cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Robot Assembly Research and Its Future Applications

Assembly research comprises the definitive description of how parts interact during assembly (called Part Mating Science), and the collection of part mating processes into systems that assemble products. Products can be assembled by four techniques: manual labor, special purpose machines, programmable systems (a new type of interest in mid volume production), or hybrids of the above. Programmable systems promise to exhibit some of the adaptability of manual labor plus the repeatibility of special machines, a good combination where parts variation and market uncertainties are present.
More severe deficits in functional status associated with higher mortality among adults awaiting liver transplantation.

The impact of functional status on liver transplant (LT) waitlist outcomes is not well studied. Early evidence suggests frailty portends increased mortality. We aim to evaluate the association of functional status with LT waitlist survival and the probability of receiving LT among adults with cirrhosis. Using 2005-2016 United Network for Organ Sharing (UNOS) data, we retrospectively assessed the association of functional status, as determined by Karnofsky Performance Status Score (KPSS) with LT waitlist survival and the probability of receiving LT using Kaplan-Meier and multivariate Cox proportional hazard models. Among 118 954 patients listed for LT, patients with worse Karnofsky scores, indicating poor functional status, were progressively more likely to receive liver transplantation compared to patients with better scores, with the most functionally disabled group having 68% higher probability of receiving LT (HR 1.68; 95% CI 1.61-1.75, P < 0.001). Worse functional status was associated with increased waitlist mortality, with the most functionally disabled group 97% more likely to die on the waitlist (HR 1.97; 95% CI 1.81-2.16, P < 0.001). In conclusion, among patients awaiting LT, worse functional status was associated with significantly higher waitlist mortality.
HIV Behavioral Interventions for Adolescents in Community Settings

Adolescence is a period of the life cycle characterized by biological, psychological, and social changes and transitions. There is growing concern that for many young people it is also a time of risks associated with sexual involvement. Adolescent pregnancy is a national concern, and far too many adolescents contract sexually transmitted infections, including infection with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV)—the cause of acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS). In this chapter, we review research aimed at identifying effective interventions to reduce the risk of sexually transmitted HIV infections among adolescents in community settings.
On-chip Detection of Single Vesicle Release from Neuroblastoma Cells using Monolithic CMOS Bioelectronics

Neuroblastoma cells are often used as a cell model to study Parkinson’s disease, which causes reduced dopamine release in substantia nigra, the midbrain that controls movements. In this paper, we developed a 1024-ch monolithic CMOS sensor array that has the spatiotemporal resolution as well as low-noise performance to monitor single vesicle release of dopamine from neuroblastoma cells. The CMOS device integrates 1024 on-chip electrodes with an individual size of $15 \mu \mathrm{m}\times 15 \mu \mathrm{m}$ and 1024 transimpedance amplifiers for each electrode, which are each capable of measuring sub-pA current. Thus, this device can be used to study the detailed molecular dynamics of dopamine secretion at single vesicle resolution.
Operational Evaluation of Part-Time Shoulder Use for Interstate 476 in the State of Pennsylvania

Part-time shoulder use (PTSU) is a capacity-adding strategy that utilized the shoulder temporarily during the peak commuting period and is used sporadically throughout the United States of America (USA). This strategy aids in addressing a transportation-related issue for major metropolitan areas. Around major metropolitan areas, the land availability is limited due to high population counts, which makes widening roadways for growing populations complex and expensive. Many countries are looking at methods that better utilize the transportation infrastructure currently constructed before widening the roadway. PTSU provides a possible solution to this problem, and this research aims to evaluate the operational benefits of PTSU using a case study based in the state of Pennsylvania. Interstate 476 (I-476), in the Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, metropolitan area is a prime candidate for PTSU. This four-lane highway has peak directional volumes of around 4,700 vehicles per hour in particular sections during the morning commuting period. I-476 is a major commuting route for the region, and the additional capacity during the commuting periods would greatly improve the flow of the surrounding network. This analysis was completed using a Vissim model simulating the 7 AM to 9 AM commuting period. A variety of PTSU scenarios were analyzed including (1) general purpose PTSU lane, (2) passenger cars only PTSU lane, (3) heavy trucks only PTSU lane, and (4) general purpose PTSU lane where additional traffic is induced. Overall, this study determined that PTSU could significantly decrease the travel time on I-476, regardless of vehicle type restrictions, and could provide a more stable traffic density throughout the I-476 network. This research provides additional insight into the effects of vehicle type restrictions on the effectiveness of PTSU and further strengthens the understanding of the operational benefit of PTSU.
A comparison of teaching methods that provide patient orientation to inpatient unit procedures

The descriptive longitudinal feasibility study compared two teaching methods focused on inpatient unit orientation. Once admitted, 20 patients were randomly assigned to one of two methods (written or video) that provided unit orientation information. Survey data, which assessed retention of the information and satisfaction with the instructional method, were collected 24 hours later. Descriptive analyses of these data determined that patients who received unit orientation information by video achieved a slightly higher knowledge score, but a slightly lower satisfaction with instruction score. These data demonstrate that the teaching modality has an effect on patient knowledge retention and satisfaction with care. Correlating the descriptive patient demographic and admitting diagnosis data to the study variables revealed that when the admitting diagnosis was alcohol-related there was a negative influence on knowledge retention, which was a surprising result. Coordinating the mode of instruction to patient data, and/or allowing the patient to choose their instructional method may enhance the inpatient experience.
Quark-Tasting with Neutrinos

I review the current situation in neutrino physics in the context of unified gauge theories, with room for heavy quarks that carry new flavor quantum numbers. The y-anomaly is strong evidence for the existence of right-handed currents and perhaps beauty. Dileptons are evidence for charm. The case for truth is less compelling. I study equal sign dileptons and their implications on a promising field of multilepton physics. Neutral currents, the hard-fact model and madness (nondiagonal neutral currents) are also among the topics discussed.
Application-based design of the Fresnel lens solar concentrator

A novel genetically themed hierarchical algorithm (GTHA) has been investigated to design Fresnel lens solar concentrators that match with the distinct energy input and spatial geometry of various thermal applications. Basic heat transfer analysis of each application decides its solar energy requirement. The GTHA incorporated in MATLAB® optimizes the concentrator characteristics to secure this energy demand, balancing a minimized geometry and a maximized efficiency. The optimum concentrator is then simulated to ensure the algorithm validity. To verify the algorithmic-optimization and simulation-validation processes, two experimental applications were selected from the literature, a solar welding system for H13 steel plates and a solar Stirling engine with an aluminum-cavity receiver attached to the heater section. In each case, a flat Fresnel lens with a spot focus was algorithmically designed to supply the desired solar heat, and then a computer simulation of the optimized lens was conducted showing great comparability to the original experimental results.
Road environments and bicyclist route choice: The cases of Davis and San Francisco, CA

Abstract Examining bicyclists' route choices provides valuable insights into the importance of road environments for bicycling. In this study, we examine the role of road factors, individual factors, and preference heterogeneity on route choice using two diverse and extreme cases in the U.S. The first case is bicycling to the University of California, Davis campus by students, faculty, and staff. This case represents the most bike friendly environment in the U.S. which affords a diverse bicycling population. The second case is bicycling to many destinations for many purposes in San Francisco, CA. It is more representative of a large U.S. city, but also has a relatively large bicycling mode share. It serves as an important case for examining the new innovative type of bicycling infrastructure that has been installed in North American cities over the past decade. Results suggest substantial within-city between-person heterogeneity in preference for road attributes and bicycling facilities as well as differences between contexts. Davisites show strong preferences for bike lanes and off-street paths and consistently choose routes of similar length to shortest routes indicating the need for suitable routes with minimal detours to support a large bicycling mode share. San Franciscans show strong preferences for conventional bike lanes on minor arterials, even stronger preferences for separated and protected bicycling facilities, and are willing to detour considerable distances to ride on them. Given large between-person differences within cities, we suggest usual valuations of bicycling facilities from elasticities and marginal rates of substitutions at the mean may need rethinking when applied to bike infrastructure planning.
Computing with Words in Maritime Piracy and Attack Detection Systems

In this paper, we propose to apply recent advances in deep learning to design and train algorithms to localize, identify, and track small maritime objects under varying conditions (e.g., a snowstorm, high glare, night), and in computing-with-words to identify threatening activities where lack of training data precludes the use of deep learning. The recent rise of maritime piracy and attacks on transportation ships has cost the global economy several billion dollars. To counter the threat, researchers have proposed agent-driven modeling to capture the dynamics of the maritime transportation system, and to score the potential of a range of piracy countermeasures. Combining information from onboard sensors and cameras with intelligence from external sources for early piracy threat detection has shown promising results but lacks real-time updates for situational context. Such systems can benefit from early warnings, such as “a boat is approaching the ship and accelerating,” “a boat is circling the ship,” or “two boats are diverging close to the ship.” Existing onboard cameras capture these activities, but there are no automated processing procedures of this type of patterns to inform the early warning system. Visual data feed is used by crew only after they have been alerted of a possible attack. Camera sensors are inexpensive but transforming the incoming video data streams into actionable items still requires expensive human processing.
A Ray-Casting Accelerator in 10nm CMOS for Efficient 3D Scene Reconstruction in Edge Robotics and Augmented Reality Applications

A ray-casting accelerator in 10nm CMOS simultaneously casts multiple rays in spatial proximity to exploit voxel data-locality, featuring a near-memory search for voxel address overlaps and opportunistic approximate trilinear interpolation for energy savings. Measurements demonstrate ray-casting of 320×240 depth images with an average latency of 23.2ms/frame, while consuming 32.7pJ energy per ray-step and achieving a maximum energy-efficiency of 115.3 giga raysteps/W.
The Market Impact of Trends and Sequences in Performance: New Evidence

Bloomfield and Hales (2002) find strong evidence that experimental market subjects are influenced by trends and patterns in a manner supportive of the shifting regimes model of Barberis, Shleifer, and Vishny (1998). We subject the model to further empirical scrutiny using the football wagering market as our price laboratory. Sports betting markets have several advantages over traditional capital markets as an empirical setting, and commonalities with traditional markets allow for useful insights. We find scant evidence that investors behave in accordance with the model. BARBERIS ,S HLEIFER, AND VISHNY (1998) develop a model of investor sentiment that is consistent with two pervasive empirical anomalies that have been the focus of much research in finance: momentum in returns and reversals in returns. 1 The model is motivated by evidence documented by cognitive psychologists on two systematic biases that arise when people form beliefs, namely, conservatism and representativeness. 2 These biases are captured in a regimeshifting framework in which the earnings process follows a random walk, but investors hold the flawed belief that the process switches between a “reversal” regime (in which earnings changes tend to reverse themselves in sign) and a “continuation” regime (in which earnings changes are followed by changes of the same sign). A key feature of the model is that investors look at the frequency of past performance reversals to determine which regime currently governs performance. A recent paper by Bloomfield and Hales (2002) reports results of laboratory experiments with MBA-student participants, which support the existence of
On a planet's annual mean insolation

Abstract The insolation on a planet is important for its climate and habitability, but its distribution depends on the planet's obliquity in a complicated manner. This paper explores the annual mean insolation on a non-synchronous planet, and identifies five different insolation regimes, depending on its obliquity: a prograde normal regime, a prograde transition regime, an oblique regime, a retrograde transition regime, and a retrograde normal regime. As the obliquity changes, the latitude of minimum insolation migrates through mid-latitudes between the poles and the equator. This paper also elucidates this migration, which is important for planets whose obliquities vary. The results are applied to Mars, Triton, and Pluto, and may help to determine their geologic histories.
Xanthophylls Modulate Palmitoylation of Mammalian β-Carotene Oxygenase 2.

An extensive body of work has documented the antioxidant role of xanthophylls (lutein and zeaxanthin) in human health and specifically how they provide photoprotection in human vision. More recently, evidence is emerging for the transcriptional regulation of antioxidant response by lutein/lutein cleavage products, similar to the role of β-carotene cleavage products in the modulation of retinoic acid receptors. Supplementation with xanthophylls also provides additional benefits for the prevention of age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and attenuation of Alzheimer’s disease symptoms. Mammalian β-carotene oxygenase 2 (BCO2) asymmetrically cleaves xanthophylls as well as β-carotene in vitro. We recently demonstrated that mouse BCO2 (mBCO2) is a functionally palmitoylated enzyme and that it loses palmitoylation when cells are treated with β-carotene. The mouse enzyme is the easiest model to study mammalian BCO2 because it has only one isoform, unlike human BCO2 with several major isoforms with various properties. Here, we used the same acyl-RAC methodology and confocal microscopy to elucidate palmitoylation and localization status of mBCO2 in the presence of xanthophylls. We created large unilamellar vesicle-based nanocarriers for the successful delivery of xanthophylls into cells. We demonstrate here that, upon treatment with low micromolar concentration of lutein (0.15 µM), mBCO2 is depalmitoylated and shows partial nuclear localization (38.00 ± 0.04%), while treatment with zeaxanthin (0.45 µM) and violaxanthin (0.6 µM) induces depalmitoylation and protein translocation from mitochondria to a lesser degree (20.00 ± 0.01% and 35.00 ± 0.02%, respectively). Such a difference in the behavior of mBCO2 toward various xanthophylls and its translocation into the nucleus in the presence of various xanthophylls suggests a possible mechanism for transport of lutein/lutein cleavage products to the nucleus to affect transcriptional regulation.
MapQuest and the beginnings of web cartography

There are times when technological innovations culminate in a series of rapid developments. We look back on these times with a certain awe. This is true for the three years in the mid-1990s, betwee...
What Does Antitrust's Revival Mean for Copyright? (The 50th Annual Brace Memorial Lecture of the Copyright Society of the USA)

Delivered as the 50th Annual Brace Memorial Lecture, this article considers what antitrust law's nascent and still-uncertain revival might mean for copyright law and the copyright industries.
POLAROGRAPHY FOR THE DETERMINATION OF ORGANIC FEED MEDICAMENTS.

Present methods for the analysis of feed medicaments do not ordinarily include polarography but usually consist of colorimetric, ultraviolet, chro-matographic or chemical procedures. While many of these methods are well established and quite satisfactory, some have limitations in terms of time required for analysis, their non-specific nature, or erratic results. The use of polarography for the analysis of feed additions has been investigated by several groups, but has not received generally adequate recognition. The purpose of this presentation, then, is to show that polarography has a place in feed additive analysis and may be used in conjunction with other methods such as infrared spectrophotometry or gas chromatography for qualitative and quantitative interpretation of data. There are applications to metabolism studies and other research projects involving feed additives that may lead to improved analytical procedures or ways to study the effectiveness of these compounds.
Cost-Effectiveness of Multidisciplinary Pain Treatment: Are We There Yet?

Pharmaceutical costs represent a large and growing proportion of health care funds expended in the care of individuals with chronic pain [1]. Prescriptions for opioid analgesics alone have been rising dramatically in recent years [2]. Since 2002, analgesics have accounted for the largest share of worker's compensation medication expenses, followed by anti-inflammatories [3]. While no overall pharmaceutical cost estimates across all chronic pain conditions and medications are available, they undoubtedly amount to tens of billions of dollars yearly and constitute a significant proportion of total chronic pain care dollars in the United States. In this issue of Pain Medicine Dr. Julie Cunningham et al. report intriguing data linking multidisciplinary pain program (MPP) care to pharmaceutical cost savings. This article is the first comprehensive report examining changes in pain-related medication costs following MPP treatment, and …
On Backoff in Fading Wireless Channels

We consider the impact of transmission errors on the backoff algorithm behavior in the IEEE 802.11 protocol. Specifically, since the backoff algorithm assumes that all packet losses are due to collisions, it unnecessarily backs off when a packet is lost due to a transmission error. Two performance problems arise as a result: (1) low throughput, due to unnecessary loss of transmission time; and (2) unfairness when two competing links have different transmission error rates. In this paper, we characterize this problem and propose three solutions to it. The solutions aim to provide discrimination between transmission errors and collisions such that the sender can back off appropriately. The first algorithm relies on receiver discrimination and feedback; the receiving radio can in many instances differentiate between collisions and transmission errors. The second algorithm estimates the clear channel quality, and backs off if the observed quality deviates from the clear channel quality (indicating collisions). The third algorithm develops the probability of collision as a function of the number of observed idle slots during contention, and uses this probability to control the backoff algorithm. We show via simulation that the techniques significantly improve both performance and fairness of IEEE 802.11 in the presence of transmission errors.
Through the Google Goggles: Sociopolitical Bias in Search Engine Design

Search engines like Google are essential to navigating the Web’s endless supply of news, political information, and citizen discourse. The mechanisms and conditions under which search results are selected should therefore be of considerable interest to media scholars, political theorists, and citizens alike. In this chapter, I adopt a “deliberative” ideal for search engines and examine whether Google exhibits the “same old” media biases of mainstreaming, hypercommercialism, and industry consolidation. In the end, serious objections to Google are raised: Google may favor popularity over richness; it provides advertising that competes directly with “editorial” content; it so overwhelmingly dominates the industry that users seldom get a second opinion, and this is unlikely to change. Ultimately, however, the results of this analysis may speak less about Google than about contradictions in the deliberative ideal and the so-called “inherently democratic” nature of the Web.
6 Exploring language asymmetries in early Spanish-English bilinguals: The role of lexical and sentential context effects

Abstract Recent research with bilinguals has uncovered a number of interesting effects of language dominance. Of particular interest has been the observation that lexical priming is larger from the dominant language to the subordinate language than vice-versa. This effect has also been found in previous studies using sentence priming, but only under visually degraded conditions. In the current study, participants were asked to name the target of a visual word pair that was presented instead of a word in an auditory context. In Experiment 1 (the within-language condition), the text and target language matched and the prime was in the opposite language. In Experiment 2 (the between-language condition), the text and prime language matched and the target was in the opposite language. Experiment 1 revealed no difference in the size of sentential and lexical priming as a function of target language. There was an interaction between sentential and lexical priming with English targets, and an additive pattern of sentential and lexical priming with Spanish targets. In Experiment 2, there was a reduction of both lexical and sentential priming for English targets when compared with Spanish targets. The results support a model in which fluency is reflected in both the speed of processing and the magnitude of priming effects. The implications of these results for current models of bilingual language processing are discussed.
The impact of IRAS on asteroidal science

Asteroids are studied because, together with comets, they are one of the few sources of information on conditions in the early solar system. Asteroids have been classified into a small number of distinct types and the distribution of these types with respect to their distances from the sun gives information on the chemical structure of the primitive solar nebula. Asteroids are also believed to be the primary source of meteorites and thus the most abundant, diverse and accessible source of extraterrestrial material. There have been several major advances in asteroidal science in recent years. We now have a clear understanding of the origin of some of the Kirkwood gaps in the distribution of asteroidal semimajor axes and of the role that these gaps have in the delivery of meteorites to the Earth. Secondly, the number of meteorites available for study has increased since the discovery of the meteorite fields on the Antarctic ice cap. As expected, IRAS data on asteroidal albedos (the diameters and albedos of 1,811 asteroids have now been measured) will vastly extend the classification work. We anticipate that new insights into the chemical structure of the asteroid belt will be revealed by plotting the variations of the colors and albedos of asteroids in a given class against their distance from the sun. Unexpected products of the IRAS mission include the discovery of a small body in the Geminid meteor stream and the discovery of structure in the zodiacal cloud. The IRAS solar system dust bands provide a further connection with asteroids since they may be collision products of asteroids, possibly members of the major Hirayama families, implying that asteroids may be a significant source of the particles in the zodiacal cloud.
Ameloblastin regulates cell attachment and proliferation through RhoA and p27.

The matrix adhesion protein ameloblastin (AMBN) is one of the unique components of the mineralizing matrix of bones and teeth. Here we have focused on two cell types with AMBN expression to decipher AMBN function in developing dental, periodontal and bone tissues: mouse dental follicle cells (mDF) and periodontal ligament cells (mPDL). To test AMBN function, cell culture dishes for mDF and mPDL culture were exposed either to full length or C-terminal (AA 137–407) recombinant protein. Alternatively, cells were subjected to transient transfection using an AMBN-shRNA vector. Our cell culture studies documented that full-length AMBN-coated dishes promoted the attachment of mPDL and mDF cells as early as 1 hour post seeding. In order to identify potential intermediaries that might aid the effect of AMBN on adhesion, RhoA expression levels in AMBN coated and uncoated control dishes were assessed. These studies indicated that AMBN induced RhoA expression 4 hours post seeding, especially in mPDL cells. After four hours culture, the cell cycle inhibitor p27 was upregulated as well. In addition, exogenous AMBN and its C-terminal fragment reduced the proliferation of mDF and mPDL. Finally, transient transfection of mDF and mPDL cells with AMBN-shRNA vector resulted in a down-regulation of p27 in mPDL cells. Together, these data indicate that AMBN affects cell adhesion via RhoA and cell cycle progression through p27.
Different Approaches to the Study of Early Perceptual Learning

Bhatt and Quinn (2011) review evidence indicating that learning plays a powerful role in the development of perceptual organization, and provide a theoretical framework for studying this process. The fact that prominent researchers in diverse areas of cognitive development and adult cognition have commented on this paper (Aslin, 2011; Goldstone, Son, & Byrge, 2011; Peterson, 2011) points to the centrality of learning as a contributor to the emergence of cognitive skills. These thoughtful commentaries identify areas of agreement with the Bhatt and Quinn (2011) framework, while also proposing different conceptualizations of the findings and alternative theoretical approaches to the study of learning in perceptual development. We respond to these commentaries in the following paragraphs.
Assessing the operational benefits of Automated Conformance Monitor for RNP-to-Final operations

Advanced flight deck capabilities such as Required Navigation Performance (RNP) provide a foundation for achieving operational benefits in the National Airspace System (NAS). To support these benefits, the MITRE Corporation is studying automation for air traffic controllers that will improve situational awareness and will complement the flight deck-based integrity of the operation. Among the automation capabilities being studied, Automated Conformance Monitor (ACM) is a proposed automation enhancement that would detect if an aircraft has deviated or is predicted to deviate from its assigned route. In such cases, an alert is generated to the controller. An ACM algorithm was developed as part of previous work [1]. This report describes a Human-In-The-Loop (HITL) study that was performed to assess the operational benefit of ACM for PBN approach operations. The PBN operation used is called “Required Navigation Performance (RNP)-to-Final”. In this study, a number of aircraft in each scenario were blundered laterally from their assigned route and data collected on how long it took controllers to issue a corrective action to the aircraft under different conformance monitoring support conditions. Objective and subjective data are presented as well as a discussion of the results and future work.
The slow translation and rotation of two unequal spheres in a viscous fluid

Abstract Exact solutions of the Stokes equations are derived for the case of two unequal spheres slowly rotating or translating perpendicular to their line of centers in a quiescent, unbounded viscous fluid, following Wakiya[16]. Numerical results are presented for the force and torque coefficients for size ratios from 1·0 to 10·0, and separations down to 0·001 times the radius of the smaller.
An ecological systems perspective: Its application to nutrition policy, program design and evaluation†

The ecological systems perspective is presented as an ideal model for nutrition policy formulation as well as nutrition program design and evaluation. Current nutrition policy statements in the United States are complex and unwieldy for program implementation. Action statements such as the “Dietary Goals for the U.S.” will probably not be successful because they are not based on a solid theoretical framework nor are they linked to any national policy goals which would facilitate their accomplishment. Current nutrition program stategies may be categorized into: those programs focusing on environmental alteration or those focused at the level of the individual consumer, such as nutrition education. Each type of program strategy is unlikely to achieve ultimate success because the focus is one system or the other. By adopting an ecological systems perspective as a basic theoretical framework for nutrition policy and programs, more consistent success for improving the nutritional status of the American people ...
Annuloplasty for severe mitral regurgitation due to dilated cardiomyopathy

We present a 74-year-old woman who underwent corrective annuloplasty for severe mitral regurgitation due to dilated cardiomyopathy. Postoperatively, congestive heart failure improved, with her New York Heart Association status changing from IV to II, although her cardiac functional improvement was minimal. Severe mitral regurgitation may be the indication for annuloplasty in symptomatic patients with dilated cardiomyopathy when cardiac transplantation is not indicated.
Stacked 2D photonic crystal reflectance filters fabricated by nanoreplica molding for improving optical density and angular tolerance

Nanoreplica molding enables stacking of multiple 2D photonic crystals on a large area plastic substrate to improve optical density and angular tolerance of the resulting narrowband optical limiting filter, used for laser eye/sensor protection.
Is CD34 truly a negative marker for mesenchymal stromal cells

The prevailing school of thought is that mesenchymal stromal cells (MSC) do not express CD34, and this sets MSC apart from hematopoietic stem cells (HSC), which do express CD34. However, the evidence for MSC being CD34(-) is largely based on cultured MSC, not tissue-resident MSC, and the existence of CD34(-) HSC is in fact well documented. Furthermore, the Stro-1 antibody, which has been used extensively for the identification/isolation of MSC, was generated by using CD34(+) bone marrow cells as immunogen. Thus, neither MSC being CD34(-) nor HSC being CD34(+) is entirely correct. In particular, two studies that analyzed CD34 expression in uncultured human bone marrow nucleated cells found that MSC (BMSC) existed in the CD34(+) fraction. Several studies have also found that freshly isolated adipose-derived MSC (ADSC) express CD34. In addition, all of these ADSC studies and several other MSC studies have observed a disappearance of CD34 expression when the cells are propagated in culture. Thus the available evidence points to CD34 being expressed in tissue-resident MSC, and its negative finding being a consequence of cell culturing.
Vasoactive intestinal peptide inhibits IL-8 production in human monocytes.

Vasoactive intestinal peptide (VIP), a neuropeptide present in the lymphoid microenvironment, acts as a potent anti-inflammatory agent that inhibits the function of activated macrophages. VIP was shown to inhibit IL-6, TNFα, IL-12, chemokine, and nitric oxide production in endotoxin-activated macrophages. The present study reports the effect of VIP on IL-8 production by stimulated human monocytes. VIP inhibits IL-8 production in a dose- and time-dependent manner at the mRNA level. The specific VPAC1 receptor mediates the inhibitory effect of VIP. Two transduction pathways appear to be involved, a major cAMP-independent pathway and a secondary cAMP-dependent pathway. Of obvious physiological significance is the fact that VIP, presumably through the inhibition of IL-8 production, dramatically reduces the monocyte-induced neutrophil chemotaxis, an important event in the pathogenesis of several inflammatory and autoimmune disorders. These findings support the proposed role of VIP as a key endogenous anti-inflammatory agent and describe a novel mechanism, i.e., the inhibition of the production of monocyte-derived IL-8.
Status of serological testing for congenital syphilis.

A short questionnaire submitted to the Chief of Service of each of 302 approved pediatric residency training programs revealed that very few infants and children hospitalized in this country are tested for the presence of syphilis. In 1966, 370 infants under 1 year of age with congenital syphilis were reported to the United States Public Health Service, slightly more than twice the number of such infants reported in 1957. The decision of whether or not to perform routinely a serological test for syphilis depends on a number of factors, not the least of which are the ease of obtaining the blood specimen and the simplicity of the test performance. The rapid plasma reagin (circle) card test is suggested as a simple, inexpensive, reliable screening test for syphilis which is especially adaptable to pediatric usage.
Do Reviews Matter? An Analysis of Usage and Holdings of Choice-Reviewed Titles Within a Consortium

Choice: Current Reviews for Academic Libraries has long been an important tool for librarians making collection development decisions. This study examines the holdings and usage for books reviewed in Choice, books designated by Choice as Outstanding Academic Titles, and the general collections of the Colorado Alliance of Research Libraries.
Surface vs. bulk reactivity in a solid-state methyl transfer

Abstract A methyl transfer in the crystalline state proceeds more slowly at the surface (as monitored by diffuse reflectance IR) than within the bulk solid (as monitored by NMR). Moreover, reaction intermediates accumulate only at the surface. These results are explained in terms of structural differences between the external and internal regions.
A constitutive theory for porous composite materials

A phenomenological model for porous layered materials has been developed. The phenomenological approach for layered materials is combined with a poroelastic constitutive model. Explicit expressions for effective elastic moduli, thermal expansion coefficients, and poroelastic moduli are obtained. The obtained results reduce to those of layered materials when there are no pores. The obtained model is applied to failure analysis of thermochemically decomposing composites subjected to high temperature and high heating rates. A separate analysis of carbon fiber and phenolic resin responses explains why carbon fiber shrinkage causes more delamination failure.
Selected Chloro-Organic Detoxifications by Polychelate (Poly(acrylic acid)) and Citrate-Based Fenton Reaction at Neutral pH Environment

The use of chelating agents to modify the Fenton reaction is well-documented in the literature. Polymeric chelates (such as poly(acrylic acid), PAA) provide multiple binding sites and can complex iron ion (ferrous/ferric ion) and prevent ferric hydroxideprecipitation even at neutral pH environment. In this study, it was proven that poly(acrylic acid) could act as a polychelate in the modified Fenton reaction for the oxidation of chlorinated organic compounds (such as 2,2‘-dichlorobiphenyl and biphenyl) at neutral pH environment. Numerical simulation based on the kinetic model developed from the well-known Fenton reaction and iron−chelate chemistry fits the experimental data well for both standard and chelate-based modified Fenton reactions without pollutant. This is the first reported confirmation of the dechlorination of carbon tetrachloride from the aqueous phase by superoxide radical anion using both monomeric (citrate) and polymeric (PAA) chelate-based modified Fenton reactions. The main purpose of th...
Squeezing THz waves below λ/250 using plasmonic parallel-plate waveguides

By adiabatically tapering the width and the plate separation of a parallel-plate waveguide, we experimentally demonstrate THz confinement down to a spot-size of 10 μm (≈λ/260) by 18 μm (≈λ/145), which corresponds to a mode area of only 2.6×10−5 λ2.
The Discovery and Characterization of the α-Amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic Acid (AMPA) Receptor Potentiator N-{(3S,4S)-4-[4-(5-Cyano-2-thienyl)phenoxy]tetrahydrofuran-3-yl}propane-2-sulfonamide (PF-04958242)

A unique tetrahydrofuran ether class of highly potent α-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazolepropionic acid receptor potentiators has been identified using rational and structure-based drug design. An acyclic lead compound, containing an ether-linked isopropylsulfonamide and biphenyl group, was pharmacologically augmented by converting it to a conformationally constrained tetrahydrofuran to improve key interactions with the human GluA2 ligand-binding domain. Subsequent replacement of the distal phenyl motif with 2-cyanothiophene to enhance its potency, selectivity, and metabolic stability afforded N-{(3S,4S)-4-[4-(5-cyano-2-thienyl)phenoxy]tetrahydrofuran-3-yl}propane-2-sulfonamide (PF-04958242, 3), whose preclinical characterization suggests an adequate therapeutic index, aided by low projected human oral pharmacokinetic variability, for clinical studies exploring its ability to attenuate cognitive deficits in patients with schizophrenia.
Prostaglandins I2 and E2 have a synergistic role in rescuing epithelial barrier function in porcine ileum.

Prostaglandins (PG) are cytoprotective for gastrointestinal epithelium, possibly because they enhance mucosal repair. The objective of the present studies was to assess the role of prostaglandins in intestinal repair. Intestinal mucosa from porcine ileum subjected to 1 h of ischemia was mounted in Ussing chambers. Recovery of normal transepithelial electrical resistance occurred within 2 h, and continued to increase for a further 2 h to a value twice that of control. The latter response was blocked by inhibition of prostaglandin synthesis, and restored by addition of both carbacyclin (an analog of PGI2) and PGE2, whereas the addition of each alone had little effect. Histologically, prostaglandins had no effect on epithelial restitution or villous contraction, indicating that elevations in transepithelial resistance were associated with increases in paracellular resistance. Furthermore, prostaglandin-stimulated elevations in resistance were inhibited with cytochalasin D, an agent known to stimulate cytoskeletal contraction. Synergistic elevations in transepithelial resistance, similar to those of carbacyclin and PGE2, were also noted after treatment with cAMP and {"type":"entrez-nucleotide","attrs":{"text":"A23187","term_id":"833253","term_text":"A23187"}}A23187 (a calcium ionophore). We conclude that PGE2 and PGI2 have a synergistic role in restoration of intestinal barrier function by increasing intracellular cAMP and Ca2+, respectively, which in turn signal cytoskeletal-mediated tight junction closure.
GRADIENT IN CONVERGENT CELL MOVEMENT DURING FUNDULUS GASTRULATION

This contribution represents a continuation of our studies of a gradient in convergent cell movement in the germ ring (GR) during Fundulus gastrulation (Trinkaus et al. [1992] J. Exp. Zool., 261:40-61). In our previous study, we discovered that cells in the dorsal GR nearest the embryonic shield (ES) move toward the ES at a net faster rate than those farther away and that this is due to less meandering. Those farther away meander more. These data suggest the hypothesis that there is a gradient of cues that direct cells to the ES. If so, cells in the ventral GR, farthest from the ES, should meander even more and hence show little or no convergence toward the ES. To test this hypothesis, we have traced the trajectories of individual cells in the midventral GR during midepiboly and have found that, although the general motile behavior of ventral GR cells is the same as that of dorsal cells, they do indeed meander much more and, as a result, show little or no directional movement toward the ES. Taken together, these results indicate that cells of the germ ring move up a gradient in directionality as they converge toward their target, the embryonic shield. One possible explanation for this is that the embryonic shield attracts cells to itself.
The Promyelocytic Leukemia Protein Represses A20-mediated Transcription *

The promyelocytic leukemia (PML) protein is a tumor suppressor that is disrupted by the chromosomal translocation t(15;17), a consistent cytogenetic feature of acute promyelocytic leukemia. A role of PML in multiple pathways of apoptosis was conclusively demonstrated using PML−/− animal and cell culture models. In a previous study, we found that PML sensitizes tumor necrosis factor-induced apoptosis in tumor necrosis factor (TNF)-resistant U2OS cells. This finding helped to explain the mechanism of PML-induced apoptosis. The zinc finger protein A20 is a target gene of NFκB inducible by TNFα, and it is a potent inhibitor of TNF-induced apoptosis. In the this study, we demonstrated that PML is a transcriptional repressor of the A20 promoter and that PML represses A20 expression induced by TNFα. We showed that PML inhibits A20 transactivation through the NFκB site by interfering with its binding to the promoter. We also showed that stable overexpression of A20 inhibits apoptosis and caspase activation induced by PML/TNFα. The results of this study suggest that A20 is a downstream target of PML-induced apoptosis and supports a role of A20 in modulating cell death induced by PML/TNFα in TNF-resistant cells.
Adaptive output feedback control of non-linear feedback linearizable systems

In this paper we present an adaptive output feedback controller for feedback linearizable non-linear systems. It employs a high-gain observer with estimate saturation which is crucial in achieving semiglobal asymptotic stabilization to the origin and, if the regressor vector is persistently exciting, exponential tracking of reference signals. A byproduct of this result is an exponentially stable adaptive observer for feedback linearizable non-linear systems. We show that in the absence of persistence of excitation the tracking error can be made as small as desired by increasing the observer and parameter adaptation gains. The same idea allows us to prove approximate tracking when the unknown parameters are varying at an arbitrary but bounded rate.
The alkaloids of aconitum heterophyllum wall.: Isolation and characterization

Abstract A detailed study of the basic components of the roots of Aconitum heterophyllum has led to the isolation of seven new diterpene alkaloids. The weak base fraction yielded besides heteratisine, three more alkaloids designated as heterophyllisine, heterophylline, and heterophyllidine. These compounds are lactone alkaloids which are structurally related to heteratisine. The strong base fraction yielded besides atisine two new alkaloids, atidine and F-dihydroatisine, the latter previously encountered as a reduction product of atisine and isoatisine. The very strong base fraction yielded in addition to hetisine, alkaloids designated as hetidine and hetisinone. The latter had been encountered previously as a chemical transformation product of hetisine.
Feminism and Evolutionary Psychology: Moving Forward

The Special Issue on feminism and evolutionary psychology published by Sex Roles (Smith and Konik 2011) has elicited responses that advance understanding of the debate between evolutionary psychology and feminist perspectives concerning the origins of similarities and differences in the behavior of women and men (Smith and Konik 2013). The further challenges to evolutionary psychology mounted in these responses suggest that the Special Issue has intensified the debate more that it has resolved it. Moving forward requires that feminist psychologists not only add to the considerable body of empirical evidence that challenges evolutionary psychology but also produce alternative evolutionary theories that transcend the nature-nurture controversy that underlies the current debate. To this end, we refer readers to our biosocial constructionist theory in which culture and biology are intertwined in both distal evolutionary processes that shaped human psychology and proximal mechanisms that underlie differences and similarities in male and female behavior (Wood and Eagly 2012).
How Large Is International Trade’s Effect on Economic Growth?

The estimated static welfare gains from international trade are very small, on the order of one percent of GDP. The case for free trade is therefore increasingly linked to trade’s apparent positive effects on economic growth. But how large are these growth effects? The vast empirical literature has emphasized the statistical significance, not the economic significance, of the trade-growth relationship. This survey’s re-examination of the empirical literature focuses on the size of the relationship between trade and growth. Our survey reveals that the many empirical studies are surprisingly consistent in terms of the size of the relationship: A one percentage point increase in the growth of exports is associated with a one-fifth percentage point increase in economic growth. Given the power of compounding, the effect of trade on growth is very important for human welfare.
Lysosomal Cystine Storage in Cystinosis and Mucolipidosis Type II

ABSTRACT: Cultured fibroblasts from mucolipidosis II (ML-II) patients demonstrated an elevated cystine content which increased with time in culture compared to fibroblasts from cystinotic patients or normal controls under the same conditions. In both cystinotic and ML-II cells the increased levels of cystine could be derived either from endogenous proteolysis or from in vitro supplementation of the cultured cells with cysteine-glutathione mixed disulfide. Cystine was depleted from both cell types by cysteamine. When cysteamine was replaced with complete medium, the cystine reaccumulated in both cystinotic and ML-II cells within 24 h, although a lag of 4 h was seen with ML-II cells. The intracellular location of the increased cystine in cultured fibroblasts was examined utilizing free-flow electrophoresis and found to be in the purified population of secondary lysosomes of both cystinotic and ML-II cells. White blood cell and hepatic cystine, which was greatly increased in cystinotic patients, was not elevated in ML-II patients. Compared to normal control fibroblasts the efflux of cystine from isolated granular fractions was virtually absent in cystinotic fibroblasts and considerably reduced in ML-II fibroblasts. The examination of such similarities and differences in cystine accumulation and transport in tissues from cystinotic and ML-II patients has provided some insight into the defects in these diseases.