cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Active modulation of optical leaky wave antenna by vanadium dioxide corrugations

Active tunability of optical leaky wave antenna is highly desired to enable greater control on light-matter interaction, sensing, and communication. Phase-changing materials can be integrated in optical antennas to enable such tunability. Among the phase-changing materials, vanadium dioxide (VO2) is the most useful as it shows the semiconductor to metal transition (68°C) very close to the room temperature. The phase transition in VO2 can be commonly induced by optical pulses or electrical joule heating. VO2 exhibits significant temperature-dependent electrical and optical coefficients even outside of the transition temperature making it suitable for both - fine and coarse tuning of the properties of optical devices depending on the temperature bias. In this work, we study optical leaky wave antenna consisting of a silicon nitride waveguide with periodic VO2 nanowire perturbations. We present the numerical analysis of different arrangements of the periodic perturbations. The antenna operates by the coupling between the evanescent mode of the waveguide and the nanowires. We show that, by selective joule heating of individual nanowires we can tune the optical property of corrugations and enable wider tuning range and higher degree of control on the radiated beam. We also include a comparative study to show tunability and performance of the antenna with different phase-changing materials like vanadium pentoxide (V2O5) and germanium-antimony-tellurium (GST). We show that, around the phase transition temperature of VO2, the directive gain of the antenna can be modulated by up to 25 dB and the radiation peak position can be tuned by up to 2.3°.
Reawakening the Law

The legal system is designed not to prevent injustice, but to cure it after the fact, or restore what is referred to in lawyering terminology as “the status quo ex ante.” This design dates back millennia and reflects Biblical values of an “Eye for an Eye” or “Tit for Tat” and the notion that in order to deter wrongdoing we must punish it or provide restitution. However, research from victims’ rights advocates shows that violence only begets more violence, leading to repeated cycles of injustice. While legal scholars have sought to remedy these cycles through pointing to structural and doctrinal problems with the courts, lawyers, the federal government, private business, and capitalism itself, none of their proposed solutions offers a means to break the cycle and to prevent injustices rather than “remedying” them after the fact. This Article calls for the emergence of a new form of lawyering designed not to “cure” injustice but to prevent it. To do so, we must reawaken the law to strategies based on win-win, or nonzero- sum, solutions and new forms of cooperation. While there is a robust literature on cooperation, the missing insight is that what is in the best interest of the individual and of society are aligned in the long run and in the proper environment. But recent pioneering work in computer science, evolutionary biology, and economics shows that pure cooperation can and does exist in theory and in nature. Cooperation also exists all around us among the pandemic and protests in communities aimed at promoting the wellbeing of their members—communities that are self- aware and self-conscious and focus on acknowledging the fundamental interconnectedness of their members. This Article examines the features for flourishing these communities share and provides an artist’s sketch to transform law schools into incubators for social change. It calls on our legal educators to see the deep harmony, beauty, and joy amidst the chaos and to draw on it to create a new scholarship and activism that will one day pave the way for a new legal system based not on punishment and restitution, but on nonzero-sum or win-win solutions.
Evaluating Feedback Strategies for Virtual Human Trainers

In this paper we address feedback strategies for an autonomous virtual trainer. First, a pilot study was conducted to identify and specify feedback strategies for assisting participants in performing a given task. The task involved sorting virtual cubes according to areas of countries displayed on them. Two feedback strategies were specified. The first provides correctness feedback by fully correcting user responses at each stage of the task, and the second provides suggestive feedback by only notifying if and how a response can be corrected. Both strategies were implemented in a virtual training system and empirically evaluated. The correctness feedback strategy was preferred by the participants, was more effective time-wise, and was more effective in improving task performance skills. The overall system was also rated comparable to hypothetically performing the same task with real interactions.
Case Report: Single Dose Anti-PD1 in a Patient With Metastatic Melanoma and Cardiac Allograft.

ABSTRACT Background: Immune-checkpoint inhibition has improved outcomes in metastatic melanoma. However, limited data describes the safety and efficacy of this treatment in the setting of cardiac allograft. Emerging translational and clinical evidence suggests that the majority of the benefit from these therapies is driven by the initial dose(s), and that attenuated dosing schedules may be as effective as continuous treatment. Case presentation: We present a case vignette of a cardiac transplant recipient with metastatic melanoma who experienced six months of clinical benefit after one dose of pembrolizumab and did not suffer allograft rejection. Conclusion: This case adds to the current available literature on the administration of checkpoint inhibitors in patients with cardiac allografts. Further, it explores potential markers of immunotherapy response and supports the potential of shorter or individualized immune-checkpoint blockade dosing strategies.
High-Resolution Imaging of Unstained Polymer Materials

Author(s): Jiang, X; Balsara, NP | Abstract: Electron microscopy has played an important role in polymer characterization. Traditionally, electron diffraction is used to study crystalline polymers while transmission electron microscopy is used to study microphase separation in stained block copolymers and other multiphase systems. We describe developments that eliminate the barrier between these two approaches - it is now possible to image polymer crystals with atomic resolution. The focus of this Review is on high-resolution imaging (30 A and smaller) of unstained polymers. Recent advances in hardware allow for capturing numerous (as many as 105) low-dose images from an unperturbed specimen; beam damage is a significant barrier to high-resolution electron microscopy of polymers. Machine-learning-based software is then used to sort and average the images to retrieve pristine structural information from a collection of noisy images. Acknowledging the heterogeneity in polymer samples prior to averaging is essential. Molecular conformations in a wide range of amphiphilic block copolymers, polymerized ionic liquids, and conjugated polymers can be gleaned from two-dimensional projections (2D), three-dimensional (3D) tomograms, and four-dimensional (4D) scanning transmission electron microscopy (STEM) data sets where 2D diffraction patterns are taken as a function of position. Some methods such as phase contrast STEM have been used to image closely related materials such as metal-organic frameworks but not polymers. With improvements in hardware and software, such methods may soon be applied to polymers. Our goal is to provide a comprehensive understanding of the strategies toward the high-resolution imaging of radiation sensitive polymer materials at different length scales.
Beyond the Coder and the Code: An Exercise Structure for Fostering a People-Centered Problem-Solving Perspective with Video Scenarios

Programming assignments are typically clearly and unambiguously defined problem statements that place the focus on developing a program that produces correct answers and those correct answers can be unambiguously ascertained based on the problem description. However, this approach excludes the human influence that can introduce a lack of clarity at each step of the problem-solving process. This poster presents a non-coding exercise structure that highlights the impact of human communication and judgment on that process. The approach emphasizes this human aspect by using a short, purpose-built video depicting an individual explaining their interpretation of a problem they are experiencing. The approach consists of three components: (1) requirements gathering based on the vague, incomplete and ambiguous problem scenario featured in the video (2) black-box test development, and (3) evaluation of a program's solution based on both objective and subjective criteria. The approach is de-coupled from coding, allowing it to be used at any level of the curriculum. A ready-to-use video (The Happy Day Daycare, available at youtube.com/virt-university) and supporting materials are provided and also used as a basis for discussing how interested instructors can use the approach to create their own videos and exercises. Student feedback from using the exercise structure in a CS1 class is also presented.
Abstract 3185: Integrin signaling is critical for myeloid-mediated support of T-ALL

T-cell acute lymphoblastic leukemia (T-ALL) is a malignant transformation of immature T cells. Although T-ALL harbors multiple pro-leukemic genetic alterations, T-ALL blasts require exogenous signals to survive. We recently reported that tumor-associated myeloid cells provide critical support for T-ALL in mouse models and in pediatric patient samples, at least partially through activation of IGF1R signaling. However, IGF1 alone is not sufficient to support T-ALL survival, implicating additional mechanisms in myeloid-mediated T-ALL support. We previously found that T-ALL cells make prolonged and frequent contacts with tumor-associated myeloid cells in live tissue sections; thus, we hypothesized that cell-cell interactions are essential for myeloid-mediated support of T-ALL. Here, we confirm that cell contact is required for myeloid cells to support T-ALL cell survival in vitro. Analysis of transcriptional profiling data revealed enrichment of gene signatures associated with integrin pathways in T-ALL cells relative to healthy T cells, implicating integrin-mediated cell adhesion as a potential mechanism underlying contact-dependent T-ALL support. Blockade of integrin αL ± integrin β1 or their ligands ICAM-1 ± VCAM-1 via antibodies or pharmacologic inhibitors significantly decreased T-ALL survival and reduced activation of IGF1R in T-ALL cells co-cultured with tumor-associated myeloid cells. Consistent with these findings, inhibition of integrins or their ligands in vivo via antibody blockade or genetic manipulation resulted in a significant reduction of T-ALL burden at multiple leukemic sites and prolonged survival. Consistent with mouse models, blockade of integrin-mediated cell adhesion significantly reduced survival of primary pediatric T-ALL cells co-cultured with myeloid cells. Furthermore, analyses of published transcriptomic datasets from pediatric T-ALL patients showed that enrichment of integrin pathways correlates with elevated myeloid gene signatures and poor patient prognosis. Together, our studies demonstrate that tumor-associated myeloid cells promote survival of T-ALL cells by activating integrin signaling, implicating the associated integrins and downstream signals as targets for therapeutic intervention. Citation Format: Aram Lyu, Seo Hee Nam, Zicheng Hu, Dhivya Arasappan, Terzah M. Horton, Lauren I. Ehrlich. Integrin signaling is critical for myeloid-mediated support of T-ALL [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2021; 2021 Apr 10-15 and May 17-21. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2021;81(13_Suppl):Abstract nr 3185.
Nonadiabatic Molecular Dynamics by Multiconfiguration Pair-Density Functional Theory

We present the first implementation of multiconfiguration pair-density functional theory (MC-PDFT) ab initio molecular dynamics. MC-PDFT is a multireference electronic structure method that in many cases has a similar accuracy (or even better accuracy) than complete active space second order perturbation theory (CASPT2) at a significantly lower computational cost. In this work we introduced MC-PDFT analytical gradients into the SHARC molecular dynamics program for ab initio, nonadiabatic molecular dynamics simulations. We verify our implementation by examining the intersystem crossing dynamics of thioformaldehyde, and we observe excellent agreement with recent CASPT2 and experimental findings. Moreover, with MC-PDFT we could perform dynamics with an active space that was computationally too expensive for CASPT2.
A dashboard for exploring clinical trials sponsorship and potential virtual monopolies.

Objective To create a data visualization dashboard to advance research related to clinical trials sponsorship and monopolistic practices in the pharmaceuticals industry. Materials and methods This R Shiny application aggregates data from ClinicialTrials.gov resulting from user's queries by terms. Returned data are visualized through an interactive dashboard. Results The Clinical Trials Sponsorship Network Dashboard (CTSND) uses force-directed network mapping algorithms to visualize clinical trials sponsorship data. Interpretation of network visualization is further supported with data on sponsor classes, sponsorship timelines, evaluated products, and target conditions. The source code for the CTSND is available at https://github.com/sscottgraham/ConflictMetrics. Discussion Monopolistic practices have been identified as a likely contributor to high drug prices in the United States. CTSND data and visualizations support the analysis of clinical trials sponsorship networks and may aid in identifying current and emerging monopolistic practices. Conclusions CTSND data can support more robust deliberation about an understudied area of drug pricing.
Case 66: A Serious Problem During Neurosurgery

It is late in the evening and you are taking over the anesthetic management of a patient from one of your colleagues. The case is a 6-year-old female (American Society of Anesthesiologists physical status II [ASA 2], 15 kg) who has been undergoing a 3 h craniotomy in the prone position for a cerebellar tumor. The child is turned 180° away from you. There are no other medical or surgical issues with the patient. She has been started on Tegretol for seizures.
The occurrence of cluster roots in actinorhizal plants

Determinate lateral root proliferation clustered at intervals along a root axis, as exhibited by many species of the Proteaceae, was first referred to as proteoid roots (Purnell, 1960). Subsequently, analogous structures were reported also in the legumes. Recognizing their more general occurrence beyond the Proteaceae, Lamont (1982) used the term ‘cluster roots’ to describe these specialized root branching patterns. This study reports their occurrence in some species of the nitrogen-fixing actinorhizal plants.
Polyaromatic hydrocarbons and elements in sediments associated with a suburban railway

Railroad operations are a potential source for contamination of aquatic ecosystems. We examined concentrations of polyaromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and selected elements in sediments collected during 2009–2011 from streams, ditches, or ponds bisected or bordered by the former Elgin, Joliet, and Eastern rail line in the western Chicago, Illinois, metropolitan area. Summed PAH concentrations were greater in sediments collected downstream than in those collected upstream of the railroad and were negatively associated with distance within 500 m of the tracks. Phenanthrene and dibenzo (a,h)anthracene concentrations at some locations exceeded probable effect thresholds for risks to aquatic life. Although maximum levels of chromium (Cr) were below levels of concern, we did not determine the valence state of Cr; thus, risks to aquatic life could not be fully evaluated. Nickel and mercury concentrations exceeded lower effect levels, and vanadium concentrations exceeded chronic toxicity thresholds at some locations, although we did not detect an association between these elements and the presence of the railroad. Lead and arsenic concentrations were greater in proximity to the railroad; however, concentrations were below thresholds of concern for aquatic life. Our results suggest that the railroad and associated activities are contributing some environmental contaminants to waterways in close proximity to it, particularly in a downstream direction. Risks to aquatic life may be greater than implied by observed concentrations of individual contaminants, as synergistic adverse effects are likely to occur with exposure to complex mixtures.
Interactions in vitro between gibberellins and DNA: II. Optical rotatory profile of the thermal denaturation of DNA-gibberellin complexes

Abstract The formation of gibberellin-DNA complexes was assayed by measurement of optical rotation profiles of pea DNA. In the presence of gibberellin A7, the cotton peak of pea DNA at 282 nm decreased at higher melting temperatures. This temperature shift indicated a stabilization of the DNA duplex by gibberellin A7. Gibberellin A3 was inactive in this respect.
Load and Resistance Factor Design for Steel

Load and Resistance Factor Design criteria for steel building structures were developed from first-order (second-moment) probabilistic principles in a research project described in this paper. The underlying assumptions, the probabilistic basis, the calibrations process, and the final format are examined. Specifically, the paper concerns itself with the background and the choice of the particular first-order model, with the data bases used in evaluating the loading and the resistance functions, the choice of the safety index, and with the final selection of the load and resistance factors. Load combinations and serviceability as well as maximum strength criteria are tested.
A Pragmatic Approach to Intellectual Property and Development: A Case Study of the Jordanian Copyright Law in the Internet Age

On October 4, 2004, Brazil and Argentina requested that WIPO adopt a development-oriented approach to IP and to reconsider its work in relation to developing countries. In October, 2007, WIPO member States adopted a historic decision for the benefit of developing countries, to establish a WIPO Development Agenda. Although there have been several studies related to IP and development that call for IP laws in developing countries to be development-friendly, there is little research that attempts to provide developing countries with practical measures to achieve that goal. This article takes the copyright law in Jordan as a case study and shows how, in practical terms, a pro-development-oriented approach could be implemented in the copyright laws of developing countries. It provides specific recommendations for developing countries to ensure that their IP laws are aligned with and serve their social and economic development objectives.
Point mutation in the fibroblast growth factor receptor eliminates phosphatidylinositol hydrolysis without affecting neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells

Fibroblast growth factors (FGF) stimulate growth arrest and differentiation in rat pheochromocytoma PC12 cells. We examined the role of phosphatidylinositol (PI) hydrolysis in FGF-induced differentiation of PC12 cells by exploring the biological and biochemical activity of a mutant FGF receptor 1 (flg) defective in stimulation of PI hydrolysis. We show that point mutation at Tyr-766 (Y766F) of the FGF receptor prevents tyrosine phosphorylation of phospholipase C gamma and eliminates acidic FGF (aFGF)-induced stimulation of PI hydrolysis in PC12 cells. Treatment of PC12 cells expressing either wild-type or the Y766F mutant with aFGF led to tyrosine phosphorylation of Shc, the association of Shc with GRB2, a shift in the electrophoretic mobility of the Ras guanine nucleotide-releasing factor, Sos (son of sevenless), and enhancement in mitogen-activated protein kinase phosphorylation. Moreover, stimulation with aFGF led to a typical neurite outgrowth of PC12 cells expressing either wild-type or the Y766F FGF receptor mutant. These experiments indicate that PI hydrolysis is not essential for FGF-induced neuronal differentiation of PC12 cells. Moreover, the aFGF-induced Ras signaling pathway, which is essential for PC12 cell differentiation, is not affected by elimination of PI hydrolysis.
Cancer Prevention by Carotenoids

In 10T1/2 cells several dietary carotenoids have been shown to be capable of inhibiting carcinogen-induced neoplastic transformation. Their action appears qualitatively similar to the previously documented action of retinoids in this cell system; however, higher concentrations (10-1000-fold) are required. Both types of compound were found to strongly upregulate gap junctional intercellular communication, and these activities were statistically correlated. Upregulation of gap junctional intercellular communication was caused by the increased expression of connexin 43, a structural protein of the gap junction. Increased junctional communication has been proposed to be mechanistically linked to inhibition of transformation in 10T1/2 cells. In this model the gap junction serves as a conduit for growth regulatory signals from normal to initiated cells. These putative signals act to suppress transformation of the carcinogen-initiated cell.
Neuroimaging for Pediatric Head Trauma: Do Patient and Hospital Characteristics Influence Who Gets Imaged?

ACADEMIC EMERGENCY MEDICINE 2010; 17:694–700 © 2010 by the Society for Academic Emergency Medicine Abstract Objectives: The objective was to identify patient, provider, and hospital characteristics associated with the use of neuroimaging in the evaluation of head trauma in children. Methods: This was a cross-sectional study of children (≤19 years of age) with head injuries from the National Hospital Ambulatory Medical Care Survey (NHAMCS) collected by the National Center for Health Statistics. NHAMCS collects data on approximately 25,000 visits annually to 600 randomly selected hospital emergency and outpatient departments. This study examined visits to U.S. emergency departments (EDs) between 2002 and 2006. Multivariable logistic regression was used to analyze characteristics associated with neuroimaging in children with head injuries. Results: There were 50,835 pediatric visits in the 5-year sample, of which 1,256 (2.5%, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.2% to 2.7%) were for head injury. Among these, 39% (95% CI = 34% to 43%) underwent evaluation with neuroimaging. In multivariable analyses, factors associated with neuroimaging included white race (odds ratio [OR] = 1.5, 95% CI = 1.02 to 2.1), older age (OR = 1.3, 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.5), presentation to a general hospital (vs. a pediatric hospital, OR = 2.4, 95% CI = 1.1 to 5.3), more emergent triage status (OR = 1.4, 95% CI = 1.1 to 1.8), admission or transfer (OR = 2.7, 95% CI = 1.4 to 5.3), and treatment by an attending physician (OR = 2.0, 95% CI = 1.1 to 3.7). The effect of race was mitigated at the pediatric hospitals compared to at the general hospitals (p < 0.001). Conclusions: In this study, patient race, age, and hospital-specific characteristics were associated with the frequency of neuroimaging in the evaluation of children with closed head injuries. Based on these results, focusing quality improvement initiatives on physicians at general hospitals may be an effective approach to decreasing rates of neuroimaging after pediatric head trauma.
Dynasore puts a new spin on dynamin: a surprising dual role during vesicle formation

During clathrin-mediated endocytosis, dynamin promotes the formation of clathrin-coated vesicles, but its mode of action is unresolved. In a recent study, Macia and colleagues made use of dynasore, a dynamin-specific inhibitor, to show that dynamin plays a dual role in endocytosis: they confirmed that dynamin is involved in detaching fully formed coated pits from the membrane, and also propose a new role for dynamin earlier in the process at the point of invagination.
The generalized finite element method

This paper describes a pilot design and implementation of the generalized finite element method (GFEM), as a direct extension of the standard finite element method (SFEM, or FEM), which makes possible the accurate solution of engineering problems in complex domains which may be practically impossible to solve using the FEM. The development of the GFEM is illustrated for the Laplacian in two space dimensions in domains which may include several hundreds of voids, and/or cracks, for which the construction of meshes used by the FEM is practically impossible. The two main capabilities are: (1) It can construct the approximation using meshes which may overlap part, or all, of the domain boundary. (2) It can incorporate into the approximation handbook functions, which are known analytically, or are generated numerically, and approximate well the solution of the boundary value problem in the neighborhood of corner points, voids, cracks, etc. The main tool is a special integration algorithm, which we call the Fast Remeshing approach, which is robust and works for any domain with arbitrary complexity. The incorporation of the handbook functions into the GFEM is done by employing the partition of unity method (PUM). The presented formulations and implementations can be easily extended to the multi-material medium where the voids are replaced by inclusions of various shapes and sizes, and to the case of the elasticity problem. This work can also be understood as a pilot study for the feasibility and demonstration of the capabilities of the GFEM, which is needed before analogous implementations are attempted in the three-dmensional and nonlinear cases, which are the cases of main interest for future work.
Some determinants of urban forest structure

Abstract Finding useful generalizations about urban forest structures for a nation can assist in developing urban forest science and urban forestry planning and management. This process entails adopting commonly understood definitions of urban forest structure and urban boundaries. Urban forest structure is determined by three broad factors: urban morphology, which creates the spaces available for vegetation; natural factors, which influence the amount and types of biomass likely to be found within cities; and human management systems, which account for intraurban variations in biomass configurations according to land use distributions. Together these factors provide an explanation for urban forest structure and enhance our ability to predict structures from limited information.
Sequential phonological effects in recitation times

Sixty subjects were presented ordered letter pairs separated by two, four, or six positions and instructed to recite the sequence inclusive of the two letters presented. Half of the subjects recited overtly and the remaining half recited covertly. Earlier studies have suggested that differential recitation times are due to differences in difficulty of “entry” into the alphabet, which relates to alphabetic position. However, the results of the present investigation did not support this hypothesis. The distribution of recitation times was generally more similar in shape when comparisons of a single sequence length were made across groups (overt vs. covert) than of unequal sequence lengths within a group. Data are discussed in terms of phonological transition.
GGM02 - An Improved Earth Gravity Field Model from GRACE

A new generation of Earth gravity field models called GGM02 are derived using approximately 14 months of data spanning from April 2002 to December 2003 from the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE). Relative to the preceding generation, GGM01, there have been improvements to the data products, the gravity estimation methods and the background models. Based on the calibrated covariances, GGM02 (both the GRACE-only model GGM02S and the combination model GGM02C) represents an improvement greater than a factor of two over the previous GGM01 models. Error estimates indicate a cumulative error less than 1 cm geoid height to spherical harmonic degree 70, which can be said to have met the GRACE minimum mission goals.
The state of hormonal contraception today: benefits and risks of hormonal contraceptives: progestin-only contraceptives

The progestin component of hormonal contraceptives accounts for most of their contraceptive effects. Several dosage forms of progestin-only contraceptives have been developed, including pills, injectables, implants, and intrauterine devices. Emergency contraceptives may also contain progestin only and are indicated for prevention of pregnancy following unprotected intercourse or contraceptive failure. Each form has benefits, some specific to the form. An understanding of benefits and risks allows clinicians a wider choice when recommending effective hormonal contraception.
Cathodic protection circuits

BEFORE discussing the present state of investigation and proposed future considerations of cathodic protection circuitry, it may be profitable to review briefly the problems posed by the observed phenomena of corrosion, in particular the corrosion of metallic surfaces in soils and solutions with which this paper will be primarily concerned. Such a review should be helpful to investigators actively engaged in corrosion studies by emphasizing the actual corrosion problems under consideration as well as present methods of approach. Such a statement of the problem helps in clarifying and unifying much of the apparently disassociated work being done in the particular field and will provide a starting point for investigating corrosion phenomena. Most of the available literature pertaining to corrosion assumes that everyone is quite familiar with the subject and therefore needs no further introduction or explanation. Such an assumption, of course, can frequently be erroneous and, for this reason, it was felt that a brief review of this subject matter would be appropriate.
Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbon Solute Probes. Part V: Fluorescence Spectra of Pyrene, Ovalene, Coronene, and Benzo[ghi]perylene Dissolved in Liquid Alkylammonium Thiocyanate Organic Salts

Fluorescence properties of pyrene (Py), benzo[ghi]perylene (BPe), coronene (Co), and ovalene (Ov) dissolved in n-butylammonium thiocyanate, sec-butylammonium thiocyanate, and dipropylammonium thiocyanate are reported. Solvent polarities of the thiocyanate salts are estimated from the fluorescence emission intensity ratios of bands I and III (i.e., Py = I/III) of the polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon vibronic spectra. Calculated BPe, Co, and Ov values indicate that all three thiocyanate salts are comparable in polarity to cyclohexanone.
The Goblin Spider Genus Simonoonops (Araneae, Oonopidae)

ABSTRACT The goblin spider genus Simonoonops Harvey has been known only from its Venezuelan type species, but the group occurs also in Guyana and the Lesser Antilles. Most of its members have been misplaced in the genus Dysderina Simon; D. princeps Simon, D. spinigera Simon, D. craneae Chickering, D. globina Chickering, D. soltina Chickering, and D. zinona Chickering are transferred to Simonoonops. Members of Simonoonops resemble those of Dysderina in having three transverse ridges on the sternum, but differ in lacking a groove connecting the anterior spiracles and having a more complex embolic region on the male palp. Two specific names are newly synonymized: S. orghidani (Dumitrescu and Georgescu) with S. craneae, and S. zinona with S. soltina. Six new species are described: S. simoni, S. grande, and S. andersoni from Venezuela, S. lutzi from Guyana, S. etang from Grenada, and S. chickeringi from Saint Vincent.
Plant chemical discriminations by an herbivorous iguanid lizard, Sauromalus ater

We experimentally studied the ability of the iguanid lizard Sauromalus ater to discriminate between plant and animal foods and control stimuli using only chemical cues. When chemicals were presented on cotton swabs, the lizards exhibited stronger responses, as indicated by tongue-flicking and biting, to chemical stimuli from romaine lettuce than from crickets and control substances. Responses to plant and animal food did not differ significantly in S. ater , which eats animal prey only occasionally in natural populations. Although there were no significant differences between responses to cricket chemicals and other stimuli for the entire data set, those individuals that ate or attacked crickets tongue-flicked at high rates in response to cricket chemicals. Based on the presence of herbivory and plant chemical discrimination in three iguanid genera, it is likely that plant chemical discrimination is ubiquitous in iguanids. Given the uncertainty of iguanian phylogeny, the evolution of herbivory and response to plant chemicals cannot be traced with confidence. However, it appears very likely that lingually mediated plant chemical discriminations evolved in the common ancestor of Iguanidae or earlier in iguanian history in response to a shift to an herbivorous diet.
Evidence for thiosulfate formation during sulfite reduction by Desulfovibrio vulgaris.

Abstract The sulfate-reducing bacterium, Desulfovibrio vulgaris, reduces sulfite to sulfide which accumulates as the end product of sulfate metabolism. When the course of the reduction was followed by analyzing reaction mixtures for sulfide and thiosulfate, the latter compound was observed to accumulate and eventually disappear. However, the sulfide concentration gradually increased and its accumulation was concomitant with thiosulfate disappearance. The results indicate that thiosulfate is one of the intermediate compounds which is formed during dissimilatory sulfite reduction.
Spirituality and boredom proneness

Abstract Using data obtained from 296 university undergraduate students, standard regression analyses were calculated for men and women separately to examine the relation of spirituality, defined multidimensionally as per the Expressions of Spirituality Inventory (ESI), to boredom proneness as measured by the Boredom Proneness Scale (BPS). Results reveal that spirituality significantly predicts boredom proneness scores. Semi-partial correlations indicate that the facet of spirituality known as Existential Well-Being is the only significant predictor of boredom proneness for both sexes while ESI Cognitive Orientation to Spirituality was significant for women only. ESI dimensions explicitly tapping religiousness, spiritual experience and paranormal beliefs were not found to reliably or uniquely contribute to the prediction of boredom proneness. The findings involving ESI Existential Well-Being are consistent with extant research showing a negative relation between boredom and meaning and purpose in life.
Influence of electrocardiographic findings on admission decisions in patients with acute chest pain

This study prospectively evaluated the influence of current electrocardiograms obtained at the time of emergency department presentation, as well as that of previous comparison electrocardiograms, on decision-making regarding coronary care unit admission of patients presenting with a chief complaint of chest pain or chest pain equivalent. Emergency department physicians were asked to commit themselves to recommending either coronary care unit admission or some other disposition, both before and after evaluating current comparison electrocardiographic findings. They were also asked, prior to reviewing these results, whether they thought information gained from the electrocardiograms would have any affect on their decision. Despite wide expectation that electrocardiographic findings would in fact affect decision-making, neither current nor comparison electrocardiograms virtually ever altered the ultimate decision of whether or not to admit. Faculty and house officers performed similarly in all regards, except insofar as attending physicians were less likely to expect electrocardiographic findings to help them in patients who were ultimately discharged. Emergency department nurses, who were asked whether they believed these patients needed admission to a coronary care unit on the basis of only a brief initial triage history, performed very similarly to the physicians. Thus, electrocardiographic findings are rarely if ever helpful in determining the need for admission to a coronary care unit in patients presenting to the emergency department with chest pain, and seem to have particularly little value in patients in whom myocardial infarction is considered clinically unlikely. Although physicians at all levels of training often feel a need to rely on electrocardiograms in patients they ultimately admit, greater experience allows more senior physicians to be comfortable in correctly discharging patients with no clinical evidence of disease without obtaining an electrocardiogram. Routine ordering of electrocardiograms in patients with chest pain in whom likelihood of significant acute ischemic pain is clinically low should be reconsidered.
Theoretical estimates for the correlation energy of the unprojected composite fermion wave function

Abstract The most prominent filling factors of the fractional quantum Hall effect are very well described by the Jain's microscopic composite fermion wave function. Through these wave functions, the composite fermion theory recovers the Laughlin's wave function as a special case and exposes itself to rigorous tests. Considering the system as being in the thermodynamic limit and using simple arguments, we give theoretical estimates for the correlation energy corresponding to all unprojected composite fermion wave functions in terms of the accurately known correlation energies of the Laughlin's wave function. The provided theoretical estimates are in very good agreement with available Monte Carlo data extrapolated to the thermodynamic limit. These results can be quite instructive to test the reliability and accuracy of different computational methods employed on the study of these phenomena.
Long‐Term Tillage and Cropping Sequence Effects on Dryland Residue and Soil Carbon Fractions

Long-term management practices are needed to increase dryland C storage and improve soil quality. We evaluated the 21-yr effects of combinations of tillage and cropping sequences on dryland crop biomass (stems + leaves) returned to the soil, residue C, and soil C fractions at the 0- to 20-cm depth in a Dooley sandy loam (fine-loamy, mixed, frigid, Typic Argiborolls) in eastern Montana. Treatments were no-till continuous spring wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) (NTCW), spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (STCW), fall- and spring-tilled continuous spring wheat (FSTCW), fall- and spring-tilled spring wheat-barley (Hordeum vulgare L.) (1984-1999) followed by spring wheat-pea (Pisum sativum L.) (2000-2004) (FSTW-B/P), and spring-tilled spring wheat-fallow (STW-F). Carbon fractions were soil organic C (SOC), soil inorganic C (SIC), particulate organic C (POC), microbial biomass C (MBC), and potential C mineralization (PCM). Mean crop biomass was 53 to 66% greater in NTCW, STCW, FSTCW, and FSTW-B/P than in STW-F. Soil surface residue amount and C content in 2004 were 46 to 60% greater in NTCW and FSTCW than in STW-F. As a result, soil C fractions at 0 to 20 cm were 23 to 141% greater in all other treatments than in STW-F due to increased C input. At 0 to 5 cm, SOC, SIC, POC, and PCM were greater in NTCW than in FSTW-B/P At 5 to 20 cm, POC was greater in NTCW than in FSTW-B/P and PCM was greater in STCW than in FSTCW. Long-term reduced tillage with continuous nonlegume cropping increased dryland crop biomass, residue and soil C storage, and soil quality by increasing microbial biomass and activities compared with a conventional system such as STW-F.
Influence of delayed coronal permanent restoration on endodontic prognosis.

Abstract The results of periodic follow-up examinations of root-filled teeth with temporary and permanent restorations were compared. Successful results were observed more frequently in teeth with permanent restorations than in teeth with temporary fillings. The difference, however, was not statistically significant. A firm correlation between the type of coronal restoration and endodontic prognosis could not be established within the observation period.
Competitive Interactions Between Cotesia melanoscelus and Glyptapanteles flavicoxis (Hymenoptera: Braconidae): Implications for Biological Control of Gypsy Moth (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

Gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar (L.), populations in North America support 11 introduced parasitoids and recent imports are released annually. Multiparasitism effects on parasitization rates and parasitoid emergence success were assayed using the established Cotesia melanoscelus Ratzburg and recent import Glyptapanteles flavicoxis Marsh. For each species, oviposition into a parasitized host reduced emergence. The emergence rate for C. melanoscelus fell from 55.9 to 26.7%, and G. flavicoxis emergence was reduced from 22.8 to 14.2%. C. melanoscelus emerged significantly more often than G. flavicoxis in 50% of the competitive interactions. This suggests that C. melanoscelus out-competes C. flavicoxis following multiparasitism. A second experiment showed that percent parasitism increased significantly as the proportion of searching adult C. melanoscelus increased. We conclude C. flavicoxis should be released for gypsy moth biological control only after the first generation C. melanoscelus oviposition period. Releasing G. flavicoxis before C. melanoscelus oviposition will not improve total gypsy moth parasitism and may reduce the effectiveness of the established C. melanoscelus .
Stereotactic Body Radiotherapy Reirradiation for Recurrent Epidural Spinal Metastases

Purpose When patients show progression after conventional fractionated radiation for spine metastasis, further radiation and surgery may not be options. Stereotactic body radiotherapy (SBRT) has been successfully used in treatment of the spine and may be applicable in these cases. We report the use of SBRT for 60 consecutive patients (81 lesions) who had radiological progressive spine metastasis with epidural involvement after previous radiation for spine metastasis. Methods and Materials SBRT was used with fiducial and vertebral anatomy-based targeting. The radiation dose was prescribed based on the extent of spinal canal involvement; the dose was 8 Gy × 3 = 24 Gy when the tumor did not touch the spinal cord and 5 to 6 Gy x 5 = 25 to 30 Gy when the tumor abutted the cord. The cord surface received up to the prescription dose with no hot spots in the cord. Results The median overall survival was 11 months, and the median progression-free survival was 9 months. Overall, 93% of patients had stable or improved disease while 7% of patients showed disease progression; 65% of patients had pain relief. There was no significant toxicity other than fatigue. Conclusions SBRT is feasible and appears to be an effective treatment modality for reirradiation after conventional palliative radiation fails for spine metastasis patients.
Deficiency of erythrocyte C3b receptor (CR1) in AIDS and AIDS-related syndromes

The expression of C3b receptors (CR1) on erythrocytes of gay men at various levels of risk for AIDS was studied. Fourty-nine heterosexual male controls had a mean (X) +/- standard deviation of 516 +/- 136 CR1 per erythrocyte (CR1-3); 17 asymptomatic gay men had X = 423 +/- 156, 16 gay men with one AIDS-related complex (ARC) symptom or sign had X = 342 +/- 154, 9 patients with ARC had X = 252 +/- 76, and 14 gay men with AIDS had X = 173 +/- 76 CR1-E. The patients with ARC and AIDS had a highly significant decrease in CR1-E when compared with normal individuals (p = less than 0.001) and studies of families of 4 AIDS patients suggest that this defect is acquired.
Locomotion, stereotypy, and dopamine D1 receptors after chronic "binge" cocaine in C57BL/6J and 129/J mice.

We have shown that C57BL/6J and 129/J mice differ in their behavioral response to “binge” pattern cocaine (three daily injections of 15 mg/kg separated by 1 h). To determine if these differences persist during chronic binge cocaine administration, we examined the effects of 14-day binge pattern cocaine on home cage behavior. Since the dopamine D1 receptor may be an important mediator of cocaine-induced locomotor activity, we examined binding to the dopamine D1 receptor. Locomotor activity was increased by chronic binge cocaine in C57BL/6J (P<.0001) but not in 129/J mice. C57BL/6J mice developed tolerance to the locomotor-activating effects of cocaine. Stereotypic responses were greater in C57BL/6J than in 129/J mice (P=.03), with neither tolerance nor sensitization in either strain. Dopamine D1 receptor binding in the nucleus accumbens and olfactory tubercle did not differ between strains and was not affected by chronic binge cocaine. In the caudate putamen, subregion specific strain differences in dopamine D1 receptor binding were observed; chronic binge cocaine increased dopamine D1 receptor binding in the caudal (P<.05), but not rostral caudate putamen. There was no correlation between locomotor activity or stereotypy and dopamine D1 receptor density. Thus, with chronic binge cocaine administration, behavioral differences persist between the C57BL/6J and 129/J mice, and cocaine-induced locomotor activity is not correlated with changes in dopamine D1 receptor binding.
The 5-HT4 receptor-induced depolarization in rat hippocampal neurons is mediated by cAMP but is independent of Ih

Intracellular recordings were used to examine the mechanisms underlying the 5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)4 receptor-mediated depolarization seen in CA1 region pyramidal cells in in vitro hippocampal brain slices. This depolarization was mimicked and occluded by administration of the membrane permeable cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) analog 8-bromo-cAMP but was unaffected by blockade of protein kinase A (PKA). These results suggest that 5-HT4 receptors signal this depolarization through a cAMP-dependent but PKA-independent mechanism. In many cell types, 5-HT elicits a depolarization via cAMP by facilitating Ih, a hyperpolarization-activated cation current. In contrast, we find no evidence for the involvement of Ih in this response. Rather, this depolarization may involve a cyclic nucleotide gated channel.
Determination of triplet state intersystem crossing rate constants by microwave induced triplet-triplet absorption in organic molecules

Abstract Microwave-induced changes in triplet-triplet absorption intensity for organic molecules at low temperatures are used to determine rates of intersystem crossing involving the lowest triplet state. An analysis of the population changes among the magnetic sublevels of the triplet state shows that time-dependent triplet-triplet absorption measurements reveal directly the rates of depopulation for the individual triplet spin levels; relative populating rates may subsequently be obtained from measurements of the steady state intensity changes in the presence of a saturating microwave field. As an example the developed methods are applied to the determination of the zero field intersystem crossing rates for the triplet state of anthracene in phenazine.