cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Virus and transaminase levels determine the emergence of drug resistance during long-term lamivudine therapy in chronic hepatitis B.

Background/Aims The results of earlier studies on determinants for the emergence of tyrosine–methionine–aspartate–aspartate (YMDD) mutants (rtM204 I/V) were controversial. The aim was to evaluate the impact of viral factors, host factors, host–viral interaction and drug factor on the emergence of rtM204 I/V. Methods 56 non-cirrhotic and 58 cirrhotic patients received lamivudine therapy for a median of 34 (12–60) months. Results rtM204 I/V emerged in 37 noncirrhotic and 36 cirrhotic patients. Stepwise logistic regression analysis showed that baseline hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg) status [odds ratio (OR), 7.728; 95% confidental interval (CI), 2.886–12.957; P =0.0026], HBV-DNA level (OR, 3.756; 95% CI, 1.058–5.089; P =0.0202), alanine transaminase (ALT) level (OR, 6.285; 95% CI, 1.057–11.990; P =0.00246) and treatment duration (OR, 19.88; 95% CI, 8.652–31.762; P 500pg/ml and ALT Conclusions HBeAg status, HBV-DNA, ALT levels and treatment duration are the major determinants for the YMDD mutation during lamivudine therapy, and should be considered in designing the therapeutic strategy.
Archaeology in Latin America, by Gustavo G. Politis and Benjamin Alberti, editors, 1999, Routledge, London

The two editors argue in their preface to the volume that the particular sociopolitical context of Latin America has led to a regionalism not seen in North America or Europe, resulting in a unique variety of archaeology. They particularly conceive "Latin American archaeology" in this case to he only that archaeology done by individuals who are citizens of the countries of the region, and they ex­clude from consideration as being considered "Latin American archaeology" the work of foreign scholars such as North Americans and Europeans who do research in the region.
Institutional Transformation and Planning: From Institutionalization Theory to Institutional Design:

For planners, institutional transformation is important in two ways. From the positive aspect they need to know their institutional environment: institutionalization theory can help. Three 'schools' of institutionalization theory are presented: 'Historical', 'Rational Choice' and 'Sociological Institutionalism'. The normative aspect of institutional transformation is institutional design: planning often demands this. Institutional design is defined and described: what is it, where is it done, and who does it. The article identifies the institutional-agent interactions that are the media and tools of institutional design, and reviews some of the knowledge base for institutional design practice under the headings of governance, coordination, and agency.
Strategy and the credibility of promises in the Prisoner's Dilemma game:

Since the PDG is a two-person game, one independent variable which can be studied is the effect of one player's strategy selections on the strategy choices of the other player. There are two general ways of doing this: (1) by examining the strategy choices of a player on a given trial or set of trials and finding their effect on the other player's strategy choices, or (2) by having one S play against a simulated "other" player. The use of a simulated "other" has the advantage of being a preplanned, controlled procedure, while the comparison
FRAGMENTED FARMS IN THE UNITED STATES

Some of the largest and most successful family farms in the United States consist of scattered parcels of land. These farms are fragmented because farmers have been enlarging their operations. Farms consisting of separated tracts appear to be increasing in number and in proportion of commercial farm operations. The inability of full-time farm operators to acquire land for expansion near their farms has resulted in a vast patchwork of noncontiguous farm operating units, and in complex patterns of travel by farmers to their scattered fields.
Performance of Polyphase Permanent Magnet Machines

Two methods are presented by which the performance of ac permanent magnet machines can be predicted. The first method utilizes phasor diagrams to include core-loss. The second method uses the concept of machine admittance; this admittance is also adjusted for the effects of core-loss. The admittance also defines the shape of the current locus as a function of voltage induced by the magnets.
Toward a Hermeneutical Theory of International Human Rights Education.

The purpose of this essay is to articulate and defend the epistemological foundations of international human rights education from the perspective of a hermeneutical interpretive methodology. Fuad Al-Daraweesh and Dale Snauwaert argue here that this methodology potentially alleviates the challenges that face the cross-cultural implementation of human rights education. While acknowledging the necessity of global human rights awareness, the authors maintain that local cultural conceptualization is imperative to the negotiated, local embrace of human rights. A critical, interpretive pedagogy emerges from grounding human rights education in a hermeneutic methodology. Thus, Al-Daraweesh and Snauwaert advocate taking a hermeneutical approach in order to enlarge the scope and meaning of international human rights education.
Which older adults maintain benefit from cognitive training? Use of signal detection methods to identify long-term treatment gains.

Background: Cognitive training has been shown to improve memory in older adults; however, little is known about which individuals benefit from or respond best to training in the long term. Identification of responders’ characteristics would help providers match cognitive interventions to individuals to improve their effectiveness. Signal detection methods may prove more informative than more commonly used analytic methods. The goal of the current study is to identify baseline characteristics of long-term treatment responders and of those able to maintain their initial benefit from cognitive training.Methods: Participants were 120 non-demented, community-dwelling older adults who had participated in a cognitive training intervention. Tested predictors included both demographic and neurocognitive variables. Primary outcome variables were performance on measures of memory at one-year follow-up.Results: Results of the signal detection analysis indicated that different neurocognitive performances predicted long-term effects of memory training and maintenance of initial treatment response according to different types of to-be-remembered material. Higher baseline scores on tests of associative memory, delayed verbal memory, attention, episodic memory, and younger age were found predictive of long-term response one year later. Higher associative memory scores and lower initial gains at the end of treatment (week 14) predicted successful maintenance of training gains at week 52.Conclusions: To derive long-term benefit from particular cognitive training programs, it appears necessary for older adults to have specific neurocognitive profiles. Further, inclusion of booster sessions to cognitive training programs may assist in maintenance of initial treatment gains.
Research on Early Childhood Teacher Education: Evidence from Three Domains and Recommendations for Moving Forward.

It is essential that a solid research base be established to provide a foundation that will enable the field of early childhood teacher education to examine whether, for whom, and in what ways teacher education matters. The purpose of this article is to review several important domains in early childhood teacher education to illustrate the characteristics, key features, and significant gaps in current research, and to identify the kinds of research that are most needed to enhance the impact of early childhood teacher education. We conclude by identifying five crosscutting research priorities and describing what is needed to create a supportive environment that produces—and implements—early childhood teacher education research.
A telerobot control system for accident response

The Accident Response Mobile Manipulator System (ARMMS) is a teleoperated emergency response vehicle that deploys two hydraulic manipulators, five cameras, and an array of sensors to the scene of an incident. It is operated from a remote base station that can be situated up to four kilometers away from the site. A modular telerobot control architecture called SMART (Sandia's Modular Architecture for Robotic and Teleoperation) was previously applied to ARMMS to improve the precision, safety, and operability of the manipulators on board. Using SMART, a prototype manipulator control system was developed in a couple of days, and an integrated working system was demonstrated within a couple of months. New capabilities such as camera-frame teleoperation, autonomous tool changeout and dual manipulator control have been incorporated. The final system incorporates twenty-two separate modules and implements seven different behavior modes. The paper describes the integration of SMART into the ARMMS system.
Condition monitoring of mechanical seals: Detection of film collapse using reflected ultrasonic waves:

AbstractA method for detecting the collapse of the lubricating film in a mechanical seal has been developed. A piezoelectric transducer is placed behind the non-rotating seal face and is used to generate ultrasonic waves, which propagate towards the interface between the two seal faces. The same transducer is used to detect the reflected waves, whose amplitude is a measure of the degree of contact between the faces. The results of bench tests, steady-state tests and transient tests show that the method is effective.
Monoamine oxidase inhibitors antagonize the acceleration of brain dopamine synthesis induced by neuroleptic drugs in vivo: implications for the treatment of Tardive dyskinesia.

Pargylin und Pheniprazin vermindern stark die Dopa-Anreicherung (erhohte Dopamin-Synthesegeschwindigkeit) im corpus striatum der Ratte nach Trifluoperazin und Tetrabenazin. Dopamin-spezifische MAO-Hemmer konnten deshalb therapeutischen Wert haben in der Kontrolle von tardiver Dyskinesia, die moglicherweise durch erhohte Bildung und Umsatz von Dopamin unter dem Einfluss von anti-psychotischen Drogen hervorgerufen wird.
Automatic segementation of histological structures in normal and neoplastic mammary gland tissue sections

In this paper we present a scheme for real time segmentation of histological structures in microscopic images of normal and neoplastic mammary gland sections. Paraffin embedded or frozen tissue blocks are sliced, and sections are stained with hematoxylin and eosin (H&E). The sections are then imaged using conventional bright field microscopy. The background of the images is corrected by arithmetic manipulation using a "phantom." Then we use the fast marching method with a speed function that depends on the brightness gradient of the image to obtain a preliminary approximation to the boundaries of the structures of interest within a region of interest (ROI) of the entire section manually selected by the user. We use the result of the fast marching method as the initial condition for the level set motion equation. We run this last method for a few steps and obtain the final result of the segmentation. These results can be connected from section to section to build a three-dimensional reconstruction of the entire tissue block that we are studying.
The molecular basis of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) action in the pituitary gonadotrope.

GnRH is a hormone whose time has come. In the less than 15 years since the structure of gonadotropin-releasing hormone (GnRH) was announced, thousands of analogs have been prepared, and we have learned a great deal about the molecular basis of action of this hormone; this information has been employed to identify ways that GnRH can be used to benefit humanity. GnRH can be used to promote or inhibit fertility in men and women, and to treat steroid-dependent neoplasia, precocious puberty, cryptorchidism, and other diseases. In addition, GnRH has proven to be useful in veterinary medicine and for synchronized breeding of fish for food. The target sites for GnRH are limited; this has resulted in the production of highly specific agents with minimal side effects. The large number of agonist and antagonist analogs have provided an impressive arsenal for clinical work and greatly increased the capacity to design experiments; they are in large part responsible for the rapid progress in this
A BIFUNCTIONAL SINGLE MOTOR AXON SYSTEM OF A CRUSTACEAN MUSCLE

It is shown that the opener muscle of the hermit crab, Eupagurus bernhardus L., receives a single motor axon. Stimulation of this axon results, when appropriate stimuli are used, in two types of contractions comparable with the fast and slow contractions of doubly motor-innervated crustacean muscles. The theoretical implications of this finding are discussed and a hypothesis offered to explain the mechanism which makes the two contraction types possible. The physiological and anatomical features of the innervation of the four most distal muscles in the legs of Eupagurus are described.
Fragile-to-strong crossover in supercooled liquids remains elusive.

Transport properties of glass-forming liquids change markedly around an onset temperature To. For temperatures T > To, these properties depend little on T, whereas for T Tx. However, Mallamace et al. (2) reported the observation of Tx for a large number of supercooled liquids. In truth, they observed the onset of supercooled behavior, and the reported values of Tx are poor lower-bound estimates of onset temperatures To. This fact is consistent with transport decoupling appearing only below temperatures identified with the crossover in ref. 2.
Guns, Gangs, and Gossip An Analysis of Student Essays on Youth Violence:

Youth violence is an important public health problem, but few researchers have studied violence from youth’s perspectives. Middle school students’ essays about the causes of youth violence were ana...
Electrically injected nanoLED with large spontaneous emission enhancement from an optical antenna

We experimentally demonstrate 200x spontaneous emission rate enhancement from an electrically-injected nanoLED coupled to a cavity-backed optical slot antenna. Such a nanoLED device could be used as a fast, efficient, and nanoscale light source for on-chip optical interconnects.
Evaluation of Knee Donor and Elbow Recipient Sites for Osteochondral Autologous Transplantation Surgery in Capitellar Osteochondritis Dissecans

Background:Osteochondral autologous transplantation surgery (OATS) has been advocated for treatment of osteochondritis dissecans (OCD) of the capitellum in adolescents. However, little information is available regarding the optimal knee harvest site to match the contour and cartilage thickness of the recipient elbow lesion.Purpose:To characterize the capitellar anatomic structure in adolescents with and without OCD and to compare these measurements to normal adolescent knees to identify the optimal site for osteochondral graft harvest.Study Design:Controlled laboratory study.Methods:Twenty-one patients with OCD were analyzed. Twenty-two patients with normal elbows and 25 age-, weight-, and height-matched patients with normal knees were also identified. Cartilage radii of curvatures (ROCs) in the sagittal and coronal-axial planes were measured on magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of normal capitella and 5 sites (posterior lateral femoral condyle, medial and lateral middle trochlear ridges, and medial and la...
MOISTURE TRAJECTORIES ASSOCIATED WITH HEAVY RAINFALL IN THE APPALACHIAN REGION OF THE UNITED STATES

Synoptic data associated with a sample of 554 heavy rainfall events is utilized to carry out a trajectory analysis that identifies the movements of moisture towards regions of heavy rain. Both seasonal and regional variations are found in the moisture trajectories associated with heavy rain events occurring in three regions in the Appalachian study area. Numerous events in the region west of the mountain range are tied to westerly and south-southwesterly circulations that bring moisture from the Mississippi River Valley and the Gulf of Mexico during the warm and cool seasons, respectively. Many events southeast of the mountain range are associated with southerly to southeasterly circulations that advect moisture from the Atlantic Ocean. Because of orographic precipitation enhancement and a good exposure to the Gulf of Mexico and the Atlantic Ocean, the southern and southeastern slopes of the Appalachian mountains display high frequencies of heavy rainfall, particularly during the cool season. The interior...
A MagDot-Nanoconveyor Assay Detects and Isolates Molecular Biomarkers

The ability to quickly analyze, separate, and manipulate multiple types of biomarkers from small sample volumes is a significant step toward personalized medicine.
The spectrum of allergic fungal diseases of the upper and lower airways

Fungi cause a wide spectrum of fungal diseases of the upper and lower airways. There are three main phyla involved in allergic fungal disease: (1) Ascomycota (2) Basidiomycota (3) Zygomycota. Allergic fungal rhinosinusitis (AFRS) causes chronic rhinosinusitis symptoms and is caused predominantly by Aspergillus fumigatus in India and Bipolaris in the United States. The recommended treatment approach for AFRS is surgical intervention and systemic steroids. Allergic bronchopulmonary aspergillosis (APBA) is most commonly diagnosed in patients with asthma or cystic fibrosis. Long term systemic steroids are the mainstay treatment option for ABPA with the addition of an antifungal medication. Fungal sensitization or exposure increases a patient's risk of developing severe asthma and has been termed severe asthma associated with fungal sensitivity (SAFS). Investigating for triggers and causes of a patient's asthma should be sought to decrease worsening progression of the disease.
Public Policy and Entrepreneurship: The Development of the Competitive Local Telephone Service Industry - Executive Summary

In this dissertation, I examine how political environments influence industry structure and entrepreneurial opportunities following deregulation. Within the competitive local exchange carrier (CLEC) industry, which was created by the federal Telecommunications Act of 1996, I find that founding rates of CLECs were higher in states with more experience with incentive-based regulation and in those states with new governors or new commissioners. I also find that states were attractive expansion targets when their political and regulatory characteristics were similar to those of a CLEC's founding state and when they had new governors or new commissioners. Together, my findings support my argument that a state's current policy is built upon its previous policies and that changes in political leadership can serve as punctuating moments that stimulate competition and industry development.
Addition of Pt(PBut3) Groups to Ru5(CO)12(η6-C6H6)(μ5-C). Synthesis, Structures, and Dynamical Activity

The reaction of Ru5(CO)12(η6-C6H6)(μ5-C), 7, with Pt(PBut3)2 yielded two products Ru5(CO)12(η6-C6H6)(μ6-C)[Pt(PBut3)], 8, and Ru5(CO)12(η6-C6H6)(μ6-C)[Pt(PBut3)]2, 9. Compound 8 contains a Ru5Pt metal core in an open octahedral structure. In solution, 8 exists as a mixture of two isomers that interconvert rapidly on the NMR time scale at 20 °C, ΔH⧧ = 7.1(1) kcal mol-1, ΔS⧧ = −5.1(6) cal mol-1 K-1, and ΔG298⧧ = 8.6(3) kcal mol-1. Compound 9 is structurally similar to 8, but has an additional Pt(PBut3) group bridging an Ru−Ru edge of the cluster. The two Pt(PBut3) groups in 9 rapidly exchange on the NMR time scale at 70 °C, ΔH⧧ = 9.2(3) kcal mol-1, ΔS⧧ = −5(1) cal mol-1 K-1, and ΔG298⧧ = 10.7(7) kcal mol-1. Compound 8 reacts with hydrogen to give the dihydrido complex Ru5(CO)11(η6-C6H6)(μ6-C)[Pt(PBut3)](μ-H)2, 10, in 59% yield. This compound consists of a closed Ru5Pt octahedron with two hydride ligands bridging two of the four Pt−Ru bonds.
On the Mechanism of the Gram Stain

positive and are inactive against most of the Gram-negative organisms. Our interest in this matter resulted from a study on the antibacterial effect of highly dispersed sulfur in which a similar difference in susceptibility was found between Gram-positive and Gram-negative bacteria (Libenson et al, 1953). During the last decade, the trend among investigators has been to dismiss the permeability theory proposed by Benians (1919) and by Burke and Barnes (1929), and to regard the positive Gram reaction as a result of a combination between the protein components of the cell wall and the crystal violet-iodine complex. Bartholomew and Umbreit (1944), Stacey (1949) and Fischer and Larose (1952) postulated that the sulfhydryl groups of the cell wall proteins play an important role in this reaction. This assumption is based mostly on the fact that iodine reacts with SH groups transforming them into -S-Sderivatives and that mercuric chloride, which according to Bartholomew and Umbreit can partially replace iodine in the Gram procedure, also reacts with SH groups. No direct experimental proof was given however for this interpretation. If this assumption is correct and the presence of free SH groups in the cell wall is necessary for a Gram-positive reaction, it should be
Proposal for a universal two-qubit quantum gate in self-assembled InAs/GaAs quantum dot molecules with intensity-modulated CW laser

We propose a universal two-qubit gate by inducing Raman transitions between singlet-triplet states in doubly-charged quantum dot molecules using intensity-modulated CW laser. By numerical optimization, a gate-fidelity above 99.99% can be achieved.
Land Applicability Evaluation of Mild Slope of Low Mountains and Hills for Malong County,Yunnan Province

With the continuous economic and social development of Malong County,Yunnan Province,the demand for urban-rural construction land is increasing.Mild slope of low mountains and hills are the potential construction land which lack of understanding.Land applicability evaluation of mild slope of low mountains and hills was made by multivariate weighted method,expert evaluation method and GIS spatial analysis method,according to slope,geological disasters,traffic road,protection of headwaters,forest land conservation,soil erosion,land use master plan,basic farmland protection,major geological fault lines.The result shows that area of mild slope of low mountains and hills in Malong County is 68 375.08 hm2,among which,the first-class applicability area is 8 737.17 hm2,the second-class is 34 123.88 hm2,the thirdclass is 4 714.30 hm2,and unsuitability is 20 799.73 hm2.
Characterization of the natriuresis caused in normal man by immersion in water.

1. The effects of 4–6 h of water immersion on the renal excretion of water and electrolytes were studied in thirteen normal male subjects in balance on a constant diet containing 150 mEq of Na and 100 mEq of K per day. Each subject was studied during a control period, consisting of quiet sitting, and during water immersion to the neck. 2. Immersion resulted in a natriuresis beginning within the first hour, with the rate of sodium excretion eventually exceeding that of the control period by 3–4-fold; potassium excretion also increased. Despite a progressively negative water balance during the immersion studies, urine flow was greater during the first 4 h and free water clearance was greater during the first 2 h of immersion than during the control study. 3. The demonstration of a highly significant increase in fractional excretion of sodium during immersion suggests that the natriuresis of water immersion is not attributable to changes in filtered sodium load. 4. The prompt onset of the natriuresis, the concomitant kaliuresis and the fact that aldosterone secretion under the conditions of study was probably already suppressed make it unlikely that the natriuresis of water immersion is mediated solely by decreases in aldosterone activity. 5. The data suggest that the natriuresis caused by water immersion is the result of decreased fractional reabsorption of sodium proximal to the renal diluting site. The mechanism whereby increased proximal tubular sodium rejection occurs in relation to immersion remains unclear.
Retrieving Rising Stars in Focused Community Question-Answering

In Community Question Answering (CQA)‘ forums, there is typically a small fraction of users who provide high-quality posts and earn a very high reputation status from the community. These top contributors are critical to the community since they drive the development of the site and attract traffic from Internet users. Identifying these individuals could be highly valuable, but this is not an easy task. Unlike publication or social networks, most CQA sites lack information regarding peers, friends, or collaborators, which can be an important indicator signaling future success or performance. In this paper, we attempt to perform this analysis by extracting different sets of features to predict future contribution. The experiment covers 376,000 users who remain active in Stack Overflow for at least one year and together contribute more than 21 million posts. One of the highlights of our approach is that we can identify rising stars after short observations. Our approach achieves high accuracy, 85 %, when predicting whether a user will become a top contributor after a few weeks of observation. As a slightly different problem in which we could observe a few posts by a user, our method achieves accuracy higher than 90 %. Our approach provides higher accuracy than baselines methods including a popular time series analysis. Furthermore, our methods are robust to different classifier algorithms. Identifying the rising stars early could help CQA administrators gain an overview of the site’s future and ensure that enough incentive and support is given to potential contributors.
Critical heat flux maxima resulting from the controlled morphology of nanoporous hydrophilic surface layers

Porous hydrophilic surfaces have been shown to enhance the critical heat flux (CHF) in boiling heat transfer. In this work, the separate effects of pore size and porous layer thickness on the CHF of saturated water at atmospheric pressure were experimentally investigated using carefully engineered surfaces. It was shown that, for a fixed pore diameter (∼20 nm), there is an optimum layer thickness (∼2 μm), for which the CHF value is maximum, corresponding to ∼115% enhancement over the value for uncoated surfaces. Similarly, a maximum CHF value (∼100% above the uncoated surface CHF) was observed while changing the pore size at a constant layer thickness (∼1 μm). To explain these CHF maxima, we propose a mechanistic model that can capture the effect of pore size and pore thickness on CHF. The good agreement found between the model and experimental data supports the hypothesis that CHF is governed by the competition between capillary wicking, viscous pressure drop and evaporation, as well as conduction heat t...
Henry Fawcett (1833–1884)

Although the contributions to economics of Henry Fawcett, the husband of feminist Millicent Garrett Fawcett, have often been dismissed as unoriginal popularizations of the political economy of the utilitarian John Stuart Mill, Fawcett was no dogmatist. His work reflected a forceful commitment to a plethora of causes, including improvement in the conditions of the labouring classes, political and educational equality for women, opposition to primogeniture and landed, aristocratic monopolies, the reform and universalization of educational opportunities and institutions (including the elimination of the religious tests), better public services, elimination of waste and extravagance, preservation of the commons, improving the quality of life for the peoples of India, and, most importantly of all, the promotion of cooperative societies.
The participation of rural woman in some socio-economic activities at Menofiya Governorate

This research aims at identifying the awareness degree and rural woman participation in the following activities: children education and health care, farming decision-making, plant production, poultry and livestock production, and food processing. Furthermore, the research addressed the significant relationship between independent studied variables and rural woman participation in the previous activities. The research was conducted on 80 rural women from Shinwan and Meselha villages, selected randomly among Shebin Elkom district at Menofiya Governorate. A field questionnaire was used to collect data through personal interviews of rural women at their villages during March and April 2009 period. After the completion of data collection, data was reviewed, classified, tabulated and statistically analysed by using frequency tables, percentages, and simple correlation, in addition to Chi square test.
ASB Clinical Biomechanics Award Paper 2010: Virtual pre-operative reconstruction planning for comminuted articular fractures

Background Highly comminuted intra-articular fractures are complex and difficult injuries to treat. Once emergent care is rendered, the definitive treatment objective is to restore the original anatomy while minimizing surgically induced trauma. Operations that use limited or percutaneous approaches help preserve tissue vitality, but reduced visibility makes reconstruction more difficult. A pre-operative plan of how comminuted fragments would best be re-positioned to restore anatomy helps in executing a successful reduction.
Conditioning and Robustness of RNA Boltzmann Sampling under Thermodynamic Parameter Perturbations.

Abstract Understanding how RNA secondary structure prediction methods depend on the underlying nearest-neighbor thermodynamic model remains a fundamental challenge in the field. Minimum free energy (MFE) predictions are known to be "ill conditioned" in that small changes to the thermodynamic model can result in significantly different optimal structures. Hence, the best practice is now to sample from the Boltzmann distribution, which generates a set of suboptimal structures. Although the structural signal of this Boltzmann sample is known to be robust to stochastic noise, the conditioning and robustness under thermodynamic perturbations have yet to be addressed. We present here a mathematically rigorous model for conditioning inspired by numerical analysis, and also a biologically inspired definition for robustness under thermodynamic perturbation. We demonstrate the strong correlation between conditioning and robustness and use its tight relationship to define quantitative thresholds for well versus ill conditioning. These resulting thresholds demonstrate that the majority of the sequences are at least sample robust, which verifies the assumption of sampling's improved conditioning over the MFE prediction. Furthermore, because we find no correlation between conditioning and MFE accuracy, the presence of both well- and ill-conditioned sequences indicates the continued need for both thermodynamic model refinements and alternate RNA structure prediction methods beyond the physics-based ones.
The effect of competition and edaphic conditions on the establishment of halophytes on brine effected soils

In order to test the feasibility of using native halophytes to reclaim brinecontaminated soil, seedlings of five inland halophytes, Atriplexprostrata, Hordeum jubatum, Salicornia europaea, Spergularia marina, and Suaeda calceoliformis, were planted at threedensities on a site near Athens, Ohio which had been contaminated by oilwell brine water. Ten replicates of each density treatment weretransplanted on two distinct areas of high and low salinity in May of 1993. Seedling survivorship, soil moisture, and soil salinity were monitored weeklythroughout the growing season. Biomass production and ion uptake weredetermined for each plant surviving until harvest. Soil analyses wereperformed prior to planting and after harvest to determine overall changesin soil chemistry and to determine the amount of Na+ reductionfrom the soil due to leaching by precipitation during the course of theexperiment. Survival was determined to be density independent for all ofthe species with the exception of S. marina where survival wasfacilitated at high density. Increased salinity negatively affected the survivaland yield of A. prostrata. The remaining species had greater survivalunder high salinity conditions, and density appeared to be the key factorinfluencing yield. Sodium and chloride ions were accumulated in planttissues in much greater amounts than K+, Ca+2or Mg+2. Salicornia europaea plants grown in high densityon the high salinity site accumulated the highest amount of Na+ andH. jubatum grown in low density on the high salinity site accumulatedthe lowest amount of Na+. Soil salinities measured directly from theroot zone were significantly reduced (p<0.05) at the end of thegrowing season when compared to their controls. Atriplex prostrata(high density/low salinity) plots produced the greatest reduction in soilsalinity (15.8%) and S. marina (high density/high salinity) plots hadthe least reduction (1.2%).
Rights, Groups, and Self-invention: Group-differentiated Rights in Liberal Theory

Preface Introduction: group-differentiated rights Collective aspects of legal rights Law and social categories Rights and social groups Liberal membership The universalist critique Three models of group-differentiated rights Index.
When is a Work of Music Real

Although the celebrated Renaissance music theorist Johannes Tinctoris could confidently affirm in 1477 that “there does not exist a single piece of music not composed within the last forty years that is regarded by the learned as worthy of hearing,” the same statement — at least as it concerns art music — could not be made today.1 In the event, the excitement and anticipation that in previous eras greeted the musically new, nowadays is reserved for “authentic” performances of compositions from a curiously constructed past. Admittance into the canon of acceptability demands not only that a musical work have withstood the test of time, but also that it possess an unimpeachable pedigree. In other words, compositions bearing the labels “creator unknown” or “creator little known” are not granted space in today’s musical museums. At the outset two questions present themselves: why this radical shift and who is it that decides such matters?
Methods for the Production of Certain Hallucinogenic Agarics

Since research on commercial mushrooms had been conducted continuously for the past thirty years at the Pennsylvania Agricultural Experiment Station, requests were received to provide sporocarps of a number of species of hallucinogenic mushrooms.
Ureteral replacement using ileum in compromised renal function.

Ureteral replacement by ileum is an accepted technique in a highly selective patient population. Two major contraindications in using an ileal ureter are compromised renal function (serum creatinine greater than 2) and a functionally abnormal bladder. We used ileum to bridge a ureteral defect in animals with half of a solitary kidney and low grade azotemia to see if the antirefluxing mechanism of the lower ureter prevented further deterioration in renal function. Twelve female mongrel dogs underwent a right nephrectomy, followed by a left partial nephrectomy six weeks later. Group I (six dogs) had a six cm. segment of ileum interposed between the upper and lower ureteral segments (nonrefluxing). Group II (five dogs) had a ten cm. segment of ileum placed from the upper third of the ureter to the bladder (refluxing). Cystograms, intravenous pyelograms, serum electrolytes, BUN and creatinine were obtained preoperatively, six weeks after the right nephrectomy, one month after left partial nephrectomy and six months after ileal replacement prior to sacrifice. The BUN and creatinine deteriorated in Group II compared to Group I, p = .02 and p = 0.4 respectively (Mann-Whitney test). The BUN and creatinine also deteriorated between one month after left partial nephrectomy and six months after ileal replacement within Group II, p = .07 and p = .14, respectively (Wilcoxon matched-pairs test) but not in Group I. These data suggest that the antirefluxing mechanism of the lower ureter might prevent further deterioration in renal function. We feel that ileum can be used with caution, as an interposition in compromised renal function.
Adding a Collegiate Sport: Process, Revenue, and Title IX

While Title IX recently celebrated the 46th year since its passing, college athletic programs still fail to meet Title IX standards. This case study examines the expansion of a collegiate athletic ...
Evaluation of three temperature- and mobile phase-dependent retention models for reversed-phase liquid chromatographic retention and apparent retention enthalpy.

Abstract Predicting retention and enthalpy allows for the simulation and optimization of advanced chromatographic techniques including gradient separations, temperature-assisted solute focusing, multidimensional liquid chromatography, and solvent focusing. In this paper we explore the fits of three expressions for retention as a function of mobile phase composition and temperature to retention data of 101 small molecules in reversed phase liquid chromatography. The three retention equations investigated are those by Neue and Kuss (NK) and two different equations by Pappa-Louisi et al., one based on a partition model (PL-P) and one based on an adsorption model (PL-A). More than 25 000 retention factors were determined for 101 small molecules under various mobile phase and temperature conditions. The pure experimental uncertainty is very small, approximately 0.22% uncertainty in retention factors measured on the same day (2.1% when performed on different days). Each of the three equations for ln(k) was fit to the experimental data based on a least-squares approach and the results were analyzed using lack-of-fit residuals. The PL-A model, while complex, gives the best overall fits. In addition to examining the equations’ adequacy for retention, we also examined their use for apparent retention enthalpy. This enthalpy can be predicted by taking the derivative of these expressions with respect to the inverse of absolute temperature. The numerical values of the fitted parameters based on retention data can then be used to predict retention enthalpy. These enthalpy predictions were compared to those obtained from a modified van ‘t Hoff equation that included a quadratic term in inverse temperature. Based on analysis of 1 211 van ‘t Hoff plots (solute-mobile phase-day combinations), ninety-eight percent showed a significantly better fit when using the modified van ‘t Hoff expression, justifying its use to provide apparent enthalpies as a function of mobile phase composition and temperature. The foregoing apparent enthalpies were compared to the apparent enthalpies predicted by the three models. The PL-A model, which contains a temperature dependent enthalpy, provided the best enthalpy prediction. However, there is virtually no correlation between the overall lack of fit to experimental ln(k) for each model and the corresponding lack of fit of the linear (in 1/T) van ‘t Hoff expression. Thus, the temperature-dependent enthalpy is apparently not the cause of a model’s ability to fit ln(k) as a function of mobile phase composition and temperature. The value in these expressions is their ability to predict chromatograms, allowing for optimization of an advanced chromatographic technique. The two simpler models NK and PL-P, which do not contain a temperature dependent enthalpy, have their merits in modelling retention (NK being the better of the two) and enthalpy (PL-P being the better of the two) if a simpler expression is required for a given application.
Pain in Hematologic Malignancies

Hematologic malignancies (HTM) or blood-related cancers (BRC) include leukemia (acute or chronic), lymphomas, and plasma cell disorders. HTM are generally less common than solid tumors, but can be associated with substantial symptom burden, including several pain syndromes, some of which are unique to these conditions. During the course of HTM, pain can be induced by the disease itself, by the diagnostic procedures, or by the different treatment modalities. Pain can also occur from disease-associated complications, secondary to iatrogenic causes, or even at times may be due to unrelated clinical conditions.
Ethnicity as a Tool: The Root Causes of Ethnic Conflict in Africa—A Critical Introduction

The root causes of ethnic conflict in Africa are poorly understood. Most of the available sources address ethnic conflict in Africa from the point of view of either ethnic diversity or climate change and competition for natural resources to the exclusion of mass grievances to the state. However, the major historical problems include the non-inclusive political system, manipulation of ethnicity, chronic marginalization and neglect, monopolization of state resources, and exclusion coupled with the lack of any democratic mechanism to address them. The chapter draws attention to why governments make risky moves by inciting ethnic armed violence and the reasons some people respond positively as well as the dynamics between neighboring countries.
Atomistic modeling of nanowires, small-scale fatigue damage in cast magnesium, and materials for MEMS

Lightweight and miniaturized weapon systems are driving the use of new materials in design such as microscale materials and ultra low-density metallic materials. Reliable design of future weapon components and systems demands a thorough understanding of the deformation modes in these materials that comprise the components and a robust methodology to predict their performance during service or storage. Traditional continuum models of material deformation and failure are not easily extended to these new materials unless microstructural characteristics are included in the formulation. For example, in LIGA Ni and Al-Si thin films, the physical size is on the order of microns, a scale approaching key microstructural features. For a new potential structural material, cast Mg offers a high stiffness-to-weight ratio, but the microstructural heterogeneity at various scales requires a structure-property continuum model. Processes occurring at the nanoscale and microscale develop certain structures that drive material behavior. The objective of the work presented in this report was to understand material characteristics in relation to mechanical properties at the nanoscale and microscale in these promising new material systems. Research was conducted primarily at the University of Colorado at Boulder to employ tightly coupled experimentation and simulation to study damage at various material sizemore » scales under monotonic and cyclic loading conditions. Experimental characterization of nano/micro damage will be accomplished by novel techniques such as in-situ environmental scanning electron microscopy (ESEM), 1 MeV transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and atomic force microscopy (AFM). New simulations to support experimental efforts will include modified embedded atom method (MEAM) atomistic simulations at the nanoscale and single crystal micromechanical finite element simulations. This report summarizes the major research and development accomplishments for the LDRD project titled 'Atomistic Modeling of Nanowires, Small-scale Fatigue Damage in Cast Magnesium, and Materials for MEMS'. This project supported a strategic partnership between Sandia National Laboratories and the University of Colorado at Boulder by providing funding for the lead author, Ken Gall, and his students, while he was a member of the University of Colorado faculty.« less
Predictors of Transitioning to Incident Chronic Opioid Therapy Among Working-Age Adults in the United States.

Background Opioids have been prescribed and used for chronic noncancer pain at prolific rates in the United States during the past 2 decades. Patients who transition to incident chronic opioid therapy are at increased risk for significant negative health consequences, including cardiovascular risk, endocrine disorders, opioid use disorder, and death. Objective To identify the leading predictors associated with transitioning to incident chronic opioid therapy among working-age adults without cancer. Method This retrospective observational cohort study is based on medical and pharmacy claims of a nationally representative sample of adults enrolled in commercial health insurance plans. Standard parametric (logistic regressions) and nonparametric methods based on a decision tree were used for prediction. To facilitate comparison with the available published literature, we also present adjusted odds ratios (AORs) and 95% confidence intervals (CIs). The 10% random sample of 491,442 patients included in the study who were working-age adults (age, 28-63 years) were insured in a commercial health plan, did not have cancer, and initiated opioid therapy between January 2007 and May 2015. Transition to incident chronic opioid therapy was defined as having claims for at least a 90-day supply of opioids within 120 days after the index date (ie, initiation of opioid therapy). Predictive models used for the analysis comprised a comprehensive list of factors available in the claims data, including opioid regimen characteristics, pain conditions, physical and mental health conditions, concomitant medications use (ie, benzodiazepine, stimulants, nonopioid analgesics, and polypharmacy), patient characteristics, and health insurance type. Results In our sample, the transition to incident chronic opioid therapy was 1.3% and pain-specific diagnoses were documented for only one-third (31.7%) of patients. The 4 leading predictors of chronic opioid therapy were opioid duration of action (AOR, 12.28; 95% CI, 8.06-18.72), the parent opioid compound (eg, tramadol vs codeine; AOR, 7.26; 95% CI, 5.20-10.13), the presence of conditions that are very likely to cause chronic pain (AOR, 5.47; 95% CI, 3.89-7.68), and drug use disorders (AOR, 4.02; 95% CI, 2.53-6.40). Conclusion The initial opioid regimen's characteristics are powerful predictors of chronic opioid therapy. Predictive algorithms created from readily available claims data can be used to develop real-time predictions of the future risk for a patient's transition to chronic opioid use.
The Maxwell equations as a Bäcklund transformation

Backlund transformations (BTs) are a useful tool for integrating nonlinear partial differential equations (PDEs). However, the significance of BTs in linear problems should not be ignored. In fact, an important linear system of PDEs in Physics, namely, the Maxwell equations of Electromagnetism, may be viewed as a BT relating the wave equations for the electric and the magnetic field, these equations representing integrability conditions for solution of the Maxwell system. We examine the BT property of this system in detail, both for the vacuum case and for the case of a linear conducting medium.
Shuffle algebras associated to surfaces

We consider the algebra of Hecke correspondences (elementary transformations at a single point) acting on the algebraic K-theory groups of the moduli spaces of stable sheaves on a smooth projective surface S. We derive quadratic relations between the Hecke correspondences, and compare the algebra they generate with the Ding–Iohara–Miki algebra (at a suitable specialization of parameters), as well as with a generalized shuffle algebra.