cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Multicultural Training Experiences as Predictors of Multicultural Competencies: Students' Perspectives.

The authors surveyed a national sample of master's-level counseling students regarding their multicultural training experiences and their multicultural counseling competencies. A series of hierarchical regression models tested the prediction of inventoried competencies from measures of selected training experiences: (a) program cultural ambience or learning environment, (b) multicultural instructional strategies, and (c) multicultural clinical experiences. Perceptions of program cultural ambience or learning environment predicted all multicultural competencies: knowledge, skills, awareness, and relationship. Additional findings support the importance of clinical training experiences in the context of effective multicultural training.
Formation of fluorescent pyrazine derivatives via a novel degradation pathway of the carbacephalosporin loracarbef

Recently an unknown degradation product of loracarbef (structure 1) was observed at low levels (--0.1%) in samples of the bulk drug substance that had been stored at 30°C for 36 months. Identification of this unknown was desired because of the potential for this unknown to form in the product during the shelf-life of the drug [1]. Isolation of such a minor impurity from limited quantities of sample is difficult and, therefore, more severe conditions were evaluated for generating higher levels of this degradation product. LC analysis with photodiode array detection indicated that this degradation product was present at higher levels in a sample of loracarbef stressed at 85°C for 8.5 months. Therefore, the degradation product (structure 4) and two other closely eluting degradation products (structures 5 and 6) were isolated concurrently from the 85°C stressed sample by preparative LC. Visualization of all three of these products under long wavelength UV indicated that they were fluorescent. MS and NMR spectroscopic characterization of these three products indicated the structures (structures 4-6) were derivatives of the highly fluorescent 2-hydroxy3-phenylpyrazine (structure 3). It is well established that [3-1actam antibiotics containing the phenyl glycine side chain will degrade under certain conditions to 2-hydroxy3-phenyl pyrazine (structure 3) [2-4]. Degradation studies of cefaclor (structure 2) [5] and other phenyl glycine-containing 13-1actams [4, 6] led to a proposed pathway for the formation of this pyrazine derivative (Scheme 1). The pathway to these 2-hydroxy-3-phenyl pyrazine derivatives involves hydrolysis of carbon-6 to reveal the "masked aldehyde", and subsequent cyclization and aromatization leading to the pyrazine structure. In the case of the loracarbef, the sulphur at position 5 is replaced with a methylene, effectively blocking the possibility of hydrolysis leading to an aldehyde at position 6. Thus it was predicted that carbacepahlosporins such as loracarbef would not degrade to 2-hydroxy-3phenyl pyrazine derivatives. In agreement with this prediction, no pyrazine derivatives were detected in a previous study of the aqueous degradation of loracarbef [7]. The discovery that substituted pyrazines were formed during solid-state degradation of Ioracarbef indicates the existence of a novel degradation pathway to pyrazines, distinct from the established cephalosporin degradation pathway. This report describes the isolation, characterization and proposed mechanism of formation for
Calcified adrenal cysts.

Abstract Two cases of calcified adrenal cysts are reported. Previously proposed diagnostic criteria for the recognition of a parenchymatous cyst was identified in our first case. Pain has been the main feature in our two cases.
A review of the literature on care of clients in pain who are culturally diverse.

Aim: This article reviews the literature on the care of clients from diverse cultures who are in pain and provides strategies for care. Background: Pain is a critical concept for caring for clients and particularly for clients from another culture. Culture shapes the values, beliefs, norms, and practices of individuals, including the ways persons react to pain. Culture affects the assessment and management of pain. Conclusions: Seven strategies can assist in culturally appropriate assessment and management of pain: (1) utilize assessment tools to assist in measuring pain, (2) appreciate variations in affective response to pain, (3) be sensitive to variations in communication styles, (4) recognize that communication of pain may not be acceptable within a culture, (5) appreciate that the meaning of pain varies between cultures, (6) utilize knowledge of biological variations, and (7) develop personal awareness of values and beliefs which may affect responses to pain.
The St. Lawrence River in winter: population structure, biomass, and pattern of its primary and secondary food web components

Plankton and benthic invertebrate populations were examined along a 160 km section of the St. Lawrence River between Lake Ontario and Waddington, New York during a period of ice cover. Algal biomass was low in winter with diatoms and cryptomonads the most prominent forms. Zooplankton biomass was about one-tenth the algal standing crop and cyclopoid copepods predominated. Phytoplankton and zooplankton biomass declined downriver providing evidence that most plankton was imported from Lake Ontario. Benthic invertebrate standing crop was greatest near Lake Ontario where molluscs were abundant. The downriver macroinvertebrate community shifted to coarse particle feeders, namely annelids and chironomids. Beds of accumulated detrital material derived primarily from dieback of macrophytes were particularly rich in benthic invertebrates.
Developmental pathways to severe antisocial behavior: interventions for youth with callous-unemotional traits

There is an emerging body of research that has focused on understanding the different causal pathways through which children develop severe aggressive and antisocial behavior. In addition, there is a substantial body of research indicating that certain models of intervention have some demonstrated level of effectiveness for preventing and treating antisocial behavior, albeit with some significant limitations. The focus of this paper is to integrate these two bodies of research in an effort to improve the effectiveness of the next generation of interventions for antisocial youth, especially those designed to prevent and treat certain subgroups of antisocial youth who have largely been unresponsive to existing approaches to intervention. One such group consists of those antisocial youths who show a callous and unemotional interpersonal style and who seem to be at risk for showing a particularly severe and aggressive pattern of antisocial behavior.
Regulation of actin dynamics by tyrosine phosphorylation: identification of tyrosine phosphorylation sites within the actin-severing domain of villin.

We have previously shown that villin, an epithelial cell actin-binding protein, is tyrosine phosphorylated both in vitro and in vivo and that villin's actin-modifying functions are regulated by phosphorylation. Here as a first step toward understanding the role of villin tyrosine phosphorylation, we sought to identify the major phosphorylation site(s) in human villin and study its role in actin filament assembly. We generated a series of carboxyl-terminal truncation mutants of villin and cloned them in the prokaryotic expression vector pGEX-2T. Full-length villin and the truncation mutants were expressed in TKX1 cells, which carry an inducible tyrosine kinase gene. Using this approach, we identified a region in the amino-terminal actin-severing domain of villin as the site of phosphorylation (amino acids 1−261). Five phosphorylation sites were identified by direct mutation of candidate tyrosines (Y) to phenylalanine (F), namely, Y46, -60, -64, -81, and -256. Changing all of these sites to phenylalanine re...
“Evaluation gone Awry”: The teacher experience of the summative evaluation of a school reform initiative

Abstract Written as four scenes that span a five-year period, this article examines the summative evaluation of an organized school reform programme in the United States from the teacher perspective. The study provides fine-grained details of how the evaluation of the particular reform effort went “awry” in the view of some teachers who directly participated. The inclusion of two teacher narratives particularly demonstrates how practitioners' intents and desires became overtaken by evaluators' stances and theoretical frames. The international value of the research is that it discusses problems of summative evaluators entering longitudinal reform endeavors too late in the change process, difficulties relating to non-participant observation, issues associated with not negotiating final evaluation reports, and failure of evaluation studies to enter into human subjects agreements with teachers. Lastly, the lack of congruence between formative planning and evaluation and summative evaluation constitutes an overarching theme.
Carotid Plaque Ultrasonic Heterogeneity and Severity of Stenosis

Background and Purpose— Several studies have reported on the correlation of ultrasonic carotid plaque morphology, cerebrovascular symptoms, and intraplaque hemorrhage. This study correlates ultrasonic carotid plaque morphology with the degree of carotid stenosis. Methods— Carotid arteries (n=2460) were examined by using color duplex ultrasound during a 1-year period. Carotid stenoses were classified into 70% to 99%. Ultrasonic plaque morphology was characterized as either heterogeneous (mixed hyperechoic, hypoechoic, and isoechoic) or homogeneous. Results— Heterogeneous plaques were noted in 138 of 794 arteries with <50% stenosis, in 191 of 564 arteries with 50% to <60% stenosis, in 301 of 487 arteries with 60% to <70% stenosis, and in 496 of 615 arteries with 70% to 99% stenosis. The higher the degree of stenosis, the more likely it is to be associated with heterogeneous plaques. Heterogeneous plaques were present in 59% of the arteries with ≥50% stenoses versus 17% o...
Monovalent concanavalin A

Abstract The preparation of monovalent concanavalin A was achieved by incubating metal-free concanavalin A with trypsin at room temperature for 50 hrs. The digest was subjected to affinity chromatography on a column of ovomucoid-agarose to remove the trypsin and subsequent chromatography on Bio-Gel P-150 to resolve the monovalent fragment. Monovalent concanavalin A bound Mn 2+ , Ca 2+ and p-nitrophenyl-α-D-mannopyranoside as determined by ultraviolet difference spectroscopy. The modified protein would not precipitate glycogen or agglutinate Bacillus subtilis cells. The fragment did, however, prevent the agglutination of B. subtilis by native concanavalin A. Preparation of monovalent concanavalin A could not be achieved unless metals were first removed from the native protein.
Effects of conditioned taste aversion on extracellular serotonin in the lateral hypothalamus and hippocampus of freely moving rats.

Abstract This study used microdialysis to monitor extracellular levels of 5-HT and its metabolite, 5-hydroxyindole acetic acid (5-HIAA) in the lateral hypothalamus (LH) and hippocampus of freely moving rats that had developed a CTA to a 2.5 mM saccharin solution (CS) following its pairing with illness induced by lithium chloride (US). Results showed that oral infusion of the saccharin CS significantly enhanced extracellular LH 5-HT in animals that had developed a taste aversion compared with control groups, including unconditioned (CS-no US) and pseudoconditioned (no CS-US) subjects. As an anatomical control, the hippocampus was identified based on previous research suggesting that it is not integrally involved in CTA learning or retrieval and that 5-HT in this brain site does not directly mediate feeding behavior but is closely correlated with arousal. In contrast with the results obtained in the LH, hippocampal 5-HT was not preferentially elevated in subjects in the CTA group but rather was increased to the same extend in both CTA and control groups after saccharin infusion. Moreover, the increase in LH 5-HT for the CTA group was nearly twice that observed in the hippocampus for any group. Acute administration of LiCl elevated extracellular 5-HT to similar levels in both sites, well above the changes observed following conditioning. 5-HIAA was unaffected in either brain site by oral infusion of saccharin solution or injection of LiCl. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that increased 5-HT transmission in the LH plays a central role in the inhibition of ingestion during expression of a CTA that may not be entirely attributable to a global activation of the serotonergic system in arousal.
Assessment of coronary plaque with optical coherence tomography and high-frequency ultrasound.

This study compares the ability of intravascular optical coherence tomography (OCT) and high-frequency intravascular ultrasound (IVUS) to image highly stenotic human coronary arteries in vitro. Current imaging modalities have insufficient resolution to perform risk stratification based on coronary plaque morphology. OCT is a new technology capable of imaging at a resolution of 5 to 20 μm, which has demonstrated the potential for coronary arterial imaging in prior experiments. Human postmortem coronary arteries with severely stenotic segments were imaged with catheter-based OCT and IVUS. The OCT system had an axial resolution of 20 μm and a transverse resolution of 30 μm. OCT was able to penetrate and image near-occlusive coronary plaques. Compared with IVUS, these OCT images demonstrated superior delineation of vessel layers and lack of ring-down artifact, leading to clearer visualization of the vessel plaque and intima. Histology confirmed the accuracy and high contrast of vessel layer boundaries seen on OCT images. Thus, catheter-based OCT systems are able to image near-occlusive coronary plaques with higher resolution than that of IVUS.
1072 FACTORS LIMITING GLOMERULAR FILTRATION RATE IN THE IMMATURE RAT

In 14 immature (30-45 day) Munich-Wistar rats with surface glomeruli accessible to micropuncture, glomerular capillary (PGC) and Bowman's space (PT) hydraulic pressures, efferent arteriolar oncotic pressure (ΠE), single nephron (SN)GFR, initial glomerular plasma flow rate (QA), afferent (RA) and efferent (RE) arteriolar resistances, and glomerular capillary ultrafiltration coefficient (Kf) were determined under euvolemic conditions. Results are compared with those from 14 adult (70-100 day) rats studied under similar conditions. (Mean ± SE, † P <.01) Thus, mean values for PGC, PT and SNFF in immature were essentially the same as those in adult. Since the net force for ultrafiltration at the efferent end of the glomerular capillary network (given by PGC-PT-ΠE) was essentially zero in immature and adult alike, Kf was not a factor limiting SNGFR in either group. Instead, the lower values for SNGFR per gram kidney weight (KW) in immature than adult are primarily a consequence of lower QA/gKW, the latter due, at least in part, to markedly higher RA and RE. The causes for these higher resistances, whether structural or humoral, remains to be determined.
Peptide-sugar hybrids: Like peptide, like oligosaccharide

A novel peptide-sugar hybrid with a repeating sequence of glycamino acid and aspartic acid residues was synthesized and was found to inhibit tumor cell migration with an IC50 of 10 μM.
EPA-0022 – Diagnosis of diabetes and obesity have no impact on six month remission rates for depressed primary care patients

Introduction Prior studies have demonstrated an inter-relationship between the diagnosis of diabetes, obesity and depression. Our data has demonstrated that baseline body mass index (BMI) was not predictive for clinical outcomes (remission at six months). Objectives/Aims Our hypothesis was that obesity (BMI ≥30) and the diagnosis of diabetes in depressed primary patients would have no effect on depression remission rates six months after diagnosis. Methods This study was retrospective analysis of 1, 894 primary care patients diagnosed with Major Depressive Disorder or Dysthymia with a PHQ-9 score of 10 or greater. ▪Outcome variable was clinical remission (PHQ-9 ▪Logistic regression modeling included the demographic variables of age, gender, marital status, the clinical variables of BMI, baseline PHQ-9 score, diagnosis of diabetes (yes/no) and clinical diagnosis (recurrent or first episode of depression, or dysthymia). Results Figure 1Odds ratio for clinical remission (PHQ-9 Controlling for age, gender, marital status, race, clinical diagnosis and clinical site with logistic regression modeling. Conclusions ▪Baseline obesity was not an independent predictor for depression outcome at six months. ▪Diagnosis of diabetes was not an independent predictor for depression outcome at six months. This data suggests that obesity and diabetes were not associated with worsening clinical outcomes in depression management.
Detoxification of chlordecone poisoned rats with chlorella and chlorella derived sporopollenin.

Chlorella protothecoides accelerated the detoxification of chlordecone poisoned rats, decreasing the half-life of the toxin from 40 to 19 days. The ingested algae passed through the gastrointestinal tract unharmed , interrupted the enteric recirculation of the persistent insecticide, and subsequently eliminated the bound chlordecone with the feces. The detoxification was similar to that obtained with cholestyramine. Laboratory preparations were made to determine whether cell-free components retained the therapeutic properties of the whole cells. Acid and alkaline hydrolysis of the algae destroyed the cells except for the resistant cell wall components. One component was sporopollenin , a carotenoid polymer of limited natural occurrence among microorganisms and plants. Plant sporopollenin was not active, but algal cell walls and sporopollenin retained the therapeutic activity of the whole cells. The cells and cell walls have potential as detoxifying drugs for animals poisoned by chlordecone and other xenobiotic compounds with similar properties.
Antiphospholipid syndrome and the skin

The antiphospholipid syndrome is an acquired multisystem disorder of hypercoagulation, which may be primary or secondary to underlying diseases. Serologic markers for the syndrome are the lupus anticoagulant and anticardiolipin antibodies. Clinical features include recurrent thrombotic events (arterial or venous), repeated fetal loss, and thrombocytopenia. Cutaneous manifestations may occur as the first sign of antiphospholipid syndrome. These include livedo reticularis, necrotizing vasculitis, livedoid vasculitis, thrombophlebitis, cutaneous ulceration and necrosis, erythematous macules, purpura, ecchymoses, painful skin nodules, and subungual splinter hemorrhages. Antiphospholipid syndrome may also be associated rarely with anetoderma, discoid lupus erythematosus, cutaneous T-cell lymphoma, or disorders that closely resemble Sneddon or Degos syndromes. Noninflammatory vascular thrombosis is the most frequent histopathologic feature observed. Prophylaxis and treatment of thrombosis in patients with antiphospholipid syndrome relies principally on anticoagulant and antiplatelet agents.
DNA damage and mutagenesis by radiomimetic DNA-cleaving agents: bleomycin, neocarzinostatin and other enediynes

Bleomycin and the enediyne antibiotics effect concerted, simultaneous site-specific free radical attack on sugar moieties in both strands of DNA, resulting in double-strand breaks of defined geometry and chemical structure, as well as abasic sites with closely opposed strand breaks. The hypersensitivity of several mammalian double-strand break repair-deficient mutants to these agents confirms the role of these double-strand breaks in mediating cytotoxicity. In bacteria, mutagenesis by both bleomycin and neocarzinostatin appears to result from replicative bypass of abasic sites, the repair of which is blocked by the presence of closely opposed strand breaks. However, in mammalian cells, such abasic sites decompose to form double-strand breaks, and mutagenesis consists primarily of small deletions, large deletions, and gene rearrangements, all of which probably result from errors in double-strand break repair by a nonhomologous end-joining mechanism. Studies with the radiomimetic antibiotics emphasize the importance of this end-joining repair pathway, and these agents provide useful probes of its mechanistic details, particularly the effects of chemically modified DNA termini on repair.
A decision tree approach to the regulation of food chemicals associated with irreversible toxicities

Abstract A decision tree approach to the regulation of foodborne carcinogen-associated chemicals is presented. In the first stage, this approach places emphasis on the question of whether a chemical is capable of generating chemically reactive metabolites in vivo . Such metabolites are considered to have potential to initiate not only carcinogenesis but also other serious irreversible toxicities. In the second stage, the scheme suggests that the ability of a compound to enhance the development of the carcinogenic process (positive modifiers) should be evaluated. Those compounds which enhance that process should then be evaluated for efficacy. And finally it is argued that the various decision options should depend both on the degree of risk aversion desired by the consumer and the feasibility of marketplace control.
Considerations Related to Breed or Biological Type

This article reviews the literature on breed, biological type, and breeding system and their impact on female fertility, especially as they relate to heifer development. The attributes of different breeding systems and their appropriate use is discussed. In addition, the extant and emerging selection tools that are available for replacement heifer selection are reviewed.
Unobtrusive and Ubiquitous In-Home Monitoring: A Methodology for Continuous Assessment of Gait Velocity in Elders

Gait velocity has been shown to quantitatively estimate risk of future hospitalization, a predictor of disability, and has been shown to slow prior to cognitive decline. In this paper, we describe a system for continuous and unobtrusive in-home assessment of gait velocity, a critical metric of function. This system is based on estimating walking speed from noisy time and location data collected by a ?sensor line? of restricted view passive infrared motion detectors. We demonstrate the validity of our system by comparing with measurements from the commercially available GAITRite walkway system gait mat. We present the data from 882 walks from 27 subjects walking at three different subject-paced speeds (encouraged to walk slowly, normal speed, or fast) in two directions through a sensor line. The experimental results show that the uncalibrated system accuracy (average error) of estimated velocity was 7.1 cm/s (SD = 11.3 cm/s), which improved to 1.1 cm/s (SD = 9.1 cm/s) after a simple calibration procedure. Based on the average measured walking speed of 102 cm/s, our system had an average error of less than 7% without calibration and 1.1% with calibration.
Direct Formation and Reaction of Functionalized thienyl-Based Organocopper Reagents

Abstract Highly reactive copper solutions have been prepared by the direct reduction of lithium 2-thienylcyanocuprate. Product isolation was much easier using the thienyl-based organocopper reagents as opposed to phosphine-based organocopper reagents.
Applying the technology transition model to GSS fielding

This paper outlines the efforts to introduce a proven GSS into two similar organizational contexts over a one year period. The installations, and subsequent technology transitions took place aboard two different US Navy ships. Using the principles of action research, the project began with interventions based on the Technology Transition Model (TTM). The goal of the interventions was to engender sufficient acceptance of GSS to create a self-sustaining community of GSS users. This research was based on an extension on the Technology Acceptance Model (TAM) known as the Technology Transition Model (TTM). The article provides an explanation of the TAM, the TTM and their related concepts. Next, it outlines background for military decision-making in that context. It then presents background information about the development and fielding of a specific GSS. Finally, it summarizes the lessons learned in the field during the application of the TTM in two unique fielding efforts.
Magnesium isotopic composition of igneous rock standards measured by MC-ICP-MS

To provide inter-lab comparison for high-precision Mg isotope analysis, Mg isotope compositions (expressed as δ26Mg relative to DSM-3) for commercially accessible peridotite, basalt, andesite, and granite geo-standards have been measured by multi-collector inductively coupled mass-spectrometry (Nu-Plasma) using sample-standard bracketing method. There is a large tolerance of matrix cations during the measurement of Mg isotopes, as intensity ratios of 23Na/24Mg and 27Al/24Mg of about 20% only change the δ26Mg by less than 0.1‰, and low 55Mn/24Mg (<0.1) and 58Ni/24Mg (<0.01) do not cause significant mass bias either. Concentration match between samples and standards within 90% is adequate to obtain accurate isotope analysis, which also mitigates the isobaric interference of 12C14N+ on 26Mg. Organic matrix from chemical purification can cause significant analytical errors when the mass of Mg processed is small. The long-term reproducibility of δ26MgDSM-3 for samples with relatively higher MgO content is about 0.11‰ (2SD), and granites with lower MgO content is about 0.2‰ (2SD). Although the standards in this study have wide ranges of major element compositions with SiO2 from 40 to 70 wt.% and MgO from 0.75 to 49.6 wt.%, they exhibit a variation of Mg isotopic compositions with δ26Mg from −0.07 to −0.40‰. δ26Mg do not correlate with SiO2 or MgO contents, suggesting homogenous Mg isotope compositions in igneous rocks at the level of current precision, relative to low temperature samples including sediments and riverine and sea waters. Our data do not support a non-chondritic Mg isotope composition of the Earth.
Propagation experiments at Virginia Tech with the Olympus satellite

A major propagation experiment is in progress to measure atmospheric attenuation at 12, 20, and 30 GHz using the beacons of the Olympus satellite. The experiment uses a frequency-locked receiver system which locks to the 12 GHz beacon frequency and measures the signal strength of the coherent 20 and 30 GHz beacons in a 3-Hz bandwidth. The receiving system is augmented with radiometers in each beacon frequency band to set the clear-air attenuation levels of the beacon signals. Olympus propagation experiment objectives and the measurement system are described. Results from the measurement program will include fade statistics at all frequencies, attenuation scaling between frequencies, short baseline site diversity, and fade dynamics. >
Tumor Dosimetry and Response for 153Sm-Ethylenediamine Tetramethylene Phosphonic Acid Therapy of High-Risk Osteosarcoma

153Sm-ethylenediamine tetramethylene phosphonic acid (153Sm-EDTMP) therapy for osteosarcoma is being investigated. In this study, we analyzed the influence of 153Sm-EDTMP administered activity (AA), osteosarcoma tumor density, mass, and the shape of the tumor on absorbed dose (AD). We also studied the biologic implication of the nonuniform tumor AD distribution using radiobiologic modeling and examined the relationship between tumor AD and response. Methods: Nineteen tumors in 6 patients with recurrent, refractory osteosarcoma enrolled in a phase I or II clinical trial of 153Sm-EDTMP were analyzed using the 3-dimensional radiobiologic dosimetry (3D-RD) software package. Patients received a low dose of 153Sm-EDTMP (37.0–51.8 MBq/kg), followed on hematologic recovery by a second, high dose (222 MBq/kg). Treatment response was evaluated using either CT or MRI after each therapy. SPECT/CT of the tumor regions were obtained at 4 and 48 h or 72 h after 153Sm-EDTMP therapy for 3D-RD analysis. Mean tumor AD was also calculated using the OLINDA/EXM unit-density sphere model and was compared with the 3D-RD estimates. Results: On average, a 5-fold increase in the AA led to a 4-fold increase in the mean tumor AD over the high- versus low-dose–treated patients. The range of mean tumor AD and equivalent uniform dose (EUD) for low-dose therapy were 1.48–14.6 and 0.98–3.90 Gy, respectively. Corresponding values for high-dose therapy were 2.93–59.3 and 1.89–12.3 Gy, respectively. Mean tumor AD estimates obtained from OLINDA/EXM were within 5% of the mean AD values obtained using 3D-RD. On an individual tumor basis, both mean AD and EUD were positively related to percentage tumor volume reduction (P = 0.031 and 0.023, respectively). Conclusion: The variations in tumor density, mass, and shape seen in these tumors did not affect the mean tumor AD estimation significantly. The tumor EUD was approximately 2- and 3-fold lower than the mean AD for low- and high-dose therapy, respectively. A dose–response relationship was observed for transient tumor volume shrinkage.
Global patterns of diversification and species richness in amphibians.

Abstract: Geographic patterns of species richness ultimately arise through the processes of speciation, extinction, and dispersal, but relatively few studies consider evolutionary and biogeographic processes in explaining these diversity patterns. One explanation for high tropical species richness is that many species‐rich clades originated in tropical regions and spread to temperate regions infrequently and more recently, leaving little time for species richness to accumulate there (assuming similar rates of diversification in temperate and tropical regions). However, the major clades of anurans (frogs) and salamanders may offer a compelling counterexample. Most salamander families are predominately temperate in distribution, but the one primarily tropical clade (Bolitoglossinae) contains nearly half of all salamander species. Similarly, most basal clades of anurans are predominately temperate, but one largely tropical clade (Neobatrachia) contains ∼96% of anurans. In this article, I examine patterns of ...
XNET: Extended traffic assignment model

A PC-based traffic planning model for use by small cities is described. The software includes routines for estimating OD matrices from observed link data and for determining equilibrium traffic flows. The mathematical modeling and algorithmic implementation of the problem and its solution technique are emphasized. An example application of the model is included.
Digoxin initiation is associated with lower risk of all-cause readmission after hospitalisation for heart failure

Commentary on: Ahmed A, Bourge RC, Fonarow GC, et al. Digoxin use and lower 30-day all-cause readmission for Medicare beneficiaries hospitalised for heart failure. Am J Med 2014;127:61–70.[OpenUrl][1][CrossRef][2][PubMed][3] The use of digoxin for the treatment of heart failure dates back to the 18th century, yet controversy remains about its safety and efficacy. The largest clinical trial of digoxin concluded that digoxin had no effect on mortality but did improve the rate of rehospitalisation for patients with chronic heart failure.1 With increasing focus on readmissions, there are limited data to understand the impact of digoxin initiated during hospitalisation for acute heart failure on postdischarge outcomes. The authors analysed data from chart abstractions and Medicare claims of patients hospitalised with acute heart failure to assess the impact of digoxin on postdischarge … [1]: {openurl}?query=rft.jtitle%253DAm%2BJ%2BMed%26rft.volume%253D127%26rft.spage%253D61%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Adoi%252F10.1016%252Fj.amjmed.2013.08.027%26rft_id%253Dinfo%253Apmid%252F24257326%26rft.genre%253Darticle%26rft_val_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Ajournal%26ctx_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ver%253DZ39.88-2004%26url_ctx_fmt%253Dinfo%253Aofi%252Ffmt%253Akev%253Amtx%253Actx [2]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=10.1016/j.amjmed.2013.08.027&link_type=DOI [3]: /lookup/external-ref?access_num=24257326&link_type=MED&atom=%2Febmed%2F19%2F4%2F153.atom
Generating Elliptic Curves of Prime Order

Av ariation of the Complex Multiplication (CM) method for generating elliptic curves of known order over finite fields is proposed. We give heuristics and timing statistics in the mildly restricted setting of prime curve order. These may be seen to corroborate earlier work of Koblitz in the class number one setting. Our heuristics are based upon a recent conjecture by R. Gross and J. Smith on numbers of twin primes in algebraic number fields. Our variation precalculates class polynomials as a separate off-line process. Unlike the standard approach, which begins with a prime p and searches for an appropriate discriminant D, we choose a discriminant and then search for appropriate primes. Our on-line process is quick and can be compactly coded. In practice, elliptic curves with near prime order are used. Thus, our timing estimates and data can be regarded as upper estimates for practical purposes.
The Generality and Consequences of Stereotype Threat

‘Stereotype threat’ refers to the state of psychological discomfort people experience when confronted by an unflattering reputation in a situation where that reputation can be confirmed by one's behavior. Once aroused, stereotype threat can have a number of disruptive effects, among them the short-term impairment of intelligent thought and academic achievement. Over time, it can prompt defensive adaptations that have far-reaching effects, such as disengagement from activities or domains where the stereotype is relevant, which in turn can lead to impaired intellectual development. Stereotype threat thus can result in a self-fulfilling prophecy whereby a person comes to resemble his or her reputation, living up or down to social expectations. This article reviews the development of the stereotype threat construct from Steele and Aronson's (1995) original demonstration to investigations of its generality and mediators and to more recent studies focusing on strategies for reducing its negative effects.
Learning to Disentangle Factors of Variation with Manifold Interaction

Many latent factors of variation interact to generate sensory data; for example, pose, morphology and expression in face images. In this work, we propose to learn manifold coordinates for the relevant factors of variation and to model their joint interaction. Many existing feature learning algorithms focus on a single task and extract features that are sensitive to the task-relevant factors and invariant to all others. However, models that just extract a single set of invariant features do not exploit the relationships among the latent factors. To address this, we propose a higher-order Boltzmann machine that incorporates multiplicative interactions among groups of hidden units that each learn to encode a distinct factor of variation. Furthermore, we propose correspondence-based training strategies that allow effective disentangling. Our model achieves state-of-the-art emotion recognition and face verification performance on the Toronto Face Database. We also demonstrate disentangled features learned on the CMU Multi-PIE dataset.
Parameterized tiled loops for free

Parameterized tiled loops-where the tile sizes are not fixed at compile time, but remain symbolic parameters until later--are quite useful for iterative compilers and "auto-tuners" that produce highly optimized libraries and codes. Tile size parameterization could also enable optimizations such as register tiling to become dynamic optimizations. Although it is easy to generate such loops for (hyper) rectangular iteration spaces tiled with (hyper) rectangular tiles, many important computations do not fall into this restricted domain. Parameterized tile code generation for the general case of convex iteration spaces being tiled by (hyper) rectangular tiles has in the past been solved with bounding box approaches or symbolic Fourier Motzkin approaches. However, both approaches have less than ideal code generation efficiency and resulting code quality. We present the theoretical foundations, implementation, and experimental validation of a simple, unified technique for generating parameterized tiled code. Our code generation efficiency is comparable to all existing code generation techniques including those for fixed tile sizes, and the resulting code is as efficient as, if not more than, all previous techniques. Thus the technique provides parameterized tiled loops for free! Our "one-size-fits-all" solution, which is available as open source software can be adapted for use in production compilers.
Seaweed: a web application for designing economic games

Seaweed is a web application for experimental economists with no programming background to design two-player symmetric games in a visual-oriented interface. Games are automatically published to the web where players can play against each other remotely and game play is logged so that the game's designer can analyze the data. The design and implementation challenge in Seaweed is to provide an end user programming environment that creates games responsive to events and controlled by logic without the designer understanding programming concepts such as events and synchronization, or being burdened by specifying low-level programming detail. Seaweed achieves this by providing high-level visual representations for variables, control flow, and logic, and by automating behaviors for event handling, synchronization, and function evaluation. Seaweed's evaluation demonstrates that Amazon's Mechanical Turk (MTurk) is a viable platform for forming partnerships between people and paying them to perform cooperative tasks in real-time, cheaply and with high throughput
Limited access testing of analog circuits: handling tolerances

This paper deals with in-circuit testing of analog circuits that have limited access. A new method to account for tolerances on device values is presented, with results illustrating good performance in a production test environment.
Prices of American Pinot Noir wines: climate, craftsmanship, critics

Pinot Noir, a variety originating from Burgundy in France, is the most expensive category of table wine produced in North America. This article is aimed at analyzing its price determinants and focuses on climate, critical scores, and variables related to the winemaker. The main findings are as follows: (1) Pinot Noir prices are mainly determined by temperature and precipitation. General temperature increases are not beneficial. In fact, the optimal climate is similar to that in Burgundy. (2) The second most important variable is the winemaker. His or her skill and reputation have a significant impact on prices. (3) Expert knowledge, in the form of critical scores, has little explanatory value.
Reexamination of the feasibility of a world-wide, photovoltaic energy grid

The earth is irradiated daily by enough solar energy to fulfill all the world's energy needs by using photovoltaic systems. Such a world-wide energy grid would eliminate costly local energy storage systems. Furthermore, such a grid could take advantage of existing national energy grids. This concept is based three factors: 1) the ability to produce enough photovoltaic panels and 2) a feasible way of providing a cost-effective means of interconnecting the multitude of photovoltaic fields exists across the world and 3) the ability of the world's nations to reach agreements that make such a plan possible. The paper will discuss these issues.
Fluorescence spectroscopy: a technique with potential to improve the early detection of aerodigestive tract neoplasia.

Background Any innovation which facilitates the early detection of neoplastic changes in upper aerodigestive tract mucosa has potential to greatly improve survival and quality of life in persons prone to develop malignancies in this area. One technology that has shown great promise during initial investigations is fluorescence spectroscopy. Fluorescence spectroscopy evaluates the physical and chemical properties of tissue by analyzing the intensity and character of light emitted in the form of fluorescence. This technology has been investigated for the noninvasive detection of malignancy in various sites including the gastrointestinal tract, lung, breast, and cervix. Methods This article reviews the recent work investigating the capabilities of fluorescence spectroscopy to discriminate between normal and neoplastic mucosa in the oral cavity. Also discussed are potential applications for the detection and diagnosis of premalignant and malignant lesions of the upper aerodigestive tract, and some of the obstacles to overcome to make this technology feasible. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Inc. Head Neck20: 556–562, 1998.
A framework for detecting public health trends with Twitter

Traditional public health surveillance requires regular clinical reports and considerable effort by health professionals to analyze data. Therefore, a low cost alternative is of great practical use. As a platform used by over 500 million users worldwide to publish their ideas about many topics, including health conditions, Twitter provides researchers the freshest source of public health conditions on a global scale. We propose a framework for tracking public health condition trends via Twitter. The basic idea is to use frequent term sets from highly purified health-related tweets as queries into a Wikipedia article index -- treating the retrieval of medically-related articles as an indicator of a health-related condition. By observing fluctuations in frequent term sets and in turn medically-related articles over a series of time slices of tweets, we detect shifts in public health conditions and concerns over time. Compared to existing approaches, our framework provides a general a priori identification of emerging public health conditions rather than a specific illness (e.g., influenza) as is commonly done.
Variable voltage variable frequency options for series hybrid vehicles

This paper explores concepts for advanced series hybrid vehicle propulsion systems. These concepts are variations on the variable voltage variable frequency (VVVF) concept, where the electrical bus frequency and voltage vary proportionally with the system operating point. The concepts involve doubly fed machines. Each of these concepts has the potential to provide a full series hybrid drive with substantially reduced needs for electronic power conversion. The paper discusses the basic structures and performance of these machines, and provides a tabulation of the machine and power converter requirements over a typical operating range. Finally, conclusions are offered regarding the relative merits of these schemes.
An operational model for structuring the requirements generation process

Product quality is directly related to how well that product meets the customer’s needs and intents. Therefore, the ability to capture customer requirements correctly and succinctly is paramount. Unfortunately, within most software development frameworks requirements elicitation, recording and evaluation are some of the more ill-defined and least structured activities. To help address such inadequacies, we propose a requirements generation model (RGM) that (a) decomposes the conventional “requirements analysis” phase into sub-phases which focus and refine requirement generation activities, (b) bounds and structures those activities to promote a more effective generation process, and (c) implements a monitoring methodology to assist in detecting deviations from well-defined procedures intended to support the generation of requirements that meet the customer’s intent. The RGM incorporates “lessons learned” from a preliminary study that concentrated on identifying where and how miscommunication and requirements omission occur. An industry study (also reported in this paper) attests to the effectiveness of the RGM. The results of that study indicate that the RGM helps (a) reduce the late discovery of requirements, (b) reduce the slippage in milestone completion dates, and (c) increase customer and management satisfaction levels.
RECONSTRUCTING LONG-TERM FLOOD REGIMES WITH RAINFALL DATA: EFFECTS OF FLOOD TIMING ON CADDISFLY POPULATIONS

Abstract Flash floods are a defining feature of desert streams, but flow records are not always available to characterize long-term flood dynamics. In this study, rainfall data spanning 100 years were used as a proxy to quantify long-term flood regimes for southeastern Arizona (USA) streams. The frequency and seasonal timing of severe floods (>50% substrate movement) were highly variable at short temporal scales (days to several years), but clear patterns emerged in the long-term (several years to a century). To explore the ecological effects of flood timing, populations of the caddisfly Phylloicus aeneus (Calamoceratidae) were monitored in 2 streams over 3 years. The timing of individual floods relative to the long-term average strongly affected P. aeneus populations: early and timely floods had little effect on population size in the next year, but late floods significantly reduced population size in the next year. Thus, flood timing might play a role in regulating populations of desert stream organisms.
Analyses of circulating tumor cell (CTC) dynamics and treatment response in prostate cancer using the CTC-chip microfluidic device

5149 Background: The CTC-Chip reliably detects CTCs in patients with localized and metastatic prostate cancer. In localized disease, CTCs may be indicative of tumor invasiveness. In the metastatic setting, CTCs may be useful in monitoring response to therapy. Molecular analyses of CTCs through this minimally invasive technique may provide insights into disease behavior, whereas sampling of metastatic deposits in bone (the predominant site of prostate metastasis) is not feasible. Methods: Peripheral blood was collected from patients undergoing treatment. CTCs were captured on the CTC-Chip. Quantities were determined using cytokeratin- and PSA-based staining and enumeration. In some cases, molecular analyses for the TMPRSS2:ERG chromosomal translocation were performed using FISH in intact cells or nuclei, or RT-PCR in extracted RNA. Subgroups of patients (n) included: localized disease undergoing prostatectomy (25), and metastatic disease undergoing either androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) (12) or docetaxe...
Interactions Between Parallel Unevenly Heated Minichannels During Flow Boiling of R134A

Transient pressure drop of individual channels during flow boiling of R134a in four 0.54 mm square parallel minichannels was experimentally studied in this work. The design of the test section enabled the experimenter to control and to vary heat flux independently in each channel in the range from 3.82 to 18.66 kW/m2 at five different overall flow rates from 86 to 430 kg/m2-s. Flow rate fluctuation in parallel channels due to the formation of bubbles under the nonuniform heat flux conditions caused significant oscillations in local pressure drop. Statistical analysis indicated that the pressure drop signal was normally distributed when boiling was stable with no incoming flow disturbance. Pressure drop distribution was highly skewed and multimodal when significant evaporation rate at low mass fluxes led to rapid annular flow formation, reducing the free flow of incoming fluid. Cross-correlation analysis revealed a strong interaction between minichannels having the highest heat flux difference among the se...