cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Participation, public policy, political economy and development in rural Bangladesh, 1958–85

Abstract During this period, four successive regimes in Bangladesh have felt reluctantly compelled to set up structures for local participation in government. Each found it had to reach out beyond the support of urban and rural elites and the military if it was to move beyond mere stability to real development of the country. Despite many problems, most notably local elite takeover at local level and military coup at national level, there is considerable evidence, particularly from neighboring India, to suggest that local participatory institutions can be successful over the longer term in promoting development for the middle and the poorer rural classes.
A phase II study of obatoclax mesylate, a Bcl-2 antagonist, plus topotecan in relapsed small cell lung cancer

Introduction We previously reported data on the safety, tolerability, and recommended phase II dose of obatoclax mesylate in conjunction with topotecan in patients with advanced solid tumor malignancies. Preliminary efficacy data suggested activity in patients with recurrent small cell lung cancer (SCLC). Based on these data, we performed a phase II study of obatoclax mesylate plus topotecan in patients with relapsed SCLC to assess efficacy.
Problem-Based Learning: Conception, Practice, and Future

Originally conceived to respond to the failure of traditional lecture-based methods in preparing medical students readily for clinical practice, problem-based learning (PBL) has made an inerasable mark in the history of education. Instead of an instructor-centered, content-oriented, decontextualized teaching and learning mode, PBL uses a student-led, problem-driven, problem-solving, and contextualized learning approach to prepare students for real-world challenges. Forty years after its first implementation, PBL has been and continues to be deemed as an innovative instructional method that helps students develop practical problem-solving, self-directed learning, and collaboration skills. Today, PBL has been implemented throughout almost all disciplines and subjects in professional education, higher education, and K-12 education. This chapter provides an overview of the conceptual framework of PBL, its current research issues and instructional practices, and future directions. First, I will review the theoretical conception of PBL. Second, I will examine PBL models, instructional design, and practice issues, such as utilizing instructional strategies or cognitive tools for facilitating students’ learning in various steps and functions during the PBL process and problem/case design issues. Lastly, I will provide recommendations for future research.
The PROBIT approach in estimating the prevalence of wasting: revisiting bias and precision

The PROBIT methodology was presented in the 1995 World Health Organization Technical Report on Anthropometry as an alternative to the standard prevalence based method of measuring malnutrition in children. Theoretically the PROBIT method will always give a smaller standard error than the standard prevalence method in measuring malnutrition. A recent article by Dale et al. assessed the PROBIT method for measuring global acute malnutrition measure and found that the method was biased and the precision was superior only for sample sizes less than 150 when compared to the standard method. In a manner similar to Dale, our study further investigated the bias and precision of the PROBIT method for different sample sizes using simulated populations. The PROBIT method showed bias for each of the ten simulated populations, but the direction and magnitude of the average bias was changed depending on the simulated population. For a given simulated population, the average bias was relatively constant for all sample sizes drawn. The 95% half-width confidence interval was lower for the PROBIT method than the standard prevalence method regardless of the sample size or simulated population. The absolute difference in the confidence limits showed the most gains for the PROBIT method for the smaller samples sizes, but the ratio of confidence intervals was relatively constant across all sample sizes. The PROBIT method will provide gains in precision regardless of the sample size, but the method may be biased. The direction and magnitude of the bias depends on the population it is drawn from.
Dimorphism in Cladosporium werneckii

Cladosporium werneckii was grown on a variety of media and under a variety of conditions, and the mold- or yeast-like character of the resulting growth was determined. Nutritional factors, particularly cysteine, are of great importance in determining yeast phase growth, and temperature is of minor importance. C. werneckii is microaerophilic, and can be grown in an atmosphere of nitrogen or carbon dioxide. When grown in an atmosphere of carbon dioxide, it has the morphology of a yeast; under nitrogen or oxygen it grows as a mold.
Infrared Thermal Imaging System as a Diagnostic Tool for Gas Turbine Engine Faults

With the cost of maintaining a fleet of gas turbine engines continuing to rise, there is a greater need to develop methods to diagnose engine deterioration and identify faulty engine components quickly and efficiently. The Structures, Materials and Propulsion Laboratory of the National Research Council of Canada (NRC) has established a program to develop and evaluate various diagnostic techniques. The effort is aimed at investigating the effects of typical in-service faults on engine performance characteristics. An important aspect of the engine test program is the evaluation of non-intrusive sensors to accurately measure gas turbine performance. Using infrared thermography, the measurement of temperature is accomplished non-intrusively using the infrared radiation spectra. This instrumentation provides an indirect measurement of temperature and does not interfere with the flow field being leisured. The temperature patterns can be used to determine engine health, and identify possible fault conditions within the hot section of the engine. This paper describes the project objectives, the experimental installation, and the results of the performance evaluations. A description of the infrared thermography system, and the data reduction and analysis systems used to convert infrared light into temperature profile contours is given.
Predictive Value of Parental Measures in Determining Cardiovascular Risk Factor Variables in Early Life

Parent-child associations of height, weight, subscapular skinfold thickness, blood pressure, and serum lipids and lipoproteins were observed in a cohort of 440 infants and their parents in Bogalusa, LA. The infants were examined according to a standardized protocol six times from birth to 7 years of age, and the parents were examined when the child was 2 years old. Regression analyses were performed with the value of the cardiovascular risk factor variable for the child as the dependent variable and race, sex of child, and either mother's value, father's value, or both mother's and father's values as the independent variables. The most significant relationship between parents and their children was for height (P less than .005 at all ages of the child) and weight (P less than .05 from age 1 year for father's regression coefficient and at all ages for mother's regression coefficient). Regression coefficients for parental serum lipids and lipoproteins tended to increase with the child's age. Child-father regression coefficients and child-mother regression coefficients were generally significant (P less than .05) after age 2 years for total cholesterol. Less association was noted for triglycerides and lipoproteins. Parental diastolic BP was a poor predictor of children's values; the regression coefficients for systolic BP were higher and more significant. The longitudinal nature of this cohort study allows for examination of the changing patterns of familial association with aging and may provide insight as to the best age for examining children for cardiovascular risk factors to determine their relative risk for heart disease.
Tibetan Medicine Part IV: Pulse Diagnosis in Tibetan Medicine

Traduction d'un chapitre du Fourth Tantra (rGyud-bzi), un texte medical traditionnel tibetain. Les differents types de pulsations
Exercise Thallium Tomography Predicts Future Clinically Manifest Coronary Heart Disease in a High-Risk Asymptomatic Population

Background Exercise testing, even when combined with radionuclide perfusion imaging, does not accurately predict future clinical coronary heart disease (CHD) in low-risk asymptomatic populations. We hypothesized that these tests would perform better in a higher-risk population with a high prevalence of occult CHD. Siblings of persons with premature CHD represent such a group in whom it would be advantageous to identify affected individuals before the occurrence of clinically manifest CHD. Methods and Results Exercise thallium scintigraphy was performed in 264 asymptomatic individuals less than 60 years of age who had a sibling with documented CHD before age 60. Despite an average age of only 46 years at the time of screening, 19 of the 264 siblings developed clinical CHD (sudden death in 1, myocardial infarction in 10, coronary revascularization in 8) over a mean of 6.2 years (range, 1 to 9 years) of follow-up. Abnormal thallium scans were observed in 29% of men and 9% of women, while abnormal exercise ECGs occurred in 12% and 5%, respectively. Of men ≥45 years of age, 45% had an abnormal exercise ECG, thallium scan, or both. In contrast, only 3% of women 45 years of age at the time of screening and had a strikingly high incidence of clinical CHD (6 of 12, 50%). Conclusions Exercise thallium scintigraphy appears to be useful in the risk assessment of asymptomatic siblings of patients with premature CHD, particularly in male siblings who are 45 years of age or older.
"Real Belizean food": building local identity in the transnational Caribbean.

Food and cooking can be an avenue toward understanding complex issues of cultural change and transnational cultural flow. Using examples from Belize, I discuss the transformation from late colonial times to the present in terms of hierarchies of cuisine and changes in taste. In recent Belizean history, food has been used in personal and political contexts to create a sense of the nation at the same time that increased political and economic dependency has undercut national autonomy. I suggest several possible ways to conceptualize the complex and contradictory relationship between local and global culture, [consumption, cuisine, foodways, Belize, colonialism]
Minimizing Farm-to-Mill Cotton Cleaning Cost

This study focuses on least-cost farm-to-mill cotton cleaning configurations employing survey, regression, and simulation techniques. The resulting least-cost cotton cleaning configurations, employing standard textile technology, included the use of one lint cleaning in the ginning stage. The use of a field cleaner in the harvesting stage was also found to be optimal with some variation based on the desired yam quality. Results of the study indicated that the optimal cleaning configurations were distinctly different from currently used practices, such that appropriate changes could save the cotton industry between $0.30 and $0.60 per bale of cotton, depending on the desired yam quality.
Glossomastix chrysoplasta n. gen., n. sp. (Pinguiophyceae), a new coccoidal colony-forming golden alga from southern Australia

SUMMARY Glossomastix chrysoplasta gen. et sp. nov. is described from cultures isolated from sandstone rubble, Sorrento Back Beach, Mornington Peninsula, Victoria, Australia. The alga forms wall-less, coccoidal vegetative cells that congregate in mucilaginous colonies and reproduce by successive bipartition. Plastids have girdle lamellae and partially embedded pyrenoids that are traversed by cytoplasmic channels. Zoospores are uniflagellate and swim poorly; a narrow lingulate pseudopod provides their primary form of motion. The single flagellum, which lacks hairs, a flagellar swelling, and autofluorescence, is the equivalent of the posterior flagellum in other golden algae. The anterior flagellum is absent; the basal body with which it would normally be associated is blind. The flagellar apparatus has two basal bodies, three microtubular roots, and a rhizoplast. The posterior (elder) basal body has a transitional helix that is proximal to the basal plate. Glossomastix chrysoplasta, placed in the Pinguiophyceae on the basis of molecular sequence and biochemical data, shares some ultrastructural features with other members of the class, especially Polypodochrysis teissieri, which has similar zoospores, but it also differs from other pinguiophytes in many respects. Glossomastix chrysoplasta is the pinguiophyte with, on average, the largest cells (exclusive of external materials), and it is the only one with a colonial habit.
Familial defective apolipoprotein B-100: enhanced binding of monoclonal antibody MB47 to abnormal low density lipoproteins

Abstract Familial defective apolipoprotein (apo) B-100 is a recently described genetic disorder that appears to result from a mutation in the apoB-100 gene. This disorder is characterized by hypercholesterolemia resulting from elevated plasma concentrations of low density lipoprotein LDL. The disorder was first detected in three members of one family. The LDL from affected subjects binds defectively (approximately 30% of normal) to LDL receptors, retarding the clearance of LDL from plasma. In the present study, two other members of the affected family were found to possess abnormal LDL. In addition, abnormal LDL with a similar binding defect were found in a second, unrelated family. In both families, the defect is transmitted over three generations as an autosomal codominant trait and all affected members are heterozygotes. Since there is only one apoB-100 molecule per LDL particle, the abnormal LDL in heterozygous subjects is made up of two populations of particles: one that has normal binding activity to receptors and one that binds defectively. To localize the mutation in apoB-100, the binding of five apoB-100-specific monoclonal antibodies to abnormal LDL was assessed in a solid-phase RIA. Only antibody MB47, whose epitope is between residues 3350 and 3506, distinguished abnormal LDL from normal LDL isolated from control subjects with normal lipid levels; MB47 bound with a higher affinity (by approximately 60%) to abnormal LDL. In every individual with abnormal LDL, the MB47 antibody bound with a higher affinity. The convenience of this assay will facilitate screening of large populations to determine the frequency of this disorder.
A penny for your thoughts: dimensions of self-generated thought content and relationships with individual differences in emotional wellbeing

A core aspect of human cognition involves overcoming the constraints of the present environment by mentally simulating another time, place, or perspective. Although these self-generated processes confer many benefits, they can come at an important cost, and this cost is greater for some individuals than for others. Here we explore the possibility that the costs and benefits of self-generated thought depend, in part, upon its phenomenological content. To test these hypotheses, we first developed a novel thought sampling paradigm and explored normative ratings of multiple thought content variables (i.e. valence, specificity, self-relevance, etc.) across a large sample of young adults. Next, we examined multi-level relationships among these content variables, and used a hierarchical clustering approach to partition self-generated thought into multiple dimensions. Finally, we investigated whether these content dimensions predicted individual differences in the costs and benefits of the experience, assessed with questionnaires measuring emotional health and wellbeing. Individuals who characterized their thoughts as more negative and more personally-significant exhibited scored higher on constructs associated with Depression and Trait Negative Affect, whereas those who characterized their thoughts as less specific scored higher on constructs linked to Rumination. In contrast, individuals who characterized their thoughts as more positive, less personally-significant, and more specific scored higher on constructs linked to improved wellbeing (Mindfulness). Collectively, these findings suggest that the content of people’s inner thoughts can 1) be productively examined, 2) be distilled into several major dimensions, and 3) account for a large portion of variability in their functional outcomes.
A MMIC Frequency Doubler Using AlGaN/GaN HEMT Technology

A MMIC frequency doubler using the AlGaN/GaN HEMT technology is presented in this letter. At the design frequency of f0 = 4 GHz and VDS = 35 V the circuit produced maximum output power of 30 dBm with a conversion gain of 5.5 dB, and maximum conversion gain of 13.8 dB with output power of 23 dBm and output fundamental suppression of more than 11 dBc. The best output fundamental suppression was achieved at f0 = 4.15 GHz. At this input frequency the circuit produced maximum output power of 28.7 dBm with a conversion gain of 4.5 dB, and maximum conversion gain of 13.6 dB at the output power level of 22.8 dBm with output fundamental suppression of better than 19 dBc. The reason for the better output fundamental suppression at f0 = 4.15 GHz is the slight mistuning in the high Q shunt resonator in the output network.
The ER–Golgi intermediate compartment is a key membrane source for the LC3 lipidation step of autophagosome biogenesis

Autophagy is a catabolic process for bulk degradation of cytosolic materials mediated by double-membraned autophagosomes. The membrane determinant to initiate the formation of autophagosomes remains elusive. Here, we establish a cell-free assay based on LC3 lipidation to define the organelle membrane supporting early autophagosome formation. In vitro LC3 lipidation requires energy and is subject to regulation by the pathways modulating autophagy in vivo. We developed a systematic membrane isolation scheme to identify the endoplasmic reticulum-Golgi intermediate compartment (ERGIC) as a primary membrane source both necessary and sufficient to trigger LC3 lipidation in vitro. Functional studies demonstrate that the ERGIC is required for autophagosome biogenesis in vivo. Moreover, we find that the ERGIC acts by recruiting the early autophagosome marker ATG14, a critical step for the generation of preautophagosomal membranes. DOI:http://dx.doi.org/10.7554/eLife.00947.001.
Visual Sociology in the Classroom: Using Imagery to Teach the Politics of Globalization

How do students ‘see’ globalization? How do they understand visual representations of its political, social and ethical dimensions? This article discusses the use of visual materials as a tool for ...
How can a methadone and an opiate-positive immunoassay result be reconciled in a patient prescribed only OxyContin and Wellbutrin?

Appropriate management of patients in pain clinics can be complex and sometimes confusing be- cause providers must correctly interpret multiple sources of patient information. The correct interpretation of laboratory results is essential to guide subsequent patient treatment and management; however, labora- tory and clinical pictures can appear to be conflicting in cases of substance abuse. Incorrect interpretation of laboratory results can multiply negative impacts on clinical outcomes and may lead to patient harm or death. This report introduces the complex nature involved in understanding and interpreting urine drug testing (UDT) results in pain patients who are prescribed opioid medications. Laboratory testing examples of UDT results are provided to illustrate the sometimes discordant nature of UDT interpretation. This case study describes one method of approaching cases where laboratory result interpretation in pain clinic pa- tients is essential for medical treatment and management. The case presented in this manuscript illustrates a reconciliation of an opiate positive immunoassay result in a patient who was prescribed only OxyContin and Wellbutrin after traumatic amputations.
Evaluation of the antioxidant activity of asparagus, broccoli and their juices

Abstract Antioxidant activity of asparagus, broccoli and their juices was evaluated using 2,2′-diphenyl-l-picrylhydrazyl (DPPH), 2,2′-azinobis-(3-ethylbenzothiazoline-6-sulfonic acid) (ABTS) and β-carotene bleaching assays. Asparagus showed greater antioxidant activity than broccoli. Asparagus juice also had greater antioxidant activity than broccoli juice. Methanol and acetone extracts of asparagus and broccoli had significantly greater antioxidant activity than their water extracts. Asparagus and broccoli extracts, as well as their juices, showed no significant difference in total phenolics content. However, asparagus contained more flavonoids than broccoli. The antioxidant activity of asparagus and broccoli extracts demonstrated a linear relationship with their flavonoid content.
Delayed Pseudopregnancy Induced by Selective Hypothalamic Stimulation

Previous findings revealed long delays from time of stimulation to onset of pseudopregnancy when pentobarbital blockade of ovulation was combined with infertile copulation. An essential factor was the exclusion of competent corpora lutea until the subsequent cyclic estrus. By selective unilateral electrical stimulation of the dorsomedial-ventromedial hypothalamus, it has now been possible to reproduce these long delays. Biphasic pairs of 1 msec rectangular pulses, 100/sec, 200 μamp peak-to-peak, were passed through a concentric platinum bipolar electrode in 30-sec trains at 30-sec intervals for differing lengths of time. Such stimulation, lacking ability to induce ovulation, frequently induced either immediate or delayed pseudopregnancy, depending on circumstances, as follows: A) Immediate pseudopregnancy regularly followed stimulation on diestrus day 1. B) Shortterm delay of pseudopregnancy (1–3 days) followed stimulation on diestrus day 2. C) Longterm delay until an additional estrous cycle was complete...
Research on the Sexual Victimization of Women Implications for Counselor Training

The mental health effects of victimization of women comprise one of five priority research areas identified by the National Institute of Mental Health. However, little attention has been paid to this issue in counseling research. In this article, we review research on the prevalence and effects of three types of victimization of women: child sexual abuse, sexual assault, and sexual harassment. This research suggests that victimization is quite common among women and has serious detrimental effects on their mental health. We also present data indicating that victimization experiences are common among female counseling center clients. Several recommendations for counselor training in the area of victimization are offered.
Using fairness models to improve equity in health delivery fleet management

Inefficiency and inequity are two challenges that plague humanitarian operations and health delivery in resource-limited regions. Increasing capacity in humanitarian and health delivery supply chains is one option that has the potential to improve equity while maintaining efficiency. For example, the nonprofit organization Riders for Health has worked to increase capacity by providing reliable transportation to health workers in rural parts of sub-Saharan Africa; with more motorcycle hours at their disposal, health workers can perform more outreach to outlying communities. We develop a model using a family of fairness function to quantify the efficiency and equity of health delivery as capacity is increased via development programs. We present optimal resource allocations under utilitarian, proportionally fair, and egalitarian objectives and extend the model to include dual modes of transport and diminishing returns of subsequent outreach visits. Finally, we demonstrate how to apply our model at a regional level to provide support for humanitarian decision makers such as Riders for Health. We use data from the baseline phase of our evaluation trial of Riders for Health in Zambia to quantify efficiency and equity for one real-world scenario.
A flexible, low cost workstation for the cardiac catheterization laboratory

A graphical workstation was developed to support cardiac catheterization procedures. The design and implementation of the system are described. The workstation integrates the following functions: (1) signal acquisition; (2) signal display; (3) signal processing; and (4) signal and patient information storage, retrieval, and management. This integration is accomplished through a powerful, low cost, graphical workstation based on highly integrated hardware and software subsystems. The functions of the system can easily be extended as required by user and research needs. The authors discuss the current status of the system and future developments. >
Nonadaptive Group testing based fiber sensor deployment for multiperson tracking

We demonstrate a novel use of nonadaptive group testing in the design and implementation of a fiber sensor floor web for the localization and tracking of multiple individuals. We validate our design with a floor web woven with optical fiber threads that form a grid of cells, with a different subset of fibers on each cell. Sensors detect the presence of a person by the change in light transmission due to microbending when a fiber is stepped upon. Nonadaptive group testing permits the determination of a minimum number of sensors and the proper allocation of monitored cells to each sensor. The simultaneous presence of individuals on any combination of up to a small number of cells generates a unique sensor response. Our proof of concept implementation of an 8/spl times/8 grid requires the use of only 16 sensors and off-the-shelf inexpensive components to decipher the position of up to two individuals. This experiment proves the feasibility of our design and its extensibility to higher number of cells and simultaneous targets.
Cyberchondria: Too Much Information for the Health Anxious Patient?

Cyberchondria, a term which was recently coined and popularized by the media, is receiving more and more attention from the medical community as consumers become increasingly reliant on online health information for symptom checking and self-diagnosis. This column provides a background to the term, discusses the pivotal role which health anxiety can play in online health information seeking, and profiles a number of high-quality online symptom checkers as a way to help alleviate cyberchondria.
Sacrificing the Holy Cows: A Firm-Level Study of Using Willingness-to-Cannibalize to Drive Innovative Software Project Management

Building on extant literature in innovation management and marketing, we develop a factor model for explaining firm value innovation that can be reflected in their systems project management. Our model focuses on value innovation and analyzes it from the aspect of willingness-to-cannibalize affected by firm size and inter-firm linkages. We highlight the mediating role of willingness-to-cannibalize that may reconcile the different views about the roles of firm size and inter-firm linkages in firm innovation. We test the model by conducting a survey involving 113 Taiwanese software firms. Our data show a good fit to the model and support all but two of the hypotheses it suggests. The model can explain a significant portion of the variance in value innovation as well as willingness-to-cannibalize. Our findings have several implications for systems project management that we also discuss.
Surface reconstruction from feature based stereo

We describe an approach to recovering surface models of complex scenes from the quasisparse data returned by a feature based stereo system. The method can be used to merge stereo results obtained from different viewpoints into a single coherent surface mesh. The technique proceeds by exploiting the freespace theorem which provides a principled mechanism for reasoning about the structure of the scene based on quasisparse correspondences in multiple image. Effective methods for overcoming the difficulties posed by missing features and outliers are discussed. Results obtained by applying this approach to actual images are presented.
A Method for Calculating the Effects of Deep Cumulus Convection in Numerical Models

Abstract A closure is proposed for the b parameter of Kuo (1974), using the framework developed by Krishnamurti et al. (1976). Emphasis is placed on the time-dependent behavior of the solutions. The proposed closure is found to be the only one of several tested to produce an approach to moist neutrality in both temperature and moisture under strong external forcing. The sensitivity of the grid-scale evolution to the partitioning of moisture defined by the b parameter suggests that such partitioning must be carefully dealt with in any method for computing the effects of cumulus convection, whether or not b is explicitly present. By including entrainment in the cloud lapse rate, the observed large-scale behavior of the vertical profile of moist static energy under disturbed conditions is simulated. The approach is shown to be easily invertible when precipitation rate is specified, thus insuring internal consistency in a model when such a procedure is used as part of a dynamic initialization. Because it is r...
Global sourcing and credit constraints

This paper incorporates credit constraints into a model of global sourcing and heterogeneous firms. Following Antras and Helpman (2004), heterogeneous firms decide whether to outsource or integrate input suppliers. Financing of fixed organizational costs requires borrowing with credit constraints and collateral based on tangible assets. The party that controls intermediate inputs is responsible for these financing costs. Sectors differ in their reliance on external finance and countries vary in their financial development. The model predicts that increased financial development decreases the share of integration relative to outsourcing in a country. The effect is more pronounced in sectors with a high reliance on external finance. However, this effect is mitigated by higher productivity (TFP) and headquarter intensity. Empirical examination confirms the predictions of the model. An improvement in financial development from the 25th to the 75th percentile in industries at the 75th percentile in finance dependence relative to those at the 25th percentile is associated with a 16.8% decrease in the median share of US intra-firm imports. An increase in TFP from the 25th to the 75th percentile in the TFP triple interactions increase the share of US intra-firm imports at the median by 3.2%. An increase in headquarter intensity from the 25th to the 75th percentile in the headquarter intensity triple interactions increase the share of US intra-firm imports at the median by 21%.
Factors Influencing the Level of Environmental Liability Disclosure in 10k Reports

This study examines factors influencing the level of environmental disclosure in 10K reports. Sample firms consist of Fortune 500 companies identified by the Environmental Protection Agency as Potentially Responsible Parties. The study utilizes a comprehensive environmental disclosure index to measure the extent to which sample firms disclosed environmental liability information required by Generally Accepted Accounting Principles (GAAP). Empirical tests demonstrate that the extent of required environmental disclosure is associated with size, profitability, and industry classification; however, the results regarding regulatory influence are mixed. The study uses data from COMPUSTAT, EDGAR, and the Superfund Public Information System for years 1991-1997. The environmental disclosure index is compiled based on relevant authoritative guidance contained in Regulation S-K, SAB 92, and SFAS 5. Policy implications indicate that the Securities and Exchange Commission must improve monitoring and enforcement efforts designed to promote adequate recognition and disclosure related to environmental liabilities.
Abstract 252: Elastin-derived Peptides Induce M1 Macrophage Polarization Promoting Abdominal Aortic Aneurysm Formation

Objective: Abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA) is a disease characterized by inflammatory cell infiltration and extracellular matrix (ECM) degradation. Damage to the ECM results in release of elastin-derived peptides (EDPs). EDPs recruit inflammatory cells and may influence macrophage polarization. BA4, a monoclonal antibody that specifically recognizes a six peptide sequence in EDPs, can block the EDP-mediated effect on macrophages. Our hypothesis is that EDPs induce M1 differentiation and that blocking the EDP-mediated M1 differentiation of macrophages will reduce aneurysm progression. Methods: Mice were given weekly intraperitoneal injections of BA4 (10 mg/kg) or IgG (10 mg/kg) after aneurysm induction via the calcium chloride (CaCl2) induced aneurysm model. Aortic tissue was then removed and subjected to Western blot, gelatin zymography, and histological analysis at various time points (3 days, 1, 2, 4, and 6 weeks) after aneurysm induction. Bone marrow-derived macrophages (BMMs) were isolated and treated...
Treatment Effect Estimation Using Nonlinear Two-Stage Instrumental Variable Estimators: Another Cautionary Note.

Objective To examine the settings of simulation evidence supporting use of nonlinear two-stage residual inclusion (2SRI) instrumental variable (IV) methods for estimating average treatment effects (ATE) using observational data and investigate potential bias of 2SRI across alternative scenarios of essential heterogeneity and uniqueness of marginal patients. Study Design Potential bias of linear and nonlinear IV methods for ATE and local average treatment effects (LATE) is assessed using simulation models with a binary outcome and binary endogenous treatment across settings varying by the relationship between treatment effectiveness and treatment choice. Principal Findings Results show that nonlinear 2SRI models produce estimates of ATE and LATE that are substantially biased when the relationships between treatment and outcome for marginal patients are unique from relationships for the full population. Bias of linear IV estimates for LATE was low across all scenarios. Conclusions Researchers are increasingly opting for nonlinear 2SRI to estimate treatment effects in models with binary and otherwise inherently nonlinear dependent variables, believing that it produces generally unbiased and consistent estimates. This research shows that positive properties of nonlinear 2SRI rely on assumptions about the relationships between treatment effect heterogeneity and choice.
Isolation of the Bacterial Cell Wall by Means of High Power Ultrasonic Waves

wall, apparently of more or less complex structure, within the past few years, methods of separating such cell wall material from the cytoplasmic constituents of the cell with minimal denaturation of structural components have become of increasing interest (Robinow and Murray, 1953; Lamanna and Mallette, 1953; Mudd, 1954; Dubos, 1955; Bisset, 1955). Previous studies have indicated that the action of ultrasonic waves on at least some species of bacteria is primarily mechanical in nature, resulting in physical fracture of the cell structure.
CuInSe2 nanowires from facile chemical transformation of In2Se3 and their integration in single-nanowire devices.

Nanowire solar cells are receiving a significant amount of attention for their potential to improve light absorption and charge collection in photovoltaics. Single-nanowire solar cells offer the ab...
Lysine fatty acylation promotes lysosomal targeting of TNF-α

Tumor necrosis factor-α (TNF-α) is a proinflammation cytokine secreted by various cells. Understanding its secretive pathway is important to understand the biological functions of TNF-α and diseases associated with TNF-α. TNF-α is one of the first proteins known be modified by lysine fatty acylation (e.g. myristoylation). We previously demonstrated that SIRT6, a member of the mammalian sirtuin family of enzymes, can remove the fatty acyl modification on TNF-α and promote its secretion. However, the mechanistic details about how lysine fatty acylation regulates TNF-α secretion have been unknown. Here we present experimental data supporting that lysine fatty acylation promotes lysosomal targeting of TNF-α. The result is an important first step toward understanding the biological functions of lysine fatty acylation.
Application of quality control analysis platform in epidemic control of infectious disease in general hospital

Objective To realize the application of quality control analysis platform in epidemic control of infectious disease in general hospital,and to provide scientific basis for effective epidemic control model of infectious disease.Methods Thematic analysis of quality control was convened in hospital monthly,feedback report illness,the number of cases,composition,reporting rates,requirements,issues and reward information,build a hospital infectious disease management feedback analytics platform.Results There were 19 kinds of 967 cases of infectious diseases in 2011 annual report,response rate was 100%,timeliness ratio was 99.6%,complete rate was 93.6%,standard rate was 90.8%.Conclusion Quality control analysis provides real-time communication platform for epidemic situation management department and each business department at the hospital level,and improves the quality of epidemic control of infectious disease in hospital.
Using Video Projects in the Science Classroom

This chapter describes the project-based approach of using student-created “Ken Burns-style” video documentaries as learning vehicles in an undergraduate non-science majors’ Energy and the Environment course. After teaching the course 5 years, the authors reflect on what the course entails, what the course provides for students, and what the course has taught the instructors regarding the use of video to catalyze student interest in scientific concepts. Two knowledge survey instruments (administered pre- and post- project) were used for assessment purposes. One survey focused on the skills necessary to research and produce the video, and the second survey assessed the content knowledge students acquired from each documentary.
Prediction of blood back spatter from a gunshot in bloodstain pattern analysis

Theorists propose a model for predicting and interpreting blood spatter patterns resulting from gunshot wounds. The atomization process, the trajectories of the backspatter drops of blood from the wound to the ground, the impact angle and the impact Weber number on the ground, as well as the distribution and location of blood stains and their shape and sizes are predicted.
Canaries in the Network

Updating a large network deployment is a dangerous process. Regardless of whether the operation is a switch BGP configuration change or a network-wide SDN controller upgrade, misconfigurations and bugs can potentially cause network outages and downtime for critical cloud services. Many cloud applications have adopted a useful strategy that networks have tried to emulate: phased rollouts, in which a small fraction of users are redirected to the updated version while most users continue unassailed. Unfortunately, this analogy is fundamentally flawed. This paper explores the limits of phased rollouts in networks and shows when and why they can fail. We also go on to propose two preliminary designs for approximating the benefits of phased rollouts. Although preliminary, we argue that our designs can achieve a useful level of isolation between a ‘known correct’ and ‘new’ control plane.
An overview of geophysical technologies appropriate for characterization and monitoring at fractured-rock sites

Geophysical methods are used increasingly for characterization and monitoring at remediation sites in fractured-rock aquifers. The complex heterogeneity of fractured rock poses enormous challenges to groundwater remediation professionals, and new methods are needed to cost-effectively infer fracture and fracture-zone locations, orientations and properties, and to develop conceptual site models for flow and transport. Despite the potential of geophysical methods to “see” between boreholes, two issues have impeded the adoption of geophysical methods by remediation professionals. First, geophysical results are commonly only indirectly related to the properties of interest (e.g., permeability) to remediation professionals, and qualitative or quantitative interpretation is required to convert geophysical results to hydrogeologic information. Additional demonstration/evaluation projects are needed in the site remediation literature to fully transfer geophysical methods from research to practice. Second, geophysical methods are commonly viewed as inherently risky by remediation professionals. Although it is widely understood that a given method may or may not work at a particular site, the reasons are not always clear to end users of geophysical products. Synthetic modeling tools are used in research to assess the potential of a particular method to successfully image a target, but these tools are not widely used in industry. Here, we seek to advance the application of geophysical methods to solve problems facing remediation professionals with respect to fractured-rock aquifers. To this end, we (1) provide an overview of geophysical methods applied to characterization and monitoring of fractured-rock aquifers; (2) review case studies showcasing different geophysical methods; and (3) discuss best practices for method selection and rejection based on synthetic modeling and decision support tools.
A novel TRPA1 variant is associated with carbamazepine-responsive cramp-fasciculation syndrome

Cramp-fasciculation syndrome (CFS) is a rare muscle hyperexcitability syndrome that presents with muscle cramps, fasciculations, and stiffness, as well as pain, fatigue, anxiety, hyperreflexia, and paresthesias. Although familial cases have been reported, a genetic etiology has not yet been identified. We performed whole-exome sequencing followed by validation and cosegregation analyses on a father-son pair with CFS. Both subjects manifested other hypersensitivity-hyperexcitability symptoms, including asthma, gastroesophageal reflux, migraine, restless legs syndrome, tremor, cold hyperalgesia, and cardiac conduction defects. Most symptoms improved with carbamazepine, consistent with an underlying cation channelopathy. We identified a variant in the transient receptor potential ankyrin A1 channel (TRPA1) gene that selectively cosegregated with CFS and the other hypersensitivity-hyperexcitability symptoms. This variant (c.2755C>T) resulted in a premature stop codon at amino acid 919 (p.Arg919*) in the outer pore of the channel. TRPA1 is a widely distributed, promiscuous plasmalemmal cation channel that is strongly implicated in the pathophysiology of the specific hypersensitivity-hyperexcitability symptoms observed in these subjects. Thus, we have identified a novel TRPA1 variant that is associated with CFS as part of a generalized hypersensitivity-hyperexcitability disorder. These findings clarify the diverse functional roles of TRPA1, and underscore the importance of this channel as a potential therapeutic target.
Control of charging of electric vehicles through menu-based pricing under uncertainty

We propose an online pricing mechanism for electric vehicle (EV) charging. A charging station decides prices for each arriving EV depending on the energy and the time within which the EV will be served (i.e. deadline). The user selects either one of the contracts by paying the prescribed price or rejects all depending on their utilities. The charging station has to select a price without knowing the future arrival times of the EVs and the utilities of the EV users. We show that there exists a social welfare pricing strategy, however, the above may not maximize the expected profit of the charging station and even the profit may be 0. We propose a fixed profit pricing strategy which provides a guaranteed fixed profit to the charging station. Numerically, we show that how the charging station can select a profit margin to trade-off between profit and the users' surpluses. We also show empirically that since our proposed mechanism also controls the deadline of the vehicles compared to the existing pricing mechanisms, hence, the number of charging spots required can be lower.
A Project Provides an Opportunity: Multiple Drafts of an Introduction Require Students To Engage Deeply with the Literature

A 10 week project in the organic chemistry laboratory provided the opportunity to require students to write four drafts of an introduction. Student understanding of what a good introduction entails was transformed by their fourth draft, as evidenced by higher citation counts and the inclusion of more and better figures, which reveals greater student engagement with the primary literature. In the initial implementation of the project, writing subsections of the final report throughout the semester had the unfortunate effect of creating loosely related but standalone assignments for students. Replacement of the subsection work with four drafts of the introduction section required students to re-examine their own work, respond to feedback, and investigate the primary literature in greater depth. Faculty grading time is now focused on requiring students to understand the background literature of the project deeply and to write a compelling introduction, as opposed to asking students to briefly engage the othe...
Gringas and otavaleños: Changing tourist relations

Abstract This article examines the romantic and sexual relations between young foreign women (gringas) and indigenous men (Otavalenos) in Otavalo, Ecuador. It argues that gringa-Otavaleno relationships represent neither First World dominance over Third or Fourth World people, nor tourism as an expression of patriarchy, but mutual fascination with, romantic misconceptions of, and sometimes economic exploitation of the other gender. The gringas are looking for noble savages and a pre-industrial utopia, while the Otavalenos want sex with a blonde, and sometimes financial support, especially when traveling. The article also raises the issue of the spread of AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases due to these encounters.
Using machine learning to predict near-term mortality in cirrhosis patients hospitalized at the University of Virginia health system

This study aimed to predict near-term mortality in patients hospitalized with cirrhosis at the University of Virginia Health System using two approaches — logistic regression and a long short-term memory neural network, with an emphasis on the latter. Using data from de-identified medical record entries for over 500 patient stays in the intensive care unit, a recurrent long short-term memory neural network was trained to predict whether a mortality would occur between 12 and 24 hours from the time of prediction. This was achieved by feeding the network a sequence of consecutive observations for each patient in the training set, thereby allowing the network to “look back” and identify increasing mortality risk based on changes in vital signs and laboratory results over time. Performance of the neural network model was compared to that of a logistic regression model and the Chronic Liver Failure Consortium Acute Decompensation Score, a benchmark scoring method for mortality risk in cirrhosis patients. Although the primary model continues to need refinement, results indicate that the neural network and logistic regression models both outperform the Chronic Liver Failure Score. As more data are made available, further improvement in the performance of the neural network is anticipated.