cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Semiparametric estimation of the attributable fraction when there are interactions under monotonicity constraints

The population attributable fraction (PAF) is the fraction of disease cases in a sample that can be attributed to an exposure. Estimating the PAF often involves the estimation of the probability of having the disease given the exposure while adjusting for confounders. In many settings, the exposure can interact with confounders. Additionally, the exposure may have a monotone effect on the probability of having the disease, and this effect is not necessarily linear. We develop a semiparametric approach for estimating the probability of having the disease and, consequently, for estimating the PAF, controlling for the interaction between the exposure and a confounder. We use a tensor product of univariate B-splines to model the interaction under the monotonicity constraint. The model fitting procedure is formulated as a quadratic programming problem, and, thus, can be easily solved using standard optimization packages. We conduct simulations to compare the performance of the developed approach with the conventional B-splines approach without the monotonicity constraint, and with the logistic regression approach. To illustrate our method, we estimate the PAF of hopelessness and depression for suicidal ideation among elderly depressed patients. The proposed estimator exhibited better performance than the other two approaches in the simulation settings we tried. The estimated PAF attributable to hopelessness is 67.99% with 95% confidence interval: 42.10% to 97.42%, and is 22.36% with 95% confidence interval: 12.77% to 56.49% due to depression. The developed approach is easy to implement and supports flexible modeling of possible non-linear relationships between a disease and an exposure of interest.
Reducing anticholinergic medication exposure among older adults using consumer technology: Protocol for a randomized clinical trial

Abstract Introduction A growing body of scientific evidence points to the potentially harmful cognitive effects of anticholinergic medications among older adults. Most interventions designed to promote deprescribing of anticholinergics have directly targeted healthcare professionals and have had mixed results. Consumer-facing technologies may provide a unique benefit by empowering patients and can complement existing healthcare professional-centric efforts. Methods We initiated a randomized clinical trial to evaluate the effectiveness of a patient-facing mobile application (Brain Safe app) compared to an attention control medication list app in reducing anticholinergic exposure among community-dwelling older adults. Study participants are adults aged 60 years and above, currently using at least one prescribed strong anticholinergic, and receiving primary care. The trial plans to enroll a total of 700 participants, randomly allocated in 1:1 proportion to the two study arms. Participants will have the Brain Safe app (intervention arm) or attention control medication list app (control arm) loaded onto a smartphone (study provided or personal device). All participants will be followed for 12 months and will have data collected at baseline, at 6 months, and 12 months by blinded outcome assessors. The primary outcome of the study is anticholinergic exposure measured as total standard daily dose (TSDD) computed from medication prescription electronic records. Secondary outcomes of the study are cognitive function and health-related quality of life. Discussion A consumer-facing intervention to promote deprescribing of potentially high-risk medications can be part of a multi-pronged approach to reduce inappropriate medication use among older adult patients. Delivering a deprescribing intervention via a mobile app is a novel approach and may hold great promise to accelerate deployment of medication safety initiatives across diverse patient populations. Clinical trial registration Registered at ClinicalTrials.gov on October 10, 2019. Identifier number: NCT04121858.
Double σ-Aromaticity in a Surface-Deposited Cluster: Pd4 on TiO2 (110)

We report double σ-aromaticity in a surface-deposited cluster, Pd4, on the TiO2 (110) surface. In the gas phase, Pd4 adopts a tetrahedral structure. However, surface binding promotes a flat, σ-aromatic cluster. This is the first time aromaticity has been found in surface-deposited clusters. The concept of aromaticity is expected to become instrumental in predicting and interpreting properties of such systems, much like it is for isolated molecules and clusters.
Effect of Coronal Alignment on 10-Year Survivorship of a Single Contemporary Total Knee Arthroplasty

Debate remains regarding the utility of mechanical axis alignment as a predictor of durability after total knee arthroplasty (TKA). Our study aimed to assess the effects of coronal alignment on implant durability, clinical outcomes, and radiographic results with a single fixed-bearing TKA design. All patients undergoing primary cemented TKA of a single design (Stryker Triathlon) from 2005-2007 with >10 years of follow-up and available pre-operative and post-operative hip-knee-ankle radiographs were included (n = 89). Radiographs were measured to determine coronal alignment and assessed for loosening. Mean preoperative mechanical axis alignment was -6° ± 6.7° (varus, range, -16°-23°), while mean post-operative alignment was -1° ± 2.7° (varus, range, -3°-15°). The aligned group was defined as knees with a post-operative mechanical axis of 0° ± 3° (n = 73) and the outlier group as those outside this range (n = 16). No patients underwent revision. Ten-year survivorship free from any reoperation was 99% and 100% in the aligned and outlier groups, respectively (p = 0.64). Knee Society scores improved significantly in both groups (p < 0.001) and did not differ at final follow-up (p = 0.15). No knees demonstrated radiographic evidence of loosening. Post-operative mechanical axis alignment within 3° of neutral was not associated with improved implant durability, clinical outcomes, or radiographic results at 10 years following primary TKA.
Interdisciplinary Entrepreneurship Education: Exploring 10-Year Trends in Student Enrollment, Interest and Motivation:

Interdisciplinary entrepreneurship programs are becoming the norm rather than the exception at universities across the world. This paper examines trends in student enrollment, interests, motivation...
FT-IR study of CO2 interaction with Na + exchanged montmorillonite

Here, carbon capture, utilization and storage (CCUS) in saline reservoirs in sedimentary formations has the potential to reduce the impact of fossil fuel combustion on climate change by reducing CO2 emissions to the atmosphere and storing the CO2 in geologic formations in perpetuity. At pressure and temperature (PT) conditions relevant to CCUS, CO2 is less dense than the pre-existing brine in the formation, and the more buoyant CO2 will migrate to the top of the formation where it will be in contact with cap rock. Interactions between clay-rich shale cap rocks and CO2 are poorly understood at PT conditions appropriate for CCUS in saline formations. In this study, the interaction of CO2 with clay minerals in the cap rock overlying a saline formation has been examined using Na+ exchanged montmorillonite (Mt) (Na+-STx-1) (Na+ Mt) as an analog for clay-rich shale. Attenuated Total Reflectance-Fourier Transform Infrared Spectroscopy (ATR-FTIR) was used to discern mechanistic information for CO2 interaction with hydrated (both one- and two-water layers) and relatively dehydrated (both dehydrated layers and one-water layers) Na+-STx-1 at 35 °C and 50 C and CO2 pressure from 0 5.9 MPa. CO2-induced perturbations associated with the water layer and Na+-STx-1 vibrational modes such as AlAlOHmore » and AlMgOH were examined. Data indicate that CO2 is preferentially incorporated into the interlayer space, with relatively dehydrated Na+-STx-1 capable of incorporating more CO2 compared to hydrated Na+-STx-1. Spectroscopic data provide no evidence of formation of carbonate minerals or the interaction of CO2 with sodium cations in the Na+-STx-1 structure.« less
Is It Only the Violence?: The Effects of Violent Video Game Content, Difficulty, and Competition on Aggressive Behavior

Abstract. The results of prior research investigating whether the violence in violent video games leads to increased subsequent aggression are mixed. Some observers question whether the difficulty ...
Individual Liberty, Public Health, and the Battle for the Nation’s Soul

This essay examines the legacy of the US Supreme Court case Jacobson v. Massachusetts in the context of the COVID-19 pandemic. The author contends that the vision set by Jacobson — one of coexistence and cooperation in a democratic commonwealth — is in jeopardy as courts in recent COVID-19 constitutional cases have unveiled a new view based less on the social contract than on a strong form of libertarianism.
Plant Metabolic Network 15: A resource of genome-wide metabolism databases for 126 plants and algae

To understand and engineer plant metabolism, we need a comprehensive and accurate annotation of all metabolic information across plant species. As a step towards this goal, we generated genome-scale metabolic pathway databases of 126 algal and plant genomes, ranging from model organisms to crops to medicinal plants (https://plantcyc.org). Of these, 104 have not been reported before. We systematically evaluated the quality of the databases, which revealed that our semi-automated validation pipeline dramatically improves the quality. We then compared the metabolic content across the 126 organisms using multiple correspondence analysis and found that Brassicaceae, Poaceae, and Chlorophyta appeared as metabolically distinct groups. To demonstrate the utility of this resource, we used recently published sorghum transcriptomics data to discover previously unreported trends of metabolism underlying drought tolerance. We also used single-cell transcriptomics data from the Arabidopsis root to infer cell-type specific metabolic pathways. This work shows the quality and quantity of our resource and demonstrates its wide-ranging utility in integrating metabolism with other areas of plant biology. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Network Anomaly Detection Using Exponential Random Graph Models and Autoregressive Moving Average

Network anomaly detection solutions are being used as defense against several attacks, especially those related to data exfiltration. Several methods exist in the literature, such as clustering or neural networks. However, these methods often focus on local and global network indicators instead of network structural properties, such as understanding which devices typically communicate with other devices. To address this literature gap, we propose a method that uses exponential random graph modeling to integrate network topology structure statistics in anomaly detection. We demonstrate the effectiveness of our method using real-world examples as a baseline for experiments on domain name system (DNS) data exfiltration scenarios. We highlight how our method provides better insight into how network traffic may alter network graph structure and how this can assist cybersecurity analysts in making better decisions in conjunction with existing intrusion detection systems. Finally, we compare and contrast the accuracy, false positive rate and computational overhead of our method with other methods.
Fabrication of Backlighter Laser Targets via Lithography

AbstractLithographed wire targets have recently been fabricated for use as backlighter targets for experimental campaigns at the OMEGA laser facility. These experiments required targets with 10-μm gold wires lithographed onto plastic. A process was developed using lithography to make these targets via sputter coating and liquid solution removal of the resist. One of the challenges overcome in developing this target was depositing the gold so that it would strongly adhere to the plastic. The quality of the lithographed targets was much better than targets made by other methods, such as gluing or thermal techniques. The lithographed targets were straighter, which is important in order to minimize the emission spot size at shot time. The lithographed targets also did not have problems with plastic or glue covering the wires, which can also reduce target emission, another challenge for gluing or thermal techniques. Lithography also allows a large number of similar targets to be made at once and cut out to the...
Management of special services — designing for a changing world

COSMOSS, BT‘s customer-oriented system for the management of special services, was implemented in early 1994. It is a large 3270-based multiple virtual storage (MVS) system using CICS, DB2 and BT Middleware. Though seen by some as a legacy system cloned from the customer service system (CSS), COSMOSS is very forward looking in its attempts to anticipate and accommodate change. This paper discusses the COSMOSS design approach and in particular how it tackles problems associated with the inevitability of change.
Terminating a macromolecular helix. Structural model for the minor proteins of bacteriophage M13.

Abstract Analysis of the results of X-ray diffraction, electron microscopy and sequence studies of filamentous bacteriophage M13 are used to construct structural models for the minor proteins gp7 and gp9 at the end of the virus assembled first, and a portion of gp6 at the end of the virus that binds host. Comparison of the sequence of the major coat protein, gp8, with those of gp7, gp9 and gp6 indicates that significant portions of these three proteins have sequences similar to that of gp8. Assuming that sequence similarity is indicative of structural similarity, gp7, gp9 and portions of gp6 are modeled based on what is known about the structure of gp8. These molecular models are analyzed to predict the packing of the minor proteins with the terminal gp8 proteins (the last gp8 proteins at either end of the helix). This analysis indicates that the gp8 proteins integrated into the virus first may have a structure distinct from those in the body of the virus particle. The gp8 proteins at the end assembled last appear to have a conformation very similar to that of the integral coat proteins. These models place specific constraints on models for the process of viral assembly.
Leader observations during the initial breakdown stage of a lightning flash

This paper describes luminosity and leader propagation during the initial breakdown (IB) stage of a cloud-to-ground flash, beginning at 6.06 km altitude and 31.86 ms before the return stroke (RS). High-speed video (50,000 frames per s) and time-correlated electric field change (E-change) data show multiple branch ends advance concurrently in the first 6 ms of the flash; each branch begins with IB pulses and propagates first via bursts as an initial leader. Burst luminosity (pixel intensity) is directly related to IB pulse amplitude. Some initial leader branches transition to advancing as stepped leaders after a few milliseconds. Each initial leader branch end makes the transition to a stepped leader branch end at a different time, resulting in a complex E-change waveform including relatively narrow step-type pulses during the IB stage and no apparent Intermediate stage prior to the Leader stage. There is no visible evidence of an upward propagating leader end prior to the RS nor of any light above the earliest visible IB luminosity prior to or during the RS. During the RS, the topmost visible portion of the channel that developed as an initial leader (above 5.1 km) behaves differently from the channel below, indicating it is less conductive. Radar and time-of-arrival lightning source data indicate that the IB luminosity visible to the camera comes from about 6 km inside the thundercloud echo. The 1276 m long initial leader transitions to a stepped leader at 4.9–5.0 km, near the altitude of the radar bright band.
Photoreceptor loss in age-related macular degeneration.

Purpose The authors showed previously that parafoveal rods, but not cones, decrease during the course of adulthood in donor eyes that were screened to exclude the grossly visible macular drusen and pigmentary disturbances typical of age-related macular degeneration (AMD). Because AMD begins in the parafovea, this selective loss of rods actually may be subclinical AMD not yet visible in the fundus. If so, AMD must have a predilection for rods over cones. The authors tested this hypothesis by determining the relative numbers of cones and rods in donor eyes with mid-to late-stage AMD and in age-matched controls. Methods Thirteen eyes (from seven donors) with grossly visible macular drusen and pigmentary disturbances were either wholemounted for photoreceptor counts or sectioned through the fovea for histopathology and carbonic anhydrase histochemistry to label red-green cones. Eyes were assigned to AMD or control groups on the basis of histopathology and clinical history. Results Five nonexudative AMD (NE-AMD) eyes from three donors showed sparing of foveal cones and loss of rods and cones in the parafovea. In two donors, rod loss exceeded cone loss at most parafoveal locations, and in one donor, rod density was normal and cone density was reduced. In eight exudative AMD (EX-AMD) eyes from five donors, photoreceptors surviving along the margins of and overlying disciform scars were largely cones. Conclusions Photoreceptors are lost in NE-AMD as well as in the more severe exudative form, consistent with functional and clinical studies. The authors propose that rods die in older eyes without evidence of overt retinal pigment epithelial disease. In persons susceptible to AMD, the retinal pigment epithelium becomes dysfunctional. Secondarily, rod loss continues and cones begin to degenerate. Eventually, only degenerate cones remain; ultimately, all photoreceptors may disappear.
Eighth Annual Herbert Lourie Memorial Lecture on Health Policy - New Conundrums: Public Policy and the Emerging Health Care Marketplace

There is a fundamentally new dynamic in American health care, one that has yet to be fully experienced but that threatens to leave a large portion of the American population without access to the quality health care they have received in the past. While the federal government has not completely abandoned the goal of assuring universal health care, a goal that dates back to the creation of Medicare and Medicaid in the 1960s and even earlier, the mechanisms to pursue that goal have changed. The implicit contract between government and health care providers - mostly doctors and not-for-profit hospitals - under which subsidized care was provided to those unable to pay has been broken in favor of more market-driven forces that promise a more cost-effective system, but a system that fails to protect a growing uninsured population. This new purchaser-driven system - in which costs increasingly determine the services that are provided - is likely to fall short of providing quality care to all who need it. Health care is different from other services, and unless this difference is recognized we are in danger of permanently denying quality health care to a significant minority of our population. Regulation of the emerging "free market" in health care is needed and government must assure that role.
The Deoxyribonuclease Induced after Infection of Escherichia coli by Bacteriophage T5 II. ROLE OF THE ENZYME IN REPLICATION OF THE PHAGE DEOXYRIBONUCLEIC ACID

Abstract After infection of Escherichia coli, bacteriophage T5 induces an exonuclease which yields oligonucleotides upon hydrolysis of a DNA strand from the 5'-end. A mutant of T5 has been isolated which bears a mutation in the structural gene of the exonuclease. In addition to inducing a heat-labile enzyme, the mutant phage is unable to form plaques at 45°. Single step revertants lose both of these properties. After infection with the mutant at 45° DNA synthesis begins normally but arrests prematurely. The DNA which is synthesized in mutant-infected cells is converted to a rapidly sedimenting form, as is the DNA synthesized in wild type-infected cells. However, there is defective conversion to mature length phage DNA in mutant-infected cells.
Emergence of Specialization in Skeletal Muscle

The sections in this article are: 1 Muscle Histogenesis 2 Peripheral Nerve Development 3 Myofiber Specialization 4 Contractile Proteins 4.1 Myosin 4.2 Tropomyosin and Troponin
Intracellular regulators of neuronal sprouting. II: Phosphorylation reactions in isolated growth cones

Mechanisms potentially involved in the regulation of neurite growth were investigated. Since both the phosphatidylinositol (PI) pathway and protein kinase C have been implicated in transmembrane signal transduction, protein and lipid phosphorylation reactions were examined in intact growth cone particles (GCPs) isolated from fetal rat brain. Three major substrates of Ca2+-dependent phosphorylation were observed: proteins of 40 and 46 kDa and an acidic 80 kDa species separated in 2D PAGE (pp40, pp46, and pp80ac). The pp40 and pp80ac substrates had similar rates of 32P incorporation, whereas that of pp46 was more rapid. The importance of protein kinase C in growth cone function is indicated by the enhancement of phosphorylation of the 3 major substrates by the phorbol ester 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol 13-acetate (TPA). An examination of the Ca2+-dependent 32P incorporation into pp40 and pp46 revealed serine to be the only amino acid phosphorylated under these conditions. A rapidly metabolized pool of phosphoinositides was observed in GCPs. This suggests the presence of the Pl pathway9s enzymes in this fraction. Inositol trisphosphate (IP3) was found to stimulate the phosphorylation of pp40 and pp80ac, indicating a possible link between the activation of the PI pathway and protein phosphorylation. Our findings demonstrate the prominence of the PI pathway and of Ca2+-dependent protein phosphorylation in the growth cone and may suggest the involvement of these mechanisms in growth- factor signal transduction.
Classifier learning with hidden information

Traditional data-driven classifier learning approaches become limited when the training data is inadequate either in quantity or quality. To address this issue, in this paper we propose to combine hidden information and data to enhance classifier learning. Hidden information represents information that is only available during training but not available during testing. It often exists in many applications yet has not been thoroughly exploited, and existing methods to utilize hidden information are still limited. To this end, we propose two general approaches to exploit different types of hidden information to improve different classifiers. We also extend the proposed methods to deal with incomplete hidden information. Experimental results on different applications demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed methods for exploiting hidden information and their superior performance to existing methods.
Ultrasonic Attenuation near and above the Spin-Flop Transition of Mn F 2

The ultrasonic attenuation in Mn${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$ was measured at 4.2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{}K in steady magnetic fields up to 150 kG. These measurements were performed with 8 to 310-Mc/sec longitudinal and shear sound waves propagating along the [100], [110], and [001] crystallographic axes. The most prominent features of the data are: (1) For several acoustical modes, a sharp peak in the attenuation occurs near the spin-flop transition at 93 kG. This peak is observed only if H is within a few tenths of a degree from the [001] axis. (2) For two acoustical modes, a large absorption edge, as a function of magnetic field, exists near the spin-flop transition. The edge is observed only if H is within \ensuremath{\sim}2\ifmmode^\circ\else\textdegree\fi{} from the [001] axis. Supplementary antiferromagnetic-resonance experiments, at $X$ band, were performed on the same single crystal of Mn${\mathrm{F}}_{2}$. Several mechanisms which may be responsible for the observed magnetic field variation of the ultrasonic attenuation are discussed.
Effects of Kanamycin Administration to Poultry on the Interspecies Transmission of Drug-Resistant Salmonella

Abstract Three experiments were conducted to assess the relationship between antibiotic administration to poultry and the transmission of drug-resistant Salmonella through a simulated food chain. Poults were inoculated per os with either multiply drug-resistant Escherichia coli and drug-sensitive S. typhimurium or with multiply drug-resistant S. typhimurium. One-half of the poults inoculated with drug-sensitive S. typhimurium and all poults given drug-resistant S. typhimurium received kanamycin in their drinking water. Liver tissue from these poults was incorporated into diets fed to rats, half of which were treated with kanamycin. Antibiotic administration to the poults was associated with a significantly (P
X-Ray Fluorescence with Synchrotron Radiation

An experimental set-up for x-ray fluorescence analysis with synchrotron radiation was built and installed at the Stanford Synchrotron Radiation Project. X-ray spectra were taken from numerous and varied samples in order to assess the potential of synchrotron radiation as an excitation source for multielement x-ray fluorescence analysis. For many applications, the synchrotron radiation technique is shown to be superi- or to other x-ray fluorescence methods, especially those employing electrons and protons as excitation sources.
X-ray Diffraction Experiments in Nanosecond Time Intervals

DEBYE-SCHERRER X-ray powder patterns are conventionally obtained on photographic emulsions in times of the order of hours. When special techniques are used, the time required can be reduced to minutes or perhaps seconds. In this communication, we report the recording of X-ray powder patterns on photographic emulsions in nanosecond time intervals.
The Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) in patients treated with external beam radiation therapy: Evaluation and optimization in patients at higher risk of relapse

Abstract Background The Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment (CAPRA) was developed to predict freedom from biochemical failure (FFBF) following radical prostatectomy (RP). Its utility following external beam radiation therapy (EBRT) has not been externally evaluated. Methods A retrospective study of 612 patients treated with dose-escalated EBRT at the University of Michigan Medical Center. Results Compared to the derivation cohort, EBRT treated patients had higher-risk disease (28% with CAPRA of 6–10 vs. 5%, respectively). A total of 114 patients (19%) had BF with 5-year BF ranging from 7% with CAPRA 0–3 to 35% with CAPRA 7–10. For RT patients the risk of BF at 5-year was similar to 4 surgical cohorts for CAPRA scores 0–2 but lower for all CAPRA scores⩾3. The difference favoring RT increased with increasing CAPRA score reaching a 27–50% absolute improved at 5-years for CAPRA scores of 6–10. On multivariate analysis each CAPRA point increased the risk of BF ( p p =0.01) and long-term androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) significantly reduced the risk of BF ( p =0.015). Conclusions Compared to surgical series the risk of BF was lower with dose-escalated EBRT with the greatest difference at the highest CAPRA scores.
An integral representation for a class of positive definite functions

is satisfied for all k, k' e K and x e G then ~b is said to be bi-invariant with respect to K. Now let B be the set of all elementary normalized positive definite functions on G, bi-invariant with respect to K, endowed with the weak-* topology induced by LI(G). (See [2], {} 30, for definitions and elementary properties of positive definite functions.) It is known that if G is unimodular, and K is a compact subgroup and if a certain subalgebra of LI(G ) is commutative, then corresponding to each bi-invariant positive definite function ~b on G there is a Radon measure/~ on B such that
Idiographic, quantitative assessment of self-esteem

Abstract Most measures designed to quantify self-esteem are based on a nomothetic approach. The present research was designed to examine the psychometric properties of a new measure of self-esteem, the Self-Esteem Worksheet. This scale provides an idiographic way of assessing self-esteem that retains a quantitative basis. Subjects (n = 323) were assessed using the Self-Esteem Worksheet and other measures of self-esteem and emotional functioning. Ten weeks after the initial assessment, 243 subjects (75% of sample) were re-assessed on the same measures. The Self-Esteem Worksheet attained an adequate retest correlation across the entire sample, r = 0.61, with higher stability for males, r = 0.73, as compared to females, r = 0.54. Also, the Self-Esteem Worksheet showed evidence of concurrent and predictive validity. Regardless of gender or degree of life stress, subjects scoring high on the Self-Esteem Worksheet consistently reported higher levels of self-esteem on several other established measures at both the initial assessment and when re-tested 10 weeks later. Also, subjects low in self-esteem reported persistently higher levels of depression, loneliness, and self-criticism. The present results suggest that self-esteem can be assessed in an idiographic manner while still retaining a quantitative scoring system.
Recognition of Conspecifics and Sex By Territorial Males of the Social Wasp Polistes Fuscatus (Hymenoptera: Vespidae)

Territorial males of Polistes fuscatus (subspecies variatus) respond to intruders with a chain of behavior of increasing intensity as follows: (1) no reaction, (2) orient, (3) pursue, (4) grasp, and (5) either grapple (with male intruders) or attempt copulation (with females). In the laboratory test objects combining different visual, chemical, and behavioral stimuli were tethered and waved in front of perched territorial males to determine the role of each in eliciting a male response. All test objects elicited an orient response. The overall color or contrast with the background and shape of the test object had little effect on male response. The black and yellow banded coloration characteristic of conspecifics released pursuit and grasping behavior, while chemical cues in combination with the banded coloration released grasping and grappling or attempt copulation. Recognition of sex was based on chemical cues and not on the sexually dichromic coloration. From this and previous studies we conclude that the black and yellow banded coloration of conspecifics is the most important visual stimulus for long-range attraction (> 15 cm) of males, while at close-range or on contact a cuticular surface pheromone and a sex pheromone from the venom are important in the recognition of conspecifics and for discrimination between the sexes.
Risky Business: Challenges in Vaccine Risk Communication

* Abbreviations: AAP = : American Academy of Pediatrics • ACIP = : Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices • IPV = : inactivated polio vaccine • FDA = : Food and Drug Administration • DTwP = : diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and whole-cell pertussis vaccine • DTaP = : diphtheria and tetanus toxoids and acellular pertussis vaccine • DTP = : diphtheria, tetanus, and pertussis vaccine • CDC = : Centers for Disease Control and Prevention • NCVIA = : National Childhood Vaccine Injury Act • VICP = : Vaccine Injury Compensation Program • IOM = : Institute of Medicine • OPV = : oral polio vaccine • VIS = : Vaccine Information Statements Concern over vaccine safety has been a major determinant of immunization policy—from passage of the Biologics Control Act in 1902 to the recent American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) and Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) recommendations for expanded use of inactivated polio (IPV) and acellular pertussis vaccines.1-4 With the availability of new vaccines and vaccination options comes the challenge of how best to communicate these options to patients and their parents. Lessons from the field of risk communication on predictors of risk acceptability and vaccination decision heuristics provide insight into why some parents resist vaccination. This article provides a historical perspective on vaccine adverse events and applies lessons from risk communication research to help physicians improve their ability to discuss vaccine risks. Immunizations have been described as the single most effective health intervention after clean water and sewage disposal,5 and have an extraordinary safety record. However, public policy has long reflected concern for the safety of vaccines and related biologics. In 1902, Congress passed the Biologics Control Act in response to the death of 13 children who had received injections of diphtheria antitoxin contaminated with tetanus toxin.6 This act required biologics to be manufactured in a manner that assured their safety, purity, and potency. Responsibility for these regulations was assigned originally to the Hygienic Laboratory of the Public Health Service, which evolved into the National Institutes of Health. The regulation of biologics including vaccines was transferred to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in 1972. The first published accounts of serious adverse events after whole cell pertussis vaccine occurred in 1933 with Madsen's7 report of two deaths within 48 hours of immunization, and in 1948 with the report in Pediatrics by Byers and Moll8 of encephalopathy after diphtheria and tetanus toxoids combined with whole-cell pertussis …
Benjamin Robins (1707–1751): Opting not to be a commissary for Acadia but a fortifications engineer in East India☆

Abstract After the printing of his little “budget”‡ of New Principles of Gunnery in 1742 [1,2], Robins would seem to have become unsure as to what and where he should apply his talents. Not obtaining a permanent appointment as Professor of Fortification at the Woolwich Military Academy in 1741, his search for self-esteem in employment seems to have led him to accept the post, in 1749, of Director General of Engineering for the East India Company in the Carnatica, India, and where at work in 1751, he died of malaria one year after landing from England. The paper describes some of the historical and technical background, e.g. of the military engineer and the establishment of some fortifications by the British in the 17th and 18th centuries on the eastern side of the Indian subcontinent, at the start of less than two centuries of subsequent Empire. Some account of one Western European nation's involvement in overseas military engineering is outlined; we do not restrict this only to Robins' period but indicate how it continued and developed for a generation after he died. Robins' decease at the height of his career in early middle age, surely cut by one half a great career of unfulfilled promise in engineering science and practice. Originally, as a consequence of the signing of the terms of the peace treaty of Aix-la-Chapelle in 1748, after the War of the Austrian Succession, Robins was offered the opportunity to go to Paris, “as a commissary to set the limits of Acadia”. This he declined, choosing rather to go out East. English mid-18th century sensitivity to events in Acadia is fully described. The contest between the English and French for Empire in Southern India and Nova Scotia is described (relatively) extensively and reveals the depth of competition between the nations. Details pertaining to Acadia are given in Part I and to India in Part II.
Political Cycles and Exchange-Rate-Based Stabilization

Fixed exchange rates implemented to increase credibility and attract foreign investment, or as an alternative approach to stabilization in high inflation economies, have been shown to be successful in expanding economic activity and correcting inflation in the short term but often lead to undesirable outcomes in the medium to long term. Although there is a wealth of literature documenting the boom-bust cycles associated with the adoption of a nominal anchor, no adequate explanation has been proffered as to governments repeatedly choosing policies that are self-defeating. The authors address this question with a political economy explanation based on the notion of a self-interested government for which short-term stabilization is attractive in the face of incentives posed by the electoral cycle. If the election coincides with the boom phase of an exchange rate-based stabilization, incumbent governments increase the likelihood of gaining reelection, and the bust phase will develop, if at all, only after the contest. The authors thus suggest a modified version of the traditional political business cycle. From the standpoint of a self-interested office-seeking government, exchange rate-based stabilizations can make good political sense. Empirical results based on an analysis of eighteen Latin American countries from 1970 to 1999 support the insights of the argument: movements towards a more fixed exchange rate are greater than three times more likely in a preelection period than in other stages of the electoral cycle.
Thymidine transport in cultured mammalian cells. Kinetic analysis, temperature dependence and specificity of the transport system

Abstract The transport of thymidine has been characterized kinetically and thermodynamically in Novikoff rat hepatoma cells grown in culture and, less extensively, in mouse L cells, Chinese hamster ovary cells, P388 murine leukemia cells and HeLa cells. That the characterizations pertained to the transport system per se was ensured, (i) by employing recently developed methods for rapid sampling of cell/substrate mixtures in order to follow isotope movements within a few seconds after initial exposure of cells to substrate; (ii) by utilizing cells rendered, by genetic or chemical means, incapable of metabolizing thymidine; and, (iii) by demonstrating conformity of the transport data to an integrated rate equation derived for a simple, carrier-mediated system. The results indicate that thymidine is transported into mammalian cells by a functionally symmetrical, non-concentrative system for which the carrier : substrate dissociation constant ranges from about 100 μM in Chinese hamster ovary cells, to 230 μM in Novikoff hepatoma cells. In all cell lines investigated, the velocity of transport was sufficient to nearly completely equilibrate low concentrations of thymidine across the membrane within 15 s. Temperature dependence of transport velocity and substrate : carrier dissociation were continuous ( E A = 18.3 kcal/mol , ΔH 0 ′ = 9.3 kcal/mol , respectively), and showed no evidence of abrupt transitions. Several natural and artificial nucleosides and nucleic acid based inhibited influx of radiolabeled thymidine, apparently by competing with thymidine for the transport carrier.
On the constants of motion governing an electron in a magnetic field constrained by an electrostatic central force

Planetary motion mechanics with noncolinear particle forces is a well defined science. The problem considered is that of an electron constrained by an electrostatic central force in a uniform magnetic field. The problem is of interest because it is the classical limit of the hydrogen atom in a magnetic field, and because there are not enough constants of motion to solve the problem exactly. Discussed in this paper, from a pedagogical viewpoint, are the derivation and use of the constants of motion to predict the orbit of such an electron. A numerical example illustrating the concepts is worked out for the cylindrical magnetron (for which analytical solutions exist).
Ketamine and kids: an update.

The ‘ketamine dart’ is an old and trusted standby for pediatric anesthesiologists: in the uncooperative pediatric patient, the intramuscular administration of ketamine – if necessary straight through the clothes – has proven itself as an effective approach to induce a moderate level of anesthesia while maintaining blood pressure, breathing and airway reflexes. Ketamine also is used frequently for pediatric sedation and pain relief, by anesthesiologists and nonanesthesiologists, in the Emergency Department and Intensive Care Unit. A number of developments have drawn renewed attention to ketamine for use in the adult population. The marketing in Europe of the S(+) isomer instead of the racemic mixture led to hopes that the at times troublesome side effects of ketamine could be reduced – hopes that appear to have faded (1), but that have led to the availability of a compound with a faster offset and allowing more easily titrated use in infusions. The profound analgesic properties of ketamine have been recognized anew, and a number of approaches for ketamine pain therapy in the perioperative period and for patients with chronic pain are being evaluated (2). Concerns about the use of ketamine in patients with head injury have been shown essentially unwarranted when used under appropriate conditions (3), and this has opened the way to making use of its well-described cerebral protective properties, which seem to be even more pronounced in S(+) ketamine (4). Although ketamine can induce neuronal toxicity (5), further research will likely define an appropriate place of the compound in treatment of patients with intracranial pathology. A number of these developments are applicable as much to the pediatric population as to adults, and a number of investigators have studied novel uses of ketamine in children. In this review we will, after a brief description of our current understanding of ketamine’s pharmacology, discuss the recent literature on ketamine’s use for three pediatric indications: anesthesia, sedation, and analgesia. We hope to demonstrate that there may be growing opportunities for improving patient care by using ketamine in children.
Radiometry and remote sensing of the environment

Three new L band passive satellite missions to measure sea surface salinity and soil moisture are reviewed. The first is the ESA Soil Moisture Ocean Salinity (SMOS) satellite. It features the first spaceborne synthetic aperture antenna with enhanced resolution and multiple incident angle looks. The second is the NASA Aquarius mission to sense sea surface salinity with a 0.2 psu accuracy and an on-board radar to correct for surface roughnesss. The last is NASA's Soil Moisture Active Passive (SMAP) mission to measure soil moisture with a 6m mesh antenna for increased resolution and a radar to enhance its performance.
Thermally Forced Gravity Waves in an Atmosphere at Rest

Abstract The transient linear response of a quiescent, two-dimensional, nonrotating atmosphere to prescribed heat sources and sinks is investigated. Analytical solutions of the hydrostatic Boussinesq equations are obtained for a rigid lid and for a semi-infinite region. For the rigid lid solution, vertically trapped gravity waves propagate away from the source with a speed that depends on the Brunt–Vaisala frequency and the vertical wavenumber of the heating. The amplitude of the disturbance field in the region of the forcing approaches a constant value. Two modes are of particular interest: 1) a deep fast-moving mode which is responsible for subsidence warming through the depth of the troposphere; 2) a slower moving mode which corresponds to midlevel inflow and lower- and upper-level outflows. A solution is also obtained for a semi-infinite region. Although gravity wave energy can now propagate upward, the structure of the low-level fields still shows many similarities with the rigid lid solution. An ana...
Octan-1-ol / Water Partition Coefficients of p-benzo-and p-naphthoquinones corrected for pH effect†:

A method was developed to quench the effect of pH on the determination of octan-1-ol / water partition coefficients (kow) of p-benzo- and p-naphthoquinones by using a mildly buffered aqueous phase.
Monitoring tropical cyclone evolution with NOAA satellite microwave observations

NOAA satellite microwave soundings, which penetrate high clouds, delineate the development and dissipation of the upper tropospheric warm core associated with a tropical cyclone. The storm's 'core" may be detected from microwave imagery. Vertical cross sections reveal the intensification of the upper tropospheric warm core as the storm develops, and the downward propagation of the warm core as the storm dissipates. Excellent correlation is found between the horizontal Laplacian of an upper tropospheric temperature field and the intensity of the storm, as categorized by its surface central pressure and maximum sustained wind speed at the eye wall. The microwave monitoring of tropical cyclones is achieved in real time at the University of Wisconsin's Space Science and Engineering Center through high-speed teleconnections to direct readout receiving systems at Wallops Island, Virginia and Redwood City, California.
Design and Implementation of Routing Scheme for Wireless Network-on-Chip

Modern embedded SoC design uses a rapidly increasing number of processing units for ubiquitous computing. When moving towards a billion-transistor era, ever increasing complexity, density and heterogeneity of embedded components exacerbate on-chip communication, which serves as the fabric to integrate these components and provide a communication mechanism among them. In order to bridge the widening gap between computation requirements and communication efficiency, the authors develop a new on-chip communication system, dubbed wireless network-on-chip (WNoC), by using the RoC technology. This paper mainly focused on the design and hardware implementation of a region-aided routing scheme that realizes loop-free, minimum path cost and high scalability for irregular WNoC infrastructure.
Toward a New Relationality: Digital Photography, Shame, and the Fat Subject

The turn toward the digital in the fat activist movement marks a crucial shift away from primarily linguistic interventions to image-based counternarratives. The move toward the visual provides a space not simply for body positivity and fat pride, but also for a radical reorientation and reimagining of the role of abjection for the fat subject such that the affective responses of shame, disgust, and disorientation often attached to the encounter with the image of the fat body do not become a site of disavowal, but rather the creation of new forms of relationalities that allow us to imagine otherwise.
Formation of mutagens by heating creatine and glucose.

Abstract The mutagenic activity toward Salmonella typhimurium TA 98 and TA 100 was investigated by heat treatment at temperatures up to 200°C of meat with identified components such as protein, adenine, creatine and a mixture of each of the 17 amino acids or glucose. Mutagenicity of these nitrogenous compounds was detected at the temperature of 150°C by adding glucose, consequently the yield of mutagenic activity by heating creatine and glucose was remarkably high. It is assumed that mutagens would be formed by the reaction of creatine and sugars during cooking of meat.
Evolution of the hominoid semenogelin genes, the major proteins of ejaculated semen.

The hominoid primates (apes and humans) exhibit remarkable diversity in their social and sexual behavioral systems. This is reflected in many ways in their anatomy and physiology. For example, the testes and seminal vesicles are relatively large in species with high sperm competition like the chimpanzee and small in species with low or no sperm competition like the gorilla. Additionally, the chimpanzee is the only hominoid primate known to produce a firm copulatory plug, which presumably functions in sperm competition by blocking insemination of subsequent males. Here we examine the molecular evolution of the semenogelin genes (SEMG1 and SEMG2), which code for the predominant structural proteins in human semen. High molecular weight complexes of these proteins are responsible for the viscous gelatinous consistency of human semen; their rodent homologs are responsible for the formation of a firm copulatory plug. Chimpanzees have an expanded SEMG1 gene caused by duplications of tandem repeats, each encoding 60 amino acids, resulting in a protein nearly twice as long as that of humans. In contrast, at both SEMG1 and SEMG2 we observed several gorilla haplotypes that contain at least one premature stop codon. We suggest that these structural changes in the semenogelin proteins that have arisen since the human–chimpanzee–gorilla split may be responsible for the physiological differences between these species ejaculated semen that correlate with their sociosexual behavior.