cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Nonnasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma of the head and neck.

BACKGROUND Lymphoepithelioma (squamous cell carcinoma with associated lymphoid stroma) commonly occurs in the nasopharynx, rarely at other sites. As a result, the clinical course and optimal treatment of nonnasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma of the head and neck have not been well described. This retrospective study was undertaken to analyze the clinical course of the disease in patients treated at a single institution and to formulate recommendations for treatment based on that experience as well as results reported in the literature. METHODS Between 1950 and 1994, 34 patients with nonnasopharyngeal lymphoepithelioma of the head and neck were treated at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center. The patients' medical records were reviewed and their pathologic specimens evaluated. The primary tumor sites were: oropharynx (24 patients), salivary gland (4), laryngohypopharynx (4), and the maxillary sinus/nasal cavity (2). Assessed in accordance with the 1992 American Joint Committee Against Cancer TNM staging system, T classifications were TX-2, T1-7, T2-8, T3-10, and T4-7, and N classifications were N0-8, N1-5, N2-15, and N3-6. Treatment consisted of radiotherapy for 24 patients, excisional biopsy of the primary tumor followed by radiotherapy for 7 patients, and surgery for 3 patients. Of the patients treated with radiotherapy, neck dissections were performed on only two, both of whom had persistent lymph node masses after completing radiotherapy. The median dose delivered to the primary tumor was 65 gray (Gy) (range, 46-78 Gy). The median fraction size was 2.1 Gy (range, 1.6-3.2 Gy). RESULTS The 5-year actuarial disease specific survival and overall survival rates were 59% and 39%, respectively. The 5-year actuarial local control rate for all patients was 94%. For the irradiated patients, the 5-year regional control rates were 77% overall and 83% within the radiation field. The 5-year actuarial rate of distant metastasis for all patients was 30%. For patients who presented with and without regional adenopathy, the 5-year rates of distant metastasis were 36% and 12%, respectively (P = 0.27). CONCLUSIONS Nonnasopharygeal lymphoepithelioma is a radiosensitive disease. High rates of locoregional tumor control were achieved with radiotherapy at all head and neck sites. The main cause of treatment failure was distant metastasis, which occurred more frequently in patients with lymph node involvement. Radiotherapy is appropriate initial locoregional therapy for patients with this disease. Surgery should be reserved for patients who have persistent disease after completing radiotherapy. Systemic therapy is a reasonable approach for patients who present with regional adenopathy because they have a relatively high rate of distant metastasis. Cancer 1998;82:1556-62. © 1998 American Cancer Society.
Political Effects on Pension Underfunding

Pension underfunding in the public sector has received considerable attention recently and is often cited as the next looming crisis. The majority of recent research has focused on appropriately measuring the underfunding. In this paper, we employ a political economy framework to show that increases in partisan polarization and electoral uncertainty lead to greater underfunding. Using an unbalanced panel of individual pension plans, we find robust empirical evidence that higher legislative turnover rates, more electoral competition, and term limits all lead to more pension underfunding. The political environments of state and local governments play a pivotal role in pension underfunding.
The Direct Effects of Field of Practice on Core Managerial Role Competencies: A Study Across Three Types of Public Sector Human Service Agencies

ABSTRACT The direct effects of field of practice on managerial action has received minimal empirical attention within the social work management literature. The present study addressed the issue by surveying 81 public managers responsible for three types of county-based human service agencies across the state of New York. Consistent with Yukl's (2004) flexible leadership theory, child welfare managers reported engaging in the criterion measure, human relations activity, significantly more than senior service managers. Unexpectedly, a significant difference also was found between employment and senior service managers; however, none was noted for child welfare and employment service managers. The findings are discussed, along with implications for social work management practice and research.
Equilibrium Polymerization as an Ising Model

A lattice model for equilibrium polymerization which allows for loop polymers is presented with critical behavior described by $n=1$, rather than $n\ensuremath{\rightarrow}0$ predicted by the theory of Wheeler, Kennedy, and Pfeuty. The specific heat of sulfur above and below ${T}_{c}$ is consistent with Ising critical behavior.
Doubly distorted mirrors

Traditional mirrored disk systems provide high reliability by multiplexing disks. Performance is improved with parallel reads and shorter read seeks. However, writes must be performed by both disks, limiting performance.Doubly distorted mirrors increase the number of physical writes per logical write from 2 to 3, but performs logical writes more efficiently. This reduces the cost of a random logical write to 1/3 of the cost of a read. Moreover, much of the write cost can be absorbed in the rotational latency of the reads, performing under certain conditions all the writes for free. Doubly distorted mirrors achieves a 135% performance improvement over traditional mirrors in the TP1 benchmark. Although these techniques require a disk cache for writes, the cache need not be safe nor is recovery time impacted very much.
Brotherhoods and Secret Societies in Early and Mid-Qing China: The Formation of a Tradition

A note on conventions Introduction: Chinese brotherhoods and secret societies through the opium war 1. Brotherhood associations in Southeast China through the Lin Shuangwen rebellion 2. Brotherhood associations, secret societies, and rebellion: the background to the Lin Suangwen uprising 3. Rebellions with and without secret societies: Zhu Yigui and Lin Shuangwen compared 4. Secret societies and popular religion: the Tianhihui in the Western Fujian-Eastern Jiangxi region in the Jiaqing-Daoguang period 5. Marginality and ideology: Qing representations of brotherhood associations and secret societies 6. Chinese brotherhood associations and late imperial China Appendix A: Participation in the Lin Shuangwen uprising Appendix B: Chronology of the Lin Shuangwen uprising Notes Bibliography Glossary Index.
Design of oligothiophene-based tetrazoles for laser-triggered photoclick chemistry in living cells.

A 405 nm light-activatable terthiophene-based tetrazole was designed that reacts with a fumarate dipolarophile with the second-order rate constant k2 exceeding 103 M−1 s−1. The utility of this laser-activatable tetrazole in imaging microtubules in a spatiotemporally controlled manner in live cells was demonstrated.
SU-E-T-469: A Practical Approach for the Determination of Small Field Output Factors Using Published Monte Carlo Derived Correction Factors

Purpose: Output factor determination for small fields (less than 20 mm) presents significant challenges due to ion chamber volume averaging and diode over-response. Measured output factor values between detectors are known to have large deviations as field sizes are decreased. No set standard to resolve this difference in measurement exists. We observed differences between measured output factors of up to 14% using two different detectors. Published Monte Carlo derived correction factors were used to address this challenge and decrease the output factor deviation between detectors. Methods: Output factors for Elekta's linac-based stereotactic cone system were measured using the EDGE detector (Sun Nuclear) and the A16 ion chamber (Standard Imaging). Measurements conditions were 100 cm SSD (source to surface distance) and 1.5 cm depth. Output factors were first normalized to a 10.4 cm × 10.4 cm field size using a daisy-chaining technique to minimize the dependence of field size on detector response. An equation expressing the relation between published Monte Carlo correction factors as a function of field size for each detector was derived. The measured output factors were then multiplied by the calculated correction factors. EBT3 gafchromic film dosimetry was used to independently validate the corrected output factors. Results: Withoutmore » correction, the deviation in output factors between the EDGE and A16 detectors ranged from 1.3 to 14.8%, depending on cone size. After applying the calculated correction factors, this deviation fell to 0 to 3.4%. Output factors determined with film agree within 3.5% of the corrected output factors. Conclusion: We present a practical approach to applying published Monte Carlo derived correction factors to measured small field output factors for the EDGE and A16 detectors. Using this method, we were able to decrease the percent deviation between both detectors from 14.8% to 3.4% agreement.« less
Interbacterial Transfer of R Factor in Humans

In vivo interbacterial transfer of R factor was observed in two patients. Resistance to ampicillin, tetracycline, streptomycin, and chloramphenicol was transferred from Escherichia coli in the intestine of a patient with shigellosis to a Shigella sonnei strain. In a second patient with partial ureteral obstruction, a resistant E. coli strain transferred ampicillin, tetracycline, and streptomycin resistance to a Proteus mirabilis strain.
Evaluation of a Body Pillow to Aid Pediatric Spinal Fusion Recovery

Spinal fusion is a surgery to correct spinal damage or abnormalities. Specific physical positioning facilitates healing but is difficult to maintain and uncomfortable. We compared standard practice (i.e. multiple hospital pillows) to a body-sized pillow for improving comfort and pain in pediatric patients post surgery. A multiple baseline design was used to evaluate three adolescents during post-surgery recovery. Measures included patient report, nurse report, heart rate, and medication requests. Results suggested that the body-sized pillow provided greater comfort than the hospital pillows.
Presence of trifoliin A, a rhizobium-binding lectin, in clover root exudate

Trifoliin A, a Rhizobium-binding glycoprotein from white clover, was detected in sterile clover root exudate by a sensitive immunofluorescence assay employing encapsulated cells of Rhizobium trifolii 0403 heat-fixed to microscope slides. Its presence in root exudate was further examined by immunoaffinity chromatography. The binding of trifoliin A to cells was specifically inhibited by the hapten, 2-deoxyglucose. Significantly higher quantities of trifoliin A were detected in root exudate of seedlings grown hydroponically in nitrogen-free medium than in rooting medium containing 15 mM NO>, a concentration which completely suppressed root hair infection by the nitrogen-fixing symbiont. The presence of trifoliin A in root exudate may make it possible for recognition processes to occur before the microsymbiont attaches to its plant host. Trifoliin A (previously called trifoliin) is a glycoprotein lectin isolated from seeds and seedling roots of white clover El]. Certain legume lectins, such as trifoliin A and soybean hemagglutinin, are likely candidates as cellular recognition molecules because they interact selectively with carbohydrate receptors on both their respective nitrogen-fixing rhizobial microsymbiont and root hairs of the host plant [ 1-41. Root hairs are the differentiated epidermal cells of the host which are specifically infected by rhizobia. The presence of lectins in the exudate of intact bean roots [5] raises the question of cellular recognition processes occurring in the rhizosphere before the bacterial symbiont physically contacts the root surface of the legume host. In this report, we document evidence for the presence of trifoliin A in the root exudate of axenically grown clover seedlings. In addition, we show that the levels of this lectin relative to total protein in root exudate are reduced when the roots are grown with NO3, a fixed N ion known to suppress root hair infection and levels of trifoliin A on clover root surfaces.
Migration of mesenchymal stem cells to heart allografts during chronic rejection.

Background Mesenchymal stem cells (MSC) are pluripotent progenitors for a variety of cell types, including fibroblasts and muscle cells. Their involvement in the tissue repair of allografts during the development of chronic rejection has been hypothesized, but not yet substantiated, by experimental evidence. Methods. Rat MSC were isolated from circulation using an aortic pouch allograft as a trapping device. The plasticity of these cells was examined in differentiation cultures. One of the resulting MSC lines was immortalized and transduced to express a marker lacz gene. The lacz-labeled cells were then transferred to F344 rats bearing Lewis (LEW) cardiac allografts to measure their localization and contribution to graft tissue repair. Results. The MSC isolated from circulation exhibited multipotential for differentiation in culture, developing into various lineages including osteoblasts, lipocytes, chondrocytes, myotubes, and fibroblasts. Intravenous engraftment of the lacz-labeled cells into recipients of heart transplant resulted in migration of the β-gal+ cells into the lesions of chronic rejection in the cardiac grafts and homing of the cells to the bone marrow. The majority of β-gal+ cells present in the allografts exhibited fibroblast phenotypes, and a small number of the cells expressed desmin, indicative of myocyte differentiation. Conclusion. MSC vigorously migrated into the site of allograft rejection. This data suggests that they may be attracted to this site to actively participate in tissue repair during chronic rejection. In addition, given the robust migration, the inhibition of MSC differentiation toward fibroblast progeny and induction toward the myocyte lineage may serve as a new strategy for treatment of chronic rejection and allograft tissue repair.
Influence of autonomic nervous system stimulation on the protective zone

The effect of sympathetic and parasympathetic stimulation on the vulnerable period threshold and the protective zone was studied in chloralose-anaesthetised dogs. Sympathetic stimulation substantially decreased the repetitive extrasystole threshold and shifted the timing of the protective zone earlier into diastole. Vagus nerve excitation exerted the opposite effect on both electrophysiological properties. During concurrent sympathetic nerve stimulation, the changes produced by vagal activation were accentuated. These findings suggest that parasympathetic influences on the protective zone are due, in part, to an antagonism of adrenergic effects on ventricular electrical properties.
Advocacy and the struggle for a better science of anthropology

Spaulding, Philip, ed. Anthropology in Praxis. Calgary, Canada: Department of Anthropology, Occasional Papers in Anthropology and Primatology, 1986. iii + 253 pp. N. P. Paine, Robert, ed. Advocacy and Anthropology, First Encounters. St. Johns, Newfoundland, Canada: Institute of Social and Economic Research, Memorial University of Newfoundland, 1985. xiii 4‐ 278 pp. including references. $15.00 paper. Agar, Michael H. Independents Declared: The Dilemmas of Independent Trucking. Washington, D.C.: Smithsonian Institution Press, 1986. 191 pp. including appendices, literature cited, and index. $24.95 cloth, $14.95 paper.
Energization-dependent Ca2+ accumulation in Trypanosoma brucei bloodstream and procyclic trypomastigotes mitochondria.

The permeabilization of Trypanosoma brucei procyclic and bloodstream trypomastigotes with digitonin permitted the quantitative estimation of a mitochondrial membrane potential of the order of 130–140 mV, in both forms, using safranine O. Dependence on substrate oxidation and response of the procyclic mitochondrial membrane potential to phosphate, FCCP, valinomycin, and Ca2+ indicate that these mitochondria behave similarly to vertebrate mitochondria regarding the properties of their electrochemical proton gradient. In contrast, in bloodstream mitochondria, development of a membrane potential was independent of substrate oxidation and dependent on hydrolysis of ATP by the mitochondrial oligomycin-sensitive ATPase, as demonstrated by collapse of the membrane potential by oligomycin and its insensitivity to the respiratory chain-inhibitor antimycin A. Mitochondria of T. brucei bloodstream forms were also able to take up Ca2+ by an electrophoretic mechanism. This is the first report of the presence of a Ca2+ transport mechanism in an eukaryotic cell devoid of complete tricarboxylic acid cycle and respiratory chain, the activities of which are known to be regulated by changes in intramitochondrial calcium concentration in other cells.
Research Report-Modeling Interpersonal Processes During System Development: Further Thoughts and Suggestions

This article offers commentary on the paper by Barki and Hartwick 1994, to replicate and extend the model of conflict during systems development reported in previous research by Robey and his colleagues Robey and Farrow 1982, Robey et al. 1989, Robey et al. 1993. Because of differences in the approach to measurement and data analysis, Barki and Hartwick's contribution is more properly considered as an extension of the model rather than a replication. Barki and Hartwick's strategy of model fitting is appropriate for such an extension, but it is not clear what role their "hypothesized model" plays in this exploratory work. A more careful distinction between hypothesis testing and data exploration is suggested. Finally, all of the studies using the original model or its variants are limited in their ability to support theoretical reasoning about the process of system development. The direct use of process research strategies is encouraged as a means of overcoming this limitation.
H ∞ optimal interconnections

Abstract In this paper a general H ∞ problem for continuous time, linear time systems is formulated and solved in a behavioral framework. This general formulation, which includes standard H ∞ optimization as a special case, provides added freedom in the design of sub-optimal compensators, and allows for singular interconnections, which naturally occur when interconnecting first principles models. It is shown that a necessary condition for the existence of a solution is the existence of a partition of the control variables which allows one to express the given system by a possibly non-proper, non-standard, input-state-output map. A slight modification of the DGKF Riccati-based solution may then be employed to provide a complete solution. It is shown, with the aid of an example, that the optimal solution may lead to some counter-intuitive constraints which may require novel mechanisms for implementation; thus, the formal optimization techniques being considered in this paper may provide guidelines for design.
Effect of a seminar on pharmacy student attitudes toward residency training.

Purpose. Students at a college of pharmacy were surveyed before and after a one-hour seminar on residency training to determine whether the information changed their opinions of pursuing a residency and identify predisposing factors and barriers to pursuit of a residency. Methods. Attendance at the seminar was mandatory for students in professional years 1 through 3 (P1–P3). Before the seminar, students provided information on demographics, grade point average (GPA), involvement in organizations, and previous pharmacy experience, degrees, and careers. They were asked to choose from a list of reasons they were or were not considering residency training and to answer yes or no questions about the residency application process. Students numbered their preseminar form for matching with their postseminar form. Results. Before and after surveys were obtained for 221 students. Thirty-nine percent of the students before the seminar and 40% afterward were considering residency training, not a significant difference. Students with a GPA greater than 3.5, those in the P1 class, those with a previous career, and those involved in multiple organizations or holding office in an organization were more likely to consider a residency. Students’ knowledge about the residency application process was significantly greater after the seminar. The most commonly cited barriers to residency were availability of pharmacy jobs without a residency, “burnout with school,” lack of interest, and financial and family obligations. Conclusion. A mandatory one-hour seminar on residencies did not influence pharmacy students’ opinions of and plans for residency training, but it did identify factors affecting their decisions.
The Dangers of Generational Myth-Making Rejoinder to Twenge

We respond here to Twenge’s article “The Evidence for Generation Me and Against Generation We.” With regard to the question of whether “narcissism” is increasing among emerging adults, flaws are id...
" Nobody Knows the way of the Caribou": Rangifer hunting at 45° North Latitude

While caribou hunting structures are well known in the circumpolar region, equivalent features are difficult to investigate further south due to significant changes in sea level and subsequent human activity. The discovery of hunting structures on submerged landforms beneath modern Lake Huron provides a new window into caribou hunting in the mid-latitudes. This paper summarizes current findings and considers both the strategies for hunting caribou and the necessary organizational implications for such activities on the Alpena-Amberley Ridge. It is shown that many of the features known in the circumpolar region are also present in the mid-latitudes, but that significant differences are also observed. Many of these differences seem attributable to the seasonal migration of vast caribou herds across the causeway-like setting of the Alpena-Amberley Ridge.
The Dilemma of Financial Liberalization: State Autonomy and Societal Demands

Under what conditions do governments shift their capital control policies toward liberalization? Under what conditions do societal supporters influence that liberalization? We postulate the following: (1) The desire to maintain state autonomy leads all governments to prefer capital controls to their liberalization, but strong governments, regardless of partisanship, are more able to act on that preference and more likely to maintain controls longer than weak governments. (2) Strong partisan governments are influenced toward liberalization if their core societal constituency increasingly supports it-skilled labor for the left government, multinational corporations (MNCs) and commercial banks for the right government. (3) Skilled labor, MNCs, and banks may also influence capital decontrol, regardless of whether its political party is in power, if the group has broad national significance and captures government policy making. Our theory extends beyond existing pluralist and statist explanations. In an empir...
Modeling Aerosol Impacts on Convective Storms in Different Environments

Aerosols are known to have both direct and indirect effects on clouds through their role as cloud condensation nuclei. This study examines the effects of differing aerosol concentrations on convective storms developing under different environments. The Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (RAMS), a cloudresolving model with sophisticated microphysical and aerosol parameterization schemes, was used to achieve the goals of this study. A sounding that would produce deep convection was chosen and consistently modified to obtain a variety of CAPE values. Additionally, the model was initiated with varying concentrations of aerosols that were available to act as cloud condensation nuclei. Each model run produced long-lived convective storms with similar storm development, but they differed slightly based on the initial conditions. Runs with higher initial CAPE values produced the strongest storms overall, with stronger updrafts and larger amounts of accumulated surface precipitation. Simulations initiated with larger concentrations of aerosols developed similar storm structures but showed some distinctive dynamical and microphysical changes because of aerosol indirect effects. Many of the changes seen because of varying aerosol concentrations were of either the same order or larger magnitude than those brought about by changing the convective environment.
Social Justice Beyond the Classroom: Responding to the Marathon Bombing’s Islamophobic Aftermath

Counseling psychology doctoral programs across the country are working to develop new approaches to bring social justice to the curriculum. Boston College has done so, in part, through a course titled Counseling in Context. The three core emphases are (a) ongoing self-examination of power and privilege, (b) applying traditional counseling skills to community-level problems, and (c) building from a clear intellectual and values framework. Building on an ally development conceptual frame, we illustrate how these principles were used to develop an intervention to combat Islamophobia on campus in the wake of the Boston Marathon bombings. The Don’t Meet Hurt With Hate. Love Islam Campaign served to support Muslims and engage non-Muslims in ally behavior, engaging more than 400 students on campus and 10,000 people virtually. In demonstrating how students can act with and for oppressed communities, we hope to provide a template for similar actions on other campuses.
Therapeutic Options for Sleep-Maintenance and Sleep-Onset Insomnia

Insomnia, defined as difficulty falling asleep, staying asleep, and/or experiencing restorative sleep with associated impairment or significant distress, is a common condition resulting in significant clinical and economic consequences. Many options are available to treat insomnia, to assist with either falling asleep (sleep onset) or maintaining sleep. We searched MEDLINE for articles published between January 1996 and January 2006, evaluated abstracts from recent professional meetings, and contacted the manufacturer of the most recent addition to the pharmacologic armamentarium for insomnia treatment (ramelteon) to gather information. Nonpharmacologic options include stimulus control, sleep hygiene education, sleep restriction, paradoxical intention, relaxation therapy, biofeedback, and cognitive behavioral therapy. Prescription and over-the-counter drug therapies include benzodiazepine and nonbenzodiazepine sedative-hypnotic agents; ramelteon, a melatonin receptor agonist; trazodone; and sedating antihistamines. Herbal and alternative preparations include melatonin and valerian. Before recommending any treatment, clinicians should consider patient-specific criteria such as age, medical history, and other drug use, as well as the underlying cause of the sleep disturbance. All pharmacotherapy should be used with appropriate caution, at minimum effective doses, and for minimum duration of time.
Laser-assisted charge-transfer reactions (Li3++H): Coupled dressed-quasimolecular-state approach.

A semiclassical coupled dressed-quasimolecular-states (DQMS) approach is presented for nonperturbative treatment of multichannel charge-transfer reactions at low collision velocities and high laser intensities, incorporating the implementation of the generalized Van Vleck (GVV) nearly degenerate perturbation theory. The GVV technique allows block partitioning of the infinite-dimensional Floquet Hamiltonian into a finite-dimensional model DQMS space, and thereby reduces greatly the number of effective coupled channels. Further, the GVV-Floquet basis allows minimization of the (usually large in amplitude) field-induced nonadiabatic radial couplings without the need to explicitly construct the transformation between the adiabatic and diabatic DQMS basis. This yields a new set of coupled GVV-DQMS equations (neither adiabatic nor diabatic) which are particularly convenient for multichannel calculations. The method is applied to the study of the laser-assisted charge-transfer process: Li/sup 3 +/+H(1s)+h..omega -->..Li/sup 2 +/(n = 3)+H/sup +/, using 2-, 5-, and 15- GVV-DQMS basis. It is found that while the 5-state results agree well with the 15-state calculations even up to very high intensities for the (LiH)/sup 3 +/ system, the 2-state basis is inadequate at high-intensity and lower-wavelength regimes.
Experiences of Parents Who Homeschool Their Children With Autism Spectrum Disorders

Teachers may be inadequately prepared for the increasing number of students being identified with autism spectrum disorders (ASD), as students with ASD may not respond to traditional methods of ins...
Connectivity preservation tests for parallel reduction-augmentation algorithms

Reduction-augmentation operators change binary images by taking certain foreground pixels to the background (reduction) and certain background pixels to the foreground (augmentation). New connectivity preservation tests have been developed for special classes of parallel 2D reduction-augmentation operators. These special classes place requirements on the operators that are typical of those which appear in existing reduction-augmentation algorithms.
Adaptive pattern classification for symbolic dynamic systems

This paper addresses pattern classification in dynamical systems, where the underlying algorithms are formulated in the symbolic domain and the patterns are constructed from symbol strings as probabilistic finite state automata (PFSA) with (possibly) diverse algebraic structures. A combination of Dirichlet and multinomial distributions is used to model the uncertainties due to the (finite-length) string approximation of symbol sequences in both training and testing phases of pattern classification. The classifier algorithm follows the structure of a Bayes model and has been validated on a simulation test bed. The results of numerical simulation are presented for several examples.
Snowpack radiative heating: Influence on Tibetan Plateau climate

Solar absorption decays exponentially with depth in snowpacks. However, most climate models constrain all snowpack absorption to occur uniformly in the top-most snow layer. We show that 20–45% of solar absorption by deep snowpacks occurs more than 2 cm beneath the surface. Accounting for vertically-resolved solar heating alters steady-state snow mass without changing bulk snow albedo, and ice-albedo feedback amplifies this effect. Vertically-resolved snowpack heating reduces winter snow mass on the Tibetan Plateau by 80% in one GCM, and significantly increases 2 m air temperature. These changes significantly reduce model-measurement discrepancies. Our results demonstrate that snowpack radiative heating plays a significant role in regulating surface climate and hydrology. More accurate snowpack radiation has the potential to improve predictions of related climate processes, such as spring runoff and the Asian Monsoon.
The Relation of Social Support to Depression in Massively Multiplayer Online Role-Playing Games

It has been suggested that involvement in massively multiplayer online role-playing games (MMORPGs) provides users with a sense of support and community. In the present study, we examined the possible buffering effects of MMORPGs on depression. First, we examined whether higher involvement in MMORPGs was associated with higher levels of perceived social support. Second, we examined whether, consistent with past research, higher levels of perceived social support were associated with lower levels of nonclinical depression. Using structural equation modeling, we found that involvement in MMORPGs was not associated with perceived social support. However, we further confirmed that a lack of perceived social support is associated with higher levels of depression. Implications for MMORPGs and its players are discussed.
Interpreting uncertainty in fuzzy signal detection

Fuzzy logic can be used to construct signal detection systems that, unlike Bayesian classifiers, explicitly describe the degree of uncertainty in the detection decision. The usefulness of uncertain classifications depends on what can be done with them. Interpretation of uncertain classifications is illustrated by considering a fuzzy detector for QRS complexes that combines two algorithms that are sensitive to different types of noise. A simulation study incorporating different noise types demonstrates the effectiveness of fuzzy combination and shows that uncertainty characterizes situations when the algorithms conflict, that is, one is correct and the other is incorrect. Methods for dealing with uncertain classifications in QRS detection include utilizing higher level rule systems or past history to determine whether treating an uncertain classification as signal-present makes sense and skipping uncertain classifications without treating them as signal-present or signal-absent. The most appropriate method depends on the application.
Passengers’ perceptions of low cost airlines and full service carriers: A case study involving Ryanair, Aer Lingus, Air Asia and Malaysia Airlines

Abstract Direct competition between full service airlines and no-frills carriers is intensifying across the world. US and European full service airlines have lost a significant proportion of their passengers to low cost carriers, the experience now being repeated in the domestic markets of Asia. This paper attempts to provide answers to a number of critical questions: What are the key drivers of each type of airline's business model? Is there a difference in passengers’ perceptions between low cost carriers and full service incumbents in a mature European market and in a rapidly developing Asian economy? What are the principle reasons why a passenger chooses a particular airline model? How could a legacy carrier encourage passengers to return and so regain their domestic market share? These questions are addressed using information obtained in passenger surveys that were recently conducted in Europe and Asia.
Early electrical remodeling in rabbit pulmonary vein results from trafficking of intracellular SK2 channels to membrane sites

Objective Atrial fibrillation is often initiated by bursts of ectopic activity arising in the pulmonary veins. We have previously shown that a 3-h intermittent burst pacing protocol (BPP), mimicking ectopic pulmonary vein foci, shortens action potential duration (APD) locally at the pulmonary vein–atrial interface (PV) while having no effect elsewhere in rabbit atrium. This shortening is Ca2+ dependent and is prevented by apamin, which blocks small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (SKCa). The present study investigates the ionic and molecular mechanisms whereby two apamin-sensitive SKCa channels, SK2 and SK3, might contribute to the regional APD changes. Methods Microelectrode and patch clamp techniques were used to record APDs and apamin-sensitive currents in isolated rabbit left atria and cells dispersed from PV and Bachmann's bundle (BB) regions. SK2 and SK3 mRNA and protein levels were quantified, and immunofluorescence was used to observe channel protein distribution. Results There was a direct relationship between APD shortening and apamin-sensitive current in burst-paced but not sham-paced PV. Moreover, apamin-sensitive current density increased in PV but not BB after BPP. SK2 mRNA, protein, and current were increased in PV after BPP, while SK2 immunostaining shifted from a perinuclear pattern in sham atria to predominance at sites near or at the PV membrane. Conclusions BPP-induced acceleration of repolarization in PV results from SK2 channel trafficking to the membrane, leading to increased apamin-sensitive outward current. This is the first indication of involvement of Ca2+-activated K+ currents in atrial remodeling and provides a possible basis for evolution of an arrhythmogenic substrate.
The snail repressor establishes a muscle/notochord boundary in the Ciona embryo

Previous studies have identified a minimal 434 bp enhancer from the promoter region of the Ciona Brachyury gene (Ci-Bra), which is sufficient to direct a notochord-specific pattern of gene expression. Here we present evidence that a Ciona homolog of snail (Ci-sna) encodes a repressor of the Ci-Bra enhancer in the tail muscles. DNA-binding assays identified four Ci-Sna-binding sites in the Ci-Bra enhancer, and mutations in these sites cause otherwise normal Ci-Bra/lacZ transgenes to be misexpressed in ectopic tissues, particularly the tail muscles. Selective misexpression of Ci-sna using a heterologous promoter results in the repression of Ci-Bra/lacZ transgenes in the notochord. Moreover, the conversion of the Ci-Sna repressor into an activator results in the ectopic induction of Ci-Bra/lacZ transgenes in the muscles, and also causes an intermixing of notochord and muscle cells during tail morphogenesis. These results suggest that Ci-Sna functions as a boundary repressor, which subdivides the mesoderm into separate notochord and tail muscle lineages.
Designing Tests of the Supreme Court and the Separation of Powers

While rational choice models of Supreme Court decisionmaking have enhanced our appreciation for the separation of powers built into the Madisonian Constitutional design, convincing empirical suppor...
What Cognitive Science Brings to Ethics

Empirical research on the nature of mind, thought, and language has profound implications for our understanding of morality. From a critical perspective, this research constrains the range of acceptable theories by showing that our abstract moral concepts are grounded in our bodily experience, are defined relative to prototypes, are structured by metaphor, and are tied to emotions. The new view of moral deliberation that emerges from this conception of embodied mind reveals important similarities between moral reasoning and what has traditionally been thought of as aesthetic judgment. Moral reasoning is an imaginative process of problem solving.
Is Community-Based Participatory Research Postnormal Science?

Conventional, positivist science is not well suited for addressing the contemporary risk landscape. To address high-uncertainty, high-stakes risks, Funtowicz and Ravetz have called for a postnormal science. Two key characteristics of postnormal science are the involvement of an extended peer community and the deliberation of extended facts. The health research community has responded to the shortcomings of normal science with approaches to field research, known collectively as community-based participatory research (CBPR). A review of case literature shows that although CBPR is not inherently postnormal, it can be friendly to a postnormal approach. A postnormal CBPR practice would rely more heavily on a deliberative process, which engages a broad range of expertise, including experts in normal science, in decisions about data collection, analysis, and actions.
Controlled scalable synthesis of uniform, high-quality monolayer and few-layer MoS2 films

Two dimensional (2D) materials with a monolayer of atoms represent an ultimate control of material dimension in the vertical direction. Molybdenum sulfide (MoS2) monolayers, with a direct bandgap of 1.8 eV, offer an unprecedented prospect of miniaturizing semiconductor science and technology down to a truly atomic scale. Recent studies have indeed demonstrated the promise of 2D MoS2 in fields including field effect transistors, low power switches, optoelectronics, and spintronics. However, device development with 2D MoS2 has been delayed by the lack of capabilities to produce large-area, uniform, and high-quality MoS2 monolayers. Here we present a self-limiting approach that can grow high quality monolayer and few-layer MoS2 films over an area of centimeters with unprecedented uniformity and controllability. This approach is compatible with the standard fabrication process in semiconductor industry. It paves the way for the development of practical devices with 2D MoS2 and opens up new avenues for fundamental research.
Increased Rates of Convergence Through Learning Rate Adaptation

WHILE THERE EXIST MANY TECHNIQUES FOR FINDING THE PARAMETERS THAT MINI- MIZE AN ERROR FUNCTION, ONLY THOSE METHODS THAT SOLELY PERFORM LOCAL COMPU- TATIONS ARE USED IN CONNECTIONIST NETWORKS. THE MOST POPULAR LEARNING ALGO RITHM FOR CONNECTIONIST NETWORKS IS THE BACK-PROPOGATION PROCEDURE [13], WHICH CAN BE USED TO UPDATE THE WEIGHTS BY THE METHOD OF STEEPEST DESCENT. IN THIS PAPER, WE EXAMINE STEEPEST DESCENT AND ANALYZE WHY IT CAN BE SLOW TO CONVERGE. WE THEN PROPOSE FOUR HEURISTICS FOR ACHIEVING FASTER RATES OF CONVERGENCE WHILE ADHERING TO THE LOCALITY CONSTRAINT. THESE HEURISTICS SUGGEST THAT EVERY WEIGHT OF A NETWORK SHOULD BE GIVEN ITS OWN LEARNING RATE AND THAT THESE RATES SHOULD BE ALLOWED TO VARY OVER TIME. ADDITIONALLY THE HEURISTICS SUGGEST HOW THE LEARNING RATES SHOULD BE ADJUSTED. TWO IMPLEMENTATIONS OF THESE HEURISTICS, NAMELY MOMENTUM AND AN ALGORITHM CALLED THE DELTA-BAR-DELTA RULE, ARE STUDIED AND SIMULATION RESULTS ARE PRESENTED.
Patterns of Early Colony Development (Astogeny) in Four Genera of Trepostome Bryozoans from the Upper Ordovician

Abstract The early astogeny of specimens representing the bryozoan genera Dekayia, Parvohallopora, Heterotrypa, and Homotrypella follows the same pattern documented in other Ordovician trepostomes. After larval settlement and metamorphosis, typically three primary, periancestrular, autozooids bud distally from the founder zooid, the ancestrula, with secondary zooids budding from the primaries, tertiary zooids from the secondaries, and so on. Progressive lateral displacement of buds, through backbudding, eventually produces a sub-circular ancestrular disk. Significant intergeneric differences in this basic pattern do not appear to exist. Intrageneric variability in budding pattern occurs during colony development. That variability might have resulted from any or all of the following sources: within-genus plasticity, the development of multiple ancestrulae, or environmental variation. The basic pattern of three primary buds developed from individual ancestrulae has been recognized in other trepostomes, some...
Autonomous database partitioning using data mining on single computers and cluster computers

One of the most important metrics in measuring the performance of a database system is query response time, which is composed of I/O time and CPU time. I/O time is decided by the amount of data read/write from/to disks and how the data is located on disks. CPU time is decided by how the database system performs the query operations. So if we want to reduce the query response time we can reduce either I/O time or CPU time, or both of them. We know retrieving data from disks is much slower than retrieving data from main memory. Hence, one of the common ways to reduce I/O times is clustering data on disks so that queries will access only relevant data. This paper introduces an efficient algorithm, called AutoClust, for automatic database attribute clustering (or also called automatic database vertical partitioning) for single computers as well as cluster computers. It is based on closed item sets mined from queries and their attributes using association rule mining. The paper then presents experimental results comparing the performance of AutoClust with that of a baseline algorithm on both single computers and cluster computers using the TPC-H benchmark running on major commercial database systems. The experiments show that AutoClust has better query costs for both types of computers.
Expression of Opioid Peptide Genes in Different Species

In the past 15 years, a number of small peptides that mediate specific kinds of behavior have been isolated. For example, hypothalamic releasing factors ranging from 3 to 41 amino acids in length regulate the production and release of anterior pituitary hormones that mediate growth, reproductive cycles, and diurnal light and temperature cycles. Substance P and opioid peptides regulate the perception of pain in the animal by serving as neurotransmitters and neuromodulators in the nervous system. Other peptides have been implicated in regulating sleep and temperature (bombesin). The train of responses involved in egg-laying behavior in Aplysia has been shown to be triggered by a small group of related peptides. Finally, peptide pheromones (a and α factors) mediate the union of yeast cells during conjugation.
Pregnancy and Lupus Nephritis

The management of lupus nephritis in pregnancy presents a diagnostic and therapeutic challenge for providers. Pregnancy creates a series of physiologic changes in the immune system and kidney that may result in an increased risk of disease flare and adverse maternal and fetal outcomes, such as preeclampsia, fetal loss, and preterm delivery. Conception should be delayed until disease is in remission to ensure the best pregnancy outcomes. Maternal disease activity and fetal well-being should be monitored closely by an interdisciplinary team, including obstetricians, rheumatologists, and nephrologists throughout pregnancy. Careful attention must be paid to the dosing and potential teratogenicity of medications.
DOES LIFE HISTORY PREDICT RISK-TAKING BEHAVIOR OF WINTERING DABBLING DUCKS?

Abstract Life-history theory predicts that longer-lived, less fecund species should take fewer risks when exposed to predation than shorter-lived, more fecund species. We tested this prediction for seven species of dabbling ducks (Anas) by measuring the approach behavior (behavior of ducks when approaching potential landing sites) of 1099 duck flocks during 37 hunting trials and 491 flocks during 13 trials conducted immediately after the 1999–2000 waterfowl hunting season in California, USA. We also experimentally manipulated the attractiveness of the study site by using two decoy treatments: (1) traditional, stationary decoys only, and (2) traditional decoys in conjunction with a mechanical spinning-wing decoy. Approach behavior of ducks was strongly correlated with their life history. Minimum approach distance was negatively correlated with reproductive output during each decoy treatment and trial type. Similarly, the proportion of flocks taking risk (approaching landing sites to within 45 m) was positi...
Effect of Drought on Stream Quality in New Jersey

Five consecutive years of drought (1961-66) have had a pronounced effect on the water quality of New Jersey's streams. This is illustrated by comparison of cumulative departures of precipitation and streamflow and of 12-month moving-average analysis of systematically collected water-quality information at stream-sampling sites in the major river systems in the State. The deficiencies of precipitation and streamflow during the drought are shown to have a definite relation to several water-quality parameters. Abnormally high dissolved-solids content, coliform-bacteria counts, and biochemical oxygen demand are shown to occur, as are abnormally low dissolved oxygen and suspended-sediment content, and further intrusion than normal of saline waters into estuarine areas. In general, the maximum deterioration of the water-quality parameters described was observed in late 1965 and early 1966.
No More Textbooks: Changing How We Structure Classes

With college textbook prices soaring, acceptable solutions are difficult to find. After going over the controversial past of textbooks, some of the reasons for these skyrocketing costs and the impact they are having on students, professors and higher education institutions are reviewed. This article outlines a solution that is pleasing to all interested parties: students, faculty, administration, legislatures and the public in general. By eliminating traditional textbooks and replacing them with books from personal libraries, the cost goes down; the intellectual challenge for both the students and the professor rises; and productivity, as defined by completion rates, improves. This is a win/win solution with very little downside that can transform the teaching/learning process. No longer do textbooks need to be a barrier to higher education; instead, personal library books can increase the rigour and create significant learning in students. It is a simple solution to a problem that is becoming out of cont...