cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Kernel Interaction Trick: Fast Bayesian Discovery of Pairwise Interactions in High Dimensions

Discovering interaction effects on a response of interest is a fundamental problem faced in biology, medicine, economics, and many other scientific disciplines. In theory, Bayesian methods for discovering pairwise interactions enjoy many benefits such as coherent uncertainty quantification, the ability to incorporate background knowledge, and desirable shrinkage properties. In practice, however, Bayesian methods are often computationally intractable for even moderate-dimensional problems. Our key insight is that many hierarchical models of practical interest admit a particular Gaussian process (GP) representation; the GP allows us to capture the posterior with a vector of O(p) kernel hyper-parameters rather than O(p^2) interactions and main effects. With the implicit representation, we can run Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) over model hyper-parameters in time and memory linear in p per iteration. We focus on sparsity-inducing models and show on datasets with a variety of covariate behaviors that our method: (1) reduces runtime by orders of magnitude over naive applications of MCMC, (2) provides lower Type I and Type II error relative to state-of-the-art LASSO-based approaches, and (3) offers improved computational scaling in high dimensions relative to existing Bayesian and LASSO-based approaches.
Classics in the Field of Behavioral Disorders.

Co-editors, Associate Editors, and Cohort Review Team members for Teaching Exceptional Children were asked to nominate qualified individuals to identify seminal articles in the area of behavioral d...
Equilibrium Effects of Pay Transparency in a Simple Labor Market: Extended Abstract

Public discourse on pay transparency has not focused on equilibrium effects: how greater transparency impacts hiring and bargaining. To study these effects, we combine a dynamic wage-bargaining model with data from online markets for low-skill, temporary jobs that differ in their level of transparency. Wages are more equal, but lower under transparency. Transparency increases hiring and employer profits, rising 27% in an online field experiment. A key intuition is high transparency commits employers to negotiating aggressively, because a highly paid worker's salary affects negotiations with other workers. We discuss implications for the gender wage gap and employers' endogenous transparency choices.
Protein NMR: Boundless Opportunities

Over the past approximately three decades, isotope-directed NMR spectroscopy has become a powerful method for determining 3D structures of biological macromolecules and their complexes in solution. From a structural perspective NMR provides an invaluable tool for studying systems that are not amenable to crystallization, including intrinsically disordered proteins and weak complexes. In contrast to both X-ray crystallography and cryo-electron microscopy which afford a largely static view of the systems under consideration, the great power of NMR lies in its ability to quantitatively probe exchange dynamics between interconverting states, and to reveal and characterize at atomic resolution the existence of transient states that may be populated at levels as low as 1%. Such "excited" states play a key role in macromolecular recognition, allostery, signal transduction and macromolecular assembly, including the initial events involved in aggregation and amyloid formation. Optimal application of NMR to such systems of fundamental biological interest requires a sound footing of the physical underpinnings of today's and tomorrow's sophisticated NMR experiments.
Multiple Blood Feeding: A Force Multiplier for Transmission

Anopheles mosquitoes employ complex behavioral and physiological strategies to adapt to their environment. Here we show how altering the number of bites a mosquito takes per gonotrophic cycle (gonotrophic discordance) could raise the transmission potential of a mosquito population far above model predictions.
Perceptions Of Leadership In Postsecondary Technical Institutes In Georgia

The LAI (Leader Attributes Inventory), which identifies 37 leadership attributes, was used as the survey instrument to determine perceptions of presidents and faculty of technical institutes in Georgia toward the leadership attributes of the presidents. Data analysis was conducted based on data collected from 30 presidents and 354 faculty respondents at Georgia's 32 postsecondary technical institutes. Findings indicated that presidents and their faculty members do not agree on leadership attributes as demonstrated by presidents at technical institutes in Georgia.
Journalism, Poetry, Stand-up Comedy, and Academic Literacy: Mapping the Interplay of Curricular and Extracurricular Literate Activities

In an effort to live up to Elaine Richardson's dictum that educators and researchers must address "the total linguistic, cultural, and historical background of the learner" (19), basic writing scholarship has addressed a wealth of competencies that basic writers bring with them to the university. The literate lives they lead beyond the academy, however, have received relatively little attention in terms of theory, research, and practice. In an article that draws upon text collection, interviews, and participant observations from a longitudinal ethnographic case study of one basic writer's non-school and school literate activities, I examine the synergies between this student's extracurricular journalism, poetry, and stand-up comedy and his literate activity for two undergradu- ate courses. Arguing that the writer's school tasks are profoundly shaped by an extensive network of non-school practices, artifacts, and activities, I contend that we need to situ- ate the full range of basic writers' literate engagements into our research and teaching.
Development of Machine Learning Algorithms to Predict Clinically Meaningful Improvement for the Patient-Reported Health State After Total Hip Arthroplasty

Abstract Background Failure to achieve clinically significant outcome (CSO) improvement after total hip arthroplasty (THA) imposes a potential cost-to-risk imbalance in the context of bundle payment models. Patient perception of their health state is one component of such risk. The purpose of the current study is to develop machine learning algorithms to predict CSO for the patient-reported health state (PRHS) and build a clinical decision-making tool based on risk factors. Methods A retrospective review of primary THA patients between 2014 and 2017 was performed. Variables considered for prediction included demographics, medical history, preoperative PRHS, and modified Harris Hip Score. The minimal clinically important difference (MCID) for the PRHS was calculated using a distribution-based method. Five supervised machine learning algorithms were developed and assessed by discrimination, calibration, Brier score, and decision curve analysis. Results Of 616 patients, a total of 407 (69.2%) achieved the MCID for the PRHS. The random forest algorithm achieved the best performance in the independent testing set not used for algorithm development (c-statistic 0.97, calibration intercept −0.05, calibration slope 1.45, Brier score 0.054). The most important factors for achieving the MCID were preoperative PRHS, preoperative opioid use, age, and body mass index. Individual patient-level explanations were provided for the algorithm predictions and the algorithms were incorporated into an open access digital application available here: https://sorg-apps.shinyapps.io/THA_PRHS_mcid/ . Conclusion The current study created a clinical decision-making tool based on partially modifiable risk factors for predicting CSO after THA. The tool demonstrates excellent discriminative capacity for identifying those at greatest risk for failing to achieve CSO in their current health state and may allow for preoperative health optimization.
Mechanistic Studies of the Oxidation of Cyclohexene to 2-Cyclohexen-1-one over ALD Prepared Titania Supported Vanadia

Selective oxidation of cyclohexene to 2-cyclohexen-1-one over titania supported vanadia (VOx/TiO2) has been studied using temperature dependent in situ FTIR spectroscopy in both the presence and ab...
Finding Bugs in File Systems with an Extensible Fuzzing Framework

File systems are too large to be bug free. Although handwritten test suites have been widely used to stress file systems, they can hardly keep up with the rapid increase in file system size and complexity, leading to new bugs being introduced. These bugs come in various flavors: buffer overflows to complicated semantic bugs. Although bug-specific checkers exist, they generally lack a way to explore file system states thoroughly. More importantly, no turnkey solution exists that unifies the checking effort of various aspects of a file system under one umbrella. In this article, to highlight the potential of applying fuzzing to find any type of file system bugs in a generic way, we propose Hydra, an extensible fuzzing framework. Hydra provides building blocks for file system fuzzing, including input mutators, feedback engines, test executors, and bug post-processors. As a result, developers only need to focus on building the core logic for finding bugs of their interests. We showcase the effectiveness of Hydra with four checkers that hunt crash inconsistency, POSIX violations, logic assertion failures, and memory errors. So far, Hydra has discovered 157 new bugs in Linux file systems, including three in verified file systems (FSCQ and Yxv6).
An interdisciplinary approach to safe opioid prescribing and administration for surgical patients at an academic medical center.

AIM AND OBJECTIVES To explore and understand the current practice, perceptions, and knowledge of general surgery trainees, advanced practice providers, and surgical nurses regarding opioid prescribing and administration. To this end, a novel opioid education and training was introduced to educate these practitioners on safe opioid practices in surgical patients. BACKGROUND National awareness of the opioid epidemic has increased significantly in the last several years. However, there remain a disturbingly high number of opioid prescriptions written in the US indicating a need for improved provider and nurse education. This involves increasing awareness and understanding of national guidelines as well as implementing multi-modal therapy to treat pain. DESIGN Pre-post-intervention quality improvement project. METHODS An opioid education and training involving a morphine equivalent daily dosing calculator in the electronic medical record was provided to 26 surgical trainees, eight advanced practice providers and 97 surgical nurses in November 2019. Perceptions, current practice and knowledge were measured using a pre- and post-intervention survey (SQUIRE checklist). RESULTS The survey results showed a positive clinical change in perception of opioid use in surgical patients following the intervention and a modest decrease in the average morphine equivalent daily dosing at discharge in general and transplant surgery patients. CONCLUSIONS Effective pain management for surgical patients must be individualised. Safe opioid prescribing should involve an interdisciplinary approach with all members of the team undergoing assessment of their opioid knowledge and prescribing habits, easily accessible training tools and opioid calculators in the electronic medical record. RELEVANCE TO CLINICAL PRACTICE Our initiative may provide useful information to settings that replicate use of a morphine equivalent daily dosing calculator in the electronic medical record. Utilisation of safe opioid prescribing tools in the electronic medical record and continuing education for providers and nurses can help ensure the safety of surgical patients.
Internet-based advanced metering and control infrastructure of smart grid

Existing advanced metering infrastructures (AMI) use three levels of bi-directional communication between the customer and utility. Given the increase of the available amount of data provided by smart meters in smart grid, existing AMI network may not have the required bandwidth to perform the monitoring and control in real time. The increase of the AMI network bandwidth is very expensive. On the other hand, the internet employs a set of universal communication protocols and provides a wide communication bandwidth. A new internet-based advanced metering and control infrastructure (IBAMCI) is provided in this paper. It uses only two level of communication: the local area network (LAN) and the internet. Both LAN and internet platforms already exist in most consumer’s premise. The internet infrastructure when utilized eliminates the need for expensive bandwidth upgrades to the utility wide area network (WAN). The proposed IBAMCI is equipped with an integrated internet/cloud-based data management and control server, a user interface and display module. The consumer power consumption can be displayed from anywhere using the internet. Because the proposed IBAMCI offloads the utility WAN, real-time smart grid load monitoring and control becomes possible without delays. Simulations were carried out to illustrate the benefit of the proposed IBAMCI in monitoring large number of customer loads in real time. For existing AMIs, whenever the communication bandwidth becomes insufficient, the only option is to increase the utility network bandwidth, which can be prohibitively expensive.
Quantum Computing and Intellectual Property Law

What types of intellectual property (IP) rights can be vested in the components of a scalable quantum computer? Are there sufficient market-set innovation incentives for the development and dissemination of quantum software and hardware structures? Or is there a need for open source ecosystems, enrichment of the public domain and even democratization of quantum technology? The article explores possible answers to these tantalizing questions. The article demonstrates that strategically using a mixture of IP rights to maximize the value of the IP portfolio of the quantum computer’s owner, potentially leads to IP protection in perpetuity. Overlapping IP protection regimes can result in unlimited duration of global exclusive exploitation rights for first movers, being a handful of universities and large corporations. The ensuing IP overprotection in the field of quantum computing leads to an unwanted concentration of market power. Overprotection of information causes market barriers and hinders both healthy competition and industry-specific innovation. In this particular case it slows down progress in an important application area of quantum technology, namely quantum computing. In general, our current IP framework is not written with quantum technology in mind. IP should be an exception -limited in time and scope- to the rule that information goods can be used for the common good without restraint. IP law cannot incentivize creation, prevent market failure, fix winner-takes-all effects, eliminate free riding and prohibit predatory market behavior at the same time. To encourage fair competition and correct market skewness, antitrust law is the instrument of choice. The article proposes a solution tailored to the exponential pace of innovation in The Quantum Age, by introducing shorter IP protection durations of 3 to 10 years for Quantum and AI infused creations and inventions. These shorter terms could be made applicable to both the software and the hardware side of things. Clarity about the recommended limited durations of exclusive rights -in combination with compulsory licenses or fixed prized statutory licenses- encourages legal certainty, knowledge dissemination and follow on innovation within the quantum domain. In this light, policy makers should build an innovation architecture that mixes freedom (e.g. access, public domain) and control (e.g. incentive & reward mechanisms). The article concludes that anticipating spectacular advancements in quantum technology, the time is now ripe for governments, research institutions and the markets to prepare regulatory and IP strategies that strike the right balance between safeguarding our fundamental rights & freedoms, our democratic norms & standards, and pursued policy goals that include rapid technology transfer, the free flow of information and the creation of a thriving global quantum ecosystem, whilst encouraging healthy competition and incentivizing sustainable innovation.
Patterns of Care and Outcomes by Treatment Era in Mycosis Fungoides.

Purpose/Objective(s) Mycosis Fungoides (MF) and Sezary syndrome (SS) are rare T-cell lymphomas, with an estimated incidence of 6 per million persons. Real world evidence on patients, treatment practices, and outcomes are limited. We examined practice patterns and overall survival (OS) outcomes in a nationwide cohort of patients with MF and SS. Materials/Methods Patients diagnosed with MF and SS between 2004 and 2016 were identified in the National Cancer Database. Patients were excluded if disease staging or management were incomplete in the database. Pearson's chi-squared test and multivariate logistic regression analyses were used to assess patterns of care and the distribution of demographic, clinical, and treatment factors for treatment modalities as well as treatment eras. Kaplan Meier analyses and doubly-robust estimation with multivariate Cox proportional hazards modeling were used to compare OS by stage and by treatment era. Treatment eras were defined as 2004-2010 and 2011-2016 due to the evolution of immunotherapy options around that time point. Results W We identified 9,462 patients with MF or SS. Of these 3,570 were excluded due to incomplete or discordant data. Among the remaining 5,892 patients, 1,779 (30%) were treated with chemotherapy (CMT), 853 (14%) were treated with radiotherapy (RT) and 384 (7%) were treated with immunotherapy (IT). Factors associated with the receipt of CMT included living greater than 50 miles from care and stage III or IV disease. CMT was less frequently utilized in females, patients in the Middle Atlantic (NJ, NY, PA), East North Central (IL, IN, MI, OH, WI) and Pacific (AK, CA, HI, OR, WA) regions and patients treated from 2011-2016. Factors associated with the use of RT included stage I or II disease, Medicare insurance status, and receipt of IT. RT was used less commonly in academic centers, in the Middle-Atlantic, West-North Central (IA, KS, MN, MO, ND, NE, SD), and Pacific regions as well as in females and black patients. IT use was associated with living 50-200 miles from care, receipt of RT, and stage III or IV disease. It was less common in the Pacific and West-North Central regions and in those treated from 2011-2016. Comparing OS outcomes across eras, 2004-2010 vs 2011-2016, there was no difference in outcome among patients with stage I or II disease after propensity score matching (HR 0.97 P = 0.67 95% CI 0.84-1.12). However, amongst patients with stage III or IV disease, OS was significantly improved in the cohort treated from 2011-20016 (HR 0.70, P = 0.015, 95% CI 0.53-0.93). Conclusion This study comprises the largest retrospective database analysis of patterns of care in patients with MF/SS. Multiple factors were identified that were predictive of utilization of CMT, RT, and IT as treatment for the disease. Disease stage was found to be well correlated with OS. Importantly, OS outcomes in patients with stage III and IV disease have improved in recent years.
Mental Fatigue in Partnerships: Can Free-Riding Be Beneficial?

We develop a model of partnership production in which the partners are prone to mental exhaustion. As in standard static models, profit-sharing induces free riding. In our model, however, free-riding also reduces the steady-state level of fatigue. As a result, the steady-state levels of output and welfare may be higher in the non-cooperative equilibrium with free riding than in the cooperative equilibrium.
Partnership between child protective services and parent representatives

Examples of parent representation programmes in child welfare have been growing in an effort to promote family engagement, empowerment of child welfare-involved parents and a family-centred approach. Although research on overall benefits of the parent representation model is slowly emerging, no knowledge exists on how child welfare agencies adjust to the inclusion of parent representatives. This study examined the perceptions of partnership between child protective services staff and parent representatives by describing the nature of relationships, discussing the challenges in collaborative relationships and identifying strategies promoting collaboration. Implications are drawn concerning the attitudes towards and perceptions of parent representatives in child protective practice as well as supports needed to successfully promote and implement partnerships between parent representatives and child protective services.
A formula for the high frequency longitudinal impedance of a tube with smoothly varying radius

A formula for the longitudinal coupling impedance at frequencies above or below the tube cut-off is derived. The round tube is infinite in length, and has an arbitrary, smooth variation of radius over a finite interval. >
A note on the relative class number in function fields

Let F be a finite field, A = F[T], and k = F(T). Let Km = k(Am) be the field extension of k obtained by adjoining the m-torsion on the Carlitz module. The class number hm of Km can be written as a product hm = h+ hThe number hm is called the relative class number. In this paper a formula for hm is derived which is the analogue of the Maillet determinant formula for the relative class number of the cyclotomic field of p-th roots of unity. Some consequences of this formula are also derived. Let Q denote the rational numbers and consider the cyclotomic field Kp = Q((p) with class number hp. It is well known that this class numbers factors as a product h+hp of two integers. The number h+ is the class number of the maximal real subfield of Kp. The integer hp is called the relative class number. In [Ca] and [Ca-O] it is shown how the relative class number can be computed in terms of a certain classical determinant known as the Maillet determinant. A nice exposition of this is given in Chapter 3 of [L] (see Theorem 7.1). In this note we will give an analogue of this material in the context of cyclotomic function fields. Let F be a finite field with q elements and A = F[T] the polynomial ring over F. Let k = F(T) be the quotient field of A. For an irreducible polynomial m of degree d we will denote by Am the m-torsion on the Carlitz module and let Km = k(Am) be the "cyclotomic" function field obtained by adjoining the elements of Am to k. For the definition of the Carlitz module and its properties see [H] and [G-R]. The class number of Km, hm, factors as a product of two integers hm = h+ h-, where h+ is the class number of the "maximal real" subfield of Km, i.e. the decomposition field of the prime at infinity of k in Km, and his called the relative class number. Our aim is to give an expression for has a product of certain easily computed determinants related to the classical Maillet determinant. We begin by recalling the analytic class number formula for hwhich follows immediately from Theorem 2 of [G-R]. A character X of (A/mA)* is said to be real if its restriction to F* is the trivial character. Otherwise it is said to be non-real or imaginary. If X is imaginary, define S(W) = Za X(a), where the sum is over all monic polynomials of degree less than d. Then, (1) ]Jm = I S(W) X imaginary Received by the editors July 2, 1995 and, in revised form, November 15, 1995. 1991 Mathematics Subject Classification. Primary 11R29; Secondary 11R58, 14H05. This work was partially supported with a grant from the National Science Foundation. (?)1997 American Mathematical Society 1299 This content downloaded from 157.55.39.215 on Tue, 30 Aug 2016 04:47:14 UTC All use subject to http://about.jstor.org/terms
On 'Public Reason'

'Public reason' in Rawls's stipulated usage signifies propositions that can legitimately be used in deliberating on and deciding fundamental issues of political life and legislation because they are propositions which all citizens may reasonably be expected to endorse: their use is therefore fair (respects the moral principle of reciprocity) and preserves the public peace which is at risk from contests between comprehensive doctrines, contests exemplified by wars of religion. This attractive set of suggestions is ruined by irresoluable ambiguities, truncation of reason's resources and of public discourse just when they are most needed, and incipient capitulation to some radical injustices. But public reason may nonetheless be an opportune phrase for conveying the gist of four permanently valid theses in the classical political thought that develops from Socrates/Plato to Aquinas and beyond. That tradition has been significantly modified by recognition that a human right to immunity of religious beliefs and acts from coercion extends - precisely by reason of the importance of finding and adhering to the truth about the divine source of reality and value - to mistaken as well as correct religious beliefs and practices. That immunity is subject to limitations necessary to preserve public order; likewise, a religion's legitimacy as a source of reasons for public actions is dependent on its willingness to foster genuine public discourse. Analogously, a political or legal philosophy's rational warrant is dependent on the compatibility of its theses with the worth of authentic discourse and the support they give to institutions, including the rule of law, which favour such discourse. Habermas's account of discourse ethics fails by overlooking some truths about discourse, truth and friendship that Plato made clear in Gorgias. And (the rule of) law, too, is most adequately understood as a product and articulation of public reason.
Desde lo mundano y lo humano en Heidegger y Hannah Arendt

Ser, Pensar, y Decir, despliegue que el Ser necesita y debe mantener, guardando inexorablemente los limites de su propio fluir. Su propio Ser es su ser diferenciado. Su Ser es su hablar, pero no de ninguna verdad.
Identification of selective, orally active Tie2 kinase inhibitors and discovery of CE-245,677 and PF-371,989

3259 The Tie family of receptor tyrosine kinases plays a crucial role in the development and function of endothelial tissues. Genetic studies have revealed specific roles for the Tie receptors (Tie1 & Tie2) and their ligands (angiopoietins) in promoting the survival, maturation and functional integrity of the vasculature. Inhibition of Tie2 is expected to disrupt angiogenesis and tumor growth via inhibition of vascular modeling. In an effort to develop inhibitors of Tie2, we designed the (4-amino-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)(phenyl)methanone template as a new scaffold for Tie2 inhibition. Our initial efforts focused on the elucidation of the structure-activity relationships of the pyrrolopyrimidine series with the goal of enhancing potency and selectivity. This led us to the 5-keto-pyrrolopyrimidine series with either a sulfonamide or urea linker. Sulfonamides are less potent, but selective Tie2 inhibitors, whereas ureas are very potent but non-selective versus Trk. Both series show moderate to high microsomal clearance, possibly due to the metabolically labile N7 tail (e.g. cyclopentyl) and/or the lipophilic nature of these series. Other key issues included low VDss, low apparent microsomal Km (i.e. saturation of metabolism), and/or HERG channel activity. To resolve these PK issues, our chemistry efforts concentrated on extensive analoging at the N7 position and substitution of the phenyl core. We demonstrated that replacement of the N7 tail with a small, less lipophilic group (e.g. iPr) results in significant improvement in the metabolic stability of these series. Furthermore, substitution on the phenyl core with small substituents (e.g. alkyl, halo, ether) or replacement with a heterocycle (e.g. pyridine) was found to enhance Tie2 potency and improve in vitro and in vivo pharmacokinetic properties. These efforts led to the discovery of CE-355774, CE-245,677 and PF-371,989, each dual Tie2/Trk inhibitors. These compounds demonstrate excellent in vitro activity, and CE-245,677 & PF-371,989 were selected for further preclinical evaluation due to their superior ADME properties. In particular, CE-245,677 is a potent reversible inhibitor of Tie2 and TrkA/B kinases with a cellular IC50 of 4.7 and 1 nM, resp., displays >100x selectivity against a number of other angiogenic receptor tyrosine kinases (e.g. KDR, PDGFR, FGFR) and gene family panels, and demonstrates good oral absorption in in vivo rat PK studies (F=80%). In summary, detailed SAR studies were executed on the (4-amino-7H-pyrrolo[2,3-d]pyrimidin-5-yl)(phenyl)methanone template, producing potent inhibitors of Tie2 with IC50s ranging from 5-100 nM, identifying CE-245,677 and PF-371,989 for further preclinical study. Design, synthesis, inhibitor activity, selectivity profile, ADME properties as well as complete inhibitor chemical structures of analogs leading to the identification to CE-245,677 will be presented.
Legal Issues and the Supervised Internship Relationship: Who is Responsible for What?

(2004). Legal Issues and the Supervised Internship Relationship: Who is Responsible for What? Journal of Physical Education, Recreation & Dance: Vol. 75, No. 2, pp. 19-24.
Selection, care, and feeding of a research mentor.

The purpose of this article is to describe a process by which investigators can identify and select a research mentor and develop a mutually beneficial mentoring relationship. Such a relationship can benefit not only novice investigators, but also more experienced researchers who are branching out into a new field of inquiry. The term mentoring is defined and nature of the mentoring relationship is discussed. Specific information is provided regarding the types of assistance a research mentor can provide, sources of potential mentors, qualities of the successful mentor and protege, stages of the mentoring relationship, and strategies for dealing with less than optimal relationships. Tools are provided to aid the reader in identifying research needs and in rating potential mentors.
High-performance liquid chromatography of sugar oximes

Preparation des O-(p-nitrobenzyl), O-benzyl et O-methyl oximes et separation par chromatographie liquide. Detection UV au-dessus de 200 nm
Synthesis and Thermal Properties of Telechelic Poly(lactic acid) Ionomers

Abstract Telechelic poly(lactic acid) (PLA) ionomers were synthesized using a chemical recycling process. A transesterification reaction between a commercial PLA and 2-hydroxyethyl methacrylate or ethylene glycol was used to produce a hydroxy-terminated PLA. The hydroxy-terminated PLA was then reacted with itaconic anhydride to produce terminal carboxylic acid groups, which were neutralized with appropriate metal acetates to produce Na-, Li-, K-, Zn-, Ca- and Y-ω- and α,ω-telechelic PLA ionomers. 1 H NMR spectroscopy was used to confirm the presence of the itaconic acid end-groups and FTIR spectroscopy was used to quantify the extent of neutralization. The addition of the ionic groups increased the glass transition ( T g ), and T g increased as the strength of the ion-pair increased. The ionic groups suppressed crystallinity, especially when multivalent cations were used.
Optical heterodyne mixing efficiency invariance

Optical heterodyne mixing efficiency is shown to be invariant to detector position if the detector is thin and the frequency difference between signal and local oscillator is small.
The Asymmetric Share Effect: An Empirical Generalization on Cross-Price Effects

Abstract Prior empirical literature states that asymmetry in cross-price effect favors the high-share brand. That is, when high-share brands discount, they have a greater impact on low-share brands than the reverse. This conclusion is based on consideration of cross-price elasticities. The authors point out that focusing on cross-price elasticities for assessing asymmetry is inappropriate for determining the incremental profitability from price promotions. Instead, asymmetries should be investigated in absolute cross-price effects, that is, change in market share of a competing brand for a unit price change of the focal brand. The authors theoretically and empirically demonstrate that asymmetry reverses when absolute cross-price effect is considered. That is, the absolute cross-price effect of a price reduction of a low-share brand on the market share or sales of a high-share brand is greater than the reverse. The authors discuss the implications of the findings and future research directions.
Dimer coverings and Kekulé structures on honeycomb lattice strips

The problem of covering every site of a subsection of the honeycomb lattice with disjoint edges is considered. It is pointed out that a type of long-range order associated to such coverings can occur, so that different phases can arise as a consequence of the subsection's boundaries. These features are quantitatively investigated via a new analytic solution for a class of strips of arbitrary widths, arbitrary lengths, and arbitrary long-range-order values. Relations to work on the dimer covering problem of statistical mechanics and especially to the resonance theory of benzenoid hydrocarbons are noted.
Collaborative navigation in virtual search and rescue

Disaster relief responders aim to quickly locate and extract survivors from dangerous environments. This research explores the use of a collaborative guidance system for search-and-rescue in a complex building. We implemented and evaluated a proof-of-concept system that allowed a scene commander and responder to efficiently search a building using visual, nonverbal communication. Participants found the interface to be both intuitive and fun, and results suggest that the collaborative navigation system was effective.
An Experimental Study on Fluidization of Binary Mixture in Particulate Flows

In this article, we studied experimentally the fluidization of binary mixture in particulate flows. A laboratory fluidized bed is built with water being used as carrying fluid. Three types of solid particles, nylon, glass, and aluminum of the same size and different densities, were used in the experiments. We investigated the wall effect to the fluidization of a single particle, the fluidization of binary mixture of nylon and aluminum with a density ratio of 0.42, and the fluidization of binary mixture of glass and aluminum with a density ratio of 0.91. Our results show that the presence of narrow walls reduces the minimum fluidization velocity for a single particle up to 40%. We also found that in the case of binary mixture of glass and aluminum particles, uniform mixing can be easily achieved with no segregation observed; on the other hand, in the case of binary mixture of nylon and aluminum particles, significant segregation and separation are observed. Based on experimental results, correlation relati...
Therapeutic complications in a patient with high‐risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia and undiagnosed hereditary hemochromatosis

Hereditary hemochromatosis (HH) is an autosomal-recessive disorder of iron metabolism that most commonly manifests in the fourth or fifth decade of life. Here, we describe a 14-year-old male who presented with high-risk acute lymphoblastic leukemia and previously undiagnosed HH. His treatment course was remarkable for significant therapeutic complications, including iron overload, hepatic failure, cardiac dysfunction, and death. Postmortem testing revealed homozygosity for the C282Y mutation, confirming the diagnosis of HH. Since HH mutations occur commonly in select populations, screening patients with leukemia for HH may better inform treatment decisions regarding chemotherapy, transfusions, and/or iron chelation therapy.
The constancy of RNA-polymerase activities during a transcriptionally dependent cell differentiation in Naegleria

Abstract The amebo-flagellate Naegleria gruberi contains three major RNA polymerase activities separable from whole cell extracts by DEAE-Sephadex column chromatography. One is resistant to the durg α-amanitin and the other two are sensitive to it. These separated activities were characterized and then examined during the differentiation of ameba to flagellate, which is dependent on RNA synthesis and which exhibits gross changes in RNA metabolism under the conditions employed. It was found that no detectable changes occurred qualitatively or quantitatively in these polymerases during differentiation. Care was taken to account for total enzyme activity in every fraction of the extraction procedure. It is concluded from the above observation that gross changes in RNA synthesis as well as differential gene activity can occur with absolutely no major fluctuations in the DNA-dependent RNA polymerases.
Morphologic characterization of meniscal root ligaments in the human knee with magnetic resonance microscopy at 11.7 and 3 T

To determine the feasibility of using MR microscopy to characterize the root ligaments of the human knee at both ultra-high-field (11.7 T) and high-field (3 T) strengths. Seven fresh cadaveric knees were used for this study. Six specimens were imaged at 11.7 T and one specimen at 3 T using isotropic or near-isotropic voxels. Histologic correlation was performed on the posteromedial root ligament of one specimen. Meniscal root ligament shape, signal intensity, and ultrastructure were characterized. High-resolution, high-contrast volumetric images were generated from both MR systems. Meniscal root ligaments were predominantly oval in shape. Increased signal intensity was most evident at the posteromedial and posterolateral root ligaments. On the specimen that underwent histologic preparation, increased signal intensity corresponded to regions of enthesis fibrocartilage. Collagen fascicles were continuous between the menisci and root ligaments. Predominantly horizontal meniscal radial tie fibers continued into the root ligaments as vertical endoligaments. MR microscopy can be used to characterize and delineate the distinct ultrastructure of the root ligaments on both ultra-high-field- and high-field-strength MR systems.
5-Aminoimidazole-4-carboxyamide Ribonucleoside Induces G1/S Arrest and Nanog Downregulation via p53 and Enhances Erythroid Differentiation

Molecular mechanisms of how energy metabolism affects embryonic stem cell (ESC) pluripotency remain unclear. AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK), a key regulator for controlling energy metabolism, is activated in response to ATP-exhausting stress. We investigated whether cellular energy homeostasis is associated with maintenance of self-renewal and pluripotency in mouse ESCs (mESCs) by using 5-aminoimidazole-4-carboxyamide ribonucleoside (AICAR) as an activator of AMPK. We demonstrate that AICAR treatment activates the p53/p21 pathway and markedly inhibits proliferation of R1 mESCs by inducing G(1) /S-phase cell cycle arrest, without influencing apoptosis. Treatment with AICAR also significantly reduces pluripotent stem cell markers, Nanog and stage-specific embryonic antigen-1, in the presence of leukemia inhibitory factor, without affecting expression of Oct4. H9 human ESCs also responded to AICAR with induction of p53 activation and repression of Nanog expression. AICAR reduced Nanog mRNA levels in mESCs transiently, an effect not due to expression of miR-134 which can suppress Nanog expression. AICAR induced Nanog degradation, an effect inhibited by MG132, a proteasome inhibitor. Although AICAR reduced embryoid body formation from mESCs, it increased expression levels of erythroid cell lineage markers (Ter119, GATA1, Klf1, Hbb-b, and Hbb-bh1). Although erythroid differentiation was enhanced by AICAR, endothelial lineage populations were remarkably reduced in AICAR-treated cells. Our results suggest that energy metabolism regulated by AMPK activity may control the balance of self-renewal and differentiation of ESCs.
Constant-force cable coupler and activity monitor for small unrestrained animals

A mercury commutator with retracting cable coupler and activity monitor is described. A coiled spring maintains stable tension on a spool that takes up slack in a flexible cable attached to the electrode skull cap of a freely moving rat. This vertical movement-compensation assembly swivels on a low-friction horizontal bearing that follows the animal’s circular movements. A sensitive measure of activity is achieved by using a photobeam to detect movement of the cable spool when the animal moves its head. The apparatus can be used with low-ceiling chambers and is suited to long-term continuous recording and stimulation experiments.
Crystal Structure of MCM-65: An Alternative Linkage of Ferrierite Layers

The crystal structure of calcined MCM-65 was determined by constrained model building suggested by a close comparison with as-synthesized MCM-47. Synthesized with a compact structure-directing agent (quinuclidine), as-synthesized MCM-65, unlike MCM-47, is found to retain its crystallinity after calcination. It crystallizes in space group Cmcm, where a = 7.373 A, b = 18.006 A, and c = 13.849 A and represents a linkage of ferrierite layers oriented in a common direction to form a two-dimensional microporous structure of orthogonal eight-membered ring channels with respective dimensions 4.4 × 2.6 A and 4.6 × 2.7 A. Rietveld refinement of the model against synchrotron powder diffraction data (λ = 1.15201 A) gives Rwp = 0.12, R(F2) = 0.21. The crystal density is 1.95 g/cm3, and the framework density for T sites is 19.4. Solid-state 29Si NMR data for the as-synthesized MCM-65 are in agreement with the proposed structure and indicate that the silanol groups are linked after calcination. Although the structure-di...
Position-dependent diffusion of light in disordered waveguides

Summary form only given. Diffusion is a statistical description of random walk of a classical particle, and the diffusion constant D0 is the only parameter in the diffusion equation. For light as well as for other kinds of waves, this is an approximation, because the interference of partial waves is ignored [1]. Such interference is essential to Anderson localization. Proper account of the interference effects in random samples of finite size [2] and/or with absorption [3] results in spatial variation of the diffusion coefficient D(r) in the self consistent theory (SCT) of localization.To observe position-dependent diffusion, disordered waveguide structures were fabricated with the silicon on insulator wafer (see Fig. 1a). The patterns were written by electron beam lithography and etched in an inductive coupled reactive ion etcher. The waveguides contained 2D random arrays of air holes that scattered light, and the scattering length was varied by the hole size and filling fraction. The waveguide walls were made of photonic crystals that had complete bandgap in 2D, so that light could not escape laterally. However, light will leak out of the plane while being scattered by the air holes. This vertical leakage can be described by an effective absorption or dissipation. The relevant parameters are the diffusive absorption length ha0 and the transport mean free path . The localization length h is determined by and the waveguide width W. Light from a CW laser source was injected into the waveguide from one end, and transported through the random medium. Spatial distribution of light intensity on the sample surface was imaged onto a camera by an objective lens. After entering the random medium, light is attenuated due to competing effects of backscattering and dissipation. I(y, z) was integrated along the transverse y-direction to determine the variation of intensity along the axial z-direction (parallel to the waveguide axis).Fig. lb shows the measured light intensity I(z) inside the ensembles of random waveguides of different width W (blue). The values of ξ and ξασ are obtained by fitting the most diffusive sample (W = 60 μm, longest ξ) with SCT (red dashed line) [2,3]. Using these values, SCT successfully predicts I(z) for all other samples. D(z) corresponding to red curves in Fig. lb are plotted in Fig. lc, showing a suppression of diffusion in the middle of the sample with increase ξασ/ξ (decrease of W) as predicted by SCT.
Cell adhesion: old and new questions

Metazoans clearly need cell adhesion to hold themselves together, but adhesion does much more than that. Adhesion receptors make transmembrane connections, linking extracellular matrix and adjacent cells to the intracellular cytoskeleton, and they also serve as signal transducers. In this article, I briefly summarize our present understanding of the molecular basis and biological consequences of cell adhesion and discuss how our current knowledge sheds light on questions of specificity of cell adhesion. I offer some thoughts and speculations about the evolution of cell-adhesion molecules and processes, consider their inter-relationships with other forms of cell-cell communication and discuss unresolved questions ripe for investigation as we enter the postgenomic era.
The Husimi function for electron distributions

We discuss the properties of a phase space distribution function that can be expressed as a Gaussian convolution of the Wigner function corresponding to the oneelectron charge density matrix for a many-electron system. This distribution function is known as the Husimi function. It is real and nowhere negative and can be interpreted as a probability density for finding an electron in a particular coherent state or, equivalently, for finding it in a region of phase space consistent with the uncertainty principle. Information is not lost in the transformation from the Wigner function, which can be recovered. We discuss the relationships among various functions and their Fourier transforms. The Husimi function does not have the ordinary densities as marginals but rather Gaussian convolutions of them, from which the ordinary densities can be recovered. Advantages of the Husimi function over the Wigner function for the interpretation of electronic structure are discussed. Illustrative results for the hydrogen atom and for the nitrogen atom at the SCF level are presented.
Exploration of dimensions of estrogen potency: parsing ligand binding and coactivator binding affinities

The estrogen receptors, ERα and ERβ, are ligand-regulated transcription factors that control gene expression programs in target tissues. The molecular events underlying estrogen action involve minimally two steps, hormone binding to the ER ligand-binding domain followed by coactivator recruitment to the ER·ligand complex; this ligand·receptor·coactivator triple complex then alters gene expression. Conceptually, the potency of an estrogen in activating a cellular response should reflect the affinities that characterize both steps involved in the assembly of the active ligand·receptor·coactivator complex. Thus, to better understand the molecular basis of estrogen potency, we developed a completely in vitro system (using radiometric and time-resolved FRET assays) to quantify independently three parameters: (a) the affinity of ligand binding to ER, (b) the affinity of coactivator binding to the ER·ligand complex, and (c) the potency of ligand recruitment of coactivator. We used this system to characterize the binding and potency of 12 estrogens with both ERα and ERβ. Some ligands showed good correlations between ligand binding affinity, coactivator binding affinity, and coactivator recruitment potency with both ERs, whereas others showed correlations with only one ER subtype or displayed discordant coactivator recruitment potencies. When ligands with low receptor binding affinity but high coactivator recruitment potencies to ERβ were evaluated in cell-based assays, elevation of cellular coactivator levels significantly and selectively improved their potency. Collectively, our results indicate that some low affinity estrogens may elicit greater cellular responses in those target cells that express higher levels of specific coactivators capable of binding to their ER complexes with high affinity.