cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Performance of conventional and range-separated hybrid density functionals in calculations of electronic circular dichroism spectra of transition metal complexes.

A number of density functionals, including ‘pure’ (nonhybrid) functionals, global hybrids, and range-separated hybrids, were used to calculate the electronic circular dichroism (CD) spectra of 10 tris-bidentate transition metal complexes. The results are compared to one another and to experimental CD spectra, in an effort to illustrate the shortcomings of particular approximations in time-dependent density functional theory (TDDFT). The use of an origin invariant formalism to calculate magnetic transition dipole moments with the help of gauge-including atomic orbitals (GIAOs) is also investigated. With valence basis sets of moderate flexibility, good agreement between GIAO results and rotatory strengths calculated from the dipole–velocity representation is obtained for selected test cases. Empirically broadened vertical CD spectra calculated with the global hybrid functionals B3LYP and PBE0 are found to agree overall the best with experimental CD spectra.
United States Targeted Detection Program for Alpha-1 Antitrypsin Deficiency

Alpha-1 antitrypsin deficiency (AATD) is a hereditary condition in which less than 10 % of the individuals are identified. This under-recognition is a barrier to lifestyle modifications, genetic counseling, and specific treatment. Targeted screening allows for high detection rates and lower costs than population screening. Little is known about the prevalence and demographic and clinical characteristics of individuals with the main AATD genotypes. We retrospectively analyzed data on adult subjects who underwent targeted screening for AATD from December 2003 to July 2009. AATD testing was ordered according to physician discretion, primarily in patients with COPD and unexplained chronic liver disease. We used an algorithm that begins with dried blood spot (DBS) genotyping and uses DBS alpha-1.
Problems in geriatric anesthesia.

Meticulous clinical judgment, intraoperative deliberate speed, and technical skill, combined with dedicated postoperative care, will enable many geriatric patients to live longer, more healthy lives. In view of the increasing numbers of geriatric patients appearing on operating room lists, their unique features must be appreciated by all concerned in order to insure optimal care.
An anniversary and you can help

I think all anniversaries are a time to stop and reflect, and maybe learn something. You can help me with this one.
SU-G-JeP3-12: Use of Cone Beam CT and Deformable Image Registration for Assessing Geometrical and Dosimetric Variations During Lung Radiotherapy

Purpose: To assess the value of cone beam CT (CBCT) combined with deformable image registration in estimating the accuracy of the delivered treatment and the suitability of the applied target margins. Methods: Two patients with lung tumor were selected. Using their CT images intensity modulated radiation therapy (IMRT) treatment plans were developed to deliver 66Gy to the 95% of the PTV in 2Gy fractions. Using the Velocity AI software, the planning CT of each patient was registered with the fractional CBCT images that were obtained through the course of the treatment. After a CT to CBCT deformable image registration (DIR), the same fractional deformation matrix was used for the deformation of the planned dose distributions, as well as of all the contoured volumes, to each CBCT dataset. The dosimetric differences between the planning target volume (PTV) and various organs at risk (OARs) were recorded and compared. Results: CBCT data such as CTV volume change and PTV coverage was analyzed. There was a moderate relationship between volume changes and contouring method (automatic contouring using the DIR transformation vs. manual contouring on each CBCT) for patient #1 (r = 0.49), and a strong relationship for patient #2 (r = 0.83). The average PTV volume coverage from all the CBCT datasets was 91.2% for patient #1 and 95.6% for patient #2. Conclusion: Daily setup variations, tumor volume motion and lung deformation due to breathing yield differences in the actual delivered dose distributions versus the planned ones. The results presented indicate that these differences are apparent even with the use of daily IGRT. In certain fractions, the margins used seem to be insufficient to ensure acceptable lung tumor coverage. The observed differences notably depend on the tumor volume size and location. A larger cohort of patient is under investigation to verify those findings.
Inconsistencies between 14C and short-lived radionuclides-based sediment accumulation rates: Effects of long-term remineralization.

Abstract 14 C is the most widely utilized geochronometer to investigate geological, geochemical and geophysical problems over the past 5 decades. Establishment of precise sedimentation rates is crucial for the reconstruction of paleo-climate, -ecological and – environmental studies when extrapolation of sedimentation rates is utilized for time scales beyond the dating range. However, agreement between short-term and long-term sedimentation rates in anthropogenically unperturbed sediment cores has not been shown. Here we show that the AMS 14 C-based long-term mass accumulation rate (MAR) of an organic-rich (>70%) sediment core from Mud Lake, Florida to be ∼5 times lower than the short-term MAR obtained using 239,240 Pu, 137 Cs and excess 210 Pb ( 210 Pb xs ). The measured sediment inventories of 210 Pb xs , 137 Cs and 239,240 Pu are comparable to the atmospheric fallout for the sampling site, indicating very little accelerated sediment erosion over the past several decades. Presence of sharp fallout peaks of 239,240 Pu indicates very little sediment mixing. The penetration depths of 137 Cs and 239,240 Pu were found to be much deeper than expected and this is attributed to their post-depositional mobility. MAR calculated using 14 C-ages in successive layers also indicated decreasing MARs with depth, and was reflective of progressive remineralization. Using first-order kinetics, the sediment remineralization rate was found to be 4.4 × 10 −4 y −1 and propose that over the long-term, remineralization of organic-rich sediment affected the long-term MAR, but not the ratio of 14 C/ 12 C. Thus, the MAR and linear sedimentation rate obtained using 14 C (and other isotope-based methods) could be erroneous, although 14 C ages may not be affected by such remineralization. Long-term remineralization rates of organic matter has a direct bearing on the biogeochemical cycling of elements in aqueous systems and mass balance of elements needs to be taken into consideration.
The Mushroom at the End of the World: On the Possiblity of Life in Capitalist Ruins

There are a growing number of ethnographies that trace commodity chains, following the object—often food—where it leads. This is such a book, but it is also unlike any I have read before. In tracin...
Combined Ozone and Ultrasound for the Removal of 1,4-Dioxane from Drinking Water

ABSTRACTOzone, ultrasound, and ozone/ultrasound processes were evaluated for the removal of 1,4-dioxane from tap water using a continuous flow reactor with on-line aqueous ozone measurement. The addition of ultrasound to ozone was found to significantly boost removal. The removal of 1,4-dioxane by ozone/ultrasound process exceeded the sum of the removals from ozone alone and ultrasound alone. Ultrasound alone showed less than 20% removal of 1,4-dioxane. The effects of reactor pressurization and bicarbonate as a hydroxyl radical scavenger were also studied. It was observed that at constant aqueous ozone concentration, additional pressure in the reactor tended to mute the 1,4-dioxane removal boost noted in the ozone/ultrasound process, while additional pressure did not affect 1,4-dioxane removal via ozone alone. The removal of 1,4-dioxane was found to be dependent on the consumption of aqueous ozone, and the consumption of ozone was found to be increased by either the addition of ultrasound or by increasing...
On the Boundary Condition at the Surface of a Porous Medium

A theoretical justification is given for an empirical boundary condition proposed by Beavers and Joseph [1]. The method consists of first using a statistical approach to extend Darcy's law to non homogeneous porous medium. The limiting case of a step function distribution of permeability and porosity is then examined by boundary layer techniques, and shown to give the required boundary condition. In an Appendix, the statistical approach is checked by using it to derive Einstein's law for the viscosity of dilute suspensions.
The US President's Malaria Initiative and under-5 child mortality in sub-Saharan Africa: A difference-in-differences analysis.

Background Despite substantial financial contributions by the United States President’s Malaria Initiative (PMI) since 2006, no studies have carefully assessed how this program may have affected important population-level health outcomes. We utilized multiple publicly available data sources to evaluate the association between introduction of PMI and child mortality rates in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA). Methods and findings We used difference-in-differences analyses to compare trends in the primary outcome of under-5 mortality rates and secondary outcomes reflecting population coverage of malaria interventions in 19 PMI-recipient and 13 non-recipient countries between 1995 and 2014. The analyses controlled for presence and intensity of other large funding sources, individual and household characteristics, and country and year fixed effects. PMI program implementation was associated with a significant reduction in the annual risk of under-5 child mortality (adjusted risk ratio [RR] 0.84, 95% CI 0.74–0.96). Each dollar of per-capita PMI expenditures in a country, a measure of PMI intensity, was also associated with a reduction in child mortality (RR 0.86, 95% CI 0.78–0.93). We estimated that the under-5 mortality rate in PMI countries was reduced from 28.9 to 24.3 per 1,000 person-years. Population coverage of insecticide-treated nets increased by 8.34 percentage points (95% CI 0.86–15.83) and coverage of indoor residual spraying increased by 6.63 percentage points (95% CI 0.79–12.47) after PMI implementation. Per-capita PMI spending was also associated with a modest increase in artemisinin-based combination therapy coverage (3.56 percentage point increase, 95% CI −0.07–7.19), though this association was only marginally significant (p = 0.054). Our results were robust to several sensitivity analyses. Because our study design leaves open the possibility of unmeasured confounding, we cannot definitively interpret these results as causal. Conclusions PMI may have significantly contributed to reducing the burden of malaria in SSA and reducing the number of child deaths in the region. Introduction of PMI was associated with increased coverage of malaria prevention technologies, which are important mechanisms through which child mortality can be reduced. To our knowledge, this study is the first to assess the association between PMI and all-cause child mortality in SSA with the use of appropriate comparison groups and adjustments for regional trends in child mortality.
Warmed Winter Water Temperatures Alter Reproduction in Two Fish Species

We examined the spawning success of Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas) and Johnny Darters (Etheostoma nigrum) exposed to elevated winter water temperatures typical of streams characterized by anthropogenic thermal inputs. When Fathead Minnows were exposed to temperature treatments of 12, 16, or 20 °C during the winter, spawning occurred at 16 and 20 °C but not 12 °C. Eggs were deposited over 9 weeks before winter spawning ceased. Fathead Minnows from the three winter temperature treatments were then exposed to a simulated spring transition. Spawning occurred at all three temperature treatments during the spring, but fish from the 16° and 20 °C treatment had delayed egg production indicating a latent effect of warm winter temperatures on spring spawning. mRNA analysis of the egg yolk protein vitellogenin showed elevated expression in female Fathead Minnows at 16 and 20 °C during winter spawning that decreased after winter spawning ceased, whereas Fathead Minnows at 12 °C maintained comparatively low expression during winter. Johnny Darters were exposed to 4 °C to represent winter temperatures in the absence of thermal inputs, and 12, 16, and 20 °C to represent varying degrees of winter thermal pollution. Johnny Darters spawned during winter at 12, 16, and 20 °C but not at 4 °C. Johnny Darters at 4 °C subsequently spawned following a simulated spring period while those at 12, 16, and 20 °C did not. Our results indicate elevated winter water temperatures common in effluent-dominated streams can promote out-of-season spawning and that vitellogenin expression is a useful indicator of spawning readiness for fish exposed to elevated winter temperatures.
Evolutionary algorithms for multiobjective evaluation of watershed management decisions

The comprehensive and systematic management of watersheds is essential for reducing the adverse environmental impacts arising from anthropogenically caused erosion and subsequent sedimentation. This paper describes a computational methodology that is designed to serve as a watershed decision support system and is capable of controlling environmental impacts of non-point source pollution resulting from erosion. In the decision process, the methodology also accounts for other inseparable objectives such as economics and social dynamics of the watershed. This decision support tool was developed by integrating a comprehensive hydrologic model known as SWAT and state-of-the-art multiobjective optimization technique within the framework of a discrete-time optimal-control model. Strength Pareto Evolutionary Algorithm (SPEA), a multiobjective optimizer based on evolutionary algorithms, has been used to generate Pareto optimal sets. For demonstration purposes, the tool was applied to the Big Creek watershed located in Southern Illinois. Results indicate that the methodology is highly effective and has the potential to improve comprehensive watershed management.
Wesen, Ziele und Methoden der Unternehmensforschung

Die neue Art der zur Rationalisierung fuhrenden quantitativen Untersuchungsmethoden ist im allgemeinen als „Unternehmensforschung” bekannt. Unternehmensforschung (oder in der angelsachsischen Literatur „Operations Research”) ist ein Sammelbegriff fur alle Verfahren, die durch Einbeziehung von Mathematik und Statistik Probleme der Betriebswirtschaft kritischen Analysen unterziehen.
Physics of Bacterial Chemotaxis

Physical constraints limit the way in which an organism as small as Escherichia coli can interact with its surroundings. Cells are propelled by the movement of thin helical flagella, because motion is dominated by viscous rather than inertial forces. Cells are unable to swim in straight lines because of perturbations due to rotational Brownian movement. Cells are unable to improve their lot locally by swimming or stirring, because transport of small molecules is effected by diffusion rather than bulk flow. Cells must sense gradients temporally rather than spatially, because comparison between concentrations in front and behind are overwhelmed by diffusive currents due to the cells’ motion. Finally, the precision with which cells can make temporal comparisons are limited by statistical fluctuations. A survey of these constraints is given, followed by a description of how E. coli has optimized its chemotaxis machinery to meet them. This optimization is revealed by measurements of the chemotactic impulse response.
Quantification and characterization of dissolved organic carbon from biochars

Abstract Dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in biochars is critical to carbon dynamics and contaminant transport in soils. This study aimed to develop a robust and easy method to characterize and quantify the biochar-DOC, using water-, acid-, and base-extractable DOC samples (WEOC, AEOC, and BEOC respectively) from 46 biochars produced from diverse feedstocks and pyrolysis conditions. BEOC concentrations were the highest (2.3–139 mg-C/g-biochar), followed by WEOC (0.5–40 mg-C/g-biochar) and AEOC (0.2–23 mg-C/g-biochar). Fast-pyrolysis biochars generally had higher DOC concentrations than slow-pyrolysis biochars. DOC concentrations in slow-pyrolysis biochars decreased exponentially with increasing pyrolysis temperature from 300 to 600 °C. The solid-state 13C NMR showed that biochar-DOC had abundant small fused-ring aromatics, aliphatic C, and carboxyl C. Biochar-DOC included an acid-precipitated (AP) fraction of higher molecular weight and aromaticity and an acid-soluble (AS) fraction of lower molecular weight and aromaticity. BEOC generally had a greater AP fraction than WEOC and AEOC. Molecular weight, aromaticity and composition of AEOC and BEOC differed from those of more environmentally-relevant WEOC, suggesting that the acid- and base-extraction may not produce the DOC released in real soils. Finally, a quick, easy and robust UV–vis spectrometric method was developed to measure the composition and concentrations of WEOC in diverse biochar samples (R2 = 0.96, n = 46).
Examining the Relationship between Company's Diversity Definitions and Financial Outcomes

Before companies can implement diversity management initiatives successfully, they must first define diversity. Unfortunately, virtually no research considers how organizations define diversity or ...
The Spinorial Covariant Derivative

In the calculations that follow we will specify our metric signature as needed. We adopt the convention that upper case latin indices run over (0, 1, 2, 3) while greek indices are coordinate indices, e.g., \((t, r, \theta , \phi )\). Also we shall adopt “Planck units” so that, \(c=\hbar =G=1\), [1]. In such units all physical quantities and variables are dimensionless.
Fine Particulate Matter and Respiratory Healthcare Encounters among Survivors of Childhood Cancers

Some chemotherapies that treat childhood cancers have pulmonary-toxic properties that increase risk for adverse respiratory-health outcomes. PM2.5 causes similar outcomes but its effect among pulmonary compromised cancer survivors is unknown. This case-crossover study identified the PM2.5-associated odds for primary-respiratory hospitalizations and emergency department visits among childhood cancer survivors in Utah. We compared risk among chemotherapy-treated survivors to a cancer-free sample. We calculated 3-day-average PM2.5 by ZIP code and county for event and control days. Conditional logistic regression estimated odds ratios. Models were stratified by cause of admission (infection, respiratory disease, asthma), previous chemotherapy, National Ambient Air Quality Standard (NAAQS), and other variables. Results are presented per 10 µg/m3 of PM2.5. 90% of events occurred at 3-day PM2.5 averages <35.4 µg/m3, the NAAQS 24-h standard. For survivors, PM2.5 was associated with respiratory hospitalizations (OR = 1.84, 95% CI = 1.13–3.00) and hospitalizations from respiratory infection (OR = 2.09, 95% CI = 1.06–4.14). Among chemotherapy-treated survivors, the PM2.5-associated odds of respiratory hospitalization (OR = 2.03, 95% CI = 1.14–3.61) were significantly higher than the cancer-free sample (OR = 0.84, 95% CI = 0.57–1.25). This is the first study to report significant associations between PM2.5 and respiratory healthcare encounters in childhood cancer survivors. Chemotherapy-treated survivors displayed the highest odds of hospitalization due to PM2.5 exposure and their risk is significantly higher than a cancer-free sample.
Sperm Flagellar 1 Binds Actin in Intestinal Epithelial Cells and Contributes to Formation of Filopodia and Lamellipodia.

Background & Aims Sperm flagellar 1 (also called CLAMP) is a microtubule-associated protein that regulates microtubule dynamics and planar cell polarity in multi-ciliated cells. We investigated the localization and function of sperm flagellar 1, or CLAMP, in human intestinal epithelia cells (IECs). Methods We performed studies with SKCO-15 and human intestinal enteroids established from biopsies from different intestinal segments (duodenal, jejunum, ileal, and colon) of a single donor. Enteroids were induced to differentiation after incubation with growth factors. The distribution of endogenous CLAMP in IECs was analyzed by immunofluorescence microscopy using total internal reflection fluorescence-ground state depletion and confocal microscopy. CLAMP localization was followed during the course of intestinal epithelial cell polarization as cells progressed from flat to compact, confluent monolayers. Protein interactions with endogenous CLAMP were determined in SKCO-15 cells using proximity ligation assays and co-immunoprecipitation. CLAMP was knocked down in SKCO-15 monolayers using small hairpin RNAs and cells were analyzed by immunoblot and immunofluorescence microscopy. The impact of CLAMP knock-down in migrating SKCO-15 cells was assessed using scratch-wound assays. Results CLAMP bound to actin and apical junctional complex proteins but not microtubules in IECs. In silico analysis predicted the calponin-homology domain of CLAMP to contain conserved amino acids required for actin binding. During IEC polarization, CLAMP distribution changed from primarily basal stress fibers and cytoplasm in undifferentiated cells to apical membranes and microvilli in differentiated monolayers. CLAMP accumulated in lamellipodia and filopodia at the leading edge of migrating cells in association with actin. CLAMP knock-down reduced the number of filopodia, perturbed filopodia polarity, and altered the organization of actin filaments within lamellipodia. Conclusions CLAMP is an actin-binding protein, rather than a microtubule-binding protein, in IECs. CLAMP distribution changes during intestinal epithelial cell polarization, regulates the formation of filopodia, and appears to assist in the organization of actin bundles within lamellipodia of migrating IECs. Studies are needed to define the CLAMP domains that interact with actin and whether its loss from IECs affects intestinal function.
Geographical political economy of nuclear power plant closures

Abstract Nuclear power had its heyday in the 1970s in the United States, and many of the nuclear power plants constructed during that period are now facing the end of their design life. Consequently, nuclear power plant closures and unsitings are emerging as highly contentious public issues. In an effort to provide a more nuanced account of nuclear power plant closures, we adopt theoretical vantage points from the geographical political economy literature. Our analysis focuses on the articulation and characterization of socio-spatial “moments” of closure processes rather than enumerating underlying “factors” in order to better explain variegated plant closure outcomes. For empirical analysis, we examine two contrasting cases of recent conflict over nuclear power plant closure in the northeastern United States, involving the Vermont Yankee and FitzPatrick plants. These closure episodes show marked differences in region-level activism. Yet the presence of these movements alone is insufficient in accounting for particular outcomes (the when and how) of the plant closure controversies. Our analysis highlights the agency of key state actors and their selective deployment of various global and local themes, such as nuclear disaster in Fukushima, global climate change, corporate accountability, and regional economic conditions, to define and promote their goals. Our study also demonstrates how the moments of closure decisions can be opened up by viewing the closure controversies from the owner company side, pointing to the usefulness of not only comparative, but also of connective accounts that highlight spatio-temporal links between closure processes.
Frames and community in Arizona’s All Souls Procession

In the All Souls Procession, a large event in honor of the dead in Tucson in the southwestern U.S. borderlands, locals construct community through the Procession, while presenting its historic and ...
A Systematic Review of Mindfulness Practices for Improving Outcomes in Chronic Low Back Pain.

Background: Chronic pain is a serious public health problem that affects people of all ages and backgrounds. Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) techniques offer an accessible treatment modality for chronic pain patients that may complement or replace pharmacological treatment. This article reviews the literature on the efficacy of MBSR training in patients with back chronic pain syndromes for the outcomes of pain measures, quality of life (QOL), mental health, and mindfulness. Methods: A systemized search was conducted in September of 2018 for studies published between 2008 and 2018 on mindfulness and chronic low back pain. Out of 50 articles on mindfulness and chronic pain, 12 empirical studies were selected for the inclusion in this review. Results: Subjective pain scores and QOL improved for chronic pain patients after mindfulness interventions, compared to control groups, in most of the studies reviewed. Limitations of the studies reviewed included the varied pain measurement instruments, the small sample sizes, and the inability to blind participants to MBSR intervention. Conclusions: MBSR interventions show significant improvements in chronic pain patients for pain measures, QOL, and mental health.
Noise Properties of Superconducting Coplanar Waveguide Microwave Resonators

We have measured noise in thin-film superconducting coplanar waveguide resonators. This noise appears entirely as phase noise, equivalent to a jitter of the resonance frequency. In contrast, amplitude fluctuations are not observed at the sensitivity of our measurement. The ratio between the noise power in the phase and amplitude directions is large, in excess of 30 dB. These results have important implications for resonant readouts of various devices such as detectors, amplifiers, and qubits. We suggest that the phase noise is due to two-level systems in dielectric materials.
Significance of targeting the antiapoptotic pathway in castration-sensitive prostate cancer.

250Background: Prostate cancer (PC) is a major health problem for men in the U.S. and is the second most common cause of cancer-related deaths in males. Although most PCs are initially sensitive to...
All-Inside Allograft ACL Reconstruction Augmented with Amnion, BMC, and a Suture Tape

There is increasing research and interest surrounding biologics and sports medicine. Amnion has the potential to decrease adhesions and possibly protect anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) grafts along with increasing vascularization by acting as a scaffold. Bone marrow concentrate containing mesenchymal stem cells combined with Allosync Pure (Arthrex, Naples, FL) injected into ACL tunnels has the potential to increase the speed and quality of graft bone incorporation, especially when used in the setting of a soft-tissue allograft. In addition, using suture tape augmentation (Internal Brace; Arthrex, Naples, FL) with the reconstruction has been thought to increase the early strength of the reconstruction. Combining all 3 techniques – amnion, bone marrow concentrate, and suture tape augmentation – into an all-inside ACL reconstruction has great potential for an earlier return to play and advanced rehabilitation.
Bacillus cereus: Beyond Gastroenteritis.

Introduction Bacillus cereus (B cereus) has been found within the gastrointestinal flora. Due to its ubiquity, B cereus is usually considered a contaminant. However, it can cause serious infections in certain populations. Case presentation A 39-year-old woman with refractory gastroparesis requiring gastric pacemaker with a jejunostomy tube and cervical cancer status post chemotherapy presented with fever and fatigue. Initial and repeat blood cultures (from peripheral and port-a-cath access) grew B cereus and the port-a-cath was removed. She was treated with appropriate antibiotics and bacteremia resolved. Discussion B cereus is often associated with toxin-mediated emetic or diarrheal gastroenteritis. However, in patients with prosthetic devices or intravenous (IV) drug users, B cereus can cause serious infection. Biofilms produced by B cereus attach to indwelling catheters, allowing persistent infection until catheter removal. Conclusion In patients with prosthetic devices or IV drug use, B cereus should be treated with appropriated antibiotics and any indwelling catheters should be removed.
Next-Generation Leo Microwave Sounders: Options and Tradeoffs

Microwave sounders in low Earth orbit (LEO) are a foundation of the current NWP satellite observation system, providing daily global coverage and all-weather capability. The current Joint Polar-orbiting Satellite System (JPSS) will fly the Advanced Technology Microwave Sounder (ATMS) series through the conclusion of JPSS at the end of the 2030s. Studies are currently under way to define what comes after JPSS, including exploration of options for future microwave sounders. New options are becoming available—smaller and cheaper sounders, satellite buses and launchers—and changing the landscape. Exploring some of these options and the associated tradeoffs is the topic of this paper.
Esther Milne. Email and the Everyday: Stories of Disclosure, Trust, and Digital Labor . Cambridge, MA: MIT Press, 2021. 336p. Hardcover, $35.00 (ISBN 978-0-262-04563-6).

As academic library workers, we often disparage the ways in which email runs our lives as a bureaucratic and affective technology. Typically we give it no more thought due to its banality in our lives. It is strangely familiar, boring, and often an afterthought, until we make a poorly calculated, and usually extraordinary, misstep. Esther Milne argues that this tension between the banal and extraordinary is what makes email a compelling focus for media and cultural studies, given the arrival of “moments where email communication becomes odd, unfamiliar, and at times perhaps even exotic” (15). Despite its omnipresence, Milne notes that email has been largely overlooked by these fields, and this book is an ambitious attempt at undertaking a wide view of email as a larger media landscape. For Milne, email is never simply just correspondence; it must be understood broadly in terms of its structure, infrastructure, and variant contexts of use.
How to Fix Medicare: Let's Pay Patients, Not Physicians

Should Medicare pay for patient expenses the way automobile insurers pay for carrepair bills? Medicare's current method of paying physicians sets fees for more than 8,000 separate procedures and services, totaling over $60 billion annually. With Medicare's formulas underpaying for some services and overpaying for others, this complex system is an inefficient use of resources that discourages the use of primary care in favor of more expensive specialty services. Provided with virtually unlimited medical services at low or no cost, patients today have little incentive to choose their care wisely. In How to Fix Medicare: Let's Pay Patients, Not Physicians, health economist Roger Feldman argues that a radical shift in Medicare policy is not only possible but imperative. Under Feldman's "medical indemnity" proposal, Medicare would pay each patient a fixed amount of money, reserving larger subsidies for sicker people. Patients, in turn, would select their own medical services from providers who would set their own competitive rates. A medical indemnity system would do away with the distortion in patients' incentives wrought by conventional Medicare coverage. Given a fixed amount of money to spend on medical care, patients would have strong incentives to shop for the combination of services, providers, and prices that most closely meet their needs.
Differential effects of Sp cellular transcription factors on viral promoter activation by varicella-zoster virus (VZV) IE62 protein

The immediate early (IE) 62 protein is the major varicella-zoster virus (VZV) regulatory factor. Analysis of the VZV genome revealed 40 predicted GC-rich boxes within 36 promoters. We examined effects of ectopic expression of Sp1-Sp4 on IE62- mediated transactivation of three viral promoters. Ectopic expression of Sp3 and Sp4 enhanced IE62 activation of ORF3 and gI promoters while Sp3 reduced IE62 activation of ORF28/29 promoter and VZV DNA replication. Sp2 reduced IE62 transactivation of gI while Sp1 had no significant influence on IE62 activation with any of these viral promoters. Electrophoretic mobility shift assays (EMSA) confirmed binding of Sp1 and Sp3 but not Sp2 and Sp4 to the gI promoter. Sp1–4 bound to IE62 and amino acids 238–258 of IE62 were important for the interaction with Sp3 and Sp4 as well as Sp1. This work shows that Sp family members have differential effects on IE62-mediated transactivation in a promoter-dependent manner.
In Defense of a Comprehensive View of Computer Literacy--A Reply to Luehrmann.

In Arthur Luehrmann's critique of our February 1980 Mathematics Teacher article on computer literacy objectives, he pro poses a rather narrow view of literacy. De spite his claim, there are two (not just one) generally accepted definitions of literacy. One is, as he points out, the ability to com municate, for example, reading and writ ing; and the other, which he neglects, is the state of being informed, "cultured," and well versed. Whereas the first is a subset of the second, both definitions are commonly used. It is not surprising that the term com puter literacy shares the semantic ambiguity of language literacy. The narrow view is that computer literacy is simply a matter of doing things with a computer. The compre hensive view is that computer literacy is an understanding of computers that enables on? to evaluate computer applications as well as to do things with them. The comprehensive view of computer lit eracy is consistent with the long-estab
Ways of working: a three-tiered interpretive model for video research

In this "ways of working" paper, we describe a three-tier interpretive model for analyzing video data of social interaction. Since members of a research team often work from different theoretical perspectives, individual members' analyses of "what happened and why" are not always congruent. The model and process described here require making explicit methodological (and technological) links between layers of interpretation. Individual group members benefit because the connections between their analyses and data can be effectively warranted; the larger group benefits because the location of interpretive differences is more precisely exposed.
Genetic Regulation of Apoptosis in the Mouse Thymus

The role of apoptosis in the maintenance of homeostasis in cells of the immune system recently has become apparent1,2. Indeed some of the best characterized examples of apoptosis are found in the immune system. For example, apoptosis is the mechanism used during negative selection in the thymus to remove self-reactive T cells3−5. Thymic T cells also are quite susceptible to induction of apoptosis by either glucocorticoids or ionizing radiation6,7. Additionally, more recent data indicate that peripheral lymphocytes undergo apoptosis following a variety of different stimuli and, in many instances, cell death in activated peripheral T and B cells may be traced to Fas/FasL interactions8−11. Peripheral T cells also have been shown to susceptible to induction of cell death by TNFα12.
Upstream sequences confer atrial-specific expression on the human atrial natriuretic factor gene.

Abstract 5'-Flanking sequences from the human atrial natriuretic factor (hANF) gene were subcloned into a reporter plasmid (pSVOCAT) and transfected into primary cultures of neonatal rat atrial cardiocytes. Hybrid hANFCAT genes containing either 2500 or 409 base pairs of 5'-flanking sequence DNA were expressed at similar levels. When sequences between -409 and -332 were deleted, reporter gene (CAT) activity decreased significantly. Expression of the hANFCAT constructs was specific for atrial cells, as no expression was detected in primary cultures of ventricular cardiocytes or nonmyocardial cells derived from the neonatal hearts. Correct transcription start sites for the transfected hANF genes were confirmed by S1 nuclease mapping and RNase protection analysis. A "gel shift" assay was used to identify a specific cardiac nuclear protein which bound to the 5'-flanking sequence of the hANF gene. A 192-base pair PvuII fragment (-400 to -208) associated with a protein in these extracts in a tissue- and sequence-specific fashion. These findings indicate that the DNA sequence between -409 and -332 in the hANF gene harbors a tissue-specific element whose activity may involve association with a cardiac-specific nuclear protein.
Wide-host-range plasmids function in the genus thiobacillus.

Plasmids S-a, RP4, R388, and several RP4 derivatives (pMD101, pDT387, and pDT566) were transmissible by conjugation to Thiobacillus novellus from Escherichia coli. Genetic markers were expressed in T. novellus, with the exception of chloramphenicol resistance and ampicillin resistance. Plasmids were not transmissible by conjugation from E. coli donors to Thiobacillus intermedius, T. perometabolis, T. neapolitanus, or T. acidophilus recipients, although they could be mated into these strains from T. novellus. All Thiobacillus species tested could transfer plasmids back to E. coli, with the exception of T. acidophilus. The donor-specific bacteriophages PRR1 and PRD1 were incapable of initiating the lytic cycle in RP4-bearing strains of T. novellus. The cosmid cloning vehicle pVK100 could be mobilized from E. coli to T. novellus with the aid of the “helper” plasmid pRK2013. pVK100 is stable in T. novellus, but pRK2013 is not maintained in this species. pRK2013 was also used to mobilize another cloning vector, R300B, to T. novellus. A previously unreported cryptic plasmid of approximately 24 megadaltons was observed in T. intermedius. No native plasmids were demonstrated in the other Thiobacillus species except in T. acidophilus, which contained cryptic plasmids ranging in size from 7.6 to 56 megadaltons (molecular mass). Images
Cloning of murine membrane-type-1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT-1-MMP) and its metanephric developmental regulation with respect to MMP-2 and its inhibitor

Cloning of murine membrane-type-1-matrix metalloproteinase (MT-1-MMP) and its metanephric developmental regulation with respect to MMP-2 and its inhibitor. Background Extracellular matrix macromolecules regulate morphogenesis of embryonic organs, and are developmentally regulated. Their expression and turnover is regulated by matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs). Recently, an epithelial cell "membrane" associated metalloproteinase (MT-1-MMP) has been identified that acts as an activator of a "secreted" MMP-2, and is produced by mesenchymal fibroblasts. The activity of MMP-2 is inhibited by a "soluble" tissue inhibitor of MMP-2, TIMP-2. The role of MT-1-MMP in renal development is unknown. Methods MT-1-MMP was cloned from embryonic mouse kidney cDNA library, and its spatio-temporal distribution during development in the context of MMP-2 and tissue inhibitor of metalloproteinase-2 (TIMP-2) was studied. Results The cloned MT-1-MMP exhibited ∼86% nucleotide sequence homology with human MT-1-MMP, and had a catalytic domain and a zinc binding site preceded by a RRKR furin recognition motif. A ∼4.5Kb MT-1-MMP mRNA transcript was detected, and its expression was developmentally regulated. A parallel developmental regulation of MMP-2 mRNA expression was also observed. TIMP-2 expression was also developmentally regulated, but lagged behind MT-1-MMP and MMP-2. By in situ hybridization, MT-1-MMP mRNA was seen to be confined to ureteric bud epithelia, and was absent in the mesenchyme, while MMP-2 was confined to the mesenchyme. MT-1-MMP protein expression was seen on ureteric bud epithelia, induced mesenchyme and nascent nephrons, and it was highest during mid gestation. Similar spatio-temporal expressions of MMP-2 and TIMP-2 proteins were observed. Conclusions mRNAs of MT-MMP-1 and MMP-2 are expressed in the respective epithelial and mesenchymal compartments, while their proteins are co-expressed in the epithelia suggest that MT-1-MMP and MMP-2, in conjunction with TIMP-2, may be involved in paracrine/juxtacrine epithelial: mesenchymal interactions during metanephrogenesis.
The Labial Gland System of Larvae of the Imported Fire Ant, Solenopsis invicta Buren

The authors describe the ultrastructure of the labial gland system in imported fire ant larvae, Solenopsis invicta Buren and present an enzyme analysis of enzymes in labial-gland secretions and midgut contents. The tubes of the labial gland produce and secrete a proteinaceous substance rich in digestive enzymes. The narrow cells of the reservoir of the gland have little or no secretory function but the lumen stores the proteinaceous secretion. The labial-gland enzymes include proteases and amylases, which function in extraintestinal digestion of solid food placed on the anteroventral body region of 4th-instar larvae by adult workers. The midgut contains proteases, amylases, and upases. Lipids appear to be predigested by the workers before being fed to the larvae.
Insulin-like growth factor-I and insulin-like growth factor binding protein-1 are related to cardiovascular disease biomarkers in obese adolescents.

Context Insulin-like growth factor (IGF)-I and IGF binding protein (IGFBP)-1 have been linked to cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk and pathophysiology in adults, but there are limited data in youth. Objective The aim of the study was to examine the relationship between IGF and IGFBP-1 with traditional and non-traditional CVD risk factors including inflammatory markers and body composition in an obese pediatric cohort. Design A cross-sectional study. Setting The study was carried out at a university children's hospital. Subjects Sixty-one obese non-diabetic adolescents. Outcomes Fasting IGF-I, IGFBP-1, lipoprotein profiles, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein (hsCRP), and total adiponectin as well as insulin sensitivity measures, blood pressure (BP), and anthropometrics. Results IGFBP-1 was negatively associated with insulin sensitivity measures, body mass index (BMI), and diastolic BP in males. IGF-I was negatively associated with hsCRP (r = –0.479, p < 0.0005), and IGFBP-1 was positively associated with adiponectin (r = 0.545, p < 0.0005). The IGF-I/CRP and IGFBP-1/adiponectin associations remained significant when controlling for both BMI and insulin sensitivity index (SI). Both IGF-I and IGFBP-1 were negatively associated with waist circumference (r = –0.327 and r = –0.275, respectively) and sagittal abdominal diameter (r = –0.333 and r = –0.371, respectively), while IGFBP-1 was negatively associated with fat mass (r = –0.347, p = 0.01) as well as neck circumference and fat-free mass in males. Controlling for BMI z-score and SI, IGFBP-1 remained negatively associated with diastolic blood pressure (r = 0.706, p = 0.001 and neck circumference (r = –0.548, p = 0.15) in males. Conclusions IGF-I and IGFBP-1 associate with CVD risk markers and may add to clinical assessments of cardiometabolic dysfunction in youth.
Avoiding cancer risk information.

Abstract Rationale Perceived risk for health problems such as cancer is a central construct in many models of health decision making and a target for behavior change interventions. However, some portion of the population actively avoids cancer risk information. The prevalence of, explanations for, and consequences of such avoidance are not well understood. Objective We examined the prevalence and demographic and psychosocial correlates of cancer risk information avoidance preference in a nationally representative sample. We also examined whether avoidance of cancer risk information corresponds with avoidance of cancer screening. Results Based on our representative sample, 39% of the population indicated that they agreed or strongly agreed that they would “rather not know [their] chance of getting cancer.” This preference was stronger among older participants, female participants, and participants with lower levels of education. Preferring to avoid cancer risk information was stronger among participants who agreed with the beliefs that everything causes cancer, that there's not much one can do to prevent cancer, and that there are too many recommendations to follow. Finally, the preference to avoid cancer risk information was associated with lower levels of screening for colon cancer. Conclusion These findings suggest that cancer risk information avoidance is a multi-determined phenomenon that is associated with demographic characteristics and psychosocial individual differences and also relates to engagement in cancer screening.
Integrating Subchapters K and S and Beyond

This Article builds upon a similar, lengthier effort that I published in the Tax Lawyer in 2009.1 While there is overlap, this Article contains much new material. Important case law and tax proposals from the House Ways and Means Committee have come out in the interim. Due to space limitations, unlike my Tax Lawyer effort, this Article attempts to avoid prolixity. It assumes the reader has good knowledge of both Subchapters S and K and the tax entity selection process. If you are not that reader, a review of my Tax Lawyer article or Professor Mann’s article in this symposium edition2 will fill in the gaps. Generally speaking, I recommend repealing Subchapter S, but integrating its more legitimate benefits into Subchapter K. I also make Subchapter K available to most nonpublic C corporations, putting most closely held businesses on a level playing field.
Prey Selection for the Exotic Cladoceran Bythotrephes Cederstroemi by Selected Lake Erie Fishes

The importance of zooplankton in the diet of yellow perch (Perca flavescens), white perch (Morone americana), walleyes (Stizostedion vitreum vitreum), and white bass (M. chry-sops)was assessed in the central basin of Lake Erie in 1985–1988. Zooplankton were collected by vertical hauls in 1987–1988 and fish with a rock-hopper trawl. Although copepods (calanoid and cyciopoid) were the major zooplankton in the plankton samples, they were not well represented in the fish diet. From 1985 through 1988, Cladocera became an increasingly important food – particularly a recent invader from Europe, Bythotrephes cederstroemi. It was a major component in the diet of yellow perch from June to October in both 1987 and 1988. The zooplankton consumption by white perch was more diverse until September, when B. cederstroemi became the major food item.
Realistic colon simulation in CT colonography using mesh skinning

Realistic colon simulations do not exist but would be valuable for CT colonography (CTC) CAD development and validation of new colon image processing algorithms. The human colon is a convoluted tubular structure and very hard to model physically and electronically. In this investigation, we propose a novel approach to generate realistic colon simulation using mesh skinning. The method proceeds as follows. First, a digital phantom of a cylindrical tube is modeled to simulate a straightened colon. Second, haustral folds and teniae coli are added to the cylindrical tube. Third, a centerline equipped with rotation-minimizing frames (RMF) and distention values is computed. Fourth, mesh skinning is applied to warp the tube around the centerline and generate realistic colon simulation. Lastly, colonic polyps in the shape of ellipsoids are also modeled. Results show that the simulated colon highly resembles the real colon. This is the first colon simulation that incorporates most colon characteristics in one model, including curved centerline, variable distention, haustral folds, teniae coli and colonic polyps.
A cross-country analysis of Divisia covariances of prices and quantities consumed

Abstract Divisia price-quantity covariances obtained from consumption data for 15 countries are analyzed in terms of real-income and relative price differences of these countries. More than 70 percent of the observed cross-country variation in the covariances is accounted for by these differences.