cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A general method to optimize and functionalize red-shifted rhodamine dyes.

Expanding the palette of fluorescent dyes is vital to push the frontier of biological imaging. Although rhodamine dyes remain the premier type of small-molecule fluorophore owing to their bioavailability and brightness, variants excited with far-red or near-infrared light suffer from poor performance due to their propensity to adopt a lipophilic, nonfluorescent form. We report a framework for rationalizing rhodamine behavior in biological environments and a general chemical modification for rhodamines that optimizes long-wavelength variants and enables facile functionalization with different chemical groups. This strategy yields red-shifted ‘Janelia Fluor’ (JF) dyes useful for biological imaging experiments in cells and in vivo. A general tuning strategy is introduced for improving the utility of rhodamines for biological imaging applications. The strategy yielded bright, versatile and bioavailable far-red and near-infrared ‘Janelia Fluor’ dyes.
Inhaled bronchodilator exposure in the management of bronchopulmonary dysplasia in hospitalized infants.

To determine clinical, demographic, and hospital factors associated with inhaled bronchodilator (IB) use in infants with bronchopulmonary dysplasia (BPD) and specifically severe BPD. Retrospective multicenter cohort study of 4986 infants born <32 weeks gestation with developing BPD at 28 days of life. We used the Pediatric Health Information System database to compare hospital experience and the demographic and clinical characteristics of infants exposed and not exposed to IBs. Twenty-five percent of BPD patients (1224/4986) and 48% of severe BPD patients (664/1390) received IBs. IB exposure was higher in infants with the tracheostomy, prolonged steroid and diuretic exposure, and longer duration of respiratory support. IB use varied markedly between hospitals (0–59%). Average annual BPD census was not associated with IB use. Bronchodilator exposure is common in BPD patients with substantial variability in its use. Hospital experience did not account for the between-hospital variation in practice.
Opto-mechanical design of the Wide-Field Infrared Transient Explorer (WINTER) fly's eye camera

The Wide-Field Infrared Transient Explorer (WINTER) is a new infrared time-domain survey instrument on a dedicated 1 meter robotic telescope at the Palomar Observatory. WINTER will perform the first seeing-limited time domain survey of the infrared (IR) sky, with a particular emphasis on identifying r-process material in binary neutron star (BNS) merger remnants detected by LIGO. We have developed and tested a custom opto-mechanical mounting scheme for a 6-channel tiled optical system with <90% fill factor. Here, we present the mechanical design and testing approach used in the development of WINTER.
Phage infection restores PQS signaling and enhances growth of a Pseudomonas aeruginosa lasI quorum-sensing mutant

Bacteriophage (phage) therapy is reemerging as a valuable tool to combat multidrug resistant bacteria. A major hurdle in developing efficacious bacteriophage therapies is that bacteria acquire resistance to phage killing. In this context, it is noteworthy that quorum sensing (QS), the bacterial cell-to-cell communication mechanism that promotes collective undertaking of group behaviors including anti-phage defenses, enhances bacterial survival in the face of phage attack. QS relies on the production, release, accumulation, and detection of signal molecules called autoinducers. In the opportunistic pathogen Pseudomonas aeruginosa, the LasI/R QS system induces the RhlI/R QS system, and these two systems control, in opposing manners, the PQS QS system that relies on the autoinducer called PQS. A {Delta}lasI mutant is impaired in PQS synthesis, leading to accumulation of the precursor molecule HHQ. HHQ suppresses growth of the P. aeruginosa {Delta}lasI strain. We uncover a phage infection-induced mechanism that restores expression of the pqsH gene in the P. aeruginosa {Delta}lasI QS mutant. PqsH converts HHQ into PQS, preventing HHQ-mediated growth inhibition. Thus, phage-infected P. aeruginosa {Delta}lasI cells exhibit superior growth compared to uninfected cells. Phage infection also restores expression of virulence factors and the CRISPR-cas anti-phage defense system in the P. aeruginosa {Delta}lasI strain. This study highlights a challenge for phage therapy, namely that phage infection may make particular bacterial strains faster growing, more virulent, and resistant to phage killing. ImportanceThe emergence of multidrug resistant bacteria necessitates development of new antimicrobial therapies. Phage therapy relies on exploiting phages, natural enemies of bacteria, in the fight against pathogenic bacteria. For successful phage therapy development, potent phages that exhibit low propensity for acquisition of bacterial resistance are desired. Here, we show that phage infection restores QS, a cell-to-cell communication mechanism in a P. aeruginosa QS mutant, which increases its virulence and resistance to phage killing. Importantly, clinical isolates of P. aeruginosa frequently harbor mutations in particular QS genes. Thus, phage therapies against such P. aeruginosa strains may inadvertently increase bacterial virulence. Our study underscores the importance of characterizing phage-host interactions in the context of bacterial mutants that are relevant in clinical settings prior to selecting phages for therapy.
Fairness-Aware Node Representation Learning.

Node representation learning has demonstrated its effectiveness for various applications on graphs. Particularly, recent developments in contrastive learning have led to promising results in unsupervised node representation learning for a number of tasks. Despite the success of graph contrastive learning and consequent growing interest, fairness is largely under-explored in the field. To this end, this study addresses fairness issues in graph contrastive learning with fairness-aware graph augmentation designs, through adaptive feature masking and edge deletion. In the study, different fairness notions on graphs are introduced, which serve as guidelines for the proposed graph augmentations. Furthermore, theoretical analysis is provided to quantitatively prove that the proposed feature masking approach can reduce intrinsic bias. Experimental results on real social networks are presented to demonstrate that the proposed augmentations can enhance fairness in terms of statistical parity and equal opportunity, while providing comparable classification accuracy to state-of-the-art contrastive methods for node classification.
Chronic binge alcohol and ovariectomy dysregulate omental adipose tissue metaboproteome in simian immunodeficiency virus-infected female macaques.

Effective antiretroviral therapy (ART) has significantly reduced mortality of people living with HIV (PLWH), and the prevalence of at-risk alcohol use is higher among PLWH. Increased survival and a...
Improving Service through a Digital Assistant for Direct Support Professionals: Exploratory Focus Groups:

Direct Support Professionals (DSPs) who assist adults with autism spectrum disorder sometimes find it difficult to keep up with administrative tasks including the documentation of important data ne...
High performance two H-bridge in cascaded gradient driver design with SiC power MOSFET

In this paper, a detailed high efficiency two H-bridge in cascaded gradient driver design with 1700V SiC MOSFET is presented. Both module and system level stray inductance are minimized to better utilize the SiC high switching speed capability. The amplifier loss is calculated in simulation with device loss model and also verified in hardware experiment. The efficiency of the amplifier is higher than 99%. Higher output ripple frequency (up to 125 kHz) provides the opportunity to design a high density output filter without magnetic components. A novel ripple current cancellation circuit (RCCC) with embedded coolant pipe is also presented and demonstrated.
Cash and alternate methods of accounting in an experimental game

Abstract Four methods of communication are compared in the Trust Game [Berg, J., Dickhaut, J., McCabe, K., 1995. Trust, reciprocity and social history. Games and Economic Behavior 10, 122–142]. In different treatments, subjects exchange currency, use play money or write down how much they send and return. The final variation is the “strategy method,” in which the responder makes a choice for every possible amount sent. The amount sent and propensity to send the entire $10 did not vary among formats, but responders returned less of the available funds and were more likely to return zero in the original, cash method. Choices in the strategy method were similar to choices using the game methods.
Influence of elastic gradient profiles on dynamically loaded functionally graded materials: cracks along the gradient

The effect of different elastic gradient profiles on the fracture behavior of dynamically loaded functionally graded materials (FGM) having cracks parallel to the elastic gradient is studied numerically. Finite element analyses of FGM and homogeneous beams are used to examine crack tip responses to low velocity, symmetric impact loading on the uncracked edge of the beams. Elastic description of FGMs consist of unidirectional power-law variation of E/ρ and constant Poisson's ratio. The results show the effect of the variations in elastic profiles to be relatively small for cases with cracks residing on the stiff side of the FGM whereas significant differences are seen when cracks are on the compliant side. Elastic property variations also affect crack tip loading rate and hence crack initiation in FGMs. Crack initiation in FGMs with cracks on the stiff side are significantly delayed due to a lower rate of crack tip loading when compared to the opposite configuration or the equivalent homogeneous materials.
Olfactory neuron biopsies in dogs: A feasibility pilot study

Abstract Olfactory neurons obtained through nasal biopsy were characterized. Using standard immunohistochemical techniques, nascent, developing, and mature neurons were identified in the tissues obtained. This technique shows that aspects of canine olfactory function may be potentially assessed using a relatively simple and minimally invasive biopsy technique. Such samples provide direct access to neuronal tissue that is otherwise difficult to obtain and assess in living animals. This technique may have potential value to those interested in assessing olfactory abilities in dogs.
Abstract A10: Peroxiredoxin-1 and oxidative stress: Controlling the balance between oncogenic and endocrine signalling in estrogen receptor-positive breast cancer

Introduction: Peroxiredoxin-1 (PRDX1) is a multifunctional protein, acting as a hydrogen peroxide (H 2 O 2 ) scavenger, molecular chaperone and immune mediator. Differential expression of PRDX1 has been described in many tumor types, including lung and ovarian carcinoma. Despite the wealth of knowledge about PRDX1 functionality, its role in human breast cancer has not been fully elucidated. Preclinical studies suggest that PRDX1 may be protective against oncogene-induced mammary carcinogenesis, indicating that it may be an important biomarker. In this study, we describe PRDX1 as a robust prognostic biomarker in estrogen receptor α (ER)-positive breast cancer and propose a molecular mechanism which explains this observation. Materials and Methods: The anti-PRDX1 antibody was validated in breast cancer cell lines using Western blotting, immunohistochemistry and reverse phase protein array (RPPA) technology following exogenous overexpression or shRNA-mediated knockdown of PRDX1. PRDX1 protein expression was evaluated using two independent breast cancer cohorts: a 512 patient tissue microarray (TMA) and a 712 patient RPPA cohort. Increase in cellular content of H2O2 was accomplished via treatment of cell lines with exogenous (H 2 O 2 ) or activation of oncogenic pathways (611CTF-HER2 overexpression). Western blotting and RPPA were used to assess changes in ERα and oncogenic signaling proteins in cell lines and a third breast cancer cohort, consisting of 410 patients. Results: High expression of PRDX1 protein was associated with a favorable outcome in ER-positive, but not ER-negative breast cancer cases across both cohorts (evaluable data for 975 patients total; log-rank p-value: TMA=0.022; RPPA=0.002). Exogenous treatment with (H 2 O 2 ) or induction of oncogenic signaling suppressed ERα protein and stimulated phosphorylation/activation of Akt kinase in ER-positive cell lines. Knockdown of PRDX1 further sensitized the cells to the (H 2 O 2 )-mediated effect whilst overexpression protects against it. These observations were further validated in an additional cohort of ER-positive tumor samples, where PRDX1 protein levels correlated with ERα (positive) and pAkt-473 protein expression (negative). Conclusions: Our findings provide robust evidence of the importance of PRDX1 as a biomarker of favorable prognosis in ER-positive breast cancer. We suggest that PRDX1 acts as a shielding mechanism for ERα protein by counteracting (H 2 O 2 )-mediated suppression of this molecule in ER-positive tumors, and suppressing phosphorylation of Akt kinase under these oxidative stress conditions. This strongly implies that (H 2 O 2 ) and PRDX1 are important role players in the crosstalk between oncogenic (e.g. HER2- or PI3K-induced) and ER-driven signaling pathways in breast cancer. Understanding the mechanisms underlying the regulation of oxidative stress response in ER-positive breast cancer can allow for better tailoring the management of this disease.
Unsteady‐state heat transfer in a crystallizing polymer

The processing of polymers typically includes steps involving heat transfer, such as quenching and crystallization. The mechanical properties of a polymer are thus affected by processing conditions, such as the amount of time spent by each portion of the polymer at each temperature in the processing sequence. This paper presents the results of a mathematical modeling study of the unsteady-state temperatures inside a crystallizing polymer during quenching. This model differs from usual methods in including temperature dependence of induction times and kinetic processes, and in not treating the polymer as a simple, small molecule system. The model permits the prediction of the final morphological distribution within the polymer. Use of the model will aid in tailoring processing conditions to produce a product with specified morphology. The method is applicable to a wide variety of problems in polymer processing, particularly for those polymers which exhibit crystallization.
Functionalization of β-Ga2O3 Nanoribbons: A Combined Computational and Infrared Spectroscopic Study

The adsorption of H 2O, alcohols (CH 3OH and 1-octanol), and carboxylic acids (formic, acetic, and pentanoic) on beta-Ga 2O 3 nanoribbons has been studied using infrared reflection-absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS) and/or ab initio computational modeling. Adsorption energies and geometries are sensitive to surface structure, and hydrogen bonding plays a significant role in stabilizing adsorbed species. On the more stable (100)-B surface, computation shows that the physisorption of H 2O or CH 3OH is weakly exothermic whereas chemisorption via O-H bond dissociation is weakly endothermic. Experiment finds that a large fraction of a saturation coverage of adsorbed 1-octanol is displaced by exposure to acetic acid vapor. This is consistent with computational results showing that acids adsorb more strongly than methanol on this surface. The remaining alcohol, not displaced by acetic acid, suggests the presence of defects and/or (100)-A regions because computation shows that this less-stable surface adsorbs methanol more strongly than does the (100)-B. The nu(C-H) modes of adsorbed 1-octanol are easily detected whereas no adsorbed H 2O is observed even though H 2O and CH 3OH exhibit similar adsorption energies. It is inferred from this that the failure to detect H 2O on the dominant (100)-B surface results from the orientation of the physisorbed H 2O essentially parallel to the surface. Computation shows that this configuration is stabilized by H bonding. For chemisorbed formic acid, computation shows that a bridging carboxylate structure is favored over a bidentate or monodentate configuration. Computation also shows that chemisorption is favored on the (100)-A surface but physisorption is favored on the more stable (100)-B. Analysis of IRRAS data for acetic and pentanoic acids finds evidence for both types of adsorption. The carboxylate resists displacement by H 2O vapor, which suggests that carboxylic acids may be useful for functionalizing beta-Ga 2O 3 surfaces. The results provide insight into the interplay between surface structure and reactivity on an oxide surface and about the importance of hydrogen bonding in determining adsorbate structure.
MEASURING SCIENCE INTEREST: RASCH VALIDATION OF THE SCIENCE INTEREST SURVEY

Students in the USA have fallen near the bottom in international competitions and tests in mathematics and science. It is thought that extrinsic factors such as family, community, and schools might be more influential than intrinsic attitudes toward science interest. However, there are relatively few valid and reliable measures of intrinsic factors such as interest relating to science. With the lack of intrinsic measures, it is difficult to determine the impact of extrinsic factors on the intrinsic construct. A fuller picture of the factors affecting intrinsic factors such as science interest will allow interventions to become more refined and targeted. Several studies suggest that student interest toward science affects the likelihood of the student pursuing advanced courses in science. The goal of this paper is to establish the validity and reliability of the Science Interest Survey and to determine if the survey meets the formal requirements of measurements as defined by the Rasch model. Results using both IRT and CRT analysis suggest that Science Interest Survey is an adequate measure of the unidimensional construct known as science interest. Results further suggest the Science Interest Survey is a valid and reliable measure for assessing science interest levels.
Comparative nasal absorption of allergens in atopic and nonatopic subjects

Abstract Based on sensitization following intranasal antigen administration, previous investigations have suggested greater absorption of allergens through the nasal mucous membranes of atopic than of nonatopic subjects. In this study mucosal absorption was assessed more directly by determining the capacity of allergens applied intranasally to elicit cutaneous Prausnitz-Kustner (P-K) reactions in nonatopic persons as compared with asymptomatic atopic subjects sensitive to other allergens. Two series of reaginic human serum dilutions were injected intracutaneously in recipients' backs, and 48 hours later one series was challenged intracutaneously with test allergen. After the responses had been recorded, concentrated allergenic extract was sprayed into the nose and the second series of P-K sites observed for reactivity. Sometimes these P-K sites were rechallenged intracutaneously the following day to determine passive transfer neutralization. Two allergens were studied: bovine ribonuclease (RNase) and peanut extract. Two sera containing peanut reagins and one with, RNase antibodies were each used in 10 to 11 atopic and 9 to 11 nonatopic recipients. The atopic group failed to show greater or more rapid absorption of either allergen through the nose based on the highest serum dilution reacting after nasal challenge, the speed of the reaction, the ratio of the titer by nasal challenge to the intracutaneous titer, or passive transfer neutralization. Controls showed that the results were not influenced by systemic absorption of allergen employed for intracutaneous tests. Drinking the amount of peanut extract applied intranasally did not elicit P-K reactions.
High-power single longitudinal mode operation of twin-channel substrate mesa guide (TCSM) lasers

Improved TCSM lasers with antireflection coatings have been developed that operate in a stable zero-order mode to output powers of 80 mW CW. The devices operated in a stable single longitudinal mode to powers >65 mW. This is believed to be the highest single-mode power ever reported from an individual diode laser.
Node status in transmural esophageal adenocarcinoma and outcome after en bloc esophagectomy.

Abstract Objective: Adenocarcinoma has replaced squamous cell as the most common esophageal cancer in the United States. The purpose of this study was to determine the prevalence and location of lymph node metastases, the feasibility of performing an R 0 resection, and disease recurrence and survival in patients with transmural adenocarcinoma of the lower esophagus and gastroesophageal junction. Methods: Forty-four patients with transmural adenocarcinoma underwent en bloc esophagectomy with systematic thoracic and abdominal lymphadenectomy. They were followed up for a median of 23 months. Results: Actuarial survival for the entire group was 26% at 5 years. The most important predictors of the likelihood of recurrent disease and 5-year survival were the presence and number of lymph node metastases and the ratio of involved to total removed nodes. Seven patients (16%) were found to have no lymph node metastases and had an 85% 5-year survival. In contrast, patients with more than 4 involved nodes or a node ratio greater than 0.1 had a high likelihood of recurrence and death. Location of involved lymph nodes did not predict the likelihood of recurrence or death. Despite all patients having transmural tumors, recurrence within the field of the en bloc resection occurred in only 1 patient (2%). Conclusions: En bloc esophagectomy in patients with transmural esophageal adenocarcinoma is required to obtain the survival benefit of an R 0 resection, to adequately assess lymphatic tumor burden, and to be able to predict the likelihood of recurrence and death and thereby guide the use of postoperative adjuvant therapy. (J Thorac Cardiovasc Surg 1999;117:960-8)
Vibrational echo studies of pure dephasing: Mechanisms in liquids and glasses

Abstract Temperature dependent vibrational dephasing experiments are presented on the asymmetric CO stretching mode (2010 cm −1 ) of (acetylacetonato)bicarbonylrhodium(I) in the solvent dibutylphthalate in both the glass and liquid. The pure dephasing temperature dependence is linear ( T 1 ) at very low temperature and an activated process ( ΔE = 385 ± 50 cm −1 ) above 2≈ 20 K. Pure dephasing mechanisms are proposed. It is suggest that the T 1 dependence arises from dynamics of the glass' two level systems, while the activated process involves coupling of the CO stretch to a low frequency intramolecular mode. The experimental results are contrasted with vibrational dephasing experiments on W(CO) 6 also in dibutylphthalate.
Nonechocardiographic imaging in evaluation for cardiac resynchronization therapy.

In patients with heart failure and prolonged QRS duration, randomized clinical trials have shown that cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) is associated with improvement in quality of life, left ventricular (LV) remodeling, and survival.1–3 The improvements are believed to be mediated by more effective synchronized contraction in the presence of a wide QRS, but mechanical and electrical dyssynchrony are not equivalent.4,5 Although the concept of CRT response remains problematic,6 20% to 40% of patients who receive CRT based on electrical dyssynchrony criteria (ie, QRS duration) do not derive symptom improvement or demonstrate reverse remodeling.7–10 Scar burden11–13 and failure to place the LV pacing lead at the site of latest onset of contraction14–17 have been linked to a poor response. Thus, optimal clinical decision-making for CRT must include a comprehensive evaluation of all these factors to identify patients with heart failure who will benefit. The standard echocardiographic parameters of LV mechanical dyssynchrony have been extensively reviewed,18 with >600 published articles. Most of this work has been done using tissue Doppler imaging, with more recent work using speckle tracking,19,20 3D echocardiography,21 echocardiographic contrast imaging,22 and intracardiac echocardiography.23 Despite the important benefits of high temporal resolution, success in individual centers, and ability to assess the impact of scar burden and concordance of LV lead with latest activation site,14 fundamental limitations of tissue Doppler imaging include the inability to measure over a sufficient number of cardiac cycles to overcome beat-to-beat variation, poor image quality, and measurement error.24 In the only randomized trial of CRT in patients with wide QRS,25 the failure of 12 different echocardiographic dyssynchrony parameters to improve outcome was most likely related to the large interobserver and …
Beliefs and Attitudes about Influenza Immunization among Parents of Children with Chronic Medical Conditions over a Two-Year Period

Influenza vaccination is recommended for children with chronic medical conditions yet is infrequently performed. The reasons for low influenza vaccination rates in this group have not been well studied. We assessed and compared parents of children with chronic medical conditions regarding their beliefs and attitudes about influenza vaccination in 2003 and 2004. Parents of 2- to 13-year-old children with chronic medical conditions from health centers in low-income urban neighborhoods completed a 19-question survey, mailed following the 2002–2003 and 2003–2004 influenza seasons. Parent-reported influenza vaccination rate declined from 2003 (44%) to 2004 (25%). The most important factors related to influenza vaccination status were perceived doctor's recommendation (odds ratio [OR] = 6.0, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 3.7–9.7), parents' belief that the child should be vaccinated (OR = 5.4, 95%CI = 3.3–8.8), relatives' belief that the child should be vaccinated (OR = 1.7, 95%CI = 1.1–2.7), easy access to the doctor's office for a flu shot (OR = 2.4, 95%CI = 1.4–4.2), and receipt of a reminder from the doctor's office (OR = 1.7, 95%CI = 1.1–2.6). In 2004 compared with 2003, fewer parents reported getting a reminder, and fewer believed that their child's doctor recommended flu vaccine. Doctors' recommendation that children with chronic medical conditions should receive an annual influenza vaccine and vaccine availability are important factors that resulted in a higher likelihood of influenza vaccination. Our findings that fewer parents reported receiving reminders and that fewer children were vaccinated in 2004 suggest that sustained improvements in vaccination rates may require continual changes in the format and delivery method of vaccination reminders from physicians.
Immune responses with placental gonadotropins.

Abstract Immature female rats were chronically treated with chorionic gonadotropin or pregnant mare serum. Refractoriness to 15 I.U. daily of HCG was established after 25 days of treatment. Only 20 days were required for PMS at 15 I.U. per day. Treatment with 4 I.U. per day of a more purified extract of PMS resulted in a qualitative refractoriness in 20 days. Indirect estimation of antihormone was made by assay of PMS in the serum of treated rats. On the low dose, gonadotropin could be detected after 30 days of treatment while on the high dose, activity was gone at 16 days. Treatment of animals from birth with HCG produces an animal immunologically tolerant to the gonadotropin but physiologically refractory to some of its effects. Therefore these animals react as though they were hypophysectomized. Immature male rats respond to continued HCG treatment by increased testicular weight for a period of 15 days. Androgen output as a manifestation of increased interstitial cell development reaches a peak at 15 days and remains essentially unchanged during further treatment. African finches treated with PMS for as long as 177 weeks fail to display refractoriness to this gonadotropin. While serologic tests reveal antibody formation, and passive immune reactions inhibit melanin deposition in regenerating feathers, all attempts at active immune inhibition failed.
A scenario for geothermal electric power development in Imperial Valley

Abstract The growth of geothermal electric power operations in Imperial Valley, California is projected over the next 40 yr. With commercial power forecast to become available in the 1980s, the scenario considers three subsequent growth rates of 40, 100 and 250 megawatts (MW) per year. These growth rates, along with estimates of the total resource size, result in a maximum level of electric power production ranging from 1000 to 8000 MW to be attained in the 2010 to 2020 time period. Power plant siting constraints are developed and used to make siting patterns for the 400 through the 8000 MW level of power production. Two geothermal technologies are included in the scenario: flashed steam systems which can produce their own cooling water from the geothermal steam condensate and which emit noncondensable gases to the atmosphere; and high pressure, confined flow systems which inject all the geothermal fluid back into the ground. An analysis of the scenario is made with regard to well drilling and power-plant construction rates, land use, cooling water requirements, and hydrogen sulfide emissions.
The True Measure of Success: The Leadership of Roméo Dallaire in the United Nations Assistance Mission for Rwanda

Lieutenant General Romeo Dallaire, as force commander for the United Nations Mission for Rwanda (UNAMIR) and the figure most associated with the infamous mission, has often been accused of providing poor leadership that ultimately failed to prevent the outbreak of genocide in April 1994. To evaluate this claim, it is necessary to analyze Dallaire’s actions prior to the outbreak. By looking at his personal suitability, situational nuances, and moments of opportunity during the UNAMIR mission between October 1993 and April 1994, it is possible to form an accurate assessment of Lieutenant General Dallaire’s leadership in Rwanda and its relation to the development of the catastrophe. This article will demonstrate that prior to the death of Rwandan President Juvenal Habyarimana, Dallaire succeeded in fulfilling UNAMIR’s directives despite resistance on all sides. This assessment disproves arguments that his failure in leading UNAMIR was a primary contributing factor to the outbreak of the Rwandan Genocide.
Knowledge-based video compression for search and rescue robots and multiple sensor networks

Robot and sensor networks are needed for safety, security, and rescue applications such as port security and reconnaissance during a disaster. These applications rely on real-time transmission of images, which generally saturate the available wireless network infrastructure. Knowledge-based compression is a method for reducing the video frame transmission rate between robots or sensors and remote operators. Because images may need to be archived as evidence and/or distributed to multiple applications with different post processing needs, lossy compression schemes, such as MPEG, H.26x, etc., are not acceptable. This work proposes a lossless video server system consisting of three classes of filters (redundancy, task, and priority) which use different levels of knowledge (local sensed environment, human factors associated with a local task, and relative global priority of a task) at the application layer of the network. It demonstrates the redundancy and task filters for a realistic robot search scenario. The redundancy filter is shown to reduce the overall transmission bandwidth by 24.07% to 33.42%, and, when combined with the task filter, reduces overall transmission bandwidth by 59.08%to 67.83%. By itself, the task filter has the capability to reduce transmission bandwidth by 32.95% to 33.78%. While knowledge-based compression generally does not reach the same levels of reduction as MPEG, there are instances where the system outperforms MPEG encoding.
The addition of picolinic acid to low protein diets — a word of caution

The effect of supplementing a protein deficient diet with picolinic acid on parotid salivary proteins was examined. Female rats were fed one of three synthetic diets containing 18% protein, 8% protein, or 8% protein plus 0.03% picolinic acid. After 38 days, although food intake did not differ, the body weights of rats consuming 18% protein were significantly greater than those maintained on the 8% protein diets with or without picolinic acid. Zinc content of serum and liver was significantly lower in the low protein groups and these values were unaffected by the addition of picolinic acid. Although zinc concentration and salivary flow rate did not differ, total protein concentration as determined by the Lowry and by absorption at 215 nm was highest in the group receiving diets of 8% protein supplemented with picolinic acid. Furthermore, the bands corresponding to basic proline-rich proteins were consistently increased in the rats maintained on the low protein diet supplemented with picolinic acid compared to rats fed the 18% protein diet. These results demonstrate that dietary picolinic acid supplementation alters parotid gland function in a manner which appears to be independent of its proposed effect on dietary zinc absorption. These data suggest that the effect of picolinic acid supplementation is not confined to zinc metabolism and therefore caution is advised in interpretation of dietary studies utilizing this zinc binding ligand.
Building examples: media and learning affordances

Children engage in both structured and unstructured design activities with construction kits; for example, a child can choose to build predefined models with accompanying instructions or build their own models from scratch. This study explores the differences in children's play experience in both activities and looks specifically at how children respond to different instructional media. An exploratory study with six children between the ages of six and nine is described in which children used a paper-based, virtual, or physical model as a basis for creating a LEGO model. Children then had the opportunity to create a model of their own design. Through the study, the authors provide suggestions for enhanced virtual instruction guides and recommendations for combining the benefits of structured and unstructured play to create new design experiences for children.
Evaluation of Human Performance with Kinematic and Haptic Errors

In teleoperation systems, link flexion results in kinematic errors, such that the position mapping between the master motion and slave motion is not correct. For haptic feedback teleoperators, this also causes errors in the direction of force feedback to the operator. This study examines human ability to compensate for rotational kinematic/haptic errors, where the mapping between master and slave kinematics and haptics has an error of 5 degrees. Using a 2-degree-of-freedom haptic system, with a virtual environment representing the slave robot and environment, subjects performed object tracing tasks on either a square or a circle with various combinations of correct and incorrect kinematics, and correct, incorrect, and absent haptic feedback. A point-to-point targeting task was performed between each tracing task to minimize the possibility of aftereffects. The results showed no significance for using different object shapes for the tracing task or for having haptic feedback in the targeting task. Incorrect haptic feedback proved to be comparable to having correct haptic feedback under our experimental conditions
Fatigue-inducing stimulation resolves myotonia in a drug-induced model

Slowed muscle relaxation is the contractile hallmark of myotonia congenita, a disease caused by genetic CLC-1 chloride channel deficiency, which improves with antecedent brief contractions ("warm-up phenomenon"). It is unclear to what extent the myotonia continues to dissipate during continued repetitive contractions and how this relates temporally to muscle fatigue. Diaphragm, EDL, and soleus muscles were examined in vitro during repetitive 20 Hz and 50 Hz train stimulation in a drug-induced (9-AC) rat myotonia model. At the onset of stimulation, 9-AC treated diaphragm and EDL muscle had markedly prolonged half relaxation and late relaxation times (range 147 to 884 ms, 894 to 1324 ms). Half relaxation and late relaxation times reached near-normal values over the 5-10 and 10-40 subsequent contractions, respectively. In both muscles myotonia declined faster during repetitive 50 Hz than 20 Hz stimulation, and much faster than the rate of force loss during fatigue at both frequencies. Soleus muscle was resistant to the myotonic effects of 9-AC. In a drug-induced model of mechanical myotonia, fatigue-inducing stimulation resolves the myotonia, which furthermore appears to be independent from the development of muscle fatigue.
Hunting for Monsters: Visual Arts Curriculum as Agonistic Inquiry

This article explores the possibilities of placing curriculum design in close proximity with participatory contemporary art projects that potentially activate our capacities and willingness to re-vision the future of art education. In this curricular questing we have been drawn toward art that encompasses participatory forms – chiefly relational art and relational antagonism in art – en route to modes of lived-curriculum as agonistic inquiry. We start with an account of the historical present as engulfed in past curricular tensions with curriculum design experiencing an arrested development in its reliance on outdated, causal models of learning in order to assume greater certainty over learning. This produces an illusion of efficiency and comes with particular costs. The interaction between the distinct perspectives of curriculum-as-plan and curriculum-as-lived offers a number of theoretical opportunities for art educators to re-engage with curricula. Next, we explore the notion of an uncertain curriculum, drawing upon relational aesthetics and bricolage to highlight curriculum as a negotiated space, while offering a student art project example that illustrates a non-deterministic and participatory form. The authors suggest that while relational aesthetics and bricolage are helpful in the space between curriculum-as-plan and curriculum-as-lived, these are also limited. Further, we share examples and possibilities for reconsidering curriculum as inquiry, inspired by relational antagonism in contemporary art. Finally, we end with a plea for the necessity of monstrous curricular excesses and conflicts in perforating both our students' and our own current and historical borders of a field yet to come.
The 5' sequences of VSV in vitro transcription product RNA (+/-SAM).

Abstract A variety of different 5′ initiation sequences have been characterized for the in vitro transcription product RNA synthesized by vesicular stomatitis viral transcriptase. In the absence of S-adenosyl-L-methionine (SAM), the predominant 5′ sequences are pppApCp... and G5′ pppApAp... In the presence of SAM, the predominant 5′ sequences are m7GpppAmpApCp... and pppApCp...
Growth and physical properties of Hg-1212 HTSC tapes on buffered metal substrates

Abstract Fast Temperature Ramping Annealing (FTRA) combined with a cation-exchange process is applied in the fabrication of HgBa2Ca1Cu2Ox (Hg-1212) superconducting tapes in Rolling Assisted Biaxially Textured Substrates (RABiTSs). Tl2Ba2CaCu2Ox (Tl-2212) precursor films were synthesized on RABiTSs and then converted into Hg-1212 films. By employing the FTRA process in the synthesis of Tl-2212 films, significant improvement was achieved in terms of surface morphology as well as in-plane alignment. These features were retained in the Hg-1212 films during T1-Hg cation-exchange. Tc of Hg-1212 films is up to 124K and Jc is up to 105A/cm2 (0T) at 115K. Further improvements in Jc are expected for optimized synthesis conditions.
Pediatric injury prevention: sledding injuries.

As winter arrives in many areas of the country, it brings new challenges for transport teams involved in the care of children. Seasonal activities, like sledding, will expose children to potential injury. This presents an opportunity for transport teams to become involved in educational safety programs aimed at minimizing or preventing many of these injuries. This article discusses patterns and mechanisms of injuries most often seen during sledding activities and outlines specific interventions to increase safety. The lack of effective steering and restraint are only two of many contributing factors to pediatric sledding injuries. Disproportionate head size in smaller children, lack of muscle strength and reflexes, a disparity in the size of children participating, and a disparity in age (and subsequent judgment) also contribute to an increased risk of injury. Head injuries are common in sledding accidents and carry the highest incidence of morbidity. Children younger than 6 years old injured while sledding have three times the number of head injuries compared with children older than 12.Â Understanding which children are at risk, sledding injury patterns, environmental factors, and effective injury prevention strategies will allow transport teams to develop individualized safety programs most appropriate for their service area.
A note on the numerical solution of the von Karman small disturbance equation

In this short note, we will derive the von Karman small disturbance equation from the full potential equation of gas dynamics through perturbation methods. Guderley1 and Germain2 have previously computed exact solutions, in similarity form, for the small disturbance equation. We show that these solutions can be computed efficiently by solving a single nonlinear second-order differential equation. The shock and entropy conditions are automatically satisfied, and a one-parameter family of solutions is recovered.
Temperature dependence of the hyperfine interactions of FeB

Abstract The temperature dependence of the hyperfine interaction at iron nuclei in ferromagnetic FeB has been measured. The relative magnetization was found to be described by (1- T >/ T c ) β where β = 0.545 ± 0.010 for 4 × 10 −4 T / T c ) −1 .
Ascending collaterals of cutaneous neurons in the fasciculus gracilis of the cat during peripheral nerve regeneration

Dorsal column projection patterns and conduction velocities of regenerating myelinated sensory neurons were studied at intervals between 1 and 12 months after transection of the sural nerve. The neurons had significantly decreased conduction velocities, both in the fasciculus gracilis and in the periphery. Although dorsal root reflexes were temporarily abolished, there was no evidence of gross rearrangement of the neurons' ascending collaterals in the dorsal columns in response to transection of their peripheral processes or as a result of reestablishment of functional peripheral connections. These findings support the hypothesis that when a regenerating cutaneous sensory neuron reforms functional peripheral connections in tissue it originally innervated, its receptor properties are similar to those it had before the nerve was lesioned.
From Irritable Heart to Mitral Valve Prolapse: British Army Medical Reports, 1860 to 1870

Evan Bedford1 traced the theme of “palpitation and nervous heart” to the mid-1600s. It was not until 1836 that John Calthrop Williams published his classic text, “Practical Observations on Nervous and Sympathetic Palpitation of the Heart, Particularly as Distinguished from Palpitation of the Result of Organic Disease.” 2 Williams, a remarkable figure,3 associated palpitation with nervous disturbances, precordial pain, vasovagal attacks with syncope, and contrasted nervous or sympathetic palpitation with organic forms. During the 186Os, disability in soldiers as a result of fatigue, palpitation, dyspnea and chest pain, initially considered unique to the military, was described as a specific entity in military medical reports from both sides of the Atlantic. Jacob M. DaCosta published preliminary reports in 1862 and 1864 about “irritable heart” as the result of studies performed at the U.S. Army Hospital for Injuries and Diseases of the Nervous System, Turner’s Lane, Philadelphia during the War Between the States.* His definitive and classic work5 on “irritable heart,” published in 1871, was soon widely recognized and the disease is still referred to as DaCosta’s syndrome. DaCosta thought this disease was similar to that described earlier among British troops in India and in the Crimean War. MacLean’s published observations in 18676 confirm that irritable heart was widely recognized in the British Army as well. Myers’ 1870 review7 of heart disease among British soldiers placed emphasis on functional disease of the heart-a subject of governmental inquiry and commissions that led to a number of military reforms and interventions in attempts to resolve this disabling enigma. Myers traced the first British medical officers observations on heart disease in soldiers to the “late Dr. Hunter,” author of “Observations on Heart Disease in the Army,” published in the 1836 Transactions of the Medical and Physical Society of Bombay, and Dr. Nicholson, “Prevalence of Heart Disease Among theTroops in the Cape Colony in 1839.” 8
Social dominance, adrenal weight, and the reticuloendothelial system in rats

Weanling male rats were chronically paired and as adults were induced to compete daily for food. Those pairs which demonstrated stable dominance-subordinate relationships served as experimental subjects, while a comparable group of singly housed rats served in an isolate control group. Activity of the reticuloendothelial system (RES) was measured, the rats sacrificed, and their adrenal weights recorded in an effort to determine the relative extent of stress associated with these experimental conditions. In general the greatest stress response was indicated among the dominant rats and the least amount of stress was found among the isolate reared subjects. The RES measure proved to be particularly sensitive to this effect, and discriminated among treatment groups quite as well as the more traditional adrenal weight index.
Glycan receptor specificity as a useful tool for characterization and surveillance of influenza A virus

Influenza A viruses are rapidly evolving pathogens with the potential for novel strains to emerge and result in pandemic outbreaks in humans. Some avian-adapted subtypes have acquired the ability to bind to human glycan receptors and cause severe infections in humans but have yet to adapt to and transmit between humans. The emergence of new avian strains and their ability to infect humans has confounded their distinction from circulating human virus strains through linking receptor specificity to human adaptation. Herein we review the various structural and biochemical analyses of influenza hemagglutinin–glycan receptor interactions. We provide our perspectives on how receptor specificity can be used to monitor evolution of the virus to adapt to human hosts so as to facilitate improved surveillance and pandemic preparedness.
Employment and unemployment patterns in the U.S. and Europe, 1973–1987

Employment trends in the United States and Europe are compared using Bureau of Labor Statistics data. These data set the stage for a discussion of the difference in employment growth between the U.S. and Europe. Also included are some elements that may partly explain the U.S. and European differences in job growth. In conclusion, labor market problems still remain even with the tremendous job growth in the U.S.
On the Torsion Constant of Cotton Fibers

The measurement of the torsion constant of cotton fibers is usually determined by the single-fiber method. The bundle method proves to be faster, and the determination of this physical property by the bundle method is analyzed and the experimental results are discussed.