cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Filovirus Mimics Deliver Effectively to Irreversibly Control Carcinoma Cell Fate

Filoviruses are microns long, but biophysical advantages for such encapsulating/enveloped viruses are obscure. Flexible ‘filomicelles’ have been self-assembled from amphiphilic block copolymer (PEG-PCL) and demonstrate effective delivery of two very different hydrophobic compounds. Retinoic acid (RA) and other retinoids regulate RA receptor transcription factors that induce differentiation and arrest proliferation of many cell types, including cancer cells. Lamin-A, transcriptionally regulated by RA receptors, is a structural protein surrounding chromatin and can affect differentiation and karyokinesis. Paclitaxel, on the other hand, stabilizes microtubules and induces aneuploidy by blocking mitosis, which greatly increases cell death. When cancer cells are treated with either of the drugs alone, over several periods of the normal cell cycle, they revert back to the original proliferative state, consistent with relapse commonly seen after conventional chemotherapy. On the other hand, combining RA with select chemotherapeutics has for several decades produced durable cures of select cancers, notably pro-myeloblastic leukemia (PML) where RA differentiates cells while chemotherapeutic kills the cancer stem cell. With carcinoma lines, we find dual drug treatment with RA plus Paclitaxel increases aneuploidy, and cell death beyond those achieved by either drug single-handedly, with effects being durable. A month after treatment, relapse rates are low for RA-Paclitaxel treated cells (15%), compared to almost all (92%) for cells treated with Paclitaxel alone. Reduction in levels of key cell cycle factor Cyclin-D1 and proliferation marker Ki-67 help clarify the basis for this synergy. These effects are greatly enhanced by loading the drugs into filomicelles. Co-loading the drugs into filomicelles lead to a more potent system compared to separate loading, with no loss in the integration efficiency of drugs. Notably, relapse rates were ∼2% three months after treatment, highlighting the improvement offered by filomicelles. The combination retains its potency across multiple cell lines (liver, lung and bone) despite varying responsiveness to RA alone. Preliminary tests in vivo demonstrate sustained delivery for days as well as efficacy in shrinking tumors. Injections of free RA-Paclitaxel combination are able to arrest growth of subcutaneous lung tumors for over 15 days, a feat not achieved by Paclitaxel alone. Drug loaded filomicelles are able to control the growth of subcutaneous lung and liver tumors. These results highlight the irreversible synergy of killing cancerous cells while driving differentiation. Flexible filomicelles circulate longer and accumulate better in the tumors, thus increasing the efficacy of delivery and treatment.
Hydroisomerization of n-hexadecane: remarkable selectivity of mesoporous silica post-synthetically modified with aluminum

As the impact of acids on catalytically driven chemical transformations is tremendous, fundamental understanding of catalytically relevant factors is essential for the design of more efficient solid acid catalysts. In this work, we employed a post-synthetic doping method to synthesize a highly selective hydroisomerization catalyst and to demonstrate the effect of acid strength and density, catalyst microstructure, and platinum nanoparticle size on the reaction rate and selectivity. Aluminum doped mesoporous silica catalyzed gas-phase n-hexadecane isomerization with remarkably high selectivity to monobranched isomers (∼95%), producing a substantially higher amount of isomers than traditional zeolite catalysts. Mildly acidic sites generated by post-synthetic aluminum grafting were found to be the main reason for its high selectivity. The flexibility of the post-synthetic doping method enabled us to systematically explore the effect of the acid site density on the reaction rate and selectivity, which has been extremely difficult to achieve with zeolite catalysts. We found that a higher density of Bronsted acid sites leads to higher cracking of n-hexadecane presumably due to an increased surface residence time. Furthermore, regardless of pore size and microstructure, hydroisomerization turnover frequency linearly increased as a function of Bronsted acid site density. In addition to strength and density of acid sites, platinum nanoparticle size affected catalytic activity and selectivity. The smallest platinum nanoparticles produced the most effective bifunctional catalyst presumably because of higher percolation into aluminum doped mesoporous silica, generating more ‘intimate’ metallic and acidic sites. Finally, the aluminum doped silica catalyst was shown to retain its remarkable selectivity towards isomers even at increased reaction conversions.
The engine behind (wall) turbulence: perspectives on scale interactions

Known structures and self-sustaining mechanisms of wall turbulence are reviewed and explored in the context of the scale interactions implied by the nonlinear advective term in the Navier–Stokes equations. The viewpoint is shaped by the systems approach provided by the resolvent framework for wall turbulence proposed by McKeon & Sharma (J. Fluid Mech., vol. 658, 2010, pp. 336–382), in which the nonlinearity is interpreted as providing the forcing to the linear Navier–Stokes operator (the resolvent). Elements of the structure of wall turbulence that can be uncovered as the treatment of the nonlinearity ranges from data-informed approximation to analysis of exact solutions of the Navier–Stokes equations (so-called exact coherent states) are discussed. The article concludes with an outline of the feasibility of extending this kind of approach to high-Reynolds-number wall turbulence in canonical flows and beyond.
VARIABLE RESOURCE AVAILABILITY WHEN RESOURCE REPLENISHMENT IS CONSTANT: THE COUPLING OF PREDATORS AND PREY

ABSTRACT. Although food resources are thought to limit many populations, the extent to which the population dynamics of predators and prey are coupled is rarely known. We examined a sedentary population of Red Crossbills (Loxia curvirostra L. complex) that relies on seeds in cones that accumulate in the canopy of Rocky Mountain Lodgepole Pine (Pinus contorta latifolia Engelm.). Nearly constant annual seed production and gradual weathering over many years of initially impenetrable cones in the tree canopy results in a continuous and perhaps roughly constant replenishment of accessible seeds. However, seed availability varies seasonally. We estimated the seasonal variation in the energy demands of the study population. Our results demonstrate that seed predation by these sedentary Red Crossbills potentially drives the seasonal variation in seed availability and likely causes the Red Crossbill population to be regulated. The results are also consistent with a nearly constant replenishment of accessible seeds...
A Stochastic Algorithm for Many-Fermion Systems

A new algorithm for simulating many-fermion systems is discussed in the context of the 3-D Hubbard model.
“On-Top Plasty” for Radial Polydactyly Reconstruction

Purpose To introduce the "on-top plasty" technique and report our long-term outcomes. Methods We evaluated 5 thumbs in 5 patients who underwent radial polydactyly reconstruction using the "on-top plasty" technique between 1998 and 2003. This technique was used when it was felt that neither thumb possessed adequate proximal and distal structures to provide a functional and aesthetically pleasing thumb. Our study group included 1 Flatt type III and 4 Flatt type VII thumbs. The average age at time of surgery was 1.4 years and at final follow-up was 13.5 years. Subjective patient evaluation, objective outcomes values, and validated patient-oriented outcome measures were obtained. Results There was no soft tissue loss and union was achieved in all thumbs with no further surgery required in any thumb. Mean flexion-extension arc for the metacarpophalangeal joint was 60° (range, 10° extension to 70° flexion) and at the interphalangeal joint was 19° (range, 25° extension to 35° flexion). Mean percentage of age-matched norms for lateral, tripod, and tip pinch were 47.0%, 45.9%, and 47.8%, respectively. Mean grip strength was 54.2% of age-matched norm. The mean Pediatric Quality of Life Inventory (PedsQL) score for parent questionnaires was 89.0 and for teen/child questionnaires was 89.1. The Disabilities of the Arm, Shoulder, and Hand (DASH) questionnaire revealed a mean score of 4.3. Conclusions For patients with radial polydactyly in which neither thumb possesses adequate distal and proximal components, the on-top plasty is a reliable method of polydactyly reconstruction with durable results at longer than 10 years' follow-up. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic V.
Extension of the Dytlewski-style dead time correction formalism for neutron multiplicity counting to any order

Abstract Neutron multiplicity counting using shift-register calculus is an established technique in the science of international nuclear safeguards for the identification, verification, and assay of special nuclear materials. Typically passive counting is used for Pu and mixed Pu-U items and active methods are used for U materials. Three measured counting rates, singles, doubles and triples are measured and, in combination with a simple analytical point-model, are used to calculate characteristics of the measurement item in terms of known detector and nuclear parameters. However, the measurement problem usually involves more than three quantities of interest, but even in cases where the next higher order count rate, quads, is statistically viable, it is not quantitatively applied because corrections for dead time losses are currently not available in the predominant analysis paradigm. In this work we overcome this limitation by extending the commonly used dead time correction method, developed by Dytlewski, to quads. We also give results for pents, which may be of interest for certain special investigations. Extension to still higher orders, may be accomplished by inspection based on the sequence presented. We discuss the foundations of the Dytlewski method, give limiting cases, and highlight the opportunities and implications that these new results expose. In particular there exist a number of ways in which the new results may be combined with other approaches to extract the correlated rates, and this leads to various practical implementations.
Education is the Only Business Where the Customer is Satisfied with Less of the Product.

Faculty members need to be vigilant to avoid a slide toward decreased efforts in the classroom. The demand for “good teaching” may not come from the students in the class, who have many activities taking up their time and are often satisfied with a course that makes minimal demands; however, even tenured faculty members should strive for higher standards, including maintaining high expectations of the students. One of the seven principles for good practice in undergraduate education, as espoused by Chickering and Gamson, is “communicates high expectations” (1); that is, students tend to put in the effort necessary to meet expectations, so it makes sense to set a high bar for performance, even though it may take extra work on the part of the instructor.
R Meets GEMPACK for a Monte Carlo Walk

This paper discusses two R functions for reading the output of GEMPACK-based CGE models into R. We highlight the potential of coupling GEMPACK and R by conducting systematic sensitivity analysis of model results using Monte Carlo experiments. We also show how R can enhance the analysis of CGE results by allowing for formal hypothesis testing of the effects of policies which outcome depends on stochastic shocks.
A Novel Method for Human Bias Correction of Continuous- Time Annotations

Human annotations are of integral value in human behavior studies and in particular for the generation of ground truth for behavior prediction using various machine learning methods. These often subjective human annotations are especially required for studies involving measuring and predicting hidden mental states (e.g. emotions) that cannot effectively be measured or assessed by other means. Human annotations are noisy and prone to the influence of several factors including personal bias, task ambiguity, environmental distractions, and health state. We propose a novel method for fusion of continuous real-time human annotations to generate accurate ground truth estimates. We introduce a signal warping method that uses additional comparative rank-based information about specific subsets of the annotations to correct for specific types of human annotation artifacts. This approach is validated using a mechanically simple but perceptually demanding psychophysical annotation experiment where objective truth labels are known. Our method yields ground truth estimates that are in better agreement with the objective truth than state-of-the-art approaches.
A Transcription Complex from Chloroplasts of Euglena Gracilis

Studies on RNA synthesis and the regulation of gene expression in nuclei are hampered by the complexity of the template. Another eukaryotic transcription system is that of the cellular organelles (mitochondria and chloroplasts), whose genomes are small and well defined. We have focused our attention on the transcription of these genomes.
Tubular Neighborhoods and Minkowski Measurability

In this chapter, we apply our extended distributional explicit formula (Theorem 4.20, derived in Section 4.4.2) to obtain a formula for the volume of the tubular neighborhoods of the boundary of a fractal string. (See Section 6.1.) In Section 6.2, we then deduce from this formula a new criterion for the Minkowski measurability of a fractal string, in terms of its complex dimensions. This completes and extends the earlier criterion obtained in [LapPol-2].
Effects of hierarchical comprehensive models on university students' studies of object-oriented paradigms

Comprehending complex object-oriented software systems is a major factor in successful evolution of computer systems. For years, researchers have tried to understand the program comprehension process and how the level of expertise is influenced by it. This paper examines the effectiveness of animation on student understanding and proposes a three-step modeling to be used in software development related to program analysis and design. We also define object-oriented information types on program comprehension, associated to extraction of program entities and relationships from the source code. The results show the importance of appropriate utilizing of animations; the soundness of the proposed three-step modeling in analysis and design of real-life objects; and the accuracy of the formulated information types in assessing the student knowledge and understanding. We propose and study several teaching strategies, involving the proposed approaches and presenting the object-oriented paradigms, which lead to improved student performance in object oriented programming, and enhance student understanding and learning.
DNA polymerase gamma (Polγ) deficiency triggers a selective mTORC2 prosurvival autophagy response via mitochondria-mediated ROS signaling

Autophagy is a highly regulated evolutionarily conserved metabolic process induced by stress and energy deprivation. Here, we show that DNA polymerase gamma (Polγ) deficiency activates a selective prosurvival autophagic response via mitochondria-mediated reactive oxygen species (ROS) signaling and the mammalian target of rapamycin complex 2 (mTORC2) activities. In keratinocytes, Polγ deficiency causes metabolic adaptation that triggers cytosolic sensing of energy demand for survival. Knockdown of Polγ causes mitochondrial stress, decreases mitochondrial energy production, increases glycolysis, increases the expression of autophagy-associated genes, and enhances AKT phosphorylation and cell proliferation. Deficiency of Polγ preferentially activates mTORC2 formation to increase autophagy and cell proliferation, and knocking down Rictor abrogates these responses. Overexpression of Rictor, but not Raptor, reactivates autophagy in Polγ-deficient cells. Importantly, inhibition of ROS by a mitochondria-selective ROS scavenger abolishes autophagy and cell proliferation. These results identify Rictor as a critical link between mitochondrial stress, ROS, and autophagy. They represent a major shift in our understanding of the prosurvival role of the mTOR complexes and highlight mitochondria-mediated ROS as a prosurvival autophagy regulator during cancer development.
Effect of vitamin K administration on rate of warfarin reversal.

BACKGROUND Vitamin K is reported to begin reversing warfarin within 6 to 12 hours, but this may occur sooner. We sought to determine the rate of international normalized ratio (INR) reversal following vitamin K and relationships with dose, route, and baseline INR. METHODS We evaluated adult patients receiving vitamin K monotherapy for warfarin reversal. Post-vitamin K INRs through 48 hours were collected. Relationships between vitamin K dose and route and baseline INR on rate of reversal and complete reversal (INR < 1.5) were evaluated. Assessment was performed graphically using scatter plots with a line of best fit and a counting process model to determine variables associated with achieving complete reversal. RESULTS A total of 469 post-vitamin K INRs from 235 patients were included. Time to first INR follow-up after vitamin K administration averaged 10.5 ± 4.2 hours. A significant decrease was detected in INR values in comparison to the baseline INR (3.0 ± 1.9 vs. 4.7 ± 2.2; p < 0.01). Rapid and steady INR change began immediately after vitamin K administration (0-4 hr). A high vitamin K dose and intravenous route were associated with rapid INR change and complete reversal (Vitamin K 10 mg [hazard ratio, 2.4; 95% confidence interval, 1.4-4.2] and IV route [hazard ratio, 1.8; 95% confidence interval, 1.3-2.6]); however, overall complete reversal at 24 and 48 hours was low (14.5% and 41.7%, respectively). Higher baseline INR was associated with rapid INR change and lower baseline INR with complete reversal. CONCLUSION Vitamin K alone starts to reverse warfarin immediately. High vitamin K doses and intravenous route are associated with faster INR reversal. Baseline INR also influences rate of correction and frequency of achieving complete reversal.
Evaluating the child with back pain

The most common causes of serious low back pain in children include spondylolysis, Scheuermann disease and musculoligamentous injury. Questions should be asked about the mechanism of onset and exacerbating factors, and the frequency, duration and severity of the pain. The examination should check gait and alignment, flexibility, strength and reflexes, and localize and evaluate the pain. Warning signs of serious problems include constant pain in a child younger than 11 years of age that lasts for several weeks or occurs spontaneously at night, repeatedly interferes with school, play or sports, or is associated with marked stiffness and limitation of motion, fever or neurologic abnormalities. Pain at the lumbosacral junction may suggest spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis. Scheuermann disease is diagnosed by the observance of wedging, irregularity or growth disturbance of three successive vertebrae. Musculoligamentous pain may result from injury to or overuse of muscles or joints of the back. Rare causes include discitis, tuberculosis, bone or spinal cord tumor, pyelonephritis and retroperitoneal infection.
Characterizing the language-production dynamics of social media users

In this paper, we propose a characterization of social media users based on language usage over time in order to make more rigorous the notions of organic and inorganic online behavior. This characterization describes the extent to which a user’s word usage within a particular time period subverts expectations based on preceding time periods. To do this, we adapt the use of an information theoretic measure of cognitive surprise and apply it to a set of behaviorally diverse Twitter users. We then compare the language-production dynamics across users based on term frequencies at multiple levels of granularity. We then illustrate the intuition behind this characterization through case studies of salient users identified from this method. Through these case studies, we find that this characterization can be linked to the degree to which a user’s word usage is organic, inorganic, or a mixture of both.
Flattening the Curve: Insights From Queueing Theory.

The worldwide outbreak of the coronavirus was first identified in 2019 in Wuhan, China. Since then, the disease has spread worldwide. As it currently spreading in the United States, policy makers, public health officials and citizens are racing to understand the impact of this virus on the United States healthcare system. They fear that the rapid influx of patients will overwhelm the healthcare system leading to unnecessary fatalities. Most countries and states in America have introduced mitigation strategies, such as social distancing, to decrease the rate of newly infected people, i.e. flattening the this http URL this paper, we analyze the time evolution of the number of people hospitalized due to the coronavirus using the methods of queueing theory. Given that the rate of new infections varies over time as the pandemic evolves, we model the number of coronavirus patients as a dynamical system based on the theory of infinite server queues with non-stationary Poisson arrival rates. With this model we are able to quantify how flattening the curve affects the peak demand for hospital resources. This allows us to characterize how aggressively society must flatten the curve in order to avoid overwhelming the capacity of healthcare system. We also demonstrate how flattening the curve impacts the elapsed time between the peak rate of hospitalizations and the time of the peak demand for the hospital resources. Finally, we present empirical evidence from China, South Korea, Italy and the United States that supports the insights from the model.
Symbolic politics and self-interest in post-Affordable Care Act health Insurance coverage:

Social scientists have long shown that self-interest rarely has a large effect on citizens’ sociopolitical attitudes. Instead, Americans’ opinions about public policy are driven more by symbolic pr...
Effect of volatile anesthetics on early and delayed outcomes in pancreas transplantation.

Background Ischemia-reperfusion injury (IRI) is a common cause of allograft dysfunction and patient morbidity in solid organ transplantation. This study compares the effect of different inhaled anesthetics on early IRI and clinical outcomes in pancreas allograft recipients. Methods Data were extracted retrospectively for pancreas transplants at a single center over a 15-year period. Early postoperative pancreatic amylase and lipase levels were used as a marker for graft injury. Clinical outcomes measured included length of hospital stay, readmission, and graft survival. Results There were 625 pancreas transplants included in the analysis with 3 primary inhaled anesthetics: sevoflurane (53%), desflurane (35%), and isoflurane (12%). In the first 30 days post-transplant, peak amylase was lowest for sevoflurane (147) followed by desflurane (159) and isoflurane (229) (p = .03). Peak lipase levels followed the same trend (peak values 118, 131, and 135, respectively; p = .02). Early graft loss, length of hospital stay, and readmission within 3 months were similar among all three anesthetic groups. There was no difference in 10-year graft survival by Cox regression. Conclusions Sevoflurane and desflurane are associated with lower peak amylase and lipase levels postoperatively in pancreas transplantation. Short- and long-term clinical outcomes were equivalent for the three agents.
Influence of Overlapping Genetic Abnormalities on Treatment Outcomes of Multiple Myeloma.

Abstract Numerous genetic abnormalities affect treatment outcomes in multiple myeloma. The role of coexistent trisomy or hyperdiploidy and high-risk cytogenetic abnormalities (CGAs) is not well defined. We assessed the influence of overlapping genetic abnormalities in patients who received frontline autologous stem cell transplantation. A total of 491 consecutive patients between January 2009 and January 2016 were identified. High-risk CGAs included del(17p), t(4;14), t(14;16), and gain 1q21 by fluorescence in situ hybridization and del(13) by conventional cytogenetics. Thirty-two percent had a trisomy, 27% had a high-risk CGA, and 11% had both. Among patients with any trisomy, 3-year progression-free survival (PFS) and overall survival (OS) were 60% and 90%, respectively, compared to 25% and 65%, respectively, for patients with any high-risk CGA. Patients with co-existent trisomy and high-risk CGAs had 3-year PFS and OS of 43% and 89%, respectively, whereas those with isolated high-risk CGAs without trisomy had 3-year PFS and OS of 13% and 49%, respectively. The PFS (hazard ratio [HR], 1.9; 95% confidence interval [CI], 1.1 to 3.3; P = .02) and OS (HR, 4.5; 95% CI, 1.5 to 13; P = .006) were worse for high-risk CGAs without versus those with concurrent trisomies. Our findings suggest a protective impact of trisomies in patients with high-risk CGAs and a potential need for revised risk stratification assessments to account for overlapping genetic abnormalities.
A bispecific aptamer sensor towards T-cell leukemia detection in the tumor microenvironment

The current detection methods of malignant cells are mainly based on the high expression levels of certain surface proteins on these cells. However, many of the same surface marker proteins are also expressed in normal cells. Growing evidence suggests that the molecular signatures of the tumor microenvironment (TME) are related to the biological state of a diseased cell. Exploiting the unique molecular signature of TME, we have designed a molecular sensing agent consisting of a molecular switch that can sense the elevated concentration of a small molecule in the TME and promote precise recognition of a malignant cell. We accomplished this by designing and developing a bispecific aptamer that takes advantage of a high concentration of ATP in the TME. Thus, we report a on a prototype of a bispecific aptamer molecule, which performs as a dual detection platform and recognizes tumor cells only when a given metabolite concentration is elevated in the TME. This system overcomes hurdles in detecting tumor cells solely based on the elevated expression of cell surface markers, providing a universal platform for tumor targeting and sensing.
Does MOSES pulse modulation reduce short-term catheter reinsertion following holmium laser enucleation of the prostate?

PURPOSE Previously published studies have shown small prostate size, capsular perforation and intraoperative bladder distension are associated with failed trial without a catheter (TWOC) after HoLEP. The study objective was to determine the relationship between MOSES pulse modulation versus standard laser technology and short-term catheter reinsertion following failed TWOC. MATERIALS AND METHODS The study included 487 patients who underwent HoLEP, using standard holmium laser settings (180 patients) or MOSES pulse modulation (255 patients), between August 2018 and February 2021. Catheter reinsertion defined as reinsertion following failed TWOC within 30 days of surgery. Association of pulse modulation with catheter reinsertion was examined using single and multivariable logistic regression models. Comparisons of pre and intraoperative characteristics between patients treated without and with pulse modulation were made using a Wilcoxon rank sum test for numeric characteristics or Fisher's exact test for categorical characteristics. RESULTS Short-term catheter reinsertion occurred in 14% (26/180) of the standard laser setting group as compared with 10% (24/252) of the pulse modulation group. There was no statistically significant association with short-term catheter reinsertion in single (unadjusted OR [standard settings vs. pulse modulation], 1.60; 95% CI, 0.80-2.91; p=0.12) or multivariable analysis adjusting for specimen weight and operative time (adjusted OR [standard settings vs. pulse modulation], 1.44; 95% CI, 0.77-2.68; p=0.25). CONCLUSIONS In this study, we found no association between post-HoLEP short-term catheter reinsertion following failed TWOC and MOSES pulse modulation. Although MOSES pulse modulation offers several well-documented advantages, catheter reinsertion events appear to be attributable to other factors.
Modeling hepatitis C micro-elimination among people who inject drugs with direct-acting antivirals in metropolitan Chicago

ABSTRACT Hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection is a leading cause of chronic liver disease and mortality worldwide. Direct-acting antiviral (DAA) therapy leads to high cure rates. However, persons who inject drugs (PWID) are at risk for reinfection after cure and may require multiple DAA treatments to reach the World Health Organization’s (WHO) goal of HCV elimination by 2030. Using an agent-based model (ABM) that accounts for the complex interplay of demographic factors, risk behaviors, social networks, and geographic location for HCV transmission among PWID, we examined the combination(s) of DAA enrollment (2.5%, 5%, 7.5%, 10%), adherence (60%, 70%, 80%, 90%) and frequency of DAA treatment courses needed to achieve the WHO’s goal of reducing incident chronic infections by 90% by 2030 among a large population of PWID from Chicago, IL and surrounding suburbs. We also estimated the economic DAA costs associated with each scenario. Our results indicate that a DAA treatment rate of >7.5% per year with 90% adherence results in 75% of enrolled PWID requiring only a single DAA course; however19% would require 2 courses, 5%, 3 courses and
Interaction of Plasma with Liquid Micro-Droplets: A Model for Plasma Induced Reactivity in Liquid Water

The interaction of atmospheric pressure non-equilibrium plasmas with a liquid phase is a complex multiphase phenomenon, underpinning many novel applications. This is possible due to the reactivity transfer from the gas phase plasma to the bulk liquid phase. However, this reactivity transfer is highly transport limited as many plasma-produced short-lived species will react in the gas phase or near the plasma-liquid interface before reaching the bulk liquid. Reactions for highly reactive species such as OH occur often predominantly at or near the plasma-liquid interfacial region 1.
SCHOOL COMPOSITION OF THE ANTARCTIC KRILL EUPHAUSIA SUPERBA IN THE WATERS WEST OF THE ANTARCTIC PENINSULA IN THE AUSTRAL SUMMER OF 1982

ABSTRACT During the austral summer of 1982, we determined the composition of schools of Antarctic krill, Euphausia superba, from the waters west of the Antarctic Peninsula. School composition was variable. We found that schools of different size and maturity composition were geographically separated. Gravid females were found to the northwest of the South Shetland Islands arc and south of Elephant Island. Schools from inside Bransfield Strait and between Palmer Archipelago and the Antarctic Peninsula were primarily juveniles. Schools of mixed composition were found between these two areas, where a southwesterly current coming from a region of gravid females and a northeasterly current coming from a region of juveniles meet. The distribution pattern found during the summer of 1982 has been seen in part by earlier investigators, leading us to believe that the pattern is more than a transitory phenomenon. The location of areas of potential recruitment is particularly important for future management schemes for the developing krill fishery.
The Construction of South-Asian-American Womanhood: Implications for Counseling and Psychotherapy

SUMMARY This article explores the ways in which South-Asian womanhood is socially constructed in the context of gendered racism in the U.S. mainstream society and gender-role expectations within the various South-Asian-American communities. These conceptions create a double bind for South-Asian-American women in which cultural loyalty and gender empowerment are placed in diametric opposition to each other. The framework of feminist multicultural counseling competence is used to discuss ways in which therapists can become more self-aware, acquire culture-specific knowledge, and develop culturally congruent interventions that incorporate the impact of gendered cultural dynamics in the lives of South-Asian-American women.
Bayesian econometrics and forecasting

Contemporary Bayesian forecasting methods draw on foundations in subjective probability and preferences laid down in the mid-twentieth century, and utilize numerical methods developed since that time in their implementation. These methods unify the tasks of forecasting and model evaluation. They also provide tractable solutions for problems that prove difficult when approached using non-Bayesian methods. These advantages arise from the fact that the conditioning in Bayesian probability forecasting is the same as the conditioning in the underlying decision problems.
Simple problem solving in Java: a problem set framework

We present an application that allows for easy creation of simple problem solving exercises in Java, providing robust and safe I/O as well as a basic graphics window. We discuss possible uses for unit testing of classes and explore how the design of this application can be a case study in an object oriented design course.
Purification and Properties of Bacterial Luciferases

Abstract A newly developed procedure is described for the isolation and purification on a large scale of luciferases from two different bioluminescent bacteria, Pf and MAV. In only three major steps luciferase can be obtained in greater than 95% purity. An improved method for the isolation of subunits in milligram quantities by column chromatography in 5 m urea is also described; upon recombination of the subunits with the removal of urea, renatured luciferase with a high specific activity is obtained. These procedures should be generally applicable with luciferases from different bacterial strains, including mutant luciferases. The two luciferases have been used to produce specific antiluciferases, which, by precipitation patterns on Ouchterlony plates, appear distinctively different. Nevertheless, a degree of homology has been demonstrated by cross-reaction in an antibody activity inhibition assay. Interaction between subunits from the different strains has also been demonstrated by inhibition of renaturation (from 5 m urea) of one of the luciferases by a subunit of the other luciferase, indicating that inactive hybrids may be formed.
Love in Islamic Thought

Love occupied the attention of numerous Muslim scholars from early times. Taking inspiration from the Qur'an, the Hadith, pre-Islamic poetry, and the Hellenistic legacy, they explained love's nature in order to bring out the existential import of Islam's fundamental teaching, the assertion of divine unity (tawīd). The 5th–6th/11th–12th centuries witnessed an upsurge in the literature of love, especially in Persian. Theoreticians and poets explained it as the energizing power that brings all things into existence and drives everything to its final goal. They held that God created human beings precisely because of His beginningless love for them, and that people are innately endowed with love because they were created in His image. The varieties of human love were taken as metaphors (majāz) for love's reality (aqīqa), which is God's love for beauty. Authors of such works directed their efforts not at instructing people in right conduct, which is the role of the jurists, nor at clarifying right belief, which is the job of the Kalam experts, but at helping them recognize that all pain and suffering are signs of separation from the One Beloved, and that the only truly human goal is to surrender to love's demands.
Addressing neuropsychiatric disturbances during rehabilitation after traumatic brain injury: current and future methods

Cognitive, emotional, behavioral, and sensorimotor disturbances are the principal clinical manifestations of traumatic brain injury (TBI) throughout the early postinjury period. These post-traumatic neuropsychiatric disturbances present substantial challenges to patients, their families, and clinicians providing their rehabilitative care, the optimal approaches to which remain incompletely developed. In this article, a neuropsychiatrically informed, neurobiologically anchored approach to understanding and meeting challenges is described. The foundation for that approach is laid, with a review of clinical case definitions of TBI and clarification of their intended referents. The differential diagnosis of event-related neuropsychiatric disturbances is considered next, after which the clinical and neurobiological heterogeneity within the diagnostic category of TBI are discussed. The clinical manifestations of biomechanical force-induced brain dysfunction are described as a state of post-traumatic encephalopathy (PTE) comprising several phenomenologically distinct stages. PTE is then used as a framework for understanding and clinically evaluating the neuropsychiatric sequelae of TBI encountered commonly during the early post-injury rehabilitation period, and for considering the types and timings of neurorehabilitative interventions. Finally, directions for future research that may address productively the challenges to TBI rehabilitation presented by neuropsychiatric disturbances are considered.
Induction of Spherule Formation in Physarum polycephalum by Polyols

Abstract A method has been developed for inducing spherule formation (spherulation) in the myxomycete Physarum polycephalum by transferring the culture to synthetic medium containing 0.5 m mannitol or other polyols. This morphogenetic process occurred within 12 to 35 hr after the inducer was added. The mature spherules existed as distinct morphogenetic units, in contrast to the clusters of spherules formed during starvation. Ninety per cent of the spherules germinated by 24 hr in synthetic medium. The changes in the synthesis of ribonucleic acid (RNA), deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), and protein during plasmodial growth, spherulation, and germination of spherules are described. When spherule formation was completed, RNA, protein, and DNA decreased, compared with the values at the beginning of the conversion. The incorporation of 3H-uridine into trichloroacetic acid-insoluble material was different in each of these periods, and this incorporation was sensitive to actinomycin D. The amount of glycogen increased during growth, whereas it decreased during spherulation. 14C-glucose could be taken up by the cells in the presence of the inducer, and mannitol could not replace glucose as a source of energy. The mode of action of mannitol and its mechanism of induction are discussed.
Simulated Annealing And Balance Of Recurrence Orders

Several important problems in diverse application areas such as image restoration, code design, and VLSI design, contain at their core an optimization problem whose solution crucially determines the performance of the resulting engineering system. Standard descent algorithms for such optimization problems, however, typically get trapped in local minima, and fail to reach solutions at or near the global minimum. Motivated by the problems of determining the global minima of optimization problems, the algorithm of simulated annealing for optimization has been proposed. Here we present recent results on the performance of this algorithm in reaching the global minimum of combinatorial optimization problems.
A model for 137Cs and other tracers in lake sediments considering particle size and the inverse solution

Abstract A numerical model for the time-dependent behavior of particle-associated tracers in sediments has been developed. The model is based on the advection-diffusion equation for a tracer and includes a sediment density that increases with depth as a modified power function, and a diffusion coefficient that follows a half-Gaussian function versus depth with maximal diffusivity at the sediment-water interface. The solution procedure is based on finite elements or finite differences. The density function is developed from soil mechanics concepts and includes mixing effects through a Young's modulus that is increased in the top layer according to a half-Gaussian function. The new density function provides a better fit to 15 out of 17 sediment cores from Lake Michigan than a frequently used exponential expression. The tracer model provides an excellent fit for the 137Cs distributions in all of the 17 Lake Michigan cores that were investigated. Our fit to the 137Cs profile of a southern Lake Michigan core that has been examined by others, is significantly better than previous fits, particularly near the top of the core. From two different forms of the governing equation for a tracer, and the resultant fits to experimental data, it appears that 137Cs is associated with colloidal and 210Pb with settling particles. A previously developed time domain method to extract the historical input record of a tracer from its sedimentary profile, influenced by mixing, has been further improved by including m depth and n time intervals, where m ⩾ n, and by fitting the influx to a polynomial. The improved method is demonstrated for the Cd input to a northern Lake Michigan core (NLM84B). Although the time resolution obtained ( ∼ 5 yr) is better than the previous resolution ( ∼ 15 yr), it is clear that the method needs to undergo further development in order to decrease the error of the reconstructed influx and particularly to avoid negative fluxes.
Providing All Students ACCESS to Self-Regulated Literacy Learning

ACCESS is an organizational framework to help educators plan instruction that prepares students for high-stakes tests and promotes self-regulated literacy learning. ACCESS stands for tasks that are authentic, that require collaboration among students, that challenge students, that culminate with an end product, that allow self-direction by giving students choices, and that sustain learning across time. Each component of ACCESS supports self-regulated literacy learning, and the framework can be incorporated into teachers' busy schedules.
Symptoms during the perimenopause: prevalence, severity, trajectory, and significance in women’s lives

This article examines published evidence from longitudinal studies of the menopausal transition that address the following questions: (1) Which symptoms do women report during the perimenopause, and how prevalent are these symptoms as women traverse the menopausal transition? (2) How severe are symptoms and for how long do they persist? (3) To what do women attribute their symptoms, and do their attributions match findings from epidemiologic studies of community-based populations? (4) How significant are these symptoms in women's lives? Data from published longitudinal studies were examined for evidence bearing on each of these questions. Only vasomotor symptoms, vaginal dryness, and sleep disturbance symptoms varied in prevalence significantly across menopausal transition stages and postmenopause in >1 population studied. A minority of women report severe symptoms. Given the limited follow-up data available, it is unclear how long symptoms persist after menopause. Women attribute their symptoms to a variety of biologic and psychosocial factors, and their attributions correspond well to those correlates identified in epidemiologic studies of community-based populations. The significance of symptoms for women's lives remains uncertain. The impact of symptoms during the perimenopause on well-being, role performance, adaptation to demands of daily living, and quality of life warrants additional study. The appraisal of the consequences of perimenopausal symptoms by women from different ethnic groups will be enhanced significantly as a result of the Study of Women's Health Across the Nation (SWAN) and other studies in progress.
Strain rate effects on sandwich core materials: An experimental and analytical investigation

Abstract Poly-vinyl chloride (PVC) based closed-cell foams were tested at different strain rate under compression loading ranging from 130s–1750 s−1 using a modified Split Hopkinson Pressure Bar (SHPB) apparatus, consisting of polycarbonate bars. Foams with different density and microstructure were examined. The attainment of stress equilibrium within the specimen at various strain rates was examined. It was found that the stress equilibrium was reached early at lower strain rate as compared to higher strain rate. Both the peak stress and absorbed energy were found to be dependent on foam density and strain rate, although foam density was found to be a more dominating factor. A model based on unit cell geometry of the closed-cell foam was also developed to predict the absorbed energy at high strain rate. The proposed model is found to be promising in predicting the energy absorption during high strain rate loading.
Urodynamic Assessment of Urethral Sphincter Function In Post-Prostatectomy Incontinence

AbstractPurpose: Direct measurement of maximum urethral pressure by urethral profilometry has been used widely to assess urethral sphincter function. We attempted to determine if there was any relationship between maximum urethral pressure, which is measured at the level of the membranous urethra, or extrinsic urethral sphincter function, and the amount of abdominal pressure needed to cause leakage (abdominal leak point pressure) in men with post-prostatectomy incontinence. We also examined the relationship between external sphincter function and continence or incontinence.Materials and Methods: We retrospectively evaluated fluoro-urodynamics performed in 37 men with post-prostatectomy incontinence. Urodynamic study consisted of measurement of maximum urethral and abdominal leak point pressures, and assessment of extrinsic sphincter function by pressure measurements and radiographically.Results: Data were analyzed on 27 patients for whom abdominal leak point and maximum urethral pressures were available. ...
The novel human IgE epsilon heavy chain, epsilon tailpiece, is present in plasma as part of a covalent complex

Several splice variants of the secreted human epsilon heavy chain have previously been identified by reverse transcription-PCR. The heavy chain of one isoform, IgE tailpiece, differs from the originally identified IgE, IgE classic, by the replacement of the 2 carboxy-terminal amino acids by 8 novel amino acids including a carboxy-terminal cysteine residue. Recombinant human epsilon tailpiece and epsilon classic heavy chains were expressed and secreted as H2L2 monomers in Sp2/0 murine myeloma cells. We have investigated the in vitro function and in vivo occurrence of epsilon tailpiece heavy chains using receptor binding assays, granule release assays, flow cytometry, half-life studies, immunoprecipitation, SDS-PAGE, two-dimensional SDS-PAGE, and Western blotting. IgE tailpiece and IgE classic exhibited similar in vivo half-lives in BALB/c mice, bound the human high- and low-affinity IgE receptors with similar affinities and triggered equivalent levels of high affinity IgE receptor induced degranulation. In humans, IgE classic is present as a 190 kD circulating protein in vivo. In contrast, we found that in plasma epsilon tailpiece was primarily present as part of covalent complexes of approximately 300 and 338 kD. Dissociation of the complexes revealed that two species of epsilon tailpiece heavy chains were present therein and surprisingly, these in vivo derived epsilon tailpiece heavy chains were approximately 5 and 10 kD smaller than the recombinant expressed epsilon tailpiece or epsilon classic heavy chains. These results show that epsilon tailpiece is present in novel covalent complexes in humans.