cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
‘Oregon Snowflake’ Flowering Currant

Flowering currant (Ribes sanguineum Pursh.), also known as winter currant, is native to the West Coast of the United States, primarily west of the Coast Range from southern California north to British Columbia with populations also occurring in Idaho. The species is prized for its early spring flowers in pendulous racemes of 7 to 10 cm in colors including white, pink, and rose red. Improved cultivars have been selected primarily based on floral traits. These include White Icicle (= ‘Ubric’) with profuse white flowers on a shrub that reaches 2.5 m high and 1.8 m wide. ‘Pokey’s Pink’ and ‘King Edward VII’ are grown for their clear pink and red flowers, respectively. The growth habit of the species and most of its cultivars is larger than desired and the plants tend to become leggy and exhibit an overall poor form. ‘Oregon Snowflake’ was developed at Oregon State University (OSU) and released by the Oregon Agriculture Experiment Station for its improved plant habit, which is mounding and semidwarf as well as its unique leaf shape.
Deep learning-enabled system for rapid pneumothorax screening on chest CT.

Abstract Purpose Prompt diagnosis and quantitation of pneumothorax impact decisions pertaining to patient management. The purpose of our study was to develop and evaluate the accuracy of a deep learning (DL)-based image classification program for detection of pneumothorax on chest CT. Method In an IRB approved study, an eight-layer convolutional neural network (CNN) using constant-size (36*36 pixels) 2D image patches was trained on a set of 80 chest CTs, with (n = 50) and without (n = 30) pneumothorax. Image patches were classified based on their probability of representing pneumothorax with subsequent generation of 3D heat-maps. The heat maps were further defined to include 1) pneumothorax area size, 2) relative location of the region to the lung boundary, and 3) a shape descriptor based on regional anisotropy. A support vector machine (SVM) was trained for classification. Result We assessed performance of our program in a separate test dataset of 200 chest CT examinations, with (160/200, 75%) and without (40/200, 25%) pneumothorax. Data were analyzed to determine the accuracy, sensitivity, specificity. The subject-wise sensitivity was 100% (all 160/160 pneumothoraces detected) and specificity was 82.5% (33 true negative/40). False positive classifications were primarily related to emphysema and/or artifacts in the test images. Conclusion This deep learning-based program demonstrated high accuracy for automatic detection of pneumothorax on chest CTs. By implementing it on a high-performance computing platform and integrating the domain knowledge of radiologists into the analytics framework, our method can be used to rapidly pre-screen large numbers of cases for presence of pneumothorax, a critical finding.
On-chip wavefront shaping with dielectric metasurface

Metasurfaces can be used for free-space wavefront shaping, which can generate an arbitrary phase shift with subwavelength thickness. We designed an integrated metasurface that can achieve on-chip spatial signal convertion with a ultracompact dimension and low loss (<1dB). The dielectric metalens integration can significantly reduce the taper length as well as making mechanically robust photonic crystal coupler with high transmission. The proposed integrated metasurfaces can be easily cascaded to achieve on-chip meta-system for signal processing. Here we demonstrated a metasystem that can perform the spatial differentiation and a deep learning meta-system that can achieve wavelength demultiplexing.
Social Constructions of Children and Youth: Beyond Dependents and Deviants

Schneider and Ingram’s (1993) theory of social construction of target populations has received extensive scholarly attention. It has rarely been applied to populations of children and youth, however. In this article we: (1) describe the original framework; (2) apply each of Schneider and Ingram’s four categories to examples relevant to children and youth; (3) identify adjustments to the model to guide further understanding of young people’s policy treatment; and, (4) discuss how these observations might inform policies targeted toward children and youth. By providing a more focused analysis of this theory’s application to the social construction of children and youth, we aim to contribute to the scholarly understanding of policymaking and inform potential policy design strategies that may result in positive outcomes for children and youth.
A study of track deflection associated with the landfall of Tropical Cyclone Sidr (2007) over the Bay of Bengal and Bangladesh

Abstract In this study, the dynamics of track deflection associated with Tropical Cyclone (TC) Sidr (2007) are explored using a numerical weather prediction model. It is found that (a) the simulated track of Sidr is sensitive to flow, orographic, and model vertical structure that change the environmental steering flow leading to the track deflection. In particular, the track of TC Sidr is deflected northwestward for cases with lower domain height, horizontal domain covering only part of Himalaya mountains, and varying mountain heights; (b) the simulated track of TC Sidr, when compared with GFS reanalysis data, is mainly controlled by its deep-layer environmental steering flow as a point vortex; (c) the northwestward deflection with lower domain height is caused by an artificially larger high pressure at lower levels in the vicinity of the Himalayas, due to the upward propagation of wave energy being reflected by the upper domain boundary; (d) the significant northwestward deflection associated with the varying mountain height cases is due to the cyclone vortex being advected by the northeasterly monsoonal flow, which is blocked by the mountains in the corresponding cases with mountains; (e) the northeastward track deflection after the landfall of Sidr is explained by the addition of the frictional force. In summary, the model vertical domain height and the Himalaya mountain representation play key roles in influencing the accuracy of TC Sidr track simulation, compared with other factors, such as the vertical resolution, at least for TC Sidr.
Impact of a Free Textbook on an Introductory Programming Course

Rising textbook costs has made students reluctant to purchase them. According to the review of Bureau of Labor Statistics (BLS) data, textbook prices has risen 88% since 2006 and the rate of its increase has been greater than tuition. Even parents do not have the ability to pay for the textbook for years. The high cost of textbooks has led many students to forego the purchase of textbooks and has led to underachievement in many cases. Anecdotally, the authors have determined that many students are not purchasing the textbook for a programming fundamentals course. In this paper, we present our findings in implementing a free textbook and its impact on students.
Technical Details of the Sigma Factor Alarm Method within Alpha CAMs.

ABSTRACT Some test must be applied to the low-level count data from alpha continuous air monitors (CAMs) to determine if the count is statistically significant (i.e., significantly above background). The method should be as sensitive as possible, automatically desensitizing when required due to radon progeny, yet in such a manner as to not exceed an acceptable false-alarm rate. The test that has been historically used within many alpha CAMs to accomplish these goals is the so-called sigma factor approach. In this paper, this approach is discussed with respect to four common CAM algorithms. These algorithms are referred to as the theoretical best possible algorithm, the 4-ROI algorithm, the tail-fitting algorithm, and the peak-fitting algorithm. Relative sensitivities are estimated for each algorithm.
Keynesian Comparative Economics: The Iconoclastic Vision of Lynn Turgeon (1920-1999)

The authors of this article review the late E. Lynn Turgeon's contributions to economics, including his studies of the Soviet economy, use of qualitative and demographic analyses, his Keynesian critique of U.S. economic performance, and his critique of international financial markets. Turgeon's comparative approach led to unique insights about the challenges that confronted planned economies, including the differential impact of military spending on the demand-constrained economy of the United States and the supply-constrained economy of the Soviet Union. His study of the Soviet and planned economies also informed his analysis of the U.S. economy and international adjustment mechanisms. Turgeon argued for expansionary fiscal and neutral monetary policies, prudential restrictions on portfolio capital flows, and increased foreign direct investment and foreign assistance to shift the burdens of adjustment from deficit to surplus countries. Throughout his career, Turgeon measured economic policies by their effects on real people, including impacts on employment, the environment, living standards, and distributions of income and wealth.
Optofluidic Flow-Through Biosensor Sensitivity – Model and Experiment

We present a model and simulation for predicting the detected signal of a fluorescence-based optical biosensor built from optofluidic waveguides. Typical applications include flow experiments to determine pathogen concentrations in a biological sample after tagging relevant DNA or RNA sequences. An overview of the biosensor geometry and fabrication processes is presented. The basis for the predictive model is also outlined. The model is then compared to experimental results for three different biosensor designs. The model is shown to have similar signal statistics as physical tests, illustrating utility as a pre-fabrication design tool and as a predictor of detection sensitivity.
Detecting Corrosion of Steel Prestressing Strands Using Acoustic Emission

America’s transportation infrastructure has been receiving intensive public and private attention in recent years, particularly highway bridges. Corrosion of reinforcement steel is a main durability issue especially for concrete structures present in coastal areas and in areas where de-icing salts are routinely used.Acoustic emission (AE) is a promising method for detecting corrosion in steel reinforced concrete members. This type of non-destructive testing (NDT) method primarily measures the magnitude of energy released within a material when physically strained. The expansive ferrous product resulting from corrosion induces pressure at the steel-concrete interface creating micro-cracks which can be detected by AE sensors. In this study, five concrete blocks with embedded prestressing steel strands were built and tested under accelerated corrosion conditions to evaluate possible correlations between AE activity and the onset and progression of corrosion. AE data along with half-cell potential measurements were recorded during the test to determine the stages and the overall deterioration process. Afterwards, the steel strands were removed from the specimens, cleaned and weighed; then the results were evaluated vis-a-vis Faraday’s law with respect to the degree of corrosion present in each block.
Software architectures for incremental understanding of human speech.

The prevalent state of the art in spoken language understanding by spoken dialog systems is both modular and whole-utterance. It is modular in that incoming utterances are processed by independent components that handle different aspects, such as acoustics, syntax, semantics, and intention / goal recognition. It is whole-utterance in that each component completes its work for an entire utterance prior to handing off the utterance to the next component. However, a growing body of evidence suggests that humans do not process language that way. Rather, people process speech by rapidly integrating constraints from multiple sources of knowledge and multiple linguistic levels incrementally, as the utterance unfolds. In this paper we describe ongoing work aimed at developing an architecture that will allow machines to understand spoken language in a similar way. This revolutionary approach is promising for two reasons: 1) it more accurately reflects contemporary models of human language understanding, and 2) it results in empirical improvements including increased parsing performance.
3D thermo-poroelastic analysis of fracture network deformation and induced micro-seismicity in enhanced geothermal systems

Abstract This study considers three-dimensional (3D) analyses of a fracture network in an enhanced geothermal system (EGS) with special emphasis on the role of coupled thermo-hydro-mechanical processes and fractures mechanical interactions. The behavior of the system is modeled by coupling a thermo-poroelastic displacement discontinuity (DD) method (for fracture opening and ride, fluid and heat diffusion in the reservoir matrix) with a finite element method for the fluid and heat convection and conduction inside the fractures. The nonlinear characteristics of the fracture deformation in the normal (change of fracture status from joint fracture to hydraulic fracture) and shear deformation (change of fracture status from stick to slip) are taken into account. The resulting method is then used to simulate relatively short term injection/extraction processes into/from a synthetic fracture network consisting of a major fracture intersected by a set of smaller natural fractures. Injection/extraction into/from the fracture network results in gradual shearing of the fractures that impact the thermo-hydro-mechanical characteristics of the fracture system. It is also shown that the early micro-seismic events are associated with fracture slip on connected fractures due to thermal perturbation. Also, continued injection leads to stress intensity conditions favorable for fracture propagation in shear and tensile modes which could increase reservoir surface area and further contribute to seismicity.
Approaches to Protecting Victims of Intimate Partner Violence in the United States and Ireland: People, Property and Politics

Intimate partner violence occurs across all economic and cultural demographics. Drawing from forty-eight country surveys, the World Health Organization has found rates of physical assault of women by intimate partners ranging from fifteen to seventy percent. Researchers in Ireland and the United States have examined domestic violence through surveys, medical reports, and crime reports. On all three measures, in the U.S. and Ireland, one finds similar levels and patterns of domestic violence. So parallel are the experiences that it is common to find U.S. statistics on domestic violence cited in discussions of the phenomenon in Ireland. During the 1960s the women’s movement throughout the United States and Europe brought the development of a movement to address domestic violence. By the mid-1970s both the United States and Ireland had developed networks of shelters for domestic violence victims. Legal reforms resulted in strikingly similar protections in both countries. While legal protection for intimate partners outside of marriage have been a more recent development in Ireland, in both countries protection for individual safety are balanced against the risks of wrongful interference with property interests. Comparison of the two systems raises questions of the proper balance to be struck between these values and of the importance of a clear definition of domestic violence in the law. This paper compares the legal protection from violence between intimate partners in Ireland and in the U.S.. The paper first traces the development of domestic violence legislation in each country. It then compares the protective order legislation of each country, noting in particular the balance of protection each country provides and the constitutional limits of that protection.
Determination of triapine, a ribonucleotide reductase inhibitor, in human plasma by liquid chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Triapine is an inhibitor of ribonucleotide reductase (RNR). Studies have shown that triapine significantly decreases the activity of RNR and enhanced the radiation-mediated cytotoxicity in cervical and colon cancer. In this work, we have developed and validated a selective and sensitive LC-MS/MS method for the determination of triapine in human plasma. In this method, 2-[(3-fluoro-2-pyridinyl)methylene] hydrazinecarbothioamide (NSC 266749) was used as the internal standard (IS); plasma samples were prepared by deproteinization with acetonitrile; tripaine and the IS were separated on a Waters Xbridge Shield RP18 column (3.5 µm; 2.1 × 50 mm) using a mobile phase containing 25.0% methanol and 75.0% ammonium bicarbonate buffer (10.0 mM, pH 8.50; v/v); column eluate was monitored by positive turbo-ionspray tandem mass spectrometry; and quantitation of triapine was carried out in multiple-reaction-monitoring mode. The method developed had a linear calibration range of 0.250-50.0 ng/mL with correlation coefficient of 0.999 for triapine in human plasma. The IS-normalized recovery and the IS-normalized matrix factor of triapine were 101-104% and 0.89-1.05, respectively. The accuracy expressed as percentage error and precision expressed as coefficient of variation were ≤±6 and ≤8%, respectively. The validated LC-MS/MS method was applied to the measurement of triapine in patient samples from a phase I clinical trial.
What Is A 'Recess'? : Recess Appointments and the Framers' Understanding of Advice and Consent

Article II, Section 2, Clause 3 of the U.S. Constitution (commonly referred to as the "Recess Appointments Clause") confers upon the President the "Power to fill up all Vacancies that may happen during the Recess of the Senate, by granting Commissions which shall expire at the End of their next Session." President Obama’s January 2012 recess appointments, made while the Senate attempted to block the President from making any recess appointments over the holiday break by holding "pro forma" sessions, raised new questions about the scope of the President’s power to avoid Senate confirmation. Can the Senate successfully prevent the President from making a recess appointment by convening every three days for sessions, even when no business is actually conducted? Although a growing literature has sought to address this question, surprisingly little attention has been paid to the Framers’ intent when they incorporated the Recess Appointments Clause into our Constitution, in part due to the absence of legislative history accompanying the provision. This Article argues that while there is little direct evidence of the Framers’ intent concerning the Recess Appointments Clause, attending to adjacent provisions of the Constitution that require the Senate’s advice and consent, such as the Appointments Clause and the Treaty Clause, sheds light on the scope of unilateral power the Framers intended the clause to confer on the Executive Branch. Examining the history of the Appointments Clause reveals that the Framers modeled the Senate’s role after the practice of advice and consent that existed in the Commonwealth of Massachusetts under British rule prior to the federal Constitutional Convention. That model prized an active role for the Senate in restraining the Executive Branch, and interpreted the Senate’s failure to act on Executive proposals as a valid rejection of those measures. Similarly, the Treaty Clause contemplated that the Senate would serve as a firm check on the President's power to sign multilateral agreements. The history of these adjacent constitutional provisions, this Article argues, provides compelling evidence that the recent use of "pro forma" sessions is a constitutional method in the contemporary separation of powers arsenal for the Senate to preserve its right to reject a president's nominees.
Forced relocation and residential instability among urban renters

AbstractResidential instability often brings about other forms of instability in families, schools, and communities that compromise the life chances of adults and children. Social scientists have found that low-income families move frequently without fully understanding why. Drawing on novel data of more than 1,000 Milwaukee renters, this article explores the relationship between forced relocation and residential instability. It finds that low incomes are associated with higher rates of mobility due to poorer renters’ greater exposure to forced displacement. Not only do higher rates of formal and informal eviction, landlord foreclosure, and building condemnation directly increase the mobility of poorer renters, but forced displacement also increases subsequent unforced mobility. A forced move often compels renters to accept substandard housing, which drives them to soon move again. This article reveals mechanisms of residential mobility among low-income renters, identifies previously undocumented conseque...
Modeling Discourse in Secondary Science and Mathematics Classrooms

This paper describes the structure of student-student and teacher-student discourse in four different classrooms in which modeling instruction was employed and it highlights characteristic features of this discourse. I describe the roles students adopt during whiteboard-mediated discourse and the ways in which these roles shape student reasoning and engagement in these very different learning communities.
Re-emergence of the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta) as a reference species for evo-devo

SUMMARY Evolutionary developmental biology requires integration of knowledge from multiple levels of organization. Information at the genome level is quickly outpacing crucial descriptive information on developmental processes at the cell, tissue, and organ levels. Unprecedented progress in genomics has enabled the rise of so-called non-traditional reference species. However, a substantial, though overlooked, amount of phenotypic information has long been available for species such as the Painted Turtle (Chrysemys picta), which recently became the first turtle to feature a fully sequenced and annotated nuclear genome. In this commentary, I highlight research on the comparative embryology of Chrysemys during the twentieth century and briefly discuss future directions for research on this re-emerging species for evo-devo.
Discrimination between intracellular uptake and surface adhesion of bacterial pathogens

Most bacterial pathogens initiate infectious diseases by adhering to host cells. Bacterial adherence to nonphagocytic cells usually leads to extracellular colonization; however, many invasive microorganisms enter host cells after binding to the host cell surface. It is unclear why bacterial adherence can result in these two different fates for the microorganism. Analyses of model systems, such as the uptake of enteropathogenic Yersinia into cultured cells, indicate that the particular mammalian cell receptors bound and the nature of the binding event dictate whether the bacterium remains extracellular or enters host cells.
Using Hydrogen-Bonds and Herringbone Packing to Design Interfaces of 4,4‘-Disubstituted meso-Hydrobenzoin Crystals. The Importance of Recognizing Unfavorable Packing Motifs

Five pure 4,4‘-disubstituted meso-hydrobenzoins and one solid solution have been investigated crystallographically. The aim was to establish whether a favorable hydrogen-bonding network and aromatic herringbone packing motif might make the lamellar structure shared by meso-hydrobenzoin (mHB) and meso-hydroanisoin sufficiently robust to serve as a reliable template on which to construct isomorphous surfaces containing various functional groups. Complete structures of the 4,4‘-difluoro-, 4,4‘-dichloro-, and 4,4‘-dibromo-meso-hydrobenzoins and an average structure of the disordered 4,4‘-dimethyl derivative were determined by X-ray diffration. Partial structures of twinned or disordered crystals of the 4,4‘-diethyl derivative and of the 1:1 mixed crystal of the 4,4‘-dimethyl and 4,4‘-dibromo derivatives were determined by morphological and optical studies supplemented by diffraction. While the fluoro and ethyl compounds preserve the complete layer structure of mHB, and the bromo and chloro compounds preserve ...
Selenium-independent glutathione peroxidase activity associated with glutathione S-transferase from the housefly, Musca domestica.

Abstract 1. 1. A glutathione S-transferase having Se-independent glutathione peroxidase activity was isolated from 100,000 g supernatant from housefly homogenate. 2. 2. The specific activity of the partially purified Se-independent glutathione peroxidase was 1776 nmol NADPH oxidized/min/mg protein, representing an 87-fold purification. 3. 3. The M r of this enzyme was estimated to be 37,000 and 26,000 by gel filtration chromatography and gel electrophoresis, respectively. 4. 4. Selenium-dependent glutathione peroxidase activity could not be detected in this same supernatant. 5. 5. Se-independent glutathione peroxidase activity should be considered in future studies of the insect antioxidant defense system.
Hand dominance and bilateral asymmetry in the structure of the second metacarpal

Bilateral asymmetry in the structure of the second metacarpal was examined in relation to functional hand dominance in a large, clinically nonselected, healthy population sample from the Baltimore Longitudinal Study of Aging. Bilateral bone measurements were made from anteroposterior hand radiographs of a total of 992 individuals, 609 males and 383 females, with an age range of 19–94 years. Hand dominance was determined on the basis of personal impression. Total width and medullary width at the midshaft of the second metacarpal were measured to 0.05 mm using a Helios caliper. These two measurements were used to derive cortical thickness, cortical bone area, periosteal (total) area, medullary area, percent cortical area, and the second moment of area in the mediolateral plane. In both right and left-handed individuals, statistically significant side differences were found in the calculated bone areas and the second moment of area, with the dominant hand being larger. Cortical thickness did not show significant side-related differences for either handedness. These results show that functional handedness leads to periosteal and endosteal expansion of the second metacarpal cortex on the dominant side, increasing bone strength without increasing cortical thickness. This is the first time this pattern of asymmetry has been reported in left-handers as well as right-handers. Our results argue for the primacy of environmental (mechanical) effects in determining bilateral asymmetry of limb bone structural properties. © 1994 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Mathematics professional development for elementary teachers: Building trust within a school-based mathematics education community

Abstract Despite increased attention in professional development to building communities of teachers, few studies have investigated the development of trust in these communities. This paper presents issues related to trust in a professional development project at an elementary school. The project aimed for school-based elementary teachers and university-based mathematics educators to work together to improve mathematics instruction at the school by developing a mathematics education community of learners, where learners were conceived of as both the teachers and the mathematics educators. This paper addresses the following question: What factors in the project supported the development of trust among mathematics educators and teachers as the community was formed? More specifically, the paper is about one aspect of trust, namely, building school-based elementary teachers’ trust in the university-based mathematics educators. We point to three factors that helped the development of trust and we use care theory to further understand and discuss these factors in the context of in-service teacher education initiatives.
GATORs Take a Bite Out of mTOR

Coupling nutrient availability to cellular growth is essential for all organisms. Across eukaryotes, the serine-threonine kinase called target of rapamycin (TOR; or mTOR in mammals) is a master regulator of cell growth. It is the catalytic subunit of two molecular complexes, mTORC1 and mTORC2. The mTORC1 complex is acutely sensitive to concentrations of both growth factors and nutrients, including glucose and amino acids ( 1 ). The mTORC1 signaling pathway in cells is hyperactivated in a broad spectrum of human cancers and in metabolic disease ( 2 ). On page 1100 in this issue, Bar-Peled et al. ( 3 ) identify a protein complex that negatively regulates mTORC1 and functions as a tumor suppressor, pointing to new possible therapeutic strategies for cancer.
The Scholarly Merit of Social Media Use Among Clinical Faculty

Background: Social media (SoMe) platforms such as blogs, Twitter, and Facebook are increasingly becoming incorporated into education and scientific communities. In fields such as emergency medicine...
Correlates of Intuitive Thinking

Five kinds of data were gathered on various groups of college females who differ in their approach to and success in solving problems. Ss high and low on intuitiveness and on success, as defined here, were studied in some detail Usual measures of intellectual capacity and standard personality measures discriminated only slightly between the groups, but more detailed study of the personality scales, interviews, and self-concept materials revealed these groups to have clearly distinguishable patterns of personality characteristics.
Measurements of cyclone performance under conditions analogous to pressurized circulating fluidization

Abstract We evaluate the performance of a relatively efficient cyclone operating under conditions analogous to a generic pressurized circulating fluidized bed at high solid loading. We find that pressure losses across the cyclone scale with the kinetic energy density of the inlet gas and are independent of the particle Stokes number and the Reynolds number based on cyclone diameter. The pressure data are well captured by the model of Muschelknautz and Greif (1997), who predict that the corresponding losses decrease with increasing solid loading. We confirm that the overall cyclone solid capture efficiency and the efficiency by size depend on the particle Stokes number and loading. We find that the effects of these two numbers are complex and not well captured by existing models, which, unlike experiments, assume a uniform distribution of solids at the inlet.
School Administrators and Educational Technologies: narrowing the divide

ABSTRACT Technologies that enhance classroom instruction and school administration are widespread. The majority of schools, however, have yet to implement technologies beyond a basic level. Reasons for this reluctance include a lack of funds, teacher beliefs about the role of technology in education, methods of technology allocation and distribution in schools, a lack of understanding of how technologies can accentuate learning and administration, and most importantly, a lack of vision and support from school administrators. To help solve the problem of administrative support, we propose the creation of university courses designed to nourish school technology leaders. Included in this paper is a basic outline for such a course.
Algorithms, games, and evolution

Even the most seasoned students of evolution, starting with Darwin himself, have occasionally expressed amazement that the mechanism of natural selection has produced the whole of Life as we see it around us. There is a computational way to articulate the same amazement: “What algorithm could possibly achieve all this in a mere three and a half billion years?” In this paper we propose an answer: We demonstrate that in the regime of weak selection, the standard equations of population genetics describing natural selection in the presence of sex become identical to those of a repeated game between genes played according to multiplicative weight updates (MWUA), an algorithm known in computer science to be surprisingly powerful and versatile. MWUA maximizes a tradeoff between cumulative performance and entropy, which suggests a new view on the maintenance of diversity in evolution.
Time-resolved Förster-resonance-energy-transfer DNA assay on an active CMOS microarray

We present an active oligonucleotide microarray platform for time-resolved Forster-resonance-energy-transfer (TR-FRET) assays. In these assays, immobilized probe is labeled with a donor fluorophore and analyte target is labeled with a fluorescence quencher. Changes in the fluorescence decay lifetime of the donor are measured to determine the extent of hybridization. In this work, we demonstrate that TR-FRET assays have reduced sensitivity to variances in probe surface density compared with standard fluorescence-based microarray assays. Use of an active array substrate, fabricated in a standard complementary metal-oxide-semiconductor (CMOS) process, provides the additional benefits of reduced system complexity and cost. The array consists of 4096 independent single-photon avalanche diode (SPAD) pixel sites and features on-chip time-to-digital conversion. We demonstrate the functionality of our system by measuring a DNA target concentration series using TR-FRET with semiconductor quantum dot donors.
Polarization dependence of tunneling ionization of helium and neon by 120-fs pulses at 614 nm.

We report on the polarization dependence of the ionization of helium and neon by 120-fs pulses at 614 nm. For linearly polarized pulses the data for ${\mathrm{He}}^{2+}$ and ${\mathrm{Ne}}^{2+}$ show enhancements over sequential tunneling. For circularly polarized pulses the data show no distinct enhancements. Dynamic resonances, which produce similar enhancements in the multiphoton regime, do not explain the data in the tunneling regime. Two direct-ionization models are considered: a shake-off model, and a semiclassical model for rescattering of an electron by the ion core. The exhibited polarization dependence of the ion yield enhancement is consistent with the semiclassical rescattering mechanism. Definitive isolation of a direct, nonsequential ionization mechanism in the optical tunneling regime requires continued scaling experiments on the laser wavelength, pulse width and ellipticity, and the target species.
Effect of aluminum doping on the high-temperature stability and piezoresistive response of indium tin oxide strain sensors

Abstract Ceramic strain sensors based on reactively sputtered indium tin oxide (ITO) thin films doped with aluminum are being considered to improve the high-temperature stability and response. Ceramic strain sensors were developed to monitor the structural integrity of components employed in aerospace propulsion systems operating at temperatures in excess of 1500 °C. Earlier studies using electron spectroscopy for chemical analysis (ESCA) studies indicated that interfacial reactions between ITO and aluminum oxide increase the stability of ITO at elevated temperature. The resulting ESCA depth files showed the presence of two new indium–indium peaks at 448.85 and 456.40 eV, corresponding to the indium 3d5 and 3d3 binding energies. These binding energies are significantly higher than those associated with stoichiometric indium oxide. Based on these studies, a combinatorial chemistry approach was used to screen large numbers of possible concentrations to optimize the stability and performance of Al-doped ceramic strain sensors. Scanning electron microscopy was used to analyze the combinatorial libraries in which varying amounts of aluminum were incorporated into ITO films formed by cosputtering from multiple targets. Electrical stability and piezoresistive response of these films were compared to undoped ITO films over the same temperature range.
Continuous Stern-Gerlach effect: Principle and idealized apparatus.

Abstract A nondestructive type of Stern-Gerlach effect for an individual electron is described that has been thoroughly demonstrated in experiments at the University of Washington. This “continuous Stern-Gerlach effect” makes use of an inhomogeneous magnetic field provided by a weak auxiliary magnetic bottle and is nondestructive in contrast to all previous versions of the effect. As in the classic Stern-Gerlach effect, changes in the spin state are detected via changes in classical particle trajectories; however, what is observed now is not a deflection of the orbit but rather a change of its frequency in the storage well. A simplified model of the continuous Stern-Gerlach effect at zero temperature is introduced to develop the relation between minimum measurement time required for determination of spin state, driven oscillation amplitude, and zero-point fluctuations in the storage well. The problem of the reduction of the wavefunction by the interaction of the electron with the apparatus is addressed following W. Pauli.
A highly reduced V23+ unit with a metal-metal bond order of 3.5

We report the isolation and structural characterization of the first four-bladed paddlewheel complex having an M23+ core in K(THF)3[V2(DPhF)4], where DPhF is the anion of N,N‘-diphenylformamidine. This dark green, paramagnetic compound was obtained by reduction of diamagnetic, triply bonded V2(DPhF)4 with KC8. The V−V bond distance in K(THF)3[V2(DPhF)4] is 1.9295(8) A, 0.05 A shorter than that found in the V24+ species. The shortening of the bond, combined with a 15-line hyperfine splitting pattern in the EPR spectrum of K(THF)3[V2(DPhF)4], indicates that the unpaired electron is delocalized over the two vanadium atoms, giving rise to a bond order of 3.5.
Cytophotometric measurements of Hurthle cell tumors of the thyroid gland: Correlation with pathologic features and clinical behavior

The DNA content and nuclear size and shape of 21 Hurthle cell neoplasms of the thyroid were analyzed with a CAS 100RS Image Analyzer (Cell Analysis Systems, Lombard, IL) in order to distinguish between benign and malignant lesions. Neoplasms were considered malignant if documented metastatic disease or pathologic evidence of vascular or capsular invasion was present. Of the ten neoplasms classified as malignant, eight were aneuploid and two were diploid. Nine of the 11 benign neoplasms were diploid, the remaining two neoplasms were aneuploid. Two of the four malignant neoplasms which recurred or metastasized were aneuploid, the other two were diploid. A statistically significant association was found between aneuploidy and tumor invasion (P = 0.007). However, measurement of the percentage of cycling tumor cells as well as nuclear size and shape were not useful in separating benign from malignant neoplasms.
Hepatic miR-29ab1 expression modulates chronic hepatic injury

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small, regulatory non-coding RNAs that have potent effects on gene expression. Several miRNA are deregulated in cellular processes involved in human liver diseases and regulation of cellular processes. Recent studies have identified the involvement of miR-29 in hepatic fibrosis and carcinogenesis. Although several targets of miR-29 have been identified, there is limited information regarding the cell-type specific roles of miR-29 in the liver, and we sought to evaluate the role of this miRNA in hepatic pathobiology. We report the generation of a tissue–specific knockout mouse to evaluate the role of miR-29 in hepatic fibrosis and carcinogenesis in response to injury. We hypothesized that miR-29 contributes to the hepatocyte driven response to chronic cellular injury that results in fibrosis. In support of this hypothesis, fibrosis and mortality were enhanced in miR29 knockout mice in response to carbon tetrachloride. Genome-wide gene expression analysis identified an over-representation of genes associated with fibrosis. The oncofetal RNA H19 was modulated in a miR-29 dependent manner following exposure to carbon tetrachloride in vivo. The impact of a hepatocyte specific miR-29 knockout on survival following chronic hepatic injury in vivo implicates this miRNA as a potential target for intervention. These results provide evidence of the involvement of miR-29 in chronic hepatic injury, and suggest a role for deregulated hepatocyte expression of miR-29 in the response to hepatic injury, fibrosis and carcinogenesis.
Effect of water potential on mycelial growth and perithecial production of Monosporascus cannonballus in vitro

The effects of osmotic water potential (Ψs) on mycelial growth and perithecial production of Monosporascus cannonballus, the cause of root rot and vine decline of melons, were examined at 25°C on potato dextrose agar (PDA) amended with KCl, NaCl or sucrose. Patterns of the growth responses of four isolates to decreasing Ψs were similar for each of the osmotica. Compared with growth on nonamended PDA (−0·3 MPa), growth of all isolates increased as Ψs was reduced to −0·8 MPa. Maximum growth occurred at Ψs values of −0·6 to −0·8 MPa. Growth was not reduced below that on nonamended PDA until Ψs was reduced to −1·8 MPa, and a 50% reduction in growth did not occur until Ψs was reduced to < −2·5 MPa. Reproduction was much more sensitive to reduced Ψs than was mycelial growth, and perithecia were produced only at Ψs ≥ −0·7 or −0·8 MPa on PDA amended with KCl or NaCl, respectively. Three isolates produced perithecia on PDA amended with sucrose only at Ψs ≥ −0·6 MPa, but the fourth isolate produced perithecia at ≥ −1·9 MPa. Colonization of the xylem early in disease development may provide an essential source of water for subsequent reproduction in the root cortex during plant senescence. Postharvest cultivation to expose and desiccate roots may prevent reproduction even when temperatures lethal to hyphae are not attained.
Thin-layer chromatographic examination of cholesterol autoxidation

Abstract The air oxidation of cholesterol has been studied by means of one- and two-dimensional thin-layer chromatographic methods herein developed; A semi-quantitative photoelectric densitometric procedure for evaluation of one-dimensional chromatoplates is also described. The autoxidation ofcholesterol by heating or storing in air, irradiation in air, treatment with benzoyl peroxide, purification via the dibromide, and in sodium stearate colloidally dispersed medium has been examined and the autoxidation products resolved by thin-layer chromatography have been catalogued. The complexity of the air oxidation of cholesterol is emphasized as is the necessity of careful control work in chemical and biological systems containing cholesterol.
Effect of Heating on the Characteristics and Chemical Composition of Selected Frying Oils and Fats

Seven commonly used frying oils and fats (beef tallow, canola oil, partially hydrogenated canola oil, corn oil, cottonseed oil, soybean oil, and partially hydrogenated soybean oil) were heated at t...
Determinants of HIV Serostatus Disclosure to Sexual Partner Among HIV-Positive Alcohol Users in Haiti

This study examined the relationship between antiretroviral therapy use, participants’ knowledge of partner’s HIV serostatus, number of sex partners, perceived infectivity and HIV disclosure to a main sexual partner among 258 HIV-positive Haitian alcohol users. Only 38.6 % had disclosed their HIV serostatus to sexual partners. Logistic regression analyses revealed that participants who self-reported having an HIV-negative partner (OR = 0.36, 95 % CI 0.13–0.97) or a partner of unknown HIV status (OR = 0.09, 95 % CI 0.04–0.22) were less likely to disclose their HIV serostatus than participants who self-reported having an HIV-positive partner. Participants who had more than one sexual partner in the past 3 months (OR = 0.41, 95 % CI 0.19–0.90) were also less likely to disclose than participants who had one partner. These findings suggest the need for couples-based programs to assist people living with HIV (PLWH) with the disclosure process, especially among PLWH who have more than one sexual partner and/or are in serodiscordant relationships.
Repeated measurements on permanent plots using local variability sampling for monitoring soil cover

Abstract On US military installations, training activities such as vehicle use disturb ground and vegetation cover of landscapes, and increase potential rainfall runoff and soil erosion. In order to sustain training lands, soil erosion is of major concern. Thus there is a need for sampling designs to monitor degradation and recovery of land conditions. Traditionally, permanent plots are used to obtain the change of land conditions. However, the permanent plots often provide less information over time in characterizing the land conditions because of the fixed number and locations of plots. In this paper, we analyzed the sufficiency of a permanent plot sample and developed a method to improve the re-measurements of the permanent plots over time for a monitoring system of soil erosion based on spatial and temporal variability of a random function. We first applied a local variability based sampling method to generate reference samples that have sampling distances varying spatially and temporally to monitor a soil erosion relevant cover factor for an installation, Fort Riley, USA. Then, we compared a permanent sample with the reference samples annually over 13 years to determine additional sampling in the areas with high variability and temporarily suspending measurements of the permanent plots in the areas with low variability. The local variability based sampling provides estimates of local variability of the cover factor and thus is more cost-efficient than random sampling. By comparison with a reference samples, the re-measurements obtained should more accurately characterize the dynamics of the land conditions.
Regulation of ciliary motility in Paramecium by cAMP and cGMP

Abstract Paramecium tetraurelia is a useful model system for the study of signal transduction mechanisms that couple changes in membrane potential to changes in ciliary motility, and cAMP and cGMP have been implicated as second messengers in this system. Changes in ciliary beat are correlated with changes in the membrane potential, V m , with hyperpolarizations resulting in increased beat frequency and increased forward swimming speed. The intercellular levels of cAMP and cGMP vary with V m , and increasing internal cAMP by microinjection or the use of membrane permeant analogs results in increased swimming speed. In addition, cAMP and cGMP modify the swimming behavior of permeabilized Paramecium , and the sensitivity of cilia to cAMP and cGMP depends upon the location of the cilia on the cell surface. However, increasing internal cAMP also results in hyperpolarization and increasing internal cAMP does not override the effect of V m . These results have lead to two conflicting models to describe the role of cAMP: (1) stimulus → hyperpolarization of V m → increased [cAMP] in → increased beat frequency, and (2) stimulus → increased [cAMP] in → hyperpolarization of V m → increased beat frequency. This review discusses the data that support these models and possible experimental approaches to resolve the paradox presented by these models.
Treatment of Spontaneous Breast Cancers in Mice with Pearled Barley.

We have presented in previous papers1, 2, 3, 4 our results with intravenous injections of yeast extract in the treatment of spontaneous breast adenocarcinomas in mice. We reported complete disappearance of these tumors in 30% of the animals, if the tumors were not of excessive size. In our last publication4 we reported that by combining the injections of yeast extract with the feeding of polished rice we were able to double the percentage of complete regressions and to get these results not only in small tumors, but in tumors of considerable size.We mentioned in this paper that since the preparation of beer had been changed, due to the exigencies of the war, successful results could be obtained only with a yeast extract prepared from bock beer, as bock beer was still prepared according to the old technic. Bock beer is prepared only once a year. We were planning to prepare to a large quantity of this extract when we were informed that the breweries had decided to discontinue the manufacture of bock beer fo...