cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
What's the Point of Parity? Harvard, Groupness, and the Equal Protection Clause

By many accounts, the pending case Students for Fair Admissions (SFFA) v. Harvard — alleging racial discrimination against Asian applicants in undergraduate admissions — could end affirmative action in higher education and beyond. Some hold out hope for a ruling that addresses discrimination against Asian applicants vis-a-vis white applicants, but maintains affirmative action for African American and Hispanic applicants. This essay argues that this hope is only possible if the court rejects the definition of discrimination animating both parties’ statistical expert reports. This definition holds that equal protection on the basis of race entails the similar treatment of persons in different racial groups who are similarly situated with respect to variables rationally relevant to the domain in question. There is no good normative reason to accept this definition of what equal protection demands in the context of higher education admissions because it will be violated whenever groups sit in some relation of social and material inequality to each other. Furthermore, it is at odds with the Supreme Court’s line of cases allowing universities to value racial diversity and the graded scrutiny scale in equal protection doctrine. I argue that, prior to debating the content of a substantive principle of nondiscrimination/equal protection with respect to a particular form of groupness, we must first define what constitutes that form of social groupness. A relation of equality and fairness proposed by a principle of ‘nondiscrimination’ or ‘equal protection’ is only valid in light of what makes the social grouping what-it-is under current conditions.
Approaches to Nonoverlapping Clock Generation for RF to Millimeter-Wave Mixer-First Receivers

N-phase mixer-first receivers are an ideal choice for broadband frequency-selective receivers. These receivers can now operate near millimeter-wave frequencies using fast-rising four-phase clock generation in advanced CMOS. This paper compares four-phase clock-generation approaches used in two high-frequency mixer-first receivers-a polyphase filter-based scheme as part of a 20–30 GHz receiver and a divider-based scheme as part of 5–31 GHz receiver. We discuss circuits for quadrature and 25% duty-cycle generation and compare clock performance in terms of area, power, quadrature accuracy, and receiver metrics. Both receivers demonstrate typical noise figure below 8 dB and conversion gains above 18 dB.
Integrating Genetics and Metapopulation Viability Analysis to Inform Translocation Efforts for the Last Northern Leopard Frog Population in Washington State, USA

Population genetic and population viability analyses are powerful instruments that can be used to evaluate the status o populations of conservation concern. However, these two methods are rarely integrated. To better understand the status of the last know Northern Leopard Frog (Lithobates pipiens) population in Washington state, USA, and investigate the potential for translocation efforts we analyzed 96 genetic samples from 2004 and 294 genetic samples from 2014 by using seven microsatellite loci and integrate population genetic data with population viability models. Partitioning of genetic diversity indicated the presence of thre subpopulations in the area, aligning with Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife subunit designation within the watershed. I both years, heterozygosity and average number of alleles per locus were low for all subpopulations (0.20–0.36 and 1.86–2.50, respectively) Point estimates of gene flow out of two of the three subpopulations decreased from 2004 to 2014 based on G″ST (a measure of geneti differentiation) and migration estimates from BayesAss. Summed effective population size for the entire area by using tempora estimates was estimated to be small, with large amounts of uncertainty (sum of 98.4 individuals, 95% confidence interval: 15.6–infinit individuals). Population viability models using genetic estimates of number of adults and migration rates suggest that adults may be th optimal life history stage for successful direct translocation; however, because only metamorphs can be routinely collected, translocatio with head-starting was modeled and active management strategies may be necessary to establish new populations.
Adaptive Non-Uniform Compressive Sensing Using SOT-MRAM Multi-Bit Precision Crossbar Arrays

A Compressive Sensing (CS) approach is applied to utilize intrinsic computation capabilities of Spin-Orbit Torque Magnetic Random Access Memory (SOT-MRAM) devices for IoT applications wherein lifetime energy, device area, and manufacturing costs are highly-constrained while the sensing environment varies rapidly. In this manuscript, we propose the Adaptive Compressed-sampling via Multi-bit Crossbar Array (ACMCA) approach to intelligently generate the CS measurement matrix using a multi-bit SOT-MRAM crossbar array. SPICE circuit and MATLAB algorithm simulation results indicate that ACMCA reduces reconstruction error by up to 4dB using a 4-bit quantized CS measurement matrix while incurring a negligible increase in the energy consumption of generating the matrix. Additionally, we introduce an algorithm called Energy-aware Adaptive Sensing for IoT (EASI) which determines the frequency of measurement matrix updates within the energy budget of an IoT device.
A Note on the Smoothness of Choice Probabilities in the DDM Model

We show that the probability of choosing each alternative in the drift-diffusion model (DDM) is continuous in the state.
Beyond Casual Resemblance: Rigorous Frameworks for Comparing Regeneration Across Species.

The majority of animal phyla have species that can regenerate. Comparing regeneration across animals can reconstruct the molecular and cellular evolutionary history of this process. Recent studies ...
Rate of 30-Day Readmission and Economic Burden in Patients With Underlying Metabolic Syndrome Admitted for Atrial Fibrillation

Abstract Background Studies have demonstrated an increased risk of atrial fibrillation (AF) in patients with underlying metabolic syndrome (MetS); however, no studies examining readmission rates in this population exists to date. Further, impact on mortality and healthcare utilization in this group after readmission remains unknown. Methods Using the 2017 National Readmission Database, we conducted a retrospective analysis of patient discharges with AF as principal diagnosis, and MetS as secondary diagnosis. Readmission was defined as the first admission to any hospital for any non-trauma diagnosis within 30-days of index admission; excluding same-day admissions and discharges. Primary outcome was 30-day readmission, while secondary outcomes were readmission mortality rate, most common diagnoses for readmission, and resource utilization. Independent risk factors for readmission were identified using multivariate regression analysis. Results 862 patients with underlying MetS were admitted for AF; mean age was 65.2 years [63.9-66.4], and 44% of patients were females. Among this group of readmitted patients, all-cause readmission rate was 9.3% (Figure 1) and in-hospital mortality rate for readmitted patients was 2.5% (p Conclusion We observed increased readmission rates and in-hospital mortality in patients readmitted with AF and underlying MetS. Early identification of MetS and disease modification may help improve clinical outcomes and mitigate healthcare burden.
Abstinence and Birth Control Among Rural Adolescents in Impoverished Families: A Test of Theoretical Discriminators

This was a study of 357 adolescents who resided with AFDC families in ten rural counties in Arkansas. The study examined predictors of birth control from sociodemographic variables, control, strain and differential association theories. This was the first theoretically-based investigation of abstinence and birth control among adolescents living with families on welfare in impoverished rural communities. Bivariate analyses indicated that all of the study factors, with the marginal exception of attachment to father, showed significance variance between the three groups of adolescents who had not had sexual intercourse, those who always used birth control, and those who did not always use birth control. The first function of the discriminant analysis discriminated between youth who had not had sexual intercourse and those who were sexually active, and indicated that the former (in order of discrimination) were younger, had fewer sexually active friends or family members, were more religious, had more fear of giving birth if sexually active, and had stronger beliefs in the moral validity of societal laws and norms. The second function discriminated between those who always used birth control and youth who did not always use birth control. The significant discriminators (in order of discrimination) showed that adolescents who always used birth control attended church more often, were more likely to be persons of color than Caucasian, had closer attachments to their mothers, and presently did not desire a baby to love. Social work implications of these findings are discussed from an ecological perspective.
Meperidine and normeperidine levels following meperidine administration during labor: I. Mother

Abstract The time interval between the administration of meperidine to laboring patients and delivery may affect neonatal status, but sophisticated analytic techniques have not been used to determine the exposure of the fetus to meperidine at various drug-delivery intervals. By means of gas chromatography and mass spectrometry, the concentrations of meperidine and normeperidine (the principle metabolite of meperidine) were quantitated in the umbilical cord venous and arterial plasma at delivery and in the urine of the neonate for three days postpartum. Following 50 mg. of meperidine administered intravenously during labor, fetal exposure to meperidine was highest two to three hours after maternal medication while fetal exposure to normeperidine was highest four hours or more after medication. We conclude from this study that there is a definite but nonlinear relationship between the drug-delivery interval and the amount of meperidine and normeperidine an infant receives; and that the drug-delivery intervals resulting in maximum fetal exposure reported here correspond with those resulting in maximum neonatal depression reported by others.
Internal optical interconnects in next generation high performance servers

The need for optical interconnects inside future high performance servers is considered. Multimode parallel optical links are the most promising and economical technology for these applications. Possible implementations are discussed.
T-61 Use in the Euthanasia of Domestic Animals: A Survey

A variety of techniques have been proposed and employed for the killing of domestic animals but relatively few have survived as suitable agents for euthanasia—namely, the induction of painless, suffering-free death. Some agents, such as strychnine, curariform agents, or potassium salts cause suffering while others have other disadvantages. Today, dogs and cats are commonly euthanatized with sodium pentobarbital or with T-61 which is a mixture of a central nervous system narcotic, a paralytic agent, and a local anesthetic. The use of T-61 was first reported in the United States in 1963 (Quin 1963). The substance gradually became more popular because it was not a DEA-controlled substance and therefore practitioners did not have to deal with the stringent reporting requirements needed for the barbiturates. However, the presence of a paralytic agent in the T-61 mixture, continuing anecdotal reports of bad reactions when using T-61, and the relatively complicated protocol recommended for its administration have resulted in repeated questions being raised about the appropriateness of T-61 as a euthanasia agent.
Ce-site dilution studies in the antiferromagnetic heavy fermions Ce m Rh n In 3 m + 2 n ( m = 1 , 2 ; n = 0 , 1 )

We report magnetic susceptibility, electrical resistivity, and low-temperature heat capacity data for La-doped ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{m}{\mathrm{Rh}}_{n}{\mathrm{In}}_{3m+2n}$ $(m=1,2; n=0,1)$ antiferromagnetic heavy-fermion compounds. Antiferromagnetism is smoothly suppressed by La doping and ${T}_{N}$ extrapolates to zero at ${x}_{c}\ensuremath{\approx}40%$ for the $m=1,2;n=1$ tetragonal variants and at ${x}_{c}\ensuremath{\approx}65%$ for cubic ${\mathrm{CeIn}}_{3}.$ Our results are discussed in terms of the quasi-two-dimensional character of ${\mathrm{CeRhIn}}_{5}$ and ${\mathrm{Ce}}_{2}{\mathrm{RhIn}}_{8}$ as compared to their cubic relative ${\mathrm{CeIn}}_{3}.$ For ${\mathrm{CeRhIn}}_{5},$ short-range magnetic order and non-Fermi-liquid behavior are observed for higher La concentration.
Solubility of natural gases in aqueous salt solutions—I: Liquidus surfaces in the system CH4-H2O-NaCl2-CaCl2 at room temperatures and at pressures below 1000 psia

The solubility of methane in water, in aqueous solutions of sodium chloride, calcium chloride, and both sodium and calcium chloride has been determined at room temperatures and at pressures up to 1000 psia by the pressure decline method. The results for water agree with previous published values, but the solubilities in the salt solutions are considerably higher. The data obtained, augmented by other solubility figures from the literature, permit the construction of the liquidus surfaces in the tetrahedral phase model for the system CH4-H2O-NaCl-CaCl2 at fixed temperature and pressure. An orthogonal projection of these surfaces is presented.
A fiber-optic current sensor for aerospace applications

A robust, accurate, broadband, AC sensor using fiber optics that is being developed for space applications at power frequencies as high as 20 kHz is described. It can also be used in low- and high-voltage 60-Hz terrestrial power systems and in 400-Hz aircraft systems. It is intrinsically immune to electromagnetic interference (EMI) and has the added benefit of excellent isolation. The sensor uses the Faraday effect in optical fiber and standard polarimetric measurements to sense electrical current. The primary component of the sensor is a specially treated coil of single-mode optical fiber, through which the current-carrying conductor passes. Improved precision is accomplished by temperature compensation by means of signals from a novel fiber-optic temperature sensor embedded in the sensing head. The technology used in the sensor is discussed, and the results of precision tests conducted at various temperatures within the wide operating range as well as the results of early EMI tests are reported. >
Heterosexual Missionary as the Sexual Default and Stigmatization of Perceived Infrequent Sexual Activities

In the present study we examined whether heterosexual vaginal intercourse is the default prototype of sex and the association between the perceived frequency of sexual activities and prejudice toward individuals who engage in those activities. Participants rated 132 sexual activities and preferences with respect to perceived frequency that others engage in those activities and prejudice toward others who engage in the activities. The results suggested that heterosexual vaginal intercourse (missionary) is the default prototype of sex. Furthermore, the results showed a strong association between the perceived infrequency of sexual activities and prejudice toward individuals who engage in them. Together, the results suggested that the perceived norms of sexual behaviors contribute to the perceptions of other individuals and groups.
Characterization of Mycoplasma pulmonis Variants Isolated from Rabbits I. Identification and Properties of Isolates

Mycoplasma showing at least two colony types were isolated from the nares and oropharynx of New Zealand white rabbits. Two strains were purified by single-colony passages and characterized. Morphology by phase-contrast and electron microscopy was typical of Mycoplasmataceae. Both grew anaerobically as well as aerobically, caused hemolysis of guinea pig, sheep, and horse red blood cells, and fermented glucose. These characteristics are shared by members of the species M. pulmonis, commonly isolated from the respiratory tracts of laboratory rats and mice. By use of the growth-inhibition test and agar-gel double-diffusion tests, the two strains were found to be serologically related to each other and to M. pulmonis ATCC 14267 but not to other representative Mycoplasma species from man and animals.
The Effect of Fasting on Tissue Cyclic cAMP and Plasma Glucagon in the Obese Hyperglycemic Mouse

The effect of 48 h of fasting in C57B1/6J-ob/ob and +/+ mice on body weight (BW), blood glucose (BG), serum immunreactive insulin (IRI), plasma immunoreactive glucagon (IRG) and on tissue levels of cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) were studied. Both groups of mice lost weight and demonstrated a decrease in BG and IRI with fasting. However, the BG and IRI of the ob/ob animals were initially highter and remained higher than those of the 2% of their initial weight while the +/+ lost 14 %. The +/+ mice exhibited an increase in cAMP levels in skeletal muscle, fat and liver with fasting, while the ob/ob mice had increased levels of cAMP in fat, but not in muscle. They also had a paradoxical decrease in liver cAMP levels with fasting, and associated with this was the lack of stimulation of glycogenolysis. Glycogenolysis was significant in the livers of fasted +/+ mice. The plasma IRG levels of the fed ob/ob mice were significantly higher (1.8) times) than those of the fed +/+ mice. Islet cAMP levels were decreased with fasting in ob/ob mice. However, the levels were significantly higher in 48-h faster ob/ob mice compared to the fasted +/+ group. The apparent paradoxical response to fasting observed in the livers of the ob/ob mice remains unexplained.
Histone acetylation during meiosis in Lilium microsporocytes.

Abstract Acetate incorporation into histones of Lilium microsporocytes is consistently higher in early prophase of meiosis than in later stages. The pattern of acetate incorporation into histones differs from that found for the soluble nuclear proteins. Evidence is presented that acetate incorporation reflects true acetylation, not histone synthesis. e-N-acetyllysine (eNAcLys) was released from histones by enzymatic digestion. Amino acid analysis of the digests confirm the presence of significantly higher amounts of eNAcLys in early meiotic stages. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that modulation of histone charge plays a role in the binding of histones to DNA and/or chromosome condensation. In vitro levels of histone acetylating activity remain constant throughout meiosis. The results suggest that microsporocyte histone deacetylase activity increases through meiotic prophase.
Static muscle contraction elicits a baroreflex-dependent increase in glutamate concentration in the ventrolateral medulla

Abstract In anesthetized cats, static contraction of the hindlimb reflexly increases mean arterial pressure (MAP). This cardiovascular adjustment is reduced by the arterial baroreflex. Both of these reflex responses are mediated through activation of ventrolateral medullary (VLM) regions. We tested the hypothesis that the concentration of glutamate (Glu) increases in the caudal ventrolateral medulla (cVLM) during static hindlimb contractions in anesthetized cats, and that barodenervation reduces this elevation in Glu levels. Static contractions of the triceps surae muscle of one hindlimb were evoked by electrical stimulation of the peripheral ends of cut L7 and S1 ventral roots. After the insertion of the microdialysis probes and a 3-h recovery period, a 2-min static contraction increased MAP by 47±7 mmHg. The concentration of Glu increased from 606±189 to 1042±228 nM. These results were repeatable in that Glu, as well as MAP, rose by a similar amount in two subsequent contractions. By contrast, in a subset of cats paralyzed prior to the third contraction, neither MAP nor Glu were significantly increased over baseline levels during the third stimulation period. In a third group of cats, hindlimb contraction increased MAP and Glu levels. However, the Glu release was attenuated in subsequent contractions after these cats were barodenervated. During the same periods of stimulation, the denervation accentuated the rise in MAP. These data demonstrate that static contraction of the hindlimb increases the extracellular concentration of Glu in the cVLM. Further, our study implicates this neurotransmitter in the baroreflex mediated reduction of the pressor reflex response to static muscle contraction.
Estimating the Triple-Point Isotope Effect and the Corresponding Uncertainties for Cryogenic Fixed Points

The sensitivities of melting temperatures to isotopic variations in monatomic and diatomic atmospheric gases using both theoretical and semi-empirical methods are estimated. The current state of knowledge of the vapor-pressure isotope effects (VPIE) and triple-point isotope effects (TPIE) is briefly summarized for the noble gases (except He), and for selected diatomic molecules including oxygen. An approximate expression is derived to estimate the relative shift in the melting temperature with isotopic substitution. In general, the magnitude of the effects diminishes with increasing molecular mass and increasing temperature. Knowledge of the VPIE, molar volumes, and heat of fusion are sufficient to estimate the temperature shift or isotopic sensitivity coefficient via the derived expression. The usefulness of this approach is demonstrated in the estimation of isotopic sensitivities and uncertainties for triple points of xenon and molecular oxygen for which few documented estimates were previously available. The calculated sensitivities from this study are considerably higher than previous estimates for Xe, and lower than other estimates in the case of oxygen. In both these cases, the predicted sensitivities are small and the resulting variations in triple point temperatures due to mass fractionation effects are less than 20 μK.
New directions in GaN material research: thinner and smaller

As the GaN material research is reaching maturity with the phenomenal success in LED industry, there is now need to look beyond conventional epitaxy. In this paper we will summarize a few novel directions that we are pursuing. In the first part of this paper, we highlighted our effort to grow single crystal GaN on amorphous substrate. With the successive applications of a phenomenon called evolutionary selection along two perpendicular axes, we remove the degree of freedom in grain orientations from 3 to 0 and successfully prepared single-crystalline GaN on amorphous oxide template. We dedicated the second part of this paper to our recent findings in GaN nanomembrane. Via conductivity selective electrochemical etching, we have fabricated GaN nanomembrane as thin as 90 nm. The thin and “soft” GaN nanomembrane is proven to maintain its as-grown crystal quality. We have also demonstrated a 300 nm thick InGaN/GaN nanomembrane LED.
β-Endorphin enhances interleukin-2 (IL-2) production in murine lymphocytes

Abstract Beta-endorphin has been reported to enhance T lymphocyte proliferation and cytolytic activity. In this report, it is demonstrated that β-endorphin enhances the production of the T cell lymphokine, interleukin-2, from mitogen-stimulated, unfractionated murine splenocytes, as well from a cloned T cell line. The enhancement is naloxone irreversible and dependent on the integrity of the C-terminal amino acids, though the N-terminal amino acids appear to contribute to the potency of the enhancement. The data suggest that β-endorphin interacts with a nonopioid receptor that has specificity characteristics similar to a nonopioid β-endorphin receptor described in the central nervous system.
Synergistic interaction of 2,3,7,8,-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin and hydrocortisone in the induction of cleft palate in mice.

Glucocorticoids cause cleft palate in sensitive mouse strains by interfering with the proliferation of mesenchymal cells in the palatal shelves; 2,3,7,8-tetrachlorodibenzo-p-dioxin (TCDD) also causes cleft palate, but its effects involve the epithelial cells. The purpose of this study was to examine the interaction of TCDD and the glucocorticoid hydrocortisone in the induction of malformations. Pregnant C57BL/6N mice were treated on gestation days 10–13 with TCDD (0 or 3 μg/kg, p.o.), hydrocortisone (0, 25, 50, or 100 mg/kg, s.c.) or a combination of TCDD and hydrocortisone. The dams were killed on gestation day 18 and the mice were analyzed for maternal and fetal toxicity and soft tissue malformations. TCDD alone had no effect on litter size, fetal weight or viability, or maternal weight gain. This dose of TCDD is essentially a threshold dose and it did not produce cleft palate in this study, but all the TCDD-treated fetuses had hydronephrosis, the most sensitive indicator of TCDD teratogenicity. Hydrocortisone alone caused dose-related decreases in fetal weight and maternal liver/body weight ratios, and dose-related increases in cleft palate (0, 5, 10, and 30%). No effects of hydrocortisone were detected on litter size or fetal viability, but maternal weights were affected. Combination of all doses of hydrocortisone with TCDD resulted in a 100% incidence of cleft palate, accompanied by a decrease in litter size and fetal weight and an increase in fetal mortality related to the dose of hydrocortisone. TCDD tended to reverse the decrease in liver/body weight ratio seen with hydrocortisone alone. Morphological assessment of the palatal shelves late on gestation day 14 revealed that the embryos exposed to both TCDD and hydrocortisone resembled hydrocortisone alone. The synergism observed between these two teratogens may be due to changes in the receptors which mediate sensitivity to the induction of cleft palate.
Kloosterman identities over a quadratic extension II

Abstract We prove certain identities between Kloosterman integrals. They constitute the fundamental lemma of a relative trace formula for Hecke functions. The main application of the trace formula in question is the following result. Let E / F be a quadratic extension of number fields. A cuspidal automorphic representation of GL ( n , E A ) is distinguished by some unitary group if and only if it is the base change of an automorphic cuspidal representation of GL ( n , F A ) .
The Hardness of Approximating Poset Dimension

Abstract The dimension of a partially ordered set (poset) is the minimum integer k such that the partial order can be expressed as the intersection of k total orders. We prove that there exists no polynomial-time algorithm to approximate the dimension of a poset on N elements with a factor of O ( N 0.5 − ϵ ) for any ϵ > 0 , unless NP = ZPP . The same hardness of approximation holds for the fractional version of poset dimension, which was not even known to be NP-hard.
Focal Cortical Infarcts Alter Intrinsic Excitability and Synaptic Excitation in the Reticular Thalamic Nucleus

Focal cortical injuries result in death of cortical neurons and their efferents and ultimately in death or damage of thalamocortical relay (TCR) neurons that project to the affected cortical area. Neurons of the inhibitory reticular thalamic nucleus (nRT) receive excitatory inputs from corticothalamic and thalamocortical axons and are thus denervated by such injuries, yet nRT cells generally survive these insults to a greater degree than TCR cells. nRT cells inhibit TCR cells, regulate thalamocortical transmission, and generate cerebral rhythms including those involved in thalamocortical epilepsies. The survival and reorganization of nRT after cortical injury would determine recovery of thalamocortical circuits after injury. However, the physiological properties and connectivity of the survivors remain unknown. To study possible alterations in nRT neurons, we used the rat photothrombosis model of cortical stroke. Using in vitro patch-clamp recordings at various times after the photothrombotic injury, we show that localized strokes in the somatosensory cortex induce long-term reductions in intrinsic excitability and evoked synaptic excitation of nRT cells by the end of the first week after the injury. We find that nRT neurons in injured rats show (1) decreased membrane input resistance, (2) reduced low-threshold calcium burst responses, and (3) weaker evoked excitatory synaptic responses. Such alterations in nRT cellular excitability could lead to loss of nRT-mediated inhibition in relay nuclei, increased output of surviving TCR cells, and enhanced thalamocortical excitation, which may facilitate recovery of thalamic and cortical sensory circuits. In addition, such changes could be maladaptive, leading to injury-induced epilepsy.
Basic modelling of direct electrochemical cooling

SUMMAR A direct electrochemical refrigeration cycle (DERC) uses the entropy change of an electrochemical reaction to produce cooling. The cycle is Carnot limited. The electricity recycled in the DERC is much larger than the energy input to the system. Therefore, the system is sensitive to small inefficiencies in the internal energy cycling. In addition, a DERC is modelled assuming that the electrochemical cells have a constant internal resistance. By modelling the electrodes as parallel plates, an optimal channel size on the order of tens of microns can be computed depending on the electrical resistivity and viscosity of the electrolyte. The maximum cooling flux is on the order of 1000Wm- 2 .
RNA-DNA hybrid formation at a bacteriophage T4 replication origin

The bacteriophage T4 replication origins ori(uvsY) and ori(34) each contain two distinct components: a T4 middle-mode promoter that is strictly required for replication and a downstream region of about 50 bp that is required for maximal levels of replication. Here, we present evidence that structure of the downstream region is important for replication initiation. Based on sensitivity to a single-stranded DNA-specific nuclease in vitro the downstream region behaves as a DNA unwinding element. The propensity to unwind is probably important for origin activity in vivo, because replication activity is maintained when the native downstream region is replaced with a heterologous DNA unwinding element from pBR322 in either orientation. We analyzed the origin DNA for possible unwinding in vivo by using potassium permanganate, a chemical that reacts with unpaired pyrimidine bases. The non-template strand, but not the template strand, became hypersensitive to permanganate after T4 infection regardless of whether replication could occur. Strand-specific permanganate hypersensitivity was also observed in artificial origins containing the pBR322 DNA unwinding element in either orientation. Hypersensitivity was only detected when the origin contained a promoter that would be active during T4 infection. Furthermore, the origin transcript itself appears to be necessary for hypersensitivity since insertion of a transcriptional terminator abolishes hypersensitivity downstream of the termination site. Our results strongly suggest that the downstream region functions as a DNA unwinding element during replication initiation, leading to the formation of a persistent RNA-DNA hybrid at the origin.
Enzyme-catalyzed dehalogenation of pentachloroethane: why F87W-cytochrome P450cam is faster than wild type

Under anaerobic conditions, cytochromes P450 can reductively dehalogenate heavily halogenated hydrocarbons, such as one- and two-carbon organic solvents. This catalytic capacity has drawn attention to the potential use of engineered forms of P450s in the remediation of contaminated deep subsurface ecosystems. Loida (1994, PhD Thesis, University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL) and S.G. Sligar (personal communication) have observed recently that an active-site variant of cytochrome P450cam (F87W) dechlorinates pentachloroethane approximately three times faster than the wild-type enzyme. Molecular dynamics simulations have revealed that the mutant enzyme binding pocket remains smaller, and that pentachloroethane assumes configurations closer to the heme-Fe in the F87W mutant twice as often as in the wild-type enzyme. This result is consistent with a collisional model of dehalogenation, which agrees with experimental observations [Li and Wackett (1993) Biochemistry, 32, 9355-9361] that solutions containing wild-type P450cam dehalogenate pentachloroethane 100 times faster than those containing free heme. The simulations suggest that it is unlikely that Trp87 significantly stabilizes the developing negative charge on the substrate during carbon-halogen bond reduction. The design of improved microbial enzymes that incorporate both steric and electronic effects continues for use in remediating halogenated contaminants in situ.
Negative pressure in wound healing

Chronic ulcerations affect millions of people in the USA and impose tremendous medical, psychosocial and financial loss or burden. Negative pressure wound therapy may be a cost-effective adjunctive device in the healing of wounds. This review will focus on the role of negative pressure wound therapy in wound healing, as well as its implication for clinical practice. Future work in this area may help further quantify the efficacy of negative pressure wound therapy and sharpen clinical decision making for wound healing management.
WE‐G‐108‐01: A Computer Assisted Treatment Events Recognition System (CATERS) For Radiation Therapy

Purpose: To develop an automated treatment event detection system to safeguard radiation therapy patients by analyzing electronic treatment records and reporting treatment events. Methods: CATERS is to make the treatment monitoring process more efficient by offloading repetitive tasks to the computer. Treatment events are defined as possible deviations from physician's intention, such as inconsistent or wrong treatment parameters. CATERS consists of a user interface, the CATERS core, and a data interface. CATERS core is responsible for all logic analysis and treatment event recognition. Through the user interface, users can access CATERS from either mobile devices or desktop computers. The data interface provides methods for retrieving electronic treatment records. A five months study was conducted to compare CATERS with manual chart checks. Results: From July 2012 to November 2012, 491 patients were treated at our clinics for total of 7692 fractions. From these fractions, 553 events were detected by CATERS, none of the events has significant dosimetric impacts on patient treatments. On average, it takes about one second to check one patient. During the trial, CATERS was able to efficiently detect all events that were discovered with a manual chart check when used side‐by‐side. The top three types of events were couch position override (3.2%), cone beam CT frequency (1.85%), and significant couch position deviation (1.31%). CATERS is clinically deployed and routinely used by all the physicists in our clinics. Conclusion: CATERS offers an effective method to detect and report treatment events. With CATERS, radiation treatments can be monitored and treatment events can be reported on a daily or even an hourly basis. Caters has the potential to improve treatment check efficacy and minimize the possibility of a misadministration.
Sulfide minerals in Coal Bed V, minnehaha mine, Sullivan County, Indiana

Polished and thin section examinations of samples from Indiana Coal Bed V (Springfield) have shown three sulfides to be present; namely pyrite, marcasite and sphalerite. Pyrite and marcasite are dominant forms whereas sphalerite is very minor. These sulfides appear to have formed in four distinct stages as judged on the basis of mineralogy and mineral texture. Pyrite occurs as framboids throughout the coal seam, as fibrous crystals in two horizons of the coal and in massive form as cleat fillings and cell fillings in fusinite and semi-fusinite. Marcasite occurs in spherical polycrystalline and twinned grains, as polycrystalline overgrowths on framboids, as cementing material for clusters of framboids, as blocky polycrystalline grains and with pyrite as cell fillings in fusinite and semi-fusinite. Sphalerite occurs exclusively as cell fillings in semi-fusinite. The paragenetic sequence indicates fluctuations in the overall coal bed chemistry. Individual sections display evidence of chemical variation on the micro scale.
Evidence for a role of adenosine 3',5'-monophosphate in parathyroid hormone release.

The effect of various substances on parathyroid hormone (PTH) release was studied in vitro, in an attempt to determine whether adenosine 3′,5′–monophosphate (cyclic AMP) may be involved in regulating PTH release. Bovine parathyroid gland slices were incubated for 5 hr in tissue culture medium. The medium was changed each hour and analyzed for PTH concentration by radioimmunoassay. After the first 2 hr of incubation in medium with 1.5 mM calcium (Ca) concentration, the composition was changed to that of the test condition. Incubation with low Ca (0.75 mM) medium increased PTH release, and incubation with high Ca (3.0 mM) medium decreased PTH release significantly. PTH release was increased significantly by 10 mM dibutyryl cyclic AMP, 2 mM aminophylline, or 0.45 mM epinephrine. These in vitro observations a) strongly suggest that PTH release is influenced by cyclic AMP in the parathyroid cell, and b) further suggest that the known hypocalcemic stimulus of PTH release is mediated by the adenyl cyclasecyclic ...
Impulsive Versus Inefficient Problem Solving in Retarded and Nonretarded Mexican Children

Summary Nonretarded (n = 12) and retarded (n = 12) Mexican children matched on chronological age were given the Matching Familiar Figures Test (MFFT). The results indicated that the MFFT was appropriate for use with Mexican retarded and nonretarded subjects. Comparisons between groups showed retarded performers to be less efficient information processors than nonretarded subjects. The two groups did not differ in cognitive style. Cross cultural comparisons of MFFT scores with normative data on American children were described within the constraints of the restrictive characteristics of the Mexican sample.
Structure of the ubiquitin-encoding genes of Cryptococcus neoformans.

Abstract Cryptococcus neoformans (Cn) contains two ubiquitin (UBI)-encoding genes located on separate chromosomes. The UBII gene consists of UBI fused to a 53-amino-acid (aa) tail and is 95% identical to the Saccharomyces cerevisiae (Sc) UBI1 which codes for an UBI-CEP52 ribosomal protein fusion. UBI4 is a polyubiquitin gene that contains five UBI repeats. The UBI4 aa sequences differ from Sc UBI by a single aa. UBII contains two introns in the UBI-encoding portion and two introns in the tail. Single introns are present in three of the repeats in UBI4 and are located at the same positions as those in UBI1 . There was also an average of 15% nt differences among UBI repeats. The results provide evidence of extensive recombination and/or conversion events between repeated genes in Cn .
Phospholipase digestion of bound cardiolipin reversibly inactivates bovine cytochrome bc1.

Phospholipids and tightly bound cardiolipin (CL) can be removed from Tween 20 solubilized bovine cytochrome bc(1) (EC 1.10.2.2) by digestion with Crotalus atrox phospholipase A(2). The resulting CL-free enzyme exhibits all the spectral properties of native cytochrome bc(1), but is completely inactive. Full electron transfer activity is restored by exogenous cardiolipin added in the presence of dioleoylphosphatidylcholine (DOPC) and dioleoylphosphatidylethanolamine (DOPE), but not by cardiolipin alone or by mixtures of phospholipids lacking cardiolipin. Acidic, nonmitochondrial phospholipids, e.g., monolysocardiolipin or phosphatidylglycerol, partially reactivate CL-free cytochrome bc(1) if they are added together with DOPC and DOPE. Phospholipid removal from the Tween 20 solubilized enzyme, including the tightly bound cardiolipin, does not perturb the environment of either cytochrome b(562) or b(566), nor does it cause the autoreduction of cytochrome c(1). Cardiolipin-free cytochrome bc(1) also binds antimycin and myxothiazol normally with the expected red shifts in b(562) and b(566), respectively. However, the CL-free enzyme is much less stable than the lipid-rich preparation, i.e., (1) many chromatographic methods perturb both cytochrome b(566)() (manifested by a hypsochromic effect, i.e., blue shift of 1.5-1.7 nm) and cytochrome c(1) (evidenced by autoreduction in the absence of reducing agents); (2) affinity chromatographic purification of the enzyme causes pronounced loss of subunits VII and XI (65-80% decrease) and less significant loss of subunits I, IV, V, and X (20-30% decrease); and (3) high detergent-to-protein ratios result in disassembly of the complex. We conclude that the major role of the phospholipids surrounding cytochrome bc(1), especially cardiolipin, is to stabilize the quaternary structure. In addition, bound cardiolipin has an additional functional role in that it is essential for enzyme activity.
The trustworthy leader: The first step toward creating high-trust organizations

The sorry state of many of today's institutions is not one, Hurley contends, of lack of trust, but of trustworthiness. He defines trust as “confident reliance on a person, group, organization, or system (for example, the financial system) in the face of risk and uncertainty.” He says we must “develop trustworthy leaders, and enable those leaders to embed trustworthiness in the architecture (strategy, structure, culture, systems, and processes) of their organizations.” Trustworthiness must be embedded in a firm's culture, because research shows that many ethical and benevolent people will adapt to a culture of opposite values.
Developing a valid patient-reported outcome measure.

Many aspects of patients’ experiences with illness, medication, and health care are best captured from patient-reported outcomes (PROs). In this article, we describe the process for constructing quality PRO instruments, from conceptual model development through instrument validation. We also discuss PROs as clinical trial end points and the potential of PRO data for aiding clinicians and patients in choosing from among multiple therapeutic options. Finally, we provide an overview of some existing PRO instruments.
Liver dysfunction and acute cardiocirculatory failure in children.

We report 15 children who developed transient liver dysfunction related to hepatic ischaemia. All patients had cardiocirculatory failure 24 h before the onset of liver injury (day 1). Peak serum values of transaminases occurred between day 1 and day 3: SGOT (mean: 759 IU/l, range: 150–4400); SGPT (418 IU/l, 95–2547). Transaminase values decreased rapidly and normalised from day 6 to day 10. Minimum values of prothrombin test (PT) occurred on day 1 (31%, 10–70) and 13/15 patients had a PT<50% (27%, 10–44). PT values normalized from day 3 to day 10. Hypoglycaemia was present in 8/15 patients on day 1. Liver dysfunction improved after correction of the circulatory failure. These results confirm that transient hepatic dysfunction, probably as a consequence of hepatic hypoperfusion, may occur frequently in children after acute circulatory failure. We conclude that the diagnosis of ischaemic liver injury or shock liver syndrome in children can be made on clinical and biochemical criteria, and that liver biopsy is unnecessary.
Longitudinal vibration of non‐homogeneous earth dams

Two-dimensional analytical elastic models are developed for evaluating dynamic characteristics, namely natural frequencies and modes of vibration of a wide class of earth dams in a direction parallel to the dam axis. In these models the non-homogeneity of the dam materials is taken into account by assuming a specific variation of the stiffness properties along the depth (due to the continuous increase in confining pressure). In addition, both shear and normal (axial) deformations are considered. Cases having constant elastic moduli, linear and trapezoidal variations of elastic moduli, and elastic moduli increasing as the one-half, one-third, two fifths, and a general (l/m)th powers of the depth are studied. Dynamic properties of three real earth dams in a seismically active area (Southern California) estimated from their earthquake records (input ground motion and crest response in the longitudinal direction) as well as results from full-scale dynamic tests on one of these dams (including ambient and forced vibration tests) are compared with those from the suggested models. It was found that the models in which the shear modulus and the modulus of elasticity of the dam material vary along the depth are the most appropriate representations for predicting the dynamic characteristics. The agreement between the experimental and earthquake data and the theoretical results from some of the models is reasonably good.
Nutrition Related Cultural Issues and Body Mass Index (BMI) in a Western Pacific Island Population

Abstract Health and cultural practices have nutritional ramifications but little is known about the prevalence of such practices on populations in the Pacific. In this study, 400 randomly selected adults on Guam were surveyed via telephone. The sample reflected the ethnic distribution of the island, Chamorro (37%), Filipino (23%), Caucasian (14%), Multiple Ethnic (10%), Asian (7%), Pacific Islander (5%), and Black and other (4%). Data were compared among the various ethnic, age, and gender groups. Nutritional supplements were used by 42.3% of the sample, with Caucasians and Blacks using significantly more than the other ethnic groups. Betel nut, a traditional substance, was used by only 12%, primarily Chamorros and other Pacific Islanders. Caucasians and Asians reported no betel nut use. Occurrence of special diets was reported by 17%. Multiple Ethnic, Chamorro, and Caucasian groups had highest frequencies of special diets. Women were more likely to be on weight loss and men on athletic diets. Nearly everyone (89%) participated in fiestas, a cultural practice where large quantities of food are eaten. Average fiesta consumption was 1.7 ± 2.4 meals per month, but Chamorros ate significantly more, 2.3 ± 3.2. Because fiesta meals are high in calories this practice could promote obesity, which was prevalent in this sample. Mean BMI was 25.7 ± 5.8 with 27.1% in overweight and obese BMI categories. Chamorros had the highest mean BMI, 27.0 ± 5.8, while Filipinos and Asians had the lowest, 24.0 ± 4.4 and 22.5 ± 3.0, respectively. Nearly 40% of the Chamorros were in overweight and obese categories, while significantly fewer Filipinos and Asians were in those categories, 15.3% and 0%, respectively. Because these cultural and nutrition issues varied widely, health care professionals should stress the importance of a healthful lifestyle among all groups and give other advice where appropriate.
Correlation of Radiation Damage in Solid State Devices to Neutron Spectral Characteristics

Neutron spectral characteristics from the White Sands Missile Range Fast Burst Reactor (the FBR-II) has been studied with great detail the past several years. Results from these investigations have been directed primarily toward the measurement of neutron spectra under free-field and selected perturbed environments along with their respective spectral parameters such as spectral index and average neutron energy greater than 10 KeV. The present investigation consists of the exposure of groups of 2N2222A transistors to the neutron environments previously studied and the correlation of the device damage data with the neutron spectral parameters. Three of the test configurations were essentially free-field neutron environments. The neutron spectra and spectral parameters were identical for each of the three tests leading to the speculation that identical damages from the 2N2222A's should be observed. The measured damage from these devices corroborated such a prediction. Conversely, the neutron spectra and spectral parameters for the remaining two tests indicated highly perturbed neutron environments compared to the free-field measurements and, as such, would lead one to expect device damage different from free-field. However, damage of the devices revealed an amount of radiation damage essentially equivalent to that of the free-field environment.