cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Baseline diet quality of predominantly minority children and adolescents from households characterized by low socioeconomic status in the Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR) Consortium

The Healthy Eating Index (HEI-2010) is a measure of diet quality that examines conformance with the Dietary Guidelines for Americans. The objectives of this study were to estimate baseline diet quality of predominantly low-income minority children using the HEI-2010 and to identify the most important HEI components to target for dietary intervention. Two or three baseline 24 h dietary recalls were collected in-person or over telephone between May 2012 and June 2014 from 1,745 children and adolescents from four randomized clinical trials in the Childhood Obesity Prevention and Treatment Research (COPTR) Consortium. Nine adequacy and three moderation food components were calculated and averaged to determine overall HEI scores. The overall HEI-2010 scores were categorized as ≥81, 51–80, or ≤ 50 based on the HEI-2005 classification. For each study, mean overall and component HEI scores were estimated using linear regression models. Mean (95% CI) overall HEI scores ranged from 47.9 (46.8, 49.0) to 64.5 (63.6, 65.4). Only 0.3 to 8.1% of children and adolescents had HEI-2010 score ≥ 81. The average component score for green and beans was less than 30% of maximum score for all trials. In contrast, the average component score for protein, dairy (except for IMPACT), and empty calories (except forIMPACT) was more than 80% of maximum score. Based on HEI-2010 scores, few children and adolescents consumed high quality diets. Dietary interventions for children and adolescents should focus on improving intakes of green vegetables and beans. GROW study (clinical trial # NCT01316653); NET-Works study (clinical trial #NCT01606891); Stanford Goals (clinical trial #NCT01642836); IMPACT (clinical trial # NCT01514279).
Book Review of Responsive Open Learning Environments: Outcomes of Research from the ROLE Project

This book review of the eBook Responsive Open Learning Environments: Outcomes of Research from the ROLE Project recommends the ebook as it covers topics on a project that could be applied to virtual exchanges allowing learners to connect with peers and content via widgets.
Optimal Variable Load Scheduling for Hybrid Energy Systems

Renewables such as solar and wind energy are good for the environment, save energy costs, and are expected to be an important part of future energy systems. For many applications, however, renewables cannot be the only energy source because their output fluctuates, depending on weather and seasonal conditions. As a result, renewables are usually used in a hybrid energy system (HES) that has access to conventional energy supplies, such as the power grid and generators, as well as to re-chargeable batteries that store any excess renewable energy.In an HES, variable loads are ones that can be scheduled at flexible times and it is desirable to schedule them in a way that maximizes usage of renewable energy and minimizes costs. In this work, we developed an optimal approach based on a state-space model of the HES and dynamic programming. The efficacy of this approach has been demonstrated in simulated experimental results, where it performs significantly better than several other control strategies, such as the constant, random, and bang-bang controls.
In-Season Hip Thrust vs. Back Squat Training in Female High School Soccer Players

The barbell back squat provides a highly effective training stimulus to improve lower body strength, speed, and power, which are considered key components of athletic performance in many sports. The barbell hip thrust exercise utilizes similar musculature, and is popular among practitioners, but has received far less scientific examination. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the effects of an in-season resistance training program with hip thrusts or back squats on physical performance in adolescent female soccer players. Fourteen players completed identical whole-body resistance training twice per week for 6 weeks, except one group used the barbell hip thrust (HT) (n = 6) and the other the back squat (SQ) (n = 8). Improvements were observed for both groups in hip thrust 3RM (HT = 34.0%, SQ = 23.8%), back squat 3RM (HT = 34.6%, SQ = 31.0%), vertical jump (HT = 5.4%, SQ = 4.9%), broad jump (HT = 10.5%, SQ = 8.1%), ball kicking distance (HT = 13.2%, SQ = 8.1%), and pro-agility (HT = -1.5%, SQ = -1.5%; faster), but not 36.6-m dash (HT = 2.9%, SQ = 1.9%; slower) with no significant between-group differences. These data indicate that both the hip thrust and the squat provide an effective stimulus to improve these sport-specific performance measures. Practitioners should consider these findings in combination with other factors (equipment availability, ability to coach the movement, training goals, injuries, etc.) when selecting exercises.
Predicting heterosis in grain sorghum hybrids using sequence-based genetic similarity estimates

The genetic yield potential in grain sorghum [Sorghum bicolor (L.) Moench] hybrids has increased at a slower rate than other cereal crops. While there are many reasons for this lag, increasing hete...
Utilizing the F3App to Capture Learner Feedback About Faculty Teaching.

BACKGROUND AND OBJECTIVES The Accreditation Council for Graduate Medical Education requires soliciting learner feedback on faculty teaching, although gathering meaningful feedback is challenging in the medical education environment. We developed the Faculty Feedback Facilitator (F3App), a mobile application that allows for real-time capture of narrative feedback by residents. The purpose of our study was to assess efficacy, usability, and acceptability of the F3App in family medicine residency programs. METHODS Residents, faculty, and program directors (PDs) from eight residency programs participated in a beta test of the F3App from November 2017 to May 2018; participants completed pre- and postimplementation surveys about their evaluation process and the F3App. We interviewed PDs, and analyzed responses using a thematic analysis approach. RESULTS Survey results showed significant postimplementation increases in faculty agreement that accessing evaluations is easy (42%), evaluations are an effective way to communicate feedback (34%), feedback is actionable and meaningful (24%), and the current system provides meaningful data for promotion (33%). Among residents, agreement that the current system allows meaningful information sharing and is easy to use increased significantly, by 17% each. The proportion of residents agreeing they were comfortable providing constructive criticism increased significantly (22%). PDs generally reported that residents were receptive to using the F3App, found it quick and easy to use, and that feedback provided was meaningful. CONCLUSIONS Participating programs reviewed the F3App positively as a tool to gather narrative feedback from learners on faculty teaching.
Diagnosis and treatment of anomalous origin of left coronary artery from the pulmonary artery

Objective The study aims to investigate the clinical features,diagnosis and treatment of ALCAPA in infant and children.Methods 18 children with ALCAPA between January 2010 to June 2012 were retrospectively reviewed.Results Without typical symptoms and signs,ALCAPA is easy to be misdiagnosed.The diagnosis of ALCAPA depends upon echocardiography and heart CT examination.One patient died postoperatively.Conclusions With a master list of the clinical characteristics of ALCAPA,the diagnosis can be made more accurately.Besides,early surgical treatment is effective which can reduce the mortality of such patients. Key words: Heart diseases,congenital; Coronary vessel anomalies; Pulmonary artery
The memory of Spanish Gypsies: Scholarship, oral history, and archive research

This study explores avenues of research pertaining to the lives and experiences of Gitanos or Cale (Spanish Gypsies) during the Spanish Civil War and General Francisco Franco’s dictatorship. The es...
Round-Trip Oxidative Addition, Ligand Metathesis, and Reductive Elimination in a PIII/PV Synthetic Cycle

A synthetic cycle for aryl C–F substitution comprising oxidative addition, ligand metathesis, and reductive elimination at a Cs-symmetric phosphorus triamide (1, P{N[o-NMe-C6H4]2}) is reported. Rea...
A MULTIBAND GENERALIZATION OF THE MULTIHARMONIC ANALYSIS OF VARIANCE PERIOD ESTIMATION ALGORITHM AND THE EFFECT OF INTER-BAND OBSERVING CADENCE ON PERIOD RECOVERY RATE

We present a new method of extending the single-band multiharmonic analysis of variance period estimation algorithm to multiple bands. We use Sloan Digital Sky Survey Stripe 82 RR Lyrae to show that in the case of a low number of observations per band and non-simultaneous observations, improvements in period recovery rates of up to ≈50% are observed. We also investigate the effect of inter-band observing cadence on period recovery rates. We find that using non-simultaneous observation times between bands is ideal for the multiband method, and using simultaneous multiband data is only marginally better than using single-band data. These results will be particularly useful in planning observing cadences for wide-field astronomical imaging surveys such as Large Synoptic Survey Telescope. They also have the potential to improve the extraction of transient data from surveys with few (30) observations per band across several bands, such as the Dark Energy Survey.
Effect of Thermal and Mechanical Damage on Phase Separation, Crosslink Density, and Polydispersity of Polyurea Variants

Comprehensive experimental studies are performed to comprehend further the effects of thermal and mechanical aspects of cavitation on polyurea (PU) variants microstructure and molecular transitions. Different polyurea formulations are distinguished by the difference in their pre-polymer mixing ratios, including the chain length distribution of diamines. Virgin, cavitation-erosion damaged, and undamaged (exposed to water) along with annealed polyurea samples are tested for their crosslink density and molecular weight using swelling experiments and gel permeation chromatography (GPC). Additionally, FTIR spectra can be utilized to evaluate crystallinity (in formation and ordering of hydrogen bonds followed by their destruction). Furthermore, FTIR spectra for mechanically damaged samples under cavitation erosion can be related to water absorption and oxidation. It is understood that formulations with a higher hard segment (HS) to soft segment (SS) ratio tend to be more crosslinked. It is also observed that the swelling capacity is decreasing for polyurea with higher HS/SS ratio. It is concluded that the polyurea nanostructure can substantially affect its resistivity against thermal and mechanical damages.
Doxycycline promotes proteasome fitness in the central nervous system

Several studies reported that mitochondrial stress induces cytosolic proteostasis in yeast and C. elegans. Notably, inhibition of mitochondrial translation with doxcycyline decreases the toxicity of β-amyloid aggregates, in a C. elegans. However, how mitochondrial stress activates cytosolic proteostasis remains unclear. Further whether doxycycline has this effect in mammals and in disease relevant tissues also remains unclear. We show here that doxycycline treatment in mice drastically reduces the accumulation of proteins destined for degradation by the proteasome in a CNS region-specific manner. This effect is associated with the activation of the ERα axis of the mitochondrial unfolded protein response (UPRmt), in both males and females. However, sexually dimorphic mechanisms of proteasome activation were observed. Doxycycline also activates the proteasome in fission yeast, where ERα is not expressed. Rather, the ancient ERα-coactivator Mms19 regulates this response in yeast. Our results suggest that the UPRmt initiates a conserved mitochondria-to-cytosol stress signal, resulting in proteasome activation, and that this signal has adapted during evolution, in a sex and tissue specific-manner. Therefore, while our results support the use of doxycycline in the prevention of proteopathic diseases, they also indicate that sex is an important variable to consider in the design of future clinical trials using doxycycline.
“The Girl Had a Shadow”: Us (2019) as a Modern Black Gothic

In this research paper, I examine how Jordan Peele’s film Us (2019) fits into the genre of a modern “Black Gothic.” I analyze how Peele uses imagery, character construction, and social references to construct a modern Black Gothic film that considers the intense history of oppression and silencing of groups on the basis of their race and class in the United States. I use the foundational definitions and examples provided by Maisha Wester and Sheri-Marie Harrison to argue how Us fits into and further modernizes the Black Gothic genre, as well as examining how Peele’s imagery contributes to the horror and the social commentary of the film. Ultimately, this paper provides a close reading of the whole film as a part of a larger conversation around how the historical and modern oppression of Black individuals and communities is embedded into the very foundation of the United States as a nation.
Local anesthetic volume in ultrasound-guided interscalene block and opioid consumption during shoulder arthroscopic surgery: A retrospective comparative study.

ABSTRACT Interscalene block (ISB) is commonly performed for regional anesthesia in shoulder surgery. Ultrasound-guided ISB enables visualization of the local anesthetic spread and a reduction in local anesthetic volume. However, little is known about the appropriate local anesthetic dose for surgical anesthesia without sedation or general anesthesia. The purpose of our study was to evaluate the appropriate local anesthetic volume by comparing intraoperative analgesics and hemodynamic changes in ISB in arthroscopic shoulder surgery.Overall, 1007 patients were divided into groups 1, 2, and 3 according to the following volume of local anesthetics: 10-19, 20-29, and 30-40 mL, respectively. The use of intraoperative analgesics and sedatives, and the reduction in intraoperative maximum blood pressure and heart rate were compared through retrospective analysis.Fentanyl was used in 55.6% of patients in group 1, which was significantly higher than in those groups 2 and 3 (22.3% and 30.7%, respectively); furthermore, it was also higher than those in groups 2 and 3 in dose-specific comparisons (P 30 mL or increased opioid consumption with <20 mL of local anesthetics could increase the risk of cardiovascular instability intraoperatively. Our findings indicate that 24 mL of local anesthetic could be used to lower the incidence of hypotensive bradycardic events.
Numerical simulation of interaction between multiphase flows and thin flexible structures

Abstract We develop a fluid–structure interaction numerical algorithm based on the immersed boundary (IB) method for simulating the interaction between air–water two-phase flows and thin flexible structures. In this algorithm, we propose a new method to avoid the unphysical fluxes across the thin structures, which effectively mitigates the issue of flow spurious penetration. In the proposed method, an explicit pressure boundary condition on the immersed boundary is applied. A new scheme for categorizing fluid, solid, and forcing nodes in the IB method is developed for avoiding extra pressure interpolation at the velocity projection step of the fractional-step method. The fluid motions are solved by a finite difference method. A coupled level-set and volume-of-fluid method is implemented to capture the free interface. A finite element method is utilized to solve the deformation of flexible plates. Two benchmark cases are tested and good agreement with the results in the literature is obtained.
Malignant tumors of the nose and paranasal cavity

■ Cancers of the nasal cavity and paranasal sinuses are rare, comprising 3% of head and neck malignancies.
The Influence of Surface Charge on Oligomeric Reactions as a Basis for Channel Dynamics

The fundamental membrane processes of living cells, e.g. generation of ion gradients, sensory transduction, conduction of impulses, energy transduction, are electrochemical in nature. Each process involves charge movement across the membrane in a specialized protein structure, where part of the protein forms a channel for the conduction of ions. The opening of the channels is controlled by external factors such as the electrical potential drop across the membrane or the binding of signaling (neurotransmitter, hormone) molecules or ions to specific receptor or enzyme sites. The structural similarities between the different protein assemblies and the relations between the electrochemical properties suggest that the specific functions are accomplished through variations of a general design.
STIFFNESS CENTER METHOD

A approximate analysis of rigid frames using a new concept, called the stiffness center, is presented. It has been shown that when a skeletal elastic system is idealized as a configuration of elastic springs, about such a center the stiffness of the system is balanced. The concept of elastic center in closed-ring types of structures, the instantaneous center of rotation in a group of fasteners, the center of gravity in the cantilever method, the neutral axis in solid as well as in composite cross sections are all special interpretations of the stiffness center. The method is compared with the existing approximate methods.
Ecosystem Management: Implications for Fisheries Management

Abstract A panel of nine professional fish and wildlife scientists presented their views and exchanged ideas regarding ecosystem management during a symposium held in August 1995 at the American Fisheries Society's annual meeting in Tampa, Florida. The panelists agreed many fisheries resources are declining, and management efforts are not succeeding; natural resource management is increasing in complexity; and a change in management philosophy is needed. The panel agreed that ecosystem management is an evolution of management philosophy that focuses on local and large geographic scales, considers long-term temporal scales, and preserves biotic and abiotic components of ecosystems when making natural resource management decisions. They noted that the philosophy of ecosystem management considers human values and requires collaboration among government agencies, private property owners, and a wide array of stakeholders when making management decisions. The panel also identified a need for enhanced education ...
The Mediational Role of Classroom Practices during the Silent Period: A New-Immigrant Student Learning the English Language in a Mainstream Classroom.

For this article we aimed to understand the emergence of English as a second language for a newly immigrated Mexican student, a native speaker of Spanish, enrolled in a mainstream kindergarten classroom, who was undergoing the silent period (Krashen, 1981). Applying ecological approaches that emphasize learners in relationship with their environment, we analyzed three particular classroom practices and their respective mediational roles for the development of a second language (L2). Following Tomasello's (1999, 2003) recognition that the understanding of communicative intentions is an essential prerequisite for language development, we argue that certain characteristics of routine classroom practices (i.e., shared objects, infrastructural elements, and speech patterns) provided key interactional and contextual affordances for the understanding and internalization of a shared system of symbols (linguistic and nonlinguistic) and, thus, for the emergence of the L2. This research suggests that our focal student was intentionally and actively engaged in L2 learning during this period of silence. In addition, our findings suggest that although the understanding of communicative intentions contributed to the legitimization of a student identity for the learner during the silent period, it did not contribute to the learning of academic content. We argue that ambiguity and multiplicity of intentions conveyed in some classroom actions may be particularly challenging for L2 learners in mainstream classrooms.
Fecundity compensation in the three-spined stickleback Gasterosteus aculeatus infected by the diphyllobothriidean cestode Schistocephalus solidus

Causal explanations for host reproductive phenotypes influenced by parasitism fit into three broad evolutionary models: (1) non-adaptive side effect; (2) adaptive parasitic manipulation; and (3) adaptive host defence. This study demonstrates fecundity compensation, an adaptive non-immunological host defence, in the three-spined stickleback fish (Gasterosteus aculeatus) infected by the diphyllobothriidean cestode Schistocephalus solidus. Both infected and uninfected female sticklebacks produced egg clutches at the same age and size. The reproductive capacity of infected females decreased rapidly with increased parasite : host body mass ratio. Body condition was lower in infected females than uninfected females and decreased with increasing parasite : host mass ratio. Females with clutches had greater body condition than those without clutches. A point biserial correlation showed that there was a body condition threshold necessary for clutch production to occur. Host females apparently had the capacity to produce egg clutches until the prolonged effects of nutrient theft by the parasite and the drain on resources from reproduction precluded clutch formation. Clutch mass, adjusted for female body mass, did not differ significantly between infected and uninfected females. Infected females apparently maintained the same level of reproductive allotment (egg mass as proportion of body mass) as uninfected females. Infected females produced larger clutches of smaller eggs than uninfected females, revealing a trade-off between egg mass and egg number, consistent with the fecundity compensation hypothesis. The rapid loss of reproductive capacity with severity of infection probably reflects the influence of the parasite combined with a trade-off between current and future reproduction in the host. Inter-annual differences in reproductive performance may have reflected ecological influences on host pathology and/or intra-annual seasonal changes. © 2012 The Linnean Society of London, Biological Journal of the Linnean Society, 2012, 106, 807‐819.
Space technology in the third world: Commercialization and the spread of ballistic missiles

Abstract The recent enthusiastic initiatives in the USA to commercialize space activities are also likely to facilitate and accelerate Third World ventures in space. This article outlines the history of Third World space activities and points to the danger that these nations will use satellite launch technology for military applications. Competitive economic and political pressures are aiding the migration of older missile technology to Third World Nations. The author argues for the establishment of an International Missile Technology Regime, which would limit the transfer of space launch technology to nations which are in full compliance with the 1968 Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
Transcranial magnetic stimulation: A potential new treatment for depression associated with traumatic brain injury

AbstractBackground: Each year, more than 1.7 million Americans suffer a traumatic brain injury (TBI) and the lifetime prevalence of major depressive disorder following TBI is between 25–50%. There are no validated established strategies to treat TBI depression. Repetitive transcranial magnetic stimulation (rTMS) is a novel putative treatment option for post-TBI depression, which, compared with standard pharmacological agents, may provide a more targeted treatment with fewer side-effects. However, TBI is associated with an increased risk of both early and late spontaneous seizures, a significant consideration in evaluating rTMS as a potential treatment for TBI depression. Whilst the risk of seizure from rTMS is low, underlying neuropathology may somewhat increase that risk.Review: This review focuses on the safety aspects of rTMS in TBI patients. The authors review why low frequency rTMS might be less likely to trigger a seizure than high frequency rTMS and propose low frequency rTMS as a safer option in T...
Talbot effect and Cornu’s spiral

Cornu’s spiral is used in the testing and extension of a recent explanation of the Talbot effect, which occurs in the Fresnel domain. The results confirm all parts tested. They also indicate that each band of a Talbot plane is controlled primarily by light from only a few slits of the grating, contrary to earlier assumptions. Increases in slit width are found to limit the number of Talbot planes that can be observed.
Robust control of a shape-changing flexible robot arm

ABSTRACT We investigate the robust vibration control of an elastic robot arm. This robot arm, called the Elasiicarm, is a new design that exploits the flexibility of a beam to generate motion that usually requires an elbow. Shape control is accomplished using a system of cables and motors. The resulting structure exhibits lightly damped, large-scale vibrations. The vibration control problem for the Elasticarm is challenging because the natural frequencies dependon the static shape of the beam. In this paper we compare two simple controllers that are designed to be insensitive to plant uncertainty and to offer satisfactory performance. The first controller is an H design using an imaginaryaxis shift. The second controller uses direct strain feedback to increase vibration damping. Experimental resultsshow that both controllers maintain adequate performance across a wide range of configurations.Keywords: robotics, robust control, elastica, flexible arms 1 INTRODUCTION The control of flexible robotic arms has received significant attention in the literature in recent years. One ofthe earliest papers came from Cannon.' There is an entire book dedicated to the subject by Fraser and Daniel.3More recent studies can be found in Kimura,7 Luo,9 and the references therein. The motivation for studying thissubject is the desire for robotic arms to be fast and lightweight. The presence of flexible modes in these armsimposes a significant limitation on performance, and has resulted in many challenging control problems.
Evaluation of Some Potential Chemical Exposure Risks During Flowback Operations in Unconventional Oil and Gas Extraction: Preliminary Results

Approximately 562,000 workers were employed in the U.S. oil and gas extraction industry in 2012; nearly half of those workers were employed by well servicing companies, which include companies that...
Forest fragmentation in central Amazonia and its effects on litter-dwelling ants

We assessed responses of ants nesting in twigs in the litter layer to habitat changes associated with forest fragmentation in central Amazonia. Ants were collected along transects located at nine distances (5, 20, 40, 60, 100, 200, 300, 400, 500 m) from the edges of two isolated 100-ha fragments and two continuous-forest sites. In total, 2880 m2 of litter were examined for the presence of ant colonies. We detected a significant decrease in litter depth with increasing distance to forest edge, and an increase and then decrease in the average diameter-at-breast-height (DBH) of large trees (DBH⩾10 cm), and in tree basal area. Distance to forest edge significantly affected ant species composition and this effect was partly attributable to variation in litter depth. With the exception of one fragment, no significant changes in ant nest densities or species richness were found with increasing distance to forest edge. However, species richness of ants was greater in continuous forest than in both fragments. Furthermore, most species (65.8%) had greater nest densities in continuous forest. These results suggest that edge and isolation effects both play a role in structuring litter-dwelling ant communities in Amazonian forest remnants.
Overexpression of RyR1 Enhances Ca2+-Induced Mitochondrial ATP Production in Cardiac H9C2 Cells

Background:Cytosolic Ca2+ elevation is an important trigger for both mitochondrial dynamics and ATP generation in various cell types including cardiac myocytes. Mitochondrial Ca2+ influx is mainly mediated by the mitochondrial Ca2+ uniporter (MCU). Recent studies have identified additional Ca2+ uptake pathways, which exhibit different biophysical properties from MCU including skeletal-muscle type ryanodine receptor isoform1 (RyR1). However it is still unclear that which mitochondrial Ca2+ influx mechanism mainly participates in the regulation of mitochondrial morphology/dynamics and energetic functions in cardiac myocytes. Aim:To investigate the role of mitochondrial RyR1 in the regulation of mitochondrial morphology and function in cardiac cells. Methods:GFP- or non-tagged RyR1 was transiently or stably overexpressed in cardiac H9C2 cells. MCU and RyR2 are also expressed for comparisons. Mitochondrial localization of over-expressed RyR1 was observed by co-expression of mitochondrial matrix-targeted RFP (mtRFP) using confocal microscope and also quantified by Western blotting using mitochondria fractionation. Mitochondrial morphology was evaluated by the calculation of aspect ratio and form factor from mtRFP pictures. Mitochondrial Ca2+ concentration ([Ca2+]m) and ATP ([ATP]m) was measured by mitochondrial matrix-targeted Ca2+-sensitive inverse pericam (Mitycam) and FRET-based indicators for ATP (ATeam), respectively.Results:Overexpressed RyR1 was partially localized in mitochondria, but the another RyR isoform RyR2 did not show any co-localization with mitochondria. Over-expression of RyR1 but not MCU and RyR2 showed the mitochondrial fragmentation. Fragmented mitochondria showed higher [Ca2+]m at peak and sustained Ca2+ transients compared to elongated mitochondria. RyR1 overexpressed cells had higher [ATP]m at the basal condition and showed more ATP production in response to [Ca2+]c elevation compared to non-transfected cells.Conclusion:Mitochondrial RyR1 strongly modulates mitochondrial morphology, Ca2+ influx and Ca2+-induced ATP production in cardiac cells.
Violence Against College Students and Its Situational Contexts: Prevalence, Patterns, and Policy Implications

National Crime Victimization Survey (NCVS) data (n = 1,431) collected from 1995 through 2005 are used to examine the situational contexts associated with violence against college students. Findings from the conjunctive analysis indicate that violence against college students occurs in a diverse yet concentrated pattern of situational contexts. The most common context of violence experienced by college students is minor assaults against males that occur off-campus and in front of bystanders. Finally, although off-campus violence is relatively more common than on-campus violence, most incidents of campus violence share situational contexts that are similar to off-campus incidents. Implications of these results on future research and public policy on reducing students' victimization risks are discussed.
Real-time compression and transmission of Apollo telemetry data

Data compression and transmission technique for real time system to monitor manned space missions, noting Apollo telemetry data
The Human Organic Anion Transport Protein SLC21A6 Is Not Sufficient for Bilirubin Transport

A recent study (Cui, Y., Konig, J., Leier, I., Buchholz, U., and Keppler, D. (2001) J. Biol. Chem. 276, 9626–9630) suggests that human OATP2 (SLC21A6), also known as OATP-C and LST1, mediates hepatic bilirubin transport. Because of methodologic concerns, this study was designed to examine this issue using a bilirubin transport assay that was validated in overnight cultured rat hepatocytes. These studies showed that cultured rat hepatocytes transported bilirubin with kinetics virtually identical to the transport of sulfobromophthalein. This assay was then used to quantify bilirubin transport by HeLa cells that had been stably transfected with OATP2 under regulation of a metallothionein promoter. Immunoblot analysis revealed abundant expression of OATP2 after incubation of cells for 48 h in zinc, whereas uninduced cells had no expression of this protein. In OATP2-expressing (zinc-induced) HeLa cells at 37 °C, the uptake of [35S]sulfobromophthalein was substantial (51.6 ± 16.5 pmol/15 min/mg protein, n = 5) with little cell-associated ligand in non-expressing (uninduced) cells (0.54 ± 0.16 pmol/15 min/mg protein, n = 5, p 0.2) in cell-associated [3H]bilirubin in induced (OATP2-expressing) as compared with uninduced cells (11.25 ± 3.02 pmol/15 min/mg protein versus 9.15 ± 1.68 pmol/min/mg protein, respectively, n = 5) We obtained similar results in OATP2-transfected HEK293 cells that were used in the original report. The existence of a bilirubin transporter has been an important field of investigation for many years. Although the current study indicates that a role for OATP2 in hepatocyte bilirubin transport is unlikely, it provides new and sensitive tools that can be adapted to examine the function of putative bilirubin transporters in the future.
Proton-coupled electron transfer: metal hydrides find the sweet spot.

The synchronous movement of protons and electrons orchestrated by enzymes gives rise to highly efficient catalytic processes in nature, such as photosynthesis. Now, researchers have choreographed similar reactivity for a metal hydride complex, setting the stage for efficient solar fuel production in artificial systems.
Structural and dynamical aspects of the distant magnetotail determined from ISEE-3 plasma measurements☆

Abstract Large lateral displacements of the magnetotail at ISEE-3 orbital distances can result from the angular variations of solar wind flow that occur frequently. To determine the tail's shape and structure from the ISEE-3 measurements it is desirable to determine quantitatively the tail's displacement during such measurements. Three-dimensional solar wind measurements by IMP-8 have been used together with a new coordinate system, the Geocentric Solar Wind (GSW) system, which reflects solar wind direction changes (as well as earth dipole motion), to estimate the location of ISEE-3 within the tail cross-section. Preliminary tests suggest that at least those changes of satellite location within the tail resulting from long term (few hour) solar wind changes can be determined by the method. Energetic ion spectra, measured in plasmoids by ISEE-3 in the distant tail and by ISEE-2 at the time of the plasmoids' departure from the near tail, have the same exponential form, distinctly different from the power law form that has earlier been ascribed to plasma sheet ion spectra. The ions are trapped in the closed loops of the plasmoid and the major anisotropy that they show is due to their convective motion with the moving plasmoid, not to field-aligned streaming.
Clinical characteristics and diagnostic considerations in acquired renal cystic disease.

Clinical characteristics and diagnostic considerations in acquired renal cystic disease. Acquired multiple bilateral cystic transformation of kidneys has been increasingly noted in patients with long–standing renal failure treated by chronic dialysis. To study the clinical characteristics of this newly described disease and assess the utility of available diagnostic methods, 130 patients with chronic renal failure (100 on dialysis, 30 nondialyzed) were studied with ultrasonography and/or computerized tomography (CT). Among patients on dialysis, 22% had acquired renal cystic disease (ARCD), an additional 30% had one to three solitary cysts, and 48% had no cysts. In nondialyzed patients, 7% had ARCD, 53% had one to three solitary cysts, and 40% had no cysts. Among these 130 chronic renal failure patients (nondialyzed and dialyzed), 21 of 86 males compared to 1 of 44 females had ARCD (P
Floral diversity increases beneficial arthropod richness and decreases variability in arthropod community composition

Declines in species diversity resulting from anthropogenic alterations of the environment heighten the need to develop management strategies that conserve species and ecosystem services. This study examined how native plant species and their diversity influence the abundance and richness of beneficial arthropods, a functionally important group that provides ecosystem services such as pollination and natural pest suppression. Beneficial arthropods were sampled in replicated study plots containing native perennials planted in one-, two-, and seven-species mixtures. We found plant diversity had a positive impact on arthropod richness but not on arthropod abundance. An analysis of arthropod community composition revealed that each flower species attracted a different assemblage of beneficial arthropods. In addition, the full seven-species mixture also attracted a distinct arthropod community compared to single-species monocultures. Using a multivariate approach, we determined whether arthropod assemblages in two- and seven-species plots were additive and could be predicted based on assemblages from their component single-species plots. On average, assemblages in diverse plots were nonadditive when compared to assemblages predicted using single-species plots. Arthropod assemblages in two-species plots most closely resembled those of only one of the flower species in the mixture. However, the arthropod assemblages in seven-species plots, although statistically deviating from the expectation of an additive model, more closely resembled predicted communities compared to the assemblages found in two-species plots, suggesting that variability in arthropod community composition decreased as planting diversity increased. Our study demonstrates that careful selection of plants in managed landscapes can augment beneficial arthropod richness and support a more predictable arthropod community, suggesting that planning and design efforts could shape arthropod assemblages in natural as well as managed landscapes to meet targeted conservation or management goals.
The effects of the business model on object-oriented software development productivity

Unless the business model that governs software production adjusts to new technology, it is unlikely that an investment in the technology will result in real productivity benefits. Commercial development always takes place in the context of a business model, and in that context an understanding of how business constraints influence commercial software development is imperative. As software markets become more competitive and business pressures shorten software development cycles, improved software development productivity continues to be a major concern in the software industry. Many believe that new software technology, such as object-oriented development, provides a breakthrough solution to this problem. Unfortunately, there is little quantitative evidence for this belief. In this paper we explore the relationship between the business model and the productivity that a software development methodology can achieve in a commercial environment under that model. We first examine empirical data from several commercial products developed using object-oriented methods. The results indicate that object-oriented development may not perform any better than “procedural” development in environments that lack incentives for early completion of intermediate project tasks. We then model and simulate the impact of the software task-completion incentives and deadlines on the productivity that might be expected from a technology with high-performance potential. We show how and why some common business practices might lower project productivity and project completion probability. We also discuss to what extent poor software process control and (im)maturity of the technology compounds the problem.
Tracking dirty proceeds: Exploring data mining technologies as tools to investigate money laundering

Money laundering enforcement operations in the USA and abroad have developed in the past decade from the simple use of informant information to the sophisticated analysis of voluminous, complex financial transaction arrays. Traditional investigative techniques aimed at uncovering patterns consume numerous man-hours. The volume of these records and the complexity of the relationships call for innovative techniques that can aid financial investigators in generating timely, accurate leads. Data mining techniques are well suited for identifying trends and patterns in large data sets often comprised of hundreds or even thousands of complex hidden relationships. This paper explores the use of innovative data mining methodologies that could enhance law enforcement's ability to detect, reduce, and prevent money laundering activities. This paper provides an overview of the money laundering problem in the USA and overseas and describes the nature and scope of the money laundering problems. It reviews traditional ap...
Phenotypic and genotypic description of Sedimenticola selenatireducens strain CUZ, a marine (per)chlorate respiring Gammaproteobacterium and its close relative the chlorate respiring Sedimenticola strain NSS

Two (per)chlorate-reducing bacteria, strains CUZ and NSS, were isolated from marine sediments in Berkeley and San Diego, CA, respectively. Strain CUZ respired both perchlorate and chlorate [collectively designated (per)chlorate], while strain NSS respired only chlorate. Phylogenetic analysis classified both strains as close relatives of the gammaproteobacterium Sedimenticola selenatireducens. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) preparations showed the presence of rod-shaped, motile cells containing one polar flagellum. Optimum growth for strain CUZ was observed at 25 to 30 °C, pH 7, and 4% NaCl, while strain NSS grew optimally at 37 to 42 °C, pH 7.5 to 8, and 1.5 to 2.5% NaCl. Both strains oxidized hydrogen, sulfide, various organic acids, and aromatics, such as benzoate and phenylacetate, as electron donors coupled to oxygen, nitrate, and (per)chlorate or chlorate as electron acceptors. The draft genome of strain CUZ carried the requisite (per)chlorate reduction island (PRI) for (per)chlorate respiration, while that of strain NSS carried the composite chlorate reduction transposon responsible for chlorate metabolism. The PRI of strain CUZ encoded a perchlorate reductase (Pcr), which reduced both perchlorate and chlorate, while the genome of strain NSS included a gene for a distinct chlorate reductase (Clr) that reduced only chlorate. When both (per)chlorate and nitrate were present, (per)chlorate was preferentially utilized if the inoculum was pregrown on (per)chlorate. Historically, (per)chlorate-reducing bacteria (PRB) and chlorate-reducing bacteria (CRB) have been isolated primarily from freshwater, mesophilic environments. This study describes the isolation and characterization of two highly related marine halophiles, one a PRB and the other a CRB, and thus broadens the known phylogenetic and physiological diversity of these unusual metabolisms.
A novel method for MicroRNA secondary structure prediction using a bottom-up algorithm

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are newly discovered endogenous small non-coding RNAs (21-25nt) that are thought to regulate expression of target genes by direct interaction with mRNAs. MicroRNAs have been identified through both experimental and computational methods, and microRNA secondary structure prediction is important and essential. Generally, there are two classes of methods to predict the secondary structure of RNAs. Thermodynamics-based methods have been the dominant strategy for single-stranded RNA secondary structure prediction for many years. Recently, probabilistic-based methods have emerged to replace the free energy minimization methods for modeling RNA structures. However, the accuracies of the currently best available probabilistic-based models have yet to match those of the best thermodynamics-based methods. So this situation motivates us to develop a new prediction algorithm which will focus on microRNA structure prediction with high accuracy. A new model, nucleotide cyclic motifs (NCM), was recently proposed by Major et al. to predict RNA secondary structure. We propose and implement a novel model based on a Modified NCM (MNCM) model with a physics-based scoring strategy to tackle the problem of microRNA folding. By making use of a global optimal algorithm based on the bottom-up local optimal solutions, we implement MicroRNAfold. Our experimental results show that MicroRNAfold outperforms the current leading prediction tools.
A fully active DNA polymerase I from Escherichia coli lacking stoichiometric zinc

Abstract DNA polymerase I produced by an Escherichia coli strain lysogenized with a λpolA phage has been purified using a modification of the method of Kelley and Stump (Kelley, W.S. and Stump, K.H. (1979) J. Biol. Chem. 254, 3206–3210). This modification involves an additional phosphocellulose column and a hydroxylapatite column and results in a preparation of DNA polymerase I which is at least 97% pure. The metal content of the purified enzyme was analyzed and only 0.13 moles of zinc were detected per mole of DNA polymerase I. Since the enzyme still retained its full activity, this result did not support previous investigations which stated that zinc bound to the enzyme in stoichiometric amounts was necessary for polymerase activity. These findings suggest that the mechanism of DNA polymerase I with respect to the role of zinc should be reevaluated.
The influence of mass transfer conditions on the stability of molybdenum carbide for dry methane reforming

Abstract The effect of mass transfer conditions on the stability of a low surface area Mo2C catalyst for dry (CO2) methane reforming has been studied in a packed bed reactor at temperatures up to 1000 °C and pressures up to 8.3 bar using stoichiometric feeds (CO2:CH4 = 1). Because stoichiometric feeds can be net oxidizing at typical reforming temperatures, the carbide is oxidized to MoO2, forming a moving oxidation front, which will eventually deactivate the entire bed. Based on experiments which isolated the effects of space velocity and molar feed velocity, it is concluded that these catalysts are stable under conditions where gas–solid mass transfer coefficients are low; that is, at high pressures and low mass flow rates. In these situations CO and H2 product gases remain near the catalyst surface, preventing oxidation. Experimental results are also presented which show the temperature above which the carburizing rates are greater than oxidation rates, and this temperature is dependent on molar feed velocity and pressure. These results explain the observations made by previous researchers who observed that stability was greater at higher pressures and that the catalyst oxidized when space velocities were raised. Finally, it is concluded that Mo2C catalysts can be stabilized with respect to oxidation by either operating at low mass velocities, higher temperatures, or by recycling product gases.
GABAergic neurosteroid modulation of ethanol actions.

Summary: Systemic administration of ethanol elevates plasma and cerebral cortical GABAergic neuroactive steroids. The increase in neurosteroids is responsible for specific behavioural and electroph...