cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Issues in rational planning in multi-agent settings

We adopt the decision-theoretic principle of expected utility maximization as a paradigm for designing autonomous rational agents operating in multi-agent environments. We use the formalism of partially observable Markov decision processes and generalize it to include the presence of other agents. Under common assumptions, belief-state MDP can be defined using agents' beliefs that include the agent's knowledge about the environment and about the other agents, including their knowledge about others' states of knowledge. The resulting solution corresponds to what has been called the decision-theoretic approach to game theory. Our approach complements the more traditional game-theoretic approach based on equilibria. Equilibria may be non-unique and do not capture off-equilibrium behaviors. Our approach seeks to avoid these problems, but does so at the cost of having to represent, process and continually update the complex nested state of agent's knowledge.
Domination and Consumption: an Examination of Veganism, Anarchism, and Ecofeminism

Anarchism provides a useful set of theoretical tools for understanding and resisting our culture’s treatment of non-human animals. However, some points of disagreement exist in anarchist discourse, such as the question of veganism. In this paper I will use the debate around veganism as a way of exploring the anarchist discourse on non-human animals, how that discourse can benefit more mainstream work on non-human animals, and how work coming out of mainstream environmental discourse, in particular the ecofeminist work of Val Plumwood, can likewise benefit anarchist thought. Ultimately I will show that anarchism and some of the more radical strains of environmental philosophy such as ecofeminism can greatly contribute to each other and to Critical Animal Studies. Normal 0 false false false EN-US X-NONE X-NONE /* Style Definitions */ table.MsoNormalTable {mso-style-name:"Table Normal"; mso-tstyle-rowband-size:0; mso-tstyle-colband-size:0; mso-style-noshow:yes; mso-style-priority:99; mso-style-qformat:yes; mso-style-parent:""; mso-padding-alt:0in 5.4pt 0in 5.4pt; mso-para-margin-top:0in; mso-para-margin-right:0in; mso-para-margin-bottom:10.0pt; mso-para-margin-left:0in; line-height:115%; mso-pagination:widow-orphan; font-size:11.0pt; font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif"; mso-ascii-font-family:Calibri; mso-ascii-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-theme-font:minor-fareast; mso-hansi-font-family:Calibri; mso-hansi-theme-font:minor-latin; mso-bidi-font-family:"Times New Roman"; mso-bidi-theme-font:minor-bidi;}
Commentary on Somatoform Illness and Patient Characteristics

Children with somatoform illness present a real diagnostic and management puzzle for the pediatric hospitalist. These children are a source of diagnostic confusion, often leading to unnecessary hospitalization, extensive testing, and frustration on the part of caretakers and providers. The psychiatric underpinnings of their clinical presentation are frequently only discovered through a process of elimination, leading to a diagnosis of exclusion for these children presenting with somatoform disorders. In this issue of Hospital Pediatrics , Bujoreanu and colleagues1 present their experience with this patient population in a large children’s hospital. This work, in association with a previous discussion on this topic in this journal,2 offers a way through this …
Selecting non-uniform units from a very large corpus for concatenative speech synthesizer

This paper proposes a two-module text to speech system (TTS) structure, which bypasses the prosody model that predicts numerical prosodic parameters for synthetic speech. Instead, many instances of each basic unit from a large speech corpus are classified into categories by a classification and regression tree (CART), in which the expectation of the weighted sum of square regression error of prosodic features is used as splitting criterion. Better prosody is achieved by keeping slender diversity in prosodic features of instances belonging to the same class. A multi-tier non-uniform unit selection method is presented. It makes the best decision on unit selection by minimizing the concatenated cost of a whole utterance. Since the largest available and suitable units are selected for concatenating, distortion caused by mismatches at concatenated points is minimized. Very natural and fluent speech is synthesized, according to informal listening test.
Some Experiments with Long Electrical Conductors

Working at frequencies from 12 to 152 cycles per second, an artificial antenna made up of numerous sections each having lumped capacity and inductance (and closely simulating an actual antenna), is carefully studied. The effective capacity, inductance, and resistance are measured and found to agree with theory; and the theoretical effects of capacity and inductance loading are similarly experimentally verified.
Raman spectroscopy and microscopy of individual cells and cellular components

Raman spectroscopy provides the unique opportunity to nondestructively analyze chemical concentrations in individual cells on the submicrometer length scale without the need for optical labels. This enables the rapid assessment of cellular biochemistry inside living cells, and it allows for their continued analysis. Here, we review recent developments in the analysis of single cells, subcellular compartments, and chemical imaging based on Raman spectroscopy. Spontaneous Raman spectroscopy provides for the full spectral assessment of cellular biochemistry, while coherent Raman techniques, such as coherent anti-Stokes Raman scattering is primarily used as an imaging tool comparable to confocal fluorescence microscopy. These techniques are complemented by surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy, which provides higher sensitivity and local specificity, and also extends the techniques to chemical indicators, i.e. pH sensing. We review the strengths and weaknesses of each technique, demonstrate some of their applications and discuss their potential for future research in cell biology and biomedicine.
Idiosyncratic Reactions to Phenytoin

We present a detailed case report of an idiosyncratic reaction to phenytoin and review the manifestations in 16 additional pediatric patients (2.5-21 years of age) described in the literature. These cases illustrate the frequency of fever (82%), rash (94%), lymphadenopathy (94%), hepatitis (94%), and eosinophilia (76%). This constellation of signs and symptoms will frequently mimic common pediatric illnesses so the pediatrician responsible for the care of the seizure patient being treated with phenotoin should be aware of the possibility of an idiosyncratic reaction. Delay in discontinuation of the drug may be life-threatening.
Recognition of atypical 5' splice sites by shifted base-pairing to U1 snRNA

Accurate pre-mRNA splicing is critical for gene expression. The 5' splice site (5' ss) — the highly diverse element at the 5' end of introns — is initially recognized via base-pairing to the 5' end of U1 small nuclear RNA (snRNA). However, many natural 5' ss have a very poor match to the consensus sequence, and are predicted to be very weak. Using genetic suppression experiments in human cells, we demonstrate that some atypical 5' ss are actually efficiently recognized by U1, in an alternative base-pairing register that is shifted by one nucleotide. These atypical 5' ss are phylogenetically widespread, and many of them are conserved. Moreover, shifted base-pairing provides an explanation for the effect of a 5' ss mutation associated with pontocerebellar hypoplasia. The unexpected flexibility in 5' ss/U1 base-pairing challenges an established paradigm, and has broad implications for splice-site prediction algorithms and gene-annotation efforts in genome projects.
Ballot Design and Unrecorded Votes on Paper-Based Ballots

The 2000 presidential election focused attention on the problem of unrecorded votes, in which a person casts a ballot but fails to record a valid vote for a particular contest. Although much recent research has evaluated voting technologies and their effects on unre- corded votes, there has been little research on the effects of ballot design. We argue that the same theories used to design and evaluate self-administered surveys can be used to analyze ballot features. We collect and code paper-based ballots used in the 2002 general election from 250 counties in 5 states. We code the ballots in terms of several graphic design elements, including the content and location of ballot instructions and the layout of candidate names and office titles. Our analysis suggests that several ballot features are associated with unre- corded votes (both overvotes and undervotes) in the gubernatorial con- tests. We also find that ballot design features exacerbate the racial disparity in unrecorded votes. Ballot design can be an important factor in determining whether voters are able to cast a ballot accurately, which can influence the legitimacy of elections. The 2000 presidential election and the Florida recount controversy illumi- nated the phenomenon of unrecorded votes (in which some voters come to polling places but fail to cast a valid vote for a particular contest). Roughly 2 million voters (almost 1 out of every 50 to cast a ballot) failed to cast a valid vote for president in the 2000 election (Caltech/MIT Voting Technology Project 2001). The Florida imbroglio prompted a new wave of research on election administration and a flurry of election reform laws in Congress and
Performance prediction in uncertain networked control systems using ℒ 1 -adaptation-based distributed event-triggering

This paper studies networked control systems in the presence of communication constraints and uncertainties. We propose an ℒ 1 -adaption-based distributed event-triggering broadcast scheme, where ℒ 1 adaptive controller is embedded in each subsystem. In this scheme, a subsystem broadcasts its state information to its neighbors when its local error exceeds a constant. We compare the resulting system with an ideal model that has perfect communication and no uncertainties. Performance bounds on these two system are derived. A trade-off is established among the performance bounds, the event thresholds, the adaptation rates, and the bandwidths of the low-pass filters in the ℒ 1 adaptation structure. With this scheme, the prediction of the performance of the networked control systems in the presence of uncertainties can be significantly improved. This is important for safety-critical applications.
Analytical Weak-Segregation Theory of Bicontinuous Phases in Diblock Copolymers

We compute phase diagrams for diblock copolymers in the mean-field weak- segregation regime as a function of the fraction f of A-monomers and the repulsive interaction XN. We include the ordered bicontinuous double-diamond (OBDD) phase (space group Pn3m) and the gyroid phase (space group Ia3d) as well as lamellae, hexagonal cylinders, and BCC spheres. We find a stable region of gyroid phase between cylinders and larnellae just above the mean-field critical point, in agreement with numerical mean-field calculations. The stability of gyroid depends on the presence of the next higher (220) reflections in addition to the (211) fundamental. The gyroid free energy is favored by terms of the form ~(~~~j ~bj220j and ~b(~i~j~bj220j; the analogous terms are not permitted for OBDD.
THE EFFECT OF NITROGEN SOURCE ON THE GROWTH AND TOXICITY OF THREE POTENTIALLY HARMFUL DINOFLAGELLATES

Increases in population and agriculture in coastal areas can result in increased nutrient inputs and alterations in the ratios of organic to inorganic nutrients in coastal waters. Such changes in coastal nutrient regimes can affect phytoplankton community structure by creating conditions favorable for growth and dominance of algae that were not dominant before. The effect that changes in ratios and concentrations of nutrients have on toxicity of harmful algal species is not well known. There seems to be a relationship; however, between nutrient stress and toxin production among harmful phytoplankton producing low-N toxins, e.g. Diarrhetic Shellfish Poisoning (DSP) toxins. Even less is known about the relationship between organic nutrient uptake and toxin production. Benthic species and species in coastal areas are probably exposed to greater fluxes of dissolved organic nitrogen (DON). In this study, benthic and planktonic species of Prorocentrum were grown on L1 media with the sole N-source varying among treatments as nitrate, ammonium, urea, L-glutamic acid, and high molecular weight natural DON. An ELISA specific to the DSP toxins, okadaic acid and 35-methylokadaic acid, was used to determine toxin production by each species when grown on the different N sources. Preliminary results indicate that some organic forms of N support growth as well as inorganic forms for Prorocentrum minimum, P. mexicanum, and P. hoffmannianum.
Relevance of compartmental anatomic guidelines for biopsy of musculoskeletal tumors: Retrospective review of 363 biopsies over a 6-year period

Abstract Purpose To retrospectively assess percutaneous core needle biopsies performed by radiologists and the association with tumor seeding along the biopsy tract when anatomic compartment guidelines are not consistently observed. Materials and Methods Retrospective data from computerized patient records and digital images from 363 consecutive computed tomography–guided biopsies of the lower extremity (thigh and leg) performed by radiologists at a single institution from August 2002 to August 2008 were analyzed for breaches of biopsy guidelines. Results Of the 363 biopsies, 243 (67%) were of soft tissue lesions and 120 (33%) were of bony lesions. There were 188 (52%) malignant and 175 (48%) benign lesions. The following biopsy breaches were observed: 13 (3.6%) of anatomic compartment, 42 (11.6%) of "vital structures," and 82 (68.3%) of needle path for bony tumors. Vital structures as defined by the literature included, but were not limited to, the following: knee joint capsule, greater trochanteric bursa, rectus femoris and vastus intermedius muscles, tibial tubercle, peroneus brevis and peroneus longus distal tendons, and neurovascular bundles. No cases of tumor recurrences could be attributed to needle seeding along a biopsy tract for any of these biopsy guideline breaches. Conclusions The concern for needle tract seeding with musculoskeletal tumors is more widespread than the evidence supporting it as a significant or frequent complication. In this study, breaching anatomic compartment, vital structures (other than neurovascular structures), and suggested exact needle path guidelines were not associated with needle tract seeding in the lower extremity.
Cache-and-query for wide area sensor databases

Webcams, microphones, pressure gauges and other sensors provide exciting new opportunities for querying and monitoring the physical world. In this paper we focus on querying wide area sensor databases, containing (XML) data derived from sensors spread over tens to thousands of miles. We present the first scalable system for executing XPATH queries on such databases. The system maintains the logical view of the data as a single XML document, while physically the data is fragmented across any number of host nodes. For scalability, sensor data is stored close to the sensors, but can be cached elsewhere as dictated by the queries. Our design enables self starting distributed queries that jump directly to the lowest common ancestor of the query result, dramatically reducing query response times. We present a novel query-evaluate gather technique (using XSLT) for detecting (1) which data in a local database fragment is part of the query result, and (2) how to gather the missing parts. We define partitioning and cache invariants that ensure that even partial matches on cached data are exploited and that correct answers are returned, despite our dynamic query-driven caching. Experimental results demonstrate that our techniques dramatically increase query throughputs and decrease query response times in wide area sensor databases.
Fluoroscopically guided transforaminal epidural steroid injections at a quaternary-care teaching institution: effect of trainee involvement and patient body mass index on fluoroscopy time and patient dose.

Aim To investigate whether there are differences in fluoroscopy time and patient dose for fluoroscopically guided lumbar transforaminal epidural steroid injections (TFESIs) performed by staff radiologists versus with trainees and to evaluate the effect of patient body mass index (BMI) on fluoroscopy time and patient dose, including their interactions with other variables. Materials and methods Single-level lumbar TFESIs (n=1844) between 1 January 2011 and 31 December 2013 were reviewed. Fluoroscopy time, reference point air kerma (Ka,r), and kerma area product (KAP) were recorded. BMI and trainee involvement were examined as predictors of fluoroscopy time, Ka,r, and KAP in models adjusted for age and gender in multivariable linear models. Stratified models of BMI groups by trainee presence were performed. Results Increased age was the only significant predictor of increased fluoroscopy time (p Conclusion Trainee involvement did not result in increased fluoroscopy time or patient dose. BMI did not affect fluoroscopy time; however, overweight and obese patients received significantly higher Ka,r and KAP. Male patients received a higher KAP in all BMI categories. Limiting fluoroscopy time and good collimation practices should be reinforced in these patients.
Limitations of subspace LDA in hyperspectral target recognition applications

Principal components analysis (PCA) is commonly used as a tool for feature space dimensionality reduction for various automatic target recognition (ATR) systems. Recently, PCA has also been employed in conjunction with linear discriminant analysis (LDA) to recondition ill posed LDA formulations. The key idea behind this approach is to use a PCA transformation to discard the null space of rank deficient scatter matrices so that LDA can be applied on this reconditioned space. This approach, called subspace LDA, has been employed with some level of success for face recognition algorithms. In this paper, we present a theoretical analysis of the effects of PCA on discrimination power of the projected subspace. We also provide experimental evidence of the ineffectiveness of a PCA projection for hyperspectral ATR applications using three different hyperspectral invasive species datasets.
A Profile of Visitors at Heritage Tourism Destinations in East Tennessee according to Plog’s Lifestyle and Activity Level Preferences Model

Since the end of World War II, great progress has been made in developing methods for profiling consumers in many specialized businesses, including the tourism industry. The purpose of this study was to develop a profile of visitors to nationally significant heritage tourism destinations in East Tennessee that was based on demographics and lifestyle and activity level preferences. The psychographic measures were tested for reliability and then compared to and contrasted with the demographic data that were provided by study participants. Findings confirmed that visitors at all destinations were extremely homogeneous with regard to their demographics and their lifestyle and activity level preferences.
A 46-Year-Old Man With Dyspnea and Left Diaphragm Paralysis

A 46-year-old man was referred because of increasing shortness of breath. His symptoms started 1 year prior after he fell while working in Iraq as a contractor. Progressively increasing shortness of breath developed on exertion with a nonproductive cough, and he could walk only 50 ft on presentation. Additional symptoms were occasional dysphagia, diplopia, mild short-term memory problems, morning headaches, hypersomnolence, and severe fatigue toward the end of the day. His medical history included coronary artery disease, obesity, obstructive sleep apnea, hypertension, dyslipidemia, and chronic low back pain, and he was an ex-smoker of 50 pack-years. The patient was on leave from work secondary to his shortness of breath and back pain. He was receiving the following medications: morphine sulfate, sustained release; cyclobenzaprine; tramadol; atorvastatin; clopidogrel; metoprolol; furosemide; and lansoprazole. Physical Examination The patient’s vital signs on presentation were as follows: temperature, 36.5° C; heart rate, 83 beats/min; BP, 125/64 mm Hg; respiratory rate, 22 breaths/min; oxygen saturation, 95% while breathing room air; and BMI, 33 kg/m 2 . General examination revealed a man who was overweight and slightly tachypneic. Head and neck examination showed Mallampati stage 3; chest examination revealed decreased air entry at the left base
Strategies To Suppress Aggregation of Recombinant Keratinocyte Growth Factor during Liquid Formulation Development

Recombinant human keratinocyte growth factor (rhKGF) is a fairly unstable protein, posing a challenging problem for long-term storage. During storage, the protein unfolds at relatively low temperatures and the unfolded proteins aggregate rapidly, leading to the formation of large visible precipitates. Thermal unfolding of rhKGF displays a similar pattern, i.e., unfolding is followed immediately by aggregation as the temperature is increased. As the unfolding and aggregation (precipitation) of rhKGF limit the storage life of the protein, a search for stabilizers to suppress rhKGF unfolding and aggregation has been done by examining the effects of excipients on thermal melting temperature and on the rate of protein aggregation during storage. Sulfated polysaccharides and citrate are found to be effective in increasing the melting temperature of rhKGF or preventing its aggregation. In particular, 0.5% (w/v) heparin and high molecular weight dextran sulfate, and 0.5 M citrate are highly effective, decreasing the rates of rhKGF aggregation by about 50-fold. Other negatively charged small ions, such as phosphate, also have moderate stabilizing effects on rhKGF. A mechanistic study of the aggregation pathway of rhKGF has led to a better understanding of the stabilizing effects of these molecules. Molecules which enhance rhKGF conformational stability are capable of effectively suppressing rhKGF aggregation.
Allergic reactions to foods

(1996). Allergic reactions to foods. Critical Reviews in Food Science and Nutrition: Vol. 36, No. sup001, pp. 19-38.
Preoperative Breast Magnetic Resonance Imaging and Contralateral Breast Cancer Occurrence Among Older Women With Breast Cancer.

PurposePreoperative magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) detects occult contralateral breast cancers (CBCs) in women with breast cancer, but the impact of detection on long-term CBC events is unclear. We examined whether MRI use decreases the occurrence of CBCs and the detection of stages II to IV disease among women who develop a CBC.Patients and MethodsAnalyzing the SEER-Medicare database, we assessed overall, synchronous (< 6 months after primary cancer diagnosis), and subsequent (ie, metachronous) stage-specific CBC occurrences in women who were diagnosed with stages I and II breast cancer during 2004-2009 and who were observed through 2011.ResultsAmong 38,971 women with breast cancer, 6,377 (16.4%) received preoperative MRI. After propensity score matching, and compared with women who did not undergo MRI, preoperative MRI use was significantly associated with a higher synchronous CBC detection rate (126.4 v 42.9 per 1,000 person-years, respectively; hazard ratio, 2.85; P < .001) but a lower subsequent CB...
Demonstration of the Recent Additions in Modeling Capabilities for the WEC-Sim Wave Energy Converter Design Tool

WEC-Sim is a midfidelity numerical tool for modeling wave energy conversion devices. The code uses the MATLAB SimMechanics package to solve multibody dynamics and models wave interactions using hydrodynamic coefficients derived from frequency domain boundary element methods. This paper presents the new modeling features introduced in the latest release of WEC-Sim. The first feature discussed is the conversion of the fluid memory kernel to a state-space approximation that provides significant gains in computational speed. The benefit of the state-space calculation becomes even greater after the hydrodynamic body-to-body coefficients are introduced as the number of interactions increases exponentially with the number of floating bodies. The final feature discussed is the capability to add Morison elements to provide additional hydrodynamic damping and inertia. This is generally used as a tuning feature, because performance is highly dependent on the chosen coefficients. In this paper, a review of the hydrodynamic theory for each of the features is provided and successful implementation is verified using test cases.Copyright © 2015 by ASME
Prediction of wireless sensor battery life

Most of the Wireless sensors today are powered using lithium batteries. The need to detect the end of life for these batteries has increased in the recent past due to a large manufacturing variation between suppliers and storing practices. It has become a challenge to explore the ways to access the health of these batteries in field due to the difficulty in measuring the internal state variables of the battery and also due to its inaccessibility. Failures of batteries in the field not only result in inconvenience and reduced availability of the wireless sensor, but also risk catastrophic consequences due to the unavailability of sensors to detect the anomaly. As a result, the current research work focuses on evaluating the battery end of life through a laboratory testing that could reproduce the field environment. Using the measured state variables an attempt is made to predict the battery health before it is introduced to the field. The research also entails developing a bulk capacitance system that can act as secondary charge storage to help increase the primary battery life during peak current draw. Using a tree based classifier a prediction methodology is developed considering both the battery and bulk capacitance parameters to estimate the overall battery health or end of life.
Reduced paraventricular nucleus norepinephrine responsiveness in obesity-prone rats

Male Sprague-Dawley rats prone to develop diet-induced obesity (DIO-prone) when fed a high-energy diet have several deficits in brain noradrenergic function compared with diet-resistant (DR) rats. To further characterize these deficits, 3-mo-old rats were identified prospectively as being DIO- or DR-prone rats by their high (DIO-prone) or low (DR-prone) 24-h urine norepinephrine (NE) levels. Saturation-binding studies with 0.2-20 nM [3H] paraminoclonidine to alpha 2-adrenoceptors showed 27-54% decreases in maximal binding capacity in the anterior hypothalamic area, paraventricular nucleus (PVN) and ventromedial hypothalamic nucleus (VMN), and basolateral amygdalar nucleus of DIO- vs. DR-prone rats. The areal extent of the VMN was selectively reduced by 15% in DIO-prone rats. Freely moving, catheterized DIO-prone rats had higher basal plasma glucose (9%) and insulin (31%) levels. Bilateral 3 nmol NE infusions over 20 min into the PVN increased plasma NE (175%) and insulin (31%) levels in DR-prone rats but decreased plasma insulin by 17% and did not alter plasma NE levels in DIO-prone rats. PVN NE infusions had no effect on plasma epinephrine or glucose or motor activity in either group. Thus reduced PVN alpha 2-adrenoceptor binding is associated with a selective reduction in NE-induced sympathetic activation and insulin release, suggesting a postsynaptic, noradrenergic deficit in DIO-prone rats.
Wither Goest Thou CeAl2

Germane to this conference is the theoretical and experimental question of how a periodic array of rare earth atoms can pass from a local moment (magnetically ordered), to a “Kondo” nonmagnetic, to a mixed valent nonmagnetic ground state. At present it is unclear whether the ground state of the intermetallic compound CeAl2 falls in the ordered magnetic or the “Kondo” nonmagnetic regime. At about 3.9° K there are a set of anomalies in thermal expansion, specific heat and susceptibility1 which appear to be indicative a second order phase transition. Cornut,2 Tournier and Holtzberg,3 and Loewenhaupt and Steglich4 have discussed Kondo effects in this compound. In this paper we will discuss the measurements of thermal expansion, magnetostriction and specific heat near the transition into the low temperature phase (LTP) of CeAl2.
Facility Design and Health Management Program at the Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory.

Abstract The number of researchers and institutions moving to the utilization of zebrafish for biomedical research continues to increase because of the recognized advantages of this model. Numerous factors should be considered before building a new or retooling an existing facility. Design decisions will directly impact the management and maintenance costs. We and others have advocated for more rigorous approaches to zebrafish health management to support and protect an increasingly diverse portfolio of important research. The Sinnhuber Aquatic Research Laboratory (SARL) is located ∼3 miles from the main Oregon State University campus in Corvallis, Oregon. This facility supports several research programs that depend heavily on the use of adult, larval, and embryonic zebrafish. The new zebrafish facility of the SARL began operation in 2007 with a commitment to build and manage an efficient facility that diligently protects human and fish health. An important goal was to ensure that the facility was free of...
A Critical Analysis of the International Space Station as a Space Tourism Destination

Th e International Space Station (ISS) serves important scientific and operational purposes, advancing our understanding of how to live in space and accumulating a practical body of knowledge. Another funct ion has been served by the ISS, that of destination for space tourists. This study examines the suitability of the ISS as a recreational venue. We found that there is a sufficient demand for commercial space tourism services, and that at present there is no alternative destina tion to th e ISS. Unfortunately, a number of im pe di ment s might make the ISS a suboptimal space tourism venue . In addition, several potentially serious consequence s would result from allocation of ISS time and resources to serving as a hotel.
Native fungal endophytes suppress an exotic dominant and increase plant diversity over small and large spatial scales

Understanding community dynamics and processes, such as the factors that generate and maintain biodiversity, drive succession, and affect invasion susceptibility, is a central goal in ecology and evolution. While most studies of how species interactions affect communities have focused on highly visible macroorganisms, we show that mutualistic microfungal endophytes have community-level effects across their host plant's range and provide the first example of fungal endophytes enhancing plant diversity. A three-year field study in which we experimentally manipulated endophyte abundance in a native Californian grass showed that despite their minute biomass, endophytes dramatically increased plant community diversity (~110% greater increase with endophytes) by suppressing a dominant invasive grass, Bromus diandrus. This effect was also detectable, but smaller, across five additional common gardens spanning ecologically diverse habitats, different climates, and > 400 km of the host grass' range as well as at microspatial scales within gardens. Our study illustrates that mutualistic microbes, while often hidden players, can have unexpectedly large ecological impacts across a wide range of habitats and scales and may be important for promoting diverse communities and ecosystems.
Review: Foam-based, constant low-pressure mattresses are better than standard hospital mattresses for reducing pressure ulcers.

Source Citation Cullum N, McInnes E, Bell-Syer SE, Legood R. Support surfaces for pressure ulcer prevention. Cochrane Database Syst Rev. 2004;(3):CD001735. 15266452
An Important Mimic of Inguinal Hernia

Spermatic cord malignancy is a rare and challenging diagnosis, often misdiagnosed as an inguinal hernia or cord lipoma. In these images, we show a 61-year-old male for whom laparoscopic repair of clinically diagnosed hernia was attempted. Laparoscopy revealed closed internal ring without hernia. Imaging showed large paratesticular mass; radical inguinal excision of testicle, cord, and mass was performed. Pathology showed mixed low-grade and high-grade sarcoma. Liposarcoma should be considered in cases of unusual inguinal mass; appropriate imaging can guide surgical approach and optimize outcomes.
Unilateral lesions of the dorsocentral striatum (DCS) disrupt spatial and temporal characteristics of food protection behavior

Spatial and temporal information processing provide a foundation for higher cognitive functions. The survival of animals depends on integrating spatial and temporal information to organize behavior. In general, previous research has focused on only one source of information processing; however, there is evidence to support a convergence in the processing of egocentric-spatial and temporal information within a cortico-striatal system of structures. The current study evaluated the contributions of the dorsocentral striatum (DCS) to egocentric-spatial and temporal (within the seconds-to-minutes range) processing of information using a food protection task. Long-Evans rats received unilateral NMDA lesions of the DCS followed by testing in a food protection task. Performance in this task is mediated by the motivation of the animal to consume a food item, their perception of the time required to consume a food item, their sensory ability to process egocentric cues, and their motor ability to evade an incoming conspecific. Unilateral DCS lesions were shown to impact both spatial and temporal characteristics of food protection. These results suggest that the DCS may be a critical structure for the integration of egocentric-spatial and temporal information within the interval timing range.
Lesbians and bisexual women and men have higher scores on the Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5) than heterosexual counterparts

Abstract The Personality Inventory for the DSM-5 (PID-5) is an assessment instrument included with the DSM-5's hybrid model of personality disorders. It includes 25 personality facets comprising 5 domains. This research continues validating the instrument by testing disparities between LGB and heterosexual individuals' PID-5 scores and potential diagnostic classifications. Because no other DSM editions have included LGB personality disorder prevalence rates, this research also addresses a gap in the literature by including early epidemiological data using the new hybrid model. This study included US women and men (N = 1024; 533 females) who were recruited online. Lesbians and bisexual women and men had greater scores on several PID-5 domains and facets relative to heterosexual peers. Additionally, using t-scores normed with a national sample, lesbians and bisexual individuals were classified into personality disorder diagnostic categories more often than heterosexual counterparts. This disparity was especially pronounced in bisexual women, who had significantly greater prevalence rates than heterosexual women in 7 of 10 diagnostic categories. Unexpectedly, gay men had scores similar to those of heterosexual men. These findings are a necessary first step in establishing personality disorder prevalence rates for LGB people, and they demonstrate the need for personality disorder research in LGB populations.
Initial Stages of Na2SO4-Induced Degradation of β-Ni–36Al at 700 °C: I-Intrinsic Behavior

The early-stage scaling behavior of a β-Ni–36Al alloy undergoing Na2SO4-deposit-induced degradation at 700 °C was systematically studied using SEM and TEM. After 20 h of exposure in an O2–1000 ppm SO2 ambient, the deposit-coated alloy formed a dense but thin Al2O3 scale on most areas of the surface; however, large nodules formed locally. Nodule formation occurred where the scale had lost its protective character, with rapid internal oxidation ensuing. The presence of sulfur both in the environment and in the salt played a key role in nodule formation. Removal of SO2/SO3 from the gas mixture, or of the Na2SO4 deposit from the surface, prevented nodule formation, while removing the sulfur source after nodule formation prevented further nodule growth. The degradation could be linked to the dissolution of reaction products in the Na2SO4 deposit and the formation of a low-temperature eutectic liquid. Further, when an Na2SO4–48% MgSO4 deposit was used, the nodule density increased.
Plasma Membrane Na⁺-Coupled Citrate Transporter (SLC13A5) and Neonatal Epileptic Encephalopathy.

SLC13A5 is a Na+-coupled transporter for citrate that is expressed in the plasma membrane of specific cell types in the liver, testis, and brain. It is an electrogenic transporter with a Na+:citrate3− stoichiometry of 4:1. In humans, the Michaelis constant for SLC13A5 to transport citrate is ~600 μM, which is physiologically relevant given that the normal concentration of citrate in plasma is in the range of 150–200 μM. Li+ stimulates the transport function of human SLC13A5 at concentrations that are in the therapeutic range in patients on lithium therapy. Human SLC13A5 differs from rodent Slc13a5 in two important aspects: the affinity of the human transporter for citrate is ~30-fold less than that of the rodent transporter, thus making human SLC13A5 a low-affinity/high-capacity transporter and the rodent Slc13a5 a high-affinity/low-capacity transporter. In the liver, SLC13A5 is expressed exclusively in the sinusoidal membrane of the hepatocytes, where it plays a role in the uptake of circulating citrate from the sinusoidal blood for metabolic use. In the testis, the transporter is expressed only in spermatozoa, which is also only in the mid piece where mitochondria are located; the likely function of the transporter in spermatozoa is to mediate the uptake of citrate present at high levels in the seminal fluid for subsequent metabolism in the sperm mitochondria to generate biological energy, thereby supporting sperm motility. In the brain, the transporter is expressed mostly in neurons. As astrocytes secrete citrate into extracellular medium, the potential function of SLC13A5 in neurons is to mediate the uptake of circulating citrate and astrocyte-released citrate for subsequent metabolism. Slc13a5-knockout mice have been generated; these mice do not have any overt phenotype but are resistant to experimentally induced metabolic syndrome. Recently however, loss-of-function mutations in human SLC13A5 have been found to cause severe epilepsy and encephalopathy early in life. Interestingly, there is no evidence of epilepsy or encephalopathy in Slc13a5-knockout mice, underlining the significant differences in clinical consequences of the loss of function of this transporter between humans and mice. The markedly different biochemical features of human SLC13A5 and mouse Slc13a5 likely contribute to these differences between humans and mice with regard to the metabolic consequences of the transporter deficiency. The exact molecular mechanisms by which the functional deficiency of the citrate transporter causes epilepsy and impairs neuronal development and function remain to be elucidated, but available literature implicate both dysfunction of GABA (γ-aminobutyrate) signaling and hyperfunction of NMDA (N-methyl-d-aspartate) receptor signaling. Plausible synaptic mechanisms linking loss-of-function mutations in SLC13A5 to epilepsy are discussed.
Myxofibrosarcoma: First report of myxofibrosarcoma of bone arising at a bone infarct

Approximately 3300 new primary bone tumors will present to American physicians this year. This small but important group of malignancies has become more defined with developments in pathologic morphology, immunohistochemistry, and molecular studies. As tumor types are better partitioned, their specific characteristics are more readily observed. In this article we present the first reported case of a myxofibrosarcoma of bone developing within a bone infarct. With improved delineation of rarer tumor types, it is expected that additional cases of myxofibrosarcoma of bone will be recognized, potentially arising from a bone infarct. By framing the context, describing the case, and sharing pertinent figures, we hope to facilitate this recognition.
Developing Citizen Leaders through Community Outreach Strategies in School-based Physical Education

The aim of this article is to outline a teaching technique that integrates physical education, community outreach strategies, and citizen leadership.
Human Papillomavirus 16 E7 Stabilizes APOBEC3A Protein by Inhibiting Cullin 2-Dependent Protein Degradation

APOBEC3 (A3) mutation signatures have been observed in a variety of human cancer genomes, including those of cervical and head and neck cancers caused by human papillomavirus (HPV) infection. However, the driving forces that promote off-target A3 activity remain mostly unclear. Here, we report a mechanism for the dramatic increase of A3A protein levels in HPV-positive keratinocytes. We show that expression of the viral protein E7 from high-risk HPVs, but not E7 from low-risk HPVs, significantly prolongs the cellular half-life of A3A protein in human keratinocytes and HPV-positive cancer cell lines. We have mapped several residues within the cullin 2 (CUL2) binding motif of HPV16 E7 as being important for mediating A3A protein stabilization. Furthermore, we provide direct evidence that both A3A and HPV16 E7 interact with CUL2, suggesting that the E7-CUL2 complex formed during HPV infection may regulate A3A protein levels in the cell. Using an in vitro cytidine deaminase assay, we show that E7-stabilized A3A remains catalytically active. Taken together, our findings suggest that the HPV oncoprotein E7 dysregulates endogenous A3A protein levels and thus provides novel mechanistic insight into cellular triggers of A3 mutations in HPV-positive cancers.IMPORTANCE Human papillomavirus (HPV) is causally associated with over 5% of all human malignancies. Several recent studies have shown that a subset of cancers, including HPV-positive head and neck and cervical cancers, have distinct mutational signatures potentially caused by members of the APOBEC3 cytidine deaminase family. However, the mechanism that induces APOBEC3 activity in cancer cells is poorly understood. Here, we report that the HPV oncoprotein E7 stabilizes the APOBEC3A (A3A) protein in human keratinocytes by inhibiting ubiquitin-dependent protein degradation in a cullin-dependent manner. Interestingly, the HPV E7-stabilized A3A protein maintains its deaminase activity. These findings provide a new insight into cancer mutagenesis enhanced by virus-induced A3A protein stabilization.
Thermodynamic and Kinetic study of the removal of Cu2+ and Pb2+ ions from aqueous solution using Fe7S8 nanomaterial.

Abstract In the present study, pyrrhotite (Fe7S8) was investigated for the removal of Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions from aqueous solution. The Fe7S8 material was prepared through a solvothermal method and was characterized using XRD. The average particle size for the nanomaterial was determined to be 29.86 ± 0.87 nm using XRD analysis and Scherrer's equation. Batch studies were performed to investigate the effects of pH, time, temperature, interfering ions, and the binding capacity of Pb2+ and Cu2+ ions to the Fe7S8 nanomaterial. During the pH profile studies, the optimum pH for the binding of Pb2+ and Cu2+ was determined to be pH 5 for both cations. Isotherm studies were conducted from which the thermodynamics and binding capacities for both Cu2+ and Pb2+ were determined. The binding capacity for Pb2+ and Cu2+ binding to the Fe7S8 were determined to be 0.039 and 0.102 mmol/g, respectively at 25 °C. The thermodynamic parameters indicated a ∆G for the sorption of Pb2+ ranged from 5.07 kJ/mol to −2.45 kJ/mol indicating a non-spontaneous process was occurring. Whereas, the ∆G for Cu2+ ion binding ranged from 9.78 kJ/mol to −11.23 kJ/mol indicating a spontaneous process at higher temperatures. The enthalpy indicated an endothermic reaction was occurring for the binding of Pb2+ and Cu2+ to the Fe7S8 nanomaterial with ∆H values of 55.8 kJ/mol and 153.5 kJ/mol, respectively. Furthermore, the ∆S values for the reactions were positive indicating an increase in the entropy of the system after metal ion binding. Activation energy studies indicated the binding for both Pb2+ and Cu2+ occurred through chemisorption.
Promoting Democracy: Mass Political Communication During the Presidency of Thomas Jefferson

This paper examines the relationship between Thomas Jefferson and the National Intelligencer, the Washington, D.C., newspaper that was used to promote his presidency and Republican principles and positions. The paper also presents case studies of how judicially-based controversies during Jefferson’s first term were addressed in the newspaper. The case studies are: Marbury v. Madison, other court cases concerning the repeal in 1802 of the Judiciary Act of 1801, and the impeachment of Supreme Court Justice Samuel Chase.
Dave and Millie: A Tale of Two Entrepreneurs

Two entrepreneurs have just been told by their venture capital backer to prepare a list of possible cuts to help them weather the 2008-2009 economic downturn. The impact on each firm is very different: one is a later-stage company with revenues in excess of $100 million; the other a pre-revenue company trying to raise its first institutional round. The entrepreneurs must consider their options and the impact on their companies' growth and, perhaps, survival.
A chromatographic estimate of the degree of heterogeneity of RPLC packing materials 1. Non-endcapped polymeric C30-bonded stationary phase

A new chromatographic method estimating the degree of heterogeneity of RPLC packing materials is based on the results of systematic measurements of the adsorption data in a wide concentration range for selected probe compounds. These data are acquired by frontal analysis (FA), modeled, and used for the calculation of the adsorption energy distribution (AED). Four compounds were used, two neutral compounds of different molecular sizes (caffeine and phenol) and two ionizable compounds of opposite charges, 2-naphthalene sulfonate, an anion, and propranololium, a cation. This work was done on a C{sub 30}-bonded silica stationary phase (Prontosil-C{sub 30}), using the same aqueous mobile phase (30% methanol, v/v) for all compounds, except that sodium chloride (25 mM) was added to elute the ionizable compounds. All four adsorption isotherms have Langmuirian behavior. The AEDs are tri-modal for phenol, quadri-modal for caffeine. The total saturation capacity of the stationary phase is four-fold lower for caffeine than for phenol, due in part to its larger molecular size. The equilibrium constants on the low-energy sites of types 1 and 2 are eight-fold larger. These two types of sites characterize the heterogeneity of the bonded layer itself. The density of the high-energy sites of types 3 and 4more » is higher for caffeine, suggesting that caffeine molecules can be accommodated in some hydrophobic cages into which smaller molecules like phenol cannot. These high-energy types of sites characterize the heterogeneity of the whole stationary phase (silica support included). The ionizable compounds have larger molecules than the neutral ones and, accordingly, a lower relative density of sites of type 2 to sites of type 1. A tri-modal and a quadri-modal energy distributions were observed for the 2-naphthalene sulfonate anion and the propranololium cation, respectively. The fourth types of sites measured and its unusually high equilibrium constant are most probably due to ion-exchange interactions between the non-endcapped ionized silanols and the propranololium ion. No such strong interactions are observed with the anionic compound.« less