cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Additive Manufacturing of Magnetostrictive Thin Film Sensors

Advanced sensor network in aircraft can enable in-situ structural health monitoring, reduce unscheduled groundings, and consequently decrease maintenance expenses. This research aims to fabricate lightweight, flexible, wireless, and passive thin film sensors consisting of magnetostrictive thin films, a sensing coil, and yttria-stabilized zirconia substrates. External stress variation changes the magnetic permeability of the magnetostrictive thin films, resulting in an electrical impedance shift on the sensing coil, and thus can be detected wirelessly using a secondary excitation coil. Specifics for the additive manufacturing procedures, experimental data characterized, and theoretical numerical simulations for the magnetostrictive thin film sensors are presented.
Salient Circles Diagrams: Making Intersectional Identities, Privilege, Power, and Marginalization Visible

The Salient Circles Diagram is a teaching exercise designed to help participants visually display the relative importance and intersections of their most personally salient identities (e.g., identi...
Using longitudinal PSA values and machine learning for predicting progression of early stage prostate cancer in veterans.

e17554Background: The ability to understand and predict at the time of diagnosis the trajectories of prostate cancer patients is critical for deciding the appropriate treatment plan. Evidence-based...
Desensitizing highly sensitized heart transplant candidates with the combination of belatacept and proteasome inhibition.

HLA antibodies pose a significant barrier to transplantation and current strategies to reduce allosensitization are limited. We hypothesized that augmenting proteasome inhibitor (PI) based desensitization with costimulation blockade (belatacept) to mitigate germinal center (GC) responses might increase efficacy and prevent rebound. Four highly sensitized (calculated panel reactive antibody [cPRA] class I and/or II >99%, complement-dependent cytotoxicity panel reactive antibody [CDC PRA+], C1q+) heart transplant candidates were treated with the combination of belatacept and PI therapy, which significantly reduced both class I and II HLA antibodies and increased the likelihood of identifying an acceptable donor. Three negative CDC crossmatches were achieved against 3, 6, and 8 donor-specific antibodies (DSA), including those that were historically C1q+ binding. Posttransplant, sustained suppression of 3 of 3, 4 of 6, and 8 of 8 DSA (cases 1-3) was achieved. Analysis of peripheral blood mononuclear cells before and after desensitization in one case revealed a decrease in naive and memory B cells and a reduction in T follicular helper cells with a phenotype suggesting recent GC activity (CD38, PD1, and ICOS). Furthermore, a shift in the natural killer cell phenotype was observed with features suggestive of activation. Our findings support synergism between PI based desensitization and belatacept facilitating transplantation with a negative CDC crossmatch against historically strong, C1q binding antibodies.
Considerations of the Impacts of COVID-19 on Domestic Violence in the United States

"Stay home, save lives" has been shown to reduce the impacts of COVID-19; however, it is crucial to recognize that efforts not to stress healthcare systems may have unintended social consequences for domestic violence. This commentary addresses domestic violence as an important social and public health implication of COVID-19. As a pandemic with a high contagion level, necessary social distancing measures have been put in place across the world to slow transmission and protect medical services. We first present literature that shows that among the effects of social distancing are social and functional isolation and economic stress, which are known to increase domestic violence. We then present preliminary observations from a content analysis conducted on over 300 news articles from the first six weeks of COVID-19 "lockdown" in the United States: articles predict an increase in domestic violence, report an increase in domestic violence, and inform victims on how to access services. Assessing the intersection of the early news media messaging on the effect of COVID-19 on DV and the literature on social isolation and crisis situations, we conclude the commentary with implications for current policy related to (1) increased media attention, (2) increased attention in healthcare systems, (3) promoting social and economic security, and (4) long-term efforts to fund prevention and response, as well as research implications to consider. The research is presented as ongoing, but the policy and procedure recommendations are presented with urgency.
Process-structure relationship in the directed energy deposition of cobalt-chromium alloy (Stellite 21) coatings

Abstract In this work, we accomplished the crack-free directed energy deposition (DED) of a multi-layer Cobalt-Chromium alloy coating (Stellite 21) on Inconel 718 substrate. Stellite alloys are used as coating materials given their resistance to wear, corrosion, and high temperature. The main challenge in DED of Stellite coatings is the proclivity for crack formation during printing. The objective of this work is to characterize the effect of the input energy density and localized laser-based preheating on the characteristics of the deposited coating, namely, crack formation, microstructural evolution, dilution of the coating composition due to diffusion of iron and nickel from the substrate, and microhardness. It is observed that cracking is alleviated on preheating the substrate and depositing the coating at a moderate energy density (~200 J·mm−3). The main finding is that cracking of DED-processed Stellite 21 coating at higher levels of energy density is linked to the elemental segregation of chromium and molybdenum, which form hard and brittle phases in the inter-dendritic regions. Cracking in the inter-dendritic regions is caused by residual stresses resulting from the steep thermal gradients at higher input energy. Localized laser-based preheating and moderate energy density mitigate steep temperature gradients and thereby avoid thermally induced cracking of the Stellite coating along the inter-dendritic regions.
When do errors in reinforcer delivery affect learning? A parametric analysis of treatment integrity

Treatment integrity is the extent to which components of an intervention are implemented as intended (Gresham, 1989). Recent behavior-analytic literature has begun to evaluate the effects of reduced-treatment integrity on the efficacy and efficiency of skill-acquisition interventions. This study extended the current literature on the effects of errors of omission and commission of reinforcer delivery by replicating and extending Hirst and DiGennaro Reed (2015). Using a randomized-control group design, we compared undergraduate student participants' acquisition of conditional discriminations in a parametric analysis of different error values. A computer program erred in reinforcer delivery on 0%, 5%, 10%, 15%, 20%, 25% and 50% of trials. The purpose of the current study was to identify which levels of reduced integrity slowed or prevented acquisition. Our data replicated the findings of Hirst and DiGennaro Reed, and extended parametric analyses by identifying that errors in reinforcer delivery occurring on 15% or fewer trials (i.e., 85% integrity) were unlikely to prevent participants' responding from meeting the mastery criterion. These results could inform future research on how treatment-integrity errors change behavior-analytic procedures and the effects on skill acquisition for consumers of applied behavior analysis.
The role of home language in children's friendship choice and peer acceptance

Abstract The present study examined the role of home language and school climate in children's friend preferences and peer liking. Participants were 109 elementary school-age students (50% girls, 47% boys; m = 7.9 years old) enrolled in a dual-language (English & Spanish) immersion school. Students were asked to identify, by circling names from a class list, their three best friends and the three classmates they liked most. Students were also interviewed about their perceptions of the school climate. Results showed that children nominated significantly more same-language peers as best friends compared to chance. Third graders, who were separated for part of the day based on home language, selected more same-language best friends than did second graders, who spent the whole day together with classmates. Students from English-speaking homes received a greater number of “most liked” nominations than did those from Spanish-speaking homes. Implications for practice and future research are addressed.
Is miR therapeutic targeting still a miRage

Since the discovery of the first microRNA (miR), almost three decades ago, the roles played by miRs under normal and diseased settings have been widely investigated. miRs are found to play crucial roles in cancer initiation and progression, as well as towards therapy response mechanisms. Therefore, they are relevant and attractive targets for therapeutic development. Many preclinical studies have demonstrated their promise as future anti-cancer tools. Recently, increasing number of early phase clinical trials have emerged. In this Commentary, we will summarize the major discoveries within the miR research field and highlight the status quo of current miR-therapeutics, which has prominent potential of impacting future cancer regimens given their massive dysregulation in oncogenic processes.
Use of affinity matrices in determining steric requirements for substrate binding: binding of anthranilate 5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase from Salmonella typhimurium to Sepharose-Anthranilate derivatives.

Abstract The binding of anthranilate 5-phosphoribosylpyrophosphate phosphoribosyltransferase (PRT) in crude extracts of Salmonella typhimurium to Sepharose-anthranilic acid derivatives has been studied. When anthranilic acid was covalently bound to hydrocarbon “arms” by its free amino group or phenyl moiety, the derivatives thus prepared bound PRT preferentially. PRT activity could be eluted from these adsorbents using buffers of increasing pH. The specific activity of PRT eluted from these Sepharose-anthranilate adsorbents was 10- to 12-fold that of the original extract. Anthranilic acid bound to aminohexamethylimino-Sepharose by its free carboxyl group did not bind PRT effectively. Results indicated that the carboxyl group of anthranilic acid must be free in order for PRT to bind the Sepharose-anthranilate derivatives. Throughout this study, control columns consisting of Sepharose derivatives containing the appropriate hydrocarbon “arms” alone were used to investigate the possibilities of nonspecific enzyme binding. The findings obtained stress the necessity of using such controls in any affinity studies of this type. The prospect of utilizing the techniques of affinity chromatography to examine the requirements for the binding of proteins to specific ligands is discussed.
The Setting of Particulate Exposure Levels for Chronic Inhalation Toxicity Studies

This paper briefly reviews the development of regulatory agency guidelines for toxicity testing and the impact of the maximum tolerated dose (MTD) concept on chronic study designs within and outside of the regulatory arena. From the orientation of an inhalation toxicologist, the MTD is viewed as a difficult and costly concept to implement and one that is generally inappropriate as a general basis for setting dust exposure levels in sub-chronic and chronic inhalation toxicity studies. Two possible alternatives are discussed, especially in the context of accumulating evidence that most dusts, even the most innocuous, when presented in excessive amounts produce a spectrum of pulmonary responses that cannot be dissociated from injury.
Walking cadence and cardiovascular risk in children and adolescents: NHANES, 2005-2006.

Background Peak cadence (steps/minute) has been presented as an indicator of children's and adolescents' best natural daily effort. Purpose The goal of the study was to determine the relationship between peak walking cadence and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors in children and adolescents. Methods Data from the 2005–2006 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey on accelerometer, high-density lipoprotein cholesterol, BMI, and blood pressure from 1817 children and adolescents (aged 8–18 years) were analyzed in 2012. Participants were stratified based on CVD risk factors (0, 1, and ≥2) and age (8–11, 12–15, and 16–18 years). Age-specific trends were evaluated in peak 1-minute cadence (steps/minute recorded for the highest single minute in a day) and peak 30-minute and 60-minute cadence (average of the highest steps/minute recorded for the specified number of minutes, not necessarily consecutive) across strata. Results Across ascending age groups, peak 1-minute, 30-minute, and 60-minute cadence ranged from 123 to 111, 87 to 82, and 74 to 68 steps/minute, respectively. Peak 60-minute cadence means trended lower across groups of children with higher numbers of risk factors ( p =0.02) in the age group 8–11 years; means similarly trended lower for all peak cadence indicators (all p for trend Conclusions Results varied with age; however, children and adolescents who on average had higher peak cadence indicators tended to have fewer CVD risk factors. These cross-sectional data suggest that a simple indicator of best natural daily effort may play an important role in early progression of unfavorable cardiometabolic health.
A Balancing View: A Decision to be Shared with Patients

Chronic hepatitis C virus (HCV) is one of the most common causes of liver disease, the most common cause of cirrhosis and the single most common indication for liver transplantation in the United States, Europe, Australia, and many other countries. Despite these observations, there are many persons with chronic HCV infection who have relatively mild liver injury and will either never develop fibrosis or exhibit fibrosis progression at such a slow rate that they will ever develop cirrhosis. Many of these patients have a normal value for serum alanine aminotransferase (ALT); and this observation has precipitated the controversy as to whether these patients should undergo evaluation and/or receive treatment for chronic HCV as debated in this issue of the journal. Dr. Reddy and Drs. Koff and Younossi have nicely summarized the available data pertaining to this issue. Each has quoted the same data but has come up with a different conclusion. There are three major points to this argument: (a) the use of serum ALT as a screening test for chronic HCV infection; (b) the use of serum ALT as a marker of liver disease severity in patients with chronic HCV; and (c) the effectiveness of peginterferon and ribavirin in this subpopulation of HCV patients.
Amiodarone dosing: A proposal based on its pharmacokinetics☆

The available data concerning amiodarone dosing may be summarized as follows: (1) there is an empirically demonstrated improvement in lag before onset of antiarrhythmic effect if amiodarone is given initially in large "loading" doses. (2) A regimen such as that described in this article may allow more predictable and safe therapy and should be evaluated in patients, in order to develop uniform dosing guidelines. (3) Amiodarone clearance appears to decrease with time, and for this reason guidance of long-term therapy by plasma concentration determinations could potentially improve safety and efficacy. However, a close correlation between drug levels and drug toxicity and efficacy is lacking. (4) Finally, plasma concentrations, although potentially useful for monitoring long-term therapy, are likely to be unhelpful or misleading during the 4- to 6-week loading period at the beginning of treatment.
Kinetic modelling of multiple-site activity and the kinetics of inhibition reactions in the hydrogenolysis of C2H6 on a nickel wire catalyst

Analysis of kinetic data on the rate of CH4 production in the hydrogenolysis of C2H6 carried out using a specially activated Ni wire catalyst indicates the presence of at least two distinct types of active surface sites on the catalyst. The results are interpreted in terms of competitive catalysis at these two sites but with only one type of site subject to irreversible inhibition. A model involving parallel competitive poisoning on one type of site is developed and shown to account for the observed results. From this model the separate activation energies for the normal hydrogenolysis reaction (129 kJ mol–1) and the self-poisoning reaction (146 kJ mol–1) are calculated.
Venous Ulcers: New Options in Treatment: Minimally Invasive Vein Surgery

Venous disease has a spectrum of presentations. The most advanced state of chronic venous insufficiency (CVI) managed by wound care specialists being ulceration of the lower extremity. The goal of all treatments for advanced venous disease is to decrease ambulatory venous hypertension. Treatment can be divided into exogenous and endogenous methods. Exogenous methods include those applied externally such as compression, elevation, debridement and wound dressings. Endogenous methods treat the underlying venous pathology either due to venous valvular dysfunction or venous obstruction leading to venous hypertension. Recently, significant advances in endogenous methods have evolved. The development of a new concept, minimally invasive vein surgery (MIVS), has improved upon traditional, open, invasive treatments of venous disease. MIVS techniques are performed percutaneously, with minimal anesthesia, no incisions and rarely require hospital admission. This article summarizes the concept of MIVS, describes each method of MIVS and its complementary role in the management of venous leg ulcers patients.
Literature, Social Science, and the Development of American Migration Narratives in the Twentieth Century

This article traces the complementary relationship between social science and American migration narratives in the twentieth century, with particular attention to texts produced in the Depression era, and to more recent scholarship on the literature of African-American migration. While social scientists borrowed the tools of literary artists to understand migration in the 1920s, writers in the Depression era employed sociological and anthropological methods to bring the plight of the southern migrant into the public consciousness. Narratives of southern white, Mexican-American, and African-American migration proliferated within a social scientific paradigm that depicted the migrant as a marginal figure, and the emergence of the concept of ‘ethnicity’ shaped the representation of internal migrants. Social science continues to influence literary criticism, as critics employ sociological and anthropological concepts to understand migration narratives.
Measurements of Laminar Mixed Convection Flow Adjacent to an Inclined Surface

Measurements of laminar mixed forced and free convection air flow adjacent to an upward and a downward facing, isothermal, heated inclined surface (at 45 deg) are reported. Local Nusselt number and the velocity and temperature distributions are presented for both the buoyancy assisting and the buoyancy opposing flow cases for a range of buoyancy parameter 0 ≤ ξ ≤ 5 (ξ = Gr x /Re x 2 ). The measurements are in good agreement with predictions which define a laminar mixed convection regime for buoyancy assisting flow as 0.1 ≤ ξ ≤ 7, and for buoyancy opposing flows as 0.06 ≤ ξ ≤ 0.25 for this inclination angle of 45 deg. Simple mixed convection correlations for the local and average Nusselt numbers for inclined surfaces are also presented and they agree very well with predicted results. As expected, the local Nusselt number increases with increasing buoyancy parameter for assisting flows and decreases for opposing flows. For a given buoyancy parameter and Reynolds number, a downward facing surface provides essentially the same Nusselt number as the upward facing surface for the conditions examined in the experiment.
Whys and wherefores: Adult patient perspectives of the meaning of cancer

Theory and empirical evidence suggest that the search for meaning is a significant part of the cancer experience. Yet differences exist in how the construct "search for meaning" is conceptualized. In this article, the meaning of cancer is discussed using four approaches: (1) casual explanations, (2) selective incidence, (3) responsibility, and (4) significance. Research describing these approaches to the process of searching for meaning among persons with cancer is reviewed. Several studies have investigated cancer patients' casual explanations: the most frequently cited causes include God's will, heredity, chance, life-style and personal factors, and environment. Whereas no studies have focused explicitly on the phenomenon of selective incidence (eg, asking "why me?"), a few investigations have begun to explore cancer patients' attributions of responsibility. These investigations have identified projections of responsibility/blame for cancer such as chance, God, others, or the environment. Research describing the significance, which is usually positive, that persons with cancer ascribe to their illness is also reviewed. Such meanings for cancer identified include reprioritization of goals, changed lifestyles and values, increased appreciation for nature and others, and spiritual development. Responses to the need for meaning vary; indeed, some persons with cancer do not perceive that they "search for meaning." The nursing implications of these various responses to meaning making are presented.
X-ray kinematics analysis of vaginal scent marking in female Syrian hamsters (Mesocricetus auratus).

Vaginal marking is a stereotyped scent marking behavior in female Syrian hamsters used to attract male hamsters for mating. Although the modulation of vaginal marking by hormones and odors is well understood, the motor control of this proceptive reproductive behavior remains unknown. Therefore, we used x-ray videography to visualize individual bone movements during vaginal marking. Kinematic analyses revealed several consistent motor patterns of vaginal marking. Despite exhibiting a diversity of trial-to-trial non-marking behaviors (e.g. locomotor stepping), we found that lowering and raising the pelvis consistently corresponded with coordinated flexion and extension cycles of the hip, knee, and tail, suggesting that these movements are fundamental to vaginal marking behavior. Surprisingly, we observed only small changes in the angles of the pelvic and sacral regions, suggesting previous reports of pelvic rotation during vaginal marking may need to be reconsidered. From these kinematic data, we inferred that vaginal marking is primarily due to the actions of hip and knee extensor muscles of the trailing leg working against gravity to support the weight of the animal as it controls the descent of the pelvis to the ground. The cutaneous trunci muscle likely mediates the characteristic flexion of the tail. Interestingly, this tail movement occurred on the same time scale as the joint kinematics suggesting possible synergistic recruitment of these muscle groups. These data therefore provide new targets for future studies examining the peripheral control of female reproductive behaviors.
Use of three-dimensional collagen gels to study mechanotransduction in t47d breast epithelial cells

Several pathological and disease conditions can alter the mechanical properties of the extracellular matrix (ECM). Conversely, some diseases may arise from changes in the density or rigidity of the ECM. This necessitates the use and development of in vitro models to understand how both biophysical and biochemical signals regulate complex cellular behaviors. T47D breast epithelial cells will differentiate into duct-like tubules when cultured in a floating three-dimensional (3D) collagen gel, but not a 3D collagen gel that is left attached to the culture dish. This paper details several protocols we have developed for analyzing breast cell biology in 3D matrices, including culturing cells in 3D collagen gels, immunostaining cellular structures, and performing biochemical procedures directly from cells embedded in collagen gels.
Inhibition of human catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT)-mediated O-methylation of catechol estrogens by major polyphenolic components present in coffee.

In the present study, we investigated the inhibitory effect of three catechol-containing coffee polyphenols, chlorogenic acid, caffeic acid and caffeic acid phenethyl ester, on the O-methylation of 2- and 4-hydroxyestradiol (2-OH-E2 and 4-OH-E2, respectively) catalyzed by the cytosolic catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT) isolated from human liver and placenta. When human liver COMT was used as the enzyme, chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid each inhibited the O-methylation of 2-OH-E2 in a concentration-dependent manner, with IC50 values of 1.3–1.4 and 6.3–12.5 μM, respectively, and they also inhibited the O-methylation of 4-OH-E2, with IC50 values of 0.7–0.8 and 1.3–3.1 μM, respectively. Similar inhibition pattern was seen with human placental COMT preparation. Caffeic acid phenethyl ester had a comparable effect as caffeic acid for inhibiting the O-methylation of 2-OH-E2, but it had a weaker inhibition of the O-methylation of 4-OH-E2. Enzyme kinetic analyses showed that chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid inhibited the human liver and placental COMT-mediated O-methylation of catechol estrogens with a mixed mechanism of inhibition (competitive plus noncompetitive). Computational molecular modeling analysis showed that chlorogenic acid and caffeic acid can bind to human soluble COMT at the active site in a similar manner as the catechol estrogen substrates. Moreover, the binding energy values of these two coffee polyphenols are lower than that of catechol estrogens, which means that coffee polyphenols have higher binding affinity for the enzyme than the natural substrates. This computational finding agreed perfectly with our biochemical data.
Digi get it: student technology training

Technology training at Wake Forest University took on a new look in 2005, when student-produced movies about responsible computing became part of the orientation curriculum.
Initiating the inflammatory phase of incisional healing prior to tissue injury.

Abstract Background. The time required for incisional healing accounts for the majority of postoperative pain and convalescence. Impaired healing prolongs the process further. If a method for accelerating acute incisional wound healing could be developed, patients would benefit from decreased wound failure and an earlier return to their premorbid condition. Materials and methods. In a rat dermal model, cytokine or vehicle infiltration prior to incision was performed using a single dose or four daily doses preincision. Planned incision sites were primed with the proinflammatory cytokine granulocyte–macrophage colony-stimulating factor (GM-CSF) or platelet-derived growth factor BB (PDGF-BB) in an effort to activate the inflammatory phase of healing prior to wounding. At the time of incision closure, one half of the incisions were treated with transforming growth factor β2 (TGF-β2). Incisional sites were biopsied and stained with hematoxylin and eosin and immunohistochemistry for inflammatory cells and fibroblast populations and breaking strength was measured. Results. Priming skin with GM-CSF or PDGF-BB mimicked the early inflammatory phase of wound healing. Macrophage staining (EB1) and fibroblast staining (vimentin) were significantly increased prior to incision. Inflammatory priming as well as priming coupled with TGF-β2 at the time of the incision closure synergistically improved breaking strength. Conclusion. This study demonstrates that sequential therapy consisting of priming of tissue with an inflammatory cytokine followed by application of a proliferative cytokine at the time of incision closure nearly doubles the breaking strength of an acute wound. By manipulating the inflammatory and early proliferative phases of wound healing with tissue growth factors, it may be possible to accelerate acute wound repair and shift the wound healing trajectory to the left.
The significance of amplitude asymmetry in clinical electroencephalography

Forty-two EEG recordings with bilateral generalized slow background activity, but asymmetric because of suppression of the amplitude over one hemisphere, were selected for the study. This pattern was prospectively correlated with neurological findings as well as neuroimaging techniques. In 76% of cases, the suppression of the amplitude could be lateralized correctly to the site of cerebral insult. It is suggested that: (a) unilateral attenuation of the amplitude of the background EEG correlates highly with ipsilateral focal cerebral acute or subacute large lesion; (b) in cases where bihemispheric slow activity is present, the hemisphere with the lower amplitude is likely to be the site of such a structural lesion; and (c) this study also supports a previous report that amplitude depression has the same pathophysiological significance in EEG as delta activity.
Astrophysics: Super-luminous supernovae on the rise.

New observations suggest that certain extremely bright supernovae are not the nuclear explosions of very massive stars. Instead, they may be ordinary-mass events lit up by a potent central fountain of magnetic energy. See Letter p.346 Observations of two recently discovered slow-to-fade super-luminous supernovae, known as PTF12dam and PS1-11ap, reveal relatively fast rise times and blue colours that are incompatible with the pair-instability mechanism, hitherto believed to be the best explanation for superluminous events. The authors suggest a model in which the debris from these remarkably energetic supernovae is powered by magnetic neutron stars or magnetars.
A cost-utility comparison of four first-line medications in painful diabetic neuropathy.

Background: Painful diabetic neuropathy is common and adversely affects patients’ quality of life and function. Several treatment options exist, but their relative efficacy and value are unknown.
Extensions of rooted trees and their applications

Abstract Informally, an almost-tree is a rooted graph which has the form of a tree in which some leaves are bent back to earlier nodes of the branch on which they sit. The paper provides a construction for unfurling any finite rooted graph to obtain a strong homomorphic image with desirable properties. As an application, it is shown that for each flow-diagram G there can be constructed an unfurling G1 which is an almost-tree with semantic properties equivalent to those of G in a very strong sense.
The 630 nm dayglow

The daytime thermospheric emission at 630 nm from the (3P-1D) transition of atomic oxygen is examined using data from the Atmosphere Explorer C and E spacecraft. Observed altitude distributions of the emission rate measured using the Visible Airglow Experiment are compared with those calculated from in situ measurements of ion and neutral densities and temperatures, and from a model of the photon and photoelectron flux. Good agreement is obtained for most orbits with photoelectron impact on O, photodissociation of O2, and dissociative recombination of O2(+) providing most of the production. Implications for some of the controversial points of O(1D) chemistry, such as the solar EUV and Schumann-Runge continuum flux, the yield of O(1D) from the reaction of N(2D) with O2, the value of spontaneous transition coefficients, and the rate of quenching by O(3P) are discussed.
Designing a web-based learning portal for geographic visualization and analysis in public health:

Interactive mapping and spatial analysis tools are underutilized by health researchers and decision-makers due to scarce training materials, few examples demonstrating the successful use of geographic visualization, and poor mechanisms for sharing results generated by geovisualization. We report here on the development of the Geovisual EXplication (G-EX) Portal, a web-based application designed to connect researchers in geovisualization and related mapping sciences to users who are working in public health and epidemiology. This paper focuses on the design and development of the G-EX Portal Learn module, a set of tools intended to disseminate learning artifacts. Initial design and development of the G-EX Portal has been guided by our past research on use and usability of geovisualization in public health. As part of the iterative design and development process, we conducted a needs assessment survey with targeted end-users that we report on here. The survey focused on users’ current learning habits, their preferred kind of learning artifacts, and issues they may have with contributing learning artifacts to web portals. Survey results showed that users desire a diverse set of learning artifacts in terms of both formats and topics covered. Results also revealed a willingness of users to contribute both learning artifacts and personal information that would help other users to evaluate the credibility of the learning artifact source. We include a detailed description of the G-EX Portal Learn module and focus on modifications to the design of the Learn module as a result from feedback we received from our survey.
Medical findings in child psychiatric inpatients.

Abstract The medical records of 192 consecutive child psychiatric admissions were reviewed to determine the utility of routine laboratory tests in assessing inpatients. Among the 317 test batteries performed, only 1% of the tests produced abnormal results after age standardization and none resulted in treatment changes. These tests should be performed if indicated by abnormalities from review of systems or physical examination or to clarify a differential diagnosis.
On the uniqueness of the Golay codes

Abstract A method is established to convert results from finite geometries to error-correcting codes. Using this we can determine the dimension of a maximal self-orthogonal code and the number of self-orthogonal codes of any fixed dimension in a given space. These results are applied to the Golay (11,6) code over GF(3) giving five equivalent conditions for a code to be equivalent to the Golay code. One of these is that every perfect (11,6) code is equivalent to the Golay code. Analogous conditions are established for the codes equivalent to the extended Golay (12,6) code over GF(3). One of these is that every (12,6) code with minimum weight 6 is equivalent to the Golay code. The corresponding theorems for the Golay (23,12) code over GF(2) and the extended Golay (24,12) code over GF(2) are given. Since these results are easier to demonstrate than the results over GF(3), the method of proof here uses known facts about these codes.
Cisplatin resistance is associated with deregulation in protein kinase C-δ

Proteolytic activation of protein kinase C (PKC)-delta has been associated with cell death induced by the DNA damaging agent cisplatin. In the present study, we have examined if PKCdelta is affected when cells acquire resistance to cisplatin. The level of PKCdelta was elevated in cisplatin-resistant HeLa (HeLa/CP) cells compared to parental HeLa cells. Prolonged cellular exposure to the PKC activator phorbol-12,13-dibutyrate (PDBu), caused downregulation of PKCdelta in HeLa cells but not in HeLa/CP cells. Treatment of HeLa cells with PDBu resulted in the translocation of PKCdelta from the cytosol to the membrane but it failed to induce PKCdelta translocation in HeLa/CP cells. PDBu, however, induced translocation and downregulation of PKCalpha in both HeLa and HeLa/CP cells. The ability of PDBu to enhance cisplatin-induced cell death was attenuated in cisplatin-resistant HeLa cells. Thus, a deregulation in PKCdelta was associated with reduced cellular sensitivity to cisplatin.
Retinopathy of prematurity: the life of a lifetime disease.

Purpose To provide information on retrolental fibroplasias (RLF), later known as retinopathy of prematurity. Design Review of the literature on the subject and a first-person account of what was then RLF by one of the authors (A.P.) who was involved in the earliest days in research regarding RLF. Methods MEDLINE search on the topics of RLF and retinopathy of prematurity plus a first-person historic review of original work that dealt with RLF. Results In 1942, elevated levels of oxygen were thought to play a major role in the development of the disease; at that time, no treatment was available. During the lifetime of this disease, other possible causes have been investigated. These include vitamin E as a prophylaxis against retinopathy of prematurity and the efficacy of light reduction to prevent retinopathy of prematurity. It has been shown that the light reduction does not play a role in reducing the progression of retinopathy of prematurity. Vitamin E studies were inconclusive; some studies show a positive effect and others do not. A major advance occurred with the development of the International Classification of Ophthalmology in 1984, which laid the groundwork for collaborative studies to determine whether cryotherapy of the avascular zone of retina would reduce the incidence of blindness in newborn infants, when compared with control subjects. The study showed that cryotherapy was effective; this was followed by laser photocoagulation when lasers became portable enough to take to the neonatal intensive care unit. At the same time, improved surgical techniques moved from scleral buckling for retinal detachment to vitrectomies (some lens sparing) for more desperate cases that had progressed to stage 4 and stage 5 retinopathy of prematurity. Late changes in adults who were born before any treatment and are now baby boomers ran the gamut from the dragging of the retina in the posterior pole to retinal detachment, cataract, and myopia. Conclusion Retinopathy of prematurity is a lifetime disease for which preventive and better treatment modalities continue to evolve.
Optimized Wide-Field Survey Telescope Using Adaptive Optics

We describe a new technique for ground-based telescopic surveys that can deliver a wide field of view and nearly diffraction-limited image quality. We discuss a very low cost, yet sensitive and efficient, concept to perform science previously considered from space. For ground-based telescopes with small D/r 0 (aperture over turbulence cell diameter) a significant improvement in point source sensitivity can be achieved with tip-tilt correction only. However, the solid angle over which image motion is constant is typically less than an arcminute. To achieve tip-tilt correction over a larger field we propose to use a high order adaptive optics system where one pupil sub-aperture now corresponds to one isokinetic patch. The high order deformable mirror is conjugated to an atmospheric height where the tip-tilt "beams" separate from each other while the overall tip-tilt can be taken out with a tip-tilt secondary mirror conjugated to low height. One source per square arcminute with V ≤ 18 m is required for the determination of the image motion, allowing a sky coverage of more than 50%. The improvement over seeing limited observations is maximal at D/r 0 ≈ 4 with a S/N improvement of a factor of four. An inexpensive system with 500 actuators can correct a field of view of 0.4 × 0.4 deg 2 . It is thus well-suited for searches of point sources, e.g. high-z SN Ia or other transient phenomena.
Characterization of sensitivity degradation seen from the UV to NIR by RAIDS on the International Space Station

This paper presents an analysis of the sensitivity changes experienced by three of the eight sensors that comprise the Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System (RAIDS) after more than a year operating on board the International Space Station (ISS). These sensors are the Extreme Ultraviolet Spectrograph (EUVS) that covers 550-1100 A, the Middle Ultraviolet (MUV) spectrometer that covers 1900-3100A, and the Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS) that covers 7220-8740 A. The scientific goal for RAIDS is comprehensive remote sensing of the temperature, composition, and structure of the lower thermosphere and ionosphere from 85-200 km. RAIDS was installed on the ISS Japanese Expansion Module External Facility (JEM-EF) in September of 2009. After initial checkout the sensors began routine operations that are only interrupted for sensor safety by occasional ISS maneuvers as well as a few days per month when the orbit imparts a risk from exposure to the Sun. This history of measurements has been used to evaluate the rate of degradation of the RAIDS sensors exposed to an environment with significant sources of particulate and molecular contamination. The RAIDS EUVS, including both contamination and detector gain sag, has shown an overall signal loss rate of 0.2% per day since the start of the mission, with an upper boundary of 0.13% per day attributed solely to contamination effects. This upper boundary is driven by uncertainty in the change in the emission field due to changing solar conditions, and there is strong evidence that the true loss due to contamination is significantly smaller. The MUV and NIRS have shown stability to within 1% over the first year of operations.
Nanomechanical and Friction Properties of Ultrathin Amorphous Carbon Films Studied by Molecular Dynamics Analysis

An ultrathin ( 10 Tbits/in2 ), the a-C film thickness must be decreased to <2 nm. However, the tribological and mechanical properties of such thin a-C films are not well understood and, moreover, are extremely difficult to determine experimentally. The objective of this study was to obtain insight into the tribological behavior of ultrathin a-C films by performing molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. MD results of the hardness and friction properties of nanometer-thick a-C films are interpreted in terms of the ratio of tetrahedral-to-trigonal carbon atom hybridization. A critical thickness for the effective protection of the magnetic medium by the a-C film is estimated from MD results. The results of this study elucidate the nanomechanical and nanotribological properties of ultrathin a-C films used as protective overcoats in extremely-high-density magnetic recording.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
MDS: unraveling the mystery.

In this issue of Blood , Sekeres et al report a phase 2 study of lenalidomide and azacitidine for higher risk myelodysplastic syndromes (MDS).[1][1] High overall response and duration of response supports the concept of combination, multitargeted approaches rather than traditional chemotherapeutics
A model of the inversion process in an arterial inversion experiment.

A model of the behavior of spins moving through spatially varying gradient and B1 fields is presented. The model simulates the adiabatic behavior of flowing arterial water during a two-coil arterial inversion experiment. Predictions of the degree of inversion generated by the model are compared with flow phantom results for a wide range of gradient magnitudes, nominal B1 magnitudes, and flow velocities. The high level of agreement between the model and the flow phantom results indicates that the model can be used to help select efficient pulse sequence parameters when setting up an in vivo arterial inversion experiment. In addition, the model provides valuable insights into the adiabatic behavior of arterial spins. These insights could be useful in selecting an efficient surface coil geometry which achieves maximum inversion with a minimum B1 magnitude. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
An economic analysis of the stability of East-West mineral trade patterns

Abstract This paper explains the nature and variability of East-West mineral trade patterns for manganese, chromite, phosphate and potash. This variability is assessed inherently as well as in relation to underlying causal factors. The impact of these factors is analysed in terms of their sources: domestic cost conditions, changes in economic activity, currency and dollar exchange requirements, trade controls, balanced payments needs, technological change and political goals. Results point to the importance of basic mineral needs in Eastern Europe and the rising costs of production relative to declining ore grades in the USSR.
Shifting Conceptions of Self and Society in Fijian Kindergartens

Play with peers in urban Fijian kindergartens leads to significant changes in conceptions of self, gender, ethnicity, and social class. Rural children play in mixed gender groups where relationships among children are defined by relative age and kinship; children learn to see themselves as playing a role in a community. In contrast, urban kindergarten children negotiate their way through large groups of unrelated same-age peers by distinguishing friends from outsiders, leading to increased preoccupation with individual preferences and identities. Being in large groups of unfamiliar children of the same age causes Fijian children to categorize by gender, a relatively clear category marked by all the ethnic subcultures. Ethnic differences are de-emphasized in school settings, whereas class differences are increasingly important, as upwardly mobile professional parents invest in multiple years of kindergarten to improve children's skills in English. Kindergarten attendance both marks, and contributes to creating, an emerging middle-class community espousing modernist values and using consumption to index membership in an international community. [preschool, Fiji, acquisition of culture, gender, social class]
Zeta Values and Differential Operators on the Circle

Abstract The Fock representation of the Virasoro Lie algebra is extended to a larger graded Lie subalgebra of the algebra of differential operators on the circle. The central cocycle is related to values of the Riemann Zeta function at odd negative integers. The corresponding generating function is related to Eisenstein series for SL 2 ( Z ). An analogous result is obtained for values of L -series associated to even Dirichlet characters using differential operators of infinite order.
Binding, X-Ray and NMR studies of the three A-ring isomers of natural estradiol

Abstract The effect of the position of the phenolic hydroxyl on the conformations of the three A-ring isomers of estradiol, namely, estra-1,3,5(10)-trien-1, 17β-diol ( 10 ), estra-1,3,5(10)-trien-2, 17β-diol ( 3 ), and estra-1,3,5(10)-trien-4,17β-diol ( 6 ), has been analyzed by X-ray crystallography. The results of these analyses were correlated with the absorptions of the angular methyl groups in the [ 1 H]NMR spectra of these isomers and natural estradiol ( E2 ). It was observed that the changes in chemical shift of protons at C18 corresponded to skeletal modifications in the steroid structure which changed the anisotropic effect of the hydroxyl group at C17. Examination of the affinity of these A-ring isomers of E2 for the estrogen receptor has shown the 2-hydroxylated isomer 3 to retain 1/5th the affinity of E2 for its binding protein. The 1- and 4-hydroxylated derivatives ( 10 and 6 , respectively) bound to a much lesser extent. The receptor affinities of these estrogen analogues may be related to the angle between the 18-methyl and the 17β-hydroxyl groups (or the dihedral angle between the planar A-ring and the angular C18 methyl) as well as the position of the A-ring hydroxyl group.
Short Communication: Survival of Escherichia coli O157:H7 in Dairy Cattle Drinking Water

Cattle drinking water from two dairy farms was used in a study to determine the survival characteristics of the bacterial pathogen Escherichia coli O157:H7 and wild-type E. coli. The E. coli O157:H7 inoculum consisted of a consortium of isolates obtained from dairy cattle. Fresh manure was used as the source for the wild-type E. coli. In the water source from farm 1 the pathogens were present at both 5 and 15°C during the 16-d duration of the study. In the water source from farm 2, the pathogens were detected at 5°C through d 8 and through d 4 at 15°C. The fecal indicator, wild-type E. coli, was always present when the pathogens were present.