cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comment on Pinsker et al. Randomized Crossover Comparison of Personalized MPC and PID Control Algorithms for the Artificial Pancreas. Diabetes Care 2016;39:1135–1142

Pinsker et al. (1) compare the performance of an artificial pancreas system using a model predictive control (MPC) algorithm of their own design to the performance of the same system using a proportional integral derivative (PID) algorithm, also of their own design. They conclude that MPC performs better. The authors emphasize that MPC “comes in many flavors” but do not acknowledge the same for PID (1). Using a PID controller of their own design rather than a version that has undergone numerous design iterations, such as the Medtronic algorithm (2,3) or an interacting PID algorithm developed at Boston Children’s Hospital (4,5), makes their study less than compelling. The authors argue that they designed their MPC and PID algorithms to have “the same level of aggressiveness” but, by their own …
Who Says I Do: The Changing Context of Marriage and Health and Quality of Life for LGBT Older Adults

Purpose of the study Until recently, lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) adults were excluded from full participation in civil marriage. The purpose of this study is to examine how legal marriage and relationship status are associated with health-promoting and at-risk factors, health, and quality of life of LGBT adults aged 50 and older. Design and methods We utilized weighted survey data from Aging with Pride: National Health, Aging, and Sexuality/Gender Study (NHAS) participants who resided in states with legalized same-sex marriage in 2014 (N = 1,821). Multinomial logistic regression was conducted to examine differences by relationship status (legally married, unmarried partnered, single) in economic and social resources; LGBT contextual and identity factors; health; and quality of life. Results We found 24% were legally married, and 26% unmarried partnered; one-half were single. Those legally married reported better quality of life and more economic and social resources than unmarried partnered; physical health indicators were similar between legally married and unmarried partnered. Those single reported poorer health and fewer resources than legally married and unmarried partnered. Among women, being legally married was associated with more LGBT microaggressions. Implications LGBT older adults, and practitioners serving them, should become educated about how legal same-sex marriage interfaces with the context of LGBT older adults' lives, and policies and protections related to age and sexual and gender identity. Longitudinal research is needed to understand factors contributing to decisions to marry, including short- and long-term economic, social, and health outcomes associated with legal marriage among LGBT older adults.
Genetics of Hyperparathyroidism, Including Parathyroid Cancer

Primary hyperparathyroidism (HPT) is a metabolic disease caused by the excessive secretion of parathyroid hormone from 1 or more neoplastic parathyroid glands. HPT is largely sporadic, but it can be associated with a familial syndrome. The study of such families led to the discovery of tumor suppressor genes whose loss of function is now recognized to underlie the development of many sporadic parathyroid tumors. Heritable and acquired oncogenes causing parathyroid neoplasia are also known. Studies of somatic changes in parathyroid tumor DNA and investigation of kindreds with unexplained familial HPT promise to unmask more genes relevant to parathyroid neoplasia.
Is Urban Agriculture Financially Sustainable? An Exploratory Study of Small-Scale Market Farming in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania

Existing research on the economic sustainability of urban agriculture in the United States tends to emphasize a multifaceted conception of urban agriculture’s return on investment as a combination of revenue and less quantifiable positive external­ities. A more business-oriented advocacy literature, however, sees urban agriculture as a way to generate income for farmers and farm workers. The purpose of this study is twofold. First, we estimate the economic returns of urban farming in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, based on data obtained from urban farmers involved in market farming. Here our goal is to better understand the contribu­tion of market farming to the economic viability of urban agriculture. Second, we hope to improve understanding of how the farmers themselves perceive and navigate commensurabilities and tensions between predominantly market-oriented and more heavily social-service oriented forms of urban agriculture. Home to more than a dozen farms, Philadelphia is a suitable location for such an exploratory study of the financial sustainability of urban agriculture.
Case Study: Factors influencing pulmonary arterial pressure in cattle of the San Juan Basin Research Center 4-Corners Bull Test data

High altitude disease (HAD) in cattle is historically a consequence of hypoxia-induced pulmonary hypertension at elevations ≥1,500 m. Mean pulmonary arterial pressure (mPAP) is an indicator of an animal’s risk of HAD and is moderately heritable (h2 = 0.26 to 0.34). The objective of this study was to evaluate genetic (i.e., breed) and environmental factors influencing yearling mPAP in growing beef bulls. Data consisting of pen, birth year (BY), breed, end test age, bull test weights, ADG, and mPAP (45.1 ± 12.3 mmHg) measures were obtained from the San Juan Basin Research Center, 4-Corners Bull Test Station (elevation 2,255 m). Records were from 1989 to 2005 (n = 2,426). Bulls of 10 pure and various breed crosses represented 73 different owners. A model of mPAP = Pen_BY + Breed + error was fitted. In an ANOVA for model building, Pen_BY (concatenated fixed effect proxy for contemporary group) and breed were significant (P 0.05). Results also suggested that breed (P < 0.001) was an important factor influencing mPAP. Using a least squares means separation approach, we found an estimated 17.4-mmHg range in mPAP between breeds, where Composite bulls had the lowest adjusted mPAP and Simmental bulls had the highest. Knowledge of genetic (i.e., breed) and environmental factors influencing mPAP could be helpful in reducing the incidence of HAD in beef cattle.
Review: Electric field driven pumping in microfluidic device

Pumping of fluids with precise control is one of the key components in a microfluidic device. The electric field has been used as one of the most popular and efficient nonmechanical pumping mechanism to transport fluids in microchannels from the very early stage of microfluidic technology development. This review presents fundamental physics and theories of the different microscale phenomena that arise due to the application of an electric field in fluids, which can be applied for pumping of fluids in microdevices. Specific mechanisms considered in this report are electroosmosis, AC electroosmosis, AC electrothermal, induced charge electroosmosis, traveling wave dielectrophoresis, and liquid dielectrophoresis. Each phenomenon is discussed systematically with theoretical rigor and role of relevant key parameters are identified for pumping in microdevices. We specifically discussed the electric field driven body force term for each phenomenon using generalized Maxwell stress tensor as well as simplified effective dipole moment based method. Both experimental and theoretical works by several researchers are highlighted in this article for each electric field driven pumping mechanism. The detailed understanding of these phenomena and relevant key parameters are critical for better utilization, modulation, and selection of appropriate phenomenon for efficient pumping in a specific microfluidic application.
Bill Clinton: New Gilded Age President. By Patrick J. Maney. (Lawrence, KS: University Press of Kansas, 2016. Pp. 344. $34.95.)

This new book on Bill Clinton is both illuminating and frustrating. Beautifully written, it mines multiple sources to describe Clinton's policies on deficit reduction, free trade, welfare reform, h...
Biologic Effects of Light: Historical and New Perspectives

Humans, almost from the beginning of time, have worshipped the sun for its life giving properties. This is clearly demonstrated in cave and stone wall paintings and in the hieroglyphics on Egyptian temples that illustrated that exposure to sunlight provided life-sustaining properties. This review is not intended to be comprehensive but rather to give a flavor of some of the key observations made in the 18th through 20th centuries that made significant progress in our understanding of the biologic effects of sunlight.
Laser Spectroscopy of Fast KNO 3 Ferroelectric Switches

Raman spectroscopy of sub-micron ferroelectric films of potassium nitrate reveal qualitative changes from the bulk, which are interpreted in terms of surface electric field effects. Analogous effects have been reported by Farhi and Moch in thiourea. Possible relation to space charge effects is discussed.
Control of the weaning-to-estrus interval in sows using gonadotropins and prostaglandins during lactation

Two experiments were conducted to examine the effectiveness of various strategies using gonadotropins to induce ovulation during lactation as a means of controlling the weaning-to-estrus interval in sows. The objective of Exp. 1 was to examine the efficacy of various gonadotropin regimens for induction of ovulation during lactation. Primiparous (n = 60) and multiparous (n = 83) crossbred sows were assigned, before farrowing, to one of four treatments: no injection (control); 1,000 IU hCG on d 0 (hCG-0; d 0 = day of farrowing); P.G. 600 + 1,000 IU hCG 4 and 7 d after farrowing, respectively (hCG-7); or P.G. 600 + 1,000 IU hCG 11 and 14 d after farrowing, respectively (hCG-14). Sows were weaned on 18 +/- 2 d after farrowing and monitored daily for estrus via exposure to mature boars. The criterion for determining the induction of ovulation was a sustained increase in serum progesterone concentrations above 4.0 ng/mL. The most consistent response to exogenous gonadotropins was on d 0, with an 80% response in primiparous sows (12/15) and a 71% response in multiparous sows (15/21). Weaning-to-estrus intervals for multiparous sows were longer (P = .05) for hCG-14 and hCG-7 than for control and hCG-0 sows. Weaning-to-estrus intervals for primiparous sows were longer (P = .05) for the hCG-14 than for the hCG-0 treatment. The objective of Exp. 2 was to ascertain the effects of postpartum treatment with hCG (1,000 IU) on d 0 and PGF2alpha (10 mg) at d 14 on the weaning-to-estrus interval in multiparous sows weaned at d 14 after birth. Before farrowing, sows (n = 60) were randomly assigned to one of four treatments: positive control, weaning at d 21; negative control, weaning at d 14; hCG within 24 h after farrowing, weaning at d 14; or hCG within 24 h after farrowing and PGF2alpha at weaning, weaning at d 14. Weaning-to-estrus intervals were longer (P = .05) in sows receiving PGF2alpha than in the other treatments. Results indicate that it is possible to induce ovulation immediately after farrowing, using a single injection of hCG, and this strategy can be used to uncouple weaning from the resumption of reproductive activity. However, the administration of PGF2alpha at 14 d after farrowing did not consistently cause regression of the induced corpora lutea.
Association of Hospital Surgical Aortic Valve Replacement Quality With 30-Day and 1-Year Mortality After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement.

Importance Hospital outcomes for transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may be dependent on the quality of evaluation, personnel, and procedural and postprocedural care common to patients undergoing cardiac surgery. Objectives We sought to assess whether those hospitals with better patient outcomes for surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) subsequently achieved better TAVR outcomes after launching TAVR programs. Design, Setting, and Participants This national cohort included US patients 65 years and older. The analysis used the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services’ Medicare Provider and Review data collected between January 1, 2010, and September 29, 2015. Only hospitals performing at least 1 SAVR prior to September 1, 2011, and performing at least 1 TAVR after this date were included in the analysis. Data analysis was completed from June 2018 to August 2018. Interventions Isolated aortic valve replacements. Main Outcomes and Measures Hospital risk-adjusted 30-day mortality for SAVR in the pre-TAVR period was used as a surrogate for SAVR quality. Thirty-day and 1-year TAVR mortality rates were examined after stratification by quartile of baseline hospital risk-adjusted SAVR mortality. Results A total of 51 924 TAVR procedures were performed in 519 hospitals, of which 19 798 were performed at hospitals in quartile 1 (the lowest risk-adjusted SAVR mortality rate), 7663 were performed in quartile 2, 10 180 were performed in quartile 3, and 14 283 were performed in quartile 4 (the highest risk-adjusted SAVR mortality rate). Observed mortality rates at 30 days consistently increased with increasing baseline hospital SAVR risk-adjusted mortality (quartile 1, 917 patients [4.6%]; quartile 2, 381 [5.0%]; quartile 3, 521 [5.1%]; quartile 4, 800 [5.6%];P Conclusions and Relevance Hospitals with higher SAVR mortality rates also had higher short-term and long-term TAVR mortality after initiating TAVR programs. Quality of cardiac surgical care may be associated with a hospital’s performance with new structural heart disease programs.
Human Papillomavirus Risk Perceptions Among Young Adult Sexual Minority Cisgender Women and Nonbinary Individuals Assigned Female at Birth

Context Some sexual minority women may be less likely than other women to engage in human papillomavirus (HPV) prevention behaviors. Although risk perceptions have been found to be associated with health behaviors, HPV risk perceptions among U.S. sexual minority women have not been examined. Methods In 2016-2017, in-depth interviews were conducted in Boston with 29 sexual minority individuals aged 18-36 who were assigned female at birth (AFAB) and identified as women or nonbinary. Purposive sampling was used to recruit participants online, through community-based and student organizations, and by word of mouth. Thematic analysis was employed to examine participants' HPV risk perceptions. Results Participants incorrectly linked HPV risk to the exchange of genital fluids, and a hierarchy of perceived risk emerged in relation to sexual orientation: Individuals who engage in penile-vaginal sex with partners who were assigned male at birth (AMAB) were perceived to be at highest risk, and lesbians and individuals with only AFAB partners were perceived to be at low risk. Lesbians and participants with only AFAB partners identified sex with bisexual women or AFAB individuals with AMAB partners as a risk factor for HPV infection. Risk perceptions were shaped by health care providers' linking HPV risk to sex with AMAB individuals, a lack of discussion of HPV with parents and peers, and the exclusion of information on HPV and sexual minority women from school-based sex education. Conclusion Interventions providing sexual minority AFAB individuals with comprehensive, accurate and tailored information about HPV risk are needed.
The Bewilderment of the Self in Beckett and the Romantics

The first generation of British Romantics—Blake, Wordsworth, and Coleridge in particular—respond to modern philosophical developments in the analysis of subjectivity, including the collapse of Cart...
The Impact of Self-Reported Depression Severity and Age on Facial Emotion Recognition in Outpatients with Anxiety and Mood Disorders

In non-clinical community samples, older adults are less accurate at identifying others’ emotional expressions than younger adults. Less is known about the effects of age on facial emotion recognition (ER) in clinical samples. We explored ER in outpatients presenting for assessment/treatment of emotional disorders. We predicted that depression severity would be associated with slower, less accurate ER. We expected to find an effect for age, with younger adults showing superior ER performance for negative emotions (fear, anger, sadness). 644 outpatients (57.6% female, M age 31.31, range = 18–76) completed an ER task and a self-report measure of depression severity, the Beck Depression Inventory (BDI-II). The BDI-II was rescored (BDI-R), using only the 10 items specific to unipolar depression, as determined by factor analysis. 34.6% of participants had a clinical depressive disorder. All other participants had a clinical anxiety disorder or not otherwise specified mood disorder. Depression severity, based on the BDI-R, did not predict ER accuracy or intensity for any face type. Age was associated with lower ER accuracy and higher intensity scores for sad and fearful faces, and lower overall accuracy of ER. In a large, transdiagnostic clinical sample of adults with emotional disorders, we found a decline in ER performance with age, particularly for negative emotions (sadness, fear). There was no significant association between depression and ER in our sample, suggesting the importance of considering additional variables such as state affect, attention, and arousal.
Clostridium difficile Infection of a Total Hip Arthroplasty: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Case We describe the case of an 85-year-old woman who presented with worsening right hip pain after a conversion hip replacement. Subsequent imaging demonstrated a gas-containing collection in the lateral thigh. She was taken to the operating room for irrigation and debridement, where intraoperative cultures returned positive for Clostridium difficile. Surgical management was followed by a prolonged course of antibiotics. Conclusions Clostridium difficile as the etiology of infection in a conversion arthroplasty is exceedingly rare. Orthopaedic surgeons and infectious disease specialists should consider C. diff as a potential cause of infection in conversion hip arthroplasty because management options will need to be tailored.
Replica Britannia: heritage as postmodern industry in Downriver and England, England

Heritage became an increasingly central cultural issue in Britain from the 1970s on, the word expanding its application from conservation of the built environment to an all-purpose label covering a...
Prevalence and Neighborhood Geomapping of COVID-19 in an Underserved Chicago Pregnant Population.

Objective The Chicago area is known to harbor some of the deepest racial and ethnic socioeconomic inequalities in the United States. We studied the prevalence and neighborhood distribution of patients who tested positive for COVID-19 after implementation of universal screening at an academic hospital providing obstetrical services to an underserved Chicago population. Study Design From April 16 to June 16, 2020, a total of 369 patients were screened for COVID-19 at University of Illinois at Chicago with either the Abbott Point-of-Care (POC, n = 266) or reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction test (RT-PCR, n = 101). Patient residential data mapped using ESRI ArcGIS Pro was integrated in ESRI's Living Atlas with the Neighborhood Socioeconomic Status Index (NSEI). Results Precisely, 7.9% (29/369) of screened patients tested positive; 69% (17/29) with the POC test and 31% (12/29) by RT-PCR. The prevalence of an outpatient RT-PCR positive result was 8.9% (9/101). All but one of the 29 severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) positive patients were either Hispanic or Black, and the majority resided in disadvantaged neighborhoods. Conclusion The disproportionate hit of COVID-19 pandemic on the Hispanic and Black communities reflects in SARS-CoV-2 positivity rates in the obstetrical population. Our report provides data that may be useful to policy makers when prioritizing resources to communities in need.
A systematic review of integrative medicine for opioid withdrawal.

Abstract Introduction The United States has been battling an opioid epidemic for decades. As substance use disorders have grown, so too has investigation into treatment options, including integrative medicine approaches, for managing opioid withdrawal symptoms (OWS). Objectives This systematic review sought to assess the use of integrative medicine approaches for the alleviation of OWS in patients dependent on opioids and to summarize the available data. Methods The authors searched using synonyms for opioids, substance use disorder, and integrative medicine and standardized searches in Embase, PubMed, and Cochrane Library. We also hand searched references for systematic reviews. This review did not include articles that could not be obtained as full-text publications via interlibrary loan. The review also excluded studies with interventions involving acupuncture because multiple systematic reviews on this approach already exist. In addition, we also excluded studies of therapy for opioid maintenance. We evaluated studies for inclusion based on the Jadad criteria. We compared opioid withdrawal outcomes of the studies to determine the efficacy of integrative medicine approaches. Results The authors identified a total of 382 unique publications initially for possible inclusion through systematic searches. After applying inclusion and exclusion criteria, five studies met Jadad criteria. The authors identified an additional two studies for inclusion via hand searching. A total of seven studies included interventions consisting of passionflower, weinicom, fu-yuan pellet, jinniu capsules, tai-kang-ning, dynorphin, and l-tetrahydropalmatine. Analyzing the articles was difficult given the varied scoring methods they used to quantify opioid withdrawal symptoms and the small sample sizes in the trials. Most showed evidence that supported integrative medicine approaches for OWS, although the strength of evidence was limited because of sample sizes. Conclusions This review found evidence of multiple integrative medicine approaches for opioid withdrawal symptoms. Well-designed randomized controlled trials should assess the efficacy of integrative medicine for improvement in OWS.
A randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded clinical trial of colchicine to improve vascular health in people living with HIV.

Objectives People living with HIV (PLWH) experience an increased burden of coronary artery disease (CAD) believed to be related, in part, to an interplay of chronically increased inflammation and traditional risk factors. Recent trials suggest cardiovascular benefits of the anti-inflammatory, colchicine, in HIV-seronegative CAD patients. However, the impact of colchicine on impaired vascular health, as measured by coronary endothelial function (CEF), an independent contributor to CAD, has not been studied in PLWH. We tested the hypothesis that colchicine improves vascular health in PLWH. Design This was a randomized, placebo-controlled, double-blinded trial in 81 PLWH to test whether low-dose colchicine (0.6 mg daily) improves CEF over eight- to twenty four-weeks. Methods Coronary and systemic endothelial function and serum inflammatory markers were measured at baseline, and at 8 and 24 weeks. The primary endpoint was CEF, measured as the change in coronary blood flow from rest to that during isometric handgrip exercise, an endothelial-dependent stressor, measured with noninvasive MRI at 8 weeks. Results Colchicine was well tolerated and not associated with increased adverse events. However, there were no significant improvements in coronary or systemic endothelial function or reductions in serum inflammatory markers at 8 or 24 weeks with colchicine as compared to placebo. Conclusions In PLWH with no history of CAD, low-dose colchicine was well tolerated but did not improve impaired coronary endothelial function, a predictor of cardiovascular events. These findings suggest that an anti-inflammatory approach using colchicine in PLWH does not improve vascular health, the central, early driver of coronary atherosclerosis.
Primary cervical ganglioneuroblastoma, nodular subtype.

Abstract Primary cervical ganglioneuroblastoma is rare and reports of its subtypes are limited. This case series describes two pediatric patients with the nodular subtype of primary cervical ganglioneuroblastoma with lymphatic spread. Clinical course, diagnosis, and management of this rare tumor are discussed with emphasis on the importance of including neuroblastic tumors in the differential diagnosis of pediatric neck masses. We also report the use of nerve monitoring of the recurrent laryngeal nerve as a surrogate for the vagus nerve during a pediatric neck dissection.
Short-lived photofission product yields from 238U and 232Th at Bremsstrahlung X-ray endpoint energies of 8, 14, and 20 MeV for nuclear forensics isotope production applications

Abstract The existing photofission product yield data sets are often based on nuclear models, and limited experimental measurements of these fission product yields have been performed. These experiments resulted in measured cumulative fission product yields (CFPYs) for 238U and 232 Th for the bremsstrahlung X-ray endpoint energies of 8, 14, and 20 MeV. The half-lives of the reported fission products range from 1.07–40.8 s. This work is motivated by a demonstrated need for novel isotope production methods for nuclear forensics and improved nuclear data to support the nonproliferation community. A high-purity germanium detector and a pneumatic transfer system were employed for measurements of short-lived fission products, collecting data between cycles of accelerator irradiation and measurement.
Analysis and Design of a Tetrahedral Oscillator

Analysis and design of a tetrahedral oscillator is presented. Expressions for the startup condition and oscillation frequency are derived. A phase noise analysis of thermal and flicker noise is carried out, using the impulse sensitivity function theory. The noise contribution of each type of transistor is studied, and the dominant and negligible cyclostationary noise sources are identified. There is good agreement among the theory and Spectre simulation. Design guidelines based on the analysis are provided.
Employer Branding: Psychological Contract Between Employer and Employees in the IT Industry

Employer branding is recognized as an important strategy for businesses.1 An employer brand describes a firm's reputation as a place to work and its value proposition to current and potential employees.2 Employer branding encompasses a firm's effort to develop and manage an employer brand and communicate to existing and prospective staff members that it is a desirable place to work.3 A strong employer brand and effective employer branding enable an organization to differentiate itself from other employers competing for talent and attracting and retaining high-quality employees.4
Global norms : creation, diffusion, and limits

Norms in development are typically established at the global level to solve complex development challenges on the ground. These norms are standards of expected behavior about how things ought to be conducted and are deemed crucial for societies to flourish. Global norms, however, often fail to successfully diffuse to local contexts. The author intend to argue in this report that many initiatives are effective in putting norms on the global agenda, but few of these norms lead to transformational change on the ground because of cultural and political economy challenges that were not considered in the norm formation or in the advocacy campaign process. Nonetheless, there are lessons to consider that could lead to more successful outcomes. This report explores the journey of norms in development, from emergence to implementation. Specifically, it seeks to identify effective strategies for norms to take root and make part of the global and domestic agendas and limits. It also identifies challenges to the implementation of norms and some possible strategies and tools to overcome these challenges. The report draws from various global policy advocacy campaigns with a particular focus on governance; it also includes notable historic campaigns, such as Britain's antislavery campaign.
The Interaction of Supernova Ejecta with an Ambient Medium

Plausible environments for supernovae are the interstellar medium with constant density or a circumstellar medium built up by mass loss with ρ. ∝ r-1 Self-similar solutions for the interaction region between the expanding supernova gas and the ambient gas exist provided that the expanding gas has ρ ∝ r-n with n > 5. The circumstellar medium case is likely to be important for the early evolution of Type II supernovae because their progenitor stars are probably red supergiants. The radio and X-ray emission observed from extragalactic supernovae may be from this interaction region. The early self-similar solutions can also be applied to the young galactic remnants.
What Determines Permissiveness Toward Corruption

Understanding citizen corruption permissiveness can help clarify whether a general willingness to fight corruption exists in a society. Using 2005-2007 World Values Survey data from six Latin American countries, an index measuring corruption permissiveness was constructed. Results suggest that permissiveness varies by country and is associated with age, education, ethnicity, cultural values, and confidence in public organizations.
Delayed recovery and the spacing of major extinctions

Approximate periodicity for peak rates of global extinction during the past 250 m.y. may have resulted from delayed recovery following major extinction events. Two components can be envisioned for such delays: persistence of inimical environmental conditions for some time after the onset of the crisis, and slow restoration of vulnerable taxa. This general hypothesis is consistent with statistical evidence of linkage between measured rates of extinction of marine invertebrate genera for contiguous stages and substages of the geologic column. The nine broad valleys between the “periodic” peak rates for the past 250 m.y. exhibit only three trivial secondary peaks, indicating that, if the pattern is not artifactual, trends in global rates of extinction have not readily been abruptly reversed. Moreover, the smooth observed trends reflect the fact that regional crises tend to remove many species but few genera. To some degree, high rates of extinction that precede peak rates must represent bias of the incomplete fossil record (the Signor-Lipps effect). High rates that immediately follow peak rates also may, to a degree, reflect biological legacy: (1) final extinction of weakened genera or (2) extinction of new genera that contain few species or represent failed evolutionary “experiments.” Nonetheless, there is evidence that protracted intervals of stressful environmental conditions contributed to high rates of extinction preceding or following certain peak intervals, including the Scythian, Cenomanian, Early Paleocene, and Early Oligocene. The reef-building rudists, for example, suffered heavy extinction during both Cenomanian and Turonian time and then failed to recover quickly.The late Neogene record of bivalve molluscs in the Western Atlantic offers a more detailed picture of delayed recovery. Here early intervals of glacial expansion caused heavy extinction, leaving an impoverished, eurythermal fauna that was virtually unaffected by late Pleistocene glacial episodes. The episode of heavy extinction in Late Eocene time exhibits a similar phenomenon on a worldwide scale. Among the planktonic foraminifera, warm-adapted stenothermal species died out, and eurythermal forms predominated throughout Oligocene time; restoration of vulnerable, stenothermal species proceeded gradually during the Miocene Epoch. This example of delayed recovery and others like it following earlier global crises may have prevented such crises from following one another in rapid succession, yielding an appearance of periodicity.
Cultural factor in the geographic distribution of personal names: pseudogenetic analysis of first names used to estimate the cultural component of coefficients of relationship by isonymy.

By applying to given names formulations for analyzing the genetics of surname distributions, under certain assumptions one can separate the genetic components from the cultural components of surname distributions. Geographic distributions of surnames regularly yield larger coefficients of relationship or kinship within local populations than between them: for instance, Ri = 75 x 10(-5) within a local area in England but the Ri of those villages with all of England and Wales is 42 x 10(-5). On the contrary, the first names in an English and Welsh sample give essentially the same pseudocoefficient (based on first names) within registration districts (Ri = 354 x 10(-5) as between districts (Ri = 370 x 10(-5). Thus the decrease with distance of the coefficients based on surnames can be ascribed to the genetic component according to the Malecot principle, assuming that the first names are chosen in the same way as the surnames originated and consequently that the cultural component of surname distributions is no more localized than the distribution of given names (in this sample not at all).
The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented: Recent Studies and a Look at the Future of Research in Our Field

The National Research Center on the Gifted and Talented (NRC/GT) is funded by the U.S. Department of Education, Institute of Education Sciences. This special issue of the Journal for the Education of the Gifted highlights a few of the research studies conducted from 1995-2000. These selected studies have a common thread as they all address teaching and learning from the perspective of changing behav- iors, strategies, and practices. Each study is also responsive to our commitment to quantitative and qualitative studies that are problem based, practice relevant, and consumer oriented. More information about our research studies is available from http://www.gifted.uconn.edu.
Detection of Rare Genomic Variants from Pooled Sequencing Using SPLINTER

As DNA sequencing technology has markedly advanced in recent years 2 , it has become increasingly evident that the amount of genetic variation between any two individuals is greater than previously thought 3 . In contrast, array-based genotyping has failed to identify a significant contribution of common sequence variants to the phenotypic variability of common disease 4,5 . Taken together, these observations have led to the evolution of the Common Disease / Rare Variant hypothesis suggesting that the majority of the "missing heritability" in common and complex phenotypes is instead due to an individual's personal profile of rare or private DNA variants 6-8 . However, characterizing how rare variation impacts complex phenotypes requires the analysis of many affected individuals at many genomic loci, and is ideally compared to a similar survey in an unaffected cohort. Despite the sequencing power offered by today's platforms, a population-based survey of many genomic loci and the subsequent computational analysis required remains prohibitive for many investigators. To address this need, we have developed a pooled sequencing approach 1,9 and a novel software package 1 for highly accurate rare variant detection from the resulting data. The ability to pool genomes from entire populations of affected individuals and survey the degree of genetic variation at multiple targeted regions in a single sequencing library provides excellent cost and time savings to traditional single-sample sequencing methodology. With a mean sequencing coverage per allele of 25-fold, our custom algorithm, SPLINTER, uses an internal variant calling control strategy to call insertions, deletions and substitutions up to four base pairs in length with high sensitivity and specificity from pools of up to 1 mutant allele in 500 individuals. Here we describe the method for preparing the pooled sequencing library followed by step-by-step instructions on how to use the SPLINTER package for pooled sequencing analysis (http://www.ibridgenetwork.org/wustl/splinter). We show a comparison between pooled sequencing of 947 individuals, all of whom also underwent genome-wide array, at over 20kb of sequencing per person. Concordance between genotyping of tagged and novel variants called in the pooled sample were excellent. This method can be easily scaled up to any number of genomic loci and any number of individuals. By incorporating the internal positive and negative amplicon controls at ratios that mimic the population under study, the algorithm can be calibrated for optimal performance. This strategy can also be modified for use with hybridization capture or individual-specific barcodes and can be applied to the sequencing of naturally heterogeneous samples, such as tumor DNA.
Ion-chromatographic behavior of alkali metal cations and ammonium ion on zirconium-adsorbing silica gel

The preparation and evaluation of zirconium-adsorbing silica gel (Zr-Silica) as an ion-exchange stationary phase in ion chromatography for inorganic anions and cations was carried out. The Zr-Silica was prepared by the reaction of silanol groups on the surface of the silica gel with zirconium butoxide (Zr(OCH2CH2CH2CH3)4) in ethanol. The ion-exchange characteristics of the Zr-Silica were evaluated using 10 mM tartaric acid at pH 2.5 as eluent. The Zr-Silica was found to act as a cation-exchanger under the eluent conditions. The retention behavior of alkali and alkaline earth metal cations was then investigated. The Zr-Silica column was proved to be suitable for the simultaneous separation of alkali metal cations and ammonium ion. Excellent separation of the cations on a 15 cm Zr-Silica column was achieved in 25 min using 10 mM tartaric acid as eluent.
Embracing dissensus: reflections on contemporary research strategies in cultural geography

This introductory essay situates this edited collection on “contemporary research strategies in cultural geography” in relation to relevant scholarly debates, e.g., around positionality in feminist geography, reflexivity in critical human geography, and world-making in cultural geography. We claim that, taken together, the essays in this collection represent an “embrace” of dissensus, which is to say they stage encounters between often-irreconcilable senses of the world. We suggest that this dissensus in the subdiscipline is a source of dynamism and vitality, which promises to generate new ways of doing cultural geography and therefore new ways of making and knowing the world.
Spot illumination of a semiconductor panel

The problem of excitation of a semiconductor panel over a limited region of its surface is considered. The two-dimensional diffusion equation is solved for the general case and then applied to a simplified example.
The Effect of Nutrient Dilution with Sodium Bentonite in Practical Diets for Rainbow Trout

Abstract Rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri) with a mean initial weight of 18.8 g (0.041 lb) were fed one of two experimental diets (29.2% protein or 38.5% protein), or the 38.5% protein diet plus 5%, 10%, or 15% sodium bentonite, for 196 days. The addition of sodium bentonite to the 38.5% protein diet reduced weight gain and increased the unit cost of fish produced. Metabolizable energy content of the diet was a primary factor in determining growth rate. As the percent of dietary lipid increased, the percent of fat in fish carcasses increased and the percent of moisture decreased. Kidney tubules from 5 of 10 fish fed the diet with 15% sodium bentonite showed extreme epithelial swelling and dialation along with cytoplasmic degeneration and renal casts apparent in some tubule lumens.
Structure and dynamics of drug carriers and their interaction with cellular receptors: Focus on serum transferrin

Highly proliferative cells have a dramatically increased need for iron which results in the expression of an increased number of transferrin receptors (TFR). This insight makes the transferrin receptor on these cells an excellent candidate for targeted therapeutics. In this regard, it is critical to understand at a molecular level exactly how the TFR interacts with its ligand, hTF. Understanding of the hTF/TFR pathway could, in theory, maximize the use of this system for development of more effective small molecules or toxin-conjugates to specifically target cancer cells. Many strategies have been attempted with the objective of utilizing the hTF/TFR system to deliver drugs; these include conjugation of a toxin or drug to hTF or direct targeting of the TFR by antibodies. To date, in spite of all of the effort, there is a conspicuous absence of any successful candidate drugs reaching the clinic. We suggest that a lack of quantitative data to determine the basic biochemical properties of the drug carrier and the effects of drug-conjugation on the hTF-TFR interaction may have contributed to the failure to realize the full potential of this system. This review provides some guidelines for developing a more quantitative approach for evaluation of current and future hTF-drug conjugates.
The growth and characterization of GaN on sapphire and silicon

MOCVD (metalorganic chemical vapor deposition) of GaN on both silicon and sapphire substrates was studied over the temperature range of 370 to 1050° C. The crystallinity and surface morphology of the films varied with the deposition temperatures. By first depositing an AlN buffer layer, the crystallinity of GaN was improved for low temperature depositions, but little improvement in the surface morphology was observed. On sapphire (0001) substrates, epitaxial layers were produced at a deposition temperature as low as 500° C. With silicon substrates, polycrystalline films were produced which were randomly oriented on the (111) plane and highly oriented on the (100) plane. The surfaces of the films were smooth and specular at low deposition temperatures, but degraded at higher temperatures. The energy band gaps of these films are in the vicinity of 3.4 eV, close to where they are expected. Elemental analysis by Auger electron spectroscopy (AES) showed the films to be stoichiometric with low residual impurity concentrations.
Spiral Cavity Si Wire Resonators as Label-free Biosensors

We demonstrate densely folded spiral cavity resonator with Q > 20,000 and an area of 30 ?m × 30 ?m. We show that extended cavity length increases Q and improves the fabrication robustness of resonators.
Entropy-based criterion in categorical clustering

Entropy-type measures for the heterogeneity of clusters have been used for a long time. This paper studies the entropy-based criterion in clustering categorical data. It first shows that the entropy-based criterion can be derived in the formal framework of probabilistic clustering models and establishes the connection between the criterion and the approach based on dissimilarity co-efficients. An iterative Monte-Carlo procedure is then presented to search for the partitions minimizing the criterion. Experiments are conducted to show the effectiveness of the proposed procedure.
A calmodulin-dependent protein kinase in Rous sarcoma virus-transformed rat cells and normal liver.

Abstract A calmodulin-dependent protein kinase has been purified extensively from a Rous sarcoma virus-transformed rat cell line (RR1022) and from normal rat liver. The calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity was manifested by in vitro phosphorylation of a single M r 57 000 endogenous phosphoprotein (pp57) present in both the virally transformed cells and normal rat liver. The calmodulin-dependent protein kinase from transformed cells fractionated with the viral src gene product, pp60 v-src , through a 650-fold purification of the oncogene product. However, purification of the calmodulin-dependent protein kinase from normal liver demonstrated that the calmodulin-dependent kinase was distinct from pp60 v-src . Phosphorylation of pp57 by the kinase purified from the transformed cell line required Ca 2+ and calmodulin, was inhibited by EDTA and was unaffected by cAMP or the heat- and acid-stable protein inhibitor of cAMP-dependent protein kinase. Troponin C did not substitute for calmodulin. A virtually identical calmodulin-dependent protein kinase activity was purified from rat liver by affinity chromatography on calmodulin-Sepharose. Phosphorylation of pp57 by the affinity-purified liver protein kinase was also observed, and required Ca 2+ and calmodulin. EGTA and trifluoroperazine inhibited pp57 phosphorylation. The calmodulin-dependent protein kinase reported here did not phosphorylate substrates of known calmodulin-dependent protein kinases in vitro (myosin light chain, phosphorylase b, glycogen synthease, microtubule-associated proteins, tubulin, α-casein). Because none of these proteins served as substrates in vitro and pp57 was the only endogenous substrate found, the properties of this enzyme appear to be different from any previously described calmodulin-dependent protein kinase.
Percutaneous drainage of pancreatic necrosis: is it ecstasy or agony?

The above comments are meant to help the reader further analyze the fine study of Freeny et al. [1]. To my knowledge, this is the first series to specifically define its patients correctly as having pure pancreatic necrosis. This work represents a thorough analysis of a difficult problem and points out how to treat these patients if one wants to be successful. This template is important to radiologists who wish to get involved with this type of patient. What Freeny et al. truly describe is the agony and ecstasy involved with this difficult undertaking. Radiologists can obtain a lot of satisfaction in taking care of this type of patient, but they and the referring physicians must be committed. The patient, the referring physician, and the radiologist must also face the agony in dealing with the illness. They must be ready to handle the number of catheters, the number of catheter changes, the number of CT scans, and the duration of drainage. In some cases percutaneous drainage will work; in some cases it is...
Selling civilization: toward a cultural analysis of America's economic empire in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries

This essay builds on work that is exploring the convergence of economic and cultural approaches to understanding imperialism through an examination of the particular case of American commercial expansion in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries. Based on my archival research into the promotional and practical strategies of five of the largest American companies that were international in sales, I suggest some of the ways that an analysis of commercial imperial representations of, and knowledges about, race, gender and civilization adds to our understanding of the multiplicity of imperialisms. I argue that examining these multiplicities can help contribute to a critical postcolonial perspective.