cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Mothers’, fathers’, and siblings’ perceptions of parents’ differential treatment of siblings: Links with family relationship qualities

Abstract A family systems perspective directs attention to the potentially different experiences and perspectives of family members. This study examined parents' differential treatment (PDT) of siblings, discrepancies between parent and youth reports of PDT, and their links with relationships between adolescents and their mothers and fathers across three years. Participants were first- (Time 1 M age = 15.71, SD = 1.07) and secondborn (Time 1 M age = 13.18, SD = 1.29) siblings from 381, predominately white, working and middle class families. Analyses revealed that siblings' perceptions of being favored predicted less conflict with and greater warmth from both mothers and fathers, primarily for secondborn adolescents. Larger discrepancies between maternal and youth reports of differential affection were linked to more maternal conflict and less warmth for firstborns. These findings may suggest a hierarchy within families: parents may serve as referents for firstborns and firstborns as referents for secondborns.
A comparison of models for predicting near-specular bistatic scattering from rough surfaces

This paper provides a comparison of scattering models for near-specular bistatic scattering from rough surfaces. While the Geometrical Optics (GO) approximation is widely accepted for surfaces having large roughness compared to the electromagnetic wavelength, small differences in the literature exist between GO formulations. The Physical Optics (PO) and Small Slope Approximation (SSA) methods are also available and may provide differing predictions for moderately non-specular geometries. Comparisons of these models are reported in this paper, with a particular emphasis on analysis of near-specular surface scattering returns obtained from the GNSS-R mode of the radar receiver in NASA's Soil Moisture Active/Passive (SMAP) mission.
EFFECT OF VARIOUS SULFONAMIDES WITH OR WITHOUT CONCOMITANTLY APPLIED ASCORBIC ACID ON EXPERIMENTAL TOXOPLASMOSIS IN WHITE MICE

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a study examining the effect of various sulfonamides with or without concomitantly applied ascorbic acid on experimental toxoplasmosis in white mice. Groups of six white mice were given pelleted diets, containing various doses of drugs in the amount sufficient to maintain the required dosage. The animals were infected with approximately 4000 toxoplasms i.p. and fed the experimental diets for 21 days. Survivors were observed for further 2 weeks, then killed and autopsied. Appropriate control groups were run. The experiments were performed in strictly identical conditions. The duration of the survival time and the dosage of drugs necessary for complete recovery were taken into account. It was shown that both ascorbic acid in doses of 500–1500 mg/kg and sulfamethoxypyridazin, 50–150 mg/kg, displace practically no effect on the course of subacute experimental toxoplasmosis. On the other hand, the addition of high doses of ascorbic acid to the diets containing active sulfonamides, sulfamethoxypyrimidine, and sulfadimethoxypyrimidine increased the effect of chemotherapy. The results suggest that the addition of high doses of ascorbic acid increases the effect sulfonamides in the treatment of experimental toxoplasmosis.
Lossless JPEG Image Compression

The main reasons for compression in multimedia systems are: (1) large storage requirements of multimedia data, (2) relatively slow storage devices which do not allow playing back uncompressed multimedia data in real time, and (3) the network bandwidth which does not allow real-time video data transmission.
Correlation between local 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose PET/CT and T cell exhaustion for predicting treatment response in patients with advanced melanoma treated with checkpoint inhibitor mono-therapy.

11572Background: Development of biomarkers to evaluate prolonged systemic treatment response is crucial for optimizing individual checkpoint inhibitor therapies. Glucose consumption rates assessed ...
Second-order predictor-corrector schemes for nonlinear distributed-order space-fractional differential equations with non-smooth initial data

We propose second-order linearly implicit predictor-corrector schemes for diffusion and reaction-diffusion equations of distributed-order. For diffusion equations of distributed order, we propose a...
Mobile Archivists: Outreach on the Go!

Despite the rich histories of rural communities in northern Wisconsin, accessibility to professional archivists is limited at best. The North Woods Tour project in Wisconsin focused on empowering local residents to preserve historical materials themselves, by teaching them basic archival methods relating to a variety of formats through personal archiving workshops. Led by Amy Sloper, head archivist at the Wisconsin Center for Film and Theater Research, three Wisconsin archivists created and implemented the project, visiting three rural northern Wisconsin communities and working with 30 local community members. This report examines their planning process and attendee response. Additionally, it argues that, in some cases, materials might be best preserved within the context of their creation.
Wave damage interaction in metals and composites

In this paper, numerical and experimental investigations of wave damage interaction in metals and composites were conducted. The frequency and direction dependent complex-valued wave damage interaction coefficients (WDIC) were used to model the scattering and mode conversion phenomena of guided wave interaction with damage. These coefficients were extracted from the harmonic analysis of small-size finite element (FE) model with non-reflective boundaries (NRB) and they are capable of describing the amplitude and phase of the scattered waves as a function of frequency and direction. Commercial finite element package ANSYS 17.0 was used to implement and realize the small-size FE model. First, the proposed method was used to extract the WDIC of a through hole in an aluminum plate. Then, the FEM WDIC was compared with the analytical model of A0 wave scattering at through hole, and the experimental validation was performed using scanning laser Doppler vibrometer (SLDV) measurements on an aluminum plate. It is shown that a good agreement between FEM WDIC and experimental WDIC is achieved. Finally, the harmonic analysis of small-size FE models was extended to extract the WDIC of composites. Through hole and delamination in a unidirectional composite plate were investigated. It can be observed that the scattering energy is mainly concentrated in the fiber directions when the A0 waves interact with the through hole.
Cognitive Functional Abilities in Parkinson's Disease: Agreement Between Patients and Informants

Background The Penn Parkinson's Daily Activities Questionnaire-15 (PDAQ-15) assesses cognition-related instrumental activities of daily living (IADL) in Parkinson's disease (PD). Objectives To assess the degree and predictors of disagreement between patients (PT) and knowledgeable informants (KI) on the PDAQ-15. Methods We recruited 254 PT and KI pairs (PT-KI), determined predictors of agreement, and compared scores to a performance-based functional measure (Direct Assessment of Functional Status [DAFS]; N = 61). Results PT and KI total score (intraclass correlation = 0.57) and individual item (Cohen's kappa = 0.46-0.62) agreement were moderate. Patient depression, global cognition, and caregiver burden (all P < 0.05), predicted PT-KI discrepancy. PT-KI discrepancy was highest in patients with a dementia diagnosis, followed by mild cognitive impairment and then normal cognition (all P < 0.01), with PT rating themselves relatively more functionally intact as cognition worsened. DAFS performance was more highly correlated with KI (r = 0.82; P < 0.001) than PT (r = 0.62; P < 0.001) PDAQ-15 score. Conclusions Our results support using KI as proxies when assessing cognitive IADLs in PD PTs, particularly in cases of more advanced cognitive decline.
Active Instruction for Co-Teachers in a Support Role:

One-teach/one-assist and one-teach/one-observe are the two most widely used co-teaching models. Special educators often take on the support role when these models are used. At times, co-teachers in...
The Use of Fungal In Vitro Systems for Studying Translational Regulation

Abstract The use of cell‐free systems enables biochemical determination of factors and mechanisms contributing to translational processes. The preparation and use of cell‐free translation systems from the fungi Saccharomyces cerevisiae and Neurospora crassa are described. Examples provided illustrate the use of these systems, in conjunction with luciferase assays, [ 35 S]Met incorporation, and primer‐extension inhibition (toeprint) analyses, to assess the translational effects of upstream open reading frames and premature termination codons.
Light-Independent Biological Conversion of CO2.

Sevcan Ersan is a postdoctoral researcher at UCLA. Previously, she conducted postdoctoral research at the University of Hohenheim in Germany. She received her PhD in biotechnology from Yeditepe University, Turkey, and her bachelor's and master's degrees in food engineering from Istanbul Technical University, Turkey. She is experienced in waste utilization, bioprocessing technologies, and biological activities associated with phytochemicals. Her current research focuses on natural product chemistry and sustainable biotechnology. Junyoung Park is an assistant professor of Chemical and Biomolecular Engineering and co-director of the Metabolomics Center at UCLA. His research group focuses on systems-level analysis of metabolic networks to elucidate regulatory mechanisms and engineer metabolism. He aims to apply this knowledge to solving energy and environmental problems and curing human diseases such as cancer and diabetes. Before moving to Los Angeles, he conducted postdoctoral research at MIT. He received his bachelor's degrees in mathematics and bioengineering from UC San Diego and a master's and PhD in chemical engineering from Princeton University.
The Negro/National Newspaper Publishers Association and Its Dual Roles as a Trade and Advocacy Organization, 1940–2020

The National Newspaper Publishers Association, founded in 1940 as the Negro Newspaper Publishers Association (NNPA), served two roles from the outset. As a trade organization, it sought to professi...
Apparent Differences in Xylazine, Ketamine, and Butorphanol Pharmacokinetics Linked with Pain Associated with Dehorning and Castration

Management of pain following dehorning and castration is a significant challenge for veterinarians. Physiological effects such as peripheral vasoconstriction and increased heart rate are associated with pain and distress. These effects may alter the pharmacokinetics of parenterally administered sedative-analgesics.
Anatomy of the Sutures of the Face

The sutures of the face are mostly paired sutures, except the median palatine, intermaxillary, and internasal sutures. Many of them are located in and around the orbit and are related to facial fractures and surgery of the orbit. In this chapter, we discuss the anatomy of the sutures of the face and its clinical implications.
Mastering Survivorship: How Brands Facilitate the Transformation to Heroic Survivor

This study investigates the identity transformation from mere survivor to heroic survivor of cancer. Utilizing a multi-method approach, interviews with seventeen female cancer survivors and five blog analyses, this research sheds light on the processes involved in the transformation from mere survivor to heroic survivor and the integral role of brands in this transformation process. Brands are used to signal heroism to the self (inward expression) and to others (outward expression) as well as to combat countervailing forces that deter the survivor's progress toward mastery of a heroic identity. The findings provide a rich understanding of the heroic archetype and its centrality to the mastery of survivorship. The article concludes with a discussion of the implications for brand managers, giving attention to the importance of consumer–brand relationships.
Making Sense of the Highly Variable Effects of Alcohol on Bone

Alcohol consumption is often reported to influence bone health in a dose-dependent manner where moderate alcohol intake is deemed beneficial and heavy drinking detrimental. However, this relationship may not be valid for individual alcohol consumers, as small quantities of alcohol can have detrimental skeletal effects and not all studies report clinically relevant bone loss with long-duration alcohol abuse. These discrepant findings suggest that factors beyond quantity of alcohol consumed contribute to the observed skeletal response. We propose that the interplay between intrinsic factors (e.g., age, sex, skeletal site) and extrinsic factors (e.g., age of onset of drinking, duration of drinking, comorbidities) influence the precise impact of alcohol consumption on bone health. In this review, we summarize literature reporting the effects of alcohol on the human skeleton. Based on the finding that alcohol alters the circulating levels of dozens of peptides shown to influence bone metabolism, we arrive at the conclusion that no single unifying mechanism adequately explains the diversity of reports or successfully predicts individuals most likely to be impacted favorably or unfavorably by alcohol consumption. We propose that a more holistic approach—in which drinking pattern and intrinsic factors are accounted for—is required to better understand and respond to the end-organ effects of alcohol on the skeleton.
CAR T for Pediatric ALL: What’s Next?

Introduction With intensified chemotherapy having long since reached its limits in ALL, patients who do not respond to such chemotherapy previously had very poor outcomes. Immunotherapies have improved these outcomes, with CAR T-cells being the most powerful of these immunotherapies. Chimeric antigen receptors (CARs) combine a binding fragment (scFv) of an antibody with intracellular signaling domains, using synthetic biology to create a molecule which combines binding and activation functions to bring T-cells to leukemia cells, kill leukemia cells, and activate T-cells for significant in vivo proliferation. In the current products, the T-cells are collected from the patient, making this an autologous immunocellular therapy.
Trust Issues: US Public Preferences for Entities to Protect the Environment

Using an industry survey data source, this study evaluates which institutions and entities are considered by the United States population to be more trustworthy to protect the environment. The resu...
Sex-Based Language Differences in Female Pelvic Medicine and Reconstructive Surgery Fellowship Recommendation Letters.

Introduction Letters of recommendation (LORs) are a significant component of residency and fellowship applications. Applicant sex may play a role in the language used in letters, which could hinder progress in academic fields, particularly for women. Although differences in language based on applicant sex have been identified in other fields, no prior studies have evaluated LORs for female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS) fellowships. Methods Letters of recommendations for applicants to an urban, tertiary care academic medical FPMRS fellowship from 2017 to 2019 were collected. Using the Linguistic Inquiry and Word Count program, a licensed text analysis software for academic purposes, we analyzed LORs based on 16 categories. The Wilcoxon rank sum test, Fisher exact test, and a generalized linear mixed model were used for statistical analyses. Results A total of 97 fellowship applications were analyzed, yielding 354 LORs; 32 applicants were male, whereas 65 were female. Letters written for male applicants contained significantly more power words (P = 0.022) and significantly less affiliation words (P = 0.025) compared with female counterparts. Differences were maintained after adjusting for age, race/ethnicity, step 1 to step 3 scores, Phi Beta Kappa status, Alpha Omega Alpha status, and writer's sex. Conclusions Significant linguistic differences based on applicant sex exist in FPMRS fellowship LORs. Differences are consistent with previous analyses within science and medical fields. These findings did not show a significant association with an applicant's ability to match; however, we did not analyze whether the matched institution was the preferred choice for each applicant.
California Dreaming: The California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Trust Act

Half of American workers are not covered by employer-sponsored retirement arrangements. The recently passed California Secure Choice Retirement Savings Trust Act seeks to solve this problem by mandating retirement savings arrangements for California employers, coupled with a public investment vehicle for investing these private retirement savings. The Act is important because of California’s size and status as a trendsetter for other states.This Article is the first to examine the important legal questions the Act raises under the Internal Revenue Code and ERISA. Contrary to the drafters’ intent, the savings accounts authorized under the Act do not qualify as individual retirement accounts under the Code. Hence, employees participating in savings arrangements established under the Act will not receive the income tax benefits associated with individual retirement accounts.If the Act were to be amended to make its accounts individual retirement accounts, the Act would survive ERISA preemption under New York State Conference of Blue Cross & Blue Shield Plans v. Travelers Insurance Co., 514 U.S. 645 (1995), though not under Shaw v. Delta Air Lines, Inc., 463 U.S. 85 (1983). Since Travelers is the Court’s more recent and more compelling construction of ERISA preemption, the Act should survive ERISA preemption if the Act is amended to have true individual retirement accounts.A final section addresses the choices other state legislatures (as well as Congress) confront if they elect to follow part or all of the path on which California has embarked to encourage private retirement savings. President Obama has recently proposed a federal mandate under which employers with more than ten employees would be required to maintain either retirement plans or IRA coverage. The President’s proposal ensures public debate about the appropriate function of government in encouraging retirement savings. The Golden State’s Act will play an important role in that debate. In that debate, I favor state-by-state experimentation rather than any single approach to the task of encouraging greater retirement savings.
A breath of fresh air: alternative approaches to learning

Biology consists of complex systems that multiple levels of organization, such as structure and function. Interactions occur both within and between these levels (Wilensky & Resnick, 1999). Students tend to focus on the (easily seen) structures that comprise the system and miss the (mostly implicit) functional interactions. On the other hand, experts tend to focus on more on how a complex system works (Hmelo-Silver & Pfeffer, 2004). Structure-Behavior-Function (SBF) theory may provide a deep principle that is useful for thinking about complex systems (Goel & Chandrasekaran, 1989). SBF theory provides a framework that allows effective reasoning about the functional and causal roles played by structural elements in a system, by describing a system's structures, their purpose in the system (functions), and the mechanisms that enable their functions (behaviors).
IC diagnosis: preventing wars and war stories

Failure analysis is one of the most challenging tasks in IC manufacturing today. Every failed die clamours for individual attention and the task of finding the defect which is the root cause of the problem can take hours to a few days. Automation aids in a very limited way in this area and this inevitably leads to wars. So how do we prevent wars in IC diagnosis? Some suggestions are given for improving design for diagnosis, fault modelling and diagnosis algorithms, and defect excitation.
Assessment of fecal pollution sources in a small northern-plains watershed using PCR and phylogenetic analyses of Bacteroidetes 16S rRNA gene.

We evaluated the efficacy, sensitivity, host-specificity, and spatial/temporal dynamics of human- and ruminant-specific 16S rRNA gene Bacteroidetes markers used to assess the sources of fecal pollution in a fecally impacted watershed. Phylogenetic analyses of 1271 fecal and environmental 16S rRNA gene clones were also performed to study the diversity of Bacteroidetes in this watershed. The host-specific assays indicated that ruminant feces were present in 28–54% of the water samples and in all sampling seasons, with increasing frequency in downstream sites. The human-targeted assays indicated that only 3–5% of the water samples were positive for human fecal signals, although a higher percentage of human-associated signals (19–24%) were detected in sediment samples. Phylogenetic analysis indicated that 57% of all water clones clustered with yet-to-be-cultured Bacteroidetes species associated with sequences obtained from ruminant feces, further supporting the prevalence of ruminant contamination in this watershed. However, since several clusters contained sequences from multiple sources, future studies need to consider the potential cosmopolitan nature of these bacterial populations when assessing fecal pollution sources using Bacteroidetes markers. Moreover, additional data is needed in order to understand the distribution of Bacteroidetes host-specific markers and their relationship to water quality regulatory standards.
Racial/Ethnic Disparities in Knowledge about Risks and Benefits of Breast Cancer Treatment: Does It Matter Where You Go?

Persistently high rates of mastectomy and wide geographic variation in surgical treatments for early stage breast cancer (National Institutes of Health 1990; Nattinger et al. 2000; Morrow et al. 2001; Wennberg 2002; Baxter et al. 2004) have raised concerns that many women may not be fully informed about surgical treatment options (Katz and Hawley 2007). These concerns have motivated laws in 20 states mandating that surgeons discuss both breast conserving surgery (BCS) with radiation and mastectomy with all eligible patients to ensure treatment decisions are informed (Nayfield et al. 1994; Montini 1997). As well, having accurate knowledge of the risks and benefits associated with treatment options has been identified as a key element of an informed and a high quality medical decision (Rier et al. 2004; Sepucha et al. 2007). Yet, studies have found low knowledge about the risks and benefits associated with mastectomy and BCS with radiation even among women who have been through treatment (Bluman et al. 2001; Fagerlin et al. 2006). Moreover, racial/ethnic difference differences in breast cancer treatment knowledge suggest that more vulnerable populations may be at a particular disadvantage when it comes to making an informed treatment decision (Maly, Leake, and Silliman 2003; Siminoff, Graham, and Gordon 2006; Polacek, Ramos, and Ferrer 2007). However, few studies have evaluated whether racial/ethnic differences in breast cancer treatment knowledge are associated with other factors, such as the type of provider and/or treatment setting. Although there is considerable research showing that certain provider characteristics (e.g., procedure volume) and treatment setting factors (e.g., access to multidisciplinary care) have positive impacts on quality of care (Gabel, Hilton, and Nathanson 1997; Chang et al. 2001; McKee et al. 2002; Hu et al. 2003; Birkmeyer et al. 2005; Hiotis et al. 2005; Hawley et al. 2006; Newman et al. 2006; Gilligan et al. 2007), it is not clear whether these factors influence informed decision making. As well, while there is research documenting the importance of physician–patient communication to patient satisfaction with the breast cancer treatment decision making process (Bruera et al. 2002; Liang et al. 2002; Janz et al. 2004; Maly, Leake, and Silliman 2004; Lantz et al. 2005; Thind and Maly 2006), less is known about whether this interaction influences treatment knowledge. Furthermore, there is virtually no research evaluating whether racial/ethnic disparities in informed treatment decision making are associated with provider characteristics or with where patients receive their treatment. The purpose of this analysis was to evaluate the association between surgeon characteristics, treatment setting, and knowledge about the risks and benefits of mastectomy and BCS with radiation among racially/ethnically diverse breast cancer patients.
The bioactivation of 1,2-dibromoethane in rat hepatocytes: deuterium isotope effect

Abstract The metabolism and genotoxicity of 1,2-dibromoethane (EDB) and its deuterium substituted analog (d 4 EDB) were studied in isolated rat hepatocytes. There was a marked isotope effect on the metabolism of EDB by hepatocytes. This was due to decreased microsomal oxidation of d 4 EDB. Cytosolic metabolism of EDB, as measured by bromide ion release, was unaffected by deuterium substitution. The genotoxicity of the two analogs was assessed by assaying for the presence of EDB induced single-strand breaks in DNA. As measured by the alkaline elution technique, both compounds caused DNA single-strand breaks when incubated at a concentration of 0.1 mM with hepatocytes. No difference in the degree of DNA damage could be demonstrated between hepatocytes incubated with EDB or d 4 EDB. These data suggest that the GSH transferase mediated metabolism of EDB is responsible for the genotoxic effects of EDB observed in hepatocytes.
Dysfunctional platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa associated with a platelet release defect: a family study.

We are reporting on a 36-year-old white female with a bleeding history attributed to dysfunctional platelet glycoprotein IIb/IIIa (GPIIb/IIIa) and a coexisting platelet release defect. Platelet aggregation studies (PAS) revealed markedly diminished to absent responses to ADP, epinephrine, collagen and arachidonic acid; the ristocetin response was normal. ATP content was normal with poor release to the agonists as measured by luminescent technique. DDAVP infusion shortened bleeding time from 13.5 min to 8.0 and 12 min (at 1 and 2 hours). Flow cytometry and immunoblotting revealed normal amounts of GPIIb and diminished GPIIIa (50% of control). Using a previously reported ELISA which measures the binding of GPIIb/IIIa to immobilized fibrinogen, the patient's platelet extract showed no binding to fibrinogen. Both the father and mother were found to have decreased PAS responses and normal amounts of GPIIb/IIIa determined by both Western blot and flow cytometry. However, the ELISA showed decreased binding of their GPIIb/IIIa to fibrinogen (71% and 62% as compared to controls, respectively). The patient's dysfunctional fibrinogen receptor was clearly demonstrated by the ELISA. The parents had moderately reduced GPIIb/IIIa function in this assay, but they did not demonstrate a reduced GPIIIa as was noted in the patient. The parents' PAS indicated a platelet release defect. These findings suggest an inherited platelet release defect and a dysfunctional GPIIIa. The partial response to DDAVP would be compatible with the presence of a platelet release defect. © 1993 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Battling enteroinvasive bacteria: Nod1 comes to the rescue

Recognition of pathogenic bacteria by mammalian hosts is largely mediated by membrane-bound Toll-like receptors (TLRs). Recently, a family of cytosolic proteins, termed NODs, with homology to plant disease-resistance gene products has been implicated in sensing microbes within the cytosol. The role of NOD family members in host defense is largely unknown. However, a recent report revealed that Nod1 is a crucial sensor for certain enteroinvasive bacteria that avoid TLR signaling. This finding suggests that Nod1 plays an important role in the initial recognition of pathogenic bacteria at epithelial surfaces, such as the gut, where innate immune responses to commensal bacteria must be avoided.
Commentary on Matthew Butkus' ‘Biodiversity, Ethics, and Human Health’

I applaud Matthew Butkus' efforts, as his endeavor to protect ecological hotspots is well intentioned. In a pragmatic vein, Butkus seeks to motivate moral action through appeal to egoistic motivati...
Response to a smelter closure in Cascade mountain lakes

A statistically significant decrease in sulfate was observed in high elevation Cascade lakes during 1983 through 1988. The total decrease averaged 2.2 μeq L−1 in two slow-flush lakes and 4.2 μeq L−1 in three fast-flush lakes for 1983–1985 vs 1986–1988, respectively. Coincident with these changes in sulfate concentrations were a sharp decrease of SO2 emissions from the ASARCO smelter (100 km SE of the lakes), from 87 to 70 kt yr−1 during 1983–1984 to 12 in 1985, the year of its closure, and a gradual change in SO2 emissions from Mt. St. Helens, from 39 to 27 during 1983–1984 to 5 in 1988. The sharpest decreases occurred in non-marine sulfate in fast-flush lakes from 1984 to 1985 (about 2 μeq L−1) and in slow-flush lakes from 1985 to 1986 (1 μeq L−1, which point to the ASARCO closure as the sole cause. However, some of the more gradual decline in non-marine sulfate observed during 1983 through the 1988 sampling periods may have been due to a slow washout of sulfate enriched ash from the 1980 Mt. St. Helens' eruption. Sulfate concentrations in precipitation also declined significantly by about 2 μeq L−1, but changes in volume-weighted sulfate content were not significant. Lake alkalinity did not show a consistent increase in response to decreased sulfate. This was probably due to either watershed neutralization of acidic deposition or the greater variability in alkalinity measurements caused by small changes in acidic deposition making it difficult to detect changes.
Hydrolytic degradation of a-substituted polyglycolic acids: a semiempirical computational study

The two-step hydrolyses of substituted polyglycolic acids are modeled by the semiempirical MNDO Hamiltonian using small molecule analogs to determine the effect of the algyl substituents on the reaction and activation enthalpies. Reaction enthalpies remain reasonably constant up to three carbons, before becoming less exothermic for large algyl substituents. Activation enthalpies show patterns that can be explained by steric effects
Acceptance of empirical statements: A Bayesian theory without cognitive utilities

What criteria should we use in deciding whether to accept any empirical statement as being true? A popular theory suggests that we should assign subjective probabilities to all possible statements representing alternative answers to any given question; and should assign cognitive utilities to acceptance and to nonacceptance of each statement in case it is true, and also in case it is false. Then, as to acceptance or nonacceptance of all these statements we should adopt that particular policy that would maximize our expected utility. This paper will propose an alternative Bayesian theory of acceptance for empirical statements, which will make no use of special cognitive utilities. It will be argued that the new theory will avoid the paradoxes created by some other theories of acceptance and will help us in resolving some important philosophical problems.
TNFα-induced macrophage death via caspase-dependent and independent pathways

Macrophages are the principal source of TNFα, yet they are highly resistant to TNFα-mediated cell death. Previously, employing in vitro differentiated human macrophages, we showed that following the inhibition of NF-κB, TNFα-induced caspase-8 activation contributes to DNA fragmentation but is not necessary for the loss of the inner mitochondrial transmembrane potential (ΔΨm) or cell death. We here extend these observations to demonstrate that, when NF-κB is inhibited in macrophages, TNFα alters lysosomal membrane permeability (LMP). This results in the release of cathepsin B with subsequent loss of ΔΨm and caspase-8 independent cell death. Interestingly, the cytoprotective, NF-κB-dependent protein A20 was rapidly induced in macrophages treated with TNFα. Ectopic expression of A20 in macrophages preserves LMP following treatment with TNFα, and as a result, mitochondrial integrity is safeguarded and macrophages are protected from cell death. These observations demonstrate that TNFα triggers both caspase 8-dependent and -independent cell death pathways in macrophages and identify a novel mechanism by which A20 protects these cells against both pathways.
Massive Supernovae, Orion Gamma Rays, and the Formation of the Solar System

We discuss the source of the enhanced carbon and oxygen low-energy cosmic-ray flux in the Orion star-forming region and attribute it to the acceleration of the surface layers of a massive supernova, probably of Type Ib. The gamma rays from Orion are produced by that fast CO ejecta. In this model there would be few Orion-like gamma-ray sources in the Galaxy at any one time. We also postulate that a massive supernova produced the short-lived extinct radioactivities injected into the molecular cloud core that produced the solar system. We find that relative to 26Al the other short-lived extinct radioactivities are excessively produced in massive supernovae but are likely to be more attenuated by postexplosion fallback than 26Al. This is a revival of the supernova trigger hypothesis; to obtain the correct dilutions of the extinct radioactivities, the distance from the supernova to the impacted molecular cloud core must be a few parsecs, and the effective projected collecting area of the cloud must be significantly less than normal core radii.
Conservation and divergence of the Eμ3′ enhancer in the IGH locus of teleosts

The core region of the Eμ3′ transcriptional enhancer that drives the expression of the teleost IGH locus has been characterized functionally in two species, the catfish (Ictalurus punctatus) and the zebrafish (Danio rerio). These studies have suggested important differences: Whereas the catfish enhancer acts through an E-box and two octamer motifs, the zebrafish enhancer exerts its major effects through two E-box motifs alone. In this study, the function of the catfish enhancer was reexamined in a broader comparative context within the teleosts. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays of motifs from catfish, zebrafish, and Fugu were conducted to determine their ability to bind catfish E-protein and Oct transcription factors. Transient expression assays were conducted using a region of the catfish core enhancer that includes a newly described hybrid octamer/E-box motif. Sequences homologous to the Eμ3′ enhancer region from six teleosts were aligned to determine conserved regions (“phylogenetic footprinting”). These studies allowed the following conclusions to be drawn: (1) The important 3′E-box motif described in the zebrafish corresponds in the homologous region of the catfish enhancer to an Oct motif with a newly described negative regulatory function and (2) Comparison of the Eμ3′ enhancer sequences of six teleosts indicates that while a variety of octamer and E-box motifs are found in this region, strict evolutionary conservation of the important functional elements of the teleost Eμ3′ enhancer has not occurred.
Role of poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid in cyst formation byAzotobacter

Several parameters associated with the growth ofAzotobacter vinelandii in liquid culture were examined in order to investigate the relationship between the accumulation and degradation of poly-β-hydroxybutyric acid (PHB), the development of viscous capsular components, and cyst formation. The amount of intracellular PHB, which increased markedly during the log phase of growth, reached a maximum during the early stationary phase and subsequently declined. During polymer degradation there was a concurrent increase in the extent of encystment in the cultures supplemented with CaCO3. An increase was noted in the viscosity of culture supernatants during polymer degradation when CaCO3 was deleted from the medium and the culture pH was controlled by the periodic addition of 0.1m KOH. The extent of encystment and the amount of PHB accumulated were directly proportional to the substrate concentration. The PHB was selectively labeled by the addition of sodium acetate-2-14C to late log-phase cells. During polymer utilization in either encysting or nonencysting cultures 20% of the label was evolved as CO2. In the nonencysting cultures, 45% of the radioactivity was distributed between residual PHB and other cellular components, and 35% was in the supernatant polysaccharide-like material. Intact cysts retained 80% of the label. Experiments with ruptured cysts indicated that about 35% of the radioactivity was present in the intine material.
Combined endovascular and microsurgical management of complex cerebral aneurysms.

Cerebral aneurysms are associated with a 50% mortality rate after rupture and patients can suffer significant morbidity during subsequent treatment. Neurosurgical management of both ruptured and unruptured aneurysms has evolved over the years. The historical practice of using microsurgical clipping to treat aneurysms has benefitted in the last two decades from tremendous improvement in endovascular technology. Microsurgery and endovascular therapies are often viewed as competing treatments but it is important to recognize their individual limitations. Some aneurysms are considered complex, due to several factors such as aneurysm anatomy and a patient’s clinical condition. A complex aneurysm often cannot be completely excluded with a single approach and its successful treatment requires a combination of microsurgical and endovascular techniques. Planning such an approach relies on understanding aneurysm anatomy and thus should routinely include 3D angiographic imaging. In patients with ruptured aneurysms, endovascular coiling is a well-tolerated early treatment and residual aneurysms can be treated with intervals of definitive clipping. Microsurgical clipping also can be used to reconstruct the neck of a complex aneurysm, allowing successful placement of coils across a narrow neck. Endovascular techniques are assisted by balloons, which can be used in coiling and testing parent vessel occlusion before sacrifice. In some cases microsurgical bypasses can provide alternate flow for planned vessel sacrifice. We present current paradigms for combining endovascular and microsurgical approaches to treat complex aneurysms and share our experience in 67 such cases. A dual microsurgical–endovascular approach addresses the challenge of intracranial aneurysms. This combination can be performed safely and produces excellent rates of aneurysm obliteration. Hybrid angiographic operating-room suites can foster seamless and efficient complementary application of these two modalities.
Optic Disc Edema in the Presumed Ocular Histoplasmosis Syndrome

Two patients with presumed ocular histoplasmosis syndrome developed optic disc edema. In both cases the edema resolved without residual impairment of visual function. Although peripapillary changes in ocular histoplasmosis are common, optic disc edema is rare. The pathogenesis of the edema is unknown.
Individual and group sensitivity to remedial reading program design: examining reading gains across three middle school reading projects

The purpose of this project was to examine group- and individual-level responses by struggling adolescents readers (6th–8th grades; N = 155) to three different modalities of the same reading program, Reading Achievement Multi-Component Program. The three modalities differ in the combination of reading components (phonological decoding, spelling, fluency, comprehension) that are taught and their organization. Latent change scores were used to examine changes in phonological decoding, fluency, and comprehension for each modality at the group level. In addition, individual students were classified as gainers versus non-gainers (a reading level increase of a year or more vs. less than 1 year) so that characteristics of gainers and differential sensitivity to instructional modality could be investigated. Findings from both group and individual analyses indicated that reading outcomes were related to modalities of reading instruction. Furthermore, differences in reading gains were seen between students who began treatment with higher reading scores than those with lower reading scores; dependent on modality of treatment. Results, examining group and individual analyses similarities and differences, and the effect the different modalities have on reading outcomes for older struggling readers will be discussed.
Identifying nucleation temperatures for lysozyme via differential scanning calorimetry

Abstract Production of diffraction-quality protein crystals mandates nucleation of a moderate number of crystals. Excessive nucleation can lead to many small crystals of poor morphology, making them useless for structural determination via X-ray crystallography. In this work, differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) and light scattering are utilized to delineate the liquid–liquid binodal in lysozyme solutions at concentrations typically used for crystal growth (10–50 mg/ml). Such cloud point temperatures are determined over a range of protein concentrations and compared to visually observed nucleation temperatures. In all cases, nucleation occurs at temperatures above the cloud point temperature. Thus, measurement of the cloud point temperature gives the crystal grower a bound on the protein crystal growth problem. Nucleation is reproducibly induced within 2°C of the cloud point temperature; while prior work indicates that growth, when carried out near the saturation temperature, yields high quality crystals. The ease of measuring the cloud point via turbidity measurements allows for the rational selection of an initial temperature to induce protein nucleation.
Scandium tungstate above 2.5 GPa

Synchrotron x-ray powder diffraction was used to study Sc{sub 2}W{sub 3}O{sub 12} in a diamond anvil cell up to 6.2 GPa in order to better characterize the second high pressure phase observed in earlier in-situ diffraction studies. Two crystalline-to-crystalline phase transitions were observed, in line with the earlier work. Above 2.7 GPa, Sc{sub 2}W{sub 3}O{sub 12} adopted a monoclinic structure with probable space group P2{sub 1}/n, that is distinct from the monoclinic phase existing between 0.3 GPa and 2.7 GPa. The bulk modulous (K{sub 0}) for this second high pressure phase was estimated to be 90(3) GPa using a Birch-Murnaghan equation of state with K{sub p} fixed at 4. Refining K{sub p} resulted in K{sub 0} = 72(3) GPa and K{sub p} = 12(1). The transition at {approx}2.7 GPa on compression involved a unit cell volume reduction of almost 18% and was not reversible on decompression to atmospheric pressure at ambient temperature, suggesting that changes in bonding occur at the phase transition. Linear compressibility values for this high pressure monoclinic phase were estimated to be {beta}{sub a} = 3.6(1) x 10{sup -3} GPa{sup -1}, {beta}{sub b} = 3.7(2) x 10{sup -3} GPa{sup -1}, {beta}{sub c} = 2.0(1) x 10{sup -3}more » GPa{sup -1} by straight line fits to the lattice constants over the range 0-6.2 GPa.« less
Focal cortical dysplasia and intractable epilepsy in adults: clinical, EEG, imaging, and surgical features

Abstract Purpose : The clinical features of focal cortical dysplasia (FCD) in adults are poorly understood. The purpose of this report is to describe the clinical, electrographic, and neuroimaging characteristics of adults with FCD undergoing surgical resection for intractable epilepsy. Methods : Case series of 55 patients, aged 17–57 years, with a histopathological diagnosis of FCD. Medical history, neurological examination, non-invasive video-EEG, neuroimaging, and surgical outcome data were analyzed retrospectively. Results : There were 36 patients with temporal, 19 with extra-temporal lobe resections. Mean age at surgery was 29 years. Mean age at epilepsy onset was 10 years. Dual pathology was seen in 56% of patients, with 68% of these having hippocampal sclerosis (HS). Epilepsy risk factors included febrile seizures (16%), head trauma (16%), CNS infections (11%), and perinatal stroke (4%). Interictal EEG showed regional epileptiform activity in 89% of patients. Only 24% were diagnosed with FCD pre-operatively. Of those with dual pathology, only 6% were suspected of having FCD pre-operatively. Of those patients with >12 months follow-up, surgical outcomes were as follows: 65% seizure-free, 19% significant improvement, 16% without significant improvement. Conclusions : In this series of adult patients with intractable epilepsy and FCD, a significant number have other seizure risk factors, normal neurological examinations and neuroimaging, and regional EEG findings. Dual pathology was common in patients with FCD. FCD should be considered as an etiology of epilepsy even in patients whose evaluation suggests other mechanisms.
Relativistic effects at the correlated level. An application to interhalogens

Abstract Relativistic effects are significantly important in understanding the electronic structure and spectra of heavy atoms or molecules containing such atoms. Estimation of relativistic effects at the coupled-cluster (CC) level, using the Cowan—Griffin quasi-relativistic many-electron Hamiltonian, is described. The relativistic effects are treated as an external perturbation to the non-relativistic Born—Oppenheimer many-electron Hamiltonian and are evaluated analytically by the “relaxed” density formulation of coupled-cluster (CC) theory. Applicability of the method is demonstrated by calculating relativistic corrections to the ground state energies and dipole moments of diatomic interhalogens. We also present comparisons with relativistic effective potential results.
Reflections on the issues: Implications for the scholarly disciplines

Abstract The First Intercongress of the World Archaeological Congress focused on archaeological ethics and the treatment of the dead. The Intercongress developed from an intense concern by both archaeologists and indigenous peoples to work toward resolution of the reburial issues. The meeting ended in the adoption of the Vermillion Accord, a six-clause document that may provide a foundation of mutual respect so that compromises can be formed. The Accord challenges archaeologists and anthropologists to change their views of human remains as an area of study. Interpretation of the document suggests how attitudes and methods must change if scholars are to comply with the principles of the Accord.
One-pot production of hydrocarbon oil from poly(3-hydroxybutyrate)

Poly(3-hydroxybutyrate) (PHB) is an energy storage material of many microbial species, and has been found to be an effective feedstock for production of renewable hydrocarbon oils. A high oil yield (up to 38.2 wt%) was obtained in a phosphoric acid (H3PO4) solution at mild temperatures (165–240 °C). PHB and crotonic acid (C4H6O2), a dominant thermal degradation product of PHB, were deoxygenated mainly via decarboxylation, generating similar liquid and gaseous products. Carbon dioxide and propylene were the major products in gas phase with little CO formation. The hydrocarbon oil (C4–C16) is a mixture of alkanes, alkenes, benzenes and naphthalenes. Aromatics (C10–C15) were the major hydrocarbons in a 100 wt% H3PO4 solution, while alkenes and alkanes (C4–C9) were favored in diluted solutions (50 wt% to 85 wt% H3PO4). The concentration of H3PO4 was a key factor that affected the oil composition and yield. A highly efficient decarboxylation of crotonic acid at 220 °C for 3 hours resulted in 70.8 wt% of oxygen being removed as CO2 and 57.0 wt% of carbon being recovered as hydrocarbon oil. The H3PO4 solution can be repeatedly used for high yield oil production. This work shows that a type of new biological feedstock can be used to produce renewable hydrocarbon oil in an efficient one-pot reaction.