cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Introduction: The Role of Evidence-Based Interventions in Forensic Settings

This chapter will review the history of evidence-based practice within corrections. We will then address the evidence-based practice movement within the general psychotherapy treatment field and how there remains a disjoint between what we know works, and what is being practiced within corrections. The chapter will conclude with a discussion of how this divide is being bridged by the contributors to this edited book, and how they are applying and adapting cutting-edge evidence-based treatments for use in forensic settings.
Using short message (SMS) and multimedia messaging (MMS) to encourage positive parent–child engagement around literacy and language development:

Research on language development suggests that children from low-income families hear nearly 30 million words less than their higher income counterparts (Hart & Risley, 1999). This paper explores p...
Resilience and emotional and behavioral problems of adolescents in China: Effects of a short-term and intensive mindfulness and life skills training

Abstract Many adolescents face emotional and behavioral problems that can negatively impact their future outcomes. Fortunately, resilience is a characteristic that can help to mitigate the negative consequences of emotional and behavioral problems. This study aims to examine the effects of an intensive, short-term training that combines aspects of both mindfulness training and Life Skills Training on the resilience and emotional and behavioral problems of adolescents in China. Our results show that changes in mindfulness are significantly associated with changes in adolescents' resilience and emotional and behavioral problems, while changes in life skills are not. Implications and directions for future research are discussed.
A physical model of the high-frequency seismic signal generated by debris flows

We propose a physical model for the high‐frequency (> 1 Hz) spectral distribution of seismic power generated by debris flows. The modeled debris flow is assumed to have four regions where the impact rate and impulses are controlled by different mechanisms: the flow body, a coarser‐grained snout, a snout lip where particles fall from the snout on the bed, and a dilute front composed of saltating particles. We calculate the seismic power produced by this impact model in two end‐member scenarios, a thin‐flow and thick‐flow limit, which assume that the ratio of grain sizes to flow thicknesses are either near unity or much less than unity. The thin‐flow limit is more appropriate for boulder‐rich flows that are most likely to generate large seismic signals. As a flow passes a seismic station, the rise phase of the seismic amplitude is generated primarily by the snout while the decay phase is generated first by the snout and then the main flow body. The lip and saltating front generate a negligible seismic signal. When ground properties are known, seismic power depends most strongly on both particle diameter and average flow speed cubed, and also depends on length and width of the flow. The effective particle diameter for producing seismic power is substantially higher than the median grain size and close to the 73rd percentile for a realistic grain size distribution. We discuss how the model can be used to estimate effective particle diameter and average flow speed from an integrated measure of seismic power.
COMPARISON OF RIGHT VENTRICULAR STRAIN ANALYSIS TO ROUTINE ECHOCARDIOGRAHIC MEASURES FOR PROGNOSIS IN PATIENTS WITH CARDIAC AMYLOIDOSIS

Right ventricular (RV) dysfunction is a predictor of heart failure patient outcomes. The prognostic utility of RV dysfunction by routine echo measures and strain imaging in cardiac amyloidosis is unclear. We studied 120 patients with cardiac amyloidosis identified by cardiac biopsy, autopsy, Tc-99m
Design and Implementation of Dual-input Microinverter for PV-Battery Applications

A single-stage photovoltaic (PV) microinverter with integrated battery is proposed in this paper. The integration of the battery with the flyback inverter has been done with the minimum number of components which enables to accomplish high power density. Five power flow scenarios have been achieved among the three ports. The battery is used to store the surplus energy generated from the PV panel and as a backup power source in case the PV power is out of the permissible tolerance range or if it is not available. In this paper, the modes of operation and theoretical analysis are presented. Also, the performance of the proposed dual-input inverter is verified through simulation and experimental results.
Brown’s Lost Promise: New York City Specialized High Schools as a Case Study in the Illusory Support for ClassBased Affirmative Action

Race-conscious affirmative action faces its stiffest constitutional threat to date. Justice Powell’s “diversity” rationale, articulated in a solo concurrence in Regents of California v. Bakke, has provided the constitutional peg by which race-conscious affirmative action programs have withstood strict scrutiny for over 40 years. But, to opponents of race-based affirmative action,3 policies that ameliorate historic discrimination are nothing more than a “naked racial-spoils system.” These opponents maintain their support, however, for class-based affirmative action—those programs that provide “help for the poor and disadvantaged.” As Chief Justice Roberts once wrote, “[t]he way to stop discrimination on the basis of race is to stop discriminating on the basis of race.”6 Given the Court’s increasingly conservative composition during the Trump administration, it appears that the Court may soon come to disfavor the diversity rationale. The Court may soon review a First Circuit decision relying on the diversity rationale to uphold the constitutionality of Harvard’s affirmative action program, and it seems likely that the Court’s newest members will side against the university—and race-conscious affirmative action—in that case. Using the case study of Christa McAuliffe Intermediate School PTO, Inc. v. de Blasio, a lawsuit challenging New York City’s class-based policies to diversify its elite Specialized High Schools, this Essay explains that purported support for class-based affirmative action serves as a rhetorical smokescreen for eliminating Brown v. Board of Education’s promise of a racially integrated society. This Essay contends that it is not the ameliorative programs’ race- or class-based means that elicits conservative disapproval, but rather the communities that ultimately stand to benefit from the programs.
Renal Decline Following Lung Transplant

Purpose Renal decline is common after organ transplant and is often attributed to nephrotoxic immunosuppression drugs. We aim to assess for additional risk factors of renal decline and the impact on survival following lung transplant. Methods This was a retrospective review from 2012-2018. Patients under age 18 and with missing creatinine data were excluded. The glomerular filtration rate (GFR) was estimated using the Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration (CKD-EPI) equation. Postoperative acute kidney injury (AKI) and chronic kidney disease (CKD) were calculated by the Kidney Disease Improving Global Outcomes (KDIGO) criteria and CKD Staging System, respectively. The primary outcome was renal decline at one year. Renal decline was defined as the development of CKD or progression in stages for those with underlying CKD. Results A total of 471 patients met inclusion criteria, with an overall 30-day mortality rate of 2.1% (n=10). There were 224 (47.6%) patients that experienced an AKI in the immediate post-operative period: 145 KDIGO Stage 1 (30.8%), 52 KDIGO Stage 2 (11.0%), and 27 KDIGO Stage 3 (5.7%). The overall rate of renal decline within one year was 47% (n=222). In total, 23 (4.9%) patients required hemodialysis at one year. Predictors of renal decline were age (HR 1.06; 95% CI 1.04-1.08), male sex (HR .42; 95% CI .28-.65), eGFR (HR .98; 95% CI .98-.99), and AKI (1.71; 95% CI 1.12-2.59). Renal decline was not associated with long-term mortality on Cox regression. There was no difference in long-term mortality between patients who did and did not experience renal decline (Figure 1A). When stratified by CKD stages at one year post operatively, only CKD stage 5 was associated with long-term mortality (Figure 1B). Conclusion Renal decline is common after lung transplantation but is not associated with long-term mortality except in its most severe form.
Small Farms, Large Transaction Costs: Haiti’s Missing Sugar

In the eighteenth century, Haiti was the world’s leading sugar producer, but when cane surged in the Caribbean in the early twentieth century, Haiti produced none. Instead, the land sat idle while workers emigrated to work on sugar plantations. I examine the hypothesis that historical property rights institutions created high transaction costs for converting land to cane production. I collect new data on land-use from 1928–1950 and a proxy for transaction costs. The evidence suggests transaction costs impeded the land market from responding to the sugar boom.
Upward trend in the frequency of community-acquired methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus as a cause of pediatric skin and soft tissue infections over five years: a cross-sectional study.

BACKGROUND The increasing prevalence of methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) and its resistance to multiple antibiotics has become a serious challenge since the early 2000s. Especially, community-acquired MRSA (CA-MRSA) infections that appear mainly as skin and soft tissue infections (SSTIs) tend to increase worldwide. The objective of this cross-sectional study was to evaluate the trends in the frequency of SSTIs due to community-acquired S. aureus among children. METHODS All children with SSTIs caused by culture positive community-acquired S. aureus during the period from 2013 to 2018 were included in this study. Data of the outpatients were collected from medical records. Annual alteration in frequencies of CA-MRSA and community-acquired methicillin-sensitive S. aureus (CAMSSA) were evaluated. RESULTS A total of 112 cases was evaluated. Of these, 35 (31.25%) were CA-MRSA. The rates of CA-MRSA had emerged from an increasing annual frequency of 9.5 cases per 10,000 SSTIs as of 2014 to 96.8 cases per 10,000 SSTIs in 2018. The ratio of cases with CA-MRSA to cases with CA-MSSA was 0 - 0.09 in two years of the study period and increased to a maximum ratio of 0.6 - 0.72 in the last two years. Consequently, the frequency of S. aureus in cases with SSTIs was significantly higher in 2016 - 2018 compared to the initial study period within the years of 2013-2015 [p < 0.001, relative risk increase: 7 (2.6-28.7) for CA-MRSA and p=0.002, relative risk increase: 2.1 (1.2-3.5)]. Cases with CA-MRSA increased approximately eight-fold during the six-year-study period. CONCLUSIONS The rates of CA-MRSA in SSTIs among children increased significantly compared to CA-MSSA. The clinical impact of this increase should be evaluated, especially in patients with SSTI who are unresponsive to empirical treatment.
Activation of the ATF6 (Activating Transcription Factor 6) Signaling Pathway in Neurons Improves Outcome After Cardiac Arrest in Mice

Background Ischemia/reperfusion injury impairs proteostasis, and triggers adaptive cellular responses, such as the unfolded protein response (UPR), which functions to restore endoplasmic reticulum homeostasis. After cardiac arrest (CA) and resuscitation, the UPR is activated in various organs including the brain. However, the role of the UPR in CA has remained largely unknown. Here we aimed to investigate effects of activation of the ATF6 (activating transcription factor 6) UPR branch in CA. Methods and Results Conditional and inducible sATF6-KI (short-form ATF6 knock-in) mice and a selective ATF6 pathway activator 147 were used. CA was induced in mice by KCl injection, followed by cardiopulmonary resuscitation. We first found that neurologic function was significantly improved, and neuronal damage was mitigated after the ATF6 pathway was activated in neurons of sATF6-KI mice subjected to CA/cardiopulmonary resuscitation. Further RNA sequencing analysis indicated that such beneficial effects were likely attributable to increased expression of pro-proteostatic genes regulated by ATF6. Especially, key components of the endoplasmic reticulum-associated degradation process, which clears potentially toxic unfolded/misfolded proteins in the endoplasmic reticulum, were upregulated in the sATF6-KI brain. Accordingly, the CA-induced increase in K48-linked polyubiquitin in the brain was higher in sATF6-KI mice relative to control mice. Finally, CA outcome, including the survival rate, was significantly improved in mice treated with compound 147. Conclusions This is the first experimental study to determine the role of the ATF6 UPR branch in CA outcome. Our data indicate that the ATF6 UPR branch is a prosurvival pathway and may be considered as a therapeutic target for CA.
Enhanced biophotoelectricity generation in cyanobacterial biophotovoltaics with intracellularly biosynthesized gold nanoparticles

Abstract The demand for disposable power sources has propelled the development of cyanobacterial biophotovoltaics to effectively and self-sustainably generate biophotoelectricity. However, garnering electricity from cyanobacteria remains challenging because of the low efficiency of cyanobacterial electron harvesting and extracellular electron transfer. In this work, we propose biocompatible and highly stable gold nanoparticles intracellularly biosynthesized within the cyanobacteria as an effective light-absorber to increase photo-excited electrons and as an electrical conduit to improve the electron transfer through the cell membrane. The nanoparticles were synthesized internally and directly on the surface of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803, through bioelectrochemical reduction of the metal ions. The cyanobacterial biophotovoltaics with the intracellular gold nanoparticles enhanced the maximum power density by as much as 33.6 times compared with the device without the nanoparticles. Even after the long cultivation (~120 h), only a few dead cells (
Self-Reporting Redoxmers: State of Health Metrics for Redox Flow Batteries

Redox-active organic molecules (redoxmers) are popular for nonaqueous redox flow batteries (NRFBs). However, many parameters need to be achieved for their success. These include high solubility, high conductivity, little to no crossover, wide voltage windows, and high stability in all states of charge. Metrics are needed to track these properties and the overall state of health (SOH) of the battery. Here, we describe the concept of self-reporting redoxmers, where an intrinsic property of the molecule can be used to trace a SOH property. In this case, 2,1,3-benzothiadiazole, an anolyte redoxmer, was functionalized with a pi-extending acetamide groups, which initiated fluorescence, a highly sensitive property. In turn, the fluorescence of the molecules was used to detect species crossover in a simplified H-cell in different electrolyte conditions. Using these methods, we were able to correlate permeability with electrolyte environment. Further, changes in fluorescence emission with different electrolyte salts were direct indicators of solvation environment. Importantly, the synthetic design of the molecule substantially affected electrochemical performance, with a simple methylation of the pi-extending acetamide group giving high stability. The fluorescence also served as a handle to probe and report on solvation environment. In acetonitrile, electrolyte salts containing small lithium cations quenched the redoxmer fluorescence due to a strong chelation effects that were not observed for larger cations like tetraalkylammonium cations. However, this chelation ability was removed when solvents like N,N-dimethylformamide that also have strong chelation effects were used as supported by computational binding calculations. These chelation effects may also correspond with changes in half-wave potential in cyclic voltammetry experiments. Finally, we extend these studies to larger, more complex molecular architectures, which we hypothesize will lead to improved battery performance. Our studies represent the fundamental design of new organic redoxmers with an applied basis to electrolyte fluids while providing molecular-level understanding and SOH diagnosis, which together will provide successful implementation in a flow battery environment.The research was financially supported by the Joint Center for Energy Storage Research (JCESR), an Energy Innovation Hub funded by the U.S. Department of Energy, Office of Science, Basic Energy Sciences. The submitted manuscript has been created by UChicago Argonne, LLC, Operator of Argonne National Laboratory ("Argonne"). Argonne, a U.S. Department of Energy Office of Science laboratory, is operated under Contract No. DE-AC02-06CH11357. The U.S. Government retains for itself, and others acting on its behalf, a paid-up nonexclusive, irrevocable worldwide license in said article to reproduce, prepare derivative works, distribute copies to the public, and perform publicly and display publicly, by or on behalf of the Government.
Historical fire regimes of North American hemiboreal peatlands

Abstract Peatlands contain one-third to one-half of global soil carbon, and disturbances, specifically fire, directly influence these carbon stocks. Despite this, historical variability of peatland fire regimes is largely unknown. This gap in knowledge partly stems from reconstructions of peatland fire regimes with methods limited to evaluating infrequent, severe fire events and not capturing frequent, low-severity events. Furthermore, variability in fire regimes is likely higher in heterogenous landscapes like the hemiboreal subzone, the transition between boreal and temperate biomes, where peatlands are embedded in landscapes including forests with high proportions of fire-dependent species, such as red pine (Pinus resinosa), that are well adapted to frequent low-severity fires. Here, we sought to evaluate the role of low- and moderate-severity fires within hemiboreal peatlands in central North America to better understand historical variability in fire regimes. We reconstructed historical fire regimes using fine-scale (temporal and spatial) dendrochronology methods to estimate frequency of low- and moderate-severity fires, identify synchronous fire events among forested uplands within and surrounding individual peatlands as well as among sites, and assess fire-climate relationships. We collected 220 cross-sections or partial-tree sections within three poor fen peatlands across the Great Lakes Region. Using standard dendrochronological techniques, we crossdated 129 samples, assigning dates to 414 fire scars (128 unique fire years) comprising a 500-year tree-ring record (1520–2019). Prior to the mid-1900s, fire events were frequent and widespread within peatlands we evaluated, with mean fire return intervals (MFRI) ranging from 7 to 31 years. Fire events were also synchronous among forested uplands within and surrounding peatlands. Fires predominantly occurred in the dormant and latewood (growing season) positions and during regionally dry conditions corresponding to mild and moderate drought (Palmer Drought Severity Index ≥ −2.99) but interestingly not during regionally severe drought (Palmer Drought Severity Index ≤ −3.00). While large-scale, high-severity fires are important to the ecology of peatlands and to changing climate-fire interactions, our results suggest that widespread low- to moderate-severity fires were historically frequent in hemiboreal peatlands and likely central to their development and maintenance. Evaluating whether peatlands will continue to be carbon sinks or become carbon sources due to climate change requires an understanding of the inherent variability in fire regimes, especially in hemiboreal systems.
The Pools of Siloam: Biblical and Post-Biblical Traces

Scholars celebrated the 2004 discovery of a large first-century pool at the southern end of Jerusalem’s City of David. That pool and the related complex of underground conduits are archaeological echoes of biblical texts from both First and Second Temple periods. Potential identifications of and connections among these vital water sources are already evident in language employed in biblical and post-biblical texts, are reflected in centuries of travellers’ reports, and appear in nineteenth- and twentieth-century maps. Data from each of these categories contribute to our comprehensive understanding of the water systems that served Jerusalem through the millennia.
The Role of Acoustics in the Conservation of the Ivory-Billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis)

The Ivory-billed Woodpecker (Campephilus principalis) is an iconic species that has survived in barely detectable numbers for the past 100 years, during which it has been feared extinct only to be ...
Service Quality in the Public Sector: A Comparative Analysis of Public- and Private-Sector Contact Personnel

"There is probably no concept more overused in the political and administrative vocabulary than the word ‘crisis."’ (Ventriss 1991, p. 275). Among the many crises currently facing the public sector is the growing public dissatisfaction with the quality of services provided by public employees (Walsh 1991).
Outer retinal changes following acute optic neuritis

Background: Retinal nerve fiber and ganglion cell+inner plexiform (GCIP) layer thinning following multiple sclerosis-related acute optic neuritis (AON) is well described. However, whether AON results in changes in the inner nuclear (INL), outer plexiform (OPL), outer nuclear (ONL) and/or photoreceptor segment (PS) layers remains undetermined. Objectives: The objective of this paper is to determine if INL+OPL and/or ONL+PS changes occur following AON. Methods: Thirty-three AON patients underwent serial optical coherence tomography (OCT) and visual function testing (mean follow-up: 25 months). Longitudinal changes in retinal layer thickness were analyzed using mixed-effects linear regression. Results: Four months following AON, the mean decrease in GCIP thickness relative to baseline was 11.4% (p < 0.001). At four months, a concomitant 3.4% increase in average ONL+PS thickness was observed (p < 0.001). The percentage decrease in GCIP thickness and increase in ONL+PS thickness were strongly correlated (r = –0.70; p < 0.001). Between months 4 to 12, ONL+PS thickness declined and, at 12 months, was no longer significantly different from baseline (mean change: 0.5%; p = 0.37). Similar, albeit less robust, changes in the INL+OPL were observed. Conclusions: Following AON, dynamic changes occur in the deep retinal layers, which are proportional to GCIP thinning. These novel findings help further our understanding of the biological and/or anatomical sequelae resulting from AON.
Comparison of Polar and Equatorial Coronal Holes Observed by UVCS/SOHO: Geometry and Physical Properties

We analyzed UVCS/SOHO data and compared the H I Lyα (121.6 nm) and O VI (103.2 nm,103.7 nm) emission in the polar and equatorial coronal holes. We found that the emission lines have similar characteristics in these two types of coronal holes. Both types show evidence for superradially diverging boundaries. The latitudinal distribution of the O VI line ratio may indicate that the equatorial coronal hole has O+5 outflow velocities lower than in the polar coronal holes.
The GC Computer Code for Flow Sheet Simulation of Pyrochemical Processing of Spent Nuclear Fuels

The GC computer code has been developed for flow sheet simulation of pyrochemical processing of spent nuclear fuel. It utilizes a robust algorithm SLG for analyzing simultaneous chemical reactions ...
Quality Standards in eLearning: A Matrix of Analysis.

Most institutions of postsecondary and higher education are creating or adopting quality statements, standards, and criteria regarding their niche of the “eLearning enterprise.” In doing so, they have a tendency to reinvent the wheel. This article summarizes current published quality standards in the US, and analyzes and organizes them into a nine-cell matrix. It concludes with discussion of emerging issues with respect to the nine standards-areas. Key Terms: ELearning, online learning, Web-based learning, quality standards; development, delivery and support of online learning
Long-Term Corrosion Behavior of Alloy 22 in 5 M CaCl2 at 120°C

In conditions where tight crevices exist in hot chloride containing solutions Alloy 22 may suffer crevice corrosion. The occurrence (or not) of crevice corrosion in a given environment (e.g. salt concentration and temperature), is governed by the values of the critical potential (E{sub crit}) for crevice corrosion and the corrosion potential (E{sub corr}). This paper discusses the evolution of E{sub corr} and corrosion rate (CR) of creviced Alloy 22 specimens in 5 M calcium chloride (CaCl{sub 2}) at 120 C. Tested specimens included non-creviced rods and multiple creviced assemblies (MCA) both non-welded (wrought) and welded. Results show that Alloy 22 suffers crevice corrosion under the open circuit conditions in the aerated hot CaCl{sub 2} brine. However, after more than a year immersion the propagation of crevice corrosion was not significant. The general corrosion rate decreased or remained unchanged as the immersion time increased. For rods and MCA specimens, the corrosion rate was lower than 100 nm/year after more than a year immersion time.
An accurate and efficient computational protocol for obtaining the complete basis set limits of the binding energies of water clusters at the MP2 and CCSD(T) levels of theory: Application to (H2O)m, m = 2-6, 8, 11, 16, and 17

We report MP2 and Coupled Cluster Singles, Doubles, and perturbative Triples [CCSD(T)] binding energies with basis sets up to pentuple zeta quality for the (H2O)m=2-6,8 water clusters. Our best CCSD(T)/Complete Basis Set (CBS) estimates are -4.99 ± 0.04 kcal/mol (dimer), -15.8 ± 0.1 kcal/mol (trimer), -27.4 ± 0.1 kcal/mol (tetramer), -35.9 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (pentamer), -46.2 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (prism hexamer), -45.9 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (cage hexamer), -45.4 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (book hexamer), -44.3 ± 0.3 kcal/mol (ring hexamer), -73.0 ± 0.5 kcal/mol (D2d octamer), and -72.9 ± 0.5 kcal/mol (S4 octamer). We have found that the percentage of both the uncorrected (De) and basis set superposition error-corrected (De (CP)) binding energies recovered with respect to the CBS limit falls into a narrow range on either sides of the CBS limit for each basis set for all clusters. In addition, this range decreases upon increasing the basis set. Relatively accurate estimates (within <0.5%) of the CBS limits can be obtained when using the "23, 13" (for the AVDZ set) or the "12, 12" (for the AVTZ, AVQZ, and AV5Z sets) mixing ratio between De and De (CP). These mixing rations are determined via a least-mean-squares approach from a dataset that encompasses clusters of various sizes. Based on those findings, we propose an accurate and efficient computational protocol that can be presently used to estimate accurate binding energies of water clusters containing up to 30 molecules (for CCSD(T)) and up to 100 molecules (for MP2).
Determination of various types of labile atmospheric iron over remote oceans

[1] Atmospheric deposition of iron (Fe) is a major source of the micronutrient to the remote ocean. Most studies have focused on the total atmospheric Fe fluxes to the oceans while fewer studies have focused on the chemistry and chemical speciation of atmospheric Fe. This speciation of Fe in the atmosphere is critical to understanding the fraction of Fe that will be labile in surface waters after deposition and consequently has implications for the bioavailability of this atmospherically derived Fe. In this study, 24-hour aerosol samples were collected using a high-volume dichotomous virtual impactor (HVDVI) that collected coarse (Dp > 2.5 μm) and fine (Dp< 2.5 μm) aerosol fractions on two 90-mm Teflon membrane filters, over the tropical and subtropical North Atlantic Ocean. A sequential aqueous extraction procedure using a pH 4.5 buffer solution and a chemical reductant (hydroxylamine hydrochloride (HA)) was used to measure various labile Fe fractions. The extraction procedure was performed immediately after aerosol sample collection and used time series measurements of Fe(II) using long path length absorbance spectroscopy (LPAS) for analysis of Fe(II). The method measured both the quantities of labile Fe and also the dissolution and reduction kinetics of the labile Fe. Comparisons of HA-reducible Fe and photoreducible Fe concentrations were conducted on board and showed that both reduction processes had similar reduction kinetics and final Fe(II) concentrations during the initial 90 min. The average pseudo-first-order rate constants for the increase in Fe(II) were 0.020 and 0.0076 min−1 for the photoreducible Fe extraction and HA-reduction extraction, respectively. This HA-reducible Fe amount could potentially be used to determine the maximum amount of labile atmospheric Fe that is deposited into the ocean.
Nano-Golden Order

An experimental tour de force reveals the crystal structure of a gold-thiolate nanocrystal compound and the surprising nature of the gold-sulfur bonding.
MATERNAL MORTALITY-A NEGLECTED TRAGEDY: Where is the M in MCH?

Despite increasing attention to maternal and child health programs most do little to reduce maternal mortality. In developing countries maternal death rates of 100-300/100000 births are common; rates are even higher in rural areas. Only 1 of the components of most maternal-child health programs (oral rehydration growth monitoring breastfeeding family planning and immunization) can reduce maternal mortality--family planning. Women who have many births or give birth at either extreme of the reproductive cycle are more likely to die of complications than other women. If all women who want to limit their families had access to efficient contraception matenal mortality would be substantially reduced. Also needed is a major investment in a system of comprehensive maternity care. 75% of obstetric deaths are due to hemorrhage infection toxemia and obstructed labor. Many of these complications occur among women with recognizable risk factors. It is recommended that the World Bank make maternity care 1 of its priorities. The Bank could initiate a program based on the construction of maternity centers in rural areas the recruitment and training of staff for these centers and the provision of supplies and drugs. Because women receiving maternity care can be offered family planning services as well this proposal provides the World Bank with an opportunity to work toward its goal of reduced population growth rates.
Reviving the Right to Vote

Losers in partisan districting battles have long challenged the resulting districting plans under seemingly unrelated legal doctrines. They have filed lawsuits alleging malapportionment, racial gerrymandering, and racial vote dilution, and they periodically prevail. Many election law scholars worry about these lawsuits, claiming that they needlessly "racialize" fundamentally political disputes, distort important legal doctrines designed for other purposes, and provide an inadequate remedy for a fundamentally distinct electoral problem. This Essay argues that the application of distinct doctrines to invalidate or diminish what are indisputably partisan gerrymanders is not necessarily problematic, and that the practice may well have salutary effects. The focus is on the Supreme Court's recent decision in LULAC v. Perry, the most recent example of the sort of judicial decision about which election law scholars fret. Unable to articulate any constitutional problem with a blatant partisan gerrymander in Texas, the Supreme Court found traction under the Voting Rights Act and held that a portion of that gerrymander diluted minority voting strength in the southwest portion of the State. A close reading of that holding as well as the Court's refusal to provide relief on a related claim brought by African-American voters in Fort Worth reveals that the race-based injuries presented in LULAC were hardly an ancillary distraction obscuring the core dispute, but instead, a predictable consequence of the gerrymander itself. As important, the surprising manner in which the Court resolved the VRA claims suggests a nascent conception of political harm experienced by all voters when system is rigged to block competition. In other words, LULAC suggests that Justice Kennedy may find within the Voting Rights Act itself the standard he has been seeking for managing claims of partisan gerrymandering.
The effect of pesticide administration on serum and tissue esterases of rats fed diets of varying casein, calcium, and magnesium content

Abstract Rats were fed, for 30 days, diets which contained 0, 5, 15, 30, or 50% casein with magnesium at either 29 or 200% of the normal content or with calcium at either 25 or 177% of the normal dietary content. Compared with activities obtained with diets containing normal amounts of these cations, serum cholinesterase (ChE) and triacetinesterase (AliE) did not change with high dietary magnesium or calcium, while liver and brain microsomal ChE and AliE were increased. Liver microsomal and serum ChE and AliE either did not change or were lower with decreased dietary cationic content; brain microsomal AliE was increased. Brain microsomal ChE was increased with low calcium but did not change with low magnesium. No consistent pattern of enzyme change in relation to casein content of the diet was evident. Altering the calcium content of the diet reduced the inhibitory action of Banol on serum and liver ChE. Low magnesium content also reduced this action on liver ChE. The inhibition of brain ChE by Banol was decreased by high and low dietary magnesium and by high dietary calcium; the parathion-induced inhibition was decreased by all altered dietary cation concentrations. The strong inhibition of serum ChE by parathion was unaffected by the cation alterations except for a slight decrease in inhibition with high calcium. The chlordane-induced decrease in liver ChE was accentuated with low magnesium or low calcium in the diet. The Banol-induced inhibitions of serum, liver, and brain AliE from rats with the altered cation diets were not markedly different from those found with diets of normal cation content. High calcium and high magnesium concentrations resulted in an increase in parathion-induced inhibition of liver AliE; the 95% inhibition of serum AliE and 30% inhibition of brain AliE by parathion was not affected by altering these cations. The stimulation of liver AliE by chlordane (an average increase of 40%) was markedly reduced when the cation content of the diet was altered, and the 20% stimulation of brain AliE was reduced even more by the low and high calcium concentrations but was not changed at the altered magnesium concentrations.
A Novel Experimental Platform for DNA Mechanics Assays

Single-molecule biophysics experiments have been widely employed to characterize the mechanics and dynamics of DNA and the activity of DNA-binding proteins. In typical experiments requiring DNA tethering, a DNA molecule is conjugated to a coverslip and observed with a light microscope parallel to the optical axis, limiting the resolution of optical and magnetic trapping measurements and direct observation of interactions with DNA-binding proteins. Another assay technique, where two beads tethering DNA are optically trapped, orients the DNA perpendicular to the optical axis, but this assay is limited to manipulating one DNA molecule at a time. We developed a device to overcome the limitations of previous assays. A microfabricated cantilever platform exposes the edge of a 50 nm thin gold surface that runs along the length of the sidewalls of patterned microfluidic channels. This narrow gold surface, oriented orthogonal to the optical axis, serves as a substrate for the covalent attachment of an end-thiolated DNA molecule through well established gold-thiol chemistry. The microfabricated cantilever device provides complete optical access to the DNA, and allows a DNA-tethered bead to be optically or magnetically trapped perpendicular to the optical axis, the experimentally preferred orientation. This experimental set-up allows for efficient, parallelized investigation of multiple DNA molecules in a single assay format. As a proof-of-concept demonstration, we have tethered λ-DNA and shorter DNA molecules between the gold edge and polystyrene beads and verify the conjugation by quantifying the Brownian motion of the tethered beads. This experimental platform has the potential for studying the mechanics of DNA and DNA-protein interactions, such as histone binding and RNA polymerase transcription, in conjunction with tethered particle motion, optical and magnetic trapping, and fluorescence imaging techniques all within a single focal plane.
Back to the Evolutionary Future

Many books on evolution focus on the distant past or the present. Very few authors addressing a lay audience present what evolutionary changes may look like in the future. Coker has done so in this popular science book intended for a general audience. Basing the text on his similarly named course given at Elon University, the author provides a fascinating account of diverse aspects of evolution and where evolution might be heading in future generations. The book is divided into five sections and fifteen chapters. Each chapter focuses on a specific vignette. For instance, part III is called “Cellular Change,” and its constituent chapters are called: “Size Matters,” “When Evolution Turns Deadly,” “Growing a New You,” and “Clones Clones Clones.” The book offers the advantage that it can be read in any particular order, lending itself to assignment as a supplementary paperback for an introductory biology course. EVOLUTION DU JOUR The first chapter of the book, “From Jaguars to Avatars,” begins with premise of how we are “reinventing life” in movies, our popular culture, and in everyday life. The big picture of evolution is discussed early in the book (pp. 14–16). The reader is introduced to what the author refers to as evolution's “three core requirements”: diversity, selection process, and reproduction. Following this, the author discusses 10 lines of evidence for evolution in just six pages (pp. 16–22), and does so a lot more effectively than in most textbooks. The decline of biodiversity is the main subject of chapter 4 (“Forgotten Worlds”), which discusses the topic in both historical and local terms to make the reader aware of the role of sustainability in supporting biodiversity. Part IV, “Genetic Change,” brings the molecular aspects of evolution into the picture. Each chapter is carefully crafted to provide the reader a logical context for genetics, genetic engineering, and cloning. Coker makes an impressive case, discussing mutations in chapter 10 (“We Are All Mutants”), in what I consider one of the strongest chapters in the book. For example, the effects of mutations are described within two categories: individual and homeotic gene levels (pp. 130–131). In just a couple of paragraphs, the author describes such important concepts in a clear and concise manner.
MIMO Radar Waveform Design to Support Spectrum Sharing

In this paper, we propose an information theoretic waveform design algorithm for multiple-input multiple-output radars to support co-existence with a communication system under additional constraints on interference reduction from the clutter, minimizing the peak-to-average-power ratio and minimizing correlation levels of the radar. Numerical results are presented which show the performance of the proposed waveform design algorithm in terms of mutual information, interference reduction and sidelobe levels of the radar waveform.
Efficient Algorithm for Optimal Control of Mixed-State Quantum Systems

Zhu and Rabitz [J. Chem. Phys. 109, 385 (1998)] presented a rapidly convergent iterative algorithm for optimal control of the expectation value of a positive-definite observable in a pure-state quantum system. In this paper we generalize this algorithm to a quantum-statistical mechanics setting and show that it is both efficient in the mixed-state case and effective in achieving the control objective of maximizing the ensemble average of arbitrary observables in the cases studied.
Culture at High Density Increases Phosphoenolpyruvate Carboxykinase Messenger RNA in H4IIEC3 Hepatoma Cells

We report that the concentration of phosphoenolpyruvate carboxykinase (PEPCK) mRNA increased 5- to 10-fold when H4IIEC3 rat hepatoma cells were cultured at high compared to low density. The magnitude and direction of this response were mRNA specific, as the mRNAs encoding tyrosine aminotransferase and albumin increased approximately 20%, whereas the mRNAs encoding beta-actin and alpha-tubulin decreased 40% and 20%, respectively. Paracrine or autocrine mechanisms were not responsible for the density effect, since conditioned medium or frequent medium changes had only a modest effect on the abundance of PEPCK mRNA. Culture of H4IIEC3 cells at low density or on collagen promoted a flattened morphology and low PEPCK mRNA levels. At high density, cells assumed a cuboidal shape on both plastic and collagen and expressed high PEPCK mRNA levels. Induction of PEPCK mRNA by high density culture did not involve increased intracellular cAMP, since treatment with 8-(4-chlorophenylthio)-cAMP was synergistic with density. High cell density increased PEPCK run-on transcription approximately 3-fold, while PEPCK mRNA increased more than 6-fold. These observations suggest that high culture density increases PEPCK mRNA by increasing its transcription and possibly stabilizing PEPCK mRNA. The response could be coupled to the regulation of cell shape, as a close relationship between cell shape and gene expression has previously been shown to be important in the development and maintenance of tissues and organs. The PEPCK gene in H4IIEC3 cells could provide a useful model in which to study the poorly understood mechanisms involved in coordinating form and function.
Identification of Mycobacterium tuberculosis Counterimmune (cim) Mutants in Immunodeficient Mice by Differential Screening

Tuberculosis (TB) is characterized by lifetime persistence of Mycobacterium tuberculosis. Despite the induction of a vigorous host immune response that curtails disease progression in the majority of cases, the organism is not eliminated. Subsequent immunosuppression can lead to reactivation after a prolonged period of clinical latency. Thus, while it is clear that protective immune mechanisms are engaged during M. tuberculosis infection, it also appears that the pathogen has evolved effective countermechanisms. Genetic studies with animal infection models and with patients have revealed a key role for the cytokine gamma interferon (IFN-gamma) in resistance to TB. IFN-gamma activates a large number of antimicrobial pathways. Three of these IFN-gamma-dependent mechanisms have been implicated in defense against M. tuberculosis: inducible nitric oxide synthase (iNOS), phagosome oxidase (phox), and the phagosome-associated GTPase LRG-47. In order to identify bacterial genes that provide protection against specific host immune pathways, we have developed the strategy of differential signature-tagged transposon mutagenesis. Using this approach we have identified three M. tuberculosis genes that are essential for progressive M. tuberculosis growth and rapid lethality in iNOS-deficient mice but not in IFN-gamma-deficient mice. We propose that these genes are involved in pathways that allow M. tuberculosis to counter IFN-gamma-dependent immune mechanisms other than iNOS.
Seedling establishment, mortality, tree growth rates and vigour of Acacia nilotica in different Astrebla grassland habitats: Implications for invasion

A demographic study was conducted in the northern Australian Astrebla grasslands to determine the importance of habitat type in influencing invasion patterns of Acacia nilotica, an exotic leguminous tree from Africa and Asia. One of the repeated patterns observed for A. nilotica is that denser populations are often associated with riparian habitats. Data available on this species do not enable us to determine which of a number of processes has lead to the formation of this pattern. Several explanations were tested for patterns in tree abundance: (i) that more seedlings emerge in wetter habitats; (ii) that mortality is lower in wetter habitats; (iii) that growth rates are faster in wetter habitats; and (iv) that plants are more vigorous (as indicated by leaf cover, flowering intensity and predation rates) over longer periods in wetter habitats. The study was stratified across three habitat types, perennial and ephemeral riparian and non-riparian, which are characteristic of Astrebla grasslands and differentiated by the availability of water. In addition to testing for habitat-linked differentiation in demography, data were also used to test whether seedling emergence, mortality, growth and vigour varied between sites with cattle versus sheep. The data collected indicated that seedling emergence, determined primarily by livestock dispersal, was likely to be the dominant influence on patterns of A. nilotica invasion. Mortality and growth rates were similar in ephemeral riparian and non-riparian habitats, whereas perennial riparian habitats had more rapid growth rates, which may increase the rate of invasion in these areas. Plant vigour was also greater over longer periods in perennial riparian habitats with greater leaf cover, longer flowering season and fewer insect borer holes. Livestock species were found to have little influence on the demography of A. nilotica plants in this study. Very low growth rates and high mortality in A. nilotica populations are likely to lead to net decline in ephemeral riparian and non-riparian habitats in the long term. The importance of episodic recruitment in the maintenance of A. nilotica populations is discussed.
Expression of eNOS in the lungs of neonates with pulmonary hypertension.

Abstract Background Neonatal hypoxemic respiratory failure (NHRF) is usually associated with reversible persistent pulmonary hypertension (PPHN). Congenital diaphragmatic hernia (CDH), a cause of refractory NHRF, is associated with irreversible pulmonary hypertension. Nitric oxide (NO) generated in the pulmonary vascular endothelium by endothelial nitric oxide synthase (eNOS) plays a pivotal role in perinatal circulatory adaptation. Objective To compare the expression of eNOS using IHC in postmortem lung tissue from newborns diagnosed clinically with PPHN and CDH. Design/methods Formalin-fixed lung tissue from infants who died following treatment for PPHN (n = 12) or CDH (n = 8) and age and gender matched controls who died from non-respiratory causes (Control, n = 14) was evaluated for expression and staining intensity (1–4 scale) of eNOS using IHC. Results Mean gestational and postnatal age was comparable across groups. Histological evidence of chronic lung disease, pulmonary hypoplasia and pulmonary hypertension were seen more frequently in CDH compared to PPHN and control infants. eNOS expression was increased in arteriolar media of PPHN infants compared to Controls (p = 0.027). CDH infants had increased intensity of staining for eNOS in the arteriolar endothelium (p = 0.022) compared to control and PPHN infants and in the alveolar lining (p = 0.002) compared to Controls. Conclusions Upregulation of eNOS was seen both in infants with CDH and PPHN but was more marked in infants with CDH. These findings may have implications for understanding disease pathophysiology in cases with fatal outcome and development of novel therapies for neonatal pulmonary hypertension.