cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Androgynous Fasteners for Robotic Structural Assembly

We describe the design and analysis of an androgynous fastener for autonomous robotic assembly of high performance structures. The design of these fasteners aims to prioritize ease of assembly through simple actuation with large driver positioning tolerance requirements, while producing a reversible mechanical connection with high strength and stiffness per mass. This can be applied to high strength to weight ratio structural systems, such as discrete building block based systems that offer reconfigurability, scalability, and system lifecycle efficiency. Such periodic structures are suitable for navigation and manipulation by relatively small mobile robots. The integration of fasteners, which are lightweight and can be robotically installed, into a high performance robotically managed structural system is of interest to reduce launch energy requirements, enable higher mission adaptivity, and decrease system life-cycle costs.
Edge chipping of translucent zirconia.

Abstract Statement of problem More translucent dental zirconias have been developed by incorporating the cubic phase and reducing the tetragonal phase content that undergoes transformation toughening, leading to reduced mechanical properties. Whether the clinically relevant mechanical property of the edge chipping toughness of the material is also reduced is unclear. Purpose The purpose of this in vitro study was to evaluate the edge chipping toughness and translucency of translucent zirconia, 3mol% yttria-stabilized tetragonal zirconia polycrystal (3Y-TZP), and lithium disilicate. Material and methods Two translucent zirconia products, Katana and Lava Esthetic; one 3Y-TZP, Lava Plus; and one lithium disilicate, IPS e.max Press were prepared and tested for phase composition via X-ray diffraction (XRD) (n=3), translucency via a spectrophotometer (n=20), and edge chipping via a universal testing machine with a custom-machined specimen holder and diamond indenter (n=20). The 3Y-TZP and lithium disilicate served as the optimal control materials for edge chipping and translucency, respectively. Translucency was compared with 1-way ANOVA and edge toughness with ANCOVA (α=.05). Results The XRD showed the 3Y-TZP to be almost completely tetragonal phase compared with the 2 translucent zirconia products that were predominantly cubic. Katana UTML and IPS e.max Press had a statistically similar (P>.05) translucency that was significantly (P Conclusions Some translucent zirconias had translucency similar to that of lithium disilicate; however, as translucency increased with increased cubic content, edge toughness decreased.
Metagenomic reconstruction of nitrogen and carbon cycling pathways in forest soil: Influence of different hardwood tree species

Abstract The soil microbiome plays an essential role in processing and storage of nitrogen (N) and carbon (C) and is influenced by vegetation above-ground through imparted differences in chemistry, structure, mass of plant litter, root physiology, and dominant mycorrhizal associations. We used shotgun metagenomic sequencing to quantify the abundance and distribution of gene families involved in soil microbial N and C cycling beneath three deciduous hardwood tree species: ectomycorrhizal (ECM)-associated Quercus rubra (red oak), ECM-associated Castanea dentata (American chestnut), and arbuscular mycorrhizal (AM)-associated Prunus serotina (black cherry). Chestnut exhibited the most distinct soil microbiome of the three species, both functionally and taxonomically, with a general suppression of functional genes in the nitrification, denitrification, and nitrate reduction pathways. These changes were related to low inorganic N availability in chestnut stands as soil was modified by poor, low-N litter quality relative to red oak and black cherry soils. Previous studies have used field biogeochemical process rates, isotopic tracing, and targeted gene abundance measurements to study the influence of tree species on ecosystem N and C dynamics. However, these approaches do not enable a comprehensive systems-level understanding of the relationship between microbial diversity and dynamics of N and C below-ground. We analyzed microbial metagenomes from soils beneath red oak, American chestnut, and black cherry stands and showed that tree species can mediate the abundance of key microbial genes involved in N and (to a lesser extent) C metabolism pathways in soil. We compare gene abundance values to measures of N and C flux from incubated soil. Our results highlight the genetic framework underlying tree species’ control over soil microbial communities, and below-ground C and N metabolism, and may enable land managers to select tree species to maximize C and N storage in soils.
The role of intersectionality in exploring the asymmetrical effects of demographic dissimiliarity on employees

By linking intersectionality to relational demography, this study examines the effects of different gender and racial contexts on overall satisfaction with job and organization among four employee ...
The Impact of the Ca2+-Independent Phospholipase A2β (iPLA2β) on Immune Cells

The Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2β (iPLA2β) is a member of the PLA2 family that has been proposed to have roles in multiple biological processes including membrane remodeling, cell proliferation, bone formation, male fertility, cell death, and signaling. Such involvement has led to the identification of iPLA2β activation in several diseases such as cancer, cardiovascular abnormalities, glaucoma, periodontitis, neurological disorders, diabetes, and other metabolic disorders. More recently, there has been heightened interest in the role that iPLA2β plays in promoting inflammation. Recognizing the potential contribution of iPLA2β in the development of autoimmune diseases, we review this issue in the context of an iPLA2β link with macrophages and T-cells.
Reconceptualizing Ego Depletion as Transient Cognitive Fatigue

Ego depletion is embroiled in a crisis that has cast doubts over the legitimacy of the phenomenon itself and its theoretical explanation. I first summarize and analyze the strength model of self- control as cohesive theoretical explanations of the phenomenon and highlight the difficulties it creates for depletion researchers. I conclude that the strength model is not the best theoretical explanation for the depletion phenomenon. Rather, I propose reconceptualizing the ego depletion effect as transient cognitive fatigue (TCF). To support this theoretical shift, I highlight how both the classic and disparate findings in the depletion literature cleanly map into the literature on cognitive fatigue, and how considering depletion to be TCF accommodates existing theoretical alternatives to the strength model.
Shape-Changing Bottlebrush Polymers

Bottlebrush polymers (BBPs), composed of relatively short polymeric side chains densely grafted on a polymer backbone, exhibit many unique characteristics and hold promise for a variety of applications. This Perspective focuses on environmentally induced shape-changing behavior of BBPs at interface and in solution, particularly worm/star-globule shape transitions. While BBPs with a single type of homopolymer or random copolymer side chains have been shown to undergo pronounced worm-to-globule shape changes in response to external stimuli, the collapsed brushes are unstable and prone to aggregation. By introducing a second, solvophilic polymer into the side chains, either as a distinct type of side chain or as the outer block of block copolymer side chains, the collapsed brushes not only are stabilized but also create unimolecular micellar nanostructures, which can be used for, e.g., encapsulation and delivery of substances. The current challenges in the design, synthesis, and characterization of stimuli-responsive shape-changing BBPs are discussed.
Pyrosequencing Primer Design for Forensic Biology Applications.

The polymerase chain reaction (PCR) is used to copy DNA in vitro for a variety of applications including amplifying a target DNA, mutating a base, adding tags, and sequencing by synthesis applications. Next-generation sequencing (NGS) is a DNA sequencing technology that has been applied to screening cancer and tissue variants, deep sequencing, and gene expression analysis, and more recently, it has been applied to DNA typing for human identification, estimating age, and detecting and differentiating body fluids. Body fluids are normally identified using color tests, microscopy, and immunochromatographic assays. Pyrosequencing is an NGS approach that has been applied to body fluid analysis. The pyrosequencing assays can detect one or several mixed body fluids by analysis of their tissue-specific differentially methylated regions (tDMRs). Here, the process of designing pyrosequencing primers for forensic biology applications is described.
Carol McDonald Connor (1953-2020).

Memorializes Carol McDonald Connor (1953-2020). Connor's research focused on understanding child-by-instruction interactions in the classroom. She began this work with a series of observational studies documenting that children's responses to different types of reading instruction varied markedly depending on their language, self-regulation, and reading skills. She then used her observational results to "reverse engineer" recommendations for the amounts and types of literacy instruction most likely to benefit children with different skill profiles. Her first faculty position, in 2004, was in the College of Education at Florida State University and the Florida Center for Reading Research. In 2012 she joined the Department of Psychology and the Learning Sciences Institute at Arizona State University, and then moved to the University of California, Irvine, as a Chancellor's Professor in the School of Education in 2016. (PsycInfo Database Record (c) 2021 APA, all rights reserved).
Multi-source Domain Adaptation for Text-independent Forensic Speaker Verification

Adapting speaker recognition systems to new environments is a widely-used technique to improve a well-performing model learned from large-scale data towards a task-specific small-scale data scenarios. However, previous studies focus on single domain adaptation, which neglects a more practical scenario where training data are collected from multiple acoustic domains needed in forensic scenarios. Audio analysis for forensic speaker recognition offers unique challenges in model training with multi-domain training data due to location/scenario uncertainty and diversity mismatch between reference and naturalistic field recordings. It is also difficult to directly employ small-scale domain-specific data to train complex neural network architectures due to domain mismatch and performance loss. Fine-tuning is a commonly-used method for adaptation in order to retrain the model with weights initialized from a well-trained model. Alternatively, in this study, three novel adaptation methods based on domain adversarial training, discrepancy minimization, and moment-matching approaches are proposed to further promote adaptation performance across multiple acoustic domains. A comprehensive set of experiments are conducted to demonstrate that: 1) diverse acoustic environments do impact speaker recognition performance, which could advance research in audio forensics, 2) domain adversarial training learns the discriminative features which are also invariant to shifts between domains, 3) discrepancy-minimizing adaptation achieves effective performance simultaneously across multiple acoustic domains, and 4) moment-matching adaptation along with dynamic distribution alignment also significantly promotes speaker recognition performance on each domain, especially for the LENA-field domain with noise compared to all other systems. Advancements shown here in adaptation therefore helper ensure more consistent performance for field operational data in audio forensics.
A flexible multiscale approach to overlapping community detection

In this work, we develop a flexible methodology for detecting specific notions of community, with a focus on overlapping communities in social networks. Because the word “community” is an ambiguous term, it is necessary to quantify what it means to be a community within the context of a particular type of problem. Our interpretation is that this quantification should be done at a minimum of three scales. These scales are at the level of: individual nodes, individual communities, and the network as a whole. Each of these scales involves quantitative features of community structure that are not accurately represented at the other scales, but are important for defining a particular notion of community. We exemplify sensible ways to quantify what is desired at each of these scales for a notion of community applicable to social networks, and use these models to develop a prototypical community detection algorithm. Some appealing features of the resulting method are that it naturally allows for nodes to belong to multiple communities, and is computationally efficient for large networks with low overall edge density. The scaling of the algorithm is $$O(N\overline{k^2} + \overline{N_{\rm com}^2})$$ , where N is the number of nodes in the network, $$\overline{N_{\rm com}^2}$$ is the average squared community size, and $$\overline{k^2}$$ is the expected value of a node’s degree squared.
Inhibition of trichloroethylene oxidation by the transformation intermediate carbon monoxide

Inhibition of trichloroethylene (TCE) oxidation by the transformation intermediate carbon monoxide (CO) was evaluated with the aquifer methanotroph Methylomonas sp. strain MM2. CO was a TCE transformation intermediate. During TCE oxidation, approximately 9 mol% of the TCE was transformed to CO. CO was oxidized by Methylomonas sp. strain MM2, and when formate was provided as an electron donor, the CO oxidation rate doubled. The rate of CO oxidation without formate was 4.6 liter mg (dry weight)-1 day-1, and the rate with formate was 10.2 liter mg (dry weight)-1 day-1. CO inhibited TCE oxidation, both by exerting a demand for reductant and through competitive inhibition. The Ki for CO inhibition of TCE oxidation, 4.2 microM, was much less than the Ki for methane inhibition of TCE oxidation, 116 microM. CO also inhibited methane oxidation, and the degree of inhibition increased with increasing CO concentration. When CO was present, formate amendment was necessary for methane oxidation to occur and both substrates were simultaneously oxidized. CO at a concentration greater than that used in the inhibition studies was not toxic to Methylomonas sp. strain MM2.
Evaluating Direct Toxicity and Food-Chain Effects in Aquatic Systems Using Natural Periphyton Communities

Periphytic algae are a ubiquitous and ecologically important component of many rivers and streams and are useful for assessing toxicity. We studied periphyton communities in several streams near Oak Ridge National Laboratory in Tennessee as part of a biological monitoring program. Periphyton was used to identify stream reaches with ambient toxicity, characterize conditions for the growth of periphyton and other aquatic biota, and evaluate contaminant transport and toxicity through food-chain interactions. 37 refs., 6 figs., 4 tabs.
The Intergalactic Medium at High Redshifts

The intergalactic medium (IGM) contains >95% of the mass in the Universe at high redshifts, and its properties control the earliest phases of structure formation and the reionization process. Although its evolution may seem straightforward, a number of feedback mechanisms can dramatically affect it. Radiative feedback, through a Lyman-Werner background, an X-ray background, and photoionization, affect halo collapse and the clumping of the IGM. We describe how the redshifted 21 cm background can be used to study these effects. Chemical feedback, primarily through supernova winds, changes the modes of star formation and halo cooling; it can be studied through metal absorption lines with the JWST, as well as metal lines in the cosmic microwave background, direct observations of cooling radiation, and fossil evidence in the nearby Universe. Finally, we describe how uncertainties in our modeling of the IGM structure affect reionization models and observations. Detailed studies of helium reionization, which occurs at the much more accessible z∼3, will significantly improve these models over the next few years.
Effects of juvenile hormone analog formulations on development and reproduction in the bed bug Cimex lectularius (Hemiptera: Cimicidae).

BACKGROUND: Bed bugs (Cimex lectularius L.) have become a common insect pest in urban areas and are often difficult to manage. Eradication is made more problematic by widespread insecticide resistance, raising interest in alternative control products.Juvenilehormoneanalogs(JHAs)suchasmethopreneandhydroprenearerelativelyharmlesstonon-arthropodsand have proved to be effective against other urban insect pests. Two JHA products (Gentrol  and Precor  , Central Life Sciences, Schaumburg, IL) were tested for efficacy against various bed bug stages as direct spray and as dry residue using three bed bug strains. RESULTS:At1×and2×thelabelrate,Precor  [activeingredient(S)-methoprene]hadnosignificanteffectonthedevelopment or fecundity of bed bugs. At 2× the label rate, confinement to residues of Gentrol  [active ingredient (S)-hydroprene] had no significant effect, but residues at 3× and 10× the label rate caused a reduction in fecundity and impaired development. Field strains were more susceptible to the reproductive effects of (S)-hydroprene than a long-maintained laboratory strain. CONCLUSIONS: While JHAs are attractive alternatives for pest management because of their inherent safety and distinct mode of action, these JHA formulations would have little impact on bed bug populations without relabeling to allow for higher application rates. c � 2012 Society of Chemical Industry
Data Clustering: User's Dilemma

Data clustering is a long standing research problem in pattern recognition, computer vision, machine learning, and data mining with applications in a number of diverse disciplines. The goal is to partition a set of n d-dimensional points into k clusters, where k may or may not be known. Most clustering techniques require the definition of a similarity measure between patterns, which is not easy to specify in the absence of any prior knowledge about cluster shapes. While a large number of clustering algorithms exist, there is no optimal algorithm. Each clustering algorithm imposes a specific structure on the data and has its own approach for estimating the number of clusters. No single algorithm can adequately handle various cluster shapes and structures that are encountered in practice. Instead of spending our effort in devising yet another clustering algorithm, there is a need to build upon the existing published techniques. In this talk we will address the following problems: (i) clustering via evidence accumulation, (ii) simultaneous clustering and dimensionality reduction, (iii) clustering under pair-wise constraints, and (iv) clustering with relevance feedback. Experimental results show that these approaches are promising in identifying arbitrary shaped clusters in multidimensional data.
Four ribose 2'-hydroxyl groups essential for catalytic function of the hairpin ribozyme

The hairpin ribozyme catalyzes site-specific cleavage of an RNA substrate using a magnesium-dependent transphosphorylation mechanism. Here, we describe experiments designed to test the importance of ribose 2'-hydroxyl groups for ribozyme function. Ribozymes for this work were synthesized in two segments using solid-phase RNA phosphoramidite chemistry. 2'-Deoxyribonucleotides were systematically introduced at each of the 50 positions within the ribozyme, and the catalytic activity of the resulting mixed RNA-DNA polymers was measured. Deletion of the 2'-hydroxyl group at each of four sites (A10, G11, A24, and C25) was found to result in severe inhibition of cleavage activity (kcat/KM decreased by 100- to 1000-fold), although KM measurements and mobility-shift assays showed that substrate binding was not affected. Identical results were obtained upon substitution of these ribonucleotides with 2'-O-methyl derivatives. Inhibition by 2'-modified sugars at G11 or A24 was rescued by increased Mg2+ concentrations, suggesting that these 2'-hydroxyls may function in magnesium binding. Our results demonstrate that the 2'-hydroxyl groups at A10, G11, A24, and C25 provide essential functions for catalysis, possibly forming important tertiary contacts or magnesium coordination sites that are necessary for active site architecture.
The cost effectiveness of implantable cardioverter-defibrillators: results from the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial (MADIT)-II.

Objectives We sought to evaluate the cost implications of the implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD), using utilization, cost, and survival data from the Multicenter Automatic Defibrillator Implantation Trial (MADIT)-II. Background This trial showed that prophylactic implantation of a defibrillator reduces the rate of mortality in patients who experienced a previous myocardial infarction and low left ventricular ejection fraction. Given the size of the eligible population, the cost effectiveness of the ICD has substantial implications. Methods Our research comprises the cost-effectiveness component of the randomized controlled trial, MADIT-II, based on utilization, cost, and survival information from 1,095 U.S. patients who were assigned randomly to receive an ICD or conventional medical care. Utilization data were converted to costs using a variety of national and hospital-specific data. The incremental cost-effectiveness ratio (iCER) was calculated as the difference in discounted costs divided by the difference in discounted life expectancy within 3.5 years. Secondary analyses included projections of survival (using three alternative assumptions), corresponding cost assumptions, and the resulting cost-effectiveness ratios until 12 years after randomization. Results During the 3.5-year period of the study, the average survival gain for the defibrillator arm was 0.167 years (2 months), the additional costs were $39,200, and the iCER was $235,000 per year-of-life saved. In three alternative projections to 12 years, this ratio ranged from $78,600 to $114,000. Conclusions The estimated cost per life-year saved by the ICD in the MADIT-II study is relatively high at 3.5 years but is projected to be substantially lower over the course of longer time horizons.
Nembutal in the treatment of preeclampsia and eclampsia

Abstract 1. 1. In thirty-five treated cases of preeclampsia, nembutal prevented the onset of convulsions; whereas, three patients treated without nembutal developed convulsions. 2. 2. Nembutal promptly stopped and completely controlled the convulsions in twenty-four treated cases of eclampsia. 3. 3. The use of nembutal, per os, intravenously, or per rectum, in the treatment of preeclampsia and eclampsia is clinically superior to, and safer than, chloroform, morphine, chloral hydrate, or magnesium sulphate in the prevention and control of convulsions. 4. 4. With the control of convulsions, clinically, the toxemia subsides. The role of nembutal in this complex is now under investigation.
Forensic DNA evidence is not infallible

As DNA analysis techniques become more sensitive, we must be careful to reassess the probabilities of error, argues Cynthia M. Cale.
8 – Convergence of Networking Technologies

The key to wireless convergence is Session Initiation Protocol (SIP) and softswitch. SIP is an application-layer signaling protocol for creating, modifying, and terminating sessions with one or more participants. SIP sessions include Internet multimedia conferences, Internet telephone calls, and multimedia distribution. SIP invitations create sessions carrying session descriptions, which allow participants to agree on a set of compatible media types. SIP supports user mobility by proxying and redirecting requests to the user's current location. Users can register their current locations. SIP makes minimal assumptions about the underlying transport protocol. Softswitch- based networks enable service providers to support new, enhanced voice service features as well as offer new types of multimedia applications in addition to integrating existing wireline and wireless voice services with advanced data and video services. The separation of call control and services from the underlying transport network is a key enabling feature of softswitch-based networks. As optical filters and laser technology improved, the ability to combine more than two signal wavelengths on a fiber became a reality. Dense wavelength division multiplexing (DWDM) combines multiple signals on the same fiber, ranging up to 40 or 80 channels. By implementing DWDM systems and optical amplifiers, networks can provide a variety of bit rates and a multitude of channels over a single fiber.
Neutron Diffractometer Measurement of the Slow Neutron Spectrum from a Modified Split Reactor Core

Neutron diffraction techniques are used to measure the slow neutron spectrum of a beam from the NRL Reactor with a modified split core. The effectiveness of using one or more split fuel elements of...
Government by Permanent Emergency: The Forgotten History of the New Deal Constitution

The New Deal Court of the late 1930s and 1940s rewrote American constitutional law regarding the scope of national power within the states. Historically, legal analysts have exhaustively reviewed the impact and aftermath of this alteration. Left largely unacknowledged, however, is the fact that many of these reforms were originally promoted as temporary "emergency" measures intended to counteract the Great Depression. After the Depression ended, however, the expanded federal powers, invoked under the New Deal emergency decree and upheld by the United States Supreme Court, remained intact. A radically altered form of American government, without [*260] retreat to its former state, resulted. President Franklin Delano Roosevelt grounded the New Deal reforms in his powers as Commander-in-Chief and justified their extra-constitutionality under war powers jurisprudence. In effect, the executive branch sought and was granted the power to wage a war on American soil; a war against the invisible and intangible enemy of economic depression and injustice. This war never officially ended, however, and the expansion of the federal government in the 1930s and 1940s became entrenched by the mid-twentieth century. This Article argues that Court rulings interpreting the post-New Deal federal expansion as a mere extension of the Commerce, Tax, and Spending Clauses of the Constitution of the United States are incomplete, unless they include the emergency factor upon which the New Deal reforms were expressly based. First, this Article examines the history and effect of the national emergency that President Roosevelt and the New Deal Congress of 1933 declared in America and its eventual impact upon American constitutional law. Further, this Article discusses the evolution of the loosely defined and historically hazy Emergency Powers Doctrine, from a perspective that is both doubtful of its constitutionality and critical of its practical implications. Finally, this Article asserts that the post-New Deal expansions of federal power, popularly thought to have been based on liberal interpretations of the Commerce, Tax, and Spending Clauses of the United States Constitution, ultimately derive credence from the federal government's unstated assumption of permanent emergency operations.
Nonlinear Viscoelastic Behavior of Asphalt Concrete and Its Implication for Fatigue Modeling

Mechanistic models for asphalt concrete (AC) can consider many different physical mechanisms. However, as more mechanisms are considered, the complexity increases, and it becomes important to balance accuracy and complexity to create a model that can be used by the engineering community. In some cases, the material response is dominated by the effects of only some key processes, and smearing the effects of the minor ones is acceptable. In other cases, many processes are important and need to be considered. In this paper, the importance of modeling the nonlinear viscoelasticity (NLVE) of AC for fatigue response prediction is assessed. Two mechanistic hypotheses are considered for describing this phenomenon: linear viscoelastic with damage and NLVE with damage. The importance of explicitly considering NLVE effects under fatigue loading is evaluated with laboratory tests, the simplified viscoelastic continuum damage (S-VECD) model, and an NLVE form of the S-VECD model. These two models are characterized and ...
A boundary‐coupled generalization of the Newcomb stability criterion

In magnetohydrodynamic problems in which there are boundaries in the axial or azimuthal symmetry directions, the energy principle involves multiple nonorthogonal trial perturbations. The subsequent Euler–Lagrange coupling of these allowed excitations necessitates a generalization of the Newcomb necessary‐and‐sufficient stability criterion. This extension, in which the absence of a conjugate point (instead of a simple zero) provides stability, is described in this paper. An important aspect of the proof involves the treatment of certain asymmetries which arise in the presence of the anisotropy caused by the magnetic field. The general method described here has applications to finite‐length axial laboratory pinches and to astrophysical plasmas with rooted magnetic fields.
Validation of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography for quantifying left ventricular volumes in the presence of a left ventricular aneurysm: in vitro and in vivo studies.

OBJECTIVES: To validate the accuracy of real-time three-dimensional echocardiography (RT3DE) for quantifying aneurysmal left ventricular (LV) volumes. BACKGROUND: Conventional two-dimensional echocardiography (2DE) has limitations when applied for quantification of LV volumes in patients with LV aneurysms. METHODS: Seven aneurysmal balloons, 15 sheep (5 with chronic LV aneurysms and 10 without LV aneurysms) during 60 different hemodynamic conditions and 29 patients (13 with chronic LV aneurysms and 16 with normal LV) underwent RT3DE and 2DE. Electromagnetic flow meters and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) served as reference standards in the animals and in the patients, respectively. Rotated apical six-plane method with multiplanar Simpson's rule and apical biplane Simpson's rule were used to determine LV volumes by RT3DE and 2DE, respectively. RESULTS: Both RT3DE and 2DE correlated well with actual volumes for aneurysmal balloons. However, a significantly smaller mean difference (MD) was found between RT3DE and actual volumes (-7 ml for RT3DE vs. 22 ml for 2DE, p = 0.0002). Excellent correlation and agreement between RT3DE and electromagnetic flow meters for LV stroke volumes for animals with aneurysms were observed, while 2DE showed lesser correlation and agreement (r = 0.97, MD = -1.0 ml vs. r = 0.76, MD = 4.4 ml). In patients with LV aneurysms, better correlation and agreement between RT3DE and MRI for LV volumes were obtained (r = 0.99, MD = -28 ml) than between 2DE and MRI (r = 0.91, MD = -49 ml). CONCLUSIONS: For geometrically asymmetric LVs associated with ventricular aneurysms, RT3DE can accurately quantify LV volumes.
Evaluation of Chiral α-Cyanoesters as General Fluorescent Substrates for Screening Enantioselective Esterases

Esterases play a crucial role in industrial chemical synthesis, maintaining normal physiological metabolism and detoxifying exogenous ester-containing toxicants. To meet the rapidly increasing industrial need for all kinds of esterases, especially enantioselective esterases used to generate highly pure chiral compounds, general substrates are necessary for rapid screening, monitoring, purification, and characterization. In this study, general fluorescent substrates including phenolic derivatives and α-cyanoesters were evaluated for sensitivity in detecting esterases in buffer systems. Results with two different esterases and different incubation times suggested that the α-cyanoesters examined were significantly more sensitive at detecting esterases than the corresponding tested phenolic derivatives. More importantly, α-cyanoesters, containing a secondary alcohol, possess at least one chiral center; thus, they are tools to screen for enantioselective hydrolysis. Results indicated that the enantioselectivit...
Nitric oxide synthase induction with renal transplant rejection or infection

Nitric oxide synthase induction with renal transplant rejection or infection. Nitric oxide (NO) is readily oxidized to nitrate and nitrite and NO activates guanylyl cyclase, increasing cyclic GMP levels. To determine if nitric oxide synthase (NOS) is present in urine collected daily from patients following renal transplantation, we evaluated NOS activity in the leukocyte-rich particulate fraction and measured nitrate, nitrite, and cyclic GMP levels in the supernatant fraction of the urine. Reverse transcriptase-PCR and cDNA sequencing confirmed the presence of inducible NOS (iNOS) in cells obtained from the urine of renal transplant patients with rejection. NOS activity was elevated significantly in renal transplant patients with rejection (6.40 ± 1.47 pmol citrulline/min/mg protein) or with urinary tract infection (29.56 ± 11.00 pmol citrulline/min/mg protein), when compared to post-renal transplantation patients without rejection or urinary tract infection (0.51 ± 0.21 pmol citrulline/min/mg protein). Nitrate levels increased in renal transplant patients with rejection and nitrite levels increased in renal transplant patients with urinary tract infection (UTI). Cyclic GMP levels increased with both rejection and UTI. This study demonstrates the presence of NOS activity and inducible NOS-mRNA in cells isolated from the urine of patients undergoing renal allograft rejection.
Choosing and using multiple information sources: Some new findings and emergent issues

Abstract This commentary highlights important contributions of four empirical investigations of how people sort through the masses of information that are now available to them and find what they need to solve some problem or make some decision. These studies demonstrate the impact of differences among information sources and the role that these differences play in people's evaluations of sources and use of the information to make decisions. Future research needs to examine changes in judgments of source credibility and information relevance as people acquire more knowledge of a topic and learn more sophisticated strategies for using multiple sources. Future studies of instructional effects on searching, sourcing and integrating multiple sources will be most informative if they collect multiple measures of processing and use of information in decision making and problem solving.
Supramolecular Synthesis of Graphenic Mesogenic Materials

Supramolecular chemistry offers new routes for creation of carbon and graphene-based materials with precise control of structure. This approach stacks, aligns, polymerizes, or otherwise directs the assembly of precursor molecules into non-covalent superstructures or macromolecular intermediates that are then chemically converted to carbon. A subset of this field uses liquid crystal phases, or mesophases, which exhibit orientational molecular order somewhere along the chemical trajectory to carbon. Covalent capture of that orientational order followed by heteroatom removal leads to “mesogenic graphenic materials”. This review article addresses these carbons and focuses on new methods and materials that use well-defined molecular precursors. It discusses polyaromatic compounds as starting materials, assembly modes in the melt and solvent phases, and potential applications.
Area and volume measurement of posterior fossa structures in MRI

This study was undertaken to determine the extent to which area measures of posterior fossa structures can be used confidently to represent structure volumes. MRI scans were obtained from three groups: fragile X males, males with other developmental disabilities, and males with normal IQ. The areas of the midbrain, pons, medulla, cerebellar vermis, and fourth ventricle were measured in midsagittal sections. Volumes of midbrain, pons, medulla, cerebellum, fourth ventricle, and third ventricle were obtained by measuring these structures in contiguous axial slices. In addition, the largest axial area for each structure was identified. Analysis revealed that midsagittal area measures for pons, medulla, and fourth ventricle were significantly correlated with structure volumes, and that all of the largest axial area measures were significantly correlated with structure volumes. However, only the midsagittal area measure of fourth ventricle and the largest axial area measures of fourth ventricle and cerebellum were correlated with volume measures with an r of .80 of greater. Results of this study suggest that area measures may not accurately represent three-dimensional structure size.
Requirements for Successful Implementation of New Manufacturing Technologies

Abstract This paper addresses the issue of why many U.S. companies have had major problems implementing “programmable automation” technologies in a manner to exploit their full potential. Many competitors in Japan and Europe have been much more successful. The theme of the paper is that the real impediment to the effective use of this new manufacturing hardware lies in some deeply entrenched attitudes and ways of doing things that are incompatible with the requirements and unique capabilities of the new hardware. Barriers to successful implementation are explored and implications for managerial practice are discussed.
Are atoms intrinsic to molecular electronic wavefunctions? III. Analysis of FORS configurations

Abstract The interpretation of configurational bases in the full reaction space depends on the type of FORS MOs from which they are generated. Configurations constructed from atom-adapted FORS MOs have the character of valence bond structures and can be transformed into antisymmetrized products of atomic state functions. Configurations based on natural FORS MOs can be used to advantage to generate that part of the full reaction space which dominates the orbital optimization. Configurational mixing in the full reaction space can be predicted using the minimal basis set of the free-atom SCF AOs. Illustrative examples are given. The FORS model can be improved through the intra-atomic correlation correction.
Efficacy and safety of the reciprocal pulse defibrillator current waveform.

The efficacy and safety of a new defibrillating current waveform, consisting of a low-tilt 5 ms trapezoidal pulse followed closely by a second identical pulse of opposite polarity, was tested in seven isolated, perfused, working canine hearts suspended in an isoresistive, isotonic shock bath at 37°C. The efficacy and safety of the reciprocal pulse was compared with a single 5 ms pulse, a single 10 ms pulse, and a dual (unidirectional) 5ms pulse waveform. The mean threshold average current densities for the 5 ms single pulse, 10 ms single pulse, dual 5 ms pulse, and reciprocal pulse (absolute values) were 40, 38, 36 and 37 mA cm−2, respectively. The corresponding mean threshold energy densities in the shock bath were 2·8, 2·9 and 3·1 mJ cm−3. Despite the differences in threshold current density among the waveforms, no differences in safety factor (shock strength for 50 per cent postshock depression divided by threshold shock strength) were found among the waveforms. The current safety factors were 5·4, 5·4, 5·6 and 5·5 for the 5 ms single pulse, 10ms single pulse, dual unidirectional pulse and reciprocal pulse, respectively. The corresponding energy density safety factors were 25, 27, 29 and 27. Thus the use of this reciprocal pulse waveform provides no advantage in efficacy or safety over waveforms of the same total duration.
Commentary on ‘Conjugate vaccines for preventing meningococcal C meningitis and septicaemia’, with comment from EBCH editor

This is a commentary on a Cochrane review, published in this issue of EBCH, first published as: Conterno LO, Silva Filho CR, Ruggeberg JU, Heath PT. Conjugate vaccines for preventing meningococcal C meningitis and septicaemia. Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews 2006, Issue 3. Art. No.: CD001834. DOI: 10.1002/14651858.CD001834.pub2. Further information for this Cochrane review is available in this issue of EBCH in the accompanying EBCH Summary and Characteristics and Key Findings Tables articles. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Disruption of mitochondria during tocotrienol-induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells.

Tocotrienols, which are Vitamin E isoforms, are known to inhibit the growth of human breast cancer cells due partly to apoptosis. However, the characterization of tocotrienol-induced apoptosis is incomplete, particularly what happens during the initiation phase that precedes execution of the cells. The objective of this study was to clarify the apoptotic effects of tocotrienols, with especial emphasis in determining if the mitochondria-mediated death pathway is activated when human breast cancer cells are incubated with a specific tocotrienol isomer. During incubation with &#x03B3-tocotrienol, MDA-MB-231 human breast cancer cells showed membrane blebbing, and apoptotic bodies were present. Upon 4',6-diamidino-2-phenylindole staining of the cells, chromatin condensation and fragmentation were observed. Additionally, the annexin V-binding assay detected the translocation of membrane phospholipid during earlier analysis of the cells. Taken together, these results further establish that &#x03B3-tocotrienol can induce apoptosis in human breast cancer cells. To help elucidate how &#x03B3-tocotrienol induced the apoptosis, some important parameters related to the mitochondria-mediated death pathway were examined next. In &#x03B3-tocotrienol-treated cells, the mitochondria were disrupted. Collapse of the mitochondrial membrane potential was detected, and cytochrome c was released later from mitochondria. However, expression of Bax and Bcl-2 (mRNA and protein) did not change. Furthermore, poly-(ADP-ribose)-polymerase cleavage was not detected, suggesting that caspases were not involved in the &#x03B3-tocotrienol-induced apoptosis. These results imply that cytochrome c is not the critical protein released from mitochondria that triggers &#x03B3-tocotrienol-induced apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells.
Lipid Bilayers in Nanopores to Vary their Diameter, Characterize Amyloid-β Aggregates and Monitor the Activity of Membrane-Active Enzymes

This research introduces the concept of coating the surfaces of nanopores with supported lipid bilayers for previously inaccessible nanopore-based assays. Current methods for shrinking nanopores with nanometer precision entail the use of specialized instruments such as focused ion beams or electron beams. Furthermore, altering the surface chemistry of nanopores currently requires multiple chemical steps and typically takes longer than one day. The method presented here modifies the surface chemistry of nanopores within 90 min by deposition of desired lipids with various chemical headgroups. This work also demonstrates the use of lipids with acyl chains of different lengths to shrink the diameter of a nanopore with sub-nanometer precision. Remarkably, the surface of bilayer-coated nanopores is non-fouling and makes it possible to detect aggregates of the "notoriously sticky" peptide, amyloid-β; the same nanopore without a bilayer clogged in every experiment. These non-fouling properties of nanopores coated with a fluid lipid bilayer made it possible to resolve single aggregates of amyloid-β and to characterize their true size distribution. Finally, this research took advantage of bilayer-coated nanopores to monitor the activity of the membrane-active enzyme, phospholipase D. Together the results presented here demonstrate that supported lipid bilayers can be used to alter the size and surface chemistry of nanopores reversibly. Moreover, bilayer-coated nanopores show promise to study membrane-active enzymes, membrane processes, as well as to perform nano-Coulter counter experiments on peptides that aggregate and adhere to surfaces such as amyloid-β.
First-Row Transition Metal-Halide Complexes Supported by a Monoanionic [N2P2] Ligand

Metal−halide complexes of a multidentate monoanionic ligand tBuN(H)SiMe2N(CH2CH2PiPr2)2, H[N2P2], with Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Co, and Ni have been isolated and characterized. X-ray crystallographic studies were performed on [N2P2]TiCl2 (3), [N2P2]CrCl2 (5), [N2P2]MnCl (6), [N2P2]FeCl (7), [N2P2]CoCl (8), and [N2P2]NiBr (9), and the results revealed that the [N2P2] ligand exhibits considerable flexibility in the manner in which it binds to first-row metals and that three distinct coordination modes are observed: κ3-N2P (Ti), κ3-NP2 (Mn, Fe, Co), and κ4-N2P2 (Cr, Ni). Electrochemical (CV) data and room-temperature magnetic susceptibilities are also described.
Using NCES National Datasets for Evaluation of Postsecondary Issues.

The purpose of this study is to review 10 NCES databases that can be used for researching postsecondary issues and provide lesser‐known facts to using the datasets that are important but may not be widely understood. Issues addressed include: (1) access; (2) statistical issues; (3) database nuances; and (4) database training opportunities. A concise review of each database is also provided which includes: (1) a general overview of the survey; (2) formats in which the dataset is available; and (3) research areas (which include key variables that can be used as a basis for research themes along with examples of how the dataset has been used to answer research questions). The databases provide rich sources of information for national as well as international comparative analysis studies.
Editorial: Reforming the welfare state in postsocialist societies

Abstract The communist system led to a “premature welfare state,” with universal entitlements out of all proportion to the country's resources and the fiscal capacity of the state. Many citizens suffer heavy losses when the proportions are restored. Great progress has been made with the postsocialist transformation in several fields, but reform of the welfare sector has lagged behind—dominant state ownership, bureaucratic centralization and a lack of competition remain. There are a number of obstacles in the path of reform. Citizens are unclear about the tax burden imposed by state welfare services. Damage can be done by populist politicians, who make irresponsible promises to raise welfare spending while concurrently cutting taxation. Economists have a duty to make a sober appraisal of the situation and present realistic alternatives.
The association of left ventricular ejection fraction, mortality, and cause of death in stable outpatients with heart failure.

Abstract Objectives The aim of this study was to assess the prognostic importance of left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) in stable outpatients with heart failure (HF). Background Although LVEF is an accepted prognostic indicator of prognosis in HF patients, the relationship of LVEF and mortality across the full spectrum of LVEF is incompletely understood. Methods We examined the association of LVEF and outcomes among 7,788 stable HF patients enrolled in the Digitalis Investigation Group trial. Results During mean follow-up of 37 months, mortality was substantial in all LVEF groups (range, LVEF ≤ 15%, 51.7%, LVEF > 55%, 23.5%). Among patients with LVEF ≤ 45%, mortality decreased in a near linear fashion across successively higher LVEF groups (LVEF 45% both before (LVEF 46% to 55%: 23.3%; LVEF > 55%: 23.5%; p = 0.25), and after multivariable adjustment (LVEF 46% to 55%: HR 0.92, 95% CI 0.77 to 1.10; LVEF > 55%: HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.71 to 1.09; LVEF 36% to 45%: referent). Patients with lower LVEF were at increased absolute risk of death due to arrhythmia and worsening HF, but these were leading causes of death in all LVEF groups. Conclusions Among HF patients in sinus rhythm, higher LVEFs were associated with a linear decrease in mortality up to an LVEF of 45%. However, increases above 45% were not associated with further reductions in mortality.