cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Microfabricated Probes for Studying Brain Chemistry: A Review

Probe techniques for monitoring in vivo chemistry (e.g., electrochemical sensors and microdialysis sampling probes) have significantly contributed to a better understanding of neurotransmission in correlation to behaviors and neurological disorders. Microfabrication allows construction of neural probes with high reproducibility, scalability, design flexibility, and multiplexed features. This technology has translated well into fabricating miniaturized neurochemical probes for electrochemical detection and sampling. Microfabricated electrochemical probes provide a better control of spatial resolution with multisite detection on a single compact platform. This development allows the observation of heterogeneity of neurochemical activity precisely within the brain region. Microfabricated sampling probes are starting to emerge that enable chemical measurements at high spatial resolution and potential for reducing tissue damage. Recent advancement in analytical methods also facilitates neurochemical monitoring at high temporal resolution. Furthermore, a positive feature of microfabricated probes is that they can be feasibly built with other sensing and stimulating platforms including optogenetics. Such integrated probes will empower researchers to precisely elucidate brain function and develop novel treatments for neurological disorders.
The Pet Plant Project: Treating Plant Blindness by Making Plants Personal

“Plant blindness” is defined as the failure to appreciate the fundamental importance of plants. To address this phenomenon, we created the Pet Plant Project (P3) where students grow an unknown plant from seed, monitor development, and relate lecture concepts to their plant on a daily basis. A qualitative survey was administered and analyzed to evaluate student responses to the experience. Themes in the analysis, identified across 209 student-participants at Tennessee Tech University, included positive reinforcement of lecture material, a new-found appreciation for plants, responsibility and pride related to plant care, a continued desire to grow plants, and more. Statistical results included: 73% of students noticed plants more after the project; 76% planned to grow plants in the future; and 68% made a connection with their own plant that bolstered engagement in course materials.
State coverage metrics for specification-based testing with Büchi automata

Buchi automata have been widely used for specifying linear temporal properties of reactive systems and they are also instrumental for designing efficient model-checking algorithms. In this paper we extend specification-based testing to Buchi automata. A key question in specification-based testing is how to measure the quality (relevancy) of test cases with respect to system specification. We propose two state coverage metrics for measuring how well a test suite covers a Buchi-automaton-based requirement. We also develop test generation algorithms that use counter-example generation capability of an off-the-shelf model checker to generate test cases for the coverage criteria inferred by these metrics. In our experiment we demonstrate the feasibility and performance of the coverage criteria and test generation algorithms for these criteria. In [13] we proposed testing coverage metrics and criteria for properties in Linear Temporal Logic (LTL) and referred to the new approach as property-coverage testing. This research shares the same motivation as in [13] and it extends property-coverage testing to specifications in Buchi automata. Since automaton minimization techniques can be used to reduce the structural diversity of semantically equivalent Buchi automata, we argue that a coverage metric based on Buchi automata is less susceptible to syntactic changes of a property than a LTLbased coverage metric, and hence the proposed coverage metrics measure the relevancy of a test suite to the semantics of a linear temporal property. We also discuss an algorithm for refining a Buchi-automaton-based requirement based on its strong state coverage metric. Our experiment demonstrates the feasibility and performance of our coverage criteria and test generation algorithms.
Tetra-aqua-bis(3-fluoro-pyridine-4-carboxyl-ato-κN)zinc(II) dihydrate.

In the title compound, [Zn(C6H3FNO2)2(H2O)4]·2H2O, the ZnII atom is octa­hedrally coordinated in a ZnO4N2 environment by two 3-fluoro­pyridine-4-carboxyl­ate (3-fpy4-cbx) ligands and four water mol­ecules. The [Zn(3-fpy4-cbx)2(H2O)4] mol­ecules form a three-dimensional network through strong O—H⋯O and weak O—H⋯F hydrogen bonds between 3-fpy4-cbx and water mol­ecules. The crystal used for data collection was a twin, with the twin law corresponding to a 180° rotation about the real-space [001] axis. The major twin fraction refined to 0.795 (1).
Almost Everything We Need to Better Serve Children of the Opioid Crisis We Learned in the 80s and 90s

Opioid use disorder impedes dependent parents' abilities to care for their children. In turn, children may languish in unpredictability and persistent chaos. Societal responses to these children are often guided by a belief that unless the drug dependent parent receives treatment, there is little help for the child. While a preponderance of the drug dependence research is adult-centric, a significant body of research demonstrates the importance of not only addressing the immediate well being of the children of drug dependent caregivers but preventing the continuing cycle of drug dependence. The present commentary demonstrates through a brief review of the US history of drug dependence crises and research from the 1980s and 1990s, a range of "tried and true" family, school, and community interventions centered on children. We already know that these children are at high risk of maladjustment and early onset of drug dependence; early intervention is critical; multiple risk factors are likely to occur simultaneously; comprehensive strategies are optimal; and multiple risk-focused strategies are most protective. Where we need now to turn our efforts is on how to effectively implement and disseminate best practices, many of which we learned in the 1980s and 1990s. The greatest opportunity in both changing the nature of the opioid epidemic at scale and influencing rapid translation of existing research findings into policy and practice is not in asking what to do, but in asking how to do the right things well, and quickly.
Heterogeneous Integration of Chip-to-Chip Stacks

As pointed out by Intel (Polka et al. in Intel Technol J 11:197–206 (2007), [1]) sometimes ago that the holy grail to address the memory bandwidth challenge for tera-scale computing is to have 3D chip-to-chip and face-to-face stacked MCP (multi-chip packaging), Fig. 9.1. The top chip is a memory and the bottom chip is a logic or CPU (central processing unit). In this chapter, two examples of heterogeneous integration of chip-to-chip and face-to-face are presented. One is with TSVs in the bottom chip to let go the signals, powers, and grounds and the other is without TSVs but with solder bumps on the larger chip.
Equity and Fairness Norms in Sociotechnical Systems: Emerging Perspectives for Design

Equity and fairness are important socially relevant issues that are rarely considered or quantitatively studied in engineering systems analysis and technical design. Sociotechnical systems that provide important services, such as water supply, energ supply, transportation services, and telecommunication services, are largely designed using measures of technical performance and cost. Given the vital links of these systems to social welfare, it is important that techno-economic criteria (for guiding design) are augmented with socially important considerations such as equity and fairness. Here, an initial conceptual framework and some quantitative measures of equity are presented. An irrigation network is discussed as an application case. Statistical variation of its normalized performance (ratios of actual versus planned service) across spatially separated parts of the system, and spatial variation of reliability are used as measures of equity. The irrigation system exhibited median reliability of 84% over a decade, however, system equity had little to no improvement. The influence of a network’s architecture on evolution of degrees of fairness is discussed, and simulations-based analyses show relationship between network structure and variation of fairness norms. The cases show that inclusion of equity measures in design and operations optimization can be formalized, and equity in resource allocation resulting from emergent behavior can be impacted via promoting and steering collective fairness norms.
Inpatient teledermatology: Diagnostic and therapeutic concordance among a hospitalist, dermatologist, and teledermatologist using store-and-forward teledermatology

Background Inpatient dermatology has been shown to improve patient outcomes at a reduced cost. Few hospitals have dermatologists available. Teledermatology may allow dermatologists to assess hospitalized patients remotely. Objective To examine the diagnostic concordance between a hospitalist, dermatologist, and teledermatologist using store-and-forward teledermatology. Methods For 100 consecutive patients requiring inpatient dermatology consultation, a survey was conducted by all 3 raters to convey diagnostic impressions and therapeutic recommendations. Complete and partial agreements were assessed using the Cohen kappa statistic. Results Inpatient dermatology consultation often resulted in a change in diagnosis (50.9%) and a change in systemic therapy (41.5%). Likewise, virtual teledermatology consultation would have resulted in a change in diagnosis (54.7%) and a change in systemic therapy (47.2%) at similar rates. Comparing the dermatologist and teledermatologists, diagnostic complete and partial agreement were 52.8% and 84.9%, respectively. Systemic therapy agreement was 77.4%. Teledermatologists recommended biopsy more often (68.5% vs 43.5%). Limitations Small sample size, tertiary academic medical center, single rater for inpatient teledermatology with specific inpatient niche. Conclusion Teledermatologists performed comparably to an in-person dermatologist for the diagnosis and management of hospitalized patients with skin conditions. Teledermatology may be a suitable alternative for delivery of inpatient care if no dermatologist is available.
Emerging and Persistent Issues in the Delivery of Asynchronous Non-Traditional Undergraduate Physics Experiments

Remote physics laboratory activities are common tools of use in physics in traditional, online, and distance education to enhance student learning. Although these offerings necessitated by technological advances, spur innovation and improvement in undergraduate physics education, their use as stand-alone substitutes for instructor-guided physical laboratory experiments remain the center of debate and research. This paper discusses the effectiveness of the current pedagogic issues in the delivery and learning of four different types of remote introductory undergraduate physics laboratory activities, the breakthroughs, and the areas that require further investigations. The instructional issues include experiment preparation and design, student engagement, guidance, and safety. This review noted the positive impacts of stand-alone remote physics lab activities on mostly undergraduate non-physics majors, partly due to the limited number of institutions currently conferring complete online/distance physics degrees worldwide. We recommend further studies on the effect on physics students who end up in experimental physics-related careers.
Energy and Water Co-Optimization for the Resilient Neighborhood of Future

Electrical microgrids are small-scale energy systems that can operate in both grid-connected and standalone modes. The capability to island from the grid during disturbances and continue supplying the loads locally helps improve the reliability and resilience of the network. This concept can also be extended to water micronets that, upon need, can disconnect from the main water distribution network and utilize locally available water resources. The scheme can be implemented both for rural communities where the centralized municipal water distribution network is not available due to geographical or cost limitations, as well as for small-scale communities whose water network is temporarily out-of-service as a result of natural or manmade disasters such as earthquakes, water contamination, flooding, etc. This paper proposes a framework and a solution for co-optimization of energy and water networks for a neighborhood of residential units, with the goal of maximizing sustainability, i.e. utilizing local energy and water resources as much as possible. It is assumed that distributed energy resources along with demand response are employed to meet energy demands, while a wastewater treatment plant (WWTP) built in the community is used to treat and recycle wastewater. The objective of this paper is to demonstrate mathematically how a self-contained community can schedule available energy and water resources optimally so that both energy and water demands are met with minimal external support. The problem is modeled as a multi-objective mixed-integer optimization model. A case study is presented as proof of concept.
Evaluating emissions reductions from zero waste strategies under dynamic conditions: A case study from Boston.

Abstract In 2018 and 2019 the City of Boston (Massachusetts, USA) conducted zero waste and carbon neutral planning efforts. Here we present the results of an accompanying analysis of the impacts of zero waste strategies on greenhouse gases (GHG) emissions associated with waste treatment. Emissions analysis in the waste sector is complicated by the contribution of significant indirect impacts that can exhibit temporal and spatial heterogeneity. For example, lifecycle GHG analysis of waste-to-energy combustion grants credits for the emissions avoided due to electricity generated from organic waste (biogenic carbon) that displaces electricity generation that could be carbon-emitting. As electricity grids decarbonize, this credit approaches zero. Long-term emissions planning needs to account for such dynamics to realistically assess the GHG mitigation potential associated with alternative waste management strategies. Here, we seek to capture these dynamics in a forward-looking analysis of waste sector emissions under a zero-waste strategy for the City of Boston. Using publicly available data sets such as EPA’s Waste Reduction Model (WARM), we show that the implementation of zero waste strategies reduces the combustion of plastics and biomass in waste-to-energy (WtE) combustion facilities and associated GHG emissions. While WtE has been considered less-carbon intensive than other forms of waste treatment and fossil-based electricity generation, our analysis shows that more renewables will eventually eliminate the perceived GHG benefits associated with waste-to-energy combustion. While our approach provides policymakers with an understanding of the impacts of decisions in a dynamic context, we also identify common knowledge gaps in conducting forward-looking waste-GHG assessments.
A Comparison of Colonizing Ability Between Salmonella Enteritidis and Salmonella Heidelberg in Broiler Chickens Challenged Through Feed Administration.

With over 1 million estimated cases per year in the United States, foodborne salmonellosis is an important public health issue. Chicken products are frequent sources of foodborne Salmonella infecti...
Role of Connexin 43 in an Inflammatory Model for TMJ Hyperalgesia

Temporomandibular joint disorders (TMD) consist of a heterogeneous group of conditions that present with pain in temporomandibular joint (TMJ) region and muscles of mastication. This project assessed the role of connexin 43 (Cx43), a gap junction protein, in the trigeminal ganglion (TG) in an animal model for persistent inflammatory TMJ hyperalgesia. Experiments were performed in male and female rats to determine if sex differences influence the expression or function of Cx43 in persistent TMJ hyperalgesia. Intra-TMJ injection of Complete Freund’s Adjuvant (CFA) caused a significant increase in Cx43 expression in satellite glial cells (SGC) that surrounded TG neurons at 4 days and 10 days post-injection in ovariectomized (OvX) female rats and OvX females treated with estradiol (OvXE), while TG samples in males revealed only marginal increases. Intra-TG injection of interference RNA for Cx43 (siRNA Cx43) three days prior to recording, markedly reduced TMJ-evoked masseter muscle electromyographic (MMemg) activity in all CFA-inflamed rats, while activity in sham animals was not affected. Western blot analysis revealed significant decreases in Cx43 protein in TG samples of females and males 3 days after siRNA Cx43. Intra-TG injection of the mimetic peptide GAP19, which inhibits Cx43 hemichannel formation, greatly reduced TMJ-evoked MMemg activity in all CFA-treated groups, while activity in sham groups was not affected. These results revealed a persistent increase in Cx43 protein in the TG in a sex-dependent manner after TMJ inflammation. By contrast, intra-TG blockade of Cx43 by siRNA or by GAP19 significantly reduced TMJ-evoked MMemg activity in both males and females following TMJ inflammation. These results indicated that Cx43 was necessary for enhanced jaw muscle activity after TMJ inflammation in males and females, a result that could not be predicted on the basis of TG expression of Cx43 alone.
Green switch: an IoT based energy monitoring system for mabini building in De La Salle Lipa

Building energy management systems (BEMS) are critical tools for managing and controlling a facility's technical systems and services, such as lighting, ventilation, heating, and air conditioning, to ensure that the building operates at peak efficiency while decreasing energy waste. The Mabini Building at De La Salle Lipa has nearly a hundred rooms, 70 of which are used by college students for lecture and laboratory classes. From 7:30 a.m. to 9:00 p.m., these rooms are available. In a daily class schedule, air conditioning units and lights are used an average of 10 hours per day, while fans and power outlets are used an average of 5 hours. Even when no classes are being held, the aforementioned equipment is frequently left open in these rooms. The researchers created and constructed an IoT-based energy monitoring system to monitor and control the lights and outlets in a room. The system will also record the number of kilowatt-hours (kWh) consumed. The system employs NodeMCU, current, and voltage sensors, a Raspberry Pi 3, and the school's existing network to send and receive data from the server. The building administrator will use the collected data to give consumption statistics and reduce the carbon footprint.
Immunochemistry of Collagen

Vertebrate collagen (Fig. IB) is made up of three polypetide chains (designated α-chains), each of about 1000 amino acid residues and having a molecular weight of about 95,000. Each chain is coiled in a left-handed helix, and the three chains are coiled in a right-handed superhelix. The triple-stranded, coiled-coil structure is rod shaped, having the dimensions of 3000 x 15 A. Chemical studies established that the three component polypeptide chains extend in parallel the full length of the molecule.
The effect of ageing and indomethacin on forearm reactive hyperaemia in healthy adults

New Findings What is the central question of this study? We aimed to investigate the effects of the cyclo-oxygenase (COX) inhibitor indomethacin on resistance vessel function in young and older adults and to test the hypothesis that indomethacin will attenuate forearm vascular conductance during reactive hyperaemia. What is the main finding and its importance? Older adults demonstrated an attenuated vasodilator response to ischaemia after COX inhibition compared with their younger counterparts. This suggests that older adults do not compensate for the vascular changes induced by an acute dose of indomethacin. Long-term use of indomethacin may increase vascular resistance and reduce the response to acute haemodynamic stress in older adults. The risk for potential adverse cardiovascular consequences of COX inhibition should be considered. We have previously shown that non-selective cyclo-oxygenase inhibition, via indomethacin, unfavourably increased central blood pressure in older adults, with little effect in young adults. In addition, the vasoactive prostaglandins have been shown to contribute to both peripheral vasodilator responses and large artery function; however, there is little information available in older adults and conflicting reports in young adults on the extent to which resistance vessel function is influenced by indomethacin. Thus, we tested the hypothesis that cyclo-oxygenase inhibition using indomethacin would attenuate forearm vascular conductance during reactive hyperaemia in older adults compared with young adults. Forearm blood flow responses to 5 min of forearm ischaemia were measured in 26 healthy adults (13 young, 25 ± 5 years old; and 13 older, 65 ± 6 years old), using venous occlusion plethysmography before and after indomethacin. Baseline forearm blood flow and vascular conductance were not different between groups during either trial, and there were no age-related differences prior to cyclo-oxygenase inhibition. Peak forearm vascular conductance and blood flow were similar between groups before indomethacin, but lower in older adults after indomethacin compared with young adults (27 ± 4 versus 41 ± 4 ml (100 ml)−1 min−1 (100 mmHg)−1, P = 0.02; and 23 ± 3 versus 33 ± 3 ml (100 ml)−1 min−1, P = 0.02, respectively). These results, in conjunction with our previous findings in large arteries, suggest that ageing alters the effect of cyclo-oxygenase inhibition on vascular responses, and specifically, the resistance vessel responses underlying reactive hyperaemia.
Van der Waals attraction in and between solids

In spite of its typical quantum mechanical origin, the electron correlation in different atoms, it is possible to treat van der Waals attraction by semiclassical methods. The average electromagnetic interaction field between the electrons, which is caused by photon-exchange interaction, can be calculated from the classical Maxwell equations. The van der Waals energy results from a frequency integral over the susceptibilities of the bodies considered. The main features of the theory are discussed by means of the Schrodinger formalism, which replaces the photons by an average electrostatic field, and by calculating the possible eigenvectors of the Maxwell equations, in which the electrons are replaced by susceptibilities. Several explicity manageable cases—spheres, cylinders, and films, small and large separations, with and without retardation—are presented. Applications in the field of van der Waals crystals, polymers, colloid chemistry, and biology are discussed.
Independent Relationship Between Heart Rate Recovery and C‐Reactive Protein in Older Adults

OBJECTIVES: To examine the independent effect of parasympathetic tone (PST), assessed here according to heart rate recovery (HRR) after exercise, on circulating levels of C-reactive protein (CRP) in 132 elderly participants. DESIGN: Cross-sectional analysis using baseline data from an ongoing trial assessing the effects of exercise on immune function. SETTING: Champaign/Urbana, Illinois, vicinity. PARTICIPANTS: Community-living older adults who had been sedentary for 6 months or longer. Major exclusion criteria were current use of medications that could interfere with immunity, severe arthritis, history of cancer or inflammatory disease, recent illness or vaccination, and smoking. MEASUREMENTS: Participants were assessed for serum CRP (using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay), cardiorespiratory fitness (peak oxygen intake (VO2)), HRR, percentage body fat (using dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry), physical activity level (according to the Physical Activity Scale for the Elderly (PASE)), fasting plasma glucose, kidney function (creatinine level), and perceived stress. RESULTS: Mean CRP level±standard deviation was 3.81±2.7 mg/L, placing this group in a high-risk category. After adjusting for the effects of body fat (34.6%±7.4%), aspirin use, VO2 peak (19.5±3.9 mL oxygen/kg per minute), PASE, sex (64% women), and perceived stress, HRR was the only independent predictor of CRP (β=−0.257, P=.003, change in coefficient of determination=0.060). CONCLUSION: HRR after exercise appears to be independently associated with lower CRP in older sedentary individuals, suggesting that the parasympathetic nervous system is involved in regulating chronic inflammation in older adults. Improvements in PST, as a result of regular physical exercise, may contribute to the antiinflammatory effects of exercise, independent of physical fitness or fatness.
Justifying policy arguments

Abstract The structural model of argument (when augmented by practical standards of truth-estimation) yields optimally plausible answers to questions that demand a leap beyond the data at the disposal of policy analysts. The reconstruction of policy inquiry according to a new approach to truth-estimation promises conclusions which are the best that may be obtained in the complex circumstances of public discourse. Those circumstances demand the radical reinterpretation of knowledge according to requirements of the social context of application. The reconstruction of policy inquiry along lines of practical reasoning makes it possible to distinguish plausibly true beliefs (knowledge) from beliefs in general (opinion). Thus we avoid the confusion of truth and persuasion. Practical reasoning does not replace standard deductive and inductive logics. It accommodates these standard modes of reasoning by incorporating them in a multilevel process that captures the many logics of public discourse.
Scale-Up Studies on Immobilized, Purified Glucoamylase, Covalently Coupled to Porous Ceramic Support

This report describes the development, scale-up, and economic characterization of an immobilized enzyme system for the hydrolysis of previously thinned cornstarch to high glucose syrups.
Performance impacts due to number portability under various routing schemes

Number portability provides users the capability to keep their telephone numbers as they moves to another provider. Number portability technology involves complicated architecture between different providers. From a routing perspective, and in order to simplify the model, we consider that the traversal of a call to a ported number may involve three different networks: the Originating Network, the Donor Network, and the Recipient Network. In this work, we consider four routing schemes, Onward Routing (OR), Query on Release (QoR), Call Dropback/Return to Pivot (CD/RtP), and All Call Query (ACQ) for number portability. We present preliminary results on their performances under various scenarios from a connection setup delay point of view when the rate of portability changes.
Effects of intrauterine infusion of Trueperella pyogenes on endometrial mRNA expression of proinflammatory cytokines and luteolytic cascade genes and their association with luteal life span in dairy cows

Abstract Objectives were to determine the effects of intrauterine infusion (IUI) of Trueperella pyogenes on endometrial expression of proinflammatory cytokines and luteal life span. Holstein cows (n = 32) were allocated randomly, in two replicates (15 then 17 cows), to receive one of three treatments on Day 5 of the estrous cycle: TP (n = 13), IUI containing 10 9 colony-forming units/mL of T pyogenes ; tumor necrosis factor (TNF; n = 9), IUI containing 1 μg of TNFα; and control (n = 10), IUI of saline solution. Five cows per treatment had uterine biopsies collected at 6, 12, and 24 hours after treatment to evaluate the endometrial messenger RNA expression of TNFα ( TNF ), interleukin-1β ( IL1B ), IL6 , IL8 , prostaglandin E synthase ( PGES ), prostaglandin F synthase ( PGFS ), and oxytocin receptor ( OXR ), and histologic evidence of inflammation. Messenger RNA expression was measured using quantitative reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction. The remaining cows had ovaries scanned and blood collected for progesterone evaluation; however, only seven, four, and three cows in the TP, TNF, and control groups were used for comparison in replicate 2. The GLIMMIX procedure of SAS was used for statistical analysis. All TP and TNF cows had moderate to severe endometrial inflammation, whereas only one control had mild inflammation. Premature luteolysis occurred in three, one, and zero cows in the TP, TNF and control groups, respectively. Delayed luteolysis occurred in one TP and one TNF cow. Interleukin-1β expression was greater in the TP cows than in the TNF cows at 24 hours after IUI. Moreover, IL6 expression tended to be greater for the TP cows than for the control cows at 12 hours after IUI. Interleukin 8 expression was greater in the TP cows than in the control and TNF cows at 24 hours after IUI. Oxytocin receptor expression tended to be greater for the TP cows and was greater for the TNF cows than for the control cows at 12 hours. The messenger RNA expressions of TNF , PGES , and PGFS were not affected by treatment, time, or their interaction. In conclusion, IUI of T pyogenes or TNFα led to histologic evidence of inflammation and early luteolysis in some cows, which may have been caused by increased endometrial expression of proinflammatory cytokines (i.e., IL1B , IL6 ), chemokines (i.e., IL8 ), and luteolytic cascade factors (i.e., OXR ).
Morrow, Reiff, Receive 2013 Space Physics and Aeronomy Richard Carrington Awards: Response

It is a special privilege to receive this award honoring Richard Carrington's discovery of what we now call space weather. It is particularly appropriate that this award also recognizes Cherilynn Morrow, who 20 years ago made a presentation to the Space Science Advisory Committee on Jeff Rosendhal's idea of mission-based E/PO. We worked together, bringing that idea to the successful, but threatened, network it is today. For me, learning and teaching go hand in hand—as we publish our findings for our peers, we should also repay the public investment in our research with accurate, understandable results. My interest in space science was sparked by a father-daughter course in astronomy sponsored by the Brownies at the Oklahoma City Planetarium and kindled by the Bell Labs production The Strange Case of the Cosmic Rays directed by Frank Capra. Knowing that planetarium shows and educational movies can change lives, I have devoted a large portion of my last 25 years to creating software, shows, and portable planetariums to inspire and engage youth. This has not been a one-person effort, of course. My work Cherilynn Ann Morrow would have been impossible without the collaboration of Carolyn Sumners, vice president of the Houston Museum of Natural Science. Our museum kiosk and planetarium control software would not have happened without the skill and perseverance of my chief programmer, Colin Law. Jim Burch has been first a mentor and then a colleague on both the research and outreach sides of my career. I share this honor with a long line of highly talented students and postdocs who have contributed science content and outreach efforts. Most importantly, without the support of my husband, Tom Hill, I would not have had the time and freedom to build an educational network while continuing research and raising a family. I thank AGU for bestowing this honor.
Genetic analysis of chromosomal mutations in the polysialic acid gene cluster of Escherichia coli K1.

The kps gene cluster of Escherichia coli K1 encodes functions for sialic acid synthesis, activation, polymerization, and possibly translocation of polymer to the cell surface. The size and complexity of this membrane polysaccharide biosynthetic cluster have hindered genetic mapping and functional descriptions of the kps genes. To begin a detailed investigation of the polysialic acid synthetic mechanism, acapsular mutants were characterized to determine their probable defects in polymer synthesis. The mutants were tested for complementation with kps fragments subcloned from two separately isolated, functionally intact kps gene clusters. Complementation was assayed by immunological and biochemical methods and by sensitivity to the K1-specific bacteriophage K1F. The kps cluster consisted of a central 5.8-kilobase region that contained at least two genes coding for sialic acid synthetic enzymes, a gene encoding the sialic acid-activating enzyme, and a gene encoding the sialic acid polymerase. This biosynthetic region is flanked on one side by an approximately 2.8-kilobase region that contains a potential regulatory locus and at least one structural gene for a polypeptide that appears to function in polysialic acid assembly. Flanking the biosynthetic region on the opposite side is a 6- to 8.4-kilobase region that codes for at least three proteins which may also function in polymer assembly and possibly in translocating polymer to the outer cell surface. Results of transduction crosses supported these conclusions and indicated that some of the kps genes flanking the central biosynthetic region may not function directly in transporting polymer to the cell surface. The results also demonstrate that the map position and probable function of most of the kps cluster genes have been identified. Images
Combination phentermine and topiramate extended release in the management of obesity.

Introduction: Losing ≥ 5% of initial weight improves quality of life and risk factors for cardiovascular disease (CVD) in obese individuals. Lifestyle modification, the cornerstone of weight reduction, may be complemented by pharmacotherapy. In 2012, the FDA approved the combination of phentermine and topiramate extended release (ER) for chronic weight management, as an adjunct to lifestyle modification.Areas covered: This review examines the safety and efficacy of phentermine-topiramate ER, as determined by randomized controlled trials (RCTs). A preliminary study confirmed the benefit of combining the two medications for improving weight loss and reducing adverse effects, as compared to using equivalent-dose monotherapy alone.Expert opinion: Across RCTs, groups prescribed phentermine 15 mg/topiramate ER 92 mg lost an average of 10% of initial weight, ∼ 8% more than placebo and 2% more than phentermine 7.5 mg/topiramate 46 mg. Weight loss reduced the risk of developing type 2 diabetes and improved CVD ris...
Conditions for bifurcation of a cantilever beam subjected to generalized follower loads: Geometrically exact approach

The conditions under which a cantilever beam subjected to generalized follower loads will exhibit static bifurcation is examined, within the framework of a geometrically exact theory. The novelty of the present formulation is that we avoid making an appeal to the associated linearized problem and thereby produce a stronger result
Wavelength detector using monolithically integrated subwavelength metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors

A novel wavelength detector with a large spectral response range has been realized by monolithically integrating two metal-semiconductor-metal photodetectors that have finger spacings less than the wavelength of the incident light. The operating principle of the detector is based on the one-to- one correspondence between the photocurrent ratio of the photodetectors and the wavelength of the incident light, caused by the resonance effect of the photodetectors' subwavelength-spaced fingers. The experiment shows that the device has a wavelength resolution of 5 nm in the spectral range of 450 - 800 nm.
Copepod nauplii from the barrier reef of Belize

A study of areal distribution of the copepod nauplii near mangrove covered cays on the barrier reef of Belize was begun in the summer of 1989 and continued in the spring of 1990 with the collection of twenty samples from four locations. At distances in the order of 100 of meters to 1000 from the mangrove prop roots there were thousands of nauplii m−3. In the samples from Twin Cays where the plankton tows were made 15 m from the prop roots or less the average was 387 nauplii m−3. Copepod nauplii compose 60% of the metazoan plankton abundance in all of the samples. Harpacticoid nauplii were the largest single component of the plankton in every sample; they account for 42% to 76% of the copepod nauplii. Cyclopoid nauplii represent 13 to 40% and are second to the harpacticoid nauplii. Calanoid nauplii account for 2% to 23% of the copepod nauplii.
California Golden Trout: Perspectives on Restoration and Management

(2010). California Golden Trout: Perspectives on Restoration and Management. Fisheries: Vol. 35, No. 11, pp. 550-553.
Evidence for an oblique social intelligence factor established with a Likert-based testing procedure

Abstract Many aptitude scales measure general or academic knowledge with a format in which answers are scored as either correct or incorrect. In contrast to traditional scoring procedures, quantifying performance on scales that measure interpersonal knowledge, as well as knowledge of other ambiguous relationships, requires the opinions of multiple experts, and individual responses cannot be easily or unambiguously evaluated. Given this type of uncertain knowledge domain, an obscure and little-appreciated procedure to measure expertise is based on the distance between expert and participant estimates of the relative strengths of a set of probabilistic relationships. Using this format, three scales were developed to measure knowledge associated with leadership, subtle indicators of alcohol abuse, and appropriate dinner behaviors. Data were collected with these scales using U.S. Air Force recruits for whom Armed Services Vocational Aptitude Battery scores were available. Results demonstrate (a) the applicability of the probabilistic response format to efficiently measure individual differences in nontraditional knowledge domains, such as interpersonal skills, and (b) the existence of a seperate first-order factor that may be interpreted as social insight and has a substantial second-order loading on psychometric g.
Rethinking Democratic Deliberation: The Limits and Potential of Citizen Participation

At a time when the western democracies are plagued by increasing political alienation and social fragmentation, political theorists and practioners have embraced a more deliberative approach to democratic governance. The sense of this approach and the political practice it encourages depend on a number of key assumptions regarding the capacities and inclinations of individuals and how they will engage one another in a deliberative setting. Drawing on theory and research in social and developmental psychology, I argue that these assumptions are incorrect. The aim here is not to reject the deliberative view, but to reconstruct it. A more adequate view of cognition, emotion and communication, one that emphasizes the social dimension of individual capacities and orientations, is presented. This leads to a reconsideration of the democratic values of autonomy and equality, and how best to institutionalize deliberative practices.
Dynamics of a two-dimensional discrete-time SIS model

We analyze a two-dimensional discrete-time SIS model with a non-constant total population. Our goal is to determine the interaction between the total population, the susceptible class and the infective class, and the implications this may have for the disease dynamics. Utilizing a constant recruitment rate in the susceptible class, it is possible to assume the existence of an asymptotic limiting equation, which enables us to reduce the system of, two-equations into a single, dynamically equivalent equation. In this case, we are able to demonstrate the global stability of the disease-free and the endemic equilibria when the basic reproductive number (Ro) is less than one and greater than one, respectively. When we consider a non-constant recruitment rate, the total population bifurcates as we vary the birth rate and the death rate. Using computer simulations, we observe different behavior among the infective class and the total population, and possibly, the occurrence of a strange attractor.
Laserspray ionization imaging of multiply charged ions using a commercial vacuum MALDI ion source.

This is the first report of imaging mass spectrometry (MS) from multiply charged ions at vacuum. Laserspray ionization (LSI) was recently extended to applications at vacuum producing electrospray ionization-like multiply charged ions directly from surfaces using a commercial intermediate pressure matrix-assisted laser desorption/ionization ion mobility spectrometry (IMS) MS instrument. Here, we developed a strategy to image multiply charged peptide ions. This is achieved by the use of 2-nitrophloroglucinol as matrix for spray deposition onto the tissue section and implementation of “soft” acquisition conditions including lower laser power and ion accelerating voltages similar to electrospray ionization-like conditions. Sufficient ion abundance is generated by the vacuum LSI method to employ IMS separation in imaging multiply charged ions obtained on a commercial mass spectrometer ion source without physical instrument modifications using the laser in the commercially available reflection geometry alignmen...
Bio-inspired orientation analysis for seismic image

In this paper, we propose a novel method of orientation analysis for seismic image. Unlike conventional methods of orientation estimation with a context window, our method is inspired by the neural mechanism of visual perception in the biological brain. In the brain, the primary visual cortex contains orientation columns, which is composed of an array of simple cells as orientation detectors. A log-Gabor filter with a specific orientation and scale configuration simulates the neuronal mechanism of the simple cell, while an array of such orientation detectors simulates the neuronal responses of the orientation columns. The resulting orientation is derived at the pixel level of the input seismic image: the neuronal response of each simple cell competes with other cells in the same orientation column for the same pixel, and the winning neuron with maximum response defines the perceived orientation. We applied the proposed method to seismic interpretation to analyze the orientation patterns, and it also can be used as a general image orientation analysis tool.
Precipitation and reversion processes in a β-Ti alloy

Abstract The thermal stability of the metastable β phase in the Ti-10V-2Fe-3Al alloy (where the composition is in approximate weight per cent) of titanium has been examined for aging temperatures up to 400 °C. The precipitation of the ω phase predominates at 200 °C, whereas the formation of the α phase becomes increasingly more important at temperatures in excess of 300 °C. The up-quenching of previously aged alloys to 500 °C for brief periods results in the reversion of the ω phase and the re-formation of the β phase. The fast initial kinetics of ω formation, and the progressive changes in the compositions of the β and ω phases with continued aging, are consistent with the concept of a displacement-controlled reaction assisted by minor solute redistribution and followed by time-dependent diffusional growth.
A Substituent Steric Effect Index Based on the Molecular Graph

Three graph-based indexes of molecular shape have been found to correlate well with the Taft steric indexes, Es, for electron influence-free alkyl groups and ten symmetric-top groups used by Charton to compute a Van der Waals radius-based index, v. The equation model includes the 1kα, and 3Kα, shape indexes and the 0k index equivalent to the Shannon information content per molecule. This later index encodes the group symmetry. The equation model is simplified to the expression ≈ = 2k - 3kα - 0k where Xi (≈) is proposed as a graph-based shape index encoding the steric influence of a group.
Determination of silver ions in solution with a glass electrode

Abstract Two glass electrodes were found to respond to changes in silver ion concentration. One of the electrodes is somewhat more sensitive to silver than to hydrogen ions, and is highly selective for the silver ion over other cations. A response of 55 mV per decade is observed at 25°. Theoretical implications and applications are discussed.
The critical dimension for chaotic cosmology

Abstract Using the ADM formalism for general relativity the approach to a space-time singularity of a general inhomogeneous universe, in an arbitrary number of dimensions, is studied. The question of whether chaotic behaviour is a generic feature of Einstein's equations, in an arbitrary number of dimensions, is explored. We find that models that contain ten or more spatial dimensions are non-chaotic and their approach toward the initial singularity is monotonic, whereas for those with dimensionality between four and nine their approach is chaotic. A clear geometrical picture is constructed whereby this result can be understood.
Population dynamics in cultures of stratified squamous epithelia.

Stratified squamous epithelia, such as those covering the skin, esophagus, and cervix, are normally in a dynamic steady state: production of new cells (proliferation) is matched by loss of terminally differentiated cells into the environment (desquamation). The parameters that describe population dynamics in stratified epithelia—number of dividing cells, number of cell layers, transit time, and rate of desquamation—can be closely monitored in cultures of stratified epithelial cells. Analysis of these data show that cultures of stratified epithelial cells can be maintained in a dynamic steady state for at least 1 month and thus have a dynamic behavior similar to stratified epithelia in viva. Although this in vitro behavior may be intuitively reasonable based on the in vivo behavior of these cells, it is remarkable in that it is contrary to the general experience with other normal cell types in culture. The usefulness of measuring population dynamics in cultures is demonstrated by an analysis of the actions of retinoids on human keratinocytes. In addition, we show that because of favorable geometry and ease of manipulation, these cultures are well-suited to the analysis of heterogeneity in the proliferating population of cells.
A case of Turner's syndrome.

Summary Turner's syndrome has been briefly reviewed and the third such case to occur in the male has been presented. A method of differentiating between testicular hypogenesis and agenesis at an early age has been discussed.
The existence of an acid-active hyaluronidase in serum.

Abstract The nature of the factor in dialyzed human serum which degrades hyaluronic acid at pH 3.4 was investigated by viscometry and determinations of terminal N-acetylhexosamine units. It was found widely distributed in the Cohn serum fractions, but no fraction had the specific activity equivalent to that of whole serum. Most of the activity could be concentrated about 3-fold in a fraction rich in α2- and β-globulins. Its properties are consistent with those of a protein. Under conditions sufficiently anaerobic to prevent the autoxidation of hyaluronic acid by ascorbic acid, it retained 75–80% of its activity under aerobic conditions. It was inhibited by heparin and did not have any depolymerizing activity with respect to alginic acid. These observations furnish additional support for the conclusion of Bollet and earlier workers that the main active factor in serum is probably an oxygen-independent enzyme.