cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fast timing simulation for submicron hot-carrier degradation

This paper presents a new fast timing reliability simulator ILLIADS-R which can simulate hot-carrier degradation in very large integrated circuits. A region wise-quadratic model is used to fit submicron transistor I-V curves. Using quasi-static models, ILLIADS-R accurately simulates hot-carrier damage in both pMOS and nMOS transistors of large scale CMOS integrated circuits.
Alcohol use disorder history moderates the relationship between avoidance coping and posttraumatic stress symptoms.

Avoidance coping (AVC) is common in individuals with posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and in individuals with alcohol use disorder (AUD). Given that PTSD and AUD commonly co-occur, AVC may represent a risk factor for the development of comorbid posttraumatic stress and alcohol use. In this study, the relationship between AVC and PTSD symptoms (PTSS) was examined in individuals with versus without AUDs. Motor vehicle accident (MVA) victims were assessed 6 weeks postaccident for AUD history (i.e. diagnoses of current or past alcohol abuse or dependence) and AVC. PTSS were assessed 6 weeks and 6 months post-MVA. All analyses were conducted on the full sample of MVA victims as well as on the subset of participants who were legally intoxicated (blood alcohol concentration ≥ 0.08) during the accident. It was hypothesized that the relationship between AVC and PTSS would be stronger in those individuals with an AUD history and especially strong in the subset of individuals who were legally intoxicated during the MVA. Results were largely supportive of this hypothesis, even after controlling for in-hospital PTSS, gender, and current major depression. Early assessment of AUD history and avoidance coping may aid in detecting those at elevated risk for PTSD, and intervening to reduce AVC soon after trauma may help buffer the development of PTSD + AUD comorbidity. (PsycINFO Database Record (c) 2011 APA, all rights reserved). Language: en
Novel disubstituted mannich product as a potential anti-infective agent

Identification of α , α ′-di-{3-(3-azabicyclo[3.2.2]-nonyl)-methyl}- p -nitroacetophenone is reported.
The Relationship of Secondary Special Education Teachers' Roles and Factors that Lead to Professional Burnout.

The purpose of this study was to extend previous research on teacher burnout by delineating factors which contribute to secondary learning disabilities teachers' feelings of emotional exhaustion, depersonalization, and reduced sense of personal accomplishment. Data were collected via a survey that employed the use of the Maslach Burnout Inventory (Maslach & Jackson, 1986) and the Role Conflict and Role Ambiguity Questionnaire (Rizzo, House, & Lirtzman, 1970). Overall, findings revealed that secondary learning disabilities teachers (N = 300) were experiencing high levels of emotional exhaustion, specifically those who team teach with a general educator. Following regression analysis, findings concluded that each of the seven variables chosen for this study contributed significantly to burnout, however, the relationship between those variables and the three determinants of burnout changed across teaching positions.
Solvation properties of N-acetyl-β-glucosamine: Molecular dynamics study incorporating electrostatic polarization

N-Acetyl-β-glucosamine (NAG) is an important moiety of glycoproteins and is involved in many biological functions. However, conformational and dynamical properties of NAG molecules in aqueous solution, the most common biological environment, remain ambiguous due to limitations of experimental methods. Increasing efforts are made to probe structural properties of NAG and NAG-containing macromolecules, like peptidoglycans and polymeric chitin, at the atomic level using molecular dynamics simulations. In this work, we develop a polarizable carbohydrate force field for NAG and contrast simulation results of various properties using this novel force field and an analogous nonpolarizable (fixed charge) model. Aqueous solutions of NAG and its oligomers are investigated; we explore conformational properties (rotatable bond geometry), electrostatic properties (dipole moment distribution), dynamical properties (self-diffusion coefficient), hydrogen bonding (water bridge structure and dynamics), and free energy of hydration. The fixed-charge carbohydrate force field exhibits deviations from the gas phase relative rotation energy of exocyclic hydroxymethyl side chain and of chair/boat ring distortion. The polarizable force field predicts conformational properties in agreement with corresponding first-principles results. NAG–water hydrogen bonding pattern is studied through radial distribution functions (RDFs) and correlation functions. Intermolecular hydrogen bonding between solute and solvent is found to stabilize NAG solution structures while intramolecular hydrogen bonds define glycosidic linkage geometry of NAG oligomers. The electrostatic component of hydration free energy is highly dependent on force field atomic partial charges, influencing a more favorable free energy of hydration in the fixed-charge model compared to the polarizable model. © 2011 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J Comput Chem, 2011
A fine-grained analysis of the effects of negative evidence with and without metalinguistic information in language development:

The current study compared the effectiveness of computer-delivered task-essential practice coupled with feedback consisting of (1) negative evidence with metalinguistic information (NE+MI) or (2) negative evidence without metalinguistic information (NE–MI) in promoting absolute beginners’ (n = 58) initial learning of aspects of Latin morphosyntax. This study measured language development on a variety of dependent measures (three comprehension-based tests and one production test), assessing both changes in accuracy and reaction time as well as examining effects on trained (old) vs. untrained (new) items. Although participants under both conditions improved in accuracy and reaction time on all measures, on immediate post-tests, participants receiving metalinguistic information outperformed those who did not. However, this advantage had largely dissipated by the time of the delayed tests. Performance on untrained items also suggests an advantage for metalinguistic feedback on system learning and on transfer ...
Chimeric elk/mouse prion proteins in transgenic mice

Chronic wasting disease (CWD) of deer and elk is a highly communicable neurodegenerative disorder caused by prions. Investigations of CWD are hampered by slow bioassays in transgenic (Tg) mice. Towards the development of Tg mice that will be more susceptible to CWD prions, we created a series of chimeric elk/mouse transgenes that encode the N terminus of elk PrP (ElkPrP) up to residue Y168 and the C terminus of mouse PrP (MoPrP) beyond residue 169 (mouse numbering), designated Elk3M(SNIVVK). Between codons 169 and 219, six residues distinguish ElkPrP from MoPrP: N169S, T173N, V183I, I202V, I214V and R219K. Using chimeric elk/mouse PrP constructs, we generated 12 Tg mouse lines and determined incubation times after intracerebral inoculation with the mouse-passaged RML scrapie or Elk1P CWD prions. Unexpectedly, one Tg mouse line expressing Elk3M(SNIVVK) exhibited incubation times of 250 days for RML prions. Tg(Elk3M,SNIVVK) mice were less susceptible to CWD prions than Tg(ElkPrP) mice. Changing three C-terminal mouse residues (202, 214 and 219) to those of elk doubled the incubation time for mouse RML prions and rendered the mice resistant to Elk1P CWD prions. Mutating an additional two residues from mouse to elk at codons 169 and 173 increased the incubation times for mouse prions to >300 days, but made the mice susceptible to CWD prions. Our findings highlight the role of C-terminal residues in PrP that control the susceptibility and replication of prions.
Altered structure and function of astrocytes following status epilepticus

Temporal lobe epilepsy (TLE) is a devastating seizure disorder that is often caused by status epilepticus (SE). Temporal lobe epilepsy can be very difficult to control with currently available antiseizure drugs, and there are currently no disease-modifying therapies that can prevent the development of TLE in those patients who are at risk. While the functional changes that occur in neurons following SE and leading to TLE have been well studied, only recently has research attention turned to the role in epileptogenesis of astrocytes, the other major cell type of the brain. Given that epilepsy is a neural circuit disorder, innovative ways to evaluate the contributions that both neurons and astrocytes make to aberrant circuit activity will be critical for the understanding of the emergent network properties that result in seizures. Recently described approaches using genetically encoded calcium-indicating proteins can be used to image dynamic calcium transients, a marker of activity in both neurons and glial cells. It is anticipated that this work will lead to novel insights into the process of epileptogenesis at the network level and may identify disease-modifying therapeutic targets that have been missed because of a largely neurocentric view of seizure generation following SE. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled "Status Epilepticus".
Symbionts, including pathogens, of the predatory mite Metaseiulus occidentalis: current and future analysis methods

Metaseiulus (= Typhlodromus or Galendromus) occidentalis (Nesbitt) (Acari: Phytoseiidae) is an effective natural enemy of pest mites in a variety of crops around the world, although it is considered to be endemic in the western USA. A broad understanding of much of its biology, ecology, behavior, and genetics has been obtained over the past 60 years, but the role(s) symbionts play, which includes pathogens and other microorganisms, remains to be resolved fully. Until molecular tools became available, analysis methods were limited primarily to microscopic observations; some viruses and rickettsia-like organisms were observed infecting ‘diseased’ M. occidentalis, but it is not clear which one(s) was the causal agent(s) of the disease(s). Subsequent to the development of the polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and genome sequencing, we identified putative gut symbionts and reproductive tract symbionts in M. occidentalis, as well as a microsporidian pathogen. A new phylogenetic analysis of the Bacteroidetes-Flavobacterium group suggests the unnamed Bacteroidetes in M. occidentalis is associated with the digestive tract. However, much of our current information about the role these microorganisms play in the biology of M. occidentalis is based on correlation, lacking the strength of fulfilling Koch’s postulates. We also currently lack any knowledge of the importance of these microorganisms under field conditions. In the future, it should be possible to learn what role(s) these organisms play in the biology of this important predator using metagenomics approaches to analyze the transcriptome and to determine their relative abundance within their hosts with the quantitative PCR. We have just begun to resolve these relationships.
Career perspective: Victor A. Convertino.

This review focuses on a career of unique opportunities to participate in various areas of research related to extreme physiology and medicine. My experience as a volunteer subject in exercise experiments conducted at NASA included the study of acute and chronic physiological responses and adaptations to exercise in environments of hypoxia, heat stress, and simulated microgravity (bed rest), and eventually to my doctoral work on mechanisms underlying expansion of plasma and blood volume with acute and repeated exercise and heat exposure. My career has taken me to research positions at NASA, the Stanford University School of Medicine, the University of Arizona, and the U.S. Air Force Research Laboratory before assuming my present location at the U.S. Army Institute of Surgical Research. As a result of these multiple experiences across a period of 45 years, I have had opportunities to translate basic research to astronauts, high-performance aircraft pilots, and critically ill patients who are challenged by conditions of extreme physiology and medicine.
Expedient Synthesis of N1-Substituted Triazole Peptidomimetics

A general procedure for the rapid diversification of peptide scaffolds is described. A one-pot click reaction between a peptide-alkyne and a series of in situ generated aryl/alkyl azides affords novel N1-substituted triazole peptidomimetics. This transformation is of broad scope, operates under mild conditions, and is parallel chemical synthesis compatible.
Leadership and Collective Action: The Case of Revolution

Based uipoin the idea that leadership cotuld provide a rational and parsimonious soltution to the collective action problem, this article develops a simple uitility equation and a concepttual model of choice that is tised to interconnect the rational choice, short-term exogenous shock, and longrtun socioeconomic perspectives on revolutionary collective action. Leadership plays a critical role in overcoming both the initial barriers to collective action and the ongoing difficulties encountered in the pturstuit of public goods. Though much work remains to be accomplished, this modeling project builds a conceptual fotundation from which a more rigorotus, more formal depiction of the proposed relationships can be developed and from which the empirical testing of the dynamics of revoltution and other collective actions can be facilitated. Collective endeavors are faced with a simple obstacle: the free rider. When the product of a collective activity, such as the new government that is formed as a result of a mass revolution, cannot be withheld from noncontributors, individuals will attempt to avoid contributing to the activity. Why incur costs when the benefit is provided to all regardless of wh1o participates? This article examines the role leadership plays in overcoming both the initial and the continuing problems associated with the pursuit of collective action. First, an analysis of the costs and benefits related to the leadership position provides a means of explaining how the initial collective action problem can be overcome and a group can be formed to pursue the collective endeavor. Individuals taking on the role(s) of leadership receive benefits, identified as leadership benefits, associated with holding the leadership position. These benefits can be great enough to overcome the long odds and high costs associated with the initiation of collective endeavors, even in the most extreme case of collective action, revolution. The impact of leadership on group formation is qualified by structural factors which are explored in the case of revolution. Structural factors also impact how leadership influences the dynamics of the collective action groups once they have been formed and set in motion. An examination of the dynamic relationship between the number of participants and the estimated probability of success provides a foundation for describing how the value individuals place on the goals being pursued in the collective activity depends upon the structure in which the choice is being made. Leaders on both sides of the collective endeavor, supporting and
Gunpowder Justice: A Reassessment of the Texas Rangers

Since Rudolfo Acunas pioneering work, Occupied America (1972), Chicano scholars have been increasingly engaged in reinterpreting Chicano history. Examples of recent publications are Mario Barrera s Race and Class in the Southwest (1979), a theory of racial inequality based on the Chicano experience, which integrates history and theoretical social science in an interdisciplinary approach; Alberto Camarillo s Chicanos in a Changing Society (1970), a social history of the development of the Chicano barrios of southern California; Alfredo Mirande and Evangelina Enriquez's La Chicana (1979), a socio-cultural historical analysis of Mexican and Chicano women; and the working paper series of the Chicano Political Economy Collective (CHIPEC)l at the University of California at Berkeley, which explores the dynamics of race and class and the Chicano community in the development of the Southwest. These are recent contributions to Chicano revisionist history. Gunpowder Justice: A Reassessment of the Texas Rangers, by Julian Samora, et al., the subject of this review, is another recent contribution to the growing body of revisionist Chicano history. The authors state that the pur? poses of the book are:
Effect of desmethylimipramino on hormone-, theophylline-, and dibutyryl cyclic AMP-induced lipolysis in isolated rat fat cells.

SummaryThe effect of desmethylimpiramine (DMI) on lipolysis was studied in isolated rat fat cells. It was found that DMI interferes with the lipolytic action of NE, ACTH, theophylline, and dibutyryl cyclic AMP. It is suggested that DMI inhibits the activation of hormone-sensitive lipase at biochemical site(s) subsequent to the production of cyclic AMP, which is increased by NE, ACTH, and theophylline in rat adipose tissue.
Renegotiating Retiree Health Care Plans After New Supreme Court Guidance

Although many commentators have criticized the underfunding of public pension plans, relatively few have focused on the huge underfunding of retiree health care plans of states and cities. At the time of Detroit’s bankruptcy, for example, its pension plan was underfunded by over $3 billion, but the unfunded deficit in its retiree health care plan was close to $6 billion.The good news is that retiree health care plans can legally be revised more easily than pension plans. In specific, the US Supreme Court has recently issued an opinion setting forth principles of contract interpretation that will lead local governments and public unions to reach explicit agreements on the scope of such plans. Those agreements will probably have to include some cost reductions because the health care plans of many local governments will otherwise be subject to the Affordable Care Act’s 40 percent “Cadillac” tax starting in 2018.This post will be divided into four parts. It will explain1. the reasons why retiree health care plans have stayed under the radar screen and how that is changing;2. the magnitude of underfunding of retiree health care plans and the implications for state-city budgets;3. the principles of interpreting collective bargaining agreements recently enunciated by the US Supreme Court; and4. the various ways local governments are now trying to manage down their health care obligations over time and strategies that governments and public-sector unions can use to address this challenge.
The biomechanical test on the laser microcavity acellular dermal matrix

Objective To study the variations of the biomechanism of the laser microcavity of acellular dermal matrix and to fabricate a proper standard acellular dermal matrix.Methods To make an experiment on the various distance of the acellular dermal matrix with the tension-change and tension-relaxon,and to determine the best distance of the acellular dermal matrix.Results The acellular dermal matrix of distance between 350μm is of excellent biomechanical properities.Conclusions The super pulse CO2 laser can work on the acellular dermal matrix precisely,the microcavity acellular dermal matrix is applicable to the reconstruction of the tissue engineered frameworks.
A Health Risk Assessment of Heavy Metals in Rice

Objective To assess the health risk of heavy metals in rice from key areas in a city. Methods Based on the distribution of pollution sources,34 rice samples were collected in 2012 from key areas of A county,B county and C county. Five kinds of heavy metals were detected. Health risk associated with the five kinds of heavy metals were assessed using USEPA health risk assessment model. Results The total rate of over standard was 52. 9% and the mean concentrations of As,Cd,Cr,Hg and Pb were 0. 183 mg / kg,0. 115 mg / kg,0. 049 mg / kg,0. 014 mg / kg and 0. 247 mg / kg respectively. The total health risk level was 6. 12 × 10- 4/ a and the health risk levels in A,B and C county were 7. 01 × 10- 4/ a,5. 19 × 10- 4/ a and 6. 20 × 10- 4/ a respectively. Conclusion The total health risks of three counties are higher than USEPA recommended level( 1 × 10- 4/ a).
Exploration and Prospects on Development Trends of “People First” and “Entertainment” of Chinese Gymnastics-In Changzhou Canadian Inspire Sports Gymnastics Club as Case

In the process of National Fitness wave and socio-economic development,most of Chinese sports items play their due role in the mass sports and building a harmonious society,and their market-oriented and industrial development have yet entered high-speed development stages.But as advantage events in the world competitions,gymnastics is currently facing with bad situations which workout population is lack,mass base is weak,fitness effect is not satisfactory.As Canada's national famous gymnastics club,Inspire Sports Gymnastics Club has accumulated rich experience and reputation in their domestic market management and education,it enters the Chinese market,combining with China's national situations,excavating the secrets and exploring the key points of gymnastics giving interest and funny to the people.And it is committed to the popularity and promotion of gymnastics in China,complying with the future market development and the trend of gymnastics development and promotion.As an example,we explore and research the way of Chinese gymnastics " People First" and "entertainment" development,which will have important reference value to the Chinese gymnastics market-oriented development,expanding population gymnastics,mining and exploring the gymnastics' roles to mass sports fitness.
Topographic brain mapping: uses and abuses.

Neurologists have tended to be skeptical about clinical applications of topographic mapping and quantitative EEG. Psychiatrists, on the other hand, feel that the technique is extremely useful in clinical practice. While some diagnostic successes have been achieved, the greatest potential of topographic mapping appears to be in clinical research--e.g., evaluating drug effects.
Social Development (Attachment, Imprinting)

The attachment relationship, arguably the child's most important early social tie, develops over a period of intensive caregiving across the first year. This article first reviews the ethological foundations of attachment theory and contrasts the concept of imprinting with that of the attachment relationship in human infants. Second, it describes the development of the attachment relationship, as well as evidence for the developmental importance and universality of attachment. Finally, it reviews individual differences in attachment security, as well as sources and correlates of those differences, and concludes with a discussion of developmental changes in attachment during childhood and adolescence.
In Situ Hybridization

In situ hybridization (ISH) is employed principally to detect mRNA within cells and tissues. ISH begins with the synthesis of a nucleic acid probe complementary in sequence to a cellular target. Through incorporation of a radioactive nucleotide into the probe, a cellular target may be visualized using autoradiography. A nonradioactive variation of this technique utilizing digoxigenin has been championed by some researchers, but our experience has been that radioactive probes produce more reliable and accurate results. Although not a difficult technique, ISH incorporates many steps, which must be performed with care and precision to obtain useful results.
The practice of risk adjustment

This article focuses on risk adjustment under health care reform. It examines reasons for risk adjustment, how those reasons affect the method of adjustment, and practical issues that arise in the process of adjusting for risk. The paper concludes that adjusting payments to health plans makes the most sense. It advocates a risk adjustment agency that is regionally based and supportive of the public good. For risk adjustment to work, there must be a well-defined market and barriers to entry and exit.
Resolution of poly gate to substrate contact short reliability failures on non-volatile memory

Due to continual scaling of CMOS device dimensions, the dielectric spacing between poly gate (PG) and contact to substrate (Con) has been drastically reduced. This reduction in gate to substrate contact spacing has challenged the dielectric breakdown between poly gate and substrate contact. Several studies involving the breakdown of dielectric between gate and substrate contact have been reported in the past. In this paper, we report the elimination of poly gate to substrate contact shorts on 90 nm Non-Volatile Memory technology with the help of process optimizations in pre-metal dielectric stack. This led to a significant improvement in wafer level reliability metric to the tune of ∼1.7X.
Effects of a Capstone Course on Future Teachers (and the Instructor): How a SoTL Project Changed a Career

In this chapter, I revisit my first scholarship of teaching and learning project as a 2000–2001 Carnegie Academy for the Scholarship of Teaching and Learning scholar. I describe my experience as a pure mathematician taking on a pedagogical research project and the effects of this project and of doing the scholarship of teaching and learning on my teaching and career. The project studied student development in a novel mathematics capstone course for future teachers. Student teams worked on semester-long mathematics research problems, while simultaneously completing a content-heavy course on how advanced mathematics informs the teaching of high school (and earlier) mathematical subjects. The course changed behaviors of the students by giving voice to students with prior negative classroom experiences. In addition, one student had a surprising change in attitude towards proof and its value to secondary mathematics teachers. Working through the context of the original study, I reflect on the effects of the course on the students and of the project on the next 15 years of my career.
Reporting of data monitoring boards in publications of randomized clinical trials is often deficient: ACTTION systematic review

Abstract Objective To examine whether primary reports of randomized clinical trials (RCTs) in six high-impact, general medical journals reported (1) whether or not a Data Monitoring Committee/Data and Safety Monitoring Board (DMC/DSMB) was used and (2) the composition of the responsibilities of the reported DSMB/DMCs. Study Design and Setting Systematic review of RCTs published in 2014 in Annals of Internal Medicine , BMJ , NEJM , JAMA , JAMA Internal Medicine , and Lancet . Results Of the 294 articles identified, 174 (59%) mentioned using a DMC/DSMB. Of these 174, 126 (72%) indicated at least one responsibility of the DMC/DSMB, 26% listed the names of the DMC/DSMB members, and another 14% listed both their names and affiliations. Only one article stated that a DSMB was not used. The remaining 119 articles did not report whether or not a DMC/DSMB was used, although 59 had previously stated in a clinical trials registry entry or a published protocol that a DMC/DSMB was to be used. Conclusions Considering the major role that DMC/DSMBs play in protecting participant safety, data quality, and interim analyses in RCTs, we recommend that authors of publications of RCTs report whether a DMC/DSMB was used and the responsibilities and members of DMC/DSMBs to increase transparency regarding study conduct.
Evaluating Distinctions in the Assessment of Late-Life Disability.

Background By including categories for accommodations and reduced frequency, to supplement earlier classifications of difficulty and dependence, a new 5-category functional scale has the potential to distinguish finer gradations in disability but the hierarchical nature and advantages of this scale over alternative scales are uncertain. Methods Using data from the National Health and Aging Trends Study (N = 7,609), we conducted a series of: cross-sectional analyses that focused on the hierarchical consistency of responses in the 5-category scale; and longitudinal analyses that focused on predictive accuracy for mortality and functional dependence, comparing the 5-category scale with three simpler scales, having only three or four categories. Results Although there was considerable variability across the seven functional activities, the prevalence of inconsistencies in the hierarchy of the 5-category scale (eg, reports difficulty but no accommodations) was relatively high. In addition, the predictive accuracy of the 5-category scale for mortality and functional dependence was only modestly better than that of the two 3-category scales and was comparable to that of the 4-category scale. Finally, when evaluated as summative disability scores, there was little difference in predictive accuracy between the 5-category scale and three alternative scales. Conclusions Despite inconsistencies in its hierarchy, the 5-category scale is more effective in stratifying risk for mortality and functional dependence than the two 3-category scales but not the 4-category scale. When assessing changes over time, however, the addition of questions on accommodations and reduced frequency to those on difficulty and dependence, to form a summative disability score, offers little benefit and increases the burden of the assessment.
Output-based spacetime mesh optimization for unsteady flows using continuous-in-time adjoints

We present a method for estimating spatial and temporal numerical errors in scalar outputs of unsteady fluid dynamics simulations using continuous-in-time adjoint solutions and general time-integration methods. A continuous formulation decouples the primal and adjoint temporal discretizations and allows for the use of standard time-integration schemes for the adjoint. For non-variational methods, a scheme-agnostic temporal reconstruction of the primal and adjoint solutions replaces the functional representation in between time nodes. The output error is still estimated through an adjoint-weighted residual, which takes the form of a spacetime integral. Separate temporal and spatial error estimates arise from projection of the adjoint to semi-refined spaces. These estimates drive adaptive refinement, which first requires a calculation of the appropriate cost distribution between the spatial and temporal discretizations. The adaptive mechanics consist of uniform temporal refinement/coarsening, and several localized spatial refinements: order adaptation, hanging-node refinement, and unstructured mesh optimization. Results for scalar advectiondiffusion and for the compressible NavierStokes equations demonstrate the effectivity of the error estimates, the efficiency of the adaptive refinement, independence of optimized meshes to the starting mesh, and the importance of high-order spatial and temporal approximations.
The Effect of Taurine and Its Immediate Homologs on Diabetes-Induced Oxidative Stress in the Brain and Spinal Cord of Rats.

This study has examined the acute effects of taurine (TAU) and of its two immediate homologs aminomethanesulfonic acid (AMSA) and homotaurine (HTAU) on the oxidative stress that develops in the brain of rats as a result of type 2 diabetes mellitus. Male Sprague-Dawley rats, 220–225 g in weight, were divided into groups of 6 each, and treated with a single intraperitoneal (i.p.) dose of streptozotocin (STZ) in 10 mM citrate buffer pH 4.5 (60 mg/kg). The treatment compound (AMSA, HTAU or TAU) was administered by the i.p. route in two equal doses (1.2 mM/kg each) at 75 and 45 min before STZ. Control rats received only 10 mM citrate buffer pH 4.5 or only STZ by the i.p. route. The rats were sacrificed at 24 h after a dosing with STZ under general anesthesia, and their brains and spinal cords collected by the freeze clamp technique. A portion of brain, of a brain area (cerebellum, cortex, brain stem) or of spinal cord from each animal was extracted into 0.1 M PBS pH 7.4, and the extract was used for the assay of malondialdehyde (MDA), nitric oxide (NO), catalase (CAT), glutathione peroxidase (GPx) and superoxide dismutase (SOD). An extract for the assay of the reduced (GSH) and disulfide (GGSG) forms of glutathione was prepared in similar manner but using 2% metaphosphoric acid plus 0.1 M PBS pH 8.0 as the extracting medium. Diabetes was found to markedly increase the formation of MDA (by 160–202%), NO (by 138–313%) and GSSG (by 103–241%), and to lower the values of GSH (by 57–65%), GSH/GSSG ratio (79–89%) and activities of CAT (by 61–69%), GPx (by 52–66%) and SOD (by 55–68%) in the brain, brain areas and spinal cord relative to corresponding control values (all at p < 0.001). These effects were reduced to values that were generally at least one-half of those seen in untreated diabetic rats, with TAU providing a greater attenuation of the formation of MDA and NO, an about similar action on the depletion of GSH, and a lower action on the decrease in the GSH/GSSG ratio caused by diabetes than either AMSA or HMTAU. In contrast AMSA and HMTAU were about equipotent with each other and more potent than TAU in preventing the loss of antioxidant enzyme activities associated with diabetes. In short, pretreating diabetic rats with AMSA, HMTAU or TAU is found to protect the brain against changes in biochemical parameters indicative of oxidative stress, with potency differences among the test compounds varying within a narrow range.
The role of distress tolerance in the relationship between cognitive schemas and alcohol problems among college students.

Abstract Introduction The current study tested the role of distress tolerance in the relationship between three early maladaptive cognitive schemas (Abandonment, Defectiveness/Shame, and Insufficient Self-Control) and alcohol problems among college students (N = 364). Previous research suggests that maladaptive cognitive schemas may be a risk factor for alcohol-related problems. However, the mechanism underlying this association is unclear. One's tolerance for emotional distress may play an important role in understanding the nature of this association. Methods We tested a structural equation model where distress tolerance was expected to explain or moderate associations between early maladaptive schemas and alcohol outcomes. Results Results indicated distress tolerance partially mediated the relationships between schemas of Abandonment and Insufficient Self-Control and alcohol problems. Distress tolerance also significantly moderated the relationship between the Defectiveness/Shame schema and alcohol-related problems, reducing the strength of the association. Conclusions Distress tolerance is a modifiable risk factor and the results of this study support the inclusion of emotional regulation strategies in the prevention and treatment of alcohol problems among young adults.
Distance Education: An Exploration of Alternative Methods and Types of Instructional Media in Teacher Education:

Universities currently are exploring an array of instructional media to facilitate the delivery of instruction. Consensus from the studies indicates that there is no significant difference in the a...
Response: Religious Diversity, Education, and the Concept of Separation: Some Further Questions

The tensions inherent in the political philosophy of a liberal democratic society over what constitutes public and private are manifested in the ongoing conflicts over the legitimate role of religion in public schools. In the United States, the constitutionality of church/state relationships has been interpreted in a series of Supreme Court decisions that place limiting conditions on what is legally allowed in the arena of public education. While all liberal democracies in the modern Western world guarantee the religious freedom of individuals against government interference, the United States constitution demands strict neutrality by removing religion from any government-sponsored activity through the establishment clause of the first amendment. Judicial interpretations of these religious clauses have given rise to the metaphor of a wall of separation, a concept first suggested by Thomas Jefferson. Jeffrey Milligan refers to these constitutional interpretations as the doctrine of separation and distinguishes them from a broader concept of separation understood in ordinary language and educational discourse. He argues that the way the concept of separation functions in educational discourse and practice often goes beyond what is actually required by the legal doctrine of separation as interpreted by the courts. This misunderstanding has often resulted in “misapplying...[that doctrine] in ways that infringe the free exercise rights of religious students or failing to apply it to actions that clearly put schools in the position of endorsing religion.” Moreover, the misuse of this metaphor has hindered both the attainment of legitimate educational goals and an adequate understanding of what democratic conversation entails.
Bio-inspired nano-traps for uranium extraction from seawater and recovery from nuclear waste

Nature can efficiently recognize specific ions by exerting second-sphere interactions onto well-folded protein scaffolds. However, a considerable challenge remains to artificially manipulate such affinity, while being cost-effective in managing immense amounts of water samples. Here, we propose an effective approach to regulate uranyl capture performance by creating bio-inspired nano-traps, illustrated by constructing chelating moieties into porous frameworks, where the binding motif’s coordinative interaction towards uranyl is enhanced by introducing an assistant group, reminiscent of biological systems. Representatively, the porous framework bearing 2-aminobenzamidoxime is exceptional in sequestering high uranium concentrations with sufficient capacities (530 mg g−1) and trace quantities, including uranium in real seawater (4.36 mg g−1, triple the benchmark). Using a combination of spectroscopic, crystallographic, and theory calculation studies, it is revealed that the amino substituent assists in lowering the charge on uranyl in the complex and serves as a hydrogen bond acceptor, boosting the overall uranyl affinity of amidoxime. Uranium extraction is important for both uranium recovery and nuclear waste management. Here, inspired by the high sensitivity of proteins towards specific metal ions, Ma and colleagues demonstrate that introducing secondary coordination spheres into amidoxime-functionalized porous polymers can enhance their uranyl chelating abilities.
The Role of Preventive Nutrition in Clinical Practice

Nutrition plays a central role in health by virtue of the simple fact that everyone must eat as a matter of survival. Complexity arises when the choices of foods and accompanying nutrients lead to either health benefits or detrimental effects. Nutritional factors contribute significantly to the burden of preventable illnesses and premature deaths, as detailed in previous chapters in this volume. Indeed, nutritional factors are associated with 4 of the 10 major causes of death: coronary heart disease (CHD), cancer, stroke, and type 2 diabetes (1). It is estimated that about 16 and 9% of mortality from any cause in US men and women, respectively, could be eliminated by the adoption of desirable dietary behaviors (2). The impact of nutrition on altering risk for chronic disease is generally slow and only gradually evident after lengthy exposure to a given dietary pattern. However, because we all must eat, changing detrimental eating patterns to healthier patterns can have a significant impact on preventable disease risk factors for the individual and the population at large (3).
Thrombopoietin (c-mpl ligand) acts synergistically with erythropoietin, stem cell factor, and interleukin-11 to enhance murine megakaryocyte colony growth and increases megakaryocyte ploidy in vitro

Thrombopoietin (Tpo), the ligand for the c-mpl receptor, is a major regulator of platelet production in vivo. Treatment of mice with purified recombinant Tpo increases platelet count fourfold and expands colony-forming unit-megakaryocyte (CFU-Meg) numbers. Other cytokines including interleukin-3 (IL-3), IL-6, IL-11, erythropoietin (Epo), and stem cell factor (SCF) can stimulate megakaryopoiesis. Therefore, we examined the effects of recombinant murine Tpo in combination with these cytokines on megakaryopoiesis in vitro. Murine marrow cells were cultured in agar in Iscove's modified Dulbecco's medium (IMDM) supplemented with 10% horse serum and beta-mercaptoethanol in the presence of recombinant growth factors, and CFU-Meg colonies were counted on day 5. Megakaryocyte ploidy was analyzed using murine marrow cells cultured for 5 days in IMDM supplemented with 1% nutridoma-SP and recombinant growth factors. Megakaryocytes were identified by labeling with the 4A5 antibody and ploidy was analyzed by flow cytometry. Tpo supported the growth of CFU-Meg in a dose-dependent manner. Although the addition of SCF (50 ng/mL), Epo (2 U/mL), or IL-11 (50 ng/mL) alone exerted only a modest effect on CFU-Meg growth, the combination of SCF plus Tpo, Epo plus Tpo, or IL-11 plus Tpo resulted in a synergistic enhancement of the number of CFU-Meg colonies. IL-3 alone supported CFU-Meg colony growth, and the effects of IL-3 plus Tpo or IL-6 plus Tpo on colony growth appeared to be approximately additive. Fifty percent of megakaryocytes generated in cultures containing IL-3 or Epo displayed or = 64N ploidy. These results show that Tpo stimulates both proliferation of committed megakaryocytic progenitor cells and maturation of megakaryocytes, and that two multipotent cytokines, SCF and IL-11, as well as a late-acting erythroid cytokine, Epo, can synergize with Tpo to stimulate proliferation of CFU-Meg.
Electromagnetic wave transmittance control using self-organized plasma lattice metamaterial

A reconfigurable glow discharge plasma lattice structure is examined for its ability to interact with and suppress electromagnetic (EM) wave energy with wavelengths on the order of centimeters. The plasma lattice is formed in the air gap between a double dielectric electrode arrangement that formed a rectangular cross-section channel. The lattice consists of columns that span the gap between the electrodes. The spacing between the plasma columns in the lattice results from a surface charge instability that is controllable by a combination of channel height, AC voltage, and gas pressure. The lattice number is highly repeatable and predictable following packing theory. The effect of the plasma lattice spacing on the transmittance of O(cm) wavelength EM waves was investigated. Excellent agreement was found between the experiments and simulations, with S21 transmittance reduced by up to 75%. In addition, experiments in which the EM waves were oriented at an oblique angle to the plasma lattice incident axis were performed. This documented a narrow-band absorption that was predicted from an anisotropic medium permittivity tensor analysis. These experiments also indicated a negative index of refraction of the oblique EM waves for the plasma lattice that provided further evidence of its anisotropic behavior.
Photoexcited carriers, phonons, and their scattering measured in semiconductor junctions by transient extreme ultraviolet spectroscopy

We use transient XUV spectroscopy to measure the carrier and phonon dynamics for each atomic-species in a semiconductor or semiconductor heterojunction, giving the technique potential for table-top photovoltaic device characterization. First, the electron populations, phonon populations, and their scattering pathways are measured in the $\Delta$ , L, and r valleys of Si(100) from femtoseconds to hundreds of picosecond. Second, the Si(100) is coated with Ti0 2 and Ni to form a metal-insulator-semiconductor (MIS) junction. The Si L23, Ni M23, and Ti M23 edges are probed using XUV radiation from 20 eV to 150 eV, measuring the photoexcited charge-transfer, equilibration, and lattice dynamics for each component of the MIS junction.
Turbulence Model Implementation and Verification in the SENSEI CFD Code

This paper outlines the implementation and verification of the negative Spalart-Allmaras turbulence model into the SENSEI CFD code. The SA-neg turbulence model is implemented in a flexible, object-oriented framework where additional turbulence models can be easily added. In addition to outlining the new turbulence modeling framework in SENSEI, an overview of the other general improvements to SENSEI is provided. The results for four 2D test cases are compared to results from CFL3D and FUN3D to verify that the turbulence models are implemented properly. Several differences in the results from SENSEI, CFL3D, and FUN3D are identified and are attributed to differences in the implementation and discretization order of the boundary conditions as well as the order of discretization of the turbulence model. When a solid surface is located near or intersects an inflow or outflow boundary, higher order boundary conditions should be used to limit their effect on the forces on the surface. When the turbulence equations are discretized using second order spatial accuracy, the edge of the eddy viscosity profile seems to be sharper than when a first order discretization is used. However, the discretization order of the turbulence equation does not have a significant impact on output quantities of interest, such as pressure and viscous drag, for the cases studied.
Ambivalent Effects of Stay-at-Home and Working Mother Stereotypes on Mothers’ Intergroup and Interpersonal Dynamics

We applied foundational intergroup research to a quasi-experiment with stay-at-home mothers (SAHMs) and working mothers (WMs) in order to investigate mothers’ contributions to the pressures of idea...
Biomechanical Study of a Multifilament Stainless Steel Cable Crimp System Versus a Multistrand Ultra-High Molecular Weight Polyethylene Polyester Suture Krackow Technique for Achilles Tendon Rupture Repair

Abstract Currently, Achilles tendon rupture repair is surgically addressed with an open or minimally invasive approach using a heavy, nonabsorbable suture in a locking stitch configuration. However, these sutures have low stiffness and a propensity to stretch, which can result in gapping at the repair site. Our study compares a new multifilament stainless steel cable-crimp repair method to a standard Krackow repair using multistrand, ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene polyester sutures. Eight matched pairs of cadavers were randomly assigned for Achilles tendon repair using either Krackow technique with polyethylene polyester sutures or the multifilament stainless steel cable-crimp technique. Each repair was cyclically loaded from 10 to 50 N for 100 loading cycles, followed by a linear increase in load until complete failure of the repair. During cyclic loading, 4 of the 8 Krackow polyethylene polyester suture repairs failed, whereas none of the multifilament stainless steel cable crimp repairs failed. Load to failure was greater for the multifilament stainless steel cable crimp repairs (321.03 ± 118.71 N) than for the Krackow polyethylene polyester suture repairs (132.47 ± 103.39 N, p = .0078). The ultimate tensile strength of the multifilament stainless steel cable crimp repairs was also greater than that of the Krackow polyethylene polyester suture repairs (485.69 ± 47.93 N vs 378.71 ± 107.23 N, respectively, p = .12). The mode of failure was by suture breakage at the crimp for all cable-crimp repairs and by suture breakage at the knot, within the tendon, or suture pullout for the polyethylene polyester suture repairs. The multifilament stainless steel cable crimp construct may be a better alternative for Achilles tendon rupture repairs.