cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Medium Earth Orbit (MEO) as an operational observation venue for NOAA's post GOES-R environmental satellites

Today most operational Earth observing satellites reside in low Earth orbits (LEO) at less than 1,000 km altitude, and in geostationary Earth orbits (GEO) at ~35,800 km altitude. These orbits have been the venues of choice for observations, albeit for very different reasons. LEO provides high spatial resolution with low temporal resolution while GEO provides for low spatial resolution, but high temporal resolution. NOAA utilizes both venues for their environmental satellites. The NOAA Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellites (POES) reside in LEO Sun synchronous orbits at approximately 830 km in altitude, as do the Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellites of the Department of Defense. In the near future the POES and DMSP satellites will be merged into a new satellite system referred to as the National Polar-orbiting Operational Environmental Satellite System (NPOESS). The NOAA Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite (GOES) system, as the name specifies, resides at the other preferred observational venue of GEO. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory (JPL), under contract to NOAA, has been studying the characteristics of medium Earth orbits (MEO), at altitudes between 1000 and 35,800 km, as an observation venue to answer the question as to whether MEO might capture the attributes of the two traditional venues. This on-going study initially focused on determining the optimal altitude for MEO observations, through numerous trade studies involving altitude, instrument complexity, coverage, radiation environment, data temporality, revisit time, data rates, downlink requirements and other parameters including cost and launch complexity. Once the optimal altitude of 10,400 km had been determined the study proceeded to explore single through multiple MEO satellite constellation performance capabilities using two instrument types, a visible through infrared (IR) imager and IR sounder as the satellites’ payload. The MEO performance capabilities were compared to comparable LEO and GEO satellite constellation capabilities. This portion of the study concluded that indeed for global coverage a constellation of satellites operating in the MEO venue could capture the attributes of those operating in the LEO and GEO venues. Three 8-satellite constellations configurations - Walker, ICO, and Equatorial-Polar (EP) - then were studied to develop more constellation coverage statistics including robustness to individual satellite failure. That study phase concluded that the EP constellation was superior to both the ICO and Walker configurations. The study is presently examining if, and to what extent, the equatorial portion of the EP constellation might provide substantive supplemental data to that collected by the NPOESS and GOES satellite constellations.
Retrograde autologous bone grafting through the intramedullary canal using the reamer irrigator aspirator

Local bone grafting in shaft fractures treated with anintramedullary nail usually requires opening of the site ofinterest in addition to the incisions made for insertion andlocking of the implant. This involves an additional incision,dissection of musculature, and the stripping of bone, espe-ciallyifthegraftisappliedtomorethanoneplanearoundthefracture.
Temperature effects in reflective surface-acoustic-wave delay lines

In addition to variation of delay time with temperature change, reflective surface-acoustic-wave delay lines may suffer signal-amplitude variation with temperature change. This problem occurs because of the anisotropy of the surface-wave velocity and the thermal expansion in the piezoelectric materials used for these devices. Experimental results are presented as well as appropriate design considerations for devices that must be operated at an elevated temperature.
Emerin deletion reveals a common X-chromosome inversion mediated by inverted repeats.

Emery-Dreifuss muscular dystrophy (EMD) is an X-linked disorder characterized by contractures, progressive muscle weakness and cardiomyopathy1–3. The emerin gene, located in human Xq28, is approximately 2 kb in length, is composed of 6 exons and falls within a 219-kb region that has been completely sequenced4–6. Immediately centromeric to emerin is the 26-kb filamin gene (FLN1), composed of 48 exons and encoding the actin-binding protein 280 (refs 7,8). Flanking this 48-kb FLN1/emerin region are two large inverted repeats, each 11.3 kb, that exhibit >99% sequence identity6. The high level of genomic detail in this region allowed us to characterize the first complete emerin gene deletion mutation that also involved a partial duplication of the nearby FLN1 gene. This rearrangement could be explained by mispairing of the large inverted repeats, followed by double recombination among one set of mispaired repeats and internal sequences. Furthermore, our characterization of this rare DNA rearrangement revealed a more common result of the mispairing of these large inverted repeats7—recombination contained within the inverted repeats leading to the maintenance of repeat sequence homogeneity and inversion of the 48-kb FLN1/emerin region. The presence of this frequent inversion, found in the heterozygous state in 33% of females, helps to explain the discrepancies observed between the genetic and physical map distances in this region of the X chromosome. It also illustrates the biological insights which can be gleaned by sequencing the human genome.
Security in e-business and beyond: a case study reflecting current situations and future trends

Recent advancements in science and technology provide many competitive advantages to modern businesses. During the 1990s, Dow Chemical Company revamped its business strategy and employed e-business. It introduced online business application over the World Wide Web and initiated partnership programmes with all its suppliers and customers. It connected with the B2B market places in the chemical industry like elemica.com and chemconnect.com. Dow also implemented 24/7 customer service, CRM/e-CRM programmes, etc. Once these applications were in place, Dow soon required a state-of-the-art IT security system and addressed this issue by implementing a high standard Cyber security system for its e-business based on the Chemical Sector Cyber Security Program. This paper analyses the Dow Chemical Company's successful implementation of e-business and security systems and provides insight into the future trends of e-business, m-business and beyond.
The ABC of chronic lymphocytic leukemia: etiology of cytopenias is important in staging and management.

Cytopenias are a well-recognized complication of chronic lymphocytic leukemia/small lymphocytic lymphoma (CLL). The inferior prognosis of patients with CLL with anemia and thrombocytopenia resulted...
The utstein style for uniforma reporting of data from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest

The Utstein style for uniforma reporting of data from out-of-hospital cardiac arrest was developed to solve a major problem in resuscitation research. Outcome measures related to cardiac arrest are difficult to evaluate or compare because there have been no uniform definitions or uniform agreements on what data to report. Widespread acceptance of the Utstein style will lead to a better understanding of out-of-hospital cardiac arrest.
CEBA of 1987 and the security returns and market risk of savings and loan institutions: a note

Abstract This article examines the market reaction to announcements leading to the eventual passage of the Competitive Equality Banking Act (CEBA) of 1987 using portfolios of savings and loans. Negative announcement effects of the CEBA legislation are observed for well capitalized savings and loans and positive announcement effects are observed for less capitalized savings and loans. The evidence also indicates that the market risk for the less capitalized savings and loans decreased following the passage of the CEBA legislation.
Somatization in Pediatric Primary Care: Association With Psychopathology, Functional Impairment, and Use of Services

ABSTRACT Objective To determine whether classification as pediatric “somatizers‘’ identifies a group of children and adolescents at high risk for psychopathology, functional impairment, and frequent use of health services in a large, multisite study of pediatric primary care. Method Parental reports of frequent aches and pains and visits to the doctor for medically unexplained symptoms in children aged 4 to 15 years were used to construct a classification of somatization in pediatric primary care. Affected and unaffected children and adolescents were compared on measures of demographics, family functioning, psychopathology, functional status, and service use. Results Classification as a somatizer was more common in adolescents, females, minority subjects, urban practices, nonintact families, and families with lower levels of parental education and was associated with heightened risk of clinician- and parent-identified psychopathology, family dysfunction, poor school performance and attendance, perceived health impairment, and more frequent use of health and mental health services. Conclusions Children classified as pediatric somatizers are at heightened risk for psychiatric disorder, family dysfunction, functional impairment, and frequent use of health services. Additional research is warranted, and clinicians should recognize the need for careful assessment and potential behavioral health referral in this population. J. Am. Acad. Child Adolesc. Psychiatry, 1999, 38(9):1093–1101.
Comparison of Techniques for Discriminating Among Talkers

Two studies were conducted to compare performance in distinguishing among talkers by (1) direct listening test, (2) use of ratings on psychophysical scales and semantic differential scales, and (3)...
Assembly and Release of SIV Env Proteins with Full-Length or Truncated Cytoplasmic Domains

Abstract We have used recombinant vaccinia viruses expressing full-length or truncated gag or env genes of SIVmac239 to investigate the requirements for assembly of SIV proteins. We observed that assembly of virus-like particles (VLPs) was found to be 3- to 5-fold higher with full-length Env than with the truncated forms, or than VLPs containing only Gag proteins, in primary monkey cells or various human cell lines. When cells expressing Env proteins in the absence of Gag were examined by immunoelectron microscopy, clusters of Env protein and membrane vesicles containing Env proteins were observed at cell surfaces. A low level of vesicles was released from cells expressing full-length Env, but about a 10-fold higher level was released in cells expressing a truncated form of Env [Env733(t)] in which the cytoplasmic domain is only 17 amino acids in length. Another truncated protein, Env718(t), with a short cytoplasmic tail of 3 aa, was also incorporated into VLPs at a 10-fold higher level than the full-length Env protein and was more efficiently released in vesicles. The mature SU and TM proteins were predominantly incorporated into VLPs with full-length Env, but both cleaved and uncleaved precursor proteins were present in VLPs with truncated Env as well as in Env and Env(t) vesicles. A more prominent layer of spikes was seen by electron microscopy in VLPs with truncated Env than in VLPs containing full-length Env. These results indicate that truncated Env proteins have the ability to self-associate on the cell surface and are assembled into a more closely packed array than full-length Env, which could explain the preferential incorporation of Env proteins with short cytoplasmic tails into virions.
The topology of graph products of groups

Given a finite (connected) simplicial graph with groups assigned to the vertices, the graph product of the vertex groups is the free product modulo the relation that adjacent groups commute. The graph product of finitely presented infinite groups is both semistable at infinity and quasi-simply filtrated. Explicit bounds for the isoperimetric inequality and isodiametric inequality for graph products is given, based on isoperimetric and isodiametric inequalities for the vertex groups.
Traffic Management for Planned Special Events Using Traffic Microsimulation Modeling and Tabletop Exercises

This article describes the use of microsimulation for traffic management of special events, including evacuations and traffic incidents. Specifically, the research employed tabletop exercises using the microsimulation software TransModeler to present traffic management alternatives for special events to stakeholders. The exercises involved analysis of evacuation or egress conditions with current traffic management plans, review of possible high-impact incident scenarios, and testing and formulation of improvements to current traffic management procedures, including incident response. Two case studies were developed for the tabletop exercises; one the evacuation of a minor-league baseball stadium and another concerned with vehicular egress plans for a large urban indoor arena. Both venues were in New York State's Capital District region. The results demonstrated that the real-time use of microsimulation during a tabletop exercise elicited many new traffic management strategies. Also, a cost–benefit analysi...
RESQUE: network reduction using semi-Markov random walk scores for efficient querying of biological networks.

Motivation: Recent technological advances in measuring molecular interactions have resulted in an increasing number of large-scale biological networks. Translation of these enormous network data into meaningful biological insights requires efficient computational techniques that can unearth the biological information that is encoded in the networks. One such example is network querying, which aims to identify similar subnetwork regions in a large target network that are similar to a given query network. Network querying tools can be used to identify novel biological pathways that are homologous to known pathways, thereby enabling knowledge transfer across different organisms. Results: In this article, we introduce an efficient algorithm for querying large-scale biological networks, called RESQUE. The proposed algorithm adopts a semi-Markov random walk (SMRW) model to probabilistically estimate the correspondence scores between nodes that belong to different networks. The target network is iteratively reduced based on the estimated correspondence scores, which are also iteratively re-estimated to improve accuracy until the best matching subnetwork emerges. We demonstrate that the proposed network querying scheme is computationally efficient, can handle any network query with an arbitrary topology and yields accurate querying results. Availability: The source code of RESQUE is freely available at
Computerized Tomography Reveals Aptian Rudist Species and Taphonomy

Computerized tomographic (CT) scans of cored carbonates from the Lower Aptian Shu’aiba Formation reveal clearly defined rudist profiles. Formation MicroImager (FMI) logs from the equivalent cored wellbore also display images related to the rudist content. Various rudist species can be identified in the cores and provide a key to the identification of the CT and FMI rudist images. As certain rudist species preferentially occupied different environments during the Early Aptian deposition of the Shu’aiba Formation carbonates, their recognition in the cores, CT and FMI images can be used to assist determination of palaeoenvironments, lithofacies and reservoir facies. This new ability to identify rudist images in FMI logs in uncored development wells can be used to extend depositional facies models into uncored parts of the hydrocarbon reservoir models.
Shannon McCune 1913–1993

(1994). Shannon McCune 1913–1993. Annals of the Association of American Geographers: Vol. 84, No. 3, pp. 493-499.
Review of Some Experimental and Analytical Equations of State

Four different polynomial equations and seven nonlinear equations, all applicable to both solids and liquids, are compared theoretically and statistically. Detailed curve-fitting results are presented for recent water and Hg isothermal data. Uncommonly used methods of statistical analysis and comparison, including generalized least squares, are described, justified compared to usual methods, and applied. In general, certain polynomial equations are found to yield significantly better fits of many different water and Hg data sets than any nonlinear equation considered. The Tait and Murnaghan equations, in particular, lead to strong systematic behavior of all residuals calculated herein with them, showing that they are inadequate models for all the data considered. Even a nonlinear equation derived from a second-order expansion of the bulk modulus $K$ in powers of the pressure, which is shown to include several frequently used equations as special cases, is inferior to selected polynomial equations but is still the best equation examined when appreciable extrapolation is necessary. The method of volume normalization almost always used heretofore in statistical fitting of equations of state to $P\ensuremath{-}V$ data is shown to be inadequate and two alternative approaches are proposed and employed herein. Critical comparison of previous analyses of water and Hg data is made with the results of the present, more refined approach. The likelihood of important systematic errors in $P\ensuremath{-}V$ data, particularly data derived from ultrasonic measurements on liquids under pressure, is pointed out and high probability of their occurrence in some of the data analyzed is demonstrated. Even the combination of the best data apparently available and the use of better statistical-analysis methods than have been employed before does not yet allow one to obtain highly accurate values of the ${{K}_{0}}^{\ensuremath{'}}$ parameter of water or Hg, and only an order-of-magnitude estimate of the ${{K}_{0}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$ parameter seems currently possible. Nevertheless, it appears that near room temperature ${{K}_{0}}^{\ensuremath{'}\ensuremath{'}}$ is positive for water and probably negative for Hg and that its appreciable magnitude for both materials renders a second-order expansion of $K$ inadequate.
First Extinctions on Land

The golden toad (Bufo periglenes) disappeared from Costa Rica in 1989 and became the first terrestrial extinction to be linked to climate change. Like the first marine extinction attributed to climate change (see chapter 7), the extinction of the golden toad was linked to El Nino events. The marine extinction is irrefutably linked to coral bleaching, but the causes of the golden toad extinction are far more controversial. Golden toad sightings have been reported in Guatemala since the 1980s, but these sightings have never been confirmed. Although there is some hope that residual populations still survive, Bufo periglenes is currently listed as extinct in the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) Red List, and the cause of the extinction is hotly debated.
Decreased iPLA2γ expression induces lipid peroxidation and cell death and sensitizes cells to oxidant-induced apoptosis

Our previous studies showed that renal proximal tubular cells (RPTC) express Ca2+-independent phospholipase A2γ (iPLA2γ) in endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and mitochondria and that iPLA2γ prevents and/or repairs lipid peroxidation induced by oxidative stress. Our present studies determined the importance of iPLA2γ in mitochondrial and cell function using an iPLA2γ-specific small hairpin ribonucleic acid (shRNA) adenovirus. iPLA2γ expression and activity were decreased in the ER by 24 h and in the mitochondria by 48 h compared with scrambled shRNA adenovirus-treated cells. Lipid peroxidation was elevated by 2-fold at 24 h and remained elevated through 72 h in cells with decreased iPLA2γ. Using electrospray ionization-mass spectrometry, primarily phosphatidylcholines and phosphatidylethanolamines were increased in iPLA2γ-shRNA-treated cells. At 48 h after exposure to the iPLA2γ shRNA, uncoupled oxygen consumption was inhibited by 25% and apoptosis was observed at 72 and 96 h. RPTC with decreased iPLA2γ expression underwent apoptosis when exposed to a nonlethal concentration of the oxidant tert-butyl hydroperoxide (TBHP). Exposure of control cells to a nonlethal concentration of TBHP induced iPLA2γ expression in RPTC. These results suggest that iPLA2γ is required for the prevention and repair of basal lipid peroxidation and the maintenance of mitochondrial function and viability, providing further evidence for a cytoprotective role for iPLA2γ from oxidative stress.
Section IV: selective use of neoadjuvant therapy.

Abstract Compared to lung cancer, treatment algorithms for esophageal cancer are not well established as a consequence of the low incidence of esophageal malignancies. Radiation therapy and chemotherapy as single modality therapies are inadequate for a reliable cure. Current debate in the literature focuses on the potential added value of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy prior to surgery versus surgery alone. We believe this debate is secondary to the lack of careful discrimination with respect to staging of high-risk groups. We advocate the selective use of neoadjuvant chemoradiation therapy for localized esophageal cancer, similar to its use in stage IIIA (N2) NSCLC, and justify this approach on the basis of our own single institution data, which is summarized in this article. © 2003 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Concurrent constraint programming

This paper presents a new and very rich class of (concurrent) programming languages, based on the notion of computing with partial information, and the concomitant notions of consistency and entailment.1 In this framework, computation emerges from the interaction of concurrently executing agents that communicate by placing, checking and instantiating constraints on shared variables. Such a view of computation is interesting in the context of programming languages because of the ability to represent and manipulate partial information about the domain of discourse, in the context of concurrency because of the use of constraints for communication and control, and in the context of AI because of the availability of simple yet powerful mechanisms for controlling inference, and the promise that very rich representational/programming languages, sharing the same set of abstract properties, may be possible.To reflect this view of computation, [Sar89] develops the cc family of languages. We present here one member of the family, cc(↓, →) (pronounced “cc with Ask and Choose”) which provides the basic operations of blocking Ask and atomic Tell and an algebra of behaviors closed under prefixing, indeterministic choice, interleaving, and hiding, and provides a mutual recursion operator. cc(↓, →) is (intentionally!) very similar to Milner's CCS, but for the radically different underlying concept of communication, which, in fact, provides a general—and elegant—alternative approach to “value-passing” in CCS. At the same time it adequately captures the framework of committed choice concurrent logic programming languages. We present the rules of behavior for cc agents, motivate a notion of “visible action” for them, and develop the notion of c-trees and reactive congruence analogous to Milner's synchronization trees and observational congruence. We also present an equational characterization of reactive congruence for Finitary cc(↓, →).
Interventions for prevention of post‐operative recurrence of Crohn's disease

Background Recurrence of Crohn's disease is common after intestinal resection. A number of agents have been studied in controlled trials with the goal of reducing the risk of endoscopic or clinical recurrence of Crohn's disease following surgery. Objectives To undertake a systematic review of the use of medical therapies for the prevention of post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease Search methods MEDLINE, EMBASE and the Cochrane Central Register of Controlled Trials (CENTRAL) were searched to identify relevant studies. References from selected papers and abstracts from Digestive Disease Week were also searched. Selection criteria Randomised controlled trials that compared medical therapy to placebo or other medical agents for the prevention of recurrence of intestinal Crohn's disease were selected for inclusion. Data collection and analysis Two authors reviewed all abstracts containing search terms, and those meeting inclusion criteria were selected for full data abstraction. Dichotomous data were summarised using relative risk and 95% confidence intervals. A fixed-effects model was used, and sensitivity analysis performed. Main results Twenty-three studies were identified for inclusion. Probiotics were not superior to placebo for any outcome measured. The use of nitroimidazole antibiotics appeared to reduce the risk of clinical (RR 0.23; 95%CI 0.09 to 0.57, NNT=4) and endoscopic (RR 0.44; 95%CI 0.26 to 0.74, NNT = 4) recurrence relative to placebo. However, these agents were associated with higher risk of serious adverse events (RR 2.39, 95% CI 1.5 to 3.7). Mesalamine therapy was associated with a significantly reduced risk of clinical recurrence (RR 0.76; 95% CI 0.62 to 0.94, NNT = 12), and severe endoscopic recurrence (RR 0.50; 95% CI 0.29 to 0.84, NNT = 8) when compared to placebo. Azathioprine/6MP was also associated with a significantly reduced risk of clinical recurrence (RR 0.59; 95% CI 0.38 to 0.92, NNT = 7), and severe endoscopic recurrence (RR 0.64; 95% CI 0.44 to 0.92, NNT = 4), when compared to placebo. Neither agent had a higher risk than placebo of serious adverse events. When compared to azathioprine/6MP, mesalamine was associated with a higher risk of any endoscopic recurrence (RR 1.45, 95% CI 1.03 to 2.06), but a lower risk of serious adverse events (RR 0.51; 95% CI 0.30 to 0.89). There was no significant difference between mesalamine and azathioprine/6MP for any other outcome. Authors' conclusions There are insufficient randomised controlled trials of infliximab, budesonide, tenovil and interleukin-10 to draw conclusions. Nitro-imidazole antibiotics, mesalamine and immunosuppressive therapy with azathioprine/6-MP or infliximab all appear to be superior to placebo for the prevention of post-operative recurrence of Crohn's disease. The cost, toxicity and tolerability of these approaches require careful consideration to determine the optimal approach for post-operative prophylaxis.
Recurrent Fever and Rash

Periodic fever is uncommon in children. The differential diagnosis is large, even though associated symptoms such as rash may help narrow the differential diagnosis. Atypical presentations require thoughtful evaluation. This article describes a case of a 4-year-old boy who presented to the emergency department with recurrent fever, vomiting, abdominal pain, myalgias, and rash. His hospital course is described along with a review on the background, evaluation, management, and complications of tumor necrosis receptor-1 alpha periodic syndrome.
A Gas Exchange-Fluorescence Analysis of Photosynthetic Performance of a Cotton Crop Under High-Irradiance Stress [Extended Abstract]

The main objectives of the investigation were to determine: (1) the extent to which, if any, cotton leaves exposed to intense sunlight in the field suffer photoinhibitory damage to the photosynthetic system. A potential for such damage is present whenever the light energy absorbed by the leaves greatly exceeds the rate with which de-excitation can take place via photosynthesis; (2) the extent to which water stress may induce or exacerbate photoinhibition by reducing the rate of photosynthesis and hence increasing the amount of excessive light energy; and (3) the possible operation of protective mechanisms that would prevent an accumulation of excessive excitation energy at the photosynthetic reaction centres. A crop of upland cotton ( Gossypium hirsutum L. cv. Acala SJ2) grown in the San Joaquin Valley of California was chosen as the principal material for these studies. The main reasons for this choice are that this region receives extremely high insolation during the period of canopy development and the diaheliotropic leaf movements exhibited by this species of cotton further increase the daily radiation receipt by exposed leaves to ca . 40% above that received by horizontally oriented leaves.
Role of postoperative vasopressor use in occurrence of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting

Vasopressor use is common after coronary artery bypass grafting surgery. This study evaluated the role of postoperative vasopressor use as a predictor of occurrence of atrial fibrillation after coronary artery bypass grafting and demonstrates that vasopressor use is an independent predictor of such an occurrence.
Artistic Creativity and the Meaning of Freedom

Despite the fact that today's art world is thought to be a pluralistic one, ostensibly free of many of the constraints inherent in past eras, many artists feel that they are still unable to create meaningful art. Thus we encounter a paradox. Too much freedom somehow leads to too little. It is argued here, however, that because freedom means significantly more than the mere absence of constraints, there is no paradox at all; the illusion of freedom has simply been mistaken for freedom itself. With a more inclusive conception of what freedom means, both in the context of art and in that of society more generally, we may be more likely to see freedom actualized.
Xyris bracteicaulis, A New Species from the Coastal Plain of New York

Abstract. Xyris bracteicaulis (Xyridaceae) is described as a new species known only from a single collection from Long Island, New York. The Coastal Plain pondshore habitat in New York supports dynamic plant communities with species rare for the state. The new species is described, illustrated, and compared to morphologically similar specimens.
Sharing the good, sharing the bad: the benefits of emotional self-disclosure among middle-aged and older adults.

Objective: The present study was designed to assess the impact of experimentally manipulating positive and negative self-disclosure on three domains of well-being among healthy middle-aged and older adults: emotional, psychological, and physical. Method: Using a modified self-disclosure paradigm for sad, mixed (sad and happy), and neutral content, the authors examine changes in depressive symptomatology, stress, sad and happy mood, and self-reported health across 4 weeks in a sample (N = 200) of African American and European American men and women (age M = 54 years). Results: Consistent with research on younger groups, health symptomatology declined over time (irrespective of condition). However, although African Americans reported reductions in stress and depressive symptomatology in the sad condition, European Americans experienced similar reductions only in the neutral condition. Discussion: Results are discussed in terms of applications of the self-disclosure paradigm to developmentally and ethnically...
The Use of Virtue and Character in Applied Ethics

This article explores the criticism made against “virtue ethics” that it is insufficiently normative and thus is unable to assist decision makers in making practical moral choices. By assessing the claims, strengths, and weaknesses of contemporary proposals for “character ethics,” the article contends that a virtue approach to ethics does yield some central moral norms. An ethical perspective that combines these norms with the insights offered by the idea of virtue itself provides a compelling framework for moral choice. A case study illustrates the claims.
Owner's Guidelines for Selecting Safe Contractors

A study of practical means by which owners can reduce construction costs was undertaken as part of a larger investigation of construction cost control. The study involved three parts: 1) documenting the costs of accidents, 2) selecting safe contractors and 3) monitoring for construction safety. The major costs of accidents are found to be workers' compensation insurance costs and hidden costs, conservatively estimated from the research to total 4% of project costs on industrial construction. The size of construction accident costs combined with the fact that research shows that they can be reduced very substantially by management methods makes selection and monitoring by owners cost effective techniques. Criteria for selection of safe contractors are described in detail: Experience modification ratings, OSHA incidence rates, and management safety accountability. Effective monitoring methods are also listed.
Abstract 4363: Inhibitory efficacy of curcumin ± stem cell specific RNAi on the growth of tumorospheres in vitro: Assay development and mechanisms of action

Proceedings: AACR 102nd Annual Meeting 2011‐‐ Apr 2‐6, 2011; Orlando, FL Colorectal cancer (CRC) is the third most common cancer and leading cause of cancer related deaths in the Unites States. Several therapies are currently being used to treat the disease but recurrence remains a challenge. It is believed that cancer stem cells (CSCs) may be resistant to currently used radiation and chemotherapeutic treatments, and may thus be the likely cause of relapse. It is postulated that CSCs may arise from normal adult stem cells and, therefore, preventing aberrant proliferation of stem/progenitor cells and/or targeting CSCs may improve treatment outcomes. However, to-date, there are no assays for examining response of ‘stem cells’ in vitro. Therefore one of our goals was to isolate stem cells from colorectal cancers, and establish stem/progenitor cell bioassays to examine inhibitory efficacy of chemo preventive agents and stem cell specific siRNA. In recent years, several putative stem/progenitor cell markers have been identified, including DCAMKL-1, CD44 and LGR5. Curcumin is being used in clinical trials for treating CRCs. For our studies we chose to isolate CSCs using the above indicated stem cell markers, each of which expresses an extracellular domain. We successfully isolated stem cell populations enriched in the indicated markers, and established tumorospheres from a colon cancer cell line (HCT-116); these growths are selective for stem cells, and can therefore be used in bioassays for examining inhibitory efficacy of drugs on stem cells in vitro. We examined the inhibitory efficacy of curcumin±DCAMKL-1 siRNA against growth of HCT-116 tumorospheres. Spheres were fixed and stained for DCAMKL-1, CD44, and LGR5, and examined by fluorescence confocal microscopy. The effect on growth signaling pathways was quantified by Western Blot analysis. Our results reveal that both DCAMKL-1 siRNA and curcumin exert inhibitory effects on growth of HCT-116 tumorospheres, and reduce relative expression levels of NFκBp65 and β-catenin in tumorospheres. Importantly, DCAMKL-1 siRNA potentiated inhibitory potency of Curcumin. In conclusion, we have successfully established in vitro methods for examining proliferative/inhibitory efficacy of various molecules on the biology and response of cancer stem cells, which can be expected to impact cancer treatment strategies. This work is supported by NIH grants CA97959 and CA114264 to PS and NASA grants NNX09AM08G and NNJ04HD83G to RU. Citation Format: {Authors}. {Abstract title} [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the 102nd Annual Meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research; 2011 Apr 2-6; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Cancer Res 2011;71(8 Suppl):Abstract nr 4363. doi:10.1158/1538-7445.AM2011-4363
Exploring the Utility of a School-Age Narrative Microstructure Index: Proportion of Restricted Utterances.

Purpose This research attempted to replicate Hoffman's 2009 finding that the proportion of narrative utterances with semantic or syntactic errors (i.e., ≥ 14% “restricted utterances”) can different...
Impact of Variable-Geometry Stator Hub Leakage in a Low Speed Axial Compressor

The impact of hub leakage flow associated with the clearance gaps of hub-shrouded variable-geometry stator rows in axial compressors is investigated experimentally. The objectives of this work are to investigate the sensitivity of performance to chordwise leakage location and to provide guidance for the mechanical design of variable stator hub trunions. Although blade loading near the hub is increased when leakage occurs at the leading edge, losses also increase for both design and off-design operating conditions. Leading edge leakage also causes a greater spanwise variation in absolute turning angle over the first 20% of span from the hub. Results show that for a moderately separated stator, the optimum leakage configuration features trailing edge leakage with the leading edge sealed. This confirms the current practice of most engine companies in placing the hub trunion at the blade leading edge.Copyright © 1998 by ASME
Research on the association of rural residents disease economic risk and disastrous health spending of Tengzhou City

Comprehensive using disease economic risk and disastrous health spending to analysis rural residents' disease economic risk.The results show that the family of the overall disease economic risks is low,but still 9.49% of families in a high risk of disease;disease economic risk of poor residents is 6.63 times of the non-poor;correlationship between family disease economic risk and disastrous health spending incidence;disastrous health spending incidence of poor residents is higher than non-poor.In this regard,make suggestions on establishing major sickness benefit fund,implementing progressive payment system,and optimizing adjustment co-ordination compensation proposals.
Interactions between TGF-beta and adrenocorticotropin in growth regulation of human adrenal fetal zone cells.

The factors that regulate growth and function of the human adrenal gland during intrauterine development and thereafter are ill defined. Whereas others have reported that adrenocorticotropic hormone (ACTH) augments the inhibitory effect of transforming growth factor-beta (TGF-beta) on growth of fetal zone (FZ) cells of the human fetal adrenal, we recently found that ACTH interferes with TGF-beta's inhibition of growth of fetal adrenal neocortex cells. In this study we sought to assess independently the effects of TGF-beta in the absence and presence of ACTH on growth of FZ cells. TGF-beta, in a time- and dose-dependent manner, inhibited growth (i.e., [3H]thymidine incorporation) of FZ cells. ACTH (Cortrosyn), at 90 pM to 90 nM, was found to interfere with the TGF-beta inhibition of FZ growth. ACTH 1-24 and human ACTH 1-39, both from Sigma Chemical, also were found to blunt the response of FZ cells to TGF-beta. Growth inhibition due to TGF-beta action and the reversal by ACTH of TGF-beta effects on FZ cell growth were confirmed by the results of immunohistochemical analyses of 5'-bromo-2'-deoxyuridine incorporation into nuclei of FZ cells and by indirect evaluations of cell numbers. Both forskolin (10 microM) and dibutyryl adenosine 3',5'-cyclic monophosphate (1 mM), but not phorbol 12-myristate 13-acetate (1 or 100 mM), were able to mimic ACTH actions in blunting the inhibitory effects of TGF-beta on DNA synthesis. We conclude that ACTH, possibly via activation of adenylate cyclase, interferes with, rather than augments, the growth-inhibitory effect of TGF-beta on FZ cell growth.
Impact of fetal alcohol exposure on body systems: A systematic review

Review of published manuscripts on fetal alcohol exposure on several body systems. Method Articles in this review were found online using databases such as Medline, Medline Complete, PubMed, and Health Source: Nursing/Academic Edition. The following terms were searched: fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, fetal alcohol syndrome, prenatal alcohol exposure, and alcohol related birth defects. Results Thirteen articles were gathered, five original investigations and eight reviews. This review identified several abnormalities in the body systems discussed and their associations to fetal alcohol syndrome. Conclusions Evidence shows that the brain was the most severely impacted organ of the body systems discussed. However, prenatal alcohol exposure causes several abnormalities within the heart, kidney, liver, gastrointestinal tract, and the endocrine systems. In addition, preventative measures need to be taken by mothers during pregnancy. Birth Defects Research (Part C), 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. Birth Defects Research (Part C) 108:174–180, 2016. © 2016 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
The Future of Basic Science in Academic Surgery: Identifying Barriers to Success for Surgeon-scientists

Objective:The aim of this study was to examine the challenges confronting surgeons performing basic science research in today's academic surgery environment.Summary of Background Data:Multiple studies have identified challenges confronting surgeon-scientists and impacting their ability to be success
Incidence and Prevention of Herpes Zoster Reactivation in Patients with Autoimmune Diseases

Herpes zoster is the reactivation of latent varicella zoster virus usually occurring decades after initial exposure, and manifesting as a painful vesicular rash occurring along one or more dermatomes. Zoster incidence increases with age as cell mediated immunity against latent virus wanes. Epidemiological evidence suggests that individuals with underlying rheumatic diseases are at increased risk for zoster. It remains unclear whether this is due to immunosuppressive medications or from immune dysregulation of the underlying disease. A vaccine against zoster is available for individuals 50 years and older. Theoretical risks remain about using this live-attenuated virus vaccine in immunosuppressed individuals.
A Provocation on Behalf of the Excluded

This chapter explores how exclusion from the multilayered, complex media ecology of a community, city, or nation has exponentially dire consequences for the those who are excluded and is an attempt to galvanize more research at all levels to examine the cost of exclusion in order to provide activists, community leaders, and policymakers with the data they need to produce the changes we need at the legislative level. The authors argue that a media-ecology approach is more consistent with people’s lived experiences. Using this approach, along with the Wilson–Tongia formulation, they understand the media ecology as a network within which representation, ownership, employment, and access all play a role.
Missing the point: self-inflicted traumatic brain injury in psychosis

A 36-year-old man was brought to the emergency department by emergency medical services after being found acting unusually at a gas station with blood on his head and clothing. He presented acutely psychotic and reported that he had a pen in his head. Medical evaluation was notable for a superficial puncture wound to the right temple, and he was medically cleared for psychiatric evaluation. After he developed nausea and headache later that evening, the CT scan revealed a temporal bone fracture, pneumocephalus, intraparenchymal haemorrhage and the presence of a metal pen tip lodged in the brain parenchyma. The full nature of the injury went undiscovered in the emergency department for 16 hours due to the superficial appearance of the injury and his acute psychosis with prominent delusional thought content and disorganisation. He underwent craniotomy with removal of the pen and subsequent hospitalisation for intravenous antibiotics, followed by a prolonged psychiatric hospitalisation for psychosis.
Cross-Calibration of RGB and Thermal Cameras with a LIDAR for RGB-Depth-Thermal Mapping

We present a method for calibrating the extrinsic parameters between a RGB camera, a thermal camera, and a LIDAR. The calibration procedure we use is common to both the RGB and thermal cameras. The extrinsic calibration procedure assumes that the cameras are geometrically calibrated. To aid the geometric calibration of the thermal camera, we use a calibration target made of black-and-white melamine that looks like a checkerboard pattern in the thermal and RGB images. For the extrinsic calibration, we place a circular calibration target in the common field of view of the cameras and the LIDAR and compute the extrinsic parameters by minimizing an objective function that aligns the edges of the circular target in the LIDAR to its corresponding edges in the RGB and thermal images. We illustrate the convexity of the objective function and discuss the convergence of the algorithm. We then identify the various sources of coloring errors (after cross-calibration) as (a) noise in the LIDAR points, (b) error in the...
Public engagement and student archaeological projects: Lessons from research at Woodrow Ruin, New Mexico, USA

Archaeology students face many hurdles while completing thesis or dissertation projects. Acquiring funding, collecting and analyzing data, conducting fieldwork, and presenting results are just some...
Mapping under changing trajectory estimates

Occupancy mapping is an important component of a robot navigation system since it enables intelligent planning of actions to accomplish a task. In some cases, occupancy information is mapped as part of a SLAM system. In other cases, such as visual SLAM, an occupancy map must be separately created, harnessing localization information. We present a novel occupancy mapping method that adaptively and efficiently takes advantage of improved trajectory estimates from the localization system, without requiring storage of all poses of the trajectory or the sensor information from all poses. Occupancy information is stored in local maps anchored to poses in the trajectory. Local maps are created adaptively depending on the uncertainty of localization. The local maps maintain consistency of occupancy information independently of changes in the localization map due to loop closures or convergence of the estimation algorithm. At any time, a global occupancy map (snapshot map) can be rendered from the local occupancy maps. We evaluate the performance of the system using real data and compare it to two baseline methods.
Fine-Needle Aspiration-Based Grading of Pancreatic Neuroendocrine Neoplasms Using Ki-67: Is Accurate WHO Grading Possible on Cytologic Material?

Introduction The World Health Organization (WHO) has provided grading guidelines for pancreatic neuroendocrine neoplasms (PanNENs) based on mitotic count and Ki-67 proliferation index. Driven by the desire to provide earlier tumor grading for clinical management decisions, some groups have proposed grading PanNENs at the time of fine-needle aspiration (FNA) using Ki-67 proliferation rates. Although a Ki-67 rate can be performed on FNA cell blocks, there are potential sampling limitations with this technique that may affect the reliability of the Ki-67 result. Materials and Methods Forty-nine PanNENs with FNA cell blocks and corresponding resection material were evaluated by immunohistochemistry for expression of Ki-67. Ki-67 proliferation rate was calculated based on cell counts >500 cells in the highest-staining areas. Ki-67 scores from FNA cell blocks were correlated with Ki-67 scores from resection specimens. Results The FNA Ki-67 proliferation rates overall did not correlate well with the resection specimen. A linear regression analysis of the correlation between FNA %Ki-67 and resection %Ki-67 showed a slope of 3.2 and an R2 = 0.58. The average difference in Ki-67 proliferation rate between FNA and resection was 5.9%. Thirty-nine percent (19 of 49 cases) of PanNENs showed discordant grading between the FNA cell block and resection specimen. Almost all (18 of 19) discordant cases demonstrated a lower FNA-based grade than the resection grade. Conclusions FNA cell block grading using Ki-67 rates frequently led to under-grading of the tumor. This finding is consistent with concerns that FNA may not provide accurate grading because of the limited sampling of the tumor.