cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Editorial: Technology teachers and their professional competence – peculiarities and starting points for subject-specific didactical research

It goes without saying that teacher competence is an influential factor in pupil education and learning. The importance of professional competence in teachers has increased and become more generally recognised in recent years (cf. for example Baumert et al. 2010; Kunter et al. 2013). Professional knowledge, i.e. subject-specific, didactic, pedagogic and psychological knowledge, is a core area of every teacher’s professional competence. Several studies have shown that the professional knowledge of teachers plays a critical role in the quality of their instruction and the learning success of their pupils (Lipowsky et al. 2009; Voss, Kunter & Baumert 2011; Voss et al. 2014; Wagner et al. 2016). Despite existing research deficits, the current standing of international research leaves no doubt as to the importance of the teacher's professional competence for the learner's development (e.g. Zlatkin-Troitschanskaia et al. 2009; Terhart, Bennewitz & Rothland 2014; KMK 2014). This competence is therefore also significant in economic terms. While a substantial body of knowledge exists as to the professional competence of teachers of various school subjects such as mathematics and physics (cf. for example Tatto et al. 2012; Riese et al. 2015), research findings on teachers of technology and interdisciplinary subjects such as natural sciences and technology (NST) are still comparatively few and far between. After outlining the theoretical background, this editorial article will discuss selected peculiarities and possible approaches to research into the professional competence of technology and NST teachers at comprehensive schools, focusing primarily on upper secondary level.
College Freshmen Students’ Perspectives on Weight Gain Prevention in the Digital Age: Web-Based Survey

Background: College freshmen are highly vulnerable to experiencing weight gain, and this phenomenon is associated with an increased risk of chronic diseases and mortality in older adulthood. Technology offers an attractive and scalable way to deliver behavioral weight gain prevention interventions for this population. Weight gain prevention programs that harness the appeal and widespread reach of Web-based technologies (electronic health or eHealth) are increasingly being evaluated in college students. Yet, few of these interventions are informed by college students’ perspectives on weight gain prevention and related lifestyle behaviors. Objective: The objective of this study was to assess college freshmen students’ concern about weight gain and associated topics, as well as their interest in and delivery medium preferences for eHealth programs focused on these topics. Methods: Web-based surveys that addressed college freshmen students’ (convenience sample of N=50) perspectives on weight gain prevention were administered at the beginning and end of the fall 2015 semester as part of a longitudinal investigation of health-related issues and experiences in first semester college freshmen. Data on weight gain prevention-related concerns and corresponding interest in eHealth programs targeting topics of potential concern, as well as preferred program delivery medium and current technology use were gathered and analyzed using descriptive statistics. Results: A considerable proportion of the freshmen sample expressed concern about weight gain (74%, 37/50) and both traditional (healthy diet: 86%, 43/50; physical activity: 64%, 32/50) and less frequently addressed (stress: 82%, 41/50; sleep: 74%, 37/50; anxiety and depression: 60%, 30/50) associated topics within the context of behavioral weight gain prevention. The proportion of students who reported interest in eHealth promotion programs targeting these topics was also generally high (ranging from 52% [26/50] for stress management to 70% [35/50] for eating a healthy diet and staying physically active). Email was the most frequently used electronic platform, with 96% (48/50) of students reporting current use of it. Email was also the most frequently cited preferred eHealth delivery platform, with 86% (43/50) of students selecting it. Facebook was preferred by the second greatest proportion of students (40%, 20/50). Conclusions: Most college freshmen have concerns about an array of weight gain prevention topics and are generally open to the possibility of receiving eHealth interventions designed to address their concerns, preferably via email compared with popular social media platforms. These preliminary findings offer a foundation to build upon when it comes to future descriptive investigations focused on behavioral weight gain prevention among college freshmen in the digital age. [JMIR Public Health Surveill 2017;3(4):e71]
Alcohol Use and Alcohol-Related Problems Among Sexual Minority Women

In this article the author describes the historical context for research on sexual minority women's drinking, including the age-old tendency to link homosexuality and alcoholism; the author summarizes gaps and limitations that characterized much of the research on sexual minority women's drinking over the past several decades and reviews recent literature to highlight progress in the field—with a particular focus on the author's own research related to risk and protective factors for heavy drinking and drinking-related problems among sexual minority women. The article concludes with a discussion of barriers to treatment for sexual minority women and recommendations for substance abuse treatment providers.
Positron Tomography and the Differential Diagnosis and Pathophysiology of Alzheimer’s Disease

The diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease (AD) remains a diagnosis of exclusion. While less frequent varieties of non-Alzheimer dementia are now diagnosed with relative ease using widely available laboratory tests, the definitive diagnosis of Alzheimer’s disease still requires the examination of excised tissue. However, recently developed methods for the noninvasive in vivo quantitation of cerebral rates of glucose use have demonstrated regional abnormalities in Alzheimer subjects which are of diagnostic import and can offer us some insight into the pathophysiology of the disease.
Withdrawal From Cocaine Self-administration Alters the Regulation of Protein Translation in the Nucleus Accumbens.

Abstract Background Cue-induced cocaine craving incubates during abstinence from cocaine self-administration. Expression of incubation ultimately depends on elevation of homomeric GluA1 alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptors in the nucleus accumbens (NAc). This adaptation requires ongoing protein translation for its maintenance. Aberrant translation is implicated in central nervous system diseases, but nothing is known about glutamatergic regulation of translation in the drug-naive NAc or after incubation. Methods NAc tissue was obtained from drug-naive rats and from rats after 1 or >40 days of abstinence from extended-access cocaine or saline self-administration. Newly translated proteins were labeled using 35S-Met/Cys or puromycin. We compared basal overall translation and its regulation by metabotropic glutamate receptor 1 (mGlu1), mGlu5, and N-methyl-D-aspartate receptors (NMDARs) in drug-naive, saline control, and cocaine rats, and we compared GluA1 and GluA2 translation by immunoprecipitating puromycin-labeled proteins. Results In all groups, overall translation was unaltered by mGlu1 blockade (LY367385) but increased by mGlu5 blockade (MTEP). NMDAR blockade (AVP) increased overall translation in drug-naive and saline control rats but not in cocaine/late withdrawal rats. Cocaine/late withdrawal rats exhibited greater translation of GluA1 (but not GluA2), which was not further affected by NMDAR blockade. Conclusions Our results suggest that increased GluA1 translation contributes to the elevated homomeric GluA1 alpha-amino-3-hydroxy-5-methyl-4-isoxazole propionic acid receptor levels in the NAc that mediate incubation. Additional contributions to incubation-related plasticity may result from loss of the braking influence on translation normally exerted by NMDARs. Apart from elucidating incubation-related adaptations, we found a suppressive effect of mGlu5 on NAc translation regardless of drug exposure, which is opposite to results obtained in the hippocampus and points to heterogeneity of translational regulation between brain regions.
Haemodynamically Derived Pulmonary Artery Pulsatility Index Predicts Mortality in Pulmonary Arterial Hypertension.

Background Pulmonary artery (PA) pulsitility index (PAPi) is a novel haemodynamic index shown to predict right ventricular failure in acute inferior myocardial infarction and post left ventricular assist device surgery. We hypothesised that PAPi calculated as [PA systolic pressure – PA diastolic pressure]/right atrial pressure (RAP) would be associated with mortality in the National Institutes of Health Registry for Primary Pulmonary Hypertension (NIH-RPPH). Methods The impact of PAPi, the Pulmonary Hypertension Connection (PHC) risk score, right ventricular stroke work, pulmonary artery capacitance (PAC), other haemodynamic indices, and demographic characteristics was evaluated in 272 NIH-RPPH patients using multivariable Cox proportional hazards (CPH) regression and receiver operating characteristic (ROC) analysis. Results In the 272 patients (median age 37.7 +/− 15.9 years, 63% female), the median PAPi was 5.8 (IQR 3.7–9.2). During 5 years of follow-up, 51.8% of the patients died. Survival was markedly lower (32.8% during the first 3 years) in PAPi quartile 1 compared with the remaining patients (58.5% over 3 years in quartiles 2–4; p Conclusions Pulmonary artery pulsatility index was independently associated with survival in PAH, highlighting the utility of PAPi in combination with other key measures for risk stratification in this population.
GRADIENTS IN THE MUSCULAR WALL OF THE STOMACH

This chapter reviews the gradients in the muscular wall of the stomach. The stomach of man develops from a primitive digestive tube by the addition of a cecum, which forms the fundus and part of the corpus. There are differences in the tendency to contract rhythmically, in the form of the contraction curves, and in the rate of contraction of segments of muscle removed from different parts of the stomach of animals and man. The muscle in the pars pylorica is red and tough, much like the muscle of the gizzard of birds and reptiles. The highly rhythmic muscle found on the lesser curvature next to the cardia may serve to some extent as a pacemaker to send off the waves that course over the body of the stomach. It is probable that waves can originate in any part of the wall of the stomach. The shallowness or deepness of the waves as they travel over the several parts of the stomach appears to be determined by the contraction characteristics of the muscle through which the wave passes.
Family Life and Victor’s Meeting the Unexpected

Victor and I were married in June 1949 and, although impecunious, took a wonderful honeymoon in Paris, England, Scotland, and, owing to irregularities of our student flights, Geneva, Switzerland, as well. The old Transocean Airlines we traveled in were not in very good condition, and we lost one motor between Geneva and Shannon Airports, necessitating a 24-h layover in Shannon Airport. This gave us a chance to take a bus to Limerick for unexpected sight-seeing. Finally, we were on our way again and after a 19-h flight were back in the USA.
A schematic analysis of the Unified Medical Language System.

Abstract The UMLS is a complex collection of medical terms and relationships derived from standard classifications. Appreciating the scope and layout of these relations from text descriptions of relational schema is difficult. The graphical technique of Logical Data Structure (LDS) representation was employed to illustrate the UMLS schema as a data abstraction, affording additional insights that might otherwise escape notice. An LDS representation of the Metathesaurus offers the following advantages: 1) the separation of a viewpoint from physical data structures enables a global outline of the contents; 2) the graphical map makes the interrelation of data visible; and 3) the logical entities explicitly reflect the decision-making which was implicit or ambiguous in the relational scheme.
Percentage Silt Content in Sands and Its Effect on Liquefaction Potential

One of the most detrimental hazards caused by earthquakes is the ground failure resulting from sand liquefaction. Previous research effort in liquefaction potential has been focused on the liquefaction of saturated, uniform, clean sands under cyclic loading. However, natural sand deposits are rarely uniform and clean. Instead, soils found at previous liquefaction sites were either silty sand or sandy silt.
Brachybaenus domingensis sp. nov. of gryllacridids (Orthoptera: Stenopelmatoidea: Gryllacrididae) from Dominican Republic, Hispaniola

The gryllacridid Brachybaenus domingensis sp. nov. is described and illustrated from specimens collected in various localities of the Dominican Republic. The morphology of the new species is compared to that of the Cuban species Brachybaenus cubensis (Brunner von Wattenwyl, 1888), which may be its closest relative. Although these species are similar, diagnostic features of B. domingensis are the yellowish coloration of the face, spines on the anterior tibiae shorter than the eye length, and wings that markedly surpass the abdominal end. In B. cubensis the face is mostly black, the spines in the anterior tibiae are as long or longer than the eye length and the wings barely surpass the abdominal end. This is only the second species of gryllacridids reported from Hispaniola, the fourth species of Brachybaenus Karny in the Caribbean and the 17th species of the genus.
Abstract P231: Sugar-Sweetened Beverage Consumption is Associated with Higher Circulating Ceramide Concentrations in the Framingham Offspring Cohort

Introduction: Ceramides are a class of sphingolipid that have been implicated in the pathogenesis of cardiometabolic diseases, and their circulating concentrations may be affected by foods that can...
Characterization of a cryptic KMT2A/AFF1 gene fusion by mate-pair sequencing (MPseq) in a young adult with newly diagnosed B-lymphoblastic leukemia

The detection of recurrent chromosomal rearrangements in B-lymphoblastic leukemia/lymphoma (B-ALL/LBL) is critical for patient management decisions. We present a newly diagnosed case of B-ALL in a young adult with a cryptic KMT2A/AFF1 fusion that was unappreciable by conventional chromosome and fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) KMT2A break-apart probe studies. To further characterize this abnormality, a next-generation sequencing strategy, mate-pair sequencing (MPseq) was performed and characterized a cryptic, insertional rearrangement that created KMT2A/AFF1 gene fusion. This case highlights the superior precision and resolution capabilities of NGS when compared to traditional cytogenetic methodologies, including conventional chromosome and FISH studies.
At the Nexus of Ethnomusicology and Music Education: Pathways to Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion.

AbstractThe unique and shared visions of dynamic activist-musicians in Ethnomusicology and Music Education have resulted in changes to curricular content and instructional processes in schools and ...
Valence and patterning of aromatic residues determine the phase behavior of prion-like domains

Prion-like domains (PLDs) can drive liquid-liquid phase separation (LLPS) in cells. Using an integrative biophysical approach that includes nuclear magnetic resonance spectroscopy, small-angle x-ray scattering, and multiscale simulations, we have uncovered sequence features that determine the overall phase behavior of PLDs. We show that the numbers (valence) of aromatic residues in PLDs determine the extent of temperature-dependent compaction of individual molecules in dilute solutions. The valence of aromatic residues also determines full binodals that quantify concentrations of PLDs within coexisting dilute and dense phases as a function of temperature. We also show that uniform patterning of aromatic residues is a sequence feature that promotes LLPS while inhibiting aggregation. Our findings lead to the development of a numerical stickers-and-spacers model that enables predictions of full binodals of PLDs from their sequences.
Uncertainty Management and Decision Making: Parents' Experiences During their First Visit to a Multidisciplinary Clinic for their Child's Vascular Anomaly

Abstract Purpose To gain a better understanding of parental decision making in situations of uncertainty and multidisciplinary care, we explored parents' decision-making experiences while seeking care for their child's vascular anomaly at a multidisciplinary clinic at a large Midwestern children's hospital. Design and methods We collected data using semi-structured interviews with 29 parents after they met with multiple specialists for the care of their child's vascular anomaly. Results The findings revealed parents' attempts to manage decision-related uncertainty about their child's vascular anomaly included seeking information, avoiding information, and seeking support from the specialists. Parents described how information management both facilitated and obstructed decision making. Conclusions Overall, the study reveals several benefits and challenges of making decisions about the management of uncertain childhood conditions, like vascular anomalies, in a multidisciplinary context. The information-rich environment produces information-management dilemmas that challenge parents' decision making efforts. Therefore, parents relied on the support of the team of specialists to make decisions about their child's treatment. Practice implications The study offers practical implications concerning the barriers of autonomy in decision making. Healthcare professionals should acknowledge the potential for parents' to have shifting information and decision-making goals and preferences, and should explicitly support parents throughout the decision-making process.
From belonging to belief: modern secularisms and the construction of religion in Kyrgyzstan: by Julie McBrien, Pittsburgh, University of Pittsburgh Press, 2017, xv+232 pp., $ 28.95 (paperback), ISBN 978-0-8229-6508-4

Julie McBrien’s fine grained ethnography of Islam in Kyrgyzstan tackles a number of important analytical questions. What is secularism and what is religion and what connections do they have to nati...
Review: Evaluation and Management of the HIV/HCV Co-Infected Kidney or Liver Transplant Candidate

Until recently, human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) was considered a contraindication to solid organ transplant (SOT) as there were concerns about poor outcomes given the high degree of immunosuppression needed to successfully transplant and retain an allograft. Emerging data has shown positive outcomes in HIV-infected solid organ transplants but a less well-explored area in the literature is SOT in those co-infected with HIV and hepatitis C virus (HCV). Kidney and liver transplantation remain the focus of this review as data on outcomes from other organs remains largely limited to case series and opinions. Similar to HIV, HCV infection was traditionally thought to confer poorer outcomes in solid organ transplant based on studies during the interferon era of treatment. With the advent of direct-acting antivirals (DAAs), excellent outcomes have been achieved in HCV-positive organ transplant recipients. This review is intended to evaluate current evidence regarding best practices for solid organ transplant in individuals co-infected with HCV and HIV. There have been several small trials that have looked at outcomes in SOT recipients with HIV/HCV co-infection treated with DAAs. These studies achieved rates of sustained virologic response (SVR) similar to those in mono-infected recipients. Whether it is optimal to treat HCV before or after transplant remains elusive as treating after transplant may shorten time on the transplant list. This review discusses the pre-transplant evaluation, decision to list, use of immunosuppressant agents, inpatient antiretroviral (ARV) use, and transplant outcomes of HIV/HCV co-infected organ transplant candidates and recipients. Use of DAAs has dramatically improved outcomes in SOT recipients co-infected with HIV/HCV. Transplantation is a safe and feasible option for co-infected individuals despite some early adverse outcomes, given detailed pre-operative assessment and peri-operative management.
Baseline cold matter effects on J/ω production in AA collisions at RHIC

We present baseline calculations of initial-state shadowing and finalstate absorption effects on J/Ψ production in nucleus-nucleus collisions at the Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider. We show predictions for Au+Au and Cu+Cu collisions at √S NN =200 GeV and Cu+Cu collisions at √S NN =62 GeV as a function of the rapidity, y, and the number of binary nucleon-nucleon collisions, N coll.
Discovery of an Antarctic ascidian-associated uncultivated Verrucomicrobia that encodes antimelanoma palmerolide biosynthetic capacity

The Antarctic marine ecosystem harbors a wealth of biological and chemical innovation that has risen in concert over millennia since the isolation of the continent and formation of the Antarctic circumpolar current. Scientific inquiry into the novelty of marine natural products produced by Antarctic benthic invertebrates led to the discovery of a bioactive macrolide, palmerolide A, that has specific activity against melanoma and holds considerable promise as an anticancer therapeutic. While this compound was isolated from the Antarctic ascidian Synoicum adareanum, its biosynthesis has since been hypothesized to be microbially mediated, given structural similarities to microbially-produced hybrid non-ribosomal peptide-polyketide macrolides. Here, we describe a metagenome-enabled investigation aimed at identifying the biosynthetic gene cluster (BGC) and palmerolide A-producing organism. A 74kb candidate BGC encoding the multimodular enzymatic machinery (hybrid Type I-trans-AT polyketide synthase-non-ribosomal peptide synthetase and tailoring functional domains) was identified and found to harbor key features predicted as necessary for palmerolide A biosynthesis. Surveys of ascidian microbiome samples targeting the candidate BGC revealed a high correlation between palmerolide-gene targets and a single 16S rRNA gene variant (R=0.83 to 0.99). Through repeated rounds of metagenome sequencing followed by binning contigs into metagenome-assembled genomes, we were able to retrieve a near-complete genome (10 contigs) of the BGC organism, a novel verrucomicrobium within the Opitutaceae family that we propose here as Candidatus Synoicihabitans palmerolidicus. The refined genome assembly harbors five highly similar BGC copies, along with structural and functional features that shed light on the host-associated nature of this unique bacterium.
Why is the business case for social compliance in global value chains unpersuasive? Rethinking costs, prices and profits

Stakeholders in global value chains (GVCs) commonly argue that factory managers will choose humane working conditions if they can be persuaded that social compliance improves firm performance. Yet, despite evidence that humane conditions increase productivity, product quality and on-time delivery, inhumane conditions in GVCs persist. Evidence from a sample of factories in the Better Work programme in Indonesia, Jordan and Viet Nam indicates that achieving social compliance may be costly, offsetting productivity benefits. A positive impact on profits depends on international buyer sourcing practices, including higher output prices. The COVID-19 pandemic has confirmed the key role played by buyers in determining working conditions. © The authors 2021 Journal compilation © International Labour Organization 2021
User-reported abrasion-related lead failure is more common with durata compared to other implantable cardiac defibrillator leads

Background Following increased rates of inside-out abrasion with the St Jude Medical Riata lead, the Durata implantable cardiac defibrillator (ICD) lead was introduced with modifications intended to increase abrasion resistance. Recent case reports have described insulation failures of the Durata. Objective To determine if increased rates of abrasion-related failure are present with the Durata lead. Methods The Food and Drug Administration Manufacturer and User Facility Device Experience database was queried for reports of insulation failure of the Durata lead from 2014. Comparison was made to other ICD leads. Incidence was estimated and case characteristics were compared. Results The estimated incidence of abrasion was significantly higher for the Durata lead than for the Boston Scientific Endotak or the Medtronic Quattro leads. The mode of abrasion was most often lead-to-can, as compared to "inside-out" abrasion with the Riata lead. Full-thickness abrasion was associated with failure to defibrillate or inappropriate therapy. Four patients had failure of therapy or death. Conclusions The findings indicate higher rates of insulation failures of the Durata lead, despite design modifications. External abrasion from the pulse generator to the adjacent lead within the device pocket was the most common etiology. Shocks unmasked previously undetected abrasion, resulting in failure to defibrillate. Data are presented indicating a possible time dependency to abrasion risk. This limited query suggests need for ongoing scrutiny of Durata lead performance. Careful inspection of Durata leads at the time of ICD replacement is warranted, as are vigorous attempts to gather information about terminal events in patients with Durata leads.
Reinventing Mormonism: Guatemala as Harbinger of the Future?

Marta Angelica Solizo forms andpaints incredibly detailed ceramic Nativity scenes. A standard set con-sists of fourteen pieces: three sheep, a bull , four donkeys laden with corn,squash, flowers , firewood, three wise men with a flute , a ceramic pot, anda colorful bag; and, of course, Jose, Maria, and the baby Jesus lying in amanger. The appeal of this assortment derives from its local character ex-emplified in the brightly colored, hand-woven textiles adorning theMayan figurines.
Melt inclusions come of age: Volatiles, volcanoes, and sorby's legacy

Abstract Despite nearly forty years of modern research on silicate melt inclusions (MI), only within the past 10–15 years have volcanologists and petrologists come to regularly accept their utility for characterizing magmatic systems. Their relatively slow acceptance was likely due to a number of factors including: 1) Lack of reliable analytical techniques, 2) Concern that MI represent anomalous boundary-layer melts or are altered by leakage or post-entrapment crystallization, 3) Data sets indicative of heterogeneous melts and, 4) Homogenization temperatures greater than those calculated by other techniques. With improvements in analytical methods and careful studies of MI systematics, workers are increasingly convinced of the utility of these features to unravel the complexities of volcanic systems: melt inclusions have “come of age.” Recent studies provide compelling evidence for the compositions of dissolved and exsolved volatiles in magma reservoirs. Evidence for immiscibility of gases, hydrosaline brines and pegmatitic fluids demonstrate that magmatic phase relations are often more complicated than can be inferred by inspection of crystalline phases alone.
Baryon number violation via Majorana neutrinos in the early Universe, at the LHC, and deep underground

We propose and investigate a novel, minimal, and experimentally testable framework for baryogenesis, dubbed dexiogenesis, using baryon number violating effective interactions of right-handed Majorana neutrinos responsible for the seesaw mechanism. The distinct LHC signature of our framework is same-sign top quark final states, possibly originating from displaced vertices. The region of parameters relevant for LHC phenomenology can also yield concomitant signals in nucleon decay experiments. We provide a simple ultraviolet origin for our effective operators, by adding a color-triplet scalar, which could ultimately arise from a grand unified theory.
Does Legal Capacity Matter? Explaining Patterns of Protectionism in the Shadow of WTO Litigation

Does legal capacity matter in the World Trade Organization (WTO)? The conventional wisdom is that the right perseveres over might under the WTO's more legalistic dispute settlement system. Yet, others stress that members can only take advantage of the rule of law if they have the resources to protect their rights through litigation. Despite all the interest in this topic, there is virtually no empirical evidence about how legal capacity affects patterns of litigation and import protection. Using an original survey of WTO delegations, we construct a novel index of legal capacity, and include this in a study of 1321 antidumping (AD) investigations between 1995 and 2005 by 17 WTO Members against firms located in 33 countries. We hypothesize that Members with more legal capacity are more likely to challenge AD suits brought against them at the WTO, and less likely to be named in AD petitions in the first place. The results strongly bear out our expectations; legal capacity matters.
Unmaking an Anthropological Myth

Gananath Obeyesekere. The Apotheosis of Captain Cook: European Mythmaking in the Pacific. Princeton: Princeton University Press; and Honolulu: Bishop Museum Press, 1992. xvii. 251 pp. $24.95 (cloth).
The clock shop: Coupled circadian oscillators

Daily rhythms in neural activity underlie circadian rhythms in sleep-wake and other daily behaviors. The cells within the mammalian suprachiasmatic nucleus (SCN) are intrinsically capable of 24-h timekeeping. These cells synchronize to each other and to local environmental cycles to drive coherent rhythms in daily behaviors. Recent studies have identified a small number of neuropeptides critical for this ability to synchronize and sustain coordinated daily rhythms. This review highlights the roles of specific intracellular and intercellular signals within the SCN that underlie circadian synchrony.
Expectations of pediatric sport participation among pediatricians, patients, and parents.

Athletic participation has been firmly entrenched in the American culture for the past 200 years. Initially it was immigrant communities from Europe who brought popular sports such as soccer and rugby from their home countries and shaped the early American sports movement. These sports were mostly played by men and usually in competitive sports leagues along the eastern seaboard of the United States. In the nineteenth century, new sports invented in America became increasingly popular. Eventually, America developed a unique sports culture comprising ‘‘American’’ games such as baseball, basketball, and gridiron football. As the wealth and success of the United States was established during the twentieth century, the role of athletics in American culture changed as well. At the beginning of the twentieth century, sports participation was still largely regulated to men, and the concept of recreational sports was not common, especially among groups such as women, children, and the elderly. Consistent with changes in American society such as equal rights for women and minorities and the establishment of a leisure class, the role of athletics evolved greatly, especially during the later half of the twentieth century. By the year 2000, the landscape of American sports had changed dramatically, particularly among those groups of athletic participants who had been denied the ability to play and compete in previous years. Although it would have been almost inconceivable 100 years ago, most sports participants in the United States today are younger than the age of 18 and almost half are women and girls. Although these changes have been favorable and encourage greater health among all segments of our population, there are concerns as well. Sports, particularly among pediatric and adolescent athletes, have become increasingly competitive. Many have expressed concern that the ever-increasing competitive nature of athletics in children and adolescents is potentially harmful and will
Silicon−Nitrogen Interaction in Cyclic Organooxysilanes. Dimer to Monomer Conversion1

New cyclic diorganodioxysilanes containing a ring nitrogen atom were prepared by the reaction of either Me2Si(NMe2)2 in the case of (C10H6CH2O)2NMeSiMe2 (1) and [(Me2C6H2CH2O)2NMeSiMe2]2 (2) or R2SiCl2 in the case of (Me2C6H2CH2O)2NMeSiMePh (4) and (Me2C6H2CH2O)2NMeSiPh2 (5) with an applicable diol. Similarly, reaction of Me3SiCl with a nitrogen-containing diol gives the disilylated product (C10H6CH2OSiMe3)2NMe (6) and a small amount of the monosilylated compound (C10H6CH2OH)(C10H6CH2OSiMe3)NMe (7). The 20-membered cyclic dimeric silane forms the 10-membered cyclic monomer (Me2C6H2CH2O)2NMeSiMe2 (3) quantitatively on heating or with a hydroxyl-containing catalyst at room temperature in a 50% yield. A dimer-monomer mechanism is advanced via an intermediate resembling the X-ray structure of 7. The X-ray structures of 1−4 also are reported, as well as 1H and 29Si NMR characterization of 1−7. Weak nitrogen to silicon atom coordination is present in 1, 3, and 4, giving flexible 10-membered rings in a geometry ...
Ionized Absorbers, Ionized Emitters, and the X-Ray Spectrum of Active Galactic Nuclei

Broad absorption features are common in the X-ray spectrum of low-luminosity AGNs. The features have been modeled by leaky neutral absorbers or by highly ionized gas that completely occult the continuum source. Such models are incomplete since they do not take into account all the physical processes in the gas. In particular, no previous model included the X-ray emission by the ionized absorbing gas and the reflection of the continuum source radiation. The present work discusses the emission, absorption, and reflection properties of photoionized gases with emphasis on conditions thought to prevail in AGNs. It shows that such gas is likely to produce intense X-ray line and continuum radiation and to reflect a sizable fraction of the nonstellar continuum at all energies. If such gas is indeed responsible for the observed X-ray absorption, then absorption edges are much weaker than commonly assumed, and some residual X-ray continuum is likely to be observed even if the line of sight is completely blocked. Moreover, X-ray emission features may show up in sources not showing X-ray absorption. This has immense consequences for medium-resolution X-ray missions, such as BBXRT and Astro-D, and for the planned high-resolution experiments on board XMM and AXAF.
Oil Spill Recovery in the Media: Missing an Alaska Native Perspective

We examine the collective interpretations of disaster recovery following the Exxon Valdez oil spill as developed in the alternative Alaska Native newspaper, the Tundra Times. With limited comparisons to Alaska state newspapers, we argue that the differences between the Tundra Times and mainstream media extend to the very process by which each venue goes about constructing media packages. We document differences on four media package elements: (1) sponsor activity and media practices; (2) cultural resonance; (3) package variation; and (4) condensing symbols. These journalistic and stylistic differences may have hindered the dissemination of Alaska Native claims to a broader audience. From these findings, we suggest that alternative media help to empower marginalized groups by providing to populations impacted by disasters a venue to tell their own stories.
Analysis of thermal aberrations in a high average power single-stage Ti: sapphire regenerative chirped pulse amplifier

We present a comprehensive investigation of thermal effects in single-stage high average power regenerative Ti:Sapphire amplifiers. Using finite element analysis coupled with experimental diagnostics of optical path deformations, we determine the parameters for optimum performance.
Design of Disaster-Resilient Optical Datacenter Networks

Survivability against disasters-both natural and deliberate attacks, and spanning large geographical areas-is becoming a major challenge in communication networks. Cloud services delivered by datacenter networks yield new opportunities to provide protection against disasters. Cloud services require a network substrate with high capacity, low latency, high availability, and low cost, which can be delivered by optical networks. In such networks, path protection against network failures is generally ensured by providing a backup path to the same destination (i.e., a datacenter), which is link-disjoint to the primary path. This protection fails to protect against disasters covering an area which disrupts both primary and backup paths. Also, protection against destination (datacenter) node failure is not ensured by a generic protection scheme. Moreover, content/service protection is a fundamental problem in a datacenter network, as the failure of a datacenter should not cause the disappearance of a specific content/service from the network. So content placement, routing, and protection of paths and content should be addressed together. In this work, we propose an integrated Integer Linear Program (ILP) to design an optical datacenter network, which solves the above-mentioned problems simultaneously. We show that our disaster protection scheme exploiting anycasting provides more protection, but uses less capacity than dedicated single-link failure protection. We show that a reasonable number of datacenters and selective content replicas with intelligent network design can provide survivability to disasters while supporting user demands. We also propose ILP relaxations and heuristics to solve the problem for large networks.
Two-year clinical evaluation of a pit and fissure sealant. Part I: Retention and loss of substance

The retention and loss of substance of a pit and fissure sealant over two years was evaluated in 84 children. Sealant was completely retained on 92% of all teeth at 3 months and on 69% of all teeth at 24 months. Retention was superior on premolars compared with molars, on second premolars compared with first premolars, and on first molars compared with second molars.
Observation of Pion Interferometry in Relativistic Nuclear Collisions

We present evidence of an intensity interferometric effect of identical pions in relativistic nuclear collisions. From the observed correlation, we determine the space-time structure of the pion-emitting source.
Compute & memory optimizations for high-quality speech recognition on low-end GPU processors

Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) computations in modern Automatic Speech Recognition systems are known to dominate the total processing time, and are both memory bandwidth and compute intensive. Graphics processors (GPU), are well suited for applications exhibiting data- and thread-level parallelism, as that exhibited by GMM score computations. By exploiting temporal locality over successive frames of speech, we have previously presented a theoretical framework for modifying the traditional speech processing pipeline and obtaining significant savings in compute and memory bandwidth requirements, especially on resource-constrained devices like those found in mobile devices. In this paper we discuss in detail our implementation for two of the three techniques we previously proposed, and suggest a set of guidelines of which technique is suitable for a given condition. For a medium-vocabulary, dictation task consisting of 5k words, we are able to reduce memory bandwidth by 80% for a 20% overhead in compute without loss in accuracy by applying the first technique, and memory and compute savings of 90% and 35% respectively for a 15% degradation in accuracy by using the second technique. We are able to achieve a 4× speed-up (to 6 tim es real-time performance), over the baseline on a low-end 9400M Nvidia GPU.
Arsenic and lead residues in carrots from foliar applications of monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA): A comparison between mineral and organic soils, or from soil residues

Carrot roots may absorb arsenic residues when grown in soil that has been treated previously with arsenical pesticides. Arsenic residues in crops also may result from the inappropriate application of post-emergence arsenical herbicides. To compare potential sources of arsenic residues, carrots were planted in mineral or organic soil and treated post-emergence with the herbicide monosodium methanearsonate (MSMA) at 0, 0.56, 1.12, 2.24, 4.48, or 8.96 kg ha(-1). Arsenic concentration in all plant parts declined between 30 days before harvest and harvest. Arsenic concentration in peeled carrot roots ranged from less than the limit of detection (LOD) for untreated carrots to 0.963 mg kg(-1) (fresh weight) at harvest for carrots treated with 8.96 kg ha(-1) MSMA. In another study, carrots were grown in a greenhouse in soil collected from an old orchard site that had been sprayed with lead arsenate for many years. The old orchard site soil had an arsenic level of 110 mg kg(-1), and similar non-orchard soil had an arsenic level of 1.97 mg kg(-1). All carrot plant segments from plants grown in old orchard soil had higher arsenic concentrations than those from non-orchard soil. Peeled carrot roots from non-orchard soil contained 0.034 mg kg(-1) arsenic, while the peeled roots from old orchard soil had 0.135 mg kg(-1). Old orchard soil had a lead level of 496 mg kg(-1), compared with 6.52 mg kg(-1) for non-orchard soil. Peeled carrot roots from old orchard soil contained 0.885 mg kg(-1) lead, and peeled roots from non-orchard soil contained 0.147 mg kg(-1) lead.
A high capacity metropolitan area network using lightwave transmission and time multiplexed switching

The technical feasibility of a lightwave communication system capable of providing service to thousands of subscribers within cities or large suburban areas is examined. Each subscriber in this system has available upon demand an aggregate bit rate of up to 100 Mb/s. The aggregate bit rate of the entire network is on the order of 5 Tb/s. The network topology is that of a star-on-star wherein each subscriber line terminates on one of a multitude of remote concentrators. Each high-speed link from a remote concentrator to a centrally located time-multiplexing photonic switch consists of a single-mode fiber carrying several wavelength-division multiplexed (WDM) channels. Each channel operates in a time-division multiplexed (TDM) mode at a data rate of 2 Gb/s and is powered by a multimode laser. No regeneration is required at the central switch, and at the remote concentrators, each channel is terminated by a direct-detection receiver. The approach achieves high throughput by reusing the same channels, that collectively occupy a tiny fraction of the optical band, among all interconnecting links and, with the exception of large-dimensional switch arrays, employs readily available technology. >
On the incompleteness of the historical record of North Atlantic tropical cyclones

[1] There is some question as to whether the historical record of observed North Atlantic tropical cyclones prior to the advent of satellite coverage is complete. This question is central to understanding the historical trend in tropical cyclone activity and the effect of environmental factors on it. To address this question, a statistical model of the relationship between annual cyclone counts between 1870 and 2004 and sea surface temperature and the state of the Southern Oscillation is extended to allow for non-decreasing observation probability prior to 1966. The estimated observation probabilities increase from 0.72 in 1870 to 1 in 1964. Allowing for record incompleteness reduces the estimated effect of sea surface temperature on annual tropical cyclone activity.
The role of afterimages in visual spatial aftereffects

Abstract Displacement aftereffects were obtained with alternate presentations of an inducing figure and its complement which is a finding contrary to an explanation based on retinal afterimages. Both the strength and decay rate of the aftereffects obtained for this condition were comparable to those found when a single inducing figure was presented for the entire adaptation period. For all conditions a stronger and longer aftereffect resulted for binocular stimulus presentation than was the case for dichoptic presentation. The results suggest that central processes, sensitive to relative figure-ground contrast regardless of polarity, are responsible for both the temporal protraction of the inducing figure and the displacement of the test figure.
The overriding importance of R&D as it relates to industrial competitiveness

Abstract The United States now competes in a hyper-competitive global economy in which all nations have ready access to advanced technology. Consequently, U.S. industrial survival will depend upon accelerated and sustained investments in “next-generation” products, services, and in automated manufacturing processes. Cooperative efforts increasingly will be required among companies to share risks and to pool resources and skills. This paper quantifies the overriding importance of R&D as it relates to industrial competitiveness in different industrial sectors.
Transitive nonrigid image registration: application to cardiac MR image sequences

A method for constructing transitive nonrigid image registration algorithms is presented. Although transitivity is a desirable property of nonrigid image registration algorithms, the algorithms available in the literature are not transitive. The proposed approach can be applied to any nonrigid image registration algorithm and it generalizes to any-dimensional case. The transitivity property is achieved exactly up to the error of numerical implementation, which can be arbitrary small. To the best of our knowledge, this is the first time that transitivity of image registration algorithms has been achieved. An existing 2D nonrigid image registration algorithm was made transitive using the presented method. The algorithm was tested on two sequences of cardiac short axis MR images. The maximal transitivity error (defined in the paper) for several triples of images randomly selected from the two sequences of cardiac images was on the order of a millionth of a pixel.
Cold-Drawn Bioabsorbable Ferrous and Ferrous Composite Wires: An Evaluation of Mechanical Strength and Fatigue Durability

Yield strengths exceeding 1 GPa with elastic strains exceeding 1 pct were measured in novel bioabsorbable wire materials comprising high-purity iron (Fe), manganese (Mn), magnesium (Mn), and zinc (Zn), which may enable the development of self-expandable, bioabsorbable, wire-based endovascular stents. The high strength of these materials is attributed to the fine microstructure and fiber textures achieved through cold drawing techniques. Bioabsorbable vascular stents comprising nutrient metal compositions may provide a means to overcome the limitations of polymer-based bioabsorbable stents such as excessive strut thickness and poor degradation rate control. Thin, 125-μm wires comprising combinations of ferrous alloys surrounding a relatively anodic nonferrous core were manufactured and tested using monotonic and cyclic techniques. The strength and durability properties are tested in air and in body temperature phosphate-buffered saline, and then they were compared with cold-drawn 316L stainless steel wire. The antiferromagnetic Fe35Mn-Mg composite wire exhibited more than 7 pct greater elasticity (1.12 pct vs 1.04 pct engineering strain), similar fatigue strength in air, an ultimate strength of more than 1.4 GPa, and a toughness exceeding 35 mJ/mm3 compared with 30 mJ/mm3 for 316L.
Psychologic Involvement in Pregnancy by Expectant Fathers

Active involvement in pregnancy, namely the acknowledgment, acceptance, and expression of the emotions which pregnancy elicits, may enhance the expectant father's later parenting. The lack of a clearly defined paternal role, his cultural conditioning, and the matricentric view of expectant parenthood, possibly inhibit his involvement in the pregnancy experience. Research is needed to identify needs and stresses of expectant fathers and how nursing can best meet those needs. Our minimal knowledge regarding the dynamics of expectant fatherhood impedes family-centered maternity nursing.