cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Development of spatial cognition

Spatial cognition plays an essential role in everyday functioning and provides a foundation for successful performance in scientific and technological fields. Reasoning about space involves processing information about distance, angles, and direction. Starting from infancy, children display sensitivity to these spatial properties, although their initial skills are quite limited. Subsequent development during early childhood and through the elementary school years involves gradual improvement in the use of individual frames of reference (i.e., egocentric and allocentric), as well as in the ability to flexibly combine different types of spatial information. Similarly, there is a relatively long progression from the starting points, when infants and young children display sensitivity to distance and form simple spatial categories, to more mature spatial competence when older children and adults integrate distance and categorical information hierarchically. Such developments are associated with both the maturation of specific brain regions and accumulating experience, including interactions with the physical world and the acquisition of cultural tools. In particular, the mastery of symbolic spatial representations, such as maps and models, significantly augments basic spatial capabilities. While growing evidence implicates both biological and experiential factors in the development of spatial cognition, a deeper understanding of the mechanisms that underlie the developmental process requires further investigation of how such factors interact to produce organisms that function competently in their environments. WIREs Cogn Sci 2012, 3:349-362. doi: 10.1002/wcs.1171 For further resources related to this article, please visit the WIREs website.
Bladder incarceration following anterior external fixation of a traumatic pubic symphysis diastasis treated with immediate open reduction and internal fixation

Anterior pelvic ring disruptions are often associated with injuries to the genitourinary structures with the potential for considerable resultant morbidity. Herniation of the bladder into the symphyseal region after injury with subsequent entrapment upon reduction of the symphyseal diastasis has seldom been reported in the literature. We report such a case involving bladder herniation and subsequent entrapment after attempted closed reduction with anterior pelvic external fixation immediately treated with open reduction and internal fixation along with a review of the literature.
Versioned software architecture

In this position paper we introduce a novel use of software architecture. Rather than following the traditional focus on design, we propose to use the notion of versioned software architecture to support other activities in the software life cycle. In particular, we are investigating how the activities of configuration management and software deployment can benefit from the availability of an explicit architectural representation that is enhanced with versioning capabilities. Below, we present some of the initial results of this investigation. We motivate our research into versioned software architecture, present some usage scenarios in the context of configuration management and software deployment, and conclude with an outlook at the future work that remains to be done.
Linear-scaling parallel algorithms for the first principles treatment of metals ✩

Orbital-free kinetic energy density functionals provide the means to accurately simulate the behavior of simple sp-band metals, on a length scale currently unparalleled by other ab initio methods. We present some technical aspects of the efficient parallel implementation of kinetic energy functionals, including a functional with a recently developed density-dependent response kernel that provides a good description of metal surfaces. We further illustrate the ability of this new functional to treat finite metallic systems by examining the metal-insulator transition in a 2-dimensional array of metal quantum dots.
THE SECULAR FAITH OF GILLIAN ROSE

Gillian Rose was a philosopher, social theorist, memoirist, and Jewish convert to Christianity who died an untimely death in 1995. She offers a novel account of faith, which grows out of her Hegelian philosophical background inflected by her reading of Kierkegaard and her rediscovered Jewish heritage. For Rose, faith is a mode of social practice. Rose's conception of faith is here reconstructed by translating her obscure jurisprudential idiom into the language of social practices and norms. The conception of secular faith developed by Rose is shown to have implications for contemporary discussions of ethics and politics. The contemporary relevance of Rose's work is made clear through comparison with recent work by Robert Brandom, Robert Adams, and Patrick Deneen.
A single-layer, planar, optofluidic Mach–Zehnder interferometer for label-free detection

We have developed a planar, optofluidic Mach–Zehnder interferometer for the label-free detection of liquid samples. In contrast to most on-chip interferometers which require complex fabrication, our design was realized via a simple, single-layer soft lithography fabrication process. In addition, a single-wavelength laser source and a silicon photodetector were the only optical equipment used for data collection. The device was calibrated using published data for the refractive index of calcium chloride (CaCl2) in solution, and the biosensing capabilities of the device were tested by detecting bovine serum albumin (BSA). Our design enables a refractometer with a low limit of detection (1.24 × 10−4 refractive index units (RIU)), low variability (1 × 10−4 RIU), and high sensitivity (927.88 oscillations per RIU). This performance is comparable to state-of-the-art optofluidic refractometers that involve complex fabrication processes and/or expensive, bulky optics. The advantages of our device (i.e. simple fabrication process, straightforward optical equipment, low cost, and high detection sensitivity) make it a promising candidate for future mass-producible, inexpensive, highly sensitive, label-free optical detection systems.
APL2 implementations of unification

This paper defines unification, the pattern matching process used in logic programming, and presents various alternatives for constructing algorithms
A reassessment of Eocene parrotlike fossils indicates a previously undetected radiation of zygodactyl stem group representatives of passerines (Passeriformes)

In the past years, various Eocene fossil birds were described as stem group representatives of the zygodactyl Psittaciformes (parrots). These birds show quite disparate morphologies, which cast some doubt on the correct assignment of all of them to the psittaciform stem group. A reassessment of their affinities is further needed, because it was recently proposed that among extant birds, Psittaciformes and Passeriformes (passerines) form a clade and that passerines possibly derived from a zygodactyl ancestor. Here, phylogenetic analyses are performed, which for the first time also include representatives of the Zygodactylidae, the extinct zygodactyl sister taxon of the Passeriformes. The early Eocene Psittacopes was originally described as a stem group representative of Psittaciformes. However, none of the present analyses supported psittaciform affinities for Psittacopes and instead recovered this taxon in a clade together with zygodactylids and passerines. Also part of this clade are the early Eocene taxa Pumiliornis and Morsoravis, and it is detailed that Psittacopes and the long-beaked and presumably nectarivorous Pumiliornis, with which it has not yet been compared, are very similar in their postcranial osteology. The present analysis corroborates the hypothesis of a zygodactyl stem species of passerines. To account for these results, Psittacopes is here assigned to a new higher-level taxon and a new name is also introduced for the clade including Zygodactylidae and Passeriformes.
Two Distinct Functions of ComW in Stabilization and Activation of the Alternative Sigma Factor ComX in Streptococcus pneumoniae

Natural genetic transformation in Streptococcus pneumoniae is controlled by a quorum-sensing system, which acts through the competence-stimulating peptide (CSP) for transient activation of genes required for competence. More than 100 genes have been identified as CSP regulated by use of DNA microarray analysis. One of the CSP-induced genes required for genetic competence is comW. As the expression of this gene depended on the regulator ComE, but not on the competence sigma factor ComX (sigma(X)), and as expression of several genes required for DNA processing was affected in a comW mutant, comW appears to be a new regulatory gene. Immunoblotting analysis showed that the amount of the sigma(X) protein is dependent on ComW, suggesting that ComW may be directly or indirectly involved in the accumulation of sigma(X). As sigma(X) is stabilized in clpP mutants, a comW mutation was introduced into the clpP background to ask whether the synthesis of sigma(X) depends on ComW. The clpP comW double mutant accumulated an amount of sigma(X) higher (threefold) than that seen in the wild type but was not transformable, suggesting that while comW is not needed for sigma(X) synthesis, it acts both in stabilization of sigma(X) and in its activation. Modification of ComW with a histidine tag at its C or N terminus revealed that both amino and carboxyl termini are important for increasing the stability of sigma(X), but only the N terminus is important for stimulating its activity.
Micro-blogs, Online Forums, and the Birth-Control Policy: Social Media and the Politics of Reproduction in China

In June 2012, the news of a Chinese woman’s forced late-term abortion quickly spread across the internet in China. Graphic photos of the woman with the aborted fetus provoked public outrage and widespread condemnation on social media sites. In the aftermath, local authorities apologized, seven officials were given demerits, and the couple received monetary compensation. This case was put under the spotlight mainly because of the exposure of the story by family members of the woman through social media and the resulting public outcry in cyberspace. Following the disclosure of this story and public reactions online, this article explores the complex interplays among different layers of state power, the individual, and the public in reproductive politics, and discusses the ways in which social media has been utilized to resist state control of reproduction. By delving into the nuanced interactions among layers of state authorities, this article sheds light on the study of state–society relations in reproductive politics. It also calls attention to the role that social media plays in reproductive issues.
High-accuracy, compact database of narrow-band k-distributions for water vapor and carbon dioxide

An accurate and compact narrow-band k-distribution database has been constructed for water vapor and carbon dioxide from the HITEMP and CDSD-1000 spectroscopic databases. The systematic approach of k-distribution data generation and compaction, storage optimization and interpolation is discussed in this paper. The new database enables the user to obtain narrow-band, part-spectrum and full-spectrum k-distributions for inhomogeneous gas mixtures.
Microglia-Mediated Nitric Oxide Cytotoxicity of T Cells Following Amyloid β-Peptide Presentation to Th1 Cells

Alzheimer's disease is marked by progressive accumulation of amyloid beta-peptide (Abeta) which appears to trigger neurotoxic and inflammatory cascades. Substantial activation of microglia as part of a local innate immune response is prominent at sites of Abeta plaques in the CNS. However, the role of activated microglia as Abeta APCs and the induction of adaptive immune responses has not been investigated. We have used primary microglial cultures to characterize Abeta-Ag presentation and interaction with Abeta-specific T cells. We found that IFN-gamma-treated microglia serve as efficient Abeta APCs of both Abeta1-40 and Abeta1-42, mediating CD86-dependent proliferation of Abeta-reactive T cells. When cultured with Th1 and Th2 subsets of Abeta-reactive T cells, Th1, but not Th2, cells, underwent apoptosis after stimulation, which was accompanied by increased levels of IFN-gamma, NO, and caspase-3. T cell apoptosis was prevented in the presence of an inducible NO synthase type 2 inhibitor. Microglia-mediated proliferation of Abeta-reactive Th2 cells was associated with expression of the Th2 cytokines IL-4 and IL-10, which counterbalanced the toxic levels of NO induced by Abeta. Our results demonstrate NO-dependent apoptosis of T cells by Abeta-stimulated microglia which may enhance CNS innate immune responses and neurotoxicity in Alzheimer's disease. Secretion of NO by stimulated microglia may underlie a more general pathway of T cell death in the CNS seen in neurodegenerative diseases. Furthermore, Th2 type T cell responses may have a beneficial effect on this process by down-regulation of NO and the proinflammatory environment.
Linogliride fumarate, representing a new class of oral hypoglycemic agent for diabetes

This study presents the first multiday therapy trial of linogliride fumarate, a representative of a new class of oral hypoglycemie agents. Linogliride demonstrated a significant hypoglycemie activity in 26 patients with non-insulin-dependent diabetes mellitus receiving 1 week of therapy. In a dose range of 150 to 400 mg b.i.d., fasting glucose levels fell from 237 ± 52 mg to 199 ± 59 mg by day 7 (P < 0.01). Eight-hour glucose AUCs fell from 2121 ± 617 mg/dl/8 hr baseline to 1781 ± 631 mg/dl/8 hr on day 7 of treatment (P < 0.01). This was associated with a significant increase in insulin AUC from 380 ± 327 to 610 ± 417 on day 7 (P < 0.01). Thus its initial action appears to be by an insulin secretagogue mechanism. No patient had any major adverse effect. This initial study indicates that linogliride fumarate is an effective hypoglycemic agent that significantly lowers fasting and postprandial glucose levels with short-term use. Linogliride fumarate represents a new group of hypoglycemic agents that may be shown to have therapeutic utility. Clinical Pharmacology and Therapeutics (1987) 42, 498–503; doi:10.1038/clpt.1987.187
Structure of the uracil complex of Vaccinia virus uracil DNA glycosylase.

Poxvirus uracil DNA glycosylases are the most diverse members of the family I uracil DNA glycosylases (UNGs). The crystal structure of the uracil complex of Vaccinia virus uracil DNA glycosylase (D4) was determined at 2.03 A resolution. One uracil molecule was located in the active-site pocket in each of the 12 noncrystallographic symmetry-related D4 subunits. Although the UNGs of the poxviruses (including D4) feature significant differences in the characteristic motifs designated for uracil recognition and in the base-excision mechanism, the architecture of the active-site pocket in D4 is very similar to that in UNGs of other organisms. Overall, the interactions of the bound uracil with the active-site residues are also similar to the interactions previously observed in the structures of human and Escherichia coli UNG.
Paramutation: The Chromatin Connection

Paramutation has been studied extensively in maize since R.A. Brink described a heritable alteration of the r locus that defied principles of Mendelian inheritance ([Brink, 1956][1]). A recent publication on paramutation in maize now provides convincing evidence that chromatin-level regulation
Why Does a Protein’s Evolutionary Rate Vary over Time?

The sequences of different proteins evolve at different rates. The relative evolutionary rate (ER) of a single protein also changes over evolutionary time. The cause of this ER fluctuation remains uncertain, and study of this phenomenon may shed light on protein evolution more broadly. We have characterized ER fluctuation in mammals and Drosophila. We found little correlation between the amount of rate variation observed for a protein and such factors as its expression level or phylogenetic distribution. Perhaps more surprisingly, we found little correlation between our measure of rate variation and ER itself. We also investigated the extent to which the ERs of different domains of a protein vary independently. We found that rates of different domains do tend to vary together. In fact, rates at positions in different domains are coupled just as strongly as rates at equally distant positions in the same domain. These findings provide clues to the protein evolutionary process.
Promoter features related to tissue specificity as measured by Shannon entropy

Background The regulatory mechanisms underlying tissue specificity are a crucial part of the development and maintenance of multicellular organisms. A genome-wide analysis of promoters in the context of gene-expression patterns in tissue surveys provides a means of identifying the general principles for these mechanisms.
Chronic Epileptogenic Cellular Alterations in the Limbic System After Status Epilepticus

Status epilepticus (SE) is associated with both acute and permanent pathological sequellae. One common long term consequence of SE is the subsequent development of a chronic epileptic condition, with seizures frequently originating from and involving the limbic system. Following SE, many studies have demonstrated selective loss of neurons within the hilar region of the dentate gyrus, CA1 and CA3 pyramidal neurons. Selective loss of distinct subpopulations of interneurons throughout the hippocampus is also frequently evident, although interneurons as a whole are selectively spared relative to principal cells. Accompanying this loss of neurons are circuit rearrangements, the most widely studied being the sprouting of dentate granule cell (DGC) axons back onto the inner molecular layer of the dentate gyrus, termed mossy fiber sprouting. Less studied are the receptor properties of the surviving neurons within the epileptic hippocampus following SE. DGCs in epileptic animals exhibit marked alterations in the functional and pharmacological properties of gamma-aminobutyric acid (GABA) receptors. DGCs have a significantly elevated density of GABA(A) receptors in chronically epileptic animals. In addition, the pharmacological properties of GABA(A) receptors in post-SE epileptic animals are quite different compared to controls. In particular, GABA(A) receptors in DGCs from epileptic animals show an enhanced sensitivity to blockade by zinc, and a markedly altered sensitivity to modulation by benzodiazepines. These pharmacological differences may be due to a decreased expression of alpha1 subunits of the GABA(A) receptor relative to other alpha subunits in DGCs of post-SE epileptic animals. These GABA(A) receptor alterations precede the onset of spontaneous seizures in post-SE DGCs, and so are temporally positioned to contribute to the process of epileptogenesis in the limbic system. The presence of zinc sensitive GABA receptors combined with the presence of zinc-containing "sprouted" mossy fiber terminals innervating the proximal dendrites of DGCs in the post-SE epileptic hippocampus prompted the development of the hypothesis that repetitive activation of the DG in the epileptic brain could result in the release of zine. This zinc in turn may diffuse to and block "epileptic" zinc-sensitive GABA(A) receptors in DGCs, leading to a catastrophic failure of inhibition and concomitant enhanced seizure propensity in the post-SE epileptic limbic system.
Contributions of Evaluation To Education Programs and Policy

Federal evaluations in education contributed in numerous and important ways to changes in law, regulation, and management. Information about implementation contributed most often, but information about outcomes, cost, and federal administration also made contributions. The findings of the present study are surprising in light ofprevious research that concluded evaluations do not often contribute to decisions.
Individual differences in physiological responses to fearful, racially noxious, and neutral imagery.

Mental imagery has recently emerged as an alternative to traditional laboratory stressors in psychophysiological studies. The present study assessed physiological responsivity to fearful, neutral, and racially noxious image scenes in sixty-two black women. In addition, the utility of several personality variables for predicting physiological changes in response to the scenes was assessed. Thirty-one vivid and thirty-one non-vivid imagers participated in a preliminary session during which they were given progressive relaxation training and were instructed to image an event on cue. On a separate occasion physiological responses to the scenes were assessed. Findings indicated that the fearful and racially noxious scenes elicited comparable increases in corrugator and heart rate activity. The neutral scene had a less pronounced effect on heart rate and corrugator activity than the other scenes. Results of multiple regression analyses in which personality variables served as predictors of physiological activit...
Haemodialysis patients with sleep apnoea syndrome experience increased central adiposity and altered muscular composition and functionality

Background. Sleep apnoea frequently affects patients with end-stage renal disease. However, it is still unclear whether or to what extent sleep disorders may affect functional capacity and quality of life in haemodialysis patients. We tested the hypothesis that apneic dialysis patients due to the lack of restorative sleep will have a further reduced functional capacity and further compromised quality of life compared to their non- body mass and % total body fat between groups, however, values for VAT, VAT/TAT ratio and thigh muscles' fat infiltration were increased in the high- AHI group. VAT correlated with BMI (r ¼ 0.682, P ¼ 0.001), functional capacity (r ¼ 0.558, P ¼ 0.001) apnoea hypopnoea index (r ¼ 0.530, P ¼ 0.001). There were no statistical significant differences in quality of life between the two groups. To further account for age and BMI differences, a subgroup of patients was matched by age, sex and BMI (N ¼ 10/group). In the matched analysis, all the above statistical differ- ences remained, between the low-AHI and high-AHI groups. Conclusions. Haemodialysis patients with sleep apnoea syndrome demonstrate poorer functional capacity, physical performance and muscle composi- tion, compared to non-apneic dialysis patients. Overall, sleep apnoea appears to partly contribute to the total diminished functional capacity of haemo- dialysis patients.
Toward an Anthropology of Prisons

▪ Abstract The late twentieth century saw an intense expansion of the prison system in the United States during the same period in which Foucault's Discipline and Punish influenced academic approaches to power and subjection. This article reviews the history, sociology, and anthropology of the prison, as well as some recent popular critiques of the current situation. It highlights critical perspectives on modern forms of punishment and reform and suggests areas in which an anthropology of prisons might take up questions of modernity, subjection, classification, social suffering, and ethnographic possibility in the context of an increasingly politicized and racialized system of incarceration.
Do speakers and listeners observe the Gricean Maxim of Quantity

Abstract The Gricean Maxim of Quantity is believed to govern linguistic performance. Speakers are assumed to provide as much information as required for referent identification and no more, and listeners are believed to expect unambiguous but concise descriptions. In three experiments we examined the extent to which naive participants are sensitive to the Maxim of Quantity. The first was a production experiment which demonstrated that speakers over-describe almost one-third of the time. The second experiment showed that listeners do not judge over-descriptions to be any worse than concise expressions. The third experiment used the Visual World Paradigm to assess listeners’ moment-by-moment interpretations of over-described utterances. This last experiment revealed that over-descriptions trigger eye movements that can be interpreted as indicating confusion. The results provide support for the use of a simple heuristic such as Minimal Attachment or Argument Saturation to create an initial parse. We conclude that people are only moderately Gricean.
Long-term risk of type 2 diabetes in relation to habitual iron intake in women with a history of gestational diabetes: a prospective cohort study

Background An iron overload may induce pancreatic islet damage and increase risk of diabetes. Women with a history of gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM) are at high risk of developing type 2 diabetes mellitus (T2DM) after pregnancy. Objective We aimed to examine the association of habitual iron intake with long-term risk of T2DM in this high-risk population. Design We included 3976 women with a history of GDM from the Nurses' Health Study II cohort as part of the ongoing Diabetes & Women's Health Study. The women were followed up through 2009. Iron intake was assessed with the use of a validated food-frequency questionnaire in 1991 and every 4 y thereafter. We used Cox proportional hazards models to estimate HRs and 95% CIs. Results We documented 641 incident T2DM cases during 57,683 person-years of observation. Adjusted HRs for T2DM for the highest quartile compared with the lowest quartile were 1.64 (95% CI: 1.20, 2.25; P-trend = 0.02) for total iron intake and 1.80 (95% CI: 1.18, 2.74; P-trend = 0.005) for dietary heme iron intake. In addition, women who consumed ≥30.0 mg supplemental Fe/d, compared with nonusers, had an adjusted HR of 1.83 (95% CI: 1.25, 2.70; P-trend = 0.002). Conclusion In women with a history of GDM, greater intakes of total iron, dietary heme iron, and supplemental iron were associated with higher risk of T2DM.
From blood–brain barrier to blood–brain interface: new opportunities for CNS drug delivery

One of the biggest challenges in the development of therapeutics for central nervous system (CNS) disorders is achieving sufficient blood-brain barrier (BBB) penetration. Research in the past few decades has revealed that the BBB is not only a substantial barrier for drug delivery to the CNS but also a complex, dynamic interface that adapts to the needs of the CNS, responds to physiological changes, and is affected by and can even promote disease. This complexity confounds simple strategies for drug delivery to the CNS, but provides a wealth of opportunities and approaches for drug development. Here, I review some of the most important areas that have recently redefined the BBB and discuss how they can be applied to the development of CNS therapeutics.
On postsocialist capitalism

Unlike recent tendencies to specify the variety of postsocialist trajectories, this article attempts to characterize the common features of postsocialist capitalism, as it has developed since the 1990s in Eastern Europe. Using conceptual tools of economic sociology, the postsocialist socio-economic organization is analyzed as embedded economy, the institutionalization of capitalism as a moral project, and the pervasiveness of informality from the networks and culture perspectives. Economic development is viewed as dependent, simultaneously, on the system’s structural, political and cultural features. For postsocialist capitalism, these features include lack of state autonomy due to close coupling of political and economic roles; the embrace of greed and self-interest as legitimate motives for action; and persistence and bolstering of informality as modus operandi. Stipulations about developmental consequences are provided in the conclusion.
Book Review: The nature of intractable conflict: Resolution in the twenty-first century

Book Title: The nature of intractable conflict: Resolution in the twenty-first century Author: Christopher Mitchell 2014, New York, Palgrave Macmillan, 353 pages. ISBN: 978 1 403 94518 1
Lorcaserin Use in the Management of Morbid Obesity in a Pre-Liver Transplant Patient

Management of obesity and decompensated cirrhosis in those requiring liver transplantation (LT) is a challenging dilemma. Because of concerns for perioperative complications, many centers avoid transplant in those with a body mass index (BMI) greater than 40 kg/m(2) . Bariatric surgery is associated with increased risk attributable to complications of portal hypertension, including variceal rupture. Therefore, weight loss and LT options are limited. Several new classes of weight loss drugs are commercially available, including the anoretic, lorcaserin. This case illustrates the successful use of lorcaserin in a morbidly obese individual with decompensated cirrhosis evaluated for LT listing. (Hepatology 2016;64:301-302).
Menthol Cigarettes Contribute to the Appeal and Addiction Potential of Smoking for Youth

Introduction Menthol cigarettes are a common choice of cigarettes among young smokers that contribute to the addictive potential of cigarette smoking. Methods We reviewed prior research and analyzed the 2006 National Youth Tobacco Survey (NYTS), using logistic regression to assess the relationship between menthol cigarette use and needing a cigarette within 1 hr after smoking. Results In the 2006 NYTS, 51.7% (95% CI: 45.8-57.5) of middle school smokers and 43.1% (95% C.I.: 37.0, 49.1) of high school smokers reported that they usually smoked a menthol brand of cigarettes, using a menthol smoking status definition based on consistency between smokers' report of the brand and the menthol status of the cigarettes they usually smoked. A logistic regression model of dependence, controlling for background (i.e., school level, gender, and race/ethnicity) and smoking level (i.e., years, frequency, and level of smoking) found that smoking menthol cigarettes was significantly associated with reduced time to needing a cigarette among smokers with a regular brand (odds ratio [OR]: 1.86, p = .003) and among established smokers (OR: 2.06, p = .001). This is consistent with other studies that found that youth who smoked menthol cigarettes were significantly more likely than those who smoked nonmenthol cigarettes to report signs of nicotine dependency. Conclusions Menthol cigarettes contribute to the appeal of youth smoking and to the addictive potential of smoking cigarettes among youth. It is important to control the use of menthol cigarettes and to implement cessation strategies that are effective with youth smokers.
Limited Effects of Certain Steroid Hormones on Mammary Glands of Hypophysectomized Rats.

SummaryHypophysectomized rats were treated immediately or several days after the operation with progesterone alone or in combination with estrogen and with desoxycortico-sterone acetate. The mammary glands of these animals were stimulated with progesterone and estrogen alone or in combination only when treatment was begun immediately. The effects of the combined hormones revealed a summation of the individual responses. Desoxycorticosterone was ineffective.
Round Ligament Leiomyoma Presenting as an Incarcerated Inguinal Hernia: Case Report and Review of the Literature

Leiomyomas are common benign gynecologic tumors occurring in up to 30% of women. Round ligament leiomyomas however are very rare and, if symptomatic, can present as an inguinal hernia. We report the case of a 47-year-old woman who presented with an irreducible inguinal mass consistent with an incarcerated hernia. Intraoperatively, the mass was found to be a round ligament leiomyoma, a diagnosis that was confirmed by histopathology following excision of the mass. Although rare, round ligament leiomyomas should be part of the differential diagnosis of an inguinal hernia in females.
The influence of high pressure on the bacteria inactivation and chemical and physical quality of emulsified mutton sausage

The influence of high pressure on the bacterial inactivation,physical and chemical properties of emulsified mutton sausage was studied by means of the total bacterial count,color,texture properties,pH values and the value of TBARS. And the results showed that bacterias from sausages were effectively inactivated by high pressure,when the pressure was 500 MPa,and the treat time was 60 min,the total bacterial count of sausage decreased 2 log. High pressure led to the increment of L* of the sausage,the decrease of the a* and b*. High pressure could promote minced mutton to a dense gel structure. The hardness and the springiness increased with the treat time goes up at 300 MPa. And the high pressure could lead the pH of emulsified mutton sausage increment,when the pressure was 300 MPa,the treat time was 20 min,pH increased from 6.28 to 6.51. The value of TBARS increased first and then decreased as the pressure increased.
Enhancing the Mechanical Properties of Biodegradable Polymer Blends Using Tubular Nanoparticle Stitching of the Interfaces

“Green” polymer nanocomposites were made by melt blending biodegradable poly(lactic acid) (PLA) and poly(butylene adipate-co-butylene terephthalate) (PBAT) with either montmorillonite clays (Cloisite Na+), halloysite nanotubes (HNTs), the resorcinol diphenyl phosphate (RDP)-coated Cloisite Na+, and coated HNTs. A technique for measuring the work of adhesion (Wa) between nanoparticles and their matrixes was used to determine the dispersion preference of the nanoparticles in the PLA/PBAT blend system. Transmission electron microscopy (TEM) images of thin sections indicated that even though both RDP-coated nanotubes and clay platelets segregated to the interfacial regions between the two immiscible polymers, only the platelets, having the larger specific surface area, were able to reduce the PBAT domain sizes. The ability of clay platelets to partially compatibilize the blend was further confirmed by the dynamic mechanical analysis (DMA) which showed that the glass transition temperatures of two polymers ten...
Understanding the Many Factors that Affect the Success of Organizational Work Teams

After years of experience and research, one might conclude that organizations are confident in their ability to optimize the use of teams. In reality, we do not have to look far to find instances where team performance falls disappointingly short. This article examines the reasons for the success or failure of three organizational work teams. Using information gained from structured interviews involving team members, team leaders, and managers, a set of value-added findings are reached that explain why a particular team was or was not successful. This paper also presents original quantitative research that examined a variety of factors that affect work team success. It presents insights into a set of important factors that can affect team performance, particularly new findings regarding team size as well as the kind of organizational team model employed. The article concludes with a set of recommendationsand policy implications derived from the research.
Archimedean (4,8)-tessellation of haeckelite ultrathin nanosheets composed of boron and aluminum-group V binary materials

A compendium of unique haeckelite boron and aluminum-group V binary materials have been assessed for their fundamental thermodynamic and ground state electronic properties within density functional theory. We explore their thermodynamic stability relative to new bulk haeckelite crystal structures and find a number of stable polymorphs of planar and buckled ultrathin nanosheets. The bulk boron and aluminum haeckelite crystals display semiconducting and metallic behavior. From the dispersion curves, we predict the formation of both indirect and direct bandgap crystals. We also discover the existence of a five-coordinate aluminum antimonide crystal hitherto never before observed. Moreover, it is found that a number of the Archimedean four and eight membered ring tessellation planar nanosheets could form should synthesis be attempted. It is predicted that these nanosheets can attain two configurations – planar and buckled. From this work we find that combinations of elements such as boron and nitrogen or phosphorus, and aluminum and nitrogen will likely become true single-atom thick nanosheets. These materials show intrinsic indirect bandgap character, which spans the ultraviolet, visible, and infrared spectrum. In the boron series of these materials, the planar structures show double extrema in the bandstructures with van Hove singularities in the projected density of states at the Fermi energy suggesting strong light-matter interactions. The aluminum series we observe strong charge transfer and larger indirect bandgap nanosheets. This study serves as a starting point for a new class of inorganic bulk and ultrathin film materials, which can have many varied applications in nanotechnology.
Perceived Importance of Wellness Features at a Cancer Center: Patient and Staff Perspectives:

Objectives:Determine the relative impact of 11 building wellness features on preference and on the ability to deliver/receive quality care for two groups: patients and caregivers.Background:The imp...
Lawmaker Age, Issue Salience, and Senior Representation in Congress:

Political scientists have demonstrated the importance of lawmakers’ identities, showing that race, gender, socioeconomic status, and sexual orientation affect legislative and representational behav...
MAGNETIC AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES OF RARE EARTH AND RARE EARTH INTERMETALLIC HYDRIDES

ABSTRACT The rare earth elements, except Yb and Eu, react with hydrogen to form dihydrides (fluorite structure) and trihydrides (cubic or rhombohedral structure). The dihydrides are better electrical conductors than the parent rare earth element. However, upon hydrogenation to the trihydride conductivity falls by 4 or more orders of magnitude and the hydrides become semiconductors. Magnetic ordering temperatures of rare earths are drastically reduced by hydrogenation to saturation. Since the rare earth ions intact magnetically by the RKKY mechanism, which requires conduction electrons, the observed magnetic and electric behavior are consistent. Both of these, together with the structures and stoichiometries, as well as information about the sign of the crystal field interaction deduced from susceptibility, low temperature heat capacity and inelastic neutron scattering measurements, indicate that the rare earth hydrides are saline and contain anionic hydrogen. The saline concept requires electron transfer from metal to hydrogen and a depopulation of the conduction band during hydrogenation. However, sub-stoichiometric trihydrides exhibit a positive Hall coefficient, indicating a nearly filled band. The conflict is resolved through the use of recent detailed band structure calculations by Switendick. The electrons in the trihydride are in a band formed from hydrogen non-bonding orbitals. In these, charge is localized on hydrogen, conferring a negative charge on it. The affinity of the rare earths for hydrogen carries over into the rare earth intermetallics. Certain of these, e.g., LaNi5, ErFe2, etc., absorb copious amounts of hydrogen. Hydrogenation affects electrical conductivity (increasing it for LaNi5) and the magnetism of these materials. Exchange can be either weakened or strengthened. Examples of each are cited. Y6Mn23 loses its ferromagnetism upon hydrogenation, whereas paramagnetic Th6Mn23 becomes ferromagnetic when hydrided. Interpretation of these results requires band structure information analogous to that which has recently become available for hydrides of the elemental rare earths.
THERMAL CONDUCTIVITY OF CARBON AT HIGH TEMPERATURE

Improved test apparatus has been constructed for studies of the thermal conductivity of carbons in the temperature range 1000–3000°C. A unique design involving a controlled heat sink allows an independent variation of the temperature gradient within the test specimen at all temperature levels. Two different types of tests have been performed: (1) conductivity was determined in the radial direction for a test rod heated by an electric current (improved method of Powell and Schofield), (2) the conductivity measurements were made on thick-walled cylindrical test specimens heated from inside and cooled from outside by radiation but without use of internal heat generation. A system of curves of conductivity vs. temperature was obtained for a carbon as it was progressively heat treated to higher temperatures.
Biomechanics of hip and vertebral fractures

Abstract Hip and vertebral fractures are serious and common injuries in older adults, resulting in significant morbidity, increased mortality, and large personal and societal costs. This chapter presents an overview of the important biomechanical determinants of these fractures. Specifically, we summarize important factors that influence hip and vertebral strength, including bone mineral density, bone structure, and direction of loading. Furthermore, we examine factors that affect hip and vertebral loading in vivo, including fall severity, intervertebral disk health, and spinal curvature. From an engineering standpoint a structure will fail when the loads applied to it exceed its strength. This concept has been applied in biomechanical studies of fracture risk by way of the load-to-strength ratio, which estimates the risk of fracture by accounting for both skeletal loading and bone strength. This review highlights the need for better understanding of both skeletal strength and loading as they relate to fractures in older adults.
Communicator race, open-and closed-mindedness, and response to informative communications

While it is reasonable to assume that the race of a communicator may exercise an effect on audience response to a communication, there is a paucity of reported research dealing with this variable. One exception is a recent study by Kraus (1) which demonstrates that a drama performed by a racially mixed cast produced significantly more favorable attitudes toward integration of Negroes in education than did the same drama performed by all-Negro or all-white casts. The content of the drama used by Kraus dealt with Negro rights in American education and depicted the efforts of two high school teachers to enroll a Negro in a white private college. In the present study, primary interest was directed toward the effect of the communicator's race on audience retention of message content, although audience attitudes toward the content were also examined as a dependent variable of secondary interest. In addition, a potentially relevant personality variable, openmindedness, was incorporated in the study design.
Disclosure and Judgment: 'We Have Met Madoff and He is Ours'

This short essay addresses the role of securities regulation of mortgage-backed in the present financial crisis. While there is certainly a role for securities regulators to play in curing systemic flaws that contributed to the present situation (for example, the regulation of credit rating agencies), the federal system is primarily based on disclosure, not the merit of the underlying security. My view is that the problem here is not the availability of information in the markets for these securities, now or in the past, but judgments made with respect to that information. To paraphrase Kant, judgment without information is empty; information without judgment is blind. Information without judgment gives us bubbles; judgment without information leaves us at the mercy of Madoffs.This is an essay prepared for the "Fallout from the Bailout" symposium at the University of Dayton on March 20, 2009.
Disorders of Folate Metabolism and Transport

Folates play an essential role in one-carbon methyl transfer reactions, mediating several biological processes including DNA synthesis, regulation of gene expression through methylation reactions, embryonic central nervous system development, synthesis and breakdown of amino acids, and synthesis of thymidines, purines, and neurotransmitters. In mammals, folates are mostly derived from exogenous sources as folate is stored in the liver for few months. The biologically active folic acid derivative is 5,6,7,8-tetrahydrofolate (THF). Dietary folate is absorbed in the intestine. In the cytoplasm, interconversion of 5,10-methylene-THF and 5,10-methenyl-THF, interconversion of 5,10-methenyl-THF and 10-formyl-THF, and reaction of THF with formate to synthesize 10-formyl-THF are mediated by the MTHFD1 gene that encodes a trifunctional protein. Metabolism of 5,10-methylene-THF to 5-methyl-THF in the liver is catalyzed by methylene-THF reductase (MTHFR). 5-methyl-THF is then widely distributed in the bloodstream. The transport of 5-methyl-THF inside the cells is mediated by different transport systems that include the proton-coupled folate transporter (PCFT), the reduced folate carrier 1 (RFC1), and the two GPI-anchored receptors, folate receptor alpha (FRα) and beta (FRβ). The physiological form of folate, 5-methyl-THF is actively transported to the central nervous system by FRα-mediated endocytosis in choroid epithelial cells, reaching a higher concentration in the cerebrospinal fluid when compared to the serum. FRα is a high-affinity low-capacity receptor that functions at a nanomolar range of extracellular folate concentrations. Thus far, six different inherited disorders of folate metabolism are known which lead to folate deficiency including hereditary folate malabsorption, folate receptor alpha deficiency, methylenetetrahydrofolate reductase deficiency, methenyltetrahydrofolate synthetase deficiency, dihydrofolate reductase deficiency, and methylenetetrahydrofolate dehydrogenase deficiency. Furthermore, in some cases, an additional disorder, namely, cerebral folate deficiency (CFD) caused by FOLR1 autoantibodies has also been described.
Geochemical Exports to River From the Intrameander Hyporheic Zone Under Transient Hydrologic Conditions: East River Mountainous Watershed, Colorado

Author(s): Dwivedi, D; Steefel, CI; Arora, B; Newcomer, M; Moulton, JD; Dafflon, B; Faybishenko, B; Fox, P; Nico, P; Spycher, N; Carroll, R; Williams, KH | Abstract: To understand how redox processes influence carbon, nitrogen, and iron cycling within the intrameander hyporheic zone, we developed a biotic and abiotic reaction network and incorporated it into the reactive transport simulator PFLOTRAN. Two-dimensional reactive flow and transport simulations were performed (1) to evaluate how transient hydrological conditions control the lateral redox zonation within an intrameander region of the East River in Colorado and (2) to quantify the impact of a single meander on subsurface exports of carbon and other geochemical species to the river. The meander's overall contribution to the river was quantified by integrating geochemical outfluxes along the outside of the meander bend. The model was able to capture the field-observed trends of dissolved oxygen, nitrate, iron, pH, and total inorganic carbon along a 2-D transect. Consistent with field observations, simulated dissolved oxygen and nitrate decreased along the intrameander flow paths while iron (Fe2+) concentration increased. The simulation results further demonstrated that the reductive potential of the lateral redox zonation was controlled by groundwater velocities resulting from river stage fluctuations, with low-water conditions promoting reducing conditions. The sensitivity analysis results showed that permeability had a more significant impact on biogeochemical zonation compared to the reaction pathways under transient hydrologic conditions. The simulation results further indicated that the meander acted as a sink for organic and inorganic carbon as well as iron during the extended baseflow and high-water conditions; however, these geochemical species were released into the river during the falling limb of the hydrograph.