cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
New treatments in atopic dermatitis

Abstract Objective To discuss the efficacy and safety of novel and emerging topical and systemic therapeutic agents for atopic dermatitis (AD). Data Sources The review of the published literature was performed using the PubMed database, published abstracts and virtual presentations from scientific meetings, posted results on ClinicalTrials.gov , and data from industry press releases. Study Selections Primary manuscripts with trial results, case reports, case series, clinical trial data from ClinicalTrials.gov , and articles highlighting expert perspectives on management of AD were selected. Results Emerging topical and systemic therapies primarily target the type 2 immune pathway. Moreover, 2 newer targeted medications are now approved by the Food and Drug Administration for both children and adults, crisaborole 2% ointment and dupilumab, with several others in the therapeutic pipeline. New directions in developing topical medications include Janus kinase inhibitors, tapinarof (an aryl hydrocarbon receptor agonist), and agents to correct microbial dysbiosis. In addition to the subcutaneously injected monoclonal antibody targeting the interleukin (IL) 4 receptor (dupilumab), other biologics targeting IL-13, IL-31, IL-33, OX40, and thymic stromal lymphopoietin are currently being tested. Oral Janus kinase inhibitors are showing outstanding efficacy and no serious safety signs, but safety concerns remain. Conclusion Given the tremendous burden of AD on physical, mental, and social health, the need is high to develop new, targeted therapies. Advances in our understanding of AD pathogenesis have paved the way toward the development of new therapies that promise to revolutionize our management of AD. Future research will focus on long-term efficacy and safety and creating predictive models for choosing best management options on a personalized basis.
Tuning Aesthetic and Mechanical Properties of Oleogels via Formulation of Enzyme-Enabled Stereoisomeric Molecular Gelators

The mechanistic resemblance of oil-based molecular gels (oleogels) to solid fats (trans and saturated) makes molecular gelation an ideal alternative in developing fat-based food and cosmetic produc...
Tuning the Ellipticity of Harmonics Generated in Graphene

We show that the ellipticity dependence of harmonic generation from graphene is a function of its Fermi energy. This allows for the yield and output ellipticity to be readily tuned via electrostatic gating.
Rapport between nurses and adult patients in ambulatory oncology care settings: a scoping review protocol.

Objective The primary objective of this scoping review is to explore what is known about cultivating rapport between adult patients with cancer and their nurses in oncology ambulatory care. A bibliometric analysis will be performed to explore whether this method enhances mapping of the literature. Introduction Research demonstrates that patients with cancer value nurses not only for their skillful delivery of treatment but for their support and guidance. Rapport, or nurse-patient bonding, is associated with patient satisfaction. Although the importance of the nurse-patient relationship in oncology nursing is established, less is known about the process of nurturing rapport, especially in ambulatory care where most treatment is delivered. Inclusion criteria This scoping review will consider studies pertaining to nurses working with adult patients undergoing treatment for any form of cancer within ambulatory oncology. It will include experimental, quasi-experimental, descriptive observational and qualitative designs, systematic reviews, and dissertations. Methods Researchers will search multiple databases including MEDLINE (Ovid), CINAHL (EBSCO), ProQuest Dissertations and Theses Global database, PapersFirst, and EThOS. Two independent researchers will screen the title/abstract of all retrieved citations, after which the study researchers will review the full text of selected studies for inclusion. Eligible studies will be extracted using the data extraction instrument. No time limit will be placed on the search. While studies of all languages will be included in the search, only those in English will be reviewed. Non-English studies with abstracts in English will be listed in an appendix at the end of the manuscript. Systematic review registration number JBIES-20-00102.
Quantum-spin-Hall topological insulator in a spring-mass system

It is proposed that a lattice, with constituent masses and spring constants, may be considered as a model system for topological matter. For instance, a relative variation of the inter- and intra-unit cell spring constants can be used to create, tune, and invert band structure. Such an aspect is obtained while preserving time reversal symmetry, and consequently emulates the quantum spin Hall effect. The modal displacement fields of the mass-spring lattice were superposed so to yield pseudospin fields, with positive or negative group velocity. Considering that harmonic oscillators are the basis of classical and quantum excitations over a range of physical systems, the spring-mass system yields further insight into the constituents and possible utility of topological material.
Molecular Heterogeneity and Evolution in Breast Cancer

Breast cancer comprises a heterogeneous group of tumor subtypes, whether defined by immunohistochemistry of key proteins, RNA expression profiles, or genetic alterations, and each of these subtypes...
Gender Representation in Fellowship Program Director Positions in ACGME-Accredited Chronic Pain and Acute Pain Fellowship Programs.

Objective We quantified the representation of female program directors (PDs) and assessed their respective demographics, academic metrics, and program-related characteristics in chronic pain and acute pain medicine fellowship programs accredited by the Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education (ACGME). Methods We identified chronic and acute pain PDs on the ACGME website on November 15, 2020. We abstracted data from public databases and performed comparisons of demographics, academic metrics, and program-related characteristics between female and male PDs. Results We identified 111 chronic pain programs and 35 acute pain programs. Overall, there were 35 (31.5%) chronic pain programs with a female PD and 76 (68.5%) chronic pain programs with a male PD. Female chronic pain PDs published fewer peer-reviewed articles (4.0 publications, interquartile range [IQR] = 2.0-12.0) compared with male chronic pain PDs (9.0 publications, IQR = 4.0-27.0; P = 0.050), although there was no difference in the H-index score (3.0 vs 4.0 publications, respectively; P = 0.062) or senior academic rank status (57.1% vs 50.0%, respectively; P = 0.543). There were 10 (28.6%) acute pain programs with a female PD and 25 (71.4%) acute pain programs with a male PD. Similar to the chronic pain cohort, there was no difference in senior academic rank status based on gender in acute pain PDs (50.0% vs 24.0%, respectively; P = 0.227). Conclusion Our study highlights gender differences in the PD role in ACGME-accredited chronic and acute pain fellowships. Female PDs remain underrepresented and have fewer peer-reviewed publications. Senior academic rank status was similar across genders, contradicting the current evidence in academic medicine.
From time frames to temperature bias in temperature series

The article offers an overview of the time frames used in instrumental series and how to transform them into modern units. In the early instrumental period, time was measured with sundials or mechanical clocks regulated every day with the culmination at noon, making reference to the apparent solar time (AST) and the local meridian. Every day had a slightly different duration, start, and end for the apparent changes of speed of the Sun. When canonical hours were used, hours were computed starting from twilight. In the late eighteenth century, the start was established at midnight. In the mid-nineteenth century, when precise clocks were available, it was possible to adopt an average time, with all days having the same duration, but related to the local meridian. A further step was to unify the time of all cities of a country adopting the time of the capital. Finally, the interregional rails, the telegraph, the telephone, and the international contacts required to unify the different time frames. This lead to the creation of the Coordinated Universal Time (UTC) and the time zones (TZ). The change from AST to UTC introduced two important time differences: one related to the variability of the apparent solar motion and one related to the longitude of the site. Instrumental records, especially the longest ones, are affected by changes in time frames that may cause bias. In this paper, the time changes of 92 selected European cities when they passed from AST to Western European Time, Central Europe Time, or Eastern Europe Time, are considered, and the departures during the calendar year are calculated. Moreover, the bias in temperature derived from the time frame change has also been evaluated in ten case studies over Europe. This paper will assist historians and climatologists to recognize and correct the time departures that affect meteorological series concerning temperature, barometric pressure, and other variables with daily cycles. This correction is crucial to assess climate changes. Specific aims are as follows: to make a friendly explanation of the methodology to pass from old time frames to UTC; to provide transformation equations to remove the bias for the time difference; to pass from time difference to temperature bias to homogenize early records with modern ones.
Recurrent pericarditis associated with human coronavirus (HKU1) infection in a patient with systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE)

The presence of human coronavirus HKU1 infection associated with pericardial inflammation is not reported. We are reporting a young woman with systemic lupus erythematosus, who was positive for HKU1 during her pericarditis flare. Diagnostic imaging demonstrated pericardial effusion, edema, and late gadolinium enhancement on cardiac magnetic resonance imaging and echocardiography. She was on multiple anti-inflammatory medications and achieved remission with anakinra. Her management and a brief literature review is also presented.
Using expert knowledge to map the level of risk of shallow landslides in Brazil

Shallow landslides are common in Brazil's urban areas. Geomorphology and land use are contributing factors, and rainfall is the triggering one. In these urban areas, anthropogenic activities that increase the level of landslide risk are common, such as cutting and filling or discharging wastewater onto the slopes. The Brazilian Government has developed a methodology to map the risk level in landslide-prone areas. The methodology is based on field observation and divides the risk into four main categories: low, moderate, high, and very high. Technicians in the field decide the sector's landslide risk level based on their professional and personal experiences, but without mathematical calculations or without using specific weights for the contributing factors. This study proposes a method for automatically computing the risk level by involving many experts for deriving each classifier weight, thereby reducing the subjectivity in selecting the final risk level. The weights were calculated using the Analytical Hierarchical Process based on 23 experts on landslides, and the standard deviation was used to define the risk level threshold. We validated the study using a prior risk mapping of Sao Paulo city. Finally, an application (app) that can be used on a tablet, computer, or smartphone was created to facilitate data collection during fieldwork and to automatically compute the risk level. Risk areas in Brazil are frequently changing as new residents move to the area or changes in the buildings or terrain are made. In addition, mapping the risk areas is expensive and time-demanding for municipalities. Therefore, an application that gathers the data easily and automatically computes the risk level can help municipalities rapidly update their risk sectors, allowing them to use updated risk mapping during the rainy season and be less dependent on rarely available financial resources to hire a risk mapping service.
Modeling and Analysis of Switched-Capacitor Converters with Finite Terminal Capacitances

In pre-existing analytical models of switched-capacitor (SC) converters, input and output capacitances (C in and C out ) have long been neglected based on the assumption of input and output as ideal voltage sources. However, this paper reveals that, in practical applications, the terminal capacitances are usually not sufficiently large to ensure ideal input and output behavior and can have considerable effects on output impedance R out and overall efficiency. To quantitatively investigate their effects, this paper proposes a general modeling and analysis methodology for SC converters that is capable of considering the effects of finite C in and C out . The proposed model is verified by experimental measurements from a 2-to-1 SC converter prototype with less than 8% relative error. It is revealed that the insufficiency of C in can lead to a considerable increase in R out and thus harms overall efficiency. On the contrary, smaller C out can help reduce R out , although this benefit comes at the cost of larger output voltage ripple. In addition, C out has stronger effects on R out in the slow switching region, while C in is more influential at higher switching frequency, especially around the knee of the R out curve at which the converter usually operates. Several design guidelines are provided based on these findings.
Optimizing Laboratory Rearing of a Key Pollinator, Bombus impatiens

Bumble bees are key pollinators for wild and managed plants and serve as a model system in various research fields, largely due to their commercial availability. Despite their extensive use, laboratory rearing of bumble bees is often challenging, particularly during the solitary phase queens undergo before founding a colony. Using a literature survey, we demonstrate that most studies rely on commercially available species that are provided during the colony’s social phase, limiting study on early phases of the life cycle and the ability to control for colony age and relatedness. Laboratory rearing is challenging since the queen solitary phase is less understood compared to the social phase. To overcome this barrier, we examined several aspects related to the queen solitary phase: the effect of age on likelihood of mating, how the timing of CO2 narcosis post-mating (a technique to bypass diapause) affects egg-laying, and whether different social cues affect the success of colony initiation. Our data show an optimum age for mating in both sexuals and decreased egg-laying latency in the presence of workers and pupae. The timing of CO2 narcosis did not significantly affect egg laying in queens. These findings can be incorporated to improve bumble bee rearing for research purposes.
Phase II Open-Label, Single-Arm Trial to Investigate the Efficacy and Safety of Topical Remetinostat Gel in Patients with Basal Cell Carcinoma.

Purpose: The mainstay of treatment for basal cell carcinoma (BCC) is surgical excision, which can result in significant associated morbidity, particularly for patients with recurrent tumors. We previously conducted a drug repositioning screen using molecular data from human BCCs and identified histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitors as a potential treatment for BCC. Here we conduct the first proof-of-principle study of a topical pan-HDAC inhibitor, remetinostat, in human BCC. Patients and Methods: We conducted a phase II, open-label, single-arm, single-institution trial of a topical HDAC inhibitor. Participants with at least one BCC were recruited. All participants applied 1% remetinostat gel three times daily for 6 weeks, with measurements of tumor diameter conducted at baseline and week 8. Surgical excision of the remaining tumor was conducted at the end of the study and microscopic evaluation was performed. Results: Thirty-three per-protocol tumors from 25 participants were included in the analysis. The overall response rate, defined as the proportion of tumors achieving more than 30% decrease in the longest diameter from baseline to week 8, was 69.7% [90% confidence interval (CI), 54%–82.5%]. On pathologic examination, 54.8% of tumors demonstrated complete resolution. Pharmacodynamic analysis demonstrated similar levels of acetylated histone H3 in skin tissue before and after treatment, however, phosphorylation was increased. No systemic adverse events were reported. Conclusions: The HDAC inhibitor remetinostat is a well-tolerated and effective topical treatment for reducing BCC disease burden in a clinically significant manner. This provides in-human validation of HDAC inhibitors as a therapy for BCC.
Market Entry in the Presence of Firm Endogenous Factors: A Real Options Perspective

This paper builds on a 2014 study of Chintakananda and McIntyre. They identified two options: growth and deferral options. A third and fourth options known as reject (no) and switch (change) options are presented as additional options to the afore-mentioned two in order to demonstrate and argue that when firms opt for either a deferral or reject option in their market entry decision, there is always a cost implication they are saddled with, especially after some costs had been incurred before a deferral was opted for, or, opting for a reject option mid-way after a growth option had gone into effect. Analysis was done using a novel tool referred to as real options-yield dimension grid and, an NPV algebraic equation (Pindyck, 2008). In general, this study identifies four dimensions of real options: growth (yes), switch (change), deferral (wait) and reject (no) from which firms make market entry decision choice. Whereas, previous studies had emphasized growth and deferral options whilst excluding reject and switch options from the scope of their coverage, this study therefore complements such studies by way of an extension. These quadruplet options had been modelled in this study to demonstrate how they strategically interact with firm-endogenous factors to alter a negative NPV. The study culminated in seven propositions that embody the “how-to” of real options decisions for market entry in the presence of firm-endogenous factors.
A formal analysis of performance-security tradeoffs under frequent task reconfigurations

Abstract Reconfiguration can be used to improve system performance, increase fault-tolerance, recover from failures, prevent and recover from cyberattacks. The process of using reconfiguration to increase a system’s resilience to cyberattacks is called Moving Target Defense (MTD). While system reconfiguration has many advantages, it brings potential disadvantages such as performance and availability degradation when a system is undergoing reconfiguration. This paper analyzes the use of MTD to reduce the frequency of cyberattacks and develops a closed-form analytic model that captures the tradeoffs between resilience to cyberattacks and system performance. The state-of-the art in MTD discusses how proposed methods operate and uses experimentation to demonstrate their use. This paper fills a research gap in terms of developing formal models that analyze tradeoffs between performance and resilience to cyberattacks. More specifically, the main contributions of this paper include: (1) A closed-form analytic model for computing the probability that an attacker is successful in completing the reconnaissance phase of the attack and the computation of the task’s execution time when regular reconfigurations are used. (2) An optimization model for determining the optimal task reconfiguration frequency in a way that takes into account given performance-security tradeoffs. (3) A closed-form analytic model for computing the probability that an attacker is successful in completing the reconnaissance phase of the attack and the computation of the task’s execution time when irregular reconfigurations are used. (4) Derivation of the maximum probability that an attacker fails in completing the reconnaissance phase under irregular reconfiguration intervals.
High-Temperature Superconductor/Semiconductor Hybrid Microwave Devices and Circuits

Contents include following: film deposition technique; laser ablation; magnetron sputtering; sequential evaporation; microwave substrates; film characterization at microwave frequencies; complex conductivity; magnetic penetration depth; surface impedance; planar single-mode filters; small antennas; antenna arrays phase noise; tunable oscillations; hybrid superconductor/semiconductor receiver front ends; and noise modeling.
Impact of Maternal Exercise during Pregnancy on Offspring Chronic Disease Susceptibility.

Maternal behaviors during pregnancy have been reported to impact offspring health in adulthood. In this article we explore the novel hypothesis that exercise during pregnancy can protect against chronic disease susceptibility in the offspring. To date, research has demonstrated that improvements in
SU-E-T-741: The Resources and Cost to Operate An Intraoperative Radiation Therapy Program for Accelerated Partial Breast Irradiation Using a Low-Energy X-Ray Source

Purpose: To report our experience regarding resource requirements and cost to operate an intraoperative-radiation therapy (IORT) since 2011, for accelerated-partial-breast irradiation (APBI) using the Axxent controller (Xoft Inc.). Methods: To start an IORT program for APBI utilizing the Axxent controller with 50-keV x-ray source, the required resources include acquisition of the Axxent controller and a set of quality assurance (QA) tools, the training of involved professionals-surgeons, oncologists, nurses, and physicists-to use and operate the system, state license, storage room for the equipment, full-time availability of the operating personnel on the procedure day, a survey meter, an ultrasound unit, sparing for x-ray source (at least, two) and cooling-tubing system, shielding equipment, etc. In each treatment day, QA procedures are required to test the controller performance before patient irradiation in the operation room (OR). Results: During 40 months, 76 procedures were performed. Six surgeons, two oncologists, three nurses and three physicists were trained for the procedure. Irradiation times ranged 7.4–28.6 (mean=11.7) minutes. Eight different x-ray sources were utilized with usage times ranging 33.4–166.8 (mean=108.7) minutes. Sixteen different combinations of spherical-balloon applicators and volumes were employed, with 40-cc (22%) and 30-cc (20%) volumes of the 3–4-cm applicator being the most used. Replacement of the x-ray sources due to arcing during patient irradiation and leak of the cooling-water system in the OR occurred twice and once, respectively. A defective brand-new x-ray source (arcing) happened once. Conclusion: To start and maintain a successful IORT program, for APBI using a low-energy x-ray source, institutional commitment-in addition to the resource requirements that are specific to the program-is necessary. Based on our over-3-year experience, the cost of the x-ray sources and equipment services along with vendor contract averaged US$1,000–2,000 per treatment, without considering manpower and any other resource expenses.
Dispersion in pulsed systems—II: Theoretical developments for passive dispersion in porous media

Abstract A general theory is developed that allows one to calculate the dispersion tensor for pulsed systems in spatially periodic porous media. The analysis has its origin in the original work of Taylor, and the results quite naturally reduce to the Taylor-Aris result for passive dispersion when applied to the case of laminar flow in a tube. In Part III the theory is compared with axial dispersion data for packed beds.
Transport Through Neutral Membranes

This chapter considers the movement of solute and solvent through membranes. The movement of electrically neutral particles through aqueous pores in membranes has many applications in physiology, such as the flow of nutrients through the capillary walls, the regulation of fluid in the interstitial space, and the operation of the kidney. The central concept of this chapter is osmosis: the flow of water resulting from solute concentration differences on each side of a membrane. Transport concepts are applied to ultrafiltration, dialysis, and countercurrent transport. The chapter ends with a detailed model of fluid and solute transport through a single pore.
Improving the Writing Skills of Social Work Students

This article discusses the declining ability of social work students to write proficiently and offers a brief historical review of different approaches to the writing problems of American students. It describes the development of a writing assistance program at a graduate school and the program’s outcomes after its initial year. Using a global writing assessment, the authors found that 1/3 of entering MSW students had inadequate writing skills, and only 57% of these took advantage of the writing assistance offered.
Effect of weight reduction on hepatic abnormalities in overweight patients

Abstract The effects of weight reduction on hepatic test results and physical findings related to the liver were retrospectively evaluated in 39 overweight patients screened to exclude other factors affecting the liver. An additional 11 overweight patients with primary liver disease were retrospectively evaluated to compare the effect of weight reduction in patients with liver disease with its effect in those without primary liver disease. This study showed that in overweight adults without primary liver disease, a weight reduction of ≥ 10% corrected abnormal hepatic test results, decreased hepatosplenomegaly, and resolved some stigmata of liver disease. In similarly studied overweight patients with primary liver disease, some findings improved, but the changes did not correlate with a ≥ 10% weight loss. Increased alanine aminotransferase activity was the most frequent hepatic enzyme abnormality in this population. For every 1% reduction in body weight, alanine aminotransferase activity improved by 8.1%. After other causes of liver disease are eliminated by clinical and biochemical parameters, weight reduction should be tried for overweight patients with abnormal hepatic test results in the absence of obvious primary liver disease as judged by clinical and biochemical parameters before extensive and expensive studies are undertaken.
Risk Factors Associated With Language in Autism Spectrum Disorder: Clues to Underlying Mechanisms

Purpose Identifying risk factors associated with neurodevelopmental disorders is an important line of research, as it will lead to earlier identification of children who could benefit from interven...
SCAN: A Dynamic, Scalable, and Efficient Content Distribution Network

We present SCAN, the Scalable Content Access Network. SCAN combines dynamic replica placement with a self-organizing application-level multicast tree to meet client QoS and server resource constraints. It utilizes an underlying distributed object routing and location system (DOLR) as an essential component.Sim ulation results on both flash-crowd-like synthetic workloads and realWeb server traces show that SCAN deploys close to an optimal number of replicas, achieves good load balance, and incurs a small delay and bandwidth penalty for update multicast relative to static replica placement on IP multicast. We envision that SCAN could enhance a number of different applications, such as content distribution and peer-to-peer file sharing.
3D Printing: 3D‐Printed Artificial Microfish (Adv. Mater. 30/2015)

J. Wang, S. Chen, and co-workers use a newly developed 3D printing technique on page 4411 to print freely swimming microfish with diverse designs. The system uses light to print biocompatible hydrogels and functional nanoparticles into the biomimetic shape of fish at a feature size of 1 μm. These microfish are powered by harvesting the energy from the surrounding fluid environment and guided remotely by a magnetic field. Efficient detoxification is shown by incorporation of toxin-absorbing functional nanoparticles. This work can be readily extended to engineer advanced functional biorobotics for diverse applications ranging from drug delivery to environmental detoxification.
Self-reported and objectively measured physical activity in adults with systemic lupus erythematosus.

Objective Most estimates of physical activity (PA) patterns in systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) are based on subjective self-report measures prone to error. The aims of this study were to obtain objective measurements of PA using an accelerometer and estimates of energy expenditure based on the self-reported International Physical Activity Questionnaire (IPAQ), and to describe their relationship.
TABS responder — A quick response buoy to supplement the TABS network

The Texas Automated Buoy System (TABS) began operation in April 1995 as a tool for the Texas General Land Office (TGLO) to use during oil spill events in order to reduce the socioeconomic and ecological impacts of oil spills around coastal Texas. As of 2012, the network had been used for decision making purposes in over fifty events in the Gulf of Mexico. Designed specifically for mitigating damage from oil spills TABS provides critical near real time data to decision makers to allow them to decide where to deploy resources and minimize the impact from any spill event. The buoys that make up the TABS network provide response managers with information critical to the prediction of oil spill trajectories and provide data important in deciding where they should deploy personnel, ships and cleanup equipment to intercept the slick and diminish any potential coastal impact. The TABS network is comprised of seven buoy locations distributed along the Texas coast and stretches for 324 NMI from Sabine near the TexasLouisiana border to Port Isabel near the USA-Mexico border. With long distances between buoys, it was determined in 2005 following the DBL-152 off of Port Arthur, Texas that a small, lightweight buoy capable of being deployed from any ship of opportunity would be useful in filling in the gaps between standard TABS buoys during an oil spill. Difficulties finding a suitable ship to deploy a standard TABS II buoy at the site of the spill made it clear that a buoy capable of providing the required information but small enough to be deployed by 2 men without the aid of cranes or winches would be a useful to supplement TABS. The collision of the fuel oil barge carrying over 920,000 gallons of heavy fuel oil with the 585 foot long tanker “Summer Wind” resulted in approximately 4,000 barrels (168,000 gallons) of RMG 380 fuel oil being spilled into Galveston Bay in March 2014. The day following the spill a weather front pushed most of the oil out of Galveston Bay and into the Gulf of Mexico. At the request of the TGLO, GERG deployed a TABS Responder buoy 20 NMI southwest of Galveston to provide the TGLO, the NOAA HAZMAT Office in Seattle, WA., and other spill response managers with near real time, surface current, waves and wind information for input into their trajectory models. This was the first operational test of the Responder buoy during an actual spill event. The Responder buoy will transmit data for up to 12 days at a time between charges. The lightweight buoy was designed as a self-contained pre-assembled system capable of being deployed from ships of opportunity by personnel with little or no instrument training.
The role of themata in science

Since the 1960s. thematic analysis has been introduced as a new tool for understanding the success or the failure of individual scientific research projects, particularly in their early stages. Specific examples are given, as well as indications of the prevalence of themata in areas beyond the natural sciences.
A Systematic Study of Glycolaldehyde in Sagittarius B2(N) at 2 and 3 mm: Criteria for Detecting Large Interstellar Molecules

A comprehensive study of glycolaldehyde (CH2OHCHO) has been conducted at 2 and 3 mm toward Sgr B2(N) using the Arizona Radio Observatory 12 m telescope. Forty favorable transitions of this species were observed in the range 68-169 GHz. Emission on the 20-70 mK level was detected at frequencies of 38 of these lines, including all transitions arising from the Ka = 0, 1, and 2 ladders. The two transitions not detected were weak and originate in the less populated Ka = 3 levels. Twenty-one percent of the detected lines are distinct, individual features. The remaining transitions are either contaminated by emission from abundant molecules or blended with equivalently weak features. The unblended transitions indicate VLSR = 62.3 ± 2.4 km s-1 and ΔV1/2 = 8.3 ± 3.4 km s-1, line parameters characteristic of organic species in Sgr B2(N). A rotational diagram yields a column density of 5.9 × 1013 cm-2 for glycolaldehyde, suggesting a fractional abundance of f(H2) = 5.9 × 10-11. Observations of formaldehyde toward Sgr B2(N) suggest that H2CO and CH2OHCHO arise from the same gas with an abundance ratio of ~1/27. H2CO may function as the precursor to glycolaldehyde in a gas-phase "formose" reaction. These observations, combined with past results of Hollis et al., provide convincing evidence for the presence of glycolaldehyde in the ISM. This study suggests that an extensive, self-consistent data set is necessary to identify large organic species in interstellar gas.
Provenance trails in the Wings-Pegasus system

Our research focuses on creating and executing large-scale scientific workflows that often involve thousands of computations over distributed, shared resources. We describe an approach to workflow creation and refinement that uses semantic representations to (1) describe complex scientific applications in a data-independent manner, (2) automatically generate workflows of computations for given data sets, and (3) map the workflows to available computing resources for efficient execution. Our approach is implemented in the Wings-Pegasus workflow system and has been demonstrated in a variety of scientific application domains. This paper illustrates the application-level provenance information generated Wings during workflow creation and the refinement provenance by the Pegasus mapping system for execution over grid computing environments. We show how this information is used in answering the queries of the First Provenance Challenge. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An investigation of the construct validity of three recently developed personality instruments: An application of confirmatory multimethod factor analysis

The advantages of using confirmatory factor analysis in the analysis of multitrait-multimethod (MTMM) matrices are discussed. This method is then applied to investigate the convergent and discriminant validity of three Australian developed personality instruments - two measures of self-esteem (Watkins, 1978) and the New England Personality Questionnaire (Fitzgerald & Cole, 1976). Examination of a MTMM matrix based on the responses of 275 university students generally supported the construct validity of these instruments.
Alternating Current Electrospraying

Electrospraying has attracted the attention of many researchers, ranging from analytical chemists to physicists, not only because of the rich physics associated with it, but also due to its wide-ranging applicability. Therefore, considerable research has been devoted to exploring this interfacial phenomenon. However, there still are areas of electrospraying that have remained unexplored. Until recently, significantly less effort had been directed toward electrospraying with an alternating current (ac) electric field in comparison to electrospraying with direct current (dc) field. This article comes as an attempt to summarize the work done on ac electrospraying in the authors’ group. A classification of this behavior into different frequency domains is provided, with an underlying mechanism that leads to physical features distinct from dc electrospraying. Potential uses of ac electrospraying, which cannot be realized by its dc counterpart, are also discussed.
Slow and fast light in quantum-well and quantum-dot semiconductor optical amplifiers

Slow and fast light in quantum-well (QW) and quantum-dot (QD) semiconductor optical amplifiers (SOAs) using nonlinear quantum optical effects are presented. We demonstrate electrical and optical controls of fast light using the coherent population oscillation (CPO) and four wave mixing (FWM) in the gain regime of QW SOAs. We then consider the dependence on the wavelength and modal gain of the pump in QW SOAs. To enhance the tunable photonic delay of a single QW SOA, we explore a serial cascade of multiple amplifiers. A model for the number of QW SOAs in series with variable optical attenuation is developed and matched to the experimental data. We demonstrate the scaling law and the bandwidth control by using the serial cascade of multiple QW SOAs. Experimentally, we achieve a phase change of 160° and a scaling factor of four at 1 GHz using the cascade of four QW SOAs. Finally, we investigate CPO and FWM slow and fast light of QD SOAs. The experiment shows that the bandwidth of the time delay as a function of the modulation frequency changes in the absorption and gain regimes due to the carrier-lifetime variation. The tunable phase shift in QD SOA is compared between the ground- and first excited-state transitions with different modal gains.
SEPARATION OF APPARENT MULTIPLE FORMS OF HUMAN BRAIN CHOLINE ACETYLTRANSFERASE BY ISOELECTRIC FOCUSING

— Choline acetyltransferase (acetyl-CoA: choline O-acetyl transferase; EC 2.3.1.6; ChAc) purified from human brain (basal ganglia) and sciatic nerve were separated into apparent multiple enzyme forms by the method of isoelectric focusing (pH gradient 3-10) on acrylamide gel. A preparative separation of enzyme forms of human brain was accomplished by the column method, by using a sucrose gradient. When each separated form was re-electrofocused, only a portion of the ChAc activity was observed in its original pH region while more than one-half of the recovered activity for each fraction appeared at pH 7.8-8. Gel filtration and kinetic studies of separated forms indicated that the more acidic forms might be aggregates, while more basic forms might be configurational isomers. Human ChAc of sciatic nerve did not exhibit acidic forms on electrofocusing, but otherwise yielded an electrofocusing profile similar to that of human brain. ChAc of rabbit brain and sciatic nerve each exhibited only a single form at pH 7.1 ± 0.2. Although ChAc differs among species, the enzyme of brain and sciatic nerve of the same species cannot be clearly distinguished by electrofocusing.
AR interfacing with prototype 3D applications based on user-centered interactivity

Augmented Reality (AR) has been acclaimed as one of the promising technologies for advancing future UbiComp (Ubiquitous Computing) environments. Despite a myriad of AR applications and its influence on the human-computer interaction field, end products that integrate AR are less commonplace than expected. This is due to a lack of being able to forecast in which direction mainstream standardization of AR-oriented platform components will be framed. It is mainly due to a focus on technology issues in implementing reasonable AR solutions, which also results in difficulty in initiating AR research and creating prototype test-beds. Thus, this paper provides a comprehensive review of AR prototyping trends and AR research activities. Through the technical review of a de facto AR prototyping method, we remark upon the key elements of AR techniques, and then present an alternative view of the AR environment centered on end-user advantages in interaction, which is characterized by three features: intuitive observation, informative visualization, and immersive interaction. In addition, we believe that these features can be used to motivate the integration of AR technology into custom-built 3D applications. In this paper, we propose a conceptual schema and an architectural framework for generic AR prototyping. On the basis of these, a video see-through AR interface is integrated into three prototype 3D applications in 3 different domains: engineering systems, geospace, and multimedia. As the case studies for validating our integration, we present three sample AR applications; (a) an AR-interfaced 3D CAE (Computer-Aided Engineering) simulation test-bed, (b) a two-stage distributed Traveler Guidance Service (TGS) test-bed based on a GIS database and AR, and (c) a haptically-enhanced broadcasting test-bed for AR-based 3D media production. For each application, a description of the test-bed implementation, demonstration of the feasibility and usefulness and AR-specific technical challenges are included in this paper.
Factors in the control of feed intake of horses and ponies

Ponies are large nonruminant herbivores which are capable of utilizing the products of both enzymatic digestion in the small intestine and bacterial fermentation (volatile fatty acids, VFAs) in the cecum and large colon as sources of metabolizable energy. Recent studies have demonstrated that ponies utilize nutrient stimuli from both carbohydrate and fat digestion in the small intestine and VFAs in the cecum and large colon in the control of meal frequency. These animals, however, rely primarily upon oropharyngeal and external stimuli to control the size and duration of meals. This is perhaps an adaptation to a feeding pattern of small frequent meals and food sources which provide significant amounts of nutrients to the animal system only after microbial fermentation in the hind gut. Nutrient cues which are operant in controlling feed intake in omnivores, carnivores, and ruminants appear to be important primarily in the regulation of meal frequency and long-term energy balance in the equine animal. The emphasis on oropharyngeal stimuli in the immediate control of feed intake of ponies reflects the unusual digestive physiology of these animals relative to other species studied to date.
Four siblings with similar malformations after exposure to phenytoin and primidone

Four siblings exposed to phenytoin or primidone or both in utero are reported. Each has craniofacial features consistent with fetal hydantoin syndrome. Two of the siblings were exposed to primidone alone, indicating that phenytoin and primidone may have similar teratogenic effects.
20-Hydroxyecdysone is required for, and negatively regulates, transcription of Drosophila pupal cuticle protein genes.

Abstract Transcripts of ecdysone-dependent genes (EDGs) accumulate in isolated imaginal discs within 8 hr after exposure to a pulse of the steroid hormone 20-hydroxyecdysone (20-HE; 1 μg/ml for 6 hr) but not in discs cultured in the continuous presence or absence of the hormone. Sequence analyses show that two of the EDGs are members of gene families encoding insect cuticle proteins. We conclude that a third EDG encodes a cuticle protein because the conceptual glycine-rich protein contains sequence motifs similar to those found in insect egg shell proteins and vertebrate cytokeratins and because expression of this gene is limited to tissues that deposit the pupal cuticle. Nuclear run-on assays show that the hormone-dependent expression of each of these EDGs is due to transcriptional regulation. Readdition of hormone to imaginal discs actively synthesizing the EDG messages causes rapid repression of EDG transcription. Thus, 20-HE acts as both a positive and a negative regulator of EDG transcription. Sequences in the promoter regions of two of the EDGs are similar to an ecdysone response element and may play a role in negative regulation.
Invited Review: Research contributions from seventy-five years of breeding Line 1 Hereford cattle at Miles City, Montana

For 75 yr, Line 1 Hereford cattle have been at the forefront of beef cattle breeding research. The goal of this review is to provide an overview of scientific contributions made using the Line 1 Hereford population. It was initially developed as contribution to a western regional program from which beef producers were envisioned to use heterosis by crossing selected inbred lines. Whereas this vision was never fulfilled, being largely supplanted by crossbreeding, Line 1 has had a profound influence on beef cattle breeding research and the Hereford breed. For more than 60 yr, Hereford breeders and commercial beef producers have purchased Line 1 Hereford germplasm for use in their herds. By example, Line 1 illustrates a successful line-breeding program through which a 39% additive relationship to the founding sire has been maintained over more than 18 generations. Procedures for performance testing beef cattle can be traced to original research with Line 1. Data from Line 1 contributed to the first estimates of heritability and genetic correlation for beef cattle. Work with Line 1 has also contributed greatly to the understanding of maternal genetic effects in beef cattle. Diallel crossing with other inbred lines provided early estimates of heterosis for beef cattle, complimented by the later observation that heterosis resulted in complete recovery of the accumulated negative effects of inbreeding. After exchanges of germplasm with the Northern Montana Agricultural Experiment Station at Havre and the Brooksville Beef Cattle Research Station in Florida, pioneering comprehensive evaluations of genotype x environment interaction were conducted. Breeding practices implemented by USDA Agricultural Research Service at Miles City make Line 1 the longest running selection experiment using beef cattle worldwide. This long-term database has provided an exceptional resource for prototype evaluations of procedures for national cattle evaluation, and the results make up an integral part of the foundation of modern-day genetic evaluation programs. Having used DNA from Line 1 in the development of a bacterial artificial chromosome library and the bovine genome sequence, Line 1 Hereford cattle are uniquely positioned for continued contributions in future research.
Creolisations in Nigerian Theatre. By Victor Samson Dugga. Bayreuth: Bayreuth African Studies, 2002; pp. 197. $20.95 paper.

The past two decades have seen the emergence of a great deal of scholarly work in English on West African performance in general and Nigerian theatre and drama in particular. Works by Alston, Ukpokodu, Dunton, Quayson, and an entire library by various authors on the theatre of Wole Soyinka have arguably made Nigerian performance second only to South African in terms of material in English about African performance available in the West. To this list must now be added Victor Samson Dugga’s book, which sites Nigerian theatre as part of “the process as well as the product of social change,” and goes on to offer a thorough analysis of three different contexts in which theatre and performance occur (12).