cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dynamic Path Visualization for Human-Robot Collaboration

Augmented reality technology can enable robots to visualize their future actions giving users crucial information to avoid collisions and other conflicting actions. Although a robot's entire action plan could be visualized (such as the output of a navigational planner), how far into the future it is appropriate to display the robot's plan is unknown. We developed a dynamic path visualizer that projects the robot's motion intent at varying lengths depending on the complexity of the upcoming path. We tested our approach in a virtual game where participants were tasked to collect and deliver gems to a robot that moves randomly towards a grid of markers in a confined area. Preliminary results on a small sample size indicate no significant effect on task performance; however, open-ended responses reveal participants preference towards visuals that show longer path projections.
Medication use and microscopic colitis: a multicentre retrospective cohort study.

Background Medication use has been implicated in the development of microscopic colitis (MC). However, studies have demonstrated inconsistent findings and there exist variations in design. Aim To measure the association between medication use and MC. Methods Patients who underwent a colonoscopy over a 10-year period at two academic medical centres (Columbia University Medical Centre and Mayo Clinic) were identified. Cases were patients with biopsy-proven MC and controls were patients who underwent colonoscopy for evaluation of diarrhoea with biopsies negative for MC. Cases were matched by age, gender and calendar period with up to two controls. Demographics, medication use, smoking history and coeliac disease status were collected. Conditional logistic regression was used with and without adjustment for smoking. Results A total of 344 patients with MC were matched to 668 controls. After adjusting for smoking, there was an inverse association between MC and use of proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) (OR 0.64; 95% CI 0.47-0.87), H2 blockers (OR 0.46; 95% CI 0.24-0.88) and oral diabetes medications (OR 0.47; 95% CI 0.27-0.81). There was a positive association with nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug (NSAID) use and MC (OR 1.63; 95% CI 1.12-2.38). Conclusions NSAID use was associated with MC, while use of PPIs, H2 blockers and oral diabetes medications were inversely related to MC. Our use of a control group with diarrhoea, as opposed to healthy controls, may have contributed to these inverse associations. Future studies of drug-induced microscopic colitis should include control groups with diarrhoea, and not only healthy controls.
Disorders of iron metabolism

Abstract There are many biochemical tools available to assess the state of iron metabolism, but the diagnosis of iron pathology remains problem­atic. As molecular mechanisms responsible for iron uptake, transport, storage, and utilization become more precisely defined, efforts to exploit this new knowledge for diagnosis and therapy have begun to enter pediatric practice environments. This chapter will review the current under­standing of iron (patho)physiology, current tools for biochemical assessment of iron status, and future prospects for the molecular manipulation of pathologic iron metabolism and storage.
Harnessing methylotrophs as a bacterial platform to reduce adverse effects of the use of the heavy lanthanide gadolinium in magnetic resonance imaging

ABSTRACT Gadolinium is a key component of magnetic resonance imaging contrast agents that are critical tools for enhanced detection and diagnosis of tissue and vascular abnormalities. Untargeted post-injection deposition of gadolinium in vivo, and association with diseases like nephrogenic systemic fibrosis, has alerted regulatory agencies to re-evaluate their widespread use and generated calls for safer gadolinium-based contrast agents (GBCAs). Increasing anthropogenic gadolinium in surface water has also raised concerns of potential bioaccumulation in plants and animals. Methylotrophic bacteria can acquire, transport, store and use light lanthanides as part of a cofactor complex with pyrroloquinoline quinone (PQQ), an essential component of XoxF-type methanol dehydrogenases (MDHs), a critical enzyme for methylotrophic growth with methanol. We report robust gadolinium-dependent methanol growth of a genetic variant of Methylorubrum extorquens AM1, named evo-HLn, for “evolved for heavy lanthanides”. Genetic adaptation of evo-HLn resulted in increased xox1 promoter and XoxF MDH activities, transport and storage of Gd3+, and augmented biosynthesis of PQQ. Gadolinium-grown cells exhibited a shorter T1 relaxation time compared to cells with lanthanum or no lanthanide when analyzed by MRI. In addition, evo-HLn was able to grow on methanol using the GBCA Gd-DTPA as the sole gadolinium source, showing the potential of this strain for the development of novel GBCAs and gadolinium recovery from medical waste and/or wastewater.
Define protein variant functions with high-complexity mutagenesis libraries and enhanced mutation detection software ASMv1.0

Abstract Open reading frame (ORF) variant libraries have advanced our ability to query the functions of a large number of variants of a protein simultaneously in a single experiment. Variant libraries targeting full-length ORFs typically consists of all possible single-amino-acid substitutions and a stop codon at each amino-acid position. Because a variant differs from the template ORF by merely a single codon variation, variant quantification presents the most profound challenge to this technology. Efforts such as dividing a library into sub-libraries for direct sequencing, or tag-directed subassembly are practical only for small ORFs. Our approach, however, features generating and screening libraries for genes sized up to 3600 bases, shotgun sequencing and an enhanced variant-detecting tool. Having processed screens of ∼20 ORF variant libraries, our tool calls variants reliably, and also presents variant annotations in datafiles enabling analyses that have reshaped our strategies governing library design, screen deconvolution, sequencing and its analysis.
Thermodynamic study of (anthracene + phenanthrene) solid state mixtures.

Abstract Polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH) are common components of many materials, such as petroleum and various types of tars. They are generally present in mixtures, occurring both naturally and as byproducts of fuel processing operations. It is important to understand the thermodynamic properties of such mixtures in order to understand better and predict their behavior (i.e., fate and transport) in the environment and in industrial operations. To characterize better the thermodynamic behavior of PAH mixtures, the phase behavior of a binary (anthracene + phenanthrene) system was studied by differential scanning calorimetry, X-ray diffraction, and the Knudsen effusion technique. Mixtures of (anthracene + phenanthrene) exhibit non-ideal mixture behavior. They form a lower-melting, phenanthrene-rich phase with an initial melting temperature of 372 K (identical to the melting temperature of pure phenanthrene) and a vapor pressure of roughly lnP/Pa = −2.38. The phenanthrene-rich phase coexists with an anthracene-rich phase when the mole fraction of phenanthrene (xP) in the mixture is less than or equal to 0.80. Mixtures initially at xP = 0.90 consist entirely of the phenanthrene-rich phase and sublime at nearly constant vapor pressure and composition, consistent with azeotrope-like behavior. Quasi-azeotropy was also observed for very high-content anthracene mixtures (2.5
Industry contributions to aggregate workplace injury and illness rate trends: 1992-2008.

BACKGROUND: Aggregate workplace injury and illness rates have generally declined over the past quarter century. Assessing which industries contributed to these declines is hampered by industry coding changes that broke time series data. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Ratios were estimated to convert older incidence rate data to current industry codes and to create long industry time series from data of the BLS Survey of Occupational Injuries and Illnesses. These data were used to assess contributions to aggregate trends from within-industry incidence rate trends and across-industry hours shifts. RESULTS: Hours shifts toward safer industries do not explain aggregate incidence rate declines. Rather declines resulted from within-industry declines. The top 20 contributors out of 307 industries account for 40 percent of the decline and include both goods-producing and service-providing industries. CONCLUSION: These data help focus future research on industries responsible for rate declines and factors hypothesized as contributing to declines. Am. J. Ind. Med. 57:1149-1164, 2014. Published 2014. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA. Language: en
Spatial Ability and Land Navigation under Degraded Visual Conditions

Land navigation tasks require the use of visual cues. When these cues are degraded by the loss of resolution, navigators suffer varying degrees of performance decrements. We tested the hypothesis that these decrements are less severe for people of high spatial ability than they are for people of low spatial ability. We tested 108 noncommissioned officers on a task that required them to determine if two woodland photographs taken from different directions (N, NE, E ... NW) were of the same location; spatial ability was assessed using the Cognitive Laterality Battery. Spatial ability was related to the ability to do this task. Furthermore, there was a significant interaction between spatial ability and visual resolution on recognition performance. This article discusses the implications of these results for teleoperations and land navigation. Language: en
Biopsy versus resection for the management of low‐grade gliomas

Low-grade gliomas (LGG) are slow growing, less aggressive brain tumors. There are two surgical management strategies (treatments) for a person with a suspected LGG. These are biopsy, the surgical sampling of a small amount of tumor tissue, or resection, where as much as possible of the tumor is surgically removed. Tissues from both operations are then examined to give a definitive diagnosis of the type and grade (severity) of the tumor. There is much debate about which of these surgical procedures is the best for patient survival. However, currently there are no randomized clinical trials which have looked at which is the better procedure, only retrospective research studies looking at how people have responded to procedures that have happened in the past. Therefore, in the future more randomised research trials are needed to try and answer this question.
Air Pollution and Cardiovascular Injury: Epidemiology, Toxicology, and Mechanisms

Recent epidemiologic studies show that increased levels of air pollutants are positively associated with cardiovascular morbidity and mortality. Inhalation of air pollutants affects heart rate, heart rate variability, blood pressure, vascular tone, blood coagulability, and the progression of atherosclerosis. Several categories within the general population (i.e., people with pre-existing cardiovascular disease and diabetic and elderly individuals) are considered to be more susceptible to air pollution–mediated cardiovascular effects. Major mechanisms of inhalation-mediated cardiovascular toxicity include activation of pro-inflammatory pathways and generation of reactive oxygen species. Although most studies focus on the influence of systemic effects, recent studies indicate that ultrafine particles may be translocated into the circulation and directly transported to the vasculature and heart where they can induce cardiac arrhythmias and decrease cardiac contractility and coronary flow.
A Qualitative Study of the Honeymoon Period Following Military Deployment Among Families With Young Children

More than 2 million children have experienced parental deployment since 2001, yet little is known about the impact of deployment on families with young children. Specifically, the reintegration experiences of families with young children is absent from the extant literature, despite the fact that 41% of military children are under six years old. The current study is a first step in examining the honeymoon, which, when present, is considered the initial period of reintegration. The honeymoon period is inconsistently operationalized across studies, and the term is used in the literature without being defined. The current qualitative investigation sought to operationalize and define the honeymoon period in families with young children.
Demonstration of an assay for specific cytolytic antibody in sera from patients with ulcerative colitis

Abstract Antibody-dependent cell-mediated microcytotoxicity assay system was used to demonstrate a specific serum antibody in patients with ulcerative colitis. An established colon cancer cell line (RPMI 4788) labeled with 51 Cr served as the target cells; control target cell was HeLa, a human cervical cancer cell line. Sera from 25 patients with active ulcerative colitis, 18 with symptomatic Crohn's disease and 7 with rheumatoid arthritis, and 16 normal subjects were used as the source of antibody for this system. Purified serum IgG from 5 patients with ulcerative colitis and 4 normal subjects were also used for this assay. Antibody-dependent cell-mediated cytotoxicity was obtained only with ulcerative colitis sera against RPMI 4788 (12.4 ± 2.3%). Cytotoxicity with ulcerative colitis sera was significantly higher (p
The three-dimensional time and volume averaged conservation equations of two-phase flow

The purpose of this paper is to present a concise derivation of the time and volume-averaged conservation equations of two-phase flow. These equations are in a form compatible with numerical evaluations using advanced generation, two fluid computer codes.
WHO GETS WHAT? DETERMINANTS OF LOAN SIZE AND CREDIT RATIONING AMONG MICROCREDIT BORROWERS: EVIDENCE FROM NICARAGUA

Joint liability microcredit lending employs members' trust and social networks to screen and monitor members. Lenders may use this information along with a formal application to determine the size and terms of the loan they disburse. Yet it is unclear what factors influence loan size. This paper examines two questions related to credit consumption: the size of loans disbursed and whether the borrower was credit rationed, using a sample of clients from Nicaragua. Findings suggest that borrower assets, gender and length of time with the lending institution influence the size of loans received. Recent evidence has also suggested that credit rationing may be related to loan officer discrimination, although evidence for this and other factors here is not clear. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Molybdenum and tungsten complexes with the heteroallyl-like Ph2P(O)C(S)NR− (R Me, Ph) as ligand. X-ray structural analysis of Mo(CO)2(PPh3)(Ph2P(O)C(S)NPh)2 · CH2Cl2; A 4 : 3 piano-stool configuration

Abstract Ph2P(O)C(S)N(H)R (R  Me, Ph) reacts with M(CO)3(η5-C5H5)Cl (M  Mo, W) in the presence of Et3N to give M(CO)2(η5-C5H5)(Ph2P(O)C(S)NR). The deprotonated ligand coordinates in a bidentate manner through N and S to give a four-membered ring system. M(CO)3(PPh3)2Cl2 (M  Mo, W) reacts with Ph2P(O)C(S)N(H)R (R  Me, Ph) in the presence of Et3N to give complexes in which the central metal atoms are seven coordinate through two ligands bonded via O and S to form five-membered ring systems, one PPh3, and two CO groups. The complexes were characterised by elemental analyses, IR, 1H NMR, and 31P NMR spectroscopy, and an X-ray structural analysis of Mo(CO)2(PPh3)(Ph2P(O)C(S)NPh)2 · CH2Cl2.
State-based differences in the prevalence and characteristics of untreated persons with serious psychological distress

Objectives: To examine the state-based prevalence of serious psychological distress (SPD) and its treatment using the Kessler-6 scale.
A novel FoxD3 gene trap line reveals neural crest precursor movement and a role for FoxD3 in their specification.

Neural crest cells migrate extensively and contribute to diverse derivatives, including the craniofacial skeleton, peripheral neurons and glia, and pigment cells. Although several transgenic lines label neural crest subpopulations, few are suited for studying early events in neural crest development. Here, we present a zebrafish gene/protein trap line gt(foxd3-citrine)^(ct110a) that expresses a Citrine fusion protein with FoxD3, a transcription factor expressed in premigratory and migrating neural crest cells. In this novel line, citrine expression exactly parallels endogenous foxd3 expression. High-resolution time-lapse imaging reveals the dynamic phases of precursor and migratory neural crest cell movements from the neural keel stage to times of active cell migration. In addition, Cre-recombination produces a variant line FoxD3-mCherry-pA whose homozygosis generates a FoxD3 mutant. Taking advantage of the endogenously regulated expression of FoxD3-mCherry fusion protein, we directly assess early effects of FoxD3 loss-of-function on specification and morphogenesis of dorsal root ganglia, craniofacial skeleton and melanophores. These novel lines provide new insights and useful new tools for studying specification, migration and differentiation of neural crest cells.
Effects of debriefing in marketing research involving “Mild” deceptions

Although behavioral researchers in marketing frequently deceive their subjects, relatively few report postexperimental debriefings. We hypothesize that researchers may avoid debriefings because (a) they feel their deceptions are so minor that debriefings are unnecessary, and (b) they fear possible negative reactions when subjects learn of the deceptions. We present the results of an experiment in which we measured debriefing effects on subjects who received such “mild” deceptions. Our results suggest that researchers have little to fear from conducting debriefings in these situations. We conclude by making several suggestions for administering debriefings and by identifying several issues concerning the effects of debriefings and deceptions that warrant future research.
Some conclusions regarding the aeroelastic stability of hingeless helicopter blades in hover and in forward flight

In this paper results and conclusions obtained from the study of the aeroelastic instability of hingeless helicopter blades are presented. First, the large amplitude coupled flap-lag equations of motion of a hingeless elastic helicopter blade are solved using an asymptotic expansion procedure in multiple time scales. Both hover and forward flight cases are considered. Stability boundaries and amplitudes of nonlinear response are obtained. From these, the importance of the nonlinear coupling and the effect of the periodic coefficients is determined. Next, using a system of linearized coupled flap-lag-pitch equations in hover, various divergence mechanisms for hingeless blades are shown. Finally, the flutter boundaries for coupled flap-lag-pitch are obtained. The effect of the torsional degree of freedom on the flap-lag type of instability is investigated. Similarly the effect of lag on the flap-pitch type of instability is considered. In addition, the effect of various blade parameters on the stability boundaries is shown.
An evaluation of cetane sensitivity in low-temperature combustion and options to compensate for market cetane variation

A single-cylinder engine was used to assess the sensitivity of emissions, noise and fuel consumption to variation in cetane number when operated in low temperature combustion both with and without ...
An Analysis of the Effect of Seasonal Variability of Harvest on the Estimate of Exploitation Rate

Abstract Five functional forms for the seasonal distribution of force of fishing mortality were used in determining expectations of death from fishing. Expectation of death from fishing calculated from E/F = A/Z was compared to the actual expectation of death from fishing determined by numerical integration. Bias results in the formula-calculated expectation of death from fishing if the force of fishing mortality is not a constant fraction of the force of total mortality. Bias is greater when the force of fishing mortality is more asymmetrical. Bias is positive when greater force of fishing mortality occurs early in the year; negative bias occurs when force of fishing mortality is greater later in the year. The magnitude of bias, for a given functional form of force of fishing mortality, is a function of the relative size of force of fishing mortality to force of total mortality.
Individual driver risk assessment using naturalistic driving data

Driving risk varies substantially among drivers. Identifying and predicting high-risk drivers will greatly benefit the development of proactive driver education programs and safety countermeasures. The objective of this study is twofold: (1) to identify factors associated with individual driver risk and (2) predict high-risk drivers using demographic, personality, and driving characteristic data. The 100-Car Naturalistic Driving Study was used for methodology development and application. A negative binomial regression model was adopted to identify significant risk factors. The results indicated that the driver's age, personality, and critical incident rate had significant impacts on crash and near-crash risk. For the second objective, drivers were classified into three risk groups based on crash and near-crash rate using a K-mean cluster method. The cluster analysis identified approximately 6% of drivers as high-risk drivers, with average crash and near-crash (CNC) rate of 3.95 per 1000 miles traveled, 12% of drivers as moderate-risk drivers (average CNC rate = 1.75), and 84% of drivers as low-risk drivers (average CNC rate = 0.39). Two logistic models were developed to predict the high- and moderate-risk drivers. Both models showed high predictive powers with area under the curve values of 0.938 and 0.930 for the receiver operating characteristic curves. This study concluded that crash and near-crash risk for individual drivers is associated with critical incident rate, demographic, and personality characteristics. Furthermore, the critical incident rate is an effective predictor for high-risk drivers.
Chromatin Structure and the Inheritance of Epigenetic Information

Although it is widely accepted that the regulation of the chromatin landscape is pivotal to conveying the epigenetic program, it is still unclear how a defined chromatin domain is reproduced following DNA replication and transmitted from one cell generation to the next. Here, we review the multiple mechanisms that potentially affect the inheritance of epigenetic information in somatic cells. We consider models of how histones might be recycled following replication, and discuss the importance of positive-feedback loops, long-range gene interactions and the complex network of trans-acting factors in the transmission of chromatin states.
Trifluoromethanesulfonic Acid Catalyzed Novel Friedel–Crafts Acylation of Aromatics with Methyl Benzoate

Abstract Methyl benzoate, protolytically activated by superacidic trifluoromethanesulfonic acid, reacts with aromatic compounds to give benzophenone derivatives in good to excellent yields (70–93%). Even highly deactivated nitrobenzene as well as benzotrifluoride underwent smooth benzoylation under the reaction conditions to respective meta -substituted benzophenones.
Characteristics of synaptosomal tyrosine uptake in various brain regions: Effect of other amino acids

Abstract Tyrosine uptake by rat synaptosomes was maximal after 5–10 min of incubation and at 30°C; uptake was inhibited by dinitrophenol (10−4 M) or ATP (10−3 M) and increased by reducing sodium concentrations or increasing calcium or potassium. The best model for uptake is a two-carrier system, in which one carrier shows high-affinity uptake and the other may be diffusional. Both uptake mechanisms are more concentrated in catecholamine-rich brain areas, and are inhibited in vitro by other large, neutral amino acids. At physiologic amino acid brain concentrations, each system probably carries about half of the tyrosine into the nerve terminal.
Highly structured tropical airglow and TEC signatures during strong geomagnetic activity

A remarkable set of all-sky images using the 630 nm airglow emission has been taken over the Arecibo Observatory in Puerto Rico. Wave-like structures at a height of about 250 km are commonly found to travel in the southwest direction at speeds ranging from 20-120 m/s. Most surprising is that geomagnetic activity seems to greatly amplify them, forming very intricate patterns of light and dark. Simultaneous observations using GPS satellite transmissions on one night reveal that dark regions are severely plasma depleted while bright regions have nighttime content as large as the full noontime ionosphere. This unexpected geomagnetic effect at mid-latitudes has implications for trans-ionospheric radiowave propagation and Space Weather.
Depressive symptoms and poor social support have a synergistic effect on event-free survival in patients with heart failure.

Abstract Background Depressive symptoms and poor social support are predictors of increased morbidity and mortality in patients with heart failure (HF). However, the combined contribution of depressive symptoms and social support event-free survival of patients with HF has not been examined. Objective To compare event-free survival in 4 groups of patients with HF stratified by depressive symptoms and perceived social support (PSS). Method A total of 220 patients completed the Beck Depression Inventory-II and the Multidimensional Perceived Social Support Scale and were followed for up to 4 years to collect data on death and hospitalizations. Results Depressive symptoms (hazard ratio = 1.73, P = .008) and PSS (hazard ratio = 1.51, P = .048) were independent predictors of event-free survival. Depressed patients with low PSS had 2.1 times higher risk of events than non-depressed patients with high PSS ( P = .003). Conclusion Depressive symptoms and poor social support had a negative additive effect on event-free survival in patients with HF.
Post-traumatic stress symptoms after childbirth and early mother–child interactions: an exploratory study

Background: It is well known that mother–child relationships may be affected by maternal psychological disorders, but, at present, few experimental studies have investigated the negative impact of postpartum post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) symptoms on child behaviour using the Still Face paradigm. Objective: The aim of this exploratory work is to investigate whether postpartum stress symptoms may affect mother–child relationships. The underlying hypothesis is that the persistence of postpartum stress symptoms may have a negative outcome on the mother’s tuning with the child. Methods: A sample of 19 pregnant women (mean age = 31.31; SD = 4.50) attended the four phases of the research, from the seventh month of pregnancy. Maternal personality characteristics were assessed by MMPI-2. The Perinatal PTSD Questionnaire was used to assess PTSD symptoms two days and two months after delivery. Three months after childbirth the dyads attended the Still Face paradigm. Results: Data have shown that the persiste...
Connectivity of lobster populations in the coastal Gulf of Maine: Part I: Circulation and larval transport potential

Abstract The remarkable increase of Homarus Americanus (lobster) abundance in recent years has resulted in record landings throughout the states and provinces along the perimeter of the Gulf of Maine. A considerable amount of data on various life stages of lobsters has been collected for research, management and conservation purposes over the past 15 years. We have used these data sets to develop models that simulate lobster populations from newly hatched larval stage through settlement and recruitment to the fishery. This paper presents a part of the synthesis study that focuses on the early life history of lobsters. A coupled biophysical individual based model was developed that considers patterns of egg production (abundance, distribution and timing of hatch), temperature-dependent larval growth, stage-explicit vertical distributions of larvae, and mortality. The biophysical model was embedded in the realistic simulations of the physical environment (current and temperature) from the Gulf of Maine Nowcast/Forecast System. The predominant direction of larval movement follows the cyclonic Gulf of Maine Coastal Current (GMCC). Results show relatively low accumulation of planktonic stages along the eastern Maine coast and high accumulation along the western Maine coast. In years when the eastern branch of the GMCC turns offshore southeast of Penobscot Bay, more particles accumulate downstream of the branch point. Interannual variability is also apparent in development times that vary as a function of year-to-year water temperature variation. The larval stages tend to remain relatively near shore, but the final planktonic stage (the postlarva) resides near the sea surface, and the prevailing southwesterly winds in summer cause eastward and offshore drift of postlarvae. Thus, more settlement might take place earlier in the potentially long postlarval stage, and the timing and strength of the southwesterly winds are important in determining the population of potential settlers.
Albany topical fluoride study.

A three-year study of second and third grade children evaluated the caries-preventive effect of four topical fluoride procedures. Only a group treated with an acidulated phosphate fluoride gel experienced significantly fewer new carious teeth than the control group, but this difference was small. Additional laboratory and clinical research will be needed to establish the superiority of any given fluoride preparation and schedule of application.
Tolerance spaces and behavior

Abstract A model dealing with certain features of human behavior is constructed on the basis of mathematical definitions of tolerance, adaptability, and reactivity. The concept of tolerance is connected with various kinds of inactivity as well as with arousal of conflict situations.
Justifying Human Rights: Perry, Kohen, and the Overlapping Consensus

In Defense of Human Rights: A Non-religious Grounding in a Pluralistic World by Ari Kohen. New York: Routledge, 2007. 207 pp. $41.95, paperback. The implementation and enjoyment of human rights has...
Clinical stage after preoperative chemoradiation is a better predictor of patient outcome than the baseline stage for localized gastric cancer.

BACKGROUND. For patients with localized gastric cancer (LGC) who are receiving preoperative chemoradiation (CTRT), the postsurgical pathologic stage predicts overall survival (OS) better than the baseline stage. The authors hypothesized that presurgical (postCTRT) stage would also correlate better with patient outcome than the baseline stage. METHODS. The authors analyzed 74 LGC patients treated with preoperative CTRT receiving similar treatment. Patients were staged with baseline endoscopic ultrasonography (EUS) and laparoscopy. Patients received induction chemotherapy, then CTRT (45 Gy), and had an attempted surgery. After CTRT, patients had complete preoperative staging including EUS in 35 patients. RESULTS. Thirty-five had all 3 sets of staging, baseline, presurgical, and postsurgical. Baseline stage did not associate with OS (P = .16) nor disease-free survival (DFS; P = .13). However, presurgical stage was associated with OS (P = .01), and DFS (P = .05). OS was also associated with postsurgical stage and was longer for stages 0 and I than for stages III and IV (P = .01 and .04, respectively). Similarly, DFS was longer in postsurgical pathologic stages 0, I, and II than in stage III or IV (P < .001, <.001, and <.01, respectively). Baseline staging did not correlate with the proportion of patients alive at 4 years; however, presurgical staging did. Patients with stage I or II survived longer than those with stage III or IV (81% vs 25%; P < .01). CONCLUSIONS. Heterogeneity in clinical biology of LGC is best reflected after CTRT in presurgical and postsurgical pathologic stages rather than by the baseline stage. Correlation of outcome with presurgical staging may facilitate strategies to individualize therapy for LGC. Cancer 2007. © 2007 American Cancer Society.
Quantitative Interpretation of the Optical Textures of Liquid Crystals Caused by Specific Binding of Immunoglobulins to Surface-Bound Antigens

We report a quantitative analysis of the change in optical appearance of a supported film of liquid crystal that is induced by specific binding of an immunoglobulin (IgG) to a surface-bound antigen. We interpret the optical appearance to indicate the amount of bound IgG and thus the concentration of IgG in solution. The procedure is a simple one to perform, requiring use of a CCD camera and a polarized white light source. We use the average gray scale brightness of the optical appearance of the supported liquid crystal to construct an optical response curve as a function of the amount of anti-biotin IgG bound to surface-immobilized biotin. We interpret the optical response curve using a model based on statistical binding of antibody to the surface and a cooperative response of the nematic liquid crystal to the bound antibody. Because the amount of bound antibody is largely controlled by mass transport of the antibody to the surface and thus the concentration of IgG in solution, the optical appearance of t...
The spectral sensitivity of eye movements in response to light flashes in Daphnia magna

The crustaceanDaphnia magna responds to a flash of light with a ventral rotation of its compound eye; this behavior is termed eye flick. We determined the spectral sensitivity for the threshold of eye flick in response to light flashes having three different spatial characteristics: (1) full-field, extending 180° from dorsal to ventral in the animal's field of view; (2) dorsal, 30° wide and located in the dorsal region of the visual field; (3) ventral, same as dorsal but located ventrally. All three stimuli extended 30° to the right and to the left of the animal's midplane. We found that spectral sensitivity varies with the spatial characteristics of the stimulus. For full-field illumination, the relative sensitivity was maximal at 527 nm and between 365 nm and 400 nm, with a significant local minimum at 420 nm. For the dorsal stimulus, the relative sensitivity was greatest at 400 nm, but also showed local maxima at 440 nm and 517 nm. For the ventral stimulus, the relative sensitivity maxima occurred at the same wavelengths as those for the full-field stimulus. At wavelengths of 570 nm and longer, the responses to both dorsal and ventral stimuli showed lower relative sensitivity than the full-field stimulus. No circadian or other periodic changes in threshold spectral sensitivity were observed under our experimental conditions. Animals which had their nauplius eyes removed by means of laser microsurgery had the same spectral sensitivity to full-field illumination as normal animals. Our results are discussed in terms of our current knowledge of the spectral classes of photoreceptors found in theDaphnia compound eye.
A Brief Note on Evidence-Centered Design as a Mechanism for Assessment Development and Evaluation.

The Focus article in this issue by Almond, Kim, Velasquez, and Shute is an ambitious one that attempts to overlay evidence-centered design (ECD) onto two very different kinds of assessments. As ini...
The Kepler Mission: A wide-field transit search for terrestrial planets

Abstract The Kepler Mission is a NASA Discovery mission which will continuously monitor the brightness of at least 100,000 main sequence stars, to detect the transits of terrestrial and larger planets. It is scheduled to be launched in 2007 into an Earth-trailing heliocentric orbit. It is a wide-field photometer with a Schmidt-type telescope and array of 42 CCDs covering the 100 square degree field-of-view. It has a 1-m aperture which enables a differential photometric precision of 2 parts in 100,000 for 12th magnitude solar-like stars over a 6.5-hour transit duration. It will continuously observe dwarf stars from 8th to 15th magnitude in the Cygnus constellation, for a period of four years, with a cadence of 4 measurements per hour. Hundreds of terrestrial planets should be detected if they are common around solar-type stars. Ground-based spectrometry of stars with planetary candidates will help eliminate false-positives, and determine stellar characteristics such as mass and metallicity. A null result would imply that terrestrial planets are rare.
Cellulosic biofuels from crop residue and groundwater extraction in the US Plains: the case of Nebraska.

Abstract This study develops a model of crop residue (i.e. stover) supply and derived demand for irrigation water accounting for non-linear effects of soil organic matter on soil's water holding capacity. The model is calibrated for typical conditions in central Nebraska, United States, and identifies potential interactions between water and biofuel policies. The price offered for feedstock by a cost-minimizing plant facing that stover supply response is calculated. Results indicate that as biofuel production volumes increase, soil carbon depletion per unit of biofuel produced decreases. Consumption of groundwater per unit of biofuel produced first decreases and then increases (after a threshold of 363 dam 3 of biofuels per year) due to plants' increased reliance on the extensive margin for additional biomass. The analysis reveals a tension between biofuel and water policies. As biofuel production raises the economic benefits of relaxing water conservation policies (measured by the “shadow price” of water) increase.
Utility of population models to reduce uncertainty and increase value relevance in ecological risk assessments of pesticides: an example based on acute mortality data for daphnids.

Traditionally, ecological risk assessments (ERA) of pesticides have been based on risk ratios, where the predicted concentration of the chemical is compared to the concentration that causes biological effects. The concentration that causes biological effect is mostly determined from laboratory experiments using endpoints on the level of the individual (e.g., mortality and reproduction). However, the protection goals are mostly defined at the population level. To deal with the uncertainty in the necessary extrapolations, safety factors are used. Major disadvantages with this simplified approach is that it is difficult to relate a risk ratio to the environmental protection goals, and that the use of fixed safety factors can result in over- as well as underprotective assessments. To reduce uncertainty and increase value relevance in ERA, it has been argued that population models should be used more frequently. In the present study, we have used matrix population models for 3 daphnid species (Ceriodaphnia dubia, Daphnia magna, and D. pulex) to reduce uncertainty and increase value relevance in the ERA of a pesticide (spinosad). The survival rates in the models were reduced in accordance with data from traditional acute mortality tests. As no data on reproductive effects were available, the conservative assumption that no reproduction occurred during the exposure period was made. The models were used to calculate the minimum population size and the time to recovery. These endpoints can be related to the European Union (EU) protection goals for aquatic ecosystems in the vicinity of agricultural fields, which state that reversible population level effects are acceptable if there is recovery within an acceptable (undefined) time frame. The results of the population models were compared to the acceptable (according to EU documents) toxicity exposure ratio (TER) that was based on the same data. At the acceptable TER, which was based on the most sensitive species (C. dubia), the maximum reduction in population size was 13% and the maximum time to recovery was 4 d (both for D. magna). This information is clearly more informative for risk management than a risk ratio. For one of the species, D. pulex, a more complex model, which included sublethal effects on reproduction, was set up. The results of this model were in good agreement with a previous microcosm study and indicated that a traditional TER was overprotective. Integr Environ Assess Manag 2012; 8: 262–270. © 2011 SETAC
Structure of the chicken neuron-glia cell adhesion molecule, Ng-CAM : origin of the polypeptides and relation to the Ig superfamily

The neuron-glia cell adhesion molecule (Ng-CAM) mediates both neuron-neuron and neuron-glia adhesion; it is detected on SDS-PAGE as a predominant 135-kD glycoprotein, with minor components of 80, 190, and 210 kD. We have isolated cDNA clones encoding the entire sequence of chicken Ng-CAM. The predicted extracellular region includes six immunoglobulin-like domains followed by five fibronectin-type III repeats, structural features that are characteristic of several neural CAMs of the N-CAM superfamily. The amino acid sequence of chicken Ng-CAM is most similar to that of mouse L1 but the overall identity is only 40% and Ng-CAM contains a short fibronectin-like segment with an RGD sequence that has no counterpart in L1. These findings suggest that Ng-CAM and L1 may not be equivalent molecules in chicken and mouse. The amino-terminal sequences of the 210-, 190-, and 135-kD components of Ng-CAM are all the same as the predicted amino terminus of the molecule, whereas the 80-kD component begins within the third fibronectin repeat. The cDNA sequence is continuous across the junction between the 135- and 80-kD components, and a single 170-kD Ng-CAM polypeptide was isolated from tunicamycin-treated cells. In addition, all cDNA probes hybridized on Northern blots to a 6-kb RNA, and most hybridized to single bands on Southern blots. These results indicate that the Ng-CAM components are derived from a single polypeptide encoded by a single gene, and that the 135- and 80-kD components are generated from the 210/190-kD species by proteolytic cleavage. The 135-kD component contains most of the extracellular region including all of the immunoglobulin-like domains. It has no transmembrane segment, but it is tightly associated with the membrane. The 80-kD component contains two and a half type III repeats plus the RGD-containing segment, as well as the single transmembrane and cytoplasmic domains. These structural features of Ng-CAM provide a framework for understanding its multiple functions in neuron-neuron interactions, neurite fasciculation, and neuron-glia interactions.
NUCLEAR PAIRING AND DYNAMICAL BREAKDOWN OF ISOSPIN SYMMETRY

Abstract Viewed from the perspective of dynamical breakdown of isospin symmetry, the scale and nucleon number A dependence of the valence pairing energy gap Δ are approximately predicted from the nuclear Debye energy. A Goldberger-Treiman type of relation is also obtained for nuclear pairing in analogy with QCD along with correlated bosons resembling a pion and sigma meson. Finally a critical temperature is discussed such that the BCS relation Δ k B T c ∼ 1.8 holds for nuclear pairing as well as for superconductivity.
Evidence for a qualitative hierarchy within the Hoechst-33342 ‘side population’ (SP) of murine bone marrow cells

In vitro cobblestone area (CA)-forming cell (CAFC) and in vivo (short-term and competitive repopulation) assays demonstrate that a qualitative hierarchy exists within the Hoechst-33342-defined side population (SP) in murine bone marrow (BM). Consistent with and extending previous studies, we demonstrate that (i) hematopoietic activity found in whole BM (WBM) is concentrated within the SP, rather than the non-SP (NSP); and (ii) within the SP, those cells that more strongly efflux the dye (lower SP, LSP) are qualitatively different from those that less strongly efflux the dye (upper SP, USP). Qualitative differences are highlighted by evidence that (i) CA derived from LSP CAFC persist in culture significantly longer than CA derived from USP CAFC; (ii) short-term, multilineage repopulation of lethally irradiated mice by LSP cells is more rapid than that in mice receiving USP, NSP, whole SP (WSP), or WBM cells and (iii) LSP cells out-compete USP cells in the multilineage hematopoietic repopulation of lethally irradiated recipients. These data suggest that LSP cells are of higher quality than USP cells and potentially provide a means by which qualitative changes in primitive hematopoietic progenitors occurring naturally with aging, or clinically as a consequence of therapeutic manipulation, can be assessed.
Kindergarten oral language skill: A key variable in the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status

Abstract In this paper we test whether oral language development during the preschool years helps explain the positive relationship between family socioeconomic status (SES) and children's elementary school performance. In particular, we test for the portion of the SES effect on 2nd to 4th grade reading, 3rd to 4th grade mathematics, and overall teacher-rated performance that is explained by oral language ability measured when kindergarten begins. We analyze a unique data set containing unusually comprehensive measures of kindergarten oral language ability. The data are for white Midwestern children and their families. Estimation via structural equation modeling shows that oral language skill at kindergarten entry explains most of the effect of SES on elementary school performance. Since other studies have shown that elementary school performance strongly determines later educational attainment, much of the intergenerational transmission of socioeconomic status occurs when the child is very young.
Nietzsche's holism: A paradigm for integration

Abstract With Europe at a crossroads, facing both nationalism and globalism, Nietzsche has some interesting things to say about our world today. Nietzsche's holism is multifaceted and complex, thus, he has attracted many critics. Recent scholarship has interpreted his holism as an offence to modern liberal society. Some have claimed that Nietzsche's “perspectivism” and the “overcoming of morality,” two essential categories of his holism, are essentially expressions of democratic ideals of tolerance. Still others have argued that Nietzsche's ‘will to power’ is to be understood as an expression of freedom where human bondage and prejudice are cast aside in the name of some brand of neo-Kantian liberalism. And finally, there are those voices who continue to paint Nietzsche's holism as nothing more than savage realism and harsh criticism. In this essay, I examine many of these claims (focusing principally on ‘the will to power’) with the expectation of trying to discern the value of his holism for advancing a paradigm for integration.
Structure and magnetic properties of tetraarylporphinatomagnesium(II) electron transfer salts of 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane, TCNQF4.

The crystal structures of the 2,3,5,6-tetrafluoro-7,7,8,8-tetracyanoquinodimethane, TCNQF4, electron transfer salts of meso-tetraphenylporphinatomagnesium(II), [MgTPP][TCNQF4]·PhMe and [MgTPP][TCNQF4]·3(1,2-C6H4Cl2), and meso-tetrakis(3,4,5-trimethoxyphenyl)porphinatomagnesium(II), [MgT(3,4,5-OMe)PP][TCNQF4]·3(1,2-C6H4Cl2), provide the first structurally characterized examples of 1-D metal−radical chains involving [MgII(porphyrin•)]+. These salts possess [TCNQF4]•- stabilized by trans-μ-coordination to Mg(II) and exhibit νCN at 2199 and 2177, 2212 and 2187, and 2194 and 2172 cm-1, respectively. The [TCNQF4]•- species is planar and bridges two cations with MgN distances of 2.266(16), 2.221(2), and 2.276(3) A, respectively, which are shorter than the MnN 2.321(3) A distance observed for [MnT(3,4,5-OMe)PP][TCNQF4]·3(1,2-C6H4Cl2). The room-temperature effective moments for [MgTPP][TCNQF4]·xS (S = PhMe and 1,2-C6H4Cl2) and [MgTPP][C4(CN)6]·PhMe are consistent with the calculated spin only value of 2.45 μB with...