cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Momentum (k)-Space Charge Separation Mid-Wave Infrared Photodetectors Using SiGeSn Alloys

We report a band-structure engineering approach with k-space charge-separation feature by tailoring the direct-energy valley to be several k B T higher than the indirect, enabling large absorption coefficients while maintaining long-carrier lifetimes. Modeling shows SiGeSn alloys with constant 3k B TΓ - and L-valley separation cover MWIR range.
Recent advances in the discovery of senolytics.

Abstract The demonstration in model organisms that cellular senescence drives aging and age-related diseases has led to widespread efforts to identify compounds able to selectively kill senescent cells, termed senolytics. Approaches used to identify senolytics include bioinformatic analysis of senescent cell anti-apoptotic pathways (SCAPs) for drug development and screening of drugs libraries on different senescent cell types in culture. Alternatively, cytotoxic compounds can be made specific to senescent cells through a prodrug strategy such as linking the compound to a galactose moiety where toxicity is activated by lysosomal β-galactosidase. Identified senolytics can then be optimized through medicinal chemistry or linking to E3 targeting moieties to facilitate proteolysis of their targets. This review will provide an overview of approaches to identify senolytics and an update of the classes of senolytics identified to date.
“Change within Continuity”: Sacred and Holy Spaces and Socialization in Bocha, Zimbabwe, ca. 1910–1960s

The article examines how a rural community in Bocha, Zimbabwe, molded Christianity to suit and serve its local everyday realities. It highlights the coexistence and interdependence between Christia...
(C6H16N2)2[Mo8O26]: a new β-octamolybdate salt

Crystals of the title compound, 2,5-di­methyl­piperazinediium β-octamolybdate, were grown under mild hydro­thermal conditions. The anion and cations lie on inversion centers. A network of N—H⋯O bonds helps to stabilize the crystal packing.
Robert Brannon: Russian Civil-Military Relations Thomas Gomart: Russian Civil-Military Relations: Putin's Legacy

It is rare that two books with the same title appear less than twelve months apart. What is perhaps even more unusual is that two books sharing a title and released so close together would have so ...
GPS C/A code tracking with adaptive beamforming and jammer nulling

A space-time adaptive processing (STAP) algorithm for delay tracking and acquisition of the GPS signature sequence with interference rejection capability is developed. The interference can consist of both broadband and narrowband jammers. The narrowband jammers are modeled as vector autoregressive (VAR) processes and rejected by temporal whitening. The spatial nulling is implicitly achieved by estimating a sample covariance matrix and feeding its inverse into the extended Kalman filter (EKF). Computer simulations demonstrate robust performance of the algorithm in severe jamming, and also show that the algorithm outperforms the conventional delay-locked loop (DLL).
A New Understanding of ADHD in Children and Adults: Executive Function Impairments

For over 100 years, ADHD has been seen as essentially a behavior disorder. Recent scientific research has developed a new paradigm which recognizes ADHD as a developmental disorder of the cognitive management system of the brain, its executive functions. This cutting-edge book pulls together key ideas of this new understanding of ADHD, explaining them and describing in understandable language scientific research that supports this new model. It addresses questions like: - Why can those with ADHD focus very well on some tasks while having great difficulty in focusing on other tasks they recognize as important? - How does brain development and functioning of persons with ADHD differ from others? - How do impairments of ADHD change from childhood through adolescence and in adulthood? - What treatments help to improve ADHD impairments? How do they work? Are they safe? - Why do those with ADHD have additional emotional, cognitive, and learning disorders more often than most others? - What commonly-held assumptions about ADHD have now been proven wrong by scientific research? Psychiatrists, psychologists, social workers, and other medical and mental health professionals, as well as those affected by ADHD and their families, will find this to be am insightful and invaluable resource.
Effects of Solar UV Variability on the Stratosphere

Previously thought to produce only relatively minor changes in ozone concentration, radiative heating, and zonal circulation in the upper stratosphere, solar ultraviolet (UV) variations at wavelengths near 200 nm are increasingly recognized as a significant source of decadal variability throughout the stratosphere. On the time scale of the 27-day solar rotation period, UV variations produce a stratospheric ozone response at low latitudes that agrees approximately with current photochemical model predictions. In addition, statistical studies suggest an unmodeled dynamical component of the 27-day response that extends to the low and middle stratosphere. On the time scale of the 11-year solar cycle, the ozone response derived from available data is characterized by a strong maximum in the upper stratosphere, a negligible response in the middle stratosphere, and a second strong maximum in the tropical lower stratosphere. The 11-year temperature response derived from NCEP/CPC data is characterized by a similar altitude dependence. However, in the middle and upper stratosphere, disagreements exist between analyses of alternate temperature data sets and further work is needed to establish more accurately the 11-year temperature response. In the lower stratosphere, in contrast to most model predictions, relatively large-amplitude, apparent solar cycle variations of geopotential height, ozone, and temperature are observed primarily at tropical and subtropical latitudes. As shown by the original work of Labitzke and van Loon [1988], additional large responses can be detected in the polar winter lower stratosphere if the data are separated according to the phase of the equatorial quasi-biennial wind oscillation. A possible explanation for the unexpectedly large lower stratospheric responses indicated by observational studies is that solar UV forcing in the upper stratosphere may influence the selection of preferred internal circulation modes in the winter stratosphere.
Abstract 62: Cholesterol Efflux Pathways in Dendritic Cells Suppress Autoimmune Responses

Patients with auto-immune disorders have low HDL levels. Mice deficient in genes regulating cholesterol homeostasis, such as liver X receptor (LXR) or apolipoprotein A1 (apoA1), show an autoimmune phenotype. LXR regulates the expression of ATP Binding Cassette A1 and G1 (ABCA1 and ABCG1) that mediate cholesterol efflux to apoA1 and HDL. ABCG1 is highly expressed in dendritic cells (DCs). We hypothesized that ABCA1 and ABCG1 regulate autoimmunity. On a chow diet, 40 weeks old Abca1-/-Abcg1-/- mice showed enlarged lymph nodes (LNs), increased plasma auto-antibodies to dsDNA, and glomerulonephritis, with characteristics typical for lupus nephritis. Using the Cre loxP system, we investigated whether these effects were due to Abca1/g1 deficiency in T-cells, macrophages, or DCs. Only Abca1/g1 deficiency in DCs in CD11cCreAbca1fl/flAbcg1fl/fl mice replicated the auto-immune phenotype found in Abca1-/-Abcg1-/- mice. This suggests a major role for DC cholesterol homeostasis in autoimmunity. DCs present antigens to...
EarthTutor: A Multi-Layered Approach to ITS Authoring

This paper presents the EarthTutor authoring tool, a multi-layered system designed to remove the technical hurdles preventing teachers from having full control over the structure of their lessons, without sacrificing the power and technical flexibility required for an effective ITS implementation. EarthTutor reduces the ITS design problem to a series of related but independent layers. Each layer in the process hides the implementation details of lower layers, while providing a foundation for higher levels. This approach allows a core group of advanced authors to do the more complex authoring tasks and export their work to a wider audience of novice authors, who complete the authoring process.
Coupling-based integration testing

Integration testing is an important part of the testing process, but few integration testing techniques have been systematically studied or defined. This paper presents an integration testing technique based on couplings between software components. The coupling-based testing technique is described, and coverage criteria for three types of 12 coupling levels are defined. This technique can be used to support integration testing of software components, and satisfies part of the FAA's requirements for structural coverage analysis of software.
Magnitude estimation of loudness. I: Application to hearing aid selection.

Three experiments were conducted to explore the utility of magnitude estimation of loudness for hearing aid selection. In Experiment 1 the loudness discomfort level (LDL), most comfortable loudness...
PDZ Dimerization Brings Proteins Together

The dimerization of different PDZ domains suggests that these protein modules evolved to guide the assembly of multiprotein complexes. In this issue, Chang et al. (2011) describe a massively parallel approach for identifying all PDZ dimerization events that reveals the prevalence of this protein-protein interaction.
Analysis of a combined cooling, heating, and power system model under different operating strategies with input and model data uncertainty

Combined cooling, heating, and power (CCHP) system models have been used by many researchers to compare their performance with conventional systems. However, decisions based on the results of computer simulations need to take into account the uncertainty of these results to get insight into the level of confidence in the predictions. This paper presents an analysis of a CCHP system model under different operating strategies with input and model data uncertainty. However, the uncertainties that underlie the variation in input parameters such as the thermal load, natural gas prices and electricity prices are not readily available. Additionally, engine performance uncertainty can be difficult to characterize because of the nonlinearity of engine efficiency curves. This paper presents practical and novel approaches to estimating the uncertainty in these and other input parameters. A case study using a small office building located in Atlanta, GA, is described to illustrate the importance of the use of uncertainty and sensitivity analysis in CCHP system performance predictions, and how the primary energy consumption, operational cost, and carbon dioxide emissions are affected by the uncertainty associated with the model input parameters.
Urban land use, air toxics and public health: Assessing hazardous exposures at the neighborhood scale

Abstract Land use data are increasingly understood as important indicators of potential environmental health risk in urban areas where micro-scale or neighborhood level hazard exposure data are not routinely collected. This paper aims to offer a method for estimating the distribution of air toxics in urban neighborhoods using land use information because actual air monitoring data rarely exist at this scale. Using Geographic Information System spatial modeling tools, we estimate air toxics concentrations across neighborhoods in New York City and statistically compare our model with the US Environmental Protection Agency's National Air Toxic Assessment and air monitoring data across three NYC neighborhoods. We conclude that land use data can act as a good proxy for estimating neighborhood scale air toxics, particularly in the absence of monitoring data. In addition, the paper suggests that land use data can expand the reach of environmental impact assessments that routinely exclude analyses of potential exposures to urban air toxics at the neighborhood scale.
On a theory of documentation

All of the phenomena of the field of documentation may be classified under the notions of the three forms of: material, ideational, and energy. It is suggested that the phenomenological method may be advantageously applied to documentation in conjunction with the methods of speculative philosophy. Examples are offered to illustrate how such methods may illuminate some of the more fundamental problem areas of the field, such as the problems of identification and “information” by yielding operational definitions.
Principles of Steerability for Dissipative Passive Haptic Interfaces

This research focuses on the control limitation brought by brakes, one type of dissipative passive actuators on planar passive haptic interfaces. The concept of steerability is defined based on the force generation analysis to identify the limitation. Passive steerability angle is defined to quantify steerability. Two-sided steerability is required for a planar robot to redirect motion to both left and right of the current velocity. A non-redundant 2R manipulator does not have two-sided steerability at all situations. Redundancy brought by serial or parallel structures could improve the manipulator’s steerability. The steerability theorem was developed to determine two-sided steerability for a multi-joint manipulator.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Reducibility of potassium-promoted iron oxide under hydrogen conditions

There is economic incentive to operate the ethylbenzene dehydrogenation reaction at low steam/ethylbenzene ratios. To develop catalysts capable of performing under these conditions, it is necessary to understand the mechanism whereby the concomitant activity loss occurs. A potentially important mechanism is the reduction of the iron oxide. Thermogravimetric analysis in conjunction with X-ray diffraction is used to characterize the reduction properties resulting from potassium addition to iron oxide. The impacts of potassium addition on the temperature required to initiate reduction with hydrogen and on the apparent activation energy of reduction are determined. Reducibility of the potassium/iron oxide system in the presence of other dehydrogenation catalyst promoters is also presented.
Failure of elevated heat shock protein 70 antibodies to alter cochlear function in mice

Abstract Heat shock protein 70 (HSP70) has been suggested as the putative cochlear antigen underlying a proposed autoimmune etiology in certain cases of Meniere's disease and idiopathic hearing loss. To determine if antibodies to this cellular protein are capable of altering cochlear function, BALB/c ( N =3) and CBA/J ( N =9) mice were inoculated with bovine HSP70 by intraperitoneal injections (10 μ g in saline) every 10 days for 7 or 10 months, respectively. An equal number of control mice were injected with PBS according to the same schedule. ABR thresholds at 4, 8, 16, and 32 kHz in the HSP70-inoculated mice did not change over the 10 month period and were similar to saline controls. Furthermore, serum immune complexes and antinuclear antibodies did not increase over the inoculation period. ELISA analysis demonstrated the mice created antibodies to the foreign HSP70, but these apparently caused no abnormalities in the auditory or immune systems. It was concluded that foreign HSP70 is antigenic and inoculation with it will raise antibodies, but these antibodies were neither immunopathogenic nor cochleopathic. Therefore, these findings do not support current theories that elevated anti-HSP70 antibodies are the underlying cause of hearing loss in patients with such antibodies present.
Comparison of Skin Color with Melanin Content1

The study of skin color has recently undergone some developments. In 1949 the senior author published a chart of eight individual skin colors ranging from full black to white, which can be used in recording the skin color of persons of mixed descent (1). In making use of this chart, certain modifications have been found necessary, and a new genetic theory of skin color has been developed (2). As a different approach to the subject, spectrophotometer reflectance curves of various human skin colors have been published, including those of the original chart (3). In a further effort to analyze the nature of the differences between various skin colors, it was considered desirable to make a histologic study of the skin of different individuals from biopsy specimens.
The role of divalent cations in activation of the sea urchin egg. I. Effect of fertilization on divalent cation content

The Ca and Mg content of unfertilized sea urchin eggs (3 and 21 mumole/ml eggs) remains remarkably constant over periods of hours, even when the eggs are suspended in Ca- or Mg-free sea water. After fertilization the Ca content of eggs in regular sea water increases sharply by about 20%, followed by a decrease to the unfertilized level by 40 minutes. However, if the fertilized eggs are washed three minutes in Ca-free sea water a sharp decrease in the Ca content occurs amounting to 30% of the total in the first 40 minutes, with little change thereafter. Suspension of the eggs in Ca-free sea water results in an even greater loss of Ca amounting to about 43% of the total in the same time interval, followed by a continuing slow loss. It is concluded that fertilization initiates the intracellular release of Ca, which is then extruded. For unwashed eggs this change is masked by the simultaneous generation of new extra-cellular coats with high affinity for Ca. Changes in the Mg content of fertilized eggs follow the same general pattern except that absorption of this divalent cation to the extracellular coats is minimal.
Building strong bones: molecular regulation of the osteoblast lineage

The past 15 years have witnessed tremendous progress in the molecular understanding of osteoblasts, the main bone-forming cells in the vertebrate skeleton. In particular, all of the major developmental signals (including WNT and Notch signalling), along with an increasing number of transcription factors (such as RUNX2 and osterix), have been shown to regulate the differentiation and/or function of osteoblasts. As evidence indicates that osteoblasts may also regulate the behaviour of other cell types, a clear understanding of the molecular identity and regulation of osteoblasts is important beyond the field of bone biology.
Effect of phase transitions on compressional-wave velocities in the Earth’s mantle

The velocities of seismic waves in the Earth are governed by the response of the constituent mineral assemblage to perturbations in pressure and stress. The effective bulk modulus is significantly lowered if the pressure of the seismic wave drives a volume-reducing phase transformation. A comparison between the amount of time required by phase transitions to reach equilibrium and the sampling period thus becomes crucial in defining the softening and attenuation of compressional waves within such a two-phase zone. These phenomena are difficult to assess experimentally, however, because data at conditions appropriate to the Earth's deep interior are required. Here we present synchrotron-based experimental data that demonstrate softening of the bulk modulus within the two-phase loop of olivine-ringwoodite on a timescale of 100 s. If the amplitude of the pressure perturbation and the grain size are scaled to those expected in the Earth, the compressional-wave velocities within the discontinuities at 410, 520 and, possibly, 660 km are likely to be significantly lower than otherwise expected. The generalization of these observations to aluminium-controlled phase transitions raises the possibility of large velocity perturbations throughout the upper 1,000 km of the mantle.
Spectrum and asymmetry of high energy neutrons emitted in the absorption of polarized muons

Abstract The rate of production and the asymmetry of neutrons emitted directly with the capture of polarized muons have been expressed in terms of single-nucleon integrals. This expression takes account of momentum-dependent terms to first order in the muon capture Hamiltonian and is suitable for calculations involving general neutron wave functions. When plane waves in nuclear matter are assumed for the neutron wave function, the calculated intensities and asymmetries are in agreement with recent experiments on silicon, sulfur and calcium. The momentum-dependent terms strongly affect the asymmetry but not the intensity, whereas the nuclear model seems to affect the intensity but not the asymmetry.
THE EFFECTS OF BUOYANCY ON THE STAGNATION FLOW ON A HEATED VERTICAL PLATE

Abstract A tilted two-dimensional stagnation flow impinges on a heated vertical plate. By making suitable transformations, the full Navier-Stokes and energy equations reduce to a set of nonlinear ordinary differential equations which are solved numerically. For an infinite plate the flow due to free convection depends on the Prandtl number but does not affect the heat transfer.
The Growing Inaccessibility of Science

That science has become more difficult for nonspecialists to understand is a truth universally acknowledged. Here is a measure of the extent of the process.
Detecting slow-translating regions in E.coli

We present an application of the spatial scan statistic to identifying clusters of slow-translating codons in E.coli. We use an estimate of the time taken to process each codon based on the availability of transfer RNA. We analyse our findings using experimental measurements, and provide support for a well-known hypothesis related to the process of protein production.
Molecular heterogeneity in chronic granulomatous disease: a human model of defective phagocyte superoxide production.

Chronic granulomatous disease (CGD) is a genetically transmitted disorder thought to result from defect(s) in the activation or turnover of the NADPH dependent O2⨪ generating oxidase enzyme system of human neutrophils and monocytes. The normal oxidase may be a flavoprotein-cytochrome b559 complex; therefore, these components of the oxidase were quantitated in the neutrophils from patients and family members of two unrelated CGD kindreds. The male propositus from an X-linked recessive kindred had a neutrophil oxidase fraction with low FAD content (26 pmol/mg protein) and undetectable cytochrome b559 (<5 pmol/mg protein). The male propositus from an autosomal recessive kindred had a neutrophil oxidase fraction with low FAD content (34 pmol FAD/mg protein), but normal cytochrome b559 content (170 pmol cytochrome b559/mg protein). Both parents of this latter CGD patient had normal FAD and cytochrome b559 content in their neutrophil oxidase fraction. We conclude that the carrier state in certain X-linked recessive female carriers of CGD can be detected by partial deficiencies of both flavoprotein and cytochrome b559 components of the oxidase, whereas presumed heterozygous carriers of certain autosomal recessive CGD kindreds cannot be detected by this means.
Tracking electrons from double beta decay - How far can you push the TPC?

Abstract New results are reported from time-projection-chamber measurements of the double beta decay of 100Mo and 150Nd. A previously-observed high-energy anomaly has been eliminated by improved energy resolution. Kurie plots of the two-neutrino spectra show end-point energies close to the reported parent-daughter mass differences. The 150Nd source has produced a new direct-counting 90% confidence neutrino-majoron coupling limit of 〈gν,χ〉
Acute airway obstruction associated with the use of bone-morphogenetic protein in cervical spinal fusion.

OBJECTIVES Bone morphogenetic protein (BMP) used in anterior cervical spinal fusion procedures causes an inflammatory response resulting in upper airway obstruction between postoperative days 4-7. The purpose of this study is to determine the incidence and severity of airway complications associated with use of BMP, the associated clinical outcomes, morbidities and mortalities following its use, and to create a clinical awareness of patients with acute airway obstruction associated with the use of BMP in cervical spinal fusion. METHODS This is a retrospective study of 260 patients who underwent cervical spinal fusion procedures with BMP from 2004-2009 and 520 patients, matched on procedure, who underwent cervical spinal fusion procedures without BMP during the same period at a tertiary care center. The two groups were compared on multiple outcome variables: hospital length of stay (LOS), costs, incidence of airway obstruction, unplanned intubations after surgery, tracheotomies, intensive care unit (ICU) admissions, hoarseness, dyspnea, respiratory failure, dysphasia and dysphagia, readmissions, and need for percutaneous endoscopic gastrostomy (PEG) tubes. All outcome variables that were binary in nature were analyzed using linear logistic regression analyses predicting use of BMP. Deaths up to 90 days post surgery were analyzed with a Cox proportional hazards model. Variables significantly related to BMP use were used as covariates in the above analyses. RESULTS Patients that underwent cervical procedures with BMP were noted to have significantly longer hospital stays (7.2 ± 11.1 days vs. 4.3 ± 5.2 days, p < 0.001), and greater costs ($129,483 versus $74,974, p < 0.001) than the control group (Table 1). Tracheotomies (Odds Ratio = 3.79, p-value = 0.021), unplanned intubations after surgery (2.81, 0.008), dysphagia (8.94, 0.001), dyspnea (2.43, 0.001), and respiratory failure (3.35, 0.001) were all significantly associated with the BMP group (Table 2 & Figure 1). In addition, hospital readmissions (1.96, 0.040), ICU admissions (3.05, 0.001), and 90 day mortality rates (Hazard Ratio = 2.44, p = 0.047) were significantly worse for the BMP group. CONCLUSIONS Acute airway obstruction in the postoperative period following cervical spine fusion using BMP is a complication of its use. Due to the degree of obstruction and difficulty with intubation postoperatively, a clinical awareness is necessary to effectively manage these patients. Collaborative efforts between the spine surgeon, anesthesia and the otolaryngologist are required for management of the complications that occur after surgery.
Central auditory system plasticity associated with speech discrimination training

A passively elicited cortical potential that reflects the brain's discrimination of small acoustic contrasts was measured in response to two slightly different speech stimuli in adult human subjects. Behavioral training in the discrimination of those speech stimuli resulted in a significant change in the duration and magnitude of the cortical potential. The results demonstrate that listening training can change the neurophysiologic responses of the central auditory system to just-perceptible differences in speech.
Polysulfone-novolac resist for electron-beam lithography: II. effects of resist formulation and processing

The goal of this work was to develop a resist material for high-keV (>=10 keV) electron beam patterning with: (1) high sensitivity (~10 (mu) C/cm2 50 keV), (2) high contrast, and (3) etch resistance comparable to current optical resists. In this work, an approach was desired that used multi-component resist design to (1) decouple sensitivity from etch performance and to improve resist contrast but (2) avoided environmental stability problems. Therefore, a resist design first proposed by researchers at IBM in the late 1980s that uses an electron beam sensitive polymeric dissolution inhibitor (poly (2-methyl-1-pentene co 2-ethoxyethyl-methallyl ether sulfone)) in conjunction with novolac resins was explored in this work. Significant advancements have been made in high performance novolac resins used for advanced I-line resist materials since the original work performed at IBM. Thus, one of the primary reasons for reinvestigating this resist design is to evaluate the performance of resists formulated using polysulfone dissolution inhibitors in conjunction with such advanced novolac resins. In this work, the basic lithographic performance of sulfone-novolac system (SNS) resists formulated using modern novolac resins was evaluated and optimized by varying the resist film preparation and development conditions.
Cytokine signals through STAT3 promote expression of granulocyte secondary granule proteins in 32D cells

Objective In a previous study, we showed that activation of a transfected human erythropoietin receptor (EPOR) in the murine myeloid cell line 32D resulted in the development of morphologic features of granulocytic differentiation and expression of the neutrophil primary granule protein myeloperoxidase. We now studied if EPOR signaling could also mediate secondary granule protein gene expression and investigated the signal transduction requirements for induction of secondary granule gene expression in 32D cells. Materials and methods Wild-type and variant 32D cells expressing normal or chimeric EPORs or receptors for granulocyte colony-stimulating factor (G-CSFRs) were stimulated with EPO or G-CSF and the expression of granulocyte-specific genes was analyzed by Northern blot analysis. To determine the signaling mechanisms required for secondary granule protein gene induction, the activation of STAT pathways following growth factor stimulation was studied by Western blot analysis. Results We found that EPO treatment of 32D cells engineered to express EPOR did not result in induction of the secondary granule protein genes encoding lactoferrin and 24p3 lipocalin, the mouse homolog of human N-Gal, or the myeloid transcription factor C/EBPe. Replacement of the intracellular domain of EPOR with the intracellular domain of G-CSFR in a chimeric receptor was associated with EPO-mediated induction of lactoferrin, 24p3 lipocalin, and C/EBPe genes. We found that STAT3 phosphorylation was mediated by the intracellular domain of G-CSFR, but not EPOR. Replacement of one or two of the STAT5 binding sites in the intracytoplasmic domain of the EPOR with STAT3 binding sites resulted in EPO-mediated STAT3 activation and a marked increase in the expression of the 24p3 lipocalin gene. Knockdown of STAT3 protein levels with siRNA caused significant decrease in 24p3 lipocalin gene induction. Conclusion These results indicate that EPOR signaling cannot substitute for G-CSFR signaling to stimulate secondary granule protein gene expression in 32D cells. In addition, STAT3 is a critical mediator of 24p3 lipocalin gene expression in these cells.
Deviant Research: Deception, Male Internet Escorts, and Response Rates

Some social scientists who study deviant groups assume that it is necessary to use deception in order to avoid the bias associated with the decision of some subjects to not participate in such studies. Selective non-participation can lead to low response rates and, thereby, adversely affect the representativeness of the sample. This study directly tests for a differential in response rates to data gathered from an e-mail request for information on male-for-male escort fees sent by a sociologist with data gathered from an e-mail that appeared to be from a potential client asking for rates. Response rates for the social science and “client” e-mails are 15% and 60%, respectively.
A large scale manual production of [18F]FDG using a synthetic unit made of sterile disposable components and operated by a master slave manipulator

A self contained, Master Slave Manipulator operated and largely disposable apparatus for the large scale production of [18F]FDG using nucleophilic fluorination methodology has been developed. The synthetic unit consists of readily available sterile disposable components and is easy to assemble. Operation of the synthetic unit is carried out in a hot cell under a closed system to minimize radiation exposure to personnel. Recovery of [18O]water by direct distillation from the reaction vial makes the system even more attractive. Normal production runs yield 25–150 mCi of [18F]FDG. Since no manual handling of radioactivity is involved, a scaled up production is feasible by this procedure. Synthesis is based on the nucleophilic fluorination of 1.3.4.6-tetra-O-acetyl-2-O-trifluoromethanesulfonyl-β-d-mannopyranose (tetraacetyl precursor). We have avoided the use of any permanent electrical liquid transfer devices in our system, thereby eliminating the possibility of pyrogen build up. An in-house radiopharmaceutical program to check the sterility and apyrogenicity of the short-lived radiopharmaceuticals is an added convenience at our institution.
Axon-myelin interactions during a viral infection of the central nervous system.

Theiler's virus offers a remarkable example of a pathogen that navigates the various cells of the organism to evade immune responses and establish a persistent infection. Here, we discuss the transition from neuron to myelin and oligodendrocyte infection, a step that is crucial for the persistence of this virus in the central nervous system (CNS). CNS myelin is an extension of the cytoplasmic membrane of oligodendrocytes wrapped numerous times around axons. An oligodendrocyte sends many such extensions and can myelinate up to 50 different axons. Myelinated axon segments are separated by short unmyelinated regions called nodes of Ranvier. Cytoplasm is totally extruded from myelin except in areas where it forms channels that are in continuity with the oligodendrocyte cell body. These channels form the so-called ad-axonal inner loop and the paranodal loops at the level of the nodes of Ranvier. Inner and paranodal loops are in close contact with the axon membrane (Figure 1). (For a review of myelin and node organization, see [1].) Figure 1 Diagrammatic view of CNS myelin.
Effect of pH on the reaction of tris(2,2'-bipyridyl)ruthenium(III) with amino-acids: Implications for their detection.

Abstract A new technique for the detection of amino-acids is described, which is based on their chemiluminescence reaction with tris(2,2′-bipyridyl)ruthenium(III). The pH-dependence of this reaction has been investigated and found to be the key experimental parameter in application of this reaction as a detection technique. The chemiluminescence emission obtained is maximal at pH values higher than the N-terminal amino group pKa of the amino-acid. The background reaction between the ruthenium reagent and hydroxide ion does not occur with the same efficiency as the amino-acid reaction and the optimum signal to noise ratio is obtained at pH 10. A limit of detection of 30 picomole was found for valine and the response was shown to be linear over two orders of magnitude.
Effects of altitude on endogenous carboxyhemoglobin levels.

The effects of carbon monoxide (CO) on blood carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) levels, though well studied at sea level, have not been investigated in populations at altitude. COHb levels were measured in laboratory rats following 6 wk exposure to either clean air or air containing 9 ppm CO at ambient altitude (3300 ft), 10,000 ft, or 15,000 ft simulated high altitude. In animals breathing clean air, COHb levels increased with increasing altitude from 0.68 +/- 0.09% at 3300 ft to 1.16 +/- 0.28% and 1.68 +/- 0.14%, respectively, at 10,000 and 15,000 ft. The relationship between COHb levels and increasing altitude is linear with a correlation coefficient of 0.90 (p less than .001). In animals breathing 9 ppm CO, COHb levels also increased with increasing altitude from 0.99 +/- 0.06% at 3300 ft to 1.77 +/- 0.17% and 2.10 +/- 0.08%, respectively, at 10,000 and 15,000 ft. The relationship between COHb levels and increasing altitude in animals breathing CO is also linear with a correlation coefficient of .92 (p less than .001). These data indicate that, compared with animals at sea level, animals at altitude have an increased body burden of COHb and will attain the COHb level associated with the National Ambient Air Quality Standard for CO more quickly when breathing CO.
Barriers that define a genre of shared decision making in palliative care communication

Although shared decision making (SDM) is advocated and adopted widely in the American healthcare system, SDM can be strained and even avoided when medical decisions involve end-of-life care – particularly the decision to forgo life-saving treatment for palliative care. While palliative care has been shown to benefit patients, current research points to failed communication among patients, their families, their physicians, and other caregivers as a reason why palliative care is underutilized. This paper reviews literature that describes the cultural, social, and cognitive barriers to successful SDM in palliative care communication and further addresses institutional barriers that prevent this genre of risk communication from being utilized. Rhetorical genre theory is used as an analytical lens for viewing the barriers that must be addressed to create a rhetorical situation in which all involved in end-of-life decision making can fully participate.
Replenishment rates of crustal magma and their bearing on potential sources of thermal energy

Abstract A general model of magma intrusion into the crust is developed which is based on a viscous-dissipation, forced-convection flow process driven by gravitational-buoyancy forces. Although some of the points in this general model have been studied before, it is possible with the present model to go further and calculate magma volumetric intrusion rates from fundamental properties and parameters. Equations for forced convection in a conduit with viscous dissipation are combined with results for the temperature dependence of magma viscosity. The volumetric intrusion rate is shown to be not a function of viscosity as might be expected, but rather a function primarily of the rate of change of viscosity with temperature. The model predictions for intrusion rate correlate well with field results for several sites where data exist for both intrusion or extrusion rate and for the temperature-dependent behavior of magma viscosity. The model predicts magma chamber replenishment rates equivalent to thermal energy rates on the order 10 GW (gigawatts) for a single active magma site. Assuming active magma sites on a 50-km spacing along volcanic lineaments leads to an estimate of a renewable magma intrusion rate into the crust of the western U.S. on the order of 2 TW (terawatts).
The use (and misuse) of archaeological salmon data to infer historical abundance in North America with a focus on New England

Information about historical animal or plant abundance often either explicitly or implicitly informs current conservation practice. If it can be shown that an organism was not historically abundant in a region, its conservation importance may be downgraded. In contrast to abundant archaeological support for historic importance of salmon in the Pacific Northwest, historic abundance of Atlantic salmon in New England has been called into question based on the rarity of salmon bones in archaeological sites. These data have been used to argue that the importance of salmon to the region has been exaggerated and that expensive restoration efforts in some rivers should be reconsidered. Here, we argue that lack of archaeological bone fragment abundance does not make a convincing case against historical Atlantic salmon abundance in New England for three primary reasons. First, salmon bones were rare or absent at sites that still have large salmon runs. Second, the lack of salmonid bones in general at archaeological sites suggests poor preservation and/or recovery of bone for these species relative to bones of other fishes. Third, given the presence of large numbers of non-salmonid anadromous fish in the site areas where people fished and deposited fish bones, power to detect salmon bones in studies to date may have been generally low. We present reliable historical accounts that help build a convincing case that salmon were historically abundant in New England rivers. We suggest that rarity of salmon bones in the existing archaeological data should not have unwarranted influence on present-day conservation decision-making in New England.
Liver involvement in giant cell arteritis

A patient with biopsy-proven temporal arteritis with striking liver “function” test abnormalities is reported. A liver biopsy revealed cholestasis and nonspecific granuloma formation. The patient's elevated alkaline phosphatase, SGOT, and SGPT rapidly normalized with prednisone therapy. An additional 22 patients with biopsy-proven temporal arteritis were reviewed, disclosing that 14 of 21 (67%) had alkaline phosphatase elevation and that 8 of 21 (37%) had an elevated SGOT. The association of temporal arteritis and liver disease is not well known, and the presence of liver function test aberrations may postpone the correct diagnosis as happened in this case. We conclude that abnormal liver “function” tests, particularly alkaline phosphatase elevation, is common in temporal arteritis and reflects a systemic process with liver cell injury and cholestasis.
Multiple Cholesterol Recognition/Interaction Amino Acid Consensus (CRAC) Motifs in Cytosolic C Tail of Slo1 Subunit Determine Cholesterol Sensitivity of Ca2+- and Voltage-gated K+ (BK) Channels

Large conductance, Ca2+- and voltage-gated K+ (BK) channel proteins are ubiquitously expressed in cell membranes and control a wide variety of biological processes. Membrane cholesterol regulates the activity of membrane-associated proteins, including BK channels. Cholesterol modulation of BK channels alters action potential firing, colonic ion transport, smooth muscle contractility, endothelial function, and the channel alcohol response. The structural bases underlying cholesterol-BK channel interaction are unknown. Such interaction is determined by strict chemical requirements for the sterol molecule, suggesting cholesterol recognition by a protein surface. Here, we demonstrate that cholesterol action on BK channel-forming Cbv1 proteins is mediated by their cytosolic C tail domain, where we identified seven cholesterol recognition/interaction amino acid consensus motifs (CRAC4 to 10), a distinct feature of BK proteins. Cholesterol sensitivity is provided by the membrane-adjacent CRAC4, where Val-444, Tyr-450, and Lys-453 are required for cholesterol sensing, with hydrogen bonding and hydrophobic interactions participating in cholesterol location and recognition. However, cumulative truncations or Tyr-to-Phe substitutions in CRAC5 to 10 progressively blunt cholesterol sensitivity, documenting involvement of multiple CRACs in cholesterol-BK channel interaction. In conclusion, our study provides for the first time the structural bases of BK channel cholesterol sensitivity; the presence of membrane-adjacent CRAC4 and the long cytosolic C tail domain with several other CRAC motifs, which are not found in other members of the TM6 superfamily of ion channels, very likely explains the unique cholesterol sensitivity of BK channels.
Proactive Interference Slows Recognition by Eliminating Fast Assessments of Familiarity.

Abstract The response-signal speed–accuracy tradeoff (SAT) procedure was used to investigate how proactive interference (PI) affects retrieval from working memory. Participants were presented with 6-item study lists, followed immediately by a recognition probe. A variant of a release from PI design was used: All items in a list were from the same semantic category (e.g., fruits), and the category was changed (e.g., tools) after three consecutive trials with the same category. Analysis of the retrieval functions demonstrated that PI decreased asymptotic accuracy and, crucially, also decreased the growth of accuracy over retrieval time, indicating that PI slowed retrieval speed. Analysis of false alarms to recent negatives (lures drawn from the previous study list) and distant negatives (lures not studied for 168+ trials) suggests that PI slowed retrieval by selectively eliminating fast assessments based on familiarity. There was no evidence indicating that PI affected slow processes involved with the recovery of detailed episodic information.
Progesterone receptor genotype, family history, and spontaneous preterm birth

OBJECTIVE: To examine whether women with a personal or family history of preterm birth are more likely to have genetic variation in the human progesterone receptor (hPR). METHODS: Women with a singleton preterm birth at less than 37 weeks of gestation between 2002 and 2006 were identified from a prospectively collected clinical and biologic obstetric database (cases). Women in the control group were those with only term deliveries at or above 38 weeks of gestation. The Utah Population Database was queried for family history (first- or seconddegree relative) of preterm birth. DNA was extracted from stored buffy coats and genotyped for six single nucleotide polymorphisms in the hPR. RESULTS: One hundred fifty-four patients (92 women in the preterm case group, 62 women in the term control group) were included. All were white or Hispanic. There were no statistical differences between white and Hispanic allele frequencies. Women in the preterm case group were more likely to carry the minor allele, G (minor allele frequency 0.29 compared with 0.18, P.035) for rs471767, and were more likely to carry the GT haplotype across rs471767 and rs578029 compared with women in the term control group. Similar haplotype block variation was seen among women with preterm birth plus a family history of preterm birth. CONCLUSION: Allele and haplotype frequencies in the hPR are significantly different among women with preterm birth and women with preterm birth plus a family history of preterm birth. This suggests the hPR gene may be a candidate for association with preterm birth or familial preterm birth. (Obstet Gynecol 2010;115:765–70) LEVEL OF EVIDENCE: III
Role of the medullary raphe nuclei in the respiratory response to CO2

We characterized the role of neurons within the midline of the medulla oblongata on phrenic and hypoglossal nerve responses to hypercapnia during early-development. Studies were performed on decorticate or anesthetized; vagotomized and mechanically ventilated 14-20 day old piglets. Reversible withdrawal of midline neuronal activity was induced by microinjections of lidocaine (2%, 300 nl; n = 10) and lesioning was caused by microinjections of the neurotoxic agent, ibotenic acid (n = 12), at the same sites. At any given end-tidal CO2, peak phrenic and hypoglossal activities after lidocaine were significantly lower than in the control period (P < 0.01). Similarly, 1-2 h after injections of ibotenic acid, both phrenic and hypoglossal nerve responses to CO2 were significantly lower than in the control period (P < 0.01). The results indicate for the first time that the medullary midline neurons are required for full expression of ventilatory responses to hypercapnia and raise the possibility that dysfunction of these nuclei may contribute to respiratory instability during early postnatal life.
Image reconstruction from limited-angle range projections

This paper describes a new approach for reconstructing images from a finite number of projections. The rayintegrals of the image f ( x, y ) are transformed uniquely into the ray-sums of the discrete image f n,m on the Cartesian lattice. This transformation allows for calculating the tensor representation of the discrete image, when the image is considered as the sum of direction images, or splitting-signals carrying the spectral information of the image at frequency-points of different subsets that cover the Cartesian lattice. These subsets are intersected and this property of redundancy is used to reduce the angular range of projections. The proposed approach is presented for parallel projections and the continuous model. Preliminary results show very good results of image reconstruction when the angular range scanned is 27° and down to 10°.