cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Tree species fine-root demography parallels habitat specialization across a sandhill soil resource gradient

Single species can substantially alter belowground processes in ecosystems via differential root production and death. However, information on species differences in fine-root demography is virtually absent for natural communities. In this field study, we recorded species-specific fine-root (<2 mm in diameter) demography in adults of four tree species (Pinus palustris, Quercus laevis, Q. incana, and Q. margaretta) that are distributed differentially along soil resource gradients in the fall-line sandhills of the southeastern United States. At a subxeric habitat where all four species co-occur, roots of individual trees of each species were isolated in rhizotrons and tracked individually for three years. Quercus species had similar fine-root morphology but differed substantially for fine-root demography and architecture. Quercus laevis and Q. incana, the species from xeric habitats, showed lower fine-root production, death, percentage mortality, turnover rates, and risk of death, and greater life span and mean root segment length (MRSL) than Q. margaretta, the species from subxeric habitats. Fine roots of P. palustris (a generalist) showed high production and intermediate mortality, turnover rate, longevity, and MRSL. Fine-root survival increased with root order (first to fourth in centripetal order), but the degree of change was species specific. Q. margaretta showed greater increases in survival with order, but all species had similar demography of third- and fourth-order roots. Mycorrhizal roots had greater longevity than non-mycorrhizal roots only in Q. laevis. Species differences were also seasonal. Although these Quercus species are leaf deciduous, some growth of fine roots occurred in Q. margaretta during the "leaf-dormant" season. In our narrow-scale species comparison, species differences in ecological distribution were consistent with the observed variation in fine-root demography and architecture with greater resolution than leaf characters or other root traits such as morphology. Our results also show that narrow-scale variation in fine-root demography (including intra-generic differences) can be as large as broad-scale variation across biomes and vegetation types. Hence, small shifts in community composition have the potential to produce substantial changes below ground.
Inferring Graph Grammars by Detecting Overlap in Frequent Subgraphs

In this paper we study the inference of node and edge replacement graph grammars. We search for frequent subgraphs and then check for an overlap among the instances of the subgraphs in the input graph. If the subgraphs overlap by one node, we propose a node replacement graph grammar production. If the subgraphs overlap by two nodes or two nodes and an edge, we propose an edge replacement graph grammar production. We can also infer a hierarchy of productions by compressing portions of a graph described by a production and then inferring new productions on the compressed graph. We validate the approach in experiments where we generate graphs from known grammars and measure how well the approach infers the original grammar from the generated graph. We show graph grammars found in biological molecules, biological networks, and analyze learning curves of the algorithm.
Modulation of protein phosphatase 2a by adenosine A1 receptors in cardiomyocytes: role for p38 MAPK

Adenosine A1 receptor activation causes protein phosphatase 2a (PP2a) activation in ventricular myocytes. This attenuates β-adrenergic functional effects in the heart (Liu Q and Hofmann PA. Am J Ph...
A Pharmacologically Distinct Nicotinic ACh Receptor Is Found in a Subset of Frog Semicircular Canal Hair Cells

Frog vestibular organs are endowed with a prominent cholinergic efferent innervation whose stimulation results in several different effects, thereby suggesting diversity in the expression of postsy...
Effects of Age on Nutrient Digestibility in Chicks fed Different Diets

Three experiments were conducted to determine the effects of age on apparent MEn and apparent amino acid (AA) digestibility of various diets for New Hampshire x Columbian (Experiments 1 and 2) and commercial broiler (Experiment 3) male chicks. Excreta were collected at 0 to 2, 3 to 4, 7, 14, and 21 d of age in all experiments, and nutrient digestibility was determined using acid-insoluble ash as a marker. The first experiment evaluated a corn-soybean meal (SBM) diet. Both MEn and digestibility of AA increased with age, and broken-line regression analysis predicted a plateau at 14 d for MEn and 10 d of age for AA digestibility. For example, MEn increased from 2,970 to 3,430 kcal/kg DM, and lysine digestibility increased from 78 to 89% between 0 and 14 d of age. The second experiment evaluated cornstarch-crystalline AA, dextrose-casein, corn-SBM, and corn-canola meal diets. The MEn of the corn-SBM, corn-canola meal, and cornstarch-crystalline AA diets increased from 0 to 14 d of age. In contrast, the MEn of the dextrose-casein diet was high (3,800 kcal/kg DM) immediately after hatching and did not increase substantially with increasing age. Digestibility of AA increased with age for the corn-SBM and corn-canola meal diets, and broken-line regression analysis again predicted a plateau at approximately 10 d of age. Conversely, AA digestibility of the dextrose-casein and cornstarch-crystalline AA diets was high immediately after hatching (93 to 96%) and increased only slightly with age. The results of Experiment 3 with commercial broiler chicks also showed significant (P < 0.05) increases in MEn and AA digestibility with increasing age. The results of this study indicated that the MEn and AA digestibility of corn-SBM and corn-canola meal diets increase with age for young chicks. The results also showed that MEn and AA digestibility were very high for a dextrose-casein diet immediately after hatching. Thus, the latter ingredients may have beneficial effects for very young chicks.
Land Management in the American Southwest: A State-and-Transition Approach to Ecosystem Complexity

State-and-transition models are increasingly being used to guide rangeland management. These models provide a relatively simple, management-oriented way to classify land condition (state) and to describe the factors that might cause a shift to another state (a transition). There are many formulations of state-and-transition models in the literature. The version we endorse does not adhere to any particular generalities about ecosystem dynamics, but it includes consideration of several kinds of dynamics and management response to them. In contrast to previous uses of state-and-transition models, we propose that models can, at present, be most effectively used to specify and qualitatively compare the relative benefits and potential risks of different management actions (e.g., fire and grazing) and other factors (e.g., invasive species and climate change) on specified areas of land. High spatial and temporal variability and complex interactions preclude the meaningful use of general quantitative models. Forecasts can be made on a case-by-case basis by interpreting qualitative and quantitative indicators, historical data, and spatially structured monitoring data based on conceptual models. We illustrate how science- based conceptual models are created using several rangeland examples that vary in complexity. In doing so, we illustrate the implications of designating plant communities and states in models, accounting for varying scales of pattern in vegetation and soils, interpreting the presence of plant communities on different soils and dealing with our uncertainty about how those communities were assembled and how they will change in the future. We conclude with observations about how models have helped to improve management decision-making.
Taphonomic Trends Along a Forereef Slope: Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas. I. Location and Water Depth

Abstract The Shelf and Slope Experimental Taphonomy Initiative (SSETI) Program was established to measure taphonomic rates in a range of continental shelf and slope environments. Experiments were deployed on the forereef slope off Lee Stocking Island, Bahamas, for one and two years along two transects (AA and BA) in seven distinctive environments of deposition (EODs) along each transect: in sand channels on the platform top (15 m) and the platform edge (30 m), on ledges down the wall (70–88 m), on the upper (183 m—transect BA only) and lower (210–226 m) talus slope below the wall, and on the crest (256–264 m) and in the trough (259–267 m) of large sand dunes. Discoloration was by far the dominant taphonomic process over the two-year deployment period, with dissolution or maceration of shell carbonate a close second. Periostracum breakdown was not significant, nor was loss of shell weight. Chipped edges and breakage (assayed by the edge alteration variable) were much less common, but were important in some...
A Standardized Model for Team-Based Simulation Training and Assessment of Third-Year Medical Students in the Acute Care Setting

The aim of this study was to describe a standardized model through which simulation can be used to evaluate competency trends for clinical education objectives in the acute care setting. The proposed model will be employed to examine the ability of medical students to identify and initiate treatment of a critical patient. A standardized severe sepsis case was used to assess clinical skills and competency in a variety of roles with an adaptive algorithm and critical objectives. The study enrolled 210 third-year medical students divided into 42 groups. Groups were divided into various roles and evaluated based on critical objectives. Performance was significantly better in the roles of history, physical exam, and team leader than scribe and procedures. This study demonstrates the model as a framework for standardized evaluation of clinical competency using medical simulation.
Glucose and fructose absorption in the unanesthetized dog.

Summary Dogs were prepared with catheters in the portal vein, hepatic vein, and splenic artery and allowed to recover from the operation f or 3 to 6 days. Following ingestion of 50 gm. of glucose or fructose the portal venous sugar concentration, portal venous-arterial concentration difference and the sugar output from the gut rose rapidly and remained high for about 1 hour. Quantitative estimate of absorption indicated 77 per cent of the orally administered glucose was recovered as nonhepatic splanchnic glucose output. With glucose absorption there was an increased rate of lactic acid production by the gut and a decreased rate of clearance by the liver. After fructose feeding 42 per cent of the carbohydrate absorbed by the gut and released into the circulating plasma appeared as ketose while the remainder was absorbed as glucose.
Discovery of the Isotopes with Z 10

A total of 125 isotopes with Z 10 have been identied to date. The discovery of these isotopes which includes the observation of unbound nuclei, is discussed. For each isotope a brief summary of the rst refereed publication, including the production and identication method, is presented.
Enzyme-linked immunoassay for Lp[a].

Based on our findings that rabbit antisera raised against human Lp[a] or apo[a] have the potential to cross-react with plasminogen, and in some cases have nearly equal affinities for plasminogen and Lp[a], we have developed an assay for plasma Lp[a] based on a "sandwich" ELISA that is insensitive to the presence of plasminogen. This was accomplished through the use of anti-apo[a] as a capture antibody and quantitation of the bound Lp[a], i.e., the apoB-100-apo[a] complex, with an anti-apoB antibody. Although apo[a] is heterogeneous in size, all Lp[a] particles tested, either in pure form or contained in whole plasma, gave parallel dose-response curves and were immunologically equivalent. However, when purified Lp[a] particles with different apo[a] isoforms were studied, those having larger isoforms were, on a weight basis, less reactive than those having a smaller size. Nearly equivalent reactivity was observed when protein concentration was expressed on a molar basis. The distribution of Lp[a] in a population of 84 subjects was skewed with one-third of the individuals having less than 1 mg/dl Lp[a] protein. All subjects tested had measurable concentrations of Lp[a] with a lower limit of detection of 0.030 mg/dl Lp[a] protein. The mean level was 3.2 mg/dl with a range of 0.045 to 13.3 mg/dl. These studies demonstrate the successful development of an ELISA for Lp[a] protein that is insensitive to the presence of plasminogen; that heterogeneity of Lp[a] and apo[a] are an important source of variation in the assay; and the need for an appropriate Lp[a] standard in order to minimize this variation.
The Semantics of Implicitly Relational Predicates

In this paper I address the interpretation of a certain type of predicate that I have termed implicitly relational predicates (IRPs). These predicates are notable for their unusual interaction with locative expressions. Specifically, locatives in sentences with IRPs differ from locatives in other sentences with respect to what they locate. Consider the interpretation of the locative in Texas in sentences (1) and (2):
Autoantibody Testing for Connective Tissue Diseases: Comparison of Immunodiffusion, Immunoblot, and Enzyme Immunoassay

We evaluated 500 consecutive patient serum samples for the presence of six autoantibodies by three antibody detection methods: immunodiffusion, immunoblot, and enzyme immunoassay. Clinical data were reviewed for each patient with positive antibody test results. Serum samples from 60 patients revealed antibodies to Sm, ribonucleoprotein (RNP), SSA/Ro, SSB/La, Scl-70, or Jo-1. There were 7 false-positive test results (1%). All three methods detected autoantibodies in 36 (68%) of 53 patients with connective tissue disease. Immunoblot was the most sensitive method to detect autoantibodies (92%). Enzyme immunoassay and immunodiffusion were less sensitive (81% and 74%, respectively). Antiribonucleoprotein and anti-SSB/La antibodies were more often detected by immunoblotting, whereas anti-SSA/Ro antibodies were more often detected by enzyme immunoassay. Newer antibody detection methods (immunoblot and enzyme immunoassay) are less time consuming than immunodiffusion and show good interassay sensitivity without loss of specificity. A combination of immunoblot and enzyme immunoassay yielded excellent assay sensitivity (100%) and specificity (99%) for detection of autoantibodies.
Reaction Time and Chronological Age

Although the literature dealing with reaction time is enormous, no studies seem to have appeared of the relationship between reaction time and chronological age in a large group of individuals having a wide span of age limits. It seemed desirable that this relationship be studied.We employed 150 individuals, sampled at random and ranging from the ages of 4 years to 60 years, grouped, for convenience, as shown in Table I.Our purpose being to determine the reaction times to light and sound, 2 simple arrangements were constructed. For light, an ordinary 50 watt electric light was placed in series with one of the poles of a double throw switch, the other pole being in series with a signal magnet, recording on a moving drum, the operator's key, and the subject's tap key, the response recorded by tapping the key and breaking the circuit, The apparatus for sound consisted of a signal magnet in series with the operator's and subject's tap key placed in the primary circuit of an induction coil, with a set of head ...
Coping Motives Moderate Efficacy of Personalized Normative Feedback Among Heavy Drinking U.S. College Students

Objective:Personalized normative feedback (PNF) interventions have received empirical support, are presumed to work by reducing normative misperceptions, and have been found to be particularly efficacious for those who drink for social reasons. However, PNF interventions also offer direct comparisons between one’s own drinking and normative drinking, which may be especially important for coping drinkers. The present research evaluated whether reduced perceived norms and drinking at follow-ups varied as a function of coping motives.Method:Aims were examined as a secondary analysis of a PNF intervention study among 252 U.S. college students. Following baseline assessment, participants were randomly assigned to receive PNF or assessment only. Follow-up assessments occurred 3 and 6 months after baseline.Results:Findings indicated that the PNF intervention was more effective at both follow-ups in reducing drinking, but not alcohol use problems, for participants scoring higher in coping motives. Furthermore, co...
Liquid-liquid extraction and separates analysis of sorbic acid and benzoic acid in solid food

Objective:To establish a extraction and gas chromatography method for determination of sorbic acid and benzoic acid in solid food.Methods:Solid foods were made to the thin pulpous state the water-soluble mixture,and then organic solvent extraction,analysis by the chromatographic separation,and chromatographic conditions were experimentally studied and optimized.Results:Measure value with a sample: Sorbic acid 0.32 g/kg,benzoic acid 0.29 g/kg,but takes the stamp crushing the solid sample to carry on the extract directly,obtains the value to limit for the sample examination(sorbic acid 0.009 g/kg,benzoic acid 0.010 g/kg).Conclusion:This method is suitable for analysis of the sorbic acid and the benzoic acid extract effect obviously enhances to solid food,the component separation is thorough,the reproduction quality is good,the sensitivity is high.
Screening for depression.

Sensitive and specific screening tools and effective treatments are available for depression. However, screening for depression has not been shown to increase the number of patients who receive treatment or to improve patient outcomes. This may be because the positive predictive values of screening tests for depression are lower in primary care, or because physicians already are adept at identifying those patients most likely to benefit from treatment (i.e., those who have the most severe symptoms and the greatest functional limitations).
Intraluminal renal vein thrombus secondary to metastatic disease to the kidney: a case report.

AbstractTumor thrombus in the renal vein can be seen with hypernephroma and Wilms tumor. When metastatic tumor in the kidney affects the renal vein it usually causes encasement or amputation of the renal vein. A case is reported of metastatic oat cell carcinoma to the kidney with tumor thrombus in the renal vein. Tumor thrombus in the renal vein cannot be used to distinguish primary from secondary tumor of the kidney.
The Coda of the Transient Response in a Sensitive Cochlea: A Computational Modeling Study.

In a sensitive cochlea, the basilar membrane response to transient excitation of any kind–normal acoustic or artificial intracochlear excitation–consists of not only a primary impulse but also a coda of delayed secondary responses with varying amplitudes but similar spectral content around the characteristic frequency of the measurement location. The coda, sometimes referred to as echoes or ringing, has been described as a form of local, short term memory which may influence the ability of the auditory system to detect gaps in an acoustic stimulus such as speech. Depending on the individual cochlea, the temporal gap between the primary impulse and the following coda ranges from once to thrice the group delay of the primary impulse (the group delay of the primary impulse is on the order of a few hundred microseconds). The coda is physiologically vulnerable, disappearing when the cochlea is compromised even slightly. The multicomponent sensitive response is not yet completely understood. We use a physiologically-based, mathematical model to investigate (i) the generation of the primary impulse response and the dependence of the group delay on the various stimulation methods, (ii) the effect of spatial perturbations in the properties of mechanically sensitive ion channels on the generation and separation of delayed secondary responses. The model suggests that the presence of the secondary responses depends on the wavenumber content of a perturbation and the activity level of the cochlea. In addition, the model shows that the varying temporal gaps between adjacent coda seen in experiments depend on the individual profiles of perturbations. Implications for non-invasive cochlear diagnosis are also discussed.
A molecular dynamics study of phobic/philic nano-patterning on pool boiling heat transfer

Molecular dynamics (MD) simulations were employed to investigate the pool boiling heat transfer of a liquid argon thin film on a flat, horizontal copper wall structured with vertical nanoscale pillars. The efficacy of phobic/philic nano-patterning for enhancing boiling heat transfer was scrutinized. Both nucleate and explosive boiling modes were considered. An error analysis demonstrated that the typical 2.5σ cutoff in MD simulations could under-predict heat flux by about 8.7 %, and 6σ cutoff was chosen here in order to maintain high accuracy. A new coordination number criterion was also introduced to better quantify evaporation characteristics. Results indicate that the argon-phobic/philic patterning tends to either have no effect, or decrease overall boiling heat flux, while the argon-philic nano-pillar/argon-philic wall shows the best heat transfer performance.
Corporate Responsibility and Punishment Redux

Colonel Ted Westhusing's suicide note in Iraq included the sentence, “I didn't volunteer to support corrupt, money-grubbing contractors.” The Army psychologist who reviewed Westhusing's case concluded that the colonel was unable to cope with the concept of corporate profit making. Those who knew Westhusing do not agree with her report. He was not anti-corporations or anti-capitalism. He understood and appreciated the profit motive that drives the business world. His complaint was widespread corruption, outright theft and fraud in the dealings between corporations and the military in Iraq, the way that American corporate contractors with multimillion dollar no-bid contracts were dominating the conduct of the war, and the role that the regular military forces were playing in country and especially behind the wire. He hinted that Army officers at the highest ranks were complicit in the shady activities of the contractors. In Colonel Westhusing's opinion, the way the war was being conducted with the collusion of the Pentagon corrupted the mission and transformed the U.S. military into an ancillary operation for the enrichment of American corporations and their executives. In his suicide note, he did not name the contractors he regarded as the most egregious offenders, but there is good reason from his experiences in and around Camp Dublin to include Blackwater and KBR among his targets. KBR (formerly Kellogg, Brown, and Root), a subsidiary of Halliburton from 1962 until 2007, had more than 20,000 employees in Iraq providing all sorts of services and support for the American troops. During the Bush administration's tenure, KBR was frequently under Congressional and General Accounting Office investigation because its very close relationship with highly placed members of the administration, including Vice President Dick Cheney, the former CEO of Halliburton, cast doubt on the propriety of the size of its contracts with the Department of Defense (said to be in the $30 billion range) and the fact that many were no-bid arrangements. KBR was accused of inflating the prices it charged to the military for all manner of products and services, human trafficking, and shoddy workmanship. KBR set up at least two shell companies in the Cayman Islands that it admits were created only to avoid paying hundreds of millions of dollars annually in U.S. taxes for Medicare and Social Security. Most KBR employees in Iraq are listed as employees of those shell companies that list their home offices in Ugland House, a five-storey nondescript building on South Church Street in Grand Cayman that miraculously houses 12,748 corporations. Among the many charges against KBR related to work for which it was contracted by the Department of Defense is the shoddy electrical work in buildings housing soldiers and Marines, where eighteen or more electrocutions have occurred.
What Drives Advocacy? An Exploration of Value, Mission, and Relationships

ABSTRACTHow advocacy is interpreted and how it fits into an organization’s strategy are areas in need of additional study. Moreover, because nonprofit organizations are believed to have advocacy-based missions that drive their activities and services, the connection between an organization’s mission and its advocacy activities also needs further study. In an effort to address these issues, the purpose of this qualitative study was to explore how advocacy is interpreted in the context of an organization’s mission and how advocacy activities are viewed within human service NPOs. Five themes were identified, all providing support for findings in previous advocacy research.
Benign Partial Nonrolandic Epilepsies

The syndrome of benign partial epilepsy with particular reference to the non-rolandic types is described and the relevant literature reviewed from the Pediatric Seizure Clinic and EEG Laboratory, Beilinson Medical Center, Petah Tikva, and the Sackler Faculty of Medicine, Tel Aviv University, Tel Aviv, Israel.
Mental Health as a Complete State: How the Salutogenic Perspective Completes the Picture

There have been at least three conceptions of health throughout human history. The pathogenic approach views health as the absence of disability, disease, and premature death. The salutogenic approach views health as the presence of positive states of human capacities and functioning in cognition, affect, and behavior. The third approach is the complete state model, which derives from the ancient word for health as being hale, meaning whole. This approach is exemplified in the World Health Organization’s definition of health as a complete state, consisting of the presence of positive states of human capacities and functioning as well as the absence disease or infirmity. This chapter reviews evidence supporting the complete state model when applied to mental health and illness. Studies are reviewed making the case for promoting and protecting positive mental health to prevent mental illness and to improve overall psychosocial functioning of individuals and population health.
Accuracy limits for simple molecular absorption based wavelength references

We present limitations on the characterization and use of molecular absorption lines for wavelength calibration purposes. These limits assume a Doppler and pressure-broadened absorption spectrum obtained by transmitting light through a simple gas cell. Attempting to define the line centers to ever-higher accuracy reveals limits associated with effects of cell pressure uncertainty, weak features in the spectrum, increasing complexity in the line profile model, and accuracy limits of wavelength meters.
Abstract 2383: IL-6 and RANTES mediate the cross-talk between tumor cells and CAFs in the esophageal tumor microenvironment

Desmoplasia, or deposition of connective tissue proper in the stroma, is a key characteristic of esophageal squamous cell carcinoma (ESCC). The cellular component of connective tissue proper is comprised of fibroblasts, and cancer-associated fibroblasts (CAFs) are widely recognized as a major constituent of the tumor microenvironment (TME). The purpose of this study was to identify tumor-promoting factors that are secreted as a result of the crosstalk between CAFs and tumor cells in ESCC. We have performed a comprehensive cytokine array and found that IL-6 and RANTES (also known as CCL5) are significantly overexpressed in conditioned media from co-culture of esophageal CAFs and ESCC cells, compared to mono-culture. Both proteins are known to play important roles in the development of multiple types of cancer, mostly via activation of the STAT3 signaling pathway. We have demonstrated that co-culture with fibroblasts prompts the ESCC cells to acquire a more mesenchymal phenotype and express potent mediators of cell migration and invasion, such as matricellular proteins (periostin, fibrillin, osteonectin) and hepatocellular growth factor (HGF). Furthermore, knockdown of IL-6 suppresses invasiveness and proliferation of human ESCC cells in our 3D organotypic culture model. We have also performed staining of tissue samples from ESCC patients and found that, compared to normal esophagus, expression of IL-6 and RANTES is enhanced in ESCC in both epithelial cells and fibroblasts. In summary, our findings indicate that IL-6 and RANTES are responsible for migration and invasion of ESCC cells promoted by CAFs in the tumor microenvironment. This is the first report of such a dual induction of these specific cytokines in ESCC, and it provides a rationale for dual inhibition of IL-6 and RANTES as novel therapy for ESCC, and possibly other types of cancer. Supported by NCI P01 CA098101. Citation Format: Tatiana A. Karakasheva, Monica Soni, Todd Waldron, Anil K. Rustgi. IL-6 and RANTES mediate the cross-talk between tumor cells and CAFs in the esophageal tumor microenvironment. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 106th Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2015 Apr 18-22; Philadelphia, PA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2015;75(15 Suppl):Abstract nr 2383. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2015-2383
Characterization of Disease Causing Mutations Associated with FGF Receptor Tyrosine Kinases using NMR Spectroscopy

The kinase domain of receptor tyrosine kinases (RTKs) is a key factor in the initiation of intracellular signaling cascades involved in development and metabolism. Pathogenic mutations in this domain are generally located within an allosteric network of residues involved in kinase activation, and hijack this pathway to enhance the kinase domain's intrinsic activity. This leads to overstimulation of resulting signal cascades to cause many types of cancers and growth disorders. Although many crystal structures of kinase domains harboring pathogenic mutations have been solved, little is known about how these mutations affect the dynamics and stability of the kinase domain. Here we assessed the dynamics and stability of pathogenic mutations within the kinase domain from the Fibroblast Growth Factor receptor family using the Carr-Purcell-Meiboom-Gill (CPMG) experiment and differential scanning calorimetry, respectively. Results from the CPMG experiments show millisecond-to-microsecond motions for residues involved in the kinase allosteric activation network, and provide a metric to quantify the population of the active conformation imparted by the pathogenic mutations. Differential scanning calorimetry experiments provide evidence that pathogenic mutations can lower kinase stability by increasing inter-lobal flexibility, and become stabilized in the presence of the ATP mimic AMP-PCP. Together, these data provide detailed insight into the mechanisms of how pathogenic mutations alter the FGFR kinase domain to overstimulate signal cascade processes, and provide a direction for the development of future drugs.
In-cascade ionization effects on defect production in 3C silicon carbide*

ABSTRACTUnderstanding how energy deposited in electronic and atomic subsystems may affect defect dynamics is a long-standing fundamental challenge in materials research. The coupling of displacement cascades and in-cascade ionization-induced annealing are investigated in silicon carbide (SiC). A delayed damage accumulation under ion irradiation is revealed with a linear dependence as a function of both increasing ionization and increasing ratio of electronic to nuclear energy deposition. An in-cascade healing mechanism is suggested with a low threshold value of electronic energy loss (∼1.0 keV nm−1). The in-cascade ionization effects must be considered in predicting radiation performance of SiC.
Atomic-scale investigation of physical adsorption of water molecules and aggressive ions to ettringite’s surfaces

The strength and durability of cementitious composite materials are adversely affected by the ingress of water molecules and aggressive ions into their intrinsic meso- and nano-pore spaces. Among various phases of hydrated cement paste (HCP), aluminum-rich phases play an important role in controlling the diffusivity of aqueous solutions, which can contain aggressive ions. To this date, however, there has been no systematic study to understand the adsorption mechanisms and chloride binding capacity of the aluminum-rich phases of HCP. This research gap has been the motivation of the current study to investigate the physical adsorption characteristics of ettringite as the main aluminum-rich phase of HCP and the primary hydrated product of calcium sulfoaluminate cement. Through a set of Molecular Dynamics simulations supported by macro-scale experimental tests, a fundamental insight into the molecular origins of the diffusion of water molecules, as well as sodium and chloride ions, in contact with ettringite is provided. As the primary objective of this study is to evaluate the transport properties at and near solution/solid interfaces, the molecular adsorption mechanisms are characterized for inner- and outer-sphere distances from the solid substrate. With an in-depth understanding of the structure and dynamics of water molecules and aggressive ions in contact with ettringite's surfaces, the outcome of this study provides reliable measures of physical adsorption, binding capacity, and self-diffusion coefficient, which can be further employed to introduce strategies to avoid the degradation of a wide variety of cementitious materials exposed to harsh environmental conditions.
Quaternary Tephra of Northern Central America

Silicic Plinian tephra units representing more than 30 Quaternary eruptions blanket Guatemala and El Salvador. They were erupted mainly from 5 principal sources, all of them calderas. Several of the eruptions were accompanied by ash flows. These eruptions also have the most extensive tephra deposits. The total volume of material erupted is equivalent to 300–500 km3 of dense rock. A major uncertainty is the volume of tephra scattered very far from the source. The volume of silicic magma erupted in the Quaternary is similar to the volumes of mafic lava produced at the volcanic front. The basaltic and andesitic cones of the volcanic front parallel the offshore Middle America trench and the active underthrust zone. The five caldera sources form a trend parallel to the volcanic front, on the side opposite the trench, where the older continental crust abuts the volcanic zone. The ages of silicic volcanism precede and overlap with the age of mafic volcanic front, which is largely younger than 50,000 years. All of the calderas have multiple eruptions which span at least many tens of thousands of years. Between the calderas the interfingering of ashes has allowed a network of relative ages to be established. We used a variety of techniques to characterize these units. They can be readily distinguished from units from many other provinces, but considerable effort is required to distiguish among the local units. Standard field and petrographic observations (stratigraphic data, thicknesses, grain size, lithic content, mineralogy) establish the critical framework which disallows most erroneous correlations. Geochemical analysis, particularly trace elements, provide a rapid means of ruling out many more possible corrections. Qualitative mineralogical analysis by electron microprobe of hornblende and Fe-Ti oxides was a very effective last resort for correlation.
Cultivating a Professional Culture of Peace and Inclusion: Conceptualizing Practical Applications of Peace Leadership in Schools

Beyond the role of educating students across all academic domains, school leaders are tasked with the monumental responsibility of creating positive, engaged systems and cultures that embrace the growing cultural, economic, linguistic and cognitive diversity in the United States landscape. With collective goals to create peaceful learning environments with capacity to serve diverse learners, many school leaders have embraced school-wide prevention and intervention efforts, such as Multi-Tiered Systems of Support (MTSS) for social-emotional and behavioral development of students. Unfortunately, due to the inherent complexities and fragmentation of such efforts, many school leaders have continued to experience significant barriers to sustainable systems change. Throughout the following discussion, the authors argue that the school-wide programs most commonly utilized in schools lack the explicit organizational structures for integrating culturally responsive practice, leadership development, and collaborative community building processes that are essential to sustainable implementation. Therefore, this conceptual paper aims to explore the possibilities for practical applications of the Integral Perspective of Peace Leadership (IPPL; McIntyre Miller and Green, 2015) within school systems change efforts by shifting focus from direct student skill development toward a more integrated and systems-oriented approach aimed at strengthening culture and capacity within communities of educational leaders. The IPPL can “connect the dots” and provide a strong foundation through which school-wide change is possible and more sustainable. By challenging individuals, schools, communities, and organizations to examine and include Innerwork; theories, behaviors and practices, or Knowledge building; Communities of practice; and Environment work, such as systems and global thinking (McIntyre Miller and Green, 2015), the implementation of the IPPL may “challenge issues of violence and aggression and build positive, inclusive social systems and structures” (McIntyre Miller, 2016, p.223). The purpose of this paper is twofold. First, there is a discussion of how the elements of the IPPL connect to school culture and system change. Second, specific examples, such as character development, mindfulness, school-wide positive behavior supports, social-emotional learning, professional learning communities, home-school connection, systems thinking, and distributed leadership, will demonstrate how school leaders might engage, using consultants and an implementation team, in the work to create positive, equitable school cultures.
Jerónimo Antonio Gil and the Idea of the Spanish Enlightenment

The new monograph by Kelly Donahue-Wallace on Spanish engraver Jeronimo Antonio Gil (1731–1798) presents a richly documented account of the artist’s professional life in the late Spanish empire fro...
Differential Returns?: Neighborhood Attainment among Hispanic and Non–Hispanic White New Legal Permanent Residents:

We use data from the New Immigrant Survey to examine patterns of residential attainment among Hispanic immigrants who recently became legal permanent residents (LPRs) relative to new LPR non–Hispan...
Cardiac Allograft Vasculopathy is Linked to Impaired Generation of Regulatory M2 Macrophages

Purpose There is mounting evidence for the role of innate immunity in acute cardiac allograft rejection, but this does not necessarily extend to cardiac allograft vasculopathy (CAV) and predictors of CAV remain elusive. We hypothesized that circulating monocytes and their derived macrophage subtypes correlate with CAV. Methods 49 consecutive heart transplant recipients ≥ 2 years post-transplant were enrolled. CAV was assessed on angiogram with IVUS by ISHLT and Stanford classification grading. Peripheral blood mononuclear cells were isolated by density gradient centrifugation, with monocytes stained and measured by flow cytometry for classical (CD14++/CD16−), intermediate (CD14++/CD16+), and nonclassical (CD14lo/CD16++) subtypes. Monocytes were cultured into macrophages, driven by M-CSF, and assayed for polarization markers CD86 and CD206. Results were also compared to 22 non-transplant patients with atherosclerotic coronary artery disease (CAD) and healthy controls (no CAD). Results 22 patients had no significant CAV (Stanford class I-II) while 27 had significant CAV (class III-IV). Other than time since transplant (no CAV 77±13 vs CAV 135±12 months), there were no significant differences, including immunosuppression, between the two groups. There were no differences between monocyte subgroups in isolation, but when combined with derived macrophage polarization, patients with CAV had significantly lower M2 (CD206+) macrophage production (0.19±0.04%) than those without CAV (0.45±0.13%), p Conclusion CAV patients are characterized by reduced ability to generate regulatory M2 macrophages. The circulating monocyte and macrophage subtypes differ from those of native CAD and these cell-based markers could be useful to differentiate high vs. low CAV risk phenotypes.
Artificial intelligence technology in oncology: a new technological paradigm.

Artificial Intelligence (AI) technology is based on theory and development of computer systems able to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence. In this context, deep learning is a family of computational methods that allow an algorithm to program itself by learning from a large set of examples that demonstrate the desired behavior. Application of these methods to medical imaging can assist pathologists in the detection of cancer subtype, gene mutations and/or metastases for applying appropriate therapies. The purpose of this study is to show the emerging application of AI in medical imaging to detect lung and breast cancer. Moreover, this study shows the comparative evolutionary pathways of this emerging technology for three critical cancers: lung, breast and thyroid. A main finding of this study is the recognition that, since the late 1990, the sharp increase of technological trajectories of AI technology applied in cancer imaging seems to be driven by high rates of mortality of some types of cancer (e.g., lung and breast) in order to find new techniques for a more accurate detection, characterization and monitoring as well as to apply efficiently anticancer therapies that increase the progression-free survival of patients: the so-called mortality-driven AI technological trajectories. Results also suggest that this new technology can generate a technological paradigm shift for diagnostic assessment of any cancer type. However, application of these methods to medical imaging requires further assessment and validation to assist pathologists to increase the efficiency of their workflow in both routine tasks and critical cases of diagnostics.
A Primer on Plasticity

This chapter surveys fundamental aspects of the modern theory of finite elastoplasticity. We emphasize the now-ubiquitous decomposition of the deformation into elastic and plastic parts, the central roles played by dissipation and material symmetry, and a framework for the modeling of scale-dependent work hardening in crystalline and isotropic materials.
Effect of Travel Time for Thyroid Surgery on Treatment Cost and Morbidity

Regionalizing surgical care to high-volume centers has improved outcomes for endocrine surgery. This shift is associated with increased travel time, costs, and morbidity within certain patient populations. We examined travel time-related differences in demographics, health-care utilization, thyroid-specific disease, and cost for patients undergoing thyroid surgery at a single high-volume center. Data were extracted from the 2005 to 2014 ACS-NSQIP and clinical data repository for patients undergoing thyroid surgery. Travel times between patients' home address and the hospital were calculated using Google Earth under assumptions of standard road conditions and speed restrictions. Travel time was divided into <2 hours versus ≥2 hours. Primary outcomes were hospital cost and 30-day morbidity. Factors associated with travel time and primary outcomes were analyzed using appropriate bivariate tests and multivariable regression modeling. A total of 1046 thyroid procedures were included, with median (IQR) travel time of 68.8 (40.1-107.2) minutes. Eight hundred forty-seven (80.9%) patients traveled <2 hours compared with 199 (19.1%) traveled ≥2 hours. Patients traveling ≥2 hours were more likely to have complex thyroid disease (37.7% vs 27.6%, P = 0.005), uninsured status (31.1% vs 11.8%, P < 0.001), lower preoperative morbidity risk (2.3% vs 2.7%, P = 0.02), and longer length of stay (1.21 vs 1.07 days, P = 0.04), but similar median operative times (163 vs 165 minutes, P = 0.89). Average cost was higher for patients traveling ≥2 hours ($7300 vs $6846 [2014 USD], P = 0.05). Despite observed patient differences, hospital costs and postoperative morbidity did not differ after adjustment. Existing management practices and the nature of the disease process may be protective against the potential negative effects of regionalization.
Programmatically testing concurrency in J2EE web applications

In this paper we present a Java GUI application and a corresponding web application that demonstrate data corruption in non thread-safe J2EE web applications. The application allows the user to create a number of threads that will cause nearly simultaneous connections to a web server, simulating use of the web server concurrently by multiple clients. Our web application contains deliberate design flaws so that it will show data corruption under even moderate concurrent use. We discuss the conditions under which corruption occurs and show how to make thread-safe web applications using servlets and JavaServerPages.
An Analysis of Twitter Users’ Political Views Using Cross-Account Data Mining

During the 2016 US presidential election campaign, we witnessed a polarized population and the election outcome defied predictions from many media sources. In this study, we conducted a follow-upon the political view migration through tracking Twitter users’ account activity. The study was conducted by following a set of Twitter users over a three-year period. Each year, Twitter user activities were gathered and analyzed by a cross-account data mining algorithm designed by our team. This algorithm computed a numerical political score for each user to match their connections to other users. We observed that users became more moderate each year after the 2016 presidential election on both sides but the division still exists.
Painful nerve injuries: bridging the gap between basic neuroscience and neurosurgical treatment.

Pain which followed suspected nerve injury was comprehensively evaluated with detailed examination including history, neurologic exam, electrodiagnostic studies, quantitative sensory testing, thermography, anesthetic and sympathetic nerve blocks. Forty two patients treated surgically fell into four discrete groups: 1) Distal sensory neuromas treated by excision of the neuroma and reimplantation of the proximal nerve into muscle or bone marrow, 2) Suspected distal sensory neuromas in which the involved nerve was sectioned proximal to the injury site and reimplanted, 3) Proximal neuromasincontinuity of major sensorimotor nerves treated by external neurolysis, and 4) Proximal major sensorimotor nerve injuries at points of anatomic entrapment treated by external neurolysis and transposition, if possible. Patient follow up was possible in 40/42 patients (95%) from 2–32 months (average F/U = 11 mo.). Surgical success was defined as: ≥ 50% improvement in pain (VAS) or pain relief subjectively rated as good or excellent, and no postoperative narcotic usage. Overall, 40% (16/40) of patients met those criteria. Success rates varied as follows: Group 1 (n = 18) 44%, Group 2 (n = 10) 40%, Group 3 (n = 5) 0%, and Group 4 (n = 7) 57%. A total of 12 of 40 patients (30%) were employed both pre-and postoperatively.
After Words: The LEGO Sandbox

In lieu of a typical conclusion, these “After Words” reflections speak to sandbox play as a form of metaplay that mixes and meshes multiple forms of play within a multifaceted play experience.
The creative researcher: writing that makes readers want to read: by Ronald J. Pelias, New York, Routledge, 2019, 228 pp., $30.95 (paperback), $140.00 (hardcover), ISBN 978-0367175474

A reader senses when they encounter the writing of a distinguished scholar who engages the depth and breadth of interacting disciplines. The writing speaks with the reader rather than to them. Word...