cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Supplemental habitat is reservoir dependent: Identifying optimal planting decision using Bayesian Decision Networks

Abstract Environmental management often requires making decisions despite system uncertainty. One such example is mudflat mediation in flood control reservoirs. Reservoir mudflats limit development of diverse fish assemblages due to the lack of structural habitat provided by plants. Seeding mudflats with agricultural plants may mimic floodplain wetlands once inundated and provide fish habitat and achieve habitat management objectives. However, planting success is uncertain because of unpredictable water level fluctuations that affect plant survival and growth. Decision support tools can account for uncertainty that influences decision outcomes and reduce the risk in reservoir mudflat planting decisions. We used Bayesian decision networks and sensitivity analyses to quantify uncertainty surrounding mudflat plantings as supplemental fish habitat in four northwest Mississippi reservoirs. When averaged across all uncertainty, planting was the optimal decision only in Enid Lake. Response profiles indicated planting decisions depended on elevation contours within Enid, Sardis, and Grenada reservoirs. No planting was optimal at all elevations for Arkabutla Lake. These results provide a quantified basis for establishing best management practices and identify key system states that influence decision outcomes. The process used in this study to evaluate planting decisions can be applied to any reservoir by modifying reservoir dependent inputs to evaluate planting decisions to provide supplemental fish habitat.
PHILOSOPHICAL TENSIONS AMONG LEADERSHIP, EFFICIENCY, COMMUNITY—AND WHAT IT MEANS FOR THE ACADEMY

“Effective immediately, your job with our institution is terminated.” On a day of spring 2014 these words were uttered to a person I know. A person holding a Philosophy Ph.D. Someone who had gotten along with fellow coworkers, supervisors, and students alike. Someone who had not been guilty of a crime, nor even of failure to perform teaching or administrative duties as requested. This was a person who had repeatedly stood up for the boss, in fact had tried to make him look good, and who often worked overtime. Someone who had made a point of not disrespecting colleagues, or students, behind their backs. The starkness of the words spoken, beyond even what they entailed, was perhaps what most stood out to this person. Words spoken as if to an enemy, rather that to a loyal coworker. The only reason offered for this dismissal was one of “organizational restructuring.” And this happened at an institution of higher education which prides itself on its Catholic spiritual identity. How to account for this?
An overview of Internet protocols

In a very short period of time, the Internet has risen from being viewed as a peculiarity of the defence and academic community of the late sixties to become a significant component of many of our working and home lives. The possible impact of this technology has the futurists talking of the collapse of national borders, the bypass of tax systems and traditional commerce and the emancipation of the individual from the clutches of government, corporations and the boundaries of culture, gender and physical constraints. Most users‘ experience of the Internet is through browser software and applications such as e-mail, World Wide Web, Newsgroups and media plug-ins. Beneath this glossy, graphical, multimedia world exists the architectural and protocol components which have enabled the Internet evolution to reach into so many parts of everday life in such a short time. The aim of this paper is to outline some of these components, their characteristics and limitations, and their ongoing development to address those limitations and add new capabilities. Even though an overview of Internet protocols is included in this paper, basic knowledge of Internet technology is assumed.
The Basic Proteins of Cobra Venom I. ISOLATION AND CHARACTERIZATION OF COBRAMINES A AND B

Cobra venoms contain heat stable, basic, proteins that inhibit iodide accumulation by thyroid slices. Activity is not related to the content of phospholipase A or various other enzymatic activities. These proteins are present only in Elapid venoms and not in snakes of the Crotalidae or Viperidae families. Two such basic proteins, named cobramines A and B, have been purified from the crude venom of the Indian cobra (Naja naja) by carboxymethyl cellulose chromatography, gel filtration, and ammonium sulfate crystallization. Together they constitute ∼40% of the venom protein. Their isoelectric points are ∼11.9 and ∼12.6, respectively. Cobramine B was found to be homogeneous in paper and disc gel electrophoresis and by ultracentrifugation (s20, w = 0.98). The molecular weight was 6400 from equilibrium centrifugation measurements and 5840 on the basis of amino acid analysis (52 residues).
The need for more specific legislation in sexual consent capacity assessments for nursing home residents.

“Lovecraft” is a prominent adult sex shop in Toronto, Ontario. 1 One can find a wide variety of toys, videos, and libido-enhancing thrills at this Toronto hot-spot. 2 Surprisingly, however, nearly ...
Bench-to-bedside review: Fundamental principles of acid-base physiology

Complex acid–base disorders arise frequently in critically ill patients, especially in those with multiorgan failure. In order to diagnose and treat these disorders better, some intensivists have abandoned traditional theories in favor of revisionist models of acid–base balance. With claimed superiority over the traditional approach, the new methods have rekindled debate over the fundmental principles of acid–base physiology. In order to shed light on this controversy, we review the derivation and application of new models of acid–base balance.
The Evolving Field of Health and Human Rights: Issues and Methods:

The conference on Health, Law and Human Rights: Exploring the Connections held last fall in Philadelphia was a telling moment in the complex history of a movement — the “health and human rights movement” for want of a better term — inaugurated by the pioneering work of Jonathan Mann, whose memory the Conference honored. The Francois-Xavier Bagnoud Center for Health and Human Rights — founded by Mann and carrying on his legacy — was pleased to co-sponsor the conference. The conference and this symposium issue containing the main papers provide an excellent opportunity to take stock of that movement by means of a commentary based on the papers. This commentary is made from a resolutely human rights perspective, with the aim of engaging the authors in a dialogue on whether and to what extent each article advances knowledge about the interconnectedness and mutually reinforcing character of health and human rights, which is the lasting legacy of Jonathan Mann.
Superconducting Vortex-Line Configurations in Materials with Twin Boundaries

We have studied numerically the classical states of equilibrium, stable and metastable, of magnetic-field vortex lines in a type-II superconductor in the presence of twin boundaries which attract the vortex lines. Depending on the value of the magnetic field and the density of the twin boundaries, a variety of situations is found. Among them are Abrikosov lattices, anisotropic structures in which the vortex lines are mostly localized at the twin boundaries, and a consistently large regime of disordered structures. Statistical analyses of the distributions, their energies, and their pair-correlation functions are presented.
Personalization Tools: Organize, Customize, and Expedite Knowledge Acquisition

STKE offers several preset and customizable tools for enhancing access to STKE’s resources and converting information into knowledge. The personalization tools include Folders, Display Settings, Saved Searches, and Alerts, and they allow users to more efficiently identify and access information relevant to their field of interest. Various preset tools expedite information acquisition--for example, with downloadable citations or by providing access to external sites, such as PubMed, for identifying related materials.
Unsteady heat or mass transport from a suspended particle at low Péclet numbers

Unsteady heat or mass transport from a particle with an arbitrary shape suspended in a fluid of infinite expanse is considered in the limit of small Peclet numbers where diffusion is dominant. In a frame of reference in which the particle appears to be stationary, the velocity of the fluid is uniform or varies in a linear manner with respect to the spatial coordinates, with an arbitrary time dependence. The temperature or concentration of a species at the surface of the particle is held at a certain constant value, whereas that at infinity is held at another constant value. Two particular problems are considered, both to leading order with respect to the Peclet number: (a) the rate of transport from a particle that is introduced suddenly into a steady flow near the steady state; and (b) the average rate of transport from a particle that is suspended in a time-periodic flow. The theory uses the method of matched asymptotic expansions and employs the Green's function of the convection diffusion equation for a generally unsteady uniform or linear flow. The Green's function is derived in closed form by first performing a transformation to a Lagrangian framework.
Pathologic Examination of Fetal and Placental Tissue Obtained by Dilation and Evacuation

Context.—Dilation and evacuation (D&E) is an alternative method to induction of labor for pregnancy termination and intrauterine fetal demise, and it is the most common mode of second-trimester ute...
Microscopic VE energy transfer rates in the HF/NF system

Abstract The conversion of HF vib-rotational energy into NF electronic energy is observed by infrared chemiluminescence depletion. The rotational states of HF participating in this VE transfer are identified for each HF level observed. The rate of energy transfer from HF states nearest resonance with an NF electronic transition is approximately equal to the rate of self-deactivation of the HF rotational states.
CRT-119 High Neutrophil to Lymphocyte Ratio Predicts Larger Infarct Size and Worse Short-term Outcomes in Patients with Non-ST elevation Myocardial Infarction

High neutrophil to lymphocyte (N/L) ratio has been reported to have a strong predictive value for worse clinical outcomes in patients with ST elevation myocardial infarction. However, the clinical significance of high N/L ratio in the setting of non-ST elevation myocardial infarction (NSTEMI) has
Higher time derivatives in effective equations of canonical quantum systems

Quantum-corrected equations of motion generically contain higher time derivatives, computed here in the setting of canonically quantized systems. The main example in which detailed derivations are presented is a general anharmonic oscillator, but conclusions can be drawn also for systems in quantum gravity and cosmology.
A simultaneous coordinate relaxation algorithm for large, sparse matrix eigenvalue problems

A new algorithm for simultaneous coordinate relaxation is described. For the determination of several extreme eigenvalues and eigenvectors of large, sparse matrices the simultaneous algorithm affords significant advantages in comparison with a coordinate relaxation algorithm applied to determine individual eigenvalues and eigenvectors in turn. Results of application of the algorithm to test matrices are discussed.
A Small Molecule β2 Integrin Agonist Improves Chronic Kidney Allograft Survival by Reducing Leukocyte Recruitment and Accompanying Vasculopathy.

Kidney allograft rejection is associated with infiltration of inflammatory CD11b+ leukocytes. A CD11b agonist leukadherin-1 (LA1) increases leukocyte adhesion, preventing transmigration and tissue recruitment in vivo. Here we test the extent to which LA1 mediated activation of CD11b/CD18 enhances kidney allograft survival in a mouse model of fully MHC-mismatched orthotopic kidney transplantation, where C57BL/6J (H-2b) recipients received kidney allografts from Balb/c mice (H-2d). Isograft control recipients received a kidney from a littermate. Control isograft and allograft recipients were treated daily with cyclosporine (CsA) for 2 weeks, while the test group received CsA therapy and daily LA1 injections during week 1 and alternate days during weeks 2-8. LA1 treatment reduced interstitial leukocyte infiltration in the allograft, reduced neointimal hyperplasia and glomerular damage, and prolonged graft survival from 48.5% (CsA only) to 100% (CsA and LA1) on day 60. Serum creatinine levels showed significantly improved kidney function in LA1 treated mice compared to CsA treated allograft controls (0.52 ± 0.18 mg/dL v/s 0.24 ± 0.07 mg/dL (n=5), respectively). Furthermore, combination therapy reduced macrophage infiltration and increased the frequency of FoxP3+ Tregs in the allograft. These findings indicate a crucial role for CD11b/CD18 in the control of leukocyte migration to the transplanted kidney and identify integrin agonist LA1 as a novel potential therapeutic agent for kidney transplantation.
Supporting autonomy for people with aphasia: use of the Life Interests and Values (LIV) Cards.

AbstractBackground: People with aphasia (PWA) are frequently disregarded as reliable respondents because their language problems may restrict their responses to oral and written questioning. Consequently, family members are often asked to speak on their behalf. The Life Interests and Values (LIV) Cards are a nonlinguistic, picture-based instrument designed for communicating directly with PWA about their current and desired life activities. Purpose: The goals of this study were to (1) explore utility of LIV Cards for interviewing PWA and (2) examine congruence between responses of PWA and proxies. Method: Study participants were 10 PWA with varying language and cognitive abilities and 10 family member proxies. Both groups participated in LIV Card interviews to identify current and preferred activities of the PWA. Core interview times for the PWA and percentage of selected activities for 4 activity categories were calculated, as was item-by-item response congruency between PWA and proxies. Results: All 10 P...
Standard English and Academic English (Dialect) Learners in the African Diaspora

This article compares and contrasts the learning of (Standard?) English as a second dialect in the United States with the learning of Standard English as a second language in South Africa. It argues that the common denominator of racial segregation has had clear econolinguistic and educational consequences that have been, and might continue to be, detrimental to the welfare of historically subordinated racial populations. In order to advance the teaching of Academic English, Standard English, and Workplace English in both contexts, educators should address stereotypes associated with specific varieties, students’ goals, the potential benefits of gaining communicative competence in particular varieties, and the potential consequences of not gaining that competence.
γ‐Ray‐induced degradation of lignocellulosic materials

Lignocellulosic plant materials were treated with various swelling agents and exposed to gamma radiation from 60Co or 137Cs. At dosages of 50 Mrad or above, lignocellulosic materials were extensively degraded and solubilized in water. Addition of water, NaOH, or H2SO4 to the substrate increased the degree of solubilization. Complete solubilization was achieved for samples of sugarcane bagasse, newspaper, cotton linters, cotton cloth, sawdust, and alpha-cellulose powder. About 35% total sugar and 5% reducing sugar per dry weight of sugarcane bagasse could be obtained by this method. Most of the soluble carbohydrates seemed to be disaccharides or larger molecules and glucose degradation products. Solubilization of cellulose was dosage dependent and although the rate of solubilization was increased by adding alkali, released sugar was further decomposed by the alkali and by high dosages of radiation. (Refs. 14).
Anterior Cruciate Ligament Reconstructions in Active-Duty Military Patients

Anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tears are common injuries typically sustained by men and women in their teens and twenties. The United States military consists of a large group of young, athletic servicemen and women who are at high risk for ACL injuries. The surgical reconstruction of a ruptured ACL is the primary treatment option for athletes who want to resume unrestricted sporting activities. The middle third bone-patellar tendon-bone autograft is the most commonly used graft for ACL reconstructions in the United States, but the hamstring autograft has gained increased utilization by military surgeons because of the unique requirements of our patient population. Each graft has its own advantages, and all may be successfully used to restore knee stability after an ACL tear. The grafts chosen and the operative techniques used for ACL reconstructions reflect the training of the individual surgeons, most of whom are relatively early in their orthopedic careers. The military medical system is comprised of smaller community-sized hospitals located throughout the United States and overseas supported by major medical centers with a full complement of residency and fellowship training. Military surgeons in the Army, Navy, and Air Force perform 2,500 to 3,000 primary ACL reconstructions each year. Nearly all patients are required to return to unrestricted military duties including, for most, demanding physical activities. Therefore, we believe the military patients are analogous to a high-level athletic population with comparable expectations for their return to preinjury function.
Marker-assisted prediction of non-additive genetic values

It has become increasingly clear from systems biology arguments that interaction and non-linearity play an important role in genetic regulation of phenotypic variation for complex traits. Marker-assisted prediction of genetic values assuming additive gene action has been widely investigated because of its relevance in artificial selection. On the other hand, it has been less well-studied when non-additive effects hold. Here, we explored a nonparametric model, radial basis function (RBF) regression, for predicting quantitative traits under different gene action modes (additivity, dominance and epistasis). Using simulation, it was found that RBF had better ability (higher predictive correlations and lower predictive mean square errors) of predicting merit of individuals in future generations in the presence of non-additive effects than a linear additive model, the Bayesian Lasso. This was true for populations undergoing either directional or random selection over several generations. Under additive gene action, RBF was slightly worse than the Bayesian Lasso. While prediction of genetic values under additive gene action is well handled by a variety of parametric models, nonparametric RBF regression is a useful counterpart for dealing with situations where non-additive gene action is suspected, and it is robust irrespective of mode of gene action.
Experiments in mixed-integer linear programming

This paper presents a “branch and bound” method for solving mixed integer linear programming problems. After briefly discussing the bases of the method, new concepts called pseudo-costs and estimations are introduced. Then, the heuristic rules for generating the tree, which are the main features of the method, are presented. Numerous parameters allow the user for adjusting the search strategy to a given problem.
Design and construction of a reactor for in situ infrared studies of catalytic reactions

Transmission infrared spectroscopy is a very useful technique for characterizing the structure of adsorbed species present on a catalyst under reaction conditions. Reactors for conducting such in situ studies have been described by a number of authors. The details for a very simple reactor which can be used to study catalytic reactions at moderate temperatures (<573 K) and elevated pressures are described. The reactor has a very low dead volume and a short optical path length, and is built in such a fashion that infrared windows and catalyst samples can be replaced quite easily. The reactor described here has been used to study the hydrogenation of CO at temperatures up to 573 K and pressures as high as 2.4 MPa. No problems have been encountered with either extended operation or cycling of the temperature between 373 and 573 K. The upper limit on the operating temperature is 590 K and is set by the Kalrez O-rings. The upper limit on pressure is not as clearly established.
Cascade for relativistic nucleus collisions.

A relativistic hadronic cascade is used to simulate collisions of Si on Au at 14.6 GeV/{ital c} per nucleon. When proper account is taken of resonances produced in elemental hadron-hadron collisions this cascade quantitatively describes most published E802 data from the BNL Alternating Gradient Synchrotn including the problematic proton transverse mass distributions. No medium effects seem required to explain the apparent enhancement of strangeness production nor any other features of the data.
Breast tumors: of mice and women

For the past 20 years the mouse has served as a workhorse for studying the molecular underpinnings of human breast cancer. While some genetically engineered mouse mammary tumor models do not accurately recapitulate human disease (that is, the MMTV-Neu model and HER2-overexpressing human cancers), additional tumor models exist for studying the initiation, progression, and treatment of human breast cancer. The relationships between normal mouse mammary epithelial cells and tumor cells, however, have remained poorly defined. A recent article in Breast Cancer Research has shed light on these relationships.
Paraphrasing: An Effective Comprehension Strategy

Paraphrasing, somewhat different from retelling and summarizing, helps students monitor their understanding and incorporate new knowledge with what they already know about a topic. Paraphrasing helps students realize that comprehension is the goal of reading. تلخيص البحث: إن إعادة صياغة النص مختلفة قليلا عن كلا إعادة الحكاية والتلخيص فأنها تساعد الطلاب في مراقبة فهمهم وإدماج هذا الفهم الجديد في ما عرفوا سلفا عن موضوع ما. وكذلك تساعد في إدراك بأن الفهم هو هدف القراءة. 释义重述稍别于复述及总结。释义重述能帮助学生监察他们对新知识的理解，及把一个课题内的新知识加进他们的已有知识。释义重述更能帮助学生认识到理解所阅读的内容是阅读的目标。 Paraphraser, ce qui est different de redire et de resumer, aide les eleves a piloter leur comprehension et introduit de nouvelles connaissances a ce qu'ils savaient deja sur un sujet donne. Paraphraser aide les eleves a realiser que la comprehension est le but de la lecture. Перефразирование – несколько иной вид работы, нежели пересказ и суммирование текста – помогает учащимся контролировать собственное понимание и соотносить новую информацию с тем, что они уже знают по данной теме. Перефразирование помогает детям понять, что цель чтения состоит именно в понимании текста. La parafrasis o traduccion libre, un poco diferente del recuento o el resumen, ayuda a los estudiantes a supervisar su entendimiento e incorporar nuevos conocimientos a lo que ya saben sobre cierto tema. La parafrasis hace que los estudiantes se den cuenta que se lee para comprender.
Abstract 5474: Prediagnostic cytokine levels and the risk of non-Hodgkin lymphoma in a nested case-control study: The Multiethnic Cohort

Proceedings: AACR 103rd Annual Meeting 2012‐‐ Mar 31‐Apr 4, 2012; Chicago, IL Objective: Since immune dysfunction is thought to be the underlying basis for the development of Non-Hodgkin Lymphoma (NHL), obesity and a state of chronic inflammation may increase the risk of the disease. The objective of this analysis was to examine the association of prediagnostic inflammatory marker and adipokine levels in serum with NHL risk. Methods: We conducted a nested case-control analysis (272 cases and 578 controls) within the Multiethnic Cohort Study, which consists of Caucasians, Japanese Americans, Latinos, African Americans, and Native Hawaiians in California and Hawaii. Each case was matched to 2 controls by sex, year of birth, ethnicity, location (HI or CA), date and time of blood draw, and fasting hours before blood draw. A 10-plex panel of cytokines (TNF-α, IFN-γ, GM-CSF, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, IL-6, IL-8, and IL-10) was measured in prediagnostic blood samples by Luminex multiplex technology. ELISA assays were used for the adipokines, and CRP was assessed using a Cobas MiraPlus clinical chemistry analyzer. Tertiles of analytes were created and conditional logistic regression was applied to estimate the odds ratios (OR) and 95% confidence intervals (CI), with adjustment for age at blood draw, alcohol, smoking status, and body mass index (BMI). Results: The mean ages at blood draw were 70.0±7.4 and 70.3±7.6 years for cases and controls, respectively. The mean time from blood draw to diagnosis was 3.1±2.3 years with NHL cases comprised of the following lymphoma: 82 diffuse large B-cell, 51 small cell/chronic lymphocytic leukemia, 49 follicular, 15 T-cell, and 75 others. Of all cytokines, IL-10, IL-6, and IL-8 were positively associated with risk for NHL. The respective BMI-adjusted ORsT3v vs T1 were 3.1 (95%CI: 2.0-4.7; ptrend <0.0001), 1.3 (95%CI: 0.9-1.9; ptrend=0.09), and 1.5 (95%CI: 1.0-2.2; ptrend=0.11). No significant associations were observed for TNF-α, IFN-γ, GM-CSF, IL-1β, IL-2, IL-4, IL-5, and CRP. Leptin levels were inversely associated with NHL risk, with a stronger association after adjustment for BMI (ORT3v vs T1 = 0.3, 95%CI: 0.2-0.5; ptrend<0.001), but adiponectin was not related to risk. The lower risk associated with higher leptin levels was present in normal and in overweight/obese individuals. We did not observe any heterogeneity by sex or ethnicity for cytokines and adipokines. Conclusions: Contrary to expectation, higher IL-10 levels were associated with a higher NHL risk, and higher leptin levels were related to a lower NHL risk, even after adjustment for BMI. The limited sample size and the relatively short time between blood draw and diagnosis may have contributed to these findings. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 103rd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2012 Mar 31-Apr 4; Chicago, IL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2012;72(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 5474. doi:1538-7445.AM2012-5474
Secular Fluctuations of Temperature in the Rocky Mountain States and a Comparison with Precipitation Fluctuations

Abstract Fluctuations of temperature in the Rocky Mountain states of Idaho, Montana, Wyoming, Colorado and Utah are analyzed for the period 1891–1978. Prior to 1891, data for this area are too sparse to make meaningful generalizations. After screening temperature data for homogeneity, selected records are used to map seasonal mean temperature departures from 1941–70 means. In all seasons, mean temperatures were higher by 1–1.5°C during the last 40 years compared to the previous 40–50 years. However, spring and fall temperatures have been declining since the period maximum in the late 1930's. Pentad mean winter and summer temperatures show a statistically significant temperature increase throughout the entire period, temperatures rising by 0.09 and 0.1°C per decade, respectively. In all seasons, except winter, the warmest decade was the 1930's. Winters were warmest in the period 1906–10 when summers were relatively cool. The coldest decade was centered around 1910–15 though for winters the period 1891–1900...
The ozonation of benz[a]anthracene: pathway and product identification

Abstract The pathway for the ozonolysis of benz[a]anthracene (BaA) (ACS standard named), a polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH), has been described in this paper. BaA was dissolved in a 90% acetonitrile:water (v/v) mixture to achieve an initial concentration of 1 mM. The ozonolysis of BaA was evaluated using different ozone dosages. The ozonation products were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS). Fifteen products including eight pairs of isomers were identified. Ozone reacted with BaA simultaneously by bond and atom attack. Ozone attack on the carbon at the 7 and/or 12 position produced the quinone or hydroxyl functional groups. The bond attack type of reaction occurred at the 5,6 position and caused ring cleavage resulting in phenyl–naphthyl type products. Ozonolysis of BaA in this solvent mixture occurred preferentially by bond attack rather than by the atom attack type of reaction.
Systematics and biogeography of Middle Miocene rodents from the Muruyur Beds, Baringo District, Kenya

ABSTRACT Preliminary excavations in western Kenya from the middle Miocene Muruyur Beds, in particular from the Kipsaramon site complex (15.5 Ma), are yielding a diverse rodent fauna from a poorly documented period of African prehistory. Seven families (?sciurids, pedetids, anomalurids, thryonomyids, diamantomyids, myophiomyids, and cricetodontids) are represented. Thryonomyoids are dominant; cricetids and murids of modern aspect are currently unknown. The fauna includes a mixture of primitive early Miocene taxa (e.g., Diamantomys and Notocricetodon) and also more derived taxa (i.e., Thryonomyidae genus and species large). A new small anomalurid, Anomalurus parvus, sp. nov., is reported. Faunal composition and the distribution of rodent taxa from the Muruyur Beds show similarities with early and middle Miocene sites in East Africa, Namibia, and Saudi Arabia. Comparison of early and middle Miocene African rodent faunas suggests a period of relative faunal stability among rodent taxa during this time.
Stereospecificity and mechanism in cation radical Diels-Alder and cyclobutanation reactions.

The cation radical Diels−Alder and cyclobutanation reactions of cis- and trans-1,2-(diaryloxy)ethenes with a cyclic and an acyclic diene have been found to be stereospecific, in accord with a concerted cycloaddition mechanism.
Pilocytic astrocytoma with leptomeningeal dissemination

Pilocytic astrocytoma (PA) is a common pediatric glioma that is generally characterized by indolent growth. However, there are reports of PA disseminating throughout the central nervous system. Given the rarity of dissemination, the appropriate treatment for these patients is poorly defined. In this case series, we describe the clinical characteristics and treatment outcomes of six children treated for disseminated PA at our institution and review the current published literature. Six cases of disseminated PA treated at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center were identified. Demographics, disease characteristics, and follow-up data were compiled. Fifty-three reported cases were identified in the published literature. Our cohort’s mean age at presentation was 7 years, and the mean time to identification of disseminated disease was 12 months after initial diagnosis. Two patients underwent chemotherapy, and all underwent proton beam radiation therapy to all or part of the craniospinal axis. With a median follow-up of 24 months after radiation therapy, five of six patients were alive, four with stable disease and one with progressive disease. Treatment of disseminated PA is frequently multi-modal, including surgical resection, chemotherapy, and radiation therapy. On the basis of early clinical data, extended-field radiation therapy is a viable option for treating disseminated PA.
Comparisons of two in vitro cytotoxicity assays-The neutral red (NR) and tetrazolium MTT tests.

Abstract The neutral red (NR) and tetrazolium MTT in vitro cytotoxicity assays were compared for 28 test agents of widely varying potency using the BALB/c mouse 3T3 fibroblast cell line as the bioindicator. For any given cell density in the microtitre plate well, the optical density absorbance with the NR assay was about twice that obtained with the MTT assay. However, there was good agreement ( r = 0.939) between the ranking of the test agents on the basis of midpoint cytotoxicity values (NR 50 and MTT 50 ), although the assays were based on different physiological endpoints. Nevertheless, the two assays were found to differ in sensitivity for a few test agents, such as chloroquine sulphate and several antineoplastic drugs. Both assays were capable of demonstrating a reduction in the cytotoxicity of methotrexate by leucovorin.
Quantum logic gates for superconducting resonator qudits

We study quantum information processing using superpositions of Fock states in superconducting resonators as quantum $d$-level systems (qudits). A universal set of single and coupled logic gates is theoretically proposed for resonators coupled by superconducting circuits of Josephson junctions. These gates use experimentally demonstrated interactions and provide an attractive route to quantum information processing using harmonic oscillator modes.
Decision Analysis with Applications to Project Management: State-of-the-Art Survey and Bibliography

SYNOPTIC ABSTRACTThe results of an extensive literature survey on decision analysis, with specific application to problems in research and development project management, are summarized. Approximately 215 references are organized by subject matter, summarized, and annotated in a separate listing.
The Evolving Role of Structural and Functional Imaging in Assessment of Age-Related Changes in the Body

Aging is an extremely complex, multifactorial, and inevitable process that varies in rate from person to person and that is not fully understood at its most basic levels. Despite this complexity, knowledge of age-related changes and normal variation in organ structure and function is essential to differentiate them from alterations that are associated with pathology. Combined structural and functional imaging, which increasingly is used to assess a multitude of disorders, including cancer, cardiovascular disease, and central nervous system abnormalities, can be applied to study changes in structure and function related to aging. This article reviews the major theories of biological aging and presents our approach and rationale to study age-related changes through quantitative tomographic radiological and scintigraphic approaches. In the series of articles that follow, we have made an attempt to determine age-related changes in volume, attenuation, and function as measured by computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and position emission tomography in the following organs and systems: central nervous system, head and neck, heart and major arteries, lungs, abdominal and pelvic parenchymal organs, gastrointestinal tract, genitourinary tract, breast, bone and bone marrow, joints, and skin. The population examined includes a large number of subjects in all decades of life. We have also made an effort to introduce some new concepts such as partial volume correction and measurements of global metabolic activity of the organs examined, and emphasize the importance of quantitative techniques in such applications. It is our hope that this new initiative will further enhance the role of novel imaging techniques in the management of patients with cancer and other disorders.
Embolization of Angiographically Visible Type I and II Utero-ovarian Anastomoses during Uterine Artery Embolization for Fibroid Tumors: Impact on Symptom Recurrence and Permanent Amenorrhea

Abstract Purpose To compare the incidences of symptom recurrence and permanent amenorrhea following uterine artery embolization (UAE) for symptomatic fibroid tumors in patients with type I and II utero-ovarian anastomoses (UOAs) with versus without ovarian artery embolization (OAE). Materials and Methods A retrospective, institutional review board–approved study of 99 women who underwent UAE for symptomatic fibroid tumors from April 2005 to October 2010 was conducted to identify patients who had type I or II UOAs at the time of UAE. Based on the embolization technique, patients were categorized into standard (ie, UAE only), combined (ie, UAE and OAE), and control (patients without UOAs who underwent UAE) groups. Data collected included patient characteristics, procedural technique and findings, symptom recurrence, secondary interventions, and permanent amenorrhea. Statistical analysis was performed with the Fisher exact test, with significance reached at P Results Twenty patients (20.2%; mean age, 46.9 y ± 6.3) had type I (n = 3) or II (n = 17) UOAs. Thirteen (65%) underwent UAE only (standard group) and seven (35%) underwent UAE and OAE (combined group). There were no significant differences between groups in demographics or in the incidence of permanent amenorrhea after procedures (follow-up, 561 d ± 490). There was a significantly higher incidence of symptom recurrence in the standard group compared with the control group ( P = .01), with no differences between combined and control groups ( P = 1). Conclusions There were no statistical differences in permanent amenorrhea rates in the groups studied, with significantly higher symptom recurrence rates observed when OAE was not performed in the setting of UOA.
Students' Perceptions of Gender Discrepancy in the Use of Counseling Center Services

Abstract Undergraduate seniors from a small, selective university in the northeastern United States (N = 1,036) were surveyed about their perceptions of counseling center use by gender. Specifically, students were asked if they would expect to find considerably more men, considerably more women, or roughly equal numbers of men and women utilizing the services of their campus counseling center. Using a single-sample chi square for goodness of fit the null hypothesis was rejected for the entire sample and for males and females separately. In addition, a 2 × 3 multiple-sample chi square revealed a statistically significant relationship between gender and item response. Females were highly likely to see the counseling center as a service utilized primarily by women while males were more likely than females to view the center as a service utilized by equal numbers of men and women.
Learning What It Takes to Teach Science: High School Students as Science Teachers for Middle School Students

This study examines the influence of St. John's University Summer Science Experience and Teacher Mentoring Program on African American and Hispanic high school students' interest in science and science teaching as career goals. In the first phase of the program, high school students from six school districts in Suffolk County, Long Island (a suburb of metropolitan New York City) engaged in investigative science experiences that emphasized environmental science, chemistry, and technology and learned about effective science pedagogy. The second phase of the program functioned as a teaching practicum for the high school students, where they planned for instruction and taught middle school students investigations similar to those that they had engaged in during the summer program. Various surveys were developed to assess high school students' attitudes about science and science teaching, knowledge of effective teaching approaches, knowledge of ways to motivate younger students, and the overall impact of the program on the high students' interest in science and/or science teaching as career goals. Program evaluations reveal that over 75% of the students expressed an interest in considering science or science teaching as career possibilities. Implications for minority teacher recruitment are discussed.
Heat-transfer rate variations from the surface of a heater probe in a magnetofluidized bed

Abstract A cylindrical strip heater heat-transfer probe is designed and employed to measure heat-transfer coefficients in the horizontal configuration at three angular positions (0, 90 and 180° relative to gas flow while submerged in a magnetically stabilized fluidized bed of 1086 μm iron shots. The superficial air velocity is varied up to about 3.8 ms −1 , and measurements have been conducted for five values of magnetic-field intensity up to 5662 A m −1 . In each case, pressure drops across the bed and a section of it are determined to obtain values of superficial minimum fluidization and minimum bubbling velocities, and gross bed voidage. The heat-transfer coefficient is found to be dependent on the angular position at the horizontal cylindrical probe immersed in the bed. The magnetic field destabilizes the gas pocket at the upstream side of the probe and this characteristically influences the h w values. The magnetic interparticle forces augment the gas flow in the equatorial lateral zones by the formation of a channel at the probe surface leading to gas bypassing. At the downstream side, the variation is somewhat similar to the variation observed for the total heat-transfer coefficient. Experimental minimum bubbling velocities are well corrected by a semitheoretical expression proposed by the authors.
On the interpretation of energy and energy fluxes of nonlinear internal waves: an example from Massachusetts Bay

Author Posting. © Cambridge University Press, 2006. This article is posted here by permission of Cambridge University Press for personal use, not for redistribution. The definitive version was published in Journal of Fluid Mechanics 561 (2006):103–112, doi:10.1017/S0022112006000991
Endothelin-stimulated capacitative calcium entry in enteric glial cells: synergistic effects of protein kinase C activity and nitric oxide.

Abstract: Depletion of intracellular calcium stores by agonist stimulation is coupled to calcium influx across the plasma membrane, a process termed capacitative calcium entry. Capacitative calcium entry was examined in cultured guinea pig enteric glial cells exposed to endothelin 3. Endothelin 3 (10 nM) caused mobilization of intracellular calcium stores followed by influx of extracellular calcium. This capacitative calcium influx was inhibited by Ni2+ (89 ± 2%) and by La3+ (78 ± 2%) but was not affected by L-, N-, or P-type calcium channel blockers. Chelerythrine, a specific antagonist of protein kinase C, dose-dependently inhibited capacitative calcium entry. The nitric oxide synthase inhibitor NG-nitro-l-arginine decreased calcium influx in a dose-dependent manner. The combination of chelerythrine and NG-nitro-l-arginine produced synergistic inhibitory effects. Capacitative calcium entry occurs in enteric glial cells via lanthanum-inhibitable channels through a process regulated by protein kinase C and nitric oxide.
Surgical Treatment of Vascular Rings: The Mayo Clinic Experience

From 1947 through 1992, 37 Mayo Clinic patients underwent operation for the relief of tracheoesophageal obstruction that resulted from vascular rings and related entities. Of the 37 patients, 18 had a double aortic arch, 11 had a right aortic arch with an aberrant left subclavian artery, 4 had a left aortic arch with an aberrant right subclavian artery, 2 had a pulmonary artery sling, 1 had a right aortic arch with mirror-image branching and a left ligamentum arteriosum, and 1 had a left aortic arch, a right descending aorta, and a right ductus arteriosus. Symptoms consisted of stridor, recurrent respiratory infections, and dysphagia. The anomaly was approached through a left thoracotomy in 31 patients, through a right thoracotomy in 4, and through a median sternotomy in 2. Only one early postoperative death (3%) and no late deaths occurred. At long-term follow-up (maximal duration, 45 years), three patients had residual symptomatic tracheomalacia, one of whom required right middle and lower lobectomy for recurrent pneumonia. Magnetic resonance imaging is the imaging technique of choice for accurate delineation of the vascular and tracheal anatomy. When patients are symptomatic, vascular ring should be repaired. The surgical risk is minimal, and the long-term results are excellent.
Effects of vaccine on rotavirus disease in the pediatric population

PURPOSE OF REVIEW: Rotavirus infection is the most common cause of severe diarrhea disease in infants and young children worldwide and continues to have a major global impact on childhood morbidity and mortality. Two effective rotavirus vaccines are available and recommended for routine immunization of all infants. These vaccines have been introduced in both developed and developing countries. As rotavirus vaccines are implemented studies have been undertaken that assess the effects of vaccination on rotavirus disease in children. This review summarizes the results of these studies. RECENT FINDINGS: Studies that assess health impact indirect benefits and strain changes after the introduction of rotavirus vaccine have been reported. In industrialized countries rotavirus vaccination has led to dramatic drops in severe rotavirus-related hospitalizations and has reduced emergency room visits. Data from clinical trials in developing counties in Asia and Africa have demonstrated that rotavirus vaccines significantly reduce severe diarrhea episodes due to rotavirus. Herd (community) immunity has also been noted after routine rotavirus immunization in several countries. There have been no significant strain shifts or escape mutants noted since the introduction of rotavirus vaccines. SUMMARY: Two well tolerated and effective rotavirus vaccines have reduced the health burden of rotavirus gastroenteritis in both developed and developing countries.
Living carbocationic polymerization. XIV: Living polymerization of isobutylene with ester•TiCl4 complexes

Polymerisation amorcee par le TiCl 4 avec l'acetate ou le propionate de cumyle dans des solvants mixtes. Etude de l'influence du solvant, de la nature et la concentration de l'amorceur sur la cinetique, la masse moleculaire du polymere et sa distribution. Proposition de mecanisme avec une propagation via des complexes acide de Lewis/ester polymere actives, les acides de Lewis libres detruisant la propagation vivante
Modeling the Interactions Among Neighboring Nanostructures for Local Feature Characterization and Defect Detection

Since properties of nanomaterials are determined by their structures, characterizing nanostructure feature variability and diagnosing structure defects are of great importance for quality control in scale-up nanomanufacturing. It is known that nanostructure interactions such as competing for source materials during growth contribute strongly to nanostructure uniformity and defect formation. However, there is a lack of rigorous formulation to describe nanostructure interactions and their effects on nanostructure variability. In this work, we develop a method to relate local nanostructure variability (quality measure) to nanostructure interactions under the framework of Gaussian Markov random field. With the developed modeling and estimation approaches, we are able to extract nanostructure interactions for any local region with or without defects based on its feature measurement. The established connection between nanostructure variability and interactions not only provides a metric for assessing nanostructure quality, but also enables a method to automatically detect defects and identify their patterns based on the underlying interaction patterns. Both simulation and real case studies are conducted to demonstrate the developed methods. The insights obtained from real case study agree with physical understanding.
Evidence for a role of death thought in American attitudes toward symbols of Islam

Abstract Four studies were conducted to examine how concerns about mortality contribute to Americans' negative attitudes and behavior toward symbols of Islam. Study 1 found that a subtle reminder of death decreased support for the Ground Zero mosque, and increased the distance from Ground Zero that people felt was appropriate for a mosque to be built. Study 2 found that asking people to think about a mosque being built in their neighborhood increased the accessibility of implicit death thoughts. Study 3 replicated the results of Study 2 and showed that thinking of a church or synagogue did not produce the same effect as thinking of a mosque. Study 4 found that heightened death thought accessibility in response to a mortality salience induction was eliminated when the participants read a newspaper account of the desecration of the Quran.