cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Partial purification and characterization of an aminopeptidase from Eimeria tenella.

Our previous investigation demonstrated the expression in Eimeria tenella sporulated oocysts of an aminopeptidase (AP) with strong homology to AP N. To further understand the role of proteases during development, we investigated the molecular and biochemical properties of E. tenella AP. Greater than 95% AP activity was present in a soluble extract during sporulation of oocysts with highest activity in fully sporulated oocysts. The AP activity was inhibited by the AP inhibitors bestatin and 1,6-phenanthroline, but not by serine protease inhibitors. The AP had specificity for synthetic endopeptidase substrates that contain arginine, alanine, or glycine at the N terminus. Partial purification of the enzyme yielded a major protein band with an Mr of about 106 kDa and an isoelectric point (Ip) of 5.1. Reverse transcription-polymerase chain reaction indicated that the gene for AP is expressed during sporulation, but expression is absent or greatly reduced in the sporozoites and merozoites. On the basis of the d...
Nutrient content of crop canopy throughfall precipitation in eastern South Dakota

Nutrient contents of canopy throughfall precipitation (TFP) from fertilized and unfertilized crops were analyzed and compared to determine the importance of fertilization on this source of nutrients in runoff. Continuous barley, corn, oats, rye, and wheat plots, that had been unfertilized since 1941 and divided and half fertilized since 1959, were studied. TFP soluble PO/sub 4/, total PO/sub 4/, and soluble K amounts were usually larger from fertilized plots in comparison to unfertilized ones but the differences usually were not significant. NH/sub 4//sup -n/ and NO/sub 3//sup -n/ may have been adsorbed from precipitation by corn canopies.
Phylogenetic relationships of the lower Caenogastropoda (Mollusca, Gastropoda, Architaenioglossa, Campaniloidea, Cerithioidea) as determined by partial 18S rDNA sequences

Phylogenetic analyses of partial sequences spanning approximately 450 nucleotides near the 5’end of the 18s rDNA strongly support the monophyly of Apogastropoda and its constituent clades, Caenogastropoda and Heterobranchia. Representatives of the architaenioglossan groups Cyclophoroidea, Ampullariidae and Viviparidae invariably emerge within Caenogastropoda in all analyses. While the Cyclophoroidea and Ampullariidae are monophyletic, the varying position of Viviparidae in all outcomes contradicts its hypothesized sister group relationship with Ampullariidae, and thus the monophyly of Ampullarioidea. Because of the position of Viviparidae, Architaenioglossa does not emerge as a clade in any of our analyses. Campanile consistently emerges between Cyclophoroidea and Cerithioidea, or in a clade with Cyclophoroidea and Ampullariidae, a position not predicted by previous morphological studies. Maximum parsimony analyses of sequence data show Caenogastropoda to comprise a series of sequentially diverging higher taxa. However, maximum likelihood analyses as well as maximum parsimony analyses using only trans-versions divide Caenogastropoda into two clades, one containing the architaenioglossan taxa, Campaniloidea and Cerithioidea, the other containing the higher caenogastropod taxa included in Eucaenogastropoda (Haszprunar, 1988) [= Hypsogastropoda (Ponder & Lindberg 1997)l. Denser taxon sampling revealed insertions to be present in the 18s rDNA gene of several caenogastropod taxa. Earlier reports (Harasewych et al. 1997b) of reduced sequence divergence levels in Caenogastropoda are shown to be restricted to Hypsogastropoda. Based on a broader taxonomic sampling, divergence levels within Caenogastropoda are comparable to those found within Heterobranchia.
Affiliation and aggression in rats.

The relationship between affiliation and aggression was examined in two experiments. In the first study, each of 12 male albino rats was allowed to choose in a T-maze between two alternatives. One alternative housed a more aggressive target male and the other housed a less aggressive target male. The subjects preferred the less aggressive target animal. A second investigation allowed each of 36 male albino rats to choose between a target animal and an empty compartment. The results were that all the subjects preferred to affiliate with the target animal. However, as the level of aggressiveness by the target animal increased, the level of gregariousness decreased. The data suggest that an important determinant of affiliation is the behavior, and specifically the aggressiveness, of the target animal.
Effects of capsaicin on rat liver S9‐mediated metabolism and DNA binding of aflatoxin

Abstract At concentrations of 25, SO, and 100 μM, capsaicin, which is the major component in various aspects of Capsicum hot peppers, decreased the binding of aflatoxin (AFB1) to calf thymus DNA by 19%, 44%, and 71%, respectively, in incubations with rat liver S9. At concentrations of 50 and 100 μM, capsaicin decreased the formation of AFB‐DNA adducts (AFB1‐N7‐Gua) by 53% and 75% as determined by high‐pressure liquid chromatography (HPLC). HPLC analysis of organosoluble fractions showed that these effects correlated with a concentration‐dependent decrease in S9‐mediated metabolism of AFB, by capsaicin. Capsaicin also altered the formation of water‐soluble conjugates of AFB1. This was indicated by a decrease in radioactivity in water‐soluble fractions and in glutathione conjugates of AFB1 analyzed by HPLC. These results suggest that capsaicin inhibited the biotransformation of AFB1 by modifying Phase I hepatic enzyme activity.
Overview of Creatine Metabolism

Creatine (Cr) was first discovered as an organic constituent of meat some time in the early 1800s. Later in the 1800s, Cr was consistently detected in muscle tissue extracted from various mammals. It was noted that foxes killed in a hunt immediately after running, contained significantly more Cr than normal, providing the first indication that muscular contraction results in an accumulation of Cr. Around the same time, a substance called creatinine (Crn) was detected in the urine and later determined to be a breakdown product of Cr. Phosphocreatine (PCr) was first isolated from muscle tissue in 1927 and found to play an important role in the transfer of energy. Around the same time, two researchers who consumed large quantities of Cr noted that a percentage of the Cr ingested could not be accounted for by excretion in the urine (1). This study was one of the first to indicate that “Cr loading” in muscle is possible when large amounts of Cr are consumed. A great deal of research has been done since this early work to further define the importance of Cr in humans, and the impact of Cr supplementation. In this chapter, the basic metabolism and function of Cr in humans will be overviewed. To what extent and what factors influence blood- and muscle-Cr levels in response to Cr supplementation will be discussed. Also some of the proposed mechanisms that account for the ergogenic effects from Cr usage observed in many studies will be explored.
SmartScape™: A web-based decision support system for assessing the tradeoffs among multiple ecosystem services under crop-change scenarios

Display Omitted SmartScape? assists policymakers by evaluating the consequence of crop changes on ecosystem services.SmartScape? is an interactive, user-friendly environment for strategic crop change planning.SmartScape? allows users with different interests to build crop change scenarios.SmartScape? integrates a variety of tools that are executed in different scripting languages.We replaced perennial crops with annual crops in Dane County, WI, United States to test SmartScape?. Agricultural lands have experienced rapid changes during the last decade. In the absence of preventative crop change policies, these changes can affect multiple ecosystem services simultaneously. The objective of this paper is to describe a web-based spatial decision support system (SDSS), which we call the SmartScape?, that helps policymakers to evaluate the consequence of crop changes on various ecosystem services in agriculture landscapes. This paper specifically provides an overview of a newly developed SDSS architecture that: (1) integrates multiple open-source software tools to build a user-friendly web client; (2) integrates a variety of spatial and temporal data and environmental models, into an interactive environment to allow stakeholders with various interests to build crop change scenarios; and (3) allows stakeholders to evaluate and identify suitable crop change policies by visualizing the tradeoffs among multiple ecosystem services in a timely manner. We demonstrate the utility of this architecture through (4) an analysis of a crop change scenario for an agriculture-dominated landscape in Dane County, Wisconsin, USA. Assessment of participant feedback from potential users (group of stakeholders from Dane County as well as group of scientists who were experts in various disciplines, such as computer science, landscape ecology, agriculture, water quality, soil chemistry and climate change) reveals that this SmartScape? is an effective tool to show the general consequences of various types of crop changes for developing effective crop changes policy in Wisconsin, USA.
Ferroelectric-Relaxor Behavior of Highly Epitaxial Barium Zirconium Titanate Thin Films

Ferroelectric-relaxor behavior on highly epitaxial Barium Zirconium Titanate (Ba (Zr0.2Ti0.8)O3) thin film was investigated using the Piezoresponse Force Microscopy specifically to investigate the onset of relaxor behavior. The surface roughness, microstructure and the grain size of the film were systematically studied. Ferroelectric switching at random localized points were observed at room temperature though it has been previously reported that the phase transition in BZT-20 occurs at 285K. Phase reversal with the reversal of the applied voltage was also seen. Scanning Capacitance Microscope has been employed to interrogate the localized change in the capacitance with change in voltage. The thin film sample showed the presence of ferroelectric nanoregions at room temperature unlike its bulk counterparts which is paraelectric at room temperature.
Effects of midodrine and L-NAME on systemic and cerebral hemodynamics during cognitive activation in spinal cord injury and intact controls.

We previously showed that increases in mean arterial pressure (MAP) following administration of midodrine hydrochloride (MH) and nitro-L-arginine methyl ester (L-NAME) resulted in increased mean cerebral blood flow velocity (MFV) during head-up tilt in hypotensive individuals with spinal cord injury (SCI) and question if this same association was evident during cognitive activation. Herein, we report MAP and MFV during two serial subtraction tasks (SSt) given before (predrug) and after (postdrug) administration of MH; (10 mg), L-NAME (1 mg/kg) or no drug (ND) in 15 subjects with SCI compared to nine able-bodied (AB) controls. Three-way factorial analysis of variance (ANOVA) models were used to determine significant main and interaction effects for group (SCI, AB), visit (MH, L-NAME, ND), and time (predrug, postdrug) for MAP and MFV during the two SSt. The three-way interaction was significant for MAP (F = 4.262; P = 0.020); both MH (30 ± 26 mmHg; P < 0.05) and L-NAME (27 ± 22 mmHg; P < 0.01) significantly increased MAP in the SCI group, but not in the AB group. There was a significant visit by time interaction for MFV suggesting an increase from predrug to postdrug following L-NAME (6 ± 8 cm/sec; P < 0.05) and MH (4 ± 7 cm/sec; P < 0.05), regardless of study group, with little change following ND (3 ± 3 cm/sec). The relationship between change in MAP and MFV was significant in the SCI group following administration of MH (r(2) = 0.38; P < 0.05) and L-NAME (r(2) = 0.32; P < 0.05). These antihypotensive agents, at the doses tested, raised MAP, which was associated with an increase MFV during cognitive activation in hypotensive subjects with SCI.
Actividad antibacteriana in vitro de ciprofloxacina sobre Escherichia coli: efecto del suero bovino y tamaño del inóculo

The in vitro assays used to evaluate the activity of antibacterial drugs do not consider the patient immune response, which is necessary for the successful r...
A real-time open-source video tracking system

Video tracking is used in military operations and homeland defense. Multiple cameras are mounted on an airplane that flies in a circle and points to a central location. The images are pre-registered and a single large image is sent to a ground station at the rate of a frame per second. The first step needed for tracking is measurements. The video undergoes additional registration and processing to produce multi-frame motion detections. These measurements are passed to the tracking algorithm. Tracking through an urban environment has its own unique challenges. Targets frequently cross paths, go behind one another, and go behind buildings or into shadowed areas. Additional challenges include Move-Stop-Move, parallax, and track association with highly similar targets. These challenges need to be overcome with up to a thousand vehicles, so processing speed is crucial. The project is Open-Source to aid in overcoming these technical challenges. Alternative trackers (IMM, MHT), features, association methods, track-initiation and deletion (M/N or LU), state variables, or other specialized routines (for Move-Stop-Move, parallax, etc.) will be tried and analyzed with representative data. By keeping it Open-Source, any ideas to improve the system can be easily implemented and analyzed. This paper presents current findings and state of the project.
Cholesterol in platelet biogenesis and activation

Hypercholesterolemia is a risk factor for atherothrombotic disease, largely attributed to its impact on atherosclerotic lesional cells such as macrophages. Platelets are involved in immunity and inflammation and impact atherogenesis, primarily by modulating immune and inflammatory effector cells. There is evidence that hypercholesterolemia increases the risk of atherosclerosis and thrombosis by modulating platelet biogenesis and activity. This review highlights recent findings on the impact of aberrant cholesterol metabolism on platelet biogenesis and activity and their relevance in atherosclerosis and thrombosis.
Predicting Occurrence of Spine Surgery Complications Using "Big Data" Modeling of an Administrative Claims Database

Postoperative metrics are increasingly important in determining standards of quality for physicians and hospitals. Although complications following spinal surgery have been described, procedural and patient variables have yet to be incorporated into a predictive model of adverse-event occurrence. We sought to develop a predictive model of complication occurrence after spine surgery. We used longitudinal prospective data from a national claims database and developed a predictive model incorporating complication type and frequency of occurrence following spine surgery procedures. We structured our model to assess the impact of features such as preoperative diagnosis, patient comorbidities, location in the spine, anterior versus posterior approach, whether fusion had been performed, whether instrumentation had been used, number of levels, and use of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP). We assessed a variety of adverse events. Prediction models were built using logistic regression with additive main effects and logistic regression with main effects as well as all 2 and 3-factor interactions. Least absolute shrinkage and selection operator (LASSO) regularization was used to select features. Competing approaches included boosted additive trees and the classification and regression trees (CART) algorithm. The final prediction performance was evaluated by estimating the area under a receiver operating characteristic curve (AUC) as predictions were applied to independent validation data and compared with the Charlson comorbidity score. The model was developed from 279,135 records of patients with a minimum duration of follow-up of 30 days. Preliminary assessment showed an adverse-event rate of 13.95%, well within norms reported in the literature. We used the first 80% of the records for training (to predict adverse events) and the remaining 20% of the records for validation. There was remarkable similarity among methods, with an AUC of 0.70 for predicting the occurrence of adverse events. The AUC using the Charlson comorbidity score was 0.61. The described model was more accurate than Charlson scoring (p < 0.01). We present a modeling effort based on administrative claims data that predicts the occurrence of complications after spine surgery. We believe that the development of a predictive modeling tool illustrating the risk of complication occurrence after spine surgery will aid in patient counseling and improve the accuracy of risk modeling strategies.
Determination of spallation neutron flux through spectral adjustment techniques

Abstract The Los Alamos Isotope Production Facility (IPF) creates medical isotopes using a proton beam impinged on a target stack. Spallation neutrons are created in the interaction of the beam with target. The use of these spallation neutrons to produce additional radionuclides has been proposed. However, the energy distribution and magnitude of the flux is not well understood. A modified SAND-II spectral adjustment routine has been used with radioactivation foils to determine the differential neutron fluence for these spallation neutrons during a standard IPF production run.
Evidence for the Syntactic Diversity of Numeral Classifiers

I propose a syntactic typology of numeral classifier languages based on the observation that the order of nouns and numeral classifiers correlate with substantial differences in the syntactic uses of classifiers. In languages where classifiers precede nouns, they have an article-like use marking definiteness. We take this as evidence that classifiers are functional projections of the NP there, forming a constituent with that noun. In languages where classifiers follow nouns, they do not form a constituent with the head noun, explaining why these languages almost universally exhibit quantifier float of a quantifier+classifier constituent.
Eyelid movements : mechanisms and normal data

This study provides a comprehensive description of upper eyelid movement in normal human subjects. Using the magnetic search coil technique to monitor lid position and modified skin electrodes to record orbicularis oculi electromyographic (EMG) activity, the authors found that the basic eyelid movements, blinks, and saccadic lid movements, can be uniquely and reliably characterized by their amplitude-maximum velocity relationships. The data show that similar increases in levator palpebrae activity produce the upward lid movements that accompany upward saccadic eye movements as well as the upward phase of a blink. The lid movements that accompany downward saccadic eye movements arise almost exclusively from the passive downward forces and relaxation of the levator palpebrae muscle. In contrast, active orbicularis oculi contraction and the passive downward forces act together to generate lid closure with a blink. These normative data and techniques provide the basis for the clinical analysis of lid motility by which abnormal lid movements can be compared with normal lid kinematics.
Abstract SY43-01: Precision cancer medicine using BH3 profiling

The job of precision medicine is to match the right patient to the right drug(s). While the term “precision medicine” is often considered synonymous with “cancer genomics,” -omics approaches have thus far enjoyed only inconsistent success in assigning therapy to patients, despite the abundance of data such approaches generate. We favor functional approaches that allow for perturbation of the cancer cells of interest. BH3 profiling can measure the state of the apoptotic pathway of a cancer cell before and after brief exposures to drugs. By identifying drugs that enhance apoptotic signaling in brief ex vivo exposures, we can identify agents that are active in vivo. An advantage to dynamic BH3 profiling is that its measurements can be made in less than 24 hours, removing the requirement for longer term ex vivo culture that has typically proved a major stumbling block for ex vivo approaches. Citation Format: Anthony G. Letai. Precision cancer medicine using BH3 profiling. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 107th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2016 Apr 16-20; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2016;76(14 Suppl):Abstract nr SY43-01.
Studies on the Hymenoptera. IV. Correlation of passive transfer in Hymenoptera allergy with culprit insect and direct skin tests.

Abstract Direct skin tests and passive transfer tests with the sera of 16 patients who had suffered a generalized reaction to the sting of a hymenopterous insect were found to be positive. In contrast, these tests in skin and sera of 12 patients who had suffered only a local reaction tended to be negative. Passively transferable antibodies correlated more nearly with the species of the culprit insect than did direct skin tests, and these antibodies seemed on occasion to result from former stings rather than from the most recent sting. No significant difference was found in family history and past history of allergy between the 2 groups.
Melorheostosis: a Rare Sclerosing Bone Dysplasia.

Melorheostosis is a rare sclerosing bone dysplasia that affects both cortical bone and adjacent soft tissue structures in a sclerotomal distribution. In this review, we describe the natural history, radiological features, proposed pathogenesis, and management options for this debilitating condition. Since its first description in 1922, about 400 cases of melorheostosis have been reported, either as single reports or in small case series. Melorheostosis affects the appendicular skeleton more commonly than the axial skeleton and usually presents with lower limb deformity. Diagnosis is based on a combination of clinical and radiological features that help differentiate this condition from other sclerosing bone dysplasias. LEM domain-containing protein 3 (LEMD3) gene mutations have been demonstrated in several familial cases, but these have been more strongly correlated with other hereditary dysplasias, such as osteopoikilosis, and are not thought to be the causative gene for melorheostosis. The exact etiology of classic sporadically occurring melorheostosis remains unknown, with possible causes being somatic LEMD3 mutations, somatic mutations in the bone morphogenetic protein/transforming growth factor-beta pathway, mutations in multiple genes, or other non-genetic causes. Management in recent years has involved nitrogen-containing bisphosphonates in addition to traditional orthopedic surgical approaches and physical therapy. Melorheostosis may present as mixed or atypical osseous involvement in addition to the classically described “dripping candle wax” appearance of hyperostosis. Some patients may have overlap with osteopoikilosis or Buschke–Ollendorff syndrome. In the future, better characterization of genetic and developmental factors predisposing to melorheostosis may lead to the development of targeted therapy for this condition, as well as for more commonly encountered skeletal abnormalities.
HRM's importance throughout the organization: analyzed through the concepts and views portrayed in eli goldratt’s the goal

This paper analyzes the important of human resources management (HRM) to attain organizational goals and objectives. Without the existence of HRM in any organization, whether big or small, an organization will face difficulties in achieving its goals, but also harnessing all the attributes and strength of its workforce. This paper makes several suggestions as to what organizations ought to do regarding HRM and better managing its employees to reach upmost success. The paper analyzes the concepts and discussions in Eli Goldratt's book entitled The Goal to conclude how HRM, accompanied by the theory of constraints and lean quality can help an organization achieve all its goals.
Rescue of glutamate transport in the lateral habenula alleviates depression- and anxiety-like behaviors in ethanol-withdrawn rats

Alcoholism and psychiatric disorders like depression and anxiety are often comorbid. Although the mechanisms underlying this comorbidity are unclear, emerging evidence suggests that maladaptation of the glial glutamate transporter GLT-1 may play a role. Findings from animal and human studies have linked aversive states, including those related to drugs of abuse and depression, to aberrant activity in the lateral habenula (LHb). The relationship between GLT-1 maladaptation, LHb activity, and abnormal behaviors related to alcohol withdrawal, however, remains unknown. Here we show that dihydrokainic acid (DHK), a GLT-1 blocker, potentiated glutamatergic transmission to LHb neurons in slices from ethanol naive rats; this potentiation, though, was not observed in slices from rats withdrawn from repeated in vivo ethanol administration, suggesting reduced GLT-1 function. Furthermore, GLT-1 protein expression was reduced in the LHb of withdrawn rats. This reduction was restored by systemic administration of ceftriaxone, a β-lactam antibiotic known to increase GLT-1 expression. Systemic ceftriaxone treatment also normalized the hyperactivity of LHb neurons in slices from withdrawn rats, which was reversed by bath-applied DHK. Finally, systemic administration of ceftriaxone alleviated depression- and anxiety-like behaviors, which was fully blocked by intra-LHb administrations of DHK, suggesting that GLT-1's function in the LHb is critical. These findings highlight the significant role of LHb astrocytic GLT-1 in the hyperactivity of LHb neurons, and in depressive- and anxiety-like behaviors during ethanol withdrawal. Thus, GLT-1 in the LHb could serve as a therapeutic target for psychiatric disorders comorbid with ethanol withdrawal.
Dynamic response of Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 to changes in light intensity

Abstract With changing light intensities, microalgae exhibit the inter-connected phenomena of photoacclimation, photodamage, and photodamage repair. Together they result in unique growth responses to changes in light intensity. In this work, we experimentally evaluated the growth responses using Synechocystis sp. PCC 6803 subjected to a series of light-step experiments. In these experiments, the biomass density and average light intensity were held constant (after the step in light intensity), and the dynamic response of the specific growth rate was measured. The over-arching trend is that an increasing-light step gave a rapid spike in growth rate, followed by a depression and ultimately restabilization of the growth rate for the new light condition. A decreasing-light step led to a small depression in growth rate before a gradual restabilization for the new light condition. Photoacclimation was faster after an increasing-light step than a decreasing-light step. Using a model accounting for photoacclimation, photodamage, and photodamage repair (presented in a companion paper), we captured the dynamic growth response and explained how the responses were the result of the combined effects of light absorption, photoacclimation, and photodamage.
A Functional Analysis of “Aesthetic”: A Commentary on Mechner

In his target article, Mechner provides a bio-behavioral analysis of effects called “aesthetic.” He then examines hundreds of such effects across a wide range of literary, artistic, and scientific disciplines and concludes that they consist of a composite of elements that produce what he calls “surprise-tinged” emotional responses in individuals with an appropriate learning history. In my commentary, I first suggest an operational, or functional, analysis of some of the terms Mechner uses in his analysis, including “surprise, “familiar,” and “priming.” I then provide a brief functional analysis of stimuli we call “aesthetic,” “artistic,” or “beautiful.” In so doing, I use my own history with music and as a musician to address two general questions about behavior we call “aesthetic”: what kinds of responses occur and under what circumstances, and what kinds of learning histories might be responsible for them? Although I identify some problems with Mechner’s interpretation, for example, that he introduces several vague concepts and often opts for explanations that are circular and that do not identify basic behavioral principles, in general I commend him for tackling such a complex topic in such a thorough and thoughtful manner.
Computational methods for laser safety analysis

Laser hazard evaluation involves comparing potential laser exposure to maximum permissible exposure (MPE). Irradiance and radiant exposure of a laser beam can be determined from knowledge of the emitted power, energy per pulse, beam dimensions, and beam profile; however, irradiance and radiant exposure are averaged over the limiting aperture when comparing these values to the MPE. Hazard classification is determined by the power or energy per pulse transmitted by apertures for both unaided and optically aided viewing conditions. Methods are provided for precise calculation of the laser emission transmitted by apertures for laser beams with a variety of shapes, dimensions, and profiles. These methods also provide consistency in calculating average irradiance or radiant exposure, which should prove valuable, in addition to measurements, for hazard evaluation and classification.Laser hazard evaluation involves comparing potential laser exposure to maximum permissible exposure (MPE). Irradiance and radiant exposure of a laser beam can be determined from knowledge of the emitted power, energy per pulse, beam dimensions, and beam profile; however, irradiance and radiant exposure are averaged over the limiting aperture when comparing these values to the MPE. Hazard classification is determined by the power or energy per pulse transmitted by apertures for both unaided and optically aided viewing conditions. Methods are provided for precise calculation of the laser emission transmitted by apertures for laser beams with a variety of shapes, dimensions, and profiles. These methods also provide consistency in calculating average irradiance or radiant exposure, which should prove valuable, in addition to measurements, for hazard evaluation and classification.
Family-Centered Applied Behavior Analysis for Children with Autism Spectrum Disorder.

Applied behavior analysis (ABA) services can improve the quality of life for individuals with autism spectrum disorder (ASD). However, not all children receive services based in ABA. The disconnect...
Diabetes in Children and Adolescents

Diabetes mellitus is one of the most common chronic diseases in pediatric patients. Although type 1 diabetes is the most common in children and adolescents, and type 2 diabetes has increased in these age groups, there are other types of diabetes with lower frequency that affect this population, such as monogenic diabetes, drug- or chemical-induced diabetes, and cystic fibrosis-related diabetes, among others. The diagnostic criteria for diabetes mellitus and increased risk of diabetes (prediabetes) are essentially the same as in adults; however, there are unique aspects of the care and management of children and adolescents with diabetes, such as changes in insulin sensitivity due to growth and development, dependence on care, and neurological susceptibility to changes in glucose. Additionally, treatment should be adapted to age-related physiological changes, which must be handled and guided by a multidisciplinary team of specialists in pediatric diabetes. It is important to provide family and individual management education to achieve a balance between adult supervision and independent self-care so that the transition from pediatric to adult health care is smooth and successful.
A quantitative alternative to the Goutallier classification system using Lava Flex and Ideal MRI techniques: volumetric intramuscular fatty infiltration of the supraspinatus muscle, a cadaveric study.

The Goutallier classification system is the most commonly used method for grading intramuscular fatty infiltration in rotator cuff tears. This grading system presents low inter-observer reliability and an inability to provide quantitative and repeatable outcomes for intramuscular fat. We determined the correlation and reliability of two methods, the Lava Flex and Ideal IQ MRI techniques, in quantifying volumetric intramuscular fat, while also comparing to the Goutallier method. The supraspinatus muscles of seventeen cadaveric shoulders were scanned using the Lava Flex and Ideal IQ MRI imaging protocols. Histological analysis was performed on the same muscles. Agreement, reliability, and correlation analyses were performed to compare all outcomes. The Lava Flex protocol took an average of ~ 4 min, while the Ideal IQ required about ~ 11 min to complete. Bland–Altman analysis showed good agreement between the Lava Flex and Ideal IQ [LOA (− 0.10 and 0.05)], and ICC analyses showed excellent reliability (ICC (1,1) 0.948; ICC (2,1) 0.947). There was a 91% correlation between the Lava Flex and Ideal IQ MR protocols. Weighted Kappa analysis between histology and the Goutallier classification showed fair-to-moderate agreement. The Lava Flex technique, taking about 30% of the acquisition time, may prevent motion artifacts in outcomes associated with the longer Ideal IQ technique. However, potential magnetic field inhomogeneities should be considered. The Lava Flex technique may be a faster and valid alternative to the Goutallier classification system.
Adding an on Off Keying (OOK) Communications Signal to a Free Space Optical Beacon Pointing Focal Plane Array System

In addition to the primary high rate communications signal, optical communications systems can include lower power beacon signals to aid in the pointing alignment between the transmitter and receiver. The beacon can be a simple always-on signal at a separate wavelength that the receiver can use for spatial tracking. The beacon signal may also be modulated at a low frequency for the purpose of discrimination between potentially multiple optical transmitting terminals. Applying data modulation to the beacon signal to form a low rate communications signal is also possible. The practical application of applying data modulation to a beacon signal along with associated system trades are discussed.
From Physics to Russian Studies and on into China Research: My Meandering Journey Toward Sociology

I was initially reluctant to become a sociologist because my father, William Foote Whyte, was a prominent sociologist. Growing up during the Cold War led me in sequence through studying physics to ...
Engaging the Liberal State II: Cardinal Manning and the Royal Commission of 1886

As Archbishop of Westminster, Henry Edward Manning had been much involved in negotiations over the Elementary Education Act of 1870 (Forster’s Act), which aimed at establishing a national system of elementary education. By the early 1880s, Manning was dissatisfied with the operation of the Act, because the secular board schools, financed from rates, had become substantial competitors with the voluntary denominational schools, which were supposed to be the backbone of the system. This established, in effect, a dual system of secular and denominational education, which Manning believed the Act had never envisioned. He lobbied for a Royal Commission to amend the Act, which Lord Salisbury granted in 1886 (the Cross Commission), with Manning as a member. In his work on the Commission, Manning was motivated by three principles, which he believed were critical for the engagement of religious bodies with the liberal state. The first was cross-denominational collaboration in support of religious education. The second was voluntarism so as to prevent state control. The third was localism as opposed to centralization, which was eventually realized with the creation of County Councils by the Local Government Act of 1888, upon whom the supervision of schools eventually devolved.
The Health Needs of the Fa’afafine in American Samoa and Transgender Research Methodology

Since the early years of anthropological ethnography, the Samoan third gender community, fa’afafine, has been the subject of research about theories and etiologies of gender and gender behavior. However, few studies have assessed their health needs. Without the necessary data, solutions to health problems in the fa’afafine community are unclear. This paper seeks to discuss this issue and offer suggestions for how research can be designed to better assess fa’afafine health needs. First, this article will review current research on fa’afafine communities, highlighting how many methodologies carry ethnocentric bias and focus on etiology instead of the health data needed to create interventions for the community. Second, this article will discuss the health needs that arise from the cultural context of the fa’afafine with a focus on violence, HIV and sexual health, institutional recognition of gender variance and maternal and child health. Finally, suggestions will be provided for a third gender affirmative methodology that is inclusive of fa’afafine but also applicable to other gender variant communities globally. These recommendations include (1) structuring research appropriately to explore variation in these groups, (2) restructuring gender variables, (3) conducting community-guided and community-serving research, (4) considering historical dimensions of fa’afafine, gender variant and transgender marginalization and (5) including gender variant health issues in women’s health practices. This paper was written based on a review of secondary sources as well as the author’s field notes and observations as a professional working on a project in the Department of Obstetrics and Gynecology at the Lyndon B. Johnson Tropical Medical Center in Tutuila, American Samoa.
Do everyday proactive policing activities reduce vehicle crashes? Examining a commonly held law enforcement belief using a novel method

Abstract Traffic accidents present a significant challenge to public safety and are a top priority for many law enforcement agencies in the United States. Empirical studies suggest that police agencies commonly engage in traffic enforcement activities to be proactive, spending much of their downtime patrolling areas with heightened risks for vehicle crashes. Despite the ongoing focus on traffic enforcement in daily police work, the impact of these efforts on traffic accidents remains unclear. The current study uses a Generalized Method of Moments (GMM) framework to examine everyday police proactive work and its impact on vehicle crashes at “hot spots” of collisions in a large suburban jurisdiction. Findings indicate that routine patrol levels and activities produce short-term reductions in crashes at the most serious crash hot spots but have less impact elsewhere. To generate a more sustained and optimal effect on traffic safety, everyday police proactivity needs to be more carefully calibrated in terms of its targeting, dosage, and types of activities.
Classification of construction hazard-related perceptions using: Wearable electroencephalogram and virtual reality

Abstract Improving construction workers' safety is one of the most critical issues in the construction industry. Methods have been developed to better identify construction hazards on a jobsite by analyzing workers' physical and physiological responses collected from the wearable devices. Among them, electroencephalogram (EEG) holds unique potential since it shows immediate abnormal responses when a hazard is perceived. However, there remain limitations in the current knowledge base to attain the ultimate goal of ubiquitous hazard identification. In this context, this study investigates the feasibility of identifying construction hazards by developing an EEG classifier based on the experiments conducted in an immersive virtual reality (VR) environment. Results show that the CatBoost classifier achieved the highest performance with 95.1% accuracy. In addition, three important channel locations (AF3, F3, and F4) and two frequency bands (beta and gamma) were found to be closely associated with hazard perception.
Media, performance, and pastpresents: authenticity in the digital age

The importance assigned to the distinction between live and mediated performances is influenced by historical circumstances. Performance is often assumed to be something that can only be authentic if experienced live, yet mediated performances have the ability to disrupt this assumption in two primary ways: by creating a “shared,” though asymmetric, experience and by imploding the idea of a “live” original performance to be recorded. In this paper we bring Walter Benjamin’s concepts of aura and authenticity into conversation with Katie King’s theorizations of reenactments to explore how mediated experiences can still constitutes authentic, “shared” performance. That is, we deploy the concept of the pastpresent to problematize, complicate, and begin to break down the assumed division between live and mediated performance based on Benjamin’s ideas of aura and authenticity. As we’ll discuss, what makes this especially interesting is the relationship between space and time in mediated performances. We illustrate this basic argument using three examples: (1) dance through the medium of film; (2) street performance through the medium of the internet; and (3) pop music through the medium of digitally recorded music. In all cases, the “authenticity” of the mediated performance is based on the imagined authenticity of its first rendering, thus the viewer/listener becomes an active participant in making meaning out of the past, in the present. The changing relationships between space, time, and authenticity within performance are important for understanding how their audiences experience modern mediated performances.
How the Snake Lost its Legs: Curious Tales from the Frontier of Evo-Devo

Preface 1. The first two-sided animal 2. The fly 3. The butterfly 4. The snake 5. The cheetah 6. An evo-devo bestiary Epilogue Glossary References Index.
Aesthetic Modernism and Masculinity in Fascist Italy

Introduction: Beyond Virility, Chapter 1. Fascism, Modernism, and the Contradictions of Capitalism, Chapter 2. Pirandello Fascista? Modernism and The Theater of Masculinity Chapter 3. The Dandy, the Mystic, and the Tonalists: Italian Modernist Painting and the Male Body Chapter 4. "A Glimpse Through an Interstice Caught: Fascism and Mario Castelnuovo-Tedescos Calamus Songs" Chapter 5. Giorgio Bassani and Italian "Queers" of the 1930s" Conclusion: "Beyond" Fascism?
Bacterial inhibition by chitosan coatings loaded with silver-decorated calcium phosphate microspheres

Abstract Porous calcium phosphate microspheres have been modified to contain nanoparticles of silver to provide both osteoconductive and antimicrobial components to implant coatings. These microspheres have been mixed with chitosan and bonded to titanium via alkyloxysilane reaction. Silver concentration on calcium phosphate microspheres was varied from 0 to 50% and microspheres were loaded at 30 wt.% within chitosan coatings. Increasing concentrations of silver loaded on calcium phosphate microspheres within the chemically bound coating reduces bacterial viability by up to 90% in both anaerobic and aerobic pathogenic microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus , Prevotella denticola , and Porphyromonas gingivalis . This novel coating could reduce the incidence of infection in orthopaedic and dental implant applications.
Distribution of rubidium-86 accumulated in the rabbit lens.

Serial frontal sections were made of rabbit lenses after incubation in vitro in a simplified medium containing Rb/sup 86/ The earliest accumulation and highest accumulation ratios of Rb/sup 86/ were found in sections closest to the epithelium. In these anterior sections, values exceeded the medium concentration after 10-min incubation. The lowest concentrations were found deep in the nucleus of the lens. In the presence of ouabain (7 x 10/sup -6/M) the accumulation of Rb/sup 86/ showed a marked decrease (10 to 20% of normal) at all time intervals. The accumulation was particularly affected in areas closest to the lens epithelium. When the time course of accumulation was plotted for selected segments of the lens without ouabain, the accumulation in the area closest to epithelium was reasonably linear and very much more rapid than in areas farthest removed from epithelial structures. On the other hand, under the influence of ouabain ihhibition of the transport process, interior sections were remarkably similar in Rb/sup 86/ content. In a potassiumfree medium the 50% irhibitory concentration of ouabain was 7 x 10/sup -8/M, whereas in a medium containing 5 mM K/sup +/ it was closer to 1 x 10/sup -6/M. The most active areas demonstratemore » a sensitivity to ouabain inhibition which closely resembles that of the Na-- K-activated ATPase of rabbit lens epithelium. (BBB)« less
The Evolving Challenges of Modern-Day Parenthood in Singapore

The Singapore family is strong and in a healthy state but faces potential tensions between work-family balances and societal pressures. Most Singaporeans still emphasize strong family ties and cherish family values, desiring to be parents and have more children. However the gap between reality and ideals persists. Competing priorities and responsibilities between motherhood, fatherhood and jobs pose tough challenges for parents to ensure that family commitments remain as the main anchor. My study on contemporary Singaporean couples with young children indicated that when confronted with how to value dual careers, children, and marital relationships within a changing social structure, a new model of parenthood and couple relationship is being demonstrated by most of them, even though they expressed traditional gender ideals.
Comparison of a water-soluble and a water-insoluble podophyllotoxin derivative in murine neoplasms

Comparison of a water-soluble (27–487) with a water-insoluble (VP-16-213) podophyllotoxin derivative in seven murine neoplasms revealed slight therapeutic superiority of VP-16-213 but also slightly greater toxicity when compared with 27–487. A strikingly good response of the Taper liver tumor to both compounds was observed, providing further incentive to the use of podophyllotoxin derivatives in human hepatomas.
Intellectual Property, Scientific Independence, and the Efficacy and Environmental Impacts of Genetically Engineered Crops

Neoliberalism is the political ideology behind efforts to commercialize university science. The development of genetically engineered (GE) crops has facilitated the commercialization process because GE crops generally have more restrictive intellectual property protections than conventional crops. Those restrictions have led some to question whether long-term university research and innovations are being compromised to protect short-term intellectual property interests. This concern is evident in two letters submitted by public-sector entomologists in February 2009 to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The letters asserted that scientists are prohibited from conducting fully independent research on the efficacy and environmental impact of GE crops. In response to the letter, the American Seed Trade Association (ASTA) negotiated an agreement between university scientists and seed companies to protect industry property rights while enabling university scientists to conduct research with more independence. Through a survey of public- and private-sector entomologists who are members of two regional entomologist research groups, we document scientists' perspectives on the adequacy of the ASTA agreement and whether those scientists have experienced limitations on their research projects involving efficacy and environmental impacts. Our findings show that limitations exist and that certain forms of public knowledge about crops are likely being compromised. These findings have implications for the legitimacy of current risk management institutions, as well as for future technological breakthroughs and innovations.