cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Fundamental Plane of Sunyaev-Zeldovich clusters

Sunyaev-Zel'dovich (SZ) cluster surveys are considered among the most promising methods for probing dark energy up to large redshifts. However, their premise is hinged upon an accurate mass-observable relationship, which could be affected by the (rather poorly understood) physics of the intracluster gas. In this letter, using a semi-analytic model of the intracluster gas that accommodates various theoretical uncertainties, I develop a Fundamental Plane relationship between the observed size, thermal energy, and mass of galaxy clusters. In particular, I find that M ~ (Y_{SZ}/R_{SZ,2})^{3/4}, where M is the mass, Y_{SZ} is the total SZ flux or thermal energy, and R_{SZ,2} is the SZ half-light radius of the cluster. I first show that, within this model, using the Fundamental Plane relationship reduces the (systematic+random) errors in mass estimates to 14%, from 22% for a simple mass-flux relationship. Since measurement of the cluster sizes is an inevitable part of observing the SZ clusters, the Fundamental Plane relationship can be used to reduce the error of the cluster mass estimates by ~ 34%, improving the accuracy of the resulting cosmological constraints without any extra cost. I then argue why our Fundamental Plane is distinctly different from the virial relationship that one may naively expect between the cluster parameters. Finally, I argue that while including more details of the observed SZ profile cannot significantly improve the accuracy of mass estimates, a better understanding of the impact of non-gravitational heating/cooling processes on the outskirts of the intracluster medium (apart from external calibrations) might be the best way to reduce these errors.
Beyond Just the Average Effect: Variation in Head Start Treatment Effects on Parenting Behavior.

Parent engagement has been a cornerstone of Head Start since its inception in 1965. Prior studies have found evidence for small to moderate impacts of Head Start on parenting behaviors but have not...
Luminescent solar concentrators with high concentration using photonic crystal waveguides

We report luminescent solar concentrators designs using two-dimensional photonic crystal slabs as light trapping waveguides, resulting in high concentration factors. In all designs, we can achieve luminophore light trapping efficiency above 90%, leading to concentration factors as high as 100.
Identifying Multidisciplinary Metrics to Analyze NASA Case Studies

Background: Communication is fundamental to the success of engineered systems, enabling interactions between the system's stakeholders. Systems engineering, an integrative discipline on which the contributions of many disciplines are evaluated against each other, may particularly benefit from research in communication methods. Specifically, storytelling may be beneficial to engineers because it enables sense-making. Research into storytelling is conducted to identify storytelling metrics that could be useful in engineering communication, specifically engineering case studies. Literature review: Although storytelling has been identified in past research as possibly useful to Model-Based Systems Engineering (MBSE) and software requirement writing, a rigorous study of the use of storytelling elements in systems engineering communication has not been performed. Research question: How are storytelling elements currently being applied in engineering case studies? Research methodology: Twelve interdisciplinary metrics from storytelling, content analysis, and engineering are identified from the literature and used to characterize a collection of 48 NASA case studies. The values of the metrics for each case study are determined and analyzed using statistical and content analyses. Results and discussion: Analysis of the 12 metrics indicates that the case study design region with a historical backstory structure, climactic plot structure, and early points of attack is most frequently used by designers. Conclusions: The analysis indicates that certain storytelling elements applied in engineering case studies are used more frequently. Further work is needed to leverage the metrics as design variables in engineering case study writing.
Using Technology to Treat a Diabetic Emergency at Home in the Time of COVID19 Pandemic

Introduction: Severe out-break of the novel coronavirus has majorly impacted the health care facilities across all settings. Hospital facilities especially the ambulatory clinics began to adjust the ways to triage, assess and treat patients by using methods that do not rely on traditional face-face encounter. Here, we present one such scenario from the initial phase of pandemic in which team effort was involved in a diabetic emergency to overcome the barriers of emergent ambulatory care. Case Description: We present a 78-year-old female with past medical history of Type 2 diabetes mellitus, hyperthyroidism, multi-nodular goiter, hypertension, mild coronary artery disease, diastolic heart failure and dyslipidemia who called the clinic with an elevated point of care glucose of 436mg/dl. Other symptoms included high fever, polyuria and polydipsia having just been discharged from hospital with a diagnosis of COVID-19 infection. She was on metformin 500 mg twice a day, glimepiride 2 mg daily, methimazole 5 mg daily, carvedilol 12.5 mg twice a day, losartan 100 mg daily, pravastatin 20 mg daily and furosemide 40 mg daily. Her most recent blood work showed an A1C of 8% (7.4 and 7.1 last year), TSH - 0.29 (0.4 -4.5 mIU/ml), FT4 - 1.1 (0.8–1.8 ng/ml), metabolic panel showed plasma glucose of 283 mg/dl along with normal electrolytes and kidney function. The patient was admitted to hospital about a week ago with flu like illness and high fever and was found to be COVID positive and was discharged home with instructions on isolation and follow up. However, while at home she noticed hyperglycemia 400–500 mg/dl despite oral agents, associated with polyuria and polydipsia but no nausea or vomiting. Given the significant symptomatic hyperglycemia along with symptomatic COVID infection it was clear that she acutely needed insulin therapy. As the patient was insulin naive and COVID positive, there were several barriers in initiating insulin without hospitalization: we could not get her into the Endocrine office and she was declined ED evaluation because of her COVID positivity. She and the family were relatively computer novice so could not access our electronic health record video system. After discussion over the phone, our certified diabetes educator walked them through the process of downloading an app for video communication. Utilizing remote video communication, the patient’s 20-year-old grandson was educated on all the steps of Insulin use for the patient as she was still delirious. Gratifyingly, she responded well to initiation of insulin and subsequent glucoses were in the 100’s along with improvement in her symptoms. Conclusion: This case emphasizes how team effort and the zeal of health care community to serve patients can overcome shortcomings.
Jiangnan Dietary Pattern Actively Prevents Muscle Mass Loss: Based on a Cohort Study

BACKGROUND The proportion of sarcopenia in the elderly is very high, although muscle mass loss before sarcopenia covers a wider population. The present study aimed to analyse the effects of different dietary patterns on muscle mass. METHODS In both 2015 and 2018, using multilayer random sampling, the same participants were selected, and the same questionnaires and machines were used. RESULTS In total, 502 participants were selected. The >65-year-old group showed maximum muscle mass loss in males and females (-1.53 kg ± 4.42 and -1.14 kg ± 2.6 on average, respectively). The cumulative variance of four dietary patterns reached 52.28%. Logistical regression revealed significant differences between 'Jiangnan Dietary' groups: Q2 vs. Q1 [odds ratio (OR) = 0.356, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.202-0.629]; Q3 vs. Q1 (OR = 0.457, 95% CI = 0.262-0.797). Relative influence factors for muscle mass loss were age (>65 vs. <45, OR = 2.027, 95% CI = 1.117-3.680), physical activity (OR = 0.550, 95% CI = 0.315-0.960), income (high vs. low, OR = 0.413, 95% CI = 0.210 -0.810), sex (female vs. male, OR = 0.379, 95% CI = 0.235-0.519). CONCLUSIONS After 3 years of follow-up, participants' muscle mass declined significantly. The 'Jiangnan Dietary' pattern prevented muscle mass loss and is recommended to the wider population.
Electrical Stimulation for Low-Energy Termination of Cardiac Arrhythmias: a Review.

Cardiac arrhythmias are a leading cause of morbidity and mortality in the developed world, estimated to be responsible for hundreds of thousands of deaths annually. Our understanding of the electrophysiological mechanisms of such arrhythmias has grown since they were formally characterized in the late nineteenth century, and this has led to the development of numerous devices and therapies that have markedly improved outcomes for patients affected by such conditions. Despite these advancements, the application of a single large shock remains the clinical standard for treating deadly tachyarrhythmias. Such defibrillating shocks are undoubtedly effective in terminating such arrhythmias; however, they are applied without forewarning, contributing to the patient’s stress and anxiety; they can be intensely painful; and they can have adverse psychological and physiological effects on patients. In recent years, there has been interest in developing defibrillation protocols that can terminate arrhythmias without crossing the human pain threshold for energy delivery, generally estimated to be between 0.1 and 1 J. In this article, we review existing literature on the development of such low-energy defibrillation methods and their underlying mechanisms, in an attempt to broadly describe the current landscape of these technologies.
Evaluating our own practice: Past, present, and future trends

This paper reviews the progress made in preparing social workers to evaluate their practice since the first Special Issue of the Journal of Social Service Research on single-system research. Activities undertaken in social work education and by the Council on Social Work Education are reviewed. Methodological shifts that influence how we teach and conduct single-system research in practice also are discussed. Results of a survey of practitioners who were trained to conduct single-system research shed some light on the response from the practice community. Finally, suggestions are made to further our efforts to prepare social workers to evaluate their practice.
Una primera epidemia americana de viruela en 1493

We analyze the current debates about the origins of humans in the Western Hemisphere. The work of physical anthropologists and geneticists have forced archeologists to re-examine traditional hypotheses. The dating of the mankind’s migration across the Bering Straits has been pushed back another 10,000 to 15,000 years before the present. At the same time the ties between Paleoindians and East Asians has been further supported and the model of big game hunting as the original pattern of mankind’s socio-economic organization in the Americas has been challenged by new research from South American sites.
Image Database Management

Publisher Summary Contemporary database management systems are devised to give users a seamless and transparent view into the data landscape being managed. Such programs give users the illusion that their view of the data corresponds to the way that it is actually internally represented, as if they were the only users of the software. Image database management system was conceived as a way of managing images for image algorithm development test beds. Images were retrieved based on information in header files, which contained only textual information. The architecture of a standard database management system is usually divided into three different levels, corresponding to the ANSI/SPARC standard. These levels are the physical database level, the conceptual database level, and the external database level. The implementation-independent framework that is employed to describe a database at the logical and external level is called a data model. These models represent the subject database in terms of entities, entity types, attributes of entities, operations on entities and entity types, and relationships among entities and entity types. An image data model must represent the following types of information: the model base, the model-base instantiation, the instantiation-object connection, and the object information repository. The chapter discusses some examples of the existing image database management systems classifying them as first, second, and third generation database systems. It also focuses on the similarity retrieval in image database systems.
A Distributed O(

We first characterize the minimal link-sets L whose directions must be reversed for reestablishing one or more directed paths from each node x to a fixed destination node d in a network when a link fails. Then, we give a distributed O (|E |) algorithm for determining such a link-set L , where |E | = $\sharp$(links in the network). This improves the previous lower bound O (n 2 ), where n = $\sharp$(nodes in the network). The minimality of the reversed link-set L has other important consequences.
A Phase I Trial of High Dose ProMace-CytaBOM with Granulocyte Colony Stimulating Factor for Patients with Non-Hodgkin's Lymphoma

We hypothesized that the conventional ProMACE-CytaBOM regimen could be improved by administering all drugs on d1 with the S-phase agents first in the sequence, prednisone d2-6 only, increasing doxorubicin to 50 mg/m2, and adding G-CSF d2-13 to ameliorate neutropenia. This regimen was tested in a Phase I study of 20 patients (pt) with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL). The median age was 61 yrs (range, 29-79). Four pt had low grade and 16 intermediate/high NHL. The International Prognostic Index was low in 6 cases, low-intermediate in 12, and high-intermediate in 2. Twelve pt received ≥6 cycles; 4 had 5 cycles, 3 had 4 cycles, and 1 received only 1 cycle. Sixteen pt received subsequent cycles without delay. The response rate was 95% (19/20) with 12 CR and 7 PR; one pt progressed during treatment. After a. median follow-up of 30 months, 85% (17/20) remain alive. This higher dose ProMACEcytaBOM regimen can be given to older adult patients in an outpatient setting. Phase III studies would be required to determine ...
A Framework for the Analysis of Peace Agreements and Lessons Learned: The Case of the Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement

Using a ‘Metrics Framework for Accessing Conflict Transformation and Stabilization’ developed by the United States Institute of Peace, this study analyzes the effectiveness of the 2005 Sudanese Comprehensive Peace Agreement in dealing with the underlying causes of conflict. We aim to draw out and develop several important lessons for future international mediators. These lessons are: the recognition that good timing is essential for a successful outcome; the importance of a completely neutral and independent mediator; the clear definition of the role of international parties in order to prevent abuse by parochial interests; the necessity of identifying all aggrieved parties and issues for inclusion in the process; the importance of an international presence on implementation mechanisms; the provision of overarching review mechanisms; the inclusion of specifics on key issues such as the integration of ex-combatants; and, finally, the need to apply lessons identified and learned.
Calcium phosphate materials: reactor response.

This provides information supplementing the discussions and conclusions given in the paper presented by Dr. R. Z. LeGeros. Some of the advantages and limitations of calcium phosphate materials as bone implants were discussed. Properties and potential applications of a new calcium phosphate setting cement were described.
Social activation of the interrenal gland in the blue gourami, Trichogaster trichopterus (Pisces, Belontiidae).

Bisexual groups of two or eight blue gouramis were housed for 4 weeks in 30 liters of water with loose-fitting glass partitions separating the two sexes. Grouping was found to increase the size of interrenal cell nuclei in males, but no impairment of testicular function was noted. Females housed in bisexual pairs exhibited full ovarian development, whereas those housed in groups possessed ovaries containing primarily immature ova. Body weights of these females were also depressed although interrenal hypertrophy was not observed. Experiment 2 reports a significant inverse relationship between an adult male blue gourami's territorial (i.e., dominance) status and interrenal nuclear size. The possible role of the interrenal gland in the population and social biology of freshwater fishes is discussed.
Calculation of thermodynamic functions for the nickel-aluminum system

Now in recent years considerable progress has been made in the calculation of phase diagrams by a method based on modern concepts of the quantum theory of metals and alloys [3-5]. In this method thermodynamic functions are expressed in terms of microscopical characteristics of electron-ion interaction in metallic systems. This approach makes it possible to classify alloys according to the intersolubility of their components and discover the conditions for the existence and the causes of formation of intermediate phases in binary alloys [4, 5]. Initially, this method was employed for the examination of alloys based on nontransition metals. In a more recent work [6], however, electron-ion interaction parameters are given for transition metals. As a result, the possibility has been opened up of calculating the thermodynamic properties of transition metal alloys. In view of the extensive use of alloys of the Ni -A1 system as coatings based on intermetallic compounds, matrices of composite materials, and strengthening-phase matrices of heat-resisting alloys, the present work was undertaken with the aim of determining, by the pseudopotential method, the energy of a disordered nickelbase solid solution and of calculating possible intermediate phases. It was considered of particular interest that in an experimental phase diagram there exists a NiA1 (B2) phase having a bcc lattice, whereas the pure components of the alloy - nickel and aluminum - have fcc lattices. The authors were unable to find a theoretical explanation, supported by calculation, of this phenomenon in the literature. Disordered Solid Solutions To understand the nature of phase equilibria in alloys, it is extremely important to know the character of the electron-ion interaction occurring in them. In this connection, numerous thoeries of phases in alloys utilize fairly crude hypotheses. Of the various theories explaining the contribution from the conduction electrons to the full bond energy, the best-known is the Brillouin zone effect theory proposed by Jones and Goodenough. With the aid of this theory it has proved possible, inter alia, satisfactorily to explain the HumeRothery rule concerning the influence exerted by the effective charge carried by an ion in an alloy on a phase equilibrium. Nevertheless, in the employment of this theory for the explanation of phase diagrams certain difficulties arise. Jones' theory is based on a coarse zonal model neglecting all properties of the atoms corn
SURFACTANT AEROSOL: ADMINISTRATION BY HAND-HELD GENERATOR AND EFFECTS ON EXCISED LUNGS

Dipalmitoyl phosphatidylcholine (DPPC) and cholesteryl palmitate (CP, a spreading agent), 200:1 w/w, were suspended in fluorocarbon propellents and delivered directly to the lungs from Valois metering valve, 5.36±0.16 mg DPPC per actuation. Aerosol deposited in vitro (22°C) as crystalline structures, ~ 100 A thick, and on normal saline solution (NSS)(37°C, humidified atmosphere) as an amorphous film, which spread rapidly and also formed stable bubbles (γ - zero). Compression of the film produced γ <1.0 dyne/ cm. We assessed delivery of DPPC (5 actuations) into excised adult rabbit lungs at 22°C and 37°C. Volume-pressure (VP) curves before and after either DPPC:CP or placebo (propellent) were not different, except for end-deflation volume of the DPPC:CP group, which was larger than the others (p<0.05). Excised lungs were also lavaged with NSS to mobilize and remove natural surfactants prior to aerosolization of either DPPC:CP or placebo. VP diagrams of lavaged and placebo-treated lungs were essentially the same. In contrast, control and DPPC:CP-treated lungs contained larger volumes (p<0.05) throughout deflation. DPPC recovered from the lungs (14C-DPPC marker) was 74.6% of the amount aerosolized. DPPC: CP to normal lungs produced no morphologic changes as assessed by light microscopy. We conclude that rapidly spreading DPPC:CP can be administered efficiently to the lungs by convenient hand-held nebulizer; it sustains VP function of normal lungs and returns function to normal after surfactant-depletion.
PVC photo‐oxidative degradation: Identification of volatiles

Volatile products present in poly(vinyl chloride), PVC, after outdoor weathering have been compared with volatiles from laboratory, UV exposed PVC surfaces. Compounds both present in the photo-degraded polymer surface layer and directly emitted from the polymer were measured in the laboratory experiments. The hydrocarbons, oxygenated compounds and chloro-organic species were measured and identified by capillary gas chromatography with a mass spectrometer detector.
Age differences in craniofacial dimensions among adults from Indian Knoll, Kentucky

Adult craniofacial expansion with aging has recently been documented in a living US white population sample (Israel, '73a, '77). The present study extends these findings to a prehistoric Amerindian skeletal sample from the Indian Knoll, Kentucky site. Sixteen craniofacial dimensions available for 136 adult males were compared in younger (20–34 years) and older (35–50 years) age groups. Of these, six dimensions showed a significant difference between age groups; all significantly different dimensions were larger in the older adult age group. The multivariate (T2) difference between age groups was highly significant. Comparison of results before and after a size standardization indicated that the majority of differences between age groups were associated with an overall size increase, or expansion with aging, and did not represent merely remodeling, or “shape” changes. The pattern of craniofacial change with age appeared generally similar to that observed in the modern US white sample; however, some differences were noted. It is shown that the age trends observed at Indian Knoll are most likely to reflect true craniofacial growth in size among the adult male inhabitants of the site, rather than secular trends or other artifacts of the sampling procedure. The causes for continuing adult craniofacial expansion are unknown, and probably involve a complex interaction of many factors. However, this pattern of change with age among adults does appear to be characteristic of population samples of widely differing genetic and environmental backgrounds.
Influence of hypophysectomy and of adrenocorticotropic hormone on a mammalian adaptive enzyme system.

THE purification of a mammalian hepatic tryptophan peroxidase–oxidase system, and its properties, have been described by Knox and Mehler1. These authors demonstrated the system to be an adaptive one, increasing five- to ten-fold within 4–10 hr. following the intraperitoneal injection of massive doses of L-tryptophan2. That the adaptation is in fact real, with the increase in enzymatic activity resulting from a net synthesis of enzyme protein, has been discussed by Knox and Mehler2, and also by Lee and Williams3, who employed ethionine to inhibit the adaptation synthesis.
Some factors affecting the interaction between actin in leukemic L1210 cells and DNase I

Summary Total actin content and F/G actin ratios were determined in L1210 leukemic cell cytosol based on inhibition of DNase I by actin. DMSO, when present in the assay mixture, inhibited the interaction between actin and DNase I. Ca ++ and pCMB were also inhibitory with maximum effect at 1.25 μM and 2.5 μM, respectively. For expression of maximum inhibition of DNase I by L1210 cytosol, 0.25 μM ATP is necessary in addition to proper dilution. Preincubation of purified chicken muscle actin or actin in L1210 cytosol with double stranded DNA inhibited the subsequent interaction between DNase I and the actin.
Biclustering of Adverse Drug Events in the FDA's Spontaneous Reporting System

In this article, we present a new pharmacovigilance data mining technique based on the biclustering paradigm, which is designed to identify drug groups that share a common set of adverse events (AEs) in the spontaneous reporting system (SRS) of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA). A taxonomy of biclusters is developed, revealing that a significant number of bona fide adverse drug event (ADE) biclusters have been identified. Statistical tests indicate that it is extremely unlikely that the bicluster structures thus discovered, as well as their content, could have arisen by mere chance. Some of the biclusters classified as indeterminate provide support for previously unrecognized and potentially novel ADEs. In addition, we demonstrate the potential importance of the proposed methodology in several important aspects of pharmacovigilance such as providing insight into the etiology of ADEs, facilitating the identification of novel ADEs, suggesting methods and a rationale for aggregating terminologies, highlighting areas of focus, and providing an exploratory tool for data mining.
Tissue factor needs a “complement”

Redecha and colleagues demonstrate a requirement for both tissue factor and complement in this elegant investigation into the mechanisms of aPL-associated fetal loss.
The experience of Korean academic librarianship: A phenomenological study

There are numerous quantitative studies about job satisfaction, career choice, and perceptions of academic librarianship in professional Library and Information Science literature; however, not much qualitative work has been done to understand the lived experience of librarianship in any setting. A phenomenological study was conducted to understand the experiences of Korean academic librarians working in South Korea. Themes covering several aspects of academic librarianship emerged, linking career choice, LIS education and career readiness, relationships with faculty and students, and the development of professional librarianship and academic libraries in South Korea. In addition to adding personal context to quantitative studies about these issues, the phenomenological method used in this study enhances comparative librarianship literature by highlighting the universality and nuances of academic librarianship practice on a global scale.
Significance of nodular regenerative hyperplasia occurring de novo following liver transplantation

Nodular regenerative hyperplasia (NRH) of the liver usually occurs in patients with rheumatological and myelolymphoproliferative disorders; the occurrence post-liver transplantation (LT) has traditionally been ascribed to the use of azathioprine. We report the clinical, biochemical, and radiological features of 14 patients who developed NRH, unrelated to azathioprine in most cases, 3 months to 11 yr after orthotopic LT. A total of 10 patients developed NRH within 4 yr (early onset), and 4 other patients developed the condition beyond 4 yr of LT (late onset). A total of 7 symptomatic patients, all in the early group, had features of portal hypertension with vascular abnormalities on Doppler ultrasonography that were preceded by the diagnosis of NRH. All asymptomatic patients, including each of the 4 patients in the late group, had normal hepatic ultrasound (US) studies. Two symptomatic patients had normalization of histologic abnormalities after correction of vascular abnormalities. In conclusion, observation is appropriate for patients who develop NRH late following LT. Patients in whom NRH is detected on liver biopsy early after transplantation are likely to develop portal hypertension in the future. Intervention aimed at correcting the vascular abnormalities in these patients may result in clinical as well as hepatic histological improvement.
Nanoscale Analyses of High-Nickel Concentration Martensitic High-Strength Steels

Austenite reversion in martensitic steels is known to improve fracture toughness. This research focuses on characterizing mechanical properties and the microstructure of low-carbon, high-nickel steels containing 4.5 and 10 wt pct Ni after a QLT-type austenite reversion heat treatment: first, martensite is formed by quenching (Q) from a temperature in the single-phase austenite field, then austenite is precipitated by annealing in the upper part of the intercritical region in a lamellarization step (L), followed by a tempering (T) step at lower temperatures. For the 10 wt pct Ni steel, the tensile strength after the QLT heat treatment is 910 MPa (132 ksi) at 293 K (20 °C), and the Charpy V-notch impact toughness is 144 J (106 ft-lb) at 188.8 K (−84.4 °C, −120 °F). For the 4.5 wt pct Ni steel, the tensile strength is 731 MPa (106 ksi) at 293 K (20 °C) and the impact toughness is 209 J (154 ft-lb) at 188.8 K (−84.4 °C, −120 °F). Light optical microscopy, scanning electron and transmission electron microscopies, synchrotron X-ray diffraction, and local-electrode atom-probe tomography (APT) are utilized to determine the morphologies, volume fractions, and local chemical compositions of the precipitated phases with sub-nanometer spatial resolution. The austenite lamellae are up to 200 nm in thickness, and up to several micrometers in length. In addition to the expected partitioning of Ni to austenite, APT reveals a substantial segregation of Ni at the austenite/martensite interface with concentration maxima of 10 and 23 wt pct Ni for the austenite lamellae in the 4.5 and 10 wt pct Ni steels, respectively. Copper-rich and M2C-type metal carbide precipitates were detected both at the austenite/martensite interface and within the bulk of the austenite lamellae. Thermodynamic phase stability, equilibrium compositions, and volume fractions are discussed in the context of Thermo-Calc calculations.
Do the Color and Pattern of Micrathena gracilis (Araneae: Araneidae) Attract Prey? Examination of the Prey Attraction Hypothesis and Crypsis

Recent studies have provided evidence that spiders’ color and pattern may attract prey items to their webs, thus increasing their foraging success. However, these studies were conducted on tropical spiders, and no studies have examined this phenomenon in temperate spiders. We examined the role of color and pattern in a North American spiny orb-weaver, Micrathena gracilis. We found that prey capture rates were similar between webs that contain spiders and webs in which spiders were removed. Additionally, we found a trend that painted spiders captured more prey than unpainted spiders. Although our results were not statistically significant, they contradict previous studies examining the role of color in prey attraction.
Relationship of enamel hypoplasia to abnormal events of gestation and birth

Enamel hypoplasia was seen in 119 (54 per cent) of 219 children with some form of cerebral disorder, whereas only 8 (9 per cent) of 93 normal children had enamel hypoplasia. The highest incidence of enamel hypoplasia was seen in those children with choreo-athetosis (100 per cent) and simple spastic diplegia (84 per cent), and the lowest incidence in children with focal cerebral seizure and hemiplegia (38 per cent). Among the 312 children studied, enamel hypoplasia and one or more of 11 other abnormal factors studied occurred in 93. A definite correlation was found between the time the abnormal factors occurred and the time the enamel hypoplasia was estimated to have occurred.
Sedimentary processes and depositional history of a cape-associated shoal, Cape Lookout, North Carolina

Abstract The sedimentary processes of a cape-associated shoal are an integral component of the sediment budget of the surrounding cuspate foreland shoreline. The manner in which sediment is delivered to a shoal and the fate of this sediment, once delivered, have important implications to shoreline management and yet remain largely unstudied. Modern sedimentary processes and the recent depositional history of Cape Lookout Shoal, a large cape-associated shoal in the mixed-energy environment of the North Carolina continental shelf, were examined in a field-intensive study through high-resolution seismic profiles, hydraulic probes, near-bottom current meters, sediment grab samples, and detailed bathymetric surveys. Our findings indicate that: (1) the sediment budget of the up-drift littoral cell is coupled directly to Cape Lookout Shoal, (2) the sedimentary processes of the shoal remain active down its entire length but at a diminishing level with distance from the shore, and (3) the shoal serves as a long-term sink for littoral-zone sediment and limits sediment exchange between adjacent littoral cells and shelf regions. We present evidence suggesting that the position and morphology of Cape Lookout Shoal are not controlled by underlying erosion-resistant strata and that the shoal appears to have developed in the late Holocene after the shelf was scoured by the transgressing shoreface.
Advanced surface modification of indium tin oxide for improved charge injection in organic devices.

A new method is described for surface modification of ITO with an electroactive organic monolayer. This procedure was done to enhance hole injection in an electronic device and involves sequential formation of a monolayer of a π-conjugated organic semiconductor on the indium tin oxide (ITO) surface followed by doping with a strong electron acceptor. The semiconductor monolayer is covalently bound to the ITO, which ensures strong adhesion and interface stability; reduction of the hole injection barrier in these devices is accomplished by formation of a charge-transfer complex by doping within the monolayer. This gives rise to very high current densities in simple single layer devices and double layer light emitting devices compared to those with untreated ITO anodes.
Structural and thermal response of 30 cm diameter ion thruster optics

Tabular and graphical data are presented which are intended for use in calibrating and validating structural and thermal models of ion thruster optics. A 30 cm diameter, two electrode, mercury ion thruster was operated using two different electrode assembly designs. With no beam extraction, the transient and steady state temperature profiles and center electrode gaps were measured for three discharge powers. The data showed that the electrode mount design had little effect on the temperatures, but significantly impacted the motion of the electrode center. Equilibrium electrode gaps increased with one design and decreased with the other. Equilibrium displacements in excess of 0.5 mm and gap changes of 0.08 mm were measured at 450 W discharge power. Variations in equilibrium gaps were also found among assemblies of the same design. The presented data illustrate the necessity for high fidelity ion optics models and development of experimental techniques to allow their validation.
The potential of MODIS for drought monitoring in Northern China

Drought is a main meteorological disaster leading to significant environmental, social and economic consequences due to its high frequency and large influence. Traditional methods of drought monitoring are to simplify drought into drought indices derived from weather station data. With the development of remote sensing, It is necessary to assess the potential of such indices derived from a specific sensor for drought monitoring in a particular region before we apply this remote-sensed measure in large area. This study assesses the SPIs in different time scales and their performance in identifying drought, as well as the potential of MODIS-derived spectral indices in drought monitoring in Hebei, an arid and semi-arid areas of Northern China. Reveal the relationship between different MODIS data and meteorological SPI in different time scales, so as to identify their feasibility for drought monitoring.
Complexes of niobium pentachloride with cyclic polythiaethers

Abstract A number of NbCl5 adducts with cyclic polythiaethers are described and characterized. Complexes are simple Lewis acid-base adducts with the ligands functioning as bridges between NbCl5 units. The ligands display no reducing tendencies toward NbCl5 and all complexes are diamagnetic. IR and NMR spectra support coordination through sulfur. NMR studies indicate that in solution, NbCl5 undergoes rapid exchange among available sulfur coordination sites.
What industry needs in a high-power excimer laser

operations on high power excimer lasers, 100 to 200 Watts, operating three shifts a day, seven days a week.The issues of durability, reliability, serviceability, and cost will be addressed.2. INTRODUC'I'IONSince the invention of the excimer laser in the mid- 1970s, numerous papers have been written on their use inmaterials processing of microelectronic circuits. The first reported production-line use of excimer lasers for
THE VOICES OF CHILDREN: PREADOLESCENT CHILDREN'S EXPERIENCES IN FAMILY THERAPY

Although family therapists often include children in therapy sessions, they rarely consider the child's wishes regarding participation or ask children for their impressions of therapy. In this study, 16 children between the ages of 5 and 13 who had participated in at least four family therapy sessions were interviewed to determine their perspectives on the experience. The children made it clear that they wished to be involved in a meaningful way in therapy and that they wanted to come to sessions even when they were not the focus. Feedback from these children is used to suggest ways family therapists might enhance their effectiveness with families with children.
Hardware timebase calibration in the multi-GSa/s LABRADOR-4 ASIC

In recent years inexpensive, multi-Giga sample per second CMOS waveform samplers have become available, enabling a new generation of low-power, high channel count experiments in particle and astroparticle physics. Power savings over other architectures is realized by having nothing operating at the direct sampling rate of interest. Instead, the Switched Capacitor Array sampling is driven by timing generators based upon voltage-controlled delay lines. Stabilization of the timebase and the significant calibration effort required, due to the non-uniform time-steps introduced by CMOS process variations in these delay lines, have limited their more wide-spread adoption in the community. In most of the CMOS processes used, the sample-to-sample time step difference is of order 10–20%, and cannot be neglected in many applications. Especially for applications involving real-time processing of the waveform samples from these devices, splining and resampling the smoothed waveforms on a uniform time grid is computationally very expensive. To address this issue, in the 4th generation LABRADOR ASIC, individual time sample trim DACs have been implemented to tune out this time step variance. Available results of this hardware-level calibration are reported.
Mutation rates, spectra and hotspots in mismatch repair-deficient Caenorhabditis elegans.

Although it is clear that postreplicative DNA mismatch repair (MMR) plays a critical role in maintaining genomic stability in nearly all forms of life surveyed, much remains to be understood about the genome-wide impact of MMR on spontaneous mutation processes and the extent to which MMR-deficient mutation patterns vary among species. We analyzed spontaneous mutation processes across multiple genomic regions using two sets of mismatch repair-deficient (msh-2 and msh-6) Caenorhabditis elegans mutation-accumulation (MA) lines and compared our observations to mutation spectra in a set of wild-type (WT), repair-proficient C. elegans MA lines. Across most sequences surveyed in the MMR-deficient MA lines, mutation rates were ∼100-fold higher than rates in the WT MA lines, although homopolymeric nucleotide-run (HP) loci composed of A:T base pairs mutated at an ∼500-fold greater rate. In contrast to yeast and humans where mutation spectra vary substantially with respect to different specific MMR-deficient genotypes, mutation rates and patterns were overall highly similar between the msh-2 and msh-6 C. elegans MA lines. This, along with the apparent absence of a Saccharomyces cerevisiae MSH3 ortholog in the C. elegans genome, suggests that C. elegans MMR surveillance is carried out by a single Msh-2/Msh-6 heterodimer.
Peripheral location of the Y chromosome: relationship to race and length heteromorphism.

In the present report we examined the position of the Y chromosome with respect to its size and race to determine their relationship to its peripheral location. Peripheral blood lymphocytes were cultured from 172 normal male individuals (70 Asian Indians; 49 American Blacks; and 53 Caucasians) and 2770 QFQ cells were photographed. The length of the Y chromosome was classified into four groups i.e., small, average, large and very large as described earlier (Verma et al., J. Med. Genet., 15, 227-281, 1978). The average incidence of peripheral location of all races for small, average, large and very large was 3.64, 5.84, 10.51 and 11.17 per cent respectively. For blacks and caucasians, the peripheral location was influenced by its size while the incidence remained the same for Indians for all sizes. Consequently, it is presumed that the position of the Y chromosome in somatic metaphases depends upon race as well as its size. Furthermore, we have provided a method for determining the position of the Y chromosome which should suffice for most situations.
Screening for mutations by RNA single-strand conformation polymorphism (rSSCP): comparison with DNA-SSCP

Abstract Single-strand conformation polymorphism (SSCP) is a simple method for detecting the presence of mutations in a segment of DNA, but the fraction of all mutations detected is unclear. We have evaluated SSCP for the detection of single-base mutations in the factor IX gene. Multiple conditions were examined including electrophoresis temperature, electrophoresis buffer concentration, acrylamide to bis-acrylamide ratio, and water-cooled versus fan-cooled gel apparatuses. Depending on conditions, 10-11 of 12 known mutations were detected in a 183 bp segment whereas only 11-14 of 22 known mutations were detected in a 307 bp segment. We hypothesized that single stranded RNA should have a larger repertoire of secondary structure because shorter hairpins form stable duplexes and the 2' hydroxyl group is available for sugar-base and sugar-sugar hydrogen bonds. By incorporating phage promoter sequences into PCR primers, RNA-SSCP (rSSCP) could be compared directly with standard DNA SSCP. rSSCP was generally superior to SSCP, especially for the 307 bp segment. In addition, the abundance of transcript produced as a result of rSSCP allows the rapid, nonradioactive detection of mutations by staining the gel with ethidium bromide. To gauge the utility of the method in a prospective manner, a blinded study was performed in which SSCP, rSSCP, and direct genomic sequencing were compared in 28 patients with hemophilia B. A total of 2.6 kb of factor IX genomic sequence was examined in nine regions ranging from 180 to 497 nucleotides of factor IX sequence. Sequence changes at 20 different sites were detected by direct genomic sequencing; 70% of these were detected by rSSCP while only 35% were detected by SSCP.
Partition coefficients of selected pyridine carbamates and comparisons with their acetylcholinesterase and butyrylcholinesterase inhibitory potencies

Abstract Partition coefficients of a series of 2-substituted 3-( N,N -dimethyl)carbamyloxypyridines were determined in an octanol-buffer (pH 7.4) system. The values obtained were compared with the inhibitory potencies of acetylcholinesterase and butyryl-cholinesterase. No significant difference was found for the role of hydrophobicity in the two enzyme systems.
The "life histories" of genes.

Genes do not only originate. Genes have their own life histories. Life histories of genes might differ in the way the genes originate, but also in how fast they become established, and how long they persist in the genome. To understand the diversity of life histories of genes it is necessary to consider genes of various ages as each age group can illustrate a different kind of life history. We can find examples of the “live fast, die young” existence only among young gene cohorts and of the “live slow, die old” lifestyle within old genes. We gain this information using the comparative genomics approach that is becoming increasingly productive thanks to the abundance of whole-genome sequence data generated within the last 20 years. Often, this genomic information is accompanied by age-, tissue- and sex-specific gene expression data as well as functional studies that can give us a sense of the gene’s function/sand complement the evolutionary analyses.
Comprehensive analysis of loops at protein-protein interfaces for macrocycle design

Inhibiting protein-protein interactions (PPIs) with synthetic molecules remains a frontier of chemical biology. Many PPIs have been successfully targeted by mimicking α-helices at interfaces, but most PPIs are mediated by nonhelical, nonstrand peptide loops. We sought to comprehensively identify and analyze these loop-mediated PPIs by writing and implementing LoopFinder, a customizable program that can identify loop-mediated PPIs within all of the protein-protein complexes in the Protein Data Bank. Comprehensive analysis of the entire set of 25,005 interface loops revealed common structural motifs and unique features that distinguish loop-mediated PPIs from other PPIs. 'Hot loops', named in analogy to protein hot spots, were identified as loops with favorable properties for mimicry using synthetic molecules. The hot loops and their binding partners represent new and promising PPIs for the development of macrocycle and constrained peptide inhibitors.
Molecular characterization of desmoid tumors: decryption of the enigma.

resolution characterization of chromosomal abnormalities down to the kilobase level, whereas previous studies on desmoid tumors have largely employed techniques suited for the detection of megabase or larger chromosomal alterations [14]. In conjunction with SNP-A, the authors performed traditional DNA sequencing on a number of genes known to be mutated in desmoid tumors, including β-catenin (CTNNB1) and APC. Using these combined methodologies, the authors validated existing data on the presence of mutations in CTNNB1, and losses in chromosome 8q, which contains the APC locus. In addition, they detected numerous other small deletions and insertions that have previously not been reported in desmoid tumors. The most significant of these novel lesions was a heterozygous, somatic deletion affecting a small region of chromosome 8p23, which was observed in 44% of the tumors tested. This deletion falls within the CUB and Sushi multiple domains1 (CSMD1) gene, a putative tumor suppressor that is also mutated or deleted in tumors of the head and neck, colon, breast, and prostate [15, 16]. Furthermore, the authors noted a correlation between CSMD1 deletion and relapse, as 3 of the 9 patients with disease recurrence at the time of publication had exhibited a CSMD1 deletion. The small sample size and short follow-up time limit the authors’ ability to make firm conclusions regarding the prognostic significance of these otherwise exceptional and novel data. The management of desmoid tumors remains a challenge to the patient and the clinician. However, studies such as this by Erben and colleagues add to the arsenal of data that will eventually lead to novel therapies for this disease. As for all patients presenting with complex malignancies such as desmoid tumors, continued efforts for tissue collection and multi-institution and protocol-based regimens are justified.