cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Optical properties of silicon nanocrystal superlattices

The many interesting and unique physical properties of nanocrystalline-Si/amorphous-SiO 2 superlattices stem from their vertical periodicity and nearly defect-free, atomically flat, and chemically abrupt nanocrystalline-Si/SiO 2 interfaces. By combining a less than 5% variation in the initial as-grown amorphous-Si layer thickness with control over the Si nanocrystal shape and crystallographic orientation produced via an appropriate annealing process, systems of nearly identical Si nanocrystals having remarkably different shapes (spheres, ovoids, bricks, etc.) have been produced. Such details governing the fabrication of nanocrystalline-Si/amorphous-SiO 2 superlattices have dramatic effects on their structural and optical-Raman scattering and photoluminescence-properties. The reliable fabrication of Si-based nanostructures with control over the nanocrystal size, shape, and crystallographic orientation is an important first step in their applications in Si photonics.
Elastic properties of individual nanometer-size supported gold clusters.

An atomic force microscope has been used in the attractive (noncontact) force mode to image individual nanometer-size Au clusters preformed in the gas phase and deposited on a wide variety of atomically flat substrates. Using this noncontact technique, it is possible to reliably image preformed clusters in their as-deposited positions. This capability allows nanoindentation studies to measure the mechanical properties of individual nanometer-size Au clusters supported on atomically flat substrates and permits a measure of the deformation of a nanometer-size cluster as a function of the applied load. Applying a compression model to the deformed clusters, an elastic modulus roughly 2/3 that of bulk Au is obtained for annealed clusters with sizes between 3 and 18 nm. If the clusters are unannealed, a significantly smaller elastic modulus is observed (approximately 1/6 that of bulk Au). As the applied load increases beyond \ensuremath{\sim}20 nN, the data suggest that the yield point of an annealed Au cluster can be exceeded and the atomic force microscope tip can fracture the cluster.
Acylation of gelatin-agarose and the enhancement by heparin of fibronectin binding.

Abstract The enhancement of the binding of plasma fibronectin to collagen or gelatin by heparin was previously thought to be due primarily to interaction of heparin with fibronectin. We observed, however, that the elution of purified human plasma fibronectin from heparintreated gelatin-agarose required the same high urea concentrations regardless of whether heparin treatment preceded or followed fibronectin adsorption. Acylation of gelatin-agarose with acetic anhydride or succinic anhydride had little effect upon fibronectin binding, yet the heparin enhancement of fibronectin binding was abolished by either acylation reaction. When heparin binding to gelatin-agarose was investigated with dansyl heparin, gelatin-agarose bound substantial quantities of labeled heparin which could be readily dissociated from the matrix with 2 m NaCl. Acetylated gelatinagarose did not bind detectable amounts of dansyl heparin. We interpret these results as evidence that the stronger binding of fibronectin to gelatin-agarose in the presence of heparin is due to heparin itself binding to gelatin, thus allowing fibronectin to bind simultaneously to both immobilized ligands through appropriate domains of the glycoprotein.
Enhanced Tissue-Specific Expression of the Herbicide Resistance bar Gene in Transgenic Cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L cv. Coker 310FR) Using the Arabidopsis rbcS ats1A Promoter

A highly regenerating cotton (Gossypium hirsutum L.) cultivar, Coker 310FR, was used to generate transgenic plants expressing the herbicide resistance gene, bar, encoding phosphinothricin acetyltransferase (PAT), under the transcriptional control of the ribulose-1, 5-bisphosphate carboxylase (Rubisco) small subunit (rbcS) atslA gene promoter from Arabidopsis thaliana. Expression levels of the rbcS ats1A-bar transgenes were compared to bar transgenes under the control of the high level constitutive promoter from the Cauliflower Mosaic Virus 35S gene containing a dual enhancer region (2xE CaMV 35S). Significantly higher levels of bar mRNA, PAT protein and enzymatic activity, and enhanced levels of resistance to the herbicide Basta were observed in transgenic plants expressing bar under the rbcS ats1A promoter compared to the 2xE CaMV 35S promoter. Transgenic plants containing 2xE CaMV 35S-bar transgenes tolerated the maximum herbicide (Basta) application up to 200 mg l-1 PPT whereas rbcS ats1A-bar transgenic plants were capable of detoxifying Basta up to 400 mg l-1 PPT. These findings indicate that the rbcS ats1A promoter may be useful for higher expression of transgenes in developing tissues of cotton for improving it further through genetic engineering.
Activity predictions for efavirenz analogues with the K103N mutant of HIV reverse transcriptase

Abstract Monte Carlo-extended linear response (MC/ELR) calculations are used to examine the binding of efavirenz analogues with the K103N mutant of HIV-1 reverse transcriptase (HIVRT). A regression equation previously reported for the wild type (WT) enzyme is shown to predict 47 experimental activities for the K103N mutant with a q2=0.55 and avg error of only 0.46 kcal/mol. Further analysis identifies the key features for binding to the K103N mutant: ligand flexibility, burial of hydrophobic surface area, and protein–ligand van der Waals interactions.
Altered phospholipid metabolism in a temperature-sensitive mutant of Escherichia coli, CR34T46

Abstract The phospholipid metabolism of a temperature-sensitive DNA initiation mutant of Escherichia coli K12, CR 34 T 4 6, is altered at the restrictive temperature, 40 °C. The relative rate of synthesis and the relative proportion of the anionic phospholipids (phosphatidylglycerol and cardiolipin) were increased in the mutant when it was grown at 40 °C. Glycerol-3-phosphate : CMP phosphatidyltransferase, the enzyme catalyzing the first step in the synthesis of anionic phospholipids, showed increased activity in membrane preparations of the mutant grown at 40 °C ; this finding could explain the altered phospholipid composition. Phospholipid metabolism was similar in CR 34 T 4 6 and revertants capable of growth at 40 ° C. Thus, the altered phospholipid metabolism appears to be independent of the DNA initiation lesion.
Silicon photonics for on-chip interconnections

The state of the art of silicon photonics for on-chip interconnections is reviewed from both historical and technological perspectives. Discussion of the evolution of optical communications technology highlights salient features of guided wave optical technology. Attributes of silicon photonics indicate how the most desirable features of optical communications can be cost effectively implemented on-chip using already demonstrated silicon photonic components. Results of an experimental investigation of effects of fabrication and runtime variations on photonic device operation are presented. Variation tolerant system design rules are discussed. Attention is placed on motivating why silicon photonics is the replacement for copper interconnection that offers the best possibility for future improvement in performance and reduction in power consumption. The broadcast interconnection effort being carried in the author's research group is discussed in light of the requirements of many-core interconnections.
Critical-reliability path identification and delay analysis

Circuit reliability analysis at the presilicon stage has become vital for sub-45nm technology designs in particular, due to aging effects, such as Negative Bias Temperature Instability (NBTI) and Hot Carrier Injection (HCI). To avoid potential reliability hazards in the postsilicon stage, current large-scale designs for commercial implementation overpessimistically analyze circuit aging under assumed worst-case workload in order not to violate the corner cases even for low possibilities, thus introducing unnecessary margin in the design timing analysis. The major issue is lack of an effective aging analysis method applicable to large designs with low CPU runtime, which is mainly due to: (1) conventional reliability tools are extremely time-consuming for circuit-level timing analysis and thus are not practical for large designs; (2) mathematical models developed to expedite the process are not accurate due to the high complexity of aging effects. In this article, a comprehensive analysis is presented to highlight the importance of each aging parameter. Then, a novel methodology is developed based on current commercial reliability tools to guarantee its high accuracy on circuit-level aging analysis. Existing proven low-level mathematical models are further enhanced to extensively speed up a higher level analysis by taking advantage of the explicit intermediate conditions stored in a pregenerated lookup table. Our results indicate ≥244X improved computational efficiency, ≤5p relative error, and ≤0.7p absolute error compared with commercial reliability analysis tools (e.g., HSPICE MOSRA).
Online feedback control of functional electrical stimulation using dorsal root ganglia recordings

In neuroprostheses that use functional electrical stimulation (FES) to restore motor function, closed-loop feedback control may compensate for muscle fatigue, perturbations and nonlinearities in the behavior of the effected muscles. Kinematic state information is naturally represented in the firing rates of primary afferent neurons, which may be recorded with multi-electrode arrays at the level of the dorsal root ganglia (DRG). Previous work in cats has shown that it is feasible to estimate the kinematic state of the hind limb with a multivariate linear regression model of the neural activity in the DRG. In this study we extend these results to estimate the limb state in real-time during intramuscular stimulation in an anesthetized cat. Furthermore, we used the limb state estimates as feedback to a finite state FES controller to generate rudimentary walking behavior. This work demonstrates the feasibility of using DRG activity in a closed-loop FES system.
Spectroscopic investigation of II–VI core-shell nanoparticles: CdSe/CdS

CdSe and CdSe/CdS core/shell nanoparticles were prepared by a one-pot synthesis process. The CdSe/CdS core/shell nanoparticles showed red-shift absorption and emission spectra compared to the CdSe core. An optimal reaction time for CdS to form on the CdSe nanoparticles was evaluated and the highest photoluminescence yield of approximately equal to 20% was observed for the core/shell nanoparticles. Using nanosecond laser spectroscopy, the photoluminescence of CdSe nanoparticle was investigated and found to exhibit a monoexponential decay with a lifetime of 52.2 ns, while the photoluminescence of CdSe/CdS core/shell nanoparticles demonstrated biexponential decay characterised by a fast component around 25 ns and a slow component around 100 ns. The Stokes shift, photoluminescence yield, and lifetimes were correlated and attributed to the stress in the interface induced by the lattice mismatch of CdSe and CdS. The red-shift of the absorption and emission spectra of CdSe/CdS nanoparticles was discussed with the concepts of the quantum confinement and electronic confinement effects.
Emotional Intelligence in Library Disaster Response Assistance Teams: Which Competencies Emerged?

This qualitative study examines the relationship between emotional intelligence competencies and the personal attributes of library disaster response assistance team (DRAT) members. Using appreciative inquiry protocol to conduct interviews at two academic libraries, the study presents findings from emergent thematic coding of interview transcripts, documents, and artifacts as well as through the application of predetermined concept choice mapping of the data. Study findings suggest a strong relationship between emotional intelligence competencies and attributes exhibited by DRAT members as they dealt with the disasters at their respective institutions and may inform library leaders who appoint and provide training for team members.
Serine effects on collision-induced dissociation and photodissociation of peptide cation radicals of the z+●-type

The serine residue displays specific effects on the dissociations of peptide fragment cation-radicals of the z+• type which are produced by electron transfer dissociation. Energy-resolved collision-induced dissociation (ER-CID), time-resolved infrared multiphoton dissociation (TR-IRMPD), and single-photon UV photodissociation at 355 nm revealed several competitive dissociation pathways consisting of loss of OH radical, water, and backbone cleavages occurring at N-terminal and C-terminal positions relative to the serine residue. The activation modes using slow-heating and UV photon absorption resulted in different relative intensities of fragment ions. This indicated that the dissociations proceeded through several channels with different energy-dependent kinetics. The experimental data were interpreted with the help of electron structure calculations that provided fully optimized structures and relative energies for cis and trans amide isomers of the z4+• ions as well as isomerization, dissociation, and transition state energies. UV photon absorption by the z4+• ions was due to Cα-radical amide groups created by ETD that provided a new chromophore absorbing at 355 nm.
Activation of Glut1 Glucose Transporter in Response to Inhibition of Oxidative Phosphorylation: Role of Sites of Mitochondrial Inhibition and Mechanism of Glut1 Activation

We have previously shown that exposure of Clone 9 cells to hypoxia, cyanide, or azide results in an acute stimulation of glucose transport that is largely mediated by "activation" of glucose transporter (Glut1) sites preexisting in the plasma membrane. However, it is not known whether inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation only at its terminal step, or at any of its steps, leads to the glucose transport response. Hence, the effect of azide (5 mM), rotenone (1 microM), rotenone (1 microM) plus thenoyltrifluoroacetone (TTFA) (5 microM), antimycin A (0.3 microM), dinitrophenol (0.25 mM), carbonyl cyanide m-chlorophenylhydrazone (CCCP) (2.5 microM), and oligomycin B (0.15 microM) on glucose transport was determined. All of the above agents elicited a similar approximately 4-fold stimulation of cytochalasin B (CB)-inhibitable 3-O-methyl glucose (3-OMG) uptake in Clone 9 cells. The stimulatory effect of azide on 3-OMG uptake was not inhibited by antioxidants 2-mercaptopropionyl glycine (1.2 mM) and 1,10-phenanthroline (40 microM), while, in contrast, the antioxidants attenuated the stimulation of glucose transport in response to 250 microM H(2)O(2) by approximately 50%. To differentiate between an increase in the number of functional Glut1 sites in the plasma membrane (in the absence of "translocation") versus an increase in the "intrinsic activity" of Glut1, the effect of azide on the energy of activation (E(a)) of glucose transport was measured. The E(a) was determined by measuring the rate of CB-inhibitable 3-OMG uptake at 24.0, 28.0, 35. 0, and 40 degrees C. The E(a) of control Clone 9 cells and of cells exposed to 10 mM azide for 2 h was 32,530 +/- 1830 and 31,220 +/- 600 J/mol, respectively (P > 0.1), while the rate of CB-inhibitable 3-OMG uptake was 9.3 +/- 0.7-fold higher in azide-treated cells. It is concluded that (i) inhibition of oxidative phosphorylation, at any of its steps, leads to a stimulation of glucose transport, and (ii) the mechanism of stimulation of glucose transport in response to azide appears to be predominately mediated by an apparent increase in the number of functional Glut1 sites in the plasma membrane (instead of an increase in their "intrinsic activity"), suggesting an "unmasking" mechanism.
Non‐lexical soundmaking in audience contexts

(1987). Non‐lexical soundmaking in audience contexts. Research on Language and Social Interaction: Vol. 21, Multichannel Communication Codes: Part II, pp. 189-228.
Synthesis and fabrication of a degradable poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) scaffold for tissue engineering applications

Biodegradable poly(N-isopropyl acrylamide) (poly- NIPAM) hydrogels with controlled molecular weight of the parent polymer and its degradation products were synthe- sized by atom transfer radical polymerization in the presence of a polycaprolactone-based di-chlorinated macroinitiator and polycaprolactone dimethacrylate. The phase transition tem- perature, swelling, hydrolytic degradability, and mechanical properties at 25 and 37 � C were explored. A cytocompatibility study showed good NIH3T3 cell response over 5 days culture on the surface of the hydrogels, demonstrated by a consist- ent increase in cell proliferation detected by an Alamar Blue assay. MTT (3-(4,5-dimethylthiazol-2-yl)-2,5-diphenyltetrazo- lium bromide) results suggested that the hydrogels and their degradation products in the concentration range of 1-25 mg/ mL were not cytotoxic to NIH3T3 cells. A sphere-templating technique was utilized to fabricate biodegradable polyNIPAM scaffolds with monodisperse, pore size. Scaffolds with pore diameter of 48 6 6 lm were loaded with A-10 smooth muscle cells and then warmed to 37 � C entrapping cells in pores approximately 40 lm in diameter, a size we have found to be optimal for angiogenesis and biointegration. Due to their degradable nature, tunable molecular weight, highly inter- connected morphology, thermally controlled monodisperse pore size, and temperature-induced volume expansion-con- traction, the polyNIPAM-based scaffolds developed in this work will be valuable in tissue engineering. V C 2012 Wiley Peri-
Ethical Ideologies of the Machiavellian

Although Machiavellian individuals (Machs) have been characterized as lacking a concern for conventional standards of morality, it is clear from previous research that high Machs are not consistently more amoral or immoral than low Machs. A study was conducted to explore the ethical orientations of persons who score low versus high in Machiavellianism. The Mach V Scale and the Ethics Position Questionnaire were completed by 119 subjects. Results showed that Machiavellian subjects endorsed ethical positions that were more relativistic and less idealistic than subjects who scored low in Machiavellianism.
Recently identified and potential targets for colon cancer treatment

The systemic therapy for colorectal cancer has advanced from essentially a single, partially effective agent, 5-fluorouracil, to a combination of cytotoxics and antibodies offering increased survival. In addition to damage of DNA through agents, such as oxaliplatin and irinotecan, and inhibition of DNA replication, a promising approach involves modifying the control of gene expression, including epigenetic control. Modulation of invasion and metastasis should become increasingly important. Inhibition of growth-factor signaling with small-molecule drugs and antibodies can be a part of this effort. Further progress in the control of gene expression in colon cancer may be achieved with miRNAs and RNA interference if technical problems can be overcome. A number of genetic changes in colorectal cancer progression have been identified and offer targets for future therapy.
Exponential-Phase Glycogen Recycling Is Essential for Growth of Mycobacterium smegmatis

Bacterial glycogen is a polyglucose storage compound that is thought to prolong viability during stationary phase. However, a specific role for glycogen has not been determined. We have characterized SMEG53, a temperature-sensitive mutant of Mycobacterium smegmatis that contains a mutation in glgE, encoding a putative glucanase. This mutation causes exponentially growing SMEG53 cells to stop growing at 42°C in response to high levels of glycogen accumulation. The mutation in glgE is also associated with an altered growth rate and colony morphology at permissive temperatures; the severity of these phenotypes correlates with the amount of glycogen accumulated by the mutant. Suppression of the temperature-sensitive phenotype, via a decrease in glycogen accumulation, is mediated by growth in certain media or multicopy expression of garA. The function of GarA is unknown, but the presence of a forkhead-associated domain suggests that this protein is a member of a serine-threonine kinase signal transduction pathway. Our results suggest that in M. smegmatis glycogen is continuously synthesized and then degraded by GlgE throughout exponential growth. In turn, this constant recycling of glycogen controls the downstream availability of carbon and energy. Thus, in addition to its conventional storage role, glycogen may also serve as a carbon capacitor for glycolysis during the exponential growth of M. smegmatis.
DNA-functionalized Pt nanoparticles as catalysts for chemically powered micromotors: toward signal-on motion-based DNA biosensor

We present here the construction of a DNA biosensor based on a tubular micromotor that only produces motion-based signal in the presence of DNA target. This “turn on” characteristic of the sensor is achieved by the addition of Pt nanoparticle-DNA conjugate as the motion-inducing catalyst for the micromotors through DNA hybridization. Our work potentially offers new design strategies for motion-based biosensors with higher specificity.
Intracellular Trafficking and Localization of the Pseudorabies Virus Us9 Type II Envelope Protein to Host and Viral Membranes

The Us9 protein is a phosphorylated membrane protein present in the lipid envelope of pseudorabies virus (PRV) particles in a unique tail-anchored type II membrane topology. In this report, we demonstrate that the steady-state residence of the Us9 protein is in a cellular compartment in or near the trans-Golgi network (TGN). Through internalization assays with an enhanced green fluorescent protein epitope-tagged Us9 protein, we demonstrate that the maintenance of Us9 to the TGN region is a dynamic process involving retrieval of molecules from the cell surface. Deletion analysis of the cytoplasmic tail reveals that an acidic cluster containing putative phosphorylation sites is necessary for the recycling of Us9 from the plasma membrane. The absence of this cluster results in the relocalization of Us9 to the plasma membrane due to a defect in endocytosis. The acidic motif, however, does not contain signals needed to direct the incorporation of Us9 into viral envelopes. In this study, we also investigate the role of a dileucine endocytosis signal in the Us9 cytoplasmic tail in the recycling and retention of Us9 to the TGN region. Site-directed mutagenesis of the dileucine motif results in an increase in Us9 plasma membrane staining and a partial internalization defect.
Deposition of the NG2 Proteoglycan at Nodes of Ranvier in the Peripheral Nervous System

The node of Ranvier is a complex macromolecular assembly of ion channels and other proteins that is specialized for the rapid propagation of the action potential. A full understanding of the processes responsible for the assembly and maintenance of the node requires first the identification and characterization of the proteins found there. Here we show that NG2, a structurally unique chondroitin sulfate proteoglycan, is a molecular component of the node of Ranvier in the peripheral nervous system. In adult sciatic nerve, NG2 is (1) associated with thin, elongated fibroblast-like cells, (2) on some but not all basal laminae, and (3) at nodes of Ranvier. At the nodes, NG2 is restricted to the nodal gap and is absent from the paranodal or juxtaparanodal region. In dissociated cell cultures of adult sciatic nerve, perineurial fibroblasts but not Schwann cells express NG2 on their surfaces. Approximately 45% of the total NG2 in peripheral nerves is in a soluble, rather than particulate, subcellular compartment. NG2 is also present in membrane fractions that also contain high levels of voltage-dependent sodium channels, caspr, and neuron-glia related cell adhesion molecule. These medium-density membranes likely correspond to the nodal and paranodal region of the axon–Schwann cell unit. These results suggest a model in which perineurial fibroblasts secrete or shed NG2, which subsequently associates with nodes of Ranvier. The growth-inhibitory and anti-adhesive properties of NG2 may limit the lateral extension of myelinating Schwann cells as nodes mature. NG2 may also participate in the barrier functions of the perineurial linings of the nerve.
Bridging the Gap: The Role of Spatial Information Technologies in the Integration of Traditional Environmental Knowledge and Western Science

Agenda 21 dedicates a whole chapter to the role and importance of information for sustainable development. Among the provisions on harnessing the potential of information and communication technologies (ICT) one paragraph addresses the need for a strengthening of the capacity for traditional information. Local communities and resource users should benefit from mechanisms that provide them with the know-how they need to manage their environment and resources sustainably, applying traditional and indigenous knowledge and approaches. This paper will examine how this objective is being implemented through the use of spatial information systems (including GPS and Remote Sensing), which collect, manipulate and distribute data on a variety of environmental factors, in order to inform and encourage sustainable resource management practices. Some initiatives have adopted grassroots and participatory approaches, whereby local communities map their territories and resources with the help of information technologies. This paper will review a sample of these projects and analyze how they can generate synergies between traditional knowledge and modern science.
UNIPARENTAL DISOMY: MECHANISMS AND CLINICAL CONSEQUENCES

During gametogenesis in mammals, half of the parental chromosomes segregate to each gamete. Upon fertilization of two haploid gametes, the diploid number is restored (Figure 1A). Nondisjunction, malsegregation of the chromosomes during gametogenesis, can give rise to chromosomally unbalanced offspring (trisomies and monosomies) (Figure 1B). Genomic imprinting is an epigenetic phenomenon in which the activity of a gene is reversibly modified depending on the parent of origin. This leads to unequal, monoallelic expression of the maternal and paternal alleles of a diploid locus (Figure 1C). Thus, the normal state of an imprinted locus is an “imbalance”, not of chromosomes, but of the functional genetic content.
Synergisms between climate change mitigation and adaptation: an insurance perspective

As the world's largest industry, the insurance sector is both an aggregator of the impacts of climate change and a market actor able to play a material role in decreasing the vulnerability of human and natural systems. This article reviews the implications of climate change for insurers and provides specific examples of insurance-relevant syner- gisms between adaptation and mitigation in the buildings and energy sectors, agriculture, forestry, and land use. Although insurance is far from a ''silver bullet'' in addressing climate change, it offers significant capacity and ability to understand, manage, and spread risks associated with weather-related events, more so today in industrialized countries but increasingly so in developing countries and economies in transition. Certain measures that integrate climate change mitigation and adaptation also bolster insurers' solvency and profitability, thereby increasing their appeal. Promising strategies involve innovative products and systems for delivering insurance and the use of new technologies and practices that both reduce vulnerability to disaster-related losses and support sustainable development. However, climate change promises to erode the insurability of many risks, and insurance responses can be more reactive than proactive, resulting in compromised insurance affordability and/or availability. Public-private partnerships involving insurers and entities such as the international relief community offer considerable potential, but have not been adequately explored.
Image forgery detection

We are undoubtedly living in an age where we are exposed to a remarkable array of visual imagery. While we may have historically had confidence in the integrity of this imagery, today's digital technology has begun to erode this trust. From the tabloid magazines to the fashion industry and in mainstream media outlets, scientific journals, political campaigns, courtrooms, and the photo hoaxes that land in our e-mail in-boxes, doctored photographs are appearing with a growing frequency and sophistication. Over the past five years, the field of digital forensics has emerged to help restore some trust to digital images. The author reviews the state of the art in this new and exciting field.
Recruitment and retention of Latino adolescents to a research study: lessons learned from a randomized clinical trial.

PURPOSE. To describe facilitators and barriers to participation and retention of Latino adolescents in a randomized clinical trial. DESIGN AND METHODS. Participants were part of a randomized clinical trial designed to reduce HIV sexual risk behavior among Latino youth. Responses from 106 randomly selected respondents from the 3-month follow-up were content analyzed. RESULTS. Four main facilitator patterns emerged: peer/family support, program incentives, commitment, and desire to help. Participation barriers included conflicts with other commitments, embarrassment, and lack of peer support. PRACTICE IMPLICATIONS. Recruitment and retention of Latino adolescents in research studies is critical to building a research base for nursing practice.
The Elusive Cause of Action

T HE drafting committee of the new Illinois Civil Practice Act found it almost impossible to avoid the use in several sections of the familiar term "cause of action."' A suggestion that it be defined or described so as to convey a definite meaning caused some surprise. Many members of the committee assumed that everybody knew what a cause of action was, and that it needed no defining. One member observed that as courts and academic scholars had been unable to agree upon a meaning the committee should not become involved in an attempt to solve the problem. He suggested the impossibility of writing a statute that would not require some interpretation, and advised that the determination of the meaning of a cause of action again be left to the courts. The counsel prevailed. It is often possible for a drafting group to reach an agreement upon the use of language without agreement as to its meaning, the holders of divergent views each being hopeful that their meanings will be adopted eventually. Such compromises, though they leave problems unsolved, are inevitable. That such an important body should dodge description of a cause of action is or is not significant dependent upon whether the term has an unsettled meaning, and, if it does, whether any miscarriages of justice result from leaving it unsettled. Whether it be the task of the draftsmen or of the courts, problems of consequence must be solved. "'Cause of action,' " says a West Virginia court,2 "has a well-defined legal meaning, and the Legislature could not, if it would, make a movable feast of it." The problem which evoked this confident and unique expression is interesting. The charter of Richmond provided that no action should be maintained against the city for damages due to negligence unless a sworn statement of the claimant, or of the administrator of a decedent whose death was due to the city's negligence, giving the nature of the claim and the time and place of the accident, was filed with the city attorney "within sixty days after such cause of action shall have accrued." A demurrer was sustained to a declaration which set out an accident producing serious injury to plaintiff's intestate, which alleged
Patient Decision Aids for Discouraging Low-Value Health Care Procedures: Null Findings and Lessons Learned

Per-capita health care spending in the United States is disproportionally higher than that of other industrialized nations, while life expectancy is appreciably lower. In 2013, US health care spending totaled $2.9 trillion.1 At $9255 per person, this was 42% higher than the next highest per-capita spender. Yet, the United States ranks 50th for life expectancy among 221 nations and 27th out of the 34 industrialized Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) countries. With a focus on maximizing the return of health care spending, of interest are best practices for reducing the use of medical procedures that offer low net benefit or, at the population level, possible net harm.
Coastal Water Quality Protection

This chapter is for the Second Edition of Coastal and Ocean Law, published by the American Bar Association's Section on Environment, Energy, and Resources. It comprehensively reviews the application of the Clean Water Act in the coastal zone and at sea. For example, the chapter details the regulatory significance of the Act's recognition of three marine zones -- the territorial sea, the contiguous zone, and the ocean -- and explains how the Clean Water Act applies to discharges from non-military ships, vessels of the Armed Forces, and "other floating craft" as well as land-based sewage discharges and discharges from offshore oil and gas platforms. The Second Edition version of this chapter also highlights developments in this area of law since 2006. For example, the chapter highlights the EPA's newest (2012) National Coastal Condition Report. Moreover, it details the relatively rapid change in the law governing ballast water and other discharges from ships, examines the Chesapeake Bay multi-state TMDL and the litigation over the "dead zone" in the Gulf of Mexico, and examines states' increasing use of the Act's "No Discharge Zone" provisions, especially California's 2012 establishment of its entire coastline as a "No Discharge Zone."
Ultrasound Transaxial Tomography by Reconstruction

The diagnostic potential of transmission imaging with ultrasound has stimulated many attempts to utilize the large differences in ultrasound attenuation between various soft tissues. Most such attempts have met with very limited success due to practical difficulties including scattering and phase distortion by bones, air spaces, and fat. Imaging a transverse plane in the body by transmission scanning of that plane from a large number of angles, and subsequent reconstruction of the transmission image by computer may provide the long desired diagnostic information in many areas of the body. Just as with computerized axial tomography now used successfully for enhanced x-ray imaging, ultrasound transaxial tomography by reconstruction (UTTR) displays those objects causing distortions of the ultrasound and allows, in effect, averaging of data from scans at many angles. Others have investigated UTTR for soft tissue imaging. The present results simulate with phantom measurements the image of soft tissues adjacent to bone-equivalent objects.
Mutation signatures reveal biological processes in human cancer

Replication errors in the genome accumulate from a variety of mutational processes, which leave a history of mutations on the affected genome. The relative contribution of each mutational process has been characterized by non-negative matrix factorization and has lead to deeper insight into both mutational and repair processes contributing to cancer. However current implementations of NMF have left unresolved some specific patterns that should be present in the mutation data and have not generated signatures designed for classification. Here, we use a variant of NMF, termed non-smooth NMF, to generate sparse matrix factorizations of somatic mutation profiles present in 7129 tumors. nsNMF factorization revealed 21 mutational signatures. We found three APOBEC mutational processes clearly segregating with the published APOBEC enzymology and trans-lesion repair processes. We discovered several signatures differed between geographic locations even between closely related tissues.
Music-Based iPad App Preferences of Young Children.

Music-based technology is frequently included in early childhood classrooms as an attempt to incorporate music education in the curriculum. However, there is a lack of research that addresses the e...
Inhibition of tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthesis impairs endothelium- dependent relaxations in canine basilar artery

Tetrahydrobiopterin is an essential cofactor in biosynthesis of nitric oxide. The present study was designed to determine the effect of decreased intracellular tetrahydrobiopterin levels on endothelial function of isolated cerebral arteries. Blood vessels were incubated for 6 h in minimum essential medium (MEM) in the presence or absence of a GTP cyclohydrolase I inhibitor, 2,4-diamino-6-hydroxypyrimidine (DAHP, 10(-2) M). Rings with and without endothelium were suspended for isometric force recording in the presence of a cyclooxygenase inhibitor, indomethacin (10(-5) M). In arteries with endothelium, DAHP significantly reduced intracellular levels of tetrahydrobiopterin. DAHP in combination with a precursor of the salvage pathway of tetrahydrobiopterin biosynthesis, sepiapterin (10(-4) M), not only restored but increased levels of tetrahydrobiopterin above control values. In DAHP-treated arteries, endothelium-dependent relaxations to bradykinin (10(-10)-10(-6) M) or calcium ionophore A23187 (10(-9)-10(-6) M) were significantly reduced, whereas endothelium-independent relaxations to a nitric oxide donor, 3-morpholinosydnonimine (10(-9)-10(-4) M), were not affected. When DAHP-treated arteries with endothelium were incubated with sepiapterin (10(-4) M) or superoxide dismutase (150 U/ml), relaxations to bradykinin and A23187 were restored to control levels. In contrast, superoxide dismutase did not affect endothelium-dependent relaxations in arteries incubated in MEM. A nitric oxide synthase inhibitor, NG-nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (10(-4) M), abolished relaxations to bradykinin or A23187 in control arteries and in DAHP-treated arteries. These studies demonstrate that in cerebral arteries, decreased intracellular levels of tetrahydrobiopterin can reduce endothelium-dependent relaxations. Production of superoxide anions during activation of dysfunctional endothelial nitric oxide synthase appears to be responsible for the impairment of endothelial function.
Loss of cytoskeletal support is not sufficient for anoxic plasma membrane disruption in renal cells

The goal of this study was to determine whether anoxic membrane disruption is initiated by loss of cytoskeletal support in rabbit renal proximal tubules (PT). We specifically tested 1) whether cyto...
Pharmacogenetic profiling and metabolic activity of human embryonic stem cell derived hepatocytes: focus on CYP450-mediated oxidation

Primary human hepatocytes are commonly used to evaluate liver drug metabolism and toxicity. Pluripotent stem cell derived hepatocytes (SCDHs) have the potential to overcome access and function-related limitations associated with primary hepatocytes. SCDHs may also provide an improved system for evaluating genotype-phenotype relationships, e.g. cytochrome P450 (CYP) gene polymorphisms and their impact on drug metabolism and toxicity. However, in order for SCDHs to become routinely used in preclinical drug metabolism and toxicity screening, they must demonstrate reproducible activity of drug metabolism proteins, particularly the oxidative CYP enzymes. We characterized the differentiation status of SCDHs, with emphasis on the expression and functional capacity of drug-metabolizing enzymes, and genetically profiled the commonly used WiCell® hESC lines, focusing on CYP2D6 in our analysis. An assay of enzymatic function in SCDHs using a CYP cocktail assay designed to measure 8 different isozymes revealed only minimal activity for CYP3A, below that observed in primary hepatocytes. With regard to CYP2D6 gene copy number variation, we found the H1 line has only one gene copy, which also harbors the CYP2D6*41 splicing defect, predictive of a CYP2D6 poor/intermediate metabolizer. We identified no CYP2D6 gene duplications, indicating no representative ultra-rapid metabolizer. The H7 and H14 lines are heterozygous for the non-functional CYP2D6*4 variant resulting in a predicted intermediate metabolizer phenotype. In addition, we compared the penetrance of the CYP2D6*41 splicing defect in SCDHs and liver tissue via reverse-transcription PCR assay. We found incomplete penetrance of the CYP2D6*41 allele in liver tissue and variable penetrance in SCDHs. Based on gene expression profiling, SCDHs most closely resemble fetal hepatocytes, especially with regards to AFP, CYP3A7 and FMO1 expression. Finally, these studies indicate a low degree of genetic diversity of pharmacogenetically-relevant genes in the WiCell® hESC lines.
Highly non-paraxial nonlinear optics and analogs of quantum gravity

We show that some of the ideas developed to study quantum mechanics at the Planck scale can be used to describe the propagation of subwavelength beams in nonlinear media. It turns out that nonlinear optics may be useful to simulate models of quantized gravity and generalized Heisenberg principles.
Artefacts of an engineer's mind

I do not recall if those old medieval philosophers ever settled the burning question of how many angels could dance on the point of a pin. I do know, however, that if you are less interested in the angels and more interested in the pin – or the paper clip, the zip or any other human artefact up to the jetplane and the skyscraper – Henry Petroski is the man to ask. A professor of both history and civil engineering at Duke University in the US, he has written extensively about what might be called the social or human side of engineering; most famously in his book The Pencil (Knopf 1990). In Invention by Design, Petroski combines a cultural critic's sensibility with a scientist's understanding and an engineer's pragmatism to explain how the objects around us are designed.
The genus Machaerium (Leguminosae) in Mexico

Machaerium es un genero neotropical de la familia de las leguminosas que se presenta de Mexico hasta Peru y Argentina, con una especie en las Antillas y Africa Occidental. De un total aproximado de 125-130 especies, 14 son conocidas para Mexico. Se presentan en este trabajo descripciones, mapas de distribucion geografica en Mexico, una carta con datos fenologicos, y una clave para la identificacion de estas 14 especies.
Durable Stones, Mutable Pasts: Bundled Memory in the Alsatian Community of Castroville, Texas

This case study from historical archaeology builds upon two well-defined bodies of theory: collective memory, and the ontological turn. Memory studies mesh well with the ontological turn, as archaeologists begin to consider materials, people, and ideas as webs, networks, entanglements, or bundles. Memory and materiality studies need not be merely descriptive but can provide insights into the roles played by materials in social and political struggles. Although durable stones are bundled with original builders’ views and ideas, stone buildings and features paradoxically are mutable and ripe for re-interpretation and contestation by future generations. In Castroville, Texas, a local heritage society is renovating a historic house to create a focal point for tourism. Alsatian immigrants constructed the house in the mid-nineteenth century, but subsequent generations significantly remodeled the house. The archaeological discovery of a blocked-in nineteenth-century fireplace behind a twentieth-century bathroom wall brings two versions of the past into stark juxtaposition. The stones become participants in the struggle between two descendant families over whose past will be celebrated and remembered and whose will be obliterated and forgotten.
Inflammation, necrosis, and cancer

William Gibson might have included cancer and inflammation as an example of “apophonia”. The perception of this connection, however, has been anything but spontaneous. Cancer is generally thought of as disordered cell growth driven by the accumulation of genes that confer a growth advantage or prevent cellular senescence [1]. Inflammation is thought of primarily as a non-immune, acute host-defense process. When persistent, chronic inflammation and the associated immune response together play a role in several diseases including rheumatoid arthritis, asthma, and inflammatory bowel disease. The thoughtful clinician and scientist reflecting on the extraordinary advances in cancer biology and the search for causes of cancer are disappointed with how our premises have not yet translated into more effective therapy. Those studying diseases associated with inflammation raise a similar concern, with many of the therapeutic targets seemingly intractable. What are we missing? The editors of this volume have addressed the relatedness of these seemingly “unrelated” fields to reveal “meaningfulness” that is now more perceptible. This revelation could provide a synergistic base to allow the generation of new questions and to accelerate innovation in understanding and treatment of these diseases.
Highest-weight vectors in tensor products of Verma modules for U_q(sl_2)

We obtain an explicit basis for the subspace spanned by highest-weight vectors in a tensor product of two highest-weight modules for the quantized universal enveloping algebra of sl_2. The structure constants provide a generalization of the Clebsh-Gordan coefficients. As a byproduct, we give an alternative proof for the decomposition of these tensor products as direct sums of indecomposable modules and supply generators for all highest weight summands.
Corneal arcus predicted mortality from coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease in young white men

Source Citation Chambless LE, Fuchs FD, Linn S, et al. The association of corneal arcus with coronary heart disease and cardiovascular disease mortality in the Lipid Research Clinics Mortality Foll...
The impact of hepatitis C virus infection on 90-day outcomes following major orthopaedic surgery: a propensity-matched analysis.

The impact of hepatitis C virus (HCV) infection on outcomes following major orthopaedic interventions, such as joint arthroplasty or spine surgery, has not been effectively studied in the past. Most prior studies are impaired by small samples, limited surveillance for adverse events, or the potential for selection bias to confound results. In this context, we sought to evaluate the impact of HCV infection on 90-day outcomes following joint arthroplasty or spine surgery using propensity-matched techniques. This study utilized 2006–2014 claims from TRICARE insurance. Adults who received spine surgical procedures, total knee and hip arthroplasty were identified. Covariates included demographic factors, a diagnosis of HCV and medical co-morbidities defined by International Classification of Disease-9th revision (ICD-9) code. Outcomes consisted of 30- and 90-day mortality, complications and readmission. A propensity score was used to balance the cohorts with logistic regression techniques employed to determine the influence of HCV infection on post-operative outcomes. The propensity-matched cohort consisted of 2262 patients (1131 with and without HCV). Following logistic regression, patients with HCV were found to have increased odds of 30-day complications (OR 1.87; 95% CI 1.33, 2.64; p < 0.001), 90-day complications (OR 1.55; 95% CI 1.16, 2.08; p = 0.003) and 30-day readmission (OR 1.46; 95% CI 1.04, 2.05; p = 0.03). HCV infection was found to increase the risk of complication and readmission following spine surgery and total joint arthroplasty. Patients should be counseled on their increased risk prior to surgery. Health systems that treat a higher percentage of patients with HCV need to consider the increased risk of complications and readmission when negotiating with insurance carriers.
Age-Friendly Cities and Communities in International Comparison: Political Lessons, Scientific Avenues, and Democratic Issues, edited by Thibault Moulaertand Suzanne Garon: New York, NY: Springer, 2016, 337 pages, hardcover, $179

The purpose of Age-Friendly Cities and Communities in International Comparison: Political Lessons, Scientific Avenues, and Democratic Issues is to provide a comprehensive discussion of both the the...