cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Standardized Equation for Hydrogen Gas Densities for Fuel Consumption Applications1

We have established an equation for the density of hydrogen gas that agrees with the current standard to within 0.01 % from 220 to 400 K with pressures up to 45 MPa. The equation is a truncated virial-type equation based on pressure and temperature dependent terms. The density uncertainty for this equation is the same as the current standard and is estimated as 0.2 % (combined uncertainty with a coverage factor of 2). Comparisons are presented with experimental data and with the full 32-term equation of state.
Uniqueness and non uniqueness for harmonic functions with zero nontangential limits

Definitions. By D we mean the open unit disc which is centered at the origin in the complex plane and by Twe mean its boundary, i.e., its circumference.
Effects of silicon on growth and mineral composition of sorghum (Sorghum Bicolor) grown with toxic levels of aluminium

Silicon has been reported to alleviate some mineral toxicities in plants. Growth chamber studies were conducted to assess the effects of Si on alleviating growth reductions and nutrient imbalances in sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] grown in nutrient solutions with toxic levels of Al. Treatments were 0, 300, 450, and 600 μM Al at 0, 1780, and 3560 μM Si. Increased levels of Al reduced shoot and root dry matter yields and total root length. Silicon in the growth medium enabled plants to overcome Al toxicity symptoms and enhanced shoot and root growth. Toxic Al levels decreased contents of all nutrient elements, especially Mg, Ca, Cu, and Zn, and decreased translocation of P from roots to shoots. Silicon counteracted many deleterious effects of Al on nutrient balances. Silicon apparently enhanced absorption of nutrients by enabling sorghum plants to maintain a higher root mass (root length) when grown with toxic levels of Al.
A world on fire: seeing beyond the discrimination paradigm in Marvel’s Daredevil

This essay examines representations of vulnerability and urban biopolitics in Marvel’s Daredevil comic book and its recent Netflix television adaptation. We argue that the franchise cannily plays o...
Improving Human Intention Prediction Using Data Augmentation

One of the crucial challenges in human-robot interaction is how to enable robots to predict human intentions. In this study, we explore how data augmentation technique can contribute to human intention prediction when only limited training data is available. Specifically, we conduct experiments of predicting the intentions of a human throwing a ball towards designated targets. Prediction performances with various data augmentation methods are presented and compared. The experiment results show that prediction accuracy can be improved from 50% to 75%.
A Canvas for Thought

Abstract A Common Model of Cognition needs to be open so as to encompass a broad range of approaches and provide a firm fundament to which researchers who study one particular aspect of cognition at more detail can refer. It should also be open to incorporate new findings even, or in particular, if they come from an unconventional angle. A recent cognitive systems experiment has surprisingly shown that there is a fundamental link between logic and analogous representations. This paper discusses a field of functionality called here the Canvas, comprising or overlapping what is called in other models the Visual Buffer, the Visuospatial Sketchpad, the Spatial Visual System, or Imagery, leveraging this recent result. The paper suggests that a module like the Canvas is a fundamental component for any model of cognition and of crucial importance to understanding the origins of higher cognitive abilities, such as language or geometry. The paper also demonstrates, how a fine-level research result benefits from the Common Model as a common context within which fine-level research can be embedded, relieving the author from having to provide a full cognitive architecture beyond the aspect studied.
The White-Centering Logic of Diversity Ideology:

In this article, I present a framework for diversity as a racial ideology that rearticulates the logic of civil rights. Diversity ideology is, in part, a co-optation of calls for race consciousness...
Bis-Cyclometalated Iridium Complexes Containing 4,4′-Bis(phosphonomethyl)-2,2′-bipyridine Ligands: Photophysics, Electrochemistry, and High-Voltage Dye-Sensitized Solar Cells

In this report, the synthesis and characterization of two bis-cyclometalated iridium(III) complexes are presented. Single-crystal X-ray diffraction shows that [Ir(ppy)2(4,4′-bis(diethylphosphonomet...
Deliberating on the Cultural Meanings of Teachers’ Practices in the Care of 1-Year-Olds in the United States and Hong Kong

Infants and toddlers (birth to age 3) learn what it means to be members of, and to belong to and be accepted by, their societies by adopting behaviors, attitudes, manners, and ways of thinking that...
Targeted stabilization of Munc18-1 function via pharmacological chaperones

Heterozygous de novo mutations in the neuronal protein Munc18-1 cause syndromic neurological symptoms, including severe epilepsy, intellectual disability, developmental delay, ataxia, and tremor. No disease-modifying therapy exists to treat these disorders, and while chemical chaperones have been shown to alleviate neuronal dysfunction caused by missense mutations in Munc18-1, their required high concentrations and potential toxicity necessitate a Munc18-1-targeted therapy. Munc18-1 is essential for neurotransmitter release, and mutations in Munc18-1 have been shown to cause neuronal dysfunction via aggregation and co-aggregation of the wild-type protein, reducing functional Munc18-1 levels well below hemizygous levels. Here, we identify two pharmacological chaperones via structure-based drug design, that bind to wild-type and mutant Munc18-1, and revert Munc18-1 aggregation and neuronal dysfunction in vitro and in vivo, providing the first targeted treatment strategy for these severe pediatric encephalopathies.
The Great Game and the Copyright Villain

This essay explores the reactions of Sherlock Holmes fans and enthusiasts to assertions of intellectual property ownership and infringement by putative rights holders in two eras of Sherlockian history. In both the 1946–47 and 2013–15 eras, Sherlock Holmes devotees villainized the entities claiming ownership of intellectual property in Holmes, distancing those entities from Sir Arthur Conan Doyle and casting them as greedy and morally bankrupt. Throughout each era, Sherlockians did not shy away from creating transformative works based on the Holmes canon over the objections of putative rights holders. This complicates the usual expectation that copyright assertions against fans are likely to chill fan production. The essay explores possible reasons why Sherlockian fandom might differ from other fandoms in this respect, including the role of the Great Game form of Sherlockian fandom in shaping fan attitudes toward their subject.
Novel Lineage-Tracing System to Identify Site-Specific Ectopic Bone Precursor Cells

Heterotopic ossification (HO) is a form of pathological cell-fate change of mesenchymal stem/precursor cells (MSCs) that occurs following traumatic injury, limiting range of motion in extremities and causing pain. MSCs have been shown to differentiate to form bone; however, their lineage and aberrant processes after trauma are not well understood. Utilizing a well-established mouse HO model and inducible lineage-tracing mouse (Hoxa11-CreERT2;ROSA26-LSL-TdTomato), we found that Hoxa11-lineage cells represent HO progenitors specifically in the zeugopod. Bioinformatic single-cell transcriptomic and epigenomic analyses showed Hoxa11-lineage cells are regionally restricted mesenchymal cells that, after injury, gain the potential to undergo differentiation toward chondrocytes, osteoblasts, and adipocytes. This study identifies Hoxa11-lineage cells as zeugopod-specific ectopic bone progenitors and elucidates the fate specification and multipotency that mesenchymal cells acquire after injury. Furthermore, this highlights homeobox patterning genes as useful tools to trace region-specific progenitors and enable location-specific gene deletion.
Progesterone receptor-DNA methylation crosstalk regulates depletion of uterine leiomyoma stem cells: A potential therapeutic target

Summary Uterine leiomyoma (LM) is the most common tumor in women. Via its receptor (PGR) expressed in differentiated LM cells, progesterone stimulates paracrine signaling that induces proliferation of PGR-deficient LM stem cells (LSCs). Antiprogestins shrink LM but tumors regrow after treatment cessation possibly due to persisting LSCs. Using sorted primary LM cell populations, we found that the PGR gene locus and its target cistrome are hypermethylated in LSCs, inhibiting the expression of genes critical for progesterone-induced LSC differentiation. PGR knockdown shifted the transcriptome of total LM cells toward LSCs and increased global DNA methylation by regulating TET methylcytosine dioxygenases. DNA methylation inhibitor 5′-Aza activated PGR signaling, stimulated LSC differentiation, and synergized with antiprogestin to reduce tumor size in vivo. Taken together, targeting the feedback loop between DNA methylation and progesterone signaling may accelerate the depletion of LSCs through rapid differentiation and sensitize LM to antiprogestin therapy, thus preventing tumor regrowth.
Derivation of the Buffalo Concussion Physical Examination risk of delayed recovery (RDR) score to identify children at risk for persistent postconcussive symptoms.

Objective The Buffalo Concussion Physical Examination (BCPE) is a brief, but pertinent physical examination designed for the subacute, outpatient assessment of concussion. The purpose of this study was to perform the BCPE on a larger sample and derive a scoring system to identify children at risk for Persistent Post-Concussive Symptoms (PPCS, recovery ≥30 days). Methods This prospective, observational cohort study from September 2016 to March 2019 was performed at three university-affiliated concussion clinics. Male and female children (n=270, 14.92±1.86 years, range 8–18, 38% female) were diagnosed with a concussion within 14 days of injury and followed-up until recovery. Logistic regression was used with history and physical examination variables to predict PPCS and a weighted scoring metric was derived. Results Out of 15 predictor variables, the main effects of 1 preinjury variable (≥3 previous concussions), 2 injury characteristic variables (days-since-injury and type-of-injury), 3 physical examination variables (orthostatic intolerance (OI), vestibulo-ocular reflex (VOR) and tandem gait) and 2 interaction terms (OI/VOR and tandem gait/type-of-injury) produced a score that was 85% accurate for identifying children with low-risk, medium-risk and high-risk for PPCS on cross-validation. Conclusion The Risk for Delayed Recovery (RDR)-Score allows physicians in an outpatient setting to more accurately predict which children are at greater risk for PPCS early after their injury, and who would benefit most from targeted therapies. The RDR-Score is intended to be used as part of a comprehensive assessment that should include validated symptom checklists, mental health history and adjunct testing (eg, cognitive or physical exertion) where clinically indicated.
PURIFICATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF BILE ACID-COA : AMINO ACID N-ACYLTRANSFERASE FROM HUMAN LIVER

The bile acid-conjugating enzyme, bile acid-CoA: amino acid N-acyltransferase, was purified 480-fold from the soluble fraction of homogenized frozen human liver. Purification was accomplished by a combination of anion exchange chromatography, chromatofocusing, glycocholate-AH-Sepharose affinity chromatography, and high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) gel filtration. Following purification, the reduced, denatured enzyme migrated as a single 50-kDa protein band by sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis. A similar molecular mass was obtained for the native enzyme by HPLC gel filtration. Elution from the chromatofocusing column suggested an apparent isoelectric point of 6.0 (+/- 0.2). Using a rabbit polyclonal antibody raised against the purified enzyme, Western blot analysis using 100,000 x g human liver supernatant confirmed that the affinity-purified polyclonal antibody was specific for human liver bile acid-CoA:amino acid N-acyltransferase. The purified enzyme utilized glycine, taurine, and 2-fluoro-beta-alanine (a 5-fluorouracil catabolite), but not beta-alanine, as substrates. Kinetic studies revealed apparent Km values for taurine, 2-fluoro-beta-alanine, and glycine of 1.1, 2.2, and 5.8 mM, respectively, with corresponding Vmax values of 0.33, 0.19, and 0.77 mumol/min/mg protein. These data demonstrate that a single monomeric enzyme is responsible for the conjugation of bile acids with glycine or taurine in human liver.
Cultural Cosmopolitanism and Civic Education

In the last fifteen years, there has been a renewed interest among philosophers in exploring cosmopolitan ideals. In part, this is a response to theories that stress the value of a sense of belonging and the role of deep attachments to a national community as a source of moral and political obligations. Cosmopolitan views have a number of educational implications that are worth discussing, since they provide valuable insights relevant to the design of policy in an increasingly interconnected world. In general terms, cosmopolitanism can be described as a form of universalism that builds on the metaphor that all human beings are “citizens of the world.” As Pauline Kleingeld has pointed out, cosmopolitans agree that “all human beings share certain essential features that unite them or should unite them in a global order that transcends national borders.” But beyond this very general description, there does not seem to be a precise set of normative claims that unify all cosmopolitan positions. Some cosmopolitans are concerned with defending the view that all human beings belong to the same moral community, which grounds obligations of justice that transcend national origins. Others are interested in supporting the creation and development of common political or juridical institutions that would unite all human beings in a single political or juridical order. Still others cherish the existence of a rich variety of cultural forms in the world, seeing them as a common heritage for all humanity.
Person–Environment Interaction

At its most basic level, person–environment (P–E) interaction argues for study of the relationship between people and their environments. Keywords: person-environment interaction; determinants of behavior; peronality; environment; socialization; career
Estimating Canopy Height of Deciduous Forests at a Regional Scale with Leaf-Off, Low Point Density LiDAR

Abstract. As we strive toward a more accurate understanding and quantification of carbon pools in forested ecosystems, the development of regional-scale maps of forest characteristics is essential in order to establish baselines and monitor change. Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) is increasingly being used to improve our understanding of forested ecosystems on a broad spatial scale, although obtaining data can be expensive and time consuming. We evaluated the effectiveness of using freely available low point density, leaf-off LiDAR collected for the entire state of Pennsylvania, in the United States, to create an accurate regional-scale dominant/codominant canopy height model for state forests in Pennsylvania. We evaluated several methodologies using an inventory dataset with over 1400 sample plots. The developed canopy height model was accurate to about 10% of the field-measured dominant/codominant tree heights for each plot, although it underestimated the field values. Root mean square error relativ...
14 – Rapid thermal cycling and PCR kinetics

Publisher Summary DNA amplification by polymerase chain reaction (PCR) can be performed rapidly. Rapid temperature cycling for PCR, last reviewed in 1994, is defined as completing 30 cycles of amplification in <30 min. By using high surface area to volume sample containers and circulating air for heating and cooling, amplification in 15 min or less is readily achieved. This chapter discusses the use and advantages of rapid thermal cycling for PCR. One of the advantages of rapid thermal cycling for PCR is that it minimizes the amplification time and is thus useful when multiple sequential amplifications are required. Various instruments and protocols related to the process are also described along with several illustrative figures and tables. Other specialized instruments for rapidly changing temperature and for continuous monitoring of PCR by fluorescence are mentioned too. Moreover, the chapter also discusses the applications of rapid thermal cycling. PCR kinetics is outlined separately for clarity. The rates of the reactions that occur during PCR are dependent on temperature and can be individually measured. These include both productive reactions and nonproductive reactions.
Observation of New Particles in e+e- Annihilation at SPEAR

Among the many different ideas that were proposed to explain the narrow width of the high-mass states ψ(3095) and ψ′(3684) the simplest and most popular one is based on the quark model: In addition to the three “old” light quarks, u, d, s (collectively denoted as q) there is a “new” heavy quark Q carrying a new quantum number, that is to be conserved in strong and electromagnetic interactions. Consequently one expects three types of mesons, a. Ordinary (qq) states, b. High-mass (QQ) states, c. New (qQ) and (qQ) states.
Cloning, mutagenesis, and nucleotide sequence of a siderophore biosynthetic gene (amoA) from Aeromonas hydrophila.

Abstract Many isolates of the Aeromonas species produce amonabactin, a phenolate siderophore containing 2,3-dihydroxybenzoic acid (2,3-DHB). An amonabactin biosynthetic gene (amoA) was identified (in a Sau3A1 gene library of Aeromonas hydrophila 495A2 chromosomal DNA) by its complementation of the requirement of Escherichia coli SAB11 for exogenous 2,3-DHB to support siderophore (enterobactin) synthesis. The gene amoA was subcloned as a SalI-HindIII 3.4-kb DNA fragment into pSUP202, and the complete nucleotide sequence of amoA was determined. A putative iron-regulatory sequence resembling the Fur repressor protein-binding site overlapped a possible promoter region. A translational reading frame, beginning with valine and encoding 396 amino acids, was open for 1,188 bp. The C-terminal portion of the deduced amino acid sequence showed 58% identity and 79% similarity with the E. coli EntC protein (isochorismate synthetase), the first enzyme in the E. coli 2,3-DHB biosynthetic pathway, suggesting that amoA probably encodes a step in 2,3-DHB biosynthesis and is the A. hydrophila equivalent of the E. coli entC gene. An isogenic amonabactin-negative mutant, A. hydrophila SB22, was isolated after marker exchange mutagenesis with Tn5-inactivated amoA (amoA::Tn5). The mutant excreted neither 2,3-DHB nor amonabactin, was more sensitive than the wild-type to growth inhibition by iron restriction, and used amonabactin to overcome iron starvation.
When Equal Isn't Really Equal: The Masculine Dilemma of Seeking Work Flexibility

Two studies explored gender-relevant expectations and consequences of seeking flexible work arrangements. Study 1 examined preferences and expectations of students nearing the job market. While men and women valued work flexibility and work–life balance equally, women reported greater intentions to seek flexibility in their careers. Intentions were predicted by projected perceptions on gender-relevant traits. In Study 2, participants evaluated hypothetical targets who sought a flexible work arrangement after the birth of a child. Flexibility seekers were given lower job evaluations than targets with traditional work arrangements; however, they were also seen as warmer and more moral. Men may be particularly penalized at the character level, as flexibility seekers were seen as less masculine and rated lower on masculine prescriptive traits and higher on feminine prescriptive traits. Together these studies suggest that while men value work flexibility they may be reluctant to seek it because of (potentially well-founded) fears of stigmatization.
A Truce in the Transatlantic Food Fight: The United States, the European Union, and Genetically Modified Foods in the Obama Years

The transatlantic dispute over the regulation of genetically modified (GM) foods and crops has for more than two decades been one of the most intractable conflicts dividing the United States (US) and the European Union (EU). The eight years of the George W. Bush Administration witnessed the high-water mark of conflict over GM foods, culminating in the US filing of a case against the EU at the World Trade Organization (WTO) in 2003, the WTO’s subsequent finding in favor of the US in 2006, and the EU’s apparent failure to comply with the ruling by the end of 2008 due to deep-seated opposition among EU member states and their publics. Despite hopes that US and EU policies might converge over time, the US and the EU in January 2009 seemed as far apart as ever on the regulation of GM foods, which threatened to become a flashpoint in the transatlantic relationship during the presidency of Barack Obama. This paper examines the record of US and EU policies on GM foods during the Obama years, to determine whether policy convergence has taken place, to understand the nature of EU/US cooperation and conflict, and to ascertain the degree of continuity or change from the Bush to the Obama years. The evidence from the period since 2009 suggests substantial continuity in both US and EU policies, which remain deeply entrenched, as well as in the two sides’ joint efforts to manage cooperatively the resulting frictions. In the US, NGO hopes and industry fears of more restrictive GMO regulation under Obama have not come to pass, with regulators continuing to implement the same permissive regulations as the Bush administration, even in the face of increasingly skeptical public opinion and initiatives to require mandatory labeling. In the EU, the Commission has continued its effort to speed up the approval new GM varieties in the face of member-state opposition, but both the EU’s strict regulations and strong public opposition toward GMOs remain entrenched. Regulatory polarization on this issue is therefore likely to remain robust for the foreseeable future, with only minor, path-dependent changes in the absence of any major exogenous shock. Given this persistent gulf between US and EU policies, prospects for a definitive solution to the GMO dispute seem dim – yet neither have the two sides descended into a transatlantic trade war. Instead, the US under Obama has continued with the broad lines of the approach established during the final years of the Bush administration, threatening retaliation for EU non-compliance in order to keep the pressure on the EU, while working with the Commission to promote the approval of new GM varieties and the adoption of policies important to US industry and farmers. This combination of deeply entrenched, change-resistant domestic policies within the US and the EU, together with a pragmatic willingness of both sides to work together to minimize the disruptive effects of persistent regulatory differences, has yielded, not a settlement, but an apparently lasting truce, in the transatlantic “food fight.”
"Stable-on-the-Table" Biosensors: Hemoglobin-Poly (Acrylic Acid) Nanogel BioElectrodes with High Thermal Stability and Enhanced Electroactivity.

In our efforts toward producing environmentally responsible but highly stable bioelectrodes with high electroactivities, we report here a simple, inexpensive, autoclavable high sensitivity biosensor based on enzyme-polymer nanogels. Met-hemoglobin (Hb) is stabilized by wrapping it in high molecular weight poly(acrylic acid) (PAA, MW 450k), and the resulting nanogels abbreviated as Hb-PAA-450k, withstood exposure to high temperatures for extended periods under steam sterilization conditions (122 °C, 10 min, 17–20 psi) without loss of Hb structure or its peroxidase-like activities. The bioelectrodes prepared by coating Hb-PAA-450k nanogels on glassy carbon showed well-defined quasi-reversible redox peaks at −0.279 and −0.334 V in cyclic voltammetry (CV) and retained >95% electroactivity after storing for 14 days at room temperature. Similarly, the bioelectrode showed ~90% retention in electrochemical properties after autoclaving under steam sterilization conditions. The ultra stable bioelectrode was used to detect hydrogen peroxide and demonstrated an excellent detection limit of 0.5 μM, the best among the Hb-based electrochemical biosensors. This is the first electrochemical demonstration of steam-sterilizable, storable, modular bioelectrode that undergoes reversible-thermal denaturation and retains electroactivity for protein based electrochemical applications.
The glycine coagonist site of the NMDA receptor.

The discovery of the glycine binding site on the NMDA receptor (Johnson and Ascher, 1987) is recognized as a highly significant event by those interested in receptor-channel mechanisms. It also offers a new target site in drug development for the treatment of neuropa-thologies associated with NMDA receptor activation. The list of neural dysfunctions mediated in part by. synaptic activation of NMDA receptors very likely includes epileptiform seizures (Croucher et al., 1982) and brain damage induced by ischemia or hypoxia in some models (Simon et al., 1984). Growing evidence indicates however that NMDA receptor activation is important also for establishing certain neuronal connections during development (Tsumoto et al., 1987; Kleinschmidt et al., 1987; Lincoln et al., 1988) and has been implicated in some types of learning or memory (Morris et al., 1986). Thus both agonists and antagonists of the NMDA receptor may find clinical utility in the future. Currently available NMDA receptor blockers, acting either at the glutamate binding site or the open ion channel, either have difficulty penetrating the blood-brain barrier or have unacceptable side effects such as psychosis. The glycine site appears to present a pharmacology sufficiently different from that of the other binding sites on the NMDA receptor to offer a novel target for new drug discovery.
Inhibition of NF-κB, iNOS mRNA, COX2 mRNA, and COX catalytic activity by phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN)

Previously, the spin trapping agent phenyl-N-tert-butylnitrone (PBN) has been shown to decrease the level of nitric oxide synthase mRNA in vivo. This inhibition is suggested to be an underlying mechanism for PBN's wide variety of pharmacological actions in animal models. However, the determination of PBN's cellular pharmacological activities has not been carried out, but is necessary for the understanding of the effects in vivo. Since the known pharmacological effects of PBN are primarily anti-inflammatory in nature, in this study we determined the inhibitory activities of PBN against two inflammatory factors: inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS) and inducible cyclooxygenase (COX2). We show here that PBN decreases steady state COX2 mRNA level and COX2 catalytic activity in macrophage cell culture at supra-pharmacological concentrations. While PBN decreases iNOS mRNA, it does not inhibit iNOS catalytic activity, which is consistent with previous in vivo studies. We also studied nuclear factor kappaB (NF-kappaB), a transcription factor that can rapidly activate the expression of genes involved in inflammatory, immune and acute phase responses. The binding of NF-kappaB to iNOS gene has been shown to be critical for iNOS gene expression, and the promoter region of COX2 gene contains NF-kappaB consensus sequence. We show that PBN inhibits lipopolysaccharide-mediated increase of NF-kappaB DNA binding activity with a lower concentration than that for the non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID), salicylate. Furthermore, we show that PBN inhibits COX2 catalytic activity, suggesting that PBN has an NSAID-like function.
A mock operational audit based on library research

Describes the task of developing and performing a mock operational audit which was assigned to students in an internal audit graduate class at the University of North Texas. The assignment consisted of researching a particular operational area found in most business organizations, developing an internal control questionnaire, and formally reporting on four findings related to the area developed. The use of library research as a basis for an understanding of the operational area and development of the questionnaire proved to be a most successful approach. This approach is suggested as a format for the performance of operational audits in all business organizations. It provides both enhanced knowledge of the operation under examination, and a better basis for meaningful findings and relevant improvements.
The effect of surface aluminum oxide films on thermally induced hillock formation

Abstract Al films were vapor deposited onto oxidized silicon wafers in high vacuum (HV) and ultrahigh vacuum (UHV). The as-deposited HV films showed large numbers of hillocks while the as-deposited UHV films showed no hillocks even after in-situ vacuum annealing. The evidence indicates that compressive intrinsic stresses are responsible for hillock formation during HV film growth. Moreover the present study on UHV deposited films shows that in this case one needs both a surface Al oxide layer and compressive differential thermal expansion stresses in order to form hillocks. In the absence of the oxide layer on the UHV films, the application of compressive differential thermal expansion strains causes stress relief via surface-diffusion-produced grain boundary grooving rather than hillock formation.
Applying the molecular biology and epigenetics of head and neck cancer in everyday clinical practice

During the past decade, there has been a significant increase in knowledge regarding the molecular biology and epigenetics of head and neck squamous cell carcinoma (HNSCC). This has been aided by the steady development of new technology and novel techniques aimed at elucidating additional aberrant molecular alterations characteristic of HNSCC, including the advent of high throughput assays and the development of more sophisticated bioinformatics tools. In addition, advancements in the field of cancer epigenetics and microRNA have increased the complexity of understanding HNSCC tumorigenesis. These advances have lead to an increasing number of translational studies in the diagnosis, prognosis, and treatment of head and neck cancer. The end result is that molecular biomarkers, gene detection panels and targeted therapeutics are becoming a reality for the care of patients with HNSCC. In this article, we will focus on the many implications of this research as it pertains to clinical practice and the treatment of HNSCC patients.
Relationship Between Race and Mortality and Morbidity After Valve Replacement Surgery

Background— Previous studies have shown that black race is an independent predictor of increased operative mortality after coronary artery bypass surgery. Given the higher incidence of hypertension and hypertension-associated left ventricular hypertrophy in blacks, we hypothesized that black race might be associated with increased risk of mortality and morbidity after aortic valve replacement (AVR) or mitral valve replacement (MVR). We could not identify a previous study that used a multivariable model to evaluate the association between race and operative mortality after AVR or MVR. Methods and Results— The Society of Thoracic Surgeons National Cardiac Database was used for a retrospective review of 3137 black and 46 249 white patients who underwent MVR alone or AVR alone from 1999 through 2002. Multivariate logistic regression was used to assess the association between race and mortality and 6 other adverse outcomes (stroke, renal failure, prolonged ventilation, prolonged postoperative stay, sternal inf...
The Disk Edema Dilemma

A 33-year-old diabetic woman experienced visual loss OS and disk edema OU. Extensive evaluation led to the diagnosis of diabetic papillopathy. Appropriate evaluation and management of diabetic papillopathy is discussed.
Oxygen adsorption on Al(111) – role of surface pretreatment in governing oxidation

Abstract The chemisorption of oxygen on the Al(111) surface was studied at 300–773 K using X-ray photoelectron and high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopies. It was shown that extreme levels of Ar + bombardment and annealing pretreatment were necessary to prepare a surface with reproducible O 2 adsorption behavior. The rate of oxygen adsorption was decreased after such a treatment. It is postulated that extensive bombardment/annealing yields a surface with a small number of defect sites. Predominantly chemisorbed O islands are formed even upon 300 L oxygen adsorption on this low defect density surface. These islands transform into oxide with time (at 300 K) and increasing surface temperature ( T =470–500 K), producing a vibrational mode around 820–865 cm −1 , characteristic of the oxide formation. Additional evidence for the assignment of this mode to the oxidic species is obtained from the experiments, where O + 2 ion implantation or Ar + bombardment of a chemisorbed O layer were performed. The final oxide film produced after annealing of adsorbed O up to ∼600–650 K exhibits vibrational modes at ca 400, 610 and 850 cm −1 , in agreement with prior results.
The Occurrence of Clustering in the Recall of Randomly Arranged Associates

(1953). The Occurrence of Clustering in the Recall of Randomly Arranged Associates. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 49, No. 2, pp. 229-240.
Bridging the communication and cultural gap between the cognitive sciences and the contemplative traditions

I want to thank the commentators for their thoughtful and thought-provoking responses to this target article. Each has provided a perspective that has helped me expand my knowledge and further refi...
Surgical correction of vertical maxillary excess: A re-evaluation

Summary Correction of vertical maxillary excess by Le Fort I osteotomy has become a widely accepted practice. Although the downfracture method is used almost exclusively in most major centres, the total maxillary alveolar osteotomy still has its advocates. Two patients surgically treated by total maxillary alveolar osteotomy and presented in this journal are re-evaluated with respect to the long-term stability of maxillary intrusion. Literature pertaining to the stability of the maxilla following intrusion by Le Fort I osteotomy and after various combinations of anterior and posterior maxillary ostectomy is reviewed. The advantages of the downfracture method are discussed. An alternative method of achieving the desired degree of intrusion is presented, which ensures more intimate bone contact.
Spatial patterns of goldenrod aphids and the response of enemies to patch density.

The two aphid species feeding on goldenrod (Solidago altissima) in northern Florida (U.S.A.) exhibited behavioral differences that resulted in characteristic spatial patterns. Uroleucon nigrotuberculatum alates (winged forms) aggregated when colonizing stems and subsequent non-winged generations were relatively sedentary, resulting in a clumped spatial pattern. U. tissoti colonized stems singly and was more mobile; these behaviors resulted in its more random spatial pattern within fields of goldenrod.Manipulations of aphid density in the field revealed that although patches with high densities of aphids accumulated more predators than patches with few aphids, predation pressure (measured as number of predators per aphid) was lower in dense patches. As a result, aphids in dense patches had a higher per capita change in density than aphids in sparse patches. However, when the fungal pathogen, Neozygites fresenii, became the dominant mortality agent, the influence of aphid density on mortality was reversed; aphids in dense patches were then more vulnerable than aphids in sparse patches. Thus the spatial patterns exhibited by the U. nigrotuberculatum and U. tissoti resulted in differences in their relative vulnerability to different natural enemies.
ASSIGN: an automated screening system in general neurology.

Abstract A program is employed for screening patients in a neurological out-patient service by means of interview. The output indicates whether the patient is to be referred to the neurologist or not.
Joint decoding of concatenated VLEC and STTC system

We consider the decoding of wireless communication systems with both source coding in the application layer and channel coding in the physical layer for high-performance transmission over fading channels. Variable length error correcting codes (VLECs) and space time trellis codes (STTCs) are used to provide bandwidth efficient data compression as well as coding and diversity gains. At the receiver, an iterative joint source and space time decoding scheme are developed to utilize redundancy in both STTC and VLEC to improve overall decoding performance. Issues such as the inseparable systematic information in the symbol level, the asymmetric trellis structure of VLEC, and information exchange between bit and symbol domains have been considered in the maximum a posteriori probability (MAP) decoding algorithm. Simulation results indicate that the developed joint decoding scheme achieves a significant decoding gain over the separate decoding in fading channels, whether or not the channel information is perfectly known at the receiver. Furthermore, how rate allocation between STTC and VLEC affects the performance of the joint source and space-time decoder is investigated. Different systems with a fixed overall information rate are studied. It is shown that for a system with more redundancy dedicated to the source code and a higher order modulation of STTC, the joint decoding yields better performance, though with increased complexity.
Defective regulatory B-cell compartment in patients with immune thrombocytopenia

B lymphocytes producing antiplatelet autoantibodies play a major role in autoimmune thrombocytopenia (ITP). However, certain B cells, including the human CD19(+)CD24(hi)CD38(hi) subpopulation, possess regulatory functions mediated partly by IL-10. In a cohort of chronic ITP patients with low platelet counts who consisted of patients off treatment, we found a lower frequency of CD19(+)CD24(hi)CD38(hi) in the peripheral compartment of nonsplenectomized patients (P = .03). IL-10 expression after activation was decreased in all ITP circulating CD19(+) subpopulations (P < .03), and inhibition of monocyte TNF-α expression by activated B cells was reduced in patients with platelet numbers of < 50 × 10(9) cells/L (P = .001), indicating that regulatory B cells of patients with ITP are functionally impaired in their ability to dampen monocyte activation. Interestingly, in nonsplenectomized patients whose platelet counts were elevated after treatment with thrombopoietic agents, the frequency of CD19(+)CD24(hi)CD38(hi) B cells was increased compared with those before treatment (P = .02). Altogether, these data indicate a compromised regulatory B-cell compartment as an additional defect in immune regulation in patients with chronic ITP that may be restored in responders to thrombopoietic treatment.
Muscle insensitivity to tetrodotoxin: Induction by α‐bungarotoxin and removal by submechanical threshold stimulation

Intramuscular injection of alpha-bungarotoxin (alphaBGT) into rat extensor digitorum longus muscles produced pharmacological blockade of neuromuscular transmission and resulted in denervation-like changes (Berg, D. and Hall, Z. (1975), J. Physiol. (London) 244:659-676). More than 80% of fibers from alphaBGT-injected muscles produced action potentials (ap's) in the presence of tetrodotoxin (TTX, 1 X 10(-6) M). Chronic electrical stimulation of these muscles, below the level necessary to elicit a contraction, resulted in a marked return toward normal of sarcolemmal sensitivity to TTX. After 4 days of submechanical threshold stimulation, less than 45% of alphaBGT-injected fibers produced ap's in the presence of TTX, whereas more than 80% of unstimulated fibers from contralateral control muscles exhibited resistance to TTX. These findings indicate that in addition to sarcolemmal sensitivity to acetylcholine, sensitivity of the sodium conductance mechanism to TTX is also directly influenced by muscle activity independent of contraction.
Effect of Comorbid and Fatal Coexistent Conditions on Sex and Race Differences in Vascular Surgical Mortality

Many previous studies of vascular procedures have found sex and race differences in surgical mortality that were attributed to differential prevalence of comorbidity. Adjustment for selected comorbid conditions does not entirely remove bias. In addition to adjustments for other covariates, surgical mortality ratios in this study were adjusted for coexistent conditions that caused postoperative death but were unrelated to the procedure. The adjusted mortality was, therefore, attributable to the procedure. Medicare administrative and death certificate data on beneficiaries aged 65-99 years who resided in Indiana and Kentucky and who had 6,016 major vascular procedures in 1994-1997 were used. In Cox proportional hazard models, male-to-female and nonwhite-to-white surgical mortality ratios were adjusted for age, sex, or race; weighted Charlson comorbidity score; length of hospital stay; and fatal coexisting conditions (FCCs). Altogether, 3,333 patients died within 30 postoperative days. There were sex and/or race differences in mortality caused by aortic aneurysm, stroke, and diabetes (P
Notch Fatigue Crack Initiation in High Temperature Water Environments: Experiments and Life Prediction

Test results, experimental techniques and analytical interpretations are reported from notched compact type (CT) tests of SA 333 Gr. 6 carbon steel to determine quantitatively fatigue initiation lives in high temperature oxygenated water. Parameters explored include environments of air, 0.2 ppm O/sub 2/ and 8 ppm O/sub 2/-water at 10.3 MPa (1500 psi), temperatures of 149, 232 and 288/sup 0/C, frequencies of 0.00021, 0.0021 and 0.21 Hz, notch radii of 0.051 and 0.51 mm and R-values of 0.2, 0.5 and 0.8. Pseudostress amplitudes were calculated elastically and by Neuber notch analysis procedures using a worst case notch concept. Results were compared to ASME Section III fatigue data curves. Test results showed that the fatigue initiation life of carbon steel is substantially lowered as oxygen level is raised, as frequency is lowered or as temperature is raised.
Cloning and sequence analysis of the gene encoding the low potential cytochrome c of Synechocystis PCC 6803

Abstract The gene for the low potential cytochrome c ( petk ) was isolated from a genomic library of Synechocystis PCC 6803. The nucleotide sequence of this gene contains two regions with sequence similarity to two regions in the gene for the high potential cytochrome c 6 of the organism. The sixth iron ligand can be identified with a conserved histidine. Experiments demonstrate the reduction of the low potential cytochrome by reduced ferredoxin II. The heme of the cytochrome is flanked by lysines which may be involved in orienting the ferredoxin near the site of electron donation.
Binding of Nuclear Proteins to HTLV-II cis-Acting Repressive Sequence (CRS) RNA Correlates with CRS Function

Abstract The shift from viral regulatory to structural gene expression in human T-cell leukemia virus types I (HTLV-I) and II (HTLV-II) is mediated by Rex. We have previously shown that HTLV-II Rex acts through an element in R/U5 of the 5′ long terminal repeat (LTR), the Rex-responsive element (RxRE), and that Rex protein binds to specific RNA sequences, the Rex binding element (RBE), contained within the RxRE (Black et al., J. Virol. 65, 6645-6653, 1991b). Rex action through the RBE (nt 405-520) overcomes the inhibition of expression conferred by a contiguous LTR RNA regulatory element, which contains cis-acting repressive sequences (CRS; nt 520-630) that are not bound by Rex protein (Black et al., Virology, 181, 433-144, 1991a). We now show by electrophoretic mobility shift assay (EMSA) that cellular proteins in a HeLa nuclear extract bind specifically to RNA transcripts containing the HTLV-II CRS. Using ultraviolet (uv) crosslinking of gel-retarded bands, we identified a major protein species of approximately 60 kDa, p60CRS, that binds to CRS RNA and, with weaker affinity, to RBE RNA. In addition, a distinct 40-kDa protein, p40CRS, binds to U5 RNA (nt 645-750) downstream from the CRS. Specific deletions within CRS RNA can reduce or abrogate binding to this 60-kDa protein. EMSA and uv crosslinking assays also suggest that both p60CRS and p40CRS interact with CRS RNA. CRS function in a 5′ LTR-linked gene expression assay correlates with the ability of both p60CRS and p40CRS to interact with 5′ LTR RNA in vitro.
Phosphaalkynes from Acid Chlorides via P for O(Cl) Metathesis: A Recyclable Niobium Phosphide (P3-) Reagent that Effects C−P Triple-Bond Formation

Reported herein is a new, metathetical P for O(Cl) exchange mediated by an anionic niobium phosphide complex that furnished phosphaalkynes (RC⋮P) from acid chlorides (RC(O)Cl) under mild conditions. The niobaziridine hydride complex, Nb(H)(tBu(H)CNAr)(N[Np]Ar)2 (1, Np = neopentyl, Ar = 3,5-Me2C6H3), has been shown previously to react with elemental phosphorus (P4), affording the μ-diphosphide complex, (μ2:η2,η2-P2)[Nb(N[Np]Ar)3]2, (2), which can be subsequently reduced by sodium amalgam to the anonic, terminal phosphide complex, [Na][PNb(N[Np]Ar)3] (3). It is now shown that treatment of 3 with either pivaloyl (t-BuC(O)Cl) or 1-adamantoyl (1-AdC(O)Cl) chloride provides the thermally unstable niobacyles, (t-BuC(O)P)Nb(N[Np]Ar)3 (4-t-Bu) and (1-AdC(O)P)Nb(N[Np]Ar)3 (4-1-Ad), which are intermediates along the pathway to ejection of the known phosphaalkynes t-BuC⋮P (5-t-Bu) and 1-AdC⋮P(5-1-Ad). Phosphaalkyne ejection from 4-t-Bu and 4-1-Ad proceeds with formation of the niobium(V) oxo complex ONb(N[Np]Ar)3 (6)...
Religion and earnings: evidence from the NLS Youth Cohort

Does religious and denominational background still affect earnings and human capital investment? Several earlier studies suggest that they do, but all of these previous studies were conducted on data from the 1970s and early 1980s. Examines religious background and human capital formation for a sample of males from the National Longitudinal Survey Youth Cohort (1991). Provides survey information that makes it possible to control better the many components of family background in order to isolate the impact of religion and denomination. Uses the estimation of human capital earnings functions similar to Tomes’ (1984) method. Finds that men raised as Catholics or Jews have higher incomes than men raised as Protestants, other things being held equal. When the dependent variable used for the analysis is the logarithm of hourly wages, men raised either as Catholics or Jews were also found to have higher wages. Contains results from analyses of men within various Protestant denominations, as well as results for different racial and ethnic groups.