cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Chemistry and Biology of Bioactive Lipids-A Tribute to Prof. Viswanathan Natarajan for his 50 Years of Research in Lipid Biochemistry.

This special issue of Cell Biochemistry and Biophysics focuses on the “Chemistry and Biology of Bioactive Lipids” to honor Prof. Viswanathan Natarajan of the University of Illinois at Chicago for his 50 years of invaluable contributions in biochemistry and especially lipidology. This special issue is a collection of scientific papers (historical accounts, original papers, and reviews) contributed by nearly two dozen celebrities in different areas of lipid research including bioactive lipidology in health and disease honoring Prof. Natarajan for his important discoveries and profound mentoring, and vital collaborations with scores of scientists in diverse areas of biochemistry and lipidology.
The spirit of Roman law

This work is not about the rules or concepts of Roman law, says Alan Watson, but about the values and approaches, explicit and implicit, of those who made the law. The scope of Watson's concerns encompasses the period from the "Twelve Tables", around 451 BC, to the end of the so-called classical period, around AD 235. As he discusses the issues and problems that faced the Roman legal intelligentsia, Watson also holds up Roman law as a clear, although admittedly extreme, example of law's enormous impact on society in light of society's limited input into law. Roman private law has been the most admired and imitated system of private law in the world, but it evolved, Watson argues, as a hobby of gentlemen, albeit a hobby that carried social status. The jurists, the private individuals most responsible for legal development, were first and foremost politicians and (in the Empire) bureaucrats; their engagement with the law was primarily to win the esteem of their peers. The exclusively patrician College of Pontiffs was given a monopoly of interpretation of private law in the mid-fifth century BC. Though the College would lose its exclusivity and monopoly, interpretation of law remained one mark of a Roman gentleman. But only interpretation of the law, not conceptualisation or systematisation or reform, gave prestige, says Watson. Further, the jurists limited themselves to particular modes of reasoning: no arguments to a ruling could be based on morality, justice, economic welfare or what was approved elsewhere. No Praetor (one of the elected officials who controlled the courts) is famous for introducing reforms, Watson points out, and, in contrast with a non-jurist like Cicero, no jurist theorised about the nature of law. A strong characteristic of Roman law is its relative autonomy, and isolation from the rest of life. Paradoxically, this very autonomy was a key factor in the Reception of Roman Law - the assimilation of the learned Roman law as taught at the universities into the law of the individual territories of Western Europe. This is the first volume in the "Spirit of the Law" series. With the intention of illuminating the nature of legal systems throughout the world, titles in the series are concerned less with the rules of the law and more with the relationships of the laws in each system with religion and moral perspectives; the degree of complexity and abstraction; classifications; attitudes to possible sources of law; authority; and values enshrined in law.
Optimal recovery from compressive measurements via denoising-based approximate message passing

Recently progress has been made in compressive sensing by replacing simplistic sparsity models with more powerful denoisers. In this paper, we develop a framework to predict the performance of denoising-based signal recovery algorithms based on a new deterministic state evolution formalism for approximate message passing. We compare our deterministic state evolution against its more classical Bayesian counterpart. We demonstrate that, while the two state evolutions are very similar, the deterministic framework is far more flexible. We apply the deterministic state evolution to explore the optimality of denoising-based approximate message passing (D-AMP). We prove that, while D-AMP is suboptimal for certain classes of signals, no algorithm can uniformly outperform it.
Sleep Medicine Essentials

Dr. Lee-Choing has written and edited many volumes of interest regarding sleep medicine over the last several years. He describes his most recent book, Sleep Medicine Essentials, as an “independent, practical, and portable book on sleep medicine as well as a complementary compendium to its larger companion textbook.” This pithy text fulfills his promise. This book is smaller (280 pages of 8.5 x 11-inch paper) than some of its hardcover comprehensive brethren and, thus, is portable, as described. However, the information inside seems no less, having been well condensed. Chapters are brief, often only 3 to 6 pages, allowing the reader to quickly digest a specific topic. One risk of taking some topics to which entire books are devoted to and summarizing them into 4 pages is that many of the nuances are lost; this problem is difficult to avoid. However, that finding should be readily accepted by an individual purchasing a book of “essentials,” who may not be looking for multiple layers of information. Though not specifically segmented as such, the broad topics covered include the basic science of sleep, sleep disorders, sleep related to age and sex, and sleep and its relationship to medical and psychiatric conditions. Although these areas are some of the most significant within the field, other important areas are only briefly touched on, including polysomnography and actigraphy (though some specific examples are included within certain chapters). One role that could be envisioned for this concentrated text is as a rapid method of reviewing for the upcoming sleep medicine subspecialty examination. In this function, it would serve quite well, given the limited time many practicing physicians may have to study for the exam. Several tables dot the text, aiding in the review process. However, the relative dearth of images and figures may detract slightly for those who have a more visual learning style. Slightly surprisingly, there appears to be little direct reference to the International Classification of Sleep Disorders, 2nd Edition, within the text, which might have bolstered the text's utility for board review. Overall, this book provides a high-quality review of a large amount of sleep medicine in a condensed manner. This book neither claims to nor attempts to provide the full in-depth information expected from a larger hardbound textbook. For those eligible to take the subspecialty sleep medicine examination in 2009 and without the time to read 800-page tomes, this book may provide a useful alternate option.
A robust optical coupler for alignment of superconducting nanowire detector arrays

We present an athermalized design and performance analysis of a robust imaging system used to couple light from an input fiber to a superconducting nanowire single photon detector.
Abstract 15781: High Dose Guideline-Directed Medical Therapy for Heart Failure at Discharge Improves 1-Year Mortality in African-Americans but Not Hypertensive Patients

BACKGROUND: Guideline-directed medical therapy (GDMT) for chronic heart failure has resulted in improved outcomes in readmission and mortality; yet, the effect of achieving high doses (>50% target) GDMT at discharge is unknown. We hypothesized that patients discharged at >50% target GDMT compared to ≤50% target GDMT would have reduced readmission and mortality. METHODS: We retrospectively evaluated 1408 patients who presented with a heart failure admission and were discharged alive between October 2011 and October 2012 at our academic (Aca) and academic-community hybrid (Hybrid) medical centers. Logistic regression and multinomial logit models were used to assess for 90-day and 1-year readmission and mortality based upon GDMT dosing including ace inhibitors, angiotensin receptor blockers, beta blockers, and aldosterone receptor blockers. RESULTS: Patients differed between the two categories by race [Aca 233 (21.3%) African-Americans (AA) versus Hybrid 227 (72.5%) AA, p<0.001] and systolic blood pressure (...
Design for Network Resiliency

“Network resiliency” has been used in common language for many years in a variety of contexts. The intent of the usage seems to always have included the notions that a resilient network is one that continues to deliver services in a satisfactory manner, despite possible disruptions in the network infrastructure and/or one that returns to normal operation quickly after a disturbance. In this article, we consider the former interpretation in detail. The notion of “satisfactory” obviously involves a matter of degree, so a consistent quantitative framework for network resiliency is proposed for the first interpretation. This article organizes and subsumes current streams of network resiliency thought by providing a generalization of the various notions that have been used in the past to describe network resiliency, and uses this generalization to create a quantitative framework for resiliency characterization. The key concepts are the notions of a network with associated delivery function and are of delivery importance. We discuss various design principles that promote greater network resiliency in the context of this framework. We introduce a network resiliency optimization scheme and briefly show how the network interdiction problem can be solved using the proposed network resiliency framework. Keywords: delivery function; delivery importance; scalar network resiliency
Italian Fascism’s Soviet Enemy and the Propaganda of Hate, 1941-1943

In conjunction with the war against the Soviet Union which began in June 1941, the Italian Fascist regime promulgated a virulent brand of anti-communism and oversaw a campaign of hate-mongering propaganda targeted at its Soviet enemy. This propaganda produced to justify the war highlighted the Manichean struggle against the Soviet Union and the special horrors of the Soviet communist enemy. Using longstanding stereotypes about a Russian lack of civilization, 19th-century ideas about racially expressed biological difference, and more recent tropes about Bolshevik barbarism and immorality, official representations of Fascism’s historic enemy—the communist—put forward a racially degenerate, godless peril from the East bent on the destruction of Western civilization and on the desecration of the Italian family and the Catholic faith.
The air traffic controller and Maxwell's Demon

The present world wide system of Air Traffic Control universally depends on an information exchange involving ground radar observations and cooperative application of rules and procedures by pilots in the air and controllers on the ground. The chief function of the controller is to keep traffic moving while "assuring" no conflicts or mid air collisions. In areas of dense traffic the controller "workload" can get very high and one becomes concerned about the system(controller is part of the system) becoming overloaded, with consequent decrease in system safety. The concept of controller or system workload is intuitively understood but how does one measure workload for the purpose of classifying system safety and achieving proper system design? One needs to define a model of the situation. Air traffic has previously been described by analogy with the random motion of gas molecules (Alexander and Graham-Orr) but these descriptions have left out from the beginning (by the random assumption) the essential feature of control. Associated with using the random gas model one assumes that controller workload is proportional to the number of conflicts the controller must resolve. Though predictions made from the random gas model check reasonably with some results obtained from computer simulations, doubts arise when one questions how a random model can describe the real world controlled air traffic situation with its obvious lack of randomness (Jones and Lutze) and one asks, more precisely, for the limitations of the random gas model. The purpose of this paper is to provide an alternate mathematical model for air traffic control; one in which the element of control is built in from the beginning thus overcoming a basic objection to the random gas model. The model is based on the recognition that whatever the controller "does" to achieve and maintain control, his work effort is perceived by an observer as a decrease in the entropy of the traffic, e.g., the traffic becomes more orderly. The controller functions in direct analogy with Maxwell's Demon. Faced with a disordered velocity and position distribution of aircraft in a control zone, the air traffic controller introduces order by supplying information so as to achieve a decrease in entropy. Controller workload is measured by the information (negentropy) he must supply. >
Privacy? Property?: Reflections on the Implications of a Post-Human World

The future is now. According to some, we currently face the inevitability of a post-human world, a world where humans enhanced by science far exceed the capabilities of humans unaided by science. Genetic enhancement presents the most familiar way this future may occur. Science fiction films such as Gattaca offer strange visions of just such a future where parents choose exactly which genes they want for their children and where DNA determines the type of job someone can have and whether someone can even access certain facilities. But one need not turn to science fiction to find examples of powerful uses of biotechnology. Companies such as SynBio and Synthetic Genomics are harnessing the wonders of genomic science to create artificial living systems. Yet there is another aspect of the post-human world that has received less attention: the world where implanted devices enhance humans and finally humans and machines merge. Again, although it sounds like science fiction, the question is not if, but when will a machine-enhanced reality occur and what will its contours be? For, as with the world of genetic enhancement, the first steps to such a future are being taken.
Cell adhesion and signaling on the fibronectin 1st type III repeat; requisite roles for cell surface proteoglycans and integrins.

The first type III repeat of fibronectin is known to be involved in fibronectin matrix assembly, and recombinant proteins from this type III repeat can inhibit cell proliferation, tumor metastasis and angiogenesis. We have analyzed the way rat aortic smooth muscle cells (RASMCs) interact with a recombinant protein encompassing a C-terminal portion of the first type III repeat of fibronectin (protein III1-C). Cells are able to adhere to and spread on III1-C coated on a dish. Both β1 integrins and cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans serve as receptors for III1-C. For example, cell attachment to III1-C is partially inhibited by agents that block β1 integrins or by heparin. Complete inhibition of cell attachment is seen only when integrin blocking agents are combined with heparin. Affinity chromatography revealed the binding of proteins that likely represent the integrin β1 and α5 submits to a III1-C column. Cell adhesion to III1-C results in robust ERK1/2 activation that is blocked by integrin-blocking agents. In addition, cell adhesion to III1-C and ERK1/2 activation by III1-C are both inhibited by heparan sulfate but not by chondroitin sulfate. Moreover, heparitinase treatment, but not chondroitinase treatment of RASMCs results in reduced cell adhesion and ERK1/2 activation. Affinity chromatography experiments demonstrated that 35SO4-labeled cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans bound specifically to III1-C. The results suggest that the 1st type III repeat of fibronectin contains a previously unrecognized cell adhesion domain that stimulates robust ERK1/2 activation in RASMCs. Cells interact with this domain through cell surface heparan sulfate proteoglycans and integrins, and both classes of receptors are required for optimal cell adhesion and ERK1/2 activation.
On Eigenvalue spacings for the 1-D Anderson model with singular site distribution

We study eigenvalue spacings and local eigenvalue statistics for 1D lattice Schrodinger operators with Holder regular potential, obtaining a version of Minami’s inequality and Poisson statistics for the local eigenvalue spacings. The main additional new input are regularity properties of the Furstenberg measures and the density of states obtained in some of the author’s earlier work.
A Review of “Virtual Slavica: Digital Libraries, Digital Archives. Michael Neubert (Ed.)”

Studies of the digital frontier of librarianship and archival management tend to be both exciting and distressing. On the one hand, progressively ambitious online projects provide unprecedented opp...
Patterns of drought-induced embolism formation and spread in living walnut saplings visualized using X-ray microtomography.

Embolism formation and spread are dependent on conduit structure and xylem network connectivity. Detailed spatial analysis has been limited due to a lack of non-destructive methods to visualize these processes in living plants. We used synchrotron X-ray computed tomography (microCT) to visualize these processes in vivo for Juglans microcarpa Berl. saplings subjected to drought, and also evaluated embolism repair capability after re-watering. Cavitation was not detected in vivo until stem water potentials (Ψ(stem)) reached -2.2 MPa, and loss of stem hydraulic conductivity as derived from microCT images predicted that 50% of conductivity was lost at Ψ(stem) of ∼ -3.5 MPa; xylem vulnerability as determined with the centrifuge method was comparable only in the range of Ψ(stem) from -2.5 to -3.5 MPa. MicroCT images showed that cavitation appeared initially in isolated vessels not connected to other air-filled conduits. Once embolized vessels were present, multiple vessels in close proximity cavitated, and 3-D analysis along the stem axis revealed some connections between cavitated vessels. A tomography-derived automated xylem network analysis found that only 36% of vessels had one or more connections to other vessels. Cavitation susceptibility was related to vessel diameter, with large diameter vessels (>40 μm, mean diameter 25-30 μm) cavitating mainly under moderate stress (Ψ(stem) > -3 MPa) and small diameter vessels (<30 μm) under severe stress. After re-watering there was no evidence for short or longer term vessel refilling over 2 weeks despite a rapid recovery of plant water status. The low embolism susceptibility in 1-year-old J. microcarpa may aid sapling survival during establishment.
Selecting a Potentially Traumatic Event Screening Measure

Abstract Numerous inventories designed to assess exposure to potentially traumatic events (PTE) have been developed and published. Superficially, the content of these measures appears to overlap extensively and as a result, researchers and clinicians often mistakenly assume that PTE measures may be used interchangeably. In actuality, there are numerous, substantive differences in wording, domain coverage, and context appropriateness among these measures. Further, these instruments vary tremendously with respect to the extent to which their psychometric properties have been evaluated. Despite these differences, there is presently little guidance in the literature to help researchers and clinicians select a PTE measure appropriate for their particular purposes and populations. The present review examines the psychometric and practical considerations that should inform the selection of such measures and briefly reviews and comments on strengths and weaknesses of prominent PTE measures.
Physics based ray-tracing propagation model for suburban areas

In this paper a hybrid model has been developed based on a physics-based model for the forest and a ray-tracing algorithm. Using the physical model of the forest, effective dielectric constant is found and applied to the raytracing algorithm. This 3-D modeler can consider objects with different shape and position, and therefore the simulator can be used for any arbitrary scenario.
Effects of differential preweaning social isolation on emotional reactivity and stress tolerance in the rat.

The effects of differential preweaning social isolation of rats during Days 17–22 on the development of muricide, open field behavior, and starvation stress tolerance were examined. Four weaning isolation groups were used in order to separate the effects of maternal and littermate isolation during this period. EMLI was deprived of maternal and littermate contact; EMI, maternal contact; and ELI, littermate contact. NWI rats were isolated on the day following normal laboratory weaning. The results indicated a marked decrease in muricide in response to maternal isolation (EMLI and EMI) and a slight decrease in response to littermate isolation. In the open field the maternally isolated rats were more active than the other groups and exhibited less defecation. There were, however, notable differences between EMLI and EMI. EMLI was more active than EMI in the open field and exhibited an increase in activity over the 4 testing periods while EMI, ELI, and NWI decreased activity. EMLI was clearly hyperactive during muricide testing while EMI was the least active. EMI rats weighed less than those in the other groups on Days 35, 50, and 100 but survived terminal food deprivation the longest. Significant differences in nonstressed adrenal gland weight were observed among groups but did not appear to correlate with any of the other measures. Terminal starvation eliminated these differences. Starvation also induced muricide in nonkillers in each of the groups. NWI rats appeared to be most easily converted and exhibited more consistent muricide than the other groups. These results are discussed in terms of a theory of altered forebrain regulation of emotional reactivity in response to preweaning stress and isolation.
Anti-glucocorticoid effects of dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA)

For a long time DHEA was considered a physiologically inert steroid produced in large quantities by the human adrenal cortex. No biological function for DHEA was known except to serve as the precursor of sex hormones such as estradiol, testosterone and etiocholanolone. In the past decade there has been a tremendous surge in research to delineate the biological role of DHEA. Ex- tensive data published so far have shown that DHEA has many diverse physiological, biological and biochem- ical effects encompassing various cell types, tissues and organs [1-3]. As such DHEA has been shown to have effects in obesity, diabetes, cancer, aging, stress, immune responses, pregnancy and in cardiovascular and nervous 9 system pathophysiology. The physiological relevance of such global actions of DHEA is not clear at the present time, and thus no coherent theme has emerged which can put all these varied and sometimes confusing biolog- ical effects of DHEA in to proper perspective. Among the myriad of biological actions, the anti@u- cocorticoid properties of DHEA are now clearly emerg- ing. In fact, the anti-glucocorticoid action of DHEA may explain many of the seemingly diverse biological activities of DHEA, such as its effects on stress, obesity, diabetes, immune responses, and protection against acute lethal viral infections. We have therefore, focussed this review on the anti-glucocorticoid effects of DHEA. Another critical issue pertinent to DHEA is that de- spite its impressive and diverse biological effects, we have little insight as to the cellular and molecular mech- anisms by which its various biological effects are medi- ated. In general, it is difficult to assess whether the ac- tions of DHEA are due to DHEA itself, to its metabo- lites or a combinations of both. Therefore, for clarity and coherency, in this article first we describe the metab- olic fate of DHEA, then outline its apparent anti-gluco- corticoid actions and finally we address the issue of the mechanism of DHEA action.
Modeling an optical micromachine probe

Silicon micromachines are fabricated using Surface Micro-Machining (SMM) techniques. Silicon micromachines include engines that consist of orthogonally oriented linear comb drive actuators mechanically connected to a rotating gear. These gears are as small a 50-{micro}m in diameter and can be driven at rotation rates exceeding 300,000-rpm. Measuring and analyzing microengine performance is basic to micromachine development and system applications. Optical techniques offer the potential for measuring long term statistical performance data and transient responses needed to optimize designs and manufacturing techniques. The authors describe the modeling of an optical probe developed at Sandia National Laboratories. Experimental data will be compared with output from the model.
Incorporated bromodeoxyuridine enhances the sister-chromatid exchange and chromosomal aberration frequencies in an EMS-sensitive Chinese hamster cell line.

Abstract The mutant Chinese hamster cell line, EM9, is characterized by a high baselne sister-chromatid exchange (SCE) frequency, increased sensitivity to cell killing, and a defect in DNA strand-break repair. The molecular basis for this pleotrophic phenotype is not known. We examined, at the chromosomal level, the increased sensitivity of this mutant to incorporated BrdUrd. By varying the amount of BrdUrd in template DNA and measuring the frequency of SCEs and chromosomal aberrations, we demonstrated the enhanced sensitivity of EM9 to BrdUrd present in the template strand of DNA. Our results show that a 6-fold increase in SCEs occurs due to DNA replication over a BrdUrd-substituted template relative to a dThd-substituted template. With regard to aberration production in EM9, there is a significant enhancement of aberrations and a specific bias toward damage for the chromatid with Brdurd in the template strand. While these cells share some phenotypic properties with cells from patients with Bloom's syndrome, the genotypic similarities have not yet been established.
Connecting with Volunteers: Memorable Messages and Volunteer Identification

Many of the 1.8 million registered nonprofit organizations in the United States rely on the services of volunteers to be able to connect with and meaningfully serve their communities. However, volunteers are less likely to receive formal socialization and training than paid employees. Thus, this study employs the concept of memorable messages as a way for exploring the ways in which messages received by volunteers from a variety of organizational sources may affect their volunteer identification with the nonprofit organization they serve. Three results emerged from the data, including: (a) sources of memorable messages in volunteer organizations; (b) types of memorable messages in volunteer organizations; and (c) a significant relationship between memorable message type and level of volunteer identification. Implications for connecting with volunteers and for future research are explored.
Radiocapitellar joint contact pressures following radial head arthroplasty.

Purpose To determine the radial head arthroplasty length that best replicates the native radiocapitellar contact pressure. Methods Eight cadaveric elbows (4 matched pairs) with an average age of 73 years were tested. All specimens were ligamentously stable and without visible cartilage wear. Radiocapitellar contact pressures were digitally analyzed during simulated joint loading at 0°, 45°, and 90° of elbow flexion and neutral rotation in the intact specimens and after ligament-preserving radial head arthroplasty at -2 mm, 0 mm, and +2 mm of the native length. The results were analyzed using 1-way analysis of variance and post hoc Tukey pairwise comparison tests. Results Paired analysis demonstrated significantly decreased mean contact pressures when comparing the native versus the minus 2 groups. Significantly decreased maximum contact pressures were also noted between the native and the minus 2 groups. Examining the mean contact pressures showed no significant difference between the native and the zero group and the native and the plus 2 groups. As for the maximum contact pressures, there was also no significant difference between the native and the zero group and the native and the plus 2 group. Conclusions Up to 2 mm of overlengthening may be tolerated under simulated loading conditions without significantly increasing contact pressures of the radiocapitellar joint. Surgeons can use this knowledge along with radiographic parameters and intraoperative examination of elbow stability to gauge the appropriate size of the radial head implant to be used in order to decrease the risk of overstuffing the joint and minimizing radiocapitellar chondral wear. Type of study/level of evidence Prognostic IV.
Carotenoid Intake and Colorectal Cancer Risk: The Multiethnic Cohort Study

Background: A protective effect of fruits and vegetables against colorectal cancer has been supported by many epidemiologic studies. This suggests that the carotenoids frequently found in these foods play a role in the prevention of this common cancer. To examine associations between the intake of individual and total carotenoids and the risk of colorectal cancer, we analyzed prospective data from the Multiethnic Cohort Study.Methods: This analysis includes 85 898 men and 105 106 women who completed a quantitative food frequency questionnaire in 1993–1996. The participants were African Americans, Native Hawaiians, Japanese Americans, Latinos, and whites aged 45–75 years at cohort entry. After an average follow-up of 8.2 years, 1292 and 1086 incident cases of colorectal cancer were identified in men and women, respectively. Cox proportional hazard models were used to estimate relative risks of colorectal cancer.Results: No significant associations were found between intake of individual and total carotenoids and colorectal cancer risk either in men or women, except for β-cryptoxanthin, which showed a mild protective effect in men. When the associations were investigated separately for colon and rectal cancer, lycopene intake was related to an increased risk of rectal cancer in men. A decreased risk was seen for total β-carotene in male current smokers, but the test for interaction with smoking status was not significant. No association was observed in each ethnic-sex group.Conclusion: Overall, our findings do not support a significant association between carotenoid intake and colorectal cancer, although some associations were seen in subgroup analyses.
The Language of Mathematics: Investigating the Ways Language Counts for Children's Mathematical Development.

This longitudinal study examined how language ability relates to mathematical development in a linguistically and ethnically diverse sample of children from 6 to 9 years of age. Study participants were 75 native English speakers and 92 language minority learners followed from first to fourth grades. Autoregression in a structural equation modeling (SEM) framework was used to evaluate the relation between children's language ability and gains in different domains of mathematical cognition (i.e., arithmetic, data analysis/probability, algebra, and geometry). The results showed that language ability predicts gains in data analysis/probability and geometry, but not in arithmetic or algebra, after controlling for visual-spatial working memory, reading ability, and sex. The effect of language on gains in mathematical cognition did not differ between language minority learners and native English speakers. These findings suggest that language influences how children make meaning of mathematics but is not involved in complex arithmetical procedures whether presented with Arabic symbols as in arithmetic or with abstract symbols as in algebraic reasoning. The findings further indicate that early language experiences are important for later mathematical development regardless of language background, denoting the need for intensive and targeted language opportunities for language minority and native English learners to develop mathematical concepts and representations.
Diffusion tensor imaging and magnetic resonance spectroscopy of transient cerebral white matter lesions in X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease

Abstract Background X-linked Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease (CMTX) is a common inherited axonal or mixed axonal-demyelinating neuropathy. The disease is caused by mutations in the GJB1 gene encoding the gap junction protein connexin32, which is expressed in both Schwann cells in the peripheral nervous system and oligodendrocytes in the central nervous system. Several reports have described CMTX patients presenting with transient and recurrent central nervous system (CNS) symptoms with transient white matter lesions in the brain. Patients We describe a man with CMTX who presented with transient CNS symptoms and abnormal cerebral white matter lesions in MRI. He was subjected to a detailed MRI examination using two specialized techniques, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) and magnetic resonance spectroscopy (MRS). Results In the early stage of his CNS symptoms, MRS studies revealed reduced N-acetyl-aspartate (NAA) levels in deep white matter, and DTI revealed reduced fractional anisotropy within lesions. Interestingly, these reductions began to recover from day 19 after admission, and follow-up DTI and MRS studies on day 101 revealed a reversal of the abnormalities. Conclusion The findings of reversible reductions in fractional anisotropy and NAA levels in our patient suggest reversible axonal damage associated with deficient oligodendrocyte gap junctions.
The Thematic Content of Graffiti as a Nonreactive Indicator of Male and Female Attitudes

Abstract Graffiti written by men and by women were collected from the public restrooms of a large Eastern university. Based, in part, on the notion that graffiti are accurate indicators of group attitudes, frequencies of graffiti occurrence within 16 sexual and nonsexual content categories were analyzed to determine differences from results of previous research and between content currently expressed in male and female graffiti. Results indicated that women wrote more graffiti than did men, and that women's graffiti were more likely to express hostile, sexual, or issue‐related content. The inability of several psychosexual hypotheses to account for observed differences in graffiti content, and the difficulties inherent in the use of graffiti as nonreactive measures in social‐psychological research were discussed.
Differential scanning calorimetric analysis of antifreeze protein activity in the common mealworm, Tenebrio molitor

Antifreeze proteins (AFP) are able to inhibit the growth of ice-crystals at temperatures below the equilibrium freezing point (Tf) of hemolymph. The analysis of AFP activity has commonly involved the use of direct microscopic observation of a sample following inoculation with ice. The resulting activity, defined as the amount of thermal hysteresis observed between Tf and the subsequent rapid growth of ice, has been reported to range up to 7 degrees C. However, most studies report high level of variation, possibly due to ice-crystal size variability and the presence of non-visible ice nuclei. We describe a new method of analysis of AFP activity using differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). DSC analysis reveals much higher activity, up to 10 degrees C, with less variation observed within a sample, and is not subject to the difficulty of accurate assessment of ice-crystal volume.
SUSPENSION FEEDING AND KLEPTOPARASITISM WITHIN THE GENUS TRICHOTROPIS (GASTROPODA: CAPULIDAE)

The marine gastropod Trichotropis cancellata is a facultative kleptoparasite, either suspension feeding or parasitically stealing food from tube-dwelling polychaete worms. To determine whether conclusions drawn from long-term studies in the San Juan Islands, Washington, about the relative importance of suspension feeding and kleptoparasitism can be applied generally to T. cancellata across its biogeographic range, I expanded earlier studies to Alaska and British Columbia. Kleptoparasitism is pervasive throughout the range of T. cancellata, occurring with equal frequency throughout the areas studied. The average density and size of worm hosts are relatively constant across this range. Snail and worm densities are not significantly correlated at the larger scale of site (averaged over nearby sampling locations clustered around a city), but are correlated at the smaller local scale (within a sampling location). Larger worms do not support more snails. The abundance of uninfected worm hosts is usually not limiting, except potentially in some sampling locations in southwest Alaska where the use of a novel host (a holothurian) may be the result of low densities of uninfected worms. Additionally, I documented the feeding behaviours of other trichotropid species in these regions. Trichotropis conica is the second confirmed kleptoparasite within the genus Trichotropis, with kleptoparasitism as frequent in this species as in T. cancellata. Like T. cancellata, all sizes observed of T. conica are kleptoparasites. On the other hand, Trichotropis insignis is an obligate suspension feeder. Further studies are needed to determine exactly how many times this behaviour has arisen and been lost in Capulidae and related families.
Boron mixing in the lower plenum of a BWR

Abstract Boiling water reactors rely on the injection of soluble neutron absorbers to control the power in the event of failure in the control rod (scram) system. Typically this liquid “poison” is injected from eight small holes on a standpipe positioned vertically near the outer edge of the core shroud in the lower plenum. The achievement of control is predicated on the good mixing of this injected liquid with the coolant, which is recirculated around the core, upper plenum, and downcomer. However, because the flows are rather low ( ≈ 20% of rated value with pumps tripped as expected under such conditions) and the injected solution density is much higher than that of the primary fluid, there have been concerns raised about the efficiency and completeness of this mixing. This work provides the first openly available data addressing such concerns. To avoid potentially important scaling compromises, the data were obtained from full-scale simulations. From the experiments performed so far, we can conclude that complete boron mixing (entrainment) will occur for recirculation flow rates down to 8.2% of the rated value.
Interaction of a solubilized membrane ATPase with lipid bilayer membranes.

A membrane ATPase derived from Streptococcus fecalis has been purified, and found to interact with phospholipid bilayers causing a 102–104-fold increase in d.c. conductance. The membrane conductance increases with the concentration of the soluble ATPase, but shows a saturation effect at high concentration. There is no ion selectivity conferred on the membrane by the ATPase interaction, however, a significant increase in the water permeability has been detected. At extremely low concentrations of the ATPase (around 10−10 M) discrete conductance fluctuations are seen. These conductance fluctuations are made up of integral multiples of a unit “channel”, approximately 10−10Ω−1 in magnitude. Both the incidence and duration of these conducting channels increase markedly as the voltage bias on the membrane is raised. The results indicate the field-dependent formation of aqueous-filled pores in the bilayer-ATPase system. The purified ATPase has been shown to be lipid-free and non-particulate. It is, therefore, considered that information relevant to the nature of lipid-protein interactions at the membrane level can be obtained by studying the bilayer-ATPase system.
Association between delayed recovery of blood pressure after acute mental stress and parental history of hypertension.

Objective: To assess the influence of sex, race and parental history of hypertension on blood pressure and heart rate elevations during a stressor, and on the recovery of prestress baseline levels for these parameters. Design: Five hundred and thirty-seven university undergraduates underwent cardiovascular reactivity testing. A serial-subtraction task served as the stressor. Reactivity was assessed as the difference between baseline and during-task levels, and recovery as the difference between baseline and post-stress levels. Methods: The influence of sex, race and parental history of hypertension on reactivity and recovery was assessed, using analysis of variance models. Results: No differences were found in reactivity for any of the factors. For recovery, a significant effect was found for parental history of hypertension on systolic blood pressure and a marginal effect on diastolic blood pressure. Post hoc tests revealed that values in groups with two hypertensive parents remained elevated at a significantly higher level than in offspring with either no or one hypertensive parent. Conclusion: Parental history of hypertension may affect the duration of the blood pressure response to an acute stressor more than the magnitude of the response.
A Highly Sensitive and Specific Radioimmunoassay for Quantitation of Plasma Fluphenazine

Antisera of high sensitivity and selectivity were obtained from rabbits immunized with conjugates of hemisuccinylated fluphenazine and porcine thyroglobulin. The antiserum selected (titer 1:6000) for the development of the RIA was obtained after a priming dose and a single iv booster injection three months later. This antiserum had negligible crossreactivity with known available metabolites of fluphenazine (FPZ) and an affinity constant of 2 × 1010 L/mol. Tritiated FPZ was further purified by HPLC and used as a ligand. The method detects as little as 20 pg/mL of plasma (4 pg/RIA tube) after 1 mL of plasma is extracted. The extraction was performed at a basic pH with heptane: isoamyl alcohol (99:1); the solvent was then back extracted using an acetic phosphate buffer. Recoveries were uniformly high (88.6 ± 2.1%), and this aqueous buffer extract was used directly in the RIA procedure. The assay has intra- and interassay coefficients of variation of 5.8 and 8.2%, respectively, in a plasma concentration of 95 pg/mL. Results using this procedure have been cross validated against an HPLC procedure (r = 0.952, slope = 1.032, intercept = 0.009, n = 18). In a single-dose FPZ study (10 mg, po), plasma FPZ levels in 25 normal volunteers could be monitored>48 h post dose. Single plasma level profiles, after an initial injection of 12.5 mg of FPZ decanoate, could be measured>36 d, and, in some cases, up to 100 d post dose.
Rapid closure of midgestational excisional wounds in a fetal mouse model is associated with altered transforming growth factor-β isoform and receptor expression

Abstract Background Many pediatric diseases are characterized by excessive tissue contraction. Because of a poor understanding of contraction, few therapies exist. We developed a murine fetal excisional wound model of contraction and theorize that wound closure is associated with changes in transforming growth factor- β (TGF- β ) expression. Methods Pregnant FVB mice underwent hysterotomy at midgestational (E15) or late-gestational (E18) ages. Three-millimeter excisional wounds were made in fetuses and harvested at 32 hours. Real-time polymerase chain reaction was performed for TGF- β 1, TGF- β 2, TGF- β 3, T β R-1, and T β R-2 in wounds and normal skin and normalized to glyceraldehyde-3-phosphate dehydrogenase. Data were analyzed by paired t test ( P P β 1 compared with normal skin ( P = .001). T β R-2 levels were elevated in E15 and E18 wounds compared with their respective normal skin ( P = .02, P = .01) and in E18 normal skin compared with E15 normal skin ( P = .002). Conclusion This study demonstrates that rapid midgestational wound closure in a murine model is associated with increased TGF- β 1 and T β R-2 expression. Elucidating the role of the TGF- β pathways may lead to an improved understanding of wound contraction.
A Critical Period for Learning to Pronounce Foreign Languages

This article discusses the Critical Period Hypothesis (CPH) as it relates to the naturalistic acquisition of foreign-language (L2) pronunciation by adults and children. An examination of the existing empirical and theoretical literature leads to the conclusion that there is no conclusive support for the existence of a critical period for human speech learning, and that assuming a critical period does exist may inhibit the search for testable hypotheses concerning the basis for observed adult-child differences in L2 pronunciation. These conclusions are based on the existence of direct coullter-evidence, as well as on the observation that apparent adult-child performance differences may arise from many different confounding factors other than adult-child differences in neurological maturation or organization that cannot be adequately controlled in behavioral research.
FLAVOR PROPERTIES OF PLAIN SOYMILK

A trained sensory panel was used to (1) establish terminology for describing flavor attributes of a wide range of "fresh" and processed soymilks (SMs); and (2) test the lexicon and describe the flavor properties of a wide range (n = 32) of plain SM samples. Twenty-eight attributes were identified in the SMs studied. However, findings indicate that the main differences are a consequence largely of the presence of certain attributes that are either infrequently present or unique to a specific product. Thus, sensory evaluation of SM needs to include a review of samples to ensure that all attributes are documented prior to evaluation, or use a method that allows the addition of attributes during testing.
A Monte Carlo simulation of grafted poly(ethylene oxide) chains

Abstract Conformational changes of a simplified model of grafted poly(ethylene oxide) (PEO) chains were simulated using an off-lattice Monte Carlo model. A random-walk scheme was used in our simulations. The initial polymer structure was modeled with molecular mechanics and models of grafted polymer chains were built using programs developed in our laboratory. During the simulation, all bond angles and bond lengths were kept fixed while the dihedral angles of backbones were changed to search for energy-favorite conformations. Torsional energy, van der Waals interaction, and Coulombic interaction were considered. Periodic boundary conditions were implemented. In addition, the solvent quality was simulated implicitly by modifying the Lennard-Jones 12–6 van der Waals expression. Each PEO chain, 50-monomer long, was represented with a united-atom model. Eight series of simulations with varying solvent quality, simulation temperature, and Coulombic interaction were carried out. For each series, nine different initial grafting densities of grafted PEO chains were considered. Five different conformations were simulated at each grafting density. The calculated system energies, scaling properties, and atom density profiles were studied. Changes in solvent quality produced different structural behaviors. As the grafting density increased, there was a mushroom-to-brush transition, and the scaling property of average layer thickness was dependent on the grafting density.
Sarcoidosis of the pancreas mimicking pancreatic cancer: CT features

Sarcoidosis is a systemic disease of unknown etiology characterized by the presence of noncaseating granulomas, that predominantly affects the lungs and lymph nodes. Although rarely involved, the liver and the stomach are the two most commonly involved organs in the gastrointestinal tract [ 1). Pancreatic involvement by sarcoidosis is exceedingly rare, and in cases previously published, the patients had known sarcoidosis at the time pancreatic involvement was discovered [2,3], or systemic sarcoidosis was subsequently demonstrated [4-81. We report a case of surgically proven pancreatic sarcoidosis mimicking a pancreatic neoplasm with biliary obstruction, in the absence of systemic sarcoidosis.
Sulfur Dioxide Sensitized Photochemical Oxidation of Hydrocarbons

Near-ultraviolet sunlight is absorbed by sulfur dioxide to produce electronically excited molecules, which react with n-butane in the presence of wet or dry air to produce an aerosol and eventually a liquid precipitate. The product is a heavily oxidized, sulfur-containing, organic strong acid. The possible role of these reactions in photochemical air pollution is discussed.