cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
SU-F-BRA-09: Comparison of Skin-Dose Distributions Calculated by a Real-Time Dose-Tracking System with That Measured by Gafchromic Film for a Fluoroscopic C-Arm Unit

Purpose: To assess the ability of a real‐time dose‐tracking system (DTS) to accurately represent the skin dose distribution for fluoroscopic interventional procedures by comparison to that measured using Gafchromic film (XR‐RV3, ISP, Wayne, NJ).Methods: We have developed a dose‐tracking system that calculates the radiation dose to the patient's skin in real‐time using the exposure parameters and imaging‐system‐geometry obtained from the digital bus on a Toshiba Infinix C‐arm unit. The DTS presents the cumulative dose values in a color mapping on a 3D graphic of the patient for immediate feedback to the interventionalist. Gafchromic film was used to verify the spatial correspondence of the mapped distribution and the accuracy of the dose accumulation on the graphic. The film was calibrated against the readings of a 6 cc ionization chamber (PTW‐Freiburg GmbH, Freiburg, Germany) over a range of exposure values from 0 to 1500 R using cine‐radiographic exposures on the same C‐arm system. A simulated cardiac‐catheterization procedure was performed with the film wrapped around an Alderson torso phantom; the density distribution and converted dose values on the film were compared to that of the DTS graphic.Results: The DTS and film distributions were compared and excellent agreement was obtained within the cm‐sized surface elements used for the patient model demonstrating proper geometric scaling of the graphic. The dose values for individual points on the phantom surface agreed within 10% between the film and DTS even with inexact contouring of the film with the phantom in the measurement Conclusions: As shown by the agreement with Gafchromic film, the DTS provides skin‐dose distribution mapping with sufficient accuracy for use in monitoring interventional fluoroscopic procedures. NIH Grants R01‐EB002873, R01‐EB002873, R43‐FD0158401, R44‐FD0158402, and Toshiba Medical Systems Corporation.
Inhibition of carnitine acetyltransferase by metabolites of 4-pentenoic acid.

Abstract The inhibition of carnitine acetyltransferase (EC 2.3.1.7) by metabolites of 4-pentenoic acid was studied. 3-Keto-4-pentenoyl-CoA, a β-oxidation metabolite of 4-pentenoic acid, was found to be an effective inhibitor of the enzyme in the presence, but not in the absence of l -carnitine. Since acetyl-CoA protects the enzyme against this inhibition, 3-keto-4-pentenoyl-CoA seems to be an active site-directed inhibitor. 3-Keto-4-pentenoyl-CoA, which is a substrate of carnitine acetyltransferase, causes the irreversible inactivation of the enzyme. All observations together lead to the suggestion that 3-keto-4-pentenoyl-CoA is a mechanism-based inhibitor of carnitine acetyltransferase.
Thermal expansion, velocity of sound, and compressibility in liquid3He under pressure

We have measured the pressure at constant volumeP v(T), of liquid3He as a function of temperature from 10 to 600 mK and at starting pressures from 1.6 to 28.1 bar. Simultaneously, we determined the hydrodynamic sound velocityc 1, at the same pressures and temperatures. From these data we have derived very accurate values of the isobaric expansion coefficient α p and the adiabatic compressibility κ.
Reactivity studies of square planar platinum, iridium, and rhodium triflate complexes with alkynols

Abstract The reactions of trans-Pt(OTf)(CH3)(PPh3)2, and trans-Ir(OTf)(CO)(pph3)2, and trans-Rh(OTf)(CO) (PPh3)2 with 3-butyn-1-ol and 4-pentyn-2-ol have been investigated.
Vigilante homicides in contemporary Ghana

Abstract This article provides a systematic analysis of vigilante homicides that occurred in Ghana, West Africa, during 1990–2000. Through the use of newspaper accounts, the study identified the socio-demographic characteristics of victims, spatial distribution, modus operandi, and the circumstances of death. The data suggested that young urban males suspected or accused of robbery, larceny, and other forms of theft were most often victims of vigilante killings. Mob attacks were spontaneous and the assaults involved the use of weapons available on the scene, such as stones, sticks, clubs, and personal weapons. Factors contributing to the escalation of vigilantism in the society included an under-resourced police force, poor police-civilian relations, burgeoning crime rate, a slow and overburdened judiciary, heightened public fear of crime, and a breakdown in traditional methods of dispute resolution. The article also reports on a survey that targeted the attitudes of a sample of law enforcement officers towards vigilantism in Ghana.
Ovine progressive pneumonia provirus levels associate with breed and Ovar-DRB1.

Previous studies initiated defining the role of host genetics in influencing the outcome of exposure to ovine progressive pneumonia virus. However, specific genes influencing host control of virus replication and disease progression have not been identified. This study, using 383 ewes of the Columbia, Polypay, and Rambouillet breeds, tested the hypothesis that host control of OPPV as measured by provirus levels in the peripheral blood associates with certain breeds and MHC class II Ovis aries (Ovar)-DRB1 expressed alleles. Rambouillet ewes were less likely to have measurable provirus levels as compared to Columbia ewes at ages 5 and 6 (P value < 0.02), and they exhibited lower provirus levels when compared to both Columbia and Polypay ewes of the same ages (P value < 0.05). The presence of DRB1*0403- or DRB1*07012-expressed alleles were significantly associated (P value = 0.019 and 0.0002, respectively) with lower OPP provirus levels but only were only found in 11% of the ewe flock. Analysis of each segregating amino acid in the β1 domain of DR β-chain revealed that amino acids Y31, T32, N37, T51, Q60, or N74 significantly associated (P value range = 0.0003–0.018) with lower OPP provirus levels, whereas amino acids H32, A38, or I67 associated (P value range = 0.013–0.043) with higher OPP provirus levels. These results suggest that Ovar-DRB1 contributes as one host genetic factor that controls OPP provirus levels, but does not fully account for the breed-specific OPP proviral differences.
Evidence of shear ligament toughening in TiAl-base alloys

Shear ligament toughening is a process by which fracture resistance of a material is enhanced as the result of the redundant deformation and shear fracture of intact ligaments that are formed in the crack wake. A recent micromechanical model has suggested that shear ligament toughening is responsible for the resistance-curve fracture behavior observed in lamellar TiAl-base alloys. In this article, various aspects of the shear ligament-toughening mechanism are evaluated by performing critical experiments. Experimental evidence supporting the presence of shear ligament toughening in TiAl-base alloys is presented together with a quantitative comparison of the proposed model against experimental data. Both the experimental results and model calculations indicate that the resistance-curve fracture behavior in lamellar TiAl-base alloys is indeed a manifestation of shear ligament toughening.
Adrenergic gene polymorphisms and cardiovascular risk in the NHLBI-sponsored Women's Ischemia Syndrome Evaluation

Background Adrenergic gene polymorphisms are associated with cardiovascular and metabolic phenotypes. We investigated the influence of adrenergic gene polymorphisms on cardiovascular risk in women with suspected myocardial ischemia.
The relationship between parental traits and open family communication: Affective orientation and verbal aggression

This study examined haw the parental traits of affective orientation and verbal aggressiveness were associated with openness in family communication patterns. Responses were obtained from 133 college‐aged children and their parents. Parental affective orientation was positively related to their children's perceptions of more open family communication patterns, while verbal aggressiveness was negatively related. Parents’ and children's levels of trait affective orientation were moderately correlated (r=.45) with children's AO levels being higher than their parents’.
Thermodynamics of short-chain compounds

Abstract The thermodynamics of chain-like polar compounds and polar heterocyclic compounds are modelled using the Perturbed Anisotropic Theory (PACT). A site interaction approach is used in which repulsion, dispersion, induction, and polar interactions between chemical functional groups are modeled. Some parameter values are found in the literature (dipole moment, polarizability) and others (Lennard-Jones parameters) are determined by regression of pure-component properties. Accurate results for mixture properties are obtained using parameters determined from the pure components, without the use of a mixture binary parameter.
Polyploidization Altered Gene Functions in Cotton (Gossypium spp.)

Cotton (Gossypium spp.) is an important crop plant that is widely grown to produce both natural textile fibers and cottonseed oil. Cotton fibers, the economically more important product of the cotton plant, are seed trichomes derived from individual cells of the epidermal layer of the seed coat. It has been known for a long time that large numbers of genes determine the development of cotton fiber, and more recently it has been determined that these genes are distributed across At and Dt subgenomes of tetraploid AD cottons. In the present study, the organization and evolution of the fiber development genes were investigated through the construction of an integrated genetic and physical map of fiber development genes whose functions have been verified and confirmed. A total of 535 cotton fiber development genes, including 103 fiber transcription factors, 259 fiber development genes, and 173 SSR-contained fiber ESTs, were analyzed at the subgenome level. A total of 499 fiber related contigs were selected and assembled. Together these contigs covered about 151 Mb in physical length, or about 6.7% of the tetraploid cotton genome. Among the 499 contigs, 397 were anchored onto individual chromosomes. Results from our studies on the distribution patterns of the fiber development genes and transcription factors between the At and Dt subgenomes showed that more transcription factors were from Dt subgenome than At, whereas more fiber development genes were from At subgenome than Dt. Combining our mapping results with previous reports that more fiber QTLs were mapped in Dt subgenome than At subgenome, the results suggested a new functional hypothesis for tetraploid cotton. After the merging of the two diploid Gossypium genomes, the At subgenome has provided most of the genes for fiber development, because it continues to function similar to its fiber producing diploid A genome ancestor. On the other hand, the Dt subgenome, with its non-fiber producing D genome ancestor, provides more transcription factors that regulate the expression of the fiber genes in the At subgenome. This hypothesis would explain previously published mapping results. At the same time, this integrated map of fiber development genes would provide a framework to clone individual full-length fiber genes, to elucidate the physiological mechanisms of the fiber differentiation, elongation, and maturation, and to systematically study the functional network of these genes that interact during the process of fiber development in the tetraploid cottons.
Nonuniformity and grid erosion in an electron bombardment ion engine.

Acceleration grid erosion relation to plasma nonuniformity in electron bombardment ion engine, based on ion density and beam distribution
Analysis and Comparison of Test Results from the Small Wind Research Turbine Test Project: Preprint

Most small wind turbines furl (yaw or tilt out of the wind) as a means of limiting power and rotor speeds in high winds. The Small Wind Research Turbine (SWRT) testing project was initiated in 2003 with the goal of better characterizing both small wind turbine loads (including thrust) and dynamic behavior, specifically as they relate to furling. The main purpose of the testing was to produce high-quality data sets for model development and validation and to help the wind industry further their understanding of small wind turbine behavior. Testing was conducted on a modified Bergey Excel 10-kW wind turbine. A special shaft sensor was designed to measure shaft loads including thrust, torque, and shaft bending. Analysis of 10-minute mean data showed a strong correlation between furling and center of thrust location, as calculated from the shaft-bending and thrust measurements. Data were collected for three different turbine configurations that included a change in the lateral furling offset and the blades. An analysis of inflow conditions indicated that organized atmospheric turbulence had some impact on furling.
Mechanisms linking dietary fiber, gut microbiota and colon cancer prevention.

Many epidemiological and experimental studies have suggested that dietary fiber plays an important role in colon cancer prevention. These findings may relate to the ability of fiber to reduce the contact time of carcinogens within the intestinal lumen and to promote healthy gut microbiota, which modifies the host’s me tabolism in various ways. Elucidation of the mechanisms by which dietary fiber-dependent changes in gut microbiota enhance bile acid deconjugation, produce short chain fatty acids, and modulate inflammatory bio active substances can lead to a better understanding of the beneficial role of dietary fiber. This article reviews the current knowledge concerning the mechanisms via which dietary fiber protects against colon cancer.
The Drosophila 78C early late puff contains E78, an ecdysone-inducible gene that encodes a novel member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily

Summary We report the molecular definition of an early late puff locus, at position 78C, that is inducible by ecdysone at the onset of Drosophila metamorphosis. This puff contains a single ecdysone-inducible gene consisting of two nested transcription units, E78A and E78B . E78A mRNA is expressed during a brief interval in mid-pupal development and encodes a novel member of the nuclear hormone receptor superfamily. E78B encodes a truncated receptor isoform that lacks the DNA-binding domain and is predominantly expressed at puparium formation and immediately following E78A in pupae. E78B is directly inducible by ecdysone in late third instar larvae and depends on ecdysone-induced protein synthesis for its maximal level of expression. These observations indicate that E78 represents a distinct subset of early ecdysone-inducible regulatory genes.
Effect of Open Note Quizzes on Community College Science Students Grades and Attrition Rates

This article describes the effectiveness of open note quizzes in improving student outcomes in an introductory Human Anatomy and Physiology course. Results are discussed within the context of a teaching strategy called LETME (Link, Extract, Transform, Monitor and Extend), which was specifically developed for at risk community college students. The use of open note quizzes not only helped students monitor their progress, but also with note taking as they extracted and transformed information from the textbook and other sources. It also enabled them to link this information to previous knowledge and extend it to new concepts. In addition to achieving significantly higher test scores in the five lecture tests and overall grades, students exposed to LETME reported slightly better study habits in monitoring their own performance and their independent study skills. For instance, surveys indicated that they were more likely to use their textbook, take notes and be involved with study groups. The experimental group also reported that the open note quizzes helped them in preparing for exams and mastering the course. Students in the experimental group were also more likely to complete the course than the general student population.
Evaluating the robustness of lead time demand models

Abstract This paper examines the robustness of lead time demand models for the continuous review ( r , Q ) inventory policy. A number of classic distributions, (e.g. normal, lognormal, gamma, Poisson and negative binomial) as well as distribution selection rules are examined under a wide variety of demand conditions. First, the models are compared to each other by assuming a known demand process and evaluating the errors associated with using a different model. Then, the models are examined using a large sample of simulated demand conditions. Approximation results of inventory performance measures—ready rate, expected number of backorders and on-hand inventory levels are reported. Results indicate that distribution selection rules have great potential for modeling the lead time demand.
Diborane Reduction of O-(Tert-Butyldimethylsilyi.)galactaramides. A Model Study for Aminoalditol Synthesis

Abstract Tert-butyldimethylsilylation of dimethyl galactarate (1) with tert-butylchlorodimethylsilane/imidazole/N,N-dimethylformamide at 25 [ddot]C dimethyl 2,5-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)galactarate (2) as the principal product, with methyl 2,3,5-tris-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-D,L-galactarate-l,4-lactone (3) and methyl 2,3-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethyl)-D,L-galactarate-l,5-lactone (4) as minor products. When the reaction was carried out at 65 [ddot]C, the only product was the 1,4-lactone, 3 Ammonolysis of 2 in methanol gave 2,5-bis-O-(tert-butyldimethyl)-galactaramide (5, 94%), which was conveniently reduced with borane- THF to 1,6-diamino-1,6-dideoxygalactitol, isolated as its dihydrochloride 9. Ammonolysis of 3 in methanol gave a mixture of 5; 2,3,4-tris-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-D,L-galactaramide (6), 2,3,5-tris-O-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-D,L-galactaramide (7), and 2,3,5-tris-Q-(tert-butyldimethylsilyl)-D,L-1,4-lactonogalactaramide (8). Borane-THF reduction of a mixture of 6 and 7 also yielded 9....
The relationship between visual imagery and public speaking apprehension

This study was designed to determine whether high and low public speaking apprehensive (PSA) students visualized themselves differently in a public speaking situation. Results revealed that high PSA students produced more negative, less vivid self‐images and displayed less control than did low PSA students. The pragmatic and theoretical implications of these findings are discussed.
Perceived Family and Peer Transactions and Self-Esteem among Urban Early Adolescents

This research extends previous work that identified groups of youth characterized by profiles of perceived family and peer transactions. Predictions derived from self-enhancement and self-consistency theories concerning how such transactions might relate to self-esteem in a diverse sample of early adolescents (N = 635) were investigated. Both theories indicate independent contributions of family and peer transactions to self-esteem. The theories differ, however, with regard to implications for how the two microsystems might interrelate in their linkages with self-esteem, with self-enhancement theory implying a moderational model and self-consistency theory a mediational model. As predicted, family and peer profiles each made independent contributions to the prediction of self-esteem. Consistent with self-consistency theory, the relations of family transactions to self-esteem were mediated in part by their associations with peer transactions, with particularly strong linkages evident between qualitatively ...
Quantitation of Clovamide-Type Phenylpropenoic Acid Amides in Cells and Plasma Using High-Performance Liquid Chromatography with a Coulometric Electrochemical Detector

A high-performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) method was developed for measuring the concentrations of clovamide-type phenylpropenoic acid amides (N-caffeoyldopamine and N-caffeoyltyramine) in cell and plasma samples. The separation was performed on a Nova-Pak C18 column using an isocratic buffer with a coulometric electrochemical detector with four electrode channels. Using the HPLC method, N-caffeoyldopamine and N-caffeoyltyramine could be detected with good peak resolutions at respective retention times (4 and 6.4 min). The calibration curves were linear over the ranges (0.1 and 100 μM), and their lower limit of detection was as little as 100 fmol. For quantifying N-caffeoyldopamine and N-caffeoyltyramine in cell and plasma samples, the samples were extracted by extraction methods with more than 95% recoveries. After extraction, the amides were detected with the same sensitivity, peak resolutions, and retention times. Using this method, plasma concentrations of N-caffeoyltyramine were determined in b...
Production cross sections for Lee-Wick massive electromagnetic bosons and for spin-zero and spin-one W bosons at high energies.

Production cross sections for three types of hypothetical particles are calculated in the presented paper. Several (Z, Z') cases were studied corresponding to elastic scattering off protons and neutrons (either free or embedded within a Fermi sea), coherent scattering off a nucleus, and inelastic scattering off a proton (in which case Z' denotes a nucleon resonance or hadronic system in the continuum). Detailed structure-function data are used to improve the accuracy of the inelastic scattering calculation. Results of calculations are given for beam energies between 50 and 10,000 GeV, and masses between 5 and 40 GeV for the massive Lee-Wick spin-1 boson. Cross sections were computed for resonant and semiweak processes. The production cross section of spin-zero weak intermediate bosons was found to be at least one order of magnitude smaller than for spin-1 weak bosons in nearly all regions of interest. The production cross section of spin-zero weak intermediate bosons for inelastic scattering off protons compares with that for elastic scattering in the regions of interest. In the case of massive spin-1 bosons and spin-1 weak intermediates, the main contribution to total production cross section off protons is elastic.
The Potential for Electrical Efficiency in the Residential Sector Case Study Michigan, USA

Over the last few years, regulatory agencies and electric utilities have increasingly adopted a new planning approach known as least-cost utility planning or integrated resource planning. This approach involves the consideration of a broadened set of supply-side options (including refurbishment, cogeneration and small-scale renewables-based generating plants, power purchases), along with a large number of demand-side options (various efficiency improvements and load management programs) on a “level playing field.” The analytic challenge posed by this new approach is to (1) quantify demand-side resources in a way that makes them directly comparable to conventional supply-side resources, and (2) to construct utility resource plans using a year-by-year, side-by-side integration of both kinds of resources over an extended planning horizon.
Au-ACRAMTU-PEt3 Alters Redox Balance To Inhibit T Cell Proliferation and Function

Although T cells play a critical role in protection from viruses, bacteria, and tumors, they also cause autoimmune diseases such as systemic lupus erythematosus, rheumatoid arthritis, and multiple sclerosis. Unwanted T cell responses during organ transplant, graft-versus-host disease, and allergies are also major clinical problems. Although drugs are available to suppress unwanted immune responses, they have limited efficacy with serious side effects. Thus, new therapeutics limiting T cell activation, proliferation, and function can make an immediate clinical impact. To identify new suppressors of lymphocyte activation, proliferation, and function, we examined the immunosuppressive activity of gold(I) analogs of platinum-acridine antitumor agents. We found that the gold complex Au-ACRAMTU-PEt3 is a potent suppressor of murine and human T cell activation. Preincubation with Au-ACRAMTU-PEt3 suppresses the proliferation of CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells at a similar concentration as pharmaceutical grade cyclosporine A. Au-ACRAMTU-PEt3 pretreatment decreases the production of IFN-γ, TNF-α, IL-2, and IL-17 by human and murine CD4(+) and CD8(+) T cells. When mice were treated with Au-ACRAMTU-PEt3 during viral infection, the expansion of virus-specific CD8(+) T cells was decreased 10-fold and viral load was elevated. Taken together, these results demonstrate that Au-ACRAMTU-PEt3 has potent immunosuppressive activity that could be used to suppress immune responses during transplantation and autoimmunity.
Join queries with external text sources: execution and optimization techniques

Text is a pervasive information type, and many applications require querying over text sources in addition to structured data. This paper studies the problem of query processing in a system that loosely integrates an extensible database system and a text retrieval system. We focus on a class of conjunctive queries that include joins between text and structured data, in addition to selections over these two types of data. We adapt techniques from distributed query processing and introduce a novel class of join methods based on probing that is especially useful for joins with text systems, and we present a cost model for the various alternative query processing methods. Experimental results confirm the utility of these methods. The space of query plans is extended due to the additional techniques, and we describe an optimization algorithm for searching this extended space. The techniques we describe in this paper are applicable to other types of external data managers loosely integrated with a database system.
Morphological study of vascular dissemination in a metastatic hepatocellular carcinoma model in the monkey

In this report we describe a metastatic monkey hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) model in which intravascular metastatic development is clearly evident. The tumor-bearing livers contained intravenous tumor thrombi at different stages of progression within the small branches of the portal vein. These ranged from mural tumor thrombi lined with CD31-positive endothelial cells to tumor thrombi that had completely occluded the vascular lumen. Intravenous tumor expansion was frequently accompanied by the appearance of CD31-positive microvessels within the tumor thrombi and fibrous perivascular thickening, giving rise to isolated tumor nodules within the portal areas. Intravascular expansion of disseminating HCC was also evident within small branches of the pulmonary arteries in the lungs. These findings indicate that metastases of HCC can become established while still at an intravascular stage, suggesting that the direct interaction between tumor cells and parenchymal cells predicted from experimental rodent metastasis models is not a prerequisite for the metastatic development of these tumors.
The stochastic modelling of kleptoparasitism using a Markov process

Kleptoparasitism, the stealing of food items from other animals, is a common behaviour observed across a huge variety of species, and has been subjected to significant modelling effort. Most such modelling has been deterministic, effectively assuming an infinite population, although recently some important stochastic models have been developed. In particular the model of Yates and Broom (Stochastic models of kleptoparasitism. J. Theor. Biol. 248 (2007), 480–489) introduced a stochastic version following the original model of Ruxton and Moody (The ideal free distribution with kleptoparasitism. J. Theor. Biol. 186 (1997), 449–458), and whilst they generated results of interest, they did not solve the model explicitly. In this paper, building on methods used already by van der Meer and Smallegange (A stochastic version of the Beddington-DeAngelis functional response: Modelling interference for a finite number of predators. J. Animal Ecol. 78 (2009) 134–142) we give an exact solution to the distribution of the population over the states for the Yates and Broom model and investigate the effects of some key biological parameters, especially for small populations where stochastic models can be expected to differ most from their deterministic equivalents.
COMPARISON OF NITINOL TIPLESS STONE BASKETS IN AN IN VITRO CALICEAL MODEL

ABSTRACTPurpose:: Tipless stone baskets facilitate caliceal calculi extraction during flexible ureteroscopy. We evaluated the stone capture rate of 9 commercially available tipless stone baskets in an in vitro model using novice and expert operators.Materials and Methods:: The Microvasive Zerotip (2.4Fr, 3.0Fr), Cook N-Circle (2.2Fr, 3.0Fr, 3.2Fr), Bard Dimension (3.0Fr, Sacred Heart Medical Halo (1.9Fr), Vantage (1.9Fr) and Circon-ACMI Sur-Catch-NT (3.0Fr) were tested by 3 novice and 3 experienced basket operators. Each operator performed stone extraction of 2, 5 and 8 mm calculi (size determined by digital caliper with 3 repetitions of each basket. The time to extraction of the calculus from a convex based test tube caliceal model was recorded. Statistical analysis was performed using repeated measures ANOVA and Fisher’s pairwise comparisons.Results:: After a learning curve of 27 basket retrievals, there was no significant difference in stone capture times between novice (38 ± 54 seconds) and expert ope...
Solid fibrous tumor of the liver: a case in pregnancy

Background: Solid fibrous tumor (SFT) is a rare neoplasm, preferentially involving the pleura, rarely the liver. Case: A primigravida between 13–15 weeks gestation developed nausea, vomiting, and abdominal pain. Imaging revealed a large, complex septated mass filling the abdomen and pelvis. At surgery a firm, lobular mass involved in the inferior aspect of the right liver lobe. Open cholecystectomy and hepatic segmentectomy were performed; confirmatory immunohistochemical staining was positive for SFT. Conclusion: A rapidly growing abdominopelvic mass during pregnancy may be a SFT. The diagnosis and perioperative management of SFT presents multiple challenges to the obstetrician.
Educational Policy as Text and Action

Concern over the complicity of mass compulsory schooling in the reproduction of social inequality prompted the development of educational policies that increased resources for schools attended by s...
Jet momentum balance independent of shear viscosity

Jet momentum balance measurements, such as those recently performed by the CMS collaboration, provide an opportunity to quantify the energy transferred from a parton shower to the underlying medium in heavy-ion collisions. Specifically, I argue that the Cooper-Frye freeze-out distribution associated with the energy and momentum deposited by the parton shower is controlled to a significant extent by the distribution of the underlying bulk matter and independent of the details of how deposited energy is redistributed in the medium, which is largely determined by transport coefficients such as shear viscosity. Thus, by matching the distribution of momentum associated with the secondary jet in such measurements to the thermal distribution of the underlying medium, one can obtain a model-independent estimate on the amount of parton shower energy deposited.
Epidemiology of Vancomycin-Resistant Enterococcus faecalis: a Case-Case-Control Study

Although much is known about vancomycin-resistant (VR) Enterococcus faecium, little is known about the epidemiology of VR Enterococcus faecalis. The predilection of VR E. faecalis to transfer the vancomycin resistance determinant to Staphylococcus aureus is much greater than that of VR E. faecium. The epidemiology of VR E. faecalis has important implications regarding the emergence of vancomycin-resistant S. aureus (VRSA); 8 of 13 reported VRSA cases have been from Michigan. A retrospective case-case-control study was conducted at the Detroit Medical Center, located in southeastern Michigan. Unique patients with VR E. faecalis infection were matched to patients with strains of vancomycin-susceptible (VS) E. faecalis and to uninfected controls at a 1:1:1 ratio. Five hundred thirty-two VR E. faecalis cases were identified and were matched to 532 VS E. faecalis cases and 532 uninfected controls. The overall mean age of the study cohort (n = 1,596) was 63.0 ± 17.4 years, and 747 (46.8%) individuals were male. Independent predictors for the isolation of VR E. faecalis (but not VS E. faecalis) compared to uninfected controls were an age of ≥65 years, nonhome residence, diabetes mellitus, peripheral vascular disease, exposure to cephalosporins and fluoroquinolones in the prior 3 months, and immunosuppressive status. Invasive procedures and/or surgery, chronic skin ulcers, and indwelling devices were risk factors for both VR E. faecalis and VS E. faecalis isolation. Cephalosporin and fluoroquinolone exposures were unique, independent predictors for isolation of VR E. faecalis. A majority of case patients had VR E. faecalis present at the time of admission. Control of VR E. faecalis, and ultimately VRSA, will likely require regional efforts focusing on infection prevention and antimicrobial stewardship.
Design and analysis issues in gene and environment studies

Both nurture (environmental) and nature (genetic factors) play an important role in human disease etiology. Traditionally, these effects have been thought of as independent. This perspective is ill informed for non-mendelian complex disorders which result as an interaction between genetics and environment. To understand health and disease we must study how nature and nurture interact. Recent advances in human genomics and high-throughput biotechnology make it possible to study large numbers of genetic markers and gene products simultaneously to explore their interactions with environment. The purpose of this review is to discuss design and analytic issues for gene-environment interaction studies in the “-omics” era, with a focus on environmental and genetic epidemiological studies. We present an expanded environmental genomic disease paradigm. We discuss several study design issues for gene-environmental interaction studies, including confounding and selection bias, measurement of exposures and genotypes. We discuss statistical issues in studying gene-environment interactions in different study designs, such as choices of statistical models, assumptions regarding biological factors, and power and sample size considerations, especially in genome-wide gene-environment studies. Future research directions are also discussed.
Ghost-pulse generation suppression in phase-modulated 40-Gb/s RZ transmission

40-Gb/s return-to-zero (RZ) transmission in strong dispersion maps is limited by single-channel four-wave mixing. Appropriate phase modulation of the signal suppresses generation of the ghost pulses. Duobinary and modified duobinary encoding produce cancellation of nonlinear interaction while carrier-suppressed RZ generates perturbations that add up coherently.
Optimization of a Pain Model: Effects of Body Temperature and Anesthesia on Bladder Nociception in Mice

Interstitial cystitis/bladder pain syndrome (IC/BPS) is a debilitating urological condition that is resistant to treatment and poorly understood. To determine novel molecular treatment targets and to elucidate the contribution of the nervous system to IC/BPS, many rodent bladder pain models have been developed. In this study we evaluated the effects of anesthesia induction and temperature variation in a mouse model of bladder pain known as urinary bladder distension (UBD). In this model compressed air is used to distend the bladder to distinct pressures while electrodes record the reflexive visceromotor response (VMR) from the overlying abdominal muscle. Two isoflurane induction models are commonly used before UBD: a short method lasting approximately 30 minutes and a long method lasting approximately 90 minutes. Animals were anesthetized with one of the methods then put through three sets of graded bladder distensions. Distensions performed following the short anesthesia protocol were significantly different from one another despite identical testing parameters; this same effect was not observed when the long anesthesia protocol was used. In order to determine the effect of temperature on VMRs, animals were put through three graded distension sets at 37.5 (normal mouse body temperature), 35.5, and 33.5°C. Distensions performed at 33.5 and 35.5°C were significantly lower than those performed at 37.5°C. Additionally, Western blot analysis revealed significantly smaller increases in spinal levels of phosphorylated extracellular-signal regulated kinase 2 (pERK2) following bladder distension in animals whose body temperature was maintained at 33.5°C as opposed to 37.5°C. These results highlight the significance of the dynamic effects of anesthesia on pain-like changes and the importance of close monitoring of temperature while performing UBD. For successful interpretation of VMRs and translation to human disease, body temperature should be maintained at 37.5°C and isoflurane induction should gradually decrease over the course of 90 minutes.
Autonomous robot navigation using advanced motion primitives

We present an approach to efficient navigation of autonomous wheeled robots operating in cluttered natural environments. The approach builds upon a popular method of autonomous robot navigation, where desired robot motions are computed using local and global motion planners operating in tandem. A conventional approach to designing the local planner in this setting is to evaluate a fixed number of constant-curvature arc motions and pick one that is the best balance between the quality of obstacle avoidance and minimizing traversed path length to the goal (or a similar measure of operation cost). The presented approach proposes a different set of motion alternatives considered by the local planner. Important performance improvement is achieved by relaxing the assumption that motion alternatives are constant-curvature arcs. We first present a method to measure the quality of local planners in this setting. Further, we identify general techniques of designing improved sets of motion alternatives. By virtue of a minor modification, solely replacing the motions considered by the local planner, our approach offers a measurable performance improvement of dual-planner navigation systems.
Other dreams of freedom: religion, sex, and human trafficking

Yvonne C. Zimmerman's thesis is that the United States' federal antihuman trafficking policies are premised on Protestant Christian conceptions of freedom, gender, and morality, and that this religious grounding is problematic theoretically and practically, as it limits victims' autonomy and fails to address adequately the causes and consequences of trafficking. Zimmerman's analysis centers on the development and implementation of the Trafficking Victims Protection Act of 2000 (TVPA), the primary vehicle through which the United States addresses international and domestic human trafficking. Like most international trafficking laws and general discussions in the media, the TVPA equates human trafficking with female sexual slavery. Zimmerman argues compellingly that this emphasis on sex and women frames the issue too narrowly, ignoring other forms of trafficking such as forced labor and discounting recent evidence refuting the assumption that women and girls are trafficked at significantly higher rates than men and boys. The main focus of her analysis is not to dispel gender stereotypes, but rather to examine the … Language: en
The political ecology of 'incursions': Livestock, protected areas and socio-ecological dynamics in the Mara region of Kenya

Across the world, the presence of domestic animals in protected areas (PAs) is considered an ‘incursion’ that threatens the economic and ecological viability of these areas. Dominant narratives about incursions inaccurately describe the relationships between people and PAs because they lack adequate contextualization. In this paper, I rely on a political-ecological framework to argue for an alternative narrative. Through a case study from a PA in southern Kenya, I demonstrate how incursions are instead modern co-productions that arise from the intersections between changing political geographies of resource control and variable animal geographies of resource utilization – thus clarifying a longstanding debate about the presence of domestic animals in PAs. I rely on direct empirical and supporting evidence from place-based studies to illustrate the spatial and temporal differences in resource access strategies of wildlife and livestock within and outside the PA. I contrast these against changing land tenure and resource management policies to highlight how livestock movements into PAs are patterned in ways that reflect the changing nature of PA management, the material conditions of the landscape, and the agency of animals. Through these investigations, this paper provides a more accurate and nuanced explanation for livestock movements into PAs. RESUME: Partout dans le monde, la presence d’animaux domestiques dans les zones protegees (ZP) est consideree comme une « incursion » qui menace la viabilite economique et ecologique de ces zones. Les recits dominants sur les incursions decrivent de maniere inexacte les relations entre les populations et les ZP par manque de contextualisation adequate. Dans cet article, l’auteur s’appuie sur un cadre politico-ecologique pour faire valoir un autre recit. A travers l’etude de cas d’une ZP dans le sud du Kenya, l’auteur demontre que les incursions sont plutot des coproductions modernes resultant des intersections entre des geographies politiques changeantes de controle des ressources et des geographies animales variables d’utilisation des ressources, clarifiant par la-meme un debat de longue date sur la presence d’animaux domestiques dans les ZP. Il s’appuie sur des elements probants empiriques directs tires d’etudes sur place pour illustrer les differences spatio-temporelles de strategies d’acces aux ressources de la faune et du betail a l’interieur et a l’exterieur de la ZP. Il les met en contraste avec les politiques changeantes en matiere de foncier et de gestion des ressources pour souligner que les schemas de mouvements de betail vers les ZP refletent la nature changeante de la gestion des ZP, des conditions materielles du paysage et de l’action des animaux. A travers ces etudes, l’article fournit une explication plus exacte et nuancee des mouvements de betail vers les ZP.
Deus Ex Machina: The Influence of Polling Place on Voting Behavior

Voting is perceived as free and rational. Citizens make whatever choices they wish, shielded from external influences by the privacy of the voting booth. The current paper, however, suggests that a subtle source of influence—polling places themselves—can impact voting behavior. In two elections, people voting in churches were more likely to support a conservative candidate and a ban on same-sex marriage, but not the restriction of eminent domain. A field experiment found that people completing questionnaires in a chapel awarded less money (relative to people in a secular building) to insurance claimants seeking compensation for abortion pills, but not to worker’s compensation claimants. A laboratory experiment found that people subliminally exposed to ecclesiastical images awarded less money (relative to people exposed to control images) to abortion pill claimants, but not to worker’s compensation claimants. Exposure to ecclesiastical images affected only Christians; non-Christians’ awards were unaffected by the prime. These findings show that polling locations can exert a powerful and precise influence on political attitudes and decision making.
Roles for mismatch repair factors in regulating genetic recombination.

Mismatch repair (MMR) systems are evolutionarily conserved and play a primary role in mutation avoidance by removing base-base and small insertion-deletion mismatches that arise during DNA replication (31). In addition, MMR factors are required for the repair of mismatches in heteroduplex DNA (hDNA) that form as a result of sequence heterologies between recombining sequences (6, 41, 43). MMR also acts to inhibit recombination between moderately divergent (homeologous) sequences (11, 42). The roles of MMR during recombination are believed to reflect the interaction of MMR factors with mismatches that arise in hDNA or possibly with other structures such as Holliday junctions (2, 33). The full range of effects that MMR can exert on mitotic and meiotic recombination have been discussed elsewhere (11) and will only be summarized briefly here. The purpose of this review is to highlight recent results that have furthered our understanding of interactions between MMR factors and mitotic recombination intermediates.
What is new in the treatment of trauma induced coagulopathy

Optimal trauma care is the neglected disease of the modern era. Hemorrhage is the largest cause of potentially preventable death, and most of these patients present to the hospital with abnormal coagulation profiles. Unfortunately, research efforts have not been designed that are commiserate with the societal impact of this problem. Several encouraging studies have been recently completed that are helping to highlight these issues. High-quality studies, combining mechanistic approaches and clinical outcomes will improve our understanding of trauma-induced coagulopathy and decrease trauma related mortality.
EFFECTS OF SEDIMENT DEPOSITION ON ABOVEGROUND NET PRIMARY PRODUCTIVITY, VEGETATION COMPOSITION, AND STRUCTURE IN RIPARIAN FORESTS

Sediment filtration potential is well known as a key function of riparian forests; however, the capacity of riparian ecosystems to accumulate sediment without degradation is unclear. This study examined the effects of sediment deposition on productivity, vegetation composition, and structure in riparian forests of ephemeral streams at Fort Benning, Georgia, USA. Sedimentation occurs at Ft. Benning as a result of erosion from unpaved roads situated in sandy soils along slopes and ridges. Seven ephemeral streams were selected to represent a range of sediment deposition rates, and another two were selected as reference catchments. Within all nine catchments, paired plots were established with one plot being delineated in an upper portion of the catchment and another lower, nearer to the ephemeral stream. Upper plots of disturbed catchments showed evidence of sediment accumulation, such as buried tree bases and alluvial fans, while lower plots lacked those indications. Aboveground net primary productivity (ANPP), litterfall nutrient contents, leaf area index (LAI), species composition, and stand structure were compared within and among catchments. Decreases in litterfall, woody increment, ANPP, and LAI were observed with sediment accumulation rates near 0.2 cm yr−1, and an equilibrium response appeared to be reached near 0.5 cm yr−1. Nutrient contents of litterfall followed a similar pattern. Changes in species composition and structure were also observed. In general, reference catchments and lower plots were associated with closed overstory canopies, whereas upper plots had more overstory mortality and heavier densities of saplings and seedlings of shade-intolerant species. These results suggest that sedimentation rates commonly occurring in some riparian forests may alter productivity, structure, and composition. Consequently, riparian functions that are closely linked to forest integrity may be jeopardized as well.