cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Regulation of innate and adaptive immune responses by the related cytokines IL-12, IL-23, and IL-27.

The functional characterization and subsequent purification of T cell growth factor/interleukin (IL)-2 in the early 1980s established this secreted protein as a key mediator of immune cell activation and provided the prototype that enabled the discovery of numerous cytokines over the ensuing two decades. While soluble immunoregulatory factors were initially identified functionally as biological activities present in the culture supernatants of activated lymphocytes/monocytes, this methodology shifted radically following the completion of the human genome sequence. Computer-generated structural modeling algorithms have replaced functional assays and biochemical purification as the initial means of discovering new cytokines. To date, a total of 31 interleukins, as well as over a dozen other related hematopoietic factors, have been identified. These cytokines and their receptors may be grouped on the basis of structural homologies as well as by shared ligand and receptor subunits. The challenge now at hand is to define the biological functions of the newly identified cytokines and to elucidate the common and divergent roles of related family members. This point is well illustrated by the IL-12/IL-23/IL-27 family, whose members share ligand and receptor subunits and play somewhat overlapping roles in innate and adaptive immune responses. These three cytokines are not entirely redundant, as they may preferentially activate naive or memory T cells, induce discrete T cell cytokine profiles, contribute to distinct stages of host immune responses to infectious agents, and differentially promote autoimmunity. Further elucidation of the unique functions of the IL-12 family members may lead to improved immunodiagnostics and therapies.
Computational Modeling For The Transitional Flow Over A Multi-Element Airfoil

The transitional flow over a multi-element airfoil in a landing configuration are computed using a two equation transition model. The transition model is predictive in the sense that the transition onset is a result of the calculation and no prior knowledge of the transition location is required. The computations were performed using the INS2D) Navier-Stokes code. Overset grids are used for the three-element airfoil. The airfoil operating conditions are varied for a range of angle of attack and for two different Reynolds numbers of 5 million and 9 million. The computed results are compared with experimental data for the surface pressure, skin friction, transition onset location, and velocity magnitude. In general, the comparison shows a good agreement with the experimental data.
Recovering the Parabolic Intent in the Parable of the Sower

The Parable of the Sower has fallen under an ancient and modern hermeneutical eclipse. Critical examination of the Markan text of the parable (4:3-9) indicates that the first hermeneutical eclipse of the parable's message occurred when the community which produced the interpretation of the Parable of the Sower (Mark 4:14-20) reworked the parable to conform to the community's theological needs. Removal of this community's reworked features from the text lays bare the original form of the Sower and gives us access to Jesus' original parabolic message. But apprehension of the full depth and scope of that message has not been possible with current hermeneutical methodologies. The limitations of these hermeneutics leave the message still under partial eclipse. By expanding the interpretative horizon with the help of Whiteheadian insights on ontology, epistemology, and the phenomenology of language, one is able to appreciate more fully the meaning of Jesus' proclamation in the Parable of the Sower.
The large time stability of sound waves

We demonstrate the existence of solutions to the full 3×3 system of compressible Euler equations in one space dimension, up to an arbitrary timeT>0, in the case when the initial data has arbitrarily large total variation, and sufficiently small supnorm. The result applies to periodic solutions of the Euler equations, a nonlinear model for sound wave propagation in gas dynamics. Our analysis establishes a growth rate for the total variation that depends on a new length scaled that we identify in the problem. This length scale plays no role in 2×2 systems, (or any system possessing a full set of Riemann coordinates), nor in the small total variation problem forn×n systems, the cases originally addressed by Glimm in 1965. Recent work by a number of authors has demonstrated that when the total variation is sufficiently large, solutions of 3×3 systems of conservation laws can in general blow up in finite time, (independent of the supnorm), due to amplifying instabilities created by the non-trivial Lie algebra of the vector fields that define the elementary waves. For the large total variation problem, there is an interaction between large scale effects that amplify and small scale effects that are stable, and we show that the length scale on which this interaction occurs isd. In the limitd→∞, we recover Glimm's theorem, and we observe that there exist linearly degenerate systems within the class considered for which the growth rate we obtain is sharp.
Electron Excitation of the Sodium D Lines

The electron excitation of the sodium resonance lines ($D$ lines) has been measured in the energy range from threshold to 1000 eV. The electron-beam full width at half-maximum was $\ensuremath{\sim}\frac{1}{3}$ eV, and the sodium-beam optical depth was small and varied. After correction for minor cascade contributions and the measured polarization, the excitation function has been normalized to the Born theory in a high-energy limit where the energy dependence converges to the theoretical behavior. The resulting normalized cross section and the polarization are in excellent agreement with recent close-coupling calculations for the energy region from threshold to 5 eV.
Two-configuration, self-consistent field theory

The Hartree-Fock pseudoeigenvalues equations have been derived for configuration interaction in the case of two atomic configurations ns2np N and npN+2. A special case of investigation is the interaction between the nearly-degenerate configurations 1s22s22p N and 1s22pN+2. The LCAO form of the equations has also been established.
Platelet-rich plasma: Growth factor enhancement for bone grafts

Platelet-rich plasma is an autologous source of platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor beta that is obtained by sequestering and concentrating platelets by gradient density centrifugation. This technique produced a concentration of human platelets of 338% and identified platelet-derived growth factor and transforming growth factor beta within them. Monoclonal antibody assessment of cancellous cellular marrow grafts demonstrated cells that were capable of responding to the growth factors by bearing cell membrane receptors. The additional amounts of these growth factors obtained by adding platelet-rich plasma to grafts evidenced a radiographic maturation rate 1.62 to 2.16 times that of grafts without platelet-rich plasma. As assessed by histomorphometry, there was also a greater bone density in grafts in which platelet-rich plasma was added (74.0% +/- 11%) than in grafts in which platelet-rich plasma was not added (55.1% +/- 8%; p = 0.005).
The saga of lambda: spectral influences throughout lithography generations

In this paper, the progression of optical lithography from a spectral (or wavelength) perspective is presented. The interdependencies between materials, sources, design challenges, and scaling are described relative the needs of semiconductor device generations. Comparisons of materials and approaches for use in the blue-UV, the mid-UV, the deep-UV, and to EUV wavelengths are provided showing the spectral influences for choices made. Inorganic and organic lithography materials, sources of radiation, and incremental wavelength "shrink" are compared for lithography generations from g-line to EUV and beyond.
Bone: Is screening for secondary causes of osteoporosis worthwhile?

The contribution of secondary causes to low bone mass in postmenopausal women with osteoporosis is unknown. A study by Cerda Gabaroi et al. aimed to fill this gap. While the researchers found a high prevalence of secondary causes, the importance of clinical risk factors should not be underestimated in the primary care setting.
Hb Manukau [β67(E11)Val → Gly; HBB: c.203T>G]: The Role of Genetic Testing in the Diagnosis of Idiopathic Hemolytic Anemia

The increasing availability of DNA sequencing of globin genes has improved our ability to detect conditions that were presumed to be extremely rare. These conditions may remain undiagnosed due to unfamiliarity with clinical presentation, relative unavailability of advanced diagnostic alternatives, or may defy detection by being electrophoretically silent or extreme instability rendering their presence to be below detection level. Genetic studies were pursued in a mother and daughter with severe hemolytic anemia as initial testing failed to be diagnostic. DNA sequence analysis of the β-globin gene identified Hb Manukau [β67(E11)Val → Gly; HBB: c.203T > G], an extremely unstable hemoglobin (Hb) variant. This is the second family described with this condition (first in the western hemisphere). An astute clinician may benefit from being persistent and pursuing additional testing including molecular genetic characterization where clinical suspicion remains high.
Elective penicillin skin testing in a pediatric outpatient setting

Background Adverse reactions associated with penicillin-type antibiotics are common in pediatric practice, leading to the subsequent unnecessary use of alternative antibiotics. IgE-mediated penicillin allergy represents only a fraction of these adverse reactions. Objectives To examine (1) the trend of penicillin skin test reactivity during a recent 10-year interval, (2) the relative distribution of specific reagents related to a positive skin test result, and (3) skin test reactivity as a function of reaction history. Methods Penicillin testing using 3 reagents—benzylpenicilloyl polylysine, penicillin G, and sodium penicilloate (penicillin A)—was conducted in a prospective study of 359 consecutive patients referred to an outpatient pediatric allergy clinic between January 1, 1993, and May 31, 2003. We also retrospectively reviewed penicillin skin test results for 562 children previously tested between January 1, 1979, and December 31, 1992. Results Between 1993 and 2003, the prevalence of penicillin skin test sensitivity markedly declined. Of all the positive skin test results between 1979 and 2002, either penicillin G or sodium penicilloate or both identified 34%, with sodium penicilloate alone responsible for 8.5%. The rate of positive skin test reactions was not significantly different between patients with vs without a history of suggestive IgE-mediated reactions. Conclusions A marked decline in penicillin skin test sensitivity in the pediatric age group is identified. The minor determinant reagents penicillin G and sodium penicilloate are both necessary for determining potential penicillin allergy. Relating history alone to potential penicillin sensitivity is unreliable in predicting the presence or absence of a positive skin test result.
Formation of cubic-A1N in TiN/A1N superlattice

Abstract Ceramic superlattice is one of approaches for new ceramic film development. We deposited TiN/A1N superlattice films by arc ion-plating process, and evaluated the crystal structure of these films by transmission electron diffraction and X-ray diffraction. It was revealed that the crystal structure of A1N changes from Wurtzite type to NaCl type for superlattice periods ≤ 3 nm. The film hardness increased to about twice that of the TiN single layer film at a period = 2.5 nm. NaCl phase of A1N is one of the phases that exists under high pressure and it is expected that there will be a high bulk modulus.
Interest Groups, Transfer Seeking and Democratization: Competition for the Benefits of Governmental Power May Explain African Political Instability

. The effect of permanent interest group transfer-seeking behavior on the degree of democratization is examined, Each permanent interest group is viewed as attempting to maximize its share of wealth transfers through the political process. To maximize the share of transfers, each group undertakes competitive strategies to control the instruments of transfers. Such competition is more intense the larger the number of permanent interest groups in a given country, and the higher the likelihood that the competition would involve non-democratic means to achieve and maintain control of the political machinery in those countries. It is predicted that the more intense the competition for transfers, which is a direct function of the number of permanent interest groups in any given country, the less democratic the system of government in that country is likely to be. This prediction is supported empirically using cross-sectional data for 65 countries.
A strain space framework for numerical hyperplasticity

Numerical simulations of high strain rate plastic flow have historically been built in a hypoelastic framework and use radial return (Wilkins' method) as the solution algorithm. We show how each of these choices can lead to inaccurate and possibly nonconvergent results. We describe an alternative solution procedure based on a simple multiple time scale perturbation theory that is stable, accurate, computationally efficient and simple to implement. Further extension of these results then leads to a strain space formulation that has additional computational advantages. We illustrate our development with numerical experiments.This paper is dedicated to my friend and colleague Christo Christov on the occasion of his 60th birthday, in recognition of his many important and creative contributions to the formulation of continuum mechanics.
Traveling wave acceleration of protons

Abstract Protons can be accelerated efficiently by an H-coupled traveling wave linac in L- or S-band. Different modes of operation are possible with high shunt impedance values and stable beam dynamics.
Deriving semantics for image clustering from accumulated user feedbacks

Image clustering solely based on visual features without any knowledge or background information suffers from the problem of semantic gap. In this paper, we propose SS-NMF: a semi-supervised non-negative matrix factorization framework for image clustering. Accumulated relevance feedback in a CBIR system is treated as user provided supervision for guiding the image clustering. We consider the set of positive images in the feedback as constraints on the clustering specifying that the images "must" be clustered together. Similarly, negative images provide constraints specifying that they "cannot" be clustered along with the positive images. Through an iterative algorithm, we perform symmetric tri-factorization of the image-image similarity matrix to infer the clustering. Theoretically, we prove the correctness of SS-NMF by showing that the algorithm is guaranteed to converge. Through experiments conducted on general purpose image datasets, we demonstrate the superior performance of SS-NMF for clustering images effectively.
A research-oriented medical cost accounting system

Abstract Prospective research into factors affecting health care costs for individual patients requires a hybrid information management system with some features usually associated with a medical billing package and other features common to research databases. Furthermore, data collection for such a project must often be done in the field where a portable computer is most convenient. A software program is described which has been developed to address these disparate needs. It allows classification by study protocol assignment and provides multiple summary formats for the assessment of costs. For example, charges can be stratified by specialty, by category of service (pharmacy, room, surgery, respiratory therapy, etc.), by magnitude of expense (‘big’ vs ‘little’ ticket items) and so forth. The system design described may prove useful to other investigators studying variation in health care costs.
Combustion of Environmentally Altered Molybdenum Trioxide Nanocomposites

Nanocomposite thermite mixtures are currently under development for many primer applications due to their high energy densities, high ignition sensitivity, and low release of toxins into the environment. However, variability and inconsistencies in combustion performance have not been sufficiently investigated. Environmental interactions with the reactants are thought to be a contributing factor to these variabilities. Combustion velocity experiments were conducted on aluminum (Al) and molybdenum trioxide (MoO3) mixtures to investigate the role of environmental interactions such as light exposure and humidity. While the Al particles were maintained in an ambient, constant environment, the MoO3 particles were exposed to UV or fluorescent light, and highly humid environments. Results show that UV and fluorescent lighting over a period of days does not significantly contribute to performance deterioration. However, a humid environment severely decreases combustion performance if the oxidizer particles are not heat-treated. Heat treatment of the MoO3 greatly increases the material's ability to resist water absorption, yielding more repeatable combustion performance. This work further quantifies the role of the environment in the decrease of combustion performance of nanocomposites over time.
Smokeless tobacco: an addicting drug.

In 1986, the Surgeon General concluded that smokeless tobacco is an addictive drug sharing many qualities with other drugs of abuse such as morphine and cocaine. Smokeless tobacco can be used to deliver psycho-active and dependence-producing levels of nicotine. Tolerance develops with repeated use, causing the user to increase nicotine dosing through increased use and/or switching to products with higher nicotine yields. Clinical signs of nicotine withdrawal develop upon cessation of use. Recent data show that smokeless tobacco products vary widely in their nicotine dosing capabilities. Low-dose products tend to be those commonly marketed toward, and used by, young people without previous smokeless tobacco experience. Many of these people develop dependence and switch to high-dose products. The present article discusses each of these qualities of smokeless tobacco in greater detail. The article also discusses qualities of smokeless tobacco that make it an effective nicotine delivery device that leads to a...
Automatic Brachytherapy Seed Placement Under MRI Guidance

The paper presents a robotic method of performing low dose rate prostate brachytherapy under magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) guidance. The design and operation of a fully automated MR compatible seed injector is presented. This is used with the MrBot robot for transperineal percutaneous prostate access. A new image-registration marker and algorithms are also presented. The system is integrated and tested with a 3T MRI scanner. Tests compare three different registration methods, assess the precision of performing automated seed deployment, and use the seeds to assess the accuracy of needle targeting under image guidance. Under the ideal conditions of the in vitro experiments, results show outstanding image-guided needle and seed placement accuracy.
Miscanthus agronomy and bioenergy feedstock potential on minesoils

The US government has mandated production of 79 million liters of biofuel from lignocellulose biomass and advanced fuels by 2022. To meet this requirement, the Department of Energy is encouraging research to develop herbaceous lignocellulose-based bioethanol for use as transport fuel. Miscanthus × giganteus was introduced in the US during 1930s, and is being widely studied for its potential to produce large biomass yield with minimum input in different soils. Miscanthus × giganteus is highly productive, sterile rhizomatous C4 perennial grass adapted to a wide range of climatic and soil conditions. Since the early 1980s, this crop has been studied under various climate and soil conditions in Europe and used to produce heat and electricity by combustion. This paper summarizes its agronomy and the characteristics which make it a potential dedicated bioenergy crop suitable for the reclaimed minesoils of the Appalachian region: Ohio, West Virginia, Virginia, Pennsylvania, Maryland, Kentucky, and Tennessee. The...
Designing effective strategies for human-robot collaboration

Industries are increasingly encouraging human-robot collaboration to complete tasks. As robots become more ubiquitous in these environments, robots will need an appropriate understanding of the social behaviors necessary to work alongside humans. The goal of my dissertation is to inspect how key behaviors for effective collaboration--particularly communication strategies, gestures, and object management--affect task outcomes. An understanding of these behaviors will inform designs of collaborative robot behavior and reveal a deeper understanding of human behavior. My work first understands a set of human behaviors, translates those behaviors to a robot, and tests the impact of each behavior on collaborative outcomes.
Preoperative gabapentin in patients undergoing primary total knee arthroplasty

Summary Background Patients undergoing total knee arthroplasty usually receive a multimodal analgesic regimen including peripheral nerve blockade, but may still experience significant pain. This study examined whether preoperative gabapentin decreases acute postoperative pain and opioid consumption in this setting. Methods Retrospective chart review of single institution, hospital-based orthopaedic practice. Consecutive patients undergoing unilateral elective primary knee arthroplasty were evaluated for perioperative gabapentin use. Sixty-one consecutive patients received gabapentin; for each, an age- and gender-matched control was identified. Results Patients in both groups demonstrated similar demographics, all received lumbar plexus blockade. Catheters were removed on postoperative day 2 (95%). There were no differences in postoperative pain scores or opioid use between groups. Overall, median verbal pain scores (IQR) were 0(1), 0(3), 1(3) and 3(3) in the post-anaesthesia care unit and postoperative days 0, 1 and 2, respectively. Postoperative consumption of other analgesics was not different across groups. Patients in the gabapentin group received a single-injection sciatic nerve block less often than patients in the control group (77% vs. 94%, respectively; p Conclusions Patients undergoing unilateral total knee arthroplasty experience low pain scores utilizing a multimodal analgesic regimen including continuous lumbar plexus blockade independent of gabapentin use.
Impact of Antenatal and Postpartum Maternal Mental Illness: How are the Children?

Prospective studies that begin during pregnancy and follow the mothers and children into adolescence have shown that maternal mental illness during the antenatal and postpartum period can have long-lasting negative consequences on the developing child. The findings from these prospective studies and a discussion of the consistencies and inconsistencies in the current literature are presented. The effects of maternal anxiety and depression during the perinatal period on cognitive, behavioral, and psychologic development from infancy through adolescence are examined.
Endocranial Petrosal Anatomy of Bothriogenys (Mammalia, Artiodactyla, Anthracotheriidae), and Petrosal Volume and Density Comparisons Among Aquatic and Terrestrial Artiodactyls and Outgroups

We provide the first detailed endocranial description of the petrosal bone of the ear region of the anthracotheriid artiodactyl Bothriogenys, based on two new specimens from the early Oligocene of the Jebel Qatrani Formation, Fayum, Egypt. The new fossils have petrosals with a hyperinflated (pachyostotic) tegmen tympani (the roof over the middle ear), resembling the condition in certain cetancodontans such as hippopotamids and basal cetaceamorphans (fossil stem taxa to extant Cetacea).The morphology of the petrosal, particularly its relative size and density, has been considered an important indicator of the ability of a marine mammal to localize sound transmitted in water, yet petrosal size (pachyostosis) and density (osteosclerosis) have not previously been quantified independent of each other. We examine the new fossils in the context of a preliminary CT-based study of petrosal density (extant taxa only) and petrosal volume (extant and extinct taxa) in a sample of artiodactyls and outgroups. In our extant comparative sample, the petrosals of cetaceans are both dense and voluminous as has been previously stated. We find, however, that the tegmen tympani is relatively voluminous (pachyostotic) without being particularly dense (osteosclerotic) in Hippopotamus amphibius, an extant taxon that has been documented to show some aquatic hearing behaviors, albeit less derived ones than those seen in cetaceans. A voluminous tegmen tympani, which is present in Bothriogenys, may have specific implications for behavior that are distinct from increases in petrosal density.
Polaronic model of two-level systems in amorphous solids

While two-level systems (TLSs) are ubiqitous in solid state systems, microscopic understanding of their nature remains an outstanding problem. Conflicting phenomenological models are used to describe TLSs in seemingly similar materials when probed with different experimental techniques. Specifically, bulk measurements in amorphous solids have been interpreted using the model of a tunneling atom or group of atoms, whereas TLSs observed in the insulating barriers of Josephson junction qubits have been understood in terms of tunneling of individual electrons. Motivated by recent experiments studying TLSs in Josephson junctions, especially the effects of elastic strain on TLS properties, we analyze the interaction of the electronic TLS with phonons. We demonstrate that strong polaronic effects lead to dramatic changes in TLS properties. Our model gives a quantitative understanding of the TLS relaxation and dephasing as probed in Josephson junction qubits, while providing an alternative interpretation of bulk experiments. We demonstrate that a model of polaron dressed electronic TLS leads to estimates for the density and distribution of parameters of TLSs consistent with bulk experiments in amorphous solids. This model explains such surprising observations of recent experiments as the existence of minima in the energy of some TLSs as a function of strain and makes concrete predictions for the character of TLS dephasing near such minima. We argue that better understanding of the microscopic nature of TLSs can be used to improve properties of quantum devices, from an enhancement of relaxation time of TLSs to creating new types of strongly interacting optomechanical systems.
Enhanced second-order effect in fullerene-doped glass

ABSTRACT Fullerene (C60) was doped into porous Corning Vycor glass host while preserving its second order susceptibility. Therange of loading factor is from 2x1OE16 fullerene molecules/g of glass to 2x1OE17 molecules/g. The susceptibilityof the fullerene is substantially enhanced from the thin film value of 1OE-15 esu, as reported in the literature. Theobserved second harmonic signal showed a broad spectrum similar to that ofthe thin film as the transition is vibration-assisted. The second harmonic signal was excited with the fundamental of a Q-switched Nd:YAG laser. Signals fromthose high loading factor samples that are oriented at a certain angle relative to the beam are comparable to that ofpowdered LiNbO3. This geometry-related enhancement is interpreted as a quasi phase-matching enhancement resultedfrom the observed birefringence. This birefringence originating from the C60/Vycor interaction within the nanoporesand nanochannels is enhanced over that of the glass alone. Loaded glass samples of 2-mm thickness showed a weakabsorption in the visible region but good transmission in the infrared. No thermal degradation was observed afterirradiating the samples with the Nd;YAG laser for 2000 seconds at 1 kHz repetition rate pulses with a power inputdensity of Mw/cm2.Keywords: fullerene, second order susceptibility, nano-structure glass
Release of the A1 Pulley for Trigger Finger Complicated by Flexor Tenosynovitis

Trigger finger is one of the most common conditions presenting to hand surgeons today. Believed to be caused by inflammation and subsequent narrowing of the A1 pulley, patients with trigger finger often present with pain associated with clicking, catching, and loss of motion of the affected finger [1]. The incidence of primary trigger finger has been reported at between 2 and 3 % [1–3]. Although it can occur in anyone, it is seen more frequently in the diabetic population and in women, typically between the ages of 50 and 60-years old [1, 4]. The diagnosis is usually made in a straightforward manner by history and physical, however, other pathological processes such as fracture, or tumor should be excluded first. The mainstays of treatment are surgical release and more recently, corticosteroid injection [1, 4, 5]. Most authors have reported success rates of between 60 and 100 % for the surgical release of the A1 pulley [4, 6, 7]. Complications associated with the surgical treatment have also been well described. In the largest series to date of approximately 1600 patients, Ring and colleagues concluded an overall complication rate of 5 % (84 operated digits) [4]. The most common adverse events were slow recovery of motion, wound problems and persistent postoperative triggering [4]. Interestingly, infections were among the least common postoperative complications in this cohort (2 %) and no deep space infections, such as those extending into the flexor tendon sheath, were reported [4]. Other series have also demonstrated similar results. Will and colleagues reported only four instances of wound erythema or infection out of 78 trigger fingers released (5 %) [8]. All of these infections were superficial; not a single patient required drainage of the infection [8]. Flexor tenosynovitis is an infection of synovial sheath that surrounds the flexor tendon. It is often caused by penetrating trauma but can also result from the direct spread of continuous infections like a felon or septic joint [9, 10]. Gram positive organisms, like Staphylococcus, are the most the most commonly implicated infectious agent but infections caused by gram negative organisms are also known to occur in patients with a history of diabetes, IV drug abuse, or animal bites [9, 10]. In general, flexor tenosynovitis is a rare entity and to date has not been reported to be caused by release of a trigger finger. This manuscript presents the first case of a patient who developed flexor tenosynovitis, which required return to the operating room for drainage, as a complication of an A1 pulley release for trigger finger.
Loudspeakers: relations between subjective and objective tests

The advantages and disadvantages of both subjective and objective tests are discussed. It is shown that both types of test are necessary. In order to devise an objective test which bears some relation to the subjective test, it is necessary to take cognizance of both the physiological and the psychological processes involved in the latter. Some common acoustic tests are then considered in detail, and it is shown that, for simple, single attribute tests, fair agreement is possible between the subjective and the objective results. Where a multiplicity of attributes are tested simultaneously, the subjective form of test is the only one possible.
Social Policy and the Internal Dynamics of the Senior Rights Movement

Abstract To understand how the senior rights movement in the United States shapes social policy, it is necessary to look at the role played by large institutionalized organizations and those of smaller grassroots groups. This sociohistorical analysis compares AARP, the Alliance for Retired Americans (formerly NCSC), and the Gray Panthers as three key interest organizations contributing to the contemporary senior movement. Based largely on historical evidence, we examine how contemporary policy debates have been presented by various organizations and the impact of their framing efforts on old age policy outcomes and societal images of seniors. We discuss how decisions are made and why actions are taken (or not) by these groups. We outline the different strategies pursued by the various movement organizations on such issues as the proposed partial privatization of Social Security and the Prescription Drug Program as well as efforts to shape societal conceptions of aging. Our analysis shows how groups fighting for what are ostensibly the same interests—advocating senior rights—end up advancing different and at times competing strategies to achieve such ends. These differences have had two unintended consequences: (1) the movement's largely defensive approach rather than a concerted offensive for social change and (2) public portrayals of seniors that both diminish the social perception of their needs and homogenize their experiences of aging.
Genetic analysis of synaptic target recognition and assembly

Formation of synapses by neurons onto specific targets is essential to the function of a nervous system. The isolation and analysis of Caenorhabditis elegans and Drosophila mutants with synaptogenesis defects has provided insight into the functions of evolutionarily conserved molecules at single-synapse resolution. Importantly, such studies have uncovered novel molecules and signaling mechanisms. Here, recent progress on synaptic target recognition and synaptic assembly are reviewed.
Helminths from Three Species of Anoles: The Humble Anole, Anolis humilis; the Border Anole, Anolis limifrons; and the Lion Anole, Anolis lionotus (Squamata: Polychrotidae), from Nicaragua

Helminths of 3 species of anoles, Anolis humilis, Anolis limifrons, and Anolis lionotus, from Nicaragua were identified. Twelve new host records and 5 new locality records are reported. It appears that anoles are infected by generalist helminths whose hosts and geographic distributions are structured by ecological fitting rather than any coevolutionary dynamic.
Enhanced Formation of Oxidants from Bimetallic Nickel-Iron Nanoparticles in the Presence of Oxygen

Nanoparticulate zero-valent iron (nZVI) rapidly reacts with oxygen to produce strong oxidants, capable of transforming organic contaminants in water. However, the low yield of oxidants with respect to the iron added normally limits the application of this system. Bimetallic nickel-iron nanoparticles (nNi-Fe; i.e., Ni-Fe alloy and Ni-coated Fe nanoparticles) exhibited enhanced yields of oxidants compared to nZVI. nNi-Fe (Ni-Fe alloy nanoparticles with [Ni]/[Fe] = 0.28 and Ni-coated Fe nanoparticles with [Ni]/[Fe] = 0.035) produced approximately 40% and 85% higher yields of formaldehyde from the oxidation of methanol relative to nZVI at pH 4 and 7, respectively. Ni-coated Fe nanoparticles showed a higher efficiency for oxidant production relative to Ni-Fe alloy nanoparticles based on Ni content. Addition of Ni did not enhance the oxidation of 2-propanol or benzoic acid, indicating that Ni addition did not enhance hydroxyl radical formation. The enhancement in oxidant yield was observed over a pH range of 4 – 9. The enhanced production of oxidant by nNi-Fe appears to be attributable to two factors. First, the nNi-Fe surface is less reactive toward hydrogen peroxide (H2O2) than the nZVI surface, which favors the reaction of H2O2 with dissolved Fe(II) (the Fenton reaction). Second, the nNi-Fe surface promotes oxidant production from the oxidation of ferrous ion by oxygen at neutral pH values.
A human monoclonal immunoglobulin M reduces bacteremia and inflammation in a mouse model of systemic pneumococcal infection.

Antibody-based approaches to pneumococcal disease may hold promise for immunocompromised patients in whom vaccines are less immunogenic and/or in the context of antimicrobial resistance. Antibody-mediated protection against experimental pneumococcal pneumonia has been shown to depend on immunoregulation, but the relationship between antibody and protection against pneumococcal sepsis and immunoregulation has not been examined. Similarly, the requirement for B and T cells for antibody efficacy is not known. In this study, we determined the efficacy of the human pneumococcal capsular polysaccharide serotype 3-specific antibody, A7 (immunoglobulin M [IgM]), in secretory IgM (sIgM)−/−, CD4−/−, CD8−/−, μMT−/−, and SCID mice and investigated its effect on cytokine and chemokine expression in sera and spleens from mice with intact cellular immunity. A7 is known to be protective against systemic infection with serotype 3 and to require complement for efficacy. Compared to that of an isotype control antibody, A7 administration prolonged the survival of mice of each immunodeficient strain and was associated with a significant reduction in CFU in blood, lung, and spleen samples and a significantly reduced level of keratinocyte-derived chemokine (KC), interleukin-6 (IL-6), and macrophage inflammatory protein-2 (MIP-2) expression in normal and sIgM−/− mice. Studies with mice treated with penicillin revealed similar reductions in CFU and similar levels of IL-6, KC, or MIP-2 expression in A7- and penicillin-treated mice. These findings demonstrate that natural IgM and B and T cells are dispensable for A7-mediated protection against experimental pneumococcal sepsis and suggest that the efficacy of antibody-mediated protection depends on immunomodulation. Taken together, our data extend the association between antibody-mediated protection and immunomodulation to protection against systemic pneumococcal infection and to a clinically important serotype often responsible for pneumococcal sepsis.
Decreased dependence on receptor recognition for the fusion promotion activity of L289A-mutated newcastle disease virus fusion protein correlates with a monoclonal antibody-detected conformational change

It has been shown that the L289A-mutated Newcastle disease virus (NDV) fusion (F) protein gains the ability to promote fusion of Cos-7 cells independent of the viral hemagglutinin-neuraminidase (HN) protein and exhibits a 50% enhancement in HN-dependent fusion over wild-type (wt) F protein. Here, we show that HN-independent fusion by L289A-F is not exhibited in BHK cells or in several other cell lines. However, similar to the results in Cos-7 cells, the mutated protein plus HN does promote 50 to 70% more fusion above wt levels in all of the cell lines tested. L289A-F protein exhibits the same specificity as the wt F protein for the homologous HN protein, as well as NDV-human parainfluenza virus 3 HN chimeras. The mutated F protein promotes fusion more effectively than the wt when it is coexpressed with either the chimeras or HN proteins deficient in receptor recognition activity. In addition, its fusogenic activity is significantly more resistant to removal of sialic acid on target cells. These findings are consistent with the demonstration that L289A-F interacts more efficiently with wt and mutated HN proteins than does wt F by a cell surface coimmunoprecipitation assay. Taken together, these findings indicate that L289A-F promotes fusion by a mechanism analogous to that of the wt protein with respect to the HN-F interaction but is less dependent on the attachment activity of HN. The phenotype of the mutated F protein correlates with a conformational change in the protein detectable by two different monoclonal antibodies. This conformational change may reflect a destabilization of F structure induced by the L289A substitution, which may in turn indicate a lower energy requirement for fusion activation.
The Pivotal Role of Replication in Psychological Research: Empirically Evaluating the Replicability of Sample Results

ABSTRACT This Article discusses reasons for the contemporary emphasis on evaluating the replicability of results from psychological research. Three logics for empirically evaluating the replicability of sample results—cross-validation, the jackknife, and the bootstrap—are described. A small heuristic data set is employed to make the discussion more concrete and accessible.
Cases for teaching engineering ethics

This paper offers suggestions for integrating ethics education into engineering classes, primarily by using a case-based approach. It focuses on both micro and macro cases in three engineering disciplines: software, civil, and mechanical.
The US drug safety system: role of the pharmaceutical industry.

Purpose Despite increasingly strident calls for improved drug safety in the United States, recent events underscore the continuing gap among manufacturers, regulators, patients, and physicians. In the period leading to the recent Institute of Medicine report on the future of drug safety, representatives from industry were given an opportunity to provide input into this report. In light of continuing concerns about drug safety and pending legislation, this original perspective provides an important context. Methods This work consolidates the views of representatives of individual pharmaceutical companies; the large industry trade associations, the Pharmaceutical Researchers and Manufacturers of America (PhRMA) and the Biotechnology Industry Association (BIO); and those of the authors with regard to the industry role of drug safety in the United States. Results To ensure continued protection of the public's health, manufacturers must recognize themselves as critical to ensuring safe products; maintain corporate safety functions separate from marketing functions; provide oversight by a senior medical executive; engage in structured epidemiological research, risk assessment, and risk communication; and mandate the formation and maintenance of an internal, interdisciplinary, senior level safety council. Conclusions The importance of aggressive and accountable drug safety will only become more salient as the public and their elected representatives demand better accountability from industry. Individual corporations now have the opportunity to move first to counter perceptions of profit over safety and to ensure that their business practices adequately protect the public's health. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effective models for prediction of springback in flanging

A study on the prediction of springback angle is presented, with focus on the straight flanging operation. The objective of this work is to evaluate the reliability of different methods of prediction. An experiment of straight flanging operation is conducted. Major prediction approaches such as analytical model, numerical simulation using the Finite Element Method (FEM) and the Meshfree Method using the Reproducing Kernel Particle Methods (RKPM) are discussed, A set of sample problems is computed and comparisons are made with the experiment. The numerical analysis shows that the prediction from the 3D meshfree contact code matches well with the data from the FEM 2D solid model. A material property described by the kinematic hardening law provides a better prediction of springback than the isotropic hardening law.
Market, State, or Don't Know? Education, Economic Ideology, and Voting in Contemporary Russia

Russians' orientations toward market reforms and toward private ownership of the means of production are modeled with January 1996 survey data using simultaneous latent class analysis (LCA) in three education groups. Roughly half of Russian adults support market institutions, and roughly one-third support state-based economic institutions. The remaining one-sixth are uncertain or hold contradictory views. As modernization theory predicts, higher levels of education increase the likelihood that Russians will adopt a proreform outlook. Economic ideology strongly affects both turnout and party choice, net of demographic variables, income, membership in the Communist Party of the Soviet Union (KPSS), egocentric and sociotropic assessments, and prodemocracy views. Moreover, economic ideology decisively mediates the effects of education on party choice and on turnout. In contrast to the issue-based struggles in established capitalist democracies, political conflict in post-Soviet Russia has been ideological conflict, pitting against one another two diametrically opposed visions of what constitutes a desirable economy and society
The Politics of Coercive Federalism in the Bush Era

During the period of the Bush Presidency, the federal government proceeded to centralize and nationalize policy in major areas formerly controlled by states and localities. The extension of federal goals and standards to such areas as education testing, sales tax collection, emergency management, infrastructure, and elections administration were among the areas of significant mandates and preemptions. The continuation of policy centralization in areas under a conservative and unified political regime shows how strong and deep the roots are for centralizing policy actions in our intergovernmental system. Over the past forty years, mandates and preemptions have become among the primary tools relied on by Congress and the president to project national priorities and objectives throughout the intergovernmental system (Kincaid 1990). The trends toward the use of coercive tools have proven to be durable and long lasting, albeit punctuated by episodes of reform. While the enactment of unfunded mandates reform in 1995 most certainly has led to some restraint, the underlying forces prompting national leaders to use these tools have proven to be persistent and compelling. The secular trends toward a more coercive and centralized federalism have survived the passage of both Republican and Democratic Administrations, as well as Democratic and Republican Congresses (Posner 1998). The beginning of the twenty-first century witnessed the marshalling of new political forces that might be expected to turn away from the instruments of coercive federalism. The ascendancy of George W. Bush to the presidency, in concert with a remarkably unified Republican control of the Congress, presaged a period of unified government presided over by unprecedented conservative political leadership not seen since before the Great Depression. Coupled with the earlier passage of Unfunded Mandate Reform Act as one of the first acts of the 1995 conservative Republican Congress, hopes for the arrest and even reversal of federal policy centralization ran high in many quarters. This article will explore whether the ascendance of the conservative regime in the White House and the Congress, coming on the heels of the unfunded mandates reform, made a significant difference in reversing the trends toward coercive federalism characterizing previous administrations and congresses. It will first offer
Genetic variation and phenotypic response of 15 sweet corn (Zea mays L.) hybrids to population density.

Planting sweet corn at higher densities may increase the canopy cover, reducing light transmission to the understory and suppressing weed growth. High planting densities can also negatively impact the crop, however, by decreasing ear size and overall yield. The objective of this study was to determine the potential for increased density tolerance of 15 sweet corn hybrids by estimating the general combining ability (GCA) and specific combining ability (SCA) for traits of interest. In 2010 and 2011, a half-diallel of six historic sweet corn inbreds was evaluated in a split-block randomized complete block design in four Wisconsin environments, with four replicates in each environment. Hybrids were planted at a low density of 29,936 plants ha−1, a medium density of 63,615 plants ha−1, and a high density of 97,293 plants ha−1. Significant differences between hybrids were found for phenomorphological traits and ear characteristics. Inbreds C68, C40 and Ia5125 produced the progeny most tolerant of the highest population density. Among these genotypes, tolerance to high density is a heritable trait, indicating the feasibility of breeding sweet corn for density tolerance and potential weed competitiveness.