cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A light-scattering study of the effect of calcium chloride on the molecular weight of Busycon hemocyanin.

Abstract Solutions of Busycon canaliculatum have been studied by light scattering. In 0.05 M Trizma buffer + 0.1 M NaCl at pH 7.0 at 14°, the weight-average molecular weight is 8.9 X 10 6 . In the presence of added CaCl 2 (0.02 M), the molecular weight of the protein increases to 10.7 X 10 6 , and the second virial coefficient is reduced. At pH 9.95, the molecular weights with and without 0.02 M CaCl 2 , are 3.7 X 10 6 and 1.3 X 10 6 , respectively; and the effect of Ca ++ in reducing the second virial coefficient is much greater than at pH 7.0. These results can be understood on the basis that at pH 7.0, Ca ++ increases the association of hemocyanin, by binding and intermolecular linkage through the carboxyl groups of protein side chains. At pH 9.95, amino groups are deprotonated and therefore also become available for Ca ++ binding. The relative effect of Ca ++ in enhancing the association of hemocyanin therefore becomes greater at the higher pH.
Acoustic Field of a Ballistic Shock Wave Therapy Device

Shock wave therapy (SWT) refers to the use of focused shock waves for treatment of musculoskeletal indications including plantar fascitis and dystrophic mineralization of tendons and joint capsules. Measurements were made of a SWT device that uses a ballistic source. The ballistic source consists of a handpiece within which compressed air (1-4 bar) is used to fire a projectile that strikes a metal applicator placed on the skin. The projectile generates stress waves in the applicator that transmit as pressure waves into tissue. The acoustic fields from two applicators were measured: one applicator was 15 mm in diameter and the surface slightly convex and the second was 12 mm in diameter the surface was concave. Measurements were made in a water tank and both applicators generated a similar pressure pulse consisting of a rectangular positive phase (4 micros duration and up to 8 MPa peak pressure) followed by a predominantly negative tail (duration of 20 micros and peak negative pressure of -6 MPa), with many oscillations. The rise times of the waveforms were around 1 micros and were shown to be too long for the pulses to be considered shock waves. Measurements of the field indicated that region of high pressure was restricted to the near-field (20-40 mm) of the source and was consistent with the Rayleigh distance. The measured acoustic field did not display focusing supported by calculations, which demonstrated that the radius of curvature of the concave surface was too large to effect a focusing gain. Other SWT devices use electrohydraulic, electromagnetic and piezoelectric sources that do result in focused shock waves. This difference in the acoustic fields means there is potentially a significant mechanistic difference between a ballistic source and other SWT devices.
Load/unload investigations on a rotary actuator disk drive

Head-disk contacts in a disk file with a rotary actuator are examined during load/unload using laser Doppler vibrometry and acoustic emission techniques. A novel scheme that allows tracking of the slider with the laser beam of a laser Doppler vibrometer during load/unload is implemented. Head-disk contacts are found to occur as a function of the velocity of the slider along the inclined ramp prior to loading, and it is shown that a low vertical loading velocity is less likely to introduce head-disk contacts than a high loading velocity. For the swing-arm actuated drive investigated, head-disk contacts start to appear at loading velocities as low as 25 mm/s. A careful design of the tip of the ramp is of utmost importance in ramp loading mechanisms to reduce the effective vertical component of the slider as it comes off the tip of the ramp during loading. >
Temperature and Photoperiod Interact to Affect Reproduction and GnRH Synthesis in Male Prairie Voles

Prairie voles (Microtus ochrogaster), like most rodent species, exhibit a phenotypic polymorphism in reproductive response to winter conditions or to short day lengths in the laboratory. Laboratory studies on seasonally breeding species have traditionally focused on the role of photoperiod in modulating reproduction and other seasonal adaptions. However, because animals use proximate environmental factors in addition to photoperiod to phase seasonal adaptions with the appropriate time of year, the present study investigated the interaction of photoperiod and temperature on reproductive function and the gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) neuronal system. Male prairie voles were housed in either long (LD 1658) or short (LD 8516) photoperiods. Voles in each photoperiodic condition were also exposed to either mild (20°C) or low (8°C) temperatures. After 10 weeks, voles were killed and their brains were processed using in situ hybridization for mRNA for proGnRH. The results suggest that GnRH synthesis is not affected by exposure to a single inhibitory proximate factor (i.e. short days or low temperatures alone), even when reproduction is inhibited, whereas a combination of inhibitory proximate factors leads to a decrease in GnRH synthesis (i.e. fewer neurones staining for mRNA for proGnRH). These data suggest that the neuroendocrine mechanisms regulating seasonal alterations in reproductive function are likely to differ between harsh and mild winters.
Optimum step size control for Newton-Raphson solution of nonlinear vector equations

The problem of solving a non-linear vector equation of the form x = f(\theta) for a \theta which corresponds to a given x is attacked by Newton-Raphson. To keep the lengthy evaluations of partial derivatives at a minimum, each step is optimized to get the search as close to the solution as possible. Substantial savings in computation time are realized and solutions can be obtained efficiently even when the initial guess is not close to the ultimate answer.
The Sixties : from memory to history

This collection of original essays represents some of the most exciting ways in which historians are beginning to paint the 1960s onto the larger canvas of American history. While the first literature about this turbulent period was written largely by participants, many of the contributors to this volume are young scholars who came of age intellectually in the 1970s and 1980s and thus write from fresh perspectives. The essayists ask fundamental questions about how much America really changed in the 1960s and why certain changes took place. In separate chapters, they explore how the great issues of the decade--the war in Vietnam, race relations, youth culture, the status of women, the public role of private enterprise--were shaped by evolutions in the nature of cultural authority and political legitimacy. They argue that the whirlwind of events and problems we call the Sixties can only be understood in the context of the larger history of post-World War II America. Contents "Growth Liberalism in the Sixties: Great Societies at Home and Grand Designs Abroad," by Robert M. Collins "The American State and the Vietnam War: A Genealogy of Power," by Mary Sheila McMahon "And That's the Way It Was: The Vietnam War on the Network Nightly News," by Chester J. Pach, Jr. "Race, Ethnicity, and the Evolution of Political Legitimacy," by David R. Colburn and George E. Pozzetta "Nothing Distant about It: Women's Liberation and Sixties Radicalism," by Alice Echols "The New American Revolution: The Movement and Business," by Terry H. Anderson "Who'll Stop the Rain?: Youth Culture, Rock 'n' Roll, and Social Crises," by George Lipsitz "Sexual Revolution(s)," by Beth Bailey "The Politics of Civility," by Kenneth Cmiel "The Silent Majority and Talk about Revolution," by David Farber
The Geography of the REE

As a last step in this work the initial picture of a Geography of the REE shall be drawn. The initial idea was to get a world map with the locations of REE starting from the geological side, i.e. the physical occurrences of the minerals and then proceeding via the production steps to manufacturing of the consumer products to their use. Eventually the REE get back into the production cycle or end up dissipating or getting stored somewhere. This map would of course get a good idea about the recycling potentials, both in space and time. However the analysis of this work could only discover a modest share of Nd use so that such a map in this state of research can only be very approximate and incomplete. Despite these shortcomings such a map has been tried to set up; kind of as a starting point with the intent to amend the data in the succession of further research.
SULFUR AMINO ACID METABOLISM: Pathways for Production and Removal of Homocysteine and Cysteine

Tissue concentrations of both homocysteine (Hcy) and cysteine (Cys) are maintained at low levels by regulated production and efficient removal of these thiols. The regulation of the metabolism of methionine and Cys is discussed from the standpoint of maintaining low levels of Hcy and Cys while, at the same time, ensuring an adequate supply of these thiols for their essential functions. S-Adenosylmethionine coordinately regulates the flux through remethylation and transsulfuration, and glycine N-methyltransferase regulates flux through transmethylation and hence the S-adenosylmethionine/S-adenosylhomocysteine ratio. Cystathionine beta-synthase activity is also regulated in response to the redox environment, and transcription of the gene is hormonally regulated in response to fuel supply (insulin, glucagon, and glucocorticoids). The H2S-producing capacity of cystathionine gamma-lyase may be regulated in response to nitric oxide. Cys is substrate for a variety of anabolic and catabolic enzymes. Its concentration is regulated primarily by hepatic Cys dioxygenase; the level of Cys dioxygenase is upregulated in a Cys-responsive manner via a decrease in the rate of polyubiquitination and, hence, degradation by the 26S proteasome.
Short- and Long-Term Attributable Costs of Clostridium difficile-Associated Disease in Nonsurgical Inpatients

P ! .001 cost, 33%) by propensity-score matched-pairs analysis. CDAD was associated with $5042 (95% confidence interval, $3797–$6481; increase in cost, 53%) attributable inpatient costs over 180 days by linear regression and with $7179 attributable costs for inpatient care ( ; 48% increase in costs) by propensity-score matched-pairs analysis. P ! .001 Conclusions. CDAD was associated with a significant increase in costs for inpatient care and increased costs at 180 days after the initial hospitalization when the CDAD episode occurred.
The Waning of Information Risk in the U.S. Treasury Inflation-Protected Bond Market

Prior research by Chu, Pittman, and Yu (2005) documents the information risk found in the US Treasury Inflation-Protected Securities (TIPS) market for the period of 1999-2001. I find that information risk is rapidly waning in the TIPS market when analyzing the 1999-2007 period. The time series dynamics between the TIPS market and the nominal Treasury market more recently resemble those of more established inflation-indexed bond markets such as those found in the United Kingdom and Canada. This result is important for both bond investors and government issuers. Investors may now be able to participate in a more developed and efficient TIPS pricing market. The lack of information risk can lower the borrowing cost for the US government when issuing TIPS bonds.
In Search of the Biblical Foundations of Prophetic Dialogue: Engaging a Hermeneutics of Otherness

In the search for the biblical foundations of prophetic dialogue, this article seeks to answer the following questions: “Is dialogue a biblical value?” and “How is ‘prophetic dialogue’ to be understood in the context of Scripture?” Since prophetic dialogue has as one of its primary dialogical steps attending to one’s own context and the context of the other, Segovia’s hermeneutical strategy of otherness and engagement provides an important lens through which to read and evaluate biblical texts. An exegetical investigation of Mark 7:26–30 and John 4 through the hermeneutics of otherness reveals that we are always the other encountering the other, and as such, prophetic dialogue is more a spirituality than a mission strategy.
The Ultrastructural Changes of Prostate Adenocarcinoma Following External Beam Radiation Therapy

AbstractUltrastractiiral studies were done to determine the effects of radiation therapy on prostatic adenocarcinoma. Twenty patients were included in the study: 6 with benign hyperplasia, 4 with untreated adenocarcinoma and 10 with adenocarcinoma who had received radiation therapy. Benign and malignant ultrastructural characteristics were established. On the basis of these characteristics 6 of the 10 radiated prostates were believed to have tumor cells present after therapy. Of the remaining 4 patients 3 had ultrastructural changes suggesting radiation effects and a possibly altered malignant potential.
The Impact of Malignancy on Adaptive Immunity

This chapter focuses on the impact of malignant processes on adaptive immunity. In particular, attention is focused on a selective group of malignancies that involve cellular components of organs within the primary lymphoid system. Although these malignancies lead to an acquired combined immunodeficiency of the adaptive immune system in most cases, their greatest impact is on the B cell lineage with resultant hypogammaglobulinemia. Surprisingly, and inexplicably, hypogammaglobulinemia does not consistently lead to the development of recurrent bacterial infections in all the disorders discussed herein. What is consistent, however, is that the addition of disease-directed chemotherapy greatly compounds the pre-existent porous host defenses associated with these diseases, significantly augmenting morbidity and mortality. In addition, the current understanding of the molecular underpinnings of the origins of these malignancies and the mechanisms by which they may impair adaptive immunity are analyzed.
Dosimetric confirmation of monitor chamber positioning following a carousel pullout on a varian TrueBeam linac

Introduction The carousel assembly in a TrueBeam is different from that on the C-Series linacs. In addition to the foils and filters the carousel now positions the monitor chamber and field light using four motorized motion axes. The chamber is positioned in the beam during the Prepare phase and is retracted during the Preview phase. Purpose The Chamber Fault interlock prevents beam-on conditions when the monitor chamber is not correctly positioned. To correct this fault it may be necessary to pullout the carousel assembly, inspect and resolve issues with the chamber moving mechanism. We describe a set of dosimetric measurements serving as baselines and repeated following a carousel pullout. Materials and methods We used the Profiler2 which comprises of two sets of diode arrays. The Profiler is mounted on the collimator head. In addition to the array calibrations which are necessary for relative profile measurements, we obtained absolute dose calibrations for each of the nine energies. Radial and transverse profiles were then acquired at two different depths. Results The CAX doses at each of the depths were used to evaluate both the output and energy constancy and the profiles were used to derive the radial and transverse symmetries. These four dosimetric indicators were compared, following a carousel pullout, to their baseline values. Conclusion We have implemented an efficient and effective set of measurements to dosimetrically characterize each beam. They serve as baselines for evaluating correct monitor chamber placement following repairs involving the carousel. Disclosure None.
Long-Acting Reversible Contraception Counseling and Use for Older Adolescents and Nulliparous Women.

Abstract Purpose The majority of pregnancies during adolescence are unintended, and few adolescents use long-acting reversible contraception (LARC) due in part to health care providers' misconceptions about nulliparous women's eligibility for the intrauterine device. We examined differences in LARC counseling, selection, and initiation by age and parity in a study with a provider's LARC training intervention. Methods Sexually active women aged 18–25 years receiving contraceptive counseling (n = 1,500) were enrolled at 20 interventions and 20 control clinics and followed for 12 months. We assessed LARC counseling and selection, by age and parity, with generalized estimated equations with robust standard errors. We assessed LARC use over 1 year with Cox proportional hazards models with shared frailty for clustering. Results Women in the intervention had increased LARC counseling, selection, and initiation, with similar effects among older adolescent and nulliparous women, and among young adult and parous women. Across study arms, older adolescents were as likely as young adults to receive LARC counseling (adjusted odds ratio [aOR] = .85; 95% confidence interval [CI]: .63–1.15), select LARC (aOR = .86; 95% CI: .64–1.17), and use LARC methods (adjusted hazard ratio [aHR] = .94; 95% CI: .69–1.27). Nulliparous women were less likely to receive counseling (aOR = .57; 95% CI: .42–.79) and to select LARC (aOR = .53; 95% CI: .37–.75) than parous women, and they initiated LARC methods at lower rates (aHR = .65; 95% CI: .48–.90). Nulliparous women had similar rates of implant initiation but lower rates of intrauterine device initiation (aHR = .59; 95% CI: .41–.85). Conclusions Continued efforts should be made to improve counseling and access to LARC methods for nulliparous women of all ages.
Robotics rule-based formalism to specify behaviors in a visual programming environment

Microsoft's Kodu is a visual programming environment for children inspired by robotics rule-based formalism to specify behaviors. The reactive nature of this approach means that systems just react to what they are currently sensing, they do not need to have a perfect model of the world, and they can easily respond to external changes in the world. This resilience makes behavior-based systems perfect for real world robotics use. When developers chose this approach for Kodu, the hope was that this resilience would help minimize the potential frustration of young users. This paper introduces the Kodu developers' strategy, results and future plans in developing a user-friendly programming environment that successfully introduces children in a fun and easy way to the fundamental concepts of computer science and computational thinking.
Graph-based exploration of non-graph datasets

Graphs or networks provide a powerful abstraction to view and analyze relationships among different entities present in a dataset. However, much of the data of interest to analysts and data scientists resides in non-graph forms such as relational databases, JSON, XML, CSV and text. The effort and skill required in identifying and extracting the relevant graph representation from data is often the prohibitive and limits a wider adoption of graph-based analysis of non-graph data. In this paper, we demonstrate our system called GraphViewer, for accelerated graph-based exploration and analysis. It automatically discovers relevant graphs implicit within a given non-graph dataset using a set of novel rule-based and data-driven techniques, and optimizes their extraction and storage. It computes several node and graph level metrics and detects anomalous entities in data. Finally, it summarizes the results to support interpretation by a human analyst. While the system automates the computationally intensive aspects of the process, it is engineered to leverage human domain expertise and instincts to fine tune the data exploration process.
Question 2 Is levosimendan better than milrinone in preventing post operative low cardiac output syndrome and improving cardiac function in children with congenital heart disease

You work in a paediatric cardiac intensive care unit (ICU), the unit protocol is to start prophylactic milrinone intraoperatively to prevent low cardiac output syndrome (LCOS). You receive a patient for whom levosimendan was started intraoperatively instead of milrinone, and you wonder whether levosimendan is superior to milrinone. In postoperative congenital heart disease children (population), is levosimendan (intervention) better than milrinone (comparison) in improving cardiac function and prevention of LCOS (outcome), shown by heart rate, cardiac output/stroke volume, lactate clearance, inotrope requirement, markers of cardiac damage (troponin) and myocardial oxygen consumption (pressure rate index) A literature search was performed using The Cochrane Library, Pubmed and Medline using key words ‘levosimendan and milrinone’ ‘pediatric cardiac surgery’, which yielded 10 studies and further web search was done, which yielded 18 more relevant studies. After analysing the abstracts, there were nine studies comparing levosimendan and milrinone. The full articles were analysed and four studies were undertaken in paediatric population, which are reviewed (See table 1). View this table: Table 1 Summary LCOS is a common complication in open heart surgery postcardiopulmonary bypass. Cardiopulmonary bypass causes myocardial injury, which may lead to LCOS. This is recognised by a constellation of signs such as elevated lactate, decreased mixed venous saturation, decreased urine output, increased heart rate and low blood pressure. In neonates and infants, cardiac output cannot be measured directly by invasive techniques, so surrogate markers of cardiac output are assessed. LCOS is managed with various combination of catecholamine, vasodilators and vasopressors. An ideal agent to manage LCOS should improve cardiac output …
Bone Health and Vegan Diets

Abstract Osteoporosis, or low bone mass, currently affects 48 million adults in the United States. Vegans may be at increased risk for developing low bone mass due to lack of adequate consumption of specific bone-benefiting nutrients found largely in animal products, such as calcium, vitamin D, protein, vitamin B12, zinc, and n-3 fatty acids. Educating the vegan community on food alternatives and proper dietary management of these at-risk nutrients is important to prevent risk of fracture in this vulnerable population. There are also many nutrients consumed in high amounts from fruit and vegetable intake that may promote bone health among vegans. Therefore, knowledge of dietary habits that will benefit bone health among vegans is of utmost importance in preventing bone loss in this at-risk population.
Toward One Culture: A Wider View

“Closing the gap between our cultures is a necessity in the most abstract intellectual sense, as well as in the most practical.”
Narrating Crisis in Ireland’s Great Recession

The demise of Ireland’s ‘Celtic Tiger’ is said not to have been the fault of any one group or class, but rather the result of something akin to a national weakness of character. Nevertheless, debate over solutions to the crisis has been organized around a distinction between those who accept and those who reject austerity. Reviewing the origins of this discourse, this chapter identifies two phases in Ireland’s crisis. The first, from 2008 to 2013, is exemplified in the debates surrounding Ireland’s public sector pay reforms. The second begins with the departure of the Troika and concerns Ireland’s recovery. It is often remarked that ‘the Irish don’t protest’, but recent mobilization and the results of the 2016 election suggest the need to reconsider this argument.
Sudden development of adult-onset type II citrullinemia after total gastrectomy: a case report

Adult-onset type II citurullinemia is an autosomal recessive disorder characterized by recurrent encephalopathy with hyperammonemia resulting from high plasma citrulline and ammonium levels. This report describes a rare case of adult-onset type II citurullinemia that occurred in a patient who only had the heterozygote mutation, and had never presented with any symptoms before surgery. A 56-year-old man underwent a total gastrectomy for stomach cancer. On postoperative Day 13, he suddenly developed presyncope, and blood tests showed hyperammonemia and high levels of serum citrulline. He was diagnosed with hepatic encephalopathy. DNA analysis revealed a heterozygote mutation in Solute Carrier Family 25. Although the patient received a conservative treatment, episodes of loss of consciousness and abnormality of behavior repeatedly occurred. Abdominal surgery involving the reconstruction of digestive tract alters the mechanisms of absorption and/or metabolism such that the symptoms of adult-onset type II citurullinemia may arise. Liver transplantation should be performed if all conservative treatments are unsuccessful.
Plain2Fun: Augmenting Ordinary Objects with Interactive Functions by Auto-Fabricating Surface Painted Circuits

The growing makers' community demands better supports for designing and fabricating interactive functional objects. Most of the current approaches focus on embedding desired functions within new objects. Instead, we advocate repurposing the existing objects and rapidly authoring interactive functions onto them. We present Plain2Fun, a design and fabrication pipeline enabling users to quickly transform ordinary objects into interactive and functional ones. Plain2Fun allows users to directly design the circuit layouts onto the surfaces of the scanned 3D model of existing objects. Our design tool automatically generates as short as possible circuit paths between any two points while avoiding intersections. Further, we build a digital machine to construct the conductive paths accurately. With a specially designed housing base, users can simply snap the electronic components onto the surfaces and obtain working physical prototypes. Moreover, we evaluate the usability of our system with multiple use cases and a preliminary user study.
Gravimetric Analysis of Drying Sol-Gel Derived Coatings and Comparison to Theory

The sol-to-gel transformation in coatings is controlled by concurrent solvent evaporation, diffusion, and polymerization reaction processes. These phenomena are incorporated into a theoretical model based on solving one-dimensional convection-reactiondiffusion equations of mass transfer (Cairncross et al., 1992). The model provides predictions of the drying and gelation behavior in silica coatings prepared from alkoxide solutions. In this paper, experimental results are compared with the model predictions to gain insight into the sol-to-gel transformation in coatings.
Relaxed Toll Sets for Congestion Pricing Problems

Congestion or toll pricing problems in [HeR98] require a solution to the system problem (the traffic assignment problem that minimizes the total travel delay) to define the set of all valid tolls or the toll set. For practical problems, it may not be possible to obtain an exact solution to the system problem and the inaccuracy in an approximate system solution may render the toll set empty. When this occurs, this paper offers alternative toll sets based on relaxed optimality conditions. With carefully chosen parameters, tolls from the relaxed toll sets are shown theoretically and empirically (using four transportation networks in the literature) to induce route choices that are nearly system optimal.
The Discriminate Control of a Food-Reinforced Operant by Interoceptive Stimulation

In 1928 By kov and Ivanova provided the first demonstration that interoceptive stimulation could become a conditioned stimulus in a classical conditioning paradigm (Bykov, 1957). Utilizing the classical conditioning technique, Bykov and his co-workers have subsequently demonstrated the existence of interoceptors in a wide variety of organs and tissues in the body. The extent of general scientific interest in this area is indicated by the fact that Bykov’s major report of his thirty-year program on interoception has been translated into more foreign languages than any other Russian book in the field of medicine or biology (Razran, 1961).
Rocket-Motor-Generated Condensation Trails

This paper examines the atmospheric states that will cause the formation of condensation trails when the exhaust from a rocket motor mixes with and saturates the atmosphere. It was assumed that the rocket-motor propellants would be aircraft fuel and liquid oxygen. The results of the study are compared with the conditions which are required for the formation of condensation trails from jet-aircraft engines.
Cyclic Sprinkler Irrigation of Container Substrate Affects Water Distribution and Marigold Growth

Abstract Two experiments were conducted to determine how cyclic sprinkler irrigation (daily water allotment applied in more than one application) influenced water distribution and leaching, and mar...
Utilizing cooled liquid chromatography and chemical derivatization to separate and quantify C3-epimers of 25-hydroxy vitamin D and low abundant 1α,25(OH)2D3: Application in a pediatric population.

Abstract There is need for a single assay able to quantify the most biologically active metabolite, 1α,25-dihydroxy-vitamin-D3, and the recently discovered biologically distinct C3-epimers of 25OHD, in addition to traditional vitamin D metabolites. We developed a method of chromatographic separation and absolute quantification of the following ten forms of vitamin D: 3-epi-25OHD3, 25OHD3, 3-epi-25OHD2, 25OHD2, 1α,25(OH)2D3, 24R,25(OH)2D3, 23R,25(OH)2D3, 1a,25(OH)2D2, D3, and D2 by single extraction and injection. Chemical derivatization followed by liquid chromatography using a charged surface hybrid C18 column and subsequent tandem mass spectrometry was utilized to detect and quantify each metabolite. This method is remarkable as a cooled column was required to achieve chromatographic resolution of epimers. Validation of each metabolite was performed at four concentrations and revealed inter- and intra-day precision and accuracy below 15% across three consecutive days of analysis. After validation, this method was applied to analyze the blood plasma from 739 samples from 352 subjects (8mo to 20 yr), 79 pooled plasma samples, and 10 NIST SRM972a samples. Healthy control samples (n = 357) were used to investigate developmentally associated changes in vitamin D metabolite concentrations during early life. This method yields excellent linearity (R2 ≥ 0.99) across concentrations encompassing the biological range of many metabolites including 1α,25(OH)2D3. Concentrations of 25OHD2 and 24R,25(OH)2D3 were significantly (q ≤0.05) lower in infants compared to both children and adolescents. The percentage of 3-epi-25OHD3 in total 25OHD3 was significantly lower (q ≤ 0.009) in post-puberty subjects. Here we present a single assay capable of separating and quantifying ten vitamin D metabolites including C3-epimers of 25OHD, and quantifying 1α,25-dihydroxy-vitamin-D3 at and below concentrations observed in human plasma (LLOQ
1996 Tests of adaptive phenotypic plasticity in plants

Abstract The ability of an organism to modify its morphology or physiology in response to environmental variation (phenotypic plasticity) it thought to confer a selective advantage relative to individuals unable to make such changes. Dudley and Schmitt (1996) show that a plant's phenotypic response to crowding indeed increases its fitness at the density that elicited the response.
Chapter 2 – Local Anesthetics

Local anesthetics are drugs used in many different ways and in various situations requiring local pain relief, beginning with simple procedures, such as removing a small piece of the outer layer of damaged skin, to complicated operations, such as organ transplantations. Local anesthetics are widely used in clinical use for pain relief in situations ranging from dental and ophthalmological procedures to gynecological interventions. Local anesthetics can be classified according to the principal means of their clinical use, as well as by how they fit into specific chemical classes of compounds.
Pitfalls of data-driven networking: A case study of latent causal confounders in video streaming

This paper motivates the need to support counterfactual reasoning (i.e., answer "what-if " questions about events that did not occur) when collecting network data. We focus on video streaming - e.g., given logs of a video session, a video publisher may ask whether a user would continue to experience no rebuffering events if the lowest quality video choice were eliminated. We discuss potential pitfalls related to counterfactual reasoning, and argue that dynamic network state (e.g., bandwidth) serves as a confounding yet hidden (latent) feature that complicates such analyses. We illustrate the challenges, and present preliminary methods to address them using concrete examples. Our evaluations show that existing approaches, including randomized trials (collecting data from an algorithm that selects bitrates randomly), are by themselves inadequate for counterfactual reasoning related to video streaming, and must be supplemented by techniques that explicitly infer latent features.
The Influence of Leaf Type on Carbon and Nitrogen Assimilation by Aquatic Invertebrate Communities: A New Perspective on Trophic Efficiency

Despite abounding evidence that leaf litter traits can predict decomposition rate, the way these traits influence trophic efficiency and element transfer to higher trophic levels is not resolved. Here, we used litter labeled with 13C and 15N stable isotopes to trace fluxes of litter C and N from four leaf types to freshwater invertebrate communities. We measured absolute (mg C or N) and relative assimilation (percentage of litter C or N incorporated into invertebrate biomass relative to C and N lost during decomposition). Four patterns emerged: (1) Invertebrate communities assimilated more C and N from slowly decomposing litter than communities feeding on rapidly decomposing litter; (2) absolute assimilation of both C and N in leaf packs was positively correlated with the relative biomass of invertebrate taxa in leaf packs; (3) Chironomidae larvae, which colonize packs in the early decomposition stages, assimilated the most C and N by the end of the 35-day experiment; and (4) most taxa, spanning five functional feeding groups (collector–gatherers, shredders, collector–filterers, scrapers, and predators), showed similar patterns in both absolute and relative assimilation across leaf types. These results challenge traditional views of litter quality by demonstrating that trophic efficiency is negatively associated with decomposition rate across these four leaf types.
Making the world more peaceful

Is the reduction or elimination of war a realistic possibility, given the anthropological record? We believe the answer to this question is yes and that it is not utopian to think so. We say this because the results of our cross-cultural studies of war and peace suggest practical policies that could reduce the likelihood of war in the world. We assume that most people would choose to solve their problems peacefully, if they could. The policies discussed here, if adopted by the United States of America (USA) and other powerful countries, could make it less likely that people would go to war to solve their problems. The suggested policies are not just wishful thinking. In some respects they are extensions of policies already in place. We discuss the suggested policies after we review the cross-cultural results.
Analysis of rotational symmetry in SDM system based on OAM

The paper presents a new method to change the rotating behavior of OAM in the SDM communication system. Simulation and experimental data show that this technique gives a new perspective for OAM behavior inside the SDM system.
Demythologizing the Third Realm: Frege on Grasping Thoughts

In this paper, I address some puzzles about Frege’s conception of how we “grasp” thoughts. I focus on an enigmatic passage that appears near the end of Frege’s great essay “The Thought.” In this passage Frege refers to a “non-sensible something” without which “everyone would remain shut up in his inner world.” I consider and criticize Wolfgang Malzkorn’s interpretation of the passage. According to Malzkorn, Frege’s view is that ideas [Vorstellungen] are the means by which we grasp thoughts. My counter-proposal is that language enables us to grasp thoughts (ideas are merely their baggage or “trappings,” as Frege puts it). One significant consequence of my interpretation is that it helps challenge the standard reading of Frege according to which he is a metaphysical platonist about thoughts. My interpretation thus provides support for the deflationary, anti-ontological reading spelled out by readers like Thomas Ricketts and Wolfgang Carl. As Ricketts puts it, Frege’s distinction between the objective and the subjective, rather than being an ontological doctrine, “lodges in the contrast between asserting something and giving vent to a feeling.”
From nanoporous to transparent MgAl2O4 spinel—Nanostructural flexibility by reaction densification of metastable powders

Abstract Polycrystalline magnesium aluminate spinel (MgAl2O4) is one of the most important structural ceramics with proven applications as a hard, temperature resistant material and as a high strength optical window. Here, we present a study of the reaction densification of nano-sized MgO (nMgO) and metastable γ-Al2O3 to form MgAl2O4 instead of the typical stable α-Al2O3 and micrometer-sized MgO (μMgO). We show that the reaction kinetics of γ-Al2O3 – nMgO are substantially faster and occur at significantly lower temperatures compared to previous kinetic studies of α-Al2O3 – μMgO, revealing that they are not controlled by the same mechanism. We propose that the enhanced reaction rates are caused by short diffusion distances, faster diffusion through defected γ-Al2O3 as well as similarities in crystal structure between products and reactants. Lastly, we show that understanding the reaction and densification kinetics of this reactant combination can be leveraged to produce a wide range of microstructures leading to nanoporous high temperature energy absorbing materials and highly dense optically transparent spinel.
The Hob Proteins: Putative, Novel Lipid Transfer Proteins at ER-PM Contact Sites:

Nonvesicular transfer of lipids at membrane contact sites (MCS) has recently emerged as a critical process for cellular function. Lipid transfer proteins (LTPs) mediate this unique transport mechan...
Machiavelli and Political Power in America

Niccolo Machiavelli, the Italian writer and philosopher from Florence, is often called the father of modern political science. He was alive halfway between medieval asceticism, which had been unconsciously declining during the 15th century, and the age of absolute monarchy. Although his presence in Western philosophical theory is transient at best, his empirical outlook on politics and dualistic emphasis on both the leadership of a state and the welfare and importance of its citizens set the stage for contemporary political thought on power, authority, and how we interpret liberty.
Effect of a Chemical Dispersant on Microbial Utilization of Petroleum Hydrocarbons

The dispersant Corexit 9527 was found to enhance bacterial metabolism of Kuwait and South Louisiana crude oils as well as pure hydrocarbons in nonmechanically agitated seawater systems. Oxygen depletion, measured by a modification of the Biological Oxygen Demand (BOD) method, was used to determine the rate of substrate and mixed substrates oxidation by raw seawater populations of bacteria. This method demonstrated significantly increased oxidation of crude oil treated with dispersants. Mineralization studies, with 1 4 C labeled hydrocarbon, substantiated the BOD results and also indicated that alkanes were metabolized prior to aromatic components in crude oils.
Pathologic review of atypical hyperplasia identified by image-guided breast needle core biopsy. Correlation with excision specimen.

Context.-Management of breast needle core biopsies diagnosed as atypical ductal hyperplasia, atypical lobular hyperplasia, and lobular carcinoma in situ is controversial. Current recommendations involve excisional biopsy to rule out ductal carcinoma in situ and/or invasive carcinoma, which have been reported in more than 50% of cases in some series. Objective.-To determine how frequently these diagnoses made on needle core biopsy are ultimately found to represent in situ or invasive carcinoma based on excisional biopsy specimens, in order to identify predictive factors. Design.-One thousand eight hundred thirty-six image-guided needle core biopsies were performed between January 1, 1995 and May 1, 2001. Fifty-four (2.9%) patients diagnosed with atypical ductal hyperplasia (n = 36), atypical lobular hyperplasia (n = 12), atypical ductal hyperplasia + atypical lobular hyperplasia (n = 3), or lobular carcinoma in situ (n = 3) subsequently underwent breast excisions. Pathologic features were reviewed in each of the needle core biopsies using Page's criteria and were then correlated with excision specimens. Setting.-University medical center. Results.-Review of the needle core biopsy cases with either ductal carcinoma in situ or invasive carcinoma + ductal carcinoma in situ on final excision showed that nucleoli were evident in most of the needle core cases, with foci of nuclear pleomorphism and individual cell necrosis or apoptosis. Conclusion.-A more precise diagnosis can be made by using strict criteria for atypical ductal hyperplasia versus ductal carcinoma in situ on needle core biopsy. Cytologic atypia, even if in a small area, particularly when there is apoptosis/individual cell necrosis, correlates with the finding of a more serious lesion on excision.
The Imbalance Between Experiment and Theory in Biology: The Need for Theory-Directed Modeling

In biological and biomedical research, the vast majority of resources are focused on conducting experiments. Most of these experiments utilize animals. Only a tiny amount of resources is spent on theory and modeling. It is our contention and the basic theme of this paper that the imbalance between theory and experiment in biology produces very poor science. The implications of which are that many of the experiments conducted have little real scientific meaning or value and, therefore, go hand-in-hand with unnecessary animal use and suffering. Given the finite resources available for research, the redirection of significant resources from an almost entirely experimental approach into one with an emphasis on more theoretical and modeling activity will achieve a much better scientific result while considerably reducing the number of animals used in biological research.
The Popular Image of the American Lawyer: Some Thoughts on its Eighteenth and Nineteenth Century Intellectual Bases

This essay explores the ambiguous position lawyers occupy in the popular mind in America by identifying some of the ideas which contributed to the schizophrenic popular attitude toward the legal profession in the period between the American Revolution and the Civil War. Many of the stock anti-lawyer themes and many of the intellectual sources of the profession's strength are clearly visible by the end of this period. The Author explores this problem, first by relating it to recent scholarship in American history describing the struggle between republicanism and liberalism at the time of the Founding. The way the profession was ground between these ideals, attacked by one, championing and then apparently betraying the goals of the other, illustrates well the process which has shaped the image of lawyers in the United States. Other points of contact have contributed to the complexity of lay attitudes toward lawyers. Some illustrated the usefulness of lawyers. Many produced resentment. Still others did both, depending on the perspective of the viewer. Among the points the Author discusses are attitudes toward change, autonomy, reason, human nature, and law itself. Ultimately, arguing that although lawyers were more hated than loved, their indispensability was widely recognized.
Associations between sleep duration and prevalence of cardiovascular events.

Background Data regarding the associations between sleep duration and clinical cardiovascular (CV) events are limited. We aimed to analyze any associations between self-reported sleep duration and CV events. Hypothesis Methods This is a cross-sectional analysis of nationally representative population of noninstitutionalized US civilians recruited in the 2007 to 2008 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. This is a questionnaire-based study including only those subjects who answered questions on sleep duration and CV events. The main outcome measures were prevalence of congestive heart failure, myocardial infarction, stroke, coronary artery disease, and angina. Results After logistic regression analysis, significant associations between sleep duration and prevalence of stroke, myocardial infarction, congestive heart failure, coronary artery disease, and angina were found. There was a statistically significant increase in stroke in those with 8 hours of sleep (OR: 1.1914, 95% CI: 1.0712-3.4231), and in angina in those with >8 hours of sleep (OR: 2.0717, 95% CI: 1.0497-4.0887). Conclusions The results of this cross-sectional analysis suggest that sleep duration may be associated with the prevalence of various CV events.
Synthesis and Reactivity of Amidoaluminum Hydride Compounds as Potential Precursors to AlN

A new series of amidoaluminum hydride complexes H n Al[N(SiHMe2)2]3−n ⋅NMe3 (1, n=2; 2, n=1), Al[N(SiHMe2)2]3 (3), and [H2AlN(SiHMe2)2]2 (4) were prepared by the metallation of tetramethyldisilazane (Me2HSi)2NH with either H3Al⋅NMe3 or H3Al⋅2OEt2. The molecular structures of 1 and 2 were shown by X-ray crystal structure determination to be monomeric Lewis acid-base adducts with four coordinate aluminum centers and terminal amido groups. The molecular structure of 4 was found to be a dimer with bridging disilylamides in the solid state. Attempts to obtain crystals of [H2AlN(SiMe3)2]2, a bulkier analogue of 4, led to the isolation of the unusual alumoxane μ 2-(Me3Si)2 N-(AlH2)2-μ 3-O-Al(H)N(SiMe3)2⋅OEt2 (6) in moderate yields. Thermolysis of 1 and 2 resulted only in the formation of ligand exchange and decomposition products, whereas thermolysis of 4 at 80°C afforded 1 equivalent of Me2SiH2 and a new species formulated as the imide complex [HAlNSiMe2H] n (7). Thermolysis of 4 in the presence of AlH3⋅NMe3 gave Me2SiH2 and 7 at a higher reaction rate even at a lower temperature.
The enzymatic phosphorylation of ribonucleic acid and deoxyribonucleic acid. I. Phosphorylation at 5'-hydroxyl termini.

Abstract An enzyme, 5'-hydroxyl polynucleotide kinase, which catalyzes the phosphorylation of 5'-hydroxyl ends of deoxyribonucleic acid and ribonucleic acid in the presence of adenosine triphosphate has been purified from cell-free extracts of Escherichia coli infected with bacteriophage T2. The enzyme activity is also found after infection with bacteriophage T4 but was not detected in extracts of cells infected with T1 or T5. The kinase activity is not formed if cells are infected in the presence of chloramphenicol. The phosphorylation of the 5'-hydroxyl end was established by the following observations. (a) Polynucleotides can be converted to a suitable phosphate acceptor by the action of micrococcal nuclease, an endonuclease which produces 5'-hydroxyl ends in DNA and RNA. (b) The 32P introduced into DNA and RNA by the action of the kinase was quantitatively converted to inorganic phosphate by the action of alkaline phosphatase or phosphomonoesterase. (c) Degradation of 32P-labeled polyriboadenylate and polyribocytidylate, products of the 5'-hydroxyl polynucleotide kinase, with alkali resulted in the quantitative isolation of the 32P as 2'(3')-5'-adenosine diphosphate or 2'(3')-5'-cytidine diphosphate, respectively. No detectable 32P was recovered as 2'(3')-AMP or 2'(3')-CMP. (d) It was shown that tritiated thymidylate introduced at the 3'-hydroxyl end of the DNA chain with DNA polymerase was converted to an acid-soluble form by the action of venom phosphodiesterase much earlier than 32P introduced into DNA by the kinase. Evidence was also presented that the phosphorylation of RNA and DNA by the purified kinase preparation was catalyzed by the same enzyme. The ratio of these two activities is relatively constant during purification and the rates of inactivation of these two activities at 37° were identical.