cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A lactococcal expression system for engineered nisins.

Thenisin-producing Lactococcus lactis strain F15876hasbeenmodified anddeveloped foruse as an expression system forengineered nisin variants. Insertional inactivation oftheresident nisAgenehada polar effect on downstream genes,including those involved innisin immunity. However, subsequent chromosomal rearrangements inthis region involving a newlydiscovered insertion element (IS905) generated a strain that was deficient inthenisAgene product butexpressed thosenisin determinants necessaryforprenisin maturation, secretion, andimmunity. Complementation ofthelesion inthenisAgene byplasmid-encoded nisA genescontaining site-specific mutations resulted intheexclusive production ofaltered nisins containing specific aminoacidsubstitutions. Nisin isahighly modified peptide antibiotic produced by certain strains ofLactococcus lactis. Itisofgreat interest to thefoodindustry because ofitsefficient antimicrobial activityagainst awiderangeofgram-positive organisms, includingmanyspoilage bacteria andfoodpathogens suchas Listeria, Clostridium, andBacillus species (12, 25). Nisinisamemberofthefamily ofantibiotics termed lantibiotics. Theseunusual polycyclic peptides sharethe structural features ofdehydro residues andintrachain sulfide bridges forming lanthionine andI-methyllanthionine rings.
Experimental Tests of Subjective Bayesian Methods

We evaluated Samaniego and Reneau’s 1994 novel weight method for eliciting subjective probability estimates. Experiment 1 replicated their experiment (subjects weighed their prior estimate against 10 new observations), with an additional weight judgment against 50 observations. In Experiment 2, subjects gave prior estimates to questions in a domain more familiar to them. In Experiment 3, subjects weighed priors against samples of 10 or 50 on a modified scale. We find substantial individual differences in sensitivity to sample size in this task, and also evidence for implicit learning: Subjects who first judged N = 50 subsequently place lower weights on N = 10. People cannot evaluate the quality of their prior knowledge accurately, nor can they consistently produce calibrated priors and marginal posteriors. These results do not support the use of the weight-judgment method for parameter estimation, but do encourage its continued development and improvement.
Simultaneous heat and mass transfer with phase change in a porous slab

Abstract Simultaneous heat and mass transfer with phase change in a porous slab has been analytically investigated. Two spatially-steady regimes, corresponding to immobile and mobile condensate, are discovered. Closed-form analytical expressions for the temperature, vapor concentration, condensation rate and liquid-content distributions as well as the location of the condensation region for each of the two regimes is obtained.
CHILDREN'S PERCEPTION OF THE COMPETENCE OF BOYS AND GIRLS

S u n n a r y . 4 4 first and 46 third graders' perceptions of the competence of boys and girls was assessed. Using a three-point scale, subjects indicated how well they thought either a boy or a girl was performing a variety of activities previously classified as masculine, feminine, or neutral. The data indicated that the 59 boys and 39 girls tended to perceive the child performing the sexappropriate activity as the more competent. In regard to neutral activities, boys showed a belief in the greater competence of males whereas girls indicated no sex differentiation in their perceptions.
On the formation of neuromata in the primtary olfactory projection

Olfactory axons have been shown to grow aberrantly and form dense collections of axons, termed neuromas, in the olfactory epithelium of rats in which the olfactory bulb was ablated. Likewise, in human olfactory mucosa, collections of neurites have been noted in a variety of disease states, including Alzheimer's disease. We report here an immunohistochemical and electron microscopic analysis of aberrant axonal growth in the rat olfactory mucosa induced by experimental lesion. In particular, we have used the monoclonal antibody 2G12, which binds to the phosphorylated form of GAP-43, as an extremely sensitive marker for neuromatous axons, because it does not label neuronal cell bodies. In unilaterally bulbectomized rats, neuromas form in posterior olfactory epithelium on the operated side. Several lines of evidence, including serial section reconstruction, indicate that olfactory axons are induced to grow back into the epithelium at a distance from their point of origin as a consequence of bulbectomy, and are accompanied by glial cells from the olfactory nerve. Avulsion of a part of the olfactory nerve has similar effects as destruction of the olfactory bulb. Intraepithelial neuromas also develop in the olfactory mucosa of rats simultaneously exposed to methyl bromide gas and injected with 3-methyl indole; this treatment severely damages the olfactory epithelium directly. Exposure to methyl bromide alone causes milder damage, and the neuromas that form are transient. The evidence indicates that neuromas form after the epithelium is directly damaged because axons are trapped in the epithelium. Both of the mechanisms identified here should be taken into account when considering the findings in the human olfactory mucosa. © Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Behavioral and physiological antipredator responses of the San Marcos salamander, Eurycea nana

Exposure to predatory stimuli typically results in the elevation of circulating glucocorticoid levels and a behavioral response of freezing or escape behavior in many prey species. Corticosterone (CORT) is the main glucocorticoid in amphibians and is known to be important in modulating many behaviors and developmental functions. The federally threatened San Marcos salamander, Eurycea nana, decreases activity in response to both native and introduced predatory fish, however, experience may further influence these interactions. To better understand the indirect effects of fish predators on this salamander, we examined both the antipredator behavior and water-borne CORT release rates in response to chemical cues (kairomones) from two fish species that varied in temporal risk of predation: (1) a low encounter frequency predator (largemouth bass, Micropterus salmoides), (2) a high encounter frequency predator (redbreast sunfish, Lepomis auritus), and (3) a blank water control. Salamanders reduced activity (antipredator response) after exposure to both predator treatments, but not to the blank water control, and the response to M. salmoides was significantly stronger than that to L. auritus. The CORT response (post-stimulus/pre-stimulus release rates) did not differ between the blank water control and L. auritus treatments, and both were significantly less than the CORT response to M. salmoides. Overall, E. nana showed a decreased antipredator response and no CORT response towards the high encounter frequency L. auritus as compared to the low encounter frequency M. salmoides. Eurycea nana may mute antipredator and CORT responses to high temporal frequency predators. There was, however, no correlation between CORT release rates and antipredator behavior, which suggests that the presence of predators may be affecting CORT response and behavior independently.
Surgical evaluation of a novel tethered robotic capsule endoscope using micro-patterned treads

The state-of-the-art technology for gastrointestinal (GI) tract exploration is a capsule endoscope (CE). Capsule endoscopes are pill-sized devices that provide visual feedback of the GI tract as they move passively through the patient. These passive devices could benefit from a mobility system enabling maneuverability and controllability. Potential benefits of a tethered robotic capsule endoscope (tRCE) include faster travel speeds, reaction force generation for biopsy, and decreased capsule retention. In this work, a tethered CE is developed with an active locomotion system for mobility within a collapsed lumen. Micro-patterned polydimethylsiloxane (PDMS) treads are implemented onto a custom capsule housing as a mobility method. The tRCE housing contains a direct current (DC) motor and gear train to drive the treads, a video camera for visual feedback, and two light sources (infrared and visible) for illumination. The device was placed within the insufflated abdomen of a live anesthetized pig to evaluate mobility performance on a planar tissue surface, as well as within the cecum to evaluate mobility performance in a collapsed lumen. The tRCE was capable of forward and reverse mobility for both planar and collapsed lumen tissue environments. Also, using an onboard visual system, the tRCE was capable of demonstrating visual feedback within an insufflated, anesthetized porcine abdomen. Proof-of-concept in vivo tRCE mobility using micro-patterned PDMS treads was shown. This suggests that a similar method could be implemented in future smaller, faster, and untethered RCEs.
Overview of the 24th Biennial Conference of the Southern African Historical Society, University of Botswana, Gaborone, 27–29 June 2013

This was truly a landmark conference not just because it was the first time the Southern African Historical Society (SAHS) met outside the borders of South Africa, but also because of the rich and ...
A fast transform for spherical harmonics

Spherical Harmonics arise on the sphere $S\sp2$ in the same way that the (Fourier) exponential functions $\{e\sp{ik\Theta}\}\sb{k\in {\rm Z}}$ arise on the circle. Spherical Harmonic series have many of the same wonderful properties as Fourier series, but have lacked one important thing: a numerically stable fast transform analogous to the Fast Fourier Transform. Without a fast transform, evaluating (or expanding in) Spherical Harmonic series on the computer is slow--for large computations prohibitively slow. This thesis provides a fast transform. For a grid of $N\sp2$ points on the sphere, a direct calculation has computational complexity ${\cal O}(N\sp4)$, but a simple separation of variables and Fast Fourier Transform reduces it to ${\cal O}(N\sp3)$ time. Here we present an algorithm with time ${\cal O}(N\sp2\log\ \sp2 N)$. The problem quickly reduces to the fast application of matrices of Associated Legendre Functions of certain orders. The essential insight is that although these matrices are dense and oscillatory, locally they can be represented efficiently in trigonometric functions. We construct an adaptive partition of each matrix into rectangles such that each rectangle is sparse in (two dimensional) local trigonometric series. The entire matrix can be represented in ${\cal O}(N\ \log\ N)$ coefficients in this non- standard form, with constants independent of the order parameter. It can be applied in ${\cal O}(N\ \log\ N)$ time, but the overhead cost for adaption is ${\cal O}(N\ \log\sp2\ N)$. Adding this over the orders yields the overall time ${\cal O}(N\sp2\ \log\sp2\ N)$.
TESTING FACILITY FOR EXPERIMENTAL EVALUATION OF NON-STRUCTURAL COMPONENTS UNDER FULL-SCALE FLOOR MOTIONS

The seismic vulnerability of non-structural components and equipment with their expensive recovery and/or replacement costs has been demonstrated during past earthquakes. With the exception of the nuclear industry, the limited data collected from past earthquakes are not sufficient to completely characterize the seismic behaviour of non-structural components and to develop effective mitigation measures. To address these limitations, the University at Buffalo has commissioned a dedicated non-structural component simulator (University at Buffalo non-structural component simulator (UB-NCS)) composed of a two-level testing frame capable of simultaneously subjecting both displacement and acceleration-sensitive non-structural components to realistic full-scale floor motions expected within multi-storey buildings. Current codes now require seismic qualification of important non-structural components, and protocols for experimental qualification have been developed considering existing laboratory limitations. The new testing capabilities provided by the UB-NCS are described to demonstrate the improved and more realistic qualification procedures that can be achieved. Results are presented from a test on two parallel partition walls aimed to verify the capabilities of the UB-NCS. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Aharonov-Bohm effect in disordered metals with interactions

We study the effect of electron-electron interactions on the impurity-averaged transport properties of a disordered metal ring or array. We show that the inclusion of these interactions does not change the periodicity with flux when an impurity average is performed. We prove this statement in the context of a tight-binding Hubbard model for a ring with a symmetric distribution of on-site energies.
The error learning hypothesis: The evidence reexamined☆

Abstract This paper reexamines the error learning hypothesis, taking explicit account of both the measurement error in forward rates and the nonstationary of liquidity premiums. The evidence is consistent with the model, but with lower explanatory power than the previous results of Meiselman (1962) and Van Horne (1965).
Using Independent Culling to Screen Plant Introductions for Combined Resistance to Soybean Cyst Nematode and Sudden Death Syndrome

Two infectious diseases that cause most yield losses in soybean [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] are soybean cyst nematode (SCN), caused by Heterodera glycines Ichinohe, and sudden death syndrome (SDS), caused by Fusarium solani (Mart.) Sacc. f. sp. glycines (Fsg). Because SCN and SDS have a synergistic effect on yield when they occur jointly in the field, breeders are attempting to develop varieties with dual resistance to these two diseases. Using independent culling as a selection strategy, we screened a set of 31 new soybean plant introductions (PI) that were field evaluated in 1995 at two locations in Southern Illinois. We identified 11 elite PIs that were resistant to SCN race 3, had yellow seed coat, a relatively good field response to SDS, and a moderate seed yield. These superior genotypes can be used as potential parents in soybean breeding programs.
A virtual geosciences professor

Abstract Many universities are considering how best to meet the challenges of changing student characteristics (older students, more females, and increasing numbers of under-represented students) and changing fiscal climate (insufficient funding to sustain existing initiatives and develop new ones). Many are exploring the potential of Internet-based resources as an element in both synchronous courses (everyone in the same place at the same time) and asynchronous courses (where members of the class could be in many different places at different times). Simply using the Internet to broadcast course content (where information flow is primarily from the instructor to the class) fails to take advantage of its distributed nature. Perhaps the greatest contribution of “new technologies” will be a rethinking of what is required for learning to occur. The Internet itself is the best place for finding out how these resources are being incorporated into formal courses. Approximately half of the Geosciences Departments in the United States and Canada have Internet home pages. More than 200 geosciences courses, produced by more than 70 of these academic departments have Internet-based home pages. An increasing number of field trips, course exercises, tours, reference materials, poster sessions, and student projects are appearing which can be incorporated into new courses.
Method of Treating Zeeman Splittings of Paramagnetic Ions in Crystalline Fields

In this paper, we present an alternative method to the "spin Hamiltonian" for treating the behavior of a paramagnetic ion under the combined influence of the host crystal and an applied magnetic field. This method has the advantage of being applicable to all strengths of couplings between the paramagnetic ion and the surrounding crystal. It is applicable to free-ion $S$ states in the same way that it applies to all other states. It gives all of the constants one needs to describe the energy level structure as a function of field as restricted by symmetry and the properties of the levels considered. The method is more general and is expected to be also more accurate than the conventional spin Hamiltonian formalism. It is illustrated by the application to the problem of the $({d}^{5})^{6}S$ level in a cubic crystalline environment.
Characterization and management of a Jack Russell terrier with congenital ichthyosis

A prospective clinical trial was carried out in a 6-week-old male Jack Russell terrier with congenital ichthyosis to evaluate stratum corneum lipids; transmission electron microscopy of skin specimens; and clinical and dermatopathological response to vitamin A alcohol therapy. Also evaluated were the clinical, dermatopathological, and epidermal cell proliferation kinetics response to a synthetic retinoid in a dog with congenital ichthyosis. Epidermal cell renewal time was markedly decreased compared with normal and seborrhoeic dogs. Skin specimens were characterized by severe and diffuse compact orthokeratosis that extended into the infundi-bulum of the hair follicles. The stratum granulosum was normal. On transmission electron microscopy, the stratum corneum was thickened and intercorneocyte spaces were extremely narrow. The first three corneocyte layers contained tonofilaments that were irregular, coarse and wavy. Tonofilament packing appeared more normal and regular in the fourth and fifth corneocyte layers. Outer layers of stratum corneum were extraordinarily electron-dense compared with normal. There was a decrease in stratum corneum free fatty acid and acyl-ceramide and an increase in ceramide III levels compared with three normal dogs. Three months of oral vitamin A alcohol did not result in clinical improvement, although histologically the orthokeratosis was less compact. After 6 months of oral etretinate therapy, comedones and scales were markedly less evident grossly. Although compact orthokeratosis was still present on histological examination of skin, it was less than that present at 6 weeks of age. Epidermal cell kinetics were not altered after etretinate therapy.
The ratification of ILO Conventions and the provision of unemployment benefits: An empirical analysis

This article tests the relationship between the ratification of International Labour Organization (ILO) Conventions and the provision of unemployment benefits. Statistical tests focus on two related issues: why countries ratify ILO Conventions on unemployment benefits, and whether ratification influences government spending on unemployment benefits. The main findings are that democracy, region, income, and globalization are the main factors influencing why countries ratify ILO Conventions on unemployment benefits. In turn, the ratification of ILO Conventions is systematically associated with higher spending if countries have ratified more than two Conventions.
Electron Echo Experiment: A New Magnetospheric Probe

Magnetospheric electron echo probe experiment, using sounding rocket and injecting gun for controlled particle trapping investigation
The stability of individual differences in gender typing: Implications for understanding gender segregation

The stability of individual differences has important implications for understanding the origins of gender-typed behaviors. For example, if some children have a stronger preference for same-sex playmates (gender segregation) than do others, then exploring characteristics that may differentiate these children from their peers (e.g., preference for gender-typed toys or teacher proximity) should prove fruitful. Otherwise, research might be focused more appropriately on group-level processes or situational factors rather than individual differences. In the current study, 57 2 1/2- to 3-year-olds from middle-class Canadian homes were observed repeatedly during free play at their preschools. Four aspects of gender typing (gender segregation, use of masculine and feminine gender-typed toys, teacher proximity) were measured so that the stability of individual differences and relations among the measures could be assessed. Stable individual differences were found for all four measures among boys, and for two of the measures (feminine toy play, teacher proximity) among girls. In addition, boys who played most frequently with masculine toys rarely were observed in proximity to the teacher. However, there was no relation between gender segregation and the other indices of gender typing.
Chiral Poly(fluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (PFBT) and Nanocomposites with Gold Nanoparticles: Plasmonically and Structurally Enhanced Chirality

Materials with large chiral optical activity at visible wavelengths are of great interest in photonics, particularly as a route to chiral optical metamaterials. Here, we demonstrate the plasmonic enhancement of the chiral optical activity of chiral poly(fluorene-alt-benzothiadiazole) (PFBT) doped with gold nanoparticles. The supramolecular helical organization of polymeric chains with simultaneous dipole-dipole interaction of the helically ordered nanoparticles with the polymer and one another results in unprecedented values of chirality parameter (κ ~0.02) at visible wavelengths in thin films.
A Problem in Kinship Terminology

A PROBLEM IN KINSHIP TERMINOLOGY By E. W. GIFFORD· LESLIE A. WHITE, in his on A Problem D R minology,! settles the problem to paper own satisfaction in Kinship Ter­ his with the follow­ ing formulation concerning certain types of kinship systems (p. 569): The type which violates the generation principle is an outgrou:th of the type which does not, and is due to the influence of a fully mature, influential clan system. When the clan system is young and weak the kinship system will be of the Dakota-Iroquois type, regardless of the sex in which descent is reckoned. As the clan system develops, however, and comes to exert its influence more and more upon the soci.allife of the tribe, the Dakota-Iroquois terminology will be trans­ formed into the Crow type in a matrilineal society and into the Omaha type in a patrilineal society. The exceptions to this dictum as to the process of evolution in these kinship types are explained in part by Dr White by the additional factor of diffusion (p. 570). The systems of terminology which 'override the generation principle' do so because the clan predominates over the family as the agency which determines how the relative shall be designated at those points where the generation principle is violated (p. 568). It is not clear to me whether Dr White means to embrace moiety also in his use of the word clan. He pro­ ceeds to ask the question: Why is it that in some tribes with clans the generation principle is violated while in other tribes with clans it is not? This is an oversimplification of the problem, for the converse of this ques­ tion should also be asked: Why is it that in some tribes without clans the generation principle is violated while in other tribes with clans it is not? No doubt the prompt answer to this second question will be: Diffusion. In such case the burden of proof lies with the answerer. Family and kinship system are universal to mankind and belong in that underlying stratum of social phenomena which Professor Kroeber has aptly called basic pattern. 2 Obviously, clans and moieties, with their limited distribution would fall under the caption of secondary pattern. Viewed in this light, Dr White's problem becomes part of a more general one, to wit: The manner and extent in which secondary patterns of social structure and basic patterns of social structure interact upon one another. That the • This Ms. was typed by personnel of Work Projects Administration Official Project No. 665-08-3-30, Unit A 15. I American Anthropologist, N.S., Vol. 41, pp. 566-573, 1939. 2 A. L. Kroeber, Basic and Secondary Patterns of Social Struct re (Journal of the Royal Anthropological Institute of Great Britain and Ireland, Vol. 68,1938), pp. 299-309.
Constructivism and Family Therapy

Abstract Personal construct and family systems theories can profit from an exchange of ideas concerning the relationship between their personal and interpersonal aspects of construction. This article examines three possible points of contact between the two orientations. First, we suggest that personal construct psychology could profit from addressing the important contributions of the family context to the development of each individual's system. Second, we address the impact of the person's constructions on the larger family system. Third, we suggest that the family system itself develops a system of shared constructions that define and bind its identity and interactions. Each of these areas of interface carries implications for therapy, and specific intervention techniques corresponding to each of these are discussed.
Idiopathic gastrointestinal bleeding and aortic stenosis.

A review was made of the Mayo Clinic patient population of 1964 through 1969. Of 610 patients with valvular heart disease who were sampled, 275 had aortic stenosis; and of these 275, 7 also had idiopathic gastrointestinal bleeding. The remaining 335 patients without aortic stenosis represented a control group; no patient with idiopathic gastrointestinal bleeding was found in this control group. The prevalence rate for idiopathic gastrointestinal bleeding in patients with aortic stenosis was 2.6%, and this rate was significantly different (P<0.02) from that of the control group. The prevalence rate for idiopathic gastrointestinal bleeding by coded diagnosis for the 1967 Mayo Clinic population was 0.025% (or an expected 0.086 patient of 275 patients). This also showed a significant increased risk (P<0.001) of idiopathic gastrointestinal bleeding in aortic stenosis. The number of cases with this association were too few to draw any valid conclusions concerning the natural history of these two related conditions.
Fine structure of the pineal organ in the troglobytic fish, Typhlichthyes subterraneous (Pisces: Amblyopsidae)

The pineal organ of the blind, cave-dwelling fish, Typhlichthyes subterraneous, was examined with both light and electron microscopes. Like the eyes, the pineal in this troglobytic species was found to be regressed. Two cell types, photoreceptor and supportive cells, were described in the pineal epithelium. Although ganglion cells were not identified, small, unmyelinated nerve fibers were present. The photoreceptor cells had degenerated outer segments. Accordingly, it was suggested that the pineal in this species is not likely to function in photoreception. However, the presence of well developed Golgi bodies, clear and dense-cored vesicles, variable amounts of rough endoplasmic reticulum and glycogen particles indicated that both cell types are metabolically active and may play a role in secretion.
The anesthesia workstation of the future.

This team's concern is that technology is not the primary limitation to developing the anesthesia workstation to its full potential. In some ways, medical equipment lags far behind other industrics in technological sophistication, standardization, miniaturization, and human factors engineering. Real obstacles appear to be economic and conceptual. The anesthetic process has not been reduced to a series of rigorously derived equations; what the user does is still poorly understood. Manufacturers whose design engineers do not spend a significant part of their work week in the operating room seem to be so ignorant of the real needs of the clinician that their products are doomed to fail or to be mediocre. Clinicians need to encourage their industrial counterparts in the development process to become partners in developing the anesthesia systems of the future. Progress can only be made by having clinicians and developers spend time with one another. Can this inconvenient and frustrating process possibly be worse than the everyday torment caused by manufacturers building what the clinicians do not need, because the clinicians cannot tell them?
Analysis of sugars in glycoproteins by high-pressure liquid chromatography☆

Abstract A method for analyzing the carbohydrate composition of glycoproteins and similar glycoconjugates by methanolysis followed by revers-phase high-pressure liquid chromatography of the perbenzoylated methyl glycosides has been developed. As described, the method is capable of quantifying sugars in the 1- to 10-nmol range while further optimization of procedures may increase the usable sensitivity by a factor of 10 or greater. Improved yields of the sugar derivatives have been achieved by incorporating several modifications of the original methanolysis procedure. This, together with the use of high-pressure liquid chromatography rather than gas chromatography for separating the sugar derivatives, eliminates the need for empirically determined molar response ratios.
Propositions as semantic pretense

Abstract Our linguistic and inferential practices are said to implicate a kind of abstract object playing various roles traditionally attributed to propositions, and our predictive and explanatory success with this “proposition-talk” is held to underwrite a realistic interpretation of it. However, these very same practices pull us in different directions regarding the nature of propositions, frustrating the development of an adequate unified theory of them. I explain how one could retain proposition-talk, and the advantages of interpreting it as being purportedly about propositions, even if problems about the identity conditions for propositions motivated a Quinean rejection of them. The non-error-theoretic solution is to understand proposition-talk in terms of semantic pretense. On this approach, talking as if there were propositions lets us put readily available logical and linguistic devices to new expressive purposes, providing a way to make indirectly certain complicated, genuinely true assertions we cannot make directly. Proposition-talk thus extends the expressive capacity of a language in a logico-syntactically conservative way.
Is the inner core of the Earth pure iron

The properties of the inner core (1C) of the Earth are widely assumed to be consistent with those of pure, solid iron in the hexagonal close-packed (e) phase. This hypothesis is re-examined here using a density model of the Earth's core generated from extrapolated, static high-pressure data for e iron and pyrite. Densities of constant-composition mixtures at room temperature and core pressures are compared with corresponding Earth-model densities. An effective volume thermal expansivity, αeff, is calculated for a range of expected core temperatures that brings the room-temperature density into agreement with the Earth-model density at the pressure of the inner-core boundary (ICB). It seems that αeff would have to be significantly larger than previous estimates of the thermal expansion at core conditions. A qualitatively similar conclusion is obtained if an isotherm reduced from shock-wave data is used for e iron instead of the static data. We argue that, of several explanations for this difference (errors in Earth-model densities, a high-volume thermal expansivity at megabar pressures, a high-temperature core (>7,000 K), and the presence of a light component), the last alternative is the most probable and that the IC is not, therefore, pure iron.
Synthesis of oligonucleotides bearing the non-standard bases iso-C and iso-G. Comparison of iso-C-iso-G, C-G and U-A base-pair stabilities in RNA/DNA duplexes

Abstract The synthesis of iso -cytidine and 2′-deoxy- iso -guanosine phosphoramidites in protected form is described. The synthesis of complementary dodecanucleotides containing a central iso -C- iso -G base-pair was achieved. It is found that the iso -C- iso -G base-pair has comparable stability to a C-G base-pair.
Screening and brief interventions with violently injured young trauma patients

One key area of current prevention is influenced by alarming statistics about youth, alcohol and violence: 16 young people are murdered and 112 are violently injured daily in the US. Leading researchers recognize that alcohol and violence are major factors in the leading causes of death among youth. Trauma centers are key locations for services aimed at reducing future violent incidents (recidivism and retaliation) and alcohol misuse through the implementation of brief interventions. Multiple beneficial outcomes associated with culturally competent counseling interventions, including lower violent crime arrests after trauma center discharge and lower health care costs are anticipated yet unknown. Our objective was to examine the feasibility of providing alcohol screening in combination with violence screening and 2 brief counseling intervention (AVSBI) sessions to hospitalized trauma patients (15-25 years) with violence-related injuries in two Level I Trauma Centers in the US. Following consent protocol, screening tools were administered to assess violence risk factors, overall functioning and risky drinking with trauma patients (ages 15-25) with severe violence-related injuries followed by two brief interventions. Feasibility was assessed at both hospital trauma centers. Preliminary results pertaining to barriers and receptivity to AVSBI indicate overall positive receptivity and low decline rates; barriers were primarily institution-related in both hospital trauma centers. Trends noted in patient interactions were analyzed in a qualitative manner determining pertinent feasibility themes. AVSBI yielded positive trends when addressing both alcohol misuse and violence risk factors in violently-injured hospitalized youth. Further large scale study is warranted.
A Hydroclimatological Assessment of Regional Drought Vulnerability: A Case Study of Indiana Droughts

AbstractCharacterizing and developing drought climatology continues to be a challenging problem. As decision makers seek guidance on water management strategies, there is a need for assessing the performance of drought indices. This requires the adaptation of appropriate drought indices that aid in monitoring droughts and hydrological vulnerability on a regional scale. This study aims to assist the process of developing a statewide water shortage and assessment plan (WSP) for the state of Indiana by conducting a focused hydroclimatological assessment of drought variability. Drought climatology was assessed using in situ observations and regional reanalysis data. A summary of precipitation and evaporation trends, estimated drought variability, worst-case drought scenarios, drought return period, and frequency and duration was undertaken, using multiple drought indices and streamflow analysis. Results indicated a regional and local variability in drought susceptibility. The worst-case (200-yr return period)...
An overview of clinical and commercial impact of drug delivery systems

Drug delivery systems are widely researched and developed to improve the delivery of pharmaceutical compounds and molecules. The last few decades have seen a marked growth of the field fueled by increased number of researchers, research funding, venture capital and the number of start-ups. Collectively, the growth has led to novel systems that make use of micro/nano-particles, transdermal patches, inhalers, drug reservoir implants and antibody-drug conjugates. While the increased research activity is clearly an indication of proliferation of the field, clinical and commercial translation of early-stage research ideas is critically important for future growth and interest in the field. Here, we will highlight some of the examples of novel drug delivery systems that have undergone such translation. Specifically, we will discuss the developments, advantages, limitations and lessons learned from: (i) microparticle-based depot formulations, (ii) nanoparticle-based cancer drugs, (iii) transdermal systems, (iv) oral drug delivery systems, (v) pulmonary drug delivery, (vi) implants and (vii) antibody-drug conjugates. These systems have impacted treatment of many prevalent diseases including diabetes, cancer and cardiovascular diseases, among others. At the same time, these systems are integral and enabling components of products that collectively generate annual revenues exceeding US $100 billion. These examples provide strong evidence of the clinical and commercial impact of drug delivery systems.
Invertebrate rhodopsin cleavage by an endogenous calcium activated protease.

Calcium-activated proteases have been purified from a number of vertebrate tissues, including the retina and lens. These proteases exhibit similar characteristics and are believed to be involved in the regulation of cytoskeletal elements. Here we report the partial purification and characterization of a calcium-activated protease from the squid photoreceptor cell which, when activated, specifically removes 10 kDa from the carboxyl-terminal of squid rhodopsin. No other detectable soluble proteins from the invertebrate photoreceptor are susceptible to cleavage and only one non-opsin, integral membrane protein shows evidence of cleavage. The enzyme requires 5 mm calcium for half maximal activation, and is not significantly activated by other divalent ions. The protease has a molecular weight of approximately 350 kDa, as determined by gel filtration, and when partially purified by casein affinity chromatography, it runs as three main bands of 76, 63 and 36 kDa on SDS-PAGE. The crude protease loses as much as 80% of its activity in 24 hr, whereas the partially purified protease is stable up to 4 weeks at 4°C.
Micromechanical Deformation of Chondrogenic Mesenchymal Stem Cells in 3D Hydrogels is Modulated by Time in Culture and Matrix Connectivity

Mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) are a clinically attractive alternative to chondrocytes for the development of engineered cartilage tissue owing to their ease of isolation and chondrogenic potential [1]. However, the mechanical properties of MSC-based constructs have yet to match those of native cartilage or of chondrocyte-based constructs cultured similarly [1]. One route for improving these properties may be the application of mechanical stimulation, as normal cartilage development and homeostatic maintenance is dependent on force transduction. In a tissue engineering context, dynamic compression applied to chondrocyte-seeded hydrogels modulates both matrix production and mechanical properties [2, 3]. Similarly, when MSCs are embedded in 3D hydrogels, expression of chondrogenic markers and cartilaginous ECM synthesis are differentially regulated by dynamic compressive loading [4, 5]. Indeed, we have recently shown that long-term dynamic loading initiated after a pre-culture period of 21 days in pro-chondrogenic medium improves matrix distribution and the compressive properties of MSC-seeded constructs [5]. Interestingly, when loading was initiated after a single day of culture, mechanical properties failed to develop [6, 7], suggesting that elaboration of matrix was required prior to dynamic loading in order to positively direct construct maturation. When chondrocytes are embedded in agarose, the initial growth phase is characterized by the establishment of a dense pericellular matrix (PCM). At early times in culture, before these islands of PCM become connected into an interterritorial matrix, cells are protected from bulk deformation applied to the gel [8]. In a recent study, we showed that clonal heterogeneity in stem cell populations determines the rate at which this PCM forms, with some MSC clones rapidly establishing a dense PCM, while others fail to develop a robust PCM (and so continue to deform with gel deformation) through several weeks in culture [9]. To further this investigation, this study charted the culture time-dependent changes in ECM connectivity and MSC deformation under basal and chondrogenic conditions.Copyright © 2010 by ASME
Wanted for Blame! Only Blacks Need Apply!

(1980). Wanted for Blame! Only Blacks Need Apply! The Review of Education: Vol. 6, No. 3, pp. 293-301.
Numerical study of thin layer ring on improving the ice formation of building thermal storage system

Abstract Ice thermal storage systems have been widely used in HVAC&R systems for improving energy efficiency and reducing energy costs around the world. In this paper, a numerical model is developed to simulate the ice formation in a typical ice thermal storage system. The first study is to investigate the effect of a cooled cylinder placed in a rectangular space filled with water on the ice formation process. The validated numerical model can predict temperature distribution associated with liquid fraction during the process. Based on the result obtained from the first study, further research is focused on the novel structure of thin layer ring. The computational solutions can demonstrate that the thin layer ring structure can successfully increase an ice generated area and shorten the ice formation period in a typical ice thermal storage system. Finally, a parametric study was carried out to investigate the effect of material, thickness, and arrangement of thin layer ring. It predicted that the heat transfer performance of the thin layer ring is dependent on its material, thickness, and arrangement. Ice formation with novel thin layer ring can be improved by increasing the thermal conductivity of a material. A copper ring has the best performance among aluminum, stainless steel, magnesium alloy. The results show that the ice formation rate can be increased by increasing the thickness of the ring from 0.25 mm to 1 mm, while slowed by increasing from 1 mm to 2 mm and has the best performance with 3 mm ring in this study. Finally, the staggered arrangement of ring shows the best results of the ice formation compared to one parallel and two parallel cases.
Mother’s, Father’s, or Both? Parental Gender and Parent‐Child Interactions in the Racial Classification of Adolescents

Research on racial identification in interracial families shows that children are more likely to be labeled as minority if the father is of minority race. Yet, prior studies have not sufficiently considered the role of parent-child relationships in shaping children's identification with either mother's or father's race. We address this limitation using data on 706 adolescents in interracial families from Wave 1 of Add Health. We examine whether adolescents identify with their mother's race or with their father's race, as opposed to selecting a multiracial identity, within specific combinations of parents' races. We also explore whether indicators of parental involvement (i.e., quantity and quality of involvement, educational involvement, and social control) explain any gender effects. Contrary to prior studies, we find that the tendency to match father's race is only true in black/ white households, particularly if he is white, while adolescents in Asian/ white families tend to match mothers regardless of her race. Moreover, while father's involvement, particularly educational involvement, was more likely than mother's to influence racial classification, adjusting for involvement does not explain gender patterns. This study shows that the well-known gender influences on parenting have little to do with the complex ways parent-child relationships impact racial classification.
Differential Avian Skeletal Part Distribution: Explaining the Abundance of Wings

An abundance of wings relative to other skeletal parts has been observed in avifaunal assemblages from many different types of archaeological sites from numerous locations around the world and of various time periods. Both cultural and post-depositional hypotheses have been proposed to explain this pattern. One of the most powerful explanations to account for this phenomenon is differential survival of avian elements due to bone density. Although bone density has not been systematically measured for all types of birds, I test this hypothesis using predictions derived from observations about the functional anatomy of birds using archaeological data from numerous sites in the Pacific Northwest Coast (U.S.A.). I conclude that the density hypothesis is not supported at these sites, and that other hypotheses must be examined further.
HYPERPARATHYROIDISM: TUMOR OF THE PARATHYROID GLANDS ASSOCIATED WITH OSTEITIS FIBROSA*

The study of the activity of extracts of endocrine glands is not only giving us a better understanding of diseases formerly familiar such as hyperthyroidism, but is revealing the existence of clinical entities that were unsuspected previously. Experience gained with insulin led to the recognition of a disease that results from spontaneous overactivity of the pancreas, namely hyperinsulinism (20, 28, 32). In a similar manner familiarity with the hormone of the parathyroid glands, for which we are indebted to Hanson (15), Collip (5) and others (3, 17), has revealed another clinical entity, hyperparathyroidism. The administration of Collip's parathormone (parathyroid extract, Collip) to normal dogs and cats produces an increase of calcium (6) in the blood serum, a tendency for the inorganic phosporus of the blood serum to decrease (25), an increased excretion of calcium and phosphorus, and thus a negative balance of calcium and phosphorus (12, 13). Decalcification of the skeleton has not been demonstrated in...
Cancer Surgery in the Elderly

The proportions both of elderly patients in the world and of elderly patients with cancer are both increasing. In the evaluation of these patients, physiologic age, and not chronologic age, should be carefully considered in the decision-making process prior to both cancer screening and cancer treatment in an effort to avoid ageism. Many tools exist to help the practitioner determine the physiologic age of the patient, which allows for more appropriate and more individualized risk stratification, both in the pre- and postoperative periods as patients are evaluated for surgical treatments and monitored for surgical complications, respectively. During and after operations in the oncogeriatric populations, physiologic changes occuring that accompany aging include impaired stress response, increased senescence, and decreased immunity, all three of which impact the risk/benefit ratio associated with cancer surgery in the elderly.
Prospects for constraining cosmology with the extragalactic cosmic microwave background temperature

Observers have demonstrated that it is now feasible to measure the cosmic microwave background (CMB) temperature at high redshifts. We explore the possible constraints on cosmology which might ultimately be derived from such measurements. In addition to providing a consistency check on standard and alternative cosmologies, possibilities include constraints on the inhomogeneity and anisotropy of the universe at intermediate redshift $z\ensuremath{\lesssim}10,$ an independent probe of peculiar motions with respect to the Hubble flow, constraining the epoch of reionization, and the time variability of the fine structure constant. We argue that the best possibility is as a probe of peculiar motions. We show, however, that the current measurement uncertainty $(\ensuremath{\Delta}T=\ifmmode\pm\else\textpm\fi{}0.002\mathrm{K})$ in the local present absolute CMB temperature imposes intrinsic limits on the use of such CMB temperature measurements as a cosmological probe. At best, anisotropies at intermediate redshift could only be constrained at a level of $\ensuremath{\gtrsim}0.1%$ and peculiar motions could only be determined to an uncertainty of $\ensuremath{\gtrsim}311{\mathrm{km}\mathrm{}\mathrm{}\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}.$ If the high z CMB temperature can only be measured with a precision comparable to the uncertainty of the local interstellar CMB temperature, then peculiar motions could be determined to an uncertainty of ${1101(1+z)}^{\ensuremath{-}1}[\ensuremath{\Delta}{T}_{\mathrm{CMB}}(z)/0.01\mathrm{K}]{\mathrm{km}\mathrm{}\mathrm{s}}^{\ensuremath{-}1}.$