cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
String theory, non-empirical theory assessment, and the context of pursuit

In this paper, I offer an analysis of the radical disagreement over the adequacy of string theory. The prominence of string theory despite its notorious lack of empirical support is sometimes explained as a troubling case of science gone awry, driven largely by sociological mechanisms such as groupthink (e.g. Smolin in The trouble with physics, Houghton Mifflin, Boston, 2006). Others, such as Dawid (String theory and the scientific method, Cambridge University Press, Cambridge, 2013), explain the controversy by positing a methodological revolution of sorts, according to which string theorists have quietly turned to non-empirical methods of theory assessment given the technological inability to directly test the theory. The appropriate response, according to Dawid, is to acknowledge this development and widen the canons of acceptable scientific methods. As I’ll argue, however, the current situation in fundamental physics does not require either of these responses. Rather, as I’ll suggest, much of the controversy stems from a failure to properly distinguish the “context of justification” from the “context of pursuit”. Both those who accuse string theorists of betraying the scientific method and those who advocate an enlarged conception of scientific methodology objectionably conflate epistemic justification with judgements of pursuit-worthiness. Once we get clear about this distinction and about the different norms governing the two contexts, the current situation in fundamental physics becomes much less puzzling. After defending this diagnosis of the controversy, I’ll show how the argument patterns that have been posited by Dawid as constituting an emergent methodological revolution in science are better off if reworked as arguments belonging to the context of pursuit.
A phase II study of imatinib mesylate and letrozole in patients with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer expressing c-kit or PDGFR-β

Background Imatinib mesylate is a potent inhibitor of the Abl, KIT and platelet derived growth factor (PDGF) receptor tyrosine kinases. Preclinical data suggest that combining imatinib mesylate with anti-estrogen therapy may be synergistic in hormone receptor-positive breast cancer. We report results of the first phase II trial evaluating the efficacy of the novel combination of imatinib mesylate and letrozole in the treatment of postmenopausal women with metastatic breast cancer. Patients and Methods 45 postmenopausal women with hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer whose tumors demonstrated c-kit and/or PDGFR-β positivity were treated with imatinib mesylate 400 mg PO twice daily and letrozole 2.5 mg PO once daily until disease progression or unacceptable toxicity. Results There were no complete responses and five partial responses for an objective response rate of 11%. An additional 16 patients had stable disease lasting at least 24 weeks for a clinical benefit rate of 46.7%. The median progression-free and overall survival was 8.7 months (95% confidence interval: 3.8–11.4 months) and 44.3 months (95% confidence interval: 34.0–55.3 months), respectively. The most common grade 3 or higher treatment related adverse events were fatigue and diarrhea, occurring in 9 (20%) and 7 patients (16%), respectively. Conclusion The combination of imatinib mesylate and letrozole is well tolerated but appears to have limited efficacy in the treatment of hormone receptor-positive metastatic breast cancer.
Annealing and Impurity Effects in Co Thin Films for MOL Contact and BEOL Metallization

PVD, CVD, and electrodeposited blanket Co films were studied using SEM, XRD, XPS, SIMS, open circuit wet etching in DHF, and linear sweep amperometry. All Co films exhibit (002) hexagonal close packed preferred orientation that is enhanced upon anneal, except for the PVD Co, whose texture is unchanged. Although as-deposited film resistivity varies significantly, post-anneal resistivity values for all films are similar (~ 6–8 μΩ cm). As-deposited PVD Co and Co plated from an acidic sulfate chemistry are relatively pure, dissolve slowly in DHF, and show modest changes upon annealing. As-deposited CVD Co has high levels of impurities and correspondingly high DHF etch rates; annealing significantly reduces impurities and improves DHF etch resistance. Increased Co and reduced O at the surface is observed by XPS upon anneal for all films except for PVD Co. The role of Co oxidation in interconnect resistance and leakage behavior is assessed by employing different Co dielectric cap processes.
Imaging characteristics of BRAF-mutant non-small cell lung cancer by functional class

Abstract Objectives Mutations in the BRAF gene have emerged as a validated molecular target in the treatment of non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC). These mutations can be classified into three functional classes based on their mechanisms of oncogenesis. The relationship between these functional classes and their imaging features has not been systematically investigated. The goal of this work is to determine if imaging features of the primary tumor and the pattern of metastasis correlate with the functional class of BRAF mutation. Methods We reviewed pre-treatment computed tomography (CT) images of patients with BRAF-mutated NSCLC with known functional class. We assessed and recorded the features of the primary tumor and the patterns of lymphadenopathy and distant metastasis. Wilcoxon rank-sum test and Kruskal-Wallis test were performed to compare continuous characteristics, and Fisher's exact test was used to compare categorical features between groups. Results and Conclusions 105 patients with BRAF-mutant NSCLC had pre-treatment imaging available for review (n = 43 class I, n = 40 class II, and n = 22 class III). Approximately half of the primary tumors were considered masses (n = 54/105, 51%) and most were solid (n = 81/105, 77%). There were no statistically significant differences in imaging features of the primary tumor among the three functional classes. Intrathoracic metastases occurred more frequently in class I tumors compared to tumors with class II and III mutations (p = 0.03). The odds of class I mutation were higher among tumors involving the pleural space (OR: 4.39, 95% CI: 1.11–17.4) and lower among tumors disseminating to the abdomen (OR: 0.25, 95% CI: 0.07-0.92). Our findings suggest that class I (V600) mutated NSCLC may be more likely to have intrathoracic metastases, while classes II and III (non-V600) mutated NSCLC may be more likely to have intra-abdominal metastases at the time of presentation.
Outcomes of Endourologic Interventions in Patients with Preoperative Funguria.

Abstract Introduction: Funguria is encountered in 1% to 5% of cultured urine specimens and may be a result of specimen contamination, colonization, or invasive infection. The characteristics and ou...
A New Radical Based Approach to Offline Handwritten East-Asian Character Recognition

East-Asian characters possess a rich hierarchical structure with each character comprising a unique spatial arrangement of radicals (sub-characters). In this paper, we present a new radical based approach for scaling neural network (NN) recognizers to thousands of East-Asian characters. The proposed off-line character recognizer comprises neural networks arranged in a graph. Each NN is one of three types: a radical-at-location (RAL) recognizer, a gater, or a combiner. Each radical-atlocation NN is a convolutional neural network that is designed to processes the whole character image and recognize radicals at a specific location in the character. Example locations include left-half, right-half, top-half, bottom-half, left-top quadrant, bottom-right quadrant, etc. Segmentation is completely avoided by allowing each RAL classifier to process the whole character image. Gater-NNs reduce the number of NNs that need to be evaluated at runtime and combiner-NNs combine RAL classifier outputs for final recognition. The proposed approach is tested on a real-world dataset containing 13.4 million handwritten Chinese character samples from 3665 classes. Experimental results indicate that the proposed approach scales well and achieves a low error rate.
Measuring Individual Differences in Cognitive Processes: How a Speed-Accuracy Methodology Can Improve the Results

Errors and latencies are complementary aspects of performance. In this paper, I explore the consequences of attempting to ignore one aspect of performance while analyzing the other. In particular, I argue that the twin problems of what to do with error-response latencies and how to equate subjects on speed-accuracy trade-off have seriously clouded our efforts to understand individual differences in cognitive processing. I then show how both of these problems can be solved by collecting data in a way that allows one to determine how accuracy and latency covary within each cell of the design. Results from four studies using diverse cognitive tasks also suggest that this method yields scores which better capture the information-processing characteristics of individuals than conventional analyses of errors or latencies do.
mRNA 3′ end formation in plants: Novel connections to growth, development and environmental responses

3' end processing and mRNA polyadenylation is a vital aspect of gene expression in eukaryotes, and also a step at which expression may be regulated. A spate of recent research in plants links different subunits of the polyadenylation complex with growth and development. These reports provide insight into mechanisms by which APA may be regulated, and perhaps into mechanisms by which pre-mRNAs are processed and polyadenylated. In this review, several of these recent reports are discussed, with the purpose of highlighting novel features of mRNA 3' end formation in plants and also developing broad themes that connect APA with plant growth, development, and responses to the environment. This article is categorized under: RNA Processing > 3' End Processing RNA in Disease and Development > RNA in Development.
Automated gamma-ray log pattern alignment and depth matching by machine learning

AbstractDepth matching of multiple logging curves is essential to any well evaluation or reservoir characterization. Depth matching can be applied to various measurements of a single well or multip...
From Abramtsevo to Zakopane: Folk Art and National Ideals in Russia and Eastern Europe

Folk art revivals were incubators for modernist movements in painting, sculpture, architecture, applied arts, and performing arts. The upsurge of national sentiment in late Imperial Russia and official economic support of handicraft industries (known as kustar’) promoted the marketing of wood crafts and textiles made at Abramtsevo, Talashkino, and other centers in western Russia and Ukraine. Parallel developments drew upon both folk traditions and patriotic ideals in the central and eastern European countries that had suffered territorial encroachments by Russia, Prussia, and the Austro-Hungarian Empire. Artists’ groups and art colonies showed special respect for regional landscapes, peasant communities, and local artistic traditions. Their activities reflected nationalist ideologies, as well as practical, economic, and philanthropic concerns. The variety of circumstances and motivations sheds light on the phenomena of art colonies, new valuations of applied art forms, and the enduring importance of education in traditional crafts
Comparing Various Stand-Alone Endogenous Loanable Funds, and FR Securities Purchases Variables Models

This chapter compares tests on different combinations of parts of the loanable funds pool and concludes total loanable funds variation best explains economic fluctuations over the whole 1960–2010 period.
Development and Evolution of Energetic Cocrystals.

ConspectusIn spite of the importance of energetic materials to a broad range of military (munitions, missiles) and civilian (mining, space exploration) technologies, the introduction of new chemica...
Markets for Communist Human Capital: Returns to Education and ExperienceIn the Czech Republic and Slovakia

This research examines how the earnings structure in the Czech Republic and Slovakia changed after the collapse of those countries' Communist governments. Tests of four similar micro-data sets show that returns to education rose significantly with the transition to non-Communist governments. For example, returns to education rose from 2.4% to 5.2% for Czech men between 1984 and 1993. Though women had, in general, higher returns to education than men did, returns for men increased more with the regime change. Among both sexes, those with academic secondary education experienced particularly large earnings increases. Returns to experience fell. Earnings structure changes appear to have been larger in the Czech Republic than in Slovakia, probably because transition occurred more rapidly and deeply in the former.
Oral Roberts and the Battle to Access National Network Television

As religious tent crusades evolved into in-home TV entertainment in the United States, issues surrounding distribution of religious programming arose. Television networks aligned with the National ...
Reference-Relation Guided Autoencoder with Deep CCA Restriction for Awake-to-Sleep Brain Functional Connectome Prediction

The difficulty of acquiring resting-state fMRI of early developing children under the same condition leads to a dedicated protocol, i.e., scanning younger infants during sleep and older children during being awake, respectively. However, the obviously different brain activities of sleep and awake states arouse a new challenge of awake-to-sleep connectome prediction/translation, which remains unexplored despite its importance in the longitudinally-consistent delineation of brain functional development. Due to the data scarcity and huge differences between natural images and geometric data (e.g., brain connectome), existing methods tailored for image translation generally fail in predicting functional connectome from awake to sleep. To fill this critical gap, we unprecedentedly propose a novel reference-relation guided autoencoder with deep CCA restriction (R2AE-dCCA) for awake-to-sleep connectome prediction. Specifically, 1) A reference-autoencoder (RAE) is proposed to realize a guided generation from the source domain to the target domain. The limited paired data are thus greatly augmented by including the combinations of all the age-restricted neighboring subjects as the references, while the target-specific pattern is fully learned; 2) A relation network is then designed and embedded into RAE, which utilizes the similarity in the source domain to determine the belief-strength of the reference during prediction; 3) To ensure that the learned relation in the source domain can effectively guide the generation in the target domain, a deep CCA restriction is further employed to maintain the neighboring relation during translation; 4) New validation metrics dedicated for connectome prediction are also proposed. Experimental results showed that our proposed R2AE-dCCA produces better prediction accuracy and well maintains the modular structure of brain functional connectome in comparison with state-of-the-art methods.
Factoring over Finite Fields

Factoring polynomials is one of the most challenging problems in algebraic computation. The complete algorithm for factoring multivariate polynomials over the rational integers uses nearly all of the techniques developed in this book. This chapter considers the simpler problem of factoring univariate polynomials over the finite fields. This problem arises in coding theory, computational number theory and is a step in the practical algorithms for factoring polynomials over the rational integers.
Fabrication of multi-wavelength lasers by selective intermixing of Si-doped GaAs/AlGaAs quantum wells

Intermixing of the column III atoms in III-V semiconductor heterostructures has attracted considerable interest for the fabrication of optoelectronic devices, since it allows modification of the potential profiles of the heterostructure after material growth, which offers a freedom for the fabrication of novel optoelectronic devices. Among the techniques for enhancing the interdiffusion of Al and Ga is the use of impurity doping. It has been shown that the intermixing of doped quantum wells (QW) can be controlled by the surface condition. For a Si-doped GaAs/AlGaAs QW, intermixing can be achieved under a SiN/sub x/ cap with a larger wavelength shift; while intermixing can be prohibited under a bare surface with no wavelength shift. Using this approach, two-dimensional control of the intermixing is possible by patterning a SiN/sub x/ cap on the surface of the QW structure. In this paper, we demonstrate a dual wavelength laser fabricated from a Si-doped GaAs/AlGaAs QW laser structure.
Using Email and the World Wide Web to Teach and Improve a New Technology-Based College Course

National standards have arisen in recent years to address the process of preparing teachers to incorporate technology into education in effective and appropriate ways; both pre-service and inservice teacher education now commonly include technology components. This presentation will describe the ways in which one particular College of Education in an urban setting has chosen to include technology within its required coursework, with particular attention to the ways in which Email and the World Wide Web have been used both as a teaching methodology and a means of gathering evaluative data. Details will also be provided regarding the difficulties encountered in the early stages of implementation, the ways in which the coursework has been modified, and the current results of these efforts at improvement. Our purpose is to provide an example for other teacher preparation programs considering the various options available to them in addressing technology within the context of pedagogy.
The Rule of Kings and the Rule of Law: Representations of Law and Power in 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight' and 'A Man for All Seasons'

The tension between the desires of the potentate and the 'immutable' nature of law is one that resonates in the human psyche because of the drama inherent in such a struggle. This theme gained in importance after the emergence of the modern state, which separated the notion of political authority from divine power and fundamentally altered the concept of the sovereign. This paper explores the Pearl Poet's 'Sir Gawain and the Green Knight', and Bolt's 'A Man for All Seasons' - different plays authored in different times which, nonetheless, contain common elements such as the interplay between the power of kings and a higher legal authority that seeks to bind them. It is in that struggle that both plays derive a common source of drama, but articulate very different views of the relationship between power and law.
The Rediscovery of the Mind

What's wrong with the philosophy of mind the recent history of materialism - the same mistake over and over, appendix - is there a problem about folk psychology? breaking the hold - silicon brains, conscious robots, and other minds consciousness and its place in nature reductionism and the irreducibility of consciousness the structure of consciousness - an introduction the unconscious and its relation to consciousness consciousness, intentionality and the background the critique of cognitive reason the proper study.
Selective inhibition of antigen-specific T lymphocyte proliferation by acute ethanol exposure: The role of impaired monocyte antigen presentation capacity and mediator production

Ethanol consumption is associated with impaired immunity. Our data demonstrate that even a single dose of a biologically relevant concentration (25-150 mM) of ethanol can down-regulate antigen-specific T lymphocyte proliferation. In contrast, ethanol augmented mitogen-induced T cell proliferation, suggesting that its inhibitory effect on antigen-specific T cell proliferation was due to its effects on monocytes (m phi s) rather than on T cells. The immunodepressive effects of ethanol on m phi antigen-presenting cell (APC) capacity were manifested whether alcohol treatment was limited to the antigen uptake-processing period only or was present during the entire period of antigen presentation. These inhibitory effects of ethanol were also evident on both the high-antigen-presenting, Fc gamma RI-negative (-31 +/- 17%), and low-antigen-presenting, Fc gamma RI-positive (-42 +/- 15%) m phi subpopulations. Further analysis demonstrated that ethanol inhibits the production of interleukin-1 beta (IL-1 beta) and induces transforming growth factor beta (TGF-beta) and prostaglandin E2 (PGE2), monocyte-derived mediators that can affect T cell proliferation. Ethanol resulted in a dose-dependent down-regulation of secreted and cell-associated IL-1 beta protein as well as IL-1 beta mRNA levels induced by adherence or bacterial stimulation. The causal relationship between decreased m phi IL-1 beta production, elevated TGF-beta levels, and the decreased m phi APC capacity was further substantiated when exogenous IL-1 beta protein or anti-TGF-beta neutralizing antibody prevented the down-regulatory effect of ethanol on antigen-specific T cell proliferation. Utilizing a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, we also demonstrated that the ethanol-induced decrease in m phi APCs is not mediated by enhanced PGE2 production.
Lekking in Gryllotalpa major, the Prairie Mole Cricket (Insecta: Gryllotalpidae)

Gryllotalpa major is a rare, burrowing insect native to the tallgrass prairie of the south-central United States and is known to exhibit ‘lek-like’ behavior during mating. Here I report on a study carried out in the field that demonstrates that the prairie mole cricket meets all criteria defining a classical lekking species. Males construct specialized acoustic burrows from which they call to attract females for mating. I show that these burrows, which seem to serve no purpose other than for sexual advertisement and mating, are aggregated spatially on at least three scalar levels. Females fly through the aggregation of burrows and drop to the ground in the vicinity of calling males, and are, thus, not constrained in choosing a mate. Females enter the males’ acoustic burrows, but I argue that the burrows are not used as oviposition sites, and that the males do not otherwise sequester resources important to females. Although the term ‘lek’ is useful for the discussion of mating systems, its definition remains ambiguous. I discuss the current usage of the term and suggest extensions.
A description of barriers and facilitators to childhood vaccinations in the military health system.

Purpose: To perform a literature review of barriers to and facilitators of parents’ decisions to have their children vaccinated. Both differences and similarities between the civilian sector and the military health system (MHS) were explored. Data sources: Articles and documents were identified from the following databases: CINAHL, PubMed, Defense Technical Information Center (DTIC), ISI, and Google Scholar. Reference lists from articles were reviewed. Conclusions: Common themes identified in the civilian sector and the MHS included an electronic registry, care access issues, provider characteristics, and child illness. Several themes served as a barrier in one system while being a facilitator in the other, such as provider characteristics. Literature addressing the MHS and factors affecting vaccine coverage is scant; however, a large disparity in vaccination coverage exists between the MHS and the civilian sector. Implications: The theme of provider characteristics was seen as a barrier in both systems; a better understanding of this theme (i.e., provider effectiveness at interacting with parents) would benefit primary care practice. An electronic vaccine registry and targeted education and media campaign used to facilitate vaccinations in the MHS should be piloted in the civilian sector. Additionally, future studies should be performed on identified themes in the MHS.
Navigation and seasonal migratory orientation in juvenile sea turtles

Juvenile loggerhead and green turtles that inhabit inshore waters of North Carolina, USA undertake long seasonal migrations, after which they often return to specific feeding areas. In addition, juvenile turtles are capable of homing to specific sites after being displaced. As a first step towards investigating the navigational mechanisms that underlie these movements, juvenile turtles were captured in coastal waters of North Carolina and displaced 30-167 km along circuitous routes while deprived of visual cues. At the testing location, turtles were tethered in a circular arena and permitted to swim while their orientation was monitored. Between May and September, when juvenile loggerhead and green turtles inhabit feeding areas along the North Carolina coast, turtles oriented in directions that corresponded closely with the most direct route back to their capture locations. During October and November, however, both loggerhead and green turtles oriented southward, a direction consistent with the migratory paths of turtles beginning their autumn migration. The results demonstrate for the first time that both homing and migratory orientation can be elicited in juvenile turtles under laboratory conditions in which orientation cues can be readily manipulated. In addition, the results provide evidence that juvenile loggerheads can assess their position relative to a goal using local cues available at the test site and are therefore capable of map-based navigation.
Measuring Bovine Mammary Gland Blood Flow Using a Transit Time Ultrasonic Flow Probe

Lactating cattle were used to validate a transit time ultrasonic blood flow metering system for measuring mammary gland arterial blood flow. Blood flow probes were surgically placed around the right external pudic artery. An electromagnetic flow probe was implanted in tandem with the ultrasonic probe in two cows for comparative measurements. The absolute accuracy of the implanted flow probes was assessed in vivo by mechanical means on anesthetized cows after 2 to 3 wk of implantation. The zero offset of the ultrasonic probes ranged from -12 to 8 ml/min. When the ultrasonic probe was properly implanted, the slopes of the calibration curves were linear and ranged from .92 to .95, tracking absolute flow to within 8%. The transit time instrument's performance was examined under a variety of physiological conditions. These included milking and hormone injections. The transit time ultrasonic flow meter accurately measured physiological changes in mammary arterial blood flow in chronically prepared conscious cattle. Blood flow increased 29% during milking. Epinephrine decreased mammary blood flow by 90 to 95%. Oxytocin doses increased mammary blood flow by 15 to 24%.
A Novel Method to Obtain Higher Deposition Rates of CdTe Using Low Temperature LPCVD for Surface Passivation of HgCdTe

The deposition rate of CdTe passivation films has been increased greatly by the implementation of a novel design of a graphite cracker cell. This cracker cell, consisting of an integrated diffuser, facilitates the efficient cracking of precursors. CdTe deposition rate has been increased from ~50 nm/h (without any cracker cell) to ~420 nm/h using this novel experimental set-up. H2 flow through the main gas flow line has been increased to obtain a progressive increase in deposition rates. CdTe deposited on high aspect ratio HgCdTe samples showed adequate conformal coverage on the side walls and also on the bottom of the trenches. Microwave photoconductive decay measurements were done on planar and patterned HgCdTe substrates at 77 K to extract the minority carrier lifetimes. There was a significant improvement in the lifetime of planar HgCdTe samples after CdTe passivation, though patterned HgCdTe samples showed a minor improvement. An additional annealing step was conducted at 250°C for 20 min in the presence of H2 after the deposition of CdTe passivation films. Minority carrier lifetimes improved further post-annealing, probably due to the formation of a graded interface between CdTe and HgCdTe.
Guanylyl Cyclase Activating Protein A CALCIUM-SENSITIVE REGULATOR OF PHOTOTRANSDUCTION

Abstract Guanylyl cyclase activating protein (GCAP1) has been proposed to act as a calcium-dependent regulator of retinal photoreceptor guanylyl cyclase (GC) activity. Using immunocytochemical and biochemical methods, we show here that GCAP1 is present in rod and cone photoreceptor outer segments where phototransduction occurs. Recombinant and native GCAP1 activate recombinant human retGC (outer segment-specific GC) and endogenous GC(s) in rod outer segment (ROS) membranes at low calcium. In addition, we isolate and clone a retinal homolog, termed GCAP2, that shows 50% identity with GCAP1. Like GCAP1, GCAP2 activates photoreceptor GC in a calcium-dependent manner. Both GCAP1 and GCAP2 presumably act on GCs by a similar mechanism; however, GCAP1 specifically localizes to photoreceptor outer segments, while in these experiments GCAP2 was isolated from extracts of retina but not ROS. These results demonstrate that GCAP1 is an activator of ROS GC, while the finding of a second activator, GCAP2, suggests that a similar mechanism of GC regulation may be present in outer segments, other subcellular compartments of the photoreceptor, or other cell types.
The relative impact of monetary actions in selected advanced countries

Abstract The purpose of this study is to contrast the impact of changes in the money supply on economic activity in selected advanced countries in terms of strength, predictability, and promptness. The influence of changes in the money supply on consumption and investment expenditure also are explored. Finally, results here will be contrasted with those of another study on the relative efficacy of monetary policy.
Leadership deficiencies in rapidly changing organizations: multisource feedback as a needs assessment tool – part II

PurposE – Part I of this research study identified the top five leadership deficiencies that confront managers in periods of rapid organizational change and transformation. This article aims to discuss the remainder of the top 10 leadership deficiencies and to provide a call to action for both individual leaders and professionals responsible for leadership training.Design/methodology/approach – The leadership deficiencies were identified using a multisource feedback (MSF) methodology that was employed as a needs assessment tool which was a component of a formal leadership development program.Findings – The leadership deficiencies include ineffective coaching/feedback and employee development practices, and ineffective problem‐solving and decision‐making practices.Originality/value – This article provides a call to action for both individual leaders and professionals responsible for training and development of leaders needed for driving organizational change and improvement.
ROBERT B. HIGHSAW

Dr. Robert B. Highsaw, formerly head of the Department of Political Science at the University of Alabama, died of pneumonia in Oklahoma City on November 17, 2009.
Lane-Emden equations of second kind modelling thermal explosion in infinite cylinder and sphere

We study a modified version of the Lane-Emden equation of the second kind modelling a thermal explosion in an infinite cylinder and a sphere. We first show that the solution to the relevant boundary value problem is bounded and that the solutions are monotone decreasing. The upper bound, the value of the solution at zero, can be approximated analytically in terms of the physical parameters. We obtain solutions to the boundary value problem, using both the Taylor series (which work well for weak nonlinearity) and the δ-expansion method (valid for strong nonlinearity). From here, we are able to deduce the qualitative behavior of the solution profiles with a change in any one of the physical parameters.
Mutation in the mitochondrial tRNAVal causes mitochondrial encephalopathy, lactic acidosis and stroke-like episodes

Abstract An m.1630A>G mutation in the mitochondrial tRNAVal (MTTV) was identified in a patient with hearing impairment, short stature and new onset of stroke. This mutation has previously been identified in a patient with the mitochondrial neurogastrointestinal encephalopathy syndrome (MNGIE). The mother of the proband also had high levels of the m.1630A>G allele present in blood and other tissues, without symptoms. To confirm the pathogenicity of this mutation, we created cybrid cell lines with various mutation loads. The m.1630A>G mutation impairs oxygen consumption, affects the stability of the MTTV and reduces the levels of subunits of the electron transport chain.
Capillary Electrokinetic Chromatography Employing p-(Carboxyethyl)calix[n]arenes as Running Buffer Additives.

Calixarenes, a class of macrocyclic phenolic compounds with a basket-like shape, are used as capillary electrophoresis reagents for separations of native and substituted polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. The p-(carboxyethyl)calix[n]arenes reported herein are a series of charged, moderately water soluble macrocyclic molecules that can form complexes with neutral molecules. Electrokinetic chromatographic separations are based on the differential distribution of molecules between a running buffer phase, which is transported by electroosmotic flow, and an electrophoretically mediated calixarene. The size of the calixarene influences separation performance, illustrating the importance of cavity size and geometry in the complexation process. p-(Carboxyethyl)calix[7]arene provides the best efficiency (>105 plates/m) and selectivity in these studies. The influences of pH, organic solvent, and field strength on elution range, capacity factors, efficiency, and selectivity are also reported. In general, capacity fac...
Some observations on starch synthesis in pea root tips.

THE SYNTHESIS of starch, the most important reserve carbohydrate in plants, is a problem which has commanded considerable attention. A major advance in understanding starch transformations was the discovery by Hanes (1940a, b) that the linear fraction of starch may be synthesized in vitro by phosphorylase prepared from peas or potatoes. Later, an enzyme concerned with the synthesis of the amylopectin component of starch was reported by Haworth et al. (1944), Bourne and Peat (1945), and Bernfeld and Meutemedian (1948a, b). The mechanism of action and properties of purified phosphorylases have been discussed in a number of excellent reviews (Cori and Cori, 1946; Hassid, 1946; Haworth, 1946; Kalckar, 1945; Peat, 1946; Wynne, 1946; etc.) Certainly more is known about the in vitro reaction of starch synthesis by cell extracts than its synthesis within the extremely complex environment of the plant cell; the reactions occurring in vivo may not be entirely comparable to reactions with cell extracts. Yin and Sun (1947) developed a histochemical stainino procedure by which the presence of phosphorylase can be detected in plant tissue. Using this technique, they studied its physiological role in the living plant by correlating the distribution of the enzyme with the site of normal starch synthesis in germinating soy beans (Yin and Sun, 1949). Still more should be done to elucidate the role of phosphorylase in plant cells, and it was the purpose of the present work to investigate further some aspects of starch synithesis in vivo and in situ. MATERIALS AND METHODS.-From a variety of plant parts examined for phosphorylase activity, the primary root tips of pea seedlings were selected as the test material. They demonstrated fairly consistent activity, and the presence of stored starch, which occurred only in the root tip of very young seedlings and to a limited extent in the root cap, was not a problem. The pea seeds (Wisconsin Early Harvest, Olds Seed Co.) were soaked and aerated, germinated between damp paper towels until the radicles were 2-3 cm. long, and then transferred to aerated mineral solutions in the dark. Seedlings 10-14 days old were usually used. The method of Yin and Sun (1947) in which free-hand sections are incubated in buffered glucose-l-phosphate solution was modified for many of the experiments bv cutting longitudinal sections 40-60 V. thick on a freezino microtome. When it was desirable to avoid injury to the cells from freezing,
The California Neighborhoods Data System: a new resource for examining the impact of neighborhood characteristics on cancer incidence and outcomes in populations

Research on neighborhoods and health has been growing. However, studies have not investigated the association of specific neighborhood measures, including socioeconomic and built environments, with cancer incidence or outcomes. We developed the California Neighborhoods Data System (CNDS), an integrated system of small area-level measures of socioeconomic and built environments for California, which can be readily linked to individual-level geocoded records. The CNDS includes measures such as socioeconomic status, population density, racial residential segregation, ethnic enclaves, distance to hospitals, walkable destinations, and street connectivity. Linking the CNDS to geocoded cancer patient information from the California Cancer Registry, we demonstrate the variability of CNDS measures by neighborhood socioeconomic status and predominant race/ethnicity for the 7,049 California census tracts, as well as by patient race/ethnicity. The CNDS represents an efficient and cost-effective resource for cancer epidemiology and control. It expands our ability to understand the role of neighborhoods with regard to cancer incidence and outcomes. Used in conjunction with cancer registry data, these additional contextual measures enable the type of transdisciplinary, “cells-to-society” research that is now being recognized as necessary for addressing population disparities in cancer incidence and outcomes.
Effects of inorganic or organic selenium on immunoglobulins in swine

A study was conducted to determine if Se source fed during gestation and lactation affects passive transfer of immunoglobulins. Sixty days prior to breeding (d -60), gilts were randomly assigned to one of three treatments prior to breeding and throughout gestation: control (Control, no supplemental Se; n = 8), inorganic Se (Inorganic Se, 0.3 ppm; n = 4) and organic Se (Organic Se, 0.3 ppm; n = 4). Blood was collected on d -60, 57 and 113 of gestation and on d 21 of lactation and milk was collected at d 0, 1, 7, 14, and 21 of lactation. Blood was collected from piglets at d 0, 1, 7, 14, and 21 of age. Gilts fed organic Se had greater (P < 0.05) circulating concentrations of Se than Inorganic and Control gilts. Regardless of treatment, circulating concentrations of Se were greatest (P < 0.05) at d -60 compared to all other days. Serum concentrations of IgG were greatest (P < 0.05) in gilts at d 57 of gestation compared to d 113. Serum concentrations of IgA were greatest (P < 0.05) on d 113 of gestation and d 21 of lactation compared to d -60 and 57. Serum concentrations of IgM were greater (P < 0.05) at d 57 compared to d -60. Inorganic gilts had greater (P < 0.05) colostral and milk concentrations of IgG and IgM than Organic or Control gilts. Circulating concentrations of Se in piglets were greatest (P < 0.05) at d 14 and 21 of age compared to all other days. Piglets from gilts supplemented with organic Se had greater (P < 0.05) circulating concentrations of Se on d 1 versus piglets from gilts supplemented with no additional Se. The immunoglobulin concentrations of IgG, IgA, and IgM were lowest (P < 0.05) on d 0 and then increased when compared to d 1. The addition of different sources of Se did not affect the immunoglobulin concentrations in the gilt or piglet.
Dynamic consolidation of cylinders by oblique shock loading

An oblique shock loading arrangement is utilized to dynamically consolidate small diameter solid and hollow cylinders of type 304 stainless steel and tungsten. The experimental arrangement approximates a 2-dimensional consolidation regime when viewed along any plane perpendicular to the cylinder axes. Hot spots and localized melting were observed to occur in regions characterized by interstitial or other void space prior to consolidation due to extrusion of matter into these spaces creating strain heating. The larger the void spaces, the more preponderous the melting. In consolidating hollow cylinders where the internal void area was larger than the interstitial void area, the melt preponderance shifted to the tube centers. By filling void space using solid cylinders of various diameter to approximately a 2-dimensional “particle” size distribution, void space could be minimized and local heating and melting reduced or eliminated. The melt fraction was also observed to increase with increasing peak shock pressure in the range of 12 to 22 GPa.
Optimization of electrical stimulation parameters for cardiac tissue engineering

In vitro application of pulsatile electrical stimulation to neonatal rat cardiomyocytes cultured on polymer scaffolds has been shown to improve the functional assembly of cells into contractile engineered cardiac tissues. However, to date, the conditions of electrical stimulation have not been optimized. We have systematically varied the electrode material, amplitude and frequency of stimulation to determine the conditions that are optimal for cardiac tissue engineering. Carbon electrodes, exhibiting the highest charge-injection capacity and producing cardiac tissues with the best structural and contractile properties, were thus used in tissue engineering studies. Engineered cardiac tissues stimulated at 3 V/cm amplitude and 3 Hz frequency had the highest tissue density, the highest concentrations of cardiac troponin-I and connexin-43 and the best-developed contractile behaviour. These findings contribute to defining bioreactor design specifications and electrical stimulation regime for cardiac tissue engineering.
An Ethically Justified Framework for Clinical Investigation to Benefit Pregnant and Fetal Patients

Research to improve the health of pregnant and fetal patients presents ethical challenges to clinical investigators, institutional review boards, funding agencies, and data safety and monitoring boards. The Common Rule sets out requirements that such research must satisfy but no ethical framework to guide their application. We provide such an ethical framework, based on the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient. We offer criteria for innovation and for Phase I and II and then for Phase III clinical trials to improve the health of pregnant patients and of fetal patients and also criteria to responsibly manage the transition from investigation to clinical practice. Basing ethical criteria for research involving pregnant women on the ethical concept of the fetus as a patient insulates the proposed ethical framework and therefore research on pregnant women from the divisive and politicized concepts and discourses of personhood, fetal rights, and unborn child.
Translation of Sensory Input into Behavioral Output via an Olfactory System

We investigate the logic by which sensory input is translated into behavioral output. First we provide a functional analysis of the entire odor receptor repertoire of an olfactory system. We construct tuning curves for the 21 functional odor receptors of the Drosophila larva and show that they sharpen at lower odor doses. We construct a 21-dimensional odor space from the responses of the receptors and find that the distance between two odors correlates with the extent to which one odor masks the other. Mutational analysis shows that different receptors mediate the responses to different concentrations of an odorant. The summed response of the entire receptor repertoire correlates with the strength of the behavioral response. The activity of a small number of receptors is a surprisingly powerful predictor of behavior. Odors that inhibit more receptors are more likely to be repellents. Odor space is largely conserved between two dissimilar olfactory systems.
Director of nursing current job tenure and past experience and quality of care in nursing homes.

Nursing home top management teams, which includes the nursing home (NH) administrator, director of nursing (DON), and medical director, can have an important role in influencing quality in NHs. That is, top managers are responsible for overall oversight of NH care delivery (Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services, 2011). Even though DONs do not typically provide direct resident care, DONs may be particularly central to quality of care because of their role in coordinating, executing, and overseeing nursing care (Olson & Zwygart-Stauffacher, 2008; Siegel, Mueller, Anderson, & Dellefield, 2010). A small body of research has linked top manager characteristics, such as turnover and tenure, and management practices, including communication style and approach to decision-making, to quality of care in NHs (Krause, 2010). However, few studies have empirically tested the influence of DON characteristics on quality of care (Krause, 2010). Furthermore, policy initiatives to improve NH care, such as regulatory reform, quality report cards, and national campaigns, have generally ignored the importance of DONs for facilitating improvements in quality (Siegel et al., 2010).
Ontogeny and phylogeny of tooth attachment modes in actinopterygian fishes

There are four major tooth attachment modes in actinopterygians. Type 1 mode is characterized by complete ankylosis of the tooth to the attachment bone; it is the primitive attachment mode for actinopterygians. In Type 2 mode there is a ring of collagen between the tooth base and the bone. In Type 3 mode mineralization extends near or to the bone at the anterior tooth border, and there is a relatively large collagen area on the posterior surface of the tooth; Type 3 teeth are hinged with an anterior axis of rotation. Type 4 teeth also have a relatively large posterior collagen area, but there is no collagenous connection between the anterior basal tooth border and the attachment bone; Type 4 teeth are hinged, with a posterior axis of rotation. Types 2, 3, and 4 attachment modes appear to result from retardation of mineralization and resemble, with some modifications, ontogenetic stages in the development of Type 1 mode; they are considered to be paedomorphic features. Attachment modes 2, 3, and 4 are each associated with a major evolutionary lineage within the Teleostei. The degree to which paedomorphosis has been a factor in teleostean evolution is discussed.
Increased Incidence of Hypothyroidism in Primary Biliary Cirrhosis

We examined the thyroid status of 58 patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC) using total serum thyroxin, thyroid hormone binding ratio, free thyroxin index, serum TSH, antithyroglobulin, and antimicrosomal antibodies. Seven patients were known to be hypothyroid prior to the diagnosis of PBC. Six additional patients were found to have biochemical evidence of hypothyroidism. The prevalence of hypothyroidism was 12% if we include only those six PBC patients with newly diagnosed hypothyroidism or 22% if we include all 13 patients. Five of the 58 patients had evidence for an elevation of thyroid hormone binding capacity. Three hypothyroid patients had normal total thyroxins with low thyroid hormone binding ratios. Two euthyroid patients had elevated total T4s with low thyroid hormone binding ratio and normal FTI. The prevalence of positive antimicrosomal antibodies was 34%, including 11 euthyroid PBC patients. The prevalence of positive antithyroglobulin antibodies was 20% including five euthyroid patients. There was no association between HLA DR3 or DR5 and the patients with hypothyroidism and/ or antithyroid antibodies. Because fatigue, lethargy, and anorexia as well as hypercholesterolemia are common features of both hypothyroidism and PBC, patients with PBC should be screened for evidence of thyroid dysfunction. Thyroid disease may precede the diagnosis of PBC by several years. Therefore, the development of cholestatic liver disease in a patient with known autoimmune thyroiditis should arouse suspicion of PBC.