cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Novel ssIIa alleles produce specific seed amylose levels in hexaploid wheat.

Novel starch synthase II (ssIIa) alleles were created in a soft wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) via ethyl methanesulfonate mutagenesis and combined by crossing to create four unique ssIIa triple mutant haplotypes. A range of starch amylose content was obtained from the ssIIa triple mutant lines (35.6–46.8%), with moderate increases in amylose content found in lines carrying two ssIIa null alleles and one partially functional ssIIa allele. Seeds from all ssIIa triple mutants had significantly higher amylose and protein contents but also lower starch content, kernel weight, and flour swelling power compared with their wild-type sister lines. Seed starch amylose content was negatively correlated with individual kernel weight (r = –0.54), starch content (r = –0.85), and flour swelling power (r = –0.91) but positively correlated with grain protein (r = 0.78), demonstrating that unique ssIIa triple mutant null combinations confer defined levels of seed starch amylose, protein content, and kernel size. The ssIIa mu...
μPAD Fluorescence Scattering Immunoagglutination Assay for Cancer Biomarkers from Blood and Serum.

A microfluidic paper analytical device (μPAD) was created for the sensitive quantification of cancer antigens, carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) and carbohydrate antigen 19-9 (CA 19-9), from human who...
A thermodynamic analysis of a novel bidirectional district heating and cooling network

Abstract We evaluate an ambient, bidirectional thermal network, which uses a single circuit for both district heating and cooling. When in net more cooling is needed than heating, the system circulates from a central plant in one direction. When more heating is needed, the system circulates in the opposite direction. A large benefit of this design is that buildings can recover waste heat from each other directly. We analyze the thermodynamic performance of the bidirectional system. Because the bidirectional system represents the state-of-the-art in design for district systems, its peak energy efficiency represents an upper bound on the thermal performance of any district heating and cooling system. However, because any network has mechanical and thermal distribution losses, we develop a diversity criterion to understand when the bidirectional system may be a more energy-efficient alternative to modern individual-building systems. We show that a simple model of a low-density, high-distribution loss network is more efficient than aggregated individual buildings if there is at least 1 unit of cooling energy per 5.7 units of simultaneous heating energy (or vice versa). We apply this criterion to reference building profiles in three cities to look for promising clusters.
Phenomenological Electrode Kinetics

Electrode kinetics concerns the rates of reactions which occur at interfaces between ionic and electronically conducting phases.
Case 16: Shoulder Surgery – Watch Out!

Today you are anesthetizing a 38 year old man (90 kg and 185 cm) for shoulder reconstruction. The patient is otherwise healthy and does not take any medication regularly. He has not had any surgery in the past. A surgeon, you have never worked with, is going to do the surgery. The patient is anesthetized in a routine manner with fentanyl, propofol, and rocuronium. The trachea is intubated using a #9 endotracheal tube (ETT). The ETT is secured at 22 cm. The patient receives positive-pressure ventilation. Anesthesia is maintained with sevoflurane in oxygen. The patient is placed in a beach chair position and his left arm is placed on a McConnell armholder (Greenville, TX 75401) and secured. You have not seen anyone use this armholder before. The surgery commences. Two hours later there is a sudden drop in systolic pressure to 60 mmHg, measured at the right ankle. The heart rate goes from 60 to 110 bpm and the end-tidal CO2 decreases from 30 to 15 mmHg. The oxygen saturation decreases from 100 to 85%. The ventilator parameters all remain the same. You cannot see any obvious blood loss nor have you given any medications for over 1.5 h.
Cell-based assay for the determination of estrogenic and anti-estrogenic activities

Methods are described for assessing the estrogenic or anti-estrogenic potential of test substances using cultured (human endometrial) Ishikawa cells. This cell line possesses an estrogen-inducible alkaline phosphatase, and estrogenic activity is indicated by assessing by the rate of p-nitrophenol generated from p-nitrophenylphosphate, subsequent to treatment with test compounds. Anti-estrogenic activity is indicated by a decrease in phosphatase activity when the cells are treated with test compounds in the presence of estrogen.
III–V Compound Avalanche Photodiodes

Avalanche photodiodes (APDs) constitute an important example of a class of optoelectronic devices, called photodetectors, which convert infrared and visible-light energy into measurable electric currents. APDs are widely used as photodetectors in many high-speed optical receivers, including those deployed in current 10-Gb/s/channel lightwave systems (OC-192). They are also used in applications involving single-photon or photon-number-resolving detection. In this chapter, the principles of operation and key factors governing the performance of APDs in key applications are reviewed. State-of-the-art analytical models for the prediction of device- and application-level performance metrics are also presented, followed by a discussion of design and structure trends in modern APDs.
Pathogenesis and Genome Organization of the Rice Blast Fungus

Plant diseases caused by fungi present a serious challenge to our efforts to feed the world’s rapidly increasing population. Manipulation of plant genes through genetic engineering and traditional breeding provides an opportunity to improve the disease resistance in crops of agricultural significance. In addition, the application of target-based drug design will lead to the identification of various novel chemical agents that will possess significant potential as disease control agents. The success of such approaches will depend heavily on the biological knowledge of fungal pathogens in such areas as mechanisms of virulence and pathogenicity, population structure and dynamics, and the nature and mechanisms of genetic changes underpinning the evolution of new races. As a result of limited resources, coupled with the necessity to study many fungal diseases of economic significance, comprehensive research focused on these aspects of fungal biology has been restricted to a limited number of model systems. Magnaporthe grisea, the causal agent for rice blast disease, has become one such system. Worldwide, rice blast is one of the most economically devastating crop diseases. In addition to its agricultural significance, the rice blast system presents many advantages as an experimental model: (a) Extensive genetic and molecular analyses of host specificity and pathogenicity have been carried out; (b) Molecular and cellular bases of infection processes are well characterized; (c) Rice is a model genetic system for monocots; (d) Well-saturated genetic and physical maps of M. grisea are available; (e) Genome sequencing of both rice and M. grisea is in progress; (f) Genetic and race diversity of fungal populations in many rice-growing areas has been extensively surveyed. In this chapter we aim to provide an overview of the nature of the interaction between M. grisea and its hosts and the corresponding mechanisms employed at each level, from molecules to populations.
The Hero with Mad Skills: James Bond and the World of Extreme Sports

This article explores the symbiotic relationship between the James Bond films and extreme sports and argues that Bond's mastery of these sports (such as skiing, rock climbing, surfing, and BASE jumping) are a significant contributing factor to audiences' perceptions of the character as an archetypal hero and as a masculine icon. I will also explore Bond's status as a modern-day warrior and demonstrate the ways in which the Bond franchise has contributed to the culture of a number of extreme sports.
"Despite the Odds": Unpacking the Politics of Black Resilience Neoliberalism.

Through sustained ethnographic field work that inquired into youth participatory action researchers’ political identity development, I identified a politicized discourse engaged by youth during the...
Articulation: A Proposal to Maximize Excellence In Collegiate Aviation Education

The purpose of this study was to gain insight into articulation and transfer arrangements between two-year and four-year higher education institutions. As a means towards this end, a thorough review of literature supporting articulation was conducted. A presupposition on which this study focused was that aviation associate degrees are not intertwined with baccalaureate degree programs. This obstacle places a burden on students' abilities to complete both the associate and baccalaureate degrees within an economical four-year time period. Few institutions have developed articulation agreements for aviation programs with other institutions. A content analysis methodology was applied to the catalogs and schedules of all institutions of higher education in Oklahoma. Potential opportunities for articulation were examined and the results presented. Recommendations for action toward this goal were proposed.
Coping, Attributions, and Health Functioning Among Adolescents with Chronic Illness and Their Parents: Reciprocal Relations Over Time

The purpose of the study was to identify bidirectional and longitudinal links between attributions, coping, and health functioning among adolescents with chronic illness and their parents. Religious/spiritual coping, attributional styles, and health functioning were assessed among adolescents with chronic illness at two time points approximately 21 months apart. Parental coping and attributions at both time points were also measured. Longitudinal links between variables were tested using an autoregressive cross-lagged path model; adolescent age and disease differences were evaluated via multigroup modeling. Poorer adolescent health functioning at baseline predicted higher use of parent optimistic attributional style at follow-up. Adolescent optimistic attributional style at baseline predicted more positive and less negative religious/spiritual coping at follow-up; adolescent negative religious/spiritual coping at baseline predicted more positive religious/spiritual coping at follow-up. Parent optimistic attributional style and positive religious/spiritual coping at baseline predicted the same constructs among adolescents at follow-up. With respect to age differences, parental negative religious/spiritual coping at baseline was associated with poorer health functioning among younger, but not older, adolescents at follow-up. There were no disease differences in the model. Important links were identified in this family-based model of coping, attributions, and health functioning. The results highlight specific targets for interventions to improve health functioning and coping among adolescents with chronic illness, including parental religious/spiritual coping and adolescent attributional style.
Anomaly-Free Theories Remain Anomaly-Free after Compactification with no Isometries

It has long been known that the classical gauge symmetries of a theory may be broken by quantum effects. These quantum anomalies prevent conservation of the gauge currents, which ultimately leads to a loss of unitarity. Therefore, it is extremely important that a theory have no anomalies.
Assessment of Voice Outcomes Following Surgery for Thyroid Cancer

Importance An increasing number of surgeries are being performed for differentiated thyroid cancer (DTC). Long-term voice abnormalities are a known risk of thyroid surgery; however, few studies have used validated scales to quantify voice outcomes after surgery. Objective To identify the prevalence, severity, and factors associated with poor voice outcomes following surgery for DTC. Design, Setting, and Participants A cross-sectional, population-based survey was distributed via a modified Dillman method to 4185 eligible patients and linked to Surveillance, Epidemiology and End Results (SEER) data from SEER sites in Georgia and Los Angeles, California, from February 1, 2017, to October 31, 2018. Multivariable logistic regression and zero-inflated negative binomial analysis were performed to determine factors associated with abnormal voice. Participants included patients undergoing surgery for DTC between January 1, 2014, and December 31, 2015, excluding those with voice abnormalities before surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures Abnormal Voice Handicap Index (VHI-10) score, defined as greater than 11. The VHI-10 is designed to quantify 10 psychosocial consequences of voice disorders on a Likert scale (0, never; to 4, always). Results A total of 2632 patients (63%) responded to the survey and 2325 met the inclusion criteria. With data reported as unweighted number and weighted percentage, 1792 were women (77.4%); weighted mean (SD) age was 49.4 (14.4) years. Of these, 599 patients (25.8%) reported voice changes lasting more than 3 months following surgery, 272 patients (12.7%) were identified as having an abnormal VHI-10 score, and 105 patients (4.7%) reported vocal fold motion impairment diagnosed by laryngoscopy. In multivariable analysis, factors associated with an abnormal VHI-10 score included age 45 to 54 years (reference, ≤44 years; odds ratio [OR], 1.49; 95% CI, 1.05-2.11), black race (OR, 1.73; 95% CI, 1.14-2.62), Asian race (OR, 1.66; 95% CI, 1.08-2.54), gastroesophageal reflux disease (OR, 1.67; 95% CI, 1.15-2.43), and lateral neck dissection (OR, 1.99; 95% CI, 1.11-3.56). Conclusions and Relevance A high prevalence of abnormal voice per validation with the VHI-10 emphasizes the need for heightened awareness of voice abnormalities following surgery and warrants consideration in the preoperative risk-benefit discussion, planned extent of surgery, and postoperative rehabilitation.
Green innovation and green Imports:Links between environmental policies, innovation, and production

This paper addresses the claim that environmental policies stimulate domestic economies. The claim is parsed into two sequential parts: the effect of policies on innovation and the effect of that innovation on resulting manufacturing production. Each of these activities -- innovation and manufacturing -- can either take place at home or abroad, and where they take place determines the consequences for the domestic economy. The empirical evidence is based on measures of policy, patent activity, and trade in the renewable energy sector of 31 OECD countries between 1988 and 2003. The results from regression analysis suggest that renewable energy policies have had some success in stimulating domestic economies. While renewable energy policies are associated with little domestic innovation outside of Germany, Japan, and the United States, they do boost the adoption of foreign technologies overall. In turn, when patenting occurs the results detect an increase in manufacturing production of renewable energy technologies as well as a rise of the country's international competitiveness through exports.
Cardiotoxicity of Immune Checkpoint Inhibitors in Patients with Lung Cancer

Background Immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICIs) activate the host immune system to target cancer cells. However, the unchecked systemic inflammatory response may result in cardiovascular immune-related adverse events, as myocarditis, pericardial disease, stress-induced, and dilated cardiomyopathy are increasingly reported in case series and pharmacovigilance databases. We sought to further investigate ICI-related cardiotoxicity in a cohort of patients with lung cancer. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis of patients with a pathologically confirmed diagnosis of primary lung cancer treated with ICIs or non-ICI systemic therapy over three years to assess the likelihood of major adverse cardiovascular events, defined as cardiovascular death, non-fatal MI, non-fatal stroke, and hospitalization for heart failure. Data was collected on co-morbidities, cardiovascular medications, past or concurrent radiation or systemic therapies, serum troponin, brain natriuretic peptide levels, pre- and post-treatment electrocardiograms, echocardiography, angiography, and total ICI dose. Each factor was compared between patients treated with ICIs and non-ICI systemic therapy. Results We included 252 patients in our study. During a median follow-up of 6 months (interquartile range: 2-14 months), patients treated with ICIs (n = 135) who had a troponin elevation were more likely to sustain a MACE (hazard ratio: 6.9, 95% confidence interval: 3.2-15, p Discussion Patients with lung cancer on ICIs are more likely to incur a troponin elevation compared to patients on conventional chemotherapy. Elevated troponin is associated with an increased likelihood of MACE, especially early during treatment with ICIs. This data supports closer monitoring, including serial troponin measurements during the early phase of ICI therapy.
Using Modified Team-Based Learning to Teach Antimicrobial Stewardship to Medical Students: One Institution's Approach

Educational interventions are a critical feature of antimicrobial stewardship programs. Most of these interventions target practicing physicians whose prescribing habits are usually difficult to influence. Consequently, there has been increasing interest in familiarizing early learners with the principles of antimicrobial stewardship. However, there is limited data regarding the utility of active learning interventions, such as team-based learning (TBL), for this purpose. In this article, we report the results of a post-course survey eliciting the opinions of the 168 second year medical students who completed the first implementation of a modified TBL course on antimicrobial stewardship. The course consisted of two 120-min modules, each of which guided participant students through most of the characteristic stages of TBL. The post-course survey was analyzed using qualitative and quantitative methodologies. In general, students found the readiness assurance testing, application activity, and team dynamics of TBL effective and the webcasts, used for pre-class preparation, ineffective. This study offers a first glimpse into the attitudes of pre-clinical medical students toward TBL as a strategy for introducing antimicrobial stewardship. It can serve as a roadmap for educators contemplating the implementation of a similar program at their institution and as a launching pad for research on the effects of this type of intervention on physician prescribing habits.
An integrated two-qubit quantum network node

We build a two-qubit quantum network node based on a 13C nuclear spin and a silicon-vacancy center strongly coupled to a diamond nanophotonic cavity and efficiently interfaced with a tapered optical fiber.
Developmental Pattern of the Greater Trochanter in Skeletal Immature Patients

Purpose: Trochanteric entry antegrade nailing of pediatric patients allows for expanded options of internal lengthening and osteotomy in children, and has become increasingly accepted in patients aged 8 years and older despite violation of the active growth plate. The purpose of this study was to measure the height of the bony greater trochanter and its overlying cartilaginous cap during growth to provide normative means in predicting the amount of remaining growth, in order determine when the majority of greater trochanteric growth has …
Comparison of latent typologies of posttraumatic stress disorder and depression symptoms across military personnel from India and the US.

Abstract Research has identified heterogeneous subgroups of individuals based on posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and depression symptoms. Using data collected from military personnel in India (N = 146) and U.S. (N = 194), we examined (1) the best-fitting latent class solution; (2) multi-group invariance of the class solution; and (3) construct validity of optimal class solution. Results indicated that the optimal 4-class solution differed in severity and severity/type in the India and U.S. samples respectively. With similarity in the optimal number of classes across cultural samples, the meaning/nature of classes differed. In the India sample, anxiety severity predicted the Low Severity Class vs. all other classes, and the Moderately High Severity/High Severity Classes vs. the Moderately Low Severity Class; number of traumas predicted the High Severity Class vs. other classes; and resilience predicted the Moderately Low Severity Class vs. the Moderately High Severity Class. In the U.S. sample, alcohol use predicted the High Severity Class vs. all other classes, and the High Depression-Low PTSD Class vs. the Low Severity Class; rumination significantly predicted the High Severity and High Depression-Low PTSD Classes vs. each of the High PTSD-Low Depression and Low Severity Classes. Thus, meaning and nature of PTSD-depression subgroups may vary culturally; hence, culturally-sensitive interventions need to account for this heterogeneity.
Jury Nullification: The Current State of the Law

In 2018, the Utah legislature considered a proposed bill that would have explicitly granted jurors the right to nullify in criminal cases. This research, done in preparation for committee testimony, contains the most up-to-date law on the topic. It includes a fifty-state survey on whether juries in various jurisdictions are (1) given the right to consider the possible sentencing penalty before rendering a verdict; (2) told they may disregard the law; or (3) instructed on the right to nullify. Additionally, the research includes fifty-state survey data on whether judges may lie to juries about the right to nullify, and how various jurisdictions treat attempts by outside organizations to notify potential jurors of their right to nullify.
Exposure to catastrophe risk and use of reinsurance: an empirical evaluation for the U.S.

Reinsurance has long been used for tail risk protection. There is ample anecdotal information from practitioners about this dimension of reinsurance. The subject, however, remains largely unexplored in the academic literature given the lack of data about non-proportional reinsurance contracts. We develop a novel approach to measure the use of non-proportional reinsurance and use it to disentangle reinsurance used for catastrophe risk protection from reinsurance used for other motivations, for example regulatory capital relief. Our findings rely on a new measure of catastrophe risk that has strong explanatory power about insurers’ behaviour towards risk beyond what has been captured by existing measures.
N\'eel and disordered phases of coupled Heisenberg chains with $S=1/2$ to S=4

We use the two-step density-matrix renormalization group method to study the effects of frustration in Heisenberg models for $S=1/2$ to S=4 in a two-dimensional anisotropic lattice. We find that as in $S=1/2$ studied previously, the system is made of nearly disconnected chains at the maximally frustrated point, $J_d/J_{\perp}=0.5$, i.e., the transverse spin-spin correlations decay exponentially. This leads to the following consequences: (i) all half-integer spins systems are gapless, behaving like a sliding Luttinger liquid as in $S=1/2$; (ii) for integer spins, there is an intermediate disordered phase with a spin gap, with the width of the disordered state is roughly proportional to the 1D Haldane gap.
Bladder stone on non-absorbable sutures twenty years after a female sterilization

Foreign body in the urinary bladder causes recurrent infection and stone formation. This is an unusual case report of a bladder stone formed on a non-absorbable suture 20 years after a female sterilization. It was detected with ultrasound and pelvic X-Ray. Laparotomy was done for its completed removal as cystoscopy failed to remove it. This case highlights that abdominal- pelvic scan and pelvic x-ray in addition to a urine test, should be included in the early part of the investigation in the management of recurrent urinary tract infection to exclude the possibility of the bladder stone.
Toward Extracting Multidimensional Kinematics from SWIFT Experiments

The Shock Wave Image Framing Technique (SWIFT) developed at Los Alamos National Laboratory is an implementation of focused shadowgraphy for visualizing the propagation of explosively-driven shock waves within transparent witness media. A SWIFT image depicts the area traversed by the leading shockwave as a distinctly dark area within the media, and allows the projection of axisymmetric, 3-D shock structures into a 2-D plane. This technique has successfully extracted 2-D shock positions utilizing conventional image processing techniques on a 1-D axisymmetric axis about the charge center. To expand SWIFT’s capabilities, the development of analysis tools for 2-D kinematic extraction is necessary. These 2-D measurements would allow for enhanced performance characterization of small-scale explosive components and aid design optimization, diagnostics, and explosive shock model development. Complex, three-dimensional, diverging shock waves evolve with time into effectively spherical shapes independent of initial geometry. As time progresses well beyond the detonation event, these smoothed, spherical shapes have averaged out much of the information describing the initial conditions, reaching a location we refer to as the “far field.” A lower-order model for shock propagation is developed and compared to high fidelity numerical simulations of similar conditions to actual SWIFT experiments. In order to establish a relevant SWIFT domain, where shock curve shapes remain distinct for the extraction of 2-D kinematics, the lower-order model is optimized with respect to the high-fidelity numerical simulations. For shadowgraphs acquired in early time, the optimization converges to unique solutions of the parameter models. However, the optimization begins to diverge as time progresses, indicating a difficulty in extracting unique, two-dimensional data from the image. With the establishment of the far field, engineers can implement existing shock dynamics on SWIFT images up to this boundary or weight a similar analysis of a multi-image data set appropriately.
Forming Habits, Overcoming Obstacles, and Setting Realistic Goals: A Qualitative Study of Physical Activity Maintenance Among Latinas

The impact of physical activity interventions for Latina women can be enhanced by identifying and implementing strategies to achieve long-term physical activity maintenance. Physical activity promotion research has mainly focused on physical activity initiation and we know little regarding individual, interpersonal, or environmental factors that influence maintenance of physical activity. This study aimed to qualitatively explore and understand factors associated with maintenance and non-maintenance of physical activity among Latinas. Semi-structured individual interviews were conducted with 21 Latinas who increased their physical activity as a result of an intervention, and who completed a 3-month maintenance period without contact from research staff. Data were analyzed using thematic analysis. Important facilitators of physical activity maintenance described by participants included having made physical activity a habit; the ability to proactively overcome obstacles to engaging in physical activity, and satisfaction with outcomes obtained from engaging in physical activity. Additional facilitators mentioned by both maintainers and non-maintainers included having motivation, social support, and opportunities to be active. Both maintainers and non-maintainers reported high self-efficacy for PA maintenance in the future. Guiding intervention participants to form habits and to set realistic expectations could help them to independently continue engaging in physical activity upon completion of physical activity interventions. Teaching them skills to proactively overcome obstacles may also be important for physical activity maintenance.
Distributed optical ATM switching architectures

We propose a new class of distributed optical ATM switching architectures for wide-area networks. The networks consist of geographically distributed group routing nodes (GRNs) connected by WDM links in different topologies. Individual users, such as LANs or high performance computers, are attached to each GRN. A GRN consists of routing modules (RMs), each of which contains a small number of fixed wavelength transmitters and passive wavelength demultiplexed receivers determined by network topology, and serves both as a user interface and a router. Each GRN-to-GRN connection operates asynchronously via a passive star coupler, a WDM group link and a splitter connected to diffraction based passive wavelength demultiplexers in the RMs. A protocol utilizing WDM and bit level TDM is used for the pretransmission coordination, load-balancing and data transfer. Proposed networks with their protocol allow efficient network-wide broadcasts and multicasts and also perform well under nonuniform traffic in addition to uniform traffic. The interconnection topology is flexible and can be chosen based on traffic patterns.
Colonial mutiny and the black radical Atlantic: Sierra Leone, 1939

This article details an incident that occurred in colonial West Africa just prior to the start of World War II. Disputing their pay and terms of service, 11 Sierra Leonean soldiers in the British army went out on strike, refusing to assemble for duty. Although they did not remain in protest long, their action drew disproportionately severe punishments. Focusing upon the so-called ‘gunners’ mutiny’, this piece queries the relative or situational nature of ‘radical’ ideas, ideals, and actions.
Central Nervous System Inhibition of Gastric Secretion in the Rat by GastrinReleasing Peptide, a Mammalian Bombesin

Gastrin-releasing peptide is a 27-amino acid peptide recently isolated from porcine gut. It shares a common c-terminal decapeptide homology with bombesin (except for a His/Gln interchange at residue 8 from c-terminus). Synthetic porcine gastrin-releasing peptide was shown to release gastrin 5 min after intravenous injection in rats. Given intracisternally (0.3–3 µg), but not intravenously (1–10 µg), gastrin-releasing peptide caused a dose-dependent reduction in gastric secretion (volume and acidity) and elevation in plasma gastrin levels measured 2 h after peptide injection and pylorus ligation in rats. Gastrin-releasing peptide given intracisternally had long acting, reversible, and specific inhibitory effects. Gastrin-releasing peptide blocked the secretion of acid evoked by 2-deoxy-D-glucose or TRH given intracisternally or by histamine given subcutaneously. The acetylated C-terminal octapeptide fragment of gastrin-releasing peptide inhibited gastric acid secretion as effectively as gastrin-releasing peptide. Acetylated C-terminal heptapeptide did not. These results demonstrated that gastrin-releasing peptide has the capability to act in the brain to inhibit basal and stimulated gastric secretion and its antisecretory effect does not depend on a decrease in gastrin release. The presence of bombesin immunoactivity in rat brain and its ability to act through the brain to inhibit gastric acid secretion suggest that bombesinlike pep tides may be chemical messengers involved in central nervous regulation of gastric secretion
Public Education and the Aesthetic Dimension of Strauss’s Theologico-Political Problem

Charles S. Peirce states that logic, “the theory of self-controlled, or deliberate, thought...must appeal to ethics for its principles,” and that ethics, “the science of right and wrong, must appeal to esthetics [sic] for aid in determining the summum bonum.” The logically good is a species of the morally good, but for a course of action to strike us as morally good, it must be “admirable”: the morally good is therefore “a particular species of the esthetically good.” If Peirce is correct, the process that shapes our vision of the admirable is of paramount importance, for that process — aesthetic education, broadly conceived — determines what we respect, and hence what we believe and how we will act.
The learning power of belief revision

Belief revision theory aims to describe how one should change one's beliefs when they are contradicted by newly input information. The guiding principle of belief revision theory is to change one's prior beliefs as little as possible in order to maintain consistency with the new information. Learning theory focuses, instead, on learning power: the ability to arrive at true beliefs in a wide range of possible environments. The goal of this paper is to bridge the two approaches by providing a learning theoretic analysis of the learning power of belief revision methods proposed by Spohn, Boutilier, Darwiche and Pearl, and others. The results indicate that learning power depends sharply on details of the methods. Hence, learning power can provide a well-motivated constraint on the design and implementation of concrete belief revision methods.
Hierarchical Analysis of Nucleotide Diversity in Geographically Structured Populations

Existing methods for analyzing nucleotide diversity require investigators to identify relevant hierarchical levels before beginning the analysis. We describe a method that partitions diversity into hierarchical components while allowing any structure present in the data to emerge naturally. We present an unbiased version of NEI's nucleotide diversity statistics and show that our modification has the same properties as WRIGHT's F(ST). We compare its statistical properties with several other F(ST) estimators, and we describe how to use these statistics to produce a rooted tree of relationships among the sampled populations in which the mean time to coalescence of haplotypes drawn from populations belonging to the same node is smaller than the mean time to coalescence of haplotypes drawn from populations belonging to different nodes. We illustrate the method by applying it to data from a recent survey of restriction site variation in the chloroplast genome of Coreopsis grandiflora.
The establishment of segmentation in the Drosophila leg

Segmentation is a developmental mechanism that subdivides a tissue into repeating functional units, which can then be further elaborated upon during development. In contrast to embryonic segmentation, Drosophila leg segmentation occurs in a tissue that is rapidly growing in size and thus segmentation must be coordinated with tissue growth. I demonstrate that segmentation of the Drosophila leg, as assayed by expression of the key regulators of segmentation, the Notch ligands and fringe, occurs progressively and I define the sequence in which the initial segmental subdivisions arise. I further demonstrate that the proximal-distal patterning genes homothorax and dachshund are positively required, while Distal-less is unexpectedly negatively required, to establish the segmental pattern of Notch ligand and fringe expression. Two Serrate enhancers that respond to regulation by dachshund are also identified. Together, these studies provide evidence that distinct combinations of the proximal-distal patterning genes independently regulate each segmental ring of Notch ligand and fringe expression and that this regulation occurs through distinct enhancers. These studies thus provide a molecular framework for understanding how segmentation during tissue growth is accomplished.
Syntheses of optically efficient (La1-x-yCexTby)F3 nanocrystals via a hydrothermal method

Abstract Optically efficient cerium and terbium doped lanthanide fluoride ( La 1− x − y Ce x Tb y )F 3 nanocrystals with different doping concentrations have been synthesized by a hydrothermal route in the presence of ethylenediamine tetraacetic acid disodium salt (EDTA). The results showed that the formation of nanocrystals with different morphologies depends on terbium ion Tb 3+ doping concentration, but independent of cerium ion Ce 3+ doping concentration. With increase in Tb 3+ doping concentration, the morphologies of nanocrystals evolved from a spherical shape to a plated-like one. In addition, both the photoluminescence quantum yield (PL QY) and the fluorescence lifetime of nanocrystals increased with the increase in Ce 3+ doping concentration in cerium and terbium co-doped system. The PL QY reached up to 55%, and the lifetime up to 7.3 ms. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), selected area electron diffraction (SAED), X-ray fluorescence (XRF), energy dispersive spectroscopy (EDS), ultraviolet–visible (UV–vis) absorption, photoluminescence (PL) and infrared (IR) spectroscopies were employed to characterize the properties of nanocrystals. The growth mechanism of nanocrystals with different morphologies and optical properties of nanocrystals with different doping concentrations were investigated.
Solids with non-spherical cavities : simplifiedrepresentations of cavity compliance tensors and theoverall anisotropy

Cavity compliances that determine the contribution of a cavity to the overall strainunder given loads are analyzed. Generally, they are characterized by fourth rank tensors H.We identify the classes of pore shapes for which characterization by H-tensors can bereduced, with sufficient accuracy, to one in terms of second rank symmetric tensors and certainscalar shape factors. These tensors and shape factors are explicitly found in terms of cavitygeometries. This simplification has far reaching implications : in the framework of thenon-interaction approximation, a solid with pores of certain geometries is orthotropic for anyorientational distribution of such pores. Moreover, the orthotropy is of a simplified type : thenumber of independent moduli is reduced from nine to five (or even four, in the case of cracks) .It is also shown that randomly oriented ellipsoids (overall isotropy) can be approximated, fromthe point of view of the effective moduli, by certain equivalent spheroids. However, furthersimplification—approximation by spheres—cannot be made.
Skill and Tactical Development during a Sport Education Season

Abstract The purpose of this study was to examine the development of skill competence and tactical sophistication during a games unit conducted following the features of sport education provided by Siedentop (1994). One team of six players was followed through a 30-lesson season of “Ultimate.” Using Grehaigne, Godbout, and Bouthier's (1997) formula for an efficiency index, together with a number of other measures of skill and tactical competence, it was determined that these students made significant improvements in selection and execution dimensions of the game. Furthermore, lower skilled students did not feel marginalized within their teams and believed they had equal opportunities for improvement. The key reasons for developing competence in this setting were the sufficient length of the season to allow for significant practice opportunities and the consistent team membership throughout season, which allowed all players to develop a sense of usefulness. This curriculum model provides one way students c...
Investigating student pharmacist perceptions of professional engagement using a modified Delphi process.

Objective. To develop a definition of professional engagement, a list of professionally engaging and disengaging activities, and characteristics of those activities.Methods. A 2-round modified Delphi process was conducted using student pharmacists. The first round captured input while the second assessed agreement using a 5-point Likert scale.Results. A definition was created using the 3 items that reached consensus. All engaging characteristics reached consensus, and 25% (3/12) of the disengaging characteristics reached consensus. Lower rates of consensus were observed for activities, with 78% (7/9) of the professionally engaging and none of the disengaging activities reaching consensus.Conclusion. The findings of this study have implications for creating professionally engaging learning experiences for student pharmacists and suggest that ensuring activities contain certain professionally engaging characteristics may be more important than the activities themselves.
One agent, many diseases: exposure-response data and comparative risks of different outcomes following silica exposure.

Background Evidence in recent years indicates that silica causes lung cancer, and probably renal disease, in addition to its well-known relationship to silicosis. There is also suggestive evidence that silica can cause arthritis and other auto-immune diseases. Silica has, therefore, joined a handful of other toxic exposures such as tobacco smoke, dioxin, and asbestos which cause multiple serious diseases. Methods The available exposure-response data for silica and silicosis, lung cancer, and renal disease are reviewed. We compare the corresponding excess risks (or absolute risks in the case of silicosis) of death or disease incidence by age 75 for these three diseases, subsequent to a lifetime (45 years) of exposure to silica at current US standard (0.1 mg/m 3 respirable crystalline silica). Results The absolute risk of silicosis, as defined by small opacities greater than or equal to ILO classification 1/1 on an X-ray, ranges from 47% to 77% in three cohort studies with adequate follow-up after employment. The absolute risk of death from silicosis is estimated at 1.9% (0.8%-2.9%), based on a pooled analysis of six cohort studies. The excess risk of lung cancer death, assuming US male background rates, is 1.7% (0.2%-3.6%), based on a pooled analysis often cohort studies. The excess risk of end-stage renal disease (assuming male background rates) is 5.1% (2.2%- 7.3%), based on a single cohort. The excess risk of death from renal disease is estimated to be 1.8% (0.8%-9.7%), based on a pooled analysis of three cohorts. Conclusions Keeping in mind that the usual OSHA acceptable excess risk of serious disease or death for workers is 0.1%, it is clear that the current standard is far from sufficiently protective of workers' health. Perhaps surprisingly, kidney disease emerges as perhaps a higher risk than either mortality from silicosis or lung cancer, although the data are based on fewer studies.
Iron assimilation in Cryptococcus neoformans.

We studied the effects of iron chelators and of a thallium salt on growth of Cryptococcus neoformans in defined medium. An oxidant-sensitive mutant strain was found to require exogenous ferric iron for growth. Using this strain, we found that the synthetic iron chelator, N-hydroxyethylenediamine triacetate (HEDTA), in several saturation states, stimulated growth as well as the comparably saturated siderophore deferoxamine. This non-specific result makes the existence of a cryptococcal ferrihydroxamate receptor doubtful. The catechols, caffeic acid, l-3, 4-dihydroxyphenylalanine, epinephrine, gallic acid, 3-hydroxytyramine (dopamine) and norepinephrine, were tested for growth stimulation in iron deprivation, under conditions in which deferoxamine was stimulatory. Catechols were found to be either neutral or inhibitory. The ferrous iron chelator, bathophenanthroline disulfonate (BPDS), inhibited growth strongly in the absence of exogenous iron, suggesting that ferric ion must be reduced before it can be int...
THE UNIVERSAL FERMI INTERACTION AND THE CONSERVED VECTOR CURRENT IN BETA DECAY

The theoretical formulation of the (V-- A) fermi interac tion is shown. The requirements of the continuity equatio of the electromagnetic current are discussed in order to lead to the formulation of the conserved vector current theory and the unique properties arising from it. The present status of the question of equality between the vector coupling constant g/sub v/ of beta decay and the Fermi constant g/sub u/ of mu decay is examined. Four types of experiments to test the CVC hypothesis are discussed. (auth) O H21308 A procedure was developed for measuring photoneutron yields from targets of grent thickness by the method of induced activity. The dependence of the photoneutron yields on the electron energy, on /sup 16/O nuclei over an energy range of 19 to 66 Mev, and on /sup 63/Cu nuclei over an energy range of 13 to 50 Mev was investigated. The electron beam from a linear accelerator was monitored by means of a secondary emission monitor. The measured values of the photoneutron yields agree with the data of others; they proved to be haif the calculated values obtained by means of the Belenky-Tamm equilibrium spectrum. (auth)
Making a Decision to Forgive

Prominent models and interventions designed to promote forgiveness have distinguished one's decision to forgive from achieving forgiveness as an end state, but because of a lack of a strong measure, there is a weak research base on making a decision to forgive. Thus, in three studies, the authors developed the Decision to Forgive Scale (DTFS) and examined evidence for its reliability and construct validity. The article focused on distinguishing making a decision to forgive from achieved level of forgiveness. Scores on the DTFS showed evidence of reliability, with Cronbach's alpha coefficients ranging from .92 to .94, and a 1-week temporal stability coefficient of .68. Using several strategies, the authors demonstrated that the DTFS is empirically distinct from the Transgression-Related Interpersonal Motivations scale (TRIM; McCullough et al., 1998). Namely, a 3-factor confirmatory factor analysis that included the DTFS and the 2 TRIM subscales showed excellent fit, suggesting these instruments assess 3 different constructs. The DTFS was only moderately related to the TRIM subscales, was more strongly related to stage of change than the TRIM, and predicted subsequent TRIM scores in a cross-lagged model. Finally, although decisions to forgive generally suggested greater forgiveness, these constructs interacted to predict existential distress. Namely, as decisional forgiveness increased, revenge was more strongly related to existential distress. Overall, the DTFS shows considerable promise for further clinical and basic research applications.
Is Θ+(1540) a kaon–skyrmion resonance?

Abstract We reconsider the relationship between the bound state and the SU (3) rigid rotator approaches to strangeness in the Skyrme model. For non-exotic S =−1 baryons the bound state approach matches for small m K onto the rigid rotator approach, and the bound state mode turns into the rotator zero-mode. However, for small m K , we find no S =+1 kaon bound states or resonances in the spectrum, confirming previous work. This suggests that, at least for large N and small m K , the exotic state may be an artifact of the rigid rotator approach to the Skyrme model. An S =+1 near-threshold state comes into existence only for sufficiently large SU (3) breaking. If such a state exists, then it has the expected quantum numbers of Θ + : I =0, J= 1 2 and positive parity. Other exotic states with (I=1,J P = 3 2 + ) , (I=1,J P = 1 2 + ) , (I=2,J P = 5 2 + ) and (I=2,J P = 3 2 + ) appear as its SU (2) rotator excitations. As a test of our methods, we also identify a D-wave S =−1 near-threshold resonance that, upon SU (2) collective coordinate quantization, reproduces the mass splittings of the observed states Λ (1520), Σ (1670) and Σ (1775) with good accuracy.