cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Quality of Diagnostic Studies in Periprosthetic Joint Infections: Can We Do Better?

Abstract Background The diagnosis of periprosthetic joint infections (PJIs) continues to be a subject of extensive debate. This is in part due to the lack of a single “gold standard” test, and the marked heterogeneity in the design of studies evaluating the accuracy of different diagnostic modalities. The goal of this review is to critically analyze the evidence cited by the proceedings of the 2013 International Consensus Meeting (ICM) on PJI with regards to the diagnosis of PJI. Methods References from the Proceedings of the ICM on PJI related to PJI minor criteria were retrieved and manually reviewed. A total of 25 studies were analyzed using a Validated Quality Assessment of Diagnostic Accuracy Studies tool. Results A large number of studies were determined to have a high risk of bias for flow and timing domains due to the large numbers of exclusions. Studies of synovial white blood cells count and polymorphonuclear neutrophils percentage suffered from threshold optimization and lack of internal validity. Furthermore, due to the lack of homogeneity across studies, index test and reference standard domains showed high risk of bias for white blood cell/polymorphonuclear neutrophil percentage and the utility histological analysis, respectively. Leukocyte esterase testing lacked standardization with regard to the strip reagent used, and the exclusion of bloody samples limited sample sizes. Conclusion The 2013 ICM minor criteria were based on studies with a low quality of evidence. As the committee continues to adjust these guidelines, they should encourage future studies with sound clinical design, patient selection, and testing procedures.
Risk of Contralateral Breast Cancer in Women with Ductal Carcinoma In Situ Associated with Synchronous Ipsilateral Lobular Carcinoma In Situ.

Lobular carcinoma in situ (LCIS) is a risk factor for breast cancer, but the effect of LCIS found in association with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS) is unknown. In this study, we compared contralateral breast cancer (CBC) and ipsilateral breast tumor recurrence (IBTR) rates among women with DCIS with or without synchronous ipsilateral LCIS treated with breast-conserving surgery (BCS). DCIS patients undergoing BCS from 2000 to 2011 with a contralateral breast at risk were stratified by the presence or absence of synchronous ipsilateral LCIS with the index DCIS (DCIS + LCIS vs. DCIS). Those with contralateral, bilateral, or prior ipsilateral LCIS were excluded. Associations of patient, tumor, and treatment factors with CBC and IBTR were evaluated. Of 1888 patients identified, 1475 (78%) had DCIS and 413 (22%) had DCIS + LCIS. At median follow-up of 7.2 (range 0–17) years, 307 patients had a subsequent first breast event; 207 IBTR and 100 CBC. The 10-year cumulative incidence of IBTR was similar in both groups: 15.0% vs. 14.2% (log-rank, p = 0.8) for DCIS + LCIS vs. DCIS, respectively. The 10-year cumulative incidence of CBC was greater in the DCIS + LCIS group: 10.9% vs. 6.1% for DCIS (log-rank, p < 0.001). After adjustment for other factors, CBC risk remained higher in DCIS + LCIS compared with DCIS (hazard ratio 2.06, 95% confidence interval 1.36–3.11, p = 0.001); there was no significant difference in IBTR risk. Compared with DCIS alone, DCIS + LCIS is associated with similar IBTR risk but double the risk of CBC. This finding should inform treatment decisions, in particular regarding endocrine therapy for risk reduction.
A Cloud-Based Dashboard for Time Series Analysis on Hot Topics from Social Media.

Social Media has increasingly acquired enormous storehouses of shared interactive ideas among people in virtual communities over the past decade. While considering hot topics in social media as the culture of today’s world, related analysis derived from its trend allows researchers and society understand public point of view regarding emerging topics through online social interactions. The ease of categorizing the trends of topics makes it beneficial to find how people react to a certain topic. In our research, the distributions of keywords from hot topics are studied. First of all, a private cloud system is set up to collect and to filter raw data from social network (Twitter). Then, a web-based dashboard is developed to demonstrate static numbers and related charts. Some experiments are performed based on the newly-developed system deployed. Distribution functions of keywords are studied based on 2016 data, and further applications are applied based on 2017 spring data. Further cross comparisons are deployed based on daily, weekly, and monthly frequencies from different locations.
Teaching an applied HCI course using multiple, individual, high fidelity, programming projects

Human Computer Interaction (HCI) courses typically teach HCI theory, supported by one or two paper-prototype-centered prototyping projects. This paper describes an applied HCI course that attempts to bridge the gap between HCI theory and technical application. The course, which was given in spring 2010, was divided into three areas of software interfaces: form based, spatial, and a hybrid of form based and spatial. Examples of the projects are given with a rationale for each. Students' reaction to the course, on the whole, was quite favorable, with 60% strongly agreeing and 40% agreeing that the approach was beneficial. Possible improvements to the course's format include requiring an introductory course on HCI as a prerequisite and reducing project scope to reduce student workload.
“We Would Ride Safely in the Harbor of the Future”: Historical Parallels between the Existential Threats of Yellow Fever and Sea Level Rise in New Orleans and Norfolk

AbstractThe nineteenth-century experiences of yellow fever epidemics in New Orleans and Norfolk present historical parallels for how those cities, and others, are experiencing existential threats f...
Incremental Path-Selection and Scheduling for Time-Sensitive Networks

Industrial real-time applications demand their communication networks be robust and deterministic so that packets are delivered with bounded delay and jitter. The IEEE Time-Sensitive Networking (TSN) Task Group has amended the standards of IEEE 802.3 Ethernet to support time-triggered flows of real-time applications. However, the issues of routing and scheduling are left as open problems. Specifically, majority of the state-of-the-art scheduling efforts make certain assumptions, such as assuming that the routing information is known \textit{a priori} to focus on the scheduling problem or assuming that the information of flows is known in advance. Other studies that avoided these assumptions ignore certain valuable information that could be taken advantage of to make better routing decisions, such as the residual bandwidth. In this paper, we first propose an incremental QoS-aware path selection algorithm that uses QoS measurement to route TSN flows. Then, we introduce multiple incremental scheduling algorithms that address above mentioned issues, and demonstrate their performance.
Beyond the Public-Private Nexus:

Increasingly, school-based partnerships have been tied to education reform and the entrance of private capital into the PK-12 space, most prominently from a philanthropy sector that contributes nearly $60 billion annually to education causes. As a result, what may have been an at-will school-business partnership in the 1980s may today resemble an embedded multi-partner arrangement around professional development, teacher evaluation, or turnaround support. In this paper, a new framework is introduced to situate school-based collaborations in a contemporary context, notably acknowledging that schools today live in a new “blended capital” reality involving diverse sector influences, multiple sources of private and public funding, and therefore multiple measures of efficacy and accountability.
Role of phototherapy in the era of biologics.

Phototherapy is a safe and effective treatment for many dermatologic conditions. With the advent of novel biologics and small molecule inhibitors, it is important to critically evaluate the role of phototherapy in dermatology. Surveys have shown that many dermatology residency programs do not dedicate time to teaching residents how to prescribe or administer phototherapy. Limitations of phototherapy include access to a center, time required for treatments, and insurance approval. Home phototherapy, a viable option, is also underused. However, it should be emphasized that modern phototherapy has been in use for over 40 years, has an excellent safety profile, and does not require laboratory monitoring. It can be safely combined with many other treatment modalities, including biologics and small molecule inhibitors. In addition, phototherapy costs significantly less than these novel agents. Dermatologists are the only group of physicians who have the expertise and proper training to deliver this treatment modality to our patients. Therefore, to continue to deliver high-quality, cost-effective care, it is imperative that phototherapy be maintained as an integral part of the dermatology treatment armamentarium.
Genome-wide non-HLA donor-recipient genetic differences influence renal allograft survival via early allograft fibrosis

Donor-recipient (D-R) differences at human leukocyte antigen (HLA) loci are currently incorporated into organ sharing, allocation and immunosuppression decisions. However, while acute rejection episodes have substantially diminished, progressive histologic damage occurs in allografts and improved long-term survival remains an unrealized goal among kidney recipients. Here we tested the hypothesis that non-HLA dependent, genome-wide D-R genetic differences could contribute to unchecked alloimmunity with histologic and functional consequences, culminating in long-term allograft failure. Genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) array data, excluding the HLA region, was utilized from 385 transplants to study the role of D-R differences upon serial histology and allograft survival. ADMIXTURE analysis was performed to quantitatively estimate ancestry in each D-R pair and PLINK was used to estimate the proportion of genome-shared identity-by-descent (pIBD) between D-R pairs. Subsequently, quantitative measures of recipient ancestry based on non-HLA SNPs was associated with death-censored allograft survival in adjusted Cox models. In D-R pairs of similar ancestry, pIBD was significantly associated with allograft survival independent of HLA mismatches in 224 transplants. Surprisingly, pIBD and recipient ancestry were not associated with clinical or subclinical rejection at any time post-transplant. Significantly, in multivariable analysis, pIBD inversely correlated with vascular intimal fibrosis in 160 biopsies obtained less than one year which in turn was significantly associated with allograft survival. Thus, our novel data show that non-HLA D-R differences associate with early vascular intimal fibrosis and allograft survival.
Large ribosomal subunit, eIF5B, Met-tRNAiMet and mRNA cooperate to complete accurate initiation.

Recognition of a start codon by the first aminoacyl-tRNA (Met-tRNAiMet) determines the reading frame of messenger RNA (mRNA) translation by the ribosome. In eukaryotes, the GTPase eIF5B collaborates in the correct positioning of Met tRNAiMet on the ribosome in the later stages of translation initiation, gating entrance into elongation. Leveraging the long residence time of eIF5B on the ribosome recently identified by single-molecule fluorescence measurements, we determined the cryoEM structure of the naturally long-lived ribosome complex with eIF5B and Met-tRNAiMet immediately before transition into elongation. The structure uncovered an unexpected, eukaryotic specific and dynamic fidelity checkpoint implemented by eIF5B in concert with components of the large ribosomal subunit.
Re)examining the effects of open classroom climate on the critical consciousness of preadolescent and adolescent youth

An open classroom climate, one where diverse opinions and discussion of social and political issues are welcome, promotes civic development among youth and fosters critical consciousness. Critical ...
Intussusception secondary to signet ring cell adenocarcinoma in adolescent.

Abstract Despite the overall decrease in incidence and mortality rates for older adults, colorectal cancer in young adults is increasing. We present a case of a 15-year-old male who presented with 1.5 weeks of intermittent, sharp, severe right-sided abdominal pain. Abdominal radiograph demonstrated an air-fluid level within the right hemiabdomen. Computed tomography demonstrated marked wall thickening and a mass at the junction of the ascending colon and hepatic flexure causing obliteration of the lumen with a fluid-filled, dilated ascending colon. Follow-up ultrasonography demonstrated a 5.9 × 3.9 cm targetoid lesion in the right upper quadrant concerning for intussusception. Contrast enema revealed failure of contrast filling beyond the hepatic flexure due to a lobulated central filling defect surrounded by a claw-like contrast extension. Pathology of the polypoid lesion revealed poorly differentiated signet ring cell adenocarcinoma of the colon at the hepatic flexure. Despite its rarity, this case elucidates the need to consider colorectal carcinoma in adolescent and young adult patients who present with recurrent abdominal signs and symptoms.
Low-temperature ethylene production for indirect electrification in chemical production

Summary Electrification is part of process intensification being explored by the chemical industry to improve energy efficiency and to reduce greenhouse-gas emission. Ethylene production, using electrochemical-facilitated non-oxidative ethane dehydrogenation, is an emerging, but promising, process to facilitate electrification of the ethylene industry and represents the most untapped opportunity in the chemical industry. Herein, we highlight the low-temperature electrochemical ethylene production using solid-oxide membrane reactors/stacks (LoTempLene) and elucidate the opportunity of using it in the electrification trend. Detailed process simulation was conducted using Aspen Plus software, based on state-of-the-art results for energy and cost analysis, aiming to better understand the practical implications of the LoTempLene process versus conventional steam cracking. We also provide our perspective on the key challenges and possible solutions for low-temperature electrochemical ethylene production.
Capitalist Progress and Moral Economy: Sustaining Employment in India’s Handloom Sector:

Capitalist progress implies the destruction of the old and uncompetitive sectors and the creation of new ones in their wake. However, in the Global South the loss of jobs in the older sectors is no...
Mind wandering at encoding, but not at retrieval, disrupts one-shot stimulus-control learning

The one-shot pairing of a stimulus with a specific cognitive control process, such as task switching, can bind the two together in memory. The episodic control-binding hypothesis posits that the formation of temporary stimulus-control bindings, which are held in event-files supported by episodic memory, can guide the contextually appropriate application of cognitive control. Across two experiments, we sought to examine the role of task-focused attention in the encoding and implementation of stimulus-control bindings in episodic event-files. In Experiment 1, we obtained self-reports of mind wandering during encoding and implementation of stimulus-control bindings. Results indicated that, whereas mind wandering during the implementation of stimulus-control bindings does not decrease their efficacy, mind wandering during the encoding of these control-state associations interferes with their successful deployment at a later point. In Experiment 2, we complemented these results by using trial-by-trial pupillometry to measure attention, again demonstrating that attention levels at encoding predict the subsequent implementation of stimulus-control bindings better than attention levels at implementation. These results suggest that, although encoding stimulus-control bindings in episodic memory requires active attention and engagement, once encoded, these bindings are automatically deployed to guide behavior when the stimulus recurs. These findings expand our understanding of how cognitive control processes are integrated into episodic event files.
An exposure time calculator for high-contrast polarimeters

We present an exposure time calculator (ETC) developed for polarimetric observing modes for two next-generation high-contrast direct imaging instruments planned for the W. M. Keck Observatory: SCALES1 (Santa Cruz Array of Lenslets for Exoplanet Spectroscopy), a low-resolution mid-infrared integral field spectrograph; and a future polarimetric observing mode for NIRC2, the near-infrared adaptive optics (AO) supported high-contrast direct imager currently on the Keck Observatory. In addition to producing estimates of companion signal-to-noise ratios (SNR, see Fig. 2a), the ETC calculates the polarization fraction that would be detected with a user-specific SNR in a given exposure time (see Fig. 2b). The ETC includes a graphical user interface and is packaged as a polarimetry add-on to the PSI-Red thermal imaging module of PSISim, an instrument performance simulation tool for the Planetary Systems Imager2 - a modular suite of AO-supported instruments planned for the Thirty Meter Telescope
Prediction of clearance and volume of distribution in the obese from normal weight subjects: an allometric approach

Background and objective The principles of allometry can be applied within a given species (intra-species scaling), for example extrapolation of pharmacokinetic parameters from adults to adolescents and older children (>5 years of age). Similarly, allometric scaling may also be used to predict pharmacokinetic parameters from normal weight subjects to the obese. The objective of this investigation was to evaluate the predictive performance of several allometric methods for the prediction of drug clearance (CL) and volume of distribution (V(d)) in the obese from normal weight subjects. Methods CL and V(d) values for 12 drugs for obese and normal weight subjects were obtained from the literature. Three methods (simple allometry and fixed exponents of 0.75 and 1.0) and two methods (simple allometry and a fixed exponent of 1.0) were used to predict CL and V(d), respectively, using total body weight in the obese from normal weight subjects. When data were available, ideal body weight, percentage ideal body weight and body mass index were also used for prediction purposes. Results The results of the study indicated that CL could be predicted with accuracy in the obese from normal weight subjects using total body weight and simple allometry as well as fixed exponent of 0.75. The prediction of V(d) in the obese from normal weight subjects was less accurate than the prediction of CL in this population. For the prediction of CL and V(d) in the obese, simple allometry performed better than the fixed exponent of 0.75 or 1.0, respectively. Conclusions The study indicated that allometric scaling can be applied to predict CL in the obese from normal weight subjects with high accuracy. The predicted CL can then be used to select a dose to initiate a clinical trial (pharmacokinetics, safety and efficacy).
Does Land Development Pay for Itself? A Critique of Cost-of-Community-Service Studies

Our paper addresses the fundamental belief of community planners that multifamily housing development does not pay for itself. This belief is based on flawed cost-of-community-service studies, produced and used mainly by urban planners. These studies fail to understand market responses to land use decisions, they violate basic assumptions necessary to compare projects using benefit-cost analysis, they fail to understand the distinction between private and public goods in allocating costs, and they rely on average instead of marginal costs to allocate costs of additional service levels. Multifamily housing projects will offer better returns when correct methods are employed to determine their relative merits. More importantly, better studies will help address the growing housing imbalance that is rewarding current homeowners at the expense of renters and new home buyers.
Aridification and orbital forcing of eastern African climate during the Plio-Pleistocene

Abstract We developed a composite outcrop proxy record of Plio-Pleistocene climate in eastern Africa using the radiometrically-dated sediments of the Omo Group that preserve evidence for early hominin evolution. New stable oxygen isotopic measurements from pedogenic carbonate nodules (δ18OPC, n = 270) are added to the existing database for a total of 759 observations spanning a ~ 3.6 Myr interval from 4.33–0.65 Ma. Linear interpolation of sample positions between tuffaceous marker horizons produced the chronostratigraphy of the δ18OPC record that was correlated to Indo-Pacific marine core sediment records and astronomical solutions of orbital climate forcing. Rainfall/evaporation changes inferred from the δ18OPC record carry orbital eccentricity signals, and the amplitude modulation of short eccentricity (~100 kyr) predicted by the astronomical solutions is evident during some intervals. δ18OPC variations recover many of the ~100 kyr cycles between ~4.3–0.7 Ma, with chronostratigraphic offsets between the Omo Group time series and astronomical solutions usually within the resolution of the radiometric uncertainties, i.e., ≤ 50 kyr; however, missing time at ~1.2 Ma contributes to nearly 150 kyr of offset. These δ18OPC data also indicate a long-term drying trend beginning at 2.11 Ma that correlates to a thicker eastern Indian Ocean mixed layer and upwelling in the eastern Pacific, implying a simultaneous response across the tropics to strengthening Walker Circulation. Published δ13CPC values from the same pedogenic carbonate nodules indicate that C4 vegetation abundances increased beginning at ~2.0 Ma, also suggesting climatic drying. Spectral analysis of the δ13CPC time series provides weaker evidence of orbital forcing as compared to the δ18OPC time series, particularly for long orbital eccentricity (405 kyr) and climatic precession (~20 kyr), suggesting other factors, such as feeding ecology of herbivores or global greenhouse gas, may have contributed to the vegetation patterns. The climatic precession component to the δ18OPC time series increases amplitude through strengthening Walker Circulation, which may signal a change in the intensity of interannual climate events. No indications were observed to suggest that the Plio-Pleistocene Northern Hemisphere glaciation resonated as either climatic cyclicity or an abrupt, stepwise shift in the regional hydroclimate. At major junctures of hominin evolution, including the origins of different genera and the earliest stone tools, environmental variability derived from the orbital forcing of the monsoon appears to have been low. However, we propose that at 2.11–1.66 Ma, directional aridity coupled with interannual climate events presented a new adaptive context where Homo erectus and Acheulian stone tools first appeared in eastern Africa.
Engineering encapsulated ionic liquids for next-generation applications

Ionic liquids (ILs) have attracted considerable attention in several sectors (from energy storage to catalysis, from drug delivery to separation media) owing to their attractive properties, such as high thermal stability, wide electrochemical window, and high ionic conductivity. However, their high viscosity and surface tension compared to conventional organic solvents can lead to unfavorable transport properties. To circumvent undesired kinetics effects limiting mass transfer, the discretization of ILs into small droplets has been proposed as a method to increase the effective surface area and the rates of mass transfer. In the present review paper, we summarize the different methods developed so far for encapsulating ILs in organic or inorganic shells and highlight characteristic features of each approach, while outlining potential applications. The remarkable tunability of ILs, which derives from the high number of anions and cations currently available as well as their permutations, combines with the possibility of tailoring the composition, size, dispersity, and properties (e.g., mechanical, transport) of the shell to provide a toolbox for rationally designing encapsulated ILs for next-generation applications, including carbon capture, energy storage devices, waste handling, and microreactors. We conclude this review with an outlook on potential applications that could benefit from the possibility of encapsulating ILs in organic and inorganic shells.
EBV BART MicroRNAs Target Multiple Pro-apoptotic Cellular Genes to Promote Epithelial Cell Survival

Epstein-Barr virus (EBV) is a ubiquitous human γ-herpesvirus that can give rise to cancers of both B-cell and epithelial cell origin. In EBV-induced cancers of epithelial origin, including nasopharyngeal carcinomas (NPCs) and gastric carcinomas, the latent EBV genome expresses very high levels of a cluster of 22 viral pre-miRNAs, called the miR-BARTs, and these have previously been shown to confer a degree of resistance to pro-apoptotic drugs. Here, we present an analysis of the ability of individual miR-BART pre-miRNAs to confer an anti-apoptotic phenotype and report that five of the 22 miR-BARTs demonstrate this ability. We next used photoactivatable ribonucleoside-enhanced crosslinking and immunoprecipitation (PAR-CLIP) to globally identify the mRNA targets bound by these miR-BARTs in latently infected epithelial cells. This led to the identification of ten mRNAs encoding pro-apoptotic mRNA targets, all of which could be confirmed as valid targets for the five anti-apoptotic miR-BARTs by indicator assays and by demonstrating that ectopic expression of physiological levels of the relevant miR-BART in the epithelial cell line AGS resulted in a significant repression of the target mRNA as well as the encoded protein product. Using RNA interference, we further demonstrated that knockdown of at least seven of these cellular miR-BART target transcripts phenocopies the anti-apoptotic activity seen upon expression of the relevant EBV miR-BART miRNA. Together, these observations validate previously published reports arguing that the miR-BARTs can exert an anti-apoptotic effect in EBV-infected epithelial cells and provide a mechanistic explanation for this activity. Moreover, these results identify and validate a substantial number of novel mRNA targets for the anti-apoptotic miR-BARTs.
Photoresponsive nanoparticles for drug delivery

Externally triggerable drug delivery systems provide a strategy for the delivery of therapeutic agents preferentially to a target site, presenting the ability to enhance therapeutic efficacy while reducing side effects. Light is a versatile and easily tuned external stimulus that can provide spatiotemporal control. Here we will review the use of nanoparticles in which light triggers drug release or induces particle binding to tissues (phototargeting).
Learning from Experience: Case Injected Genetic Algorithm Design of Combinational Logic Circuits

This paper presents a new approach to genetic algorithm based design. We use genetic algorithms augmented with a case-based memory of past design problem solving attempts to obtain better performance over time on sets of similar design problems. Rather than starting anew on each design, we periodically inject a genetic algorithm’s population with appropriate intermediate design solutions to similar, previously solved problems. Experimental results on a configuration design problem; the design of a parity checker circuit, demonstrate the performance gains from our approach and show that our system learns to take less time to provide quality solutions to a new design problem as it gains experience from solving other similar design problems.
Effector Mechanisms of Natural Immunity: an Invertebrate Perspective

ABSTRACT There is a resurgence of interest in the duality of the immune system: innate, natural, non-specific, non-anticipatory, non-clonal responses of invertebrates; adaptive, induced, specific, anticipatory, clonal responses of vertebrates. Natural immunity is considered the most primitive and found in both groups, although invertebrates do not possess the adaptive system. Using monoclonal antibodies to human adhesion molecules, earthworm, leech and sipunculan leukocytes are positive for many CD markers common to vertebrate leukocytes, especially macrophages and natural killer cells. In earthworms, only those leukocytes active as killers in cytotoxic responses are positive, whereas a larger primarily phagocytic leukocyte is negative. Growing functional evidence focuses on invertebrate cytokines but prevailing controversy concerns molecular structure and presumed homology. Most credible information has been derived from the tunicates especially with the appearance of the draft genome of Ciona intestinalis . The evolutionary history of complement can be traced from sea urchins to the teleosts and tetrapods, exhibiting at each level a corresponding increase in the numbers of complement components and duplications in complement pathways. Invertebrates and vertebrates seem to possess common signalling molecules e.g. neuropeptides. These signalling molecules act as immunomodulators in circulating blood. In vertebrates, release occurs during stress that triggers the hypothalamo-hypophyseal-adrenal (HPA) axis. Neuropeptides also act as conserved messengers that initiate and stimulate innate immune responses in invertebrates and in humans. This system probably evolved in “simple” animals. Cross talk between nervous and immune systems has an ancient evolutionary origin essential to homeostasis. Comparative analyses using simpler animal models have enriched these views.
Segregating the Effects of Seed Traits and Common Ancestry of Hardwood Trees on Eastern Gray Squirrel Foraging Decisions

The evolution of specific seed traits in scatter-hoarded tree species often has been attributed to granivore foraging behavior. However, the degree to which foraging investments and seed traits correlate with phylogenetic relationships among trees remains unexplored. We presented seeds of 23 different hardwood tree species (families Betulaceae, Fagaceae, Juglandaceae) to eastern gray squirrels (Sciurus carolinensis), and measured the time and distance travelled by squirrels that consumed or cached each seed. We estimated 11 physical and chemical seed traits for each species, and the phylogenetic relationships between the 23 hardwood trees. Variance partitioning revealed that considerable variation in foraging investment was attributable to seed traits alone (27–73%), and combined effects of seed traits and phylogeny of hardwood trees (5–55%). A phylogenetic PCA (pPCA) on seed traits and tree phylogeny resulted in 2 “global” axes of traits that were phylogenetically autocorrelated at the family and genus level and a third “local” axis in which traits were not phylogenetically autocorrelated. Collectively, these axes explained 30–76% of the variation in squirrel foraging investments. The first global pPCA axis, which produced large scores for seed species with thin shells, low lipid and high carbohydrate content, was negatively related to time to consume and cache seeds and travel distance to cache. The second global pPCA axis, which produced large scores for seeds with high protein, low tannin and low dormancy levels, was an important predictor of consumption time only. The local pPCA axis primarily reflected kernel mass. Although it explained only 12% of the variation in trait space and was not autocorrelated among phylogenetic clades, the local axis was related to all four squirrel foraging investments. Squirrel foraging behaviors are influenced by a combination of phylogenetically conserved and more evolutionarily labile seed traits that is consistent with a weak or more diffuse coevolutionary relationship between rodents and hardwood trees rather than a direct coevolutionary relationship.
Gay Men: Negotiating Procreative, Father, and Family Identities

Our qualitative study examines the social psychology of gay men’s experiences with their procreative, father, and family identities. In-depth interviews were conducted with 19 childless gay men and 20 gay men in the United States who have fathered using diverse means excluding heterosexual intercourse. By focusing on men aged 19 – 55 residing primarily in Florida and New York, our novel analysis illuminates how emerging structural opportunities and shifting constraints shape gay men’s procreative consciousness. Findings reveal that gay men’s procreative consciousness evolves throughout men’s life course, and is profoundly shaped by institutions and ruling relations, such as adoption and fertility agencies, assumptions about gay men, and negotiations with birth mothers, partners, and others.
Partitioning of organic compounds in phases imitating the headgroup and core regions of phospholipid bilayers.

Solvation free energies of drugs, peptides, and other small molecules in the core and headgroup regions of phospholipid bilayers determine their conformations, accumulation, and transport properties. The transfer free energy includes the energy terms for the formation of a cavity for the solute, the interactions of the solute with phospholipids, electrostatic interactions of the solute with the membrane and dipole potentials, and entropy terms. The interaction energies with phospholipids can be estimated by correlating the partitioning in surrogate solvent systems and in the bilayer. As the headgroup surrogate, we use diacetylphosphatidylcholine (DAcPC), the acetylated headgroup of the most abundant mammalian phospholipid, phosphatidylcholine, which forms a homogeneous solution with acceptable viscosity, when mixed with water in ratios similar to those in the fully hydrated bilayer. The two-phase system of n-hexadecane (C16) as the core surrogate and hydrated DAcPC was used to monitor partitioning of sixteen nonionizable compounds. On the bilogarithmic scale, the C16/DAcPC partition coefficients correlate neither with those in the C16/water and 1octanol/water systems, nor with their difference, which is frequently used as a parameter of hydrogen bonding for prediction of the bilayer location of the solutes. The C16/DAcPC system provides a satisfactory emulation of the solvation properties of the bilayer regions, as reflected in correct predictions of the bilayer location for those of the studied chemicals, for which this information is available.
Shielding requirements for dental installations.

Shielding requirements for dentist's offices in which diagnostic x-ray procedures are used are outlined with reference to the National Bureau of Standards Handbook 70. Tables are provided showing protective radiation barriers necessary for more realistic workloads than those provided by the Handbook. The data include necessary barrier thickness for various building materials (and their lead equivalents) for workloads of 500 ma-sec/week at 70 and 100 kvp. When lead shielding in the walls is necessary it is available in the following forms: lead glass, lead insulated concrete partition blocks, lead insulated gypsum partition blocks, lead-clad plywood, lead-backed rocklath, and lead-backed sheet rock. A list of the names of the suppliers of these materials is provided. However, many walls, constructed of conventional building materials, offer more than adequate shielding of persons from undue exposure to x radintion. (H.H.D.)
Prediction of structure-dependent charge transfer rates for a Li atom outside a Si(0 0 1) surface

Abstract We investigate the broadening of the 2s energy level of a Li atom outside a Si(0 0 1) surface using a first principles approach. The covalent nature of the Si surface produces large variations in Li energy level widths as a function of lateral position across the surface. The widths above symmetric Si dimers are predicted to be much larger than above buckled Si dimers, suggesting that charge transfer will occur primarily above symmetric dimers. We discuss the ramifications of our results on the controversy surrounding the relative abundance of the buckled vs. symmetric dimers on the Si surface.
Ultrastructure of calciphylaxis in skin

Abstract Rats weighing approximately 100 grams were given, by stomach tube, dihydrotachystrol (DHT) in corn oil. After 29 hours a small area of the skin on the dorsum of the neck was traumatized by pinching it with hemostats. The animals were divided into ten groups and sacrificed after trauma; 5 minutes, 10 minutes, 30 minutes, 1 hour, 2 hours, 4 hours, 8 hours, 16 hours, 24 hours, and 48 hours. These specimens were fixed in osmium and embedded in Epon for electron microscopy. Except for the crush damage as a result of the trauma, the cells of the dermis and epidermis showed little change until 4 hours, when the fibrocytes began to accumulate electron dense material in their mitochondria, and the Golgi complex became larger demonstrating large vesicle formation on the Golgi secretory face. The electron dense material in the mitochondria was lost contiguous with the accretion of electron dense material in the large Golgi vesicles of the involved fibrocytes. Microincineration demonstrated a significant accumulation of mineral ash within the mitochondria and vesicles. Vesicles were secreted from the cells into the matrix by 24 hours, and by 48 hours apatite formation was observed within the vesicles and extended from them to the surrounding collagenous matrix. The fibrocytes that produced mineral laden vesicles showed normal ultra-structure following loss of vesicles. The calci-phylactic response involves selective cell calcium and phosphate sequestration into mitochondria, coupled with intracellular production of mineral loaded vesicles that directly nucleate matrix mineralization following secretion.. Pretreatment of rats with 2mg/Kg EHDP for 6 days is characterized by an absence of mineral laden vesicles. Comparable vesicles are not noted in normal cartilage, bone or skin. Osmium pyroantimonate fixed cartilage, however, does demonstrate mineral containing microvesicies in the cytoplasm.
The half-life of the osteon: a method of determination.

Summary A simple, accurate technique for the determination of the half-life of the osteon is described. In a small group of patients, a wide variation in osteon half-life was observed, emphasizing the need for further studies to determine norms for age, disease and drug effects.
WHERE is the energy saved in cuprate superconductivity

Abstract I first raise the question: “In what regions of wave vector and frequency does the saving (?) of Coulomb energy associated with the superconducting transition in the cuprates predominantly take place?”, and point out that in principle, and probably in practice, it can be answered quite directly by differential EELS measurements. I then conjecture the answer “In the region of long wavelengths and mid-infrared frequencies”, and show that, if true, this hypothesis explains, inter alia, the systematics of Tc in the cuprates as a function of the layering structure.
Soft equations of state for neutron-star matter ruled out by EXO 0748 - 676

The neutron star EXO 0748–676 is unusual for a low-mass X-ray binary in that redshifted oxygen and iron spectral lines are present in light emitted from its surface. Matter in neutron stars is extremely dense, in a state that differs considerably from that found in the early Universe or in experimental systems on Earth, and astrophysical observation is the only way of probing this material. The multiple signals from EXO 0748–676 provide that probe. Data from the RXTE, EXOSAT and XMM-Newton satellites have been used to calculate the star's mass and radius, and the findings rule out all the ‘soft’ equations of state for neutron stars. A ‘soft’ equation at a given temperature and density is indicative of a lower pressure than given by a ‘stiff’ equation. If EXO 0748-676 is typical, exotic condensates and unconfined quarks can be can be excluded from centre of neutron stars. Instead, relatively conventional equations of state apply, equivalent to a regime of neutrons and protons. The interiors of neutron stars contain matter at very high densities, in a state that differs greatly from those found in the early Universe or achieved in terrestrial experiments1. Matter in these conditions can only be probed through astrophysical observations that measure the mass and radius of neutron stars with sufficient precision2. Here I report a determination of the mass and radius of the neutron star EXO 0748 - 676 that appears to rule out all the soft equations of state of neutron-star matter. If this object is typical, then condensates2 and unconfined quarks1 do not exist in the centres of neutron stars.
Clozapine treatment of schizophrenia.

SELECTED CASE A 27-year-old woman was admitted to the National Institutes of Health Clinical Center, Bethesda, Md, for inpatient research protocol for schizophrenia. She first experienced behavioral disturbances at 13 years of age when she became withdrawn and isolated from friends and family. She reported auditory hallucinations for the first time at 16 years and developed delusions of control and persecution over ensuing months. Suicidal ruminations culminated in a serious suicide attempt and her first hospitalization at the age of 17 years. Although standard antipsychotic drugs reduced her delusions, the patient remained socially isolated and had symptom exacerbation when under stress. She discontinued antipsychotic drug treatment because of adverse effects on several occasions; in each case, she became acutely psychotic. Prior to her admission to the National Institute of Mental Health, she was hospitalized 15 times, including several hospitalizations mandated by the court because of risk to herself and to
Introduction: Pacific Rim Economic Conferences

For the past 3 years, the Association for Comparative Economic Studies has cooperated with the Japanese Association for Comparative Economics, the Korean Association for Comparative Economics and the Society for the Study of Emerging Markets to organize conferences dealing with the economic problems facing the economies bordering on the Pacific Ocean. The first conference was held in Honolulu, Hawaii, the second at Seoul National University and the third in Waikoloa, Hawaii. A number of papers from these conferences were published individually in previous issues of Comparative Economic Studies and others in a symposium in the Journal of Comparative Economics in May 2014.
Community Colleges' Use of the Web to Communicate Their Mission: Slights of Commission and Omission.

This basic interpretive qualitative study identified, described, and interpreted community college mission statement messages as they appeared in print and on the web site. The study analyzed each institution's similar, different, unique, and unintended messages. The within-case inductive analysis found emergent mission statement messages in the print materials and on the web site. A deductive analysis then was conducted using Newsom and Hayes (1990) mission statement component framework. Inductive and deductive cross-case analyses were completed to compare and contrast institutional messages resulting in the 3 themes discussed in this article: access, diversity, and service area. The authors recommend that community colleges use an inductive and deductive checklist to examine their print materials and web site for message consistency between the two mediums and their mission statement.
Temporal modulation of a laser source for the generation of ultrasonic waves

Abstract Ultrasound is generated in an aluminium test block using a pulsed Nd:YAG laser. The laser beam is modulated at high frequencies using an acousto-optic modulator. Ultrasound is detected using piezoelectric transducers. Frequency spectra of ultrasound generated by modulated and unmodulated laser beams are compared. Signals generated by modulated beams are found to have greater amplitude and a narrowed bandwidth around the modulation frequency.