cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Accumulation of Circulating Macrophages in Lungs of Guinea Pigs Exposed to Hyperoxia

Superoxide dismutase (SOD) and glutathione peroxidase (GPx) key enzymes in alveolar macrophages regulating levels of superoxide anion and hydrogen peroxide, respectively, were observed to fluctuate in response to FIO2 of 50 and 85% for 18 to 90 hr. At the lower oxygen tension, SOD rose two-fold and GPx decreased significantly by 18 hr and throughout the exposure periods compared to a delayed increase in SOD activity which was not sustained beyond 66 hr of exposure and a sustained rise in GPx to an FIO2 of 85%. Peritoneal macrophages containing lower SOD activity and greater GPx activity than resident alveolar macrophages upon injection into the circulation resulted in 10-fold accumulation in the lungs during exposure of animals to FIO2 of 85% but not at 50%. This study indicates that brief exposure to FIO2 of 85% but not 50% resulted in alterations of the vascular integrity of the lungs resulting in the accumulation of circulating macrophages to the alveolar macrophage pool. The delayed rise in SOD activity and the sustained increase in GPx activity in alveolar macrophages from animals exposed to FIO2 of 85% could in part be related to this influx of circulating macrophages with enzymatic characteristics observed for peritoneal macrophages.
The Response of a Photographic Emulsion to Alpha-Rays

The equation D=Dmax(1−e−c1N) developed by Kinoshita for single-layer emulsions has been shown to hold for commercial emulsions. A derivation of this formula is given which shows that the probability constant c1 should be the same for thick as for thin emulsions. A useful relation s0=k/πρ2 between s0, the number of grains under a sq. cm of emulsion surface, k, the number of grains in the depth of the emulsion, and πρ2, the average grain size has been deduced and tested. To eliminate the density due to fluorescence, chromic acid desensitization has been used. Photographic effects due to mechanical pressure have on these desensitized plates, been found to be reversed by alpha-rays as well as by the other radiations previously reported. Average grain-size measured microscopically=0.14μ2πρ2 from desensitized plate No. 93=0.08πρ2 from desensitized plate No. 100=0.12πρ2 from s0=k/πρ2=0.12Chromic acid desensitization has been found to be effective only for a limited time.
Thinfilm technologies to fabricate a linear microactuator

Abstract The design selected for the microactuator is a three phase variable reluctance (VR) stepping motor with teeth. The stator consists of a flux guide, three groups of poles with teeth, and meander type coils for exciting each group of poles. The system’s traveler is built up by a flux guide and teeth. For a good actuator’s performance the electroplated magnetic structures’ properties have to be optimized. To reach a small air gap that all VR-motors require, the microactuator’s surface needs a very low roughness. Therefore, to fabricate the microactuator in thinfilm technology the most important steps are electroplating the structures and embedding these structures for final planarization.
Effects of situational power on automatic racial prejudice

Abstract This study examined the influence of situational power on automatic racial prejudice. White females anticipated participating in either an interracial or same-race interaction in one of two roles: superior or subordinate. Their racial attitudes were measured via the Implicit Association Test ( Greenwald, McGhee, & Schwartz, 1998 ). Results revealed that both the racial composition of the anticipated dyad and participants’ situational roles influenced automatic racial attitudes. Specifically, whites assigned to the high-power role of a superior of a black individual revealed more racial bias than whites assigned to the lower-power role of a subordinate. By contrast, situational power had no influence on the automatic bias of whites anticipating same-race interactions. These results reveal the manner in which situational power hierarchies serve to reinforce existing social stratification. Implications for diversity efforts and attitude change are discussed.
Biomolecule size-dependent sensitivity of porous silicon sensors

Nanoporous materials hold great potential for improving the performance of biosensors due to their large available surface area and their capability for size-selective infiltration. One of the principal challenges associated with the use of nanopores is achieving efficient infiltration of molecules whose size is of the same order of magnitude as the pore radius. There is an intrinsic trade-off between ease of infiltration and level of sensor response for the detection of biomolecules in nanopores. DNA molecules of lengths between approximately 1.5 nm and 5.5 nm have been exposed to porous silicon waveguide sensors with nanopore diameters of approximately 30 nm in order to experimentally determine the size-dependent sensitivity. While theoretical calculations that do not take into account the infiltration challenges of biomolecules in nanopores suggest that longer DNA molecules yield a stronger sensor response, experimental results show that shorter molecules produce a larger response due to their ease of infiltration.
Glioblastoma and intracranial aneurysms: Case report and review of literature.

BACKGROUND There is a paucity of data on the association of glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) with intracranial aneurysms. It is an important clinical entity for physicians to be aware of and its presence illustrates several critical features of the pathophysiology of malignant glioma. In this article we present a case of a middle cerebral artery (MCA) pseudoaneurysm that occurred in a patient with recurrent GBM as well discuss the current literature relating to this unique combination of pathologies. CASE DESCRIPTION The authors present a case of a MCA pseudoaneurysm that developed in a patient with recurrent GBM and discuss the current literature. The authors identified 19 reports describing 23 patients harboring both GBM and an intracranial aneurysm. CONCLUSION Several theories stand to explain the coincidental occurrence of intracranial aneurysms and GBM. The treating physician should be aware of this association when patients with intraaxial tumors present with unusual manifestation such as an intratumoral hemorrhage or angiogram negative subarachnoid hemorrhage. No guidelines exist to assist in the management of such patients; therefore, authors have attempted to address this issue using a classification and treatment algorithm.
Contribution of extracellular proteolysis and microglia to intracerebral hemorrhage

Proteases, such as tissue plasminogen activator, thrombin, metalloproteinases, and cathepsins, have complex functions in the mammalian brain under both normal and pathological conditions. Some of these proteases are expressed by neuronal cells, whereas others are made by the immunocompetent, macrophage-like cells of the brain: the microglia. This article reviews the physiological and pathological functions of these proteinases in the brain as well as recent findings linking extracellular proteases with neuronal cell death in ischemic or hemorrhagic stroke. Better understanding of protease expression and signaling, microglial activation, and their relationship with neuronal cell death during stroke injury could contribute to the development of relevant inhibitors as novel neuroprotective agents for treating ischemic stroke and intracerebral hemorrhage.
Polyphase channelizers for fully digital frequency hopping systems

In this paper we present a fully digital architecture for performing frequency hopping modulation and demodulation. The proposed modulator is composed of a cascade of two polyphase up converter channelizers. The first one performs the digital M-ary frequency shift keying (M-FSK) modulation of the baseband signals while the second one accomplishes the task of hopping the M-FSK modulated spectra under the control of a pseudorandom sequence generator. On the receiver side, two dual down converter channelizers undo the frequency shifts performed by the digital channelizers in the transmitter. Synchronization is a key aspect in frequency hopping systems. Transmitter and receiver must both know the hopping pattern and they must be finely synchronized in order to capture the desired information. In this paper we provide a fully digital synchronization architecture that, embedded in the proposed channelizer-based receiver, performs signal acquisition and tracking.
Optimization of monolithic solid state array detectors for the position encoding of small angle X-ray scattering from synchrotron sources

Abstract Several design features of photodiode, charge-coupled, and charge-injection monolithic solid state array detectors that can be utilized for the position encoding of X-ray scattering are discussed. Special emphasis has been placed on their unique applications for the determination of synchrotron small angle X-ray scattering and general considerations for improving performance are presented. The mechanisms of X-ray radiation damage in solid state arrays and their practical consequences for synchrotron radiation are discussed. A small angle diffractometer is described that takes advantage of the high speed and potentially high count rate capabilities of a self-scanning photodiode array to calculate small angle scattering parameters in real time on a millisecond time scale.
HIV-1 care in resource-poor settings: a view from Haiti.

When asked “Have you no morals?” Alfred Doolittle in George Bernard Shaw’s Pygmalion answered: “Can’t afford them governor. Neither could you if you was as poor as me.” The modern concept of human rights underpins a moral society and holds governments responsible for fulfilling these rights. From informed consent to the right to privacy civil and political rights have dominated the human rights focus of the HIV-1 epidemic. Yet the economic and social rights of people with HIV-1 infection in particular the rights to health care and to share in scientific advances are glaringly disparate between rich and poor countries. This disparity has become the focus of debate in transnational HIV-1 vaccine research. (excerpt)
Terpenoids. XXXVI. Iresin (Part 4). Isolation and Structure of Three Sesquiterpenes Related To Iresin

Au cours de l'isolement de l'iresine (I) a partir de Iresine celosioides L, un examen minutieux des extraits a permis de deceler la presence de trois sesquiterpenes apparentes. En plus de la dihydroiresine (VI) deja connue, la dihydroiresone (III) et l'isoiresine (VIII) ont ete isolees. Leur structure et stereochimie sont determinees. Le schema de cyclisation a partir d'un precurseur du type farnesique souligne l'importance de ces sesquiterpenes du point de vue biogenetique.
Soft x-ray lasing in Li-like iron by resonant photo-pumping

Abstract We propose a new laser scheme based on resonant photo-pumping of Li-like ions using Lyman α radiation. The radiation from the 2p 3 2 −1s 1 2 transition in H-like aluminum is used to pump both the 5p 1 2 and 5p 3 2 levels in Li-like iron ions. Population inversions between the n = 5 and 4 levels result in gains for the transitions at the wavelenths of approx. 70 A. We present calculations for the gains of these transitions in steady-state equilibrium plasmas and laser exploding foil targets.
Crystal structure of tetramethylammonium-exchanged vermiculite

Vermiculite crystals from Santa Olalla, Spain, were intercalated with tetramethylammonium (TMA) after Na saturation. The resulting TMA-vermiculite showed near perfect 3-dimensional stacking order with cell parameters of a = 5.353(1) A, b = 9.273(2) A, c = 13.616(6) A, β = 97.68(3)°, and space group C2/m, which indicated a 1M polytype. Single crystal X-ray refinement (R = 0.073, wR = 0.082) located the central atom (N) of the TMA (occupancy at 0.418) and the C atom of 1 methyl group (occupancy at about 0.35). The TMA is offset from the center plane between 2 silicate layers by 1.52 A, and the methyl group is keyed into the silicate ring of the adjacent silicate layer. This arrangement constrains the positions of the C atoms of the other methyl groups to an opposing plane parallel to the oxygen basal plane. Associated H2O is randomly located between the TMA pillars, and no scattering from these molecules was observed. The calculated height of the TMA molecule is shown to be 4.15 A.
Minimally invasive management of retroperitoneal fibrosis.

Objectives Ureteral obstruction is a common finding in retroperitoneal fibrosis (RPF). The management of ureteral obstruction in patients with RPF is challenging and controversial. To our knowledge we are the first to report on laparoscopic ureterolysis (LU) and robotic ureterolysis (RU) for the management of RPF to determine feasibility and success. Methods We reviewed the charts of all patients who have undergone laparoscopic ureterolysis with or without robotic assistance at our institution. Results Between 2001 and 2006, one surgical team performed laparoscopic ureterolysis with or without robotic assistance on 15 renal units in 10 patients. Mean age was 50.9 years (range, 28 to 71 years). Eight patients presented with back pain and all 15 renal units had radiographic evidence of obstruction. Five patients underwent LU, and 5 underwent RU. Mean operative times for bilateral and unilateral LU were 509.0 and 110 minutes, and the mean estimated blood loss was 362.5 and 50 mL. Mean operative times for bilateral and unilateral RU were 390 and 220.5 minutes, and the mean estimated blood loss was 25 and 35.5 mL. With a mean follow-up of 15.6 months, 90% of all patients were asymptomatic and 86.7% renal units had no signs of obstruction on imaging. Conclusions Laparoscopic ureterolysis with or without robotics may be performed with minimal perioperative morbidity and provides excellent success rates for relief of symptoms and obstruction in RPF. RU appears to have better short-term outcomes and is now our technique of choice.
Heterogeneity of isozyme expression in tumor cells does not correlate with metastatic potential

The major purpose of these studies was to determine whether the expression of isozymes by tumor cells was heterogeneous among tumor cell subpopulations within a neoplasm and whether expression of one or another isozyme correlated with metastatic potential of tumor cells. The expression levels of 40 isozymes were determined in 56 cell lines, many of them clonal, from nine different murine and human tumors. The enzymes chosen for study are involved in nucleotide, carbohydrate and pentose phosphate metabolism, and as such are indicators of the general metabolic and differentiational status of the cell. The tumors studied included two murine and two human malignant melanomas, four murine fibrosarcomas, and one human prostatic adenocarcinoma. The lines isolated from these tumors consisted of cells that are tumorigenic non-metastatic, tumorigenic low metastatic and tumorigenic highly metastatic. Clonally derived cell lines from a given tumor differed in their expression of a number of different isozymes, including adenosine deaminase, creatine phosphokinase-B and lactate dehydrogenase. Different patterns of isozyme expression were observed among different tumor types as well as between tumors of the same type; however, there were no differences in isozyme expression for any enzyme tested that correlated with metastatic ability of tumor cells.
The multicenter AIDS Cohort Study, 1983 to …

The Multicenter AIDS Cohort (MACS), initiated in 1983 at the Johns Hopkins School of Public Health, the University of Pittsburgh School of Public Health, Northwestern University School of Medicine, and the UCLA School of Public Health, continues to conduct studies and publish key papers on the natural history of untreated and treated HIV infection in 6972 men-who-have-sex-with-men. Through May 2011, 1,490,995 specimens have been collected, 86,883 person-years of data accrued and 1195 scientific papers published in international journals.
ROBOTIS-MINI System

In the Spring of 2014, the DARWIN-MINI system was released internationally using a new controller (OpenCM-9.04-C), with a new communication device (BT-210) and the new RoboPlus 2.0 suite: TASK, R+ DESIGN and R+ MOTION (V.2). So far (March 2015), the RoboPlus Manager tool (V.1.0.33.2) could only serve as a firmware updater to the 9.04-C, but the RoboPlus Dynamixel Wizard tool (currently at V.1.0.19.5) had been modified to work with OpenCM-9.04-C quite well as a Firmware Update/Recovery tool for the XL-320 actuators as well as for the 9.04-C controller (see Sect.4.2.2). The OpenCM-9.04-C could also be used with the OpenCM IDE V.1.0.2, but it would need a firmware recovery (via Manager only and the micro USB port) to make it work again with the RoboPlus 2.0 suite. In November 2014, the second edition of this system with an improved XL-320 (metal pinion gear) was renamed ROBOTIS-MINI.
The Nature and Extent of Special Educator Contacts with Students' Parents.

Parental involvement in their handicapped child's education is generally promoted by the field and protected by legal mandates. To determine the nature and extent of parent-teacher interactions, a questionnaire was sent to 1,418 special education teachers across the country. A total of 904 (64%) teachers responded. Overall frequency of contacts and time spent were calculated, as well as the type of IEPrelated roles teachers assume. Other types of interactions such as written, telephone, conferences, parent groups, and cooperative agreements also were sampled. Results indicate teachers assume a number of responsibilities when interacting with parents and use a variety of methods for doing so. Implications for teacher training are discussed.
POD based reduced basis element method for use in thermal modeling of integrated circuits

With the decreasing sizes of transistors and the increasing integrated circuit (IC) density, heat dissipation can be a limiting factor in developing emerging semiconductor technologies, such as silicon-on-insulator (SOI) based transistors and 3D-stacked ICs. To overcome this challenge, accurate thermal simulations are needed. The goal of this investigation is to explore the use of proper orthogonal decomposition (POD)-based reduced basis element methods (RBEM) for performing fast and accurate thermal predictions of ICs. The reduced basis element method (RBEM) is new type of reduced order modeling that takes advantage of repeated geometrical features. The RBEM uses a reduced set of basis functions to approximate the solution of a PDE on some geometrical subdomain or “block”. Once a reduced order model (ROM) has been created for a particular geometrical block it is a matter of “gluing” multiple blocks together and solving for equations governing the combined system. In this study, we examine the appropriate choice of “block” for the RBEM simulation of an IC. To determine the trade-offs between these choices, RBEM thermal simulations using single device blocks are compared to RBEMs that span multiple devices. It was found that larger blocks are more computationally efficient; however the advantage decreases if the devices within a block receive independent signals.
Imitation by Animals: How Do They Do It?

Imitation is of psychological interest in part because it has cognitive implications for how organisms view the behavior of others, relative to their own behavior. It implies the ability to take the perspective of another. For this reason, researchers have tried to distinguish imitation from other kinds of social learning and influence. In the two-action procedure, one of two response topographies is demonstrated, and the correlation between the topography demonstrated and the topography later used by the observer is a measure of imitation. Both pigeons and Japanese quail show response matching, despite the fact that from their perspective, their own behavior appears quite different from that demonstrated. Although imitation has been demonstrated in birds and several species of primates, researchers are still not certain what mechanisms underlie this ability.
Only the short die old: route optimization in MANETs by dynamic subconnection shrinking

In reactive routing protocols, active routes for multihop connections retain their topological structure in spite of node movement over time. Unfortunately, node movements may make the connection route sub-optimal in terms of hop length, thereby resulting in unnecessarily high end-to-end delays, energy consumption and channel contention. In AODV, for example, a connection route is recomputed only if one of its constituent links suffers catastrophic failure, at which point global route discovery attempts repair, and after which the topological structure of the connection again returns to near-optimality.In this paper, we propose an extension to AODV that performs periodic subconnection shrinking of the topological substructure within each connection. We show that this not only reduces the average end-to-end connection length, but also increases the mean time between catastrophic link failures of the connection's constituent links, thereby reducing the number of repair-related global route discoveries experienced. The control traffic needed to operate our scheme can be amortized against the reduction in repair-related global route discovery traffic. Through ns2 simulations, we show that our dynamic subconnection shrinking scheme manifests connections that, on average, have (i) shorter hop length, (ii) higher packet delivery fraction; moreover, this extension operates using less control traffic than standard AODV. We demonstrate that these conclusions continue to hold scalably over a wide range of operating regimes.
One Statute for Two Spirits: Same-Sex Marriage in Indian Country

On March 15, 2013, the Little Traverse Bay Bands of Odawa Indians (LTBB) became the third tribal nation to recognize same sex unions. The LTBB statute, Waganakising Odawak Statute 2013-003, defines marriage as “the legal and voluntary union of two persons to the exclusion of all others.” The Coquille Tribe, in 2009, and Suquamish Tribe, in 2011, both previously recognized same sex unions. Unlike the Coquille Tribe, located within Oregon, and the Suquamish Tribe, located within Washington, LTBB’s tribal territory is located within Michigan, a state that does not currently recognize same sex marriages. Accordingly, some may question the authority of LTBB and similarly situated tribal nations to enact provisions, such as the Waganakising Odawak Statute 2013-003, that conflict with state policy. This article addresses issues surrounding the authority of tribal nations to enact provisions allowing for same-sex marriage or unions.
Predictors of transitions in disease and disability in pre- and early-retirement populations.

Objectives:This study analyzed rates of prevalence and incidence of, and transitions in, disease and disability statuses of those aged 51 to 61 years and the predictors of the transition outcomes—remaining free of disease or disability, getting better, or getting worse—over a 2-year period. Methods:Data from the 1992 and 1994 interview waves of the Health and Retirement Study were used for gender-separate binary and multinomial logistic regression analyses. Results:Despite high prevalence and incidence rates of chronic disease and functional limitations, the improvement rates in disabilities were also high. For both genders, age, years of education, health-related behaviors, and comorbidity factors were significant predictors of the transition outcomes. Discussion:The significance of health-related behaviors as predictors of transitions suggests that lifestyle factors may have a bigger influence on this age group than on older groups.
Novel cleaning methodology for steel substrates in microelectronic fabrication

We report on the development of a novel cleaning methodology for use with steel substrates in microelectronic fabrication. The statistical experimental design that was employed to identify the most significant factors in removing particles is presented and the effectiveness of the resulting clean formulation is detailed.
A comparison of methods for alcohol and marijuana anticipatory guidance with adolescents

The purpose of this study was to compare adolescents' knowledge of alcohol after receiving either a computer-assisted instruction program or physician-delivered anticipatory guidance or no intervention. In addition, adolescents' satisfaction was compared between intervention groups. A total of 89 adolescents attending a general medical clinic were randomly assigned to one of three conditions. The participants were from low-to-middle income families, and the mean age was 15.5 years. A two-way analysis of variance found significant main effects for both group and sex. Those adolescents in both intervention groups were significantly more knowledgeable, and males demonstrated the highest knowledge scores. There was a significant interaction between group and sex, with females more satisfied with the computer-assisted instruction as compared to males who preferred anticipatory guidance. These data suggest that the use of computer technology during a well-adolescent health visit is effective and efficient in transmitting drug-related information.
Transient behavior of aerosol filtration in model filters

The transient behavior of aerosol filtration in model filters composed of several layers of wire screens was investigated experimentally. The collection efficiency of the filter expressed in terms of the single fiber efficiency was determined under a variety of conditions. The increase in the collection efficiency and pressure drop during the course of filtration was examined. An empirical correlation relating the increase of the collection efficiency as a function of the amount of deposition was established.
Ultrasonic piezoceramic-polymer composite transducer-dynamic behavior and effects of heterogeneous structure

A dynamic theory is developed for piezocomposites with 2-2 connectivity. By solving the coupled dynamic equations in the piezoceramic plate and polymer region subjected to the boundary conditions at the ceramic-polymer interface, the distributions of the elastic and electric variables in a composite are obtained. The electromechanical coupling factor, the acoustic impedance, the resonant frequency, and the elastic coupling between the polymer and ceramic at the thickness resonance can be determined. The effects of mode coupling on the thickness resonance and lateral resonance are elucidated and the dependence of the frequency of these resonant modes on the composite thickness can be estimated. Theoretical results are compared with experimental observations.
EFFECTS OF COMMUNITY-BASED, VIDEOTAPE, AND FLASH CARD INSTRUCTION OF COMMUNITY-REFERENCED SIGHT WORDS ON STUDENTS WITH MENTAL RETARDATION

Community-referenced sight words and phrases were taught to adolescents with mild and moderate mental retardation using three instructional methods in two locations. Words were presented on flash cards in a school setting, on videotape recordings in a school setting, and on naturally occurring signs in the community. During each session, participants were taught one third of the words in each of these conditions and were then tested at the community sites. A constant prompt delay procedure was used to promote stimulus control to the experimenter's cue initially and then to transfer control to the textual stimuli used for training. A multiple baseline across participants design was employed. Results showed rapid acquisition of the community-referenced sight words in all three training conditions and generalization from the flash card and videotape conditions to the community sites.
Evidence against the role of intracellular calcium dynamics in ventricular fibrillation.

To the Editor: In our recent publication,1 we argued that intracellular calcium (Cai) dynamics is not an essential mechanism of the maintenance of ventricular fibrillation (VF). Our argument was based on 2 major observations: (1) Cai transient passively followed the optical action potential along the entire wavelet span, except at the very wavelet tip; and (2) chelating Cai with BAPTA-AM did not change the incidence of wave break (WB) during VF. In their letter to Circulation Research , Ogawa et al2 raised a concern that our BAPTA test is not valid because the time of BAPTA perfusion in our experiments (≈10 minutes) was too short to achieve a significant effect. To support this statement, Ogawa et al referred to their own (unpublished) results in Langendorff-perfused rabbit hearts indicating that after 30 minutes of perfusion with 20 μmol/L BAPTA-AM, rapid pacing …
Genetics of systemic lupus erythematosus and Sjögren's syndrome.

Purpose of review To determine the advances made in the genetics of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) or Sjogren's syndrome as the era of genome-wide association and high-throughput single nucleotide typing begins. Recent findings Several genome-wide association studies have been performed in SLE but there are no such studies published or in progress for Sjogren's syndrome. Genetics and the functional significance of risk alleles in the interferon pathway are being worked out in detail. This is especially true for STAT4 and IRF5. Gene copy number variation, a major source of genetic variability, is important for several genes that impart risk for SLE. An X chromosome copy number dose effect has recently been identified. Genetic evaluation of Sjogren's syndrome is limited to small studies that have concentrated on genes already shown to be risk factors in SLE. Summary Knowledge of the genetics of SLE is advancing rapidly, whereas that of Sjogren's syndrome lags behind considerably.
Characterization of oocyte and follicle development in growth differentiation factor-9-deficient mice

Female mice null for the oocyte-specific gene product, growth differentiation factor-9 (GDF-9), a member of the transforming growth factor-beta superfamily, exhibit primary infertility due to failed ovarian follicular development. The purpose of this study is to characterize oocyte and follicular differentiation as a function of animal age using cell culture and fluorescence, confocal, and electron microscopy. Analysis of follicles from GDF-9 homozygous mutant mice indicates that GDF-9-deficient oocytes grow more rapidly than control oocytes and that follicle growth ceases at the type 3b stage. Based on germinal vesicle (GV) chromatin patterns, fully grown oocytes isolated from GDF-9-deficient mice progress to advanced stages of differentiation equivalent to those found in antral follicles of control (heterozygous) mice. In vitro maturation of oocytes from homozygous mutant mice revealed that most oocytes are capable of resuming meiosis, with the ability to achieve meiotic completion reaching the highest levels in 6-week-old mice. Among the characteristic ultrastructural features of oocytes from homozygous mutant mice are perinuclear organelle aggregation, unusual peripheral Golgi complexes, and a failure to form cortical granules. Modified interconnections between granulosa cells and oocytes were also observed by ultrastructural (EM) and fluorescence microscopic analysis of follicles from GDF-9-deficient mice. These modifications included a decrease in the number of actin-based transzonal processes and modifications of microtubule-based projections that over time gave rise to invasion of the perivitelline space with eventual loss of oocyte viability. These cell-cell aberrations suggest a critical role for GDF-9 in the regulation of growth in preantral follicles through a mechanism involving bidirectional somatic cell-germ cell interactions.
Music Videos and Sexual Risk in African American Adolescent Girls: Gender, Power and the Need for Media Literacy

Abstract Background: Music videos contain sexual content often reflecting women as promiscuous, submissive, or passive. Few studies have examined gender- and sex-related attitudes in African American females, particularly across genres of music videos. Purpose: Using constructs from Cultivation Theory, Theory of Gender and Power and Social Cognitive Theory, this study examined the association of music video viewing, gender roles, self-efficacy for condom use, and condom use among a sample of African American adolescent girls (N = 522). Methods: This study employed a cross-sectional design using baseline survey data collected through a larger study testing an HIV-risk reduction intervention. Results: Viewing frequency was highest for rap (97%) and R&B (80.4%) videos. Negative exposure in videos significantly predicted perceived personal influence and condom use self-efficacy. Girls who watched rap videos held less traditional attitudes toward women than those who watched rap and R&B combined. Discussion: A...
Derived Indices of Myocardial Function in Isolated Work-Performing Hearts

Quantitative measurements of the status of myocardial function and of changes in function produced by experimental conditions or agents are difficult to obtain. The difficulties increase when heart-to-heart comparisons are required. Clinically, the introduction and improvement of cardiac catheterization, electro- and echocardiography, and real-time radioopaque and radionuclide imaging have lessened the difficulty of this task somewhat. In animal experiments, greater quantitation has been attempted by direct measurements of pressures and their rates of change in most vessels and cavities of the heart and the circulatory system. Strain gauge arches and ultrasonic dimension crystals have been used to quantitate isometric force development (F), including rate change (dF/dt), and to accurately and directly determine wall thickness changes and diameter changes of heart chambers. In addition, information about isotonic contraction, velocity of contractile element shortening, velocity of circumferential fiber shortening, and maximum velocity of shortening can be obtained. Accurate and convenient flow and combined flow (cardiac output) measurements are possible. This information allows reliable calculation of preload and afterload, ventricular volumes and their changes, atrial and ventricular end-diastolic pressures, cardiac output, and stroke volume for a meaningful construction of Starling function curves.
A simple direct method for absolute basophil leucocyte count.

SummaryA method is presented which permits the differentiation and enumeration of basophils from the counting chamber. Basophil counts were performed on 69 normal individuals and the range, mean, and standard deviation are reported by sex.
Generalization gradients along wavelength and angularity dimensions in pigeons following two differential training procedures

Comparison of generalization gradients along dimensions of angularity and wavelength were made following differential training to (a) presence-absence of a vertical green line on a white surround, and (b) presence-absence of a vertical white line on a green surround. The angularity gradient was steeper for the group trained with the green line than the group trianed with the white one. Wavelength gradients were steep but not different for the two groups.
Fate of P32-Labeled Bayer 21/199 in the White Rat

Data are presented on the tissue distribution of phosphorus-32 labeled 0- (3-chloro-4-methylumbelliferone) 0,0-dieth)-1 phosphorothioate in rats. (C.H.)
Signaling in Bayesian Stackelberg Games

Algorithms for solving Stackelberg games are used in an ever-growing variety of real-world domains. Previous work has extended this framework to allow the leader to commit not only to a distribution over actions, but also to a scheme for stochastically signaling information about these actions to the follower. This can result in higher utility for the leader. In this paper, we extend this methodology to Bayesian games, in which either the leader or the follower has payoff-relevant private information or both. This leads to novel variants of the model, for example by imposing an incentive compatibility constraint for each type to listen to the signal intended for it. We show that, in contrast to previous hardness results for the case without signaling, we can solve unrestricted games in time polynomial in their natural representation. For security games, we obtain hardness results as well as efficient algorithms, depending on the settings. We show the benefits of our approach in experimental evaluations of our algorithms.
Mechanistic Study of Nitric Oxide Reduction by Hydrogen on Pt(100) (I): A DFT Analysis of the Reaction Network.

Periodic, self-consistent density functional theory (DFT-GGA, PW91) calculations are used to study the reaction mechanism for nitric oxide (NO) reduction by hydrogen (H2) on Pt(100). Energetics of various N–O activation paths, including both direct and hydrogen-assisted N–O bond-breaking paths, and the formation of three different N-containing products (N2, N2O, and NH3), are systematically studied. On the basis of our analysis, NO* dissociation has a lower barrier than NO* hydrogenation to HNO* or NOH*, and therefore, the direct NO dissociation path is predicted to dominate N–O activation on clean Pt(100). The reaction of atomic N* with N* and NO* is proposed as the mechanism for N2 and N2O formation, respectively. NH3 formation from N* via three successive hydrogenation steps is also studied and is found to be kinetically more difficult than N2 and N2O formation from N*. Finally, NO adsorption phase diagrams on Pt(100) are constructed, and these phase diagrams suggest that, at low temperatures (e.g., 40...
LOGIC AND PROBABILITY: THE STRANGE CONNECTION

Researchers in non-monotonic logic are adamant about disassociating default reasoning from any statistical or empirical interpretation. Default reasoning requires two facilities, one that forces conclusions to be retracted in light of new refuting evidence and another that protects conclusions from retraction in light of new but irrelevant evidence. Commonsense reasoning evidently involves two types of default rules: expectation-evoking and explanation-evoking. The distinction between causal and evidential defaults allows to distinguish properly rules that should be invoked from rules that should not be invoked. While the full power of this distinction can be unleashed only in systems that are sensitive to the relative strengths of the default rules, there is still much that causality can offer to systems lacking this sensitivity. Moreover, it is quite feasible that the major computational benefits of causal reasoning could be tapped with just a rough quantification of rule strength. Bayesian analysis should be consulted as a standard for abstracting more refined logical systems.
The fiscal and human costs of immigrant detention and deportation in the United States

An extensive body of literature has analyzed the individual impacts and collateral consequences of mass incarceration. However, few studies explore the consequences of a parallel and overlapping system: mass immigration detention and deportation. The last 30 years witnessed a dramatic increase in the number of noncitizens detained in and deported from the United States. Individuals detained under immigration laws are held pending adjudication, often mandatorily, and without many basic constitutional protections. Immigrant detention and deportation impose severe burdens on immigrants and their households and levy significant costs to society—financially, as well as in terms of social capital and community well-being. Chiefly due to the difficulty in accessing noncitizens in the process of detention and deportation, this system has largely escaped sociological inquiry. This article provides a background for understanding the growth and consequences of detention and deportation in the United States. It reviews the literature on these immigration law enforcement programs and suggests topical and methodological directions for future research.
A molecular marker associated with the H21 Hessian fly resistance gene in wheat

Near-isogenic lines in conjunction with bulked segregant analysis were used to identify a DNA marker in wheat (Triticum aestivum L.) associated with the H21 gene conferring resistance to biotype L of Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)] larvae. Near-isogenic lines were developed by backcross introgression BC3F3:4 (‘Coker 797’ * 4 / ‘Hamlet’) and differed by the presence or absence of H21 (on 2RL) derived from ‘Chaupon’ rye (Secale cereale L.). Bulked DNA samples were prepared from near-isogenic lines and BC3F2 population individuals segregating for reaction to Hessian fly biotype L and screened for random amplified polymorphic DNA markers using 46 10mer primers. Random-amplified polymorphic DNA markers from resistant and susceptible individuals and parental lines were scored and these data were used to identify a 3 kb DNA fragment that was related to the occurrence of H21. This fragment was amplified from DNA isolated from Hamlet, a near-isogenic line carrying 2RL, and bulked DNA from resistant BC3F2 individuals, but not from the recurrent parent Coker 797 or DNA bulks from susceptible BC3F2 plants. Analysis of 111 BC3F2 segregating individuals and BC3F2:3 segregants confirmed the co-segregation of the 3 kb DNA marker with the H21 resistance gene to Hessian fly. Use of this marker could facilitate more rapid screening of plant populations for Hessian fly resistance and monitoring the introgression of H21.
Nanoparticle-Based Delivery of siRNA and miRNA for Cancer Therapy

Abstract Recent advance in the study of cancer genome has led to the realization that small interference RNAs (siRNAs) provide an attractive type of anticancer reagents that can inhibit the expression of genes that are upregulated or whose gene products are overactivated in human cancer. In addition, microRNAs (miRNAs) provide another type of anticancer agents that can affect multiple genes involved in signal transduction. However, the issue of delivery of these reagents needs to be overcome before they can be used extensively for cancer therapy. One of the solutions for this problem is to use nanoparticles that can carry siRNAs or miRNAs and deliver them to tumor. Various types of nanoparticles have been used to deliver these RNAs. They include mesoporous silica nanoparticles surface modified with cationic polymers as well as liposomes, dendrimers, or block copolymers. The use of siRNAs and miRNAs to block the signaling pathways important for cancer cells will be discussed. Different types of nanoparticles used to deliver these molecules will be mentioned and the prospect of these delivery vehicles playing an important role in the implementation of these reagents in medicine will be discussed.
Obesity and hypertrophic cardiomyopathy: chickens, eggs, and causality: clinical skills remain the key to caring for patients

The impact of obesity on the cardiovascular system continues to reveal itself. In this issue, Olivotto et al. [(1)][1] share the results of a 3-center collaboration on body mass index and its relation to left ventricular morphology in patients with hypertrophic cardiomyopathy (HCM). The
Exchange and Correlation In Atoms, Molecules, And Solids: The Density Functional Picture

The exchange-correlation energy is “nature’s glue.” It is largely responsible for the binding of atoms to form molecules and solids. Density functional theory (DFT)1, 2, 3, 4, 5provides a simple and powerful description of exchange and correlation, and makes successful predictions for moderately-correlated electronic systems.
New Insights into Amino-Terminal Translocation as Revealed by the Use of YidC and Sec Depletion Strains

Different attributes of membrane protein substrates have been proposed and characterized as translocation-pathway determinants. However, several gaps in our understanding of the mechanism of targeting, insertion, and assembly of inner-membrane proteins exist. Specifically, the role played by hydrophilic N-terminal tails in pathway selection is unclear. In this study, we have evaluated length and charge density as translocase determinants using model proteins. Strikingly, the 36-residue N-tail of 2Pf3-Lep translocates independent of YidC-Sec. This is the longest known substrate of this pathway. We confirmed this using a newly constructed YidC-Sec double-depletion strain. Increasing its N-tail length with uncharged spacer peptides led to YidC dependence and eventually YidC-Sec dependence, hence establishing that length has a linear effect on translocase dependence. Tails longer than 60 residues were not inserted; however, an MBP-2Pf3-Lep fusion protein could be ranslocated. This suggests that longer N-tails can be translocated if it can engage SecA. In addition, we have examined how the positioning of charges within the translocated N-tail affects the insertion pathway. Additional charges can be translocated by the Lep TM when the charges are distributed across a longer N-tail. We tested charge density as a translocase determinant and confirmed that the addition of positive or negatives charges led to a greater dependence on YidC-Sec when they were placed close to each other than away. Findings from this work make an important advance in our existing knowledge about the different insertion mechanisms of membrane proteins in Escherichia coli.
Aero-resonant migration

The process of planet conglomeration, which primarily unfolds in a geometrically thin disk of gas and dust, is often accompanied by dynamical excitation of the forming planets and planetesimals. The ensuing orbital crossing can lead to large-scale collisional fragmentation, populating the system with icy and rocky debris. In a gaseous nebula, such leftover solid matter tends to spiral down towards the host star due to aerodynamic drag. Along the way, the inward drifting debris can encounter planets and gravitationally couple to them via mean-motion resonances, sapping them of their orbital energy and causing them to migrate. Here, we develop a simple theory for this migration mechanism, which we call "Aero-Resonant Migration" (ARM), in which small planetesimals ($10\,$m $\lesssim s \lesssim 10\,$km) undergo orbital decay due to aerodynamic drag and resonantly shepherd planets ahead of them. Using a combination of analytical calculations and numerical experiments, we show that ARM is a robust migration mechanism, able to significantly transport planets on timescales $\lesssim1$ Myr, and present simple formulae for the ARM rate.
Making block-based programming accessible to people with cognitive disabilities

Block-based programming languages are a popular way to introduce programming concepts to novice learners. However, block-based languages have inaccessible representations, which can create cognitive difficulties in manipulating blocks, assembling programs, and interpreting code. In my dissertation, I plan to address these problems by developing techniques to make programming accessible using a touch screen device. I will evaluate my designs through usability studies with adults with cognitive disabilities, special educators, and caregivers. My research aims to provide empirical findings on accessible representations and alternative interaction techniques in block-based languages.