cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
UCGretina geant4 simulation of the GRETINA Gamma-Ray Energy Tracking Array

Abstract UCGretina, a geant4 simulation of the GRETINA gamma-ray tracking array of highly-segmented high-purity germanium detectors is described. We have developed a model of the array, in particular of the Quad Module and the capsules, that gives good agreement between simulated and measured photopeak efficiencies over a broad range of gamma-ray energies and reproduces the shape of the measured Compton continuum. Both of these features are needed in order to accurately extract gamma-ray yields from spectra collected in in-beam gamma-ray spectroscopy measurements with beams traveling at v ∕ c ≳ 0 . 3 at the National Superconducting Cyclotron Laboratory and the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams. In the process of developing the model, we determined that millimeter-scale layers of passive germanium surrounding the active volumes of the simulated crystals must be included in order to reproduce measured photopeak efficiencies. We adopted a simple model of effective passive layers and developed heuristic methods of determining passive-layer thicknesses by comparison of simulations and measurements for a single crystal and for the full array. Prospects for future development of the model are discussed.
Does Your Anesthesiologist Really Matter

Study Objective To investigate the impact of a consistent anesthesiologist for laparoscopic hysterectomy on time to discharge and same-day discharge. Design A retrospective cohort study. Setting An academic medical center. Patients or Participants Two hundred and twenty patients who underwent laparoscopic hysterectomy for benign indications. Interventions Outpatient laparoscopic or robotic-assisted hysterectomy between 2018 and 2019. Measurements and Main Results A total of 220 patients were included in the study with 99 patients who had a single consistent anesthesiologist and 121 patients who had inconsistent anesthesiologists from a large anesthesia provider group. Demographic and preoperative characteristics between groups were similar, except patients with an inconsistent anesthesiologist were more likely to be tobacco users (p = .005). Surgery variables not controlled by the anesthesiologist were similar between groups including operative time, uterine weight, urine output, and estimated blood loss. Variables which are controlled by the anesthesiologist at our institution included intraoperative and recovery room opioids, NSAIDS, and intravenous (IV) fluids. The consistent anesthesiologist gave intraoperative and recovery room fentanyl more frequently than morphine and hydromorphone, gave more IV ketorolac, and gave less IV fluids (500mL versus 1000mL, p Conclusion The presence of a single consistent anesthesiologist significantly shortened the time to discharge and improved the success of same-day discharge after outpatient laparoscopic hysterectomy.
Negative cognitive biases predict subsequent depression

We administered the Scrambled Sentences Test (SST; R. M. Wenzlaff, 1993), a measure of cognitive processing bias, to a large sample of college students at Time 1. Participants completed a portion of the SST under cognitive load (holding a six-digit number in memory) and a portion without load. At Time 2, 18–28 months later, we conducted diagnostic interviews with a subset of the original participants. As expected, SST scores (proportion of negative solutions) in the cognitive load condition predicted diagnoses of major depression during an 18–28 month follow-up period, even after controlling for self-reported Time 1 depression symptoms and worst lifetime symptoms. No significant prediction of depression was obtained using SST scores from the no-load portion of the task.
Pipe Insulation Model for Energy Conservation in Buildings

Piping insulation as an energy conservation measure was studied for a commercial facility. A model with a flowchart for steam piping insulation was developed. By applying a simplified method and energy data for the facility, the methodology calculates the current energy consumption and future operating costs, savings, and simple payback for an upgrade of the piping system with recommended fiberglass insulation. It was determined that using the strategy would result in significant energy savings, with an appreciable payback for the investments made. The approach developed here can serve as a relatively less expensive framework for evaluating and improving energy conservation in old and new building systems.
The Invisible Hand and the Wisdom of the Hive

Self-interest is required for survival and reproduction and lies at the foundation of economic theory. But the presence of social groups with functional internal structure is incompatible with unmitigated self-interest. This essay compares the control of self-interest in humans and honey bees, showing the reasons for different evolutionary outcomes. The less effective checks of self-interest in humans lead to familiar forms of social discord, and in our capitalistic democracy, negative economic and ecological consequences of growing scope. Change will require moderating some firmly held political beliefs.
La Migración de México a Estados Unidos: de la coyuntura al fondo

El analisis de la relacion entre las migraciones internacionales y los derechos humanos refleja la vulnerabilidad de los migrantes como sujetos de derechos humanos y laborales, expresada en una absoluta indefension del migrante frente al Estado y la sociedad de acogida. El autor ejemplifica este hecho mediante dos fenomenos: a partir del proceso legislativo que tuvo lugar recientemente en Estados Unidos respecto a la politica de inmigracion asi como del tratamiento que dieron al tema los medios de comunicacion de ese pais, y a partir de la situacion de los inmigrantes centroamericanos en Mexico. Concluye con la necesidad de aprobar nuevas normas internacionales que obliguen a los estados a informar sobre la situacion de sus mercados de trabajo y sus demandas de fuerza de trabajo inmigrante, medida que favoreceria una mejor acogida para los trabajadores inmigrantes
Automated synthesis of crossbars for nanoscale computing using formal methods

Since the fabrication of nanoscale memristors by HP Labs in 2008, there has been a sustained interest in the use of crossbars of nanoscale memristors for digital storage and neuromorphic computing. However, the same success has not been replicated in the use of crossbars for performing generalpurpose computations that can support the existing software infrastructure originally designed for von Neumann architectures. One of the fundamental challenges facing the exploitation of nanoscale memristor crossbars is the existence of sneak paths. It has been shown that sneak paths can be used to perform Boolean computations in crossbars. However, the human mind can be easily overwhelmed by the large number of sneak paths that may arise in a crossbar. It is not surprising that the size of manually-designed crossbars has been too large for practical applications. In this paper, we demonstrate how formal methods can be used to automatically synthesize compact crossbar designs that employ the sneak paths phenomena as a fundamental design primitive to evaluate Boolean formula.
Remote sensing of suspended sediment concentration, flow velocity, and lake recharge in the Peace-Athabasca Delta, Canada.

[1] The transport of fine sediment, carried in suspension by water, is central to the hydrology, geomorphology, and ecological functioning of river floodplains and deltas. An extensive new field data set for the Peace-Athabasca Delta (PAD), Canada quantifies robust positive relationships between in situ suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and remotely sensed visible/near-infrared reflectance. These relationships are exploited using SPOT and ASTER satellite images to map suspended sediment concentrations across the PAD for four days in 2006 and 2007, revealing strong variations in water sources and flow patterns, including flow reversals in major distributaries. Near-daily monitoring with 276 MODIS satellite images tracks hydrologic recharge of floodplain lakes, as revealed by episodic infusions of sediment-rich water from the Athabasca River. The timing and magnitude of lake recharge are linked to springtime water level on the Athabasca River, suggesting a system sensitive to changes in river flow regime. Moreover, recharge timing differentiates lakes that are frequently and extensively recharged from those recharged more rarely. Finally, we present a first estimation of river flow velocity based on remotely sensed SSC, though saturation may occur at velocities >0.6 m/s. Viewed collectively, the different remote sensing methodologies presented here suggest strong value for visible/near-infrared remote sensing of suspended sediment to assess hydrologic and sediment transport processes in complex flow environments. Field observations including nephelometric turbidity, specific conductivity, water temperature, Secchi disk depth, suspended sediment concentration, and water level are archived at the Oak Ridge National Laboratory Distributed Active Archive Center for Biogeochemical Dynamics (available at http://daac.ornl.gov//HYDROCLIMATOLOGY/guides/PAD.html).
A Case of Systemic Lupus Erythematosus Presenting as Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

Systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) is an autoimmune systemic disease with multiple organ involvement with high morbidity and mortality rate. Among the severe potential fatal complications are those of the central and peripheral nervous system which usually develop during the course of the disease and very rarely from the outset of the disease. We are reporting a rare case of Miller-Fisher (MFS) variant of Guillain-Barre syndrome (GBS) as the first manifestation of SLE in a 41-year-old female who progressed to flaccid paralysis with no neurological improvement with initial immunosuppressive therapy, plasmapheresis, and first cycle of intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) but with remarkable and complete recovery after the second 5-day course of IVIG.
A Comparison of the High-Temperature Oxidation Behavior of Zircaloy-4 and Pure Zirconium

Oxidation rate data for Zircaloy-4 in steam under isothermal conditions in the temperature range 1000 to 1500°C indicate that the kinetics of layer growth and oxygen consumption can be described by virtually ideal parabolic behavior. Thus, the growth of the two product phases, oxide and oxygen-stabilized a, is presumed to be controlled by diffusion processes leading to uniform layer thickening. We have measured the oxidation rate of pure, arc-melted, crystal-bar zirconium under similar conditions and have found differences in the reaction characteristics compared with Zircaloy-4. At temperatures from 1098 to 1416°C, while parabolic kinetics are still observed, the growth rates for both phases are measurably different. Our analysis of these data in terms of a multilayer diffusion model suggests that the effective chemical diffusion coefficient for oxygen in the oxide phase has been altered. Despite the kinetic differences, however, the analysis also concludes that the diffusion coefficient of oxygen in the a layers is identical, a finding consistent with the results of independent measurements. In addition to the decreased oxygen diffusivity in the oxide phase on pure zirconium compared with that on Zircaloy-4, a higher activation energy was also observed, implying that some mechanistic differences exist. Without additional information, it is not possible to attribute these differences to changes in the oxide defect structure resulting from alloying. However, significant morphological and grain size differences exist in the columnar oxide growing on the two materials, and it is possible that the relative contributions to oxide growth from short-circuit diffusion differ in the two oxides.
Hydrogen Peroxide–Boron Trifluoride

(H2O2) [7722-84-1] H2O2 (MW 34.02) InChI = 1S/H2O2/c1-2/h1-2H InChIKey = MHAJPDPJQMAIIY-UHFFFAOYSA-N (BF3) [7637-07-2] BF3 (MW 67.81) InChI = 1S/BF3/c2-1(3)4 InChIKey = WTEOIRVLGSZEPR-UHFFFAOYSA-N (BF3·Et2O) [109-63-7] C4H10BF3O (MW 141.95) InChI = 1S/C4H10O.BF3/c1-3-5-4-2;2-1(3)4/h3-4H2,1-2H3; InChIKey = KZMGYPLQYOPHEL-UHFFFAOYSA-N (strong oxidant for the Baeyer–Villiger oxidation of ketones to esters;2 promotes the benzylic hydroperoxide rearrangement of secondary and tertiary benzylic alcohols;3 with hydrogen fluoride is a regioselective hydroxylating agent for aromatic rings4) Physical Data: BF3: mp −127 °C; bp −100 °C; d 1.57 g cm−3. BF3·Et2O: mp −58 °C; bp 126 °C; d 1.154 g cm−3. Form Supplied in: BF3 is available as a gas packaged in lecture bottles; BF3·Et2O is available as a liquid. Handling, Storage, and Precautions: in all peroxide oxidations of new compounds one must consider the possibility of explosive reactions. BF3 and its etherate are highly toxic, corrosive to skin, and inhalation should be avoided. Use in a fume hood. See Boron Trifluoride Etherate, and Boron Trifluoride.
From Bible Belt to Sunbelt: Plain-Folk Religion, Grassroots Politics, and the Rise of Evangelical Conservatism

From Bible Belt to Sun Belt tells the dramatic and largely unknown story of "plain-folk" religious migrants: hardworking men and women from Oklahoma, Texas, and Arkansas who fled the Depression and came to California for military jobs during World War II. Investigating this fiercely pious community at a grassroots level, Darren Dochuk uses the stories of religious leaders, including Billy Graham, as well as many colorful, lesser-known figures to explain how evangelicals organized a powerful political machine. This machine made its mark with Barry Goldwater, inspired Richard Nixon's "Southern Solution," and achieved its greatest triumph with the victories of Ronald Reagan. Based on entirely new research, the manuscript has already won the prestigious Allan Nevins Prize from the Society of American Historians. The judges wrote, "Dochuk offers a rich and multidimensional perspective on the origins of one of the most far-ranging developments of the second half of the twentieth century: the rise of the New Right and modern conservatism."
Myth, Media, and Culture in Star Wars: an anthology and Sex, Politics, and Religion in Star Wars: an anthology

If the number of academic books published in the last 5–10 years on George Lucas’s Star Wars franchise is any indication, then ‘Lucas studies’ may finally be taking shape as a distinct area of scho...
Endothelin-converting enzyme: the binding of metal ions

The metal ion of endothelin-converting enzyme (ECE) was investigated by inhibiting the enzyme with ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA) and restoring activity by adding divalent metal salts in quantities less than the concentration of EDTA. Under these conditions, only metal ions that bind to ECE with high affinity can affect the enzyme, The ferrous enzyme had an activity of 76% relative to the native enzyme, the manganous enzyme 76%, the nickelous enzyme 77%, the cupric enzyme 17%, the zinc enzyme 98% and the cobaltous enzyme 122%. Of these first transition series elements only zinc can be the metal of the native enzyme. The zinc enzyme has the same Km and turnover number as the native enzyme.
Roaring and numerical assessment in contests between groups of female lions, Panthera leo

Abstract Abstract. Theoretical and experimental studies of assessment in animal contests have, until now, focused on disputes between single individuals. However, whereas single competitors usually avoid fights with opponents that are larger or stronger than themselves, in contests between social groups competitors might be expected to adjust their agonistic behaviour according to the number of individuals in their own and the opposing group. This hypothesis was tested using playback experiments to generate controlled artificial contests between groups of female lions. Recordings of single females roaring and groups of three females roaring in chorus were played back to simulate the presence of unfamiliar intruders within the territories of 21 different lion prides in Serengeti National Park, Tanzania. Defending adult females were less likely to approach playbacks of three intruders than of a single intruder and on occasions when they did approach three intruders they made their approach more cautiously. Defenders also carefully adjusted their decision to approach according to the size and composition of their own group, and attempted to recruit extra companions to the contest by roaring when some were absent at the time of playback. A strong selective advantage to avoiding the costs of fighting with larger groups could have led to the widespread evolution of numerical assessment skills in social species.
Measuring Perceived Mutuality in Women: Further Validation of the Connection–Disconnection Scale

Relationships with family and significant friends and partners are important contributors to the quality of life, health, and mental health of women. The Connection–Disconnection Scale (CDS) was developed to assess perceived mutuality (PM) in relationships with mothers, fathers, friends, and romantic partners, and data are presented here that offer additional reliability and validity for the scale with college women. Two samples totaling 152 women from a midwestern university completed the CDS along with theoretically similar measures. Results revealed that scores on each form of the CDS possess excellent test–retest reliability and internal consistency, and all scale items load on a single factor. Pearson correlations with theoretically similar measures, such as the Parental Attachment Questionnaire, Social Support Questionnaire, and Dyadic Adjustment Scale, showed good convergent and discriminant validity. Overall, findings suggest the CDS is a psychometrically strong assessment tool that can be used to...
Vaporization of arsenic telluride

Abstract The overall vaporization reaction and sublimation pressures have been determined for As2Te3. As2Te3 dissociates completely upon vaporization yielding As4(g) and Te(s). The tellurium vapor pressure is approximately a tenth of the As4(g) pressure in the 294–353°C range and thus both As4 and Te2 are present in the equilibrium vapor over Te-saturated As2Te3. The results believed closest to equilibrium yield a partial pressure for As4(g) given by: log P(atm) = (7.63 ± 0.15) – (7.59 ± 0.09) ( 1000 T ) and an enthalpy of vaporization of 34.7 ± 0.4 kcal/mole.
Theory and algorithms for image reconstruction on chords and within regions of interest

We introduce a formula for image reconstruction on a chord of a general source trajectory. We subsequently develop three algorithms for exact image reconstruction on a chord from data acquired with the general trajectory. Interestingly, two of the developed algorithms can accommodate data containing transverse truncations. The widely used helical trajectory and other trajectories discussed in literature can be interpreted as special cases of the general trajectory, and the developed theory and algorithms are thus directly applicable to reconstructing images exactly from data acquired with these trajectories. For instance, chords on a helical trajectory are equivalent to the n-PI-line segments. In this situation, the proposed algorithms become the algorithms that we proposed previously for image reconstruction on PI-line segments. We have performed preliminary numerical studies, which include the study on image reconstruction on chords of two-circle trajectory, which is nonsmooth, and on n-PI lines of a helical trajectory, which is smooth. Quantitative results of these studies verify and demonstrate the proposed theory and algorithms.
Improving the Sensing–Throughput Tradeoff for Cognitive Radios in Rayleigh Fading Channels

In-band spectrum sensing (SS) in overlay cognitive radio networks requires that the secondary users (SUs) periodically suspend their communication to determine whether the primary user (PU) has started to utilize the channel. In contrast, in spectrum monitoring (SM), the SU can detect the emergence of the PU from its own receiver statistics such as receiver error count (REC). Previously, it has been shown that in additive white Gaussian noise channels, a hybrid SS/SM system significantly improves the channel utilization of SUs and the detection delay of PUs. In this paper, we investigate the problem of SM in the presence of fading, where the SU employs diversity combining to mitigate the channel fading effects. We show that a decision statistic based on the REC alone does not provide good performance. Next, we introduce new decision statistics based on the REC and the combiner coefficients. It is shown that the new decision statistic achieves significant improvement in the case of maximal ratio combining (MRC). However, for equal gain combining and selection combining, the inclusion of combiner coefficients does not improve the performance over REC alone. In the case of MRC, we evaluate the receiver operating characteristics (ROCs) from analysis and compare the results with those from simulations using a BCH code as well as a convolutional code. The results show a close match between analysis and simulation results. Channel utilization and detection delay are evaluated from simulations which show that with MRC and the proposed decision statistic, the hybrid SS/SM system significantly outperforms the SS alone.
Fertilization cones of inseminated sea urchin (Arbacia punctulata) oocytes: Development of an asymmetry in plasma membrane topography

Electron microscopic and cytochemical investigations were carried out on inseminated Arbacia oocytes comparing structural and chemical properties of their microvillous surface and fertilization cones. Early fertilization cones (up to 4 min postinsemination) were relatively small, smooth surface projections of cytoplasm that engulfed the incorporated sperm nucleus. However, in contrast to surrounding microvillous areas of the oocyte surface, enlarged fertilization cones (8 to 15 min postinsemination) had a distinctive crenated appearance that persisted until their regression. When examined by various cytochemical techniques, membrane delimiting fertilization cones had a much lower affinity for agents that stain negatively charged and carbohydrate moieties (cationized ferritin, concanavalin A, ruthenium red, and alcian blue) than did other regions of the oocyte surface. This difference in surface properties of membrane delimiting the site of sperm-egg fusion was not due solely to incorporated sperm plasma membrane and did not occur when inseminated oocytes were incubated with cytochalasin B. Little or no difference in the membrane of the fertilization cone versus microvillous areas was observed when inseminated eggs were freeze-fractured or prepared with agents (filipin and polymixin B) to demonstrate β-hydroxysterols and anionic phospholipids. These observations indicate that membrane delimiting the fertilization cone differs from the remainder of the oocyte surface and suggests that following insemination significant rearrangements of surface molecules take place within the egg plasmalemma that give rise to asymmetries in membrane topography.
Electronic Support Groups, Patient-Consumers, and Medicalization: The Case of Contested Illness∗:

This article illustrates the role electronic support groups play in consumerdriven medicalization. The analysis is based on an observational study of a year in the life of an electronic support group for sufferers of the contested illness fibromyalgia syndrome. The analysis builds on and extends scholarship concerning the growing influence of lay expertise in the context of medical uncertainty by showing how the dominant beliefs and routine practices of this electronic community simultaneously (and paradoxically) challenge the expertise of physicians and encourage the expansion of medicine’s jurisdiction. Drawing on their shared embodied expertise, participants confirm the medical character of their problem and its remedy, and they empower each other to search for physicians who will recognize and treat their condition accordingly. Physician compliance is introduced as a useful concept for understanding the relationship between lay expertise, patient-consumer demand, and contemporary (and future) instances of medicalization.
Discovering Complex Relationships of Drugs over Distributed Knowledgebases

Drug discovery is a lengthy, expensive and difficult process. Indentifying and understanding the hidden relationships among drugs, genes, proteins, and diseases will expedite the process of drug discovery. In this paper, we propose an effective methodology to discover drug-related semantic relationships over large-scale distributed web data in medicine, pharmacology and biotechnology. By utilizing semantic web and distributed system technologies, we developed a novel hierarchical knowledge abstraction and an efficient relation discovery protocol. Our approach effectively facilitates the realization of the full potential of harnessing the collective power and utilization of the drug-related knowledge scattered over the Internet.
Radon as a tracer of submarine groundwater discharge into a boat basin in Donnalucata, Sicily

Abstract Estimates of groundwater discharge into a boat basin in Donnalucata, southeastern Sicily, based on radon measurements are reported. A continuous monitor was deployed at several locations that made repeated integrated measurements of radon concentration in the seawater once per hour. We observed large differences in the concentrations (60–2500 Bq m −3 ) and inventories (90–3200 Bq m −2 ) of 222 Rn at various locations within the boat basin. The station closest to shore had the highest concentration by far (up to over 3000 Bq m −3 ), reflecting inputs of radon-rich groundwater into this zone. We constructed a radon mass balance by assuming that radon may be advected via groundwater discharge into all compartments of the boat basin and the mixing outputs from an inner “box” would be an input into the adjacent box. We also made allowances for atmospheric evasion losses that were occasionally very high due to high winds and huge concentration gradients across the air–sea interface. Once the radon fluxes have been estimated, we could calculate groundwater discharge by dividing these fluxes by the radon concentration of the groundwater. Should the groundwater be entering the basin by widely disseminated seepage through bottom sediments, it would be appropriate to use values of pore water derived by sediment equilibration techniques. These values (2700±200 Bq m −3 ) are close to those from several samples from shallow wells collected near the boat basin (1700–2700 Bq m −3 ). However, we measured higher radon levels than this in the waters of the innermost portion of the basin. We thus elected to assume that the main radon entry was either via direct spring input with activities (15 100 Bq m −3 ) similar to those measured from a natural spring on a nearby beach or a blend of spring water with surficial aquifer water. The resulting range in our calculated groundwater discharges into the boat basin is 1200 to 7400 m 3 day −1 . These estimates are higher than those based on seepage meters (range=300–1000 m 3 day −1 ), probably because of the wide spatial variability of the spring and seep inputs.
Knowledge partnerships for development: what challenges for evaluation?

Abstract Building upon the case study evaluation of the training partnership between the World Bank and the University of Sao Paulo, the paper highlights the challenges to evaluate knowledge partnerships for institutional development. The paper reconstructs the underlying theory of the partnership policy vis-a-vis the current literature on development and knowledge networks. The evaluation focuses on the organizational structure of partners, their institutional opportunities and constraints. The analysis explores different types of conflict of interest, risk, and accountabilities, considering partnership as a global management reform policy in the field of higher education, research and development. The evaluation shows that partnership favours organizational change through codified and tacit knowledge transfers, and that tangible and intangible benefits and costs reinforce with each other. Yet, global and national implications arise as to how to assure partnership management vis-a-vis lack of formal authority and enduring asymmetries in power relations.
Histochemical localization of nitrate reductase.

NADH-dependent nitrate reductase (E.C. 1.6.6.1) was ultrastructurally localized in norflurazon-treated and control soybean cotyledons [Glycine max (L.) Merr.] by a method based upon the increase in osmiophilia due to the formation of an azo dye. The reaction product was observed in small vesicles throughout the cytoplasm. An apparent transport of nitrite to the plastid, the site of nitrite reduction, may occur through fusion of the nitrite-containing vesicles with the chloroplast envelope. Plants grown in tungstate lacked nitrate reductase activity as measured by standard assay procedures, and showed no increase in osmiophilia, suggesting a degree of specificity of this cytochemical procedure.
Nutritional factors and bone homeostasis: synergistic effect with zinc and genistein in osteogenesis

Bone homeostasis is regulated through osteoclasts and osteoblasts. Osteoporosis, which is induced with its accompanying decrease in bone mass with increasing age, is widely recognized as a major public health problem. Bone loss may be due to decreased osteoblastic bone formation and increased osteoclastic bone resorption. There is growing evidence that nutritional and food factors may play a part in the prevention of bone loss with aging and have been to be worthy of notice in the prevention of osteoporosis. Zinc, an essential trace element, or genistein, which are contained in soybeans, has been shown to have a stimulatory effect on osteoblastic bone formation and an inhibitory effect on osteoclastic bone resorption, thereby increasing bone mass. These factors have an effect on protein synthesis and gene expression, which are related to bone formation in osteoblastic cells and bone resorption in osteoclastic cells. The combination of zinc and genistein is found to reveal the synergistic effect on bone anabolic effect. The oral administration of those factors has been shown to prevent on bone loss in ovariectomized rats, an animal model for osteoporosis, indicating a role in the prevention of osteoporosis. Supplemental intake of ingredient with the combination of zinc and genistein has been shown to have a preventive effect on osteoporosis in human subjects, suggesting a role in the prevention of bone loss.
Alleviation of intrasteric inhibition by the pathogenic activation domain mutation, D444N, in human cystathionine beta-synthase.

Human cystathionine beta-synthase is a heme protein that catalyzes the condensation of serine and homocysteine to form cystathionine in a pyridoxal phosphate-dependent reaction. Mutations in this enzyme are the leading cause of hereditary hyperhomocysteinemia with attendant cardiovascular and other complications. The enzyme is activated approximately 2-fold by the allosteric regulator S-adenosylmethionine (AdoMet), which is presumed to bind to the C-terminal regulatory domain. The regulatory domain exerts an inhibitory effect on the enzyme, and its deletion is correlated with a 2-fold increase in catalytic activity and loss of responsiveness to AdoMet. A mutation in the C-terminal regulatory domain, D444N, displays high levels of enzyme activity, yet is pathogenic. In this study, we have characterized the biochemical penalties associated with this mutation and demonstrate that it is associated with a 4-fold lower steady-state level of cystathionine beta-synthase in a fibroblast cell line that is homozygous for the D444N mutation. The activity of the recombinant D444N enzyme mimics the activity of the wild-type enzyme seen in the presence of AdoMet and can be further activated approximately 2-fold in the presence of supraphysiolgical concentrations of the allosteric regulator. The mutation increases the K(act) for AdoMet from 7.4 +/- 0.2 to 460 +/- 130 microM, thus rendering the enzyme functionally unresponsive to AdoMet under physiological concentrations. These results indicate that the D444N mutation partially abrogates the intrasteric inhibition imposed by the C-terminal domain. We propose a model that takes into account the three kinetically distinguishable states that are observed with human cystathionine beta-synthase: "basal" (i.e., wild-type enzyme as isolated), "activated" (wild-type enzyme + AdoMet or the D444N mutant as isolated), and superactivated (D444N mutant + AdoMet or wild-type enzyme lacking the C-terminal regulatory domain).
Singular Linear Quadratic Differential Games with Bounds on Control

A class of two-persons zero-sum differential games with the possibility of singular arcs is considered. Under some assumptions, a sufficient condition for the existence of a saddle-point solution is derived. In this approach, the properties of convexity and concavity of the performance index are used to find the sufficient condition. It is observed that, unlike total singularity, the occurrence of partially singular arcs does not cause any problems for the existence of a unique saddle-point solution.
Parametric study of LWR spent fuel dissolution kinetics

Abstract Spent fuel dissolution rates have been measured using a flowthrough system where the uranium concentrations remained well below solubility limits, thus allowing unambiguous reaction rates to be determined. The study was based on a statistically designed test matrix that covered four water chemistry variables: temperature (25 to 75°C), pH (8 to 10), carbonate/bicarbonate concentration (2 × 10−4M to 2 × 10−2M), and oxygen fugacity (O2 partial pressure 0.002 to 0.2 atm). Results obtained to date and reported here encompass the first three, all at 0.2 atm O2 partial pressure. The dissolution rate was found to be moderately dependent on temperature but only weakly dependent on pH and carbonate/bicarbonate concentration.
Empirical Findings of Bus Bunching Distributions and Attributes Using Archived AVL/APC Bus Data

Bus bunching takes place when headways between buses are irregular leading to longer waiting times for riders, overcrowding in some buses, and an overall decrease on the level of service and capacity. This paper presents a method to identify and visualize bus bunching events temporally and spatially, and an additional method to identify the potential causes and consequences of bus bunching. Sensitivity analyses are performed to compare results across different threshold sets. This research is based on a half-year's worth of data for TriMet's Route 15. TriMet is the transit provider for the Portland, Oregon metropolitan region. Temporal and spatial distributions of bus bunching events indicate high concentration during high frequency service, and increasing concentration toward downstream. Causes and consequences analyses indicate bus bunching due to at-stop variation more than between-stops variation. A switch from schedule-based control strategy to headway-based control strategy during high frequency service is suggested.
Risk of repeat clinical chorioamnionitis: Cohen-Cline et al

t See related article, page 473 Chorioamnionitis complicates pregnancy, though severe problems are ncommon among women who receive imely antibiotics. Even so, some 10% an develop bacteremia, and risks for ostpartum hemorrhage, cesarean secion, and surgical complications rise. Inants are at greater peril because their dds for consequences like cerebral palsy CP), neonatal sepsis, or pneumonia limb. For example, chorioamnionitis oosts the incidence of CP from 3/1000 o 8/1000 live term births. When the embranes rupture before 37 weeks’ estation, neonates exposed to infection nd inflammation have more than 3 imes the mortality rate of those who are ot. A new study indicates that an epiode makes women more susceptible to ecurrence. Journal Club participants agreed that ork by Cohen-Cline and colleagues, inriguing for clinical and biological reaons, was an important contribution to he literature. Because chorioamnionitis s particularly dangerous for neonates, nderstanding which women might be t risk for recurrence is essential. To inestigate this issue, the authors used the ell-established Washington State linked irth certificate-hospital discharge dataset. The main advantage to this dataset was he large number of observations it ofered. Second, the use of ICD-9 codes for ospital discharge diagnoses is likely ore valid than simply using the inforation provided on birth certificates. At he same time, because ICD-9 codes are enerally identified by hospital-employed coders,” the potential for random mislassification exists. Nonetheless, Journal lub participants felt that the dataset was n excellent source for the research quesion pursued by the authors. i
Serial transplantation of NMU-induced rat mammary tumors: A model of human breast cancer progression

Human breast cancer is a heterogeneous disease that appears to progress from an in situ tumor to invasive cancer. Little is known about the molecular events driving this progression. Although microarray technology has helped us understand the genetic heterogeneity of breast cancer, its application to studying the transition from in situ to invasive disease is limited by the inability to follow the progression of a single patient's tumor. We previously used rat specific microarrays to show that N-methyl-N-nitrosourea induced tumors are similar to low-grade estrogen-receptor positive human breast cancer. Here, we transplanted these tumors through 5 generations of syngeneic hosts, and studied 65 resulting tumors. Most transplanted tumors gradually progressed from a noninvasive, low-grade cancer to a higher-grade invasive disease, losing p63 localization and basement membrane integrity. Invasive cancers frequently demonstrated a more mesenchymal phenotype with increased vimentin expression. Additionally, a unique transplant series is described with a phenotype similar to human basal-like breast cancer. Rat-specific Affymetrix gene arrays containing 15,866 gene probes identified genes that differentiated highly invasive tumors from those of low invasive potential. A linear regression analysis was used to find genes whose change in expression paralleled increasing invasive features independent of the transplant lineage of origin. Genes identified were assigned membership in cell adhesion, signal transduction, cell cycle and extracellular matrix groups, among others. This animal model overcomes the difficulty in studying human breast cancer progression. Our data support a gradual and continuous alteration in programs of gene expression during breast cancer invasion.
Involvement of Mismatch Repair in the Reciprocal Control of Motility and Adherence of Uropathogenic Escherichia coli

Type 1 fimbriae and flagella, two surface organelles critical for colonization of the urinary tract by uropathogenic Escherichia coli (UPEC), mediate opposing virulence objectives. Type 1 fimbriae facilitate adhesion to mucosal cells and promote bacterial persistence in the urinary tract, while flagella propel bacteria through urine and along mucous layers during ascension to the upper urinary tract. Using a transposon screen of the E. coli CFT073 fim locked-ON (L-ON) mutant, a construct that constitutively expresses type 1 fimbriae and represses motility, we identified six mutants that exhibited a partial restoration of motility. Among these six mutated genes was mutS, which encodes a component of the methyl-directed mismatch repair (MMR) system. When complemented with mutS in trans, motility was again repressed. To determine whether the MMR system, in general, is involved in this reciprocal control, we characterized the effects of gene deletions of other MMR components on UPEC motility. Isogenic deletions of mutS, mutH, and mutL were constructed in both wild-type CFT073 and fim L-ON backgrounds. All MMR mutants showed an increase in motility in the wild-type background, and ΔmutH and ΔmutS mutations increased motility in the fim L-ON background. Cochallenge of the wild-type strain with an MMR-defective strain showed a subtle but significant competitive advantage in the bladder and spleen for the MMR mutant using the murine model of ascending urinary tract infection after 48 h. Our findings demonstrate that the MMR system generally affects the reciprocal regulation of motility and adherence and thus could contribute to UPEC pathogenesis during urinary tract infections.
Defects Induced by Electron Bombardment and Substrate Doping in SiO2 Thin Films

Thin SiO2 films grown on silicon substrates were exposed to electron beam irradiation at energies from 100 eV to 2.5 KeV. Then, thermally stimulated exoelectron emission (TSEE) spectra were taken by heating the sample linearly to a maximum temperature of 600°C. We have compared the emission behavior from oxides grown on both n-type and p-type, (100) and (111) silicon wafers. The TSEE spectra show emission peaks which can be categorized by their behavior into two groups. The β emission peaks are characteristic of emission from localized electron traps while the γ emission peaks result from the annealing of beam-induced defects. We have observed changes in the β peaks which appear to be associated with the concentration of dopants in the substrate material. In addition, we have identified a beam energy threshold near the oxygen 1s binding energy for the creation of defects. This suggests that defect creation results from an electronic transition similar to electron stimulated desorption.
Cold tolerance in beans (Phaseolus spp.) as analyzed by their exotherms

Cold tolerance of common bean (Phaseolus vulgaris L.), runner bean (P. coccineus L.) and several bean lines was evaluated under artificial conditions. Seedlings were exposed to −6°C gradually, then to −12°C rapidly in the growth chamber with copper-constantan thermocouples attached to various parts of the plant. Seedling freezing curves with exotherms were then analyzed. Three basic parameters were measured: time required for exotherm to appear, temperature of the appearance of the exotherm and temperature rise caused by the exotherm. Exotherm appearance in beans was related to freezing injury and death of the seedlings. Exotherms of the common bean variety Bush Blue Lake 92 seedling recorded at the stem, primary leaf base, tip and petiole and true leaf appeared at the same time, however their shape was different. Exotherms of stem appeared at higher temperature than those of primary leaves. Their shapes always followed the same pattern. Beans with cold tolerance were found to produce exotherms later than susceptible ones. Exposing 3 weeks old bean seedlings to 12°C delayed the time of exotherm appearance in the cold susceptible cultivar Bush Blue Lake 92. Some plants survived 2 hours exposure to −6°C in the growth chamber.
Incentives for Combined Heat and Power plants: How to increase societal benefits?

Abstract Investments in new combined heat-and-power (CHP) facilities have fallen short of harnessing what is believed to be CHP's full achievable economic potential and attenuate societal benefits of reducing emissions and increasing resiliency of the power system. Various reasons have been found to explain this “CHP gap,” an example of the “energy-efficiency gap.” This paper examines the effects of understated capital costs and low and volatile CHP capacity factors, which historically are demonstrated by a large number of existing US units, on the economics of CHP facilities and thereby provide a possible explanation for the CHP gap. Given the probability distribution of profitability for a CHP plant, an incentive structure that is modeled similar to insurance against risk of unfavorable outcomes, might compare favorably to the present one-time upfront capital incentive model for attracting new investments. We recommend further research on assurance-based incentives for CHP projects.
Race and Genre in the Use of Sexual Objectification in Female Artists' Music Videos

The present study examines the use of sexual objectification by popular female music artists in their music videos. To obtain a current assessment of sexual objectification within pop, country, and...
Experimental and theoretical investigations of single-frequency Raman fiber amplifiers operating at 1178 nm

We present a detailed study of power scaling in polarization-maintaining Raman fiber amplifiers operating at 1178 nm since this wavelength can be frequency doubled into 589 nm for sodium guide star applications. We confirm experimentally that the optimized output signal at SBS threshold scales linearly with the pump power. We also present results from numerical and experimental studies investigating the scalability of Raman fiber amplifiers with seed power. Both co-pumped and counter pumped two-stage amplifiers utilizing acoustically tailored fiber for SBS suppression were constructed and studied. For the former configuration spectral broadening was observed, while the latter configuration provided 22 W of single-frequency output. Finally, we show results of a phase-modulated amplifier generating multiple spectral lines separated by 886 MHz, which corresponds to the spectral separation of the sodium D2a, and D 2b lines after frequency doubling in a nonlinear cavity.
Ultrafast conductivity dynamics in colossal magnetoresistance manganites.

Ultrafast picosecond measurements of optically induced changes in the absolute conductivity (0.4–1.0 THz) of La0.7M0.3MnO3 thin films (M Ca, Sr) from 10 K to 0.9Tc reveal a two-component relaxation. A fast, 2 ps, conductivity decrease arises from an optically induced modification of the effective phonon temperature. The slower component, related to spin-lattice relaxation, has a lifetime that increases upon approaching Tc from below in accordance with an increasing spin specific heat. We show that, for T o Tc, ≠s≠T is primarily determined by thermally disordered phonons while spin fluctuations dominate near Tc. The observation of “colossal” negative magnetoresistance (CMR) in the hole-doped manganite perovskites (R12xDxMnO3, where, e.g., R La, Nd and D Ca, Sr) demonstrates the sensitivity of electronic conduction to the underlying magnetic structure in these materials [1,2]. Experimental and theoretical work has also revealed the importance of the lattice and orbital degrees of freedom in determining the electronic properties of CMR materials above and below Tc [3,4]. Nonetheless, it is still not clear, especially for T o Tc, what the relative importance of phonons is in comparison to double exchange in determining s. Ultrafast optical spectroscopy has provided significant insight into electron dynamics in metals [5–7], and more recently, transition metal oxides [8 –10]. Using similar ultrafast techniques, we address the relative contributions of spin fluctuations and phonons in determining the conductivity in the manganites from 10 Kt o0.9Tc. Terahertz time-domain spectroscopy is an ultrafast optical technique in which electric field transients are used to measure the complex conductivity of a material. Since this is a coherent technique, a sample can be optically excited and then probed with a terahertz (THz) pulse to measure induced conductivity changes with picosecond (ps) resolution. We use this method, known as timeresolved terahertz spectroscopy (TRTS), to measure ps conductivity transients in La0.7Ca0.3MnO3 (LCMO) and La0.7Sr0.3MnO3 (LSMO) thin films. The dynamics occur on two time scales. A fast, 2 ps, conductivity decrease arises from optically induced modification of the effective phonon temperature. The slower component, related to spin-lattice relaxation, has a lifetime that increases upon approaching Tc from below in accordance with an increasing spin specific heat. Our results demonstrate that, at low temperatures, ≠s≠T is primarily determined by thermally disordered phonons while spin fluctuations dominate close to Tc. The TRTS experiments were performed on LCMO and LSMO epitaxial thin films grown on LaAlO3 substrates using pulsed laser deposition [11]. For very thin films (150 A), island growth can alter the film properties, but the thicker films used in these experiments (1000 A) display bulk behavior [12]. Magnetization measurements