cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Predictors of Attrition in a Large Clinic‐Based Weight‐Loss Program

Objective: Identifying client factors that predict dropout is critical for the development of effective weight-loss programs. Although demographic predictors are studied, there are few consistent findings. The purpose of this study was to identify predictors of dropout in a large clinic-based weight-loss program using readily attainable demographic variables. Research Methods and Procedures: All 866 weight-loss patients in a clinic-based weight-loss program enrolled during 1998 to 1999 were followed. Attrition and retention rates were measured at 8 and 16 weeks. Six variables (sex, race, marital status, age, BMI, and treatment protocol) were evaluated using bivariate and multivariable statistics for relative association with dropout. Results: The overall attrition rate for the 16-week program was 31%. The retention rate was 69%. Significant risk for dropout, measured as bivariate relative risk (95% confidence interval), was found among patients who were: females, 1.32 (1.01 to 1.73); divorced, 1.54 (1.13 to 2.09); African Americans, 1.68 (1.26 to 2.23); age < 40, 1.66 (1.27 to 2.18); and ages 40 to 50, 1.33 (1.01 to 1.76). There were no significant differences in retention rates by BMI group or program protocol. After logistic regression analysis to control for all variables, young age < 50 years had the only significant association with dropout [odds ratio = 1.39 (1.02 to 1.90)]. Discussion: Multivariable modeling was helpful for prioritizing risk factors for program dropout. These findings have important implications for improving weight-loss program effectiveness and reducing attrition. By knowing the groups at risk for dropout, we can improve or target program treatments to these populations.
Dendritic development in the rat superior cervical ganglion.

Abstract Previous studies from our laboratory have shown that synaptogenesis in the superior cervical sympathetic ganglion (SCG) of the rat occurs predominantly during the first few weeks after birth. The purpose of the present study was to examine the normal development of dendrites of the ganglion neurons, and to assess the importance of the afferent input in shaping this development. Two independent methods for examining dendritic morphology were used. One was to label neurons in the SCG by injecting a conjugate of horseradish peroxidase and wheat germ agglutinin (HRP-WGA) into a target of the SCG neurons (the submandibular gland). This procedure results in a ‘Golgi-like’ filling of the retrogradely labelled cell bodies and their dendrites. The second method was stereologic analysis (point-counting) of electron micrographs of sections of the SCG. At birth, the ganglion neurons give rise to an average of 2.4 primary dendrites and 1.2 secondary branches. No tertiary branches are observed at this age. The total dendritic length is 15.3 μm. Electron microscopic stereology reveals that the mean volume occupied by dendrites in the newborn SCG is 0.0093 mm 3 . In the adult, there is an average of 5.2 primary, 6.3 secondary, 4.8 tertiary and 1.9 quaternary dendrites. The total dendritic length is increased 23-fold to 347 μm. The mean volume occupied by dendrites is 0.0771 mm 3 , representing an 8-fold increase. In ganglia from adult rats which were deafferented at birth, an essentially normal dendritic form is attained. There are 4.5 primary, 6.2 secondary, 2.8 tertiary and 2.2 quaternary dendrites, and the total dendritic length is 297 μm. The mean volume of dendrites is 0.0571 μm 3 . Thus, while dendritic development in the SCG is mainly a postnatal event which occurs at the same time as synaptogenesis, this development appears to be independent of presynaptic influences.
Kindreds of the Earth: Badaga Household Structure and Demography

Foreword - John C Caldwell Introduction PART ONE: THE BADAGA HOUSEHOLD IN CONTEXT The Badaga Society Research Design Marriage and Descent PART TWO: LIFE AND DEATH IN THE HOUSEHOLD M N Thesingh A Life Story The Ebb of Life PART THREE: QUANTITATIVE FINDINGS Family and Household The Four Villages Age and Sex, Birth and its Control Morbidity and Mortality PART FOUR: MODERN LIFE: WORK AND THE MASS MEDIA The Household and Modern Life Education, Mass Media and the Future Some Conclusions
Single-pyroxene geothermometry and geobarometry

The available experimental data for the equilibrium reactions that characterize either the enstatite-diopside join or the Al-concentration in pyroxenes coexisting with an Al-rich phase are reduced to three or four thermodynamic constants, entropy, enthalpy, and change in volume (two parameters for the En/Di join). Used together with a set of partition coefficients derived from natural assemblages, these values allow independent estimates of pressure and temperature to be made for any single pyroxene phase in equilibrium with a second pyroxene and with either spinel or garnet; otherwise, minimum temperatures and maximum pressures are obtained. This method has been checked for consistency both internally (similar estimates for coexisting pyroxenes in equilibrium) and externally (agreement with independent observations). The geothermometers and geobarometers are applied to xenoliths from ''kimberlites'' of the Navajo Indian Reservation and to ophiolites from Western Newfoundland for both of which partial recrystallization into hydrous phases often prevented the use of any other technique. This method is also applied to determine pressure-temperature paths for partially reequilibrated textures, to derive pyroxene geotherms from xenocrysts, to detect disequilibrium between coexisting pyroxenes, and to reveal actual equilibration facies of complex parageneses. These studies support a remarkable shortening of Newfoundland ophiolitic sequences, originally 100 kmmore » thick, a shallow origin for the Navajo Reservation ''kimberlites,'' and an underthrusting of oceanic-type lithosphere beneath the western United States' crust.« less
Machine-independent virtual memory management for paged uniprocessor and multiprocessor architectures

This paper describes the design and implementation of virtual memory management within the CMU Mach Operating System and the experiences gained by the Mach kernel group in porting that system to a variety of architectures. As of this writing, Mach runs on more than half a dozen uniprocessors and multiprocessors including the VAX family of uniprocessors and multiprocessors, the IBM RT PC, the SUN 3, the Encore MultiMax, the Sequent Balance 21000 and several experimental computers. Although these systems vary considerably in the kind of hardware support for memory management they provide, the machine-dependent portion of Mach virtual memory consists of a single code module and its related header file. This separation of software memory management from hardware support has been accomplished without sacrificing system performance. In addition to improving portability, it makes possible a relatively unbiased examination of the pros and cons of various hardware memory management schemes, especially as they apply to the support of multiprocessors.
Synaptic connections of callosal projection neurons in the vibrissal region of mouse primary motor cortex: An electron microscopic/horseradish peroxidase study

Reciprocal axonal projections between homotypic areas of the vibrissal region of mouse primary motor cortex (MsI) (Porter and White: Neurosci. Lett. 47:37-40, '84) suggested the existence of reciprocal synaptic connections between callosal projection neurons and callosal afferents. In the present study, the retrograde transport of horseradish peroxidase (HRP) was combined with lesion-induced degeneration to identify synapses between callosal afferents and callosal neurons in the corresponding region of the contralateral cortex. The procedure was as follows: MsI was injected with HRP and aspirated on the following day. After 4 days, the animals were perfused and motor cortex was processed for HRP according to a variation of the Adams (Brain Res. 176:33-47,'77) technique, and postfixed in OsO4. The methods used consistently filled fine dendritic branches and spines with dense reaction product, thus allowing examination of synaptic contacts with these processes. All callosal projection neurons were identified as pyramidal neurons, having somata in cortical layers II/III and V. Labeled cells from each of the two levels were prepared for electron microscopy, and that part of each cell's apical dendrite that traversed the superficial cortical layers, where most callosal axons terminate, was cut in an unbroken series of thin sections. Micrographs were taken of all labeled profiles in each thin section, and tracings of the profiles were assembled to reconstruct the apical dendrites. Data on the distribution, type, and amount of callosal and other synapses with the shaft and spines of the apical dendrites were obtained by examining the reconstructions. In addition, profiles of basal dendrites of layer II/III cells were examined in thin sections to ascertain the numbers of callosal and other synapses formed with their shafts and spines. The proportion of synapses that each dendrite formed with callosal axon terminals was compared to the concentration of callosal afferents in the neuropil. Dendrites of both layer II/III and layer V pyramidal cells synapsed with callosal axon terminals. The apical and basal dendrites of layer II/III neurons formed a similar proportion of their synapses with callosal afferents, and this was similar to the concentration of callosal synapses in the surrounding neuropil. Segments of apical dendrites belonging to layer V and layer II/III neurons course through neuropil containing nearly the same concentration of degenerating callosal terminals, but the layer V cells form fewer callosal synapses.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
Engineering starch for increased quantity and quality

The characterization and production of starch variants from mutation studies and transgene technology has been invaluable for our understanding of the synthesis of the starch granule. The knowledge gained has allowed for genetic manipulation of the starch biosynthetic pathway in plants. This in vivo approach can be used to generate novel starches and diminishes the need for post-harvest chemically and enzymatically treated starches. Thus, the modification of the starch biosynthetic pathway is a plausible means by which starches with novel properties and applications can be created.
Neurochemistry of the mucopolysaccharidoses: brain glycosaminoglycans in normals and four types of mucopolysaccharidoses.

— Glycosaminoglycan content, composition and molecular weight distribution were determined in cerebral gray and white matter, liver and spleen from normals and 7 patients with mucopolysaccharidosis; 4 were of Type I (Hurler), one Type II (Hunter), one Type IIIA (Sanfilippo A) and one Type V (Scheie). There was a 3 to 4-fold increase in glycosaminoglycan content of the brains from patients with mucopolysaccharidosis Type I, II and IIIA, but only a 40% increase in the Type V patient. Partially degraded dermatan sulfate accounted for most of the increase in Types I, II and V. Highly fragmented heparan sulfate was the major glycosaminoglycan in the brain of the Type IIIA patient and was also a sizable component in Types I and II. Remarkably, the changes in the brain glycosaminoglycans of the Type V patient were minimal. He also was of normal intelligence
Identifying enrichment candidates in textbooks

Many textbooks written in emerging countries lack clear and adequate coverage of important concepts. We propose a technological solution for algorithmically identifying those sections of a book that are not well written and could benefit from better exposition. We provide a decision model based on the syntactic complexity of writing and the dispersion of key concepts. The model parameters are learned using a tune set which is algorithmically generated using a versioned authoritative web resource as a proxy. We evaluate the proposed methodology over a corpus of Indian textbooks which demonstrates its effectiveness in identifying enrichment candidates.
Force analysis of the Advanced Neutron Source control rod drive latch mechanism

The Advanced Neutron Source reactor (ANS), a proposed Department of Energy research reactor currently undergoing conceptual design, will generate a thermal neutron flux approximating 10/sup 20/ m/sup -2/-s/sup -1/. The compact core necessary to produce this flux provides little space for the shim/safety control rods, which are located in the central annulus of the core. Without proper control rod drive design, the control rod drive magnets (which hold the control rod latch in a ready-to-scram position) may be unable to support the required load due to their restricted size. The force analysis performed on the control rod latch mechanism to determine the fraction of control rod weight transferred to the drive magnet is described. This information will be useful during latch, control rod drive, and magnet design. >
Plural and Differential Acculturation in Trinidad1

TRINIDAD, the southernmost island in the West Indies, is known as one of the most cosmopolitan places on earth. Both Trinidadians and foreigners have noted the large number of racial and cultural entities present, their unexpected permutations and combinations, and the seeming lack of tensions that would normally be expected in such a community. This paper will attempt to show some of the means by which Trinidadians of diverse origins have managed to adjust to their complex social situation without losing their subcultural identities.
Outcome Assessment of Breast Distortion Following Submuscular Breast Augmentation

Background Animation deformity or breast distortion during pectoralis muscle contraction following subpectoral breast augmentation is a known entity, but its prevalence and significance remain unclear. The purpose of this study was to identify the incidence and severity of animation deformity as well as its effect on patient satisfaction and interference with certain activities.
Brightening Up: The Effect of the Physician Payment Sunshine Act on Existing Regulation of Pharmaceutical Marketing

With the passage of the Physician Payment Sunshine Act as part of the federal health care reform law, pharmaceutical manufacturers are now required to disclose a wide range of payments made by manufacturers to physicians. We review current state regulation of pharmaceutical marketing and consider how the federal sunshine provision will affect existing marketing regulation. We analyze the legal and practical implications of the Physician Payment Sunshine Act.
Speciation of Chromium via Laser-Induced Breakdown Spectroscopy of Ion Exchange Polymer Membranes

A new method for the speciation of ng/mL concentrations of Cr(III) and Cr(VI) solutions with analysis by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy (LIBS) is reported. Speciation is achieved by pre-concentration of the chromium onto commercially available cation exchange polymer membranes. Chromium(III) is removed directly by cation exchange; chromium(VI) in the filtrate is reduced to Cr(III) and concentrated onto a second cation exchange membrane, affording independent measurement of both species. Large volumes of waters containing Cr(III) and Cr(VI) can be concentrated onto the membranes and directly analyzed by laser-induced breakdown spectroscopy. The estimated limit of detection corresponds to 500 ng of Cr on the membrane: if a solution volume of 1 L is used, then the detection limit corresponds to a solution concentration of 0.5 ng/mL. Excellent separation of the chromium species is attained. Results show that overall method efficiencies range from 94–116% and are independent of the matrix. The influence of pH has been measured, and although Cr(VI) converts to Cr(III) in acidic solutions, the total Cr recoveries are not appreciably influenced by pH over the range of natural waters (4 to 9). In addition, speciation was performed in the presence of a number of different cations and showed that the method is robust in many different and complex matrices.
FACILITATION OF OPERATION AND MAINTENANCE ACTIVITIES OF IRRIGATION NETWORKS USING A K‐MEANS CLUSTERING METHOD: CASE STUDY OF THE GHAZVIN IRRIGATION NETWORK

One of the most important factors in saving limited water resources is improving the performance of irrigation canal networks. To achieve this purpose, improving the operation and maintenance (O&M) activities of irrigation networks is necessary. Most current O&M approaches do not consider the spatial differentiation of networks. Detection of homogeneous areas provides managers with guidelines for planning O&M activities and allocating budgets, labour, and machinery resources. In similar irrigation areas, operators exchange their experience more efficiently. In this paper, the application of K-means clustering algorithms as a quantitative benchmark for exploring homogeneous areas with similar physical attributes outside the irrigation network region is presented. A K-means clustering algorithm is applied for spatial clustering of the Ghazvin irrigation network. Five physical attributes of canal reaches, viz. length, capacity, number of off-takes, number of conveyance structures and the irrigated area covered, are considered. Using a clustering validity index, the 162 canal reaches in the Ghazvin irrigation network are clustered in 10 groups, with members varying from 5 to 30 reaches. Regionalization and assigning the groups to colonies out of the irrigation network district provide a context for better and easier decision making by managers. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd. RESUME Un des facteurs importants dans l'economie des ressources en eau est l'amelioration de la performance des reseaux de canaux d'irrigation. A cette fin, l'amelioration de l'exploitation et de la maintenance (O & M) des activites de reseaux d'irrigation est necessaire. La plupart des techniques d'O & M ne considerent pas la differenciation spatiale des reseaux. La detection de zones homogenes fournit des indications aux gestionnaires pour la planification des activites d'O & M, comme l'allocation de budget, ressources humaines et materiel de maintenance. De plus, dans les regions similaires du point de vue de la differenciation spatiale, les operateurs echangent leurs experiences de maniere plus efficace. Dans cet article, nous presentons l'application des algorithmes de groupage par la methode des K-moyennes, comme une reference quantitative pour explorer les zones homogenes ayant les memes caracteristiques physiques, y compris en dehors du reseau d'irrigation. L'algorithme de groupage par la methode des K-moyennes est applique pour la segmentation dans l'espace du reseau d'irrigation de Qazvin selon cinq attributs qui sont: la longueur, la capacite, le nombre de portes, le nombre d'ouvrages sur les canaux, la superficie commandee. En utilisant l'indice de validite de groupage, les 162 canaux du reseau d'irrigation de Qazvin sont reparties en 10 classes comportant 5 a 30 canaux. La regionalisation, en assignant des classes a des colonies hors du reseau d'irrigation, fournit un contexte a faciliter la prise de decision pour les gestionnaires. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Volume-Regulatory and Endocrine Relationships after Blood Loss in Man

Summary 1. Transcapillary refilling after blood loss in man is a homeostatic adjustment which increases the blood volume. Although protein dilution occurs during this period, total plasma albumin rises, thus increasing the plasma oncotic pressure. 2. The renal-circulatory adjustment to hemorrhage in man is accompanied by an increased aldosterone secretion and excretion. The evidence suggests that the renin-angiotensin system plays a major role in aldosterone stimulation after hemorrhage, but does not exclude the possibility that other systems may be operating in addition to achieve aldosterone hypersecretion.
Insulin-like growth factor-1 stimulation of cells induces formation of complexes containing phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase, guanosine triphosphatase-activating protein (GAP), and p62 GAP-associated protein.

The insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) receptor is structurally related to the insulin receptor and shares common features in receptor signaling. These features include receptor autophosphorylation, phosphorylation of insulin receptor substrate-1, and activation of Ras and phosphatidylinositol-3-kinase (PI3K). Previously, we reported that after insulin treatment of rat HTC cells expressing human insulin receptors, a unique insulin receptor signaling complex was formed that contained the insulin receptor, the p85 subunit of PI3K, GTPase-activating protein (GAP), and p62 GAP-associated protein. In the present study, using wild type HTC cells, we investigated whether the activated IGF-1 receptor also forms a similar signaling complex. To study the proteins present in IGF-1 receptor signaling complexes, we used immunoprecipitation and Western blotting analysis with appropriate antibodies. In response to IGF-1, insulin receptor substrate-1 was tyrosine phosphorylated and formed a complex with the PI3K hetero...
Restraint of apoptosis during mitosis through interdomain phosphorylation of caspase-2.

The apoptotic initiator caspase-2 has been implicated in oocyte death, in DNA damage- and heat shock-induced death, and in mitotic catastrophe. We show here that the mitosis-promoting kinase, cdk1–cyclin B1, suppresses apoptosis upstream of mitochondrial cytochrome c release by phosphorylating caspase-2 within an evolutionarily conserved sequence at Ser 340. Phosphorylation of this residue, situated in the caspase-2 interdomain, prevents caspase-2 activation. S340 was susceptible to phosphatase 1 dephosphorylation, and an interaction between phosphatase 1 and caspase-2 detected during interphase was lost in mitosis. Expression of S340A non-phosphorylatable caspase-2 abrogated mitotic suppression of caspase-2 and apoptosis in various settings, including oocytes induced to undergo cdk1-dependent maturation. Moreover, U2OS cells treated with nocodazole were found to undergo mitotic catastrophe more readily when endogenous caspase-2 was replaced with the S340A mutant to lift mitotic inhibition. These data demonstrate that for apoptotic stimuli transduced by caspase-2, cell death is prevented during mitosis through the inhibitory phosphorylation of caspase-2 and suggest that under conditions of mitotic arrest, cdk1–cyclin B1 activity must be overcome for apoptosis to occur.
BioXpress: an integrated RNA-seq-derived gene expression database for pan-cancer analysis.

BioXpress is a gene expression and cancer association database in which the expression levels are mapped to genes using RNA-seq data obtained from The Cancer Genome Atlas, International Cancer Genome Consortium, Expression Atlas and publications. The BioXpress database includes expression data from 64 cancer types, 6361 patients and 17 469 genes with 9513 of the genes displaying differential expression between tumor and normal samples. In addition to data directly retrieved from RNA-seq data repositories, manual biocuration of publications supplements the available cancer association annotations in the database. All cancer types are mapped to Disease Ontology terms to facilitate a uniform pan-cancer analysis. The BioXpress database is easily searched using HUGO Gene Nomenclature Committee gene symbol, UniProtKB/ RefSeq accession or, alternatively, can be queried by cancer type with specified significance filters. This interface along with availability of pre-computed downloadable files containing differentially expressed genes in multiple cancers enables straightforward retrieval and display of a broad set of cancer-related genes. Database URL: http://hive.biochemistry.gwu.edu/tools/bioxpress
Use of Long-Acting Tetracyclines for Methicillin- Resistant Staphylococcus aureus Infections: Case Series and Review of the Literature

Background. Few data exist on the efficacy of the long-acting tetracyclines doxycycline and minocycline against methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA) infection. Methods. The medical records of 24 patients with serious tetracycline-susceptible MRSA infections who were treated with doxycycline or minocycline were reviewed. A review of the literature on the use of these antibiotics for treatment of both methicillin-susceptible and methicillin-resistant S. aureus infection was also performed. Results. Complicated skin and skin-structure infections were most common (67%). Clinical cure was achieved in 20 (83%) of 24 patients in our case series. Both drugs were well-tolerated. The review of the literature on a total of 85 patients with S. aureus infection revealed similar results. Conclusions. Long-acting tetracyclines may be a reasonable treatment alternative for patients with certain types of MRSA infection.
Effect of taurine on a muscle intracellular membrane.

Abstract Sarcoplasmic reticulum from rat skeletal muscle had rates of calcium oxalate uptake dependent upon the speed with which the muscle was removed and homogenized. Rapidly isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum (muscle removed and homogenized within 20 min) showed a 25% increase in rate of calcium oxlate uptake in the presence of 15 mM taurine, and the total sequestering capacity was also increased. The rate of calcium oxalate uptake by more slowly isolated sarcoplasmic reticulum (1 h between sacrifice of first animal and homogenization of the muscle) could be increased by 30% by performing the isolation with 10–15 mM taurine present in all media, compared with a paired isolation in the absence of taurine. Exposure of sarcoplasmic reticulum to taurine throughout isolation led to an increased yield of microsomes and sarcoplasmic reticulum. These effects of taurine on sarcoplasmic reticulum were not duplicated by phosphate, isethionate, KCl, cysteine or histidine, but aminopropane-sulfonic acid showed similar effects. Taurine slowed the rate of loss of calcium transport and ATPase activities of sarcoplasmic reticulum caused by phospholipase C. It is suggested that taurine may function as a membrane stabilizer.
Section 16(b) of the Securities Exchange Act - An Analysis of the Time When Insider Status is Required

The Securities Exchange Act of 1934 (Act) was designed to correct many of the financial practices that were commonly thought to be substantial contributing factors to the market debacle of 1929 and the ensuing depression. Section 16 was intended to prevent certain types of predatory speculation by corporate insiders. Section 16(a) requires that every person who is directly or indirectly the beneficial owner of more than 10 percent of any class of equity security registered pursuant to section 12, or who is a director or officer of the issuer of such security, file reports of his or her beneficial ownership of equity securities and any changes therein with the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC) and any exchange on which the security is listed. Section 16(b) further provides.
Exhibiting Middle Classness: The Social Status of Artists in Hanoi

Since the 1990s and the rise in international tourism, Vietnam has seen a capitalist art market flourish and a steady increase in artists’ incomes. Formerly dependent on the State, Vietnamese artists have found themselves patrons to a growing international clientele. This has not necessarily translated into a local community of art collectors, however. Rather, as this chapter will demonstrate, artists themselves have become art and cultural consumers and taking part in a middle-class lifestyle that includes owning property and collecting antiques. Taking a few middle-class artists as case studies, this article examines how the art market has shaped the lifestyle of certain artists who have chosen to distinguish themselves from their peers in emulating foreign consumers.
Preliminary Evidence On The Relation Between Mid-Semester Instructor Feedback And Students Perceptions Of Class And Instructor Variables

Student evaluations of teachers (SETs) are commonly used in many universities as a measure of instructor performance. However, there is controversy regarding the validity of SETs. Research has identified and studied many variables that might affect students ratings of teachers and their perceptions of the class environment, and the results are mixed regarding the relation among and effects of the variables. Obtaining mid-semester instructor feedback might affect how students perceive the instructor, especially if a particular concern is consistently identified and the instructor responds to the concern. Additionally, student performance might increase. Thus, mid-semester instructor feedback is one variable that might have a significant impact on SETs but it has gone unstudied. This paper contains the results of a study designed to determine the impact of mid-semester instructor feedback on student evaluations of the instructor and various variables of the class environment. The results indicate that students in classes that used the feedback (IF) did not perform better than students in classes that did not use the feedback (NIF); however, students gave higher ratings to the instructor and certain class variables in the IF courses than in the NIF courses.
Nanoparticle-enhanced spectral photoacoustic tomography: effect of oxygen saturation and tissue heterogeneity

Molecular imaging for breast cancer detection, infectious disease diagnostics and preclinical animal research may be achievable through combined use of targeted exogenous agents – such as nanoparticles – and spectral Photoacoustic Tomography (PAT). However, tissue heterogeneity can alter fluence distributions and acoustic propagation, corrupting measured PAT absorption spectra and complicating in vivo nanoparticle detection and quantitation. Highly absorptive vascular structures represent a common confounding factor, and variations in vessel hemoglobin saturation (SO2) may alter spectral content of signals from adjacent/deeper regions. To evaluate the impact of this effect on PAT nanoparticle detectability, we constructed heterogeneous phantoms with well-characterized channel-inclusion geometries and biologically relevant optical and acoustic properties. Phantoms contained an array of tubes at several depths filled with hemoglobin solutions doped with varying concentrations of gold nanorods with an absorption peak at 780 nm. Both overlying and target network SO2 was tuned using sodium dithionite. Phantoms were imaged from 700 to 900 nm using a custom PAT system comprised of a tunable pulsed laser and a research-grade ultrasound system. Recovered nanoparticle spectra were analyzed and compared with results from both spectrophotometry and PAT data from waterimmersed tubes containing blood and nanoparticle solutions. Results suggested that nanoparticle selection for a given PAT application should take into account expected oxygenation states of both target blood vessel and background tissue oxygenation to achieve optimal performance.
Cellular Automata Simulations of Thermal Transport Properties of Thin-Film Polymer/CNTs Nano-Composites for Improved Design

A computational algorithm has been developed to simulate the transport properties of oriented and un-oriented thin film nanocomposites of isotactic Polypropylene (iPP) and carbon nanotubes (CNT) with increasing CNT concentration. Our goal is to be able to design materials with optimal properties using these simulations. We use a cellular automata approach in a Matlab 3-D array environment. The percolation threshold is reproduced in the simulations, matching experimental data. Upon percolation, the thermal transport in the films increases sharply, due to the large difference in the thermal conductivities of the CNTs and the polymer. To verify the simulation, the thin-film samples were sheared in the melt at 200C at 1 Hz in a Linkan microscope shearing hot stage. The thermal conductivity measurements were performed on the same cell arrangement with the transport perpendicular to the thin-film plane using a DC method. The thermal conductivity is higher for the un-sheared as compared to the sheared samples. Our cellular automata simulations provide information about the microstructuremacroscopic property relation in the thin film nanocomposites and can be extended to simulations of other important materials.
REFORM OF RURAL TAXES AND SUPPLY MECHANISM OF RURAL PUBLIC PRODUCTS

China has carried on two different kinds of supply mechanism in cities and the countryside for so long.Peasnats arrange for the system of public products by themselves so as to cause the lack of supply of public products and block the rural economical development.The reform of rural taxes is carried on in the present system of finance.While lessening the load of peasants,it has made the financial difficulty of local governments,so the supply of public products is difficult to meet the needs of rural economical development and the rise of peasants life.Therefore,according to the present state in the countryside in China,creating a new supply mechanism of rural public products is benificial to the develepment of rural economy and the realization of the rual social aim.
Studies on Growing Traits of New Clones of Populus tomentosa Carr. from Female Gamete Chromosome Doubling

Female gamete chromosome doubling Populus tomentosa Carr. new asexual department and liploid contrast that chromosome get, adopt the totally random granule test design, eight experimental forest of nursery choose 8 Populus tomentosa Carr. new asexual department and 2 liploid contrast department tree to carry on previous growth period high in Beijing, ground foot-path, breast-height diameter, leaf long, leaf wide with leaf thick growth determination of characteristic, determine , select 10 department symbol do material content , chlorophyll content, and only shutting the speed , air vent and leading the change contours of degree and transpiration speed netly under different CO2 density. Found finally, 1) At time when the end of April has been by the end of May, for Populus tomentosa Carr. new asexual department and slow growth period in plant such as liploid;2) Among female gamete chromosome triploid asexual department , 401 grow property and shut characteristic it superior to others to be number and liploid notably only, it is Populus tomentosa Carr. that display a excellent one number most in the new asexual department;3) Female gamete triploid asexual department that chromosome get demonstrate variety at a lot of property, not all triploid asexual department superior to liploid contrast department.
Comparison of Spatial Instantaneous ECG Vectors, Measured with the SVEC, with Mean Vectors Derived from Conventional ECG Leads

Two approaches to the analysis of spatial electrocardiographic vectors are currently being used: construction from the conventional ECG leads, and measurements from oscilloscopic recordings of spatial loops. There are several fundamental differences between the approaches, and there is no a priori certainty that equivalent or even similar phenomena are being investigated. This study presents a statistical comparison between mean spatial vectors, constructed from the conventional ECG, and instantaneous maximum spatial vectors, determined with the stereovector electro-cardiographic technic.
Why Credit Matters for Productivity

An economy without credit is like a car without fuel: it simply cannot move forward. There is abundant evidence that credit is an important driver of economic growth.1 At the most basic level, credit is the mechanism through which savers in the economy connect to borrowers, enabling them to carry out investment projects that are the basis for the process of capital accumulation. But credit does not only foster economic growth through investment. Credit also promotes productivity growth in a number of ways. Indeed, the “productivity channel” through which credit impacts economic growth is an amply studied mechanism.2
Abstract 246: Emergency Medical Services and Hospital Collaboration in the Care of Patients with Acute Myocardial Infarction

Background: High quality emergency medical services (EMS) care is important for the care of patients with acute myocardial infarction (AMI). Evidence suggests that active collaboration between EMS and hospital clinicians caring for patients with AMI is significantly associated with AMI mortality rates; however, the nature of such collaborations has not been examined. We sought to understand collaborations between EMS and hospitals in the care of patients hospitalized with AMI. Methods: We performed a qualitative study of key clinical and administrative hospital staff most closely involved with AMI care. We arrayed hospitals based on their 30-day risk-standardized AMI mortality rates (RSMRs) using Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services data from 2005-2007. We selected hospitals that ranked in the top 5% and bottom 5% of performance for both years. We conducted site visits and in-depth interviews (n=158) until successive site visits generated no new concepts, which occurred after 11 site visits. A multidisciplinary team analyzed the data using the constant comparative method to generate recurrent themes. Atlas Ti software facilitated data organization and retrieval. Results: Although both high and low performing hospitals perceived that EMS plays an important role in AMI care, high performing hospitals reported a close collaborative relationship that differed in nature and intensity from that described by the low performers in several aspects: 1) high level of respect for EMS as valued professionals and colleagues; 2) investment in diverse strategies to facilitate communication between the hospital and EMS, such as employing a hospital-based EMS liaison to provide training and support to prehospital providers and to ensure smooth and timely flow of information; and 3) active engagement of EMS in AMI care quality improvement efforts, including providing data feedback to EMS agencies on their performance. Conclusion: The relationship between EMS and the AMI care teams differed between high and low performing hospitals, with the high performing hospitals describing multifaceted strategies to support collaboration with EMS in providing AMI care. These strategies may be useful for hospitals seeking to improve the care of patients with AMI.
Applying the Roofline Performance Model to the Intel Xeon Phi Knights Landing Processor

The Roofline Performance Model is a visually intuitive method used to bound the sustained peak floating-point performance of any given arithmetic kernel on any given processor architecture. In the Roofline, performance is nominally measured in floating-point operations per second as a function of arithmetic intensity (operations per byte of data). In this study we determine the Roofline for the Intel Knights Landing (KNL) processor, determining the sustained peak memory bandwidth and floating-point performance for all levels of the memory hierarchy, in all the different KNL cluster modes. We then determine arithmetic intensity and performance for a suite of application kernels being targeted for the KNL based supercomputer Cori, and make comparisons to current Intel Xeon processors. Cori is the National Energy Research Scientific Computing Center’s (NERSC) next generation supercomputer. Scheduled for deployment mid-2016, it will be one of the earliest and largest KNL deployments in the world.
Positron Emission Tomography

Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging has increased substantially in recent years. PET allows noninvasive evaluation of myocardial blood flow, function, and metabolism. The advantages of cardiac PET imaging over SPECT are [1]: improved image quality (especially in obese patients) with high both temporal and spatial resolution, relatively short imaging protocols, routine attenuation correction (depth independent), providing peak stress ejection fraction (EF)-no time delay between hyperemic response and imaging and true quantification of myocardial blood flow and myocardial metabolism. In addition, PET provides equal sensitivity with higher specificity and diagnostic accuracy compared to SPECT. However, cardiac PET still faces the challenges of being less available, with a greater cost, less expertise, challenges of performing exercise stress due to the short half-life of the currently available radiotracers making pharmacological stress testing the only current option (until the availability of new radiopharmaceutical agents), and reimbursement issues.
Meta-analysis reveals that seed-applied neonicotinoids and pyrethroids have similar negative effects on abundance of arthropod natural enemies.

BACKGROUND Seed-applied neonicotinoids are widely used in agriculture, yet their effects on non-target species remain incompletely understood. One important group of non-target species is arthropod natural enemies (predators and parasitoids), which contribute considerably to suppression of crop pests. We hypothesized that seed-applied neonicotinoids reduce natural-enemy abundance, but not as strongly as alternative insecticide options such as soil- and foliar-applied pyrethroids. Furthermore we hypothesized that seed-applied neonicotinoids affect natural enemies through a combination of toxin exposure and prey scarcity. METHODS To test our hypotheses, we compiled datasets comprising observations from randomized field studies in North America and Europe that compared natural-enemy abundance in plots that were planted with seed-applied neonicotinoids to control plots that were either (1) managed without insecticides (20 studies, 56 site-years, 607 observations) or (2) managed with pyrethroid insecticides (eight studies, 15 site-years, 384 observations). Using the effect size Hedge's d as the response variable, we used meta-regression to estimate the overall effect of seed-applied neonicotinoids on natural-enemy abundance and to test the influence of potential moderating factors. RESULTS Seed-applied neonicotinoids reduced the abundance of arthropod natural enemies compared to untreated controls (d = -0.30 ± 0.10 [95% confidence interval]), and as predicted under toxin exposure this effect was stronger for insect than for non-insect taxa (QM = 8.70, df = 1, P = 0.003). Moreover, seed-applied neonicotinoids affected the abundance of arthropod natural enemies similarly to soil- or foliar-applied pyrethroids (d = 0.16 ± 0.42 or -0.02 ± 0.12; with or without one outlying study). Effect sizes were surprisingly consistent across both datasets (I2 = 2.7% for no-insecticide controls; I2 = 0% for pyrethroid controls), suggesting little moderating influence of crop species, neonicotinoid active ingredients, or methodological choices. DISCUSSION Our meta-analysis of nearly 1,000 observations from North American and European field studies revealed that seed-applied neonicotinoids reduced the abundance of arthropod natural enemies similarly to broadcast applications of pyrethroid insecticides. These findings suggest that substituting pyrethroids for seed-applied neonicotinoids, or vice versa, will have little net affect on natural enemy abundance. Consistent with previous lab work, our results also suggest that seed-applied neonicotinoids are less toxic to spiders and mites, which can contribute substantially to biological control in many agricultural systems. Finally, our ability to interpret the negative effect of neonicotinoids on natural enemies is constrained by difficulty relating natural-enemy abundance to biological control function; this is an important area for future study.
Striving toward transformational resistance: Youth participatory action research in the mathematics classroom

In this article, the author contributes to the growing body of scholarship on critical mathematics pedagogy. In particular, the author advances this scholarship by outlining how critical pedagogy in the mathematics classroom can support students to engage in transformational resistance. Using a critical practitioner research approach, the author retells (some of) her experiences as a high school mathematics teacher of ninth-grade Latin@ students in an Algebra I classroom. Beginning the course with activities to build a beloved community and connecting mathematics with social justice issues, the author strived to facilitate a learning space that supported transformational resistance. Through a culminating youth participatory action research project, students developed a critique of societal oppression, a motivation for social justice, and critical mathematical literacy.
CRISPR–Cas9 epigenome editing enables high-throughput screening for functional regulatory elements in the human genome

Large genome-mapping consortia and thousands of genome-wide association studies have identified non-protein-coding elements in the genome as having a central role in various biological processes. However, decoding the functions of the millions of putative regulatory elements discovered in these studies remains challenging. CRISPR-Cas9-based epigenome editing technologies have enabled precise perturbation of the activity of specific regulatory elements. Here we describe CRISPR-Cas9-based epigenomic regulatory element screening (CERES) for improved high-throughput screening of regulatory element activity in the native genomic context. Using dCas9KRAB repressor and dCas9p300 activator constructs and lentiviral single guide RNA libraries to target DNase I hypersensitive sites surrounding a gene of interest, we carried out both loss- and gain-of-function screens to identify regulatory elements for the β-globin and HER2 loci in human cells. CERES readily identified known and previously unidentified regulatory elements, some of which were dependent on cell type or direction of perturbation. This technology allows the high-throughput functional annotation of putative regulatory elements in their native chromosomal context.
Using the Practice of Modeling to Support Preservice Teachers’ Reflection on the Process of Teaching and Learning

We studied how the practices of modeling supported preservice teachers (PSTs) as a reflection tool for knowledge integration in their science methods courses. In this exploratory study, elementary ...
Estimating milk yield and value losses from increased somatic cell count on US dairy farms

ABSTRACT Milk loss due to increased somatic cell counts (SCC) results in economic losses for dairy producers. This research uses 10 mo of consecutive dairy herd improvement data from 2013 and 2014 to estimate milk yield loss using SCC as a proxy for clinical and subclinical mastitis. A fixed effects regression was used to examine factors that affected milk yield while controlling for herd-level management. Breed, milking frequency, days in milk, seasonality, SCC, cumulative months with SCC greater than 100,000 cells/mL, lactation, and herd size were variables included in the regression analysis. The cumulative months with SCC above a threshold was included as a proxy for chronic mastitis. Milk yield loss increased as the number of test days with SCC ≥100,000 cells/mL increased. Results from the regression were used to estimate a monetary value of milk loss related to SCC as a function of cow and operation related explanatory variables for a representative dairy cow. The largest losses occurred from increased cumulative test days with a SCC ≥100,000 cells/mL, with daily losses of $1.20/cow per day in the first month to $2.06/cow per day in mo 10. Results demonstrate the importance of including the duration of months above a threshold SCC when estimating milk yield losses. Cows with chronic mastitis, measured by increased consecutive test days with SCC ≥100,000 cells/mL, resulted in higher milk losses than cows with a new infection. This provides farm managers with a method to evaluate the trade-off between treatment and culling decisions as it relates to mastitis control and early detection.