cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
How do people transform landscapes? A sociological perspective on suburban sprawl and tropical deforestation.

Humans transformed landscapes at an unprecedented scale and pace during the 20th century, creating sprawling urban areas in affluent countries and large‐scale agricultural expanses in tropics. To date, attempts to explain these processes in other disciplines have had a disembodied, ahistorical quality to them. A sociological account of these changes emphasizes the role of strategic actions by states and coalitions of interested parties in transforming landscapes. It identifies the agents of change and the timing of transformative events. Case studies of suburban sprawl and tropical deforestation illustrate the value of the sociological approach and the wide range of situations to which it applies.
The greenhouse of Titan.

Analysis of non-gray radiative equilibrium and gray convective equilibrium on Titan suggests that a massive molecular-hydrogen greenhouse effect may be responsible for the disagreement between the observed IR temperatures and the equilibrium temperature of an atmosphereless Titan. Calculations of convection indicate a probable minimum optical depth of 14 which corresponds to a molecular hydrogen shell of substantial thickness with total pressures of about 0.1 bar. It is suggested that there is an equilibrium between outgassing and blow-off on the one hand and accretion from the protons trapped in a hypothetical Saturnian magnetic field on the other, in the present atmosphere of Titan. It is believed that an outgassing equivalent to the volatilization of a few kilometers of subsurface ice is required to maintain the present blow-off rate without compensation for all geological time. The presence of an extensive hydrogen corona around Titan is postulated, with surface temperatures up to 200 K.
Increased epithelial cell proliferation in very premature baboons with chronic lung disease.

Coordinated proliferation of lung cells is required for normal lung growth and differentiation. Chronic injury to developing lung may disrupt normal patterns of cell proliferation. To examine patte...
EFFECT OF PARTIAL OUTLET OBSTRUCTION ON 14C-ADENINE INCORPORATION IN THE RABBIT URINARY BLADDER

Bladder outlet obstruction induces severe changes in urinary bladder function and metabolism. These changes are characterized by significant reductions in the ability of the in vitro whole bladder to generate pressure and to empty. Metabolically, partial outlet obstruction induces a shift from oxidative to anaerobic metabolism. The decreased oxidative metabolism is mediated in part by significant decreases in mitochondrial substrate metabolism, which in turn is correlated with decreased activity of 2 important mitochondrial enzymes: citrate synthase and malate dehydrogenase. The present study was designed to evaluate mitochondrial function by studying the incorporation of 14C-adenine into high-energy phosphates (ATP, AMP, and ADP). Mild partial outlet obstructions were created by surgically placing silk ligatures loosely around the bladder neck. The results of these studies demonstrate that after 60 min incubation in oxygenated medium containing glucose + 1uCi14C-adenine, 1) There was no significant differences in the total AMP, ADP, and ATP concentrations measured in bladders taken from controls, 7- and 14-day obstructed rabbits; 2) there was no effect of obstruction on either the concentration of 14C-AMP in the tissue or in the ratio of hot to cold AMP; and 3) there was a 50% decrease in the concentration of 14C-ADP and a 70% decrease in the concentration of 14C-ATP in the bladder smooth muscle obtained from obstructed tissue (from both 7- and 14-day obstructions) compared to concentration in the control bladder smooth muscle. These results confirm the previous finding that obstruction did not reduce the rate of incorporation of adenine to AMP within the obstructed bladder smooth muscle and extends these studies to identify a significant reduction in the synthesis of both ADP and ATP. These results support the hypothesis that partial outlet obstruction induce a major dysfunction in mitochondrial function, both in the ability to oxidize substrates and in the ability to generate ATP.
Second-order necessary conditions in semismooth optimization

First- and second-order conditions are given which are necessary for a functionf to have a local minimal value atx* inRn. It is assumed thatf is locally Lipschitzian nearx* and semismooth atx*. The necessary conditions are expressed in terms of the generalized gradients of nonsmooth analysis and certain second-order directional derivatives. The method of proof bears no resemblance to standard methods. Three special cases are discussed here, but applications to constrained problems are made elsewhere.
Taking aim at the extracellular matrix: CCN proteins as emerging therapeutic targets

Members of the CCN family of matricellular proteins are crucial for embryonic development and have important roles in inflammation, wound healing and injury repair in adulthood. Deregulation of CCN protein expression or activities contributes to the pathobiology of various diseases — many of which may arise when inflammation or tissue injury becomes chronic — including fibrosis, atherosclerosis, arthritis and cancer, as well as diabetic nephropathy and retinopathy. Emerging studies indicate that targeting CCN protein expression or signalling pathways holds promise in the development of diagnostics and therapeutics for such diseases. This Review summarizes the biology of CCN proteins, their roles in various pathologies and their potential as therapeutic targets.
An elastic band exercise program improved fitness in older adults who use wheelchairs in nursing homes

Source Citation Chen KM, Li CH, Chang YH, Huang HT, Cheng YY. An elastic band exercise program for older adults using wheelchairs in Taiwan nursing homes: a cluster randomized trial. Int J Nurs Stu...
Does Cigarette Smoking Affect Drug Abuse Treatment

Does quitting cigarette smoking help or hurt the polydrug user in treatment for drug use? Data were obtained from 407 polydrug users in 15 treatment centers in Los Angeles at baseline and one-year ...
Flowfield and Sound from a Blunt Trailing Edge with Varied Thickness

The flowfield and sound generated by turbulent flow passing over the trailing edge of an airfoil was studied experimentally. The airfoil geometries considered were thin, flat models that provided canonical, zero-pressure-gradient, turbulent boundary layers upstream of the trailing edge. The Reynolds number based on the chord was 2×106. A trailing edge with a symmetric, tapered, sharp edge was studied first. This allowed the use of a simple scattering theory to predict the radiated sound based on boundary-layer surface pressure. Second, a series of blunt, asymmetric, trailing-edge models were studied. The lower surface of the edge was flat, while the upper surface was rounded with a 45 deg trailing-edge angle. Three models were considered, which provided a variation in the ratio of model thickness to thickness of the approach boundary layer. Particle image velocimetry measurements were obtained to provide insight into the local flowfield dynamics that generated the sound. Acoustic measurements from the blu...
Examination of residues from coal liquefaction by steric field-flow fractionation

Etude par la technique FFF (field-flow fractionation) de la granularite des residus solides de liquefaction de charbon par hydrogenation en presence de chlorure ou de bromure de zinc
Aging in Individuals With the FMR1 Mutation

Individuals with fragile X mental retardation 1 (FMR1) premutation (55 to 200 CGG repeats) are typically unaffected by fragile X syndrome. However, a subgroup of older males with the premutation have developed a neurological syndrome, which usually begins between 50 and 70 years and is associated with a progressive intention tremor and/or ataxia manifested by balance problems, frequent falling, and Parkinsonian symptoms, such as masked facies, intermittent resting tremor, and mild rigidity. This finding has been termed the fragile X-associated tremor/ataxia syndrome (FXTAS) and has brought focus to the aging process in individuals with the FMR1 mutation. The premutation is associated with elevated messenger RNA levels leading to the formation of intranuclear inclusions in neurons and astrocytes associated with FXTAS. This review is a summary of our experience with FXTAS in male carriers of the premutation.
SASSI: the sliverware architecture for sensor system integration

Recently, embedded sensor usage has increased thanks to the proliferation of hardware and software addressing resource constraints. While the increased usage is a good start, it is important to adopt good software engineering principles early for many reasons: simplified programming and deployment, improved reuse, and added efficiency. This poster presents SASSI, the Sliverware Architecture for Sensor System Integration, which provides a unique embedded sensor application architecture.
Single-residue alteration in alpha-conotoxin PnIA switches its nAChR subtype selectivity.

α-Conotoxins are disulfide-rich peptides that are competitive antagonists of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (nAChRs). Despite their small size, different α-conotoxins are able to discriminate among different subtypes of mammalian nAChRs. In this report, the activity of two peptides from the venom of Conus pennaceus, α-conotoxins PnIA and PnIB, are examined. Although the toxins differ in only two residues, PnIA preferentially blocks α3β2 nAChRs, whereas PnIB prefers the α7 subtype. Point mutation chimeras of these α-conotoxins were synthesized and their activities assessed on Xenopus oocytes expressing specific nAChRs. Change of a single residue, Ala10 to Leu, in PnIA (to form PnIA [A10L]) converts the parent peptide from α3β2-preferring to α7-preferring; furthermore, PnIA [A10L] blocks the α7 receptor with an IC50 (12.6 nM) that is lower than that of either parent peptide. Kinetic analysis indicates that differences in affinity among the analogues are primarily due to differences in off-rate, with PnIA...
Quantization and Scattering in the IIB SL(2,Z) Covariant Superstring

We rewrite the SL(2,Z) covariant worldsheet action for the IIB string proposed by Townsend in a Polyakov form. In a flat background the formalism yields separate (p,q) sectors. In each one the action is that of the IIB string action with the string slope parameter \alp\pr replaced by its SL(2,Z) analogue \alp_{pq}\pr. SL(2,Z) invariant graviton scattering amplitudes are obtained from those of the fundamental (1,0) string by summing over the different sectors. The tree-level four-graviton amplitude in this formalism differs from a previously conjectured non-perturbative form; both yield the same expansion in order \alpha\pr^3.
A phase-locking technique for estimating the ensemble average of time-series data

A digital method employing Fourier analysis is presented, which in the absence of any external synchronizing signals can, with certain restrictions, 1) reduce random noise from repetitive frames of sampled input data; and 2) average waveforms which may differ in shape and which may occur in the presence or absence of random noise. The restrictions refer to the ability to select a window width which will each time encompass all of the aperiodic waveforms or one period of a periodic waveform. There is no restriction as to where in the window any waveform may appear. The new method is called the phase-locked time (PLT) average and should prove useful in a variety of situations.
Evidence for sequential replacement of gap junctions in chick lens development.

Abstract Freeze fracture analysis of differentiating (elongating) primary and secondary chick lens fiber cells revealed two morphologically distinct populations of gap junctions. Primary and secondary fiber cells in initial stages of elongation were joined by infrequent, small gap junctions which were characterized by the crystalline order of their intramembrane particles (connexons). Stages of rapid elongation of primary and secondary fiber cells were characterized by the development of non-crystalline type junctions and the progressive loss of the crystalline type junctions. Occasionally, crystalline, non-crystalline, developing non-crystalline and mixed crystalline/non-crystalline gap junctions were observed to occur on the same fiber cell at these stages. Fully differentiated (elongated) primary and secondary fiber cells displayed only the non-crystalline type junctions identical to those previously observed in adult, mature secondary lens fiber cells. The results suggest that the crystalline gap junctions may be related to the differentiation of fiber cells, while the non-crystalline gap junctions may be the expression of the differentiated state. allowing intercellular communication between the progressively metabolically incompetent lens fiber cells.
Excess-entropy scaling for gas diffusivity in nanoporous materials.

We present an efficient computational procedure for the rapid prediction of the self-diffusivity of gas molecules in nanoporous materials by a combination of the Knudsen model, Rosenfeld’s excess-entropy scaling method, and a classical density functional theory (DFT). The self-diffusivity conforms to the Knudsen model at low density, and the effects of intermolecular interactions at higher densities are accounted for by Rosenfeld’s excess-entropy scaling method. The classical DFT provides a convenient way to calculate the excess entropy used in the scaling analysis. The hybrid computational procedure has been calibrated with MD simulation for the adsorption of H2, He, Ne, and Ar gases in several nanoporous materials over a broad range of pressure. It predicts adsorption isotherms and different types of diffusion behavior in excellent agreement with the simulation results. Although the simulation of gas diffusion in nanoporous materials is extremely time-consuming, the new procedure is computationally very...
A simple surface pressure balance

Abstract A surface pressure balance, having a sensitivity which compares favorably with other such instruments, has been devised. It is essentially a two-dimensional Bourdon gauge in which the movement is suitably magnified.
Performance and Literature in the Commedia dell'Arte. By Robert Henke. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press, 2003; pp. xiv + 263. $70 cloth.

The title of Robert Henke's latest book accurately reflects its innovative contents. The close study of manuscript and printed texts of various kinds—contracts, letters, poems, memorializations, scenarios, treatises, and diaries—sits alongside examination of actors, actresses, the character system, and individual roles to provide the first study devoted to the interaction, indeed cross-fertilization, between the oral and the literary aspects of commedia dell'arte, contrasting yet complementing each other as did binary pairs of arte figures.
A game theoretic approach for adversarial pipeline monitoring using Wireless Sensor Networks

Availability of low cost sensor nodes has made Wireless Sensor Networks (WSNs) a viable choice for monitoring critical infrastructure such as power grid, civil structures and others. There are quite a few approaches in the literature that use WSN to monitor pipelines (water, gas, oil, and various other types of pipelines). The primary goal of all these protocols is to detect device malfunctions such as pipe leakage, oil spillage etc. However, none of these protocols are specifically designed to handle a malicious active adversary such as terrorist attacks. In this paper, we present a game theoretic approach to monitoring pipeline infrastructures using WSNs in the adversarial context. More specifically, we use Stackelberg competition to model attacker-defender interaction and derive the equilibrium condition of such a game under appropriate utility functions. Finally, we show that a monitoring system can do no better by deviating from its equilibrium strategy if the adversary acts rationally.
Conformation specific and charge directed reactivity of radical cation intermediates of α-substituted (amino, hydroxy, and keto) bioactive carboxylic acids

The reactivity of radical cation carboxylic acids is investigated on the basis of mass spectrometry, infrared-vacuum ultraviolet (IR-VUV) photoionization spectroscopy, and high level correlated ab initio calculations. Their reactivity is found to be highly conformation specific and is governed by their initial charge distribution following ionization. In the present work, the radical cations of lactic acid, pyruvic acid, glycine, and valine are studied to probe their stability and conformation specific reactivity following single photon, vertical ionization at 10.5 eV. For lactic acid, glycine, and valine, the localization site of the hole following sudden removal of an electron depends on their specific intramolecular hydrogen bonding network. Lactic acid, glycine, and valine undergo complete fragmentation following vertical ionization at 10.5 eV; however, pyruvic acid does not completely dissociate following vertical ionization. Only 45% of the pyruvic acid parent ions undergo Cα–Ccarboxylic bond dissociation. If the hole is localized on the COOH moiety of glycine, valine, and lactic acid, a hydrogen transfer is favored from the COOH to the α-substituent. If the hole is localized on the α-hydroxy or -amine substituent and the singly occupied molecular orbital (SOMO, where the hole resides) is parallel to the Cα–Ccarboxylic bond, Cα–Ccarboxylic bond dissociation occurs through charge transfer from the α-substituent to the Cα–Ccarboxylic bond. The present study reveals that the specific conformations of α-substituted carboxylic acids govern their radical cationic reactivity. The radical cation of pyruvic acid exhibits a special stability due to enolization of the α-keto form on the cationic surface.
The paradoxical effects of thiocyanate and of thyrotropin on the organic binding of iodine by the thyroid in the presence of large amounts of iodide.

It has been demonstrated by Wolff and Chaikoff (1948) that the administration of a large dose of iodide to the intact rat inhibits the organic binding of iodine by the thyroid gland. In the experiments reported, the inhibition was correlated with the plasma iodide concentration, and the effective values were found to be above 20–35 μg. per 100 cc. The ability of thiocyanate and of thyrotropin to affect the iodide concentrating power of the thyroid offered a means for manipulating the iodide content of the gland without changing the plasma iodide concentration appreciably. Thiocyanate markedly inhibits the capacity of the thyroid to concentrate iodide ion (Franklin, Chaikoff, and Lerner, 1944; VanderLaan and VanderLaan, 1947), and, at physiological plasma iodide concentrations, slows the process of synthesis of organic iodine compounds (Wolff, Chaikoff, Taurog, and Rubin, 1946). Thyrotropin increases the iodide concentrating power (Stanley and Astwood, 1949) and has the effect, at ordinary iodide values,
A new fully automatic and robust algorithm for fast segmentation of liver tissue and tumors from CT scans.

Accurate knowledge of the liver structure, including liver surface and lesion localization, is usually required in treatments such as liver tumor ablations and/or radiotherapy. This paper presents a new method and corresponding algorithm for fast segmentation of the liver and its internal lesions from CT scans. No interaction between the user and analysis system is required for initialization since the algorithm is fully automatic. A statistical model-based approach was created to distinguish hepatic tissue from other abdominal organs. It was combined to an active contour technique using gradient vector flow in order to obtain a smoother and more natural liver surface segmentation. Thereafter, automatic classification was performed to isolate hepatic lesions from liver parenchyma. Twenty-one datasets, presenting different anatomical and pathological situations, have been processed and analyzed. Special focus has been driven to the resulting processing time together with quality assessment. Our method allowed robust and efficient liver and lesion segmentations very close to the ground truth, in a relatively short processing time (average of 11.4 s for a 512 × 512-pixel slice). A volume overlap of 94.2% and an accuracy of 3.7 mm were achieved for liver surface segmentation. Sensitivity and specificity for tumor lesion detection were 82.6% and 87.5%, respectively.
New array codes for multiple phased burst correction

An optimal family of array codes over GF(q) for correcting multiple phased burst errors and erasures, where each phased burst corresponds to an erroneous or erased column in a code array, is introduced. As for erasures, these array codes have an efficient decoding algorithm which avoids multiplications (or divisions) over extension fields, replacing these operations with cyclic shifts of vectors over GF(q). The erasure decoding algorithm can be adapted easily to handle single column errors as well. The codes are characterized geometrically by means of parity constraints along certain diagonal lines in each code array, thus generalizing a previously known construction for the special case of two erasures. Algebraically, they can be interpreted as Reed-Solomon codes. When q is primitive in GF(q), the resulting codes become (conventional) Reed-Solomon codes of length P over GF(q/sup p-1/), in which case the new erasure decoding technique can be incorporated into the Berlekamp-Massey algorithm, yielding a faster way to compute the values of any prescribed number of errors. >
Activity of second-line chemotherapy in docetaxel-refractory hormone-refractory prostate cancer patients : randomized phase 2 study of ixabepilone or mitoxantrone and prednisone.

BACKGROUND. This randomized, noncomparative, multicenter, clinical trial evaluated ixabepilone or mitoxantrone/prednisone (MP) as second-line chemotherapy for taxane-refractory, hormone-refractory, prostate cancer (HRPC). METHODS. Patients with HRPC that progressed during or within 60 days of cessation of taxane chemotherapy were randomly selected with equal probability to ixabepilone 35 mg/m 2 intravenously every 3 weeks, or mitoxantrone 14 mg/m 2 intravenously every 3 weeks and prednisone 5 mg orally twice daily. Treatment continued until progression or toxicity; crossover was allowed. RESULTS. Forty-one patients were accrued to each arm of the study. The median number of cycles administered for each arm was 3. Median survival from protocol entry was 10.4 months with ixabepilone and 9.8 months with MP. Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) declines of 50% were observed in 17% of ixabepilone (95% CI, 7-32) and 20% of second-line MP patients (95% CI, 9-35). Partial responses were observed in 1 of 24 ixabepilone and in 2 of 21 MP patients with evaluable measurable disease. Median duration of second-line ixabepilone and MP treatment was 2.2 months and 2.3 months, respectively. For third-line crossover treatment, PSA declines of 50% were observed in 3 of 27 ixabepilone-treated and 4 of 15 MP-treated patients. Prior taxane response was associated with an increased likelihood of second-line ixabepilone or MP response. Low baseline lactate dehydrogenase and absence of visceral metastases independently predicted improved survival. The most common grade 3/4 toxicity associated with second-line treatment was neutropenia (54% of ixabepilone patients and 63% of MP patients). CONCLUSIONS. Ixabepilone and MP had modest activity as second-line chemotherapy for docetaxel-refractory HRPC. The median survival for the entire cohort treated in this study was 9.8 months. Cancer 2007;110:556–63. � 2007 American Cancer Society.
Adenovirus E4-ORF1 Dysregulates Epidermal Growth Factor and Insulin/Insulin-Like Growth Factor Receptors To Mediate Constitutive Myc Expression.

ABSTRACT The E4-ORF1 protein encoded by human adenovirus stimulates viral replication in human epithelial cells by binding and activating cellular phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase (PI3K) at the plasma membrane and cellular Myc in the nucleus. In this study, we showed that E4-ORF1 hijacks the tyrosine kinase activities of cellular epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) and insulin receptor (InsR)/insulin-like growth factor receptor 1 (IGF1R), as well as the lipid kinase activity of PI3K, to mediate constitutive Myc protein expression. We additionally demonstrated that EGFR contributes to constitutive Myc expression through the capacity of E4-ORF1 to induce ligand-independent EGFR activation and stimulation of the Ras/Mek/Erk pathway, the latter activity of which was conserved by human adenoviruses. Results further suggested that EGFR normally forms a complex with the cellular PDZ protein Discs Large 1 (Dlg1), a component of the Dlg1:E4-ORF1:PI3K ternary complex that mediates E4-ORF1-induced PI3K activation, and that E4-ORF1 binds the Dlg1:EGFR complex and promotes the association of EGFR with InsR and IGF1R. In addition to its role in constitutive Myc expression, InsR/IGF1R also negatively regulates EGFR autophosphorylation and EGFR-mediated Ras/Mek/Erk signaling, and data suggested that E4-ORF1 binding to Dlg1 antagonizes these activities. Collectively, our findings suggest that in human epithelial cells, E4-ORF1 targets EGFR, InsR/IGF1R, and PI3K at the plasma membrane to activate cytosolic signaling pathways that sustain Myc protein levels in the nucleus. We postulate that E4-ORF1-induced constitutive Myc expression functions to ensure the formation of nuclear E4-ORF1:Myc complexes, which have been shown to activate Myc and to enhance adenovirus replication. IMPORTANCE While human adenoviruses primarily produce self-limited acute infections in humans, these agents are associated with life-threatening diseases in immunocompromised patients and in otherwise healthy individuals infected with certain virulent serotypes. The adenovirus E4-ORF1 protein enhances viral replication by activating the cellular lipid kinase PI3K and the cellular transcription factor Myc. Here we report that E4-ORF1 usurps the functions of the cellular tyrosine kinase receptors EGFR and InsR / IGF1R, as well as PI3K, to sustain Myc protein expression in cells. Furthermore, sustained Myc expression depended on E4-ORF1-induced ligand-independent EGFR activation that stimulated Ras/Mek/Erk signaling, a function found to be conserved by human adenoviruses. Given the established roles of PI3K, the Ras/Mek/Erk pathway, and Myc in the adenovirus life cycle, our findings may aid in the development of safer, more effective therapeutic strategies to treat severe adenovirus infections as well as improved adenovirus vectors for use in vaccination and gene and cancer therapy.
Atmospheric ozone levels encountered by commercial aircraft on transatlantic routes

Temporal and spatial patterns in northern midlatitude atmospheric ozone levels measured outside the cabin by MOZAIC aircraft are investigated to consider trends in human exposure to ozone during commercial flights. Average and 1 h peak ozone levels for flights during 2000 to 2005 range from 50 to 500 ppb, and 90 to 900 ppb, respectively, for flights between Munich and New York (N = 318), or Chicago (N = 372), or Los Angeles (N = 175). Ozone levels vary through the year as expected on the basis of known trends in tropopause height. Timing and amplitude of the mean annual cycle are consistent across routes. A linear regression model predicts flight average and 1 h peak levels that are, respectively, 180 ppb and 360 ppb higher in April than during October–November. High ozone outliers to the model occur in January–March in the western North Atlantic region and may be linked to episodic stratosphere-to-troposphere exchanges. No systematic variation in atmospheric ozone is observed with latitude for the routes surveyed. On average, ozone levels increase by 70 ppb per km increase in flight altitude, although the relationship between altitude and ozone level is highly variable. In US domestic airspace, ozone levels greater than 100 ppb are routinely encountered outside the aircraft cabin.
A space-qualified frequency synthesizer

The author describes the performance and some of the design features of a dual-frequency synthesizer developed and built for the topography experiment (TOPEX) program. The space-qualified synthesizer generates high-quality 4.096-MHz and 19.056391-MHz radio-frequency signals from a 5-MHz reference source for use by Global Positioning Satellite and TDRSS transponder equipment aboard the TOPEX-Poseidon satellite. Two high-quality voltage-controlled crystal oscillators (VCXOs) phase locked to the reference oscillator are employed to ensure excellent long-term stability. The VCXOs provide a low spurious amplitude spectrum and low phase noise performance with high short-term stability outside the bandwidth of the phase-locked loops. The measured performance of the flight synthesizer approaches that of a good reference oscillator. The spurious amplitude spectrum (excluding harmonics) is less than -80 dBc from 1 Hz to 1.5 GHz offset from the carrier of each output frequency. >
Understanding Clicker Discussions: Student Reasoning and the Impact of Instructional Cues

This paper characterizes in-class discussion of clicker questions among upper-level biology majors, demonstrating that students exchanged ideas in 75% of the recorded clicker discussions, using hig...
Pharmacotherapy for Behavior Disorders: Typical Treatment Practices

The parents and teachers of 100 children receiving medications (primarily methylphenidate) for behavior disorders (primarily hyperactivity) were questioned about widely recommended treatment practices. The results showed that (a) in the majority of cases, pediatricians were responsible for supervising drug therapy; (b) most parents were satisfied with their current physician; and (c) approximately one half of the children had three or more office visits per year. However, teachers were rarely asked to use standardized procedures to evaluate drug response, and direct contact between teacher and physician was all but nonexistent. There was a considerable degree of disagreement between parents and teachers concerning drug efficacy, dosage, and the need for medication; and parents appeared to exert a considerable degree of control over treatment-related decisions. In general, drug-free periods were not scheduled on a regular basis, and evidence for an integrated multimodal treatment approach was lacking. The findings suggest that variables other than a clinically determined response to medication are often the salient elements of the treatment-related decision-making process.
Plate and Screw Fixation of Bicolumnar Distal Humerus Fractures: Factors Associated With Loosening or Breakage of Implants or Nonunion.

Purpose To identify factors associated with reoperation for early loosening or breakage of implants or nonunion after operative treatment of AO type C distal humerus fractures. Methods We retrospectively analyzed 129 adult patients who had operative treatment of an isolated AO type C distal humerus fracture at 1 of 5 hospitals to determine factors associated with reoperation for early loosening or breakage of implants or nonunion. Results Within 6 months of original fixation, 16 of 129 fractures (12%) required reoperation for loosening or breakage of implants (n = 8) or nonunion (n = 8). In bivariate analyses, the Charlson comorbidity index, smoking, a coded diagnosis of obesity, diabetes mellitus, and radiographic osteoarthritis were significantly associated with reoperation for early loosening or breakage of implants or nonunion. Conclusions With the numbers available, patient factors rather than technical factors were associated with reoperation for loosening or breakage of implants and nonunion. Because of the relative infrequency of fixation problems and nonunion, a much larger study is needed to address technical deficiencies. Type of study/level of evidence Therapeutic IV.
Primate lentiviral Vpx commandeers DDB1 to counteract a macrophage restriction.

Primate lentiviruses encode four “accessory proteins” including Vif, Vpu, Nef, and Vpr/Vpx. Vif and Vpu counteract the antiviral effects of cellular restrictions to early and late steps in the viral replication cycle. We present evidence that the Vpx proteins of HIV-2/SIVSM promote virus infection by antagonizing an antiviral restriction in macrophages. Fusion of macrophages in which Vpx was essential for virus infection, with COS cells in which Vpx was dispensable for virus infection, generated heterokaryons that supported infection by wild-type SIV but not Vpx-deleted SIV. The restriction potently antagonized infection of macrophages by HIV-1, and expression of Vpx in macrophages in trans overcame the restriction to HIV-1 and SIV infection. Vpx was ubiquitylated and both ubiquitylation and the proteasome regulated the activity of Vpx. The ability of Vpx to counteract the restriction to HIV-1 and SIV infection was dependent upon the HIV-1 Vpr interacting protein, damaged DNA binding protein 1 (DDB1), and DDB1 partially substituted for Vpx when fused to Vpr. Our results indicate that macrophage harbor a potent antiviral restriction and that primate lentiviruses have evolved Vpx to counteract this restriction.
Entanglement Tsunami: Universal Scaling in Holographic Thermalization

We consider the time evolution of entanglement entropy after a global quench in a strongly coupled holographic system, whose subsequent equilibration is described in the gravity dual by the gravitational collapse of a thin shell of matter resulting in a black hole. In the limit of large regions of entanglement, the evolution of entanglement entropy is controlled by the geometry around and inside the event horizon of the black hole, resulting in regimes of pre-local-equilibration quadratic growth (in time), post-local-equilibration linear growth, a late-time regime in which the evolution does not carry memory of the size and shape of the entangled region, and a saturation regime with critical behavior resembling those in continuous phase transitions. Collectively, these regimes suggest a picture of entanglement growth in which an "entanglement tsunami" carries entanglement inward from the boundary. We also make a conjecture on the maximal rate of entanglement growth in relativistic systems.
Prenatal Diagnosis of VACTERL Association

VACTERL syndrome is a multisystem congenital anomaly. The potential findings include vertebral, anorectal, and cardiac anomalies; tracheoesophageal fistula/esophageal atresia; and renal and limb anomalies. This case report presents a pregnant woman in her early 30s presenting with multiple fetal anomalies suggesting this diagnosis.
Irreducible Values of Polynomials: A Non-Analogy

For a polynomial f(T ) ∈ Z[T ], the frequency with which the values f(n) are prime has been considered since at least the 18-th century. Euler observed, in a letter to Goldbach in 1752, that the sequence n + 1 has many prime values for 1 ≤ n ≤ 1500. Legendre assumed an arithmetic progression an+ b with (a, b) = 1 contains infinitely many primes in his work on the quadratic reciprocity law. There is also the old question of twin prime pairs n and n+2, but we will focus here only on a single polynomial (in one variable). An asymptotic estimate for
Influence of organic fillers on rheological behavior in phenol-formaldehyde adhesives

Abstract Phenol-formaldehyde resoles (PF) formulated with wheat flour and organic fillers have long been established for the manufacture of veneer-based wood-composites, and yet much remains unknown about these complex fluids. The rheology of PF/filler formulations was studied as a function of filler type and particle size. Corn cob (Zea mays) residue fillers behaved differently from those made from alder bark (Alnus rubra) and walnut shell (Juglans regia). It was shown that viscoelastic network structures formed within the liquid formulations as a function of shear history, filler type, and filler particle size. The precise nature and origin of these effects is unknown but could involve disintegration of filler particle aggregates on a non-colloidal scale, and/or colloidal effects within the liquid PF medium. In the latter case colloidal structures could form among associated PF chains and also from proteins, polysaccharides, and lignins that leach from wheat flour and filler particles. Relative to alder bark and walnut shell, the unique behavior of corn cob residue was discussed with respect to chemical composition. Many implications for impact on industrial practice are feasible and should be the subject of future research.
Small Intestine and Colon

The endoderm of the 9-day opossum forms the innermost layer of the embryo and also lines the interior of the chorion (Krause and Cutts 1985b). At this stage, the embryo appears as a flattened disk and consists of ectoderm, mesoderm, and endoderm, Cell boundaries between individual endodermal cells are distinct, and microvilli on the apical surfaces of the cells are short and scattered (Fig. 26). No obvious differences are seen between the endodermal cells that line the interior of the yolk sac chorion and those that form the third layer of the opossum embryo (Krause and Cutts 1985b,c). The endoderm consists of a single layer of cuboidal cells which are joined by junctional complexes and often bear elongated processes that unite with similar processes of adjacent endodermal cells. The intercellular space formed between the processes usually appears empty. The cytoplasm of the endodermal cells is characterized by numerous free ribosomes, occasional profiles of granular endoplasmic reticulum, and scattered mitochondria. There is little morphological evidence to suggest absorptive activity by the endoderm at this time in Didelphis. Similar observations have been reported in the Philander opossum (Enders and Enders 1969).
Evidence-based evaluation of the clinical management of pelvic lymph node dissection in cervical cancer

Objective To analyse and evaluate pelvic lymph node dissection as the clinical management of the cervical cancer.Methods Reviewed the lymph pathological examination results of 105 patients suffered from cervical cancer and accepted Piver type Ⅲ hysterectomy with node dissection from 2008 to 2011.Than analysed the clinical management's advantages and disadvantages and reliability of pathological results.Results (1)The biology activity of tumor cells within the lymph node was still uncertain.And it was difficult to distinguish invasive growth cells from the apoptosis ones after captured.(2)Not all the paitients got more than 95% the pelvic lymph nodes removed.And not very pathology report contain more than 95% lymph nodes removed during the surgery.Therefore a negative biopsy result was difficult to have statistical significance.(3) When lyphm nodes were smaller than 2 mm,it was hard to completely resect all the small nodes.(4) It was reported that the sensitivity,specificity,the missed diagnosis rate and the rate of misdiagnosis of CT examination revealed a lymph node metastasis was 66.7%,100%,33.3% and 0,respectively.Combined with the PET detection,thse results must be more accurate.Conclusion (1) To make sure the tumor cells in lymph nodes are just immune response or the infiltration and metastasis ones is one of the most important things of the pelvic lymph node excision.(2) A " negative" lymph node pathology report hardly has statistical significance,the " negative " result of lymph node metastasis is reference only.(3) During an operation,there may be some positive lymph omission.(4) The clinical significance of lymph node excision will be more determined,if under the guide of a positive CT or PET-CT radiographic diagnosis.
Longitudinal improvement and stability of olfactory function in the evaluation of surgical management for chronic rhinosinusitis.

Background Abnormal olfaction is common with chronic rhinosinusitis (CRS) and associates with various measures of sinonasal inflammation. The Brief Smell Identification Test (BSIT) has demonstrated improvements in abnormal olfactory detection following endoscopic sinus surgery (ESS), but olfaction remains understudied using this instrument. Discerning longitudinal, postoperative durability in olfaction is critical for patient counseling. Methods Adult participants with medically recalcitrant CRS were prospectively enrolled into a multi-institutional cohort study and observed for 18 months after ESS. Olfaction was operationalized using BSIT scores collected at baseline, 6 months, 12 months, and 18 months postoperatively and compared using repeated measures analysis of variance (ANOVA). Results A total of 122 participants met inclusion criteria and were recruited between March 2011 and February 2014. Improvement in mean BSIT scores at 6-month follow-up were reported for all participants (p = 0.014) with greatest improvement in subjects with nasal polyposis (p = 0.001). No differences in mean BSIT scores were found between 6 months and 18 months overall; however, subjects with comorbid asthma (F(2) = 5.29; p = 0.010) and nasal polyposis (F(2) = 3.99; p = 0.033) reported significant mean worsening. Prevalence of abnormal olfaction decreased from 28% preoperatively to 17% at 6 months (p = 0.015), for all subjects, without significant change at 12 months (19%; p = 0.791) or at 18 months (21%; p = 0.581) postoperatively. Conclusion Postoperative improvement in olfaction was reported 6 months after ESS using BSIT scores, with greatest improvements in patients undergoing polypectomy. Overall improvement persisted between 6 months and 18 months after ESS for most patient subgroups; however, dysosmia worsened after initial improvement in patients with asthma and nasal polyps, highlighting the need for further identification of prognostic factors associated with abnormal olfaction in CRS.
Ephemerides of the Moon

The civil calendar of ancient Mesopotamia was a lunar calendar, i.e., the beginning of each month was determined by the first visibility of the new crescent.
Niemann-Pick Disease Type C

The neurologic symptomatology in 22 patients with Niemann-Pick disease type C have been analyzed and reported from the Developmental and Metabolic Neurology Branch, National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke, National Institutes of Health, Bethesda, MD.
Forecasting tidal marsh elevation and habitat change through fusion of Earth observations and a process model

Reducing uncertainty in data inputs at relevant spatial scales can improve tidal marsh forecasting models, and their usefulness in coastal climate change adaptation decisions. The Marsh Equilibrium Model (MEM), a one-dimensional mechanistic elevation model, incorporates feedbacks of organic and inorganic inputs to project elevations under sea-level rise scenarios. We tested the feasibility of deriving two key MEM inputs—average annual suspended sediment concentration (SSC) and aboveground peak biomass—from remote sensing data in order to apply MEM across a broader geographic region. We analyzed the precision and representativeness (spatial distribution) of these remote sensing inputs to improve understanding of our study region, a brackish tidal marsh in San Francisco Bay, and to test the applicable spatial extent for coastal modeling. We compared biomass and SSC models derived from Landsat 8, DigitalGlobe WorldView-2, and hyperspectral airborne imagery. Landsat 8-derived inputs were evaluated in a MEM sensitivity analysis. Biomass models were comparable although peak biomass from Landsat 8 best matched field-measured values. The Portable Remote Imaging Spectrometer SSC model was most accurate, although a Landsat 8 time series provided annual average SSC estimates. Landsat 8-measured peak biomass values were randomly distributed, and annual average SSC (30 mg/L) was well represented in the main channels (IQR: 29–32 mg/L), illustrating the suitability of these inputs across the model domain. Trend response surface analysis identified significant diversion between field and remote sensing-based model runs at 60 yr due to model sensitivity at the marsh edge (80–140 cm NAVD88), although at 100 yr, elevation forecasts differed less than 10 cm across 97% of the marsh surface (150–200 cm NAVD88). Results demonstrate the utility of Landsat 8 for landscape-scale tidal marsh elevation projections due to its comparable performance with the other sensors, temporal frequency, and cost. Integration of remote sensing data with MEM should advance regional projections of marsh vegetation change by better parameterizing MEM inputs spatially. Improving information for coastal modeling will support planning for ecosystem services, including habitat, carbon storage, and flood protection.
Improving the accuracy of the gradient method for determining soil carbon dioxide efflux

NSF [1417101, 1331408]; Marie Curie International Outgoing Fellowship within the Seventh European Community, DIESEL project [625988]
Longitudinal Evaluation of Estimates in an Establishment Survey After Ration Imputation

Researchers evaluated a ratio imputation technique used at the US Survey of Graduate Students and Postdoctorates in Science and Engineering, which is an annually conducted cross-sectional establishment survey. Standardized bias was used, mean square error and relative bias to appraise this imputation method on point and variance estimates via simulations.
Residents’ Perceptions of Stress Related to Cruise Tourism Development

ABSTRACTStress is one potential impact that can affect tourism host community residents through tourism development activities. Stress is experienced through an increase in daily hassles, which, with long-term exposure, can result in negative health and behavioral outcomes and decreased quality of life. The community of Falmouth, Jamaica recently hosted development of a new cruise port, and is now one of the busiest ports in the Caribbean. A random sample of Falmouth residents were qualified for a study on stress and then asked to complete a survey. Seventy-eight percent (n = 362) of survey respondents perceived stress related to development of the new cruise port, while 22% reported no stress. Thematic analysis revealed unmet expectations, crowding/congestion, increased cost of living, pollution, police harassment, displacement, and overused utilities were causes of stress. Post-hoc chi-square tests revealed significant differences in perceived stressors by those with differing levels of education. This ...
Dense versus dilute fluidization of cohesive particles: Reverse sensitivity to friction and restitution coefficient

In numerical simulations, gas-solid flows of cohesive particles in fluidized beds and riser flows show reverse dependence on particle friction and restitution coefficient. The reverse sensitivity is due to switching of dominant particle interactions from enduring contacts to binary collisions with decreasing solid concentration.
Media Representations of Latina/os and Latino Students' Stereotype Threat Behavior

This study explores how media representations of Latina/os and the level of ethnic identification of Latino (male) students influence how Latino college students at a predominantly White university...
Use of Sensitivity Analysis and Optimal Experiment Design for Estimating Mechanical Parameters in Respiratory System Models

ABSTRACT Recent advances now allow acquisition of respiratory input impedance, Z in , data over a wide frequency range (0-200Hz). Specific frequency ranges between 0-200 Hz suggests the application of certain models each of which imply a different level of detail on the distribution of mechanical properties. However, a practical problem is that data acquisition requirements for application of a model can be substantial. In this study a combined sensitivity and optimal experiment design analysis has been applied to 4 popular models. For each model we make a D-optimal selection of a reduced number of frequency points. A sensitivity analysis predicted the accuracy of the parameters estimated from a full data set compared to that achievable with the optimal designs. Results suggest that optimal placement of a reduced number of frequencies may still allow accurate parameter estimates.