cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Higher-Order and Modal Logic as a Framework for Explanation-Based Generalization

Certain tasks, such as formal program development and theorem proving, fundamentally rely upon the manipulation of higher-order objects such as functions and predicates. Computing tools intended to assist in performing these tasks are at present inadequate in both the amount of ‘knowledge’ they contain (i.e., the level of support they provide) and in their ability to ‘learn’ (i.e., their capacity to enhance that support over time). The application of a relevant machine learning technique—explanation-based generalization (EBG)—has thus far been limited to first-order problem representations. We extend EBG to generalize higher-order values, thereby enabling its application to higher-order problem encodings. Logic programming provides a uniform framework in which all aspects of explanation-based generalization and learning may be defined and carried out. First-order Horn logics (e.g., Prolog) are not, however, well suited to higher-order applications. Instead, we employ λProlog, a higher-order logic programming language, as our basic framework for realizing higher-order EBG. In order to capture the distinction between domain theory and training instance upon which EBG relies, we extend λProlog with the necessity operator s of modal logic. We develop a meta-interpreter realizing EBG for the extended language, λs Prolog, and provide examples of higher-order EBG.
Carbon nanotube optical mirrors

We report the fabrication of imaging quality optical mirrors with smooth surfaces using carbon nanotubes (CNT) embedded in an epoxy matrix. CNT/epoxy is a multifunctional composite material that has sensing capabilities and can be made to incorporate self-actuation. Moreover, as the precursor is a low density liquid, large and lightweight mirrors can be fabricated by processes such as replication, spincasting, and three-dimensional printing. Therefore, the technology holds promise for the development of a new generation of lightweight, compact “smart” telescope mirrors with figure sensing and active or adaptive figure control. We report on measurements made of optical and mechanical characteristics, active optics experiments, and numerical modeling. We discuss possible paths for future development.
Venlafaxine and nefazodone, two pharmacologically distinct antidepressants

Venlafaxine, a phenylethylamine, and nefazodone, a phenylpiperazine compound, are the newest antidepressants to receive approval of the Food and Drug Administration and to be marketed in the United States. Both strongly inhibit serotonin (5-HT) reuptake; venlafaxine also inhibits norepinephrine reuptake, and nefazodone also exhibits 5-HT2-receptor antagonism. Venlafaxine inhibits the cytochrome P-450 2D6 isozyme to a lesser extent than the selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) and is 27% protein bound. Structurally, the drugs are unrelated to SSRIs and have some clinically important differences in side effect profiles. Nausea, headache, somnolence, and dry mouth are the most frequently reported side effects with both. Sustained hypertension was reported by a limited number of venlafaxine-treated patients.
Direct Observation of Ion Distributions near Electrodes in Ionic Polymer Actuators Containing Ionic Liquids

The recent boom of energy storage and conversion devices, exploiting ionic liquids (ILs) to enhance the performance, requires an in-depth understanding of this new class of electrolytes in device operation conditions. One central question critical to device performance is how the mobile ions accumulate near charged electrodes. Here, we present the excess ion depth profiles of ILs in ionomer membrane actuators (Aquivion/1-butyl-2,3-dimethylimidazolium chloride (BMMI-Cl), 27 μm thick), characterized directly by Time-of-Flight Secondary Ion Mass Spectrometry (ToF-SIMS) at liquid nitrogen temperature. Experimental results reveal that for the IL studied, cations and anions are accumulated at both electrodes. The large difference in the total volume occupied by the excess ions between the two electrodes cause the observed large bending actuation of the actuator. Hence we demonstrate that ToF-SIMS experiment provides great insights on the physics nature of ionic devices.
Juror perceptions of African American- and Arabic-named victims

Despite post-9/11 anti-Arabic bias in the USA, few data currently exist evaluating juror perceptions of Arabic persons in court proceedings. Utilizing manipulation of racially derived victim names, the present study evaluated perceptions of blame and guilt in violent crimes against Arabic, African American and Caucasian victims. Participants were 249 jury-eligible panel members reporting for jury service in a large urban jurisdiction in the state of Texas. A perpetrator who assaulted an Arabic victim was blamed less than one who assaulted a Caucasian or African American victim, but juror race moderated this effect. This pattern of bias against victims with Arabic names was observed among Latin American jurors but not among Caucasian or African American jurors. Juror need for cognition did not moderate the victim name effect, being straightforwardly, positively related to perceptions of perpetrator blame. These findings are discussed with reference to modern racism and their implications for research and j...
Prophylactic Antibiotics in Cataract Operations

The rationale for prophylactic antibiotics in cataract operations must be continually reevaluated in light of cost-effectiveness and adverse reactions. The principles learned from wound infections associated with general surgical procedures should be applied to the limited knowledge about the rare event of endophthalmitis. Herein the literature on experimental and clinical wound infections in general surgical procedures is reviewed, with analysis of microbial flora, pathophysiology of wound infections, and pharmacokinetics of antibiotics. Experimental and clinical studies on prophylactic antibiotics to prevent endophthalmitis are reviewed, including information on topically applied antibiotics, chemical antisepsis, and administration of subconjunctival, intracameral, and systemic antibiotics. In addition, the benefits, limitations, and risks of the various types of prophylactic antibiotics are discussed. Because of the limited data on prophylactic antibiotics in cataract operations, providing dogmatic statements is difficult. General recommendations are offered based on the currently available literature, and a stratified approach is suggested based on wound construction and number of anterior segment maneuvers.
North American and Asian aerosols over the eastern Pacific Ocean and their role in regulating cloud condensation nuclei

[1] Measurements of aerosol and cloud properties in the Eastern Pacific Ocean were taken during an airborne experiment on the University of Wyoming's King Air during April 2004 as part of the Cloud Indirect Forcing Experiment (CIFEX). We observed a wide variety of aerosols, including those of long-range transport from Asia, clean marine boundary layer, and North American emissions. These aerosols, classified by their size distribution and history, were found in stratified layers between 500 to 7500 m above sea level and thicknesses from 100 to 3000 m. A comparison of the aerosol size distributions to measurements of cloud condensation nuclei (CCN) provides insight to the CCN activity of the different aerosol types. The overall ratio of measured to predicted CCN concentration (NCCN) is 0.56 ± 0.41 with a relationship of NCCN,measured = NCCN,predicted0.846±0.002 for 23 research flights and 1884 comparisons. Such a relationship does not accurately describe a CCN closure; however, it is consistent with our measurements that high CCN concentrations are more influenced by anthropogenic sources, which are less CCN active. While other CCN closures have obtained results closer to the expected 1:1 relationship, the different aerosol types (and presumably differences in aerosol chemistry) are responsible for the discrepancy. The measured NCCN at 0.3% supersaturation (Sc) ranged from 20 cm−3 (pristine) to 350 cm−3 (anthropogenic) with an average of 106 ± 54 cm−3 over the experiment. The inferred supersaturation in the clouds sampled during this experiment is ∼0.3%. CCN concentrations of cloud-processed aerosol were well predicted using an ammonium sulfate approximation for Sc ≤ 0.4%. Predicted NCCN for other aerosol types (i.e., Asian and North American aerosols) were high compared to measured values indicating a less CCN active aerosol. This study highlights the importance of chemical effects on CCN measurements and introduces a CCN activation index as a method of classifying the efficiency of an aerosol to serve as CCN relative to an ammonium sulfate particle. This index ranged from close to unity for cloud processed aerosols to as low as 0.31 for aged aerosols transported from Asia. We also compare the performance of two CCN instruments (static thermal diffusion chamber and streamwise continuous flow chamber) on a 45 minute level leg where we observe an aged layer and a nucleation event. More than 50% of the aged aerosol served as CCN at 0.2% Sc, primarily owing to their large size, while CCN concentrations during the nucleation event were close to 0 cm−3. CCN concentrations from both instruments agreed within instrument errors; however, the continuous flow chamber effectively captured the rapid transition in aerosol properties.
The zebrafish zic2a-zic5 gene pair acts downstream of canonical Wnt signaling to control cell proliferation in the developing tectum

Wnt growth factors acting through the canonical intracellular signaling cascade play fundamental roles during vertebrate brain development. In particular, canonical Wnt signaling is crucial for normal development of the dorsal midbrain, the future optic tectum. Wnts act both as patterning signals and as regulators of cell growth. In the developing tectum, Wnt signaling is mitogenic; however, the mechanism of Wnt function is not known. As a step towards better understanding this mechanism, we have identified two new Wnt targets, the closely linked zic2a and zic5 genes. Using a combination of in vivo assays, we show that zic2a and zic5 transcription is activated by Tcf/Lef transcription factors in the dorsal midbrain. Zic2a and Zic5, in turn, have essential, cooperative roles in promoting cell proliferation in the tectum, but lack obvious patterning functions. Collectively these findings suggest that Wnts control midbrain proliferation, at least in part, through regulation of two novel target genes, the zic2a-zic5 gene pair.
Movements and space use of gray foxes (Urocyon cinereoargenteus) following mate loss

Abstract Effects of mate loss on gray fox behavior are poorly understood. We examined space use and gross movements of mated gray foxes following loss of their respective mates in central Mississippi during 1994–1997. We monitored 9 mated pairs of gray foxes and documented 4 instances of mate loss. Of 2 instances where the remaining pair member was a male, 1 male substantially (by 500%) increased his space use and movements following loss of the female. The other male reduced (by 58%) his space use around the den site where kits were confirmed as being present. Of 2 instances where the remaining pair member was a female, 1 female reduced her space use (by 33%) around a den site before leaving the study area 10 d later. The other female increased her space use (by 42%), but maintained an area that overlapped the spaces maintained formerly by herself and her mate. Our findings suggest that gray fox distribution is potentially affected by loss of mates, but that both genders will maintain areas used previous...
Endogenous retroviruses in systemic lupus erythematosus: candidate lupus viruses.

Although the etiology of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) remains unclear, there is substantial circumstantial evidence that the development of SLE is dependent on environmental, genetic, and retroviral factors. SLE patients produce high titer antibodies to various retroviral proteins, including Gag, Env, and Nef of HIV and HTLV, in the absence of overt retroviral infection. We review the factors linking HERVs to SLE and consider the various processes utilized by endogenous retroviruses in the etiopathogenesis of SLE. In particular, we consider the role of HTLV-1-related endogenous sequence (HRES-1) in SLE. We propose that molecular mimicry between HRES-1 and the small ribonucleoprotein complex initiates the production of autoantibodies, leading to immune complex formation, complement fixation, and pathological tissue deposition.
Molecular evolution of the antiretroviral TRIM5 gene.

In 2004, the first report of TRIM5α as a cellular antiretroviral factor triggered intense interest among virologists, particularly because some primate orthologs of TRIM5α have activity against HIV. Since that time, a complex and eventful evolutionary history of the TRIM5 locus has emerged. A review of the TRIM5 literature constitutes a veritable compendium of evolutionary phenomena, including elevated rates of nonsynonymous substitution, divergence in subdomains due to short insertions and deletions, expansions and contractions in gene copy number, pseudogenization, balanced polymorphism, trans-species polymorphism, convergent evolution, and the acquisition of new domains by exon capture. Unlike most genes, whose history is dominated by long periods of purifying selection interspersed with rare instances of genetic innovation, analysis of restriction factor loci is likely to be complicated by the unpredictable and more-or-less constant influence of positive selection. In this regard, the molecular evolution and population genetics of restriction factor loci most closely resemble patterns that have been documented for immunity genes, such as class I and II MHC genes, whose products interact directly with microbial targets. While the antiretroviral activity encoded by TRIM5 provides plausible mechanistic hypotheses for these unusual evolutionary observations, evolutionary analyses have reciprocated by providing significant insights into the structure and function of the TRIM5α protein. Many of the lessons learned from TRIM5 should be applicable to the study of other restriction factor loci, and molecular evolutionary analysis could facilitate the discovery of new antiviral factors, particularly among the many TRIM genes whose functions remain as yet unidentified.
High‐Dielectric‐Constant Silver–Epoxy Composites as Embedded Dielectrics

We report the synthesis of an epoxy-based composite containing randomly distributed silver nanoparticles with a narrow size distribution centered around 40nm. The surface of the Ag nanoparticles is coated with a thin layer of mercaptosuccinic acid (MSA) in order to promote formation of the Ag-epoxy while retaining flexibility of the polymer matrix. This composite is the basis of a prototype capacitor formed by spin coating the synthesized Ag-epoxy (40nm Ag) mixture onto a gold-deposited aluminum substrate. A series of Ag-epoxy composites with various Ag volume fractions was investigated in order to determine the composition associated with optimum capacitor performance. The high dielectric constant (> 300) and relatively low dielectric loss (<0.05) render this material of promising potential for embedded capacitor applications.
The Strategy of Solving Smaller, Similar Problems in the Context of Combinatorial Enumeration.

Combinatorial enumeration has a variety of important applications, but there is much evidence indicating that students struggle with solving counting problems. The roots of such difficulty, as well as ways to mitigate such difficulty, have not yet been thoroughly studied. In this paper, one particular aspect of students’ counting activity is explored – the use of the problem-solving heuristic of solving smaller, similar problems. Drawing upon student data from clinical interviews in which post-secondary students solved counting problems, four ways in which students successfully utilized this strategy are described. Additionally, three potential pitfalls of the strategy are identified and discussed. Finally, the case is made that the strategy is particularly useful within the area of combinatorics.
The Market for Capital and the Origins of State Regulation of Electric Utilities in the United States

We provide evidence that the problem of raising capital in the early days of the U.S. electric-utility industry motivated industry leaders to embrace state rate-of-return regulation in return for a secure territorial monopoly. Utility executives anticipated that this would lead to a reduction in borrowing costs. Using firm-level bond data for 1910–1919, we estimate a model and find that state regulation led to lower borrowing costs but that the magnitude of the reduction was small. We also find evidence that output of electric utilities in states with regulation was higher than output in states without regulation.
Spiral Design and Beam Dynamics for a Variable Energy Cyclotron

Beam-orbit studies were performed for the conversion of the SREL synchrocyclotron magnet for use as a room temperature, multiparticle, isochronous cyclotron. Based on model magnet measurements of field profiles for 8 to 23 K gauss hill fields, a four sector spiral pole tip design has been realized which allows all isotope species of heavy ion beams to be accelerated to required final energies. The total spiral angle of 38° allows injection of the beams from the MP tandem into the cyclotron through a valley. The two valley RF system of 140 kV peak accelerates beams on harmonic numbers 2, 3, 4, 6 and 10 at 14 to 21 MHz. Computer calculations indicated acceptable vz, Vr and phase space beam characteristics and passing of resonances for typical beams considered: 16O at 8 and 150 MeV/amu, 60Ni at 100 MeV/amu and 238U at 2.5 and 16 MeV/amu. Single turn extraction is achieved with electrostatic deflection.
Why the caged cognitive radio sings

In our earlier papers [1] and [2], we have proposed a jail-based enforcement mechanism for cognitive radios inspired by the human criminal justice system. In the previous papers, we covered a throughput-greedy cognitive user, and in this paper, we extend those results to devices that care about energy, as well as mixed devices that care about both energy and time. We do this by introducing a ‘singing’ sanction that forces devices to burn energy while they sit in jail. Through this exploration, we see a number of effects coming out: a homeband (which may be an unlicensed band) is required to present an alternative band to legally transmit in when it is difficult to operate legally in the cognitive band. Also, when the primary is very rarely active, it is practically impossible to deter cheating, so alternate policy decisions must be made for these cases. Finally, it is possible to create a singing plus jail sanction that is sufficient to deter bad behavior for all types of devices in all types of situations. But in order to enforce against everyone, while keeping overhead low, the rate of wrongful convictions must be kept small.
Estrogen suppresses IL-1β-mediated induction of COX-2 pathway in rat cerebral blood vessels

Interleukin (IL)-1β is a potent inducer of inflammatory prostaglandins, which are important mediators of vascular response to cerebral injury, whereas estrogen reduces brain injury in models of isc...
Susceptibility of coho salmon, Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum), to different toxins of Clostridium botulinum

Coho salmon Oncorhynchus kisutch (Walbaum), held at 15°C were tested for their susceptibility to toxins of proteolytic and nonproteolytic Clostridium botulinum types A, B, C1, C2, D, E, F, and G administered by the oral and intraperitoneal (i.p.) routes. By the oral route, the fish were most susceptibile to type E neurotoxin, which was lethal at a dose equivalent to 90 mouse intraperitoneal minimum lethal doses (MLDs). The oral lethal dose increased to 2000 MLD for nonproteolytic and proteolytic type F neurotoxins, but the toxin types A, B, and C1 were not lethal to fish at 2000 MLD and type D was not lethal at 20 000 MLD (highest titre tested). The fish were not susceptible to 200 MLD (the highest titres tested) of type G neurotoxin or C2 cytotoxin. By the i.p. route, all of the toxins except type G were lethal to coho salmon. Type E neurotoxin was the most toxic at a level of one-half the mouse MLD. Coho salmon held at temperatures ranging from 1 to 20°C were sensitive to type E neurotoxin by both the oral and i.p. routes. As the temperature decreased the fish became more resistant to type E neurotoxin by the oral route, but the i.p. dose remained one-half the mouse MLD at all temperatures.
Piano virtuosos and the four‐minute mile

Roger Bannister ran a four-minute mile and the world was astonished. Now most national-class milers can do it. Concert pianists today are breathtakingly good. Their technique far surpasses the virtuosos of the past. What is the connection? Why are hard things becoming so much more commonly achieved?Howard Wainer explains.
Difference in binding of 14C and tritum-labeled testosterone by the sex-binding globulin (SBG)

Abstract It has been noted that the development of a previously reported assay 8 for testosterone binding affinity (TBA) that the substitution of 4- 14 C-Testosterone for 1,2- 3 H-Testosterone resulted in lower binding values. Preliminary data suggest that, although both tracers can be shown to bind the same protein, there exists a marked difference in absolute binding when equal molar concentrations of each tracer are used under identical assay conditions.
Rapid contractions and associated potentials in a sand-dwelling anemone.

1. Two kinds of electrical potentials can be recorded from the surface of the. retractor muscle of the anemone, Calamactis , during rapid contraction. These are large muscle action potentials and smaller pulses which are thought to be nerve spikes The latter resemble nerve impulses of higher organisms in that they are all-or-none and of short duration. 2. A nerve spike follows each of a pair of electrical stimuli, but the muscle potential and contraction occur only after the second shock, indicating that facilitation is required at the neuromuscular junction. 3. The size of the muscle potential and of the contraction are correlated with the interval between paired electrical stimuli. Maximum size is reached when stimuli are zoo msec. apart even though the minimum effective interval is 30 msec. 4. A muscle potential precedes contraction only along the upper part of the retractor muscle and this is the part that contracts rapidly during the withdrawal response. The lower retractor does not contract. 5. Conduction velocity along the upper retractor is higher than along the lower. The histological correlate of rapid conduction is a nerve net with large, long, longitudinally oriented fibres. 6. The refractory period of the conducting system of the upper retractor is shorter than that of the lower retractor. Consequently, spread of excitation toward the aboral end is limited if paired stimuli are further apart than 250-300 msec. 7. A mechanical stimulus which is just strong enough to elicit a withdrawal response evokes a single muscle potential of maximum size, suggesting that two nerve impulses closer together than 200 msec. precede the muscle potential. Stronger mechanical stimuli evoke a burst of muscle potentials.
A 3D Spatio-Temporal Geovisualization of Subcounty Estimates of Historic Housing Density in Metro Atlanta, 1940–2009

This paper is a 3D Geovisualization of subcounty estimates of historic housing density in the 20-county metro Atlanta Region for 1940–2009 using the Hammer Method. Representing information spatially and temporally, by themselves, are well developed techniques for demographers to use. Representing information spatio-temporally, together, however, is underdeveloped in the demographic literature. This paper includes a number of contemporary geovisualization techniques that can be employed to better visually represent demographic data in a more intuitive manner. Policymakers and other consumers of demographic data could greatly benefit from improved representations of the spatio-temporal data that demographers produce.
Oversight, Maintenance and Repeal of Tax Breaks: The Case of the Investment Tax Credit

Why do some tax breaks survive periods of tax reform or budget-balancing while others are cut back or eliminated? This paper presents the first in a series of qualitative case studies focusing on specific tax preferences that did or did not survive such legislative episodes. Examining the investment tax credit for capital equipment (repealed in the Tax Reform Act of 1986), I argue that tax breaks are eliminated when their policy justification is weak within the context of the specific legislative effort in question. The ITC’s large revenue loss, its uneven distribution, the presence of other tax subsidies for the affected sector, and the negative symbolism of such practices as tax shelters and the leasing of tax credits between companies all made the provision incompatible with a revenue neutral reform effort based on the goals of equity and efficiency. This study demonstrates that broad systematic factors like the distribution of the governing coalition, interest group pressure, economic trends and public opinion do matter to policy durability, but in ways that are conditional on the nature of the policy itself.
Form factors in β decay and μ capture

We suppose that β decay and μ capture are described by a universal vector and axial vector Lagrangian and we consider, via dispersion relation techniques, the properties of the corresponding S-matrix elements. Owing to the strong interactions of the nucleons, the structure of the S matrix is expected to be more complicated than that of the Lagrangian. In the former, vector and axial vector terms appear, but with coefficients which in general depend on the invariant nucleon momentum transfer; they can be thought of as Fermi interaction form factors. Moreover, two additional kinds of terms can appear in the S-matrix elements: one which simulates a direct pseudoscalar coupling and one which simulates a direct coupling involving derivatives of the nucleon wave functions. The latter is probably too small to have any experimental significance. The former, though negligible in β decay, may be appreciable in μ capture. We estimate the effective pseudoscalar coupling coefficient there to be about eight times as large as the axial vector coefficient. More generally, we investigate the structure of the various form factors; and we also reconsider, in further refinement, a recent quantitative discussion which we have given of π→μ+ν decay.
Iron Deficiency Anemia and Depleted Body Iron Reserves Are Prevalent among Pregnant African-American Adolescents

Anemia is prevalent among pregnant adolescents, but few data exist on biochemical indicators of iron status in this group. We hypothesized that among an at-risk population of African-American, pregnant adolescents, the degree of iron depletion and deficiency would be marked, and that iron deficiency anemia would comprise the majority of the observed anemia. To examine this, blood samples were collected from 80 girls ( 300 during the 2nd trimester were 12.5 times (95% CI 2.83, 55.25) more likely to be classified with iron deficiency anemia during the 3rd trimester (P = 0.0002) than those with lower ratios. Estimates of body iron were lower in those tested after wk 26 of gestation (P < 0.0001), and reserves were depleted in 5.0% vs. 31.3% of the 2nd (n = 40) and 3rd (n = 48) trimester cohorts, respectively. In conclusion, iron-deficiency anemia was prevalent among these pregnant minority adolescents. Targeted screening and interventions to improve diet and compliance with prenatal iron supplementation are warranted for this at-risk group.
Performance assessment of the PNM Prosperity electricity storage project

The purpose of this study is to characterize the technical performance of the PNM Prosperity electricity storage project, and to identify lessons learned that can be used to improve similar projects in the future. The PNM Prosperity electricity storage project consists of a 500 kW/350 kWh advanced lead-acid battery with integrated supercapacitor (for energy smoothing) and a 250 kW/1 MWh advanced lead-acid battery (for energy shifting), and is co-located with a 500 kW solar photovoltaic (PV) resource. The project received American Reinvestment and Recovery Act (ARRA) funding. The smoothing system is e ective in smoothing intermittent PV output. The shifting system exhibits good round-trip efficiencies, though the AC-to-AC annual average efficiency is lower than one might hope. Given the current utilization of the smoothing system, there is an opportunity to incorporate additional control algorithms in order to increase the value of the energy storage system.
Productive Efficiency during Transition: Evidence from Bulgaria

New and unusually rich panel data for Bulgarian companies during late communism and early transition were used to investigate the determinants of productive efficiency. Compared to conventional production functions, stochastic frontier models were found to be the preferred specifications. Typically, enterprise performance was found to be unaffected by several factors, including the extent of exports, joint venture status, labor management relations and unionization. However, business efficiency was enhanced by incentive compensation arrangements. Compared to fading communism, the determinants of productive efficiency were found not to have changed much during early transition. Average firm efficiency was also investigated and found to be quite low between 0.603 and 0.720. This dispersion has grown during early transition.
Abstract B134: Tubal ligation and ovarian cancer: A meta‐analysis

Background: While several studies have reported varying associations between tubal ligation and ovarian cancer, no recent meta‐analysis has been conducted. In addition, past meta‐analyses have not examined whether study factors, such as study design, or individual factors, such as age at procedure, modify the relationship between ovarian cancer and tubal ligation. Methods: We sought to identify all English‐language articles in the PubMed database with quantitative data on the effect of tubal ligation and ovarian cancer using the keywords “ovarian cancer” and “tubal ligation” or “tubal sterilization”. We identified 21 articles which provided estimates of the risk of ovarian cancer in relation to tubal ligation and six articles which reported stratum‐specific estimates of ovarian cancer risk by age at and years since tubal ligation. The summary relative risk (RR) estimate and the 95% confidence interval (CI) for the summary estimate were calculated using a random‐effects model. Tests for homogeneity were used to evaluate the consistency of findings among studies, and Begg9s and Egger9s tests were used to assess publication bias. Results: The RRs for ovarian cancer comparing women who had a tubal ligation to those who did not ranged from 0.20 to 2.40 across the studies. The summary RR was 0.68 (95% CI: 0.62–0.75), demonstrating a statistically significant protective effect of tubal ligation on ovarian cancer. We found no evidence of heterogeneity by study design (e.g., cohort versus case‐control) or residence of participants (United States vs. non‐United States) as well as no evidence of publication bias. In secondary analyses based on four studies, we did not detect a difference in the risk of ovarian cancer between women who had a tubal ligation less than 20 years ago versus 20 or more years ago (p for heterogeneity = 0.65). Similarly, we did not detect effect modification by age ( 35 years of age) at tubal ligation (p for heterogeneity = 0.92). Though data were insufficient to calculate summary RRs by histologic subtype, a qualitative examination of study results demonstrated a stronger protective effect of tubal ligation for endometroid tumors. Conclusions: Observational epidemiologic evidence strongly suggests that there is a decreased risk of ovarian cancer among women who have had a tubal ligation. We found a 30 percent reduction in ovarian cancer among women who had ever had a tubal ligation compared to women who have never had a tubal ligation. This estimate did not vary by study design or residence of participants. In addition, we did not detect any effect modification by age at tubal ligation or years since tubal ligation. While there is some evidence that the effect of tubal ligation varies by histologic subtype, further research is needed in this area. Citation Information: Cancer Prev Res 2010;3(1 Suppl):B134.
Sodium Sulfide Attenuates Ischemic-Induced Heart Failure by Enhancing Proteasomal Function in an Nrf2-Dependent Manner

Background— Therapeutic strategies aimed at increasing hydrogen sulfide (H2S) levels exert cytoprotective effects in various models of cardiovascular injury. However, the underlying mechanism(s) responsible for this protection remain to be fully elucidated. Nuclear factor E2–related factor 2 (Nrf2) is a cellular target of H2S and facilitator of H2S-mediated cardioprotection after acute myocardial infarction. Here, we tested the hypothesis that Nrf2 mediates the cardioprotective effects of H2S therapy in the setting of heart failure. Methods and Results— Mice (12 weeks of age) deficient in Nrf2 (Nrf2 KO; C57BL/6J background) and wild-type littermates were subjected to ischemic-induced heart failure. Wild-type mice treated with H2S in the form of sodium sulfide (Na2S) displayed enhanced Nrf2 signaling, improved left ventricular function, and less cardiac hypertrophy after the induction of heart failure. In contrast, Na2S therapy failed to provide protection against heart failure in Nrf2 KO mice. Studies aimed at evaluating the underlying cardioprotective mechanisms found that Na2S increased the expression of proteasome subunits, resulting in an increased proteasome activity and a reduction in the accumulation of damaged proteins. In contrast, Na2S therapy failed to enhance the proteasome and failed to attenuate the accumulation of damaged proteins in Nrf2 KO mice. Additionally, Na2S failed to improve cardiac function when the proteasome was inhibited. Conclusions— These findings indicate that Na2S therapy enhances proteasomal activity and function during the development of heart failure in an Nrf2-dependent manner and that this enhancement leads to attenuation in cardiac dysfunction.
Polyurethane foam based biofilter media for toluene removal

Polyurethane foam medium was manufactured and analyzed to determine its suitability as a solid support medium for use in gas-phase biofilters. Physical and chemical studies were conducted to determine the medium's characteristics. The medium's ability to support an active biofilm capable of degrading volatile organic compounds was assessed using a laboratory scale biofilter fed a model waste stream containing toluene for more than 250 days with empty bed residence times (EBRTs) ranging from two to four minutes. Results are presented that show how a polyurethane foam medium with high porosity, suitable pore size, low density, and an ability to sorb water was able to remove over 99% of the influent toluene when fed at a concentration of 200 ppmv. An operating strategy is described which effectively prevented two problems common to conventionally operated biofilter systems: nutrient limitations and biosolid accumulation.
Religious Beliefs, Gender Consciousness, and Women’s Political Participation

Organized religion affords the faithful a variety of civic skills that encourage political participation. Women are more religious than are men by most measures, but religious women do not participate in politics at elevated rates. This discrepancy suggests a puzzle: religion may have a different effect on the political mobilization of men and women. In the present paper, we explore the effect of biblical literalism—a widespread belief that the Bible is the actual word of God, to be taken literally—on political participation. Using the 2012 American National Election Study, we find support for our two hypotheses: (a) biblical literalism is associated with lower levels of gender consciousness, as measured by perceptions of discrimination and strength of ties to women as a group, and (b) reductions in these two factors account for lower political participation among women. Our findings provide new insights into the ways religious and gender identities intersect to influence political mobilization among women, with interesting implications for an American political climate where gender and religion both represent fundamental identities that shape political behavior.
Food Safety on the Farm: Good Agricultural Practices and Good Handling Practices – Manure and Municipal Biosolids

Good Agricultural Practices (GAPs) and Good Handling Practices (GHPs) encompass the general procedures growers, packers, and processors of fresh fruits and vegetables should follow to ensure the safety of their product. GAPs usually deal with pre-harvest practices (i.e., in the field), while GHPs tend to cover post-harvest practices, including packing and shipping. This 5-page entry in the Food Safety on the Farm series focuses on Good Agricultural Practices, including pathogen reduction and handling and application, to control potential hazards when working with manure and biosolids. This major revision was written by Jaysankar De, Christopher R. Pabst, Jessica Lepper, Renee M. Goodrich-Schneider, and Keith R. Schneider and published by the UF/IFAS Food Science and Human Nutrition Department. http://edis.ifas.ufl.edu/fs150
128 Element ultrasound array for transcranial imaging

The medical potential of transcranial ultrasound has been severely limited by strong attenuation and scattering by the skull, which has prevented its use through most regions of the bone. We have been investigating methods to image through these areas by applying various encoding approaches at reduced frequency, thus reducing both absorption and scattering while also permitting the propagation of both lateral and shear modes. Based on a simulation study, a 0.75 MHz center frequency was determined to be sufficiently low for transcranial propagation, while still preserving medically-relevant resolution. A 128 element, PZT 1–3 composite configuration was optimized for bandwidth and steering range at a 10 cm focal distance. Preliminary test results of the completed array are presented here. Array performance is assessed using a standardized calibration phantom. B-Mode and C-mode transcranial images are also acquired in polyvinyl alcohol (PVA) brain phantoms after propagation through preserved ex vivo human calvaria. For comparison, identical images are acquired without the calvaria. Overall, the ability to reconstruct features through the skull has been established, and critical information has been obtained for constructing a second-generation array planned for human subject testing.
The Mitochondrial Lon Protease Is Required for Age-Specific and Sex-Specific Adaptation to Oxidative Stress

Multiple human diseases involving chronic oxidative stress show a significant sex bias, including neurodegenerative diseases, cancer, immune dysfunction, diabetes, and cardiovascular disease. However, a possible molecular mechanism for the sex bias in physiological adaptation to oxidative stress remains unclear. Here, we report that Drosophila melanogaster females but not males adapt to hydrogen peroxide stress, whereas males but not females adapt to paraquat (superoxide) stress. Stress adaptation in each sex requires the conserved mitochondrial Lon protease and is associated with sex-specific expression of Lon protein isoforms and proteolytic activity. Adaptation to oxidative stress is lost with age in both sexes. Transgenic expression of transformer gene during development transforms chromosomal males into pseudo-females and confers the female-specific pattern of Lon isoform expression, Lon proteolytic activity induction, and H2O2 stress adaptation; these effects were also observed using adult-specific transformation. Conversely, knockdown of transformer in chromosomal females eliminates the female-specific Lon isoform expression, Lon proteolytic activity induction, and H2O2 stress adaptation and produces the male-specific paraquat (superoxide) stress adaptation. Sex-specific expression of alternative Lon isoforms was also observed in mouse tissues. The results develop Drosophila melanogaster as a model for sex-specific stress adaptation regulated by the Lon protease, with potential implications for understanding sexual dimorphism in human disease.
Glycoproteins and Glycolipids

: Glycoproteins are found in most organisms. Only 8 monosaccharides are associated with the structure of glycoproteins. The oligosaccharide chains of glycoproteins are chemical markers used to tag proteins destined to be used outside the cell. Oligosaccharide chains are attached to protein through either N- or O-glycosidic bonds. Lectins, mucins, and several polypeptide hormones are glycoproteins. Glycolipids are carbohydrate-containing lipids with a sphingosine backbone. Certain diseases of animals are characterized by abnormal quantities of glycolipids in the central nervous system. Carbohydrate residues of membrane-bound glycolipids and glycoproteins are located on the exterior surface of cells.
Influence of Evaporating Droplets in the Turbulent Marine Atmospheric Boundary Layer

Sea-spray droplets ejected into the marine atmospheric boundary layer take part in a series of complex transport processes. By capturing the air-droplet coupling and feedback, we focus on how droplets modify the total heat transfer across a turbulent boundary layer. We implement a high-resolution Eulerian–Lagrangian algorithm with varied droplet size and mass loading in a turbulent open-channel flow, revealing that the influence from evaporating droplets varies for different dynamic and thermodynamic characteristics of droplets. Droplets that both respond rapidly to the ambient environment and have long suspension times are able to modify the latent and sensible heat fluxes individually, however the competing signs of this modification lead to an overall weak effect on the total heat flux. On the other hand, droplets with a slower thermodynamic response to the environment are less subjected to this compensating effect. This indicates a potential to enhance the total heat flux, but the enhancement is highly dependent on the concentration and suspension time.
Cobalt Complexes Supported by cis-Macrocyclic Diphosphines: Synthesis, Reactivity, and Activity toward Coupling Carbon Dioxide and Ethylene

The coordination chemistry of cis-macrocyclic diphosphines readily accessed from white phosphorus was explored, with a focus on preparing and studying cobalt complexes. cis-1,6-Dicyclohexyl-3,4,8,9-tetramethyl-2,5,7,10-tetrahydro-1,6-DiPhospheCine, or Cy2–DPC (1), was primarily used as a model diphosphine. Cobalt(II) dihalide diphosphine complexes such as (Cy2–DPC)CoX2, X = Cl (2) and I (3), were prepared, and their reactivity toward a variety of reducing agents was studied. We were successful in preparing and structurally characterizing an unusual iodide-bridged cobalt(I) dimer, [(Cy2–DPC)CoI]2 (8). These cobalt complexes were also investigated as potential catalysts for the coupling of carbon dioxide and ethylene to produce acrylate, a valuable polymer precursor. Although not yet catalytic, the first examples of cobalt complexes capable of mediating this transformation are reported. Notably, the well-known commercial complex ClCo(PPh3)3 was also found to be active in mediating acrylate production. As pa...
Java WIDE - Java Wiki Integrated Development environment: nifty tools and assignments

Over the past decade applications have been moving from the desktop into the cloud. After extensive searching, the only integrated development environments has emerged in cloud computing. The Java Wiki Integrated Development Environment (JavaWIDE) is the new online IDEs, and it is designed to be simple enough for novice programmers to use.
mTOR signaling regulates central and peripheral circadian clock function.

The circadian clock coordinates physiology and metabolism. mTOR (mammalian/mechanistic target of rapamycin) is a major intracellular sensor that integrates nutrient and energy status to regulate protein synthesis, metabolism, and cell growth. Previous studies have identified a key role for mTOR in regulating photic entrainment and synchrony of the central circadian clock in the suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN). Given that mTOR activities exhibit robust circadian oscillations in a variety of tissues and cells including the SCN, here we continued to investigate the role of mTOR in orchestrating autonomous clock functions in central and peripheral circadian oscillators. Using a combination of genetic and pharmacological approaches we show that mTOR regulates intrinsic clock properties including period and amplitude. In peripheral clock models of hepatocytes and adipocytes, mTOR inhibition lengthens period and dampens amplitude, whereas mTOR activation shortens period and augments amplitude. Constitutive activation of mTOR in Tsc2–/–fibroblasts elevates levels of core clock proteins, including CRY1, BMAL1 and CLOCK. Serum stimulation induces CRY1 upregulation in fibroblasts in an mTOR-dependent but Bmal1- and Period-independent manner. Consistent with results from cellular clock models, mTOR perturbation also regulates period and amplitude in the ex vivo SCN and liver clocks. Further, mTOR heterozygous mice show lengthened circadian period of locomotor activity in both constant darkness and constant light. Together, these results support a significant role for mTOR in circadian timekeeping and in linking metabolic states to circadian clock functions.
Chemical composition of effluent from high density culture of channel catfish

Production rates of metabolic wastes by channel catfish (Ictalurus punctutas) were estimated by analyzing effluents from high density culture of 940 g and 60 g catfish. Results were integrated over a 24 h steady-state period in which normal feeding activities were maintained and were expressed as g day−1kg−1 fish and g day−1 kg−1 feed consumed. When expressed on a unit fish weight basis, production rates were greater for 60 g than for 940 g catfish. However, when expressed on a feed consumption basis, production rates of most catabolic products were approximately equal for both size fish. Average values (g day−1 kg−1 feed) were as follows: total N, 67; ammonia N, 20; nitrate-nitrite N, 20; 5-day BOD, 98; total solids, 180; total P, 15; total K, 18. Filtered solids from effluent contained 5% nitrogen, 1.6% phosphorus and .13%. potassium. Diurnal variation in production rates were noted with solid production reaching a maximum after each feeding and BOD, NH3 and nitrate reaching a maximum only in the afternoon.
Sexually Transmitted Diseases Including Human Immunodeficiency Virus Infection

The risk of acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (STD) is one of the most significant and immediate risks to the health and well-being of adolescents. From an economic and social standpoint, these infections continue to exact a significant toll on adolescents and ultimately on society. This toll can be measured in terms of projected costs of certain infections, such as chlamydia infections (Washington, 1987), and in terms of health outcomes, such as the number of ectopic pregnancies (Chow, Darling, & Greenbert, 1987) and the rate of infertility (Westrom, 1980). The real concern, however, is that in an era when a sexually transmitted infection—human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection—can result in a fatal illness—acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS)—we have begun to measure the impact in terms of deaths of adolescents and young adults from AIDS. For this reason, the potential impact of STDs is all the more significant and prevention of these infections an even higher priority.