cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Walking the DNA Methylation Tightrope: The Involvement of Intrinsically Disordered Regions of Transcription Factors

Most 5-methylcytosine-binding domain proteins (such as MeCP2 and MBD1-6) contain a highly conserved 70 amino acid methyl-CpG-binding domain (MBD). The founding member of vertebrate MBD proteins, MBD2, is associated with the Nucleosome Remodeling Deacetylase complex (NuRD) and exhibits DNA binding specificity for methylated CpG (mCpG) islands. MBD2 consists of the MBD, an intrinsically disorder region (IDR), and a coiled-coil region. The inclusion of the IDR in MBD2 increases binding affinity for mCpG. However, how MBD2 recognizes methylated DNA and the role of the IDR in influencing binding are not fully understood. To further elucidate the role of the IDR in DNA binding, we incorporated a series of biophysical techniques to examine movement of MBD2 without the IDR (MBD2MBD) or with a portion of the IDR (MBD2MBD+IDR). NMR and ZZ-exchange spectroscopy showed differences in the distribution and intramolecular exchange rate of the two protein constructs on 17bp dsDNA substrates that contain either CpG islands, mCpG sites, or no CpG sites. Single-molecule fluorescence tracking of quantum dot-labeled MBD2MBD and MBD2MBD+IDR on DNA tightropes containing CpG or mCpG reveals that both MBD2MBD and MBD2MBD+IDR search on DNA through 1D free diffusion and stably bind to methylated DNA. In conclusion, our data reveals how MBD2 dynamically achieves DNA binding specificity for methylated DNA and supports that the IDR of MBD2 modulates MBD2-binding dynamics. These results are important for further deciphering the molecular mechanisms of MBD and mCpG epigenetic regulation.
Musical Nationalism for the 21st Century: From Andrade’s Archive to A Barca’s Repertoire

This paper compares the first album of the Sao Paulo based group A Barca to Mario de Andrade’s musical nationalism in the early 20 th century, which inspired the contemporary group. Rather than precisely replicating the original sources, A Barca creates a hybrid cultural form that blurs the constructed distinctions between popular and erudite, traditional and modern. By analyzing A Barca’s project, this paper addresses ongoing regional dynamics within Brazilian culture and the problematic constructs of “authenticity” and “popular”.
Angiogenesis on coronary angiography is a marker for accelerated cardiac allograft vasculopathy as assessed by intravascular ultrasound.

Background Errant neovascularization and coronary artery fistulae (CAF) are frequently observed after cardiac transplantation. The relationship between angiographic neovascularization/CAF and coronary plaque progression is unknown. Methods Angiography and intravascular ultrasound were routinely performed at 4-6 weeks and 1-yr post-transplant. Pts were divided into three groups: no angiographic angiogenesis (Group 1), neovascularization only (Group 2), and CAF (Group 3). First-year changes in maximal intimal thickness (MIT), maximal intimal area (MIA), and percent atheroma volume (PAV) were compared between groups. Results 106 pts were included, 40/106 in Group 1, 42/106 in Group 2, and 24/106 in Group 3. Respectively, first-year ΔMIT was 0.14±0.13 mm, 0.32±0.26 mm, and 0.50±0.34 mm, p<0.001. ΔMIA was 0.6±0.6 mm2, 1.7±1.8 mm2, and 3.0±2.6 mm2, p<0.001. ΔPAV was 2.3±2.5%, 6.0±5.1%, and 9.6±9.0%, p<0.001. Rapid plaque progression occurred in 1/40 (2.5%) pts in Group 1, 12/42 (28.6%) in Group 2, and 12/24 (50%) in Group 3, p<0.001. Multivariate analysis identified both antithymocyte globulin and presence of CAF as independently associated with rapid plaque progression: OR 0.29 (p=0.038) and 4.04 (p=0.014). Conclusion Neovascularization and CAF are commonly present on surveillance angiography after cardiac transplantation and may signify amplified angiogenesis. Their presence is associated with accelerated coronary plaque progression by IVUS. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Driving Acceptance: Applying Structural Equation Modeling to In-Vehicle Automation Acceptance

The way a person chooses to utilize automated vehicle systems is not yet well understood. A structural equation model of acceptance of such systems of was constructed, applying theoretical models of automation acceptance to a real survey data set. The model indicated that perceptions of system utility may be more important than user characteristics, suggesting that automated systems need to prove their utility to drivers. Additionally, research methods are suggested to fill model gaps.
Stereotype Threat in U.S. Students Abroad: Negotiating American Identity in the Age of Trump.

An underinvestigated and significant source of stress for U.S. student sojourners across racial/ethnic groups is exposure to stereotypes that target their American identity. This study built on the extensive research literature on stereotype threat to investigate U.S. students’ vulnerability and reactions to being the target of stereotypes. Stereotype threat occurs when one expects to be judged negatively based on stereotypes of one’s social group and feels at risk of confirming these stereotypes. An online questionnaire administered to 95 students studying abroad just prior to and following the 2016 U.S. presidential election assessed predictors of, and common responses to, stereotype threat. Multiple regression analysis identified participant gender, CQ-Motivation, and exposure to Trump-related stereotypes as significant predictors of stereotype threat. Exploratory analyses indicated possible responses to stereotype threat, including distancing from a U.S. American identity and altering one’s appearance and behavior to look less American. Implications for sojourner support and for future research are discussed.
Diabetes During Pregnancy: Surveillance, Preconception Care, and Postpartum Care.

Abstract Diabetes during pregnancy can adversely affect the health of women and infants. In this report, we provide an overview of the state of the science, and highlight Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) activities related to (1) surveillance of preexisting and gestational diabetes mellitus (GDM); (2) preconception care for women with preexisting diabetes; (3) postpartum diabetes screening among women with GDM-affected pregnancies; and (4) preventing the progression to Type 2 diabetes among women with GDM-affected pregnancies through lifestyle intervention programs. Improving preconception care, increasing postpartum diabetes screening rates, and promoting lifestyle interventions in the postpartum period all provide opportunities to improve the health of women and their infants.
Ribosomes on the night shift

From an evolutionary perspective, life involves two simple goals: survival and reproduction. But these goals are fundamentally at odds. Reproduction depends on growth, but attempts to grow when nutrients are scarce can jeopardize survival. In cells, growth is accomplished in large part by ribosomes, huge RNA-protein machines that translate nucleic acid messages into protein, the main biochemical constituent of cells. In nutrient-rich conditions, cells can be filled with ribosomes; they comprise more than a third of total biomass in rapidly growing Escherichia coli ( 1 ). But what happens to ribosomes when nutrient levels decline, as occurs sporadically in microbes and nightly in sleeping humans? Biosynthesis subsides, and ribosomes now serve as a reservoir of nutrients. Building on recent progress probing the regulation of protein synthesis and degradation from Gu et al. ( 2 ) and Abu-Remaileh et al. ( 3 ), on page 751 of this issue, Wyant et al. ( 4 ) elucidate a pathway in which ribosomes are selectively digested, promoting survival in starved cells.
Pharmacology of Amphetamines

Amphetamines are among the oldest compounds available in the United States. Amphetamine (AMPH) was first synthesized in 1887 and found in the 1920s to be a potential alternative to ephedrine which had been running in short supply for the treatment of asthma (Alles, 1928). It was available without prescription to the public for the treatment of asthma first as a benzedrine inhaler and then as benzedrine tablets (Goff & Ciraulo, 1991). Similarly, methamphetamine was synthesized and made available to the public at approximately the same time.
Towards 5G cellular network forensics

The fifth generation (5G) of cellular networks will bring 10 Gb/s user speeds, 1000-fold increase in system capacity, and 100 times higher connection density. In response to these requirements, the 5G networks will incorporate technologies like CUPS, NFV, network slicing, and CIoT. Each of these 5G features requires system adaptations to enable acquisition and forensic processing of cellular network evidence. This paper reviews the digital forensics mechanisms for Lawful Interception and user localization available in LTE and LTE-Advanced networks together with the associated evidence types, tools for forensic analysis, and supporting legal framework. The challenges and potential adaptations for retaining these capabilities in the future 5G networks are also discussed to outline the future research directions for cellular network forensics.
The Problem of Spectral Classification of Stars in the Sequence S-SC-C

The sequence of stars starting with type S and extending through the SC stars into the red carbon stars are brought into the following revised system of classification: In this table X stands for the temperature type and the number to the right of the slant line is an abundance index which, as suggested by Ake (1978), is essentially a measure of C/O. Intensities of ZrO and TiO are given also.
Clustering in the Presence of Bridge-Nodes.

In this paper, we study the ill-effects of bridgenodes, which causes many dissimilar objects to be placed together in the same cluster by existing clustering algorithms. We offer two new metrics for measuring how well a clustering algorithm handles the presence of bridge-nodes. We also illustrate how algorithms that produce overlapping clusters help to alleviate the effect of bridge-nodes and form more meaningful clusters. However, if there is too much overlap, the clusters become less informative. To address this problem, we present a novel clustering algorithm called MIN-CUT. Our experimental results with real data sets show that the MIN-CUT algorithm leads to purer clusters that have very little overlap.
Accounting Students' Performance Evaluation: Does the Examination Format Matter?

Publisher Summary This chapter elaborates the role of examination format in accounting students' performance evaluation. This study is based on the final examination scores earned by 169 students in eight different classes, and over three semesters. The sample consists of 99 junior-level accounting majors, in the Cost Accounting Course, and 70 sophomore business majors, taking their Managerial Accounting Core Course. Examinations, prepared by the same instructor, were designed to include both multiple choice, and essay/ problem type questions. One-half of possible points were equally divided among 30 multiple choice questions. The analysis of variance, for the two different test formats, 3, disclosed that accounting students scored higher in both multiple choice, and essay/ problem parts. The results were statistically significant, at 95% confidence interval, for multiple choices, and essay/problem based on the statistics of 148.10, and 9.16, respectively. The analysis of accounting/nonaccounting students test scores demonstrated significant differences, for both student groups, between the mean scores of multiple choice, and essay/problem.
Neural Basis of Behavioral and State-Dependent Control of Breathing

respiration can be automatic or under behavioral control. It is influenced by various afferents and by the state of consciousness. Some authors have divided the respiratory system into automatic and behavioral systems that they consider anatomically, as well as physiologically, separate. They contend that the automatic control system originates in the pons and medulla and sends efferents through the ventral and lateral columns of the cord to spinal motoneurons. The voluntary or behavioral control system originates in the forebrain and descends through the corticospinal or rubrospinal tract in the dorsolateral spinal cord to the spinal motoneurons. Therefore interaction between the two systems is postulated to occur in the spinal cord, at the level of the motoneurons or their internuncials, and not in the medulla or pons (e.g., ref. 26).
Case Study Research in Public Administration and Public Policy: Standards and Strategies

Based on an exploratory survey of doctoral programs in public administration, commonly (though not universally) accepted standards and guidelines for case study research are synthesized and articul...
Legal Briefs: Tachysystole, Uterine Rupture, and a Bad Outcome.

EDITOR’S NOTE The Legal Briefs feature is based on actual malpractice cases with opinions of the plaintiff and defense physician experts interspersed throughout the case. The format of this feature does not provide evidence that supports or refutes each of these opinions. A 30-year-old gravida 3, para 1 woman presented at 41 weeks’ gestation for induction of labor. The pregnancy had been unremarkable. Two years before this pregnancy, the woman had undergone a cesarean after protracted labor that resulted in the delivery of a term healthy infant. For this pregnancy, a decision to induce labor and have a trial of labor after cesarean was agreed upon by the woman and her obstetrician. Increasing amounts of oxytocin were administered. Nine hours after induction was started, her contractions dramatically increased in frequency. The intervals between the peak of contractions varied between 60 and 90 seconds and the time between the end of one contraction and the beginning of the next was less than 1 minute in most cases. Long periods of tachysystole emerged. The obstetrician retained by the plaintiff stated that the treating obstetrician was required to decrease or discontinue the oxytocin when the contractions became too frequent. He explained that the time between the peak of one contraction and the next contraction needed to be at least 2 minutes and the interval between the end of one contraction and the beginning of the next needs to be at least 1 minute. He pointed out that these intervals were not maintained. He further explained that fetal gas exchange occurs during the rest phase between contractions and therefore, without proper rest intervals, gas exchange will eventually be compromised. He further pointed out that even the definition of tachysystole was met multiple times. He explained the definition of tachysystole was more than 5 contractions …
Effects of mono- and divalent cations on the structure and thermodynamic properties of polyelectrolyte gels

Measurements are reported on the effect of monovalent and divalent salts on the swelling behavior and supramolecular structure of sodium polyacrylate gels (NaPA) made by osmotic swelling pressure and small angle neutron scattering measurements. The swelling response of the gels in solutions of ten different monovalent salts is found to be practically identical indicating that the principal effect of monovalent ions is screening the electrostatic repulsion among the charged groups on the polyelectrolyte chains; i.e., chemical differences between the monovalent ions do not play a significant role. Introducing Ca2+ ions into the equilibrium NaCl solution results in a sharp volume transition of the gels. The threshold Ca2+ ion concentration at which the transition occurs increases with increasing NaCl concentration in the surrounding bath. It is demonstrated that the swelling behavior of NaPA gels exhibits universal properties in solutions containing both NaCl and CaCl2. Osmotic swelling pressure measurements reveal that both the second and third virial coefficients decrease with increasing CaCl2 concentration until the volume transition is reached. The macroscopic measurements are complemented by small angle neutron scattering that reveals the variation of the thermodynamic length scales as the volume transition is approached. The thermodynamic correlation length L increases with increasing CaCl2 concentration.
People Do Not Always Act as Positively as They Feel: Evidence of Affiliation Suppression

This research explored the phenomenon of affiliation suppression, in which a subjective experience of attraction is more positive than the behavioral response. In a narrative investigation (Study 1), a laboratory study (Study 2), and an actual/ideal discrepancy task (Study 3), we investigated the prevalence, covariates, and consequences of the suppression of behavior relative to the subjective experience. We identified evidence for several processes, including perceived acceptance, social norms, and shyness, which contributed to the reduction in the behavioral response relative to affective attraction. Furthermore, in Study 3, we identified negative emotional consequences associated with affiliation suppression. We discuss the importance of independently measuring each component of attraction, and we outline how this research provides the parameters necessary to predict when affiliative behavior results relative to affective attraction.
Real-world evidence evaluating continuation of CDK4/6 inhibitors beyond first progression in hormone receptor-positive (HR+) metastatic breast cancer.

e12538Background: CDK inhibitors (CDKi), in combination with aromatase inhibitors (AI), are approved for the treatment of hormone receptor positive (HR+) Her2 negative metastatic breast cancer (MBC...
La Punition: by Tahar Ben Jelloun, Paris, Gallimard, 2018,160 pp., €16 (paperback), ISBN 978-2-07017-8513

I was punished for having protested peacefully and calmly for a little bit of democracy. For months I was nothing but serial number 10,366. Although I was not expecting it, I recovered my freedom o...
Medical Maximizing-Minimizing Predicts Patient Preferences for High- and Low-Benefit Care.

Purpose. People vary in their general preferences for more v. less health care, and the validated Medical Maximizing-Minimizing Scale (MMS) reliably measures this orientation. Medical maximizers (p...
Association between sex and mortality in adults with in-hospital and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest: A systematic review and meta-analysis.

Abstract Objectives Conflicting data exists regarding the association between sex and mortality in adults with in-hospital (IHCA) and out-of-hospital cardiac arrest (OHCA). We therefore conducted a meta-analysis to investigate the association between sex and mortality in adults with IHCA and OHCA. Methods We systematically searched MEDLINE and Cochrane databases to identify studies reporting sex-specific mortality in adults following IHCA or OHCA from inception to April 2020. Data were pooled using random-effects models. The primary outcome of interest was in-hospital (or 30-day) all-cause mortality. Results We included 21 observational studies with a total of 1,029,978 adult patients – 622,085 men and 407,893 women. Seven studies included patients only with IHCA and 14 studies included patients only with OHCA. Female sex was associated with significantly higher mortality following OHCA [odds ratio (OR) 1.56, 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.32–1.84, p Conclusions In adults with cardiac arrest, female sex was associated with significantly higher mortality following OHCA and a trend toward higher mortality following IHCA.
Abnormal preoperative cognitive screening in aged surgical patients: a retrospective cohort analysis.

Abstract Background Preoperative cognitive dysfunction has been associated with adverse postoperative outcomes. There are limited data characterising the epidemiology of preoperative cognitive dysfunction in older surgical patients. Methods This retrospective cohort included all patients ≥65 yr old seen at the Washington University preoperative clinic between January 2013 and June 2018. Cognitive screening was performed using the Short-Blessed Test (SBT) and Eight-Item Interview to Differentiate Aging and Dementia (AD8) screen. The primary outcome of abnormal cognitive screening was defined as SBT score ≥5 or AD8 score ≥2. Multivariable logistic regression was used to identify associated factors. Results Overall, 21 666 patients ≥65 yr old completed screening during the study period; 23.5% (n=5099) of cognitive screens were abnormal. Abnormal cognitive screening was associated with increasing age, decreasing BMI, male sex, non-Caucasian race, decreased functional independence, and decreased metabolic functional capacity. Patients with a history of stroke or transient ischaemic attack, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes mellitus, hepatic cirrhosis, and heavy alcohol use were also more likely to have an abnormal cognitive screen. Predictive modelling showed no combination of patient factors was able to reliably identify patients who had a Conclusions Routine preoperative cognitive screening of unselected aged surgical patients often revealed deficits consistent with cognitive impairment or dementia. Such deficits were associated with increased age, decreased function, decreased BMI, and several common medical comorbidities. Further research is necessary to characterise the clinical implications of preoperative cognitive dysfunction and identify interventions that may reduce related postoperative complications.
Estimation of Glottal Volume Velocity Waveform Properties: A Review and Study of Some Methodological Assumptions

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses methods used to estimate glottal waveform properties. The chapter presents the results of a project undertaken to assess critical assumptions underlying the use of reflectionless tube methodology. The methods used to estimate glottal waveform properties can be divided into two categories. The first involves those that measure the vibratory pattern of the vocal folds. The basic rationale for pursuing this approach is that the shape of the glottal pulse is largely influenced by the configuration of the glottis and by the size and duration of medial contact of the vocal folds during vibration. The second category involves methods that attempt to obtain a more direct estimate of the glottal volume velocity waveform by means of acoustic analysis
Non-cell autonomous astrocyte-mediated neuronal toxicity in prion diseases

Under normal conditions, astrocytes perform a number of important physiological functions centered around neuronal support and synapse maintenance. In neurodegenerative diseases including Alzheimer’s, Parkinson’s and prion diseases, astrocytes acquire reactive phenotypes, which are sustained throughout the disease progression. It is not known whether in the reactive states associated with prion diseases, astrocytes lose their ability to perform physiological functions and whether the reactive states are neurotoxic or, on the contrary, neuroprotective. The current work addresses these questions by testing the effects of reactive astrocytes isolated from prion-infected C57BL/6J mice on primary neuronal cultures. We found that astrocytes isolated at the clinical stage of the disease exhibited reactive, pro-inflammatory phenotype, which also showed downregulation of genes involved in neurogenic and synaptogenic functions. In astrocyte-neuron co-cultures, astrocytes from prion-infected animals impaired neuronal growth, dendritic spine development and synapse maturation. Toward examining the role of factors secreted by reactive astrocytes, astrocyte-conditioned media was found to have detrimental effects on neuronal viability and synaptogenic functions via impairing synapse integrity, and by reducing spine size and density. Reactive microglia isolated from prion-infected animals were found to induce phenotypic changes in primary astrocytes reminiscent to those observed in prion-infected mice. In particular, astrocytes cultured with reactive microglia-conditioned media displayed hypertrophic morphology and a downregulation of genes involved in neurogenic and synaptogenic functions. In summary, the current study provided experimental support toward the non-cell autonomous mechanisms behind neurotoxicity in prion diseases and demonstrated that the astrocyte reactive phenotype associated with prion diseases is synaptotoxic.
Legal Publishing in Antebellum America

Introduction 1. A bookish profession 2. Birth of the law book trade 3. Spreading the word: catalogues and cultivation 4. Bidding for law books 5. Risk, subscriptions, and status 6. John Livingston, esq.: law bookseller as cultural entrepreneur 7. Conclusion: selling the law in antebellum America.
BLACK FACE/WHITE FACE

Although Buster Keaton's silent comedies rely on troubling racial and ethnic stereotypes and racist blackface humor, they do not simply reify whiteness and blackness as racial opposites. Instead, they expose social anxieties about class stratification, masculinity and interracial dependence by generating a provocative interplay between Keaton's familiar screen persona, often in white facial makeup, and his African‐American and blackface counterparts. Moreover, Keaton's comedies perpetuate and complicate performance styles he learned at his father's knee: the nineteenth‐century American tradition of blackface minstrelsy, with its strong appeal to Irish Americans, and the tradition of whiteface clown comedy, associated with ‘Laff’ Fox and with Irish‐American entertainment stereotypes. As Keaton's films play out anxieties about social identity, they develop an uncanny doubling between white face and black face and, in the process, convert the uncanny into comedy.
A Field-Based Evaluation of Wet Retention Ponds: How Effective Are Ponds at Water Quantity Control?1

Hancock, Gregory S., Jonathan W. Holley, and Randolph M. Chambers, 2010. A Field-Based Evaluation of Wet Retention Ponds: How Effective Are Ponds at Water Quantity Control? Journal of the American Water Resources Association (JAWRA) 46(6):1145–1158. DOI: 10.1111/j.1752-1688.2010.00481.x Abstract: Wet retention ponds are widely used structural stormwater best management practices (BMPs) with the primary goals of reducing peak flows and extending flow duration. Despite widespread use, few field-based studies have evaluated the success of wet retention ponds at meeting these goals. We determined pond elevation, flow rate, and pond volume over four years in five suburban watersheds in James City County, Virginia. We selected five ponds designed under regulations requiring a 24 hour inflow-to-outflow centroid lag time for a one year, 24 hour design storm. We used pressure transducers to measure pond water surface elevation at 5 min intervals, and calculated pond outflow and volume using rating curves obtained from site stormwater management plans (SWMPs). Peak inflows, peak outflows, and runoff ratios frequently exceeded SWMP calculations in measured events. Four ponds never achieved the required 24 hour inflow-to-outflow centroid lag for storms similar to the one year, 24 hour storm. These BMPs fail to achieve regulatory goals for channel protection because of regulatory loopholes, underprediction of rainfall intensity, unrealistic predictions of postdevelopment flows in SWMPs, and the inability of wet retention ponds to reduce overall runoff volume. While specific to one locality, the shortcomings highlighted suggest similar field-based assessments of retention pond performance are needed in other locations.
Agreement reached on Kyoto Protocol

Environment ministers from 178 nations meeting in Bonn, Germany, reached a broad political agreement July 23 on the rules for the Kyoto Protocol on climate change. The agreement, which came despite United States opposition to the treaty, keeps the protocol alive and on track for potential final approval later this year by the signatories. Japanese Prime Minister Junichiro Koizumi, who indicated he prefers U.S. participation, said he was basically pleased with the outcome of the negotiations. “I welcome the basic agreement on ‘core elements’ which has been consequently reached,’ he said.
Morphology and Physical Properties of Staphylococcus Bacteriophage P11-M15

The Group B Staphylococcus phage P11-M15 is shown to be 51% protein and 49% deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA). The intact virion has a molecular weight of 66.7 x 10(6) daltons. The purified viral DNA has a molecular weight of 32.7 x 10(6) daltons. The intact virion is shown to be composed of a polyhedral head which is attached at one of its vertices to a flexible tail having helical symmetry. The tail structure is terminated by a complex baseplate which has sixfold symmetry. The virion contains a single molecule of double-stranded DNA which has no apparent single-strand nicks or single-stranded terminal redundancies.
Assessing Impacts of Roads: Application of a Standard Assessment Protocol

Adaptive management of road networks depends on timely data that accurately reflect the impacts those systems are having on ecosystem processes and associated services. In the absence of reliable data, land managers are left with little more than observations and perceptions to support management decisions of road-associated disturbances. Roads can negatively impact the soil, hydrologic, plant, and animal processes on which virtually all ecosystem services depend. The Interpreting Indicators of Rangeland Health (IIRH) protocol is a qualitative method that has been demonstrated to be effective in characterizing impacts of roads. The goal of this study were to develop, describe, and test an approach for using IIRH to systematically evaluate road impacts across large, diverse arid and semiarid landscapes. We developed a stratified random sampling approach to plot selection based on ecological potential, road inventory data, and image interpretation of road impacts. The test application on a semiarid landscape in southern New Mexico, United States, demonstrates that the approach developed is sensitive to road impacts across a broad range of ecological sites but that not all the types of stratification were useful. Ecological site and road inventory strata accounted for significant variability in the functioning of ecological processes but stratification based on apparent impact did not. Analysis of the repeatability of IIRH applied to road plots indicates that the method is repeatable but consensus evaluations based on multiple observers should be used to minimize risk of bias. Landscape-scale analysis of impacts by roads of contrasting designs (maintained dirt or gravel roads vs. non- or infrequently maintained roads) suggests that future travel management plans for the study area should consider concentrating traffic on fewer roads that are well designed and maintained. Application of the approach by land managers will likely provide important insights into minimizing impacts of road networks on key ecosystem services.
Hidden Z-matrices with positive principal minors☆

Abstract Let C denote the class of hidden Z-matrices, i.e., M∈ C if and only if there exist Z-matrices X and Y such that the following two conditions are satisfied: ( M 1) MX = Y, ( M 2) r T X + s T Y > 0 for some r, s ⩾ 0. Let P denote the class of real square matrices having positive principal minors. The class C has arisen recently as a generalization of the class of Z-matrices [9,23,24]. In this paper, we explore various matrix-theoretic aspects of the class C ∩P .
Reliability, failure, and fundamental limits of graphene and carbon nanotube interconnects

We review recent results concerning reliability and failure (due to heating) of interconnects based on metallic single-walled carbon nanotubes (SWNTs), graphene, and graphene nanoribbons (GNRs). We examine both intrinsic power dissipation within the interconnect as well as extrinsically to adjacent materials. Fundamental reliability limits are different in the diffusive and quasi-ballistic transport regimes. Thermal engineering in the diffusive regime has recently enabled us to reach current densities up to ~4 GA/cm2 for SWNTs and ~2 GA/cm2 for GNRs. However, short carbon-based interconnects (e.g. L <; 500 nm) enter a quasi-ballistic regime where heat sinking is dominated by the contacts, and narrow GNRs are in an edge-limited regime (W <; 200 nm), where thermal conductivity is dependent on device dimensions.
Arterial spin labeled MRI in prodromal Alzheimer's disease: A multi-site study

We examined differences in cerebral blood flow (CBF) measured by Arterial Spin Labeled perfusion MRI (ASL MRI) across the continuum from cognitively normal (CN) older adults to mild Alzheimer's Disease (AD) using data from the multi-site Alzheimer's Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI). Measures of CBF, in a predetermined set of regions (meta-ROI), and hippocampal volume were compared between CN (n = 47), patients with early and late Mild Cognitive Impairment [EMCI (n = 32), LMCI (n = 35)], and AD (n = 15). Associations between these measures and disease severity, assessed by Clinical Dementia Rating scale sum of boxes (CDR SB), were also assessed. Mean meta-ROI CBF was associated with group status and significant hypoperfusion was observed in LMCI and AD relative to CN. Hippocampal volume was associated with group status, but only AD patients had significantly smaller volumes than the CN. When examining the relationship between these measures and disease severity, both were significantly associated with CDR SB and appeared to provide independent prediction of status. In light of the tight link between CBF and metabolism, ASL MRI represents a promising functional biomarker for early diagnosis and disease tracking in AD and this study is the first to demonstrate the feasibility in a multi-site context in this population. Combining functional and structural measures, which can be acquired in the same scanning session, appears to provide additional information about disease severity relative to either measure alone.
A Room at a Time: How Women Entered Party Politics

Chapter 1 Introduction: Feminists, Reformers, and Party Women Chapter 2 1. Social Movements and Party Systems: Where Do Women Fit? Chapter 3 2. Cracking Open the Door: Women and Partisanship in the Nineteenth Century Chapter 4 3. Assaulting the Citadel: Woman Suffrage and the Political Parties Chapter 5 4. Learning the Ropes: Emergence of the Party Woman Chapter 6 5. Making a Place: The Women's Divisions Chapter 7 6. Party Organization: The Evolution of 50-50 Chapter 9 8. Building a Base: Women in Local Party Politics Chapter 10 9. Doing Their Bit: Women in National Party Politics Chapter 11 10. Having a Say: Women's Issues in the Party Platforms Chapter 12 11. Claiming a Share: Presidential Appointments of Women Chapter 13 12. Conclusion Chapter 13 7. Down Different Paths: Women's Organizations and Political Parties after 1920
Alcohol use in donors is a protective factor on recipients' outcome after heart transplantation

OBJECTIVE The outcome of heart transplantation is highly influenced by good donor selection. Because a history of alcoholism is prevalent among potential heart donors, we sought to explore the effect of alcohol use in donors on the outcome of heart transplantation in the recipient. METHOD A total of 437 consecutive patients underwent heart transplantation from January 2002 through September 2005. Patients' files were retrospectively studied. Mean follow-up period was 3.14+/-1.9 years (range, 3 days to 6.5 yrs). The cohort was divided into two subgroups. The alcoholic donor group (ADG) included 98 of 421 patients and the nonalcoholic donor group (NADG) included 323 of 421 patients. Mean age was 35.3+/-11.4 yrs (range, 18-66) for the ADG and 33+/-12.2 yrs (range, 18-62) for the NADG. RESULTS Mortality among the ADG was 7 of 98 (7.1%) and for NADG was 55 of 323 (17.1%) (P=0.015). The mean interval time between transplant and mortality was, for ADG, 27.7+/-20.6 months (range, 0.07-51) and for NADG, 16.4+/-19.6 months (range, 0.14-73) (P=0.031). Survival rate was significantly higher among the ADG at 72.8+/-1.9 months compared with NADG at 66.2+/-1.5 months (P=0.019). Overall rejection rate was 22 of 421 (5.2%); rejection rate was 17 of 323 (5.2%) in NADG and 5 of 98 (5.1%) in ADG. Rejection free survival was 74.6+/-0.85 with no significant difference between the two groups (P=0.85). CONCLUSION The chronic alcoholism of donors was found to be a protective factor regarding the outcome after heart transplantation. Significant differences were found in mortality rate and survival after heart transplantation between the ADG and NADG. These data support the fact that it is safe to use donors' hearts regardless of a history of alcoholism.
Connecting child care quality to child outcomes: drawing policy lessons from nonexperimental data.

Effective early childhood intervention and child care policies should be based on an understanding of the effects of child care quality and type on child well-being. This article describes methods for securing unbiased estimates of these effects from nonexperimental data. It focuses on longitudinal studies like the one developed by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development’s Early Child Care Research Network. This article first describes bias problems that arise in analyses of nonexperimental data and then explains strategies for controlling for biases arising from parental selection of child care. Next, it comments on attrition in longitudinal studies and outlines some strategies for addressing possible attrition bias. Finally, it discusses the need to translate “effect sizes” derived from these studies into the kinds of cost and benefit information needed by policy makers.
Leptin and insulin action in the central nervous system.

Body adiposity is known to be carefully regulated and to remain relatively stable for long periods of time in most mammalian species. This review summarizes old and recent data implicating insulin and leptin as key circulating signals to the central nervous system, particularly the ventral hypothalamus, in communicating thesizeand thedistribution of body fat stores. This input ultimately alters food intake and energy expenditure to maintain constancy of the adipose depot. The key primary neurons in the arcuate nucleus containing NPY/AgRP and POMC/CART appear be critical constituents of the CNS regulating system, and are shown to contribute to anabolic and catabolic signaling systems to complete the feedback loop. New data to indicate shared intracellular signaling from leptin and insulin is provided. The satiety system for meals, consisting of neural afferents to the hind-brain from the gastrointestinal tract, is described and its effectiveness is shown to vary with the strength of the insulin and leptin signals. This provides anefferent mechanism that plays a key role in a complex feedback system that allows intermittent meals to vary from day to day, but provides appropriate long-term adjustment to need. Recently described contributions of this system to obesity are described and potential therapeutic implications are discussed.
A HIGH-RESOLUTION Si(Li) SPECTROMETER WITH THERMOELECTRIC COOLING

Abstract A Si(Li) spectrometer cooled by a thermoelectric refrigerator exhibited a peak width of 258 eV fwhm for X-rays of 5.9 keV. The measured electronic noise was equivalent to 224 eV fwhm.
Effect of intraluminal thrombus on wall stress in patient-specific models of abdominal aortic aneurysm☆

Abstract Purpose: The role of intraluminal thrombus (ILT) on abdominal aortic aneurysm rupture is still not clear. Rupture of an aneurysm occurs when the wall stress exceeds the wall strength at any location on the wall. The purpose of this study was to address the hypothesis that the presence of ILT alters the wall stress distribution or wall stress magnitude in AAA. Methods: Patient-specific 3D AAA geometries were reconstructed from computed tomographic images. Two geometric features, ILT surface ratio (ILT surface area divided by the total AAA surface area) and ILT volume ratio (ILT volume divided by the total AAA volume), were calculated for each AAA. Two models were created for each patient: one with ILT and one without ILT. Systolic pressure measured at the time of computed tomographic imaging was applied to the internal surface of each model. A nonlinear large deformation algorithm was used to compute wall stress distribution with the finite element method. The Wilcoxon matched pairs test was used to compare the peak wall stress between the two models of each patient. Results: Four patients were studied with ILT surface ratios that ranged from 0.29 to 0.72 and ILT volume ratios that ranged from 0.12 to 0.66. The peak wall stress was reduced (range, 6% to 38% reduction; P = .067) for all models with ILT included (range, 28 to 37 N/cm2) as compared with models with no ILT (range, 30 to 44 N/cm2). Visual inspection also revealed a marked effect of ILT on the wall stress distribution. Conclusion: The presence of ILT alters the wall stress distribution and reduces the peak wall stress in AAA.For this reason, ILT should be included in all patient-specific models of AAA for evaluation of AAA wall stresses. (J Vasc Surg 2002;36:598-604.)
EEG diagnoses of neonatal seizures: Clinical correlations and outcome

Electroencephalographic seizures were evaluated in 112 neonates. The first portion of the study involved 80 neonates with clinically identified abnormal movements, 8 of whom (10%) had electroencephalographic evidence of seizures coincident with this activity. Patients with abnormal movements (90%) had no concurrent electrical seizures. In the second part of the study, 40 infants who had electrical seizures were investigated. Eight of these infants had been identified during the first part of the study. Two-thirds of the patients (25) were premature. Sixteen patients (40%) died; 90% had brain lesions documented by computed tomography and/or postmortem study. Cerebral infarction and intraventricular hemorrhage were the most common lesions. One-third of the survivors (8 of 24 patients) were normal at a mean age of 3 years, while two-thirds had significant neurologic and developmental abnormalities. Neonatal seizures often are subtle, not associated with observable clinical expression, and associated with adverse development. Electroencephalographic confirmation is important in the evaluation of neonatal seizures.
First the Look and Then the Sound: Creating Conversations at Circle Time.

Abstract Becoming a student means learning to interpret and construct the multiple demands for interaction in distinctive classroom events. For an increasing number of children, the preschool provides the setting for the first encounter with these complex and dynamic classroom communicative environments. This article presents an interactional analysis of preschool circle time from an ethnographic perspective. The social participation structure for conducting these events is uncovered using Green's conversational mapping system. Findings suggest that the rules and guidelines, expectations, and roles within the event change over time. The focus of learning within the event, evident in social action rules ( Erickson, 1982 , Philips, 1972 ), shifts from the formation of the circle itself to actual collaborative conversation. This shift is interpreted in terms of the children's developing competencies for participating in group conversation. In a final section, a potential peer culture dimension to this event is proposed.
A rapid quantitative separation of phosphatidyl ethanolamine and phosphatidyl serine by column chromatography

Abstract A rapid quantitative separation on an ammonium silicate column of phosphatidyl ethanolamine from phosphatidyl serine has been described. It is more convenient and less time consuming than earlier methods, and the separations obtained have been as complete as those described by Rouser et al. (1). It is a procedure readily adaptable in routine phospholipid analysis. The separation has been found to be complete when checked by paper chromatography. The method gives results which are in agreement with the findings of other authors.
Unstable composition region in the wurtzite B1−x−yGaxAlyN system

Abstract The unstable composition region of B 1 −x−y Ga x Al y N was calculated from the free energy of mixing by using the strictly regular solution model. The interaction parameter used in this calculation was based on the delta-lattice-parameter method. The proportionality constant K of 1.15×10 7 cal/mol A 2.5 was determined by fitting the spinodal isotherms to the experimental data of B 1− x Ga x N grown at 1000°C by MOVPE. Using this K value, the interaction parameters of BN–GaN, BN–AlN and AlN–GaN are 70 730, 54 872 and 1091 cal/mol, respectively. The high interaction parameters of BN–GaN and BN–AlN result in very wide unstable composition regions. From the calculated spinodal isotherms, the maximum boron solubility having a uniform single-phase solid solution is 1.8% in B 1− x Ga x N and 2.8% in B 1− y Al y N at 1000°C. However, the GaAlN alloy can be deposited over the entire composition range since the spinodal isotherms are parallel to the GaN–AlN line.
Pulmonary embolism among patients with a nearly normal ventilation/perfusion lung scan.

Background Among patients with nearly normal ventilation/perfusion ( V ˙ /Q ˙ ) lung scans in the Prospective Investigation of Pulmonary Embolism Diagnosis (PIOPED), pulmonary embolism (PE) was diagnosed more frequently in those who underwent pulmonary angiography than in those in whom PE was diagnosed on the basis of an adverse outcome while receiving no anticoagulant therapy. This may suggest that an adverse outcome is not apparent in patients with PE of such mild severity that the V ˙ /Q ˙ scan is nearly normal. If this were the case, patients with mild PE might not require treatment. Purpose The purpose of this investigation was to evaluate patients in PIOPED with nearly normal V ˙ /Q ˙ lung scans. The V ˙ /Q ˙ scans and clinical characteristics of those in whom PE was diagnosed or excluded by pulmonary angiography (angiography group) were compared with those in whom PE was diagnosed or excluded by the presence or absence of an adverse outcome while not receiving anticoagulant therapy (outcome group). If the characteristics were the same, it would suggest that some patients with mild PE do well without treatment. If the characteristics were different, it would indicate that there is no evidence from these data that mild PE need not be treated. Methods Data from PIOPED were evaluated from patients with suspected acute PE who had V ˙ /Q ˙ scans interpreted as nearly normal. There were 75 patients in the angiography group and 90 patients in the outcome group. Patients with entirely normal V ˙ /Q ˙ scans were excluded. Results PE was more frequent in the angiography group than in the outcome group, 8 of 75 (11%) vs 0 of 90 (0%) (p<0.01). In patients with nearly normal V ˙ /Q ˙ scans who were in the outcome group in comparison to the angiography group, the V ˙ /Q ˙ scan showed fewer mismatched segmental perfusion defects, a lower percentage of low-probability V ˙ /Q ˙ interpretations by one of the two V ˙ /Q ˙ readers (compared with very low or normal probability), and a generally lower clinical assessment. Conclusion The observed lower frequency of PE in the outcome group in comparison to the angiography group can be attributed to a lower likelihood of PE in this group of patients with nearly normal V ˙ /Q ˙ scans in comparison to those who underwent pulmonary angiography. There is no evidence from these data that occasional patients with nearly normal V ˙ /Q ˙ scans who have PE do not require treatment.