cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of an inhalation reference concentration for diethanolamine.

Abstract An inhalation reference concentration (RfC) was developed for diethanolamine (DEA), based principally on evaluation of three animal studies (Gamer et al., 1993, 1996, 2008). The RfC (25 μg/m3) was based on statistically significantly increased relative liver weight in female rats in Gamer et al. (2008) as the critical effect. The lower confidence limit on the benchmark dose (BMDL10 of 5.5 mg/m3) was adjusted to a human equivalent concentration and to continuous exposure before dividing the final point of departure (2.3 mg/m3) by a total factor of 90 that considered standard key areas of uncertainty (intrahuman variability, potential interspecies toxicodynamic differences, database limitations). While laryngeal effects observed in Gamer et al. (2008) were also considered as candidate critical effects, evaluation of the adversity and human relevance of rat laryngeal squamous metaplasia and concomitant effects at the various exposure levels resulted in identifying a LOAEL for laryngeal squamous hyperplasia and chronic inflammation that was much higher than the liver weight LOAEL identified. The RfC of 25 μg/m3 is considered health protective for the general population and can be used to evaluate the potential health effects of long-term environmental exposure of the general public (i.e., long-term, ambient air dispersion modelling or monitoring data).
Porous substrates as platforms for the nanostructuring of molecular magnets

Single molecule magnets (SMMs) and single ion magnets (SIMs), also known as molecular magnets (MMs), exhibit magnetic bistability and slow relaxation of their magnetization, characteristics which are representative of nanodomain particles whose origin is attributed to individual molecular spins. MMs have been receiving significant attention due to their potential applications in (1) ultra-high-density information storage devices, where each molecule can be used as a magnetic bit of information, and (2) quantum computing applications, taking advantage of lengthy coherence intervals. Any practical applications of MMs however, requires their controlled organization in different dimensionality architectures to allow for read-and-write processes, which is a challenge given that their chemical integrity and unique magnetic properties must be preserved during the nanostructuration process. This feature article highlights recent advances in this newly emerging field on the nanostructuration of MMs, and provides a comprehensive review of MM composites derived from various porous substrates, with particular emphases on synthetic approaches and characterization strategies.
Enhanced Detection of Sub-Retinal Pigment Epithelial Cell Layer Deposits in Human and Murine Tissue: Imaging Zinc as a Biomarker for Age-Related Macular Degeneration (An American Ophthalmological Society Thesis).

Purpose Understanding the apparent paradoxical role of zinc in the pathogenesis and prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) has been limited by the lack of animal models for its detection in sub-retinal epithelial deposits (drusen), a definitive early hallmark of AMD. In-vitro studies using Zinpyr-1 showed drusen contained high levels of zinc, but the probe was not suitable for in-vivo studies. This study compares Zinpyr-1 to ZPP1, a new fluorescein-based probe for zinc, to assess the potential of ZPP1 for in-vivo detection of zinc in drusen. Methods Flat mounts of human sub-RPE tissue using the probes were analyzed by fluorescence and confocal microscopy. Flat mounts of sub-RPE tissue from mice deficient in superoxide dismutase isoform-1 (CuZn-SOD-KO) or isoform-2 (Mn-SOD-RPE-KO) were analyzed with sub-RPE deposits confirmed by histology. Results Drusen are detected in greater numbers and intensity with ZPP1 compared to Zinpyr-1. Using ZPP1, drusen was detected in a sample from a 46-year old human donor without ocular history, suggesting that ZPP1 might be sensitive enough to detect drusen at an early stage. With CuZn-SOD KO mice, ZPP1 detected sub-RPE deposits at 10 months of age, whereas Zinpyr-1 required 14 months. Conclusion Detection of sub-RPE deposits by ZPP1 was greatly enhanced compared to Zinpyr-1. This enhanced sensitivity will allow for more insightful analysis of zinc in AMD using human specimens and mouse models. This could result in the development of a sensitive in-vivo probe to enhance research on the role zinc in drusen formation and the early clinical diagnosis of AMD.
Blast and Ballistics: Types, Background, Terminology

Many combat casualties are victims of explosives, resulting in catastrophic polytrauma with multiple types of injuries. Terrorists attack in an attempt to drain resources, injuring many, with grueling psychological effects to help get their message across. Blast injuries are not as unique to battle as we would hope, however, as they are unfortunately becoming more common worldwide outside the battlefield environment. Familiarity with imaging manifestations of blast injuries, for example, is paramount no matter the setting, country, or location. Disasters, explosions, and shootings can happen in all types of settings and can occur anywhere. Some example cases of blast and ballistic injury are highlighted to illustrate our experiences in imaging findings and surgical follow-up in combat casualties.
Susceptibility Testing of Medically Important Fungi

In vitro susceptibility testing can provide results to predict the antibiotic microorganism interactions which should correlate with in vivo efficacy. Generally, the results are expressed as the minimal inhibitory concentration (MIC), the lowest concentration of an agent which inhibits the growth of the microorganism, or as the minimal fungicidal concentration (MFC), the lowest concentration of an agent which kills a statistically significant number of organisms. These values are then correlated with attainable blood levels to determine whether the organism is susceptible or resistant. Finally, clinical correlation of efficacy and susceptibility or failure and resistance must be confirmed. Unfortunately, these principles have not been well established with fungal pathogens and antifungal agents. Interpretation of the in vitro susceptibility testing of antifungal agents suffers from the lack of standardized procedures. Variables, such as the type and size of the inoculum, the medium, temperature of incubation, length of incubation, and the definition end points must be standardized in order to compare susceptibility and efficacy results.
The effects of diet and mating system on reproductive (and post-reproductive) life span in a freshwater snail.

The length of the reproductive life span, along with the number/frequency/magnitude of reproductive events, quantifies an individual's potential contribution to the next generation. By examining reproductive life span, and distinguishing it from somatic life span, we gain insight into critical aspects of an individual's potential fitness as well as reproductive and somatic senescence. Additionally, differentiating somatic and reproductive life spans can provide insight into the existence of a post-reproductive period and factors that shape its duration. Given the known importance of diet and mating system on resource allocation, I reared individual freshwater snails (Physa acuta) from 22 full-sib families under a 2 × 2 factorial design that crossed mate availability (available [outcrossing] or not [selfing]) and diet (Spirulina or lettuce) and quantified aspects of the entire life history enabling me to distinguish reproductive and somatic life spans, determine the total number of reproductive events, and evaluate how the reproductive rate changes with age. Overall, mated snails experienced shorter reproductive and somatic life spans; a diet of Spirulina also shortened both reproductive and somatic life spans. A post-reproductive period existed in all conditions; its duration was proportional to somatic but not reproductive life span. I evaluate several hypotheses for the existence and duration of the post-reproductive period, including a novel hypothesis that the post-reproductive period may result from an increase in reproductive interval with age. I conclude that the post-reproductive period may be indicative of a randomly timed death occurring as the interval between reproductive events continues to increase. As such, a "post-reproductive" period can be viewed as a by-product of a situation where reproductive senescence outpaces somatic senescence.
Influence of Device Type on Stroke Risk in Women Undergoing LVAD Implantation

Purpose Stroke risk after left ventricular assist device (LVAD) implantation seems to be increased in women. The role of device type has not previously been investigated. We hypothesized that stroke risk in female patients was influenced by LVAD device type. Methods A retrospective review of all adult patients who underwent implantation of a Heartware HVAD (HW) or Heartmate 2 (HM2) LVAD from January 2010 to July 2018 at our institution was conducted. Demographic and outcome variables in implanted patients were collected. Stroke risk was compared by gender and device type. The Kruskal-Wallis test was used for comparison of non-normal continuous and ordered categorical variables. Non-ordered categorical variables were compared by the Chi square and Fisher's exact tests. Multivariable logistic regression models were developed to assess the effect of gender and other confounding factors on stroke occurrence. A p %lt 0.05 was considered significant. Results 204 patients underwent continuous-flow LVAD implantation at our institution over the study period; 141 patients (69%) received a HM2, and 63 patients (31%) received a HW LVAD. In total, 45 implanted patients (22%) were women and 159 patients (78%) were men. Occurrence of stroke was more common in women (47%) then in men (14%), p Conclusion At our institution, women versus men experienced more strokes after LVAD implantation. This increased stroke risk was particularly pronounced in women receiving a HM2 device.
Patterns of leukemic transformation in patients with TP53-mutant myelodysplastic syndromes.

7054Background: TP53 is the most frequently mutated gene in human cancers, including 7-13% of acute myeloid leukemia (AML) and myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) patients. Although it is associated wit...
Longitudinal Changes Among Latino/a Immigrant Parental Acculturation and Extra-Familial Immigration-Related Stress:

Foreign-born Latino/a immigrants currently make up 12.9% of the total U.S. population. Latino/a immigrants continue to be exposed to widespread health and mental health care disparities. Scholarshi...
A Scalable Algorithm for Multiparty Interactive Communication with Private Channels

A group of n players wants to run a distributed protocol ρ over a network where communication occurs via private point-to-point channels. Unfortunately, an adversary, who knows P, is able to maliciously flip bits on the channels. Can we efficiently simulate ρ in the presence of such an adversary? We show that this is possible, even when L, the number of bits sent in ρ, and T, the number of bits flipped by the adversary are not known in advance. In particular, we show how to create a robust version of ρ, ρ' such that 1) ρ' fails with probability at most δ, for any δ > 0; and 2) ρ' sends O (L + T) bits, where the O notation hides a log(nL/δ) term multiplying L. Critically, our result requires that ρ be a protocol that runs correctly in an asynchronous network; in contrast, our protocol ρ' must run in a synchronous network. Additionally, we show how to improve this result when the average message size is not constant. In particular, we show how to create a protocol ρ' that sends O(L(1 + (1/α) log(nL/δ)) + T) bits, where α is the average message size. This new ρ' is adaptive in that it does not require a priori knowledge of α. We note that if α is Ω (log(nL/δ)), then this improved algorithm sends only O(L + T) bits, and is therefore within a constant factor of optimal.
Habitat resilience for songbirds: The role of topographic position in a mixed deciduous forest

Abstract Climate change is altering patterns of resource availability and this may have negative effects on insectivorous forest birds in the US upper Midwest. As invertebrate life cycle phenology shifts due to earlier spring leaf-out, nesting birds are vulnerable to phenological mismatches between food supply and demand. Areas with complex topography, and thus a variety of thermal and humidity conditions, may support a greater variety of plant and invertebrate phenological rates and stages within close proximity than are found in areas with simple topography. However, the extent and magnitude of this phenomenon is unclear, as is the degree to which topographic position may influence the ability of species to persist during extreme conditions. We examined the effects of topographic position on the phenology of a tri-trophic forest system over two years from spring through mid-summer. We hypothesized that in cool microsites the likelihood of trophic mismatches and late season food shortages is lower than in warm microsites. At 70 sites in the Baraboo Hills, part of the Driftless Area of the US Midwest, we recorded leaf-out timing of over 700 deciduous trees, measured weekly changes in invertebrate biomass on understory foliage, and conducted bird point counts to assess avian species richness and density. In stream gorges, cooler temperatures were associated with slight but significant delays in leaf-out timing of canopy and understory deciduous trees relative to upland sites. At all sites, invertebrate biomass was distributed relatively evenly across the study period, in contrast to other temperate zone sites where phenological mismatches have been reported between birds and their invertebrate prey. Invertebrate biomass was similar in stream gorges and uplands in both study years. Insectivorous bird species richness was greater in stream gorges than in the surrounding upland forest during both seasons and was positively related to Lepidoptera larvae biomass in the understory. Among eight abundant insectivorous bird species, density was similar in uplands and stream gorges, among four species density was higher in uplands, and density of two species was higher in stream gorges. These results suggest that insectivorous birds within this study area are unlikely to experience trophic mismatches, and that despite having cooler microclimates and higher avian species richness, stream gorges did not provide more invertebrate food resources than uplands under the climate conditions of the years in which we sampled this tri-trophic system.
Frankenstein in the History of Happiness: From Ancient Ethics to Richard Wright

In the classical and neo-classical philosophical tradition, virtue is necessary, or even sufficient, for happiness; it partially or fully constitutes happiness. Virtue comes first; happiness attend...
Adenosine monophosphate deaminase 3 null mutation causes reduction of naive T cells in mouse peripheral blood

Adenosine monophosphate deaminase 3 (Ampd3) encodes the erythrocyte isoform of the adenosine monophosphate (AMP) deaminase gene family. Mutations in this gene have been reported in humans, leading to autosomal-recessive erythrocyte AMP deaminase deficiency. However, the mutation is considered clinically asymptomatic. Using N-ethyl-N-nitrosourea mutagenesis to find mutations that affect peripheral lymphocyte populations, we identified 5 Ampd3 mutations (Ampd3guangdong, Ampd3carson, Ampd3penasco, Ampd3taos, and Ampd3commanche) that strongly correlated with a reduction in naive CD4+ T and naive CD8+ T-cell populations. Causation was confirmed by targeted ablation of Ampd3. Knockout mice had reduced frequencies of CD62LhiCD44lo CD4+ naive and CD8+ naive T cells. Interestingly, these phenotypes were restricted to T cells circulating in peripheral blood and were not seen in T cells from secondary lymphoid organs (lymph nodes and spleen). We found that reduction of naive T cells in the peripheral blood of Ampd3-/- mice was caused by T-cell-extrinsic factor(s), which we hypothesize to be elevated levels of adenosine triphosphate released by Ampd3-deficient erythrocytes. These findings provide an example in which disruption of an erythrocyte-specific protein can affect the physiological status of lymphocytes in peripheral blood.
Designing Nudges for Success in Health Care

Nudges are subtle changes to the design of the environment or the framing of information that can influence our behaviors. There is significant potential to use nudges in health care to improve patient outcomes and transform health care delivery. However, these interventions must be tested and implemented using a systematic approach. In this article, we describe several ways to design nudges for success by focusing on optimizing and fitting them into the clinical workflow, engaging the right stakeholders, and rapid experimentation.
Passive RFID-Based Diaper Moisture Sensor

Low-energy battery-less passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags will be an integral part of the upcoming IoT (Internet of Things) revolution. Applications for such tag-systems include medical applications, inventory management, security, localization, household application, etc. Currently, there is a growing demand for passive RFID-based diaper moisture sensors in the market. The target populations for such technology include infants, disabled individuals, and senior citizens. The goal of the moisture sensor is to eliminate the risks related to infection and other issues caused by the failure to remove a wet diaper in a timely manner. Desired characteristics of such a sensor include low cost, easy integration, good dynamic range in sensing metric, a long read range, as well as being comfortable to the wearer. We propose a passive UHF (Ultra High Frequency, 902–928 MHz) RFID-based diaper moisture sensor that is low-cost, user-friendly, reusable, washable, environment-friendly and comes with an extended on-body read range of 3.6 meters with baby diapers and 4.4 meters with adult diapers. The external reader unit is connected to the internet or a local network, and will automatically notify the parents or caregivers as soon as the presence of moisture is detected.
Explainable Models with Consistent Interpretations

This material is based upon work partially supported by the United States Air Force under Contract No. FA8750-19-C-0098, funding from NSF grant number 1845216, SAP SE, and Northrop Grumman. Any opinions, findings, and conclusions or recommendations expressed in this material are those of the authors and do not necessarily reflect the views of the United States Air Force, DARPA, or other funding agencies.
Inversion Based Adaptive Feedforward Control for Multivariable Systems

Abstract This paper presents a novel adaptive feedforward control (AFC) method for rejecting sinusoidal disturbances with known frequencies acting on multi-input-multi-output (MIMO) discrete time linear systems based on the H-infinity synthesis. First, the gradient AFC (GAFC) for MIMO systems is reviewed, and the linear time invariant (LTI) equivalent form of the GAFC is approximated for stability analysis. For single-input-single-output (SISO) systems, this paper shows small adaptation gains guarantee the stability of GAFC for any disturbance frequency. Then inspired by the stability of SISO GAFC, the inversion based AFC (IAFC) is proposed for MIMO systems. In this method, the GAFC is compensated by an H-infinity model matching filter, which renders nearly decoupled systems with fixed time delays. The LTI analysis, simulation study and experimental results from an open-loop unstable MIMO Active Magnetic Bearing Spindle (AMBS) are presented to demonstrate the stability and effectiveness of the proposed IAFC in rejecting narrow-band disturbances.
Feasibility of focused cardiac ultrasound during cardiac arrest in the emergency department.

Background Focused cardiac ultrasound (FOCUS) can aid in evaluation and management of patients with cardiac arrest, but image quality in this population has been questioned. Our goal was to determine how often adequate imaging can be obtained in cardiac arrest patients. Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study to examine the utility of FOCUS in cardiac arrest. All patients who presented to the Emergency Department (ED) in cardiac arrest or who had cardiac arrest while in the ED over 6 months were prospectively identified. FOCUS images were obtained as part of routine clinical care. Patients with images obtained were paired with age- and gender-matched controls who underwent FOCUS for another indication during the study period. Image quality was scored by two blinded reviewers using a 0-4 scale, with a score of ≥ 2 considered adequate. Results There were 137 consecutive cardiac arrests, 121 out-of-hospital and 16 in-hospital, during the study period. FOCUS images were recorded in 126 (92%), who were included in the analysis. The average age was 58 years, and 45% were female. Ninety-seven studies (77%) were obtained during advanced cardiac life support while 29 (23%) were obtained after return of spontaneous circulation. The controls were appropriately matched. Of the cardiac arrest studies, 106 (84%) were rated adequate, compared to 116 (92%) in controls (p = 0.08). When compared to control FOCUS studies, the scores given to studies of cardiac arrest patients were lower (p = 0.001). Conclusions FOCUS can reliably be used during cardiac arrest to obtain images adequate to answer clinical questions and guide therapies.
Non-genetic photoacoustic stimulation of single neurons by a tapered fiber optoacoustic emitter.

Neuromodulation at high spatial resolution poses great significance in advancing fundamental knowledge in the field of neuroscience and offering novel clinical treatments. Here, we developed a tapered fiber optoacoustic emitter (TFOE) generating an ultrasound field with a high spatial precision of 39.6 µm, enabling optoacoustic activation of single neurons or subcellular structures, such as axons and dendrites. Temporally, a single acoustic pulse of sub-microsecond converted by the TFOE from a single laser pulse of 3 ns is shown as the shortest acoustic stimuli so far for successful neuron activation. The precise ultrasound generated by the TFOE enabled the integration of the optoacoustic stimulation with highly stable patch-clamp recording on single neurons. Direct measurements of the electrical response of single neurons to acoustic stimulation, which is difficult for conventional ultrasound stimulation, have been demonstrated. By coupling TFOE with ex vivo brain slice electrophysiology, we unveil cell-type-specific responses of excitatory and inhibitory neurons to acoustic stimulation. These results demonstrate that TFOE is a non-genetic single-cell and sub-cellular modulation technology, which could shed new insights into the mechanism of ultrasound neurostimulation.
Time Domain Expressions for the Current of a Dipole Probe in a Magnetized Plasma

We derive some approximate expressions for the current through an electrically short dipole probe immersed in a cold magnetized plasma. The time-varying current signal due to an applied voltage input to the probe is proportional to plasma parameters such as electron density and electron neutral collision frequency in the ionosphere. By taking Laplace transformations and examining the parallel and perpendicular current contributions, we obtain an approximate theoretical expression for the impedance of the probe. We then infer an even simpler empirical expression based on the approximate theory and frequency domain data obtained from sweeping impedance probes (SIPs) flown on previous sounding rocket missions. The inverse Laplace transform of the expressions will be used to perform direct least mean squares curve fitting against measurements made by a time domain impedance probe (TDIP) flown on a CubeSat. We compare our results with previous analytical results of the impedance of an electrically short dipole in a plasma, and typical sounding rocket impedance data in the ionosphere E-layer. An expression taking into account the appearance of a sheath is also presented. In the frequency domain, our expressions are found to capture the significant features of data from sounding rocket experiments.
Dissecting the Epigenomic Differences between Smoking and Nicotine Dependence in a Veteran Cohort

Background: Smoking is a serious public health issue linked to more than 8 million deaths per year worldwide. It also may lead to nicotine dependence (ND). Smoking can induce long-lasting epigenetic changes. Although epigenetic alterations related to tobacco smoke have been largely studied, few works have investigated ND and its interaction with smoking status (SS). Objective: We investigated the peripheral epigenomic profile of SS and ND in a U.S. male veteran cohort. Methods: DNA from saliva was collected from 1,135 European American (EA) male U.S. military veterans. DNAm was assessed using the Illumina Infinium Human MethylationEPIC BeadChip array. SS was evaluated as: current smokers (n=137; 12.1%) and non-current smokers (never and former smokers; n=998; 87.9%). ND was assessed using the Fagerstrom Test for Nicotine Dependence (FTND). EWAS and co-methylation analyses were conducted for SS and ND. Results: A total of 450 and 22 genome-wide significant differentially methylated sites (DMS) were associated with SS and ND, respectively (fifteen overlapped sites). We identified 97 DMS (43 genes) in SS-EWAS previously reported in the literature, including AHRR, and F2RL3 genes (p-value range: 1.95x10-83 to 4.5x10-33). ND novel DMS mapped to NEUROG1, ANPEP, and SLC29A1. Co-methylation analysis identified 386 modules (11 SS-related and 19 ND-related). SS-related modules showed enrichment for alcoholism, chemokine signaling pathway, and neurogenesis; while ND-related modules were enriched for cellular adhesion, and nicotine addiction. Conclusions: This study confirms previous findings and identifies novel and -potentially specific - epigenetic signatures for SS and ND in a sample of EA male veterans.
Sinuous channels east of Olympus Mons, Mars: Implications for volcanic, hydrological, and tectonic processes

Abstract The Late Amazonian volcanic plains east of Olympus Mons contain numerous channels and fossae. Channel formation hypotheses have included volcanic processes, flowing water, or a combination of both. To evaluate these hypotheses, we conducted detailed geomorphological and facies mapping at two sites containing channels and fossae representative of features in the region. Based on our mapping and morphological analyses using high resolution topography and images from HiRISE and CTX, we classified channels into three types, and fossae into two types. Channel Type 1 and Type 2 are consistent with the morphology of lava channels, however, we found no evidence of channel formation due to thermo-mechanical erosion. Additionally, we calculated the potential for lava to achieve turbulent flow within our two study sites and found it unlikely. Channel Type 3 is consistent with fluvial bedrock erosion, likely sourced from erupted groundwater that entrained regolith into lahar-like flows. Fossae are classified as linear (Type L) or arcuate and branched (Type A). Type L fossae are interpreted to be surface fractures associated with dike emplacement, whereas Type A fossae are interpreted to be surface fractures due to sill emplacement, which may have melted buried ice deposits and generated meltwater floods. Type 1 and Type 2 channels are associated with Type L fossae and fissure-fed effusive eruptions of lava. In contrast, Type 3 channels are co-located with Type A fossae, and are likely due to outbursts of groundwater possibly related to sill emplacement. We attribute the formation and distribution of channels and fossae throughout the plains east of Olympus Mons to be a consequence of the region’s evolving states of stress, which are predominantly influenced by the loading of Olympus Mons.
Fleeing Cuba: A Comparative Piece Focused on Toro and the Options Victims of Domestic Violence Have in Seeking Citizenship in the United States and Canada

The United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit decided a case on February 4, 2013 that has undoubted international implications. Toro v. Sec’y dealt with the language of the Cuban Refugee Adjustment Act of 1966 (CAA) and the provisions of the Violence Against Women Act (VAWA). This article focuses on how and why the court reached its decision. It analyzes the conflict between the “plain language” of the CAA and its statutory construction to rebut the court’s assertion that the VAWA self-petition was irrelevant in this case, and ultimately, offer an alternative analysis to this case. * Kiersten M. Schramek, J.D. cum laude from Pace University School of Law 2015. She served as an Articles Editor of PACE INTERNATIONAL LAW REVIEW and President of the Women’s Association of Law Students from 2014-2015. In addition, she served as Student Coordinator for the Pace Immigration Law Pro Bono Opportunity from 2013-2015. Prior to law school, Ms. Schramek worked as a Victim Advocate at the Putnam/Northern Westchester Women’s Resource Center from 2010-2012. She has always had a passion for Family law, Immigration law, and women’s issues. This article is dedicated to Ms. Schramek’s family and friends who have always supported her in pursuing her dream of becoming an attorney..
What makes motherhood so expensive?: The role of social expectations, interdependence, and coordination failure in explaining lower wages of mothers

Abstract This paper utilizes expectations imposed by society to explain lower wages of mothers compared to non-mothers in the labor market. Social expectation, interdependence between mothers’ labor supply and childcare services, and lack of coordination between employers, employees (mothers), and childcare services explain how an economy can be caught in a ‘trap’ exhibiting large wage differences. Higher levels of human capital, increased coordination along with affordable childcare services in a more modern economy allows for specialization, increasing returns, and the possibility for a better outcome due to multiple equilibria.
Surface pasteurization of whole fresh cantaloupes inoculated with Salmonella poona or Escherichia coli.

Numerous outbreaks of salmonellosis by Salmonella Poona have been associated with the consumption of cantaloupe. Commercial washing processes for cantaloupe are limited in their ability to inactivate or remove this human pathogen. Our objective was to develop a commercial-scale surface pasteurization process to enhance the microbiological safety of cantaloupe. Populations of indigenous bacteria recovered from cantaloupes that were surface pasteurized at 96, 86, or 76°C for 2 to 3 min were significantly (P < 0.05) lower than those of the controls. Whole cantaloupes, surface inoculated with Salmonella Poona RM 2350 or Escherichia coli ATCC 25922 to a final cell concentration of ca. 5 log CFU/cm2 were stored at 4°C or room temperature (RT = 19 ± 1°C) for up to 72 h before processing. Treatments at 76°C for 2 to 3 min at 24 h postinoculation resulted in a reduction in excess of 5 log CFU/cm2 of Salmonella Poona and E. coli populations. Cantaloupes that were surface pasteurized and stored at 4°C for 21 days re...
The sustainability asymptogram: A new philosophical framework for policy, outreach and education in sustainability

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to present a mathematical model that can be used as an educational tool to reflect the philosophical aspects of sustainability.Design/methodology/approach – This is a descriptive paper.Findings – Everyone carries a sustainability deficit. Therefore, opportunities to reduce this deficit abound. Education is an excellent vehicle to achieve sustainability.Practical implications – Helping individuals with extremely high sustainability deficit to make minimum improvements is more beneficial than a further reduction of the “deficit” by those who have it already low. Further action is certainly encouraged, especially to quantify the sustainability index.Originality/value – The paper fulfils the need of providing an original model upon which educators may lean to, in order to enhance learning in sustainability.
Hereditary deficiency of K cells in a normal subject.

Abstract A clinically normal female has been identified with a pronounced decrease in the percentage of Fc receptor-bearing lymphocytes present in her peripheral blood. This deficiency was consistently observed over a 1-year period and could not be attributed to lymphocyte sampling artifacts. Similarly, the subject exhibited deficiency of C'3 receptor-bearing cells and abnormally low effector cell function in antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity. The percentage of circulating T and B cells was within normal limits, and proliferative responsiveness to phytohemagglutinin was not affected. A study of the subjects's immediate family members revealed that her mother, sister, and two half brothers exhibited a similar reduction in Fc receptor cells and antibody-dependent cellular cytotoxicity activity. In contrast, her stepfather's immune cell evaluation fell within the normal range. Determination of HLA antigen, A and B specificities, indicated that the deficiency was not associated with a particular HLA phenotype. It has been concluded that this deficiency is hereditary, that it involves a marked decrease of K cells in the peripheral blood, and that it is compatible with good health.
CyberEye: Development of integrated cyber-infrastructure to support rapid hurricane risk assessment

Abstract Recent losses provide sobering evidence of the continued need for more effective tools to support hurricane risk assessment and mitigation that can leverage the latest developments both in the characterization of the hazard and its impacts on built environments. This paper provokes the question of whether open-source virtual environments can indeed provide the appropriate venue to do so, leveraging application programming interfaces and a modular approach to packaging the overall framework that encourages the progressive integration of data, tools and models from the community. This paper presents one opportunity: a virtual environment called CyberEye and the cyberinfrastructure that backs this collaboration space, providing users with a customizable dashboard where they can annotate, mark up and share information with other authorized users through a web-based geospatial environment. The paper focuses on the platform׳s two distinct workflows: Rapid Risk Assessment and Data Intake and Discovery, providing for each working User Scenarios to demonstrate the platform capabilities, relative to the current standard of practice.
Control of transition probabilities of the quantum-mechanical harmonic oscillator

Abstract We consider a control problem for an approximate system for the transition probabilities of the quantum-mechanical harmonic oscillator. Accessible states are identified.
Research into teachers’ knowledge and the development of mathematics classroom practices

Researchers in mathematics teacher education share a commitment to understanding the knowledge and classroom practices of teachers across the professional continuum. Whereas our field has made progress in identifying important domains of teacher knowledge and key pedagogical practices that support students’ learning of mathematics, many questions remain about the nature of teachers’ knowledge in different domains, how different domains of teacher knowledge relate to one another and to particular pedagogical practices, and how teachers develop the knowledge needed to enact certain practices in the classroom. The articles in this issue of the Journal of Mathematics Teacher Education take on these questions with a focus on two primary areas: teachers’ knowledge related to algebra and developing the complex practice of designing questions and organizing mathematical discussions. Fostering students’ algebraic thinking can be challenging, particularly for teachers whose experiences learning algebra were predominated by symbolic procedures and traditional instruction. How do teachers learn to teach challenging subject matter, such as algebra, in meaningful ways? In ‘‘Upper Primary School Teachers’ Mathematical Knowledge for Teaching Functional Thinking in Algebra,’’ Karin Wilkie reports about a study of teachers’ mathematical knowledge for teaching functions, relations, and joint variation. A questionnaire was designed to gather data about teachers’ understandings in four domains: specialized content knowledge (SCK), knowledge of content and students (KCS), knowledge of content and teaching (KCT), and knowledge of curriculum (KC). Two rubrics were used to analyze teachers’ survey responses and characterize their levels of understanding in the four domains. Results of this analysis revealed both strengths and weaknesses in teachers’ SCK and KCS, but only weaknesses in the teachers’ KCT and KC. The author suggests that perhaps teachers were able to perform SCK tasks successfully by using algebraic procedures but lacked conceptual understandings that might have enabled
Radiation Engineering of Optical Antennas for Maximum Field Enhancement

Optical antennas have generated much interest in recent years due to their ability to focus optical energy beyond the diffraction limit, benefiting a broad range of applications such as sensitive photodetection, magnetic storage, and surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy. To achieve the maximum field enhancement for an optical antenna, parameters such as the antenna dimensions, loading conditions, and coupling efficiency have been previously studied. Here, we present a framework, based on coupled-mode theory, to achieve maximum field enhancement in optical antennas through optimization of optical antennas’ radiation characteristics. We demonstrate that the optimum condition is achieved when the radiation quality factor (Qrad) of optical antennas is matched to their absorption quality factor (Qabs). We achieve this condition experimentally by fabricating the optical antennas on a dielectric (SiO2) coated ground plane (metal substrate) and controlling the antenna radiation through optimizing the dielectric th...
Collagen-Like Fragments: Excretion in Urine of Patients with Paget's Disease of Bone

Patients with Paget's disease of bone excrete, in the urine, polypeptides that have amino acid composition and other properties resembling those of fragments of collagen. The pattern of isotope incorporation in vivo suggests that these fragments are derived from collagen that has been synthesized and rapidly degraded, or that they are rapidly synthesized but not incorporated into tropocollagen molecules.
An Examination of the Changes in Science Teaching Orientations and Technology-Enhanced Tools for Student Learning in the Context of Professional Development

This research examines how science teaching orientations and beliefs about technology-enhanced tools change over time in professional development (PD). The primary data sources for this study came from learning journals of 8 eighth grade science teachers at the beginning and conclusion of a year of PD. Based on the analysis completed, Information Transmission (IT) and Struggling with Standards-Based Reform (SSBR) profiles were found at the beginning of the PD, while SSBR and Standards-Based Reform (SBR) profiles were identified at the conclusion of PD. All profiles exhibited Vision I beliefs about the goals and purposes for science education, while only the SBR profile exhibited Vision II goals and purposes for science teaching. The IT profile demonstrated naive or unrevealed beliefs about the nature of science, while the SSBR and SBR profiles had more sophisticated beliefs in this area. The IT profile was grounded in more teacher-centered beliefs about science teaching and learning as the other two profi...
Using spin trapping electron spin resonance for determining the degradation mechanism of membranes used in fuel cells

Fuel cells (FCs) convert the chemical energy from the reaction of H2 with O2 to electrical energy, and have become an alternative clean energy source for automotive, portable and stationary applications. FC operation is possible when the membrane located between the electrodes maintains its integrity in the oxidising FC environment. Spin trapping electron spin resonance (ESR) has been used for determining the degradation mechanism of the perfluorinated membranes used in FCs. The study of low molecular weight model compounds confirmed two possible degradation mechanisms in membranes: initiated at the backbone and at the side chain. In situ experiments in a FC inserted in the resonator of an ESR spectrometer offered the ability to monitor radical processes in a FC. The presence of the radicals was determined by addition of 5,5-dimethy-l-pyrroline N-oxide (DMPO) as a spin trap. Taken together, the in situ results pointed to crossover processes, reactions at the catalyst surface, and the involvement of H• ato...
Murine Hematopoietic Stem Cells and Multipotent Progenitors Express Truncated Intracellular Form of c-kit Receptor

The c-kit receptor plays a vital role in self-renewal and differentiation of hematopoietic stem cells (HSCs) and multipotent progenitors (MPPs). We have discovered that besides c-kit, the murine multipotent HSC/MPP-like cell line EML expresses the transcript and protein for a truncated intracellular form of c-kit receptor, called tr-kit. Notably, the tr-kit transcript and protein levels were down-regulated during cytokine-induced differentiation of the HSC/MPP-like cell line EML into myeloerythroid lineages. These findings prompted us to analyze tr-kit expression in purified murine fetal liver and bone marrow cell populations containing long-term repopulating (LTR) HSCs, short-term repopulating (STR) HSCs, MPPs, lineage-committed progenitors, and immature blood cells. Remarkably, these studies have revealed that in contrast to more widespread expression of c-kit, tr-kit is transcribed solely in cell populations enriched for LTR-HSCs, STR-HSCs, and MPPs. On the other hand, cell populations in which HSCs and MPPs are either present at a much lower frequency or are absent altogether, cells representing more advanced stages of differentiation into lymphoid and myeloid lineages do not express tr-kit. The observation that tr-kit is co-expressed with c-kit only in more primitive HSC- and MPP-enriched cell populations raises an exciting possibility that tr-kit functions either as a new component of the stem cell factor (SCF)/c-kit pathway or is involved in a novel signaling pathway, present exclusively in HSC and MPPs. Taken together, these findings necessitate functional characterization of tr-kit and analysis of its potential role in the self-renewal, proliferation, and/or differentiation of HSC and multipotent progenitors.
Boiling enhancement on microconfigured-surfaces

Abstract The boiling performance of regularly microconfigured surface structures, on silicon substrates, is reported. Measurements were made in saturated pure water at 100°C, over the flux range from 0.2 to 70 W/sq.cm. In each experiment, the flux was increased in steps to 70 W/sq.cm. and then decreased. The boiling performance was 300% above a standard correlation, in the nominal nucleate regime. Comparable enhancement also arose in the nominal convection vaporization regime, that is at low superheats. No appreciable hysteresis or overshoot was observed. The surface densities of the two microconfigurations used were 41000 and 200000 per sq.cm. The large enhancements strongly suggest bubble departure at very small size, over the whole wall-superheat range.
Design Considerations for Compact Ceramic Off-Set Strip Fin High Temperature Heat Exchangers

This paper deals with the development of a threedimensional numerical model to predict the overall performance of an advanced high temperature heat exchanger (HTHX) design, up to 1000 o C, for the production of hydrogen by the sulfur iodine thermo-chemical cycle used in advanced nuclear reactor concepts. The design is an offset strip-fin, hybrid plate compact heat exchanger made from a liquid silicon impregnated carbon composite material. The two working fluids are helium gas and liquid salt (FLINAK). The offset strip-fin is chosen as a method of heat transfer enhancement because of its ability to induce periodic boundary layer restart mechanism between the fins that has a direct effect on heat transfer enhancement. The effects of the fin geometry on the flow field and heat transfer are studied in three-dimensions using Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) techniques, and the results are then compared with the results from the analytical calculations. The pre-processor GAMBIT is used to create a computational mesh, and the CFD software package FLUENT that is based on the finite volume method is used to produce the numerical results. Fin dimensions need to be chosen that optimize heat transfer and minimize pressure drop. Comparisons of the overall performance between the rectangular and curved fin geometry were performed using computational fluid dynamics techniques. The model developed in this paper will be used to investigate the heat exchanger design parameters in order to find an optimal design. Also numerical simulation results were performed and compared to study the effect of the temperature dependent physical properties.
Market structure and institutional position in geographic market segments

Marketing and market research have formally entered the world of college recruiting in recent years, and market structure, market segments, and institutional positioning are concepts that have gained currency among academic marketers. In this paper a variety of analytic techniques—comparisons of frequency distributions, cross-tabulations, multidimensional scaling, and regression analysis—are used to examine the structure of a college's competition and institutional market position in relation to students' market behavior—the decision to accept a college's offer of admission. The analysis focuses on how these phenomena vary between two geographic market segments. Brief mention is made of some of the marketing implications of the data.
Nonthermal OH main lines and the abundance of OH in interstellar dust clouds

Whether OH main lines in interstellar dust clouds are thermal (thermal means that the excitation temperatures of the two transitions are equal) has been a matter of some controversy. New observations toward 3C 133, 3C 154, and position 2C demonstrate conclusively that OH main-line anomalies exist in those clouds. The anomaly /sup 0/T/sub e/ is 1--2 K. The effect of the small anomalies is often major, if line ratios are used together with the assumption of thermal main lines to derive OH optical depths and column densities, overestimates by an order of magnitude or more may result. We suggest that typically tau (OH) <1 in dust clouds, that N (OH)/A/sub v/approx. =8 x 10/sup 13/ cm/sup -2/ mag/sup -1/ (OH/Happrox. =4 x 10/sup -8/) over the range A/sub v/=0.4--7 mag, and that there is no evidence for very small-scale clumping in the spatial distribution of OH.
Oral and written style: An examination of differences

This study confirms the long‐held belief that language intended for the ear differs from language intended for the eye. Seven stylistic features were tested for ten pairs of formal, persuasive public addresses and published writings of major figures from the last fifty years. It was found that in comparison to written style, oral style uses significantly more personal references, more personal pronouns of the first‐ and second‐person singular and plural, shorter thought units, more repetition of words, more monosyllabic words, and more familiar words. No significant difference was found for variety of thought unit length.