cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High leaf tissue density grassland species consistently more abundant across topographic and disturbance contrasts in a North American tallgrass prairie

Understanding the coupling between plant functional traits and abundance provides insight into the often hidden forces that structure plant communities. To better understand the coupling between leaf traits and abundance of grassland species in a mesic North American grassland, we measured specific leaf area (SLA) and its two components, tissue density and thickness for 125 grassland species. Plants with high tissue density were more abundant over a 17-year period across a range of environments: uplands, grazed and ungrazed watersheds, and frequently and infrequently burned watersheds. The consistent relationships between leaf tissue density and abundance across ecological contrasts imply that belowground resource availability constrains community composition independent of grazing and burning regimes. Leaf tissue density did not explain species abundance in lowlands, where belowground resources are the highest. Neither did it explain the differential abundance of species between grazing or fire frequency contrasts, suggesting that changes in burning or grazing select for species based on other traits. Relative to leaf tissue density, SLA was a poor predictor of abundance, reinforcing a long-observed—but often ignored—call that measurements of SLA need to be coupled with thickness measurements in order to effectively predict the performance of species. More generally, future research needs to investigate which belowground resources control community composition in the grassland and whether the importance of water or nutrients change with burning and grazing.
Determination of Lead-210, Radium-226, Thorium-228 and Uranium-238 in Five CCRMP Reference Samples by Gamma-Ray Spectrometry

Lead-210, radium-226, thorium-228 and uranium-238 concentrations have been determined in five CCRMP reference samples using direct gamma-ray spectrometry. Literature data are available for only lead-210 and radium-226 levels in these samples.
Nowhere to run and nowhere to hide: Response of endemic Mt. Graham red squirrels to catastrophic forest damage

A consequence of isolation is increased susceptibility to catastrophe. Insect damage to fragmented and isolated forests has the potential to serve as a catastrophic force; such damage has increased worldwide due to climate change and fire suppression policies. We examined the response of endangered endemic Mt. Graham red squirrels to catastrophic insect damage due to moths, beetles, and introduced aphids. Insects changed the forest environment significantly for the endemic squirrel by reducing basal area and stem densities of live stems, while increasing number and basal area of standing dead stems. Availability of two major foods, fungi and tree seeds, declined in insect-damaged forests relative to trends in undamaged forests. Numbers of Mt. Graham red squirrels declined precipitously in insect-damaged forests suggesting a catastrophe. Conservation options are limited in such situations. Forest-insect induced catastrophes are likely to become more common in the near future as forest health declines due to past management tactics and climate change. Prudent conservation measures include the anticipation of insect outbreaks and effective forest treatments to decrease likelihood of such catastrophes to species of precarious conservation status, while avoiding abrupt changes to critical habitat.
Knowledge Transfer and Learning: Problems of Knowledge Transfer Associated with trying to Short-Circuit the Learning Cycle

Knowledge is considered to be a key organizational resource in the 21st century and the knowledge management 'movement' has alerted organizations to the fact that they should more strategically exploit their knowledge assets. Companies are thus lured by the suggestion that they can gain competitive advantage by the more astute management of their knowledge base and in particular, by the transfer of knowledge across individuals, groups and organizational units, using IT to accomplish this. In this paper, we reflect on this common view of knowledge transfer. More specifically, we question an implication of this view - essentially the possibility of short-circuiting the learning cycle, so that individuals do not have to rely on their personal or shared experiences to identify better practices, but can learn from the codified lessons of others in IT systems. More importantly, we consider the characteristics of knowledge - that knowledge is distributed, ambiguous and disruptive - that makes its transfer highly problematic. Drawing on case research, we relate this to the learning cycle (Kolb 1984) and thereby identify barriers to knowledge transfer. We conclude by considering ways of overcoming these barriers by emphasizing the importance of social systems alongside technical systems.
THE INTERACTION OF SOCIAL CLASS AND TYPE OF REINFORCEMENT IN DISCRIMINATION LEARNING.

Two experiments attempted to replicate the Terrell, Durkin, & Wiese (1959) finding that lower class children learn a discrimination faster when given “concrete” reinforcements while middle class children learn faster when given “abstract” reinforcements. The two experiments yielded contradictory results, one supporting and one rejecting the Terrell et al hypothesis. The need for further research using a different experimental task is discussed.
Frequencies in Pulsatile Flow and Response of Magnetic Meter

An electromagnetic meter has been calibrated for pulsatile flow with use of a sinusoidal driver operating up to 45 c.p.s. Accurate recording of alternating flow at this frequency was possible under specified conditions. Pulsatile flow measurements from animals were directly calibrated by fractional collection of blood after it passed through the meter. Harmonic analyses of flow curves indicated that full response to 20 c.p.s. permitted adequate recording of femoral artery flow in an anesthetized dog.
EFFECTS OF GROUP CONTINGENT EVENTS UPON CLASSROOM NOISE1

The first study investigated a group control procedure for suppression of excessive sound-intensity levels in a regular public school classroom. Reinforcement consisted of a 2-min addition to the class gym period and a 2-min break after maintenance of an unbroken 10-min quiet period as monitored on a decibel meter. Transgressions of the sound limit (42 decibels) resulted in a delay of reinforcement by the resetting of the timer to the full 10-min interval. The results indicated that these procedures were highly effective in suppression and control of sound intensities. The second experiment utilized a similar procedure coupled with a procedure of eliminating out-of-seat behavior. Experiment III studied the effects of Exp. II procedures on a single student's out-of-seat behavior rate. All procedures were found effective.
The effects of task repetition on linguistic output

This article explores form/meaning relationships, focussing on the use learners make of their internal L2 linguistic resources as a function of focus on meaning. Native speakers ofEnglish watched video segments 4 times while recording their own on-line rendition in Spanish. One group watched the same video 3 times and the other group watched different videos each time. At Time 4 both experimental groups saw a new video. A control group saw videos only at Time 1 and Time 4. Analyses were conducted on the basis of overall proficiency, morphosyntax, and lexical sophistication. The results provide limited support for the prediction of improvement over time for the group that saw the same video, but no support for a “carryover” effect when the content changed.
Life-cycle cost optimization of steel structures

This article addresses the life-cycle cost optimization of steel structures. The main factors influencing the life-cycle cost of a structure are delineated and their effects on various cost functions are discussed. A four-criteria optimization model is presented for the life-cycle cost optimization of steel structures. These criteria are (i) select discrete commercially available sections with the lowest cost, (ii) select commercially available sections with the lightest weight, (iii) select the minimum number of different types of commercially available sections, and (iv) select commercially available sections with the minimum total perimeter length. The last criterion models a representative type of cost incurred over the life of the structure, that is, preventative maintenance in the form of periodic painting of an exposed steel structure to avoid corrosion. The life-cycle cost optimization model is based on fuzzy logic with the goal of formalizing the life-cycle design process but with some input from the design engineer through introduction of weighting coefficients reflecting the relative importance of various criteria. The model is applied to a large steel structure with over 3300 members. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Targeting the proteasome as a therapeutic strategy against haematological malignancies.

The ubiquitin–proteasome pathway is responsible for the vast majority of regulated eukaryotic intracellular proteolysis. Inhibition of the proteasome induces beneficial antitumour effects by blocking cell-cycle progression, inducing apoptosis and suppressing angiogenesis. Bortezomib is the first proteasome inhibitor to reach the clinical arena, where Phase I – III trials verified its activity against relapsed/refractory multiple myeloma. Testing is ongoing to determine bortezomib’s role in front-line therapy of this plasma cell dyscrasia, as well as in non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma, in which encouraging single-agent activity has been seen. Proteasome inhibition is also a rational strategy to overcome chemoresistance and induce chemosensitisation. Combinations of bortezomib and other agents have enhanced efficacy, and additional studies are probing the activity of several regimens in lymphoid and myeloid malignancies. The current state of knowledge about the activity of bortezomib, both alone and in combination w...
The influence of pre-existing dislocations on cleavage crack propagation behavior in crystals

Abstract Available experimental evidence on cleavage of single crystals suggests that the direct interactions of crack tips with pre-existing dislocations are important in determining the toughness of cleavable crystals. On this basis, the behavior of dislocations in the vicinity of a moving crack tip has been investigated. It is found that dislocations which reside within a strip of certain width along the crack path and which have Burgers vectors of a certain orientation are strongly attracted to the crack tip. and the motion of such dislocations with respect to the moving crack tip is determined. Once drawn into the immediate vicinity of the crack tip, these dislocations inevitably cause local, atomic scale blunting of the tip. The resulting crack trapping mechanism is modeled phenomenologically, yielding a quantitative estimate for actual crack tip fracture toughness Γtip which depends on temperature, crack speed and density of pre-existing dislocations. This fracture toughness is believed to represent an estimate of the resistance to fracture that is more realistic than the ideal Griffith surface energy estimate. Then, possible scenarios for either gradual or abrupt transitions from brittle to ductile behavior with temperature are discussed within a framework based on the present model and a continuum plasticity model for the functional relation between the measurable far field toughness Γfar and the crack tip fracture toughness. The nature of the transition depends on the relationship between these two functions. As an application, the anomalous low temperature toughness of iron is explained on the basis of the high density of dislocations commonly observed in annealed iron crystals.
Biological Control of Apple Mites by Mixed Populations of Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt) and Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten (Acari: Phytoseiidae)

Mixtures of Metaseiulus occidentalis (Nesbitt) and Typhlodromus pyri Scheuten inoculated into apple trees gave as good or better biological control of European red mite Panonychus ulmi Koch and twospotted spider mite Tetranychus urticae (Koch) than did similarly sized populations of either predatory mite alone. In mixes, M. occidentalis increased more rapidly and achieved higher densities at midseason when prey were abundant than did T. pyri, which persisted longer and provided more predation at the end of the growing season. Both species alone gave near equal control of P. ulmi . Control of twospotted mite by M. occidentalis was always excellent. Sometimes, T. pyri did not control T. urticae before it reached damaging levels. These mites appear to be complementary biological control agents. Their management in mixed populations is discussed.
Efficiency of scientific communication: A survey of world science

The aim of this study was to measure the efficiency of the system by which scientists worldwide communicate results to each other, providing one measure of the degree to which the system, including all media, functions well. A randomly selected and representative sample of 246 active research scientists worldwide was surveyed. The main measure was the reported rate of “late finds”: scientific literature that would have been useful to scientists' projects if it had been found at the beginning of these projects. The main result was that 46p of the sample reported late finds (±6.25p, p0.05). Among respondents from European Union countries or other countries classified as “high income” by the World Bank, 42p reported late finds. Among respondents from low- and middle-income countries, 56p reported late finds. The 42p rate in high-income countries in 2009 can be compared with results of earlier surveys by Martyn ([1964a][b] [1987]). These earlier surveys found a rate of 22p late finds in 1963–1964 and a rate of 27p in 1985–1986. Respondents were also queried about search habits, but this study failed to support any explanations for this increase in the rate of late finds. This study also permits a crude estimate of the cost in time and money of the increase in late finds. © 2010 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Short vs. long‐term calcium hydroxide treatment of established inflammatory root resorption in replanted dog teeth

This study examined, histologically, the healing of intentionally produced inflammatory root resorption of replanted teeth in beagle dogs, treated with short- or long-term placement of calcium hydroxide. Thirty beagle dog incisors were randomly divided into four groups. In group 1 (negative control), uninfected incisors were extracted, the roots were longitudinally grooved and the teeth were replanted within 2 min. In group 2 the root canals were artificially infected followed by extraction, longitudinal grooving, and replantation as in group 1. Radiographs were taken biweekly and at the first signs of inflammatory root resorption or at 4 weeks, the root canals were fully instrumented and medicated with calcium hydroxide. In group 2, the root canals were permanently obturated with gutta-percha and sealer after 1 week of calcium hydroxide. The teeth in group 3 were treated as described in group 2 but after 1 wk the calcium hydroxide dressing was repacked for the duration of the study. In group 4 (positive control) the teeth were treated as described in groups 2 and 3 but no endodontic treatment was performed. Twelve weeks after the initiation of the endodontic treatment, sacrifice and histological preparation were carried out. In group 1, complete cemental repair was seen in all teeth. In group 2, five of ten teeth showed complete cemental repair whereas in group 3 complete cemental repair was seen in nine of ten teeth. None of the teeth in group 4 showed cemental repair. It was concluded that long-term may be more effective than short-term calcium hydroxide treatment of established inflammatory root resorption.
Noninvasive assessment of myocardial perfusion.

Noninvasive assessment of myocardial perfusion is important in the diagnosis and risk stratification of patients with known or suspected coronary artery disease (CAD). Although single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) is most commonly used, multiple modalities including myocardial contrast echocardiography (MCE), positron emission tomography (PET), cardiac MRI (CMR), and cardiac computed tomography (CT) have emerged as promising techniques. This article will critically evaluate the strengths and weakness of these modalities for evaluating myocardial perfusion. Myocardial perfusion is a highly regulated process that includes epicardial vessels, resistance vessels, and the endothelium. Endothelial dysfunction is an early manifestation of vascular disease and plays a role in the development of CAD.1 In normal coronaries, sympathetic stimulation causes a flow-mediated endothelium-dependent release of nitric oxide resulting in epicardial and arteriolar vasodilation. With endothelial dysfunction, vasoconstriction from acetylcholine predominates, resulting an attenuation or absence of the normal flow-mediated vasodilation.2 When coronary arteries are narrowed by atherosclerotic disease, coronary autoregulation attempts to normalize myocardial blood flow by reducing the resistance of distal perfusion beds to preserve adequate myocardial oxygen supply.3 A stenosis must exceed 85% to 90% of luminal diameter before significant reductions in resting blood flow occur.4 However, under vasodilator stimulus, maximal coronary flow has been shown to decrease with stenosis of >45% (Figure 1).4 This has been demonstrated clinically using quantitative PET myocardial perfusion imaging (MPI).5,6 Because perfusion is an early change in the ischemic cascade,7 stress modalities that assess coronary perfusion reserve have a higher sensitivity in detecting flow-limiting stenoses than analysis of stress-induced wall motion abnormalities or ECG changes alone.8 Abnormal coronary flow reserve with vasodilator stress in the absence of a significant coronary stenosis occurs and has been attributed to microvascular and/or endothelial dysfunction.9 Figure 1. Relationship between percent diameter stenosis and …
Polarization and switching properties of holographic polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal gratings. II. Experimental investigations

We have performed a detailed study of the polarization properties and switching behavior of holographic polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal gratings. A theoretical model [ R. L. Sutherland , J. Opt. Soc. Am. B19, 2995 (2002)] is compared with a number of observed phenomena in reflection and transmission gratings made with different types of liquid crystals under a variety of experimental conditions. Anomalous polarization effects are described and interpreted. We show that a wide variation of holographic polymer-dispersed liquid-crystal grating properties can be explained in terms of the statistics of droplet orientational distributions.
Gay and Bisexual Men's Use of the Internet: Research from the 1990s through 2013

We document the historical and cultural shifts in how gay and bisexual men have used the Internet for sexuality between the 1990s and 2013-including shifting technology as well as research methods to study gay and bisexual men online. Gay and bisexual men have rapidly taken to using the Internet for sexual purposes: for health information seeking, finding sex partners, dating, cybersex, and pornography. Men have adapted to the ever-evolving technological advances that have been made in connecting users to the Internet-from logging on via dial-up modem on a desktop computer to geo-social-sexual networking via handheld devices. In kind, researchers have adapted to the Internet to study gay and bisexual men. Studies have carefully considered the ethics, feasibility, and acceptability of using the Internet to conduct research and interventions. Much of this work has been grounded in models of disease prevention, largely as a result of the ongoing HIV/AIDS epidemic. The need to reduce HIV in this population has been a driving force to develop innovative research and Internet-based intervention methodologies. The Internet, and specifically mobile technology, is an environment gay and bisexual men are using for sexual purposes. These innovative technologies represent powerful resources for researchers to study and provide outreach.
Writing for bodies in space

People completing tasks in real-world environments deal with the following attributes of three-dimensional space: position, direction, active and passive movement, force, speed, and timing. These attributes need to be handled by technical communicators who produce instructions. The paper suggests how communicators can do that.
Direct detection and automated sequencing of individual alleles after electrophoretic strand separation: identification of a common nonsense mutation in exon 9 of the human lipoprotein lipase gene

Large-scale screening by direct sequencing of DNA to detect molecular variants remains a laborious endeavor whose difficulty is compounded by heterozygosity. We show that mobility shifts of single-stranded DNA electrophoresed under nondenaturing conditions can be used not only to detect variants (Orita,M. et al., 1989, Genomics, 5, 874-879), but also to separate and sequence directly individual alleles. In this manner, we have identified a common variant of human lipoprotein lipase resulting from a nonsense mutation in exon 9 of the gene. Whether this variant is of functional significance remains to be determined.
Abstract 19144: Fish Oil and Cyclooxygenase Inhibitors: a Novel Strategy to Manage Obesity-linked Dyslipidemia

Introduction: Dyslipidemia is a prevalent condition in obesity and type 2 diabetes. Although fish oil rich in omega-3 fatty acids (ω-3) is a widely used hypolipidemic agent, it is often required at high doses. At high doses, these fatty acids can induce oxidative stress or endothelial activation and therefore, strategies to improve their beneficial effects are needed. We previously reported that fish oil in combination with cyclooxygenase (COX) inhibitors exerts enhanced hypolipidemic and anti-inflammatory effects in low density lipoprotein receptor knock-out mice. Here, we sought to determine the effects of ω-3 fatty acids in combination with naproxen (NX), a COX inhibitor, on dyslipidemia and gene expression in subcutaneous adipose tissue (scAT) in humans. Methods: Obese dyslipidemic patients were randomly assigned to receive one of these interventions (n=8/group) for 12 wk: 1) Standard nutrition counseling (control), 2) ω-3 (2 g twice daily), 3) NX (220 mg twice daily), and 4) ω-3 (2 g twice daily) + NX (220 mg twice daily). Results: The body mass index, HOMA-IR, and plasma total, LDL, and HDL cholesterol levels were not altered significantly in any of the groups. The percent change in plasma triglycerides (TG) from baseline was 75% ( P <0.1) and 68% ( P <0.05) in ω-3 and ω3 + NX-treated subjects, respectively. Notably, 25% of subjects who received ω-3s alone did not show a reduction in TG whereas all the patients that received ω-3 + NX showed a reduction in TG. Realtime PCR analysis of scAT showed that the expression of glucose transporter 4 (GLUT-4), a marker of glucose uptake and a key regulator of glucose homeostasis was significantly reduced in ω-3 compared to control group ( P <0.01). However, combining NX with ω-3 abolished this effect. Moreover, the expression of MCP-1 and VCAM-1, markers of inflammatory response or endothelial activation, was significantly increased in ω-3 but not in ω-3 + NX group. The plasma levels of MCP-1 and E-selectin did not vary significantly in any of the groups. Conclusions: Our data reveal previously unrecognized effects of fish oil in scAT. Our data suggest that combining NX with ω-3 fatty acids will increase their effectiveness in reducing plasma TG and improve the benefits of ω-3 supplements by favorably altering gene expression in scAT.
Extraction of Cortical Modularity Patterns for Neural Prosthetics

Cortical modularity is a fundamental microanatomic feature of the brain with direct implications for the cognitive function of cortical microcircuits. Neural activity recorded simultaneously with multi-electrode arrays (MEAs) from supra- and infra-granular layers along adjacent cortical minicolumns in PFC was shown to extract microanatomic codes relevant for successful behavioral performance. In addition, it is shown that pharmacologic agents disrupt the micro-anatomic processing and cognitive performance, but that recovery from cognitive impairment is produced by application of a cognitive prosthesis, via nonlinear multi-input multi-output (MIMO) model stimulation of microanatomic outputs with successful MIMO codes. The functional basis of this approach provides the potential for applying cognitive prostheses to a broad range of neurological and psychiatric dysfunctions involving cortical processes.
How warm is too warm for the life cycle of actinopterygian fishes

We investigated the highest constant temperature at which actinopterygian fishes can complete their lifecycles, based on an oxygen supply model for cleavage-stage eggs. This stage is one of the most heat-sensitive periods during the lifecycle, likely reflecting the exhaustion of maternally supplied heat shock proteins without new production. The model suggests that average eggs would not develop normally under a constant temperature of about 36 °C or higher. This estimate matches published empirical values derived from laboratory and field observations. Spermatogenesis is more heat sensitive than embryogenesis in fishes, so the threshold may indeed be lower, at about 35 °C, unless actinopterygian fishes evolve heat tolerance during spermatogenesis as in birds. Our model also predicts an inverse relationship between egg size and temperature, and empirical data support this prediction. Therefore, the average egg size, and hence hatching size, is expected to shrink in a greenhouse world but a feeding function prohibits the survival of very small hatchlings, posing a limit to the shrinkage. It was once suggested that a marine animal community may be sustained under temperatures up to about 38 °C, and this value is being used, for example, in paleotemperature reconstruction. A revision of the value is overdue. (199/200).
Adopting an International Innovation for Teacher Professional Development: State and District Approaches to Lesson Study in Florida

The state of Florida has taken an unprecedented approach to teacher professional development in its Race to the Top (RTTT) Program application by proposing to promote an international innovation that originates in Japan, “lesson study,” as a statewide teacher professional development model. Since winning the US$700 million RTTT funding in 2010, the Florida Department of Education and districts have been promoting lesson study as one of the statewide vehicles to implement the state standards aligned with the Common Core State Standards. This study analyzed the state and districts’ approaches to promote lesson study using policy documents, statewide district survey data, and interviews. We found that a majority of districts mandated lesson study implementation without securing or spending sufficient funding. In addition, the existing organizational structures and routines for professional development pose a major challenge in capacity building of district leaders and teachers to engage in lesson study.
Co-development of VEP motion response symmetry and binocular vision in normal infants and infantile esotropes

The maturation of motion processing in the human visual cortex can be assessed by means of the motion visual evoked potential (MVEP), which appears to selectively access binocular motion pathways.
Harry Wills and the Image of the Black Boxer from Jack Johnson to Joe Louis

The African-American press created images of Harry Wills that were intended to restore the image of the black boxer after Jack Johnson and to use these positive representations as effective tools in the fight against inequality. Newspapers highlighted Wills’s moral character in contrast to Johnson’s questionable reputation. Articles, editorials, and cartoons presented Wills as a representative of all Americans regardless of race and appealed to notions of sportsmanship based on equal opportunity in support of the fighter’s efforts to gain a chance at the title. The representations also characterized Wills as a race man whose struggle against boxing’s color line was connected to the larger challenges facing all African Americans. The linking of a sports figure to the broader cause of civil rights would only intensify during the 1930s as figures such as Joe Louis became even more effective weapons in the fight against Jim Crow segregation.
Peak structural response to nonstationary random excitations

Peak structural response to nonstationary random excitations, approximating by Weibull distribution and Monte Carlo technique
American Dog Tick (Acari: Ixodidae), Summer Activity on Equine Premises Enzootic for Potomac Horse Fever in South-central Maryland

The American dog tick, Dermacentor variabilis (Say), was the only ixodid tick found feeding on horses in Montgomery County, Md., from May to August. Average tick burdens were low (less than one tick per horse per week), but >80% of 33 horses examined weekly were exposed to tick feeding during the summer. Of the 98 ticks collected, 78% were attached to the tail and 12% were present in the mane. Host-seeking adult D. variabilis were active on vegetation in pastures from May to early August, with most specimens along hedgerows, woods margins, and horse paths.
Teacher Unions conflict in New York City, 1935–1960

AbstractWhile studies of the New York City Teachers Union (TU) generally attribute its eventual demise to the Red Scares of the 1940s and 1950s, this article situates the TU in the history of New York City teachers’ associations more generally. It argues that the Union’s fate was a consequence not simply of anticommunism, but of competition between the Union and other city teachers’ associations. In particular, the Teachers Guild fought with the Union for the mantle of teacher radicalism. While the two organizations fought for some of the same issues, the liberal Guild was accommodating to the government, while the radical Union was confrontational. When it came to the Union’s ideology, however, the Guild consistently sacrificed its commitment to academic freedom by collaborating with public authorities to reveal the extent of the Union’s Communist commitments. Using archival data – private correspondence of teacher unionists, minutes of Union meetings, and articles from the teachers’ unions’ official per...
Long-term outcome of mild mesial temporal lobe epilepsy: A prospective longitudinal cohort study

Objective: To identify clinical and imaging features at presentation that might predict long-term outcome in patients with mild mesial temporal lobe epilepsy (mMTLE), which is defined by at least 24 seizure-free months with or without antiepileptic medication. Methods: In the setting of a prospective, population-based, longitudinal cohort study, we followed up 101 patients, all with mMTLE at enrolment. By protocol, patients underwent clinical evaluation every 3–12 months. Independent t test, Mann-Whitney test, or χ 2 test was used for comparing 2 groups. The incidence rate of refractory MTLE (rMTLE) was expressed as number of cases every 100 person-years. Results: After a mean follow-up of 12.2 ± 3.7 years, 16 patients dropped out and 85/101 (mean age 46.5 ± 13.3 years) were available for the present analysis. Of these, 64/85 (75%) patients remained seizure-free and 21/85 (25%) became refractory (rMTLE), the latter corresponding to 2.0 cases per 100 persons per year. Patients with rMTLE showed a longer duration of epilepsy ( p p = 0.006), more frequent febrile convulsions ( p = 0.02), and hippocampal sclerosis (HS) at MRI ( p = 0.004) as compared to those with mMTLE. Conclusions: mMTLE is a syndrome representing the mildest form of the wide spectrum of MTLE. Earlier age at onset, history of febrile convulsions, longer duration of epilepsy, and the presence of HS on MRI predict a worse outcome.
Effect of nucleation temperature on fracture toughness (KIC) of fluorcanasite-based glass-ceramic.

PURPOSE The purpose of this study was to test the hypothesis that nucleation temperature significantly affects the fracture toughness of a fluorcanasite-based glass-ceramic. MATERIALS AND METHODS Sixty specimens were cut from a glass bar, polished, and randomly divided into six groups for nucleation treatment at temperatures of (1) 520 degrees C, (2) 550 degrees C, (3) 580 degrees C, (4) 610 degrees C, (5) 640 degrees C, and (6) 670 degrees C for 4 hours and a crystallization temperature of 850 degrees C for 6 hours. A precrack was produced at the center of each bar, and the prepared specimens were subjected to three-point flexural loading with the cracked surface under tension using an Instron machine at a cross-head speed of 0.5 mm/min. Fracture toughness was calculated based on the indentation strength technique, and crystal volume fraction was determined by quantitative stereology of SEM images of each group of ceramic specimens. RESULTS The mean fracture toughness and crystal volume fraction ranged from 2.6 to 3.5 MPa x m1/2 and from 65% to 81%, respectively, within the limits of the nucleation temperatures investigated. ANOVA showed statistically significant differences among the test groups. Based on Duncan's multiple comparison test, significant differences in mean fracture toughness and crystal volume fraction were found among the following statistical subsets: groups 1 to 4, group 5, and group 6. CONCLUSION Fracture toughness and crystal volume fraction of a fluorcanasite-based glass-ceramic were strongly influenced by nucleation temperature; the crystals precipitated during thermal processing are thought to be an important factor in increasing fracture toughness.
Twelve-year experience with glutaraldehyde-preserved porcine xenografts.

Three hundred fifty-two patients underwent aortic (AVR) or mitral (MVR) valve replacement with a glutaraldehyde-preserved porcine xenograft from 1970 to 1980. Analysis of this series revealed the following information: hospital mortality, 11.6% (41/352); late mortality, 5.5% per patient-year (60/1,090.7); actuarial 5 year survival rate, 70%; incidence of thromboembolism and hemorrhage, 1.4% per patient-year (15/1.090.7); incidence of spontaneous degeneration, 1.1% per patient-year (12/1,090.7); and transvalvular gradient, AVR 16 mm Hg and MVR 4.6 mm Hg. These results compare favorably with results from other porcine xenograft series and with those reported for prosthetic valves. There is no apparent difference in the type of xenograft used with the exception that spontaneous degeneration occurred less frequently in mitral valves that had not undergone pressure fixation than in those that had. The use of flexible stents improved the ease of valve implantation but did not affect leaflet durability as anticipated. Calcification occurred randomly with no relationship to time of implantation. Reoperation was for spontaneous valve deterioration by calcification or collagen degeneration in 11 cases, paravalvular leak in 13 cases, and implantation of an undersized valve in four cases; there was one reoperation for infection. Results support the continued use of porcine xenografts and suggest that improved manufacturing techniques will reduce the incidence of spontaneous, sterile deterioration, which is the only serious drawback to routine use of the porcine xenograft.
Is innovative also effective? A critique of pro-poor shelter in South-East Asia

As developing Asia transforms under neoliberalism and decentralisation, urban inequality and housing deprivation are deepening. Are contemporary shelter innovations for the poor in developing Asia effective? How? Why? These questions lead this paper to qualitatively critique and compare four innovative shelter programmes from Thailand, Indonesia and the Philippines. Here, innovative implies an enlargement of the roles of local governments and/or other stakeholders in shelter delivery. The analysis illuminates how the historical evolution of institutions affects a programme's institutional arrangements; which, with other contextual idiosyncrasies, impact objectives and outcomes. The paper posits scalability, habitability, affordability, accessibility and inclusivity as dimensions of effectiveness. It finds that under neoliberal influences shelter policy's pro-poor focus is shrinking. Albeit context-specific, the outcomes reveal key influential commonalities: (1) multi-stakeholder arrangements with non-stat...
Action Research in Preservice Teachers' Arts-Integration Pedagogies for Social Justice Teaching and Learning

Age-appropriate children's books can be an effective way to introduce and discuss issues of social justice with young students. These books can be the anchor for interdisciplinary lessons that integrate core content areas, such as language arts, science, and/or social studies with the visual and performing arts to enrich students' learning experiences. Examples of critical social justice issues include child labor, universal literacy, racism, water and air pollution, climate change, deforestation, refugees and immigration, war, hunger, and global health.
The Etiological Role of Microglia in Autism Spectrum Disorder: A Possible Route for Early Intervention

Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD) is a dreaded diagnosis. The treatment options are sparse and our knowledge of its etiology is woefully lacking. The purpose of this review is to outline a unifying pathway for the pathogenesis of Autism Spectrum Disorder and to describe how this sequence could be exploited to offer early intervention to patients at high risk of developing ASD. Specifically, we will describe how gestational insults can alter the lifelong functioning of fetal microglia. Those aberrant microglia are unable to properly fulfill their roles in cortical differentiation as well as synaptogenesis and the resulting cortical disorganization plus dendritic overgrowth may be responsible for the characteristic Autistic phenotype. This pathogenic pathway presents several opportunities for intervention. If applied early enough, it is possible that these therapies could alleviate some of the symptoms of ASD.
Wireless Communication Networks

Wireless communications encompass mobile/portable radio systems. In contrast to land-line communications, wireless systems offer special advantages when voice/data systems require field automation, close communication with mobile employees/robots, and disaster recovery. Field automation permits widely scattered production units to work in close synchroneity and collaboration, and under tight control. Typical examples of this work dynamic include petrochemical oil refining systems, geophysical observation centers, and others. In the case of land-based centers, for example, numerous command units in a military operation need close contact with each other and also with the central command units. In addition, close control is essential when robots are deployed to work under hostile conditions. Natural disasters can also completely ruin the physical line of continuity for essential communication (for example, a copper or fiber link). The telephone companies suffered from the San Francisco earthquake and the Central Office fires at the New York exchange and at Hinsdale, Illinois. In all of these disastrous conditions, wireless techniques have been the telephone company’s bypass. This is an alarming trend for the traditional plain old telephone service (POTS) environment because the complete potential of these very short wireless links is not completely utilized. In this chapter, wireless technology and its implications for the areas of communications and intelligent networks (INs) are explored.
ROSplane: Fixed-wing autopilot for education and research

This paper presents a fixed-wing autopilot code base called ROSplane. ROSplane utilizes the ROSflight board, firmware, and driver, which was developed to make autopilot development faster, easier and cheaper. By leveraging a textbook and university course content, the autopilot facilitates education and accelerates research and development. The textbook provides high-level documentation for the code. The code is structured to facilitate learning by providing a framework for student assignments. The addition of ROSplane software and documentation make ROSflight closer to a plug- and-play solution while maintaining simplicity and usability for researchers and students. ROSplane has been used in a graduate level flight dynamics class, demonstrated through test flights, and modified for research purposes.
Las migraciones coloniales del Caribe a Estados Unidos y Europa Occidental: colonialidades diferenciadas en cuatro centros del sistema-mundo / Colonial Caribbean Migrations to Western Europe and the USA: Differentiated Colonialities in Four Metropoles of the World-System

Resumen: Este articulo compara cuatro migraciones caribenas hacia las cuatro metropolis que dominan el Caribe hoy. Se trata de las migraciones desde territorios no-independientes del Caribe: desde Martinica/Guadalupe hacia Francia, Puerto Rico hacia los Estados Unidos, Surinam/Caribe Holandes hacia Holanda y Caribe Britanico hacia el Reino Unido. El articulo no solamente compara los procesos de emigracion sino tambien los procesos de incorporacion al llegar a las cuatro metropolis. La comparacion nos da una idea fundamental acerca de las diferencias entre estas metropolis en terminos de ciudadania, mito fundacional de nacion, racismo, y politica publica hacia las minorias racializadas. Palabras clave: Caribe, migracion colonial, colonialidad, Sistema-mundo. Abstract: This article compares four Caribbean migrations towards the four Metropoles that dominate the Caribbean today. In particular, it deals with migrations from non-independent territories in the Caribbean: from Martinique/Guadaloupe to France, Puerto Rico to the USA, Surinam/Dutch Caribbean to The Netherlands, and British Caribbean to the United Kingdom. The article not only compares the emigration processes but also the incoporation processes once they arrive to the four metropoles. The comparison gives us a fundamental idea about the differences between the four metropoles in terms of citizenship, foundational myth about the nation, racism and public policy towards racialized minorities. Key words: Caribbean, Colonial Migration, Coloniality, World-System.
BOUNDARY CONTROL OF THE DIFFUSION EQUATION A SEMIGROUP THEORETICAL APPROACH

An approach to boundary control of partial differential equations is outlined which is based on the theory of semigroups of operators, in contrast to the Lions-Magenes variational theory, both in techniques and results.
Identification of Wind Turbine Response to Turbulent Inflow Structures

The National Renewable Energy Laboratory conducted an experiment to obtain detailed wind measurements and corresponding wind turbine measurements in order to establish a causal relationship between coherent turbulent structures and wind turbine blade fatigue loads. Data were collected for one entire wind season from October 2000 to May 2001. During this period, the wind turbine operated under atmospheric conditions that support the formation of coherent turbulent structures 31% of the time. Using the equivalent fatigue load parameter as a measure of wind turbine blade fatigue and using statistical measures of the turbulent fluctuations of the wind, general correlation between the turbulence and the wind turbine response is shown. Direct correlation cannot be resolved with 10-minute statistics for several reasons. Multiple turbulent structures can exist within a 10-minute record, and the equivalent fatigue load parameter is essentially a 10-minute statistic that cannot estimate turbine response to individual turbulent structures. Large-magnitude turbulent fluctuations in the form of instantaneous Reynolds stresses do not necessarily correspond directly to large-magnitude blade root moment amplitudes. Thus, additional work must be done to quantify the negative turbine response and to correlate this response to turbulent inflow parameters over time scales less than 10 minutes.Copyright © 2003 by ASME
Solvability of Geometric Integrators for Multi-body Systems

This chapter is concerned with the solvability of implicit time-stepping methods for simulating the dynamics of multi-body systems. The standard approach is to select a time-step based on desired level of accuracy and computational efficiency of integration. Implicit methods impose an additional but often overlooked requirement that the resulting nonlinear root-finding problem is solvable and has a unique solution. Motivated by empirically observed integrator failures when using large time-steps this work develops bounds on the chosen time-step which guarantee convergence of the root-finding problem solved with Newton’s method. Second-order geometric variational integrators are used as a basis for the numerical scheme due to their favorable numerical behavior. In addition to developing solvability conditions for systems described by local coordinates, this work initiates a similar discussion for Lie group integrators which are a favored choice for floating-base systems such as robotic vehicles or molecular structures.
Abstract 3640: Treatment strategies using anti-PD1/PD-L1 (anti-PD) and BRAF/MEK inhibitor (BRAFi) therapy: a retrospective study comparing sequential vs. concurrent administration in BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma (BMMM)

Background: It is unclear whether anti-PD and BRAFi therapy should be administered sequentially or concurrently in patients (pts) with BMMM, although clinical trials using varying strategies are ongoing. We performed a retrospective, single-center analysis of BMMM pts who received anti-PD therapy either sequentially or concurrent with BRAFi therapy. Methods: A total of 457 metastatic melanoma pts (excluding uveal) were treated with anti-PD therapy at MD Anderson Cancer Center from 11/2009-12/2015. Of those, 148 pts had BMMM and were categorized into 4 treatment groups: BRAFi-naive treated with anti-PD alone (group 1) N=39 (26%); BRAFi-naive treated with combination therapy (group 2) N=30 (20%); BRAFi-refractory treated with anti-PD alone (group 3) N=45 (31%); and BRAFi-refractory treated with combination therapy (group 4) N=34 (23%). Clinical outcomes were analyzed and tabulated for each group. Pretreatment tissue samples were obtained for correlative biomarker immunohistochemistry (IHC) analyses. Results: BMMM pts with elevated LDH are more likely to receive upfront combination therapy. BRAFi-refractory pts have a higher incidence of brain metastases than BRAFi-naive pts. The clinical outcomes of overall responses, median PFS and OS are provided in the table. Preliminary biomarker IHC analyses in 11 pts showed PD-L1 expression on the tumor cells correlated with median PFS and OS : 15 mo and 22 mo, respectively in 7 pts with PD-L1 >1%, vs. 6.5 mo and 12 mo in 4 pts with PD-L1 Citation Format: Rodabe N. Amaria, Van A. Trinh, Jun Gu, Susan McIntyre, Carlos Torres Cabala, Rinata Simien, Adi Diab, Hussein A. Tawbi, Michael A. Davies, Michael K. Wong, Patrick Hwu, Isabella C. Glitza, Sapna P. Patel, Wen Jen Hwu. Treatment strategies using anti-PD1/PD-L1 (anti-PD) and BRAF/MEK inhibitor (BRAFi) therapy: a retrospective study comparing sequential vs. concurrent administration in BRAF-mutated metastatic melanoma (BMMM) [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the American Association for Cancer Research Annual Meeting 2018; 2018 Apr 14-18; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2018;78(13 Suppl):Abstract nr 3640.