cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Complexity in the Decomposition of Formic Acid on the TiO2(110) Surface

The decomposition of formic acid on the TiO2(110) surface was examined with temperature-programmed desorption (TPD), static secondary ion mass spectrometry (SSIMS), and high-resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy (HREELS). Formic acid decomposed upon adsorption on TiO2(110) at 110 K to formate and a proton. The formate species was identified in HREELS by the symmetric O−C−O stretching mode at 1365 cm-1 and the C−H stretching mode at 2920 cm-1. The deposited acid proton was difficult to detect in HREELS but presumably formed a hydroxyl group at a bridging two-coordinate O2- site. TPD indicated that the major formic acid decomposition products were CO and H2O, suggestive of a dehydration process. However, a dehydration mechanism is unsuitable for describing the decomposition of formic acid on TiO2(110) because the CO and H2O products were formed from independent sources and by independent surface processes. CO desorbed during decomposition of formate between 400 and 700 K, but the majority of the deso...
The role of the hydrophobic distal heme pocket of CooA in ligand sensing and response.

CooA from Rhodospirillum rubrum is a heme-containing transcriptional activator that becomes activated only upon binding CO. The basis for this specificity has been probed in a CooA variant, termed ΔP3R4 CooA, lacking two residues adjacent to the Pro2 heme ligand, which weakens that ligand. ΔP3R4 CooA can bind imidazole and CN−, as well as CO, and form a 6-coordinate low spin adduct with each. However, in contrast to the case with CO, imidazole and CN− do not stimulate the DNA binding activity of ΔP3R4 CooA. This result indicates that the CO-specific activation of CooA is not merely the result of creation of a 6-coordinate CooA adduct but that there must be another element to this response. One feature of CooA activation is modest repositioning of the C-helices upon CO binding, so we altered a portion of the C-helix (residues Ile113 and Leu116) located near the heme-bound CO in wild type CooA, and we investigated the effect on CO-specific activation. Surprisingly, the sizes of Ile113 and/or Leu116 positions are not critical for CooA activation by CO, disproving a precise interaction between these residues and the CO-bound heme as a basis for the CO activation mechanism and CO ligand specificity. In contrast, hydrophobic residues at these positions contribute to the activation. Some CooA variants altered at these positions in the background of ΔP3R4 were also found to show low but reproducible activation in response to imidazole binding to the heme. A model for the role of hydrophobicity in CooA activation and specificity is suggested.
On Neyman's conjecture: A characterization of the multinomials

Abstract A complete solution is provided to a problem posed by J. Newman ( Classical and Contagious Discrete Distributions , G. P. Patil, Ed., pp. 4–14, Calcutta Statistical Publishing Society, Calcutta, 1965) and reformulated by J. K. Ghosh, B. K. Sinha and B. K. Sinha ( J. Multivar. Anal. 7, 397–408 (1977)) regarding a characterization of (positive and negative) multinomial distributions based, among other things, on the properties of regression in power series distributions.
Instabilities in neutrino systems induced by interactions with scalars

If there are scalar particles of small or moderate mass coupled very weakly to Dirac neutrinos, in a minimal way, then neutrino-anti-neutrino clouds of sufficient number density can experience an instability in which helicities are suddenly reversed. The predicted collective evolution is many orders of magnitude faster than given by cross section calculations. The instabilities are the analogue of the ``flavor-angle'' instabilities (enabled by the $Z$ exchange force) that may drive very rapid flavor exchange among the neutrinos that emerge from a supernova. These exchanges do require a tiny seed in addition to the scalar couplings, but the transition time is proportional to the negative of the logarithm of the seed strength, so that the size of this parameter is comparatively unimportant. For our actual estimates we use a tiny nonconservation of leptons; an alternative would be a neutrino magnetic moment in a small magnetic field. The possibility of a quantum fluctuation as a seed is also discussed. Operating in the mode of putting limits on the coupling constant of the scalar field, for the most minimal coupling scheme, with independent couplings to all three $\ensuremath{\nu}$, we find a rough limit on the dimensionless coupling constant for a neutrino-flavor independent coupling of $Gl{10}^{\ensuremath{-}10}$, to avoid the effective number of light neutrinos in the early universe being essentially six. If, on the other hand, we wish to fine-tune the model to give a more modest excess (over three) in the effective neutrino number, as may be needed according to recent WMAP analyses, it is easy to do so.
Media Review: FERPA Clear and Simple: The College Professional's Guide to Compliance

(2011). Media Review: FERPA Clear and Simple: The College Professional's Guide to Compliance. Journal of Student Affairs Research and Practice: Vol. 48, No. 3, pp. 371-373.
The Comparison of Corn, Milo, and Hegari in the Diet of Laying Hens

Abstract IN THE southwest section of the United States it is very difficult to raise corn because of climatic conditions. Under irrigation these same climatic conditions favor high grain yields from two grain sorghums, yellow milo and hegari. It is generally known that these two grains are suitable for poultry feeding, yet many poultrymen who have migrated from corn raising localities are strongly prejudiced in favor of corn. Heywang and Morgan (1932) found that yellow milo or hegari could be used in place of half or all of the yellow corn in a chick diet that was not deficient in any way. Smith (1930a) found that milo and hegari were higher in protein and lower in fat than yellow corn. In the diet of the rat she found that milo and hegari like corn were deficient in protein and minerals. However, if they were supplemented with adequate quantities of vitamin A, . . .
When to Target Leaders

Killing regime leaders might not only be fair game, but also might be the best alternative under certain circumstances. What moral, legal, and practical criteria should policymakers consider to determine whether to take such action?
Treatment and posttreatment effects of chewable fluoride tablets on dental caries: findings after 7½ years

Benefits of the caries-preventive procedure were assessed 1½ years after the discontinuation of this school-based study. Assessment of the retained benefits of supplementation of fluoride tablets 1½ years after the treatment was discontinued provides information on alternate public health measures to reduce caries and on the cost-effectiveness of school-based programs.
Efficient, reliable, long-lifetime, diode-pumped Nd:YAG laser for space-based vegetation topographical altimetry

A highly efficient, diode-pumped, Nd:YAG laser is described. The oscillator utilizes an unstable resonator design with a Gaussian reflectivity output coupler and a side-pumped zigzag slab gain medium. The laser produces 18-mJ, 10-ns pulses at a repetition rate of 242 Hz in a near-TEM00 mode with an optical efficiency of up to 14%. An extended performance test was recently concluded in which the transmitter operated at reduced output for more than 4.8 × 109 shots with no optical damage. Design criteria, beam quality, and lifetime data are presented.
Synthesis and helical structure of lactam bridged BH3 peptides derived from pro-apoptotic Bcl-2 family proteins.

Abstract Protein–protein interactions within the Bcl-2 family are mediated by the helical BH3 domains of pro-apoptotic family members. To study the mechanism of this BH3 domain–protein interaction, a series of cyclic lactam bridged BH3 peptide analogues were synthesized by a novel combined Fmoc/ t Bu/Bzl protections strategy. These peptide analogues were studied by circular dichroism spectroscopy and found to adopt highly helical structure. These helical peptides stabilized by a lactam bridge serve as useful models to analyze the structure–function relationship of the pro-apoptotic BH3 domains. Furthermore, the synthetic method for lactam bridge incorporation reported here may find application in studies of other helical structures and development of helix mimics.
Assessing College Students’ Quantitative and Scientific Reasoning: The James Madison University Story

Quantitative and scientific reasoning is a critical student learning outcome in higher education. Data are presented for large samples of undergraduate students who were assessed as entering freshmen and then again after completing 45-70 credit hours. Results are presented around four key issues that are central to educational assessment. First, entering freshmen with transfer credits for quantitative and scientific reasoning courses that fulfill general education requirements, on average, score similar to entering freshmen without such credit. About 97% of entering freshmen who had transfer credits received their credits through dual enrollment programs. As a sophomore-junior, students who had completed their general education requirements performed similar to students who had started, but not yet finished these requirements. Second, small to moderate correlations were observed between grade-point averages in relevant general education coursework and quantitative and scientific reasoning. Third, students’ quantitative and scientific reasoning, on average, increases from freshmen to sophomore/junior years. Finally, the proportion of students who meet faculty-set standards substantially increases from pre-test to post-test. Taken together, results suggest that changes in quantitative and scientific reasoning are a function of relevant courses. Additional research is needed to examine the role of lower-level versus higher-level courses in student performance. Results also indicate a need to investigate how differences in the quality of dual enrollment courses facilitate quantitative and scientific reasoning.
An evaluation of the health status of the Lavaca Bay, Texas ecosystem using Crassostrea virginica as the sentinel species

Locational risks for compromised ecosystem health for the eastern oysters (Crassostrea virginica) harvested from Lavaca Bay, Texas were estimated. Flow cytometric evaluation of variations in DNA content and the lysosomal destabilization assay were used for evaluation of genotoxicity and stress, respectively. Bayesian geo-statistical methods were utilized to estimate and evaluate spatial effects. For models with spatial risks, continuous surface maps of predicted parameter values were created to evaluate risk location. Lysosomal destabilization assay results were spatially oriented whereas flow cytometry results were fit best with the random effects model. While not spatially oriented, the highest levels of variations in DNA content were also present near industrial facilities. Locational risks of increased biomarkers of genotoxicity and stress in the eastern oyster (Crassostrea virginica) were increased with proximity to industrial facilities.
Frequency of Hprt mutant lymphocytes and micronucleated erythrocytes in p53-haplodeficient mice treated perinatally with AZT and AZT in combination with 3TC.

Azidothymidine (AZT) is a nucleoside reverse transcriptase inhibitor (NRTI) that is used for reducing mother-to-child transmission of human immunodeficiency virus I. Combinations of AZT and 3′-thiacytidine (3TC) are even more effective than AZT alone. AZT, however, is a mutagen and carcinogen in rodent models and 3TC can increase the genotoxicity of AZT. Since p53 plays a key role in human and mouse tumorigenesis, p53-haplodeficient mice are currently being evaluated as a model for assessing the carcinogenicity of perinatal exposure to NRTIs. In the present study, male C57BL/6 p53+/+ and p53−/− mice were mated with C3H p53+/+ females; the pregnant females were treated on gestation day 12 through parturition with 40, 80, and 160 mg/kg of AZT or a combination of 160 mg/kg AZT and 100 mg/kg 3TC (AZT-3TC); the p53+/+ and p53+/− offspring were treated daily after birth through postnatal day (PND) 28. The frequencies of micronucleated reticulocytes (MN-RETs) and micronucleated normochromatic erythrocytes (MN-NCEs) were determined on PND1, PND10, and PND28; the frequency of Hprt mutant lymphocytes was measured on PND28. The frequencies of MN-RETs and MN-NCEs were increased in treated animals at all time points; there were no differences in the responses of p53+/+ and p53+/− animals treated with identical doses of NRTIs. After correction for clonal expansion, both AZT and AZT-3TC treatments induced small but significant increases in the frequency of Hprt mutant lymphocytes in p53+/− mice, but not in p53+/+ mice. The data indicate that p53 haplodeficiency affects the genotoxicity of NRTIs; thus, p53+/− mice may be a sensitive model for evaluating the carcinogenicity of perinatal exposure to NRTIs. Environ. Mol. Mutagen., 2007. Published 2007 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The uptake of ascorbic acid and dehydroascorbic acid by chromaffin granules of the adrenal medulla.

Abstract Adrenal chromaffin granules incubated with [ 14 C]ascorbate or [ 14 C]dehydroascorbate accumulated radioactively labeled compounds. Dehydroascorbate was generated from ascorbate by including oxidized cytochrome c in the incubation mixture but thin layer chromatography revealed that dehydroascorbate was present even in the absence of cytochrome c. This observation coupled with the fact that radioactively labeled compound was accumulated much faster in the presence of cytochrome c than in its absence indicates that dehydroascorbate but not ascorbate is taken up by the chromaffin granules. Uptake of radioactivity was not saturable with ascorbate or dehydroascorbate concentration, and granules which had taken up the radioactively labeled compound lost most of the material in 12 h. In addition 1 mm adenosine 5′-triphosphate--Mg 2+ + had no effect on either ascorbate or dehydroascorbate uptake. These data indicate that uptake proceeds via an energy independent mechanism. The rate of uptake of dehydroascorbate is 50-fold lower than the rate of catecholamine uptake. Ascorbate but not dehydroascorbate acts as a cofactor for the enzyme dopamine β-hydroxylase in the conversion of dopamine to norepinephrine. Dehydroascorbate taken up by the granules must therefore be reduced in order to be used by dopamine i3-hydroxylase. We suggest that the chromaffin granule electron transport system may be involved in this reduction.
Spectral domain optical coherence tomography using a microchip laser-pumped photonic crystal fiber supercontinuum source

We report spectral domain optical coherence tomography (SDOCT) with a supercontinuum source based on a photonic crystal fiber pumped with nanosecond laser pulses. The Q-switched Nd:YAG microchip laser produces 0.6 ns duration pulses at 1064 nm with 8 μJ of energy at a 6.6 kHz repetition rate. These pulses are sent through 3 m of photonic crystal fiber with a zero dispersion wavelength of 1040 nm. The fiber output is coupled into a fiber-based SDOCT system operating at a central wavelength of 800 nm. The A-line acquisition rate is 6.6 kHz, where each A-line is produced by a single supercontinuum pulse. Point spread function measurements show excellent resolution, but sensitivity is degraded by spectral fluctuations of individual supercontinuum pulses. Test images show less dynamic range compared to a Ti:Sapphire femtosecond laser based system. However, this supercontinuum source has potential for stroboscopic illumination in time-resolved low coherence interferometry.© (2008) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Anabolic regulation of gluconeogenesis by insulin in isolated rat hepatocytes

The role of substrate availability in the regulation of gluconeogenesis in isolated rat hepatocytes was studied using [U-14C]alanine as a tracer in the presence of different concentrations of L-alanine in the incubation medium. At low alanine concentrations (0.5 mM) insulin decreased the 14C incorporation into the glucose pool and increased the incorporation of tracer carbons into the protein and lipid pools and into CO2. The net radioactivity lost from the glucose pool was only a small percentage of the total increase in the activity of the protein, lipid, CO2, or glycogen pools, supporting the notion that the effect of insulin in diminishing gluconeogenesis is secondary to its effects on pathways using pyruvate. At higher concentrations of alanine (2.5, 5.0, and 10.0 mM) in the incubation medium insulin increased the movement of alanine carbons into protein and glucose. This suggests that at higher substrate concentrations the ability of the liver to synthesize proteins is overwhelmed and the pyruvate carbons are forced into the gluconeogenesis pathway. These results were further confirmed by using [U-14C]lactate. The increases in observed specific activity of glucose following insulin administration would not be possible if insulin acted by affecting the activity of any enzyme directly involved in the formation or utilization of pyruvate, most of which have been proposed as sites of insulin action. Data presented show that insulin "inhibits" gluconeogenesis by affecting a change in substrate availability.
Metabolism of ATP during anoxia in guinea pig seminal vesicle mucosa.

Zusammenfassung Der Stoffwechsel von ATP wahrend einer Anoxie in der Mukosa der Meerschweinchen-Samenblase In den Samenblasen von Meerschweinchen wurde der Gehalt an Adenin-Nukleotiden enzymatisch bestimmt. Aus anderem Gewebe-Nukleotiden wurde Inosin-Mono-phosphat mittels der zweidimensionalen Dunnschicht-Chromatographie auf PEI-Platten isoliert, eluiert und spektrophotometrisch quantifiziert. Die intrazellulare Konzentration von IMP uberstieg 10 mal die Kontrollwerte (aerobes Gewebe) gleichzeitig mit einer starken ATP-Erschopfung als Folge der Anoxie. Dieser Befund kontrastiert deutlich mit anderen Geweben, bei denen eine ATP-Erschopfung im allgemeinen mit einem Anstieg von AMP einhergeht. Anorganischer Gewebsphosphor akkumulierte in einem Umfange, der der offenbaren ATP-Erschopfung entsprach. Harnsaure akkumulierte nicht. Die vorgelegten Ergebnisse deuten nach Ansicht der Autoren an, das die Moglichkeit einer speziellen Rolle fur IMP in der Stoffwechselkontrolle dieses Gewe-bes besteht.
Evolution of the Bimodal Directional Distribution of Ocean Waves

Abstract Recent results of numerical wave models have shown that the presence of a bimodal directional spreading is a robust feature at wavenumbers above the spectral peak. This directional bimodality is controlled mainly by directional transfer of energy through nonlinear wave–wave interactions. The bimodal feature has also been observed in the directional spectra derived from the spatial topography of ocean surface waves acquired by stereo-photography, image radars, and an airborne scanning lidar system. In this study, a comprehensive data analysis of the evolution of the wave directional distribution during two active wave growth periods in Lake Michigan is conducted. The wind and wave measurements are acquired by two heave–pitch–roll buoys moored at a nearshore and an offshore station. An empirical method averaging the results of the maximum likelihood method and maximum entropy method is used to estimate the directional distribution from buoy measurements. The study shows that the bimodal distributio...
The Oldest Bryozoans: New Evidence from the Early Ordovician

An abundant, previously problematic fossil from the Lower Ordovician (Canadian) Black Rock limestone of the Ozark Uplift area is an undescribed dianulitid bryozoan. It is believed to be the oldest unquestionable bryozoan known. The growth morphology varies widely and is believed to be environmentally influenced.
Perishing Paradigm: Race-1931-99

Authors of three studies (Leonard Lieberman, Blaine W. Stevenson, Larry T. Reynolds, and Matt Cartmill) agree that the concept of race has approached its lowest level of acceptance in a century. However, one of the studies (that of Cartmill) seems to show no significant change from 1965 to 1996. We analyze this paradox in terms of possible differences in the populations studied. [Keywords: race, physical anthropology, variation]
Motion blur kernel estimation using noisy inertial data

In the case of motion blur due to unknown motion, most of the existing image deblurring algorithms rely on good initial estimate of the kernel or latent image obtained through blind deconvolution and only consider 3-dimensional camera motions. To overcome these problems, Joshi [1] presented a novel blur kernel estimation and image deblurring approach by integrating 6-dimensional inertial sensors with a camera. However, the drift in the estimated camera motion path introduced by inertial measurement noise was not well handled in Joshi's work. In this paper, we propose an alternating optimization scheme to move the drifted camera motion path to the correct position. The camera pose space in the projective motion blur model is replaced by a motion path set to compensate for path drift. Experiments are performed on synthetic and real images to show the effectiveness of our approach.
Recent innovations using magnetostrictive sensors for nondestructive evaluation

Magnetostrictive sensor (MsS) technology is an emerging method to cost-effectively inspect large structures using ultrasonic guided waves. Recent research focuses on applications demanding small, robust sensors. To adapt to these applications, SwRI has extended MsS capabilities to generating bulk and surface wave modes. Bulk wave applications are demonstrated on a laboratory specimen with artificial damage. Surface wave inspections are demonstrated to monitor large areas of a thick-walled containment type structure.
Evaluating DEER Distance Profiles in Terms of Protein Conformational Ensembles

Distance profiles obtained from DEER spectroscopy provide a wealth of information regarding distances between spin labels in macromolecular systems. We have been evaluating the utility of DEER distance profiles to provide information regarding changes in conformational sampling ensembles in HIV-1 protease. In this workshop we will present our approaches and developments related to assessing errors in the data and how the data are related back to protein conformational sampling states. We will also show that sample freezing methods do not alter HIV distance ensembles within errors of the measurements.
Product-inhibition of testicular steroidogenic enzymes in the marmoset Saguinus oedipus.

Abstract It has been reported that the marmoset testis converts pregnenolone to testosterone through the delta-4 pathway, with progesterone and 17-hydroxyprogesterone the major intermediate metabolites. The following studies were to determine the inhibition of specifie testicular steroidogenic enzymes by the products of these enzymes, and to verify our initial delta-4 results with the marmoset testis. Marmoset testicular fragments (50 mg) were incubated with 10 μCi (200nmol) of the following tritium-labelled substrates: pregnenolone, progesterone, 17-hydroxyprogesterone, androstenedione. Radiolabelled pregnenolone was incubated in the presence of unlabelled (200 nmol) progesterone or unlabelled 17-hydroxypregnenolone. Radiolabelled progesterone was incubated with 200nmol of unlabelled 17-hydroxyprogesterone, while radiolabelled 17-hydroxyprogesterone was incubated with 200nmol of unlabelled androstenedione. Radiolabelled androstenedione was incubated with 200 nmol of unlabelled testosterone. All radiolabelied incubates were compared to appropriate controls receiving no unlabelled product. Unlabelled progesterone decreased the metabolism of labelled pregnenolone by 19.6% compared to that of control incubates, while unlabelled 17-hydroxypregnenolone had no detectable effect upon the metabolism of pregnenolone. 17-Hydroxypregnenolone and dehydroepiandrosterone were not identified in any of the pregnenolone incubates. Unlabelled 17-hydroxyprogesterone substantially decreased the metabolism of progesterone, resulting in a 26.6% decline in the metabolism of progesterone compared to controls. Similarly, unlabelled androstenedione decreased the metabolism of 17-hydroxyprogesterone by 20.3% compared to controls receiving no unlabelled androstenedione. Unlabelled testosterone had no effect upon the metabolism of androstenedione by marmoset testicular fragments. These results suggest that the products of selected marmoset testicular steroidogenic enzymes can competitively inhibit the metabolism of their respective substrates, and that pregnenolone is converted to testosterone through the delta-4 pathway in the marmoset testis.
WE-C-108-06: Accelerating Collapsed Cone Convolution/Superposition Dose Calculation On GPU Using Spatial Decomposition

Purpose: The performance of all known Collapsed Cone Convolution/Superposition (CCCS) dose calculation methods on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) is bounded by memory throughput. One major cause of this bottleneck is the traditional uniform grid representation of the density volume for human body, which generally contains many homogeneous areas. The common ray traversal process of CCCS within a homogeneous area in a uniform grid repeatedly reads the same density information voxel by voxel, hence increasing the memory accessing workloads. We propose a new spatial decomposition based data structure, called Shell, to improve the CCCS performance on GPU. Our idea is to group voxels in homogeneous areas into rectangular regions such that the density of each such homogeneous region is acquired by one read. An efficient ray traversal method across different regions is developed to reduce the number of memory accesses. Methods: We use a spatial decomposition (e.g., octree) algorithm to adaptively partition a uniform grid density volume into a set of approximately homogeneous regions. Our Shell data structure consists of these regions, each containing its average density and pointers for its neighboring regions. The memory addresses of such pointers are associated with the voxels lying on the region boundaries, which allow any ray traversing in a region to efficiently find the next neighboring region to traverse using table lookup schemes. Results: We integrated our method with a CCCS program and tested using various clinical cases on NVIDIA GTX570 GPU. The program using Shell runs 1.32X to 1.44X faster than using a uniform grid, with less than 2% variance in the dose calculation results. Conclusion: The results show our proposed method effectively reduces the memory bottleneck and improves the CCCS performance on GPU. There is a trade off between the speedup and dose accuracy, which is determined by the spatial decomposition methods. The research of D.Z. Chen was supported in part by NSF under Grants CCF‐0916606 and CCF‐1217906.
Analysis of oil-based pharmaceuticals

Oils of animal, mineral and vegetable origin are used in the formulation of pharmaceuticals. In most cases the analysis of these pharmaceuticals requires the separation of the drug substance from the oil components prior to its quantitation, the required degree of separation depending on the specificity of the quantitation method. When the physical properties of the drug substance are quite similar to those of components of the oil, the separation of the drug becomes complex. Column partition chromatography provides an excellent means of separating steroids from the vegetable oil vehicles used in injectables. Both reverse phase and direct phase techniques are applied to the separation of the steroids from the glyceride, sterol and triterpenoid fractions of the oil. Illustrations are provided to demonstrate the application of thin layer chromatography, paper chromatography, gas chromatography, gel permeation chromatography and adsorption chromatography in the analysis of oil solutions, oil-based dermatological preparations and suppositories.
Inhibition of VEGF or TGF-β Signaling Activates Endothelium and Increases Leukocyte Rolling

Objective— Motivated by the central roles that vascular endothelial growth factor (VEGF) and transforming growth factor (TGF)-β play in the assembly and maintenance of the vasculature, we examined the impact of systemic VEGF or TGF-β signal inhibition on endothelial activation as detected by leukocyte-endothelial interactions. Methods and Results— VEGF or TGF-β inhibition, accomplished using adenovirus expression of soluble Flt1 (Ad-sFlt1) or soluble endoglin (Ad-sEng), resulted in a significant increase in the number of leukocytes rolling along the mesenteric venous endothelium and a significant decrease in rolling velocity in Ad-sEng mice. Neutralization of VEGF or TGF-β resulted in endothelial surface expression of P-selectin and impaired peripheral vasodilatation. Neither inhibition of VEGF nor TGF-β was associated with platelet or leukocyte activation, as detected by the activation markers platelet P-selectin and the active integrin αIIbβIII, or by leukocyte expression of L-selectin. Soluble vascular...
Surveillance of arteriovenous hemodialysis access: a systematic review and meta-analysis.

Objectives Hemodialysis centers regularly survey arteriovenous (AV) accesses for signs of dysfunction. In this review, we synthesize the available evidence to determine to what extent proactive vascular access monitoring affects the incidence of AV access thrombosis and abandonment compared with clinical monitoring. Methods We searched electronic databases (MEDLINE, EMBASE, Cochrane CENTRAL, Web of Science, and SCOPUS) and sought references from experts, bibliographies of included trials, and articles that cited included studies. Two reviewers independently assessed trial quality and extracted data. We used random effects meta-analysis to estimate the pooled relative risk (RR) and 95% confidence interval (CI) across studies and conducted subgroup analyses to explain heterogeneity. The I 2 statistic was used to assess heterogeneity of treatment effect among trials. Results Nine studies (1363 patients) compared a strategy of surveillance vs clinical monitoring. A vascular intervention to maintain or restore patency was provided to both groups if needed. Surveillance followed by intervention led to a nonsignificant reduction of the risk of access thrombosis (RR, 0.82; 95% CI, 0.58-1.16; I 2 = 37%) and access abandonment (RR, 0.80; 95% CI, 0.51-1.25; I 2 = 60%). Three studies (207 patients) compared the effect of vascular interventions vs observation in patients with abnormal surveillance result. Vascular interventions after an abnormal AV access surveillance led to a significant reduction of the risk of access thrombosis (RR, 0.53; 95% CI, 0.36-0.76) and a nonsignificant reduction of the risk of access abandonment (RR, 0.76; 95% CI, 0.43-1.37). Conclusion Very low quality evidence yielding imprecise results suggests a potentially beneficial effect of AV access surveillance followed by interventions to restore patency. This inference, however, is weak and will require randomized trials of AV access surveillance vs clinical monitoring for rejection or confirmation.
Pilot Trial of Ondansetron in the Treatment of 8 Patients With Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder

Background Serotonin (5-HT) neuronal systems have been implicated in the modulation of obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) symptoms. 5-HT3 receptor antagonists have been found to act as anxiolytics in selected animal models of anxiety; in particular, those involving an element of risk assessment. Since the compulsions of OCD are frequently triggered by an abnormal perception of risk, a pilot study was initiated to determine whether the 5-HT3 receptor antagonist ondansetron might have efficacy in the treatment of OCD. Method Eight medication-free subjects with a DSM-IV diagnosis of OCD and a Yale-Brown Obsessive Compulsive Scale (YBOCS) score > or = 16 entered an 8-week open-label trial of ondansetron at a fixed dose of 1 mg 3 times daily in a study conducted between February and October 1998. Results Six subjects completed the trial. Three subjects (37%) achieved a clinically significant response (> or = 35% reduction in YBOCS score). For these subjects, the average reduction in YBOCS-rated symptoms was 55%. In aggregate, the 8 patients exhibited a 28% reduction in YBOCS-rated symptoms over the course of the trial. The medication was well tolerated. Conclusion These results suggest that low-dose ondansetron may have promise as a monotherapy for some patients suffering from OCD.
A METHOD FOR THE PREPARATION OF VERY THIN FOILS

Abstract A method for the preparation of self-supporting carbon foils of thicknesses ranging between 4 micrograms per cm 2 and 30 micrograms per cm 2 , and of areas ranging between 0.25 cm 2 and 1 cm 2 is outlined. The essential features of the method are such that its application is not restricted to carbon.
Challenging the State: Transnational TV and Political Identity in the Middle East

Several scholars have linked the growth of transnational Arab TV in the Middle East over the past decade to a rise in transnational Muslim and Arab political identification at the expense of national political identity. However, a theoretical context for understanding how media exposure may influence political identification in the Middle East at an individual level of analysis has been lacking, and to date very little quantitative evidence has been presented. Our article addresses this gap by presenting a theoretical framework for linking individual media use to political identity in the Middle East and then employing this framework to quantitatively test the association between transnational Arab TV exposure and individual political identification using a set of cross-national surveys conducted in six Middle Eastern states between 2004 and 2008. We find evidence that exposure to transnational Arab TV increases the probability of transnational Muslim and Arab political identification at the expense of na...
Micellar selectivity triangle for classification of chemical selectivity in electrokinetic chromatography

Abstract A novel micellar selectivity triangle (MST) is developed and used to characterize and classify the chemical selectivities of pseudo-phases in electrokinetic chromatography (EKC). The MST scheme is, in concept, similar to the widely known solvent selectivity triangle (SST) originally developed by Snyder. However, the MST is based on linear solvation energy relationships. Thus it incorporates the solvation characteristics of both the pseudo-phase and the bulk solvent; while the SST is basically for classification of pure solvents. The similarities and differences of these pseudo-phases are determined by the relative scales of hydrogen bond donating ability ( X b ), hydrogen bond accepting ability ( X a ) and dipolarity ( X s ). The MST scheme is used for characterization and classification of a wide range of pseudo-phases such as micelles, polymers, vesicles, liposomes, as well as mixed systems such as mixed micelles, mixed polymer–surfactants, organically modified pseudo-phases, etc. Over seventy pseudo-phases were examined and four clusters of pseudo-phases with different selectivity patterns are recognized that include pseudo-phases with strong hydrogen bond acidities (e.g. fluorinated micelles or micelles modified with fluorinated alcohols), strong hydrogen bond acceptor pseudo-phases (such as bile salts, liposomes, microemulsions, as well as biphasic octanol–water system), strong dipolar phase of a class of polymeric pseudo-phase, and pseudo-phases with intermediate hydrogen bonding and dipolarity [like sodium dodecyl sulfate (SDS) and its analogs as well as organically modified SDS]. The MST scheme is also useful in identifying pseudo-phases that closely resemble the selectivities of octanol–water for determination of octanol–water partition coefficients by EKC.
Acoustic response of unexploded ordnance (UXO) and cylindrical targets

A series of monostatic and bistatic acoustic scattering measurements were conducted to investigate discrimination and classification capabilities based on the acoustic response of targets for underwater unexploded ordnance (UXO) applications. The measurements were performed during March 2010 and are referred to as the Pond Experiment 2010 (PondEx10), where the fresh water pond contained a sand sediment. The measurements utilized a rail system with a mobile tower and a stationary sonar tower. Each tower is instrumented with receivers while the sources are located on the mobile tower. For PondEx10, eleven targets were deployed at two distinct ground ranges from the mobile tower system. Acoustic data were initially processed using synthetic aperture sonar (SAS) techniques, and the data were further processed to generate acoustic templates for the target strength as a function of frequency and aspect angle. Preliminary results of the processing of data collected from proud targets are presented. Also presented are the results associated with a processing technique that permits isolation of the response of an individual target, which is in close proximity to other targets.
Occurrence of upslope flows at the Pico mountaintop observatory: A case study of orographic flows on a small, volcanic island

[1] Upslope flows caused by mechanical forcing in strong synoptic winds or by buoyant forcing driven by solar heating under weak synoptic winds can influence the air composition at mountaintop observatories. Using meteorological and trace gas measurements at the PICO-NARE observatory on Pico mountain (Azores Islands, North Atlantic Ocean), the frequency and impact of such orographic flows on a small, volcanic, subtropical island was examined. To determine the origin of mechanically lifted air, upstream kinetic energy was balanced against potential energy gained during uplift (Sheppard's model). Mechanically forced upslope flow is most important during October through April, when the calculated probability of observing marine boundary layer (MBL) air at the observatory near the summit ranges from 35 to 60% per month. In contrast, lower synoptic wind speeds and a more stable lower free troposphere during May–September result in a reduced frequency of MBL impacts (<20%). Buoyant upslope flows (BUF) were quantified through meteorological measurements on the mountain slope in summer 2004. Diurnal cycles of wind direction on the mountain slope consistent with daytime upslope and nighttime downslope flow were found on 24% of the days during late June, July, and August 2004. Buoyant forcing can also occur in the presence of moderate synoptic winds, resulting in enhancement of the mechanically forced upslope flow on the windward side of the mountain. Such conditions were found on 15% of the summer days in 2004. However, on BUF days the specific humidity at the mountaintop was significantly smaller than on the slope, indicating turbulent mixing during ascent or vertical decoupling of air masses. Impacts of BUF or a mixture of buoyant and mechanical upslope flow on O3 or nitrogen oxides mixing ratios at the mountaintop station were rare or extremely small, and no significant diurnal cycle of O3 (expected if daytime BUF of MBL air occurred regularly) was present. Midday increases in isoprene concentrations, a nonmethane hydrocarbon (NMHC) expected to be emitted from vegetation more than 700 m below the PICO-NARE station, were found on 54% of the days during May–August 2005. No corresponding increase in n-butane (used for heating and cooking at sea level residences) was detected, suggesting that the air did not originate from as low as sea level. These results indicate that the latitude, size, and topography of Pico island combine to prevent frequent transport of MBL air to the PICO-NARE station in the summer.
Composition of markets with conflicting incentives

We study information revelation in scoring rule and prediction market mechanisms in settings in which traders have conflicting incentives due to opportunities to profit from the market operator's subsequent actions. In our canonical model, an agent Alice is offered an incentive-compatible scoring rule to reveal her beliefs about a future event, but can also profit from misleading another trader Bob about her information and then making money off Bob's error in a subsequent market. We show that, in any weak Perfect Bayesian Equilibrium of this sequence of two markets, Alice and Bob earn payoffs that are consistent with a minimax strategy of a related game. We can then characterize the equilibria in terms of an information channel: the outcome of the first scoring rule is as if Alice had only observed a noisy version of her initial signal, with the degree of noise indicating the adverse effect of the second market on the first. We provide a partial constructive characterization of when this channel will be noiseless. We show that our results on the canonical model yield insights into other settings of information extraction with conflicting incentives.
The Human OligoGenome Resource: a database of oligonucleotide capture probes for resequencing target regions across the human genome

Recent exponential growth in the throughput of next-generation DNA sequencing platforms has dramatically spurred the use of accessible and scalable targeted resequencing approaches. This includes candidate region diagnostic resequencing and novel variant validation from whole genome or exome sequencing analysis. We have previously demonstrated that selective genomic circularization is a robust in-solution approach for capturing and resequencing thousands of target human genome loci such as exons and regulatory sequences. To facilitate the design and production of customized capture assays for any given region in the human genome, we developed the Human OligoGenome Resource (http://oligogenome.stanford.edu/). This online database contains over 21 million capture oligonucleotide sequences. It enables one to create customized and highly multiplexed resequencing assays of target regions across the human genome and is not restricted to coding regions. In total, this resource provides 92.1% in silico coverage of the human genome. The online server allows researchers to download a complete repository of oligonucleotide probes and design customized capture assays to target multiple regions throughout the human genome. The website has query tools for selecting and evaluating capture oligonucleotides from specified genomic regions.
Assessment of Anxiety Symptoms in School Children: A Cross-Sex and Ethnic Examination

We evaluated the cross-sex and -ethnic (Hispanic/Latino, non-Hispanic White) measurement invariance of anxiety symptoms based on the Spence Children's Anxiety Scale (SCAS) as well as SCAS anxiety symptoms' correspondence with scores on the 5-item Screen for Child Anxiety Related Emotional Disorders (SCARED) and teacher ratings of child anxiety. Based on data corresponding to 702 children (M age = 9.65, SD = 0.70; 51.9 % girls; 55 % Hispanic/Latino), findings showed some sex and ethnic variations in SCAS measured anxiety at the item and scale levels. Moreover, SCAS correspondence to the 5-item SCARED was found across ethnicity and sex. SCAS correspondence to teacher ratings was found for non-Hispanic White boys and non-Hispanic White girls, marginally in Hispanic/Latino boys, and poorly in Hispanic/Latino girls.
Defining hospital clusters and associated service communities in metropolitan areas

Abstract According to traditional concepts of hospital governance, each institution is considered responsible for the care of a defined community. Evaluation of hospital performance and effective service planning both require that hospitals' service communities be identified. However, in metropolitan regions it is difficult to associate a geographic population with any one hospital because of the wide choice of facilities available to area residents. The service community concept becomes more meaningful in these regions if several hospitals with overlapping geographic communities are defined as a cluster. This paper describes a two-step method for identifying hospital clusters and their associated service communities. The first step involves analysis of patient origin data to identify logical clusters of hospitals. Three algorithms for performing this analysis are presented. In the second step, analytical findings are reviewed by a panel of area planners and hospital experts who, considering additional qualitative factors, determine how the hospitals may be most appropriately grouped. Experience in using this method for hospitals in the seven-county region around Detroit, Michigan suggests that reasonable clusters can be identified, although clusters of central city hospitals are less well-defined than those in the suburban areas.
Approaching modality from the perspective of Relevance Theory

Abstract In this paper, key elements of the Relevance Theoretic approach to the relationship between semantics and pragmatics are introduced. The proposal is that a minimalist semantics is contextually enriched according to a single principle of “relevance”. This is in contrast to standard models that assume a rich semantics and a relatively parsimonious pragmatics enriched by several conversational maxims or principles. A review follows of one of the first in depth monographs on a single linguistic domain in Relevance Theoretic terms, Anna Papafragou's Modality: Issues in the Semantics–Pragmatics Interface [Current Research in the Semantics/Pragmatics Interface, 6 (2000)]. Papafragou argues for a unitary approach to root-epistemic distinctions, and for treating epistemic modality as a case of embedded representation (“metarepresentation”). Broad-ranging issues in diachrony and language acquisition are also addressed.
The Einstellung Effect in Immediate and Delayed Problem-Solving

(1953). The Einstellung Effect in Immediate and Delayed Problem-Solving. The Journal of General Psychology: Vol. 49, No. 1, pp. 87-95.
Analysis of the Piedmont in Northwest South Carolina

Two major autochthonous nappes and a deep synformal structure occur in the Piedmont of northwest South Carolina. The cataclastic Brevard zone, which borders the Blue Ridge geologic belt on the southeast, is associated with the synformal belt of partially cataclastic and retrograded rocks at low amphibolite facies grade. This Non-migmatitic belt contains tight cylindroidal isoclines and tectonic slides with a northwest vergence. Refolded isoclines in the Non-migmatitic belt occur near the Brevard zone as a result of recurring displacements there. Immediately southeast lies the Walhalla nappe, which contains kyanite-grade rocks complexly folded into a northeast-plunging conical system. The migmatite front lies within this nappe and in places is coincident with the major slide boundary between the Walhalla nappe and the underlying synformal Non-migmatitic belt. The major slide that separates the overlying Six Mile nappe from the Walhalla nappe is subhorizontal; however, in the broad root zone of both nappes in the southeast part of the area, northwest dips and steep dips represent the attitudes of s-surfaces in many locations. The autochthonous nappe complex probably formed in a continental rise assemblage subjected to intense thermal effects in the early Paleozoic. Sedimentary and (or) volcanic-volcaniclastic assemblages sited along the continental margin were squeezed as a detachment zone between the northwest-driving Piedmont nappes and the activated craton margin. These assemblages became tectonically related to a detachment zone overlying the rising infrastructural nappes, which is now eroded away with the overlying supra-structure. Annealed textures indicate that metamorphism outlasted penetrative deformation, except along the Brevard zone, which continued as a zone of dislocation while thermal metamorphism waned. Late Paleozoic Alleghanian movements may be recorded as microbreccia zones within the Brevard zone and Inner Piedmont belt. This event was not penetrative; instead, it was one of vertical en bloc uplift primarily centered in the Inner Piedmont, and perhaps it accompanied a weak retrogressive metamorphism.