cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Exploring the Relationships Among Middle School Students’ Peer Interactions, Task Efficiency, and Learning Engagement in Game-Based Learning:

Background. Middle school students’ math anxiety and low engagement have been major issues in math education. In order to reduce their anxiety and support their math learning, game-based learning (...
Abstract 2158: ART1 tumor expression mediates immune resistance in non-small cell lung cancer by elimination of P2 × 7R+ CD8 tissue resident memory T cells and conventional type I dendritic cells

Extracellular NAD+ (eNAD) is released from stressed and dying cells where it acts as a proinflammatory mediator. However, in the presence of mono-ADP-ribosyltransferases (ARTs) eNAD serves as a substrate for ADP-ribosylation of the P2 × 7 receptor (P2RX7), resulting in NAD-induced cell death (NICD). P2RX7 is expressed on several immune cells including CD103+ conventional type I dendritic cells (cDC1s) which are essential for initiation of tumor-specific immune responses as well as on tissue resident memory T cells (TRMs), of which high tumor infiltration has been associated with improved survival in non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC) [1]. NICD of P2 × 7R+ TRMs was recently identified as a regulator of TRM tissue homeostasis [2]. CD38 is expressed on activated immune cells and can reduce eNAD levels by converting eNAD into ADPR. We tested the hypothesis that ART1 expression in NSCLC constitutes a mechanism of immune resistance by mediating NICD of P2 × 7R+ TRMs and P2 × 7R+ cDC1s. ART1 expression in human NSCLC samples was determined by immunohistochemistry scoring of NSCLC tumors using a tissue microarray (TMA) (n=493). In addition, matched tumor and adjacent normal lung tissue samples were analyzed for ART1 expression by qPCR (n=40) and for infiltration of TRM and cDC1s by flow cytometry. A mouse KP1 lung tumor cell line with high ART1 expression was established from KRASG12D/P53−/− mice and transduced with a doxycycline-inducible shRNA targeting ART1 (ART1KD). KP1 cells and their derivatives were intravenously injected into syngeneic C57BL/6 mice to generate orthotopic lung tumors. Lung tumor nodules were enumerated two weeks after tumor inoculation using HE 2020 Apr 27-28 and Jun 22-24. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2020;80(16 Suppl):Abstract nr 2158.
"Don't Change Yourselves": International Students' Concepts of Belonging at a Liberal Arts College.

While international students face many similar challenges, regardless of their location of study, the unique aspects of learning institutions may lead to different outcomes. Cognizant of this situation, we conducted a study designed to analyze the experiences of 28 students attending an undergraduate liberal arts college. The comments expressed by our informants underscore the sense of agency students developed as they responded to challenging circumstances that did not always recognize their unique perspectives. The subcultures they formed with other international students helped them adjust to their new surroundings without feeling obligated to discard unique aspects of themselves. Although the lived experiences of the students we interviewed rarely matched the images they carried with them when they matriculated, their comments indicated that they ultimately achieved of their goals for studying abroad. These findings offer insights into the identities and experiences that are often overlooked in research on international education.
From uncovering the mechanism of transthyretin aggregation to the drug tafamidis for ameliorating neurodegeneration and cardiomyopathy

Abstract The aggregation of transthyretin (TTR), one of ≈ 50 proteins that are known to misfold and aggregate in humans, leads to neurodegeneration and/or degeneration of other postmitotic tissues like the heart, depending on the TTR sequence(s) aggregating. Based on a detailed investigation into the mechanism of TTR aggregation, we demonstrated that TTR tetramer dissociation is the rate-limiting step for the process of TTR aggregation, allowing us to conceive of the small molecule “kinetic stabilizer” strategy for ameliorating the TTR amyloidoses. Kinetic stabilizers bind selectively to the native TTR tetramer over the dissociative transition state, making tetramer dissociation much slower and effectively stopping newly synthesized TTR from aggregating. We view pharmacologic kinetic stabilization as a conservative therapeutic approach in that it stops the entire process of aggregation of newly synthesized TTR. Thus, success does not require knowledge of which specific aggregate structures cause degeneration, nor does success hinge on understanding the mechanism by which aggregation destroys postmitotic tissue. Through two positive tafamidis clinical trials, along with a positive diflunisal repurposing kinetic stabilizer trial, we generated data that strongly support the amyloid hypothesis, the notion that the process of TTR aggregation drives the degenerative phenotypes in polyneuropathy and cardiomyopathy. Together the tafamidis polyneuropathy clinical trial and the diflunisal polyneuropathy clinical trial paved the way for the TTR mRNA lowering trials, whose positive outcomes further support the amyloid hypothesis. We also summarize the compelling human genetic support for the amyloid hypothesis in the context of the TTR amyloidoses at the end of this chapter.
Pandemics of COVID-19 and racism: how HBCUs are coping

Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) are currently facing unique challenges to deal with parallel pandemics of COVID-19 and Racism, given the population they serve (mostly African American) are at high risk of these unprecedented crises. HBCU leaders are adopting various strategies to respond to both the pandemics in order to protect their stakeholders. This paper addresses various models that HBCUs have adopted or planned to adopt to cope with these pandemics, gleaning the data from various secondary sources and selected first-hand interviews with HBCU administrators.
Relation of NSAIDs, DMARDs, and TNF Inhibitors for Ankylosing Spondylitis and Psoriatic Arthritis to Risk of Total Hip and Knee Arthroplasty

Objective Ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and psoriatic arthritis (PsA) often affect the hip and/or knee. If effective, treatments might reduce risk of total hip or total knee arthroplasty (THA/TKA). We evaluated risk of THA/TKA related to use of medical therapies in AS/PsA. Methods We conducted a nested case-control study using 1994–2018 data from the OptumLabs Data Warehouse, which includes deidentified medical and pharmacy claims, laboratory results, and enrollment records for commercial and Medicare Advantage enrollees. Among those with AS/PsA, THA/ TKA cases were matched up to 4 controls by sex, age, AS/PsA diagnosis, diagnosis year, insurance type, obesity, and prior THA/TKA. We assessed AS/PsA treatment 6 months prior to THA/TKA, including disease-modifying antirheumatic drugs (DMARDs) and tumor necrosis factor inhibitors (TNFi), alone or in combination, stratified by nonsteroidal antiinflammatory drug (NSAID) use. We evaluated the relation of treatment to risk of THA/TKA using conditional logistical regression with adjustment for confounders. Results Among 16,748 adults with AS, there were 444 THA/TKA cases and 1613 matched controls. Among 34,512 adults with PsA, there were 1003 cases and 3793 controls. Adjusted ORs for treatment category and THA/TKA ranged from 0.60 to 1.92; however, none were statistically significant. Results were similarly null in several sensitivity analyses. Conclusion Odds of THA/TKA were not reduced with any combinations of NSAIDs, DMARDs, or TNFi among persons with AS or PsA. Given current utilization patterns in this population of US adults with AS and PsA, these medical therapies did not appear to be associated with less end-stage peripheral joint damage.
Allergic Aspects of IgG4-Related Disease: Implications for Pathogenesis and Therapy

IgG4-related disease (IgG4-RD) is a rare systemic fibroinflammatory disease frequently associated with allergy. The pathogenesis of IgG4-RD is poorly understood, and effective therapies are limited. However, IgG4-RD appears to involve some of the same pathogenic mechanisms observed in allergic disease, such as T helper 2 (Th2) and regulatory T cell (Treg) activation, IgG4 and IgE hypersecretion, and blood/tissue eosinophilia. In addition, IgG4-RD tissue fibrosis appears to involve activation of basophils and mast cells and their release of alarmins and cytokines. In this article, we review allergy-like features of IgG4-RD and highlight targeted therapies for allergy that have potential in treating patients with IgG4-RD.
Foveated Monte-Carlo Denoising

In this work, we propose a temporally-stable denoising system that is capable of reconstructing MC renderings in a foveated manner. We develop a multi-scale convolutional neural network that starts at a base (downsampled) resolution and denoises progressively higher resolutions. Our network learns to use the lower resolutions and the previous frames to denoise each foveal layer. We demonstrate how this architecture produces accurate denoised results at a much lower computational cost.
Helium partitioning to the core-shelled Ta nanoclusters in nanocrystalline Cu-Ta alloy

Abstract In this work, a nanocrystalline (NC) Cu-10at.%Ta alloy is irradiated with helium at different temperatures to assess the stability and effectiveness of Ta nanoclusters in trapping helium and suppressing swelling. Advanced microstructural characterization of the room-temperature irradiated specimens indicated the presence of small He-bubbles (∼1-2 nm) at the peak damage depth mainly at the core and along the interface of Ta nanoclusters with Cu matrix. Few bubbles were found along grain boundaries, with much smaller bubbles homogenously distributed within the copper lattice. High-temperature irradiation exhibited bubbles of ∼3-5 nm, which were primarily associated with nanoclusters as compared to other locations, with no observed faceting of the bubbles. Atom probe analysis confirmed helium partitioning to the Ta nanoclusters indicating the effective entrapment of these He atoms.
Moduli Spaces and Arithmetic Dynamics

This monograph studies moduli problems associated to algebraic dynamical systems. It is an expanded version of the notes for a series of lectures delivered at a workshop on Moduli Spaces and the Arithmetic of Dynamical Systems at the Bellairs Research Institute, Barbados, in 2010. The author's goal is to provide an overview, with enough details and pointers to the existing literature, to give the reader an entry into this exciting area of current research. Topics covered include: (1) Construction and properties of dynamical moduli spaces for self-maps of projective space. (2) Dynatomic modular curves for the space of quadratic polynomials. (3) The theory of canonical heights associated to dynamical systems. (4) Special loci in dynamical moduli spaces, in particular the locus of post-critically finite maps. (5) Field of moduli and fields of definition for dynamical systems.
A role for neuroscientists in engaging young minds.

Neuroscience receives little attention in elementary school education, although students at this age are active explorers of their environment and can relate easily to exercises that involve the science of their senses. The neuroscientist has an important role in supporting elementary educators who might be uncomfortable with teaching science. To encourage such scientist–teacher interactions, changes must be made in the culture of the scientific community to promote these partnerships, with the ultimate goal of improving neuroscience literacy.
Bio-inspired engineering for the exploration of remote worlds

The Dynamic Stereoscopic Long Range System (DSLRS) has been developed to offer an engineering perspective on the behavior of herds and flocks of animals for bio-inspired engineering applications. The system provides the relative spacing and velocity of each member within a herd or flock. The DSLRS employs two fixed cameras which simultaneously capture stereoscopic image pairs. These image pairs are analyzed using automated software algorithms developed in this work to produce spacing data up to a range of 350 meters. Eventually, the spacing and velocity data acquired by the DSLRS will aid in the development of a control algorithm for robotic swarms based on biological behavior. A control algorithm for automated robotic swarm operation will reduce or eliminate the human element in the control loop. For instance, estimates for the Global Positioning System (GPS) satellite constellation show that continuous, human-in-the-loop space operations from the ground costs up to 85 percent of the overall budget for the GPS space mission architecture. An intelligent system, with the ability to assess situations and react based on biological instincts, may address a critical need in autonomous operations. The DSLRS is a first step in understanding herd and flock behavior from an engineering perspective in an attempt to provide the necessary level of fidelity to develop bio-inspired control algorithms.
Second-Order Schedules of Drug Injection

Key-press responding of squirrel monkeys produced intravenous injections of cocaine under two simple types of schedule. Under a fixed-ratio schedule, every 30th response produced an injection; steady responding at high rates of over one per second were maintained during each fixed-ratio component. Under a fixed-interval schedule, the first response occurring after a fixed time of 5 min produced an injection; there was a pause at the start of each interval and then progressively increasing responding until cocaine was injected at the end of the interval. Both squirrel monkeys and rhesus monkeys also were studied under second-order schedules of drug injection. Under one type of second-order schedule, studied only in squirrel monkeys, completion of each fixed-interval component produced only a 2-sec light; completion of the 10th fixed-interval component produced the brief light and an intravenous injection of cocaine. Under a second type of second-order schedule, each fixed-ratio component completed during a fixed time interval (5 or 60 min) produced only a 2-sec light; the first fixed-ratio component completed after the interval of time elapsed produced the brief light and an intravenous (squirrel monkeys) or intramuscular (rhesus monkeys) injection of cocaine. Under both types of second-order schedules, repeated sequences of responding were maintained during each session and characteristic fixed-interval or fixed-ratio patterns of responding were controlled by the brief visual stimuli.—Goldberg, S. R., R. T. Kelleher AND W. H. Morkse. Second-order schedules of drug injection. Federation Proc. 34: 1771–1776, 1975.
Why Withholding a Prescription is Unethical: A Bioethical Analysis of a Far Too Familiar Case

In a recent Pain Medicine Ethics Forum, a case of a patient suffering from a brain tumor who was refused prescribed opioids by an on-duty pharmacist was presented [1]. The first reviewer of this case attributed this event to “a simple clash between the war on drugs and the need to relieve pain.” He discussed the legal duties of the pharmacist to prevent diversion and the importance to follow the rules of conduct for controlled substances. The second reviewer related this event to the differential societal role of physicians versus pharmacists as reflected in their professional oaths. The physicians bounded by the individualistic Hippocratic oath to relieve human suffering while the pharmacist vowed to protect both patient and society by preventing abuse and diversion. Finally the third reviewer referred to this incident as “a tragic example of a lack of communication” among health professionals from which this patient sought help. Unfortunately neither of the commentators alluded directly to the important ethical issues this story evokes. Ethical and medico-legal analyses are not the same and are …
Irradiation of benign pelvic lesions

T HE earliest record of an attempt to control uterine bleeding by irradiation in the University of Michigan Hospital was in 1904, only a few years after the discovery of x-rays. Since that time improvements in equipment and technique have been made which enable one to be fairly accurate in applying various doses of radiation. The use of radiation for this purpose, however, has not been generally accepted on the grounds that the menopausal symptoms produced were more severe than those associated with spontaneous menopause or surgical castration. Notwithstanding recent reports in the literature to the contrary, the opinion seems fairly widespread that the psychic changes observed after irradiation are much more pronounced than after the normal menopause, and that a frank psychosis or severe impairment of health may result. The objectives of this study were: (1) to determine the efficiency of irradiation in the control of uterine bleeding, (2) to evaluate the menopausal symptoms which might ensue, and (3) to improve our method of applying roentgen radiation for the purpose of castration. A report by Kretzschmar and Gardiner of this Clinic concerning surgical menopause in hysterectomized patients will be used as a basis for comparison in evaluating menopausal symptoms. This report is based on the records of 334 patients treated with x-ray or radium for benign pelvic lesions. These patients received their treatment during the period July 1, 1925, to July 1, 1937, and the follow-up information was obtained by questionnaire or examination six or more months after treatment. Most of the patients were 40 years of age or older, only 45 of the 334 being in the younger group. The complaint on admittance in 260 (78 per cent) of the 334 patients was abnormal uterine bleeding. This included excessive or irregular bleeding at the menopause in patients without palpable changes, bleeding from uterine fibrosis or small fibromyomas and, in a few instances, excessive bleeding in young adults without demonstrable pelvic abnormalities which had failed to respond to conservative measures. All of these patients were curetted on one or more occasions, and material so obtained was examined carefully microscopically to rule out the presence of malignancy. A smaller group, 52 in number (15 per cent), had chronic pelvic inflammatory disease. Most of these patients had as one of their symptoms some abnormality of menstruation or had exacerbations of pelvic symptoms at t,he time of the period. The majority were individuals beyond forty years of age in whom surgery was not thought to be indicated. Endometriosis was present in 9 patients (3 per cent).
Toward an Understanding of the Molecular Mechanisms of Ventricular Fibrillation

A major goal of basic research in cardiac electrophysiology is to understand the mechanisms responsible for ventricular fibrillation (VF). Here we review recent experimental and numerical results, from the ion channel to the organ level, which might lead to a better understanding of the cellular and molecular mechanisms of VF. The discussion centers on data derived from a model of stable VF in the Langendorff-perfused guinea pig heart that demonstrate distinct patterns of organization in the left (LV) and right (RV) ventricles. Analysis of optical mapping data reveals that VF excitation frequencies are distributed throughout the ventricles in clearly demarcated domains. The highest frequency domains are usually found on the anterior wall of the LV, demonstrating that a high frequency reentrant source (a rotor) that remains stationary in the LV is the mechanism that sustains VF in this model. Computer simulations predict that the inward rectifying potassium current (IK1) is an essential determinant of rotor stability and rotation frequency, and patch-clamp results strongly suggest that the outward component of the background current (presumably IK1) of cells in the LV is significantly larger in the LV than in the RV. These data have opened a new and potentially exciting avenue of research on the possible role played by inward rectifier channels in the mechanism of VF and may lead us toward an understanding of its molecular basis and hopefully lead to new preventative approaches.
Durability assessment of large automotive body structures using Fatigue Life Analysis Procedure (FLAP)

Analytical methods, using stress–influence coefficients and load–time histories, are being used in the automotive industries to predict the fatigue life of various structures. This paper describes and demonstrates enhancement and automation of this technology for use on a supercomputer, such as a CRAY–YMP. The procedure, called 'Fatigue Life Analysis Procedure' (FLAP), is applicable to small as well as large finite element body model systems. The procedure consists of obtaining stress–influence coefficients, filtering load–time history, selecting critical elements and calculating their fatigue life. Several correlation studies have been completed and the results have been discussed. The procedure has been successfully applied to various automotive body structures both at the sub–system and full body level.
A full menu for stem-cell research

The stem-cell meeting held at the Institut Pasteur in December 2004 proved that the nascent field of stem-cell biology has rapidly become one of the most exciting and active fields in current research. Leading scientists from a range of disciplines relevant to stem-cell biology covered a gamut of current topics, including the properties of human and mouse embryonic and adult stem cells, attempts to manipulate stem cells, and the first clinical attempts at cell-based therapies. Here we describe some of the high points.
A Synthetic Aptamer-Drug Adduct for Targeted Liver Cancer Therapy

AS1411 (previously known as AGRO100) is a 26 nucleotide guanine-rich DNA aptamer which forms a guanine quadruplex structure. AS1411 has shown promising utility as a treatment for cancers in Phase I and Phase II clinical trials without causing major side-effects. AS1411 inhibits tumor cell growth by binding to nucleolin which is aberrantly expressed on the cell membrane of many tumors. In this study, we utilized a simple technique to conjugate a widely-used chemotherapeutic agent, doxorubicin (Dox), to AS1411 to form a synthetic Drug-DNA Adduct (DDA), termed as AS1411-Dox. We demonstrate the utility of AS1411-Dox in the treatment of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) by evaluating the targeted delivery of Dox to Huh7 cells in vitro and in a murine xenograft model of HCC.
Male hormonal contraceptives: a potentially patentable and profitable product

Although women have traditionally shouldered the responsibility of contraception, up to one-third of couples worldwide employ a male form of contraception (e.g., vasectomy or condoms). Vasectomy should be considered irreversible and long-term use of condoms is associated with a relatively high failure rate (pregnancy). Because many women are unable to use hormonal contraception and men want more contraceptive options, there is a need for a safe, effective, reversible and well-tolerated male hormonal contraceptive agent. Two large multicentre, multinational trials sponsored by the World Health Organization in the 1990s showed that high-dosage exogenous testosterone provided contraceptive efficacy similar to currently available female oral contraceptives. However, the supraphysiological dosages of testosterone used resulted in androgen-related adverse effects such as weight gain and suppression of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels. Subsequent efforts have been directed at combining testosterone wi...
Abyssal Mixing: Where It Is Not

Abstract A parameterization based on internal wave/wave interaction theory, which infers turbulence production from finescale internal wave shear, is applied to 114 full-water-depth velocity profiles in the Sargasso Sea. An average eddy diffusivity of 0.1 × 10−4 m2 s−1, independent of depth, is inferred. This value is consistent with full-water-depth microstructure measurements from abyssal basins in the eastern North Atlantic and eastern North Pacific. It is an order of magnitude smaller than the values inferred from a simple vertical advection-diffusion balance or bulk budgets. Thus, the mixing needed to close deep global water-mass budgets does not appear to occur over midlatitude abyssal plains. This suggests that ocean mixing is either (i) confined to boundary layers as in ideal thermocline theory or (ii) localized to hotspots, such as over rough topography or restrictive passages. Abyssal diffusivities do not display any dependence on bottom slope for slopes less than 7 × 10−2 based on 5–10 km bathy...
Effects of external radiant flux and ambient oxygen concentration on nonflaming gasification rates and evolved products of white pine

Abstract Time-dependent gasification mass flux, sample temperatures, and evolved products (CO, CO2, H2O, and total hydrocarbons) of thermally thick white pine (approximately 3.8 cm cubes) were measured under the nonflaming condition at thermal radiant fluxes of 2.5–6.9 W/cm2 in three different atmospheres of N2, 10.5% O 2 89.5% N 2 , and air. Results indicate that ambient oxygen significantly increases the gasification mass flux (for example, at 2.5 W/cm2, the mass flux in air increases about three times over the mass flux in nitrogen), sample temperatures (surface temperature in air increases as much as 200°C over that in nitrogen), and char depth, and changes the evolved products distribution (CO2 yields in air are about 6–8 times larger than that in nitrogen and CO yields in air are about twice as large as that in nitrogen). Therefore, extreme care is needed to apply results obtained in an inert atmosphere to cases, such as ignition, flame spread, and smoldering, in which a wood sample is exposed to oxygen containing atmospheres.
Geographies of Regulation: Policing Prostitution in Nineteenth-Century Britain and the Empire

Geographies of Regulation: Policing Prostitution in Nineteenth-Century Britain and the Empire Philip Howell Cambridge, Cambridge University Press, 2009 xii + 299 pp., ISBN: 978-0-521-85365-1 (£55.0...
Structural evolution of matched tar-char pairs in rapid pyrolysis experiments

Abstract Solid-state 13C and 1H nuclear magnetic resonance (n.m.r.) spectroscopy techniques were used to investigate the relationship between the chemical structure of coal and the char particles and condensed tar vapours produced from coals of various ranks at rapid heating conditions. The 13C n.m.r. analysis of the coal chars indicated that significant amounts of aliphatic material were released from the coal during devolatilization with little initial change to the aromatic cluster size or number of cross-links per cluster. The evolution of the char structure following tar release was a function of the temperature history of the char. The structure of the primary tars were compared to the parent coal, and the gas phase evolution of the tar structure was followed with time.
Two-layer multiplexed peristaltic pumps for high-density integrated microfluidics

Abstract The integration and operation of a large number of components is needed to enable ever more complex and integrated chemical and biological processes on a single microfluidic chip. The capabilities of these chips are often limited by the maximum number of pumps and valves that can be controlled on a single chip, a limitation typically set by the number of pneumatic interconnects available from ancillary hardware. Here, we report a multiplexing approach that greatly reduces the number of external pneumatic connections needed for the operation of a large number of peristaltic pumps. The utility of the approach is demonstrated with a complex microfluidic network capable of generating and routing liquid droplets in a two-phase flow. We also report a set of design rules for the design and operation of multiplexed peristaltic pumps, based on a study of the effect of the number of valves per pump and the valve-to-valve distance on the performance of peristaltic pumps. The multiplexing approach reported here may find application in a wide range of microfluidic chips for chemical and biological applications, especially those that require the integration of many different operations on a single chip and those that need to perform similar operations massively in parallel, in sub-nanoliter volumes.
Decreased expression of fos-related antigens (FRAs) in the hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons after immunoneutralization of endogenous prolactin.

In our previous studies we found that administration of exogenous prolactin increased dopamine turnover in the terminal areas of the hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons controlling prolactin secretion from pituitary lactotrophs. In this study we investigated the effect of immunoneutralization of endogenous prolactin on the expression of FRAs in the tuberoinfundibular dopaminergic (TIDA), tuberohypophysial dopaminergic (THDA), and periventricular hypothalamic dopaminergic (PHDA) subpopulations of the hypothalamic dopaminergic neurons. Female rats were ovariectomized on d 0 of the experiment. At 1000 h of d 10, all animals were injected with 20 µg of 17-beta-estradiol sc to induce a proestrous-like surge of prolactin at 1700 h the next day. At 1000 h on d 11, half of the animals were injected with 200 µL of rabbit anti-rat prolactin antiserum ip, while the controls received normal rabbit serum. Groups of animals were sacrificed for immunocytochemistry in 2 h intervals between 1300 and 2100 h. Double-label immunocytochemistry for FRAs and tyrosine hydroxylase (TH) was performed and the results are presented as percentage of TH-immunoreactive neurons expressing FRAs. In the control animals, expression of FRAs decreased at 1500 h, gradually increased by 1900 h, but was lower than the basal levels by 2100 h. Expression of FRAs was significantly lower at 1900 h in the PHDA, THDA and TIDA neurons of prolactin antiserum treated rats than in the controls. These results indicate that elimination of endogenous prolactin from the circulation lowers the activity and/or prevents the reactivation of neuroendocrine dopaminergic neurons at the beginning of the dark phase.
Ultrashort X-ray pulses

In this paper, we discuss recent advances in ultrashort-pulse X-ray technology. Femtosecond laser-plasma based X-ray sources can now generate sub-pico-second soft X-ray pulses, with photon energies from ≈ 10 eV to ≈ 106 eV, and with a high conversion efficiency of incident laser light to broadband X-rays. Recent advances in high-speed X-ray detectors and soft X-ray optics make it practical to use such sources as experimental tools for time-resolved X-ray science. Other possible generation techniques, such as laser-electron-beam scattering, promise to further expand the experimental capabilities in this area.
Differentiation of ventricular tachycardia from ventricular fibrillation using intraventricular electrogram morphology.

Abstract Implantable antitachycardia devices are now capable of providing “ramp” therapy including antitachycardia pacing and low- and high-energy cardioversion for sustained ventricular tachycardia (VT) in addition to defibrillation of ventricular fibrillation (VF). 1,2 Appropriate therapy, however, is dependent on correct identification of VT and VF. Because of variations in ventricular electrographic amplitude during VF, currently implanted devices are unable to consistently detect consecutive ventricular depolarizations during VF. 3 As a result, the rate criteria for VF detection may sometimes overlap with the rate criteria used for VT detection. Morphologic analysis of intracavitary ventricular electrograms using correlation waveform analysis has been demonstrated in previous studies to be effective in discriminating normal sinus rhythm from VT, paroxysmal bundle branch block of supraventricular origin, and retrograde atrial activation. 4,7 Whether VF is distinguishable from sinus rhythm and VT with a similar method has not been determined. This study examined whether VT and VF can be distinguishable from sinus rhythm and from each other by correlation waveform analysis of intracavitary ventricular electrograms.
Effects of doping on hybridization gapped materials

Doping studies are presented on three materials exhibiting hybridization gaps: Ce{sub 3}Bi{sub 4}Pt{sub 3}, U{sub 3}Sb{sub 4}Pt{sub 3}, and CeRhSb. In the case of trivalent La, Y, or Lu substituting for Ce or U, there is a suppression of the low temperature gap and an increase in the electronic specific heat, {gamma}. In the case of tetravalent Th substitutions for U there is no change in {gamma} and in the case of tetravalent Zr substitution for Ce in CeRhSb, there is an enhanced semiconductor-like behavior in the electrical resistance. These results are discussed in the light of a simple model of hybridization gapped systems. 12 refs., 3 figs.
Ultrastrong Mg Alloy via Nano-spaced Stacking Faults

Mg alloys are among the lightest alloys but they are usually weak. Here we report a new mechanism to make them ultrastrong while maintaining good ductility. Stacking faults with nanoscale spacing were introduced into a Mg–8.5Gd–2.3Y–1.8Ag–0.4Zr (wt%) alloy by conventional hot rolling, which produced a yield strength of ∼575 MPa, an ultimate strength of ∼600 MPa, and a uniform elongation of ∼5.2 %. Low stacking fault (SF) energy enabled the introduction of a high density of SFs, which impeded dislocation slip and promoted dislocation accumulation. These findings provide guidance for developing Mg alloys with superior mechanical properties.
Protein Denaturation: A Small-Angle X-ray Scattering Study of the Ensemble of Unfolded States of Cytochrome c†

Solution X-ray scattering was used to study the equilibrium unfolding of cytochrome c as a function of guanidine hydrochloride concentration at neutral pH. The radius of gyration (Rg) shows a cooperative transition with increasing denaturant with a similar Cm to that observed with circular dichroism. However, the lack of an isoscattering point in the X-ray scattering patterns suggests the equilibrium unfolding is not simply a two-state process. Singular value decomposition (SVD) analysis was applied to the scattering patterns to determine the number of distinct scattering species. SVD analysis reveals the existence of three components, suggesting that at least three equilibrium states of the protein exist. A model was employed to determine the thermodynamic parameters and the scattering profiles of the three equilibrium states. These scattering profiles show that one state is native (N). The other two states (U1, U2) are unfolded, with U2 being fully unfolded and U1 having some residual structure. Using t...
Influence of the maximum heart rate attained during exercise testing on subsequent heart rate recovery.

Background: Abnormal heart rate recovery (HRR) following exercise testing has been shown to be a predictor for adverse cardiovascular events. The actual maximum heart rate (MHR) attained during the exercise test does not however have a distinct significance in traditional HRR assessment. The objective of this study was to investigate the role of MHR in HRR. Methods: This prospective study consisted of 164 patients (62% male, mean age 53.7 ± 11.7 years) who were referred for a symptom-limited standard Bruce Protocol treadmill exercise test, based on clinical indications. The patients were seated immediately at test completion and the heart rate (HR) recorded at one and two minutes postexercise. A normal HRR was defined as a HR drop of 18 beats per minute or more at the end of the first minute of recovery. The HRR profile of patients who reached ≥85% of their maximum predicted heart rate (MPHR) during peak exercise were then compared to HRR profile of those who could not. Results: One hundred twelve patients (Group A) achieved a MHR ≥ 85% of MPHR during peak exercise whereas 52 patients (Group B) did not. Chi-square analysis showed a higher incidence of normal HRR in Group A compared to Group B (p = 0.029). Analysis of variance with repeated measures showed that group A had a greater HRR at the first minute F1,162= 6.98, p = <0.01) but not the second minute (F1,162=1.83, p = .18) postexercise. Conclusion: There is a relation between the peak heart rate attained during exercise and the subsequent HRR. A low peak heart rate increases the likelihood of a less than normal HRR. Assessment of the entire heart-rate response seems warranted for more thorough risk-stratification. Ann Noninvasive Electrocardiol 2010;15(1):43–48
PRESENTISM, PASTISM, PROFESSIONALISM

IT SHOULD COME AS NO SURPRISE, and probably doesn’t, that cultural studies and Victorian studies have much in common. As George Levine observes in his overview of the earlier field over the past quarter century, “the founding of [the journal] Victorian Studies, in 1957 . . . was almost exactly contemporary with the publication of Raymond Williams’s Culture and Society, one of the most influential books of the last half century” (136).1 Williams’s book was equally influential, indeed something of a founding text, both for Victorian studies and for cultural studies. And this makes sense. Williams’s tough-minded but generous salvaging of the romantic anti-capitalist tradition from Burke through Arnold and all the way to Orwell, which did so much to reinvent Victorian studies for the left, might also be seen as an argument for the necessity of cultural studies, which went on to integrate the tradition of romantic anti-capitalism into its pluralized, anthropological view of culture and to extend it into the present.
Die optische Aktivität achiraler Substanzen

Ausgerichtete achirale Molekule und Kristalle mit D2d-Symmetrie oder einer der nichtenantiomorphen Untergruppen S4, C2v oder Cs konnen beim Durchstrahlen in einer beliebigen Richtung eine Drehung der Schwingungsebene von linear polarisiertem Licht bewirken. Dies ist in der Kristalloptik eine unangefochtene Tatsache, der Unterricht fur Studenten der organischen Chemie vermittelt hingegen eine widerspruchliche Ansicht. Der vorliegende Kurzaufsatz verschafft einen Uberblick uber Messungen und Rechnungen zu den chiroptischen Eigenschaften einiger achiraler Substanzen und Kristalle. Prototypisch fur Verbindungen, die nach van't Hoff optisch inaktiv sein sollten, sind Methanderivate mit vier identischen Liganden, die durch Spiegelebenen in Beziehung stehen. Die Untersuchung der optischen Aktivitat einfacher achiraler Verbindungen wie H2O und NH3 vermittelt weitreichende chiroptische Gesetzmasigkeiten, die oft im Zusammenhang mit chiralen Stoffen ubersehen werden. Hier wird anhand gruppentheoretischen Uberlegungen, des Transformationsverhaltens von Tensoren und intuitiver Skizzen gezeigt, warum einige achirale azentrische Verbindungen optisch aktiv sind, andere hingegen nicht.
Diagnostic assessment of human iron stores by measurement of hepatic magnetic susceptibility

A magnetic method for direct noninvasive measurements of human hepatic storage iron with a SQUID susceptometer has been developed.In vivo magnetic andin vitro chemical determinations of liver nonheme iron are closely correlated. Magnetic measurements of iron stores are clinically useful in the diagnosis of disorders of iron metabolism.
Dietary isoflavones differentially induce gene expression changes in lymphocytes from postmenopausal women who form equol as compared with those who do not

Human and animal studies suggest that dietary soy isoflavones reduce cancer risk, ameliorate postmenopausal syndrome and decrease bone resorption in postmenopausal women. The capacity to form the metabolite equol from daidzein is suggested as an important modulator of response to isoflavones; this capacity depends on gut colonization with appropriate bacteria. We administered a dietary supplement containing high-dose purified soy isoflavones (genistein, 558 mg/day; daidzein, 296 mg/day; and glycitein, 44 mg/day) to 30 postmenopausal women for 84 days and collected peripheral lymphocytes at timed intervals. Using microarray analysis, we determined whether changes in gene expression associated with this treatment support existing hypotheses as to isoflavones' mechanisms of action. Expression of a large number of genes was altered by isoflavone treatment, including induction of genes associated with cyclic adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate (cAMP) signaling and cell differentiation and decreased expression of genes associated with cyclin-dependent kinase activity and cell division. We report that isoflavone treatment in subjects who have the capacity to produce equol differentially affects gene expression as compared with nonproducers, supporting the plausibility of the importance of equol production. In general, isoflavones had a stronger effect on some putative estrogen-responsive genes in equol producers than in nonproducers. Our study suggests that, in humans, isoflavone changes are related to increased cell differentiation, increased cAMP signaling and G-protein-coupled protein metabolism and increased steroid hormone receptor activity and have some estrogen agonist effects; equol-production status is likely to be an important modulator of responses to isoflavones.
Bottom turbulence on the muddy Atchafalaya Shelf, Louisiana, USA

[1] Wave, current, and sediment observations collected in approximately 5 m depth on the muddy Atchafalaya clinoform, LA, USA, are used to study the interaction between near-bed wave-induced turbulent flows and suspended sediment characteristics in a muddy environment. Low wave-bias estimates of near-bed Reynolds stresses are strongly correlated with flow accelerations and suspended sediment concentration, as previously observed on sandy beaches, where accelerations have been associated with bed fluidization and sediment transport. A detailed numerical analysis of the observations is performed, based on a uni-dimensional boundary layer model that accounts for the coupling between the fluid and the cohesive sediment phases. The numerical simulations suggest that sediment-induced stratification effects are of the same order of magnitude as turbulent dissipation, and thus play a significant role in the turbulent kinetic energy balance within the tidal boundary layer. However, inside the wave boundary layer, the ratio of stratification to shear-induced turbulence production (i.e., gradient Richardson number) decreases significantly, and shear-induced turbulence production dominates. For these observations, the vertical structures of currents and Reynolds stresses are relatively insensitive to the exact floc size.
Effect of age on local action of adrenocortical hormones.

SummaryAdrenocortical extract inhibits hair growth less effectively in immature than in adult rats.
Liquid cooling of turbine-generator armature windings

An account of the development of liquid cooling for turbine-generator armature windings is presented. Included is the solution of various detail problems which have arisen in the course of perfecting the new cooling method.
Calibration of a petiole sap nitrate test for irrigated ‘russet Burbank’ potato

Abstract Portable electrodes for rapid quantitative determination of nitrate‐N (NO3‐N) in plant sap have recently been developed, thus enabling a quick assessment of the crop nitrogen (N) status. The intent of this study was to provide diagnostic criteria necessary for the interpretation of petiole sap NO3‐N concentrations for potato (Solanum tuberosum L.). Specific objectives were to characterize the relationship between potato petiole sap NO3‐N concentration and petiole NO3‐N determined by conventional dry weight analysis, and to establish NO3‐N sufficiency ranges (NSR) for irrigated potatoes based on sap analyses associated with maximum and 85–95% of maximum yield. A four‐year experiment was conducted on a loamy sand soil (Udic haploboroll) at the Sand Plain Research Farm, Becker, Minn. Ten treatments consisting of various rates and times of N application were evaluated. Recently matured leaves were collected every 10 to 14 days, and petioles were split for sap NO3 and dry tissue NO3 analysis. Two port...
Three-dimensional sound fields in the ocean

Ray curvature in the horizontal is a feature of acoustic propagation in ocean channels of non-uniform depth. In general, it is impossible to derive an exact solution for the three dimensional field in such a domain, unless the boundary conditions are relatively simple and the boundary surfaces correspond to the coordinate surfaces in one of the separable coordinate systems. Two such three-dimensional solutions of the inhomogeneous Helmholtz equation are discussed, one for a point source in a wedge-shaped ocean and the other for a point source in the channel around a conical seamount. The technique used in deriving both solutions is based on the application of three integral transforms, chosen to match the geometry of the problem, followed by the three corresponding inverse transforms. The transform approach has applicability beyond the wedge and the cone problems discussed here.
Experiences of a black in dermatology

I want to thank Dr. J. Graham Smith, Jr., our editor, for inviting me to write this account or biographical sketch. I at first demurred and procrastinated, perhaps out of a feeling of modesty or diffidence, but he has kept after me and I finally agreed. As the title might imply, the issue of color, or the consciousness of it, has to be mentioned early, for being black was ever present in one's earliest memories for one born a black in the Deep South. To tell my own life's story, as I have been invited to do for this sketch, I feel I must start by mentioning my father and mother, to whom lowe so much. I was born on Oct. 8, 1914, at Tuskegee Institute, AL, where my father, John A. Kenney, Sr., M.D., was medical director and chief surgeon at the John A. Andrew Memorial Hospital. As such he was the Institute's physician to BookerT. Washington, the founder and president of the institution, and also to George Washington Carver, the famous black chemist and scientist. My mother was a graduate of Sargent's School of Physical Education, now part of Boston University, and taught physical education at Tuskegee when Dad met and married her. Many are surprised at my lack of a more southern accent. I am sure this is due to Mother's Boston background, for she saw to it that my brothers and sister and I pronounced words in a way she considered correct, and without a pronounced southern accent. Because of Dad's example, I never
Comparative studies on design of experiments for tuning parameters in a genetic algorithm for a scheduling problem

Metaheuristic algorithms have shown to work well with large scale optimisation problems as they obtain optimal or near-optimal solutions. However, most metaheuristics have several parameters that need to be tuned before they can reach good results. Design of experiments (DoE) methods offer practical approaches to tune the parameters effectively. In this paper, we seek the best parameter setting for a genetic algorithm (GA) that is developed to solve the single machine total weighted tardiness problem. To tune the GA parameters, multiple DOE methods are employed and their results are compared. According to their fitness performances in both single and multiple runs, D-optimal and S/N ratio designs found the best parameter settings among DOE methods presented. Additionally, S/N ratio design showed quite robust results for different problem sizes.
Reduction of the Electron Capture Cross-Section for Protons in Hydrocarbon Cases

The total electron capture cross section of 0.8 - 3.0 MeV protons in various hydrocarbon gases (CHn - C4H , n = 2 - 8) has been measured. We find that the electron capture cross section per carbon atom decreases as the number of carbon atoms per molecule is increased. This reduction amounts to ~7% for 3 MeV protons and is ~ 25% for 0.8 MeV protons. We find no significant change in the electron capture cross section for carbon as the number of hydrogen atoms per molecule is increased. The observed variations in the cross section can be reproduced by assuming that post-collision-interactions destroy the required velocity match between projectile and electron.