cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Modeling the physics of FtsZ assembly and force generation

The tubulin homolog FtsZ is the major cytoskeletal protein in bacterial cytokinesis. It can generate a constriction force on the bacterial membrane or inside tubular liposomes. Several models have recently been proposed for how this force might be generated. These fall into 2 categories. The first is based on a conformational change from a straight to a curved protofilament. The simplest "hydrolyze and bend" model proposes a 22 degrees bend at every interface containing a GDP. New evidence suggests another curved conformation with a 2.5 degrees bend at every interface and that the relation of curvature to GTP hydrolysis is more complicated than previously thought. However, FtsZ protofilaments do appear to be mechanically rigid enough to bend membranes. A second category of models is based on lateral bonding between protofilaments, postulating that a contraction could be generated when protofilaments slide to increase the number of lateral bonds. Unfortunately these lateral bond models have ignored the contribution of subunit entropy when adding bond energies; if included, the mechanism is seen to be invalid. Finally, I address recent models that try to explain how protofilaments 1-subunit-thick show a cooperative assembly.
Use of advance directives for high-risk operations: a national survey of surgeons.

OBJECTIVE To characterize surgeons' beliefs and approach to the use of an advance directive in the decision to perform high-risk operations. BACKGROUND Prior work suggests many surgeons regard advance directives as antithetical to the goals of surgical therapy, yet little is known about surgeons' approach to high-risk operations for patients with directives limiting postoperative care. METHODS We sent a self-administered survey by US mail to 2100 randomly selected vascular, neurologic, and cardiothoracic surgeons. We used stepwise logistic regression to determine the relationship between explanatory variables and: (1) how often surgeons discuss advance directives preoperatively, and (2) how advance directives limiting postoperative life-supporting therapy influence the decision to operate. RESULTS The adjusted response rate was 55%. All surgeons reported discussing the potential for unanticipated outcomes and nearly all (95%) discussed the need for postoperative life-supporting therapy. More than four-fifths (81%) reported discussing patient preferences to limit postoperative life-supporting therapy during informed consent. Approximately one half of respondents (52%) either sometimes or always discuss advance directives before surgery, with younger physicians less likely to do so than more experienced surgeons (odds ratio [OR] = 0.46, 95% confidence intervals [CI] = 0.06-0.85). More than one half (54%) of surgeons reported they would decline to operate on patients who have an advance directive limiting postoperative life-supporting therapy. CONCLUSIONS Many surgeons do not routinely discuss advanced directives preoperatively and more than one half reported they would decline to operate on patients whose directives limit postoperative care. This practice may limit the expression of patient preferences during decision making for high-risk operations.
SU‐FF‐I‐01: Determination of Subjective Similarity for Pairs of Lesions On Mammograms: Comparison of Ranking Scores in 2AFC Versus Absolute Ratings for Masses and Microcalcifications

Purpose: We previously obtained the subjective similarity ratings for pairs of lesions on mammograms for quantitative evaluation of similar images. Our purpose in this study was to investigate whether the absolute similarity ratings can be determined reliably by comparison with ranking scores obtained in a 2‐alternative forced‐choice (2AFC) method. Method and Materials: We selected 8 pairs of masses and 8 pairs of clustered microcalcifications based on radiologists' average similarity ratings; similarity ratings for the two sets of 8 pairs were approximately evenly distributed. In the first study, each pair was compared one by one to all other 7 pairs in each group of masses and microcalcifications. In the second study, we combined four pairs of masses and four pairs of microcalcifications to compare the similarity of a pair of masses with that of microcalcifications. Seven radiologists and 3 senior residents were asked to choose one pair that was more similar than another pair with the 2AFC method. The cases were presented in randomized order. The number of times that a pair was selected as more similar was counted as the subjective ranking score. The average scores were compared with the average similarity ratings determined previously. Results: The average ranking scores from the first study were highly correlated (0.93 and 0.98 for masses and calcifications, respectively) with absolute similarity ratings. When mass pairs were compared with calcification pairs, the correlations between ranking scores and absolute ratings were also very high (0.92 and 0.96). In both studies, observers were very consistent in selecting more similar pairs. Conclusion: The result indicates that absolute similarity ratings determined previously are reliable and useful for selection of similar images. The concept of similarity is robust and meaningful even when mass pairs are compared with microcalcification pairs.
Secondary organic aerosol in residences: predicting its fraction of fine particle mass and determinants of formation strength.

UNLABELLED Indoor secondary organic aerosol (SOA) formation may contribute to particle concentrations within residences, but little systematic work has investigated its magnitude or the determinants of its formation. This work uses a time-averaged modeling approach to predict the indoor SOA mass formed in residences due to the oxidation of 66 reactive organic compounds by ozone or the hydroxyl radical, parameterizing SOA formation with the aerosol mass fraction. Other organic and inorganic aerosols owing to outdoor and indoor sources were also predicted. Model inputs were represented as distributions within a Monte Carlo analysis, so that result distributions and sensitivity of results to inputs could be quantified, using a dataset developed from the study of Relationships between Indoor, Outdoor and Personal Air and other sources. SOA comprised a large amount of indoor organic and total fine particles for a subset of the results (e.g., >47% of indoor organic and >30% of fine aerosol for 10% of the modeled cases), but was often a small fraction. The sensitivity analysis revealed that SOA formation is driven by high terpene emission rates (particularly by d-limonene) and outdoor ozone, along with low air exchange and ozone and particle deposition rates. PRACTICAL IMPLICATIONS This study predicts that indoor SOA formation can be a substantial fraction of indoor aerosols in residences, for certain combinations of building and reactant parameters. The model herein can predict SOA for risk analyses or be used to design experiments to study indoor SOA formation. The terpene, d-limonene, contributes by far the most to formation, and eliminating this particular compound indoors would be impactful on indoor aerosol concentrations.
Imagery and olfactory stimulation

The purpose of the present study was to investigate a possible odor-emotion interaction by determining whether humans could differentially detect other humans' odor collected under varying emotional conditions. Odorants were collected from the axillary apocrine glands of four female donors, each of whom underwent different imagery induction procedures of anxiety, relaxation, and sexual arousal. The odorants were chemically preserved and later evaluated by 16 naive white male judges as to the presence of discriminatory odor cues. Judges' imagery was differentially related to the anxiety imagery-produced odorants but only for those produced by the most imaginative donors. The relaxation odorants of all donors were correlated. The judges were unable to detect the sexual imagery arousal odorants.
Split‐Thickness Skin Grafting for Lower Extremity Ulcerations

background Leg ulcers are often refractory to conservative treatment, often mandating the use of skin grafting. objects This review article discusses skin grafts, with special emphasis on split–thickness grafts for lower extremity ulcerations. methods Historical background, proposed mechanisms of action, biology of skin grafts, techniques for skin grafting, and results after grafting are discussed separately. results Skin grafting has been performed for centuries. However, how skin grafts work, whether solely as tissue replacement or, additionally, as a stimulus for healing, is still not fully known. After placement, the grafted skin proceeds through a series of phases by which nutrients are supplied and neovascularization occurs. Adherence to the ulcer bed through interactions between the graft and the ulcer bed appear critical When meshed split–thickness skin grafts are properly performed, success rates from 50% to 75% have been reported for refractory venous ulcers. conclusions Better understanding of the biologic and clinical aspects of skin grafting should lead to improved patient care. LEARNING OPBJECTS objectives. After studying this article, participant should be able: 1 To understand the various types of skin grafts. 2 To learn the potential mechanisms of action of how skin grafts work. 3 To appreciate the benefit of skin grafts for lower extremity ulcerations.
Solidarity and tension between age‐groups in the United States: challenge for an aging America in the 21st century

In this article, we argue that intergenerational tensions in the United States reflect a strategy for serving the aged that stresses the underlying values of individualism and self-reliance. Using national survey data, we examine the extent to which Americans' view of public responsibility for the aged has shifted between the mid-1980s and late-1990s, a period characterized by the intensification of “generational” politics, as well as a growing hostility toward “big government.” We consider four factors that may be responsible for the escalation of intergenerational tensions as they are manifest in the erosion of public support for programs and policies serving the elderly: (1) Declining intergenerational solidarity with the aged; (2) Increasing concerns over age-inequity in public programs; (3) Increasing concerns over resource-inequity in public programs; and (4) Increasing opposition tobig government. Results indicate that the public has generally grown more apprehensive about the value and costs of government programs serving both the elderly and the poor. Yet, the fact that Social Security enjoys far more support than social programs serving the poor suggests that the elderly are perceived as more deserving of their benefits than other dependent groups in society. The public also appears increasingly reluctant to redistribute old age benefits according to need. Age-group contrasts revealed little evidence of direct tension between the generations. The results suggest that growing distrust of government and reluctance to help the poor has indirectly fueled opposition to public spending on the older population. Proposed changes to programs and policies affecting the elderly will need to take into account the ambivalence felt by many Americans toward a government they expect to make good on its promise to care for all older citizens, but to use fewer resources in doing so.
THE HORIZONTAL-VERTICAL ILLUSION AND KNOWLEDGE OF RESULTS

The Horizontal-Vertical (HV) Illusion was examined in two studies in which subjects adjusted the vertical line in L-shaped and inverted-T figures or produced lines in the vertical and horizontal planes. On the adjustment tasks, vertical lines were made significantly shorter than horizontal comparison lines, especially for the inverted-T figure. On the production tasks, lines drawn in the vertical plane were significantly shorter than lines drawn in the horizontal plane. The adjusted and created lines of subjects receiving intertrial feedback on illusion magnitude were significantly more accurate and less variable than the estimations of control subjects. Performance on either task or figure type did not differ as a function of sex of subject. The present results show that the HV illusion exists in the absence of line bisection or a comparison line and results from the overestimation of vertical lines. These findings further clarify the relative contributions of the structural and strategy mechanisms in the formation of the Horizontal-Vertical Illusion.
Supply Chain Management: A Case Study of an Integrated Lean and Agile Model

Purpose – To describe the evolution of an integrated ‘lean’ and ‘agile’ supply chain process that employed Just‐in‐time (JIT) lean manufacturing approaches at an electronics company. Design/methodology/approach – A case study was designed to examine the links between specific efficiencies and cost savings that derived from transitions in the evolution of the integrated lean and agile supply chain. The case study focused on the company's supply chain management innovations that led to specific improvements in production processes that in turn resulted in enhanced financial outcomes. Findings – The data revealed how specific quality enhancing and lean manufacturing components evolved over a period of seven years in a two stage transition from a ‘lean’ supply chain to one that represented an integrated lean and agile paradigm based on the decoupling point approach (Christopher & Towill, 2001). Research limitations/implications – A single site case study limits the generalizability of the findings. Additional research is necessary to replicate the findings in other firms/industries. Practical implications – By incorporating improvements in production processes in the supply chain, managers can determine how inefficiencies in the supply chain process can be tracked and eliminated to improve a firm's financial performance. Originality/value – Research that documents links between different managerial functions, e.g. supply chain management, improved manufacturing processes, and accounting issues (e.g. cost reduction and improved profitability), is particularly useful.
Harnessing Autonomous Art: Enlightenment and Aesthetic Education in Johann Adam Bergk’s Die Kunst, Bücher zu lesen

This paper poses the question of the compatibility between Enlightenment and the concept of an autonoumous work of art that underlies notions of atsthetic education. The analysis focuses on Johann Adam Bergk’s Die Kunst, Bucher zu lesen(1799). Bergk’s work is a self-help book, for what will come to be called the ’Bildungsburgertum’, that attempts tp integrate insights from the critics of rationalism into the Enlightenment project. Bergk embraces the rationalism of the Enlightenment in the limits placed upon it by Kant, yet he supplements it with a recognition of the value of genius and imagination that was so important to the Sturm und Drang. To this he adds an arsthetic understanding of a closed work of art that reminds one more of the classical aesthetics of Moritz, Schiller and Goethe. My analysis shows that in order to engage in the search for Enlightenment through an aesthetic education, Bergk assumes a position that leaves us with an inadequate explanation of the transformative potential of literature, but that allows us to see a unique attempt to synthesise ideas from the Enlightenment and Romanticism.
Luck Egalitarianism and Political Solidarity

Luck egalitarianism — the theory that makes individual responsibility central to distributive justice, so that bad luck underwrites a more compelling case for redistribution than do the bad choices of the disadvantaged — has recently come under a sustained attack from critics who are deeply committed to the broader struggle for equality. These egalitarian critics object, first, that luck egalitarianism’s policy recommendations are often unappealing. Second, they add that luck egalitarianism neglects the deep political connection between equality and non-subordination, in favor of a shallowly distributive regime. This Article argues that both objections to luck egalitarianism have been exaggerated. Insofar as the criticisms are accurate, they apply only to a particular, maximalist strand of luck egalitarianism, whose distributive principle does not merely adjust allocations in light of responsibility but instead proposes that allocations should precisely track responsibility. However, this responsibility-tracking view does not represent the best or truest development of the basic luck egalitarian ideal. Moreover, the pathologies of the responsibility-tracking view help to cast the appeal of more judicious luck egalitarianism into sharp relief. The redistributive policies that more moderate developments of luck egalitarianism recommend are less objectionable than critics have supposed. And, more importantly, such modest luck egalitarianism is not a purely distributive ideal but instead contains, at its core, a vision of political solidarity among free and equal citizens.
The vapor pressures of solid and liquid ozone

Vapor pressures of solid and liquid ozone have been measured over a temperature range 87 to below 66 K. The experiment was performed under flow conditions, and the gas was analyzed by a precision mass spectrometer system. In the range of solid ozone two forms, supercooled and crystalline ozone, were found. A least-square fit of the data for crystalline ozone resulted in the equation log P(torr) = A + B/T, where A = 10.460 and B = -1021.6. The estimated uncertainty of the data is + or - 1.0 percent. A triple-point temperature of 79.6 + or - 0.3 K was found where supercooled and crystalline ozone data intersect.
The Protonation-Deprotonation Kinetics of the Protonated Schiff Base in Bicelle Bacteriorhodopsin Crystals

In the recently published x-ray crystal structure of the ''bicelle'' bacteriorhodopsin (bbR) crystal, the protein has quite a different structure from the native and the in cubo bacteriorhodopsin (cbR) crystal. Instead of packing in parallel trimers as do the native membrane and the cbR crystals, in the bbR crystal the protein packs as antiparallel monomers. To date, no functional studies have been performed, to our knowledge, to investigate if the photocycle is observed in this novel protein packing structure. In this study, both Raman and time-resolved transient absorption spectroscopy are used to both confirm the presence of the photocycle and investigate the deprotonation-reprotonation kinetics of the Schiff base proton in the bbR crystal. The observed rates of deprotonation and reprotonation processes of its Schiff base have been compared to those observed for native bR under the same conditions. Unlike the previously observed similarity of the rates of these processes for cbR crystals and those for native bacteriorhodopsin (bR), in bbR crystals the rate of deprotonation has increased by 300%, and the rate of reprotonation has decreased by nearly 700%. These results are discussed in light of the changes observed when native bR is delipidated or monomerized by detergents. Both the change of the hydrophobicity of the environment around the protonated Schiff base and Asp 85 and Asp 96 (which could change the pKa values of proton donor-acceptor pairs) and the water structure in the bbR crystal are offered as possible explanations for the different observations.
The Rho GEFs LARG and GEF-H1 regulate the mechanical response to force on integrins

How individual cells respond to mechanical forces is of considerable interest to biologists as force affects many aspects of cell behaviour. The application of force on integrins triggers cytoskeletal rearrangements and growth of the associated adhesion complex, resulting in increased cellular stiffness, also known as reinforcement. Although RhoA has been shown to play a role during reinforcement, the molecular mechanisms that regulate its activity are unknown. By combining biochemical and biophysical approaches, we identified two guanine nucleotide exchange factors (GEFs), LARG and GEF-H1, as key molecules that regulate the cellular adaptation to force. We show that stimulation of integrins with tensional force triggers activation of these two GEFs and their recruitment to adhesion complexes. Surprisingly, activation of LARG and GEF-H1 involves distinct signalling pathways. Our results reveal that LARG is activated by the Src family tyrosine kinase Fyn, whereas GEF-H1 catalytic activity is enhanced by ERK downstream of a signalling cascade that includes FAK and Ras.
Depression of prothoracic gland activity of Heliothis virescens by venom and calyx fluids from the parasitoid, Cardiochiles nigriceps

Abstract The braconid wasp, Cardiochiles nigriceps, successfully parasitizes the host larva, Heliothis virescens, by inhibiting host pupation. The parasitoid suppresses the function of the prothoracic gland and its competence to respond to prothoracicotropic hormone (PTTH) after larval-pupal commitment caused by a small surge of ecdysteroid. Prothoracic gland from both unparasitized normal and parasitized larvae before the small surge responded to PTTH in vitro by releasing ecdysteroid, whereas after this surge only the prothoracic gland of the unparasitized larvae released the ecdysteroid in the presence of PTTH. Both calyx and venom fluid of female wasps, which are injected into the host with the eggs at the time of oviposition, were required to depress prothoracic gland function. Prothoracic glands pre-incubated in vitro for 6 h with both calyx and venom fluids resulted in inhibiting the release of ecdysteroid by pupally committed prothoracic gland. The results suggest that the calyx and venom fluids are directly able to depress the function of the prothoracic gland and the competence of prothoracic gland to respond to PTTH.
A perspective on functionalizing colloidal quantum dots with DNA

This perspective provides an overview of the techniques that have been developed for the conjugation of DNA to colloidal quantum dots (QDs), or semiconductor nanocrystals. Methods described include: ligand exchange at the QD surface, covalent conjugation of DNA to the QD surface ligands, and one-step DNA functionalization on core QDs or during core/shell QD synthesis in aqueous solution, with an emphasis on the most recent progress in our lab. We will also discuss emerging trends in DNA-functionalized QDs for potential applications.
Estimating the Inflation-Growth Nexus: A Smooth Transition Model

Motivated by the global inflation episode of 2007-08 and concern that high levels of inflation could undermine growth, this paper uses a panel of 165 countries and data for 1960-2007 to revisit the nexus between inflation and growth. We use a smooth transition model to investigate the speed at which inflation beyond a threshold becomes harmful to growth, an important consideration in the policy response to rising inflation as the world economy recovers. We estimate that for all country groups (except for advanced countries) inflation above a threshold of about 10 percent quickly becomes harmful to growth, suggesting the need for a prompt policy response to inflation at or above the relevant threshold. For the advanced economies, the threshold is much lower. For oil exporting countries, the estimates are less robust, possibly reflecting heterogeneity among oil producers, but the effect of higher inflation for oil producers is found to be stronger.
A-Templatic Reduplication

In this squib I discuss an unusual type of reduplication in which the reduplicant varies not only in terms of its phonemic composition but also in terms of its prosodic shape. The variability in the shape of the reduplicant results from a grammar that does not impose any constraint particular to the shape of the reduplicant per se. Further, I demonstrate that even in cases where the reduplicant is shape invariant, this shape may also arise from a grammar that does not impose a constraint on the form of the reduplicant. In both cases all relevant aspects of the reduplicant's realization arise from constraints that apply to the language in general
Beilstein and Gmelin: Keep or Cancel

This article examines the decision-making process employed at an academic library to evaluate continuing commitments to two important reference sources in chemistry: Beilstein and Gmelin. A survey was used to ascertain regional subscribers for a potential resource-sharing agreement. A second survey was conducted to determine the status of the printed handbooks and usage of the online equivalents at institutions with similar chemistry departments. Results showed half of the surveyed libraries had standing orders for Beilstein and 35% had standing orders for Gmelin. The negotiation process between the Library and the Chemistry Department is outlined. The Chemistry Department elected to cancel both handbooks, use online databases in their place, and purchase new chemistry materials including periodicals.
Stress Management for Teachers: A Practical Approach

T he stress management program that I describe here has been evolving for the past fifteen yea s. It was recently part of a teacher enrichment program at P.S. 26 in the Bronx, funded by a New York State Chapter 1 grant, "Rewarding Success." P.S. 26, with 1,900 students, is one of the largest elementary schools in New York City and is made up almost entirely of students from minority groups. The cooperation and feedback of the principal, program coordinator, and many of the teachers at P.S. 26 made this article possible. Numerous insights and techniques described here evolved from the interactions between course participants and leaders. This program is only one of many possible models for a course in stress management and relaxation techniques (see Charlesworth and Nathan 1985; Davis, McKay, and Eshelman 1980; Nathan, Staats, and Rosch 1989; Smith 1986, 1989). However, it has emerged over the years as a simple, nonintrusive program that has been effective. This article, which is currently being translated into Spanish, is intended as an easily accessible, how-to description for harried, inner-city teachers. Follow-up research studies are in progress that compare participants' ability to relax with a control group of nonparticipants.
Proinflammatory cytokines increase hepatocellular carcinoma cells thermotolerance: evidence of how local inflammation may negatively impact radiofrequency ablation local control rates.

Background Hepatocellular carcinomas (HCC) associated with inflammation that undergo radiofrequency ablation (RFA) appear to have poorer local control rates. Little is known of how mediators of inflammation influence HCC cellular thermotolerance, which in part is mediated by heat shock protein 70 (HSP70). This study determines how inflammatory mediators affect cellular thermotolerance and provides insight into how associated inflammation may impact HCC RFA local control rates. Methods HepG2 cell lines were cultured in control medium (CM) or CM containing conditioned medium of endotoxin-activated macrophage (CMM). Serial dilutions of CMM established microenvironments approximating low, medium, and high CMM. All groups underwent a heat shock challenge (HSC) at 45°C for 10 min. Western blot, Northern blot, densitometric analysis, along with thymidine and clonogenic assays determined how inflammation influenced multiple biological endpoints. Results Cells cultured in low CMM expressed significantly more HSP70 RNA and protein compared with control cells after HSC. The cells also had a higher proliferative and survival rate after HSC compared with control cells. Medium CMM cultured cells had no significant difference in HSP70 RNA and protein production or proliferation and survival rates after HSC, compared with CM cultured cells. AT high CMM, the inhibitory effects of inflammatory mediators prevailed and all of the measured endpoints were significantly less compared with CM cultured cells. Conclusions This study demonstrates that inflammation can alter the responsiveness of HCC cells to a HSC in a dose-dependent manner. This study supports the clinical observation that HCC associated with chronic inflammation have worse RFA local control rates.
SPECTRAL METHODS WITH POSTPROCESSING FOR NUMERICAL HYPERBOLIC HEAT TRANSFER

Under the governing equations of hyperbolic heat transfer, energy propagates through a medium as a wave with sharp discontinuities at the wave front. The use of spectral methods to solve such problems numerically results in a solution in which strong numerical oscillations are present due to the Gibbs-Wilbraham phenomenon. It is demonstrated that a spectrally accurate solution can still be obtained via a postprocessing technique.
Spurious metastasis on whole body scans in a patient with thyroid carcinoma.

A young woman received 65 mCi 131I for ablation of recurrent functioning thyroid tissue in the thyroid bed after prior ablation. Following this dose, 131I remained localized bilaterally in submandibular salivary tissue for more than 18 days. There was no evidence of metastatic disease in the salivary glands. The persistent 131I retention, another cause of “spurious metastasis”, may have occurred because of protein binding of iodide carried out by salivary peroxidase.
From the Journal archives: Cyclopropane: induction and recovery with a bang!

Lucas G.H.W. Can Anaesth Soc J 1960; 7: 237-56. To review the history of the early development of cyclopropane Cyclopropane was initially investigated because it was thought to be the toxic element in ethylene. Instead, it turned out to be an excellent anesthetic with very rapid onset and recovery while maintaining stable hemodynamics. Its use was ultimately limited because it was highly explosive. Development required collaboration among laboratory scientists and clinicians in Toronto, Canada, clinicians in Madison, USA, and industry in both countries. The phenomenal success of cyclopropane in over 40 years of clinical use resulted from a lucky, but incorrect, hypothesis that it was a toxic contaminant.
Gestational diabetes mellitus: All Asians are not alike

Abstract Objective To estimate the prevalence of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) prevalence estimates for subgroups of US Asian and Pacific Islander (API) women by using data from 2005 and 2006 birth certificates. Methods Using 2005–2006 natality files from states that implemented the revised 2003 US birth certificate, which differentiates between GDM and preexisting diabetes (2005: 12 states; 2006: 19 states), we calculated age-adjusted GDM prevalence estimates for API mothers who delivered singleton infants. Results Among 3,108,877 births, US APIs had a substantially higher age-adjusted prevalence of GDM (6.3%) than whites (3.8%), blacks (3.5%), or Hispanics (3.6%). Among API subgroups, age-adjusted GDM prevalence varied significantly, from 3.7% among women of Japanese descent to 8.6% among women of Asian Indian descent. Foreign-born APIs had significantly higher GDM rates than US-born APIs except among women of Japanese and Korean ancestry. Conclusion Overall, US API women have the highest risk for GDM among all US racial/ethnic groups. However, APIs are a heterogeneous group by genetic background, culture, and diet and other lifestyle behaviors. Our findings imply that, whenever possible, API subgroups should be evaluated separately in health research.
Response to Do Commercially Available Assay Kits for B-Type Natriuretic Peptide Measure Pro-BNP1-108, as Well as BNP1-32?

We thank Nishikimi et al1 for their comments regarding the detection of pro-BNP1-108 by the Shionogi radioimmunoassay and the cGMP-generating activity of pro-BNP1-108 in our recent publication. We reported that both the Shionogi assay and the Biosite assay clearly detected some but <5% of recombinant glycosylated pro-BNP1-108 when added to normal human plasma.2 In contrast, Nishikimi et al1 report that, in their unpublished studies, the Shionogi assay detected pro-BNP1-108 with only slightly reduced sensitivity as compared with BNP1-32. We do not yet know the reasons for this …
Efficient maximum likelihood estimation of multiple membership linear mixed models, with an application to educational value-added assessments

The generalized persistence (GP) model, developed in the context of estimating ''value added'' by individual teachers to their students' current and future test scores, is one of the most flexible value-added models in the literature. Although developed in the educational setting, the GP model can potentially be applied to any structure where each sequential response of a lower-level unit may be associated with a different higher-level unit, and the effects of the higher-level units may persist over time. The flexibility of the GP model, however, and its multiple membership random effects structure lead to computational challenges that have limited the model's availability. We develop an EM algorithm to compute maximum likelihood estimates efficiently for the GP model, making use of the sparse structure of the random effects and error covariance matrices. The algorithm is implemented in the package GPvam in R statistical software. We give examples of the computations and illustrate the gains in computational efficiency achieved by our estimation procedure.
Optical determination of cardiovascular health at a distance

Although contemporary, contact methods of measuring cardiovascular health are accurate and applicable, a noncontact optical sensor that detects these same parameters of health and eliminates the inconvenience of patient contact would be useful to the medical community. Techniques of mapping and imaging blood flow with laser speckle contrast imaging have shown promise as a non-contact health sensor. This paper explores using a laser speckle detector to detect blood pressure, pulse pressure waves, and pulse wave velocity at a standoff. The laser speckle detector was able to detect pulse pressure waves and with further development, may be able to measure pulse wave velocity and blood pressure.
A Functional Architecture for Motion Pattern Processing in MSTd

Psychophysical studies suggest the existence of specialized detectors for component motion patterns (radial, circular, and spiral), that are consistent with the visual motion properties of cells in the dorsal medial superior temporal area (MSTd) of non-human primates. Here we use a biologically constrained model of visual motion processing in MSTd, in conjunction with psychophysical performance on two motion pattern tasks, to elucidate the computational mechanisms associated with the processing of wide-field motion patterns encountered during self-motion. In both tasks discrimination thresholds varied significantly with the type of motion pattern presented, suggesting perceptual correlates to the preferred motion bias reported in MSTd. Through the model we demonstrate that while independently responding motion pattern units are capable of encoding information relevant to the visual motion tasks, equivalent psychophysical performance can only be achieved using interconnected neural populations that systematically inhibit non-responsive units. These results suggest the cyclic trends in psychophysical performance may be mediated, in part, by recurrent connections within motion pattern responsive areas whose structure is a function of the similarity in preferred motion patterns and receptive field locations between units.
American Constitutional Analysis and a Substantive Understanding of the Rule of Law

Both rule of law and legal state notions developed with the shared goal of promoting peace and freedom by checking excessive concentrations and arbitrary applications of power. Originally both embodied formal requirements for law making and application, to ensure that laws were public, fixed, durable, and uniformly applied. More recently, however, those describing the legal state, and somewhat less universally those advocating for rule of law, seem to have taken these notions in a substantive direction, arguing that compliance requires states to guarantee particular substantive human rights as well. If this substantive concept comes to be accepted as a required aspect of the rule of law, the broadly flexible characteristics of American constitutional interpretation could, perhaps oddly, work against continued American adherence to the rule of law. This is increasingly likely to be the case as the United States deals with the stresses to its safety and security that undoubtedly will arise as it faces the challenges of the twenty-first century.
Effect of foam properties on radiative properties of open-cell silicon carbide foams

Abstract Low density and small-cell size foams can be used in thermal protection and/or thermal insulation systems. At high temperature ( > 1000 K ) thermal radiation may be important or dominate heat transfer in the foam; however, studies based on more detailed thermal radiation analysis are limited due to the lack of detailed information on radiative properties of foams. Of particular interest of this study is to understand how the properties of foam material such as its density and mean cell size affect the radiative properties of silicon carbide (SiC) foams. In this paper, the dimensionless strut diameter is considered as an important parameter of foams, and the radiative properties of foams are analyzed using the Mie scattering theory. Also, the spectral extinction coefficients of SiC foams are measured experimentally in the laboratory at room temperature. The mean radiative properties are calculated at 1000 K and compared with theoretical calculations, and the data are found to agree well with the predictions. The attenuation/extinction behavior of SiC foams can be characterized by the approach presented in this study. The results should be useful for applications of foams at high temperature.
Caenorhabditis elegans male sensory-motor neurons and dopaminergic support cells couple ejaculation and post-ejaculatory behaviors

The nematode worm, C. elegans, is roughly 1 mm long, made up of around 1000 cells and has two sexes: male and hermaphrodite. Hermaphrodite worms produce both eggs and sperm and can self-fertilize to generate around 300 offspring each time. Fertilization by a male, on the other hand, results in three times as many progeny and introduces genetic diversity into the population. However, it also reduces the lifespan of the hermaphrodite. Mating also incurs a cost for males: it requires a lot of energy, which prevents male works from engaging in other activities, such as feeding, and it also increases their risk of predation. In many species, including C. elegans, the frequency with which a male can mate is limited by a period of reduced mating drive and ability that follows each instance of successful mating. However, the molecular and cellular basis of this ‘refractory period’ remains largely unclear. Using a range of techniques, LeBoeuf et al. have now identified the circuits that regulate male mating behavior in C. elegans. When male worms were introduced into a Petri dish containing 15 hermaphrodites, most males initiated mating within about 2 min. The length of the refractory period varied between worms, but averaged roughly 12 min. This consisted of a period of disinterest, in which males did not approach hermaphrodites, followed by a period in which males attempted mating but were slower and less efficient, suggesting that the neural circuits controlling mating behaviors had yet to recover completely. Males with longer refractory periods produced more progeny in their second mating than those with shorter refractory periods, suggesting that the interval also enables males to replenish their sperm levels. Further experiments revealed that a chemical transmitter called dopamine promotes ejaculation and then immediately reduces the worm's activity levels, giving rise to the refractory period. By enforcing a delay between matings, the refractory period may also increase the likelihood that successive matings will be with different hermaphrodites, helping to maximize the number and diversity of offspring. Some aspects of the neural circuitry that controls the refractory period in C. elegans resemble those seen in mammals, suggesting that insights gained from an animal with 1000 cells could also be relevant to more complex species.
Formation of dayside low‐latitude boundary layer under northward interplanetary magnetic field

[1] A three-dimensional (3-D) global hybrid simulation is carried out to study the formation of the dayside low-latitude boundary layer (LLBL) under a purely northward interplanetary magnetic field (IMF). Magnetic reconnection in both northern and southern hemispheres leads to a continued formation of newly closed field lines on the dayside, and a subsequent formation of the LLBL by capture of the magnetosheath ions on the original magnetosheath field lines, as the newly closed field lines shorten. The formation of the LLBL is associated with the tailward spreading of the transmitted ions along the magnetopause as the newly closed flux tubes convect tailward. Meanwhile, compressional waves and transverse waves in magnetic field are generated in the magnetosphere. The ion distributions in the cusp and the boundary layer show the presence of multiple ion beams of the transmitted magnetosheath ions, as well as ion heating.
Intestinal Helminths of Freshwater Stingrays in Southeastern Peru, and a New Genus and Two New Species of Cestode

Helminths of the spiral intestine of neotropical freshwater stingrays (Potamotrygonidae) were examined in Peru for the first time. The stingrays examined for helminths included Paratrygon aiereba, Potamotrygon motoro, and Potamotrygon cf. castexi. Present in P. aiereba were the cestodes Nandocestus guariticus (Marques, Brooks, and Lasso, 2001) n. gen. n. comb., Rhinebothrium copianullum n. sp., Rhinebothrium sp. 1, Rhinebothroides sp., Potamotrygonocestus cf. fitzgeraldae, and 1 species each of Cucullanus and Rhabdochona. Nandocestus n. gen. is erected to house N. guariticus, which is formally transferred from Anindobothrium Marques, Brooks, and Lasso, 2001. The new genus is unique among phyllobothriids in its possession of circummedullary vitelline follicles and a submarginal genital pore, in combination with bothridia with a single apical sucker and marginal bothridial loculi. The helminths of P. motoro included the cestodes Paraoncomegas araya, Acanthobothrium peruviense n. sp., Acanthobothrium cf. ram...
Optimal Design of Heterogeneous Materials

This article reviews recent inverse techniques that we have devised to optimize the structure and macroscopic properties of heterogeneous materials such as composite materials, porous media, colloidal dispersions, and polymer blends. Optimization methods provide a systematic means of designing materials with tailored properties and microstructures for a specific application. This article focuses on two inverse problems that are solved via optimization techniques: (a) the topology optimization procedure used to design heterogeneous materials and (b) stochastic optimization methods employed to reconstruct or construct microstructures.
Spatio-Temporal Patterns in Ferritin Crystal Growth

Abstract : We investigate the unsteady kinetics and the formation of spatio-temporal patterns during the ferritin crystal growth, which is controlled by the rate of supply of material. For this we apply a novel phase-shifting interferometry technique. We find that the growth rate and local slope fluctuate by up to 100% of their average values as a result of step bunching. The fluctuation amplitudes decrease with higher supersaturation and larger crystal size, as well as with increasing distance from the step sources. Since these are parameters that govern the protein supply field, we conclude that fluctuations are rooted in the coupling of the interfacial processes of growth to the bulk transport in the solution. Analysis of the step velocity dependence on local slope indicates a very weak interaction between the steps. Hence, in transport-controlled systems with non-interacting or weakly interacting steps the step bunches decay and step train tends towards its stable, equidistant state.
EFFECTIVENESS OF FOREWARNING IN DEVELOPING RESISTANCE TO PERSUASION

In a fundamental comparison of the results of experimental and survey studies of attitude change, Carl Hovland pointed out a characteristic difference in the defenses ordinarily applied by the participants in the two kinds of studies. Here is an experimental investigation designed to throw further light on the question. William J. McGuire is Associate Professor of Social Psychology in the new Department of Social Psychology at Columbia University. Most of the work on this study, however, was done while he was a member of the Department of Psychology and on the staff of the Institute of Communication Research at the University of Illinois. Demetrios Papageorgis is completing his graduate work at the University of Illinois.
Phonemic Analysis and How It Relates to Reading

If a list was made of the half-dozen most promising new techniques in reading instruction, phonemic analysis training would surely be among them. This month's Topical Review provides an excellent introduction to this area because it not only places emerging concerns about the phonemic segmentation and blending skills of children into a broad historical context, but it alos presents the most useful research on the subject. Research evidence on this topic is of two different types. First, there is evidence that children who have difficulty learning to read also show marked difficulties in analyzing the phonological structure of speech. Second, a number of studies have shown that training children to be more aware of the phonemic segments in words can help them in learning to read. This area provides a nice example of the useful ways that basic research conducted in laboratory settings and more applied studies conducted in the classroom can converge to provide useful information about the nature and treatmen...
Ultraviolet photon-induced heteroepitaxy of CdTe on GaAs

Ultraviolet photon-induced metalorganic vapor phase epitaxy of CdTe films on GaAs substrates has been investigated using diethyltelluride and dimethylcadmium as the precursor gases. The relationship between the deposition parameters and the properties of the epilayers have been examined using transmission electron microscopy and x-ray rocking curves. Epilayers grown at 6μm/h show an x-ray double-crystal rocking curve full width at half-maximum (FWHM) of 250 arcsec.
Magnetic Effects on Lower Organisms

Bacteria that orient and swim in a preferred direction in magnetic fields have been observed in diverse aquatic environments.1 These magnetotactic bacteria include a variety of morphologically distinct forms. Kalmijn and Blakemore2 found that these bacteria orient in uniform magnetic fields of about 0.5 G. Reversal of the geomagnetic field with Helmholtz coils caused the swimming bacteria to turn around in large U-turns and swim in the opposite direction. Killed bacteria also orient to align with imposed magnetic fields. Richard Blakemore
1-Acyl-2-lysophosphatidylcholine: phosphatidylglycerol-2-acyltransacylase in lung microsomes and type II pneumocyte-derived cultures.

The formation of [3H]phosphatidylcholine from 1-acyl-2-lysophosphatidylcholine and 1-acyl-2-[9,10-3H]palmitoylphosphatidylglycerol, presumably by 1-acyl-2-lysophosphatidylcholine : phosphatidylglycerol-2-acyltransacylase (phosphatidylglycerol transacylase), was detected in lung microsomes and Set 4 type II pneumocyte-derived cultured cells but not in A549 adenocarcinoma-derived type II cell analogs. There was greater phosphatidylglycerol transacylase activity in Set 4 cells at confluence than at the mid-log stage. Since the phosphatidylglycerol transacylase activity was always markedly less than that observed for 1-acyl-2-lysophosphatidylcholine : acyl-CoA acyltransferase, the former does not appear to represent a major pathway for synthesis of pulmonary dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine.