cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Getting Ready For Health Reform 2020: Republicans' Options For Improving Upon The State Innovation Approach

The 2020 presidential election will be consequential for the future of health reform, with the two major-party nominees taking very different views on the future of the Affordable Care Act (ACA), a...
Current considerations in AYA Hodgkin lymphoma.

Hodgkin lymphoma (HL) commonly occurs in adolescents and young adults (AYA), defined by the National Cancer Institute as people diagnosed with cancer between the ages of 15 and 39 years. Despite therapeutic advances, the AYA population has derived less incremental benefit compared to both paediatric and adult counterparts. Although the exact aetiology is unclear, contributing factors probably include differences in disease biology, delayed diagnosis, decreased participation in clinical trials and treatment adherence secondary to complex social factors. As such, while HL remains highly curable, there is not a clear consensus regarding the management of patients within this age range, specifically whether paediatric or adult regimens are preferred or how best to incorporate emerging therapeutic advancements. Ongoing clinical trials, as well as continued collaborative efforts are required to address the needs of this population, investigate the potential for unique biological factors and allow for optimization of treatment. Here we review current prognostic and treatment strategies for paediatric and adult patients with HL and highlight complexities around the management of this patient population.
Using nominal group technique to identify barriers, facilitators, and preferences among patients seeking treatment for opioid use disorder: A needs assessment for decision making support.

Abstract Background The opioid crisis requires rapid scale-up of evidence-based interventions to treat opioid use disorder (OUD), of which pharmacologic therapies with methadone, buprenorphine or long-acting naltrexone are most effective. With recently-developed formulations, there are unprecedented treatment options. Even when pharmacologic treatment is accessible, however, uptake remains low, suggesting individual-level barriers. Decision aids are an evidence-based strategy that may overcome these barriers. This study aims to inform such a tool by describing and rank-ordering patients' considerations when deciding whether to start medication and, if starting, choosing a medication. Methods Adults with OUD (N = 81) attending an addiction treatment center or syringe exchange program completed focus groups using nominal group technique, a consensus method that generates and ranks response. The qualitative component generates a broad array of responses, followed by rank-ordering to prioritize responses. Responses to questions about starting any medications and the pros and cons of five specific medications were ranked and coded. Results The decision to initiate pharmacologic therapy and choose among medications was influenced by six key attributes in decreasing priority: (1) benefits, (2) side effects of treatment, (3) medication delivery strategies, (4) convenience, (5) how expectations for treatment are met, and (6) how medication (especially methadone) can represents trading one addiction for another. Conclusions Pharmacologic properties, logistical factors, and managing expectations were important themes in decision-making for starting, choosing, and staying on medications, and to a lesser degree, negative views about medications, specifically OAT, as an addiction itself. Desire for more control over treatment persisted in all themes. This study identified specific knowledge gaps, expectations, and priorities which are important for developing a decision aid for OUD treatment relevant to the target group. Nominal group technique is an established mixed-methodology that we have applied to a new population and purpose, that of conducting needs assessment for decision aid development.
Lives Without, Lives Within: Autobiographies of Blind Women and Men:

Examines the autobiographies of 25 blind and visually impaired women and men and assesses the influence of gender upon disability. The authors examine how these authors’ lives exemplify the roles o...
Evaluation of remote pulmonary function testing in motor neuron disease

AbstractIntroduction: Motor neuron disease (MND) causes respiratory insufficiency, which is managed in part through use of noninvasive ventilation (NIV). Guidelines for the initiation of NIV are based on pulmonary function tests (PFTs), usually performed once every three months. In the setting of MND telemedicine, remote monitoring of respiratory health may permit earlier intervention, but proof of equivalence to conventional PFTs is lacking. Methods: We implemented delivery of remote PFTs (rPFTs), based on our institution’s telemedicine platform, with the goals of validating measurement equivalence to conventional forced vital capacity (FVC) and maximal inspiratory pressure (MIP) assessments, and assessing process acceptability from both patients and therapists. Results: When remotely guided by a respiratory therapist, 40 patient/caregiver teams produced respiratory parameters that were tightly correlated with those acquired through the standard evaluation. Both patients and therapists generally rated th...
Solute Exclusion and Potential Distribution Near Hydrophilic Surfaces

Long-range interaction between polymeric surfaces and charged solutes in aqueous solution were observed microscopically. At low ionic strength, solutes were excluded from zones on the order of several hundred microns from the surface. Solutes ranged in size from single molecules up to colloidal polystyrene particles 2 UPmum in diameter. The unexpectedly large exclusion zones regularly observed seem to contradict classical DLVO theory, which predicts only nanometer-scale effects arising from the presence of the surface. Using tapered glass microelectrodes similar to those employed for cell-biological investigations, we also measured electrical potentials as a function of distance from the polymeric surface. Large negative potentials were observed – on the order of 100 mV or more – and these potentials diminished with distance from the surface with a space constant on the order of hundreds of microns. The relation between potential distribution and solute exclusion is discussed
Addressing IUD Efficacy, Eligibility, Myths, and Satisfaction with Adolescents and Young Adults

While IUDs are incredibly safe and highly effective forms of birth control for all individuals, including adolescents and young adults, and have higher continuation rates compared to non-LARC methods, many medical providers still believe that they are inappropriate for use with adolescent and young patients. This lack of knowledge has the potential to negatively impact an adolescent’s or young adult’s reproductive autonomy. In addition, patients and families continue to have concerns around IUD safety based on myths of previous decades and complications from devices no longer available. This chapter will address some of the potential gaps in patient and provider knowledge, including a review of IUD efficacy and eligibility based on resources from the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, a list of resources for evidence-based guidelines, and a discussion of common IUD myths.
Resilient incumbents: Ethnic minority political parties and voter accountability:

Are ethnic minority parties held accountable by voters for their participation in governing coalitions in the same way as parties drawing votes from the ethnic majority? Scholars have shown that in...
Towards Adaptive Ontology Visualization — Predicting User Success from Behavioral Data

Ontology visualization plays an important role in human data interaction by offering clarity and insight for complex structured datasets. Recent usability studies of ontology visualization techniqu...
An Analysis of the Benefits and Difficulties of Aerial Magnetic Vector Navigation

Recent successful flight tests have demonstrated scalar magnetic anomaly navigation to be a viable GPS-alternative navigation system. These flight tests matched magnetic field measurements to maps of the Earth's crustal magnetic field in order to navigate. Scalar magnetic navigation uses only the magnetic field intensity, not direction, in order to navigate. While it appears obvious to extend aerial magnetic navigation to use the full vector field, in practice there are substantial obstacles to doing so. This article explores the key challenges of magnetic vector navigation including current sensor limitations, lack of high frequency magnetic vector maps of the Earth's crust, and proper integration of the magnetic data with an inertial navigation system. In overcoming these challenges several key benefits of magnetic vector navigation over scalar magnetic navigation become apparent, including modestly improved navigation accuracy and greatly improved platform attitude.
Toss the Text? An Investigation of Student and Faculty Perspectives on Textbook Reading

College graduates are entering the workforce with reading and critical thinking deficiencies. This study examined students’ and instructors’ perceptions of reading in the college classroom and the ...
Nanopillar resonant properties and coupling to thin high-index layer for control of coherent light states

Nanoparticles of high-refractive-index materials like semiconductors enable strong confinement of light at the subwavelength scale because of the strong reflection from material boundaries and excitation of Mie resonances within the nanoscale-size particle. Recently, transition metal dichalcogenides (TMDCs) from the family of van der Waals layered materials have been shown to exhibit tailorable optical properties along with strong nonlinearity, high refractive index, and anisotropy originating from layered structure of the material. We envision that TMDCs are a promising material platform for designing metasurfaces and ultra-thin optical elements: these van der Waals materials show a strong spectral response on light excitations in visible and near-infrared ranges, and nanostructure characteristics can be controlled by nanoantenna dimensions and their arrangement [1]. Here, we investigate a periodic array of disk-shaped nanoantennas made of a TMDC material, tungsten disulfide, placed on top of a thin intermediate layer of high-index material such as silicon and low-index oxide substrate. Planar photonics with efficient subwavelength light control can be designed based on transdimensional lattices that operate in the translational regime between 2D and 3D [2]. Such transdimensional lattices include 3D-engineered nanoantennas supporting multipole Mie resonances and arranged in the 2D arrays with collective effects. The periodic arrangement of the nanoantenna array facilitates the strong coupling of light into the thin high-index layer. We show that the nanostructure resonances and coupling between nanoantennas and substrate in TMDC disk-shaped nanoantenna array can be controlled by the variation in silicon layer thickness and have a dependence on the presence of index-match superstrate cover.
Return of results in a global survey of psychiatric genetics researchers: practices, attitudes, and knowledge.

Abstract Purpose Patient-participants in psychiatric genetics research may be at an increased risk for negative psychosocial impacts related to the return of genetic research results. Examining psychiatric genetics researchers' return of results practices and perspectives can aid the development of empirically informed and ethically sound guidelines. Methods A survey of 407 psychiatric genetics researchers from 39 countries was conducted to examine current return of results practices, attitudes, and knowledge. Results Most respondents (61%) reported that their studies generated medically relevant genomic findings. Although 24% have returned results to individual participants, 52% of those involved in decisions about return of results plan to return or continue to return results. Respondents supported offering "medically actionable" results related to psychiatric disorders (82%), and the majority agreed non–medically actionable risks for Huntington (71%) and Alzheimer disease (64%) should be offered. About half (49%) of respondents supported offering reliable polygenic risk scores for psychiatric conditions. Despite plans to return, only 14% of researchers agreed there are adequate guidelines for returning results, and 59% rated their knowledge about how to manage the process for returning results as poor. Conclusion Psychiatric genetics researchers support returning a wide range of results to patient-participants, but they lack adequate knowledge and guidelines.
The fate of the Mach cone in covariant transport theory

An intriguing potential signature of hydrodynamic behavior in relativistic A+A reactions at Relativistic Heavy Ion Collider (RHIC) energies is conical flow induced by fast supersonic particles traversing the hot and dense medium. Here I present first results on the evolution of Mach shocks in 2->2 covariant transport theory, in a static uniform medium.
A qualitative metasynthesis of video-based prompts and noticing in mathematics education

We conducted a qualitative metasynthesis of research focused on prompts used to elicit noticing following video observations within mathematics education. Forty-nine, peer-reviewed articles were selected based on specific criteria and analyzed using a defined approach to better understand the variations in the prompts mathematics teacher educators used as they supported teacher noticing. We also focused on research findings from articles with different types of prompts. Forty-five percent of articles included a general prompt and 55% a specific prompt. Findings based on articles in which authors used specific prompts reported the following: (a) video is a helpful tool to support the learning of noticing, (b) noticing is a skill that can be developed, (c) noticing ability differs between novice and expert teachers. Findings from articles with general prompts indicate the following: (a) teachers experienced a shift in noticing, (b) how teachers’ noticed changed, (c) video selection is critical for influencing teacher noticing.
Statistical Models and Causal Inference

This volume collects twenty of David A. Freedman’s most accessible and influential papers on the use and limits of statistical modeling in social science, policy, law, and epidemiology. Through this collection, Freedman offers an integrated synthesis of his views on causal inference. He explores the foundations and limitations of statistical modeling and evaluates research in political science, public policy, law, and epidemiology. Freedman argues that many new technical approaches to statistical modeling constitute not progress, but regress, and he shows why these methods are not reliable. Instead, Freedman advocates “shoe leather” methodology, which exploits natural variation to mitigate confounding and relies on intimate knowledge of the subject matter to develop meticulous research designs and eliminate rival explanations. When Freedman first enunciated this position, he was met with skepticism, in part because it was hard to believe that a mathematical statistician of his stature would favor “low-tech” approaches. But the tide is turning. Many social scientists now agree that statistical technique cannot substitute for good research design and subject matter knowledge. Freedman offers here a definitive synthesis of his approach.
An Introduction to Berkeley UNIX and ANSI C

This text introduces readers to a widely used version of UNIX called Berkeley System Distribution - or Berkeley UNIX - and the functional basics of the C programming language in the context of understanding, using and appreciating operating systems. The book is divided into three parts: the UNIX operating system; the C programming language; and system programming with C and UNIX.
Purinergic inhibitory regulation of murine detrusor muscles mediated by PDGFRα+ interstitial cells.

Key points Platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α-positive (PDGFRα+) interstitial cells in detrusor muscles may participate in post-junctional responses to neurotransmitters. PDGFRα+ interstitial cells express purinergic receptors (P2Y) and small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ channels (mainly SK3). ATP elicited large amplitude outward currents and hyperpolarization in PDGFRα+ cells. SK channel blockers and a P2Y1 receptor antagonist blocked responses to ATP. ATP elicited only minor responses in PDGFRα+ cells of P2ry1−/− mice. ATP elicited transient inward currents in smooth muscle cells and purinergic receptor (P2X) agonists had no effect on PDGFRα+ cells. A specific P2Y1 receptor blocker decreased electrical field stimulation-induced relaxation. Our findings provide an explanation for the purinergic relaxation of detrusor muscles and describe a novel mechanism for inhibitory regulation of bladder muscles that may control detrusor excitability during the filling phase. Abstract Purines induce transient contraction and prolonged relaxation of detrusor muscles. Transient contraction could be due to activation of inward currents in smooth muscle cells, but the mechanism of purinergic relaxation has not been determined. We recently reported a new class of interstitial cells in detrusor muscles and showed that these cells could be identified with antibodies against platelet-derived growth factor receptor-α (PDGFRα+ cells). The current density of small conductance Ca2+-activated K+ (SK) channels in these cells is far higher (∼100 times) than in smooth muscle cells. Thus, we examined purinergic receptor (P2Y) mediated SK channel activation as a mechanism for purinergic relaxation. P2Y receptors (mainly P2ry1 gene) were highly expressed in PDGFRα+ cells. Under voltage clamp conditions, ATP activated large outward currents in PDGFRα+ cells that were inhibited by blockers of SK channels. ATP also induced significant hyperpolarization under current clamp conditions. A P2Y1 agonist, MRS2365, mimicked the effects of ATP, and a P2Y1 antagonist, MRS2500, inhibited ATP-activated SK currents. Responses to ATP were largely abolished in PDGFRα+ cells of P2ry1−/− mice, and no response was elicited by MRS2365 in these cells. A P2X receptor agonist had no effect on PDGFRα+ cells but, like ATP, activated transient inward currents in smooth muscle cells (SMCs). A P2Y1 antagonist decreased nerve-evoked relaxation. These data suggest that purines activate SK currents via mainly P2Y1 receptors in PDGFRα+ cells. Our findings provide an explanation for purinergic relaxation in detrusor muscles and show that there are no discrete inhibitory nerve fibres. A dual receptive field for purines provides the basis for inhibitory neural regulation of excitability.
Identification of intestinal receptors for enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli.

Publisher Summary The ability to colonize the small intestine is an important virulence attribute of enterotoxigenic Escherichia coli (ETEC), bacteria that cause diarrhea in humans and animals. Bacterial adhesins, known as “fimbriae” or “pili,” facilitate intestinal colonization by promoting attachment of ETEC to specific receptors on the villous epithelium. With the development of immunoblot and overlay techniques for identifying fimbriae-specific receptors, there have been numerous descriptions of glycoproteins and glycolipids that bind ETEC fimbriae in vitro . It is important to determine if the putative receptors are relevant in intestinal colonization. This chapter summarizes the immunoblot techniques used to identify receptors for 987P fimbriae in porcine small intestines and to demonstrate a correlation between the distribution of intestinal receptors for 987P and age-related susceptibility to 987P-mediated ETEC diarrhea. With some modifications, the methods are applicable for studying other intestinal receptors for other ligands.
A Review of “Basic methods of policy analysis and planning”

Unlike federal government policy analysts who are given time, elaborate data sets, and resources to analyze and assess public policy choices, local and state planners and policy analysts often must...
Pervasive computing technologies for retail in-store shopping

Retailers are constantly in search for ways to enhance customer satisfaction so as to differentiate with the competition and increase revenue. This paper describes an in-store commerce server implementation that leverages pervasive computing technologies to redefine the in-store shopping experience. The server evolves the existing point-of-sale systems into a store integration platform complete with reusable in-store solution building blocks. The paper illustrates how customer touch points such as cart-mounted Web pads can be supported to enable location-sensitive, personalized shopping assistance, and incremental self-checkout. New collaborative shopping paradigms can be created by service-oriented process choreography with other sales channels.
Molecular-marker analysis of quantitative traits for growth and development in juvenile apple trees

Random amplified polymorphic DNAs (RAPDs) were used in combination with a double pseudo-testcross mapping strategy to estimate the position and effects of quantitative trait loci (QTLs) for traits influencing juvenile tree growth and development in two apple cultivars. The mapping population consisted of 172 F1 trees from a cross between the columnar mutant ‘Wijcik McIntosh’ and a standard form disease-resistant selection NY 75441-58. Significant associations were found between markers and height increment, internode number, internode length, base diameter increment, base diameter after 9 years of growth, branch number, and leaf break. The number of genomic regions associated with each trait varied from one to eight. The amount of variation explained by linear regression on individual marker loci (R2) ranged from 3.9 to 24.3%, with an average of 7%. Multiple regression using markers for each putative QTL explained from 6.6 to 41.6% of the phenotypic variation, with an average value of 24.3%. A large number of traits had significant variation associated with the map position of the dominant columnar gene, Co. QTL stability over years was estimated by comparing the locations of putative QTLs for traits measured in multiple years. The majority of genomic regions were associated with a trait in only a single year, although regions associated with a trait in more than 1 year were also detected. The limitations of dominant markers and an outbred mapping pedigree for QTL analysis are discussed.
Multiple laser diodes non-orthogonal power combining

A power combiner is proposed in which the signaling frames are obtained from a code set formed by nonorthogonal constant-weight codewords. The rate improvements of multiple-diode schemes using the combiner are presented, as compare to a single-diode pulse position modulation (PPM) scheme. Comparisons are made assuming the same alphabet size, and the same peak power per diode. As a function of the number of diodes, optical systems based on this combining scheme are shown to provide data rate improvements about 40% higher than a conventional orthogonal combiner. Because of the reduction of the signaling frame length, this combining technique provides substantial rate improvements as a function of the input alphabet size. >
The elongator complex interacts with PCNA and modulates transcriptional silencing and sensitivity to DNA damage agents

Histone chaperones CAF-1 and Asf1 function to deposit newly synthesized histones onto replicating DNA to promote nucleosome formation in a proliferating cell nuclear antigen (PCNA) dependent process. The DNA replication- or DNA repair-coupled nucleosome assembly pathways are important for maintenance of transcriptional gene silencing and genome stability. However, how these pathways are regulated is not well understood. Here we report an interaction between the Elongator histone acetyltransferase and the proliferating cell nuclear antigen. Cells lacking Elp3 (K-acetyltransferase Kat9), the catalytic subunit of the six-subunit Elongator complex, partially lose silencing of reporter genes at the chromosome VIIL telomere and at the HMR locus, and are sensitive to the DNA replication inhibitor hydroxyurea (HU) and the damaging agent methyl methanesulfonate (MMS). Like deletion of the ELP3, mutation of each of the four other subunits of the Elongator complex as well as mutations in Elp3 that compromise the formation of the Elongator complex also result in loss of silencing and increased HU sensitivity. Moreover, Elp3 is required for S-phase progression in the presence of HU. Epistasis analysis indicates that the elp3Delta mutant, which itself is sensitive to MMS, exacerbates the MMS sensitivity of cells lacking histone chaperones Asf1, CAF-1 and the H3 lysine 56 acetyltransferase Rtt109. The elp3Delta mutant has allele specific genetic interactions with mutations in POL30 that encodes PCNA and PCNA binds to the Elongator complex both in vivo and in vitro. Together, these results uncover a novel role for the intact Elongator complex in transcriptional silencing and maintenance of genome stability, and it does so in a pathway linked to the DNA replication and DNA repair protein PCNA.
Clinical correlates of low serum carnitine levels in hospitalized psychiatric patients.

AbstractObjective. We sought to evaluate clinical correlates of low serum carnitine levels in hospitalized psychiatric patients. Methods. We retrospectively reviewed the charts of 40 psychiatric inpatients identified to have low serum carnitine levels. Results. Cognitive impairment was present in 38 (95%) cases, frequently accompanied by imbalance, agitation and extrapyramidal symptoms. Valproate therapy was encountered in 28 (70%) patients. The dosage of valproate negatively correlated with total and free carnitine levels (P = 0.003 and 0.0136). Polypharmacy also affected carnitine levels, indicating additional modulatory effects on carnitine metabolism. We encountered a disproportionately high prevalence of mental retardation and dementia in association with hypocarnitinemia. Conclusion. We hypothesize that in the context of mental illness hypocarnitinemia may be associated with metabolic encephalopathy and cognitive impairment. As carnitine deficiency is a potentially treatable condition further studie...
Wheeler dealers: Silvio Berlusconi in comparative perspective

Abstract Silvio Berlusconi is uniquely successful as a political entrepreneur, but that does not mean he is unique. Others have trod that path as well, albeit with lesser success. This paper looks at why others have failed where Berlusconi succeeded in order better to understand the secrets of that success. The conclusion is that Berlusconi needed to progress on many fronts at the same time – opportunistic, financial, institutional, ideological and personal. Hence even if Berlusconi has not made the most of his opportunities, what is remarkable is that he illustrates the possibility of bringing the whole constellation of factors together. Others may not have followed in his footsteps yet, but that does not mean they will not be able to do so in the future.
Lattice-Boltzmann method for simulating spherical bubbles with no tangential stress boundary conditions

A lattice-Boltzmann boundary rule has been developed to recover the slip boundary condition at a liquid-gas interface. This rule enables one to use a single-component lattice-Boltzmann model to simulate bubbly flows where bubbles are nearly spherical and coalescence is prohibited. Numerical tests showed this method to be robust and accurate in simulating both steady and unsteady flows around spherical bubbles in the Reynolds number range $0l\mathrm{Re}l30$.
The Quiescent Emission Spectrum of Centaurus X-4 and Other X-Ray Transients Containing Neutron Stars

We use the observed optical-UV and X-ray emission spectrum of Cen X-4 during quiescence to constrain models for the accretion flow in this system. We argue that the optical-UV emission is not due to an optically thick quiescent accretion disk, nor due to synchrotron emission from an advection-dominated accretion flow (ADAF). Emission from the bright spot could account for the observed optical-UV component if the mass transfer rate in Cen X-4 is 2 × 1016 g s-1. Although the presence of an ADAF around the neutron star leads to Compton upscattering of the soft X-ray photons radiated from the stellar surface, we find that this process alone cannot account for the power-law component seen in the quiescent X-ray spectrum of Cen X-4 and other X-ray transients containing neutron stars; this result is independent of whether the source of soft photons is incandescent thermal emission or accretion-powered emission. We conclude that, in models which invoke the presence of an ADAF and a propeller effect for the quiescence of X-ray transients containing neutron stars, the intrinsic emission from the ADAF must contribute very little to the optical-UV and X-ray emission observed. If these ADAF + propeller models are correct, the X-ray power-law component observed must arise from regions where the gas impacts the neutron star surface. Variability studies could greatly help clarify the role of the various emission mechanisms involved.
A STUDY OF THE SULFHYDRYL GROUP IN BOVINE ALBUMIN.

Abstract 1. 1. The binding of 110Ag by bovine albumin has been studied by the technique of equilibrium dialysis at pH 3, 6 and 10. 2. 2. The reactivity of the sulfhydryl group of bovine albumin with silver ion at pH 6 has been found to be smaller than expected by a factor of at least 104. 3. 3. The action of ammonia at pH 10 upon the bovine albumin sulfhydryl group seems to be specific in greatly increasing its reactivity with silver ion. 4. 4. Isolation of the reaction product, CM-cysteine, from bovine albumin, treated with iodoacetamide and subsequently hydrolyzed, demonstrated that bovine albumin does contain the sulfhydryl group in some form. 5. 5. These observations form the basis for an hypothesis that the sulfhydryl group in bovine albumin exists in the form of an isothiuronium-type compound in the native state of the protein.
Importance of Scale in Nest-Site Selection by Arizona Gray Squirrels

ABSTRACT Nests provide a place for individuals to rest, raise young, avoid predators, and escape inclement weather; consequently, knowledge of habitat characteristics important to nest placement is critical for managing species of conservation concern. Arizona gray squirrels (Sciurus arizonensis) are endemic to mountains of southwestern United States and northwestern Mexico. We investigated factors influencing nest-site selection at 4 spatial scales (forest-type, nest-site, nest-tree, and within-canopy placement) to provide ecological information and management recommendations for this sensitive species. Nest densities were 2.6 times higher in riparian than pine-oak woodlands. Nest sites had more large trees, snags, logs, and canopy cover and had lower slope. Arizona gray squirrels selected tall trees with more interlocking trees and tended to place nests adjacent to the main trunk. Regardless of scale, Arizona gray squirrels seemed to select nesting areas for their ability to provide protection from pred...
A reactor network model of the Passaic River

Abstract A modeling concept, based on a network of ideal reactor elements, is illustrated with tracer data for the Passaic River of New Jersey. This approach to simulation permits evaluation of mixing without detailed knowledge of internal processes or concentration profiles. The effect of dispersion can be superimposed on first-order decay processes, such as oxygen demand, and evaluated with this method. Application as a water quality management tool extends present use of this concept to wastewater treatment plant analyses.
SU-E-J-28: Comparison of IGRT Shift Data Between Prostate Gland and Prostate Bed Obtained from Ct-On-Rails.

Purpose: The daily shifts of prostate gland have been intensively reported in literatures. However, few papers reported daily shifts of prostate bed due to several practical difficulties (e.g. limited soft tissuecontrast in MVCT and CBCT and significant deformation of prostate cavity). We have routinely performed IGRT for both prostate gland and bed with ct‐on‐rails, and the superior image quality allows us not only to differentiate both bony anatomy and soft tissuecontrast of prostate gland and bed. In this study, we investigated if the shift of prostate bed is signifiant difference from that of prostate gland. Methods: we reviewed shift data of 50 prostate gland patients who underwent 43 fractions and 22 patients of prostatectomy underwent 37 fractions. In total 2150 CT scans were reviewed for prostate gland and 814 scans for prostate bed. Results: Of the reviewed 814 CTimages from 22 prostate bed patients, the standard deviation of shift was found to be 5.9 mm in AP direction (ranges from −22.4mm to 22mm), 3.2mm in SI direction (ranges from −14mm to 14mm), and 4.1mm in lateral direction (ranges from −15mm to 22mm). Of the 2150 CTimages of prostate gland from 50 patients, the standard deviation of the shift was found to be 5.4 mm in AP direction (−20mm to 18 mm), 5.0mm in SI direction (−26mm to 20mm), and 4.3mm in lateral direction (range from‐15 to 30mm). F tests of systematic /random shift distribution in three orthogonal directions between prostate gland and prostate bed were subsequently performed, it was found that the systematic shift in SI direction for prostate bed is smaller than for prostate gland (p=0.003). Conclusions: Our result suggests no significant difference existing in shift between prostate bed and gland. Therefore strategies for daily prostate gland motion can be directly applied to prostate bed.
MEASURING SELECTION AND CONSTRAINT IN THE EVOLUTION OF GROWTH.

We present a quantitative genetic model for the evolution of growth trajectories that makes no assumptions about the shapes of growth trajectories that are possible. Evolution of a population's mean growth trajectory is governed by the selection gradient function and the additive genetic covariance function. The selection gradient function is determined by the impact of changes in size on the birth and death rates at different ages, and can be estimated for natural populations. The additive genetic covariance function can also be estimated empirically, as we demonstrate with four vertebrate populations. Using the genetic data from mice, a computer simulation shows that evolution of a growth trajectory can be constrained by the absence of genetic variation for certain changes in the trajectory's shape. These constraints can be visualized with an analysis of the covariance function. Results from four vertebrate populations show that while each has substantial genetic variation for some evolutionary changes in its growth trajectory, most types of changes have little or no variation available. This suggests that constraints may often play an important role in the evolution of growth.
Pathologic staging of tumors: pitfalls and opportunities for improvements

Stage remains the most important prognosticator of most cancers. In the era of personalized medicine, as the determination of individual characteristics of a given tumor becomes increasingly more important, stage is perhaps one of the best ways to individualize the management of a patient. In the United States, reporting of the American Joint Committee on Cancer/Union for International Cancer Control TNM stage of tumors has all but become a mandate, linked to accreditation of laboratories by College of American Pathologists (CAP), as well as the maintenance of cancer center designations of institutions awarded by the National Cancer Institute and the American College of Surgeons' Commission on Cancer. Providing the stage is now also being considered one of the main "quality indicators" and is linked to reimbursement by insurers. Following suit, many laboratory information system programs have also now integrated CAP synoptic protocols into their software. These regulatory requirements and increasingly widespread usage of staging protocols have also brought to light the imperfections of the current staging protocols. Some are due to the inherent nature of the staging process, which attempts to segregate a continuum (which cancers are) into distinct clusters, which is not always possible. Additionally, although some of the parameters used in staging are evidence-based, many are arbitrary or based on assumptions or logistic progression models. Moreover, some parameters such as the spread of a tumor beyond an organ may seem valid at the theoretic level but are difficult to use in daily practice, for example, for organs without a well-defined capsule. The most problematic issue, however, is the fact that the pathologists are now being asked to incorporate into "pathologic stage" the information that they are not savvy about or cannot verify themselves, such as serum prostate-specific antigen levels or vocal cord paralysis. This current issue of Seminars in Diagnostic Pathology deals with the pitfalls in pathologic staging of common and challenging cancers. In this series of articles written by experts who deal with pathologic staging on daily basis, the authors highlight the problematic aspects of staging in routine practice, discuss the ways these can be dealt with, and also provide a platform for future discussions and improvements in tumor staging.
Work in progress — Enhanced delivery for introductory computer science courses

In this work, we report our initial results based on an innovative approach that we started last year for delivering an introductory computer science course. The teaching approach consisted of a team teaching, a blended delivery system, recorded lecture retrieval capability, readiness assessment activities, objective assessment of student progress, and cooperative learning through team work. During our last delivery, we added post-assessments and results related to this addition are presented in the paper. Our intent is to present a preliminary evaluation of the aforementioned approach as well as future direction and adjustments.
FIBROM ASPS REGULATE TYPE II CELL MATURATION VIA BOTH INHIBITION ADD STIMULATION OF THE FPF MECHANISM

Synchronous production of pulmonary surfactant by the alveolar type II cell is critical for neonatal survival. The timing of this event depends on the maturation of the fibroblast, which produces fibroblast pneumonooyte factor (FPF), a low molecular weight protein, in response to various hormones. Fibroblast maturation can be structurally and functionally accelerated (glucocorticoids) or delayed (androgens, insulin). The type II cell subsequently shows augmented or delayed surfactant production in association with the onset of FPF production by the fibroblast.,(A) The type II cell is able to respond to exogenous FPF in vitro as early as day 15 in the fetal rat (70% increase, p<0.001), 4 to 5 dare before the fibroblast can produce FPF. (B) Incorporation of 3H-choline into 3H-saturated phosphatidylcholine by type II cells exposed to FPF is increased 50-100% over control (p<0.01), but no increase is noted when conditioned medium from fibroblasts which are unable to produce FPF is mixed with FPF. These data suggest that (A) type II cells are competent to respond to FPF before fibroblasts can make it, and that (B) immature fibroblasts actively inhibit the response of type II cells to FPF. Such a highly labile cell-cell interaction, consisting of both a “brake” and an “accelerator”, in which the titer of biologically active FPF is the rate limiting factor, would explain the coordinated quantal increase observed in surfactant synthesis near term. Supported by NIH SCOR grant HL34616
Quality control studies on fetal bovine serum used in tissue culture.

The quality of the fetal bovine serum (FBS) produced for tissue culture purposes by eight commercial suppliers in the United States was tested over a period of 1 year. The results were compared with tests on some special FBS produced during the same period under conditions which included maximal sterile precautions, freedom from whole cells, and rapid processing in the cold. The findings were that: (a) the specially produced FBS had demonstrably better cell growth-supporting capacity, (b) commercial FBS had a significantly higher free fatty acid content compared to the specially produced FBS, (c) higher free fatty acid content was correlated with poorer cell growth-supporting capacity, (d) extremely wide variations among the different commercial suppliers were found in some of the test results, (e) roughly 10% of commercial lots of FBS were contaminated with bacteria and/or fungi, and (f) at least three different bacteriological culture media, including blood agar plates, were required for adequate sterility testing of FBS. The need for better quality control of FBS is discussed, the method for producing FBS with better cell growth-supporting capacity is described, and both “minimal” and “stringent” ranges of acceptable values for some chemical tests suitable for quality control are given.
Influence of surface composition on back‐contact performance in CdTe/CdS PV devices

The atomic composition of the surface of the CdTe layer in a CdTe/CdS photovoltaic (PV) device has a significant influence on the quality of the electrical contact to this layer. This paper reports the results of a systematic study that correlates the composition of the back surface as measured with X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) with pre-contact processing and device performance. We found that certain processing steps produce an oxide layer that degrades device performance by producing a metal – oxide – semiconductor (MOS) contact, rather than the intended metal – semiconductor, Schottky barrier contact. We also found that the as-deposited CdTe film is cadmium-rich for several hundred angstroms at the back surface. This n-type layer may impede current flow for majority holes, degrading device performance. Published in 2000 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Dissolved inorganic carbon and total alkalinity of a Hawaiian fringing reef: chemical techniques for monitoring the effects of ocean acidification on coral reefs

There is an interest in developing approaches to “ecosystem-based” management for coral reefs. One aspect of ecosystem performance is to monitor carbon metabolism of whole communities. In an effort to explore robust techniques to monitor the metabolism of fringing reefs, especially considering the possible effects of ocean acidification, a yearlong study of the carbonate chemistry of a nearshore fringing reef in Hawaii was conducted. Diurnal changes in seawater carbonate chemistry were measured once a week in an algal-dominated and a coral-dominated reef flat on the Waimanalo fringing reef, Hawaii, from April of 2010 until May of 2011. Calculated rates of gross primary production (GPP) and net community calcification (G) were similar to previous estimates of community metabolism for other coral reefs (GPP 971 mmol C m−2 d−1; G 186 mmol CaCO3 m−2 d−1) and indicated that this reef was balanced in terms of organic metabolism, exhibited net calcification, and was a net source of CO2 to the atmosphere. Average slopes of total alkalinity versus dissolved inorganic carbon (TA–DIC slope) for the coral-dominated reef flat exhibited a greater calcification-to-net photosynthesis ratio than for the algal-dominated reef flat (coral slope vs. algal slope). Over the course of the time series, TA–DIC slopes remained significantly different between sites and were not correlated with diurnal averages in reef-water residence time or solar irradiance. These characteristic slopes for each reef flat reflect the relationship between carbon and carbonate community metabolism and can be used as a tool to monitor ecosystem function in response to ocean acidification.
The separation of substituted carbohydrates by high-performance liquid chromatography

Separation of a wide variety of partially and completely substituted carbohydrates was achieved by using two types of gel permeation columns. The relative retention time was dependent on two factors: the relative polarity of the carbohydrate and its molecular weight.
Women's avoidance of rape

Females of many species have recurrently faced the adaptive problem of rape over the species' evolutionary history. In humans, rape of women by men has occurred throughout recorded history and across cultures, and exacts on women severe psychological, physical, and reproductive costs. Women therefore may have evolved psychological mechanisms that motivate rape avoidance behaviors. We provide an overview of recent theoretical and empirical research addressing women's rape avoidance psychology and behavior from an evolutionary perspective. This research indicates that women may possess evolved mechanisms that motivate rape avoidance. We conclude by highlighting several directions for research that may further clarify the design features of human female evolved mechanisms that motivate rape avoidance.
Non-additivity of maximal pilocarpine and cytochalasin effects on outflow facility.

Living cynomolgus monkeys received intracameral infusions of pilocarpine HCl (P)1 mg ml−1, followed by P+ cytochalasin B (CB) 50 μg ml−1; total outflow facility, measured by two-level constant pressure perfusion, tripled after P alone and then remained stable when CB was added. Other eyes received CB 25 μg ml−1 or 50 μg ml−1, followed by CB + P1 mg ml−1; facility quadrupled to sextupled after CB, but tended to decrease from those levels, although it remained above baseline, after P was added. The facility decrease accompanying the addition of P after CB might have related to the longer CB exposure, rather than to a specific P effect. These data indicate that despite different mechanisms of action and primary attack points on the outflow apparatus, near- or supramaximal P and CB doses are not additive, and are indeed mutually pre-emptive, in their facility increasing effect. These findings have implications in terms of trabecular-meshwork biophysics, fluid mechanics, and their pharmacological manipulation.
Bulk diffusivity of lattice gases close to criticality

We consider lattice gases where particles jump at random times constrained by hard-core exclusion (simple exclusion process with speed change). The conventional theory of critical slowing down predicts that close to a critical point the bulk diffusivity vanishes as the inverse compressibility. We confirm this claim by proving a strictly positive lower bound for the conductivity.
An empirical study of list structure in Lisp

Static measurements of the list structure of five large Lisp programs are reported and analyzed in this paper. These measurements reveal substantial regularity, or predictability, among pointers to atoms and especially among pointers to lists. Pointers to atoms are found to obey, roughly, Zipf's law, which governs word frequencies in natural languages; pointers to lists usually point to a location physically nearby in memory. The use of such regularities in the space-efficient representation of list structure is discussed. Linearization of lists, whereby successive cdrs (or cars) are placed in consecutive memory locations whenever possible, greatly strengthens the observed regularity of list structure. It is shown that under some reasonable assumptions, the entropy or information content of a car-cdr pair in the programs measured is about 10 to 15 bits before linearization, and about 7 to 12 bits after.