cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Calcareous Nannofossils from the Joides Blake Plateau Cores, and Revision of Paleogene Nannofossil Zonation

The calcareous nannofossil zonation for the Paleocene-Eocene interval has been refined by study of samples previously dated with planktonic foraminifers and of samples from continuous sections. In the middle Paleocene one additional distinctive zone, the Cyclococcolithina robusta Zone, is recognizable. The middle and upper Eocene interval, formerly divided into two zones, the Discoaster tani nodifer Zone (=Corannulus germanicus Zone) and the Isthmolithus recurvus Zone, can be divided into nine zones: 1. the Discoaster tani s.I.-Sphenolithus radians Zone; 2. the Reticulofenestra umbilica-Sphenolithus furcatolithoides Zone; 3. the Pemma papillatum Zone; 4. the Bramletteius serraculoides Zone; 5. the Helicopontosphaera compacta-Chiasmolithus grandis Zone; 6. the Hayella situliformis Zone; 7. the Isthmolithus recurvus Zone (emended); 8. the Sphenolithus predistentus-Discoaster barbadiensis Zone; 9. the Helicopontosphaera reticulata Zone. The lower Tertiary sediments penetrated in JOIDES Blake Plateau cores J- 3, J-4, and J-6B can be zoned effectively with calcareous nannofossils. J-3 contains lower, middle and upper Eocene sediments, but the section is discontinuous and contains numerous gaps. J-4 contains an upper Paleocene section from the Discoaster gemmeus Zone through the Discoaster multiradiatus Zone. J-6B contains a discontinuous record of lower and middle Eocene sediments and a continuous upper Eocene section, from the Hayella situliformis Zone on up. The Eocene-Oligocene boundary is contained in cores J-3 and J-6B, but because of the inadequacy of the definition of this boundary in terms of biostratigraphic criteria, its exact level remains undetermined.
Multivariable bio-inspired photonic sensors for non-condensable gases

Existing gas sensors often lose their measurement accuracy in practical field applications. To mitigate this significant problem, here, we report a demonstration of fabricated multivariable photonic sensors inspired by a known nanostructure of Morpho butterfly scales for detection of exemplary non-condensable gases such as H2, CO, and CO2. We fabricated bio-inspired nanostructures using conventional photolithography and chemical etching and detected individual gases that were difficult or unrealistic to detect using natural Morpho nanostructures. Such bio-inspired gas sensors are the critical step in the development of new sensors with improved accuracy for diverse operational scenarios. While this report is our initial demonstration of responses of fabricated multivariable sensors to individual gases in pristine laboratory conditions, it is a significant milestone in understanding the next steps toward field tests and practical applications of these sensors.
"A Paradigm of Possibility": Community Mentors and Teacher Preparation.

In this paper, we investigate mentor perspectives of their roles as de facto “teacher educators.” Drawing upon three years of qualitative data, we argue that community voices and knowledge should b...
Automated Wet Sand Feeder for Open-Circuit Flumes

Moveable-bed sediment transport experiments in open-circuit flumes require that sand be fed into the flume inlet. Previous sand feeders have required the use of dry sand for accurate input rates. Sand recovery and reuse is necessary in open-circuit simulated-flood experiments now in progress in the W. M. Keck Hydraulics Laboratory, Pasadena, Calif., because of the high transport rates used. The large amount of sand recycled makes drying between experiments impractical, requiring that the recovered sand be fed wet. This paper describes the programmable wet sand feeder developed for these experiments.
Convolutional Neural Networks for Predicting Molecular Binding Affinity to HIV-1 Proteins

Computational techniques for binding-affinity prediction and molecular docking have long been considered in terms of their utility for drug discovery. With the advent of deep learning, new supervised learning techniques have emerged which can utilize the wealth of experimental binding data already available. Here we demonstrate the ability of a fully convolutional neural network to classify molecules from their Simplified Molecular-Input Line-Entry System (SMILES) strings for binding affinity to HIV proteins. The network is evaluated on two tasks to distinguish a set of molecules which are experimentally verified to bind and inhibit HIV-1 Protease and HIV-1 Reverse Transcriptase from a random sample of drug-like molecules. We report 98% and 93% classification accuracy on the respective tasks using a computationally efficient model which outperforms traditional machine learning baselines. Our model is suitable for virtually screening a large set of drug-like molecules for binding to HIV or other protein targets.
Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease

Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is the leading cause of chronic liver disease. Most cases are diagnosed incidentally in the primary care or hospital setting on the basis of elevated liver enzyme levels or hepatic steatosis on imaging. NAFLD encompasses a wide spectrum: The vast majority of patients have nonprogressive nonalcoholic fatty liver, and a few of those develop progressive liver injury, inflammation, and fibrosis, a condition termed nonalcoholic steatohepatitis. Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death in patients with nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Persons with nonalcoholic steatohepatitis have increased liver-related mortality. In the absence of regulatory agency-approved drugs, lifestyle modification and weight loss remain the cornerstones of NAFLD therapy.
Mountain biker attitudes and perceptions of eMTBs (electric-mountain bikes)

While the popularity of pedal-assist electric bikes (eBikes) generally is growing, electric-mountain bikes (eMTB) have not received a warm welcome by many within the mountain biking community. Anecdotally, a variety of concerns have been raised concerning eMTB use, including trail damage, trail conflict, decreased trail access, and the perception that eMTB use is not “real” mountain biking or is “cheating.” This qualitative study involved extracting and thematically analyzing discussion thread comments about eMTBs among nine mountain biking Facebook pages, Three predominant themes emerged: What is an eMTB?, Trails, and How should eMTBs be used? There was general confusion about the features and capabilities of eMTBs except by those who had previously used one. Commenters expressed concern over a variety of trail-related issues, including that eMTBs will damage trails similar to the way motorized vehicles do and that they could cause restricted access to some trail systems. There were inconsistent opinions on the use of eMTBs, where some comments saw riding mountain bikes as a “rite of passage” and that using an eMTB was “cheating”. There was some level of acknowledgement that eMTBs may be useful for promoting exercise, but this was mediated by the “rite of passage” belief. These findings confirm general attitudes around eMTBs including fears, concerns, and prejudices. This study includes insights that will be useful in efforts to promote eMTBs for recreation, a tool to increase levels of physical activity, and in discussing potential conflicts about trail use.
Number of Operative Performance Ratings Needed to Reliably Assess the Difficulty of Surgical Procedures.

Objective The profession of surgery is entering a new era of “big data,” where analyses of longitudinal trainee assessment data will be used to inform ongoing efforts to improve surgical education. Given the high-stakes implications of these types of analyses, researchers must define the conditions under which estimates derived from these large datasets remain valid. With this study, we determine the number of assessments of residents’ performances needed to reliably assess the difficulty of “Core” surgical procedures. Design Using the SIMPL smartphone application from the Procedural Learning and Safety Collaborative, 402 attending surgeons directly observed and provided workplace-based assessments for 488 categorical residents after 5259 performances of 87 Core surgical procedures performed at 14 institutions. We used these faculty ratings to construct a linear mixed model with resident performance as the outcome variable and multiple predictors including, most significantly, the operative procedure as a random effect. We interpreted the variance in performance ratings attributable to the procedure, after controlling for other variables, as the “difficulty” of performing the procedure. We conducted a generalizability analysis and decision study to estimate the number of SIMPL performance ratings needed to reliably estimate the difficulty of a typical Core procedure. Results Twenty-four faculty ratings of resident operative performance were necessary to reliably estimate the difficulty of a typical Core surgical procedure (mean dependability coefficient 0.80, 95% confidence interval 0.73-0.87). Conclusions At least 24 operative performance ratings are required to reliably estimate the difficulty of a typical Core surgical procedure. Future research using performance ratings to establish procedure difficulty should include adequate numbers of ratings given the high-stakes implications of those results for curriculum design and policy.
Loss of smooth muscle α-actin effects on mechanosensing and cell-matrix adhesions.

Mutations in ACTA2, encoding smooth muscle α-actin, are a frequent cause of heritable thoracic aortic aneurysm and dissections. These mutations are associated with impaired vascular smooth muscle c...
Reemphasizing rational choice in community mobilization: comparing case studies of mining in Southern Perú

This research examines the influence of key social movement theories – rational choice (as measured by interests), resource mobilization (RM), and political opportunity structures (POS) – in mobili...
Toxic Politics: China's Environmental Health Crisis and its Challenge to the Chinese State

Environmental degradation in China has not only brought a wider range of diseases and other health consequences than previously understood, it has also taken a heavy toll on Chinese society, the economy, and the legitimacy of the party-state. In Toxic Politics, Yanzhong Huang presents new evidence of China's deepening health crisis and challenges the widespread view that China is winning the war on pollution. Although government leaders are learning, stricter and more centralized policy enforcement measures have not been able to substantially reduce pollution or improve public health. Huang connects this failure to pathologies inherent in the institutional structure of the Chinese party-state, which embeds conflicting incentives for officials and limits the capacity of the state to deliver public goods. Toxic Politics reveals a political system that is remarkably resilient but fundamentally flawed. Huang examines the implications for China's future, both domestically and internationally.
Flipping handedness in ferrimagnets

Controlling the handedness of magnetic excitations in magnetic materials is crucial for magnonic applications. Ferrimagnets provide a promising route.
The Concept of Authenticity: Implications for Interpretation:

Although the concept of authenticity has received considerable attention in tourism literature, it has received little in interpretation literature despite its importance to practitioners and admin...
Comparison of cognitive-behavioral therapy and yoga for the treatment of late-life worry: A randomized preference trial

BACKGROUND The purpose of this study was to compare the effects of cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) and yoga on late-life worry, anxiety, and sleep; and examine preference and selection effects on these outcomes. METHODS A randomized preference trial of CBT and yoga was conducted in community-dwelling adults 60 years or older, who scored 26 or above on the Penn State Worry Questionnaire-Abbreviated (PSWQ-A). CBT consisted of 10 weekly telephone sessions. Yoga consisted of 20 biweekly group yoga classes. The primary outcome was worry (PSWQ-A); the secondary outcomes were anxiety (PROMIS-Anxiety) and sleep (Insomnia Severity Index [ISI]). We examined both preference effects (average effect for those who received their preferred intervention [regardless of whether it was CBT or yoga] minus the average for those who did not receive their preferred intervention [regardless of the intervention]) and selection effect (which addresses the question of whether there is a benefit to getting to select one intervention over the other, and measures the effect on outcomes of self-selection to a specific intervention). RESULTS Five hundred older adults were randomized to the randomized trial (125 each in CBT and yoga) or the preference trial (120 chose CBT; 130 chose yoga). In the randomized trial, the intervention effect of yoga compared with CBT adjusted for baseline psychotropic medication use, gender, and race was 1.6 (-0.2, 3.3), p = .08 for the PSWQ-A. Similar results were observed with PROMIS-Anxiety (adjusted intervention effect: 0.3 [-1.5, 2.2], p = .71). Participants randomized to CBT experienced a greater reduction in the ISI compared with yoga (adjusted intervention effect: 2.4 [1.2, 3.7], p < .01]). Estimated in the combined data set (N = 500), the preference and selection effects were not significant for the PSWQ-A, PROMIS-Anxiety, and ISI. Of the 52 adverse events, only two were possibly related to the intervention. None of the 26 serious adverse events were related to the study interventions. CONCLUSIONS CBT and yoga were both effective at reducing late-life worry and anxiety. However, a greater impact was seen for CBT compared with yoga for improving sleep. Neither preference nor selection effects was found.
Elemental Mapping of Labeled Biological Specimens at Intermediate Energy Loss in an Energy-Filtered TEM acquired using a Direct Detection Device

The multi-color or single-color EM that was developed previously, by the pseudo-colored overlay of the core-loss or high-loss EFTEM elemental map/s of the lanthanide onto the conventional image, the lanthanide chelates conjugated to diaminobenzidine being sequentially deposited as a result of selective oxidization by orthogonal photosensitizers / peroxidases. The synthesis of the new second generation lanthanide DABs, which contains 4 times more lanthanide per DAB, gives significant signal amplification and enabling collection of elemental maps at much lower energy-loss regions more favorable. Under the same experimental conditions, acquiring EFTEM elemental maps for the lanthanides at the lower energy-loss of N4,5 edge instead of the core-loss M4,5 edge, provides ~4x increase in signal-to-noise and ~2x increase in resolution. The higher signal at the N4,5 edge, also allows for more sophisticated technique of EFTEM spectrum Image for the acquisition of elemental maps with very high signal fidelity.
Modeling suggests combined-drug treatments for disorders impairing synaptic plasticity via shared signaling pathways

Genetic disorders such as Rubinstein-Taybi syndrome (RTS) and Coffin-Lowry syndrome (CLS) cause lifelong cognitive disability, including deficits in learning and memory. Can pharmacological therapies be suggested that improve learning and memory in these disorders? To address this question, we simulated drug effects within a computational model describing induction of late long-term potentiation (L-LTP). Biochemical pathways impaired in these and other disorders converge on a common target, histone acetylation by acetyltransferases such as CREB binding protein (CBP), which facilitates gene induction necessary for L-LTP. We focused on four drug classes: tropomyosin receptor kinase B (TrkB) agonists, cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitors, histone deacetylase inhibitors, and ampakines. Simulations suggested each drug type alone may rescue deficits in L-LTP. A potential disadvantage, however, was the necessity of simulating strong drug effects (high doses), which could produce adverse side effects. Thus, we investigated the effects of six drug pairs among the four classes described above. These combination treatments normalized impaired L-LTP with substantially smaller individual drug 'doses'. In addition three of these combinations, a TrkB agonist paired with an ampakine and a cAMP phosphodiesterase inhibitor paired with a TrkB agonist or an ampakine, exhibited strong synergism in L-LTP rescue. Therefore, we suggest these drug combinations are promising candidates for further empirical studies in animal models of genetic disorders that impair histone acetylation, L-LTP, and learning.
An Ecological Examination of School Counseling Equity

Amidst the rapid expansion of education reform aimed at promoting educational equity, noticeably absent has been a focus on school counseling—a profession uniquely positioned to support students’ postsecondary, social emotional, and academic development. Despite research continually affirming the positive influence of counselors on students, uneven access to counseling support across US public schools, especially in urban areas, remains a reality today. Notably, high student-to-counselor ratios in schools that educate a large proportion of students of color and those living in low-income communities suggest that those students most in need of access to counseling support are the least likely to receive it. In this essay, we outline school counselors’ unique roles in supporting minoritized youth and draw on Bronfenbrenner’s (The ecology of human development: experiments in nature and design, Harvard University Press, Cambridge, 1979) ecological systems theory to consider the nested systems in which counselors work—systems which, we argue, place constraints on school counseling equity. This systems-level framing moves away from casting the limitations of our current student support model as an individual-level, personnel issue and instead conceptualizes it as an organizational one that must be remedied to ensure all students have equal access to critical counseling support.
Voice and Marketing Channels: a Closer Look

Because voice (attempts to change rather than escape from objectionable relationship conditions) in long-term business-to-business relationships may be an important avenue to sustaining relationships, the paper investigated selected economic and social exchange antecedents of voice in long-term interfirm relationships. After summarizing what is known about voice, the paper proposed several unexplored antecedents of voice in a marketing channel. It then discussed the results of a structural equation analysis of field survey data from hardware retailers involving their use of voice with their primary wholesalers.
Sport participation and educational aspirations: an explicit consideration of academic and sport value climates.

Abstract This examination focused on the role of school value environments in altering the relationship between sport participation and educational aspirations. It was hypothesized that the sport participation and educational aspirations relationship would differ depending on the presence of sport and/or academic school value climates. Regression models incorporating school value climates and a series of factors believed to be linked to sport participation and educational aspirations were used to test the impact of school value climates. An analysis of 1,799 male seniors from 87 high schools resulted in the conclusion that school value climates did not influence the relationship between sport participation and educational aspirations.
Characterization of Aggregate Resistance to Degradation in Stone Matrix Asphalt Mixtures

Stone matrix asphalt (SMA) mixtures rely on stone-on-stone contacts among particles to resist applied forces and permanent deformation. Aggregates in SMA should resist degradation (fracture and abrasion) under high stresses at the contact points. This study uses conventional as well as advanced imaging techniques to evaluate aggregate characteristics and the resistance of aggregates to degradation. Aggregates from different sources and aggregate types with various shape characteristics were used in this study. The micro-Deval test was used to measure aggregate resistance to abrasion. The aggregate imaging system was used to examine the changes in aggregate characteristics caused by abrasion forces in the micro-Deval. The resistance of aggregates to degradation in the SMA was evaluated through the analysis of aggregate gradation before and after compaction with conventional mechanical sieve analysis and nondestructive X-ray computed tomography. The findings of this study led to the development of an approach for evaluating aggregate resistance to degradation in SMA. This approach measures aggregate degradation in regard to abrasion, breakage, and loss of texture.
Hybrid Routing for FPGAs by Integrating Boolean Satisfiability with Geometric Search

Boolean Satisfiability (SAT)-based routing has unique advantages over conventional one-net-at-a-time approaches such as simultaneous net embedding or routability decision. Yet SAT-based routing has been criticized for scalability issues. On the other hand, geometric search routing algorithms, even with extensive rip-up-reroute capabilities, have difficulty achieving routing solution convergence when a problem has tight routing constraints. In this paper, we revisit the SAT-based routing idea for FPGA routing, and propose a new hybrid algorithm that integrates SAT-based FPGA routing with a conventional geometric search FPGA router. The advantages of such a combination are twofold: 1) the scalability handicap of SAT-based routing is overcome due to the path pruning techniques of the geometric search algorithm, and 2) more concrete routability decisions can be made thus achieving the convergence, because the SAT-based technique considers simultaneously any paths in the history of iterative routings. The proposed algorithm named search-SAT is implemented and applied to real-world industry circuits. Preliminary experimental results show "search-SAT" is a more viable routing technique than any earlier SATbased routing approach.
Mason, Mary Ann and Mason Ekman, Eve. Mothers on the Fast Track: How a New Generation Can Balance Family and Careers : New York: Oxford UP, 2007

In Mary Ann Mason and Eve Mason Ekman's engaging new study, Mothers on the Fast Track: How a New Generation Can Balance Family and Careers, the mothering issues that have fueled the flames of discu...
Blood loss at cesarean delivery in women on magnesium sulfate for preeclampsia

AbstractObjective: To evaluate the effect of magnesium sulfate for prevention of eclampsia on blood loss at time of cesarean delivery (CD).Methods: We conducted an electronic based search using the following databases: MEDLINE, PUBMED and the Cochrane Library. The search terms were “magnesium sulfate”, “preeclampsia” and “randomized”. Inclusion criteria were randomized controlled trials of women with preeclampsia who delivered with or without magnesium sulfate therapy for seizure prophylaxis. Only trials with placebo or no treatment comparison groups were included. Primary outcome was postpartum hemorrhage. Secondary outcomes were estimated blood loss, change in hemoglobin, blood transfusion and eclampsia.Results: Five trials met inclusion criteria. The incidence of postpartum hemorrhage was similar between the two groups [magnesium sulfate: 754/4482 (17%); no magnesium sulfate: 775/4427 (18%); RR 0.97, 95% CI 0.88–1.06]. There was no statistical difference between any of the other blood loss outcomes rep...
Doublesex in the Middle

What are the molecular mechanisms that determine the acquisition of male and female sexual characteristics? In a Perspective, Ken Burtis reviews a series of recent papers published elsewhere that elucidate the part played by the transcription factor, doublesex, in determining sexual dimorphism in the fruit fly.
An Extended Object-Oriented Data Model for Large Image Bases

This paper presents an object-oriented data model for an image database. The formal presentation of the model stems from an analysis of the domain of remotely sensed radar images of the Arctic ice. The data model maintains the distinction between generic spatial attributes and representation dependent spatial attributes. This results in a four-layer network of objects, attributes, relations, events and representations. In the representation level, the data model is very close to a functional data model. The model serves as the formal foundation of the VIMSYS (Visual Information Management SYStem) project, which aims to perform content and similarity based query processing of large image repositories.
On the Lánczos method for solving symmetric linear systems with several right-hand sides

This paper analyzes a few methods based on the Lanczos algorithm for solving large sparse symmetric linear systems with several right-hand sides. The methods examined are suitable for the situation when the right sides are not too different from one another, as is often the case in time-dependent or parameter-dependent problems. We propose a theoretical error bound for the approximation obtained from a projection process onto a Krylov subspace generated from processing a previous right-hand side.
Scalar potential formulation for a uniaxial inhomogeneous medium

Vector potentials are frequently utilized in the electromagnetic analysis of problems involving simple (i.e., linear, homogeneous, and isotropic) media. In recent decades, various scalar and vector potential formulations have been investigated for the analysis of anisotropic and bianisotropic media. This interest has been greatly influenced by the significant developments in material fabrication capability and the phenomena associated with complex media. Uniaxial anisotropic media are particularly interesting from an application viewpoint due to the relative ease of manufacturing this type of material.
Gibbs Phenomenon for Wavelets

Abstract When a Fourier series is used to approximate a function with a jump discontinuity, an overshoot at the discontinuity occurs. This phenomenon was noticed by Michelson [6] and explained by Gibbs [3] in 1899. This phenomenon is known as the Gibbs effect. In this paper, possible Gibbs effects will be looked at for wavelet expansions of functions at points with jump discontinuities. Certain conditions on the size of the wavelet kernel will be examined to determine if a Gibbs effect occurs and what magnitude it is. An if and only if condition for the existence of a Gibbs effect is presented, and this condition is used to prove existence of Gibbs effects for some compactly supported wavelets. Since wavelets are not translation invariant, effects of a discontinuity will depend on its location. Also, computer estimates on the sizes of the overshoots and undershoots were computed for some compactly supported wavelets with small support.
Life Cycle Optimization of Biomass-to-Liquid Supply Chains with Distributed–Centralized Processing Networks

This paper addresses the optimal design and planning of biomass-to-liquids (BTL) supply chains under economic and environmental criteria. The supply chain consists of multisite distributed–centralized processing networks for biomass conversion and liquid transportation fuel production. The economic objective is measured by the total annualized cost, and the measure of environmental performance is the life cycle greenhouse gas emissions. A multiobjective, multiperiod, mixed-integer linear programming model is proposed that takes into account diverse conversion pathways and technologies, feedstock seasonality, geographical diversity, biomass degradation, infrastructure compatibility, demand distribution, and government incentives. The model simultaneously predicts the optimal network design, facility location, technology selection, capital investment, production planning, inventory control, and logistics management decisions. The problem is formulated as a bicriterion optimization model and solved with the ...
A simulation of breakdown parameters of High Power Microwave induced plasma in atmospheric gases

Surface flashover induced by a High Power Microwave fast rise-time pulse causes a significant drop in transmitted power, along with reflections that can damage the source. Momentum transfer collision rates in the range of 100s of GHz (for pressures exceeding 5 kPa) lead to low plasma conductivity, corresponding to absorption levels of up to 60 % of the incident power. A simulation algorithm was developed using the finite-difference time-domain (FDTD) method in order to model the growth and transport of the electron density near a dielectric surface, and the resulting interaction with the microwave pulse. The time-dependent plasma parameters are governed by empirical and simulated scaling laws for ionization and collision rates, along with diffusion coefficients; the resulting frequency-dependent plasma permittivity is transformed to a discrete algorithm to describe the spatially resolved plasma in the FDTD algorithm. A plasma thickness of up to 2 mm is simulated that compares with side-on ICCD imaging of surface flashover. Breakdown parameters, such as delay times and breakdown electric fields, in nitrogen, air and argon, are compared with experimental data on surface flashover across a polycarbonate window at atmospheric pressures; the simulated results correlate well with measured, and the model exhibits low computational complexity when simulating a pulse on the order of microseconds, making it a good alternative to standard particle-in-cell codes. The source is a S-band magnetron that produces a 2.5 MW peak power, 50 ns rise-time pulse with 3 μs duration at 2.85 GHz center frequency.
Nuclear export of cutaneous HPV8 E7 oncoprotein is mediated by a leucine-rich nuclear export signal via a CRM1 pathway

We recently determined that the nuclear import of cutaneous beta genus HPV8 E7 oncoprotein it is mediated by its zinc-binding domain via direct hydrophobic interactions with the FG nucleoporins Nup62 and Nup153 (Onder and Moroianu, 2014). Here we investigated the nuclear export of HPV8 E7 oncoprotein using confocal microscopy after transfections of HeLa cells with EGFP-8cE7 and mutant plasmids and treatment with Ratjadone A nuclear export inhibitor. We determined that HPV8 E7 contains a leucine-rich nuclear export signal (NES), 76IRTFQELLF84, within its zinc-binding domain that mediates its nuclear export via a CRM1 pathway. We found that HPV8 E7 interacts with CRM1 and that the hydrophobic amino acid residues I76, F79 and L82 of the NES are essential for this interaction and for nuclear export of HPV8 E7 oncoprotein.
A simple N = 1 supergravity gut

Abstract We present a simple supergravity GUT in which supersymmetry is spontaneously broken without introducing an O'Raifeartaigh or Polonyi sector. The theory naturally predicts a long nucleon lifetime, and light SU(3) octet and SU(2) triplet superfields. The SU(2) × U(1) symmetry breaking is induced by radiative corrections.
Dynamic mechanical properties of gamma-irradiated stress-graphitized pyrolytic carbon

Abstract The dynamic mechanical properties of a Co-60 irradiated stress-graphitized pyrolytic carbon specimen were measured as a function of temperature from 80° to 750°K. The specimen received a range of gamma doses from 0·72 to 1400 megarads (MR). The dynamic elastic modulus, values increased with dose at all temperatures. An inverse annealing peak in the elastic modulus was detected after 7 MR gamma irradiation. This corresponded to about 10−9 carbon atoms per atom displaced. Some evidence of the β (165°K), γ (340°K) and δ (440°K) internal friction, Q−1, peaks is obtained after 140 MR. The β peak is clearly detectable after 1400 MR. The results are compared and discussed with regard to results of previous investigations involving reactor irradiations.
Stand development following precommercial thinning and fertilization treatments in a western redcedar (Thuja plicata) dominated forest

Western redcedar (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don.) is an important North American tree species, but little infor- mation is available on its long-term responses to silvicultural treatments. Stand responses (mortality, ingrowth, basal area and volume growth, and distributions of trees by diameter and height classes) were followed for 25 years after thinning and fertilization treatments (alone and in combination) were applied to a naturally regenerated, low site quality western redcedar stand on the Olympic Peninsula in western Washington, USA. Mortality was low overall, but the densest stands experienced competition-related mortality. Thinning resulted in additional stem recruitment; after 25 years, the number of ingrowth trees exceeded the number of trees in the cohort left after thinning. Fertilization (with nitrogen and phosphorus) flattened size distributions and skewed them to larger size classes. Thinning plus fertilization resulted in the largest indi- vidual trees and the most large trees, but also many trees in a wide range of diameter classes. The recruitment of a second cohort did not result in a two-storied stand. Fertilization without thinning resulted in the greatest stand basal area and vol- ume, as well as trees with fewer live lower branches. Resume´ : Le thuya geant (Thuja plicata Donn ex D. Don.) est une espece d'arbre importante en Amerique du Nord, mais peu d'informations sont disponibles concernant sa reaction a long terme aux traitements sylvicoles. Les reactions a ` l'echelle du peuplement (la mortalite ´, le recrutement, la croissance en surface terriere et en volume, ainsi que la distribu- tion des arbres par classes de diametre et de hauteur) ont etemesurees pendant la periode de 25 ans qui a suivi l'appli- cation de traitements d'eclaircie et de fertilisation (seuls ou combines) dans un peuplement de thuya geant naturellement regeneresur une station de faible qualitede la presqu'oˆle Olympique dans l'ouest de l'Etat de Washington, aux Etats-Unis.
Ionic conductivity, activation volumes, and high-pressurephase transitions in PbF/sub 2/ and SrCl/sub 2/

The effect of hydrostatic pressure on the ionic conductivities and phase transitions in Pb${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ and Sr${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ has been investigated. The cubic to orthorhombic transition in Pb${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ was studied in the temperature range of 300 to 850 K for pressures up to 0.55 GPa; the similar transition in Sr${\mathrm{Cl}}_{2}$ was investigated in the range 500 to 1050 K for pressures to 0.45 GPa. The transition temperature was seen to increase linearly with increasing pressure at higher temperatures in both materials. There is considerable hysteresis in the transition at lower temperatures. The activation volumes were extracted from the effect of pressure on the conductivity. The volumes are small at all times, and are consistent with the dominance of Frenkel defects in these materials.
Binding of iron to human red blood cell membranes.

The binding of Fe3+ to red cell membranes was studied in a system in which lipid peroxidation was proportional to Fe3+ concentration. Binding of Fe3+ was evaluated by labeling with 59FeCI3 and measurement of NMR water-proton relaxation times. Labeling with 59Fe showed that 95% of the Fe3+ was membrane bound at 100μM FeCI3 in a 1.5 mg proteiniml membrane suspension. Both spin-lattice (T1) and spin-spin (T2) relaxation times decreased with increasing Fe3+ concentration. Addition of red cell membrane suspensions largely prevents the Fe3+ effect on relaxation times. Charge transfer to Fe3+ may occur at the membrane binding site with resultant decrease in the Fe3+ effect on water-proton relaxation times. These studies support the hypothesis that Fe3+ binds to the membrane and generates free radicals at the binding site.
Hydrogenated amorphous semiconductors

Solar cells based on hydrogenated amorphous silicon are now made from a variety of materials including alloys and microcrystalline films. Research aimed at improving cell efficiency should emphasize studies of alloys and metastable defects. We discuss several research topics related to the growth, structure, and electronic properties of these materials, which should lead to improved photovoltaic devices.
Moderate developmental undernutrition: Impact on growth and cognitive function in youth and old age.

Low weight at birth is a common adverse developmental effect reported in human populations and animal toxicity studies. Epidemiological evidence links low birth weight to a syndrome of metabolic changes that increase later risk for obesity, type 2 diabetes, hypertension, and cardiovascular disease. The present study used a four-treatment cross-over experimental design to evaluate the selective impact of early nutritional deficiency on metabolism and brain function across the lifespan of male Sprague Dawley rats. Undernutrition was induced prenatally by restricting maternal food intake to 50% of ad lib from GD3 to birth. Postnatal undernutrition was induced by fostering pups at birth to naive dams in large (n=16) litters as opposed to small (n=8) control litters. Body weights were monitored in the early neonatal period, in early adulthood beginning at 5months and through to senescence at 21months of age. In contrast to recent reports, no increase in the prevalence of obesity was seen in animals born to food restricted dams and reared under ad lib feeding conditions. Behavioral tests of locomotion, learning and memory were performed in young, middle-aged, and aged animals. No effects of pre or postnatal nutritional history were detected. Age-dependent reductions in locomotor activity were detected, as well as deficits in spatial learning as measured in the Morris water maze and in context fear conditioning. These findings indicate that moderate fetal undernutrition followed by neonatal adequate nutrition does not appear to lead to obesity or neurological dysfunction in young adulthood or old age.
The DEA's Balancing Act to Ensure Public Health and Safety.

In their article in this issue, Reidenberg and Willis assert that there are multiple barriers to the adequate treatment of pain and that one of these barriers is fear of government action against a physician who prescribes opioids for patients in pain.1 At the same time, the authors state that the risk of a physician's being punished by either a state medical board or the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA) for a patient in pain with adequate medical record documentation is very small. Clinical Pharmacology & Therapeutics (2007) 81, 805–806. doi:10.1038/sj.clpt.6100212
Systematic validation of disease models for pharmacoeconomic evaluations

Abstract: Pharmacoeconomic evaluations are often based on computer models which simulate the course of disease with and without medical interventions. The purpose of this study is to propose and illustrate a rigorous approach for validating such disease models. For illustrative purposes, we applied this approach to a computer-based model we developed to mimic the history of HIV-infected subjects at the greatest risk for Mycobacterium avium complex (MAC) infection in Switzerland. The drugs included as a prophylactic intervention against MAC infection were azithromycin and clarithromycin. We used a homogenous Markov chain to describe the progression of an HIV-infected patient through six MAC-free states, one MAC state, and death. Probability estimates were extracted from the Swiss HIV Cohort Study database (1993–95) and randomized controlled trials. The model was validated testing for (1) technical validity (2) predictive validity (3) face validity and (4) modelling process validity. Sensitivity analysis and independent model implementation in DATATM (PPS) and self-written Fortran 90 code (BAC) assured technical validity. Agreement between modelled and observed MAC incidence confirmed predictive validity. Modelled MAC prophylaxis at different starting conditions affirmed face validity. Published articles by other authors supported modelling process validity. The proposed validation procedure is a useful approach to improve the validity of the model.
Fresnel diffraction by spherical obstacles

Lommel functions were used to solve the Fresnel-Kirchhoff diffraction integral for the case of a spherical obstacle. Comparisons were made between Fresnel diffraction theory and Mie scattering theory. Fresnel theory is then compared to experimental data. Experiment and theory typically deviated from one another by less than 10 percent. A unique experimental setup using mercury spheres suspended in a viscous fluid significantly reduced optical noise. The major source of error was due to the Gaussian-shaped laser beam.
Modulation of expression of the anti‐inflammatory cytokines interleukin‐13 and interleukin‐10 by interleukin‐3

Interleukin (IL)-4, IL-10 and IL-13 are cytokines with potent anti-inflammatory activities. Prevention of pathological inflammation at mucosal surfaces appears to be due, in part, to the presence of these cytokines. One potential source for these cytokines is the mast cell which resides at mucosal surfaces. Demonstrated in this report are the findings that bone marrow-derived mucosal-like mast cells constitutively expressed IL-13 whereas bone marrow-derived connective tissue-like mast cells demonstrated IL-13 transcription only after Fc epsilon RI-mediated activation or the addition of exogenous IL-3. A similar pattern of expression of IL-10 by these mast cell types was also evident and matches that of IL-4 previously reported. Intracellular cytokine staining indicated that IL-10 protein is constitutively expressed by the bone marrow-derived mucosal-like mast cells but is only evident in the bone marrow-derived connective tissue-like mast cells after induction with IL-3. The increase of IL-13 and IL-10 transcripts in the connective tissue-like mast cells following IL-3 treatment is not mast cell specific, in that splenic and bone marrow cells also demonstrated the same phenomenon. These data suggest that mucosal mast cells may have a constitutive repertoire of Th2 cytokines with potential anti-inflammatory activity, while connective tissue mast cells may not. However, production of such cytokines can be induced in the connective tissue mast cell and other cell types of the immune response by the addition of IL-3.
Towards reuse of verified Ada software

Reuse of software, and formal verification, are two important problems of software engineering. A great deal of effort has been expended on each these two problems separately, but with limited success. The two problems are in fact related, and attacking them jointly holds promise of progress on both fronts. On the one hand, reuse leverages the cost of verification. On the other, verification captures essential information which is needed when adapting code for reuse.We describe techniques for minimizing the reverification needs of modified programs. We also describe a model for verification libraries, which minimizes the need for reverification across the library when any unit is altered.
Linear stability of the reacting mixing layer

The linear instability of reacting mixing layers is analyzed with special emphasis on the effects of the heat release and variable transport properties. Both analytic profiles and laminar solutions of the boundary-layer equations are used as base flows. The growth rates of the instabilities are sensitive to the laminar profiles, differing by more than a factor of 2 according to which profile is used. Thus, it is important to base the analysis on accurate laminar profiles. Accounting for variable transport properties also changes the mean profiles considerably, and so including them in the computation of the laminar profiles is equally important. Chemical reaction that occurs during the instability hardly affects its growth rate. At larger heat release, two modes that are stronger in the outer part of the shear layer have the highest growth rates; they also have shorter wavelengths than the center mode.
The impacts of stochastic programming and demand response on wind integration

Wind imposes costs on power systems due to uncertainty and variability of real-time resource availability. Stochastic programming and demand response are offered as two possible solutions to mitigate these so-called wind-uncertainty costs. We examine the benefits of these two solutions, and show that although both will reduce wind-uncertainty costs, demand response is significantly more effective. We also examine the impacts of using demand response and stochastic optimization together. We show that most of the value of demand response in reducing wind-uncertainty costs remain if a stochastic optimization is used and that there are subadditive benefits from using the two together.
IS THE DEMISE OF M2 GREATLY EXAGGERATED

The early 1990s in the United States were years of sluggish economic growth alongside a sharply lowered federal funds rate, leading analysts to conclude that monetary policy must have been rendered ineffective by external influences. One previously popular monetary policy indicator not used to analyze the period was real M2, as it was widely considered to have been distorted since the early 1980s. This paper argues that it was a serious mistake to ignore M2 in the early 1990s since it never forecast (relatively or absolutely) better and helps explains this otherwise puzzling period very well. (JEL E32, E51, E52)
Compression and hadamard power inequalities

If , is an M-matrix, we show that the m-by-m matrix Â= the comparison matrix of (det Aij ) is also an M-matrix and that det Â≥ det A. This is analogous to known results for positive definite Hermitian matrices, but certain other compression analogies do not seem to carry over to M-matrices. In the case of H-matrices, determinantal compression preserves the class, but an analogous inequality does not hold. If A−(aij) and B=(bij) are M-matrices, we also give closure results and determinantal inequalities involving the comparison matrix of .
Universal features of bonding in metals

Binding-energy-distance relations for metallic systems are shown to exhibit a universal behavior under a simple two-parameter scaling. All currently available ab initio calculations for the cohesion and adhesion of metals, as well as the chemisorption of gas atoms on metal surfaces, are shown to be determined by this single relation. Further, the energetics of diatomic molecules are determined by the same relation, despite the existence of strong volume-dependent forces for metals. These findings suggest a commonality of metallic bonding and a close relationship between molecular and metallic bonding. The universal nature of binding-energy-distance relations implies relations between seemingly disparate physical phenomena. As an example we show that the surface-binding-energy relation can be approximately expressed in terms of the bulk quantities. This leads to an explanation of the well-known empirical result that the surface energy per surface atom is proportional to the cohesive energy per bulk atom. Also, a simple relationship between adsorbate-substrate vibrational stretch frequencies and their desorption energies follows from the universal relationship.
Neutron emission profiles in the beam-heated Princeton large tokamak

Abstract Neutron emission profiles in neutral-beam-heated deuterium plasmas in the PLT are strongly peaked on the magnetic axis, as expected for thermonuclear reactions during hydrogen beam injection, and for beam-target and beam-beam reactions during deuterium beam injection.