cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Onset of Mild Cognitive Impairment in Parkinson Disease.

Objective: Characterize the onset and timing of cognitive decline in Parkinson disease (PD) from the first recognizable stage of cognitively symptomatic PD-mild cognitive impairment (PD-MCI) to PD dementia (PDD). Thirty-nine participants progressed from PD to PDD and 25 remained cognitively normal. Methods: Bayesian-estimated disease-state models described the onset of an individual’s cognitive decline across 12 subtests with a change point. Results: Subtests measuring working memory, visuospatial processing ability, and crystalized memory changed significantly 3 to 5 years before their first nonzero Clinical Dementia Rating and progressively worsened from PD to PD-MCI to PDD. Crystalized memory deficits were the hallmark feature of imminent conversion of cognitive status. Episodic memory tasks were not sensitive to onset of PD-MCI. For cognitively intact PD, all 12 subtests showed modest linear decline without evidence of a change point. Conclusions: Longitudinal disease-state models support a prodromal dementia stage (PD-MCI) marked by early declines in working memory and visuospatial processing beginning 5 years before clinical diagnosis of PDD. Cognitive declines in PD affect motor ability (bradykinesia), working memory, and processing speed (bradyphrenia) resulting in PD-MCI where visuospatial imagery and memory retrieval deficits manifest before eventual development of overt dementia. Tests of episodic memory may not be sufficient to detect and quantify cognitive decline in PD.
Several Sets of n + 1 Shapes, Each the Similitude Union of the Other n

Allen Schwenk (schwenk@wmich.edu) received his bachelor's degree in mathematics from Caltech where he won the E. T. Bell Undergraduate Research Prize. He earned his Ph.D. degree at the University of Michigan. Before coming to Western Michigan University in 1985, he taught at the U.S. Naval Academy for nine years and had several visiting positions. He and his wife Pat have three grown children: a daughter, a son, and a Canadian. He enjoys bicycling when he isn't playing duplicate bridge. He still remembers how to solve Rubik'sCube, and the Schwenk Number of Paul Erd6s is 1.
Adolescent Racial Identity: Self-Identification of Multiple and “Other” Race/Ethnicities:

This mixed methods study focused on adolescents who rejected conventional singular racial/ethnic categorization by selecting multiple race/ethnicities or writing descriptions of “Other” racial/ethn...
Calculation of Energies and Entropies from Isochoric and Isothermal Experimental Data

This paper presents residual values of Helmholtz energy (Ar/(RT)), entropy (Sr/R), and internal energy (Ur/(RT)) for a ternary mixture that resembles a distribution natural gas between 223.15 K and 303.15 K up to 20 MPa. The methodology uses isochoric and isothermal density measurements to apply corrections to the residuals for Helmholtz energy (δAr/(RT)), entropy (δSr/R), and internal energy (δUr/(RT)) calculated using an equation of state. The method is demonstrated for three representative equations of state: REFPROP, Peng–Robinson, and Redlich–Kwong. Accurate (p−ρ–T) isochoric and isothermal data provide experimental values of the compression factor (Z) and the derivative of pressure with respect to temperature at constant density (∂p/∂T)ρ which are used to calculate residual entropies and energies. The results obtained by using different equations of state at the same conditions have slight differences in the residual values. It is possible to represent those differences by equivalent changes in temp...
Methodologies Of PSD Measurements In HCP : Postulates, Peculiarities, And Problems

A brief discussion is presented of some of the characteristics of hardened cement paste (hcp) and hcp in concrete that bear on the measurement of pore size distribution. The postulates underlying several present and potential measurements are discussed individually, and an attempt is made to assess the applicability of each in light of the peculiar characteristics of hcp. Some of the problems inherent in each procedure are briefly described.
Knocking on the Torturer’s Door: Confronting International Complicity in the U.S. Renditions Program

A host of states, led by the United States, have participated in the kidnapping of suspected terrorists, their indefinite detention without access to the courts, and their covert interrogation; torture and ill-treatment have occurred in the course of these practices. Many states are complicit in this torture and ill-treatment because they have provided the intelligence, airspace, personnel and territory necessary to enable it. This Articles examines how the cooperating states responding to their complicity in non-legal ways, focusing on the use of diplomatic assurances to safeguard against torture.
Posterior spinal approach microendoscopic discectomy for the treatment of lumbar disc herniation in adolescents

Objective:To explore the clinical effects by the microendoscopic discectomy (MED) operational system for treating the 1umbar disc herniation in the adolescents. Methods:A total of 50 consecutive patients treated by MED from September 2005 to September 2007 in this hospital were analyzed retrospectively. The clinical results were assessed with the modified Macnab criterion.Results:All the 33 cases were followed up for 6 months to 2 years,and evaluated by Macnab standard,excellent 40 cases,good 7 cases,fair 2 case,poor 1 case,the rate of excellent and good operation was 98%.Conclusion:Microendoscopic disectomy can be performed safely and effectively for lumbar disc herniation in adolescents,resulting in little trauma,fast recovery,and excellent clinical results.
Cognitive Level and Vaccination Status of Influenza in Some Population in Daxing District of Beijing

[Objective]To learn the cognitive level of knowledge about influenza,vaccination status and attitude toward immunization policy of key population in Daxing district of Beijing. [Methods]The questionnaires investigation was conducted in some people over 60 years old,students and parents in 2010. [Results]The awareness rate of knowledge that influenza is caused by a virus was 72.14%(people over 60 years old),92.50%(parents) and 93.33%(students) respectively.84.31% of respondents knew the immunization policy of influenza vaccination,and the satisfaction of people over 60 years old and parents was 77.14% and 89.17% respectively.The immunization coverage rate of residents over 60 years old and students was 40.71% and 80.00% respectively,and the total coverage rate was 58.85%.People have not received the influenza immunization was because they worried about adverse reaction or allergy. [Conclusion]The coverage rate of influenza vaccination in Daxing district did not reach 60%.The government should strengthen the propaganda,and increase the investment to ensure the quantity and quality of influenza vaccination,so as to improve the immune capability of key population.
Inhibition of tryptophan pyrrolase induction by carbon tetrachloride in rats.

The inducing action of hydrocortisone and L-tryptophan on hepatic tryptophan pyrrolase in rats treated previously with CCl4 was studied. CCl4 exhibited a dose-dependent (and time-dependent) inhibitory action on the hematin-activated (apoenzyme) form of tryptophan pyrrolase but had no effect on basal holoenzyme activity. A low dose of CCl4 (0.1 ml/kg) abolished induction of the holoenzyme by hydrocortisone but had little effect on the tryptophan-induced holoenzyme or total enzyme activity. This inhibitory action of CCl4 required between 6 and 12 hr of exposure of the animal to CCl4in vivo, i.e., prior to administration of the inducing agents. A 10-fold increase in CCl4 dose to 1.0 ml/kg did not abolish the inducing action of tryptophan; however, the enzyme response to tryptophan administration was appreciably reduced in rats receiving the higher CCl4 dose.
Human Disturbance of Karst Environments

Karst environments have been impacted by human activity for thousands of years, ever since people started living in caves for shelter, needing building supplies and water. As human population has increased, so has its disturbance of the karst landscape. Quarrying, pollution, groundwater extraction, construction, and agriculture are the major culprits for disturbing both surface and subsurface karst. Ecosystems in this type of environment have been shown to be quite vulnerable to human activities. Methods to quantify this disturbance, such as the karst disturbance index, have been created to help resource managers formulate approaches to reduce this anthropogenic impact. In addition, models to measure karst vulnerability, in particular karst aquifers, have grown in number over the last two decades. When measuring human disturbance, it is important to consider matters of time and scale, as both will influence how and what data is collected.
Challenges for New Zealand's individual transferable quota system: Processor consolidation, fisher exclusion, & Māori quota rights

Abstract This paper identifies three management initiatives in New Zealand's Individual Transferable Quota system that facilitated consolidation of the processing sector and limited market access for fishers, even those with quota rights. They are: (1) the placement of responsibility onto a Māori trust in 1992 and tribes (iwi) in 2004 to manage a limited amount of quota to benefit all Māori, fishers and non-fishers, which increased the use of quota as an investment asset; (2) the creation of Annual Catch Entitlement (ACE) as a fish access right separate from the quota ownership right, which made it possible to overcome consolidation limits by leasing ACE; (3) the 1997 Licensed Fish Receiver Act that made it illegal for fishers to sell fish off the boat without food safety certification. This account of the fishery policy environment in New Zealand explains why, despite owning significant portions of New Zealand's fishing quota, few Māori are fishing, processing, or selling fish caught by Māori quota.
Novel pathologic scoring tools predict end-stage kidney disease in light chain (AL) amyloidosis.

AbstractBackground and objectives: Light chain (AL) amyloidosis frequently involves the kidney, causing significant morbidity and mortality. A pathologic scoring system with prognostic utility has not been developed. We hypothesized that the extent of amyloid deposition and degree of scarring injury on kidney biopsy, could provide prognostic value, and aimed to develop pathologic scoring tools based on these features.Methods: This is a case-control study of 39 patients treated for AL amyloidosis with biopsy-proven kidney involvement at a large academic medical center. Our novel scoring tools, composite scarring injury score (CSIS) and amyloid score (AS) were applied to each kidney biopsy. The primary outcome was progression to dialysis-dependent end-stage kidney disease (ESKD) using a 12-month landmark analysis.Results: At 12 months, nine patients had progressed to ESKD. Patients with an AS ≥7.5 had a significantly higher cumulative incidence of ESKD than those with AS <7.5 (p = .04, 95% CI 0.13–0.64).Con...
Assisted Reproductive Technology: Laboratory Aspects

The laboratory aspects of in vitro fertilization (IVF) include the assessment of gametes and embryos as well as their preparation for fertilization by conventional or assisted means. The human oocyte must have completed metaphase II before they are ready for fertilization. The next step includes the process for sperm isolation that is used for conventional fertilization or intracytoplasmic injection (ICSI), which consists of insertion of a single spermatozoon directly into the oocyte cytoplasm. Fertilization assessments are performed 15–18 h after insemination for both IVF and ICSI procedures. Embryos can be assessed and graded daily while they are in culture. Standard morphologic methods of grading can be applied according to observations made on embryo development until their transfer to the uterus on day 3 (cleaved embryo stage) or on day 5 or 6 at the blastocyst stage. Good quality embryos that are not transferred can be cryopreserved by slow freezing or vitrification technique.
Repeat expansions in myoclonic epilepsy.

Noncoding expanded repeats have been implicated in a wide range of diseases. A new report uncovers expanded TTTCA and TTTTA repeats in an intronic region of SAMD12, and at least two other genes, in individuals with benign adult familial myoclonic epilepsy.
Modeling of Bubble Expansion-Induced Cell Mechanical Profile in Laser-Assisted Cell Direct Writing

Cell damage due to the mechanical impact during laser-assisted cell direct writing has been observed and is a possible hurdle for broad applications of fragile cell direct writing. The objective of this study is to numerically investigate the bubble expansion-induced cell mechanical loading profile in laser-assisted cell direct writing. Some conclusions have been drawn as follows. The cell velocity oscillates initially and then smoothes out gradually with a constant ejection velocity. Both the cell acceleration and pressure can be very high at the beginning period of bubble expansion and then quickly approaches zero in an oscillation manner. A high viscosity can lead to an observable velocity increment at the initial stage, but the ejection velocity decreases. The pressure magnitude decreases when the distance is large, and a larger initial pressure induces a larger cell pressure as expected. This study serves as a foundation to further investigate the cell damage mechanism in laser-assisted cell direct writing to improve the effectiveness and efficiency of cell direct writing techniques.Copyright © 2008 by ASME
A cyber-physical approach to trustworthy operation of health monitoring systems

Continuous health monitoring system (CHMS) are a collection of networked sensing devices that continuously monitor a user who is carrying them. The sensors can be worn by the user (e.g., fitbit or jawbone) or be part of a device that user carries (e.g., smartphones). Trustworthy operation is essential for CHMS due to the sensitive nature of the information they collect and the wireless transmission of the data to a sink/basestation entity for transport to a medical cloud for long term storage in a patient health record (PHR). In this regard, in the past we have proposed a scheme known as Physiological signal-based Key Agreement (PKA) to enable plug-n-play (i.e., transparent to the user in terms of configuration or setup) information security between wearable sensors that had access to same physiological signals (e.g., ECG, PPG). In this paper, we present Physiology-based System-wide Information Security (PySIS), which uses the concept of generative models (which generate synthetic physiological signals for a user) to extend PKA to enable end-to-end information security in CHMS from the sensors to the PHR. The crucial difference is that now we do not need to have access to the same physiological signals at both ends for our protocol to work. In addition, if PySIS fails and data leakage occurs in the system, we also propose a logging mechanism to perform forensic analysis of the system.
Postmastectomy Breast Reconstruction

Among the emotions surrounding the diagnosis of breast cancer is the desire to preserve body form and function. Plastic surgeons have the key role in guiding a patient through the reconstructive options, performing the necessary procedures, and caring for the patient postoperatively. The timing of the breast reconstruction, whether immediate or delayed, should be influenced by potential adjuvant treatments and the patient's psychosocial considerations. A reconstruction may include an implant, autologous tissue, or both. Here, we present an overview of postmastectomy breast reconstruction.
Application of standardized hemodynamic protocols within enhanced recovery after surgery programs to improve outcomes associated with anastomotic leak and conduit necrosis in patients undergoing esophagectomy.

Esophagectomy for cancer is associated with high risk for postoperative morbidity. The most serious regularly encountered complication is anastomotic leak and the most feared individual complication is conduit necrosis. Both of these complications affect the length of stay, mortality, quality of life, and survival for patients undergoing esophageal resection. The maintenance of conduit viability is of primary importance in the perioperative care of patients following esophageal resection. It has been shown that restrictive fluid management may be associated with improved postoperative outcomes in abdominal and other types of surgery, but many factors can affect the incidence of anastomotic leak and the viability of the gastric conduit. We have performed a comprehensive review with the aim to give an overview of the available evidence for the use of standardized hemodynamic protocols (SHPs) for esophagectomy and review the hemodynamic protocol, which has been applied within a standardized clinical pathway (SCP) at the Department of Thoracic surgery at the Virginia Mason Medical Center between 2004–2018 where the anastomotic leak rate over the period has been 5.2% and the incidence of conduit necrosis requiring surgical management is zero. The literature review demonstrates that there are few high quality studies that provide scientific evidence for the use of a SHP. The evidence indicates that the use of goal-directed hemodynamic monitoring might be associated with a reduced risk for postoperative complications, shortened length of stay, and decreased need for intensive care unit stay. We propose that the routine application of a SHP can provide a uniform infrastructure to optimize conduit perfusion and decrease the incidence of anastomotic leak.
Effect of Substitution on the Hysteretic Phase Transition in a Bistable Phenalenyl-Based Neutral Radical Molecular Conductor

The ability to tune the physical properties of bistable organic functional materials by means of chemistry can facilitate their development for molecular electronic switching components. The butylamine-containing biphenalenyl boron neutral radical, [Bu]2 B, crystalline compound has recently attracted significant attention by displaying a hysteretic phase transition accompanied by simultaneous bistability in magnetic, electrical, and optical properties close to room temperature. In this report, substitutional doping was applied to [Bu]2 B by crystallizing solid solutions of bistable [Bu]2 B and its non-radical-containing counterpart [Bu]2 Be. With increasing doping degree, the hysteretic phase transition is gradually suppressed in terms of reducing the height, but conserves the width of the hysteresis loop as observed through magnetic susceptibility and electrical conductivity measurements. At the critical doping level of about 6 %, the abrupt transformation of the crystal structure to that of the pure [Bu]2 Be crystal packing was observed, accompanied by a complete collapse of the hysteresis loop. Further study of the structure-properties relationships of bistable neutral radical conductors based on the [Bu]2 B host can be conducted utilizing a variety of biphenalenyl-based molecular conductors.
Comparable perioperative outcomes, long-term outcomes, and quality of life in a retrospective analysis of ulcerative colitis patients following 2-stage versus 3-stage proctocolectomy with ileal pouch-anal anastomosis

Many surgeons assume 3-stage ileal pouch-anal anastomosis (IPAA) is safer than 2-stage IPAA in patients with active ulcerative colitis (UC), although recent data suggest outcomes are comparable. This study aimed to compare perioperative complications, late complications, and functional outcomes after 2- versus 3-stage IPAA in patients with active UC. A retrospective review was conducted of patients who underwent 2- or 3-stage IPAA for active UC from 2000 to 2015 in a high-volume institution. Patients completed quality-of-life surveys 6 months following ileostomy reversal. Perioperative and late complications were recorded. Outcomes were compared with the Fisher exact test, and multivariable logistic regression was used to adjust for potential confounders. We identified 212 patients who underwent 2- or 3-stage IPAA for active UC, of whom 157 patients (74.1%) underwent 2-stage procedures and 55 (25.9%) underwent 3-stage procedures. More patients undergoing 2-stage procedures were taking immunomodulators preoperatively (46.3% vs. 23.1%, p = 0.01), but there was no difference in use of steroids (p = 0.09) or biologic agents (p = 0.85). Three-stage procedures were more likely to be urgent (78.6% vs. 30.2%, p < 0.001). There were no differences in perioperative complications (p = 0.50), anastomotic leak (p = 0.94), pouchitis (p = 0.45), pouch failure (p = 0.46), perceived quality of life (p = 0.68), number of bowel movements per day (p = 0.27), or sexual satisfaction (p = 0.21) between the 2- and 3-stage groups. Patients undergoing 2-stage compared to 3-stage IPAA for active ulcerative colitis have comparable outcomes and quality of life following ileostomy reversal. Two-stage IPAA appears to be safe and appropriate, even in high-risk patients.
The time for Epstein-Barr virus Latent Membrane Protein-1 (EBV LMP-1) to disappear after initiation of primary radiotherapy is an independently significant prognostic factor predicting local control for the patients with nasopharyngeal carcinoma (NPC)

2156 Purpose: The presence of EBV LMP-1 in the nasopharyngeal swab specimens indicates the presence of NPC tumor cells; likewise, the disappearance of EBV LMP-1 implies the eradication of mucosal NPC tumor cells. Hypothetically, the faster this biological marker takes to disappear, the better NPC local control could be achieved after standard treatment. This study was undertaken to investigate whether the time for EBV LMP-1 to disappear after initiation of primary RT was inversely associated with NPC local control Method and Materials: During July 1999 and October 2002, there were 127 NPC patients without distant metastasis at initial diagnosis receiving serial examinations of nasopharyngeal swabbing with detection of EBV LMP-1 during the course of radiotherapy and thereafter and totally 972 specimens were collected. At least five specimens were obtained from each studied patient and a minimal 2-year follow-up is required for eligibility. The time of LMP-1 regression was defined as the days after the initiation of radiotherapy when the LMP-1 result turned out to be negative. The primary outcome representing NPC local control was the time to develop local relapse. It was calculated as the duration from the date of the initiation of radical radiotherapy to the date of diagnosing local recurrence. Cumulative local recurrence-free rates were calculated by the Kaplan-Meier method and compared by log-rank test. Result: The time for LMP-1 to disappear after initiation of primary RT did show a statistically significant influence on NPC local control which was represented by the time to develop local recurrence during the follow-up period in both univariable (hazard ratio, 1.028; 95 % confidence interval, 1.016 - 1.041; p
Anterior segment optical coherence tomography-guided transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy for scarring of the central cornea following pterygium excision.

Aim To report the outcomes of patients undergoing anterior segment optical coherence tomography-guided transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy (ASOCT T-PTK) for central corneal scarring after pterygium excision. Methods The charts of 11 eyes of 10 patients that underwent ASOCT T-PTK following excision of visual axis-involving pterygia were retrospectively reviewed from a single private practice institution. The visual outcomes and corneal topographic findings were evaluated 4±1mo after pterygium excision and 6±2mo after transepithelial phototherapeutic keratectomy (T-PTK). Results All 11 eyes tolerated both the pterygium excision and T-PTK procedure well without any significant intraoperative or postoperative complications. Uncorrected distance visual acuity (UDVA) and manifest refraction corrected distance visual acuity (CDVA) improved after pterygium excision (P=0.03 and P=0.05, respectively). The UDVA and CDVA improved further after T-PTK (P=0.004 and P=0.002, respectively). The topographic surface asymmetry index, topographic surface regularity index, and topographic projected visual acuity significantly improved after T-PTK (P=0.0092, P=0.0022, and P=0.0002, respectively). None of the subjects lost any lines of CDVA, developed recurrence of pterygia or required keratoplasty during the postoperative period. Conclusion ASOCT T-PTK can provide excellent visual and anatomic outcomes in patients with central corneal scarring after excision of visual axis-involving pterygia.
Addiction, Abjection, and Humor: Craig Ferguson’s Confessional Stand-Up

This chapter studies the relationship between dark humor, addiction, and abjection. As a case study, it examines a stand-up routine by comic Craig Ferguson in which the comedian touches on such varied topics as peeing his pants, vulnerable populations, and alcoholic amnesia, noting how each relates to abjection. Since drunkenness frequently leads to vomiting and accidental urination, those examples provide the clearest cases of how alcoholism connects gross-out humor to bodily abjection. Ferguson also discusses how addicts form vulnerable populations, which demonstrates a social understanding of abjection as people left behind by society. Finally, Scepanski investigates drunken blackouts as temporal abjection. Since memory is so fundamental to understanding oneself, blackouts create an alienating disconnect between present and past.
Nanozyme-Triggered DNA Release from Alginate Films

Alginate hydrogel thin films of different compositions were electrochemically produced at an electrode surface and their interfacial reactions were studied for biomolecule release. Nanozyme catalyt...
Assessing the Effects of Air Abrasion with Aluminum Oxide or Glass Beads to Zirconia on the Bond Strength of Cement.

AIM The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of air abrasion with aluminum oxide or glass beads to three types of zirconia containing various levels of cubic crystalline phases (3Y-TZP, Katana ML; 4Y-PSZ, Katana STML; and 5Y-PSZ, Katana UTML, Noritake) on the shear bond strength of resin cement. MATERIALS AND METHODS Thirty block specimens (8 × 8 × 3.5 mm) were milled out of each zirconia material and mounted in plastic pipe. Ten specimens of each of the zirconia materials were air-abraded using 50 μm aluminum oxide particles, ten specimens were abraded using 80 μm glass beads, and ten specimens served as a control and received no surface treatment. A zirconia primer was applied to the surface of the zirconia specimens. Composite disks were bonded using a resin cement and light-cured. The specimens were stored in 37°C distilled water for 24 hours and thermocycled for 2,500 cycles. The specimens were loaded in shear on a universal testing machine. Data were analyzed with one-way and two-way ANOVAs and Tukey's post hoc tests (α = 0.05). RESULTS A significant difference in shear bond strength was found based on the surface treatment (p < 0.001), but not on the type of zirconia (p = 0.132). CONCLUSION Air abrasion with glass beads or no surface treatment resulted in significantly lower bond strength of the resin cement to all three zirconia types compared to air abrasion with aluminum oxide. CLINICAL SIGNIFICANCE Although air abrasion with aluminum oxide may reportedly be more likely to weaken cubic-containing zirconia compared to air abrasion with glass beads, the use of aluminum oxide results in greater bond strength of the resin cement.
The extent of cyclin C promoter occupancy directs changes in stress-dependent transcription.

The Cdk8 kinase module (CKM) is a detachable Mediator subunit composed of cyclin C and one each of paralogs Cdk8/Cdk19, Med12/Med12L, and Med13/Med13L. Our previous RNA-Seq studies demonstrated that cyclin C represses a subset of hydrogen peroxide–induced genes under normal conditions but is involved in activating other loci following stress. Here, we show that cyclin C directs this transcriptional reprograming through changes in its promoter occupancy. Following peroxide stress, cyclin C promoter occupancy increased for genes it activates while decreasing at loci it represses under normal conditions. Promoter occupancy of other CKM components generally mirrored cyclin C, indicating that the CKM moves as a single unit. It has previously been shown that some cyclin C leaves the nucleus following cytotoxic stress to induce mitochondrial fragmentation and apoptosis. We observed that CKM integrity appeared compromised at a subset of repressed promoters, suggesting a source of cyclin C that is targeted for nuclear release. Interestingly, mTOR inhibition induced a new pattern of cyclin C promoter occupancy indicating that this control is fine-tuned to the individual stress. Using inhibitors, we found that Cdk8 kinase activity is not required for CKM movement or repression but was necessary for full gene activation. In conclusion, this study revealed that different stress stimuli elicit specific changes in CKM promoter occupancy correlating to altered transcriptional outputs. Finally, although CKM components were recruited or expelled from promoters as a unit, heterogeneity was observed at individual promoters, suggesting a mechanism to generate gene- and stress-specific responses.
Students’ Reflections on an Experiential Learning Rotation With the Peer-Education About Weight Steadiness Club Program:

Overview. Experiential learning has become a common pedagogical approach to provide university students an opportunity to apply classroom-acquired knowledge and skills in real-world settings. Evalu...
Connected for Development? Theory and evidence about the impact of Internet technologies on poverty alleviation

Based on the assumption that increased access to internet services boosts economic growth and improves the well-being of the poor, governments in both developed and emerging regions are heavily investing in internet connectivity projects. This article reviews the existing evidence as to the impact of internet technologies on various development dimensions, and articulates the empirical evidence into an analytical framework that seeks to identify the micro-linkages between internet adoption and poverty alleviation. The review suggests that the development pay-offs of internet technologies are ambiguous due to two interrelated effects. First, because effective appropriation requires a range of skills as well as complementary investment in human capital and organizational changes. This tends to favour well-educated workers and firms with more innovative capacity and access to finance. Second, because the positive effects of internet dissemination on market co-ordination and political institutions grow exponentially with adoption levels. As a result, while the evidence indicates that advanced economies are reaping significant benefits from internet investments, the returns for less advanced economies, and in particular for the fight against poverty in these regions, remain uncertain.
Effect of Modified Live Bovine Viral Diarrhea Virus (BVDV) Vaccination During the Third Trimester of Pregnancy in Beef Cows

Sixteen Brahman-Angus Fl cows (3 years old) were found to be negative for persistent BVDV infection by virus isolation on Buffy coat samples between approximately 180-270 days of gestation. Two weeks later cows were randomly assigned to vaccinate and nonvaccinate groups.
Imaging Technologies for Pre-surgical Margin Assessment of Basal Cell Carcinoma

Abstract Basal cell carcinoma is the most common cancer worldwide, necessitating the development of techniques to decrease treatment costs through efficiency and efficacy. Mohs micrographic surgery, a specialized surgical technique involving staged resection of the tumor with complete histologic evaluation of the peripheral margins, is highly utilized. Reducing stages by even 5-10% would result in significant improvement in care and economic benefits. Non-invasive imaging could aid in both establishing the diagnosis of suspicious skin lesions and streamlining the surgical management of skin cancers by improving pre-surgical estimates of tumor size. Herein, we review the current state of imaging techniques in dermatology and their application for diagnosis and tumor margin assessment of basal cell carcinoma prior to Mohs micrographic surgery.
Newton’s Alchemy and His ‘Active Principle’ of Gravitation

During his undergraduate years, probably about 1664, Newton accepted the Cartesian postulate of a dense aether, acting mechanically by impact, as the cause of terrestrial gravitation.1 Manuscripts written during the next twenty years reflect his continuous commitment to some form of mechanical aether as the principle of gravitation, but in those papers Newton sometimes associated the mechanical gravitational aether with the quasi-spiritual “active principle” of alchemy that was responsible for certain non-mechanical natural processes.
State enterprises, supply behaviour and market volatility

Abstract Despite the popular view that state mineral enterprises are less flexible than private mining firms in adjusting output to changes in market conditions, almost all of the empirical studies undertaken to substantiate this contention have failed. Adopting an alternative empirical approach, this paper finds that, in contrast to the results of earlier empirical efforts, state ownership fundamentally modifies supply behaviour. Not only are state copper firms less price responsive than their private counterparts, they actually appear to behave perversely at least at relatively low prices. It is also found that governments use the firms under their control as a macroeconomic tool to adjust balance of payments. The paper argues that the identified pattern of state enterprise behaviour accentuates market cycles and volatility in the copper industry.
Biology of mammalian mobile DNA

LINE-1 or L1 retrotransposons have accounted for 1/3 of the genomes of humans and other mammals through direct insertion and mobilization of other DNAs, such as Alus and processed pseudogenes. In this talk, I discuss two recent "surprises" in our study of L1 biiology. First, about 100 L1s are able to retrotranspose by a "copy and paste" mechanism in the average human genome. However, a small number of "hot" L1s account for most of this activity. Recently, we found that sequence polymorphisms have "cooled off" about a third of the "hot" L1 alleles, and that these sequence polymorphisms along with presence/absence polymorphisms lead to considerable genetic variation in retrotransposition capability among individual humans. We estimate that the variation in retrotransposition capability among humans is up to 400-fold. Second, evidence from genome sequence and human insertions previously led us to believe that the bulk of retrotransposition occurred in male and female germ cells, although some retrotransposition was thought to occur in early embryonic development. Now we have used mice carrying an L1 transgene driven by its endogenous promoter, and found that most, if not all, retrotransposition events occur in early embryonic development in these animals. In fact, the bulk of new insertions in these transgenic mice are not passed from generation to generation. In addition, the rate of retrotransposition in these mice does not correlate with the methylation status of the L1 promoter. Finding substantial individual variation in retrotransposition capability and extensive retrotransposition during mammalian development has had a profound effect on our thinking about the role of these mobile DNAs in genome evolution and human development.
Evaluation of the Child With a Learning Disorder

In order to appreciate our approach to the evaluation of a child with a learning disorder it is necessary to provide some background material. The total population of the state of Mississippi consists of 2.2 million people of which 900,000 did not complete high school and 400,000 did not complete grade school. There are no publicly financed kindergartens and no compulsory school attendance laws in this state. Eighty-eight percent of the children who attend school are, however, educated in the public school system. The state is divided into 150 separate school districts and 1,140 special education teachers are provided for the entire state. Of these special education teachers, 1,000 are assigned to classes for the mentally retarded and the remaining 140 teachers provide instruction for children with specific learning disorders. In the Jackson Separate School District which includes the largest metropolitan area in the state there are 27,496 students enrolled in the public school system and of that number 852 students are in special education classes. Of these 852 students in special education, 644 are classified as educable mentally retarded, 100 are classified as trainable mentally retarded, and 108 are classified as having specific learning disabilities. This figure for children with specific learning disabilities is well below the estimated figure of 15% which has been determined by other surveys. The vast majority of children entering the first grade have been exposed to no structured learning situation. Routine testing for school readiness is not done in the public school system. Firstgrade students do receive vision and hearing screening tests which are administered by volunteers through the PTA.
THE SYNTHESIS OF N‐BENZYLOXYCARBONYL‐L‐PROLYL‐DEHYDROPHENYLALANYL‐L‐HISTIDYL‐L‐LEUCINE

The direct oxidation of a dipeptide azlactone (1) by DDG affords an optically active unsaturated dipeptide azlactone (2). It was shown that the double bond had the Z-configuration and that no racemization of the proline moiety occurred during the oxidation. The dehydrotripeptide, Z-Pro-delta-Phe-Phe OH (9b) was prepared by direct coupling of azlactone (2) with phenylalanine tetramethyl-guanidinium salt and was shown to be stable to chymotrypsin. The tetrapeptide, Z-Pro-delta-Phe-His-Leu OH (11), was prepared directly from the azlactone (2) and by saponification of the tetrapeptide ester (10) prepared by mixed anhydride coupling of Z-Pro-deltaPhe OH (7) with the dipeptide ester. The dehydropeptide (11) inhibits angiotensin I converting enzyme (IC50, 1X10-4 M).
Genetic Factors in Radiation Resistance of Bacillus subtilis

Zamenhof, Stephen (University of California, Los Angeles), Hela Bursztyn, T. K. Ramachandra Reddy, and Patrice J. Zamenhof. Genetic factors in radiation resistance of Bacillus subtilis. J. Bacteriol. 90:108–115. 1965.—A study of several wild cross-transformable strains of Bacillus subtilis revealed differences in the resistance of their spores to X rays. Closer study of two such strains revealed differences of the same type when vegetative cells were exposed to X rays or to ultraviolet light (UV). Cell cultures repeatedly exposed to sublethal doses of UV (with cultivation between exposures) became more resistant to UV, presumably by enrichment in a more UV-resistant mutant. A sulfanilamide-resistant mutant of one strain (vegetative cells and spores) was less resistant to ionizing radiation; this sensitivity was transferable by transformation. No difference in radiation-induced mutability could be demonstrated in any of the strains studied. It is concluded that, at least in the cases studied, (i) the differences in radiation resistance of spores of different strains are not just a result of a superimposition of a common spore resistance mechanism(s) but rather are an amplification of genetically determined resistance differences in vegetative cells of these strains; (ii) sulfanilamide-resistance locus (p-aminobenzoic acid overproduction locus) is one of the loci of radiation sensitivity; (iii) no evidence was obtained that the differences in radiation resistance of cells or spores can be ascribed to differences in radiation resistance of their deoxyribonucleic acid.
Spin Effects in e + e - Annihilations

Methods for confronting current theoretical ideas with experiments involving polarized e+e- beams are examined. Despite limitations, such experiments can be informative and justifiable.
RoleModelVis: a visualization of logical story models

In this demo we present a visualization of formalized representations of story. Introducing the interactive to storytelling requires the management of experiences that a user creates by their decisions. These sorts of variations can have impact on not only the user, but also the retrievable content appropriate to present to the user. The overall contribution of this work is to identify the player impact of story variation by modeling supplementary variations, and systematically responding to player interaction through supplementary variation, while respecting the author's intentions by maintaining the integrity of the core story skeleton.
Synchronization in large-scale nonlinear network systems with uncertain links

In this paper, we study the problem of synchronization over a network, with nonlinear components dynamics modeled in Lure form, and linear stochastic interaction among the components. To study this problem we utilize the stochastic version of Positive Real Lemma (PRL), which is used to provide a sufficient condition for synchronization of stochastic network systems. This sufficiency condition is a function of nominal (mean coupling) Laplacian eigenvalues, and the statistics of link uncertainty in the form of coefficient of dispersion (CoD). Robust control-based small-gain interpretation is provided for the derived sufficiency condition which allows us to define the margin of synchronization. The margin of synchronization is used to understand the important tradeoff between the component dynamics, network topology, and uncertainty characteristics for network synchronization. Our results indicate that significant role played by both the largest and the second smallest eigenvalue of the nominal Laplacian in synchronization of stochastic networks. Furthermore, for a special class of network system connected over torus topology we provide an analytical expression for the tradeoff between the number of neighbors and the dimension of the torus. Similarly, by exploiting the identical nature of component dynamics computationally efficient sufficient condition, independent of network size, is provided for general class of network system. Simulation results for network of coupled oscillators with stochastic link uncertainty are presented to verify the developed theoretical framework.
The AAEA and USDA in an Associationistic Age

HIS paper, breaking with traditional presidential addresses, is contemporary and utilitarian in scope and thrust. It relates, as the title indicates, to the nature and role of our professional Association and of another organization close to our area of concern, the United States Department of Agriculture. Remarks that follow on the AAEA were stirred by a nagging uncertainty as to whether our way of conducting Association business provides enough communication between members and officers. The chance timing by which significant changes in organization of our body are inaugurated coincident with my administration, and persistent raising of certain thorny issues as to the proper philosophy and format for Association activity, gave further cause for writing and delivering the first half of the paper. But the topic is dual; it includes not just our professional organization but a much larger, more complex, and more controversial one, the USDA. This ambitious attempt to combine them requires a conceptual backdrop, and it introduces the one global abstraction of the paper. It turns on the meaning of the unifying term associationism. Agricultural economics is an empirically based science. It must ever understand its universe. There is reason to believe that we are currently losing touch with that universe. To use a mod word, we stand in danger of alienation.
A density-matrix model of photosynthetic electron transfer with microscopically estimated vibrational relaxation times

Abstract The dispersed-polaron (spin-boson) model is reviewed briefly and then used to develop a density-matrix model for studies of electron transfer in condensed phases. The frequencies and Franck–Condon factors for solvent vibrational modes that are coupled to electron transfer are obtained from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations by the dispersed-polaron treatment. Microscopic rate constants for vibrational relaxations, dephasing and coherence transfer between the solvent modes are obtained by fitting the time dependence of the solvent coordinates in the density-matrix treatment to the corresponding time dependence obtained from molecular-dynamics simulations with a classical linear-response approximation. This is done by adjusting a single parameter, the time constant for thermal equilibration of the two lowest levels of a solvent mode (T10). The model thus focuses on the coupling between solvent modes, rather than on the more widely studied coupling of solute modes by the thermal bath. The resulting density-matrix model is used to examine vibronic coupling in the initial electron-transfer step in photosynthetic bacterial reaction centers. Values of T10 in the range of 1–2 ps are consistent with molecular-dynamics simulations of the time-dependent energy gap between the reactant and product states (P* and P+B−), and also with the damping of coherent vibrational motions that are seen experimentally after excitation of reaction centers with a short pulse of light. In both the density-matrix model and the MD simulations, the autocorrelation function of the energy gap also has a decay component with a time constant of about 50 fs, which we ascribe to the group dephasing of oscillatory motions at many different frequencies. This component is insensitive to vibrational relaxations and is largely irrelevant to the electron-transfer dynamics. Using values of T10 in the range of 1–2 ps, a model with five vibrational modes reproduces the main features of electron transfer from P* to B, including stepwise formation of the product during the period when the system retains vibrational coherences. Although the rate does not depend strongly on whether P* is prepared coherently or incoherently, speeding up vibrational relaxations decreases the rate. At least part of the adverse effect of rapid relaxations can be viewed as a manifestation of the quantum Zeno paradox, which arises when off-diagonal elements of the density matrix decay very rapidly.
Shape-matching and classification using structural descriptors

Technological improvements related to object acquisition, visualisation and modelling, have caused a considerable growth of the number of 3D models in digital form. Digital 3D models are now available in large databases of shapes, ranging from unstructured repositories, like the web, to specialised catalogues used in engineering and simulation. In this panorama it is clear that methods for the retrieval and automatic classification of 3D content will play a crucial role in the development of efficient applications for the organisation and filtering of 3D data. In this paper, a methodology based on the coupling of geometric and structural information will be discussed for the global and partial matching of 3D shapes and for their automatic classification.
Thermal Response of a Magneto-Resistive Head When it Flies Over an Asperity

A two-dimensional model is developed for the heat transfer in a magneto-resistive (MR) head-air bearing system. Using this model, the MR head temperature response is studied for various cases. It is found that the temperature in the head depends on the current through it and the change is only significant within a small area around the MR transducer at the trailing edge. With a typical current value (say 13 mA), the MR head temperature is about 25°C higher than the ambient temperature. When the slider flies over an asperity without contact, the MR temperature fluctuation follows that of the air bearing spacing, which is caused by the cooling effect of the air bearing.