cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Epidemiology of columnar-lined esophagus and adenocarcinoma.

This article uses the term Barrett's esophagus (BE) to describe the columnar-lined esophagus. Most available information on the epidemiology of BE relates to longer segments defined on the basis of the extent of columnar lining. Often a BE has been defined by the presence of 3 cm or more of columnar lining, and this definition is used here. A BE of this length is usually recognized at endoscopy. The red columnar epithelium in the lower esophagus contrasts with the pink squamous epithelium that normally lines the entire organ. Biopsies show intestinal metaplasia containing goblet cells. This is the epithelial type in which adenocarcinoma of the esophagus usually arises. Short segments and tongues of intestinal metaplasia, which may be related to adenocarcinoma of the esophagogastric junction, are discussed separately.
Analysis of subsidence caused by underground mining

Some aspects of subsidence caused by longwall coal mining are analysed using the finite element method. Results of the analysis are compared with a true mine panel, where measurements on subsidence were available. Rock deformations in the overburden were modelled by using an elasto-plastic constitutive model. The study indicates that the shape of the subsidence profile can be predicted reasonably well by using nonlinear finite element analysis.
Ventifacts on Earth and Mars: Analytical, field, and laboratory studies supporting sand abrasion and windward feature development

Abstract Terrestrial ventifacts – rocks that have been abraded by windblown particles – are found in desert, periglacial, and coastal environments. On Mars, their abundance suggests that aeolian abrasion is one of the most significant erosional processes on the planet. There are several conflicting viewpoints concerning the efficacy of potential abrasive agents, principally sand and dust, and the relationships between wind direction and ventifact form. Our research, supported by a review of the literature, shows that sand, rather than dust or other materials, is the principle abrasive agent on Earth and Mars. Relative to dust, sand delivers about 1000× the energy onto rock surfaces on a per particle basis. Even multiple dust collisions will do little or no damage because the stress field from the impact is much smaller than the spacing of microflaws in the rock. The abrasion profiles of terrestrial ventifacts are consistent with a kinetic energy flux due to saltating sand, not airborne dust. Furthermore, Scanning Electron Microscope images reveal surfaces that are fractured and cleaved by sand grain impact. With respect to their distribution, ventifacts are found in regions that contain sand or did so in the past, but are not found where only dust activity occurs. Contrary to some published reports, our evidence from field studies, analytical models, and wind tunnel and other experiments indicates that windward, not leeward, abrasion is responsible for facet development and feature formation (pits, flutes, and grooves). Leeward abrasion is confined to fluvial conditions, in which the high viscosity and density of water are able to entrain sand-size material in vortices. Therefore, ventifacts and abraded terrain provide an unambiguous proxy for the direction of the highest velocity winds, and can be used to reconstruct palaeowind flow.
S-Layer Self-Assembly on Supported Lipid-Bilayers: The Importance of Amorphous Precursors and Folding Transitions

The outermost membranes of many archaea and bacteria are comprised of highly-ordered 2D arrays of surface layer (S-layer) proteins. Their functions include selective transport, structural scaffolding, mineral templating and propagation of or protection from pathogenesis. Although the primary and secondary structures of the isolated proteins determine their governing interactions, their functions emerge from the tertiary and quaternary architecture that stems from S-layer self-assembly, a process that is poorly understood. Here we report results using in situ AFM to follow 2D self-assembly of monomeric SbpA of Lysinibacillus sphaericus on supported lipid bi-layers (SLBs) at the molecular-scale. We show that the assembly process begins with adsorption of unstructured monomers, which form a mobile phase on the SLBs. These then condense into amorphous clusters, which undergo a phase transition to ordered 2D clusters of 2 to 15 folded tetramers. The ordered clusters then enter a growth phase in which new tetramers form from unstructured monomers exclusively at unoccupied lattice sites along the cluster edges, implying that new tetramer formation is auto-catalytic. We show that the analysis of growth dynamics leads to a quantitative model in which the main rate limiting parameter is the probability of tetramer creation. The estimated energy barrier of 51 kJ/mole for this process is much less than expected form scaling laws for folding of isolated proteins. Finally we present preliminary results from dynamic Monte Carlo simulations that show how the combination of non-specific interactions and directional bonds characteristic of many proteins lead to non-classical assembly pathways, such as the one observed here involving formation of amorphous clusters followed by relaxation to the ordered state.
Modification of assays for the routine analysis of 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylglycol in urine by electron-capture gas chromatography.

Abstract Urinary 3-methoxy-4-hydroxyphenylgycol has been reliably assayed on a routine basis using an electron-capture detector method. Modifications of previous procedure include simplification of extraction and derivatization of urine, inclusion of an internal standard, prevention of losses during concentration, use of each urine as its own standard, and better chromatographic resolution by lengthening of columns and programming temperature. The assay shows a coefficient of variation of 3.1%.
Political Culture, Public Opinion, and Policy (Non)Diffusion: The Case of Gay- and Lesbian-Related Issues in Arkansas*

Objectives. Just after three in four Arkansas voters endorsed a state constitutional amendment barring state recognition of same-sex marriages, a comprehensive state-level survey allowed a closer look into the attitudes of Arkansans on a variety of gay- and lesbian-related issues. When placed in the context of Arkansas's political culture and ideological patters, this serves as a case study of the relationship between public opinion, specific policy issues, and the diffusion (or nondiffusion) of policies in an individual state. Methods. The 2005 Arkansas Poll included a battery of questions gauging citizens' attitudes on gay/lesbian individuals and the morality of same-sex relations, same-sex partner recognition, bans on gay adoption and foster parenting, bans on gays openly serving in the U.S. military, and expansion of civil rights laws to bar discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation, among other policies. This article reports those survey results and employs regression/logistic analysis in analyzing them. Results. The results reveal that while Arkansans are uncomfortable with homosexuality, they are surprisingly hesitant to prescribe state-sanctioned discrimination. Conclusions. This tightrope between libertarianism and angst about homosexuality that resulted in policy nondiffusion until three years after the data reported here is reflective of the state's political culture, which combines traditionalistic and individualistic elements.
The aspiration approach to predicting coalition formation and payoff distribution in sidepayment games

This paper presents the aspiration approach to coalition formation and payoff distribution in games with sidepayments. The approach is based on the idea that players set prices for their participation within coalitions. The solution space which is appropriate for price-setting players is different from that of the usual solution concepts and is called the space of aspirations. Solution concepts defined on the space of aspirations correspond to notions of how players bargain over their prices. Once the players choose a vector of prices, the coalitions which can afford to pay these prices are the coalitions which are predicted to form in the game.
Distribution and Abundance of Nonnative Fishes in Streams of the Western United States

Abstract This report presents data from one of the largest standardized stream surveys conducted in the western United States, which shows that one of every four individual fish in streams of 12 western states are nonnative. The states surveyed included Arizona, California, Colorado, Idaho, Montana, Nevada, North Dakota, Oregon, South Dakota, Utah, Washington, and Wyoming. The most widely distributed and abundant nonnative fishes in the western USA were brook trout Salvelinus fontinalis, brown trout Salmo trutta, rainbow trout Oncorhynchus mykiss, common carp Cyprinus carpio, smallmouth bass Micropterus dolomieu, largemouth bass M. salmoides, green sunfish Lepomis cyanellus, fathead minnow Pimephales promelas, yellow perch Perca flavescens, yellow bullhead Ameiurus natalis, cutthroat trout O. clarkii, western mosquitofish Gambusia affinis, golden shiner Notemigonus crysoleucas, channel catfish Ictalurus punctatus, and red shiner Cyprinella lutrensis. The greatest abundance and distribution of nonnative fi...
An Atomic Perspective of a Doped Metal-Oxide Interface †,‡

We employ density functional calculations to present a detailed picture of the atomic-level interactions at doped Al2O3/Ni interfaces. In particular, we emphasize the importance of local structural and electronic relaxation in determining the global adhesion between metal/ceramic couples. We find localized metal−metal and dopant metal−oxo bonding can produce strong interface adhesion even where no new interfacial reaction product is formed, driven by a combination of oxide donation to dopant acceptor orbitals along with localized covalent dopant metal−oxo and several types of metal−metal bonds. Understanding the local mechanisms of strengthening heterogeneous interfaces may result in practical advances ranging from coating to catalytic applications.
Collembola as mediators of microbial symbiont effects upon soybean

Abstract The hypothesis that collembola affect rhizobia and mycorrhizas of soybean ( Glycine max ) and thus indirectly change leaf tissue nutrient concentration was studied in pot and field experiments. When a high density of the collembolan species Folsomia candida , was added to pots, the number of nodules per plant increased 52%. When moderate densities of two collembolan species, Folsomia candida and Tullbergia granulata , were added in factorial combinations to cylinders sunk in the soil around soybean in fields, the following responses were observed: 40% greater mycorrhizal root length, and 5% higher leaf tissue N, but no changes in leaf P, nodule number or root mass. Collembola density in the field was too low to increase nodule number per plant as observed in pot experiments: there was no mechanism to explain the 5% increase in leaf tissue N associated with collembola in the field. In the field, intermediate densities of collembola were associated with greater mycorrhizal root length, but since available soil P concentrations were high, longer mycorrhizal root length was not associated with higher leaf tissue P. A path model showed that if mycorrhizas had been positively associated with higher leaf P, the indirect effect of collembola would have been significantly higher leaf tissue P. This study showed that both available soil P and collembola density determine mycorrhizal benefits. In natural habitats, intermediate collembola density and low soil P are expected to maximize benefits of mycorrhizas to plants.
Deconstructing charismatic leadership: Re-reading Weber from the darker side

Abstract The article considers some issues around contemporary organizational writings on charismatic leadership. Using a textual strategy based on Derridean deconstruction, the analysis locate this literature within a particular strand of Max Weber's work. It shows how the organizational literature creates “suspicion of charisma” by omitting important aspects of the Weberian text regarding charismatic routinization, while upholding as charismatic the “wildest” aspects of the phenomena. The analysis speculates, further, that the incomplete reading of Weber's work is a required rhetoric for maintaining conventional notions of management—based on bureaucratic authority—as the only legitimate form of “organizational leadership,” despite claims to the contrary.
Stories of Guilt and Melancholia: Lima-New York-Chicago-Cyberspaceand-Back

Margarita Saona is Associate Professor of Spanish at the University of Illinois at Chicago and specializes in contemporary narrative and cultural studies. Her major publications include Novelas fam...
A Review of a Novel, Bruton's Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor, Ibrutinib

Ibrutinib, a Bruton's kinase inhibitor, was granted an accelerated approval by the US Food and Drug Administration in November, 2013, for the treatment of relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma and subsequently for the treatment of relapsed refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia in February, 2014. In the pivotal phase 2 study of 111 patients with relapsed or refractory mantle cell lymphoma, the overall response rate in patients who received ibrutinib 560 mg daily was 68%. The median progression-free survival was 13.9 months, and the overall survival was 58% at 18 months. In a recently published phase 3 trial (RESONATE) that compared ibrutinib and ofatumumab for the treatment of relapsed and refractory chronic lymphocytic leukemia or small lymphocytic lymphoma, ibrutinib at the daily dosage of 420 mg demonstrated a significantly higher overall response rate (43% in ibrutinib vs. 4% in ofatumumab) and a significantly improved overall survival at 12 months (90% ibrutinib vs. 81% ofatumumab). Similar clinical benefits were shown regardless of del (17 p). Ibrutinib was well tolerated, and dose-limiting toxicity was not observed. Ibrutinib has shown durable remission, improved progression-free survival and overall survival, and favorable safety profile in indolent B-cell lymphoid malignancies. Ibrutinib, as a monotherapy, is an effective treatment modality as a salvage therapy for treatment of mantle cell lymphoma and chronic lymphocytic leukemia / small lymphocytic lymphoma, particularly in older patients (age ≥70 years) who are not a candidate for intensive chemotherapy and/or those with del (17 p). In patients with chronic lymphocytic leukemia and del (17 p), the current practice guideline recommends ibrutinib as an upfront treatment option. Current on-going trials will further define its role as upfront therapy and/or as a combination therapy in indolent B-cell lymphoid malignancies.
Propagation of Love waves in surface layers of varying thickness

A study is made of the scattered field which results when a Love wave is incident on a layer having an irregular surface. To obtain this solution a perturbation method is used. It is shown that the scattered field may be described by a superposition of Love waves and non-propagating disturbances. As an illustrative example, the result is applied to obtain the scattering by a triangular trough.
Event-related slow potentials in rat cortex during a reaction time task: Cortical area differences

Abstract Event-related slow potentials were recorded from frontal and visual cortex of rats during a reaction time task in which trials were initiated at variable intervals by an auditory warning stimulus. Transcortical slow potential (SP) responses during the two-second period between onset of the warning stimulus and extension of a retractable lever were analyzed, using single trial and averaged response data. SP responses recorded from the two cortical areas differed significantly with respect to waveform and amplitude. The results indicate that event-related slow potentials from rat cortex are area dependent and that the small size of the rat brain does not preclude recording of SP changes with differential cortical distribution.
On the representation of molecular quadrupole moments in terms of atomic moments.

The magnitude and algebraic sign of the molecular quadrupole moments of the homonuclear diatomic molecules N 2 , O 2 , F 2 , P 2 , S 2 and Cl 2 are analyzed by expressing them as a sum of the quadrupole moments of the free atoms and an induced molecular quadrupole due to bond formation. This induced molecular quadrupole is further analyzed in terms of in situ atomic dipole and quadrupole moments constructed following the electron partitioning method suggested by Hirshfeld. These in situ moments are interpreted in terms of the a and π character of the chemical bonds and are compared with those predicted by the DMA method of Stone (The Theory of Intermolecular Forces; Clarendonl Oxford, 1996).
Using soil profiles of seeds and molecular markers as proxies for sawgrass and wet prairie slough vegetation in Shark Slough, Everglades National Park

We measured the abundance of Cladium jamaicense (Crantz) seeds and three biomarkers in freshwater marsh soils in Shark River Slough (SRS), Everglades National Park (ENP) to determine the degree to which these paleoecological proxies reflect spatial and temporal variation in vegetation. We found that C. jamaicense seeds and the biomarkers Paq, total lignin phenols (TLP) and kaurenes analyzed from surface soils were all significantly correlated with extant aboveground C. jamaicense biomass quantified along a vegetation gradient from a C. jamaicense to a wet prairie/slough (WPS) community. Our results also suggest that these individual proxies may reflect vegetation over different spatial scales: Paq and kaurenes correlated most strongly (R2 = 0.88 and 0.99, respectively) with vegetation within 1 m of a soil sample, while seeds and TLP reflected vegetation 0–20 m upstream of soil samples. These differences in the spatial scale depicted by the different proxies may be complementary in understanding aspects of historic landscape patterning. Soil profiles of short (25 cm) cores showed that downcore variation in C. jamaicense seeds was highly correlated with two of the three biomarkers (Paq, R2 = 0.84, p<0.005; TLP, R2 = 0.97, p<0.0001), and all four of the proxies indicated a recent increase in C. jamaicense biomass at the site. Using a preliminary depth-to-age relationship based on matching charcoal peaks with available ENP fire records (1980-present) specific to our coring site, we found that peak-depths in C. jamaicense seed concentration appeared to correspond to recent minimum water levels (e.g., 1989 and 2001), and low seed abundance corresponded to high water levels (e.g., 1995), consistent with the known autecology of C. jamaicense. In summary, the combination of C. jamaicense seeds and biomarkers may be useful for paleoecological reconstruction of vegetation change and ultimately in guaging the success of ongoing efforts to restore historic hydrologic conditions in the South Florida Everglades.
Lahars in the Elysium region of Mars

Photogeological studies of the Elysium volcanic province, Mars, show that its sinuous channels are part of a large deposit that was probably emplaced as a series of huge lahars. Some flows extend 1000 km from their sources. The deposits are thought to be lahars on the basis of evidence that they were (1) gravity-driven mass-flow deposits (lobate outlines, steep snouts, smooth medial channels, and rough lateral deposits; deposits narrow and widen in accord with topography, and extend downslope); (2) wet (channeled surfaces, draining features); and (3) associated with volcanism (the deposits and channels extend from a system of fractures which also fed lava flows). Heat associated with magmatism probably melted ground ice below the Elysium volcanoes and formed a muddy slurry that issued out of regional fractures and spread over the adjoining plain. The identification of these lahars adds to the evidence that Mars has a substantial volatile-element endowment.
Multi-criteria approach in configuration of energy efficient sensor networks

Problem and Motivation: A designing of energy efficient wireless sensor networks is one of the most trendy research topics. In this paper the authors developed a new multi-criteria approach which allows filtering out non-efficient topologies during a phase of designing of a sensor network and also running a self-adjustment process during its functioning. It is shown that the problem of designing of an energy efficient wireless sensor network belongs to the class D of optimization combinatorial problems for which the equivalent recognition problems are NP-complete or open. The D-class (Peltsverger B., Khavronin O. (1999)) is such that according to a decomposition approach there exist particular criteria compatible with the main one, and the recognition task corresponding to a particular criterion always belongs to the P-class problem.
Mesenteric Vasculature and Collateral Pathways

The arterial and venous circulation of the bowel is complex and is characterized by marked redundancy of multiple interconnecting branches, which provides a rich blood supply to aid in the digestive process and also serves to protect the bowel from potential ischemia or infarction. As a result of this circulatory pattern, anatomic variants and extensive collateral pathways are common. A thorough knowledge of both the arterial and venous mesenteric circulation, including normal, variant, and collateral anatomy, is necessary for the appropriate evaluation and management of the various disease processes that may affect the vascular supply of the gastrointestinal system.
Modeling semi-anechoic electromagnetic measurement chambers

Previous studies developed a model to predict theoretically the low-frequency plane-wave reflection coefficient of an array of pyramid cone absorbers such as those used to line anechoic electromagnetic measurement chambers. The present authors apply this model in a geometrical optics approach to predict the electromagnetic field in a chamber lined with cone absorbers in the frequency range of 30-300 MHz. The results are compared with site attenuation measurements for two actual semi-anechoic chambers.
Orientation dependence of the stiffness of surface steps: an analysis based on anisotropic elasticity

Motivated by recent experimental work that shows that the orientation dependence of the stiffness of steps on Cu surfaces differs significantly from the predictions of Ising and solid-on-solid modes, we study the effect of elastic anisotropy on the stiffness of steps on (1 0 0), (1 1 0) and (1 1 1) surfaces of cubic materials. The contribution to the stiffness due to elastic relaxation is obtained from a regularized continuum model similar to the Peierls–Nabarro model, which is commonly used to study the energetics of dislocations in crystals. Our analysis shows that while the difference in the elastic self-energy of steps between the soft and hard orientations is only about 5 meV/� the corresponding difference in stiffness can be as large as 50–100 meV/� The latter estimate is found to compare favorably with the experimental data on Cu(0 0 1) surfaces. 2004 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Standards, Calibration and Testing of PV Modules and Solar Cells

Publisher Summary Solar cells convert light to electricity; radiometry is a very important facet of photovoltaic (PV) metrology. Radiometric measurements have the potential to introduce large errors in any given PV performance measurement because radiometric instrumentation and detectors can have total errors of up to 5% even with careful calibration. Other errors can be introduced through means as subtle as misunderstanding the objective of a particular measurement or its potential limitations. Broadband radiometers, such as pyranometers and pyrheliometers can be difficult to use in PV measurements because of the large spectral response differences. The measurement problem is then reduced to obtaining calibrated reference cells. Historically, reference cells calibrated in sunlight have been called primary cells, and cells calibrated in solar simulators are called secondary cells. Historically, for space applications, primary reference cell calibrations have relied on measurements under spectral conditions as close to air mass 0 as possible with locations such as high-altitude balloons and aircraft and manned spacecraft. Primary terrestrial calibrations require stable, clear-sky conditions with total irradiances measured with an absolute cavity radiometer.
Ketamine anesthesia causes greater muscle catabolism in rabbits than does propofol

Abstract Whereas ketamine and propofol are popular anesthetics in the intensive care unit and trauma/burn surgery, their metabolic effects are not known. Because traumatized patients are under catabolic state and may need multiple operations over the acute period of treatment, the knowledge of metabolic effects of anesthetics should have clinical relevance. We have compared muscle protein kinetics in rabbits under ketamine or propofol anesthesia. Because propofol is given in a fat emulsion (Intralipid), we have also tested the effect of Intralipid in an additional group of animals under ketamine anesthesia by giving the same dose of Intralipid as in the propofol group. In all animals, xylazine was used as a supplemental anesthetic and a balanced amino acid infusion (10% Travasol) was infused at 2 mg · kg−1 · min−1. L-[ring-13C6]phenylalanine was infused as a tracer and the arteriovenous balance method was applied to the hindlimb for determination of muscle protein kinetics. Results: the rate of muscle protein breakdown was significantly greater in the ketamine group than in the propofol group and intermediate in the lipid group. These results were consistent with whole body protein breakdown rates reflected by total phenylalanine flux. Rates of muscle protein synthesis were not significantly different among the groups. Consequently, the ketamine group had significantly greater net loss of muscle protein. We conclude that in relation to propofol, ketamine has a greater catabolic effect on muscle protein, which can be attenuated by lipid infusion. Therefore, ketamine is not an optimal anesthetic for catabolic patients.
Methods for genotyping single nucleotide polymorphisms.

■ Abstract One of the fruits of the Human Genome Project is the discovery of millions of DNA sequence variants in the human genome. The majority of these variants are single nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs). A dense set of SNP markers opens up the possibility of studying the genetic basis of complex diseases by population approaches. In all study designs, a large number of individuals must be genotyped with a large number of markers. In this review, the current status of SNP genotyping is discussed in terms of the mechanisms of allelic discrimination, the reaction formats, and the detection modalities. A number of genotyping methods currently in use are described to illustrate the approaches being taken. Although no single genotyping method is ideally suited for all applications, a number of good genotyping methods are available to meet the needs of many study designs. The challenges for SNP genotyping in the near future include increasing the speed of assay development, reducing the cost of the assays, and performing multiple assays in parallel. Judging from the accelerated pace of new method development, it is hopeful that an ideal SNP genotyping method will be developed soon.
SIMULATING NANOSCALE SEMICONDUCTOR DEVICES

The next generation of electronic devices will be developed at the nanoscale and molecular level, where quantum mechanical effects are observed. These effects must be accounted for in the design process for such small devices. One prototypical nanoscale semiconductor device under investigation is a resonant tunneling diode (RTD). Scientists are hopeful the quantum tunneling effects present in an RTD can be exploited to induce and sustain THz frequency current oscillations. To simulate the electron transport within the RTD, the Wigner-Poisson equations are used. These equations describe the time evolution of the electrons' distribution within the device. In this paper, this model and a parameter study using this model will be presented. The parameter study involves calculating the steady-state current output from the RTD as a function of an applied voltage drop across the RTD and also calculating the stability of that solution. To implement the parameter study, the computational model was connected to LOCA (Library of Continuation Algorithms), a part of Sandia National Laboratories parallel solver project, Trilinos. Numerical results will be presented.
Error analysis of spatial representation and estimation of mobile robots

The problem of estimating the location of a mobile robot in an unstructured environment is discussed. This work extends earlier results in two important ways. First, the bias and variance of the estimation are analytically derived as functions of the angular error and distance between frames. Second, the uncertainty covariance matrix is derived and is compared to the first-order approximation previously used to estimate the result of compounding uncertain transformations to provide a framework in which the appropriateness of the first-order estimate can be formally studied. A simulation study, showing how the biases and expected distance between the estimate and true position of the robot vary as a function of measurement errors and different path plannings, is presented. Some possible improvements of the estimation method and future research topics are also given.
Epithelial Antimicrobial Peptides: Review and Significance for Oral Applications:

Epithelial tissues provide the first line of defense between an organism and the environment. Disruption of this barrier leads to bacterial invasion and subsequent inflammation. This is precisely the situation existing in the human oral cavity, where tissues are constantly exposed to a variety of microbial challenges that can lead to bacterially induced periodontal diseases, and to infections of the oral mucosa by bacteria, fungi, and viruses. With the recent discoveries of host-derived peptide antibiotics in mammalian mucosal epithelium, a new line of investigation is emerging to test the hypothesis that one class of these peptides, called " β-defensins", functions to protect the host against microbial pathogenesis at these critical, confrontational sites. In that light, impairment of β-defensin activity has recently been implicated in chronic bacterial infections in cystic fibrosis patients. The first direct evidence of expression of defensin peptides in the oral mucosa was the identification of a novel...
New frontiers in criminal careers research, 2000-2011: A state-of-the-art review

Abstract Purpose The criminal career paradigm is a major research focus in criminology, and the current state-of-the-art review explicates research published between 2000 and 2011. Materials and methods Keyword searches of Science Direct, Scopus, and the National Criminal Justice Research Service produced 364 studies on criminal careers. Results A narrative meta-review summarizes essential findings on the parameters of the criminal career, investigates emerging theoretical and disciplinary extensions that utilize the criminal career framework, and identifies 16 pressing research gaps. Conclusions Although the study of criminal careers has been a dominant research area in criminology, its presence is likely to expand as research becomes more interdisciplinary and a longitudinal, biosocial perspective takes hold in the criminological sciences.
Evolution and preservation potential of fluvial and transgressive deposits on the Louisiana inner shelf: understanding depositional processes to support coastal management

The barrier-island systems of the Mississippi River Delta plain are currently undergoing some of the highest rates of shoreline retreat in North America (~20 m/year). Effective management of this coastal area requires an understanding of the processes involved in shoreline erosion and measures that can be enacted to reduce loss. The dominant stratigraphy of the delta plain is fluvial mud (silts and clays), delivered in suspension via a series of shallow-water delta lobes that prograded across the shelf throughout the Holocene. Abandonment of a delta lobe through avulsion leads to rapid land subsidence through compaction within the muddy framework. As the deltaic headland subsides below sea level, the marine environment transgresses the bays and wetlands, reworking the available sands into transgressive barrier shorelines. This natural process is further complicated by numerous factors: (1) global sea-level rise; (2) reduced sediment load within the Mississippi River; (3) diversion of the sediment load away from the barrier shorelines to the deep shelf; (4) storm-induced erosion; and (5) human alteration of the littoral process through the construction of hardened shorelines, canals, and other activities. This suite of factors has led to the deterioration of the barrier-island systems that protect interior wetlands and human infrastructure from normal wave activity and periodic storm impact. Interior wetland loss results in an increased tidal prism and inlet cross-sectional areas, and expanding ebb-tidal deltas, which removes sand from the littoral processes through diversion and sequestration. Shoreface erosion of the deltaic headlands does not provide sufficient sand to balance the loss, resulting in thinning and dislocation of the islands. Abatement measures include replenishing lost sediment with similar material, excavated from discrete sandy deposits within the muddy delta plain. These sand bodies were deposited by the same cyclical processes that formed the barrier islands, and understanding these processes is necessary to characterize their location, extent, and resource potential. In this paper we demonstrate the dominant fluvial and marine-transgressive depositional processes that occur on the inner shelf, and identify the preservation and resource potential of fluvio-deltaic deposits for coastal management in Louisiana.
An evaluation of the generalization and maintenance of functional communication and self-control skills with preschoolers

The preschool life skills (PLS) program (Hanley, Heal, Tiger, & Ingvarsson, 2007; Luczynski & Hanley, 2013) involves teaching social skills as a means of decreasing and preventing problem behavior. However, achieving durable outcomes as children transition across educational settings depend on the generalization and long-term maintenance of those skills. The purpose of this study was to evaluate procedures for promoting generalization and long-term maintenance of functional communication and self-control skills for 6 preschool children. When the children's social skills decreased across repeated observations during a generalization assessment, we incorporated modifications to the teaching procedures. However, the effects of the modifications were variable across skills and children. Satisfactory generalization was observed only after the teacher was informed of the target skills and teaching strategies. Maintenance of most social skills was observed 3 months after teaching was discontinued. We discuss the importance of improving child and teacher behavior to promote generalization and maintenance of important social skills.
Pain education in North American medical schools.

Abstract Knowledgeable and compassionate care regarding pain is a core responsibility of health professionals associated with better medical outcomes, improved quality of life, and lower healthcare costs. Education is an essential part of training healthcare providers to deliver conscientious pain care but little is known about whether medical school curricula meet educational needs. Using a novel systematic approach to assess educational content, we examined the curricula of Liaison Committee on Medical Education-accredited medical schools between August 2009 and February 2010. Our intent was to establish important benchmark values regarding pain education of future physicians during primary professional training. External validation was performed. Inclusion criteria required evidence of substantive participation in the curriculum management database of the Association of American Medical Colleges. A total of 117 U.S. and Canadian medical schools were included in the study. Approximately 80% of U.S. medical schools require 1 or more pain sessions. Among Canadian medical schools, 92% require pain sessions. Pain sessions are typically presented as part of general required courses. Median hours of instruction on pain topics for Canadian schools was twice the U.S. median. Many topics included in the International Association for the Study of Pain core curriculum received little or no coverage. There were no correlations between the types of pain education offered and school characteristics (eg, private versus public). We conclude that pain education for North American medical students is limited, variable, and often fragmentary. There is a need for innovative approaches and better integration of pain topics into medical school curricula. Perspective This study assessed the scope and scale of pain education programs in U.S. and Canadian medical schools. Significant gaps between recommended pain curricula and documented educational content were identified. In short, pain education was limited and fragmentary. Innovative and integrated pain education in primary medical education is needed.
Mapping Time in Video Games

Video games can position players in a specific time and space. This paper will argue that the experiences of both are closely interdependent. As a consequence, we need to re-evaluate our models of time in video games. The discussion will exemplify the suggested interdependencies of temporal and spatial experience. The result is a playercentered perspective towards time in game spaces. Author Keywords Time, space, virtual world, video game
Elevated CO2 and defoliation effects on a shortgrass steppe: Forage quality versus quantity for ruminants

Abstract We assessed the effects of elevated atmospheric CO2 on ruminant forage quality and nutrient yields during 4 years in semiarid shortgrass steppe where grazing by domestic livestock is the primary land-use. A defoliation and a nitrogen fertilization treatment were superimposed on CO2 treatments in large open-top chambers. CO2 effects on forage soluble and fiber (celluloses, lignin) constituents were small, even though mid-growing season yield and end of season production increased. However, large negative effects of elevated CO2 were evident in crude protein concentrations and digestibility of forages. While the effects were more negative mid-growing season than autumn, a reduction in already poor quality autumn forage may be more critical to animals. Crude protein concentrations of autumn forage on the elevated CO2 treatment fell below critical maintenance requirements 3 out of 4 years, compared to 1 of 4 for ambient and control treatments. Forage digestibility declined 14% mid-season and 10% in autumn with elevated CO2. Negative effects of elevated CO2 on animal performance mediated through forage quality are likely to be greater than the positive effects of increased quantity, because quality drops to critically low levels that can inhibit utilization. Further, elevated CO2 shifted the proportional availability of protein and energy to a species of lower overall quality and the species most negatively affected by drought. Current-year defoliation increased both quality and production of protein and energy compared to non-defoliated plots, but no CO2 by defoliation treatment interactions were observed. Nitrogen fertilization increased crude protein concentrations and digestibilities, but not in the least nutritious species that increased with elevated CO2 or in autumn when quality was lowest.
Fixed points of quasi-nonexpansive mappings

A self-mapping T of a subset C of a normed linear space is said to be non-expansive provided ║Tx — Ty║ ≦ ║x – y║ holds for all x, y ∈ C. There has been a number of recent results on common fixed points of commutative families of nonexpansive mappings in Banach spaces, for example see DeMarr [6], Browder [3], and Belluce and Kirk [1], [2]. There have also been several recent results concerning common fixed points of two commuting mappings, one of which satisfies some condition like nonexpansiveness while the other is only continuous, for example see DeMarr [5], Jungck [8], Singh [11], [12], and Cano [4]. These results, with the exception of Cano's, have been confined to mappings from the reals to the reals. Some recent results on common fixed points of commuting analytic mappings in the complex plane have also been obtained, for example see Singh [13] and Shields [10].
The Effects of Budget, Delegation, and Other Variables on the Future of School Nursing:

The purpose of this exploratory research study was to survey Kansas school nurses to determine the impact of budget, delegation, and other variables on the future of school nursing. Issues of education and certification status, educational budget, delegation, school nurse-to-student ratio, number of school buildings assigned, Metropolitan Statistical Area, and years of school nursing experience were also investigated. The Budget Impact School Nurse Questionnaire online survey was used to gather data. Findings revealed that school nurses were well prepared academically, but that many school nurses lacked certification. The use of UAPs and the future of school nursing were significantly affected by budget constraints, delegation, number of buildings assigned, legislative contact, and Metropolitan Statistical Area (urban location). Education in delegation and years of experience as a school nurse significantly affected opportunities for health education. The findings depicted budget, school nurse staffing, delegation, and geographic areas as the main variables that have an impact on school nursing.
SAR imaging of ocean waves: Theory

We present a formalism for deriving the image of a scene and apply it to the case of an ocean-wave surface. For a dominant wave, the optimum image is obtained when the matched filter of the radar processor is adjusted in proportion to the azimuth component of the wave phase velocity. In the specular scattering approximation, the orbital velocity effects introduce a phase perturbation term of the form \Psi(k_{l}\cdotr - \omega_{l}t ) where \Psi is a function of the wave height, depression angle, and the ocean wave vector k_{l} and orbital frequency \omega_{l} . This term does not introduce any significant degradations in the wave image. The presence of more than one dominant wave component results in azimuth-resolution degradation dependent on the orbital phase velocity magnitudes and direction. Wave-wave interactions, resulting in the advection of each ocean-wave component by the orbital velocity variations of the other waves, introduce a phase perturbation of the form [\Psi(k_{l}\cdotr - \omega_{l}t)]t into the SAR imaging integral. This leads to a degradation in the azimuthal resolution and is significant only when U_{ol}(R/v_{a}), U_{ol} the orbital velocity and R and v_{a} the radar platform range and velocity, is greater than the resolution cell width. Published calculations, showing that velocity bunching is a primary mechanism for the modulations in images of azimuthally traveling waves, evaluate the SAR imaging integral for an orbital velocity phase perturbation of the form \Psi(k_{l}\cdotr - \omega_{l}t) , and their conclusions are a consequence only of the mathematical approximations used. An exact evaluation of the integral does not yield the azimuth image modulations predicted. Data are presented to show a) the dependence of focusing on the azimuth component of the wave phase velocity, b) image degradation of azimuthally traveling waves as a function of integration time, c) autocorrelations of scans across a wave imaged from different viewing angles of the SAR, d) scans across the spectra, in the azimuth wave-vector direction, of two different azimuthally traveling waves of different periods, to illustrate the dependence of image distortions on wave period, and e) dependence of the ratio of the energy in a SAR wave image spectrum peak and the zero spectrum component on the reported significant wave height for data taken during the SEASAT experiment.
Mortality of People with Intellectual and Developmental Disabilities from Select US State Disability Service Systems and Medical Claims Data.

Background Monitoring population trends including mortality within subgroups such as people with intellectual and developmental disabilities and between countries provides crucial information about the population's health and insights into underlying health concerns and the need for and effectiveness of public health efforts. Methods Data from both US state intellectual and developmental disabilities service system administrative data sets and de-identified state Medicaid claims were used to calculate average age at death and crude mortality rates. Results Average age at death for people in state intellectual and developmental disabilities systems was 50.4–58.7 years and 61.2–63.0 years in Medicaid data, with a crude adult mortality rate of 15.2 per thousand. Conclusions Age at death remains lower and mortality rates higher for people with intellectual and developmental disabilities. Improved case finding (e.g. medical claims) could provide more complete mortality patterns for the population with intellectual and developmental disabilities to inform the range of access and receipt of supportive and health-related interventions and preventive care.
Determination of an optimal image frame interval for frame-to-frame ultrasound image motion tracking

Several important clinical applications depend on accurate ultrasound image frame-to-frame motion estimation. Assuming that there is a degree of finite noise in the image frames and that speckle partially decorrelates between successive frames during freehand scanning, we hypothesize that an optimal inter-frame interval (step size) must exist that provides the smallest relative dimensional error over a set of accumulated motion estimates. Smaller frame increments suffer from less decorrelation-related inaccuracy but present greater potential for cumulative error because more estimates are used over any specific dimensional interval. We studied these effects using a combination of theoretical modeling, numerical simulation, and experiments. Components of diagonal motion due to the limitations of manual transducer movement were considered as the cause of decorrelation. The results were examined for four different angles of the diagonal motion and two different signal-to-noise ratio (SNR) values. These indicate that an optimal step size does exist and that this is dependent on many variables including SNR, angle of the diagonal motion, transducer geometry, lens focusing parameters, transducer operating frequency, and beamforming parameters. In practical experiments, we found that the optimal step size generally required using every available image frame rather than 'skipping' any intermediate frames.
Carl W. Gottschalk's Contributions to Elucidating the Urinary Concentrating Mechanism

Like all of the participants in this symposium, I am very pleased to contribute to a scientific gathering that honors Carl W. Gottschalk—esteemed colleague, superb scientist, good friend, and admirable human being. Carl contributed importantly to our knowledge in several areas of renal function;