cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparison of the Synthesis and Bioerodible Properties of N-Linked Versus O-Linked Amino Acid Substituted Polyphosphazenes

Phosphazene polymers with N-linked and O-linked amino acid side groups are of biomedical interest, especially for their ability to bioerode under physiological conditions. Polyphosphazenes containing serine and threonine substituents, which contain two different functional sites for attachment to a polyphosphazene backbone (N- and O-terminus), were synthesized using an improved technique, and their hydrolysis behavior was investigated. In aqueous media the solid polymers yield hydrolysis products phosphate, ammonia, the amino acid, and ethanol and have the potential to be used in several different biomedical applications ultimately determined by their hydrolysis behavior. A hydrolysis study in deionized water revealed that all the polymers are hydrolytically sensitive, regardless of the type of linkage to the polyphosphazene backbone, although the hydrolysis rates may be different. Polymers with amino acid ester side groups linked through the N-terminus underwent solid phase hydrolysis between 16 and 60 % within a 6-week period. This is the fastest reported solid state hydrolysis of any amino acid ester substituted polyphosphazene. The mechanism of hydrolysis is by bulk erosion as monitored by environmental scanning electron microscopy. Polymers with the amino acid units linked through the O-terminus are soluble in water; thus their solid state erosion profile in aqueous media could not be determined. However, 31P NMR spectroscopy confirmed their hydrolytic sensitivity in aqueous solution and the formation of phosphorus-containing oligomeric species, the concentrations of which increased during the 6-week hydrolysis period. Complete hydrolysis did not occur within 6 weeks. The O-linked species are possible starting points for bioerodible hydrogel formation.
Vacancy trapping in plastically deformed metals studied by hyperfine interactions

Abstract Site populations of 111 In probes in Ni and Cu with vacancy defects trapped after plastic deformation were measured by time differential perturbed angular correlations. Isochronal annealing studies show the same defect hyperfine interaction frequencies observed after quenching, irradiation, and ion implantation. Measurements on Ni as a function of deformation yield “dose” curves which are closely correlated with the three stages of mechanical hardening.
Intra-Arab trade : is it too little?

This paper estimates a gravity model to address the issue of whether intra-Arab trade is too little. Although gravity models have been extensively used to measure bilateral trade among countries, they have - to the best of our knowledge - never been used to measure intra-Arab trade. Our results suggest that intra-Arab trade and Arab trade with the rest of the world are lower than what would be predicted by the gravity equation, suggesting considerable scope for regional - as well as multilateral - integration. The results also suggest that intra-GCC and intra-Maghreb trade are relatively low while the Mashreq countries exhibit a higher level of intragroup trade.
FIELD EVIDENCE FOR A RAPIDLY CASCADING UNDERGROUND FOOD WEB

The strength of cascading effects from predators to plants is a controversial issue in work addressing terrestrial trophic interactions. While suppressing herbivores, the effects of some predators dissipate through two trophic levels and only modestly affect land plants. I addressed the strength of the indirect effect of the predatory nematode Heterorhabditis marelatus on the bush lupine (Lupinus arboreus), where the nematode may protect the plant by killing root-feeding ghost moth (Hepialus californicus) caterpillars. I manipulated both predators and herbivores and measured all three components of this cascade in the field. Lupine bushes in eight plots had 24 caterpillars added to each bush's rhizosphere. Four plots had nematode predators added to the soil, while four control plots had no nematodes added. Cascading effects on lupine growth and fitness occurred quickly. The nematode halved herbivore densities in three months, increased lupine trunk growth by 67% within eight months, and increased seed set by 44% in three months. Combined with previous experiments, this result identifies the system as a potent terrestrial trophic cascade. By protecting bush lupine, a nitrogen fixer, this predator may mediate the plant's community effects. Though poorly known, underground predators can have profound effects on terrestrial communities. Corresponding Editor: N. Cappuccino
Magnesium potentiation of iron-transferrin binding in 0.10 m phosphate: kinetic and structural studies

Abstract Prior investigations have shown that phosphate ions destabilize iron-transferrin binding. We have demonstrated previously that iron binding to transferrin (buffered in 0.10 m phosphate) from iron(III) nitrilotriacetate or iron(III) chloride is a magnesium-dependent process. The kinetics of magnesium's effect on iron binding was followed spectrophotometrically at 470 nm, and circular dichroism was used to monitor changes in secondary structure (186–250 nm) induced by this cation. Circular dichroic measurements in the aromatic region (250–350 nm) showed time-dependent activity when iron binding took place in the presence of magnesium. However, similar studies in the intrinsic region (186–250 nm) failed to reveal significant magnesium-induced changes in the secondary structure of transferrin. Kinetic modeling of the data indicate that iron binding to transferrin can be described by a sequence of three reactions, the last of these being dependent on the magnesium concentration. Thus, magnesium may have induced a localized structural change in transferrin, preventing the destabilizing effect of the phosphate anion.
When Do People Misrepresent Themselves to Others? The Effects of Social Desirability, Ground Truth, and Accountability on Deceptive Self‐Presentations

factors that affect deceptive self-presentations of height and weight. One experiment examined the role of biased cognitive processing. It revealed interactions between biased scanning—focusing on one’s own socially desirable characteristics—and participants’ sex that affected discrepancies between actual and self-reported height/weight. Another investigated the effect of establishing ground truth prior to self-assessment. It determined that exposure to one’s actual measures (ground truth) prior to self-report reduced inaccuracy. The third examined the role of perceived accountability. It found that anticipation of being measured reduced discrepant self-reports. Results suggest that psychological and social processes provide higher-order explanations for distorted self-presentations of the kind that other studies have attributed to specific goals and sociotechnological factors.
Validation of contrast and phenomenology in the Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing (DIRS) lab's Image Generation (DIRSIG) model

Comparison of the components and the overall fidelity of infrared synthetic image generation models with truth data and imagery is a crucial part of determining model validity and identifying areas in which improvements can be made. The Rochester Institute of Technology's Digital Imaging and Remote Sensing Image Generation Model, DIRSIG, was validated in the midwave infrared (MWIR) and longwave infrared (LWIR) regions using measured meteorological, material, and radiometric data. Error propagation techniques clearly defined areas where improvements to the model could be made (e.g., inclusion of clouds). An overall comparison of truth and synthetic images yields rms errors of as low as 1.8 degree(s)C for actual temperature, and 5 degree(s)C (LWIR) and 6 degree(s)C (MWIR) for apparent temperatures. Analysis of rank order correlation statistic shows a very high correlation between brightness rank for object in the truth and DIRSIG images for most times of day.
Crossing the Research Valleys of Death: The University of Pittsburgh Approach

“Bridging the valley of death” is a phrase that has been used in non-health related disciplines to describe the fundamental challenge of applying research and development advances to operations.1 However, the “valley of death” metaphor is equally appropriate to describe the two major gaps in the translational research continuum: (1) the translation of laboratory discoveries to human subjects and (2) the translation of the resulting evidence to clinical and public health practice and policy.2,3 As one of the initial 12 academic health centers to receive a Clinical and Translational Science Award (CTSA) from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in 2006, the University of Pittsburgh is part of a growing national consortium (24 institutions in 18 states as of September 2007) on the forefront of developing and evaluating new research models as a means of bridging these valleys.
New approaches to CPR. Four hands, a plunger, or a vest.

A major stimulus to improve methods of cardiopulmonary resuscitation (CPR) has come from the realization that blood flow during conventional CPR is marginal, particularly the flow to the heart. To restart the heart, if initial defibrillation fails (or is not possible), coronary flow must be provided. 1 With well-performed CPR together with optimal use of epinephrine, brain blood flow probably reaches 30% to 60% of normal; however, myocardial blood flow is much more limited, in the range of 5% to 20% of normal. Repeated studies in animals and important confirmatory studies in man have shown a strong correlation between restarting the heart and higher levels of coronary blood flow. 1-3 In animals, coronary flow correlates strongly with the pressure gradient between the aorta and the right atrium. In man, restarting the heart has been shown to correlate with this pressure gradient. A pressure gradient between the aorta and right atrium,
Tests for Unit Roots and the Initial Condition

The paper analyzes the impact of the initial condition on the problem of testing for unit roots. To this end, we derive a family of optimal tests that maximize a weighted average power criterion with respect to the initial condition. We then investigate the relationship of this optimal family to popular tests. We find that many unit root tests are closely related to specific members of the optimal family, but the corresponding members employ very different weightings for the initial condition. The popular Dickey-Fuller tests, for instance, put a large weight on extreme deviations of the initial observation from the deterministic component, whereas other popular tests put more weight on moderate deviations. Since the power of unit root tests varies dramatically with the initial condition, this paper explains the results of comparative power studies of unit root tests. The results allow a much deeper understanding of the merits of particular tests in specific circumstances, and a guide to choosing which statistics to use in practice.
SODAS and a methodology for system design

SODAS (Structure Oriented Description And Simulation) is a simulation language and compiler being designed at Carnegie Tech for use as a tool by the designers of computer systems. The structure of the language and its translator reflect a definition of "system" and a methodology for "system design." It is the purpose of this paper to present the proposed methodology and language.
The Effects of Perspective-Taking on Prejudice: The Moderating Role of Self-Evaluation

Perspective-taking, by means of creating an overlap between self and other cognitive representations, has been found to effectively decrease stereotyping and ingroup favoritism. In the present investigation, the authors examined the potential moderating role of self-esteem on the effects of perspective-taking on prejudice. In two experiments, it was found that perspective-takers, but not control participants, with temporarily or chronically high self-esteem evaluated an outgroup more positively than perspective-takers with low self-esteem. This finding suggests an irony of perspective-taking: it builds off egocentric biases to improve outgroup evaluations. The discussion focuses on how debiasing intergroup thought is often best accomplished by working through the very processes that produced the bias in the first place.
Migraine and Vertigo: Epidemiology, Genetics, and Mechanism(s)

Both migraine and vertigo are highly prevalent in the general population, but the co-occurrence of migraine and vertigo is much higher than would be expected by chance alone with a lifetime prevalence of migrainous vertigo in the range of 1%. Genetic factors are important for determining the threshold for migraine symptoms but so far, mutations have been identified in only two genes for the relatively rare syndrome of familial hemiplegic migraine. Numerous genetic loci and candidate genes have been identified for the more common syndromes of migraine with aura and migraine without aura, but the results are conflicting and largely unreplicated. Recently, a susceptibility locus for familial benign recurrent vertigo was identified on chromosome 22q, but as with the susceptibility loci for migraine syndromes, this will need to be replicated in other patient populations. How migraine leads to recurrent vertigo is poorly understood; there may be multiple mechanisms affecting both peripheral and central vestibular pathways. Vasospasm involving the labyrinthine arteries is an intriguing possibility since vasospasm has been identified with retinal migraine. An ion channel mutation shared by ear and brain could explain the combination of central and peripheral vestibular signs and the common triggers for migraine symptoms. Finally, in some patients with migrainous vertigo, the inner ear may be damaged resulting in a form of Meniere's disease.
Cotton Fiber Length Distribution— An Important Quality Factor

Recent cotton processing studies conducted by Textile Research Institute have demonstrated that the presence of a large number of short fibers in cotton causes appre ciable increases in processing wastes, excessively uneven rovings and yarns, less efficient spinning, and weaker yarns than would otherwise be expected. The present paper outlines various methods of measuring fiber length distribution and of indicating ex cessive quantities of short fibers in the sample.Four case histories demonstrating the inferior quality of cottons containing excessive quantities of short fibers are described. These show the effects of improper drying prior to ginning, overprocessing during cleaning, and microbiological attack (cavitoma). In all cases the importance of fiber length distribution as a cotton quality factor is emphasized.
STAMP: A Universal Algorithmic Model for Next-Generation Multithreaded Machines and Systems

We propose a generic algorithmic model called STAMP (Synchronous, Transactional, and Asynchronous Multi- Processing) as a universal performance and power complexity model for multithreaded algorithms and systems. We provide examples to illustrate how to design and analyze algorithms using STAMP and how to apply the complexity estimates to better utilize CMP(Chip MultiProcessor)-based machines within given constraints such as power.
Estrogen signaling in trout liver: estrogen receptor and non-estrogen receptor mediated cellular response

Abstract Studies were conducted to determine intracellular hepatic signaling pathways associated with estrogen exposure in rainbow trout. These studies were initiated as a first step in elucidating potential signal transduction pathways associated with exposure to environmental estrogens in fish. Studies include analysis of intracellular pathways that are dependent upon estrogen receptor signaling including vitellogenin and choriogenin biosynthesis, and key pathways thought to act through specific kinase cascades. Exposure of 5 mg/kg estradiol to juvenile rainbow trout resulted in a strong and specific ‘estrogenic’ response as measured by the de novo synthesis of vitellogenin and choriogenin in plasma of both male and female trout. Estrogen receptor levels were quantified by both E 2 binding and mobility shift assays and demonstrated a significant increase in treated fish. Protein kinase A activity was consistently decreased in estrogen treated males and females, whereas juvenile female trout demonstrated a consistent increase in MAP kinase activity with a concatenate rise in the DNA binding activity of AP-1. Further studies are underway in our laboratories to address whether these cellular responses are estrogen receptor dependent and/or independent signaling events.
K-ras Is Critical for Modulating Multiple c-kit-Mediated Cellular Functions in Wild-Type and Nf1+/− Mast Cells

p21 ras (Ras) proteins and GTPase-activating proteins (GAPs) tightly modulate extracellular growth factor signals and control multiple cellular functions. The specific function of each Ras isoform (H, N, and K) in regulating distinct effector pathways, and the role of each GAP in negatively modulating the activity of each Ras isoform in myeloid cells and, particularly, mast cells is incompletely understood. In this study, we use murine models of K-ras - and Nf1 -deficient mice to examine the role of K-ras in modulating mast cell functions and to identify the role of neurofibromin as a GAP for K-ras in this lineage. We find that K-ras is required for c-kit-mediated mast cell proliferation, survival, migration, and degranulation in vitro and in vivo. Furthermore, the hyperactivation of these cellular functions in Nf1 +/− mast cells is decreased in a K-ras gene dose-dependent fashion in cells containing mutations in both loci. These findings identify K-ras as a key effector in multiple mast cell functions and identify neurofibromin as a GAP for K-ras in mast cells.
Mortgages and Markov chains: a simplified evaluation model

This paper has two purposes. The first is purely expository: to introduce stochastic interest-rate models and security-evaluation methods in a simple mathematical setting. Specifically, we assume the uncertainties in the model are represented by a discrete-time, finite-state Markov chain. Second, using this framework, we present a relatively simple model for the evaluation of mortgage-backed securities.
Historical processes enhance patterns of diversity along latitudinal gradients

One of the more vexing issues in ecology is how historical processes affect contemporary patterns of biodiversity. Accordingly, few models have been presented. Two corollary models (centre of origin, timefor-speciation) can be used to make quantitative predictions characterizing the tropical niche conservatism hypothesis and describe diversification as diffusion and subsequent cladogenesis of species away from the place of origin of a higher taxon in the tropics. Predictions derived from such models are: (i) species richness declines toward the periphery of the range of a higher taxon; (ii) taxa are more derived toward the periphery than the centre; (iii) ages of taxa are lower toward the periphery than the centre; and (iv) ages and measures of derivedness are less variable toward the periphery of the range of a higher taxon. I tested these predictions to better understand the formation of one of the most ubiquitous patterns of biodiversity—the latitudinal gradient in species richness. Results indicate well-supported predictions for New World leaf-nosed bats and that diversification has had strong influences on latitudinal gradients of species richness. A better understanding of how evolutionary diversification of taxa contributes to formation of patterns of species richness along environmental gradients is necessary to fully understand spatial variation in biodiversity.
TRANSMISSION OF SCRUB TYPHUS TO HUMAN VOLUNTEERS BY LABORATORY-REARED CHIGGERS

Laboratory-reared, Rickettsia tsutsugamushi-infected Leptotrombidium arenicola and L. fletcheri chiggers were fed on 1 and 2 human volunteers respectively. All subjects developed typical clinical signs and symptoms of scrub typhus beginning days 8-10 post chigger attachment (PCA); these included fever, severe headache, myalgia, regional lymphadenopathy, and eschar. The two L. fletcheri subjects developed a transient generalized rash on days 3-4 after the onset of fever, and these two individuals also appeared to suffer a more severe clinical disease. Rickettsemias were detected in all three volunteers beginning on day 7 PCA, 1-3 days before the onset of clinical disease. Rises in indirect fluorescent antibody titers occurred starting on days 13-19 PCA (day 4-11 post fever) and in Weil-Felix OXK titers starting on days 26-22 PCA (days 7-14 post fever). These results strongly suggest that the use of laboratory-reared chiggers is a reliable means of transmitting scrub typhus infections to volunteers.
An Investigation into the Nature of the Magmatic Plumbing System at Paricutin Volcano, Mexico

compositional change from basaltic andesite to andesite magmas in the waning stages of the eruption that is consistent with progressive crustal assimilation within this latest magma batch. These data demonstrate that the petrogenetic evolution of magmas at Paricutin is more complex than simple progressive assimilation and fractional crystallization and requires the presence of three compositionally distinct magma batches at shallow levels.
Electrophysiological evidence of feature-based inhibition of focused attention across consecutive trials.

Monitoring the visual environment for targets has evolutionary and ecological significance. Exploration of the visual scene can be hypothesized to use ‘‘saliency maps’’ representing the priorities allocated to different locations and features, which change dynamically based on previous experience. This is supported by the observation that sequential effects influence the speed and accuracy of visual search tasks. Yet, the mechanisms underlying these effects are not well understood. Here we used electrophysiological methods to identify some of the mechanisms underlying a specific sequential effectFthe distractor previewing effect (DPE). We found that the DPE is correlated with electrophysiological indices of attention allocation but not with sensory or motor components, suggesting that the DPE is related to attentional phenomena, rather than perceptual or motor levels of processing. Descriptors: Distractor previewing effect (DPE), Sequential effects, Inhibition, Focused attention, N2pc, Eventrelated brain potentials (ERPs) Searching a visual scene for a target has ecological and adaptive significance. Understanding how humans perform this task can provide insights into a wide range of activities, as critical as finding a weapon in the X-ray picture of a piece of luggage and as trivial as finding our keys on a cluttered desk. Since the 1960s, considerable effort has been placed on studying the factors that control how we search the environment (Wolfe, 1998, 2003). Most models of visual search focus on a ‘‘saliency’’ analysis of the scene (e.g., Itti & Koch, 2000; Koch & Ullman, 1985; Wolfe, 1994). This involves a combination of bottom-up processes (visual features are extracted in a somewhat parallel manner from the sensory input representing the scene) and top-down processes (feature values are combined with goals and expectations reflecting the observer’s knowledge of the task and target characteristics;
Manufacturing a Messiah How Nike and LeBron James Co-Constructed the Legend of King James

This monograph analyzes how Nike and the athlete himself jointly commodified the public persona of LeBron James, with James cast in two normative narratives: (a) the Messiah and (b) hegemonic mascu...
The Tracing of a Trajectory

In the period leading up to the formation of the OAS in 1948, the Pan-American Union was in many respects a forum which served a dual purpose. For the Latin Americans, it offered an opportunity to engage and influence to some extent U.S. hemispheric perceptions, while at the same time promoting international cooperation in a wide range of fields. For the United States, it offered a forum for keeping a vigilant eye on the presence and influence of non-hemispheric powers in the region while asserting the U.S. efforts for hemispheric development through cooperation. The establishment of the OAS, which institutionalized and gave juridical validity to the achievements of the process of Pan-Americanism, was a climax and a turning point in many ways. It was a high point in that it produced institutional structures, which transformed the character and political machinery of Pan Americanism, thus introducing an inter-American system with certain general features of the recently established United Nations System, but with particular and distinctive regional characteristics. The inter-American system was therefore clothed with more structured manageability and juridical character under a charter.
Synthesis and Characterization of Hydrous Ruthenium Oxide-Carbon Supercapacitors

It is shown that composite Ru oxide-carbon based supercapacitors possess superior energy and power densities as compared to bare carbon. An electroless deposition process was used to synthesize the ruthenium oxide-carbon composites Ru is dispersed on the carbon matrix as small particles. The effect of electrochemical oxidation and temperature treatment on the material performance has been studied extensively. Increasing the oxidation temperature reduces the proton transport rate and also increases the degree of crystallinity of the deposits. This adversely affects the performance of the composite. Loading a small amount of Ru oxide (9 wt %) on carbon increases the capacitance from 98 to 190 F/g.
CRIMINALS AS HEROES: LINKING SYMBOL TO STRUCTURE

This article examines the phenomenon of the heroic criminal and describes the structural preconditions necessary for his appearance. The author argues that these lawbreakers are best understood as cultural products that represent a concept of extra-legal justice. Their criminality, at least initially, is imputed with political meaning. Such symbols emerge when the rational, formal, bureaucratic justice of the state fails to reflect popular conceptions of justice. These symbolic figures are endemic in any culturally complex state society, although usually their appeal is to a small and relatively powerless public. But at times when the perception of law as unjust is widespread, the heroic criminal may emerge as a national figure of epic proportions. At such times a virtual epidemic of such figures may appear since entrepreneurs, motivated by either politics or profit, “market” such symbols to a receptive public. Using comparative analysis, the author presents brief case studies of Jesse James, William Bonney (Billy the Kid), John Dillinger, and Charles Arthur (Pretty Boy) Floyd to demonstrate how they became legendary figures. The author then describes more contemporary symbols of extra-legal justice and the structural factors
A kernel-independent, pipelined architecture for real-time 2-D convolution

Existing architectures for 2-D convolution suffer from such drawbacks as inflexibility with respect to image and/or kernel sizes (systolic arrays) or data distribution and collection overhead (SIMD processor arrays). This paper introduces a pipelined architecture that maps different sizes and shapes of kernels on a fixed size array of computing elements using a single pass of the input data. It is shown that the array can be operated at its highest throughout for any kernel size. Interfacing this architecture with the host requires receiving and outputting data in a simple raster-scan fashion.
Critical reevaluation of proximity effects in the Barton oxidation and related intramolecular reactions

The limiting factor to account for the increased rate of intramolecular reactions between functional groups as opposed to their intermolecular counterparts can and has been explained both by proximity effects and by activation energy. Neither explanation has emerged as the single most important reason in all or even the majority of cases studied. We have therefore reexamined the spatiotemporal hypothesis of Menger and the transition-state energy approach of Houk on a consistent set of compounds subjected to the Barton oxidation or related reactions in an effort to more clearly define the reasons for the proximity effect. For the 26 structures studied, neither hypothesis provides a consistent, quantitative explanation although the transitionstate energy hypothesis offered the most promise. © John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
The Effects of Communicative Source and Dynamics on the Maintenance and Accessibility of Longer-term Memories: Applications to Sexual Abuse and Its Public Disclosure

Summary Recent public testimony concerning sexual abuse on the part of celebrities raises the question of what happens to memories when they enter the public domain. The present paper reviews research on the effects of communication on memory and examines how the context of this communication affects its influence on memory, both in the short and long term. Specifically, we discuss how communication with the self, a small group, and the larger public affects the content and availability of different elements of both emotional and more mundane memories, in the short term and in the long term. Evidence suggests that, although forgetting is rapid in the first few years, it then levels off. Although this pattern would suggest that the effects conversational influences have on memory may be limited to the first few years, the present paper argues that the pattern will vary as the source changes.Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A New Framework for Designing Schema Mappings

One of the fundamental tasks in information integration is to specify the relationships, called schema mappings, between database schemas. Schema mappings specify how data structured under a source schema is to be transformed into data structured under a target schema. The design of schema mappings is usually a non-trivial and time-intensive process and the task of designing schema mappings is exacerbated by the fact that schemas that occur in real life tend to be large and heterogeneous. Traditional approaches for designing schema mappings are either manual or performed through a user interface from which a schema mapping is interpreted from correspondences between attributes of the source and target schemas. These correspondences are either specified by the user or automatically derived by applying schema matching on the two schemas.
Evolutionism Transformed: Positivists and Materialists in the Société D’ Anthropologie de Paris from Second Empire to Third Republic

Below the surface of the usual tale of the acceptance of evolutionary ideas in France in the nineteenth century lies an even more intriguing story which links this introduction and acceptance to an alliance between positivists and materialists within the Central Committee of the Societe d’Anthropologic de Paris. These two groups were linked by their politics, which were republican, by their free-thinking in religion, by a vision of continual social progress and finally by a polygenist view of human origin.1 Given this alliance, the acceptance of Darwinian evolution within this society was dependent on a modification of the evolutionary formulation which, in its hierarchical and progressive aspects, owed more to Lamarck than to Darwin. The evolutionary tree of Darwin with its multiple branches was transformed into a ‘forest of trees’.2
Aortic Surgery for Patients with Connective Tissue Disorders

Patients with connective tissue disorders have benefitted from refinements in surgical technique and progress in molecular biology research. As many patients with connective tissue disorders now enjoy a longer life expectancy, non aortic root manifestations of their conditions are becoming more commonplace and vascular surgeons are tooled to address them. In this review, we will elucidate the triage and diagnosis of patients with connective tissue disorders and advance practical treatment strategies for these challenging vascular surgery patients.
Displacing difference and the barriers to environmental justice

The collection of articles in this special section provides an important contribution to our understanding of environmental justice: it speaks to existing debates on the multidimensional nature of ...
UCC Survey - Sales

This Article is a survey of the highlights of cases from 2007 decided under Article 2 of the Uniform Commercial Code. Particular Article 2 highlights include the mixed goods case of Franklin Publications, Inc. v. General Nutrition Corp. and the entrusting case of Lindholm v. Brant.
Expression of a Medicago truncatula Apyrase Gene is Induced by Rhizobia

Lectins have long been implicated in the legume nodulation process but their precise role has remained controversial. Recently, Etzler et al. (1999) reported the isolation of a unique lectin (DB46) from the roots of the legume Dolichos biflorus. This lectin was found to bind to Nod signals from a variety of rhizobia but showed the highest apparent affinity for the lipo-chitin oligosaccharides (LCO) produced by B. japonicum and Rhizobium sp. NGR234. In addition to binding LCO, Etzler et al. (1999) found that DB46 had apyrase (i.e., NTPase) activity that was significantly stimulated upon addition of Nod signal. For this reason, the lectin was termed a lectinnucleotide phosphohydrolase (LNP). The D. biflorus LNP (i.e., DB46) was found on the surface of root hairs and, indeed, addition of antibody to DB46 inhibited nodulation. The properties of this protein suggest that it could play a role in Nod signal recognition and transduce this binding signal by way of its apyrase enzyme activity.
Schedule and concentration-dependent induction of apoptosis in leukemia cells by nitric oxide

Nitric oxide (NO) has potent antiproliferative properties. In previous work we have shown that NO inhibits growth, induces differentiation and modulates gene expression in acute nonlymphocytic leukemia (ANLL) cells. The goal of this work was to determine whether the rate of NO delivery affected its growth inhibition of ANLL cells. We also wanted to determine whether the NO inhibition of ANLL cell growth is associated with the induction of apoptosis. We treated HL-60 and U937 cells with three compounds that generate the same amount of NO but at different rates. MAMA-NO, PAPA-NO and DETA-NO have half-lives of NO delivery of 2 and 30 min, and 20 h, respectively. The compound with the longest t½ of NO delivery (DETA-NO) was the most potent inhibitor of leukemia cell and colony growth. Furthermore, the NO-induced growth inhibition was associated with apoptosis in a rate and concentration-dependent fashion.
Organocobalt cluster complexes

Abstract The reaction of methylidynetricobalt nonacarbonyl, HCCo 3 (CO) 9 , with organogermanium hydrides, R n Cl 3 - n GeH ( n = 2, 3) in refluxing benzene solution under an atmosphere of carbon monoxide gave germyl-substituted methylidynetricobalt nonacarbonyl complexes of type R n Cl 3-n GeCCo 3 (CO) 9 .
Metal Supported SOFCs

Metal-supported thin-film YSZ SOFCs with infiltrated Ni and LSM catalysts are operated in the temperature range 650-750{degree sign}C. A five-layer structure consisting of porous metal support/porous YSZ interlayer/dense YSZ electrolyte film/porous YSZ interlayer/porous metal current collector is prepared at 1300{degree sign}C in reducing atmosphere. The cell is sealed and joined to a cell housing/gas manifold using a commercially-available braze. The porous YSZ interlayers are then infiltrated with Ni and LSM catalyst precursor solutions at low temperature prior to cell testing. Maximum power densities of 285mW/cm2 and 712mW/cm2 were achieved at 700{degree sign}C, with air and oxygen as oxidant, respectively.
Notes on Nearetic Acilius (Dytiscidae), with the Description of a New Species

Acilius sylvanus n. sp. is described and its testaceous venter is used to separate it from mediatus, fraternus, and semisulcatus in a key to species in northeastern North America. Acilius abbreviatus and A. latiusculus, long considered subspecies of semisulcatus from western North America, were found to be distinct species. For all the above species except latiusculus, male genitalia are described and figured, and their distribution and distinguishing characteristics are discussed.
Contracting from epistemic Hell is routine

I respond to Erik Olsson's critique of my account of contraction frominconsistent belief states, by admitting that such contraction cannot be rationalized as adeliberate decision problem. It can, however, be rationalized as a routine designed prior toinadvertent expansion into inconsistency when the deliberating agent embraces a consistent point of view.
Where Mathematicians and Biologists Meet

Mathematics and biology have a long history together. It goes back to early studies on epidemiology (such as John Snow’s on cholera and the Broad Street pump), and includes Ross’s quantitative studies that show how malaria can be controlled by careful analysis of data. And, of course, there are many others. In the early twentieth century, population models with differential equations were developed to describe the dynamics of populations, such as the studies of Alfred Lotka, who felt that natural selection could be quantified by physical laws, and Vito Volterra, who created a model to explain the predator-prey ratios in the Italian fish markets. These early models provide excellent tools because in their simplicity they show biologists how mathematics can help explain noteworthy biological phenomena. Mathematicians enjoy such models because the examples themselves make it easier to explain what the equations are describing.
Stress wave propagation in Boron-Nitride nanotubes

Abstract The propagation of axial stress waves in Boron-Nitride nanotubes of different chirality and length under adiabatic conditions has been studied using molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The velocities of the axial stress waves are found using three methods - (i) direct MD simulations, (ii) harmonic approximation of the nanotubes, and (iii) one-dimensional (1-D) wave equation. The MD simulation results indicate a small dependence of the wave velocities on the nanotube chirality and the excitation frequency – in armchair and zigzag nanotubes waves travel faster than that in chiral nanotubes, and wave velocities decrease with an increase in the frequency of excitation. The wave speed obtained from the harmonic approximations is ≈ 20 – 25 % higher than that found from the MD simulations. Likewise, the frequencies of vibrations from the two approaches differ by 15–20% for most of the cases. The computation of the wave speed from 1-D equation requires a prior knowledge of the elastic modulus and the nanotube wall thickness. The values of these parameters are found from MD simulation results – axial tensile tests provide an estimate of the wall thickness scaled elastic modulus and the transverse vibration data relates the standard deviation of the tip displacement with material properties of the nanotube. The wave speed predicted from the 1-D wave equation agrees with that obtained from the MD simulations at low excitation frequencies. The contribution of the anharmonicity to the dynamics during wave propagation is found by matching the response of the anharmonic Fermi-Pasta-Ulam chain with the MD simulation results.
Reward Dependence and Reward Deficiency

Homo sapiens are biologically predisposed to drink, eat, reproduce, and desire pleasurable experiences. Underlying the reward value and affective properties of these behaviors and the stimuli that elicit them is an extended cortical–subcortical network in which dopamine (DA) acts as the major neurotransmitter for reward and reinforcement. Genes that control dopamine-related synthesis, vesicular storage, metabolism, receptor formation, and catabolism have variations that can lead to an impairment of the neurochemical events involved in the neuronal release of DA.
A putative protein O-fucosyltransferase facilitates pollen tube penetration through the stigma-style interface.

During pollen-pistil interactions in angiosperms, the male gametophyte (pollen) germinates to produce a pollen tube. To fertilize ovules located within the female pistil, the pollen tube must physically penetrate specialized tissues. Whereas the process of pollen tube penetration through the pistil has been anatomically well described, the genetic regulation remains poorly understood. In this study, we identify a novel Arabidopsis (Arabidopsis thaliana) gene, O-FUCOSYLTRANSFERASE1 (AtOFT1), which plays a key role in pollen tube penetration through the stigma-style interface. Semi-in vivo growth assays demonstrate that oft1 mutant pollen tubes have a reduced ability to penetrate the stigma-style interface, leading to a nearly 2,000-fold decrease in oft1 pollen transmission efficiency and a 5- to 10-fold decreased seed set. We also demonstrate that AtOFT1 is localized to the Golgi apparatus, indicating its potential role in cellular glycosylation events. Finally, we demonstrate that AtOFT1 and other similar Arabidopsis genes represent a novel clade of sequences related to metazoan protein O-fucosyltransferases and that mutation of residues that are important for O-fucosyltransferase activity compromises AtOFT1 function in vivo. The results of this study elucidate a physiological function for AtOFT1 in pollen tube penetration through the stigma-style interface and highlight the potential importance of protein O-glycosylation events in pollen-pistil interactions.
Dynamic event tree analysis with the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 safety analysis code

Abstract The consequences of a transient in an advanced sodium-cooled fast reactor are difficult to capture with the traditional approach to probabilistic risk assessment (PRA). Numerous safety-relevant systems are passive and may have operational states that cannot be represented by binary success or failure. In addition, the specific order and timing of events may be crucial which necessitates the use of dynamic PRA tools such as ADAPT. The modifications to the SAS4A/SASSYS-1 sodium-cooled fast reactor safety analysis code for linking it to ADAPT to perform a dynamic PRA are described. A test case is used to demonstrate the linking process and to illustrate the type of insights that may be gained with this process. Newly-developed dynamic importance measures are used to assess the significance of reactor parameters/constituents on calculated consequences of initiating events.
Everybody Does Better in Indian Country When Tribes are Empowered

Fifty years ago, President Lyndon Johnson appointed a blue ribbon panel called the National Advisory Commission on Civil Disorders to examine the causes of urban riots that happened during the summer of 1967. The Kerner Commission, as the group came to be known, produced a report on March 1, 1968, that identified some of the causes of the unrest. The Kerner Commission report found the riots to be rooted in crushing urban poverty and recommended solutions that would address those deep issues, such as job training, living wages, and funding for public schools. To commemorate the 50th Anniversary of this work and to refocus attention on these important issues, the last living member of the Kerner Commission, former U.S. Senator Fred Harris, compiled a book “Healing our Divided Society: Investing in America Fifty Years After the Kerner Report” that revisits some of these issues. Harris invited several scholars to contribute to the book, including Professor Joseph Stiglitz, Professor Washburn. Professor Washburn contributed the attached essay which highlights the changes that have occurred in federal Indian policy in the last 50 years and makes recommendations about continuing efforts to address poverty there.
Ambulatory blood pressure monitoring and neurocognitive function in children with primary hypertension.

Children with primary hypertension have been reported to have diminished scores in measures of cognition. However, little is known about the relative correlation between office and ambulatory blood pressure (BP) and neurocognitive test performance, and whether short-term BP variability is associated with decreased neurocognitive function. We sought to determine whether ambulatory BP monitoring (ABPM) was more strongly associated with neurocognitive test performance compared with office BP, and whether increased short-term BP variability was associated with lower neurocognitive scores. Seventy-five subjects ages 10–18 years, with untreated primary hypertension, and 75 matched normotensive controls completed neurocognitive testing. All subjects had office BP and ABPM prior to neurocognitive testing. On multivariate analyses, there was no significant association between office BP and neurocognitive tests. However, several ABPM parameters were significantly associated with neurocognitive test scores in the lower quartile, in particular 24 h SBP load and wake systolic blood pressure (SBP) index [Rey Auditory Verbal learning Test (RAVLT) List A Trial 1, 24 h SBP load, odds ratio (OR) = 1.02, wake SBP index, OR = 1.06; List A Total, 24 h SBP load, OR = 1.02, wake SBP index, OR = 1.06; Short Delay Recall, wake SBP index, OR = 1.06; CogState Maze delayed recall, 24 h SBP load, OR = 1.03, wake SBP index, OR = 1.08; Grooved Pegboard, 24 h SBP load, OR = 1.02; all p < 0.05]. In contrast, short-term BP variability measures were not associated with neurocognitive test performance. ABPM is superior to office BP in distinguishing hypertensive youth with lower neurocognitive test performance.
Tropospheric seeing effects on site selection and the use of adaptive optics for solar telescopes

Because of the very small size of the isoplanatic patch resulting from high altitude, tropopause seeing, the use of the Solar Differential Image Motion Monitor (S-DIMM) for solar seeing observations at large zenith distances is significantly compromised. I examine the resulting limitations and attempt to correct for these in its use for the Advanced Technology Solar Telescope (ATST/DKIST) site survey. Suggestions are given about how one might correct for this altitude seeing by Dual Conjugate and Multi-Conjugate Adaptive Optics (DCAO/MCAO). I also comment on adaptive optics for corona observations with the use of Laser Guide Star aided wavefront sensing.
REVERSAL OF CLONIDINE-INDUCED HYPOTENSION BY OPIOID ANTAGONISTS IN MAN

Summary Four normotensive subjects showed decreased systolic and diastolic blood pressures while receiving daily clonidine hydrochloride to relieve opiate withdrawal symptoms. Ten days after their last dose of methadone, administration of naloxone or naltrexone was followed by increased blood pressures to pre-clonidine levels or above. This apparent reversal of clonidine's blood pressure lowering effects by specific opioid antagonists would appear to implicate the involvement of endogenous opioid peptides in clonidine's hypotensive action and provides further evidence for interaction between opioid and catecholamine systems.
The Costs of IRB Review

Among the recommendations included in its report on IRBs, the National Commission for the Protection of Human Subjects of Biomedical and Behavioral Research (1978) urged that “at least a portion of the funds necessary to support the operation of IRBs be directly provided [by the federal government] rather than reimbursed through the indirect cost mechanism.”* Regardless of the fact that this recommendation has never been acted upon, it recognizes that IRB review is a burden on institutions conducting research. Whether or not the cost of IRB review is directly supported by the government or is included in indirect costs, it is very important that institutions be able to calculate, as accurately as possible, the cost of compliance with human subjects regulations.
Head CT Decision Rules and Intracranial Hemorrhage

High-yield pictures to identify intracranial hemorrhages and evidence-based algorithms for the head CT.