cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Awash in a sea of faith and firearms: rediscovering the connection between religion and gun ownership in America

The United States is awash in a sea of both faith and firearms. Although sociologists and criminologists have been trying to understand the predictors of gun ownership in the United States since the 1970s, it has been over two decades since social scientists of religion have been part of this important conversation. Consequently, religion is nothing more than a control variable in most studies of gun ownership. Even then, scholars have rarely gone beyond a basic measure of religious affiliation in which Protestant = 1 (else = 0). This article therefore seeks to bring social scientists studying religion back into the conversation about gun ownership in America and to move the discussion forward incrementally. It does so in three ways. First, it employs a more sophisticated measure of religious affiliation than has been used to study gun ownership in the past. Second, it measures religiosity beyond simply religious affiliation. Third, it recognizes and seeks to specify some of the various ways in which the relationship between religion and gun ownership may be mediated by other religiously influenced sociopolitical orientations. Using data from the 2006–2014 General Social Survey, hierarchical binary logistic regression models show significant effects of evangelical Protestant affiliation, theological conservatism, and religious involvement on personal handgun ownership.
Immune Constitution of Patients With Brain Tumors

Immune deficiencies in patients with glioblastoma (GBM) are not a new discovery. Researchers have been perplexed and challenged by impairments to immunity in the context of GBM dating back to the 1970s. As immunotherapy has become both more studied and more developed, increasing evidence has highlighted factors ranging from lymphopenia to innate and cellular immune dysfunction. Much work has been done to uncover a variety of tumor-inducible mechanisms for limiting the antitumor immune response. In this chapter, we will explore the evolution of our understanding of these immune-restricting mechanisms, as well as strategies for their reversal.
Single-phase mixed molybdenum-niobium carbides: Synthesis, characterization and multifunctional catalytic behavior in toluene conversion

Single-phase mixed molybdenum-niobium carbides were synthesized to establish structure–activity relationships. Precursors for carburization were obtained by hydrothermal synthesis or, to achieve high molybdenum content (metal fraction xMo = 0.86), by flash-freezing of salt solutions and subsequent freeze-drying. Thermogravimetric and evolved gas analysis during carburization showed that bimetallic precursors were more easily reduced than monometallic ones; and as the niobium content increased, the removal of oxygen shifted to higher temperatures and from H2O to CO formation (from H2 or CH4, respectively), and the final carburization temperature rose from 650 to 950 °C. Carbides crystallized in cubic NbC/MoC(cF8) structure for xNb ≥ 0.38 and hexagonal Mo2C(hP3) structure for xNb ≤ 0.14. After passivation, mixed metal carbides could be reduced at lower temperatures than Mo2C. With increasing molybdenum content of the carbides, CO uptake per gram increased, and turnover frequencies for hydrogenation of toluene to methylcyclohexane increased from 0 to 3.1 s−1 (at a temperature of 250 °C, 21 bar pressure, and H2/toluene = 36). At 400 °C, mixed carbides with xNb ≥ 0.38 were more selective toward acid-catalyzed products and less selective toward hydrogenolysis products than carbides with lower niobium content.
Nonducted VLF propagation in the magnetosphere

Nonducted very low frequency propagation in magnetosphere from broadband VLF receivers on OGO 2 and OGO 4 polar satellites
Obfuscation and Clarification: An Introduction

I am curious. I want to know things. In particular, I am curious about things related to sex, like erotic attraction and sexual identity. You are probably just as curious about these things as I am. That’s why we are meeting here—in this book.
Introduction and How to Use This Text

Police service worldwide is dynamic and will be ever-changing based on people’s perceptions of and need for safety, security, and order. Police service will change based on recent and historic developments, changes in society, and people’s expectations for resolution of crises, reduction in crime, community problem solving, and keeping peace.
From micelles to bicelles: Effect of the membrane on particulate methane monooxygenase activity.

Particulate methane monooxygenase (pMMO) is a copper-dependent integral membrane metalloenzyme that converts methane to methanol in methanotrophic bacteria. Studies of isolated pMMO have been hindered by loss of enzymatic activity upon its removal from the native membrane. To characterize pMMO in a membrane-like environment, we reconstituted pMMOs from Methylococcus (Mcc.) capsulatus (Bath) and Methylomicrobium (Mm.) alcaliphilum 20Z into bicelles. Reconstitution into bicelles recovers methane oxidation activity lost upon detergent solubilization and purification without substantial alterations to copper content or copper electronic structure, as observed by electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR) spectroscopy. These findings suggest that loss of pMMO activity upon isolation is due to removal from the membranes rather than caused by loss of the catalytic copper ions. A 2.7 A resolution crystal structure of pMMO from Mm. alcaliphilum 20Z reveals a mononuclear copper center in the PmoB subunit and indicates that the transmembrane PmoC subunit may be conformationally flexible. Finally, results from extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) analysis of pMMO from Mm. alcaliphilum 20Z were consistent with the observed monocopper center in the PmoB subunit. These results underscore the importance of studying membrane proteins in a membrane-like environment and provide valuable insight into pMMO function.
Ethanol Suppression of Hippocampal Plasticity

In his opening remarks, Shepherd posited the following concept: the behavioral consequences of synaptic transmission are expressed in terms of circuits. In echoing this perspective, our research efforts are devoted to characterizing the functional neuronal ensembles underlying the amnestic, intoxicating, and rewarding properties of alcohol.
INTEGRATION OF WHOLE-BODY AMINO ACID METABOLISM

Techniques will be described for measuring free amino acid inter-organ transport and integration of nitrogen metabolism by several tissues of fed, fasted and acidotic sheep. Net addition to, or removal from, the blood was calculated from veno-arterial concentration differences and rates of whole blood and plasma flow across the portal-drained viscera, liver, kidneys and hindquarters. In some experiments, net portal blood addition (or appearance) of free amino acids was compared with the total amino acids disappearing from the lumen of the small intestine, i.e. between the pylorus and terminal ileum.
Numerical Modeling of Agulhas Retroflection and Ring Formation with Isopycnal Outcropping

Abstract Experiments with a pure-isopycnic coordinate numerical model on a domain representing the oceanic region within a few thousand kilometers of South Africa and in which isopycnal outcropping is allowed around the edges of the Agulhas Current Retroflection and Agulhas rings are described. Previous experiments with a quasi-isopycnic coordinate model have exhibited a vigorous retroflection and active ring formation for certain parameter ranges. But mean layer thickness choices have been such that isopycnal outcropping was confined to the model subpolar gyre interior to the southwest of the retroflection. In order to make more close comparison with observation and with analytical theory describing the behavior of warm lenses, we invoke the unique aspect of the pure-isopycnic coordinate model which allows coordinate surfaces to outcrop as do density surfaces in frontal zones. Four new experiments are described, proceeding from a 3-layer case—in which the first interface density jump is decreased by 50% compared to previous experiments—to a 5-layer case with three layers in the mean upper 250 m. Isopycnal outcropping along the subtropical convergence and around the edge of the Indian Ocean subtropical gyre is a primary feature of three of the new experiments. In addition, some characteristics of ring formation are more realistic than in previously published experiments: e.g., it is more frequent and is typically west or southwest of the Agulhas Dank tip as opposed to on the southeast side. The new experiments are generally less energetic. Energy input by the wind is pumped into the lower layers and dissipated more efficiently. For very thin upper layers, an inequity develops between the mean upper layer thicknesses in the Indian and Atlantic Oceans: the top layer fluid tends to become trapped in the Atlantic Ocean. This, in turn, has an impact on the dynamics of the retroflection and ring formation. These must, therefore, be viewed as preliminary outcropping experiments. It is concluded that, in the future, some account must be made for thermodynamic forcing, by which upper layer Atlantic Ocean water downwells and returns along intermediate isopycnals to the Indian Ocean where it then upwells back into the top layer.
Systemic medical conditions and periodontal status in older individuals.

AIMS The purposes of this study are to: (1) assess the prevalence of systemic and periodontal disease in older individuals, (2) compare periodontal conditions between four age cohorts, and (3) investigate the relationship between periodontal disease and systemic medical conditions. METHODS Electronic records from a total of 5,000 adults were randomly selected from the University of Minnesota School of Dentistry database. Individuals ≥60 years of age, with at least six remaining teeth in their dentition with a complete medical history and full-mouth series of radiographs were included in the study to determine the severity of periodontal disease based on the percentage of radiographic bone loss. RESULTS A total of 2,163 patients were included in the final analysis. The multivariable regression analysis showed that patients self-reported tobacco use and diabetes were significantly associated with moderate and severe bone loss than none to mild, whereas the opposite was found for those with joint replacement, past use of steroids and acid reflux/GERD. CONCLUSION A number of systemic medical conditions and tobacco use are associated with periodontitis. This reflects the importance of an interdisciplinary interaction between dental and medical professionals.
How to talk to an expatriate

Fueled by increasing global mobility, there is an ever-growing need for expatriates. This increasing demand poses many challenges for organizations to motivate their employees to successfully compl...
Understanding individual and gender differences in conflict resolution: A critical leadership skill.

Abstract Background Conflict is an unavoidable facet of relationships, and all leaders should have familiarity with the origins of, responses to, and resolutions of conflicts. Objective Readers will become familiar with several concepts key to conflict generation and resolution. Conclusions Conflicts might arise from incompatibility of behaviors or actions between two or more actors. Understanding concepts such as the Ladder of Inference or Thomas-Kilmann response patterns are useful in becoming facile with conflict management and resolution.
Skeletal Muscle Interstitial Amyloid in Anoctaminopathy-5: Does it Matter? (P2.028)

Objective: To investigate frequency and significance of interstitial amyloidosis in anoctaminopathy-5, especially in regard to cardiac involvement. Background: Mutations in anoctamin-5-encoding gene (ANO5) cause autosomal recessive muscular dystrophy of varying phenotype, including limb-girdle muscular dystrophy (LGMD), distal myopathy, myalgia and exercise intolerance with or without rhabdomyolysis, and asymptomatic hyper CKemia. Cardiomyopathy and increased frequency of premature ventricular contractions (PVC) have been reported in patients with ANO5 mutations. Interstitial amyloid deposits in skeletal muscle were described in few anoctaminopathy-5 patients, three of whom had cardiac involvement. Design/Methods: We reviewed clinical, histopathological, and molecular data of anoctaminopathy-5 patients seen at our institution. Results: We identified 13 patients with anoctaminopathy-5 (LGMD = 10; no weakness =2; and proximodistal weakness =1). Three patients had asymptomatic hyperCKemia for 15–20 years prior to weakness onset. Eight patients had interstitial amyloidosis on muscle biopsy. None had evidence of systemic amyloidosis. Median age of weakness onset for patients with and without amyloidosis was 40 and 43 years, respectively. Three of four patients with rhabdomyolysis had interstitial amyloidosis. Mutations occurred throughout the entire gene in the patients with amyloidosis. The common c.191dupA mutation was identified in 5 patients with amyloidosis (homozygous =1; compound heterozygous =4) and in 3 patients without amyloidosis (compound heterozygous =3). Eleven patients underwent cardiac evaluation. EKG or Holter monitoring revealed atrial arrhythmia in 4 patients with amyloidosis, and in 3 patients without amyloidosis, 1 of whom also had PVC. Echocardiogram revealed normal ejection fraction in all patients, and septal hypokinesia with preserved ejection fraction in 1 patient without amyloidosis. Conclusions: Isolated skeletal muscle amyloidosis is common in anoctaminopathy-5. There is no specific ANO5 variant consistently associated with interstitial amyloidosis. Atrial arrhythmia is more common than ventricular arrhythmia in our cohort. Cardiac complications are not different among anoctaminopathy-5 patients with and without amyloidosis. Disclosure: Dr. Anandan has nothing to disclose. Dr. Milone has nothing to disclose. Dr. Liewluck has nothing to disclose.
Dimensions of Poststroke Depression and Neuropsychological Deficits in Older Adults.

Abstract Objective Poststroke depression (PSD) has a heterogeneous presentation and is often accompanied by cognitive impairment. This study aimed to identify distinct dimensions of depressive symptoms in older adults with PSD and to evaluate their relationship to cognitive functioning. Design Cross-sectional factor and correlational analyses of patients with poststroke depression. Setting Patients were recruited from the community and from acute inpatient stroke rehabilitation hospitals. Participants Participants had suffered a stroke and met DSM-IV criteria for major depression (≥18 Montgomery Asberg Depression Scale; MADRS). Intervention None. Measurements MADRS was used to quantify depression severity at study entry. Neuropsychological assessment at the time of study entry consisted of measures of Global Cognition, Attention, Executive Function, Processing Speed, Immediate Memory, Delayed Memory, and Language. Results There were 135 (age ≥50) older adult participants with PSD and varying degrees of cognitive impairment (MMSE Total ≥20). Factor analysis of the MADRS identified three factors, that is sadness, distress, and apathy. Items comprising each factor were totaled and correlated with neuropsychological domain z-score averages. Symptoms of the apathy factor (lassitude, inability to feel) were significantly associated with greater impairment in executive function, memory, and global cognition. Symptoms of the sadness and distress factors had no relationship to cognitive impairment. Conclusion PSD consists of three correlated dimensions of depressive symptoms. Apathy symptoms are associated with cognitive impairment across several neuropsychological domains. PSD patients with prominent apathy may benefit from careful attention to cognitive functions and by interventions that address both psychopathology and behavioral deficits resulting from cognitive impairment.
Abstract TP11: CTA Collateral Status and Final Infarct Distribution Following Thrombectomy in Stroke Patients With Large Vessel Occlusion

Aim: The angiographic collateral status is a major predictor of final infarct volume in patients with large vessel occlusion (LVO). In this study, we assessed the effects of collateral status on fi...
Robotic Multi-Probe-Single-Actuator Inchworm Neural Microdrive

Abstract Electrophysiology is one of the major experimental techniques used in neuroscience. The favorable spatial and temporal resolution as well as the increasingly larger site counts of brain recording electrodes contribute to the popularity and importance of electrophysiology in neuroscience. Such electrodes are typically mechanically placed in the brain to perform acute or chronic freely moving animal measurements. The micro positioners currently used for such tasks employ a single translator per independent probe being placed into the targeted brain region, leading to significant size and weight restrictions. To overcome this limitation, we have developed a miniature robotic multi-probe neural microdrive that utilizes novel phase-change-material-filled resistive heater micro-grippers. The microscopic dimensions, gentle gripping action, independent electronic actuation control, and high packing density of the grippers allow for micrometer-precision independent positioning of multiple arbitrarily shaped parallel neural electrodes with only a single piezo actuator in an inchworm motor configuration. This multi-probe-single-actuator design allows for significant size and weight reduction, as well as remote control and potential automation of the microdrive. We demonstrate accurate placement of multiple independent recording electrodes into the CA1 region of the rat hippocampus in vivo in acute and chronic settings. Thus, our robotic neural microdrive technology is applicable towards basic neuroscience and clinical studies, as well as other multi-probe or multi-sensor micro-positioning applications. One Sentence Summary Miniature robotic multi-probe single-actuator microdrive utilizing phase change material based micro-grippers.
Risk of non-infectious uveitis or myasthenia gravis in patients on checkpoint inhibitors in a large healthcare claims database.

Aim To determine if checkpoint inhibitors (CPIs) confer an increased risk of non-infectious uveitis or myasthenia gravis (MG) compared to patients on non-checkpoint inhibitor (N-CPI) chemotherapy. Methods A retrospective cohort study was performed comparing patients in a large commercial and Medicare advantage database exposed to CPI compared to N-CPI. All patients who initiated a CPI (ipilimumab, pembrolizumab, nivolumab, atezolizumab, avelumab, cemiplimab and durvalumab) were eligible. Date of earliest CPI in the exposure group and N-CPI chemotherapy in the comparator group was considered the index date. Exclusion occurred in both cohorts for any history of uveitis or MG diagnosis and having Results For evaluation of incidence of non-infectious uveitis, 26 (0.3%) of 8678 patients on CPI and 123 (0.2%) of 76 153 N-CPI comparators were found to have non-infectious uveitis. After multivariate analysis, CPIs showed an increased hazard for uveitis compared to N-CPI (HR=2.09; 95% CI 1.36 to 3.22, p=0.001). For the MG analysis, 11 (0.1%) of 9210 patients developed MG in the CPI group and 36 (0.04%) of 80 620 comparators. The CPI cohort had a higher hazard of developing MG (HR=2.60; 95% CI 1.34 to 5.07, p=0.005) compared to controls in multivariate analysis. Conclusions Exposure to CPI confers a higher risk for non-infectious uveitis and MG compared to N-CPI chemotherapy.
Inmates’ perceptions and experiences of how they were prepared for release from a Norwegian open prison

Re-entry to society is challenging and inmates often feel unprepared for release. Insufficient human and social capital makes it difficult to cope with the challenges of everyday life outside priso...
On the SEC's 2010 Enforcement Cooperation Program

This study examines changes in SEC enforcement and firm cooperation after the SEC introduced its new cooperation program in 2010. While previous research shows that the SEC penalized cooperative firms prior to 2010, our results suggest that after that year, it rewarded cooperation, especially good faith actions. We also find that after 2010, the SEC increased mentions of cooperation in public speeches and publicized more details about firm cooperative activities in AAERs. Finally, we find some evidence that misconduct firms increased good faith cooperation after the SEC revised its cooperation program in 2010. Our findings suggest that having a more explicit leniency program improves its effectiveness.
Cutaneous Metastasis of Prostate Adenocarcinoma: A Rare Presentation of a Common Disease.

Prostate cancer is the most common cancer affecting men in the United States and the second greatest cause of cancer-related death. Metastases usually occur to bone followed by distant lymph nodes ...
The effect of information source on higher education students’ sustainability knowledge

When it comes to what higher education students know about sustainability, where they learn matters. In this study, we explore the extent to which students’ level of sustainability knowledge differ...
Revision Surgery for Inflatable Penile Prosthesis (IPP): A Single-Center Experience and Pictorial Representation.

Abstract Objective To elucidate factors influencing Inflatable Penile Prosthesis (IPP) revision and describe outcomes associated with revision surgery. Methods A single surgeon, retrospective review of all patients who underwent IPP revision between 2008-2016, was performed. Patient age, BMI, operative duration, blood loss, hospital duration, time from most recent penile implant to revision surgery, etiology of revision, and whether the patient had a prior failed revision surgery were all collected and analyzed. Results A total of 57 patients, who had undergone IPP revision between the years 2008-2016, with at least 3 years of follow-up, were included in the investigation. Mean patient age and BMI were 68 and 29.2 kg/m2, respectively. The mean time between the most recent implant operation to revision was 8.4 years. Four patients (7%) reported IPP revision failure within a 3-year follow-up period. Conclusion IPP revision demonstrates a relatively high success rate, in the short term, and should be offered to patients as a safe and effective option.
I Freed Myself: African American Self-Emancipation in the Civil War Era

For a century and a half, Abraham Lincoln's signing of the Emancipation Proclamation has been the dominant narrative of African American freedom in the Civil War era. However, David Williams suggests that this portrayal marginalizes the role that African American slaves played in freeing themselves. At the Civil War's outset, Lincoln made clear his intent was to save the Union rather than free slaves - despite his personal distaste for slavery, he claimed no authority to interfere with the institution. By the second year of the war, though, when the Union army was in desperate need of black support, former slaves who escaped to Union lines struck a bargain: they would fight for the Union only if they were granted their freedom. Williams importantly demonstrates that freedom was not simply the absence of slavery but rather a dynamic process enacted by self-emancipated African American refugees, which compelled Lincoln to modify his war aims and place black freedom at the center of his wartime policies.
Unusual Fatal Infectious Complications of Steroid-Treated Liver Disease

Summary Two fatal infections occurring as the terminal events in 2 patients with cirrhosis are reported. The first patient died from torula meningitis 4 years after the onset of liver disease and 3 years after the institution of steroid therapy. The second patient succumbed to Pseudomonas septicemia, 49 days after the onset of jaundice and 25 days after the initiation of steroid therapy. A review of the literature indicates that steroid therapy appears to predispose to these infections. The place of the liver disease as a predisposing factor does not appear to be as well defined.
“Getting Value from Strategic Planning”: The conference board's 1988 Strategic Planning Conference

There were a lot of eager customers at the Conference Board's annual strategic planning conference in March. Many of us had just read Walter Kiechel's Fortune article about “Smart Corporate Strategy for the 1990s” (February 29, 1988), which presents a remarkable reversal of the publication's skeptical attitude toward strategic management thinking. As a result, I felt the conference theme, selected by its organizer, Walter Schaffir, was made to order for our turbulent times. If my colleagues and I are to keep our jobs in the next decade, we really need to learn all we can about “Getting Value from Strategic Planning!”
A small highly basic protein is encoded in overlapping frame within the P gene of vesicular stomatitis virus.

Abstract Vesicular stomatitis virus (VSV) has served for several decades as the prototype rhabdovirus and a model RNA virus. Extensive studies upheld the original view of VSV genetics with simply five genes (N, P, M, G, and L), each encoding a single unique protein. We now report the first unambiguous demonstration of the existence of an additional unique protein encoded in an overlapping frame within the virus P gene. Experiments using antipeptide sera specific for the predicted second open reading frame have demonstrated the synthesis of two N-terminally nested forms of the protein in virus-infected cells. The major form is 55 amino acids in length, whereas the minor form has 10 additional N-terminal amino acids. Ribosome initiation of synthesis of these proteins appears to occur at AUG codons, 68 and 41 bases, respectively, downstream of the P protein AUG initiation codon. The proteins are found in the cytoplasm of the infected cell but are undetectable in purified virions, consistent with their being nonstructural proteins. Both the major and minor forms of the protein are highly basic and arginine rich, reminiscent of the C and C' proteins encoded in overlapping frame close to the 5' terminus of the P mRNA of several paramyxoviruses. The potential to encode small, highly basic proteins within the P mRNA 5' terminus is highly conserved among the vesiculoviruses.
Inductive and Deductive Reasoning: The Case of Identifying Potential Hazards in Chemical Processes

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a new approach to hazard analysis and assessment, one that begins with the inductive determination of hazardous chemical or physical reactions and proceeds deductively through the network of processing steps to identify completely all causes initiating these hazardous reactions. This strategy is more efficient in the identification of reaction-based hazards than conventional methodologies. The approach ensures completeness and resolves uncertainty of design quality through first principles-based quantification of the design risk. Moreover, it enables a computer-aided automation. Regardless of what stage the design is in, a designer's attention can be focused at (1) earlier design stages and their vulnerable areas so that the associated hazards can be eliminated or (2) later stages, where the a priori sequence of events that leads to hazards can be used as an early warning structure. The methodology employs domain-specific modeling languages to describe (1) chemicals and their reactivity during the inductive identification of potential reaction-based hazards, and (2) processes during the deductive identification of their process-based causes. The fundamental premise in all of the approaches that attempt to mitigate or control hazards lies on the assumption that they have the ability to both identify accurately and pinpoint precisely the location of a potential future hazard. The chapter shows that although understanding the set of enabling conditions is essential for safe plant operation, the identification of the entire set of enabling conditions is an intractable task.
For Mayors, the Future is Now: Professionalization of the American Mayoralty, 1801-1980

Prepared for the annual meetings of the American Political Science Association, Toronto, September 3-6, 2009.Urban scholars have produced detailed studies of big city mayors and mayoral decision-making. Empirical research on mayoral careers, however, has lagged behind. To date, there is little consensus on the causes and consequences of mayoral tenure patterns. In this paper, I argue that mayoral tenure is shaped by a combination of local institutions, the electoral setting, and individual characteristics. Among the latter, previous political experience is paramount. To demonstrate this claim, I use sequence analysis methods to construct a novel measure that captures differences among mayors in the number, type and order of offices they occupied. These differences are then analyzed using cluster analysis to identify a few discrete paths to office. Substantively, I find that differences in the path to office can help explain mayoral behavior, including reelection and voluntary retirement.
The heritability of oxycodone reward and concomitant phenotypes in a LG/J × SM/J mouse advanced intercross line.

The rewarding property of opioids likely contributes to their abuse potential. Therefore, determining the genetic basis of opioid reward could aid in understanding the neurobiological mechanisms of opioid addiction, provided that it is a heritable trait. Here, we characterized the rewarding property of the widely abused prescription opioid oxycodone (OXY) in the conditioned place preference (CPP) assay using LG/J and SM/J parental inbred mouse strains and 17 parent-offspring families of a LG/J × SM/J F47 /F48 advanced intercross line (AIL). Following OXY training (5 mg/kg, i.p.), SM/J mice and AIL mice, but not LG/J mice, showed an increase in preference for the OXY-paired side, suggesting a genetic basis for OXY-CPP. SM/J mice showed greater locomotor activity than LG/J mice in response to both saline and OXY. LG/J, SM/J, and AIL mice all exhibited robust OXY-induced locomotor sensitization. Narrow-sense heritability (h(2) ) estimates of the phenotypes using linear regression and maximum likelihood estimation showed good agreement (r = 0.91). OXY-CPP was clearly not a heritable trait whereas drug-free- and OXY-induced locomotor activity and sensitization were significantly and sometimes highly heritable (h(2) = 0.30-0.84). Interestingly, the number of transitions between the saline- and OXY-paired sides emerged as a reliably heritable trait following OXY training (h(2) = 0.46-0.66) and could represent a genetic component of drug-seeking behavior. Thus, although OXY-CPP does not appear to be amenable to genome-wide quantitative trait locus mapping, this protocol will be useful for mapping other traits potentially relevant to opioid abuse.
Intergeneric bacterial coaggregations involving mutans streptococci and oral actinomyces.

Mutans streptococci (MS) representing eight different serotypes were tested for their ability to coaggregate in vitro with oral actinomyces and other streptococcal species. Of the mutans streptococci tested, only strains of S. cricetus (formerly S. mutans serotype a) displayed pronounced coaggregations and only with certain strains of actinomyces. S. cricetus coaggregated, by lactose nonreversible mechanisms, with serotype 4 Actinomyces naeslundii WVU963 and WVU924 and with serotype 2 Actinomyces odontolyticus WVU758. The first pair was disaggregated by protein denaturants (e.g., sodium dodecyl sulfate and urea) and EDTA. This coaggregation was inhibited when the streptococcal, but not the actinomyces, partner was pretreated with either heat or protease, suggesting the presence of a protein mediator on only the streptococcal cell surface. The S. cricetus-A. odontolyticus coaggregation appeared to involve protein components on each cell, as shown by the lack of coaggregation after pretreatment of either cell type with heat or proteases. This coaggregation was also reversed by sodium dodecyl sulfate and urea, as well as by sodium deoxycholate, but not by EDTA. The data indicate that different mechanisms may be involved in each of these coaggregations.
Abstract 129: Embryonic Stem Cell Derived Exosomes Revive Endogenous Repair Mechanisms In Failing Heart

Rationale: Embryonic stem cells (ESCs) hold great promise for cardiac regeneration but are susceptible to ethical concerns, lack of autologous donors and teratoma formation. Recently, it has been observed that beneficial effects of stem cells are mediated by exosomes secreted out under various physiological conditions. ESCs have the ability to produce exosomes however their effect in the context of the heart is unknown. Objective: Determine the effect of ESC derived exosomes for cardiac repair and modulation of CPCs functions in the heart following myocardial infarction. Methods and Results: Exosomes were isolated from murine ESCs (mES Ex) or embryonic fibroblasts (MEFs) by ultracentrifugation and verified by Flotillin-1 immunoblot analysis. Induction of pluripotent markers, survival and in vitro tube formation was enhanced in target cells receiving ESC exosomes indicating therapeutic potential of mES Ex. mES Ex administration resulted in enhanced neovascularization, cardiomyocyte survival and reduced fib...
A Kinetic Energy Analysis of the Meso β-Scale Severe Storm Environment

Analyses are performed of the meso beta-scale (20-200 km wavelengths and several hours to one-day periods) severe storm kinetic energy balance on the fifth day of the AVE SESAME campaign of May 1979. A 24-hr interval covering the antecedent, active and post-convective outbreak activity over Oklahoma are considered. Use is made of the kinetic energy budget equation (KEBE) for a finite volume in an isobaric coordinate system. Rawindsonde data with 75 km resolution were treated. The KEBE model covered changes in kinetic energy due to the cross contour flows, horizontal and vertical components of flux divergence, and volumic mass changes on synoptic and subsynoptic scales. The greatest variability was concentrated above 400 mb height and over the most intense storm activity. Energy was generated at the highest rates in divergence and decreased the most in convection. The meso beta-scale lacked sufficient resolution for analyzing mesoscale activity.
How slaves used Islam: the letters of enslaved Muslim commercial agents in the nineteenth-century Niger bend and Central Sahara

Historians of slavery in Africa have long struggled to recover the voices of enslaved people. In this article, an unusual set of sources found in Timbuktu (Mali) reveals the existence of a stratum of literate, Muslim slaves who wrote and received letters written in Arabic. These letters make it possible to probe the Islamic rhetoric used by Muslim slaves and ask how enslaved people who adopted Islam understood their faith. Did Muslim slaves arrive at different interpretations of Islam than those Muslims who were free? Using the correspondence of two slaves who worked as agents in their master's commercial activities in the Niger Bend and Central Sahara during the second half of the nineteenth century, this article demonstrates the extent to which Muslim slaves used appeals to their own piety in attempting to carve out a certain amount of social autonomy. For these Muslim slaves, Islam could be made to serve both spiritual and practical ends. And yet, this did not require slaves to interpret Islam in ways that rejected the legitimacy of slavery.
Persistent low levels of human chorionic gonadotropin: A premalignant gestational trophoblastic disease.

Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the significance of persistent low-level human chorionic gonadotropin (hCG) titers (usually <50 IU/L) in the absence of clinical evidence of pregnancy or gestational trophoblastic disease. Study Design: The USA hCG Reference Service consulted on 114 cases with persistent low levels of hCG; 51 had false-positive hCG results. The remaining 63 cases had real hCG results and are presented here. Results: Antecedent gestational events included hydatidiform mole (27), pregnancy (35), and gestational trophoblastic neoplasm (1). Forty of the 63 (64%) cases received therapy, including chemotherapy (38), hysterectomy (2), or both (10). Despite treatment, in all cases, low hCG titers persisted. After 1 to 4.5 years of low titers, four women had a sudden rapid increase in hCG levels, and malignant disease was confirmed or clearly suggested (gestational trophoblastic neoplasm [3] and placental site trophoblastic tumor [1]). Invasive trophoblast antigen (ITA) is a marker of invasive cytotrophoblast cells. ITA was measured in 38 of the cases with persistent low hCG, in all cases ITA accounted for less than 25% of the hCG concentration. It was also determined in the 4 cases indicated with malignant disease, accounting for more than 80% of the hCG. Conclusion: The presence of persistent low-level hCG titers defines a subset of women with preinvasive or quiescent gestational trophoblastic disease. ITA effectively detected the presence or absence of invasive cells in these cases. The recommended management of the quiescent disease is close surveillance without therapy until malignant disease detected. (Am J Obstet Gynecol 2003;188:1254-9.)
New method for photoelectron spectroscopy of solutions

Abstract A new method of rather general scope is reported for the determination of the photoionization (PI) spectra of solutions. Spectra thus obtained correspond to PI for ejection of quasi-free electrons into the liquid phase. The method is based upon photoelectron emission (PEE) into vacuum by the solution upon irradiation with adjustable photon energy. A new instrument is described which features irradiation (up to 10 eV) of a film of the solution on the rim of a rotating disk target (72 r.p.m.). Two types of data are obtained: PEE quantum yield per incident photon as a function of photon energy; energy distribution curve (EDC) of electrons emitted into vacuum at given photon energies. The PI cross-section is obtained as a function of photon energy by the previously developed method of EDC superposition. The method is applicable even when the contribution by the solvent to total PEE is dominant. Application is made to PI by 0.4 M indole in glycol for irradiation from 6.5 to 10 eV. Experimental results include: the effect of equilibrium vapor pressure (3.5 × 10 −3 − 4.6 × 10 −2 torr) on EDC's; PEE spectral response of solvent and solution; EDC's from 6.5 to 10 eV. Interpretation covers these results and also includes: attenuation of the photon flux in the gas phase; PI in the gas phase; changes of temperature and solute concentration caused by evaporation. The PI spectrum of indole in glycol at −7 °C exhibits a band for bound-continuum transitions (rising segment up to ≈ 7.0 eV) and a superimposed band (maximum at ≈ 7.6 eV) for PI via autoionization of excited bound states. Systematic development of the photoionization spectroscopy of solutions up to 10 eV is made possible by this approach. Application of the rotating disk methodology to higher photon energies (HeI, ESCA) may be of interest.
Crack growth life of Ti–3Al–2.5V tubes under internal impulse pressure

Abstract This paper presents application of laser micro-machining (LMM) in introducing a longitudinal (axial) semi-elliptical sharp notch as a pre-crack on external surface of Ti–3Al–2.5V tubes to study fatigue crack growth characteristics. The notch root radius was less than 0.03 mm. Internal impulse pressure test results were obtained for the tubes with a LMM notch of 0.23 mm deep and 0.25 aspect ratio under different internal pressure levels. Fatigue crack growth life was predicted for the tubes and validated by the experimental life data. It is observed that all predicted crack growth life data based on both NASGRO equation and Paris’ law are in good agreement with the experimental life data. Modeling and experimental results indicate that LMM is an appropriate tool for introducing a pre-crack to study fatigue crack growth in titanium and possibly other materials.
Development and Evaluation of STEM Interest and Self-Efficacy Tests:

The recruitment and retention of students interested in STEM pursuits (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) is a national priority obstructed by a lack of relevant measures. We developed a set of assessment devices applicable to program evaluation as well as the identification of STEM interested students and their self-efficacy levels. In this article, we report the psychometric properties of two interest and two self-efficacy measures of STEM-related activities and occupations. Exploratory factor analyses conducted on each measure with a randomly selected half of the sample (n = 213) resulted in one general STEM factor. Confirmatory factor analyses were conducted on shortened versions of the tests for the remaining half of the sample (n = 190). Goodness-of-fit indices all supported the one-factor model. Applications of the instruments to STEM assessment and education are discussed.
The role of the protein surface on the local biological water dynamics

Protein function is reliant on structural flexibility and this flexibility is slaved to the surrounding solvent. Here we discuss how the exposed surface of the protein influences the solvent dynamics and thereby influences the protein's own structural dynamics. We discuss measurements of the THz absorption of water in the presence of hydrophilic and hydrophobic surfaces.
Recombination, gain, band structure, efficiency, and reliability of 1.5-μm GaInNAsSb/GaAs lasers

We present temperature-dependent measurements of the local Z parameter, which reflects the dominant recombination processes. At room temperature, Z increases with current from 1.2 at low bias up to a threshold value, Zth, of only 2.0, demonstrating the existence of significant amounts of monomolecular recombination. At elevated temperatures, Zth rises above 2.5. We calculate the laser’s band diagram and estimate 35 meV of band-gap renormalization at threshold through polarization-resolved measurements of exciton peaks in the absorption spectrum and inflection points of the absorption, spontaneous emission, and gain spectra. The small effective valence-band barrier height of 115 meV leads to hole leakage due to thermionic emission and carrier spillover into the barriers. This could explain the increase in Zth at elevated temperatures and decrease in internal quantum efficiency from 57% at 15 °C to 47% at 75 °C. We also analyze the spontaneous emission and gain spectra below and above threshold. The spontan...
Total Body Electrical Conductivity Measurements: An Evaluation of Current Instrumentation for Infants

ABSTRACT: Quantitation of the body's fat and lean masses is an important component of nutritional assessment. Such measurements, however, are difficult to conduct routinely in infants due to the numerous limitations of traditional methods. The application of total body electrical conductivity measurements for quantitating fat-free mass (FFM) overcomes many of these limitations. The instruments required to perform these measurements in pediatric patients (HP-2) have recently become commercially available, but their measurement performance has not been evaluated. In these studies, we compared the precision, day-to-day variability, and magnetic field profile of three HP-2 instruments. We also derived a new calibration equation that relates the FFM to the total body electrical conductivity measurement in piglets, and compared it with an equation (provided currently by the manufacturer) derived on a prototype instrument. The performance of the instruments was generally similar, although a significant difference in the magnetic field of one instrument was identified. The coefficient of variation of inanimate phantom measurements varied from ±0.2 to ±0.5%, and the day-to-day variability was generally similar. Such measurement error is significant (±0.035 to ±0.078 kg FFM) for small subjects. The new calibration equation was similar to the original equation; therefore, all the data were pooled to generate a new equation that is linear at least to 10 kg. Thus, the HP-2 total body electrical conductivity instruments, which can be safely and easily used to measure FFM and fat in infants through 1 y of age, proved to be reliable and precise, and results obtained from different instruments can be confidently compared.
Single phosphorylation of Tyr304 in the cytoplasmic tail of ephrin B2 confers high‐affinity and bifunctional binding to both the SH2 domain of Grb4 and the PDZ domain of the PDZ‐RGS3 protein

The B class cell-attached ephrins mediate contact-dependent cell-cell communications and transduce the contact signals to the host cells through the binding interactions of their cytoplasmic domains. Two classes of intracellular effectors of B ephrins have been identified: one contains the PSD-95/Dlg/ZO-1 (PDZ) domain (for example PDZ-RGS3), and the second the Src homology 2 (SH2) domain (e.g. the Grb4 adaptor protein). The interaction with Grb4 requires phosphorylation of tyrosine residues on the conserved cytoplasmic C-terminal region of B ephrins, while binding to the PDZ domain is independent of tyrosine phosphorylation. However, the exact phosphorylation site(s) required for signaling remained obscure and it is also unknown whether the two classes of effectors can bind to B ephrins simultaneously or if the binding of one affects the binding of the other. We report here that phosphorylation of Tyr304 in the functional C-terminal region (residues 301-333) of ephrin B2 confers high-affinity binding to the SH2 domain of the Grb4 protein. Tyrosine phosphorylation at other candidate sites resulted in only minor change of the binding of Tyr304-phosphorylated ephrin B peptide (i.e. ephrinB2(301-333)-pY304) with the SH2 domain. (1)H-(15)N NMR HSQC experiments show that only the ephrinB2(301-333)-pY304 peptide forms a stable and specific binding complex with the SH2 domain of Grb4. The SH2 and PDZ domains were found to bind to the Tyr304 phosphopeptide both independently and at the same time, forming a three-component molecular complex. Taken together, our studies identify a novel SH2 domain binding motif, PHpY304EKV, on the cytoplasmic domains of B ephrins that may be essential for reverse signaling via the Grb4 adaptor protein alone or in concert with proteins containing PDZ domains.
Stochastic Failure Prognosability of Discrete Event Systems

We study the prognosis of fault, i.e., its prediction prior to its occurrence, in stochastic discrete event systems. We introduce the notion of $m$ -steps Stochastic-Prognosability, called $S_{m} $ -Prognosability, which allows the prediction of a fault at least $m$ -steps in advance. We formalize the notion of a prognoser and also show that $S_{m} $ -Prognosability is necessary and sufficient for the existence of a prognoser that can predict a fault at least $m$ -steps prior to occurrence, while achieving any arbitrary false alarm and missed detection rates. We also provide a polynomial algorithm for the verification of $S_{m} $ -Prognosability. Finally, we compare the notion of stochastic prognosability with that of stochastic diagnosability, and show that the former is a stronger notion, as can be expected.
Designing Agricultural Technology for African Women Farmers: Lessons from 25 Years of Experience

Abstract African women farmers are less likely than men to adopt improved crop varieties and management systems. This paper addresses two issues: How does gender affect technology adoption among African farmers? How does the introduction of new technologies affect women's well-being? Three conclusions come out of an extensive and critical review of the literature. First, African households are complex and heterogeneous. Second, gender roles within African households and communities cannot be simply summarized. Third, gender roles and responsibilities are dynamic; they respond to changing economic circumstances. The paper demonstrates the complexity and importance of efforts to design interventions for African women.