cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Transient optical spectroscopy of single crystals of the reaction center from Rhodobacter sphaeroides wild-type 2.4.1.

The photoactivity of the crystallized reaction centers from Rhodobacter sphaeroides wild-type strain 2.4.1 has been examined by light-induced absorption spectral changes associated with charge separation and triplet state formation in the reaction center. Upon excitation of a crystal at ambient redox potential, the primary donor 865 nm band bleaches reversibly. The kinetics of its recovery were found to be biphasic with rate constants 11.5 ± 1.3 s−1 and 0.9 ± 0.4 s−1 which correspond to lifetimes of 87.0 ± 9.0 ms and 1.0 ± 0.7 s, respectively. The ratio of the fast-to-slow component preexponential terms was 3.5 ± 1.1 suggesting that the majority (78.9 ± 13.0%) of the reaction centers in the crystals lack the secondary quinone, QB. The addition of sodium ascorbate to the crystals attenuates the 865 nm absorption change, and gives rise to strong carotenoid triplet-triplet absorption changes at 547 nm. These data indicate that the reaction center-bound carotenoid in the crystals is capable of accepting triplet energy from the primary donor triplet.
Clients' reaction to community violence: Posttraumatic stress disorder

Abstract In light of the increasing violence in U.S. communities, home care providers need to assess their clients for posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD). Once called shell shock or battle fatigue syndrome, PTSD results from an overwhelming assault on the mind and emotions. The condition affects hundreds of thousands of people who have survived shootings, assaults, earthquakes, floods, airplane or car crashes, inner-city violence, domestic abuse, rape, war, and other disasters, both natural and man-made. It often has devastating effects on clients' physical and mental heath.
Effects of comorbid depression on response to treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder

We examined the effects of comorbid depression on response to treatment for obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) using cognitive-behavioral therapy with and without medication. Eighty-seven OCD patients were divided into nondepressed and mildly, moderately, and severely depressed groups on the basis of their pretreatment Beck Depression Inventory (BDI) scores. Each received an intensive cognitive-behavioral treatment program involving exposure with response prevention (EX/RP); 59 (68%) were also taking medication for OCD. Patients with severe initial depression (BDI ≥30) showed significantly less improvement compared to those less depressed or nondepressed; yet, even highly depressed patients showed moderate treatment gains. Failure to habituate to anxiety-evoking stimuli during exposure and a lack of motivation for therapy are considered possible causes of attenuated outcome.
LIBRUS: Combined Machine Learning and Homology Information for Sequence-based Ligand-Binding Residue Prediction

Motivation: Identifying residues that interact with ligands is useful as a first step to understanding protein function and as an aid to designing small molecules that target the protein for interaction. Several studies have shown that sequence features are very informative for this type of prediction, while structure features have also been useful when structure is available. We develop a sequence-based method, called LIBRUS, that combines homology-based transfer and direct prediction using machine learning and compare it to previous sequence-based work and current structure-based methods. Results: Our analysis shows that homology-based transfer is slightly more discriminating than a support vector machine learner using profiles and predicted secondary structure. We combine these two approaches in a method called LIBRUS. On a benchmark of 885 sequence-independent proteins, it achieves an area under the ROC curve (ROC) of 0.83 with 45% precision at 50% recall, a significant improvement over previous sequence-based efforts. On an independent benchmark set, a current method, FINDSITE, based on structure features achieves an ROC of 0.81 with 54% precision at 50% recall, while LIBRUS achieves an ROC of 0.82 with 39% precision at 50% recall at a smaller computational cost. When LIBRUS and FINDSITE predictions are combined, performance is increased beyond either reaching an ROC of 0.86 and 59% precision at 50% recall. Availability: Software developed for this study is available at http://bioinfo.cs.umn.edu/supplements/binf2009 along with Supplementary data on the study. Contact: ude.nmu.sc@namffuak; ude.nmu.sc@sipyrak
Hopeless Anarchy or Saving Pluralism? Reflections on Our Field in Response to Ambrose, VanTassel-Baska, Coleman, and Cross:

In this response to Ambrose, VanTassel-Baska, Coleman, and Cross’s (2010) thought-provoking article on the nature and state of the field of gifted education, the author first discusses the role of disciplinary knowledge in his field. He argues that gifted education, as a normative and practical endeavor (i.e., a profession), is different from academic disciplines in research agendas and that technical rationality is not sufficient for identifying its “best practice.” The author then suggests a “flat” structure to facilitate close collaboration between theorists, researchers, and practitioners in tackling pressing problems and fashioning innovative practices. To facilitate discussion of explorations in our practice, he delineates three basic service models or paradigms in gifted education as follows: the gifted child paradigm, the talent development paradigm, and the differentiation paradigm. He proposes five criteria for assessing their strengths and potential weaknesses. Finally, he suggests that the bes...
Cloud-based simulators: making simulations accessible to non-experts and experts alike

The benefits of on-demand computing capabilities, broad network access, maintainability, and multiplatform support are some of the essential characteristics that have made cloud computing the technology to adopt in recent years. While the technology has been used in simulation to some extent, it has not been widely available as it is expensive and complex. This paper reports on the design and development of a cloud-based discrete event simulator called ClouDES. ClouDES provides a platform for designing and executing discrete-event simulations with all the advantages of cloud computing. Its web-based easy to use interface attracts even non-expert users. As an example, the potential impact on non-experts users like students and especially middle and high school students are described. It is believed that students can be exposed to STEM concepts like probability, queuing, and functions while using technologies they are familiar with like mobile devices and social media.
Child gender and father involvement in fragile families.

In this article, we use data from the first two waves of the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study to examine the effects of child gender on father involvement and to determine if gender effects differ by parents’ marital status. We examine several indicators of father involvement, including whether the father acknowledges “ownership” of the child, whether the parents live together when the child is one year old, and whether the father provides financial support when the child is one year old. We find some evidence that child gender is associated with unmarried father involvement around the time of the child’s birth: sons born to unmarried parents are more likely than daughters to receive the father’s surname, especially if the mother has no other children. However, one year after birth, we find very little evidence that child gender is related to parents’ living arrangements or the amount of time or money fathers invest in their children. In contrast, and consistent with previous research, fathers who are married when their child is born are more likely to live with a son than with a daughter one year after birth. This pattern supports an interpretation of child gender effects based on parental beliefs about the importance of fathers for the long-term development of sons.
The aging brain: The cognitive reserve hypothesis and hominid evolution

Compared to other primates, humans live a long time and have large brains. Recent theories of the evolution of human life history stages (grandmother hypothesis, intergenerational transfer of information) lend credence to the notion that selection for increased life span and menopause has occurred in hominid evolution, despite the reduction in the force of natural selection operating on older, especially post-reproductive, individuals. Theories that posit the importance (in an inclusive fitness sense) of the survival of older individuals require them to maintain a reasonably high level of cognitive function (e.g., memory, communication). Patterns of brain aging and factors associated with healthy brain aging should be relevant to this issue. Recent neuroimaging research suggests that, in healthy aging, human brain volume (gray and white matter) is well-maintained until at least 60 years of age; cognitive function also shows only nonsignificant declines at this age. The maintenance of brain volume and cognitive performance is consistent with the idea of a significant post- or late-reproductive life history stage. A clinical model, "the cognitive reserve hypothesis," proposes that both increased brain volume and enhanced cognitive ability may contribute to healthy brain aging, reducing the likelihood of developing dementia. Selection for increased brain size and increased cognitive ability in hominid evolution may therefore have been important in selection for increased lifespan in the context of intergenerational social support networks.
Identification of a vibrio cholerae RTX toxin gene cluster that is tightly linked to the cholera toxin prophage

We identify and characterize a gene cluster in El Tor Vibrio cholerae that encodes a cytotoxic activity for HEp-2 cells in vitro. This gene cluster contains four genes and is physically linked to the cholera toxin (CTX) element in the V. cholerae genome. We demonstrate by using insertional mutagenesis that this gene cluster is required for the cytotoxic activity. The toxin, RtxA, resembles members of the RTX (repeats in toxin) toxin family in that it contains a GD-rich repeated motif. Like other RTX toxins, its activity depends on an activator, RtxC, and an associated ABC transporter system, RtxB and RtxD. In V. cholerae strains of the classical biotype, a deletion within the gene cluster removes rtxC and eliminates cytotoxic activity. Other strains, including those of the current cholera pandemic, contain a functional gene cluster and display cytotoxic activity. Thus, the RTX gene cluster in El Tor O1 and O139 strains might have contributed significantly to their emergence. Furthermore, the RTX toxin of V. cholerae may be associated with residual adverse properties displayed by certain live, attenuated cholera vaccines.
Effects of Context on Eye Movements When Reading About Possible and Impossible Events

Plausibility violations resulting in impossible scenarios lead to earlier and longer lasting eye movement disruption than violations resulting in highly unlikely scenarios (K. Rayner, T. Warren, B. J. Juhasz, & S. P. Liversedge, 2004; T. Warren & K. McConnell, 2007). This could reflect either differences in the timing of availability of different kinds of information (e.g., selectional restrictions, world knowledge, and context) or differences in their relative power to guide semantic interpretation. The authors investigated eye movements to possible and impossible events in real-world and fantasy contexts to determine when contextual information influences detection of impossibility cued by a semantic mismatch between a verb and an argument. Gaze durations on a target word were longer to impossible events independent of context. However, a measure of the time elapsed from first fixating the target word to moving past it showed disruption only in the real-world context. These results suggest that contextual information did not eliminate initial disruption but moderated it quickly thereafter.
HRD's Role in Identifying, Measuring, and Managing Knowledge Assets in the Intangible Economy

The problem and the solution. HRD's role in identifying, measuring, and managing knowledge assets in organizations is critical. Knowledge management refers to the ability of an organization to generate data, refine the data into information, and strategically use the information to make decisions.This article reviews relevant literature and demonstrates the role of HRD in identifying, measuring, and managing intangible knowledge assets in organizations. The article argues that in the 21st century, organizations are faced with tremendous challenges including financial meltdown, uncertain economy, cut-throat competition, globalized markets, economic marginalization, privatization and outsourcing of services, mergers, takeovers, rapidly advancing technology, rapid change, and generation of new knowledge.This article defines knowledge assets and examines the various forms of intellectual capital. The relevance of knowledge ratios to identifying, measuring, and managing knowledge assets in organizations is dis...
Atmospheric mineral dust in dryland ecosystems: Applications of environmental magnetism

(IRM; mean of 67 samples = 6.72 × 10 −3 Am 2 kg −1 ) is more than two orders of magnitude greater than that for underlying Paleozoic and Mesozoic sedimentary rocks. This contrast is mainly caused by the presence of silt‐size, titanium‐bearing magnetite particles in the surficial deposits and their absence in bedrock. Because of their size, composition, and isolated location, the magnetite particles represent a component of atmospheric dust likely deposited over the past few centuries. The positive correlation of sediment‐ IRM values with amounts of potential plant nutrients reveals the importance of atmospheric dust to soil fertility over much of the American Southwest. Subsequent disturbance of landscapes, by domestic livestock grazing as an example, commonly results in wind erosion, which then depletes exposed surfaces of original aeolian magnetite and associated fine‐grained sediment. Declines in soil fertility and water‐ holding capacity in these settings can be estimated in some field settings via decreases in magnetic susceptibility, relative to nearby undisturbed areas. Along gentle hillslope gradients of the Colorado Plateau, field measures for aeolian magnetite demonstrate that the redistribution of deposited atmospheric dust influences landscape‐level patterns in the distribution of invasive exotic plant species. Our results indicate that environmental magnetism has high potential for assessing the development and degradation of dry landscapes elsewhere.
Anticonvulsant and Antiretroviral Interactions

OBJECTIVETo evaluate the clinical significance of interactions between anticonvulsant and antiretroviral agents and provide recommendations regarding their concurrent use.DATA SOURCESA PubMed search (1966 to April 2003) was conducted using individual anticonvulsant and antiretroviral drug names and the following key search terms: anticonvulsant, antiepileptic, antiretroviral, protease inhibitor, and pharmacokinetic. Abstracts from scientific meetings that pertained to drug interactions were manually reviewed.STUDY SELECTION AND DATA EXTRACTIONAll articles identified by the PubMed search were examined. Articles and abstracts from scientific meetings with relevant information were included.DATA SYNTHESISSix case reports were identified that describe interactions between anticonvulsant agents and protease inhibitors. In several reports, carbamazepine serum concentrations increased by approximately two- to threefold with concurrent ritonavir, resulting in carbamazepine-related toxicity. Carbamazepine was also...
Automatic Feature Induction for Stagewise Collaborative Filtering

Recent approaches to collaborative filtering have concentrated on estimating an algebraic or statistical model, and using the model for predicting missing ratings. In this paper we observe that different models have relative advantages in different regions of the input space. This motivates our approach of using stagewise linear combinations of collaborative filtering algorithms, with non-constant combination coefficients based on kernel smoothing. The resulting stagewise model is computationally scalable and outperforms a wide selection of state-of-the-art collaborative filtering algorithms.
Statistical Analysis of Aircraft–Bird Strikes Resulting in Engine Failure

Engine failure caused by bird strikes can be particularly perilous for today's typical twin-engine aircraft. Although large-bird populations have increased substantially since the 1970s, modern-day turbofan engines are not tested for large birds. Instead, it is acceptable for contemporary turbofan engines to lose all power because of large-bird ingestion. With the increasing use of turbofan engines and air traffic, not only are more bird strikes expected in the near future, but also more bird strikes are anticipated to result in engine failure. This study identified the factors that were statistically associated with the probability of engine failure in the event of a bird strike. A large sample of more than 42,000 U.S. bird strikes was used. The missing data in the sample were multiply imputed by using an approximate Bayesian bootstrap method. With the multiply imputed data, 15 factors were statistically analyzed. Six of those factors were found to be significantly associated with the probability of engi...
All-optical multichannel 2R regeneration in a fiber-based device

We propose the design of an all-optical 2R regenerator capable of handling multiple wavelength-division-multiplexed channels simultaneously. It extends the known concept of off-center filtering of self-phase-modulation-broadened signal spectra. The novel feature of the proposed device is a dispersion map that strongly suppresses interchannel impairments. The map employs several sections of nonlinear fiber with high normal dispersion, separated by dispersion compensators with spectrally periodic group delay. The results of our numerical simulations indicate the feasibility of such a multichannel regenerator.
Constant mean viral copy number per infected cell in tissues regardless of high, low, or undetectable plasma HIV RNA

Quantitative analysis of the relationship between virus expression and disease outcome has been critical for understanding HIV-1 pathogenesis. Yet the amount of viral RNA contained within an HIV-expressing cell and the relationship between the number of virus-producing cells and plasma virus load has not been established or reflected in models of viral dynamics. We report here a novel strategy for the coordinated analysis of virus expression in lymph node specimens. The results obtained for patients with a broad range of plasma viral loads before and after antiretroviral therapy reveal a constant mean viral (v)RNA copy number (3.6 log10 copies) per infected cell, regardless of plasma virus load or treatment status. In addition, there was a significant but nonlinear direct correlation between the frequency of vRNA+ lymph node cells and plasma vRNA. As predicted from this relationship, residual cells expressing this same mean copy number are detectable (frequency <2/106 cells) in tissues of treated patients who have plasma vRNA levels below the current detectable threshold (<50 copies/ml). These data suggest that fully replication-active cells are responsible for sustaining viremia after initiation of potent antiretroviral therapy and that plasma virus titers correlate, albeit in a nonlinear fashion, with the number of virus-expressing cells in lymphoid tissue.
A limited number of genes are involved in the differentiation of germinal center B cells

Mature B cells, upon activation, progressively differentiate through centroblasts into centrocytes and finally to plasmacytes that express large amounts of selected immunoglobulins. A significant part of this maturation is thought to involve induction of the unfolded protein response (UPR). We have compared gene expression in normal germinal center centroblasts, centrocytes, lymphoblastoid cells undergoing induced UPR, and the CCL155 plasmacytoma cell line. In the centroblast to centrocyte transition there is a change in the expression of a relatively small number of genes. These include a limited subset of the genes upregulated by a fully activated UPR as well as a small number of other transcription factors, some disulphide isomerases, and other genes. This is consistent with a model in which this transition is mediated by changes in the levels of expression of transcription factor B-lymphocyte-induced maturation protein 1 (Blimp1) (PRDM1), BACH2, X-box binding protein 1 (XBP1), interferon regulatory factor 4 (IRF4), and possibly vitamin D receptor (VDR) expression, together with post-transcriptional changes and a limited induction of aspects of the UPR.
Influence of the uterine environment on rat sperm motility and swimming speed.

The present study compared several rat sperm parameters in semen samples recovered from a natural uterine environment (i.e., intact estrous female) to those recovered from an artificially induced uterine environment (i.e., ovariectomized hormonally primed female). The sperm parameters measured were percent motile, percent exhibiting forward progressive motility, actual swimming speed, and linear swimming speed. The comparisons were conducted at four postcopulatory time points (0.25, 1.5, 3, and 6 hours) in order to detect differences as a function of residence time within the uterus. No significant differences (P less than 0.05) in the parameters were seen between the two types of uterine environments. Residence time within the reproductive tract had no significant effect on the parameters with the exception of percent motile, which was significantly increased (P less than 0.01) at the 1.5-hour postcopulatory time point.
Chemistry and microbial activity of forest and pasture riparian-zone soils along three Pacific Northwest streams

Throughout the United States, agricultural practices are responsible for large quantities of nutrients entering lakes and streams. Previous studies have shown that forested riparian areas can filter nutrients from surface runoff and groundwater that may potentially contaminate lakes and streams. This study examined seasonal differences in soil chemistry and soil microorganisms in paired mixed-forest riparian and pasture systems, the aim being to gain understanding of the sequestering of N and P. The forest soils retained higher levels of organic C and N, mineralizable N, extractable P, and fungal biomass, and had higher respiration rates than pasture soils. These findings suggest that forested riparian zones have a greater capacity than pasture soils to sequester C and retain nutrients. In past studies, fungal biomass has been shown to be less than bacterial biomass in grassland soils, but in this study, fungal biomass was greater than bacterial biomass throughout the year in both forest and pasture soils.
The Three-Dimensional Secondary Circulation in Developing Gulf Stream Meanders

From June 1988 until August 1990 an array of 12 inverted echo sounders (IES), 12 additional IES with pressure gauges to measure the abyssal pressure signal, and 12 tall current meter moorings instrumented at depths 400 m, 700 m, 1000 m, and 3500 m was deployed in the Gulf Stream near 688W. The current meter array spanned an area of approximately 260 km by 200 km with nominal horizontal instrument spacing of 56 km in the cross-stream direction and 65 km in the downstream direction. Six events were observed during the two year deployment during which a steep Gulf Stream meander trough and an abyssal cyclone developed concurrently. Two of the meander troughs eventually pinched off to form cold core rings. As the abyssal flows spun up they became nearly barotropic with strong [ O(30 cm s21)] swirl speeds that advected the main thermocline and helped steepen the meanders. Although the geostrophic barotropic flow played a large role in the development of the system, ageostrophic flow was also required. In this study the three-dimensional mesoscale ageostrophic flow within the main thermocline is diagnosed during two steep meander trough events and one steep meander crest event. It is shown that in addition to the alongstream horizontal ageostrophic flow associated with the curvature of the main jet (cyclostrophic speeds greater than 25 cm s21 are not unusual on trough axes) there is significant horizontal cross-stream ageostrophic flow. Cross-stream ageostrophic flow as high as 18 cm s 21 is diagnosed. Vertical momentum advection is also shown to be an important contributor to cross-stream ageostrophic flow, with values as high as 7 cm s 21 diagnosed. The patterns of the ageostrophic flow are shown to be tied to the phasing between the upper-level meander and the abyssal vortex. Both rotational and divergent patterns in the ageostrophic flow are evident. For parcels on main thermocline isopycnals, the ageostrophic flow provides an asymmetric cross-frontal flow relative to the symmetric cross-frontal flow associated with the barotropic vortices.
Platelets in chronic smokers show a hyperactive response in vitro to a foreign surface.

A number of investigators have evaluated platelet function in smokers. The results have been diverse. Part of the lack of clarity may relate to the diversity of the characteristics of platelet function that were evaluated, as well as the length of time following smoking during which the test was performed. In this chapter, we will review the literature in this regard, with particular emphasis upon the more prolonged effects of smoking. In particular, we will review an investigation of the effects upon platelets of chronic smoking that we previously performed (1).
Mediation in Employment and Creeping Legalism: Implications for Dispute Systems Design

This article will explore the question of creeping legalism in mediation of statutory disputes arising out of employment. First, it will briefly review the issue of creeping legalism in arbitration. Second, it will introduce dispute systems design (DSD). Third, it will review the analogous debate on legalism in mediation in three design contexts: evaluative mediation of employment disputes in the court-connected setting, grievance mediation embedded in the collective bargaining agreement, and transformative mediation of employment disputes in the United States Postal Service’s (USPS’s) REDRESS program. Most employees do not face a choice among mediation models; instead, they choose among adjudicative processes or mediation. Thus, the article will conclude by reporting the results of an interview study comparing USPS employees’ experiences in the EEO complaint process, grievance arbitration, and employment mediation. These results show that an individual employee complainant may benefit from a non-adversarial, non-legalistic, and voluntary mediation model that seeks to foster communication and mutual understanding.
A Procedure for Measuring and Estimating Consumer Preferences under Uncertainty

The authors describe a procedure for the measurement and estimation of consumer preferences under uncertainty. Measurement aspects of vonNeumann-Morgenstern utility theory are used in conjunction w...
IV. Multi-colored feminisms: Two young Latinas’ stories of emerging feminist identities

What is a young feminist? The response to that is loaded with an overwhelming blend of factors that have changed the face of feminism in the past years: politics, religion, pop culture, and the many stories of women before us that have shaped the way we understand and adopt feminisms. Not long ago, we were introduced to a group of empowered women doing feminism in the most inspiring manner. These women seemed to share a sense of solidarity, a sense of understanding the inequalities that women across the globe face on a daily basis, and a passion for creating change in this unbalanced society. Some of the most stirring words we took away with us were that once your feminist lenses are on, it is impossible to take them off. This statement became incredibly real to us, and we were left to struggle with—or better yet embrace—the complex nature of what this means for us not only as women, but as single, heterosexual, bicultural, bilingual, Catholic, Latina students in the field of psychology. Identification with a string of labels has come as a result of our enthusiastic motivation to take on these feminist lenses that were handed down to us by the women before us. As we continue to engage in our own processes of molding our feminist identities, we have inevitably come face to face with the parts of us that influence, guide, and inspire the way we do feminism. In a sense, this means that our feminist lenses are multi-colored: the different shades representing the intersection of our multiple identities. It is the work of feminists like Kimberle Crenshaw and Aida Hurtado that give a name to the way we navigate through
Turning the Tide on Poverty: Strategies and challenges related to tackling poverty in rural communities in the South

This special issue of Community Development on the Turning the Tide on Poverty (Tide) initiative addresses a number of elements that are vital to the ability of impoverished rural areas to take ste...
Predictive Value of Intraepithelial Lymphocyte Counts in Childhood Coeliac Disease

To evaluate the use of intraepithelial lymphocyte (IEL) counts in identifying coeliac disease in childhood the jejunal histology from 116 children initially diagnosed as coeliac was reviewed. The diagnosis had been based on a characteristic mucosal abnormality and an apparent response to gluten exclusion. Lymphocyte counts were performed by one observer on the presenting biopsy and tissue samples obtained before and after a supervised gluten challenge. Results were expressed as IELs/100 enterocytes. On challenge 49% of patients failed to show histological deterioration with only one late relapse on 2 year follow-up. Reappraisal of these cases suggested alternate diagnoses, of which cow's milk protein intolerance (CMPI) (16%) and postenteritis malabsorption (20%) were the most common. In confirmed coeliacs IEL counts were high at diagnosis (67 +/- 16) (mean +/- SD), fell on diet (28 +/- 13), and rose on challenge (64 +/- 20). These changes were significant (p less than 0.01 using paired t test). Raised IEL counts at diagnosis were also found in patients with CMPI and giardiasis but a significant fall on diet only occurred in CMPI patients (p less than 0.05). Only patients showing mucosal relapse, i.e., confirmed coeliacs, showed a significant increase in IELs postgluten challenge compared with counts on a gluten-free diet. Although an increase in IELs showed good correlation with mucosal relapse on challenge, a high count at diagnosis was of insufficient specificity to obviate the need for gluten challenge.
408 CYCLIC STRETCH ATTENUATES THE EFFECTS OF HYPEROXIA ON CELL PROLIFERATION AND VIABILITY IN PULMONARY EPITHELIAL A549 CELLS

Cyclic stretch and oxygen are key regulators of lung development. Independently, both cyclic stretch and hyperoxia can significantly alter cell viability and proliferation. Relatively little is known however concerning the combined exposure of these factors on the distal lung epithelium. Objective To study the effects of both cyclic stretch and hyperoxia on cell proliferation and viability using human pulmonary A549 cells. Methods Cells were plated on collagen-coated flexible membranes and exposed to 1 Hz, 16 kPa cyclic biaxial stretch for 24, 48, and 72 hours in both normoxic (21% O2, 5% CO2) and hyperoxic (95% O2, 5% CO2) conditions. Cell proliferation was determined using manual cell counts and 3[H] thymidine incorporation. Calcein-AM, LIVE/DEAD staining, and LDH release assays were used to assess viability. Apoptosis was measured with propidium iodide fluorescence together with annexin-V incorporation and caspase-3 activity. The reactive oxygen species, superoxide, was measured using dihydroethidium (DHE). Results Cyclic stretch under normoxic conditions increased cell number vs. unstretched controls after 24 hours (p = .002). Cell number and 3[H] thymidine incorporation markedly decreased following exposure to 95% O2 after 48 and 72 hours (p Conclusion The detrimental effects of hyperoxia on cell proliferation and nonapoptotic cell death in distal lung epithelial cells is significantly minimized when combined with cyclic stretch. The involvement of the mitogen-activated protein kinase pathways in regulating this response is currently being investigated.
Revisiting the History: Hypereosinophilia in a 4-Year-Old With Purpura

A 4-year-old boy with developmental delay was admitted for evaluation of a new rash in the setting of leukocytosis and eosinophilia. The patient was healthy until 1 week before admission when he developed cough, congestion, and malaise. Upon presentation, he was on day 5 of amoxicillin, prescribed by an outside provider for unclear indications, but he took no other medications on a regular basis. The day before presentation, his mother noted “red, flat, pimple-like” lesions on his upper thighs that progressively spread down his legs and resembled “bruises.” At a local hospital, a complete blood count (CBC) demonstrated a white blood cell (WBC) count of 66 600/mm3. Although the patient was afebrile and non–toxic appearing, a blood culture was obtained, and he received intramuscular ceftriaxone due to the profound leukocytosis and concerns for possible infection. He was subsequently transferred to the emergency department of our hospital for further evaluation. In the emergency department, vitals were notable for a pulse of 100 beats per minute, temperature of 35.2°C, respiratory rate of 32 breaths per minute, and oxygen saturation of 98% on room air and normal BMI for age. Physical examination was notable for a nontender, nonpruritic rash consisting of purpuric papules and macules of various stages of development on the bilateral lower extremities (Fig 1). He was otherwise well appearing with no joint or abdominal tenderness and no hepatosplenomegaly. Initial laboratories were notable for WBC count of 56 100/mm3 with 59% eosinophils and an absolute eosinophil count (AEC) of 33 100/mm3, a normal hematocrit of 37.2%, normal platelet count of 300 K/mcL, and normal coagulation markers. The patient was noted to have an elevated lactate dehydrogenase of 555 unit/L but normal uric acid level. A urinalysis obtained via a catheterized specimen was notable for trace protein and moderate blood; …
Being bilingual makes you smarter (or dumber)

In many parts of the world, bilingualism or multilingualism is just a fact of life: if many languages coexist in the same area, then learning additional languages is an ordinary part of growing up. But there are other places in the world – for example, many areas of the United States and Canada – where a single language is so dominant that many people don't have the need, or even the opportunity, to learn more than one language. Since bilingualism isn't a necessity in these places, it has naturally become a matter of choice. Individuals choose whether to learn and use an additional language; parents who speak a minority language choose whether to raise their children bilingual; schools choose whether to offer bilingual education or foreign-language immersion programs. And with these choices, the obvious question is, ‘What's the best choice? Is bilingualism good or bad?’ Put that way, the question is obviously too simplistic. The first part of this chapter makes this point more thoroughly, illustrating just how varied ‘bilingualism’ is: there are many different types of bilingualism, at both the individual and social levels. It's just not possible to answer the question of what bilingualism is like ‘in general’; the best we can do is talk about specific ways of being bilingual. But there's also a long tradition of linguistic and psychological research that essentially does try to answer the question of whether bilingualism is good or bad. Specifically, there's a large body of research that explores whether bilingualism – especially in children – helps or harms a person's intelligence. One of the most fascinating things about this research tradition is that the consensus of the field changed dramatically during the twentieth century: early researchers were convinced that bilingualism was harmful, but most researchers today believe it's beneficial. In our case study at the end of this chapter, we'll take a closer look at these studies: what caused this reversal, and what (as far as we can tell) is the real effect of bilingualism? What does it mean to be bilingual? If we describe a person as bilingual , we mean the person speaks two different languages. Similarly, a multilingual person speaks several languages. The idea is simple – deceptively so.
Redesigned proficiency testing materials improve survey outcomes for prostate-specific antigen. A College of American Pathologists Ligand Assay Survey tool.

Context Large disparities in prostate-specific antigen (PSA) results from different assays have been observed in the College of American Pathologists (CAP) Ligand Assay Survey, with interassay results varying severalfold. Survey specimens are predominately composed of free PSA and do not reflect the composition of typical patient specimens. Objectives To characterize a pilot material developed for CAP in which pooled sera samples were spiked with purified PSA and alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin-bound PSA at targeted concentrations and to compare it to CAP survey and reference materials. Design CAP survey, reference, and pilot materials were analyzed using 10 total PSA and 7 free PSA assays. These assays included Food and Drug Administration-approved assays and assays for research use only. Results Variability among the 10 total PSA methods was greatest for the 1997 ligand survey material (CV range, 56%-65%) followed by the pilot material (CV range, 10%-29%) and the reference material (CV range, 6%-13%). In contrast, interassay variability for the 7 free PSA methods was similar for the 3 preparations, with the exception of one specimen close to the limit of detection of the assays. As determined with the Hybritech Tandem-R method, the ligand survey specimens were essentially composed of all free PSA, whereas the reference and pilot materials were composed of approximately 10% and 35% free PSA, respectively. Conclusions The newly formulated pilot material prepared using a human base that contained defined concentrations of free PSA and alpha(1)-antichymotrypsin-bound PSA more closely resembled patient specimens and minimized differences among methods compared with the semen-supplemented original survey material.
The Art and Rhetoric of Lucian’s Hippias

Lucian’s brief essay, Hippias or The Bath, has been declared spurious, disparaged as frivolous, considered an ironic parody, and generally ignored. Yet it contains the only detailed description of a Roman bath complex (Yegul 1979; 2010) and displays a remarkable command of topics in the eulogistic and epideictic tradition (priamel, ring-composition, praeteritio, apologetic envoi) that extends from Pindar to the Second Sophistic. This article locates Hippias in Lucian’s literary program; provides a close, sequential reading of the entire essay that takes into account its thematic vocabulary, style, and rhetoric; and discusses its metaliterary characteristics and its probable idealization of the architect and his baths.
Cognitive Networking with Dynamic Traffic Classification and QoS Constraints

A novel approach to cognitive networks is proposed, where cognition is used to optimize the delivery of content in wireless networks. Whereas most prior work in this area divides users into primary and secondary users, the proposed approach defines content classes with different quality of service requirements. The cognitive terminals implement smart channel access control strategies to enable the coexistence of heterogeneous applications on the same network resource. A Markov Decision Process framework is built to derive and investigate the structure of the optimal control policy in the form of action distribution over the network state space. For the considered problem, the optimal policy presents a specific structure that is analytically proven by means of renewal process analysis.
The central anorexigenic mechanism of amylin in Japanese quail (Coturnix japonica) involves pro-opiomelanocortin, calcitonin receptor, and the arcuate nucleus of the hypothalamus.

Abstract Amylin is a 37-amino acid peptide hormone that exerts anorexigenic effects in humans and animals. We demonstrated that central injection of amylin into chicks affected feeding and related behaviors via the hypothalamus and brainstem, although the molecular mechanisms remained elusive. Thus, the objective of this study was to investigate the molecular mechanisms underlying anorexigenic effects of amylin in 7 day-old Japanese quail. Food but not water intake was reduced after intracerebroventricular amylin injection, and the behavior analysis indicated that this was associated with decreased food pecks and preening. Whole hypothalamus and hypothalamic nuclei including the arcuate nucleus (ARC), paraventricular nucleus (PVN), ventromedial hypothalamus (VMH), dorsomedial nucleus (DMN) and lateral hypothalamic area (LH) were extracted from quail at 1 h post-injection for total RNA isolation. Real time PCR was performed to quantify mRNA abundance of amylin receptors, appetite-associated neuropeptides and monoamine-synthesis-related enzymes. Central amylin injection increased the mRNA abundance of calcitonin receptor (CALCR), receptor activity modifying protein 1 (RAMP1), pro-opiomelanocortin (POMC), and aromatic l -amino acid decarboxylase (AADC) in the hypothalamus and individual hypothalamic nuclei. Relative quantities of CALCR and POMC mRNA were greater in the ARC of the amylin- than vehicle-treated group. Thus, amylin-mediated effects on food intake may involve POMC, monoamine synthesis, and amylin receptor 1 (a complex of CALCR and RAMP1) in the ARC. Together, these data provide novel insights on the hypothalamic-specific molecular mechanisms of amylin-induced food intake.
A New Phenomenon: Sub-T g, Solid-State, Plasticity-Induced Bonding in Polymers

Polymer self-adhesion due to the interdiffusion of macromolecules has been an active area of research for several decades. Here, we report a new phenomenon of sub-Tg, solid-state, plasticity-induced bonding; where amorphous polymeric films were bonded together in a period of time on the order of a second in the solid-state at ambient temperatures, up to 60 K below their glass transition temperature (Tg), by subjecting them to active plastic deformation. Despite the glassy regime, the bulk plastic deformation triggered the requisite molecular mobility of the polymer chains, causing interpenetration across the interfaces held in contact. Quantitative levels of adhesion and the morphologies of the fractured interfaces validated the sub-Tg, plasticity-induced, molecular mobilization causing bonding. No-bonding outcomes (i) during the uniaxial compressive straining of films (a near-hydrostatic setting which strongly limits plastic flow) and (ii) between an ‘elastic’ and a ‘plastic’ film further established the explicit role of plastic deformation in this newly reported sub-Tg solid-state bonding.
Impact of psychiatric symptomatology on neuropsychological assessment performance in persons with TBI: A comparison of OEF/OIF veteran and civilian samples.

Objective: To assess whether increased incidence of post-traumatic stress disorder and depressive symptomatology in veterans with combat-related traumatic brain injury might help account for neurocognitive impairment relative to civilians with traumatic brain injury.Participants: Neuropsychological assessment data of 53 Operation Enduring Freedom/Operation Iraqi Freedom veterans and 48 civilians with positive history of traumatic brain injury were analyzed to assess differences with respect to cognitive performance.Design: Retrospective analysis of data including neurocognitive test performance and self-reported symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and depression.Results: Results showed worse neurocognitive performance (i.e. RBANS Total Index score) in the veteran sample relative to the civilian sample [F(1,99) = 3.92, p = .05, ƞ2 = .04], particularly on tasks measuring attentional capabilities [F(1,99) = 9.18, p = .003, ƞ2 = .09]. Additional analyses found that after controlling for post-tr...
Drawings of Representational Images by Upper Paleolithic Humans and their Absence in Neanderthals Might Reflect Historical Differences in Hunting Wary Game

One characteristic of the transition from the Middle Paleolithic to the Upper Paleolithic in Europe was the emergence of representational charcoal drawings and engravings by Aurignacian and Gravettian artists. European Neanderthals never engaged in representational drawing during the Middle and Early Upper Paleolithic, a property that might reflect less developed visuomotor coordination. This essay postulates a causal relationship between an evolved ability of anatomically modern humans to throw spears accurately while hunting and their ability to draw representational images from working memory. Unlike Neanderthals, archaic and anatomically modern humans in sub-Saharan Africa adopted longer-range hunting practices using hand-cast spears as a compensation for the emergence of increasingly wary game. For Neanderthals, paleoclimatic fluctuations likely precluded consistent hunting of cold-adapted game, a property making game more approachable for close-range hunting with thrusting spears. As evidence of less historical wariness of humans, many of the species hunted by Neanderthals were eventually domesticated. Due to strong sources of natural selection on archaic and anatomically modern humans for effective hunting, the parietal cortex that integrates visual imagery and motor coordination expanded progressively, yielding the globular shape of the human cranium that is not evident in Neanderthals. To characterize how the cognitive properties employed for throwing spears and drawing line work are similar, the Upper Paleolithic drawings of animals in Chauvet cave, France, are discussed in the speculative context of how these artists engaged simultaneously in overt attention to guide their hand movements and covert attention to their mental images during the drawing process. Keywords: Anatomically modern humans, Chauvet cave art, representational drawing, Neanderthals, overt and covert attention, predator-prey arms race, spear throwing and thrusting
Introduction: Devout Outlaws

This chapter introduces the laywoman Mary Ward’s struggle with the Catholic Church to create a new type of mixed lay/religious life for women in which women would serve on Catholic mission assisting renegade Catholic priests in the Protestant British Isles in the seventeenth century. Despite some success, Pope Urban VIII shut down Ward’s Institute of English Ladies harshly. Surprisingly, just a few years later, Urban supported Ward’s return to England to work for the faith. The controversy surrounding her efforts opens a window onto the Catholic Church’s and society’s long-term, ongoing process of balancing the intertwined issues of gendered and religious authority. For three centuries, Catholicism was illegal in the British Isles. In the frequent absence of churches, priests, and sacraments, Catholics experimented with gender roles and expanded religious roles for ordinary Catholics in a desperate attempt to save souls. Catholics had time to set limits, loosen them, and face the consequences.