cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Semantic field, naming, and auditory comprehension in aphasia.

Abstract The status of semantic fields for 16 target nouns was compared in high and low comprehension aphasics, brain damaged, and normal controls, by measuring latency and miss rate for recognition of six classes of associates, which were presented orally on tape. The ability to name each target was also examined as a function of the integrity of the subject's semantic field for that word. Low comprehension aphasics showed both quantitative and qualitative changes in semantic fields, while milder aphasics showed only mild quantitative impairment, as compared to controls. Both latency and miss rate measures indicated that failure to name a word is associated with reduced semantic field for that word. This result is interpreted as supporting the view that nameing is, in part, determined by the convergence of associations.
Quantitative Differential Expression Analysis Reveals Mir-7 As Major Islet MicroRNA

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are non-coding gene products that regulate gene expression through specific binding to target mRNAs. Cell-specific patterns of miRNAs are associated with the acquisition and maintenance of a given phenotype, such as endocrine pancreas (islets). We hypothesized that a subset of miRNAs could be differentially expressed in the islets. Using miRNA microarray technology and quantitative RT-PCR we identified a subset of miRNAs that are the most differentially expressed islet miRNAs (ratio islet/acinar >150-fold), mir-7 being the most abundant. A similarly high ratio for mir-7 was observed in human islets. The ratio islet/acinar for mir-375, a previously described islet miRNA, was <10, and is 2.5X more abundant in the islets than mir-7. Therefore, we conclude that mir-7 is the most abundant endocrine miRNA in islets while mir-375 is the most abundant intra-islet miRNA. Our results may offer new insights into regulatory pathways of islet gene expression.
A poisson P3M force field scheme for particle-based simulations of ionic liquids

In this work we propose a force-field scheme for the self-consistent particle-based simulation of electrolytic solutions. Within this approach, the electrostatic interactions are modeled with a particle-particle-particle-mesh (P3M) algorithm, where the long-range components of the force are resolved in real space with an iterative multi-grid Poisson solver. Simulations are performed where the solute ions are treated as Brownian particles governed by the full Langevin equation, while the effects of the solvent are accounted for with the implicit solvent model. The main motivation of this work is to efficiently extend the modeling capability of the standard particle-based approaches to liquid systems characterized by a spatially inhomogeneous charge distribution and realistic, non-periodic boundary conditions. Examples of such systems are large polymer chains, biological membranes, and ion channels.
Alum treatment effectiveness and longevity in shallow lakes

An evaluation of six shallow Washington State (USA) lakes, treated with alum in the 1980s, has shown that treatment effectiveness ranged from 50 to 80% and lasted for at least five years. Such effectiveness/longevity makes alum a highly cost-effective, in-lake treatment for shallow lakes. However, alum may be completely ineffective, or effectiveness may be short-lived, if much of the lake is covered with macrophytes that senesce during summer and contribute phosphorus (P) to the water. The sharp reduction in blue-green algae following alum treatments suggests that inhibition of the sediment-to-water migration rate of blue-greens may be an important mechanism for alum's effect in oxic shallow lakes. That is in contrast to the primary mechanism in stratified anoxic lakes, which involves the complexation of P in the alum floc layer under reducing conditions.
Review: Non–calcium-based phosphate binders reduce mortality compared with calcium-based binders in CKD

Source Citation Jamal SA, Vandermeer B, Raggi P, et al. Effect of calcium-based versus non-calcium-based phosphate binders on mortality in patients with chronic kidney disease: an updated systemati...
A Simplified Technic for the Detection of Patent Ductus Arteriosus and of Other Left-to-Right Shunts Originating from the Aorta

A simplified technic for the detection of left-to-right shunts originating from the aorta is described. A thin, radiopaque catheter is introduced into the aortic arch through a Cournand needle placed in the femoral artery, and injections of a solution of Kr85 are made. In the presence of a shunt the injected Kr85 is rapidly detected in the expired air but in the absence of a shunt the appearance time of Kr85 in the expired air is delayed. When an aortic shunt is present it may be localized by means of injections of cardiogreen dye at various points in the aorta by sampling the blood from the right brachial artery. The value of these technics is illustrated by descriptions of their application in five patients with various forms of congenital or acquired heart disease.
Dietary arginine alters time of symptom onset in Huntington's disease transgenic mice.

Recent neuroimaging studies reported complex changes in cerebral blood flow (CBF) in early-staged Huntington’s disease (HD) patients. Deckel and co-workers [Deckel and Duffy, Brain Res. (in press); Deckel and Cohen, Prog. Neuro-Psychopharmacol. Biol. Psychiatry 24 (2000) 193; Deckel et al., Neurology 51 (1998) 1576; Deckel et al., J. Nucl. Med. 41 (2000) 773] suggested that these findings might be accounted for, in part, by alterations in cerebral nitric oxide (NO) and its byproduct, peroxynitrite. The current experiment tested this hypothesis by altering NO levels via manipulations of dietary l-arginine (ARG), the dietary precursor of NO, in mice transgenic for HD. Seventy-one mice were assigned at 12 weeks of age to one of three isocaloric diets that varied in their content of ARG. These diets included: (a) 0% ARG, (b) 1.2% ARG (i.e. typical mouse chow), or (c) 5% ARG. The 5% ARG diets in HD mice accelerated the time of onset of body weight loss (P 0% arginine diets. When collapsed across all conditions, CBF inversely correlated (P<0.05) both with the body weight and motor changes suggesting that changes in CBF are associated with behavioral decline in HD mice. Collectively, these findings indicate that dietary consumption of the NO precursor ARG has a measurable, but complex, effect on symptom progression in HD transgenic mice, and implicates NO in the pathophysiology of HD.
Uncertainty, Flexibility, Valuation and Design: How 21st Century Information and Knowledge Can Improve 21st Century Urban Development – Part II of II

AbstractThe 21st century presents humankind with perhaps its greatest challenge since our species almost went extinct some 70,000 years ago in Africa. A big part of meeting that challenge lies in how the urbanization of three billion additional people (equal to the entire world population in 1960) will be accomplished between now and mid-century, on top of necessary renewal and renovation of the earth’s existing cities. China alone will urbanize 300 million more people between now and 2030, equal to the entire population of the U.S., the world’s third most populous country, in just 20 years. This is development on a scale and pace that is an order of magnitude greater than the past century, in a world resource and climate environment that is near the breaking point, in a context of greater technological, financial, and economic uncertainty than ever before.To meet this challenge will require that we use the best tools in our kit, including ones that have become available to us only in this new knowledge a...
Phase equilibria in polymer–liquid 1–liquid 2 systems

There are investigated the relations between the liquid compositions in the two phases formed when a polymer equilibrates in a mixed solvent. By imposing the simplifyng constraint that all of the polymer be located in one of the two phases, an expression for the equilibrium composition ratio, R = (φ1/φ2)/(v1/v2), is obtained through use of the customary expressions for the free energy of polymer solutions: (1) Here subscripts 1, 2, and 3 refer to the two liquids and the polymer, respectively, χ is a free energy parameter, l is the ratio V1/V2 of the molar volumes of the two liquids, φ and v represent the volume fraction in the ternary and binary phases, respectively, and ϵ is an auxiliary variable relating φ and v for the two liquid components. Certain consequences of the equilibrium composition relationship are examined, and there are suggested possible applications to diffusion, light scattering, and solubility. The results of analysis of the two phases formed when crosslinked natural rubber equilibrates with the mixed solvent pairs: benzene–nitromethane and m-xylene–nitromethane confirm the form of the equilibrium composition relationship, and the values for the free energy parameters required to represent the data for these ternary systems appear to be reasonable.
Commerce, Culture, and Civilization in Greek Enlightenment and Contemporary European Thought

Abstract This article describes the interaction between Greek readers, writers, and publishers during the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries, giving particular attention to the challenges faced by the latter in obtaining financial support for their endeavors. These contingencies exerted a significant influence on the form and content of Greek discourse as expressed in one striking instance by the efforts made on the part of Greek intellectuals to publicly reimagine the role of commerce and its practitioners in the rise or rehabilitation of nations. In addition therefore to providing a revealing view of what one historian of the period has called “the linguistic construction of class,” the Greek literary preoccupation with commerce also serves as a valuable exhibit of “cultural transfer,” or the manner in which genres of thought originating in one setting may become naturalized within another to the point that they appear to have been generated from purely native sources and circumstances.
A controlled trial to increase office visits and reduce hospitalizations of diabetic patients.

An intervention package was examined to determine its effectiveness in increasing office visits and in reducing the incidence of nonelective hospitalizations (those for urgent or emergent reasons). The intervention included mailings of information, appointment reminders, and intense follow-up by telephone of visit failures for rescheduling. Eight hundred fifty-four patients receiving drug therapy for diabetes mellitus were stratified by risk of nonelective hospitalization and randomly assigned to the control group or the intervention group. After two years, the intervention group averaged 9.1 per cent more kept scheduled visits per month than the control group (0.371 vs. 0.340, p=0.02). However, the mean incidence of nonelective hospitalizations per month was not significantly different between intervention and control groups (0.040 vs. 0.041, p=0.9), nor was there a difference in nonelective hospital days per month (0.443 vs. 0.425, p=0.7). The authors conclude that while mailings and telephone calls can increase office visits, the intervention is not sufficient to reduce morbidity necessitating nonelective hospitalizations of diabetic patients.
Opening the Door to the Baccalaureate Degree

Community colleges have made their mark by providing high-quality, open access to higher education. This democratization of learning has resulted in the development of nearly 1,200 community and te...
WHAT THE SHADOW KNOWS: EXPLORING THE HIDDEN DIMENSIONS OF THE CONSUMER METAPHOR IN MANAGEMENT EDUCATION

This article aims to uncover hidden dimensions of the metaphor of consumerism in management education. By exploring the metaphor, the authors elucidate the implicit claims in the assertion that teachers produce business education and students consume that product. The image of commodification structures a discourse that involves conceptions of power, knowledge, and socially useful activity. The discourse emanates from social and educational institutions that shape relations between students and teachers. To understand how the metaphor creates subjective perceptions, the authors propose a linguistic-based framework as an analytical device. They conclude with specific reference to teaching activities and ways in which the so-called shadow of consumerism can be empirically examined.
A note on testing symmetry with estimated parameters

Abstract A simple yet general technique is presented for the problem of assessing symmetry about an unknown point with linear rank statistics.
Stability map of systems with three independent delays

In this work we examine an open problem: the stability robustness of LTI-systems with three time delays, which are rationally independent. A recent paradigm, called the cluster treatment of characteristic roots (CTCR) is used as the umbrella procedure, which claims to address the question here. It has never been shown earlier that the procedure is tractable for more than 2-delays. This is the first attempt to take up this challenging problem. In order to overcome the tractability problem, an efficient and novel algorithm is presented to form the first stage of the CTCR. Enabling concepts of "kernel and offspring hyperplanes" for the CTCR and two underlying propositions are also presented for this general class of problem. The main contribution of this document is that we demonstrate for the first time that the stability maps of a LTI-TDS (time delayed system) with three independent delays can be obtained efficiently, which is a very critical measure of the operation. An example case with 6th order LTI-TDS is presented to validate these claims.
Liver Complications of Pediatric Parenteral Nutrition—Epidemiology

Total parenteral nutrition (TPN)-induced liver disease develops in 40-60% of infants who require long-term TPN for intestinal failure. The clinical spectrum includes cholestasis, cholelithiasis, hepatic fibrosis with progression to biliary cirrhosis, and the development of portal hypertension and liver failure in a significant number of children who are totally parenterally fed. The pathogenesis is multifactorial and is related to prematurity, low birth weight, and duration of TPN. The degree and severity of the liver disease is related to recurrent sepsis including catheter sepsis, bacterial translocation, and cholangitis. Lack of enteral feeding leading to reduced gut hormone secretion, reduction of bile flow, and biliary stasis may be important mechanisms in the development of cholestasis, biliary sludge, and cholelithiasis. Although it is unlikely that modern TPN solutions have a major role in the etiology of TPN liver disease, manganese toxicity recently has been recognized in children with hepatic dysfunction on TPN. Although there is a definite relationship with the degree of manganese toxicity and hepatic decompensation, it is not yet clear whether this is a primary mechanism or whether the high levels are related to reduced biliary excretion of manganese. The management strategies for the prevention of TPN-induced liver disease include early enteral feeding, a multidisciplinary approach to the management of parenteral nutrition, and aseptic catheter techniques to reduce sepsis. The administration of ursodeoxycholic acid may improve bile flow and reduce gall bladder and intestinal stasis. As survival from isolated intestinal transplantation improves, this therapeutic option should be considered before TPN liver disease becomes irreversible and combined liver and small bowel transplantation is required.
Observations on anodal polarization of cutaneous nerve

The selective blocking of large-diameter peripheral nerve fibers by anodal polarization provides a potentially useful technique for studying, in isolation, the central effects of smaller-diameter afferents 4. Unlike the earlier techniques for blocking larger fibers, anodal polarization holds the promise of being selective, reversible, and more easily controlled. In the studies using this method thus far, the compound action potential has been used to indicate the onset and degree of block. Paintal 5, however, has shown that, in cooled peripheral nerve, increased dispersion of the afferent volley may eliminate a compound potential although individual fibers continue conducting. More subtle changes in the temporal dispersion of the volley could further complicate the interpretation of results obtained with this blocking technique. The purpose of this study was toexamine the effects of anodal polarization on mammalian peripheral nerve and to evaluate the reliability of the compound action potential as an indicator of preferential large-fiber block during polarization. Computer simulation of the compound potential has been used to aid in understanding the experimental results.
Time domain removal of irrelevant magnetization in chemical exchange saturation transfer Z‐spectra

Purpose To evaluate the possibility of processing Z-spectra using time domain analysis. Methods An inverse Fourier transform (IFT) is applied on Z-spectra, thus transforming the chemical exchange saturation transfer (CEST) data into the time domain. Here, large interfering signals from solvent and semisolid magnetization transfer can be fit and filtered out. The method is demonstrated on a range of phantoms (creatine, a para-CEST agent, and hen egg white) and also in vivo on a mouse brain. Results Using time domain analysis, signal components in Z-spectra could be fit very well, thus enabling irreverent or nuisance components to be removed. The method worked equally well for samples in a solution or a gel where the large contribution from conventional magnetization transfer contrast (MTC) was easily separated out. Results from egg white and mouse brain in vivo data showed that the large water resonance could easily be removed thus allowing the remaining signal to be analyzed without interference from direct water saturation. Conclusions This method successfully filtered out the large nuisance signals from bulk water and MTC in Z-spectra in a large variety of phantom types and also in vivo. It is expected to be a potentially powerful tool for CEST studies without needing asymmetry analysis. Magn Reson Med 70:547–555, 2013. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Genotypic and Phenotypic Characterization of Long Terminal Repeat Sequences from Long-Term Survivors of Human Immunodeficiency Virus Type 1 Infection

Human immunodeficiency virus type 1 (HIV-1)-infected individuals who remain asymptomatic despite prolonged infection present a unique opportunity to understand virologic and immunologic factors involved in the pathogenesis of AIDS. We have previously identified a group of long-term survivors (LTS) who are clinically healthy and immunologically normal despite 13 to 15 years of HIV-1 infection. In this study, we examined the 5' long terminal repeat (5' LTR) sequences in eight of these LTS. A total of 29 nucleotide sequences were obtained from their peripheral blood mononuclear cells (PBMC). Analysis of these sequences revealed no gross deletions within the 5' LTR. Seven of the eight subjects shared nearly identical consensus sequences in the binding sites for NF-kappaB, Sp1, and the viral trans-activator Tat. In multiple samples from one individual (Pt 5), however, G-to-A hypermutations were found throughout the entire region, suggesting a genetically defective 5' LTR. The effects of the observed genetic variations on LTR transcription were studied by transient transfection of an LTR-driven luciferase reporter gene and by infection with a full-length recombinant HIV-1 containing a luciferase reporter (HIVHXBLTRluc). A wide range of basal and Tat-induced transcriptional activities was found among the 5' LTR from seven of the eight LTS in both transfected 293 cells and donor PBMC, suggesting a functionally intact 5' LTR in these individuals. It is therefore unlikely that defects in the 5' LTR are the underlying explanation for the benign clinical course associated with these seven individuals. However, functional abnormalities were found in the LTR from Pt 5 in directing both heterologous and viral gene expression, providing a possible genetic explanation for the low viral load and prolonged asymptomatic state of this individual. Last, a similar overall degree of genetic diversity was found among viruses from the LTS compared to those from patients with AIDS, reinforcing the notion that a strong correlation between the degree of genetic diversity and the rate of disease progression is unlikely.
Validation of Synthetic Peptide Enzyme Immunoassays in Differentiating Two Subgroups of Ruminant Respiratory Syncytial Virus

Subgroup-specific peptide-based enzyme immunoassays from each respective G-glycoprotein of the ovine and the bovine respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) were developed to detect RSV-specific IgG responses in cattle. Antigenic peptides from the respective G-glycoprotein were identified from the extracellular central hydrophobic region (amino acids 158-189) located between 2 mucin-rich regions. These antigenic peptides identified by epitope mapping from each G-glycoprotein were synthesized and used to develop the subgroup- specific enzyme immunoassays. The negative cutoff for each enzyme immunoassay was established as the mean optical density of indirect immunofluorescent antibody-negative bovine sera plus 3 SDs. The sensitivity (82.9%) and specificity (100%) of the bovine enzyme immunoassay and the specificity (95.8%) of the ovine enzyme immunoassay were determined by comparison with indirect immunofluorescence (used as the ''gold standard''). The negative and positive predictive values were calculated for each assay. The presence of serum antibody to ovine RSV in cattle implies that this virus infects cattle and may contribute to the pathogenesis of bovine respiratory disease. Economic losses due to respiratory disease in the US cattle industry approximate $1 billion annually. 10 Respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) has been isolated from people (human RSV (HRSV)) and from several animal species, including cattle (bovine RSV (BRSV)), sheep (ovine RSV (ORSV)), and goats (cap- rine RSV). These viruses are members of the genus Pneumovirus in the family Paramyxoviridae. They are enveloped, single-stranded, nonsegmented, negative- sense RNA viruses. 11 The genome encodes 10 viral proteins: 1B, 1C, N, P, M, SH, M2, L, the major gly- coprotein (G), and the fusion (F) protein. 3,8 The G and F proteins are present in the membrane of infected cells and in the virus envelope. 16 The attachment pro- tein G has been the most variable antigen among viral strains. 2 The proposed 3-dimensional model for the G- glycoprotein of BRSV contains a hydrophobic globu- lar region (residues 158-189) bordered by 2 hydro- philic densely carbohydrate-coated mucin-like re- gions. 15 The G-glycoprotein gene from an ORSV strain has been cloned and sequenced and had greater homology to the BRSV gene (and its encoded protein) than to the HRSV gene (and its encoded protein). 2,4 However, the degree of base sequence differences between BRSV and ORSV suggests that 2 subgroups of an un- gulate RSV exist. 2,15 Recent RNase protection assays,
Parent characteristics and conceptualizations associated with the emergence of infant colic

The goal of the present study was to examine parental characteristics associated with the emergence of infant colic using a prospective longitudinal study. When infants were 2 weeks of age, parent measures of personality, marital satisfaction, parenting stress, and social support were obtained. In addition, parents were asked about their definition of colic. When infants were 6 weeks of age, parents completed a 4 day, 24 hour cry diary. Parents also completed a stress questionnaire. Based on the fussing/crying data derived from the diaries, 22 of the 128 infants were identified as having colic. Results showed colic infants to have distinctive crying and fussing patterns. Differences in parent conceptualizations of colic were also identified for colic and non-colic families. Results indicated that parental variables, particularly parenting stress and marital satisfaction, may have contributed to the parents' report of excessive crying and fussing.
Adefovir dipivoxil in chronic hepatitis B: history and current uses.

Introduction: The nucleotide analogue adefovir dipivoxil (ADV) was approved in 2002 for the treatment of chronic infection with hepatitis B virus (HBV), in both hepatitis B e antigen (HBeAg)-positive and -negative patients. ADV 10 mg daily has been associated with improved liver histology, decreased levels of HBV DNA and alanine aminotransferase (ALT), and seroconversion of HBeAg. Areas covered: This paper reviews the use of ADV as a first-line treatment for chronic hepatitis B and as an add-on therapy in chronic HBV-infected patients with lamivudine resistance. In the years since its launch, clinical resistance to ADV has emerged, and tenofovir and entecavir have shown greater efficacy in reducing viral load. Expert opinion: Many patients who started antiviral therapy with ADV (either as monotherapy or in combination with lamivudine) remain on this agent because they have undetectable viremia, but its future use will probably diminish because of the availability of more potent drugs. ADV is generally wel...
Method for Task Migration in Grid Environments

This paper presents a method, infrastructure, and prototype that enables adaptive application task migration among a grid environment. Our infrastructure automatically reconfigures distributed applications in response to network performance failures and denial of service (DoS) attacks. Through the use of performance monitoring software we enable network connection failover and automatic application task migration within a heterogeneous distributed computing environment. Our system distinguishes itself from other available adaptive computing frameworks because it is wholly composed of open source grid-enabled components capable of both transparent and dynamic selection of message passing transports based on resource performance
Modulated waves in Taylor-Couette flow Part 2. Numerical simulation

In part 1 (Coughlin & Marcus 1992a) we described the mathematics of temporally quasi-periodic fluid flows, with application to the flow between concentric cylinders (Taylor-Couette flow). In this paper we present numerical simulations of Taylor-Couette flow, motivated by laboratory experiments which show that periodic rotating waves become unstable to quasi-periodic modulated waves as the Reynolds number is increased. We find that several branches of quasi-periodic solutions exist, and not all of them occur as direct bifurcations from rotating waves. We compute solutions to the Navier-Stokes equations for both rotating waves and two branches of modulated waves; those discussed by Gorman & Swinney (1979, 1982), and those discovered by Zhang & Swinney (1985). A simple physical process is associated with both types of modulation. In the rotating frame the quasi-periodic disturbance field (defined as the total flow minus the time-averaged, steady-state piece) appears as a set of compact, coherent vortices confined almost entirely to the outflow jet region. They are adveeted (with some distortion) in the azimuthal direction along the outflow between adjacent Taylor vortices, with the frequency of modulation directly related to the mean drift speed. The azimuthal wavelength of the disturbance field determines the second wavenumber. We argue that the quasi-periodic flow arises as an instability of the essentially axisymmetric vortex outflow jet. Experimentally, modulated waves appear to bifurcate directly to low-dimensional chaos. Neither the mathematical nor the physical mechanisms of this translation have been well understood. Our numerical work suggests that the observed transition to chaos results from the existence of physically distinct Floquet modes arising from instability of the outflow jet.
Diabetes mellitus-associated diffuse autonomic dysfunction causing debilitating hypotension manifested after rapid weight loss in a morbidly obese patient: Case report and review of the literature

The association between weight and blood pressure is well established, especially the paradigm of obesity-related hypertension. The relationship between diffuse autonomic dysfunction and orthostatic hypotension in patients with long-term diabetes mellitus is also well known. We report on a 57-year-old morbidly obese male with a long medical history of hypertension, myocardial infarction, type 2 diabetes mellitus, and hypothyroidism. After a loss of 147 pounds (representing a percent excess weight loss of 76%) within 6 months after gastric bypass surgery, the patient developed worsening orthostatic hypotension and near-syncopal episodes requiring medication. The subsequent diagnosis and treatment, as well as a literature review, are presented.
TWO CHEERS FOR ''CLOSENESS'': TERROR, TARGETING AND DOUBLE EFFECT*

Philosophers from Hart to Lewis, Johnston and Bennett have expressed various degrees of reservation concerning the doctrine of double effect. A common concern is that, with regard to many activities that double effect is traditionally thought to prohibit, what might at first look to be a directly intended bad effect is really, on closer examination, a directly intended neutral effect that is closely connected to a foreseen bad effect. This essay examines the extent to which the commonsense concept of intention supports a reasonably consistent and coherent application of double effect. Two important conclusions are these: (1) a number of traditionally proscribed activities involve a kind of “targeting” of innocents that can be taken to exhibit a direct intention to harm them; (2) a direct intention to harm need not involve a desire to harm in any ordinary sense of the latter expression.
On the Collaborative Formalization of Agile Semantics Using Social Network Applications

In this position paper we investigate the opportunities of using functionalities provided by social network sites for the collaborative formalization of semantics in the domain of health. In particular we identified benefits in regard to communication support, economic benefits, and technical opportunities. The implementation of the functionalities are illustrated by describing a use case from an ongoing project with the World Health Organization.
Dis-Honoring the Dead: Negotiating Decorum in the Shadow of Sandy Hook

Mourning the indiscriminate murders of 26 children and adults at Sandy Hook Elementary School, many eulogizers began calling publicly for gun control reforms that would help prevent similar tragedies in the future. One particularly savage set of responses to these efforts accused eulogizers of a gross breach of decorum that dishonored the dead and ought, therefore, to be dismissed. Drawing from a Burkean perspective that recognizes the relationships among rhetoric, decorum, and ideology, I contend that these attacks are based upon and advocate for a particular sense of decorum (one at odds with the one embodied in the rhetorical tradition) that reduces the circumference of human tragedy to the individual and permits only conformity with the status quo.
Optic Nerve (Cranial Nerve II)

By virtue of its position as the second collection of fibers from the anterior/rostral end of the brain, the optic nerve has been labeled cranial nerve II. The optic nerve is in fact a white matter tract; hence, it is prone to diseases of the central nervous system such as optic neuritis as part of multiple sclerosis. The optic nerve fibers are myelinated but only from the lamina cribrosa back. Given the concentration of fibers required by the demands for high visual resolution, the optic nerve has been estimated to comprise 38% of all fibers entering the brain.
"A New Norris House”: Making Criteria for Sustainable Landscapes Visible

A New Norris House is an award-winning, university-led design | build | evaluate project located in Norris, Tennessee. Norris is a model community constructed in 1933 by the Tennessee Valley Authority aspart of the Norris Dam construction project. A key component of this New Deal village was the Norris House, a series of homes built for modern, efficient living. A New Norris House commemorates the 75th anniversary of the Norris Project and seizes the opportunity to reconsider the shape of landscapes, communities and homes today. A LEED for Homes Platinum project, the New Norris House pursues complimentary performance and design intentions where water systems provide greater independence from the central grid. This paper focuses on the project as a case study for sustainable water systems and the designed landscapes of which they are a part. Design goals include: collecting, treating and reusing rainwater; infiltrating greywater on site; and managing 100% of runoff andstormwater on the project site. An evaluation and residency program is ongoing. One year of collected water quality and quantity data prove we are able to collect, treat, and provide water that 01) is safe for human contact by EPA human health criteria, 02) meets drinking water standards, and 03) is sufficient in quantity to meet 30% of a two-person household's needs. Preliminary data indicates safe and effective greywater infiltration. This paper describes these and other results of the water monitoring program. Underlying the town of Norris' picturesque vernacular landscape is a history of progressive planning and design. A New Norris House provides a unique case study for once again making visible the powerful union of environmental, technological and social forces.
A Comparison of the Foraging Activities of Common Italian and “Hy-Queen” Honey Bees

The distribution and activities of honey bees ( Apis mellifera L.) foraging on alfalfa ( Medicago sativa L.), safflower ( Carthamnus tinctorius L.), and yellow star thistle ( Centaurea solstitialis L.) were determined by magnetically recovering 74.9% of 3200 tags applied to bees foraging in the fields. Common Italian stock was compared with “Hy-Queen” stock selected for alfalfa preference and high pollen collection. A significantly shorter foraging distance was detected for Hy-Queen stock to yellow star thistle but not to alfalfa or safflower. Mean foraging distances to the combined floral sources were 404 m for common Italian and 357 m for Hy-Queen stocks. Other foraging activities, including pollen collection, were similar for both stocks. The foraging activity and distance of alfalfa foragers gradually increased each day after colony relocation until observations ceased 7 days later.
Monitoring results of chemical pollutants in food in Mianyang City 2009-2010

[Objective]To understand the status of pollutants in food in Mianyang City,provide the scientific basis for policy making. [Methods]Food samples were collected from markets in Mianyang urban area and three districts during 2009-2010,and 59 items which included metal pollutants,mycotoxins,food additives,rare earth elements and pesticide residues were detected. [Results]A total of 792 food samples were detected,632 samples were qualified with the qualified rate of 79.80%.The over standard rate of mental pollutants was 26.10%(65/249),and that in aluminum,lead,cadmium and mercury was respectively 51.35%(19/37),19.42%(40/206),2.91%(6/206) and 1.94%(4/206).The over standard rate of pesticide residues was 42.62%(78/183),and that of vegetables,fruits and edible fungi was respectively 42.65%(58/136),40.00%(4/10) and 43.24%(16/37).The unqualified items were mainly carbofuran(20.88%),parathion(20.22%),methamidophos(15.38%) and dichlorovos(14.21%).The over standard rate of food additives was 9.66%(17/176),and the unqualified items were mainly benzoic acid(26.67%),nitrite(25.00%) and sulfur dioxide(9.68%).The monitoring items of harmful substances,prohibited additives,mycotoxins and rare earth elements did not exceed the national standards. [Conclusion]The pollution by metal pollutants,food additives and pesticide residues in food is serious in Mianyang City,and the related departments should strictly strengthen the supervision and management.
Stretching DNA Molecules in Strongly Confining Nanofluidic Slits

We experimentally investigate the stretching and relaxation of individual double-stranded DNA molecules in nanofluidic slits with depths that span the regime between moderate and strong confinement. DNA molecules are stretched by the application of a quadrupole-like homogeneous elongational electric field. In a moderately confining slit we verify the previously observed existence of two distinct relaxation times resulting from the transition from a bulk-like entropic spring force to one that is confinement dependent. In a strongly confining slit with a depth equal to one persistence length we observe the return to a coil–stretch transition that is governed by a single strain rate related to the confined spring constant. By measuring the equilibrium extension as a function of the applied strain rate as well as the relaxation dynamics from a highly stretched initial state, we are able to infer a hydrodynamic friction coefficient in the moderately and strongly confining slits that is in good agreement for a ...
Racial Differences in Bone Microarchitecture and Estimated Strength at the Distal Radius and Distal Tibia in Older Adolescent Girls: a Cross-Sectional Study

Previous studies have demonstrated that an individual’s race and ethnicity are important determinants of their areal bone mineral density (aBMD), assessed by dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry. However, there are few data assessing the impact of race on bone microarchitecture and strength estimates, particularly in older adolescent girls and young adults. We hypothesized that bone microarchitecture and strength estimates would be superior in Blacks compared to White and Asian American adolescent girls and young adults of similar age based on reports of higher aBMD in Blacks. We assessed BMD using dual-energy X-ray absoptiometry (DXA), bone microarchitecture at the distal radius and distal tibia using high-resolution peripheral quantitative computed tomography (HRpQCT) and estimated measures of bone strength using micro-finite element analysis (FEA) in 35 White, 15 Asian American, and 10 Black girls 14–21 years. After controlling for height, most DXA measures of aBMD and aBMD Z scores were higher in Black girls compared with Whites and Asian Americans. HRpQCT and FEA showed that at the distal radius, Blacks had greater cortical perimeter, cortical area, trabecular thickness, trabecular BMD, estimated failure load, and stiffness than the other two groups. For the distal tibia, trabecular number and BMD were higher in Blacks than Asian Americans. Particularly at the distal radius, adolescent and young adult White and Asian American girls have less favorable bone microarchitecture and lower bone strength than Blacks, possibly explaining the lower risk of fracture seen in Blacks. Level II
Circadian wheel-running activity rhythms are unaltered by acute cage enrichment with nests and shelters

AbstractC57BL/6J inbred male mice were assessed for the effects of cotton nesting material on circadian running-wheel assays at 60, 157 and 222 days of age. The oldest mice were also tested for effects of access to plastic igloo shelters and the combination of cotton plus igloos. All mice were assayed for mean activity level, acrophase and entrained circadian period in 12:12 LD, and mean activity level and free-running period in DD for circadian wheel-running activity. There were no significant effects, at any age, of either nesting material or shelters, or the combination of both, on any measures of circadian running-wheel activity. We conclude that circadian rhythm assessment is unlikely to be significantly altered by the inclusion of enrichment materials in running wheel cages.
Bandwidth Efficient Coding

Channel coding and interleaving techniques have long been recognized as an effective technique for combating the deleterious effects of noise, interference, jamming, fading, and other channel impairments. The basic idea of channel coding is to introduce controlled redundancy into the transmitted signals that is exploited at the receiver to correct channel induced errors by means of forward error correction. Channel coding can also be used for error detection in schemes that employ automatic repeat request (ARQ) strategies. ARQ strategies must have a feedback channel to relay the retransmission requests from the receiver back to the transmitter when errors are detected. ARQ schemes require buffering at the transmitter and/or receiver and, therefore, are suitable for data applications but are not suitable for delay sensitive voice applications. Hybrid ARQ schemes use both error correction and error detection; the code is used to correct the most likely error patterns, and to detect the more infrequently occurring error patterns. Upon detection of errors a retransmission is requested. Although ARQ schemes are essential for data transmission over wireless channels they nevertheless employ error correction codes. Therefore, the emphasis in this chapter is on error correction coding.
35 Years of Experience From the American Association for Women Radiologists: Increasing the Visibility of Women in Radiology

Abstract Women radiologists remain in minority, unchanged for the past several decades. In 1981, the American Association for Women Radiologists (AAWR) was founded to address the problems that women radiologists were experiencing in being subordinate to male radiologists in the workplace and at the national level in organizations with respect to political power and financial compensation, as well as additional issues unique to women in radiology. The AAWR defined goals to meet the needs of women in radiology: improve the visibility of women radiologists, advance the professional and academic standing of women in radiology, and identify and address issues faced by women in radiology. AAWR efforts have included providing opportunities for career development and award recognition, hosting educational programs at national meetings, and publishing numerous manuscripts on issues faced by women in radiology. The AAWR recognizes that although there has been significant progress in the standing of women in radiology over the past 35 years, there is much room for improvement. The AAWR will continue to advocate for the needs of women in radiology.
Polarimetry as a window into supernova explosions and progenitors

Supernovae of all types exhibit time-dependent spectropolarimetric signatures produced primarily by electron scattering. These reveal the presence of aspherical and variable phenomena such as complex velocity structures, changing illumination, and asymmetric or clumpy morphologies within the ejecta or surrounding circumstellar material. In addition, the gradual thinning of the ejecta over time allows us to probe different scattering regions as the supernova evolves. Interpreting the time variations of these spectropolarimetric signatures yields unprecedentedly detailed information about supernova explosion mechanisms, the physical processes that shape the density and velocity distributions of the ejecta and circumstellar material, and the properties of the progenitor star. I present an overview of supernova spectropolarimetry, highlighting recent observational and computational results. This versatile technique helps us to constrain explosion mechanisms, connect SNe with their massive progenitors (as well as other high-energy transient phenomena such as GRBs), and investigate the process of stellar evolution in other galaxies.
Detecting circulating tumor cells (CTCs) in patients with high-risk, localized prostate cancer using the CellSearch platform.

e15178 Background: Enumeration of circulating tumor cells (CTCs) using the CellSearch platform has prognostic value in patients with metastatic castration resistant prostate cancer. However, the prognostic value of CTC enumeration in high-risk, localized prostate cancer (HRLPC) remains undefined. Methods: Patients with HRLPC (defined by ≥1 of the following criteria: ≥ cT3a disease, Gleason score 8-10, or PSA > 20 ng/mL) who have chosen prostatectomy for their definitive management were prospectively identified. Patients were consented to receive 4 sequential 30 mL blood draws, each collected in 3 separate 10 mL EDTA tubes. The first 2 blood draws were conducted 2 weeks prior and immediately prior to surgery, while the second 2 blood draws were conducted 4-6 weeks and 3 months following surgery. Within 4 hrs of blood collection, the white blood cell (WBC) fraction was pooled and Ficoll purified. The WBC fraction was transferred to a CellSave tube, and CTCs were enumerated using the CellSearch system. Expre...
Activation of FAK is not required during Akt-mediated anoikis resistance of human osteosarcoma SAOS-2 cells

3768 Introduction. Anoikis is a form of apoptosis triggered by the lack of attachment to the extracellular matrix (ECM). Anoikis resistant transformed cells have increased survival times in the absence of attachment facilitating their migration and colonization of distant sites. Clonal lines derived from the human osteosarcoma cell line SAOS-2 were established and clones sensitive to anoikis were chosen. Culturing these clones under cycles of adhered and suspended conditions resulted in the induction of an anoikis resistant phenotype (SAOSar). The purpose of this study was to identify the signal transduction pathway involved during anoikis resistance of SAOSar cells. Methods. Anoikis was assayed after culture on poly-HEMA treated culture wells followed by propidium iodide staining and flow cytometry analyses. Src, PI-3K and Akt activity were pharmacologically inhibited using commercially available specific inhibitors. Activated states of FAK, Src, and Akt were determined by western immunoblot using phosphospecific antibodies Results. Akt is known as an important mediator that promotes cell survival. Therefore, its role during anoikis of SAOS cells was examined. Increased phosphorylation of Akt at Ser473 was found in SAOSar cells regardless of their culture conditions, suggesting a constitutively active state. Pharmacological inhibition of Akt or its upstream mediator, PI3-K, resulted in anoikis sensitivity. Since FAK, through the formation of focal adhesions, is central in coordinating the signals that arise from the ECM, it was expected that in anoikis resistant SAOSar cells FAK would remain phosphorylated despite suspended conditions, and thus maintaining the survival signals. No difference was found among the phosphorylation patterns of FAK between apoptotic (SAOSp) and non-apoptotic (SAOSar) cells after culture under anoikis-inducing conditions. These results indicate that the major component of the focal adhesion complex is functioning normally and is not aberrantly upregulated in anoikis resistant SAOSar cells. Moreover, this suggests that anoikis resistance in SAOSar cells is achieved through a mechanism independent of FAK. Since Src is known to be involved in anchorage-dependent survival, its role was then analyzed. Src activity was found to be upregulated in SAOSar cells. Moreover, pharmacological inhibition of Src activity correlated with a decrease in PKB/Akt activity and restored sensitivity to anoikis. Conclusions. The mechanism of anoikis resistance in SAOSar cells involves the activation of PKB/Akt by Src, independently of FAK tyrosine phosphorylation. In this way, Src activation in suspended anoikis resistant SAOSar cells is able to maintain survival by activating PKB/Akt, therefore circumventing the requirement for attachment-mediated integrin signaling.