cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
TEACHSCHEME!: a functional-first approach to beginning programming

Description: What is a first course in computer programming (for majors or non-majors) about? If you ask the teacher, the answer will probably involve Big Ideas like data types, stepwise refinement, testing, design for re-use and modifiability, recursion, etc. If you ask a student in the same course, the answer will probably be a list of programming-language features --- I/O statements, assignment statements, declaration statements, "if/else" statements, order of operations, arrays, class fields, semicolons, curly-braces, parentheses... --- and perhaps a few rules for using the development environment. The programming language has distracted students from the real course material. How can we convince students that it's not about the language (which will be obsolete in a few years), and have them concentrate their energy on learning transferable, long-lasting practices of good programming?
The Use of Social Deprivation Index to Examine Nursing Home Quality

Health and health care access inequities vary along social and economic gradients. The Social Deprivation Index, is a composite measure of socio-economic factors (schooling, living conditions, tran...
Quantitative Disorder Analysis and Particle Removal Efficiency of Polypropylene-Based Masks

We demonstrate a methodology for predicting particle removal efficiency of polypropylene-based filters used in personal protective equipment, based on quantification of disorder in the context of methyl group orientation as structural motifs in conjunction with an Ising model. The corresponding Bragg-Williams order parameter is extracted through either Raman spectro-scopy or scanning electron microscopy. Temperature-dependent analysis verifies the presence of an order-disorder transition, and the methodology is applied to published data for multiple samples. The result is a method for predicting the particle removal efficiency of filters used in masks based on a material-level property.
Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Comparing Prostatic Artery Embolization to Gold-Standard Transurethral Resection of the Prostate for Benign Prostatic Hyperplasia

To report a comparative systematic review and meta-analysis of prostatic artery embolization (PAE) and transurethral resection of the prostate (TURP) for the management of benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH). A multi-database search for relevant literature was conducted on 15 July 2020 to include studies published on or before that date. Search terms used were: (prostate embolization OR prostatic embolization OR prostate embolization OR prostatic embolization) AND (prostatic hyperplasia OR prostatic obstruction). Risk of bias was assessed using Cochrane Collaboration and ROBINS-I criteria. Random-effects meta-analysis was performed using RevMan 5.3. Six studies with 598 patients were included. TURP was associated with significantly more improvement in maximum urinary flow rate (Qmax) (mean difference = 5.02 mL/s; 95% CI [2.66,7.38]; p < 0.0001; I2 = 89%), prostate volume (mean difference = 15.59 mL; 95% CI [7.93,23.25]; p < 0.00001; I2 = 88%), and prostate-specific antigen (PSA) (mean difference = 1.02 ng/mL; 95% CI [0.14,1.89]; p = 0.02; I2 = 71%) compared to PAE. No significant difference between PAE and TURP was observed for changes in International Prostate Symptoms Score (IPSS), IPSS quality of life (IPSS-QoL), International Index of Erectile Function (IIEF-5), and post-void residual (PVR). PAE was associated with fewer adverse events (AEs) (39.0% vs. 77.7%; p < 0.00001) and shorter hospitalization times (mean difference = −1.94 days; p < 0.00001), but longer procedural times (mean difference = 51.43 min; p = 0.004). Subjective symptom improvement was equivalent between TURP and PAE. While TURP demonstrated larger improvements for some objective parameters, PAE was associated with fewer AEs and shorter hospitalization times. Level 2a, Systematic Review
Advances in Biomass Densification and Its Impact on Cost and Quality

Even though densified products have many advantages in terms of storage, handling, transportation, and conversion performance, existing methods to produce dense biomass pellets are currently not considered due to the prohibitive costs to densify them. At present, new preprocessing technologies are developed to address the cost and quality issues associated with conventional methods. This chapter will focus on the advances achieved by industry and national laboratories in terms of biomass size reduction and densification that have a significant impact on energy consumption, cost, and quality. Also, the unit operations and their impact on conventional and advanced preprocessing unit operations are discussed in this chapter.
Attosecond Measurements via Quantum-Enhanced Interferometry

We discuss achieving attosecond-level temporal resolution via Hong-Ou-Mandel interferometry using highly non-degenerate frequency-entangled photons. This approach offers robustness against dispersion and loss, and facilitates novel sensing schemes in regimes inaccessible by existing interferometers.
Prevalence and correlates of past-month suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and non-suicidal self-injury among adults in a partial hospital program.

Abstract Objective This study examined the prevalence and cross-sectional correlates of past-month suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, interrupted attempts, aborted attempts, and non-suicidal self-injury (NSSI) among patients seeking treatment at a partial hospitalization program (PHP). Method 1063 patients (54% female, 87% white, mean age = 33.6 years) receiving treatment at a PHP completed self-report questionnaires and the Columbia-Suicide Severity Rating Scale as part of routine clinical monitoring upon admission to the program. We examined demographic and clinical cross-sectional correlates of self-injurious thoughts and behaviors (SITBs) using descriptive statistics, ordinal regression, and logistic regression analyses. Results In the past month, 44.6% of patients reported active suicidal thoughts, 5.6% reported a suicide attempt, 1.8% reported an interrupted attempt, 5.5% reported an aborted attempt, and 16.6% reported NSSI. Inpatient referral source (ORs = 2.45–5.28), minority sexual orientation (ORs = 1.43–6.94), and more Borderline Personality Disorder (BPD) symptoms (ORs = 1.09–1.23) were each associated with at least three of the five SITBs examined. Conclusions This study highlights elevated rates of suicidal thoughts, suicide attempts, and NSSI in a partial hospital sample. Given that past attempts predict future attempts and death by suicide, support during the transition from inpatient to outpatient care via programs such as PHPs is needed. Patients referred from inpatient treatment, who identity as a sexual minority, and with more BPD symptoms may require additional support and safety monitoring. Further work is indicated to better understand how PHP patients’ SITBs change during and after partial hospitalization.
Fundamental Aeronautics Program: Overview of Project Work in Supersonic Cruise Efficiency

The Supersonics Project, part of NASA?s Fundamental Aeronautics Program, contains a number of technical challenge areas which include sonic boom community response, airport noise, high altitude emissions, cruise efficiency, light weight durable engines/airframes, and integrated multi-discipline system design. This presentation provides an overview of the current (2011) activities in the supersonic cruise efficiency technical challenge, and is focused specifically on propulsion technologies. The intent is to develop and validate high-performance supersonic inlet and nozzle technologies. Additional work is planned for design and analysis tools for highly-integrated low-noise, low-boom applications. If successful, the payoffs include improved technologies and tools for optimized propulsion systems, propulsion technologies for a minimized sonic boom signature, and a balanced approach to meeting efficiency and community noise goals. In this propulsion area, the work is divided into advanced supersonic inlet concepts, advanced supersonic nozzle concepts, low fidelity computational tool development, high fidelity computational tools, and improved sensors and measurement capability. The current work in each area is summarized.
Roadmap for Focal Therapy

The future success of focal therapy for early stage prostate cancer will depend upon a multidisciplinary effort to find and implement solutions to several existing clinical problems that provide the historical dogma for whole gland treatment. For focal therapy to succeed as an accepted treatment option, preservation of genitourinary function is vital without compromising cancer efficacy. The first challenge is to identify appropriate candidates who can benefit from focal therapy based upon that patient’s specific tumor characteristics. We need to be able to better determine the biological potential of each cancer within the prostate by developing novel markers of aggression. Imaging needs to become reliable at defining the precise three-dimensional structure and location of each tumor, and perhaps provide functional information about the tumor in terms of its ability to invade or metastasize. Robotics and automation need to be developed and incorporated into guidance systems to allow for accurate primary targeting and secondary reproducibility if the lesion needs to be targeted again, either for post-treatment biopsy or additional therapy. Since some of the prostate will not be deliberately treated, active surveillance of these non-malignant areas with chemoprevention strategies become paramount in an effort to prevent subsequent cancers from developing in untreated sectors of the prostate. Finally, strict outcome criteria and surveillance strategies need to be established that allow for meaningful comparisons among centers and their techniques.
The hobo element of Drosophila melanogaster.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the hobo element of Drosophila melanogaster . The strains of Drosophila contain anywhere from zero to over 50 copies of hobo per haploid genome. Typically, strains bearing hobo elements have two to ten copies of a 3.0-kb element and a larger, variable number of internally deleted elements. The sizes of the internally deleted elements differ among strains, but there is usually only one or a very few size classes of deleted elements in a given strain. Based on its larger size and on the frequency with which it was found in different strains it is suggested that the 3.0-kb version of hobo represents the intact transposase-producing element. One isolate of the element (called hobo 108 has been sequenced by them. This element is 3016 base-pairs (bp) long and has 12-bp inverted terminal repeats. Within hobo 108 , there are three large open reading frames along one strand; however, no direct information is available concerning the nature of hobo transcripts or protein products. The evidence presented in the chapter demonstrates that at least one member of the hobo 108 -size class is indeed capable of inducing the integration of other hobo elements.
Characterization and mediation of inhibitory junction potentials from opossum lower esophageal sphincter

Abstract Background: Activating nonadrenergic, noncholinergic (NANC) nerves of the lower esophageal sphincter (LES) hyperpolarizes and relaxes its circular smooth muscle. This relaxation is mediated by nitric oxide (NO) or an NO-containing compound. These studies were undertaken to compare the electrophysioiogical responses of circular smooth muscle from the LES and esophagus in response to NANC nerve stimulation and to test the hypothesis that NO mediates LES hyperpolarization. Methods: The transmembrane potential difference was recorded with glass microelectrodes. Nerve-mediated membrane responses were evoked by electrical pulses of 0.5 msec duration and 50 V amplitude. Results: Responses of LES muscle differed from those of the esophageal muscle. The duration of hyperpolarization was much longer in sphincteric muscle. The depolarization that followed hyperpolarization of esophageal muscle was not observed in sphincteric muscle. N G -nitro-l-arginine, an inhibitor of NO synthase, attenuated the nerve-induced hyperpolarization. l-arginine, the substrate for NO synthase, antagonized the effect of N G -nitro-l-arginine. Exogenous NO hyperpolarized of the smooth muscle membrane. Conclusions: These data support the hypothesis that NO or an NO-like compound may mediate nerve-induced hyperpolarization of the opossum LES.
Efficiency and reliability of DNA-based memories

Associative memories based on DNA-affinity have been proposed [2]. Here, the performance, efficiency, reliability of DNA-based memories is quantified through simulations in silico. Retrievals occur reliably (98%) within very short times (milliseconds) despite the randomness of the reactions and regardless of the number of queries. The capacity of these memories is also explored in practice and compared with previous theoretical estimates. Advantages of implementations of the same type of memory in special purpose chips in silico is proposed and discussed.
EXTENDING N=1/2 SUPERSYMMETRIES

Abstract Beginning with the classical (1,0) non-linear sigma model we analyze the constraints arising from the progressive imposition of (p,q) world sheet supersymmetry. In particular new types of (1,1) supersymmetry are identified, allowing a wider class of models with additional symmetries.
Medical Students as Learners: Transforming the Resident-Level Microskills of Teaching into a Parallel Curriculum for Medical Students to Aid the Transition from Classroom to OB/GYN Clerkship

Introduction: The objective of the study was to describe and assess a brief curricular intervention designed to help medical students adopt active learning strategies. Methods: Based on student interest, we created a one-hour workshop that focused on seven microskills of learning and presented it to our medical students during their Obstetrics and Gynecology clerkship. The workshop utilized a modified version of the Five-Step 'Microskills' Model of Clinical Teaching first described by Neher in 1992 and paralleled the model our residents are taught as part of their Resident-as-Teacher curriculum. Students were surveyed at various time points following the workshop to evaluate the perceived usefuness, value, and durability of the skills taught. Results: Immediate postworkshop feedback was favorable with 93% of students expecting to use the skills taught. At the end of the rotation, students reported a significant increase in usage of each microskill via a retrospective pre/postquestionnaire. While response rates at 1, 3, and 6 months after the rotation were moderate, the majority of the students responding stated that they had utilized the microskills. Conclusions: In its pilot year, the Microskills of Learning workshop was a beneficial addition to our clinical clerkship curriculum. By utilizing a parallel curriculum to that of our residents, the workshop mutually enhanced the educational process by encouraging teachers and learners to speak the same language.
Interdisciplinary foundations for open cyber-physical systems

A significant amount of literature addressed challenges in building dependable embedded systems. Next-generation cyber-physical systems offer more challenges that arise by virtue of openness, distribution, and scale. Emerging applications interact with both a physical and a social environment in both space and time. They are subjected to unpredictable workloads and are composed of a large number of subsystems of different degrees of criticality, not all of which are well-understood. Analyzing their overall behavior, diagnosing their interaction problems, and ensuring cooperation among their constituents requires new, often interdisciplinary tools and theoretical foundations not typically explored in classical embedded computing. This talk overviews some such tools and foundations, and outlines emerging broad challenges in building next-general open cyber-physical systems.
Teaching and Learning Guide for “Gender In/equality in Worker-owned Businesses”

This teaching and learning guide accompanies the article, “Gender In/equality in Worker-owned Businesses,” which reviews existing literature on gender in businesses with employee stock ownership plans, worker cooperatives, and communes. Worker ownership has attracted renewed interest as a possible solution to the social and economic problems confronting our society. In worker-owned businesses, workers have greater control over what they produce, how they produce it, and how they are compensated. If workers ran things themselves, so the story goes, jobs would be better and workplaces would be more equal. What do we actually know about work in alternative organizations? Do women fare better? Can they offer alternatives or solutions to the gender inequality that permeates working life? This teaching and learning guide provides supplemental information to facilitate the use of this article in the classroom. This includes a list of recommended readings, online resources, a sample syllabus, focus questions, and project suggestions.
Children's perceptions of genital examinations during sexual abuse evaluations.

Children's reactions to the medical evaluation of sexual abuse and the methods that enhance their coping ability have not been well addressed in the literature. For many children, a genital examination can be highly stressful, and may even trigger memories of the sexual abuse itself. Stress can be reduced by preparing the child for the examination, by giving the child greater control, and by debriefing the child (and parents) afterward. Research is needed to develop the most effective techniques for reducing children's stress during a genital examination. Language: en
Characterization of Drosophila tyramine beta-hydroxylase gene and isolation of mutant flies lacking octopamine.

Octopamine is likely to be an important neuroactive molecule in invertebrates. Here we report the molecular cloning of theDrosophila melanogaster gene, which encodes tyramine β-hydroxylase (TBH), the enzyme that catalyzes the last step in octopamine biosynthesis. The deduced amino acid sequence of the encoded protein exhibits 39% identity to the evolutionarily related mammalian dopamine β-hydroxylase enzyme. We generated a polyclonal antibody against the protein product of Tβh gene, and we demonstrate that the TBH expression pattern is remarkably similar to the previously described octopamine immunoreactivity inDrosophila. We further report the creation of null mutations at the Tβh locus, which result in complete absence of TBH protein and blockage of the octopamine biosynthesis.Tβh-null flies are octopamine-less but survive to adulthood. They are normal in external morphology, but the females are sterile, because although they mate, they retain fully developed eggs. Finally, we demonstrate that this defect in egg laying is associated with the octopamine deficit, because females that have retained eggs initiate egg laying when transferred onto octopamine-supplemented food.
An Air of Gaiety and Zest

ON NOVEMBER 8, 1956, David Wallace, Manager of Marketing Research, Ford Motor Company, wrote Marianne Moore of Brooklyn, New York, to thank her for her efforts in assisting the corporation in the selection of a name for its newest design. "Because you were so kind to us in our early and hopeful days of looking for a suitable name, I feel a deep obligation to report on events that have ensued." Early and hopeful days come, and they will go. For Ford, those early and hopeful days (with regard to a "rather important series of new cars") came one year earlier, in October 1955, prompting the car-maker to contact one of the preeminent American poets of the era:
Effects of Training on the Divergent-Thinking Abilities of Kindergarten Children.

The increasing number and complexity of problems in the world today seem to indicate a need for fostering in children creative thinking abilities in the context of problem solving. Divergent thinking, the generation of many appropriate responses to a question or issue, is a valuable tool in problem solving. With adequate training, even young children can learn to think divergently.
The Married, the Formerly Married and the Never Married: Support System Differentials of Older Women in Planned Retirement Communities:

This paper explores the nature of informal support given to older women, depending upon their marital status and the presence of living children. To control for differential availability of formal resources and for background characteristics, random samples of 371 noninstitutionalized female residents of two midwestern life care communities were interviewed. We found, unsurprisingly, that women who were presently, or who had been married, received more emotional, social, and instrumental support from their family members. But in further analysis it became clear, much to our surprise, that the presence of a husband only assured the married women of significantly more instrumental (task-oriented) support. It was the existence of living children--even just one child--that generated greater emotional, social, and instrumental support from her family. The greatest informal support deficits are among the never married, as expected, but are a result of the lack of children rather than the absence of a husband.
The Attentional Set Shifting Task: A Measure of Cognitive Flexibility in Mice

Cognitive impairment, particularly involving dysfunction of circuitry within the prefrontal cortex (PFC), represents a core feature of many neuropsychiatric and neurodevelopmental disorders, including depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, schizophrenia and autism spectrum disorder. Deficits in cognitive function also represent the most difficult symptom domain to successfully treat, as serotonin reuptake inhibitors and tricyclic antidepressants have only modest effects. Functional neuroimaging studies and postmortem analysis of human brain tissue implicate the PFC as being a primary region of dysregulation in patients with these disorders. However, preclinical behavioral assays used to assess these deficits in mouse models which can be readily manipulated genetically and could provide the basis for studies of new treatment avenues have been underutilized. Here we describe the adaptation of a behavioral assay, the attentional set shifting task (AST), to be performed in mice to assess prefrontal cortex mediated cognitive deficits. The neural circuits underlying behavior during the AST are highly conserved across humans, nonhuman primates and rodents, providing excellent face, construct and predictive validity.
Partial plasma protein replacement in therapeutic plasma exchange

We wished to determine whether subtotal replacement of protein in plasma removed at plasma exchange would be adequate to prevent hypovolemia and hypoproteinemia. Seven well nourished outpatients with chronic progressive multiple sclerosis underwent 60 plasma exchanges in which two liters of plasma were replaced with 750 ml saline followed by 1250 ml of a 5% albumin solution (62.5% albumin replacement). Total serum protein, protein electrophoresis, and immunoglobulin levels were measured before and after each exchange. Clinically, the exchanges were well tolerated. Total serum protein dropped by a mean of only 18% during the study and mean preexchange serum albumin levels were unchanged, even though immunoglobulins decreased by 57-72%. We conclude that in well nourished patients, partial albumin replacement of this magnitude is an adequate substitute for plasma removed in a plasma exchange.
Differential Effects of Stimulatory Factors on Natural Killer Cell Activities of Young and Aged Mice

Age-associated influences on natural killer (NK) cell functions following cytokine stimulation were examined in splenocytes from C57BL/6 mice. NK cells of both young and aged mice exhibited significantly increased: interferon-γ production after interleukin (IL)-12 or IL-15 alone or any combination of IL-12, IL-18, and IL-2; cytotoxicity after IL-2 or IL-15; and granzyme B expression after IL-15. The only significant age-associated differences were observed in interferon-γ production after IL-15 or IL-12 + 18 + 2 and in granzyme B expression following IL-2 or IL-15. Perforin expression did not increase following stimulation; however, NK cells from aged mice expressed significantly higher levels than young mice. These results underscore the complexity of the cytokine-induced functional activities of NK cells and illustrate the differential response of NK cells from young and aged mice to cytokine stimulation.
Natural convection flow and heat transfer within a rectangular enclosure containing a vertical porous layer

Abstract An experimental and theoretical study of natural convection flow and heat transfer within a rectangular enclosure partially filled with an anisotropic porous medium is conducted as a step to understand the effects of the mushy region flow characteristics on the interacting flows of the melt pool and the mushy zone of solidifying alloys. The test cavity is filled with a porous medium for half the lateral distance to the cold wall and is heated and cooled at the vertical end walls by imposing uniform but different temperatures. The solid matrices of the porous media are constructed with perforated plates, and measured flow characteristics are used in the predictions. Flow visualization in the porous region is made possible by the latticed structure of the porous matrices and electrolysis dye generation. The effect of anisotropic flow characteristics of the porous medium on the flow and heat transfer is modeled mathematically using volume-averaged conservation equations. The mathematical model was validated by comparing the predicted velocity and temperature fields with the visualized streamlines and measured temperatures. To investigate the effect of anisotropic permeability for wider ranges of dimensionless parameters, numerical experiments were conducted. The importance of incorporating the mathematical models which account for the anisotropic characteristics of the mushy zone is emphasized.
Biology of cancer: current issues and future prospects.

Abstract The future of cancer treatment is limited only by the rate of progress made in understanding the biology of cancer. The future will present a considerable challenge to health care professionals to learn new theories, understand new terms, and expect different toxicities. The explosion of information and technology is exciting, yet frightening. The willingness of scientists, health care professionals, and consumers to deal with the ethical, financial, and political issues generated by this progress is gratifying. Because science has created such advances, the effort to deal with the outcomes is worthwhile but still difficult. The challenge to rapidly facilitate the sharing of the scientific and clinical advances has been recognized by the nation. A legislative mandate to create a way to store and analyze the vast data related to molecular biology, biochemistry, and genetics resulted in the National Center for Biotechnology Information. 42 The development of automated systems to analyze genetic, environmental, biological, and chemistry information can only enhance future progress in the management of cancer.
Ultraviolet a radiation suppresses an established immune response: implications for sunscreen design.

The ultraviolet radiation present in sunlight is the primary cause of nonmelanoma skin cancer and has been implicated in the development of cutaneous malignant melanoma. In addition, ultraviolet is immune suppressive and the suppression induced by ultraviolet radiation has been identified as a risk factor for skin cancer induction. Ultraviolet also suppresses the immune response to infectious agents. In most experimental models, ultraviolet is applied to immunologically naive animals prior to immunization. Of equal concern, however, is the ability of sunlight to suppress established immune reactions, such as the recall reaction in humans, which protects against microbial infections. Here we demonstrate that solar-simulated ultraviolet radiation, applied after immunization, suppresses immunologic memory and the elicitation of delayed-type hypersensitivity. Further, we found that wavelengths in the ultraviolet A region of the solar spectrum were critical for inducing immune suppression. Ultraviolet A (320–400 nm) radiation was as effective as solar-simulated ultraviolet A + B (290–400 nm) in suppressing the elicitation of an established immune response. Irradiation with ultraviolet AI (340–400 nm) had no effect. Supporting a critical role for ultraviolet A in ultraviolet-induced immune suppression was the observation that applying a sunscreen that contained an ultraviolet B only filter had no protective effect, whereas, a sunscreen containing both ultraviolet A and ultraviolet B filters totally blocked ultraviolet-induced immune suppression. These data suggest that sunlight may depress the protective effect of prior vaccination. In addition, the observation that ultraviolet A is immunosuppressive indicates the need for ultraviolet A protection when designing sun protection strategies.
A family study of trichotillomania and chronic hair pulling

Little is known about the etiology of hair pulling (HP) and its relationship to other obsessive compulsive (OC) spectrum disorders. In a large-sample family study, we examined the familial aggregation of HP and co-transmission of obsessive compulsive disorder (OCD) and skin picking (SP). Our sample consisted of 110 proband cases with HP and 48 controls without HP, plus 128 first-degree case relatives and 50 first-degree control relatives. Case versus control relatives had higher recurrence risk estimates for both HP and OCD but not SP. The finding that HP is familial is consistent with the only existing twin study. Additional analyses suggest that there may be a familial subtype of HP with comorbid OCD. Those adult proband cases with HP + OCD had more anxiety and depression than cases without OCD. Probands with HP + OCD also had earlier onset of OCD. Identification of an HP subtype with comorbid OCD may have significant theoretical and treatment implications. The data did not provide evidence for an etiologic relationship between HP and SP. Replication of these findings in future studies with larger cohorts of case and control relatives is warranted. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Supraventricular tachycardia precipitated by a peripherally inserted central catheter

Central venous catheters extending into intracardiac chambers can provoke premature atrial and ventricular complexes, which have been reported to initiate supraventricular tachyarrhythmias. These catheters are traditionally placed via the femoral, subclavian, or internal jugular veins. A new alternative to the conventional central catheter for patients requiring access to large veins is the peripherally inserted central (PIC) catheter. Since its proximal end is of small caliber, a PIC catheter can be mistaken for a peripheral intravenous catheter. The distal end, however, usually extends into the superior vena cava and may be erroneously advanced into intracardiac chambers. The authors report a case of a PIC catheter precipitating supraventricular reentrant tachycardia in a previously asymptomatic patient.
Mutational and sequence analysis of transmembrane segment 6 orientation in TetA proteins.

The packing orientations of the 8 transmembrane (TM) segments that line the central, aqueous transport channel within tetracycline resistance proteins (TetA) have been established. However, the orientations of the remaining 4 segments, TMs 3, 6, 9, and 12, located at the periphery, and away from the transport channel, have not yet been determined. In this study, the packing orientation of TM6 within the class C TetA protein encoded by plasmid pBR322 was evaluated by substitution mutagenesis and analysis of sequence conservation and amphipathicity. The combined data support a model in which the conserved and polar face of the TM6 α-helix containing Asn170 and Asn173 orients towards channel-lining TM segments, and the relatively non-conserved and hydrophobic face of TM6 points towards membrane lipids.
Continuous operations on languages

Most of the operations of interest in language theory arecontinuous in a certain technical sense. For such operations, there always exist infinite sets of languages that areindependent in the sense that no language in such a set can be generated from the other languages in the set by the operations in question.
LONG-RANGE ELECTRON TRANSFER THROUGH A LIPID MONOLAYER AT THE LIQUID/LIQUID INTERFACE

The electron transfer (ET) rate at the interface between two immiscible electrolyte solutions was probed as a function of the driving force and distance between redox centers by scanning electrochemical microscopy. The adsorption of phospholipids at the interface resulted in a decrease in the rate of interfacial ET between aqueous redox species and the oxidized form of zinc porphyrin in benzene. The fraction of the interfacial area covered with lipid (θ) was evaluated from the measured heterogeneous rate constants (kf). The dependence of θ vs lipid concentration in benzene fit a Langmuir isotherm. For complete monolayers of phospholipids, kf was a function of the number of methylene groups in a hydrocarbon chain. The driving force dependencies of interfacial ET rates (Tafel plots) were measured for several aqueous redox couples. They were linear, with a transfer coefficient of α ≅ 0.5 when the driving force for ET (ΔG°) was not too high, in agreement with Marcus theory, and leveled off to the diffusion-co...
Arithmetical and semihereditary semigroup rings

In this paper conditions on the commutative ring R (with identity) and the commutative semigroup ring S (with identity) are found which characterize those semigroup rings R[S] which are reduced or have weak global dimension at most one. Likewise, those semigroup rings R[S] which are semihereditary are completely determined in terms of R and S.
Relationships between Composition and Density of Tobermorite, Jennite, and Nanoscale CaO−SiO2−H2O

Relationships between composition, mass density, and atomic packing density for CaO−SiO2−H2O (C−S−H), the main hydration product of cement, and its mineral analogues tobermorite and jennite, are examined. A graphical approach, similar to a phase diagram, is used to display the variation in density as a function of water content. In order to provide insight into atomic packing density differences between these phases, hypothetical phase transitions are performed by adding the stoichiometrically correct amount of CaO and H2O to convert one phase into another, and then the molar volumes before and after the transformation are compared. These calculations indicate that C−S−H formed from cement hydrated under normal conditions has a considerably higher atomic packing density than both tobermorite and jennite. This is attributed to both the atomic structure of C−S−H and to its nanoparticulate morphology. The solid density values for C−S−H are used to predict the amount of chemical shrinkage that should occur in...
ALKALINITY GENERATION BY Fe(III) REDUCTION VERSUS SULFATE REDUCTION IN WETLANDS CONSTRUCTED FOR ACID MINE DRAINAGE TREATMENT

Despite the widespread use of wetlands for acid mine drainage (AMD) treatment, alkalinity generating mechanisms in wetlands and their abiotic and biotic controls are poorly understood. While both dissimilatory sulfate reduction and Fe(III) reduction are alkalinity-generating mechanisms, only the former has been considered as important in wetlands constructed for AMD treatment. This study was conducted to determine the extent to which Fe(III) reduction occurs and the extent to which sulfate reduction versus Fe(III) reduction contributes to alkalinity generation in 5 wetlands constructed with different organic substrates (Sphagnum peat with limestone and fertilizer, Sphagnum peat, sawdust, straw/ manure, mushroom compost) that had been exposed to the same quality and quantity of AMD for 18–22 months. These substrates had Fe oxyhydroxide concentrations of 250–810 μmol Fe g−1 dry substrate. Flasks containing 100 g of wet substrate along with either 150 mL of wetland water or 130 mL of wetland water and 20 mL of 37 % formalin were incubated at 4 °C in January and 25 °C in May. On days 0, 2, 4, 8, 12 and 16, the slurry mixtures were analyzed for concentrations of H+, Fe2+ and SO42−. The bulk of the evidence indicates that for all except the mushroom compost wetland, especially at 25 °C, biologically-mediated Fe(II) reduction occurred and generated alkalinity. However, in none of the wetlands, regardless of incubation temperature, was there evidence to support net biological sulfate reduction or its attendant alkalinity generation. Sulfate reduction and concurrent Fe(III) oxyhydroxide accumulation may be important in the initial stages of wetland treatment of AMD, both contributing to effective Fe retention. However, as Fe(III) oxyhydroxides accumulate over time, Fe(III) reduction could lead not only to decreased Fe retention, but also to the potential net release of Fe from the wetland.
Injection of chemical amendments into compacted subsoils: Growth and nutrient uptake by wheat

Abstract Some form of deep tillage is required in the coarse‐textured sandy soils of the Southeast in order to attain maximum yield of wheat. ‘Slit‐till’ is a tillage system that modifies plowpans and permits root penetration and proliferation into subsoil horizons. A greenhouse experiment was conducted to determine the effects of calcium nitrate, calcium phosphate, ammonium phosphate, ammonium nitrate, and dolomitic limestone slurry on wheat (Triticum aestivum sp.) root development through the slit of a compacted acid subsoil, and the effects of injection of chemical amendments on the soil chemical properties of acid subsoil. Soil cylinders were prepared using A and B horizons of Marvyn loamy sand (fine‐loamy, siliceous, thermic, Typic Hapludults) soil by placing 56‐cm of subsoil and 10‐cm of topsoil in PVC tubing. A 6‐cm‐thick hardpan was created at the top of the subsoil. Leaf and root concentrations of P were increased by chemical injections in the slit. All amendments increased plant height, but till...
Monitoring VOCs in Air Using Sorbent Tubes Followed by Thermal Desorption-Capillary GC Analysis: Summary of Data and Practical Guidelines

Abstract This paper presents a review of current practice and recent research into the use of sorbent tubes for monitoring VOCs in ambient air. Data are presented that demonstrate the viability of sorbent tubes with regard to artifact formation, analyte range, storage stability, concentration range, and recovery; the implications of this data are discussed in terms of detection limits, method validity, and method limitations. Guidance is also presented on the practical application of sorbent tube sampling derived from this information—for example, sorbent selection, pump flow rates, safe sample volumes, storage conditions, etc. Techniques and practical considerations for the thermal desorption-capillary GC analysis of sorbent tubes—such as calibration methods, moisture management, method validation procedures, and typical analytical conditions—are also reviewed and discussed. Expected analytical performance is presented in terms of precision and detection limits.
Infrared studies of the reversible stress-induced crystal-crystal phase transition of poly(tetramethylene terephthalate)

The reversible stress-induced crystal-crystal phase transition of poly(tetramethylene terephthalate) (PTMT) has been studied using infrared spectroscopy. Two spectral regions were used to study this transition: the 900–1000 cm−1 methylene rocking region and the 1300–1550 cm−1 methylene bending region. The bands at 917 and 1456 cm−1 are assigned to the ∝ phase. The bands at 935 and 1388 cm−1 have components from the α phase and the β phase. Dynamic stretching experiments performed above and below the glass-transition temperature indicated different mechanisms of the phase transition.
Back to the Future: The Expanding Communities Curriculum in Geography Education

This article traces the history of the expanding communities approach, the leading organizational structure for elementary social studies education since the 1930s. Since its introduction into the curriculum, educators have argued about the approach's effectiveness and suitability. Critics claim it lacks intellectual rigor and is redundant in that it repeats what children already know. Defenders argue that its relevancy to children's lives helps them better understand their world. Yet typically neither critics nor defenders demonstrate an understanding of the approach's deep roots in U.S. education. Long before its adoption as the dominant approach in elementary social studies, educators used it in history, civics, literature, and geography lessons. This article focuses on the approach's successful implementation in nineteenth-century geography curricula and shows that it is possible to teach rigorous geographical content and processes while using this method. The author recommends recommends that contemp...
Distributed-knowledge-based spectral processing and classification system for instruction and learning

This paper develops a distributed knowledge-based spectral processing and classification system which functions in one of two modes, executive and assistant. In the executive mode the system functions as a stand-alone system, automatically performing all the tasks from spectral enhancement, feature extraction and selection, to spectral classification and interpretation using the optimally feasible algorithms. In the assistant mode the system leads the user through the entire spectral processing and classification process, allowing a user to select appropriate parameters, their weights, knowledge organization method and a classification algorithm. Thus, the latter mode can also be used for teaching and instruction. It is shown how novice users can select a set of parameters, adjust their weights, and examine the classification process. Since different classifiers have various underlying assumptions, provisions have been made to control these assumptions, allowing users to select the parameters individually and combined, and providing facilities to visualize the interrelationships among the parameters.© (1999) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Efficacy and safety of rosuvastatin compared with pravastatin and simvastatin in patients with hypercholesterolemia: a randomized, double-blind, 52-week trial.

Abstract Objective The primary objective of this trial was to compare the efficacy of rosuvastatin with that of pravastatin and simvastatin for lowering low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C) levels. Methods In this randomized, double-blind, multicenter trial, lipid levels were measured in 477 patients (baseline LDL-C ≥160 and Results At 12 weeks, percent LDL-C reductions after both 5-mg and 10-mg rosuvastatin treatment, which were 39.1% and 47.4%, respectively, were significantly different ( P Conclusion Rosuvastatin reduced LDL-C levels more than pravastatin or simvastatin in patients with hypercholesterolemia in a 52-week dose-titration study. (Am Heart J 2002;144:1036-43.)
Active Vibration Control and Isolation for Micro-Machined Devices

Some harsh environments contain high frequency, high amplitude mechanical vibrations. Unfortunately some very useful components, such as MEMS gyroscopes, can be very sensitive to these high frequency mechanical vibrations. Passive micromachined silicon lowpass filter structures (spring-mass-damper) have been demonstrated in recent years. However, the performance of these filter structures is typically limited by low damping. This is especially true if operated in low pressure environments, which is often the optimal operating environment for the attached device that requires vibration isolation. An active micromachined vibration isolator can be realized by combining a state sensor, and electrostatic actuator and feedback electronics with the passive isolator. Using this approach, a prototype active micromachined vibration isolator is realized and used to decrease the filter Q from approximately 135 to approximately 60, when evaluated in a low pressure environment. The physical size of these active isolators is suitable for use in or as packaging for sensitive electronic and MEMS devices, such as MEMS vibratory gyros.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
Influence of Dietary Stable Strontium and Calcium on the Turnover of Bone-Fixed Sr85 in Man.

The turnover of Sr⁸⁵ was determined for four patients by wholebody counting for a period of 130 days following administration of the isotope. The data obtained were expressed as power functions. Two patients then received Sr lactate, and the other two Ca gluconate as dietary supplements for a period of 110 days. Sr⁸⁵ turnover was determined for this period and again expressed as a power function for each patient. While the data suggested that the addition of Ca gluconate to the diet somewhat decreased Sr⁸⁵ excretion and the addition of Sr lactate slightly enhanced excretion, no statistically significant changes in the long-term turnover rate of Sr⁸⁵ were observed. (auth)
Abstract 3151: Posttranscriptional regulation of p21 by MCG10, an RNA-binding protein and a target of tumor suppressor p53

Proceedings: AACR 101st Annual Meeting 2010‐‐ Apr 17‐21, 2010; Washington, DC The tumor suppressor p53 plays a crucial role in regulating many cellular processes, such as cell cycle arrest, apoptosis, senescence and cell metabolism, in response to stress signals. As a transcription factor, p53 modulates the expression of a plethora of genes, including p21, Killer/DR5, GADD45, TIGAR and MDM2. The tumor suppressor function of p53 is further underscored by the high propensity of p53 mutations found in human cancer. RNA-binding proteins are key modulators in RNA metabolism involved in alternative splicing, mRNA stability, mRNA transport as well as translation. Abnormal expression of RNA-binding proteins is implicated in a growing number of human diseases ranging from neurological disorders to cancer. Here, we showed that MCG10, an RNA-binding protein and a target of p53, regulates the stability of cell cycle inhibitor p21 transcript. Indeed, we found that MCG10 decreases p21 levels induced upon DNA damage. In addition, we showed that MCG10 directly binds to the 3′untranslated region of p21 transcript to destabilize it. Furthermore, we generated MCF7 breast adenocarcinoma and RKO colon carcinoma cell lines in which MCG10 is inducibly knocked down. We found that MCG10 is required for cell proliferation. In addition, we showed that deficiency in MCG10 leads to an increase in basal and DNA damage-induced p21 levels. Taken together, we uncovered a role for RNA-binding protein MCG10 in modulating the p53 pathway through posttranscriptional regulation of p21. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 101st Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2010 Apr 17-21; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2010;70(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 3151.