cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
High-Ability Students’ Time Spent Outside the Classroom:

This study considered how three groups of academically talented high school students—those who attended an academic summer program (TIP), those who qualified for the program but chose not to attend (QNA), and those who did not qualify (DNQ)—spent time outside the classroom. These groupings differentiated students by ability (QNA vs. DNQ) and attendance (TIP vs. QNA). Male-female comparisons were also conducted. By comparing participation rates across a variety of activities and by sex, the current study helps explain the lives of high-ability students outside the arena by which they are defined: their academic ability. Results reveal numerous group and sex differences based on how high-ability students spend their time outside the classroom. Females tended to participate more than males in activities that were generally positively associated with academic achievement, while also participating in more types of activities. Males, however, reported watching more TV and were less likely to participate in any activity. QNA students reported spending more time on academic-related activities, such as homework and academic clubs, than did DNQ students, indicating a generally higher interest in academic endeavors. However, the QNA and TIP groups differed only in their service club participation rates, indicating that attending a summer program is not associated with spending time outside the classroom differently during the school year. This research underscores the heterogeneity of different groups of high-ability students and suggests some caution when generalizing from research findings based only on program participants. Knowing how students spend their time can help parents, educators, and researchers understand and foster adolescent development.
The effect of A teacher questioning strategy training program on teaching behavior, student achievement, and retention

The use of questions in the classroom has been employed throughout the recorded history of teaching. One still hears the term “Socratic method” during discussions of questioning procedures. The use of teacher questions is presently viewed as a viable procedure for effective instruction. This study was conducted to investigate the feasibility of training teachers in the use of a questioning technique and the resultant effect upon student learning. The Post-Test Only Control Group Design was used in randomly assigning teachers and students to experimental and control groups. A group of teachers was trained in the use of a specific questioning technique. Follow-up periodic observations were made of questioning technique behavior while teaching science units to groups of students. Post-unit achievement tests were administered to the student groups to obtain evidence of a relationship between the implementation of specific types of teacher questions and student achievement and retention. Analysis of observation data indicated a higher use of managerial and rhetorical questions by the control group than the experimental group. The experimental group employed a greater number of recall and data gathering questions as well as higher order data processing and data verification type questions. The student posttest achievement scores for both units of instruction were greater for the experimental groups than for the control groups. The retention scores for both units were Beater for the experimental groups than for the control groups.
THE ACTION OF TESTOSTERONE PROPIONATE ON EXPERIMENTAL MENSTRUATION IN THE MONKEY1

CLINICAL OBSERVATIONS have shown that when masculinizing changes begin in girls, as in virilism, menstruation becomes irregular, scanty or stops for long periods. This has led to investigations of the possible rOle of androgens in the menstrual cycle. It is possible experimentally to inhibit the rhythmic occurrence of menstruation by administration of androgen in the intact monkey (1, 2) and in women (3, 4). The uterine bleeding which follows the cessation of adequate estrogenic stimulation in monkeys (5) has likewise been inhibited by the subsequent administration of androgen (2). Relatively high doses have been used to accomplish this androgenic inhibition. Testosterone has several biological reactions fairly similar to those of progesterone. One of these is the inhibition of experimental menstrual bleeding in spayed monkeys subject to estrogen′deprivation (6). In spite of the observation that these two hormones exert a different histological reaction on the endometrium (7), the actual mechanism whereby...
Meaning and centrality of caring activities among older women.

ABSTRACT This article explores the meaning and conditions of caring activities for older women. Taped, in-person interviews were conducted with 53 ethnically and economically diverse women, 55–84 years old. The interview guide contained open-ended questions regarding the process of taking on caring activities and the centrality of care to personal identity. Past activities were automatically assumed, in contrast to the present experience of choice. Caring activities provided meaning and continuity throughout the life course. Participants reported becoming more self-protective over the life course and offered seven explanations for their increased ability to be self-protective.
The prevalence of inflammatory back pain: population-based estimates from the US National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, 2009–10

Objective To estimate the current US inflammatory back pain (IBP) prevalence using four published case definitions. Methods Analysis of an IBP data collection instrument specifically designed for the 2009–10 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey. Subjects were 5103 US adults ages 20–69 with complete data. IBP prevalence as determined by Calin et al criteria, European Spondylarthropathy Study Group (ESSG) criteria, and Berlin criteria 8a and 7b. Results Age-adjusted US prevalence of IBP by Calin criteria was 5.0% (95% CI 4.2% to 5.8%). Prevalence of IBP was 5.6% (95% CI 4.7% to 6.5%) by ESSG criteria, and 5.8% (95% CI 5.2% to 6.4%) and 6.0% (95% CI 4.9% to 7.1%) by Berlin Criteria 8a and 7b, respectively. IBP prevalence did not differ significantly by age groups or between men and women. IBP prevalence was significantly lower among non-Hispanic black persons compared with non-Hispanic white persons for the Calin and ESSG IBP criteria. For the ESSG and Berlin 7b criteria, non-Hispanic white persons had significantly higher IBP prevalences compared with Mexican Americans. Conclusions IBP is associated with spondyloarthritis. Awareness of the prevalence of IBP may be useful for planning future epidemiological studies as well as development and validation of diagnostic and classification criteria for specific clinically defined diseases.
Is Political Science Really Young

Kim Quaile Hill ( PS: Political Science and Politics , July 2004) seeks to debunk five “myths about the physical sciences” that “pose notable hurdles for appreciating the social sciences as legitimate scientific enterprise” (467). One of these myths is that “the physical sciences have always been highly successful in explaining their subject matter.” Hill complains that political science students are “ignorant of the history of science” and therefore they fail to “appreciate the differences between young and mature scientific disciplines…. If students can appreciate that all sciences were once youthful—as political science still is today—they will have a useful perspective by which to understand why and how the knowledge base of our discipline is limited” (469).
Advances in adult asthma diagnosis and treatment and health outcomes, education, delivery, and quality in 2008

In 2008 the Journal reported new findings in management of asthma. Dosing schedules of inhaled steroids have been modified and individualized. New, more costly propellants are replacing ozone-depleting chlorofluorocarbons. An association of asthma with pneumococcal disease has been observed. Smoking bans in public places are eliminating second-hand smoke and reducing asthma-related emergency department visits among adults. In contrast with these advances, however, disparity in asthma morbidity persists: black persons compared with white persons have a 4-fold greater risk of an asthma-related emergency department visit.
Topological search in automated mechatronic system synthesis using bond graphs and genetic programming

We have introduced a well-defined scalable benchmark problem - the eigenvalue placement problem - to investigate scalability issues in automated topology synthesis of mechatronic systems based on bond graphs and genetic programming. This classical inverse problem shares characteristics with many other system synthesis problems, such as electric circuit and controller synthesis, in terms of epistasis and multi-modality of the search space. Critical issues of open-ended topology search by genetic programming are investigated, including encoding, population seeding, scalability and evolvability. For the eigenvalue problems, we have found there exists a correlation between structure and function that is important for efficient topology search. Standard genetic programming has been used to solve up to 20-eigen-value problems, finding the target system of bush topology out of 823,065 possibilities with only 29506 topology evaluations.
Efficiency of Producing Hatching Eggs via Artificial Insemination and Natural Mating of Broiler Breeder Pullets

Abstract Broiler breeder pullets housed in stairstep cages were artificially inseminated with a) .05 ml semen every seven days, b) .05 ml semen every six days, or c) with .05 ml, .07 ml, or .09 ml semen every seven days. The resulting fertility and hatchability data were compared with that obtained from pullets that were naturally mated on slat-litter floors and in colony cages. In the naturally mated birds, the male to female ratio was 1:10. Data were also obtained on production efficiency factors. Fertility and hatchability rates following artificial insemination every seven days with .05 ml semen were significantly lower than those obtained with natural mating. Increasing the insemination frequency to once every six days or increasing the volume of semen inseminated to .07 ml or .09 ml did not significantly improve fertility over that obtained by artificial insemination once every seven days with .05 ml semen. During the last phase of the experiment, fertility rates from the naturally mated pullets were not superior to those obtained by artificial insemination. This was due to reduced fertility rates in the naturally mated pullets rather than to increased fertility rates in the artificially inseminated pullets. Pullets in the stairstep cages performed significantly better than those in the colony cages with respect to egg production and the percentage of dirty eggs. Their performance was equal to that of pullets held on slat-litter floors for egg production, the percentage of large eggs, and the percentage of dirty eggs. However, they produced significantly more cracked eggs (1.3%) than those pullets on the slat-litter floors (1.0%).
Synthesis and unusual properties of expanded bilirubin analogs

Abstract Pentapyrrole analogs of bilirubin and biliverdin have been prepared along with corresponding analogs where two dipyrrinones are attached to p-xylyl and m-xylyl groups. As determined by spectroscopic analysis and molecular modelling, the “expanded” yellow bilirubin analogs are able to adopt intramolecularly hydrogen bonded conformations.
Adaptive Control for Energy Storage Systems in Households With Photovoltaic Modules

Integration of residential-level photovoltaic (PV) power generation and energy storage systems into the smart grid will provide a better way of utilizing renewable power. With dynamic energy pricing models, consumers can use PV-based generation and controllable storage devices for peak shaving on their power demand profile from the grid, and thereby, minimize their electric bill cost. The residential storage controller should possess the ability of forecasting future PV power generation as well as the power consumption profile of the household for better performance. In this paper, novel PV power generation and load power consumption prediction algorithms are presented, which are specifically designed for a residential storage controller. Furthermore, to perform effective storage control based on these predictions, the proposed storage control algorithm is separated into two tiers: the global control tier and the local control tier. The former is performed at decision epochs of a billing period (a month) to globally “plan” the future discharging/charging schemes of the storage system, whereas the latter one is performed more frequently as system operates to dynamically revise the storage control policy in response to the difference between predicted and actual power generation and consumption profiles. The global tier is formulated and solved as a convex optimization problem at each decision epoch, whereas the local tier is analytically solved. Finally, the optimal size of the energy storage module is determined so as to minimize the break-even time of the initial investment in the PV and storage systems.
Quantization errors in the fast Fourier transform

When a fast Fourier transform (FFT) is implemented on a digital machine, quantization errors will arise due to finite word lengths in the digital system. The magnitudes and characteristics of these errors must be known if an FFT is to be designed with the minimum word lengths needed for acceptable performance. Two forms of FFT quantization, coefficient rounding and floating point arithmetic quantization, are analyzed in this paper. A theory is presented from which several new results can be obtained. The error characteristics of FFT's using exact and truncated values for the coefficients 1 and -j are found to be roughly equivalent. The accuracy of the theory is tested by computer simulations. Using the models introduced in this paper, new and accurate models can be derived to model quantization errors in high-speed convolution filters.
An Experimental Investigation of the Flowfield and Dust Resuspension Due to Idealized Human Walking: Disk Model

To better understand how human movement causes particles to be resuspended from the ground, we performed flow visualization and PIV measurements on idealized human walking, a disk moved normal to the ground. The flow visualization indicates that particles are resuspended on both the down step and the up step of the walking process by a purely aerodynamic mechanism. The results suggest that a wall jet formed beneath the disk is responsible for particle resuspension, whereas large scale vortices created in the wake of the disk are responsible for the rapid redistribution of the resuspended particles.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
Mapping the Workspace of a Globally Distributed Agile Team

Collaborative activities have become an important consideration of contemporary workspace design, and this is especially in software development companies as teams work to innovate products and customer experiences. Meanwhile, globally distributed virtual teams have also grown more common, but collaborating across time zones presents a new set of challenge to navigate. To address some of these challenges, many organizations are also implementing more agile information design strategies. Architecting user-friendly work environments that support collaboration for globally distributed virtual teams practicing agile methodologies is not a simple task, however. This article reports results from a workplace study of a distributed team of information experience designers at a multinational software company as the team worked through reorganization of their internal processes and workflow. The case study illustrates which environmental design features caused disruptions and contradictions for the team as they participated in project work.
Osteoblast progenitor cell responses to characterized titanium surfaces in the presence of bone morphogenetic protein-atelopeptide type I collagen in vitro.

Abstract The goal of this study was to investigate the effect of bone cell response to titanium (Ti) surfaces in the presence of bone morphogenetic protein (BMP)– atelopeptide type I collagen mixture. The atelopeptide type I collagen was used as a potential carrier for the BMP. Sterilized 600-grit Ti samples were used as substrates for the cell culture study. X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy indicated the presence of TiO 2 on the Ti surface. The in vitro cell culture study was performed using an osteoblast progenitor cell line derived from mice (2T9). At confluency, the cells cultured on Ti surfaces were divided into three groups: unstimulated culture, culture stimulated by BMP–atelopeptide type I collagen (40 ng/mL), and culture stimulated by atelopeptide type I collagen (40 ng/mL). The unstimulated and atelopeptide type I collagen cultures were controls in this study. After 4 days of incubation, protein production, alkaline phosphatase (ALP) activity, and hexosaminidase activity were observed to be the ...
Stock Market Trading Volume

Publisher Summary Trading volume is an important aspect of the economic interactions in financial markets among various investors. Both volume and prices are driven by underlying economic forces, and thus convey important information about the workings of the market. This chapter focuses on the empirical characteristics of prices and volume in stock markets. The interactions between prices and quantities in an equilibrium yield a rich set of implications for any asset pricing model, when an explicit link between economic fundamentals and the dynamic properties of asset returns and volume are derived. By exploiting the relation between prices and volume in the dynamic equilibrium model, one can identify and construct the hedging portfolio, which can be used by all investors to hedge against changes in market conditions. This hedging portfolio has considerable forecast power in predicting future returns of the market portfolio and its abilities to explain cross-sectional variation in expected returns is comparable to other popular risk factors such as market betas, the Fama and French SMB factor, and optimal forecast portfolios. The presence of market frictions, such as transactions costs, can influence the level of trading volume and serve as a bridge between the market microstructure literature and the broader equilibrium asset pricing literature.
Low Temperature Activated Sludge Settling

The investigation considered the settling characteristics of activated sludge at low temperature, and in particular studied the influence of temperature on zone settling velocity. A series of settling tests were observed with particle concentration and temperature as the controlled variables. Based on this experimental data, an equation defining settling velocity in terms of concentration, fluid temperature, and organic loading was developed. Although empirical in nature the equation provides a rational basis for the determination of temperature influence and should have special value for cold regions designs. It was possible to describe the results of other investigations with this equation.
The depression anxiety stress scale-21: Spanish translation and validation with a Hispanic sample

The English-language version of the Depression Anxiety Stress Scale-21 (DASS-21) was professionally translated into Spanish and field-tested among 98 bilingual Hispanic adults. Participants who were diagnosed with an anxiety disorder on the Anxiety Disorders Interview Schedule-IV completed the DASS-21, the Beck Depression Inventory-II, and the Beck Anxiety Inventory. Results indicated strong indices of internal consistency and expected patterns of discriminant, convergent, and structural validity. A confirmatory factor analysis compared a model fit of a first order 1-factor model, a first order 3-factor model, and a second order factor model. The latter 2 models were significantly better than the 1-factor model. Psychometric data were comparable to those of an English version. Clinicians and researchers in need of a brief, Spanish-language, screening measure of general psychopathology may want to consider this newly translated DASS-21.
Altered Metabolism of Carotenoids During Pale-Bird Syndrome in Chickens Infected with Eimeria acervulina

The progression of changes in carotenoid metabolism during pale-bird syndrome caused by a coccidial infection was investigated. Male broiler chickens 15 days of age on a yellow corn and soybean meal-based diet were infected with Eimeria acervulina oocysts and their serum, liver, and toe webs were sampled at 0, 4, 6, and 10 days postinfection for HPLC analysis of carotenoids. At 4 days postinfection a drastic reduction (71%) in serum lutein, the main body carotenoid, and smaller reductions in liver (58%) and toe webs (38%) occurred. Derivative forms of lutein, mainly esters, continued to be lost from tissues for 10 days postinfection. These carotenoids were apparently lost via the intestinal tract because birds placed on a white corn and soybean meal-based diet at time of infection had lutein in their jejunal contents even at 7 days postinfection. The loss of carotenoids from the body was accompanied by a decreasing ability to absorb canthaxanthin, a red carotenoid, from the intestinal contents. The absorption of canthaxanthin measured at 0, 3, 4, 5, 6, and 7 days reached its low point of 1% of preinfection ability on Day 5 before a slow recovery commenced. Thus, the pale-bird syndrome caused by E. acervulina appeared to be the result of a loss of previously absorbed carotenoids coupled with drastic malabsorption of dietary carotenoids.
Electrostatic Energy Induced 45° Rotation in Heteroepitaxial KNbO3 Thin Films on (001) MgO

Perovskite KNbO3 thin films were epitaxially grown on (001) MgO by sequential deposition of ultrathin layer (<10A) single component (KOx and NbOy) species. By engineering the first overlayer species from NbOy to KOx, on (001) MgO, a 45° in-plane rotation of the epitaxial KNbO3 films was observed. This 45° rotation is a result of minimization of the electrostatic energy within the KNbO3/MgO interface. Transmission electron microscopy was employed to characterize these epitaxial KNbO3 films.
Analysis of Echocardiography on Hand Foot and Mouth Disease

Objective:To analyze cardiac functions by echocardiographic findings on severe HFMD patients.Method:212 pediatric echocardiography results were compared and analyzed with 88 normal results.Result:It was statistically significant that severe HFMD patients’ cardiac cavity size and cardiac function changed.compared with the normal group(P0.05或0.01).Conclusion:Echocardiographic findings show:cardiac function in severe HFMD patients declined.
Optimize design and development by maximizing the benefits of CAD.

Computer-aided design (CAD) is a fature deve opment tool butins use in the medica field has lagged belind other industdes. This article reviews the benefits, costs and pitfalls of utilizing CAD in the cesign and cevelopment process and is intended for compantes just introducing CAD of those uograding to a new system.
Variables Considered by Teachers of Students with Moderate and Severe Disabilities When Making Placement Decisions

For teachers to make appropriate inclusive placement decisions, it is necessary to identify variables within the school environment that will foster successful learning experiences for students with moderate and severe intellectual disabilities. Numerous variables are identified in the literature as being important for successful placement in general education settings. The purpose of this study was to investigate which variables teachers currently consider when making placement decisions and to learn if discrepancies exist between what teachers actually consider and what they indicated they should consider. A survey was developed to gather this information from teachers currently implementing inclusive practices in Georgia. Results indicated, in general, that the variables teachers currently consider are the same as those they indicate should be considered when making inclusive placement decisions. Results also showed that teachers are concerned with more than physical inclusion of students, indicating that they consider, for example, opportunities for social skills learning, community-based instruction, hands-on learning, and the ability to address functional content within the general education setting.
An analysis of a welfare eligibility determination interview: a planning approach

The purpose of this research is to identify strategies and plans used by welfare caseworkers in order to build an expert system to determine welfare eligibility. Here we use the framework of proposed by Hobbs and Evans(1979) to analyze the conversational plans of a welfare caseworker while conducting an eligibility interview. We study the plans used by the caseworker, show the interaction between goals and themes, and study the influence of constraints imposed on the interview by the statutory Welfare Eligibility Rules. We identify some of the pre-structured plans in this constrained conversational domain in our effort to define the range of choices available in a welfare eligibility interview.
Ligand-Protein Interactions in Mammalian Nitric Oxide Synthase

Abstract Nitric oxide synthases (NOSs) are heme proteins that catalyze the formation of nitric oxide (NO) from L -arginine and oxygen in a sequential two-step process. Three structurally similar isoforms have been identified that deliver NO to different tissues for specific functions. An understanding of the interactions of ligands with the protein is essential to determine the mechanism of catalysis, the design of inhibitors and the differential auto-inhibitory regulation of the enzymatic activity of the isoforms due to the binding of NO to the heme. Ligand-protein interactions in the NOS enzymes revealed by resonance Raman scattering studies are reviewed in this article. For consistency, most of the examples are drawn from studies of the iNOS oxygenase domain (iNOS oxy ). The CO-related modes in the CO-bound ferrous enzyme are sensitive to the presence of substrate, either L -arginine or N-hydroxy- L -arginine, in the distal pocket, but insensitive to the presence of the tetrahydrobiopterin (H4B) cofactor. In contrast, when NO is coordinated to the ferric heme, the NO is sensitive to the substrate only when H4B is present. Furthermore, in the NO-bound ferric enzyme, the addition of H4B induces a large heme distortion that may modulate heme reduction and thereby regulate the NO auto-inhibitory process. It has also been found that the exposure of the H4B-free enzyme to NO induces the dissociation of the dimer to monomers followed by the reduction of the heme iron with the concurrent breakage of the proximal iron–thiolate bond, leading to the formation of a five-coordinate NO-bound ferrous species. Mass spectrometry revealed that NO-induced monomerization of the enzyme is associated with an intramolecular disulfide bond formation between Cys104 and Cys109 located in the Zn-binding motif. Resonance Raman studies of ligand interactions of NOSs have expanded our understanding of the mechanistic features of this important family of enzymes.
Effect of Homogenizing Treatment on Microstructure and Property of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr Aluminum Alloy

A series of Al-6.3Zn-2.3Mg-2.3Cu-0.15Zr alloys with different reduce of Zn, Mg, Cu and Zr were prepared by ingot-metallurgy processing. Effects of homogenization on the microstructure and properties of Al-Zn-Mg-Cu-Zr aluminium alloy were respectively studied by means of metallographic microscopy, electrical conductivity test, differential thermal analysis and X-ray diffraction phase analysis. The results indicated that the overheating temperature of these alloys is between 473°C and 477°C, and there was little difference to the overheating temperature of 7050 alloy. During homogenization process, using three kinds of developed heat treatment of homogenization of 7050 alloy, with the rising of homogenization temperature and the complication of the homogenization heat treatment, the electrical conductivity decreased and hardness gradually increased. The three-step homogenization has a better effect than single homogenization, as it can completely eliminate the endothermic peak of non-equilibrium phases. Many MgZn2 phases are present in the ingot with three-step homogenization and slow cooling.
Management of Central Compartment Lymph Nodes in Patients with Papillary Thyroid Carcinoma

Central compartment neck dissection (CCND) in patients with papillary thyroid cancer (PTC) for macroscopic lymph node metastases has been shown to reduce recurrence and improve survival. As a result, CCND is uniformly accepted for treatment of patients with macroscopic lymph node metastases in the central compartment of the neck. Controversy exists regarding the benefit of prophylactic central compartment neck dissection (pCCND) in PTC. Microscopic lymph node metastases are common in PTC, but their presence is not associated with a reduction in survival or an increase in disease recurrence. The only potential benefit of pCCND may be for precise lymph node staging to help determine if postoperative radioactive iodine therapy is necessary and what the dose should be for patients with intermediate-risk PTC; this remains controversial. Patients undergoing pCCND experience a higher rate of temporary hypocalcemia with no reduction in disease recurrence. There is also evidence to suggest that the rate of permanent hypoparathyroidism is higher. Furthermore, there is no clear survival benefit for pCCND. To date, there are a limited number of prospective randomized trials and a limited amount of high-level evidence to guide decision-making in the management of central compartment lymph nodes in PTC. The only clear indication for CCND is for treatment of clinically node-positive PTC. Overall, there is no proven benefit for pCCND in the treatment of clinically node-negative PTC.
Novel Therapeutics Targeting Epigenetics

Epigenetics is a rapidly expanding and evolving field, and recent advances in epigenetic research have increased our understanding of the control of gene expression and the interaction between various players in the epigenetic landscape. The various processes involved in the control of gene expression fall into one of the three categories: epigenetic writers, epigenetic erasers, and epigenetic readers. Together these elements control cellular gene expression and homeostasis. It is now well known that aberrations in the epigenome can contribute to a variety of diseases, and thus discovery of small molecules that modulate the epigenome in a specific manner is an important undertaking. In this chapter, the components of epigenetic control of gene expression will be briefly summarized, and the efforts to identify small molecules that modulate epigenetic processes will be described.
Comparison of Perioperative Adverse Event Rates After Total Knee Arthroplasty in Patients With Diabetes: Insulin Dependence Makes a Difference.

Abstract Background Total knee arthroplasty (TKA) is an effective treatment option for patients with advanced osteoarthritis and has become one of the most frequently performed orthopedic procedures. With the increasing prevalence of diabetes mellitus (DM), the burden of its sequela and associated surgical complications has also increased. For these reasons, it is important to understand the association between DM and the rates of perioperative adverse events after TKA. Methods A retrospective cohort study was conducted using the American College of Surgeons National Surgical Quality Improvement Program database. Patients who underwent TKA between 2005 and 2014 were identified and characterized as having insulin-dependent DM (IDDM), non–insulin-dependent DM (NIDDM), or not having DM. Multivariate Poisson regression was used to control for demographic and comorbid factors and to assess the relative risks of multiple adverse events in the initial 30 postoperative days. Results A total of 114,102 patients who underwent TKA were selected (IDDM = 4881 [4.3%]; NIDDM = 15,367 [13.5%]; and no DM = 93,854 [82.2%]). Patients with NIDDM were found to be at greater risk for 2 of 17 adverse events studied relative to patients without DM. However, patients with IDDM were found to be at greater risk for 12 of 17 adverse events studied relative to patients without DM. Conclusion In comparison with patients with NIDDM, patients with IDDM are at greater risk for many more perioperative adverse outcomes relative to patients without DM. These findings have important implications for patient selection, preoperative risk stratification, and postoperative expectations.
RNA Pol II Dynamics Modulate Co-transcriptional Chromatin Modification, CTD Phosphorylation, and Transcriptional Direction

Eukaryotic genes are marked by conserved post-translational modifications on the RNA pol II C-terminal domain (CTD) and the chromatin template. How the 5'-3' profiles of these marks are established is poorly understood. Using pol II mutants in human cells, we found that slow transcription repositioned specific co-transcriptionally deposited chromatin modifications; histone H3 lysine 36 trimethyl (H3K36me3) shifted within genes toward 5' ends, and histone H3 lysine 4 dimethyl (H3K4me2) extended farther upstream of start sites. Slow transcription also evoked a hyperphosphorylation of CTD Ser2 residues at 5' ends of genes that is conserved in yeast. We propose a "dwell time in the target zone" model to explain the effects of transcriptional dynamics on the establishment of co-transcriptionally deposited protein modifications. Promoter-proximal Ser2 phosphorylation is associated with a longer pol II dwell time at start sites and reduced transcriptional polarity because of strongly enhanced divergent antisense transcription at promoters. These results demonstrate that pol II dynamics help govern the decision between sense and divergent antisense transcription.
Lung Cancer Stem Cells: Insights into Characterization and Regulatory Mechanisms

Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related mortality worldwide. The five-year survival rate is very low in lung cancer patients due to diagnosis at late stages, tumor recurrence, and drug resistance. Recent studies suggest that cancer cells with self-renewal capacity contribute to tumor growth. Identification of reliable markers for cancer stem cell populations and mechanistic understanding of associated signaling pathways and regulatory factors are critically needed to improve long-term survival. Several studies have established the expression of stem cell markers (aldehyde dehydrogenase ALDH1, glycoprotein CD44 and CD133) in lung cancer cell lines and clinical samples. Association of these stem cell markers with lung cancer and the signaling pathways (Wnt, Notch, and Hedgehog) maintaining stem cell characteristics are briefly reviewed here. Interestingly, epigenetic mechanisms and regulatory roles of transcription factors such as Sox2 and Runx family members have been shown to contribute to stem cell properties and lung cancer. Understanding mechanisms regulating “stemness” and differentiation of lung epithelial cells will lead to novel therapies for successful targeting of cancer stem cells.
Nanostructured thermoelectric materials

High values of thermoelectric figures of merit ZT, ranging from ZT=1.6 at 300 K to ZT=3 at 550 K, are reported for Bi-doped n-type PbSeTe/PbTe quantum-dot superlattice (QDSL) samples grown by molecular beam epitaxy (MBE). These ZT values were determined by directly measuring Seebeck coefficients and electrical conductivities and using the low lattice thermal conductivity value (∼3.3 mW/cm-K) determined experimentally from measurements of a one-legged thermoelectric cooler. Initial experiments have also shown that high values of ZT (∼1.1 at 300 K) are achievable for complementary Na-doped p-type PbSeTe/PbTe QDSL samples, in which the conduction and valence bands mirror those in the Bi-doped Pb chalcogenides.
Bolus weekly vitamin D3 supplementation impacts gut and airway microbiota in adults with cystic fibrosis: a double–blind, randomized, placebo-controlled clinical trial

Context Disruption of gut microbiota may exacerbate severity of cystic fibrosis (CF). Vitamin D deficiency is a common comorbidity in patients with CF that may influence composition of the gut microbiota. Objectives Compare microbiota of vitamin D-sufficient and -insufficient CF patients and assess impact of a weekly high-dose vitamin D3 bolus regimen on gut and airway microbiome in adults with CF and vitamin D insufficiency (25-hydroxyvitamin D < 30 ng/mL). Design Forty-one subjects with CF were classified into two groups: vitamin D insufficient (n = 23) and vitamin D sufficient (n = 18). Subjects with vitamin D insufficiency were randomized to receive 50,000 IU of oral vitamin D3 or placebo weekly for 12 weeks. Sputum and stool samples were obtained pre- and postintervention and 16S ribosomal RNA genes sequenced using Illumina MiSeq technology. Results Gut microbiota differed significantly based on vitamin D status with Gammaproteobacteria, which contain numerous, potentially pathogenic species enriched in the vitamin D-insufficient group. Principal coordinates analysis showed differential gut microbiota composition within the vitamin D-insufficient patients following 12 weeks treatment with placebo or vitamin D3 (permutation multivariate analysis of variance = 0.024), with Lactococcus significantly enriched in subjects treated with vitamin D3, whereas Veillonella and Erysipelotrichaceae were significantly enriched in patients treated with placebo. Conclusion This exploratory study suggests that vitamin D insufficiency is associated with alterations in microbiota composition that may promote inflammation and that supplementation with vitamin D has the potential to impact microbiota composition. Additional studies to determine the impact of vitamin D on microbiota benefit clinical outcomes in CF are warranted.
Thromboelastography Values from Pigtail Macaques (Macaca nemestrina): Effects of Age and Sex

Thromboelastography is a clinical laboratory test used to assess global hemostasis. With technologic advances and the test's reemergence in human medicine, its utility in veterinary medicine is being explored. Because assays for PT, aPTT, and d-dimers require platelet-poor plasma, whereas thromboelastography is performed on whole blood, thromboelastography provides a more accurate representation of coagulation and allows the identification of hypocoagulable, hypercoagulable, and hyperfibrinolytic states. Conflicting information has been reported about the effects of age and sex on thromboelastog- raphy in humans and animals. Human studies have reported significant effects of age and sex on thromboelastography more often than have animal studies, but few publications are available about thromboelastography in the nonhuman primate and laboratory animal literature. We used a sample of 50 pigtail macaques (Macaca nemestrina) to determine whether age or sex influence thromboelastography values. Of 5 measured and 2 calculated variables produced by thromboelastography, sex had a significant effect only on the lysis-30 parameter, which also showed significant interaction between age and sex; values increased with age in male macaques but decreased with age in female macaques. In addition, we used the data to define reference intervals for thromboelastography parameters in pigtail macaques.
Interracial Couples in Ads: Do Consumers' Gender and Racial Differences Affect Their Reactions?

Despite an increasing number of interracial marriages and some evidence of improving perceptions of interracial relationships by both the majority white and the minority black populations, this stu...
Electric dipole moments from CP-violating scalar leptoquark interactions

Abstract We analyze the implications of CP-violating scalar leptoquark (LQ) interactions for experimental probes of parity- and time-reversal violating properties of polar molecules. These systems are predominantly sensitive to the electric dipole moment (EDM) of the electron and nuclear-spin-independent (NSID) electron–nucleon interaction. The LQ model can generate both a tree-level NSID interaction as well as the electron EDM at one-loop order. Including both interactions, we find that the NSID interaction can dominate the molecular response. For moderate values of couplings, the current experimental results give roughly two orders of magnitude stronger limits on the electron EDM than one would otherwise infer from a sole-source analysis.
Application of the Serious Leisure Perspective to Intrinsically Motivated Serial Homicide

This article briefly introduces the multidisciplinary field of leisure sciences before exploring how leisure theory, particularly the Serious Leisure Perspective, can provide important insights int...
Methods for Computing the Moorse-Penrose Generalized Inverse, and Related Matters

Publisher Summary This chapter provides an elementary and expository account of various topics connected with computing generalized inverses of matrices. It discusses why some give more satisfactory results than others, when implemented on digital computers. Many of the ideas are generalizations of those encountered when inverting n × n nonsingular matrices, but there are significant additional points that must be taken into consideration. Thus, in the present context, a matrix is ill-conditioned if small changes in the original matrix that do not increase the rank of the matrix produce large changes in the generalized inverse. However, a small change that increases the rank of the matrix will produce a large change in the generalized inverse. The chapter also discusses the methods for calculating generalized inverses of matrices that involve an explicit decision regarding the rank of the matrix at some point in the calculation.
A novel 13C NMR method to assess intracellular glucose concentration in muscle, in vivo.

Intracellular glucose concentration in skeletal muscle of awake rats was determined under conditions of hyperglycemic (10.2 ± 0.6 mM) hyperinsulinemia (∼1,200 pM) and hyperglycemic (20.8 ± 1.5 mM) ...
Virtual Substitution & Real Arithmetic

This chapter advances the understanding of real arithmetic by generalizing the ideas from the previous chapter to linear and quadratic inequalities. As in the previous chapter, the main workhorse will again be virtual substitutions that pretend to substitute a generalized expression into a logical formula by equivalently rephrasing each occurrence. The required virtual substitutions will, however, go beyond square root substitutions but cover infinities and infinitesimals, instead, in order to capture the fact that inequalities can also be satisfied without satisfying equality.
Large-area diamond thin film on Q-carbon coated crystalline sapphire by HFCVD

Abstract The growth of diamond on transparent substrates like sapphire presents a great challenge because of the large thermal misfit between the film and the substrate, absence of any carbide layer during diamond growth, and low nucleation density during chemical vapor deposition (CVD) growth process. In this study, we report on the use and the role of Q-carbon as an intermediate layer to successfully deposit large-area diamond film on c-sapphire by hot filament chemical vapor deposition (HFCVD). The Q-carbon consists of very high-density diamond tetrahedra which act as the embryo for diamond nucleation. Different techniques such as X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, and Raman spectroscopy show that continuous diamond films with good crystallinity and without any impurity phase can be deposited on the Q-carbon coated single crystal sapphire substrate. The Q-carbon layer is very adherent and it negates the thermal mismatch between the diamond film and the sapphire substrate. A small blue shift in the Raman peak of the diamond from its equilibrium position suggests the deposition of the CVD diamond film with minimal stress (1.14 GPa). This technique of growing large-area continuous diamond thin film with excellent crystalline quality on a single crystal sapphire substrate can serve as a platform for the development of next-generation corrosion and erosion resistant infrared windows, state-of-the-art optoelectronic devices, and advanced scanning probe microscopy systems.
Using Peptidomics to Identify Extracellular Matrix-Derived Peptides as Novel Therapeutics for Cardiac Disease

Peptidomics involves the analysis of endogenous peptides from biological samples; this analysis can be used both to catalog peptides present at a time point and to compare peptide levels across samples. During cardiac injury, there is extensive extracellular matrix (ECM) protein turnover as ECM is degraded to clear damaged/necrotic cells and de novo ECM is synthesized during myocardial regeneration and remodeling. These processes generate numerous endogenous peptides that are often biologically active and can be used as biomarkers, cellular modulators, and even as tools to assess response to therapy. The analysis of the cardiac or systemic ECM peptidome is important for a complete understanding of myocardial remodeling and is an exciting avenue to identify novel mechanisms to limit adverse cardiac remodeling and progression to heart failure.
One-step synthesis of high surface-area honeycomb graphene clusters for highly efficient capacitive deionization

Abstract Capacitive deionization (CDI) can realize ion adsorption efficiently by forming electrochemical double layers on electrode surfaces. This potential-driven adsorption process requires electrode materials possessing a large surface area as well as a rapid and easy electrolyte-diffusion pathway. In this respect, we designed and synthesized a novel honeycomb graphene cluster (HGC) based on one-step exothermic reaction between liquid lithium and carbon monoxide gas. The obtained HGC electrode, as both cathode and anode in a CDI cell, exhibited excellent desalination performance. Its electrosorption capacity reached 14.08 mg/g in a batch-mode system with continuously recycled 28 ml of 5 mM NaCl solution. This high-level desalination ability can be attributed to the effective utilization of HGC materials: its large surface area of up to 1962 m2/g can provide abundant sites for ions adsorption, and three-dimensional mesoporous frameworks can facilitate ion transport. Thus, HGC electrodes can achieve electrosorption capacity of twice that of activated-carbon electrodes, indicating promising applications in the CDI field.