cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Characterization of undissolved solids from the dissolution of North Anna reactor fuel

ABSTRACTSamples of undissolved solids (UDS) from the dissolution of North Anna reactor fuel were characterized to investigate the effects of using air or oxygen as the oxidant during tritium removal. The UDS composition data also support the development of a waste form for disposal. There was no discernible effect of the oxidant used during the tritium removal process or the size fraction on the UDS composition. Scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive (x-ray) spectroscopy were used to estimate the oxygen content of the UDS and it was found to be potentially significant, on the order of 30% by mass and 80% by atom.
Plato’s Allegory of the Cave: literacy and “the good”

ABSTRACTThis essay argues that “the good” is a forgotten central aspect of Plato’s Allegory of the Cave, and that this forgetfulness about the good is partly the result of literacy and literate-mindedness. Eric A. Havelock’s work on literacy in the ancient world informs a media ecological and rhetorical approach to the allegory, “the forms,” and related writings in both The Republic and secondary literature. Analysis shows how many literate-minded readers have taken Plato’s allegory out of its textual and media ecological context, and underestimated the significance of “the good” as a form and ethical idea.
Pathway-Enriched Gene Signature Associated with 53BP1 Response to PARP Inhibition in Triple-Negative Breast Cancer

Effective treatment of patients with triple-negative (ER-negative, PR-negative, HER2-negative) breast cancer remains a challenge. Although PARP inhibitors are being evaluated in clinical trials, biomarkers are needed to identify patients who will most benefit from anti-PARP therapy. We determined the responses of three PARP inhibitors (veliparib, olaparib, and talazoparib) in a panel of eight triple-negative breast cancer cell lines. Therapeutic responses and cellular phenotypes were elucidated using high-content imaging and quantitative immunofluorescence to assess markers of DNA damage (53BP1) and apoptosis (cleaved PARP). We determined the pharmacodynamic changes as percentage of cells positive for 53BP1, mean number of 53BP1 foci per cell, and percentage of cells positive for cleaved PARP. Inspired by traditional dose-response measures of cell viability, an EC50 value was calculated for each cellular phenotype and each PARP inhibitor. The EC50 values for both 53BP1 metrics strongly correlated with IC50 values for each PARP inhibitor. Pathway enrichment analysis identified a set of DNA repair and cell cycle-associated genes that were associated with 53BP1 response following PARP inhibition. The overall accuracy of our 63 gene set in predicting response to olaparib in seven breast cancer patient-derived xenograft tumors was 86%. In triple-negative breast cancer patients who had not received anti-PARP therapy, the predicted response rate of our gene signature was 45%. These results indicate that 53BP1 is a biomarker of response to anti-PARP therapy in the laboratory, and our DNA damage response gene signature may be used to identify patients who are most likely to respond to PARP inhibition. Mol Cancer Ther; 16(12); 2892-901. ©2017 AACR.
Human infection with avian influenza A(H7N2) virus-Virginia, 2002.

BACKGROUND In March 2002, an outbreak of low-pathogenic avian influenza (LPAI) A(H7N2) was detected among commercial poultry operations in Virginia. METHODS We performed a serosurvey of 80 government workers involved in efforts to control the outbreak. RESULTS One study participant who assisted with disposal of infected birds tested positive for neutralizing antibodies to influenza A(H7N2) by microneutralization assay and H7-specific IgM antibodies by enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The acute infection was temporally associated with an influenza-like illness that resolved without hospitalization. CONCLUSION This study documents the earliest evidence of human infection with an H7 influenza virus of the North American lineage.
Utilization trends and safety of intravenous iron replacement in pediatric specialty care: A large retrospective cohort study.

Background Iron deficiency is a common and clinically diverse hematologic disorder in childhood for which oral iron is often an infeasible or ineffective treatment option. Intravenous (IV) iron can be an efficient and highly successful means of iron replacement but its use has not been well-characterized on a large scale in pediatrics. Procedure All IV iron doses administered to patients for iron replacement therapy at a tertiary pediatric hospital from January 2010 through October 2016 were evaluated. Analyses included patient demographics, underlying medical conditions, and detailed information for each dose. Individual chart review was performed to identify infusion-related reactions. Nephrology patients as well as those patients 21 years or older at the time of the first infusion were excluded. Results A total of 1,088 doses of IV iron administered to 194 patients met inclusion criteria. A wide variety of specialties prescribed IV iron, with gastroenterology, hematology, and hospital medicine being the highest users in this cohort. A majority of patients (68%) required multiple infusions and dosing was highly variable, ranging from 1.3-1,030 mg per infusion. Premedication use was infrequent (10.3% of doses) and no severe infusion-associated reactions occurred. Conclusions IV iron is commonly prescribed by certain pediatric specialties but there is little standardization in the indications, formulations, or dosing. These data suggest that IV iron should be considered a safe alternative for iron deficiency treatment in pediatrics when oral iron is either unsuccessful or contraindicated.
Cell-Type-Specific Contributions of Medial Prefrontal Neurons to Flexible Behaviors

Behavioral flexibility and impulse control are necessary for successful execution of adaptive behavior. They are impaired in patients with damage to the prefrontal cortex (PFC) and in some clinically important conditions, such as obsessive-compulsive disorder. Although the medial prefrontal cortex (mPFC) has been investigated as a critical structure for behavioral flexibility and impulse control, the contribution of the underlying pyramidal neuron cell types in the mPFC remained to be understood. Here we show that interneuron-mediated local inactivation of pyramidal neurons in the mPFC of male and female mice induces both premature responses and choice bias, and establish that these impulsive and compulsive responses are modulated independently. Cell-type-specific photoinhibition of pyramidal deep layer corticostriatal or corticothalamic neurons reduces behavioral flexibility without inducing premature responses. Together, our data confirm the role of corticostriatal neurons in behavioral flexibility and demonstrate that flexible behaviors are also modulated by direct projections from deep layer corticothalamic neurons in the mPFC to midline thalamic nuclei.SIGNIFICANCE STATEMENT Behavioral flexibility and impulse control are indispensable for animals to adapt to changes in the environment and often affected in patients with PFC damage and obsessive-compulsive disorder. We used a probabilistic reversal task to dissect the underlying neural circuitry in the mPFC. Through characterization of the three major pyramidal cell types in the mPFC with optogenetic silencing, we demonstrated that corticostriatal and corticothalamic but not corticocortical pyramidal neurons are temporally recruited for behavioral flexibility. Together, our findings confirm the role of corticostriatal projections in cognitive flexibility and identify corticothalamic neurons as equally important for behavioral flexibility.
Comparing a Reformed Estate Tax with an Accessions Tax and an Income-Inclusion System, After Abandoning the Generation-Skipping Tax

Those opposing permanent repeal of the federal estate and generation-skipping taxes have fallen back to the position of advocating a "reformed" version of these taxes featuring a very large per taxpayer exemption somewhere in the $2-10 million range. Alternatives to a reformed estate and gift tax system are a federal inheritance tax, an accessions tax, and a repeal of the income tax rule that excludes gratuitous receipts from gross income. The merits of taxing vs. not taxing wealth transfers will not be taken up in this contribution, nor will the issue of whether getting rid of free stepped-up basis at death would be superior to any wealth transfer tax system. Instead, the principal purpose is to compare a reformed version of the present system, an inheritance tax, an accessions tax, and an income-inclusion system. One thesis is that the basic features of the existing transfer taxes (large exemptions, unlimited marital deduction) should not simply be carried over intact to any of the alternative systems, each of which should be true to own nature. A second thesis is that a generation-skipping tax (or its equivalent) is not a necessary feature of any system, and is not justifiable on equity grounds or as a means of rendering the system into a proxy wealth tax. The article examines such basic structural features as the appropriate rate and exemption structures, the marital deduction or exemption, exclusions for inter vivos gifts, timing issues, and valuation issues. Among the conclusions reached are that: (1) an unlimited marital exclusion is contrary to the purpose of an accessions tax; (2) an accessions tax and an income-inclusion system offer considerable justification and simplification advantages over an estate tax or an inheritance tax; (3) an exclusion for consumption-type (as opposed to wealth) transfers is justified under any system; (4) an income-inclusion system is doctrinally the simplest, and can be readily integrated into the system of taxing income from trusts; and, (5) the accessions tax and income-inclusion approaches are sufficiently close as to suggest the possibility of a hybrid system that would combine the most appealing features of each.
Determining Product Platform Extent

Typically, it is assumed that a product family will be derived from a single platform once a firm has decided on platforming as an appropriate strategy. The totality of all variants represented in a single-platform family defines the lower and upper performance and value bounds which have to be supported by the platform. This difference between upper and lower bounds of a platform is commonly referred to as platform extent (Seepersad, et al., 2000). However, the average number of variants built from a single platform has been steadily increasing in a number of industries (automotive, electronics, aircraft) since the early 1990’s. Figure 12-1 shows that the number of models per platform in the automotive industry has been increasing since 2002. This trend had started in the mid 1990’s and is likely to continue in the future. The consequence is that each platform has to accommodate a larger number of variants, whereby the extent of the platform is constantly being challenged with each new variant that is assigned to it. There is general agreement that mass customization has led to an increasing fragmentation of the automotive market with the number of individual models for sale in the U.S. rising each year from 33 in 1947, to 198 in 1990 to an estimated 277 in 2009 (Simmons, 2005).
Visualization of student-implemented OS algorithms in Java

In can be difficult to maintain student interest in a theory-based operating systems course. One way of engaging students in such a course is to assign meaningful programming projects. This paper describes a Java-based visualization/implementation tool that enables instructors to demonstrate common OS algorithms and, more importantly, allows students to implement these algorithms themselves and observe their behavior in a simple simulated environment.
Floating Vegetated Mats for Improving Surface Water Quality

Contamination of surface and ground waters is an environmental concern. Pollution from both point and nonpoint sources can render water unsuitable for use. Surface waters of concern include streams, rivers, ponds, lakes, canals, and wastewater lagoons. Lagooned wastewater from confined animal feeding operations (CAFOs) represents an extreme in water quality problems. Wastewater lagoons are used for primary treatment which includes settling of solids and loss of gases by volatilization. Additional methods are often used to treat the wastewater from the lagoons. These methods include passing the wastewater through constructed wetlands, where both plant uptake and biological processes such as denitrification remove or retain nutrients, and application of the wastewater to agricultural or forestry land. A new concept for improving surface water quality including that of wastewater lagoons is to grow vegetation on floating platforms in the water body. Little research has been conducted in this area, although this technology basically is application of hydroponics using floating platforms for the vegetation which then utilizes nutrients contained in the contaminated waters. Research conducted by USDA-ARS and the University of Georgia at Tifton, GA has focused on determining the feasibility of growing vegetation to produce biomass and remove nutrients from contaminated surface water bodies. The research has shown that different plant species can be found to grow on floating platforms in a range of different water qualities. In the most contaminated water tested thus far, anaerobic swine lagoon wastewater, it was determined that plants remove nutrients to their maximum capacity such that total removal of nutrients from the water body is a function of biomass produced. This chapter explains the concepts and techniques involved in using floating vegetated mats on contaminated water bodies for nutrient removal, reports results from completed studies, discusses ongoing projects, and identifies research needs for this emerging technology.
Understanding the Teacher Job Search Process: Espoused Preferences and Preferences in Use:

Background/ContextThere is an extensive body of research on school and student characteristics associated with teacher career decisions that has contributed greatly to our knowledge of teacher pref...
Modelli diretti: Il modello radiativo dell’atmosfera

Questo capitolo come quello successivo tratta dei modelli diretti. La scelta effettuata si limita solo a due modelli geofisici, uno dedicato alla propagazione della luce in atmosfera e l’altro dedicato alla propagazione delle onde sismiche nella terra solida.
Barriers to Purchasing Condoms in a High HIV/STI-Risk Urban Area

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have identified Atlanta, Georgia as a high-risk environment for STI/HIV infection. Condoms are an inexpensive and effective method for preventing STI/HIV infection. The majority of individuals acquire their condoms through purchase, rather than through free condom distribution programs. However, individuals purchasing condoms in stores encounter numerous barriers. This study assessed the environmental and physical barriers surrounding condom purchases in stores in downtown Atlanta. The findings revealed a combination of high environmental and physical barriers, low visibility of condoms in stores and limited selection of safer sex supplies. In the most densely populated area of the city, stores which sold condoms were few (n = 25), equating to 1 store per ~ 7000 people. In 80% of stores, personnel were required in order to access the condoms. In 28% of stores, condoms were hidden underneath the counter. The majority of stores offered only one brand of male condoms with a limited selection of lubricants and no dental dams or internal condoms. Barriers and discomfort surrounding purchasing condoms can contribute to embarrassment, which has a negative impact on condom acquisition and ultimately on condom use. Efforts must be made to lower barriers in Atlanta and make condoms more readily available to high-risk populations. Community advocacy has been effective in removing barriers to condoms. Access can furthermore be improved by: installing condom vending machines in public locations, offering self-check-out in stores that do not have physical barriers and encouraging individuals to order condoms online.
Information Fusion Architecture for Secure Cyber Physical Systems

Abstract The security essentially governs the usability and stability of Cyber Physical Systems (CPSs) whose cyber and physical components of the system are integrated. Security solutions to this effect are threefold - detecting attacks, preventing them and finally, maintaining system integrity under attacks. In this paper, we provide a solution to the problem of detecting collaborative attacks by proposing an information fusion architecture, which utilizes the strengths of Bayesian estimation in determining causalities as conditional probabilities. We propose a Time-Varying Dynamic Bayesian Network (TVDBN) to ascertain system state information, eventually enabling the system administrator to make control decisions and maintain system stability under security attacks. The control information to the physical components such as actuators is sent over by the sensors, which are the cyber components. As such, the focus of this paper is to provide a solution to uphold the stability of a CPS based on control theoretic aspects that can be adversely affected by compromised cyber components. Theoretical aspects touched in this paper for this purpose are - bounds on transmission delays, quantization errors and sampling time. Using our proposed information fusion architecture, we were able to detect the presence of both, the stand-alone and collaborative attacks on the CPS. Our experimental results showed that our fusion architecture can detect collaborative attacks and profile them with an average accuracy of 91.7%. Given the difficulty in detecting the presence of collaborative attacks in CPS, this level of accuracy is considered high to protect CPS applications.
Challenges to Studying Illicit Drug Users.

PURPOSE Throughout the world, illicit drug use continues to pose a significant risk to public health. The opioid crisis in North America, the diversion of the prescription drug tramadol throughout Africa, and the increasing supply of methamphetamines in East and South Asia all contribute to increasing risks to individual and societal health. Furthermore, the violation of human rights in efforts to enforce prohibitionist values poses significant threats to many individuals worldwide. With these evolving situations, it is imperative that researchers direct their attention to the various populations of illicit drug users. However, the inclusion of illicit drug users, often considered a vulnerable population, as participants in research studies presents several increased risks that must be addressed in study protocols. Researchers are required to provide "additional safeguards" to all study protocols involving illicit drug users, but there is often substantial variability and inconsistency in how these safeguards are applied. Additional safeguards can be timely, costly, and unduly burdensome for researchers, ethical review boards, and research participants. APPROACH Through synthesis of the current literature, this article addresses the barriers to studying illicit drug users and the methods researchers can utilize to minimize risk. A case study is provided to illustrate the high level of scrutiny of study protocols involving the participation of illicit drug users and the effect of such scrutiny on recruitment of participants. The article concludes with a discussion of the effects of the current political climate on the recruitment of illicit drug users in research. CONCLUSIONS Individuals who participate in criminal or illegal behaviors such as illicit drug use, prostitution, illegal entry into a country, and human trafficking are susceptible to multiple physical, mental, and social health risks, as well as criminal prosecution. The importance of research on the health of marginalized populations cannot be overstated. This work must continue, and at the same time, we must continue to protect these individuals to the best of our ability through diligent attention to sound research methods. CLINICAL RELEVANCE The use of illicit drugs continues to pose a substantial threat to global health. Individuals who use illicit drugs are susceptible to multiple physical, mental, and social health risks, as well as criminal prosecution. It is imperative that researchers study these vulnerable populations in order to develop interventions to minimize individual and societal harm. There are several barriers to the study of illicit drug users that must be addressed through rigorous methodology and the addition of safeguards.
Hypotonia and Failure to Thrive in a 6-week-old Infant.

1. Elizabeth Carter, MD* 2. Laura Malchodi, MD* 3. Shannon Marchegiani, MD* 1. *Walter Reed National Military Medical Center, Bethesda, MD A 6-week-old boy presents to his pediatrician at a rural military facility for limited movement of the extremities since birth. He has a history of poor feeding and failure to thrive and is in the 4th percentile for weight, 23rd percentile for height, and 26th percentile for head circumference. His weight was appropriate for gestational age at birth, but he had a significant nadir of weight loss (down 15% from birth weight) and did not regain his birthweight until 3 weeks of age. Although he demonstrates effective latch and swallow during breastfeeding, his feeds are lengthy and he appears exhausted afterward. The infant was born at full term via spontaneous vaginal delivery without complication, but his mother recalls decreased fetal movement during the last month of pregnancy. There is no family history of genetic disorders, and the baby has no recent history of trauma or honey ingestion. Physical examination reveals flexible flexural posturing of the extremities, most notable at the wrists. No spontaneous movement of the limbs is noted. Respirations are not labored. Cranial nerves are intact, but deep tendon reflexes are absent throughout, and he has marked head lag. No tongue fasciculations are noted. Arrangements are made for transfer for further evaluation; however, the infant presents emergently the following day with decreased respiratory effort, hypoxemia, and significant respiratory acidosis. He is nasally intubated, and transfer is expedited. Admission evaluation demonstrates elevated liver transaminase and C-reactive protein levels and a creatine kinase level of 390 U/L (6.5 µkat/L). Infectious evaluation …
Investigating the effects of plug viscosity on annular pressure drop and cuttings transport in a concentric annulus

Abstract The API recommended approach to model the rheology of a drilling fluid is to use the Herschel Bulkley equation. This equation breaks down as shear rate approaches zero and predicts infinite viscosity at zero shear rate limit. In an annulus, shear rate can drop to values approaching zero and the use of Herschel Bulkley equation in flow models can lead to inaccurate prediction of drilling hydraulics. This paper investigates the effects of zero shear rate viscosity, called plug viscosity, on annular pressure drop and cuttings transport predictions in a concentric annulus. Flow is modeled using the mixture model approach and is simulated using computational fluid dynamics (CFD) methodology. The rheology of the drilling fluid is characterized using a modified bi-viscosity function. The first half of this paper examines the effect of common drilling parameters on the existence of plug zones, regions with zero shear rate viscosity, whereas the second half of this paper investigates the effects of plug viscosity on annular pressure profile and cuttings transport. The results show that plug viscosity has a significant impact on annular pressure profile and cuttings transport predictions. The same set of Herschel Bulkley parameters can produce different values of annular pressure drop and volumetric cuttings concentration if plug viscosity is ignored. Therefore, to accurately predict annular pressure profile and cuttings transport, it is imperative that plug viscosity is incorporated in the rheological functions.
Electric Current Approach Studying both Auroral Substorms and Solar Flares together

Auroral substorms and solar flares are basically various manifestations of electromagnetic energy dissipation, so that it is useful to consider both phenomena in terms of a chain of processes, consisting of power supply (dynamo), transmission (currents/circuits) and dissipation (auroral substorms, solar flares), the electric current approach. In this short review, we briefly describe both phenomena together on the basis of the chain process. It is shown that the introduction of a dynamo process in this consideration provides a step-by-step way of studying both phenomena. It is shown: (a) Both the solar wind-magnetosphere dynamo and a photospheric dynamo proposed by Lee et al. (1995) have enough power to accumulate enough energy for the explosive features of both phenomena, respectively. (b) For substorms, the power is accumulated in the inner magnetosphere and inflates it, and for flares the power is likely to be accumulated in a loop current along and above two-ribbon flares. (c) For substorms, the energy release (unloading) process deflates the inner magnetosphere, resulting in an earthward electric field, and for flares the disruption of the loop current suggested by Alfven (1950) may be responsible for the energy release. (d) The processes in (c) are responsible for the explosive features of both phenomena.
Women as veterans in Britain and France after the First World War

Alison’s Fell’s engaging book is deceptively ambitious. It studies British and French women’s efforts to claim the socially and politically laden identity of being a veteran, but it also contribute...
Photic Regulation of Circadian Rhythms and Voluntary Ethanol Intake: Role of Melanopsin-expressing Intrinsically Photosensitive Retinal Ganglion Cells:

"Non-image-forming" (NIF) effects of light are mediated primarily by a subset of intrinsically photosensitive retinal ganglion cells (ipRGCs) expressing the photopigment, melanopsin (OPN4). These NIF functions include circadian entrainment, pupillary reflexes, and photic effects on sleep, mood, and cognition. We recently reported that mice of multiple genotypes exhibit reduced voluntary ethanol intake under both constant darkness (DD) and constant light (LL) relative to standard light-dark (LD) conditions. In the present study, we sought to determine whether these effects are mediated by melanopsin-expressing ipRGCs and their potential relationship to photic effects on the circadian system. To this end, we examined the effects of environmental lighting regimen on both ethanol intake and circadian activity rhythms in a genetically engineered mouse model (Opn4aDTA/aDTA) in which melanopsin expression is completely blocked while ipRGCs are progressively ablated due to activation of attenuated diphtheria toxin A (aDTA) transgene under the control of the Opn4 promoter. As expected from previous studies, Opn4aDTA/aDTA mice displayed dramatic attenuation of circadian photosensitivity, but surprisingly, showed identical suppression of ethanol intake under both DD and LL as that seen in controls. These results demonstrate that the effects of lighting regimen on voluntary ethanol intake are independent of melanopsin-expressing ipRGCs and ipRGC-mediated photic effects on the circadian system. Rather, these effects are likely mediated by classical retinal photoreceptors and central pathways.
Curvature Energetics Determined by Alchemical Simulation on Four Topologically Distinct Lipid Phases.

The relative curvature energetics of two lipids are tested using thermodynamic integration (TI) on four topologically distinct lipid phases. Simulations use TI to switch between choline headgroup lipids (POPC; that prefers to be flat) and ethanolamine headgroup lipids (POPE; that prefer, for example, the inner monolayer of vesicles). The thermodynamical moving of the lipids between planar, inverse hexagonal (HII), cubic (QII; Pn3m space group), and vesicle topologies reveals differences in material parameters that were previously challenging to access. The methodology allows for predictions of two important lipid material properties: the difference in POPC/POPE monolayer intrinsic curvature (ΔJ0) and the difference in POPC/POPE monolayer Gaussian curvature modulus (Δκm), both of which are connected to the energetics of topological variation. Analysis of the TI data indicates that, consistent with previous experiment and simulation, the J0 of POPE is more negative than POPC (ΔJ0 = -0.018 ± 0.001 A-1). The theoretical framework extracts significant differences in κm of which POPE is less negative than POPC by 2.0 to 4.0 kcal/mol. The range of these values is determined by considering subsets of the simulations, and disagreement between these subsets suggests separate mechanical parameters at very high curvature. Finally, the fit of the TI data to the model indicates that the position of the pivotal plane of curvature is not constant across topologies at high curvature. Overall, the results offer insights into lipid material properties, the limits of a single HC model, and how to test them using simulation.
Constructing UpSet plot for survey data with weights using SAS and R software

There is a lack of data visualization tools, such as UpSet plot, suitable for survey data collected via complex sampling. Ignoring the design specifications when plotting the data could result in a...
Entrepreneurship and Income Inequality: A Spatial Econometric Approach

This paper extends research on the link between entrepreneurship and income inequality by introducing spatial considerations. Following a battery of specification tests, we model the relationship between entrepreneurship and inequality using a dynamic spatial Durbin model. Using data from the 48 continental U.S. states, we obtain strong evidence that entrepreneurship within a state not only affects inequality within that state, but has cross-state effects, as well.
In Fairness to Future Generations of Eaters

Climate change threatens the supply and quality of traditional foods. To respond to this threat, this essay applies Professor Edith Brown Weiss’s principles of intergenerational equity to support a call for the protection of food heritage for future generations. The essay surveys some available international instruments but concludes that gaps still exist for addressing systemic threats such as climate change. It urges advocates to focus on expanding these international protections and incorporating considerations of intergenerational equity into our discussions of food protections.
Reverse Robotics: Interactive Machines for Controlling People in a Complex Laboratory Environment

For carbon-11 radiopharmaceuticals the need to handle large amounts of radioactivity quickly and without mistakes has led to the development of a variety of shielded microchemical machines. With experience there has been a gradual increase in speed and reliability along with a decrease in size. But achieving efficiency during the radiosynthesis per se often demands many steps of careful preparation for each synthetic cycle. The synthesis of [11C]raclopride requires 35–35 minutes after the end of target irradiation until the injectable radiopharmaceutical reaches the clinic. However, the overall support for the synthesis including installation and purge of the machine, preparation and replacement of disposable items and management of paperwork can easily take more than two hours.
Adverse Childhood Experiences, Depression and Mental Health Barriers to Work among Low-Income Women

Recent research has connected childhood abuse to decreased physical and mental health for low-income women in Utah. Further, mental health has established a link to employment problems. This study conducted a secondary analysis of data collected from individuals accessing public assistance to investigate the relationships among retrospective self-reports of childhood emotional, physical and sexual abuse and prospective indicators of mental health and mental health barriers to work. Logistic regression models found strong relationships between childhood abuse and increased odds of depression and mental health barriers to work. Path models highlight the relative importance of depression for those reporting mental health as the biggest barrier to work. Recommendations for social workers, public health professionals, and program administrators are provided.
Roles of the highly conserved aspartate and lysine residues in the response regulator of bacterial chemotaxis

The chemotactic responses of bacteria such as Escherichia coli and Salmonella typhimurium are mediated by phosphorylation of the CheY protein. Phospho-CheY interacts with the flagellar motor switch to cause tumbly behavior. CheY belongs to a large family of phosphorylated response regulators that function in bacteria to control motility and regulate gene expression. Residues corresponding to Asp57, Asp13, and Lys109 in CheY are highly conserved among all of these proteins. The site of phosphorylation in CheY is Asp57, and in the three-dimensional structure of CheY the Asp57 carboxylate side chain is in close proximity to the beta-carboxylate of Asp13 and the epsilon-amin of Lys109. To further examine the roles of these residues in response regulator function, each has been mutated to a conservative substitution. Asn for Asp and Arg for Lys. All mutations abolished CheY function in vivo. Whereas the Asp to Asn mutations dramatically reduced levels of CheY phosphorylation, the Lys to Arg mutation had the opposite effect. The high level of phosphorylation in the Lys109 mutant results from a decreased autophosphatase activity as well as a lack of phosphatase stimulation by the phosphatase activating protein, CheZ. Despite its high level of phosphorylation, the Lys109 mutant protein cannot produce tumbly behavior. Thus, Lys109 is required for an event subsequent to phosphorylation. We propose that an interaction between the epsilon-amino of Lys109 and the phosphoryl group at Asp57 is essential for the conformational switch that leads to activation of CheY.
Epigenetic changes accompanying human mammary epithelial cell Immortalization

Acquisition of immortality may be an early and crucial step in malignant progression. We hypothesize that acquisition of unlimited growth potential in individual human mammary epithelial cells (HMEC) requires inactivation of several distinct negative growth constraints as well as reactivation of a mechanism to maintain telomeres on chromosomes. Some of the heritable changes that occur during HMEC immortalization, i.e., loss of expression of cyclin dependent kinase inhibitors p16INK4a and p57KIP2, loss of TGFβ-mediated growth inhibition, and derepression of telomerase, appear to occur without identifiable mutations in the genes and pathways involved. The absence of mutations, combined with the fact that the changes are often incremental over several cell generations even in clonal populations indicates that some changes associated with immortalization can be epigenetic. We have used the term “conversion” to describe the gradual epigenetic process in chemical carcinogen-immortalized HMEC that leads to activation of telomerase, stabilization of telomere length, and ability to grow uniformly well in the presence or absence of TGFβ. Characterization of the epigenetic mechanisms involved in immortalization may uncover additional factors that drive tumor progression, and that may be responsive to novel forms of intervention.
Vahid, Burge, and Perceptual Entitlement

Hamid Vahid criticizes Tyler Burge's account of perceptual entitlement. Vahid argues that Burge's account fails to satisfy a criterion of adequacy that any correct account of perceptual warrant must satisfy. According to Vahid, a correct account of perceptual warrant must allow for perceptual beliefs which are produced by a properly functioning perceptual system yet which lack warrant. The present article argues that Vahid's critique of Burge fails. It presents numerous examples of such beliefs that are consistent with Burge's account of perceptual entitlement.
Immersive Sound Rendering Using Laser-Based Tracking

In this paper we describe the underlying concepts behind the spatial sound renderer built at the University of Southern California’s Immersive Audio Laboratory. In creating this sound rendering system, we were faced with three main challenges. First the rendering of sound using the Head-Related Transfer Functions, second the cancellation of the crosstalk terms and third the localization of the listener’s ears. To deal with the spatial rendering sound we use a two-layer method of modeling the HRTF’s. The first layer accurately reproduces the ITD’s and IAD’s, and the second layer reproduces the spectral characteristics of the HRTF’s. A novel method for generating the required crosstalk cancellation filters as the listener moves was developed based on Low-Rank modeling. Using Karhunen-Loeve expansion we can interpolate among listener positions from a small number of HRTF measurements. Finally we present a Head Detection algorithm for tracking the location of the listener’s ears in real time using a laser scanner.
Carbohydrate absorption from one serving of fruit juice in young children: age and carbohydrate composition effects.

To test the hypotheses that: the efficiency of carbohydrate absorption in childhood increases with age, and decreased carbohydrate absorption occurs more frequently with juices containing more fructose than glucose and/or sorbitol than with juices which contain equal amounts of fructose and glucose and are sorbitol-free.One hundred and four healthy children were recruited from the Ambulatory Center at Maimonides Children's Center. They were assigned to one of three age groups: approximately 1, 3 and 5 years of age. Each child received one age-specific dose (by randomization) of one of four juices: a) pear juice which contains fructose in excess to glucose and a large amount of sorbitol; b) apple juice which is similar to pear juice in its fructose to glucose ratio but contains four times less sorbitol than pear juice; c) white grape juice or d) purple grape juice both of which contain equal amounts of fructose and glucose and are sorbitol-free. Breath hydrogen excretion (BH2) was utilized as the index of ...
A Pictorial Disease Severity Key and the Relationship Between Severity and Incidence for Black Root Rot of Pansy Caused by Thielaviopsis basicola.

Copes, W. E., and Stevenson, K. L. 2008. A pictorial disease severity key and the relationship between severity and incidence for black root rot of pansy caused by Thielaviopsis basicola. Plant Dis. 92:1394-1399. A pictorial key was developed and the relationship between disease severity (S) and incidence (I) was examined to aid in the assessment of black root rot of pansy caused by Thielaviopsis basicola. The key consisted of photographs of root segments that represented nine disease severity levels ranging from 1 to 91%. Pansies that had received different fertility treatments, as part of seven separate experiments, were inoculated with T. basicola. Four weeks after inoculation, roots were washed, and incidence and severity of black root rot were visually assessed using a grid-line-intersect method. Disease incidence ranged from 1.3 to 100%, and severity ranged from 0.1 to 21.4% per plant. Four different mathematical models were compared to quantitatively describe the I-S relationship for the combined data from all seven experiments. Although all models provided an adequate fit, the model that is analogous to the Kono-Sugino equation provided the most reliable estimate of severity over the entire range of disease incidence values. The predictive ability and accuracy of this model across data sets was verified by jackknife and cross-validation techniques. We concluded that incidence of black root rot in pansy can be assessed more objectively and with greater precision than disease severity and can be used to provide reliable estimates of disease severity based on derived regression equations that quantify the I-S relationship for black root rot.
NEST-SITE LIMITATION OF SECONDARY CAVITY-NESTING BIRDS IN EVEN-AGE SOUTHERN PINE FORESTS

Abstract I used a randomized, replicated, controlled study design to test the hypothesis that nest-site availability limits breeding densities of secondary cavity nesting species in even-age southern pine (Pinus spp.) forests. Breeding densities of secondary cavity nesters increased significantly on treated plots after nest boxes were introduced. Total number of nesting attempts also increased several fold post-treatment. These data indicate nest-site availability was a limiting factor for breeding densities of secondary cavity nesting species. The response of individual species to nest boxes ranged from moderately high (Great Crested Flycatcher [Myiarchus crinitus]), to low (Tufted Titmouse [Baeolophus bicolor], Eastern Bluebird [Sialia sialis]) to no response (Carolina Wren [Thryothorus ludovicianus]). At least three factors accounted for interspecific differences in this study: different levels of reliance on cavities excavated in snags, different body sizes, and differences in local population densiti...
Immunohistochemical evidence of specific iris involvement in Blau syndrome.

Purpose: To evaluate iris involvement in Blau syndrome using histology and immunohistochemistry.Methods: Iridectomy specimen of a patient with treated Blau syndrome and a normal control were evaluated by light microscopy and immunohistochemistry using antibodies against CD4+, CD8+, HLA-DR, CD68+, NF-κB and IL-17.Results: Blau iris tissue demonstrated increased numbers of CD4+ lymphocytes and CD68 negative, HLA-DR positive spindle shaped cells compared to normal iris tissue. Blau iris tissue also demonstrated elevated CD4+/CD8+ ratio and IL-17 and NF-κB immunolabeling. No macrophages, epithelioid cells, or granulomas were noted in the Blau specimen.Conclusions: The persistent immunolocalization of inflammatory markers in an iris specimen from an aggresively treated patient with proven Blau syndrome suggests that further pathologic and immunohistochemical investigation of Blau ocular tissue is necessary to better understand the complexities of NOD2 activating mutations in the eye.
20,25-Diazacholesterol, clofibric acid and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid— All inducers of myotonia—Perturb the post-lanosterol sector of sterol biosynthesis in cultured chick embryo fibroblasts☆

Abstract When administered to mammals 20,25-diazacholesterol (DAC), clofibric acid (CA) and 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) induce myotonia. DAC and CA also interfere with cholesterol metabolism. No such effect has hitherto been observed for 2,4-D and hence there was no support for there being a causal relationship between drug-induced myotonia and impaired cholesterol biosynthesis. Radiogas chromatographic methods are used in this paper to establish that all three agents cause intermediates between lanosterol and cholesterol to accumulate in cultured chick embryo fibroblasts. It is therefore feasible to examine further the possibility that perturbed sterol metabolism is a sufficient and necessary condition for experimentally induced myotonia.
Response of SiCf/Si3N4 Composites Under Static and Cyclic Loading—An Experimental and Statistical Analysis

Monotonic tensile and fatigue response of continuous silicon carbide fiber reinforced silicon nitride (SiC{sub f}/Si{sub 3}N{sub 4}) composites has been investigated. The monotonic tensile tests have been performed at room and elevated temperatures. Fatigue tests have been conducted at room temperature (RT), at a stress ratio, R = 0.1 and a frequency of 5 Hz. It is observed during the monotonic tests that the composites retain only 30% of its room temperature strength at 1,600 C suggesting a substantial chemical degradation of the matrix at that temperature. The softening of the matrix at elevated temperature also causes reduction in tensile modulus, and the total reduction in modulus is around 45%. Fatigue data have been generated at three load levels and the fatigue strength of the composite has been found to be considerably high; about 75% of its ultimate room temperature strength. Extensive statistical analysis has been performed to understand the degree of scatter in the fatigue as well as in the static test data. Weibull shape factors and characteristic values have been determined for each set of tests and their relationship with the response of the composites has been discussed. A statistical fatigue life prediction method developed from the Weibullmore » distribution is also presented. Maximum Likelihood Estimator with censoring techniques and data pooling schemes has been employed to determine the distribution parameters for the statistical analysis. These parameters have been used to generate the S-N diagram with desired level of reliability. Details of the statistical analysis and the discussion of the static and fatigue behavior of the composites are presented in this paper.« less
Astrophysical violations of the Kerr bound as a possible signature of string theory

Abstract In 4D general relativity, the angular momentum of a black hole is limited by the Kerr bound. We suggest that in string theory, this bound can be breached and compact black-hole-like objects can spin faster. Near such “superspinars”, the efficiency of energy transfer from the accreting matter to radiation can reach 100%, compared to the maximum efficiency of 42% of the extremal Kerr (or 6% of the Schwarzschild) black hole. Finding such superspinning objects as active galactic nuclei, GBHCs, or sources of gamma ray bursts, could be viewed as experimental support for string theory.
Diphtheria toxin has the properties of a lectin

The inhibition of protein synthesis in Chinese hamster V79 cells by diphtheria toxin is antagonized by the lectins concanavalin A, succinylated concanavalin A, and wheat germ agglutinin but not by Proteus vulgaris phytohemagglutinin or abrus agglutinin. The effects of concanavalin A and wheat germ agglutinin are reversed by methyl alpha-mannoside and N-acetylglucosamine, respectively. The inhibition of diphtheria toxin as a function of concanavalin A concentration fits a model of competitive inhibition with an apparent dissociation constant for concanavalin A of 3 X 10(-8) M. These results suggest that the diphtheria toxin receptor may be an oligosaccharide. To test this hypothesis, we screened several oligosaccharides for the ability to inhibit diphtheria toxin. The cell wall polysaccharide of Salmonella cholera suis and the ovalbumin glycopeptide were effective inhibitors. These studies suggest that diphtheria toxin may have the oligosaccharide binding properties of a lectin with specificity for N-acetylglucosamine and mannose.
Photoelectrochemical behavior of planar and microwire-array Si | GaP electrodes

Gallium phosphide exhibits a short diffusion length relative to its optical absorption length, and is thus a candidate for use in wire array geometries that allow light absorption to be decoupled from minority carrier collection. Herein is reported the photoanodic performance of heteroepitaxially grown gallium phosphide on planar and microwire-array Si substrates. The n-GaP|n-Si heterojunction results in a favorable conduction band alignment for electron collection in the silicon. A conformal electrochemical contact to the outer GaP layer is produced using the ferrocenium/ferrocene (Fc^+/Fc) redox couple in acetonitrile. Photovoltages of ∼750 mV under 1 sun illumination are observed and are attributed to the barrier formed at the (Fc^+/Fc)|n-GaP junction. The short-circuit current densities of the composite microwire-arrays are similar to those observed using single-crystal n-GaP photoelectrodes. Spectral response measurements along with a finite-difference-time-domain optical model indicate that the minority carrier diffusion length in the GaP is ∼80 nm. Solid-state current–voltage measurements show that shunting occurs through thin GaP layers that are present near the base of the microwire-arrays. The results provide guidance for further studies of 3D multi-junction photoelectrochemical cells.