cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Climate Change Effects on Ecosystem Services in the United States – Issues of National and Global Security

Climate change is one possible external driver of ecosystem services. In the tropical Pacific, short-term climate change is influenced by oceanic Kelvin waves that induce remote temperatures to rise (El Nino event) or decrease (La Nina event). This teleconnection is not globally uniform; in the United States (U.S.) drought conditions induced by El Nino commonly appear in the northern latitudes, whereas drought induced by La Nina occurs in the southern latitudes. Should natural or anthropogenic climate forcing influence the frequency or intensity of drought, there is a potential for catastrophic events to occur placing our national and global security at risk. Because climate forcing interacts with ecosystems characterized by nonlinear and multivariate processes over local-to-global and immediate-to-long-term scales, their assessment and prediction are challenging. This study demonstrates the efficacy of an alternative modeling paradigm based on using a self-organizing map to examine and predict the role that climatic change has on water-resource related ecosystem services. Examples include: (1) hindcasting 2,000 years of temperature and precipitation across states in the south-central and southwestern U.S.; (2) forecasting climate-induced groundwater recharge variability across subbasins in mid-western U.S.; and, (3) forecasting climate-change effects on post-fire hydrology and geomorphology in the western U.S.
Neuromuscular Junction (NMJ): Presynaptic Stretch Effects on Neuromuscular Transmission

Stretching a frog muscle and the motor terminals innervating it increases both spontaneous and evoked neurotransmitter release by almost 10% for each 1% stretch within the normal working range of the muscle. Release probability changes approximately linearly with length over this range and occurs with no measurable delay during either lengthening or shortening. The modulation is mechanical and does not adapt. It is independent of Ca 2+ entry or release of Ca 2+ from internal stores and exhibits a temperature coefficient close to one. Integrin binding is essential for most or all of the effect, but the mechanism of modulation remains to be elucidated.
A Historical and Conceptual Overview of School Finance Equalization Models

This chapter describes the historical and conceptual models of school finance equalization policy. This chapter defines the historical concept of school finance equalization as a state and national response to fundamental problems of supporting K-12 public school s for which it is constitutionally designed to solve. This conceptual definition will then be further developed to explain how states and national governments respond to three fundamental school finance problems: (1) the problem of inter-district or inter-school community disparity as a spending variance of state expectations; (2) the problem of unequal need conditions when assuming that all students are equal; and (3) the problem of regional cost-differences. In so doing, the chapter clarifies how the concept of equalization is best understood as a policy of fairness resulting in remedies of horizontal equity, vertical equity, and cost-equity.
Who is in the picture? The gender composition of images of Congress in party caucus Twitter feeds and online media

Visual portrayals of politics can affect public opinion. However, little work has investigated visual portrayals of Congress and their impact on perceptions of group representation. Though women ar...
Neuropsychology in the neurosurgical management of primary brain tumors

Abstract In the modern era of brain tumor research and clinical management, neuroimaging techniques have supplanted neuropsychological methods for lesion localization. Nonetheless, neuropsychologists remain instrumental to the neurosurgical team in a variety of capacities. This chapter outlines the most common roles neuropsychologists serve in the care of patients with primary brain tumors, with particular focus paid to neurosurgical planning and monitoring of neurocognitive functioning at various stages of the disease course. In addition to issues surrounding neuropsychological assessment, broad coverage is given to the role of neuropsychologists in brain mapping procedures, including preoperative functional magnetic resonance imaging and intraoperative direct cortical stimulation. Following a brief introduction to functional neurosurgery for brain tumor management, the evidence base for integration of current neuropsychological practices within the neurosurgical care team is described. This is followed by discussion of issues related to practical application of neuropsychological services within the neurosurgical setting. Future directions for research and practice are also considered.
AN EVALUATION OF MILK QUALITY AS INFLUENCED BY DAILY VS. EVERY-OTHER-DAY PICKUP OF MILK COOLED IN FARM BULK TANKS1

Bulk cooled milk obtained from farms using approved sanitation practices can be gathered on an every-other-day (EOD) schedule and maintain satisfactory raw quality during a normal period of holding...
Proceedings of the 2009 Annual Predoctoral Education Conference of the Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM)

The Society of Teachers of Family Medicine (STFM; http://www.stfm.org) is a community of professionals devoted to teaching family medicine through undergraduate, graduate, and continuing medical ed...
Minimum alveolar concentration: Key concepts and a review of its pharmacological reduction in dogs. Part 2.

Abstract Objective To outline the major components of the minimum alveolar concentration (MAC) and review the literature regarding pharmacological manipulation of the MAC of halothane, isoflurane, sevoflurane, enflurane, and desflurane in dogs. The pharmacological agents included are alpha-2 agonists, benzodiazepines, propofol, opioids, lidocaine, acepromazine, non-steroidal anti-inflammatory agents (NSAIDs), maropitant, and NMDA antagonists. Part 2 of this review will focus on the effect of opioids, lidocaine, NSAIDs, maropitant, acepromazine, and NMDA antagonists on MAC. Databases used PubMed, Google Scholar, CAB Abstracts. Search terms used: minimum alveolar concentration, MAC, dog, canine, inhaled anesthetic potency, isoflurane, sevoflurane, desflurane, enflurane, and halothane. Conclusions Opioids, lidocaine, NSAIDs, maropitant, acepromazine, and NMDA antagonists have been shown to reduce the MAC of inhaled anesthetics in dogs and allow for clinically important decreases in inhalant anesthetic use. Thus, the use of these agents potentially decrease the adverse cardiovascular and pulmonary effects associated with the use of high concentrations of inhaled anesthetics.
Craft: Economic Policies in the United States 1896–2016

This chapter surveys economic and political policies in relation to craft, beginning with the policies that supported, legitimized, and funded craft economies and ending with policies regarding trade regulations and intellectual property policies that directly impacted craft economy within the United States. The chapter breaks down three eras of US Craft Policy: (1) early institutions and policies (1896–1963); (2) Post-WWII to Civil Rights Era, and (3) contemporary policies. Various policy issues are discussed, including trade issues as they relate to craft, intellectual property issues, and economic development initiatives.
Using Science Fiction Films to Advance Critical Literacies for EFL Students in China

As a unique literary genre, science fiction can serve as a motivating text to develop students’ critical analytical skills and to promote critical thinking about new technology and its societal controversies under proper guidance. In the field of English as Foreign Language (EFL) learning, using science fiction films in the classroom affords EFL learners new language-learning experiences. This paper explains how films, as a multimodal resource in EFL classes, can enrich students’ multiliteracies—specifically how the science fiction genre can develop students’ critical literacies under careful meaning-making curriculum design. A preliminary study, taking 30 students in a foreign language high school in China, is reported in this paper. Findings reveal that carefully selected science fiction films such as I am Legend and Blade Runner can serve as pivotal sources for developing EFL learners’ literacy under the multiliteracies pedagogy. Such films can also connect students with Western ideology to reinforce their identity as participants in globalization. This study further suggests that key points in successful design of the course in an EFL classroom include posing critical questions to promote critical thinking and actively analyzing multimodal texts to uncover underlying meanings in source material.
Quantifying the community capitals framework: Strategic application of the community assets and attributes model

The Community Capitals Framework (CCF) has become a significant part of the study of community development, and scholars have used this framework to explore numerous avenues of development. In this...
Loss of Smad4 in the scleraxis cell lineage results in postnatal joint contracture.

Abstract Growth of the musculoskeletal system requires precise coordination between bone, muscle, and tendon during development. Insufficient elongation of the muscle-tendon unit relative to bone growth results in joint contracture, a condition characterized by reduction or complete loss of joint range of motion. Here we establish a novel murine model of joint contracture by targeting Smad4 for deletion in the tendon cell lineage using Scleraxis-Cre (ScxCre). Smad4ScxCre mutants develop a joint contracture shortly after birth. The contracture is stochastic in direction and increases in severity with age. Smad4ScxCre mutant tendons exhibited a stable reduction in cellularity and a progressive reduction in extracellular matrix volume. Collagen fibril diameters were reduced in the Smad4ScxCre mutants, suggesting a role for Smad4 signaling in the regulation of matrix accumulation. Although ScxCre also has sporadic activity in both cartilage and muscle, we demonstrate an essential role for Smad4 loss in tendons for the development of joint contractures. Disrupting the canonical TGFβ-pathway in Smad2;3ScxCre mutants did not result in joint contractures. Conversely, disrupting the BMP pathway by targeting BMP receptors (Alk3ScxCre/Alk6null) recapitulated many features of the Smad4ScxCre contracture phenotype, suggesting that joint contracture in Smad4ScxCre mutants is caused by disruption of BMP signaling. Overall, these results establish a model of murine postnatal joint contracture and a role for BMP signaling in tendon elongation and extracellular matrix accumulation.
Towards Construct Validity of Relational Aggression.

Relational aggression – behavior intended to harm victims’ relationships – has been the focus of interdisciplinary study across psychology. Children who perpetrate relational aggression show increa...
Expectancy-value profiles in math and science: A person-centered approach to cross-domain motivation with academic and STEM-related outcomes

Abstract The need to enhance the STEM workforce and, in turn, the STEM educational pipeline is a prevailing issue in the U.S. One critical component in this pipeline is students’ interest in STEM majors and their persistence in such majors, theorized to be a function of both students’ perceived value and expectancy beliefs in the subject matter. Using an expectancy-value lens, we examined cross-domain patterns of high school students’ expectancy beliefs and values in both mathematics and science using a person-centered or profile approach. With data from the High School Longitudinal Study, latent profile analysis revealed five profiles characterized as Low Math/Low Science (i.e., endorsing low levels of expectancy and value beliefs in math and science), Moderate Math/Moderate Science, High Math/High Science, Low Math/High Science, and High Math/Low Science. Taking into account aspects of students’ background and school context, we found that motivational profile membership predicted math and science high school achievement, college persistence, and both STEM major intentions and major choices. Moreover, there were a number of gender and racial/ethnic differences and contextual variation in profile memberships as well. Implications for theory and educational practice are discussed in relation to study findings.
Decision-Making in Masculinizing Surgery and Feminizing Surgery

Advances in the fields of reconstructive and gender-affirming surgery during the last three to four decades have resulted in there being a multitude of surgical options available for patients who seek genital gender affirming surgery (gGAS). Advances in gender transition-related mental health and sexual medicine have also enriched the field and improved surgical care options for people undergoing gender transition.
ICRS scores worsen between 2-year short term and 5-year mid-term follow-up after transtibial medial meniscus root repair despite maintained functional outcomes.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to evaluate the mid-term results of posterior medial meniscal root tear (PMMRT) repair through assessment of functional outcome scores and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). METHODS This was a single-center, retrospective study evaluating patients that had undergone a PMMRT. This was a follow-up to a previously published 2-year outcome study (all original patients were invited to participate). Clinical outcomes included pre- and postoperative International Knee Documentation Committee (IKDC) and Lysholm scores. Root healing, meniscal extrusion, and cartilage degeneration via International Cartilage Repair Society Scale (ICRS) grades were assessed on MRI by two musculoskeletal fellowship-trained radiologists. RESULTS 10 of the original study's 18 patients were able to participate. Mean age and BMI was 48.4 ± 12.0 years and 29.5 ± 4.5, respectively, with mean follow-up 65.5 ± 8.3 months (range 52.0-75.8) (60% female). The IKDC significantly increased from 43 ± 13 preoperatively to 75 ± 16 at 5-year follow-up (p 3 mm of extrusion on preoperative MRI had < 3 mm of extrusion on postoperative MRI. Both medial femoral condyle and medial tibial plateau ICRS grades significantly increased from preoperative to 2-year follow-up (p = 0.038, p = 0.023, respectively). Medial femoral condyle and medial tibial plateau ICRS grades again significantly increased between 2-year and 5-year follow-up (p = 0.014, p = 0.034). CONCLUSION Patients treated with the transtibial suture pullout technique with two locking cinch sutures had maintenance of clinical outcome improvements at 5-year follow-up. However, extrusion was widely prevalent, with worsening progression of femoral and tibial chondral disease. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE Level 4.
Otolaryngology Utilization in Patients With Achondroplasia: Results From the CLARITY Study.

OBJECTIVES/HYPOTHESIS To quantify otolaryngologic surgery utilization in patients with achondroplasia, and to identify any changes in utilization over the past four decades. STUDY DESIGN Retrospective cohort study. METHODS A retrospective cohort study of 1,374 patients with achondroplasia enrolled in the CLARITY retrospective cohort study at four centers of multi-specialty care for patients with achondroplasia. Otolaryngologic surgeries are presented by birth cohort decade. The main outcomes were number of primary and additional otolaryngologic procedures; age at surgery; likelihood of repeated surgery; temporal trends in surgical utilization. RESULTS In this cohort of 1,374 patients with achondroplasia, 620 (45.1%) had pharyngeal surgery at least once, 150 (10.9%) had pharyngeal surgery on more than one occasion, and patients who had adenoidectomy first were 2.68 times more likely to require a second pharyngeal surgery than those who had adenotonsillectomy. Seven hundred and seventy-nine (56.7%) had tympanostomy tubes placed at least once, and 447 (32.5%) had tympanostomy tubes placed more than one time. Age at first pharyngeal surgery decreased by 1.2 years per birth cohort decade, and age at tympanostomy tube placement decreased by 1.1 years per decade. CONCLUSIONS Patients with achondroplasia often require otolaryngologic surgery, particularly adenoidectomy and/or tonsillectomy as well as tympanostomy tube placement. Such surgery is performed now more frequently and at younger ages than in earlier decades. While otolaryngologic disease associated with achondroplasia is now recognized earlier and treated more frequently, long-term outcome studies are needed. LEVEL OF EVIDENCE 3 Laryngoscope, 2021.
Heme metabolites in blood and urine in relation to lead toxicity and their determination.

Publisher Summary Lead causes partial inhibition at several enzymatic steps in the biosynthesis of heme, reduces the bioavailability of iron and, in erythroid cells, impairs globin synthesis. In humans, the combination is pathognomonic for lead: inhibition of δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALAD) activity, as assayed in vitro in circulating erythrocytes; increased excretion of δ-aminolevulinic acid in urine (ALAU); increased excretion of Type III coproporphyrin in urine (CPU); and accumulation of zinc protoporphyrin (ZnP) in erythrocytes. In most methods of analysis of lead poisoning, ZnP is measured as “free” erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP). Recently developed microscale fluorometric methods permit quantitative determination of FEP in 20 μl of whole blood or less. Microtests for FEP and ZnP, referred to generically as erythrocyte protoporphyrin (EP) tests, are now in wide use in screening for prevention of pediatric plumbism. Microscale methods for measurement of in erythrocytes ALAD activity are also in wide use in epidemiological studies. Recent experimental data strongly suggest that the inhibitory effects of lead in the biosynthetic pathway for heme formation can be modified in animals by altering the concentrations of other essential and nonessential trace metals. Although intralaboratory precision is often satisfactory, interlaboratory comparisons reveal substantial differences between laboratories in the measurement of blood lead, δ-aminolevulinate dehydratase (ALAD), δ-aminolevulinic acid (ALAU), and free erythrocyte protoporphyrin (FEP).
Teaching Pathophysiology to BSN Nursing Students: Useful Strategies

Pathophysiology is essential for nursing practice and is offered either as a prerequisite or core course for most baccalaureate nursing programs. Learning pathophysiological concepts can be challen...
Burning Crosses on Campus: University Hate Speech Codes.

Debates about the value and constitutionality of hate speech regulations on college campuses have deeply divided academics for over a decade. The Supreme Court’s recent decision in Virginia v. Black, recognizing a state’s power to criminalize intentionally intimidating cross burning, at long last provides the key to resolving this heated dispute. The opponents of hate speech codes argue that such regulation guts our concept of free speech. One prominent scholar claims that this censorship would nullify the First Amendment and have “totalitarian implications.” Another constitutional expert, Erwin Chemerinsky, asserts that the “public university simply cannot prohibit the expression of hate, including anti-Semitism, without running afoul of [established First Amendment principles].” On the other end of the spectrum, are authors who argue that hate speech attacks individuals’ Fourteenth Amendment right to equality, which outweighs any cathartic desire to degrade people because of their race, ethnicity, sexual orientation, and religion. This line of thinking, recognizes the fundamental right to free speech but argues that it can be restrained when used to intrude on others’ dignity rights. The advocates of campus hate speech codes claim that a college’s mission to further intellectual freedom is not undermined by restricting intimidating speech on campus; consequently, some scholars argue that curbing racist and xenophobic speech would not undermine the core purpose of higher education, the acquisition of truth. Both factions have relied on the Supreme Court’s First Amendment precedents to bolster their separate claims. Opponents of university hate speech regulations have often based their arguments with R.A.V. v. St. Paul, in which the majority found a municipal ordinance against cross burning to be unconstitutional. Following the rationale of that case, libertarians and several lower federal courts have asserted that university administrators lack the authority to prevent the spread of vitriol, no matter how racist, xenophobic, or sexist. Eleven years later, in a quiet coup, the Court upheld a more rigorously drafted cross burning statute than the one struck down in R.A.V. The later decision, Virginia v. Black, defined the scope of legitimate limitations on destructive messages. This article adds a fresh perspective to this decades-old academic tempest of intellectual disagreement about First Amendment theory. It first discusses the current problem of hate speech on college campuses. It then turns to a survey of United States First Amendment jurisprudence that is relevant to the regulation of hate speech on campus. Then it provides a comparative analysis of International and European regulations of hate speech. The section compares and contrasts international approaches to that of the United States. In the final portion of the article, I analyze the narrow and broad implications of the Supreme Court’s rational in Virginia v. Black to develop two forms of college hate speech regulations that are likely to withstand First Amendment challenges.
Five Decades of Family Law

On May 15, 2008, the Supreme Court of California issued its opinion in In re Marriage Cases1 in which that court held that the state law restrict ing marriage to a man and a woman was a violation of the Equal Protection Clause of the California Constitution. Thus, California became the second state in the United States to permit same-sex marriages to be performed in its state. Five years earlier, the Supreme Judicial Court of Massachusetts in Goodridge v. Department of Public Health2 declared its state's marriage law unconstitutional under the Massachusetts Constitution, making Massachusetts the first American state to allow same-sex marriage. Who would have thought fifty years ago when the Section of Family Law of the American Bar Association was established that the institution of marriage, which Justice Field in the 1888 United States Supreme Court case of Maynard v. Hill3 described as "creating the most important relation in life, as having more to do with the morals and civilization of a people than any other institution, has always been subject to the control of the leg islature,"4 would be redefined not by a state legislature, but by an American state supreme court? Goodridge made history, and deservedly so. In addi tion to its holding becoming an issue in the 2004 presidential election, there was the additional question in that presidential campaign of whether
Full polarimetric beam‐forming algorithm for through‐the‐wall radar imaging

[1] Development of an imaging algorithm that accurately models the wave propagation physical process has become an important topic in through-the-wall radar imaging (TWRI). In this paper, a full polarimetric beam-forming algorithm for through-the-wall radar imaging for a general multilayer wall case is presented and applied to various 2D and 3D simulated and measured scenarios. Polarimetric TWRI not only enhances the target characterization but also mitigates the wall ringing effect in cross polarizations. The far field layered medium Green's function is incorporated in the proposed TWRI algorithm for the quad-polarization of the target returns, namely, VV, HV, VH and HH. Due to the incorporation of the layered medium Green's function, the imaging algorithm not only takes into account the wall reflection, bending, and delay effects but also accounts for the complex scattering mechanism due to the presence of the wall. Numerical and experimental results show that the proposed full polarimetric beam former can provide high quality focused images in various wall-target scenarios, in particular, when the technique is combined with a wall parameter estimation technique.
Awareness of cognitive deficits in older adults with epilepsy and mild cognitive impairment

Objective: A significant portion of individuals with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) experience limited awareness of cognitive deficits. Although older adults with epilepsy have comparable cognitive deficits to individuals with MCI, little is known about awareness of cognitive deficit in epilepsy. This study compared deficit awareness in epilepsy and MCI and examined its relationship with neuropsychological performance. Method: Sixty-two older adults (31 epilepsy, 31 MCI) completed neuropsychological testing and the Cognitive Difficulties Scale (CDS), a self-report measure of everyday cognitive skills. Informants completed the CDS only. Cognitive domain scores were created. CDS composite scores were created by summing attention–concentration and language and delayed memory factors. Awareness was defined as the difference between patient and informant CDS scores, with limited awareness defined as greater informant complaints. Results: Neuropsychological performance was similar between groups for all domain...
Co-Teaching a Dual Content-Area Methods Class: Considering Context for Evaluating Collaborative Intensity.

Mathematics and science are often combined in early childhood education programs into a single methods course. This can lead to an integrated view of the two, thus neglecting their conceptual, procedural, and epistemological differences. To promote their foundational integrities, we, one mathematics and one science educator, collaborated on teaching an amalgamated course. Our impetus was the need to develop mutual ability to instruct the course independently. In this paper, we reflect on and discuss the context of our collaboration, from which emerged a conceptualization of co-teaching that emphasizes the importance of context for motivating and understanding its nature.
Use wireless web services to improve patient compliance in clinical drug trials

Outpatient clinical drug trials and therapies conducted in the patients' natural environments not only drastically reduce clinical trial costs but also make the results more accurate. However, a major challenge in outpatient trials is to monitor the patients and make sure that they are compliant with trial protocols. In this paper, we first discuss why patient compliance is so important in clinical trials and identify two crucial compliance issues: drug dosing compliance and symptom self-report compliance. We suggest that pervasive wireless EDC (Electronic Data Capture) devices powered by web services can potentially provide solutions to those outpatient compliance issues. A wireless front-end architecture based on short-range wireless networks is proposed. Then, we survey current and emerging technologies that could be used to implement such clinical trial information systems. We put special emphases on core technologies including multimodal user interfaces, interoperable back end services and security.
Leukocytes, Platelets, and Surface Microstructure of Spontaneously Degenerated Porcine Bioprosthetic Valves

The microstructure of 33 spontaneously degenerated porcine bioprosthetic valves was assessed by scanning electron microscopy in order to gather insight regarding the degenerative process. Twenty-four mitral and 9 aortic valves were removed from 32 patients. The duration of insertion was 7.7 +/- 2.4 years (mean +/- SD). All valves showed denudation of endothelial cells and exposure of the subendothelial fibrous tissue. Fibroblastlike cells were occasionally seen. Platelet deposits were observed on 22 of 33 valves (67%). Leukocytes were observed on the surface of 27 of 33 valves (82%). Mononuclear leukocytes were the most common category of cells (66%). Crystalline material was present on the surface of some leukocytes, suggesting that they may serve as a nidus for calcification. Transmission electron microscopy showed leukocytes in the process of phagocytizing collagen fibers. Macrophages, by exerting their scavenger function seem to contribute to destruction of the collagen framework of the valves. Whether the observed lymphocytes and plasma cells reflect an immunological involvement is unclear.
Circulating CD33 and its clinical value in acute leukemia.

Objective CD33 is a cell surface antigen for committed myelomonocytic lineage. We explored the potential of detecting CD33 as cell-free circulating protein in patients with leukemia. Materials and Methods We developed a quantitative bead-based immunoflow cytometry assay to measure cell-free circulating CD33 (cCD33) levels in the plasma of patients with acute leukemia, and correlated these results with corresponding clinical behavior. We measured cCD33 levels in the plasma of 48 healthy subjects and in patients with acute myelogenous leukemia (n = 98), acute lymphoblastic leukemia (n = 46), myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) (n = 50), and myeloproliferative disorder (n = 49). Results Patients with acute myeloid leukemia and myeloproliferative disorders had significantly higher concentrations of cCD33 than the other patient groups and normal individuals ( p = 0.0001), and among these groups, MDS patients displayed the lowest cCD33 levels ( p = 0.02). Circulating CD33 values correlated positively with the CD33 + blast cell counts in these patients. While there was no correlation between cCD33 levels and survival in acute myelogenous leukemia and MDS, higher cCD33 plasma concentrations did correlate with shorter survival in acute lymphoblastic leukemia ( p = 0.03), and with shorter complete remission duration in acute myelogenous leukemia ( p = 0.04) and MDS ( p = 0.03). Conclusion Circulating CD33 can be detected in the plasma from patients with leukemias, and cCD33 levels may have clinical implication, e.g., predictive and prognostic value, in these patients.
MCM routing algorithm based on a compatibility graph approach

A new algorithm for general area multichip module routing using a multi-candidate and compatibility graph approach, which maximises routing density while minimising vias and total wire length, is presented. Experimental results using standard industrial benchmarks show improved results relative to a commercial router and other previously proposed routers while offering flexibility for future incorporation of noise and delay constraints.
Gynecologic cancer clues to Lynch syndrome II diagnosis: A family report

Abstract Lynch syndrome II was diagnosed when two sisters manifested early-onset synchronous carcinomas of the ovary and endometrium and a third sister was found to have Duke's A carcinoma of the cecum. A detailed cancer family history indicated paternal transmission of the deleterious genotype. The pattern of carcinoma of the colorectum and extracolonic sites throughout the extended family was then found to be consonant with this hereditary cancer-prone disorder. Lynch syndrome II may be exceedingly difficult to diagnose due to an absence of premonitory clinical signs or biomarkers of genotypic susceptibility. Its recognition is therefore dependent on a detailed cancer family history (all anatomic sites), coupled with knowledge of the pattern of the cancer spectrum, distribution, and natural history, as manifested in this hereditary disorder. We describe the decision logic that was involved in the diagnosis of Lynch syndrome II in this family and indicate the important role of the gynecologist in this process.
LOCATING ‘CHINA’ IN THE ARTS OF SIXTEENTH-CENTURY JAPAN

Even as Japanese armies marched on Ming China in the late sixteenth century, the artefacts of ancient China continued to elicit the esteem of Japanese elites, including the warrior-ruler, Toyotomi Hideyoshi (1537–98). In many of these artefacts a given location constituted the theme. This essay comprises three interconnected case studies of China-related paintings and ceramics that demonstrate a concerted effort by Japanese of the Momoyama period (1568–1615) to claim Chinese antiquity as part of their cultural heritage. Japanese patrons and artists achieved this by adapting Chinese models of stylized or semi-abstract landscape representation and, more dramatically, by physically and conceptually transforming original Chinese objects. Antique Chinese paintings of Chinese place were dismembered and remounted in Japan so as to function better in Japanese contexts. In a practice that highlighted location while eschewing the pictorial, aesthetic arbiters awarded old Chinese ceramic vessels poetic names related to Japanese places (a custom common in chanoyu, the tea ceremony), thus conceptually relocating the objects from China to Japan. In present-day art-historical practice these objects are not normally studied together. That practice, however, distorts pre-modern realities, as, during the period in question, the Japanese used the objects en ensemble as they searched for, and at times reworked, the relevances of ancient China for Momoyama Japan.
On the effect of X-ray irradiation on the deformation and fracture behavior of human cortical bone

In situ mechanical testing coupled with imaging using high-energy synchrotron X-ray diffraction or tomography is gaining in popularity as a technique to investigate micrometer and even sub-micrometer deformation and fracture mechanisms in mineralized tissues, such as bone and teeth. However, the role of the irradiation in affecting the nature and properties of the tissue is not always taken into account. Accordingly, we examine here the effect of X-ray synchrotron-source irradiation on the mechanistic aspects of deformation and fracture in human cortical bone. Specifically, the strength, ductility and fracture resistance (both work-of-fracture and resistance-curve fracture toughness) of human femoral bone in the transverse (breaking) orientation were evaluated following exposures to 0.05, 70, 210 and 630 kGrays (kGy) irradiation. Our results show that the radiation typically used in tomography imaging can have a major and deleterious impact on the strength, post-yield behavior and fracture toughness of cortical bone, with the severity of the effect progressively increasing with higher doses of radiation. Plasticity was essentially suppressed after as little as 70 kGy of radiation; the fracture toughness was decreased by a factor of five after 210 kGy of radiation. Mechanistically, the irradiation was found to alter the salient toughening mechanisms, manifest by the progressive elimination of the bone's capacity for plastic deformation which restricts the intrinsic toughening from the formation "plastic zones" around crack-like defects. Deep-ultraviolet Raman spectroscopy indicated that this behavior could be related to degradation in the collagen integrity.
Gas/Particle Partitioning of Organic Compounds to Environmental Tobacco Smoke: Partition Coefficient Measurements by Desorption and Comparison to Urban Particulate Material

Certain organic compounds in environmental tobacco smoke (ETS) can cause respiratory diseases and lung cancers. The behavior and health effects of ETS will depend upon how each of these compounds i...
A New Lightweight Rapid Transit Control Equipment

The application of the Presidents' Conference Committee (PCC) car in rapid transit service led to the development of a new control known as type MCM. This is primarily an all-cam control system comprising two motor-operated controllers. One controller, called the circuit controller, establishes various main and control circuits for power, breaking cushioning, field shunting, and reversing. A second similar controller, called the resistance controller, varies the main motor circuit resistance to hold rate of accelerating or braking as desired.
Recruitment of participants to a multiple sclerosis trial: the CombiRx experience.

Background and purpose Participant recruitment is central to all clinical trials. Any delay in recruitment affects the completion and ultimate success of the trial. We report our experience with patient screening and randomization in CombiRx, which may inform the design of other trials. CombiRx was a multicenter, phase III, double-blind, randomized clinical trial comparing the combined use of interferon beta-1a and glatiramer acetate to either agent alone in patients with relapsing-remitting multiple sclerosis (RRMS). This trial was launched in January 2005 in 69 centers in the United States and Canada under a co-operative agreement with the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS). The goal was to recruit 1000 patients over 1.5 years after a 6-month start-up period. Instead, the investigators required 4.25 years to enroll 1008 patients. Methods During this trial, we assessed the effectiveness of various recruitment strategies, utility of rescreening prior screen failures, and potential factors and strategies used in study conduct, research, and infrastructure, all of which affected recruitment of participants and ultimately time to completion of CombiRx. We particularly were interested in the variability in time to site initiation between academic centers and private practice sites. Results Physicians who were directly involved in the medical care of patients with RRMS were the primary source of patients recruited to CombiRx. A flexible study design that allowed for rescreening of the initial screen failures after a period of time was useful due to the relapsing/remitting course of the disease. Academic centers took longer to implement the trial than the private practice centers, but once sites were approved for enrollment, there was no important difference in the number of participants enrolled. Limitations The CombiRx trial was conducted during a period when multiple new medications were being tested, thus affecting the pace of recruitment and limiting ability to generalize our experiences. However, the lessons we learned about process are relevant. Conclusion Participants can be enrolled successfully in a clinical trial for RRMS, but factors affecting the time to achieve the requirements needed to start screening can be unpredictable and problematic. Prospective planning by the sponsors and investigators, use of central institutional review boards (IRBs), master trial agreements and secure remote desktop access to the trial database may expedite trial implementation and participant recruitment. A good scientific research question with flexible study design and active involvement of the clinicians are important factors driving recruitment. Clinical trials can be implemented successfully both in private practices and at academic centers, a consideration when selecting sites.
Temperature asymmetry and behavior

Asymmetries in the surface temperature of the fingertips of the right and left hands were gathered on four independent samples of children ranging in age from 4 to 8 years (N = 398) while watching film clips in order to determine if the direction or magnitude of asymmetry was related to behavioral signs of fear or inhibition. The left index finger was cooler than the right index finger for all four groups. The right ring finger was cooler than the left ring finger for two of the four groups, and of similar temperature for the other two groups. There was no relation between direction of asymmetry and behavior and only a modest relation between a large temperature asymmetry between the index fingers and behavioral signs of very high fear or inhibition. There was no relation between asymmetry and fear or inhibition across all children, suggesting the utility of examining extreme scores.
Beyond Good and Evil: The Black–White Divide in Critical Race Theory

Derrick Bell’s work challenges the dichotomy that separates legitimate legal reasoning from “mere” fiction through hybrids that play across science fiction, Platonic dialogue, and autobiography. Despite its merits, I argue that Bell’s position reifies and strengthens, rather than deconstructs, structures of tyranny; it maintains the problematic rhetorical construction of United States race relations in terms of the black–white divide, either alienating, or leaving little or no room for other racial groups constructively to revise power and identity. In contrast, bell hooks’, Mari Matsuda’s and Robert Chang’s work, though tentatively sketched, construes current race and gender relations in terms of a chiaroscuro of power, rather than a simple dichotomy.
Shirking the Initiative? The Effects of Statewide Ballot Measures on Congressional Roll Call Behavior:

Do ballot measures affect congressional voting behavior? Examining the issues of gay marriage, campaign finance, and minimum wage, we test if the results of statewide ballot initiatives inform congressional roll call votes on legislation occupying the same issue space. Theoretically, we expect signals from ballot measures—which provide precise information about the preferences of a member’s voting constituency—reduce policy “shirking” by members. Our findings across the three issues indicate that ballot initiative outcomes alter the floor votes of members of the House, reducing legislative shirking, but we find that the educative effect of ballot measures is attenuated in the Senate due to institutional factors. We attribute the positive effect in House to the precise signal ballot measures provide members about the preferences of the median voter in their district.
Multilinear Equations in Free Inverse Monoids

We prove that finding solutions to the class of single multilinear equations in FIM(A) is decidable; while finding solutions to the class of systems of multilinear equations in FIM(A) is undecidable.
Mixed quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) study of the deacylation reaction in a penicillin binding protein (PBP) versus in a class C β-lactamase

The origin of the substantial difference in deacylation rates for acyl-enzyme intermediates in penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs) and β-lactamases has remained an unsolved puzzle whose solution is of great importance to understanding bacterial antibiotic resistance. In this work, accurate, large-scale mixed ab initio quantum mechanical/molecular mechanical (QM/MM) calculations have been used to study the hydrolysis of acyl-enzyme intermediates formed between cephalothin and the dd-peptidase of Streptomyces sp. R61, a PBP, and the Enterobacter cloacae P99 cephalosporinase, a class C β-lactamase. Qualitative and, in the case of P99, quantitative agreement was achieved with experimental kinetics. The faster rate of deacylation in the β-lactamase is attributed to a more favorable electrostatic environment around Tyr150 in P99 (as compared to that for Tyr159 in R61) which facilitates this residue's function as the general base. This is found to be in large part accomplished by the ability of P99 to covalently ...
Superinfections in herpes simplex keratitis

We reviewed 15 cases of culture-proven corneal superinfections in 15 patients (eight men and seven women ranging in age from 41 to 86 years) with recurrent herpes simplex keratitis. The factors that appeared to increase the risk of superinfection were the presence of an epithelial defect (found in all 15 cases), a history of recurrent herpetic keratouveitis (found in ten cases), and the use of topical corticosteroids (found in 13 cases). Eight of the 15 patients were taking antibiotics at the time the superinfections were diagnosed, indicating that topical antibiotics do not provide sufficient protection. Gram-negative rods were found in six cases (Proteus mirabilis, Pseudomonas aeruginosa, Serratia marcescens, Klebsiella oxytoca, Enterobacter cloacae, and Achromobacter sp.). Gram-positive organisms, often in association with another infecting agent, were found in six cases (Staphylococcus epidermidis, three cases; S. aureus, two cases; and Streptococcus sp., two cases). Fungal superinfections were found in three cases (Cephalosporium acremonium, Candida albicans, and Aspergillus fumigatus, one case each). Mycobacterium cheloni was found in two cases.
Imbalance of liver phosphorylase and accumulation of hepatic glycogen in a girl with progressive disease of the brain

Over a period of 5 years, 2 open biopsies and 9 needle biopsies of the liver were done in a 6-year-old white girl with progressive brain disease and hepatomegaly. They showed excessive accumulation of hepatic glycogen and consistently low activity of liver phosphorylase. Administration of glucagon increased the activity of hepatic phosphorylase to normal. A primary defect in the metabolism of neurohormones, effective as phosphorylase activators, might be responsible for the progressive brain disease and the deactivation of hepatic phosphorylase.
Organophosphorus Chemistry without PCl3: A Bridge from Hypophosphorous Acid to H‐Phosphonate Diesters

A process for the conversion of hypophosphorous acid (H3PO2, HPA) and alcohols into various H-phosphonate diesters [(RO)2P(O)H] is described. The new reaction provides a missing bridge between HPA and important H-phosphonates, completely avoiding the use of PCl3. Nickel chloride or nickel on silica catalyze the oxidative phosphorylation of alkyl phosphinates with various alcohols or water. The reaction is atom economic and avoids the formation of waste products. The previous need for both chlorine and base is completely avoided.
The genetic basis of host range in Heliothis virescens: larval survival and growth

Larval feeding was assayed in a generalist caterpillar (Heliothis virescens (F.)), a specialist caterpillar (Heliothis subflexa (Gn.)), their F1 hybrids and a backcross with H.s. to gain a preliminary understanding of the genetic basis of host use in H.v. Plants used in these experiments were tobacco (Nicotiana tabaccum), cotton (Gossypium hirsutum), soybean (Glycine max) (hosts of H.v.) and ground cherry (Physalis pubescens) (host of H.s.). A feeding study of H.v., H.s. and their reciprocal hybrids showed that, after the first eight days of feeding, H.v. had its highest survival and weight gain on soybean and had lowest survival and weight gain on its non-host, Physalis. H.s. had its highest survival and weight gain on its host plant, Physalis, and performed very poorly on the three non-host plants. The two F1 hybrids were SV0 (offspring of H.s. female and H.v. male) and VS0 (offspring of H.v. female and H.s. male). The hybrids did not differ from each other, indicating no sex linkage or maternal effects, except that VS0 had greater weight gain on tobacco than did SV0. The hybrids, unlike their parents, survived well on all four host plants and their weight gain was intermediate on all four host plants. In a separate experiment the VS0 hybrid was mated to the specialist to produce the VS1 backcross. In contrast to the F1, the backcross had significantly lower survival than the generalist on soybean, cotton, tobacco and weight gain was lower on soybean, cotton and tobacco but higher on Physalis. Survival and weight gain on cotton and tobacco were inherited as partially dominant traits; on Physalis there was overdominance for survival and complete dominance for weight gain; on soybean both survival and weight gain were additive. Survival on cotton, Physalis, soybean and tobacco and weight gain on Physalis could not be completely explained by a model that included only dominance and additive effects. These traits may be influenced by epistatic and/or environmental effects.