cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Twenty-First Century Federalist

ABSTRACTIt is unlikely a “third party” will arise to threaten the two-party duopoly that has governed American politics since 1828. It is, however, possible that a new political movement will arise within the Republican Party, stake out new ideological terrain, and make a bid for control of the party apparatus. Movements arise when parties fail to address public challenges, policy entrepreneurs recognize the opportunity, and resources are available to make a bid feasible. Today the two parties have failed to address the increasing fragmentation of American public life. They have, in fact, contributed to fragmentation by appealing to identity politics and by attempting to use the national government as a tool of legal and judicial force against their opponents. A new political movement centered on federalism—the restoration of state and local government and a balance of power between the states and the national government—offers the hope of allowing cultural pluralism to flourish within an overarching poli...
Queering Place: Using the Classroom to Describe the World

This chapter argues that we might consider ideas emerging from queer theory to make discussions of place within our pedagogical practice strange—to queer them. While many scholars stress places external to the classroom as sites for connecting to community and the larger world around us, this chapter argues that it is not necessary to leave the classroom to coherently discuss and respect place in a globalized world, particularly in the social sciences. This makes the classroom a specific site, with cultural artifacts and symbolic values within it, worthy of investigation, refusing to accept the binary separation of the “school” or “university” and the “community” and, finally, the “globe” of which they are a part
Clinical Utility of Continuous Radial MRI Acquisition at 3T in Patellofemoral Kinematic Assessment

Objectives:Continuous gradient-echo (GRE) acquisition or “dynamic magnetic resonance imaging”, allows for high-speed examination of pathologies based on joint motion. We sought to assess the effica...
Coming of age in multi-ethnic America: young adults’ experiences with diversity

How do young adults experience diversity? How does the transition into adulthood shape these experiences? How do these experiences differ across contexts with varying levels of diversity? Comparing...
Die Verteilung der Deutschen Ansiedler vor 1775. Ihre Bedeutung für die Grenzwacht. Schätzung Ihrer Zahl

Zur besseren Veranschaulichung der Verteilung der deutschen Niederlassungen vor der Revolution ist umstehend eine Karte eingefugt, wie sie sich aus den Feststellungen uber den deutschen Anteil an der Bevolkerung der einzelnen Kreise (in deren heutiger Abgrenzung) ergeben haben.2 Soweit sich aus den heute zuganglichen Quellen ergibt, waren die von Deutschen bewohnten Kreise folgende. In der Provinz Massachusetts waren es die zum heutigen Staate Maine gehorigen Kreise Lincoln, Knox, Waldo und im nordwestlichen Teile des jetzigen Staates Massachusetts der Kreis Franklin. In der Provinz New-York bewohnten die Deutschen Teile der am Hudson gelegenen Kreise Dutchess, Ulster, Columbia und Greene; ferner Schoharie und am Mohawk die Kreise Montgomery, Fulton, Herkimer, sowie Teile von Oneida, Saratoga und Schenectady. Die deutschen Kreise in Pennsylvanien auserhalb Philadelphias waren Montgomery, Berks, Lancaster, Lehigh, Lebanon, Dauphin, York, Chester, Northampton, Monroe, Cumberland und Adams; in Maryland waren es die Kreise Baltimore, Frederick, Washington und zum Teil Caroll. In New-Jersey waren die Kreise Hunterdon, Somerset, Morris dicht, Sussex, Passaic, Essex und im sudlichen Teil Salem weniger dicht von Deutschen bevolkert. Im Virginischen Tal hatten alle Kreise eine starke deutsche Bevolkerung; in West-Virginien die Kreise Jefferson, Berkeley und Morgan, im heutigen Virginien Clarke, Frederick, Warren, Shenandoah, Page, Rockingham, sowie (obschon in geringerem Mase) Augusta, Rockbridge, Bath, Botetourt, Montgomery, Wythe und andere. Ostlich von den virginischen Gebirgen waren es die folgenden Kreise: Madison, Fauquier, Rappahannock, Loudoun, Prince William, Albemarle, Greene, Louisa und Orange; uberdies gab es in den Kreisen Isle of Wight, Henrico und anderen verstreut liegende deutsche Ansiedlungen. In den Alleghanies waren Deutsche in den westvirginischen Kreisen Hampshire, Mineral, Hardy, Grant, Pendleton am Patterson Creek und am Sudarm des Potomac ansassig. In Nord-Carolina waren die westlichen, damals noch an der Grenze liegenden Kreise any Yadkin- und Catawba-Strom, namlich: Davidson, Stanly, Cabarrus, Rowan, Iredell, Catawba und Lincoln von pennsylvanischen Deutschen bewohnt; in den Kreisen Forsyth und Stokes hatten sich Mahrische Bruder deutschen Stammes angesiedelt; noch fruhere Niederlassungen gab es an der Meereskuste, in den Kreisen Craven (Newborn) und Brunswick (Wilmington). In Sud-Carolina hatten deutsche Ansiedler die Kreise Orangeburg und Lexington besetzt, ebenso Teile von Barnwell, Newberry, Abbeville, Fairfield, Richland, Edgefield, Beaufort (Purysburg) und Charleston. In Georgien waren die Deutschen am zahlreichsten im Kreise Effingham, von wo sie sich den Savannah-Strom entlang in den Kreisen Screven, Burke und Chatham, das heist, in dein Gebiet zwischen Savannah und Augusta ausgebreitet hatten.
Embedded Written Documents as Colonial Mimicry in Ezra-Nehemiah

The unity of the final form of Ezra-Nehemiah has long been the consensus position among scholars in the field. This article challenges that consensus by comparing and contrasting the use of embedded written documents in Ezra 7 and Nehemiah 10 through the theoretical lens of colonial mimicry. I argue that the Artaxerxes rescript in Ezra 7 strategically mimics imperial discourse by assuming that propagandistic Persian rhetoric to Babylon and Egypt should also naturally apply to Yehud despite its peripheral status. By contrast, Nehemiah 10 invokes indigenous Judean writing to challenge the legitimacy of imperial domination. The sharply differing political programs articulated by these two texts, combined with literary and manuscript evidence from antiquity, suggests that the canonical book of Ezra-Nehemiah is an outlier among ancient Judean texts in juxtaposing the figures of Ezra and Nehemiah.
1.16 – Parahydrogen-induced Polarization in Organometallic Chemistry

Parahydrogen (p-H2) is an extremely useful tool for the study of additions of H2 to organic and organometallic species. Using p-H2 in conjunctions with NMR spectroscopy can allow for the observation of species in very small concentrations and also yields important mechanistic information. In this chapter, we summarize work from the laboratories of several groups that have used p-H2 in several different systems in various ways to gain new information regarding H2 oxidative addition to late transition metals, transition metal-catalyzed hydrogenation and hydroformylation, and addition of H2 to early transition metal complexes.
Abstract 3065: Role of noncoding RNA miR 146 alpha and let 7c in epithelial mesenchymal transition, proliferation, and cancer stem cell-like transformation analyzed by gene expression studies in a cohort of prostate cancer patients

Mir 146 alpha and let 7c are considered tumor suppressor miRs and are responsible for downregulating polycomb repressor proteins like EZH2, SUZ12, etc., and thereby prevent epithelial-mesenchymal transition (EMT),proliferation, spheroid formation and metastasis in prostate cancer cells. In this study, we investigated the role of these microRNAs in a cohort of 105 patients, both White (CA) and African American (AA), by gene expression studies using real-time PCR techniques. Our results showed definite downregulation of these noncoding RNAs in the cDNAs obtained from the matched biopsy samples of normal and cancer tissues. We further transfected these miR full-length constructs in PC3 prostate cancer cell lines and validated their effects by downregulation of their target 39UTR target mRNAs. Our results showed decrease in EMT markers ALDH, increase in EMT marker E-cadherin, decrease in cell proliferation and spheroid formation; fluorescence microscopy studies showed a decrease in CD44-positive cells in the spheroids, signifying a possible hindrance in the growth of cancer stem cells (CSCs). Thus, miR 146 alpha and let7c could be ideal targets for diagnosis, prognosis and therapeutic intervention. Citation Format: Hirendra N. Banerjee, Fazlul Sarkar, Myla Worthington, Sasha Hodge, Mukesh Verma, Santosh Mandal. Role of noncoding RNA miR 146 alpha and let 7c in epithelial mesenchymal transition, proliferation, and cancer stem cell-like transformation analyzed by gene expression studies in a cohort of prostate cancer patients [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3065.
Honing In on TMC as the Hair Cell's Transduction Channel.

The identity of the inner ear's transduction channel has bedeviled auditory neuroscientists for decades. In this issue of Neuron, Pan et al. (2018) report the most convincing evidence to date implicating the transmembrane channel-like (TMC) proteins as forming the pore of the transduction channel.
Investigation of exhaust flow and exergy fluctuations in a diesel engine

Abstract In the present study, we investigated cyclic fluctuations of exhaust flow through measured variations in instantaneous pressure of the exhaust manifold and its implications on the exergy (the useful available energy) of exhaust flow of a single cylinder representation of a heavy-duty diesel engine over a range of operating conditions. The engine was operated at a speed of 1500 rpm and at loads of 2.5 bar and 5 bar brake mean effective pressure (BMEP) and different boost pressures (1.2 bar to 2.4 bar). Instantaneous exhaust pressures were measured over 1000 consecutive engine cycles by a piezoresistive exhaust sensor and instantaneous exhaust temperatures as well as mass flow rates were obtained by constructing GT-SUITE models. Cycle to cycle variations in magnitudes of maximum measured exhaust pressure, calculated exhaust temperature and phasing of the blowdown to displacement transition were analyzed. Additionally, cyclic variability in exhaust exergy components, i.e., thermal and mechanical exergies were estimated. The results show that the magnitude of the maximum exhaust pressure increased at higher engine load (i.e., from the average values of 1.63 bar to 2.00 bar at 2.5 bar BMEP to the average values of 1.78 bar to 2.16 bar at 5 bar BMEP). Also, the crank-resolved ensemble exergy rate in the exhaust process was higher at higher engine load and the return maps of the cumulative exergy at both engine loads exhibited a stochastic pattern. Furthermore, the mechanical component of exergy in the exhaust process had lower variations in comparison to the thermal component of exergy at both engine loads.
Michaelis-Menten Kinetics

Enzymes bind to their substrates and transform them into products. A plot of the initial reaction velocity versus substrate concentration depicts a rectangular hyperbola. The reaction velocity (v) equals ( V max [A])/( K m + [A]) as described by the Michaelis-Menten equation where V max is the maximal velocity, [A] is the substrate concentration, and K m is the Michaelis constant, or the substrate concentration at half maximal velocity. Steady-state enzyme kinetics are used to determine the K m value for substrates, the V max value for enzymes, and the K i values for various inhibitors, including drugs.
The strength of Black families: A commentary on Leading with Racial Equity

This commentary provides an overview of resilience in the Black family. It also offers a reflection on important work in this issue assessing the historical and future-oriented conceptualization of...
Why does B2O3 suppress nepheline (NaAlSiO4) crystallization in sodium aluminosilicate glasses

The uncontrolled growth of nepheline (NaAlSiO4) crystals during the manufacturing of sodium aluminosilicate glasses via the fusion draw or float techniques and during the vitrification of some of the sodium- and alumina-rich nuclear waste glasses is a well-known problem. The addition of B2O3 to suppress the crystallization in these glasses is well documented in the literature. Another advantage of B2O3 is that it lowers the viscosity of the glass melt and, if incorporated in its trigonal coordination state, will improve the intrinsic damage resistance of the final glass product. Hence, B2O3 has been an integral component of glass compositions for advanced industrial applications and for nuclear waste vitrification. However, one major disadvantage of adding B2O3 to alkali aluminosilicate based glasses is its adverse impact on their chemical durability due to the rapid hydrolysis of B[3,4]–O–B[3,4] bonds in comparison to (Si, Al)–O–(Si, Al) bonds. Therefore, designing a boron-containing alkali aluminosilicate based functional glass with minimal tendency towards crystallization and high chemical durability requires an in-depth fundamental understanding of the mechanism through which B2O3 tends to suppress crystallization in these glasses. There is no current consensus on the fundamental mechanism through which B2O3 tends to suppress nepheline crystallization in these glasses. Based on the mechanisms described and the questions raised in the preceding literature, the present study focuses on addressing the ongoing debate through a detailed structural and thermo-kinetic investigation of glasses designed in the Na2O–Al2O3–B2O3–SiO2 based quaternary system over a broad composition space. Using a combination of Raman and (1D and 2D) nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopies along with equilibrium and non-equilibrium viscosity, and liquidus temperature measurements, it has been shown that the substitution of Si–O–Al by Si–O–B linkages in the glass structure results in a significant increase in the glass forming ability as well as an increase in the liquidus viscosity (slower diffusivity), thereby suppressing the nepheline crystallization.
Elevating Insulin Signaling Using a Constitutively Active Insulin Receptor Increases Glucose Metabolism and Expression of GLUT3 in Hippocampal Neurons

Insulin signaling is an integral component of healthy brain function, with evidence of positive insulin-mediated alterations in synaptic integrity, cerebral blood flow, inflammation, and memory. However, the specific pathways targeted by this peptide remain unclear. Previously, our lab used a molecular approach to characterize the impact of insulin signaling on voltage-gated calcium channels and has also shown that acute insulin administration reduces calcium-induced calcium release in hippocampal neurons. Here, we explore the relationship between insulin receptor signaling and glucose metabolism using similar methods. Mixed, primary hippocampal cultures were infected with either a control lentivirus or one containing a constitutively active human insulin receptor (IRβ). 2-NBDG imaging was used to obtain indirect measures of glucose uptake and utilization. Other outcome measures include Western immunoblots of GLUT3 and GLUT4 on total membrane and cytosolic subcellular fractions. Glucose imaging data indicate that neurons expressing IRβ show significant elevations in uptake and rates of utilization compared to controls. As expected, astrocytes did not respond to the IRβ treatment. Quantification of Western immunoblots show that IRβ is associated with significant elevations in GLUT3 expression, particularly in the total membrane subcellular fraction, but did not alter GLUT4 expression in either fraction. Our work suggests that insulin plays a significant role in mediating neuronal glucose metabolism, potentially through an upregulation in the expression of GLUT3. This provides further evidence for a potential therapeutic mechanism underlying the beneficial impact of intranasal insulin in the clinic.
Continental Mafic Rocks

The interpretation of the isotopic data on continental basaltic rocks is complicated by factors that are similar to those associated with the continental magmatic arcs. In contrast to the continental margin arcs, however, intermediate composition lavas are relatively rare in comparison to basalt. Because it is more difficult in general to reconcile crustal contamination with the chemical composition of basalt, the basalt provinces present some unique problems of interpretation. These provinces are separated into three types here for the purpose of discussion. Flood basalt provinces are large volumes of lava generally having compositions that are tholeiitic or transitional to alkali basalt (Turner and Verhoogen 1960). A second type of province is the continental rift, where the lavas are usually more alkalic and of smaller volume. The third type, which is not entirely distinct from the second, comprises mafic lavas of alkalic and often extremely silica-undersaturated compositions, which are erupted in small volumes over broad areas, generally in the form of cinder cones with small numbers of associated lava flows.
A Soft-Real-Time-Optimal Semi-Clustered Scheduler with a Constant Tardiness Bound

Different global and semi-partitioned schedulers have been proposed that are soft-real-time (SRT) optimal for sporadic task systems, meaning they can guarantee bounded deadline tardiness. However, under known analyses, tardiness bounds increase with respect to the number of processors, which reduces the applicability of these schedulers in systems with a large number of processors. In this paper, a semi-clustered scheduler, SC-EDF, is presented that has a constant tardiness bound. SC-EDF partitions tasks into clusters, each of which may include one fractional processor. Each cluster is scheduled by G-EDF, and the fractional processors are realized using Pfair scheduling techniques.
Accelerating Restarted GMRES With Mixed Precision Arithmetic

The generalized minimum residual method (GMRES) is a commonly used iterative Krylov solver for sparse, non-symmetric systems of linear equations. Like other iterative solvers, data movement dominates its run time. To improve this performance, we propose running GMRES in reduced precision with key operations remaining in full precision. Additionally, we provide theoretical results linking the convergence of finite precision GMRES with classical Gram-Schmidt with reorthogonalization (CGSR) and its infinite precision counterpart which helps justify the convergence of this method to double-precision accuracy. We tested the mixed-precision approach with a variety of matrices and preconditioners on a GPU-accelerated node. Excluding the incomplete LU factorization without fill in (ILU(0)) preconditioner, we achieved average speedups ranging from 8 to 61 percent relative to comparable double-precision implementations, with the simpler preconditioners achieving the higher speedups.
United States Regulation of Canadian Securities Attorneys under Sarbanes-Oxley: Exploring Costs and Finding an Optimal Allocation of Authority

In reaction to a series of corporate scandals, starting with the collapse of the energy giant Enron,1 the United States enacted the landmark Public Company Accounting Reform and Investor Protection Act of 2002 [hereinafter "the Act"].2 The Act, more commonly known as the Sarbanes-Oxley Act, creates a new disclosure and corporate governance regime that imposes a framework of oversight upon corporate officers, accountants, and attorneys.3 In an unprecedented attempt to federalize the norms of securities attorneys,4 Section 307 of the Act requires the United States
Chapter 6 Secondary synthesis methods

Summary Secondary or post-synthesis treatments have been utilized to produce many of the desired catalytic properties that could not be achieved by direct synthesis. These include increased catalytic acid activity, improved thermal and hydrothermal stability, and extra porosity. Historically, research in this area has been driven by the demand for improved petroleum cracking catalysts. Treatments used include: acid leaching, high temperature steam, and chemical treatments with chelates or fluoride compounds as well as combinations of these treatments. These processes are described along with the effects these methods have on the structural, physical and catalytic properties of the material.
Ergodic Theorems for Densities

This chapter is devoted to developing ergodic theorems first for relative entropy densities and then information densities for the general case of AMS processes with standard alphabets. The general results were first developed by Barron using the martingale convergence theorem and a new martingale inequality. The similar results of Algoet and Cover can be proved without direct recourse to martingale theory. They infer the result for the stationary Markov approximation and for the infinite order approximation from the ordinary ergodic theorem. They then demonstrate that the growth rate of the true density is asymptotically sandwiched between that for the kth order Markov approximation and the infinite order approximation and that no gap is left between these asymptotic upper and lower bounds in the limit as k → ∞. They use martingale theory to show that the values between which the limiting density is sandwiched are arbitrarily close to each other, but in this chapter it is shown that martingale theory is not needed and this property follows from the results of Chapter 8.
Studies on Ehrlich ascites cell nuclei. I. Methods of isolation of nuclei.

Abstract An aqueous method of homogenization of Ehrlich ascites tumor cells has been presented along with 3 methods for the isolation of nuclei from these homogenates, namely, using sucrose-phosphate-bicarbonate buffer, Krebs-Ringer phosphate buffer and solutions of sucrose. The yields of isolated nuclei averaged about 50 per cent, based on DNA recovery. The total amount of DNA recovered in a single procedure ranged from 0.83 to 127 mg, depending on the quantity of fluid being processed. The nuclei isolated by each of the methods appeared to be morphologically intact and essentially free of cytoplasmic contamination when examined by phase microscopy.
Desulfurization of ethylene sulfide on Mo(100): The roles of ring size and strain in adsorbate reaction selectivity

Abstract The reactions, under ultrahigh vacuum, of ethylene sulfide (c-C2H4S) on Mo(110) have been examined, by isothermal reaction spectroscopy, temperature programmed reaction spectroscopy, and X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy, Auger electron spectroscopy, and low energy electron diffraction. The dominant reaction channel (~ 85%) is intramolecular elimination of ethylene sulfide to gaseous ethylene. Approximately 70% of the ethylene formation occurs upon ethylene sulfide adsorption for all crystal temperatures examined (100, 120, and 140 K). At high coverages, small amounts of ethylene are formed at ~ 200 K, produced during the decomposition of chemisorbed ethylene sulfide. A minor reaction channel (~15%) for ethylene sulfide on Mo(110) is complete decomposition to surface carbon, surface sulfur, and gaseous dihydrogen. For high ethylene sulfide coverages, the dihydrogen produced during decomposition evolves at 375, 460, and 575 K. Ethylene sulfide desulfurization results in the deposition of 0.35 monolayer of atomic sulfur at reaction saturation for adsorption temperatures of
Oviposition Patterns of Creontiades signatus (Hemiptera: Miridae) on Okra-Leaf and Normal-Leaf Cotton

We investigated the oviposition behavior of Creontiades signatus Distant (Hemiptera: Miridae), a relatively new plant bug pest of south Texas cotton, Gossypium hirsutum L., on okra-leaf and normal-leaf genotypes that differed signiÞcantly in their leaf morphology and trichome densities. In a no-choice study, the site preference and numbers of eggs oviposited by C. signatus were identical for the okra-leaf and normal-leaf. In a free-choice test, C. signatus showed a signiÞcant preference for the normal-leaf by ovipositing 3 times the number of eggs than on okra-leaf, but the site locations and percentages of egg distributions were similar for the two cotton types. The leaf petiole was the most preferred site for oviposition, followed by the main stem, and fruiting structures (squares and small bolls). The majority of eggs were oviposited in the leaf petioles associated with the mid-portion (nodes 4 Ð 8) of the plant. Trichome densities on the leaf petioles, main stem, and leaf veins were similar for node 3, but they were signiÞcantly higher on these structures for nodes 5 and 8 for the okra-leaf compared with the normal-leaf. The strong selection of oviposition sites in the normal-leaf cotton in this study may be due to some factor other than trichome density. This information should increase the knowledge for scouting for the presence of eggs and young nymphs and serve as a starting point for the selection of nonpreferred cotton varieties for oviposition by this mirid.
An index implementation supporting fast recovery for the POSTGRES storage system

The authors present two algorithms for maintaining B-tree index consistency in a database management system which does not use write-ahead logging (WAL). One algorithm is similar to shadow paging, but improves performance by integrating shadow meta-data with index meta-data. The other algorithm uses a two-phase page reorganization scheme to reduce the space overhead caused by shadow paging. Although designed for the POSTGRES storage system, these algorithms should also be useful in a WAL-based storage system, as support for logical logging. Measurements and analysis of a prototype implementation suggest that the algorithms will have little impact on data manager performance. >
Silent voices: nonbehavioral reactions to service failures.

Past research has focused on complainers and their behavioral responses to service failures, yet research on “silent voices” or noncomplainers is scant. To bridge that gap, this study investigates two types of nonbehavioral dissatisfaction responses, namely loyalty and neglect. The study results, based on 177 noncomplainers in restaurant, auto-repair, and medical services, indicate that a higher emotional bonding leads customers to choose loyalty over neglect. Also, return intentions were higher for loyalty than neglect in restaurant and auto-repair contexts but they were not different in the medical services context. The implications for service managers and researchers are discussed.
Neural mechanisms supporting maladaptive food choices in anorexia nervosa

Anorexia nervosa provides a compelling example of persistent maladaptive behavior: the severe restriction of caloric intake. Activity in the dorsal striatum was greater in patients than in controls during food choice and correlated with subsequent caloric intake, suggesting that dorsal fronto-striatal circuits are involved in this disorder.
Interferometric testing of large optics in the presence of vibration

ABSTRACT A modification to the usual phase shifting interferometry algorithm permits measurements tobe taken fast enough to essentially freeze out vibrations. Only two interferograms are time critical in this "2+ 1" algorithm; the third is a null. An error analysis has been performed for this newalgorithm. The implemented system acquires the two time critical interferograms with a imsseparation, on either side of the interline transfer of a standard CCD video camera, resulting in a reduction in sensitivity to vibration of one to two orders of magnitude. The required phase shiftis achieved via frequency shifting. An alternative implementation is also being developed to permitphase determination for a wider class of time varying wavefronts. The current "2 + 1" system hasbeen demonstrated in the laboratory to succeed in obtaining a phase map for a surface even whenvibrations were large enough to wash out video rate fringes.1. INTRODUCTION The development of a new phase shifting interferometry technique1 has been motivated bythe ongoing efforts at the University of Arizona to cast and polish large, fast and lightweight
A semi-empirical Xα calculation of porphine☆

Abstract Diverse spectroscopic data of tetraphenylporphyrin and octaethylporphyrin are reduced to “experimental” orbital energy differences. The method of reduction employs invariances found in the semi-empirical Xα calculation of porphine. The Xα calculation yields the usual, porphine four-orbital model and significantly smaller orbital energy differences of filled levels than observed in Hartree—Fock based calculations.
Enantiospecific Interactions between Cholesterol and Phospholipids

The effects of cholesterol on various membrane proteins have received considerable attention. An important question regarding each of these effects is whether the cholesterol exerts its influence by binding directly to membrane proteins or by changing the properties of lipid bilayers. Recently it was suggested that a difference in the effects of natural cholesterol and its enantiomer, ent-cholesterol, would originate from direct binding of cholesterol to a target protein. This strategy rests on the fact that ent-cholesterol has appeared to have effects on lipid films similar to those of cholesterol, yet fluorescence microscopy studies of phospholipid monolayers have provided striking demonstrations of the enantiomer effects, showing opposite chirality of domain shapes for phospholipid enantiomer pairs. We observed the shapes of ordered domains in phospholipid monolayers containing either cholesterol or ent-cholesterol and found that the phospholipid chirality had a great effect on the domain chirality, whereas a minor (quantitative) effect of cholesterol chirality could be observed only in monolayers with racemic dipalmitoylphosphatidylcholine. The latter is likely to derive from cholesterol-cholesterol interactions. Accordingly, cholesterol chirality has only a modest effect that is highly likely to require the presence of solidlike domains and, accordingly, is unlikely to play a role in biological membranes.
Improved in vivo imaging of human blood circulation in the chorioretinal complex using phase variance method with new phase stabilized 1 μm swept-source optical coherence tomography (pv-SSOCT)

We demonstrate the feasibility of our newly developed phase stabilized high-speed (100 kHz A-scans/s) 1 μm sweptsource optical coherence tomography (SSOCT) system with the phase-variance based motion contrast method for visualization of human chorioretinal complex microcirculation. Compared to our previously reported spectral domain (spectrometer based) phase-variance (pv)-SDOCT system it has advantages of higher sensitivity, reduced fringe washout for high blood flow speeds and deeper penetration in choroid. High phase stability SSOCT imaging was achieved by using a computationally efficient phase stabilization approach. This process does not require additional calibration hardware and complex numerical procedures. Our phase stabilization method is simple and can be employed in a variety of SS-OCT systems. Examples of vasculature in the chorioretinal complex imaged by pv-SSOCT is presented and compared to retinal images of the same volunteers acquired with fluorescein angiography (FA) and indocyanine green angiography (ICGA).
Agency The Relation between Meaning, Power, and Knowledge

Using a Peircean theory of meaning, agency may be theorized in terms of flexibility and accountability, on the one hand, and knowledge and power, on the other. In this theory, residential agency, which is closest to notions such as “power” and “choice,” is the degree to which one can control the expression of a sign, compose a sign-object relation, and commit to an interpretant of this signobject relation. Representational agency, which is closest to notions such as “knowledge” and “consciousness,” is the degree to which one can thematize a process, characterize a feature of this theme, and reason with this theme-character relation. Agency, as a kind of social and semiotic facility, is thereby theorized as multidimensional, graduated, and distributed. This theory allows one to analyze,
Measurement of Fracture Surface Energy of SiC

The fracture surface energies of 5 polycrystalline silicon carbides were measured at room temperature using the double-cantilever-beam, notched-beam, and work-of-fracture methods. All methods yielded comparable fracture surface energies,
Experimental determination and interpretation of the solubility of the assemblage microcline, muscovite, and quartz in supercritical H2O

Abstract The concentrations of K, Na, Al, and Si in pure H2O in equilibrium with natural microcline, muscovite, and quartz have been measured between 400 and 600°C at 2 kbar with an extraction-quench apparatus. Silicon is the dominant solute in solution, and its concentration is similar to those reported for quartz solubility in pure H2O: increasing from 0.05 molal at 400°C to 0.12 molal at 600°C. The small amount of Na in the microcline and muscovite was rapidly leached from the mineral surface into solution so that the initial log molality of Na equaled −2.7 but decreased as pure H4O was injected into the charge volume. Log molalities of K in equilibrium with the mineral assemblage are between −3.0 and −2.7. The calculated solution compositions are basic, and Al(OH)4− is determined to be the dominant Al species in solution. These calculations suggest that both Al(OH)30 and A1(OH)4− contribute significantly to the solubility of corundum in pure H2O at these temperatures and 2 kbar. The logarithm of the equilibrium constant for Al(OH)30 + H2O = Al(OH)4− + H+ is computed to be −4.1, −5.4, and −6.1 at 2 kbar and 400, 500, and 600°C, respectively. No evidence exists for the formation of significant concentrations of alkali-Al complexes despite the fact that Al concentrations in pure H2O for microcline + muscovite + quartz are an order of magnitude greater than those reported for corundum solubility at the same pressure and temperature.
NMR INVESTIGATION OF NICKEL(II) AND COBALT(II) BONDING: FURTHER EVIDENCE FOR COORDINATION OF HYDROXY AND ETHEREAL OXYGEN ATOMS IN AQUEOUS SOLUTION

Abstract The proton magnetic resonance spectra of a variety of nickel (II) and cobalt (II) complexes are reported. The spectra are interpreted to indicate a substantial amount of coordination by hydroxy and ethereal oxygens in all cases. Analysis of the spectral temperature dependence indicates that δ H for coordination of oxygen is very nearly zero in all but one nickel case. The driving force for coordination of these oxygens appears to be a gain in entropy. It was not possible to quantitatively measure the amount of coordination in the cobalt complexes. The ligands reported are: Methoxyethyliminodiacetic acid (MEIDA=CH3 OCH2 CH2 N(CH2 CO2)2), Hydroxyethyimino-diacetic acid (HEIDA=HOCH2 CH2N(CH2CO2H)2), Serine (SER=NH2CH(CH2OH)CO2H), 2(2-aminoethyl amino) ethanol (AEAE=NH2CH2[sbnd]CH2NHCH2CH2OH, N,N′-Bis-(2-Hydroxyethyl)ethylenediamine (BHEEN=HOCH2CH2-NHCH2 CH2NHCH2CH2OH). In all cases equilibration between coordinated and uncoordinated oxygens was rapid. The fraction of time that the oxygen is coordina...
Calculation of particle dispersion due to turbulence in elliptic flows

Evaluation de la performance d'un modele stochastique pour le calcul de la dispersion des particules dans un champ d'ecoulement turbulent confine elliptique (avec recirculation)
Implications of Subfossil Coleoptera for the Evolution of the Mima Mounds of Southwestern Puget Lowland, Washington

Abstract The origin of Washington State's Mima Mounds has been debated for over a century, with numerous mechanisms being postulated. Subfossil Coleopteran (beetle) remains recovered from the base of a mound at Mima Prairie consist of species that would be expected in rodent burrows and nests; all but one species are obligate burrow inhabitants. These results suggest the past presence of fossorial rodents (probably pocket gophers,Thomomys mazama) in the mounds, although none live there at present. Whether or not the gophers created the mounds, they may well have been instrumental in maintaining mound geometry until very recently.
Correction of Intermetatarsal Angle in Hallux Valgus Using Small Suture Button Device

Background:Hallux valgus is a common foot ailment causing pain and disability, and correction of the intermetatarsal angle (IMA) deformity is often accomplished using a first metatarsal distal or p...
Methods of PCB disposal

Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) are chlorinated hydrocarbons primarily used as dielectric fluids and coolants for electrical equipment. At present, it is estimated that 200 Gg of PCBs have been released into the environment. In 1976, the Toxic Substances Control Act was passed by Congress, requiring regulation of PCBs. EPA-approved methods for destruction/disposal of PCBs include high temperature combustion in incinerators and high efficiency boilers, landfilling, chemical dechlorination, and alternate disposal techniques which achieve a level of performance equivalent to an approved incinerator or boiler. A discussion of these methods is presented as well as various other disposal methods which are still in the research phases.
Solution of modified matrix equations

An efficient computational algorithm is developed for solving linear matrix equations whose characteristic interaction matrix ${\bf H}'$ differs by a matrix of rank r from an interaction matrix ${\bf H}$ of a system whose solution is known, or easily computed. The formulation clearly manifests the effects of physical parameters characterizing the interactions in the system. The exact inverse is given for a nonsymmetric Toeplitz matrix with arbitrary corner elements.
A new kind of tachometer

The simple speed-indicating device described possesses low inertia, low friction, no residual output at zero speed, and a d-c output voltage precisely proportional to speed. Although this tachometer is still in the prototype stage, it is anticipated that an instrument can be produced which would be superior to the types now available.
Tales of the cryptic: unveiling more angiogenesis inhibitors

Over the past few years, there has been a dramatic increase in the identification of anti-angiogenic fragments from larger proteins with unrelated functions. These cryptic anti-angiogenic molecules are largely derived from matrix components such as collagen and fibronectin, as well as from circulating proteins and some intracellular proteins. Here, we discuss the relevance of these developments in terms of their physiological roles and possible therapeutic applications.
Reviewing the diagnostic validity and utility of mixed depression (depressive mixed states)

Abstract Objective To review the diagnostic validity and utility of mixed depression, i.e. co-occurrence of depression and manic/hypomanic symptoms. Methods PubMed search of all English-language papers published between January 1966 and December 2006 using and cross-listing key words: bipolar disorder, mixed states, criteria, utility, validation, gender, temperament, depression-mixed states, mixed depression, depressive mixed state/s, dysphoric hypomania, mixed hypomania, mixed/dysphoric mania, agitated depression, anxiety disorders, neuroimaging, pathophysiology, and genetics. A manual review of paper reference lists was also conducted. Results By classic diagnostic validators, the diagnostic validity of categorically-defined mixed depression (i.e. at least 2–3 manic/hypomanic symptoms) is mainly supported by family history (the current strongest diagnostic validator). Its diagnostic utility is supported by treatment response (negative effects of antidepressants). A dimensionally-defined mixed depression is instead supported by a non-bi-modal distribution of its intradepression manic/hypomanic symptoms. Discussion Categorically-defined mixed depression may have some diagnostic validity (family history is the current strongest validator). Its diagnostic utility seems supported by treatment response.
The On-Line Application of Electronic Calculators to Nuclear Counting Systems

The Los Alamos Scientific Laboratory, operated by the University of California for the U. S. Atomic Energy Commission, continues to be active in developing, designing, and building nuclear reactors. The Nondestructive Testing Group has been instrumental in the support of these programs by providing services in the inspection of the reactor components. Nuclear counting systems are applied in many phases of the testing program. Radiation transmission measurements, utilizing many different radiation sources, are applied to the determination of material thickness, density, and composition. Betabackscatter techniques are used in the measurement of coating thickness for many coating and substrate materials. Radiation counting techniques are used for the determination of reactor element fuel loadings. For all of these systems, the digital count information must be related through the use of appropriate standards to the physical characteristics of the material under inspection. The calibration data obtained from the standards can be expressed by means of empirical equations of elementary form. With the advent of the relatively inexpensive programmable electronic desk calculators, the direct, on-line conversion, reduction, and display of the test data became possible. The nuclear counting systems used in the nondestructive testing program employ conventional digital counters and recorders. The primary counters are Beckman/Berkeley EPUT Meters, driving digital printers and/or piper-tape punch units. Wang Laboratories undertook the design and manufacture of an electronic calculating system capable of direct connection to the existing counting equipment.
Exposure to Polychlorinated Biphenyls in Residential Indoor Air and Outdoor Air near a Superfund Site

Polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) concentrations were measured in indoor and outdoor air at 34 homes surrounding New Bedford Harbor during dredging of highly contaminated harbor sediments. PCB volatil...
Plasmodium vivax: Recent world expansion and genetic identity to Plasmodium simium

Plasmodium vivax causes the most geographically widespread human malaria, accounting annually for 70-80 million clinical cases throughout the tropical and subtropical regions of the world's continents. We have analyzed the DNA sequences of the Csp (circumsporozoite protein) gene in 24 geographically representative strains of P. vivax and 2 of P. simium, which parasitizes several species of New World monkeys. The Csp sequences are of two types, VK210 and VK247, which differ by three diagnostic amino acid replacements, one in each of the 5' and 3' terminal regions [5' nonrepeat (NR) and 3' NR] of the gene and in an insertion sequence that precedes the 3' NR region. The central region of the gene consists of approximately 38 repetitive "motifs," which are alternatively four and five amino acids long, which also are diagnostically different between the VK210 and VK247 types. There are very few synonymous substitutions within and between the two types of strains, which we hypothesize reflects that the worldwide spread of P. vivax is very recent. The two P. simium Csp sequences belong one to each of the two VK types and are genetically indistinguishable from the corresponding P. vivax strains, suggesting that at least two host transfers have occurred between humans and New World monkeys. We exclude as unlikely the possibility that the two types of sequences could have independently arisen in humans and platyrrhines by natural selection. There are reasons favoring each of the two possible directions of host transfer between humans and monkeys.
Drawing with the eyes and face

Recent work in eye tracking and facial expression analysis has enabled new forms of hands-free user interaction with computer applications. There has been particular emphasis on using these mechanisms individually for drawing and other artwork related applications (e.g. [Shugrina et al. 2006] [Hornof et al. 2004]).In this paper we explore the combination of the two modalities and describe a system for hands-free drawing that integrates the use of the eyes and the face as a means for user control. We present a general architecture for incorporating eye tracking and facial expression analysis into a computer application and utilize this architecture in the design and implementation of a drawing application.
Protein composition determines the anti-atherogenic properties of HDL in transgenic mice

HIGH-DENSITY lipoprotein (HDL) contains two major proteins, apolipoprotein A-I (apoA-I) and apolipoprotein A-II (apoA-II), comprising about 70% and 20% of the total HDL protein mass, respectively. HDL exists in human plasma in two main forms, one containing apoA-I with apoA-II (AI/AII-HDL) and another containing apoA-I without apoA-II (AI-HDL). A strong inverse relationship exists between total plasma HDL concentration and atherosclerosis, but the results of studies examining the relationship between AI-HDL and AI/AII-HDL and atherosclerosis have been conflicting1–9. To determine whether these two HDL populations have different effects on atherogenesis, human apoA-I (AI) and human apoA-I and apoA-II (AI/AII) transgenic mice were produced in an atherosclerosis-susceptible strain10–12. Following an atherogenic diet, despite similar total cholesterol and HDL cholesterol concentrations, the area of atherogenic lesions in the AI/AII mice was 15-fold greater than in the AI animals. These studies show that the protein composition of HDL significantly affects its role in atherogenesis and that AI-HDL is more anti-atherogenic than AI/AII-HDL.
Using Electronic Coherence to Probe a Deeply Embedded Quantum Well in Bimetallic Pb / Ag Films on Si(111)

We report an experiment in which we utilize electronic coherence to probe a deeply embedded thin film as a quantum well. An atomically uniform Ag film prepared on Si(111) was covered by Pb films up to 70 A thick, and the resulting electronic structure was examined by angle-resolved photoemission spectroscopy. Despite a photoemission escape depth of just a few Angstroms and an incommensurate Pb/Ag interface, the data reveal a striking Fabry-Perot-like structure characteristic of an Ag etalon buried deeply under the Pb overlayers. Our simulations clearly illustrate the manifest coherence of the electronic structures, permitting the characterization of the embedded Ag quantum well.
Articulate Virtual Labs in Thermodynamics Education: A Multiple Case Study*

This paper describes the use of CyclePad—an articulate virtual laboratory for creating and analyzing thermodynamics cycles—at three different types of educational institutions: a research university, an engineering technology program in a large state university, and a military academy. Case studies of each site were created based on classroom observations, student surveys, and interviews with faculty. In comparing these three institutions, we found that the context of the school and the ways in which professors chose to implement CyclePad led to different student experiences. Depending on the types of problems that students worked on, they found the software more or less helpful in increasing their understanding of thermodynamics. Students in the class that had the most constraints on its curriculum, where little change was possible, were less able to take full advantage of the software's capabilities.
Cardiovascular responses in type A children during a cognitive challenge

The few studies which have examined stress-induced cardiovascular reactivity among Type A children have had equivocal results. In the present study, 41 extreme Type A and 46 extreme Type B children were monitored for heart rate and blood pressure during a challenging cognitive task under clear or ambiguous performance standards. Significant heart-rate and blood-pressure responses were observed, but no effects could be attributed to the behavior pattern or performance standards. Type A's were more self-involved, generally attributing their performance to effort. Under ambiguous performance standards, they perceived themselves more negatively and attributed performance to luck and task difficulty. These results do not support the exaggerated cardiovascular response hypothesis but do suggest that Type A children look toward external cues in the evaluation of both themselves and their performance, particularly when the external standards for performance are ambiguous.