cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Choice of organic amendments in tomato transplants has lasting effects on bacterial rhizosphere communities and crop performance in the field

Vegetable transplant media used in certified organic crop production must both comply with regulations and meet seedling nutrient demand. Transplant media amendments allowable in organic production often contain complex microbial communities, however little is known about their effects on transplant rhizosphere microorganisms and if these effects carry over to mature plants in the field. To address this, we compared (i) plant-based (sesame meal, alfalfa meal) amendments, (ii) composted manure-based (vermicompost, thermogenic compost, industry standard) amendments and (iii) a non-amended peat and vermiculite base mix for organic tomato (Lycopersicon esculentum) production. Organic transplant media amendments affected germination rates, transplant growth in the greenhouse, crop growth in the field and final yields. Transplant biomass and early yield were highest for vermicompost and plant-based amendments. Total yield was highest for 20% alfalfa and sesame meal amendments in the first season, however this high rate of amendment negatively impacted germination. No significant differences in yield were found among amended treatments in the second season where plant-based amendment rates were reduced to1 and 2.5% for sesame meal and 5% for alfalfa meal. Amendments also influenced bacterial community structure in both the transplant media and in the rhizosphere of the tomato plants. Terminal restriction fragment length polymorphism (T-RFLP) analysis showed significant differences in bacterial communities between all amendments and these differences persisted for at least one month after seedlings were transplanted to the field. Amendment-associated differences in bacterial communities diminished over the course of the field season. By harvest only vermicompost and the base media had unique T-RFLP profiles. Comparing thermogenic compost and vermicompost made from the same starting material showed that the composting process influenced the bacterial community in the transplant material as well as subsequent communities in the crop rhizosphere. Overall, our results show that the type and rate of organic transplant media amendment can strongly influence transplant quality and subsequent crop performance in the field as well as rhizosphere bacterial communities long after seedlings are transplanted to field soil.
Searchers' selection of search keys: I. The selection routine

The selection routine is a formal decision tree that represents the intuitive rules searchers use when they select search keys, textwords or descriptors. The case study method provided the data through: (1) observation of 47 professional online searchers performing their job-related searches; and (2) analysis of verbal and search protocols involved. Each option in the selection of search keys presents the use of a certain combination of textwords and descriptors which searchers choose because of request or database requirements, or because of their own beliefs. The routine delineates the terminological conditions which lead to the selection of each option. It is the first formal presentation of human knowledge that can be incorporated into the knowledge base of intermediary expert systems.
Approach to developing numeric water quality criteria for coastal waters: transition from SeaWiFS to MODIS and MERIS satellites

States can adopt numeric water quality criteria into their water quality standards to protect the designated uses of their coastal waters from eutrophication impacts. The first objec- tive of this study was to provide an approach for developing numeric water quality criteria for coastal waters based on archived SeaWiFS ocean color satellite data. The second objective was to develop an approach for transferring water quality criteria assessments to newer ocean color satellites, such as MODIS and MERIS. Measures of SeaWiFS, MODIS, and MERIS chloro- phyll-a (ChlRS-a, mgm �3 ) were resolved across Florida's coastal waters between 1998 and 2009. Annual geometric means of SeaWiFS ChlRS-a were evaluated to determine a quantitative reference baseline from the 90th percentile of the annual geometric means. A method for trans- ferring to multiple ocean color sensors was implemented with SeaWiFS as the reference instru- ment. The ChlRS-a annual geometric means for each coastal segment from MODIS and MERIS were regressed against SeaWiFS to provide a similar response among all three satellites. Standardization factors for each coastal segment were calculated based on the differences between 90th percentile from SeaWiFS to MODIS and SeaWiFS to MERIS. This transfer approach was allowed for future assessments, typically with <7% difference in the calculated criteria. © The Authors. Published by SPIE under a Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License. Distribution or reproduction of this work in whole or in part requires full attribution of the original pub- lication, including its DOI. (DOI: 10.1117/1.JRS.7.073544)
Validity of the behavior rating inventory of executive function in children with ADHD and/or Tourette syndrome

The dynamic, multidimensional nature of executive function (EF), thought to be characteristically impaired in those with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), has been challenging to operationalize and assess in a clinical setting [Barkley, R. A. (1997). ADHD and the nature of self-control. New York: Guilford Press.]. Gioia, Isquith, Guy, and Kenworthy [Gioia, G. A., Isquith, P. K., Guy, S. C., & Kenworthy, L. (2000) Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function. Odessa, FL: Psychological Assessment Resources.] developed the Behavior Rating Inventory of Executive Function (BRIEF) to address these concerns. In order to provide concurrent validity information on the BRIEF, parents of 76 children (ADHD=18; Tourette syndrome (TS)=21; TS+ADHD=17; controls=20) completed the BRIEF, additional behavior rating scales and interviews, measures of psychoeducational (PE) competence, and performance-based measures of EF. Both ADHD and TS+ADHD groups were rated as more impaired (P<.0001) than the other groups on the five primary BRIEF indices. BRIEF index scores showed no significant correlation with performance-based EF or PE measures, with the exception of math achievement; however, the BRIEF showed a strong relationship with interviews and other parent rating measures of behaviors seen in ADHD. Future attempts to validate the BRIEF should focus on differences within subtypes of ADHD (e.g., inattentive, combined subtypes), and separating ADHD from other clinical groups in which EF is reported to be a problem.
Devices for ultrasound field parameter measurements

Practical aspects of ultrasound field measurements and instrumentation needed to adequately characterize acoustic output of ultrasound imaging systems are discussed. Calibrated piezoelectric hydrophone probes with active elements made of piezoelectric polymer, polivinylidene fluoride (PVDF) and well suited for both temporal and spatial characterization of the field are described together with computerized data acquisition systems. Fundamental limitations of such measurement systems are also discussed and possible improvement in measurement techniques by using fiber optic sensors is pointed out. The basic characteristics of other field measurement devices such as radiation force balance, calorimeters, and thermocouples are also presented. >
Conceptual differentiation, integration and empathic prediction

Several investigators have examined the relationship of a rater's cognitive complexity to accurate empathic prediction of a target's self-concept or behavior, with mixed results. The present study sought to clarify this relation by considering both the conceptual differentiation (functionally independent construction) and integration (ordination) of both rater and target as they bear on predictive accuracy at early and later stages of acquaintance. Two sets of ten subjects participated in weekly self-disclosure groups, and attempted to predict one another's self-ratings on personal constructs after four and eighteen weeks of structured dyadic interaction. Results suggested that (a) the conceptual structure of the rater was unrelated to predictive accuracy, (b) high differentiated/low integrated targets were less accurately predicted at Time 1, (c) raters generally became more accurate predictors over time, and (d) conceptual structure was related to predictive accuracy at early, but not advanced stages of relationship. These findings were interpreted within an expanded theoretical framework emphasizing the multidimensional assessment of cognitive complexity as well as the stage of acquaintance at which social prediction takes place.
Multiplexing in test mode reduces pin count requirements

A new integration module in the Motorola Modular Family of Microcontrollers implements a multiplexed test mode which allows internal signals to be driven even when the input pin used to drive that signal is not implemented. This test mode allows the minimum pin set that was defined for this new integration module to provide the same controllability and observability as the full pin set. This produced a significant cost savings, since it maintains the fault coverage of a large number of test patterns that were developed using previous maximum pin set integration modules. >
What to do about Helicobacter pylori? A decision analysis of its implication on public health.

Objectives. Public health measures to eradicate Helicobacter pylori in the general population may prevent the occurrence of nonulcer dyspepsia (NUD), peptic ulcer (PUD) and gastric cancer, but may at the same time increase the prevalence of gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD). A decision analysis is carried out to quantify the counteracting influences of H. pylori and resolve the controversy about a public policy to eliminate H. pylori from the general population. Methods. A compartment model is structured to analyze the jointly beneficial and adverse effects of H. pylori. Gastric acid, H. pylori infection, and other pathophysiological mechanisms influence the occurrence of reflux disease, peptic ulcer and dyspepsia, which all contribute to the occurrence of upper abdominal symptoms. Each influence is modeled as a separate compartment with various connections to other compartments. The simulation is carried out on an electronic spreadsheet. Results. A decision in favor or against eradication of all H. pylori depends primarily on the relative contribution of reflux disease vs. peptic ulcer and dyspepsia to upper abdominal symptoms in the general population. If reflux-related symptoms contribute twice more than peptic ulcer plus dyspepsia to the overall occurrence of abdominal symptoms, a strategy to eradicate H. pylori would actually lower rather than raise public health. Below this threshold such strategy may improve general well-being. In the individual patient infected with H. pylori, it remains beneficial to eradicate H. pylori, irrespective of the symptoms’ nature. Conclusions. Although it is advisable to treat H. pylori infection in the individual patient who comes to medical attention, a general policy directed towards complete elimination of H. pylori from the population would not be beneficial. A compartment model provides a simple yet powerful method to assess complex disease behavior.
Masses of new isotopes in the fp shell

During the past few years there has been a active program at the Argonne FN tandem accelerator aimed at the study of new isotopes far from beta stability. The particular region of the periodic table under investigation has been for 50 < A < 70, roughly the 1f-2p shell, on both sides of the valley of beta stability. Besides establishing the existence of previously unknown nuclides, the original scope of the program was to obtain information on the spectroscopic properties of parent and daughter for comparison with various nuclear models, and to measure the beta decay energies to compare with various predictions. In addition, calculations of explosive carbon burning during a supernova explosion rely on predicted masses of unknown neutron-rich nuclei in the iron region. Measurements of the masses of experimentally-accessible nuclei can help to decide which predictions are the most reliable to use in the nucleosynthesis calculations.
Avances recientes en HIV/SIDA: Patogénesis, historia natural y carga viral

Results of recent investigations have given us a new understanding of the pathogenesis of HIV infection. This findings provide us with a kinetic model of pathogenesis in which continuous, high-grade viral replication. This findings provide us with a kinetic model of pathogenesis in which continuous, high-grade viral replication is the principal force driving the destruction of CD4 lymphocytes. This knowledge will lead us to design better treatment strategies directed to curtail viral replication and prevent the emergence of viral resistance, and the use of combination antiretroviral therapy is a first example of these new strategies. The concept of viral load is introduced, and we discuss the usefulness of viral load in the clinical prognosis of this disease, and its use as an aid in the decision-making process when starling or mordifyng antiretroviral therapy in our patients.
WHY UNION ACTIVISTS WRITE GOOD STORIES

The representative structure of a union is a maze which, when travelled as a narrative, has drama at every turn. It sets up expectations, pits good against evil, involves many characters with different interests, keeps the clock ticking, and offers opportunities for happy endings (and disappointments) at every level. Union members who are not experienced writers can produce good stories by writing about their lives at work and in the union.
Calibrating soil respiration measures with a dynamic flux apparatus using artificial soil media of varying porosity

Measurement of soil respiration to quantify ecosystem carbon cycling requires absolute, not relative, estimates of soil CO 2 efflux. We describe a novel, automated efflux apparatus that can be used to test the accuracy of chamber-based soil respiration measurements by generating known CO 2 fluxes. Artificial soil is supported above an air-filled footspace wherein the CO 2 concentration is manipulated by mass flow controllers. The footspace is not pressurized so that the diffusion gradient between it and the air at the soil surface drives CO 2 efflux. Chamber designs or measurement techniques can be affected by soil air volume, hence properties of the soil medium are critical. We characterized and utilized three artificial soils with diffusion coefficients ranging from 2.7 x 10 -7 to 11.9 x 10 -7 m 2 s -1 and porosities of 0.26 to 0.46. Soil CO 2 efflux rates were measured using a commercial dynamic closed-chamber system (Li-Cor 6400 photosynthesis system equipped with a 6400-09 soil CO 2 flux chamber). On the least porous soil, small underestimates (< 5%) of CO 2 effluxes were observed, which increased as soil diffusivity and soil porosity increased, leading to underestimates as high as 25%. Differential measurement bias across media types illustrates the need for testing systems on several types of soil media.
Intestinal Transport of Calcium and Phosphate in Experimental Magnesium Deficiency.

SummaryThe concentrative transport of calcium by everted intestinal loops in vitro and the permeability of the small intestinal wall to this ion were determined in intestinal preparations from vitamin D deficient and vitamin D treated magnesium deficient and control rats. These experiments indicate that concentrative transport of calcium by rat small intestine in vitro is altered by the presence or absence of magnesium in the medium but not by magnesium depletion of the animals. The permeability to calcium of the intestinal preparations was not influenced by magnesium deficiency. The effects of magnesium depletion of the rat and of the presence of magnesium in the medium on concentrative transport of inorganic phosphate by the small intestine in vitro were also studied. Concentrative transport of phosphate by intestinal loops incubated in Mg++ containing buffer was less than that by those incubated in Mg++ free buffer. Intestinal loop preparations from magnesium deficient animals transferred phosphate to ...
How Diverse Are US Suburbs

American suburbs are popularly perceived as demographically homogeneous compared with central cities. Social scientists have long challenged this perception; indeed, some cite recent evidence on su...
Improvement happens: An interview with Christine Sinsky, MD

Medical Associates Clinic (MAC) of Dubuque, Iowa, has generated a lot of buzz for a medium-sized group practice located in a small Midwestern city. At a time when primary care has been declared in crisis, MAC has received national attention for delivering high quality, patient centered primary care. Evidence of high performance comes not just in standard metrics like end-of-year revenue-to-expense ratios and Pneumovax immunization rates, but also in astoundingly low turnover of physicians and staff.
Patient perception of fatigue while undergoing long-term mechanical ventilation: incidence and associated factors.

Abstract OBJECTIVE: To describe a chronically critically ill population of patients receiving long-term ventilatory assistance, including patient perception of fatigue and the associated factors of nutritional status, depression, and sleep-rest. DESIGN: Prospective, descriptive correlational design. SETTING: Two tertiary care, university-affiliated medical centers. SUBJECTS: Twenty subjects who were undergoing mechanical ventilation for at least 7 days and who were in the process of weaning. RESULTS: Descriptive, correlational, and t test statistics were used in the data analysis. There was a 100% prevalence rate of fatigue, and with a 10-cm visual analogue scale, 45% of the subjects rated their fatigue as severe (≥ 6.0 cm) in intensity. The sample's mean serum albumin was 2.7 gm/dl, and mean hemoglobin was 10.1 gm/dl, but there were no statistically significant relationships between fatigue and nutritional status. Subjects' depression scores were in the moderate range, and they evaluated their sleep as fragmented and only moderately effective. Fatigue and depression were strongly correlated (r = 0.61; p = 0.004); there were no statistically significant relationships between fatigue and the sleep-rest scales. CONCLUSIONS: The descriptive findings suggest that patients receiving long-term ventilatory assistance are undernourished and experience fatigue, depressed mood state, and disruptions of their sleep-rest patterns.
ATTRACTION OF MATED FEMALE CODLING MOTHS (LEPIDOPTERA: TORTRICIDAE) TO APPLES AND APPLE ODOR IN A FLIGHT TUNNEL

Abstract In a flight tunnel, mated female codling moths, Cydia pomonella L., were attracted (upwind flight with zigzagging flight patterns) to cold-stored thinning apples. Greater numbers of codling moths were attracted to apples infested with codling moth larvae than to uninfested apples. However, codling moth response to piped odor from cold-stored thinning apples infested with larvae was not significantly greater than that of moths to piped odor from uninfested apples. In a flight tunnel, significant numbers of mated female codling moths were captured in traps baited with fresh-picked immature apples or in traps through which odor from such apples was piped. Also, more codling moths were captured in traps baited with infested versus un-infested apples, and more were captured in traps with odor from infested apples compared to odor from un-infested apples. These studies demonstrate upwind attraction by flying female codling moths to apple fruit and odors from apple fruit and show increased response by m...
Native Speakers’ Perception

The purpose of this experiment is to explore the perceptual space for T1, T2, T3, and T4. The native speakers ’ perception of each tone will be used to define the perceptual space for Mandarin tones. The researcher explores the salient features of and differences among the four perceptual maps within the four contexts.
bar partial -Torsion for complex manifolds and the adiabatic limit-Torsion for complex manifolds and the adiabatic limit

We consider a complex fibration F~M-L-~B and pull back bundles E 1 and E 2 over M. Using the adiabatic limit idea, we compute the metric invariant Tp(E1)/Tp(E2), where Tp(E) denotes the complex Ray-Singer torsion.
Factors associated with survival in pediatric adrenocortical carcinoma: An analysis of the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB)

Abstract Purpose Adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is a rare tumor in children with important distinctions from the adult disease. We reviewed the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) to determine factors associated with long-term survival. Methods The NCDB was queried for patients less than 18years of age who were diagnosed with ACC between 1998 and 2011. Kaplan–Meier analysis was utilized to determine factors significantly associated with overall survival. Results A total of 111 patients were included (median age: 4years, 69% female). ACC was more common in the youngest cohort, with 48% of cases occurring in children younger than the age of 3. Median tumor size was 9.5cm (IQR: 6.5–13.0), and 87% of patients underwent some form of surgical resection. Among children with available data, 19 of 62 presented with metastases. Overall 1- and 3-year survival was 70% and 64%, respectively. Age, tumor size, extension of tumor into surrounding tissue, and metastatic disease were all found to be significantly associated with survival. Among patients who underwent a surgical procedure, margin status was also found to be significantly associated with survival. Conclusion Age, tumor size, extension of tumor, metastatic disease, and margin status are significantly associated with long-term survival in children with adrenocortical carcinoma.
Valuing a Lake Amenity: An Upper and Lower Bound

Valuing a useable but not market-traded asset has historically been difficult. The development of willingness-to-pay studies has allowed for two different techniques: stated preference technique, which uses the contingent valuation method, and a revealed preference technique, using existing markets (such as the housing market) to analyze differences in prices. We use existing literature on both techniques to estimate a lower- and upper- bound value for lake amenities in northeast United States.
What kind of research might help us become better planners

For almost more years than I care to remember, these days, I have tried to write about what practicing planners “faced” at work “on the job.” At the same time, if sometimes in the footnotes, I've t...
Laser materials processing technologies and the future

We present an overview of the advances in the field of laser materials processing, identifying those topics that are new or different, and speculating on their potential for applications in real world scenarios.
Presence of SH-Compounds in Non-Developing Embryos:

Hammett1 points out that the —SH group is the essential chemical stimulus for cell division. He also concludes2 that the greater the natural cell division activity the greater the degree of reaction to the chemical groups. Coldwater3 regards the nitroprusside reaction as indicating the presence of protein-fixed —SH groups, and finds a high concentration of this sulphydryl in areas of regenerating tissues undergoing proliferative growth. Thompson and Voegtlin,4 Murray,5 and Yaoi6 have found the glutathione content of embryos of the chick and rat to be at a maximum in early development and to decrease with age.One might infer from the above that if embryos were tested for the —SH groups at periods of marked cellular activity a much stronger reaction would be obtained than if they were tested at periods of relative inactivity. The embryo of the grasshopper, Melanoplus differentialis, is favorable material for this test as it can be obtained in large numbers, is easily dissected out, and is so small that it i...
Controversies in ANCA testing

Antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) detection is a well-known tool for diagnosing small-vessel vasculitis. Its diagnostic utility, however, depends on the methodologic accuracy of the test and the appropriate ordering of testing in the right clinical setting. While ANCA testing is of proven value, the utility of serial ANCA testing is not entirely clear. Correlation of ANCA levels with disease activity and predicted relapse remains unconfirmed. The best gauge of the predictive value of serial testing is to perform long-term serial testing for some individual patients in order to establish a relationship between ANCA level and clinical disease manifestation over time. ANCA-antigen specificity can be used to assess prognosis in patients with ANCA-associated vasculitis. Proteinase 3-ANCA is associated with higher mortality, higher relapse rate, and faster renal deterioration compared with myeloperoxidase-ANCA. Overall, ANCA is an important diagnostic and prognostic marker for small-vessel vasculitis and warrants further investigation.
Halogen Adsorption on CeO2: The Role of Lewis Acid–Base Pairing

We use density functional theory to examine the dissociation of halogen molecules on CeO2(111). We are interested in this because oxides are used to catalyze the oxihalogenation of alkanes. Our calculations show that the exothermicity of the dissociative adsorption is increased substantially if one of the dissociation fragments is a Lewis acid and the other is a Lewis base. Doping the CeO2 surface to turn it into an acid or a base can be used to influence strongly halogen dissociation. Finally, we show that the presence of a halogen on the oxide surface facilitates the breaking of the C–H bond in methane.
More Statistical and Methodological Myths and Urban Legends

The study of urban legends represents the application of concepts developed in the academic study of traditional folktales to stories circulating in the modern world. Vandenberg adapted the notion of ‘‘urban legends’’ into the area of organizational research methods and coined the term statistical and methodological myths and urban legends (SMMULs) to refer to the collection of various rules of thumb and other ‘‘received doctrines’’ that often guide researchers’ scientific behavior. Various SMMULs have been examined over 7 years in a number of symposia at scientific conferences, in a previous Feature Topic in Organizational Research Methods (2006), and in an edited book. This Feature Topic continues this tradition by presenting five new SMMULs.
209 ROLE OF NITRIC OXIDE IN THE PATHOGENESIS OF A PREECLAMPSIA-LIKE SYNDROME IN RATS

We have developed a model of preeclampsia in the rat by administering desoxycorticosterone acetate (DOCA) and replacing their drinking water with 0.9% saline. The preeclamptic group (PDS group) showed several phenotypic characteristics of human preeclampsia, including increased blood pressure (BP), intrauterine growth restriction (IUGR), and proteinuria, when compared to the normal pregnant (NP) control group. To better understand this syndrome, we measured the nitric oxide (NO) in blood. NO has been reported to be implicated in the pathogenesis of preeclampsia. We also studied two other pregnant animal groups, one receiving only saline but no DOCA (PS) and the second receiving only DOCA with normal drinking water (PD). The results are as follows (data are means ± SD): (Table) We conclude that DOCA is largely responsible for the IUGR but the complete preeclamptic syndrome will not develop without saline. A possible explanation would be that saline is producing an initial status of volume expansion with increased cardiac output. The latter may trigger exaggerated renal hypertrophy, activation of the RAA, as well as release of growth and vasoconstrictive (and natriuretic) factors. Similar observations have been made in the preeclamptic patient.
The aging skeleton.

Direct, noninvasive measurements of the various skeletal components-axial and appendicular, trabecular and cortical-show that the greater frequency of fractures in women after the menopause or oophorectomy relates to skeletal fragility caused by rapid loss of vertebral spongiosa and the slower loss of peripheral cortex. Strangely, normal men lose vertebral spongiosa throughout adult life, often falling to values associated with fractures in women, but without known clinical manifestation. Bone loss and fractures of vertebrae, wrists, and hips in women are preventable by low-dose estrogen-gestagen replacement, or by certain progestins, but not by added calcium.
Frequency that Laboratory Tests Influence Medical Decisions

Background: Among the variables that influence medical decisions, laboratory tests are considered to be among the most important and frequently used. The influence of laboratory tests on medical decisions has been difficult to estimate. The goal of this study was to estimate the number of patient encounters that included a laboratory test. Methods: We extracted information for 72196 patient encounters from 1-week intervals each quarter of a year from our comprehensive academic medical center electronic medical record. The patients examined represent a comprehensive range of clinical conditions and medical services. We determined for which encounters laboratory and other orders existed. Results: Overall 35% of encounters had 1 or more laboratory tests ordered. However, the percent varied markedly with patient care areas. For inpatient, emergency department, and outpatient populations, 98%, 56%, and 29%, respectively, had 1 or more laboratory tests ordered. Conclusions: Our observations support that it is not possible to use a single number to categorize the frequency with which laboratory tests occur in patient encounters. Utilization of laboratory tests varied with type of medical service with almost all inpatients, approximately half of emergency department patients, and nearly one-third of outpatients having laboratory tests during their healthcare visit.
Effects of the First Step to Success Intervention on Preschoolers with Disruptive Behavior and Comorbid Anxiety Problems.

Preschoolers with elevated anxiety symptoms are at high risk not only of developing more severe mental health disorders in later life but are also apt to respond more poorly to intervention if they present with comorbid disruptive behavior. Because early signs of anxiety disorders may not be recognized as such in preschool settings, many children selected for Tier 2 interventions that target externalizing problem behaviors may also have co-occurring anxiety symptoms and disorders. The First Step to Success intervention has recently been adapted for preschoolers with externalizing behaviors and was found to be efficacious in a randomized controlled trial. The current report examines effects of the First Step intervention on a subsample of 38 preschoolers with comorbid anxiety symptoms. Compared to usual-care controls, preschoolers who were assigned to the First Step intervention demonstrated medium-to-large effects in reducing externalizing behavior and improving social functioning outcomes, but had small effects for reductions in internalizing behaviors. Implications for intervening with preschoolers at risk of comorbid disruptive and anxiety behaviors are discussed.
Positron States in Materials: Dft and QMC Studies

First-principles approaches based on density functional theory (DFT) for calculating positron states and annihilation characteristics in condensed matter are presented. The treatment of electron-positron correlation effects is shown to play a crucial role when calculating affinities and annihilation rates. A generalized gradient approximation (GGA) takes the strong inhomogeneities of the electron density into account and is particularly successful in describing positron characteristics in various materials such as metals, semiconductors, cuprate superconductors and molecular crystals. The purpose of Quantum Monte Carlo (QMC) simulations is to provide highly accurate benchmark results for positron-electron systems. In particular, a very efficient QMC technique, based on the Stochastic Gradient Approximation (SGA), can been used to calculate electron-positron correlation energies.
Targeted deletion of c-Met in thymic epithelial cells leads to an autoimmune phenotype.

Hepatocyte growth factor (HGF) and its receptor c-Met signaling have been implicated in regulating various types of cells including epithelial cells. We have previously reported that c-Met is expressed by thymic epithelial cells (TECs), and that in vivo administration of hybrid cytokines containing IL-7 and the beta- or alpha-chain of HGF significantly increase the number of TECs. In order to study the role of c-Met signaling in TECs, we generated conditional knockout (cKO) mice in which c-Met was specifically deleted in TECs using a Foxn1-Cre transgene. We show here that c-Met deficiency in TECs results in age-progressive reduction in TEC number and reduced number of regulatory T cells. Consequently, c-Met TEC cKO mice displayed an autoimmune phenotype. Thus, c-Met signaling in TECs is important for the maintenance of TECs and immune self-tolerance.
Round Table Discussion of MIS of the Foot and Ankle

Mark Easley: I have invited several of the contributing authors to participate in a roundtable discussion of minimally invasive surgery (MIS) for the foot and ankle. I am pleased to share the thoughts and expertise of Juha Jaakkola, Brad Lamm, Nicola Maffulli, Martinus Richter, Robert Rozbruch, and Steve Shapiro. While all of our contributing authors provide valuable insights to MIS in their respective chapters, I anticipate that this roundtable discussion will provide the reader with an important overview of current concepts in MIS as they pertain to the management of foot and ankle disorders.
Flexural Rigidity Evaluation of Seismic Performance of Hollow-Core Composite Bridge Columns

This paper investigates experimentally the seismic behavior of two hollow-core fiber-reinforced polymer-concrete-steel (HC-FCS) columns under cyclic loading as a cantilever. The typical precast HC-FCS member consists of a concrete wall sandwiched between an outer fiber-reinforced polymer (FRP) tube and an inner steel tube. The FRP tube provides continuous confinement for the concrete wall along the height of the column. Five large-scale HC-FCS columns were investigated during this study to estimate the effective flexural (which is an important factor to define the buckling capacity and deflection of such columns) and the effective structural stiffness of the composite columns. These columns have the same geometric properties; the only difference was in the thickness of the inner circular steel tubes and the steel tube embedded length into the footing. A three-dimensional numerical model has been developed using LS-DYNA software for modeling these large-scale HC-FCS columns. The nonlinear FE models were designed and validated against experimental results gathered from HC-FCS columns tested under cyclic lateral loading and used to evaluate the effective stiffness’s results. The estimated effective stiffness results that were obtained from the experimental work were compared with the FE results. This study revealed that the effective flexural and the effective structural stiffness for the HC-FCS columns need more investigation to be addressed in the standard codes, since the embedded hollow core steel tube socket connections cannot reach the fully fixed end condition to act as a cantilever member subjected to a lateral load with a fully fixed end condition. Moreover, the effective stiffness results were found to be highly sensitive to the steel tube embedded length and slightly to the unconfined concrete strength.
Shell noun use in English argumentative essays by native speakers of Japanese, Turkish, and English: Frequency and rate of noun-pattern attraction

Shell noun (SN) use in learner writing has been studied in terms of SN choices and SN pattern choices, but less so in terms of SN-pattern co-selection (i.e. which patterns are used with which SNs). This study examined English SN choices and their preferred lexicogrammatical patterns in argumentative essays by speakers of Turkish and Japanese in order to find SN-pattern attraction in learner writing, compared to SN use in writing of native English speakers. Results indicate that learners understand SN functions, given pattern frequencies comparable to those of native speakers. However, there were differences among groups in which SNs were most strongly attracted to or repelled by the SN patterns. This prompted a qualitative investigation. Findings of non-native SN use are discussed with respect to word-sense categories and clause marking. Suggestions are made for further research.
Prospects for Liposomes as Drug Carriers

Liposomes are vesicles composed of concentric phospholipid bilayers that are formed spontaneously when an aqueous solution is added to a dried lipid film (Figure 1). Several types of liposomes—multilamellar vesicles (MLV), small unilamellar vesicles (SUV), and reverse evaporation vesicles (REV)—have been described. MLV are used extensively as drug carriers for antineoplastic and antimicrobial drugs: lipophilic drugs can be incorporated in the MLV’s large lipid compartment and hydrophilic drugs can be encapsulated between the vesicles’ lipid bilayers. The liposomes’ size. manbrane charge, fluidity, and other characteristics may modify their in vivo behavior. The changes in drug bioavailability and biodistribution associated with liposome incorporation have been exploited to alter drug toxicity and enhance drug targeting. Design of liposomal drug carriers should be based on the rational selection of the drug or drug analogue; drug carriers; and the target disease, be it focused on a cell, an organ, or a tissue. We review here general pharmacologic concepts of the development of liposamal carriers for antimicrobial and antineoplastic agents.
The effects of radio-opaque contrast media on the structure, and solubility of the fibrin clot.

Radio-opaque contrast media interfered with the normal process of fibrin and plasma clot formation. The morphologic changes included a decrease of the fibrin fiber diameter and an increase of protein aggregates. These appeared amorphous in the light microscope and showed a linear relationship with the concentration of contrast agents in the reaction mixture. Above a threshold concentration, which was different for each contrast media, no clot formed. With increasing concentrations of contrast medium between 3.5 x 10-3M and 2.0 x 10-2M, the optical density of the clots decreased rapidly while the incorporation of fibrin monomers into the polymer structure of the clots stayed within normal limits. This indicated that the spatial arrangements of the clots was altered. Electron micrographs confirmed that the fibrin fibers were reduced by 70 per cent to 90 per cent of the control fiber diameter in the presence of 6.1 x 10-2M sodium diatrizoate. The fibrin stabilizing enzyme (FSF, LLF or Factor XIII) catalyzed covalent cross links despite the structural changes in the clot.
Conditional Probability: From Kings to Prisoners

Again let’s roll a pair of dice once, and let’s consider the probability set-up with our now familiar 36 possible outcomes and the uniform distribution on the resulting sample space. Let A be the event “rolling a 7” in Chapter 1 we saw that this event consists of six outcomes each having probability 1/36, so P(A) = 6/36 = 1/6. Let B be the event “the first (red) die comes up 1.” If we write down all the outcomes in B, we find again six outcomes, namely, (1, 1), (1, 2), (1, 3), (1, 4), (1, 5), (1, 6). So P(B) = 1/6 too. Now suppose we compute P(A∪B). By definition A∪B is the event occurring when either 7 is rolled or a 1 appears on the first die, or both happen. Write down all the outcomes described by this situation and you will find 11 outcomes: the six ways of rolling 7, which includes the outcome (1,6), plus the other five outcomes with 1 in the first position. According to our rules for computing probabilities P(A∪B) = 11/36. How about P(A∩B)? Well, A∩B is the event occurring when both A and B happen, namely, when the first die rolls 1 and we also get 7; this can happen in one way, when (1, 6) appears. Therefore P(A∩B) = 1/36. Notice the validity of the following formula:P(A∪B) = P(A) + P(B) â?P(A∩B).
Pneumococcal quorum sensing drives an asymmetric owner-intruder competitive strategy during carriage via the competence regulon.

Competition among microorganisms is a key determinant of successful host colonization and persistence. For Streptococcus pneumoniae, lower than predicted rates of co-colonizing strains suggest a competitive advantage for resident bacteria over newcomers. In light of evolutionary theory, we hypothesized that S. pneumoniae use owner–intruder asymmetries to settle contests, leading to the disproportionate success of the initial resident ‘owner’, regardless of the genetic identity of the ‘intruder’. We investigated the determinants of within-host competitive success utilizing S. pneumoniae colonization of the upper respiratory tract of infant mice. Within 6 h, colonization by the resident inhibited colonization by an isogenic challenger. The competitive advantage of the resident was dependent on quorum sensing via the competence (Com) regulon and downstream choline binding protein D (CbpD) and on the competence-induced bacteriocins A and B (CibAB) implicated in fratricide. CbpD and CibAB are highly conserved across pneumococcal lineages, indicating evolutionary advantages for asymmetric competitive strategies within the species. Mathematical modelling supported a significant role for quorum sensing via the Com regulon in competition, even for strains with different competitive advantages. Our study suggests that asymmetric owner–intruder competitive strategies do not require complex cognition and are used by a major human pathogen to determine ‘ownership’ of human hosts. Resident Streptococcus pneumoniae colonizers persist in hosts by outcompeting incoming strains through the action of a quorum-regulated Com regulon.
Decolonizing Community Writing With Community Listening: Story, Transrhetorical Resistance, and Indigenous Cultural Literacy Activism

This article foregrounds stories told by Kiowa Elder Dorothy Whitehorse DeLaune in order to distinguish "community listening" from "rhetorical listening" and decolonize community writing. Dorothy's stories demonstrate "transrhetoricity" as rhetorical practices that move across time and space to activate relationships between peoples and places through collaborative meaning making. Story moves historic legacies into the present despite suppression enacted by settler colonialism, and story yields adaptive meanings and cultural renewal. When communities listen across difference, stories enact resistance by building a larger community of storytellers, defying divisive settler colonialist inscriptions, and reinscribing Indigenous peoples and their epistemologies across the landscapes they historically inhabit.
A Hitchhiker’s Guide to the Blockchain Universe: Blockchain remains a mystery, despite its growing acceptance.

It is difficult these days to avoid hearing about blockchain. Despite the significant potential of blockchain, it is also difficult to find a consistent description of what it really is. This article looks at the basics of blockchain: the individual components, how those components fit together, and what changes might be made to solve some of the problems with blockchain technology.
Exploring the Role of Medial Olivocochlear Efferents on the Detection of Amplitude Modulation for Tones Presented in Noise

The medial olivocochlear reflex has been hypothesized to improve the detection and discrimination of dynamic signals in noisy backgrounds. This hypothesis was tested here by comparing behavioral outcomes with otoacoustic emissions. The effects of a precursor on amplitude-modulation (AM) detection were measured for a 1- and 6-kHz carrier at levels of 40, 60, and 80 dB SPL in a two-octave-wide noise masker with a level designed to produce poor, but above-chance, performance. Three types of precursor were used: a two-octave noise band, an inharmonic complex tone, and a pure tone. Precursors had the same overall level as the simultaneous noise masker that immediately followed the precursor. The noise precursor produced a large improvement in AM detection for both carrier frequencies and at all three levels. The complex tone produced a similarly large improvement in AM detection at the highest level but had a smaller effect for the two lower carrier levels. The tonal precursor did not significantly affect AM detection in noise. Comparisons of behavioral thresholds and medial olivocochlear efferent effects on stimulus frequency otoacoustic emissions measured with similar stimuli did not support the hypothesis that efferent-based reduction of cochlear responses contributes to the precursor effects on AM detection.
Student interest and choice in programming assignments

This paper describes a study, conducted in an introductory programming course, on the factors that make students interested in programming assignments. These factors include whether the assignment is perceived as easy or difficult, and the paper analyzes these in detail. There are also significant factors involving the end product of the assignment. The study also looks at the impact of these interest factors on choice, when students must actually choose a program to write. The same factors are involved, but some become more important while others become correspondingly less important. These observations may be useful for instructors considering the design of assignments or the role of student choice in introductory programming courses.
Placenta as a target of trichloroethylene toxicity

Trichloroethylene (TCE) is an industrial solvent and a common environmental contaminant detected in thousands of hazardous waste sites. Risk of exposure is a concern for workers in occupations that use TCE as well as for residents who live near industries that use TCE or who live near TCE-contaminated sites. Although renal, hepatic and carcinogenic effects of TCE have been documented, less is known about TCE impacts on reproductive functions despite epidemiology reports associating maternal TCE exposure with adverse pregnancy outcomes. Toxicological evidence suggests that the placenta mediates at least some of the adverse pregnancy outcomes associated with TCE exposure. Toxicology studies show that the TCE metabolite, S-(1,2-dichlorovinyl)-L-cysteine (DCVC) generates toxic effects such as mitochondrial dysfunction, apoptosis, oxidative stress, and release of prostaglandins and pro-inflammatory cytokines in placental cell lines. Each of these mechanisms of toxicity have significant implications for placental functions and, thus, ultimately the health of mother and developing child. Despite these findings there remain significant gaps in our knowledge about effects of TCE on the placenta, including effects on specific placental cell types and functions as well as sex differences in response to TCE exposure. Due to the critical role that the placenta plays in pregnancy, future research addressing some of these knowledge gaps could lead to significant gains in public health.
Carbonation, Regeneration, and Cycle Stability ofthe Mechanically Activated Ca(OH) 2 Sorbents for CO 2 Capture: An In Situ X‑ray Diffraction Study

The impact of mechanical activation on calcium hydroxide-based sorbent was investigated. Carbonation/decarbonation kinetics and sorbent cycle stability were characterized by in situ X-ray diffracti...