cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BLACK IS, BLACK AIN'T: BIRACIALS, MIDDLE-CLASS BLACKS, AND THE SOCIAL CONSTRUCTION OF BLACKNESS

Several scholars claim that group cohesion among black Americans is necessary for black advancement. Our research examines the extent to which group cohesion is possible given the increasing diversity of Black America, particularly with regard to race and class. Drawing on in-depth interviews with 33 middle-class blacks and 40 black-white biracials, we explore (1) the similarities and differences in the experiences of both groups, (2) their encounters with marginalization, (3) how they negotiate perceived marginalization, and (4) the extent to which all of the above are shaped by socially constructed ideas of blackness. We find that narrow notions of “authentic” blackness challenge group cohesion and threaten to splinter the black community along class and ethnic/racial lines. However, we find evidence of greater tolerance for the community's racial diversity than its class diversity. Nevertheless, the data presented here suggest that the increasing heterogeneity of Black America poses significant challen...
The Complexity of Masked Hypertension: Diagnostic and Management Challenges

Masked hypertension, defined as discordant in-office normotension versus out-of-office hypertension, is present in approximately 10 % to 40 % of patients not receiving antihypertensive treatment. Not only are persons with prehypertension more likely to have masked hypertension, but they also frequently develop target organ damage before transitioning to established sustained hypertension. Moreover, the percentage of persons with masked hypertension increases in the presence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes, or chronic renal failure. The gold standard for diagnosing masked hypertension is the 24-hour ambulatory BP monitor (ABPM), but home BP monitoring (HBPM) has also been a useful alternative procedure. Importantly, initiating antihypertensive treatment exclusively with the use of in-office BP monitoring may result in almost one-third of patients remaining with high-risk masked uncontrolled hypertension, which underscores the importance of HBPM and ABPM as supplements to in-office BP monitoring for the effective treatment of hypertension.
Once More on Intergenerational Discounting in Climate-Change Analysis: Reply to Partha Dasgupta

Discounting the utilities of future generations in many problems, such as climate-change analysis, has several justifications, only one of which can be supported by ethics which postulate that every individual, no matter when born, has an equal right to well-being. That justification is that future generations may not exist. In an earlier article published here, I explained this view, and criticized economists who deviate from it: the practical aspect of this deviation is to choose discount rates which are far too high, thus relegating future generations to lower utility than they a priori have a right to. As well, many economists continue to rely upon a utilitarian ethic, a reliance which is independent of the discounting issue, but which I also criticize. Dasgupta responded to my article; the present article is a response to Dasgupta.
Carbon isotope ratios are correlated with irradiance levels in the Panamanian orchid Catasetum viridiflavum.

Carbon isotope composition (13C/12C) in leaves of the Panamanian epiphytic orchid Catasetum viridiflavum were measured on individuals growing in canopies over a water surface to distinguish the effects of a change in source CO2 and humidity from those of intercellular CO2 concentration in determining isotopic composition. Carbon isotope ratios were observed to vary by over 4 in response to changes in total daily photon flux (PFD, 400–700 nm). Changes in isotopic composition of source CO2 or changes in humidity were not likely to have played a role in determining leaf isotopic composition. Observed changed in carbon isotope discrimination (Δ) of leaves experiencing different light levels ranged from 17 to 21. Because leaf nitrogen contents were similar among all orchids, we suggest that the carbon isotope discrimination data indicated that stomatal limitation to photosynthesis increased with increasing irradiance.
Methylphenidate-induced delusional disorder in a child with attention deficit disorder with hyperactivity.

ABSTRACT A 6-year-old child with an Attention Deficit Disorder with Hyperactivity developed a florid psychotic disturbance in conjunction with methylphenidate therapy. The child's presentation was highly unusual in that delusional thinking was a predominant feature. This case study is considered within the context of other reported instances of children's psychotic reactions to stimulant-induced medications. It is suggested that there is a spectrum of stimulant-induced psychoses in children that parallels well-known signs of stimulant intoxication in general.
A two-cell equilibrium model for predicting direct containment heating

This paper discusses two adiabatic equilibrium models. Assessment and validation of the separate effects (kinetic) models and the parameters (i.e. particle size) that control them are not required. The first, a single-cell equilibrium model, places a true upper bound on direct containment heating (DCH) loads. This upper bound, when compared with the entire DCH database, often far exceeds experiment observations by a margin too large to be useful in reactor analyses. The single-cell model is used as a conceptual seed for a two-cell model. A two-cell equilibrium (TCE) model is developed that captures the dominant mitigating features of containment compartmentalization and the noncoherence of the entrainment and blowdown processes. The existing DCH database has been used to extensively validate the TCE model. DCH loads are shown to be insensitive to physical scale and details of the subcompartment geometry. A simple model is developed to predict the coherence of debris dispersal and reactor coolant system blowdown. The coherence ratio is independent of physical scale and only weakly dependent on cavity design.
Deciphering the mechanism of thermodynamic accommodation of telomeric oligonucleotide sequences by the Schizosaccharomyces pombe protection of telomeres 1 (Pot1pN) protein.

Linear chromosomes terminate in specialized nucleoprotein structures called telomeres, which are required for genomic stability and cellular proliferation. Telomeres end in an unusual 3′ single-strand overhang that requires a special capping mechanism to prevent inappropriate recognition by the DNA damage machinery. In Schizosaccharomyces pombe, this protective function is mediated by the Pot1 protein, which binds specifically and with high affinity to telomeric ssDNA. We have characterized the thermodynamics and accommodation of both cognate and noncognate telomeric single-stranded DNA (ssDNA) sequences by Pot1pN, an autonomous ssDNA-binding domain (residues 1–187) found in full-length S. pombe Pot1. Direct calorimetric measurements of cognate telomeric ssDNA binding to Pot1pN show favorable enthalpy, unfavorable entropy, and a negative heat-capacity change. Thermodynamic analysis of the binding of noncognate telomeric ssDNA to Pot1pN resulted in unexpected changes in free energy, enthalpy, and entropy. ...
Ustekinumab in the treatment of psoriatic arthritis: latest findings and clinical potential:

Ustekinumab (UST) is a fully human immunoglobulin G1κ (IgG1κ) monoclonal antibody against common sub-unit p40 of interleukin-12 (IL-12) and interleukin-23 (IL-23). IL-12 and IL-23 are essential com...
Quality of life after aortic valve replacement with tissue and mechanical implants.

Abstract Objectives We sought to determine whether changes in quality of life at 18 months following aortic valve replacement differ depending on the use of tissue valves or mechanical valves. Methods We prospectively studied 73 patients with tissue valve replacements and 53 patients with mechanical valve replacements performed from April 1998 through March 1999 at Yale-New Haven Hospital. Quality of life was measured at baseline and at 18 months using the Medical Outcomes Trust Short Form 36-Item Health Survey. Results Baseline unadjusted mean quality-of-life scores were lower in tissue valve recipients than in mechanical valve recipients and, for both groups, were generally lower than US population norms. At 18 months postoperatively, quality-of-life scores were greatly improved in both groups and were comparable to population norms (ie, within one-half a standard deviation). After adjusting for baseline quality of life, age, and other prognostic factors in an analysis of covariance, improvements in quality-of-life scores for tissue valve recipients versus mechanical valve recipients were similar. Of 10 (8 domains and 2 summary) scales examined, the only significant difference between the 2 groups was for the improvement in role limitations due to physical problems (Role Physical), which was more favorable in patients with mechanical valve implants ( P = .04). Conclusions The use of tissue valve implants versus mechanical valve implants has little influence on improvement in quality of life at 18 months following aortic valve replacement. Thus, decisions about whether to choose a tissue valve or mechanical valve implant should depend upon other factors such as rates of complications and differences in the life span of the implants.
Static Progressive Stretch Brace as a Treatment of Pain and Functional Limitations Associated With Plantar Fasciitis A Pilot Study

Plantar fasciitis is a common and hard-to-treat disorder of the foot. Numerous studies have compared various stretching exercises, but the use of a day-wear static progressive stretch brace has not been studied. A randomized, single-blinded trial was conducted to compare the effectiveness of a static progressive stretch brace to standard care of active stretching exercises. Thirteen subjects (12 women and 1 man; mean age, 42 +/- 9.0 years) with plantar fasciitis participated in this study between January 2004 and March 2007. Subjects were randomized to either an exercise group (static stretch group, n = 8) or a brace group (static progressive stretch group, n = 9) for an 8-week treatment period and 1-month follow up. Both groups received basic off-the-shelf foot orthoses. Data were available for 7 subjects in the exercise group and 6 in the brace group. Pain and functional limitations were evaluated with the Foot Functional Index pain subscale, the American Orthopaedic Foot and Ankle Society Ankle-Hindfoot Scale, and great toe extension motion. Overall pain and morning pain improved in both groups as compared with baseline measures (repeated-measures analysis of variance, P = .04 and P = .02, respectively). Functional rating also improved in both groups (repeated-measures analysis of variance, P = .005). No changes were found in either group with great toe extension range of motion. In addition, there was no significant group difference or interaction with time and group with any measures. Both interventions (static, exercise, and brace stretching) were beneficial for treating pain and functional limitations, suggesting that static progressive stretch brace is an effective alternative option to static stretching exercises for people with plantar fasciitis.
Assessment of the Shuttle Orbiter Thermal Protection System undensified tiles under mission dynamic loads

A description is provided of the results of a series of base driven random dynamic load tests of the Thermal Protection System (TPS). The results were used to insure the integrity of the undensified TPS prior to the first flight in the wing and mid-fuselage region. The number of specimens and the load ranges investigated were limited. Attention is given to the test specimens, the test procedure, a data analysis, and a discussion of the results. All specimens for both the wing and mid-fuselage regions survived an equivalent of 72 ascent missions and exhibited residual static strength greater than their original proof loads. These results indicate that the undensified tiles had sufficient strength to withstand ascent loads during the first flight.
Mechanical Property Modification of Aramid Fibers by Polymer Infiltration

High performance organic fibers such as Kevlar, which are highly fibrillar in nature, possess excellent mechanical properties under tension but exhibit very poor strength in compression due to poor interfibrillar attraction. This study involves infiltrating polymeric materials into single aramid filament networks to improve interfibrillar adhesion and thus modify their mechanical properties. Wet-never-dried aramid fibers are used in this study, but it is still necessary to further open the fibrillar network with concentrated sulfuric acid to effectively infiltrate the polymer. While there is significant improvement in tensile strength after polymer infiltration, this is offset by a loss in strength due to the acid treatment. However, there is a significant increase of over 33% in compressive strength as a result of infiltration. The infiltration technique shows excellent promise and could be used for tailoring the properties of fibers with fibrillar morphology for selective end-use applications.
The role of regional-scale ocean observations for improved hurricane intensity and impact forecasts in coastal regions

The coastal northeast United States was heavily impacted by hurricanes Irene and Sandy. Track forecasts for both hurricanes were quite accurate days in advance. Intensity forecasts, however, were less accurate, with the intensity of Irene significantly over-predicted, and the rapid acceleration and intensification of Sandy just before landfall under-predicted. By operating a regional component of the Integrated Ocean Observing System (IOOS), we observed each hurricane's impact on the ocean in real-time, and we studied the impacted ocean's influence on each hurricane's intensity. Summertime conditions on the wide Mid-Atlantic continental shelf consist of a stratified water column with a thin (10m-20m) warm surface layer (24-26C) covering bottom Cold Pool water (8-10C). As the leading edge of the Irene tracked along the coast, real-time temperature profiles from an underwater glider documented the mixing and broadening of the thermocline that rapidly cooled the surface by up to 8 C, well before the eye passed over. Atmospheric forecast sensitivity studies indicate that the over prediction of intensity in Irene could be reduced using the observed colder surface waters. In contrast, Hurricane Sandy arrived in the late Fall of 2012 after seasonal cooling had already deepened and decreased surface layer ocean temperatures by 8C. The thinner layer of cold bottom water still remaining before Sandy was forced offshore by downwelling favorable winds, resulting in little change in ocean surface temperature as Sandy crossed and mixed the shelf waters. Atmospheric sensitivity studies indicate that because there was little ocean cooling, there was little reduction in hurricane intensity as Sandy came ashore. Results from Irene and Sandy illustrate the important role of the U.S. IOOS in providing the best estimate of the rapidly evolving ocean conditions to atmospheric modelers forecasting the intensity of hurricanes. Data from IOOS may enable improved hurricane forecasting in the future.
Facilitators and Barriers to HIV Status Disclosure Among HIV-Positive MSM Age 50 and Older

ABSTRACTMost HIV-positive men who have sex with men (MSM) ages 50 and older feel a responsibility to protect their sex partners from HIV transmission risk. For some, this is enacted through HIV disclosure, while for others it is realized through reduced risk behaviors. To examine this, we analyzed interviews of 23 HIV-positive MSM ages 50 and older. We identified several contextual, relational, and psychosocial factors that served as either barriers or facilitators to HIV disclosure. Our findings suggest HIV status disclosure is multifaceted and continues to impact sexual communication in the lives of MSM as they enter middle age.
Free surface of a rotating superfluid

The free-surface profile near a perpendicular rectilinear vortex is studied with classical hydrodynamics. Numerical values and approximate analytic expressions are derived. For pure4He atT=0 K, the dimple has a depth ≈69.5A and a radius ≈4.26×104A at half depth. The addition of3He impurities increases the central depth. Possible detection of vortex lines with phasecontrast techniques is discussed.
Influence of land use on metal concentrations in playa sediments and amphibians in the Southern High Plains

The Southern High Plains (SHP) is a semi-arid region in which playa wetlands are the focal points of biodiversity. Playas are highly influenced by surrounding land use. Most of the SHP is in agricultural production (primarily cotton) with a history of arsenic-containing herbicide use. Metals influence reproduction and development in amphibians. We analyzed metal residues in playa sediment and whole body tissue of Spea spp. and Bufo cognatus metamorphs from two land uses: cropland and native grassland. Cd and Ni concentrations in B. cognatus tissues differed between land uses. Metal concentrations in Spea spp. tissues did not differ between land uses. Ba was higher in Spea spp. than B. cognatus collected from the same grassland playas, indicating differential habitat use. No correlations between sediment and tissue concentrations were found. Land use appeared to have little influence on metal concentrations and levels were below those known to cause effects in amphibians.
1268 Primary Care of Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN): An Hierarchical Intervention Framework for Providers

1268 Primary Care of Children with Special Health Care Needs (CSHCN): An Hierarchical Intervention Framework for Providers
The antisialogogue effect of hydroxyzine, thiethylperazine, and N’ -p-chloro-benzylhydryl-n’-methyl homopiperazine (SA 97)

The volume of salivary secretions from the parotid duct was nieasured in 10 healthy male subjects in response to intravenous injection of a stimulant mixture containing carbaminoylcholine chloride and epinephrine, and serial tests were carried out to determine whether hydroxyzine, thiethylperazine, and N’ -p-chloro-benzylhydryl-N’-methyl homopiperazine (SA 97) have any inhibitory activity in this respect. Only SA 97 had some antisialogogue activity, whereas the other two compounds appeared rather to stimulate salivary secretions. This study again shows that most sedative drugs are unreliable as antisialogogues, and should not be used without a belladonna derivative or some other potent anti-cholinergic drug, if adequate drying of secretions is desirable.
Financial selection of rotation age for SRIC plantations

Abstract Short rotation intensive culture (SRIC) plantations, established in central Pennsylvania, were analyzed to determine their economic optimum rotation age. The general management design for the plantations used fertilized and non-fertilized strategies, a tree spacing of 0·48 m 2 and a rotation length of 4 years. A stand-level financial model analyzed the unit cost of production for alternate rotation lengths based upon the plantation's investment and operating costs and resulting biomass yields. Analysis of the first two rotations indicated that the minimum unit cost for fertilized and non-fertilized strategies was in the fourth year of the first rotation and the third year of the second rotation. Growth curves for the rotations also showed a maximum volume production at the same points in the rotations. Selection of a 3-year rather than 4-year harvest during the second rotation would reduce unit costs by 14% in the non-fertilized strategy and by 15% in the fertilized strategy.
Precursors of Nonmarital Fertility in the United States

The dramatic increase in nonmarital fertility in the United States has generally been explained in terms of either economic circumstances or changing norms and values. We believe that fertility motivations and the intentions they generate should be taken into account and we hypothesize that nonmarital fertility is more likely when children are seen as an important source of social capital. Using data from the first two waves of the National Survey of Families and Households (N = 1155) we find support for these views. Women who considered the social resource value of children to be high were more likely to have an out-of-wedlock birth than were those who did not. Women who did not intend to have a child were less likely to have a nonmarital conception than were women who did intend to have a child. We conclude that understanding recent increases in nonmarital fertility requires an appreciation of the social benefits that children bring to their mothers married or not. (authors)
Can the Fulleride superconducting model (FSM) be extended

The Fulleride superconducting model (FSM) is based on the existence of an electron (or Cooper) pair density wave localized on a single Fulleride molecule. Interaction of the wave with itinerant electrons at low temperature creates a pseudo-gap above the superconducting state. In addition, the interaction of the electron and the bosonic pair create a net attraction between two Fulleride molecules resulting in an intermolecular Cooper pair. This pairing interaction appears to have all the aspects of a spin liquid. This study extends the model to high-temperature superconductors and suggests that superconductivity may exist with considerably fewer molecules than in BCS theory. © 2005 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Int J Quantum Chem, 2005
Seasonality in Ocean Microbial Communities

Ocean warming occurs every year in seasonal cycles that can help us to understand long-term responses of plankton to climate change. Rhythmic seasonal patterns of microbial community turnover are revealed when high-resolution measurements of microbial plankton diversity are applied to samples collected in lengthy time series. Seasonal cycles in microbial plankton are complex, but the expansion of fixed ocean stations monitoring long-term change and the development of automated instrumentation are providing the time-series data needed to understand how these cycles vary across broad geographical scales. By accumulating data and using predictive modeling, we gain insights into changes that will occur as the ocean surface continues to warm and as the extent and duration of ocean stratification increase. These developments will enable marine scientists to predict changes in geochemical cycles mediated by microbial communities and to gauge their broader impacts.
Increases in amino-cupric-silver staining of the supraoptic nucleus after sleep deprivation.

Sleep deprived rats undergo a predictable sequence of physiological changes, including changes in skin condition, increased energy expenditure, and altered thermoregulation. Amino-cupric-silver staining was used to identify sleep deprivation related changes in the brain. A significant increase in staining was observed in the supraoptic nucleus (SON) of the hypothalamus of rats with high sleep loss (>45 h) vs. their yoked controls. Follow-up experiments showed that staining was not significantly different in rats sleep deprived for less than 45 h, suggesting that injurious sleep deprivation-related processes occur above a threshold quantity of sleep loss. These anatomical changes suggest that the effects of sleep deprivation may be related to protein metabolism in certain brain regions.
The trp promoter of Escherichia coli and its exploitation in the design of efficient protein production systems

(1988). The trp Promoter of Escherichia coli and its Exploitation in the Design of Efficient Protein Production Systems. Biotechnology and Genetic Engineering Reviews: Vol. 6, No. 1, pp. 1-42.
Addition curing thermosets endcapped with 4-amino (2. 2) paracyclophane

A new family of addition curing polyimides were prepared that contained 4-amino (2.2)-paracyclophane as the endcap. An improved synthesis of the endcap 4-amino-(2.2) cyclophane was accomplished increasing the yield to 60 percent and simplifying the procedure. DSC and rheological analysis of endcapped polyimide oligomers confirmed that the onset for polymerization of the ethylene bridge was 250 C. C-13 CP/MAS NMR was used to determine the structural changes of the oligomers after thermal treatment. The cyclophane capped polyimides were successfully compression molded to form void free neat resin specimens. Tg's as high as 353 C were obtained by thermomechanical analysis for postcured samples. Preliminary thermal stability studies suggest that these resins have a high onset of decomposition ranging from 549 to 567 C.
Patient education for colon cancer screening: a randomized trial of a video mailed before a physical examination.

A mailed educational video about colorectal cancer screening had no effect on the overall rate of screening in primary care practices. It modestly improved sigmoidoscopy screening rates.
IMMUNOSUPPRESSIVE TREATMENT OF IDIOPATHIC THROMBOCYTOPENIC PURPURA IN CHILDREN

Eleven children with symptomatic idiopathic thrombocytopenia were treated with immunosuppressive agents. Ten children received cyclophosphamide; 1 was given azathioprine. Only 1 child produced a full response, and 6 subsequently needed splenectomy which was curative. It is concluded that immunosuppressive treatment is ineffective in childhood thrombocytopenia and that splenectomy remains the treatment of choice for the rare case which fails to settle spontaneously or respond to corticosteroids.
To Tell or Not to Tell: An Auditing Case in Ethical Decision Making and Conflict Resolution

This case requires you to resolve a fictitious yet realistic ethical dilemma as you assume the role of audit manager in a large, national CPA firm. You will be presented with a scenario whereby you learn from the CFO of Bell Manufacturing, an audit client, that the CFO entered the United States and worked a number of years under false pretenses for the audit client while he was an illegal alien. Although the CFO recently obtained U.S. citizenship, subsequent audit work revealed that Bell Manufacturing failed to obtain the documents required under federal law to certify his eligibility for employment. Before addressing specific case requirements, you will be introduced to a primer on professionalism and ethical decision making in an audit environment. Case requirements first ask you to establish a baseline position by outlining your initial reaction regarding the impact of this information on your auditor responsibilities. You will then be asked to electronically search the authoritative literature coverin...
The evidence base for diuretic therapy.

AgeþBUN5Lasix Dose 1 Oh to have such a simple equation to assist in the determination of appropriate diuretic regimens. Although this ‘‘law’’ was written O30 years ago, it seems as if the evidence for managing diuretics has not advanced much beyond this humorous attempt to quickly treat edema in elderly patients. Diuretics are first-line therapy for heart failure (HF) because they improve symptoms rapidly. Within hours or days of administration, diuretics increase urinary sodium excretion, decrease physical signs of fluid retention, and often improve exercise tolerance in patients with HF. Few patients with HF will be able to maintain dry weight without the use of diuretics, and the appropriate use of diuretics is fundamental to the successful use of other drugs for the treatment of HF. 2 Diuretics also have potential detrimental effects, such as vasoconstriction, electrolyte disturbances, neurohormonal activation, and worsened renal function; these issues have been well reviewed. 3e5 Effective use of diuretics entails balancing benefits and risks. Diuretics are so essential to the care of the patient with HF that investigation of their use is challenging; therefore, there are no long-term randomized controlled trials that have evaluated morbidity or mortality outcomes related to diuretic therapy. Despite the lack of long-term outcome studies, professional guidelines recognize the need for diuretics to improve symptoms and quality of life, 4 yet practice patterns vary widely regarding routine clinical use of diuretic therapy. Two recent papers shed light on a few of these common practice patterns. The recent Diuretic Optimization Strategies Evaluation in Acute Heart Failure (DOSE) trial providedevidence to assist in the practical management of administration and dosing of intravenous(IV)loopdiureticsinacuteHF. 6 Thismulticenter randomized controlled trial of 308 patients hospitalized for acute HFcompared:1) continuousIVinfusionoffurosemide with the administration of IV boluses every 12 hours; and 2) alow-dosewithahigh-dosestrategy.Primaryoutcomeswere patients’ global assessment of symptoms and the change in serum creatinine from baseline to 72 hours. There were no significant differences in these outcomes when diuretics were given by bolus compared with continuous infusion or when diuretics were given at higher doses compared with lower doses. The high-dose strategy was associated with greater relief of dyspnea and greater fluid and weight loss, as well as with a transient worsening of renal function. Thus, in patients with acute HF, we now have evidence that a high-dose regimen may relieve symptoms more quickly, without short-term adverse outcomes, and that administration of bolus doses may be moreconvenient than and equally as effective as a continuous diuretic infusion. 7
Integrated modeling and generation of a reconfigurable network-on-chip

Summary form only given. While a communication network is a critical component for an efficient system-on-chip multiprocessor, there are few approaches available to help with system-level architectural exploration of such a specialized interconnection network. We present an integrated modeling, simulation and implementation tool. A high level description of a network-on-chip can be simulated and converted into VHDL. The system simulation supports multiple instruction-set simulators, and obtains cycle-accurate performance metrics. This way, an optimal network configuration can be determined easily. We discuss our approach by designing a flexible network-on-chip and present implementation results after mapping into FPGA. The performance of our automatically generated network is comparable with a reference design directly developed in HDL.
On the construction of joint probabilistic image models

A method is proposed for constructing the joint probability model from a specified first-order distribution and correlation structure. The approach is based on an invertible nonlinear transformation. The model's information-theoretic properties (entropy, rate-distortion bound) are examined. The results can be used to analyze and evaluate the performance of an image data compression system. It is believed that this class of model and its information-theoretic properties may make for more realistic modeling of medical images and hence their more efficient processing. >
Effects of Curriculum-Based Measurement With and Without Diagnostic Feedback on Teacher Planning

The purpose of this study was to assess the effects of curriculum-based measurement (CBM), with and without diagnostic feedback, on general and special educators' instructional planning in reading. Participants were 19 second-grade teachers with their 309 students without disabilities and 16 resource teachers with their 127 first- through fifth-grade students with mild disabilities. Blocking on background (general vs. special education), teachers were assigned randomly to three conditions: control, CBM, or CBM with diagnostic feedback (CBM+D). CBM data were collected on students for 3 consecutive weeks. Then teachers attended a 2-hour workshop where they completed classwide and individual student instructional planning sheets in accordance with their experimental condition. For the individual plans, one high-, one average-, and one low-performing student was selected from each teacher's class. On the classwide plans, across backgrounds, teachers in the CBM+D condition targeted fewer objectives than contro...
SAT-Match: a self-adaptive topology matching method to achieve low lookup latency in structured P2P overlay networks

Summary form only given. A peer-to-peer (P2P) system is built upon an overlay network whose topology is independent of the underlying physical network. A well-routed message path in an overlay network with a small number of logical hops can result in a long delay and excessive traffic due to undesirably long distances in some physical links. We propose an effective method, called SAT-Match, to adoptively construct structured P2P overlay networks, aiming at significantly reducing the lookup routing latency. In this method, each joining peer is initially guided to find a physically close neighbor to connect with. After then, its overlay location is adoptively adjusted whenever a location mismatch is detected. The topology matching optimization in our method solely relies on local neighborhood information. Compared with existing topology matching methods, our method addresses their three limitations: (1) heavily relying on global information about the Internet by using landmark-based measurements, (2) lacking adaptation to frequent peer movement in a dynamic environment, such as mobile networks, and (3) insufficiently accurate in topology matching due to the lack of adaptive topology adjustment. We have evaluated our method in the content-addressable network (CAN), a representative structured P2P system with a strong tolerance to frequent peer arrivals/departures. Through intensive simulation experiments on large scale CAN overlays, we have shown the effectiveness of SAT-Match. Our method can achieve average logical/physical link latency reduction rate by up to 40%. It also outperforms "landmark binning", a method utilizing global information by up to 20%. Finally, combining with the landmark binning method, SAT-Match can achieve up to 60% latency reduction.
A nurse developed toolkit for long-term care ombudsmen

Federal regulations provide all nursing home resident access to third party advocates, known as ombudsmen. The ombudsmen are provided unrestricted access to this vulnerable population for complaint investigation and protection of their federally mandated resident's rights. States autonomously administer their ombudsman programs, allowing latitude in hiring and training practices. The majority of state programs rely on a combination of paid and volunteer staff, with most staff lacking formal healthcare training. In an attempt to educate long-term care ombudsmen on common geriatric clinical diagnoses, a clinical toolkit was developed and ombudsmen employed by Alabama Department of Senior Services agreed to pilot test the toolkit. Results of the pilot test did not show ombudsmen with less experience would find the toolkit more useful. Results revealed that all ombudsmen regardless of length of tenure found the toolkit useful.
MIS Legitimacy and the Proposition of a New Multi-dimensional Model of MIS

This paper addresses the definition of MIS and the legitimacy of MIS as an academic discipline. Both sides of the MIS legitimacy debate are presented, with the authors embracing the diversity of MIS as a strength that enhances the legitimacy of the MIS discipline. Based on the diversity theory of MIS, the authors propose a new-multidimensional model of MIS that presents a new way of looking at the discipline and the researchers who work in it.
The Expression of Heat Shock Protein 60 kDa in Tissues and Cell Lines of Breast Cancer

Purpose: Breast cancer has been reported as the most common cancer of women in the United States, Western Europe and Korea and about 210,000 and 10,000 women in United States and Korea every year, respectively are diagnosed with it. Breast cancer is curable with an early diagnosis, and many researchers have made efforts to find a marker for this malady, heat shock protein (HSP) consists of 6 groups, it is highly preserved throughout both the prokaryotic and eukaryotic cells and it acts as a molecular chaperone that’s involved in protein folding. HSPs have been recently reported to be related with breast cancer. In this study, we investigated the changes of expression of HSP60 in tissues and cell lines of breast cancer. Methods: We obtained breast cancer tissues and normal tissues from breast cancer patients, and we purchased several cancer cell lines from American tissue culture correction. We treated the tissues and the cell lines of human breast cancer with heat shock protein. Proteins and mRNAs were isolated from the tissues and the cells and then we performed Western blotting, reverse transcriptase-Polymerase chain Reaction and fluorescence activated cell sorter analysis on them. Results: On Western blot, HSP60 was more overexpressed in the tissues and the cell lines of breast cancer than in the normal breast tissues and cell lines. The expression of HSP60 showed 2 types of molecular weight differences in the tissues and cell lines of breast cancer, and specifically, low HSP60 was over-expressed in the cancer tissues. There was no difference between the breast cancer cell lines and the normal cell lines in the expressions of HSP60 mRNA, according to the treatment with heat shock. Also, there was no relationship between phosphorylation and the structural difference of HSP60 protein, according to HSP60 protein’s molecular weight. The expression of HSP60 has been mostly reported at the mitochondria; however, in this study, it was more predominantly detected at the cytoplasm than at the mitochondria in the breast cancer cell lines. Conclusion: We conclude that HSP60 may be used as a diagnostic marker for breast cancer. Detailed investigation of the usefulness and significance of the HSP60 expression as a prognostic factor is required in further studies.
THE SOCIO-SPATIAL DIALECTIC

ABSTRACT An increasingly rigidifying orthodoxy has begun to emerge within Marxist spatial analysis that threatens to choke off the development of a critical theory of space in its infancy. The concept of a socio-spatial dialectic is introduced as a means of reopening the debate and calling for the explicit incorporation of the social production of space in Marxist analysis as something more than an epiphenomenon. Building upon the works of Henri Lefebvre, Ernest Mandel, and others, a general spatial problematic is identified and discussed within the context of both urban and regional political economy. The spatial problematic is not a substitute for class analysis but it can be an integral and increasingly salient element in class consciousness and class struggle within contemporary capitalism. Space is not a scientific object removed from ideology and politics; it has always been political and strategic. If space has an air of neutrality and indifference with regard to its contents and thus seems to be “...
Effect of Burnup on the Response of Stainless Steel-Qad Mixed-Oxide Fuels to Simulated Thermal Transients

Direct electrical heating experiments were performed on irradiated fuel to study the fuel and cladding response as a function of burnup during a slow thermal transient. The results indicated that the nature and extent of the fuel and cladding behavior depended on the quantity of fission gas retained in the fuel. Fission-gas-driven fuel ejection occurred as the molten cladding flowed down the stack exposing bare, radially unrestrained fuel. The fuel dispersion occurred in the absence of molten fuel and the amount of fuel ejected increased with increasing burnup. In tests with medium- and high-burnup fuel, the cladding ballooned prior to melting. In regions where the cladding remained intact, helium-filled cavities were observed on the cladding. The swelling due to the cavities increased with increasing burnup.
Further studies on the capacity of the neurohypophysis to release vasopressin.

The dog neurohypophysis can release only a fraction of the vasopressin (ADH) it contains in response to repeated stimulation in vivo or in vitro. Experiments have been performed to determine whether this limited release might result from the presence of ADH in the medium or from cellular damage due to anoxia or substrate deprivation. Neural lobes from bled dogs took up O2 in vitro at almost twice the rate of neural lobes from unbled animals. Excess K+ in the incubation medium enhanced the rate of O2 consumption in both cases. Incubation of posterior pituitaries (from unbled dogs) in media lacking glucose and O2 resulted in an increase in the basal level of ADH secretion, and a marked inhibition in the rate of hormone release in response to 56 HIM K+. The secretory mechanisms did not appear to have suffered permanent damage due to the extensive period of hypoxia and substrate deprivation. One hr after the readmission of glucose and O2 to the medium, such pituitaries released ADH in response to 56 HIM K+ at...
Effects of a protease-expressing recombinant baculovirus insecticide on the parasitoid Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson)

Abstract A recombinant baculovirus insecticide, AcMLF9.ScathL, has been constructed that expresses a cathepsin L-like protease. This protease degrades the basement membrane of infected-lepidopteran larvae. AcMLF9.ScathL kills larvae significantly faster than the wild type baculovirus. Before field trials can be conducted with this virus, risk assessment studies are required to examine the potential impact of the virus on nontarget organisms. We examined the impact of AcMLF9.ScathL on the survival, development, and behavior of the parasitoid Cotesia marginiventris (Cresson) that parasitizes infected second instar larvae. Larvae of Heliothis virescens were exposed to the parasitoid and infected with the wild type or recombinant virus at >LD99 at 72, 96, or 120 h after parasitism. Control larvae were mock infected. Choice tests showed that infection with AcMLF9.ScathL did not affect the host preference of the parasitoid. At 72 h post-parasitism, the survival of parasitoids emerging from hosts infected with AcMLF9.ScathL was lower than for parasitoids emerging from hosts infected with wild type virus or uninfected controls. There were no significant differences between AcMLF9.ScathL and wild type virus treatments for the larval emergence time, adult emergence time, sex ratio, size, and fecundity of C. marginiventris. These results indicate that use of AcMLF9.ScathL in insect pest management poses a slightly greater risk to the parasitoid at early stages of parasitoid development than use of the wild type virus at >LD99 dose.
Native LDL Upregulation of ATP-Binding Cassette Transporter-1 in Human Vascular Endothelial Cells

ATP-binding cassette transporter-1 (ABCA1) mediates the lipid efflux from cells to apolipoproteins. In studying the gene expression and regulation of ABCA1 in human vascular endothelial cells (ECs), we found that native low density lipoprotein (LDL) elevates ABCA1 in both protein and mRNA levels in a time- and dose-dependent fashion. Transfection of full-length human ABCA1 in ECs lowers cellular cholesterol content and increases apolipoprotein (apo) A-I-mediated cholesterol efflux. Transfection of the ABCA1 promoter-luciferase reporter results in a 2-fold induction after LDL exposure. The responsive element was mapped within -116 to -54 of the promoter region with use of promoter deletion constructs, as reported in other cells. A mutation of the DR4 site greatly diminished the LDL effect. Results showing that LDL increases the liver X receptor responsive element (LXRE)-driven luciferase activity demonstrate the effect of LDL on LXR activation. Furthermore, ligands of the retinoid X receptor and LXR activate ABCA1 in ECs at levels of both promoter activation and mRNA induction. Therefore, ABCA1 is expressed in vascular ECs and is transcriptionally upregulated by LDL. Overexpression of ABCA1 in these cells prevents overloading of cholesterol by increasing the efflux of cholesterol. Thus, ABCA1 plays an important role in the homeostasis of cholesterol in the vascular endothelium.
Cross-Border Mergers and Acquisitions with Heterogeneous Firms: Technology vs. Market Motives

Abstract The most common form of foreign direct investment (FDI) is cross-border mergers and acquisitions (M&A). A common explanation for M&A activity identified in the industrial organization literature is that firms seek technological expertise. However, this has not been examined in the FDI literature. In this paper, I develop and estimate a model of cross-border M&A and focus on the technology seeking explanation. In particular, I develop a general equilibrium model of exporting, greenfield FDI, technology-seeking cross-border M&A, and market-seeking cross-border M&A with heterogeneous firms. The model predicts that firms from a larger country are more likely to acquire in a smaller country when M&A activity is driven by a technology-seeking motive, but the opposite is true when it is driven by a market-seeking motive. Using detailed data on worldwide M&A activity from 1985 to 2007, I find empirical evidence that cross-border M&A activity exhibits behavior consistent with this prediction.
Identification of cross-valley faults in the Maynardville Limestone, Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee, using seismic refraction tomography

First arrival times from P-wave refraction and reflection seismic surveys along Bear Creek Valley on the Oak Ridge Reservation, Tennessee, were inverted to produce refraction tomographic velocity images showing seismic velocity variations within thinly mantled karstic bedrock to a depth of approximately 20 m. Inverted velocities are consistent with two distinct bedrock groups: the Nolichucky Shale (2,730–5,150 m/s) and Maynardville Limestone (3,940–7,575 m/s). Low-velocity zones (2,700–4,000 m/s) in the tomographic images correspond to previously inferred cross-valley strike-slip faults; in places, these faults create permeability barriers that offset or block groundwater flowing along Bear Creek Valley. These faults may also force groundwater contaminants, such as dense non-aqueous phase liquids, to migrate laterally or downward, spreading contamination throughout the groundwater system. Other, previously unmapped cross-valley faults may also be visible in the tomographic images. Borehole logs suggest the low-velocity values are caused by low rigidity fractured and vuggy rock, water zones, cavities and collapse features. Surface streams, including Bear Creek, tend to lie directly above these low-velocity zones, suggesting fault and fracture control of surface drainage, in addition to the subsurface flow system. In some cases, fault zones are also associated with bedrock depressions and thicker accumulations of unconsolidated sediment.
Renal angiomyolipoma with arteriovenous shunting.

AbstractWe describe a patient with arteriovenous shunting during renal arteriography who at operation was found to have an angiomyolipoma rather than renal cell carcinoma or an arteriovenous malformation. Renal angiomyolipoma should be added to the list of causes of gross hematuria with angiographically demonstrable arteriovenous shunting.
MicroRNAs in brain cholesterol metabolism and their implications for Alzheimer's disease

Cholesterol is important for various neuronal functions in the brain. Brain has elaborate regulatory mechanisms to control cholesterol metabolism that are distinct from the mechanisms in periphery. Interestingly, dysregulation of the cholesterol metabolism is strongly associated with a number of neurodegenerative diseases. MicroRNAs are short non-coding RNAs acting as post-transcriptional gene regulators. Recently, several microRNAs are demonstrated to be involved in regulating cholesterol metabolism in the brain. This article reviews the regulatory mechanisms of cellular cholesterol homeostasis in the brain. In addition, we discuss the role of microRNAs in brain cholesterol metabolism and their potential implications for the treatment of Alzheimer's disease. This article is part of a special issue entitled: MicroRNAs and lipid/energy metabolism and related diseases edited by Carlos Fernandez-Hernando and Yajaira Suarez.