cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Evaluation of Racial Differences in the Classification of Blood Pressure Control after Stroke

Background Blood pressure (BP) control is important for secondary stroke prevention and there are racial differences in BP control after stroke. BP is often treated based on in-clinic BP measurement; however, casual BP obtained in clinic may be inaccurate. We sought to determine whether race was associated with BP control misclassification in stroke survivors. Methods We followed ischemic/hemorrhagic stroke and transient ischemic attack patients in clinic within 30 days of hospital discharge. Sitting BP was obtained using a standard office automated machine (casual BP). BP was also measured with an automated office BP machine (AOBP), which measures 6 unattended BPs and averages the last 5. OABP has been used to approximate the gold standard 24-hour ambulatory BP (office BP 140/90 = AOBP 135/85). We defined the following categories: concordant control (AOBP Results Among 216 patients, mean age was 59.5 (SD 12.9); 50.5% African American, 21.3% Hispanic (HIS), and 25.5% Non-Hispanic White (NHW). BP control was misclassified in 32.1% of African Americans (17% pseudo-resistant and 16.5% masked uncontrolled); 26.1% of HIS (8.7% and 17.4%); and 20% of NHW (18.2% and 1.8%). In the univariate analysis, there was a trend toward an association between race and BP category (p = 0.06). Race was significantly associated with misclassification in the regression analysis. The odds ratio for masked uncontrolled compared to concordant controlled BP was 12.2 (95% CI 1.5, 99.2) for AA compared to NHW and 9.9 (95% CI 1.1, 87.4) for HIS compared to NHW. Conclusion These findings highlight the challenges in classifying control of BP and thus appropriately treating hypertension after stroke. Accurate tools for BP measurement including AOBP, home BP, and ambulatory BP monitoring should be utilized to optimize BP treatment after stroke.
Changes in the Operative Corridor in Oblique Lumbar Interbody Fusion Between Preoperative Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Intraoperative Cone-Beam Computed Tomography Using Morphometric Analysis.

Background The oblique lumbar interbody fusion or anterior-to-psoas (OLIF/ATP) technique relies on a corridor anterior to the psoas and posterior to the vasculature for lumbar interbody fusion. This is evaluated preoperatively with CT and/or MRI. To date, there have been no studies examining how intraoperative, lateral decubitus positioning may change the dimensions of this corridor when compared to preoperative imaging. Objective Our objective was to evaluate changes in the intraoperative corridor in the supine and lateral positions utilizing preoperative and intraoperative imaging. Methods We performed a retrospective analysis among patients who have undergone an OLIF/ATP approach at two tertiary care centers from 2016 to 2018 by measuring the distance between the left lateral border of the aorta or iliac vessels and anteromedial border of the psoas muscle from L1-L2 through L4-5 disc spaces. We compared this corridor between supine, preoperative MRI axial and intraoperative CT acquired in the right lateral decubitus position. Results Thirty-three patients, 15 of whom were female, were included in our study. The average age of the patients was 65.4 years and the average BMI was 31 kg/m2. The results revealed a statistically significant increase (p<.05) in the intraoperative corridor from supine to lateral decubitus positioning at all levels. However, age, BMI, and gender had no statistically significant impact on the preoperative versus intraoperative corridor. Conclusion This is the first study to provide objective evidence that lateral decubitus positioning increases the intraoperative corridor for OLIF/ATP. Our study demonstrates that lateral decubitus positioning provides a more favorable corridor for the OLIF/ATP technique from L1-L5 disc levels.
Ectopic expression of a maize gene is induced by Composite Insertions generated by Alternative Transposition

Transposable elements (TEs) are DNA sequences that can mobilize and proliferate throughout eukaryotic genomes. Previous studies have shown that in plant genomes, TEs can influence gene expression in various ways such as inserting in introns or exons to alter transcript structure and content, and providing novel promoters and regulatory elements to generate new regulatory patterns. Furthermore, TEs can also regulate gene expression at the epigenetic level by modifying chromatin structure, changing DNA methylation status and generating small RNAs. In this study, we demonstrated that Ac/fAc transposable elements are able to induce ectopic gene expression by duplicating and shuffling enhancer elements. Ac/fAc elements belong to the hAT family of Class II TEs. They can undergo standard transposition events, which involve the two termini of a single transposon, or alternative transposition events which involve the termini of two different, nearby elements. Our previous studies have shown that alternative transposition can generate various genome rearrangements such as deletions, duplications, inversions, translocations and Composite Insertions (CIs). We identified over 50 independent cases of CIs generated by Ac/fAc alternative transposition and analyzed 10 of them in detail. We show that these CIs induced ectopic expression of the maize pericarp color 2 (p2) gene, which encodes a Myb-related protein. All the CIs analyzed contain sequences including a transcriptional enhancer derived from the nearby p1 gene, suggesting that the CI-induced activation of p2 is effected by mobilization of the p1 enhancer. This is further supported by analysis of a mutant in which the CI is excised and p2 expression is lost. These results show that alternative transposition events are not only able to induce genome rearrangements, but also generate Composite Insertions that can control gene expression.
Factors Determining Selectivity of Acid- and Base-Catalyzed Self- and Cross-Condensation of Acetone and Cyclopentanone

In a combined kinetics and density functional theory (DFT) study, we have explored several factors that affect the selectivity of acid- and base-catalyzed self- and cross-aldol condensation of acet...
Metabolic Adaptations to Weight Loss: A Brief Review.

ABSTRACT Martinez-Gomez, MG and Roberts, BM. Metabolic adaptations to weight loss: A brief review. J Strength Cond Res XX(X): 000-000, 2021-As the scientific literature has continuously shown, body mass loss attempts do not always follow a linear fashion nor always go as expected even when the intervention is calculated with precise tools. One of the main reasons why this tends to happen relies on our body's biological drive to regain the body mass we lose to survive. This phenomenon has been referred to as "metabolic adaptation" many times in the literature and plays a very relevant role in the management of obesity and human weight loss. This review will provide insights into some of the theoretical models for the etiology of metabolic adaptation as well as a quick look into the physiological and endocrine mechanisms that underlie it. Nutritional strategies and dietetic tools are thus necessary to confront these so-called adaptations to body mass loss. Among some of these strategies, we can highlight increasing protein needs, opting for high-fiber foods or programming-controlled diet refeeds, and diet breaks over a large body mass loss phase. Outside the nutritional aspects, it might be wise to increase the physical activity and thus the energy flux of an individual when possible to maintain diet-induced body mass loss in the long term. This review will examine these protocols and their viability in the context of adherence and sustainability for the individual toward successful body mass loss.
Rural/urban differences in the prevalence of stroke risk factors: A cross-sectional analysis from the REGARDS study.

Purpose We previously described the magnitude of rural-urban differences in the prevalence of stroke risk factors and stroke mortality. In this report, we sought to extend the understanding of rural-urban differences in the prevalence of stroke risk factors by using an enhanced definition of rural-urban status and assessing the impact of neighborhood socioeconomic status (nSES) on risk factor differences. Methods This analysis included 28,242 participants without a history of stroke from the REasons for Geographic And Racial Differences in Stroke (REGARDS) cohort. Participants were categorized into the 6-level ordinal National Center for Health Statistics Urban-Rural Classification Scheme. The prevalence of stroke risk factors (hypertension, diabetes, smoking, atrial fibrillation, left ventricular hypertrophy, and heart disease) was assessed across the rural-urban scale with adjustment for demographic characteristics and further adjustment for nSES score. Findings Hypertension, diabetes, and heart disease were more prevalent in rural than urban regions. Higher odds were observed for these risk factors in the most rural compared to the most urban areas (odds ratios [95% CI]: 1.25 [1.11-1.42] for hypertension, 1.15 [0.99-1.33] for diabetes, and 1.19 [1.02-1.39] for heart disease). Adjustment for nSES score partially attenuated the odds of hypertension and heart disease with rurality, completely attenuated the odds of diabetes, and unmasked an association of current smoking. Conclusions Some of the higher stroke mortality in rural areas may be due to the higher burden of stroke risk factors in rural areas. Lower nSES contributed most notably to rural-urban differences for diabetes and smoking.
Chapter 34 – Nanotechnology in Water: Societal, Ethical, and Environmental Considerations

Potable water is a threatened but critical resource, the scarcity of which is devastating for the developing world. Water-related nanotechnology research has the potential to make safe drinking water inexpensive and accessible to developing countries. This technology also can improve the water infrastructure in developed nations. However, it is imperative that the technology is, first, sustainable and, second, is acceptable by the societies it will serve. This chapter discusses both these issues and addresses what should be considered by researchers and policymakers in the advent of this rapidly developing technology to ensure its responsible development and deployment. Responsible development–including the best use of resources, consideration of societal concerns, and investigation of potential environmental effects—starts in the early stages of research. As the research moves into the development stage, issues of access and parity—including patent and copyright issues and access to the technology—become controversial. Finally, public engagement is necessary to ensure overall acceptance of exotic techniques and novel treatment technologies. Public engagement demands an approach appropriate to both the society as well as the technology, and as such, a relevant case-specific strategy must be developed to coincide with the introduction of new water treatment technologies.
Gadolinium scandium germanide, Gd2Sc3Ge4

Gd2Sc3Ge4 adopts the ortho­rhom­bic Pu5Rh4-type structure. The crystal structure contains six sites in the asymmetric unit: two sites are statistically occupied by rare-earth atoms with Gd:Sc ratios of 0.967 (4):0.033 (4) and 0.031 (3):0.969 (3), one site (.m. symmetry) is occupied by Sc atoms, and three distinct sites (two of which with .m. symmetry) are occupied by Ge atoms. The rare-earth atoms form two-dimensional slabs with Ge atoms occupying the trigonal-prismatic voids.
Synthesis and Screening of Linear and Cyclic Oligocarbamate Libraries. Discovery of High Affinity Ligands for GPIIb/IIIa

Synthetic methodology has been developed for the generation of large, diverse libraries of “unnatural” carbamate oligomers using the “one bead, one peptide” method. Using a pool of 27 structurally and functionally diverse monomers, one acyclic and two cyclic libraries were synthesized and screened for binding to the integrin GPIIb/IIIa. Several classes of oligocarbamate ligands for GPIIb/IIIa were discovered, and two cyclic ligands have activities that are within a factor of 3 of kistrin, a snake venom protein that effectively inhibits platelet aggregation. Preliminary pharmacokinetic characterization was performed on a linear oligocarbamate ligand, which was cleared from plasma with a half-life of 3.6 min.
Development of Intrinsic Connectivity in the Central Nucleus of the Mouse Inferior Colliculus

The inferior colliculus (IC) in the mammalian midbrain is the major subcortical auditory integration center receiving ascending inputs from almost all auditory brainstem nuclei as well as descending inputs from the thalamus and cortex. In addition to these extrinsic inputs, the IC also contains a dense network of local, intracollicular connections, which are thought to provide gain control and contribute to the selectivity for complex acoustic features. However, in contrast to the organization of extrinsic IC afferents, the development and functional organization of intrinsic connections in the IC has remained poorly understood. Here we used laser-scanning photostimulation with caged glutamate to characterize the spatial distribution and strength of local synaptic connections in the central nucleus of the inferior colliculus of newborn mice until after hearing onset (P2-P22). We demonstrate the presence of an extensive excitatory and inhibitory intracollicular network already at P2. Excitatory and inhibitory synaptic maps to individual IC neurons formed continuous maps that largely overlapped with each other and that were aligned with the presumed isofrequency axis of the central nucleus of the IC. Although this characteristic organization was present throughout the first three postnatal weeks, the size of input maps was developmentally regulated as input maps underwent an expansion during the first week that was followed by a dramatic refinement after hearing onset. These changes occurred in parallel for excitatory and inhibitory input maps. However, the functional elimination of intrinsic connections was greater for excitatory than for inhibitory connections, resulting in a predominance of intrinsic inhibition after hearing onset.
Premature ICD failure associated with the use of the Merlin remote monitoring system.

Introduction Two cases of premature failure of St Jude Medical Ellipse implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) are presented. Both had reverted to a non-interrogatable backup mode shortly after implantation and required a generator change. The cause of failure was found to be a previously unreported event queue overflow resulting from a firmware error occurring during routine interaction with the St Jude Medical Merlin remote monitoring system. Until this firmware error is addressed, Ellipse and Assura ICDs being monitored remotely with the Merlin system are at a continued risk of reversion to a backup mode. Early reports suggest a low incidence of this failure mechanism, but all clinicians following such patients need to be aware of this possibility so that they can individually decide on the risk-benefit ratio of continued home monitoring in this specific setting.
Repositioning of a Traumatically Displaced Globe With Maxillary Antrostomy: Review of the Literature and Treatment Recommendations

Complete dislocation of the globe, inferiorly into the maxillary sinus, medially into the ethmoid sinus, or superiorly into the anterior cranial fossa, can occur with significant blunt facial trauma. The degree of injury to the globe, its adnexal structures, and the optic nerve is dependent on the extent of the dislocation. Complete traumatic subluxation of the globe into the maxillary sinus is associated with severe injury to the periocular structures and represents a challenging and unique reconstructive process rarely encountered in published studies. The present case report represents only the 15th reported case of complete orbital prolapse into the maxillary sinus. Controversy exists regarding the definitive treatment of traumatic globe dislocations, the risk of sympathetic ophthalmia (SO), the sequela of postenucleation socket syndrome, and prophylactic steroid treatment to decrease the incidence of SO and traumatic optic neuropathy.
Renin-dependent renovascular hypertension in infant with abdominal aortic atresia.

Abstract A newborn infant was seen with severe and progressive arterial hypertension, congenital atresia of the abdominal aorta, and a renal venous renin activity ratio greater than 1:1.5 (1:3.1). Preoperative studies indicated that the renin-angiotensin axis was responsible for the production and maintenance of the severe hypertensive process. Right nephrectomy cured the arterial hypertension both above and below the area of coarctation. The possible roles of the pathogenic mechanism are discussed.
Absorption of Carbon Dioxide into Aqueous Blends of Diethanolamine and Methyldiethanolamine

In this work, a comprehensive model is developed for the absorption of carbon dioxide into aqueous mixtures of primary or secondary alkanolamines with tertiary alkanolamines. The model, which is based on penetration theory, incorporates an extensive set of important reversible reactions and takes into account the coupling between chemical equilibrium, mass transfer, and chemical kinetics. The reaction between CO2 and the primary or secondary amine is modeled according to the zwitterion mechanism. The key physicochemical properties that are needed for the model are the CO2 physical solubility, the CO2 and amine diffusion coefficients, and the reaction rate coefficients and equilibrium constants. Data for carbon dioxide absorption into aqueous mixtures of diethanolamine and methyldiethanolamine are compared to model predictions.
The Utility of Weber's Ideal Type: Verstehen and the Theory of Critical Mass

Weber's concepts of the ideal type and Verstehen are perhaps the most often discussed and debated but least understood of all his methodological formulations. This is in part a consequence of the complexity regarding the historical and intellectual matrix in which he developed his conceptual thought, and in part the relationship of the ideal type and Verstehen to other central aspects both of his methodology and theoretical works. The full scope of Weber's effort, and the relevance of this to contemporary sociological and historical investigations, can be found in his orientation to positivism and its role vis-a-vis the social sciences. A return by social scientists to mathematical modeling (which is not necessarily the province of the natural sciences) may, ironically, provide the foundation for returning back to a reconsideration of Weber's methodological thought, while repositioning the role of the ideal type and positivism in sociological investigations.
Ferromagnetic resonance in a coupled two-layer system

Abstract We have worked out the Ferromagnetic Resonance (FMR) mode characteristics of an interfacially coupled two-layer film system. The magnetocrystalline anisotropy was taken to be uniaxial. The coupling energy per unit area, E AB , was assumed to be of the form E AB = − KM A · M B with K isotropic. The analysis predicts the number, positions, intensities and linewid of the FMR peaks as a function of K . Detailed calculations are given for ferromagnetic coupling with the applied dc magnetic fields parallel to the film plane. The predictions are compared with our data on the NiFe/Ag/Ni and NiFe/SiO 2 /Ni coupled systems. These analyses provide a basis for extension into more complicated situations: cubic magnetocrystalline anisotropy and angularly-dependent interfacial coupling, as examples. We have also worked out, for very strong coupling, the results for a dc field oriented arbitrarily with respect to the normal of the specimen. In all of the above cases the sum of the mode intensities was found to be invariant with K . Antiferromagnetic coupling is discussed briefly.
Azuki bean sizes and ama-natto preparation

Abstract Ama-natto is the Japanese name for cooked and sweetened whole beans. Studies were conducted to examine the effect of soaking four sizes of azuki beans (Vigna angularis) for 10, 14 or 18 h, and cooking the soaked beans for 16, 20 or 25 min to prepare ama-natto. Studies also examined the effect of cooking four sizes of azuki beans for 40, 45, 50, or 55 min to prepare ama-natto. Small azuki beans soaked for 10 h were softer, and exhibited larger quantities of water imbibition and solids leached into the soaking solution than the large beans. When the soaking time was increased to 14 or 18 h, the differences in bean hardness and water imbibition among the four sizes of azuki beans were largely reduced. When raw azuki beans were cooked for 40 min, the hardness of cooked beans and ama-natto decreased with the decrease in bean size. The differences in hardness among the four sizes of cooked beans and ama-natto decreased when the cooking time of raw beans was increased from 40 to 55 min. Compared to the raw beans, the soaked beans required less cooking time to reduce differences in hardness among the four sizes of cooked beans and ama-natto. ©
A protein associated with the mouse and rat hepatocyte junctional complex.

In this study we have examined a protein associated with bile canaliculi of mouse and rat hepatocytes that is detected by monoclonal antibody BG9.1. The protein is seen by indirect-immunofluorescence microscopy as 2 discrete parallel lines at the lateral borders of adjacent hepatocytes. This pattern is present during development in the day 13 fetal mouse liver. Electron microscopy with immuno-gold labeling indicated that the protein is associated with the cytoplasmic surface of junctional complexes located on either side of bile canaliculi. BG9.1 reacts with a protein of 192000 apparent molecular weight on immunoblots of plasma membrane isolated from mouse and rat hepatocytes. It has been reported that unlike most cellular components, tight junctions are not soluble in sodium deoxycholate. Extraction of isolated hepatic plasma membrane sheets with deoxycholate and other reagents did not eliminate the pattern seen by indirect-immunofluorescence microscopy and enhanced the intensity of reactions on immunoblots. BG9.1 also binds to the junctional-complex region in other epithelial cell types. These results indicate that BG9.1 detects a deoxycholate-insoluble protein associated with junctional complexes and suggests that the protein is a component of tight junctions.
Trading properties and Alexandrov kernels for Boolean functions

Abstract Simple games correspond to monotonic Boolean functions, but their study is associated with a distinct set of intuitions and questions. We show how “trading properties” from simple games can be adapted to the nonmonotonic context, and how a number of these trading properties (some new and some old) are tied to each other via two kernel operations of the Alexandrov topology. These results provide an answer to a question of Peter Hammer about the relationship between the property referred to here as weak monotonicity and some better-known properties of Boolean functions.
TEACHING CORPORATE AMERICA TO THINK ABOUT CRISIS PREVENTION

A major reason that crisis management is such a heavy burden is that the conceptual “road map of reality” that we all use to make basic sense of the world has broken down. Even more basic, the assumptions underlying this road map have themselves broken down and need to be replaced by newer assumptions. This article examines those basic assumptions and the reasons they need to be replaced.
Dibromo addition products of (1R)-cis-permethrin and deltamethrin; evidence that debromination is an obligatory requirement for biological activity

3-Phenoxybenzyl (1R-)-cis-3-(1,2-dibromo-2, 2-dichloroethyl)-2, 2-dimethylcyclopropanecarboxylate [dibromo-(1R)-cis-permethrin] was >100 times less active than (1R)-cis-permethrin in causing repetitive firing in a cockroach cereal sensory nerve in vitro, although its toxicity, symptomology and nerve effects in vivo were comparable to the parent compound. Treatment of the in-vitro preparation with glutathione significantly increased the effectiveness of dibromo-(1R)-cis-permethrin in a concentration-dependent manner, while having no effect on the action of (1R)-cis-permethrin. Topical treatment of the cockroach with dibromo-(1R)-cispermethrin gave a similar time of onset of symptoms to that caused by (1R)-cis-permethrin (∼2 min). Pretreatment of the cockroach with N-ethylmaleimide (NEM) significantly (P<0.05) increased dose-dependently the latency of signs of poisoning caused by dibromo-(1R)-cis-permethrin, but had no significant effect on the latency following (1R)-cis-permethrin treatment. Deltamethrin and tralomethrin, applied to the cockroach at LD95 doses of 0.03 and 0.07 mg g−1 respectively, also had similar latencies for the development of symptoms. Moreover, pretreatment with NEM delayed the time of onset of symptoms for tralomethrin (P<0.02) but not for deltamethrin. The results strongly suggest that debromination is an obligatory requirement for the biological activity of dibromo-(1R)-cis-permethrin and tralomethrin.
US-guided placement and tip position confirmation for lower-extremity central venous access in neonates and infants with comparison versus conventional insertion

Abstract Purpose To describe experience with the use of ultrasound (US)–guided placement and tip position confirmation for direct saphenous and single-incision tunneled femoral noncuffed central venous catheters (CVCs) placed in neonates and infants at the bedside. Materials and Methods A retrospective review of the interventional radiology (IR) database and electronic medical records was performed for 68 neonates and infants who received a CVC at the bedside and for 70 age- and weight-matched patients with CVCs placed in the IR suite between 2007 and 2012. Technical success, complications, and outcomes of CVCs placed at the bedside were compared with those in an age- and weight-matched sample of children with CVCs placed in the IR suite. Results A total of 150 primary insertions were performed, with a technical success rate of 100%. Total catheter lives for CVCs placed at the bedside and in the IR suite were 2,030 catheter-days (mean, 27.1 d) and 2,043 catheter-days (mean, 27.2 d), respectively. No significant difference was appreciated between intraprocedural complications, mechanical complications (bedside, 1.53 per 100 catheter-days; IR, 1.76 per 100 catheter-days), or infectious complications (bedside, 0.39 per 100 catheter-days; IR, 0.34 per 100 catheter-days) between groups. Conclusions US-guided placement and tip position confirmation of lower-extremity CVCs at bedside for critically ill neonates and infants is a safe and feasible method for central venous access, with similar complications and catheter outcomes in comparison with CVCs placed by using fluoroscopic guidance in the IR suite.
Model selection for least absolute deviations regression in small samples

Abstract We develop a small sample criterion (L1cAIC) for the selection of least absolute deviations regression models. In contrast to AIC (Akaike, 1973), L1cAIC provides an exactly unbiased estimator for the expected Kullback—Leibler information, assuming that the errors have a double exponential distribution and the model is not underfitted. In a Monte Carlo study, L1cAIC is found to perform much better than AIC and AICR (Ronchetti, 1985). A small sample criterion developed for normal least squares regression (cAIC, Hurvich and Tsai, 1988) is found to perform as well as L1cAIC. Further, cAIC is less computationally intensive than L1cAIC.
Field assessment of BAC data to study late-night college drinking.

Objective: This field study of late-night college drinking sought to (1) test the ability of the 5+/4+ measure to screen for higher levels of intoxication and (2) examine the relation between estimated and actual blood alcohol concentration (BAC). Method: During a 15-week spring semester, college students returning to their residence halls between 10:00 PM and 3:00 AM on Wednesday through Saturday nights were anonymously interviewed to collect BAC and self-report data (n = 1,020). Results: Although 70.9% had not been drinking on Wednesday nights, a majority of the intercepted students had been drinking on the other three nights. Mean BACs on these three nights were in a moderate range (48 to 51 mg/dl), but the 5+/4+ measure classified many students as heavy episodic drinkers at relatively low BACs. For example, 66.3% of those meeting the 5+/4+ criterion for the night had BACs < 100 mg/dl. Students with BACs ranging from 70 to 90 mg/dl exhibited the greatest accuracy in estimating their BAC; those with low...
Use of a solid-phase 3H-radioimmunoassay for the measurement of immunoglobulin produced in short-term cultures of antibody-secreting cells

Abstract A slid-phase radioimmunoassay (RIA) for assaying immunoglobulin produced from antibody-secreting myeloma, hybridoma and immune spleen cells is described. Specific antibody is detected by culturing antibody-producing cells on antigen-coated flexible polyvinylchloride microtiter wells, washing away the cells, and measuring the bound specific antibody with tritiated affinity-purified anti-isotype reagents. Antibody produced from 103 myeloma cells can be detected with as little as 4 h of incubation. With 24–48 h of incubation, antibody from as few as approximately 3–15 myeloma, hybridoma or immune spleen plaque-forming cells (PFC) can be detected. This culture-well RIA has certain distinct advantages over the hemolytic PFC assay and RIA assays in which antibody in culture supernatants is measured.
A Contingent Valuation Survey and Benefit-Cost Analysis of Forest Preservation in East Gippsland, Australia

Abstract A contingent valuation survey was conducted to determine Victorians' willingness to pay (WTP) to reserve unprotected East Gippsland national estate forests in national parks. Such reservation would preclude utilization of these forests for timber production. Attitudinal questions included in the survey revealed that Victorians consider the non-market values associated with these forests to be more important than market values. The median WTP per respondent's household for reserving the forests was $52, which corresponds to an annual aggregate non-market value to the people of Victoria of $41m. Data from a sub-sample of Gippsland residents indicated that people living in or adjacent to East Gippsland placed relatively more emphasis on market values and had a significantly lower WTP for reserving the forests. Using our contingent valuation result together with data from the Resource Assessment Commission, we calculated a positive net present value of $543m. for preserving the forests.
More precise beam logic implied by cerebellar–motor coherence

Just as physics determines physically viable movements, the spatial distribution of input excitations allows the cerebellum to choose physiologically viable beams. Cerebellar–motor coherence implies that the ordering and modes of combination of cerebellar beams reflect (1) the way movement invariants are ordered and combined in movement and (2) the way physical principles are integrated in learning to move.
Quasi-periodic and random quasi-phase matching of high harmonic generation

Quasi-phase matching schemes employing quasi-periodic or random spatial modulations, previously applied to perturbative nonlinear optics, are demonstrated theoretically for the extreme nonlinear optical process of high harmonic generation. We show that quasi-periodic quasi-phase matching of high harmonic generation can be used for simultaneous enhancement of arbitrarily chosen spectral regions. We also demonstrate enhancement of a single extremely wide bandwidth using random quasi-phase matching.
Actin monomer-binding proteins and the regulation of actin dynamics in plants

Plants are uniquely adapted to respond to environmental and developmental signals for survival. Many signals result in dramatic changes of cell shape or cytoplasmic organization that are dependent on the actin cytoskeleton. The dynamic nature of the actin cytoskeleton is conferred by a wide variety of actin-binding proteins. One class of these proteins is capable of binding to free actin monomers and thereby regulates the polymerization of actin filaments. Two such proteins have been identified in plants: profilin and actin-depolymerizing factor (ADF). These proteins comprise multigene families in plants and the isoforms of each protein have unique developmentally and spatially regulated expression patterns. Biochemical analysis of the plant monomer-binding proteins indicates that they are able to both stimulate and inhibit actin polymerization in vitro. Furthermore, microinjection of these proteins into cells reveals that simple models for the interaction of monomer-binding proteins with actin are inadequate. The complex effects on actin in vitro and in vivo are due to the ability of profilin and ADF to interact with a number of other ligands, such as regulatory proteins and polyphosphoinositide lipids. The monomer-binding proteins also respond to changes in cytosolic Ca 2+ and pH. Regulation of these proteins by phosphorylation adds an additional level of complexity for the study of their role in coordinating actin reorganization in plant cells. A model of actin filament assembly in tip-growing cells that incorporates the activities of profilin and ADF is presented.
Determination of temperatures of polyamide 66 directly from near-infrared spectra

The commercial importance of polyamides (PAs) motivates the development of chemical analysis tools for use in characterizing their structure and properties. Near-infrared (IR) spectroscopy offers advantages in this regard because of its simplicity of sample preparation and compatibility with sample thicknesses on the order of millimeters. For applications in which the measurement of sample temperature is difficult with a conventional probe, the work presented here demonstrates the ability to determine the temperature of PA 66 directly from its near-IR spectrum. Temperature-induced changes in spectral shape in the 4000–5000 cm−1 region are extracted through application of the discrete wavelet transform, and the resulting preprocessed spectra are submitted to partial least-squares regression to construct predictive models for temperature. These models are tested across different samples of PA 66 and over a time span of 7 weeks. Errors in predicted temperatures averaged 1.50°C over the range of 21–105°C. © 2014 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40476.
A convolution and product theorem for the fractional Fourier transform

The fractional Fourier transform (FRFT), which is a generalization of the Fourier transform, has many applications in several areas, including signal processing and optics. Almeida (see ibid., vol.4, p.15-17, 1997) and Mendlovic et al. (see Appl. Opt., vol.34, p.303-9, 1995) derived fractional Fourier transforms of a product and of a convolution of two functions. Unfortunately, their convolution formulas do not generalize very well the classical result for the Fourier transform, which states that the Fourier transform of the convolution of two functions is the product of their Fourier transforms. This paper introduces a new convolution structure for the FRFT that preserves the convolution theorem for the Fourier transform and is also easy to implement in the designing of filters.
Turfing: patients in the balance.

Turfing, a colloquialism in academic medicine, applies to some transfers of patients between physicians. In one study of socialization into the medical profession, turfing was one of the most frequently identified areas of professional conflict.1 By probing the language that medical residents use when discussing turfs, we hoped to identify the underlying meaning of turfing, to expose the feelings and behaviors it evokes, and to illuminate the ideology of internal medicine residency surrounding patient transfers and interprofessional relationships. Turf was first used to mean “a sod of grass, with the roots and earth adhering,” such as the turf on which cattle graze, or the turf on which a football game is played. In the 1430s, turf also began to be used as a verb meaning “to cover with turf.” By the late 19th century, the verb form also meant to throw or kick forcibly out—“The colonel will turf you out of that in double quick time,”2—implying that a person was forcibly thrown out onto the turf. Nowadays, some patients transferred from one doctor’s care to another are referred to as having been “turfed.” The individual doctor or service becomes a territory, and the patient is moved (turfed) from one to another. Because medical slang provides a window to the focal concerns, preoccupations, values, and tensions of the medical residents’ worldview,3 we wondered why medical residents have slang terms for some transfers but not for others. We wondered how medical residents decide which transfers should be labeled as turfs, and why turfing becomes such an emotionally charged issue. These questions bear directly on the development of professional values in medical trainees.
Androgen and progesterone receptors in shark (Squalus) testis: characteristics and stage-related distribution.

Although testosterone (T) is essential for the normal completion of spermatogenesis, the exact T-sensitive control points are still unknown. Using staged tissues (premeiotic, PrM; meiotic, M; and postmeiotic, PoM) from zonal testes of the spiny dogfish Squalus acanthias, and standard [3H] steroid binding analysis, we characterized a T-binding component with physiochemical characteristics resembling classical androgen receptors (AR). [3H]T binding was of high affinity (dissociation constant = 4.4 x 10(-9) M), limited capacity (maximum binding, 94 fmol/g tissue) and relatively stable (t1/2 = 4 h at 4 C). The T-binding component was present in both cytosolic and nuclear extracts, adhered to DNA-cellulose, and displayed predicted sedimentation properties of an activated receptor in vivo or in vitro (5.06S). T, 5 alpha-dihydrotestosterone (DHT), and mibolerone (Mib), but not methyltrienelone (R1881), competed well for [3H]T binding; however, progesterone (P) was equivalent to T in its ability to displace trace...
Robust Control of Solid Oxide Fuel Cell Ultracapacitor Hybrid System

Mitigating fuel starvation and improving load-following capability of solid oxide fuel cells (SOFC) are conflicting control objectives. In this paper, we address this issue using a hybrid SOFC ultracapacitor configuration. Fuel starvation is prevented by regulating the fuel cell current using a steady-state invariant relationship involving fuel utilization, fuel flow, and current. Two comprehensive control strategies are developed. The first is a Lyapunov-based nonlinear control and the second is a standard H∞ robust control. Both strategies additionally control the state of charge of the ultracapacitor that provides transient power compensation. A hardware-in-the-loop test stand is developed where the proposed control strategies are verified.
When Are Two Subgroups of the Rationals Isomorphic

Since most of us have studied fractions in various ways since elementary school, it seems that almost any question about them could be answered with little effort. Consider the following question: "Given two subgroups of the rationals under addition, can we decide whether these subgroups are isomorphic?" Given arbitrary groups, it is typically easier to determine that they are not isomorphic than to show that they are. Some of the features at our disposal to show that two groups cannot be isomorphic are element orders, group orders, and certain characteristic subgroups-the center of the group, the commutator subgroup, etc.-which must match up precisely in isomorphic groups. When we consider additive subgroups of the rationals, we lose all of these typical approaches: Every nonzero element has infinite order (a group with this property is said to be torsion-free); since the rationals are commutative under addition, the center of a subgroup is the subgroup itself and commutator subgroups are trivial. Consider, for example, G1, the subgroup consisting of the rationals with square-free denominators, and G2, the subgroup consisting of the rationals with square-free odd denominators. The subgroups G1 and G2 are generated by reciprocals of primes and odd primes, respectively. Each element in these groups is a finite linear combination of the said reciprocals with integer coefficients. We write G1 = (1/2, 1/3, 1/5, .. .), and similarly, G2 = (1/3, 1/5, 1/7, .. .). Since 1/2 , G2, G2 is a proper subgroup of G1 (written G2 < G1). To show that G1 is isomorphic to G2, we will find a mapping between the groups and then prove that the mapping is an isomorphism. To establish this mapping, we look at the solvability of equations in the two groups. For example, the equation 3x = 1 is solvable in both groups, since there is a unique element x in each group that satisfies the equation. (The uniqueness of solutions to equations in torsion-free abelian groups is important and we make repeated use of it throughout the discussion.) This avenue will lead us to the goal of deciding whether subgroups of the rationals are isomorphic, but there is work to be done en route. In particular, for our examples G1 and G2, the equation 2x = 1 is solvable in G1 but not in G2, an observable difference between these subgroups. To see that this does not necessarily mean that the subgroups are nonisomorphic, consider the following: The groups (1/2) and (1/3) are two subgroups of Q that are both infinite cyclic and therefore isomorphic. However, the equation 2x = 1 has a solution in (1/2), but not in (1/3). We conclude that the solvability or nonsolvability of particular equations in isolated instances is not enough to prove that two groups are not isomorphic. In the groups G1 and G2, the only equations of the form mx = 1 that are solvable in G1 and not in G2 are those with m = 21 . j, 374 MATHEMATICS MAGAZINE
PRL-Induced ERα Gene Expression Is Mediated by Janus Kinase 2 (Jak2) While Signal Transducer and Activator of Transcription 5b (Stat5b) Phosphorylation Involves Jak2 and a Second Tyrosine Kinase

In the rat corpus luteum of pregnancy, PRL stimulation of ER expression is a prerequisite for E2 to have any luteotropic effect. Previous work from our laboratory has established that PRL stimulates ERα expression at the level of transcription and that the transcription factor Stat5 (signal transducer and activator of transcription 5) mediates this stimulation. Since it is well established that PRL activates Stat5 through the tyrosine kinase, Janus kinase 2 (Jak2), the role of Jak2 in PRL regulation of ERα expression was investigated. In primary luteinized granulosa cells, the general tyrosine kinase inhibitors, genistein and AG18, and the Jak2 inhibitor, AG490, prevented PRL stimulation of ERα mRNA levels, suggesting that PRL signaling to the ERα gene requires Jak2 activity. However, using an antibody that recognizes the tyrosine-phosphorylated forms of both Stat5a and Stat5b (Y694/Y699), it was found that AG490 could inhibit PRL-induced Stat5a phosphorylation only and had little or no effect on Stat5b p...
The Sensitivity of the Tropical-Mean Radiation Budget

Abstract A key disagreement exists between global climate model (GCM) simulations and satellite observations of the decadal variability in the tropical-mean radiation budget. Measurements from the Earth Radiation Budget Experiment (ERBE) over the period 1984–2001 indicate a trend of increasing longwave emission and decreasing shortwave reflection that no GCM can currently reproduce. Motivated by these results, a series of model sensitivity experiments is performed to investigate hypotheses that have been advanced to explain this discrepancy. Specifically, the extent to which a strengthening of the Hadley circulation or a change in convective precipitation efficiency can alter the tropical-mean radiation budget is assessed. Results from both model sensitivity experiments and an empirical analysis of ERBE observations suggest that the tropical-mean radiation budget is remarkably insensitive to changes in the tropical circulation. The empirical estimate suggests that it would require at least a doubling in s...
Flexible displays and stable high efficiency four terminal solar cells using thin film silicon technology

Abstract We present a new type of system architecture to fabricate thin film silicon devices on flexible substrates, which use the inherent advantages of a cluster tool normally used in the production of amorphous silicon thin film transistors, solar cells, etc. In this, the flexible substrate material is contained within a cassette which includes a reel to reel operation. As in the current cluster tools used for planar substrates, the cassette is transported to a process chamber using a robotic arm. When the entire roll in the cassette has been processed, it is transported into other chambers for further processing. We also show that a four terminal device structure (e.g. amorphous Si and stable low band gap nano-crystalline Si cells) potentially can lead to high efficiency (> 15%), stable, low cost solar cells on a plastic substrate.
Factors that Influence Children's Responses to Peer Victimization

Children’s responses to peer victimization are associated with whether the victimization continues, and its impact on adjustment. Yet little longitudinal research has examined the factors influencing children’s responses to peer victimization. In a sample of 140 late elementary school children (n = 140, Mean age = 10 years, 2 months, 55% female, 60% Caucasian), the role of social, emotional, and cognitive factors on children’s responses to peer victimization over time were examined. Broadly, children’s emotional reactivity and peer victimization experiences predicted changes in the ways participants thought about peer victimization over time, and children’s sense of control, attitudes toward the use of aggression, and problem solving predicted changes in participants’ coping responses over the course of the school year.
Computing with living hardware

Our multi-institutional team of eleven undergraduates, one high school student, one postdoctoral fellow, and four faculty members explored the emerging field of synthetic biology and presented our results at the 2006 international Genetically Engineered Machine (iGEM) competition. Having had little or no previous research experience, biology, chemistry and mathematics students from four different institutions collaborated during the summer and fall semester of 2006. We identified the burnt pancake problem (sorting by reversals) as a mathematical puzzle ideal for solving with ‘living computer hardware’: Escherichia coli cells programmed to sort tandem fragments of DNA by reversals (DNA inversions or ‘flipping’). Flipping is driven by a Salmonella typhimurium Hin/hix recombinase system that we reconstituted as a collection of BioBrick-compatible interchangeable parts. We tested functionality of these synthesised genetic parts and mathematically modeled the behaviour of pancake flipping. The living hardware system allowed us to consider future research applications such as regulating genetic element rearrangements in vivo and DNA computing. We found the field of synthetic biology to be ideal for learning, teaching, sharing, collaborating, and conducting integrative and original research with undergraduates.
Homeschooling Education: Longitudinal Study of Methods, Materials, and Curricula.

In a comprehensive study of two-hundred fifty homeschooling families in urban, rural and suburban areas of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania, the researcher examined all aspects of the instruction, ...
Reproductive cloning conserves cellular senescence.

Telomere shortening resulting from genome replication can trigger cellular senescence. In this issue Clark et al. show that rates of telomere attrition and the consequent replicative potential of cells are conserved during replicative cloning. This implies that these traits are genetically determined and raises interesting questions about their relationship to organismal phenotypes such as cancer, organ failure and ageing.