cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Continuum-scale modeling of helium bubble bursting under plasma-exposed tungsten surfaces

We present a comparison between a continuum-scale drift-diffusion-reaction cluster dynamics prediction of helium retention in low-energy helium plasma exposed tungsten and experimental measurements, in a temperature regime that did not produce tungsten fuzz. Our cluster dynamics model, Xolotl, has been successfully benchmarked to high helium implantation flux MD simulations at relatively low implanted fluence. In this article, we also describe the extension of the Xolotl DDR model to incorporate the effect of bubble bursting, which is observed in very high rate MD simulations, as well as MD simulations at longer times than simulated in our prior benchmarking comparison. The bursting model parameters have been tuned by comparing to MD simulations at a flux of 5.0 × 1027 m−2 s−1, and also compared to lower implanted fluence simulations performed at ~4.0 × 1025 m−2 s−1. This article then reports on the consistency of the Xolotl predictions with respect to the size of the simulated cluster phase space (i.e. the maximum cluster size), initial vacancy concentration, and bubble growth trajectory (maximum number of helium atoms per vacancy). Finally, our simulation results are compared to helium plasma experiments that did not produce fuzz. While the Xolotl predictions including bubble bursting are in quantitative agreement with high-flux MD simulations, the initial comparison to plasma exposure experiments at a flux on the order of 1021 m−2 s−1 disagree by more than an order of magnitude, and in fact cannot reproduce the trends in helium retention with varying exposure temperature. Modifying the initial vacancy concentrations and helium cluster diffusion behavior in Xolotl leads to a reasonable agreement with the experimental observations, although the underlying physical explanation for these modifications remains unclear. The predicted helium content at experimentally relevant fluxes has been shown to be relatively insensitive to the parameters used in the bubble bursting model implemented in Xolotl, although these parameters have a larger influence at higher flux. More systematic comparisons between the modeling predictions with both experiments and MD simulation results is expected to improve the bubble bursting model in Xolotl in the future.
Nutritional implications for quality of life in bladder cancer survivors.

Bladder cancer can be aggressive and develop resistance to currently available cancer therapies. An estimated 81,190 new cases of bladder cancer will be diagnosed in 2018 and 18,810 deaths from bladder cancer will occur in 2018 in the US (1). Both the absolute numbers of cases and deaths from bladder cancer have increased by 45% and 35%, respectively, since 2002 (2,3). Bladder cancer ranks as the 4 th most common cancer in men affecting males 4 times the rate as females and in the top 10 common cause of cancer deaths in men and women in the US (1). In addition, bladder cancer has a high rate of recurrence compared to other tumor types (4), thus it an ideal population for health promotion efforts.
There Is No Free-Will Defense

In this chapter, I focus on a Free-Will Defense that seeks to show that God is compatible with not just some evil, but with all the evil that exists in the world, and apply an ethics of significant freedom to this version of a Free-Will Defense.
Should Perineural Invasion Warrant Adjuvant Therapy in Surgically Treated Head and Neck Cancer

Head and neck tumors with aggressive features often have an increased risk of locoregional recurrence. Perineural invasion (PNI) is one such adverse feature that may warrant adjuvant treatment after surgical resection. In this chapter, we will discuss the effect of PNI on locoregional control and when adjuvant therapy may or may not be beneficial. The chapter is divided between histologic subtypes of head and neck cancer and include mucosal squamous cell carcinoma (mSCC), cutaneous squamous cell carcinoma (cSCC), and salivary gland cancer. Overall, the literature is limited when it comes to prospective studies which focus on PNI as the dedicated variable. For cSCC, there is a lack of evidence to suggest that adjuvant radiotherapy can be de-escalated, and its use should continue for tumors with PNI. Regarding salivary gland cancer, adenoid cystic carcinoma was the most widely studied and there is evidence to suggest that adjuvant therapy may be beneficial in reducing risk of recurrence. Lastly, there is not sufficient evidence for PNI in mSCC to suggest that surgery alone is equivocal to surgery and adjuvant radiotherapy. The lack of prospective trials greatly limits the recommendations that can be made regarding treatment decisions.
Development and evaluation of electrochemical sensors for biologically important sulfur-containing compounds

Anodic voltammetric detection of sulfhydryl compounds, represented here by cysteine, at Pt electrodes in acidic media occurs concomitantly with anodic generation of surface oxide. It is speculated that the adsorbed hydroxyl species (PtOH), proposed to be the intermediate product in formation of the inert oxide (PtO), is the source of O-atoms transferred to the stilfonic acid produced by oxidation of the sulfhydryl moiety. However, as a consequence of this electrocatalytic response mechanism, application of the traditional three-step waveform for pulsed amperometric detection (PAD) of sulfhydryl compounds is accompanied by a large background signal resulting from PtO formation. To diminish the background signal, the traditional three-step PAD waveform has been modified by insertion of a brief (100 ms) anodization step prior to the detection step to activate the Pt surface by generation of PtOH with minimal conversion to PtO. The subsequent negative step from the activation potential to the detection potential {Eoet < permits the PtOH to be harvested in the detection
Using Inclusive Sport for Social Change in Malawi, Africa

This report draws upon the first year of the Youth Enrichment through Sports (YES)-Africa cooperative agreement focused on sport for social change involving five sub-Saharan African countries. The YES-Africa program, funded by the U.S. Department of State, is designed to enhance cross-cultural understanding and collaboration between individuals and nations. The YESAfrica Malawi exchange builds capacity for sport leaders in Malawi to implement inclusive sport and recreation for youth with disabilities. This case study employs a content analysis of international and national legislative and policy agendas addressing inclusion of youth with disabilities within the context of sport, and explores barriers to policy implementation through interviews with seven key stakeholders and a review of structured field notes. Findings suggest that while Malawi’s legislative and policy landscape appears to adequately address the needs of youth with disabilities broadly, implementation is limited by social, physical, and socio-environmental barriers. We explore contributions of TR professionals in addressing key policy priorities in developing countries.Subscribe to TRJ
Validation of an Improved Contact Method for Multi-Material Eulerian Hydrocodes in Three-Dimensions

Abstract Realistic and accurate modeling of contact for problems involving large deformations and severe distortions presents a host of computational challenges. Due to their natural description of surfaces, Lagrangian finite element methods are traditionally used for problems involving sliding contact. However, problems such as those involving ballistic penetrations, blast-structure interactions, and vehicular crash dynamics, can result in elements developing large aspect ratios, twisting, or even inverting. For this reason, Eulerian, and by extension Arbitrary Lagrangian-Eulerian (ALE), methods have become popular. However, additional complexities arise when these methods permit multiple materials to occupy a single finite element. Multi-material Eulerian formulations in computational structural mechanics are traditionally approached using mixed-element thermodynamic and constitutive models. These traditional approaches treat discontinuous pressure and stress fields that exist in elements with material interfaces by using a single approximated pressure and stress field. However, this approximation often has little basis in the physics taking place at the contact boundary and can easily lead to unphysical behavior. This work presents a significant departure from traditional Eulerian contact models by solving the conservation equations separately for each material within each computational element and then imposing inequality constraints associated with contact to the solutions for each material with the appropriate tractions included. The advantages of this method have been demonstrated with several computational examples. These examples are limited to contact between two materials. Future work will examine contact between three or more materials within an element. This work concludes by drawing a comparison between the method put forth in this work and traditional treatment of multi-material contact in Eulerian methods.
Impacts of an M9 Cascadia Subduction Zone Earthquake and Seattle Basin on Performance of RC Core Wall Buildings

AbstractThe performance of tall reinforced concrete core building archetypes in Seattle, Washington, was evaluated for 30 simulated scenarios of a magnitude 9 (M9) Cascadia subduction zone interfac...
Determining Personalized Community Health Needs by Feature Selection and Clustering

The Center for Disease Control, through the Community Health Data Initiative (CHDI), has released a large dataset by county detailing the overall health indicators, demographics, and major risk factors and causes of morbidity and mortality in the US. In order to address the heterogeneity of community healthcare in the US, k-Means clustering was performed on the CHDI dataset to determine community subtypes in terms of health challenges and outcomes. The optimal number of eight clusters was determined by the Elbow Method, and clusters were analyzed to determine significant differences in demographic. In order to determine community-specific healthcare solutions and directions, feature selection and modeling of healthcare outcomes was performed for each of the eight subtypes using LASSO regression. It was determined that different features significantly impact health outcomes in the different clusters, providing information about the unique health challenges faced by these different types of communities. LASSO regression using the entire unclustered dataset yielded significantly poorer results on the sub-clusters in terms of model performance, further supporting the claim that modeling community-specific needs is a vital step for delivering accurate and adequate community healthcare. These results have the potential to inform policymaking at the local/municipal level, as well as inform the approaches taken by primary practitioners to address community needs.
Abstract TP423: Trends of Hospitalization Cost of Aneurysmal Subarachnoid Hemorrhage in the United States

Background: Recent large scale studies describing the trends of hospitalization cost secondary to aneurysmal subarachnoid hemorrhage (aSAH) in the United States are lacking. We performed this study...
Considering self-reported baseline function and cognition in predicting post-operative complications among older adults

BACKGROUND Older adults experience high rates of postoperative complications and poorer outcomes. Current perioperative risk assessments lack specific measures and are too time-consuming for busy surgeons. METHODS Using data from the Health and Retirement Study Survey linked with Medicare data, we performed a cross-sectional study, evaluating all adults ≥65 years old who underwent high-risk elective surgery between 1992-2012. Primary exposure variables included self-reported preoperative functional and cognitive abilities using activities of daily living (ADLs), instrumental activities of daily living (IADLs), and a 27-point self-administered test of memory and mental processing. Primary outcome was the development of a serious postoperative complication within 30-days following index operation. RESULTS Overall, 42% (n=501) developed at least one serious postoperative complication. Patients with moderate (aOR 1.52, 95% CI: 1.14-2.04) and severe (aOR 1.55, 95% CI: 1.00-2.46) baseline functional limitations were at higher risk of serious postoperative complications compared to those with no functional limitation. Cognitive impairment was not associated with serious postoperative complications. CONCLUSIONS Self-reported functional measures may help to quickly identify patients at high-risk for surgical complications and better inform pre-operative discussions including earlier initiation of palliative care services.
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructed Female Athletes Exhibit Relative Muscle Dysfunction After Return to Sport

We sought to examine the relationship between upper-leg compartmental lean mass, muscle-specific strength, and explosive strength following anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction. Twleve adolescent female athletes with prior anterior cruciate ligament reconstruction were individually-matched by age (16.4±0.9 vs. 16.4±1.0 yrs.), body mass index (23.2±2.1 vs. 23.2±2.7 kg/m2), and sport to 12 female athlete controls. One total-body and 2 lateral-leg dual X-ray absorptiometry scans measured total/segmental body composition. Isokinetic dynamometry measured knee extensor/flexor peak torque. Squat jumps on force platforms measured bilateral peak vertical ground reaction force. Paired t-tests assessed lean mass, peak torque, and force between previously-injured athletes’ legs and between previously-injured and control athletes’ legs. Previously-injured athletes’ involved vs. non-involved leg demonstrated lower total (7.13±0.75 vs. 7.43±0.99 kg; p
The marine terraces of Santa Cruz Island, California: Implications for glacial isostatic adjustment models of last-interglacial sea-level history

Abstract Glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) models hypothesize that along coastal California, last interglacial (LIG, broadly from ~130 to ~115 ka) sea level could have been as high as +11 m to +13 m, relative to present, substantially higher than the commonly estimated elevation of +6 m. Areas with low uplift rates can test whether such models are valid. Marine terraces on Santa Cruz Island have previously been reported to occur at low (
A Methodology for the Design, Fabrication and Testing of Axially Graded Polymeric Structures with Tailored Vibration Characteristics

Abstract Machinery subject to internal and/or external mechanical excitations typically require careful control or avoidance of undesirable vibration behavior to meet operational constraints. To address this difficulty, the design, fabrication and testing of multi-polymer axially graded (segmented) structures fabricated through 3D printing was performed. Experiments were conducted on axially graded beams composed of four different polymers in a linear spatial arrangement. The ability to combine multiple materials through additive manufacturing affords the ability to create graded structures that can meet specific performance metrics: higher damping at the desired vibration modes and greater modal separation has been successfully demonstrated. The significance of this work is vested in the fact that the proposed technique can enable the development of tuned structures which can deliver desired spectral characteristics. Furthermore, strength, stability (e.g. buckling) as well as vibrational targets in the design of machinery can be met simultaneously using axial grading of materials.
Endoscopic Submucosal Dissection is Safe and Feasible Allowing for Ongoing Surveillance and organ preservation in Patients with Inflammatory Bowel Disease.

AIM Experience of endoscopic submucosal dissection (ESD) for colorectal lesions in the setting of inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) remains limited. The aim of this work was to determine the safety, feasibility and oncological outcomes of ESD in patients with IBD. METHOD A retrospective review of all adult patients (≥18 years) with a known diagnosis of either ulcerative colitis (UC) or Crohn's disease (CD) who underwent advanced colonoscopy and ESD between 1 January 2014 and 1 October 2020. Data collected included patient demographics, disease characteristics, pathological variables and procedure-related complication rates. RESULTS A total of 25 patients were included: 19 (76%) were male with a median age of 63 years and disease duration of more than 10 years. Sixteen had UC and nine had CD; the majority were taking corticosteroids, immunomodulators or monoclonal antibodies at the time of ESD. The median procedure time was 41 min and the majority (n = 18; 72%) utilized chromoendoscopy. The median lesion size was 30 mm: eight had low-grade dysplasia, nine had high-grade dysplasia and three had adenocarcinoma and underwent oncological resection. None had surgical intervention for complication of ESD or perforation. A total of 23 (88%) had a complete R0 resection. Over a median follow-up of 19 months, three were found to have dysplasia excised in polyps and none had subsequent adenocarcinoma. CONCLUSION ESD in the setting of IBD is safe and effective for complete removal of large neoplastic lesions, allowing for ongoing endoscopic surveillance and organ preservation rather than surgical intervention.
A novel sensitivity analysis of commercial building hybrid energy-structure performance

Abstract The Architecture, Engineering, and Construction community is highly focused on designing buildings that can improve energy efficiency while maintaining adequate structural behavior (termed herein as energy-structure performance). Sensitivity analysis is a fundamental tool to identify the influential factors under this multidisciplinary setting which can be used for model calibration, model reduction, and design optimization. To enhance the study of energy-structure performance, a novel framework of sensitivity analysis, including initial studies and global sensitivity analysis, was developed based on a general and automated platform of multi-physics simulation. This platform meets the requirements of object-orientation and provides compatibility with parametrical representation, including geometric/non-geometric parameters and detailed modeling. A systematic methodology of sensitivity analysis considering sensitivity auditing and a Scaled Morris Method is developed within the context of hybrid building energy-structure performance. The refined global screening sensitivity analysis (Scaled Morris Method) is proposed to deal with different types of data inputs and multiple-output sensitivity index comparison problems. A building case study was part of the research, which included two types of facades totaling 15 input factors. More than 2000 simulations were conducted producing the yearly/peak energy performance indicators over four climate zones along with static/dynamic structural performance indicators. The results from the initial studies and global sensitivity analysis provided varying/sensitivity effects of building topology/layout, structural/nonstructural components, and inherited features, which were compared quantitatively. For the curtain wall building , the absolute mean (sensitivity indices) input factors were up to 2.3 for energy indicators and 3.0 for structural indicators. The precast concrete panel wall building exhibited the absolute mean of input factors up to 2.8 for energy indicators and 2.4 for structural indicators. Overall, the results indicate this new framework, methodology, and sensitivity analysis can be used for commercial hybrid building energy-structure performance analysis.
Virtue and Disease: Narrative Accounts of Orthorexia Nervosa

Orthorexia nervosa is most frequently described as a fixation with healthy eating. Although orthorexia nervosa (ON) has yet to be added to the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (DSM) and much debate persists as to its prevalence and criteria for its diagnosis, many mental health clinicians have observed the growing prevalence of the condition. However, the contemporary imperative in the United States to “care for” one’s body through food, which includes the employment of nutritional knowledge and often the identification of “good” and “bad” foods, the diagnostic criteria for orthorexia reflect what are, to some degree, normalised, even valorised, approaches to food in American society. This chapter explores contestation over the production of orthorexia as a disease within medical and lay discourses. This essay also considers how self-identified recovering orthorexics make use of both the contested diagnosis criteria and the contested condition itself in narrating the trajectories of their experiences. Given that ON's existence is still debated and that solid empirical data on its prevalence is lacking, these authors play an important role in normalising the notion that healthful eating can become unhealthy.
Strange case of biventricular heart failure

Acute heart failure (HF) is commonly caused by a cardiomyopathy with one or more precipitating factor. Here, a case in which a cardiomyopathy is precipitated by pulmonary embolism (PE). A 77-year-old man is admitted for breathlessness and leg swelling. A mild reduction of left ventricular (LV) ejection fraction is found, with moderately increased LV wall thickness and pulmonary hypertension; clinical examination revealed signs of congestion with bilateral leg swelling, and mild signs of left HF with the absence of pulmonary congestion on chest X-ray. The ECG showed Mobitz I second-degree atrioventricular block. The clinical scenario led us to the diagnosis of infiltrative cardiomyopathy due to cardiac amyloidosis (CA) precipitated by PE. Pulmonary embolism is an overlooked precipitant of HF and can be the first manifestation of an underlying misdiagnosed cardiomyopathy, especially CA. 3,3-Diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid scan is a cornerstone in the diagnosis of Transthyretin amyloidosis (ATTR) cardiac amyloidosis.
Mixing Network Analysis and Qualitative Approaches in Educational Practices

This chapter explores the methodological benefits of combining social network analysis (SNA) and qualitative methods. Additionally, this chapter stresses the value of mixed method approaches in further informing SNA, bolstering research-practice partnerships (RPP), and offering new avenues to explore concepts of network brokerage. These arguments are further explored through an illustrative case study consisting of students involved in youth-led participatory action research within an online social networking platform (i.e., a secure private Facebook group). This case study explores the use of SNA and qualitative interviews to identify mechanisms and barriers to diffusion, highlighting the role of setting-level context and informing an RPP. Furthermore, narratives are utilized to identify unanticipated outlets and strategies for the potential of brokerage within the online platform.
The Politics of Regulating Religion in Mexico: The 1992 Constitutional Reforms in Historical Context

On 28 January 1992, the Mexican national legislature approved changes to the 1917 Constitution and effectively reversed over a cen tury of officially sanctioned hostility to religious organizations. Six months later, the federal government released La Ley de Asociaciones Religiosas y Culto Publico (henceforth: Ley Reglamentaria), a detailed set of legal statutes that form the basis of contemporary church-state relations. Having obtained the legal recognition and freedom it had sought for many years, leaders of the Catholic Church greeted this new legal framework with a sense of optimism. Jeronimo Prigione (the pa pal nuncio who spearheaded the church's struggle to obtain legal rec ognition throughout the 1980s and 1990s) stated: "We [the Catholic hierarchy] are sincerely appreciative and thankful for the effort of the House of Deputies, and the concern of the President [Carlos Salinas], a wise statesman, ... for opening new horizons in the relations between the Church and State, channeling the forces of the two societies to wards the service of social and religious peace."1 Archbishop Adolfo Suarez Rivera, then president of the Conferencia del Episcopado Mexi cano (CEM), declared that this legislation "has marked a new stage in our history. It has been the fruit of a long process. ... it is undeniable that it has represented a big step that has opened roads to the freedom
Clonal variation and aging of diploid fibroblasts. Cinematographic studies of cell pedigrees.

Abstract Time-lapse cinematographic (TLC) analysis of clones of human diploid fibroblasts indicate heterogeneity in clonal division behaviour. Variations are noted in interdivision time, clone size and generations per clone. Correlation coefficients for interdivision times of sister pairs are high in young clones and generally low in aged clones. A consistent division pattern at all population doubling levels is one of low average interdivision time for early and late generations of a clone and high average interdivision time for the middle range of generations of a clone. The clonal division patterns observed experimentally have been duplicated in computer simulated pedigrees. The computer model is based on an oscillating system which allows for flux of regulator substances. The critical concentrations of regulator substances determine the clonal division pattern for a given progenitor cell.
On privacy in time series data mining

Traditional research on preserving privacy in data mining focuses on time-invariant privacy issues. With the emergence of time series data mining, traditional snapshot-based privacy issues need to be extended to be multi-dimensional with the addition of time dimension. We find current techniques to preserve privacy in data mining are not effective in preserving time-domain privacy. We present data flow separation attack on privacy in time series data mining, which is based on blind source separation techniques from statistical signal processing. Our experiments with real data show that this attack is effective. By combining the data flow separation method and the frequency matching method, an attacker can identify data sources and compromise time-domain privacy. We propose possible countermeasures to the data flow separation attack in the paper.
Living Death: Ambivalence, Delay, and Capital Punishment

Most discussions about capital punishment in the United States treat the distinct phenomena of death sentencing and execution as joined: in the ordinary case, it is assumed, the first will lead eventually to the second. But in fact it is exceptional for a death sentence to cause the death of the individual sentenced. During the entire modern death penalty era, since 1976, the ratio of death sentences pronounced in the U.S. to those carried out has been about six to one.This Article seeks to investigate the causes of the disparity. It surmises that our tolerance for it grows out of political and institutional ambivalence about capital punishment, and undertakes to identify which actors and processes enact this ambivalence and thus hinder the conversion of death sentences into executions. My research assistants and I chose a small number of jurisdictions that we found representative in which to study the post-sentence careers of death row inmates. We considered the roles of death while in prison, executive clemency, and federal habeas corpus intervention in creating attrition from death row, but taken together these events failed to account for all (indeed, even very much) of the disparity. We investigated in more detail the frequency of sentence reversal by postconviction appeal or collateral state remedies, but contrary to expectation, we found that these processes could not account for the disparity we had observed.We then undertook a more granular study, following the careers of a cohort of death row inmates, all of whom resided on death row in 1995 (and nearly half of whom still reside there today). Our findings suggest that the most powerful explanation was simply delay. Our study population consists entirely of prisoners who have been under sentence of death for seventeen years or longer, yet more of them (in some of our jurisdictions many more) are still alive and under sentence of death than have been executed. To be sure, necessary and expected legal processes consumed some of the intervening years, and the Article investigates and discusses the developments in capital punishment law that have contributed to impeding the march of execution. A variety of measures have been designed to hasten the processing of capital cases between sentence and execution, but they have been unsuccessful. Since 1976, the typical interval between sentence and execution has grown markedly over time, cannot really be explained by necessity, and begins to resemble a permanent feature of the system of capital punishment. Although predicting the outcome of individual cases is difficult, it appears that many death sentences that have not been carried out will never be carried out, and that we have accommodated ourselves to this reality.In closing, the Article discusses the implications of these observations for our national conversation about capital punishment, considers the recent landscape of explicit death penalty abolition activity (especially in California), and makes some predictions about the future of capital punishment.
Groundwater Vulnerability to Pesticides: Statistical Approaches

Groundwater vulnerability to pesticides is the potential for contamination of groundwater by pesticides from a nonpoint source or aerially distributed point sources. Due to widespread pesticide use and detection in groundwater, assessments that evaluate and estimate pesticide vulnerability have increasingly proven valuable during decisions regarding groundwater management, conservation, and remediation because of the significant costs of such actions. To predict groundwater vulnerability and understand factors that affect the transport of pesticides to groundwater resources, a variety of approaches have been developed that are broadly classified into three general categories: (1) overlay and index, (2) statistically based, and (3) process based. Often the selection of an appropriate approach for assessing groundwater vulnerability to pesticides is determined by the type and scale of the problem and by the available resources. This article provides an overview of the approaches and methods of evaluation for assessing groundwater vulnerability to pesticides. Keywords: vulnerability; pesticides; groundwater; nonpoint source contamination
John Locke's Politics of Moral Consensus

1. 'Reason teaches all mankind, who will but consult it': John Locke and moral consensus 2. 'Sit down in quiet ignorance': Locke's epistemology of limits 3. 'The candle of the Lord': Locke's rational faith 4. 'The only foundation of faith': reasonable Christianity 5. 'The only true touchstone of moral rectitude': the religious foundations of morality 6. "Tis reasonable to think the cause is natural': Locke's religious eudemonism 7. 'The servants of one sovereign master': authority and moral consensus 8. 'The opinion of this or that philosopher was of no authority': Locke and us.
Simplified Method for Dissolved DNA Determination in Aquatic Environments

A method was developed for the determination of dissolved DNA in aquatic environments. The method is based upon the concentration of dissolved DNA by ethanol precipitation of 0.2-μm-pore-size filtered water. The DNA in concentrated extracts was quantified by the fluorescence of Hoechst 33258-DNA complexes. Fluorescence not attributable to DNA was corrected for by DNase I digestion of the extracts and averaged 25% of the total fluorescence for all samples. The effectiveness of the procedure for concentrating dissolved DNA was demonstrated by the efficient (>90%) recovery of internal standards. Concentrations of dissolved DNA from a variety of marine and freshwater environments ranged from 0.2 to 44 μg/liter, with the highest values being obtained for estuarine and river environments. The method is simple, specific for DNA, and more sensitive than previously described methods for the determination of extracellular DNA.
Whither Many-Body Theory? -A Summary of the Oulu Conference

To give perspective to my picture of the Oulu Conference, I will trace (very impressionistically) the evolution of this series of conferences, indicating especially the main themes of the earlier meetings and the novel problems that were causing the most excitement.
Evidence that the matrix protein of influenza C virus is coded for by a spliced mRNA.

Abstract In contrast to influenza A and B viruses, which encode their matrix (M) proteins via an unspliced mRNA, the influenza C virus M protein appears to be coded for by a spliced mRNA from RNA segment 6. Although an open reading frame in RNA segment 6 of influenza C/JJ/50 virus could potentially code for a protein of 374 amino acids, a splicing event results in an mRNA coding for a 242-amino-acid M protein. The message for this protein represents the major M gene-specific mRNA species in C virus-infected cells. Despite the difference in coding strategies, there are sequence homologies among the M proteins of influenza A, B, and C viruses which confirm the evolutionary relationship of the three influenza virus types.
Impact of Depth of Menu Hierarchy on Performance Effectiveness in a Supervisory Task: Computerized Flexible Manufacturing System

The purpose of the study was to examine the effect of different menu structures on the effectiveness of supervisory control in a flexible manufacturing system. The variables evaluated included four hierarchical levels, two sizes of database, two work methods, and four distances between the items in the data structure. The results indicated that both performance time and errors increased as the hierarchical levels of the data structure increased. This implies that the parallel mode of data presentation is more effective than the hierarchical one. Furthermore, information that is scattered around the database should be acquired and considered simultaneously, as searching back and forth through the menu hierarchy decreases the speed and accuracy of performance.
Revisiting clientelism: A network analysis of problem-solving networks in Argentina

Abstract Clientelism is a problem-solving network where brokers solve voter problems by providing material and non-material resources in exchange of political support. The literature emphasis on political networks ignores the existence of non-political networks, such as money lending, childcare, and counseling, that also contribute to solve voter problems. This paper uses original data collected by the author in Villa Angel, a densely populated working-class neighborhood located on the outskirts of Buenos Aires City, to show that a broker's central position in non-political networks explains his or her ability to influence vote choice. Consequently, to understand the effects that problem-solving networks have on political behavior, researchers and policy makers have to pay attention to the overlap and relationships between political and non-political networks.
Religion, Dialogue, and Non-Violent Actions in Palestinian-Israeli Conflict

This article examines the potential constructive role that religious peace builders can play in contributing to Palestinian-Israeli reconciliation and peace. An interfaith setting is a space in which believers from various faith groups come together to explore not only their similarities and differences, but also how they can promote peace in the harsh reality of violence. In such encounters, there is a wide range of interfaith dialogue activities and possibilities that can be deployed. Based on applied training and interfaith dialogue workshops and experiences, this article proposes a framework for conducting interfaith dialogue among Muslims, Christians, and Jews in Palestine and Israel.
Sex differences in the acute in vivo effects of different human SP-A variants on the mouse alveolar macrophage proteome

Surfactant protein A (SP-A) is involved in lung innate immunity. Humans have two SP-A genes, SFTPA1 and SFTPA2, each with several variants. We examined the in vivo effects of treatment with specific SP-A variants on the alveolar macrophage (AM) proteome from SP-A knockout (KO) mice. KO mice received either SP-A1, SP-A2, or both. AM were collected and their proteomes examined with 2D-DIGE. We identified 90 proteins and categorized them as related to actin/cytoskeleton, oxidative stress, protease balance/chaperones, regulation of inflammation, and regulatory/developmental processes. SP-A1 and SP-A2 had different effects on the AM proteome and these effects differed between sexes. In males more changes occurred in the oxidative stress, protease/chaperones, and inflammation groups with SP-A2 treatment than with SP-A1. In females most SP-A1-induced changes were in the actin/cytoskeletal and oxidative stress groups. We conclude that after acute SP-A1 and SP-A2 treatment, sex-specific differences were observed in the AM proteomes from KO mice, and that these sex differences differ in response to SP-A1 and SP-A2. Females are more responsive to SP-A1, whereas the gene-specific differences in males were minimal. These observations not only demonstrate the therapeutic potential of exogenous SP-A, but also illustrate sex- and gene-specific differences in the response to it.
Validation of postural radiographs as a way to measure change in pelvic obliquity.

Abstract Fann AV. Validation of postural radiographs as a way to measure change in pelvic obliquity. Arch Phys Med Rehabil 2003;84:75-8. Objective: To evaluate the validity of using postural radiographs to assess change in pelvic obliquity. Design: Blinded comparison of reference lines and instrument development of postural radiographs. Setting: Veterans Administration hospital. Participants: Thirty-nine subjects with no history of low back pain. Intervention: Repeated postural radiographs without heel lifts and with [frac14]-in (6.35-mm) and [frac12]-in (12.7-mm) heel lifts. Main Outcome Measure: The change of pelvic obliquity as measured by the intersulcate, interalar, and sacral surface lines on postural radiographs. Results: A [frac14]-in heel lift resulted in changes of 4.6[plusmn]4.0mm, 3.6[plusmn]3.1mm, and 5.8[plusmn]3.9mm and a [frac12]-in heel lift in changes of 7.8[plusmn]4.3mm, 7.8[plusmn]4.6mm, and 5.2[plusmn]3.8mm for the intersulcate, interalar, and sacral surface lines, respectively. Pearson correlation coefficients were used to correlate the change in pelvic obliquity with the corresponding heights of heel lifts; for the [frac14]-in heel lift, they were .67, .88, and .71, and for [frac12]-in heel lift they were .73, .79, and .87 for the intersulcate, interalar, and sacral surface lines, respectively (all P [lt ].001). Conclusion: All the reference lines seem to be valid measures of change of pelvic obliquity relative to the size of the lifts (ie, the changes in pelvic obliquity seem to be causally related and correlated with the lifts). These results also suggest that postural radiographs can be used to determine the magnitude of pelvic obliquity. [copy ] 2003 by the American Congress of Rehabilitation Medicine and the American Academy of Physical Medicine and Rehabilitation
The effects of weak randomness on pulse interactions and four-wave mixing products

In many physical applications that use pulses as information carriers, pulses may be distorted after one or many interactions. These interactions can result in pulse degradation as well as the production of by-products that affect system performance. In nonlinear optical communications systems, particularly wavelength-division multiplexing (WDM) soliton systems, pairwise pulse interactions induce four-wave mixing (FWM) product growth. We show here that small random elements in the underlying system (through the dispersion term) reduce the FWM product growth. The weak random dispersion also appears to affect the resonance condition concerning four-wave mixing. Surprisingly, the effect of weak randomness in the dispersion term is shown to have a comparable impact as that of using the much more drastic deterministic dispersion management (DM) technique.
Diagnosis and treatment of psychiatric disorders in children with a schizophrenic parent.

Abstract Many children of a schizophrenic parent may inherit a portion of the genetic risk factors for schizophrenia. The frequency of DSM-IV psychopathology in children of a schizophrenic parent and the frequency and type of mental health treatment accessed by these youths is not well understood. Twenty-eight adults with schizophrenia were identified and 43 of their 6–15 year old children recruited. Clinical diagnoses, based on a structured DSM-IV interview; severity of impairment, based on the Child Global Assessment Scale; and treatment histories were obtained. Seventy-four per cent of children-with-a-schizophrenic-parent met diagnostic criteria for a current Axis I psychiatric disorder. The most common diagnostic categories included attention deficit/hyperactivity disorder (40%), any anxiety disorder (23%), and any depressive disorder (12%). Psychosis was present in 9% of this childhood sample. Of those children with a psychiatric diagnosis, 47% demonstrated current moderate or severe impairment. Approximately half of the children had received mental health evaluations and 26% had experienced at least one psychiatric medication trial. Children-with-a-schizophrenic-parent have frequent, often impairing, psychiatric problems. Despite this high prevalence, mental health evaluation and treatment is of similar frequency and type to other at-risk populations. The effectiveness and appropriateness of standard treatments remain unstudied in children-with-a-schizophrenic-parent.
Effects of behavior monitoring and perceived system benefit in online recommender systems

Behavior monitoring is an important part of many recommender systems; however, its effects on users' perceptions of such systems are not well understood. We describe a 2x2 factorial experiment that manipulates a simulated recommender system's monitoring of user behavior (monitoring: present vs. absent) and whom the system is perceived to benefit (benefit: corporate vs. consumer). We find that attitudes toward being monitored are moderated by perceptions about system intentions. We propose an explanatory mechanism and highlight the value of understanding the subjective experience of interacting with recommender systems.
Increased corticotropin-releasing factor receptors in rat cerebral cortex following chronic atropine treatment.

Rats were treated chronically with atropine (14 days, 20 mg/kg/day, s.c.) and corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF) receptors and CRF-mediated adenylate cyclase activity were measured in discrete brain regions. Chronic atropine treatment produced significant increases in muscarinic cholinergic receptors in the frontoparietal cortex (30% increase) and hippocampus (20% increase). No significant changes in the concentration of [125I]Tyro-rat CRF binding sites were observed in olfactory bulb, cerebellum, striatum and hippocampus. In contrast, there was a significant and selective increase (35%) in CRF receptors in the frontoparietal cortex of atropine-treated rats. However, no significant corresponding changes in the Vmax or EC50 of CRF-stimulated adenylate cyclase activity accompanied the upregulation of CRF receptors in the cerebral cortex. These results demonstrate that (1) CRF receptors in rat brain are subject to receptor regulation, (2) the upregulation of CRF receptors occurs as a consequence of chronic muscarinic cholinergic receptor blockade, and (3) this interaction between acetylcholine and CRF may be limited to the cerebral cortex.
Bleeding and spontaneous abortion after therapy for infertility.

Abstract Objective: To determine the incidence of early-pregnancy bleeding and spontaneous abortion (SAB) after various treatments for infertility and to assess whether bleeding is predictive of SAB. Design: An historic cohort study of women who conceived after various treatments. Setting: Hospital-based private practice. Patient(s): We studied 418 patients in whom 500 consecutive clinical pregnancies occurred. Intervention(s): Patients were grouped according to the method of conception: ovulation induction, IVF, and other. The latter category included interventions not requiring ovulation induction, such as surgery and insemination. A fourth group of subjects who conceived independently of treatment was used as the control. Main Outcome Measure(s): Bleeding and pregnancy outcome (SAB, ectopic pregnancy, or ongoing pregnancy). Result(s): Rates of SAB did not differ among the treatment groups. SAB occurred significantly more often after bleeding than when bleeding did not occur (30.8% versus 19.8%, respectively). Bleeding was predictive of SAB only in patients Conclusion(s): Infertile women who conceive after reproductive therapy are not at increased risk for SAB compared with women who conceive naturally. There appears to be no association between previous diagnosis or treatment and the occurrence of SAB in previously infertile women. Bleeding is associated with a twofold relative risk of SAB.
Abstract LB-347: Identify signaling responses to MEK inhibitor AZD6244 in lung cancer cells with proteomics reverse phase protein array

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL AZD6244 is small-molecule inhibitor that targets the MAPK pathway, and is currently in phase I/II clinical evaluation. While some efficacy of these agents has been observed in phase I/II clinical trials, one of the hurdles of targeted therapy is the intrinsic and acquired resistance mediated by complex feedback pathways. Identifying downstream effectors required for cellular response to MEK inhibitors will help us understand the mechanism of resistance, possibly leading to the development of direct therapeutic targets. Explore the signaling responses after treatment with MEK inhibitors will also allow us to identify signaling feedback loops and cross talks. We used reverse phase protein array (RPPA) technology to determine which downstream effectors of MEK/ERK pathways critical for cell growth inhibition or apoptosis induced by MEK inhibitors, and to identify which signaling pathways are inhibited or activated when the pathways is blocked. RPPA is a antibody-based quantitative assay used to analyze nanoliter amounts of sample for 200 proteins to determine expression levels and protein modifications such as phosphorylation or cleavage. Experiments were carried out in 5 resistant and 5 sensitive cell lines with the MEK inhibitor, AZD6244. Cells were treated at different time points (0, 6, 12, 24, 48, and 72 hours) and with various dosages (0, 0.3, 1, 3 and 10 µM). Cell lysates were collected and quantified for RPPA assays. The data was analyzed for the presence of clusters based on differential protein expression by using available methods with a statistical software package (StatSoft, Tulsa, OK). Significantly changed proteins were analyzed with Ingenuity Pathway Analysis (IPA). Proteins Data from RPPA was further validated by using Western blotting with the same antibody used in the RPPA assay. The results showed that inhibition of MEK/ERK could activate multiple signaling pathways including AKT, SRC, STAT3 and IGF1R. Activation of those signaling pathway through signaling cross talk and feedbacks may involved in the intrinsic and acquitted resistance to MEK inhibitor. We also indentified a penal of molecules, such as BIM, P27, p53 and JNK were specifically induced only in the sensitive cells. Those molecules might be the mediators of MEK inhibitor induced cell apoptosis. The results will be helpful in understanding of the signaling cross talks and feedbacks and in the exploration of mechanisms of sensitivity and resistance to the treatment with MEK inhibitors in lung cancer. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr LB-347. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-LB-347