cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enhancing privacy of federated identity management protocols: anonymous credentials in WS-security

Federated Identity Management (FIM) allows for securely provisioning certified user identities and attributes to relying parties. It establishes higher security and data quality compared to user-asserted attributes and provides for stronger user privacy protection than technologies based upon user-side attribute certificates. Therefore, industry pursues the deployment of FIM solutions as one cornerstone of the WS-Security framework. Current research proposes even more powerful methods for security and privacy protection in identity management with so called anonymous credential systems. Being based on new, yet well-researched, signature schemes and cryptographic zero-knowledge proofs, these systems have the potential to improve the capabilities of FIM by superior privacy protection, user control, and multiple use of single credentials. Unfortunately, anonymous credential systems and their semantics being based upon zero-knowledge proofs are incompatible with the XML Signature Standard which is the basis for the WS-Security and most FIM frameworks. We put forth a general construction for integrating anonymous credential systems with the XML Signature Standard and FIM protocols. We apply this method to the WS-Security protocol framework and thus obtain a very flexible WS-Federation Active Requestor Profile with strong user control and superior privacy protection.
Compliance By Persons with Schizophrenia: A Research Issue for the Nurse

A review of the literature indicates that psychiatric mental health nurses have done no research on factors that affect compliance among persons with schizophrenia. Nurses have implemented educational programs for persons with schizophrenia but these have not been evaluated. There is a need for both evaluation of existing programs and for research on factors that affect compliance. Existing medical research must be reviewed in designing a research program and this literature indicates that a multivariant approach is appropriate.
Absolute Embeddings of Point–Line Geometries☆

Abstract A method is given for showing that an embeddable point–line geometry possesses an absolutely universal projective embedding. This method is applied to show that virtually every embeddable Lie incidence geometry possesses an absolutely universal embedding.
Warm-up with Baseball Bats of Varying Moments of Inertia: Effect on Bat Velocity and Swing Pattern

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine if warm-up with baseball bats of different moments of inertia has an effect on swing pattern and bat velocity. Ten experienced baseball players (ages 20–25 years) voluntarily participated in this study. Each participant was required to complete 10 dry swings (5 warm-up and 5 postwarm-up) at maximum effort within 3 different conditions. Post warm-up was always with a standard bat (I = .27 kgm2; 83.8 cm, 9.1 N). Warm-up for Condition 1 was with the standard bat. Condition 2 required participants to warm up with a standard bat plus a 6.1 N lead donut (I = .49 kgm2, 83.8 cm, 15.6 N). Condition 3 required participants to warm up with a hollow plastic bat (I = .08 kgm2; 83.8 cm, 3.34 N). Quantitative and qualitative analyses indicated that following warm-up with the weighted bat (largest moment of inertia), swing pattern was significantly altered, and post warm-up velocity was the lowest of the three conditions.
Humans' responses to novel stimulus compounds and the effects of training.

Twenty-four college students participated in an experiment with stimulus compounds. Subjects learned to discriminate color stimuli that correlated with varying probabilities of reinforcement. Reinforcement consisted of points. For all subjects, two colors signaled a .80 reinforcement probability, and two others signaled a .20 probability. For compound-trained subjects, a fifth compound stimulus (composed of a high-probability color and a low-probability color) was correlated with a .10 reinforcement probability. During testing, interspersed probe trials required subjects to choose between two alternatives: a compound stimulus and either one of its constituent stimuli. Compound-untrained subjects preferred the compound over either individual stimulus, thus showing response summation. However, compound-trained subjects, having had experience with an exemplar compound, showed significantly lower choice proportions for a test compound, indicating that subjects’ responding to novel stimulus compounds is modifiable by experience with a single similar compound.
CYTOLOGICAL STUDIES ON HELA, A STRAIN OF HUMAN CERVICAL CARCINOMA, II ON ROTATORY MOVEMENTS OF THE NUCLEI

Cells of the HeLa strain show considerable activity of nuclear movements in the fashion of complete rotation, incomplete rotation and rocking. The activity decreases when the culture becomes older but changing fresh medium restores it. Approximately two-thirds of the cells entering division show premitotic movements, mostly of the rocking type.
Introgressive hybridization of tilapias in Zimbabwe

Three species of tilapia native to Zimbabwe, Oreochromis mossambicus, O. mortimeri and O. macrochir are not naturally sympatric, but because of transplantation they have been brought into sympatry. Allozymes of fish examined from Lakes Kariba, Kyle and Chivero showed evidence of introgressive hybridization. The data showed non-random mating populations in Lakes Kariba and Kyle. All three reservoirs displayed individuals with intermediate principal component scores and hybrid index scores indicating hybridization.
Coping with the Islamist threat: analysing repression in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan

This article applies Gartner and Regan's non-linear theory of government and opposition violence to domestic challenges to the state in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan with the hypothesis tha...
The effect of a change in lattice parameter on the Fermi surface of the monovalent noble metals

Abstract The change in neck radius of the Fermi surfaces of copper, silver and gold, due to a uniform contraction or expansion of the lattice, is calculated. The Fermi surface is described by the 8-cone model of Jones and Ziman. It is assumed that the energy gap, which determines the neck radius, arises from the combined influence of the d -bands and of the Pseudopotential experienced by the conduction electrons, but that the latter only varies with lattice spacing, according to Harrison's form factors. The calculated neck distortions, although about 50 per cent lower than the experimental values of Templeton[1], exhibit the correct relative variation from copper to silver and gold.
Philosophical Hermeneutics and Theological Education

This article explores the resources that the philosophical hermeneutics of Hans-Georg Gadamer can bring to the challenge of teaching theology to undergraduates. The author offers a sympathetic reading of Gadamer but is influenced by the insights of liberation theology. In this interpretation of his work, Gadamer's contribution lies in his emphases on intersubjectivity and on praxis as the goal of historically conscious understanding — and thus of historically conscious theological education. To suggest what philosophical hermeneutics can tell us about the process of teaching and learning in theology, this essay examines Gadamer's approach to historicity, conversation, truth, objectivity, subjectivity, practical wisdom, and praxis.
Mechanisms of glucocorticoid involvement in mouse lung tumorigenesis.

This report examines a possible mechanism of mouse lung tumor prophylaxis by glucocorticoids (GC). Adrenalectomy (Ax) increased, and corticosterone replacement decreased, lung tumor multiplicity when treatment was begun before administration of the carcinogen, urethan. Ax increased the 3H-thymidine labeling index of alveolar epithelial cells. Tumor multiplicity was also enhanced when urethan was administered during the period of compensatory hyperplasia that occurred in response to lung injury induced by methylcyclopentadienyl manganese tricarbonyl. Thus, carcinogen-induced tumor development was amplified by stimulation of division of the target cell population. GC regulation of alveolar epithelial cell proliferation, and hence tumor susceptibility, may be mediated by the Ca++ /phospholipid-dependent protein kinase (PKC). The tumorresistant strain, C57BL/6J, has greater adrenal corticosterone content, higher epithelial cell PKC activity, and lower alveolar epithelial cell proliferation than the tumor-susc...
RESIDUAL STRESSES AND DISPLACEMENTS IN WIDE CURVED BARS SUBJECT TO PURE BENDING

Abstract Equations are derived by means of which one may compute the residual stresses, residual displacements and springback induced in pure bending of wide curved bars made of perfectly plastic materials. It is shown that residual stress distributions may be entirely elastic or may include plastic regions, depending on the magnitude of the applied moment, on the geometry of the bar and on the yield stress of the material. A simple graph is presented, which reveals at a glance which of the nine different possible types of residual stress distributions occurs under a given set of circumstances.
Involvement of protein kinase C in nerve growth factor- and K-252a-stimulated calcium uptake into PC12 cells

Both nerve growth factor (NGF) and K-252a stimulate the uptake of calcium into PC12 cells. Stimulation by either is prevented by pretreatment of the cells with the tumor promoter phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), suggesting an involvement of protein kinase C in the stimulation. The effect of PMA is specific in that the calcium uptake stimulated by either the L-type channel agonist BAY K 8644 or by ATP is not altered in PMA-pretreated cells. An involvement of kinase C is also suggested by the inhibition of NGF- or K-252a-stimulated calcium uptake by the kinase C inhibitors staurosporine and calphostin C. Inhibition by the isoform-specific agents GO 6976 and thymeleatoxin implicates one of the classic calcium-sensitive isoforms of kinase C. The close similarity in the profiles of inhibition of NGF-stimulated and K-252a-stimulated calcium uptake by the various effectors suggests that NGF and K-252a act on calcium uptake through some of the same signaling elements. J. Neurosci. Res. 47:271–276, 1997. © 1997 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
Functional Effects of Coxsackievirus and Adenovirus Receptor Glycosylation on Homophilic Adhesion and Adenoviral Infection

The coxsackievirus and adenovirus receptor (CAR) is both a viral receptor and homophilic adhesion protein. The extracellular portion of CAR consists of two immunoglobulin (Ig)-like domains, each with a consensus sequence for N-glycosylation. We used chemical, genetic, and biochemical studies to show that both sites are glycosylated and contribute to the function of CAR. Although the glycosylation of CAR does not alter cell surface levels or junctional localization, it affects both adhesion and adenovirus infection in unique ways. CAR-mediated adhesion appears to require at least one site of glycosylation since cells expressing CAR without glycosylation do not cluster with each other. In contrast, glycosylation of the Ig-like domain proximal to the membrane is key to the cooperative behavior of adenovirus binding and infection. Contrary to the hypothesis that cooperativity improves viral infection, our data show that although glycosylation of the D2 domain is required for adenovirus cooperative binding, it has a negative consequence upon infection. This is the first report dissecting the adhesion and receptor activities of CAR, revealing that factors other than the binding interface play a significant role in the function of CAR. These data have important implications for both cancers with altered glycosylation states and cancer treatments using oncolytic adenovirus.
The rise and fall of arterial interventions: presentations at the Society of Interventional Radiology annual scientific meeting.

Purpose To address hypotheses concerning a decline in presentations pertaining to vascular interventions by interventional radiologists and the loss of ground in other areas, such as oncology, of presentations in vascular interventions at the Society of Interventional Radiology (SIR) Annual Scientific Meeting. Materials and Methods All abstracts for scientific presentations and scientific exhibits from the program book of the SIR annual meeting were reviewed from the period 1996–2006. The abstracts were grouped in different classes, such as ( a ) type of methodology, ( b ) reports on arterial interventions, ( c ) reports on oncologic interventions, and ( d ) geographic origin. Results Scientific abstracts presented at the SIR annual meeting totaled 3,162. Presentations ranged from 177–407 (1996–2003) plus 250 in 2006 with a mean of 288 presentations per year. The overall number of abstracts reporting arterial interventions had a peak of 89 presentations in 2000 and declined to 34 presentations in 2006. Reports of arterial interventions from the United States had a peak of 48 presentations in 2003 and declined to 12 in 2006. Reports of arterial interventions from Europe had a peak of 37 presentations in 2000 and declined to 11 in 2006. Reports of arterial interventions from Asia had a peak of 10 presentations in 1999 and declined to 6 in 2006. The trends are similar for the three components of arterial interventions when analyzed individually. In 1997, 26.6% of all the presentations were arterial interventions; in 2000, 25.1%; and in 2006, only 13.6%. There was a trend in the increase of oncology presentations starting in 2004. In 2003, it was 10%, and it was 22.4% in 2006. Conclusions There has been a decline in the overall number of abstracts presented at the SIR annual meeting after a peak in 2003. There has been a decline in the number of arterial intervention reports. The decline in presentations of arterial interventions that originated in the United States was also observed in presentations that originated from Europe and Asia. There has been an increasing trend in interventional oncology reports starting in 2004.
THE MECHANISM OF COMPLEMENT ACTION.

It has been shown: 1. That complement exposed to ultra-violet light is not thereby sensitized to the action of heat (which indicates that it is not protein). 2. That inactivation of complement by ultra-violet light is accompanied by a decrease in its surface tension. 3. That photoinactivation of complement is not a result of any changes in hydrogen ion concentration since these are less than 0.05 pH. 4. That hydrogen ion concentrations high enough to transform serum proteins from the cation to the anion condition (i.e. past the isoelectric point) permanently inactivate complement. These facts together with those given in previous papers lead to the following hypotheses. 1. That there is present in serum a hemolytic substance which is formed from a precursor (which may resemble lecithin) and is constantly being formed and simultaneously being broken down into inactive products. 2. That both precursor and lysin contain the same photosensitive molecular group. 3. That the lytic substance is dependent for its activity upon the state of the serum proteins.
Primary Tracheomalacia and Gastroesophageal Reflux in Infants with Cough

Cough is an uncommon sign in infants. Cough may result from the presence of abnormal secretions in the airway or abnormalities of the central airways that affect the infant's ability to clear normal secretions. Tracheomalacia (TM) and gastroesophageal reflux (GER) can both cause cough in infants. Four infants whose cough began in the newborn period were diagnosed with TM and GER. Symptoms of central airway obstruction (homophonous wheeze or tracheal cough) suggested the diagnoses. In three patients, the diagnosis was made by barium esophagraphy and airway fluoroscopy. The infants responded to conservative and medical therapy for GER and to nebulized bronchodilators. Tracheomalacia and GER cause cough in infants that begins in the newborn period. The diagnosis can often be made with studies available to the primary care provider, and the conditions are often responsive to medical management.
ATP-Binding Cassette Cholesterol Transporters and Cardiovascular Disease

A hallmark of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease (CVD) is the accumulation of cholesterol in arterial macrophages. Factors that modulate circulating and tissue cholesterol levels have major imp...
Computer games to decrease pain and improve mood and movement

Pain is a pervasive problem that can compromise mood and movement leading to depression and disability. Computer games can enhance self-esteem, mood, and movement in healthy individuals. To what extent such games can improve mood and movement and decrease pain in individuals with chronic pain is not known. This study compared the effects of two computer games on pain, mood and movement in patients with fibromyalgia (FM) compared to a pain free cohort. Twenty-nine people with (FM) and 19 healthy controls were randomized to play a game to enhance mood or a game with no emotional salience. Standardized measures of clinical pain, thermal pain thresholds, self-efficacy, mood, self-esteem and physical performance were obtained before and after game play. Both games improved pain threshold, mood and physical performance (p≤.019). There was no differential effect of games suggesting that for these subjects and after one game play, attention to the game rather than the game itself is the likely explanation.
Genetic divergence in M. Vetukhiv's experimental populations of Drosophila pseudoobscura. IV. Relative viability.

Six experimental populations of D. pseudoobscura were maintained at three different temperatures for more than 8 years. All the populations have originally descended from the same founders. The populations were examined for evidences of genetic divergence. The pre-adult viabilities of the flies from these populations, and of their F 1 and F 2 hybrids, were studied at 16°C., 25°C., and 27°C. The results indicate that the populations have diverged genetically from each other. Some divergence is observed not only between populations kept at different temperatures, but also between the replicate populations kept at the same temperature.
Patch Clamp Studies of Lymphocyte Activation

In both T- and B-lymphocyte activation, antigen receptor or mitogen stimulation results in phosphoinositide turnover, generation of InsP3 and diacylglycerol, and a sustained rise in intracellular Ca2+, from both intracellular Ca2+ stores release and enhanced transmembrane Ca2+ influx. There is also an associated K+ efflux and membrane hyperpolarization. Patch clamp studies in T and B cells have revealed the presence of several types of ion channels that apparently contribute to the ion fluxes and to the membrane potential changes associated with lymphocyte activation. Three types of T-cell channels are described in this review. First, patch clamp studies have revealed the presence of a nonvoltage-gated, Ca2+ permeable channel, the probability of whose opening increases upon exposure of the T cell to activating ligands. Enhanced opening probability appears to be mediated by the second messenger InsP3, implying that InsP3 is responsible for both intracellular Ca2+ stores release and enhanced transmembrane Ca2+ influx. Thus, the control of [Ca2+]i remains coupled to TCR/CD3 function. The Ca2+ permeable channel also undergoes a Ca2(+)-dependent inactivation process in an autoregulatory fashion. In addition, voltage-gated K+ channels, which closely resemble the delayed rectifier K+ channel of nerve and muscle, can be classified into three subtypes, according to their voltage dependence of activation, inactivation kinetics, and pharmacological sensitivity. The expression of the three K+ channel subtypes varies with the cell's developmental state and functional class. The voltage-activated K+ channel is postulated to have a role in mitogenesis, based on studies that demonstrate an increase in K+ channel amplitude in the 24-48 hr following mitogen stimulation, and on studies that demonstrate that K+ channel blockers inhibit mitogenesis in a dose-dependent manner with the same potency sequence for ion channel block. The precise functional role of the voltage-activated K+ channel remains to be determined. Finally, a Ca2(+)-activated K+ channel in T cells has recently been described. This channel presumably underlies the K+ efflux and membrane hyperpolarization that accompany the mitogen-induced increase in [Ca2+]i. Three channel types that may contribute to activation have also been described in B lymphocytes. In murine myeloma and hybridoma cells, a voltage-gated Ca2+ channel similar to Ca2+ channels in nerve, heart, and muscle is present. It is unclear whether or not this type of Ca2+ channel is present in straight B-cell lines.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Response of cultured mammalian cells to diphtheria toxin. IV. Isolation of KB cells resistant to diphtheria toxin.

Abstract KB cell strains which are resistant to the lethal effects of diphtheria toxin were isolated from the toxin-sensitive KB cell line. For one such strain, KB-R2, the concentration of diphtheria toxin required to cause a 50% reduction of incorporation of amino acids into protein was more than 2,000 times that required in the sensitive KB-S cell. The KB-R2 strain was cloned by a single-cell isolation method to yield uniform strains with an even greater resistance to toxin. Resistance is a stable, inheritable property, providing a good genetic marker, and appears to be related to some alteration in the cell membrane. Preliminary studies showed that these cell strains are resistant to poliovirus and vesicular stomatitis virus as well as to toxin.
Retrospective View of North American Potato (Solanum tuberosum L.) Breeding in the 20th and 21st Centuries

Cultivated potato (Solanum tuberosum L.), a vegetatively propagated autotetraploid, has been bred for distinct market classes, including fresh market, pigmented, and processing varieties. Breeding efforts have relied on phenotypic selection of populations developed from intra- and intermarket class crosses and introgressions of wild and cultivated Solanum relatives. To retrospectively explore the effects of potato breeding at the genome level, we used 8303 single-nucleotide polymorphism markers to genotype a 250-line diversity panel composed of wild species, genetic stocks, and cultivated potato lines with release dates ranging from 1857 to 2011. Population structure analysis revealed four subpopulations within the panel, with cultivated potato lines grouping together and separate from wild species and genetic stocks. With pairwise kinship estimates clear separation between potato market classes was observed. Modern breeding efforts have scarcely changed the percentage of heterozygous loci or the frequency of homozygous, single-dose, and duplex loci on a genome level, despite concerted efforts by breeders. In contrast, clear selection in less than 50 years of breeding was observed for alleles in biosynthetic pathways important for market class-specific traits such as pigmentation and carbohydrate composition. Although improvement and diversification for distinct market classes was observed through whole-genome analysis of historic and current potato lines, an increased rate of gain from selection will be required to meet growing global food demands and challenges due to climate change. Understanding the genetic basis of diversification and trait improvement will allow for more rapid genome-guided improvement of potato in future breeding efforts.
Immune recognition and rejection of allogeneic skin grafts

The transplantation of allogeneic skin grafts is associated with a potent inflammatory immune response leading to the destruction of donor cells and the rejection of the graft. Shortly after transplantation, skin dendritic cells (DCs) migrate out of the graft through lymphatic vessels and infiltrate the recipient’s draining lymph nodes where they present donor antigens via two mechanisms: the direct pathway, in which T cells recognize intact donor MHC antigens on donor DCs; and the indirect pathway, involving T-cell recognition of donor peptides bound to self-MHC molecules on recipient DCs. Some recent studies have suggested that T cells can become activated via recognition of donor MHC molecules transferred on recipient antigen-presenting cells (semidirect pathway). Activation of T cells via direct or indirect allorecognition is sufficient to trigger acute rejection of allogeneic skin grafts. In addition, allospecific antibodies contribute to the rejection process either by killing allogeneic targets in a complementdependent fashion or by opsonizing donor cells and forming immune complexes. Finally, several studies demonstrate that NK cells, activated due to missing self-MHC class I molecules on allogeneic cells, are involved in allogeneic skin graft rejection via direct killing of donor cells and through the production of proinflammatory cytokines including IFN- g and TNF-a.
WebLogo: A Sequence Logo Generator

WebLogo generates sequence logos, graphical representations of the patterns within a multiple sequence alignment. Sequence logos provide a richer and more precise description of sequence similarity than consensus sequences and can rapidly reveal significant features of the alignment otherwise difficult to perceive. Each logo consists of stacks of letters, one stack for each position in the sequence. The overall height of each stack indicates the sequence conservation at that position (measured in bits), whereas the height of symbols within the stack reflects the relative frequency of the corresponding amino or nucleic acid at that position. WebLogo has been enhanced recently with additional features and options, to provide a convenient and highly configurable sequence logo generator. A command line interface and the complete, open WebLogo source code are available for local installation and customization.
Optimal tether deployment/retrieval trajectories using direct collocation

This paper presents an approach to determine optimal tether deployment/retrieval trajectories using direct collocation and nonlinear programming. A derivation of the non-dimensional equations of motion for a two-body tethered spacecraft system is provided. Optimal solutions are obtained for several deployment/retrieval scenarios to gain insight into tethered spacecraft motion.
The dialectics of myth

Only now can we consider that the question of genuine mythical detachment has been fully clarified. We remember how difficult it was to find the true root of this detachment. We compared mythical detachment with general material detachment and poetic detachment but could not find a satisfactory answer anywhere. All the time we have faced a difficult task: to synthesize the sensuousness, extreme con-creteness, and purely material corporeality of myth with its otherworldly, fabulous, and generally acknowledged "unreal" character. After many attempts we have only now finally found this genuine synthesis in the concept of miracle. Miracle is thus an absolutely necessary dialectical synthesis by which mythical consciousness lives and without which myth itself would not exist. From this point of view, myth's relation to other areas of human creativity also appears in a new light.
Some remarks on the paper by B. G. Marsden “An attempt to reconcile the dynamical and radar determinations of the Astronomical Unit”

While Marsden's solution C leaves residuals with the relatively small [ vv ] of 13.73, it should be realized that this representation of the observations of Eros does not satisfy the fundamental principle of the least squares method, in so far as the associated value of [ vv ] is not a minimum with respect to small arbitrary deviations from solution C. As a matter of fact, there is an infinite number of “solutions” with [ vv ] between the 13.73 of Marsden's solution C and the 8.66 of his solution A, each of these being associated with a certain arbitrarily prescribed value of the mass of Mars and with a related mass of Earth + Moon. Of this infinite series of solutions, only solution A is a least squares solution in the true sense, with a minimum value of [ vv ]. This can be seen and verified as follows.
Profiles of Nonprofit Startups and Nonprofit Entrepreneurs

The nonprofit sector has been expanding rapidly, but little attention has been paid to the organizations that comprise the group of new market entrants. In 2010 more than 45,000 new nonprofits incorporated, braving crowded grant markets and grueling periods of organizational adolescence. Some reach revenues over $1 million within a couple of years. We implement a survey of these organizations to understand this group of nonprofit entrepreneurs. What drives them to create? What factors are important for survival and growth in the initial years? What are the obstacles they desire more support in addressing? Do they intend to grow aggressively, steadily, or simply stay about the same size for the time being? We consider the policy and management implications of understanding nonprofit startups and their entrepreneurs and provide a baseline of these organizations’ characteristics as well as those of their founders.
The neurobiology of N-acetylaspartylglutamate.

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the N-acetylaspartylglutamate (NAAG) as an endogenous ligand for excitatory amino acid receptors, and discusses the neurotransmitter candidacy of Asp and Glu. Immunocytochemical studies, which have demonstrated the presence of intense NAAG-like immunoreactivity in neuronal somata in both the CNS and PNS, have provided the first direct evidence for the peptide's neuronal localization in the vertebrate nervous system. Immunoreactive neurons are distributed in accordance with NAAG levels, with large numbers of neurons stained in brainstem and spinal cord. The neuronal function most often ascribed for NAAG is neurotransmission in putative glutamatergic pathways. In this regard, NAAG-like immunoreactivity is present within mitral neurons of the rodent olfactory bulb. These cells give rise to fibers that course through the lateral olfactory tract (LOT) and synapse upon dendrites of pyriform cortex pyramidal cells. If NAAG acts as a neurotransmitter or neuromodulator, the peptide should possess identifiable receptors through which its effects are mediated. Independent validation, such as the documentation of enriched levels of NAAG in isolated motoneurons, should clarify the presence of NAAG in nonglutamatergic neuronal populations.
The Abrahamic pilgrimage story in sermons: An ontological-narrative foundation of Asian American life in faith:

Sang Hyun Lee and many other Asian American scholars have found that the Abrahamic pilgrimage story has been an ontological-narrative backbone of Asian American faith constructs. This article furth...
Rebuilding after earthquakes

After every disastrous earthquake, earth scientists and engineers express concern about the process of reconstruction, afraid that the affected locality will miss the opportunity to build back so as to be more resistant to the next inevitable seismic event. Haiti is only the most recent example, and so the question I have been hearing in recent months is this: How can we use scientific knowledge to inform the safe reconstruction of Port-au-Prince? The response to this question has two parts: 1) the challenges of promoting risk reduction, and 2) the opportunity (though not an unlimited one) of advancing seismic safety in the reconstruction process in the wake of disaster. At the heart of reconstruction is the tension between speed and deliberation. Promoting seismic safety is difficult. Earthquakes are not high on the political agenda, because they occur infrequently and are overshadowed by more immediate, visible issues. Even where citizens are aware of seismic risks, taking action to improve seismic safety is difficult because: Nevertheless, seismic safety policies do get adopted and implemented by national, state, and local governments. Many factors are critical to the successful advancement of seismic safety. The list of factors is long, including factors such as awareness, communication, governmental capacity, community wealth, and availability of resources. But two stand out: 1) the presence of persistent, skillful, and credible advocates, because this represents a way that individuals can make a difference; and 2) occurrence …
MINIMALIST VERSUS STANDARD TRANSFEMORAL TRANSCATHETER AORTIC VALVE REPLACEMENT IN PATIENTS WITH SEVERE CHRONIC OBSTRUCTIVE LUNG DISEASE

Transfemoral (TF) transcatheter aortic valve replacement is increasingly performed with conscious sedation and transthoracic echo guidance in the cath lab (Minimalist, MA-TAVR). We studied whether MA-TAVR results in better outcomes than standard TF-TAVR (SA-TAVR) in patients with severe chronic
Feeding Intolerance and Elevated Transaminases in a Preterm Infant

Feeding intolerance and elevated transaminases in a preterm infant ### Prenatal History: ### Birth History: A female neonate was delivered by cesarean section at 28 4/7 weeks’ gestation because of persistent bleeding and known placental previa. Her birthweight was 1,380 g, and Apgar scores were 4 and 8 at 1 and 5 minutes, respectively. The infant had initial respiratory distress that required endotracheal intubation for surfactant delivery and subsequent respiratory support with nasal continuous positive airway pressure. After birth, umbilical venous (UVC) and arterial catheters (UAC) were placed and appropriate positioning confirmed radiographically. She was started on trophic feedings 2 days after birth, but feedings were held because of …
Conversational Modernism: Talking Czech Men into Being Gentlemen by Way of The Gentleman, 1924–30

The article provides a profile of the Czech life-style magazine Gentleman (The Gentleman), published in Prague from 1924 to 1930. The gendered nature of the magazine is stressed and discursive mechanisms effective in the formation of modern masculinity are discussed. Issues of ‘democratic aristocratism’, male fashion, gender identity, but also traces of a local inflection (T. G. Masaryk as a modern man) are among the select points of attention. While some aspects of the magazine may appear instructional, the analysis draws attention to the fact that The Gentleman actually moves between the instructional and the represented, thus leaving ample space for the reader to negotiate his position on the map of masculine modernity. Other instances of media (e.g., the nineteenth-century Konversationslexikon) and authors (Karel Capek, Milena Jesenska) are adduced to broaden the context and to explicate the meaning of ‘conversational modernity’, that is, a negotiated representation of modernity.
Analysis on Genetic Diversity of Phenotypic Traits in Rice(Oryza sativa)Core Collection and Its Comprehensive Assessment

Germplasm resources are fundamental in rice breeding and dissecting complex traits.Assessment of genetic diversity benefits the identification of optimal parental combinations to produce segregating offspring with maximum genetic variability,and facilitates the introgression of favorable genes from various germplasm into commercial cultivars.The USDA rice core collection(USDA-RCC)(1 579 rice accessions originated from six continents),was analyzed with 14 phenotypic traits to assess diversity and phenotypically superior rice germplasm.The main results were summarized as follows:(1)Genetic distance of the germplasm from Asia and Africa to that of Oceania was larger.Rice germplasm from Asia,Africa and Oceania had accordingly greater phenotypic and genetic diversities,and genetic diversity of different traits was different among continents.Six traits including kernel length/width(KLW),alkali spreading value(ASC),plant height(PH),kernel width(KW),1000-kernel weight(TKW)and amylose content(AC)had greater genetic diversity.(2)Comprehensive assessment of phenotypic traits was conducted using principal component analysis(PCA)and step regression analysis,demonstrating that the accession PI 392768 from Vietnam had the best comprehensive traits while the accession PI 281760 performed the worst comprehensive traits;AC,HD,PH,lodging,BRC,and HC would be suitable as comprehensive criteria for assessing USDA-RCC germplasm.We suggest these rice germplasm possessing great phenotypic diversity should be widely utilized in breeding programs,moreover,these rice germplasm with farther genetic distance and different comprehensive traits should be appropriately considered for the parental selection.
The Influence of Knee Flexion Angle for Graft Fixation on Rotational Knee Stability During Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstruction: A Biomechanical Study.

Purpose To evaluate the effect of knee flexion angle for hamstring graft fixation, full extension (FE), or 30°, on acceleration of the knee motion during pivot-shift testing after either anatomic or nonanatomic anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) reconstruction using triaxial accelerometry. Methods Two types of ACL reconstructions (anatomic and nonanatomic) using 2 different angles of knee flexion during graft fixation (FE and 30°) were performed on 12 fresh-frozen human knees making 4 groups: anatomic-FE, anatomic-30°, nonanatomic-FE, and nonanatomic-30°. Manual pivot-shift testing was performed at ACL-intact, ACL-deficient, and ACL-reconstructed conditions. Three-dimensional acceleration of knee motion was recorded using a triaxial accelerometer. Results The anatomic-30° group showed the smallest overall magnitude of acceleration among the ACL-reconstructed groups ( P = .0039). There were no significant differences among the anatomic-FE group, the nonanatomic-FE group, and the nonantomic-30° group (anatomic-FE vs nonanatomic-FE, P = .1093; anatomic-FE vs nonanatomic-30°, P = .8728; and nonanatomic-FE vs nonanatomic-30°, P = .1093). After ACL transection, acceleration was reduced by ACL reconstruction with the exception of the nonanatomic-FE group that did not show a significant difference when compared with the ACL-deficient ( P = .4537). Conclusions The anatomic ACL reconstruction with the graft fixed at 30° of knee flexion better restored rotational knee stability compared with FE. An ACL graft fixed with the knee at FE in anatomic position did not show a significant difference compared with the nonanatomic ACL reconstructions. Clinical Relevance Knee flexion angle at the time of graft fixation for ACL reconstruction can be considered to maximize the rotational knee stability.
Chapter 23 – Leaf Anatomy and Leaf Elasticity

This chapter starts by illustrating the anatomy of dicotyledonous and monocotyledonous leaves. Differences in leaf anatomy for plants with the C3 and C4 types of photosynthesis are described. Xerophytic adaptations of leaves are listed. The physical principles for elasticity are presented, including Hooke's law, bulk modulus, and Young's modulus. These concepts are then applied to experimental data from cotton, bell pepper, sunflower, and birdsfoot trefoil. Bulk moduli and Young's moduli are calculated for leaves of each of these plants and then compared to the moduli of elasticity for nonliving materials. It is pointed out that the moduli of elasticity for plants are fairly large. The data from the four crop plants show that Hooke's law is obeyed by plant leaves. The point when leaves sag (lose elasticity) agrees reasonably well with the traditionally accepted value for permanent wilting point, which is −15 bars. Appendices give biographies of Hooke and Young.
Magnetostatic wave Bragg cells for optical signal processing

Magnetostatic waves (MSWs) are low-velocity (~105-m/sec), radio-frequency (1-20-GHz) waves which propagate in ferrite materials (e.g., YIG) biased by externally applied magnetic fields. To circumvent shape factor demagnetization effects in the material which cause unacceptable variations in the MSW propagation properties, thin-film geometries are employed, and the MSW acquires guided-wave characteristics.
Iodine Intake and Healthy Aging

Abstract Iodine is a trace element essential for human development and health. Its only known function in the human body is in the synthesis of thyroid hormones. Nutritional deficiency or excess can have deleterious effects on health, irrespective of the age at which it occurs. Infants and young children are especially at risk for iodine deficiency as iodine is critical for normal fetal growth and development. Depending on the timing and severity of iodine deficiency, a spectrum of neurocognitive defects, including neurologic and myxedematous forms of cretinism, can occur. In older populations, imbalances in iodine intake can result in thyroid disorders including hypothyroidism, hyperthyroidism, and autoimmune thyroid disease. Nutritional sources of iodine can vary according to the mineral content of the soil where the food is grown, and iodine deficiency can be prevalent in different geographic areas. Campaigns for prevention of iodine deficiency have been instituted in many countries, and salt iodization has been the most successful.
ALGORITMICKÉ A UŽIVATELSKÉ POČÍTAČOVÉ DOVEDNOSTÍ ABSOLVENTŮ STŘEDNÍCH ŠKOL

Clanek se zaměřuje na problematiku zjisťovani a porovnavani výstupnich „informatických“ dovednosti absolventů střednich skol v kontextu nekonzistentnich skolnich vzdělavacich programů, zmiňuje potřebu stanoveni jednotných výstupnich kompetenci, uvadi testovaci nastroje použivane na skolach. Představuje maďarský didaktický test použitý pro testovani aktualnich algoritmických a uživatelských pocitacových dovednosti studentů prvnich rocniků IT oborů vysokých skol. Autor diskutuje uvedený informatický test, analyzuje jeho ulohy, zvažuje vhodnost jeho nasazeni v Cesku. Uvadi výsledky pokusneho testovani mezi studenty IT oborů Zapadoceske a Jihoceske univerzity, porovnava výsledky studentů z obou univerzit a zaroveň konfrontuje jejich výsledky s výsledky skupiny ucitelů zakladnich a střednich skol, kteři se testu tež ucastnili, a to s ohledem na jejich prognozy a sebehodnoceni.
Geographic Variation in Disaster Preparedness Across U.S. States and Metropolitan Areas

Effective planning for natural disasters requires accurate local data relevant to disaster mitigation efforts. However, data on topics such as individual risk perceptions or household preparedness behaviors are often unavailable at the spatial or temporal resolution necessary for local mitigation efforts. To address these data needs, this paper presents new nationwide estimates of one element of household preparedness — setting aside supplies in the home to use in case of a disaster — across states and metropolitan areas in the United States. Using national online survey data collected in 2015, a multilevel regression and poststratification (MRP) model was fit using demographic, social, and geographic predictors. The resulting model estimates are presented for all U.S. states and all 917 metropolitan and micropolitan areas. Estimates were externally validated against representative surveys at the state and metropolitan level, including data from the 2013 American Housing Survey. Validation indicated that model estimates have low absolute errors and are strongly correlated with external data. Comparing the estimates against historical disaster losses demonstrates broad variation in preparedness even among places with historically high rates of death and injury from natural disasters. These findings suggest that cost-effective online data collection techniques combined with MRP methods can be an effective tool for researchers and decision makers interested in understanding geographic variation in social survey data at subnational scales.
Effects of Feeding Management on the Equine Cecal Microbiota

The effects of meal size and frequency on equine cecal microbiota are not well documented. We hypothesized that changes in feeding management (including differing meal size and frequency) would alter the equine cecal microbiota. Cecally cannulated horses (n = 6) were utilized in a 3 × 3 Latin square where they received group pasture turnout daily and were stalled overnight in box stalls (3 × 4 m). Treatment diets consisted of Strategy® concentrate and were as follows: A = one meal, 2.72 kg, 6 AM; B = two meals, 1.36 kg/meal, 6 AM and 4 PM; and C = three meals, 0.91 kg/meal, 6 AM, 12 PM, and 4 PM. Treatment periods consisted of 8 days of acclimation followed by 3 days of collection. All horses received ad libitum access to water, a white salt block, and 3 kg of mixed alfalfa/grass hay offered overnight. Cecal samples were sequenced using 16S rRNA gene-based Illumina technology. Data were analyzed using QIIME 1.8.0 and Proc MIXED of SAS. Weighted principal coordinates analysis values indicated that feeding management impacted cecal microbiota composition with horses fed one large meal having different microbial community than those fed three smaller meals throughout the day (P = .028). Furthermore, treatment affected (P < .05) Prevotella, YRC22, Lactobacillus, Streptococcus, Coprococcus, and Phascolarctobacterium. These data demonstrate that feeding a single large bolus meal affects both abundance and composition of the cecal microbiota. Further research is necessary to understand the metabolic and/or health implications related to changes the equine cecal microbiota.
The Great East Japan Earthquake and Its Immediate Effects on Fukushima

The March 2011, Great East Japan Earthquake and resulting tsunami, produced a total station blackout in Fukushima Units 1–4. One lone emergency diesel generator survived to support units 5 and 6. Regardless of power availability, all six units were cut off from their ultimate heat sink, the Pacific Ocean. As operators struggled to control the reactors, the inability to remove decay heat led to major failures and significant radioactive releases from breaches of several containment structures at the plant site. This electrical and containment failure produced one of the most devastating nuclear accidents in history, rivaling the Chernobyl disaster of 1986.
Detection and Separation of Inorganic Cations in Natural, Potable, and Wastewater Samples Using Capillary Zone Electrophoresis with Indirect UV Detection.

Capillary zone electrophoresis (CZE) is a sensitive and rapid technique for determining traces of inorganic cations in water samples. CZE with indirect UV-diode array detection (CZE-DAD) was utilized to identify several inorganic cations in natural, potable, and wastewater samples. A pH 4.35 background electrolyte system was employed and consisted of 15 mM imidazole, 8 mM malonic acid, 2 mM 18-crown-6 ether as complexing agents, 10% v/v methanol as an organic modifier with indirect absorbance reference at 214 nm. The CZE method involved electromigration injection at 5 kV for 5 s, a separation voltage of 20 kV at 25℃, and a detection wavelength of 280 nm. Six main cations (ammonium , potassium K+, calcium Ca2+, sodium Na+, magnesium Mg2+, and lead Pb2+) were tested, and all but lead, were detected in the water samples at concentrations between 0.03 and 755 ppm with a detection limit ranging between 0.023 and 0.084 ppm. The successful evaluation of the proposed methodology allowed us to reliably detect and separate six metal ions in different water samples without any pretreatment. All water samples were collected from Northern New York towns and the Raquette River water system, the third longest river in New York State and the largest watershed of the central and western Adirondacks.