cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Variations in Awareness of Association Between Adverse Pregnancy Outcomes and Cardiovascular Risk by Specialty

Cardiovascular disease (CVD) remains the leading cause of death among women. Adverse pregnancy outcomes (APOs), including pre-eclampsia (PE), gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) and pre-term birth (PTB) are associated with future maternal CVD risk. However, data on awareness of the association between APOs and long-term CVD risk among physicians in different specialties are lacking. This study assessed awareness of this association and whether this knowledge varies by specialty. An anonymous web-based voluntary survey was sent to physicians in internal medicine (IM), family medicine (FM), obstetrics-gynecology (Ob-Gyn) and cardiology. The questions aimed to assess a physician’s knowledge regarding identification of APOs and their association with future CVD risk and knowledge of CVD risk factor screening in women with APOs and future CVD risk. The survey was completed by 53 physicians, of whom 21% were in IM, 26% in FM, 23% in Ob-Gyn and 30% in cardiology. Based on the responses, cardiologists screened most frequently for APOs, with 56% always screening a female patient and 31% often screening. Only half of the IM and FM physicians acknowledged awareness of the association between APOs and CVD risk. Respondents in all specialties recognized PE and GDM as APOs linked to long-term maternal CVD risk, but failed to associate PTB as an APO. The majority of physicians in IM, FM and cardiology also lacked the knowledge of how often to appropriately screen for CVD risk factors associated with APOs. Awareness of the association between APO and future maternal CVD risk varies by specialty. A significant percentage of the physicians who responded to the survey did not routinely ask about APOs when assessing CVD risk and failed to identify PTB as a risk factor for APOs. Education on this topic and targeted efforts to improve screening for APOs are needed within all specialties to help reduce CVD morbidity and mortality.
Games of risk and reward in carnivore communities

Mesopredator release theory suggests that dominant predators suppress subordinate carnivores and ultimately shape community dynamics, but the assumption that subordinate species are only negatively affected ignores the possibility of facilitation through scavenging. We examined the interplay within a carnivore community consisting of cougars, coyotes, black bears, and bobcats using contemporaneous Global Positioning System telemetry data from 51 individuals, diet analysis from 972 DNA-metabarcoded scats, and data from 128 physical investigations of cougar kill sites, 28 of which were monitored with remote cameras. Resource provisioning from competitively-dominant cougars to coyotes through scavenging was so prolific as to be an overwhelming determinant of coyote behavior, space use, and resource acquisition. This was evident via strong attraction of coyotes to cougar kill sites, frequent scavenging of cougar-killed prey, and coyote diets that nearly matched cougars in the magnitude of ungulate consumption. Yet coyotes were often killed by cougars and used space to minimize encounters, complicating the fitness benefits gained from scavenging. We estimated that 23% (95% CI: 8-55%) of the coyote population in our study area was killed by cougars annually suggesting that coyote interactions with cougars are a complex behavioral game of risk and reward. In contrast, we found no indication that bobcat space use or diet was influenced by cougars. Black bears avoided cougars, but there was no evidence of attraction to cougar kill sites, and much lower levels of ungulate consumption and carcass visitation than for coyotes. Interspecific interactions among carnivores are multifaceted encompassing both suppression and facilitation.
Conceptual Models to Support Reasoning in Early Phase Concept Evaluation - a Subsea Case Study

This paper shows how conceptual models can support the reasoning during early-phase concept evaluation in the subsea domain. Proposing concepts that are fit for purpose requires subsea companies to carefully balance conflicting needs in a complex system of systems. To support this balancing, there is a need to improve the understanding of how the needs affect the system through its life cycle. Through a retrospective case, the paper demonstrates how the visualization of dynamic behavior supports engineers in reasoning about the impact of the key driver and design decisions. In this case, we use concept mapping to visualize the customer and subsea company drivers. We identify the key drivers and the tensions between them from the mapping. Furthermore, we use abstract workflows combined with timelines to explore how the design concepts will affect the key drivers throughout the systems life cycle. The lead engineer responsible for the study appreciated our approach to supporting reasoning during concept evaluation. He claimed that the conceptual models communicated what he had used more than 40 slides to explain to the company’s management to get a decision. We conclude that this approach and models are well suited for internal communication and support a common understanding across the organization.
Expanding the MBA Experience: The Student Case Writer Perspective

At many leading business schools, cases are written only by professors or professional case writers. At the Darden School of Business, however, MBA students may also write cases.Case writing helps students to gain tangible business writing and communication skills, to sharpen their business acumen, to understand better the key concepts learned in the classroom, and to prepare for the practical rigors of the workplace.This technical note explores what students can learn from case writing, how and why case writing can be beneficial to their careers, and the individual-level benefits of case writing. Excerpt UVA-S-0358 Aug. 30, 2021 Expanding the MBA Experience: The Student Case Writer Perspective Who Writes Business Cases? At many leading business schools, cases are written only by professors or professional case writers. At the Darden School of Business, however, MBA students may also write cases. . . .
The Utility of Landsat Data for Global Long Term Terrestrial Monitoring

The utility of satellite time series data for monitoring land surface change is well established. This chapter highlights recent Landsat research, product developments, and opportunities, for global long term Landsat monitoring, that are now evolving rapidly with the opening of the Landsat archive. Specifically, it introduces the NASA (National Aeronautics and Space Administration) funded global Web Enabled Landsat Data products, and overviews Landsat time series phenology and land cover change monitoring applications and research, and prospectives for Landsat time series monitoring.
Die Empirie von Kohlberg

Im Rahmen der Theorie-Diskussion hat es sich schon haufiger als notwendig erwiesen, auf die empirische Vorgehensweise und die konkreten Ergebnisse der Kohlberg-Gruppe Bezug zu nehmen. Dabei wurden — soweit moglich — nur Untersuchungen herangezogen, die nach dem neuen “Standard Issue”-Verfahren codiert sind, um die Interpretation von Artefakten zu vermeiden und die Vergleichbarkeit der Aussagen sicherzustellen. Immerhin bemerkt auch Colby (1978, S. 90) zu dem Wechsel der Methode: “This makes comparison of results across studies difficult.” Als bestes Beispiel fur das aktuelle empirische Vorgehen der Kohlberg-Gruppe mus wohl die (Re-)Analyse der amerikanischen Langsschnittstudie angesehen werden, die schon haufiger in dieser Arbeit zitiert wurde. Da die Studie in Colby et al. (1983) umfassend und ziemlich genau dokumentiert ist, erscheint es lohnend, sie nochmals in systematischerer Weise zu betrachten, als es bisher geschehen konnte.
Social play at the computer: preschoolers scaffold and support peers' computer competence

Computers are increasingly being integrated into the preschool curriculum. They effect young children's peer-mediated cognitive development as well as their social play. Based on observations in a classroom of 4 and 5-year-olds at a fullday child development program at a major university lab school, this article applies Parten's categories of social behavior as well as theory that comes from a a Vygotskian social-cultural learning theory to young children's computer competencies. The authors describe the behaviors and interactions of Active Navigators (including Program, Mouse, and Consolidated Navigation); Vicarious Navigation/Super-onlooker behavior; and the behavior of Spectators/ On-lookers as they interact with developmentally appropriate software during the free choice center time.
High-intensity vapor lamp for biological research.

Abstract A vapor arc light source has been adapted to the study of the lethal action on bacteria of near-ultraviolet (UV) and visible light. Its use makes possible much shorter exposure times than could be obtained from previously available sources. The output of radiant energy is sufficient to provide a fairly detailed action spectrum for lethality in the long-UV and visible region without the addition of exogenous sensitizers. Populations of cells of Escherichia coli WP2 were inactivated through five log10 cycles with light at 460 nm. Significant inactivation also was obtained with light at 550 and 650 nm.
Laser transmitter/receiver systems for NASA optical communications applications in planetary missions

The costs and risks associated with launch of large spacecraft systems has caused NASA to stress the use of smaller micro and mini spacecraft missions for deep space. This has give rise to a large number 84 proposed Discovery-class missions that weigh only a few hundred kilograms and occupy only about one cubic meter. At the same time, many of the planets have already had the initial flyby missions and now more in-depth investigations producing larger volumes of data are desired. This "more for less" emphasis creates a need for advanced technology solutions that can accommodate the current fiscal and technical constraints. Laser communications is a technology that is ideally suited to such applications. >
The effect of a sum rule on the ρ’ and a cut

A sum rule is used for a better evaluation of the Regge parameters of the π-trajectory contribution to πp charge exchange scattering. A comparison with the cut alternative is shown. For both the π and the cut, the sum rule depresses the calculated polarization.
How do Limitations in Spectrum Fungibility Impact Spectrum Trading

Secondary markets for spectrum trading have been considered an important solution for generating spec- trum opportunities in an environment where scarcity is the rule. Nonetheless, an important factor when envisioning a successful spectrum trading environment is to consider how comparable an available frequency is to the frequency an spectrum user prefers. With this aim, we consider the fungibility scores previously studied in order to explore additional parameters that can influence this quantification of the level of fungibility. Further, we merge these fungibility calculations with an existing spectrum trading model, SPECTRAD, seeking to determine the actual impact of the limitations of spectrum fungibility in the market viability.
Measurement of serum prostate cancer markers using a nanopore thin film based optofluidic chip

Currently used cancer marker for prostate adenocarcinoma (PC), serum prostate-specific antigen (PSA), greatly overestimates PC population. Patients with high PSA levels have to undergo unnecessary but physically painful and expensive procedure such as prostate biopsies repeatedly. The reliability of PC test can be greatly increased by finding a protein that is secreted selectively by malignant, but not normal, prostate cells. A recently discovered novel protein, referred as neuroendocrine marker (NEM), is secreted only by malignant prostate cells and released in blood circulation. Although NEM seems to be significantly more reliable based on the data obtained from a limited cohort, currently available NEM ELISA is not suitable for undertaking a large study. Therefore, the goal of the present study was to develop an alternative, label-free assay system that can reliably measure NEM and PSA in patient samples. Herein an optofluidic chip that can reliably detect PSA as well as NEM in patient samples has been developed. The optofluidic chip, which consists of arrayed nanopore-based sensors fabricated from anodic aluminum oxide (AAO) thin film, offers improved sensitivity upon the optimization of the concentration of the detector antibodies immobilized on the sensor surface. The results demonstrate that the chip is reliable, extremely sensitive and requires just 1 µl of patient serum (or even less) to measure PSA and NEM even in a non-cancer individual. Compared with the traditional ELISA for PSA, the nanopore-based sensor assay is 50-100 fold more sensitive, and offers many advantages such as elimination of labeled antigen, need for sophisticated equipment and highly trained individuals. These advantages, along with the low cost, should make the technology suitable for point-of-care application to screen elderly male populations for PC and to monitor the progress of patients undergoing PC treatment.
Managerial career stage and facets of job satisfaction

Abstract The purpose of the present study was to assess the relationship between a three-stage model of careers (establishment, advancement, and maintenance) and facets of managers' job satisfaction. Four hundred eighty-three managers responded to a questionnaire regarding the length of time they had been in their occupation and their satisfaction with various aspects of work. The results indicated that career stage moderated managers' satisfaction with all facets of work. Specifically, managers in the establishment stage were significantly more satisfied than those in the advancement and maintenance stages with five of the six facets studied. Further analyses indicated that the first year in the occupation accounted for the differences in satisfaction obtained in the three-stage model. The results are discussed in terms of the implications for the study of managerial careers and the need for consistency in the operational definition of career stages.
Pathophysiological chemistry of nitric oxide and its oxygeneration by-products

Nitric oxide is not only an important intracellular regulator and cytostatic effector but it is also the starting point for a cascade of physiologically important oxygenation reactions, whose by-products and intermediates have a largely unexplored biochemistry. These new biological discoveries are reshaping our appreciation of the remarkably complex chemistry that underlies it.
Continuous Passive Motion and Loading System Design for the Study of Pro- and Anti-Inflamatory Mediators in Articular Cartilage

Joint diseases are common causes of disability worldwide. Physical activity and weight bearing conditions play an important role in the regulation of joint homeostasis throughout life. The parametric characterization of deleterious and beneficial joint loading regimens influencing the homeostasis of articular cartilage is of great interest from both a basic research and clinical practice point of view. The development of in vivo animal models is critical to investigate the underlying mechanisms mediating the biological response of articular joints to external mechanical stimuli. For this purpose, the design of a device capable of accurately control the joint motion and loading in a small animal is needed. In the present work, an assisted motion system was conceived to perform continuous passive motion (CPM) and continuous loaded motion (CLM) on the knee joint of a small animal in vivo. A major purpose of this system is the study of the inflammatory and anti-inflammatory response of cartilage under several biomechanical environments. Therefore, a key design criterion was to avoid any invasive intervention (i.e. intraskeletal fixators) that may produce an intrinsic inflammatory response and then obscure/mislead the assessment of the biological markers of interest. Other important design criteria include real time control of the knee joint position, angular displacement, cyclic motion frequency and custom load magnitude applied in the axial direction along the tibia.Copyright © 2009 by ASME
Genetic Interception and Structural Characterization of Thiopeptide Cyclization Precursors from Bacillus cereus

The pyridine core of the thiocillins has long been postulated to arise from a late-stage tail-to-tail condensation of two dehydroalanines. Genetic disruption of tclM, a proposed "Diels-Alderase", allowed isolation of acyclic precursors to this pyridine ring. The isolated products possess the full cohort of post-translational modifications that are normally displayed by the thiocillins, including dehydrobutyrines, thiazoles, C-terminal decarboxylation, and the two previously unconfirmed dehydroalanines. Additionally, leader peptides have undergone extensive N-terminal degradation and the remaining leader peptide residues have been N-succinylated. These results identify TclM and its homologues in other thiazolyl peptide producing strains as the enzymes responsible for the trans-annular heteroannulation at core of this class of molecules.
Moderation of selection procedure validity by employee race

Purpose – The aim of this study was to examine the effects of employee race on the validity of commonly used selection procedures over three time periods after hire.Design/methodology/approach – Data on employee race, cognitive ability, psychomotor ability, and previous work experience, as well as objective measures of performance, were collected from 932 sewing machine operators in the USA. Performance data were collected over three time periods (nine months total) after hire.Findings – Race moderated the validity of cognitive ability in predicting performance for all three time periods. Race did not significantly moderate the validity of psychomotor ability or previous work experience in predicting performance.Research limitations/implications – This research is limited by the fact that only non‐complex jobs, and only women, were included in the study. Future research should attempt to replicate these results with a wider variety of jobs, as well as with the inclusion of men in their samples.Practical i...
Non-Alcoholic Fatty Liver Disease in an Adolescent With Polycystic Ovary Syndrome

Results: 960.016 people were hospitalized due to genital prolapse in Brazil from january 2000 to august 2010. From this amount, 4.101 girls from 0 to 19 years old were treated for the disease. 55,3% were between 15 and 19 years old, followed by 19,9% that were between 5 and 9 years old, and by 14,8% that were between 10 and 14 years old. The total value dispended by the SUS for all hospitalizations was US$ 206,603,140.68. From this amount, US$ 711,327.77 were spent in the treatment of cases from 0 to 19 years old. The greatest amount spent with the treatment was with patients from 20 to 49 years old, which was US$ 148,039,394.20, this is where the greatest number of cases occurred.
Sedimentary Models of Pattern, Process, and Succession Derived from Bahamian Carbonates: ABSTRACT

Three decades of research on the Cenozoic carbonate platforms of the Bahamas have produced several models of deposition and diagenesis. The models are sufficiently varied and numerous that they can be categorized and their interactions evaluated. The models can be divided into three types: two-dimensional patterns of depositional facies; process models of sediment formation, deposition, and diagenesis; and concepts of facies succession. Patterns of depositional facies range in scale from a kilometer or less in the bar and channel morphology of ooid sand spreads, to a few kilometers in channeled tidal flats, to as much as 100 km (62 mi) in the platform to basin zonation of reefs and sediments. The spectrum of process models extends from grain formation (peloids and ooids), to major modes of accumulation (net shoreward movement of lime mud with attendant seaward progradation of shoaling cycles), to sea-floor cementation that yields aggregate grains and hardgrounds. Vertical facies successions on the scale of several meters are seen in the shoaling deposits of tidal flats and in the coarsening-upward sequences of sand shoals. Larger scale changes in facies, from skeletal to nonskeletal deposits that are tens of meters thick, occur in the subsurface Pliocene-Pleistocene carbonates. These three kinds of sedimentary models interact in various ways. An example of the influence of pattern on process is seen in the channels between tidal bars of ooid sand. The growth of tidal bars of ooid sand leads to accelerated tidal currents in the intervening channels; the result is a channel lag of coarser sediments that limits traction movement of lime sands and especially the nuclei for continued formation of ooids. Deceleration of ooid formation can in time lead to stabilization of the moving sands with attendant alterations of grains and sedimentary structures. An example of the effect of process on pattern is seen in the formation of extensive hardgrounds on lime sands of the platform interior by submarine cementation. These hardgrounds are rapidly colonized by attached or anisms, including reef-building corals; the end result is a major transformation of sediment type and the appearance of the preferred substrate for reefs. An example of the interaction between facies is seen in two aspects of reefal deposits: the preferential development of some reefs seaward of islands or growing sand shoals and the burial of other reefs that fringe leeward margins of the platforms by off-bank transport of lime sands from the interiors. End_of_Article - Last_Page 1836------------
Quality 101: What Every Audiologist and Speech-Language Pathologist Should Know But Is Afraid to Ask

The United States has the highest per capita health care costs of any industrialized nation in the world. Increasing costs are reducing access to care and constitute an increasingly heavy burden on...
Self-healing papular mucinosis in an adult

Papular mucinosis is a rare, idiopathic cutaneous mucinosis that is typically chronic and progressively severe. We present a case of a 59-year-old woman with a 6-month history of a dramatic papular eruption on her face and neck, with no associated internal organ involvement. A biopsy specimen demonstrated increased dermal mucin with associated plump fibroblasts, consistent with a diagnosis of papular mucinosis. Multiple therapeutic interventions were unsuccessful, and after 2 years the lesions resolved spontaneously without treatment. During the following 3 years, the patient has had no recurrence of disease.
Evaluating the Process-reactive Dimension

Harrow et al. (1986) report the limitations of the process-reactive dimension as a long-term outcome predictor for young, early phase DSM-III schizophrenics. Two additional studies are now described contrasting the good success of the process-reactive approach as a short-term predictor with DSM-II schizophrenia to its poor success in the same mode with DSM-III schizophrenics. The point is made that the change in diagnostic methods has reduced the heterogeneity of the current population of schizophrenics. The process-reactive conception is suggested as more valuable for a schizophrenia spectrum than for schizophrenia as now defined. Also, a reexamination of current schizophrenic heterogeneity is called for to determine the utility of a process-reactive dimension.
Meson distributions in photoproduction

Abstract Extension of the nova model is applied to γ + p → π + anything. The concept of a photon is motivated from vector dominance, and the parameters describing the production of photon novas are estimated from hadron results. The model is essentially without arbitrary parameters. We compare with inclusive and exclusive data at 9.3 GeV/c, where we find excellent agreement. Predictions for 20 GeV/c are also presented.
Genetics of speciation in the Aedes (Stegomyia) scutellaris group (Diptera: Culicidae) V. Chromosomal relationships among five species

A comparison was made of karyotypes of 5 species in the Aedes scutellaris group and their hybrids. All species had 3 distinct pairs of metacentric chromosomes (2n=6). These were of similar lengths in Ae: malayensis and Ae. alcasidi, and in Ae. polynesiensis and Ae. pseudoscutellaris. However, chromosome 1 in Ae. polynesiensis and Ae. kesseli, and chromosome 2 in Ae. pseudoscutellaris and Ae. kesseli were of unequal lengths. Meiotic analyses revealed that chromosome asynapsis was frequently seen in species hybrids. There was a significant variation in chiasma frequencies between species and their hybrids. However, the mean chiasma frequency was species specific. In addition, the mean chiasma frequency of species hybrids and the extent of chromosomal asynapsis provided a measure of genetic homology between species. Based on the assumption that a dicentric bridge and an acentric fragment were due to a single crossover within a paracentric inversion loop the following conclusions are made. Ae. malayensis and Ae. alcasidi are polymorphic for one paracentric inversion in chromosome 1. Ae. polynesiensis and Ae. pseudoscutellaris, and Ae. pseudoscutellaris and Ae. kesseli are fixed for one paracentric inversion in chromosome 2. Similarly, Ae. polynesiensis and Ae. kesseli are fixed for one paracentric inversion in chromosome 1. These chromosomal differences between species are discussed with respect to hybrid fertility data reported earlier.
Differences in the Tropism and Nitric Oxide Production by Goat Brain Cells Infected with Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus

Different types of brain cells prepared from goat-kid cerebrum explant cultures were infected by direct application of Caprine Arthritis Encephalitis Virus (CAEV). Predominantly, cells of the monocyte-macrophage lineage were specifically infected by the virus as proviral DNA was detected in infected cultures by amplification of a 414 base-pair (bp) fragment of the viral gag-gene by Reverse Transcription-Polymerase Chain Reaction (RT-PCR). Nitric oxide (NO) production by infected brain cells under different treatment groups was quantified by photometric methods. Infected enriched microglia cells produced more NO than any other group of cells cultured from the goat brain cerebrum. The present study shows that microglia are targets cells infected by the CAE virus in the brain of goats. It is believed that this finding will assist in devising immuno-prophylactic and immuno-therapeutic measures to be adopted in the management of neurological dysfunctions resulting from retroviral infections. It is also possible that the present observation on the tropism of the virus with the attendant NO production may have important implications in the pathogenesis of retroviral and other viral infections of man and animals. Key Words: CAEV, RT-PCR, gag gene, microglia cells. Trop. Vet. Vol. 21: (3) 200-206 (2003)
Scope of the Library Catalog in Times of Transition

There has been a flurry of constructive discussion and debate about the future of cataloging and the catalog, from Functional Requirements for Bibliographic Records (FRBR) and Resource Description and Access (RDA) on cataloging rules (with a focus on content) to next-generation discovery interfaces for the catalog (with a focus on carrier). A topic that is not receiving as much attention in the midst of these discussions is the scope of the library catalog. This article offers an opinion on the scope of the catalog in a research library, and the role of the catalogers in this time of transition. The article will also elicit some practical approaches that catalogers can take to reposition the catalog for improved user-access and resource discovery.
Pseudoxanthoma elasticum: oxidative stress and antioxidant diet in a mouse model (Abcc6-/-).

Pseudoxanthoma elasticum (PXE), a multisystem disorder characterized by ectopic mineralization of soft connective tissues, is caused by mutations in the ABCC6 gene. The pathomechanistic details of the mineralization process are largely unknown, but oxidative stress has been suggested to play a role. In this study, we tested Abcc6−/− mice, which serve as a model of PXE, for markers of the oxidative stress in the liver and serum. The total antioxidant capacity as well as markers of protein oxidation and lipid peroxidation suggested the presence of chronic oxidative stress. Feeding these mice for 5 months with a diet supplemented with antioxidants (vitamins C and E, selenium, and N-acetylcysteine) countered the oxidative stress but did not modify the ectopic mineralization process. These results suggest that the Abcc6−/− mice suffer from chronic oxidative stress but this does not contribute to connective tissue mineralization, the hallmark of PXE.
Severe oxidative stress induces protein mistranslation through impairment of an aminoacyl-tRNA synthetase editing site

Oxidative stress arises from excessive reactive oxygen species (ROS) and affects organisms of all three domains of life. Here we present a previously unknown pathway through which ROS may impact faithful protein synthesis. Aminoacyl-tRNA synthetases are key enzymes in the translation of the genetic code; they attach the correct amino acid to each tRNA species and hydrolyze an incorrectly attached amino acid in a process called editing. We show both in vitro and in vivo in Escherichia coli that ROS reduced the overall translational fidelity by impairing the editing activity of threonyl-tRNA synthetase. Hydrogen peroxide oxidized cysteine182 residue critical for editing, leading to Ser-tRNAThr formation and protein mistranslation that impaired growth of Escherichia coli. The presence of major heat shock proteases was required to allow cell growth in medium containing serine and hydrogen peroxide; this suggests that the mistranslated proteins were misfolded.
Application of an Improved Experimental Washer for Leafy Greens for Canning

A study was conducted to compare the quality of the effluent and canned spinach, turnip greens, and mustard when washed by experimental and industrial washing systems. Three 4-hr runs were conducted on spinach and one each on turnips and mustard greens. The effluent from the industrial washing system was significantly higher in total suspended solids, total solids, suspended solids, chemical oxygen demand, and nitrates than that from the experimental washer. Washing system has very little effect on quality of canned spinach. The major differences in quality were caused by cultivar and age of raw product. Total plate counts were not affected by washing system.
Advances in Regenerative Orthopedics

Orthopedic injuries are common and a source of much misery and economic stress. Several relevant tissues, such as cartilage, meniscus, and intra-articular ligaments, do not heal. And even bone, which normally regenerates spontaneously, can fail to mend. The regeneration of orthopedic tissues requires 4 key components: cells, morphogenetic signals, scaffolds, and an appropriate mechanical environment. Although differentiated cells from the tissue in question can be used, most cellular research focuses on the use of mesenchymal stem cells. These can be retrieved from many different tissues, and one unresolved question is the degree to which the origin of the cells matters. Embryonic and induced pluripotent stem cells are also under investigation. Morphogenetic signals are most frequently supplied by individual recombinant growth factors or native mixtures provided by, for example, platelet-rich plasma; mesenchymal stem cells are also a rich source of trophic factors. Obstacles to the sustained delivery of individual growth factors can be addressed by gene transfer or smart scaffolds, but we still lack detailed, necessary information on which delivery profiles are needed. Scaffolds may be based on natural products, synthetic materials, or devitalized extracellular matrix. Strategies to combine these components to regenerate tissue can follow traditional tissue engineering practices, but these are costly, cumbersome, and not well suited to treating large numbers of individuals. More expeditious approaches make full use of intrinsic biological processes in vivo to avoid the need for ex vivo expansion of autologous cells and multiple procedures. Clinical translation remains a bottleneck.
Numerical simulation of scour around pipelines using an Euler-Euler coupled two-phase model

The scour around a long fixed pipeline placed just above a non-cohesive sandy bed is numerically simulated using an Eulerian two-phase model that implements Euler–Euler coupled governing equations for fluid and solid phases and a modified k−ɛ turbulence closure for the fluid phase, the modeling system being a part of the CFD software package FLUENT. Both flow–particle and particle–particle interactions are considered in the model. During the simulations, the interface between sand and water is specified using a threshold volume fraction of sand, and the evolution of the bedforms is studied in detail. The predictions of bedform evolution are in good agreement with previous laboratory measurements. Investigations into the mechanisms of scour reveal that three sediment transport modes (bed-load, suspended-load and laminated-load) are associated with the scour development. While some previously proposed scour development formulae for cylindrical objects are in good general agreement with the simulations, scour prediction based on a commonly used operational mine-burial model (DRAMBUIE) shows disparities with present simulations.
Enhancing the soil organic matter pool through biomass incorporation

A study was installed in the upper Coastal Plains of South Carolina, USA that sought to examine the impact of incorporating downed slash materials into subsoil layers on soil chemical and physical properties as compared with the effect of slash materials left on the soil surface. Two sites were examined which differed in soil textural composition: sandy vs. clay.
The cancer ward: scapegoating revisited.

Abstract This article describes a varaint of the scapegoating process encountered during the authors' third-year experience as psychological consultants to the oncology unit of a large Veterans Administration Medical Center. Therapeutic strategies for managing the crisis within the structure of an ongoing staff support group are discussed. A conceptual framework for understanding the scapegoating process is formulated in terms of a systems-based intervention.
The Dialectic of Contradiction in Kierkegaard's Aesthetic Stage

he recent publication in English translation of Niels Thulstrup's Kierkegaard's Relation to Hegel, which is a documentary goldmine for historical analysis, offers an occasion to add an observation about their complex relation that is of a more systematic nature. It is this: however much Kierkegaard's genius and religious sensibility may have rebelled against the systematic character of Hegel's thought, he nevertheless learned to wield the master's dialectical method with far more skill than putative "hegelians" before or since have achieved. Although much has been written about Kierkegaard's dialectic, and Stephen Crites has even suggested that "the development of the socalled stages or spheres of existence through his pseudonymous writings amounts to the construction of a new 'phenomenology of spirit' alternative to Hegel's" (66), /1/ it has not, to my knowledge, been observed that Kierkegaard presents in volume 1 of Either/Or a dialectic that rivals for subtlety and systematic coherence any ever produced by Hegel. The principle of this dialectic is none other than contradiction itself, and its result is a clear presentation of the aesthetic stage as a sphere determined by and devoted to contradiction. Since contradiction is the mechanism rather than the content of Hegel's dialectical method, the question of Kierkegaard's intention immediately arises. Is he writing a parody of Hegel? Could this work be an early effort to emulate the great philosopher? Although I suspect more the former than the latter, an adequate answer to such questions would require an examination of the aesthetic stage in relation to the ethical and religious stages. All that is possible here is to show that the
Professionalization of evaluative research: Conflict as a sign of health

Morell and Flaherty (1978) present arguments about the current status of evaluative research as a profession. This paper contains a critique, using a process model of professional development, of the perspectives employed by Morell and Flaherty. Issues discussed are the nature and substance of conflicts in evaluative research, including conflicts over methodological perspectives, the role of the evaluator in program planning, and the appropriate uses and users of evaluative information. The paper concludes with a discussion of the needs within the profession of evaluative research if it is to remain viable and responsive to change.
Code division parallel delta-sigma A/D converter with probabilistic iterative decoding

We investigate modulation-based parallel delta-sigma (ΔΣ) converters for wideband A/D conversion applications. A code division parallel ΔΣ conversion method is proposed, where each path consisting of a ΔΣ modulator operates on an input signal modulated with different binary code. In contrast to standard Hadamard based modulation schemes, the design provides flexibility in choosing the number of parallel paths and the type of binary modulation sequences. We exploit the information-theoretical approach to design an iterative probabilistic decoding procedure for optimal decoding of the ΔΣ modulator outputs. To demonstrate the decoding method, a maximum a posteriori probability decoder for the first order ΔΣ modulator is developed. Simulation results verify the iterative decoding procedure, demonstrate the use of arbitrary number of paths, and show that the A/D converter based on pseudo-random sequences achieves improved spurious-free dynamic range.
Molting, growth, and energetics of newly-settled blue king crab: Effects of temperature and comparisons with red king crab

article i nfo Populations of blue king crab (BKC) (Paralithodes platypus Brandt, 1850) have declined in Alaskan waters over recent decades, and substantial effort is being made to rehabilitate the once important fishery with re- leases of hatchery-reared juveniles. However, little is known about the species' first year of post-settlement life. This study was conducted to evaluate how temperature mediates growth and energy allocation begin- ning with the first benthic instar (stage C1). Juvenile BKC were reared in four temperatures (1.5 to 12 °C) for a period of 60 days in low-density populations (150 crabs m −2 ) and 120 days in individual cultures. Growth rate increased rapidly up to 8 °C, and then leveled off. At 60 days, most of the crabs in 1.5 °C remained at stage C1, most in 4.5 °C were C2, and most in 8 °C were C3, while those in 12 °C were highly variable and ranged from C2 to C5. Growth records for individuals revealed an inverse exponential relation- ship between water temperature and intermolt period (up to 8 °C). A small decrease in molt increment at 12 °C resulted in crabs 6% smaller than those at 8 °C. Total lipid content increased with temperature in C2 BKC, but the response was variable and not significant in later stages. The proportion of storage class lipids (triacylglycerols) increased with an increase in temperature and polar lipids decreased. Concentrations of essential fatty acids were relatively constant over all temperature treatments, indicating that temperature and growth rate did not affect the biochemical condition of juvenile BKC. Survival rates of BKC (>95%) were similar across temperatures and were much higher than rates observed for red king crab (RKC) (Paralithodes camchaticus Tilesius 1815) (65-72%) in identical experiments. Growth rates of the two species were nearly identical up to 8 °C, but RKC grew faster than BKC at temperatures greater than 8 °C, with more molts resulting in larger individuals. Fatty acid (FA) signatures supported the lipid class data and showed that BKC had higher proportions of FA associated with energy storage while RKC had higher proportions of poly- unsaturated FAs associated with membranes. These results indicate that BKC are the hardier species, and it shows little sign of cannibalism in culture (unlike RKC), but RKC grow faster at high temperature and are less vulnerable to warming climate. These data help to model temperature-dependent recruitment processes in the field and assist in the design of diets and hatchery conditions for production of seed stocks intended for field release. Published by Elsevier B.V.
Actin-binding protein filamin A is displayed on the surface of human neuroblastoma cells.

We previously reported the identification of natural human IgM antibodies, which recognize a Mr 260 000 surface protein (NB-p260) and induce both complement-mediated cytotoxicity and apoptosis of human neuroblastoma cells. NB-p260 was shown to belong to the family of filamin proteins. Filamin A is a high molecular weight actin-binding protein, previously thought to be only located intracellularly. Here we show that NB cells as well as three NB-unrelated human cell lines express filamin A also on the cell surface. Our findings suggest new biological functions for filamins, including a role as mediators in anti-NB IgM-induced apoptosis, and they add to the growing body of evidence of the interaction of cytoskeletal proteins with the extracellular matrix. (Cancer Sci 2006; 97: 1359–1365)
Deficient, Adequate and Excess Nitrogen Levels Established in Hydroponics for Biotic and Abiotic Stress-Interaction Studies in Potato

Application of mineral nutrients to improve plant health is critical to providing food and fiber. Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) is among the most responsive species to N application but is susceptible to biotic and abiotic stresses. Nitrogen-stress relationships are generally evaluated indirectly during field fertility trials designed for collection of agronomic data. A controlled environment system would benefit understanding N nutrition-stress interactions. Environmental chamber hydroponics allows strict experimental control of temperature, humidity, light, etc. while maintaining specific N nutrition. Potatoes were grown at various N levels. Plant biomass had a curvilinear relationship with N supply, peaking at 80 mg N L−1. Root or shoot N regressed against solution N produced significant, predictable relationships (R2 > 0.98 for each). Such relationships provide a basis to conduct controlled N nutrition-abiotic-biotic stress studies that could delineate among stress factors. This work establishes the s...
Magnetic resonance imaging detects significant sex differences in human myocardial strain

Background The pathophysiology responsible for the significant outcome disparities between men and women with cardiac disease is largely unknown. Further investigation into basic cardiac physiological differences between the sexes is needed. This study utilized magnetic resonance imaging (MRI)-based multiparametric strain analysis to search for sex-based differences in regional myocardial contractile function.
Symbolic factorization for sparse Gaussian elimination with partial pivoting

Let $Ax = b$ be a large sparse nonsingular system of linear equations to be solved using Gaussian elimination with partial pivoting. The factorization obtained can be expressed in the form $A = P_1 M_1 P_2 M_2 \cdots P_{n - 1} M_{n - 1} U$, where $P_k $ is an elementary permutation matrix reflecting the row interchange that occurs at step k during the factorization, $M_k $ is a unit lower triangular matrix whose kth column contains the multipliers, and U is an upper triangular matrix.Consider the kth step of the elimination. Suppose we replace the structure of row k of the partially reduced matrix by the union of the structures of those rows which are candidates for the pivot row and then perform symbolically Gaussian elimination without partial pivoting. Assume that this is done at each step k, and let $\bar L$ and $\bar U$ denote the resulting lower and upper triangular matrices, respectively. Then the structures of $\bar L$ and $\bar U$, respectively, contain the structures of $\Sigma _{k = 1}^{n - 1} M_k $ and U. This paper describes an algorithm which determines the structures of $\bar L$ and $\bar U$, and sets up an efficient data structure for them. Since the algorithm depends only on the structure of A, the data structure can be created in advance of the actual numerical computation, which can then be performed very efficiently using the fixed storage scheme. Although the data structure is more generous than it needs to be for any specific sequence $P_1 ,P_2 , \cdots ,P_{n - 1} $, experiments indicate that the approach is competitive with conventional methods. Another important point is that the storage scheme is large enough to accommodate the $QR$ factorization of A, so it is also useful in the context of computing a sparse orthogonal decomposition of A. The algorithm is shown to execute in time bounded by $|\bar L| + |\bar U|$, where $|M|$ denotes the number of nonzeros in the matrix M.
Privacy-preserving spatiotemporal matching

The explosive growth of mobile-connected and location-aware devices makes it possible to have a new way of establishing trust relationships, which we coin as spatiotemporal matching. In particular, a mobile user could very easily maintain his spatiotemporal profile recording his continuous whereabouts in time, and the level of his spatiotemporal profile matching that of the other user can be translated into the level of trust they two can have in each other. Since spatiotemporal profiles contain very sensitive personal information, privacy-preserving spatiotemporal matching is needed to ensure that as little information as possible about the spatiotemporal profile of either matching participant is disclosed beyond the matching result. We propose a cryptographic solution based on Private Set Intersection Cardinality and a more efficient non-cryptographic solution involving a novel use of the Bloom filter. We thoroughly analyze both solutions and compare their efficacy and efficiency via detailed simulation studies.
Variations in the 13C/12C ratios of plants in relation to the pathway of photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation

Abstract Additional data is presented to show that plants of genera which are known to follow the C4-dicarboxylic acid pathway in photosynthetic carbon dioxide fixation have δ 13C values in the −10 to −20‰ range. Plants which follow the Calvin cycle in photosynthesis have δ 13C values of −22 to −33‰. Plants of families which show Crassulacean acid metabolism also have many examples enriched in 13C.