cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Semivolatile organic compounds in residential air along the Arizona-Mexico border.

Concerns about indoor air quality and the potential effects on people living in these environments are increasing as more reports about the toxicities and the potential indoor air exposure levels of household-use chemicals and chemicals from housing and furnishing manufacture in air are being assessed. Gas chromatography/mass spectrometry was used to confirm numerous airborne contaminants obtained from the analysis of semipermeable membrane devices deployed inside of 52 homes situated along the border between Arizona and Mexico. We also describe nontarget analytes in the organochlorine pesticide fractions of 12 of these homes; this fraction is also the most likely to contain the broadest scope of bioconcentratable chemicals accumulated from the indoor air. Approximately 400 individual components were identified, ranging from pesticides to a wide array of hydrocarbons, fragrances such as the musk xylenes, flavors relating to spices, aldehydes, alcohols, esters and phthalate esters, and other miscellaneous ...
INHIBITION OF Staphylococcus Aureus IN A MODEL AGARMEAT SYSTEM BY MONOLAURIN: A RESEARCH NOTE

A sterile agar-meat was acidified with lactic acid and seeded with Staphylococcus aureus. Monolaurin (Lauricidin®), which is a GRAS emulsifier, caused both static and cidal effects on S. aureus 196E. When compared to potassium sorbate, Lauricidin® was slightly more active. The combination of sorbic acid and Lauricidin® (Lauribic™) gave a greater inhibitory effect than either of the substances alone. Inhibitory effects were greater on “anaerobic” than “aerobic” growth. These results indicate that monoglyceride emulsifiers like Lauricidin® alone or in combinations with other preservatives can be used in foods to create environments which are hostile to microorganisms.
The Post-Terminator Ionosphere of Venus

Abstract We have modeled the near and post-terminator thermosphere/ionosphere of Venus with a view toward understanding the relative importance of EUV solar fluxes and downward fluxes of atomic ions transported from the dayside in producing the mean ionosphere. We have constructed one-dimensional thermosphere/ionosphere models for high solar activity for seven solar zenith angles (SZAs) in the dusk sector: 90°, 95°, 100°, 105°, 110°, 115° and 125°. For the first 4 SZAs, we determine the optical depths for solar fluxes from 3 A to 1900 A by integrating the neutral densities numerically along the slant path through the atmosphere. For SZAs of 90°, 95°, and 100°, we first model the ionospheres produced by absorption of the solar fluxes alone; for 95°, 100°, and 105° SZAs, we then model the ion density profiles that result from both the solar source and from imposing downward fluxes of atomic ions, including O + , Ar + , C + , N + , H + , and He + , at the top of the ionospheric model in the ratios determined for the upward fluxes in a previous study of the morphology of the dayside (60° SZA) Venus ionosphere. For SZAs of 110°, 115° and 125°, which are characterized by shadow heights above about 300 km, the models include only downward fluxes of ions. The magnitudes of the downward ion fluxes are constrained by the requirement that the model O + peak density be equal to the average O + peak density for each SZA bin as measured by the Pioneer Venus Orbiter Ion Mass Spectrometer. We find that the 90° and 95° SZA model ionospheres are robust for the solar source alone, but the O + peak density in the “solar-only” 95° SZA model is somewhat smaller than the average value indicated by the data. A small downward flux of ions is therefore required to reproduce the measured average peak density of O + . We find that, on the nightside, the major ion density peaks do not occur at the altitudes of peak production, and diffusion plays a substantial role in determining the ion density profiles. The average downward atomic ion flux for the SZA range of 90–125° is determined to be about 1.2 × 10 8 cm −2 s −1 .
The Strategy of Paired Comparison: Toward a Theory of Practice:

Paired comparison is a strategy of political analysis that has been widely used but seldom theorized. This is because it is often assimilated to single-case studies or regarded as a degenerate form of multicase analysis. This article argues that paired comparison is a distinct strategy of comparative analysis with advantages that both single-case and multicase comparisons lack. After reviewing how paired comparison has been dealt with in comparative politics, the article details a number of its advantages and pitfalls, illustrates them through the work of four major pairing comparativists, and proposes what is distinct about the strategy. It closes with a number of suggestions for using paired comparison more effectively.
Colony Forming Cell (CFC) Assay for Human Hematopoietic Cells

Human hematopoietic stem/progenitor cells are usually obtained from bone marrow, cord blood, or peripheral blood and are used to study hematopoiesis and leukemogenesis. They have the capacity to differentiate into lymphoid and myeloid lineages. The colony forming cell (CFC) assay is used to study the proliferation and differentiation pattern of hematopoietic progenitors by their ability to form colonies in a semisolid medium. The number and the morphology of the colonies formed by a fixed number of input cells provide preliminary information about the ability of progenitors to differentiate and proliferate. Cells can be harvested from individual colonies or from the whole plate to further assess their numbers and differentiation states using flow cytometry and morphologic evaluation of Giemsa-stained slides. This assay is useful for assessing myeloid but not lymphoid differentiation. The term myeloid in this context is used in its wider sense to encompass granulocytic, monocytic, erythroid, and megakaryocytic lineages. We have used this assay to assess the effects of oncogenes on the differentiation of primary human CD34+ cells derived from peripheral blood. For this purpose cells are transduced with either control retroviral construct or a construct expressing the oncogene of interest, in this case NUP98-HOXA9. We employ a commonly used retroviral vector, MSCV-IRES-GFP, that expresses a bicistronic mRNA that produces the gene of interest and a GFP marker. Cells are pre-activated by growing in the presence of cytokines for two days prior to retroviral transduction. After another two days, GFP+ cells are isolated by fluorescence-activated cell sorting (FACS) and mixed with a methylcellulose-containing semisolid medium supplemented with cytokines and incubated till colonies appear on the surface, typically 14 days. The number and morphology of the colonies are documented. Cells are then removed from the plates, washed, counted, and subjected to flow cytometry and morphologic examination. Flow cytometry with antibodies specific to the cell surface markers expressed during hematopoiesis provides information about lineage and maturation stage. Morphological studies of individual cells under a microscope after Wright- Giemsa staining provide further information with regard to lineage and maturation. Comparison of cells transduced with control empty vector to those transduced with an oncogene reveals the effects of the oncogene on hematopoietic differentiation.
What are the differences between happiness and self-esteem?

The present study investigated theoretically and empirically derived similarities and differences between the constructs of enduring happiness and self- esteem. Participants (N = 621), retired employees ages 51-95, completed stan- dardized measures of affect, personality, psychosocial characteristics, physical health, and demographics. The relations between each of the two target variables (happiness and self-esteem) and the full set of remaining variables were assessed through a series of successive statistical analyses: (1) simple Pearson's correlations, (2) partial correlations, and (3) hierarchical regression analyses. The results revealed that happiness and self-esteem, while highly correlated (r = 0.58), presented unique patterns of relations with the other measured variables. The best predictors of happiness were the following: mood and temperamental traits (i.e., extraversion and neuroticism), social relationships (lack of loneliness and satisfaction with friend- ships), purpose in life, and global life satisfaction. By contrast, self-esteem was best predicted by dispositions related to agency and motivation (i.e., optimism and lack of hopelessness). Implications for the understanding of happiness and self-esteem are discussed.
Quantifying He-point defect interactions in Fe through coordinated experimental and modeling studies of He-ion implanted single-crystal Fe

Abstract Understanding the effects of helium on the microstructural evolution and mechanical properties of structural materials are among the most challenging issues in fusion materials research. In this work, we combine thermal helium desorption spectroscopy (THDS) with positron annihilation spectroscopy (PAS) and a spatially dependent cluster dynamics model to investigate the energetics of helium-point defect interactions in helium-implanted single-crystal iron. The combination of modeling and thermal desorption measurements allows identification of the binding energies of small He–V clusters, the migration energy of single vacancy and possible mechanisms (e.g., shrinkage of He 3 V 2 clusters) responsible for measured Helium desorption peaks, and the effect of impurities (e.g., carbon) on these values. Furthermore, the model predicts the depth dependence of the helium and helium–vacancy clusters as a function of time and temperature during the thermal desorption measurement. Here, we report the THDS measurement results as a function of He implantation energy from 10 to 40 keV at a fluence level of 1 × 10 15 He/cm 2 , along with selected PAS measurements. The experimental results are compared to the modeling predictions to evaluate the extent to which self-consistent values of the He-point defect binding and interaction energies and diffusivities can explain the data.
Survival on the Margins: Summary of a Research Project on Undocumented Migrants in Munich

The paper summarizes results of a research project commissioned by the City of Munich into the social problems of undocumented migrants. The accommodation situation, health problems, women as a vulnerable group, employment and the economic dimension of the undocumented as a “silent reserve” are principal topics addressed by the article. Analytical hypotheses on the findings are followed by concluding remarks on reconmendations to the local authority in order to address the social and human rights concerns raised by the precarious existential conditions faced by the sans papiers.
Dose-response study with N-nitrosodiethanolamine in F344 rats

Abstract A dose-response study of the carcinogenicity of N-nitrosodiethanolamine was conducted in F344 rats. The nitrosamine was administered in drinking-water at a controlled rate (20 ml/rat/day, 5 days/wk) to groups of 16 or 20 rats of each sex. The doses administered were as follows: 2500 mg/litre drinking-water for 45-wk, 1000 mg/litre for 50 wk, 400 mg/litre for 50 wk and 400 mg/litre for 75 wk. Almost all of the treated animals died with hepatocellular carcinomas, of which 20–45% metastasized in each group. The females in each treatment group tended to die earlier, because they received a higher dose per unit body weight, but for each sex there was a dose-related decrease in survival as the carcinogen dose increased. There was a considerable incidence of tumours of the nasal cavity. The incidence of these tumours tended to be higher in males than in females and might be sex- or lifespan-related. A number of rats had cholangiocarcinomas in the liver and there were a few kidney tumours and tumours of the oesophagus in animals given the higher doses. None of these tumours was seen in the untreated controls of either sex, almost all of which outlived the treated animals. It is concluded that N-nitrosodiethanolamine is a carcinogen of considerable potency in rats.
Plasma levels of progestin during pregnancy in the mouse.

THUS far, the compound progesterone has apparently been identified in peripheral blood during pregnancy only in the human being, and there in quite low concentrations (1, 2, 3). Bioassay, on the other hand, has revealed biologic activity, attributed earlier solely to progesterone, in peripheral blood of several species during pregnancy. If, as seems probable, the biologically active material is the circulating form or forms of the luteal hormone (here referred to as progestin), it is at least as important to know when during pregnancy the material is present and when changes in level occur as it is to know the chemical identity of the active materials. The present paper describes an attempt to obtain these data for the mouse. The mice studied were members of the A strain of Strong. Females in breeding cages were examined each morning, and pregnancies were dated from the day a vaginal plug was discovered.
Comparative assembly hubs: Web-accessible browsers for comparative genomics

Motivation: Researchers now have access to large volumes of genome sequences for comparative analysis, some generated by the plethora of public sequencing projects and, increasingly, from individual efforts. It is not possible, or necessarily desirable, that the public genome browsers attempt to curate all these data. Instead, a wealth of powerful tools is emerging to empower users to create their own visualizations and browsers. Results: We introduce a pipeline to easily generate collections of Web-accessible UCSC Genome Browsers interrelated by an alignment. It is intended to democratize our comparative genomic browser resources, serving the broad and growing community of evolutionary genomicists and facilitating easy public sharing via the Internet. Using the alignment, all annotations and the alignment itself can be efficiently viewed with reference to any genome in the collection, symmetrically. A new, intelligently scaled alignment display makes it simple to view all changes between the genomes at all levels of resolution, from substitutions to complex structural rearrangements, including duplications. To demonstrate this work, we create a comparative assembly hub containing 57 Escherichia coli and 9 Shigella genomes and show examples that highlight their unique biology. Availability and implementation: The source code is available as open source at: https://github.com/glennhickey/progressiveCactus The E.coli and Shigella genome hub is now a public hub listed on the UCSC browser public hubs Web page. Contact: ude.cscu.eos@tcideneb Supplementary information: Supplementary data are available at Bioinformatics online.
Nanoscale Confinement Effects on the Fast Motions of the Backbone and Side Chains of Ubiquitin

The prevailing model for solvent dependence of protein motions, the solvent slaving model, predicts that protein motions should be dramatically dependent on the dynamics of the solvent. We have previously measured the dynamics of water near the surface of ubiquitin when encapsulated in reverse micelles. In order to directly investigate the relationship between protein and solvent motions, we have measured the backbone and side chain ps-ns motions of ubiquitin under various reverse micelle encapsulation conditions using nuclear spin relaxation methods. Confinement of the protein in the aqueous core of the reverse micelle produces a strong, general damping of the fast backbone motions of the protein. In distinct contrast, the side chain methyl motions are only slightly affected by encapsulation in reverse micelles. No strong correlations between the protein motional character and the dynamics of the protein's hydration layer were observed, suggesting that the dynamics of water molecules near the protein surface have minimal consequences for fast dynamic motions of proteins. Supported by NSF grant MCB 0842814, NIH GM102477, and NIH postdoctoral fellowship GM087099 to N.V.N.
L-Leucine-Induced Secretion of Glucagon and Insulin, and the “Off-Response” to L-Leucine in Vitro. II. The Role of D-Glucose*

The role of glucose in L-leucine-induced secretion of glucagon and insulin was investigated in the isolated, perfused rat pancreas. In the absence of glucose (or with 2.8 DIM D-glucose) in the perfusion medium, 1) the observed augmentation of the acute phase release of glucagon diminished gradually upon repetitive perfusions of L-leucine; a late phase release was not observed with leucine concentrations up to 10 mM; 2) L-leucine evoked acute phase release of insulin at concentrations of 5 and 10 mM, but not 2 HIM; and 3) the release of insulin which had been observed shortly after the termination of the perfusion of L-leucine (“off-response”) in the presence of 5.6 Mm D-glucose failed to occur. In the presence of 16.7 mM D-glucose, 1) acute phase glucagon release was blunted, but there was a marked late phase release with 10 mM L-leucine; 2) L-leucine evoked insulin release even at the low concentration of 2 mM; and 3) the insulin off-response occurred. With 10 mM D-mannoheptulose plus 5.6 mM D-glucose, a...
Etiologic Studies of Old Dog Encephalitis I. Demonstration of Canine Distemper Viral Antigen in the Brain in two Cases

In 2 cases of old dog encephalitis (ODE), viral antigen to canine distemper was demonstrated in frozen brain tissue by means of the direct FA test. The distemper viral an- tigen was most abundant in cells of the gray matter of the cerebral cortex, thalamus, mesen- cephalon, and medulla. Also, in the 1 dog in which serum was available, there was a signifi- cantly elevated serum antibody titer to the distemper agent. Attempts to isolate a viral agent in tissue culture or to transmit disease to distemper-susceptible ferrets or distemper- immune adult dogs were unsuccessful. Results of this study indicate that the virus of distemper play a role in the pathogenesis of ODE. Also, the progressive disease with inflammatory reaction suggests that a slow viral infection rather than a totally masked or latent virus be involved. In 1942 CORDY (4) drew attention to an encephalitis in mature dogs that was typified pathologically by widely scattered perivascular accumulations of mononuclear cells in the central nervous system and by the frequent occur- rence of intranuclear inclusion bodies in neurons. Although historically the disease was first known as disseminated encephalomyelitis of mature dogs, the designation old dog encephalitis (ODE) is currently the accepted term for this condition (5,8,9). This relatively rare disease of middle-aged dogs has.an insidious onset of dyspraxia with intermittent periods of depression and circling. Paralysis or convulsions are rare. Typically, the clinical course is one of progressive im- pairment in mental and motor abilities, leading to death in a matter of months. Since the original description (4), any other report of ODE has not ap- peared. However, other investigators have described neurologic disease in mature dogs in which the clinicopathologic findings closely resemble those of ODE. MACINTYRE et al. ( 101 described a progressively developing encephali- tis of mature dogs (their group 3) that was characterized microscopically by
Polymer Scaffolds for Small-Diameter Vascular Tissue Engineering

To better engineer small-diameter blood vessels, a few types of novel scaffolds were fabricated from biodegradable poly(L-lactic acid) (PLLA) by means of thermally induced phase separation (TIPS) techniques. By utilizing the differences in thermal conductivities of the mold materials, the scaffolds with oriented gradient microtubular structures in axial or radial direction were created using benzene as the solvent. The porosity, tubular size, and the orientation direction of the microtubules can be controlled by polymer concentration, TIPS temperature, and materials of different thermal conductivities. The gradient microtubular structure was intended to facilitate cell seeding and mass transfer for cell growth and function. We also developed nanofibrous scaffolds with oriented and interconnected micro-tubular pore network by a one-step TIPS method using benzene/tetrahydrofuran mixture as the solvent without using porogen materials. The structural features of such scaffolds can be conveniently adjusted by varying the solvent ratio, phase separation temperature and polymer concentration to mimic the nanofibrous feature of extracellular matrix. These scaffolds were fabricated for the tissue engineering of small-diameter blood vessels by utilizing their advantageous structural features to facilitate blood vessel regeneration.
Real-time web-based lab for teaching software engineering

This paper discusses an approach to the design and implementation of web-based labs to teach software engineering and related courses focused on real-time embedded systems. The labs include not only data acquisition and control access to remote devices but also a capability of remote software development and uploading. Several platforms have been created for this purpose, including: micro-controllers, FPGA boards, computer game devices, and real-time kernels. First experiences are very positive and plans are being made for significant expansion and making the lab permanent.
Convective Oxygen Transport Enhancement in Intravenous Membrane Oxygenators

Numerical simulations of blood and water flow and oxygen transport in a computational model of an intravenous membrane oxygenator including moving boundaries are presented. The simulations are compared to an analytical transport model which is validated by comparing its result to experimental data reported in the literature. Good agreement is found between numerical, analytical and experimental results.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Seismic Moves: Migration and Identity in Alberto Fuguet's Películas de mi vida

This essay focuses on Alberto Fuguet's 2005 novel, Peliculas de mi vida, to make two arguments: (1) Fuguet's novel reinterprets seismic movements as events that permanently disrupt the ground upon which we build our foundations and uses seismology as a metaphor for the profound effect of immigration on people's lives; (2) Fuguet's focus on issues central to migration—identity, language, and memory—offers a model for (re)conceptualizing immigrant identity as a subtle, yet fraught, negotiation between externally imposed binaries like home/away, past/present, and citizen/alien. More specifically, I contend that Fuguet's focus on migration as a means of undermining binaries offers a model for migrant belonging in the United States, one that neither depends on the outright rejection of the country of origin and the wholesale commitment to the receiving country nor one that depends on an unassimilable devotion to one's place of origin.
Crosstalk Between Adrenergic and Toll-Like Receptors in Human Mesenchymal Stem Cells and Keratinocytes: A Recipe for Impaired Wound Healing

Previous studies demonstrate that skin wounds generate epinephrine (EPI) that can activate local adrenergic receptors (ARs), impairing healing. Bacterially derived activators of Toll-like receptors (TLRs) within the wound initiate inflammatory responses and can also impair healing. In this study, we examined the hypothesis that these two pathways crosstalk to one another, using EPI and macrophage-activating lipopeptide-2 (MALP2) to activate ARs and TLR2, respectively, in human bone marrow-derived mesenchymal stem cells (BM-MSCs) and neonatal keratinocytes (NHKs). BM-MSCs exposed to EPI significantly (p < .05) increased TLR2 message (sevenfold BM-MSCs), TLR2 protein (twofold), and myeloid differentiation factor 88 (MyD88) (fourfold). Conversely, activation of TLR2 by MALP2 in these cells increased β2-AR message (twofold in BM-MSCs, 2.7-fold in NHKs), β2-AR protein (2.5-fold), phosphorylation of β-AR-activated kinase (p-BARK, twofold), and induced release of EPI from both cell types (twofold). Treating cells with EPI and MALP2 together, as would be encountered in a wound, increased β2-AR and p-BARK protein expression (sixfold), impaired cell migration (BM-MSCs- 21%↓ and NHKs- 60%↓, p < .002), and resulted in a 10-fold (BM-MSCs) and 51-fold (NHKs) increase in release of IL-6 (p < .001) responses that were remarkably reduced by pretreatment with β2-AR antagonists. In vivo, EPI-stressed animals exhibited impaired healing, with elevated levels of TLR2, MyD88, and IL-6 in the wounds (p < .05) relative to nonstressed controls. Thus, our data describe a recipe for decreasing cell migration and exacerbating inflammation via novel crosstalk between the adrenergic and Toll-like receptor pathways in BM-MSCs and NHKs.
Hurricane Andrew: Parent Conflict as a Moderator of Children's Adjustment:

This project was an exploratory examination of the effects of parental conflict and ethnicity on children's stress related to Hurricane Andrew. Three months following the disaster, 89 elementary school children from ethnically diverse two-parent homes were surveyed. Children rated their symptoms of posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD), perceived parental conflict, their anxiety level, and hurricane-related traumatic experiences. High parental conflict was related to more PTSD symptoms. Howeve, this was qualified by interactions with ethnicity. For Hispanic children, more parental conflict was associated with significantly more PTSD symptoms than was less parental conflict. In addition, among high parental conflict children, Hispanic children reported more PTSD symptoms than did White children. This result was notfoundfor anxiety, suggesting that difficulties experienced by Hispanic children from high-conflict homes were specific to the traumatic event. Future research should examine the potential differen...
Products of Linear Transformations

Let A and B be two linear transformations. We define the transformation C which consists of A followed by B, i.e., if X is any vector $$ C(X)\;{\rm{ = }}\;B(A(X)). $$ We write C = BA and we call C the product B times A.
Generation of novel bacterial regulatory proteins that detect priority pollutant phenols

The genetic systems of bacteria that have the ability to use organic pollutants as carbon and energy sources can be adapted to create bacterial biosensors for the detection of industrial pollution. The creation of bacterial biosensors is hampered by a lack of information about the genetic systems that control production of bacterial enzymes that metabolize pollutants. We have attempted to overcome this problem through modification of DmpR, a regulatory protein for the phenol degradation pathway of Pseudomonas sp. strain CF600. The phenol detection capacity of DmpR was altered by using mutagenic PCR targeted to the DmpR sensor domain. DmpR mutants were identified that both increased sensitivity to the phenolic effectors of wild-type DmpR and increased the range of molecules detected. The phenol detection characteristics of seven DmpR mutants were demonstrated through their ability to activate transcription of a lacZ reporter gene. Effectors of the DmpR derivatives included phenol, 2-chlorophenol, 2,4-dichlorophenol, 4-chloro-3-methylphenol, 2,4-dimethylphenol, 2-nitrophenol, and 4-nitrophenol.
SPERM DISINTEGRINS, EGG INTEGRINS, AND OTHER CELL ADHESION MOLECULES OF MAMMALIAN GAMETE PLASMA MEMBRANE INTERACTIONS

The cell-cell interactions that occur between sperm and egg involve not only the binding but also the fusion of the gamete plasma membranes. Numerous studies, carried out decades ago and more recently, have implicated several different molecules on both the sperm and egg as being involved in gamete membrane interactions. The sperm proteins that have received the most attention recently have homology to disintegrins, which are proteins in snake venoms that can interact with integrins. These sperm disintegrin-like proteins are members of a molecular family, known as ADAM's (for A Disintegrin and A Metalloprotease) or MDC's (for Metalloprotease, Disintegrin, Cysteine-rich). This review will focus on the molecules that have been implicated in mediating mammalian sperm-egg binding or the fusion of the gamete membranes. The molecules that will be discussed include three members of the ADAM/MDC family on sperm (fertilin alpha, fertilin beta, and cyritestin), integrins on eggs (alpha-6/beta-1 and others), and a number of other egg and sperm molecules, novel and characterized in other systems, that have been implicated in these processes.
University-based evaluation training programs in the united states 1980-2008: An empirical examination

Evaluation practice has grown in leaps and bounds in recent years. In contrast, the most recent survey data suggest that there has been a sharp decline in the number and strength of preservice evaluation training programs in the United States. In an effort to further understand this curious trend, an alternative methodology was used to examine the current state of university-based evaluation training programs in the United States. An online search and curricular document analysis suggest different trends, including a dramatic increase in the number of evaluation training programs in the United States, specifically within schools of education. The importance of using alternative methodologies for understanding the nature of evaluation training programs is discussed.
HPV Vaccine Acceptability in Heterosexual, Gay, and Bisexual Men

We know little about men’s beliefs about human papillomavirus (HPV) vaccine and willingness to receive it. In January 2009, the authors recruited 296 heterosexual men and 312 gay and bisexual men from a national panel of U.S. households to complete an online survey about HPV and HPV vaccine. The authors analyzed data using logistic regression, controlling for age, education, number of lifetime sexual partners, and urban residence. More gay and bisexual men than heterosexual men were willing to receive HPV vaccine (73% vs. 37%; adjusted odds ratio = 4.99; 95% confidence interval = 3.36, 7.49). Gay and bisexual men reported greater awareness of HPV vaccine, perceived worry about HPV-related diseases, perceived effectiveness of HPV vaccine, and anticipated regret if they declined vaccination and later developed HPV-related disease compared with heterosexual men (all ps < .05). The lower acceptability and different beliefs among heterosexual men suggest that novel interventions for this group may be needed.
Thermal Analysis of a 9975 Package in a Facility Fire Accident

Surplus plutonium bearing materials in the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) complex are stored in the 3013 containers that are designed to meet the requirements of the DOE standard DOE-STD-3013. The 3013 containers are in turn packaged inside 9975 packages that are designed to meet the NRC 10 CFR Part 71 regulatory requirements for transporting the Type B fissile materials across the DOE complex. The design requirements for the hypothetical accident conditions (HAC) involving a fire are given in 10 CFR 71.73. The 9975 packages are stored at the DOE Savannah River Site in the K-Area Material Storage (KAMS) facility for long term of up to 50 years. The design requirements for safe storage in KAMS facility containing multiple sources of combustible materials are far more challenging than the HAC requirements in 10 CFR 71.73. While the 10 CFR 71.73 postulates an HAC fire of 1475 F and 30 minutes duration, the facility fire calls for a fire of 1500 F and 86 duration. This paper describes a methodology and the analysis results that meet the design limits of the 9975 component and demonstrate the robustness of the 9975 package.
Some Contextual Influences on Training Utilization

Although behavioral scientists and policymakers have long stressed the importance of more and better worker training, American establishments provide little formal training to their employees. Yet, curiously, little theory or research exists on what might influence the use of training practices. The purposes of this research were to develop a conceptual framework for understanding training utilization and to empirically investigate the framework's suggestions about the role of context in training utilization. Four hypotheses were derived and tested on data collected from 53 establishments. The results indicated that turnover; organization size, and technological complexity correlated with the use of formal training programs; the relationship between technological complexity and training utilization was the most robust. The article concludes with implications for research and practice.
Olfactory biopsies demonstrate a defect in neuronal development in Rett's syndrome

Rett's Syndrome (RTT) is a neurodevelopmental disorder resulting from mutation in the mecp2 gene that encodes methyl CpG binding protein 2, a transcriptional repressor. Because this disease primarily affects neurons, tissue is not available during active disease. We used the olfactory system as a model to investigate abnormalities in neuronal development in RTT, because olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs) are replaced throughout life by ongoing postnatal neurogenesis. Thus, even in the adult, the olfactory epithelium contains neurons at various developmental stages. We obtained biopsies of nasal epithelium containing ORNs from RTT patients and age-matched controls to study the status of the neuronal population using antibodies to stage-specific developmental markers. There were no postprocedure complications. Compared with age-matched controls, there were far fewer mature ORNs, as defined by olfactory marker protein expression, and significantly greater numbers of immature neuron-specific tubulin-positive ORNs present. In RTT biopsies, olfactory marker protein-positive neurons displayed abnormal structure. These results suggest that dysfunction of MeCP2 results in decreased survival of mature ORNs with a compensatory increase in neurogenesis, or a failure of immature neurons to mature. Our study indicates that olfactory biopsies provide a method to study neuronal developmental diseases in adults and children.
Pathogenesis of Helicosporidium sp. (Chlorophyta: Trebouxiophyceae) in susceptible noctuid larvae.

Helicosporidium sp. is a unique, achlorophyllous green alga that has been reported to infect various insect orders, including Lepidoptera, Diptera, and Coleoptera. The infectious cyst stage is ingested by the host, ruptures in the midgut lumen, and releases a Wlamentous cell. Histopathological examinations using larvae of a susceptible noctuid host, Spodoptera exigua, showed both cysts and Wlamentous cells aYliated with the microvillar lining of the midgut epithelium. A considerable proportion of the ingested cysts (22–39%) were recovered in feces collected 24 h after ingestion. A small number of Wlamentous cells passed the midgut epithelium and entered the hemocoel within 4–24 h after cyst ingestion. After 48 h, vegetative cell stages were detected in the hemolymph, followed by a 4- to 5-day period of increasing multiplication. Cyst diVerentiation in the colonized hemolymph began 6–7 days after the treatment.
Crystallization and Chemical Strengthening of Stuffed β‐Quartz Glass‐Ceramics

Metastable solid solutions with the β-quartz structure can be crystallized from most glasses in the system SiO2-Mg(AlO2)2-LiAlO2 as well as from many containing the additional components Zn(AlO2)2 Al(AlO2)3, Li2ZnO2, and Li2BeO2. Internal nucleation is afforded by additions of ZrO2 or TiO2. Either transparent or opaque crystalline materials can be formed from glasses containing about 70% SiO2. The transparency is due to a combination of low birefringence in the major stuffed β-quartz phase and minute crystal size. Thermal expansions vary from -20 to +50 × 10−7/°C. Thermal stability is highly variable. Breakdown products include spinel, cordierite, β-spodumene, willemite, mullite, and cristobalite. Magnesian compositions can be strengthened by a 2Li+⇌ Mg2+ ionexchange reaction. Abraded flexural strengths range from 30,000 to 160,000 psi.
Clean Waters, Clean City: Sustainable Storm Water Management in Philadelphia

The city of Philadelphia has historically been among the leaders in urban water management in the United States and abroad. Philadelphia was not only the first city to provide water as a public utility, but it has also pioneered new technologies—such as distributing its water supply through a centralized system, using hydropower for pumps, and installing disinfection systems— that fueled the revolution of water and sanitation services in the United States.2
Superthreshold behavior of ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage in adult rats: role of pulse repetition frequency and exposure duration revisited.

Objective. The purpose of this study was to augment and reevaluate the ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage findings of a previous 5 x 3 factorial design study (Ultrasound Med Biol 2001; 27:267-277) that evaluated the role of pulse repetition frequency (PRF: 25, 50, 100, 250, and 500 Hz) and exposure duration (ED; 5, 10, and 20 s) on ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage at an in situ (at the pleural surface) peak rarefactional pressure [p r ( i n s i t u ) ] of 12.3 MPa; only PRF was found to be significant. However, saturation (response plateau) due to the high p r ( i n s i t u ) might have skewed the results. In this follow-up 3 x 3 factorial design study, a wider range of PRFs and EDs were used at a lower p r ( i n s i t u ) . Methods. Sprague Dawley rats (n = 198) were divided into 18 ultrasonically exposed groups (10 rats per group) and 6 sham groups (3 per group). The 3 x 3 factorial design study (PRF: 17, 170, and 1700 Hz; ED: 5, 31.6, and 200 s) was conducted at 2 frequencies (2.8 and 5.6 MHz). The p r ( i n s i t u ) was 6.1 MPa. Logistic regression analysis evaluated lesion occurrence, and Gaussian tobit analysis evaluated lesion depth and surface area. Results. Frequency did not have a significant effect, so the analysis combined results for the 2 frequencies. For lesion occurrence and sizes, the main effects for PRF and ED were not significant. The interaction term was highly significant, indicating a strong dependence of lesion occurrence and size on the total number of pulses (PRF x ED). Conclusions. The results of both studies are consistent with the hypothesis that the total number of pulses is an important factor in the genesis of ultrasound-induced lung hemorrhage.
Color-singlet contribution to e+ e- → J/ψ + X at the endpoint

Recent observations of the J/{psi} spectrum produced in e{sup +}e{sup -} collisions at the {upsilon}(4S) resonance are in conflict with fixed-order calculations using the nonrelativsitic QCD effective theory (NRQCD). One problem is an enhancement in the cross section when the J/{psi} has maximal energy, due to large perturbative corrections (Sudakov logarithms). In a recent paper, the Sudakov logarithms in the color-octet contribution were summed by combining NRQCD with the soft-collinear effective theory. However, to be consistent, the color-singlet contributions must also be summed in the endpoint region which was not done in that paper. In this paper, we sum the leading logarithms in the color-singlet contribution to the J/{psi} production cross section. We find that the color-singlet cross section is suppressed near the endpoint compared to the fixed-order NRQCD prediction.
Compressive Parameter Estimation for Correlated Frames in MIMO Visible Light Communications

Estimation of the image location of a mobile LED array transmitter on the camera sensor plane of a digital camera is considered. A Bayesian framework is used to design an initial large measurement matrix over multiple image frames to exploit inter-frame temporal correlations. This large matrix is then factorized into two component matrices; one is used as the front-end measurement matrix with the potential for hardware implementation while the other is designed for software implementation. The factorization can be performed offline through fixed point iterations. The proposed measurement matrix design directly exploits possible transmitter mobility through a parametric framework. The findings are validated through analysis, computer simulation and hardware experiments. Sub-pixel localization accuracy with significant compression is achieved, and the proposed compressive parameter estimation outperforms results obtained using a Gaussian measurement matrix.
Spaler: Spark and GraphX based de novo genome assembler

The recent advancements in high-throughput genome sequencing technologies have accelerated the efficient discovery of novel genomes. De novo assembly is the first and one of the most computationally intensive step to analyze such novel genomes. In this work, we addressed the problem of parallelizing the de Bruijn graph based de novo genome sequence assembly on distributed memory systems. We proposed a new tool, Spaler, which assembles short reads efficiently and accurately. Spaler is based on Spark framework and GraphX API. We compared the performance of Spaler to other distributed memory based assemblers, in particular, ABySS, Ray and SWAP-Assembler. The results show that Spaler scales better than existing tools and produces comparable or better results in terms of solution quality.
Kinetic Theory of Gases—Equilibrium

The kinetic theory of gases represents the first truly successful effort to construct a model which provides a mechanical basis for understanding the properties of bulk matter. By combining the molecular hypothesis with Newtonian mechanics and using a statistical approach, the theory provides an explanation for the thermodynamic similarities between dilute gases, makes numerous verifiable predictions, and suggests a number of unifying principles. In its simplest form the theory is based upon the following premises: (1) a gas is composed of an enormous number of molecules; (2) in the absence of external forces particles move in straight lines(1); (3) particles collide infrequently; (4) collisions, whether with the walls or with other molecules, are elastic (momentum and kinetic energy are conserved).
Signalling mucin Msb2 Regulates adaptation to thermal stress in Candida albicans

Temperature is a potent inducer of fungal dimorphism. Multiple signalling pathways control the response to growth at high temperature, but the sensors that regulate these pathways are poorly defined. We show here that the signalling mucin Msb2 is a global regulator of temperature stress in the fungal pathogen Candida albicans. Msb2 was required for survival and hyphae formation at 42°C. The cytoplasmic signalling domain of Msb2 regulated temperature-dependent activation of the CEK mitogen activated proteins kinase (MAPK) pathway. The extracellular glycosylated domain of Msb2 (100-900 amino acid residues) had a new and unexpected role in regulating the protein kinase C (PKC) pathway. Msb2 also regulated temperature-dependent induction of genes encoding regulators and targets of the unfolded protein response (UPR), which is a protein quality control (QC) pathway in the endoplasmic reticulum that controls protein folding/degradation in response to high temperature and other stresses. The heat shock protein and cell wall component Ssa1 was also required for hyphae formation and survival at 42°C and regulated the CEK and PKC pathways.
Language Education for Endangered Languages

Language endangerment occurs in situations of language shift, where speakers abandon their own language in favor of another, usually more socially and economically dominant, language. Thus language education programs are designed to maintain or to revitalize the endangered language, teaching potential speakers the language and creating places, or domains, for its use. A number of different educational models have been adopted by different language programs, with some focusing on adult learners and others on children. Their appropriateness depends upon a variety of factors such as number and ages of fluent speakers, level of commitment in the community, and available resources.
The Willful Judging of Harry Blackmun

Although admirers describe Justice Harry Blackmun as the conscience of the Court, on closer inspection this appears to mean little more than that they agree with his political views as enshrined in Supreme Court opinions. The appellation of conscience in this way either is meaningless, amounting to nothing more than an expression of political affinity, or else is largely misplaced and misconceived by reason of the special nature and restrained purpose of the judicial role. Being a zealous warrior on behalf of a political agenda is an odd understanding of conscience, which ordinarily is understood to encompass fundamental principles that call one to account even when one's preference is to act differently. Instead, a well-formed judicial conscience draws upon the rule of law, is manifested by adherence to neutral principles and impartial procedures, and embraces humility lest a decree improperly override democratic governance. There is little evidence that Harry Blackmun regularly felt or finally accepted a conflict between his preferences and his judicial opinions; indeed the general thesis of this essay is that he failed to fully appreciate that there is properly a difference between them. With further background revealed in his released papers and oral history, Justice Blackmun's opinions on the central constitutional controversies of our time are better described as acts of will than as acts of conscience.
Exosomes induce and reverse monocrotaline-induced pulmonary hypertension in mice

Aims Extracellular vesicles (EVs) from mice with monocrotaline (MCT)-induced pulmonary hypertension (PH) induce PH in healthy mice, and the exosomes (EXO) fraction of EVs from mesenchymal stem cells (MSCs) can blunt the development of hypoxic PH. We sought to determine whether the EXO fraction of EVs is responsible for modulating pulmonary vascular responses and whether differences in EXO-miR content explains the differential effects of EXOs from MSCs and mice with MCT-PH. Methods and results Plasma, lung EVs from MCT-PH, and control mice were divided into EXO (exosome), microvesicle (MV) fractions and injected into healthy mice. EVs from MSCs were divided into EXO, MV fractions and injected into MCT-treated mice. PH was assessed by right ventricle-to-left ventricle + septum (RV/LV + S) ratio and pulmonary arterial wall thickness-to-diameter (WT/D) ratio. miR microarray analyses were also performed on all EXO populations. EXOs but not MVs from MCT-injured mice increased RV/LV + S, WT/D ratios in healthy mice. MSC-EXOs prevented any increase in RV/LV + S, WT/D ratios when given at the time of MCT injection and reversed the increase in these ratios when given after MCT administration. EXOs from MCT-injured mice and patients with idiopathic pulmonary arterial hypertension (IPAH) contained increased levels of miRs-19b,-20a,-20b, and -145, whereas miRs isolated from MSC-EXOs had increased levels of anti-inflammatory, anti-proliferative miRs including miRs-34a,-122,-124, and -127. Conclusion These findings suggest that circulating or MSC-EXOs may modulate pulmonary hypertensive effects based on their miR cargo. The ability of MSC-EXOs to reverse MCT-PH offers a promising potential target for new PAH therapies.
A metafluid exhibiting strong optical magnetism.

Advances in the field of metamaterials have enabled unprecedented control of light-matter interactions. Metamaterial constituents support high-frequency electric and magnetic dipoles, which can be used as building blocks for new materials capable of negative refraction, electromagnetic cloaking, strong visible-frequency circular dichroism, and enhancing magnetic or chiral transitions in ions and molecules. While all metamaterials to date have existed in the solid-state, considerable interest has emerged in designing a colloidal metamaterial or “metafluid”. Such metafluids would combine the advantages of solution-based processing with facile integration into conventional optical components. Here we demonstrate the colloidal synthesis of an isotropic metafluid that exhibits a strong magnetic response at visible frequencies. Protein-antibody interactions are used to direct the solution-phase self-assembly of discrete metamolecules comprised of silver nanoparticles tightly packed around a single dielectric co...