cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Incubation in Great Tinamou (Tinamus major)

Abstract I monitored Great Tinamou (Tinamus major) clutches between February and May 2000–2002 at La Selva Biological Station in Costa Rica, and describe observations on incubation behavior and nest attendance. Incubation lasted 17 days and began after the clutch was completed. Nest attendance during monitoring was high: birds were incubating during 249 nest checks at all incubation stages. Only five of 18 incubating birds that were monitored (34,282 min) with video and photographic cameras left the nest for a combined 257 min. There was no pattern to time of day or length of time when incubating birds left the nest. DNA from seven incubating birds was used to identify gender and all were males. All birds that sat on clutches defended their eggs and subsequent chicks, but were not recorded standing up to turn their eggs. High nest attendance and reduced parental activity at the nest may reduce nest detection by predators.
Achromatic circular polarization generation for ultra-intense lasers

Generating circular polarization for ultra-intense lasers requires solutions beyond traditional transmissive waveplates which have insufficient bandwidth and pose nonlinear phase (B-integral) problems. We demonstrate a reflective design employing 3 metallic mirrors to generate circular polarization.
Hierarchical modeling of ammonia adsorption in functionalized metal–organic frameworks

The adsorption of ammonia in four metal–organic frameworks modified with different functional groups (–OH, –CO, –Cl, –COOH) was investigated using a hierarchical molecular modeling approach. To describe the hydrogen bonding and other strong interactions between NH3 and the surface functional groups, a set of Morse potential parameters were obtained by fitting to energies from quantum chemical calculations at the MP2 level of theory. We describe a systematic force field parameterization process, in which the Morse parameters were fitted using simulated annealing to match a large number of single-point MP2 energies at various distances and angles. The fitted potentials were then used in grand canonical Monte Carlo simulations to predict ammonia adsorption isotherms and heats of adsorption in functionalized MIL-47, IRMOF-1, IRMOF-10, and IRMOF-16. The results show that ammonia adsorption can be significantly enhanced by using materials with appropriate pore size, strongly interacting functional groups, and high density of functional groups.
Ontogenic changes in CD95 expression on human leukocytes: prevalence of T-cells expressing activation markers and identification of CD95-CD45RO+ T-cells in the fetus.

The ontogeny of the human immune system was studied by analyzing fetal and adult tissues for the presence of various lymphocytes populations and activation/maturation markers. CD95 (fas) was expressed in hematopoietic tissues during the final stages of development of monocytes, granulocytes, NK cells and T cells, but to a much lesser extent on B cells. In the periphery, CD95 expression declined on granulocytes and NK cells. CD95 was expressed at a higher level on CD45RA þ peripheral T-cells in the fetus than in the adult. Contrary to the belief that most fetal T-cells are naive or resting, a notable number of CD45RO þ T- cells were observed as well as an unique CD95 2 CD45RO þ population. Activation markers CD25, CD122, CD69 and CD80 were also present on fetal T-cells. These findings indicate that in the initial weeks following thymic maturation, a high frequency of T-cells is activated in the periphery of the fetus. q 2003 Published by Elsevier Science Ltd.
General Limnology of Lakes Near Cook Inlet, Southcentral Alaska

ABSTRACT Data from lakes on the Kenai Peninsula (n = 111) and in the Matanuska-Susitna Valley (n = 108) show that lakes near the Cook Inlet, Alaska are moderately stained, with low turbidity and are predominately oligotrophic with a potential for phosphorus limitation. In both locations measures of salinity (as measured by conductivity) and pH were heterogenous and tied to hydrologic flowpaths. Overall, seepage lakes had lower pH, salinity, alkalinity, Ca, Mg and Si than drainage lakes. In our data set, both seepage and drainage lakes on the Kenai had lower alkalinity, Ca, and Si than corresponding lake types in Mat-Su. Most zooplankton biomass (ZB) measurements in the Cook Inlet lakes were <100 μg L−1 and over one-third were <10 μg L−1. Values of ZB were low relative to empirical models and did not increase with lake trophic state. Each of these lakes supports a fish community and the well-known effects of food web structure via grazing by planktivorous fish likely account for the observed ZB values. Env...
An Innovation Strategy to End the Second Great Depression

This paper provides insights into a science-based strategy aimed to address the Great Depression of the 1930s and examines its relevance to policies addressing the contemporary economic crisis. This early science-based strategy was not accepted at the national level at the time, but was enacted at the regional level in New England and became the basis of an innovation response to the Second World War emergency. A few key individuals, like Massachusetts Institute of Technology's Karl Compton, President, and Vannevar Bush, dean of engineering, led this effort. The resulting innovation system, which had a significant triple-helix structure, was taken apart after the war, but key elements persisted, under a banner of support for basic research, health and military innovation, and provided the foundation of the contemporary US innovation system. We argue that a dual strategy to address the contemporary economic crisis should be pursued, combining Keynesian stimulation of the “old economy” with coherent support...
Commanding inverters to establish coordinated μgrid functionality at Sandia National Laboratories

Expanded testing capabilities at Sandia National Laboratories Distributed Energy Technologies Lab (DETL) now include a single phase μGrid research test bed platform. This reconfigurable μGrid topology test bed platform is being utilized to evaluate control strategies and communication algorithms and associated issues applicable to high penetration of distributed resources on the grid. To demonstrate coordinated μGrid functionality, battery based Xantrex inverters were integrated in a μGrid configuration along with custom centralized LabVIEW generated virtual Energy Management System (EMS) software to provide system wide control. Enhanced μGrid cooperation was implemented by invoking control schemes based on existing Xantrex inverter command sets issued over a standard communication interface. Inverter cooperation was achieved without additional modifications to embedded software. This paper outlines test configuration and results for cooperative storage management and voltage support scenarios.
Colonization of gnotobiotic piglets by a luxS mutant strain of Escherichia coli O157:H7

Gnotobiotic piglets inoculated with Escherichia coli O157:H7, its luxS mutant derivative, or nonpathogenic E. coli were evaluated for attaching and effacing lesions. Although no differences in clinical symptoms were seen between pigs inoculated with the parent and those inoculated with the luxS mutant, the luxS mutant-inoculated pigs had a lower frequency of attaching and effacing lesions in the spiral colon than parent strain-inoculated pigs.
The future of CD20 monoclonal antibody therapy in B-cell malignancies

Limitations of therapeutic options for chronic lymphocytic leukemia (CLL) and non-Hodgkin lymphoma (NHL) have necessitated the development of novel treatments/strategies. Rituximab (chimeric anti-CD20 monoclonal antibody [mAb]) considerably improved therapeutic outcomes for patients with B-cell malignancies, particularly when combined with chemotherapy; outcomes, however, are limited by rituximab resistance or reduced response upon re-treatment. Novel anti-CD20 mAbs are in development that may enhance mAb therapy. Ofatumumab (human anti-CD20 mAb) induces highly potent cell lysis, including in cells with low CD20 expression, and is the most clinically advanced new anti-CD20 mAb. Positive phase III interim data for ofatumumab in fludarabine-refractory CLL that is also refractory to alemtuzumab or less suitable for alemtuzumab due to bulky (>5 cm) lymphadenopathy has led to FDA approval of this agent in this population. Preclinical and early clinical assessment of other novel anti-CD20 mAbs include: ocrelizumab, veltuzumab, GA101, AME-133v, and PRO131921; data suggest potential for improved efficacy over rituximab that will require substantiation in large-scale clinical trials. New treatment strategies and novel anti-CD20 mAbs have the potential to enhance long-term outcomes for CLL and NHL.
Analysis of mutations and bone marrow micronuclei in Big Blue rats fed leucomalachite green.

Abstract Leucomalachite green (LMG) is the major metabolite of malachite green (MG), a triphenylmethane dye that has been used widely as an antifungal agent in the fish industry. Concern over MG and LMG is due to the potential for consumer exposure, suggestive evidence of tumor promotion in rodent liver, and suspicion of carcinogenicity based on structure–activity relationships. In order to evaluate the risks associated with exposure to LMG, female Big Blue rats were fed up to 543 ppm LMG; groups of these rats were killed after 4, 16, or 32 weeks of exposure and evaluated for genotoxicity. We previously reported that this treatment resulted in a dose-dependent induction of liver DNA adducts, and that the liver lacI mutant frequency (MF) was increased, but only in rats fed 543 ppm LMG for 16 weeks [Mutation Res. 506/507 (2002) 55–63]. In the present study, we report the results from lymphocyte Hprt mutant assays and bone marrow micronucleus assays performed on these same rats. In addition, we have determined the types of lacI mutations induced in the rats fed 543 ppm LMG for 16 weeks and the rats fed control diet. No significant increases in the frequency of micronuclei or Hprt mutants were observed for any of the doses or time points assayed. Molecular analysis of 80 liver lacI mutants from rats fed 543 ppm LMG for 16 weeks revealed that 21% (17/80) were clonal in origin and that most (55/63) of the independent mutations were base pair substitutions. The predominant type of mutation was G:C→A:T transition (31/63) and the majority (68%) of these involved CpG sites. When corrected for clonality, the 16-week lacI mutation frequency ((36±10)×10−6) in treated rats was not significantly different from the clonally corrected control frequency ((17±9)×10−6; P=0.06). Furthermore, the lacI mutational spectrum in treated rats was not significantly different from that found for control rats (P=0.09). Taken together, these data indicate that the DNA adducts produced by LMG in female rats do not result in detectable levels of genotoxicity, and that the increase in lacI MF observed previously in the liver of treated rats may be due to the disproportionate expansion of spontaneous lacI mutations.
Promoting Child Health in a Smoke-Free School: Suggestions for School Health Personnel.

: Health effects of involuntary smoking on school-age children are outlined and suggestions are offered for schools to become smoke-free environments for students, faculty, and staff. Suggestions are offered for developing and implementing strategies for smoke-free schools. A data base exists to support health reasons for eliminating smoking in schools, but it is necessary to build on this information to convince school personnel that smoking in schools offers no positive returns and should be eliminated. School health personnel are encouraged to lead the campaign.
Banding with Brothers: Authorizing Force Through a Concert of Democracies

This article discusses the merits of authorizing the use of force through a Concert of Democracies instead of the U.N. Security Council.
A sound type system for secure flow analysis

Ensuring secure information flow within programs in the context of multiple sensitivity levels has been widely studied. Especially noteworthy is Denning’s work in secure flow analysis and the lattice model [6][7]. Until now, however, the soundness of Denning’s analysis has not been established satisfactorily. We formulate Denning’s approach as a type system and present a notion of soundness for the system that can be viewed as a form of noninterference. Soundness is established by proving, with respect to a standard programming language semantics, that all well-typed programs have this noninterference property.
Label-free characterization of vitrification-induced morphology changes in single-cell embryos with full-field optical coherence tomography

Vitrification is an increasingly popular method of embryo cryopreservation that is used in assisted reproductive technology. Although vitrification has high post-thaw survival rates compared to other freezing techniques, its long-term effects on embryo development are still poorly understood. We demonstrate an application of full-field optical coherence tomography (FF-OCT) to visualize the effects of vitrification on live single-cell (2 pronuclear) mouse embryos without harmful labels. Using FF-OCT, we observed that vitrification causes a significant increase in the aggregation of structures within the embryo cytoplasm, consistent with reports in literature based on fluorescence techniques. We quantify the degree of aggregation with an objective metric, the cytoplasmic aggregation (CA) score, and observe a high degree of correlation between the CA scores of FF-OCT images of embryos and of fluorescence images of their mitochondria. Our results indicate that FF-OCT shows promise as a label-free assessment of the effects of vitrification on embryo mitochondria distribution. The CA score provides a quantitative metric to describe the degree to which embryos have been affected by vitrification and could aid clinicians in selecting embryos for transfer.
Caroli disease patients have excellent survival after liver transplant.

Abstract Background Caroli disease (CD) is characterized by dilation of the intrahepatic biliary tree, which may result in malignancy. Treatments include management of symptoms and hepatic resection to decrease disease burden. In patients with CD not amenable to these treatments, orthotopic liver transplantation (OLT) has been used. This study examines if OLT is a reasonable treatment for patients with CD. Materials and methods The United Network of Organ Sharing/Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network database between September 30, 1987 and March 31, 2011 was queried. Cases without patient or allograft survival time or without a diagnosis were excluded from analysis. Patients with CD were compared to patients with primary biliary cirrhosis (PBC), secondary biliary cirrhosis (BC), primary sclerosing cholangitis (PSC), and all indications for OLT. Survival analysis was performed by log-rank test and Kaplan-Meier. Results One hundred forty patients with CD were compared to 4797 patients with PBC, 489 patients with secondary BC, 6033 patients with PSC, and 92,210 patients post-OLT. Patient and allograft survivals of CD patients at 1, 3, 5, and 10 y are, respectively, 88.5%, 83.4%, 80.9%, and 77.8%; and 81.2%, 74.8%, 70.6%, and 67.9%. CD patients have significantly improved patient and allograft survivals after OLT compared to patients with secondary BC ( P = 0.003, P = 0.015) and all other patients undergoing OLT ( P = 0.003, P = 0.026). There is a trend towards long-term improved patient and allograft survival in transplanted patients with CD compared to patients with PBC and PSC. Conclusions These results suggest that OLT should be considered an effective treatment modality for patients with CD resulting in excellent long-term outcomes.
Bleached Pigment Produces a Maintained Decrease in Outer Segment Ca2+ in Salamander Rods

A spot confocal microscope based on an argon ion laser was used to make measurements of cytoplasmic calcium concentration (Ca2+i) from the outer segment of an isolated rod loaded with the fluorescent calcium indicator fluo-3 during simultaneous suction pipette recording of the photoresponse. The decline in fluo-3 fluorescence from a rod exposed to saturating illumination was best fitted by two exponentials of approximately equal amplitude with time constants of 260 and 2,200 ms. Calibration of fluo-3 fluorescence in situ yielded Ca2+i estimates of 670 +/- 250 nM in a dark-adapted rod and 30 +/- 10 nM during response saturation after exposure to bright light (mean +/- SD). The resting level of Ca2+i was significantly reduced after bleaching by the laser spot, peak fluo-3 fluorescence falling to 56 +/- 5% (SEM, n = 9) of its value in the dark-adapted rod. Regeneration of the photopigment with exogenous 11-cis-retinal restored peak fluo-3 fluorescence to a value not significantly different from that originally measured in darkness, indicating restoration of the dark-adapted level of Ca2+i. These results are consistent with the notion that sustained activation of the transduction cascade by bleached pigment produces a sustained decrease in rod outer segment Ca2+i, which may be responsible for the bleach-induced adaptation of the kinetics and sensitivity of the photoresponse.
Drug Release from Liposomes can be Modulated by the Extent of Cholesterol Superlattice in the Lipid Membrane

Liposomes have been used as drug carriers for targeted delivery. Much attention has been paid to the stealth properties of the liposome in order to avoid the immune system and have a prolonged circulation time. An aspect in the liposome design as a drug delivery system that has been relegated is the passive drug leakage from liposomes. In this work we investigated how lateral distribution of lipids in membranes can affect the overall leakage of an entrapped drug. For this study we used the antivascular drug Combretastatin A4 disodium-phosphate (CA4P) that has entered clinical trials for the treatment of a variety of cancers and is naturally fluorescent. CA4P was encapsulated in liposomes composed of 1-palmitoyl-2-oleoyl-sn-glycero-3-phosphocholine (POPC)/cholesterol at a quenching concentration (30 mM). Cholesterol content was varied in steps of 0.4 mol% in a range of concentrations covering the theoretically predicted critical mole fractions (Cr, e.g., 20.0, 22.2, 25.0, 33.3, 40.0 and 50.0 mol%) for maximal sterol superlattice formation. The non-encapsulated CA4P was removed by size exclusion column chromatography. The leakage was followed in real time by exciting CA4P at 328nm and reading fluorescence at 400nm. The results obtained show that at Cr the leakage of CA4P is faster than at non-critical mole fractions. Although cholesterol superlattice domains have tighter lipid packing, the defects that are produced in the interfaces between regular and irregular domains enhance the overall membrane permeability. Therefore the extent of cholesterol superlattice can be used to modulate the release of encapsulated drugs. Ongoing work is aimed to observe how this modulation will affect CA4P treatment using endothelial and mammary cancer cell lines. (supported by DOD breast cancer program)
Student progress monitoring tool using treeview

In this paper, we present an extensible visualization tool that is being used in a web-based closed laboratory system. The goal of this project is to provide a tool for both students and teachers that can help trace deficiencies in a student's understanding back to individual concepts. This visualization tool has been developed by using the tree abstract data type (ADT) which is built from the concepts to be covered in a lab, lecture, or course. Once the tree ADT is built, each node can be associated with different entities such as student performance, class performance, or lab development. Using this tool, a teacher can help students by discovering concepts that need additional lecture coverage, and students may discover concepts for which they need to spend additional time working on reinforcement exercises.
Effects of Powdery Mildew Fungicide Programs on Twospotted Spider Mite (Acari: Tetranychidae), Hop Aphid (Hemiptera: Aphididae), and Their Natural Enemies in Hop Yards

Twospotted spider mite, Tetranychus urticae Koch (Acari: Tetranychidae), and hop aphid, Phorodon humuli (Schrank) (Hemiptera: Aphididae), are the most important arthropod pests of hop (Humulus lupulus L.) in the Northern Hemisphere. A potential barrier for greater adoption of conservation biological control strategies for spider mites and hop aphid is the extensive use of fungicides for management of hop powdery mildew, Podosphaera macularis (Wallr.:Fr.) U. Braun & S. Takamatsu. Field studies conducted in experimental plots in Oregon and Washington in 2005 and 2006 quantified the effects of powdery mildew fungicide programs (i.e., sulfur, paraffinic oil, and synthetic fungicides) on arthropod pests and natural enemies on hop. Fungicide treatment significantly affected spider mite populations in all four studies. Multiple applications of sulfur fungicides applied before burr development resulted in 1.4-3.3-fold greater spider mite populations during summer. Near the cessation of the sulfur applications, or after a lag of 20-30 d, spider mite populations increased significantly faster on sulfur treated plants compared with water-treated plants in three of four experiments. The effect of paraffinic oil on spider mites was varied, leading to exacerbation of spider mites in Oregon and Washington in 2005, suppression of mites in Oregon in 2006, and no significant effect compared with water in Washington in 2006. Significant relative treatment effects for cone damage due to spider mite feeding were detected in Oregon in 2005 in plots treated with sulfur and paraffinic oil compared with water and synthetic fungicides. Mean populations of hop aphids were similar among treatments in Oregon, although sulfur treatment suppressed hop aphid populations in Washington in 2005 and 2006. Populations of individual predacious insect species and cumulative abundance of macropredators were not consistently suppressed or stimulated by treatments in all trials. However, predatory mite abundance in Washington was affected by fungicide treatments, with plots treated with sulfur consistently having 10-fold fewer phytoseiids per leaf compared with the other treatments. Based on the results of these studies, powdery mildew fungicide programs that minimize or eliminate applications of sulfur and paraffinic oil would tend to conserve predatory mites and minimize the severity of spider mite outbreaks. However, mechanisms other than direct or indirect toxicity to phytoseiid mites likely are associated with exacerbation of spider mite outbreaks on hop.
Ethical Issues in Molecular Pathology Paradigms in Flux

Recent advances in molecular pathology and molecular genetics have created new concerns about the use of human biologic materials in research. Since researchers now have the ability to extract and amplify DNA from minuscule archived samples, virtually any human tissue sample can potentially become the template for a test that provides information that may relate to the inherited genes of an individual. Researchers using human biologic materials should follow the 3 basic principles that have been defined for all ethical human subjects research: respect for persons, beneficence, and justice. Institutional Review Boards are responsible for providing review of the risks and benefits of research proposals to safeguard the rights and welfare of human subjects. Currently, there is considerable debate concerning the role of informed consent procedures and the Institutional Review Board oversight process in situations when researchers use human biologic materials that have been anonymized or coded. In 1999, the National Bioethics Advisory Commission is expected to make recommendations to President Clinton and the National Science and Technology Council that are expected to clarify the balance between respect for personal autonomy and the societal need to pursue biomedical research to improve the health and welfare of all individuals.
Using web2py Python framework for creating data-driven web applications in the academic library

Purpose – Many libraries have a need to develop their own data-driven web applications, but their technical staff often lacks the required specialized training – which includes knowledge of SQL, a web application language like PHP, JavaScript, CSS, and jQuery. The web2py framework greatly reduces the learning curve for creating data-driven websites by focussing on three main goals: ease of use; rapid development; and security. web2py follows a strict MVC framework where the controls and web templates are all written in pure Python. No additional templating language is required. The paper aims to discuss these issues. Design/methodology/approach – There are many frameworks available for creating database-driven web applications. The author had used ColdFusion for many years but wanted to move to a more complete web framework which was also open source. Findings – After evaluating a number of Python frameworks, web2py was found to provide the best combination of functionality and ease of use. This paper foc...
Murphy and the Sixteenth Amendment in Relation to the Taxation of Non-Excludable Personal Injury Awards

A recent case, Murphy v. Internal Revenue Service, 460 F.3d 79 (Aug. 22, 2006), has stimulated interest in the constitutionality of federal taxes and provisions thereof. In Murphy, the panel of the Federal Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia held that section 102(a)(2) of the Internal Revenue Code was unconstitutional by failing to exclude from gross income damages for emotional distress and injury to professional reputation that, according to Murphy, are not income under the Sixteenth Amendment to the U.S. Constitution. The Murphy decision has caused an uproar, and the D.C. Circuit panel has taken the unusual step of vacating its own judgment and setting the case for re-argument. This essay is an extended analysis of the Murphy case in the context of federal taxing power. Among the conclusions reached herein are the following: (1) in general, a federal tax provision is constitutional if it either reaches income under the Sixteenth Amendment or results in an indirect tax; (2) Murphy is not a proper case for reaching the indirect tax issue (but, if it is, the tax is an indirect tax); (3) the Sixteenth Amendment only refers to gross income, and gross income means gross receipts; (4) although there is no constitutional requirement of capital recovery, capital is now limited to basis; (5) there is no basis in human capital or the capacity to enjoy life; (6) emotional suffering does not entail any (offsetting) loss of human capital; (7) a cash receipt cannot be excluded on the theory that it is a substitute for an untaxed psychic state.
Differences in teaching and opportunities for learning in primary mathematics classes

The widespread acceptance in the view that learning is an active constructive process requires teaching that is fundamentally different from classical pedagogy. It is generally accepted that teaching must consist of highly interactive and discursive situations. However, these differences in teaching are not well understood. In this paper, examples of teaching and the ways these distinctions influence children’s opportunities for learning.
DESIGN, IMPLEMENTATION, TESTING, AND FLIGHT RESULTS OF THE TRMM KALMAN FILTER

The Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) spacecraft is a nadir pointing spacecraft that nominally controls attitude based on the Earth Sensor Assembly (ESA) output. After a potential single point failure in the ESA was identified, a backup attitude determination method was designed employing a sixth-order extended Kalman filter using digital sun sensor and magnetometer measurements to update the attitude and the gyro biases. This algorithm was added to previously-tested flight code, and many software verification tests were required to ensure that both the new and the original software requirements were still met. TRMM was launched November 27, 1997, and the Kalman filter algorithm was run twice as part of the in-orbit checkout procedures. This paper provides an overview of the design, implementation, and testing of the TRMM Kalman filter. In addition, initial flight results and some lessons learned are presented.
The YsrS Paralog DygS Has the Capacity To Activate Expression of the Yersinia enterocolitica Ysa Type III Secretion System

ABSTRACT The Yersinia enterocolitica Ysa type III secretion system (T3SS) is associated with intracellular survival, and, like other characterized T3SSs, it is tightly controlled. Expression of the ysa genes is only detected following growth at low temperatures (26°C) and in high concentrations of sodium chloride (290 mM) in the medium. The YsrSTR phosphorelay (PR) system is required for ysa expression and likely responds to NaCl. During our investigations into the Ysr PR system, we discovered that genes YE3578 and YE3579 are remarkably similar to ysrR and ysrS, respectively, and are probably a consequence of a gene duplication event. The amino acid differences between YE3578 and ysrR are primarily clustered into two short regions. The differences between YE3579 and ysrS are nearly all located in the periplasmic sensing domain; the cytoplasmic domains are 98% identical. We investigated whether these paralogs were capable of activating ysa gene expression. We found that the sensor paralog, named DygS, is capable of compensating for loss of ysrS, but the response regulator paralog, DygR, cannot complement a ysrR gene deletion. In addition, YsrR, but not DygR, interacts with the histidine phosphorelay protein YsrT. Thus, DygS likely activates ysa gene expression in response to a signal other than NaCl and provides an example of a phosphorelay system in which two sensor kinases feed into the same regulatory pathway. IMPORTANCE All organisms need mechanisms to promote survival in changing environments. Prokaryotic phosphorelay systems are minimally comprised of a histidine kinase (HK) that senses an extracellular stimulus and a response regulator (RR) but can contain three or more proteins. Through gene duplication, a unique hybrid HK was created. We show that, while the hybrid appears to retain all of the phosphorelay functions, it responds to a different signal than the original. Both HKs transmit the signal to the same RR, which activates a promoter that transcribes a set of genes encoding a type III secretion system (T3SS) whose function is not yet evident. The significance of this work lies in finding that two HKs regulate this T3SS, highlighting its importance.
Bullying and Students With Disabilities: Examination of Disability Status and Educational Placement

Abstract. Students with disabilities are disproportionately represented within the bullying dynamic. However, few studies have investigated the interaction between disability identification and special education services. The current study evaluated bullying involvement (direct victimization, relational victimization, cybervictimization, bullying, fighting, relational perpetration) among 1,055 students with specific disabilities in inclusive and restrictive settings and their demographically matched (race, gender, grade) peers without disabilities. The results suggest that students with disabilities experience higher rates of victimization and engage in more fighting than students without disabilities. However, students with learning disabilities and autism spectrum disorders tended to report higher rates of victimization in inclusive environments, whereas students with intellectual disabilities and emotional and behavioral disorders reported higher rates of victimization in restrictive settings. Increase...
Research and analysis of inoculation of five seedlings inoculated

Objective To evaluate the immunization program in our country.Methods Value Difference evaluation and the rati evaluation were used to analyze the report forms of Inoculation in our country.Results The value difference evaluation showed that the doubtful.Vaccination rate of HBV was reliable,and the vaccination rates of BCG,OPV,DPT,MV were The ratio evaluation showed that the vaccination rates of the five vaccines were logical:According to the investigation of vaccination of the children(born from 2005 to 2007)in 2007,the timely vaccination rate of BCG,OPV,DPT,MV and HBV was over 85%,the rate of permits and cards was100.00%,the full vaccination rate of BCG,OPV,DPT,MV and HBV was 99.52%,and the line rate of permits and cards rate was 85.09%.Conclusion Administration for floating children should be strengthened,computer technology must be used to manage the information of vaccination conditions,instead of artificial ways.Sense of participation of all the people of the society should be enhanced in order to enhance vaccination rate of children.
LARYNGEAL RADIONECROSIS VERSUS RECURRENT CANCER

This article reviews the nature, pathogenesis, and clinical grading system of laryngeal radionecrosis. The differentiation of radiation-induced soft-tissue complications from recurrent cancer can be a difficult clinical dilemma. Conventional imagery and even biopsy results are frequently equivocal. A treatment-interventional algorithmic approach to the problem patient is presented, and the role of positron emission tomographic scanning in making this differentiation is discussed.
A New Design for Airway Management Training with Mixed Reality and High Fidelity Modeling.

Abstract Restoring airway function is a vital task in many medical scenarios. Although various simulation tools have been available for learning such skills, recent research indicated that fidelity in simulating airway management deserves further improvements. In this study, we designed and implemented a new prototype for practicing relevant tasks including laryngoscopy, intubation and cricothyrotomy. A large amount of anatomical details or landmarks were meticulously selected and reconstructed from medical scans, and 3D-printed or molded to the airway intervention model. This training model was augmented by virtually and physically presented interactive modules, which are interoperable with motion tracking and sensor data feedback. Implementation results showed that this design is a feasible approach to develop higher fidelity airway models that can be integrated with mixed reality interfaces.
The Loss of Power and Need for Power Training in Older Adults

This review elucidated the mechanisms of age-related functional impairments, as well as the benefits of power training, with particular emphasis on balance recovery and fall prevention. The aging process leads to several changes that occur in the nervous system and in the skeletal muscle that lead to impaired neuromuscular performance, especially muscle power, i.e., the ability to produce rapid force. Consequently, older individuals experience decreased functional mobility and impaired balance and increased physical frailty and risk for falls. As a counter-measurement to these age-associated changes, power training appears to result in greater improvements than does traditional strength training, especially in high velocity/power actions and in functional mobility, balance, and fall risk. Power training appears to be a viable alternative to traditional strength training, resulting in at least similar improvements in performance and function, but is particularly beneficial for tasks that involve high power production, such as balance recovery and fall prevention.
1st Place Winner of the Robert Fulton Student Paper Competition of the Annual International Death, Grief, and Bereavement Conference: Social Psychological Perspectives on Altruism in Care Giving: The Schiavo Case and beyond:

This article will address altruism in the care giving of an ill person and also consider some of the factors—responsibility, empathy and motivation—that influence helping behavior. A literature rev...
The isolation of luminous blue variables: on subdividing the sample

NSF [AST-1312221, AST-1515559]; National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) through HST from the Space Telescope Science Institute [AR-14316]; NASA [NAS5-26555]
Synthesis of [diene-(14)C] curcumin at high specific activity.

Abstract An efficient method is described to label curcumin with 14C at high specific activity.
Management of Batteries for Electric Traction Vehicles

This chapter presents an overview of the different types of electric traction vehicles and the characteristics of their batteries. It also discusses battery management of such vehicles and presents specific details for today's traction vehicles. BMSs for electric traction vehicles are significantly different from traditional management systems employed in consumer and industrial products such as laptops, cellular phones, two-way radios, power tools, and portable power products. Electric scooters, bicycles (e-bikes), and motorcycles are the smallest and lightest of EVs and are categorized as light electric vehicles (LEVs) due to the size of the vehicle and the battery. They share many of the characteristics of a full EV but their batteries are often smaller, have simpler components, and require charging from an external power source. Full size electric motorcycles are more similar to full size EVs than to e-bikes and have NiMH or Li-ion batteries due to the higher energy density. Industrial forklifts are used by the material handling industry for warehouse operations and are often similar in size and power requirements to mid and full size EVs. They often use large and heavy Pb-acid batteries for motive force and counterbalancing. A battery management system (BMS) is put in place to ensure that the battery is operated within safe limits and achieves optimum performance over its life. Apart from monitoring, measuring, calculating, communicating, control, and balancing, the BMS can also be constructed by using two basic architectures such as centralized and distributed.
A Research Design for Performing a Marketing Analysis for a State UniversityAnalysis for a State University

This paper describes the procedures followed in developing the basis for a comprehensive marketing plan for a state university. The research design for the marketing analysis includes areas of internal and external analysis. Internal analysis areas deal with marketing activities, marketing knowledge, image and need for marketing. External analysis includes image factors, demographic market profiles, presently enrolled students, former students and a competitive analysis.
Students' educational experiences and interaction with residents on night shifts

SummaryBackground The purpose of this mixed-methods study was to investigate whether increased night shifts for students on paediatric rotations had any negative impact on their overall quality of educational experiences in light of the implementation of duty-hour restrictions. Methods Both quantitative and qualitative data were collected from 30 students on paediatric rotations during the academic year 2011/12. Students completed two questionnaires, one in response to their experiences during the day shifts and another in response to their experiences during the night shifts. Only 25 cases were retained for the final analyses. The non-parametric Wilcoxon signed-rank test was used to analyse the quantitative data, and constant comparative thematic analyses, as described by Creswell, were used to analyse the qualitative data. [Do] increased nights shifts for students … [have] any negative impact on their overall quality of educational experiences[?] Results The results indicated that students' perceived quality of experiences during the night shifts was greater, compared with their day shifts. Students reported having more time to socialise during the night shifts. They further reported that informal ways of learning, such as impromptu teaching and spontaneous discussions on clinical problems, were more beneficial, and these often occurred in abundance during the night shifts as opposed to the scheduled didactic teaching sessions that occur during the day shifts. Discussion This study documented many unanticipated benefits of night shifts. The feeling of cohesiveness of the night team deserves further exploration, as this can be linked to better performance outcomes. More consideration should be given to implementing night shifts as a regular feature of clerkships.
Observing the magnetosphere through global auroral imaging: 2. Observing techniques

In a companion paper four auroral regions were identified. The source of the first three regions is the plasma sheet whereas the source of the fourth, the region of Alfvenic auroras is the ionosphere. It is a primary goal of global auroral imaging to identify these source regions. Space based imaging can be used to obtain ion and electron, mean energy and energy flux as a basis for such identification . Measurement of direct emission from precipitating ions or their charge exchange products can be used to determine the ion precipitation characteristics. For electrons, it is necessary to use the atmosphere as a spectrometer. Total precipitated energy can be derived from the luminosity of spectral features where the production cross-sections are known. The mean energy of precipitation is inferred from the luminosity height profile deduced from (1) collisional quenching of long lifetime emitters, (2) atmospheric composition, (3) degree of O2 absorption in the UV or (4) the local atmospheric neutral temperature. There are fundamental advantages in viewing the aurora from space, for example auroras can be observed in the far ultraviolet (FUV) range where daylight contamination is much less severe. The various approaches to space-borne auroral imaging depend on the wavelength selection requirements. UV interferometers show promise of improved light collection efficiency and higher spectral resolution.
Dissociation dynamics and electronic structures of highly excited ferrocenium ions studied by femtosecond XUV absorption spectroscopy

The dissociation dynamics of ferrocene are explored following strong field ionization using femtosecond time-resolved extreme ultraviolet (XUV) transient absorption spectroscopy. Employing transitions in the vicinity of the iron 3p (M2,3) edge, the dissociation is monitored from the point of view of the iron atom. With low strong field pump intensities (≈2 × 1013 W cm-2), only ferrocenium cations are produced, and their iron 3p absorption spectrum is reported. It very closely resembles the 3p spectrum of atomic Fe+ ions but is red-shifted by 0.8 eV. With the aid of time-dependent density functional theory calculations, the spectrum is assigned to a combination of doublet and quartet spin states of ferrocenium ions. Ionization with more intense strong field pump pulses (≥6 × 1013 W cm-2) leads predominantly to the prompt production of ferrocenium ions that dissociate to give the spectral signature of bare Fe+ ions within 240 ± 80 fs. Within the temporal resolution of the experiment (≈40 fs), no spectral intermediates are observed, suggesting that the dissociation process occurs directly from the excited ferrocenium ion and that the bonds between the iron center and both cyclopentadienyl rings are broken almost simultaneously in an asynchronous concerted decay process. No evidence of slower dissociation channels is observed at a pump-probe delay of 250 ps, suggesting that all energy is very rapidly routed into dissociative states.
An Exploratory Study of the Diurnal Variation and Reliability of Biomarkers Related to Physiological Damage Experienced in Work-Related Musculoskeletal Disorders

Objectives: Select biomarkers derived from such tissue damage have been proposed as a tool for predicting MSD risk. Factors beyond the exposure to biomechanical stress, although, may influence these biomarkers and thus should be quantified. The purpose of this exploratory study was to determine (1) whether diurnal variations exist for Cartilage Oligomeric Matrix Protein (COMP), Interleukin-6 (IL6), and Creatine Kinase (CK); and (2) if these diurnal variations are influenced by personal factors including age, obesity status, and gender.Methods: Twenty-seven participants were dichotomously classified by age (young = 24.7 [3.9], older = 55.2 [5.0]), body mass index (BMI) (not obese = 23.1 [2.2], obese = 34.1 [2.9]), and gender (males = 14, females = 13), and had blood samples drawn at six time points over a 24-hour period (22:00, 07:00, 10:00, 14:00, 18:00, and 22:00) during which any strenuous physical activity was restricted.Results: COMP levels were significantly higher for males, had significant ...
Some remarks on a model for immune signal detection and feedback

This note analyzes incoherent feedforward loops in signal processing and control. It studies the response properties of IFFL's to exponentially growing inputs, both for a standard version of the IFFL and for a variation in which the output variable has a positive self-feedback term. It also considers a negative feedback configuration, using such a device as a controller. It uncovers a somewhat surprising phenomenon in which stabilization is only possible in disconnected regions of parameter space, as the controlled system's growth rate is varied. This phenomenological setup might explain some interesting and apparently contradictory features of immune regulation of cancer and infections.
Polymorphisms in Renal Ammonia Metabolism Genes Correlate With 24-Hour Urine pH

Introduction Urine pH is critical for net acid and solute excretion, but the genetic factors that contribute to its regulation are incompletely understood. Methods We tested the association of single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 16 genes related to ammonia (NH 3 ) metabolism (15 biological candidates selected a priori , 1 selected from a previous genome-wide association study analysis) to that of 24-hour urine pH in 2493 individuals of European descent across 2 different cohorts using linear regression, adjusting for age, sex, and body mass index. Results Of 2871 total SNPs in these genes, 13 SNPs in ATP6V0A4 (a4 subunit of hydrogen− adenosine triphosphatase), SLC9A3 (sodium/hydrogen exchanger, isoform 3), and RHCG (Rhesus C glycoprotein), and 12 SNPs from insulin-like growth factor binding protein 7 ( IGFBP7 ) had a meta-analysis P value P IGFBP7 , −0.08 for ATP6V0A4 , 0.06 for RHCG , and −0.06 for SLC9A3 ; SNP rs34447434 in IGFBP7 had the lowest meta-analysis P value ( P = 7.1 × 10 −8 ). After adjusting for net alkali absorption, urine pH remained suggestively associated with multiple SNPs in IGFBP , 1 SNP in ATP6V0A4 , and a new SNP in GLS (phosphate-dependent glutaminase). Discussion Overall, these findings suggest that variants in common genes involved in ammonia metabolism may substantively contribute to basal urine pH regulation. These variations might influence the likelihood of developing disease conditions associated with altered urine pH, such as uric acid or calcium phosphate kidney stones.
On the transaction cost of Bitcoin

Using a unique data on Bitcoin quotes in 16 different currencies, this paper examines the empirical transaction costs of Bitcoin in international transactions. We find that the transaction cost of Bitcoin is lower than that of retail foreign exchange markets. Bitcoin markets have, on average, 2% narrower bid-ask spreads than retail foreign exchange markets and, when the U.S. dollar is converted to other currencies via Bitcoin, the resulting exchange rates are, on average, 5% better than the retail foreign exchange rate. We find that Bitcoin's simpler infrastructure is a source of the cost advantage.
Pathology of the Child’s Cervical Spine and Its Clinical Implications

Immature cervical vertebrae and their surrounding joints provide little in the way of bony support in the neck of a child; thus, the integrity of the pediatric cervical spine relies heavily on the soft tissues that surround it. This chapter discusses conditions that are associated with cervical spine pathology due to weak connective tissues, including syndromes of Marfan, Loeys-Dietz, Ehlers-Danlos, and Down. Later we touch on bone dysplasias, inflammatory conditions and infections.
Risk-Based Prioritization of Construction Inspection:

In their pursuit of ensuring the quality and long-term performance of pavements, state highway agencies (SHAs) have established specifications for materials testing and construction inspection proc...