cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Flow transitions in two-dimensional foams.

For sufficiently slow rates of strain, flowing foam can exhibit inhomogeneous flows. The nature of these flows is an area of active study in both two-dimensional model foams and three dimensional foam. Recent work in three-dimensional foam has identified three distinct regimes of flow [S. Rodts, J. C. Baudez, and P. Coussot, Europhys. Lett. 69, 636 (2005)]. Two of these regimes are identified with continuum behavior (full flow and shear banding), and the third regime is identified as a discrete regime exhibiting extreme localization. In this paper, the discrete regime is studied in more detail using a model two-dimensional foam: a bubble raft. We characterize the behavior of the bubble raft subjected to a constant rate of strain as a function of time, system size, and applied rate of strain. We observe localized flow that is consistent with the coexistence of a power-law fluid with rigid-body rotation. As a function of applied rate of strain, there is a transition from a continuum description of the flow to discrete flow when the thickness of the flow region is approximately ten bubbles. This occurs at an applied rotation rate of approximately $0.07\phantom{\rule{0.3em}{0ex}}{\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}$.
Bax shuttling after rotenone treatment of neuronal primary cultures: Effects on cell death phenotypes

Neonatal (P7) brain hypoxia-ischemia (HI) induces intracellular Bax protein shifts to the nucleus, mitochondria, and endoplasmic reticulum (ER), where it triggers the activation of the respective cell death signaling cascades. When compared with HI-treated rat pups, 100% O(2) resuscitation of HI-treated rat pups increases HI-induced ER Bax levels, ER-mediated cell death signaling, and resultant lesion volume and inflammation due to increased necrotic-like cell death. To better characterize the role of Bax intracellular shuttling ER cell death signaling and necrotic-like cell death, we used rotenone-treated P5 neuronal cortical cultures to increase ER Bax levels and subsequent cell death signaling. We treated P5 primary cortical neurons with 25 microM and 100 microM rotenone as an apoptotic or necrotic-like stimulus, respectively, and measured intracellular organelle Bax levels and the subsequent activation of ER/mitochondrial cell death signaling. The 25 microM rotenone treatment promptly increased nuclear Bax levels followed by a later increase in mitochondrial Bax levels and caspase-mediated cleavage of alpha-fodrin. The 100 microM rotenone treatment also resulted in an early increase in nuclear Bax levels followed by a subsequent increase in ER Bax levels and calpain-mediated cleavage of alpha-fodrin. After pretreatment with the immunosuppressive and neuroprotective FK506, there was a delay in Bax intracellular shifts and cell death signaling for both the 25 and 100 microM rotenone treatments. These results suggest that the different outcomes of apoptotic-like vs. necrotic-like cell death resulting from the treatment of neuronal cultures with rotenone at 25 and 100 microM rotenone reflect changes in the intracellular trafficking of Bax among different organelles.
Planning for instructional improvement in medical education: A case study

The purpose of instructional improvement programs is to assist faculty members in identifying areas of personal strength and weakness in their teaching and, where needed, to develop strategies for change. Rather than utilizing formal coursework, workshops, or retreats, a model has been refined at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine that emphasizes a working relationship between the interested faculty person and a member of the Division of Research in Medical Education, an educational research and instructional support unit at the school. The approach described comprises five steps in which a consultant relationship is formed, an agreement about the interaction process is reached, data on teaching behavior are gathered and analyzed, feedback is given, and plans for future action are developed. The paper also includes a discussion of the strengths and weaknesses of this model and implications for its use in medical education and elsewhere in higher education.
A free, readily upgradeable, interactive tool for teaching encryption algorithms

There are rising concerns about data security in our society. Strong cryptographic systems provide a primary means of dealing with these concerns. Since encryption algorithms are an integral component of any cryptographic system, computer science students need to understand how encryption algorithms work. However, the complexity of encryption algorithms inhibits both authors and professors from providing multiple and/or dynamic examples. This paper describes a new pedagogical tool that provides interactive step by step demonstrations of the encryption processes for various algorithms on user defined strings and scalability to allow for the addition of future algorithms. This tool is ideal for professors and students because it shows error free step by step descriptions in an interactive environment. It is designed to be used in conjunction with a lecture or outside reading material. Furthermore, this tool's object oriented nature allows the user to change the interface, add subsequent algorithms, and even incorporate the package into other software for actual encryption purposes. We have made the tool freely available on the web.
Humeral windows in revision shoulder arthroplasty.

Currently, there are no published results of patients in whom a window in the humeral cortex had been created to facilitate revision of a failed shoulder arthroplasty. Therefore, we reviewed the results of patients who underwent creation of a humeral window in the course of a revision shoulder arthroplasty to determine the complications and rate of healing. Twenty patients underwent humeral osteotomy to remove a well-fixed humeral component during the course of revision shoulder arthroplasty at our institution between January 1, 1987, and December 31, 2002. There were 17 cemented humeral components and 3 fully textured, press-fitted components. Of the shoulders, 16 had an anterior window, 3 had a medial window, and 1 had combined anterior and medial windows. There were 4 intraoperative fractures: 3 in the humeral shaft and 1 in the greater tuberosity. At the most recent radiographic follow-up at a mean of 3.3 years (range, 3–176 months), 17 of 20 windows had healed. Among 3 patients with limited radiographic follow-up (1, 3, and 4 months), 2 were healing and 1 did not demonstrate radiographic signs of healing. There were no cases of window malunion. No humeral components have developed clinical loosening. The data from this study suggest that humeral windows may facilitate controlled removal of well-fixed humeral components with a high rate of union. Further evolution of this technique may result in a lower fracture rate.
Photoinitiated polymerization of methyl methacrylate and methyl acrylate with 14C‐labeled benzoin methyl ethers

Three 14C-labeled benzoin methyl ether (α-methoxy-α-phenylacetophenone) derivatives were utilized as photoinitiators in the polymerization of methyl methacrylate (MMA) and methyl acrylate (MA). The results of polymer end-group analysis are in accord with a mechanism of benzoin ether photocleavage into initiator radicals and dispute earlier labeling studies which were interpreted as evidence for copolymerization of excited-state benzoin ethers with reactive monomers. In MMA polymerization, the results indicate a preference for termination by disproportionation (∼60%) and provide evidence for primary radical termination at 0.041M photoinitiator (optically dense solutions) in neat MMA. Evidence for chain branching by initiator radical hydrogen abstraction from poly(methyl acrylate) (PMA) is also presented. The benzoyl and α-methoxybenzyl radicals, produced on photolysis of benzoin methyl ether, appear to be equally effective in both initiation and hydrogen-abstraction processes. Quantum yields at 366 and 313 nm indicate the absence of a wavelength effect.
Gating Effects on Thyristor Anode Current di/dt

Triggering measurements were performed on thyristors with different gate geometries at various combinations of peak gate current, gate pulsewidth, and gate di/dt, to determine the trigger dependence of pulsed anode current di/dt. Peak gate current was varied from 4 A to 12 A, gate pulse width from 250 ns to 8 ?s, and leading edge di/dt from 23 A/?s to 320 A/?s. Only the peak gate current was found to affect pulsed anode current di/dt.
The role of tidal forcing in the Gulf of Alaska's circulation

[1] High resolution (7 km) numerical simulations of the Gulf of Alaska circulation show an indirect effect induced by tidal forcing. Tides stir the water column more vigorously in the coastal ocean than in the Gulf's interior, leading to denser waters there than offshore. This horizontal gradient induces a geostrophic current that, in general and in most regions, flows against the mean general circulation.
The Political Economy of Occupational Licensing Associations

This article studies the internal politics of a licensing association with regard to expansion of the licensure and self-regulation. A theoretical model is presented of a professional association that has the power to restrict entry, and yet a majority of its members may prefer to allow entry, even when doing so reduces the total revenue of its members. This may happen due to a conflict of interest among professional sub-specialties. On the other hand, the model predicts no heterogeneity of interests within the association regarding self-regulation. (JEL J44)
OBPC SYMPOSIUM: MAIZE 2004 & BEYOND – CAN AGRICULTURAL BIOTECHNOLOGY CONTRIBUTE TO GLOBAL FOOD SECURITY?

Bioengineering approaches provide unprecedented opportunities for reducing poverty, food insecurity, child malnutrition, and natural resource degradation. Genetic engineering offers outstanding potential to increase the efficiency of crop improvement. Thus agricultural biotechnology could enhance global food production and availability in a sustainable way. Small farmers in developing countries are faced with many problems and constraints which biotechnology may assist. Yet, there are varying levels of opposition to the use of this technology in most countries and it is especially intense in Europe. While there is certain public apprehension with the use of bioengineering in food improvement, the primary hurdles facing this technology are the stringent and burdensome regulatory requirements for commercialization, opposition from the special interest groups, apprehension by the food industry especially with the whole foods, and trade barriers including rigid policies on traceability and labeling. Bioengineered crops such as soybean, maize, cotton, and canola with a few traits have already made a remarkable impact on food production and environmental quality. But, in the developing world, bioengineering of crops such as bananas, cassava, yams, sweet potatoes, sorghum, rice, maize, wheat, millet, and legumes, along with livestock, can clearly contribute to global food security. However, the integration of biotechnology into agricultural research in developing countries faces many challenges which must be addressed: financial, technical, political, environmental, activism, intellectual-property, biosafety, and trade-related issues. To ensure that developing countries can harness the benefit of this technology with minimal problems, concerted efforts must be pursued to create an awareness of its potential benefits and to address the concerns related to its use through dialog among the various stakeholders: policy makers, scientists, trade groups, food industry, consumer organizations, farmer groups, media, and non-governmental organizations. Biotechnology holds great promise as a new tool in the scientific toolkit for generating applied agricultural technologies; however, per se it is not a panacea for the world's problems of hunger and poverty.
Identification of Rheumatoid Factor in Periodontal Disease

Rheumatoid factor (RF) was detected by latex-slide agglutination in subgingival plaque, inflamed gingival tissue, stimulated pooled saliva and serum of patients suffering from chronic moderate periodontitis. The etiology of rheumatoid factor and its possible homeostatic role in periodontal disease are discussed, in relation to the reported association of Gram-negative bacterial endotoxin and the chronic antigenic stimulating nature of periodontal disease.
Red meat and poultry intake, polymorphisms in the nucleotide excision repair and mismatch repair pathways and colorectal cancer risk

Diets high in red meat have been consistently associated with colorectal cancer (CRC) risk and may result in exposure to carcinogens that cause DNA damage [i.e polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, heterocyclic amines (HCAs) and N-nitroso compounds]. Using a family-based study, we investigated whether polymorphisms in the nucleotide excision repair (NER) (ERCC1 3' untranslated region (UTR) G/T, XPD Asp312Asn and Lys751Gln, XPC intron 11 C/A, XPA 5' UTR C/T, XPF Arg415Gln and XPG Asp1104His) and mismatch repair (MLH1 Ile219Val and MSH2 Gly322Asp) pathways modified the association with red meat and poultry intake. We tested for gene-environment interactions using case-only analyses (n = 577) and compared the results using case-unaffected sibling comparisons (n = 307 sibships). Increased risk of CRC was observed for intake of more than or equal to three servings per week of red meat [odds ratio (OR) = 1.8, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 1.3-2.5)] or high-temperature cooked red meat (OR = 1.6, 95% CI = 1.1-2.2). Intake of red meat heavily brown on the outside or inside increased CRC risk only among subjects who carried the XPD codon 751 Lys/Lys genotype (case-only interaction P = 0.006 and P = 0.001, respectively, for doneness outside or inside) or the XPD codon 312 Asp/Asp genotype (case-only interaction P = 0.090 and P < 0.001, respectively). These interactions were stronger for rectal cancer cases (heterogeneity test P = 0.002 for XPD Asp312Asn and P = 0.03 for XPD Lys751Gln) and remained statistically significant after accounting for multiple testing. Case-unaffected sibling analyses were generally supportive of the case-only results. These findings highlight the possible contribution of diets high in red meat to the formation of lesions that elicit the NER pathway, such as carcinogen-induced bulky adducts.
Relative Values of Various Standardized Passages in the Nasometric Assessment of Patients with Velopharyngeal Impairment

A series of 155 patients referred for evaluation at the UNC Craniofacial Center was studied to compare nasometric performance data obtained from the Rainbow Passage to information provided when subjects read two other standardized passages (Zoo Passage and Nasal Sentences). Nasometric findings obtained using the three reading passages were compared to aerodynamic estimates of velopharyngeal area and nasal cross-sectional area as well as clinical judgments of hypernasality and hyponasality. The results suggest that the Rainbow Passage does not provide clinically relevant information that cannot be obtained using the other speech samples studied.
Review: The consequences of early institutionalization: can institutions be improved? – should they?

Background and scope The focus of this review is on institutionalized children, one of the most inequitably and severely treated groups of children. Although institutions vary, many share some common characteristics, including large groups, high children:caregiver ratios, many and changing caregivers and caregiver-child interactions that lack warm, sensitive, contingently-responsive and child-directed behaviours. Resident children develop poorly physically, mentally and social-emotionally, but those adopted from institutions display substantial catch-up growth in many domains of development. If they are adopted at an early age, there have been no long-term consequences of institutionalization yet measured; but if institutionalization is prolonged, they display higher rates of long-term deficiencies and problems in many domains. Methods This review is based on a database search of the literature, focusing on the development of children while residents, and the development of post-institutionalized children who have been transitioned from institutions to family care. It also draws on the reports and findings of the St. Petersburg–USA Orphanage intervention. Findings A combination of theories pertaining to attachment (especially caregiver attachment to the infant–toddler), chronic stress and genetics may explain these outcomes. It appears that caregiver–child interactions are a major contributor to children's outcomes and interventions in institutions that improve such interactions produce substantial increases in children's physical, mental and social-emotional development, including for children with disabilities. Conclusions Deinstitutionalization and the creation of comprehensive professional child welfare systems emphasizing family care alternatives is a preferred goal, but this is likely to take many low-resource countries decades to develop. If substantial numbers of children remain in institutions despite best efforts to find families for them, improving the institutions might help to provide all the children with the best care possible under the circumstances.
Scalable conditional equivalence checking: An automated invariant-generation based approach

Sequential equivalence checking (SEC) technologies, capable of demonstrating the behavioral equivalence of two designs, have grown dramatically in capacity over the past decades. The ability to efficiently identify and leverage internal equivalence points to reduce the domain of the overall SEC problem is central to SEC scalability. However, conditionally equivalent designs — within which internal equivalence may not exist under sequential observability don't care conditions — are notoriously difficult for automated SEC tools. This paper constitutes one of the first attempts to advance the scalability of SEC for conditionally equivalent designs through automated invariant generation, which enables an inductive solution to an otherwise highly-noninductive problem. Through careful software engineering and various heuristics, this technique has been demonstrated capable of yielding orders of magnitude speedup on difficult industrial conditional SEC problems, in cases constituting the only method that we have found to achieve an automated solution.
Reply to Comment on “Variations in northern vegetation activity inferred from satellite data of vegetation index during 1981–1999” by J. R. Ahlbeck

[1] Ahlbeck [2002] raises an important issue: Is the increase in the atmospheric concentration of CO2 [Keeling and Whorf, 2001] partially responsible for the increase in the normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), which we report in the work of Zhou et al. [2001]? To demonstrate its effect, Ahlbeck [2002] adds the atmospheric concentration of CO2 (hereinafter referred to as CO2) to equation (11) in the Zhou et al. [2001] article. Ahlbeck [2002] finds that CO2 is correlated with NDVI and concludes that ‘‘fertilizing due to increased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration also may increase greenness.’’ As described below, this conclusion, and the results on which it is based, is a statistical artifact. When the regression equation is specified correctly, we find that there is no relation between the NDVI and the atmospheric concentration of CO2. [2] To confirm Ahlbeck’s results, we estimate the following equation:
A calibrated radiocarbon database of late Quaternary volcanic eruptions

Researchers at the Center for Climatic Research (CCR) at the University of Wisconsin-Madison have revised and calibrated a global volcanic database compiled from more than 2000 radiocarbon-dated eruptions from the late Pleistocene and Holocene. The updated database is available online as an appendix to this correspondence (http://www.electronic-earth-discuss.net/1/123/2006/eed-1-123-2006-supplement.zip). We briefly describe the database, suggest some potential applications, and invite other researchers in the geologic and atmospheric sciences to both use and help refine the archive by incorporating additional data as it becomes available.
Ultrasound diagnosis of papilledema and increased intracranial pressure in pseudotumor cerebri

Bedside ultrasound has been used to identify intracranial hypertension through the measurement of optic nerve sheath diameter. This case report describes the sonographic detection of papilledema and a wide optic nerve sheath in a patient with pseudotumor cerebri who presented to the Emergency Department with headache and photophobia, and in whom fundoscopy was poorly tolerated. Bedside ultrasound may represent an alternate means of assessing for papilledema when a traditional fundoscopic exam is non-diagnostic.
Morpho-physiological predictors of ovulatory success in captive striped bass (Morone saxatilis)

This study evaluates morpho-physiological characters as predictors of ovulatory success in cultured striped bass, Morone saxatilis, that could be used by farmers to select females for induced spawning. Diameter, size homogeneity and growth of ovarian follicles; blood plasma . . . levels of testosterone T , oestradiol-17b E and vitellogenin VTG ; and in vitro maturation of 2 .
Diastereoselective manipulations of conformationally restricted enantiomerically pure bicyclo[m.1.0]alkanes. 1. Nucleophilic additions to the carbonyl carbons of bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones

Abstract Additions of nucleophiles to the carbonyls of several enantiomerically pure bicyclo[m.1.0]alkan-2-ones were found to be highly diastereoselective.
Regulation of Quorum Sensing by RpoS in Pseudomonas aeruginosa

The LasR-LasI and RhlR-RhlI quorum-sensing systems are global regulators of gene expression in the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa. Previous studies suggest that the RhlR-RhlI system activates expression of rpoS. We constructed merodiploid strains of P. aeruginosa containing the native rpoS gene and an rpoS-lacZ fusion. Studies of lacZ transcription in these strains indicated that rpoS was not regulated by RhlR-RhlI. We also generated an rpoS null mutant. This rpoS mutant showed elevated levels of rhlI (but not rhlR) transcription, elevated levels of the RhlI-generated acylhomoserine lactone quorum-sensing signal, and elevated levels of RhlR-RhlI-regulated gene transcription. These findings indicate that there is a relationship between RpoS and quorum sensing, but rather than the RhlR-RhlI system influencing the expression of rpoS, it appears that RpoS regulates rhlI. Two acylhomoserine lactone (acyl-HSL) quorum-sensing signal systems are involved in transcriptional regulation of many genes in Pseudomonas aeruginosa. The two systems are the LasR-LasI and RhlR-RhlI (also termed the Vsm) regulatory circuits. LasI is required for synthesis of the signal N-(3oxododecanoyl)-HSL (3OC12-HSL), and LasR is a transcriptional activator that responds to 3O-C12-HSL. The RhlI enzyme is responsible for synthesis of N-butyryl-HSL (C4HSL), and RhlR is a transcriptional activator that responds to C4-HSL. The two quorum-sensing systems do not act independently of one another, but a hierarchy exists with LasR required for the activation of rhlR and to some extent rhlI (for reviews of quorum sensing see references 7, 8, and 24). Quorum sensing has been reported to control the expression of genes, including those coding for extracellular enzymes, secondary metabolites (e.g., pyocyanin and hydrogen cyanide), toxins, genes of unknown function, and the rpoS gene, which codes for a homolog of an Escherichia coli stationary-phase s factor (30). In E. coli, RpoS competes with the housekeeping sigma factor (s70) for RNA polymerase, and RpoS enhances expression of more than 35 genes, many of which are involved in the general stress response (14, 18). P. aeruginosa rpoS has been cloned and sequenced (30). As with E. coli, the rpoS gene in P. aeruginosa is induced as cultures enter stationary phase (6). A P. aeruginosa rpoS null mutant shows a defect in the general stress response and a defect in the regulation of exoproducts, including pyocyanin and exotoxin A (12, 29). The rhl quorum-sensing system has been reported to activate transcription of rpoS in P. aeruginosa (15). As an extension of an investigation of quorum-sensing-regulated genes in P. aeruginosa (31), we constructed an rpoS mutant. This mutant overproduced the RhlR-RhlI-controlled secondary metabolite pyocyanin. This finding prompted our study of the relationship between the RhlR-RhlI system and RpoS. The studies described here with the RpoS 2 mutant and with P. aeruginosa
CONTROL ALLOCATION WITH LOAD BALANCING

Next generation aircraft with a large number of actuators will require advanced control allocation methods to compute the actuator commands needed to follow desired trajectories while respecting system constraints. Previously, algorithms were proposed to minimize the l1 or l2 norms of the tracking error and of the actuator deflections. The paper discusses the alternative choice of the l(infinity) norm, or sup norm. Minimization of the control effort translates into the minimization of the maximum actuator deflection (min-max optimization). The paper shows how the problem can be solved effectively by converting it into a linear program and solving it using a simplex algorithm. Properties of the algorithm are also investigated through examples. In particular, the min-max criterion results in a type of load balancing, where the load is th desired command and the algorithm balances this load among various actuators. The solution using the l(infinity) norm also results in better robustness to failures and to lower sensitivity to nonlinearities in illustrative examples.
The Centrality of Values in Families and Family Therapy.

Values are discussed in terms of development, nature, and implications for family therapy. Clinical examples are used to demonstrate concepts and a model is presented which depicts how the various leverages utilized in family therapy relate to family values. Individual development, cultural heritage (legacy), the nuclear family system, and the contemporary context are described as factors which interact to form values. A case is made for conceptualizing values as central to family therapy relative to engaging families, intervening in families, and evaluating therapeutic impact.
Spin-state-dependent oxygen sensitivity of iron dithiolates: sulfur oxygenation or disulfide formation.

The oxygen sensitivity of two related iron(III) dithiolate complexes of the ligand [4,7-bis-(2′-methyl-2′-mercatopropyl)-1-thia-4,7-diazacyclononane], (bmmp-TASN)FeCN (1) and (bmmp-TASN)FeCl (2), has been examined. Oxygen exposure of the low-spin complex 1 yields the disulfonate complex (bmmp-O6-TASN)FeCN (3) as an olive-green solid with characteristic peaks in the IR spectrum at 1262, 1221, 1111, 1021, 947, 800, and 477 cm−1. The corresponding nickel dithiolate, (bmmp-TASN)Ni (4), yields the related disulfonato derivative, (bmmp-O6-TASN)Ni (5) upon addition of H2O2 (IR bands at 1258, 1143, 1106, 1012, 800, and 694 cm−1. Oxygen exposure of the high-spin complex 2 results in disulfide formation and decomplexation of the metal with subsequent iron-oxo cluster formation. Complexes 1 and 2 were examined using density functional theory calculations. A natural bond order/natural localized molecular orbital covalency analysis reveals that the low-spin complex 1 contains Fe–Sthiolate bonds with calculated covalencies of 75 and 86%, while the high-spin complex 2 contains Fe–Sthiolate bonds with calculated covalencies of 11 and 40%. The results indicate the degree of covalency of the Fe–S bonds plays a major role in determining the reaction pathway associated with oxygen exposure of iron thiolates. The X-ray structures of 1, 4, and 5 are reported.
Cortisol effects of D-amphetamine relate to traits of fearlessness and aggression but not anxiety in healthy humans.

Abstract The current study utilized personality measures thought to relate to noradrenergic and catecholamine function (i.e., sensation seeking, anxiety and aggression) to investigate individual differences in amphetamine-induced increases in cortisol. The goal of the study was to better understand variations in responses to psychostimulants in healthy volunteers. Method A placebo-controlled within-subjects investigation of salivary cortisol responses to oral d -amphetamine (20 mg) was conducted in seventy (N = 70) young adults. Personality traits were assessed using the Eysenck Personality Inventory (EPI), Sensation Seeking Scale Form V (SSS-V) and the Multidimensional Personality Questionnaire-Brief Form (MPQ-BF). Results A more rapid rise in salivary cortisol after d -amphetamine was associated with SSS-V Thrill Seeking (r = − 0.32 with time to peak, p Conclusions The findings suggest that the personality traits of aggression and thrill seeking are related to cortisol responses to d -amphetamine, raising the possibility that personality may predispose certain individuals to use drugs through a glucocorticoid pathway. The data also suggest a distinction between fear and anxiety, as amphetamine-induced cortisol responses were associated with measures of trait fear but not measures of trait anxiety in the current sample.
Connectedness and Environmental Behavior: Sense of Interconnectedness and Pro-Environmental Behavior

The expansion of one’s sense of identity to include various aspects of the world, both human and non-human, may relate to how one treats the world. This sense of interconnectedness can be domain specific, as through identification with nature and the future, or very general, as through an expanded transpersonal identification with all of reality unlimited by time and space. This study explored the relationship between these two specific and the more general type of interconnectedness on environmental beliefs and behavior. A sample of 210 participants completed a battery of interconnectedness measures, including two specific measures, the Connectedness to Nature Scale (CNS) and Consideration of Future Consequences Scale (CFC), and a transpersonal measure, the Self-Expansiveness Level Form Transpersonal Scale (SELF-TS). Participants also completed a measure of environmental beliefs, the New Ecological Paradigm Scale (NEP), and a self-report measure of their environmental behavior. The CNS, CFC, and SELF-TS significantly intercorrelated, supporting that they measure a common underlying construct: interconnectedness. In addition, the CNS and CFC correlated significantly with both the NEP and environmental behavior, but the SELF-TS did not. Furthermore, the CNS and the CFC, as well as their interaction, predicted environmental behavior in a regression model, while the SELF-TS did not. These results suggest that specific indicators of feeling interconnected with nature and the future are relevant to environmental beliefs and behavior, whereas a broader sense of transpersonal interconnectedness may not relate as well in this specific domain.
Effects of injury on the structure of intercellular junctions in cardiac muscle.

Since the discovery that cardiac muscle was composed of discrete cellular units (Sjostrand and Anderson, 1954) and was not a structural syncytium, much has been published about cardiac intercellular junctions (see Sommer and Johnson, 1979 for a review). Therefore, the structure of normal cardiac intercellular junctions will be described briefly and then the effects of injury upon them will be discussed.
Further Observations on the Antibacterial Nature of Prostatic Fluid

A growth media has been developed which will not inhibit the antibacterial activity of the prostatic antibacterial factor. The use of spermine-resistant organisms and spermine assay procedures have clearly excluded spermine as being the active antibacterial agent in canine prostatic fluid.
Development of a fluorescent cardiomyocyte specific binding probe

Cardiomyocytes are the major component of the heart. Their dysfunction or damage could lead to serious cardiovascular diseases, which have claimed numerous lives around the world. A molecule able to recognize cardiomyocytes would have significant value in diagnosis and treatment. Recently a novel peptide termed myocyte targeting peptide (MTP), with three residues of a non-natural amino acid biphenylalanine (Bip), showed good affinity to cardiomyocytes. Its selectivity towards cardiac tissues was concluded to be due to the ability of Bip to bind cardiac troponin I. With the aim of optimizing the affinity and the specificity towards cardiac myocytes and to better understand structure-activity relationship, a library of MTP derivatives was designed. Exploiting a fluorescent tag, the selectivity of the MTP analogs to myocardium over skeletal and stomach muscle tissues was assayed by fluorescence imaging. Among the tested sequences, the peptide probe Bip2, H-Lys(FITC)-Arg-Arg-Arg-Arg-Arg-Arg-Arg-Gly-Ser-Gly-Ser-Bip-Bip-NH2, displayed the best selectivity for cardiomyocytes.
Vairimorpha necatrix (Microsporida: Burenellidae) Affects Growth and Development of Heliothis zea (Lepidoptera: Noctuidae) Raised at Various Temperatures

The effects of the microsporidian parasite Vairimorpha necatrix (Kramer), a potential biological control agent, were evaluated in Heliothis zea ( Helicoverpa ) (Boddie) larvae raised in the laboratory at various temperatures (15, 20, 25, and 30°C). The target organ of infection was the larval fat body. Histopathologic changes in the fat body of the parasitized larvae included a congested appearance of the cells, decreased amounts of intracellular lipid, and loss of cellular structure and organization when the fat body filled with spores. Compared with controls, the growth and development of parasitized larvae were retarded. Larvae infected with V. necatrix were unable to pupate, thus disrupting the life cycle of H. zea .
Plasma corticosterone and contractility of glycerinated white muscle fibers in the rat.

SummaryIsometric tension developed by glycerol-extracted medial gastrocnemius muscle was measured in rats subjected to procedures designed to alter the level of their naturally occurring plasma corticosterone. Glycerol-extracted fibers from rats whose plasma corticosterone has been significantly decreased or significantly increased demonstrated a decreased contractility. This change seemed to be at the level of the contractile proteins.
Impact of Mediterranean Diet on Metabolic Syndrome

AbstractDue to its increasing prevalence and associated health complications, Metabolic Syndrome (MetS) has become both a public health concern and a clinical challenge. Dietary approaches to prevention and treatment of MetS vary, yet nearly all experts agree that the clinical parameters of the syndrome are greatly improved through lifestyle changes including diet. Existing evidence suggest a positive link between adherence to diets with features resembling the principles of the traditional Mediterranean diet (MD) and improvement of metabolic abnormalities. Although, the overall evidence suggests such promising trend, discrepancy of the results can be attributed to factors such as quality, methodology, and the overall design of the studies. Not much clinical application can be instigated from the existing evidence unless several well-designed clinical trials are conducted to investigate the causal associations and potentially define the underlying mechanisms.
Walking on by Is Just the Beginning: Dialogically Interrogating Face-Work.

ABSTRACTCourses: Introduction to Communication Studies, Interpersonal Communication, Nonverbal CommunicationObjectives: After completing this single-class activity, students should be able to (1) describe and interpret face-work as a communicative act that both reflects and constructs identity, (2) explain the concept of intersectionality in basic terms, and (3) critically appraise current events and personal experiences in relation to larger cultural narratives and scripts.
A tribute to Dr. Klaus E. Kuettner.

Dr. Klaus Kuettner, an outstanding biochemist who spent most of his career in studies related to cartilage structure, function, and composition, died at the age of 82 on May 24, 2016, in hospital a...
Vaccination Coverage Disparities Between Foreign-Born and U.S.-Born Children Aged 19–35 Months, United States, 2010–2012

Healthy People 2020 targets high vaccination coverage among children. Although reductions in coverage disparities by race/ethnicity have been described, data by nativity are limited. The National Immunization Survey is a random-digit-dialed telephone survey that estimates vaccination coverage among U.S. children aged 19–35 months. We assessed coverage among 52,441 children from pooled 2010–2012 data for individual vaccines and the combined 4:3:1:3*:3:1:4 series (which includes ≥4 doses of diphtheria, tetanus, and acellular pertussis vaccine/diphtheria and tetanus toxoids vaccine/diphtheria, tetanus toxoids, and pertussis vaccine, ≥3 doses of poliovirus vaccine, ≥1 dose of measles-containing vaccine, ≥3 or ≥4 doses of Haemophilus influenzae type b vaccine (depending on product type of vaccine; denoted as 3* in the series name), ≥3 doses of hepatitis B vaccine, ≥1 dose of varicella vaccine, and ≥4 doses of pneumococcal conjugate vaccine). Coverage estimates controlling for sociodemographic factors and multivariable logistic regression modeling for 4:3:1:3*:3:1:4 series completion are presented. Significantly lower coverage among foreign-born children was detected for DTaP, hepatitis A, hepatitis B, Hib, pneumococcal conjugate, and rotavirus vaccines, and for the combined series. Series completion disparities persisted after control for demographic, access-to-care, poverty, and language effects. Substantial and potentially widening disparities in vaccination coverage exist among foreign-born children. Improved immunization strategies targeting this population and continued vaccination coverage monitoring by nativity are needed.
Long duration balloon flight exposure of a Ce:LaBr 3 crystal

Cerium-doped lanthanum bromide is an attractive scintillator for use in hard x-ray/low energy gamma ray astronomy instruments. Its high light output and correspondingly excellent energy resolution, fast decay time, and relatively high density offer advantages, but the relatively high internal background due to the presence of the naturally occurring radioactive isotope 138La is a disadvantage. It is desirable to expose LaBr 3 to a near-space environment in order to investigate the effects of space exposure on the internal background of the crystal. We have flown an unshielded 1 inch diameter cylindrical LaBr 3 and an identical NaI(Tl) scintillator on the ATIC long duration balloon flight from Antarctica for a total of 16 days exposure. We present results from this test, including the background rates at float altitude and changes in the measured spectra over time. No indication is seen of any increase in rate due to activation. The results indicate that LaBr 3 appears to be satisfactory as a balloon- or satellite-borne x-ray/gamma ray detector.
Nonparametric information criterion for change point problems

The identification of change points is often considered as a model selection problem and the most commonly used methods are the Akaike information criterion (AIC), Bayesian information criterion (BIC) and their modified versions. These methods rely on the parametric distribution of the characteristic of interest, and any deviation from the specified parametric model may lead to incorrect conclusions. We propose an empirical likelihood based information criterion for identifying changes in the process parameters. The main advantage of our method is that we do not need to specify a parametric distribution for the characteristic of interest. Our simulation studies indicate that our method is as good as existing methods when the distribution of the characteristic is known, and it outperforms existing methods when the parametric distribution is approximated or misspecified. We applied our proposed method in two real examples.
Multi-Potent Adult Progenitor Cells from Swine Bone Marrow.

Here, we show that Multi-potent Adult Progenitor Cells (MAPCs) can be derived from adult and fetal swine bone marrow. Swine MAPC (swMAPC) contain initially multiple different progenitors and mature cells; however, cultures are homogenous by 50 population doublings and can grow past 150 population doublings. SwMAPCs are CD44, CD45, and MHC-I, II negative, express Oct3a/4 at levels close to those seen in embryonic stem cells, and have telomerase activity leading to no telomere shortening with expansion. We also have very solid evidence that swMAPCs differentiate into most mesoderm, neuroectoderm, and endoderm lineages as demonstrated by a significant up-regulation of transcription factors and other lineage specific proteins in a time dependent fashion similar to development, measured by Q-RT-PCR as well as immunohistology. In addition, swMAPCs induced to the endothelial lineage form vascular tubes, to the hepatic lineage produce albumin and urea, and to the smooth muscle lineage display significant calcium flux in response to smooth muscle agonists. In addition, we are investigating the swMAPC differentiation into cardiomyocytes. Preliminary data indicates swMAPCs express TBX5, Nkx2.5, and GATA6 by day 7 at significant levels. As we have seen for rodent MAPCs, when swMAPCs are allowed to grow at high density, Oct3a/4 levels drop to undetectable ranges, the cells take on a mesenchymal stem cell (MSC) phenotype, and the differentiation potential is lost. When replated under low density conditions, oct3a/4 expression or differentiation capacity can not be re-induced, and cells remain MSC like. Therefore, we suggest that Oct3a/4 is not an in vitro culture phenomena but is already present in swMAPCs and cannot be recovered once lost with standard culturing techniques.
Arterial Ischemic Stroke Study of Risk Factors

Data from the International Pediatric Stroke Study were analyzed by researchers at Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne, Australia, and other centers.
THE VIEW OF A LEGISLATER AND A SUMMARY OF THE CONFERENCE

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a summary of the conference of COGENE with all of it legal, political, and social overtones. Recombinant DNA research poses for the scientific community the fundamental questions of its role in society. It poses for government fundamental questions of its role in science. The scientific community often resolves its own conflicts more easily than political community can even understand them and has been doing so with some of the concerns that have been central to the recombinant DNA debate. However, the scientific community cannot resolve by the same techniques the public policy concerns of its larger public constituency, and government cannot isolate itself from the science that it has encouraged and supported. Public is properly questioning the idea of total scientific freedom. The newly-acquired capability for manipulating the most fundamental processes of life has challenged society to think about the implications of this freedom. Limitations upon experimentation on human subjects demonstrate that reasonable restrictions can be articulated and respected.
Fortune favors the organized: How chicago activists won equity goals under austerity

What explains the recent success of municipal minimum wages and other city-level distributive economic reforms? Noting the emergence of income inequality as a political issue, scholars and media ac...
Language, Meaning, and Ek-Sistence

Wherever one encounters human beings one finds language. It is only-natural then that as soon as man begins to reflect on what he is, he will meet the phenomenon of language. Speech itself, one soon sees, also asks that man reflect thoughtfully and try to understand language from the viewpoint of that which immediately manifests itself in it.
Combining therapeutic approaches: rTMS and aerobic exercise in post-stroke depression: a case series.

Objective and importance Residual effects of stroke include well-documented functional limitations and high prevalence of depression. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) and aerobic exercise (AEx) are established techniques that improve depressive symptoms, but a combination of the two has yet to be reported. The purpose of this case series is to examine the safety, feasibility, and impact of combined rTMS and AEx on post-stroke depression and functional mobility. Clinical presentation Three participants with a history of stroke and at least mild depressive symptoms (Patient Health Questionare-9 ≥5). Intervention Both rTMS and AEx were completed 3 times/week for 8-weeks. rTMS was applied to the left dorsolateral prefrontal cortex, 5000 pulses/session at 10 Hz, at an intensity of 120% of resting motor threshold. AEx consisted of 40 min of treadmill walking at 50-70% of heart rate reserve. Results Depressive symptoms improved in all three participants, with all demonstrating response (≥50% improvement in symptoms) and likely remission. All participants improved their Six Minute Walk Test distance and Participants 1 and 2 also improved Berg Balance Scale scores. Participants 1 and 3 improved overground walking speeds. No serious adverse events occurred with the application of rTMS or AEx and the participants' subjective reports indicated positive responses. Adherence rate for both rTMS and AEx was 98%. Conclusion Combined treatment of rTMS and AEx appears safe, feasible, and tolerable in individuals with a history of stroke and at least mild depressive symptoms. All participants had good compliance and demonstrated improvements in both depressive symptoms and walking capacity.
Immunology: Is Actin at the Lytic Synapse a Friend or a Foe?

Summary Cytotoxic T cells and natural killer cells defend us against disease by secreting lytic granules. Whether actin facilitates or thwarts lytic granule secretion has been an open question. Recent results now indicate that the answer depends on the maturation stage of the immune cell–target cell contact.
Effects of 5-Aza-2′-deoxycytidine (decitabine) on gene expression

5-Aza-2'-deoxycytidine (AzaD), also known as Decitabine, is a deoxycytidine analog that is typically used to activate methylated and silenced genes by promoter demethylation. However, a survey of the scientific literature indicates that promoter demethylation may not be the only (or, indeed, the major) mechanism by which AzaD affects gene expression. Regulation of gene expression by AzaD can occur in several ways, including some that are independent of DNA demethylation. Results from several studies indicate that the effect of AzaD on gene expression is highly context-dependent and can differ for the same gene under different environmental settings. This may, in part, be due to the nature of the silencing mechanism(s) involved - DNA methylation, repressive histone modifications, or a combination of both. The varied effects of AzaD on such context-dependent regulation of gene expression may underlie some of the diverse responses exhibited by patients undergoing AzaD therapy. In this review, we describe the salient properties of AzaD with particular emphasis on its diverse effects on gene expression, aspects that have barely been discussed in most reviews of this interesting drug.
Falstaff: Prophet of Covenant

Falstaff has recently been read through the history of Puritan politics and the Marprelate Controversy. Kietzman contributes to an understanding of Falstaff as Puritan by showing how the biblical role of prophet as social critic informs his part in the Henry plays. Falstaff’s “job,” like that of the prophets, is to educate kings by deploying the communitarian values of fellowship and love. Shakespeare plots the Lancastrian succession through the history of the first two biblical kings, Saul and David. As Henry (Saul) sickens and dies, Hal rises through the lessons in covenant ethics learned from Falstaff. The test is whether he will be a truly covenantal monarch by wrangling with his men and repenting, like David, for the sin of “killing” his friend, Falstaff.