cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Mediational Role of Neurocognition in the Behavioral Outcomes of a Social-Emotional Prevention Program in Elementary School Students: Effects of the PATHS Curriculum

Neuropsychology is one field that holds promise in the construction of comprehensive, developmental models for the promotion of social competence and prevention of problem behavior. Neuropsychological models of behavior suggest that children's neurological functioning affects the regulation of strong emotions, as well as performance in social, cognitive, and behavioral spheres. The current study examines the underlying neurocognitive conceptual theory of action of one social-emotional development program. Hypothesized was that inhibitory control and verbal fluency would mediate the relationship between program condition and teacher-reported externalizing and internalizing behavior problems. Participants were 318 regular education students enrolled in the second or third grade. A series of regression analyses provided empirical support for (a) the effectiveness of the PATHS Curriculum in promoting inhibitory control and verbal fluency and (b) a partial mediating role for inhibitory control in the relation between prevention condition and behavioral outcomes. Implications are that programs designed to promote social and emotional development should consider comprehensive models that attend to neurocognitive functioning and development. Lack of consideration of neurocognitive pathways to the promotion of social competence may ignore important mechanisms through which prevention affects youth outcomes. Furthermore, the findings suggest that developers of social-emotional preventions should design curricula to explicitly promote the developmental integration of executive functioning, verbal processing, and emotional awareness. Doing so may enhance prevention outcomes particularly if those preventions are implemented during a time of peak neurocognitive development.
Very large annotated database of American English

To construct a data base (the "Penn Treebank") of written and transcribed spoken American English annotated with detailed grammatical structure. This data base will serve as a national resource, providing training material for a wide variety of approaches to automatic language acquisition, a reference standard for the rigorous evaluation of some components of natural language understanding systems, and a research tool for the investigation of the grammar of naturally spoken English.
Being Accountable for One's Own Governing: A Case Study of Early Educators Responding to Standards-Based Early Childhood Education Reform

As early childhood education continues to gain prominence on the agendas of policy makers across the globe, members of the field of early childhood education are concerned that these reforms will create new governing discourses that restrict how early educators are defined and limit their work with young children. While these neo-liberal policies tend to alter traditional conceptions of early education and learning, opportunities do arise for early educators to formulate responses to these policies in a way that might expand these neo-liberal conceptions of early education. Through an instrumental case study of standards-based education reform in a large urban early childhood program in the USA, the author examines one such opportunity, in which a collection of pre-kindergarten stakeholders responded to a set of particular policies that emphasize a uniform conception of learning and student performance. This article provides insight into the struggles of early childhood stakeholders as they attempt to address these governing discourses of reform, and it raises questions as to whether proactive responses can destabilize the normalizing power that exists within these policies. As policy makers at all levels of government across the globe continue to take an interest in the provision of care and education for young children, early childhood education researchers and theorists are concerned about how this influx of policies and reform initiatives will alter the curricular, quality, and performance expectations for early educators and the young children with whom they work (Einarsdottir & Wagner, 2006; Clark & Waller, 2007a; Fenech & Sumsion, 2007a, b). One key issue that researchers continue to explore is whether the regulatory powers that are found in policies that standardize training expectations for teachers, as well as the practices that are to take place in their programs, will create particular 'scripts' that 'coerce' them 'into particular ways of being' (Jones & Osgood, 2007, p. 398). In the USA, this influx of reforms by policy makers typically frames the regulation of early education and care through the lens of student performance. For instance, policy makers at the federal, state, and local levels of government promote standards-based education reforms that require young children to attain specific sets of knowledge and skills, and they must also demonstrate that they have attained these scripts of learning on particular achievement measures (Kagan & Scott-Little, 2004; Stipeck, 2006). While many within the field are concerned about 'what is lost' through this drive towards standardizing the practices and conceptions of early education (Hatch & Grieshaber, 2002, p. 230), researchers such as Fenech & Sumsion (2007a, b) and Goldstein (2007) are looking at how 'early childhood teachers can and do exercise freedom by intentionally using and resisting regulation' to implement instructional strategies and programs of care that reflect the needs of their students (Fenech & Sumsion, 2007a, p. 119).
Endoscopic options for fecal incontinence

Abstract Radiofrequency energy has been used for treatment of gastroesophageal reflux disease, benign prostatic hypertrophy, and joint laxity. The use of the SECCA procedure (submucosal delivery of radiofrequency energy to treat fecal incontinence) has been recently reported for fecal incontinence. Improvement in reported symptoms of fecal incontinence and quality has been reported. There has been no improvement in anal manometric findings in follow-up evaluations. No significant new defects have been noted on endo-anal ultrasound. The precise mechanism of action of radiofrequency energy in the treatment of fecal incontinence is unknown. Ongoing trials will help define the role for this technology.
Evaluating DHT-Based service placement for stream-based overlays

Stream-based overlay networks (SBONs) are one approach to implementing large-scale stream processing systems. A fundamental consideration in an SBON is that of service placement, which determines the physical location of in-network processing services or operators, in such a way that network resources are used efficiently. Service placement consists of two components: node discovery, which selects a candidate set of nodes on which services might be placed, and node selection, which chooses the particular node to host a service. By viewing the placement problem as the composition of these two processes we can trade-off quality and efficiency between them. We evaluate the appropriateness of using DHT routing paths for service placement in an SBON, when aiming to minimize network usage. For this, we consider two DHT-based algorithms for node discovery, which use either the union or intersection of DHT routing paths in the SBON, and compare their performance to other techniques. We show that current DHT-based schemes are actually rather poor node discovery algorithms, when minimizing network utilization. An efficient DHT may not traverse enough hops to obtain a sufficiently large candidate set for placement. The union of DHT routes may result in a low-quality set of discovered nodes that requires an expensive node selection algorithm. Finally, the intersection of DHT routes relies on route convergence, which prevents the placement of services with a large fan-in.
A hypothesis on the most prevalent psychological type for chief residents in the field of internal medicine

Communication is the key to good doctor-patient relations. Resident learning occurs through the process of observation and role modeling. We hypothesize that the most prevalent personality type for chief residents will be in discordance with the most prevalent type (Sensor) in the general population. We set out to determine the communication styles of a national sampling of recent chief residents in the field of medicine. The survey based on Jung's Psychological types: thinker, feeler, the intuitor and sensor. Overall self report of psychological types revealed the majority, both male and female (45.6%) to be in the 'feeler' category. Feelers are described as persons with a high need for interpersonal harmony. They value compassion and empathy and enjoy meeting other people's needs.
Living in a Promiseland?: Mexican Immigration and American Obligations

Controversies over Mexican immigrants and undocumented aliens in Arizona and elsewhere show the need for fresh approaches to immigration. The “principle of constituted identities” holds that the more a government has coercively constituted the identities of non-citizens in ways that have made having certain relationships to it fundamental to their capacities to lead free and meaningful lives, the greater the obligations that government has to facilitate those relationships–all else being equal. The U.S. has coercively constituted the identities of many persons of Mexican descent, inside and outside its boundaries, in ways that have fostered aspirations for dual economic, cultural, and political “citizenships.” It has also shaped the identities, values, and interests of many whites in immigrant-receiving states in ways that make Mexican immigrants seem threatening, even as it has made those states pay most of the costs of absorbing immigrants. In consequence, the U.S. should adopt policies that give priority to Mexicans in immigration and that facilitate dual citizenships, while providing more aid to immigrant-receiving states.
Expanding the application of the Eu-oxybarometer to the lherzolitic shergottites and nakhlites: Implications for the oxidation state heterogeneity of the Martian interior

Experimentally rehomogenized melt inclusions from the nakhlite Miller Range 03346 (MIL 03346) and the lherzolitic shergottite Allan Hills 77005 (ALH 77005) have been analyzed for their rare earth element (REE) concentrations in order to characterize the early melt compositions of these Martian meteorites and to calculate the oxygen fugacity conditions they crystallized under. D(Eu/Sm)pyroxene/melt values were measured at 0.77 and 1.05 for ALH 77005 and MIL 03346, respectively. These melts and their associated whole rock compositions have similar REE patterns, suggesting that whole rock REE values are representative of those of the early melts and can be used as input into the pyroxene Eu-oxybarometer for the nakhlites and lherzolitic shergottites. Crystallization fO_2 values of IW + 1.1 (ALH 77005) and IW + 3.2 (MIL 03346) were calculated. Whole rock data from other nakhlites and lherzolitic shergottites was input into the Eu-oxybarometer to determine their crystallization fO_2 values. The lherzolitic shergottites and nakhlites have fO_2 values that range from IW + 0.4 to 1.6 and from IW + 1.1 to 3.2, respectively. These values are consistent with some previously determined fO_2 estimates and expand the known range of fO_2 values of the Martian interior to four orders of magnitude. The origins of this range are not well constrained. Possible mechanisms for producing this spread in fO_2 values include mineral/melt fractionation, assimilation, shock effects, and magma ocean crystallization processes. Mineral/melt partitioning can result in changes in fO_2 from the start to the finish of crystallization of 2 orders of magnitude. In addition, crystallization of a Martian magma ocean with reasonable initial water content results in oxidized, water-rich, late-stage cumulates. Sampling of these oxidized cumulates or interactions between reduced melts and the oxidized material can potentially account for the range of fO_2 values observed in the Martian meteorites.
Analysis of bus hierarchies for multiprocessors

In order to build large shared-memory multiprocessor systems that take advantage of current hardware-enforced cache coherence protocols, an interconnection network is needed that acts logically as a single bus while avoiding the electrical loading problems of a large bus. This paper develops models of bus delay and bus throughput to aid in optimizing the design of such a network. These models are used to derive a method for determining the maximum number of processors that can be supported by each of several bus organizations including conventional single-level buses, two-level bus hierarchies, and binary tree interconnections. An example based on a TTL bus is presented to illustrate the methods and to show that shared-memory multiprocessors with several dozen processors are feasible using a simple two-level bus hierarchy.
Almost and Pseudo-Almost Limit Cycles with Applications to Quasiperiodic Solitary Waves

We extend the theories of limit cycles and quasi-periodicity to the new concepts of almost and pseudo-almost limit cycles. We investigate the conditions of existence, uniqueness, and stability and introduce the notion of almost and pseudo isochrons of almost and pseudo-limit cycles. To illustrate we present several examples including some almost and pseudo-almost periodic perturbations of the harmonic oscillator and the renowned Lienard systems along with their graphic requirements. We derive the existence of almost and pseudo-almost periodic waves by perturbing first then transforming some hyperbolic and parabolic partial differential equations to Lienard-type equations. Included are some open questions on the co-existence of limit cycles and strictly almost/pseudo-almost limit cycles, the accumulation of almost/pseudo-almost limit cycles, and the bifurcation of almost/pseudo-almost limit cycles in parameterized systems, the existence of isochronous almost and pseudo-almost limit cycles. Finally through coupling and synchronization of almost or pseudo-almost self-sustained oscillators, and possibly their almost or pseudo-almost isochrons, we conjecture the transition from strictly almost/pseudo-almost periodic behavior to chaotic behavior.
Strong Control of the Familywise Error Rate in Observational Studies that Discover Effect Modification by Exploratory Methods

An effect modifier is a pretreatment covariate that affects the magnitude of the treatment effect or its stability. When there is effect modification, an overall test that ignores an effect modifier may be more sensitive to unmeasured bias than a test that combines results from subgroups defined by the effect modifier. If there is effect modification, one would like to identify specific subgroups for which there is evidence of effect that is insensitive to small or moderate biases. In this paper, we propose an exploratory method for discovering effect modification, and combine it with a confirmatory method of simultaneous inference that strongly controls the familywise error rate in a sensitivity analysis, despite the fact that the groups being compared are defined empirically. A new form of matching, strength-$k$ matching, permits a search through more than $k$ covariates for effect modifiers, in such a way that no pairs are lost, provided that at most $k$ covariates are selected to group the pairs. In a strength-$k$ match, each set of $k$ covariates is exactly balanced, although a set of more than $k$ covariates may exhibit imbalance. We apply the proposed method to study the effects of the earthquake that struck Chile in 2010.
Milk glucosidase activity enables suckled pup starch digestion

Starch requires six enzymes for digestion to free glucose: two amylases (salivary and pancreatic) and four mucosal maltase activities; sucrase-isomaltase and maltase-glucoamylase. All are deficient in suckling rodents. The objective of this study is to test 13C-starch digestion before weaning by measuring enrichment of blood 13C-glucose in maltase-glucoamylase-null and wild-type mice. Maltase-glucoamylase gene was ablated at the N-terminal. Dams were fed low 13C-diet and litters kept on low 13C-diet. Pups were weaned at 21 days. Digestion was tested at 13 and 25 days by intragastric feeding of amylase predigested 13C-α-limit dextrins. Blood 13C-glucose enrichment was measured by gas chromatography combustion isotope ratio mass spectrometry (GCRMS) using penta-acetate derivatives. Four hours after feeding, blood 13C-glucose was enriched by 26 × 103 in null and 18 × 103 in wild-type mice at 13 days and 0.3 × 103 and 0.2 × 103 at 25 days (vs. fasting p = 0.045 and p = 0.045). By jejunal enzyme assay, immunohistochemistry, or Western blots, there was no maltase activity or brush border staining with maltase-glucoamylase antibodies at 13 days, but these were fully developed in the wild-type mice by 25 days. In 13-day null mice, luminal contents were stained by maltase-glucoamylase antibodies. Lactating the mammary gland revealed maltase-glucoamylase antibody staining of alveolar cells. Reverse transcription/polymerase chain reaction (RT/PCR) of lactating glands revealed a secreted form of maltase-glucoamylase. (1) 13C-α-limit dextrins were rapidly digested to 13C-glucose in 13-day mice independent of maltase-glucoamylase genotype or mucosal maltase activity. (2) This experiment demonstrates that a soluble maltase activity is secreted in mouse mother’s milk which enables suckling pup starch digestion well before brush border enzyme development. (3) This experiment with 13C-α-limit dextrins needs to be repeated in human breast fed infants.
2 Micron Spectroscopy within 0f3 of Sagittarius A

We present moderate- (R approximately 2700) and high-resolution (R approximately 22,400) 2.0-2.4 µm spectroscopy of the central 0.1 arcsec2 of the Galaxy obtained with the facility near-infrared spectrometer (NIRSPEC) for the Keck II telescope. The composite spectra do not have any features attributable to the brightest stars in the central cluster; i.e., after background subtraction, W12COp2-0p<2 A. This stringent limit leads us to conclude that the majority, if not all, of the stars are hotter than typical red giants. Coupled with previously reported photometry, we conclude that the sources are likely OB main-sequence stars. In addition, the continuum slope in the composite spectrum is bluer than that of a red giant and is similar to that of the nearby hot star IRS 16NW. It is unlikely that they are late-type giants stripped of their outer envelopes because such sources would be much fainter than those observed. Given their inferred youth (tauage<20 Myr), we suggest the possibility that the stars have formed within 0.1 pc of the supermassive black hole. We find a newly identified broad-line component (VFWHM approximately 1000 km s-1) toward the 2.2178 µm [Fe iii] line located within a few arcseconds of Sagittarius A*. A similar component is not seen in the Brgamma emission.
Potential Applications of Poly-Silicon as an Electronic-Device Material

Poly-crystalline silicon can be regarded as a true electronic material if good p-n junctions can be made in it or if its state of depletion can be altered by reasonable gate voltages. The degree of perfection with which it must exhibit these electronic-material properties depends on whether the application is as a technology in VLSI (or other bulk-Si substrate use) where devices with bulk-crystalline properties are available or as the principal active material in Large Area Integration (LAI), such as flat-panel display addressing circuits, where the competition is much less demanding. The three main detrimental effects of grain boundaries on electronic-device function are the action of grain boundary traps as (1) extra charge centers, (2) lifetime killers, and (3) mobility-reducing scattering centers. The current trend in reducing or almost eliminating grain boundaries by laser recrystallization or lateral epitaxy has the effect of reducing the average number of traps. In terms of potential applications of the material, the improvement derived from these procedures must be balanced against other contraints placed on the overall structure. For example, the thickness and quality of the lower oxide (and interface) in these processes will determine whether an electronically active lower gate function is practical. Some currently envisioned applications include load devices in inverters either as resistors or as depletion transistors, common-gate staked CMOS structures, dual-channel MOSFET's, and other “vertical VLSI” applications. The systems-level topological advantages of stacked structures and the circuit-performance improvement provided by the ground plane in dielectrically isolated devices must also be balanced against the extra cost and yield loss of additional masking level complexity and design complication.
New HVDC power transmission technology:MMC-HVDC

The structure,operational principle and technical features of MMC-HVDC are described and the differences between MMC-HVDC and VSC-HVDC are compared.A brief survey is made on the present research statuses and engineering applications of MMC-HVDC.The drawbackes and some possible important trends of MMC-HVDC are analyzed,including:MMC-topology-related research,system design,fault protection,grounding,harmonics,loss,and so on.It is pointed out that the MMC-HVDC model for current research has low precision.For the limit of MMC topology,the mature control methods of VSC-HVDC can not be directly applied to MMC-HVDC.MMC-HVDC system has a strong ability of fault protection.Since current research emphasizes on the simulative analysis of fault protection,further research of MMC-HVDC protection strategy suitable for engineering applications is urgently needed.The implementation of grounding is difficult for high voltage capacitor banks are removed.For the large number of MMC sub-module,the better output voltage waveform is obtained when low switching frequency is used,and the system loss is low.The engineering practice of MMC-HVDC fit for China is discussed.
The effect of relaxin on the motility of sperm in freshly thawed human semen

In an attempt to improve the motility of thawed spermatozoa after 1 week of its being frozen, we treated ten normal semen samples with 16.7 nmol relaxin and 6 mmol caffeine. Motility and grade of forward progression were examined after thawing. Caffeine significantly improved motility of spermatozoa. Relaxin, when added to semen at the time of thawing, improved motility and grade of forward progression significantly. This effect was not seen if relaxin was added before freezing. These results suggest that the biologic activity of relaxin is adversely affected by freezing and thawing in seminal plasma. These observations may have clinical importance for the improvement of motility of frozen spermatozoan samples at the time of artificial insemination and for the possible improvement of pregnancy rates.
The importance of aspect to historic farmstead site location in the green mountains of vermont

Historic upland farmstead sites, common to the cultural landscape of the Green Mountains of Vermont, constitute a rich source of data for the historical archaeologist. Although most structures are now in ruin amid regenerating northern hardwood forest, they still retain integrity in terms of physical location. Environmental variables such as elevation, slope, aspect, and soils, all important determinants to a predominantly 19th-century agrarian settlement, are still associated with site location. This article examines the role of one important physical factor, aspect, in the selection of 200 historic farmstead locations. Viewed from the position of ecological anthropology, it appears that farmers in Vermont’s Green Mountains possessed a folk wisdom about solar energy and put it into practice with respect to the location of their farmhouses, fields, and pastures.
Determination of β-hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate concentration and enrichment in human plasma using chemical ionization gas chromatography tandem mass spectrometry

Abstract Our objective was to develop a quick and simplified method for the determination of β-Hydroxy-β-methylbutyrate (HMB) and ɑ-ketoisocaproic acid (KIC) concentrations and enrichments by GC/MS/MS to determine the turnover rate of HMB in humans. In experiment 1, we provided a pulse of L-[5,5,5- 2 H 3 ]leucine to younger adults in the postabsorptive state then collected blood samples over a 4 h time period. In experiment 2, we provided a pulse of [3,4,methyl- 13 C 3 ]HMB to older adults in the postabsorptive state then collected blood samples over a 3 h time period. Plasma concentrations of KIC and HMB and MPE of KIC and HMB were determined by GC/MS/MS. Plasma enrichment of leucine was determined by LC/MS/MS. To determine plasma enrichment of [5,5,5- 2 H 3 ]HMB and [3,4,methyl- 13 C 3 ]HMB, samples were derivatized using pentafluorobenzyl bromide and analyzed using chemical ionization mode. The final methods used included multiple reaction monitoring of transitions 117.3 > 59.3 for M + 0 and 120.3 > 59.3 for M + 3. In experiment 1, peak MPE of Leu peaked at 9.76% generating a peak MPE of KIC at 2.67% and a peak HMB MPE of 0.3%. In experiment 2, the rate of appearance for HMB was 0.66 μmol/kg ffm/h. We calculated that production of HMB in humans accounts for 0.66% of total leucine turnover.
Bioorthogonal Labeling of Human Prostate Cancer Tissue Slice Cultures for Glycoproteomics.

Sialylated glycans are found at elevated levels in many types of cancer and have been implicated in disease progression. However, the specific glycoproteins that contribute to the cancer cell-surface sialylation are not well characterized, specifically in bona fide human disease tissue. Metabolic and bioorthogonal labeling methods have previously enabled the enrichment and identification of sialoglycoproteins from cultured cells and model organisms. Herein, we report the first application of this glycoproteomic platform to human tissues cultured ex vivo. Both normal and cancerous prostate tissues were sliced and cultured in the presence of the azide-functionalized sialic acid biosynthetic precursor Ac4 ManNAz. The compound was metabolized to the azidosialic acid and incorporated into cell surface and secreted sialoglycoproteins. Chemical biotinylation followed by enrichment and mass spectrometry led to the identification of glycoproteins that were found at elevated levels or uniquely in cancerous prostate tissue. This work therefore extends the use of bioorthogonal labeling strategies to problems of clinical relevance.
Dog-bone inflation to salvage and redeploy a deformed, dislodged expandable stent in the external iliac artery.

A 64-year-old man with a history of right external iliac artery stenosis after stenting with a self-expandable stent was admitted for repetitive in-stent restenosis (ISR). To treat ISR, we selected a balloon expandable stent (BES) that was prepared with negative suction before being inserted into the sheath. BES dislodged when the stent balloon was incompletely inflated and was simultaneously deformed in a funnel shape. When BES was retrieved using a short noncompliant balloon, it dislodged again because of an imbalanced proximal inflation of the balloon. We finally retrieved BES using a long noncompliant balloon and deployed it with dog-bone inflation without any additional devices. .
The Retreat to Method: the Aftermath of Elite Concession to Civil Society in India and Mexico

The literature on democratic accountability assumes that alternative institutions can make state practices more transparent and thus enhance accountability. In this paper, we problematize the celebration of alternative institutions by comparing the cases of Mexico and India. Why, we ask, given the popular support for a caste census and a rights-based approach to poverty alleviation in India and Mexico, respectively, did these initiatives lose steam soon after political elites conceded to civil society demands? In answer, we argue that alternative institutions may become conduits to undercut accountability under the guise of expertise through a mechanism that we call the “retreat to method,” in which political elites channel substantive public debate into abstruse disputes over methodology. As the task of measuring poverty and caste retreats into backrooms, vertical accountability between the state and civil society in our two cases has weakened. Horizontal accountability mechanisms—in which one arm of the state (e.g., the bureaucracy) provides checks and balances on another (e.g., the legislature)—may be exploited to undercut vertical accountability in cases where expertise is valued over democratic deliberation.
Post-Irradiation Treatment with a Superoxide Dismutase Mimic, MnTnHex-2-PyP5+, Mitigates Radiation Injury in the Lungs of Non-Human Primates after Whole-Thorax Exposure to Ionizing Radiation

Radiation injury to the lung is the result of acute and chronic free radical formation, and there are currently few effective means of mitigating such injury. Studies in rodents indicate that superoxide dismutase mimetics may be effective in this regard; however, studies in humans or large animals are lacking. We hypothesized that post-exposure treatment with the lipophilic mitochondrial superoxide dismutase mimetic, MnTnHex-2-PyP5+ (hexyl), would reduce radiation-induced pneumonitis and fibrosis in the lungs of nonhuman primates. Rhesus monkeys (Macaca mulatta) received 10 Gy whole thorax irradiation, 10 Gy + hexyl treatment, sham irradiation, or sham irradiation + hexyl. Hexyl was given twice daily, subcutaneously, at 0.05 mg/kg, for 2 months. Animals were monitored daily, and respiratory rates, pulse oximetry, hematology and serum chemistry panels were performed weekly. Computed tomography scans were performed at 0, 2, and 4 months after irradiation. Supportive fluid therapy, corticosteroids, analgesics, and antibiotics were given as needed. All animals were humanely euthanized 4.5 months after irradiation, and pathologic assessments were made. Multifocal, progressive lung lesions were seen at 2 and 4 months in both irradiated groups. Hexyl treatment delayed the onset of radiation-induced lung lesions, reduced elevations of respiratory rate, and reduced pathologic increases in lung weight. No adverse effects of hexyl treatment were found. These results demonstrate (1) development of a nonhuman primate model of radiation-induced lung injury, (2) a significant mitigating effect of hexyl treatment on lung pathology in this model, and (3) no evidence for toxicity of hexyl at the dose studied.
Logic in babies

The success of science rests on our human ability to reason logically. But where does this ability come from? Is it an inherent attribute of mind that even a young child might possess, or is it a hard-won accomplishment mastered later in life? On page 1263 of this issue, Cesana-Arlotti et al. ( 1 ) reveal that one essential form of logical inference, process of elimination, is within the toolkit of 12-month-old infants. This reveals the earliest known foundations of our human ability to reason logically. The race to document the range of early logical abilities shared by infants, adults, and nonhuman animals, and to determine how these foundational abilities empower our broader capacities to reason, has begun.
Prevalence and Growth Characteristics of Malignant Stem Cells in B-Lineage Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

We used a stroma-supported culture method to study the prevalence and growth characteristics of malignant stem cells in acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL). In 51 of 108 B-lineage ALL samples, bone marrow-derived stroma not only inhibited apoptosis of ALL cells but also supported their proliferation in serum-free medium. When single leukemic cells were placed in the stroma-coated wells of microtiter plates, the percentage of wells with leukemic cell growth after 2 to 5 months of culture ranged from 6% to 20% (median, 15%; 5 experiments). The immunophenotypes and genetic features of cells recovered from these cultures were identical to those noted before culture. All cells maintained their stroma dependency and self-renewal capacity. Leukemic clones derived from single cells contained approximately 103 to 106 cells after 1 month of culture; other clones became detectable only after prolonged culture. Cell growth in stroma-coated wells correlated with the number of initially seeded cells (1 or 10; r = .87). However, the observed percentages of positive wells seeded with 10 cells always exceeded values predicted from results with single-cell–initiated cultures ( P < .003 by paired t -test), suggesting stimulation of leukemic cell growth by paracrine factors. In conclusion, the proportion of ALL cells with clonogenic potential may be considerably higher than previously thought.
Effects of aging on menstrual cycle hormones and endometrial maturation

Objective To investigate changes in menstrual cycle hormones and endometrial maturation that may contribute to the decline in fertility with aging. Design Prospective controlled clinical study. Setting Normal human volunteers in an academic research institution. Subjects Women with regular menstrual cycles. Interventions Thirty-two women, aged 20 to 30 or 40 to 50 years, had daily blood drawing starting on cycle day 6 to 10 and continuing until 2 days after the onset of next menses. In addition, 60 women, aged 20 to 30 or 40 to 50 years, had a total of 93 endometrial biopsies performed on day 7 to 9 after the LH surge. Main Outcome Measures Serum LH, FSH, E 2 , inhibin, P, and placental protein 14 (PP14) levels and histologic maturation of the endometrium. Results Serum FSH levels were increased whereas inhibin concentrations were reduced in the luteal-follicular transition of women >40years. No other hormonal changes were seen in this population, including P and PP14 secretion. Disruption of endometrial maturation occurred at a similar frequency in both age groups. Conclusions Follicular recruitment, but not luteal function or endometrial maturation, is disturbed in cycling women >40years and may contribute to the decline in fertility with aging.
iNaturalist as a tool to expand the research value of museum specimens.

Premise of the study Innovative approaches to specimen collection and curation are needed to maximize the utility of natural history collections in a new era of data use. Associated data, such as digital images from the field, are routinely collected with recent herbarium specimens. However, these data often remain inaccessible and are rarely curated alongside the associated physical specimens, which limits future data use. Methods and results We leveraged the widely used citizen science platform, iNaturalist, to permanently associate field-collected data to herbarium specimens, including information not well preserved in traditional specimens. This protocol improves the efficiency and accuracy of all steps from the collecting event to specimen curation and enhances the potential uses of specimens. Conclusions iNaturalist provides a standardized and cost-efficient enhancement to specimen collection and curation that can be easily adapted for specific research goals or other collection types beyond herbaria.
From the stadium to the screen: bullfights and their mediated afterlife in Southwest China

Alongside a construction boom in bullfight stadiums, there is a thriving world of bullfight video production in ethnic minority regions of Southwest China. Drawing on fieldwork with Miao videograph...
BEDSIDE PROCEDURES LEADING TO STAT ELECTROPHYSIOLOGY CONSULTS: BUPIVACAINE INDUCED SINUS AND ATRIOVENTRICULAR BLOCK

Local anesthetics have a theoretical risk of inducing cardiac arrhythmias secondary to their inhibition of sodium channels. Concomitant sinus pauses and high degree atrioventricular (AV) blocks have not been described in patients undergoing bupivacaine treatment. A 45 year old white male was
Identify depressive phenotypes by applying RDOC domains to the PHQ-9

Abstract Major depression consists of multiple phenotypic traits. Our objective was to characterize depressive phenotypes in the patient health questionnaire (PHQ)-9 using the Research Domain Criteria (RDoC) research framework. Cross-sectional data were examined from the 2013–2014 (N = 5397) and 2015–2016 (N = 5164) National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, a large, nationally representative U.S. sample. Using both factor analysis and qualitative analysis in mapping scale items along RDoC domains, a four factor model was found to be theoretically appropriate and had an excellent model fit for the PHQ-9. The factor structure consisted of phenotypes describing Negative Valence Systems and Externalizing (anhedonia and depression), Negative Valence Systems and Internalizing (depression, guilt and self-harm), Arousal and Regulatory Systems (sleep, fatigue and appetite) and Cognitive and Sensorimotor Systems (concentration and psychomotor). High correlation between these phenotypes did indicate screening and monitoring for depression study population using a single depression score is likely useful in most circumstances. In multiple indicator multiple cause analysis, differences in the means of the phenotypic traits were found by age, race/ethnicity, sex, and number of comorbidities. Future research should explore whether phenotype expression derived from readily available self-rated depression scales can help to inform more personalized care.
Statin-Induced Necrotizing Autoimmune Myopathy

Abstract Statin-induced necrotizing autoimmune myopathy (SINAM) is an exceptionally rare yet devastating complication of statin therapy that can occur at any time after initiation. It should be con...
In the Wake of Scandals: How Media Use and Social Trust Influence Risk Perception and Vaccination Intention among Chinese Parents.

Recently, repeated childhood vaccine scandals shook public confidence in vaccine safety in China. This study explores whether media attention, online discussion, and social trust influence Chinese ...
Radar Snowfall Measurement

Measuring snowfall by radars faces many extra challenges compared to radar rainfall measurements due to the facts that snow particles have low density and are non-spherical in shape. The low density makes their scattering intensity weak, therefore only detectable by highly sensitive radars. The non-sphericity of the snow particle, on the other hand, makes the conversion from radar reflectivity to snowfall rate extremely uncertain. Because of these difficulties, global snowfall maps were not available until the availability of CloudSat Cloud Profiling Radar (CPR) measurements, which operates at 94 GHz and has a minimum detectability better than −26 dBZ. In this article, using CPR measurements as an example, we first describe the theory and methods of measuring snowfall by space-borne radars, followed by new findings that have resulted from CloudSat observations and ideas on how to use CloudSat to guide passive microwave sensors for snowfall retrievals.
Detailed stress analysis of a twill orthogonally woven textile composite

A finite element analysis framework that leverages high-performance computing was used to analyze a twill orthogonally woven textile model. Boundary conditions for uniaxial tension along the warp d...
Long-standing Crohn’s disease and its implication on anal squamous cell cancer management.

576Background: Anal squamous cell carcinoma (ASCC) is rare, accounting for 1% of gastrointestinal malignancies, but the incidence is rising. Risk factors for the development of ASCC in patients with Crohn’s disease (CD) include immunotherapy, increased duration of disease, and chronic fistulizing perianal disease. We sought to understand management strategies for ASCC in the setting of CD. Methods: A retrospective review from 2001-2016 was conducted for ICD-9/10 codes pertaining to Crohn’s disease (CD) (555.9/ K50) and ASCC (154.3/C44.520). Adult patients with a diagnosis of CD at the time of ASCC diagnosis were included. Results: A total of 7 patients (5 female) were included with a median age of 50 years. The majority presented with perianal pain (4) and bleeding (3). The mean duration of CD was 20 years, and all patients had perianal disease for > 10 years. Five patients had perianal fistulizing disease at the time of ASCC presentation. Clinical stage at diagnosis of ASCC was stage 0 (n = 1), I (n = 1)...
Structural basis of the XPB-Bax1 complex as a dynamic helicase-nuclease machinery for DNA repair.

Nucleotide excision repair (NER) is a major DNA repair pathway for a variety of DNA lesions. XPB plays a key role in DNA opening at damage sites and coordinating damage incision by nucleases. XPB is conserved from archaea to human. In archaea, XPB is associated with a nuclease Bax1. Here we report crystal structures of XPB in complex with Bax1 from Archaeoglobus fulgidus (Af) and Sulfolobus tokodaii (St). These structures reveal for the first time four domains in Bax1, which interacts with XPB mainly through its N-terminal domain. A Cas2-like domain likely helps to position Bax1 at the forked DNA allowing the nuclease domain to incise one arm of the fork. Bax1 exists in monomer or homodimer but forms a heterodimer exclusively with XPB. StBax1 keeps StXPB in a closed conformation and stimulates ATP hydrolysis by XPB while AfBax1 maintains AfXPB in the open conformation and reduces its ATPase activity. Bax1 contains two distinguished nuclease active sites to presumably incise DNA damage. Our results demonstrate that protein-protein interactions regulate the activities of XPB ATPase and Bax1 nuclease. These structures provide a platform to understand the XPB-nuclease interactions important for the coordination of DNA unwinding and damage incision in eukaryotic NER.
Correction to: Gastroparesis Following Immune Checkpoint Inhibitor Therapy: A Case Series.

The original version of the article unfortunately contained an error in the Table 2. In the column ‘Motilityimmune-related adverse event’ of Table 2, the term ‘Intestinal pseudo-obstruction’ was inadvertently removed in the final version. Corrected Table 2 is given below.
Law in stateless societies: scapegoats, curses and punishers in Greek literature

Rene Girard, influential theorist of sacrifice and victimage, casts Oedipus as a scapegoat, who absorbs the ‘free-floating’ guilt that has plagued Thebes. But is he? Girard’s definitions of the sca...
SSNA1 stabilizes dynamic microtubules and detects microtubule damage

Sjogren′s Syndrome Nuclear Autoantigen 1 (SSNA1/NA14) is a microtubule-associated protein with important functions in cilia, dividing cells and developing neurons. However, the direct effects of SSNA1 on microtubules are not known. We employed in vitro reconstitution with purified proteins and TIRF microscopy to investigate the activity of human SSNA1 on dynamic microtubule ends and lattices. We find that SSNA1 modulates all parameters of microtubule dynamic instability - slowing down the rates of growth, shrinkage and catastrophe, and promoting rescue. SSNA1 accumulation on dynamic microtubule ends correlates with the growth rate slow-down. Furthermore, SSNA1 prevents catastrophe when soluble tubulin is removed or sequestered by Op18/Stathmin. Finally, SSNA1 detects spastin-induced damage and inhibits spastin′s severing activity. Therefore, SSNA1 is both a potent microtubule stabilizing protein and a sensor of microtubule damage; activities that likely underlie SSNA1′s cellular functions.
Model-based system matrix for iterative reconstruction in sub-diffuse angular-domain fluorescence optical projection tomography.

This work concerns a fluorescence optical projection tomography system for low scattering tissue, like lymph nodes, with angular-domain rejection of highly scattered photons. In this regime, filtered backprojection (FBP) image reconstruction has been shown to provide reasonable quality images, yet here a comparison of image quality between images obtained by FBP and iterative image reconstruction with a Monte Carlo generated system matrix, demonstrate measurable improvements with the iterative method. Through simulated and experimental phantoms, iterative algorithms consistently outperformed FBP in terms of contrast and spatial resolution. Moreover, when projection number was reduced, in order to reduce total imaging time, iterative reconstruction suppressed artifacts that hampered the performance of FBP reconstruction (structural similarity of the reconstructed images with “truth” was improved from 0.15 ± 1.2 × 10−3 to 0.66 ± 0.02); and although the system matrix was generated for homogenous optical properties, when heterogeneity (62.98 cm-1 variance in µs) was introduced to simulated phantoms, the results were still comparable (structural similarity homo: 0.67 ± 0.02 vs hetero: 0.66 ± 0.02).
Stability Criteria and Localization of the Matrix Spectrum in Terms of Trace Functions

New necessary and sufficient conditions for the asymptotic stability and localization of the spectra of linear autonomous systems are proposed by using the matrix trace functions. The application of these conditions is reduced to the solution of two scalar inequalities for a symmetric positive-definite matrix. As a corollary, for linear control systems, we present a procedure aimed at the construction of the set of stabilizing measurable output feedbacks.
Transient Finite Element Shallow Lake Circulation

The paper presents a fast method of computing the three-dimensional time-dependent circulation in shallow homogeneous lakes. The Laplace tranform is used to remove the time dependence and enable a vertical integration of the basic equations. The resulting two-dimensional problem is treated numerically by a finite element analysis. The method then employs a numerical transform inversion in order to return to the physical variables. The result is a technique which is more than an order of magnitude faster than the time stepping method. Numerical results are compared to those obtained by other methods.
Skeletal Muscle Structure and Function

This chapter summarizes the basic organization of skeletal muscle. Skeletal muscle is responsible for all voluntary movement, and its unique organization is optimized for this function. The sarcomere is the unit of muscle contraction and the sarcomere is linked to the plasma membrane through the Z band. Skeletal muscle is also unique in that mature myofibers are a multinucleate syncytium. Efficient delivery of calcium is necessary for coordinated muscle contraction. Neuronal control is also a key contributor to muscle function. Mutations in the genes encoding many “structural” proteins of muscle lead to muscle weakness and degeneration.
Mobile Computing Technologies and Organizational Control:A Disciplinary Power Perspective

Upon the use of mobile computing technologies, organizations will realize expected benefits and encounter unintended consequences. This paper focuses on the potential impact of the use of mobile computing technologies on organizational controls. Drawing on the notion of disciplinary power, we argue that mobile computing devices can potentially act as a constant “invisible gaze” on the users. Under the invisible gaze, organization members consciously or unconsciously discipline themselves using social control and self-control, which are even harder to resist than formal organizational controls. In addition, the organizational controls in mobile virtual work environment operate in broader temporal and spatial range than those in traditional work environment.