cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Marking Time:The Epic Quest to Invent the Perfect Calendar

The arrival of the new millennium has renewed interest in the evolution of our modern calendar. Unraveling the story of this evolution requires extensive knowledge of science, history, and religion. Most of us have little understanding of how the date of Easter is determined, or why we celebrate the New Year on January 1st. In Marking Time: The Epic Quest to Invent the Perfect Calendar, Duncan Steel takes readers on a revealing, meandering trip from several millennia B.C. to the present. As the author states, “By the time you finish reading this tome…it will be clear that the calendar has had much greater effect upon human destiny than you may have fondly imagined. It's not just about numbering the days: it's about the rises and falls of empires and religions…about controlling the masses and subverting your rivals. The calendar story is one of human strife and aspirations.” And so Steel reveals how our calendar is based as much on religion and politics as it is on physical science.
Transient Nonequilibrium Molecular Dynamic Simulations of Thermal Conductivity: 1. Simple Fluids

Thermal conductivity has been previously obtained from molecular dynamics (MD) simulations using either equilibrium (EMD) simulations (from Green--Kubo equations) or from steady-state nonequilibrium (NEMD) simulations. In the case of NEMD, either boundary-driven steady states are simulated or constrained equations of motion are used to obtain steady-state heat transfer rates. Like their experimental counterparts, these nonequilibrium steady-state methods are time consuming and may have convection problems. Here we report a new transient method developed to provide accurate thermal conductivity predictions from MD simulations. In the proposed MD method, molecules that lie within a specified volume are instantaneously heated. The temperature decay of the system of molecules inside the heated volume is compared to the solution of the transient energy equation, and the thermal diffusivity is regressed. Since the density of the fluid is set in the simulation, only the isochoric heat capacity is needed in order to obtain the thermal conductivity. In this study the isochoric heat capacity is determined from energy fluctuations within the simulated fluid. The method is valid in the liquid, vapor, and critical regions. Simulated values for the thermal conductivity of a Lennard-Jones (LJ) fluid were obtained using this new method over a temperature range of 90 to 900 K and a density range of 1–35 kmol · m-3. These values compare favorably with experimental values for argon. The new method has a precision of ±10%. Compared to other methods, the algorithm is quick, easy to code, and applicable to small systems, making the simulations very efficient.
Label-free monitoring of individual DNA hybridization using SERS

ABSTRACT Sequence-specific detection of DNA hybridization at the single-molecule level has been instrumental and gradually become a ubiquitous tool in a wide variety of biological and biomedical applications such as clinical diagnostics, biosensors, and drug development. Label-free and amplification-free schemes are of particular interest because they could potentially provide in situ monitoring of individual hybridization events, which may lead to techniques for discriminating subtle variations due to single-base modification without stringency control or repetitive thermal cycling. Surface-enhanced Raman spectroscopy (SERS) has been widely used for molecular detection and identification by exploiting the localized surface plasmon resonance effect when the target molecules are near gold or silver nanostructures. However, effective and robust SERS assays have yet become a reality for trace detection. Recently, we have developed a SERS substrate by shaping nanoporous gold thin films into monolithic submicron disks, called nanoporous gold disks (NPGD). Here we demonstrate in situ monitoring of the same immobilized ssDNA molecules and their individual hybridization events. Keywords: DNA, SERS, hybridization
Colominic acid, a substance of bacterial origin related to sialic acid.

SOME years ago, it was found that a mucoprotein derived from submaxillary mucin contained an acidic component which was termed sialic acid1. More recently, it has been shown that other mucoproteins of mammalian origin contain substances closely related to sialic acid; among these are neuraminic2, gynaminic3 and lactaminic4 acids. Despite intensive chemical investigations, the structure of these various substances has not yet been fully elucidated.
Expression in Escherichia Coli of an Epitope of the Glycoprotein of Infectious Hematopoietic Necrosis Virus Protects Against Viral Challenge

Plasmid vectors were constructed that expressed an antigenic determinant of the glycoprotein gene of infectious hematopoietic necrosis virus (IHNV) as a fusion protein with the trpE protein of Escherichia coli. Insertion of Sau3AI fragments from the IHNV glycoprotein gene into trpE expression plasmids led to a fusion protein containing a hydrophilic segment of 104 amino acids from the middle portion of the viral glycoprotein. Although this region of the glycoprotein contains three N–linked glycosylation sites and is probably glycosylated in the virus, it is not glycosylated in bacteria. Nonetheless, immunization trials in fish with the crude bacterial lysate containing the fusion protein showed that the trpE–glycoprotein fusion protein produced in bacteria induced protective immunity.
Circulating endothelial microparticles as a measure of early lung destruction in cigarette smokers

Rationale: There is increasing evidence that emphysema is associated with primary loss of pulmonary capillary endothelium. Plasma levels of endothelial microparticles (EMPs), small vesicles released from activated or apoptotic endothelial cells, are elevated in vascular-related disorders. Objectives: To evaluate whether plasma EMP levels are elevated in smokers with early lung destruction as assessed by normal spirometry but reduced diffusing capacity of the lung for carbon monoxide (DlCO). Methods: Lung health was assessed by pulmonary function tests (PFTs: spirometry, total lung capacity, DlCO) and chest X-ray; smoking status was assessed by urine nicotine and cotinine. EMP levels (CD42b−CD31+ microparticles) were quantified as activated or apoptotic. The initial cohort (n = 92) included healthy nonsmokers (normal PFTs), healthy smokers (normal PFTs), and smokers with early evidence of lung destruction (normal spirometry, low DlCO). Two prospective cohorts were then tested: a group similar to the initial cohort and an HIV1+ cohort. Measurements and Main Results: Healthy smokers had mildly increased levels of EMPs. Strikingly, 95% of smokers with normal spirometry, low DlCO had increased EMPs, with reduced CD62+/CD31+ ratios (P < 10−4) and elevated CD42b−CD31+ annexin V+ EMPs (P < 10−4), suggesting derivation from endothelial apoptosis. Most elevated EMPs were angiotensin-converting enzyme positive, suggesting derivation from pulmonary capillaries. Both prospective cohorts confirmed the initial cohort data. Conclusions: Plasma EMPs with apoptotic characteristics are elevated in smokers with normal spirometry but reduced DlCO, consistent with the concept that emphysema is associated, in part, with capillary endothelium apoptosis, suggesting that the early development of emphysema might be monitored with plasma EMP levels.
Retinal thickness measured by spectral-domain optical coherence tomography in eyes without retinal abnormalities: the Beaver Dam Eye Study.

Purpose To examine relationships of age, sex, and systemic and ocular conditions with retinal thickness measured by spectral-domain ocular coherence tomography (SD OCT) in participants without retinal disease. Design Longitudinal study. Methods setting : Population-based cohort. study population : Persons aged 43–86 years living in Beaver Dam, Wisconsin in 1988–1990. observation procedures : Retinal thickness was measured via SD OCT at the Beaver Dam Eye Study examination in 2008–2010. Retinal disease was determined by ophthalmoscopy, fundus photography, or SD OCT. main outcome measures : Retinal thickness from the inner limiting membrane to the Bruch membrane. Results The retina was thickest in the inner circle (mean 334.5 μm) and thinnest in the center subfield (285.4 μm). Mean retinal thickness decreased with age in the inner circle (P Conclusions This study provides data for retinal thickness measures in eyes of individuals aged 63 years and older without retinal disease. This information may be useful for clinical trials involving the effects of interventions on retinal thickness and for comparisons with specific retinal diseases affecting the macula.
Direct Numerical Simulation of Particle Heat and Mass Transfer in a Fluidized Bed

We have developed a Direct Numerical Simulation combined with the Immersed Boundary method (DNS-IB) to study heat transfer in particulate flows. In this method, fluid velocity and temperature fields are obtained by solving the modified momentum and heat transfer equations, which result from the presence of heated particles in the fluid; particles are tracked individually and their velocities and positions are solved based on the equations of linear and angular motions; particle temperature is assumed to be a constant. The momentum and heat exchanges between a particle and the surrounding fluid at its surface are resolved using the immersed boundary method with the direct forcing scheme. The DNS-IB method has been used to study heat transfer of 1024 of heated spheres in a fluidized bed. By exploring the rich data generated from the DNS-IB simulations, we are able to obtain statistically averaged fluid and particle velocity as well as overall heat transfer rate in a fluidized bed.Copyright © 2014 by ASME
Current challenges in translational pain research

The current gap between basic science research and the development of new analgesics presents a serious challenge for the future of pain medicine. This challenge is particularly difficult in the search for better treatment for comorbid chronic pain conditions because: (i) animal 'pain' models do not simulate multidimensional clinical pain conditions; (ii) animal behavioral testing does not assess subjective pain experience; (iii) preclinical data provide little assurance regarding the direction of new analgesic development; and (iv) clinical trials routinely use over-sanitized study populations and fail to capture the multidisciplinary consequences of comorbid chronic pain. Therefore, a paradigm shift in translational pain research is necessary to transform the current strategy from focusing on molecular switches of nociception to studying pain as a system-based integral response that includes psychosocial comorbidities. Several key issues of translational pain research are discussed in this review.
Experiences of women healing from childhood sexual abuse.

Childhood sexual abuse has affected the lives of countless survivors who seek help within the health care system. Despite extensive research and clinical work, many survivors do not receive adequate help. This research aimed to add to the body of clinical knowledge by reporting on the experiences of childhood sexual abuse survivors who have achieved a measure of healing. Findings from a naturalistic study of 14 female survivors of childhood sexual abuse are presented. The character of healing, the relationship of context with healing, what facilitated healing, and what impeded healing are discussed.
Defining and Implementing a Multilevel Design Representation with Simulation Applications

A design representation that incorporates descriptions at more than one level of abstraction is called a multilevel representation. This paper describes a multilevel representation which includes behavioral and structural levels of description, and a multilevel analysis aid, called timing abstraction, which extracts timing information from a structural design and adds it to a behavior level description. With this design aid, alternate implementations of the same behavior, generated using the CMU-DA synthesis software, can be compared using a behavior level simulator. The timing accuracy is that of the microcode impleinentation, while the speed of the simulation is that of a behavior level simulator.
Merchant transmission: A new approach to transmission expansion

Prior to restructuring of the electric supply industry in the 1990s, virtually all transmission expansion was centrally planned, developed, financed, owned and operated by utilities with significant generation and transmission interests. The costs were added to the utilities rate base and included in power rates. The emergence of open access transmission has led to increased competition in power markets. Merchant transmission projects have appeared. We discuss the new approaches, the regulatory rationale for these new approaches and why they should lead to a more efficiency markets.
Characteristics of Trichomonas vaginalis Isolates from Women with and without Colpitis Macularis

Colpitis macularis, the most specific clinical sign for diagnosis of trichomoniasis, was detected by colposcopy in 52 of 118 infected women. Patients with colpitis macularis had a mean (+/- SD) of 18 +/- 20 Trichomonas vaginalis organisms/field (x 400 magnification) compared with 7 +/- 17 in patients with colpitis macularis (P less than .003). To compare possible virulence markers in isolates from women with and without colpitis macularis, isolates were analyzed for hemolytic activity, abscess production in an animal model, and adherence to cells in tissue culture. The mean hemolytic activity (relative to complete hemolysis) was 84% for 22 isolates from women with and 78% for 29 isolates from women without colpitis macularis. After subcutaneous injections in mice, abscesses were produced by 70% of isolates from patients with and 68% from patients without colpitis macularis. After a 15-min exposure, 39% of radiolabeled isolates from women with or without colpitis macularis adhered to HeLa cell monolayers. Purulent discharge, the second most useful sign for clinical diagnosis, was associated with colpitis macularis and with the number of organisms per high-power field on wet mount (P less than .01 for each comparison) but was not correlated with any experimental assay. Thus, no experimental characteristic of T. vaginalis isolates was associated with colpitis macularis or purulent vaginal discharge.
Languages as libraries

Programming language design benefits from constructs for extending the syntax and semantics of a host language. While C's string-based macros empower programmers to introduce notational shorthands, the parser-level macros of Lisp encourage experimentation with domain-specific languages. The Scheme programming language improves on Lisp with macros that respect lexical scope. The design of Racket---a descendant of Scheme---goes even further with the introduction of a full-fledged interface to the static semantics of the language. A Racket extension programmer can thus add constructs that are indistinguishable from "native" notation, large and complex embedded domain-specific languages, and even optimizing transformations for the compiler backend. This power to experiment with language design has been used to create a series of sub-languages for programming with first-class classes and modules, numerous languages for implementing the Racket system, and the creation of a complete and fully integrated typed sister language to Racket's untyped base language.This paper explains Racket's language extension API via an implementation of a small typed sister language. The new language provides a rich type system that accommodates the idioms of untyped Racket. Furthermore, modules in this typed language can safely exchange values with untyped modules. Last but not least, the implementation includes a type-based optimizer that achieves promising speedups. Although these extensions are complex, their Racket implementation is just a library, like any other library, requiring no changes to the Racket implementation.
The Career Indecision Profile Measurement Equivalence in the United States and South Korea

This study tested for the measurement equivalence of a four-factor measure of career indecision (Career Indecision Profile-65; CIP-65) in U.S. and South Korean samples. The study was conducted in t...
Robot sensor calibration: solving AX=XB on the Euclidean group

The equation AX=XB on the Euclidean group arises in the problem of calibrating wrist-mounted robotic sensors. In this article the authors derive, using methods of Lie theory, a closed-form exact solution that can be visualized geometrically, and a closed-form least squares solution when A and B are measured in the presence of noise. >
Neuroanatomy of the human visual system: Part I Retinal projections to the LGN and pretectum as demonstrated with a new method

The neuroanatomy of experimental animals has been extensively investigated with studies which have employed sophisticated histological and physiological techniques. However, there has been very little information on human neuroanatomy since these techniques have been largely inapplicable to human brains. In particular, silver staining techniques have not been as successfully applied in human brains since they require precise, short survival times.A staining method (PPD) has been developed which permits the tracing of the degenerated fibers in the human brain even after very long survival periods. Applying this method to postmortem brains from patients with old ocular pathology, the author was able to demonstrate projections from the retina to the lateral geniculate nucleus and the pretectum in man. Transsynaptic changes seen in the lateral geniculate following long-term deafferentation are best described as atrophy, not degeneration. The PPD method is a simple and reliable technique that can be used in co...
Optimization-intensive watermarking techniques for decision problems

Recently, a number of watermarking-based intellectual property protection techniques have been proposed. Although they have been applied to different stages in the design process and have a great variety of technical and theoretical features, all of them share two common properties: they all have been applied solely to optimization problems and do not involve any optimization during the watermarking process. In this paper we propose the first set of optimization-intensive watermarking techniques for decision problems. In particular we demonstrate how one can select a subset of superimposed watermarking constraints so that the uniqueness of the signature and the likelihood of satisfying an instance of the satisfiability problem are simultaneously maximized. We have developed three watermarking SAT techniques: adding clauses, deleting literals, push-out and pull-back. Each technique targets different types of signature induced constraint superimposition on an instance of the SAT problem. In addition to comprehensive experimental validation, we theoretically analyze the potentials and limitations of the proposed watermarking techniques. Furthermore, we analyze the three proposed optimization-intensive watermarking SAT techniques in terms of their suitability for copy detection.
Outcomes after Urethroplasty for Radiotherapy Induced Bulbomembranous Urethral Stricture Disease

Purpose: We recently demonstrated that radiotherapy induced urethral strictures can be successfully managed with urethroplasty. We increased size and followup in our multi-institutional cohort, and evaluated excision and primary anastomosis as treatment for radiotherapy induced urethral strictures.Materials and Methods: A retrospective review was performed of 72 patients from 3 academic institutions treated for radiotherapy induced bulbomembranous strictures. Outcome parameters of successful repair included recurrence, incontinence and erectile dysfunction.Results: Among the 72 men treated for radiotherapy induced strictures 66 (91.7%) underwent excision and primary anastomosis. Mean followup was 3.5 years (median 3.1, range 0.8 to 11.2). Prostate cancer was the most common reason for radiotherapy (in 64 of 66, 96.9%). External beam radiotherapy and brachytherapy were performed in 28 of 66 men (42.4%) each, and a combination of both was performed in 9 (13.6%). Mean time from radiation to excision and prim...
Progress in research and development on hybrid rice: a super-domesticate in China.

†Background China has been successful in breeding hybrid rice strains, but is now facing challenges to develop new hybrids with high-yielding potential, better grain quality, and tolerance to biotic and abiotic stresses. This paper reviews the most significant advances in hybrid rice breeding in China, and presents a recent study on finemapping quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for yield traits. †Scope By exploiting new types of male sterility, hybrid rice production in China has become more diversified. The use of inter-subspecies crosses has made an additional contribution to broadening the genetic diversity of hybrid rice and played an important role in the breeding of super rice hybrids in China. With the development and application of indica-inclined and japonica-inclined parental lines, new rice hybrids with super high-yielding potential have been developed and are being grown on a large scale. DNA markers for subspecies differentiation have been identified and applied, and marker-assisted selection performed for the development of restorer lines carrying disease resistance genes. The genetic basis of heterosis in highly heterotic hybrids has been studied, but data from these studies are insufficient to draw sound conclusions. In a QTL study using stepwise residual heterozygous lines, two linked intervals harbouring QTLs for yield traits were resolved, one of which was delimited to a 125-kb region. †Conclusions Advances in rice genomic research have shed new light on the genetic study and germplasm utilization in rice. Molecular marker-assisted selection is a powerful tool to increase breeding efficiency, but much work remains to be done before this technique can be extended from major genes to QTLs.
Hyperoxia-induced apoptosis and Fas/FasL expression in lung epithelial cells

Alveolar epithelial apoptosis is an important feature of hyperoxia-induced lung injury in vivo and has been described in the early stages of bronchopulmonary dysplasia (chronic lung disease of preterm newborn). Molecular regulation of hyperoxia-induced alveolar epithelial cell death remains incompletely understood. In view of functional involvement of Fas/FasL system in physiological postcanalicular type II cell apoptosis, we speculated this system may also be a critical regulator of hyperoxia-induced apoptosis. The aim of this study was to investigate the effects of hyperoxia on apoptosis and apoptotic gene expression in alveolar epithelial cells. Apoptosis was studied by TUNEL, electron microscopy, DNA size analysis, and caspase assays. Fas/FasL expression was determined by Western blot analysis and RPA. We determined that in MLE-12 cells exposed to hyperoxia, caspase-mediated apoptosis was the first morphologically and biochemically recognizable mode of cell death, followed by necrosis of residual adherent cells. The apoptotic stage was associated with a threefold upregulation of Fas mRNA and protein expression and increased susceptibility to direct Fas receptor activation, concomitant with a threefold increase of FasL protein levels. Fas gene silencing by siRNAs significantly reduced hyperoxia-induced apoptosis. In murine fetal type II cells, hyperoxia similarly induced markedly increased Fas/FasL protein expression, confirming validity of results obtained in transformed MLE-12 cells. Our findings implicate the Fas/FasL system as an important regulator of hyperoxia-induced type II cell apoptosis. Elucidation of regulation of hyperoxia-induced lung apoptosis may lead to alternative therapeutic strategies for perinatal or adult pulmonary diseases characterized by dysregulated type II cell apoptosis.
The Contribution Of Human Resources For Health To The Quality Of Care In Indonesia

Using a representative sample of public facilities surveyed in 1993 and 1997, we took advantage of exogenous changes imposed on the Indonesian health system to evaluate the contribution of physicians, nurses, and midwives to the quality of primary care. We found that quality depends on the availability, type, and number of health workers, which, in turn, is affected by public policies about deployment. We conclude that staff deployment could be refined by analyses of the skill-mix needed to provide quality care. Professional nurses in particular could play an important role in promoting quality.
Cutis Aplasia: Perioperative Management and Case Report

Aplasia cutis congenita, a rare congenital disorder involving defects of some or all of the layers of the cranium, is associated with potential life-threatening complications. Although treatment involves both nonsurgical and surgical techniques, the importance of perioperative management cannot be overstressed. A multidisciplinary team, including personnel from nursing, neonatology, pediatrics, radiology, neurosurgery, and plastic surgery services, diagnosed aplasia cutis congenita and planned local wound care, surgical correction, and prevention of potentially life-threatening complications in a 1-day-old boy with a 6×5-cm full-thickness scalp defect.
A Content Analysis of Library Vendor Privacy Policies: Do They Meet Our Standards?

Librarians have a long history of protecting user privacy, but they have done seemingly little to understand or influence the privacy policies of library resource vendors that increasingly collect user information through Web 2.0-style personalization features. After citing evidence that college students value privacy, this study used content analysis to determine the degree to which the privacy policies of 27 major vendors meet standards articulated by the library profession and information technology industry. While most vendors have privacy policies, the policy provisions fall short on many library profession standards and show little support for the library Code of Ethics.
Evaluation of a variable rate controller for aldicarb application around buffer zones in citrus groves

Advances in precision farming technologies have facilitated controlled application of agrochemicals and documentation procedures to follow environmental regulations. This paper details evaluation of a commercial variable rate (VR) controller for preventing aldicarb applications in the buffer zones around potable water wells of citrus groves. The controller was coupled to two common drive mechanisms, a ground-driven electric clutch-engaged (GDEC) and pulse-width-modulation motor-driven (PWMM). The evaluation involved determination of dynamic performance of the VR application system through quantification of reaction times and rate transition distances and determination of appropriate ''look-ahead'' times for each of the drive mechanisms. Without a look-ahead (zero) setting, the mean midpoint reaction distances were about 1.8 and 3.6m for the GDEC and PWMM mechanisms, respectively, at 7.0-km/h ground speed. For the GDEC, a look-ahead time of 1s gave the mean midpoint reaction distances of -0.06 and 0.04m during step-up and step-down of the rate, respectively. For PWMM, the best look-ahead times were 1 and 2s during step-up and step-down of the rate, respectively. However, since the prototype unit could not accommodate two look-ahead times, the compromise look-ahead time for both step-up and -down was 2s. Validation in the actual buffer zone showed that, at 95% confidence level, the buffer zone should be increased by 2.5 or 3.3m in commercial applications using GDEC or PWMM systems, respectively.
Influence of Cultivation Media on Genetic Regulatory Patterns in Borrelia burgdorferi

Barbour-Stoenner-Kelly II (BSKII) medium and BSKH medium both are routinely used for the cultivation of Borrelia burgdorferi. However, heretofore there have been no studies to compare how these two media affect gene expression patterns in virulent B. burgdorferi. In the present study, we found that some B. burgdorferi strain 297 genes (e.g., ospA, mlp-7A, mlp-8, p22, and lp6.6) that typically are regulated by temperature or pH displayed their predicted pattern of expression when B. burgdorferi was cultivated in BSKH medium; this was not true when spirochetes were cultivated in conventional BSKII medium. The results suggest that BSKH medium is superior to BSKII medium for gene expression studies with B. burgdorferi.
Effect of Child and Family Poverty on Child Health in the United States

Poverty has been described as an economic state that does not allow for the provision of basic family and child needs, such as adequate food, clothing, and housing. However, the debate about the effects of poverty on the growth, development, and health of children is as much involved with the culture or general context of poverty as it is with the economics of poverty. This culture of poverty is in part mediated through environmental deprivations, such as failing schools, gangs, drugs, violence, and struggling families. Heclo(1) described this sociocultural and environmental dimension of poverty as "a condition of misery, hopelessness, and dependency." The subject of this article is to review the literature on the effects of poverty on US children as mediated through economic, ecologic, and family influences.
Improved localization of coronary stents using layer decomposition.

Accurate placement and expansion of coronary stents is hindered by the fact that most stents are only slightly radiopaque and hence difficult to see in typical coronary X-ray images. We propose a new technique for improved image guidance of multiple coronary stent deployment using layer decomposition of coronary X-ray image sequences. We hypothesize that layer decomposition can improve the accuracy of localization of the end of a deployed stent. Layer decomposition is used to obtain good quality images of a stent in vitro. The resultant background-subtracted stent images are embedded into other cine X-ray image sequences to form a database of simulated image sequences. For each simulated sequence, the position of the stent edge is estimated from raw and layer-decomposed images using a small region of the original layer image as a template. Layer decomposition reduced median position errors in 33 of 47 image sequences (70%), including 16 of 18 sequences in which the position errors for raw and layer images...
A community based prevention of weight gain intervention (Mothers In Motion) among young low-income overweight and obese mothers: design and rationale

Over 45% of American women 20–39 years old are at risk for type 2 diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and other health conditions because they are overweight or obese. The prevalence of overweight and obesity is disproportionately high among low-income women. This paper describes the study design and rationale of a community based intervention (Mothers In Motion, MIM) aimed to prevent weight gain among low-income overweight and obese mothers18-39 years old by promoting stress management, healthy eating, and physical activity.
Development of morphological awareness and vocabulary knowledge in Spanish-speaking language minority learners: A parallel process latent growth curve model

Despite acknowledgement of the limited English vocabularies demonstrated by many language minority (LM) learners, few studies have identified skills that relate to variation in vocabulary growth in this population. This study investigated the concurrent development of morphological awareness (i.e., students’ understanding of complex words as combinations of meaningful smaller units) and vocabulary for LM learners in early adolescence. A cohort of Spanish-speaking LM learners (n = 90) was followed from fourth through seventh grade and assessed annually. Latent growth modeling results indicated a strong relationship between rates of growth in the two skills, such that learners with rapid growth in derivational morphological awareness also demonstrated rapid growth in vocabulary. Despite positive vocabulary growth during this period, the learners remained far below national norms. Findings highlight the need for language-focused instructional intervention for this population and suggest that morphological awareness may be a promising point of leverage for such instruction.
Control logic and latching to the Faraday Cup experiment on the wind laboratory

A satellite-mounted instrument has been developed to measure the energy spectrum of the solar proton flux in the solar wind. The instrument consists of a sensor (Faraday Cup), an analog signal processing chain, a high-voltage modulator, and a digital section, which is described. The functions of the digital section are (a) to interface with the main processor, (b) to provide the logic signals to the analog circuitry, (c) to deliver the necessary bit pattern to the high-voltage modulator, (d) to provide the calibration mode signals when necessary, and (e) to synchronize the sequence of events at the beginning of every spacecraft rotation. As with all space projects, primary concerns beyond the logical functionality consisted of circuit power consumption, instrumental mass, radiation tolerance levels, stability with respect to temperature, and relative ease of component procurement. The NASA WIND spacecraft will carry the experiment and launch in December of 1992. >
Balancing Safety and Efficacy of Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Inhibitors in Patients With Squamous Cell Carcinoma of the Head and Neck

The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR) is overexpressed in more than 80% of squamous cell cancers of the head and neck (SCCHN). An evolving understanding of the role of EGFR in tumorigenesis has made the receptor an important therapeutic target in SCCHN. Several EGFR inhibitors (EGFRIs) are active in SCCHN, and their use is associated with improvement in progression-free survival and overall survival in various treatment settings. Nevertheless, EGFR inhibition is associated with significant mucocutaneous toxicity that must be balanced against its anticipated efficacy. This review summarizes the relevant clinical trial experience with EGFRIs, with attention to efficacy, toxicity, and methods of selecting patients most likely to benefit from therapy.
Monoclonal antibody therapy with autologous peripheral blood stem cell transplantation for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

BackgroundWith the introduction of novel monoclonal antibody products into the clinic, significant new strategies are being developed to improve upon existing treatment for non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.M...
Surveying Sexualities: Minimizing Survey Error in Study of Sexuality

This chapter presents an overview of survey error in the study of sexualities. I focus on survey error in terms of coverage, nonresponse, measurement, and coding issues. In addition to examining survey research issues in the study of sexualities, I also review nonprobability sampling approaches, including time-location sampling, respondent-driven sampling, and internet surveys. I then examine different forms of survey error in three probability surveys: the Chicago Health and Social Life Survey (CHSLS), the National Longitudinal Study of Adolescent to Adult Health (Add Health), and the New Family Structures Study (NFSS). Although some type of survey error is an issue in each survey, the NFSS appears to be impacted substantially by all four forms of survey error. These examples highlight the need for continuing attention to survey methodology when asking questions about sex.
Effect of Compliance Counseling on Brace Use and Success in Patients with Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis.

Background: Outcomes of orthotic management of idiopathic scoliosis depend on patient compliance with brace wear. The purpose of this study was to determine if counseling based on objective compliance data increases brace wear and therefore reduces the likelihood of surgery. Methods: Two hundred and twenty-two patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis were prospectively enrolled in a study to determine if physician counseling based on data obtained from compliance monitors (sensors embedded in the brace) improves brace use and decreases curve progression. Patients were placed into two groups. In the counseled group, patients were aware of the compliance monitor in the brace and were counseled at each visit regarding downloaded brace-usage data. The patients in the noncounseled group were not told the purpose of the monitor in their brace, and the compliance data were not made available to the physician, orthotist, or patient. Results: Ninety-three patients who were counseled with use of the compliance data and seventy-eight patients who were not so counseled completed bracing or underwent surgery; twenty-five patients were lost to follow-up before completing brace treatment, and twelve were still undergoing brace treatment at the time of the study review. The average curve magnitude at the initiation of bracing was 33.2° in the counseled group and 33.9° in the noncounseled group (p = 0.21 [not significant]). Patients in the counseled group wore their orthosis an average of 13.8 hours per day throughout their management, while noncounseled patients wore their brace an average of 10.8 hours per day (p = 0.002). Of the counseled patients who finished brace treatment, 59% did not have curve progression of ≥6°, whereas 25% had progression to ≥50° or to surgery. In the noncounseled group, 46% did not have curve progression of ≥6°, whereas 36% had progression to ≥50° or to surgery. Noncounseled patients who had curve progression to a magnitude requiring surgery wore their brace an average of 9.6 hours per day compared with 12.6 hours per day for the counseled patients who required surgery. The amount of daily brace wear by children who did not have curve progression to a magnitude requiring surgery was significantly greater than that by children who did require surgery (p = 0.029). Conclusions: Providing patients undergoing bracing for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis with feedback about their compliance with brace wear improves that compliance. Patients who wore their brace more hours per day had less curve progression. Patients in both groups who had curve progression to a magnitude requiring surgery wore their brace less than their counterparts for whom bracing was successful. Compliance monitoring and counseling based on that monitoring should become part of the clinical orthotic management of patients with adolescent idiopathic scoliosis. Level of Evidence: Therapeutic Level II. See Instructions for Authors for a complete description of levels of evidence.
Transcript level coordination of carbon pathways during silicon starvation-induced lipid accumulation in the diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana

Summary Diatoms are one of the most productive and successful photosynthetic taxa on Earth and possess attributes such as rapid growth rates and production of lipids, making them candidate sources of renewable fuels. Despite their significance, few details of the mechanisms used to regulate growth and carbon metabolism are currently known, hindering metabolic engineering approaches to enhance productivity. To characterize the transcript level component of metabolic regulation, genome-wide changes in transcript abundance were documented in the model diatom Thalassiosira pseudonana on a time-course of silicon starvation. Growth, cell cycle progression, chloroplast replication, fatty acid composition, pigmentation, and photosynthetic parameters were characterized alongside lipid accumulation. Extensive coordination of large suites of genes was observed, highlighting the existence of clusters of coregulated genes as a key feature of global gene regulation in T. pseudonana. The identity of key enzymes for carbon metabolic pathway inputs (photosynthesis) and outputs (growth and storage) reveals these clusters are organized to synchronize these processes. Coordinated transcript level responses to silicon starvation are probably driven by signals linked to cell cycle progression and shifts in photophysiology. A mechanistic understanding of how this is accomplished will aid efforts to engineer metabolism for development of algal-derived biofuels.
Dendritic cell (DC) reconstitution is associated with less opportunistic infections (OI) after allogeneic hematopoetic stem-cell transplantation (HSCT)

6539 Background: Dendritic cells are key antigen presenting cells which coordinate immune responses against infections. We investigated the correlation between DC reconstitution after HSCT and the ...
Stepmothers: Why So Much Stress? A Review of the Research

Recent psychological and sociological literature is reviewed in answering two questions: What factors generally affect how much stress women encounter as stepmothers? Why do stepmothers often experience more stress than stepfathers? The answers seem to lie in four areas: (1) our society's attitudes about mothers and motherhood; (2) the mother's and stepmother's personalities, attitudes, and circumstances; (3) the father's attitudes and his relationship with the mother; and (4) the stepchildren's gender and mental health.
The Occurrence of Schizophyllum Commune on Green Apples

Marion County, Oregon, the green apples thinned from the trees during the summer literally covered the ground under the trees. As a rule the upper surface of many of these apples was sunburned and shriveled but otherwise they were well preserved. In a high percentage of cases, however, these apples under Spitzenberg and Red Cheek Pippin trees were infected with Schizophyllum commune. The affected tissue was a brown dry rot. Any cavities in the tissues were filled with fungous felt and in many cases the apples were covered with this white felt. By October
On Value: book value, market value, and hybrid value trajectories of aerospace companies

Value and value uncertainty are increasingly recognized as the approp riate metrics for system design and acquisition. Value, unlike cost or performance, is not an endogenous characteristic of a system but an information -intensive metric characterizing a system in relation to its environment, its stakeholder, and its technic al attributes. I n uncertain environments, decision making at the system -level should be value -based, or at a minimum value -informed. This value centric mindset is an emerging paradigm for system design and acquisition, and it follows the performance -centri c mindset of the Apollo era, and the cost -centric or cost -effectiveness mindset. Several challenges remain to be addressed for a convincing and broad adoption of a value centric approach to system design and acquisition. One challenge in particular is rela ted to the multi -scale nature of the concept of value, a nd the linkage between value at the engineering system level and value at the corporate level (or the organization that is acquiring the system for example). For companies, at the senior management le vel, the corporate imperative dictates the focus on and creation of value for shareholders. At the engineering level, program managers strive to create best lifecycle value systems. The challenge is to understand value at the system level in the context of value at the corporate level, and link the former to the latter. In this paper, we focus on value at the corporate level and bring some of its different aspects to an engineering audience. In particular, we discuss and analyze the book value and market v alue of several aerospace and defense companies. We introduce for these companies Value Maps and Hybrid Value Trajectories, which display and track their value(s) and value dynamics between 2004 and 2008. We develop a corporate value scorecard, which inclu des in addition to the value trajectory, accounting and financial indicators for these companies collected from their 10 -K filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and other financial information sources. Interpreting the information in t hese scorecards sets the foundation for establishing a quantitative connection between value at the corporate level and value at the system level. This work complements a companion paper that focuses on value at the system level and is entitled, “Beyond Cos t and Performance, a Value -Centric Framework and Pareto Optimization for Communication Satellites.”
Autocrine expression of both endostatin and green fluorescent protein provides a synergistic antitumor effect in a murine neuroblastoma model.

Modalities that act through different mechanisms can often provide synergistic antitumor activity for the treatment of refractory tumors when used in combination. Here we report a gene therapy approach in which the genes for the angiogenesis inhibitor, endostatin, and the marker protein and potent immunogen, green fluorescent protein (GFP), were delivered to murine neuroblastoma cells prior to inoculation of the tumor cells into syngeneic immunocompetent mice. Although the effect of either angiogenesis inhibition or immunomodulation alone resulted in only a modest delay in tumor growth, when these approaches were used in combination, prevention of the formation of appreciable tumors was effected in 15 of 24 (63%) mice. The combination of endostatin and GFP expression elicited a strong immune response that was T cell–mediated and was reactive against both GFP and tumor cell line–specific antigens. This afforded treated mice protection against subsequent tumor challenge with unmodified tumor cells. These results suggest that antiangiogenic and immunotherapy strategies, when used in a gene therapy–mediated approach, can act synergistically in an effective multimodality anticancer approach. Cancer Gene Therapy (2001) 8, 537–545
Identifying immune mechanisms mediating the hypertension during preeclampsia

Preeclampsia (PE) is a pregnancy-associated disorder that affects 5-8% of pregnancies and is a major cause of maternal, fetal, and neonatal morbidity and mortality. Hallmark characteristics of PE are new onset hypertension after 20 wk gestation with or without proteinuria, chronic immune activation, fetal growth restriction, and maternal endothelial dysfunction. However, the pathophysiological mechanisms that lead to the development of PE are poorly understood. Recent data from studies of both clinical and animal models demonstrate an imbalance in the subpopulations of CD4+ T cells and a role for these cells as mediators of inflammation and hypertension during pregnancy. Specifically, it has been proposed that the imbalance between two CD4+ T cell subtypes, regulatory T cells (Tregs) and T-helper 17 cells (Th17s), is involved in the pathophysiology of PE. Studies from our laboratory highlighting how this imbalance contributes to vasoactive factors, endothelial dysfunction, and hypertension during pregnancy will be discussed in this review. Therefore, the purpose of this review is to highlight hypertensive mechanisms stimulated by inflammatory factors in response to placental ischemia, thereby elucidating a role.