cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Impact Of Parental Job Loss On Children’s Health Insurance Coverage

Children with private health insurance are more than six and a half times as likely to lose coverage in the three months after one or both of their parents loses a job, compared to children whose parents remain employed. In the current economic environment, this finding is especially troubling. We estimate that for every 1,000 jobs lost, 311 privately insured children lose coverage and more than 45 percent of the poorest and most vulnerable of privately insured children became uninsured. Much more effort is needed to quickly enroll children in public health insurance programs when their parents suffer a job loss.
Health Practices of Adults with Elder Care Responsibilities

Abstract Background. This study examined health-risk behaviors and preventive health care activities among caregivers for older adults. Methods. Survey questionnaires regarding health practices were completed by 272 caregivers and 917 noncaregivers selected through a stratified random sample of persons age 50 or older who were members of the Kaiser Foundation Health Plan in Northern California. Results. Controlling for age, gender, race, education, marital status, and income level, caregivers were more likely than noncaregivers to eat breakfast daily, get flu shots, and receive pneumonia vaccines. Caregivers and noncaregivers did not differ significantly with regard to any of 10 other health practices or to the total number of positive health behaviors. Poorer health practices were associated with nonwhite racial identification, low income level, part-time employment, and health limitations. Conclusions. These findings suggest that, at least for caregivers who have access to the extensive health promotion resources of a large health maintenance organization, caregiving responsibilities may not always have the deleterious impact on health and health practices that had previously been assumed.
Instantaneous spectral attributes using scales in continuous-wavelet transform

Instantaneous spectral properties of seismic data — center frequency, root-mean-square frequency, bandwidth — often are extracted from time-frequency spectra to describe frequency-dependent rock properties. These attributes are derived using definitions from probability theory. A time-frequency spectrum can be obtained from approaches such as short-time Fourier transform (STFT) or time-frequency continuous-wavelet transform (TFCWT). TFCWT does not require preselecting a time window, which is essential in STFT. The TFCWT method converts a scalogram (i.e., time-scale map) obtained from the continuous-wavelet transform (CWT) into a time-frequency map. However, our method includes mathematical formulas that compute the instantaneous spectral attributes from the scalogram (similar to those computed from the TFCWT), avoiding conversion into a time-frequency spectrum. Computation does not require a predefined window length because it is based on the CWT. This technique optimally decomposes a multiscale signal. F...
A thermomechanical analysis of hot spot formation in condensed-phase, energetic materials

This article discusses the mechanics of shock-induced hot spot formation in porous, energetic materials. A hollow sphere configuration is used to simulate the dynamic and thermodynamic response of a single void centered in a field of condensed-phase energetic material. In addition to treating pore dynamics, the hot spot model includes energy balances for the pore gas and surrounding material. Important thermal processes such as viscoplastic heating, finite rate chemical effects, and heat exchange between the pore gas and surrounding material are also evaluated. The governing conservation equations together with the initial and interface conditions are solved numerically for a series of test cases for a nitramine material. The results show that viscoplastic heating is an effective mechanism for shock initiation of porous, energetic materials. In addition, it is demonstrated that the initial porosity of the material, the initial pore size and the material viscosity have strong influences on hot spot formation.
Overall connectivity--a next generation molecular connectivity.

Abstract The development of molecular connectivity concept and some of its key elements — Randic’s inverse-square-root function and the detailed subgraph characterization — are analyzed. The concept of overall connectivity recently advanced is presented as a next step in unfolding the ideas of molecular connectivity by combining them with those of molecular complexity. Definitions of overall connectivity index, e th-order overall connectivities, and overall connectivity vector are presented along with formulae for calculating these sets of topological indices for several classes of graphs of chemical relevance. Based on sums of adjacencies over all subgraphs (or up to a limiting subgraph size in large molecules), the overall connectivities increase both with molecule size and complexity, as expressed in branching and cyclicity of molecular skeleton. When applied to molecules containing heteroatoms, valence overall connectivities are constructed employing the Kier and Hall scheme. The usefulness of the novel indices is demonstrated by modeling physicochemical properties of alkane compounds. A detailed comparison is made with other models derived for the same set of compounds, proceeding from molecular connectivity, as well as with two other probe connectivity functions — the overall connectivity versions of the second Zagreb index, and a derivative inverse function of this index. The favorable comparisons indicate the need of molecular connectivity paradigm revisiting, and show the potential of the overall connectivity indices for QSPR/QSAR applications.
Speech perception by rhesus monkeys: The voicing distinction in synthesized labial and velar stop consonants

Monkeys were presented with synthetic speech stimuli in a shock-avoidance situation. On the basis of their behavior, perceptual boundaries were determined along the physical continua between /ba/ and /pa/, and /ga/ and /ka/, that were close to the human boundaries between voiced and voiceless consonants. As is the case with humans, discrimination across a boundary was better than discrimination between stimuli that were both on one side of the boundary, and there was generalization of the voiced-voiceless distinction from labial to velar syllables. Unlike humans, the monkeys showed large shifts in boundary when the range of stimuli was varied.
Proteomic characterization of isolated retinal pigment epithelium microvilli

Polarized epithelial cells are characterized by displaying compartmentalized functions associated with differential distribution of transporters, structural proteins, and signaling molecules on their apical and basolateral surfaces. Their apical surfaces frequently elaborate microvilli, which vary in structure according to the specific type and function of each epithelium. The molecular basis of this heterogeneity is poorly understood. However, differences in function will undoubtedly be reflected in the specific molecular composition of the apical surface in each epithelial subtype. We have exploited a method for isolating microvilli from the mouse eye using wheat germ agglutinin (WGA)-agarose beads to begin to understand the specific molecular composition of apical microvilli of the retinal pigment epithelium (RPE) and expand our knowledge of the potential function of this interface. Initially, apical RPE plasma membranes bound to WGA beads were processed for morphological analysis using known apical and basolateral surface markers. The protein composition of the apical microvilli was then established using proteomic analysis. Over 200 proteins were identified, including a number of proteins previously known to be localized to RPE microvilli, as well as others not known to be present at this surface. Localization of novel proteins identified with proteomics was confirmed by immunohistochemistry in both mouse and rat eye tissue. The data generated provides new information on the protein composition of the RPE apical microvilli. The isolation technique used should be amenable for isolating microvilli in other epithelia as well, allowing new insights into additional functions of this important epithelial compartment.
Effectiveness and cost efficiency of interventions in health promotion

The effect of a stress management programme as a component of an overall fitness programme was evaluated. Psychological, physiological and economic parameters were examined in relation to stress management activities in an experimental study. Subjects were stratified by life stressors and then randomly assigned to groups. Stress-related physical symptoms decreased significantly (P less than 0.05) in the treatment group. Those who practised the relaxation techniques regularly had significantly lower systolic blood pressure (P less than 0.05). Results of cost evaluation demonstrate the benefits from a programme with relatively low overall costs.
Phylogeny of the Portulacaceous Cohort Based on ndhF Sequence Data

Abstract The Portulacaceae, Basellaceae, Cactaceae, and Didiereaceae form a monophyletic group within the Caryophyllales, and evidence exists that the first may be paraphyletic if the latter three are recognized at the familial level. Several taxonomic treatments of the Portulacaceae based on morphological features have failed to produce consensus regarding infrafamilial relationships. The present paper employs sequences of the chloroplast gene ndhF to produce a molecular phylogeny of the portulacaceous cohort, focusing on the relationship among major lineages of the Portulacaceae and the three families potentially derived from within them. Results of this analysis supported two major clades within the monophyletic cohort. The first included Portulaca, Anacampseros and its relatives, much of Talinum, Talinella, and Cactaceae; the second, weakly supported, included the remaining genera of Portulacaceae, Basellaceae, and Didiereaceae. This phylogeny also showed that several generic circumscriptions remain i...
Metabolic Syndrome in Blacks: Are the Criteria Right?

Blacks have a lower prevalence of metabolic syndrome (MetS) that can be partly ascribed to the lower prevalent rates of some major components of MetS, namely the lower serum triglycerides and higher high-density lipoprotein cholesterol levels in blacks when compared with whites. Blacks manifest greater insulin resistance, the pivotal lesion underpinning MetS than whites. However, the relationships among insulin resistance and cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors are weaker in blacks than whites. The international bodies have recommended the use of European-based cutoff points for MetS for blacks. However, with the emerging inconsistencies in the association of insulin resistance and CVD risk factors in blacks, the use of these definitions and the cutoff points for MetS have become problematic. Therefore, it is important to review the limitations in the use of the current criteria and cutoff points of MetS in blacks to lessen the CVD risk burden in blacks.
Equine scintigraphy Part 2: Patient selection, image protocols and common diagnoses

In this two-part article on equine scintigraphy, Part 1 dealt with some simple physics of scintigraphy, the collection and manipulation of images and basic health and safety issues concerning radiation. In Part 2, areas concerning patient selection, image protocols and common diagnoses are discussed. PATIENT SELECTION Scintigraphy is best suited to horses with a recent onset of lameness involving some form of bone pathology. Horses with a subtle chronic lameness can often show disappointing or negative findings as the osteoblastic activity, upon which the principles of scintigraphy rely, has become quiescent. Similarly, reaching a diagnosis in patients with only soft tissue injury (e.g. superficial and deep flexor tendonitis, proximal suspensory desmitis without bone involvement) using scintigraphy will usually prove equally unrewarding. However, very acute muscle injuries, such as in exertional rhabdomyolysis or a single muscle ‘strain’, give some of the most strikingly abnormal scintigraphic images.
ON SEXUAL SELECTION IN FLORIDA’S PYRACTOMENA BOREALIS (COLEOPTERA: LAMPYRIDAE)

Abstract To what extent can a small animal with limited mobility use behavior to take advantage of its environment and how might this influence the population as a whole? This was examined in a firefly species Pyractomena borealis (Randall), by looking at the features of the microhabitat where larvae pupate, how developmental rates are influenced by extrinsic factors, and how the population’s spatial distribution differed according to sex. In two populations of P. borealis in Gainesville Florida, larvae pupated at the warmest locations on trees, potentially causing a faster development rate than individuals in cooler areas. In these populations males pupated sooner and in warmer areas than females, suggesting males chose their pupation locations in order to have a shorter development period and an earlier emergence date than females. This is the first evidence of protandry being experimentally linked with behavioral usage of habitat.
The InterPlanetary Superhighway and the Origins Program

The origin of the universe and of life itself have been central to human inquiries since the dawn of consciousness. To develop and use the technologies to answer these timeless and profound questions is the mission of NASA's Origins Program. The newly discovered "InterPlanetary Superhighway" (IPS) by Lo and Ross (1997, 2001) is a significant and cost-effective technology that can contribute to both Origins' science and technology goals. IPS is a vast network of tunnels providing ultra-low energy transport throughout the entire Solar System, generated by the Lagrangian points of all of the planets and satellites. IPS contributes to Origins by providing: mission-enabling trajectories, human servicing of Origins missions, a new model of the Solar System, new techniques for detecting exo-planets, an important role in the development of life, and other scientific and engineering connections that impact the Origins Program. IPS is a critical technology for the Origins Program.
Preparing Instructional Leaders: A Model.

Purpose: This article proposes a model that provides one means of making instructional leadership the central focus of leadership preparation. It draws from conceptualizations of teaching and learning as well as organizational and leadership theory to advocate for greater coherence in education leadership programs. Conceptual Argument: We begin the development of this new education leadership preparation model from a traditional foundation of management tools enhanced with organizational and leadership theory. The model moves into more innovative territory by drawing from interviews with four eminent scholars in education (Edwin Bridges, Larry Cuban, Elliot Eisner, and Lee Shulman) and their publications. We suggest a reconceptualization of leadership preparation applying major concepts such as pedagogical content knowledge, educational connoisseurship and educational criticism, and an understanding of leadership contexts. We employ problem-based learning as the primary pedagogy for aspiring instructional...
Enhanced Karnik-Mendel Algorithms for Interval Type-2 Fuzzy Sets and Systems

The Karnik-Mendel (KM) algorithms are iterative procedures widely used in fuzzy logic theory. They are known to converge monotonically and super-exponentially fast; however, several (usually two to six) iterations are still needed before convergence occurs. Methods to reduce their computational cost are proposed in this paper. Extensive simulations show that on average the enhanced KM algorithms can save about two iterations, which corresponds to more than a 39% reduction in computation time.
Direct Binding of DNA by Tumor Suppressor Menin

Menin is a tumor suppressor that is mutated in patients with multiple endocrine neoplasia type I (MEN1), an inherited tumor-prone syndrome. Because there is no obvious conserved structural domain in menin that suggests a biochemical function, little is known as to how menin suppresses tumorigenisis. Although menin interacts with a variety of nuclear proteins including transcription factors, it is unknown whether menin itself can directly bind DNA. Here we show that menin directly binds to double-stranded DNA. It also binds a variety of DNA structures, including Y-structures, branched structures, and 4-way junction structures. The COOH terminus of menin mediates binding to DNA, but MEN1 disease-derived mutations in the COOH terminus abolish the ability of menin to bind DNA. Importantly, these MEN1 disease-related menin mutants also fail to repress cell proliferation as well as cell cycle progression at the G2/M phase. Furthermore, detailed mutagenesis studies indicate that positively charged residues in two nuclear localization signals mediate direct DNA binding as well as repression of cell proliferation. Collectively, these results demonstrate, for the first time, a novel biochemical activity of menin, binding to DNA, and link its DNA binding to the regulation of cell proliferation.
Expanding notions of social reproduction: Grandparents’ educational attainment and grandchildren's cognitive skills

Inherited privilege and status remain powerful factors in the distribution of opportunity in American life. These transfers of socioeconomic resources across generations are facilitated by the links between adult educational attainment and children’s cognitive skills. Our current study expands the notion of social reproduction beyond this narrow two-generation approach to investigate the links between grandparents’ educational attainment and their grandchildren’s academic abilities. Using a nationally representative sample of over 13,000 children who participated in the Early Childhood Longitudinal Study—Kindergarten Cohort (ECLS-K), we find that familial advantages in human capital persist over time and that these advantages are associated with improved cognitive outcomes among later generations. Even after controlling for a wide array of socioeconomic and demographic characteristics, young children with college-educated grandparents possess stronger literacy and mathematics skills at the start of formal schooling. Propensity score approaches, which address concerns regarding the endogeneity inherent in the topic, yield similar results, suggesting the robustness of our findings.
The Known Stranger: Supporting Conversations between Strangers with Personalized Topic Suggestions

Striking up a good conversation with new acquaintances is often a difficult problem. In this paper we report on the perceptions of wearable device users who were given real-time personalized topic suggestions during a conversation with a person they just met. Suggestions were generated using a ranking recommendation algorithm, and were delivered via Google Glasses. We conducted a study with 38 pairs of strangers, who received such suggestions while conversing for the first time. Participants found the suggestions to be helpful, but only at the right moments, and for certain types of speakers. Our results contribute to the understanding of how communication interventions influence people's experience and behaviors, and enhance interpersonal interactions. Our study also presents design implications for applications on wearable devices to facilitate conversations between strangers.
"I Don't Care What They Say, as Long as They Spell My Name Right" Publicity, Reputation and Turnover

Managers receive numerous signals from their organizations regarding future career possibilities. Such signals can be interpreted in a variety of ways and can have important implications for future behavior on the job. In a field experiment, four organizational signals were presented to 157 middle-level managers in Fortune 500 companies. The effects of those signals on perceptions of reputation and the subsequent effect of reputation on turnover intentions were examined. Results of repeated measures multivariate analysis of variance indicated that both signal characteristics examined, the sign and level of publicity of the signal, as well as their interaction, had significant effects on perceived internal and external reputation. Multiple regression analyses found that perceptions of external reputation were significantly associated with an increased probability of search and probability of leaving, but not with intentions to leave the present organization. Implications for organizations concerning the co...
Overlapping distributions of orexin/hypocretin‐ and dopamine‐β‐hydroxylase immunoreactive fibers in rat brain regions mediating arousal, motivation, and stress

A double-label immunohistochemical study was carried out to investigate overlap between dopamine-beta-hydroxylase (DbetaH) -immunopositive projections and the projections of hypothalamic neurons containing the arousal- and feeding-related peptide, orexin/hypocretin (HCRT), in rat brain. Numerous intermingled HCRT-immunopositive and DbetaH-immunopositive fibers were seen in a ventrally situated corridor extending from the hypothalamus to deep layers of the infralimbic cortex. Both fiber types avoided the nucleus accumbens core, caudate putamen, and the globus pallidus. In the diencephalon, overlap was observed in several hypothalamic areas, including the perifornical, dorsomedial, and paraventricular nuclei, as well as in the paraventricular thalamic nucleus. Intermingled HCRT-containing and DbetaH-containing fibers extended from the hypothalamus into areas within the medial and central amygdala, terminating at the medial border of the lateral subdivision of the central nucleus of the amygdala. Dense overlap between the two fiber types was also observed in the periaqueductal gray, particularly in the vicinity of the dorsal raphe, as well as (to a lesser extent) in the ventral tegmental area, the retrorubral field, and the pedunculopontine tegmental nucleus. Hypocretin-containing cell bodies, located in the perifornical and lateral hypothalamus, were embedded within a dense plexus of DbetaH-immunopositive fibers and boutons, with numerous cases of apparent contacts of DbetaH-containing boutons onto HCRT-immunopositive soma and dendrites. HCRT-containing fibers were observed amid the noradrenergic cells of the locus coeruleus, and in the vicinity of the A1, A2, and A5 cell groups. Hence, the projections of these two arousal-related systems, originating in distinctly different parts of the brain, jointly target several forebrain regions and brainstem monoaminergic nuclei involved in regulating core motivational processes.
Cholesteryl ester acyl oxidation and remodeling in murine macrophages: formation of oxidized phosphatidylcholine

Cholesterol is an essential component of eukaryotic cell membranes, regulating fluidity and permeability of the bilayer. Outside the membrane, cholesterol is esterified to fatty acids forming cholesterol esters (CEs). Metabolism of CEs is characterized by recurrent hydrolysis and esterification as part of the CE cycle; however, since recombinant 15-lipoxygenase (15-LO) was shown to oxidize cholesteryl linoleate of LDL, there has been interest in CE oxidation, particularly in the context atherogenesis. Studies of oxidized CE (oxCE) metabolism have focused on hydrolysis and subsequent reverse cholesterol transport with little emphasis on the fate the newly released oxidized fatty acyl component. Here, using mass spectrometry to analyze lipid oxidation products, CE metabolism in murine peritoneal macrophages was investigated. Ex vivo macrophage incubations revealed that cellular 15-LO directly oxidized multiple CE substrates from intracellular stores and from extracellular sources. Freshly harvested murine macrophages also contained 15-LO-specific oxCEs, suggesting the enzyme may act as a CE-oxidase in vivo. The metabolic fate of oxCEs, particularly the hydrolysis and remodeling of oxidized fatty acyl chains, was also examined in the macrophage. Metabolism of deuterated CE resulted in the genesis of deuterated, oxidized phosphatidylcholine (oxPC). Further experiments revealed these oxPC species were formed chiefly from the hydrolysis of oxidized CE and subsequent reacylation of the oxidized acyl components into PC.
Effect of Time on Perceived Gains from an Undergraduate Research Program

The current study examines the trajectories of student perceived gains as a result of time spent in an undergraduate research experience (URE). Data for the study come from a survey administered at three points over a 1-yr period: before participation in the program, at the end of a Summer segment of research, and at the end of the year. Repeated-measures analysis of variance was used to examine the effect of time on perceived gains in student research skills, research confidence, and understanding of research processes. The results suggest that the students experienced different gains/benefits at developmentally different stages of their UREs. Participants reported gains in fewer areas at the end of the Summer segment compared with the end of the yearlong experience, thus supporting the notion that longer UREs offer students more benefit.
Large granular lymphocytic leukemia: molecular pathogenesis, clinical manifestations, and treatment

Large granular lymphocyte (LGL) leukemia represents a spectrum of rare lymphoproliferative diseases defined by clonal amplification of either CD3(+) cytotoxic T-lymphocytes or CD3(-) natural killer cells. This chapter focuses on the T-cell form of LGL leukemia. Clinical features include neutropenia, anemia, and rheumatoid arthritis. LGL leukemia is thought to arise from chronic antigenic stimulation, with the long-term survival of LGL being promoted by constitutive activation of multiple survival signaling pathways, such as the JAK/STAT3, sphingolipid, and Ras/MEK/ERK pathways. Therefore, these lead to global deregulation of apoptosis and resistance to normal pathways of activation-induced cell death. The majority of LGL leukemia patients eventually need treatment. Treatment of leukemic LGL is based on immunosuppressive therapy, primarily using low doses of methotrexate or cyclophosphamide. However, no standard therapy has been established because of the lack of large, prospective trials. In addition, because some patients are refractory to currently available treatments and none of these therapeutic modalities can cure LGL leukemia, new therapeutic options are needed. Understanding the current state of the pathogenesis of LGL leukemia may provide insights into novel therapeutic options.
ARE MEXICANS IN THE UNITED STATES A THREAT TO THE AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE

The Latino population has grown significantly over the last few decades in the United States and population projections suggest that the number of Latinos will increase disproportionately, relative to other immigrant groups, in the coming decades. These trends have resulted in great concern among some who fear that Latinos, especially Mexicans, are not acculturating and assimilating into mainstream, White America. Fears of the “browning of America” and of Latinos' presumed threat to the American way of life have led some to call for measures to ensure the preservation of America's national identity. Samuel Huntington is the latest public figure to make such claims. This paper provides an overview of Huntington's claims as well as the responses that his work has drawn from supporters and critics. Using data from the 2000 5% Public Use Microdata Sample, we assess the validity of Huntington's claims by examining the extent to which Mexicans, the largest Latino subgroup, have integrated into the United States, basing our assessment on a variety of selected demographic, social, and economic indicators. The results suggest that Mexicans have integrated in various dimensions, with the level of integration increasing with length of residence in the United States. We conclude with a discussion of the historical and contemporary context in which Mexicans have been racialized in the United States.
Cumulus Ensembles in Shear: Implications for Parameterization

Abstract A systematic numerical investigation is conducted into the role of ambient shear on the macrophysical properties of tropical cumulus ensembles maintained by convective available potential energy generated by constant surface fluxes of temperature and moisture and large-scale advective cooling and moistening. The effects of five distinct idealized wind profiles on the organization of convection, and quantities relevant to the parameterization of convection and convectively generated clouds, are examined in a series of 6-day two-dimensional cloud-resolving simulations. Lower-tropospheric shear affects the mesoscale organization of convection through interaction with evaporatively driven downdraft outflows (convective triggering), while shear in mid-to-upper levels determines the amount of stratiform cloud and whether the convective transport of momentum is upgradient or downgradient. Shear significantly affects the convective heating and drying, momentum transport, mass fluxes, and cloud fraction. ...
An Initial Investigation into the Suitability of Absenteeism Rates as Measures of Performance.

This paper raises questions about the meaning of absenteeism as it has been traditionally conceptualized and operationalized. Cyclical trends are identified in the two-year absenteeism rates of 1597 hourly employees of an aerospace manufacturing firm. Results of analysis of variance suggest yearly, seasonal and day of week factors are important predictors of absenteeism rates for this sample. Implications for the use of absenteeism as a performance outcome measure in intervention or field experiment studies are discussed.
Visual robot navigation using flat earth obstacle projection

Autonomous robot navigation requires the solution of several problems like obstacle avoidance and road following. Traditionally, the problem of obstacle avoidance has been solved by using range information acquired through some form of range measurements like laser range cameras or vision based range estimation. This paper presents a novel approach for obstacle avoidance which does not require true range measurement. Obstacle information is acquired using a single color camera. Detected obstacles are projected into 3D grid derived from the camera geometry and a locally flat earth model for the terrain. A weighted polar histogram technique is used to generate the vehicle steering angle based on the current grid information. >
Using Component-Based Development and Web Technologies to Support a Distributed Data Management System

Over recent years, “Internet-able” applications have been used to support domains where distributed functionality is essential. This flexibility is also pertinent in situations where data is collected and derived to support a distributed set of stakeholders. There are major problems in this distributed data management scenario. One problem is the change that occurs in such domains. Both the schema of the data and the individual needs of the stakeholders evolve over time. Any architecture to support this distributed data management domain must be designed to support these specific changes. One such approach to this architecture is the use of “plug-able” web-based components. As new computational needs arise, new components can be plugged into the architecture. Another aspect of this solution architecture is toward a run-time evolvable process to support the change of the data schemas. At the MITRE Corporation, this architecture has been designed, deployed and tested to support the internal need for a composite data repository. This paper presents the motivation and architecture of this distributed data management system that supports the Center for Advanced Aviation System Development (CAASD). This component-based run-time configurable architecture is implemented using web-based technologies, such as the Extensible Markup Language (XML), Java Servlets, and a relational database management system (RDBMS).
Optimal Rates for Cooling Chicken Semen from +5 to −196 C

Abstract Optimal rates for cooling chicken semen from +5 to −196 C were determined. Semen was diluted 1:5 with Beltsville Poultry Semen Extender and held at 5 C for 2 hr before adding dimethylsulfoxide (DMSO), 4% v/v. The semen-DMSO mixture was allowed to equilibrate for 2 hr at 5 C before it was placed in a plastic freeze straw of .5 cc capacity. A two step controlled-rate procedure was used to test the various cooling rates (1 to 50 C/min) through certain temperature ranges (+5 to −20 C and −20 to −180 C) and to determine the optimal semen temperature for making the transition of cooling in alcohol (Step 1) to cooling in liquid nitrogen (LN2) vapor (Step 2). Fertilizing capacity of spermatozoa was maximal when semen samples were cooled from +5 C to −20 C at a rate of 1 C/min (Step 1), then transferred to LN2 vapor (Step 2) and cooled to −80 C at 30 C/min before the samples were plunged in liquid nitrogen. After storage in LN2 for 24 hr and subsequent thawing at +2 C, the fertilizing capacity of the sperm was 47%.
Base Excision Repair in the Mitochondria

The 16.5 kb human mitochondrial genome encodes for 13 polypeptides, 22 tRNAs and 2 rRNAs involved in oxidative phosphorylation. Mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA), unlike its nuclear counterpart, is not packaged into nucleosomes and is more prone to the adverse effects of reactive oxygen species (ROS) generated during oxidative phosphorylation. The past few decades have witnessed an increase in the number of proteins observed to translocate to the mitochondria for the purposes of mitochondrial genome maintenance. The mtDNA damage produced by ROS, if not properly repaired, leads to instability and can ultimately manifest in mitochondrial dysfunction and disease. The base excision repair (BER) pathway is employed for the removal and consequently the repair of deaminated, oxidized, and alkylated DNA bases. Specialized enzymes called DNA glycosylases, which locate and cleave the damaged base, catalyze the first step of this highly coordinated repair pathway. This review focuses on members of the four human BER DNA glycosylase superfamilies and their subcellular localization in the mitochondria and/or the nucleus, as well as summarizes their structural features, biochemical properties, and functional role in the excision of damaged bases.
Effect of strenuous physical activity upon reaction time.

Abstract This study was concerned with the effect of bench-stepping in the Harvard Step Test upon finger and foot reaction time and, secondarily, with ascertaining the relationship, if any, between these reaction times and scores on the Harvard Step Test. The subjects were university freshman males. Reaction times were taken before, immediately after, and four minutes after the stepping exercise for 80 subjects. Thirty-six subjects served as controls, involving the reaction times and pulse counts at the prescribed intervals but without exercise. The findings failed to divulge any discernible effect of stepping exercise upon reaction time, or any apparent relationship between reaction time and the sum of the recovery pulse counts following the exercise. In view of these findings it is suggested that study be directed to two related aspects — the effect of exercise to exhaustion on reaction time, and the effect of strenuous and exhaustive exercise upon speed of movement.
Protecting and Politicizing Public Pension Fund Assets: Empirical Evidence on the Effects of Governance Structures and Practices

This article contributes to the debate on public pensions by considering empirical evidence on the systematic impact of different governance structures and practices on pension fund performance. After an introduction to public pension governance in Part I, the next section discusses the growing evidence that political influence has a significant impact on pension systems' funding decisions and on the selection of actuarial assumptions that affect the sponsor government's required contributions to the plan. Part III provides a review of the research on pension funds' investment performance and the potential for political influence to cause lower returns. Part IV presents an empirical analysis that further investigates the findings of previous studies and considers additional governance factors that may have a significant impact on pension fund performance and strategic actions. Part V discusses the policy implications, including the importance of member-elected trustees and the need for improving the training of trustees.
The role of dietary fats in plant-based diets

In the United States, the notion that low-fat, high-carbohydrate diets are essential for health has grown into an obsession, driven largely by an effort to reduce heart disease and, more recently, certain types of cancer. We know that saturated fatty acids are more closely associated with risk factors for heart disease than are unsaturated fatty acids. Many people believe that plant-based diets are healthy because they are low in fat. However, plant-based diets are not necessarily low-fat. In true plant-based diets, unsaturated fatty acids predominate, whereas saturated fatty acids come largely from animal sources such as dairy products and eggs. Plant-based diets include foods that contain fats, such as nuts and seeds and oils from grains and seeds. The fats in these foods are not associated with increased risk for heart disease. In addition, for people with insulin resistance, higher-fat diets protect against the heart disease risk factors of low HDL-cholesterol concentration, hypertriglyceridemia, hyperglycemia, and hyperinsulinemia. Because humans can synthesize fat from dietary carbohydrate, and because our adipose stores and circulating fatty acids reflect dietary intake, scientists understand the relations between the amounts and types of dietary fats and the types of fats found in body fat depots. Consuming dietary fats that are not associated with increased risk of disease can be a part of a healthful diet.
Bleaching of Hair Pigment in Bats by the Atmosphere in Caves

The treatment of “color phases” in mammals ranges from mere acknowledgment that they exist to descriptions of new species and subspecies. Probably some atypical coat colors are genetic (Storer and Gregory, 1934); others apparently result from fading (Constantine, 1957). Andersen (1917) demonstrated that three “color phases” of Rhinolophus rouxi (Temm.), previously described as separate subspecies, were in reality identical, except that the dark “subspecies” was in fresh pelage and the two successively lighter-colored “subspecies” were in progressively faded or “oxidized” pelage. He suggested that an “oxidizing element” was responsible for the color of the lighter-colored bats. Stager (1942) noted that a massive group of Tadarida at Ney Cave in Texas was composed of approximately 50 per cent apparently typical Tadarida brasiliensis mexicana (Saussure) of both sexes and 50 per cent atypically light-colored female bats. Absence of specimens showing intergradation led him to suspect that the light-colored bats represented an undescribed species. A comparison indicated that the light-colored form averaged larger than the dark form, and it was described as Tadarida texana . During August, 1944, when collections of T. b. mexicana, Myotis velifer incautus (J. A. Allen), and Mormoops megalophylla senicula (Rehn) were made in caves in Texas, the author became aware that the pelage of many specimens was atypically light in color. Thereupon, a study was undertaken, including additional collection of specimens and field data, age analyses, and studies in color variation and molt periods and patterns. Evaluation of these data indicated that, at least in Tadarida and Myotis , considerable color fading follows growth of the new coat; but in the presence of ammonia gas and water vapor in caves, the hair pigment is apparently bleached to a remarkable extent. The bleaching effect of ammonia and water vapor has been tentatively confirmed by a laboratory experiment. Collection of …
Physically based sound for computer animation and virtual environments

Physically based sound is an important emerging approach for computer synthesis of realistic synchronized sounds for physically based animation and real-time virtual environments. A major challenge for learning and implementing these sound techniques is the wide range of physically based models and sound phenomena involved, as well as the need for optimizations. Furthermore many publications on physically based animation and sound rendering can assume mathematical background that many in the graphics community lack. The result is that learning physics-based sound techniques is unnecessarily difficult for many interested students and practitioners.
The Passage of the 2001 AUMF in Historical Context

This chapter briefly outlines the long historical struggle between the president and the Congress over which branch decides when military action is initiated. The 2001 AUMF is a piece in this larger puzzle. The chapter then recounts the actions by the president, the vice president, the White House and Justice Department lawyers, and lawmakers in the days and weeks after 9/11 as they passed the 2001 AUMF into law and then interpreted it publicly and privately.
Conversion of San Clemente Class Tankers to Hospital Ships for the U.S. Navy

Presentation d'un programme, unique dans l'histoire de l'U. S. Navy, de reconversion de deux navires petroliers en navire hopital
Impact of a Prostate Specific Antigen Screening Decision Aid on Clinic Function.

Abstract Introduction Decision aids for prostate cancer screening can increase knowledge and shared decision making, but remain underused due to cost and time constraints that disrupt clinic flow. We examined the impact of a simple prostate specific antigen screening decision aid distribution strategy on clinic flow as well as shared decision making in a diverse, urban primary care clinic. Methods Men 50 to 75 years old viewed the decision aid while waiting for physicians. Participants and physicians completed questionnaires evaluating the shared decision making process. Focus groups were conducted with clinic staff and physicians to evaluate the impact on clinic operations. Results Overall 50% of men discussed prostate specific antigen screening and 85% reported the decision aid made decision making easier. Participants reported an average of 12.9 minutes reading the decision aid, with high decision satisfaction and low decisional conflict. Physicians reported an average of 5.2 minutes discussing prostate specific antigen screening. Clinic staff reported increased enthusiasm for the process after adjustments were made in response to concerns including time, as well as lack of knowledge about the decision aid subject matter and involvement in the process. Physician reported barriers included ambivalence about prostate specific antigen screening. Conclusions A prostate specific antigen screening decision aid, requiring few resources, can be implemented with broad involvement of clinic staff and minimal disruption to clinic flow in an urban primary care clinic, and may facilitate shared decision making.
Palliative planning in an American shrinking city – Some thoughts and preliminary policy analysis

Urban decline is a wicked problem that conventional tools of local government planning are not scoped to solve once and for all. Accordingly, local public policy and community development programs ...
What’s Going On? Developing Program Theory for Evaluation

This paper outlines the process undertaken to develop a program logic model into a program theory that could be tested through a large scale evaluation. Logic models are widely promoted to establish program intention and outcomes, thus setting the stage for effective program evaluation. However, the causal links in program logic models are often assumptive in nature, and lack the specificity of conditions needed in order for the program to achieve its planned success. The authors share a process of observation and focus groups that allowed them to probe some of the links of the program logic model. The result presented is an “enhanced” logic model that reveals possible moderators of program success, which leads to the development of evaluation questions that will be used in a subsequent large-scale evaluation. The value of using an enhanced logic model for program evaluation leading to program policy changes and improvement is underscored.
H.D.’s Hirslanden Notebooks and Durrell’s Claudia: Occult Modernism Across the Curtain and in the Mirror

It can be a great surprise to see H.D. and Lawrence Durrell set side by side, not because we lack good reasons for their comparison but because the critical literature has avoided bringing them tog...
Past, present, and future of ecological integrity assessment for fresh waters

One of the most influential environmental laws in the US – the 1972 Clean Water Act – included the visionary objective of maintaining and restoring aquatic ecological integrity. However, the efficacy of the Act depends on how integrity is assessed. Reviewing the assessment literature for fresh waters over the past 40 years, we found evidence of methodological trends toward increased repeatability, transferability, and robustness of assessments over time. However, implementation gaps were revealed, based on the relatively weak linkages to freshwater policies, stakeholder involvement, emerging threats, and conservation opportunities. A related survey of assessment practitioners underscored the disparity between need versus availability of assessments that guide management policies. Technological changes in data collection and synthesis have clearly influenced assessments, and appear to have led to a reduced reliance on ecological response indicators and corresponding increases in stressor-based metrics. We recommend designing assessments around specific freshwater policies and regulations to improve applicability of assessment products for management and conservation.
Post-Transplant Malignancy after Pediatric Kidney Transplantation: Retrospective Analysis of Incidence and Risk Factors in 884 Patients Receiving Transplants Between 1963 and 2015 at the University of Minnesota

Background Post-transplant malignancy (PTM) remains a concern among pediatric kidney transplant (PKT) recipients. Study Design Between 1963 and 2015, 884 pediatric (age 0 to 17 years old) patients received 1,055 PKTs at our institution. Cox proportional hazards models were constructed to identify risk factors for PTM after PKT with time-to-first-PTM as a primary outcome. Secondly, the hazard of death or graft loss was calculated in patients who developed PTM. Results Median patient survival was 33 years (interquartile range [IQR] 18.7 to 47 years); 260 patients died during the study period and 47 had been diagnosed with PTM. There were 235 PTMs that occurred in 136 (15.4%) recipients at a median age of 29 years (IQR 17.8 to 37 years). The percentages of patients with PTM were 13% at 20 years post-PKT and 26% at 30 years post-PKT. Of PTM patients who died, 63.8% died of PTM. Among those who developed PTM, there was a higher hazard of death or graft loss (hazard ratio [HR] 1.62; 95% CI 1.11 to 2.38). In multivariable proportional hazards models, factors associated with PTM were increasing age at PKT (adjusted HR [AHR] 3.14; 95% CI 1.80 to 5.48 for 14 to 17 year-olds compared with children less than 3 years), having a living unrelated donor (LURD; AHR 3.25; 95% CI 1.27 to 8.35 compared with a living related donor), or implanting an Epstein-Barr virus (EBV)-positive allograft in an EBV-negative recipient (AHR 5.66; 95% CI 1.11 to 29.0). Compared with the general population, the cancer rate for PKT recipients was 6 times higher (126 vs 21 per 100,000 person-years). Conclusions Pediatric kidney transplant recipients are at increased risk of PTM, which adversely affects survival. Children receiving transplants at an older age, from a LURD, or who receive an EBV-positive organ, should be monitored closely for the development of PTM.