cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Raising Our Voices Against Discrimination-and for Public Health.

The editorial discusses public health in the United States, focusing on aspects of discrimination. It considers how increased enforcement of immigration laws has led to racial profiling, the positive impact of immigration in the U.S. towards employment, and historic racism in U.S. immigration policies such as the Chinese Exclusion Ac and the National Origins Act.
Mirage cores: the illusion of many out-of-order cores using in-order hardware

Heterogenous chip multiprocessors (Het-CMPs) offer a combination of large Out-of-Order (OoO) cores optimized for high singlethreaded performance and small In-Order (InO) cores optimized for low-energy and area costs. Due to practical constraints, CMP designers must choose to either optimize for total system throughput by utilizing many InO cores or maximize single-thread execution with fewer OoO cores. We propose Mirage Cores, a novel Het-CMP design where clusters of InO cores are architected around an OoO in a manner that optimizes for both throughput and single-thread performance. The insight behind Mirage Cores is that InO cores can achieve near-OoO performance if they are provided with the dynamic instruction schedule of an OoO core. To leverage this, Mirage Cores employs an OoO core as an optimal instruction schedule generator as well as a high-performance alternative for all neighboring InO cores. We also develop intelligent runtime schedulers which orchestrate the arbitration and migration of applications between the InO cores and the central OoO. Fast and timely transfer of dynamic schedules from the OoO to InO allows Mirage Cores to create the appearance of all OoO cores to the user using underlyingIn-Order hardware. Overall, with an 8 InO per OoO configuration, Mirage Cores can achieve on average 84% of the performance of a CMP with 8 OoO cores, a 28% increase relative to current systems, while conserving 55% of energy and 25% of area costs. We find that we can scale the design to around 12 InOs per OoO before starvation for the OoO starts to hamper system performance.CCS CONCEPTS• Computer systems organization → Multicore architectures; Heterogeneous (hybrid) systems; • Hardware • Chip-level power issues;
Health care experiences of pregnant, birthing and postnatal women of color at risk for preterm birth

Abstract Background Chronic stress is a known risk factor for preterm birth, yet little is known about how healthcare experiences add to or mitigate perceived stress. In this study, we described the pregnancy-related healthcare experiences of 54 women of color from Fresno, Oakland, and San Francisco, California, with social and/or medical risk factors for preterm birth. Methods This study was a secondary analysis of focus group data generated as part of a larger project focused on patient and community involvement in preterm birth research. English and Spanish speaking women, age 18 or greater with social and/or medical risk factors for preterm birth participated in two focus groups, six weeks apart. Data from the first focus groups are included in this analysis. Results Five themes emerged from thematic analysis of the transcripts. Participants described disrespect during healthcare encounters, including experiences of racism and discrimination; stressful interactions with all levels of staff; unmet information needs; and inconsistent social support. Despite these adverse experiences, women felt confidence in parenting and newborn care. Participant recommendations for healthcare systems improvement included: greater attention to birth plans, better communication among multiple healthcare providers, more careful listening to patients during clinical encounters, increased support for social programs such as California's Black Infant Health, and less reliance on past carceral history and/or child protective services involvement. Discussion The women in this study perceived their prenatal healthcare as a largely disrespectful and stressful experience. Our findings add to the growing literature that women of color experience discrimination, racism and disrespect in healthcare encounters and that they believe this affects their health and that of their infants.
Effect of Nickel Applications for the Control of Mouse Ear Disorder on River Birch

Abstract Mouse ear (leaf curl, little leaf, squirrel ear) disorder has been a problem in container-grown river birch (Betula nigra L.) for several decades. The disorder is easy to detect in nurseries as the plants appear stunted due to shortened internodes which give the appearance of a witches-broom. The leaves are small, wrinkled, are often darker green in color, are commonly cupped and have necrotic margins. Plants grown in soil rarely express the disorder. A trial was initiated in June 2003 to determine if a deficiency of nickel was the cause of mouse-ear on river birch. Symptomatic river birch trees (Betula nigra ‘BNMTF’ Dura-Heat™) in their second growing season in #15 containers were selected for uniformity of size and mouse ear. Treatments included a 1) control, 2) 789 ppm Ni sprays, 3) 394 ppm Ni sprays, 4) 0.005 lbs Ni/yd3 as a drench, 5) 26 g/pot triple superphosphate (0–46–0), and 6) 130 g/pot Milorganite. Nickel was applied as nickel sulfate, whereas triple superphosphate and Milorganite cont...
Insights on the Synthesis, Crystal and Electronic Structures, and Optical and Thermoelectric Properties of Sr1–xSbxHfSe3 Orthorhombic Perovskite

Single-phase polycrystalline powders of Sr1–xSbxHfSe3 (x = 0, 0.005, 0.01), a new member of the chalcogenide perovskites, were synthesized using a combination of high temperature solid-state reaction and mechanical alloying approaches. Structural analysis using single-crystal as well as powder X-ray diffraction revealed that the synthesized materials are isostructural with SrZrSe3, crystallizing in the orthorhombic space group Pnma (#62) with lattice parameters a = 8.901(2) A; b = 3.943(1) A; c = 14.480(3) A; and Z = 4 for the x = 0 composition. Thermal conductivity data of SrHfSe3 revealed low values ranging from 0.9 to 1.3 W m–1 K–1 from 300 to 700 K, which is further lowered to 0.77 W m–1 K–1 by doping with 1 mol % Sb for Sr. Electronic property measurements indicate that the compound is quite insulating with an electrical conductivity of 2.9 S/cm at 873 K, which was improved to 6.7 S/cm by 0.5 mol % Sb doping. Thermopower data revealed that SrHfSe3 is a p-type semiconductor with thermopower values rea...
Deviations from Matthiessen’s Rule and the Electronic Thermal Conductivity of Alloys

In order to separate the electronic and lattice components of the thermal conductivity of alloys, one calculates the electronic component from the measured electrical resistivity. The residual electrical and thermal resistivities are connected by the Wiedemann-Franz law. The ideal thermal resistivity can be obtained from measurements of the parent metal in the impure limit, or from measurements in the pure limit and the use of the theoretical deviations from the thermal Matthiessen’s rule for “vertical” motion. The additional deviations from the thermal Matthiessen’s rule are related to the electrical deviations by the Wiedemann-Franz law provided the effects of alloying on the band structure are small, and provided the electron relaxation time for electrical conduction varies over the Fermi surface primarily because of the topology of the Fermi surface rather than owing to a variation of the electron-phonon interaction probability. Phonon assisted impurity scattering processes also lead to thermal and electrical deviations related by the Wiedemann-Franz law.
Psychiatric Disorders Presenting with Parasomnias

In this chapter, we review the clinical characteristics, polysomnographic features, and treatment of three common psychiatric disorders that may include nocturnal symptoms as part of their clinical presentation: nocturnal panic attacks (PAs), posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), and dissociative disorders (DD).
Nonfunctional Missense Mutants in Two Well Characterized Cytosolic Enzymes Reveal Important Information About Protein Structure and Function

The isolation and characterization of 42 unique nonfunctional missense mutants in the bacterial cytosolic β-galactosidase and catechol 2,3-dioxygenase enzymes allowed us to examine some of the basic general trends regarding protein structure and function. A total of 6 out of the 42, or 14.29% of the missense mutants were in α-helices, 17 out of the 42, or 40.48%, of the missense mutants were in β-sheets and 19 out of the 42, or 45.24% of the missense mutants were in unstructured coil, turn or loop regions. While α-helices and β-sheets are undeniably important in protein structure, our results clearly indicate that the unstructured regions are just as important. A total of 21 out of the 42, or 50.00% of the missense mutants caused either amino acids located on the surface of the protein to shift from hydrophilic to hydrophobic or buried amino acids to shift from hydrophobic to hydrophilic and resulted in drastic changes in hydropathy that would not be preferable. There was generally good consensus amongst the widely used algorithms, Chou–Fasman, GOR, Qian–Sejnowski, JPred, PSIPRED, Porter and SPIDER, in their ability to predict the presence of the secondary structures that were affected by the missense mutants and most of the algorithms predicted that the majority of the 42 inactive missense mutants would impact the α-helical and β-sheet secondary structures or the unstructured coil, turn or loop regions that they altered.
The prognostic significance of ATRX in pulmonary carcinoid tumors.

e20543Background: Loss of ATRX, a transcriptional regulator, has been associated with reduced survival in patients with pancreatic neuroendocrine tumors. We aimed to evaluate the prognostic role of...
Compression of Wearable Body Sensor Network Data Using Improved Two-Threshold-Two-Divisor Data Chunking Algorithms

Data compression plays a significant role in Body Sensor Networks (BSN). This is true since the sensors in BSNs have limited battery power and memory; sensor data needs to be transmitted regularly, and in lossless manner to provide prompt, accurate feedback. The paper evaluates lossless data compression algorithms including Run Length Encoding (RLE), Lempel Zev Welch (LZW), and Huffman on data from wearable devices and compares them in terms of Compression Ratio, Compression Factor, Savings Percentage and Compression Time. It also evaluates a data deduplication technique used for Low Bandwidth File Systems (LBFS), Two Thresholds Two Divisors (TTTD) algorithm, to determine if it is suitable for BSN data. First, through experiments s we arrive at a set of parameter values that give compression ratio above 50 on BSN data. Next, based on performance evaluation results of TTTD and classical compression algorithms including RLW, LAW, and Huffman, it proposes a technique to combine multiple algorithms in sequence. Upon comparison of the performance, it is found that the new algorithm, TTTD-H, which executes TTTD and Huffman in sequence, significantly improves the compression factor against both TTTD and Huffman. Performance evaluation has been carried out in two sets of BSN data.
Commentary: Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome

Loin Pain Hematuria Syndrome (LPHS) remains a rare disease but has a significant impact on those affected by it. Patients diagnosed with LPHS experience severe, constant or intermittent flank pain that radiates to the groin and may be exacerbated even by a gentle touch. These patients often require significant narcotic regimens for pain control and are unable to maintain a functional lifestyle. Previously, diagnosis has been made based on clinical presentation. One treatment for this syndrome is renal autotransplant; however, success rates are varied. Therefore, patient selection for this procedure is important. We have developed the UW-LPHS test as a diagnostic maneuver in order to determine which patients with LPHS would benefit from renal autotransplant. To perform this diagnostic test, bupivacaine is instilled into the ureter on the affected side and left to dwell. Patients who experience pain relief following this test are deemed to benefit from renal autotransplant. Here we describe this novel diagnostic test and initial success rates following renal autotransplant.
A deep learning- and partial least square regression-based model observer for a low-contrast lesion detection task in CT.

Purpose This work aims to develop a new framework of image quality assessment using deep learning-based model observer (DL-MO) and to validate it in a low-contrast lesion detection task that involves CT images with patient anatomical background. Methods The DL-MO was developed using the transfer learning strategy to incorporate a pretrained deep convolutional neural network (CNN), a partial least square regression discriminant analysis (PLS-DA) model and an internal noise component. The CNN was previously trained to achieve the state-of-the-art classification accuracy over a natural image database. The earlier layers of the CNN were used as a deep feature extractor, with the assumption that similarity exists between the CNN and the human visual system. The PLSR model was used to further engineer the deep feature for the lesion detection task in CT images. The internal noise component was incorporated to model the inefficiency and variability of human observer (HO) performance, and to generate the ultimate DL-MO test statistics. Seven abdominal CT exams were retrospectively collected from the same type of CT scanners. To compare DL-MO with HO, 12 experimental conditions with varying lesion size, lesion contrast, radiation dose, and reconstruction types were generated, each condition with 154 trials. CT images of a real liver metastatic lesion were numerically modified to generate lesion models with four lesion sizes (5, 7, 9, and 11 mm) and three contrast levels (15, 20, and 25 HU). The lesions were inserted into patient liver images using a projection-based method. A validated noise insertion tool was used to synthesize CT exams with 50% and 25% of routine radiation dose level. CT images were reconstructed using the weighted filtered back projection algorithm and an iterative reconstruction algorithm. Four medical physicists performed a two-alternative forced choice (2AFC) detection task (with multislice scrolling viewing mode) on patient images across the 12 experimental conditions. DL-MO was operated on the same datasets. Statistical analyses were performed to evaluate the correlation and agreement between DL-MO and HO. Results A statistically significant positive correlation was observed between DL-MO and HO for the 2AFC low-contrast detection task that involves patient liver background. The corresponding Pearson product moment correlation coefficient was 0.986 [95% confidence interval (0.950, 0.996)]. Bland-Altman agreement analysis did not indicate statistically significant differences. Conclusions The proposed DL-MO is highly correlated with HO in a low-contrast detection task that involves realistic patient liver background. This study demonstrated the potential of the proposed DL-MO to assess image quality directly based on patient images in realistic, clinically relevant CT tasks.
Corrosion resistance of self-stratifying coatings using fluorovinyl ether/BPA epoxide

Abstract Fluoroethylene vinyl ether and an alkoxysilane modified bisphenol A epoxides (BPA) were mixed together and applied onto polar substrates. The molecular weight of each phase, curing agents, and curing conditions were varied to control the self-stratification. Miscibility of the two phases was investigated by using DSC, and one combination showed two Tg with higher molecular weight for both phases. Cured coatings were each analyzed with contact angle and surface tension. Based on surface tension, interfacial tensions of two phases were calculated. During film formation, curing albeit crosslinking of the fluorine phase was faster than the alkoxylsilane of the BPA epoxide phase. Evaporation typically lagged beyond the initial crosslinking was as a consequence, viewed as more of a secondary force in the stratification process. Using a salt spray test, stratified coating showed better initial corrosion resistance.
Veterinary ocular microbiome: Lessons learned beyond the culture

Ocular pathogens cause many painful and vision-threatening diseases such as infectious keratitis, uveitis, and endophthalmitis. While virulent pathogens and pathobionts play important roles in disease pathogenesis, the scientific community has long assumed disruption of the ocular surface occurs prior to microbial colonization and subsequent infection. While nonpathogenic bacteria are often detected in corneal and conjunctival cultures from healthy eyes, cultures also frequently fail to yield growth of common ocular pathogens or nonpathogenic bacteria. This prompts the following question: Is the ocular surface populated by a stable microbial population that cannot be detected using standard culture techniques? The study of the microbiome has recently become a widespread focus in physician and veterinary medicine. Research suggests a pivotal symbiotic relationship with these microbes to maintain healthy host tissues, and when altered is associated with various disease states ("dysbiosis"). The microbiota that lives within and on mammalian bodies have long been known to influence health and susceptibility to infection. However, limitations of traditional culture methods have resulted in an incomplete understanding of what many now call the "forgotten organ," that is, the microbiome. With the introduction of high-throughput sequencing, physician ophthalmology has recognized an ocular surface with much more diverse microbial communities than suspected based on traditional culture. This article reviews the salient features of the ocular surface microbiome and highlights important future applications following the advent of molecular techniques for microbial identification, including characterizing ocular surface microbiomes in our veterinary species and their potential role in management of infectious and inflammatory ocular diseases.
Learning from nature: Alexander von Humboldt’s influence on young women’s geography and natural history education in nineteenth-century America

This article explores Alexander von Humboldt’s influence on the education of young women in early nineteenth-century America. In the past decade, the English-speaking world has seen a resurgence of...
Practical Treatment Considerations in the Management of Genitourinary Syndrome of Menopause.

Genitourinary syndrome of menopause is a condition comprising the atrophic symptoms and signs women may experience in the vulvovaginal and bladder-urethral areas as a result of the loss of sex steroids that occurs with menopause. It is a progressive condition that does not resolve without treatment and can adversely affect a woman’s quality of life. For a variety of reasons, many symptomatic women do not seek treatment and, of those who do, many are unhappy with their options. Additionally, many healthcare providers do not actively screen their menopausal patients for the symptoms of genitourinary syndrome of menopause. In this review, we discuss the clinical presentation of genitourinary syndrome of menopause as well as the treatment guidelines recommended by the major societies engaged in women’s health. This is followed by a review of available treatment options that includes both hormonal and non-hormonal therapies. We discuss both the systemic and vaginal estrogen products that have been available for decades and remain important treatment options for patients; however, a major intent of the review is to provide information on the newer, non-estrogen pharmacologic treatment options, in particular oral ospemifene and vaginal prasterone. A discussion of adjunctive therapies such as moisturizers, lubricants, physical therapy/dilators, hyaluronic acid, and laser therapy is included. We also address some of the available data on both the patient and healthcare providers perspectives on treatment, including cost, and touch briefly on the topic of treating women with a history of, or at high risk for, breast cancer.
Conceptualizing and Validating Organizational Communication Patterns and Their Associations with Employee Outcomes

Using Ritchie and Fitzpatrick’s conceptualization of family communication patterns, we developed a scale of communication patterns within an organizational context. Three studies (total N = 877) we...
Public and private human T cell clones respond differentially to HCMV antigen when boosted by CD3 co-potentiation

Human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) induces long-lasting T cell immune responses that control but do not clear infection. Typical responses involve private T cell clones, expressing T cell antigen receptors (TCR) unique to a person, and also public T cell clones with identical TCRs active in different people. Here, we report the development of a pre-therapeutic immunostimulation modality against HCMV for human T cells, CD3 co-potentiation, and the clonal analysis of its effects in recall assays at single-cell resolution. CD3 co-potentiation of human T cells required identification of an intrinsically inert anti-CD3 Fab fragment that conditionally augmented signaling only when TCR was co-engaged with antigen. When applied in recall assays, CD3 co-potentiation enhanced the expansion of both public and private T cell clones responding to autologous HLA-A2(+) antigen-presenting cells and immunodominant NLV peptide from HCMV pp65 protein. Interestingly, public versus private TCR expression was associated with distinct clonal expansion signatures in response to recall stimulus. This implied that besides possible differences in their generation and selection in an immune response, public and private T cells may respond differently to pharmaco-immunomodulation. Furthermore, a third clonal expansion profile was observed upon CD3 co-potentiation of T cell clones from HLA-A2(-) donors and one HLA-A2(+) presumed-uninfected donor, where NLV was of low intrinsic potency. We conclude that human T cell co-potentiation can increase the expansion of different classes of T cell clones responding to recall antigens of different strengths, and this may be exploitable for therapeutic development against chronic, persistent infections such as HCMV.
Necessity as a Defense for Breaching the Norms of War

National leaders often cite strategic necessity as a defense for breaching the norm that stipulates when it is legitimate to resort to war. They typically claim that this was the only way to safeguard vital state interests against a grave and imminent peril. Acceptance of the necessity defense has varied, with some historical periods marked by a broad, permissive interpretation of when such pleas are warranted, and other periods characterized by a more narrow, restrictive interpretation. This chapter examines changes over the past two centuries in the degree of normative support for invoking necessity as a justification for violating the laws of war.
The Color of School Bullying Victimization: Race, Ethnicity, Immigration, and Religion

In this chapter, we explain how race, ethnicity, immigration, and religion are associated with school bullying. Most school bullying research has focused on the differential patterns of victimization between White American and African American youth. Research reveals that African American, Latino American, Asian American, and White American youth experience school bullying victimization distinctly differently. We discuss several potential reasons have why racial and ethnic minority youth have increased exposure to school bullying. Immigrant youth are also often subjected to negative treatment such as discrimination, ridicule, and harassment from other students, teachers, and school administrators. Moreover, perceptions of low academic ability, rejection by peers, and fear of safety are all reflective of immigrant youth experiences within the United States school system. Additionally, the events of September 11, 2001, resulted in a dramatic increase in the religious-based bullying victimization, harassment, verbal and physical threats toward youth who are or are perceived to be Muslim in school.
Experiences after infidelity via internet communication: Surveillance, ambivalence, and termination

Infidelity is a challenging but prominent issue in couple therapy. In addition to the negative outcomes, clinicians generally report that infidelity is the second most difficult problem to treat af...
Correlation between Solar Activity and the Brightness of Jupiter's Great Red Spot

INTEREST in Jupiter has been stimulated by recent investigations. A correlation between solar activity likely to affect the ultraviolet radiation in the solar system and the activities of the Jovian great red spot would be of some significance for those interested in the planet. In fact, examination of the sunspot cycle and the relative brightness of the Jovian red spot reveals just such a correlation.
The Sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) Brown Midrib 30 Gene Encodes a Chalcone Isomerase Required for Cell Wall Lignification

In sorghum (Sorghum bicolor) and other C4 grasses, brown midrib (bmr) mutants have long been associated with plants impaired in their ability to synthesize lignin. The Bmr30 gene, identified using a bulk segregant analysis and next-generation sequencing, was determined to encode a chalcone isomerase. Two independent mutations within this gene confirmed that loss of its function was responsible for the brown leaf midrib phenotype and reduced lignin concentration. Loss of the Bmr30 gene function, as shown by histochemical staining of leaf midrib and stalk sections, resulted in altered cell wall composition. In the bmr30 mutants, chalcone isomerase activity was drastically reduced, and the accumulation of total flavonoids and total anthocyanins were impaired, which is consistent with its function in flavonoid biosynthesis. The level of the flavone lignin monomer tricin was reduced 20-fold in the stem relative to wild-type, and to undetectable levels in the leaf tissue of the mutants. The bmr30 mutant, therefore, harbors a mutation in a phenylpropanoid biosynthetic gene that is key to the interconnection between flavonoids and monolignols, both of which are utilized for lignin synthesis in the grasses.
Aspects of Pr3+ luminescence in solids

Abstract A brief perspective on the influence of “host lattice-Pr 3+ ” interactions on the optical properties of the Pr 3+ ion in solids is presented. How the energy position of the Pr 3+ 4f 1 5d 1 configuration relative to the 1 S 0 , 3 P J and host lattice conduction band levels influences the Pr 3+ optical properties is highlighted by considering solids in which the 4f 1 5d 1 configuration (1) is energetically above the 1 S 0 level, (2) is energetically below the 1 S 0 level, (3) is energetically close to the 1 S 0 level, and (4) overlaps with the host lattice conduction band.
Array codes for magnetic recording channels with erasures

In this paper, we use ALDPC codes on magnetic recording systems for both random error and erasure correction. The codes are compared with random binary codes.
Cyclic genetic algorithm with conditional branching in a predator-prey scenario

In its traditional form, the cyclic genetic algorithm (CGA) was found to be a successful method for evolving single loop control programs for legged robots. Its major limitation was the inability to allow for conditional branching, which is required for the integration of sensor inputs in the controller. In recent work, we extended the capabilities of CGAs to evolve multi-loop programs with conditional branching. The design proved successful for the evolution of a controller that allowed a robot to efficiently search for a static target in a square area. In this paper we increase the complexity of the experiment and demonstrate the capability of CGAs with conditional branching to generate a controller the predator in a predator-prey scenario.
Securing a remote terminal application with a mobile trusted device

Many real-world applications use credentials such as passwords as means of user authentication. When accessed from untrusted public terminals, such applications are vulnerable to credential sniffing attacks, as shown by recent highly publicized compromises. In this paper, we describe a secure remote terminal application that allows users possessing a trusted device to delegate their credentials for performing a task to a public terminal without being in danger of disclosing any long-term secrets. Instead, the user gives the terminal the capability of performing a task temporarily (as long as the user is in its proximity). Our model is intuitive in the sense that the user exposes to the untrusted terminal only what he sees on the display, and nothing else. We present the design and implementation of such a system. The overhead - in terms of additional network traffic - created by introducing a trusted third party is a moderate 12%.
Osteoinductivity of commercially available demineralized bone matrix. Preparations in a spine fusion model.

Background: Although autogenous bone is the most widely used graft material for spinal fusion, demineralized bone matrix preparations are available as alternatives or supplements to autograft. They are prepared by acid extraction of most of the mineralized component, with retention of the collagen and noncollagenous proteins, including growth factors. Differences in allograft processing methods among suppliers might yield products with different osteoinductive activities. The purpose of this study was to compare the efficacy of three different commercially available demineralized bone matrix products for inducing spinal fusion in an athymic rat model. Methods: Sixty male athymic rats underwent spinal fusion and were divided into three groups of eighteen animals each. Group I received Grafton Putty; Group II, DBX Putty; and Group III, AlloMatrix Injectable Putty. A control group of six animals (Group IV) underwent decortication alone. Six animals from each of the three experimental groups were killed at each of three intervals (two, four, and eight weeks), and the six animals from the control group were killed at eight weeks. At each of the time-points, radiographic and histologic analysis and manual testing of the explanted spines were performed. Results: The spines in Group I demonstrated higher rates of radiographically evident fusion at eight weeks than did the spines in Group III or Group IV (p < 0.05). Manual testing of the spines at four weeks revealed variable fusion rates (five of six in Group I, two of six in Group II, and none of six in Group III). At eight weeks, all six spines in Group I, three of the six in Group II, and no spine in Group III or IV had fused. Histologic analysis of the spines in Groups I, II, and III demonstrated varying amounts of residual demineralized bone matrix and new bone formation. Group-I spines demonstrated the most new bone formation. Conclusions: This study demonstrated differences in the osteoinductive potentials of commercially available demineralized bone matrices in this animal model. Clinical Relevance: Comparative clinical testing of demineralized bone matrices is indicated in order to determine which preparations are best suited for promoting successful spinal fusion in humans.
Interstellar scattering of maser radiation

Interstellax scattering of pulsars, extragalactic sources, and galactic masers is used to discuss the overall galactic distribution of scattering material and the implied angular scattering vs galactic coordinates. I discuss the prospects for observing diffractive and refractive scintillations of maser signals.
Surface immobilization chemistry influences peptide-based detection of lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid

Antimicrobialpeptides(AMPs)haverecentlygainedattentionaspotentiallyvaluablediagnosticandtherapeuticagents.Theutilization of these peptides for diagnostic purposes relies on the ability to immobilize them on the surface of a detectionplatform in a predictable and reliable manner that facilitates target binding. The method for attachment of peptides to asolid support is guided by peptide length, amino acid composition, secondary structure, and the nature of the underlyingsubstrate. While immobilization methods that target amine groups of amino acid sequences are widely used, they can resultin heterogeneous conjugation at multiple sites on a peptide andhave direct implications for peptide presentation and func-tion. Using two types of commercial amine-reactive microtiterplates, we described the effects of analogous immobilizationchemistriesonthesurfaceattachmentofAMPsandtheirdifferentialbindinginteractionwithGram-speciﬁcbacterialbiomar-kers, lipopolysaccharide and lipoteichoic acid. As might be expected, differences in overall binding afﬁnities were notedwhen comparing AMPs immobilized on the two types of plates. However, the two-amine-targeted linking chemistries alsoaffected the speciﬁcity of the attached peptides; lipopolysaccharide generally demonstrated a preference for peptidesimmobilized on one type of plate, while (when observed at all)lipoteichoic acid bound preferentially to AMPs immobilizedon the other type of plate. These results demonstrate the potential for tuning not only the binding afﬁnities but also thespeciﬁcities of immobilized AMPs by simple alterations in linking strategy. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. GovernmentworkandisinthepublicdomainintheUSA.Supporting information may be found in the online version of this article.Keywords: antimicrobial peptides; lipopolysaccharide; lipoteichoic acid; surface immobilization; microtiter plate
IDENTIFYING STUDENTS WITH EMOTIONAL DISTURBANCE: SCHOOL PSYCHOLOGISTS’ PRACTICES AND PERCEPTIONS

From its inception as a disability category in the Education for All Handicapped Children Act, serving students under the special education category Emotional Disturbance (ED) has been a challenging task for school psychologists. In particular, the vague and ambiguous federal definition has created an environment in which inconsistent assessment practices and decision making are almost inevitable. In this study, we examined school psychologists’ (N = 214) assessment practices when determining initial eligibility for ED, as well as their perceptions regarding the language contained within the federal ED definition. Findings indicated that although school psychologists recognize the need for a multimethod, multisource assessment model when ED is a classification consideration, in many instances, their actual assessments are missing commonly recommended sources of data for making eligibility decisions, including classroom observations; parent, teacher, and student interviews; and behavior rating scales. The results from the study provide a useful overview of school psychologists’ assessment practices and are couched within the questions and confusion that have surrounded the federal ED definition since its codification into law.
Agent Modeling in Antiair Defense

This research addresses rational decision making and coordination among antiair units whose mission is to defend a specified territory from a number of attacking missiles. The automated units have to decide which missiles to attempt to intercept, given the characteristics of the threat, and given the other units’ anticipated actions, in their attempt to minimize the expected overall damages to the defended territory. Thus, an automated defense unit needs to model the other agents, either human or automated, that control the other defense batteries. For the purpose of this case study, we assume that the units cannot communicate among themselves, say, due to an imposed radio silence. We use the Recursive Modeling Method (RMM), which enables an agent to select his rational action by examining the expected utility of his alternative behaviors, and to coordinate with other agents by modeling their decision making in a distributed multiagent environment. We describe how decision making using RMM is applied to the antiair defense domain and show experimental results that compare the performance of coordinating teams consisting of RMM agents, human agents, and mixed RMM and human teams.
Effect of influenza A virus infection on natural and adaptive cellular immunity

Influenza A virus (FLU) is an important pathogen in humans. Although many features of the antiviral immune response have been elucidated in murine and human models of disease, little is known about the role of NK cells, which provide natural, innate immunity. The effects of experimental intranasal FLU (H1N1) inoculation on NK cells and other immune parameters were studied in 18 healthy, adult volunteers during the acute and convalescent phases of infection. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMNC) were assayed at baseline and on Postinoculation Days 1, 3, 4, 6, 7, 23, and 44. FLU infection and pathophysiologic upper airway responses were documented in all subjects, and there was no mortality. During both the acute (Days 1-3) and the convalescent (Days 23 and 44) stages of the FLU infection, significant increases in NK activity and decreases in the number of activated NK cells were observed. Reductions in the absolute number of T lymphocytes and in PBMNC proliferation to FLU virus antigen and mitogen were also observed. The current investigation extended those findings to include reductions in the number of CD4+ and CD8+ T lymphocytes and increases in the number of activated T lymphocytes. These results document that FLU infection was accompanied by enhancement of natural immunity and, as expected, suppression of most of the other measured parameters of cellular immunity. The normal response to FLU infection in humans may involve sequential modulation of the different components of the cellular immune system.
Crystallizing membrane proteins using lipidic bicelles

Crystallization of membrane proteins remains a significant challenge. For proteins resistant to the traditional approach of directly crystallizing from detergents, lipidic phase crystallization can be a powerful tool. Bicelles are an excellent medium for crystallizing membrane proteins in a lipidic environment. They can be described as bilayer discs formed by the mixture of a long-chain phospholipid and an amphiphile in an aqueous medium. Membrane proteins can be readily reconstituted into bicelles, where they are maintained in a native-like bilayer environment. Importantly, membrane proteins have been shown to be fully functional in bicelles under physiological conditions. Protein-bicelle mixtures can be manipulated with almost the same ease as detergent-solubilized membrane proteins, making bicelles compatible with standard equipment including high-throughput crystallization robots. A number of membrane proteins have now been successfully crystallized using the bicelle method, including bacteriorhodopsin, β2 adrenergic receptor, voltage-dependent anion channel, xanthorhodopsin and rhomboid protease. Because of the success with a variety of membrane proteins and the ease of implementation, bicelles should be a part of every membrane protein crystallographer's arsenal.
Imaging modal content of cone photoreceptors using adaptive optics optical coherence tomography

It has been long established that photoreceptors capture light based on the principles of optical waveguiding. Yet after decades of experimental and theoretical investigations considerable uncertainty remains, even for the most basic prediction as to whether photoreceptors support more than a single waveguide mode. To test for modal behavior in human cone photoreceptors, we took advantage of adaptive-optics optical coherence tomography (AO-OCT, λc=785 nm) to noninvasively image in three dimensions the reflectance profiles generated in the inner and outer segments (IS, OS) of cones. Mode content was examined over a range of cone diameters by imaging cones from 0.6° to 10° retinal eccentricity (n = 1802). Fundamental to the method was extraction of reflections at the cone IS/OS junction and cone outer segment tip (COST). Modal content properties of size, circularity and orientation were quantified using second moment analysis. Analysis of the cone reflections indicates waveguide properties of cone IS and OS depend on segment diameter. Cone IS was found to support a single mode near the fovea (≤3°) and multiple modes further away (<4°). In contrast, no evidence of multiple modes was found in the cone OSs. The IS/OS and COST reflections share a common optical aperture, are most circular near the fovea, and show no orientation preference.
Efficacy of using benzocaine for temporary relief of toothache

The purpose of this investigation was to determine the efficacy of benzocaine for temporary relief of toothache. The agent used is available at drug counters; it contains 7.5 percent benzocaine in propylene glycol and has the form of a gel. The study was double blind. The agent and a placebo were provided by the manufacturer in an equal number of randomly numbered but otherwise unlabeled tubes. Forty-nine patients (twenty-five males and twenty-four females) with throbbing toothache pain resulting from dental caries were included in the study. The mean age was 25.6 years for patients receiving the drug and 26.7 years for patients receiving the placebo. Of the twenty-four patients who received the active agent, twenty (83 percent) were relieved of pain. The average time for onset of relief was 3.7 minutes. In the placebo group, only four patients (16 percent) were relieved of pain. When the chi-square test is used, the difference is statistically significant at the 0.01 level. No adverse reaction to the agents used was observed.
Low-cycle fatigue of metallic glass nanowires

Abstract Low-cycle fatigue fracture of metallic glass nanowires was investigated using molecular dynamics simulations. The nanowires exhibit work hardening or softening, depending on the applied load. The structural origin of the hardening/softening response was identified as the decrease/increase of the tetrahedral clusters, as a result of the non-hardsphere nature of the glass model. The fatigue fracture is caused by shear banding initiated from the surface. The plastic-strain-controlled fatigue tests show that the fatigue life follows the Coffin–Manson relation. Such power-law form originates from plastic-strain-dependent microscopic damage accumulation. Lastly, the effect of a notch on low-cycle fatigue of nanowires in terms of failure mode and fatigue life was also discussed.
DNA modification induced during infection of Bacillus subtilis by phage φ3T

Abstract The DNA of the Bacillus subtilis temperate phage φ3T is not susceptible to cleavage by the restriction endonuclease HaeIII, although it is cut by many other restriction enzymes. The host DNA from uninfected cells is cut by HaeIII. We show that φ3T DNA propagated in a restriction-modification-defective Escherichia coli cell can be digested by HaeIII. Thus, φ3T DNA does contain the nucleotide recognition sequence of HaeIII. We suggest that this phage induces the modification of its own DNA. In support of this mechanism we show that extracts prepared from φ3T-infected cells contain an activity which in the presence of S-adenosyl- l -methionine (SAM) can modify λ DNA against cleavage by HaeIII. The same in vitro-modified DNA is still susceptible to cleavage by other restriction endonucleases.
Estimation of the diversity of transcription in early rabbit embryos.

RNA from 6-day preimplantation rabbit blastocysts hybridizes with 1.8% of the nonrepeated portion of the rabbit genome. This indicates that at least the quantitative equivalent of about 60,000 unique base sequences 1000 nucleotides in length is transcribed. RNA from embryos implanted in the uterus (12-day) hybridizes with 2.5% of the nonrepeated DNA. The extent to which these transcripts in early rabbit embryos are unique to this stage of the mammalian life cycle is not known. About 70% of the newly synthesized heterogeneous RNA (hRNA) from 4- and 6-day blastocysts hybridizes with the slow-renaturing or nonrepeated portion of the genome. Since estimates of messenger RNA (mRNA) content of hRNA (Schultz et al., 1973), based on polyadenylic acid content, suggest that about 20% of the hRNA is mRNA, it appears that the majority of the transcripts from nonrepeated DNA in preimplantation rabbit embryos is not mRNA.
Alterations in the pharmacokinetic properties of amide local anaesthetics following local anaesthetic induced convulsions

The comparative pharmacokinetic properties of lidocaine, bupivacaine, etidocaine and mepivacaine were investigated in convulsing and non-convulsing dogs. The same dose of a given local anaesthetic was administered as either a 30-s intravenous (IV) bolus to produce convulsions or as a 15-min IV infusion producing no convulsions. Derived pharmacokinetic data were found to be different in convulsing and non-convulsing animals. Total body clearance was found to be significantly reduced for lidocaine (29%, P less than 0.05), bupivacaine (31%, P less than 0.05), etidocaine (60%, P less than 0.01) and mepivacaine (68%, P less than 0.01) in convulsing animals. Increases in elimination half-life only achieved statistical significance in mepivacaine-treated animals (non-convulsing 45.2 min, convulsing 105.4 min, P less than 0.01). Overall, the most profound effects of convulsions on pharmacokinetic data were seen with mepivacaine. Convulsions were associated with increases in heart rate ranging from 117% (lidocaine, P less than 0.05) to 129% (mepivacaine, P less than 0.05), increases in cardiac output ranging from 78% (mepivacaine) to 232% (bupivacaine, P less than 0.05) and increases in mean arterial pressure ranging from 45% (lidocaine, P less than 0.05) to 80% (bupivacaine, P less than 0.05). The results suggest that when local anaesthetic-induced seizures occur in man, it cannot be assumed that these drugs will be distributed and eliminated as predicted by intravenous infusion of non-toxic doses.
Synthesis and Photorefractive Properties of Multifunctional Glasses

A set of organic glasses has been synthesized and evaluated for photorefractive performance. The functions of optical nonlinearity, birefringence, and charge transport were built into a single molecule by attaching an NLO chromophore to a charge transport moiety with an adjustable linking group. The longer linking group not only lowers the glass transition temperature Tg but also influences the photorefractive performance of the samples. The photorefractive gain coefficient is larger for longer linkers with about a 2-fold increase going from the 2-carbon atom linker to 12. The glass stability and chemical stability of the materials was adequate for full photorefractive characterization.