cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Proving the unprovable : the role of law, science, and speculation in adjudicating culpability and dangerousness

It is hard enough in many cases simply figuring out whether a person has committed an antisocial act. It is harder still to determine the extent to which he or she intended the act, and why he or she committed it. And most difficult of all is divining whether a person will harm again. The law has increasingly turned to mental health professionals to help address these issues, particularly the last two. Because of their familiarity with and study of human behavior, psychiatrists, psychologists and other clinicians are thought to possess special expertise in assessing culpability and dangerousness. Members of these groups routinely furnish the courts with evaluations of insanity and other mental state at the time of the offense, and even more frequently proffer predictions about future behavior. Both culpability and dangerousness are exceedingly difficult to gauge; even mental health professionals well-versed in the behavioral sciences cannot claim a high degree of reliability in their efforts to address these issues. Though the current trend in evidence law is to demand a rigorous demonstration of scientific validity from expert witnesses, especially when those experts are mental health professionals proffered by the defense, this book argues that this is a mistake. Such a position undermines the fairness of the process and could quite possibly even diminish its reliability, given the defense's constitutional entitlement to tell its story and the inscrutability of past and future mental states. At the same time, Professor Slobogin proposes a number of ways the courts can ensure that experts provide the best possible information about ultimately unknowable past mental states and future behavior.
Large-Scale Fluctuations in the Mass Distribution and the Microwave Background: Nature and Evolution

There is a striking contrast between the simplicity of the large-scale structure of the Universe and the complexity we encounter on smaller scales. Clusters of galaxies are on the dividing line and so are a natural focus for attempts to understand what this dichotomy might mean. I discuss here some scenarios for the evolution of departures from homogeneity with particular attention to what we learn from the large-scale clustering of galaxies and the large-scale fluctuations in the microwave background radiation.
Improved automated reaction mapping

Automated reaction mapping is an important tool in cheminformatics where it may be used to classify reactions or validate reaction mechanisms. The reaction mapping problem is known to be NP-Complete and may be formulated as an optimization problem. In this paper we present three algorithms that continue to obtain optimal solutions to this problem, but with significantly improved runtimes over the previous CCV algorithm. Our algorithmic improvements include (a) the use of a fast (but not 100% accurate) canonical labeling algorithm, (b) name reuse (i.e., storing intermediate results rather than recomputing), and (c) an incremental approach to canonical name computation. Experimental results on chemical reaction databases demonstrate our 2-CCV NR FDN algorithm usually performs over ten times faster than previous fastest automated reaction mapping algorithms.
Millennial‐ to century‐scale variability in Gulf of Mexico Holocene climate records

of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ) related to orbital forcing. The d 18 O of the surface-dwelling planktic foraminifer Globigerinoides ruber show negative excursions between 14 and 10.2 ka (radiocarbon years) that reflect influx of meltwater into the western GOM during melting of the Laurentide Ice Sheet. The relative abundance of the planktic foraminifer Globigerinoides sacculifer is related to transport of Caribbean water into the GOM. Maximum transport of Caribbean surface waters and moisture into the GOM associated with a northward migration of the average position of the ITCZ occurs between about 6.5 and 4.5 ka. In addition, abundance variations of G. sacculifer show century-scale variability throughout most of the Holocene. The GOM record is consistent with records from other areas, suggesting that century-scale variability is a pervasive feature of Holocene climate. The frequency of several cycles in the climate records is similar to cycles identified in proxy records of solar variability, indicating that at least some of the century-scale climate variability during the Holocene is due to external (solar) forcing. INDEX TERMS: 4267 Oceanography: General: Paleoceanography; 9604 Information Related to Geologic Time: Cenozoic; 3030 Marine Geology and Geophysics: Micropaleontology;
The Effect of Collaborative Concept Mapping on Elementary Preservice Teachers' Anxiety, Efficacy, and Achievement in Physical Science.

(1998). The Effect of Collaborative Concept Mapping on Elementary Preservice Teachers' Anxiety, Efficacy, and Achievement in Physical Science. Journal of Science Teacher Education: Vol. 9, No. 4, pp. 303-320.
A Review of “China's housing reform and outcomes”

Editor Joyce Yanyun Man's China's Housing Reform and Outcomes is a thought-provoking book of interest to China scholars, international planning specialists, and housing policy experts. The volume i...
Dementia-Related Mealtime Difficulties: Assessment and Management in the Long-Term Care Setting

By the year 2050, the number of persons with dementia aged 65 and older in the United States is expected to increase from 5.4 to 16 million persons [1]. While most persons with dementia (PWD) prefer to be cared for in their home environment, as the disease causes progressive functional and behavioral decline many will require institutional care. For these PWD, this means placement in assisted-living facilities or skilled nursing homes (NH). The number of PWD in the NH setting is expected to double to three million by the year 2050 [1]. While NHs attempt to address the multiple needs of their residents, the very basic need for adequate nutrition to promote health may be compromised by frailty, chronic illness, and cognitive decline.
Climate Change Preparedness: A Knowledge and Attitudes Study in Southern Nigeria

Global climate change is projected to adversely impact freshwater resources, and in many settings these impacts are already apparent. In Nigeria, these impacts can be especially severe because of limited adaptive capacity. Understanding the knowledge and attitudes of current and future Nigerian decision-makers is important to preparing Nigeria for climate change impacts. This paper examines the knowledge and attitudes of university students and government officials about the causes, effects, and priority given to climate change in Nigeria. Paper surveys were distributed to 379 study participants in Akwa Ibom and Lagos states of Nigeria. The findings reveal that approximately 90% of study participants believe that human activities are a significant cause of climate change, with no significant difference between ministry officials’ and students’ responses. Participants were less knowledgeable about the effects of climate change on Nigeria as a whole, but more aware of impacts relevant to Southern Nigeria, where study sites were located. Personal experience seemed to play a role in the knowledge and attitudes of respondents. Due to the varied climate of the country, campaigns to ensure comprehensive knowledge of climate change impacts to the entire country may be helpful.
PCBM concentration dependent morphology of P3HT in composite P3HT/PCBM nanoparticles

Abstract Minor changes in processing conditions and composition of blended conjugated polymer materials have led to sometimes unpredictable properties of resulting plastic optoelectronic devices due to the complex morphology of conjugated polymer materials. We report a Single Particle Spectroscopy study of composite poly-(3-hexylthiophene) (P3HT)/1-(3-Methoxycarbonylpropyl)-1-phenyl-[6.6]C 61 (PCBM) nanoparticles fabricated with varying doping levels of PCBM to investigate changes in morphology of P3HT with respect to blend composition. We find that this material system consists of crystalline nanodomains with two distinct morphologies that have characteristic optical signatures, and that exhibit a change in their relative abundance with changing PCBM dopant concentration in favor of the more densely packed crystal structure with higher PCBM concentrations.
Increased risk of preterm birth in singleton pregnancies resulting from in vitro fertilization-embryo transfer or gamete intrafallopian transfer: a meta-analysis.

Objective To perform a systematic review of the literature to determine whether singleton pregnancies resulting from IVF-ET/GIFT are at higher risk for preterm birth ( Design Literature search and systematic review. Setting Medical school. Intervention(s) A MEDLINE search (1965–2000) was performed using the terms "premature labor," "infertility," "pregnancy complications," "gonadotropins," "pregnancy outcome," "preterm delivery," and "in vitro fertilization." Criteria for inclusion were English language, original research article, study patients conceived using IVF-ET (with or without intracytoplasmic sperm injection) or GIFT, pregnancy outcome reported compared with a control group (e.g., naturally conceived singletons at their hospital or a national reference), and prematurity clearly defined. Incomplete articles (e.g., abstracts), reports of other studies, and studies that failed to separate multiple from singleton gestations were excluded. Main outcome measure(s) Summary of relative risks of preterm birth. Result(s) Twenty-seven articles met all inclusion/exclusion criteria and were analyzed by meta-analysis. The random-effects summary relative risk of preterm birth in singleton pregnancies resulting from IVF-ET/GIFT was 1.98 (95% confidence interval, 1.77–2.22). Conclusion(s) The risk of preterm birth in singleton pregnancies resulting from IVF-ET/GIFT is twice that of natural conceived pregnancies.
Comparison of outcomes after auto-SCT for patients with relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma according to previous therapy with rituximab

The standard approach for relapsed diffuse large B-cell lymphoma (DLBCL) involves auto-SCT. However, studies that established this approach were conducted before the inclusion of rituximab (R) with first-line therapy became routine. Whether DLBCL patients (pts) relapsing after first-line chemoimmunotherapy including R derive a comparable benefit from auto-SCT to pts in the pre-R era is unknown. We analyzed outcomes after auto-SCT for relapsed DLBCL among pts receiving initial R and those who did not. We reviewed 257 consecutive pts with relapsed DLBCL treated at our institution with auto-SCT. In all, 226 pts were included in the analysis, of whom 161 had received no R and 65 received R as part of first-line therapy (Planned R). Median OS and relapse-free survival, measured from transplant, were similar between No R vs Planned R groups: 67 vs 44 months (P=0.3) and 25 vs 27 months (P=0.8), respectively. A further analysis was carried out between two cohorts matched by propensity analysis. Again, no differences in outcomes were observed. This suggests that auto-SCT may be equally effective in pts relapsing after first-line therapy including R, and should remain the standard of care for relapsed DLBCL.
Learning styles and student attitudes toward various aspects of network-based instruction

Abstract In order to determine student attitudes toward various aspects of network-based instruction 234 individuals voluntarily participated in research to ascertain their tendencies that will likely facilitate, or interfere with, interacting and learning from this innovative technology. Participants were requested to respond anonymously to 60 items of a survey, designed to assess their attitudes toward distinct facets of network-based instruction, as well as two separate forms developed to ascertain their learning and cognitive styles. Student responses to survey items, and measures of learning and cognitive styles, were analyzed using a number of multivariate and univariate statistical techniques. Students with assimilating and accommodating learning styles demonstrated significantly more agreeable attitudes toward varied aspects of network-based instruction than students with converging and diverging learning styles. These findings partially supported the general hypothesis. Recommendations are made to appropriate sponsors, academic administrators, faculty members, and instructional developers, interested in realizing on-line learning.
Molecular Dynamics Simulation of Radiation-Induced Amorphization of the Ordered Compound NiZr2

We have studied the electron irradiation-induced amorphization of the ordered intermetallic compound NiZr[sub 2] by molecular dynamics simulations in conjunction with embedded-atom potentials. Randomly chosen Frenkel pairs and chemical disorder were introduced into the system in separate processes. In both cases, the energy and volume of the system rose above the corresponding levels of a quenched liquid and the calculated diffraction patterns indicated the occurrence of a crystalline-to-amorphous transition. In addition, the average shear elastic constant fell to about 50% of its value in the perfect crystal and the system became elastically isotropic. These results indicate that NiZr[sub 2] can be amorphized by chemical disorder as well as Frenkel pairs and are in good agreement with experimental observations.
Visualization of RecA protein and its complexes with DNA by quick-freeze/deep-etch electron microscopy☆

Abstract Freeze-etch electron microscopy of pure RecA protein aggregates, as well as of RecA protein complexes on single-stranded and double-stranded DNA formed with various nucleotides, has permitted a clearer discrimination between the two different helical polymers that this protein forms. Both are continuous, single-start, right-handed helices; however, the form observed when ATP or non-hydrolyzable ATP analogs are present has a pitch of 9.5 nm and a diameter of 10 nm, while the other form, observed in the absence of ATP or its analogs, or in the presence of ADP, has a pitch of 6 nm and a diameter of 12 nm. The former “long pitch” helix is found only when RecA protein is bound to DNA. The latter “short pitch” helix is also observed in pure RecA protein polymers (also termed rods) and in the needlelike paracrystals of RecA protein that form in the presence of magnesium or spermidine ions, representing bundles of rods closely packed in register. Addition of ATP or nonhydrolyzable ATP analogs in the absence of DNA dissociates the pure RecA protein crystals, as well as individual helical rods, into short curvilinear chains of attached monomers. These chains typically form closed, circular rings of 7(±1) protein monomers, similar in construction to a single turn of the RecA protein helix, but significantly broader in diameter. The role of ATP in interconverting the various polymeric forms of RecA protein is discussed within the context that ATP functions as a reversible allosteric effector of RecA protein, much as it mediates reversible conformational changes in other vectoral motor proteins such as myosin, dynein, kinesin and the 70,000 Mr “heat shock” ATPases. We discuss how cyclic conversions back and forth between the short- and long-pitch conformations of RecA protein could mediate in reversible single-stranded and double-stranded DNA interactions during the search for homology.
Catecholamine Mechanisms in the Feedback Effects of Estradiol Benzoate on the Release of LH and Prolactin

The role of hypothalamic catecholamines and luteinizing hormone releasing hormone (LHRH) in the negative feedback effect of estradiol benzoate (EB) on luteinizing hormone (LH) release was studied in chronic ovariectomized rats. Administration of 10 micrograms EB decreased plasma LH levels and increased LHRH content in the medial basal hypothalamus (MBH) 1 day after injection. Inhibition of dopamine and norepinephrine synthesis with alpha-methyl-p-tyrosine (alpha-MT) reduced the LHRH content in the MBH in both oil- and EB-treated animals and partially reversed the decrease in plasma LH levels. Inhibition of norepinephrine synthesis with fusaric acid decreased LHRH content in both oil- and EB-treated rats but had no effect on plasma LH levels. The results suggest that at least a portion of the inhibitory effect of EB on LH release is due to the stimulation of an inhibitory dopaminergic mechanism which reduces LHRH release from the MBH. This feedback mechanism is apparently not susceptible to dopaminergic receptor blockade since administration of pimozide had no effect on LH levels. The stimulatory feedback effect of EB on prolactin release was studied in the same animals. alpha-MT and EB produced additive effects on plasma prolactin levels whereas fusaric acid blocked the EB-induced increase in plasma prolactin levels. Pimozide appeared to potentiate the effect of EB on prolactin release. The results reconfirm the possible role of noradrenergic neurons in the release of prolactin induced by EB and also suggest that EB stimulates a dopaminergic mechanism which is inhibitory to prolactin release but is normally masked by increased noradrenergic activity.
Mutagenic evaluation of nitrofuran derivatives in Salmonella typhimurium, by the micronucleus test, and by in vivo cytogenetics

The mutagenicity of 12 nitrofurans was tested in the new Salmonella typhimurium tester strains TA100 and TA98 developed by Ames and coworkers from the standard tester strains TA1535 and TA1538, respectively, by the incorporation of an R-factor plasmid, pKM101. The standard TA1535 and TA1538 tester strains were not mutated by the nitrofurans. All the nitrofurans tested were mutagenic in both the TA100 and TA98 tester strains. Nitrofurazone and nitrofurantoin dose-response curves in TA100 and TA98 indicated that TA100 was a more sensitive indicator of nitrofuran mutagenic activity than TA98. The mutagenicity of nitrofurazone and nitrofurantoin was further evaluated by the micronucleus test in bone marrow of male Sprague-Dawley rats. The test compounds were administered i.p., one-half the dose 30 h and the rest 6 h before sacrifice. Neither nitrofurazone at 15, 30, and 60 mg/kg nor nitrofurantoin at 50, 100, and 200 mg/kg caused a statistically significant increase in the percentage of reticulocytes with micronuclei. Nitrofurazone at 60 mg/kg in male Long-Evans rats also gave negative results. Furylfuramide (AF-2) administered at 60, 120, and 240 mg/kg as a suspension in physiological saline caused a slight but statistically significant (P < 0.05) increase in the percentage of reticulocytes with micronuclei. Nitrofurazone, further evaluated for the induction of chromosomal aberrations in in vivo cytogenetic testing of the bone marrow of male Sprague-Dawley rats, was administered i.p. as a single dose at 60 mg/kg and did not induce chromosomal aberrations in bone marrow samples after 6 and 24 h.
Neuroprotective effects of Toki-Shakuyaku-San (TJ-23) on glutamate induced neuronal death in cultured cerebellar granule cells

The neuroprotective properties of Toki-Shakuyaku-San (TJ-23) were investigated in L-glutamic acid (Glu)-induced neuronal death in 8 day primary cultured cerebellar granule cells. After a 4 h incubation in Mg2+-free Locke's solution at 37°C, the neuronal survival was 88.5%. An application of 100 μM of Glu into Mg2+-free Locke's solution resulted in 40% neuronal survival. Further application of either 0.05 or 0.5 mg/mL of TJ-23 into the above solution resulted in 65% and 71% of neuronal survival, respectively. In order to investigate the involvement of ions in the active mechanism of TJ-23, we examined Glu-induced neuronal death in the presence or absence of NaCl, Ca2+, and Mg2+. It was observed that TJ-23 selectively inhibited the Ca2+-dependent neuronal death. From these observations, it is inferred that TJ-23 has a neuroprotective effect on Glu-induced neuronal death. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
VE-cadherin-induced Cdc42 Signaling Regulates Formation of Membrane Protrusions in Endothelial Cells

The cytoplasmic domain of cadherins and the associated catenins link the cytoskeleton with signal transduction pathways. To study the signaling function of non-junctional VE-cadherin, which can form during the loss VE-cadherin homotypic adhesion, wild type VE-cadherin or VE-cadherin cytoplasmic domain (ΔEXD) was expressed in sub-confluent endothelial cells. We observed that Cdc42 was activated in transfected cells and that these cells also developed Cdc42-dependent >70-μm-long plasma membrane protrusions. The formation of these structures required actin polymerization, and they developed specifically in endothelial cells as compared with epithelial cells. Expression of the VE-cadherin cytoplasmic domain lacking the β-catenin binding site also induced Cdc42 activation; thus, its activation cannot be ascribed to β-catenin binding. However, these cells were not able to form the protrusions. These results suggest that the cytoplasmic domain of non-junctional VE-cadherin can serve as a scaffold involved in Cdc42 activation at the endothelial plasma membrane. β-Catenin and the associated α-catenin may serve as support sites for actin polymerization, leading to formation of long plasma membrane protrusions. Thus, non-junctional VE-cadherin actively participates in inside-out signaling at the plasma membrane, leading to the development of endothelial membrane protrusions.
The Unusual Sculptures of Telantunich, Yucatan: Phalli and the Concept of Masculinity among the Ancient Maya

Recently discovered sculpture fragments from the area surrounding the important but little-studied site of Telantunich confirm a regional tradition of human portraiture quite distinct from the better-known canon of Maya stelae. Comparative material presented here shows connections between this tradition and a regional emphasis on depictions of masculine sexuality, especially depictions of human phalli. The authors present an analysis of this corpus that confirms that such depictions both reflect Classic Maya conceptions of masculinity and were deployed to convey and reify such conceptions within society.
“How Far can an Intellectual Effort Diminish Pain?” William McDougall's Journal as a Model for Facing Death

The distinguished psychologist William McDougall (1871–1938) kept a journal during the last month of his life. This Journal is published here for what appears to be the first time, accompanied by a preliminary textual analysis. McDougall's major themes are increasingly intolerable pain, a self-evaluation focused primarily on his career achievements, and his attempt to “take a strong course” through the intensive application of intellectual and moral effort. He emphasizes “will power” and the bridging concept of “structural integrity” that relates his personal encounter with dissolution to the challenges faced by nations and other human-created systems. McDougall's own implicit model of the dying process is compared with current theories that emphasize stages, communicational interactions, and coping tasks. It is suggested that textual analysis of self-narratives can help to expand and refine our understanding of the ways in which individuals interpret the last phases of their lives.
Aurones: Small Molecule Visible Range Fluorescent Probes Suitable for Biomacromolecules

Aurones, derivatives of 2-benylidenebenzofuran-3(2H)-one, are natural products that serve as plant pigments. There have been reports that some of these substances fluoresce, but little information about their optical properties is in the literature. In this report, series of aurone derivatives were synthesized as possible fluorescent probes that can be excited by visible light. We found that an amine substituent shifted the lowest energy absorption band from the near-UV to the visible region of the electromagnetic spectrum. Four amine-substituted aurone derivatives were synthesized to explore the effect of this substituent on the absorption and emission properties of the aurone chromophore. The emission maxima and intensities of the molecules are strongly dependent on the nature of the substituent and the solvent polarity. Overall, the emission intensity increases and the maximum wavelength decreases in less polar solvents; thus, the aurones may be useful probes for hydrophobic sites on biological molecules. A limited investigation with model protein, nucleic acid and fixed cells supports this idea. It is known that the sulfur analog of aurone can undergo photo-induced E/Z isomerization. This possibility was investigated for one of the aminoaurones, which was observed to reversible photoisomerize. The two isomers have similar absorption spectra, but the emission properties are distinct. We conclude that appropriately substituted aurones are potentially useful as biological probes and photoswitches.
3D microscopy using a tilted microfluidic channel

We introduce a microfluidic microscope with 3D imaging capabilities. Using a tilted capillary channel, we collect and deconvolve focal stacks of a flowing sample to retrieve a volume image. Experiments on yeast cells are shown.
MEDICAL PROBLEMS IN SURGERY FOR UNCORRECTABLE CYANOTIC HEART DISEASE.

W ITH IMPROVED instrumentation and technical skill, the diagnosis of many complicated anomalies in cyanotic infants can now be made with a higher degree of accuracy. Medical management has definitely played a supportive role in the treatment of patients with cyanotic congenital heart disease, and undoubtedly surgery will continue to be the major factor in the treatment of these infants. Great progress has been made in the surgical treatment of the cyanotic infant since Blaloek and Taussig reported the results of their subclavianpulmonary artery anastcmesis in 1945,1 and espeeially since the introduction of open-heart surgery in 1955. The practicing physician's increasing awareness of the possibilities and facilities for accurate diagnosis and treatment of the newborn with congenital heart disease has resulted in earlier referrals of these Fatients for cardiac evaluation. Consequently, we are now more and more faced with the problems of caring for an acutely ill newborn infant with very complicated anomalies, frequently not amenable to either medical management or presently available surgical treatment. The use of hyperbaric oxygenation is being explored, and will be discussed further in this paper. For many of these cyanotic infants with complicated cardiac malformations and irreversible pulmonary vascular disease, the only future solution doubtless lies within the realm of possibility of heart and lung transplants. Toward solution of this problem, continued research on the immune mechanism of the human body is necessary. The inherent difficulties in studying the fetus and newborn infant have thus far limited our knowledge of the physiologic and metabolic changes occurring after birth. The available information, as far as it concerns the cyanotic infants, will be reviewed briefly. With increasing accuracy in diagnosis, and more knowledge of the physiologic metabolic changes of the cyanotic infant with congenital heart disease, more knowledgeable medical management can greatly improve the surgical results.
The differential sensitivity of T cell immune functions to vincristine and vinblastine.

Normal C57Bl/6 mouse spleen cells cultured alone for 4 days (suppressor generation culture) were shown, in mixing experiments, to suppress the primary cytotoxic T-lymphocyte (CTL) response of freshly explanted C57Bl/6 spleen cells against allogeneic tumor cells. This suppression was not apparent when spleen cells from mice pretreated with 1 mg/kg vinblastine (VLB), were used for the suppressor generation culture. However, suppression was noted with vincristine (VCR) at the same dose. Similarly, CTL generation cultures of spleen cells from mice treated with 12 LD10 VLB (3 mg/kg) were inhibited while those of spleen cells from mice treated with 12 LD10 VCR (1.5 mg/kg) were not. These effects observed following in vivo injection of the vinca alkaloids were also seen following addition of the drugs in vitro. In these experiments various anticancer drugs [arabinofuranosylcytosine (Ara-C), 200–1000 nM; Adriamycin (AM), 10–100 nM; VCR, 1–100 nM; VLB, 1–100 nM] were added to suppressor cell generation cultures. Ara-C (1 μM) and VLB (10 nM) inhibited the development of suppressor activity, whereas AM (100 nM) and VCR (100 nM) had no effect. The data indicate that these effects were not due to differences in the number of viable cells recovered. On the other hand, when these drugs were added to CTL generation culture at a responder to stimulator cell ratio of 50:1 (a ratio which gave somewhat less than optimal responses), Ara-C markedly inhibited the development of CTL, VCR and VLB both caused a dose dependent inhibition of the response and AM had no effect. In other experiments, the development of a primary humoral response to SRBC in culture with spleen cells from drug-treated donor mice was more sensitive to VCR than to VLB. These data show that VCR and VLB have different selective effects on components and/or functions of immune responses.
Interaction between urbanization and climate variability amplifies watershed nitrate export in Maryland.

We investigated regional effects of urbanization and land use change on nitrate concentrations in approximately 1,000 small streams in Maryland during record drought and wet years in 2001−2003. We ...
A phase II study of high-dose calcitriol combined with mitoxantrone and prednisone for androgen-independent prostate cancer

OBJECTIVE To evaluate the preliminary efficacy, safety, and impact on quality of life (QoL) of high-dose calcitriol (DN-101) combined with mitoxantrone and glucocorticoids in androgen-independent prostate cancer (AIPC). PATIENTS AND METHODS Nineteen patients with metastatic AIPC and no previous chemotherapy received DN-101 180 µg orally on day 1 and mitoxantrone 12 mg/m2 intravenously on day 2 every 21 days with continuous daily prednisone 10 mg orally for a maximum of 12 cycles. A confirmed decline in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) levels by half was the primary endpoint. QoL was evaluated using the European Organization for Research and Treatment of Cancer QLQ-C30 questionnaire, and pain and analgesic use were evaluated. RESULTS Five of 19 patients (26%; 95% confidence interval, CI, 9–51) achieved a ≥50% decline in PSA level. The median (95% CI) time to PSA progression was 16 (6–26) weeks. The overall median (95% CI) survival was 16 (6–26) months; 47 (21–73)% of patients achieved an analgesic response. Toxicity was similar to that expected with mitoxantrone and prednisone alone. The QoL analysis suggested a decrease in physical functioning and increase in fatigue, insomnia, and diarrhoea. CONCLUSIONS DN-101 given every 3 weeks does not add significant activity to mitoxantrone and prednisone in AIPC, as measured by the PSA decline. The high rate of analgesic response is encouraging. The addition of DN-101 does not appear to increase the toxicity of mitoxantrone.
Nilpotency ofQ BRST and background field equations

Following the method of Fradkin and Vialkovsky, we study the BRST charge operator.QBRST, for the closed bosonic string coupled to the background of its massless states. We show that the requirement of nilpotency ofQBRST gives rise to the correct equations for the background fields.
Social Problem Solving Through Science: An Approach to Critical, Place-Based, Science Teaching and Learning

The Social Problem Solving through Science (SPSS) project engaged middle school-aged youth in the study of local environmental challenges with implications for human health and well-being, both globally and locally. Students considered environmental risk factors in a series of structured activities to develop background knowledge on environmental health issues. Pairs of students then worked together on a relevant topic of their choosing to create and share “public service announcements” in the form of posters to educate their peers, family, and community members about one of the public health topics they had studied. The project goal was to assess the degree to which learning tasks designed to be transformative to students’ understanding of their place in the world could also increase students’ science knowledge despite that outcome not being a primary focus of instruction. Pre- and post-interviews of the 23 project participants indicated that participation enhanced science content knowledge while also en...
Luminescence from the trans-dioxotechnetium(V) chromophore.

The luminescence of trans-[TcO2(L)4]+ (L = pyridine (py) or picoline (pic)) and trans-[TcO2(CN)4]3- at room and low temperature is described and represents the first example of room temperature excited-state luminescence observed for Tc complexes. At room temperature, the complexes exhibited broad luminescence with emission maxima ranging from 745 to 780 nm. Analogous to the Re complexes (emission at 635−655 nm), the low-temperature emission spectra of microcrystalline samples of [TcO2(py)4]BPh4 and [TcO2(pic)4]BPh4 display the characteristic progressions of the symmetric OTcO and Tc−L stretching modes. DFT/TDDFT calculations were performed on the trans-[MO2(L)4]+ (M = Re, Tc) congeners and predicted the dioxotechnetium emission to be 0.41 eV lower in energy than its Re analogue. Low-temperature lifetimes (8 K) ranging from 15 to 1926 μs for the series of Tc complexes are consistent with the Re analogues.
Poster: Optimus: A Parallel Optimization Framework with Topology Aware PSO and Applications

This research presents a parallel metaheuristic optimization framework, Optimus (Optimization Methods for Universal Simulators) for integration of a desired population-based search method with a target scientific application. Optimus includes a parallel middleware component, PRIME (Parallel Reconfigurable Iterative Middleware Engine) for scalable deployment on emergent supercomputing architectures. Additionally, we designed TAPSO (Topology Aware Particle Swarm Optimization) for network based optimization problems and applied it to achieve better convergence for water distribution system (WDS) applications. The framework supports concurrent optimization instances, for instance multiple swarms in the case of PSO. PRIME provides a lightweight communication layer to facilitate periodic inter-optimizer data exchanges. We performed scalability analysis of Optimus on Cray XK6(Jaguar) at Oak Ridge Leadership Computing Facility for the leak detection problem in WDS. For a weak scaling scenario, we achieved 84.82% of baseline at 200,000 cores relative to performance at 1000 cores and 72.84% relative to one core scenario.
Statistical Machine Translation as a Language Model for Handwriting Recognition

When performing handwriting recognition on natural language text, the use of a word-level language model (LM) is known to significantly improve recognition accuracy. The most common type of language model, the n-gram model, decomposes sentences into short, overlapping chunks. In this paper, we propose a new type of language model which we use in addition to the standard n-gram LM. Our new model uses the likelihood score from a statistical machine translation system as a reranking feature. In general terms, we automatically translate each OCR hypothesis into another language, and then create a feature score based on how "difficult" it was to perform the translation. Intuitively, the difficulty of translation correlates with how well-formed the input sentence is. In an Arabic handwriting recognition task, we were able to obtain an 0.4\% absolute improvement to word error rate (WER) on top of a powerful 5-gram LM.
Layer-by-layer fabrication and characterization of DNA-wrapped single-walled carbon nanotube particles.

Carbon nanotubes have been proposed as support materials for numerous applications, including the development of DNA sensors. One of the challenges is the immobilization of DNA or other biological molecules on the sidewall of carbon nanotubes. This paper introduces a new fabrication of DNA−carbon nanotubes particles using the layer-by-layer (LBL) technique on single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWCNTs). Poly(diallyldimethylammonium) (PDDA), a positively charged polyelectrolyte, and DNA as a negatively charged counterpart macromolecule are alternatively deposited on the water-soluble oxidized SWCNTs. Pure DNA/PDDA/SWCNTs particles can be prepared and separated by simple unltracentrifugation. The characterization of DNA/PDDA/SWCNTs particles was carried out by scanning electron microscopy (SEM), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), UV−visible spectroscopy, Raman spectroscopy, and thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). An electrode modified by the DNA/PDDA/SWCNTs particles shows a dramatic change of the electroche...
Singular and interactive effects of testosterone and estrogen on territorial marking in castrated male Mongolian gerbils (Meriones unguiculatus)

Abstract Territorial marking by the male Mongolian gerbil (Meriones unguiculatus) is normally androgen dependent. In the present study it is demonstrated that estrogen will also restore marking behavior in adult castrate males although it appears to be less effective than testosterone. Estrogen will also cause obvious regrowth of the ventral sebaceous marking gland but only minor growth of the seminal vesicles. When testosterone and estrogen are administered together, the testosterone effect upon marking behavior is significantly depressed. These findings lead to the conclusion that the brain area controlling this behavior is responsive to both testosterone and estrogen, and when the two are administered together there is active competition for receptor sites in the brain. The mechanisms governing territorial marking appear to be quite similar to those described for sex behavior in the rat and other rodents and may indicate convergent evolution for behaviors involved in gene transmission.
Immunoassay for avian pancreatic polypeptide and applications in chickens.

A specific radioimmunoassay for avian pancreatic polypeptide (APP) is described. At an antiserum dilution of 1:50,000 the assay is usable over a range of 0.02 to 1.25 ng APP per tube. At the lowest level of standard, cumulative within-assay variance at the 95% confidence level was ±6.58% and at the highest level was ±16.68%. Cumulative between-assay variance ±2.7 to ±5.0% over the same range. Fifty percent displacement of 125I-APP occurred at 0.45 ng APP per tube. Recovery of APP added to chicken plasma was ±5.0% except at levels near 20 ng/ml where estimates of APP content were 10–15% high. Dilution curves paralleled the standard curves except at high APP content. The immunoassay detected APP in acid alcohol extracts of chicken pancreas and duodenum. No APP could be detected in other organs. The disappearance from plasma of APP injected intravenously into chickens could be fitted to a two-compartment model with T12 values of 2.45 and 8.28 min, respectively.
Dissociation of antinociceptive from cardiovascular effects of stimulation in the lateral reticular nucleus in the rat.

Abstract The lateral reticular nucleus (LRN) in the caudal ventrolateral medulla has been implicated in the regulation of spinal nociceptive transmission and hemodynamics. Experiments were undertaken to examine the relationship between inhibition of the tail flick reflex and cardiovascular effects produced by electrical stimulation in the LRN in rats lightly anesthetized with pentobarbital. Intensity- and frequency-dependent increases in mean arterial pressure and vascular resistance in the hindquarter, mesenteric, renal and caudal arterial beds were observed. Inhibition of the tail flick reflex, however, occurred at intensities of electrical stimulation which produced no significant changes in mean arterial pressure or vascular resistance in any of the arterial beds studied. Selective stimulation of cell bodies in the LRN by microinjection of glutamate similarly inhibited the tail flick reflex but produced significantreductions in mean arterial pressure, without substantially affecting regional vascular resistances. These results suggest that the antinociceptive and depressor effects of stimulation in the LRN are mediated by activation of cell bodies, while pressor effects produced by focal electrical stimulation are mediated by activation of fibers of passage. The descending inhibition produced by stimulation in the LRN is independent of stimulation-produced cardiovascular responses.
UNESCO’s Conceptualization of Women and Telecommunications 1970-2000

This article examines UNESCO resolutions and programs on women in relation to telecommunications in the time period 1970-2000. It argues that in those three decades, UNESCO responded to the four UN world conferences on women by incorporating women into its programs of information and communication. The organization’s conceptualized relations between women and telecommunications are critiqued as simple and naive. Women are alloted only three roles in relation to telecommunications: as representations, as media professionals and as active participants of communication technologies. It is argued that if women are not seen as owners of telecommunications and inventors of technologies, women’s advancement and women’s empowerment will not be fully achieved.
Green Spaces of Self-Interest Within Shared Urban Governance

Municipal governments in Western Europe and the United States historically built and programmed public, urban park spaces to promote citizenship in accord with middle class values. In many cities these decades-old green spaces have recently fallen into disrepair as fiscally austere governments cut parks budgets. Shared governance for green space is a new solution to parks disinvestment whereby responsibility for their upkeep is redistributed among corporations, non-profits, and local residents. Individual citizenship status in this process is not gained by patronizing parks as in the past, but by assuming responsibility for rebuilding and reprogramming them. But while shared governance increases the number of stakeholders in decision making, its democratic potential is often subverted by entrepreneurial growth coalitions that wield disproportionate power to make market-based, urban environmental decisions. An extension of what counts as governable green space comes with an increase in entrepreneurialism – from the largest waterfront redevelopment projects to the smallest gardens on vacant neighborhood lots. The uneven distribution and quality of green space under market forms of shared governance is intensified as ‘communities of self-interest’ arise around green spaces in some locations whereas others continue to be disinvested in the absence of direct state support. I provide three examples of green space renovation in Milwaukee, Wisconsin to further demonstrate that shared governance arrangements possess democratic potential despite the injustice of their exclusivity as currently negotiated.
Distinctive nucleotide sequences adjacent to multiple initiation and termination sites of an early vaccinia virus gene

Poxviruses, unlike other DNA viruses, replicate in the cytoplasm of infected cells and use their own system of transcription. Examination on one early mRNA synthesized in vivo and in vitro indicated that it has multiple closely spaced 5' and 3' ends. A remarkable 88% AT-rich 60 bp DNA sequence was found immediately upstream of the initiation of transcription sites. Although DNA sequences that bear some homology to Pribnow and Hogness boxes are present, additional recognition sequences located further upstream of procaryotic and eucaryotic initiation sites are absent. A possible initiation of translation codon occurs about 50 nucleotides from the 5' end of the message. The transcript terminates near or within a hexanucleotide CTATTC that is tandemly repeated four times. Sequences similar to those regulating termination of transcription in procaryotes or poly (A) addition in eucaryotes were not found, suggesting that poxviruses have evolved unique recognition signals.
Measurement of Normal and Reportedly Malformed Palatal Vaults. 1. Normal Adult Measurements

SYNOPSIS IN INTERLINGUAMESURATION DE NORMAL E REPORTATEMENTE MALFORMATE VOLTAS PALATAL. 2. NORMAL MESURATIONES JUVENIL.—Le palatos de 1098 juveniles de Minnesota e de 224 adultos de Minneosta esseva mesurate in altura, latitude, e longor pro objectivos de comparation con le reportatemente alte o restringite palatos de subjectos con varie syndromes. Pro facilitar le comparationes, un indice de altura o restrictura relative esseva computate per medio del formula: Altura/Latitude X 100.Le examine del datos pareva indicar que le valor medie del altura relative del palatos accresce un pauco plus rapidemente post le etate de 11 annos que inter le etates de 6 e 11 annos e que durante le mesme period le valor medie del altura relative de palatos mascule deveni progressivemente plus grande que illo del palatos feminin.
The role of borders in environmental education: positioning, power and marginality

In this study, we argue that in order to understand the underlying causes of inequities in education, we need to look outside specific educational settings to the larger social, historical and political structures behind those inequities. Therefore, in this work we take a social justice perspective to look at the relationship between environmental science education, dominant environmental narratives and how places and youth are constructed and positioned through environmental education. To this end, we examine how borders – and their corresponding margins – construct place in environmental education and to discuss implications of this construction of place for issues of environmental justice and equity. Borders both demarcate categories and serve to reify existing social and political relationships. Therefore, we ask the following questions: (1) What is the role of borders in constructing place in environmental education? (2) How do youth position themselves with respect to these borders? and (3) What are...
Neck formation and cavitation in the superplastic Zn-22% Al eutectoid

The mechanical behaviour of the superplastic Zn-22% Al eutectoid is divisible into three distinct regions. Experiments show the deformation is quasi-uniform at intermediate strain rates in region II, but neck formation is important at low strain rates in region I. Extensive cavitation occurs in regions I and II, but fracture in region I is due to necking. The results provide strong evidence for a decrease in the true value of the strain rate sensitivity in region I.
Mouse muscle ϵ- and γ-containing acetylcholine receptors expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes do not differ in their degradation half-lives

Mouse acetylcholine receptors (AChRs) consisting of either the embryonic form (2 alpha, 1 beta, 1 delta and 1 gamma) or the adult form (2 alpha, 1 beta, 1 delta and 1 epsilon) were expressed in Xenopus laevis oocytes. As expected, the single channel conductance was approximately 52 pS and the exponential decay time constants were 2.2 and 8.2 ms for the gamma-AChR and respectively 65 pS and 0.6 and 2.8 ms for the epsilon-AChR. No difference was seen in the degradation rate between the gamma- and epsilon-containing AChRs, both having a half-life of about 5 days.