cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Future Challenges and Sustainability Opportunities

Abstract In the past two decades, public transit agencies have aggressively tackled the challenge, influenced by ongoing climate change, in implementing numerous sustainable initiatives in many projects and pilot programs. Many have grown, proliferated, and continue to evolve. Potential future sustainability initiatives which should be cultivated include the growing implementation of wayside energy storage systems, an all-electric bus fleet, and a transit system with a dedicated renewable energy electricity generating power plant. There are many challenges and opportunities sustainability professionals face to save energy, prevent pollution, and reduce greenhouses gases, including the chance to utilize subway tunnel ground water infiltration as an energy medium for heating and cooling, and using geothermal energy to harness the earth’s free energy. Green infrastructure can help manage storm water and save energy, and climate adaptation measures can provide flood protection for the subway environment. New and innovative advanced technologies are always being considered, and future sustainability initiatives become stronger working in combination with each other.
Hybrid Reconstruction for Post-thrombotic Iliofemoral Venous Obstruction

Chronic, post-thrombotic iliofemoral (IF) and inferior vena caval (IVC) obstruction is associated with debiliting morbidity. While balloon venoplasty and stenting are often successful for isolated iliac vein lesions, when performed in the presence of a diseased/occluded common femoral vein (CFV), failure is common. A hybrid operative procedure which includes an open surgical CFV endovenectomy followed by endoluminal recanalization or bypass of the obstructed iliofemoral-vena caval segments has been developed and modified.
Review of approaches to the investigation of the scattering properties of material media

An attempt is made to identify gaps in the current understanding of the backscattering properties of natural media, with attention both to fundamental questions which relate to the physics of scattering from such media, and applications-related considerations of the extraction of data of interest to the user from a given sensor image output. It is suggested that experiments be conducted, and models developed, for the areas of canopy constituents' dielectric and attenuation properties, volume geometry, and emission characteristics, as well as backscattering properties.
The Rationalizing Voter

Political behavior is the result of innumerable unnoticed forces and conscious deliberation is often a rationalization of automatically triggered feelings and thoughts. Citizens are very sensitive to environmental contextual factors such as the title 'President' preceding 'Obama' in a newspaper headline, upbeat music or patriotic symbols accompanying a campaign ad, or question wording and order in a survey, all of which have their greatest influence when citizens are unaware. This book develops and tests a dual-process theory of political beliefs, attitudes and behavior, claiming that all thinking, feeling, reasoning and doing have an automatic component as well as a conscious deliberative component. The authors are especially interested in the impact of automatic feelings on political judgments and evaluations. This research is based on laboratory experiments, which allow the testing of five basic hypotheses: hot cognition, automaticity, affect transfer, affect contagion and motivated reasoning.
Embedded Affective Assessment

This work-in-progress paper provides initial details in an early and ongoing process to embed affective assessment of student development throughout a new engineering program. Assessment of student knowledge, skills, attitudes & values, and behaviors is an important part of course and program assessment. Affective assessment covers the attitudes, values, and behaviors that students develop throughout their undergraduate engineering career. The overarching framework that guides the affective development, and therefore the affective assessment, of undergraduate engineers in this program is the Community of Practice framework. Current status of the affective development and assessment program is shared, including results from an engineering beliefs and identity survey and methods for incorporating the Community of Practice framework into the undergraduate engineering curriculum.
High temperature dependent elastic properties of single crystalline SnSe

In recent years, single crystalline SnSe has been widely studied as a thermoelectric material which exhibits a high thermoelectric figure of merit (ZT ~ 2.6 at T > 900 K). The efficiency has been enhanced due to the significantly low thermal conductivity, arising from the strong lattice anharmonicity of the layered orthorhombic crystal structure. A study of the thermo-elastic properties of single crystalline SnSe is essential to gain a better understanding of the lattice anharmonicity and the low thermal conductivity. The highly anisotropic orthorhombic crystal structure of SnSe results in nine independent elastic constants. This work seeks to investigate the temperature dependent elastic constants of single crystalline SnSe, using resonant ultrasound spectroscopic (RUS). Here, we report the experimentally observed elastic constants and their variation at elevated temperature from room temperature to ~775 K. The temperature dependent elastic and thermal properties have been derived from the elastic constants and compared to independent heat capacity data.
Architecture design for performing grasp-and-lift tasks in brain–machine-interface-based human-in-the-loop robotic system

Human-in-the-loop robotic system is an emerging technique in recent years. Human intelligence as well as machine intelligence are incorporated to accomplish tasks efficiently and effectively. However, grasp-and-lift (GAL) tasks through human–robot interactions are still a problem in an unstructured environment like urban search and rescue. Human assistive GAL tasks enable robots to complete search or rescue procedures quickly and accurately. Brain–machine interface (BMI) controlled robots have demonstrated promising applications in human–robot collaborative manipulations. In this study, an architecture of human–robot team is proposed for performing GAL tasks in BMI-based human–robot systems. The proposed architecture contains several workflows from both human and robot aspects to improve performance. In addition, human brain activities are generally considered as non-stationary signals with varying spatial and temporal distributions. To enhance robustness and stability of brain-controlled robot's GAL tasks, a new method via adaptive boosting mechanism is proposed. The proposed multiple subjects' adaptive boosting is able to suppress noisy data and outliers in multiple subjects’ electroencephalogram signals, and therefore enhance accuracy and robustness of intention and sensation signal classification in GAL tasks. Preliminary results show that the new architecture is feasible with ethical establishment and the proposed method can outperform traditional methods.
A reflective professional development intervention model of early writing instruction

This study presents a professional development (PD) model for promoting preschool teachers’ writing instruction utilizing teachers’ reflective practices. Thirteen prekindergarten teachers were foll...
Effect of Prime Mover's Characteristics on the Survivability of a Synchronous Generator during Transient Overload Conditions

Recently, prime-mover stalling phenomenon was observed in a synchronous generator-based DER for large step load changes during experimental testing at the CERTS Microgrid. It is found to highly impact the generator's survivability during transient overload conditions. The stalling occurs in synchronous generator-based DER because of a sustained imbalance between electrical load demand and mechanical power available from the prime mover, thus depleting the generator's stored kinetic energy. In particular, mechanical power capability of the prime mover and stored kinetic energy in the rotating mass are the contributing factors. Therefore, this paper evaluates three different prime movers for DER survivability. The characteristics of most commonly used prime movers such as a reciprocating engine and gas turbine are investigated during transient overload conditions by case studies using PSCAD/EMTDC software.
Prediabetes and Risk for Cardiovascular Disease by Hypertension Status in Black Adults: The Jackson Heart Study.

OBJECTIVE Recent studies have suggested that prediabetes is associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) only among individuals with concomitant hypertension. RESEARCH DESIGN AND METHODS We analyzed the association between prediabetes and CVD by hypertension status among 3,313 black adults in the Jackson Heart Study (JHS) without diabetes or a history of CVD at baseline (2000–2004). Prediabetes was defined as fasting plasma glucose between 100 and 125 mg/dL or hemoglobin A1c between 5.7 and 6.4% (39 and 46 mmol/mol). Hypertension was defined as systolic/diastolic blood pressure ≥140/90 mmHg and/or self-reported antihypertensive medication use. Participants were followed for incident CVD events and all-cause mortality through 31 December 2014. RESULTS Overall, 35% of JHS participants did not have prediabetes or hypertension, 18% had prediabetes alone, 22% had hypertension alone, and 25% had both prediabetes and hypertension. Compared with participants without either condition, the multivariable-adjusted hazard ratios for CVD events among participants with prediabetes alone, hypertension alone, and both prediabetes and hypertension were 0.86 (95% CI 0.51, 1.45), 2.09 (1.39, 3.14), and 1.93 (1.28, 2.90), respectively. Among participants with and without hypertension, there was no association between prediabetes and an increased risk for CVD (0.78 [0.46, 1.34] and 0.94 [0.70, 1.26], respectively). No association was present between prediabetes and all-cause mortality among participants with or without hypertension. CONCLUSIONS Regardless of hypertension status, prediabetes was not associated with an increased risk for CVD or all-cause mortality in this cohort of black adults.
Predicting Dyslexia in Children with Developmental Language Disorder.

Purpose In this study, we examine how well kindergarten letter identification and phonological awareness predict 2nd grade word reading and dyslexia in children with developmental language disorder (DLD) and their age- and grade-matched peers with typical language (TL). Method We employ (a) logistic regression to determine how letter identification and phonological awareness predict dyslexia, that is, dichotomous categorization of good or poor word reading, in children with DLD and TL and (b) quantile regression to determine how letter identification and phonological awareness are associated with word reading abilities on a continuum in these groups of children. Results Logistic regression revealed that letter identification was the only significant, unique kindergarten predictor of dyslexia in 2nd grade children with DLD, when compared to phonological awareness. In children with TL, both kindergarten letter identification and phonological awareness significantly predicted dyslexia in 2nd grade. Quantile regression revealed that kindergarten letter identification was a stronger predictor of 2nd grade word reading for average and lower achieving word readers with DLD and their peers with TL compared to higher performing readers. Phonological awareness was weakly associated with word reading across the full continuum of word reading abilities in children with DLD. Conclusion Letter identification is a more accurate predictor of poor word reading and dyslexia than phonological awareness in kindergarten children with DLD, which has important implications for recent U.S. legislation around early identification of dyslexia in all children.
Evidence for anti-synergism between ion-assisted etching and in-plasma photoassisted etching of silicon in a high-density chlorine plasma

Etching of p-Si in 60 mTorr 10%Cl2/90%Ar Faraday-shielded inductively coupled high density plasmas was investigated under both ion-assisted etching (IAE) and photoassisted etching (PAE) conditions. Real-time etching rates and after-etching Si surface chemical compositions were obtained by laser interferometry and vacuum-transfer x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Precisely controlled ion energy distributions (IEDs) were generated by applying pulsed negative DC bias on the conductive sample stage. Above a 36 eV threshold at a total flow rate of 250 SCCM, the IAE rate increased with the square root of the ion energy. In contrast to the DC bias, etching under RF bias did not exhibit a threshold ion energy because of the wide IED. XPS spectra revealed that the surface layer under PAE conditions had a significantly lower chlorine content, composed of only SiCl. Under IAE conditions, however, silicon dangling bonds (Si•), SiCl2, and SiCl3 were found on the surface, in addition to SiCl, with a relative abundance of SiCl > SiCl2 > SiCl3. The absence of higher chlorides and Si• under PAE conditions suggested that vacuum ultraviolet photons and above threshold-energy ions interact with the surface very differently. By varying the duty cycle of the pulsed DC bias, it was found that the IAE rate scaled with the energetic ion dose, but only for low duty cycles. For higher duty cycles, the apparent IAE yield fell off with an increasing Cl coverage on the surface, as the duty cycle went up, which pointed to a negative synergy (antisynergism) between PAE and IAE as the explanation. This antisynergism was further supported by the observed decrease of the total etching rate with an increasing period of the pulsed DC bias. A plausible mechanism is that increasing the pulsing period causes more near-surface damage, creating more recombination centers that lead to a higher loss rate of electron-hole pairs through recombination, thereby reducing the PAE rate.Etching of p-Si in 60 mTorr 10%Cl2/90%Ar Faraday-shielded inductively coupled high density plasmas was investigated under both ion-assisted etching (IAE) and photoassisted etching (PAE) conditions. Real-time etching rates and after-etching Si surface chemical compositions were obtained by laser interferometry and vacuum-transfer x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), respectively. Precisely controlled ion energy distributions (IEDs) were generated by applying pulsed negative DC bias on the conductive sample stage. Above a 36 eV threshold at a total flow rate of 250 SCCM, the IAE rate increased with the square root of the ion energy. In contrast to the DC bias, etching under RF bias did not exhibit a threshold ion energy because of the wide IED. XPS spectra revealed that the surface layer under PAE conditions had a significantly lower chlorine content, composed of only SiCl. Under IAE conditions, however, silicon dangling bonds (Si•), SiCl2, and SiCl3 were found on the surface, in addition to SiCl, with a...
African Americans, Caregiving, and Physical Health Ratings: Does Culture, Religion and Spirituality Provide Support?

Caregiving can be both distressing and physically demanding, especially among African Americans. This study uses data from the National Survey of American Life (NSAL) to examine the relationship between religion and spirituality experiences on health ratings among African American caregivers. Logistic regression analyses were performed on a sample including 4461 African American and white participants. All analyses were weighted and used STATA 14. African American participants who endorsed religiosity (OR 1.44, 95% confidence interval [CI] 1.06, 1.97) and white participants who endorsed religiosity (OR 2.40, CI 1.07, 5.40) recorded higher ratings of physical health than those who did not endorse being religious. Maintaining family closeness for African Americans is significantly associated with higher ratings of physical health (OR 2.02, CI 1.39, 2.94). Overall, the findings underscore how maintaining a religious or spiritual lens can enhance health outcomes among African Americans caregivers who need support.
Liquid–Liquid Extraction Thermodynamic Parameter Estimator (LLEPE) for Multicomponent Separation Systems

Gibbs energy minimization is a powerful tool for modeling liquid–liquid equilibrium (LLE) in multicomponent systems, but it requires key thermodynamic parameters that may not be readily available. Our earlier work demonstrated an approach for estimating these properties via regression to equilibrium isotherm data but identified limitations regarding applicability to higher-concentration systems, sensitivity to experimental data, and ease of implementation. To extend the accessibility and applicability of Gibbs energy minimization for modeling LLE, this study presents the open-source, liquid–liquid equilibrium parameter estimator (LLEPE) package for estimating thermodynamic parameters. LLEPE extends parameter estimation to include aqueous-phase Pitzer coefficients that capture the effects of ionic interactions and offers analysis and visualization tools that assess experimental data quality and model prediction accuracy. We apply LLEPE to a rare earth extraction case study where we incorporate data filtering and Pitzer parameter fitting to reduce the effect of outlier data, capture the contribution of ion interactions, and ultimately improve overall prediction accuracy for multicomponent data. Our results show that filtering data decreases the prediction error by removing outliers, and fitting Pitzer parameters increases overall prediction accuracy, especially for high-concentration systems. Iteratively fitting to a combined dataset increases prediction accuracy for multicomponent data for low to medium feed concentrations.
Phenomenological method and philosophy of history

The purpose of this study is to examine the phenomenological method as it applies to the philosophy of history. This leads me to divide my inquiry into two parts. I shall begin by examining the phenomenological method in a general way, explaining how I view the essential features of the method and its status in the context of philosophy generally conceived. Then, in a second part, I shall turn to its application to the philosophy of history.
Differences in treatment patterns and overall survival between grade II and anaplastic pleomorphic xanthoastrocytomas.

Pleomorphic xanthoastrocytomas (PXAs) are classified as a grade II neoplasm, typically occur in children, and have favorable prognoses. However, their anaplastic counterparts remain poorly understood and vaguely characterized. In the present study, a large cohort of grade II PXA patients were compared with primary anaplastic PXA (APXA) patients to characterize patterns in treatment and survival. Data were collected from the National Cancer Institute’s SEER database. Univariate and multivariate Cox regressions were used to evaluate the prognostic impact of demographic, tumor, and treatment-related covariates. Propensity score matching was used to balance baseline characteristics. Kaplan–Meier curves were used to estimate survival. A total of 346 grade II PXA and 62 APXA patients were identified in the SEER database between 2000 and 2016. Kaplan–Meier analysis revealed substantially inferior survival for APXA patients compared to grade II PXA patients (median survival: 51 months vs. not reached) (p < 0.0001). After controlling across available covariates, increased age at diagnosis was identified as a negative predictor of survival for both grade II and APXA patients. In multivariate and propensity-matched analyses, extent of resection was not associated with improved outcomes in either cohort. Using a large national database, we identified the largest published cohort of APXA patients to date and compared them with their grade II counterparts to identify patterns in treatment and survival. Upon multivariate analysis, we found increased age at diagnosis was inversely associated with survival in both grade II and APXA patients. Receipt of chemoradiotherapy or complete surgical resection was not associated with improved outcomes in the APXA cohort.
Tumor-Related and Patient-Related Variables Affecting Length of Hospital Stay Following Vestibular Schwannoma Microsurgery:

Objective:Review a single institution’s vestibular schwannoma (VS) microsurgery experience to determine (1) correlations between demographics, comorbidities, and/or surgical approach on hospital le...
HIV/AIDS and Complications

In the setting of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) and acquired immune deficiency syndrome (AIDS), two well-characterized syndromes can present with fevers, rash, headache, and other nonspecific complaints that may mimic an allergic or immune system-mediated reaction. Both the HIV specialist and non-HIV health care provider need to recognize these syndromes to initiate effective treatment and prevent further complications. Here we present a case of acute HIV syndrome with a severe oral ulcer. Our second case highlights an individual presenting with abacavir hypersensitivity reaction in an otherwise healthy HIV patient.
Evaluating Multimedia Exposure on Pass Rates of Private Pilots

The aims of this study were threefold: first, to evaluate the effect of multimedia presentations vs. traditional presentations on the academic achievement of college students enrolled in an introduction to aviation class at a historically Black institution located in a southern state; second, to investigate the influence of gender, experience, and class attendance on the academic achievement of aviation students; and finally, to assess the influence of type presentation (multimedia and traditional) on the course satisfaction scores of aviation students. A posttest-only control-group design was employed in this investigation to collect and analyze the data. 25 students (16 exposed to traditional presentations and 9 exposed to multimedia presentations) were selected to participate in this empirical study. Two instruments, entitled Questionnaire on the Effect of Traditional Method Presentations and Questionnaire on the Effect of Multimedia Presentations, were used to gather the data. The results of the data analysis showed no significant difference between the written examination scores of aviation students by type of presentation. An interesting finding of the study was the significant influence of the variables gender and class attendance on the academic performance of aviation students. Female students did significantly better on the written examination than their male counterparts. In addition, students who missed fewer days did better on examinations than those who missed more days.
Modeling Electrostatic Fields Generated by Internal Charging of Materials in Space Radiation Environments

Internal charging is a risk to spacecraft in energetic electron environments. DICTAT, NU MIT computational codes are the most widely used engineering tools for evaluating internal charging of insulator materials exposed to these environments. Engineering tools are designed for rapid evaluation of ESD threats, but there is a need for more physics based models for investigating the science of materials interactions with energetic electron environments. Current tools are limited by the physics included in the models and ease of user implementation .... additional development work is needed to improve models.
DD8: Kunde, du! Wir sind nicht zufrieden! (August 2005)

Neulich waren wir im Restaurant. Auf der Speisekarte stand Bauernsalat. Ich murmelte vor mich hin, dass ich heute lieber kein Fleisch essen wollte. Da lachten mich die anderen aus und klarten mich auf, dass gar keine Bauern drin waren, es sei nur Salat „nach Art des Bauern“ gemeint. Aha, das habe ich wohl einige Jahrzehnte lang falsch interpretiert. Ich habe noch nie Jager-, Zigeuner- oder Kinderschnitzel bestellt. Das fand ich ganz abartig.
A novel [F-18] aluminum-fluoride labeled PSMA tracer with minimal background uptake

499 Objectives The purpose of the study is to gather preliminary biodistribution data on a new easy-to-prepare [F-18] aluminum-fluoride labeled PSMA targeting tracer. RBI1033 is a high affinity 2-5A ligand which exhibits picomolar affinity toward PSMA. We have previously demonstrated that the 2-5A nucleic acid moiety in RBI1033 can be replaced with negatively charged glutamates. We further developed it by linking an aluminum-fluoride-NOTA moiety to the PSMA targeting complex. Methods The peptide based tracer consisting of three glutamates linked with a PSMA targeting urea moiety was synthesized using Fmoc-based solid phase peptide synthesis. A Bn-NOTA chelate was attached to a lysine residue at the end of the peptide sequence. The affinity of the unlabeled ligand was measured with a competitive binding assay using PC3-PIP cells. [F-18] labeling was performed under established conditions by incubating [F-18] NaF and a NOTA containing PSMA ligand at 106°C for 15 minutes. After HPLC purification, the labeled tracer was injected by IV into mice bearing PC3-PIP (PSMA+) xenographs. Whole body mouse PECT/CT images were obtained at 1 hour using a clinical PET/CT scanner. Preliminary biodistribution data from PSMA+ tumor bearing mice was obtained at 1 and 2 hours. We have also performed a limited biodistribution study at 4 hours in PSMA-knockout mice. Results The unlabeled peptide ligand demonstrated an IC50 of 4.3nM. The tumor uptake was 6.9±1.4%ID/g at 1 hour and 4.6±0.6%ID/g at 2 hours. At 2 hours post injection, the tumor:bone ratio was 46:1; tumor:blood ratio was 115:1 and tumor:liver ratio was 27:1. At 4 hours post injection, in PSMA-knockout mice, the highest residual uptake was in the kidney with 1.6±0.5%ID/g. The second highest uptake was seen in bone and small intestine, which both measured 0.05%ID/g. Conclusions The [F-18] Al-F labeled PSMA targeting tracer derived from RBI1033 demonstrated promising tumor targeting with excellent tumor : background ratio. Research Support Department of Defense: W81XWH-10-1-0218
Laser induced photodissociation, desorption and surface reaction dynamics

The basic processes of surface photochemistry induced by ultraviolet light involve photodissociation, trapping of photofragments, reaction of surface species among the adsorbates or between the adsorbate and the adsorbent, as well as the desorption of reaction products and/or the excited parent molecules. The gross features of these processes have been investigated to some extent in the last decade by many conventional surface analytical techniques. For instance, we have used electron spectroscopics, thermal desorption and time-of-flight mass spectrometry to study the UV radiation effect on a model system: CH2I 2 molecules adsorbed on A1203, AI and Ag surfaces from submonolayer to multilayer (thin l'llm) coverages [I-3]. The photofragmentation patterns, the mass and the translational energy distributions, the surface reaction pathways and the collision effects are deduced from such studies. The charactcristic electronic, thermal and explosive desorption behaviors have also been identified.
Transplant Tourism or International Transplant Medicine? A Case for Making the Distinction

Transplant tourism is routinely denounced by influential voices such as the World Health Organization, the Declaration of Istanbul and the Madrid Resolution as an unethical solution to worldwide organ shortages. Instead, it is suggested that national deceased donor schemes and multinational organ-sharing programs are the only acceptable avenues for addressing the organ shortage crisis. The present demand for self-sufficiency in organ supply responds to risks such as poor clinical outcomes, and exploitation of the poor through the various commercial practices of transplant tourism. However, opponents of transplant tourism say little about what governments should do to ensure that their citizens have real and comprehensive access to all forms of transplantation. To address this complex question, we describe a current practice of international transplant medicine in Singapore. It addresses salient concerns with transplant tourism and supports the principle of national self-sufficiency in organ supply, even as its health care system thrives and expands comprehensive transplant services to its citizens by catering to international patients. We offer a critical appraisal of the Singaporean system, and some suggestions to minimize the risk of abuse by international patients or operatives of illegal organ markets.
Feedforward augmented sliding mode motion control of antagonistic soft pneumatic actuators

Soft pneumatic actuators provide many exciting properties, but controlling them without the use of bulky and expensive flow-control valves can be difficult and computationally expensive. We seek a solution to this problem by introducing an inexpensive and reliable muscle-like linear soft actuator used antagonistically to operate a rigid 1-DoF joint, resulting in a system that combines the advantages of rigid and soft robotics. Using this setup, we performed precise motion control using a sliding mode feedback controller as well as a sliding mode controller augmented by a feedforward term to modulate the state of solenoid valves that drive each actuator. We found that both controllers performed equivalently well in following a step function and in responding to a disturbance. The feedforward augmented controller performed significantly better when following dynamic trajectories over a range of frequencies and with the addition of an external force. The next step will be to modify our valve control scheme to allow for the determination of both the position and stiffness of the joint, better leveraging the advantages of soft pneumatic actuators.
Negotiating Everyday Islam After Socialism: A Study of the Kazakhs of Bayan-Ulgii, Mongolia

Using ethnographic interviews and participant observation among the Kazakh community of western Mongolia, we examine how everyday Islamic practices have been reinterpreted and reconfigured following the demise of socialism and the influx of external Islamic influences. This essay considers the local, national, and transnational dynamics that have come into play as “traditional” or local forms of Islam associated with the post-socialist spaces, including Mongolia, have encountered “global” forms of Islam from abroad. We argue that Islam in Bayan-Ulgii is integral to community and ethnic identity, but also multifaceted, dynamic and multi-scalar. This study contributes to scholarly discussions about Islam in Central Asia that challenge essentialist portrayals of Islam and create a simplistic dichotomy between “high” and “low” forms of Islam.
Cherry Picking in the 'Aina: Inequalities of Access to Dermatologic Care in Hawai'i.

There is evidence that people who are insured by Medicaid have difficulty accessing health care from private providers. This study documents access to dermatology care for a hypothetical patient insured by Medicaid in the State of Hawai‘i. Posing as young Medicaid patient with a changing mole, we called all dermatologists listed on the American Academy of Dermatology website and requested an appointment to be seen. Only 23% of dermatologists contacted accept all Medicaid plans and an additional 12% accept some. Thus 65% of dermatologists called do not provide specialist care to Hawai‘i's Medicaid population.
Cholinergic and adrenergic modulation of ionic membrane currents in a rabbit SA node cell model

We have modified our Hodgkin-Huxley (HH)-type compartmental model of the rabbit sinoatrial node (SAN) cell, to show the effects of cholinergic and adrenergic modulation on certain ionic membrane currents. This study centers on the direct and indirect effects of bath application of acetylcholine (ACh) in the presence or absence of isoprenaline (ISO). Specifically, the direct effect of ACh is on the muscarinic G-protein mediated K/sup +/ current I/sub K,ACh/, while the indirect effect is mediated by the second messenger cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) which modulates four specific membrane currents: the hyperpolarization-activated inward current (I/sub f/), the long-lasting Ca/sup 2+/ current (I/sub CaL/), the delayed-rectifier K/sup +/ current (I/sub K/) and the Na/sup +/-K/sup +/ pump current (I/sub NaK/). The model also includes material balances on Na/sup +/, Ca/sup 2+/, K/sup +/ and cAMP. The resulting model is capable of mimicking the response of the SAS cell to bath applications of these chemical agents (i.e. inhibitory effects of ACh and the excitatory effects of ISO upon the cycle length). In addition, the model is capable of mimicking the phase sensitivity of the SAN cell in response to both single and periodically-applied ACh stimuli in either the presence and absence of steady background levels of ISO. In these studies, the "ACh stimuli" used represent the local change in ACh concentration produced by the stimulation of a cluster of parasympathetic nerve terminal endings that surround individual pacemaking cells within the SA nodal region of the rabbit heart. Our simulation results for the single cell indicate that the model has a high degree of predictive value in that it can mimic data obtained from multicellular preparations, as well as provide biophysically based explanations for the well known phase-sensitivity of cardiac pacemaker cells to both single and periodically applied ACh stimuli. >
The electronic activation by barium and oxygen of different tungsten crystal orientations

Abstract The reduction in work function caused by the deposition of barium and oxygen onto a tungsten surface has been studied for five samples (grown by chemical vapor deposition, CVD) with different preferential orientations. The electronic activation was measured under steady state conditions at a typical tungsten based dispenser cathode operating temperature (1400 K) using a B type tungsten dispenser cathode as a source of barium and oxygen. Thermionic emission measurements and Auger electron spectroscopy were used to characterize the degree of activation and estimate the coverage for each surface. The 〈001〉 and 〉411〈 oriented surfaces activated to the lowest work functions.
Cranial anatomy of the spade-headed amphisbaenian Diplometopon zarudnyi (Squamata, Amphisbaenia) based on high-resolution X-ray computed tomography.

The skull of the trogonophid amphisbaenian Diplometopon zarudnyi is described from high-resolution X-ray computed tomographic (HRXCT) imagery of a whole museum specimen preserved in ETOH. The skull was digitally resliced and disarticulated into individual elements, producing novel visualizations that allow detailed morphological analysis of its three-dimensionally complex structure. The prefrontal and jugal are absent in Diplometopon. The septomaxilla is present but hidden entirely from superficial view. In contrast to previous studies, we recognize a splenial fused to the compound bone of the mandible and a squamosal fused to the otic–occipital complex. Comparison of Diplometopon to the two other amphisbaenians previously described in comparable detail, Rhineura hatcherii and Amphisbaena alba, reveals a mosaic of cranial similarities and differences. Both Diplometopon and Rhineura exhibit a craniofacial angulation and expanded rostral blade related to use of the head as a digging tool, but the detailed architecture of these features is quite different. Additionally, whereas the snout of Rhineura exhibits a high degree of sculpturing and sensory innervation, this is not the case in Diplometopon. Unlike in Rhineura and Amphisbaena, the cranial elements of Diplometopon do not exhibit an extensive degree of overlap or complex interlocking sutures; instead, most of the cranial elements lie in loose apposition to each other. The degree to which this mosaic of features reflects functional demands, shared ancestry, and/or convergence is unclear in the absence of a stable hypothesis of amphisbaenian phylogeny. J. Morphol. © 2005 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Thermodynamic properties of the graphite-bisulfate lamellar compounds

Abstract An electrochemical technique has been utilized to obtain thermodynamic information on the graphite-bisulfate lamellar compounds. The compounds C24+·HSO4−· 2.5H2SO4, C48+·HSO4−·2.5H2SO4 and C72+·HSO4−·2.5H2SO4 were prepared by electrolysis of graphite in sulfuric acid. Emf measurements were made at temperatures of 35–65°C on cells of the type Hg, Hg2SO4/|H2SO4(conc)/| equilibrium mixture of bisulfate compounds. Free energies, enthalpies and entropies of formation of the compounds were determined. The nature of the chemical bonding in the compounds is discussed.
Regulation of anterograde transport of adrenergic and angiotensin II receptors by Rab2 and Rab6 GTPases.

Abstract Three Rab GTPases, Rab1, Rab2 and Rab6, are involved in protein transport between the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and the Golgi. Whereas Rab1 regulates the anterograde ER-to-Golgi transport, Rab2 and Rab6 coordinate the retrograde Golgi-to-ER transport. We have previously demonstrated that Rab1 differentially modulates the export trafficking of distinct G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs). In this report, we determined the role of Rab2 and Rab6 in the cell-surface expression and signaling of α2B-adrenergic (α2B-AR), β2-AR and angiotensin II type 1 receptors (AT1R). Expression of the GTP-bound mutant Rab2Q65L significantly attenuated the cell-surface expression of both α2B-AR and β2-AR, whereas the GTP-bound mutant Rab6Q72L selectively inhibited the transport of β2-AR, but not α2B-AR. Similar results were obtained by siRNA-mediated selective knockdown of endogenous Rab2 and Rab6. Consistently, Rab2Q65L and Rab2 siRNA inhibited α2B-AR and β2-AR signaling measured as ERK1/2 activation and cAMP production, respectively, whereas Rab6Q72L and Rab6 siRNA reduced signaling of β2-AR, but not α2B-AR. Similar to the β2-AR, AT1R expression at the cell surface and AT1R-promoted inositol phosphate accumulation were inhibited by Rab6Q72L. Furthermore, the nucleotide-free mutant Rab6N126I selectively attenuated the cell-surface expression of β2-AR and AT1R, but not α2B-AR. These data demonstrate that Rab2 and Rab6 differentially influence anterograde transport and signaling of GPCRs. These data also provide the first evidence indicating that Rab6-coordinated retrograde transport selectively modulates intracellular trafficking and signaling of GPCRs.
Ethynyldeoxyuridine (EdU) suppresses in vitro population expansion and in vivo tumor progression of human glioblastoma cells

Thymidine analogs (TAs) are synthetic nucleosides that incorporate into newly synthesized DNA. Halogenated pyrimidines (HPs), such as bromodeoxyuridine (BrdU), are a class of TAs that can be detected with antibodies and are commonly used for birthdating individual cells and for assessing the proliferative index of cell populations. It is well established that HPs can act as radiosensitizers when incorporated into DNA chains, but they are generally believed not to impair normal cell function in the absence of secondary stressors. However, we and others have shown that HP incorporation leads to a sustained suppression of cell cycle progression in mammalian cells, resulting in cellular senescence in somatic cells. In addition, we have shown that HP incorporation results in delayed tumor progression in a syngeneic rat model of glioma. Here we examine ethynyldeoxyuridine (EdU), a newly developed and alkylated TA, for its anti-cancer activity, both in vitro and in vivo. We show that EdU, like HPs, leads to a severe reduction in the proliferation rate of normal and transformed cells in vitro. Unlike HPs, however, EdU incorporation also causes DNA damage resulting in the death of a substantial subset of treated cells. When administered over an extended time as a monotherapy to mice bearing subcutaneous xenografts of human glioblastoma multiforme tumors, EdU significantly reduces tumor volume and increases survival without apparent significant toxicity. These results, combined with the fact that EdU readily crosses the blood–brain barrier, support the continued investigation of EdU as a potential therapy for malignant brain tumors.
Electron microscopic images suggest both ends of caldesmon interact with actin filaments

An improved rotary shadowing technique enabled us to visualize chicken gizzard caldesmon (CaD) and its complexes with one or two covalently linked calmodulin (CaM) molecules by electron microscopy. Using a monoclonal antibody against an epitope in the N-terminal region of CaD (anti-N), we can now identify the end of the molecule that is involved in binding to another protein molecule. Thus in the 1:1 complex of CaD and CaM, the CaM molecule was almost always associated with the C-terminus of CaD, indicating preferential CaM-binding to the C-terminal region. We have also studied binding of CaD to filamentous actin (F-actin), using an EM technique that avoids spraying or freeze drying and thereby preserves the structure of F-actin. Only one end of CaD appeared to bind to F-actin, leaving the rest of the molecule projecting away from the filament. While the majority of anti-N bound at the free end of CaD, some antibody molecules were found on F-actin. These findings suggest that either end of CaD can bind to F-actin. Experiments using a monoclonal antibody against the C-terminus of CaD (anti-C) supported this idea. When the native thin filaments that contain endogenous CaD were incubated with anti-N, almost all the bound antibodies were found on the filaments, indicating that the N-terminal regions of CaD interact with actin, and that the binding affinity of the N-terminal region of CaD for actin is higher in vivo than that in vitro, either because the properties of CaD have been altered during purification, or because of the presence of some other component(s) associated with the native filaments.
A New Clearing Method Permitting the Same Specimen to Be Examined Microscopically for Pathogenic Fungi and Directly Inoculated Into Culture Media

INTRODUCTION When material is taken from skin, hair, or nails, as a rule some of the material is examined microscopically in an aqueous potassium hydroxide solution and some is used for cultures. If the microscopically examined specimen is positive for fungous elements, we assume that the other part of the material saved for cultures also contains fungous elements. It is, however, possible that the planted part which was not examined microscopically doestoontain the micro-organisms and, consequently cannot yield their growth. The inoculation of potassium hydroxide treated specimens into culture media is not feasible because of the inhibitive effect of the potassium hydroxide on the growth of fungi. In the hope of increasing the yield of positive cultures of pathogenic fungi, we began to search for a clearing agent for horny specimens which would not be prohibitively fungicidal or fungistatic and which would, therefore, permit direct inoculation of the microscopically-examined material into culture media and permit the growth of any viable fungi present.
A retrospective Markovian model for ecosystem resource flow

Abstract Historic ecosystem resource flow is modeled as a retrospective discrete Markov chain to obtain the expected values and variances of compartmental residence times and numbers of intercompartmental transfers that compartmental standing crops have experienced since their latest entry into the ecosystem. The transition probabilities of the proposed retrospective Markovian model are either stationary or time inhomogeneous according to whether a steady state or non-steady state ecosystem, respectively, is analyzed.
On the numerical solution of a nonlinear stochastic Helmholtz equation with a multigrid preconditioner

We describe the use of a multigrid preconditioner to numerically solve a nonlinear stochastic Helmholtz-type equation. We implemented a computer code and carried out some analysis for a one-dimensional model problem in order to study the numerical method. In the case of the nonlinear stochastic one-dimensional model problem, a bifurcation in the solution was found. Numerical results are included to show the applicability of the method.
1D energy transport in a strongly scattering laboratory model.

Radiative transfer (RT) theory is often invoked to describe energy propagation in strongly scattering media. Fitting RT to measured wave field intensities is rather different at late times, when the transport is diffusive, than at intermediate times (around one extinction mean free time), when ballistic and diffusive behavior coexist. While there are many examples of late-time RT fits, we describe ultrasonic multiple scattering measurements with RT over the entire range of times---from ballistic to diffusive. In addition to allowing us to retrieve the scattering and absorption mean free paths independently, our results also support theoretical predictions in 1D that suggest an intermediate regime of diffusive (nonlocalized) behavior.
A multivariate approach to fingerprint variation in Papua New Guinea: Perspectives on the evolutionary stability of dermatoglyphic markers

In the Markham Valley of Papua New Guinea, multivariate graphical displays of serological, anthropometric, and dermatoglyphic population structures are compared pursuant to the hypothesis that fingerprints have a slower velocity of evolutionary change and, therefore, are preferable biological markers for prehistorical reconstructions. Samples from nine villages, which represent three geographical and linguistic populations, are plotted in two dimensions using appropriate multivariate techniques for maximally portraying between sample variability. Both the serological and morphometric displays are found lacking in close clusters, which demonstrates a lack of congruence with the shared languages and, presumably, the ethnohistorical origins of the three populations. These discrepancies between biology and prehistory appear to reflect recent environmental and stochastic perturbations. On the other hand, fingerprint displays conform closely to language affiliations, relatively undisturbed by environmental variation and genetic drift. The relative congruence between ethnohistorical affiliation and fingerprint diversity is further corroborated by comparing the three measures of population structure with geographical distances, using partial rank correlations. In terms of explained variance, the level of association with fingerprints is more than twice than with anthropometry, and 13 times greater than with serology. Whereas metric and serological data provide distorted portrayals of known biohistorical relationships among the study populations, fingerprint data mirror these relationships. The theoretical foundations and consequences of this observation are discussed with respect to the broader question of polygenic versus monogenic biological markers.
Complementary and Alternative Medicine Use Among Breast Cancer Survivors

Objectives: The use complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) by patients with breast cancer and survivors has been widely studied. However, scant research has focused on the degree to which CAM activity is related to the cancer experience, as opposed to use for other reasons. The study objective was to examine the use of CAM in a sample of patients with breast cancer. Additional objectives were to measure associations between psychosocial and medical factors and CAM use both related and unrelated to a breast cancer diagnosis. Design: Breast cancer survivors (N = 115) at least 1 year beyond active medical treatment were recruited during routine clinic visits. Survey data collected via structured telephone interview focused on CAM use, motivations for use, perceived risk of cancer recurrence, and breast cancer–specific and general measures of anxiety. Results: Sixty-nine percent (69%) of participants reported use of CAM. Of CAM users, 73% reported initiating or changing CAM activity specifically because...