cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Reduced Superoxide Dismutase in Lung Cells of Patients with Asthma

Lung cells recovered from symptomatic patients with asthma generate increased amounts of reactive oxygen species (ROS). Animal and in vitro studies indicate that ROS can reproduce many of the features of asthma. The ability of ROS to produce the clinical features of asthma may depend on an individual's lung antioxidant defenses. Patients with asthma are reported to have reduced antioxidant defenses in peripheral blood, but little is known about the antioxidant defenses of their lung cells. To define lung cell antioxidant defenses in asthma, the glutathione concentration and the glutathione reductase, glutathione peroxidase, catalase, and superoxide dismutase (SOD) activities were measured in cells recovered by bronchoalveolar lavage (BAL cells) and by bronchial brushing (bronchial epithelial cells, HBEC) from normal subjects and patients with asthma. Superoxide dismutase activity was reduced 25% in BAL cells (p < .05) and nearly 50% in HBEC (p < .02) from patients with asthma. Alterations in the other antioxidants were not identified. A direct relationship was found between airway reactivity to methacholine, measured as PC20FEV1, and HBEC SOD activity (r2 = 89; p < .005), but not between airway reactivity and the other antioxidants. The finding of reduced SOD activity in lung cells of patients with asthma suggests that diminished SOD activity serves as a marker of the inflammation characterizing asthma. Alternatively, it may play a role in the development or severity of the disease. © 1997 Elsevier Science Inc.
Peer inquiry: Discovering what you know through dialogue

Abstract The article discusses a dialogical peer inquiry process as a practice of co-constructing knowledge in graduate coursework. The process, formerly structured as an exam, was developed by Dr. Vera John-Steiner more than 30 years ago and has been implemented in adapted forms by her students in their teaching. The dialogical peer inquiry process involves collaborating creatively with peers in the co-construction of knowledge. The article discusses the underpinnings of the process and uses voices of students in a graduate art education course to illuminate the process and its meanings for students.
Motivated action theory: a formal theory of causal reasoning

When we reason about change over time, {\it causation} provides an implicit preference: we prefer sequences of situations in which one situation leads causally to the next, rather than sequences in which one situation follows another at random and without causal connections. In this paper, we explore the problem of temporal reasoning---reasoning about change over time---and the crucial role that causation plays in our intuitions. We examine previous approaches to temporal reasoning, and their shortcomings, in light of this analysis. We propose a new system for {\it causal reasoning}, motivated action theory, which builds upon causation as a crucial preference criterion. Motivated action theory solves the traditional problems of both forward and backward reasoning, and additionally provides a basis for a new theory of explanation.
Dissociation of beta-galactosidase by thiols.

IT is common practice to add mercaptoethanol to solutions of β-galactosidase during purification from Escherichia coli and to the stock solutions of the enzyme during storage. Although Craven et al.1 had reported that mercaptoethanol stabilizes the enzyme isolated from the K12 strain against thermal inactivation, Reithel and his coworkers2 observed that the enzyme from strain ML308 is readily inactivated in the presence of thiols. In previous studies from this laboratory3 we used the buffer system first reported by Craven et al.1 which consists of 0.05 M Tris-HCl, 0.01 M MgCl2, 0.10 M NaCl and 0.05 M β-mercaptoethanol (pH 7.5).
Bioethics and the Culture Wars

American bioethics began in the late 1960s, stimulated by a plethora of new medical technologies and biological knowledge and by a scandal-induced interest in human subject research. Although it was understood that there would be ethical debate (which had already broken out between the theologians Joseph Fletcher and Paul Ramsey), no one thought the disputes would be ideological in character, as if part of one's voting pattern as liberal or conservative, Democrat or Republican. There were arguments, often sharp, but no culture wars.
Clock-free nanowire crossbar architecture based on Null Convention Logic (NCL)

There have been numerous nanowire crossbar architectures proposed till date, although all of them are envisioned to be synchronous (i.e., clocked). The clock is an important part in a circuit and it needs to be connected to all the components to synchronize their operation. Considering non-deterministic nature of nanoscale integration, realizing them on a nano wire crossbar system would be quite cumbersome. Unlike the conventional clocked counterparts, a new clock-free crossbar architecture is proposed to resolve the issues with clocked counterparts in this paper, where the use of clock is eliminated from the architecture. This has been done by implementing delay-insensitive logic encoding technique called Null Convention Logic (NCL). A delay-insensitive full adder has been implemented on the proposed architecture to demonstrate the feasibility in this paper.
NONSYNDROMIC SEIZURE DISORDERS: Epilepsy and the Use of the Internet to Advance Research

The progress in understanding the genetics of nonsyndromic epilepsy is the direct result of dramatic advances made by the Human Genome Project. The development of thousands of precisely mapped genetic markers and the nearly complete sequencing of the entire human genome in 2001 allowed genetic researchers in epilepsy to identify many loci and genes as causal in inherited idiopathic epilepsy. This substantial increase in information has required the development of accurate and online bioinformatic databases. Only the Internet can enable such large amounts of precise DNA sequence information to be transferred to researchers. Along with the construction of these databases has been the development of efficient search algorithms for specific DNA sequences and genetic information. This article summarizes the effect that this burst of new genomic information has had on research aimed at discovering the underlying genetic factors for nonsyndromic epilepsy. Many of the web sites important to epilepsy gene discovery are listed and discussed in this article, including sites with extensive information on genetic markers, genetic analysis, gene sequence, gene expression, gene mutations, and DNA sequence variation. Continued acquisition of information on naturally occurring DNA sequence variants will greatly help research directed towards understanding the genetic susceptibility of the common, nonsyndromic epilepsies and will lead to the promise of personalized medicine.
The New Digital Scholar: Exploring and Enriching the Research and Writing Practices of NextGen Students

A review of The New Digital Scholar: Exploring and Enriching the Research and Writing Practices of NextGen Students, edited by Randall McClure and James P. Purdy.
Two dimensional nesting problem: artificial neural network and optimization approach

An approach that integrates artificial neural networks and optimization methods for automating regularly-shaped pattern generation processes is proposed. In the proposed approach the artificial neural network model is used for generating rectangular pattern configurations with an acceptable scrap. Rectangular patterns of different sizes are used as the input of the neural network to generate location and rotation of each pattern when they are combined. The pattern configurations generated through the neural network are represented as decision variables of a mathematical programming model for determining an efficient nesting of different sizes of rectangular patterns for meeting the demand of a given planning horizon. The initial results obtained based on rectangular patterns are reported. >
The Role of Motivation and Controversial Conceptual Material in Foreign Language Classrooms

Spanish classrooms in the U.S. rarely teach students about the tumultuous relationship with natives of the target language, and this lack of material can leave the learner without certain linguistic knowledge. The novelty of exploring controversial relationships in the target language has the possibility of challenging students’ conceptions of the world which can open up different channels for motivation in the classroom, and ultimately, language learning.
Toward a Comprehensive Theoretical Framework for Disability Research Bronfenbrenner Revisited

This article critiques three features of Bronfenbrenner's (1979, 1992) ecological theory of human development in relationship to the development of children with disabilities: (a) developmentally instigative person characteristics, (b) hierarchical environmental systems of influence, and (c) the dimension of time. The study of development within the context of home, school, and community has been significantly advanced by ecological psychology. Although the ecological paradigm has been invoked in the disability literature as a framework for child, classroom, and family investigations, few studies provide a comprehensive treatment of the model. Bronfenbrenner's recently expanded theory provides a provocative framework for the study of children with disabilities. This framework includes the identification of ecological niches; that is, unique regions in the environment that differentially influence children with particular personal characteristics. Selected studies from the disability literature illustrate ...
ROBOTIC ASSISTED LAPAROSCOPIC PYELOPLASTY IN CHILDREN

ABSTRACTPurpose: Historically, open pyeloplasty has been the gold standard of treatment for ureteropelvic junction obstruction in the pediatric age group. The prospect of using technology such as the robot in this age group has been a concern. Several nonurological robotic procedures have been performed in children. We undertook a retrospective study to evaluate the feasibility and outcomes of robotic assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty in the pediatric population.Materials and Methods: Seven patients 6 to 15 years old underwent robotic assisted laparoscopic pyeloplasty at our institution between June 2003 and November 2004. All patients underwent dismembered pyeloplasty (Anderson-Hynes). Variables analyzed included length of stay, estimated blood loss, operative time, anastomosis time and docked robotic time.Results: Mean followup was 10.9 months (range 2 to 18). Mean length of stay was 1.2 days (range 1 to 3). Mean operative time was 184 minutes (range 165 to 204), with a mean robotic anastomosis time of ...
Cognitive and emotional aspects of fear of recurrence: predictors and relations with adjustment in young to middle-aged cancer survivors.

Objective: We investigated predictors of emotional (worry) and cognitive (perceived risk) dimensions of fear of recurrence (FOR) and their relationships with psychological well-being in a sample of young and middle-aged adult cancer survivors. Methods: Eligible participants were survivors between 18 and 55 years old and diagnosed from 1 to 3 years prior. A total of 250 participants were recruited, and 167 responded to a 1-year follow-up. Demographic and psychosocial variables were assessed at baseline, and FOR and psychological well-being were assessed at follow-up. Results: Race was associated with the cognitive dimension of FOR (such that minority race perceived less risk of recurrence), but no demographics were associated with the emotional dimension. Hierarchical regression analyses showed that spirituality was the only predictor of perceived risk independent of the effect of race, even when worry about general health was controlled. For the emotional dimension of FOR, avoidance coping predicted higher worry, but when controlling for a general tendency to worryabout one’s health, noneof the psychosocialvariables predictedworries about cancer’s return. In addition, only worry about cancer’s return predicted negative affect and intrusive thoughts. Conclusions: These results suggest that FOR comprises distinct dimensions, each of which has different implications for adjustment. These findings may have important clinical implications in developing interventions to deal with both FOR and more general health anxieties in cancer survivors. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Poverty, Urbanicity, and Children's Development of Early Academic Skills

Poor children across the world live in communities spanning the rural to urban continuum. The United States has witnessed a transformation in the spatial location of poverty, with poor families dispersed increasingly across suburban communities and small towns as well as in inner cities and remote rural areas. Therefore, we must consider the broader macrosystem—what we call urbanicity—in which poverty is experienced. In this article, we draw from psychological and economic theories to present a conceptual model in which the experiences and repercussions of poverty may differ based on the macrosystem in which poverty occurs, that is, whether it happens in an urban, suburban, or rural community. We first describe characteristics of urban, suburban, and rural communities and propose potential repercussions of living in each of these places for economically disadvantaged children's development. We then summarize results from research on urbanicity differences in associations between income and children's academic skills. We end with suggestions for research.
Balance Systems and the Variational Bicomplex

In this work we show that the systems of balance equations (balance systems) of continuum thermodynamics occupy a natural place in the variational bicomplex formalism. We apply the vertical homotopy decomposition to get a local splitting (in a convenient do- main) of a general balance system as the sum of a Lagrangian part and a complemental \pure non-Lagrangian" balance system. In the case when derivatives of the dynamical fields do not enter the constitutive relations of the balance system, the \pure non-Lagrangian" systems coincide with the systems introduced by S. Godunov (Soviet Math. Dokl. 2 (1961), 947{948) and, later, asserted as the canonical hyperbolic form of balance systems in (Muller I., Rug- geri T., Rational extended thermodynamics, 2nd ed., Springer Tracts in Natural Philosophy, Vol. 37, Springer-Verlag, New York, 1998).
The Role of Double-Strand Break Repair Pathways at Functional and Dysfunctional Telomeres

Telomeres have evolved to protect the ends of linear chromosomes from the myriad of threats posed by the cellular DNA damage signaling and repair pathways. Mammalian telomeres have to block nonhomologous end joining (NHEJ), thus preventing chromosome fusions; they need to control homologous recombination (HR), which could change telomere lengths; they have to avoid activating the ATM (ataxia telangiectasia mutated) and ATR (ATM- and RAD3-related) kinase pathways, which could induce cell cycle arrest; and they have to protect chromosome ends from hyperresection. Recent studies of telomeres have provided insights into the mechanisms of NHEJ and HR, how these double-strand break (DSB) repair pathways can be thwarted, and how telomeres have co-opted DNA repair factors to help in the protection of chromosome ends. These aspects of telomere biology are reviewed here with particular emphasis on recombination, the main focus of this collection.
Functional Genetic Analysis of Rhesus Cytomegalovirus: Rh01 Is an Epithelial Cell Tropism Factor

Rhesus cytomegalovirus (RhCMV) is an emerging model for human cytomegalovirus (HCMV) pathogenesis that facilitates experimental CMV infection of a natural primate host closely related to humans. We have generated a library of RhCMV mutants with lesions in genes whose HCMV orthologues have been characterized as nonessential for replication in human fibroblasts, and we characterized their replication in rhesus fibroblasts and epithelial cells. The RhCMV mutants grew well in fibroblasts, as predicted by earlier studies with HCMV. However, mutations in four genes caused replication defects in rhesus retinal pigment epithelial cells: Rh01 (an HCMV TRL1 orthologue), Rh159 (HCMV UL148), Rh160 (HCMV UL132), and Rh203 (HCMV US22). Growth of the Rh01-deficient mutant was examined in detail. After entry into epithelial cells, the mutant expressed representative viral proteins, accumulated viral DNA, and generated infectious virus, but it failed to spread efficiently. We conclude that Rh01 is a cell tropism determinant that has the potential to dramatically affect virus spread and pathogenesis.
The Challenges of Staffing Urban Schools with Effective Teachers

Summary Brian Jacob examines challenges faced by urban districts in staffing their schools with effective teachers. He emphasizes that the problem is far from uniform. Teacher shortages are more severe in certain subjects and grades than others, and differ dramatically from one school to another. The Chicago public schools, for example, regularly receive roughly ten applicants for each teaching position. But many applicants are interested in specific schools, and district officials struggle to find candidates for highly impoverished schools. Urban districts’ difficulty in attracting and hiring teachers, says Jacob, means that urban teachers are less highly qualified than their suburban counterparts with respect to characteristics such as experience, educational background, and teaching certification. But they may not thus be less effective teachers. Jacob cites recent studies that have found that many teacher characteristics bear surprisingly little relationship to student outcomes. Policies to enhance teacher quality must thus be evaluated in terms of their effect on student achievement, not in terms of conventional teacher characteristics. Jacob then discusses how supply and demand contribute to urban teacher shortages. Supply factors involve wages, working conditions, and geographic proximity between teacher candidates and schools. Urban districts have tried various strategies to increase the supply of teacher candidates (including salary increases and targeted bonuses) and to improve retention rates (including mentoring programs). But there is little rigorous research evidence on the effectiveness of these strategies. Demand also has a role in urban teacher shortages. Administrators in urban schools may not recognize or value high-quality teachers. Human resource departments restrict district officials from making job offers until late in the hiring season, after many candidates have accepted positions elsewhere. Jacob argues that urban districts must improve hiring practices and also reevaluate policies for teacher tenure so that ineffective teachers can be dismissed.
Prospective relations among preschoolers' play, coping, and adjustment as moderated by stressful events☆

article i nfo This study evaluated the prospective contribution of preschoolers' pretend play to observer reports of internaliz- ing and externalizing behaviorproblemsoneyearlater,asmediated byobserved coping flexibility duringa delay of gratification task and as moderated by children's exposure to stressful life events. Preschoolers' (N=250; Mage=49.05 months, SD=2.95; 50% female) fantasy and affect expression in pretend play were assessed during a laboratory visit. Moderated mediation models tested for conditional indirect effects of play fantasy and affect expression on behavior problems through coping flexibility as a function of the child's exposure to stress. Pre- schoolers' fantasy and negative affect expression in pretend play predicted lower rates of internalizing, but not externalizing, problems. Coping flexibility partially mediated this relation, particularly among children with rel- atively more life stress. These findings clarify processes by which, and contexts within which, preschoolers' pre- tend play influences later behavioral adjustment.
Neil Gaiman’s “Façade” and Patronal Feminism

Robert Loss looks at Neil Gaiman's Dream Country as a meditation on femininity, power and imagination that nevertheless expresses a "patronal feminism".
Mechanism of Shope fibroma virus-induced suppression of host deoxyribonucleic acid synthesis.

The effects of treatment with live or inactivated Shope fibroma virus on host cell deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA) synthesis were determined. The incorporation of 3H-thymidine into nuclear DNA was suppressed by both active and inactivated virus, although live virus was more effective. During the early phase of infection, stimulation of host nuclear DNA synthesis of up to 240% of control value was observed in cells infected with active virus. Inhibition of DNA synthesis began at about the 8th h and was maximal by 12 h postinfection. Virus inactivated by ultraviolet-irradiation or heat treatment did not induce viral DNA synthesis but was, nevertheless, able to suppress host DNA synthesis.
Nothing to do and all day to do it in

Too much work, and no vacation, Deserves at least a small libation. So hail! my friends, and raise your glasses, Work's the curse of the drinking classes. Oscar Wilde With me a change of trouble is as good as a vacation. David Lloyd George There is probably no more obnoxious class of citizen, taken end for end, than the returning vacationist. Robert Benchley
Nutrition for the Diabetic Child

Integration of a licensed, registered dietitian into the team caring for the diabetic child or adolescent is essential. The majority of nutritional benefit for pediatric T2DM derives from family-based education on healthier lifestyle choices and on appropriate portion size. Dietary education is an ongoing process for families affected by pediatric obesity and T2DM.
Molecular Targets for Antibody-Mediated Immunotherapy of Malignant Glioma

Despite advances in surgical and radiation therapy over the past two decades, the prognosis for many brain -tumor patients remains dismal. Novel antibody-mediated immunotherapeutics are emerging in the next generation of targeted therapeutic drugs for cancer treatment, and at least nine have been approved by the FDA to date. In this chapter we review the identification and validation of appropriate CNS tumor-associated antigens and the current status of antibody-mediated therapies under development and those that are already showing encouraging promise in the clinical setting.
What to Read and How to Read It: A Guide for Orthopaedic Surgeons.

With the increasing amount of information available to orthopaedic surgeons, the choice of what to read can seem difficult bordering on overwhelming. As orthopaedic surgery continues to evolve toward a more evidence-based education system, deciding what information resources to use is ever more important. Many orthopaedic surgeons have had little formal instruction on what educational resources to read or how to best understand the information and assimilate it into their practice. This lack of knowledge may contribute to difficulties when trying to learn a topic, develop a plan of care, build a knowledge base for patient care, or develop a method for maintenance reading. This article reviews the rationale for using evidence-based medicine, explores the different types of educational resources available to orthopaedic surgeons, and delivers insight into the science of reading. This information should aid orthopaedic surgeons in using peer-reviewed publications to aid in their decision-making processes. Although the exponential rise in publications has added immense knowledge to the field of orthopaedic surgery, the influx of data has made staying current with the literature very difficult. A few recent articles have attempted to address this issue1-3. There are more than 100 orthopaedic journals indexed on MEDLINE4, and more than 12,000 articles were published in orthopaedic or sports medicine journals in 20135. In addition, more than 600 of the orthopaedic surgery books available on Amazon.com were published in 2014 alone6. For an orthopaedic surgeon, reading only the articles in The Journal of Bone & Joint Surgery (American Volume) (JBJS) and Clinical Orthopaedics and Related Research would equate to reading approximately 120 articles per month. For a specialist primarily focused on reading The American Journal of Sports Medicine and Arthroscopy, there are nearly sixty articles to read per month. If this …
Nanoporous thermosets via Reactive Encapsulation of a Chemically Inert Solvent versus Free Radically Polymerized and Phase Separating Systems

Nanoporous thermosets are used as polyelectrolytes in fuel cells, separation membranes, and sensors and actuators, etc. Design of nanoporous thermosets for such applications entails controlling permeability by tailoring the pore size and pore chemistry. Usually free radically polymerizing and simultaneously phase separating systems are used to synthesize porous thermosets. A novel method of synthesizing nanoporous polymeric materials is employed in this work. This technique involves the synthesis of nanoporous thermosets by reactive encapsulation of an inert solvent using step-growth crosslinking polymerization reaction carried out until completion without phase separation into macroscopic phases. Key structural features of the porous materials synthesized by the reactive encapsulation technique were investigated by Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) after extraction and supercritical drying using carbon dioxide. Micrographs of the materials synthesized using the reactive encapsulation technique showed that the porous materials of pore size less than 100nm are obtained. Micrographs also showed that the reactive encapsulation technique can be employed to synthesize nanoporous polymeric materials of desired porosity and pore size by changing the solvent content. In addition, porous thermosets were also synthesized using free radical chemistry and phase separating system. The differences in the porous morphology of both these systems were enunciated using SEM micrographs.
Using Nonmarket Valuation to Target Conservation Payments: An Example Involving Georgia's Private Forests

Using landscape analysis and economic valuation, this article shows how valuation techniques can inform prioritization of private forestland for ecosystem service conservation and highlights the methodological challenges in doing so. We classify forests according to six ecological and social characteristics. If ecosystem service priorities are known a priori, this landscape analysis might be sufficient for targeting conservation efforts. However, if priorities are not known or there are multiple priorities, economic valuation techniques can be used to estimate preference weights to prioritize forests based on the benefits of the ecosystem service provided. We create priority conservation maps using two different valuation methods: benefit transfer and an original stated choice experiment. The two approaches result in significantly different priority maps, largely due to how the two methods operationalize value. These differences underscore the importance of carefully evaluating the methodological implications of using a particular valuation technique
When Acceptance Reflects Disrespect: The Methodological Contradictions of Accepting Participant Statements

The late Hans Penner critiqued the Phenomenology of Religion 25 years ago for confusing the subject and its object. His critique remains relevant to contemporary methods that accept participant statements uncritically. Beginning with a detailed analysis of one lived religion article and expanding to a broader critique, this essay illustrates the contradictions that remain in lived religion methodologies and similar approaches to the study of religion. While reflecting respect for practitioners and expanding the concept of religion, these methods ignore the agency of participants to represent themselves strategically and reinforce common discourse on religion, only expanding the category at its safe margins. The agendas that drive various studies work at cross purposes because of the inherent contradictions, and the dichotomy between scholars (and people like scholars) and practitioners that often results contradicts the rhetoric of respect and treating everyone equally.
T2T and M2T Association with Combined Hypotheses

This paper presents a procedure to combine the top association hypotheses generated in a track-to-track (T2TA) association problem. The standard procedure for such problems consists of keeping only the most likely hypothesis, but the extra information carried by other hypotheses remains unused. The proposed combination method allows for the extraction of this information in an efficient way, improving over a similar method [5], providing system tracks that account for the correlation ambiguity. This method will prove useful when there is track contention (correlation ambiguity), and the information carried by the best hypothesis alone renders optimistic estimates. As a result of using this method, both better estimates (fused system tracks) are obtained and an estimate of the difficulty of the association problem is obtained based on the aggregation of neighboring tracks. In this work we consider two applications, one consisting of a T2T fusion (T2TF) and a dynamic tracking problem where measurement-to-track association (M2TA) hypotheses from a multiple hypothesis tracker (MHT) are combined. The comparison of results from the proposed procedure vs. the standard approach indicate that the latter can be improved upon in scenarios with significant association ambiguities.
Word, Writing, Tradition

Paul Ricœur’s understanding of tradition is usually associated with his intervention in the Gadamer-Habermas debate in an important work entitled “Hermeneutics and the Critique of Ideology” (1973). This chapter focuses on his earlier writings on tradition, specifically his critical engagement with French structuralism and philosophy of language during the 1960s through the early 1970s, which inform his later more well-known reflections. Instead of pursuing the now familiar themes of critique and ideology, distanciation and belonging, then, the themes of word or speech [parole] and writing [ecriture] will be examined. I argue that Ricœur offers a critique of a dead and static notion of tradition, conceived as an abstract, fixed structure and meaningless deposit. And he presents a constructive alternative for a living and dynamic sense of tradition, which is first an eventful address of speech to a listening individual or community and which is meaningfully mediated by writing through the phenomenon of the ‘written voice’ and the ‘listening reader’. By attending to and parsing the meanings of parole and ecriture, this chapter unfolds a philosophically rigorous and linguistically informed concept of tradition that is, at once, conservative and innovative.
The Keys I: Celliformidae and Coprinisphaeridae

This chapter contains updated keys, diagnoses, brief comparisons among similar ichnotaxa to identify and ichnotaxonomically classify insect trace fossils in paleosols grouped in the ichnofamilies Celliformidae and Coprinisphaeridae. Diagnoses are mostly modified from original ones to accommodate all ichnotaxa, to uniform the nomenclature used and to avoid any reference to extant structures or producers. Some ichnotaxonomical changes are proposed. 3D reconstructions are provided for all ichnotaxa. The chapter provides keys to separate ichnofamilies, ichnogenera and ichnospecies of Celliformidae and Coprinisphaeridae. It is intended to function as a guide to easily identify in the field insect trace fossils from paleosols.
Identification of Bufadienolides from the Boreal Toad, Anaxyrus boreas, Active Against a Fungal Pathogen

Amphibian granular glands provide a wide range of compounds on the skin that defend against pathogens and predators. We identified three bufadienolides-the steroid-like compounds arenobufagin, gamabufotalin, and telocinobufagin-from the boreal toad, Anaxyrus boreas, through liquid chromatography mass spectrometry (LC/MS). Compounds were detected both after inducing skin gland secretions and in constitutive mucosal rinses from toads. We described the antimicrobial properties of each bufadienolide against Batrachochytrium dendrobatidis (Bd), an amphibian fungal pathogen linked with boreal toad population declines. All three bufadienolides were found to inhibit Bd growth at similar levels. The maximum Bd inhibition produced by arenobufagin, gamabufotalin, and telocinobufagin were approximately 50%, in contrast to the complete Bd inhibition shown by antimicrobial skin peptides produced by some amphibian species. In addition, skin mucus samples significantly reduced Bd viability, and bufadienolides were detected in 15 of 62 samples. Bufadienolides also appeared to enhance growth of the anti-Bd bacterium Janthinobacterium lividum, and thus may be involved in regulation of the skin microbiome. Here, we localized skin bacteria within the mucus layer and granular glands of toads with fluorescent in situ hybridization. Overall, our results suggest that bufadienolides can function in antifungal defense on amphibian skin and their production is a potentially convergent trait similar to antimicrobial peptide defenses found on the skin of other species. Further studies investigating bufadienolide expression across toad populations, their regulation, and interactions with other components of the skin mucosome will contribute to understanding the complexities of amphibian immune defense.
Do College Students Use Online Self-Help? A Survey of Intentions and Use of Mental Health Resources

ABSTRACTOnline self-help may help increase the reach of mental health services for college students, but little research has examined students’ actual interest/use of these resources. An online survey of 389 college students examined intentions and use of online mental health resources as compared with other support options. Findings indicated the highest intentions/use of informal supports (e.g., parents, friends) for mental health problems and lowest intentions/use for online self-help. However, a subset of students showed a preference for online self-help over other forms of support. Participants were also more likely to request online self-help resources (21%) than in-person therapy resources (9%) when offered these options. Reported barriers were also identified for using mobile applications (apps) specifically (e.g., stigma, credibility, privacy). Overall, results suggest mixed findings and relatively low interest for use of online self-help among college students, while highlighting potential barri...
Comparative proteomic analysis between nitrogen supplemented and starved conditions in Magnaporthe oryzae.

Fungi are constantly exposed to nitrogen limiting environments, and thus the efficient regulation of nitrogen metabolism is essential for their survival, growth, development and pathogenicity. To understand how the rice blast pathogen Magnaporthe oryzae copes with limited nitrogen availability, a global proteome analysis under nitrogen supplemented and nitrogen starved conditions was completed. M. oryzae strain 70–15 was cultivated in liquid minimal media and transferred to media with nitrate or without a nitrogen source. Proteins were isolated and subjected to unfractionated gel-free based liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS/MS). The subcellular localization and function of the identified proteins were predicted using bioinformatics tools. A total of 5498 M. oryzae proteins were identified. Comparative analysis of protein expression showed 363 proteins and 266 proteins significantly induced or uniquely expressed under nitrogen starved or nitrogen supplemented conditions, respectively. A functional analysis of differentially expressed proteins revealed that during nitrogen starvation nitrogen catabolite repression, melanin biosynthesis, protein degradation and protein translation pathways underwent extensive alterations. In addition, nitrogen starvation induced accumulation of various extracellular proteins including small extracellular proteins consistent with observations of a link between nitrogen starvation and the development of pathogenicity in M. oryzae. The results from this study provide a comprehensive understanding of fungal responses to nitrogen availability.
No increased risk of carcinogenesis with mesh-based hernia repairs.

Abstract Background The use of synthetic mesh has been placed under considerable scrutiny. We sought to evaluate whether there is a link between placement of synthetic polypropylene mesh for hernia repair and a subsequent cancer diagnosis. Methods Adult men undergoing mesh-based hernia repair from January 2008–December 2009 in New York State were identified and followed through December 2014. Control cohorts of men undergoing cholecystectomy and total knee replacement were control cohorts. Results 1894 patients undergoing hernia repair, 912 patients in the cholecystectomy control cohort, and 1099 in the TKA control cohort with a cancer diagnosis. In the matched analyses of mesh-based hernia repair and cholecystectomy patients 6.5% vs. 7.1% developed cancer. In the matched analysis of hernia patients and TKA patients, 9.3% vs. 9.1% developed cancer. No association between mesh-based hernia surgery and increased risk of cancer was found. Conclusions Mesh-based hernia repair was not associated with an increased risk of subsequent development of cancer in men.
The Coefficient of Variation as an Index of Measurement Reliability

This chapter focuses on the use of the coefficient of variation (CV) as an index of reliability or variability in the health sciences (medical and biological sciences) for the purpose of clinical research and clinical practice in the context of diagnostic tests, human performance tests, and biochemical laboratory assays. Before examining the use of the CV as an index of measurement reliability or variability, there is a need to define basic terms in measurement theory such as reliability, validity, and measurement error. A discussion and examples of use of the CV as a measure of reliability or variability are also provided.
Immunology of Streptococcus pneumoniae

In 1909, Sir William Osler termed pneumonia “captain of the men of death” (Osler, 1909). Today, pneumonia ranks as the only infectious illness among the ten leading causes of death in the United States (Austrian, 1976). From 1900 to 1968, the annual mortality fell from approximately 200 per 100,000 population to 35 per 100,000. In a report by the Respiratory Disease Task Force (1972), it was noted that there were 2,700,000 hospitalizations for infectious pneumonia in 1975 and that these hospitalizations accounted for 8.5% of admissions that year. The early treatment of pneumococcal pneumonia required the isolation and typing of the causative organism with subsequent administration of type-specific antiserum. Typing and the use of antiserum became unnecessary with the introduction of antibiotics, initially in the form of Sulfonamides and subsequently penicillin.
SYNTHETIC APPLICATIONS OF THE CHEMISTRY OF DICARBONYL CYCLOPENTADIENYLIRON COMPLEXES

Abstract The use of Fp(vinyl ether) cations [Fp≡C 5 H 5 Fe(CO) 2 ] as vinyl cation equivalents is described. Carbon nucleophiles generally add nonregiospecifically to the activated double bond of Fp(olefin) cations. However, nucleophilic addition to vinyl ether complexes ( 1 ) is highly regiospecific. The products are (β-alkoxyalkyl)Fp complexes ( 2 ) which are in turn readily transformed to Fp(olefin) complexes ( 3 ) by brief treatment with acid at low temperatures. Release of the free vinyl group from 3 is simply achieved by brief exposure to iodide, or bromide. The stereochemistry of these reactions and several applications of the above sequence are illustrated.
IN VIVO CYCLIC NUCLEOTIDE CONTENT: EFFECTS OF DOPAMINERGIC AGONISTS AND ANTAGONISTS

ABSTRACT Apomorphine, methylphenidate and d-amphetamine increased cerebellar guanosine-3′,5′-monophosphate (cGMP) whereas bromocryptine did not. All of the antipsychotic drugs tested except sulpiride antagonized this increase. None of these drugs altered adenosine-3′,5′-monophosphate (cAMP) in the striatum. Paralysis antagonized the apomorphine-induced rise in cerebellar cGMP.
11 Conclusion: “The Mere Touch of Cold Philosophy”

While aware that many and even most are inclined to bet or at least to hope otherwise, I nevertheless suggested in closing the last chapter and, with it, my main argument in this book that the nonclassical epistemology of quantum theory may be worth a bet and that it might even be our best bet. I would like to stress this is only a bet, indeed a possible bet, which, accordingly, cannot be certain. First of all, apart from the fact that even quantum mechanics may be proven to be wrong by new data, the book’s argument, my main justification for this suggestion, only concerns an interpretation of quantum phenomena and quantum mechanics, both of which, as I qualified throughout, could be and have been interpreted otherwise.
Lighting simply made better: Providing a full range of benefits without much fuss

Abstract The effective application of lighting depends upon a definition of light that captures the full range of wavelengths to which the human retina is sensitive. The current definition of light, based upon the photopic luminous efficiency function, V(λ), does not. Rather, V(λ) is biased against short wavelengths that are important for some of the benefits that lighting can provide to people such as brightness perception and circadian regulation, thereby compromising the effective application of lighting. Neuroscience has revealed several visual and non-visual channels that emanate from the retina to different centers in the brain influencing our physiology and behavior. This research has also elucidated the spectral and the absolute sensitivities of these different neural channels. Since the definition of light and the many lighting standards do not reflect the neuroscience, they compromise the beneficial application of lighting. A new definition of light based upon the universal luminous efficiency function, U(λ), would be unbiased with respect to the full range of wavelengths to which the retina is sensitive. Coupled with scientific insight into the spectral and absolute sensitivities of the various neural channels, lighting can easily become more effective for delivering the benefits people expect.
Impact ignition and combustion of micron-scale aluminum particles pre-stressed with different quenching rates

Pre-stressing aluminum (Al) particles by annealing and quenching alters dilatational strain and is linked to increased particle reactivity. The quenching rate associated with pre-stressing is a key parameter affecting the final stress state within the Al particle, with faster quenching rates theoretically favoring a higher, more desirable stress state. Micron scale Al particles are annealed to 573 K, then quenched at different rates (i.e., 200 and 900 K/min), mixed with bismuth oxide (Bi2O3), and the Al + Bi2O3 mixtures are examined under low-velocity, drop-weight impact conditions. Both quenching rates showed increased impact ignition sensitivity (i.e., between 83% and 89% decrease in ignition energy). However, the slower quenching rate showed a 100% increase in pressurization rate compared to untreated particles, while the faster quenching rate showed a 97% increase in peak pressure, indicating that these two quenching rates affect Al particles differently. Surprisingly, synchrotron X-ray diffraction data show that the 200 K/min quenched particles have a higher dilatational strain than the untreated particles or the 900 K/min quenched particles. Results are rationalized with the help of a simple mechanical model that takes into account elastic stresses, creep in the alumina shell, and delamination of shell from the core. The model predicts that Al powder quenched at 200 K/min did not experience delamination. In contrast, Al quenched at 900 K/min did not have creep but does have delamination, and under impact, delamination led to major fracture, greater oxygen access to the core, and significant promotion of reaction. Thus, the increase in quenching rate and shell-core delamination are more important for the increase in Al reactivity than pre-stressing alone.
Municipal Solid Waste: Process Technology

MSW may be considered as a useful raw material for many purposes and products. The determination of a course of action is controlled by economic factors which are related to a geographical situation. Therefore, the management of a given source of MSW may involve only the collection, transportation and disposal in a sanitary land fill with a potential of future land reclamation as well as recovery of methane from the biodegradation of the biomass.
Effect of Trial of Labor before Cesarean and Risk of Subsequent Placenta Accreta Spectrum Disorders.

Objective This study aimed to examine whether labor before cesarean affects the risk of placenta accreta spectrum (PAS) disorders in a subsequent pregnancy. Study Design This is a secondary analysis of the Cesarean Registry, a prospective cohort study of women undergoing cesarean between 1999 and 2002. Women with one prior cesarean with known indications, which were categorized as likely associated with labor (labored cesarean) versus likely not associated with labor (unlabored cesarean), were included. Primary outcome was PAS disorder. Results Of 34,224 women, 60% had a “labored cesarean” and 40% had an “unlabored cesarean.” Women with prior unlabored cesarean were more likely to have subsequent PAS disorder compared with women with a prior labored cesarean after adjusting for confounders (0.28 vs. 0.13%; adjusted odds ratio: 2.03; 95% confidence interval: 1.22–3.38). Conclusion Prior unlabored cesarean is associated with an increased risk of PAS disorders in a subsequent pregnancy. This association may aid in risk stratification in women with suspected PAS disorders and help counsel about risks associated with cesarean on maternal request.
Large-scale data processing software and performance instabilities within HEP grid environments

Large tasks running on grids and clouds have introduced a need for stability guarantees from geographically spanning resources, where failures are handled pre-emptively. Detecting performance inefficiencies in such cases is difficult. While individual services implement fault-tolerance, the behaviour of interacting failures within tightly-coupled systems is less understood. This paper describes an approach to modelling performance of production tasks running within the ALICE grid. We provide an overview of the ALICE data and software workflow for production jobs. Event states are then constructed, based on data centre job, computing, storage and user behaviour. We then address the question of analysing failures within the context of operational instabilities, occurring in production grid environments. The results demonstrate that operational issues can be detected and described according to the principle service layers involved. This can guide users, central and data centre experts to take action in advance of service failure effects.