cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Dealing with Complications of Rectal Surgery

Background Colorectal cancer remains a major health care concern worldwide, accounting for the second leading cause of death for both men and women in the US alone. By location, one-third of colorectal cancer cases occur in the rectum. The mainstay of treatment for this disease is surgical excision with appropriate tumor-specific mesorectal excision. Multi-modal therapy has become a mainstay for select tumors and has resulted in improved local recurrence, overall survival and longer life expectancy; however, it is not without complications and dysfunction as a direct result of surgical treatment.
Mercury concentrations, speciation, and isotopic composition in sediment from a cold seep in the northern Gulf of Mexico

Abstract Total-Hg, monomethylmercury (MMHg), and mercury isotopic composition was determined in sediment from a cold seep and background sites in the northern Gulf of Mexico (nGoM). Total-Hg averaged 50 ng/g ( n = 28), ranged from 31 to 67 ng/g, and decreased with depth (0–15 cm). MMHg averaged 0.91 ng/g ( n = 18), and ranged from 0.2 to 1.9 ng/g. There was no significant difference for total-Hg or MMHg between cold seep and background sites. δ 202 Hg ranged from −0.5 to −0.8‰ and becomes more negative with depth ( r = 0.989). Mass independent fractionation ( Δ 199 Hg) was small but consistently positive (0.04–0.12‰); there was no difference between cold seeps ( Δ 199 Hg = +0.09 ± 0.03; n = 7, 1SD) and background sites ( Δ 199 Hg = +0.07 ± 0.02; n = 5, 1SD). This suggests that releases of hydrocarbons at the cold seep do not significantly alter Hg levels, and that cold seeps are likely not major sources of MMHg to nGoM waters.
Energy-efficient load and store reuse

A load and store reuse mechanism can be used for filtering memory references to reduce memory activity including on-chip cache activity. The challenging aspect of this task is to ensure that energy savings achieved in memory are not offset by energy used by the reuse hardware. In this paper we present the design of a reuse mechanism which has been carefully tuned to achieve net energy savings. In contrast to traditional filter cache designs which trade-off energy reductions with higher execution times, our approach reduces both energy and execution time.
A parallel programming tool for scheduling on distributed memory multiprocessors

PYRROS is a tool for scheduling and parallel code generation for distributed memory message passing architectures. In this paper, the authors discuss several compile-time optimization techniques used in PYRROS. The scheduling part of PYRROS optimizes both data and program mapping so that the parallel time is minimized. The communication and storage optimization part facilitates the generation of efficient parallel codes. The related issues of partitioning and 'owner computes rule' are discussed and the importance of program scheduling is demonstrated. >
New spatial localization method using pulsed high-order field gradients (SHOT: Selection with high-order gradient)

A new spatial localization method using an additional set of high-order magnetic field gradients is described. The method uses a nonlinear part of high-order magnetic field gradient patterns which allows us to select a volume in conjunction with the selective radiofrequency (RF) pulse. Unlike the other existing volume selection methods such as ISIS or SPARS, the proposed selection method requires only one RF-gradient pulse pair to select a volume in two directions. The center of the selected volume can be moved to any arbitrary location within the body by the addition of precalculated lower order gradients which are simultaneously pulsed with the high-order gradient. The method also has the potential for localized spectroscopy from the FID signal which can be realized by using oscillating second- and first-order gradients for 3D selection with a single RF pulse. By using the proposed localization method, it is possible to design more flexible pulse sequences, e.g., the shorter echo-time spectroscopic pulse sequence. We have designed and constructed a six-loop r2 (or x2 + y2) gradient coil for initial application. By simultaneously applying this second-order gradient and proper x, y, and/or z gradients, 2D selections were achieved in arbitrarily selected positions in conjunction with a single selective RF pulse. Phantom and animal experiments have been performed and the results appear promising, especially in areas of NMR spectroscopic imaging applications where spatial localization is essential. © 1991 Academic Press. Inc.
Efficient Channel Quality Feedback Schemes For OFDMA Systems With Different Schedulers

In orthogonal frequency division-multiple access (OFDMA) systems, the available downlink frequency is divided into subbands which are shared among users. The transmitter determines the users that are scheduled on each subband, and the data rate for each user. To enable these transmitter choices, each user feeds back a channel quality indicator (CQI), giving a compressed version of its observed signal-to-interference-noise ratio (SINR) on all subbands. In this paper, we classify existing CQI compression schemes into symmetric and asymmetric schemes. Symmetric schemes aim to accurately represent the CQI on all subbands, and are shown to be suitable when the receiver cannot accurately predict the subbands on which it will be scheduled. This happens, for instance, when the receiver is fast-moving, or when a round- robin scheduler is employed, or during low load conditions. Asymmetric schemes, on the other hand, greedily achieve accuracy only in high-SINR subbands, and are shown to perform well in high-load cellular networks with proportional fair scheduling and low-speed users. We propose one new scheme in each category. Simulation results for a 3GPP LTE cellular network show that our proposed schemes achieve similar or better performance than the current best-M feedback scheme used in LTE, with 30% less overhead.
THE FILE-DRAWER PROBLEM REVISITED: A GENERAL WEIGHTED METHOD FOR CALCULATING FAIL-SAFE NUMBERS IN META-ANALYSIS

Quantitative literature reviews such as meta-analysis are becoming common in evolutionary biology but may be strongly affected by publication biases. Using fail-safe numbers is a quick way to estimate whether publication bias is likely to be a problem for a specific study. However, previously suggested fail-safe calculations are unweighted and are not based on the framework in which most meta-analyses are performed. A general, weighted fail-safe calculation, grounded in the meta-analysis framework, applicable to both fixed- and random-effects models, is proposed. Recent meta-analyses published in Evolution are used for illustration.
The role of temporal parameters in a thalamocortical model of analogy

How multiple specialized cortical areas in the brain interact with each other to give rise to an integrated behavior is a largely unanswered question. This paper proposes that such an integration can be understood under the framework of analogy and that part of the thalamus and the thalamic reticular nucleus (TRN) may be playing a key role in this respect. The proposed thalamocortical model of analogy heavily depends on a diverse set of temporal parameters including axonal delay and membrane time constant, each of which is critical for the proper functioning of the model. The model requires a specific set of conditions derived from the need of the model to process analogies. Computational results with a network of integrate and fire (IF) neurons suggest that these conditions are indeed necessary, and furthermore, data found in the experimental literature also support these conditions. The model suggests that there is a very good reason for each temporal parameter in the thalamocortical network having a particular value, and that to understand the integrated behavior of the brain, we need to study these parameters simultaneously, not separately.
The strongest magnetic barrier in the DIII-D tokamak and comparison with the ASDEX UG

Magnetic perturbations in tokamaks lead to the formation of magnetic islands, chaotic field lines, and the destruction of flux surfaces. Controlling or reducing transport along chaotic field lines is a key challenge in magnetically confined fusion plasmas. A local control method was proposed by Chandre et al. [Nucl. Fusion 46, 33–45 (2006)] to build barriers to magnetic field line diffusion by addition of a small second-order control term localized in the phase space to the field line Hamiltonian. Formation and existence of such magnetic barriers in Ohmically heated tokamaks (OHT), ASDEX UG and piecewise analytic DIII-D [Luxon, J.L.; Davis, L.E., Fusion Technol. 8, 441 (1985)] plasma equilibria was predicted by the authors [Ali, H.; Punjabi, A., Plasma Phys. Control. Fusion 49, 1565–1582 (2007)]. Very recently, this prediction for the DIII-D has been corroborated [Volpe, F.A., et al., Nucl. Fusion 52, 054017 (2012)] by field-line tracing calculations, using experimentally constrained Equilibrium Fit (EFIT...
Defibrillators and Cardiac Resynchronization Therapy as a Bridge to Cardiac Transplantation

Despite the positive impact of medical therapy, the burden of heart failure persists, with disease progression, frequent hospitalizations, and reduced survival. Mortality related to ventricular tachyarrhythmias and/or pump failure has led to the introduction of device therapy. Implantable cardioverter-defibrillators (ICDs) and cardiac resynchronization therapy (CRT) have now been established as the standard of care in selected patients with chronic heart failure. CRT and ICDs offer the opportunity to reduce morbidity and increase survival in patients with drug-refractory heart failure, and to retard, if not prevent, development of end-stage heart failure requiring cardiac transplantation.
Interleukin-12 (IL-12) and IL-23 Induction of Substance P Synthesis in Murine T Cells and Macrophages Is Subject to IL-10 and Transforming Growth Factor β Regulation

Substance P is a tachykinin that enhances pathways of inflammation. Leukocytes at sites of intestinal inflammation make substance P. This study explored the role of interleukin-12 (IL-12), IL-23, and the regulatory cytokines IL-10 and transforming growth factor β (TGF-β) in controlling leukocyte substance P production. In murine schistosomiasis, it was found that IL-12 and IL-23 drive substance P gene expression and peptide synthesis in murine splenic T cells and macrophages, respectively. Cytokine induction of substance P synthesis both in T cells and in macrophages depends on intracellular NF-κB activation and is Stat4 independent. IL-10 inhibits T-cell substance P production, while TGF-β blocks macrophage substance P expression. Intestinal macrophages also produce substance P, subject mostly to IL-23 and TGF-β regulation. Hemokinin is another tachykinin with homology to substance P. Macrophages and T cells make hemokinin, but hemokinin production is not subject to IL-12 or IL-23 regulation.
Nuclear and mitochondrial genes contain similar phylogenetic signal for pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbiformes).

Molecular systematic studies generally assume that gene trees are reasonable estimates of species trees. We tested the validity of this assumption in the pigeons and doves (Aves: Columbiformes) by comparing phylogenies derived from nuclear (b-fibrinogen intron 7) and mitochondrial (cytochrome b) genes. Trees derived from the two genes when analyzed separately contained many nodes in common. A partition homogeneity test revealed no significant incongruence between trees derived from the two genes; so, we combined nuclear and mitochondrial data in subsequent phylogenetic analyses. The resulting tree, which was highly resolved and generally well supported, contained a strong biogeographic component. The rate of nucleotide substitution for the nuclear intron was approximately six times slower than that of cytochrome b. This resulted in a much higher consistency index for trees derived from the intron because of the low level of multiple substitution. However, the degree of resolution and support for trees reconstructed from the two genes was similar. We also examined the transition and transversion substitution rates for the genes. Third position transversions for cytochrome b accumulated linearly with intron divergence, suggesting low levels of multiple substitution for third position transversions. r 2000 Academic Press
Zygotic loss of ZEN-4/MKLP1 results in disruption of epidermal morphogenesis in the C. elegans embryo.

ZEN-4/MKLP1 is required maternally for cytokinesis in Caenorhabditis elegans, but was originally identified in a screen for zygotic lethal, enclosure abnormal (Zen) mutants. We report that zen-4(w35) homozygotes exhibit stochastic failures in cytokinesis in multiple lineages. Remarkably, multinucleate epidermal cells show directional migration, even when there are as few as half the normal number of cells. Temperature shift experiments and analysis of zen-4::gfp expression confirm that the epidermal requirement for zen-4 function precedes morphogenesis. Driving expression of wild-type zen-4 by means of an epithelial-specific transgene can rescue many epidermal morphogenetic defects in zen-4 mutants. Early expression of unc-119 in epidermal precursors made this promoter unsuitable as a neuronal-specific driver in this context. Our results indicate that zygotic zen-4 function is required for correct division of epidermal precursors and, hence, indirectly for normal morphogenesis and that the epidermal morphogenetic program is surprisingly robust even in the absence of zen-4 function. Developmental Dynamics 237:830 – 836, 2008. © 2008 Wiley-Liss, Inc.
The contributions of myelin and axonal caliber to transverse relaxation time in shiverer and neurofilament-deficient mouse models

White matter disorders can involve injury to myelin or axons but the respective contribution of each to clinical course is difficult to evaluate non-invasively. Here, to develop a paradigm for further investigations of axonal pathology by MRI, we compared two genetic mouse models exhibiting relatively selective axonal or myelin deficits using quantitative MRI relaxography of the transverse relaxation times (T2) in vivo and ultrastructural morphometry. In HM-DKO mice, which lack genes encoding the heavy (NF-H) and medium (NF-M) subunits of neurofilaments, neurofilament content of large myelinated axons of the central nervous system (CNS) is markedly reduced in the absence of changes in myelin thickness and volume. In shiverer mutant mice, which lack functional myelin basic protein, CNS myelin sheath formation is markedly reduced but neurofilament content is normal. We observed increases in T2 in nearly all white matter in shiverer mice compared to their wild type, while more subtle increases in T2 were observed in HM-DKO in the corpus callosum. White matter T2 was generally greater in shiverer mice than HM-DKO mice. Ultrastructural morphometry of the corpus callosum, which exhibited the greatest T2 differences, confirmed that total cross-sectional area occupied by axons was similar in the two mouse models and that the major ultrastructural differences, determined by morphometry, were an absence of myelin and larger unmyelinated axons in shiverer mice and absence of neurofilaments in HM-DKO mice. Our findings indicate that T2 is strongly influenced by myelination state and axonal volume, while neurofilament structure within the intra-axonal compartment has a lesser effect upon single compartment T2 estimates.
Price asymmetry in South African futures markets for agricultural commodities

Abstract This paper tests the existence of price asymmetry in South African futures markets for white and yellow maize, wheat and sunflower seeds using a dynamic price asymmetry model. The sum of coefficients test and the speed of adjustment test are used to determine whether or not prices move up in the same fashion as they move down, over daily and weekly data frequencies. Out of the four commodity futures markets studied over varying data frequencies, only daily wheat is price asymmetric. Wheat daily prices respond faster to price decreases than to price increases. The implication of the results is that past prices do affect current prices and contain information. Hence, the weak-form efficient market hypothesis appears to be contradicted for wheat futures market. Another important implication of the results is that implementing policies accounting for asymmetric behavior through price limit and margin policies will improve the functioning and stability of wheat futures market in South Africa.
Combined serum paraoxonase knockout/apolipoprotein E knockout mice exhibit increased lipoprotein oxidation and atherosclerosis.

Serum paraoxonase (PON1), present on high density lipoprotein, may inhibit low density lipoprotein (LDL) oxidation and protect against atherosclerosis. We generated combined PON1 knockout (KO)/apolipoprotein E (apoE) KO and apoE KO control mice to compare atherogenesis and lipoprotein oxidation. Early lesions were examined in 3-month-old mice fed a chow diet, and advanced lesions were examined in 6-month-old mice fed a high fat diet. In both cases, the PON1 KO/apoE KO mice exhibited significantly more atherosclerosis (50–71% increase) than controls. We examined LDL oxidation and clearancein vivo by injecting human LDL into the mice and following its turnover. LDL clearance was faster in the double KO mice as compared with controls. There was a greater rate of accumulation of oxidized phospholipid epitopes and a greater accumulation of LDL-immunoglobulin complexes in the double KO mice than in controls. Furthermore, the amounts of three bioactive oxidized phospholipids were elevated in the endogenous intermediate density lipoprotein/LDL of double KO mice as compared with the controls. Finally, the expression of heme oxygenase-1, peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor γ, and oxidized LDL receptors were elevated in the livers of double KO mice as compared with the controls. These data demonstrate that PON1 deficiency promotes LDL oxidation and atherogenesis in apoE KO mice.
New Convection Correlations for Cooled Ceiling Panels in Room with Mixed and Stratified Airflow

Models for buildings' surface convective boundary conditions are important components of building design and simulation programs. This is especially true for cooled ceiling (CC) panels, which extract major cooling loads from rooms. This paper introduces new convection correlations for rooms with CC panels, developed from laboratory measurements conducted in a full-scale experimental facility. The new convection correlations were developed for CC panels used with or without a ventilation system. When the ventilation system was used, the air was supplied through a high aspiration diffuser. High aspiration diffusers, recommended for use with CC systems, create a specific airflow pattern characterized by narrow and directional jets with a large entrainment of surrounding air. To account for the forced airflow and local buoyancy effects, new convection correlations for CC surfaces were developed as functions of temperature difference and normalized volume flow rate, i.e., the number of air changes per hour (AC...
Finite-size scaling of flexoelectricity in Langmuir-Blodgett polymer thin films

The flexoelectric effect, which is a linear coupling between a strain gradient and electrical polarization, is a fundamental electromechanical property of all materials with potential for use in nanoscale devices, where strain gradients can be quite large. We report a study of the dependence of the flexoelectric response on thickness in ultrathin films of polar and non-polar polymers. The measurements of the flexoelectric response in non-polar polyethylene and the polar relaxor polymer polyvinylidene-co-trifluoroethylene-co-chlorofluoroethylene were made using a bent cantilever method and corrected for the contribution from the electrode oxide. The results show that the value of the flexoelectric coefficient increases with decreasing thickness, by up to a factor of 70 compared to the bulk value, reaching such enhanced values in films of only 10 nm thickness. These results are consistent with a model accounting for interfacial contributions, and underline how large electromechanical coupling can be produce...
Morpheme Segmentation for Kannada Standing on the Shoulder of Giants

This paper studies the applicability of a set of state-of-the-art unsupervised morphological segmentation algorithms for the problem of morpheme boundary detection in Kannada, a resource-poor language with highly inflectional and agglutinative morphology. The choice of the algorithms for the experiment is based in part on their performance with highly inflected languages such as Finnish and Bengali (complex morphology similar to that of Kannada). When trained on a corpus of about 990K words, the best performing algorithm had an F-measure of 73% on a test set. The performance was better on a set of inflected nouns than on a set of inflected verbs. Key advantages of the algorithms conducive to efficient morphological analysis of Kannada were identified. An important by-product of this study is an empirical analysis of some aspects of vocabulary growth in Kannada based on the word frequency distribution of the words in the reference corpus.
The Electrophysiological Signature of Spiral Ganglion Neurons

Examination of the basic features of primary sensory afferents has revealed much about the fundamental principles of neural encoding. This approach has been particularly valuable in the auditory system, which is systematically organized according to sound frequency and has a multiplicity of tonotopic specializations. The first neural element of the auditory pathway, the type I spiral ganglion neurons, consists of unique primary afferents that, unlike other sensory afferents, have their somata positioned directly in the axonal conduction pathway and display both graded and heterogeneous morphological properties. Electrophysiological specializations are also evident, exemplified by multifaceted voltage-gated ionic currents carried by diverse ion channel subunits that likely fine-tune neuronal firing patterns. Ion channel subunit density and the resulting characteristic firing patterns are not uniform throughout the ganglion, but instead show specific distribution patterns, some of which are related to the frequency-specific contour of the cochlear endorgan. Moreover, these properties can be regulated by neurotrophins such that fast firing electrophysiological features predominate in primary afferents innervating the high-frequency regions, whereas slow firing features are prevalent within primary afferents innervating the low-frequency regions. Thus, the complex electrophysiological properties of the spiral ganglion neurons and their regulation suggest that the primary auditory afferents are capable of shaping the electrophysiological signals that they transmit into the brain.
Development of a Quantitative Enzyme-Linked Immunosorbent Assay for Vitellin and Vitellogenin of the Blue Crab Callinectes Sapidus

ABSTRACT Vitellin (Vn) and vitellogenin (Vg) were detected in the blue crab Callinectes sapidus by nondissociating polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (PAGE). Vn was purified by gel filtration chromatography followed by PAGE, and anti-Vn immune serum was raised in rabbits. A slot blot analysis indicated that anti-Vn immune serum reacted with the ovarian homogenate from which Vn was isolated. In a double immunodiffusion test, single precipitin lines were found between the center well containing immune serum and surrounding wells containing purified Vn, ovarian homogenate, purified Vg, or female hemolymph. The precipitin lines were continuous, suggesting that the immune serum precipitated proteins of complete identity. Finally, a Western blot analysis revealed that immune serum specifically bound Vn and Vg. The IgG fraction was purified from anti-Vn immune serum and used to develop a quantitative enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA). The Vn standard curve was linear over the range of 62.5-1,500 ng Vn. The sensitivity of the ELISA was 148 ng/ml. Male hemolymph yielded background optical density values, confirming the specificity of the assay. Serial dilutions of ovarian homogenate or female hemolymph produced sample titration curves that were parallel to the Vn standard curve. Thus, the ELISA is suitable for quantification of Vn and Vg in ovary and hemolymph, respectively.
Interplay between diet, gut microbiota, epigenetic events, and colorectal cancer

Despite the success of colonoscopy screening, colorectal cancer (CRC) remains one of the most common and deadly cancers, and CRC incidence is rising in some countries where screening is not routine and populations have recently switched from traditional diets to western diets. Diet and energy balance influence CRC by multiple mechanisms. They modulate the composition and function of gut microbiota, which have a prodigious metabolic capacity and can produce oncometabolites or tumor-suppressive metabolites depending, in part, on which dietary factors and digestive components are present in the GI tract. Gut microbiota also have a profound effect on immune cells in the lamina propria, which influences inflammation and subsequently CRC. Nutrient availability, which is an outcome of diet and energy balance, determines the abundance of certain energy metabolites that are essential co-factors for epigenetic enzymes and therefore impinges upon epigenetic regulation of gene expression. Aberrant epigenetic marks accumulate during CRC, and epimutations that are selected for drive tumorigenesis by causing transcriptome profiles to diverge from the cell of origin. In some instances, the above mechanisms are intertwined as exemplified by dietary fiber being metabolized by colonic bacteria into butyrate, which is both a short-chain fatty acid (SCFA) and a histone deacetylase (HDAC) inhibitor that epigenetically upregulates tumor-suppressor genes in CRC cells and anti-inflammatory genes in immune cells.
Analysis of the pollution of drinking water by microorganism in Wuhu city from 2009 to 2013

Objective To analyze the pollution of the drinking water by microorganism in Wuhu city,provide the basic date for supervisal of drinking water. Method Analyze the test result of all kind of drinking water between 2009 and 2013.Results A total of 1637 samples were tested during the pasted five years,the total qualified ratio is 81. 00%,the eligibility ratio respectively is up to 88. 00%,85. 31%,73. 33%,82. 22%,76. 67%,outstanding difference of qualified ratio exist in different years( χ2= 48. 21,P 0. 01). During all kind of the tested water,the tap water supplied by the govement bulted waterworks arrived altissimo eligibility ratao up to 100. 00%,secondly is the factory water supplied by the govement bulted waterworks,with the eligibility ratao up to 97. 27%,only 64. 20% of the factory water supplied by the self-provided water factory were eligible. Outstanding difference of qualified ratio exist in the factory water between different kind of water factories( χ2= 21. 02,P 0. 01). And the outstanding difference also exist in the tap water supplied by the two water factories,( χ2=146. 21,P 0. 01). There is no outstanding difference of qualified ratio exist in the tap water and the factory water both supplied by the self-provided water factory( χ2= 1. 05,P 0. 05). And there is no outstanding difference of qualified ratio in the govement bulted waterworks( χ2= 1. 12,P 0. 05). Outstanding difference of qualified ratio exist in the second supply and the tap water( χ2= 4. 08,0. 01 P 0. 05). Conclusion Most of the disinfect effocts of the drinking water in Wuhu ueeie very good,but the Microbial indicators qualified rate of the water supplied by the self-provided water factory neeie still not high. There wvos a risk of waterborne transmission of infectious diseases and the relevant departments should pay attention to these jviotelems.
Methods for clinical diagnosis and care of chronic lymphatic filariasis

This article introduced the pathogenesis,clinical manifestations,diagnosis,treatment and care method of chromic lymphatic filariasis;and it can be used for the reference in elimination of lymphatic filariasis in our country.
Optimized mirror shape tuning using beam weightings based on distance, angle of incidence, reflectivity, and power.

For glancing-incidence optical systems, such as short-wavelength optics used for nano-focusing, incorporating physical factors in the calculations used for shape optimization can improve performance. Wavefront metrology, including the measurement of a mirror’s shape or slope, is routinely used as input for mirror figure optimization on mirrors that can be bent, actuated, positioned, or aligned. Modeling shows that when the incident power distribution, distance from focus, angle of incidence, and the spatially varying reflectivity are included in the optimization, higher Strehl ratios can be achieved. Following the works of Marechal and Mahajan, optimization of the Strehl ratio (for peak intensity with a coherently illuminated system) occurs when the expectation value of the phase error’s variance is minimized. We describe an optimization procedure based on regression analysis that incorporates these physical parameters. This approach is suitable for coherently illuminated systems of nearly diffraction-limited quality. Mathematically, this work is an enhancement of the methods commonly applied for ex situ alignment based on uniform weighting of all points on the surface (or a sub-region of the surface). It follows a similar approach to the optimization of apodized and non-uniformly illuminated optical systems. Significantly, it reaches a different conclusion than a more recent approach based on minimization of focal plane ray errors.
The Geocadabra Construction Box Dynamic Geometry Interface

The children learned to use the Geocadabra Construction Box by constructing virtual cube structures to match the conventional 2D figures in the printed Build and Explore with Geocadabra manual. The process builds proficiency with top-plan numeric views. As they progressed, they were able to digitally reproduce cube structures like those they constructed with loose cubes on the desktop next to their computers. Activities integrating top-plan numeric views and top, front and side views are shared.
The Seed and the Fruit

The result of the induction of reproductive development, discussed in the previous chapter, is the production of gametes and then the zygote. In the nonvascular plants and in many of the lower vascular plants, the zygote develops immediately into the sporophyte plant (or, in many of the algae, undergoes meiosis). In Selaginella, however, the development of the sporophyte may begin to occur enclosed within the female or megagametophyte (Chapters 1 and 13). In the gymnosperms, not only does an. embryo (minute diploid plant with embryonic root, shoot, and leaves) form within the female gametophyte enclosed in an ovule, but this small sporophyte plant typically undergoes a period of arrested development. This embryo, enclosed in a protective covering and supplied with stored food and the capability of arrested development, constitutes a true seed. In the flowering plants (angiosperms), the process is even more advanced. The developing embryo in the ovule is in turn enclosed within an ovary. Food is stored within the ovule, and its outer layers form the seed coat. The wall of the ovary also develops in various ways, becoming the fruit.
Mitochondrial Function in Septic Shock

Shock is the result of failure of the circulatory system to adequately deliver oxygen and nutrients to tissues. At the bedside, the clinician synthesizes data from the history, signs of hypoperfusion on physical exam, vital signs and urine output, and laboratory markers of the adequacy of substrate provision to determine the presence of shock. However, prior to the onset of clinically evident shock, the insult is first experienced at a subcellular level by the mitochondria, leading to their description as “canaries in a coal mine” [1]. Ultimately, shock is the result of failure of adequate oxygen delivery (DO2) and utilization within mitochondria, which collectively are responsible for nearly all the oxygen consumption and energy production in the body.
Carboxylases and the Role of Biotin

Publisher Summary Carboxylases of group (1) catalyze an adenosine triphosphate (ATP)-dependent CO 2 fixation. The enzymes of this group contain d -biotin as prosthetic group and catalyze a reaction in which energy for the synthesis of a C-C bond is furnished by ATP, which is broken down to adenosine diphosphate (ADP) and inorganic phosphate (Pi). It was shown with propionyl-CoA carboxylase, β -methylcrotonyl-CoA carboxylase and pyruvate carboxylase that the reaction is reversible; all the enzymes of this group catalyze a reversible carboxylation. Transcarboxylase (group 2) catalyzes a novel type of reaction, a trans-carboxylation between two compounds. Transcarboxylase catalyzes the transfer of a carboxyl group from methyl-malonyl-CoA to pyruvate to form propionyl-CoA and oxaloacetate. Biotin is the active group of this enzyme. The carboxylases of group (3) do not require an independent source of energy. This discusses the enzymes of groups (1) and (2), that is, the biotin enzymes, the active group of which is protein-bound biotin.
Gr-GDHP: A New Architecture for Globalized Dual Heuristic Dynamic Programming

Goal representation globalized dual heuristic dynamic programming (Gr-GDHP) method is proposed in this paper. A goal neural network is integrated into the traditional GDHP method providing an internal reinforcement signal and its derivatives to help the control and learning process. From the proposed architecture, it is shown that the obtained internal reinforcement signal and its derivatives can be able to adjust themselves online over time rather than a fixed or predefined function in literature. Furthermore, the obtained derivatives can directly contribute to the objective function of the critic network, whose learning process is thus simplified. Numerical simulation studies are applied to show the performance of the proposed Gr-GDHP method and compare the results with other existing adaptive dynamic programming designs. We also investigate this method on a ball-and-beam balancing system. The statistical simulation results are presented for both the Gr-GDHP and the GDHP methods to demonstrate the improved learning and controlling performance.
“To Corrupt a Man in the Midst of a Verse”: Ben Jonson and the Prose of the World

Ben Jonson's early plays show a marked interest in prose as a counterpoint to the blank verse norm of the Renaissance stage. This essay presents a digital analysis of Jonson's early mixed-mode plays and his two later full-prose comedies. It examines this selection of the Jonsonian corpus using DocuScope, a piece of software that catalogs sentence-level features of texts according to a series of rhetorical categories, highlighting the distinctive linguistic patterns associated with Jonson's verse and prose. Verse tends to employ abstract, morally and emotionally charged language, while prose is more often characterized by expressions that are socially explicit, interrogative, and interactive. In the satirical economy of these plays, Jonson's characters usually adopt verse when they articulate censorious judgements, descending into prose when they wade into the intractable banter of the vicious world. Surprisingly, the prosaic signature that Jonson fashioned in his earlier drama persisted in the two later f...
Million Hearts: Description of the National Surveillance and Modeling Methodology Used to Monitor the Number of Cardiovascular Events Prevented During 2012-2016

BackgroundThis study describes the national surveillance and modeling methodology developed to monitor achievement of the Million Hearts initiative's aim of preventing 1 million acute myocardial in...
On compatibility and incompatibility of collections of unrooted phylogenetic trees

Abstract Let P = { T 1 , … , T k } be a collection of phylogenetic trees over various subsets of a set of species. For each i ∈ { 1 , … , k } , let L ( T i ) denote the set of species in tree T i . A supertree for P is a phylogenetic tree with species set ⋃ i = 1 k L ( T i ) . The tree compatibility problem asks whether there exists a supertree T for P such that, for each i ∈ { 1 , … , k } , T i can be obtained from T | L ( T i ) — the minimal subtree of T spanning L ( T i ) — by zero or more contractions of internal edges. If the answer is “yes”, then P is said to be compatible; otherwise, P is incompatible. We characterize compatibility via graph triangulations and tree decompositions. We then study how to make an incompatible collection of trees compatible through edge contraction and tree deletion. Finally, we introduce the notion of a phylogenetic minor to study under which conditions edge contraction, tree removal, and species removal/renaming operations preserve compatibility.
CW IR Detection in Wide-gap Semiconductors Using Extremely Nondegenerate Two-photon Absorption

We observe CW Mid-IR detection using GaN or GaAs p-i-n detetctors with extremely nondegenerate two-photon absorption. Current from the Urbach tail absorption limits the minimum detectable power of the IR beam.
Level of khat dependence, use patterns, and psychological correlates in Yemen: a cross-sectional investigation

Chronic khat use is associated with negative health consequences. However, no study has fully characterized individuals who are khat dependent. This paper examines socio-demographic and psychosocial correlates of adult khat dependence. A total of 270 khat users (129 women) in Yemen completed face-to-face interviews and provided demographic information and data on patterns of khat use, subjective mood, and sleep quality. The Severity of Dependence Scale-Khat (SDS-khat) was used to assess level of khat dependence. A series of analysis of variance was conducted. Khat users, on average, used khat for 5.2 hours a day (SD = 2.3) for 5.7 days a week (SD = 2.0). Individuals who screened positive for khat dependence reported longer duration of khat sessions per day, higher frequency of khat use per week, greater levels of negative mood and sleep disturbances, and were more likely to endorse physical symptoms after khat use (P < 0.05). Future research should elucidate mechanisms responsible for khat dependence symptomatology.
Meaningful Resistance: Market Reforms and the Roots of Social Protest in Latin America

Meaningful Resistance explores the origins and dynamics of resistance to markets through an examination of two social movements that emerged to voice and channel opposition to market reforms. Protests against water privatization in Cochabamba, Bolivia, and rising corn prices in Mexico City, Mexico, offer a lens to analyze the mechanisms by which perceived, market-driven threats to material livelihood can prompt resistance. By exploring connections among marketization, local practices, and political protest, the book shows how the material and the ideational are inextricably linked in resistance to subsistence threats. When people perceive that markets have put subsistence at risk, material and symbolic worlds are both at stake; citizens take to the streets not only to defend their pocketbooks, but also their conceptions of community. The book advances contemporary scholarship by showing how attention to grievances in general, and subsistence resources in particular, can add explanatory leverage to analyses of contentious politics.
Analyzing T cell receptor alpha/beta usage in binding to the pMHC

T cells play a critical role in the adaptive immune response. They perform their function by recognizing infected cells presenting peptides on a specialized complex known as the MHC. The recognition process involves binding of the peptide-loaded MHC to the T cell receptor (TCR), a surface molecule comprised of an alpha and a beta chain. A large body of evidence suggests that T cells can respond to previously unseen pathogens, a phenomenon known as cross-reactivity. Cross-reactivity has important medical implications, as cross-reactive responses can be either protective or lead to disease. A possible mechanism that has been proposed to explain cross-reactivity is the differential usage of the alpha and beta chains, whereas one peptide can be recognized predominantly by the alpha chain and a different peptide by the beta chain. In this study we carry out a systematic analysis of a non-redundant set of 67 crystal structures, measuring TCR alpha/beta usage and its relationship with structural features of the interaction. Our results show a wide range of TCR alpha/beta usage in different complexes. Further, we find that alpha/beta usage significantly correlates with one of the docking angles between the TCR and the MHC.
A Basis for the Development of Christian Psychology with a Few Initial Ideas

A basis was proposed upon which a uniquely Christian psychology can develop. The Christian doctrine of creation along with the idea of studying the created to learn about the Creator served as this...
Bee genera, diversity and abundance in genetically modified canola fields.

ABSTRACTIntensive agricultural practices resulting in large scale habitat loss ranks as the top contributing factors in the global bee decline. Growing Genetically Modified Herbicide Tolerant (GMHT) crops as large monocultures has resulted extensive applications of herbicides leading to the degradation of natural habitats surrounding farmlands. Herbicide tolerance trait is beneficial for crops such as Canola (Brassica napus) that are extremely vulnerable to weed competition. While the trait in itself does not harm pollinators, growing genetically modified herbicide tolerant cultivars indirectly contributes towards pollinator declines through habitat loss. Canola, a mass-flowering crop is highly attractive to bee pollinators and the extensive adoption of the herbicide tolerant trait has led to depletion of non-crop floral resources. Extensive use of herbicide in and near fields with herbicide tolerant cultivars systematically eliminates semi-natural habitats around agricultural fields which consist of non-...
An Out-of-Band IM3 Cancellation Technique Using a Baseband Auxiliary Path in Wideband LNTA-Based Receivers

An out-of-band (OB) third-order intermodulation (IM3) cancellation technique is proposed and analyzed. By exploiting a baseband (BB) auxiliary path (AP) with high-pass feature, the in-band desired signal, and OB interferers are split. OB IM3 products are then reconstructed in the AP and cancelled in the BB. The approach is implemented using a 65-nm CMOS 0.5- to 2.5-GHz frequency-translational noise-cancelling receiver, and it achieves 8.8-MHz BB bandwidth, 40-dB gain, 3.3-dB noise figure, 5 dBm OB third-order input intercept points (IIP3), and −6.5-dBm OB B1dB without IM3 cancellation with 36 mW at 1-GHz local oscillator (LO) frequency and 1.2-V supply. After IM3 cancellation, the effective OB-IIP3 has increased to 32.5 dBm with an extra 34 mW for narrowband interferers (two tones). For wideband interferers, 18.8-dB cancellation is demonstrated over 10 MHz with two −15-dBm modulated interferers. The LO leakage is −92 and −88 dBm at 1- and 2-GHz LO, respectively. This technique can achieve both high OB linearity and good LO isolation.
A dispersion model for cellular signal transduction cascades.

Purpose. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the ability of the dispersion model to describe pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic data containing contributions from signal transduction cascades.
Lung Tumour Identification: Decision-Making and Comparison Scanning

Publisher Summary Physicians often use radiological examinations to make decisions about the health and subsequent care of their patients. The resulting decisions are not always valid; as many as 30% of the small tumors recorded on chest images are not reported, and there is considerable variation in interpretation among image readers. Reader error has been attributed to variations inperceptual processing, such as an incomplete scan of the image, or variations in the criteria used to classify an image as normal or abnormal. Several studies of the eye movements of radiologists have described the relationships between scanning patterns and decision-making. Eye movement studies have shown that during the search for lung tumors radiologists tend to survey chest images by using a circumferential scanning pattern. At times this pattern includes local comparison scans between suspected tumors and the normal features of the image. This study prevented such comparisons to determine their necessity. The results support the view that comparisons are used to resolve discrepancies, to identify abnormalities, and to modify the criteria used in the interpretation of image patterns.
Changing Muscle Function With Sustained Glial Derived Neurotrophic Factor Treatment of Rabbit Extraocular Muscle

Recent microarray and RNAseq experiments provided evidence that glial derived neurotrophic factor (GDNF) levels were decreased in extraocular muscles from human strabismic subjects compared to age-matched controls. We assessed the effect of sustained GDNF treatment of the superior rectus muscles of rabbits on their physiological and morphological characteristics, and these were compared to naive control muscles. Superior rectus muscles of rabbits were implanted with a sustained release pellet of GDNF to deliver 2μg/day, with the contralateral side receiving a placebo pellet. After one month, the muscles were assessed using in vitro physiological methods. The muscles were examined histologically for alteration in fiber size, myosin expression patterns, neuromuscular junction size, and stem cell numbers and compared to age-matched naive control muscles. GDNF resulted in decreased force generation, which was also seen on the untreated contralateral superior rectus muscles. Muscle relaxation times were increased in the GDNF treated muscles. Myofiber mean cross-sectional areas were increased after the GDNF treatment, but there was a compensatory increase in expression of developmental, neonatal, and slow tonic myosin heavy chain isoforms. In addition, in the GDNF treated muscles there was a large increase in Pitx2-positive myogenic precursor cells. One month of GDNF resulted in significant extraocular muscle adaptation. These changes are interesting relative to the decreased levels of GDNF in the muscles from subjects with strabismus and preliminary data in infant non-human primates where sustained GDNF treatment produced a strabismus. These data support the view that GDNF has the potential for improving eye alignment in subjects with strabismus.
Trait Narcissism and Social Networks

Narcissism is an inherently interpersonal trait, which both affects and is affected by those around the narcissistic individual. This chapter describes the use of social network analysis (SNA) to study narcissism. A brief primer for SNA is presented, explaining how data are collected and analyzed from both online and face-to-face social networks. I subsequently review studies of narcissism in sociocentric, egocentric, and online social networks. The reviewed studies indicate that narcissists report a greater number of social connections but that these perceived connections are often not reciprocated by the other members of their networks. Evidence from SNA also demonstrates that narcissists are more disliked and experience greater conflict with members of their networks. Social networks provide substantial information about the interpersonal effects of narcissism which might be obscured by relying only on self-report. Future research applying a social network methodology to the study of narcissism is suggested.
Exploring Nurse Manager Support of Evidence-Based Practice: Clinical Nurse Perceptions.

OBJECTIVEThe study identifies what constitutes nurse manager (NM) support and other resources that enable clinical nurses (CNs) to engage in evidence-based practice (EBP).BACKGROUNDClinical nurses report that NM support enables them to use EBP but what constitutes NM support is still unclear.METHODS