cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Allosteric effects of external K + ions mediated by the aspartate of the GYGD signature sequence in the Kv2.1 K + channel

K+ channels achieve exquisite ion selectivity without jeopardizing efficient permeation by employing multiple, interacting K+-binding sites. Introduction of a cadmium (Cd2+)-binding site in the external vestibule of Kv2.1 (drk1), allowed us to functionally characterize a binding site for external monovalent cations. Permeant ions displayed higher affinity for this site than non-permeant monovalent cations, although the selectivity profile was different from that of the channel. Point mutations identified the highly conserved aspartate residue immediately following the selectivity filter as a critical determinant of the antagonism between external K+ and Cd2+ ions. A conservative mutation at this position (D378E) significantly affected the open-state stability. Moreover, the mean open time was found to be modulated by external K+ concentration, suggesting a coupling between channel closing and the permeation process. Reducing the Rb+ conductance by mutating the selectivity filter to the sequence found in Kv4.1, also significantly reduced the effectiveness of Rb+ ions to antagonize Cd2+ inhibition, thereby implicating the selectivity filter as the site at which K+ ions exert their antagonistic effect on Cd2+ block. The equivalent of D378 in KcsA, D80, takes part in an inter-subunit hydrogen-bond network that allows D80 to functionally interact with the selectivity filter. The results suggest that external K+ ions antagonize Cd2+ inhibition (in I379C) and modulate the mean open time (in the wild-type Kv2.1) by altering the occupancy profile of the K+-binding sites in the selectivity filter.
Macrophages in Corpora Lutea of Mice: Characterization and Effects on Steroid Secretion

Cells with the ultrastructural features of macrophages were seen within corpora lutes of mice shortly after induction of ovulation with gonadotropins. Upon isolation, mononuclear phagocytes from luteal tissue had histochemical and functional properties characteristic of macrophages from other body sites. These attributes included intense staining for nonspecific esterase activity, phagocytosis of lgG-coated red blood cells via an Fc receptor, ingestion of latex beads, and trypsinresistant adherence to the surface of culture dishes. Furthermore, the ovarian macrophages specifically bound to their surface a monoclonal antibody against a plasma membrane protein of mononuclear phagocytes. When mouse granulosa cells were co-cultured with peritoneal macrophages, progesterone secretion was increased, and the magnitude of the increased steroidogenesis was directly related to the number of mononuclear phagocytes added to the cultures. Likewise, cultured luteal cells from superovulated mice secreted more progestins in the presence of peritoneal macrophages. Luteal cells also produced more progesterone when they were recombined in culture with autologous macrophages from corpora lutea. The mononuclear phagocytes from ovarian tissue appeared to have a greater ability to stimulate luteal cells than did peritoneal macrophages. Conditioned media from cultured macrophages failed to stimulate steroid secretion by granulosa cells, suggesting that close proximity of the two cells is required for the effect on luteal cell function. Thus, it appears that macrophages within corpora lutea may play a role in maintaining progesterone secretion by luteal cells.
Mental Causation: Unnaturalized but not Unnatural

The central problem for a realist about mental causation is to show that mental causation is compatible with the causal completeness of physical systems. This problem has seemed intractable in large part because of a widely held view that any sort of systematic overdetermination of events by their causes is unacceptable. I account for the popularity of this view, but argue that we ought to reject it. In doing so. I show how we thereby undermine the idea that mental causes must be naturalizable in order to be legitimate. Thus I argue that a non-naturalist conception of mental causation is compatible with a plausible kind of physicalism.
Activation of p42/44 and p38 Mitogen-Activated Protein Kinases by Extracellular Calcium-Sensing Receptor Agonists Induces Mitogenic Responses in the Mouse Osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 Cell Line

Recently, substantial evidence has accumulated that the G-protein-coupled, extracellular calcium (Ca(2+)(o))-sensing receptor (CaR) is expressed in bone marrow-derived cells, including osteoblasts, stromal cells, monocytes-macrophages, and osteoclast precursor cells. Our previous studies have shown that the mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cell line also expresses the CaR and exhibits mitogenic responses when exposed to various CaR agonists. In this study, in order to understand the signaling pathway(s) mediating this response, we studied the effects of CaR agonists on the phosphorylation of p42/44 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) (Erk1/2), p38 MAPK, and c-Jun N-terminal kinase (JNK) in MC3T3-E1 cells. Raising the level of Ca(2+)(o) (4.5 mM) or addition of the polycationic CaR agonists, gadolinium (Gd(3+)) (25 microM), neomycin (300 microM) or spermine (1 mM), each stimulated phosphorylation of both p42/44 and p38 MAPKs, but not JNK, as assessed using phospho-specific antibodies to the respective MAPKs. Furthermore, phosphorylation of p42/44 and p38 MAPK were markedly inhibited by their selective and potent inhibitors, PD98059 (50 microM) and SB203580 (10 microM), respectively. Finally, the two inhibitors suppressed [(3)H]thymidine incorporation into DNA in MC3T3-E1 cells at a normal level of Ca(2+)(o) (1.8 mM) as well as when stimulated by high (4.5 mM) Ca(2+)(o), Gd(3+), or neomycin. Thus, in mouse osteoblastic MC3T3-E1 cells, both the p42/44 and p38 MAPK cascades play pivotal roles in CaR-stimulated mitogenic responses.
Temporal Dynamics of Shallow Seagrass-Associated Molluscan Assemblages in ST. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands: Toward the Calibration of Taphonomic Inertia

ABSTRACT By comparing censuses of living, shallow marine molluscan communities with their associated time-averaged dead remains, we gain an understanding of compositional changes that have taken place through time. Our ability to diagnose anthropogenic or natural environmental changes based on dissimilarities between life and death assemblages, however, is contingent on the existence of a time lag between changes in the life assemblage and their manifestations in the time-averaged death assemblage (taphonomic inertia). Here, we utilized a unique set of multiyear census records of live and dead marine mollusks from Smuggler's Cove, St. Croix, U.S. Virgin Islands to determine the magnitude of taphonomic inertia in this setting. We found that over a more than three-decade interval from 1980 to 2012, both the life and death assemblage composition varied significantly. Most of this variation was driven by shifting rank orders of several key species, including: Cerithium litteratum, Modulus modulus, and lucinid...
GAPSYS: A GA-based Tool for Automated Passive Analog Circuit Synthesis

This paper presents GAPSYS - a genetic algorithm based automated circuit synthesis tool for passive analog circuits. It describes the procedure for developing both the circuit topology and the component values for a passive analog circuit comprising of R, L and C components from a given set of specifications. The novelty of the work pertains to the component value assignment procedure for the initial set of circuits and the crossover techniques employed. Experiments conducted on two low-pass filter design benchmarks demonstrate the effectiveness of GAPSYS as a synthesis tool.
Complex SQL Predicates as Quantifiers

We propose a logical framework to analyze complex predicates (those involving a subquery) in SQL. We propose a new operator in the relational algebra for handling such predicates, and study its properties and how it combines with traditional relational operator. We focus on predicates of the form att θ MOD S, where att is an attribute, θ a comparison operator, MOD is one of SOME or ALL, and S is a (correlated or non-correlated) subquery. We provide a formal characterization of these predicate, as well as an implementation and optimization strategies for it. We show that our approach is extendible, so we can support the expression and optimization of other, similar predicates. Finally, we describe experimental evidence that the proposed approach is more efficient than the traditional approach across a variety of conditions.
Media naturalness and compensatory encoding: The burden of electronic media obstacles is on senders

Compensatory adaptation theory makes two key predictions. On one hand, the theory predicts that electronic communication media in general will pose obstacles to complex communication between collaborators, when compared with the face-to-face medium, which will lead to an increase in cognitive effort and communication ambiguity. On the other hand, the theory also predicts that those obstacles will be met with compensatory adaptation, whereby electronic communication users will attempt to make up for the obstacles by modifying their communication behavior. This will in turn lead to a reduction in communication fluency. This study extends compensatory adaptation theory by also predicting that the burden of compensating for electronic communication media obstacles will fall primarily on those who attempt to convey information, as opposed to those who receive it. Those predictions are tested through an experiment involving 230 students, whose data are analyzed through nonparametric tests. All predictions are supported by the data analysis results. The use of a Web-based quasi-synchronous electronic communication medium, when compared with the face-to-face medium, increased perceived cognitive effort by approximately 12% and perceived communication ambiguity by about 19%. Communication fluency was reduced by about 90%. Perceived compensatory encoding effort (i.e., the effort spent by information givers) was increased by approximately 26%, and perceived compensatory decoding effort (i.e., the information receivers' effort) by a statistically insignificant percentage.
Size of a polymer chain in an environment of quenched chains

We perform high-coordination three-dimensional (3D) lattice simulations of a single chain of N monomers embedded in matrices of quenched chains, at different concentrations ρ, using pruned-enriched Rosenbluth sampling. The partition function is well-described by the expression, ZN(ρ)=0.051μNNγ−1, where γ≈1.16 is a universal constant, and μ(ρ)=23.39−17.36ρ−10.96ρ2 is the concentration dependent lattice connectivity constant. For sufficiently long chains, N≳50, we find that the radius of gyration R varies nonmonotonically with ρ; R decreases gradually from its unperturbed dimensions R0 until R/R0≈0.9, after which it increases relatively rapidly due to repulsion between monomers. Motivated by the similarity in the shape of the curves, and results on Gaussian chains, we successfully superpose all the simulation data onto a single master curve. Finally, we test the relationship R/R0∼(ρc−ρ)−δ0, suggested by a Flory-type scaling model, where ρc is the critical percolation threshold, and δ0=0.132 is a universal constant. © 2015 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Polym. Sci., Part B: Polym. Phys. 2015, 53, 1611–1619
A Kétoldalú Piacok Versenyjogi Megítélése: A Médiapiacokra Tekintettel (Two-Sided Markets in Competition Law from the Perspectives of Media)

The article analyses the assessment of two-sided markets in competition policy, with special emphasis on those markets which are related to media.
Water Dynamics in Gyroid Phases of Self-Assembled Gemini Surfactants

Water-mediated ion transport through functional nanoporous materials depends on the dynamics of water confined within a given nanostructured morphology. Here, we investigate H-bonding dynamics of interfacial water within a “normal” (Type I) lyotropic gyroid phase formed by a gemini dicarboxylate surfactant self-assembly using a combination of 2DIR spectroscopy and molecular dynamics simulations. Experiments and simulations demonstrate that water dynamics in the normal gyroid phase is 1 order of magnitude slower than that in bulk water, due to specific interactions between water, the ionic surfactant headgroups, and counterions. Yet, the dynamics of water in the normal gyroid phase are faster than those of water confined in a reverse spherical micelle of a sulfonate surfactant, given that the water pool in the reverse micelle and the water pore in the gyroid phase have roughly the same diameters. This difference in confined water dynamics likely arises from the significantly reduced curvature-induced frust...
Expansion of denitrification and anoxia in the eastern tropical North Pacific from 1972 to 2012

The eastern tropical North Pacific (ETNP) is a large region of anoxic water that hosts widespread water column N loss (denitrification). There is some disagreement about the long-term trends of denitrification and anoxia and long-term studies of water column denitrification within the anoxic zone are lacking. In this study, we compared ETNP water column nitrite, N*, and O2 data along the same transect for four studies ranging from 1972 to 2012. Anoxic water volume increased, and low-oxygen conditions expanded into shallower isopycnals from 1972 to 2012. A geochemical marker for cumulative N loss indicates that denitrification was highest in 2012 and the upper oxygen-deficient zone (ODZ) experienced the most change. Oxygen and N loss changes in the world's largest ODZ for 2012 could not be explained by the Pacific Decadal Oscillation, and decreased O2 in supply currents and increased wind-driven upwelling are likely mechanisms contributing to increased N loss and anoxia.
High fluence light emitting diode-generated red light modulates characteristics associated with skin fibrosis

Skin fibrosis, often referred to as skin scarring, is a significant international health problem with limited treatment options. The hallmarks of skin fibrosis are increased fibroblast proliferation, collagen production, and migration speed. Recently published clinical observations indicate that visible red light may improve skin fibrosis. In this study we hypothesize that high-fluence light-emitting diode-generated red light (HF-LED-RL) modulates the key cellular features of skin fibrosis by decreasing cellular proliferation, collagen production, and migration speed of human skin fibroblasts. Herein, we demonstrate that HF-LED-RL increases reactive oxygen species (ROS) generation for up to 4 hours, inhibits fibroblast proliferation without increasing apoptosis, inhibits collagen production, and inhibits migration speed through modulation of the phosphoinositide 3-kinase (PI3K)/Akt pathway. We demonstrate that HF-LED-RL is capable of inhibiting the unifying cellular processes involved in skin fibrosis including fibroblast proliferation, collagen production, and migration speed. These findings suggest that HF-LED-RL may represent a new approach to treat skin fibrosis. LED advantages include low cost, portability, and ease of use. Further characterizing the photobiomodulatory effects of HF-LED-RL on fibroblasts and investigating the anti-fibrotic effects of HF-LED-RL in human subjects may provide new insight into the utility of this therapeutic approach for skin fibrosis.
Crustal structure of the north Pacific from Love-wave dispersion

Short-period Love wave dispersion from the Kurile Islands earthquake (June 22, 1952; O = 21b 41m 53s; φ = 46° N; λ = 153°.5 E) can be explained with a two-layer crustal model in which the upper 2 km. of material has a shear-wave velocity of 2.31 km/sec. The second layer has a thickness of 4 km. and a shear-wave velocity of 3.71 to 3.86 km/sec. Shear-wave velocities of 4.50 to 4.52 km/sec. are used for the material immediately below the crust. This crustal model is compared with structures obtained from short-period Love wave dispersion across other Pacific paths and with results of refraction studies.
Multiple arterial phase MRI of arterial hypervascular hepatic lesions: improved arterial phase capture and lesion enhancement

To establish if triple-phase arterial imaging improves the detection of arterial phase hyperintense lesions based on arterial phase capture, motion artifact degradation, and lesion enhancement when compared to single-phase imaging. Patients at risk for hepatocellular carcinoma were imaged at 3.0T. Seventy-three consecutive patients with a standard single-phase MRI and eighty-five consecutive patients were imaged using extracellular contrast with triple arterial phase MRI using three sequential accelerated acquisitions of 8 s. Arterial phase capture and image quality were qualitatively categorized. Forty single-phase and forty-four triple-phase studies contained arterially enhancing lesions > 1 cm with washout appearance. The contrast-to-noise ratio (CNR) of the lesions was calculated. We compared the differences in means with Student t-tests and those in arterial phase capture with a Chi squared test with Yates correction. The triple-phase acquisitions captured the early or late arterial phases more frequently than did the single-phase acquisition (99% vs 86%; P value = 0.006). Triple-phase also provided greater number of patients with early or late arterial phase imaging without motion artifact (92% vs 79%, P-value = 0.05). The lesion analysis revealed increased maximum CNR in the triple-phase imaging (704.4) vs. single-phase imaging (517.2), P-value < 0.001. Triple-phase acquisition provides more robust arterial phase imaging for hepatic lesions, with increased lesion CNR, compared to standard single-phase arterial phase imaging.
Evaluation of Head and Brain Injury Risk Functions Using Sub-Injurious Human Volunteer Data.

Abstract Risk assessment models are developed to estimate the probability of brain injury during head impact using mechanical response variables such as head kinematics and brain tissue deformation. Existing injury risk functions have been developed using different datasets based on human volunteer and scaled animal injury responses to impact. However, many of these functions have not been independently evaluated with respect to laboratory-controlled human response data. In this study, the specificity of 14 existing brain injury risk functions was assessed by evaluating their ability to correctly predict non-injurious response using previously conducted sled tests with well-instrumented human research volunteers. Six degrees-of-freedom head kinematics data were obtained for 335 sled tests involving subjects in frontal, lateral, and oblique sled conditions up to 16 Gs peak sled acceleration. A review of the medical reports associated with each individual test indicated no clinical diagnosis of mild or mode...
Changing Mindsets to Enhance Treatment Effectiveness.

During the past few decades, significant biomedical advances have increased diagnostic and treatment effectiveness. Recent research from psychology provides a special opportunity to add value to the traditional cornerstone of medicine: the patient-clinician relationship. What is it about the conversation between patient and physician that gives it therapeutic value? At the most basic level, physicians and other clinicians gather information and communicate disease and treatment information. At an emotional level, the conversation can evoke a sense of mutual trust, empathy, support, and reassurance. This Viewpoint discusses research on mindsets, a critical feature of the conversation between patients and physicians because of their ability to drive motivation and alter physiology to enhance clinical outcomes.
The Role of the Operating Room in Medical Student Education: Differing Perspectives of Learners and Educators.

Objective The surgical clerkship is an integral part of third-year medical student education. The operating room (OR) is a heavily used setting, but it is unclear whether this setting is as effective as possible. To determine the role of the OR and potential improvements, it is necessary to analyze the perspectives of those involved, including surgeons, residents, and medical students. Design An electronic survey was distributed to the surgeons, surgical residents, and third-year medical students associated with Rutgers New Jersey Medical School. The questions were a combination of 5-point Likert scale questions and qualitative responses. The questions assessed the role of the OR, the information taught in the OR, the quality of the teaching and environment, and potential improvements. Results Attending surgeons and residents generally rated the OR more positively than medical students did. Medical students desired more hands-on participation and a greater focus on learning technical skills. In addition, most medical students rated the feedback and direct instruction in the OR as "poor." Furthermore, the attending surgeons and medical students disagreed about the main roles of the OR as well as the effectiveness of teaching in the OR. The medical students reported experiencing anxiety and intimidation in the OR and suggested several improvements, such as decreasing the length of the surgical clerkship. Conclusions There is significant disagreement between the surgeons and residents and the medical students regarding the roles and effectiveness of learning in the OR. This may help explain the reported medical student dissatisfaction and frustrations with the surgical clerkship.
Abstract 2043: Entinostat in combination with Cladribine synergistically induces apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells

Cladribine (2-CDA) is a well-known purine nucleoside analog against lymphoproliferative disorders. Entinostat, a selective class I histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor, exerts anti-tumor activity in various cancers, including multiple myeloma (MM). We sought to determine whether cladribine and entinostat may exhibit synergistic anti-proliferative/anti-survival effects on MM cells. Here we showed that, in cell growth MTS assays, either cladribine or entinostat alone inhibited cell proliferation in a dose-dependent manner. The combinations of cladribine and entinostat significantly induced growth inhibition in MM cells tested. The combination index (CI) curves showed a synergistic effect between cladribine and entinostat. An apoptotic-ELISA and western blot analyses of caspase-3 and PARP revealed that entinostat in combination with cladribine exhibited a much more potent activity than either agent alone to promote the MM cells undergoing apoptosis in a dose and time-dependent manner. Collectively, our data suggest that combinations of entinostat and cladribine possess synergistic anti-proliferative/anti-survival activity in MM cells. Regimens consisting of entinostat and cladribine may represent novel therapeutic strategies against MM. Citation Format: Bolun Wang, Hui Lyu, Bolin Liu. Entinostat in combination with Cladribine synergistically induces apoptosis in multiple myeloma cells [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2017; 2017 Apr 1-5; Washington, DC. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2017;77(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 2043. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2017-2043
Electrodiagnostic and Advanced Neuroimaging Characterization for Successful Treatment of Spinal Extradural Arachnoid Cyst

Background Spinal extradural arachnoid cysts are relatively uncommon. Rarely, large cysts presented with spinal cord compression requiring surgical intervention. Case Description We report a patient with a progressively enlarging spinal extradural arachnoid cyst causing worsening right S1 radiculopathy and gastrocnemius muscle atrophy. Electromyography and nerve conduction studies revealed an S1 motor radiculopathy. Serial magnetic resonance imaging findings confirmed enlargement of the small cyst originating from the sacral thecal sac on the right while 2 smaller cysts on the left remained stable. Dynamic computed tomography myelogram revealed connection to the thecal sac behind the right S1 nerve root. We performed a right hemilaminectomy from L5 to S2, exposed the cyst pedicle ligated it, and marsupialized the cyst. After surgery, the patient showed clinical and electrodiagnostic improvement. Conclusion This case illustrates the principles of timely surgical intervention after advanced diagnostic imaging and electrodiagnostic testing to improve neurologic function and minimize complications.
Velocity regulation of a linear welding robot by unscented and cubature Kalman filter output estimation-based sliding mode control

Welding is an important operation in manufacturing processes and it can represent a highly relevant amount of production costs, depending on material workpieces and required weld quantity. In mechanised and robotised welding processes, robot's travel velocity is an important parameter, which requires a proper regulation to obtain a good quality for weld beam. Then, in this work, a nonlinear model of a robot motor with their identified parameters is presented and a sliding mode control is proposed to regulate robot velocity. Furthermore, an Unscented Kalman Filter and a Cubature Kalman Filter are implemented, separately, for output system estimation. The control system with both estimators presented satisfactory tracking performances, in simulations, converging fast and with very small chattering.
Absolute and relative facial selectivities in organocatalytic asymmetric chlorocyclization reactions

Though (DHQD)2PHAL-catalyzed chlorocyclizations of 1,1-disubstituted olefins show useful (and in some cases, reversible) asymmetric induction, stereochemically complete descriptions of these alkene additions have remained largely unknown. Herein, based on a combination of NMR, derivative, isotope labeling, and computational studies, we present detailed stereochemical analyses of chlorocyclizations of nucleophile-tethered 1,1-disubstituted styryl systems. The selectivities of the two asymmetric bond-forming processes, namely electrophilic chlorine attack and nucleophilic ring closure, are thus mapped out independently. Under the established optimal conditions, four related chlorocyclizations were subjected to this analysis. All showed a strong preference for Cl+ delivery from the same face of the alkene. However, depending on reaction conditions and substrate identity (carboxylic acid, amide or carbamate), the internal nucleophiles may close with a strong net preference for either syn or anti addition relative to the Cl atom. Studies of both uncatalyzed and (DHQD)2PHAL-catalyzed processes place new boundary conditions on the role of the catalyst in these reactions.
Trends in physical activity, health-related fitness, and gross motor skills in children during a two-year comprehensive school physical activity program.

Abstract Objectives The purpose of this study was to examine the trends in school-day step counts, health-related fitness, and gross motor skills during a two-year Comprehensive School Physical Activity Program (CSPAP) in children. Design Longitudinal trend analysis. Methods Participants were a sample of children (N = 240; mean age = 7.9 ± 1.2 years; 125 girls, 115 boys) enrolled in five low-income schools. Outcome variables consisted of school day step counts, Body Mass Index (BMI), estimated VO2 Peak, and gross motor skill scores assessed using the Test of Gross Motor Development-3rd Edition (TGMD-3). Measures were collected over a two-year CSPAP including a baseline and several follow-up time-points. Multi-level mixed effects models were employed to examine time trends on each continuous outcome variable. Markov-chain transition models were employed to examine time trends for derived binary variables for school day steps, BMI, and estimated VO2 Peak. Results There were statistically significant time coefficients for estimated VO2 Peak (b = 1.10 mL/kg/min, 95% C.I. [0.35 mL/kg/min–2.53 mL/kg/min], p = 0.009) and TGMD-3 scores (b = 7.8, 95% C.I. [6.2–9.3], p Conclusions A two-year CSPAP related to increases in cardio-respiratory endurance and TGMD-3 scores. School day steps and BMI were primarily stable across the two-year intervention.
Reviews in Brief: Charleston Briefings: Trending Topics for Information Professionals. www.charlestonbriefings.com

Lippincott, Sarah Kalikman. Library as Publisher: New Models of Scholarly Communication for a New Era. Ann Arbor MI: Michigan Publishing, University of Michigan Library, 2017.Heinze, Jill Stover. L...
Role of Nitrogen Dioxide in the Production of Sulfate during Chinese Haze-Aerosol Episodes.

Haze events in China megacities involve the rapid oxidation of SO2 to sulfate aerosol. Given the weak photochemistry that takes place in these optically thick hazes, it has been hypothesized that SO2 is mostly oxidized by NO2 emissions in the bulk of pH > 5.5 aerosols. Because NO2(g) dissolution in water is very slow and aerosols are more acidic, we decided to test such a hypothesis. Herein, we report that > 95% of NO2(g) disproportionates [2NO2(g) + H2O(l) = H+ + NO3–(aq) + HONO (R1)] upon hitting the surface of NaHSO3 aqueous microjets for < 50 μs, thereby giving rise to strong NO3– (m/z 62) signals detected by online electrospray mass spectrometry, rather than oxidizing HSO3– (m/z 81) to HSO4– (m/z 97) in the relevant pH 3–6 range. Because NO2(g) will be consumed via R1 on the surface of typical aerosols, the oxidation of S(IV) may in fact be driven by the HONO/NO2– generated therein. S(IV) heterogeneous oxidation rates are expected to primarily depend on the surface density and liquid water content of...
Examination of muscle composition and motor unit behavior of the first dorsal interosseous of normal and overweight children

Ultrasound data and motor unit action potential sizes suggest that overweight children have poorer muscle composition and smaller motor units in the first dorsal interosseous than normal weight chi...
Surgical treatment of a type IV cystic sacrococcygeal teratoma with intraspinal extension utilizing a posterior-anterior-posterior approach: a case report

Type IV sacrococcygeal teratoma with intraspinal involvement is rare and to our knowledge has not been reported previously in the literature. The authors present the case of a 2-month-old infant with a type IV sacrococcygeal teratoma diagnosed on prenatal ultrasound. Postnatal MRI revealed intraspinal extension through an enlarged sacral neuroforamina on the right side. On surgical exploration, the authors discovered a dorsal cystic tumor involving the sacral spine that extended through an enlarged S4 foramen to a large presacral component. The tumor was successfully removed to achieve a complete en bloc surgical resection. The authors review the epidemiology, pathophysiology, and treatment of sacrococcygeal teratomas with intraspinal extension.
Dielectric Properties of Bio-Based Diphenolate Ester Epoxies

Thermoset bio-based diglycidyl ether of diphenolate esters (DGEDP) exhibit comparable mechanical properties as petroleum-derived diglycidyl ether of bisphenol A (DGEBA), whereas DGEDP is derived from levulinic acid, a safe and readily renewable feedstock. To determine the potential replacement of DGEBA as dielectric materials, a series of DGEDP-esters (i.e., methyl, ethyl, propyl, and butyl esters) were synthesized and studied. Broadband dielectric spectroscopy revealed that DGEDP-propyl has the highest dielectric constant in the series, comparable to DGEBA. Differences in the dielectric properties of DGEDP-esters is attributed to the interplay of segmental, small local, and side-chain motions on one hand and free volume and steric hindrance on the other.
Seamfully Interwoven: Piecing Together Havana's Internet

Drawing on the fields of HCI, ICTD, and Social Computing, my research explores how increasing internet access influences the lives of intended users and how we might leverage local information infrastructures to design more effective services for users in emerging markets. Through ethnographic research in Havana, my dissertation unpacks the ways individuals actively and creatively stitch together multiple information infrastructures to create their own versions of the "internet." Using Cuba as a case study, my work explores how future internet access initiatives might successfully map onto local information infrastructures to provide meaningful, sustainable engagement with the internet among under-connected communities in resource-constrained parts of the world.
Piloting a supportive oncology screener with adult survivors of childhood cancers.

9Background: Adult survivors of childhood cancers experience a host of late effects. Our Survivors Taking Action and Responsibility (STAR) clinic treats those needs. Methods: We piloted the Coleman...
Contribution to environmental action by a timber processing corporation.

Recognising the scope and complexity of the world’s environmental problems, changing Japanese attitudes to them and the high international expectations for appropriate action by Japan to contribute to the solution, Mitsubishi Corporation organized a Global Environmental Committee in October, 1989. In April, 1990 it established a new Environmental Affairs Department.
Language and Cognition in Products Liability

It is no secret that the last several years have seen a marked increase in the degree of interest and involvement in the legal process on the part of cognitive psychologists. This change is reflected in the creation of a new division of the American Psychological Association devoted entirely to the interface of psychology and law, in an increase in publication of relevant books and articles, and in the appearance of the one clear sign that a subdiscipline has arrived: competition among publishers in soliciting and marketing textbooks designed specifically for courses in psychology and the law. I think it is safe to say, although I am quite sure that the legal profession is not yet entirely comfortable with the prospect, that the mutual influence of the psychological and legal professions upon each other can only grow. In this chapter, I would like to consider some ways in which practitioners of one “psychology and...” hybrid (psychology and language) might contribute to the growth and development of another (psychology and law).
Ring My Bell: The Healthy Eating Decisions Program

the choices made by students during elementary school lunch service are a critical issue cited in the White House task Force on Childhood Obesity Report to the President. While 90% of elementary schools provide a low-fat lunch option, the average lunch selected by students in 80% of schools exceeds the nutritional standards for fat.
Preventing Early Conduct Problems and Later Delinquency

The annual cost of youth violence in the USA exceeds $158 billion when accounting for direct and indirect effects of violence on areas such as medical burden, work productivity, and quality of life (Center for Disease Control and Prevention 2008). Therefore, preventing youth violence and antisocial behavior should be a high priority for researchers and policy makers. Research suggests that approximately 80–85% of young children desist from disobedience, temper tantrums, physical aggression, and other behaviors that are relatively normative during early childhood (Nagin and Tremblay 1999; Shaw et al. 2003). However, approximately 5–10% of children show persistently high levels of conduct problems that may lead to antisocial behavior and violence in adolescence (Moffitt et al. 2002; Shaw et al. 2003). Although a pattern of “late-starting” or “adolescence-limited” antisocial behavior initially emerging during adolescence has been shown to have more serious consequences for adult functioning than originally thought, a pattern of “early-starting” or “life-course-persistent” conduct problems is associated with an even more persistent and serious course of antisocial behavior from middle childhood through adolescence and young adulthood (Moffitt 1993; Patterson et al. 1992). For example, young men who followed the “adolescence-limited” trajectory of antisocial behavior reported similar levels of psychiatric symptoms as men who followed the “life-course-persistent” trajectory (Moffitt et al. 2002). However, men who followed the “life-course-persistent” trajectory were still two to three times more likely to receive a criminal conviction as adults compared to men who followed the “adolescence-limited” trajectory. Therefore, identifying risk factors that are associated with early-starting patterns of conduct problems is essential for the health and well-being of youth and other members of society.
Classification of Hypertension

A 37-year-old Caucasian man is seen in your office for routine physical examination. He is unaware of any medical problems but notes that he has gained approximately 25 pounds in the past year. He has a strong family history of hypertension, diabetes mellitus type II, and coronary artery disease. His physical exam shows an overweight man in no distress. His height is 71 in., weight 200 pounds, BMI 28. Waist circumference is 40 in. Blood pressure is 138/87, pulse 80/min, respiratory rate 12, and temperature 98.6 F orally. His general examination is unremarkable. He has no arteriolar changes on funduscopic examination, no bruits; cardiac exam shows no displacement of the point of maximal impulse and no gallop. Screening laboratory studies are completely normal including fasting blood sugar, electrolytes, kidney function, and urinalysis.
Alterations in hypothalamic-pituitary-adrenal function immediately after resection of adrenal adenomas in patients with Cushing’s syndrome and others with incidentalomas and subclinical hypercortisolism

Patients with cortisol secreting adrenal adenomas present with Cushing’s syndrome (CS), while 5–15% of subjects with adrenal incidentalomas have subclinical hypercortisolism (SH) as they have biochemical abnormalities suggesting autonomous cortisol secretion without associated clinical features of CS. Examine HPA function immediately after resection of either of these adenomas and utilize the data to decide on initiating glucocorticoid replacement. ACTH, cortisol, and DHEA-S levels were measured frequently for 8 h after adrenalectomy in 14 patients with CS and 19 others with incidentalomas + SH. Glucocorticoids were withheld before/during surgery and administered 6–8 h postoperatively to those who had cortisol levels of <3 ug/dL (83 nmol/L). Preoperatively, incidentalomas + SH patients had larger tumors, higher ACTH, and DHEA-S but lower dexamethasone-suppressed serum cortisol levels than those with CS. Postoperatively, ACTH levels increased in both groups: (90.1 ± 31.6; 24.1 ± 14.4 ng/L, respectively; P < 0.001). Postoperative ACTH levels correlated negatively with preoperative Dexamethasone-suppressed cortisol concentrations in both groups. Patients with CS had steeper decline in cortisol concentrations than those with incidentalomas + SH. All patients with CS had hypocortisolemia requiring glucocorticoid therapy for several months, while only 5/19 with incidentalomas + SH had cortisol levels <3 ug/dL;(83 nmol/L) 6–8 h after adrenalectomy and received hydrocortisone replacement therapy for ≤4 weeks. Surgical stress stimulates HPA function even in patients with hypercortisolemia. Patients with incidentalomas + SH have incomplete HPA suppression that allows more robust response to surgical stress than that observed in patients with CS. HPA assessment immediately after surgical resection of adrenal incidentalomas identified those requiring glucocorticoid replacement before discharge.
Outcome Measures and Patient Expectations for Overactive Bladder

In order to develop an appropriate treatment strategy, an assessment of patient bother, impact on quality of life, and goals for care are of utmost importance. We herein provide a review of the available medical literature on outcome measures for OAB commonly used by providers for diagnosis and symptom tracking. Specifically, we discuss the use of bladder diaries, patient-reported outcomes (PROs) such as disease-specific and generic validated questionnaires, urodynamic evaluation, patient pre-set expectations, and cost of care. While many outcome measures exist, it is challenging to select one that is expeditious, easy to understand, complete, and provides a thorough assessment of the patient satisfaction or outcome. Providers may consider utilizing shared decision-making to set realistic expectations and choose a practical outcome measure specific to one’s clinical practice to optimize patient care and satisfaction.
Evaluation of Variance Inflation Factors in Regression Models Using Latent Variable Modeling Methods

A procedure that can be used to evaluate the variance inflation factors and tolerance indices in linear regression models is discussed. The method permits both point and interval estimation of these factors and indices associated with explanatory variables considered for inclusion in a regression model. The approach makes use of popular latent variable modeling software to obtain these point and interval estimates. The procedure allows more informed evaluation of these quantities when addressing multicollinearity-related issues in empirical research using regression models. The method is illustrated on an empirical example using the popular software Mplus. Results of a simulation study investigating the capabilities of the procedure are also presented.
GPLADD: Quantifying Trust in Government and Commercial Systems A Game-Theoretic Approach

Trust in a microelectronics-based system can be characterized as the level of confidence that a system is free of subversive alterations made during system development, or that the development process of a system has not been manipulated by a malicious adversary. Trust in systems has become an increasing concern over the past decade. This article presents a novel game-theoretic framework, called GPLADD (Graph-based Probabilistic Learning Attacker and Dynamic Defender), for analyzing and quantifying system trustworthiness at the end of the development process, through the analysis of risk of development-time system manipulation. GPLADD represents attacks and attacker-defender contests over time. It treats time as an explicit constraint and allows incorporating the informational asymmetries between the attacker and defender into analysis. GPLADD includes an explicit representation of attack steps via multi-step attack graphs, attacker and defender strategies, and player actions at different times. GPLADD allows quantifying the attack success probability over time and the attacker and defender costs based on their capabilities and strategies. This ability to quantify different attacks provides an input for evaluation of trust in the development process. We demonstrate GPLADD on an example attack and its variants. We develop a method for representing success probability for arbitrary attacks and derive an explicit analytic characterization of success probability for a specific attack. We present a numeric Monte Carlo study of a small set of attacks, quantify attack success probabilities, attacker and defender costs, and illustrate the options the defender has for limiting the attack success and improving trust in the development process.
Experience with Canadian/Soviet Scientific Collaboration

Immediately after the Second world War, Stalinist policies effectively blocked any interaction between Soviet scientists and their western counterparts. By the early 1950s, however, a thaw was perceptible. Soviet scientists were again participating in large numbers in meetings organized under the International Council of Scientific Union (ICSU). In late 1954, the President of the Soviet Academy of Sciences issued a call for east-west collaboration as the most fruitful means of solving problems of global dimension and advancing science. Visits, by such prominent Canadian scientists as Dr W. Penfield, began to increase. The President of NRC, Dr Steacie, was made a foreign member of the Soviet Academy in June 1958; one of a handful of western scientists, to be given this acolade, and later led a group of Canadian scientists to Moscow in November 1959.
Clinical Reasoning: A 62-year-old man with history of catheter ablation presenting with recurrent strokes

A 62-year-old man presented with a syncopal episode followed by left hemiparesis. Symptoms started right after landing from a 2-hour flight. The week prior to presentation he had general malaise, nausea, vomiting, and poor appetite. He was diagnosed with pneumonia and completed a course of cefdinir. His medical history was relevant for paroxysmal atrial fibrillation (AF), for which he underwent catheter ablation 1 month prior to presentation, when he was on apixaban, started 2 weeks prior to the procedure, and continued until the presentation to our hospital.
Swimming with Winnicott: An Ode to the Spirit of Creativity, Inquiry and Learning

Professor Gerald Schamess was a brilliant scholar, educator and clinical social work practitioner. He was an ardent believer in the value of “not knowing” in clinical practice and in the pursuit of...
Investigation of effect of filter on the stand-up technique for total skin irradiation by Monte Carlo simulation

Purpose The aim of this study was to investigate dosimetric effects of scattering filter on the stand-up technique for total skin irradiation (TSI) with a single electron field by Monte Carlo (MC) simulation. Methods MC simulations were performed with BEAMnrc and DOSXYZnrc packages under EGSnrc environment. Scattering filter of a metal disc was mounted in the accessory slot. The filter materials (Cu, Fe, Au, Zn, Ag) were investigated, with thickness ranging from 0.05 to 0.55 mm, depending on material. The extended source to skin distance (SSD) ranging from 250 to 350 cm was studied. The following dosimetric quantities were evaluated: percent depth dose (PDD), profiles and output factor at depth of maximum, and composite dose distribution on a 30-cm diameter cylindrical phantom. They were compared with the standard dual beam technique used at our clinic. The effects on different patient sizes were also studied. Results No filter produced acceptable profile flatness (±10% within the central 160 cm) at 250 cm SSD. At 300 cm SSD, Au (0.1 mm), Ag (0.25 mm), Cu (0.5 mm) produced acceptable flatness while Zn (0.45 mm) required 325 cm SSD. For these four configurations, the dmax was 0.90-0.99 cm, similar to dual beam (0.97 cm); R50 was 1.85-1.91 cm, compared with dual beam of 2.06 cm; the output factor ranged from 0.025 to 0.029, lower than the dual beam (0.080). With the composite fields for four configurations, the dmax was 0.10 cm, compared with dual beam (0.16 cm). The surface dose was 97%, similar to dual beam (96%). B-factor was 3.3-3.4, compared with dual beam of 3.1. The maximum X-ray contamination was 3%, higher than dual beam (1%). Conclusions The investigation suggests the TSI stand-up technique can be implemented using a single electron beam if a customized filter is used. More dosimetric measurements are needed to validate the MC results and clinical implementation.
Parton Momentum Distribution at the Moment of Jet-Parton Collision

We extract the early parton momentum distribution using the STAR Collaboration data of ridge particles associated with a near-side jet in central AuAu collisions at \sqrt{s_{NN}}=200 GeV. The ridge particles are identified as medium partons kicked by the jet near the surface and they carry direct information on the parton momentum distribution at the moment of jet-parton collisions. The extracted parton momentum distribution has a thermal-like transverse momentum distribution but a rapidity plateau structure with a relatively flat rapidity distribution at mid-rapidities with sharp kinematic boundaries at large rapidities that depend on the transverse momentum.
Cultivating character through physical education using memetic, progressive and transformative practices in schools

This paper articulates how the teaching of movement, physical activity and sport, through formal education and schooling, and the medium of physical education, affords opportunities for twenty-firs...
Torture: A Sociology of Violence and Human Rights

Preface 1. Why Are We (Still) Talking about Torture? 2. Torture's Past 3. Modern Torture 4. Torture and Rights 5. Enforcing the Right Not To Be Tortured 6. What's Wrong with Torture? Bibliography Glossary