cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Can Free Community College Close Racial Disparities in Postsecondary Attainment? How Tulsa Achieves Affects Racially Minoritized Student Outcomes:

Promise programs, or place-based tuition-free college policies, have become increasingly popular among policymakers looking to expand postsecondary attainment. In this article, we examine Tulsa Ach...
Human Neutrophil FcγRIIIb Regulates Neutrophil Extracellular Trap Release in Response to Electrospun Polydioxanone Biomaterials

Abstract During the acute inflammatory response, the release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs) is a pro-inflammatory, preconditioning event on a biomaterial surface. Therefore, regulation of NET release through biomaterial design is one strategy to enhance biomaterial-guided in situ tissue regeneration. In this study, IgG adsorption on electrospun polydioxanone biomaterials with differing fiber sizes was explored as a regulator of in vitro human neutrophil NET release. The propensity to release NETs was increased and decreased by modulating adsorbed IgG, suggesting a functional link between IgG and NET formation. Fiber-size dependent NET release was reduced by blocking FcγRIIIb, but not FcγRI, FcγRIIa, or Mac-1 (CD11b/CD18), indicating a specific receptor mediated neutrophil response. Inhibition of transforming growth factor-β-activated kinase 1 (TAK1), which is activated downstream of FcγRIIIb, significantly reduced the release of NETs in a fiber size-independent manner. These results indicate that in vitro electrospun biomaterial-induced NET release is largely regulated by IgG adsorption, engagement of FcγRIIIb, and signaling through TAK1. Modulation of this pathway may have beneficial therapeutic effects for regulating neutrophil-mediated inflammation by avoiding the adverse effects of NETs and increasing the potential for in situ tissue regeneration. Statement of significance Electrospun biomaterials have great potential for in situ tissue engineering because of their versatility and biomimetic properties. However, understanding how to design the biomaterial to regulate acute inflammation, dominated by neutrophils, remains a great challenge for successful tissue integration and regeneration. In this work, we demonstrate for the first time how protein adsorption on the biomaterial surface and engagement of a specific neutrophil receptor induces intracellular signals that regulate the pro-inflammatory release of neutrophil extracellular traps (NETs). Given the deleterious effects of NETs during the acute inflammatory response to a biomaterial, our work highlights the importance of considering biomaterial-neutrophil interactions on degradable and non-degradable biomaterials to achieve the desired biological outcome.
Development and applications of sialoglycan-recognizing probes (SGRPs) with defined specificities: exploring the dynamic mammalian sialoglycome

Abstract Glycans that are abundantly displayed on vertebrate cell surface and secreted molecules are often capped with terminal sialic acids (Sias). These diverse 9-carbon-backbone monosaccharides are involved in numerous intrinsic biological processes. They also interact with commensals and pathogens, while undergoing dynamic changes in time and space, often influenced by environmental conditions. However, most of this sialoglycan complexity and variation remains poorly characterized by conventional techniques, which often tend to destroy or overlook crucial aspects of Sia diversity and/or fail to elucidate native structures in biological systems i.e., in the intact sialome. To date, in situ detection and analysis of sialoglycans has largely relied on the use of plant lectins, sialidases or antibodies, whose preferences (with certain exceptions) are limited and/or uncertain. We took advantage of naturally-evolved microbial molecules (bacterial adhesins, toxin subunits and viral hemagglutinin-esterases) that recognize sialoglycans with defined specificity to delineate 9 classes of Sialoglycan Recognizing Probes (SGRPs: SGRP1–SGRP9) that can be used to explore mammalian sialome changes in a simple and systematic manner, using techniques common in most laboratories. SGRP candidates with specificity defined by sialoglycan microarray studies were engineered as tagged probes, each with a corresponding non-binding mutant probe as a simple and reliable negative control. The optimized panel of SGRPs can be used in methods commonly available in most bioscience labs, such as ELISA, Western Blot, flow cytometry and histochemistry. To demonstrate the utility of this approach, we provide examples of sialoglycome differences in tissues from C57BL/6 wild type mice and human-like Cmah−/− mice.
Exploring amyloid oligomers with peptide model systems

The assembly of amyloidogenic peptides and proteins, such as the β-amyloid peptide, α-synuclein, huntingtin, tau, and islet amyloid polypeptide, into amyloid fibrils and oligomers is directly linked to amyloid diseases, such as Alzheimer's, Parkinson's, and Huntington's diseases, frontotemporal dementias, and type II diabetes. Although amyloid oligomers have emerged as especially important in amyloid diseases, high-resolution structures of the oligomers formed by full-length amyloidogenic peptides and proteins have remained elusive. Investigations of oligomers assembled from fragments or stabilized β-hairpin segments of amyloidogenic peptides and proteins have allowed investigators to illuminate some of the structural, biophysical, and biological properties of amyloid oligomers. Here, we summarize recent advances in the application of these peptide model systems to investigate and understand the structures, biological properties, and biophysical properties of amyloid oligomers.
(0,1)-matrices and discrepancy

Let $m$ and $n$ be positive integers, and let $R =(r_1, \ldots, r_m)$ and $S =(s_1,\ldots, s_n)$ be nonnegative integral vectors. Let $A(R,S)$ be the set of all $m \times n$ $(0,1)$-matrices with row sum vector $R$ and column vector $S$. Let $R$ and $S$ be nonincreasing, and let $F(R)$ be the $m \times n$ $(0,1)$-matrix where for each $i$, the $i^{th}$ row of $F(R,S)$ consists of $r_i$ 1's followed by $n-r_i$ 0's. Let $A\in A(R,S)$. The discrepancy of A, $disc(A)$, is the number of positions in which $F(R)$ has a 1 and $A$ has a 0. In this paper, we investigate the possible discrepancy of $A^t$ versus the discrepancy of $A$. We show that if the discrepancy of $A$ is $\ell$, then the discrepancy of the transpose of $A$ is at least $\frac{\ell}{2}$ and at most $2\ell$. These bounds are tight.
Visualizing large graphs with compound-fisheye views and treemaps

Compound-fisheye views are introduced as a method for the display and interaction with large graphs. The method relies on a hierarchical clustering of the graph, and a generalization of the traditional fisheye view, together with a treemap representation of the cluster tree.
Design principles for light trapping in thin silicon films with embedded dielectric nanoparticles

We investigate the light-trapping effects of dielectric nanoparticles embedded within the active semiconductor layer of a thin-film solar cell. The baseline model consists of a 1·0 µm slab of crystalline silicon on an aluminum back contact topped with a 75 nm Si3N4 anti-reflective coating. Using finite-difference time-domain simulations, we calculate the absorption gain due to a periodic array of SiO2 nanospheres with characteristic depth, diameter, and pitch. Under optimal conditions, absorption gain due to embedded spheres can reach as high as 23·4% relative to the baseline geometry. Using Au-core/SiO2-shell nanoparticles, it is even possible to reach 30%. We then infer a series of design principles from our data that include trade-offs between broadband scattering efficiency, poor absorption at long wavelengths, and semiconductor displacement. We also find that the optimal spacing between particles is approximately 400 nm. Above this distance, each scatterer acts in near isolation from any neighboring particles, and absorption gain is approximately linear with area coverage. Such gains are also expected for disordered as well as ordered arrays. These results demonstrate the potential of embedded dielectric nanoparticles as a tool for enhancing carrier generation in thin silicon solar cells. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Amniotic fluid infection as determined by transabdominal amniocentesis in patients with intact membranes in premature labor

Abstract The rate of microbial infection of amniotic fluid among patients in premature labor with intact membranes and the effect of this condition on perinatal morbidity and mortality are not known. To study this question, specimens of amniotic fluid were collected by transabdominal amniocentesis from 31 patients in premature labor with intact membranes. Microorganisms were isolated from 25% (8/31) of the specimens; 87% (7/8) of these mothers underwent delivery within 48 hours of amniocentesis, and 75% (6/8) of positive cultures were from mothers who never febrile. Perinatal morbidity was significantly greater among mothers with positive amniotic fluid cultures, as evidenced by earlier gestational age at delivery (31 vs. 36 weeks), lower newborn weight (1,704 vs. 2,613 grams), and longer hospitalization (39 vs. 9 days). A few simple, commonly available laboratory tests (amniotic fluid Gram stain, lactic dehydrogenase levels, and white blood cell count) appear to be useful in making a rapid diagnosis. The data suggest that the presence of microorganisms in the amniotic fluid of afebrile patients in premature labor with intact membranes represents an infectious process rather than an innocuous condition and raises questions with regard to current obstetric trends in the management of premature labor. The routine evaluation of similar patients by transabdominal amniocentesis is not recommended unless prospective studies can demonstrate a decrease in perinatal morbidity and mortality with this approach.
Age-related changes in mesenchymal stem cells derived from rhesus macaque bone marrow.

The regeneration potential of mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) diminishes with advanced age and this diminished potential is associated with changes in cellular functions. This study compared MSCs isolated from the bone marrow of rhesus monkeys (rBMSCs) in three age groups: young ( 12 years). The effects of aging on stem cell properties and indicators of stem cell fitness such as proliferation, differentiation, circadian rhythms, stress response proteins, miRNA expression, and global histone modifications in rBMSCs were analyzed. rBMSCs demonstrated decreased capacities for proliferation and differentiation as a function of age. The production of heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) and heat shock factor 1 (HSF1) were also reduced with increasing age. The level of a core circadian protein, Rev-erb α, was significantly increased in rBMSCs from old animals. Furthermore, analysis of miRNA expression profiles revealed an up-regulation of mir-766 and mir-558 and a down-regulation of mir-let-7f, mir-125b, mir-222, mir-199-3p, mir-23a, and mir-221 in old rBMSCs compare to young rBMSCs. However, there were no significant age-related changes in the global histone modification profiles of the four histone core proteins: H2A, H2B, H3, and H4 on rBMSCs. These changes represent novel insights into the aging process and could have implications regarding the potential for autologous stem cells therapy in older patients.
Continuous filament coating by chemical vapor deposition: I. The well mixed reactor

Abstract A model is presented for prediction of the growth rate of a solid film by chemical vapor deposition onto a continuous moving filament. It is shown that when the kinetic scheme includes gas phase and surface reactions there is a maximum growth rate that can be achieved through manipulation of process parameters. These results are demonstrated through an example of silicon deposition from silane. It is shown how to determine the optimum operating conditions,and how to calculate the productivity and efficiency of the reactor.
1 Ratiometric fluorescence microscopy

Publisher Summary This chapter describes applications of ratiometric fluorescence microscopy to the study of host–microbe interactions. It provides a complete description of methods for measuring intracellular pH, and more general descriptions of related ratiometric methods. Ratiometric fluorescence microscopy requires a research grade fluorescence microscope, with filter sets for fluorescence excitation and emission at different wavelengths of light, an attached camera capable of recording low light images, and software to control image acquisition and processing. Within these constraints is a wide range of options for equipment and expense. Fluorescent probes have characteristic excitation (absorption) and emission spectra. The excitation spectrum is of shorter wavelength (higher energy) than the emission spectrum; hence, fluorescence is detected in the microscope using filters and mirrors that selectively expose samples to the shorter wavelengths of light and detect the longer wavelengths of fluorescence. Ratiometric imaging of two fluorophores with distinct excitation and emission spectra uses a dichroic mirror that reflects and transmits light at multiple wavelengths.
Galactose Mutations of Escherichia Coli K-12 Not Amenable to Lambda Transduction

Four galactose mutants not amenable to lambda transduction were analyzed genetically and biochemically. Two of the mutants, and possibly a third, are double mutants for a gene in the Gal operon and for a gene whose function was not identified. The fourth mutant did not have a defect in kinase, transferase, or epimerase, and must therefore have a genetic lesion outside the Gal operon. The gene not identified may be for the enzyme pyrophosphorylase. This gene is not transduced by lambda. (auth)
SEPIA: a scalable game environment for artificial intelligence teaching and research

We describe a game environment we have developed that we call the Strategy Engine for Programming Intelligent Agents (SEPIA). SEPIA is based on real-time strategy games, but modified extensively to preferentially support the development of artificial agents rather than human play. Through flexible configuration options, SEPIA is designed to be pedagogically scalable: suitable for use at the undergraduate and graduate levels, and also as a research testbed. We also describe assignments and our experiences with this environment in undergraduate and graduate classes.
Inhibitory actions of delta 1-, delta 2-, and mu-opioid receptor agonists on excitatory transmission in lamina II neurons of adult rat spinal cord

This study examined the electrophysiological consequences of selective activation of delta 1-, delta 2-, or mu-opioid receptors using whole-cell recordings made from visually identified lamina II neurons in thin transverse slices of young adult rat lumbar spinal cord. Excitatory postsynaptic currents (EPSCs) or potentials (EPSPs) were evoked electrically at the ipsilateral dorsal root entry zone after blocking inhibitory inputs with bicuculline and strychnine, and NMDA receptors with D-2-amino-5-phosphonopentanoic acid. Bath application of the mu receptor agonist [D-Ala2, N-MePhe4, Gly5-ol]enkephalin (DAMGO) or the delta 1 receptor agonist [D-Pen2, D-Pen5]enkephalin (DPDPE) produced a long-linear, concentration-dependent reduction in the amplitude of the evoked EPSP/EPSC. By comparison, the delta 2 receptor agonist [D-Ala2,Glu4]deltorphin (DELT) was unable to reduce the evoked EPSP/EPSC by more than 50% at 100 microM, the highest concentration tested. At concentrations that reduced evoked EPSP/EPSCs by 40-60%, neither DAMGO, DPDPE, nor DELT decreased the amplitude of the postsynaptic current produced by brief pressure ejection of (S)-alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole-propionic acid, suggesting a presynaptic site of action of these opioid receptor agonists. Bath application of 200 nM naltriben (NTB), a delta 2 receptor antagonist, competitively increased the EC75 of DELT by 15.3-fold, but did not antagonize either DPDPE or DAMGO. The EC75 of DELT was further increased by 169.7-fold in the presence of 1 microM NTB. However, this high concentration of NTB also increased the EC50 of DPDPE by about threefold in a noncompetitive manner and antagonized DAMGO in a noncompetitive manner.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)
Introduction to Knowledge Flows: Knowledge Transfer, Sharing and Exchange in Organizations Minitrack

This short paper serves to introduce the minitrack on knowledge flows and to summarize its constituent proceedings articles.
Experimental demonstration of a distributed ring-based EPON architecture

We experimentally demonstrate error free performance of a simple ring-based Ethernet Passive Optical Network (EPON) architecture that supports truly shared LAN capability among users as well as a fully distributed dynamic bandwidth allocation DBA scheme. The proposed distributed architecture can also be utilized as a packet-based mobile backhaul transport network to backhaul emerging mobile services across the PON-based fiber infrastructure. Utilizing PON access infrastructure as a mobile backhaul enables a seamless migration path to fixed-mobile convergence solutions.
Do Plans Matter? A Game-Theoretic Model for Examining the Logic and Effects of Land Use Planning:

Although state and local growth management programs vary widely, nearly all such programs include one common feature: they require local governments to plan. While there has been extensive research...
Induced expression of the Aspergillus nidulans QUTE gene introduced by transformation into Neurospora crassa.

Theqa-2 gene ofNeurospora crassa encodes catabolic dehydroquinase which catabolizes dehydroquinic acid to dehydroshikimic acid. TheQUTE gene ofAspergillus nidulans corresponds to theqa-2 gene ofN. crassa. The plasmid pEH1 containing theQUTE gene fromA. nidulans was used to transform aqa-2 − strain ofN. crassa. In Southern blot analyses, DNAs isolated from these transformants hybridized specifically to theQUTE gene probe. Northern blot analyses indicated thatQUTE mRNA was produced in the transformants. The functional integrity of theQUTE gene inN. crassa was indicated by transformants which had regained the ability to grow on quinic acid as sole carbon source. Enzyme assays indicated that the specific activities of catabolic dehydroquinase induced by quinic acid in the transformants ranged from 4% to 32% of that induced in wild-typeN. crassa. The evidence that theQUTE structural gene ofA. nidulans is inducible when introduced into theN. crassa genome implies that theN. crassa qa activator protein can recognize, at least to a limited extent, DNA binding sequences 5′ to theQUTE gene.
The Implementation of the National Standards in Music Education: Capturing the Spirit of the Standards: What were the National Standards intended to accomplish? What are the challenges in implementing them?

implementing them? A decade after the release of the National Standards for Music Education in 1994, Bennett Reimer suggested a reconceptualization of the standards.1 He proposed that change was still needed, saying, "Music offerings in United States schools have remained largely the same for well over half a century."2 In addressing the standards specifically, Reimer stated his belief that "we have succeeded magnificently in Standards 1 and 2, singing and playing, for those students who have elected to pursue those areas ... Comparatively, we have accomplished dismayingly little with the other seven standards."3 Reimer went on to provide strategies for including more students in music programs through diverse ways of interacting with music. A few months after the Reimer article appeared, MENC editor Lisa Renfro interviewed Paul Lehman regarding where we have come as a profession since Lehman's involvement with the creation of the 1994 standards document.4 Lehman expressed pride in how the standards have led the profession to better clarify instructional goals, although he suggested that the assessment of these goals was still a challenge. He also expressed concern about professional-development support of teachers in some of the content areas. At the conclusion of that interview, Lehman suggested that the improvement of instruction is one of the greatest challenges still facing the profession:
On the coefficient for bulk recombination of vacancies and interstitials

Abstract Bulk recombination in the rate theory of void swelling and irradiation creep is a significant process at low temperatures. The rate of recombination is proportional to the recombination radius which is evaluated in the present paper. The computed radius is in good agreement with measured values for dilute copper alloys at cryogenic temperatures. The theoretical results can therefore be extended to the temperature range for void swelling, and it is found that the recombination radius is about two times the lattice parameter.
Optimization of (Phenylmethylidene)‐hydantoins as Prostate Cancer Migration Inhibitors: SAR‐Directed Design, Synthesis, and Pharmacophore Modeling

Prostate cancer is one of the most common cancer forms among males of Western countries. Natural products proved to be an unparalleled source of molecular diversity. The 4-(hydroxyphenylmethylidene)hydantoin (PMH; 1), (5Z)-5-(4-hydroxybenzylidene)imidazolidine-2,4-dione, was isolated from the Red Sea sponge Hemimycale arabica, and recently showed junctional complexes stabilization, anti-invasive, and antimetastatic activities in vitro and in vivo. The related synthetic analogue, (5Z)-5-[4-(ethylsulfanyl)benzylidene]imidazolidine-2,4-dione (2), showed several-fold-improved in vivo antimetastatic properties against the highly invasive prostate cancer. To further optimize the activity of PMHs, various ligand-based strategies were used including the extension of the structure, structural simplification, linker extension, and computer-assisted CoMFA (Comparative Molecular Field Analysis) results. These strategies yielded thirty 2nd-generation PMHs, designed based on the 1st-generation PMHs, such as 1 and 2. Wound-healing assay was selected to evaluate the in vitro anti-migratory potential of these new PMHs against the PC-3 cell line. Several active PMHs, including 10, 13, 24, 29, with nearly twelvefold enhancement of activity vs.2, were identified. Active compounds were then used to build a pharmacophore model using the SYBYL's DIStance COmparison technique (DISCOtech). Active PMHs were also screened for fragment-based drug likeness using the OSIRIS program, and an overall drug score was also calculated. Interestingly, the overall drug scores of 24 and 29 along with their anti-migratory activity were significantly greater than those of 1 and 2. In conclusion, PMHs can be the appropriate scaffolds for the urgently needed drug candidates for the control of androgen independent prostate cancer.
Deacetylase Activity Is Required for cAMP Activation of a Subset of CREB Target Genes

Many hormones activate transcription by raising the level of cAMP within cells. In one well studied pathway, cAMP induces protein kinase A to phosphorylate the transcription factor CREB, which binds to a consensus sequence, the cAMP-regulated enhancer, found in many target genes. A generally accepted model suggests that phosphorylated CREB recruits the histone acetyltransferase CBP to activate transcription. In contrast, histone deacetylases have been linked to the cessation of CREB-dependent transcription. Here we tested this model in the regulation of endogenous CREB target genes. We used a constitutively active CREB mutant and microarray analysis to identify target genes in PC12 cells. We then tested the role of histone deacetylase activity in cAMP activation of four of these genes (c-FOS, ICER, NOR-1, and NUR77) by treating cells with the histone deacetylase inhibitor trichostatin A. Consistent with the generally accepted model, trichostatin A enhanced activation of c-FOS and NUR77 by cAMP. Surprisingly, trichostatin A blocked activation of ICER and NOR-1. The block of ICER and NOR-1 activation persisted in the presence of cycloheximide, indicating that the trichostatin A effect did not depend on new protein synthesis. This unexpected role of histone deacetylases in transcriptional activation of certain endogenous CREB target genes was not apparent in transfected reporter genes. Chromatin immunoprecipitation analysis indicated that the differential roles of histone deacetylases in activating or repressing CREB target genes was manifested at the level of preinitiation complex recruitment. These data indicate that histone deacetylases differentially regulate CREB target genes by contributing to either activation or cessation of transcription.
Monte Carlo modeling of pigmented lesions

Colors observed in clinical dermoscopy are critical to diagnosis but the mechanisms that lead to the spectral components of diffuse reflectance are more than meets the eye: combinations of the absorption and scattering spectra of the biomolecules as well as the “structural color” effect of skin anatomy. We modeled diffuse remittance from skin based on histopathology. The optical properties of the tissue types were based on the relevant chromophores and scatterers. The resulting spectral images mimic the appearance of pigmented lesions quite well when the morphology is mathematically derived but limited when based on histopathology, raising interesting questions about the interaction between various wavelengths with various pathological anatomical features.
Bulking agents for urinary incontinence: patient selection, counseling and technique

This review will define the populations and indications for using urethral bulking agents. It will also provide information on safety, ease of use and durability of currently available urethral bulking agents, as well as the transurethral technologies that are in the process of investigation. Urethral bulking agents have been used in the treatment of stress urinary incontinence for more than four decades. The advantages are a minimally invasive technique, low complication rates and ease of administration. Urinary leakage in women caused by intrinsic sphincteric deficiency, in patients with neurologic disease, or in men with post-prostatectomy incontinence, may be effectively treated with urethral bulking agents. Urethral hypermobility in women does not appear to influence the success of bulking agents. Patients choosing use of urethral bulking agents should generally expect cure in a third, improvement in a third and failure in a third for these agents. Four US FDA-approved agents are in current clinical ...
THERMOELASTICITY OF CIRCULAR CYLINDRICAL SHELLS LAMINATED OF BIMODULUS COMPOSITE MATERIALS

Closed-form and finite-element solutions are presented for the thermoelastic behavior of laminated composite shells. The material of each layer is assumed to be thermoelastically orthotropic and bimodular, that is, having different properties depending upon whether the fiber-direction normal strain is tensile or compressive. The formulations are based on the thermoelastic generalization of Dong and Tso 's laminated shell theory, which includes thickness shear deformations. The finite element used here has five degrees of freedom per node (three displacements and two bending slopes). Numerical results are presented for deflections and the positions of the neutral surfaces associated with bending along both coordinate directions. The closed-form and finite-element results are found to be in good agreement.
Angiogenesis: the role of the microenvironment in flipping the switch

The initiating factors in angiogenesis during development and disease are often microenvironmental changes, which induce signaling to the vasculature from affected tissues. Among these, lowered oxygen pressure, hypoxia, is one of the most potent inducers/initiators of an angiogenic response. Significant evidence indicates that hypoxia acts as a morphogen during vascularization - inducing and shaping the recruitment and formation of new vascular beds through critical transcriptional control pathways. Recent advances indicate that extensive interactions occur between developing blood vessels, the tissues that they vascularize, and the interstitial environment to control and shape the establishment of new capillary beds. Identification of the processes that control the hypoxic response intracellularly has allowed an increasingly sophisticated understanding of angiogenesis as a process that is very closely tied to the microenvironment that it occurs in. Further understanding of these processes may present powerful therapeutic opportunities for disease intervention.
Remarks on the bifurcation of solutions of a nonlinear eigenvalue problem

We have investigated solutions of equation (3) when λ2 is an eigenvalue of the linearized operator (13) and when it is not. In Section 4 we have shown that for θ ≡ 0 and λ2 = μ i 2 we have exactly two nontrivial solutions which bifurcate to the right of μ i 2 ; these solutions are shown to exist in an interval (μ i 2 , μ i 2 + δ0). The method of Section 3 may then be used to extend these two solutions to the right of μ i 2 +δ0 providing that λ2= μ i 2 +δ0 is not an eigenvalue of the linear operator (13) evaluated at θ= ±ϑ1. Either a solution can be uniquely extended, or there exists a value of λ2where the bifurcation method must be applied again3.
[D96] Variable friction and multi-actuator vibrotactile haptics on a tablet computer

Variable friction and multi-actuator vibrotactile haptic effects have been demonstrated separately from each other in the past. In this application, a TPad Tablet, containing a variable friction screen, has been combined with four independently controlled vibrotactile actuators to create a device which can render both types of effects. Users can receive localized lateral force information as their finger glides across the screen, and they can feel directional vibration information through their hand holding the device. Directionality with the vibrotactile actuators is achieved through the use of apparent haptic movement and phantom sensation. An example application has been developed in which users interact with a virtual ball on the surface of the tablet. Users can indirectly feel the ball interact with its environment as it rolls across the screen or bumps into obstacles. They can also interact with the ball directly to feel collision forces right at their fingertip.
Increased frequency of α-synuclein in the substantia nigra in human immunodeficiency virus infection

The frequency of neurodegenerative markers among long surviving human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)-infected individuals is unknown, therefore, the present study investigated the frequency of α-synuclein, β-amyloid, and HIV-associated brain pathology in the brains of older HIV-infected individuals. We examined the substantia nigra of 73 clinically well-characterized HIV-infected individuals aged 50 to 76 years from the National NeuroAIDS Tissue Consortium. We also examined the frontal and temporal cortical regions of a subset of 36 individuals. Neuritic α-synuclein expression was found in 16% (12/73) of the substantia nigra of the HIV+cases and none of the older control cases (0/18). β-Amyloid deposits were prevalent and found in nearly all of the HIV+ cases (35/36). Despite these increases of degenerative pathology, HIV-associated brain pathology was present in only 10% of cases. Among older HIV+adults, HIV-associated brain pathology does not appear elevated; however, the frequency of both α-synuclein and β-amyloid is higher than that found in older healthy persons. The increased prevalence of α-synuclein and β-amyloid in the brains of older HIV-infected individuals may predict an increased risk of developing neurodegenerative disease.
Resetting of a feeding-entrainable circadian clock in the rat

Abstract Reentrainment of anticipatory activity (AA) after phase shifts of food access was studied in rats with lesions of the suprachiasmatic nuclei. Eight- or 10-h phase delays of feeding time resulted in delaying transients of AA. Twelve-h phase shifts and some 10-h phase advances resulted in rapid reentrainment (2–3 days) without visible transients. Most phase advances of 10 h resulted in delaying transients while 8-h advances induced transients with advancing and delaying components in a number of rats. Split transients were not prevented by advancing mealtime in 1-h steps. Phase shifts of food in multiple steps failed to accelerate delay shifts but retarded advance shifts. After the first 8-h phase delay shift, increased activity reappeared at the preshift phase of AA, simultaneously with anticipation of the phase-shifted meal time. The observation of split transients indicates that two or more circadian oscillators mediate entrainment to mealtime, and the reappearance of AA at a previously established phase suggest the possibility that this system has a memory of phase displacement.
The "Three Mayos" photograph: its origin and significance.

Until recendy, little was known regarding the famous “Three Mayos” photograph. New findings are herein described, which demonstrate that this photograph was taken by Dr. Harvey Cushing in 1905 at the site of Dr. Henry Plummer’s first Rochester, Minnesota home. These new findings make this photograph even more historically significant as a tangible symbol of the friendship that existed between four of this country’s greatest surgeons.
On “Scrambler Plates” Used to Depolarize Visible Radiation

There has been considerable discussion of the problems associated with the measurement of Raman scattering tensor components and depolarization ratios.1–3 Accurate measurement of these quantities requires the recorded data to be corrected for the relative efficiency of the instrument. The relative efficiency is a function of both the polarization and the wavelength of the incident radiation. While several components of the spectrometer affect the polarization character of the radiation, the dominant cause is the difference in efficiency associated with a grating when the radiation is polarized parallel or perpendicular to the grating rulings. This difference in efficiency for the two polarizations may be quite large for wavelengths larger than the blaze wavelength. For example, the ratio of the efficiencies for 657.8 wavelength radiation polarized perpendicular and parallel to the rulings for two Jarrell-Ash 1180-line/mm gratings blazed at 500 nm and mounted in a Spex model 1401 double monochromator is 3.4 to 1.0.
Attention and regulation of EEG alpha-attenuation responses.

Two experiments with 16 normal adults of both sexes tested the hypothesis that inattention to a biofeedback display is associated with increased variability of those physiological processes that had been regulated by the biofeedback. Each experiment was a repeated-measures-on-independent-subjects-design. Dependent variables were the time durations and the mean rms power of two mutually exclusive segments of the parietal-occipital EEG: alpha and not-alpha segments. Independent variables were combination of counting tasks and instructions to look at, listen to, and count visual and auditory flashes and clicks. The durations of alpha and not-alpha segments were controlled or regulated by means of an alpha-contingent visual feedback stimulus, Attention to the feedback stimulus was challenged by instructions to count other, noncontingent stimuli. Control of alpha and not-alpha segments was least for conditions of (1) “sham” feedback, and (2) feedback with instructions to count noncontingent auditory clicks, which were presented 3/sec while the feedback visual stimuli were occurring. A new EEG test of attention and distraction was suggested.
Abdominal pain 1 month after adjustable gastric banding: an unusual complication caused by connecting tubing.

Complications related to the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band connecting tubing are rare, with presentations that are not always obvious and an evaluation that is not always straightforward. Internal hernias and adhesions caused by the tubing are more uncommon and equally challenging to diagnose. The judicious use of diagnostic laparoscopy for unexplained abdominal pain related to the laparoscopic adjustable gastric band can be life-saving.
Use of Pachysolen tannophilus in simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) of lignocellulosics

A comparison was made between the effectiveness ofPachysolentannophilus andCandidabrassicae as fermenting organisms in the simultaneous saccharification and fermentation (SSF) process. The substrates were alkalipretreated rice straw, corn. cobs and simulated hydrolysates containing D-glucose:D-xylose in ratios comparable to rice straw or corn cobs. Under these pretreatment and SSF conditions,Pa.tannophilus gave higher ethanol yields thanC.brassicae in all cases, producing at least 0.23 g/g from corn cobs, 0.17 g/g from rice straw, 0.43 g/g from simulated corn cob hydrolysate and 0.47 g/g from simulated rice straw hydrolysate. The relatively high ethanol yields ofPa.tannophilus came from the utilization of both glucose and xylose, whileC.brassicae only utilized glucose.
On the independence of positive and negative affect within hour-to-hour experience.

This research investigates the hypothesis that the rates of positive and negative affect in a person's life are independent. Whereas prior research on this issue has relied upon people's recollections, a source of information subject to distortion, this research employs reports obtained from immediate experience. Members of an adolescent and an adult sample carried electronic pagers for 1 week and filled out reports on their immediate affective states upon receipt of signals sent to them at random times. The frequencies of positive and negative affective states for each person were then computed from this pool of time samples. The findings reveal strong internal consistency in each person's rates of positive and negative affect. However, congruent with the independence hypothesis, these frequency rates of positive and negative affect were not correlated with each other. The findings dispel the possibility that the results of prior research were affected by distortions of recollection, and they suggest that the occurrence of positive and negative affect in a person's life are independent, not only from week to week, but also from day to day and hour to hour.
Excimers and exciplex as sensitisers for photo-oxidation reactions

Abstract Excimers and exciplexes are shown to sensitise the photo-oxidation of both a sulphide (di-t-butyl sulphide) and an alkene (citronellol). Evidence is presented for the intermediacy of singlet oxygen in these photooxidation reactions. The ability of excimers and exciplexes to decay to yield triplets, oxygen quenching of which may result in the generation of singlet oxygen, has important consequences for interpreting the mechanisms of photo-oxidation in reactions sensitised by electron acceptors, e.g. 9, 10-dicyanoanthracene.
The equality of fractional dimensions for certain cellular automata

Abstract A study is made of the development of certain cellular automata with apparently chaotic behavior. Results are obtained for cellular automata arising from additive rules modulo 2. For the corresponding limit sets it is shown that the growth rate dimension, the Kolmogorov dimensions, and the Hausdorff dimensions all coincide. This dimension is moreover independent of the choice of finite initial seed and the sampling times used. These cellular thus provide test cases for the production of fractals by local processes.
Functional Fractionation of the Stimulus-Driven Attention Network

A novel, salient event in the environment powerfully captures attention. This stimulus-driven attentional capture not only includes orienting of attention toward the event, but also an evaluative process to determine the behavioral significance and appropriate response to the event. Whereas a network of human brain regions composed of prefrontal and temporoparietal regions have been associated with stimulus-driven attention, the neural substrates of orienting have never been teased apart from those of evaluative processes. Here we used fMRI to measure the human brain's response to the temporally extended presentations of salient, task-irrelevant stimuli, and found a clear functional dissociation in the stimulus-driven attention network; the anterior insula and cingulate cortex showed transient orienting responses to the onsets and offsets of the stimuli, whereas the temporoparietal cortex exhibited sustained activity throughout event evaluation. The lateral prefrontal cortex was implicated in both attentional and evaluative processes, pointing to its central, integrative role in stimulus-driven attention.
Influence of temperature and aging time on HA synthesized by the hydrothermal method

The influence of temperature and aging time on the morphology and mechanical properties of nano-sized hydroxyapatite (HA) synthesized by a hydrothermal method is reported here. The pre-mixed reactants were poured into a stirred autoclave and reacted at temperatures between 25–250°C for 2–10 h. HA powders thus obtained were examined using X-ray diffraction (XRD), high-resolution field emission scanning electron microscopy (FESEM) and a particle size analyzer. It was found that the aspect ratio of the particles increased with the reaction temperature. The length of the HA particles increased with the reaction temperature below 170°C, but it decreased when the temperature was raised above 170°C. The agglomerates of HA particles were formed during synthesis, and their sizes were strongly dependent on reaction temperatures. As the reaction temperature increased, the agglomerate size decreased (p = 0.008). The density of the discs pressed from these samples reached 85–90% of the theoretical density after sintering at 1200°C for 1 h. No decomposition to other calcium phosphates was detected at this sintering temperature. A correlation existed (p = 0.05) between the agglomerate sizes of HA particles synthesized at various conditions and their sintered densities. With the increase of the agglomerate size, the sintered density of the HA compact decreased. It was found that both the sintered density and flexural strength increased with increasing aging time and reaction temperature. A maximum flexural strength of 78 MPa was observed for the samples synthesized at 170°C for 5 h with the predicted average at these conditions being 65 MPa. These samples attained an average sintered density of 88%.
Effect of ion speed distribution on the spectral shape of the 2.5‐MeV neutron line produced by DD fusion

Ion mean energy may be determined from Doppler broadening of the 2.5‐MeV neutron line in Maxwellian deuterium plasma. Since many plasmas are non‐Maxwellian a Monte‐Carlo simulation has been used to predict the spectral shape produced by a variety of simple speed distributions with mean energies in the range 1–100 keV. In the case of isotropic ions considered here, the results are Gaussian to high order and their width varies as the square root of the mean ion energy. However, the linewidth varies substantially among different ion speed distributions with the same mean energy. The similarity in shape of these spectra prevent the determination of the speed distribution type from detailed measurements of the neutron spectrum, unlike the situation where co‐counter beams produce anisotropic ion distributions.
Kinetics of thermal decomposition of expandable polystyrene in different gaseous environments

Abstract The characteristics of thermal decomposition of expandable polystyrene (EPS) were studied in various gaseous environments, both oxidizing and non-oxidizing, over a narrow range of heating rates between 5 and 25 K/min using non-isothermal thermogravimetric analysis (TGA). The modified Coats–Redfern technique, a model-independent isoconversional method, was utilized for investigating the decomposition kinetics. Results from kinetic data analysis revealed the difference in reaction mechanism between oxidizing and inert environments. Common to all the environments, the decomposition involves two mechanistic steps, one of them occurring during the initial and mid conversion levels, and the other during the final stages. The only key differences between the oxidizing and inert environments possibly lie in the first mechanistic step as evidenced by the huge difference in the activation energies between them.
Putting genome analysis to good use: lessons from C-reactive protein and cardiovascular disease.

New methods of studying the human genome offer novel ways to examine the relationship between biomarkers and common, chronic human diseases. As an example, we will review a large genomics study (Elliott et al, JAMA 2009; 302:37–48) that concluded that C-reactive protein (CRP) is likely not a cause of coronary heart disease, although it is a marker for it.
Time-gated ensemble-averaged imaging through highly scattering media

A previously described ensemble-averaged imaging method [Opt. Lett.21, 1691 (1996)] is extended by its combination with holographically implemented time-gated imaging. This combined method is shown to extend the effectiveness of the ensemble-averaged method by permitting imaging through thicker diffusers. Experimental results are presented.
Modeling and analysis of a bimorph piezoelectric cantilever beam for voltage generation

Piezoelectric materials (PZT) have shown the ability to convert mechanical forces into an electric field in response to the application of mechanical stresses or vice versa. This property of the materials has found extensive applications in a vast array of areas including sensors and actuators. The study presented in this paper targets the modeling of a PZT bender for voltage and power generation by transforming ambient vibrations into electrical energy. This device can potentially replace the battery that supplies the power in a microwatt range necessary for operating sensors and data transmission. One of the advantages is that it is maintenance-free over a long time span. The feasibility of this application has been repeatedly demonstrated in the literature, but a real demonstration of a working device is partially successful because of the various design parameters necessary for a construction of the PZT bender. According to a literature survey, the device can be modeled using various approaches. This paper focuses on the analytical approach based on Euler–Bernoulli beam theory and Timoshenko beam equations for the voltage and power generation, which is then compared with two previously described models in the literature: the electrical equivalent circuit and energy method. The three models are then implemented in a Matlab/Simulink/Simpower environment and simulated with an AC/DC power conversion circuit. The results of the simulation and the experiment have been compared and discussed.
The T4 Phage SF1B Helicase Dda is Structurally Optimized to Perform DNA Strand Separation

Helicases move on DNA via an ATP binding and hydrolysis mechanism coordinated by well-characterized helicase motifs. However, the translocation along single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) and the strand separation of double-stranded (dsDNA) may be loosely or tightly coupled. Dda is a phage T4 SF1B helicase with sequence homology to the Pif1 family of helicases that tightly couples translocation to strand separation. The crystal structure of the Dda-ssDNA binary complex reveals a domain referred to as the "pin" that was previously thought to remain static during strand separation. The pin contains a conserved phenylalanine that mediates a transient base-stacking interaction that is absolutely required for separation of dsDNA. The pin is secured at its tip by protein-protein interactions through an extended SH3 domain thereby creating a rigid strut. The conserved interface between the pin and the SH3 domain provides the mechanism for tight coupling of translocation to strand separation.
CKM--Charged Kaons at the Main Injector

The CKM experiment is a proposal to measure the branching ratio of the rare decay K{sup +} {r_arrow} {pi}{sup +} {nu}{bar {nu}} at the Main Injector at Fermilab using a decay in flight technique. The goal is to observe {approx}100 events, for a Standard Model branching ratio of 1 x 10{sup {minus}10} with a background of less than 10 events.