cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dialogues in Diversity: An Invited Series of Papers, Advance Directives, DNRs, and End-of-Life Care for African Americans:

The article utilizes a meta-analysis of the existing empirical research and theory on health care directives to provide some insights into the documented pattern of African Americans to use advance directives less than Whites. A number of relevant factors are highlighted and examined. In addition the article attempts to provide some insights into African American family life and traditional values regarding the care of the elderly and end-of-life care. The African American tradition of employing a family-centered decision making process during family crisis, as well as a significant cultural mistrust of institutionalized care is also explored. The article also attempts to offer some practical suggestions for clinical care givers working with African Americans to enhance culturally sensitive care giving and the utilization of advanced directives among African Americans at the end-of-life.
Differences in verbal memory performance in postmenopausal women receiving hormone therapy: 17β-estradiol versus conjugated equine estrogens

Objective Much controversy exists and many questions remain unanswered about the effects of hormone therapy (HT) on cognition in postmenopausal women. There is growing evidence suggesting that HT compounds containing conjugated equine estrogen (CEE) have negative effects on cognition whereas 17β-estradiol (17β-E) either has positive or neutral effects. The present study sought to further examine this issue in a sample of postmenopausal women with risk factors for Alzheimer's disease (AD). Design Cross-sectional neuropsychological evaluation. Setting Academic research clinic. Participants 68 healthy postmenopausal women (aged 49–68) receiving either 17β-E or CEE for at least one year with increased risk for AD. Measurements Neuropsychological test battery of the cognitive domains of attention/working memory/processing speed, verbal memory, visual memory, and executive functioning. Results Multivariate analyses of variance (MANOVA) showed significantly better verbal memory performance in women receiving 17β-E compared to women receiving CEE regardless of age, IQ, years of education, risk factors for AD (including APOE-ɛ4 carriership), duration of endogenous and exogenous estrogen exposure, concurrent progesterone use, or natural versus surgical menopause status. Conclusions Verbal memory performance was better in postmenopausal women receiving 17β-E compared to CEE in a sample population of women with risk factors for AD. Genetic risk for AD as well as other confounds did not affect this finding. The results suggest a differential effect of HT type on verbal memory, with 17β-E being a preferential compound. Further evaluation of HT types, regimens and duration of use on cognitive performance in postmenopausal women in a controlled longitudinal design is warranted.
An Integrated Framework for Dependable and Revivable Architectures Using Multicore Processors

This paper presents a high-availability system architecture called INDRA an INtegrated framework for Dependable and Revivable Architecture that enhances a multicore processor (or CMP) with novel security and fault recovery mechanisms. INDRA represents the first effort to create remote attack immune, self-healing network services using the emerging multicore processors. By exploring the property of a tightly-coupled multicore system, INDRA pioneers several concepts. It creates a hardware insulation, establishes finegrained fault monitoring, exploits monitoring/backup concurrency, and facilitates fast recovery services with minimal performance impact. In addition, INDRA's fault/exploit monitoring is implemented in software rather than in hardware logic, thereby providing better flexibility and upgradability. To provide efficient service recovery and thus improve service availability, we propose a novel delta state backup and recovery on-demand mechanism in INDRA that substantially outperforms conventional checkpointing schemes. We demonstrate and evaluate INDRA's capability and performance using real network services and a cycle-level architecture simulator. As indicated by our performance results, INDRA is highly effective in establishing a more dependable system with high service availability using emerging multicore processors.
Cyclic AMP-mediated cyst expansion

In polycystic kidney disease (PKD), intracellular cAMP promotes cyst enlargement by stimulating mural epithelial cell proliferation and transepithelial fluid secretion. The proliferative effect of cAMP in PKD is unique in that cAMP is anti-mitogenic in normal renal epithelial cells. This phenotypic difference in the proliferative response to cAMP appears to involve cross-talk between cAMP and Ca(2+) signaling to B-Raf, a kinase upstream of the MEK/ERK pathway. In normal cells, B-Raf is repressed by Akt (protein kinase B), a Ca(2+)-dependent kinase, preventing cAMP activation of ERK and cell proliferation. In PKD cells, disruption of intracellular Ca(2+) homeostasis due to mutations in the PKD genes relieves Akt inhibition of B-Raf, allowing cAMP stimulation of B-Raf, ERK and cell proliferation. Fluid secretion by cystic cells is driven by cAMP-dependent transepithelial Cl(-) secretion involving apical cystic fibrosis transmembrane conductance regulator (CFTR) Cl(-) channels. This review summarizes the current knowledge of cAMP-dependent cyst expansion, focusing on cell proliferation and Cl(-)-dependent fluid secretion, and discusses potential therapeutic approaches to inhibit renal cAMP production and its downstream effects on cyst enlargement. This article is part of a Special Issue entitled: Polycystic Kidney Disease.
The Next Tsunami? Preparing for a Disorderly Correction of Global Imbalances*

Abstract This paper makes the case that Asian countries should start preparing now for a disorderly correction of global imbalances. It points to six measures they should take: allowing their currencies to appreciate against the dollar as a way of limiting their dependence on the U.S. market; accelerating regional trade initiatives to support their export sectors; using fiscal policy to sustain domestic demand; developing their financial markets; allowing intraregional exchange rates to move to accommodate differences in the impact of the shock and the scope for offsetting action; and enhancing regional cooperation to address free-rider and firstmover problems that might otherwise discourage these adjustments.
Excitons in the family: Working with Daniel Chemla

Daniel Chemla was an inspirational scientist, natural mentor and visionary leader. I share my experiences working with Daniel and others at Bell Labs from 1984 through the 1990s on .“all excitons all the time.”
Changes in Tundra Pond Limnology: Re-sampling Alaskan Ponds After 40 Years

The arctic tundra ponds at the International Biological Program (IBP) site in Barrow, AK, were studied extensively in the 1970s; however, very little aquatic research has been conducted there for over three decades. Due to the rapid climate changes already occurring in northern Alaska, identifying any changes in the ponds’ structure and function over the past 30–40 years can help identify any potential climate-related impacts. Current research on the IBP ponds has revealed significant changes in the physical, chemical, and biological characteristics of these ponds over time. These changes include increased water temperatures, increased water column nutrient concentrations, the presence of at least one new chironomid species, and increased macrophyte cover. However, we have also observed significant annual variation in many measured variables and caution that this variation must be taken into account when attempting to make statements about longer-term change. The Barrow IBP tundra ponds represent one of the very few locations in the Arctic where long-term data are available on freshwater ecosystem structure and function. Continued monitoring and protection of these invaluable sites is required to help understand the implications of climate change on freshwater ecosystems in the Arctic.
Chronic kidney disease: nutrition basics.

NUTRITION PLANNING AND education in the early phases of chronic kidney disease (CKD) can be crucial in helping to alleviate abnormal laboratory values and delay the progression of renal failure. Because of the complexity of the disease, physician referrals for nutrition education are needed for the patient to fully understand renal nutrition plan limitations and the effect these dietary changes can have on a patient’s medical prognosis. A 2008 study surveyed renal patients with varying degrees of kidney failure to determine their exposure to nutrition education. Many of them had introductory diet and nutrition education, but only from a physician. A large percentage of those surveyed would have favored a medical nutrition therapy consultation with a registered dietitian within the early phases of the CKD diagnosis to allow them to better understand renal nutrition diet guidelines. An additional conclusion from this study was that many patients preferred printed nutrition handouts as a reference to serve as a quick reminder of their nutrition and dietary recommendations.
AN ADAPTIVE MESH REFINEMENT TECHNIQUE FOR THE ANALYSIS OF ADIABATIC SHEAR BANDING

Abstract Adiabatic shear bands are narrow regions in which the shear strain is several orders of magnitude higher than that in the adjoining regions. Because of the steep gradients of deformation within and near these bands, a properly graded mesh is required for a satisfactory resolution of the details of the deformation field. Here we use the scaled residuals in the equations expressing the balance of linear momentum and the balance of internal ebergy to refine the mesh adaptively. The computed results show that the two balance laws generally require refinement of the mesh in different regions.
Induction of D-xylose uptake and expression of NAD(P)H-linked xylose reductase and NADP + -linked xylitol dehydrogenase in the oleaginous microalga Chlorella sorokiniana.

The heterotrophic and mixotrophic culture of oleaginous microalgae is a promising process to produce biofuel feedstock due to the advantage of fast growth. Various organic carbons have been explored for this application. However, despite being one of the most abundant and economical sugar resources in nature, D-xylose has never been demonstrated as a carbon source for wild-type microalgae. The purpose of the present work was to identify the feasibility of D-xylose utilization by the oleaginous microalga Chlorella sorokiniana. The sugar uptake kinetic analysis was performed with 14C-labeled sugars and the data showed that the D-glucose induced algal cells (the alga was heterotrophically grown on D-glucose and then harvested as D-glucose induced cells) exhibited a remarkably increased D-xylose uptake rate. The maximum D-xylose transport rate was 3.8 nmol min-1 mg-1 dry cell weight (DCW) with K m value of 6.8 mM. D-xylose uptake was suppressed in the presence of D-glucose, D-galactose and D-fructose but not L-arabinose and D-ribose. The uptake of D-xylose activated the related metabolic pathway, and the activities of a NAD(P)H-linked xylose reductase (XR) and a unique NADP+-linked xylitol dehydrogenase (XDH) were detected in C. sorokiniana. Compared with the culture in the dark, the consumption of D-xylose increased 2 fold under light but decreased to the same level with addition of 3-(3,4-dichlorophenyl)-1,1-dimethylurea (DCMU), indicating that extra chemical energy from the light-dependent reaction contributed the catabolism of D-xylose for C. sorokiniana. An inducible D-xylose transportation system and a related metabolic pathway were discovered for microalga for the first time. The transportation of D-xylose across the cell membrane of C. sorokiniana could be realized by an inducible hexose symporter. The uptake of D-xylose subsequently activated the expression of key catalytic enzymes that enabled D-xylose entering central metabolism. Results of this research are useful to better understand the D-xylose metabolic pathway in the microalga C. sorokiniana and provide a target for genetic engineering to improve D-xylose utilization for microalgal lipid production.
Eosinophilic encephalomyelitis in a raccoon experimentally infected with a dog isolate of rabies virus.

For the past decade, the mid-Atlantic region of the United States has been experiencing an epizootic of rabies in its wild raccoon (Procyon lotor) population. In 1987, there were 965 reported cases of rabid raccoons in this geographical location.* To counteract this epidemic, a genetically engineered vaccinia-rabies glycoprotein (V-RG) oral rabies vaccine has been developed and has been evaluated experimentally in raccoons. 10 It is now awaiting final government approval for field testing. An adult female raccoon used in a control group of animals for the experimental evaluation of the V-RG recombinant virus vaccine was presented to the Laboratory of Large Animal Pathology at the University of Pennsylvania for necropsy. The raccoon had been inoculated intramuscularly with 0.3 ml of rabies virus strain MD5951 (10 5.5 MICLD50), which had been isolated from a dog. 12 On day 12 postinoculation (PI) the raccoon had shown vague neurologic signs and was euthanized on the day of presentation (day 13 PI). Prior to euthanasia, blood samples were obtained for hematology and for the serum neutralization test for rabies antibody. 10
Platelets: unindicted coconspirators in inflammatory tissue injury.

In the 1970s, during the peak of eicosanoid research, platelets were generally considered to play a major role in mediating the cell and tissue injury known to occur in cerebral ischemia/stroke, myocardial ischemia/infarction, and traumatic injury to other organs or regions. Foremost among the platelet-derived humoral mediators of this type of tissue injury were the prostaglandins (eg, PGF2α), the endoperoxides (eg, PGH2), and thromboxane A2 (TxA2). TxA2 and, to a lesser extent, PGF2α and PGH2 are potent vasoconstrictors and thus can reduce blood flow to vital vascular beds.1 2 Moreover, these agents are also prothrombotic by virtue of potently stimulating platelet aggregation.1 2 These two effects can, of course, work together to constrict and obstruct microvessels. In fact, a popular and useful research protocol of that era was the intravenous injection of arachidonic acid, the precursor of the eicosanoids, into rabbits, resulting in a severe pulmonary thrombosis/vasoconstriction and sudden cardiopulmonary death.3 Because platelets are the primary source of TxA2, release of TxA2 aggregates other platelets and stimulates their release of additional TxA2, thus propagating this response. Platelets also release serotonin, ADP, and catecholamines, which are contained within storage granules. These platelet-propagated processes are all considered to be …
Plant cytochrome P450-mediated herbicide metabolism

In the last two decades it has become apparent that enzymes of the P450 monooxygenase (P450) superfamily are responsible for the Phase I metabolism of numerous herbicides representing several classes of organic compounds. The majority of experimental evidence for P450 involvement in herbicide metabolism has been derived from in vitro studies in which the catalytic activity of plant microsomes towards herbicidal substrates was measured in the presence of various P450 inhibitors and activators. While the studies with microsomes elicited much appreciation for the pivotal roles of plant P450s in herbicide metabolism, detailed characterization of these enzymes only became possible after the isolation of genes encoding specific isoforms responsible for herbicide conversion. Several lines of evidence suggest that the development of herbicide resistance in weeds by enhanced detoxification is frequently associated with elevated levels of P450 activity. Enhanced detoxification-based herbicide resistance is particularly difficult to control, because it can involve resistance to multiple, chemically unrelated classes of herbicides. Continued research efforts are aimed at elucidating the role of P450s in the metabolic fates of herbicides in plants and the development of herbicide resistance in weeds. Recent advances made in the isolation and genetic manipulation of P450 enzymes have created new opportunities for their application in engineering herbicide tolerance and bioremediation.
Direct Image Matching by Dynamic Warping

In this paper, a new and efficient 2DDW (2-dimensional Dynamic Warping ) algorithm for direct image matching is proposed. Similar to the 1-dimensional DTW (Dynamic Time Warping) for sequence matching and optimal alignment, the 2DDW is aimed to elastically matching images which may be not aligned well. However, finding the optimal alignment between two images has been proved to be NP-complete [Elastic image matching is np-complete]. Therefore, reasonable constrains are imposed on the warping to bring down the complexity, such as continuity and monotonicity. The best complexity for continuous and monotonic 2DDW so far was reported as O(N^2 9^N) in [An efficient two-dimensional warping algorithm]. Our algorithm also guarantees continuity and monotonicity and the complexity is only O(N^6).
Proficiency Survey-Based Evaluation of Clinical Total and Allergen-Specific IgE Assay Performance

N Context.—The diagnostic algorithm for human allergic disease involves confirmation of sensitization by detection of allergen-specific immunoglobulin E (IgE) antibody in individuals suspected of having allergic disease because of a history of allergic symptoms after known allergen exposure. Previous studies showed wide disparity among clinically reported allergen-specific IgE levels from different serologic assays. Objective.—To validate the relative analytic performance (sensitivity, interassay reproducibility, linearity/ parallelism, intermethod agreement) of clinically used total and allergen-specific IgE assays by using College of American Pathologists’ Diagnostic Allergy ‘‘SE’’ Proficiency Survey data. Design.—Data from 2 SE survey cycles were used to assess relative analytic performance of the ImmunoCAP (Phadia), Immulite (Siemens Healthcare-Diagnostics), and HYTEC 288 (HYCOR-Agilent Technologies) total and allergen-specific IgE assays. In each cycle, 2 recalcified plasma pools from atopic donors were diluted twice with IgE-negative serum and evaluated in approximately 200 federally certified clinical laboratories for total IgE and IgE antibody to 5 allergen specificities. Statistical analysis evaluated analytic sensitivity, linearity, reproducibility, and intermethod agreement. Results.—Interlaboratory intramethod, intermethod, and interdilution agreement of all 6 clinically used total serum IgE assays were excellent, with coefficients of variation (CVs) below 15%. Interlaboratory intramethod, and interdilution agreement of 3 clinically used allergenspecific IgE assays were also excellent with CVs below 15%. However, intermethod CVs identified between-assay disagreement greater than 20% in 80% of allergen-specific IgE measurements. Allergen reagents and patients’ immune response heterogeneity are suggested probable causes. Conclusions.—Clinical total and allergen-specific IgE assays display excellent analytic sensitivity, precision, reproducibility, and linearity. Marked variability in quantitative estimates of allergen-specific IgE from clinically used automated immunoassays is a concern that may be ameliorated with component allergen use. (Arch Pathol Lab Med. 2010;134:975–982)
Embryology and the Study of Microbial Development

The study of embryology, and consequently of biological development, was initiated by Aristotle in 340 b.c. He followed and recorded the development of a chick embryo within the egg, noting that the developing embryo went through distinct chronological stages that resembled those of other organisms. From this observation stemmed the postulate that ontogeny is a recapitulation of phylogeny (Baer’s Law).
Getting Angry to Get Ahead: Black College Men, Emotional Performance, and Encouraging Respectable Masculinity

This article draws on two years of ethnographic fieldwork to explore how a group of black men on a college campus displayed anger in order to encourage other black men to adopt a respectable form of masculinity. Although prior research suggests that black men may work to avoid public displays of anger to evade negative stereotypes of black men, we uncover the contexts in which black men were comfortable expressing feelings of anger, frustration, annoyance, and irritation. Specifically, group leaders displayed these emotions when they observed recruits to their group engaging in actions or behaviors that threatened to reinforce certain stereotypes about black men.
Osmotic and freezing tolerance in spermatozoa of freeze-tolerant and -intolerant frogs

The wood frog (Rana sylvatica) is a freeze-tolerant species that encounters subzero temperatures during its winter breeding season, whereas the leopard frog (R.pipiens) is freeze intolerant and bre...
"The Farmers Didn't Particularly Care for Us": Oral Narrative and the Grass Roots Recovery of African American Migrant Farm Labor History in Central Pennsylvania

Lack of adequate childcare is just one of many problems associated with a system of harvesting dependent upon migrant farm labor. To most consumers, migrant farm workers provide the invisible hands that produce the affordable fruits and vegetables that end up being stocked on grocery store shelves. Yet workers who move from farm to farm harvesting each year face chronic troubles finding adequate housing, safe transportation, and health care. They are perpetual “outsiders” wherever they move, and in the United States race and citizenship operate as identifiers that reinforce this outsider status. Their transience and disconnection from local support networks often leave them vulnerable to exploitative “crew leaders” and unscrupulous employers.
Abstract IA15: New insights on the role of tumor suppressor phosphatases

Because of the critical tumor suppressive role PTEN, its multiple layers of regulation have been the subject of intense investigation. Through its ability to dephosphorylate phosphatidylinositol (3,4,5)-trisphosphate (PI(3,4,5)P3) PTEN suppresses the activation of the PI3K pathway. Its loss in turn results in the aberrant hyper-activation of AKT-mTOR signaling. Deletion, silencing and mutation of the PTEN phosphatase represents one of the most frequent events in human tumorigenesis. Reductions in PTEN levels are also tremendously consequential, resulting in cancer susceptibility and overt tumorigenesis in a cell type specific manner. In keeping with this notion PTEN is also found mutated in the germ line of individuals affected by PTEN Hamartoma Syndromes, characterized by developmental defects and cancer susceptibility. INPP4b, on the other hand, is an inositol polyphosphate-4-phosphatase, type II, that dephosphorylates the phosphate group at position 4 of the inositol ring from inositol 3,4-bisphosphate. In so doing, INPP4b, like PTEN, can oppose the activation of the PI3K-Akt pathway. The INPP4b gene has been recently found frequently deleted in human cancers. On this basis we started investigating its putative tumor suppressive role both in vitro and in vivo in mouse models. Novel data emerging from the analysis of the critical role of these phosphatases in human cancer and disease pathogenesis will be presented. Citation Format: Pier Paolo Pandolfi. New insights on the role of tumor suppressor phosphatases. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Special Conference: Targeting the PI3K-mTOR Network in Cancer; Sep 14-17, 2014; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Mol Cancer Ther 2015;14(7 Suppl):Abstract nr IA15.
The Media at War: Communication and Conflict in the Twentieth Century

(2001). The Media at War: Communication and Conflict in the Twentieth Century. American Journalism: Vol. 18, No. 4, pp. 91-92.
Compatibility of Foliar Insecticides and Soybean Cyst Nematode Bioassays

The objective of this study was to investigate the effect of foliar-applied insecticides on soybean cyst nematode reproduction in greenhouse bioassays. In two independent trials, a total of eight different insecticides were evaluated for their non-target effects on soybean cyst nematodes.
Evidence for the existence of a sex pheromone in 2 species of ixodid ticks (Metastigmata: Ixodidae).

Chemical and biological evidence for the existence of a sex pheromone in the ticks Dermacentor variabilis (Say) and Dermacentor andersoni (Stiles) is reported. Sexually active males responded to hexane or pentane extracts of homogenates, rinses or emissions captured on Porapak® from partially fed females. Gas chromatographic fractionation of the active extracts resulted in the loss of activity as determined by the male bioassay. The method of bioassay allowed all phases of mating behavior to be expressed by the sexually active males in response to the extracts. Female sex-attractant activity was associated with feeding. Unfed females and females attached less than 0.5 days in D. variabilis and less than 1 day in D. andersoni failed to attract males. Female attractant activity diminished after engorgement. Males detached earlier if feeding females were present near the males than if they were absent. Males responded to feeding females even when separated by barriers. The males exhibited orientation responses when they approached within 2 cm of the females. Sex attractant activity persisted in previously frozen (−70°C) or chilled (1°C) females when they were thawed, but it diminished rapidly when the females were killed at room temperature. Interspecific and intergeneric sex attractant activity was observed, involving D. variabilis, D. andersoni and Rhipicephalus sanguineus (Latreille). Experimental evidence that suggests an association between the female foveae dorsales and the source of sex pheromone emission is reported.
An Experimental Investigation of Two-Point Correlations in Two- and Three-Dimensional Turbulent Boundary Layers

Two-point correlation measurements of the wall normal fluctuating velocities were made in two-dimensional (2-D) and pressure-driven three-dimensional (3-D) turbulent boundary layers. These data are needed for characterization and modeling of active-motion length scales, especially for 3-D flows. The fine-probe-volume data were measured using two custom-designed laser-Doppler- velocimeter fiber-optic probes. The data are relatively free of noise, signal broadening, and bias effects. Favorable comparisons with direct-numerical-simulation (DNS) results in the near-wall region of the 2-D flow validate the experimental techniques used here. For a given fixed probe location, non-dimensional correlation values scale best on the probe separation. For both the 2-D and 3-D cases, peak correlations lie along a line inclined away from the wall at 11 ◦ and 8 ◦ , respectively, which suggests the existence of an outgoing characteristic line affected by only the upstream flow. The decay of the correlation coefficient occurs nearer the wall than away from the wall relative to the fixed probe location. The variations for the 3-D flow correlations are similar to the 2-D variations, but with longer �x + andy + decay distances, probably because of the 3-D flow acceleration. While the spanwise variation of the correlation coefficients is symmetric about the fixed point for the 2-D case as dictated by reciprocity, the 3-D case shows a large asymmetry for spanwise variations |�z + | < 68. The profiles at higher |�z + | are more symmetric. In general, at a given y the maximum correlation is skewed to a non-zeroz . It appears that the skewing of the correlation coefficient in the z direction tracks the sign of w3.
The Effects of Need Satisfaction on EFL Online Learner Satisfaction.

AbstractThis study explored the effects of need satisfaction (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) on English as a foreign language (EFL) online learner satisfaction and validated the Chinese versions of the need satisfaction scale (NSS) and online learner satisfaction scale (OLSS). We collected data from a questionnaire administered to 199 EFL students at a Taiwanese university. The Cronbach’s alpha reliability coefficient for NSS was .90 and .91 for OLSS. For NSS, the principal component analysis (PCA) resulted in a three-factor solution that accounted for 61.31% of the variance. Regarding OLSS, PCA resulted in a two-factor solution that accounted for 63.17% of the variance. A multiple regression analysis revealed that three independent variables (autonomy, competence, and relatedness) were predictors of EFL online learner satisfaction (F(3, 191) = 85.14, P < .001, R2 = .57), with competence the best predictor of online learner satisfaction, followed by relatedness and autonomy. The paper concludes wi...
Impact of Fungicide Inputs on the Severity of Entomosporium Leaf Spot on Selections of Dwarf Indian Hawthorn

In a simulated landscape planting in Brewton, AL, the impact of fungicide treatments on severity of Entomosporium leaf spot was assessed on 13 selections of Indian hawthorn, which range from highly susceptible to resistant to this disease. Chlorothalonil [Daconil 2787 4.17F] at 1.25 g ai/liter was applied at 2- and 4-week intervals to a randomly selected plant in each plot. The remaining plant in each plot was not sprayed and was the untreated control. From mid-winter to mid-spring in 1997, 1998, and 1999, fungicide applications were made over a 13- to 15-week period. When compared to unsprayed controls, reductions in the severity of Entomosporium leaf spot were noted on the fungicide-treated plants of nearly all selections, regardless of their susceptibility to Entomosporium leaf spot. As expected, disease severity was usually lower on those plants sprayed at 2-week rather than 4-week intervals. While chlorothalonil significantly reduced disease severity on the Entomosporium leaf spot resistant selections ‘Indian Princess’®, ‘Clara’, ‘Snow White’, ‘Olivia’™, and ‘Eleanor Tabor’™, only a limited reduction in the number of infected leaves in the canopy and perhaps a minor reduction in premature leaf loss were seen. In contrast, substantially less leaf spotting and defoliation on the selections such as ‘Spring Rapture’®, ‘White Enchantress’®, ‘Enchantress’®, ‘Heather’, ‘Harbinger of Spring’®, ‘Pinkie’, and ‘Bay Breeze’® were obtained with chlorothalonil, particularly when this fungicide was applied at 2-week intervals. When treated with chlorothalonil at 2-week intervals, disease severity on susceptible selections was, however, comparable to the damage levels observed on the unsprayed leaf spot resistant selections. When compared with costly and labor-intensive fungicide inputs, production and establishment of disease resistant selections is the preferred strategy for preventing destructive outbreaks of Entomosporium leaf spot on Indian hawthorn in the nursery and landscape.
Amniotic fluid index measurements during pregnancy

Amniotic fluid volume assessment has become an important part of antepartum fetal surveillance. The amniotic fluid index (AFI), or four-quadrant technique, has been suggested for this purpose. While previous reports have outlined this technique and correlated the results with pregnancy outcome, none have reviewed the changes in AFI throughout pregnancy. We studied AFI changes from 11 through 43 weeks' gestation. As part of the entry criteria, only patients with good dates were evaluated. The AFI was determined by the summation of the vertical diameter of the largest pocket in each of the four quadrants. All amniotic fluid studies were conducted using real-time linear array B-scan. During the study period, 197 patients with good dates confirmed clinically and sonographically underwent 262 AFI assessments. From 11 to 26 weeks the AFI rose progressively. Thereafter until term, the AFI remained approximately 16.2 +/- 5.3 cm. After 38 weeks the AFI appeared to gradually decline. Data obtained from this study population corroborate previously defined normal amniotic fluid volumes. These results also suggest that serial measurements of the AFI may be an effective means of assessing fetal status throughout pregnancy.
Developing a direct, objective measure of velopharyngeal inadequacy.

The author provides a formal statement of the problem underlying objective measurements of velopharyngeal inadequacy, indicates the shortcomings of several major approaches, provides a bibliography for the student seeking the major contributions in the area, suggests likely future solutions to the problem, and indicates the importance of pursuing such solutions.
Bone and joint involvement in human immunodeficiency virus infection

The bone and joint complications of HIV infection continue to be reported. Some, in particular the metabolic bone disorders have become more prominent in the era of potent antiretroviral therapy. However, the epidemiology and the pathophysiology of these disorders as well as their relationship to the HIV infection itself, to the duration of illness, or to antiretroviral therapy remain largely undefined. This article attempts to provide a broad overview of the complications of HIV and its treatment involving the bone and joints.
Mathematical and computer modelling reports: Review article

In this paper we study the modeling and control of robot manipulators with elastic joints. We first derive a simple model to represent the dynamics of elastic joint manipulators. The model is derived under two assumptions regarding dynamic coupling between the actuators and the links, and is useful for cases where the elasticity in the joints is of greater significance than gyroscopic interactions between the motors and links. In the limit as the joint stiffness tends to infinity, our model reduces to the usual rigid model found in the literature, showing the reasonableness of our modeling assumptions. We show that our model is significantly more tractable with regard to controller design than previous nonlinear models that have been used to model elastic joint manipulators. Specifically, the nonlinear equations of motion that we derive are shown to be globally linearizable by diffeomorphic coordinate transformation and nonlinear static state feedback, a result that does not hold for previously derived models of elastic joint manipulators. We also detail an alternate approach to nonlinear control based on a singular perturbation formulation of the equations of motion and the concept of integral manifold. We show that by a suitable nonlinear feedback, the manifold in state space which describes the dynamics of the rigid manipulator, that is, the manipulator without joint elasticity, can be made invariant under solutions of the elastic joint system. The implications of this result for the control of elastic joint robots are discussed.
Clinical Evaluation of Ethoheptazine in the Management of Postpartum Pain

The combination of ethoheptazine citrate and acetylsalicylic acid produced satisfactory relief of postpartum pain in more than 90 per cent of a series of 227 unselected patients, without the addiction liability of other analgesic agents. In six of eight cases of confirmed postspinal headache the combination afforded moderate relief. Side effects were infrequent, and in no case did untoward reactions necessitate discontinuation of treatment.
Nelson Mandela: The Absent Cause

Throughout the last half of 2013, it is clear to everyone that his end is near and that the deathwatch has began. Nelson Mandela's long and glorious life is coming to a close. Although he has been ...
The Partitive and the Part-Whole Schemes

The reorganization hypothesis – children’s fraction schemes can emerge as accommodations in their numerical counting schemes – is untenable if counting is regarded only as activity. Focusing only on the activity of counting, however, does not begin to provide a full account. When using the phrase “the explicitly nested number sequence,” I am referring to the first part of a numerical counting scheme, which consists of a number sequence, which is a sequence of abstract unit items containing the records of counting acts.1 In this case, the activity of counting is interiorized activity and it is no exaggeration to say that it is contained in the first part of the counting scheme. This number sequence is an example of what Piaget (1964) meant when he commented that “there is a structure which integrates the stimulus but which at the same time sets off the response” when speaking of a stimulus from the point of view of the child. In this case, number words such as “seven” refer to a singular unit that can be iterated seven times to fill out a composite unit containing seven counted items. So, the first thing that had to be established to justify the reorganization hypothesis was to observe how ENS children might use their numerical concepts as templates for partitioning continuous unit items. Toward that end, I start with a discussion of two protocols extracted from two teaching episodes held on the 28th of April and the 1st of May with Jason and Patricia during their third grade in school. These episodes illustrate how the two children used their numerical concepts in constructing what I referred to as the equipartitioning scheme (cf. Chap.4).
Chair-based fidgeting and energy expenditure.

Introduction Sedentariness is associated with chronic health conditions, impaired cognitive function and obesity. Work contributes significantly to sedentariness because many work tasks necessitate sitting. Few sustained solutions exist to reverse workplace sedentariness. Here, we evaluated a chair and an under-table device that were designed to promote fidgeting while seated. Our hypothesis was that an under-table leg-fidget bar and/or a fidget-promoting chair significantly increased energy expenditure. We compared these devices with chair-based exercise and walking. Materials and methods We measured energy expenditure and heart rate in 16 people while they sat and worked using a standard chair, an under-desk device that encourages leg fidgeting and a fidget-promoting chair. We compared outcomes with chair-based exercise and walking. Results Energy expenditure increased significantly while using either an under-table leg-fidget bar or a fidget-promoting chair, when compared to the standard office chair (standard chair, 76±31 kcal/hour; leg-fidget bar, 98±42 kcal/hour (p Conclusions Chairs and devices that promote fidgeting can increase energy expenditure by ∼20–30% but not increase heart rate. Dynamic sitting may be among a lexicon of options to help people move more while at work.
A Novel Notch/NRF2 Mechanism Mediates Reductive Stress in Acute Myeloblastic Leukemia (AML): A Therapeutic Strategy to Overcome Chemoresistance

Background: Chronic oxidative stress (COS) is the consequence of prolonged elevation of reactive oxygen species (ROS). In the context of AML, COS leads to sustained induction of antioxidant pathways to compensate for COS. The presence of abundant antioxidants may contribute to chemoresistance in AML. NRF2 is a master regulator of the antioxidant response, is induced by oxidative stress and functions as a cyto-protective mechanism in acute oxidative stress. In AML, sustained NRF2-activation can be viewed as a pathological maladaptation as it leads to elevated reductive metabolite formation, termed reductive stress (RS). In this study we describe a novel link between NRF2-induced reductive stress and the Notch pathway in AML. Approach: Redox balance was measured in AML patient samples in the setting of Notch activation (via DLL1 ligand) and/or NRF2 inhibition (via Brusatol). Results: AML samples demonstrate increased reductive metabolites (i.e. reductive stress) compared to controls and Notch activation decreases aberrant reductive metabolite levels to control baseline (GSH/GSSG ratio, panel A). Mechanistically, Notch signaling induced increased ROS formation, decreased NRF2 protein levels, and decreased expression of multiple NRF2-responsive antioxidants (data not shown). Importantly, Notch activation also enhanced the efficacy of an NRF2 inhibitor Brusatol (from *P≤0.05 to **P≤0.01) in combination with ROS-producing chemotherapeutic doxorubicin, eradicating >98% of AML cells within 48 hours (** P≤0.01; panel B). Conclusions: We describe the aberrant accumulation of reductive metabolites in human AML as a potential cytoprotective maladaptation, i.e. reductive stress. Furthermore, we demonstrate a novel mechanism whereby Notch activation regulates the antioxidant response via suppression of the master regulator NRF2. These data establish the pivotal role of Notch/NRF2 in the regulation of antioxidant responses in AML, which have potential clinical significance for ROS-inducing chemotherapies. ![Figure 1.][1] Figure 1. Disclosures No relevant conflicts of interest to declare. [1]: pending:yes
Outcomes of Endoscopic Repair of Cerebrospinal Fluid Rhinorrhea without Lumbar Drains

ObjectiveLumbar drains (LD) are commonly used during endoscopic repair of cerebrospinal fluid (CSF) rhinorrhea, either to facilitate graft healing or to monitor CSF fluid dynamics. However, the ind...
Modal and Relevance Logics: 1977

If one looks at classical logic as reflected in an often-used textbook such as that of Mendelson (1964), it appears to divide into five central topics. The first four form a kind of tower. At the bottom is propositional logic, the logic of connectives, in this case solely truth-functional connectives. The second story adds quantifiers and perhaps identity. On the third floor resides arithmetic, with all its Goedelian incompleteness. At the top is set theory, under which rubric for present purposes I wish also to include type theory. Then along side the whole, perhaps acting as some kind of flying buttress, is that analysis and sorting of functions known as recursive function theory.
Preoperative adrenal biopsy does not affect overall survival in adrenocortical carcinoma

Abstract Background The impact of preoperative biopsy on overall survival (OS) in adrenocortical carcinoma (ACC) is unclear. We analyzed the National Cancer Data Base (NCDB) for factors associated with preoperative adrenal biopsy and its effect on OS in ACC. Methods The NCDB was queried from 2003 to 2012 for M0 ACC. Patients with or without preoperative biopsy were compared for factors associated with an increased rate of biopsy. Survival analysis was performed after adjusting for patient and tumor-related variables. Results There were 1782 patients with M0 ACC of whom 332 (19%) had a preoperative biopsy. Treatment outside academic cancer centers (OR 1.36, 95% CI 1.04–1.77, P = 0.023) and male gender (OR 1.45, 95% CI 1.11–1.88, P = 0.006) were associated with an increased rate of biopsy. In patients undergoing adrenalectomy with negative margins, biopsy failed to impact OS (log-rank P = 0.225, HR 1.20, 95% CI 0.84–1.72, P = 0.306). Conclusions Preoperative adrenal biopsy continues to be performed for ACC with no added survival benefit. Adrenalectomy offers the best chance of survival in patients with ACC.
House staff communication training and patient experience scores.

Objective:To assess whether communication training for house staff via role-playing exercises (1) is well received and (2) improves patient experience scores in house staff clinics.Methods:We condu...
Orchestration: Strategic Ordering in Polycentric Climate Governance

This paper considers how the soft and indirect mode of governance known as orchestration has contributed to the growth and structure of the increasingly polycentric climate governance system – a system with multiple centers of authority, public and private, at different governance levels. It also considers the implications of orchestration’s significant role for some of the major propositions of polycentric governance theory. First, that theory suggests that governance organizations emerge spontaneously through local self-organization, yet governments, international organizations and other actors have orchestrated the formation of many climate governance organizations. Second, the theory suggests that governance organizations coordinate their activities on a decentralized basis through mutual adjustment, yet orchestrators have helped to structure the climate governance system and modestly coordinate its constituent organizations. And third, the theory suggests that polycentric governance encourages experimentation, innovation and learning, yet climate governance lacks an organized system that can promote systematic experimentation and learning. The paper concludes by considering how, in this and other areas, further orchestration would be beneficial.
Evolution and Fine-Grained Environmental Runs

The world in which we live is highly heterogeneous in both space and time. Organisms must live and reproduce in the face of possible changes in both their physical environment (e. g., weather) and their biotic environment (e. g., interactions with other organisms). Much of this immense array of environmental diversity is not controllable or even predictable by the individual organism. In such cases the exact array of possible environmental states an organism experiences throughout its lifetime must be treated as a random variable.
Dietary Fatty Acids Control the Species of N-Acyl-Phosphatidylethanolamines Synthesized by Therapeutically Modified Bacteria in the Intestinal Tract

Engineering the gut microbiota to produce specific beneficial metabolites represents an important new potential strategy for treating chronic diseases. Our previous studies with bacteria engineered to produce N-acyl-phosphatidylethanolamines (NAPEs), the immediate precursors of the lipid satiety factors N-acyl-ethanolamides (NAEs), found that colonization of these bacteria inhibited development of obesity in C57BL/6J mice fed a high fat diet. Individual NAE species differ in their bioactivities. Intriguingly, colonization by our engineered bacteria resulted in increased hepatic N-stearoyl-ethanolamide (C18:0NAE) levels despite the apparent inability of these bacteria to biosynthesize its precursor N-stearoyl-phosphatidylethanolamine (C18:0NAPE) in vitro. We therefore sought to identify the factors that allowed C18:0NAPE biosynthesis by the engineered bacteria after colonization of the intestinal tract. We found that the species of NAPE biosynthesized by engineered bacteria depends on the species of dietar...
Lower-hybrid-heating experiments on the Alcator C and the Versator II tokamaks

ABSTRACT We report on initial results from lower hybrid wave heating experiments carried out on the MIT Alcator C and Versator II tokamaks. In the Alcator C experiments a 4 waveguide array, with internally brazed ceramic windows has been used to inject 160 kW of microwave power at 4.6 GHz into the plasma with n O ≤ 1 × 10 15 cm −3 , and B O ≤ 12 T. An RF power density of 8 kW/cm 2 has been transmitted into the plasma without RF breakdown. RF coupling studies show optimal coupling (R ≤ 10%) when the local density at the waveguide mouth is 25–50 times overdense. Initial heating experiments show an ion tail formation in hydrogen discharge peaking at a density of at B = 8.9 T, and bulk ion heating at a density of at B ≃ 11 T. Evidence of RF current enhancement has been observed at a density of n ≃ 3 × 10 13 cm −3 .