cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
“A Forgotten Human Rights Crisis”: Statelessness and Issue (Non)Emergence

Despite international laws guaranteeing the right to a nationality, statelessness remains a pervasive global problem that has been termed a “forgotten human rights crisis.” The issue highlights an important question for scholars that has not yet received enough attention: Why do some issues make it onto the international agenda while others do not? This study examines the characteristics necessary for successful issue emergence, or the step in the process of mobilization when a preexisting grievance is transformed from a problem into an issue. Using qualitative data from interviews with 21 decision makers at leading human rights and humanitarian non-governmental organizations, the study highlights shortcomings in the existing literature and provides additional explanations for issue emergence (or non-emergence). Statelessness serves as a case study for better understanding this process, and the article ends with specific recommendations for addressing key obstacles to its full emergence within the international community.
A benthic foraminiferal record of middle to late Pliocene (3.15-2.85 Ma) deep water change in the North Atlantic

Abstract Records of benthic foraminifera from North Atlantic DSDP Site 607 and Hole 610A indicate changes in deep water conditions through the middle to late Pliocene (3.15 to 2.85 Ma). Quantitative analyses of modern associations in the North Atlantic indicate that seven species, Fontbotia wuellerstorfi, Cibicidoides kullenbergi, Uvigerina peregrina, Nuttallides umboniferus, Melonis pompilioides, Globocassidulina subglobosa and Epistominella exigua are useful for paleoenvironmental interpretation. The western North Atlantic basin (Site 607) was occupied by North Atlantic Deep Water (NADW) until ~2.88 Ma. At that time, N. umboniferus increased, indicating an influx of Southern Ocean Water (SOW). The eastern North Atlantic basin (Hole 610A) was occupied by a relatively warm water mass, possibly Northeastern Atlantic Deep Water (NEADW), through ~2.94 Ma when SOW more strongly influenced the site. These interpretations are consistent with benthic δ18O and δ13C records from 607 and 610A (Raymo et al., 1992). The results presented in this paper suggest that the North Atlantic was strongly influenced by northern component deep water circulation until 2.90–2.95 Ma. After that there was a transition toward a glacially driven North Atlantic circulation more strongly influenced by SOW associated with the onset of Northern Hemisphere glaciation. The circulation change follows the last significant SST and atmospheric warming prior to ~2.6 Ma.
Simulation of Carbon Nanotube Pull-outWhen Bonded to a Polymer Matrix

Abstract : A carbon nanotube pulling through a polyethylene matrix was simulated using molecular dynamics. The interfacial sliding was characterized in terms of a nanoscale friction model, which is parametrized from the molecular dynamics simulation, and involves determining the critical pull-out force on the nanotube and the effective viscosity at the nanotube/polymer interface. Comparison was made of the pull-out behavior of non-bonded and functionalized nanotube composites. Chemical bonds between the polymer and the nanotube increased the critical pull-out force, the resistance to interfacial sliding, and the interfacial viscosity.
Applying the common sense model to measure representations of arsenic contaminated well water.

Theory-based research is needed to understand how people respond to environmental health risk information. Both the common sense model (CSM) of self-regulation and the mental models approach propose that information shapes individuals' personal understandings that, in turn, influence their decisions and actions. We compare these frameworks and explain how the CSM was applied to describe and measure mental representations of arsenic contaminated well water. Educational information, key informant interviews, and environmental risk literature were used to develop survey items to measure dimensions of cognitive representations (identity, cause, timeline, consequences, control) and emotional representations. Surveys mailed to 1,067 private well users with moderate and elevated arsenic levels yielded an 84 % response rate (n = 897). Exploratory and confirmatory factor analyses of data from the elevated arsenic group identified a factor structure that retained the CSM representational structure and was consisten...
Triple resonance solid state NMR experiments with reduced dimensionality evolution periods.

Abstract Two solid state NMR triple resonance experiments which utilize the simultaneous incrementation of two chemical shift evolution periods to obtain a spectrum with reduced dimensionality are described. The CO N CA experiment establishes the correlation of 13Ci−1 to 13Cαi and 15Ni by simultaneously encoding the 13COi−1 and 15Ni chemical shifts. The CA N COCA experiment establishes the correlation 13Cai and 15COi to 13Cαi−1 and 15Ni−1 within a single experiment by simultaneous encoding of the 13Cαi and 15Ni chemical shifts. This experiment establishes sequential amino acid correlations in close analogy to the solution state HNCA experiment. Reduced dimensionality 2D experiments are a practical alternative to recording multiple 3D data sets for the purpose of obtaining sequence-specific resonance assignments of peptides and proteins in the solid state.
Effectiveness of a 'hunter' virus in controlling human immunodeficiency virus type 1 infection.

Engineered therapeutic viruses provide an alternative method for treating infectious diseases, and mathematical models can clarify the system's dynamics underlying this type of therapy. In particular, this study developed models to evaluate the potential to contain human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1) infection using a genetically engineered ‘hunter’ virus that kills HIV-1-infected cells. First, we constructed a novel model for understanding the progression of HIV infection that predicted the loss of the immune system's CD4+ T cells across time. Subsequently, it determined the effects of introducing hunter viruses in restoring cell population. The model implemented direct and indirect mechanisms by which HIV-1 may cause cell depletion and an immune response. Results suggest that the slow progression of HIV infection may result from a slowly decaying CTL immune response, leading to a limited but constant removal of uninfected CD4 resting cells through apoptosis – and from resting cell proliferation that reduces the rate of cell depletion over time. Importantly, results show that the hunter virus does restrain HIV infection and has the potential to allow major cell recovery to ‘functional’ levels. Further, the hunter virus persisted at a reduced HIV load and was effective either early or late in the infection. This study indicates that hunter viruses may halt the progression of the HIV infection by restoring and sustaining high CD4+ T-cell levels.
Use of Antibiotic Susceptibility Patterns and Pulsed-Field Gel Electrophoresis To Compare Historic and Contemporary Isolates of Multi-Drug-Resistant Salmonella enterica subsp. enterica Serovar Newport

Recently, multi-drug-resistant (MDR) Salmonella enterica subspecies enterica serovar Newport reemerged as a public and animal health problem. The antibiotic resistance of 198 isolates and the pulsed-field gel electrophoresis patterns (PFGE) of 139 isolates were determined. Serovar Newport isolates collected between 1988 and 2001 were included in the study. One hundred seventy-eight isolates were collected from the San Joaquin valley in California and came from dairy cattle clinical samples, human clinical samples, bulk tank milk samples, fecal samples from preweaned calves, and waterways. Twenty clinical isolates from humans from various regions of the United States were also included in the study. Resistance to 18 antibiotics was determined using a disk diffusion assay. PFGE patterns were determined using a single enzyme (XbaI). The PFGE and antibiogram patterns were described using cluster analysis. Although the antibiotic resistance patterns of historic (1988 to 1995) and contemporary (1999 to 2001) isolates were similar, the contemporary isolates differed from the historic isolates by being resistant to cephalosporins and florfenicol and in their general sensitivity to kanamycin and neomycin. With few exceptions, the contemporary isolates clustered together and were clearly separated from the historic isolates. One PFGE-antibiogram cluster combination was predominant for the recent isolates, which were taken from human samples from all parts of the United States, as well as in the isolates from California, indicating a rapid dissemination of this phenotypic strain. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that the reemergence of MDR serovar Newport is not simply an acquisition of further antibiotic resistance genes by the historic isolates but reflects a different genetic lineage.
Role of Style of Learning and Thinking and Self Directed Learning Readiness in the Achievement of Gifted Students

This study explores relationships between measures of style of information processing and readiness for self-directed study and failure of identified gifted students to achieve at a level commensurate with their measured intellectual abilities. The subjects were 148 identified gifted students (grades 4-7) classified by their teachers according to achievement level (below expectations, at expectation level, above expectations). Subjects were administered Torrance and McCarthy's “Your Style of Learning and Thinking” and Guglielmino's “Readiness for Self Directed Learning.” Three-way analyses of variance revealed significant main effects for the three achievement groups on the Right and Integrated Style scales but not on the Left Style scale and self directed learning readiness. Low achievers scored high on the Right Scale and low on the Integrated Scale.
Are there always synergies between productive resources and resource deployment capabilities

While the independent impacts of particular firm resources and deployment capabilities on firm performance are unambiguous cornerstones of the strategy field, it is commonly assumed that their joint impacts are synergistic. This article seeks to understand whether this common misconception of resource-based theory can be refuted empirically. Using data from hospitals conducting specialist surgery, I find hospital performance improves independently through better surgical resource quality and from more use of a streamlined form of resource management in which overall patient team leadership and operating team leadership are held by the same physician. Generally the interaction of these two firm activities had no impact on performance. These results contribute to the strategy field's understanding of whether and when internal fit affects performance, clarifying an incorrect inference commonly made about resource-based theory.
SEROLOGIC AND PARASITOLOGIC SURVEY OF THE ENDANGERED ATTWATER'S PRAIRIE CHICKEN

Because conservation biologists have postulated that infectious diseases may have potentiated the endangerment of the Attwater's prairie chicken (Tympanuchus cupido attwateri), free-living prairie chickens were surveyed from all remaining populations for helminthic endoparasites and antibody against the etiological agents of nine infectious diseases. Samples from 4 of 27 adult males were positive for anti-Pasteurella multocida antibody. All other serologic tests were negative (n = 19). We identified Dispharynx nasuta, a parasite previously associated with disease in other grouse from North America, in one of three adult Attwater's prairie chickens examined. Evidence of Tmichostrongylus cramae was found for eight of nine suitable samples, which represents the first report of this parasite in prairie grouse. The mean intensity of T. cramae in Attwater's prairie chicken was 1,019.3 (Range = 3-1,906; n = 3). Further work is needed to determine whether P. multocida, T. cramae, or D. nasuta are detrimental to A...
Fuzzy control for closed-loop, patient-specific hypnosis in intraoperative patients: A simulation study

Research has demonstrated the efficacy of closed-loop control of anesthesia using bispectral index (BIS) as the controlled variable, and the recent development of modelbased, patient-adaptive systems has considerably improved anesthetic control. To further explore the use of model-based control in anesthesia, we investigated the application of fuzzy control in the delivery of patient-specific propofol-induced hypnosis. In simulated intraoperative patients, the fuzzy controller demonstrated clinically acceptable performance, suggesting that further study is warranted.
Victims, punishment, and parole: the effect of victim participation on parole hearings

Research Summary: Past research has indicated that victim participation has had little impact on sentence outcomes. In contrast, the current study examined parole hearings in Alabama to determine if, and how, victim participation is related to parole decision making. Results indicate that victim and offender participation are significantly related to parole hearing outcomes. The findings of the current study indicate that victim influence, not institutional behavior or participation in rehabilitation programs, is a highly predictive factor in the decision to grant or deny parole. The study concludes that victim participation impacts parole release decisions and identifies the relative importance of oral versus written participatory involvement and the point at which participation begins to affect decision making. The study also examines the causal relationships existing among victim participation variables, offender characteristics, and general parole predictors and parole decision making. Policy Implications: This study points out the importance of making victims aware of the impact of their presence and participation in parole hearings. The more letters of protest in an offender's file, the more persons protesting at an offender's hearing and the more likely that parole will be denied. The findings of this current study make it clear that victim participation influences the parole board's decisions at the parole release hearing. This study also raises another important issue. To what extent will parole boards allow victim influence to override the concerns for the inmate? Is it fair to further punish an inmate who presents a low risk of recidivism for future criminal behavior because victims show up at hearings to protest the release? Should victim input and participation become the most significant variable or simply one of many variables to be considered in these decisions?
Electrochemically directed two-component monolayers on gold

Self-assembled monolayers (SAMs) were formed on gold at anodic potentials from solutions containing two different alkyl thiosulfates, CH3(CH2)10S2O3Na and HO2C(CH2)10S2O3Na. The resulting two-component SAMs were analyzed using x-ray photoelectron spectroscopy to relate their compositions to those of the solutions from which they were adsorbed. This relationship was more linear than reported for analogous SAMs adsorbed from mixed solutions of alkanethiols. The wettability of these surfaces by water and by hexadecane was also measured and compared to analogous SAMs prepared by chemisorption of thiols from solution.
Influence of Clast Axial Ratio on Macrofabric Strength in Periglacial Colluvium

Samples of fabric data collected from periglacial solifluction lobes in central Alaska show a systematic, positive relation between clast axial ratio and fabric strength. Samples composed of clasts with low a:b axial ratios have relatively low fabric strength. Restricting sampling to clasts with axial ratios of 1.5:1 or higher increases fabric strength and decreases its variability. To enhance comparability between fabric studies and the utility of fabric interpretation, sampling should be restricted to clasts with relatively large (≥ 1.5:1) axial ratios.
Cascading Indirect Effects in a Coffee Agroecosystem: Effects of Parasitic Phorid Flies on Ants and the Coffee Berry Borer in a High-Shade and Low-Shade Habitat

Nonconsumptive effects (NCE) of parasites on hosts vary with habitat complexity thereby modifying trait-mediated effects on lower trophic levels. In coffee agroecosystems, Pseudacteon sp. phorid fly parasites negatively affect Azteca instabilis F. Smith ants via NCE thereby indirectly benefiting prey. It is unknown how differences in habitat complexity influence Azteca-phorid interactions or how phorids affect the coffee berry borer (Hypothenemus hampei Ferrari), an important pest of coffee (Coffea arabica L). We tested the following hypotheses in field and lab experiments to find the impact of NCE of phorids on A. instabilis and trait-mediated indirect effects of phorids on the coffee berry borer: (1) Phorid effects on A. instabilis differ between complex and simple shade habitats and (2) Phorids, by modifying A. instabilis behavior, indirectly affect coffee berry borer abilities to invade coffee berries. Phorids had greater impacts on A. instabilis activity in low-shade farms, but differences in phorid impacts were not mediated by phorid density or light availability. In the lab, phorids had strong cascading effects on abilities of A. instabilis to deter coffee berry borers. Without phorids, A. instabilis limited coffee berry borer attacks, whereas when the coffee berry borer was alone or with A. instabilis and phorids, more coffee fruits were attacked by coffee berry borer. These results indicate that A. instabilis has stronger biological control potential in high-shade farms, but the exact mechanism deserves further attention.
Retrieval of urban boundary layer structures from Doppler lidar data. Part I: Accuracy assessment

Abstract Two coherent Doppler lidars from the U.S. Army Research Laboratory (ARL) and Arizona State University (ASU) were deployed in the Joint Urban 2003 atmospheric dispersion field experiment (JU2003) held in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma. The dual-lidar data were used to evaluate the accuracy of a four-dimensional variational data assimilation (4DVAR) method and to identify the coherent flow structures in the urban boundary layer. The objectives of the study are threefold. The first objective is to examine the effect of eddy viscosity models on the quality of retrieved velocity data. The second objective is to determine the fidelity of single-lidar 4DVAR and evaluate the difference between single- and dual-lidar retrievals. The third objective is to inspect flow structures above some geospatial features on the land surface. It is found that the approach of treating eddy viscosity as part of the control variables yields better results than the approach of prescribing viscosity. The ARL single-lidar 4DVAR is ...
Uncommon Ground: Cultural Landscapes and Environmental Values

Uncommon Ground: Cultural Landscapes and Environmental Values. Veronica Strang. New York: New York University Press, 1997.310 pp.
Effect of a state‐based incentive programme on the use of electronic health records

Rationale, aims and objectives In 2004, New York passed the Health Care Efficiency and Affordability Law for New Yorkers (HEAL NY) Capital Grants Program, which was the largest state-based investment in health information technology adoption in the United States. We sought to evaluate the effects of this programme on electronic health records (EHR) usage. Methods We undertook a case-control study of health care providers who had signed up with a regional extension centre, some of whom had also received HEAL funding through programmes intended to support EHR adoption. The outcome of interest was achievement of Medicare or Medicaid Meaningful Use and the primary exposure was any link to HEAL NY funding. The association between Meaningful Use status and independent variables was measured using logistic regression models. Results Meaningful Users were more likely to have had a history of HEAL NY funding (OR = 1.83; 95% CI = 1.59, 2.09). Also, achievement of Meaningful Use was associated with having an EHR before 2011 (OR = 1.64; 95% CI = 146, 1.83). Among those with EHRs prior to 2011, the odds of achieving Meaningful Use were statistically higher if coupled with HEAL NY funding (OR = 3.12; 95% CI = 2.50, 3.90). Conclusion Achieving Meaningful Use was associated with a history of HEAL NY funding. However, it was the combination of HEAL NY funding and historic usage of EHRs that was associated with the largest increase in the odds that the provider was a Meaningful User. These findings indicate that state-based incentive programmes can support the effective usage of health information technologies.
A new finance capitalism? Mutual funds and ownership re-concentration in the United States

American households have vastly increased their participation in equity markets since the early 1980s, primarily through the purchase of shares in mutual funds. The resulting growth in assets managed by the mutual fund industry has been concentrated in a few fund complexes. Some of these – Fidelity in particular – have ended up holding very large ownership positions simultaneously in hundreds of US companies in the past few years, creating a latent network reminiscent of that operated by JP Morgan a century ago. Yet unlike the Morgan interests, mutual funds are relatively transient owners, rarely holding large ownership blocks for as long as 5 years. Moreover, funds are reticent to exercise their power, in part due to conflicts of interest. The result is that even the largest mutual funds are more likely to exit than to exercise voice, making the current version of American finance capitalism rather different from its predecessor.
On clusterings-good, bad and spectral

We propose a new measure for assessing the quality of a clustering. A simple heuristic is shown to give worst-case guarantees under the new measure. Then we present two results regarding the quality of the clustering found by a popular spectral algorithm. One proffers worst case guarantees whilst the other shows that if there exists a "good" clustering then the spectral algorithm will find one close to it.
The effects of shoulder plyometric training on proprioception and selected muscle performance characteristics

Abstract The purpose of this study was to determine the effect of plyometric training of the shoulder internal rotators on proprioception, kinesthesia, and selected muscle performance characteristics in female swimmers. Twenty-four female division I swimmers were evaluated before and after a 6-week plyometric training program. Proprioception and kinesthesia were assessed for internal and external rotation at 0°, 75°, and 90% of the subject's maximum external rotation. The Biodex II was used to assess strength characteristics at 60°/s, 240°/s, and 450°/s. Plyometric training sessions (2 times/week) involved 3 sets of 15 repetitions with a trampoline, weighted balls, and elastic tubing. A 2-way analysis of variance revealed significant improvement ( P
Saturation and comparative mapping of the genomic region harboring Hessian fly resistance gene H26 in wheat.

Resistance gene H26, derived from Aegilops tauschii Coss., is one of the most effective R genes against the Hessian fly [Mayetiola destructor (Say)], an important pest of wheat (Triticum aestivum L.). Using a limited number of PCR-based molecular markers a previous study mapped H26 to the wheat chromosomal deletion bin 3DL3-0.81-1.00. The objectives of this study were to saturate the chromosomal region harboring H26 with newly developed PCR-based markers and to investigate the collinearity of this wheat chromosomal region with rice (Oryza sativa L.) and Brachypodiumdistachyon genome. A population of 96 F2 individuals segregating at the H26 gene locus was used for saturation mapping. All wheat ESTs assigned to the deletion bin 3DL3-0.81-1.00 were used to design STS (sequence tagged site) primers. The wheat ESTs mapped near H26 were further used to BLAST rice and B. distachyon genomic sequences for comparative mapping. To date, 26 newly developed STS markers have been mapped to the chromosomal region spanning the H26 locus. Two of them were mapped 1.0 cM away from the H26 locus. Comparative analysis identified genomic regions on rice chromosome 1 and Brachypodium Super contig 13 which are collinear with the genomic region spanning the H26 locus within the distal region of 3DL. The newly developed STS markers closely linked to H26 will be useful for mapped-based cloning of H26 and marker-assisted selection of this gene in wheat breeding. The results will also enhance understanding of this chromosomal region which contains several other Hessian fly resistance genes.
Understanding Community: Politics, Policy and Practice, by Somerville, P. / Community: A Contemporary Analysis of Policies, Programs, and Practice, by Kelly, K., & Caputo, T. / The Paradox of Urban Space: Inequality and Transformation in Marginalized Communities, by Sutton, S. E., & Kemp, S.P. (Eds.)

On the surface, the concept of community is one that is present in all forms of macro policies, programs, and practice. Intuitively, the concept is easy to understand, but from a scholarly perspect...
Structure and Metamorphism of the Franciscan Complex, Mt. Hamilton Area, Northern California

Truncation of metamorphic isograds and fold axes within coherent terranes of Franciscan meta-graywacke by intervening zones of melange indicate that the melange is tectonic and formed after the subduction-related metamorphism and folding. These relations are expressed in two terranes of blueschist-facies rocks of the Franciscan Complex in the Mt. Hamilton area, northern CaliforniAM the Jurassic Yolla Bolly terrane and the structurally underlying Cretaceous Burnt Hills terrane. Local preservation in both terranes of basal radiolarian chert and oceanic basalt beneath continent-derived metagraywacke and argillite demonstrates thrust repetition within the coherent terranes, although these relations are scarce near Mt. Hamilton. The metagraywackes range from albite-pumpellyite blueschists to those containing well-crystallized jadeitic pyroxene, and a jadeite-in isograd can be defined in parts of the area. Primary bedding defines locally coherent structural orientations and folds within the metagraywacke ...
TERRESTRIAL ECOSYSTEM FEEDBACKS TO GLOBAL CLIMATE CHANGE

▪ Abstract Anthropogenic greenhouse gases are expected to induce changes in global climate that can alter ecosystems in ways that, in turn, may further affect climate. Such climate-ecosystem interactions can generate either positive or negative feedbacks to the climate system, thereby either enhancing or diminishing the magnitude of global climate change. Important terrestrial feedback mechanisms include CO2 fertilization (negative feedbacks), carbon storage in vegetation and soils (positive and negative feedbacks), vegetation albedo (positive feedbacks), and peatland methane emissions (positive and negative feedbacks). While the processes involved are complex, not readily quantifiable, and demonstrate both positive and negative feedback potential, we conclude that the combined effect of the feedback mechanisms reviewed here will likely amplify climate change relative to current projections that have not yet adequately incorporated these mechanisms.
Proximal migration of a pancreatic duct stent: endoscopic retrieval using interventional cardiology accessories.

Removal of endoscopically placed biliary stents that have migrated proximal to the duodenal papilla is possible with a wide variety of techniques.1,2 Although similar techniques may be used to retrieve proximally migrated pancreatic duct stents3,4, the smaller diameters of the pancreatic duct and the associated stents used in this ductal system limit the possibilities for endoscopic removal. Endoscopically irretrievable pancreatic duct stents may have to be removed surgically, and resection of a portion of the pancreatic parenchyma may be necessary.4,5 We describe endoscopic retrieval of a proximally migrated 5F pancreatic duct stent in which we used interventional cardiology accessories when other endoscopic methods of stent extraction failed.
New insights into pancreatic cancer stem cells

Pancreatic cancer (PC) has been one of the deadliest of all cancers, with almost uniform lethality despite aggressive treatment. Recently, there have been important advances in the molecular, pathological and biological understanding of pancreatic cancer. Even after the emergence of recent new targeted agents and the use of multiple therapeutic combinations, no treatment option is viable in patients with advanced cancer. Developing novel strategies to target progression of PC is of intense interest. A small population of pancreatic cancer stem cells (CSCs) has been found to be resistant to chemotherapy and radiation therapy. CSCs are believed to be responsible for tumor initiation, progression and metastasis. The CSC research has recently achieved much progress in a variety of solid tumors, including pancreatic cancer to some extent. This leads to focus on understanding the role of pancreatic CSCs. The focus on CSCs may offer new targets for prevention and treatment of this deadly cancer. We review the most salient developments in important areas of pancreatic CSCs. Here, we provide a review of current updates and new insights on the role of CSCs in pancreatic tumor progression with special emphasis on DclK1 and Lgr5, signaling pathways altered by CSCs, and the role of CSCs in prevention and treatment of PC.
Role of the Raf/MEK/ERK and the PI3K/Akt(PKB) pathways in fibroblast senescence

Replicative senescence is characterized by numerous phenotypic alterations including loss of proliferative capacity and numerous changes in gene expression such as impaired serum inducibility of the immediate early gene c-fos and increased expression of collagenase. Transcription of c-fos in response to mitogens depends on the activation of a multiprotein complex formed on the c-fos serum response element (SRE), which includes the transcription factors serum response factor (SRF) and ternary complex factor (TCF). TCF is activated after phosphorylation by the Extracellular signals Regulated Kinase 1 and 2 (ERK1/2), two kinases of the Raf/MEK/ERK signaling pathway. We have previously demonstrated that collagenase expression is under positive regulation by the transcription factor FKHRL1 and that this transcription factor is under negative regulation by the phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase(PI3K)/Akt(PKB) pathway. Although total activity of ERK and Akt was similar in total cell lysates from early and late passage fibroblasts our data indicate that in senescent cells neither ERK nor Akt are able to phosphorylate efficiently their nuclear targets. Our findings suggest that although they can be fully activated in the cytosol of both early and late passage cells, the Raf/MEK/ERK and the PI3K/Akt pathways, which are essential for cellular proliferation, are down regulated in the nuclei of senescent cells.
Self-Determination Theory and Web-Enhanced Course Template Development.

A theoretical approach to the design and implementation of a web-enhanced course template for Introduction to Psychology is reviewed. Links between psychological constructs and pedagogical principl...
Throughput and stability of digital and analog network coding for wireless networks with single and multiple relays

We evaluate the throughput and stability properties of digital and analog network coding for wireless terminals exchanging broadcast traffic with the assistance of relay nodes. For stochastically varying traffic, the stable operation is compared under the different schemes of plain routing, and digital and analog network coding, at the packet and the signal levels, respectively. For each network coding scheme, the queue dynamics are specified for the terminal and relay nodes, and the maximum throughput region is optimized over all transmission schedules. We then give generalizations of the well-known back-pressure policy for each scheme, which accounts for the coupling of the queues due to network coding and is throughput optimal, i.e., it stabilizes the network whenever this is possible. Our initial analysis focuses on a network with a single relay node. We then discuss extensions of this to arbitrary terminal-relay configurations in a general multihop network. A general framework is established to construct the maximum throughput region and throughput optimal scheduling is jointly designed with network coding for relay networks with general channel rates. For any achievable rates in the maximum throughput region the dynamic scheduling and coding ensure that the average queue lengths at the terminal and relay nodes are asymptotically bounded.
Dynamic behavior of lung surfactant.

We have previously developed an adsorption-limited model to describe the exchange of lung surfactant and its fractions to and from an air-liquid interface in oscillatory surfactometers. Here we extend this model to allow for diffusion in the liquid phase. Use of the model in conjunction with experimental data in the literature shows that diffusion-limited transport i.s important for characterizing the transient period from the start of oscillations to the achievement of steady-state conditions. Matching previous data shows that upon high levels of film compression, large changes occur in adsorption rate, desorption rate, and diffusion constant, consistent with what one might expect if the subsurface region was greatly enriched in DPPC. Collapse of the surfactant film that occurs during compression leads to a .significant elevation of surfactant concentration immediately heneath the interface, consistent with the subsurface depot of surfactant that has heen postulated by other investigators. Modeling studies also uncovered a phenomenon of surfactant behavior in which the interfacial tension remains constant at its minimum equilibrium value while the film is compressed, hut without collapse of the film. The phenomenon was due to desorption of surfactant from the interface and termed "pseudo-film collapse.'' The new model also gave improved agreement with steady-state oscillatory cycling in a pulsating bubble surfactometer.
Resolving Trans-Boundary Water Disputes: Economists’ Influence on Policy Choices in the United States

Economic analysis of trans-boundary water allocation has yielded some interesting insights. This chapter reviews trans-boundary water allocation issues that are currently of interest to the federal government of the United States, and identifies some of the major decision-makers. Then, the chapter highlights the actual role of economic analysis in the resolution of these disputes. I conclude that while economists have influenced a number of decisions, often by stopping projects with low political support, economists could clearly increase their influence by reorienting their research. The final section of the chapter identifies some promising avenues for further work.
N-body simulations of disks

The methods used in large-scale n-body simulations are discussed. However, the present review concentrates on results already obtained in n-body simulations using systems containing up to 200,000 simulation stars. Results are presented which show that the stability criterion developed for flattened systems applies only to truly axisymmetric instabilities. Purely stellar disks acquire rather large velocity dispersions, generally two or more times the velocity dispersion required by Toomre (1964) for axisymmetric stability. In computer simulations, the bar-forming instability can be prevented only by comparatively large velocity dispersions. However, simulations including the effects of the galactic halo and core as a fixed background field show that bar formation can be prevented for fixed halo components as large or larger than the self-consistent disk component. Experiments performed to determine the collisional relaxation time for large-scale gravitational n-body calculations show that these models are indeed 'collisionless'.
Serotonin Receptor Agonism Promotes Growth of Postnatal Enteric Neuronal Stem Cells

METHODS: An IRB-approved retrospective study using the 2012 and 2013 American College of Surgeons NSQIP-Pediatric (NSQIP-P) Participant User Files was conducted; it included all newborns (0 to 28 days) who underwent surgical procedures. Surgical site infection rates in infants who had blood transfusion intraoperatively or within 72 hours postoperatively were compared with rates from those who were not transfused univariately using a chisquare test (Table). A logistic regression analysis compared the odds of SSIs in transfused patients vs non-transfused patients. Values of p<0.05 were considered statistically significant.
First Mover Advantage of Exchange-Traded Products

Economic theory predicts that industries with switching costs and network effects tend to exhibit a first mover advantage, by which firms receive supranormal returns to innovation. However, few emp...
Maternal Folic Acid and Risk of Childhood Autism

Researchers from the Norwegian Institute of Public Health, Oslo; Institute of Child Health, London, UK; and other centers in Norway, UK, and the US examined the association between maternal use of prenatal folic acid supplements (4 weeks before to 8 weeks after start of pregnancy) and risk of autistic spectrum disorders in children derived from the population-based, prospective Norwegian Mother and Child Cohort Study (MoBa).
Laser and Thermal Induced Reactions of Mo(CO)6, CH3CH2OH, and NO on Si(111)7 × 7

Laser induced reactions of Mo(CO)6, CH3CH2OH, and NO adsorbed on Si(111)7×7 at 257 and 514 nm were studied and compared with thermally induced reactions under ultrahigh vacuum conditions utilizing laser induced desorption spectroscopy, thermal desorption spectroscopy, high resolution electron energy loss spectroscopy, and Auger electron spectroscopy. By using continuous wave laser irradiation, photolytic effects are clearly distinguished from pyrolytic effects. Mo(CO)6 and CH3CH2OH adsorbed on Si behave similarly as in the gas phase, whereas a substrate-mediated reaction channel is observed for NO adsorbed on Si.
Isolation and characterization of 7 microsatellite loci for the Florida Burrowing Owl (Athene cunicularia floridana)

21 Despite long-term scientific interest in the Florida Burrowing Owl, little is known about key 22 aspects of its ecology that likely influence population persistence. This is a cause of alarm 23 considering that the Florida Burrowing Owl has been designated a “Species of Special Concern” 24 since 1979. Therefore, seven microsatellite loci were developed and characterized for 48 Florida 25 Burrowing Owls. All loci were polymorphic and six of them differed significantly from Hardy26 Weinberg expectations. Although preliminary, the number of loci out of HW equilibrium may 27 result from low population size and resultant non-random mating that could be caused by habitat 28 fragmentation as development has ensued. 29
$1 Conversational Turn Detector: Measuring How Video Conversations Affect Student Learning in Online Classes

Massive online classes can benefit from peer interactions such as discussion, critique, or tutoring. However, to scaffold productive peer interactions, systems must be able to detect student behavior in interactions at scale, which is challenging when interactions occur over rich media like video. This paper introduces an imprecise yet simple browser-based conversational turn detector for video conversations. Turns are detected without accessing video or audio data. We show how this turn detector can find dominance in video-based conversations. In a case study with 1,027 students using Talkabout, a video-based discussion system for online classes, we show how detected conversational turn behavior correlates with participants' subjective experience in discussions and their final course grade.
Change and Significance of Serum Matrix Metalloproteinase-9 in Viral Myocarditis in Children

Objective To detect serum matrix metalloproteinase-9(MMP-9)level in viral myocarditis(VMC)in children in an attempt to confirm its clinical value. Methods Fifty-eight children with VMC were chosen as positive group and 36 healthy children were chosen as control group. The serum MMP-9,cTnI and CK-MB levels of the two groups were detected. The LVEF,LVSF and CI were measured by two-dimensional echocardiography. Results The levels of MMP-9,cTnI and CK-MB in patients with VMC were obviously higher than those in the control group(P0.01). After treatment they all went down(P0.01). MMP-9 had a positive correlation with cTnI,CK-MB and LVSF (r=0.628,0.591,0.706,P0.01),and had a negative correlation with LVEF(r=-0.722,P0.01)and CI(r=-0.365,P0.05). The MMP-9 level was different from various heart function,and higher the MMP-9 level,the worse heart function,with a significant difference (P0.01). Conclusion MMP-9 is a guide line of diagnosis,cardiac function and prognosis in patients with VMC.
An Abstract Behavior Representation for Robust, Dynamic Sequencing in a Hybrid Architecture.

Hybrid robot control architectures try to provide reactive and deliberative functionality by decomposing a complex system into layers of increasing abstraction and temporal complexity. In building complex systems that react quickly to dynamic environments, the division of components are generally characterized as a Deliberator, a Sequencer, and a Controller. This paper presents a descriptive representation of reactive robot behaviors and the environment that the behaviors anticipate and affect. This paper also presents a control algorithm that uses this representation to create a robust link between the Sequencer and Controller in a hybrid reactive control architecture. The behavior representation promotes robustness and modularity as being a semantic suggestion rather than a syntactical burden like that of the tasklevel control languages currently in use. Thus, it allows for reduced development overhead and duplication of work for system modifications.
Intracellular free Na+ in resting and activated A7r5 vascular smooth muscle cells.

Regulation of intracellular Na+ ([Na+]i) in cultured vascular smooth muscle cells (A7r5 line) was studied with Na(+)-sensitive fluorescent dye sodium-binding benzofuran isophthalate. Digital imagin...
Extraperitoneal prosthetic inguinal hernia repair using an endoscopic approach.

OBJECTIVE: To describe a laparoscopic extraperitoneal prosthetic repair technique to treat inguinal hernia defects. SURGICAL TECHNIQUE: Operating laparoscopically in the preperitoneal plane, a piece of polypropylene mesh, placed behind the cord structures, is used to reinforce or replace the transversalis fascia. It is secured with staples placed in the fascia adjacent to Cooper's ligament and in the iliopubic tract. PATIENTS: Our laparoscopic extraperitoneal prosthetic technique was used successfully to repair 107 direct, 142 indirect and one femoral hernia; 67% of these defects were bilateral and 30% were recurrent. RESULTS: Operative time averaged 66 minutes and almost all patients were discharged on the day of surgery. All returned to normal activities within seven days. There were few complications and during the average follow-up period of 18 months, only one patient had a recurrent herniation that was due to a retained indirect defect. ADVANTAGES OF TECHNIQUE: The laparoscopic extraperitoneal procedure shares the same benefits attributed to traditional preperitoneal prosthetic hernia repairs: direct access to the posterior inguinal structures, clear visibility of all possible hernia defects; ability to circumvent scar tissue and intraabdominal adhesions; ease in effecting difficult repairs; avoidance of side effects associated with severance of superficial inguinal nerves; and fortification of the defect via an inlay prosthetic buttress. Moreover, the laparoscopic technique offers clear advantages to open surgery in terms of reduced pain, quicker recovery, and improved cosmesis. CONCLUSIONS: We consider the laparoscopic extraperitoneal prosthetic repair the procedure of choice for patients with recurrent as well as bilateral inguinal defects.
A real-time circuit topology for battery impedance monitoring

All batteries suffer from irreversible electrochemical changes as a result of their continuous operation. Deep depths of discharge and/or high discharge currents will inherently result in a reduction of performance over time. To track a battery lifetime, or state of health (SoH) requires an extension from the common internal resistance model and must be regularly assessed. To track SoH, an intelligent battery management system can be deployed to track the drift in usable capacity, but without a minimal impedance model, the impulse response and runtime cannot be accurately depicted. Electrochemical impedance spectroscopy (EIS) has proved to be an effective tool to extract the signature equivalent circuit associated with a single battery module or cell. Unfortunately, implementation at low cost has remained a challenge. In this paper, the circuit topology for a stand-alone EIS measurement board is proposed in an effort to reduce cost and complexity. The challenges and design considerations in developing a real-time EIS board is discussed. The circuit topology is then verified through a simulation environment under low (1 Hz), medium (1 kHz), and high frequency (100 kHz) test cases.
Adult and Cancer Stem Cells: Perspectives on Autophagic Fate Determinations and Molecular Intervention

Autophagy is a highly conserved mechanism for the maintenance of cellular homeostasis and functionality in pluripotent stem cells, adult stem cells, and normal somatic cells. Cytoprotective roles of autophagy are essential for eliminating damaged subcellular organelles like mitochondria and protein aggregates, thereby reducing reactive oxygen species (ROS) levels and promoting normal or cancer cell survival. We clarify multiple autophagic inducers, default pathway sensors, and regulators in various stages of stem cells. Of note, with autophagy deficiency, there are two major autophagy-associated outcomes, including pro-autophagic cell survival and death. Clearly, the fates of autophagic determination are tightly regulated by their microenvironments, cell types, and the interplay among multiple cell death machineries related to autophagy, apoptosis, and necrosis. Based on the above fundamental autophagic differences among various cell types, we propose a new concept, balanced autophagy, which sheds light on an equilibrium state between pro-autophagic cell survival and death. We further suggest new strategies targeting therapeutic-resistant cancer stem cells that emphasize the modulatory effects of pro-autophagic cell death in intractable cancer cells.
Eastern Europe: The Benefits of Alliance

In this chapter, Hollander explains the relative victimization of Jews in Bulgaria, Romania, and Hungary during World War II. Because all three countries were allies of Nazi Germany, they were able to protect the bulk of their own Jewish citizens—at least as long as they remained loyal to the Axis cause. In March of 1944, however, Miklos Horthy, the Hungarian leader, was caught trying to negotiate a separate peace with the Soviet Union. Germany immediately subjected Hungary to a very direct and brutal occupation, deporting over 80 % of its Jewish population in the last year of the war. Bulgaria and Romania, by contrast, were able to use their loyalty to negotiate on behalf of local Jews. Both countries actively deported nearly all of the Jews in their newly acquired territories, while protecting Jews in the homeland—who were usually wealthier and better connected.
Scattering phenomenology of arctic lake ice

This paper presents the radar scattering phenomenology of arctic shallow lake ice. This is an important feature for monitoring the arctic climate for this purpose, a full-wave simulation model to analyze lake ice scattering that includes columnar air bubbles and rough interface is presented. The proposed model can handle complex interactions between high density air bubbles and rough ice surfaces. Based on this model, the scattering contributions from the rough ice/water interface and columnar air bubbles in the ice at C band are calculated. It is concluded that the roughness at the interface between ice and water is the dominate contributor to the observed backscatter.