cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Minerals-Supply Security and Mineral-Use Efficiency: Some Observations from the 1970–2005 Interval

Abstract As a consequence of the powerful changes that have occurred over the last three decades in the principal ‘drivers’ of economic change, there have been significant realignments in the global patterns of production and consumption of natural resources, as well as in the intensity of their use, in the quest to raise the level of material wellbeing throughout the world. In this paper, three large minerals-consuming (and -producing) countries are examined – the USA, China and Russia – and the story of a generation's economic progress (or decline, as the case may be) is seen through the lens of resource consumption – the ‘stuff’ that comprises a modern ‘standard of living’. After presenting data on gross domestic product, population, the observed levels and annual growth rates of consumption and production of four non-fuel minerals over a 35-year interval ending in 2005 for these countries and for the world, the paper includes a description of these countries' growing import dependence (or, as the case...
A geometrical approach in folding a pseudoknot motif within the E. coli 16S-RNA.

Abstract Except for tRNA, the tertiary structure of RNA molecules are very little known. The many possibilities in the arrangement of different helices in space and the flexibility in the single- stranded loops that connect the helical regions make the modeling of the tertiary structure of RNA molecule a very complex task. Here, we introduce an approach to fold RNA tertiary structure based only on the information of the secondary structure and the stereochemistry of the molecule. This approach was used to construct an atomic structure of a pseudoknot (bases 500–545) in the E. coli 16S RNA. The resulting structure is a closely packed molecule that is consistent with the predicted secondary structure and stereochemically feasible. This new approach is very general and easily adaptable. Experimental data (e.g., NMR, fluorescence energy transfer, etc.), as they become available, can be incorporated directly into the approach to improve the accuracy of the modeled structure.
An economic analysis of participation in the municipal finance officers association certificate of conformance program

Abstract The purpose of this research is to explain municipalities' voluntary participation in the MFOA Certificate of Conformance Program (CCP) during 1976–1980 as a function of the economic incentives of municipal officials. Our operational model predicts that cities with more debt, CCP participation prior to 1976, professionally active municipal officials, and a manager form of government are more likely to participate. In addition, cities in states with GAAP (non-GAAP) reporting requirements were expected to be more (less) likely to participate. Taken as a whole, the empirical results are consistent with the proposed model of the CCP participation decision.
Attitudes of Advertising Executives Toward The Consumer Behavior Course

What should be taught to marketing students has always been an intriguing question. The marketing curriculum as a whole and specific courses have been the topic of much debate. One of the marketing courses, consumer behavior, was the subject of this research. A survey of advertising executives revealed some interesting perceptions regarding the consumer behavior course. Most executives believed the course was helpful in making decisions in the advertising area. However, the advertising executives ranked the consumer behavior course as only moderately important in usefulness to advertisers when compared with nine other marketing courses. Interestingly, the executives that had completed a consumer behavior course ranked the course lower in importance than the executives who had not taken the course. Generally, advertising executives believed the consumer behavior course was too abstract and theoretical in orientation and could be imporved through the use of case studies and more direct application examples of the consumer behavior theories presented in the course.
Neuroimaging Risk Markers for Substance Abuse: Recent Findings on Inhibitory Control and Reward System Functioning

Rates of alcohol and other drug use rise sharply throughout adolescence and peak in the early 20s. Likewise, prevalence of first-time substance use disorder (SUD) and past-year SUD both peak between ages 18–23. SUD is associated with a host of negative outcomes and is a serious health concern. Understanding the mechanisms that precede the onset and escalation of substance use is crucial in order to develop more effective prevention and intervention strategies for children and adolescents at risk for SUD. In this review, we discuss recent findings from functional neuroimaging studies in children, adolescents, and emerging adults that focus on uncovering the neural underpinnings of SUD risk. The focus is on inhibitory control and reward circuitry due to their involvement in risk-taking behaviors, which are heightened in adolescence and may facilitate substance use. We discuss convergences in the literature and highlight findings suggesting that the association between SUD risk and neurofunctioning may be moderated by age, gender, and history of substance use. Recommendations for future directions are also discussed.
Nephropathy in siblings of African Americans with overt type 2 diabetic nephropathy

Abstract Background: The prevalence of abnormal proteinuria and elevated serum creatinine (sCr) concentrations in diabetic sibs of African Americans (AAs) with overt type 2 diabetic nephropathy (DN) or end-stage renal disease (ESRD) is unknown. Methods: We measured urine albumin-creatinine (UAC) ratio, sCr, and hemoglobin A 1c (HbA 1c ) in 211 sibs from 66 families (66 unrelated index cases with overt type 2 DN/ESRD, 132 of their diabetic sibs, and 13 of their nondiabetic sibs). Overt DN was defined as a UAC ratio of 1,000 mg/g or greater or ESRD attributed to diabetes. All index cases had at least one diabetic sib screened. Results: Given similar mean ages and body mass indices, nondiabetic sibs had lower UAC ratios and HbA 1c values compared with diabetic sibs and index cases (Wilcoxon's rank-sum test, all P Conclusion: Asymptomatic elevations in urinary albumin excretion and sCr levels are frequently present in diabetic sibs of AA individuals with overt type 2 DN. Diabetic sibs of AA individuals with type 2 DN should be the focus of intensive screening and intervention programs to slow the current epidemic of diabetic ESRD. © 2002 by the National Kidney Foundation, Inc.
The fourth screen: Mediatization and the smartphone

Smartphones have enjoyed nearly unprecedented rates of adoption, and within a short time they have quickly become a uniquely important mobile communication device, especially among young people. While such observations are compelling, they lack a conceptual context. This paper theorizes the smartphone in the general terms of mediatization. Emphasis is on existing and emerging technologies of the mediatization process and the consequent “intercorporeal” relationships users construct with the smartphone. Empirical findings about the often intensely personal usage of the smartphone document this phenomenology. The paper concludes by introducing three provocative implications of new media like the smartphone, which are both indicators and motors of mediatization, as focuses for future study: technogenesis, or the coevolution of people and their information machines; embodied and extended cognition, the intensifying interweaving of mind and thinking machines; and the subjectifying process of individualization,...
A North Indian healer and the sources of his power.

Abstract This study of an eclectic magico-religious medical practitioner of Northern India is a symbolic explanation of the setting in which the curing takes place, the roles of the curer, his public image, and the items and actions of the curing ritual. It shows how this assemblage of symbols establishes expectations of help based on perceptions of the healer and his therapy as powerful, names what is wrong with the patient, suggests the alleviation of sickness-causing agents, and thereby contributes to the cure of the illness. Impressed by the miraculous reputation of the curer, a patient (generally a woman) comes to the ashram—the residence of holy men and the site of temples, which is auspiciously located where two streams converge. There she is treated by a curer who is both a holy man—a person with ascetically acquired superhuman powers, and a pujārī—a temple keeper and steadfast workshiper of the deities represented therein. In his curing he divines the cause of the illness, usually a malevolent spirit, and expels it with magical chants and diagrams and a symbolically potent wand. Finally he tells the patient how to compound the herbal medicine or how to alter her diet, and proclaims her imminent recovery. This mode of healing, in which natural remedies are combined with exorcism, is an expression of a world view which comprehends both natural and supernatural etiologies.
Visualizing deep brain stimulation settings in obsessive compulsive disorder

We present a visualization system to explore data collected on Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) for Obsessive Compulsive Disorder (OCD). DBS is a new surgical treatment in which electrodes are inserted into a patient’s brain. After surgery, settings for the electrodes must be adjusted to find the stimulation that best reduces symptoms. Our tool is designed for interactively exploring relationships between the electrode settings and patient response. This visual exploration allows us to develop intuitions and tentative relationships to target with statistical analyses.
The opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone, protects spinal motor neurons in a murine model of alphavirus encephalomyelitis.

Spread of neuroadapted Sindbis virus (NSV) to motor neurons (MN) of the spinal cord (SC) causes severe hind limb weakness in C57BL/6 mice and models the paralysis that can accompany alphavirus and flavivirus encephalomyelitis in humans. The fate of spinal MN dictates the severity of NSV-induced paralysis, and recent data suggest that MN damage can occur indirectly via the actions of activated microglial cells. Because the opioid receptor antagonist, naloxone (NAL), blocks microglial-mediated neurodegeneration in other models, we examined its effects during NSV infection. Drug treatment prevented paralysis and enhanced the survival of MN without altering NSV tropism, replication, or clearance from SC tissue. Further studies showed that NAL most effectively inhibited paralysis in a 72-h window after NSV challenge, suggesting that the drug inhibits an early event in SC pathogenesis. Histochemical studies demonstrated that NAL blocked early microglial activation in SC tissue sections, and protein assays showed that the early induction of pathogenic IL-1β was blunted in SC homogenates. Finally, loss of glutamate transporter-1 (GLT-1) expression in SC, an astrocyte glutamate reuptake protein responsible for lowering toxic extracellular levels of glutamate and preventing MN damage, was reversed by NAL treatment. This GLT-1 loss proved to be highly IL-1β-dependent. Taken together, these data suggest that NAL is neuroprotective in the SC by inhibiting microglial activation that, in turn, maintains normal astrocyte glutamate homeostasis. We propose that drugs targeting such microglial responses may have therapeutic benefit in humans with related viral infections. Copyright © 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Unique Projects for Individual Needs: Assistive Technology Designs in Engineering Education

This paper describes the integration of design projects to aid persons with disabilities in the mechanical engineering program at WPI. Students ranging from first year through graduate level design and build a wide range of devices as aids to daily living, to improve mobility, or for use in recreational activities. Ongoing relationships with local agencies that serve persons with disabilities are used to solicit project topics. The range of student abilities allows us to fit the sponsor-requested projects to an appropriate class level. Students experience the full range of design activities from needs assessment through prototype construction. Students are highly motivated to work on these unique design projects that have a high impact on their clients.Copyright © 2006 by ASME
The use of evaluative feedback for instructional improvement: A longitudinal perspective

Both the available experimental evidence and recent reviews are unclear regarding the effectiveness of student ratings feedback for instructional improvement. Provision of feedback has not consistently produced improvement. Feedback accompanied by consultation has resulted in more consistent instructor improvement. However, the literature on interventions for instructional improvements has failed to address the longitudinal nature of improvement and development. The present study examined follow-up data over a ten-year period on instructors who had participated in a quasi-experimental study of the effectiveness of consultation and feedback conducted in 1971 and 1972. The results obtained indicate that instructors who had originally received feedback with consultation maintained higher student ratings and used instructional resources more during follow-up than instructors who originally received feedback only. This result must be tempered by several interpretative considerations regarding sample size, power, and experimental control. A number of concerns were also expressed regarding the adequacy of the current literature for describing a developmental event, instructional improvement, through the use of short-term studies. Recommendations are made for increased durations of study and alternative tactics of experimental design and control.
Generation and Analysis of Directional Spectral Waves in a Laboratory Basin

A new method of generating and analysing directional spectral waves recently has been implemented in the US Army Engineer Waterways Experiment Station's Coastal Engineering Research Center's (CERC) directional spectral wave basin. The generation program simulates a stroke time series for each of the 61 independent paddles of the directional spectral wave generator using frequency domain methods and a "235" FFT algorithm. Either deterministic amplitude and random phase or random amplitude and phase options with a "TMA" or Ochi-Hubble spectral form and wrapped normal directional spreading function can be used. The analysis package allows processing of predicted or measured gage data using an eigen-function procedure, Fourier series expansion of the directional spectrum, or Maximum Likelihood Methods (MLM). A description of the directional spectral wave generator and basin, directional spectral simulation and generation procedures, and subsequent analysis are presented. Finally, comparisons of predicted and measured results show excellent agreement.
Quantum mechanics/molecular mechanics studies of triosephosphate isomerase-catalyzed reactions: effect of geometry and tunneling on proton-transfer rate constants.

The role of tunneling for two proton-transfer steps in the reactions catalyzed by triosephosphate isomerase (TIM) has been studied. One step is the rate-limiting proton transfer from Cα in the substrate to Glu 165, and the other is an intrasubstrate proton transfer proposed for the isomerization of the enediolate intermediate. The latter, which is not important in the wild-type enzyme but is a useful model system because of its simplicity, has also been examined in the gas phase and in solution. Variational transition-state theory with semiclassical ground-state tunneling was used for the calculation with potential energy surface determined by an AM1 method specifically parametrized for the TIM system. The effect of tunneling on the reaction rate was found to be less than a factor of 10 at room temperature; the tunneling becomes more important at lower temperature, as expected. The imaginary frequency (barrier) mode and modes that have large contributions to the reaction path curvature are localized on th...
TALEN-Mediated Somatic Mutagenesis in Murine Models of Cancer

Cancer genome sequencing has identified numerous somatic mutations whose biologic relevance is uncertain. In this study, we used genome-editing tools to create and analyze targeted somatic mutations in murine models of liver cancer. Transcription activator-like effector nucleases (TALEN) were designed against β-catenin (Ctnnb1) and adenomatous polyposis coli (Apc), two commonly mutated genes in hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC), to generate isogenic HCC cell lines. Both mutant cell lines exhibited evidence of Wnt pathway dysregulation. We asked whether these TALENs could create targeted somatic mutations after hydrodynamic transfection into mouse liver. TALENs targeting β-catenin promoted endogenous HCC carrying the intended gain-of-function mutations. However, TALENs targeting Apc were not as efficient in inducing in vivo homozygous loss-of-function mutations. We hypothesized that hepatocyte polyploidy might be protective against TALEN-induced loss of heterozygosity, and indeed Apc gene editing was less efficient in tetraploid than in diploid hepatocytes. To increase efficiency, we administered adenoviral Apc TALENs and found that we could achieve a higher mutagenesis rate in vivo. Our results demonstrate that genome-editing tools can enable the in vivo study of cancer genes and faithfully recapitulate the mosaic nature of mutagenesis in mouse cancer models. Cancer Res; 74(18); 5311-21. ©2014 AACR.
Morphology and cytochemistry of the Golgi apparatus of rat salivary gland acinar cells

The ultrastructure and cytochemistry of the Golgi apparatus was studied in acinar cells of the parotid and von Ebner's glands of the rat. The Golgi apparatus was composed of four to six stacked cisternae, numerous small vesicles, and condensing vacuoles. The latter appeared to form as dilatations of the innermost Golgi cisterna, and their irregular membrane suggested fusion with or fission of small vesicles. Nucleoside diphosphatase and thiamine pyrophosphatase activities were localized to the inner Golgi cisternae. Acid phosphatase activity was localized to condensing vacuoles, coated vesicles, and an irregular, narrow cisterna found in the internal region of the Golgi apparatus and termed the internal Golgi lamella. The morphology and relationships of the Golgi apparatus indicate that it plays an important role in secretory granule formation. The presence of nucleoside diphosphatase activity may reflect the role of the Golgi apparatus in the addition of carbohydrates to the secretory proteins. It is suggested that the internal Golgi lamella develops from the inner Golgi cisterna after secretory granule formation is completed. Acid phosphatase activity in condensing vacuoles may be a mechanism for lysosomal regulation of the secretory process.
SPT hammer energy measurement

A field measurement system and procedure which measures the energy delivered by a drill rig system was developed and successfully used to study the factors which affect delivered energy. Results are presented which indicate that the energy delivered by certain drill rig systems varies widely in engineering practice. The energy delivered to the drill stem varied with the number of turns of rope around the cathead, the fall height, drill rig type hammer type, and operator characteristics. The type of hammer had a strong influence on the energy transfer mechanism between the anvil and the drill stem. It appears that the safety (sleeve enclosed) hammer is more efficient in transmitting the available kinetic energy through the anvil to the drill stem than the donut hammer.
Experimental disseminated intravascular coagulation effect of heparin and e-aminocaproic acid on test of hemostatic function

Abstract In an effort to evaluate some laboratory procedures and therapeutic modalities commonly employed in patients suspected of suffering from disseminated intravascular coagulation (DIC), such a state was induced in dogs by means of intravascular infusion of Thrombin. The laboratory procedures included the protamine sulfate and ethanol gelation tests, platelet count, prothrombin time, partial thromboplastin time, thrombin time, fibrinogen concentration and euglobulin lysis time. Heparin, e-aminocaproic acid, and a combination of both drugs represented the therapeutic measures used. Of the laboratory tests mentioned, the protamine sulfate test was both sensitive and specific and was therefore considered the most useful procedure in recognizing intravascular fibrin formation. As regards the other tests, a marked drop in the fibrinogen level and in the platelet count were the most consistent findings. The thrombin time tended to be markedly prolonged, whereas the euglobulin lysis time was found to undergo the least change. The effect of treatment was gauged by the extent to which the drugs employed appeared to minimize the change in results of the various tests caused by thrombin infusion. The combination of Heparin with e-aminocaproic acid seemed to be most effective in this respect, particularly with regard to the platelet count and the fibrinogen level. The Reptilase time which replaced the thrombin time in the testing of Heparin-containing blood specimens was very useful in monitoring the effect of Heparin in the prevention or treatment of thrombin-induced changes in the laboratory tests.
Teenagers and their virtual possessions: design opportunities and issues

Over the past several years, people have increasingly acquired virtual possessions. We consider these things to include artifacts that are increasingly becoming immaterial (e.g. books, photos, music, movies) and things that have never traditionally had a lasting material form (e.g. SMS archives, social networking profiles, personal behavior logs). To date, little research exists about how people value and form attachments to virtual possessions. To investigate, we conducted a study with 21 teenagers exploring the perceived value of their virtual possessions, and the comparative similarities and differences with their material things. Findings are interpreted to detail design and research opportunities and issues in this emerging space.
Statistical Specification of the 500-mb Height Fields Using Smoothed Medium-Resolution Radiometric Fields of Nimbus II

Statistical specification of 500 mb height fields using medium resolution radiometric fields of Nimbus 2
Increased cytotoxicity against cytomegalovirus-infected target cells by bronchoalveolar lavage cells from bone marrow transplant recipients with cytomegalovirus pneumonia.

Cytotoxic activity of bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL) cells from 23 bone marrow transplant recipients against CMV-infected fibroblast target cells was evaluated to determine if responses differed between patients with and without CMV pneumonia. Responses of BAL cells were also compared with responses of peripheral blood lymphocytes (PBLs). BAL cells from patients with CMV pneumonia had greater cytotoxicity than BAL cells from patients with non-CMV pneumonia (P = .008). Cytotoxicity of BAL cells was also increased, as compared with PBLs, from patients with CMV pneumonia (P = .008). Lymphocytes, not alveolar macrophages, were found to be the cytotoxic effector cells in studies using purified BAL populations. Depletion studies using Leu 11b and complement suggested that natural killer cells were responsible for the cytotoxic activity. These studies demonstrate that BAL cells from patients with CMV pneumonia after bone marrow transplant have increased cytotoxicity against CMV-infected target cells.
Representation of Boundary Layer Moisture Transport in Cloud-Resolving Models

OneoftheimportantrolesofthePBListotransportmoisturefromthesurfacetothecloudlayer.However, howthis transportprocesscanbe accounted forincloud-resolvingmodels(CRMs) isnotsufficientlyclearand has rarelybeenexamined. A typicalCRM canresolve thebulkfeature oflargeconvectionsystemsbut not the small-scale convection and turbulence motions that carry a large portion of the moisture fluxes. This study uses a large-eddy simulation of a tropical deep-convection system as a benchmark to examine the subgridscale (SGS) moisture transport into a cloud system. It is shown that most of the PBL moisture transport tothe cloud layer occurs in the areas under low-level updrafts, with rain, or under cloudy skies, although these PBL regimes may cover only a small fraction of the entire cloud-system domain. To develop SGS parameterizations to represent the spatial distribution of this moisture transport in CRMs, three models are proposed and tested. An updraft‐downdraft model performs exceptionally well, while a statistical-closure model and a local-gradient model are less satisfactory but still perform adequately. Each of these models, however, has its own closure issues to be addressed. The updraft‐downdraft model requires a scheme to estimate the mean SGS updraft‐ downdraft properties, the statistical-closure model needs a scheme to predict both SGS vertical-velocity and moisture variances, while the local-gradient model requires estimation of the SGS vertical-velocity variance.
A bi-stable oscillator for increasing damping and providing passive adaptability

This research investigates a bi-stable oscillator which, through snap-through actions, can significantly increase energy dissipation loss factor and provide passive damping adaptability with respect to input amplitude and frequency. The increase in motion generated during snap-through leads to a significant increase in the energy dissipated by the embedded damper and the corresponding loss factor. The system parameters can be designed such that the snap-though threshold occurs at different input amplitudes. Overall, the device can be programmed to adjust damping to changes in the loading environment in a passive manner.
Measurement of particle concentrations in a dental office

Particles in a dental office can be generated by a number of instruments, such as air-turbine handpieces, low-speed handpieces, ultrasonic scalers, bicarbonate polishers, polishing cups, as well as drilling and air sprays inside the oral cavity. This study examined the generation of particles during dental drilling and measured particle size, mass, and trace elements. The air sampling techniques included both continuous and integrated methods. The following particle continuous measurements were taken every minute: (1) size-selective particle number concentration (Climet); (2) total particle number concentration (PTRAK), and; (3) particle mass concentration (DustTrak). Integrated particle samples were collected for about 5 h on each of five sampling days, using a PM(2.5) sampler (ChemComb) for elemental/organic carbon analysis, and a PM(10) sampler (Harvard Impactor) for mass and elemental analyses. There was strong evidence that these procedures result in particle concentrations above background. The dental procedures produced number concentrations of relatively small particles ( 0.5 microm). Also, these dental procedures caused significant elevation above background of certain trace elements (measured by X-ray fluorescence) but did not cause any elevation of elemental carbon (measured by thermal optical reflectance). Dental drilling procedures aerosolize saliva and products of drilling, producing particles small enough to penetrate deep into the lungs. The potential health impacts of the exposure of dental personnel to such particles need to be evaluated. Increased ventilation and personal breathing protection could be used to minimize harmful effects.
Analysis of macular OCT images using deformable registration

Optical coherence tomography (OCT) of the macula has become increasingly important in the investigation of retinal pathology. However, deformable image registration, which is used for aligning subjects for pairwise comparisons, population averaging, and atlas label transfer, has not been well–developed and demonstrated on OCT images. In this paper, we present a deformable image registration approach designed specifically for macular OCT images. The approach begins with an initial translation to align the fovea of each subject, followed by a linear rescaling to align the top and bottom retinal boundaries. Finally, the layers within the retina are aligned by a deformable registration using one-dimensional radial basis functions. The algorithm was validated using manual delineations of retinal layers in OCT images from a cohort consisting of healthy controls and patients diagnosed with multiple sclerosis (MS). We show that the algorithm overcomes the shortcomings of existing generic registration methods, which cannot be readily applied to OCT images. A successful deformable image registration algorithm for macular OCT opens up a variety of population based analysis techniques that are regularly used in other imaging modalities, such as spatial normalization, statistical atlas creation, and voxel based morphometry. Examples of these applications are provided to demonstrate the potential benefits such techniques can have on our understanding of retinal disease. In particular, included is a pilot study of localized volumetric changes between healthy controls and MS patients using the proposed registration algorithm.
SLA-aware resource scheduling for cloud storage

As most on-line services are now hosted on the cloud, customers are requesting Service Level Agreements (SLAs) in order to use cloud services with acceptable Quality of Service. Nonetheless, the cloud is based on provisioning resources on demand (known as cloud elasticity). Hence, it is of primary importance to design multi-tenant cloud storage solutions that can provide storage services with guarantees equivalent or close to bare-metal deployments. In this paper, we address the problem of scheduling volume create requests to backend hosts. We design and implement SLAaware scheduling policies based on the distributed OpenStack scheduling model. We compare and contrast the existing scheduling storage policies by performing a simulation experiment. We demonstrate that a new SLA-aware scheduling policy that takes into account both the available capacity but also the I/O throughput of the backend nodes is needed to offer quality storage services. Our SLA-aware scheduling policy is able to achieve more than 20% improvement in the rate of SLA violations. Furthermore, it requires fewer storage nodes (hence lower capital expenses) and can provide higher volume I/O throughput performance compared to the default policies. Keywords—Cloud storage; Service Level Agreement (SLA); Resource Scheduling; Infrastructure as a Service.
Clinical trial design in older adults with cancer—The need for new paradigms

Abstract Increasing age is directly associated with an increasing risk of cancer, and persons over 65 constitute the fastest growing group in the United States. Not only do older adults comprise the majority of cancer patients, at the same time, they have also been vastly underrepresented in clinical trials. As a result, little evidence-based data exist to guide their course of treatment. Alternative trial designs and expanded research evaluations are needed to guide cancer therapy in this population, which is estimated to account for 20% of all Americans by the year 2030. In this review, after examining the status quo, we propose ways to correct the widespread underreporting and underrepresentation of older adults in cancer trials, and highlight existing barriers to trial enrollment. We also outline specific issues of treatment and survivorship as they pertain to older adults, including function, clinical benefit, quality of life, polypharmacy, toxicity, and comorbidity.
Intermodal beat length measurement with Fabry–Perot optical fiber cavities

We present a new technique for measuring the intermodal beat length of a two-mode optical fiber. We formed a Fabry–Perot fiber cavity by depositing reflective mirrors on the fiber tips. As the fiber is stretched, two series of resonance peaks are observed. One series is due to the resonance of LP01q modes and the other is due to the LP11q modes. From the separation of resonance peaks as a function of cavity length, we deduce the intermodal beat length of the fiber. The measurement principle and the experimental confirmation are discussed.
Performing Baadinyaa : Music, Emotion, and Health in The Gambia

この医療民族音楽学的研究は、ガンビアの、健康とウェルビーングを促す社会面・感情面への介入である音楽パフォーマンスについて検証する。この研究は、17ヶ月に及ぶ民族学的研究で行われたインタビューと観察を基盤とし（2009; 2012-2013）、また、私自身のガンビアのHIV/AIDSサポートグループへの長期の参加(2006〜)からの情報が用いられている。音楽パフォーマンス、感情、健康のつながりについて問うにあたり、ガンビアの演奏家や健康関連職が口にするこの地方の概念baadinyaa（マンディンカ語で「前向きな関係」）を用いる。Baadinyaaの概念は、「基本となる柔軟性〔flexibility primer〕」（Hinton 2008）として音楽パフォーマンスへの直観をもたらすものであり、感情的変容と癒しを促す。音楽への感情的反応は、社会的区分にかかわらず一様な形態ではなく、社会的アイデンティティや力関係、また個人的経験や嗜好によって形作られる。この研究は、葛藤やスティグマに直面したとき、ガンビアの芸術家が音楽的パフォーマンスとbaadinyaaへの関連づけをリソースとして怒りや不安などの否定的感情に対処し、それによって健康と癒しを促進することを、見いだした。
A Route-Based Queuing Network Model for Air Traffic Flow Contingency Management

Ongoing research is currently focused on the need to improve the strategic traffic flow management decision making processes. The research effort in this paper is part of a greater research initiative aimed at developing quantitative analysis and design capabilities for flow contingency management, which include the design of queuing network models. This paper proposes to use the concept of route assignment for managing aggregate air traffic demand and evaluating flow contingency plans generated by human decision makers. To determine how strategic traffic controls are captured and the computational requirements associated, a simulation experiment is conducted with realistic demand data and weather impact scenarios. System-wide performance results on a realistic plan of strategic control are analyzed, and the computational requirements of arc-based and route-based modeling choices will also be discussed.
A Martian entry propagation study

Martian atmosphere plasma effects on interplanetary transmission of electromagnetic radiation
Re: Validation of a Cell-Cycle Progression Gene Panel to Improve Risk Stratification in a Contemporary Prostatectomy Cohort

Purpose We aimed to validate a previously described genetic risk score, denoted the cell-cycle progression (CCP) score, in predicting contemporary radical prostatectomy (RP) outcomes. Methods RNA was quantified from paraffin-embedded RP specimens. The CCP score was calculated as average expression of 31 CCP genes, normalized to 15 housekeeper genes. Recurrence was defined as two prostate-specific antigen levels 0.2 ng/mL or any salvage treatment. Associations between CCP score and recurrence were examined, with adjustment for clinical and pathologic variables using Cox proportional hazards regression and partial likelihood ratio tests. The CCP score was assessed for independent prognostic utility beyond a standard postoperative risk assessment (Cancer of the Prostate Risk Assessment post-Surgical [CAPRA-S] score), and a score combining CAPRA-S and CCP was validated. Results Eighty-two (19.9%) of 413 men experienced recurrence. The hazard ratio (HR) for each unit increase in CCP score (range, 1.62 to 2.16) was 2.1 (95% CI, 1.6 to 2.9); with adjustment for CAPRA-S, the HR was 1.7 (95% CI, 1.3 to 2.4). The score was able to substratify patients with low clinical risk as defined by CAPRA-S 2 (HR, 2.3; 95% CI, 1.4 to 3.7). Combining the CCP and CAPRA-S improved the concordance index for both the overall cohort and low-risk subset; the combined CAPRA-S CCP score consistently predicted outcomes across the range of clinical risk. This combined score outperformed both individual scores on decision curve analysis. Conclusion The CCP score was validated to have significant prognostic accuracy after controlling for all available clinical and pathologic data. The score may improve accuracy of risk stratification for men with clinically localized prostate cancer, including those with low-risk disease.
Population balance modeling of the dissolution of polydisperse solids: Rate limiting regimes

Significant errors can result in modeling dissolution processes if the polydispersity of the solid particles is ignored and the sample is treated as a collection of monodisperse spheres having the average size of the mixture. Population balance modeling provides an effective analytical means of predicting the effect of polydispersity on a wide variety of heterogeneous reaction systems including dissolution processes.
Starvation Selection Restores Elastase and Rhamnolipid Production in a Pseudomonas aeruginosa Quorum-Sensing Mutant

The las quorum-sensing system of Pseudomonas aeruginosa controls the expression of elastase and rhamnolipid. We report that starvation can select a mutant producing these virulence factors in spite of a lasR deletion. Expression of the autoinducer synthase gene rhlI was increased in this suppressor mutant, suggesting compensation by the rhl system. These data show that P. aeruginosa can restore elastase and rhamnolipid production in the absence of a functional las quorum-sensing system.
Characterization of the Host Response in Systemic Isosporosis (Atoxoplasmosis) in a Colony of Captive American Goldfinches (Spinus tristis) and House Sparrows (Passer domesticus)

Systemic isosporosis, also known as atoxoplasmosis, is a common parasitic disease of passerines. Infection is thought to be endemic in wild birds with fulminant, fatal disease occurring under the influence of stress, concurrent infections, or immunosuppression. Here, we describe the histologic and immunohistochemical characteristics of the cellular infiltrate occurring in captive colonies of American goldfinches and house sparrows. Necropsies were performed on 9 birds, and histologic examination was performed on the intestines of 7 additional birds. Lesions were most severe in the proximal small intestines. Histologically, the changes ranged from variably intense infiltrates of lymphocytes that filled the lamina propria to sheets of large, atypical cells that expanded and obliterated normal mucosal epithelium and invaded through the wall of the intestine and into the ceolomic cavity. Both the smaller lymphocytes and large atypical cells were immunoreactive for CD3. Intracellular parasites consistent with Isospora were detected in the large atypical cells, but they were more easily detectable in the more differentiated lymphocytes. Polymerase chain reaction and virus isolation performed on tissues from 7 birds were negative for retroviruses and herpesvirus. The immunohistochemical results of this study and the destructive nature of the cellular infiltrate suggest that the lesion represents T-cell lymphoma. In birds, lymphomas are most often associated with herpes and retroviruses; the absence of these viruses suggests that the parasite initiated neoplastic transformation. Though much work needs to be done to prove the transformative nature of the lesions, these preliminary results suggest that passerine birds may be susceptible to parasite-associated lymphomas.
Anti-sclerostin antibodies: Utility in treatment of osteoporosis

Monoclonal antibodies to molecular targets important for bone formation and bone resorption are being investigated for treatment of postmenopausal osteoporosis. Postmenopausal osteoporosis is characterized by increased bone turnover, with bone resorption typically exceeding bone formation. These pathophysiological changes cause decreased bone mineral density and disruption of bone microarchitecture which lead to low-trauma fractures. Sclerostin is a glycoprotein inhibitor of osteoblast Wnt signaling produced by osteocytes that has been recognized as a new target for therapeutic intervention in patients with osteoporosis. Sclerostin was first recognized when disorders with inactivating mutations of the sclerostin gene SOST were found to be associated with high bone mass. These observations suggested that inhibitors of sclerostin might be used to increase bone mineral density. Romosozumab (AMG 785) is the first humanized anti-sclerostin monoclonal antibody that has been demonstrated to increase bone formation. This investigational monoclonal antibody, and blosozumab, another investigational anti-sclerostin antibody, have osteoanabolic properties with the potential to improve clinical outcomes in patients with osteoporosis. Similar to preclinical animal studies with sclerostin antibodies, initial clinical studies have shown that romosozumab increases bone formation and BMD. Further evaluation of the efficacy and safety of this agent in a large phase III controlled study is awaited. Phase I clinical trial data have recently been published with blosozumab. These novel interventions appear to be promising agents for the treatment of osteoporosis.
Using Equilibrium Policy Gradients for Spatiotemporal Planning in Forest Ecosystem Management

Spatiotemporal planning involves making choices at multiple locations in space over some planning horizon to maximize utility and satisfy various constraints. In Forest Ecosystem Management, the problem is to choose actions for thousands of locations each year including harvesting, treating trees for fire or pests, or doing nothing. The utility models could place value on sale of lumber, ecosystem sustainability or employment levels and incorporate legal and logistical constraints on actions such as avoiding large contiguous areas of clearcutting. Simulators developed by forestry researchers provide detailed dynamics but are generally inaccesible black boxes. We model spatiotemporal planning as a factored Markov decision process and present a policy gradient planning algorithm to optimize a stochastic spatial policy using simulated dynamics. It is common in environmental and resource planning to have actions at different locations be spatially interelated; this makes representation and planning challenging. We define a global spatial policy in terms of interacting local policies defining distributions over actions at each location conditioned on actions at nearby locations. Markov chain Monte Carlo simulation is used to sample landscape policies and estimate their gradients. Evaluation is carried out on a forestry planning problem with 1,880 locations using a variety of value models and constraints.
Join processing in database systems with large main memories

We study algorithms for computing the equijoin of two relations in a system with a standard architecture hut with large amounts of main memory. Our algorithms are especially efficient when the main memory available is a significant fraction of the size of one of the relations to he joined; but they can be applied whenever there is memory equal to approximately the square root of the size of one relation. We present a new algorithm which is a hybrid of two hash-based algorithms and which dominates the other algorithms we present, including sort-merge. Even in a virtual memory environment, the hybrid algorithm dominates all the others we study.Finally, we describe how three popular tools to increase the efficiency of joins, namely filters, Babb arrays, and semijoins, can he grafted onto any of our algorithms.
A multi-constituent site blocking model for nanoparticle and stabilizing agent transport in porous media

A quantitative understanding of the potential influence of engineered and natural stabilizing agents on the transport behavior of engineered nanomaterials will be crucial to assessing their environmental fate. Column transport experiments conducted with CdSe/ZnS quantum dot nanocrystals (QD) stabilized with poly-(acrylic-acid)–octylamine (PAA–OA) yielded retention profiles that exhibited increased retention with distance from the inlet, a trend which could not be reproduced by existing nanoparticle transport models. To address this shortcoming, a new Multi-Constituent Site-Blocking (MCB) model was developed and implemented to simulate coupled transport and retention of nanoparticles and stabilizing agents. Mass balance equations for solution constituents are linked through a Langmuir-type blocking term that accounts for the surface area occupied by each constituent. The model successfully reproduced experimental observations of delayed QD breakthrough and retention profiles. These results support the hypothesis that stabilizing agents present in the nanoparticle suspension inhibit deposition, facilitating enhanced nanoparticle mobility in the columns. Inter-model comparisons and model sensitivity analyses examine the dependence of nanoparticle mobility on the relative concentration and adsorption properties of the stabilizing agents. Modeling results indicate that both synergistic and competitive interactions between nanomaterials and stabilizing agents should be accounted for in order to accurately predict nanoparticle transport behavior in subsurface environments.
Was bedeutet der Stein?: Fetishism, Profanation, and Parody in Fontane's Grete Minde

This article explores the function of the precarious (non-)significance of the thing in Theodor Fontane’s 1879 novella Grete Minde. On the surface a simple tale of exclusion and revenge in seventeenth-century Brandenburg and a seeming anomaly in Fontane’s oeuvre, the novella also contains a barely visible leitmotif of the agency of things on the cusp of their disempowerment, not to say fall into vulgar parody and obscene joke. This article reads the status of the thing in Grete Minde not only as a key to some of the text’s more curious narrative choices, but also as a mark of the persistence of the ontological and aesthetic questions of the Reformation and as Fontane’s ambivalent self-reflection on the task of the novelist in the modern era.
TREES USED FOR TUBE SUPPORT BY SPHODROS RUFIPES (LATREILLE 1829)(ARANEAE, ATYPIDAE) IN NORTHWESTERN LOUISIANA

Abstract Little information is available concerning the tree species preferred by the American red-legged purseweb spider, Sphodros rufipes (Latreille 1829), for supporting their webs. During a study of the spiders of northwestern Louisiana, 26 pursewebs of S. rufipes were found. All were on deciduous trees, with 58% found on sweetgum or oak. None of the webs were on conifers or herbaceous plants even though conifers made up 7–92% of the trees in the sampled areas. All pursewebs were within 20 m of a stream and were on trees with a trunk less than 70 cm dbh.
JAZ7 negatively regulates dark-induced leaf senescence in Arabidopsis

JASMONATE ZIM-domain (JAZ) proteins play important roles in plant defence and growth by regulating jasmonate signalling. Through data mining, we discovered that the JAZ7 gene was up-regulated in darkness. In the dark, the jaz7 mutant displayed more severe leaf yellowing, quicker chlorophyll degradation, and higher hydrogen peroxide accumulation compared with wild-type (WT) plants. The mutant phenotype of dark-induced leaf senescence could be rescued in the JAZ7-complemented and -overexpression lines. Moreover, the double mutants of jaz7 myc2 and jaz7 coi1 exhibited delayed leaf senescence. We further employed GeneChip analysis to study the molecular mechanism. Some key genes down-regulated in the triple mutant myc2 myc3 myc4 were up-regulated in the jaz7 mutant under darkness. The Gene Ontology terms 'leaf senescence' and 'cell death' were significantly enriched in the differentially expressed genes. Combining the genetic and transcriptomic analyses together, we proposed a model whereby darkness can induce JAZ7, which might further block MYC2 to suppress dark-induced leaf senescence. In darkness, the mutation of JAZ7 might partially liberate MYC2/MYC3/MYC4 from suppression, leading the MYC proteins to bind to the G-box/G-box-like motifs in the promoters, resulting in the up-regulation of the downstream genes related to indole-glucosinolate biosynthesis, sulphate metabolism, callose deposition, and JA-mediated signalling pathways. In summary, our genetic and transcriptomic studies established the JAZ7 protein as an important regulator in dark-induced leaf senescence.
Fritz Kaufmann’s Literary Aesthetics as Defined by His Study of Thomas Mann

I would like to begin by saying that while my purpose here will be to outline some of Fritz Kaufmann’s views on aesthetic experience, my effort will be to do so within the specific arena of Kaufmann’s views on literary aesthetic experience and this within the context of his book-length evaluation of the novels of Thomas Mann.