cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Genetic Selection and Biotechnology

The strides of technological progress in engineering and information systems have been astounding. But the advances in agriculture, livestock production, and the fisheries are also impressive. Not only is man a master of machines, but he is on his way to engineer and control “nature” as well.
COMBINED XRD-XRF IMPROVE MATERIALS CHARACTERIZATION

ABSTRACT Combining XRD with XRF allows compound as well as elemental analysis of samples. This is especially important in applications such as pollution where some compounds of an element may be health hazards while other compounds of the same element are quite harmless. In XRD, regression equations, similar to the α-coefficient equations used for XRF, can be used for quantitative analysis of multi-compund samples. A major difficulty in both XRD and XRF is the requirement to measure all the constituents in order to analyze for any one of them. This is because of the strong matrix effects, mainly absorption, which occur in both x-ray methods. The discussion will relate the current situation and some of the possibilities for the future.
What Do We Learn From Ratings About Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR)

The rise of investments professionally managed with a socially responsible mandate has generated growing interest in environmental and social ratings. However, it is not clear how informative these ratings are or whether they are distorted by greenwashing. Based on the ratings of the leading provider, I offer the first evidence linking greenwashing to ratings inflation. Better ratings do not predict less future corporate bad behavior. To understand these results, I develop a model where the rating agency may underinvest in greenwashing detection while firms have incentives to window dress and engage in greenwashing. Finally, controlling for greenwashing improves ratings quality.
Spinal Cord Injury From Spinal Tumors: Prevalence, Management, and Outcomes.

Background With the aging population in the United States, it can be anticipated that the prevalence of spinal cord injuries (SCIs) and cancer will increase. Primary or metastatic spine tumors sit at a unique intersection of these 2 realms. Our objective was to evaluate the prevalence, outcomes, and complications after the management of SCI arising from spinal tumors. Methods In the present retrospective evaluation, all patients with SCI and a diagnosis of primary or metastatic spinal cancer who had been admitted to the inpatient rehabilitation unit at a level 1 trauma center from January 2003 to January 2014 were evaluated. The demographic data (age, sex, race/ethnicity), tumor characteristics, American Spinal Injury Association score, and complications were evaluated. Results A total of 757 SCI entries were identified, and 685 unique patients met our inclusion criteria. Of those, 81 had SCIs due to spinal tumors (11.8% of all SCIs and 19.2% of nontraumatic SCIs). Most tumors were located in the thoracic region (65.4%) and were primary central nervous system in origin (21.0%), including meningioma (7.4%), schwannoma (3.7%), and ependymoma (2.5%). The next most common origins of the spinal tumors were metastases from the lung (17.3%), prostate (9.9%), kidney (8.6%), lymphoma (7.4%), and multiple myeloma (7.4%). Of these patients, 76.5% underwent surgical management, with a complications rate of 61.3%. The overall mortality rate at the latest follow-up examination was 63.0%. Conclusions SCI associated with spinal tumor is often managed surgically and associated with high rates of complications. The present study has demonstrated longer survival rates compared with the existing data.
Development of immune checkpoint therapy for cancer

Since the early 20th century, immunologists have investigated mechanisms that protect vertebrates from damaging immune responses against self-antigens by mature lymphocytes, i.e., peripheral tolerance. These mechanisms have been increasingly delineated at the molecular level, ultimately culminating in new therapeutics that have revolutionized clinical oncology. Here, we describe basic science and clinical discoveries that converge mainly on two molecules, CTLA-4 and PD-1, that were recognized with the 2018 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine awarded to James Allison and Tasuku Honjo. We discuss their investigations and those of many others in the field that contravene tolerance through checkpoint inhibition to boost immune killing of malignant cells. We also discuss the mechanisms underlying each therapy, the efficacy achieved, and the complications of therapy. Finally, we hint at research questions for the future that could widen the success of cancer immunotherapy.
The two-leg t-J ladder: a spin liquid generated by Gutzwiller projection of magnetic bands

The ground state of the two-leg Heisenberg ladder is identified as an RVB type spin liquid, which is generated by Gutzwiller projection of tight-binding bands with flux pi per plaquet. Explicit trial wave functions for the magnon and hole excitations are formulated in terms of spinons and holons.
NMRdock: Lightweight and Modular NMR Processing

NMR is a widely employed tool in chemistry, biology, and physics for the study of molecular structure and dynamics. Advances in computation have produced scores of software programs necessary for the processing and analysis of NMR data. However, the production of NMR software has been largely overseen by academic labs, each with their own preferred OS, environment, and dependencies. This lack of broader standardization and the complexity of installing and maintaining NMR-related software creates a barrier of entry into the field. To further complicate matters, as computation evolves, many aging software packages become deprecated. To reduce the barrier for newcomers and to prevent deprecation of aging software, we have created the NMRdock container. NMRdock utilizes containerization to package NMR processing and analysis programs into a single, easy-to-install Docker image that can be run on any modern OS. The current image contains two bedrock NMR data processing programs (NMRPipe and NMRFAM Sparky). However, future development of NMRdock aims to add modules for additional analysis programs to build a library of tools in a standardized and easy-to-implement manner. NMRdock is open source and free to download at https://compbiocore.github.io/nmrdock/.
Interferometric Versus Projective Measurement of Anyons

Two distinct methods for measuring topological charge in a nonabelian anyonic system have been discussed in the literature: projective measurement of a single point-like quasiparticle and interferometric measurement of the total topological charge of a group of quasiparticles. Projective measurement by definition is only applied near a point and will project to a topological charge sector near that point. Thus, if it is to be applied to a group of anyons to project to a total charge, then the anyons must first be fused one by one to obtain a single anyon carrying the collective charge. We show that interferometric measurement is strictly stronger: Any protocol involving projective measurement can be simulated at low overhead by another protocol involving only interferometric measurement.
Investigation of pulse detonation combustors — Axial turbine system

Abstract A circular array of six pulse detonation combustors is integrated to an axial turbine, to extract power from the detonative combustion process that is ignited cyclically in the array of tubes. The effect of pulsing frequency, fill fraction and rotor revolution frequency on the extracted power is ascertained. A method is presented to estimate the component thermal efficiency using experimentally acquired variables. The resulting thermal efficiency values suggest that for a regime of operating conditions, the detonation cycle is more efficient than the Brayton cycle utilizing deflagration. This range of operating conditions appears to depend on the interaction of the different sectors — that are in different operational phases due to cyclic ignition — with the turbine.
Older Workers’ Access to Employer-Sponsored Retiree Health Insurance, 2000–2006

Using a multivariate framework, we analyze trends in employer provision of retiree health insurance (RHI), eligibility for new retirees, and retiree contributions. Data come for the Medical Expenditure Panel Survey—Insurance Component (MEPS-IC). While RHI provision to existing retirees decreased, eligibility for new retirees declined even more. Contribution requirements increased between 2000 and 2006 for retirees not yet eligible for Medicare (less than 65 years of age), but remained stable for those who were eligible (65 years of age or older). These results suggest growing financial instability for retirees.
Racial Differences in Extremity Soft Tissue Sarcoma Treatment in a Universally Insured Population.

Abstract Background In prior reports from population-based databases, black patients with extremity soft tissue sarcoma (ESTS) have lower reported rates of limb-sparing surgery and adjuvant treatment. The objective of this study was to compare the multimodality treatment of ESTS between black and white patients within a universally insured and equal-access health care system. Methods Claims data from TRICARE, the US Department of Defense insurance plan that provides health care coverage for 9 million active-duty personnel, retirees, and dependents, were queried for patients younger than 65 y with ESTS who underwent limb-sparing surgery or amputation between 2006 and 2014 and identified as black or white race. Multivariable logistic regression analysis was used to evaluate the impact of race on the utilization of surgery, chemotherapy, and radiation. Results Of the 719 patients included for analysis, 605 patients (84%) were white and 114 (16%) were black. Compared with whites, blacks had the same likelihood of receiving limb-sparing surgery (odds ratio [OR], 0.861; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.284-2.611; P = 0.79), neoadjuvant radiation (OR, 1.177; 95% CI, 0.204-1.319; P = 0.34), and neoadjuvant (OR, 0.852; 95% CI, 0.554-1.311; P = 0.47) and adjuvant (OR, 1.211; 95% CI, 0.911-1.611; P = 0.19) chemotherapy; blacks more likely to receive adjuvant radiation (OR, 1.917; 95% CI, 1.162-3.162; P = 0.011). Conclusions In a universally insured population, racial differences in the rates of limb-sparing surgery for ESTS are significantly mitigated compared with prior reports. Biologic or disease factors that could not be accounted for in this study may contribute to the increased use of adjuvant radiation among black patients.
No longer bond’s girl: Historical displacements of the top female spy in 1960s taiyupian

When the 1960s Bond craze reached Taiwan, the taiyupian produced a hugely popular new archetype: the female 007. Although the films in this sub-genre evoked Bond’s code name of 007, Bond gadgets, a...
Single nucleus RNA-sequencing defines unexpected diversity of cholinergic neuron types in the adult mouse spinal cord

Abstract In vertebrates, motor control relies on cholinergic neurons in the spinal cord that have been extensively studied over the past hundred years, yet the full heterogeneity of these neurons and their different functional roles in the adult remain to be defined. Here, we developed a targeted single nuclear RNA sequencing approach and used it to identify an array of cholinergic interneurons, visceral and skeletal motor neurons. Our data expose markers for distinguishing these classes of cholinergic neurons and their extremely rich diversity. Specifically, visceral motor neurons, which provide autonomic control, could be divided into more than a dozen transcriptomic classes with anatomically restricted localization along the spinal cord. The complexity of the skeletal motor neurons was also reflected in our analysis with alpha, beta, and gamma subtypes clearly distinguished. In combination, our data provide a comprehensive transcriptomic description of this important population of neurons that control many aspects of physiology and movement and encompass the cellular substrates for debilitating degenerative disorders.
The Impact of COVID-19 on Older Adults Living with HIV: HIV Care and Psychosocial Effects.

COVID-19 continues to have a detrimental impact worldwide. Older adults living with HIV are a vulnerable group. COVID-19 may have an effect on HIV treatment outcomes and psychosocial health among o...
Observability and Reasoned Discourse: Evidence from the U.S. Senate

Many private and public institutions depend on reasoned discourse to reach decisions. Before collective action, before voting, tends to come reasoned discourse, at least in aspiration. Reformers commonly call for increases in the transparency of collective decision-making, lobbying for instance for the Supreme Court to televise proceedings. Here, we examine reasoned discourse in one important public body, the U.S. Senate, and study how increasing transparency through the introduction of C-SPAN changed legislative discourse. We find that the introduction of C-SPAN encouraged member discourse to herd with co-partisans and to anti-herd with cross-partisans; it also appears to have led to the restructuring of Senate time to facilitate performative speech. Suggesting the information problems and career incentives at play, these herding and anti-herding effects seem strongest for those closest to an election and for those with less sophisticated constituencies.
The Authenticity of Machine-Augmented Human Intelligence: Therapy, Enhancement, and the Extended Mind

Ethical analyses of biomedical human enhancement often consider the issue of authenticity — to what degree can the accomplishments of those utilizing biomedical enhancements (including cognitive or athletic ones) be considered authentic or worthy of praise? As research into Brain-Computer Interface (BCI) technology progresses, it may soon be feasible to create a BCI device that enhances or augments natural human intelligence through some invasive or noninvasive biomedical means. In this article we will (1) review currently existing BCI technologies and to what extent these can be said to enhance or augment the capabilities of the respective users, (2) describe one hypothetical type of BCI device that could augment or enhance a specific aspect of human knowledge — namely, mathematical ability, and (3) relate these concepts to the active externalism view of the extended mind as espoused by Clark and Chalmers in order to (4) argue that knowledge of mathematics derived from the usage of a BCI and the application thereof constitutes authentic knowledge and achievement.
(Cultural) Humility in Practice: Engaging First-Generation College Students

Among the 20 million students nationwide enrolled in colleges in the fall of 2019, one-third were first-generation college students (FGCS). The college years spark life transitions for all students...
Examining the effects of the medicaid expansion on uncompensated care and DSH payments

OBJECTIVE The study aimed to estimate the effect of the Affordable Care Act (ACA) Medicaid expansion on safety-net hospital uncompensated care. Data from a balanced panel of short-term, general, nonfederal, Medicare-certified hospitals were obtained from Medicare cost reports from 2011 to 2014. STUDY DESIGN Difference-in-differences and logistic analyses were performed using hospitals in non-expansion states as the control group. The dependent variable was hospital provision of uncompensated care. The data came from the National Bureau of Economic Research website. PARTICIPANTS Medicaid-expanded and non-Medicaid-expanded population. INTERVENTION Medicaid expansion. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES Improve fiscal measures on Disproportionate Share Hospitals (DSH) and understand the effects of Medicaid expansion on hospital operations. RESULTS Medicaid expansion significantly reduced hospital provision of uncompensated care in 2014. In particular, within expansion states, DSH hospitals saw reductions beyond those experienced by non-DSH hospitals. CONCLUSIONS This study indicates that the Medicaid expansion increased access to Medicaid insurance. Expanded states showed a decrease in uncompensated care in comparison to non-expanded states. However, although a decrease in uncompensated care is apparent, hospitals in expanded states did not decrease their costs, which raises further questions about whether Medicaid expansion had a direct effect on hospital service costs.
Index of multi-determinantal and multi-reference character in coupled-cluster theory.

A full configuration interaction calculation (FCI) ultimately defines the innate molecular orbital description of a molecule. Its density matrix and the natural orbitals obtained from it quantify the difference between having N-dominantly occupied orbitals in a reference determinant for a wavefunction to describe N-correlated electrons and how many of those N-electrons are left to the remaining virtual orbitals. The latter provides a measure of the multi-determinantal character (MDC) required to be in a wavefunction. MDC is further split into a weak correlation part and a part that indicates stronger correlation often called multi-reference character (MRC). If several virtual orbitals have high occupation numbers, then one might argue that these additional orbitals should be allowed to have a larger role in the calculation, as in MR methods, such as MCSCF, MR-CI, or MR-coupled-cluster (MR-CC), to provide adequate approximations toward the FCI. However, there are problems with any of these MR methods that complicate the calculations compared to the uniformity and ease of application of single-reference CC calculations (SR-CC) and their operationally single-reference equation-of-motion (EOM-CC) extensions. As SR-CC theory is used in most of today’s “predictive” calculations, an assessment of the accuracy of SR-CC at some truncation of the cluster operator would help to quantify how large an issue MRC actually is in a calculation, and how it might be alleviated while retaining the convenient SR computational character of CC/EOM-CC. This paper defines indices that identify MRC situations and help assess how reliable a given calculation is.
Analysis of in court malpractice litigation following pancreatic surgery.

Abstract Background Pancreatic operations are technically complex with a significant risk of morbidity and mortality. Analysis of litigation following surgery can disclose avoidable errors. Methods Two legal databases, Westlaw and Lexis Nexis, were queried for jury verdicts, settlements and appeal cases in the United States related to pancreatic surgery and malpractice between 1980 and 2020. Results Thirty-four cases were analyzed. Pancreaticoduodenectomy (n = 22, 65%) was the most common procedure litigated. Claims most commonly involved malpractice in the postoperative (n = 16) setting. The most common claims were failure to diagnose or treat postoperative complications (n = 16), lack of informed consent (n = 9), and wrongful indication for surgery (n = 8). Seven cases involved incorrect diagnosis of pancreatic cancer. Attending surgeons were the main provider named in the medical malpractice claim in 25 (74%) of the cases. Resident surgeons were named in 5 cases (15%). Half of the cases (n = 17) involved patient deaths. The court ruled in favor of the defendant in 75% of the cases, and the plaintiff in 12.5%. Median payout for settlements and plaintiff verdicts was 783,304 USD (interquartile range (IQR) 1,034,046). Mean time from incident to final disposition was 6.4 years (±3.3). Conclusions Obtaining an accurate preoperative diagnosis may decrease malpractice litigation following pancreatic surgery. By raising awareness to unsafe practices and identifying vulnerable periods of care, these data may serve to enhance provider performance as well as improve patient safety.
If You Build It, Will It Know?

Understanding Intelligence. Rolf Pfeifer and Christian Scheier. MIT Press, Cambridge, MA, 1999. 717 pp. $60. ISBN 0-262-16181-8. Pfeifer and Scheier provide a comprehensive introduction to embodied cognitive science that will be particularly helpful for people interested in building robots as part of their research into the processes of intelligence.
Defining Constructs and Assessment Design

This chapter describes the evolution of constructs and illustrates current construct issues that affect the design of second language assessments. To understand the term construct better, the chapter begins with historical overviews presented from two perspectives. First, educational and psychological measurement ideas are reviewed in terms of the Standards for Educational and Psychological Testing (the Standards). The Standards have represented a consensus among American scholars and practitioners on what information is most helpful and important for guiding the development and use of tests. Second, language testing ideas are reviewed using the Standards as a backdrop. In both overviews, we can see shifts in meaning that have led to our current state. The second part of the chapter discusses four inter-related issues that affect current and future designs of second language assessments: the relationship among measure, construct, and theory; a move away from the 1999 Standards view of construct validity and toward an argument-based approach; the way one's worldview affects the construct definition; and the way the inferences we want to make from test scores are influenced by the test developer's view both of the world and of validity. By better understanding the various meanings of construct in second language assessment, test score users, students, and researchers alike should be alerted to look beyond the term itself, and examine the nuances of its use. As test developers adopt an argument-based approach to validity, they should be aware that constructs are not always necessary in assessment design, but if they are included there is a responsibility to define them in relation to a model or a theory, and to examine the predicted relations. Keywords: Assessment evaluation; Assessment methods; Northern America
The veratrum alkaloids: Natural tools for studying embryonic development

Abstract Holoprosencephaly is a malformation sequence in which impaired midline cleavage of the embryonic forebrain is the defining feature and cyclopia is the most severe manifestation. Of the teratogenic agents known to induce holoprosencephaly in mammals, the Veratrum alkaloids ( e.g. , jervine and cyclopamine) are the most prominent. Malformations observed in a variety of mammals include cyclopia, hypotelorism, cebocephaly, cleft palate, exencephaly, and encephalocele. Animal models currently favored for studying the defect include hamsters and chick embryos. Structure-terata research has revealed that the presence of C-5, C-6 unsaturation in the steroidal framework of jervanes, solanidanes, and spirosolanes is a critical structural factor in the induction of teratogenicity. Enhanced teratogenicity induced when C-5, C-6 is an olefinic linkage may imply either that this functionality contributes significantly to complex stability at a receptor site or that an α,β-unsaturated ketone metabolically generated from a C-5, C-6 unsaturated steroidal alkaloid reacts more readily at the relevant receptor than a saturated ketone of a cyclohexanone moiety. Recently, proteins secreted by the Sonic hedgehog gene have been implicated as being essential for the proper development of the mammalian neural tube and forebrain. Another malformation related to holoprosencephaly, but that is less severe, is the Smith-Lemli-Opitz syndrome that is associated with a lack of cholesterol in embryonic development. The application of the Veratrum alkaloids in revealing and defining the intricacies of Hedgehog signalling may permit manipulation of the signalling in the identification of therapeutic approaches where Hedgehog-responsive cell types are the targets of disease processes.
Mesophilic cellulolytic clostridia from freshwater environments.

Abstract Eight strains of obligately anaerobic, mesophilic, cellulolytic bacteria were isolated from mud of freshwater environments. The isolates (C strains) were rod-shaped, gram negative, and formed terminal spherical to oval spores that swelled the sporangium. The guanine plus cytosine content of the DNA of the C strains ranged from 30.7 to 33.2 mol% (midpoint of thermal denaturation). The C strains fermented cellulose with formation primarily of acetate, ethanol, CO2, and H2. Reducing sugars accumulated in the supernatant fluid of cultures which initially contained ≥0.4% (wt/vol) cellulose. The C strains resembled Clostridium cellobioparum in some phenotypic characteristics and Clostridium papyrosolvens in others, but they were not identical to either of these species. The C strains differed from thermophilic cellulolytic clostridia (e.g., Clostridium thermocellum) not only in growth temperature range but also because they fermented xylan and five-carbon products of plant polysaccharide hydrolysis such as d-xylose and l-arabinose. At 40°C, cellulose was degraded by cellulolytic mesophilic cells (strain C7) at a rate comparable to that at which C. thermocellum degrades cellulose at 60°C. Substrate utilization and growth temperature data indicated that the C strains contribute to the anaerobic breakdown of plant polymers in the environments they inhabit.
Prescriptive Water Rights in California and the Necessity for a Valid Statutory Appropriation

ORE THAN a quarter of a century has elapsed since the California Legislature declared that no right to appropriate or use' water subject to appropriation could be acquired except upon compliance with the statutory permit procedure.2 It seems surprising that during the intervening years the California courts have never been called upon to determine the relationship of this statute to the acquisition of a prescriptive right to the use of water based only upon adverse use for a period sufficient to bar a cause of action to protect an existing right. This subject cannot indefinitely escape judicial inquiry. A literal interpretation and full application of the statute would require that as a prerequisite to acquisition of a prescriptive water right, a permit to appropriate water be issued to the adverse user. However, since the view has been expressed that the statute should not be given such interpretation and application, and that it does not affect prescriptive water rights based only upon adverse use,' further analysis is justified.
The Faculty Development Portfolio: A Framework for Documenting the Professional Development of Faculty Developers

Portfolios are used for a variety of purposes in higher education. Two such purposes are the documentation of one's professional development for others and the improvement of one's own performance over time. This article discusses the concept of the faculty development portfolio and, in doing so, outlines the work of faculty development professionals. It also identifies characteristics of effective faculty development professionals and defines the steps involved in creating a faculty development portfolio. These steps include how to conceptualize, gather, and present evidence of items that can be used as a framework for faculty developers to consider when documenting their professional development for summative and formative purposes.
The Limits of Strength

In the usual case the strength of a crystalline material is determined by the motion of defects such as dislocations or cracks that are present within it. Materials scientists control strength by modifying the microstructure of the material to eliminate defects or flaws and inhibit the motion of dislocations. There is, however, an ultimate limit to the strength that can be obtained in this way. The mechanical stresses that are not relieved by plastic deformation or fracture are supported by elastic deformation, which is, essentially, the stretching of the interatomic bonds. These bonds have finite strength. There is a value of the stress at which bonding itself becomes unstable and the material must fracture or deform, whatever its microstructure. This elastic instability sets an upper bound on mechanical strength that cannot be exceeded, however creative a scientist may be.
The Potter's Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery

The Potter's Eye: Art and Tradition in North Carolina Pottery.. MARKHEWITT AND NANCY SWEEZY. Chapel Hill: University of North Carolina Press, 2005. 296 pp.
Cardiovascular morphogenesis in zebrafish

Much of our current understanding of early vertebrate cardiovascular development has come from study of avian and amphibian embryos (for a review of classical work on early specification of the heart, see Ref. [l]). The physical accessibility of these embryos and their developing cardiovascular tissues has made it possible to begin to examine the inductive interactions leading to heart formation. However, these organisms are relatively intractable to genetic analysis. Genetic screens have been instrumental in providing the tools to dissect complex developmental processes in invertebrates such as Drosophila melanogaster and C. elegans [2,3], but vertebrates more amenable to genetic analysis, notably the mouse, have embryos that develop inside the mother and are relatively inaccessible to observation and experimental manipulation, precluding screening for mutations affecting cardiovascular development. The zebrafish, Danio rerio, is a small tropical freshwater cyprinid with an approximately 3-month generation time. Adult fish measure approximately 1.5 inches in length, allowing large numbers of fish to be maintained economically in a relatively small space (Fig. 1A). Females produce several hundred eggs at frequent intervals, and the eggs are externally fertilized, so embryos are available for observation and experimental manipulation at all stages. In addition, the embryos are optically transparent until relatively late in embryogenesis, making it possible to observe development of internal organs directly and non-invasively (Fig. lC>. We have begun to explore whether the zebrafish might serve as a tractable model system for a combined embryologic and genetic analysis of cardiovascular development. In this review we describe particulars of the developing cardiovascular system in zebrafish and experimental and genetic methods that have been or could be applied to its study, and we illustrate the similarity of early cardiovascular development in zebrafish to that of mammals.
Comparison of Messenger RNA in Photoperiodically Induced and Noninduced Xanthium Buds

In response to the floral stimulus, Xanthium buds synthesize relatively more messenger RNA than do vegetative buds. This is demonstrated by fractionation, on methylated albumin-kieselguhr columns, of a mixture of nucleic acids from vegetative and induced buds, one being labeled with uridine-H(3) and the other with uridine-2-C(14). While floral induction stimulates a small increase in messenger RNA synthesis as revealed by labeling intact plants, this difference can be magnified by labeling excised buds in solution. From experiments with excised buds from Xanthium plants, it is concluded that buds from photoperiodically induced plants contain more messenger RNA than buds from noninduced ones do.
Trauma-Focused Cognitive Behavior Therapy for School Psychologists.

Schools are ideal settings for identifying children and adolescents who have been exposed to traumatic events. They are also ideal for providing evidence-based mental health services, such as traum...
Soil retention of 15 N in a simulated N deposition study: effects of live plant and soil organic matter content

The impacts of atmospheric nitrogen (N) deposition on terrestrial ecosystem processes remain controversial, mostly because of the uncertainty regarding the fates of deposited N. We conducted a 16-week simulated deposition study to experimentally trace N in a greenhouse plant-soil system. Using a two-way factorial design, we added (15NH4)2SO4 solution twice a week to pots containing different soil organic matter (SOM) content and with or without a live plant (Salix dasyclados). The recoveries of 15N in soil, plant biomass, and leaching solution were quantified. We found most 15N was retained in soil (18.0–59.2%), with significantly more 15N recovered from high-SOM soils than from low-SOM soils. Plant presence significantly increased 15N retention in soil. Plant biomass accounted for 10–20% of the 15N input, with proportionally more 15N assimilated when plants were grown in low-SOM soils. Leaching loss of 15N was relatively low (10–17%). Our study suggests that SOM content and plant presence significantly affect the fates of deposited N. Indeed, N would be preferentially retained in soils with high SOM content and live plant, while plants would assimilate more deposited N when grown in low SOM soils. Global biogeochemical models thus need to incorporate such soil-specific N retention and plant N assimilation.
A Method for Detection of Complement Cleavage in Gingival Fluid

A sensitive method is described for detection of C3 cleavage in gingival fluid taken from sites of both normal and inflamed gingiva. Preliminary data suggest a direct relationship between C3 conversion and the presence of periodontal disease.
“It could have been you”: How states exploit counterfactual thought to market lotteries

Why do so many people spend so much of their hard-earned money playing the lottery? Why do so many people keep at it week after losing week? We explore the possible roles of certain internal and external factors in this behavior. The internal factor is the process of counterfactual thinking (CFT)—that is, imagining what might have been or might still be, or comparing reality (the facts; what is) with what might have been or might still be. The external factor we examine is lottery advertising, which we argue often exploits the normal human capacity for counterfactual thinking. More specifically, we discuss how an inherent feature of virtually all lottery purchases—negative outcome—tends to induce CFT, and how certain cognitive features of counterfactual thinking—such as its salience and degree of absurdity—are manipulated by lottery advertising. We also discuss how certain affective features of lottery-related counterfactual thinking—high personal involvement, direction of CFT, affective assimilation and contrast effects of CFT, and perceived proximity of actual outcome to counterfactual alternatives—are exploited by lottery advertising. We conclude with implications for research and public policy. © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.
Gene therapy for prostate cancer at the University of California, Los Angeles : preliminary results and future directions

The treatment options for patients with advanced prostate cancer are limited. Because of recent advances in the understanding of the molecular biology of prostate cancer, the accessibility of the prostate for injection, and the availability of gene promotors that allow tissue-specific expression of therapeutic gene products, gene therapy for prostate cancer has realized significant achievements in recent years. What once belonged to the realm of basic science is now entering the domain of phase II clinical trials. In this review, current results and future directions in prostate gene therapy at the University of California, Los Angeles, are discussed.
Nine-Year Risk of Depression Diagnosis Increases With Increasing Self-Reported Concussions in Retired Professional Football Players

Background:Concussions may accelerate the progression to long-term mental health outcomes such as depression in athletes.Purpose:To prospectively determine the effects of recurrent concussions on the clinical diagnosis of depression in a group of retired football players.Study Design:Cohort study; Level of evidence, 2.Methods:Members of the National Football League Retired Players Association responded to a baseline General Health Survey (GHS) in 2001. They also completed a follow-up survey in 2010. Both surveys asked about demographic information, number of concussions sustained during their professional football career, physical/mental health, and prevalence of diagnosed medical conditions. A physical component summary (Short Form 36 Measurement Model for Functional Assessment of Health and Well-Being [SF-36 PCS]) was calculated from responses for physical health. The main exposure, the history of concussions during the professional playing career (self-report recalled in 2010), was stratified into 5 ca...
Psychologist Impairment: What Is It, How Can It Be Prevented, and What Can Be Done to Address It?

Research indicates that psychologists self-report a variety of problems related to their personal and professional functioning, such as depression, substance abuse, and burnout. These difficulties not only lead to psychologist distress, but can also result in impairment and have a negative effect on
Sustainable transport planning and the Dublin transportation initiative

Abstract The concept of sustainability has become a significant consideration in planning in Europe and the US. At both the international and the national level, urban planners and policymakers have developed a package of policies designed to produce sustainable growth and development. In transport, this has been interpreted to mean that we need to increase accessibility while we reduce mobility by shifting trips from automobile to walking, bicycle or public transport modes. Using this criteria, the latest Dublin transport plan has been found to be only partially effective. Similar to many American transport plans, the DTI has opted for the infrastructure‐related sustainability policies and avoided the less popular economic disincentives.
Stacking recommendation engines with additional meta-features

In this paper, we apply stacking, an ensemble learning method, to the problem of building hybrid recommendation systems. We also introduce the novel idea of using runtime metrics which represent properties of the input users/items as additional meta-features, allowing us to combine component recommendation engines at runtime based on user/item characteristics. In our system, component engines are level-1 predictors, and a level-2 predictor is learned to generate the final prediction of the hybrid system. The input features of the level-2 predictor are predictions from component engines and the runtime metrics. Experimental results show that our system outperforms each single component engine as well as a static hybrid system. Our method has the additional advantage of removing restrictions on component engines that can be employed; any engine applicable to the target recommendation task can be easily plugged into the system.
Root Multiplicities of the Indefinite Kac–Moody Algebras of Symplectic Type

We study the root multiplicities of the indefinite Kac–Moody algebras by viewing them as weight multiplicities of certain integrable -modules. Then using Kang's root multiplicity formula and the path crystal for integrable -modules we calculate the multiplicities of a family of roots for . In particular, we show that for any positive integer k the multiplicity of − 2α−1 − kδ as a root of is a polynomial in n of degree at most k. Furthermore, we observe that Frenkel's conjectured root multiplicity bound does not hold for roots of .
Organizational viscosity and the diffusion of controversial innovations

This paper draws on the biological work of Boorman and Levitt's Genetics of Altruism to develop a model of diffusion in organizations specifically when the innovation being diffused is controversial. By “controversial”, I mean an innovation whose value (and subsequent adoption) is socially determined and not rationally determined ‐ that is, there is no exogenous superior or inferior quality to the innovation that determines its eventual adoption. The purpose of this paper is to model the conditions under which the innovation may come to dominate the organization. The results parallel those of Boorman and Levitt's: (1) In a large undifferentiated organization, no controversial innovation can survive unless it begins with a large proportion of believers in the innovation. (2) However, there are structural conditions under which even a very small minority of innovators can take over a large organization. Contrary to intuition and some of the literature on innovation, these conditions that lead to unexpected ...
Impact of midtrimester dilation and evacuation on subsequent pregnancy outcome.

Abstract Objective: This study was undertaken to evaluate the impact of second-trimester dilation and evacuation (DE187:882-5.)
Time moments and Markov parameters of composite systems

A theorem is given to show that a reduced-order composite system, formed from the interconnection of a number of reduced-order models that are Pade-type approximants of some subsystems, matches the initial time moments and Markov parameters of the composite system formed from the interconnection of these subsystems. Thus the reduced-order composite system has the same tracking properties as the original composite system.
Inferences Regarding the Personality Traits and Sexual Orientation of Physically Androgynous People

Three studies investigated inferences about physically androgynous (PA) people. In Experiments 1 and 2, participants rated the personality, gender-role behavior, occupation, and sexual orientation ...
The pedagogy of facilitation: teacher inquiry as professional development in a Florida elementary school

Teacher inquiry is a powerful professional development method for teachers to direct their own learning and focus on the particular needs of their own classroom. Yet, the study of effective professional development must broaden its focus beyond what skills and content teachers must acquire to consider how to best facilitate teachers' learning and empower them as professionals. This qualitative study examines the pedagogy of facilitation by following the experiences of six first‐time teacher inquirers and the veteran facilitator that guided them through the inquiry process. The results shed light on the various stages of participants' experiences and the facilitation methods that proved effective at each stage.
Solid-state RF noise source

RF noise may be generated by driving a step-recovery diode with an RF CW signal. Experiments resulting in watts of VHF noise are described.
Recognizing 2013 Manuscript Reviewers

Scrutiny and critique of submitted papers largely determines the quality of the journal. Willing reviewers are not hard to find, and we are fortunate to have reviewers that provide good suggestions to improve the paper. To do that well, reviewers have to spend several hours of their time and such a comprehensive review is often decisive. Peer reviewers greatly guide the editors. We appreciate this commitment.
How does multiple testing correction work

When prioritizing hits from a high-throughput experiment, it is important to correct for random events that falsely appear significant. How is this done and what methods should be used?
Indexing and retrieval of scientific literature

The web has greatly improved access to scientific literature. However, scientific articles on the web are largely disorganized, with research articles being spread across archive sites, institution sites, journal sites, and researcher homepages. No index covers all of the available literature, and the major web search engines typically do not index the content of Postscript/PDF documents at all. This paper discusses the creation of digital libraries of scientific literature on the web, including the efficient location of articles, full-text indexing of the articles, autonomous citation indexing, information extraction, display of query-sensitive summaries and citation context, hubs and authorities computation, similar document detection, user profiling, distributed error correction, graph analysis, and detection of overlapping documents. The software for the system is available at no cost for non-commercial use.
Gamow-Teller sum rules and ground-state correlations

Abstract New sum rules are derived for separate total (n,p) and (p,n) Gamow-Teller strengths and are used in an analysis of the total GT strength and the ground-state occupation-number distribution in 208 Pb.
Reactivity of the glycocalyx of endocarditis-producing viridans group streptococci

We correlated quantity of streptococcal polysaccharides and endocarditis production by those bacterial strains. To investigate this finding further, we studied the composition of the glycocalyx using a spectrophotometric assay and lectin analysis of exopolysaccharides from endocarditis- and non-endocarditis-producing strains of viridans streptococci. Identical weights of glycocalyx from the clinical endocarditis isolates produced significantly different absorbances as compared with the nonendocarditis isolates (P < 0.0012, Wilcoxon rank test). Lectin-binding experiments showed that endocarditis-producing streptococci contained increased amounts of glucose, galactose, sialic acid, and mannose. These data suggest that the glycocalyx of endocarditis-producing viridans streptococci is both qualitatively and quantitatively different from non-endocarditis-producing isolates. These differences can be measured in vitro.
α-SNAP inhibits AMPK signaling to reduce mitochondrial biogenesis and dephosphorylates Thr172 in AMPKα in vitro

The AMP-activated protein kinase (AMPK) regulates metabolism in normal and pathological conditions and responds to nutrients, hormones, anti-diabetic drugs and physical exercise. AMPK is activated by the kinase LKB1 and inactivated by phosphatases whose identities remain uncertain. Here we show that AMPK associates with α-SNAP, an adapter that enables disassembly of cis-SNARE complexes formed during membrane fusion. Knockdown of α-SNAP activates AMPK to phosphorylate its endogenous substrates acetyl CoA carboxylase and Raptor, and provokes mitochondrial biogenesis. AMPK phosphorylation is rescued from α-SNAP RNA interference by LKB1 knockdown or expression of wild-type but not mutated α-SNAP. Recombinant wild-type but not mutated α-SNAP dephosphorylates pThr172 in AMPKα in vitro. Overexpression of wild-type but not mutated α-SNAP prevents AMPK activation in cells treated with agents to elevate AMP concentration. The mouse α-SNAP mutant hyh (hydrocephalus with hop gait) shows enhanced binding and inhibition of AMPK. By negatively controlling AMPK, α-SNAP therefore potentially coordinates membrane trafficking and metabolism.
Primitive neuroectodermal tumor in a 57-year-old man

Primitive neuroectodermal tumors are rare cerebral neoplasms previously described only in children and young adults. This report describes such a tumor arising in the left frontal lobe of a 57-year-old man. After surgical resection and radiation therapy to the primary site, the patient developed extensive central nervous system metastases that led to his death. The histopathologic, radiographic, and clinical features of this case suggest that future therapeutic protocols for primitive neuroectodermal tumor should be similar to those for childhood medulloblastoma or neuroblastoma.