cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Resource Wealth, Democracy and Mobilisation

AbstractThe impact of resource wealth on society remains highly contested in the literature. Some perspectives suggest that resource wealth is associated with political apathy, while others indicate that resource wealth fosters violent civil conflicts. We leverage these seemingly contradictory impacts of natural resources on society by expanding the scope of inquiry to explore different types of resource wealth (oil and minerals) as well as other dimensions of political life (protest). Utilising a global dataset for the period 1950–2006, we test the impact of resource wealth on mobilisation. We find that while oil wealth demobilises citizens in all regime types, mineral wealth strongly correlates with higher levels of mobilisation in democracies, though not in autocracies. In addition, using survey data, we examine individual-level attitudes toward protest participation in two resource-rich states, Peru and Ecuador. The results indicate that an individual living in a mineral-rich country like Peru is more...
Occupancy and the Use of Household Space Among the Dukha

Archaeologists commonly encounter the occupation surfaces of ephemeral prehistoric houses. Within those spaces, artifacts can exhibit considerable spatial structure raising the question of what tha...
Mindfulness-based group therapy: Impact on psychiatrically hospitalized adolescents.

The practice of mindfulness has long been incorporated into psychotherapy. Research on the therapeutic benefits of mindfulness exists within adult populations, and emerging empirical evidence demon...
Identification of the Gene Involved in 4q25-Linked Axenfeld-Rieger Syndrome, PITX2

Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome (ARS) is a rare autosomal dominant disorder. ARS is considered to be fully penetrant, but variable expressivity was reported in families. The three cardinal features of ARS include specific ocular anomalies of the anterior segment, dental anomalies and redundant periumbilical skin. A variety of other abnormalities have been reported in ARS patients such as pituitary, hearing, heart and limb defects that may represent coincidental findings in some cases and be associated with specific mutations in others. Identification of genes and chromosomal regions associated with ARS demonstrated extreme genetic heterogeneity of this condition and allowed genotype-phenotype correlation studies. In this chapter, we describe identification of a gene, PITX2, which to-date represents a major gene for Axenfeld-Rieger syndrome accounting for approximately 40% of mutations in classic ARS patients. The PITX2 gene was discovered by positional cloning approach and is located at 4q25 in humans. The PITX2 gene appears to play an important role in development of many different systems and its involvement in human disorders needs to be further elucidated.
The next generation of natural history collections

The last 50 years have witnessed rapid changes in the ways that natural history specimens are collected, preserved, analyzed, and documented. Those changes have produced unprecedented access to specimens, images, and data as well as impressive research results in organismal biology. The stage is now set for a new generation of collecting, preserving, analyzing, and integrating biological samples-a generation devoted to interdisciplinary research into complex biological interactions and processes. Next-generation collections may be essential for breakthrough research on the spread of infectious diseases, feeding Earth's growing population, adapting to climate change, and other grand research challenges. A decade-long investment in research collection infrastructure will be needed.
The Perception of Colors in Fashion: A Cohort Comparison of Baby Boomers and Generation Y

Colors of clothing affect psychology of consumers and the psychological effects and meaning of colors may vary by generation and culture. Thus, the purpose of this study is to investigate if baby boomers and generation Y have different interpretation of colors, and how their color perceptions are related to self-esteem, social motivation for fashion consumption and fashion involvement. A quasi-experimental quantitative survey method was used for this study. Respondents consisted of two generations including 50 baby boomers in age 65 or older and 50 generation Y individuals. Results showed that baby boomers, generally, prefer bright colors such as orange whereas generation Y prefers dark colors such as black. Also, self-esteem and fashion involvement are important factors of understanding their different color perceptions. The results from this study can be useful for apparel manufacturers and retailers to understand each generation's different perceptions of clothing color.
US-Mexico Relations in an Age of Uncertainty

This essay reviews the following works: A Tale of Two Eagles: The US-Mexico Bilateral Defense Relationship Post Cold War. By Craig A. Deare. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2017. Pp. vii + 436. $45.00 paperback. ISBN: 9781442269446. The U.S.-Mexican Border Today: Conflict and Cooperation in Historical Perspective. By Paul Ganster with David E. Lorey. 3rd ed. Lanham, MD: Rowman and Littlefield, 2017. Pp. vii + 296. $29.00 paperback. ISBN: 9781442231115. American Crossings: Border Politics in the Western Hemisphere. Edited by Maiah Jaskoski, Arturo C. Sotomayor, and Harold A. Trinkunas. Baltimore: Johns Hopkins University Press, 2015. Pp. vii + 238. $39.95 paperback. ISBN:9781421418308. Two Nations Indivisible: Mexico, the United States, and the Road Ahead. By Shannon K. O’Neil. New York: Oxford University Press, 2013. Pp. vii + 239. $27.95 hardcover. ISBN: 9780199898336. Binational Human Rights: The U.S.-Mexico Experience. Edited by William Paul Simmons and Carol Mueller. Philadelphia: University of Pennsylvania Press, 2014. Pp. 312. $27.95 hardcover. ISBN: 9780812246285. Mexico and United States: The Politics of Partnership. Edited by Peter H. Smith and Andrew Selee. Boulder, CO: Lynne Rienner Publishers, 2013. Pp. vii + 243. $23.00 paperback. ISBN: 9781588268938.
Spatial decay estimates for a coupled system of second-order quasilinear partial differential equations arising in thermoelastic finite anti-plane shear

The spatial decay behavior of solutions of a coupled system of second-order quasilinear partial differential equations, in divergence form, defined on a two-dimensional semi-infinite strip, is investigated. Such equations arise in the theory of anti-plane shear deformations for isotropic nonlinearly thermoelastic solids. Differential inequality techniques are employed to obtain exponential decay estimates. The results are illustrated by several examples. The results are relevant to Saint-Venant principles for nonlinear thermoelasticity as well as to theorems of Phragmen-Lindelof type.
Increased Output-Pressure PMUTs with a Sloped Profile Fabricated via Surface Micromachining

This study demonstrates a new surface micromachining process capable of forming AIN piezoelectric micromachined ultrasonic transducers (PMUTs) having a sloped profile. Similar to earlier curved PMUT structures, the sloped profile increases the electromechanical coupling of the piezoelectric layer, leading to a three-fold enhancement in transmission amplitude. Unlike earlier curved PMUTs which were fabricated using complicated etching processes, the process demonstrated here is a simple surface micromachining process that is compatible with mass production processes used for industrial PMUT manufacture. Moreover, the quality factor can be improved by sloped-anchor of diaphragm with less anchor-loss.
Modeling and experimental characterization of a multi-point loaded piezocomposite beam for actuation and energy harvesting:

This article proposes a multi-point support and inertial loading for beam-like piezocomposite vibration energy harvesters as an alternative to the common cantilevered beam configuration. In the pro...
Angular distribution of gamma-ray emission from velocity-dependent dark matter annihilation in subhalos

We consider the effect of velocity-dependent dark matter annihilation on the angular distribution of gamma rays produced in dark matter subhalos. We assume that the dark matter potential is spherically symmetric, characterized by a scale radius and scale density, and the velocity distribution is isotropic. We find that the effect of velocity-dependent dark matter annihilation is largely determined by dimensional analysis; the angular size of gamma-ray emission from an individual subhalo is rescaled by a factor which depends on the form of the dark matter distribution, but not on the halo parameters, while the relative normalization of the gamma-ray flux from different mass subhalos is rescaled by a factor which depends on the halo parameters, but not on the form of the dark matter distribution. We apply our results to a Navarro-Frenk-White profile for the case of an individual subhalo and comment on the application of these results to a distribution of subhalos.
Many ways to skin a cat: psychometric methods options illustrated

The three articles in this issue from members of the Psychometric Special Interest Group (SIG) of the International Society for Quality of Life Research (ISOQOL) examine three different psychometric techniques researchers use to analyze item and scale properties of a patient-reported outcome (PRO) instrument. The articles illustrate their respective strengths and weaknesses. Many published articles use one of the three methodologies analyzed by the authors and the reader should have a basic familiarity with the assumptions, approaches, and statistical techniques behind each analysis. These three papers shed light on some of the conundrums facing developers and users of PRO measures and data regarding what method and instruments to use. These papers have used a dataset on depressive symptoms to show that no attempt to measure such a complex feeling domain as depressed mood can cover the entire spectrum of the experience. As a group, these three papers will help readers evaluate published articles on instruments using one or more approaches as well as providing general education on these statistical methods in application.
Adjunctive Strategies for Benign Maxillofacial Pathology

Benign cysts and neoplasms of the maxillofacial region can vary in behavior, with some growing rapidly and resulting in destruction of surrounding structures. Despite their benign histology, many require often-morbid treatment to prevent recurrence of these lesions. Several less invasive and adjunctive medical treatments have been developed to lessen the morbidity of surgical treatment. As the molecular and genomic pathogenesis of these lesions is better understood, more directed treatments may lessen the burden for patients.
BDNF rescues aging-associated internal anal sphincter dysfunction

Aging can lead to rectoanal incontinence due to internal anal sphincter (IAS) dysfunction, which is characterized by a decrease in IAS tone and contractility and an increase in nonadrenergic noncholinergic (NANC) relaxation. We aimed to determine whether brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) rescues this aging-associated IAS dysfunction (AAID). To do so, we studied the effects of BDNF on the basal and G protein-coupled receptors (GPCR)-stimulated IAS smooth muscle tone and on NANC relaxation in Fischer 344 rats representing different age groups [26-mo-old (aging) vs. 6-mo-old (young)], before and after tyrosine kinase receptor B (TrkB) antagonist K252a. We also used isolated smooth muscle cells (SMCs) to determine the effects of BDNF before and after different agonists. For some studies, we monitored NO release using smooth muscle perfusates. BDNF reversed AAID by rescuing the basal IAS tone and agonists [thromboxane A2 analog (U46619) and angiotensin II (ANG II)]-induced contractility, and NANC relaxation. These rescue effects of BDNF were selective as K252a attenuated the changes in the IAS without modifying the effects of K+depolarization. Because of the direct association between the basal and GPCR-stimulated IAS tone and RhoA/ROCK activation, we speculate that this pathway in the rescue effects of BDNF. Conversely, our data suggest that aging-associated increased NANC relaxation is reversed by decreased release of NO and decrease in the sensitivity of the released inhibitory neurotransmitter. In summary, BDNF rescue of AAID involves RhoA/ROCK and inhibitory neurotransmission. These data have direct implications for the role of BDNF in the pathophysiology and therapeutic targeting of aging-associated rectoanal motility disorders.NEW & NOTEWORTHY These studies demonstrate that brain-derived neurotropic factor (BDNF) rescues the aging-associated internal anal sphincter (IAS) dysfunction, characterized by a decrease in IAS tone, and increase in non-adrenergic noncholinergic relaxation. We determined the effects of BDNF on the basal and GPCR (TXA2 and ANG II)-stimulated IAS tone, and on NANC relaxation, before and after TrkB inhibitor K252a. BDNF may have an important role in the pathophysiology and therapeutic targeting of certain rectoanal motility disorders.
Reducing the Impact of External Vibrations on Fiducial Point Detection in Seismocardiogram Signals.

Objective: Wearable systems that enable continuous non-invasive monitoring of hemodynamic parameters can aid in cardiac health evaluation in non-hospital settings. The seismocardiogram (SCG) is a non-invasively acquired cardiovascular biosignal for which timings of fiducial points, like aortic valve opening (AO) and aortic valve closing (AC), can enable estimation of key hemodynamic parameters. However, SCG is susceptible to motion artifacts, making accurate estimation of these points difficult when corrupted by high-g or in-band vibration artifacts. In this paper, a novel denoising pipeline is proposed that removes vehicle-vibration artifacts from corrupted SCG beats for accurate fiducial point detection. Methods: The noisy SCG signal is decomposed with ensemble empirical mode decomposition (EEMD). Corrupted segments of the decomposed signal are then identified and removed using the quasi-periodicity of the SCG. Signal quality assessment of the reconstructed SCG beats then removes unreliable beats before feature extraction. The overall approach is validated on simulated vehicle-corrupted SCG generated by adding real subway collected vibration signals onto clean SCG. Results: SNR increased by 8.1dB in the AO complex and 11.5dB in the AC complex of the SCG signal. Hemodynamic timing estimation errors reduced by 16.5\% for pre-ejection period (PEP), 67.2\% for left ventricular ejection time (LVET), and 57.7\% for PEP/LVET---a feature previously determined in prior work to be of great importance for assessing blood volume status during hemorrhage. Conclusion: These findings suggest that usable SCG signals can be recovered from vehicle-corrupted SCG signals using the presented denoising framework, allowing for accurate hemodynamic timing estimation. Significance: Reliable hemodynamic estimates from vehicle-corrupted SCG signals will enable the adoption of the SCG in outside-of-hospital settings.
History, status, and politicization of the FDA.

Abstract The Center for Drug Evaluation and Research (CDER) performs an essential role in public health by ensuring, evaluating, and monitoring the safety and efficacy of drugs before they are sold in the US. Before approving new drug applications, CDER ensures that therapeutic benefits of both prescription and over-the-counter drugs (brand name and generic) provide more health benefits than the potential risks. First passed by Congress in 1992, the Prescription Drug User Fee Act (PDUFA) allowed the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to collect fees from drug manufacturers to fund new drug approvals. The law allowed the FDA to expedite drug approvals, but possibly lowered standards for safety and brought potential conflicts of interest within the FDA and pharmaceutical industry. To examine the conflicts of interest, we conducted a review using the Excerpta Medica database, US National Library of Medicine National Institutes of Health Database (PubMed), Scopus, and Google. Our search yielded Vioxx (rofecoxib) and Exondus-51 (eteplirsen) as examples of consequence when the FDA and pharmaceutical industry are too closely aligned. We further examine how the pharmaceutical industry may indirectly influence the FDA by lobbying to Congress or directly by hiring ex-FDA commissioners.
Unusual presentation of right-sided May-Thurner syndrome.

Abstract May-Thurner syndrome commonly presents with left leg swelling. Right-sided venous compression syndromes are rare. We report a 49-year-old gentleman who presented with right lower extremity swelling after leg trauma. He was found to have right distal common iliac vein compression by the overlying right internal iliac artery. He was treated with an endovascular approach with balloon venoplasty and stenting. This is a unique presentation of May-Thurner syndrome variation affecting the right lower extremity with limited description in the literature.
Statistical analysis using finite mixtures of normal linear models

xii CHAPTER 1 DVTRODUCTION 1 1.1 Variants of finite mixture models 1 1.1.1 A basic finite mixture model 1 1.1.2 Finite mixture of normal regressions 2 1.1.3 Finite mixtureof normal regressions with logistic mixture coefficients 5 1.2 Statistical inference for finite mixture models 7 1.3 Model assessment 8 1.4 Outline 9 CHAPTER 2 MAXIMUM LIKELIHOOD ESTIMATION 10 2.1 Identifiability 10 2.1.1 Definition of identifiability 11 2.1.2 Identifiability results 12 2.2 ML estimation via the EM algorithm 16 2.2.1 EM algorithm for model M{CK',dx) 18 2.2.2 EM algorithm for model M(Z-a:; 22 2.3 Conclusion 25 CHAPTER 3 BAYESIAN INFERENCE 26 3.1 Specifying the model 27 3.2 Simulation from the posterior distribution 29
Synergistic action of chlorpromazine and tricyclamol on basal gastric secretion in duodenal ulcer patients.

Summary 1.The effect of chlorpromazine alone on basal gastric secretion was studied in 15 patients with duodenal ulcer; 7 received the drug intramuscularly in a dose of 12.5 mg., 8 in a dose of 25.0 mg. A significant decrease in volume, free acidity, total acid and pepsin output after the administration of chlorpromazine was observed. 2.Five additional patients with duodenal ulcer were each tested with chlorpromazine and tricyclamol alone and in combination at three different dose levels as well as in two control studies, making a total of 11 tests on each patient. Chlorpromazine or tricyclamol was found to inhibit the total acid output of the basal gastric secretion; the degree of inhibition increased with increasing dose of each drug alone. The average inhibition produced by chlorpromazine was found to be significantly less than with tricyclamol for the dose levels selected. 3.When chlorpromazine was used in combination with tricyclamol a synergistic inhibition on total acid output of basal gastric secretion was demonstrated.
Potato spindle tuber viroid: XIV. Replication in nuclei isolated from infected leaves

Abstract A method has been devised to isolated cell nuclei from uninfected or potato spindle tuber viroid (PSTV)-infected tomato leaves. Properties of the RNA-synthesizing system in nuclei purified from both sources were characterized and compared. Purified nuclei from uninfected and infected leaves have the ability to incorporate [ 3 H]UMP from [ 3 H]UTP into an acid-insoluble fraction. The overall characteristics of the reaction in the system with nuclei from infected leaves were similar to those in the system from uninfected leaves. With both sources of nuclei, [ 3 H]UMP was incorporated optimally at 30° and at or near pH 7.8. The reaction was inhibited by actinomycin D, deoxyribonuclease, and ribonuclease. It depended on the presence of all four nucleoside triphosphates, Mg 2+ ions, and an ATP-generating system. The reaction products were hydrolyzed by 1 N NaOH or ribonuclease, but not by 5% trichloroacetic acid at 70° or deoxyribonuclease. Isolation of low-molecular-weight RNA's from the in vitro reaction mixture and analysis by gel electrophoresis revealed that PSTV replication is sensitive to incubation with actinomycin D. These results, with in vivo evidence (Diener and Smith (1975) . Virology 63, 421–427.), indicate that DNA of the nuclei obtained from PSTV-infected tomato leaves may act as a template for the PSTV polymerization reaction.
Analysis of the Parameter Space of a Metric for Registering 3D Vascular Images

We present a new metric for registering 3D images of vasculature, and we analyze the rigid-body transformation parameter space of that metric and its derivatives. To quantify and direct a source image's alignment with a target image, this new vascular-image registration system models the vessels in the source image and makes measurements in the target image at a sparse set of transformed points from the centerlines of those models. The system is fast and effective because the measures made at the transformed centerline points incorporate the general geometric properties of tubes and specific model-quality information calculated during the vessel model generation process. Additionally, by adjusting the sample density or scaling the centerline point measures, coarse-to-fine registration strategies are directly enabled. We present visualizations of the metrica nd its derivatives over a range of mis-registrations given different sample densities and different measure scalings using magnetic resonance angiograms, x-ray computed tomography images, and 3D ultrasound images.
Spatial Correlations in Chaotic Eigenfunctions

My focus in this talk will be on the statistical properties of the quantum energy eigenfunctions in classically chaotic systems. Twenty years ago, Berry1 conjectured that these eigenfunctions could be treated as gaussian random variables, and that the spatial correlations would be those following from taking the expected value of the Wigner density for each eigenfunction to be microcanonical. More specifically, the probability that the actual eigenfunction ψα(q) for energy E = Eα (the corresponding energy eigenvalue) is between ψ(q) and ψ(q) +dψ(q) for all coordinate points q is given by (1)
Bilateral focal ablation of prostate tissue using low-energy direct current (LEDC): a preclinical canine study

Objective To evaluate side-effects, erectile function and capability to preserve adjacent tissues of bilateral focal prostate ablation using low-energy direct current (LEDC) in a canine model. Materials and Methods In all, 12 male Beagle dogs underwent bilateral focal prostate ablation using the NanoKnife™ LEDC system. Three 19 G monopolar electrodes were transperineally placed on each side of the prostate under transrectal ultrasonographic (TRUS) guidance using a triangular probe array. Intra- and postoperative side-effects were recorded. Erectile function was evaluated at baseline and 4–5 and 26–27 days after ablation. The dogs were killed humanely at 7 (six) and 30 days (six) for gross and microscopic evaluation of the prostate and adjacent organs. Results The median (range) prostate volume on TRUS was 12.1 (8.9–17.2) mL. The electrodes were placed at a median distance of 0.55–0.66 cm from the capsule, urethra and rectum. All procedures were completed successfully and recovery was uneventful. There were no episodes of urinary retention. All the dogs were able to achieve erections after ablation. Pathological analyses revealed inflammatory changes in the ablation zone at 7 days and replacement by fibrosis at 30 days. On microscopic examination no histological injury to the capsule, urethra, rectal wall or nervous structures was identified. Conclusions In this study, bilateral focal prostate ablation using LEDC was safe and had a favourable side-effects profile limited to transient minor events. LEDC ablation effectively spared adjacent structures as well as physiological functions in all the dogs.
Direct RF sampling mixer with recursive filtering in charge domain

We present a direct RF sampling technique in which an input RF signal is converted to a current waveform, gated and integrated on a sampling capacitor. A rotating capacitor shares this charge with the main sampling capacitor and transfers it to a subsequent discrete-time switched-capacitor filter stage. This action creates a first order IIR filter which serves as an anti-alias filter for subsequent stages. The transfer function of this stage can be changed by adjusting the clock signal controlling the rotating capacitor. This approach has been validated and incorporated in a commercial Bluetooth receiver IC realized in a digital 130 nm CMOS that meets or exceeds performance of other conventional Bluetooth radio architectures.
Synthesis and consolidation of nanophase Yttria (Y2O3)

We have synthesized nanophase yttria via gas-phase condensation with CO2-laser heating. Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) shows particles of about 3 - 8 nm in diameter. X-ray diffraction (XRD) indicates a diffracting domain size L440 of 2 - 5 nm, and a lattice constant a0440 ranging from 10.60 Å to 10.70 Å. Vacuum sintering, two-stage sintering, and combined vacuum/two-stage sintering are used to consolidate the Y2O3 nanoparticles into ceramics.© (2005) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
Stability of an age specific population with density dependent fertility

Abstract A nonlinear version of the Lotka-Sharpe model of population growth is considered in which the age specific fertility is a function of the population size. The stability of an equilibrium population distribution is investigated with respect to both global and local perturbations. Sufficient conditions for such stability are presented, as are estimates for the rate of return of the population to the equilibrium configuration. Particular attention is paid to those situations in which the age dependent stability criteria coincide with those of age independent models.
Test of a duoprocess paired-associate learning model in a simultaneous presentation situation

The predictive powers of two all-or-none PA learning models were tested. in a simultaneous presentation situation. A duoprocess model which assumed all-or-none elimination of errors proved superior to the model which did not postulate error elimination. A tendency to match each alternative to one stimulus was found.
Immunopathologic Studies on Vasectomized Guinea Pigs

Vasectomies or sham vasectomies were performed on 208 guinea pigs to investigate whether vasectomy leads to immunologic complications in the first 4 postoperative months. Animals with vasectomies without obvious sperm leakage developed histopathologic changes in the testis and caudal epididymis. In some animals patchy hypospermatogenesis (7-13%) and intraductal accumulation of macrophages (5-6%) were apparent. Epididymal ducts dilated and luminal spermatozoa lost their antigens; some ducts ruptured and epididymitis and/or granulomas ensued. These early lesions are probably not due to immunologic mechanisms since: 1) they were not found in animals with leakage at vasectomy sites who exhibited positive antisperm antibody responses 2) they were found in animals with no detectable humoral immune response to sperm 3) they did not develop in the contralateral testes after unilateral vasectomy 4) immunofluorescence did not reveal in vivo binding of immunoglobulin IgC or complement component C3 in the lesions and 5) typical histologic lesions of experimental allergic orchitis were not found. In guinea pigs vasectomized 12-24 months earlier testicular lesions resembling allergic orchitis became apparent.(Authors modified)
Role of estrogen receptor-α (ESR1) and the type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGFR1) in estradiol-stimulated proliferation of cultured bovine satellite cells

Although the exact mechanism(s) by which estradiol (E2) enhances muscle growth in a number of species, including humans and cattle, is not known, E2 treatment has been shown to stimulate proliferation of cultured bovine satellite cells (BSCs). This is particularly significant because satellite cells are the source of nuclei needed to support postnatal muscle fiber hypertrophy and are thus crucial in determining the rate and extent of muscle growth. The objective of this study was to assess the role of estrogen receptor-α (ESR1) and the type 1 insulin-like growth factor receptor (IGFR1) in E2-stimulated proliferation of cultured BSCs. To accomplish this, we have used small interfering RNA (siRNA) to silence expression of ESR1 or IGFR1 and assessed the effects on E2-stimulated proliferation in BSC cultures. In BSCs treated with nonspecific siRNA, E2 significantly (P < 0.05) stimulates proliferation under conditions in which neither IGF-1 nor IGF-2 expression is increased; however, treatment of ESR1- or IGFR1-silenced cells with E2 does not significantly stimulate proliferation. These results indicate that both ESR1 and IGFR1 are required for E2 to stimulate proliferation in BSC cultures. The fact that this occurs under culture conditions in which neither IGF-1 nor IGF-2 mRNA expression is increased strongly suggests that E2 activates IGFR1 via a mechanism that does not involve increased IGF-1 or IGF-2 binding to the receptor.
A fork in the road for microRNAs

Small RNAs can silence target genes by a variety of pathways and mechanisms. Specific microRNAs have now been shown to partition into distinct effector complexes, which may in turn affect their silencing output.
Atypical idiopathic intracranial hypertension: Normal BMI and older patients

Background: Idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH) typically affects young, obese women. We examined 2 groups of atypical patients with IIH: those with a normal body mass index (BMI) and those at least 50 years of age. Methods: A retrospective cohort study of 407 consecutive adult patients with IIH with known BMI from 3 centers was undertaken. Demographics, associated factors, visual acuity, and visual fields were collected at presentation and follow-up. Results: We identified 18 IIH patients (4%) with normal BMI and 19 (5%) aged 50 years or older at the time of diagnosis who were compared with the remainder of the cohort. Medication-induced IIH was more frequent in patients with IIH with normal BMI (28 vs 7%, p = 0.008). No patient with IIH with a normal BMI had severe visual loss in either eye (0 vs 17%, p = 0.09). Older patients with IIH had a lower BMI, but were still generally obese (33 vs 38, p = 0.04). Older patients were less likely to report headache as initial symptom (37 vs 76%, p p = 0.03). Treatment of any type was less likely in older patients (significant for medications: 74 vs 91%, p = 0.004), and they were more likely to have persistent disc edema at last follow-up (median Frisen grade: 1 vs 0, p = 0.002), but had similar, if not better, visual outcomes compared with younger patients. A case-control study did not identify any new medication or risk factor associations. Conclusions: Patients with normal body mass index and those 50 years or older make up a small proportion of patients with idiopathic intracranial hypertension (IIH), but appear to have better visual outcomes than more typical patients with IIH.
Scientific Method as a Stage Process

. — The scientific method can be understood as a sequence of stages of types of activity undertaken to construct explanatory hypotheses which are verifiable. These stages, origination, deduction, experimentation, and confirmation, are each subdivided into several phases. The stages and phases are related by an order of precedence in which any given phase has to be preceded by the one before it but does not necessarily lead to the one after it. Such a dynamic outline of the growth of a scientific idea is a general scheme for rendering an explanation of it. As a consequence, the general historical development of a scientific idea is traced at the same time that its logical structure and operational significance is indicated.
Aberrant DNA methylation in pediatric patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia

BACKGROUND Aberrant methylation of promoter-associated cystosine-guanine (CpG) islands is an epigenetic modification of DNA frequently observed in adult patients with acute lymphocytic leukemia (ALL). This epigenetic modification has been associated with gene silencing, malignant transformation, and aging. It is not known whether there are epigenetic differences between pediatric patients and adult patients with ALL. METHODS To investigate the methylation characteristics of pediatric patients with ALL and to determine whether DNA methylation can explain prognostic or biologic differences between pediatric and adult patients, the authors analyzed the methylation status of 7 promoter-associated CpG islands in 16 pediatric patients with ALL and compared them with the methylation characteristics of a cohort of adult patients with ALL. The genes analyzed included the estrogen receptor gene (ER), multidrug resistance gene 1 (MDR1), p15, C-ABL, CD10, p16, and p73. RESULTS The mean methylation densities of ER, MDR1, CD10, p15, and C-ABL were 25.4%, 16.4%, 5.23%, 4.24%, and 4%, respectively. P16 was methylated in 11.7% of patients, and p73 was methylated in 17.6% of patients. One patient (6.2%) had methylation of 0 genes, 15 patients (93.7%) had methylation of ≥ 1 gene, and 4 patients (25%) had methylation of 3–4 genes. Methylation of all these genes was < 2% (or methylation specific polymerase chain reaction negative) in nonneoplastic tissues. A significant inverse correlation was observed between methylation of CD10 and CD10 expression. No differences were observed between the methylation characteristics of pediatric patients and adult patients. CONCLUSIONS The results indicate that DNA methylation is common in pediatric patients with ALL and that methylation of the genes studied does not account for prognostic differences between pediatric patients and adult patients with ALL. Cancer 2003;97:695–702. © 2003 American Cancer Society. DOI 10.1002/cncr.11090
Welcome to Religions, a New Open Access, Multidisciplinary and Comprehensive Online Journal

We always seem to be in the wake of some current event or controversy that reminds us just how important scholarly interest in religions has been, is, and will be. Fortunately, new sources for religious movements—even sources that illumine those movements’ origins—keep turning up, and many sources, long considered critical, are now accessible online. Furthermore, fresh developments in the disciplines that consistently make significant contributions to our understanding of religious personality, authority, devotion, and community—disciplines ranging from psychology, sociology, and anthropology to history, art history, philosophy, literary criticism, and political science—fuel general, as well as scholarly, interest in the world’s religions. Without exaggeration, one can claim we have an embarrassment of riches. Consequently, the study of religious crises, commitments, and critics of the latter has never been livelier. [...]
Use of an adenosine triphosphate analog, adenylyl imidodiphosphate, to evaluate adenosine triphosphate-dependent reactions in mitochondria

Abstract Adenylyl imidodiphosphate (AMP-PNP), an analog of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), was found to be an effective inhibitor of adenine nucleotide translocation in rat liver mitochondria. Inhibition by AMP-PNP was shown to be competitive with ATP. Therefore, studies designed to evaluate the interaction of ATP with mitochondrial adenosine triphosphatase (ATPase) in the presence of AMP-PNP were carried out on submitochondrial particles which lack a membrane barrier between the enzyme and the test medium. The effect of AMP-PNP on the ATP-driven reversed electron transfer reaction in sonically prepared submitochondrial particles was further examined by using oligomycin to induce coupling. The ATPase of oligomycin treated particles did not show significantly different sensitivity to AMP-PNP. Submitochondrial particles which were sensitive to AMP-PNP were less efficient in driving energy-coupled reactions. Results from these studies indicate that uncoupling in mitochondria is not only due to a leaky membrane but may also result from an altered membrane-ATPase association.
High temperature phase chemistries and solidification mode prediction in nitrogen-strengthened austenitic stainless steels

Nitronic 50 and Nitronic 50W, two nitrogen-strengthened stainless steels, were heat treated over a wide range of temperatures, and the compositions of the ferrite and austenite at each temperature were measured with analytical electron microscopy techniques. The compositional data were used to generate the (γ + δ phase field on a 58 pct Fe vertical section. Volume fractions of ferrite and austenite were calculated from phase chemistries and compared with volume fractions determined from optical micrographs. Weld solidification modes were predicted by reference to the Cr and Ni contents of each alloy, and the results were compared with predictions based on the ratios of calculated Cr and Ni equivalents for the alloys. Nitronic 50, which contained ferrite and austenite at the solidus temperature of 1370 °C, solidified through the eutectic triangle, and the weld microstructure was similar to that of austenitic-ferritic solidification. Nitronic 50W was totally ferritic at 1340 °C and solidified as primary delta ferrite. During heat treatments, Nitronic 50 and Nitronic 50W precipitated secondary phases, notably Z-phase (NbCrN), sigma phase, and stringered phases rich in Mn and Cr.
Measuring effective early childhood teaching behaviors

The Early Childhood Teacher Observation Checklist was developed to record teaching behaviors in group settings for young children. The checklist was tested in observations of 57 preservice and inservice teachers. The instrument seems to be an accurate means of measuring teacher competency for research purposes.
Overview of Sensory Systems of Tarsius

Tarsiers form the sister taxon to anthropoid primates, and their brains possess a mix of primitive and specialized features. We describe architectonically distinct subdivisions of the somatosensory, auditory, and visual systems for tarsiers, as well as nocturnal New World owl monkeys (Aotus) and strepsirhine galagos (Otolemur) for comparison. In general, the dorsal column nuclei, the ventroposterior nucleus, and primary somatosensory cortex are somewhat less distinctly differentiated in tarsiers, suggesting that the somatosensory system is less specialized for somatosensory processing. Although the inferior colliculus and the medial geniculate complex of the auditory system are architectonically similar across the 3 primates, the primary auditory cortex of tarsiers is more distinct, suggesting a greater role in auditory cortical processing. In the visual system, the differentiation of the superior colliculus is similar in all 3 primates, whereas the laminar pattern in the lateral geniculate nucleus and the subdivisions of the inferior pulvinar in tarsiers resemble those of anthropoid primates rather than strepsirhines, in agreement with the evidence that tarsiers form the sister clade for anthropoids. In addition, primary visual cortex has more distinct sublayers in tarsiers than other primates, attesting to its importance in this visual predator. Overall, tarsiers have well developed visual and auditory systems, and a less well developed somatosensory system, suggesting an enhanced reliance on the visual and auditory senses, rather than somatosensory sense.
The Induction of Hair Follicles by Embryonic Dermal Papillae

Pelage and vibrissal follicle development was examined in experimental combinations of embryonic epithelial and mesodermal tissues isolated from the snout, dorsum and plantar surfaces of the foot plate. Following separation of the tissues by cold tryptic digestion, experimental and control explants were grafted to the anterior chambers of homologous adult eyes. When mesodermal tissues from follicle-bearing areas are combined with glabrous epithelium from the foot plate, hair follicles and sebaceous glands are induced. Complete and harmonius development occurs in the intraocular grafts. Experimental exchanges of tissues between the two hair-bearing regions indicated that epithelium from the snout and dorsum can participate with homologous and heterologous follicle-bearing mesoderm to produce hair follicles. These data provide conclusive evidence for the inductive role of the dermal papilla during the ontogeny of pelage and vibrissae follicles.
A National Perspective of Medicare Expenditures for Elderly Veterans with Hip Fractures

Introduction The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS) recently announced that beginning in October 2008, Medicare will no longer reimburse hospitals for the costs of treating injuries from several preventable conditions, including inpatient falls resulting in hip fracture. If hospitals try to shift this care to other payers, elderly veterans who are dually eligible for care in Medicare and Veterans Health Administration (VHA) facilities may be adversely affected. As health care provided for a hip fracture can be substantial, the goal of this research was to calculate Medicare payments for a national cohort of elderly veterans with hip fractures, beginning with the first inpatient admission and continuing through one year. Methods This was a retrospective, secondary data analysis of national VHA-eligible Medicare beneficiaries. The study population was 43,104 veterans with a hip fracture first admitted to a Medicare-eligible facility during 1999–2002. The estimation method was an ordinary least squares regression model of Medicare payments to providers for hip fracture patients over 4 time periods, up to 1 year after discharge, controlling for age, gender, inpatient length of stay, 1-year mortality, and selected Elixhauser comorbidities. Results Medicare reimbursed providers for nearly $3 billion of health care for hip fracture patients the first year of injury. Approximately 71.4% ($49,544) of the total annual Medicare payments (for all services) occurred within the first 30 days of hospital admission. Inpatient and carrier (physician) providers received the majority of the payments. The average annual payment per individual was $69,389 (99% confidence interval: $68,539–$70,239). Almost 7 in 10 hip fracture patients obtained care in a skilled nursing facility (SNF) during the year, with these providers comprising only 12% of total annual Medicare payments. In this elderly veteran cohort, hip fracture patients with renal failure, diabetes, lymphoma, and metastatic cancer generated the highest payments. Conclusion This analysis provides proxy cost estimates for hip fracture patients useful for the forthcoming CMS reimbursement policy changes for inpatient fall-related injuries. The VHA and dually eligible elderly veterans could be disproportionately exposed to the economic consequences of the new CMS policy change.
Lynx: A dynamic instrumentation system for data-parallel applications on GPGPU architectures

As parallel execution platforms continue to proliferate, there is a growing need for real-time introspection tools to provide insight into platform behavior for performance debugging, correctness checks, and to drive effective resource management schemes. To address this need, we present the Lynx dynamic instrumentation system. Lynx provides the capability to write instrumentation routines that are (1) selective, instrumenting only what is needed, (2) transparent, without changes to the applications' source code, (3) customizable, and (4) efficient. Lynx is embedded into the broader GPU Ocelot system, which provides run-time code generation of CUDA programs for heterogeneous architectures. This paper describes (1) the Lynx framework and implementation, (2) its language constructs geared to the Single Instruction Multiple Data (SIMD) model of data-parallel programming used in current general-purpose GPU (GPGPU) based systems, and (3) useful performance metrics described via Lynx's instrumentation language that provide insights into the design of effective instrumentation routines for GPGPU systems. The paper concludes with a comparative analysis of Lynx with existing GPU profiling tools and a quantitative assessment of Lynx's instrumentation performance, providing insights into optimization opportunities for running instrumented GPU kernels.
Appealing Work: An Investigation of How Ethnographic Texts Convince

This paper examines how written research accounts based on ethnography appeal to readers to find them convincing. In particular, it highlights the role of rhetoric in the readers' interaction with and interpretation of the accounts. Extending relevant work in the literatures of organization studies, anthropology and literary criticism, the paper develops three dimensions-authenticity, plausibility and criticality-central to the process of convincing. Further, through the analysis of a sample of ethnographic articles, it discloses the particular writing practices and more general strategies that make claims on readers to engage the texts and to accept that these three dimensions have been achieved. Through authenticity, ethnographic texts appeal to readers to accept that the researcher was indeed present in the field and grasped how the members understood their world. Strategies to achieve authenticity include: particularizing everyday life, delineating the relationship between the researcher and organization members, depicting the disciplined pursuit and analysis of data, and qualifying personal biases. Through plausibility, ethnographic texts make claims on readers to accept that the findings make a distinctive contribution to issues of common concern. Plausibility is accomplished by strategies that normalize unorthodox methodologies, recruit the reader, legitimate atypical situations, smooth contestable assertions, build dramatic anticipation, and differentiate the findings. Finally, through criticality, ethnographic texts endeavor to probe readers to re-examine the taken-for-granted assumptions that underly their work. Strategies to achieve criticality include: carving out room to reflect, provoking the recognition and examination of differences, and enabling readers to imagine new possibilities. The empirical analyses, which highlight both the rhetorical and substantive aspects of convincing, suggest that at a minimum ethnographic texts must achieve both authenticity and plausibility-that is, they must convey the vitality and uniqueness of the field situation and also build their case for the particular contribution of the findings to a disciplinary area of common interest. These analyses also suggest that the most provocative task and promising potential of ethnography is the use of richly-grounded data to not only reflect on the members' world, but more importantly to provoke an examination of the readers' prevailing assumptions and beliefs.
Anomalous luminescence decay in LaF3:Pr3+ due to resonant trapping and bottlenecking of 23 cm-1 phonons☆

Abstract Anomalous nonradiative relaxation between two 1 D 2 states of LaF 3 :Pr 3+ is observed after selective excitation of the upper state with a pulsed tubable dye laser. The phenomenon results from resonant trapping and bottlenecking of 23 cm -1 phonons generated in the relaxation. The experiments provide information on 23 cm -1 phonon dynamics.
Isothermal compression of Au and Al to 20 GPa

Abstract The pressure-volume relationships for Al and Au were determined up to 20 GPa at room temperature using diamond-anvil cell and X-ray diffraction techniques. Assuming the ultrasonic values of K 0 ′ (i.e., 4.42 to 5.16 for Al and 5.21 to 6.43 for Au), the values of K 0 derived from the present P − V data for the Birch-Murnaghan equation are (71.7 ± 3.6) GPa and (163.5 ± 8.3) GPa, respectively. The static compression results are in good agreement with the ultrasonic and shock wave data, yielding accurate equations of state for these two metals.