cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Instability of the epithelial-mesenchymal interaction in the eight-day embryonic chick thyroid.

By using cells from the eight-day chick embryo to study epithelial-mesodermal interaction in the thyroid we have confirmed the results previously reported for the mature cells of the 16-day gland. The cells, which do not yet possess a canaliculate endoplasmic reticulum, fail to develop these channels in monolayer culture. After seven days of spreading, the membranes are as sparse as they were in the eight-day embryo and closely resemble those in cells of the 16-day gland after a week of spreading. This lack of organization is in sharp contrast to the elaborate system of interconnecting channels of the 16-day gland or the eight-day gland which has been in organ culture for seven to eight days. Reaggregation of the eight-day monolayers has revealed the necessity of cells from the thyroid capsule for normal differentiation. Young and mature epithelial cells give basically the same responses to fibroblasts from heterologous organs. In both cases, histogenesis is abnormal. Aggregates prepared with capsule of the young gland result in necrosis of spread eight-day epithelial cells and cord formation by spread 16-day epithelial cells. Cells from the capsule of the 16-day thyroid, on the other hand, produce normal thyroid when combined with either the 8- or 16-day epithelium. The results are compared with those from investigations of the epithelial-mesenchymal interaction in other organs.
Ab initio prediction of conduction band spin splitting in zinc blende semiconductors.

We use a recently developed self-consistent $GW$ approximation to present systematic ab initio calculations of the conduction band spin splitting in III-V and II-VI zinc blende semiconductors. The spin-orbit interaction is taken into account as a perturbation to the scalar relativistic Hamiltonian. These are the first calculations of conduction band spin splittings based on a quasiparticle approach; and because the self-consistent $GW$ scheme accurately reproduces the relevant band parameters, it is expected to be a reliable predictor of spin splittings. The results are compared to the few available experimental data and a previous calculation based on a model one-particle potential. We also briefly address the widely used $\mathbf{k}\ifmmode\cdot\else\textperiodcentered\fi{}\mathbf{p}$ parametrization in the context of these results.
Levetiracetam Psychosis in Children with Epilepsy

Summary: Purpose: Levetiracetam is a new anticonvulsant (AED) with a novel mechanism of action. Although it is generally well tolerated with a good cognitive profile, irritability and hostility have been reported in some adults taking levetiracetam. Observations in children are limited; levetiracetam is not yet approved by the Food and Drug Administration for use in children. Methods: In four young patients, acute psychosis developed within days to months of initiation of levetiracetam for seizures. Results: A 5-year-old girl began having visual hallucinations of spiders in her room 14 days after starting levetiracetam. A 13-year-old boy began having auditory hallucinations, insomnia, and screaming behavior 3 months after initiation of levetiracetam. A 16-year-old girl became acutely agitated, hyperreligious, and had persecutory delusions within 7 days of starting levetiracetam. A 17-year-old girl had auditory hallucinations telling her to sing and yell after 30 days of taking the drug. All four children had dramatic improvement within days of either discontinuing or decreasing the dose of levetiracetam. The three adolescents had historical findings consistent with mild behavioral problems before initiating levetiracetam, and all four patients had prior cognitive deficits. Conclusions: Reversible treatment-emergent psychosis associated with levetiracetam therapy was observed in four children and adolescents. Whether rapid initiation or prior neurobehavioral problems predispose to this side effect is not established.
Synthesis and stability of tri‐sec‐aminomethanes

Tri-sec-aminomethanes and dialkoxy-sec-aminomethanes can be obtained from chloroform sodium alkoxide and sec-amines. The tri-sec-aminomethanes can be converted into tetra-sec-aminoethylenes by thermolysis. It appears that tri-sec-aminomethanes and tetra-sec-aminoethylenes have been mistaken one for the other more than once in the literature. Some interesting properties of the compounds synthesized are discussed.
Quasiclassical trajectory study of the Cl + Hl → HCl + I reaction

Abstract Monte Carlo quasiclassical trajectory calculations have been carried out for the reaction Cl + Hl → HCl + I for 300, 1000, and 2000 K. A semi-empirical potential-energy surface (London equation) was obtained by “transfering” parameters from surfaces computed for other reaction systems. The computed results are in general accord with experimental measurements. Thermal rate coefficients, differential scattering cross sections, and product vibrational and rotational distributions were computed for the three temperatures. Angular scattering distributions are in agreement with experiment only at elevated temperatures.
Control of the pleural space after pneumonectomy

The authors believe that most patients who undergo pneumonectomy do not require drainage of the postpneumonectomy space. Needle or catheter aspiration is simple and usually adequate. In cases in which significant bleeding, rapid pleural fluid accumulation, or contamination is expected, however, drainage of the space is recommended. If drainage is used, the tube probably should be connected to a balanced drainage system to ensure proper physiologic positioning of the mediastinum during the critical immediate postoperative period.
Management of the infected total shoulder arthroplasty

Deep infection is a devastating complication following total shoulder arthroplasty. Accurate diagnosis and appropriate management are critical for a successful outcome. Diagnosis is based on history and physical examination, laboratory studies, and radiographic evaluation. Advanced techniques in radiology are useful supplements in equivocal cases. Treatment options include (1) antibiotic suppression alone, (2) aggressive wound debridement, (3) resection arthroplasty, (4) exchange arthroplasty, (5) two-stage reimplantation, and (6) arthrodesis. Two-stage reimplantation has historically been most successful in both eradicating infection and maintaining shoulder function. Other options may be appropriate in limited situations.
Drosophila ribosomal protein PO contains apurinic/apyrimidinic endonuclease activity.

Drosophila ribosomal protein PO was overexpressed in Escherichia coli to allow for its purification, biochemical characterization and to generate polyclonal antibodies for Western analysis. Biochemical tests were originally performed to see if overexpressed PO contained DNase activity similar to that recently reported for the apurinic/apyrimidinic (AP) lyase activity associated with Drosophila ribosomal protein S3. The overexpressed ribosomal protein was subsequently found to act on AP DNA, producing scissions that were in this case 5' of a baseless site instead of 3', as has been observed for S3. As a means of confirming that the source of AP endonuclease activity was in fact due to PO, glutathione S-transferase (GST) fusions containing a Factor Xa cleavage site between GST and PO were constructed, overexpressed in an E.coli strain defective for the major 5'-acting AP endonucleases and the fusions purified using glutathione-agarose affinity column chromatography. Isolated fractions containing purified GST-PO fusion proteins were subsequently found to have authentic AP endonuclease activity. Moreover, glutathione-agarose was able to deplete AP endonuclease activity from GST-PO fusion protein preparations, whereas the resin was ineffective in lowering DNA repair activity for PO that had been liberated from the fusion construct by Factor Xa cleavage. These results suggested that PO was a multifunctional protein with possible roles in DNA repair beyond its known participation in protein translation. In support of this notion, tests were performed that show that GST-PO, but not GST, was able to rescue an E.coli mutant lacking the major 5'-acting AP endonucleases from sensitivity to an alkylating agent. We furthermore show that GST-PO can be located in both the nucleus and ribosomes. Its nuclear location can be further traced to the nuclear matrix, thus placing PO in a subcellular location where it could act as a DNA repair protein. Other roles beyond DNA repair seem possible, however, since GST-PO also exhibited significant nuclease activity for both single- and double-stranded DNA.
“It's not about place, it's about what's inside”: American Indian women negotiating cultural connectedness and identity in urban spaces

Synopsis This descriptive phenomenological study sought to uncover how urban American Indian women from families with multigenerational urban residence develop and maintain cultural identity and cultural connectedness while living in a large metropolitan area. Fourteen women from five different tribes shared their understandings of the elements that constitute American Indian identity and cultural connectedness and how these phenomena are developed by urban-based Natives. The phenomenological structures of urban American Indian women's cultural identity and connectedness emerging from participant narratives indicated that cultural identity and cultural connectedness were distinct constructs. The women conceptualized cultural identity as a stable understanding of self as an American Indian that is not dependent upon geographical location and unaffected by cognitive and behavioral adaptations required by the urban environment. Cultural connectedness was seen to be created by three interacting elements: relatedness to, and social interactions with, other Native people; active cultural involvement; and cultural knowledge.
Why environmental and resource economists should care about non-expected utility models

Experimental and theoretical analysis has shown that the conventional expected utility (EU) and subjective expected utility (SEU) models, which are linear in probabilities, have serious limitations in certain situations. We argue here that these limitations are often highly relevant to the work that environmental and natural resource economists do. We discuss some of the experimental evidence and alternatives to the SEU. We consider the theory used, the problems studied, and the methods employed by resource economists. Finally, we highlight some recent work that has begun to use some of the alternatives to the EU and SEU frameworks and discuss areas where much future work is needed. # 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Situated normativity: The normative aspect of embodied cognition in unreflective action

In everyday life we often act adequately, yet without deliberation. For instance, we immediately obtain and maintain an appropriate distance from others in an elevator. The notion of normativity implied here is a very basic one, namely distinguishing adequate from inadequate, correct from incorrect, or better from worse in the context of a particular situation. In the first part of this paper I investigate such ‘situated normativity’ by focusing on unreflective expert action. More particularly, I use Wittgenstein's examples of craftsmen (tailors and architects) absorbed in action to introduce situated normativity. Situated normativity can be understood as the normative aspect of embodied cognition in unreflective skillful action. I develop Wittgenstein's insight that a peculiar type of affective behaviour, ‘directed discontent’, is essential for getting things right without reflection. Directed discontent is a reaction of appreciation in action and is introduced as a paradigmatic expression of situated normativity. In the second part I discuss Wittgenstein's ideas on the normativity of what he calls ‘blind’ rule-following and the ‘bedrock’ of immediate action. What matters for understanding the normativity of (even ‘blind’) rule-following, is not that one has the capacity for linguistic articulation or reflection but that one is reliably participating in a communal custom. In the third part I further investigate the complex relationships between unreflective skillful action, perception, emotion, and normativity. Part of this entails an account of the link between normativity at the level of the expert's socio-cultural practice and the individual's situated and lived normativity.
Cloud Computing for Satellite Data Processing on High End Compute Clusters

Hadoop is a Distributed Filesystem and MapReduce framework originally developed for search applications by Google and subsequently adopted by the Apache foundation as an open source system. We propose that this parallel computing framework is well suited for a variety of service oriented science applications and, in particular, for satellite data processing of remote sensing systems. We show that, by installing Hadoop on a cluster of IBM PowerPC blade clusters, we can efficiently process multiyear remote sensing data, expect to see speed performance improvements over conventional multi-processor methodologies, and have more memory efficient implementation allowing for finer grid resolutions. Moreover, these improvements can be met without significant changes in coding structure.
Binding sparse spatiotemporal patterns in spiking computation

Imagine a two-dimensional spatial array of detectors temporally driven via an unknown number of mutually overlapping, unknown patterns. One at a time, these patterns are randomly, partially, sparsely and repeatedly presented, superimposed with omnipresent noise. The challenge is to design a scheme for detecting and recalling these patterns in an unsupervised, online and computationally efficient fashion.
Towards global collaboration tools

The introduction of collaboration applications on the Internet has enriched communication between diverse users via chatting, and audio and video conferencing. It has also facilitated numerous real life tasks such as conducting of business meetings on the web, distance learning, and distributed authoring. Unfortunately, there are several difficulties that prevent collaboration applications from being ubiquitous on the Internet. The major difficulty is the lack of standards for communication between different collaboration applications which restricts collaboration to only instances of the same implementation, and in turn, limits the usability of such applications. In this paper, we propose a novel collaboration protocol for the exchange of information between users in collaborative environments. The proposed protocol is not tied to a specific implementation of collaboration tools which would enable several tools of the same type to communicate with each other independently of their implementation details. We also discuss a framework architecture for integration of several collaboration tools into one application. The proposed framework utilizes our proposed protocol, and adopts an HTTP-based communication model in order to overcome another difficulty which is possible firewalls constraints. In particular, we extend the standard HTTP streaming technology to accommodate several forms of collaboration.
Group consciousness, identity and perceptions of unfair police treatment among Mexican Americans

Purpose – The purpose of this paper is to explore the relationship between global and specific attitudes of unfair police treatment towards Mexican Americans and how attitudes towards the police vary with socio‐demographic characteristics, victim status, linguistic barriers, group consciousness and socially disorganized contexts.Design/methodology/approach – Data from the 2006 National Latino Survey, which is a representative random sample of 1,815 self‐identified persons of Mexican‐origin born in the USA were used to investigate three research questions: What is the prevalence in which Mexican‐Americans claim to be treated unfairly by the police?; What is the prevalence in which Mexican‐Americans perceive unfair treatment toward their ethnic group?; and Do cultural factors and/or heightened group consciousness and identity contribute to Mexican‐Americans perceptions of either specific or more generalized unfair police treatment? A structural equation model was developed to explore the relationship betwee...
Ionic liquids as an attractive alternative solvent for thermal lens measurements.

The use of ionic liquids (ILs) as a solvent for thermal lens measurements has been investigated. It was found that ILs provide a better medium for thermal lens measurements than water. Specifically, not only the ILs offer at least 20 times higher sensitivity than water but that the enhancement can be appropriately adjusted by changing either the cation or the anion of the ILs. For example, the sensitivity in [BMIm]+[Tf2N]- is ∼26 times higher than in water. It can be increased up to 31 times by changing the anion to [PF6]- (i.e., [BMIm]+[PF6]-) or to 35 times by changing the cation to [OMIm]+ (i.e., [OMIm]+[Tf2N]-). In fact, the sensitivity of thermal lens measurements in ILs is comparable to those in volatile organic solvents such as benzene, carbon tetrachloride, and hexane. However, the ILs are more desirable as they have virtually no vapor pressure. Furthermore, additional sensitivity enhancement (up to 42 times higher than that in water) can be achieved by simply adding surfactants into the ILs. Base...
Non-alcoholic fatty liver disease may develop in individuals with normal body mass index.

Background Although non-alcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) is associated with obesity and metabolic syndrome (MS), it may also be present in lean individuals. We evaluated the characteristics of NAFLD patients, focusing on those with normal body mass index (BMI). Methods One hundred and sixty-two of 185 consecutive NAFLD patients were included (23 were excluded due to missing data). NAFLD diagnosis required elevated ALT and/or GGT, hepatic steatosis on ultrasonography and no other cause of liver disease. Demographic, clinical, somatometric and laboratory characteristics were recorded. BMI <25 kg/m2 was considered normal. Results Normal BMI was present in 12% of patients. Patients with normal compared to those with increased BMI had numerically but not significantly lower prevalence of diabetes mellitus (6% vs. 15%, p=0.472), arterial hypertension (17% vs. 29%, p=0.276) and MS (20% vs. 41%, p=0.160). Normal BMI NAFLD patients met no criterion of MS more frequently (43% vs. 2%, p<0.0001) and had smaller waist circumference (94±6 vs. 108±10 cm, p<0.001), higher median levels of ALT (92 vs. 62 IU/L, p=0.032) and AST (45 vs. 37 IU/L, p=0.036) and relatively lower fasting glucose levels (98±22 vs. 106±29 mg/dL, p=0.052), but similar levels of HDL, LDL and triglycerides. Conclusion Approximately 1 of 8 NAFLD patients coming to the tertiary liver center has normal BMI. These patients do not necessarily have insulin resistance associated metabolic disorders, but they have higher levels of ALT/AST than the overweight or obese NAFLD patients. Keywords fatty liver, metabolic syndrome, insulin resistance Ann Gastroenterol 2012; 25 (1): 45-51
Characteristics of inpatient thyroid surgery at US academic and affiliated medical centers.

Objective. Describe data from patients undergoing thyroid surgeries for benign and malignant disease at US academic medical centers.Study Design. Retrospective, database search.Setting. The University Health System (UHC) Consortium (Oak Brook, Illinois) data compiled from discharge summaries.Subjects and Methods. Discharge data were collected from the first quarter of 2002 through the fourth quarter of 2009. Searching strategy was based on diagnosis of thyroid disease and patients undergoing thyroid surgery across all UHC facilities. Demographic information was collected as well as length of stay (LOS) and costs. Complications were evaluated in this analysis.Results. During the study period, 68,014 thyroidectomies were performed, with 27,200 for thyroid cancer. During the same period 6365 neck dissections were performed, with 1539 as stand-alone procedures. Total thyroidectomy was the procedure of choice for malignant disease. More total thyroidectomies and fewer hemithyroidectomies were being performed f...
Optimization of in-network data reduction

We consider the in-network computation of approximate "big picture" summaries in bandwidth-constrained sensor networks. First we review early work on computing the Haar wavelet decomposition as a User-Defined Aggregate in a sensor query engine. We argue that this technique can be significantly improved by choosing a function-specific network topology. We generalize this discussion to a loose definition of a 2-level optimization problem that maps from a function to what we call a support graph for the function, and from there to an aggregation tree that is chosen from possible subgraphs of the physical network connectivity. This work is frankly quite preliminary: we raise a number of questions but provide relatively few answers. The intent of the paper is to lay groundwork for discussion and further research.
Spatial Bayesian Nonparametric Methods

We review nonparametric Bayesian approaches to inference for spatial data. The discussion is organized by increasing level of relaxation of traditional parametric assumptions. We start by considering nonparametric priors for covariance functions in a Gaussian process model. Next we allow for non-Gaussian marginal distributions by introducing Gaussian copulas. Finally, we go fully non-parametric and discuss Dirichlet process mixtures for the coefficients in a kernel convolution, Dirichlet process mixtures of Gaussian processes and spatial stick-breaking priors.
Empirical Possibility and Minimal Information Distortion

In order to successfully apply possibility theory to the study of physical systems, there is a need for methods of taking measurements on them which yield data governed by possibility theory. Set-based statistics are used to generate empirically derived random sets. Normal possibility distributions are available for consistent random sets, and a set of focused consistent transformations is available for inconsistent random sets. The Principle of Uncertainty Invariance is modified to provide a method which selects that consistent transformation with Minimal Information Distortion from the measured random set.
Autonomic Seizures and Panayiotopoulos Syndrome

A 9-year-old boy was evaluated for seizures. He has had a normal birth, labor, delivery, and development and was well until last year when he experienced a spell. He was playing outside when his mother went to check on him down by a pond. She noted that he suddenly developed a facial expression and “acted like he was going to be sick.” He became pale, nauseated, wretched, and complained of being weak. His mom tried to encourage him to come inside and rest. The patient’s father arrived and picked the patient up as he collapsed limply and then vomited. The patient was laid down on the ground when his eyes rolled up to the left; he became unresponsive, turned his head to the left, and briefly stiffened. Afterwards he was sleepy with urinary incontinence but fully recovered after a 3-h nap. In the ED, a CT brain was normal as were routine laboratory studies and a 12-lead EKG. Subsequently, a brain MRI revealed a left choroid fissure cyst. EEG demonstrated generalized spike-and-slow-waves (GSWs). He was diagnosed with absences, and ethosuximide was prescribed but declined by the parents. A computer-assisted ambulatory EEG captured a non-epileptic stare. Isolated GSWs were again noted throughout the recording (Fig. 14.1).
Abstract 13334: Phosphorus Level, Renal Dysfunction and Sudden Cardiac Death

Introduction: Chronic renal insufficiency (CRI) is independently associated with inceased risk of sudden cardiac death (SCD) but mechanisms remain unknown. We evaluated a possible role for hyperphosphatemia in CRI patients that suffer SCD, a biochemical abnormality that has been linked to development of left ventricular hypertrophy (LVH). Hypothesis: Higher phosphorus levels, especially in CRI, are associated with increased SCD risk. Methods: SCD cases and controls age ≥18 yrs from an ongoing prospective community-based evaluation of SCD in the Northwest US (population approx. 1 million) with phosphorus levels available for review were analyzed. For cases, phosphorus level, and corresponding renal and cardiac function status were evaluated prior and unrelated to the SCD event. Association of phosphorus with SCD in the presence of CRI (CrCl<70 ml/min/1.73m2) and other known risk factors was evaluated using Pearson’s chi-square test and independent sample t-test. Results: Comparing 324 SCD cases to 239 cont...
Halo and subhalo demographics with Planck cosmological parameters: Bolshoi–Planck and MultiDark–Planck simulations

We report and provide fitting functions for the abundance of dark matter halos and subhalos as a function of mass, circular velocity, and redshift from the new Bolshoi- Planck and MultiDark-PlanckCDM cosmological simulations, based on the Planck cosmological parameters. We also report the halo mass accretion rates, which may be connected with galaxy star formation rates. We show that the higher cosmological matter density of the Planck parameters compared with the WMAP parameters leads to higher abundance of massive halos at high redshifts. We find that the median halo spin parameter λB = J(2MvirRvirVvir) 1 is nearly independent of redshift, leading to predicted evolution of galaxy sizes that is consistent with observations, while the significant decrease with redshift in median λP = J|E| 1/2 G 1 M 5/2 predicts more decrease in galaxy sizes than is observed. Using the Tully-Fisher and Faber-Jackson relations between galaxy velocity and mass, we show that a simple model of how galaxy velocity is related to halo maximum circular velocity leads to increasing overprediction of cosmic stellar mass density as redshift increases beyond redshifts z � 1, implying that such velocity-mass relations must change at redshifts z > � 1. By making a realistic model of how observed galaxy velocities are related to halo circular velocity, we show that recent optical and radio observations of the abundance of galaxies are in good agreement with ourCDM simulations. Our halo demographics are based on updated versions of the Rockstar and Consistent Trees codes, and this paper includes appendices explaining all of their outputs. This paper is an introduction to a series of related papers presenting other analyses of the Bolshoi-Planck and MultiDark-Planck simulations.
International dialogue

Any Conference the size of NCC attracts specialists from all over the world. Indeed scattered in the various technical sessions are contributions from people in Japan, Canada, England, Germany, France, and Brazil. In addition to this individual participation, there is a set of four sessions focusing on topics that were found to be of special interest to non U.S. participants. They are standardization, especially the computer connection to communication networks, but also for input/output and software. We have arranged four sessions, with significant non-U.S. participation to articulate these areas.
The marketing of physicians' services: should doctors advertise?

The objective of this study has been to investigate the consumer's point of view regarding whether physicians should be allowed to advertise in the future. Opposition to physician's advertising appears to center on ethical issues, whereas arguments favoring advertising focus on information needs, economic and competitive issues, and the right to advertise.
Threshold Magnitudes for a Multichannel Correlation Detector in Background Seismicity

Colocated explosive sources often produce correlated seismic waveforms. Multichannel correlation detectors identify these signals by scanning template waveforms recorded from known reference events against "target" data to find similar waveforms. This screening problem is challenged at thresholds required to monitor smaller explosions, often because non-target signals falsely trigger such detectors. Therefore, it is generally unclear what thresholds will reliably identify a target explosion while screening non-target background seismicity. Here, we estimate threshold magnitudes for hypothetical explosions located at the North Korean nuclear test site over six months of 2010, by processing International Monitoring System (IMS) array data with a multichannel waveform correlation detector. Our method (1) accounts for low amplitude background seismicity that falsely triggers correlation detectors but is unidentifiable with conventional power beams, (2) adapts to diurnally variable noise levels and (3) uses source-receiver reciprocity concepts to estimate thresholds for explosions spatially separated from the template source. Furthermore, we find that underground explosions with body wave magnitudes mb = 1.66 are detectable at the IMS array USRK with probability 0.99, when using template waveforms consisting only of P -waves, without false alarms. We conservatively find that these thresholds also increase by up to a magnitude unit for sources locatedmore » 4 km or more from the Feb.12, 2013 announced nuclear test.« less
Ectoparasites of the Southeastern Shrew, Sorex Longirostris, and the Masked Shrew, S. Cinereus, in Vigo County, Indiana, USA

In Vigo County, Indiana, USA, 14,610 ectoparasites and phoretic mites from the Southeastern Shrew, Sorex longirostris , and the Masked Shrew, S. cinereus , included 31 species; 24 species were found on each shrew. The glycyphagid mite Orycteroxenus soricis and Myobiidae accounted for 90.2% and 93.1% of the ectoparasites and phoretic forms on S. longirostris and S. cinereiis , respectively. The occurrence of fleas and the myobiid mite Protomyobia americana on S. cinereus only and the myobiid Protomyobia indianensis on S. longirostris only was the most prominent difference between the ectoparasitic faunas of the 2 shrews.
Pathogens and parasites: insights from evolutionary biology

The metaphor of a host-parasite arms race spawns a fertile new approach to the understanding of the myriad interactions between host and colonist–interactions that constitute the epidemiology and natural history of infectious and parasitic diseases. Sexual reproduction in eukaryotes and prolific “parasexual” gene exchange among bacteria and viruses fuel the arms race by generating genetic diversity, the common currency of effective defense and competition. Emerging and reemerging infectious and parasitic diseases serve as urgent reminders that we are irreversibly altering our global environment. Antibiotic resistance signals our achievement in domesticating microbes that can outwit us. Historical epidemics of infectious diseases add an important dimension to the understanding of our current challenge.
MOOCocracy: the learning culture of massive open online courses

Massive open online courses (MOOCs) are often examined and evaluated in terms of institutional cost, instructor prestige, number of students enrolled, and completion rates. MOOCs, which are connecting thousands of adult learners from diverse backgrounds, have yet to be viewed from a learning culture perspective. This research used virtual ethnographic methods to investigate the adult learner experience in a MOOC learning culture. Specifically, authors observed and interviewed twelve adult learners from countries around the world to gain a richer understanding of their online experiences and interactions within a MOOC focused on the social justice topic of human trafficking. Results showed that while a MOOC learning culture has some similarities to traditional distance education environments, it is indeed complex due to the large global scale. Based on the six themes that emerged from the data, the authors present the concept of MOOCocracy—a social learning democracy, as a description of the MOOC learning culture. Implications for MOOC instructional design are also discussed.
Properties of high temperature magnet wire insulated with polyimide film and system usability

Polyimide resins have proved themselves to be outstanding electrical insulation materials in a number of areas of application because of their superior thermal stability and toughness. This paper will discuss the application of polyimide film as an insulation for magnet wire, the properties of the wire and the compatibility of several high temperature varnishes with it.
2008-2010 Hohhot is a medical radiation workers External Exposure Dose External radiation personal dose monitoring results

Objective In 2008-2010 Hohhot is a medical radiation workers of the External Dose level and dynamics.Methods thermoluminescence dosimeter method,test 4 times in each quarter.Results were detected in three area municipal medical institutions Qixian 9 254 units,detection of radiation workers 618 people.Collective dose equivalent to 1716.44 mSv.Average annual dose equivalent to 2.77mSv/a,96.7%of the radiation workers less than the annual dose equivalent limit(20mSv/a) 1/4,did not exceed the limit 20mSv in the case of the State.2008-2009 average annual dose equivalent decreased,while the average annual dose equivalent in 2010 than the previous two years.Medical units of different types of radiation dose equivalent workers per capita is different than the county level and municipal medical institutions,private medical institutions is high.Conclusion call Haute City medical institutions,the annual dose of radiation workers are less than the national limit of 20 mSv/a.the overall protection in good condition. But the municipal-level medical institutions,public radiation dose equivalent staff per capita is relatively high,attention to radiological protection security issues,and look for public sector workers after work on Higher Dose.
The shifting landscape of KATP channelopathies and the need for ‘sharper’ therapeutics

ATP-sensitive potassium (KATP) channels play fundamental roles in the regulation of endocrine, neural and cardiovascular function. Small-molecule inhibitors (e.g., sulfonylurea drugs) or activators (e.g., diazoxide) acting on SUR1 or SUR2 have been used clinically for decades to manage the inappropriate secretion of insulin in patients with Type 2 diabetes, hyperinsulinism and intractable hypertension. More recently, the discovery of rare disease-causing mutations in KATP channel-encoding genes has highlighted the need for new therapeutics for the treatment of certain forms of neonatal diabetes mellitus, congenital hyperinsulinism and Cantu syndrome. Here, we provide a high-level overview of the pathophysiology of these diseases and discuss the development of a flexible high-throughput screening platform to enable the development of new classes of KATP channel modulators.
State of the Art of Multi-Processors

Scores of projects are underway world-wide to develop effective parallel processors. Some of these projects have already resulted in commercial machines, others will at most lead to interesting prototypes. We survey these activities, with special emphasis on those architectural features that are important for scientific computing.
The role of ependymin in the development of long lasting synaptic changes

1.) Three types of training experiments (a complex motor task, avoidance conditioning and classical conditioning) in the goldfish and one in the mouse (T-maze learning) indicate that the brain extracellular glycoprotein (ependymin) has a role in the consolidation process of long-term memory formation. 2.) Direct ELISA measures of the concentration of ependymin in the brain extracellular fluid (ECF) indicate that its level decreases after goldfish learn to associate a light stimulus (cs) with the subsequent arrival of a shock (US): paired CS-US gave changes whereas an unpaired presentation of CS-US gave no changes in comparison to unstimulated controls. 3.) Ependymin is released into ECF and CSF as mixtures of three types of disulfide-linked dimers of two acidic polypeptide chains (M. W. 37 kDa and 31 kDa). It contains 10% carbohydrate as an N-linked glycan. 4.) Ependymin has the capacity to polymerize in response to events that deplete Ca2+ from the brain extracellular environment. A molecular hypothesis relating polymerization properties to the process of formation of long-lasting synaptic changes is proposed. 5.) Investigations of the pattern of regeneration of goldfish optic nerve and the mechanisms of long-term potentiation (LTP) of rat brain hippocampal slices suggest that ependymin has a role in the formation of long-lasting synaptic changes. The E.M. data show that polymerized products which stain with anti-ependymin sera accumulate at synapses and in new spines after LTP.
Advanced Plotting Techniques

Simple plots were introduced in an earlier chapter. This chapter introduces additional two-dimensional plot types such as stacked bars, area plots, stem plots, pie charts, and histograms, as well as customizing plots using cell arrays and string functions. Three-dimensional plot functions as well as some functions that create the coordinates for specified objects are demonstrated. Functions that can animate plots are shown. The notion of Handle Graphics is introduced, and some graphics properties, such as line width and color, are demonstrated. Applications that involve reading data from files are demonstrated.
Shading and litter mediate the effects of soil fertility on the performance of an understorey herb

BACKGROUND AND AIMS Soil fertility and topographic microclimate are common determinants of plant species distributions. However, biotic conditions also vary along these abiotic gradients, and may mediate their effects on plants. In this study, we investigated whether soils and topographic microclimate acted directly on the performance of a focal understorey plant, or indirectly via changing biotic conditions. METHODS We examined direct and indirect relationships between abiotic variables (soil fertility and topographic microclimate) and biotic factors (overstorey and understorey cover, litter depth and mycorrhizal colonization) and the occurrence, density and flowering of a common understorey herb, Trientalis latifolia, in the Klamath-Siskiyou Mountains, Oregon, USA. RESULTS We found that the positive effects of soil fertility on Trientalis occurrence were mediated by greater overstorey shading and deeper litter. However, we did not find any effects of topographic microclimate on Trientalis distribution that were mediated by the biotic variables we measured. The predictive success of Trientalis species distribution models with soils and topographic microclimate increased by 12 % with the addition of the biotic variables. CONCLUSIONS Our results reinforce the idea that species distributions are the outcome of interrelated abiotic gradients and biotic interactions, and suggest that biotic conditions, such as overstorey density, should be included in species distribution models if data are available.
The hydrolytic susceptibility of prochelator BSIH in aqueous solutions

The prochelator BSIH ((E)-N'-(2-(4,4,5,5-tetramethyl-1,3,2-dioxaborolan-2-yl)benzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide) contains a boronate group that prevents metal coordination until reaction with peroxide releases the iron chelator SIH ((E)-N'-(2-hydroxybenzylidene)isonicotinohydrazide). BSIH exists in aqueous buffer and cell culture media in equilibrium with its hydrolysis products isoniazid and (2-formylphenyl)boronic acid (FBA). The relative concentrations of these species limit the yield of intact SIH available for targeted iron chelation. While the hydrolysis fragments are nontoxic to retinal pigment epithelial cells, these results suggest that modifications to BSIH that improve its hydrolytic stability yet maintain its low inherent cytotoxicity are desirable for creating more efficient prochelators for protection against cellular oxidative damage.
Calcineurin Inhibitors in the Treatment of Lupus Nephritis: A Hare Versus Turtle Story?

In this issue of the Journal of the American Society of Nephrology , we are given the eagerly anticipated follow-up of a large cohort of Chinese patients who took part in a randomized, controlled trial that compared multitarget therapy, a combination of a calcineurin inhibitor (CNI) plus
A Resonant Tunneling Nanowire Field Effect Transistor with Physical Contractions: A Negative Differential Resistance Device for Low Power Very Large Scale Integration Applications

In this paper, the influence of ultra-scaled physical symmetrical contraction on electrical characteristics of ultra-thin silicon-on-insulator nanowires with circular gate-all-around structure is investigated by using a 3D Atlas numerical quantum simulator based on non-equilibrium green’s function formalism. It is demonstrated that local cross-section variation in a nanowire transistor results in the establishment of tunnel energy barriers at the source-channel and drain-channel junctions which change device physics and cause a transmission from a quantum wire (1-D) to a floating quantum dot nanowire (0-D) introducing a resonant tunneling nanowire FET (RT-NWFET) as an interesting concept of nanoscale MOSFETs. The barriers construct resonance energy levels in the channel region of nanowires because of the longitudinal confinement in three directions causing some fluctuation in I D–V GS characteristic. In addition, these barriers remarkably improve the subthreshold swing and minimize the ON/OFF-current ratio degradation at a low operation voltage of 0.5 V. As a result, RT-NWFETs are intrinsically preserved from drain–source tunneling and are an interesting candidate for developing the roadmap below 10 nm.
Restoration contour is a risk indicator for peri-implantitis: A cross-sectional radiographic analysis

Aim The purpose of this study was to determine if restoration emergence angle was associated with peri-implantitis. Materials and Methods A data set consisting of 96 patients with 225 implants (mean follow-up: 10.9 years) was utilized. Implants were divided into bone level and tissue level groups and radiographs were analyzed to determine the restoration emergence angles, as well as restoration profiles (convex or concave). Peri-implantitis was diagnosed based on probing depth and radiographic bone loss. Associations between peri-implantitis and emergence angles/profiles were assessed using Generalized Estimating Equations. Results Eighty-three patients with 168 implants met inclusion criteria. The prevalence of peri-implantitis was significantly greater in the bone level group when the emergence angle was >30 degrees compared to an angle ≤30 degrees (31.3% vs 15.1%, P=0.04). In the tissue level group, no such correlation was found. For bone level implants, when a convex profile was combined with an angle of >30 degrees, the prevalence of peri-implantitis was 37.8% with a statistically significant interaction between emergence angle and profile (p = 0.003). Conclusions Emergence angle of >30 degrees is a significant risk indicator for peri-implantitis and convex profile creates an additional risk for bone level implants, but not for tissue level implants. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
What is a Frame? Theory and Applications of Frames

A frame in a separable Hilbert space is a generalization of an orthonormal basis that can be used to provide “painless nonorthogonal expansions” of elements in that space. In some respects, frames are easier to construct and use than orthogonal or Riesz bases, but the study of frames is tied to a number of deep and interesting results and conjectures in harmonic analysis (including the recently solved Kadisson–Singer Conjecture). Because of their relative ease of construction and their overcompleteness properties, frames have found applications in numerical harmonic analysis and were the first context in which wavelet expansions were discussed. The goal of this paper is to give a brief introduction to the theory of frames and to discuss some situations in which frames have proven an especially useful tool. These include noise reduction, robust communications, compressive sensing, and phaseless recovery.
The Efficacy of Lavender Aromatherapy in Reducing Preoperative Anxiety in Ambulatory Surgery Patients Undergoing Procedures in General Otolaryngology.

Background Preoperative anxiety is a common problem in hospitals and other health care centers. This emotional state has been shown to negatively impact patient satisfaction and outcomes. Aromatherapy, the therapeutic use of essential oils extracted from aromatic plants, may offer a simple, low-risk and cost-effective method of managing preoperative anxiety. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the efficacy of lavender aromatherapy in reducing preoperative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients undergoing procedures in general otolaryngology. Methods A prospective and controlled pilot study was conducted with 100 patients who were admitted to New York-Presbyterian/Weill Cornell Medical Center for ambulatory surgery from January of 2015 to August of 2015. The subjects were allocated to two groups; the experimental group received inhalation lavender aromatherapy in the preoperative waiting area while the control group received standard nursing care. Both groups reported their anxiety with a visual analog scale (VAS) upon arriving to the preoperative waiting area and upon departure to the operating room. Results According to a Welch's two sample t-test, the mean reduction in anxiety was statistically greater in the experimental group than the control group (p = 0.001). Conclusion Lavender aromatherapy reduced preoperative anxiety in ambulatory surgery patients. This effect was modest and possibly statistically significant. Future research is needed to confirm the clinical efficacy of lavender aromatherapy. Level of evidence 2b.
Vulnerability and Resilience within Military Families: Deployment Experiences, Reintegration, and Family Functioning

This study examined how family factors that diminish feelings of loss (frequent communication) and reflect system-level adaptation (effective household management) during deployment were associated with enhanced resilience and fewer vulnerabilities during reintegration and, ultimately, the promotion of family functioning following deployment. Multiple reporters from active duty (AD) military families (N = 214 families; 642 individuals) were examined, including AD members, civilian spouses, and their adolescent offspring. Most service members were men and enlisted personnel (95.3% male; 87.9% enlisted). Most AD and civilian spouses were between the ages of 31 and 40 (68.2% and 72.4%, respectively). Adolescent gender was relatively equal between boys (46.3%) and girls (53.7%), and their average age was 13.58. A SEM assessed the influence of communication frequency (reported by both AD and civilian spouses) and household management during deployment (reported by civilian spouses) on subsequent family functioning (reported by AD spouse, civilian spouse, and adolescent). The mediating role of positive and negative aspects of post-deployment family reintegration (reported by AD spouse, civilian spouse, and adolescent) was also assessed, as indicators of family resilience and vulnerability. Communication during deployment and civilian spouses’ household management during deployment were associated with multiple family members’ reintegration experiences. In turn, reintegration experiences were linked to self-perceptions of subsequent family functioning and, in some cases, other family members’ perceptions of family functioning. Similarities and differences among family members are discussed. While deployment and reintegration create systemic family changes and challenges, results indicated opportunity for growth that can reinforce connections between family members.