cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Using Synthetic Data and Artificial Wells to Teach the Construction and Use of Water Level Contour Maps

Contour maps that depict groundwater levels (e.g., water table maps and potentiometric surface maps) are essential to the practice of hydrogeology. However, there are significant barriers to effectively teaching students how to create and interpret such maps. Barriers to instruction include the logistics of accessing real wells, assuring that students are provided with a challenging problem, and the lack of a unique solution. We present a new approach that overcomes these barriers through the use of artificial wells and synthetic data. Our approach provides students with a challenging problem that takes them through the whole process, from data collection to interpretation of the resulting maps. In the end, students are able to see how their efforts compare to a known solution, rather than another estimate. Students are also able to choose locations for additional wells that they believe will enhance their ability to create an accurate map. These qualities lead to a substantial improvement in student comp...
Design and Simulation for the Control and Protection of Hybrid LCC-VSC MTDC System

The merit of line commutated converter (LCC) which has low cost and low loss, and the advantage of voltage source converter (VSC) in reactive power support and fault ride-through, are combined in the hybrid LCC-VSC voltage direct current (HVDC) transmission system. The multi-terminal HVDC (MTDC) system can provide more economical and more flexible power transmission modes. The combination of hybrid LCC-VSC and MTDC is promising in the future development of HVDC transmission. The configuration of hybrid LCC-VSC MTDC system is introduced. The control and protection for hybrid LCC-VSC MTDC system is investigated, focusing on the design scheme and the simulation. The functional laying, basic control modes, basic control strategies, protection zone and the feature of protection in this system are proposed. The simulation test systems of RTDS and PSACD/EMTDC are built based on the Wudongde (WDD) hybrid LCC-VSC MTDC project. The feasibility of the proposed design scheme is verified.
Impact of inpatient hospitalization on opiate usage for minimally invasive hysterectomy amongst gynecologic oncology patients.

e18109Background: The overdose death rate related to opiates has quadrupled in the last two decades. Up to 27% of chronic opiate users report initiation in the post-op period. Among cancer patients...
Transcriptomic Response of Brain Tissue to Focused Ultrasound-Mediated Blood-Brain Barrier Disruption Depends Strongly on Anesthesia

Abstract Focused ultrasound (FUS) mediated blood brain barrier disruption (BBBD) is a promising strategy for the targeted delivery of systemically-administered therapeutics to the central nervous system (CNS). Pre-clinical investigations of BBBD have been performed on different anesthetic backgrounds; however, the potential influence of the choice of anesthetic on the molecular response to BBBD is unknown, despite its potential to critically affect interpretation of experimental therapeutic outcomes. Here, using bulk RNA sequencing approaches, we comprehensively examined the transcriptomic response of both normal brain tissue and brain tissue exposed to FUS-induced BBBD in mice anesthetized with either isoflurane with medical air (Iso) or ketamine/dexmedetomidine (KD). In normal murine brain tissue, Iso alone elicited minimal differential gene expression (DGE) and repressed pathways associated with neuronal signaling. KD alone, however, led to massive DGE and enrichment of pathways associated with protein synthesis. In brain tissue exposed to BBBD (1 MHz, 0.5 Hz pulse repetition frequency, 0.4 MPa peak-negative pressure), we systematically evaluated the relative effects of anesthesia, microbubbles, and FUS on the transcriptome. Of particular interest, we observed that gene sets associated with sterile inflammatory responses and cell-cell junctional activity were induced by BBBD, regardless of the choice of anesthesia. Meanwhile, gene sets associated with metabolism, platelet activity, tissue repair, and signaling pathways, were differentially affected by BBBD, with a strong dependence on the anesthetic. We conclude that the underlying transcriptomic response to FUS-mediated BBBD may be powerfully influenced by anesthesia. These findings raise considerations for the translation of FUS-BBBD delivery approaches that impact, in particular, metabolism, tissue repair, and intracellular signaling.
Brief report: inhaled corticosteroid use and the risk of checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis in patients with advanced cancer

Checkpoint inhibitor pneumonitis (CIP) is an immune-related adverse event that may complicate treatment with immune checkpoint inhibitors (ICI) and can cause significant morbidity. We sought to identify predictors for the development of CIP, and whether the use of inhaled corticosteroids (ICS) at time of ICI may be protective. Patients with advanced cancer treated with ICI from 2011 and 2018 were included in this study. CIP attribution to ICI was determined by treating physician at time of diagnosis. Predictors were assessed by univariate and multivariable Cox proportional hazard models. We identified 837 pts treated with ICI, of whom 30 (3.6%) developed grade 2 or higher CIP. 82 patients (9.8%) were receiving ICS at time of ICI and had increased risk of developing CIP with hazard ration (HR) of 4.22 (95% CI 1.93–9.21, p < 0.001) compared to those patients not receiving ICS. Patients with age ≥ 65 years had increased risk of developing CIP (HR 2.12, 95% CI 1.02–4.40, p = 0.044), as did 209 patients with lung cancer (198 NSCLC and 11 SCLC) compared to other types of cancers (HR 3.15, 95% CI 1.54–6.46, p = 0.002). In multivariable analysis, age ≥ 65 years, lung cancer diagnosis, and ICS use remained statistically associated with the development of CIP, with adjusted HR for ICS 3.09 (95% CI 1.32–7.24, p = 0.009). Patients treated with ICS at time of ICI initiation had an increased risk of developing CIP. We further identified older adults with age ≥ 65 years and lung cancers as independent risk factors for CIP.
Spinal Neurovascular Malformations in Klippel-Trenaunay Syndrome: A Single Center Study.

Background A number of studies have demonstrated spinal anomalies associated with Klippel-Trenaunay syndrome (KTS). To date, there are no large consecutive series examining the prevalence and subtype distribution of spinal neurovascular malformations in patients with KTS. Objective To report the spectrum and incidence of spinal neurovascular manifestations in the KTS population. Methods This was a cross-sectional study. Consecutive patients with definite KTS as defined by International Society for the Study of Vascular Anomalies criteria who underwent spinal neuroimaging at our institution were included. All studies were evaluated by a staff neuroradiologist and a senior radiology resident for the presence of developmental venous anomalies, cavernous malformations (CMs), and arteriovenous shunts (AVS). Results A total of 116 patients with definite KTS who underwent spinal neuroimaging were included. A total of 23 neurovascular anomalies were found in 19 patients (16.4%), including 4 patients with multiple anomalies. These included 5 patients with spinal cord CMs (4.3%), 14 patients with a paraspinal or epidural venous malformation (12.1%), and 4 patients with an AVS (3.4%). Of the AVS, 3 were epidural arteriovenous fistulas, 1 of which likely formed de novo in an epidural venous malformation. One was a conus medullaris arteriovenous malformation. Conclusion Our study cohort of 116 KTS patients demonstrated a wide spectrum of spinal neurovascular anomalies with a relatively high prevalence. Potential phenotypic descriptions of KTS should include the possibility for spinal neurovascular anomalies.
A Note from the Editor-in-Chief

The Journal of Musicological Research was established in 1973 as Music and Man. This title represents a startling reminder of the not-so-distant past when conjoining the words “music” and “man” was...
What Role Does the Electric Double Layer Play in Redox Reactions at Planar Electrostatically Charged Insulating Surfaces

Redox reactions have been observed when an electrostatically charged insulator is placed in contact with a solution, and this phenomenon is referred to as single-electrode electrochemistry. In this study we explore how important is the chemical reactivity of the charge carriers on the surface compared to the voltage caused by the density of charges on the surface which set up an electric double layer. We address complications arising from the surface potential’s dependence upon the electrolyte concentration caused by the fixed surface charge density of the electrode. We present an analytical solution for the effective potential in single-electrode electrochemistry at a planar surface and show that it is not the same as the potential at the insulating surface. We reach two major conclusions: (1) the voltage applied to the reaction from discharging the electrode approaches a limiting value, and (2) the majority of single-electrode reactions are caused primarily by the chemical reactivity of the charge carrier on the electrode surface and not from discharging the static charge on the electrode.
General Model for the Uniaxial Tensile Strength Characteristic Curve of Unsaturated Soils

AbstractCharacterization of tensile strength is critical to investigate the influence of desiccation and tensile cracks on the structural integrity of natural and artificial earthen structures and ...
microRNA Heterogeneity, Innate-Immune Defense and the Efficacy of SARS-CoV-2 Infection—A Commentary

Severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus-2 (SARS-CoV-2), a member of the genus Betacoronavirus in the family Coronaviridae, possesses an unusually large single-stranded viral RNA (ssvRNA) genome of about ~29,811 nucleotides (nt) that causes severe and acute respiratory distress and a highly lethal viral pneumonia known as COVID-19. COVID-19 also presents with multiple ancillary systemic diseases and often involves cardiovascular, inflammatory, and/or neurological complications. Pathological viral genomes consisting of ssvRNA, like cellular messenger RNA (mRNA), are susceptible to attack, destruction, neutralization, and/or modulation by naturally occurring small non-coding RNAs (sncRNAs) within the host cell, some of which are known as microRNAs (miRNAs). This paper proposes that the actions of the 2650 known human miRNAs and other sncRNAs form the basis for an under-recognized and unappreciated innate-immune regulator of ssvRNA viral genome activities and have implications for the efficiency of SARS-CoV-2 invasion, infection, and replication. Recent research indicates that both miRNA and mRNA abundance, speciation, and complexity varies widely amongst human individuals, and this may: (i) In part explain the variability in the innate-immune immunological and pathophysiological response of different human individuals to the initiation and progression of SARS-CoV-2 infection in multiple tissue types; and (ii) further support our understanding of human biochemical and genetic individuality and the variable resistance of individuals to ssvRNA-mediated viral infection and disease. This commentary will briefly address current findings and concepts in this fascinating research area of non-coding RNA and innate-immunity with special reference to natural host miRNAs, SARS-CoV-2, and the current COVID-19 pandemic.
A Novel Just-In-Time-Online-Training for Nasopharyngeal Swab Specimen Collection During the COVID-19 Pandemic

Introduction: The spread of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) is controlled by timely detection of infected patients using a nasopharyngeal (NP) swab test, followed by isolation and treatment. One challenge encountered with NP swab collection was to train healthcare providers (HCPs) with different training backgrounds and experience for collecting NP swab specimens across Nebraska, including a sizeable rural area. In-person training for NP swab collection skills was challenging due to social distancing. We developed a Just-In-Time-Online Training (JITOT) and delivered it using Facebook Live (TM) to meet our HCPs' training needs. Methods: Online training was held on April 21, 2020, and attended by 453 HCPs. A quasi-experimental study based on a survey and a multiple choice questionnaire (MCQ) was conducted to evaluate its effectiveness in improving the participants' knowledge and attitudes. Results: Group mean knowledge score increased from a pre-test score of 57%-95% in the post-test showing a large effect size (Hedges' g = 0.976877). On a five-point Likert scale, the majority (86.21%) of the survey respondents agreed/strongly agreed that this training increased their overall comfort for nasal swab specimen collection as compared to their pre-training comfort (37.93%) with this procedure. The majority of respondents (96.55%) in the post-training evaluation agreed/strongly agreed that "the delivery method was appropriate." Conclusion: A JITOT session is helpful to teach, demonstrate, clarify doubts, and improve the knowledge and comfort of the participants. It can be quickly delivered using a free social media platform for broader outreach during public health emergencies.
Debunking Myths: Sinus Headache

Although sinus headache has been extensively reviewed and described, misdiagnosis remains common. This paper discusses the myths and truths about sinus headaches. Sinus headache is used colloquially to attribute facial pain to allergies or a sinus infection; however, most sinus headaches are migraine. Sinus-region pain from sinusitis and migraine share the same origins in the trigeminovascular system, but their causes are very different. After reviewing sinus anatomy and sinogenic pain, we provide information to assist clinicians in correctly diagnosing patients with the additional goal of avoiding unnecessary investigations and treatments. Migraine medications can be used as both a treatment and a diagnostic tool. Other differential diagnoses of facial pain are discussed. Sinus headache is not a diagnosis. All patients with facial pain or pressure with sinus symptoms should be evaluated for migraine because most sinus headache presentations are migraine and require migraine-directed treatment.
Left Ventricle Mass Regression after Surgical or Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Veterans.

Abstract Background Differences in left ventricular mass regression (LVMR) between transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) and surgical aortic valve replacement (SAVR) have not been studied. We present clinical and echocardiographic data from veterans who underwent TAVR and SAVR, evaluating the degree of LVMR and its association with survival. Methods We retrospectively reviewed TAVR (n = 194) and SAVR (n = 365) procedures performed in veterans from 2011 to 2019. After 1:1 propensity matching, we evaluated mortality and secondary outcomes. Echocardiographic data (median follow-up 957 days, interquartile range 483-1652 days) were used to evaluate LVMR, its association with survival, and predictors of LVMR. Results There was no difference between SAVR and TAVR patients in mortality (for up to 8 years), stroke at 30 days, myocardial infarction, renal failure, prolonged ventilation, reoperation, or structural valve deterioration. SAVR patients (67.3% [101/150]) were more likely to have LVMR than TAVR patients (55.7% [44/79], p = 0.11). The magnitude of LVMR was greater for the SAVR patients (median = −23.3%) than for the TAVR patients (median = −17.8%, p = 0.062). SAVR patients with LVMR had a survival advantage over SAVR patients without LVMR (p = 0.016). However, LVMR was not associated with greater survival in TAVR patients (p = 0.248). Conclusions SAVR patients were more likely to have LVMR and had a greater magnitude of LVMR than TAVR patients. LVMR was associated with better survival in SAVR patients, but not in TAVR patients.
Electrostatic Optimization in Ligand Complementarity and Design

Analytic and numerical methods now allow optimization of the electrostatic contribution to the free energy of association of two molecules in solution. Using a continuum electrostatic approximation based on the linearized Poisson-Boltzmann equation, the electrostatic free energy of rigid bimolecular association becomes a quadratic function of the reactant-charge distributions. By optimizing the charge distribution of one reactant, we find that the electrostatic free energy can be minimized, and made favorable in many cases. Furthermore, a rigorous method for visualizing the extent of electrostatic complementarity between two molecules has been developed. In this paper we review the framework and progress of charge optimization and discuss some of the implications emerging to date.
Architectural Considerations in Interfacing a Parallel Processor to the Air Traffic Control System

Interfacing of parallel processors and other special purpose computers to a general purpose host is a very important consideration in effectively using these processors. This paper describes how a parallel processor configuration is connected to a host machine, in this case an ARTS III(a) multiprocessor system. The constraints leading to the configuration are first presented. Then we give descriptions of the matched hardware and software interfaces which ensure that the full capabilities of the processors can be utilized and that the cost and risk of developing the system is minimized. This paper presents only one experience in designing a parallel processor to host computer interface, but some of the considerations encountered in this experience will be applicable to other such interface attempts.
Astrophysical Interpretation of Molecular Spectra

Though infrared photometric studies over the last two decades have revealed numerous “objects” embedded in the dense clouds out of which stars are presumed to condense, there remains no single source one may point to and confidently say “Indeed, that is a protostar, no need to search further” (cf. Wynn-Williams 1982). The problem is that despite the fact that the photometry gives an excellent assessment of the energy generated within, it tells painfully little of the object’s structure — that is the density, temperature, or dynamics as a function of radius. These latter “details” are clearly needed to define the evolutionary state of the source.
Evaluation of c-FLIP(long), c-FLIP(short), and caspase 8 expression in primary tumors using a semiquantitative multiplex LSC-based assay

Recent studies have demonstrated the value in quantification of tumor expression and mutational status of growth factor signaling components as potential predictors of clinical response. Quantification of elements in the apoptosis pathways may provide a similar value in predicting clinical response to new therapies based on induction of apoptosis through death-receptor-mediated signaling. To that end, we have qualified a 5-color multiplexed immune histofluorescent tissue-based assay to provide semiquantitative measurement of expression of death-inducing signaling complex (DISC) components. The DISC components we measured in FFPE archival samples from human solid tumors are caspase 8, c-FLIP(long) and c-FLIP(short). Additional components of the multiplex were a pan-keratin reagent for identification of cytokeratin expressing epithelial tumor cells, and a histone H3 reagent for staining quality control. Image collection was accomplished via laser scanning cytometry (LSC) with a data pipeline which generates FCS3.0 (flow cytometry standard 3.0) files. This allowed intensity analysis of gated tumor enriched regions via standard flow cytometry analysis software. Antibodies were identified via in vitro screens using high/low target expressing cell lines, and further tested using xenografts of the cell lines of interest. The assay was qualified by examining day-to-day, slide-to-slide, and inter-operator variability using xenograft TMA (tissue micro-array) controls. The intensity of stained samples over 24 hours was stable. Total experimental %CV was demonstrated to be less than 25%. We analyzed 6 commercially available cancer TMA slides containing 387 tumor cores representing colon, lung, pancreas, breast, sarcoma, and non-Hodgkin9s lymphoma, along with 43 corresponding normal cores. We found a wide range of expression of caspase 8, c-FLIP(l), and c-FLIP(s) within each tumor type, as well as clear differences between normal and tumor tissues. These findings indicate a potential for stratification of clinical response by DISC protein expression in therapeutics that act via death receptor mediated apoptosis.
Modeling Respiratory Motion for Cancer Radiation Therapy Based on Patient-Specific 4DCT Data

Prediction of respiratory motion has the potential to substantially improve cancer radiation therapy. A nonlinear finite element (FE) model of respiratory motion during full breathing cycle has been developed based on patient specific pressure-volume relationship and 4D Computed Tomography (CT) data. For geometric modeling of lungs and ribcage we have constructed intermediate CAD surface which avoids multiple geometric smoothing procedures. For physiologically relevant respiratory motion modeling we have used pressure-volume (PV) relationship to apply pressure loading on the surface of the model. A hyperelastic soft tissue model, developed from experimental observations, has been used. Additionally, pleural sliding has been considered which results in accurate deformations in the superior-inferior (SI) direction. The finite element model has been validated using 51 landmarks from the CT data. The average differences in position is seen to be 0.07 cm (SD = 0.20 cm), 0.07 cm (0.15 cm), and 0.22 cm (0.18 cm) in the left-right, anterior-posterior, and superior-inferior directions, respectively.
A Framework for Scaffolding Content Area Reading Strategies.

Increasing numbers of middle school teachers recognize that literacy is the responsibility of all teachers. Traditionally teachers in many content areas have depended on the read-and-answer-the questions approach almost exclusively when reading is part of their instruction. Now they can find a smorgasbord of content area reading strategies in journals, books, and on the Internet. But because most content area teachers have had little, if any, training in the teaching of reading, they remain con fused about when specific strategies are best to use (Spor & Schneider, 1999). How can middle school teachers determine which strategy they should use when helping their students comprehend textbooks? Reading researchers have been promoting the use of a variety of pre-reading, during reading, and after reading strategies for more than 30 years since the publication of the Directed Reading and Thinking Activity (Stauffer, 1969). The term "scaffolding" is often used to describe these instructional strategies that can provide support and guidance to struggling readers. Graves and Graves (1994) trace this term to Wood, Bruner, and Ross in 1976, when it was first defined as "a process that enables a child ... to solve a problem, carry out a task, or achieve a goal which would be beyond his or her unassisted efforts" (p. 90). Scaffolding has come to refer to any instruction al activity applied before, during, or after reading that is intended to provide support for immature, poor, or struggling readers. Theoretically, at least, these strategies are designed to be gradually with drawn as students develop independent reading skills. Graves and Graves (1994) explained that these scaffolds should not be used as "preset" plans for any reading selection, but instead should be treated as, "a flexible framework that provides a set of options from which you select those that are best suited for a particular group of students reading a particular text for a particular purpose" (p. 5). So while teachers' implementation of reading activities is more commonplace, are all strategies effective in all reading scenarios? Should teachers simply pick and choose from this menu of activities? How can teachers know what to do when?
Charge Variation of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons in the Diffuse Interstellar Medium

We have modelled the charge balance for several polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) molecules, the fullerene C60 and small graphitic grains in the diffuse interstellar medium (ISM). For the smaller PAH molecules, we used pyrene (C16H10), pentacene (C22H14) and coronene (C24H12). We then calculated the charge distribution for each particle as a function of electron density, radiation field ana depth at which it was situated in a diffuse cloud. For typical conditions in the diffuse ISM, the charge distribution is determined to a large extent by PAH electron affinity, which determines whether an electron will stick to it. For the PAH molecules, we compare the charge distribution calculated using experimentally measured cation-electron recombination rates with theoretically determined rates. We conclude that while a PAH mixture may exist in a variety of singley charged and neutral states, larger disk shaped and spherical grains will be predominantly neutral.
iText, but iDon’t Teach With It: An Essay on i-Literacy in Teacher Education

In this article, the author explores her observations of preservice teachers’ technological literacy as it is often enacted across iterations of a writing methods course. Using personal examples and classroom anecdotes, the author argues that the construct of digital native is flawed and, instead, the author positions preservice teachers as instructional-technology learners rather than instructional-technology experts (i.e., natives). Within the context of teacher education, the author calls for explicit instruction in multimedia literacy and technology-mediated teaching with the goal that preservice teachers develop insider knowledge of multimedia literacy and the ways in which digital texts and devices work. To this end, the author positions technological-literacy learning as parallel to early language learning as well as second-language acquisition, suggesting that preservice teachers understand technology and digital products from behind the screen before they are expected to engage in instructional-t...
Proprietary freedoms in an IT office: how Indian IT workers negotiate code and cultural branding

This article explores how Indian IT workers who have been hired on short-term contracts in Germany negotiate their racialisation as fast, cheap and disposable. They elaborate modes of freedom that take advantage of the pace of work and its varied temporalities while simultaneously developing a critique of corporate coding as limiting mobility. Their critique upends the usual way that freedom and ownership are conceived, since they try to own the code they write rather than making claims for ‘open’ or ‘free’ software. Indian IT workers’ strategies demonstrate the need for a reconsideration of the meaning of freedom within corporate coding economies and neoliberal knowledge regimes more generally. This article develops a concept of ‘proprietary freedom’ to do so.
Evidence for IFN-gamma as a mediator of the lethality of endotoxin and tumor necrosis factor-alpha.

Current evidence indicates that endogenously produced peptide cytokines, most notably TNF-alpha and IL-1, mediate the lethality of experimental endotoxemia. Because circulating serum levels of IFN-gamma can be detected soon after TNF-alpha and IL-1 in response to endotoxin, we investigated the role of IFN-gamma in endotoxin and TNF-alpha lethality. Specific neutralizing antibodies to murine TNF-alpha (anti-TNF-alpha Ab) or murine IFN gamma (anti-IFN-gamma Ab) produced in our laboratory protected mice against the lethality of Escherichia coli endotoxin (LPS) administered 6 h later. Serum IFN-gamma levels 2 h after i.v. LPS were lower in mice treated with anti-TNF-alpha Ab compared to mice that received nonimmune IgG (median less than 2.5 vs 3.0 U/ml, P2 less than 0.05). In contrast, serum TNF-alpha levels 1 h after i.v. LPS peaked more than fourfold higher in mice treated with anti-IFN-gamma Ab compared to controls (median greater than 6400 vs 1405 pg/ml, p2 less than 0.05). Doses of TNF-alpha (300 micrograms/kg) and IFN-gamma (50,000 U) which were well tolerated when given individually were synergistically lethal in combination (0% lethality vs 100% lethality, P2 less than 0.001), and were associated with higher serum levels of IL-6 than with either cytokine alone. Anti-IFN-gamma Ab provided complete protection against exogenous human rTNF-alpha at the LD100 dose (1400 micrograms/kg, p2 less than 0.001), and in fact prevented lethality at doses four- to fivefold greater than the LD100 human rTNF-alpha (up to 6000 micrograms/kg). We conclude that IFN-gamma is synergistic with TNF-alpha, is essential for the lethality of LPS and TNF-alpha, and may have modulating effects on the negative control of serum levels of TNF-alpha after LPS in mice.
Temporal resource variability and the habitat-matching rule

The ideal free distribution of competitors in a heterogeneous environment often predicts habitat matching, where the equilibrium number of consumers in a patch is proportional to resource abundance in that patch. We model the interaction between habitat matching and temporal variation in resource abundance. In one patch the rate of resource input follows a Markov chain; a second patch does not vary temporally. We predict patch use by scaling transition rates in the variable patch to the time that consumers require to respond to changes in rates of resource input. If consumers respond very quickly, habitat matching tracks temporal variability. If resource input fluctuates faster than consumers respond, habitat matching averages over the equilibrium of the Markov chain. Tracking and averaging produce the same mean resource consumption for individuals, but long-term mean occupation of the patches differs. When habitat matching tracks temporal variability in resources, consumer density in the variable patch has a lower mean and a higher variance than when habitat matching reflects only average rates of resource input.
Secure file system services for web 2.0 applications

We present a design for a file system that provides a secure file storage service for Web 2.0 applications. Currently, each Web application stores its own user data. This not only burdens the applications with storing, managing, and securing user data but also deprives users from controlling their own data. With recent proposals of secure client-side cross-domain communication mechanisms, we can provide an independent file system service to Web applications. This service returns the control over user data back to the users, where users can share or restrict access to their files as they wish, and relieves web application servers from the contractual or regulatory obligation of safeguarding user data.
Metabolism of [14C]parathion and [14C]paraoxon in isolated, perfused rat livers

Perfusion of 14C-(ring)-parathion or 14C-(ring)-paraoxon with blood through isolated, intact rat livers resulted in the rapid degradation of these insecticides. Degradation was negligible in the absence of rat liver (controls), thus demonstrating the capacity of the liver per se to effectively degrade these compounds. Of the total radiocarbon recovered after liver perfusion with [14C]parathion, 33 % could be attributed to unchanged [14C]parathion (similarly distributed between the liver and the blood) while 67.9 % was degraded to water soluble compounds and 2.5% was converted to organic soluble paraoxon and traces of p-nitrophenol. Nearly all of the [14C]paraoxon, however, was degraded by the intact rat liver, resulting in water soluble products that amounted to 98.5% of the total radiocarbon recovered. Unexplained losses of radiocarbon with the perfusion apparatus used were lower in the presence of rat liver which degraded the insecticides to more water soluble compounds. The water soluble degradation products produced from [14C]parathion and [14C]paraoxon were non-toxic to mosquito larvae (Aedes aegypti L.). These ring-labelled products were found to be conjugated p-nito-phenol. Nearly all of the water soluble radiocarbon was located in the perfused blood, while only small amounts (1.8 to 3.0% of recovered) were excreted via the bile or were associated with the liver tissue (1.3 to 1.8 % of recovered).
A World in Motion: The Creative Synergy of Lawrence and Anna Halprin

Lawrence and Anna Halprin emerged in the mid-20th century as major forces in their respective professions. Lawrence enlarged the scope of landscape architectural practice to include participatory planning, project work on multiple scales, and an emphasis on motion and movement in design. Anna Halprin, noted dancer, choreographer and teacher, established a unique pedagogy of dance instruction that incorporated a holistic approach to her art, promoting dance as a vehicle to create community while enhancing physical and emotional wellness. The Halprins embraced the explosive time and place in which their work was positioned while fueling each other’s creative inquiries through interdisciplinary exchange. Lawrence Halprin’s involvement with Anna Halprin’s dance company, the San Francisco Dancers’ Workshop (founded in 1959), revealed new possibilities of design thinking including approaches to site specific work, and design for movement and performativity. Anna Halprin, in turn, was exposed to the influence of designed and natural spaces on human motion, which equally informed her art. The couple’s collaboration led to the development of the RSVP Cycles, Scoring, and refinement of their invented system of design and movement notation, Motation. This paper highlights influential experiences in the development of their ideology and describes how their synergistic relationship fueled and enlarged the scope and possibilities of each of their practices.
The MAT1 cyclin-dependent kinase-activating kinase (CAK) assembly/targeting factor interacts physically with the MCM7 DNA licensing factor.

MAT1 (menage a trois1) functions as an assembly/targeting factor of CAK (cyclin-dependent kinase-activating kinase). In a search for MAT1-interacting proteins using yeast two-hybrid system, MCM7 (minichromosome maintenance 7), a member of a family of DNA licensing factors, was identified. The physical interaction between MAT1 and MCM7 was confirmed in vivo in yeast cells and verified with in vitro protein binding assays. Further studies showed the RING-finger motif of MAT1 is not required for the interaction with MCM7, while the C-terminal domain of MAT1 is indispensable. Immunoprecipitation of MCM7 in human osteosarcoma MG63 cells demonstrated that MCM7 associates with the CAK complex in vivo.
Language acculturation and pediatric injury risk.

The number of immigrant children in the US continues to grow rapidly, but pediatric immigrant health remains a poorly understood domain. Previous research suggests immigrant children have reduced risk for injury, but the reason for that finding remains unknown. One leading hypothesis is cultural—less acculturated children in the United States appear to be protected from injury—but the combined influence of immigrant status and acculturation is unclear. This study examines the roles of immigration and language acculturation on pediatric injury risk. Samples of 8,526 children and 4,010 adolescents included in the 2003 California Health Interview Survey were studied. The primary analytic technique was Poisson regressions predicting incidents of injury requiring professional medical attention. Predictor variables included demographic characteristics, health insurance availability, birthplace (US vs. other), and language acculturation. Both birthplace and language acculturation were related to children’s and to adolescent’s risk for unintentional injury, but language acculturation emerged as the stronger univariate predictor and only multivariate predictor of injury in both models. Possible interpretations of the results are discussed.
Relationships among Belief in a Just World, Willingness to Accommodate, and Marital Well-Being

The relationship between willingness to accommodate and belief in a just world (JW), possible mediators of this relationship, and their impact on marital satisfaction and perceived conflict were examined among older and younger married couples. In both samples, JW predicted greater willingness to accommodate. Among older couples, the relationship of JW to own accommodation was mediated by perceptions of spousal accommodation. Among younger couples, the relationship of JW to own accommodation was not explained by perceived spousal accommodation, trust, or partner perspective taking. Further, only among older couples did JW predict greater marital satisfaction and lower frequency of conflict. For older couples, the relationship of JW to satisfaction was not explained by own or perceived spousal accommodation; however; own and perceived spousal accommodation accounted for the relationship of JW to frequency of conflict. These studies suggest that belief in a just world contributes positively to interpersonal...
Analysis of Repeated Categorical Measurements with Conditional Likelihood Methods

Abstract This article presents a method for analyzing repeated measures with categorical responses based on maximizing a conditional likelihood. Many existing methods for analyzing repeated categorical responses, such as those proposed by Duncan (1980, 1985), Bishop, Fienberg, and Holland (1975), and Cochran (1950) are special cases of the method based on the conditional likelihood approach. This article explores the relationships among the various methods and extends several of the existing methods. The conditional likelihood approach is used to analyze data from a four-wave panel study with trichotomous responses. The data, taken from Fienberg, Bromet, Follmann, Lambert, and May (1985), are from an investigation of the psychological effects of the accident at the Three Mile Island nuclear power plant in the spring of 1979. In this example, methods are presented for checking the assumption of local independence in the model used for the conditional likelihood analysis. With an extension of the results of...
Prognostic importance of progesterone and estrogen receptors in cancer of the uterine cervix

Tissue levels of cytosolic estrogen receptors (ERc) and progesterone receptors (PRc) have been shown to have prognostic meaning in hormonally responsive cancers arising in the breast and endometrium. Although carcinomas of the uterine cervix rarely respond to hormonal manipulation, the normal cervical stroma and epithelia contain ERc and PRc. To study the prognostic value of these receptors, 65 cervical carcinomas for ERc and PRc were assayed before initiation of surgical or radiation therapy. In premenopausal women, logistic models demonstrated that clinical stage, surgical stage, and receptor level independently predict survival. If confirmed in further studies, ERc and PRc may prove to be useful prognostic factors in the management of cervical carcinomas.
Resting Energy Expenditure and Energetic Cost of Feeding Are Augmented after Roux-en-Y Gastric Bypass in Obese Mice

Although the prevalence of obesity has increased dramatically throughout the world during the last 25 yr, its long-term control remains poor. Currently, only gastrointestinal weight loss surgery, especially Roux-en-Y gastric bypass (RYGB), is associated with substantial and sustained weight loss and resolution or significant improvement of diabetes mellitus and other metabolic obesity-induced complications. Clinical observations and recent studies have suggested that RYGB induces its effects by changing the physiology of weight regulation. Understanding the underlying mechanisms of these profound and sustainable effects could facilitate the development of novel and less invasive treatments against obesity and its complications. To study the physiological mechanisms of RYGB, we have developed a mouse RYGB model that replicates the human operation. The aims of this study were to develop a roadmap for assessing energy expenditure (EE) in animal models of weight loss surgery and to examine the effects of RYGB...
Non-LTE CO, revisited

A more extensive and detailed non-LTE simulation of the Delta v = 1 bands of CO than attempted previously is reported. The equations of statistical equilibrium are formulated for a model molecule containing 10 bound vibrational levels, each split into 121 rotational substates and connected by more than 1000 radiative transitions. Solutions are obtained for self-consistent populations and radiation fields by iterative application of the 'Lambda-operator' to an initial LTE distribution. The formalism is used to illustrate models of the sun and Arcturus. For the sun, negligible departures from LTE are found in either a theoretical radiative-equilibrium photosphere with outwardly falling temperatures in its highest layers or in a semiempirical hot chromosphere that reproduces the spatially averaged emission cores of Ca II H and K. The simulations demonstrate that the puzzling 'cool cores' of the CO Delta V = 1 bands observed in limb spectra of the sun and in flux spectra of Arcturus cannot be explained simply by non-LTE scattering effects.
Large deformation and postbuckling behavior of an initially deformed rod

Abstract Analytical and experimental procedures are used to investigate the large deformation of an initially deformed elastic rod subject to longitudinal and gravitational loads. The ends of the rod rest on simple supports and are connected by a linear spring. Predictions of the system's large deformation behavior, including snap-through from a buckled configuration to a lower-energy equilibrium state, are obtained through a direct application of the minimum potential energy principle. The minimization is performed using Powell's optimization routine. Analytically determined values of displacement are compared with the exact solution for the special case of an ideal column, and with experimental results for various rod/spring configurations. A simplified approach for predicting snap-through is described in the Appendix.
A comparison of second-degree baccalaureate and traditional-baccalaureate new graduate RNs: implications for the workforce.

Abstract The purpose of this study was to describe the differences between traditional-baccalaureate graduates (TBGs) who had a baccalaureate degree in nursing and no other academic degree or diploma and second-degree baccalaureate graduates (SDGs) who had both a baccalaureate degree in nursing and a baccalaureate or higher degree in a field other than nursing. Using a sample of 953 newly licensed registered nurses (NLRNs), we compared SDGs and TBGs on demographic and work characteristics, including attitudes toward work, intent to stay in their current job, and whether they are searching for a job. TBGs worked slightly more hours per week and were more likely to provide direct care. SDGs were more likely to plan to stay indefinitely in their first job and were less uncertain of plans to stay. SDGs experienced higher family–work conflict and lower workgroup cohesion. Full-time SDGs earn over $2,700 more income per year. Potential explanations for the salary difference are the greater human capital that SDGs bring to the job and their older age. Understanding the workforce productivity of these two groups is important for both organizational planning and policy for recruitment and retention.
Detection of low level carbon monoxide in hydrogen-rich gas streams

Abstract Sensors that detect low levels of carbon monoxide in a gas stream consisting mainly of hydrogen are considered an enabling technology for reformation-based fuel cell power sources. Carbon monoxide in concentrations as low as 50 ppm can rapidly poison the catalysts used in such systems for the dissociation of hydrogen. This paper describes the development of a sensor capable of detecting carbon monoxide (CO) at concentrations of 50 ppm and above within 2.5 s. The sensor is fully compatible with the operating environment of a fuel cell, and is not affected by the intrinsically high concentration of hydrogen, water, or carbon dioxide present in reformate streams.
The paradoxes in patterns and mechanism of bone marrow regeneration after irradiation. 1. Different volumes and doses

Summary Bone marrow regeneration (BMR) following irradiation has been largely studied as a dose-effect phenomenon, however, a large literature has simultaneously developed utilizing a wide variety of volumes, both in clinical studies and in experimental studies. In human situations radiation treatment fields and the amount of bone marrow organ exposed have ranged from total body irradiation (small daily and total doses) to large field (half-body) single high doses encompassing 50% of the bone marrow, to segmental or localized field (50–25%). Volume factors, more than dose, determine patterns of suppression and regeneration which have been documented by a variety of assay systems. Experimental evidence is presented which indicates that high dose irradiation (500–1000 cGy) to large volumes of bone marrow (50%) does not completely suppress bone marrow regeneration but results in a rapid compensatory response. The nadir response of bone marrow CFU c -GM stem cell compartment was directly proportional to increasing doses of irradiation (200–2000 cGy) delivered to a single limb. Immediate depression of CFU c -GM was followed by an increase proliferative phase with the most notable difference observed in doses less than or greater than 1000 rad. Following doses of 500 and 1000 rad to large field (half-body), an immediate depression was again observed followed by an immediate and greater compensatory response particuarly after the 1000 rad dose. Comparisons are made between the small and larger volumes at similar doses and indicate a greater overall compensatory response after the larger field irradiation, being more rapid in onset particularly after the 1000 rad dose. Although in-field regeneration of bone marrow occurs after single dose radiation to different volumes of bone marrow, experimental and clinical evidence from protracted conventional doses of irradiation to different volumes of bone marrow (greater or less than 50%) indicate significantly different response mechanisms. From our laboratory and clinical investigations it can be determined that bone marrow is extremely sensitive to radiation insult and has different compensatory mechanisms to "fine tune" its response in proportion to the volume insulted.
The dependence of chemistry on the inlet equivalence ratio in vortex-flame interactions

Abstract : The interaction of a vortex pair with a premixed flame serves as an important prototype for premixed turbulent combustion. In this study, we investigate the interaction of a counter-rotating vortex pair with an initially flat premixed methane flame. We compare computational solutions obtained using a time-dependent, two-dimensional adaptive low Mach number combustion algorithm that incorporates GRI-Mech 1.2 for the chemistry, thermodynamics, and transport of the chemical species. We discuss the mechanical nature of the flame-vortex interaction and the features of the interaction that are strongly affected by fuel equivalence ratio, . We find that the circulation around the vortex scours gas from the preheat zone in front of the flame, making the interaction sensitive to equivalence ratio. For cases with 1, the peak mole fraction of CH across the flame is relatively insensitive to the vortex, whereas for richer flames we observe a substantial and rapid decline in the peak CH mole fraction, commencing early in the flame-vortex interaction. The peak concentration of HCO is found to correlate, in both space and time, with the peak heat release across a broad range of equivalence ratios. The model also predicts a measurable increase in C2H2 as a result of interaction with the vortex and a marked increase in the low-temperature chemistry activity.
Erythropoietin signaling promotes oligodendrocyte development following prenatal systemic hypoxic-ischemic brain injury

Erythropoietin signaling promotes oligodendrocyte development following prenatal systemic hypoxic–ischemic brain injury