cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Vulnerabilidad y retribución: hacia una estética de la cuentística de Xavier Vargas Pardo

The book Cefero (1961), by Xavier Vargas Pardo, remained unattended by critics until recent years. Reviews right after its publication emphasized its particular use of the rural speech from central Mexico, while contemporary approaches have favored interpretations of the violent deeds described in the eleven short stories of the volume. Next to this violence, another element in the book emerges as a necessary correlative: characters’ vulnerability. This article offers a critical revalorization of Vargas Pardo’s book through the analysis of the conditions of vulnerability in the characters who are both subjects and/or perpetrators of the violence, as well as the acts of retribution by non-human agents who offer an unexpected balance to the absence of justice dominating the book from Michoacan.
Social support as a moderator between the perception of the disease and stress level in lung cancer patients

Introduction Many studies attempt to explain the relationship between living in highly industrialized societies and the development of various diseases among people. Nowadays, the incidence of lung cancer is increasing worldwide. This is a highly stressful situation, both psychologically and physically. The study investigates the variable of social support and its moderating role between stress level and the perception of the disease among patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Objective The aim of the study was to verify the hypothesis that there is a correlation between the subjective appraisal of one's disease and the level of stress, as well as the hypothesis that social support is a moderator between the perception of the disease and stress level in patients diagnosed with lung cancer. Material and methods The study involved 97 respondents diagnosed with lung cancer - 50 men and 47 women. The following methods were used for the study: the Disease-Related Appraisals Scale, the Disease-Related Social Support Scale, and the Perceived Stress Scale. Socio-demographic data were also collected. Results The results show that informational support may increase the level of perceived stress in lung cancer patients. It can be concluded that social support fulfils its moderating function in forming a stress response to cancer. A statistically significant moderating effect was observed of social support on the relationship between the appraisal of one's disease as harmful and the stress level. Conclusions The research findings demonstrate that social support plays a substantial role. It is important to diagnose the individual specific needs of lung cancer patients concerning the support they need.
Differences in constitutive and post-methotrexate folylpolyglutamate synthetase activity in B-lineage and T-lineage leukemia

Folylpolyglutamate synthetase (FPGS) is responsible for the metabolism of natural folates and a broad range of folate antagonists to polyglutamate derivatives. Recent studies indicated increased accumulation of methotrexate (MTX) polyglutamates (MTX-PG) in blast cells as a predictor of favorable treatment outcome in childhood acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). We determined the expression of FPGS activity in blasts from children with ALL at diagnosis and after treatment with MTX as a single agent, before conventional remission induction therapy. The levels of enzyme activity in ALL blasts at diagnosis (median of 689 pmol/h/mg protein) were significantly higher (P = .003) than those found in acute nonlymphoblastic leukemia (ANLL) blasts (median of 181 pmol/h/mg protein). Comparable lineage differences in normal lymphoid versus nonlymphoid cells suggest a lineage-specific control of FPGS expression, FPGS activity increased in ALL blasts after in vivo exposure to MTX. The median increase in FPGS activity was significantly higher (P = .003) in B-lineage ALL (188%) than in T-lineage ALL (37%). Likewise, the percentage of intracellular long chain MTX-PG (Glu3–6) was significantly higher (P = .02) in B- lineage ALL (92%) than in T-lineage ALL (65%), consistent with higher FPGS activity in B-lineage blasts. This finding could explain, at least in part, the superior outcome in children with B-lineage ALL treated with antimetabolite therapy.
Effect of membrane cholesterol on dynamical properties of solvent molecules

Membrane lipid composition is a critical feature of cell function, where cholesterol is a major lipid sterol component that influences the membranes physical and electrical properties. The effects of cholesterol on transport properties between adjacent to the cells, especially in junctions formed between cells is not completely understood. These junctions where substances transport and signaling is critical may be affected by modifying the cholesterol composition of the membrane in these junctional regions. Here we show how the cholesterol content in a membrane can regulate these phenomena by changing their effect on transport into and through regions between cell membranes in close proximity. Through geometric and electrostatic effects interaction with substrates, the properties of the fluid between membranes are shown to potentially enforce concentration gradients of dissolved compounds that may be biologically significant.
An intact complement system dampens cornea inflammation during acute primary HSV-1 infection.

Corneal transparency is an essential characteristic necessary for normal vision. In response to microbial infection, the integrity of the cornea can become compromised as a result of the inflammatory response and the ensuing tissue pathology including neovascularization (NV) and collagen lamellae destruction. We have previously found complement activation contributes to cornea pathology-specifically, denervation in response to HSV-1 infection. Therefore, we investigated whether the complement system also played a role in HSV-1-mediated neovascularization. Using wild type (WT) and complement component 3 deficient (C3 KO) mice infected with HSV-1, we found corneal NV was accelerated associated with an increase in inflammatory monocytes (CD11b+CCR2+CD115+/−Ly6G−Ly6Chigh), macrophages (CD11b+CCR2+CD115+Ly6G−Ly6Chigh) and a subpopulation of granulocytes/neutrophils (CD11b+CCR2−CD115+Ly6G+Ly6Clow). There were also increases in select pro-inflammatory and pro-angiogenic factors including IL-1α, matrix metalloproteinases (MMP)-2, MMP-3, MMP-8, CXCL1, CCL2, and VEGF-A that coincided with increased inflammation, neovascularization, and corneal opacity in the C3 KO mice. The difference in inflammation between WT and C3 KO mice was not driven by changes in virus titer. However, viral antigen clearance was hindered in C3 KO mouse corneas suggesting the complement system has a dynamic regulatory role within the cornea once an inflammatory cascade is initiated by HSV-1.
Genetic fuzzy-based method for training two independent robots to perform a cooperative task

When two skilled human workers cooperate on a task, such as moving a sofa through a tight doorway, they often infer what needs to be done without explicit communication because they have learned cooperation skills from their prior work or training. This paper extends that concept to a two-robot team. The robots are given the task to carry a large payload through a narrow doorway while avoiding obstacles within the room. System dynamics and sensor noise were included in the study. Each robot is independently controlled with the knowledge of the goal location, its own position, and the pose of the payload. The decentralized control uses a Genetic Fuzzy System for each robot to learn its own decision-making skill through a training process without a pre-planned motion trajectory. The introduction of a genetic algorithm adds efficiency to the process of determining the shape of the fuzzy logic membership functions by using an evolutionary search algorithm to tune each parameter in the fuzzy system simultaneously. The contribution of this paper is to illustrate how genetic training can tune a simple, decentralized Fuzzy Logic System based on a given scenario and then be used, unaltered, for a scenario beyond that for which it was trained. The extended scenarios introduce unknown obstacles, new sizes and mass properties for the robots and payload, and random initial positions. The effectiveness of this approach for a 2D case is determined by dynamic simulation with results starting at a 95% success rate for the baseline scenario and 84% for the scenario that was extended furthest from how it was originally trained.
A Study on Software Bugs in Unmanned Aircraft Systems

Control firmware in unmanned aircraft systems (UAS) manage the subsystems for in-flight dynamics, navigation and aircraft sensors. Computer systems on-board the aircraft and on gateway machines can now support rich features in the control firmware, such as GPS-driven waypoint missions and autonomy. However, the source code behind control firmware can harbor software bugs whose symptoms are detectable only during flight. Often, software bugs in UAS have serious symptoms that lead to dangerous situations. We studied previously reported bugs in the open-source repositories of ArduPilot and PX4, two widely used control firmware for UAS, and characterized their root causes, severity and position in the firmware architecture. Even though both platforms have employed rigorous software engineering practices, bugs were common and often had severe symptoms (e.g., crashes.) In particular, bugs associated with mishandling aircraft sensor readings were the leading cause for bug-induced crashes. Finally, we used simulation to study the symptoms of sensor bugs and found that source code repositories under reported their frequency and impact. Our study motivates multiple research directions on software reliability in UAS firmware.
Tax Ethics in the Rashba’s Responsa to Saragossa

Rashba’s responsum III:406 relates to a dispute between the Saragossa Jewish community and taxpayer Reuven, whose daughter married an out-towner within the city but then subsequently emigrated without paying the exit tax. The community, which had enacted an ordinance to tax dowries of offspring who exit the city, sought to recover an exit tax. The taxpayer (Reuven) argued that the technical language of the ordinance applied only if the wedding took place outside of the city and exempts weddings that took place in the city even if the newlyweds later departed. We derive three lessons on tax ethics and policy from the Rashba’s responsum. First, the tax code should be applied based on its spirit, as determined by the application of precedence, not by an exact technical reading of its language. Second, a taxpayer is blameless for taking advantage of a valid loophole, even if the application of the loophole does not conform with the intent of the tax code. Third, a taxpayer is blameless when another party to a transaction engages in inappropriate tax evasion. This is the case even if the structure of the transaction contributed to the evasion. We show that similar conclusions were reached by U.S. Judge Learned Hand seven centuries after the Rashba.
The prevention and treatment of detrimental effects in the psychosocial environment

This chapter poses the question as to what mobilizes the defenses standing between distressful life changes and emotional arousal with its accompanying neuroendocrine disturbances. In formalizing a schedule of life changes, Holmes and Rahe (1967) and more recently Rahe (1976) have defined a series of categories, such as work, home, family, personal, social, and financial. For example, a major health change demanding defenses could be massive burns or quadriplegia from a broken neck. Or a work change could be a new job, bringing a man under the control of an excessively dominating personality and an unfamiliar social order. Or the death of someone close, such as a spouse, could induce severe changes in home and family life. A change in personal or social affairs could be the decision to become engaged to marry—an abandonment of other intimate relationships—whereas, a change in financial status could be the loss of salary following loss of employment.
The Splintered Divine: A Study of Istar, Baal, and Yahweh Divine Names and Divine Multiplicity in the Ancient Near East

This book investigates the issue of the singularity versus the multiplicity of ancient Near Eastern deities who are known by a common first name but differentiated by their last names, or geographic epithets. It focuses primarily on the Istar divine names in Mesopotamia, Baal names in the Levant, and Yahweh names in Israel, and it is structured around four key questions: How did the ancients define what it meant to be a god - or more pragmatically, what kind of treatment did a personality or object need to receive in order to be considered a god by the ancients? Upon what bases and according to which texts do modern scholars determine when a personality or object is a god in an ancient culture? In what ways are deities with both first and last names treated the same and differently from deities with only first names? Under what circumstances are deities with common first names and different last names recognizable as distinct independent deities, and under what circumstances are they merely local manifestations of an overarching deity? The conclusions drawn about the singularity of local manifestations versus the multiplicity of independent deities are specific to each individual first name examined in accordance with the data and texts available for each divine first name.
Van Hove exciton-cageons and high-Tc superconductivity: IX. Dynamic orthorhombic phase with splitting of density-of-states peaks

Abstract The low-temperature orthorhombic (LTO) phase transition in La 2− x Sr x CuO 4 has been interpreted as a dynamic Jahn-Teller (JT) effect, with an octahedral tilt splitting the degeneracy of the two van Hove singularities. An explicit model of the LTO phase has been constructed as a soliton lattice: an array of domain walls separating regions of local low-temperature tetragonal (LTT) symmetry, but with a macroscopic average orthorhombic symmetry (‘orthons’). In this paper, the band structure is calculated for the simplest commensurate orthon superlattices, and it is shown that the degeneracy of the two van Hove singularities is broken in this phase. A similar splitting of the peak in the density of states (dos) is found for a CPA calculation of an arbitrary dynamic JT state. This splitting is essential to an understanding of the competition between structural instability and superconductivity in these materials. A third (unsplit) dos peak is also found, suggesting that the present model also provides a basis for explaining nanoscale phase disorder in these materials.
Superconducting and normal state properties of Y1−xMxBa2Cu3O7−δ (M=Pr, Na)

Superconducting and normal state properties of compounds in the series Y1−xMxBa2Cu3O7−δ for 0 ≤ × ≤ 1 and Y1−xMxBa2Cu3O7−δ in the limited region of solubility 0 ≤ × ≤ 0.5 have been investigated by means of X-ray diffraction, electrical resistivity ϱ, and magnetic susceptibility χ measurements. For both systems, the superconducting transition temperature Tc decreases monotonically with the Pr or Na concentration x. The temperature T coefficient of the normal state electrical resistivity α ≡ (1/ϱ)∂ϱ/∂T changes from positive to negative at x ≈ 0.4 for Pr and x ≈ 0.2 for Na. Magnetic susceptibility χ vs T data indicate a mixed valent state for the Pr substitutions with an effective magnetic moment μeff≈ 2.7 μB per Pr ion and the gradual development of magnetic moment for Na substitutions that attains a value μeff ≈ 3 μB per Na ion in the range 0.2 ≤ × ≤ 0.5, although the Na+ ions are presumably nonmagnetic. The depression of Tc in both systems is probably due to the fact that the Pr and Na ions are not trivalent in the orthorhombic YBa2Cu3O7− δ structure (the valence of Pr apparently lies between 3+ and 4+, while the valence of Na is 1+).
Fundamental Research to Support Direct Phase-Resolved Simulation of Nonlinear Ocean Wavefield Evolution

Abstract : Fundamental research was performed in support of the development of a new generation of wave prediction capability, which is call SNOW (simulation of nonlinear ocean wavefield), for the evolution of large-scale realistic ocean surface and internal wavefields using direct phase-resolved simulations. Large-scale phase-resolved SNOW simulations of nonlinear wavefield evolutions are obtained and used to quantify and understand nonlinear ocean wave statistics and rogue wave kinematics/dynamics and to evaluate the validity and effectiveness of the existing phase-averaged wave prediction tools.
Magnetic domain-wall velocity enhancement induced by a transverse magnetic field

Abstract Spin dynamics of field-driven domain walls (DWs) guided by permalloy nanowires are studied by high-speed magneto-optic polarimetry and numerical simulations. DW velocities and spin configurations are determined as functions of longitudinal drive field, transverse bias field, and nanowire width. Nanowires having cross-sectional dimensions large enough to support vortex wall structures exhibit regions of drive-field strength (at zero bias field) that have enhanced DW velocity resulting from coupled vortex structures that suppress oscillatory motion. Factor of 10 enhancements of the DW velocity are observed above the critical longitudinal drive-field (that marks the onset of oscillatory DW motion) when a transverse bias field is applied. Nanowires having smaller cross-sectional dimensions that support transverse wall structures also exhibit a region of higher mobility above the critical field, and similar transverse-field induced velocity enhancement but with a smaller enhancement factor. The bias-field enhancement of DW velocity is explained by numerical simulations of the spin distribution and dynamics within the propagating DW that reveal dynamic stabilization of coupled vortex structures and suppression of oscillatory motion in the nanowire conduit resulting in uniform DW motion at high speed. The enhanced velocity and drive field range are achieved at the expense of a less compact DW spin distribution.
Hearing sensitivity in rural Michigan

In a survey of the hearing sensitivity of a rural mid-Michigan population, 1,325 adults over 15 years of age received pure tone air conduction tests in a “mini” IAC room housed in a small trailer. In addition, a detailed questionnaire was administered to each person to obtain information about his exposure to noise vocationally and avocationally, family history of hearing loss, etc. Results indicated that, on the average, individuals displayed hearing losses considerably greater than was predicted on the basis of presbycusis alone. Also, people who had never had any industrial noise exposure had thresholds almost as poor as those who had worked in factories. These findings are discussed in view of the subject's exposure to various types of nonoccupational noise such as snowmobiles and motorcycles.
Importance of RNA-protein interactions in bacterial ribonuclease P structure and catalysis

Ribonuclease P (RNase P) is a ribonucleoprotein (RNP) complex that catalyzes the metal-dependent maturation of the 5 0 end of precursor tRNAs (pre-tRNAs) in all organisms. RNase P is comprised of a catalytic RNA (P RNA), and at least one essential protein (P protein). Although P RNA is the catalytic subunit of the enzyme and is active in the absence of P protein under high salt concentrations in vitro, the protein is still required for enzyme activity in vivo. Therefore, the function of the P protein and how it interacts with both P RNA and pre- tRNA have been the focus of much ongoing research. RNA-protein interactions in RNase P serve a number of critical roles in the RNP including stabilizing the structure, and enhancing the affinity for substrates and metal ions. This review examines the role of RNA-protein interactions in bacterial RNase P from both structural and mechanistic perspectives. # 2007 Wiley Periodicals,
A Salmonella frameshift suppressor that acts at runs of a residues in the messenger RNA

Abstract A Salmonella mutation is described that suppresses + 1 frameshift mutations in runs of A residues in the messenger RNA. The suppressor mutation is dominant and maps very close to the nag locus at minute 15 of the Salmonella chromosome. A lysine transfer RNA is known to map very close to this position. Since the frameshift suppressor appears allelic to a nonsense suppressor (UA(A/G)), it seems likely that the suppressor will prove to affect lysine tRNA (AA(A/G)).
Encoding verbal information as unique numbers

The representation of verbal information as single numbers using APL functions can optimize main storage, peripheral storage, and data transmission. Presented in tutorial form are the concepts of the encoding and decoding process. Applications including text processing and instructional systems are also discussed.
openPipeline: teaching and implementing animation production pipelines in an academic setting

Organization and collaboration are key components to creating a successful animated film. Every studio implements a pipeline for how they will complete their film both from the point of view of planning and scheduling, and how they will manage their data across the length of production and across artists. The openPipeline project is an attempt to create a production pipeline framework specification and tool set to both educate and empower student and independent animated film production. Students often overlook issues such as production trees, automatic file naming, revision control, collaborative notes, and scene population. These ideas are all critical components to commercial production studios and valuable to the student and independent production.
Test‐retest reliability of the eating disorder examination

Objective The purpose of this investigation was to determine the test-retest reliability of the Eating Disorder Examination (EDE). Method This study examined the test-retest and interrater reliability of the EDE in 20 adult women with a range of eating disorder symptoms. Trained assessors administered the EDE to participants on two separate occasions, ranging from 2 to 7 days apart. Results Test-retest correlations were .7 or greater for all subscales and measures of eating disorder behaviors except for subjective bulimic episodes and subjective bulimic days. Interrater reliability was uniformly high with correlations above .9. Discussion Results provide further support for the reliability of the EDE, but suggest that smaller binge episodes may not be reliable indicators of eating pathology. © 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Int J Eat Disord 28: 311–316, 2000.
TWO NEW SPECIES OF TAYLORIELLA (RHODOMELACEAE, RHODOPHYTA) FROM THE NORTHEASTERN NORTH PACIFIC1

Two new species are recognized in the rhodomelacean genus Tayloriella Kylin: T. divaricata sp. nov. and T. abyssalis sp. nov. These two taxa are distributed in the northeastern North Pacific, the former ranging from Amchitka Island in the Aleutians through southcentral Alaska to northern British Columbia, and the latter ranging also from Amchitka Island through southcentral Alaska and British Columbia into northern Washington. A characteristic of these two species shared with the type of Tayloriella is that the abaxial lateral always overtops the monopodially developed axes in every order of branching. The laterals have little congenital fusion with the parent axes. A common feature in these two species is that the laterals are terminated in a relatively long monosiphonous portion (usually 6 or 7 cells). The relationship of Tayloriella to Pterosiphonia and Pterosiphoniella is discussed.
Factor Analysis of the Need for Cognition

A large group of students in the liberal arts and sciences responded to a questionnaire consisting of 293 true-false items. The majority of the items dealt with various aspects of cognition and a minority were buffer items. A factor analysis yielded 12 factors which were used to construct scales to measure sub-needs of cognitive motivation. Seven of the 12 scales discriminated significantly between more and less intellectual students. These seven were: Vigorous Carhexis for Theories and Relationships; a “Cognitive Bookworm” dimension; Social Anti-intellectualism; Religious Anti-intellectualism; Incurious Dependence; Shortcut, Observant, Hardheaded Approach to Knowledge; and Practical Minded (Non-cognitive) Acceptance of Others.
Determination of the Elastic Constants of Inhomogeneous Materials with X-Ray Diffraction

Abstract Experimental determination of the elastic constants is of fundamental importance in residual stress analysis with X-rays. Such constants are usually termed “X-ray elastic constants”. In certain materials, changes have been observed in these elastic constants as a result of plastic deformation. However, since for some of these cases the d versus sin 2 ψ plots used in the analysis were not linear as predicted by theory, but oscillatory, the meaning of these variations was not fully understood. In this paper the meaning of X-ray elastic constants obtained from materials with oscillatory d versus sin 2 ψ plots is examined. It is shown that X-ray diffraction analysis is a powerful tool that can be used to determine the “effective elastic constants” of the material under investigation, even when the material is inhomogeneous.
DNA Methyltransferase Inhibition in Normal Human Fibroblasts Induces a p21-dependent Cell Cycle Withdrawal

Maintenance of methylation patterns in the mammalian genome by DNA (cytosine-5) methyltransferases (DNAMeTase) is required for normal cell and tissue function. Inhibition of DNAMeTase in cultured cells induces the expression of p21, a cyclin-dependent kinase (Cdk) inhibitor critical for cells to enter replicative senescence. We investigated the effects of DNAMeTase inhibition in normal human fibroblasts and found that it induces an irreversible growth arrest. Cells arrested by DNAMeTase inhibition became enlarged and had a flat morphology, exhibited an increased expression of collagenase and p21, and the DNA synthesis block could be overcome by the introduction of the SV40 large T antigen, all characteristics of senescent cells. In contrast, normal human fibroblasts lacking a functional p21 gene fail to undergo cell cycle arrest following DNAMeTase inhibition, indicating that p21 is an essential component of this arrest. Furthermore, DNAMeTase activity was reduced as cells approached the end of their proliferative potential. These data suggest that DNAMeTase could be an integral part of the mechanisms by which cells count the number of cell divisions completed and initiate a signaling cascade that ultimately results in the senescent phenotype.
Lyme disease: an update.

Lyme disease is a multisystem illness caused by the spirochete Borrelia burgdorferi, and it is the most common vector-borne illness in the United States. Lyme disease is also endemic in Europe and Asia. There have been major advances in the field since the disease was first described, including the sequencing of the B. burgdorferi genome; an increase in understanding of the interactions among the spirochete, the tick, and the mammalian host; new and improved laboratory tests; and a vaccine for prevention of the disease. Still, the diagnosis of Lyme disease remains based on history and clinical findings, supplemented by careful use of laboratory tests, and requires that the physician be familiar with the disease’s clinical manifestations and the shortcomings of the available diagnostic tests.
Achieving synchrony: A foundational dimension of intercultural communication competence

Abstract A substantial amount of research evidence exists to indicate that, synchrony, a state of symmetric or complementary nonverbal configurations and rhythms in face-to-face interactions, engenders a cohesive and cooperative communicative relationship between interactants. This theoretical essay examines the pertinent literature in psychology, anthropology, and communication to observe that: (a) synchrony is a universal phenomenon rooted in both biopsychological and sociocultural forces of entrainment; (b) differences in cultural synchronic systems render at least some level of stress-producing dyssynchrony in intercultural interactions; and (c) the challenge of dyssynchrony, in turn, presents an opportunity for individual communicators to initiate and facilitate synchrony in their intercultural interactions. Based on these observations, the author argues that a person's ability to foster synchrony is a basic dimension of intercultural communication competence, and explicates four theorems in which two categories of communication behaviors, individuation and consonance, and two identity orientations, inclusivity and security, are identified as key factors contributing to an individual's ability to foster intercultural synchrony.
Precision microfabrication with Q-switched CO 2 lasers

This paper presents a new CO 2 laser technology for precision microfabrication applications. The laser produces short (microsecond) pulses at very high pulse repetition frequencies (PRFs). In contrast, most commercial CO 2 -laser micromachining applications employ one of two type of CO 2 lasers: RF-excited with external pulse modulation, and TEA lasers. The laser technology presented here produces pulses sharing some of the characteristics of the TEA CO 2 laser, but is capable of delivering them at much higher PRFs (20-100 kHz). Microfabrication applications to date are primarily microdrilling in common electronic circuit board and IC packaging materials, including unreinforced, glass-fiber reinforced, and particle-filled epoxies. These materials are processed using pulse energies lower than those generally used by conventional CO 2 laser designs, and at speeds typically 1.5 to three times as fast as achieved by conventional CO 2 laser drills.
A complete history of early christianity : Taking the heretics seriously

The heterodox have been treated unfairly within the histories of mainstream Christian tradition, whether by their ecclesiastical opponents or by recent and current scholarship. This article outlines the place of Christian Gnostic belief and practices in the processes of self-definition and institutionalization that took place within the early history of Christianity and makes a plea to reinstate the “heretics” to their rightful place in any academic discussion of the history and beliefs of Christianity.
Detection of single nucleotide polymorphisms within the Listeria genus using an 'asymmetric' fluorogenic probe set and fluorescence resonance energy transfer based-PCR.

Aims: We describe a novel and inexpensive fluorescence energy transfer (FRET)-based PCR protocol to distinguish single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) within the genus Listeria. Methods and Results: Sequence information for the 16S rRNA gene of representative Listeria species was used to design genus-specific primers and two species-specific probes that differed in sequence by one single nucleotide. The probes were 5′ labelled with either fluorescein or Texas Red, quenched with a shorter yet complementary 3′ dimethyl-amino-phenyloazo benzoic acid (DABCYL) labelled oligonucleotide, and then incorporated into a previously reported ‘asymmetric’ FRET-based PCR detection protocol. Conclusions:Listeria monocytogenes could be readily distinguished from other members of the Listeria genus after PCR amplification and measurement of endpoint fluorescence at two different wavelengths. Significance and Impact of the Study: The relatively low cost and high flexibility of this system will benefit laboratories in their efforts to develop rapid and specific methods to detect minor sequence differences between related microorganisms.
Robustness of Composite Floor Systems with Shear Connections : Modeling, Simulation, and Evaluation

This paper presents a computational investigation of the robustness of a typical concrete deck–steel beam composite floor system with simple shear connections in the event that a center column has been removed. The study provides insight into the behavior and failure modes of simple shear connections and composite floor systems comprised of such connections. Analyses of a connection subassemblage indicate that loads are primarily resisted by cable action of the beams after column loss resulting in increasing tensile forces in the beams and connections that could eventually precipitate failure. Simulation results show that the floor deck contributes significantly to the floor system response through: diaphragm action to prevent the exterior columns from being pulled inward and membrane action primarily through the reinforcement mesh and metal deck. The analyses indicate that the capacity of the analyzed floor system under the column removal scenario is significantly less than the load specified by the Gene...
Psychometric evaluation of the Timeline Followback for Exercise among college students

Abstract Objectives Two separate studies assessed the psychometric properties of a retrospective behavioral measure adapted for exercise called the Timeline Followback for Exercise (TLFB-E). Study one examined criterion, convergent, and predictive validity. Study two examined test–retest reliability. Design Validity data was collected at three time points (baseline, 2 months, and 6 months) as part of a randomized clinical trial on exercise engagement. Test-retest reliability was assessed via two participant interviews scheduled one month apart. Methods Study one participants ( N = 66) were college students 20.0 ± 1.4 yr. Validity of frequency, intensity, time, and type (FITT) of exercise as assessed on the TLFB-E was examined using Pearson r correlations with accelerometers, weekly exercise contracts between participants and researchers, question four of the College Alumni Questionnaire, and a health-related physical fitness battery. Study two participants were a different sample ( N = 40) of college students 18.63 ± 1.0 yr. Pearson r correlations determined reliability of the TLFB-E for exercise frequency, intensity, and time. Kappa statistic determined reliability of the TLFB-E for type of exercise. Results The TLFB-E displayed evidence of criterion validity when compared to accelerometers ( r = .35 to .39) and evidence of convergent validity when compared to weekly exercise contracts ( r = .65 to .80) and question four of the College Alumni Questionnaire ( r = .06 to .75). The TLFB-E displayed evidence of modest to adequate test-retest reliability ( r = .79 to .97) for exercise frequency, intensity, and time and moderate Kappa ( k = .49) for exercise type. Conclusions The TLFB-E produces evidence of reliable and valid scores among college students and improves upon other self-report, retrospective questionnaires by enabling daily collection of exercise FITT over a specified time period.
Regulation of prices and pollution under incomplete information

Abstract Regulation of prices and pollution for a monopolist with private information is considered with a focus on the relative efficiency of standard-setting and emissions taxation approaches to pollution control. With incomplete information, emissions taxation is a dominated regulatory instrument for abatement purposes because it generates information costs that can be avoided when an abatement standard and prices are set by the regulator. An emissions tax has value, however, as a means of reducing those information costs, but its use for this purpose may increase pollution.
Correlated electron states and transport in triangular arrays

We study correlated electron states in frustrated geometry of a triangular lattice. The interplay of long-range interactions and finite residual entropy of a classical system gives rise to unusual effects in equilibrium ordering as well as in transport. A correlated fluid phase is identified in a wide range of densities and temperatures above freezing into commensurate solid phases. The charge dynamics in the correlated phase is described in terms of a height field, its fluctuations, and topological defects. We demonstrate that the height field fluctuations give rise to a ``free'' charge flow and finite dc conductivity. We show that freezing into the solid phase, controlled by the long-range interactions, manifests itself in singularities of transport properties.
Disruption of the C-terminal region of EBA-175 in the Dd2/Nm clone of Plasmodium falciparum does not affect erythrocyte invasion

EBA-175 is a Plasmodium falciparum micronemal protein that binds to sialic acid in the context of the peptide backbone of glycophorin A and has been implicated in sialic acid-dependent invasion of erythrocytes. The existence of an alternative invasion pathway has been suggested by the finding that the P. falciparum clone Dd2/Nm can invade sialic acid-depleted erythrocytes. To study the role of EBA-175 in this alternative pathway, we have generated Dd2/Nm clones expressing a truncated form of EBA-175 that lacks region 6 and the cytoplasmic domain. The protein still appears to be localized to the apical end in the vicinity of the micronemes, suggesting that region 6 and the cytoplasmic domain are not involved in EBA-175 trafficking to the micronemes. In these genetically modified clones, the level of truncated EBA-175 protein expression was greatly reduced. EBA-175-disrupted clones displayed normal rates of invasion of untreated and enzyme-treated human and animal erythrocytes, suggesting a lack of involvement of EBA-175 in this alternative invasion pathway.
Cobalt(III) complexes of bidentate azotyrosine analogs.

Abstract As analogs for cobalt(III) complexes of bidentate azotyrosine in proteins, several cobalt(III) complexes of bidentate azophenols have been prepared and characterized. Tris(2-phenylazo-p-cresolato)cobalt(III) was shown to be a poor model complex for this purpose; while cobalt(III) complexes of either 2-phenylazo-p-cresol or 2-(4-carboxyphenylazo)-4,5-dimethylphenol with the linear tetradentate ligand ethylenediamine-N,N′-diacetic acid are very useful as model complexes. The complexes were characterized by magnetic susceptibility, visible spectra and 1 H NMR. In the case of one of the mixed ligand complexes, a detailed description of the stereochemistry was possible. Comparisons of the spectral characteristics of metal complexes with bidentate and tridentate azophenols are made. These model studies are essential to a program involving the site specific modification of proteins with substitution inert metal ions.
Repeated Lipopolysaccharide (LPS) or Cytokine Treatments Sensitize Ethanol Withdrawal-Induced Anxiety-Like Behavior

Previous investigations demonstrated that repeated stresses before an ethanol exposure sensitize ethanol withdrawal-induced anxiety-like behavior ('anxiety'). In addition to activating the hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal axis, acute stress also elevates cytokines in brain. Initially, to test possible cytokine involvement in this stress/withdrawal protocol, cytokines were increased in brain with 2 weekly repeated lipopolysaccharide (LPS) administrations (1000 microg/kg) [corrected] (LPS/withdrawal protocol) or with twice weekly intracerebroventricular (i.c.v.) administrations of the cytokines IL-1 beta, CCL2 (MCP-1) or TNFalpha (cytokine/withdrawal protocol) before exposure and withdrawal from a 5-day cycle of chronic ethanol diet. Both protocols sensitized withdrawal-induced anxiety and confirm cytokine involvement in the sensitized anxiety response. Testing of various doses of LPS (16-1000 microg/kg) and TNFalpha (3-100 ng, i.c.v.) demonstrated the dose-related nature of these protocols to sensitize withdrawal-induced anxiety. The sensitized anxiety was not produced by a single 5-day ethanol diet cycle or by repeated LPS or cytokine treatments alone. Likewise, sensitized anxiety in these protocols could not be attributed to differences in ethanol ingestion. When challenged with a subsequent re-exposure to a 5-day ethanol diet cycle 16 days after completion of the LPS/withdrawal or cytokine/withdrawal protocols, an increase in withdrawal-induced anxiety was observed-an indication of induction of an underlying persistent adaptive change. Finally, just as found previously with the stress/withdrawal protocol, administration of the benzodiazepine receptor antagonist flumazenil before the LPS or TNF treatments prevented anxiety sensitization. Together, these findings indicate that increased cytokine activity induces adaptive change that supports sensitization of ethanol withdrawal-induced anxiety that may be linked to GABA(A)-receptor function.
Social networks of disease spread in the lower Illinois valley: a simulation approach.

This study illustrates the use of disease modeling and simulation techniques to the study of the spread of disease within and between social networks. A Reed-Frost type model of disease spread is used to construct a simulation of the spread of tuberculosis within three prehistoric populations of the Lower Illinois River Valley during Middle Woodland, Late Woodland, and Mississippian times. A high and low population size was modeled for each time period. Late Woodland model 2 (low population estimate) is the only model that experienced pathogen extinction with host survival. The rest of the models experienced rapid and severe host population decline. The results of the simulation suggest that a social network size of between 180 and 440 persons is required under the conditions of this model for host-pathogen coexistence (i.e., endemicity) to occur. The severe population decline experienced by these populations suggests that tuberculosis as modeled here could not have existed in these populations. Future refinements of modeling and simulation techniques can provide additional insights into how disease spreads among social contacts.
OLAP with UDFs in digital libraries

Queries on digital libraries generally involve the retrieval of specific documents, but most techniques lack the ability to efficiently explore these collections. The integration of OLAP techniques with digital libraries allows users to navigate throughout these collections on multiple levels. In order to accomplish this, we propose the creation of OLAP networks, a complex data structure that contains summarized representations of the original collection of metadata to enrich traditional retrievals and allow the users to quickly explore the collection. We developed a system that enables OLAP-based exploration on the metadata of digital libraries through the use of a combination of efficient UDFs and optimized SQL queries. In addition, we also incorporated visualization methods into our system to allow fast navigation and exploration.
Observation of the Amorphous-to-Crystalline Surface Transition in Al- Al x O y Using Slow Positrons

The amorphous-to-crystalline surface transition of ${\mathrm{Al}}_{x}{\mathrm{O}}_{y}$ on the Al(111) surface is observed between 650 and 800 K with different ${\mathrm{O}}_{2}$ exposures by measuring the positronium (Ps) fraction produced by ${e}^{+}$ impinging on the surface. The data are interpreted in terms of vacancy-type defects in the film or at the metal-metal-oxide interface which as trapping sites for ${e}^{+}$ or Ps. As the ordering process proceeds to completion the trapping centers anneal out and the Ps fraction increases, showing an irreversible transition. This technique provides a new experimental method to study interfaces.
Development and application of pyrolysis gas chromatography/mass spectrometry for the analysis of bound trinitrotoluene residues in soil.

TNT (trinitrotoluene) is a contaminant of global environmental significance, yet determining its environmental fate has posed longstanding challenges. To date, only differential extraction-based approaches have been able to determine the presence of covalently bound, reduced forms of TNT in field soils. Here, we employed thermal elution, pyrolysis, and gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to distinguish between covalently bound and noncovalently bound reduced forms of TNT in soil. Model soil organic matter-based matrixes were used to develop an assay in which noncovalently bound (monomeric) aminodinitrotoluene (ADNT) and diaminonitrotoluene (DANT) were desorbed from the matrix and analyzed at a lower temperature than covalently bound forms of these same compounds. A thermal desorption technique, evolved gas analysis, was initially employed to differentiate between covalently bound and added 15N-labeled monomeric compounds. A refined thermal elution procedure, termed “double-shot analysis” (DSA), a...
Protein-RNA interactions in an icosahedral virus at 3.0 A resolution

Nearly 20 percent of the packaged RNA in bean-pod mottle virus (BPMV) binds to the capsid interior in a symmetric fashion and is clearly visible in the electron density map. The RNA displaying icosahedral symmetry is single-stranded with well-defined polarity and stereochemical properties. Interactions with protein are dominated by nonbonding forces with few specific contacts. The tertiary and quaternary structures of the BPMV capsid proteins are similar to those observed in animal picornaviruses, supporting the close relation between plant comoviruses and animal picornaviruses established by previous biological studies.
Theory of the modulus of crystalline polymers

A new theory for the elastic modulus of crystalline polymers has been developed for temperatures above the glass transition. The theory is based upon the assumption that crystallites behave as crosslinks and as a rigid filler. The shear modulus G is given by G = (dRT/Mc)F, where F is a factor giving the relative increase in modulus due to the volume of the rigid crystallites. The number-average molecular weight Mc of the amorphous sequences is calculated as a function of degree of crystallinity from copolymer theory. The theoretical values of the modulus as a function of degree of crystallinity agree reasonably well with experimental values over a wide range.
Feeding Outcomes of Extremely Premature Infants After Neonatal Care

Feeding is a primary concern for families of extremely preterm (EP) infants following discharge from neonatal care. An increasing number of EP children are being referred for treatment of feeding problems, including eating only a few types of food or very small portions, difficulty transitioning to textured foods, and refusing food. These issues have the potential for significant consequences for the children's growth and development as well as their family's well-being. An understanding of the kinds of feeding problems faced by families of EP infants can help nurses guide families to be ready for and respond to these issues. In this article, the evidence for and the nature of feeding problems in EP children after discharge from neonatal care are examined.
Laser damage precursors in fused silica

There is a longstanding, and largely unexplained, correlation between the laser damage susceptibility of optical components and both the surface quality of the optics, and the presence of near surface fractures in an optic. In the present work, a combination of acid leaching, acid etching, and confocal time resolved photoluminescence (CTP) microscopy has been used to study laser damage initiation at indentation sites. The combination of localized polishing and variations in indentation loads allows one to isolate and characterize the laser damage susceptibility of densified, plastically flowed and fractured fused silica. The present results suggest that: 1) laser damage initiation and growth are strongly correlated with fracture surfaces, while densified and plastically flowed material is relatively benign, and 2) fracture events result in the formation of an electronically defect rich surface layer which promotes energy transfer from the optical beam to the glass matrix.