cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A CO survey of regions around 34 open clusters. II. Physical properties of cataloged molecular clouds

The physical properties of the 148 molecular clouds found in a CO survey of regions around 34 young open clusters have been examined. Expressions are given for the cloud size spectrum and the mass spectrum. The mass-radius relation implies that clouds of all size larger than a few pc have about the same mean volume density. Power laws with slopes of 0.6 and 3 describe, respectively, the relations of CO linewidth and cloud mass to cloud size. The clouds are distinctly nonspherical and appear to be randomly oriented with respect to the Galactic plane. The observations can be explained by a model for molecular clouds in which clouds are ensembles of dense clumps of gas. Based on such a model, it is shown that molecular clouds are perturbed on a time scale short compared to the time required for them to reestablish virial equilibrium.
Regeneration of Limb Joints in the Axolotl (Ambystoma mexicanum)

In spite of numerous investigations of regenerating salamander limbs, little attention has been paid to the details of how joints are reformed. An understanding of the process and mechanisms of joint regeneration in this model system for tetrapod limb regeneration would provide insights into developing novel therapies for inducing joint regeneration in humans. To this end, we have used the axolotl (Mexican Salamander) model of limb regeneration to describe the morphology and the expression patterns of marker genes during joint regeneration in response to limb amputation. These data are consistent with the hypothesis that the mechanisms of joint formation whether it be development or regeneration are conserved. We also have determined that defects in the epiphyseal region of both forelimbs and hind limbs in the axolotl are regenerated only when the defect is small. As is the case with defects in the diaphysis, there is a critical size above which the endogenous regenerative response is not sufficient to regenerate the joint. This non-regenerative response in an animal that has the ability to regenerate perfectly provides the opportunity to screen for the signaling pathways to induce regeneration of articular cartilage and joints.
Temperature dependence of torsional and flexural modes in 6H-SiC microdisk resonators

We report on the experimental calibration of the temperature coefficient of frequency (TCf) in single crystal 6H-silicon carbide (SiC) microdisk resonators based on a smartcut technology. We vary the temperature (T) from -32 o C to 125 o C while monitoring the undriven thermomechanical multimode resonances of the devices using sensitive optical motion detection. Both torsional mode and flexural mode resonances are carefully examined. We observe a salient difference in TCf values for the different modes on the same device: while the TCf of torsional mode is as small as -20ppm/K, the flexural mode TCf has opposite sign and is 76ppm/K. By carefully examining the TCf of the different resonant modes, we can gain insight into the temperature stability of the material and the structure, and engineer devices with desired TCf on different modes, on which certain modes can act as temperature sensor and facilitate the compensation mechanism for the temperature-insensitive modes to achieve highly stable output.
THE EXPORT SKILL CONTENT, LEARNING BY EXPORTING AND ECONOMIC GROWTH

Abstract We empirically investigate whether countries' export mix influences their economic growth. Using panel data from 86 countries covering the period between 1970 and 1990, we identify a statistically significant positive relationship between export skill content and economic growth. The evidence supports the idea that, after controlling for the levels of GDP per-capita, education, openness to foreign trade, and political and macroeconomic stability, a higher export content of skill-intensive goods generates higher per-capita GDP growth rates.
Exploiting opportunities of the new economy: developing nations in support of the ICT industry

Abstract Nations competing in this ruthless and changing “new economy” rely on industries that are often headquartered, performing research and development and executing their supply chains and distribution channels in other nations. “Supporting” nations provide the infrastructure and the ancillary resources that allow firms and industries to settle, prosper and gain market share. At the same time, these supporting nations reap economic rewards of those industries that they attract and develop core competencies themselves to expand the industry sectors. Ireland is presented as a model for the supporting nation within the information and communication technology (ICT) industry, and is studied to identify why firms in that industry have chosen Ireland as a hotbed for regional competitiveness. Very little academic research has been done on Ireland and its burgeoning technology industries. Poland and the Philippines are introduced as potential supporting nations in contrast with Ireland.
HIV Infection, Exercise, and Immune Function

Decreased physical endurance is viewed by both HIV-infected people and their primary nurses as a major healthcare problem. There is a widespread belief among HIV-infected people that the way to improve their endurance is through exercise. Yet healthcare providers are divided about the role of exercise. This paper presents an overview of decreased endurance as a major problem in this population, with a review of the literature on exercise in healthy and chronically-ill populations, including those with HIV infection, and its effect on immune function.
Footshock-induced urinary bladder hypersensitivity: role of spinal corticotropin-releasing factor receptors.

Abstract Stress-induced hyperalgesia (SIH), a common clinical observation associated with multiple painful diseases including functional urinary disorders, presently has no mechanistic explanation. Using a footshock treatment, a classic stressor, to magnify physiological responses in a model of urinary bladder pain, we examined one potential group of mediators of SIH, the corticotropin-releasing factor (CRF)-related neuropeptides. Exposure to a footshock treatment produced bladder hypersensitivity in female Sprague-Dawley rats, manifested as significantly more vigorous visceromotor responses (VMRs) to urinary bladder distension (UBD) compared with rats that were exposed to a non-footshock treatment. This bladder hypersensitivity was significantly attenuated by blocking spinal CRF 2 receptors but not CRF 1 receptors. Furthermore, spinal administration of urocortin 2, a CRF 2 receptor agonist, augmented UBD-evoked VMRs in a way similar to what was observed after exposure to Footshock, an effect significantly attenuated by pretreatment with spinal aSVG30, a CRF 2 receptor antagonist. Surprisingly, neither spinal administration of CRF nor the CRF 1 receptor antagonist antalarmin had an effect on bladder nociceptive responses. The results of the present study not only provide further support for a role of stress in the exacerbation of bladder pain but also implicate spinal urocortins and their endogenous receptor, the CRF 2 receptor, as potential mediators of this effect. Perspective This study presents evidence that spinal urocortins and CRF 2 receptors are involved in stress-induced hypersensitivity related to the urinary bladder. This provides a basis for investigating how urocortins mediate SIH, ultimately leading to more effective treatment options for patients with painful bladder syndromes as well as stress-exacerbated chronic pain.
In search of Alcide De Gasperi: innovations in Italian scholarship since 2003

Alfredo Canavero (2003) Alcide De Gasperi. Cristiano, democratico, europeo (Soveria Mannelli: Rubbettino), ISBN 8849807074 Maria Romana De Gasperi and Pier Luigi Ballini (eds) (2004) Alcide De Gasp...
Laparoscopic bowel injury in an animal model: monocyte migration and apoptosis.

Background: Unrecognized laparoscopic bowel injury has a delayed and covert presentation. Differences in monocyte migration and apoptosis between laparoscopic and open bowel injury were determined. Methods: For this study, 24 rabbits were divided into laparoscopic (n = 9) and open surgical (n = 9) bowel injury groups and a control group (n = 6) without bowel injury. Bowel injury was created using monopolar electrocautery. The animals were killed 1 day, 1 week, and 2 weeks after surgery. Monocyte migration assay was performed across a modified Boyden chamber. Apoptosis was assessed by DNA fluorescent stain H-33342. Results: In laparoscopy, monocyte apoptosis was decreased (p < 0.001), and migration was increased (p < 0.05), as compared with the open group. Apoptosis increased over time in both study groups, and was higher than in the control group (p < 0.001). Migration was decreased in both study groups as compared with the control group (p < 0.05) Conclusions: These results suggest decreased immune system priming with laparoscopic bowel injury, which may contribute to the masking of relevant signs and symptoms of peritonitis.
Mechanisms and Physiologic Significance of Microwave Action on the Auditory System

Studies conducted by the authors and their coworkers on the mechanisms and physiologic significance of radiofrequency hearing effects are reviewed. Results of these studies demonstrate that 1) thermoelastic expansion of fluids and structures within the inner ear is the main mechanism by which auditory stimuli are produced by microwave pulses; 2) the frequency spectra of these stimuli are indistinguishable from the spectra of rectangular pulses with the same durations as the microwave pulses; 3) exposure to continuous-wave (CW) microwave radiation evokes an increase in the metsbolic activities of nuclei in the ascending auditory pathway and also decreases the latency and increases the magnitude of brainstem-evoked responses produced by acoustic clicks; and 4) the mechanism of the effects of CW microwave radiation on the auditory system is intracochlear heating. The significance of these findings is discussed in terras of potential applications of microwave stimuli in basic research on the auditory system a...
RBE values for radiation-induced growth delay in rat rhabdomyosarcoma tumors exposed to plateau and peak carbon, neon and argon ions

Abstract Volume regression and regrowth characteristics of rat rhabdomyosarcoma tumors were monitored following exposure to plateau (high-energy) and peak (low-energy) charged-particle beams accelerated at the Berkeley BEVALAC facility. Values of the relative biological effectiveness (RBE) for radiation-induced growth delay were obtained for plateau and extended-peak radiation from carbon, neon and argon ions. The RBE values for tumor irradiation in the distal position of a 4 cm peak region of these three ion beams were similar; they ranged from 2.3 to 2.6 for the endpoint of a 50-day delay in growth to twice the volume measured on the day of irradiation. In contrast, RBE values for plateau carbon, neon and argon ions were 1.3, 1.8 and 2.9, respectively, for the 50-day growth delay end point. A therapeutically advantageous peak to plateau RBE ratio was thus obtained only with the carbon ion and neon-ion beams. These in vivo results are consistent with in vitro measurements of RBE in different regions of the Bragg cures of the charged-particle beams used in the present study.
Mesozoic-Cenozoic sedimentation in the Kane Fracture Zone, western North Atlantic, and uplift history of the Bermuda Rise

Seismic reflection profiles, basement structure-contour maps, and bathymetric data are used to analyze sedimentation patterns over a distance of ∼2,300 km along the Kane Fracture Zone and to interpret uplift history of the Bermuda Rise. Sediments within the fracture valley thin seaward on younger crust and with distance from continental sources. Superposed on this pattern are the effects of local and regional basement structure, variations in surface-water productivity, influence of bottom currents, and local effects of sediment redistribution. Preservation of a thicker and more complete sedimentary record within the Kane fracture valley facilitates identification and eastward correlation of seismic reflections, and we have cross-correlated these eflections to synthesize an along-axis transect of the fracture zone. Stratigraphic correlations of key reflections to Deep Sea Drilling Project drill sites determine the composition and ages of the lithologic sequences. Observed pinch-outs of seismic horizons J 1 , β, and A* on fracture-valley crust extend significantly seaward of previously mapped limits, and the younger pinch-out ages accord better with ages defined by deep-sea drilling. Paleosedimentation patterns in successive stratigraphic intervals document the growth of the continental margin/basin sedimentary prism from Late Jurassic time and the uplift of the Bermuda Rise beginning in middle Eocene time. Middle Eocene cessation of turbidite deposition atop the Rise, as identified by Horizon A t , marks initiation of regional uplift. A seismic discontinuity in turbidite ponds east of the Rise records a probable pulse of uplift during early Oligocene time. Structure of the overlying seismic reflection sequence suggests continued uplift, albeit at decreasing rates, through the late Oligocene and possibly through Miocene time. The anomalous elevation of the Rise subsequently has been maintained, but there is no clear stratigraphic evidence for further growth. Turbidite ponds fill the Kane fracture valley east of the Bermuda Rise and terminate against a prominent structural dam at 55°20′W. These ponds began to fill with turbidites in middle Eocene to early Oligocene time, and the sediments were derived from local sources. Within the past 10-12 m.y., turbidity currents began to enter the ponds through connections with the encroaching Nares Abyssal Plain, and they probably now constitute the dominant sediment source for the fracture valley.
Toxicity of insecticidal soaps to the Asian citrus psyllid and two of its natural enemies

The Asian citrus psyllid (ACP), Diaphorina citri Kuwayama (Hemiptera: Psyllidae), is an important pest of citrus because it transmits plant pathogens responsible for a serious disease of citrus known as huanglongbing. Conventional insecticides are frequently used to manage ACP. Insecticidal soaps (hereafter ‘soaps’) are an insect control option labelled for commercial use as well as for use by homeowners and organic growers. Soaps have been shown to be toxic to some insect pests and therefore might be an alternative to conventional pesticides for control of ACP, but the efficacy of soaps against ACP was largely unknown. Our objective was to test whether different concentrations of two insecticidal soaps, M-Pede and Safer Insecticidal Soap Concentrate, caused mortality of ACP adults, nymphs and eggs. In addition, we tested whether these soaps were toxic to two natural enemies of ACP, adults of the lady beetle Cycloneda sanguinea (L.) (Coleoptera: Coccinellidae) and the parasitoid Tamarixia radiata (Waterston) (Hymenoptera: Eulophidae). Direct sprays of M-Pede or Safer Insecticidal Soap were acutely toxic to ACP adults (regardless of gender) and nymphs when applied in solutions of 0.8–2% in water. Insecticidal soaps were non-toxic to eggs at rates of up to 2%. Residues of soap were less toxic to adult ACP than direct sprays, even when applied at concentrations of up to 4%. M-Pede or Safer soap at high concentrations (for example, 2% v/v in water) may be an effective alternative to conventional pesticides to manage adult and nymphal ACP, although multiple applications may be needed if a target population includes eggs. A 2% concentration of either soap applied as a direct spray was non-toxic to adult C. sanguinea but acutely toxic to adult T. radiata. Soaps therefore may be compatible with biological control of ACP by adult coccinellids but not the parasitoid T. radiata.
A prospective study of contact lens complications in a managed care setting.

Background. Understanding the rate of contact lens-related complications and the factors that affect their occurrence can facilitate better prescribing decisions. Methods. In a managed care setting, 1496 patient visits were evaluated using a common protocol by 11 optometrists to determine the prevalence of all contact lens-related complications. Results. Over one-half (61%) of the visits were normal, with the remainder showing some type of complication. The more prevalent complications included superficial punctate staining (17.3%) and neovascularization (11.4%). Total complications were less prevalent with rigid gas permeable (RGP) and disposable lens types. Planned replacement soft lenses, used on a daily wear schedule, had the lowest prevalence of more serious complications when compared to conventional soft and disposable lenses. Patients on an extended wear schedule greater than 3 days were more likely to experience complications. The use of nonapproved care systems showed more complications, with serious complications reduced when a one-step care system was used. Conclusion. Choice of lens type, wearing schedule, and care system does affect the prevalence of complications, which underlines the importance of the recommendations of the prescriber.
Traffic Data Collection Requirements for Reliability in Pavement Design

This paper presents a comprehensive approach for establishing the minimum traffic data collection requirements for predicting pavement life within an acceptable error, given a reliability level. Pavement life is predicted for 30 long term pavement performance (LTPP) sites using the NCHRP 1-37A Pavement design guide (PDG). Seventeen distinct traffic data collection scenarios are simulated using extended coverage (i.e., more than 299 days/year) weigh-in-motion (WIM) data obtained from the LTPP database. These scenarios involve combinations of site-specific, regional, and national data, including total truck counts, truck counts by class, and axle load distributions by axle type. Regional data are obtained from LTPP sites in the same jurisdiction as the 30 sites analyzed, using clustering techniques. The PDG software defaults are assumed to be representative of national data. For each scenario involving discontinuous time coverage, the lower range in each of the input elements to the PDG is calculated for confidence levels of 75, 85, and 95%. For each scenario and confidence level, pavement life errors are predicted with respect to the life estimated by the complete extended coverage WIM dataset. Two sources of error are identified: one from specifying the mean value for all traffic input and the other from specifying the lowest percentile for all traffic input simultaneously (i.e., the latter is applicable to discontinuous coverage scenarios only). Overall error is computed by adding the range in the mean of the second error component to the range of the first error component. The results are in the form of plots of pavement life prediction error, versus reliability level, versus traffic data collection scenario. Selecting the first two as a function of the importance of a roadway facility allows identifying the minimum traffic data collection effort required.
Reticle enhancement technology: implications and challenges for physical design

In this paper, we review phase shift lithography, rule vs. model based methods for OPC and model-based tiling, and discuss their implications for layout and verificat ion. We will discuss novel approaches, using polarizing films on reticles, which change the game for phase-shift coloring, and could lead to a new direction in c:PSM constraints on physical design. We emphasize the need to do tiling that is model-driven and uses optimization techniques to achieve planarity for better manufacturing tolerance in the subwavelength dimensions era. Electromagnetic solver results will be presented which estimate the effect of tiling on circuit timing.
PI2PE: protein interface/interior prediction engine

The side chains of the 20 types of amino acids, owing to a large extent to their different physical properties, have characteristic distributions in interior/surface regions of individual proteins and in interface/non-interface portions of protein surfaces that bind proteins or nucleic acids. These distributions have important structural and functional implications. We have developed accurate methods for predicting the solvent accessibility of amino acids from a protein sequence and for predicting interface residues from the structure of a protein-binding or DNA-binding protein. The methods are called WESA, cons-PPISP and DISPLAR, respectively. The web servers of these methods are now available at http://pipe.scs.fsu.edu. To illustrate the utility of these web servers, cons-PPISP and DISPLAR predictions are used to construct a structural model for a multicomponent protein–DNA complex.
BIOFEEDBACK TRAINING IN PATIENTS WITH ADVANCED HEART FAILURE

performed offline (Syngo VVI, Siemens) from a mid-ventricular parasternal short axis view. Results: Doppler parameters for PSD and PDD subjects were similar, including medial E/e’ (15.7612.5 and 14.063.4, respectively) and right ventricular systolic pressure (3569 and 33610 mmHg). Plasma ANP (45628 and 42632 pg/ mL) and BNP (1116147 and 1096104 pg/mL) were also similar (all p5NS). Circumferential peak systolic strain was more negative and early diastolic strain rate was more positive in PDD (-23.964.5% and 1.28 s ) compared to PSD (-12.965.3% and 0.7360.22 s , all p!0.05). Radial peak systolic strain was more positive and early diastolic radial strain rate was more negative in PDD (38.469.8% and -1.5360.5 s ) than in PSD (24.9612.8% and -1.0160.39 s , all p!0.05). Conclusions: Despite having similar Doppler hemodynamic profiles and natriuretic peptide biomarker levels, subjects with PDD were differentiated from PSD by circumferential and radial strain/strain rates, both in systole and early diastole. These data suggest that circumferential and radial strain/strain rates may be useful in differentiating intrinsic myocardial diastolic dysfunction from increased left ventricular filling pressure.
A new augochlorine bee species in Tertiary amber from the Dominican Republic (Hymenoptera: Halictidae)

A new species of the bee genus Oligochlora Engel is described and figured from two females preserved in a single piece of Miocene Dominican amber. The species is proposed as Oligochlora marquettorumEngel & Rightmyer sp. nov., and is the fourth member of this extinct genus of the tribe Augochlorini.
Use of radium isotopes to determine the age and origin of radioactive barite at oil-field production sites

Radium-bearing barite (radiobarite) is a common constituent of scale and sludge deposits that form in oil-field production equipment. The barite forms as a precipitate from radium-bearing, saline formation water that is pumped to the surface along with oil. Radioactivity levels in some oil-field equipment and in soils contaminated by scale and sludge can be sufficiently high to pose a potential health threat. Accurate determinations of radium isotopes (226Ra + 228Ra) in soils are required to establish the level of soil contamination and the volume of soil that may exceed regulatory limits for total radium content. In this study the radium isotopic data are used to provide estimates of the age of formation of the radiobarite contaminant. Age estimates require that highly insoluble radiobarite approximates a chemically closed system from the time of its formation. Age estimates are based on the decay of short-lived 228Ra (half-life = 5.76 years) compared to 226Ra (half-life = 1600 years). Present activity ratios of 228Ra/226Ra in radiobarite-rich scale or highly contaminated soil are compared to initial ratios at the time of radiobarite precipitation. Initial ratios are estimated by measurements of saline water or recent barite precipitates at the site or by considering a range of probable initial ratios based on reported values in modern oil-field brines. At sites that contain two distinct radiobarite sources of different age, the soils containing mixtures of sources can be identified, and mixing proportions quantified using radium concentration and isotopic data. These uses of radium isotope data provide more description of contamination history and can possibly address liability issues.
Schwa elision in fast speech: segmental deletion or gestural overlap?

Pretonic schwa elision in fast speech (e.g. potato -› [pt]ato, demolish -› [dm]olish) has been studied by both phonologists and phoneticians to understand how extralinguistic factors af
Phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate-induced release of the colony-stimulating factor 1 receptor cytoplasmic domain into the cytosol involves two separate cleavage events.

The colony-stimulating factor 1 (CSF-1) receptor is a protein-tyrosine kinase that regulates cell division, differentiation, and development. In response to phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (PMA), the CSF-1 receptor is subject to proteolytic processing. Use of chimeric receptors indicates that the CSF-1 receptor is cleaved at least two times, once in the extracellular domain and once in the transmembrane domain. Cleavage in the extracellular domain results in ectodomain shedding while the cytoplasmic domain remains associated with the membrane. Intramembrane cleavage depends on the sequence of the transmembrane domain and results in the release of the cytoplasmic domain. This process can be blocked by γ-secretase inhibitors. The cytoplasmic domain localizes partially to the nucleus, displays limited stability, and is degraded by the proteosome. CSF-1 receptors are continuously subject to down-modulation and regulated intramembrane proteolysis (RIP). RIP is stimulated by granulocyte-macrophage-CSF, CSF-1, interleukin-2 (IL-2), IL-4, lipopolysaccharide, and PMA and may provide the CSF-1 receptor with an additional mechanism for signal transduction.
Estuarine-Shelf Interactions,

Abstract : The gravitational pattern in estuaries is often perturbed, at subtidal scales, by flows resulting from other processes. Wind forcing is the most familiar of these. Subtidal estuarine flow variability appears to be ubiquitous, but no predictive framework for these circulation patterns has yet been proposed. The estuarine-shelf exchanges driven at subtidal scales result in buoyant effluent plumes, which influence shelf chemistry and biology as well as physics. The dynamics of these plumes remains a fertile area of research, principally because of a lack of knowledge concerning mixing in stratified flows.
A Modeling Study of the Three-Dimensional Continental Shelf Circulation off Oregon. Part II: Dynamical Analysis

Abstract Sixty-day simulations of the subinertial continental shelf circulation off Oregon are performed for a hindcast study of summer 1999. In Part I, the model results are shown to compare favorably with in situ currents and hydrographic measurements obtained from an array of moored instruments and field surveys and high-frequency radar–derived surface currents. In this paper, the modeled three-dimensional, time-varying circulation and dynamical balances are analyzed, providing a detailed synoptic description of the continental shelf circulation off Oregon for summer 1999. The circulation is clearly wind driven and strongly influenced by alongshore variations in shelf topography. In the region of the coast where the alongshore topographic variations are small the upwelling circulation is consistent with standard conceptual models for two-dimensional across-shore circulation. In the regions where the alongshore topographic variations are greater, the upwelling circulation is highly three-dimensional. Ov...
Field portable low temperature porous layer open tubular cryoadsorption headspace sampling and analysis part II: Applications

Building on the successful application in the laboratory of PLOT-cryoadsorption as a means of collecting vapor (or headspace) samples for chromatographic analysis, in this paper a field portable apparatus is introduced. This device fits inside of a briefcase (aluminum tool carrier), and can be easily transported by vehicle or by air. The portable apparatus functions entirely on compressed air, making it suitable for use in locations lacking electrical power, and for use in flammable and explosive environments. The apparatus consists of four aspects: a field capable PLOT-capillary platform, the supporting equipment platform, the service interface between the PLOT-capillary and the supporting equipment, and the necessary peripherals. Vapor sampling can be done with either a hand piece (containing the PLOT capillary) or with a custom fabricated standoff module. Both the hand piece and the standoff module can be heated and cooled to facilitate vapor collection and subsequent vapor sample removal. The service interface between the support platform and the sampling units makes use of a unique counter current approach that minimizes loss of cooling and heating due to heat transfer with the surroundings (recuperative thermostatting). Several types of PLOT-capillary elements and sampling probes are described in this report. Applications to a variety of samples relevant to forensic and environmental analysis are discussed in a companion paper.
Is Constitution Day Constitutional

Congress recently enacted a statute requiring that every educational institutional that receives federal funding must hold a program about the Constitution in conjunction with Constitution Day. This very short comment, which arises from the author's effort to provide entertainment during his school's first Constitutional Day program, analyzes the legality of the statute under both the Constitution and constitutional law.
Brain and behavior changes associated with an abbreviated 4‐week mindfulness‐based stress reduction course in back pain patients

Introduction Mindfulness-based stress reduction (MBSR) reduces depression, anxiety, and pain for people suffering from a variety of illnesses, and there is a growing need to understand the neurobiological networks implicated in self-reported psychological change as a result of training. Combining complementary and alternative treatments such as MBSR with other therapies is helpful; however, the time commitment of the traditional 8-week course may impede accessibility. This pilot study aimed to (1) determine if an abbreviated MBSR course improves symptoms in chronic back pain patients and (2) examine the neural and behavioral correlates of MBSR treatment. Methods Participants were assigned to 4 weeks of weekly MBSR training (n = 12) or a control group (stress reduction reading; n = 11). Self-report ratings and task-based functional MRI were obtained prior to, and after, MBSR training, or at a yoked time point in the control group. Results While both groups showed significant improvement in total depression symptoms, only the MBSR group significantly improved in back pain and somatic-affective depression symptoms. The MBSR group also uniquely showed significant increases in regional frontal lobe hemodynamic activity associated with gaining awareness to changes in one's emotional state. Conclusions An abbreviated MBSR course may be an effective complementary intervention that specifically improves back pain symptoms and frontal lobe regulation of emotional awareness, while the traditional 8-week course may be necessary to detect unique improvements in total anxiety and cognitive aspects of depression.
Equine psychotherapy: worth more than just a horse laugh

Equine psychotherapy, first begun in Europe, is a fledgling therapeutic resource for a very broad range of diagnoses. It is a powerfully effective tool in assisting clients who are fearful, anxious, depressed, angry, dissociative, or who have a variety of other emotional problems. Introducing therapeutic work with the horse to a client who is accustomed to conventional "office therapy" is, in itself, a change. Work with horses breaks through the client's defensive barriers and requires the client to develop fresh insights and new perspectives from old relationship and behavioral patterns. Work with the horse requires cooperative affective and behavioral consistency in clients who have learned a habit of thinking one way, feeling otherwise, and behaving in a manner that may be totally unrelated to either. We, as therapists, may not discern this important dissonance in the office, but the horse seems to sense the incongruity and will display confusion until the client is internally consistent.
Investigation on Hydrogenation of Metal–Organic Frameworks HKUST-1, MIL-53, and ZIF-8 by Hydrogen Spillover

The stabilities of three moisture-stable MOFs containing different metal clusters, i.e., HKUST-1 (Cu), MIL-53(Al), and ZIF-8 (Zn), were investigated in dihydrogen and dissociated hydrogen (caused by doped Pt nanoparticles) environments. X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), and X-ray-excited Auger electron spectroscopy (XAES) results showed that all three MOFs were stable in dihydrogen environment. However, the structure of Pt-doped HKUST-1 collapsed in the presence of dissociated hydrogen due to the higher reduction potential of Cu compared with H, and the degree of reduction that occurred to the divalent copper in HKUST-1 increased with temperature. Unlike HKUST-1, MIL-53 and ZIF-8 maintained their structures in both dihydrogen and dissociated hydrogen environments at temperatures up to 150 °C. Moreover, comparison of Pt-doped HKUST-1 samples synthesized by chemical vapor deposition (CVD) and incipient wetness impregnation showed that the contact between the doped Pt particles...
Vibrational Exciton Decay in Uranyl Crystals by Picosecond Coherent Raman Scattering: Energy Bottlenecks and High Order Relaxation Mechanisms

Anharmonicity in the crystal potential leads to phonon interactions which result in vibrational relaxation and dephasing. For many crystal systems a satisfactory description of vibrational relaxation is obtained by considering the first anharmonic correction to the crystal potential, namely a cubic interaction. However, recent results on vibrationally sparse systems have shown that the next higher order anharmonic relaxation term (i.e quartic) is necessary to account for the observed thermally induced dephasing [1–3]. In this work we focus on the importance of anharmonic relaxation mechanisms by creating a large vibrational energy gap. One expects the mode immediately above the gap to have an increased lifetime relative to other vibrational modes of the molecule due to the absence of any cubic decay channels.
Linked rules: principles for rule reuse on the web

Ontologies are information models which provide vocabulary terms or terminologies and associated meanings to allow the modeling of a domain. They are shared conceptualizations; this has never been more true, because in recent years they have been developed by community efforts, often including experts from academia as well as industry. Those efforts have been complemented by the standardization of formats and languages, such as RDF, OWL, and SPARQL, for representing and (re)using ontologies and data on the (Semantic) Web. Rules, on the other hand, are (seldom) used for knowledge representation (i.e. to define the semantics or integrity constraints). Rules are also used for other intelligent reasoning tasks such as for defining business logic and policies. With the prevalence of shared information models, it is possible and may be necessary to share and reuse rules. Furthermore, with the advent of the Rule Interchange Format (RIF), rules can be shared across many rule systems. We propose a set of basic principles and features by which rules can be represented and shared over the web so that they may be effectively reused and demonstrate several methods of rule reuse. Finally, we discuss how some of these features work in practice in the N3-based AIR web rules language.
Recommendations Regarding the Conservation of Echinacea Species

Twelve recommendations are provided regarding the conservation of Echinacea species. By encouraging these conservation, data collection, analysis, education, and monitoring recommendations, it will be possible for Echinacea species to thrive in the wild and for the sustainable harvest of wild Echinacea species to continue.
Measurement of Solubility of Metallic Lithium Dissolved in Molten LiCl-Li 2 O

The solubility of lithium metal in molten LiCl–Li2O mixtures has been measured at various concentrations of Li2O ranging from 0 wt.% to 2.7 wt.% at a temperature of approximately 670–680°C. After contacting molten lithium with molten LiCl–Li2O for several hours to achieve equilibrium saturation, samples were taken by freezing the salt onto a room-temperature steel rod and dissolving in water for analysis. Both volume of hydrogen gas generated and volume of titrated HCl were measured to investigate two different approaches to calculating the lithium concentration. There appeared to be no effect of Li2O concentration on the Li solubility in the salt. But the results vary between different methods of deducing the amount of dissolved Li. The H2 collection method is recommended, but care must be taken to ensure all of the H2 has been included.
Characterization of the Two Populations of NK-Like CD56+ T Cells and KIR+ T Cells in Human

Abstract Abstract 3292 Previous studies have demonstrated that many T cell subsets possess NK-like features, including the CD56+ and KIR+ populations. Collectively, these studies showed that these NK-like T cells are predominantly αβ+ CD8+ with memory phenotype and could recognize HLA-E associated viral peptides after expansion upon TCR engagement. However, their clonality, transcriptome, regulation, specificity, and memory response in human have not been fully elucidated. We hypothesize that these NK-like T cells are phenotypically and functionally distinct from conventional T and NK cells and they play unique roles in virus and cancer control. Herein, we extensively characterized the CD56+ T cells and the KIR+ T subset by analysis of TREC, TCRVβ spectrum, telomere length, surface biomarkers, genome-wide transcriptome, multi-analyte cytokine profiling, cancer cell susceptibility, tetramer staining, and real-time response to CMV reactivation in stem cell transplant recipients. In contrast to CD56– T cells, CD56+ T cells are limited in TREC, TCRVβ, telomere length, cytokine secretion, transcription of metabolic genes stx6, nnt, galnt2, hvcn1, tyms, rpa1 tmf1, ecop, and tspan3, and are mostly KIR+, CD8+, DNAM1+, NKG2D+, CD44+, NKp46– and CD25–. Compared to KIR– CD56+ T cells, KIR+ CD56+ T cells are even more limited in TREC, TCRVβ, telomere length, and cytokine secretion, but have elevated transcription of NK cytotoxicity-related genes arrb1, ppp3cc, and lamc3, higher degranulation after activation by IL-2/IL-15 and CD3/CD28 antibodies, better killing of cancer cells after cytokine priming, and are mostly KIR2DL2/3+, NKG2D+, NKp46+, CD16+, NKG2C+, CD57+, and 2B4+. Importantly during CMV reactivation after stem cell transplantation, the percentage of KIR+ CD56+ T cells in the patient’s blood increased dramatically and was significantly higher (p=0.0021) than in those without viral reactivation. Ex vivo, KIR+ CD56+ T cells demonstrate CMVpp65 tetramer staining, memory response to CMV peptides, and potent lysis of CMVpp65-pulsed target cells dependent on both KIR and TCR specificity. Furthermore, we identified for the first time that KIR– CD56+ T cells are Rorc+ IL-13-secretor. In conclusion, both CD56+ and KIR+ NK-like T-cell subsets are unique in biological and clinical properties and have distinct roles in cancer and infection control. Disclosures: No relevant conflicts of interest to declare.
The Performance of Artificial Neural Networks and Tier-Structured Information Transmission in Identifying Aggregate Consumption Patterns in New Zealand

This study explores the value of information transmission in training heterogeneous Artificial Neural Network (ANN) models to identify patterns in the growth rate of aggregate per-capita consumption spending in New Zealand. A tier structure is used to model how information passes from one ANN to another. A group of 'tier 1' ANNs are first trained to identify consumption patterns using economic data. ANNs in subsequent tiers are also trained to identify consumption patterns, but they use the patterns constructed by ANNs trained in the preceding tier (secondary information) as inputs. The model's results suggest that it is possible for ANNs downstream to outperform ANNs trained using empirical data directly on average. This result, however, varies from time period to time period. Increasing access to secondary information is shown to increase the similarity of heterogeneous predictions by ANNs in lower tiers, but not substantially affect average accuracy.
Extending the Wisdom of Crowds: Quantifying Uncertainty Using the Mean and Variance of a Collection of Point Estimates

The wisdom of crowds—combining information from a collection of individual judgments—offers a useful technique to quantify an unknown variable. Averaging point estimates has proven to be effective in reducing error in the consensus estimate. However, in many managerial problems, the decision maker requires an assessment of the full distribution of uncertainty rather than just a single number. In practice, some managers have used dispersion in point estimates as a cue to uncertainty in the variable of interest, but a characterization of the exact relationship between the two has not yet been established. Using a stylized Bayesian model of overlapping information spread across a collection of judges, I show that the variance of the variable of interest can be estimated with a multiple of the variance of the individual judgments, and establish an analytical expression for the consensus predictive distribution. I then present a procedure that can be used to learn about this variance inflation factor using past judgments and realizations, and derive the resulting distribution for the new variable of interest. This aggregation method is easy to implement in practice to estimate a predictive distribution from a collection of individual judgments. Application of the procedure to forecasts available through the Survey of Professional Forecasters suggests that the resulting predictions are well-calibrated and outperform natural existing alternatives.
Molecular Genetics of Neurulation

The formation of the neural tube begins during gastrulation when ectoderm, an epithelial sheet on the outside of the embryo, is induced to form the neural plate. During the process of neural induction, the epithelium of the neural plate is regionalized along both the dorsoventral and anteroposterior axes of the embryo; this regionalization is likely to contribute to the cellular processes underlying neurulation. Genes whose expression marks the formation and regionalization of the neural plate and which encode cell adhesion molecules or putative transcription factors have been recently identified. The differential expression of these genes apparently subdivides the epithelium of the neural plate into small regions. Evidence from transgenic embryo experiments supports the idea that the differential expression of these genes in the neural plate plays a role in neural tube formation.
The value of patient-reported outcomes in colon and rectal surgery

Abstract Quality in surgery is often assessed in terms of perioperative complications, such as surgical site infections and readmissions. Although patients are the ultimate end-users of surgical care, the impact of surgical care on aspects of health that are most important to them, such as functional status, is rarely assessed. Value is in the eye of the beholder. Patient-reported outcomes provide patients a voice in the assessment of their care quality, and brings greater accountability into the assessment of value.
Learning From Multiple Imperfect Instructors in Sensor Networks

This paper presents a sequential learning framework for sensors in a network, where a few sensors assume the role of an instructor to train other sensors in the network. The instructors provide estimated labels for measurements of new sensors. These labels are possibly noisy, because a classifier of the instructor may not be perfect. A recursive density estimator is proposed to obtain the true measurement model (i.e., the observation density conditioned on the label) in spite of the training with noisy labels. Specifically, this paper answers the question “Can a sensor train other sensors?”, provides necessary conditions for sensors to act as instructors, presents a sequential learning framework using recursive nonparametric kernel density estimation, and provides a convergence rate for the expected error in an observation density. The underlying concepts are illustrated and validated with simulation results.
Detecting Wife and Child Abuse in Clinical Settings

Victims and perpetrators of wife and child abuse are often not identified in treatment settings. The author offers strategies for detecting abuse in the clinical environment. Psychological and inte...
Listening to Patients: Primary Empathy Skills

Empathy is a multistage, interpersonal process involving the vicarious experiencing of another person’s feelings and situation and an ability to communicate one’s understanding of another’s feelings and experience. This chapter defines primary empathy and the functions it serves in genetic counseling (e.g., building rapport and trust, problem exploration), and it distinguishes among different types of primary empathy responses ranging from minimal encouragers to reflections of content and feelings. Concrete examples of genetic counselor primary empathy, including cultural empathy, are provided. Common empathy challenges are identified, and specific strategies are described for increasing empathic engagement with patients. A series of experiential activities and written exercises allow students to strengthen their empathic ability and practice their empathic communication in various genetic counseling situations.
Comparative Assessment of Tactics to Improve Primary Frequency Response Without Curtailing Solar Output in High Photovoltaic Interconnection Grids

Power grid primary frequency response will be significantly impaired by photovoltaic (PV) penetration increase because of the decrease in inertia and governor response. PV inertia and governor emulation requires reserving PV output and leads to solar energy waste. This paper exploits current grid resources and explores energy storage for primary frequency response under high PV penetration at the interconnection level. Based on the actual models of the U.S. Eastern Interconnection grid and the Texas grid, effects of multiple factors associated with primary frequency response, including the governor ratio, governor deadband, droop rate, and fast load response, are assessed under high PV penetration scenarios. In addition, performance of batteries and supercapacitors using different control strategies is studied in the two interconnections. This paper quantifies the potential of various resources to improve interconnection-level primary frequency response under high PV penetration without curtailing solar output.
Electrochemical Studies on Nanosized Sols of Titanium Dioxide and Cadmium Sulfide

The electrochemical behavior of nanosized hydrosols of titanium dioxide and cadmium sulfide was examined at a mercury electrode by means of polarography, cyclic voltammetry and differential pulse voltammetry. No evidence was obtained for direct reduction of the particle. The solubility of the titanium dioxide sol in perchloric acid over the pH range of 1–3 was determined, as was the adsorption of cadmium and sulfide ions by the CdS sol.
Inference of functional economic model relations from natural language analysis

Abstract This paper introduces a tool for qualitative model building, based on the semi-automatic inference of the structure of a specified economic reasoning by natural language analysis of descriptive texts (policy statements, articles). The applications are: assessment of the consistency of several economic analyses, construction of the structure of an econometric model. This work has being using the LISP programming language.