact hyaline layers from embryos at the one-cell to late gastrula stage. The hyaline layers of embryos through the late blastula stage are clear, round sacs. Beginning with early gastrulation, an invagination is present corresponding to the invaginating archenteron. The hyaline layer is indispensable for normal development. The interaction of blastomeres at the 2-cell stage and the process of gastrulation both require the presence of an intact hyaline layer. During development, amino acids are incorporated into the hyaline layer. This incorporation is blocked by puromycin but not actinomycin. Autoradiographs of blastula hyaline layers show a uniform distribution of grains. Gastrula hyaline layers show a greatly reduced number of grains over the invagination and extreme vegetal region compared to the rest of the surface.
Predictors of postoperative movement and resting pain following total knee replacement

This study determined preoperative predictors of movement and resting pain following total knee replacement (TKR). We hypothesized that younger patients with higher preoperative pain intensity, pain sensitivity, trait anxiety, pain catastrophizing, and depression would be more likely to experience higher postoperative movement pain than older patients with lower scores on these variables prior to surgery, and that predictors would be similar for resting pain. Demographics, analgesic intake, anxiety, depression, pain catastrophizing, resting pain, movement pain (ie, during active knee range of motion), and quantitative sensory tests were performed preoperatively on 215 participants scheduled for a unilateral TKR. On postoperative day 2, analgesic intake, resting pain, and movement pain were again assessed. Significant predictors of moderate or severe movement pain were higher preoperative movement pain, von Frey pain intensity, and heat pain threshold. People with severe movement pain preoperatively were 20 times more likely to have severe movement pain postoperatively. When the influence of preoperative movement pain was removed, depression became a predictor. Significant predictors of moderate to severe resting pain were higher preoperative resting pain, depression, and younger age. These results suggest that patients with higher preoperative pain and depression are more likely to have higher pain following TKR, and younger patients may have higher resting pain. Cutaneous pain sensitivity predicted movement pain but not resting pain, suggesting that mechanisms underlying movement pain are different from resting pain. Aggressive management of preoperative pain, pain sensitivity, and depression prior to surgery may facilitate postoperative recovery.
Nonlinear Regression Using the “Big Three” Spreadsheets

Nonlinear regression using the spreadsheet Excel has appeared in the literature in several places. This paper extends the use of this technique to two other popular spreadsheets, Lotus 123 and Quattro Pro. Associated files, which can be downloaded, are included. These are the spreadsheet templates and ScreenCam movies that illustrate the use of equation solvers for minimization in these spreadsheets.
The influence of mean shear on Alfvén-internal wave propagation

This paper uses the general solution of the linearized initial-value problem for an unbounded, exponentially-stratified, perfectly-conducting Couette flow in the presence of a uniform magnetic field to study the development of localized wave-type perturbations to the basic flow. The two-dimensional problem is shown to be stable for all hydrodynamic Richardson numbers J H , positive and negative, and wave packets in this flow are shown to approach, asymptotically, a level in the fluid (the ‘isolation level’) which is a smooth, continuous, function of J H that is well defined for J H J H > 0. This system exhibits a rich complement of wave phenomena and a variety of mechanisms for the transport of mean flow kinetic and potential energy, via linear wave processes, between widely-separated regions of fluid; this in addition to the usual mechanisms for the absorption of the initial wave energy itself. The appropriate three-dimensional system is discussed, and the role of nonlinearities on the development of localized disturbances is considered.
Frequency-Doubling Perimetry: Comparison With Standard Automated Perimetry to Detect Glaucoma

Purpose To compare second generation frequency-doubling perimetry (FDP) with standard automated perimetry (SAP) to detect glaucomatous visual field abnormalities. Design Prospective, cross-sectional, controlled observational study. Methods Fifty eyes of 50 patients with glaucoma with confirmed SAP visual field abnormalities and 42 eyes from 42 normal control subjects were studied. Swedish Interactive Thresholding Algorithm (SITA) standard 24-2 SAP and FDP visual fields were performed. The correlation of global indices and the number of defects on total deviation (TD) and pattern deviation (PD) plots were compared. The spatial concordance of FDP and SAP defect locations was determined. Results In patients with glaucoma, significant correlations of mean deviation (MD) and pattern standard deviation (PSD) were found between SAP and FDP ( P P P = .028 and P = .01, respectively). In comparison with SAP, sensitivity and specificity of FDP were 92% and 98% with glaucoma hemifield test criteria and 98% and 93% with PSD Conclusions FDP and SAP perform similarly in their ability to detect visual field defects in early to moderate glaucoma. Larger and deeper defects detected with FDP suggests the possibility of earlier detection at high specificity.
Dialogue: Hermeneutic and practical

Hans Georg Gadamer's (1982) hermeneutic is the dominant model for practice in North American practical and pastoral theology, as is evident in the work of three leading theorists in this field, Don Browning (1991), Thomas Groome (1991), and Charles Gerkin (1991). They use Gadamer's hermeneutic dialogue between interpreter and text to understand the dialogue between pastor and parishioner, congregation, or community. In this usage, “dialogue” undergoes shifts in meaning away from its usual denotation and connotation. Critical analysis of these changes reveals the dynamics of power in ecclesial and theological structures.
A theory of virtue: introductory remarks

What is virtue? A plausible first answer is that virtue is goodness of moral character. The theory of virtue proposed in my book, A Theory of Virtue (Adams 2006), belongs to the department of ethical theory that is concerned with the evaluation of character and traits of character, or of relatively persistent moral qualities, or moral states, of persons. I distinguish that from another department of ethics that is concerned with the evaluation of actions or types of action; and I distinguish both of those, as departments of substantive ethical theory, from metaethics, which is concerned with the epistemology, semantics, and metaphysics of ethics. Unlike some of the most influential contributors to the discussion of virtue in the last half
Effects of exercise conditioning on thermoregulatory responses to repeated administration of chlorpyrifos.

Little is known about the effects of physical activity (i.e., exercise training) on susceptibility to environmental toxicants. Chlorpyrifos (CHP), an organophosphate (OP) insecticide, affects thermoregulation, causing an acute period of hypothermia followed by a delayed fever. Since exercise conditioning alters the thermoregulatory responses of rodents, this study examined whether exercise training would alter the thermoregulatory response to repeated CHP administration in the female Sprague-Dawley rat. Core temperature (T(c)) and motor activity (MA) were monitored by radiotelemetry in rats housed at an ambient temperature (T(a)) of 22 degrees C. The rats either were provided with continuous access to running wheels (exercise group) or were housed in standard cages without wheels (sedentary group). The exercise group rats ran predominantly at night with an average of 7.6 km/24h. After 8 weeks the rats in both groups were gavaged daily with corn oil or 10mg/kg CHP (dissolved in corn oil) for 4 days. CHP induced an immediate hypothermic response followed by a delayed fever throughout the next day in the sedentary group rats after the first three doses of CHP. The exercise group rats showed no hypothermia after the first dose of CHP. However, they became hypothermic after the second and third doses of CHP. The exercise group rats developed a smaller daytime fever after each dose of CHP compared to the sedentary group rats. Overall, exercise training attenuated the hypothermic and febrile effects of repeated CHP. Thus, the data suggest that a sedentary lifestyle may increase the sensitivity to OP insecticides. Exercise training was also associated with a more rapid recovery of plasma cholinesterase activity.
Fatty acid content of depot fat in the northern fur seal (Callorhinus ursinus).

The fatty acid content of depot fat samples from 15 northern fur seals (Callorhinus ursinus) were determined by gas-liquid chromatography. Callorhinus ursinus has a high proportion of short chain saturated acids; C10, C11, C12, C13, C15. Unsaturated longer chain acids C16:1, and C16:2, and C18:1 also were found. Results obtained are compared to a previously reported milk lipid analysis of the northern fur seal.
Successful strategies for serving diverse populations.

SUMMARY Unique insights of key delivery staff and successful delivery strategies used to overcome cultural barriers were obtained through intensive interviews with fifty staff members. Participants in the study were identified as knowledgeable staff members by project coordinators. An open-ended qualitative methodology was used to interview staff members about barriers they faced in delivering services to new populations and strategies that were used to address these barriers. Fifty interviews were completed. Of those, forty-two interviewees were frontline staff members and eight were “hands-on” administrators. Fifteen of these staff members worked in programs that were targeted to urban dwelling Latino families and ten served urban African-Americans. Of the twenty-five staff members who worked in programs targeted to rural populations, eight worked to provide respite to African-American families while four served rural Latinos. The remaining thirteen interviewees served rural families of all ethnic group...
James Hunt, the Wilmington 10, and institutional legitimacy

This essay analyzes Governor James Hunt's response to the controversy created by the case of the Wilmington 10. North Carolina's judicial system had been criticized for its performance and with a t...
Acoustic Phased-Array Channelization In Anisotropic Media

ABSTRACT A wide bandwidth (1 GHz) RF channelizer device based on the separation and focussing of bulk acoustic waves is the subject of this report. This device is relatively simple in design and has a very high dynamic range potential. Device design issues and analytical modelling results are discussed. 1. INTRODUCTION The need for higher frequency, large bandwidth RF channelizers is growing as the demands and scenerios presented by today's RF environments become increasingly complex. Additionally, greater emphasis is being placed on providing a large number of channels within a given RF bandwidth for simultaneous, parallel processing and also that these channels be detectable over a high dynamic range of operation. The possibility of realizing such a channelizer is enhanced with the development of the focussed acoustic wave (FAW) device. The practicality of the FAW device is due to technical advancements made in recent years in the areas high frequency acoustic piezoelectric transducers, electronics and interconnects, and materials processing.The FAW technology was first demonstrated in a proof-of-concept breadboard implementation that was presented in an earlier report . In this report we follow up on those results with a discussion of various technical design considerations and analytical modelling approaches.
Colonizing Columbus: Dorris and Erdrich's Postmodern Novel

Abstract The publication of Michael Dorris and Louise Erdrich's 1991 novel The Crown of Columbus, coinciding with the quincentennial anniversary of Columbus's voyage, was a highly anticipated literary event. Purchased several years before its publication for 1.5 million dollars, on the basis of a five-page outline, the book had the added glamour of being written collaboratively by a husband-wife team of rising literary stars. Dorris had just won the Pulitzer Prize for nonfiction with The Broken Cord, an exploration of fetal alcohol syndrome and its effects on a Native American family, and Erdrich was well respected not only for her first novel, Love Medicine, which won the National Book Critics Circle Award in 1984, but also for her poetry collections and two subsequent novels.
Teaching Only the Essentials‐The Thirty‐Minute Stand

The one‐shot library lecture is a common approach to teaching library skills and one that is universally lamented by instruction librarians as insufficient. We all know there is far more students should know about library research than can be covered in one or two sessions. However, for many of us fifty minutes is about all we can persuade most teachers to share from their already over‐crowded syllabuses. One may well ask how a thirty‐minute stand may be adequate when even the traditional fifty‐minute stand has always seemed inadequate. But at the University of Wisconsin—Eau Claire, we have developed a model of instruction that works and has universal applications. Not only will the approach work at other institutions, it will work for most, if not all, disciplines. This approach consists of a thirty‐minute lecture followed by a twenty‐minute exercise.
Mitochondrial DNA from platelets of sporadic ALS patients restores normal respiratory functions in ρ0 cells

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a devastating neurodegenerative disease, which affects the anterior horn cells of the spinal cord and cortical motor neurons. A pathophysiological role for mtDNA mutations was postulated based on the finding that cybrids obtained from mitochondria of sporadic ALS patients exhibited impaired respiratory chain activities, increased free radical scavenging enzymes, and altered calcium homeostasis. To date, however, no distinct mtDNA alterations associated with ALS have been reported. Therefore, we reexamined the hypotheses that mtDNA mutations accumulate in ALS and that cybrids generated from ALS patients' blood have impaired mitochondrial respiration. Cybrid cell lines were generated from 143B osteosarcoma rho(0) cells and platelet mitochondria of sporadic ALS patients or age-matched controls. We found no statistically significant differences in mitochondrial respiration between ALS and control cybrids, even when the electron transport chain was stressed with low concentrations of respiratory chain inhibitors. Mitochondrial respiratory chain enzyme activities were also normal in ALS cybrids, and there was no increase in free radical production. Therefore, we showed that mtDNA from platelets of ALS patients was able to restore normal respiratory function in rho(0) cells, suggesting that the presence of mtDNA mutations capable of affecting mitochondrial respiration was unlikely.
In vivo knockdown of gene expression in brain cancer with intravenous RNAi in adult rats

Background Gene silencing in mammalian cells is possible with RNA interference (RNAi) with expression plasmids that encode for short hairpin RNAs (shRNA) that hybridize to a specific sequence within a target mRNA. The limiting factor in developing RNAi therapeutics in mammals is the gene delivery system. Methods The present studies describe the production of anti-luciferase shRNA expression plasmids, which are encapsulated in the interior of 85 nm pegylated immunoliposomes (PILs). C6 rat glioma cells, permanently transfected with the luciferase gene, are implanted in the caudate-putamen nucleus of adult rats, which produces luciferase-expressing intracranial brain cancer. The PILs are targeted across the blood-brain barrier and across the tumor cell membrane in vivo with a monoclonal antibody (MAb) to the rat transferrin receptor (TfR). The TfRMAb is tethered to the tips of 1–2% of the poly(ethylene glycol) strands conjugated to the surface of the liposome. Results The TfRMAb-targeted PILs inhibit luciferase gene expression in the brain cancer by 90%, and this effect persists for at least 5 days after a single intravenous injection of 10 µg/rat of plasmid DNA. RNAi therapy directed against the luciferase gene caused no change in expression of tumor γ-glutamyl transpeptidase. Targeting the empty expression plasmid with the TfRMAb-PIL resulted in no change in luciferase activity in the brain cancer in vivo. Conclusions In vivo RNAi is enabled with a new form of gene delivery system that encapsulates expression plasmids in PILs, which are targeted to distant sites based on the specificity of a receptor-specific monoclonal antibody. The combined application of the PIL gene delivery system and RNAi expression plasmids enables gene silencing in remote sites such as brain cancer in mammals after intravenous administration. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Thermodynamics aided design of high Co-Ni secondary hardening steels

Abstract Alloy design of high-strength steels has involved considerable empiricism tempered by knowledge of general principles that we consider the domain of Physical Metallurgy. For many purposes, a fundamental basis for understanding a material's microstructure, and hence properties, can be found in alloy thermodynamics. An understanding of multicomponent phase equilibria can provide specific data on which one can base alloy design decisions regarding modifications of existing alloys. Such an approach has been adopted in the present study of the design of high Co-Ni secondary hardening steels.
Induction of metallothionein in the rat brain by copper implantation but not by cobalt implantation

Following gel-filtration of cytosol prepared from copper-implanted rat brain there was a pronounced copper-containing, cadmium-binding peak with a relative elution volume similar to that of hepatic metallothionein (MT). No such peak was apparent in cytosol derived from cobalt- or glass-implanted brains. Spectral analysis of a purified protein from copper-implanted brain reveal a UV absorption spectrum characteristic of MT.
Holocene tephrochronology record of large explosive eruptions in the southernmost Patagonian Andes

For regionally widespread Holocene tephra layers in southernmost Patagonia, correlations based on both chemical and chronological data indicate their derivation from five large-volume (>1 km3) explosive eruptions of four different volcanoes in the southernmost Andes. Bulk-tephra and tephra-glass major and trace-element chemistry and Sr isotopic ratios unambiguously distinguish different source volcanoes, and imply that two of the regionally widespread tephra (MB1 and MB2) were derived from Mt. Burney (52°S), one (R1) from Reclus (51°S), one (A1) from Aguilera (50°S) and one (H1) from Hudson volcano (46°S). The H1 tephra derived from the Hudson volcano, which is located at the southern end of the Andean Southern Volcanic Zone (SVZ; 33–46°S), contains distinctive greenish andesitic glass with FeO > 4.5 wt.% and TiO2 > 1.2 wt.%. In contrast, rhyolitic glass in tephra derived from the eruptions of Mt. Burney, Reclus and Aguilera volcanoes, which are located in the Andean Austral Volcanic Zone (AVZ; 49–55°S), is clear and transparent and has significantly lower FeO and TiO2. Tephra derived from these three AVZ volcanoes all contain plagioclase, orthopyroxene, minor clinopyroxene and amphibole. Biotite occurs only in the Aguilera A1 tephra, which also has the highest bulk-tephra and tephra-glass K2O and Rb contents. Averages of new and published 14C ages determined on organic material in soil and sediment samples above and below these tephra constrain the uncalibrated 14C age of the R1 eruption of Reclus volcano to 12,685 ± 260 years BP, the MB1 and MB2 eruptions of Mt. Burney to 8,425 ± 500 and 3,830 ± 390 years BP, the Hudson H1 eruption to 6,850 ± 160 years BP, and the A1 eruption of Aguilera volcano to 3,000 ± 100 years BP. The volume of the largest of these eruptions, H1 of the Hudson volcano, is estimated as >18 km3. The volume of the Reclus R1 eruption is estimated at >10 km3, the Aguilera A1 eruption at between 4 and 9 km3, and the younger Mt. Burney MB2 eruption at ≥2.8 km3. The volume of the older MB1 Mt. Burney eruption is the least well constrained, but must have been larger than the younger MB2 eruption. The data indicate that the frequency of explosive activity of volcanic centers in the AVZ is lower than in the southern SVZ.
The Story of Quarks

This public lecture was presented at the National University of Singapore on the 5th of March, 2013. It was organized by the Institute of Advanced Studies as part of the Distinguished Public Lecture series.
Geochemical evolution of Jurassic diorites from the Bristol Lake region, California, USA, and the role of assimilation

Late Jurassic dioritic plutons from the Bristol Lake region of the eastern Mojave Desert share several geochemical attributes with high-alumina basalts, continental hawaiite basalts, and high-K are andesites including: high K2O concentrations; high Al2O3 (16–19 weight %); elevated Zr/TiO2; LREE (light-rare-earth-element) enrichment (La/YbCN=6.3–13.3); and high Nb. Pearce element ratio analysis supported by petrographic relations demonstrates that P, Hf, and Zr were conserved during differentiation. Abundances of conserved elements suggest that dioritic plutons from neighboring ranges were derived from similar parental melts. In the most voluminous suite, correlated variations in elemental concentrations and (87Sr/86Sr)i indicate differentiation by fractional crystallization of hornblende and plagioclase combined with assimilation of a component characterized by abundant radiogenic Sr. Levenberg-Marquardt and Monte Carlo techniques were used to obtain optimal solutions to non-linear inverse models for fractional crystallization-assimilation processes. Results show that the assimilated material was chemically analogous to lower crustal mafic granulites and that the mass ratio of contaminant to parental magma was on the order of 0.1. Lack of enrichment in 18O with differentiation is consistent with the model results. Elemental concentrations and O, Sr, and Nd isotopic data point to a hydrous REE-enriched subcontinental lithospheric source similar to that which produced some Cenozoic continental hawaiites from the southern Cordillera. Isotopic compositions of associated granitoids suggest that partial melting of this subcontinental lithosphere may have been an important process in the development of the Late Jurassic plutonic arc of the eastern Mojave Desert.
Probabilistic Synchronous Tree-Adjoining Grammars for Machine Translation: The Argument from Bilingual Dictionaries

We provide a conceptual basis for thinking of machine translation in terms of synchronous grammars in general, and probabilistic synchronous tree-adjoining grammars in particular. Evidence for the view is found in the structure of bilingual dictionaries of the last several millennia.
Individual differences in the size of orthographic effects in spoken word recognition: The role of listeners' orthographic skills

The goal of this study was to test the hypothesis that the extent to which orthography affects spoken word recognition in literate adults is related to their spelling proficiency. The study included two components: an auditory lexical decision task manipulating orthographic consistency of the stimuli and a spelling test. The results replicated previously found effects of orthographic consistency on the accuracy and latency of lexical decisions. The size of the orthographic effect in the auditory task was estimated for each participant. The variability in the orthographic effect size among participants was partially explained by their spelling skills. Possible interpretations of this finding and methodological implications for future research are discussed.
The breast: a clean-contaminated surgical site.

Background: Capsular contracture is one of the most common complications associated with breast implants. While the cause of this process has not yet been elucidated, subclinical infection is a likely culprit. Objectives: The authors assess the hypothesis that a probable source of contamination is endogenous breast bacteria, likely originating in the ducts themselves and most concentrated near the nipple. Methods: Twenty-five healthy patients presenting for routine reduction mammaplasty were recruited as study participants. Tissue samples were taken intraoperatively from the periareolar, inframammary, and axillary regions of each sampled breast. Specimens were then processed in the microbiology laboratory, and quantitative bacterial counts were obtained. Results: Of the 50 breasts sampled, 19 yielded positive culture results, for a rate of 38%. There was a significant difference in the positive culture rate among all three sites, with increasing quantitative bacterial counts in the axillary, inframammary, and periareolar regions, respectively. The most commonly-identified organisms in this study included various species of Staphylococcus and Propionibacterium acnes , with S. epidermidis being the most common. Conclusions: The breast harbors significant endogenous bacteria that can become the source of spontaneous or postoperative infection. Positive intraoperative cultures with high quantitative counts suggest that breast tissue harbors more bacteria than normal skin flora. Routine perioperative antibiotic prophylaxis may be suboptimal for the prevention of foreign body seeding in this setting. Furthermore, bacterial concentrations are highest in areas with the most ductal tissue, namely the periareolar region. These findings may be helpful when considering which incision site to select for augmentation mammaplasty.
Respirable Coal Dust Control Using Surfactants

Abstract Most coal dusts are generated when coal is being cut in the face area. With the increasing popularity of highly productive mechanized longwall sections, dust in areas where miners work has become a major concern. Field applications show that existing dust control technology is more effective in controlling coarser dust particles than finer ones (<3 μm). Other means of controlling small dust particles are needed. Laboratory studies have been conducted to re-examine the use of surfactants in controlling these fine dust particles. Since the effectiveness of surfactants depends on both the type of coal and the type of surfactant used, tests show that nonionic surfactants in general proved to be the best because of their superior wetting ability of coal through a proper balance between hydrophilic head groups and lipophilic tail groups, and their insensitivity to the water environment. Results also show that this coal wettability can be enhanced through the addition of bases such as sodium hydroxide a...