cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Box traps for feral swine capture: A comparison of gate styles in Texas

Many different types of traps have been developed to increase feral swine (Sus scrofa) capture efficiency. Though not previously compared, gate styles may influence capture success. Our objectives were to report feral swine capture data from 31 trapping campaigns conducted in 17 counties from 2005 to 2011 in Texas, USA, compare capture rates by demographic category between side-swing and rooter gates, and evaluate influences of moisture, using the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI), on juvenile capture rates. We trapped feral swine during all months of the year. Our trap configurations were identical with the exception of gate style. Traps had either side-swing or rooter gates. We captured 1,310 feral swine during 2,424 trap-nights. We found no differences in capture rates between gate styles for adults, adult males, or adult females. However, we found juvenile capture rates and total capture rates to differ between gate styles. Box traps with rooter gates captured more juveniles, resulting in more total captures than in box traps with side-swing gates. Partitioned rooter gates are constructed to allow for continual entry after the gate has been tripped; whereas with single-panel side-swine gates, continual entry may be more challenging for juvenile animals that lack the size and strength to push through the spring tension. Rooter gates should be considered over side-swing gates in management programs aimed at overall damage reduction. However, in manage- ment or research programs that seek to capture adult feral swine, side-swing gates may be more appropriate because fewer non-target juvenile feral swine are captured. Published 2012. This article is a U.S. Government work and is in the public domain in the USA.
A comparison of root growth dynamics of silver maple and flowering dogwood in compacted soil at differing soil water contents

Summary Many bottomland tree species are tolerant of compacted soil and perform well in urban environments; however, the mechanism underlying this tolerance is unknown. Increased soil water content has been shown to alleviate some of the effects of soil compaction on plant growth, presumably because increasing soil water reduces soil strength. We hypothesized that tree species tolerant of very wet soils would have opportunities for root growth in compacted soil when high soil water contents reduced soil strength, whereas species intolerant of bottomland conditions would not. We tested this hypothesis on flowering dogwood (Cornus florida L.), a mesic species intolerant of inundation, and silver maple (Acer saccharinumL.), a bottomland species. Seedlings of both species were grown in pots for 21 and 30 days, respectively, in a growth chamber in native loam soil maintained at various combinations of soil strength and soil water tension. Downward root growth rate decreased in response to increasing soil strength in both species. At low soil strength (0.6 MPa), downward root growth rate of dogwood seedlings slowed when soil was either excessively wet or dry, whereas root growth rate of silver maple seedlings increased linearly with soil water con tent. In moderately compacted soil (1.5 g cm –3 bulk density), silver maple seedlings had greater root growth rate, root length per plant, and ratio of root length to root dry weight in wet soil (0.006 MPa soil water tension) than in moist and dry soils (0.026 and 0.06 MPa, respectively), even though mean oxygen diffusion rate (ODR) was only 0.28 µg cm –2 (SE = 0.05). No such effect was detected in highly compacted soil (1.7 g cm –3 bulk density) in either species. Mean ODR showed a weak positive correlation with soil water tension (r = 0.40, P = 0.07), but was unrelated to soil strength. We conclude that silver maple roots can grow in moderately compacted soil when high soil water content decreases soil strength, whereas dogwood is unable to take advantage of this opportunity.
Endovascular Stent Placement for May–Thurner Syndrome in the Absence of Acute Deep Vein Thrombosis

Abstract Purpose To assess the clinical utility of iliac vein stent placement for patients with chronic limb edema or pelvic congestion presenting with nonocclusive May–Thurner physiology. Materials and Methods All patients (N = 45) undergoing stent placement for May–Thurner syndrome (MTS) without an associated acute thrombotic event between 2007 and 2014 were retrospectively reviewed; 11 were excluded for poor follow-up. A total of 34 patients (28 female) were studied (mean age, 44 y; range, 19–80 y). Average follow-up time was 649 days (median, 488 d; range, 8–2,499 d). Results The technical success rate was 100% (34 of 34). No major and two minor (5%) complications occurred, and 68% of patients (23 of 34) had clinical success with relief of presenting symptoms on follow-up visits. Technical parameters including stent size and number, stent type, concurrent angioplasty, access site, and resolution of collateral iliolumbar vessels were not found to be statistically related to clinical success ( P > .05). Similarly, no significant relation to clinical success was seen for clinical factors such as the type of symptoms, presence of chronic deep vein thrombosis (DVT), or concurrent coagulopathy ( P > .05). Female sex was found to correlate with clinical success (82% vs 18%; P = .04). Conclusions Iliac stent placement in patients presenting with chronic limb or pelvic symptoms from MTS without acute DVT is associated with clinical success in the majority of patients.
Nuclear proliferation: who's next?

Unsettling developments in the past 18 months could lead to nuclear competition and terrorism in the world's least-stable regions. US efforts to stop the proliferation of nuclear weapons seem ineffective in view of such unsettling developments, especially among the states whose programs are most advanced. The task is more difficult than it was a decade ago. Then the policy of export restraint on the part of nuclear supplier countries formed the basis for a unified strategy that helped retard proliferation across the board. Today each country on the nuclear threshold must be addressed individually, taking into account its unique regional concerns and its particular relations with the US. If there is a unifying thread to US efforts to stop proliferation, it is that these have become increasingly political and diplomatic. In such a setting it is all the more important to make nonproliferation a top priority on the US foreign policy agenda. Unfortunately, other concerns have eclipsed nonproliferation in the recent past. The effect of that neglect is increasingly evident. 9 references, 1 figure, 1 table.
Approach to Children and Adolescents with Gender Dysphoria

1. Ximena Lopez, MD* 2. Sunita Stewart, PhD† 3. Elka Jacobson-Dickman, MD‡ 1. *Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX. 2. †Department of Psychiatry, University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center, Dallas TX. 3. ‡Department of Pediatrics, Division of Pediatric Endocrinology, Maimonides Medical Center, Brooklyn, NY. 1. Clinicians should be aware that patients who have gender dysphoria (GD) often suffer from psychiatric comorbidities that worsen during puberty, at which time they are at high risk of suicide. 2. It is beneficial for clinicians to appreciate their critical role in accruing a thorough and sensitive history suggestive of GD and the complexity therein and in being familiar with both the process and benefits of evaluation and therapy. 3. Primary caregivers must recognize that there is an ideal window of opportunity for patients to receive hormonal intervention, necessitating prompt referrals. After completing this article, the reader should be able to: 1. Define and describe gender dysphoria. 2. Define the terms sex, gender, gender identity, genderqueer, cisgender, gender expression, gender variant, gender nonconforming, transgender, and sexual orientation. 3. Recognize how a child or adolescent who has gender dysphoria can present to the primary clinician. 4. Recognize the controversies about current gender dysphoria prevalence data. 5. Describe the evaluation of a child or adolescent for gender dysphoria. 6. Describe the primary clinician’s role in caring for a patient who has gender dysphoria. 7. Describe the benefits of long-term treatment for children and adolescents whose gender dysphoria persists through puberty. Note: We discuss the use of gonadotropin-releasing hormone analogs for puberty suppression in adolescents who have gender dysphoria, but this is not a U.S. Food and Drug Administration-approved use of these drugs. Riccardo was a 17-year-old natal male who described himself as “being a girl with boy parts,” a proclamation that he verbalized at 15 years of age. She preferred to be referred to with female pronouns. She explained that these feelings manifested when she was very young, noting that she …
Mosquito repellent effect comparison between spray fluid and mosquito incense in the field

Objective To understand the mosquito repellent effect of 10% DEET and mosquito incense in the field.Methods 216 soldiers worked in the field were randomly divided into two groups,group 1 and group 2. The mosquito biting rates were observed in the two groups under the condition without protection,using 10% DEET and mosquito incense. Results The mosquito biting rates were 78. 2% in group 1 and 79. 2% in group 2 without any protection. The rates reached 50. 0% and 49. 1% in group 1 and 2 when mosquito incense was applied. After the application of 10% DEET,mosquito biting rates were 12. 7% and 11. 3% in group 1 and group 2 respectively. The application of 10% DEET displayed better mosquito repellent effect,and soldiers accepted DEET better than mosquito incense. Conclusion Both mosquito incense and 10% DEET hold good effects on protecting mosquito bites,and the later is safer and better accepted.
Mini-Ckpts: Surviving OS Failures in Persistent Memory

Concern is growing in the high-performance computing (HPC) community on the reliability of future extreme-scale systems. Current efforts have focused on application fault-tolerance rather than the operating system (OS), despite the fact that recent studies have suggested that failures in OS memory may be more likely. The OS is critical to a system's correct and efficient operation of the node and processes it governs---and the parallel nature of HPC applications means any single node failure generally forces all processes of this application to terminate due to tight communication in HPC. Therefore, the OS itself must be capable of tolerating failures in a robust system. In this work, we introduce mini-ckpts, a framework which enables application survival despite the occurrence of a fatal OS failure or crash. mini-ckpts achieves this tolerance by ensuring that the critical data describing a process is preserved in persistent memory prior to the failure. Following the failure, the OS is rejuvenated via a warm reboot and the application continues execution effectively making the failure and restart transparent. The mini-ckpts rejuvenation and recovery process is measured to take between three to six seconds and has a failure-free overhead of between 3-5% for a number of key HPC workloads. In contrast to current fault-tolerance methods, this work ensures that the operating and runtime systems can continue in the presence of faults. This is a much finer-grained and dynamic method of fault-tolerance than the current coarse-grained application-centric methods. Handling faults at this level has the potential to greatly reduce overheads and enables mitigation of additional faults.
Proposal of AlN-delta-GaN quantum well ultraviolet lasers

The optical gain characteristics of AlN-delta-GaN quantum well are investigated for mid-ultraviolet (UV) lasers. The ultra-thin delta-GaN layer is inserted into AlN quantum well (QW) active region with AlN barrier layers. Large TE-polarized optical gain is achieved for AlN-delta-GaN QW structure at 253 nm. The peak emission wavelength can be adjusted by tuning the delta-GaN thickness while maintaining large optical gain for λ ∼ 230–300 nm.
Developments in RMS Curricula 1673–1798

Modern concepts of “intended curriculum,” “implemented curriculum,” and “received curriculum” are used in an analysis of RMS curriculum development during the period 1673–1798. Although early RMS intended curricula were framed in terms of topics deemed to be appropriate for prospective navigators, RMS masters implemented a curriculum by which the boys prepared cyphering books which summarized what they were studying. From the outset the received curriculum—what the students experienced and learned from the implemented curricula—was assessed by external examiners who visited Christ’s Hospital from time to time, and by experienced and reputable navigators associated with Trinity House, an independent, semi-government naval authority. Analysis reveals that both the RMS students and their masters struggled to cope with unrealistic curricular expectations, with the students being expected to learn too much, too quickly. When, during the period 1673–1708, the RMS program was seen to be failing, it was the masters who were blamed.
Look Deeply Within and Share

It is a pleasure to write to you, for you have committed already to a most noble calling. I feel as if I am sending a message to the future. It is a pleasure as well, insofar as I have just retired from 44 years of teaching – first in elementary and junior high schools for eight years and then in higher education for 36 years – urban, rural, college town, and suburban.
Egr2-dependent microRNA-138 is dispensable for peripheral nerve myelination

Recent studies have elucidated the crucial role for microRNAs in peripheral nerve myelination by ablating components of the microRNA synthesis machinery. Few studies have focused on the role of individual microRNAs. To fill this gap, we focused this study on miR-138, which was shown to be drastically reduced in Dicer1 and Dgcr8 knockout mice with hypomyelinating phenotypes and to potentially target the negative regulators of Schwann cell differentiation. Here, we show that of two miR-138 encoding loci, mir-138-1 is the predominant locus transcribed in Schwann cells. mir-138-1 is transcriptionally upregulated during myelination and downregulated upon nerve injury. EGR2 is required for mir-138-1 transcription during development, and both SOX10 and EGR2 bind to an active enhancer near the mir-138-1 locus. Based on expression analyses, we hypothesized that miR-138 facilitates the transition between undifferentiated Schwann cells and myelinating Schwann cells. However, in conditional knockouts, we could not detect significant changes in Schwann cell proliferation, cell cycle exit, or myelination. Overall, our results demonstrate that miR-138 is an Egr2-dependent microRNA but is dispensable for Schwann cell myelination.
The Adhesion of Sperm to Sea Urchin Eggs

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the adhesion of sperm to sea urchin eggs. Two of the most intensely studied problems in sea urchin fertilization research are the adhesion-detachment cycle of sperm to eggs and the metabolic activation of the egg immediately after fusion with a sperm. The interaction of sperm and eggs exhibits a high degree of homologous species preference which is most often termed species specificity. When foreign sperm are mixed with eggs, the sperm usually fail to undergo the acrosome reaction, so consequently they also fail to bind to or fuse with the egg. Two lines of evidence support the hypothesis that bindin is the adhesive protein bonding sperm to egg, The first involves the immunoperoxidase localization of bindin on the surfaces of acrosome reacted sperm and in the site of the sperm–egg bond, and the second is the interaction of particulate bindin with unfertilized eggs. Bindin is the first protein to be isolated in pure form and milligram quantities that mediates a specific intercellular surface recognition and adhesion in a metazoan. It can be considered one of the most important proteins of sexually reproducing species because it mediates the union of gametes which initiates embryonic development.
Assessment of industry data on pulmonary and immunosuppressive effects of IQOS.

Introduction Heated tobacco products are being touted as novel reduced-harm tobacco products by tobacco companies. In the USA, Philip Morris International submitted a modified risk tobacco product (MRTP) application to the US Food and Drug Administration in 2016 in which it purports that its heated tobacco product, I-Quit-Ordinary-Smoking (IQOS), is associated with reduced harm compared with conventional cigarettes. Methods We reviewed Philip Morris International’s MRTP application to assess the pulmonary and immune toxicities associated with IQOS use in both animal and human studies. Results Among rats exposed to IQOS, there was evidence of pulmonary inflammation and immunomodulation. In human users, there was no evidence of improvement in pulmonary inflammation or pulmonary function in cigarette smokers who were switched to IQOS. Conclusion IQOS is associated with significant pulmonary and immunomodulatory toxicities with no detectable differences between conventional cigarette smokers and those who were switched to IQOS in Philip Morris International’s studies. Philip Morris International also failed to consider how dual use and secondhand aerosol exposure may further impact, and likely increase, the harms associated with these products.
Resource-based theory of competitive advantage – a framework for pharmacy practice innovation research

A growing body of research demonstrates the effectiveness of evidence-based pharmacy practice, but too many practice innovations fail to survive past the initial implementation and study phase. This paper presents the resource-based theory of competitive advantage as a framework for describing, understanding, and predicting the adoption and dissemination pharmacy service innovations into routine practice. The theory argues that the sustainability of any business innovation (e.g., pharmacy service) is based upon (1) the internal resources of the firm offering it, (2) the firm’s capabilities in using those resources, (3) the competitive advantage to the firm of its resources and capabilities, (4) the attractiveness of the market in which it competes, and (5) the innovation’s contribution to financial performance of the firm. This paper argues that the resource-based theory of competitive advantage provides a foundation for comparing findings from different research frameworks and studies relating to innovations in services, service processes, and service business models. The paper also poses a number of research questions related to the theory that can be used to further the literature about pharmacy practice innovations. Finally, it makes a case that competition is a fundamental aspect of pharmacy practice and the resource-based theory of competitive advantage can serve as a general theory for studying innovations in pharmacy practice and in the social and administrative sciences.
Medical Drama Viewing and Medical Trust: A Moderated Mediation Approach.

This study investigates the relationship between medical drama viewing and medical trust, applying the cultivation theory and using a moderated mediation approach. A multigroup Structural Equation ...
Christine King Farris (1927–Present)

This chapter highlights the accomplishments and historical significance of educator and civil rights activist Christine King Farris. Dr. Farris is an influential teacher educator and served 56 years as the longest faculty member upon her retirement from Spelman College. The chapter also offers a critical analysis of the role Christine King Farris had in contributing to the growth and development of education in the African American community, especially as it relates to education policies and practices in twentieth-century America.
Health Care in 2030: Will Artificial Intelligence Replace Physicians?

Armed with just the rules of the game, Google's AlphaZero mastered chess after 9 hours of training. The program showed an awesome new kind of intelligence, creativity, beauty, and perhaps even play...
Implications of CEO Succession Origin and In-House Experience for Audit Pricing:

Prior research indicates that the CEO has a significant impact on financial reporting decisions. However, there is limited research on the implications of CEO succession origin (hiring a CEO from t...
On factors ofC([0, 1]) with non-separable dual

LetC denote the Banach space of scalar-valued continuous functions defined on the closed unit interval. It is proved that ifX is a Banach space andT:C→X is a bounded linear operator withT * X * non-separable, then there is a subspaceY ofC, isometric toC, such thatT|Y is an isomorphism. An immediate consequence of this and a result of A. Pelczynski, is that every complemented subspace ofC with non-separable dual is isomorphic (linearly homeomorphic) toC.
Opportunities and Challenges of C+L Transmission Systems

C+L open line systems represent a cost-effective way to scale backbone network capacity. In this article, we review challenges and opportunities for C+L line systems stemming from Google's experience in designing, deploying, and operating a global C+L open optical network. We discuss business, operational, and technical aspects of C+L systems, and describe best practices for designing C+L links. Finally, we compare C and C+L systems, showing how the latter not only conceal capacity penalties but can even increase, depending on the deployed fiber types, the total system capacity with respect to two parallel C-band only systems.
The Relevance of Hanle Effect on Na and Fe Lidars

A laser resonant scattering process involves two steps, excitation and emission. That emission occurs spontaneously is well accepted. That the atoms involved in the emission are excited coherently by a laser beam leading to a non-isotropic angular distribution of emission (an antenna pattern) is not well known. The difference between coherent and incoherent excitation leads to the Hanle effect. In this paper, I discuss the physics of Hanle effect, and its influences on the backward scattering intensity of Na, K, and Fe atomic transitions and the associated Na and Fe resonant fluorescence lidar systems.
Using Single Nucleotide Variations in Cancer Single-Cell RNA-Seq Data for Subpopulation Identification and Genotype-phenotype Linkage Analysis

Characterization of subpopulations is a key challenge in the emerging field of single-cell RNA-seq (scRNA-seq). In scRNA-seq data, gene expression has been used as feature to detect subpopulations, however, this data type is subject to significant amount of noise. Unconventionally, we propose to use filtered, effective and expressed nucleotide variations (eeSNVs) information from scRNA-seq data as improved predictive features for subpopulation identification. We developed a linear modeling framework called SSrGE (Sparse SNV inference to reflect Gene Expression) to detect eeSNVs that are associated with gene expression profiles. In all the datasets tested, these eeSNVs show better accuracy than gene expression for retrieving cell subpopulations. Moreover, bipartite graphs of cells in combination with eeSNVs have better visual representation of the different cell subpopulations than the other methods that use gene expression data. We ranked genes, according to their eeSNVs in the cancer scRNA-seq data, and found that genes in antigen processing and presentation pathway have top ranked eeSNVs. They include HLA-A, HLA-B, HLA-C and HLA-DRA in Human Leukocyte Antigen (HLA) complex, and B2M in histocompatibility complex MHC. Moreover, previously experimentally validated cancer relevant genes, such as KRAS and SPARC, are highly ranked for eeSNVs too. In summary, we emphasize that SNV features hidden in scRNA-seq data have merits for both subpopulation identification and linkage of genotype-phenotype relationship. The computational method is freely available at https://github.com/lanagarmire/SSrGE.
Ligand-coordinated Ir single-atom catalysts stabilized on oxide supports for ethylene hydrogenation and their evolution under a reductive atmosphere

In this work, we present a novel series of oxide-supported Ir-ligand single-atom catalysts (SACs) for ethylene hydrogenation. The SACs were created by a metal–ligand self-assembly strategy developed by our group, using one of two ligands, either 1,10-phenanthroline-5,6-dione (PDO) or 3,6-Di-2-pyridyl-1,2,4,5-tetrazine (DPTZ), on powder supports of either CeO2 or MgO. Characterization by XAS, XPS, and CO adsorption proved that Ir exist principally as highly uniform, cationic single-atoms. Ir SACs show significantly higher durability and metal utilization efficiency than Ir nanoparticle (NP) catalysts during ethylene hydrogenation at 100 °C, as well as excellent stability, as no Ir aggregates were detected after >10 h reaction. The activity can be tuned by ligand and support effects: PDO and CeO2 are superior to DPTZ and MgO, respectively. This tunability is attributed to differences in H2 activation capability, which results from differences in support reducibility, electron density on Ir, and, potentially, the local coordination environment of Ir. The Ir SACs lose H2 activation activity either under inert gas or under H2. Through XPS and in situ XAS studies, we attributed the former to the reversible loss of Ir hydride, which is the active species for H2 activation, and the latter to irreversible over-hydrogenation and loss of Ir–O/N coordination. This work presents a new type of Ir hydrogenation SACs that are more durable, efficient, and tunable than supported Ir NPs, while more stable than homogeneous Ir complexes. It also offers fundamental understanding regarding ligand and support effects, as well as the evolution of Ir single-atoms under H2, instructing future design of stable, effective hydrogenation SACs.
Treatment of Comorbid Pica and Generalized Anxiety Disorder: A Case Study

Abstract This case report describes the assessment and treatment of a treatment-naive 36-year-old Hispanic/Latina female with comorbid pica and generalized anxiety disorder (GAD), and iron-deficiency anemia. At the onset of treatment, the client consumed chalkboard chalk and vermiculite from potting soil approximately three times per week and presented with moderate-severity GAD. Assessment and treatment occurred over 24 weekly outpatient individual sessions. Treatment was delivered in concert with medical intervention to address anemia. A cognitive-behavioral case formulation was developed from multiple assessment sources. A process-based cognitive-behavioral therapy (CBT) intervention approach was used to target GAD and pica simultaneously, which included psychoeducation, self-monitoring, arousal reduction skills, cognitive training (reappraisal, distancing), and behavior modification/stimulus control techniques. Barriers to treatment and their solutions are discussed. At the end of treatment, the client demonstrated increased insight and understanding of her worry symptoms and pica behavior, acquired cognitive skills and arousal reduction strategies for managing GAD, and reported less than one episode of pica per week. The identified assessment and treatment approach is worthy of future investigation to inform empirically based treatment development efforts, especially for pica.
STIM1 a Calcium Sensor Promotes the Assembly of an ECM that Contains Extracellular Vesicles and Factors that Modulate Mineralization

Bone and dentin development requires temporal and spatial deposition of calcium phosphate mineral. Several proteins work in coordination and contribute to this tightly regulated process. STIM1 (Stromal interaction molecule 1) is one such protein that has been recently identified to function in bone and enamel mineralization. STIM1 is a calcium sensor localized on the ER membrane and is well recognized for its physiological role in maintaining calcium homeostasis. We have demonstrated earlier that DMP1 stimulation of preosteoblasts and preodontoblasts stimulate calcium release from internal Ca2+ stores and this store depletion is sensed by STIM1. Store-operated calcium entry (SOCE) is one of the major Ca2+ influx mechanisms following store depletion in the ER. To demonstrate a role for STIM1 in dentin matrix mineralization, we generated transgenic DPSCs in which STIM1 was either overexpressed or silenced. These cells were characterized for their differentiation potential by gene expression analysis, Alizarin Red staining and the topology of the matrix examined by Field Emission Scanning Electron Microscopy (FESEM). Results suggest upregulation of genes involved in mineralization and increased calcium deposition with STIM1 overexpression. FESEM results demonstrate that STIM1 overexpression resulted in release of large amount of extracellular microvesicles and promoted matrix mineralization. Interestingly, knockdown of STIM1 resulted in release of fewer microvesicles and less mineral deposits in the ECM. Reduced dentin thickness, malformed and highly porous alveolar bone of STIM-1 null mice confirmed the role of STIM1 in the formation of calcified tissues. Overall, STIM1 is a crucial molecule in biomineralization as STIM1 can influence intracellular Ca2+ oscillations and thus provide a signal for activation of upstream and downstream effectors to promote precursor cell differentiation and matrix mineralization.
Living Lean: Tracy Manages His Blood Sugar

This case is part of the "Living Lean" series, which presents accessible, everyday scenarios for a Lean process-improvement journey. In this episode, a professional with diabetes explains his methods for minimizing blood sugar fluctuation. Excerpt UVA-OM-1443 Rev. Nov. 7, 2013 LIVING LEAN: TRACY MANAGES HIS BLOOD SUGAR As you eat and drink, glucose enters your bloodstream. Then your pancreas secretes a hormone that allows your body's cells to convert the glucose to energy—unless your pancreas doesn't. If that hormone doesn't materialize, the glucose will just sit there, and then you'll be in trouble. Tracy Scott's pancreas didn't secrete that hormone. So several times a day, he had to determine his glucose level and whether he needed to inject the hormone—insulin—directly into his bloodstream with a needle. Such is the life of a person with Type I diabetes. And food wasn't the only thing to consider: exercise, stress, health, environmental factors, and other medications could all affect glucose level. When it was high, Tracy added insulin, but when it was low, all he could do was ingest some carbohydrates as soon as possible, much as a blood donor is quickly offered juice and crackers. Illustrations by Michael Twery. . . .
Age- and time-varying associations between subjective health and episodic memory in older adults.

OBJECTIVE There are positive correlations between subjective health reports and episodic memory performance in older adults. However, previous studies have not evaluated the scope of such complex relationships, nor the potentially nonlinear magnitude of these correlations across age and time. We employed multiple subjective heath indices to evaluate the scope and nonlinearity of such relationships with memory performance. METHOD We utilized a cross-sectional (N = 2,783 at baseline) and longitudinal sample (N = 311) of healthy older adults aged 65 and older from the Advanced Cognitive Training for Independent and Vital Elderly (ACTIVE) study. We used time-varying effects modeling (TVEM) to assess potential differences in relationship magnitudes between memory and three subjective health subscales (general health, role physical function, and physical function, from the Short Form Health Survey; SF-36) across five years. RESULTS Episodic memory positively predicted all subjective health measures cross-sectionally and longitudinally in our sample. TVEM revealed the relationships between all subjective health measures and episodic memory were stable across age. While role physical function and physical function maintained stable relationships with episodic memory across time, general health became increasingly coupled with memory five years following baseline. DISCUSSION Together, our findings highlight stable and varying relationships between episodic memory and multiple subjective health indicators across metrics of time in older adults.
Cell plasticity, senescence, and quiescence in cancer stem cells: Biological and therapeutic implications.

Abstract Cancer stem cells (CSCs) are a distinct population of cells within tumors with capabilities of self-renewal and tumorigenicity. CSCs play a pivotal role in cancer progression, metastasis, and relapse and tumor resistance to cytotoxic therapy. Emerging scientific evidence indicates that CSCs adopt several mechanisms, driven by cellular plasticity, senescence and quiescence, to maintain their self-renewal capability and to resist tumor microenvironmental stress and treatments. These pose major hindrances for CSC-targeting anti-cancer therapies: cell plasticity maintains stemness in CSCs and renders tumor cells to acquire stem-like phenotypes, contributing to tumor heterogeneity and CSC generation; cellular senescence induces genetic reprogramming and stemness activation, leading to CSC-mediated tumor progression and metastasis; cell quienscence facilitates CSC to overcome their intrinsic vulnerabilities and therapeutic stress, inducing tumor relapse and therapy resistance. These mechanisms are subjected to spatiotemporal regulation by hypoxia, CSC niche, and extracellular matrix in the tumor microenvironment. Here we integrate the recent advances and current knowledge to elucidate the mechanisms involved in the regulation of plasticity, senescence and quiescence of CSCs and the potential therapeutic implications for the future.
Predicting the number of physical therapy visits and patient satisfaction in individuals with temporomandibular disorder: A cohort study.

BACKGROUND Temporomandibular disorders (TMD) can be challenging to manage for clinicians and patients alike. It is unclear which factors are associated with prolonging conservative care and patient dissatisfaction with treatment outcomes. OBJECTIVES To examine factors collected during a physical therapy (PT) evaluation in a cohort of individuals with TMD to determine factors associated with an increased number of PT visits and reduced patient satisfaction. METHODS Records of 511 patients referred to PT over 18 months were reviewed to extract 27 variables to develop a predictive model. Outcomes were patient satisfaction following PT and number of PT visits. Linear and zero inflated negative binomial regressions were used, and a multivariate regression model was built for both outcomes. RESULTS Two factors were associated with both lower patient satisfaction and an increased number of PT visits: higher patient rated functional neck disability and a greater number of healthcare professionals seen. Other factors associated with patient satisfaction were duration of symptoms, subluxation, and referral from an oral surgeon. Only patient rated functional neck disability score was a significant predictive factor in the multivariate model. Factors associated with number of PT visits were gender, educational level, time between initial visit and discharge, number of pain areas, bruxism, biopsychosocial factors, dizziness, pain rating, and presence of neck pain. In the multivariate model, gender, number of healthcare professionals seen, and resting pain rating were significant predictors of number of PT visits. CONCLUSION Considering key factors on initial evaluation, specifically functional neck disability and the number of prior healthcare professionals seen before starting PT, can help to predict a higher number of PT visits and reduced patient satisfaction with outcomes.
PINK1 Is Dispensable for Mitochondrial Recruitment of Parkin and Activation of Mitophagy in Cardiac Myocytes

Myocyte function and survival relies on the maintenance of a healthy population of mitochondria. The PINK1/Parkin pathway plays an important role in clearing defective mitochondria via autophagy in cells. However, how the PINK1/Parkin pathway regulates mitochondrial quality control and whether it coordinates with other mitophagy pathways are still unclear. Therefore, the objective of this study was to investigate the effect of PINK1-deficiency on mitochondrial quality control in myocytes. Using PINK1-deficient (PINK1-/-) mice, we found that Parkin is recruited to damaged cardiac mitochondria in hearts after treatment with the mitochondrial uncoupler FCCP or after a myocardial infarction even in the absence of PINK1. Parkin recruitment to depolarized mitochondria correlates with increased ubiquitination of mitochondrial proteins and activation of mitophagy in PINK1-/- myocytes. In addition, induction of mitophagy by the atypical BH3-only protein BNIP3 is unaffected by lack of PINK1. Overall, these data suggest that Parkin recruitment to depolarized cardiac mitochondria and subsequent activation of mitophagy is independent of PINK1. Moreover, alternative mechanisms of Parkin activation and pathways of mitophagy remain functional in PINK1-/- myocytes and could compensate for the PINK1 deficiency.
Computer Vision – ECCV 2012: 12th European Conference on Computer Vision Florence, Italy, October 7-13, 2012 Proceedings, Part II

The seven-volume set comprising LNCS volumes 7572-7578 constitutes the refereed proceedings of the 12th European Conference on Computer Vision, ECCV 2012, held in Florence, Italy, in October 2012. The 408 revised papers presented were carefully reviewed and selected from 1437 submissions. The papers are organized in topical sections on geometry, 2D and 3D shapes, 3D reconstruction, visual recognition and classification, visual features and image matching, visual monitoring: action and activities, models, optimisation, learning, visual tracking and image registration, photometry: lighting and colour, and image segmentation
Simple Triage Algorithm and Rapid Treatment and Sort, Assess, Lifesaving, Interventions, Treatment, and Transportation mass casualty triage methods for sensitivity, specificity, and predictive values.

Abstract Objective Two common mass casualty triage algorithms are Simple Triage Algorithm and Rapid Treatment (START) and Sort, Assess, Lifesaving, Interventions, Treatment, and Transportation (SALT). We sought to determine the START and SALT efficacy in predicting clinical outcome by appropriate triage. Methods We performed a retrospective chart review of trauma registry of patients from our emergency department (ED). We applied the triage algorithms to 100 patient charts. The end points categories were defined by patient outcomes and the need for intervention: minor/green, discharged without intervention other than minor ED procedure; delayed/yellow, patients get an intervention more than 12 hours after arrival to the ED; immediate/red, patients get an intervention less than 12 hours after arrival; dead/expectant/black, patients die within 48 hours after arrival. Results The mean age was 47 years (range, 17-92 years), and 72% were male. The mechanism of injury was 41% motor vehicle collision, 32% fall, and 16% penetrating trauma. Hospital outcome was 60% minor/green, 5% delayed/yellow, 29% immediate/red, and 6% dead/black. The SALT method resulted in 5 patients overtriaged (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.6-11.2), 30 undertriaged (95% CI, 21.2-40), and 65 met triage level (95% CI, 54.8-74.3). The START method resulted in 12 overtriage (95% CI, 6.4-20), 33 undertriaged (95% CI, 23.9-43.1), and 55 at triage level (95% CI, 44.7-65). Within triage levels, sensitivity ranged from 0% to 92%, specificity from 55% to 100%, positive predictive values from 10% to 100%, and negative predictive value from 65% to 97%. Conclusion Overall, neither SALT nor START was sensitive or specific for predicting clinical outcome.
Microcredit and political empowerment in Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to analyze the political effects of microcredit. The author provides the theoretical connections between microfinance and political empowerment and tests them in the context of Central Asia and the Caucasus, a region that is significantly lagging in political development and yet has a growing microfinance potential. Design/methodology/approach – The author conducted a total of 100 in-depth interviews with microcredit clients in Kazakhstan and Azerbaijan in June 2010 and January 2011, respectively. The author chose my client samples randomly from two of the largest non-governmental microfinance institutions in these countries. Findings – The findings of the survey reveal that microloans have only led to modest improvements in the socioeconomic status of the clients and had almost no effect on their political empowerment. Disaggregating the data further in terms of gender, type of loan and location of credit does not change the overall trends but reveals that to the ex...
Male reproductive physiology.

The human testis is an organ consisting of 2 related functional compartments: (1) the endocrine cells (Leydig or interstitial cells, and Sertoli cells), and (2) the germ cells (spermatozoa and sperm precursors). The Leydig, Sertoli, and germ cells are an anatomically and functionally integrated unit that affects normal reproductive function.
Bi-frequency control for DC-to-DC converters

A control technique called the bi-frequency control is proposed. This technique enables a converter to regulate its output by operating at two harmonically related frequencies and achieve the ZCS or ZVS without the auxiliary switch. The resulting power spectrum resembles that of a constant frequency PWM controlled converter. The authors apply this technique to the ZCS boost converter and the current driven full-bridge ZVS resonant converter (CDFBZVS), and the computer simulations and experimental results verify the analytical results. >
Molecular epidemiology of Legionella species by restriction endonuclease and alloenzyme analysis.

As part of an ongoing investigation into nosocomial Legionella infections at Stanford University Medical Center (SUMC), we applied the technique of restriction endonuclease analysis (REA) to determine strain differences among three species, including Legionella pneumophila, Legionella dumoffii, and Legionella micdadei. A total of 26 human and environmental water isolates from SUMC were selected for REA and compared with control strains that were not epidemiologically linked to SUMC. REA results were compared with results of alloenzyme typing, typing by monoclonal antibodies, and plasmid fingerprinting in all but L. micdadei strains. REA and alloenzyme typing showed that SUMC patient isolates were derived from distinct strains of three species. L. pneumophila strains from SUMC patients were genotypically identical to those isolated from potable water. REA was especially useful in proving that SUMC L. dumoffii patient isolates were derived from a single strain and that patients may have been exposed to a common source(s). REA typing correlated well with alloenzyme typing. These methods complement serologic typing of L. pneumophila and provide discriminating capability between strains of other Legionella species such as L. dumoffii, for which serologic types have not been identified. In addition, REA typing is somewhat easier to perform than alloenzyme typing and can be done in clinical laboratories. Images
The Uneasy Role of Precedent in Defining Investment

The recent Decision on Jurisdiction in Quiborax v. Bolivia represents the latest effort by international investment tribunals to find middle ground on the definition of “investment." This Comment criticizes Quiborax on two interrelated grounds. The first criticism is methodological: the Tribunal failed to account for historical evidence from the drafting of the ICSID Convention, as required by Article 31(4) of the Vienna Convention on the Law of Treaties (“VCLT”). Second, because of this methodological error, the Tribunal adopted the wrong substantive definition of “investment” under Article 25 of the ICSID Convention. Article 25 should properly be understood to reach any plausibly economic activity or asset, but Quiborax adopted a much narrower test that allows tribunals to set aside state decisions about the scope of investment protections. Quiborax reached the right result in allowing the case to proceed. But it exemplifies a troubling tendency for an insufficiently reflective reliance on precedent to swamp the principles of treaty interpretation.
NEW DEVELOPMENTS IN WRONGFUL TERMINATION

For over one hundred years the law of the land has been “at‐will” employment, the common‐law doctrine that permits either party to terminate an employment relationship at any time for any reason or for no reason. In our nation's earlier stage of rapid industrial growth, demand for employment was high; therefore, this unrestricted right to fire an employee arguably created negligible costs for employer and employee alike. Employers could easily find new employees, and employees easily find new jobs.
Engineering Selves: Negotiating Gender and Identity in Technical Work.

This article used the concept of discursive positioning to explore the narrative construction of professional identities among women engineers. The analysis of interviews with 15 women in a variety of engineering specialties suggested that they adopt a variety of distinct and sometimes contradictory positionings to present themselves as qualified professionals. In general, participants were reluctant to acknowledge gender relations as consequential for their careers and were also ambivalent about the implied focus of this research on female engineers as a “marginalized group.” A case is made for including and examining female engineers’ selfdetermined identities to arrive at more adequately complex descriptions of their work realities.
Magnetic-Moment Distribution in NiFe and AuFe Alloys

We have determined the magnetic form factors and the corresponding magnetic-moment distributions for ordered ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}$Fe and for disordered NiFe and AuFe alloys in an attempt to establish the variation of the individual atomic-moment distributions with composition. The results confirm the individual moments previously determined for NiFe alloys by neutron-diffuse-scattering methods and provide an upper limit of $0.03{\ensuremath{\mu}}_{B}$ for the Au moment in a 25-at.% Fe in Au alloy. A small negative moment density between atoms was found for all of the alloys studied. The symmetry of the moment distributions was determined at the Ni and Fe sites in ordered ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}$Fe and for Fe in ${\mathrm{Au}}_{0.75}$${\mathrm{Fe}}_{0.25}$. The Fe moment distribution is nearly spherical in both cases (54% ${T}_{2g}$ in ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}$Fe and 56% ${T}_{2g}$ in the AuFe alloy) while the Ni moment distribution is strongly distorted. There seems to be little difference between the individual moment distributions in ordered and disordered ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}$Fe. In both, the effective ${T}_{2g}$ character decreases relative to pure Ni. The $\mathrm{Ni} d$-function populations in ordered ${\mathrm{Ni}}_{3}$Fe suggest that this decreasing ${T}_{2g}$ character is associated with the larger size of, and the stronger $d\ensuremath{-}d$ overlap with, the Fe atoms. The $\mathrm{Ni} d(\mathrm{xz})$ and $d(\mathrm{yz})$ functions that are directed toward nearest-neighbor Ni atoms have essentially the same population as in pure Ni while the $d(\mathrm{xy})$ function directed toward nearest-neighbor Fe atoms loses population to $d({x}^{2}\ensuremath{-}{y}^{2})$. Thus, there is a repulsion of spin-up electrons away from the regions of strong overlap.