cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Implementation of Perdew–Zunger self-interaction correction in real space using Fermi–Löwdin orbitals

Most widely used density functional approximations suffer from self-interaction error, which can be corrected using the Perdew–Zunger (PZ) self-interaction correction (SIC). We implement the recently proposed size-extensive formulation of PZ-SIC using Fermi–Lowdin Orbitals (FLOs) in real space, which is amenable to systematic convergence and large-scale parallelization. We verify the new formulation within the generalized Slater scheme by computing atomization energies and ionization potentials of selected molecules and comparing to those obtained by existing FLOSIC implementations in Gaussian based codes. The results show good agreement between the two formulations, with new real-space results somewhat closer to experiment on average for the systems considered. We also obtain the ionization potentials and atomization energies by scaling down the Slater statistical average of SIC potentials. The results show that scaling down the average SIC potential improves both atomization energies and ionization potentials, bringing them closer to experiment. Finally, we verify the present formulation by calculating the barrier heights of chemical reactions in the BH6 dataset, where significant improvements are obtained relative to Gaussian based FLOSIC results.
Predicting Different Types of Subtle Toxicity in Unhealthy Online Conversations.

This paper investigates the use of machine learning models for the classification of unhealthy online conversations containing one or more forms of subtler abuse, such as hostility, sarcasm, and generalization. We leveraged a public dataset of 44K online comments containing healthy and unhealthy comments labeled with seven forms of subtle toxicity. We were able to distinguish between these comments with a top micro F1-score, macro F1-score, and ROC-AUC of 88.76%, 67.98%, and 0.71, respectively. Hostile comments were easier to detect than other types of unhealthy comments. We also conducted a sentiment analysis which revealed that most types of unhealthy comments were associated with a slight negative sentiment, with hostile comments being the most negative ones.
ICU delirium burden predicts functional neurologic outcomes.

BACKGROUND We investigated the effect of delirium burden in mechanically ventilated patients, beginning in the ICU and continuing throughout hospitalization, on functional neurologic outcomes up to 2.5 years following critical illness. METHODS Prospective cohort study of enrolling 178 consecutive mechanically ventilated adult medical and surgical ICU patients between October 2013 and May 2016. Altogether, patients were assessed daily for delirium 2941days using the Confusion Assessment Method for the ICU (CAM-ICU). Hospitalization delirium burden (DB) was quantified as number of hospital days with delirium divided by total days at risk. Survival status up to 2.5 years and neurologic outcomes using the Glasgow Outcome Scale were recorded at discharge 3, 6, and 12 months post-discharge. RESULTS Of 178 patients, 19 (10.7%) were excluded from outcome analyses due to persistent coma. Among the remaining 159, 123 (77.4%) experienced delirium. DB was independently associated with >4-fold increased mortality at 2.5 years following ICU admission (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR], 4.77; 95% CI, 2.10-10.83; P < .001), and worse neurologic outcome at discharge (adjusted odds ratio [aOR], 0.02; 0.01-0.09; P < .001), 3 (aOR, 0.11; 0.04-0.31; P < .001), 6 (aOR, 0.10; 0.04-0.29; P < .001), and 12 months (aOR, 0.19; 0.07-0.52; P = .001). DB in the ICU alone was not associated with mortality (HR, 1.79; 0.93-3.44; P = .082) and predicted neurologic outcome less strongly than entire hospital stay DB. Similarly, the number of delirium days in the ICU and for whole hospitalization were not associated with mortality (HR, 1.00; 0.93-1.08; P = .917 and HR, 0.98; 0.94-1.03, P = .535) nor with neurological outcomes, except for the association between ICU delirium days and neurological outcome at discharge (OR, 0.90; 0.81-0.99, P = .038). CONCLUSIONS Delirium burden throughout hospitalization independently predicts long term neurologic outcomes and death up to 2.5 years after critical illness, and is more predictive than delirium burden in the ICU alone and number of delirium days.
A Priori Stochastic Dynamic Traffic Assignment for On-Line Operations Under Information Systems

Existing dynamic traffic assignment (DTA) formulations predominantly assume the time-dependent origin-destination (O-D) trip matrix to be known a priori for the planning horizon or require robust a priori O-D predictions. Such assumptions are unduly optimistic for general networks in an on-line operational framework. Also, the associated solution approaches are computationally intensive in a centralized architecture. To address these key on-line issues, a stochastic DTA approach is proposed in which O-D desires are explicitly recognized as random variables. To ensure that the associated solution methodology is feasible for on-line implementation, a combination of on-line and off-line strategies is proposed. In this paper, an a priori optimization strategy is used to address the off-line problem. Experimental results indicate that the off-line solution serves as an effective and robust initial on-line solution.
A Novel Algorithm for Finding Overlapping Communities in Networks Based on Label Propagation

Community discovery in Social network is one of the hot spots. In real networks, some nodes belong to several different communities. Overlapping community discovery has been more and more popular. Label propagation algorithm has been proven to be an effective method for complex network community discovery, this algorithm has the characteristics of simple and fast. For the poor stability problem of Label propagation algorithm, this article proposes a stable overlapping communities discovery method based on the label propagation algorithm: SALPA. At the beginning of the method, introduce the influence of nodes, which is used to measure the influence of nodes, select the most influential nodes as the core nodes, in the propagating stage, when there are more than one label with the same degree of membership, select the connectivity lager than the threshold. The method has been carried out in three real networks and two big synthetic networks. Compared with the classical algorithm, experiment results demonstrate the effectiveness, stability and computational speed of the method have been improved.
If you don't want it, neither do I: Social influences on children's choices.

Abstract To what extent does knowing what others like influence children’s valuation of objects? The current study examined the effect of having observed another person’s choices on children’s decisions about objects. Specifically, we asked whether children consider what the other person does not choose. In the first of three conditions, 4-year-olds watched as an experimenter looked inside two boxes and then selected the box containing the object she liked best. Children were then asked to choose between the remaining box (that the experimenter did not take) and a neutral box (that replaced the chosen box). Children tended to select the neutral box, suggesting that they had devalued the box the experimenter did not choose. However, in the second condition, when the experimenter chose a box without first looking inside—and thus was ignorant of the contents—children chose randomly. The third condition revealed that children continued to select the neutral box even when the experimenter who made the initial choice was not present. This indicates that children’s valuation of the rejected option changed rather than their choices being solely influenced by the social dynamics of the situation (e.g., reluctance to choose the box with the option the experimenter knowingly rejected while in the presence of that experimenter). Taken together, these findings suggest that by 4 years of age, children’s own choices—and values—are influenced by observing others’ informed choices, including what they do not choose. The findings provide new insight into the potential role of social influence in children’s developing preferences.
Viral Disinfection of Estuarine Water by UV

Experiments were conducted with viruses artificially introduced into seawater under both static and continuously flowing conditions. Under static conditions, the devitalization of each virus was compared against poliovirus 1. The findings indicated that poliovirus 1, 2, 3, echoviruses 1 and 11, and coxsackievirus A-9 exhibited similar devitalization characteristics. Conversely, coxsackievirus B-1 and reovirus 1 exhibited dissimilar devitalization characteristics from poliovirus 1. The infectivity loss of all viruses examined was 99% or greater after 30 sec of UV exposure. Under continuously flowing conditions, the devitalization of poliovirus 1 was dissimilar from that of the same virus under static conditions. The infectivity loss of poliovirus 1 exceeded 99.9% after 15.7 sec of UV exposure in the continuously flowing seawater. Based on the findings, the expected virus percent-reduction-times under static conditions would be considerably reduced under continuously flowing conditions. UV can be highly effective in disinfecting flowing seawater for use in artificial shellfish purification systems.
Passage of carbohydrate into the colon. Direct measurements in humans

To quantify passage of unabsorbed dietary starch into the colon, 7 healthy volunteers had a multilumen tube positioned close to the ileocecal junction. Marker solution was perfused slowly, 20-40 cm above an aspiration site, to estimate, by marker dilution, flow through the ileum. On consecutive days, subjects ate liquidized meals containing 20 or 60 g starch; ileal aspirates were analyzed for starch and glucose for 5-6 h fasting and 4-7 h postprandially. Volume and carbohydrate concentrations were used to derive total carbohydrate traversing the ileum. In different subjects, unabsorbed carbohydrate was 453-4023 mg (2.3%-20.1%, mean 9.3%) for the smaller meal and 1332-6352 mg (2.2%-10.4%, mean 6.0%) for the larger. In 4 volunteers, hydrogen breath tests were performed on separate occasions after sucrose (50 g), lactulose (26 g), and the 20-g meal. Lactulose increased hydrogen excretion; sucrose and the test meal did not. We conclude that 2%-20% of dietary starch escapes absorption in the small bowel, confirming others' results using breath tests alone. Breath tests, though more convenient than intubation studies, may be a less sensitive index of starch malabsorption.
A multi-layer scene model for video surveillance applications

Foreground detection is the most important preprocess for video surveillance applications. However, classifying pixels of video frames into only background and foreground seems insufficient in real situations. In this study, we model the monitoring scene by using a multi-layer framework. The proposed scene model classifies pixels layer by layer into four different states, comprising background, moving foreground, static foreground and shadow. Different scenarios such as shadow elimination, abandoned object detection and object tracking were tested with the proposed scene model. The experimental results demonstrate it is quantified for real video surveillance applications.
A prosodic diphone database for korean text-to-speech synthesis system

This paper presents a prosodically conditioned diphone database to be used in a Korean text-to-speech (TTS) synthesis system. The diphones are prosodically conditioned in the sense that a single conventional diphone is stored as different versions taken directly from the different prosodic domains of the prosodically labeled, read sentences (following the K-ToBI prosodic labeling conventions [3]). Four levels of the Korean prosodic domains were observed in the diphone selection process, thereby selecting four different versions of each diphone. A 400-sentence subset of the Korean Newswire Text Corpora [5] were converted to its pronounced form as described in [8] and its read version was prosodically labeled. The greedy algorithm [7] identified 223 sentences containing 1,853 prosodic diphones (out of the 3,977 possible prosodic diphones) that can synthesize all four hundred utterances. Although our system cannot synthesize an unlimited number of sentences at this stage, the quality of the synthesized sentences strongly suggests that it is a viable option to use prosodically conditioned diphones in a text-to-speech synthesis system.
Studies on hypoxia. X. Effects of synthetic polyribonucleotides on pancreas from hypoxic and control rats: an electron microscopic and biochemical study.

Young male Sprague-Dawley rats were paired according to weight, and experimental animals were placed in an environmental chamber which was supplied with a continuous flow of 88% N2 and 12% 0, for 7 days. The paired control animals were treated identically except that a flow of ambient air was made available in place of the gas mixture. One half of each of the experimental and control rats was given an intraperitoneal injection of polyadenylic and polyuridylic acids [poly A:U (1 mg/kg] 24 hr prior to sacrifice. All animals were given an injection of Lphenylalanine-aH (2 ,i 5 Ci/mmale) at 60 min prior to sacrifice. Tissues were prepared for microscopic observation by perfusion fixation with 2% formaldehyde derived from pamformaldehyde and embedding in epoxy resin in a routine manner. In biochemical work, tissues were analyzed for amylase, DNA, and protein. Radioactivity in acid-precipitable and soluble fractions was determined by scintillation spectroscopy. The ultrastructural aspects of pancreatic acinar cells from hypoxic rats confirmed findings from earlier studies from this laboratory and showed a general reduction in size and organizational complexity of cytoplasmic organelles that are concerned with exportable protein biosynthesis. In poly (A:U)-treated rats, ultrastructural changes in pancreatic acinar cells included a reduction in the number of mature zymogen granules and a marked enlargement of Golgi apparatus. Biochemically, tissues from poly ( A:U ) -treated rats showed an enhanced protein synthesis despite a decrease in the total protein and amylase contents, indicating a facilitated release of secretory proteins by poly ( A:U). Although similar effects were observed both in control and hypoxic animals, the cells from the experimental rats showed more pronounced changes. It is concluded that ( poly ( A:U ) stimulates protein synthesis by pancreatic acinar cells and that such stimulation is more pronounced in the pancreas from rats that have been exposed to hypoxia.
Deception, Detection of, P300 Event-Related Potential (ERP)

Research with P300 is proceeding at an exciting rate. P300 ERP lie detection that has been proven effective might bring important, even revolutionary benefits to society, at least if used in proper situations. Ineffective testing can only be harmful. It is important that this technology be used if and only if its effectiveness has been rigorously established. If it is proven effective, our society will then face difficult questions on how to use the technology in ways that maximize its benefits and minimize its costs, while respecting individual rights. Keywords: detection of deception; event-related potential; P300 event-related potential; electrophysiology; brain imaging; cognitive neuroscience; lie detection; neural lie detection; neuroimaging
MANAGEMENT BY VALUES: CONSISTENCY AS A PREDICTOR OF SUCCESS:

Management creates the environment within an organization. Management by Values is a methodology that an employer may use to determine rather effectively the quality of the environment. It is also a concept that provides a basis for increasing the predictability of behavior(s) within the organization without resorting to the all-too-common practice of creating rule-oriented environments that stifle creativity and initiative. With the hospitality industry's concern over the decreasing traditional source of labor, this scheme focuses on not only the recruiting of personnel, but more importantly, the retention of quality personnel by developing operating norms that enhance and protect the values of the organization.
Multi-material additive and subtractive prosumer digital fabrication with a free and open-source convertible delta RepRap 3-D printer

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present novel modifications to a RepRap design that increase RepRap capabilities well beyond just fused filament fabrication. Open-source RepRap 3-D printers have made distributed manufacturing and prototyping an affordable reality. Design/methodology/approach – The design is a significantly modified derivative of the Rostock delta-style RepRap 3-D printer. Modifications were made that permit easy and rapid repurposing of the platform for milling, paste extrusion and several other applications. All of the designs are open-source and freely available. Findings – In addition to producing fused filament parts, the platform successfully produced milled printed circuit boards, milled plastic objects, objects made with paste extrudates, such as silicone, food stuffs and ceramics, pen plotted works and cut vinyl products. The multi-purpose tool saved 90-97 per cent of the capital costs of functionally equivalent dedicated tools. Research limitations/implications – While ...
Pronouncing and Persevering: Gender and the Discourses of Disputing in an African Islamic Court

Pronouncing and Persevering: Gender and the Discourses of Disputing in an African Islamic Court. Susan F. Hirsch. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1998. 360 pp.
Poloidal Flow Driven by Ion-Temperature-Gradient Turbulence in Tokamaks

We show that linear collisionless processes do not damp poloidal flows driven by ion-temperature-gradient (ITG) turbulence. Since these flows play an important role in saturating the level of the turbulence, this level, as well as the transport caused by ITG modes, may be overestimated by gyrofluid simulations, which employ linear collisionless rotation damping.
Dispersion relations for vacuum-polarization functions in electroweak physics

Abstract We propose a class of once-subtracted dispersion relations for the vacuum-polarization functions of massive fermions, in which the subtraction constants are determined explicitly from Ward identities. We show that in perturbation theory to O(α) and O(ααs) this approach, the alternative dispersion relations proposed by Chang, Gaemers and van Neerven, and dimensional regularization all give the same contributions to electroweak observables such as Δϱ and Δr. The threshold behaviours of the subtraction integrands are, however, very different and the two dispersion methods are expected to lead to significantly variant estimates of contributionsarising from non-perturbative tt threshold effects.
Graded repression of PU.1/Sfpi1 gene transcription by GATA factors regulates hematopoietic cell fate

GATA-1 and PU.1 are essential hematopoietic transcription factors that control erythromegakaryocytic and myelolymphoid differentiation, respectively. These proteins antagonize each other through direct physical interaction to repress alternate lineage programs. We used immortalized Gata1− erythromegakaryocytic progenitor cells to study how PU.1/Sfpi1 expression is regulated by GATA-1 and GATA-2, a related factor that is normally expressed at earlier stages of hematopoiesis. Both GATA factors bind the PU.1/Sfpi1 gene at 2 highly conserved regions. In the absence of GATA-1, GATA-2 binding is associated with an undifferentiated state, intermediate level PU.1/Sfpi1 expression, and low-level expression of its downstream myeloid target genes. Restoration of GATA-1 function induces erythromegakaryocytic differentiation. Concomitantly, GATA-1 replaces GATA-2 at the PU.1/Sfpi1 locus and PU.1/Sfpi1 expression is extinguished. In contrast, when GATA-1 is not present, shRNA knockdown of GATA-2 increases PU.1/Sfpi1 expression by 3-fold and reprograms the cells to become macrophages. Our findings indicate that GATA factors act sequentially to regulate lineage determination during hematopoiesis, in part by exerting variable repressive effects at the PU.1/Sfpi1 locus.
High resolution alkaline earth NMR

Abstract 25 Mg and 43 Ca NMR spectra are reported for the magnesium and calcium ion complexes of EDTA. At pH 4.7 and 300K a sample containing 0.12 M CaCl 2 and 0.06 M EDTA gives a single exchange averaged line in the 43 Ca NMR spectrum; however, as the temperature is lowered two lines are resolved corresponding to complexed and uncomplexed calcium ion. The chemical shift difference between the two calcium environments in the limit of slow exchange is 20.0 ppm. The 25 Mg spectrum at 305 K of an aqueous solution containing 0.096 M 25 MgCl 2 and 0.098 M EDTA is a superposition of two lines: a broad line, corresponding to EDTA-complexed 25 Mg +2 , and a narrow line, resulting from the uncomplexed ion. The narrow line predominates at low pH, while at pH values above 9.6, where virtually all of the magnesium ion is complexed, only the broad line is observed. These data indicate that the alkaline earth ions may be expected to give high resolution NMR spectra under favorable conditions.
Direct reduction of aero-optical laser beam aberrations by active turbulence control

This work is part of an effort to investigate methodologies for active turbulence control of laser beam propagation through separated flows relevant to airborne laser applications as well as to detect the turbulenceinduced laser aberrations with Shack-Hartmann sensing. Large scale turbulence suppression control in separated compressible flows is investigated as a means to directly reduce aero-optical aberrations in laser propagation for airborne directed energy capabilities. Experiments are conducted on forced and unforced large-Reynolds-number compressible separated shear layers. Flow forcing is realized using a custom-built dielectric barrier discharge pulsed plasma actuator that can operate at elevated pressures. Results from flow control experiments show significant reductions in the root-mean-square optical path difference depending on the pulsed plasma actuator forcing frequency. Shack-Hartmann wavefront sensor laser profiling is conducted to measure directly the aero-optical aberrations. The flow conditions used in this research are Reynolds number of 6 million, based on the visual thickness of the turbulent separated shear layer, a freestream Mach number of 0.9, and an elevated test section pressure of 3 atm. The Shack-Hartmann sensor provides pathintegrated information regarding the turbulent refractive field and interfaces that the laser wavefront propagated through. Experimental comparison of control on vs. off cases indicates evidence showing the effectiveness of pulsed plasma forcing for the direct reduction of the laser aberrations. Since the dominant contributions to the aberrations, in unforced flows, are caused by large-scale organized structures, our findings indicate that the mechanism by which the significant reduction is observed in the present forced experiments is due to large-scale organized structure suppression effected by pulsed plasma forcing.
Trans -dominant inactivation of HTLV-I and HIV-1 gene expression by mutation of the HTLV-I Rex transactivator

The rex gene of the type I human T-cell leukaemia virus (HTLV-I) encodes a phosphorylated nuclear protein of relative molecular mass 27,000 which is required for viral replication. The Rex protein acts by promoting the cytoplasmic expression of the incompletely spliced viral messenger RNAs that encode the virion structural proteins. To identify the biologically important peptide domains within Rex, we introduced a series of mutations throughout its sequence. Two distinct classes of mutations lacking Rex biological activity were identified. One class corresponds to trans-dominant repressors as they inhibit the function of the wild-type Rex protein. The second class of mutants, in contrast, are recessive negative, rather than dominant negative, as they are not appropriately targeted to the cell nucleus. These results indicate the presence of at least two functionally distinct domains within the Rex protein, one involved in protein localization and a second involved in effector function. The trans-dominant Rex mutants may represent a promising new class of anti-viral agents.
Cuticular lipids of insects. I. Hydrocarbons of Leucophaea maderae and Blatta orientalis.

The major hydrocarbons found in the surface lipids of the cockroachesLeucophaea maderae andBlatta orientalis have been identified asn-heptacosane, 11-methylheptacosane, 13-methylheptacosane and 3-methylheptacosane. The hydrocarbons from the two genera of cockroaches are qualitatively identical and quantitatively similar.
Intercellular trafficking of adenovirus-delivered HSV VP22 from the retinal pigment epithelium to the photoreceptors--implications for gene therapy.

Adenovirus (Ad)-mediated gene transfer is a promising technology for therapy of a wide variety of genetic disorders of the retina. The tropism of Ad vectors limits their utility to cells that express the coxsackie-adenovirus receptor. Upon ocular delivery, Ad vectors primarily infect the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and the Muller cells of the retina. However, the most frequent blinding diseases such as retinitis pigmentosa and age-related macular degeneration are associated with the expression of mutant proteins in the photoreceptors. In this study we demonstrate that adenovirus-delivered heterologous proteins fused to the herpes simplex virus tegument protein VP22 can translocate from infected cells to uninfected cells in culture and in vivo. We tested three different ocular cell lines, specifically Y79, RPE-J, and Chang C. We show that there is a 3.25-fold increase in the number of Y79 cells that take up GFP mediated by the intercellular trafficking properties of VP22. Our data are based on FACS analysis of living cells and there was no need for cell fixation for the effect to be observed. When adenovirus expressing a VP22-GFP fusion was injected into the subretinal space of adult mice, the VP22-GFP fusion peptides translocated from the RPE to all of the other layers of the retina, including the outer nuclear layer, which contains the photoreceptor cell bodies. Our study has significant implications for a wide variety of diseases of the retina and other organ systems.
Characterization of a lymphocyte factor which alters macrophage functions.

As reported previously, antigenically stimulated guinea pig lymphocytes elaborate a soluble factor which activates macrophages in the sense of promoting increased adherence, spreading, phagocytosis, and glucose oxidation through the hexose monophosphate pathway. Further studies on the characteristics and kinetics of this substance were carried out. The activating factor could not be distinguished from a previously characterized lymphocyte mediator, migration inhibitory factor (MIF), on the basis of Sephadex G-100 gel filtration, CsCl density gradient centrifugation, or sensitivity to neuraminidase. It was, however, shown to be distinct from two other lymphocyte mediators, chemotactic factor for macrophages and lymphotoxin. The kinetics of activation were further studied. The data suggest that the 3 day period required by macrophages to manifest a response to the activating factor consists of two stages. In the first, requiring 1–2 days, the macrophages are refractory to the influence of activating factor, but undergo changes which render them receptive. In the second, they respond to activating factor with increased cell adherence and glucose oxidation. Once macrophages have been activated, the effect persists in the absence of activating factor for 24 h. Finally, it was shown that activation in unfractionated supernatants followed the same time-course as that in more purified fractions. The data suggests that the activating factor is the same as MIF and that, in vitro, macrophages respond to this substance with migration inhibition before they become sensitive to its activating influence.
Public reporting of hospital quality: recommendations to benefit patients and hospitals.

Public reporting of hospital performance holds tremendous promise for improving the care provided by hospitals. To date, however, consumers have failed to embrace public reporting, despite considerable efforts to promote it. We review a number of reasons that public reporting has failed to live up to expectations, and we make 10 recommendations to improve the value of public reporting for both patients and hospitals. We also review 3 leading performance reporting programs to evaluate how well they adhere to these recommendations. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2009;4:541–545. © 2009 Society of Hospital Medicine.
TV.com: Participatory Viewing on the Web

L'A. donne un apercu de l'utilisation duale du Web et de la television et examine en quoi cette pratique affecte le telespectateur. Il centre son analyse sur les medias americains durant les annees 2000-2002, la periode au cours de laquelle l'idee d'utiliser ces deux medias en tandem fut popularisee pour la premiere fois. Il decrit d'abord les caracteristiques generales de cette pratique. Il examine ensuite quelques sites web et conclut par quelques reflexions sur les changements potentiels que l'interconnexion entre differents medias peut provoquer pour l'audience.
Transcriptomic changes in developing kidney exposed to chronic hypoxia

cDNA arrays compared gene expression in kidneys of neonatal mice subjected to 1, 2, and 4 weeks of chronic constant (CCH) or intermittent (CIH) hypoxia with normoxic littermates. Five to twenty percent of genes were regulated in each condition, with greater changes in CCH. Up-regulation of 42% of the solute carriers after 1 week of CCH suggests a strong activation of pH controlling pathways. Significant reduction in expression change of genes important in growth, development, and aging as a function of time indicates reduced maturation rate in CIH and CCH treatments. Regulated genes showed gender dependence in CCH, being higher in females than males at 1 week and higher in males than females thereafter. Transcriptional control was enhanced in CCH but not in CIH. Thus, CCH and CIH both alter gene expression and retard maturation with the more profound changes occurring in CCH than in CIH.
Rate of bone loss is greater in young Mexican American men than women: the San Antonio Family Osteoporosis Study.

Little is known about the progression of bone loss during young adulthood and whether it differs between men and women. As part of the San Antonio Family Osteoporosis Study we tested whether bone mineral density (BMD) changed over time in men or women, and whether the rate of BMD change differed between the sexes. BMD of the proximal femur, spine, radius, and whole body was measured in 115 men and 202 pre-menopausal women (ages 25 to 45 years; Mexican American ancestry) by dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry at two time points (5.6 years apart), from which annual percent change-in-BMD was calculated. Likelihood-based methods were used to test whether change-in-BMD differs from zero or differs between men and women. In men, percent change-in-BMD was significantly greater than zero for the 1/3 radius (i.e. indicating a gain of BMD; Bonferroni-adjusted p < 0.01), less than zero for the femoral neck, lumbar spine, ultradistal radius, and whole body (i.e. indicating a loss of BMD; p < 0.01 for all), and not different than zero for the total hip (p = 0.24). In women, percent change-in-BMD was greater than zero for the total hip, 1/3 radius, and whole body (p < 0.01 for all), less than zero for the ultradistal radius (p < 0.01), and not significantly different than zero for the femoral neck and lumbar spine (p = 1.0 for both). For all skeletal sites, men experienced greater decrease in BMD (or less increase in BMD) than women; this result was observed both with and without adjustment for age, BMI, and change-in-BMI (p < 0.05 for all). These results suggest that significant bone loss occurs at some skeletal sites in young men and women, and that loss of BMD is occurring significantly faster, or gain of BMD is occurring significantly slower, in young men compared to young women.
SERS Microscopy: Laser Illumination Effects

Hadamard transform SERS microscopy of pyridine at Ag electrodes with focused 514.5-nm, 532.0-nm, and 632.8-nm excitation is reported. It is shown that focused 514.5-nm and 532.0-nm laser excitation produces photochemical or photothermal damage at roughened Ag electrodes. Photo-damage limits the spatial resolution of SERS microprobe and raster-scanned point imaging techniques which use focused green excitation at Ag electrodes.
Maintaining mosquito cell lines at high temperatures: effects on the replication of flaviviruses

The upper thermal limit for maintenance of eleven mosquito cell lines was studied. Although most cell lines could be grown at 32 degrees C to 34 degrees C, Anopheles stephensi cell line could be maintained at 37 degrees C. At higher temperatures initial growth rate was higher, but yield of cells after about a week of incubation was lower than at the standard temperature (28 degrees C). Replication of several flaviviruses in Aedes albopictus cell cultures adapted to 34.5 degrees C was faster, and viral titers were higher than at 28 degrees C.
Excitotoxic lesions of the rat striatum: different responses of kynurenine pathway enzymes during ontogeny

Excitotoxic lesions of the adult rat striatum result in reactive gliosis and an associated increase in the activities of the astrocytic enzymes 3-hydroxyanthranilic acid oxygenase (3HAO) and kynurenine aminotransferase (KAT), which are responsible for the biosynthesis of the neurotoxin quinolinic acid and the neuroprotectant kynurenic acid, respectively. Unilateral ibotenate injections were made in the striatum of 7-, 14-, 21- and 28-day- and 2.5-month-old rats to study the reaction of 3HAO and KAT when injury is inflicted during ontogeny. By one week, all lesioned striata showed a > 50 percent decrease in the activity of the neuronal marker enzyme glutamic acid decarboxylase. At this timepoint, lesion-induced elevations in 3HA0 activity increased progressively from 130 to 206, 280, 385 and 456 percent of the contralateral striatum in the five age groups studied. In contrast, in the same animals the respective increases in striatal KAT activity were 601, 350, 312, 259 and 159 percent (n = 6-13 per group). In all age groups, statistically significant lesion-induced increases in 3HA0 and KAT were seen up to 4 weeks after the ibotenate injection. Rats receiving an intrastriatal injection of ibotenate on postnatal day 7 also showed an increase in the striatal tissue level of kynurenic acid 1 week after the lesion. These data demonstrate that substantial qualitative differences exist between the immature and adult rat in the reaction of two glial enzymes to striatal injury. Moreover, the ability of the immature brain to mobilize kynurenic acid production preferentially may play a role in the brain's response to perinatal injury.
A Power Sensor Network for Identification of Heterogeneous Wireless Networks

We consider a scenario with multiple radio sources operating in the 2.4GHz ISM band and emitting signals that may overlap in time and frequency. Each source is characterized by an on/off signal, which represents its activity in time. Sources are modelled as statistically independent if they belong to different networks or statistically dependent if they belong to the same network, in which case they produce signals that do not overlap in time. A network of sensors performs measurements, where each sensor measures average received power with some time granularity. We show how source activity signals can be recovered from the power measurements using blind signal separation techniques. Recovered signals are partitioned into groups where each group is formed of non overlapping signals in time that belong to the same network.
Osteoarthritis year 2011 in review: clinical

The purpose of this narrative year in review of clinical studies was to highlight a few publications related to obesity and weight loss, physical activity, and synovitis as well as disease modifying interventions that were published between September 2010 and September 2011. This year clinical research highlighted the extent to which obesity and osteoarthritis (OA) are impacting quality of life among adults in the United States and that reducing excessive body weight or becoming more physically active may be beneficial. In addition to weight loss and physical activity and synovitis, research over the past year has highlighted the diverse methods being pursued for structural modification interventions. In addition to chondroitin sulfate there were interesting preliminary findings that meniscal implants and joint distractions may modify OA progression.
Normal autophagic activity in macrophages from mice lacking Gαi3, AGS3, or RGS19.

In macrophages autophagy assists antigen presentation, affects cytokine release, and promotes intracellular pathogen elimination. In some cells autophagy is modulated by a signaling pathway that employs Gαi3, Activator of G-protein Signaling-3 (AGS3/GPSM1), and Regulator of G-protein Signaling 19 (RGS19). As macrophages express each of these proteins, we tested their importance in regulating macrophage autophagy. We assessed LC3 processing and the formation of LC3 puncta in bone marrow derived macrophages prepared from wild type, Gnai3-/-, Gpsm1-/-, or Rgs19-/- mice following amino acid starvation or Nigericin treatment. In addition, we evaluated rapamycin-induced autophagic proteolysis rates by long-lived protein degradation assays and anti-autophagic action after rapamycin induction in wild type, Gnai3-/-, and Gpsm1-/- macrophages. In similar assays we compared macrophages treated or not with pertussis toxin, an inhibitor of GPCR (G-protein couple receptor) triggered Gαi nucleotide exchange. Despite previous findings, the level of basal autophagy, autophagic induction, autophagic flux, autophagic degradation and the anti-autophagic action in macrophages that lacked Gαi3, AGS3, or RGS19; or had been treated with pertussis toxin, were similar to controls. These results indicate that while Gαi signaling may impact autophagy in some cell types it does not in macrophages.
Three-Body Abrasion Testing Using Lunar Dust Simulants to Evaluate Surface System Materials

Numerous unexpected operational issues relating to the abrasive nature of lunar dust, such as scratched visors and spacesuit pressure seal leaks, were encountered during the Apollo missions. To avoid reoccurrence of these unexpected detrimental equipment problems on future missions to the Moon, a series of two- and three-body abrasion tests were developed and conducted in order to begin rigorously characterizing the effect of lunar dust abrasiveness on candidate surface system materials. Two-body scratch tests were initially performed to examine fundamental interactions of a single particle on a flat surface. These simple and robust tests were used to establish standardized measurement techniques for quantifying controlled volumetric wear. Subsequent efforts described in the paper involved three-body abrasion testing designed to be more representative of actual lunar interactions. For these tests, a new tribotester was developed to expose samples to a variety of industrial abrasives and lunar simulants. The work discussed in this paper describes the three-body hardware setup consisting of a rotating rubber wheel that applies a load on a specimen as a loose abrasive is fed into the system. The test methodology is based on ASTM International (ASTM) B611, except it does not mix water with the abrasive. All tests were run under identical conditions. Abraded material specimens included poly(methyl methacrylate) (PMMA), hardened 1045 steel, 6061-T6 aluminum (Al) and 1018 steel. Abrasives included lunar mare simulant JSC- 1A-F (nominal size distribution), sieved JSC-1A-F (<25 m particle diameter), lunar highland simulant NU-LHT-2M, alumina (average diameter of 50 m used per ASTM G76), and silica (50/70 mesh used per ASTM G65). The measured mass loss from each specimen was converted using standard densities to determine total wear volume in cm3. Abrasion was dominated by the alumina and the simulants were only similar to the silica (i.e., sand) on the softer materials of aluminum and PMMA. The nominal JSC- 1A-F consistently showed more abrasion wear than the sieved version of the simulant. The lunar dust displayed abrasivity to all of the test materials, which are likely to be used in lunar landing equipment. Based on this test experience and pilot results obtained, recommendations are made for systematic abrasion testing of candidate materials intended for use in lunar exploration systems and in other environments with similar dust challenges.
Use of 2-mercaptopyridine for the determination of alkylating agents in complex matrices: application to dimethyl sulfate.

Abstract A rapid and sensitive method for the determination of alkylating agents in complex reaction mixtures was developed and characterized. Analyses are based on the alkylation of 2-mercaptopyridine by the analyte; the derivative is separated by RP-HPLC and measured by fluorescence detection. When applied to the determination of dimethyl sulfate, the method is linear over four orders of magnitude: 0.01–10 μg mL −1 . By using recrystallized 2-mercaptopyridine, quantitation limits of 10 ng mL −1 can be achieved. Precision of the assay is 2% R.S.D. in the 1–10 μg mL −1 range and about 15% R.S.D. at 10 ng mL −1 . Studies on the pH dependence of the derivatization reaction were key to minimizing interference from the dimethyl sulfate degradation product, monomethyl sulfate, in quenched reaction samples.
Peptide-catalyzed kinetic resolution of formamides and thioformamides as an entry to nonracemic amines.

We report a fundamentally unique approach to the catalytic kinetic resolution of amine derivatives based on formamide and thioformamide substrates. Readily accessible histidine-containing peptides mediate the kinetic resolutions with as little as 5 mol % catalyst. Selectivity factors (krel) as high as 43.7 were observed under simple reaction conditions utilizing Boc2O as the reagent at room temperature. Mechanistic experiments were conducted that established a higher level of reactivity for thioformamide substrates than for their formamide analogues. The products of these asymmetric reactions were shown to be readily converted to desirable building blocks such as N-Boc-amines and the parent chiral formamide compounds.
A Bridge to Graduation for At-Risk Latino Males: A Case Study.

Changing demographics, low Latino graduation rates, and changes to education funding—nationally and locally—challenge society to develop innovative strategies to navigate transformations affecting public education. This article presents findings from a collaborative community-engaged evaluation of a dropout prevention program for at-risk male Latino students. Our mixed-methods evaluation finds that the program has had a positive overall impact on its participants. In particular, program participation was associated with an overall rise in grade point averages, fewer failing grades, and a higher probability of graduation, compared to nonparticipants. With respect to behavioral changes, attendance was not improved over the period of program involvement; however, the number of behavioral referrals decreased dramatically. In addition, students and staff members reported that the program enhanced the students’ academic and career attitudes and aspirations. This work reveals the value of innovative programs and...
Effects of even-aged and uneven-aged timber management on dung beetle community attributes in a Missouri Ozark forest.

The goal of this study was to estimate the effects of even-aged, uneven-aged and no-harvest forest management on dung beetle community attributes at both landscape and local (either closed or open canopy within treatments) scales. We collected a total 2579 individuals of Scarabaeoidea with 72 baited pitfall traps in the Missouri Ozark Forest Ecosystem Project throughout the summer of 2003. Six species accounted for 81% of all individuals collected, with community composition changing over the summer. At the landscape scale, the effects of treatments on overall abundance and abundance of individual species varied geographically, with forest thinning reducing abundance compared to clear-cutting forest stands and no harvest but in only one of the three blocks. The effects were also dung beetle species-specific, as there were unique responses of abundances of individual beetle species to the treatments. Five species (Ateuchus histeroides, Deltochilum gibbosum, Onthophagus pennsylvanicus, O. taurus, and O. tuberculifrons) were affected by forest thinning. In contrast, at the local scale, canopy opening (through timber harvesting and natural tree falls) increased expected (rarefied) species richness. Ordination showed that community composition was uniquely different among the six harvest treatments by canopy openness combinations. Together these results demonstrate that timber extraction from a temperate forest ecosystem influenced community composition of dung beetles at the landscape level, but this impact varied with cutting treatment, geographically, and by dung beetle species.
Resource Partitioning in Summer by Salmonids in South-Central Lake Ontario

Abstract During the summers of 1981 and 1982, we studied resource partitioning by stocked lake trout Salvelinus namaycush, brown trout Salmo trutta, and chinook salmon Oncorhynchus tshawytscha by fishing vertical gill nets at six distances from shore in south-central Lake Ontario. The nets were set at depths of approximately 15–45 m (nearshore stations, <4 km offshore) and more than 55 m (offshore stations, 4–24 km offshore). Salmonids were concentrated near shore, where they partitioned available habitat and, thus, food resources. Horizontal habitat was partitioned with respect to distance from shore; vertical habitat was partitioned in relation to temperature and the thermocline. Salmonids foraged for the most available prey items within their habitat. Overlaps in both food use and horizontal habitat use were inversely related to overlap in use of vertical habitat. There was increased habitat separation between sexes for those species caught farther from shore, At the salmonid stocking and prey density ...
The role of the research university in the spin-off of high-technology companies

Abstract A new type of university—industry relationship has developed in the 1980s that centers around the process of technology transfer from research universities to private firms. One expression of this new, closer relationship is the several university—industry research centers in microelectronics, of which the Microelectronics and Computer Technology Corporation (MCC) in Austin, Texas is the most noted example. The universities, private companies, and federal, state, and local governments all seem to benefit from the new university—industry relationships, but certain problems may accompany these benefits. The main hope-for result of industry—university collaboration is the rise of high-technology spin-off firms. The information technologies produced by the microelectronics industry are driving the Information Society.
Image Processing Techniques in Shockwave Detection and Modeling

Shockwave detection is critical in analyzing shockwave structure and location. High speed video imaging systems are commonly used to obtain image frames during shockwave control experiments. Image edge detection algorithms become natural choices in detecting shockwaves. In this paper, a computer software system designed for shockwave detection is introduced. Different image edge detection algorithms, including Roberts, Prewitt, Sobel, Canny, and Laplacian of Gaussian, are implemented and can be chosen by the users to easily and accurately detect the shockwaves. Experimental results show that the system meets the design requirements and can accurately detect shockwave for further analysis and applications.