cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Smart City App

Collaboration is fundamental for cities and regions to meet the combined economic, environmental and social challenges of the 21st century. A broad array of stakeholders including citizens, non-profit organizations, private businesses, foundations, academic institutions and local governments, will need to make decisions together in order to realize a sustainable future for their communities. Our artifact was developed for the Western New York community as part of One Region Forward's planning process, developing a single portal for all stakeholders involved to continue collaborating on the plan. We developed an application that will serve as a forum to allow citizens that are passionate about sustainability to express their ideas to other citizens and plan stakeholders to build capacity and turn their ideas into action. The artifact acts as a multi-sided platform that promotes crowdsourcing for a variety of agents to come together and participate on sustainability related projects.
Massive Self-Induced Subcutaneous Cervicofacial, Pneumomediastinum, and Pneumopericardium Emphysema Sequelae to a Nondisplaced Maxillary Wall Fracture: A Case Report and Literature Review.

Iatrogenic cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema is a well-reported entity in the field of dentistry and oral and maxillofacial surgery, especially with the use of air-driven headpieces. Cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema sequelae after maxillofacial trauma, however, has been reported less and the self-induced variant is even rarer. We report a case of massive cervicofacial subcutaneous emphysema, pneumomediastinum, and pneumopericardium in a healthy 16-year-old boy after blunt trauma to the face, which caused a nondisplaced anterior maxillary wall fracture. The findings from the present case report will validate the common phrase “no nose blowing or holding your sneezes” that clinicians tell patients after maxillofacial trauma and sinus surgery.
The history and ecology of Cisco Coregonus artedi in the Laurentian Great Lakes.

Cisco Coregonus artedi are a schooling, coldwater, zooplanktivorous fish native to the northern United States and Canada. They were once one of the most abundant fish species in the region, support...
Succination of Dihydrolipoyllysine Succinyltransferase (DLST) Exacerbates Mitochondrial ATP Deficiency in a Mouse Model of Leigh Syndrome

Summary The NDUFS4 knockout (KO) mouse phenotype resembles the human Complex I deficiency Leigh Syndrome. The irreversible succination of protein thiols by fumarate is increased in regions of the NDUFS4 KO brain affected by neurodegeneration, suggesting a mechanistic role in neurodegenerative decline. We report the identification of a novel succinated protein, dihydrolipoyllysine-residue succinyltransferase (DLST), a component of the α-ketoglutarate dehydrogenase complex (KGDHC) of the tricarboxylic acid (TCA) cycle. Succination of DLST reduced KGDHC activity in the brainstem (BS) and olfactory bulb (OB) of KO mice. We further observed decreased mitochondrial substrate level phosphorylation, a TCA cycle reaction dependent on KGDHC derived succinyl-CoA, further aggravating the OXPHOS ATP deficit. Protein succinylation, an acylation modification that requires succinyl-CoA, was reduced in the KO mice. Our data demonstrate that the biochemical deficit extends beyond the Complex I assembly and energy defect, and functionally impairs multiple mitochondrial parameters to accelerate neuronal dysfunction.
When time is sales: the impact of sales manager time allocation decisions on sales team performance

Sales managers often take on the dual responsibilities of managing a sales team and selling to customers. This practice raises questions about how sales managers’ time allocation to managing and se...
A deep learning based integration of multiple texture patterns from intensity, gradient and curvature GLCMs in differentiating the malignant from benign polyps

Deep learning such as Convolutional Neural Network (CNN) has demonstrated its superior in the field of image analysis. However, in the medical imaging field, deep learning faces more challenges for tumor classification in computer-aided diagnosis due to uncertainties of lesions including their size, scaling factor, rotation, shapes, etc. Thus, instead of feeding raw images, texture-based CNN model has been designed to classify the objects with their good attributes. For example, gray level co-occurrence matrix (GLCM) can be chosen as the descriptor of the texture pattern for many good properties such as uniform size, shape invariance, scaling invariance. However, there are many different texture metrics to measure the different texture patterns. Thus, an effective and efficient integration model is essential to further improve the classification performance from different texture patterns. In this paper, we proposed a multi-channel texture-based CNN model to effectively integrate intensity, gradient and curvature texture patterns together for differentiating the malignant from benign polyps. Performance was evaluated by the merit of area under the curve of receiver operating characteristics (AUC). Around 0.3~4.8% improvement has been observed by combining different texture patterns together. Finally, classification performance of AUC=86.7% has been achieved for a polyp mass dataset of 87 samples, which obtains 1.8% improvement compared with a state-of-the-art method. The results indicate that texture information from different metrics could be fused and classified with a better classification performance. It also sheds lights that data integration is important and indispensable to pursuit improvement in classification task.
Adherence to Vitamin D Intake Guidelines in the United States

BACKGROUND: The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revised its infant vitamin D intake guidelines in 2008. We aimed to examine previously unexplored trends in meeting vitamin D intake guidelines among US infants since 2009 and whether there were differences across demographic subgroups. METHODS: We analyzed dietary recall data for infants 0 to 11 months in the 2009–2016 NHANES. We estimated the percentage meeting 2008 AAP vitamin D guidelines, defined as consuming ≥1 L of infant formula and/or receiving a vitamin D supplement of ≥400 IU. We used Poisson regressions to assess trends over time and differences across demographic subgroups. RESULTS: Overall, 27.1% (95% confidence interval [CI]: 24.3%–29.8%) of US infants in 2009–2016 met vitamin D intake guidelines, with nonbreastfeeding infants (31.1% [95% CI: 27.6%–34.5%]) more likely to meet guidelines than breastfeeding infants (20.5% [95% CI: 15.4%–25.5%]; P .05). Among breastfeeding infants, those with a family income ≥400% of the federal poverty level, with a college graduate head of household, and with private insurance were more likely to meet guidelines. CONCLUSIONS: Among US infants, we observed no increase in meeting AAP vitamin D intake guidelines since 2009. Less than 40% of infants met guidelines in nearly all demographic subgroups. These findings suggest renewed consideration of how to best meet vitamin D intake guidelines.
POLE Mutation Spectra Are Shaped by the Mutant Allele Identity, Its Abundance, and Mismatch Repair Status

Human tumors with exonuclease domain mutations in the gene encoding DNA polymerase e (POLE) have incredibly high mutation burdens. These errors arise in four unique mutation signatures occurring in different relative amounts, the etiologies of which remain poorly understood. We used CRISPR-Cas9 to engineer human cell lines expressing POLE tumor variants, with and without mismatch repair (MMR). Whole-exome sequencing of these cells after defined numbers of population doublings permitted analysis of nascent mutation accumulation. Unlike an exonuclease active site mutant that we previously characterized, POLE cancer mutants readily drive signature mutagenesis in the presence of functional MMR. Comparison of cell line and human patient data suggests that the relative abundance of mutation signatures partitions POLE tumors into distinct subgroups dependent on the nature of the POLE allele, its expression level, and MMR status. These results suggest that different POLE mutants have previously unappreciated differences in replication fidelity and mutagenesis.
Predator confusion is sufficient to evolve swarming behaviour.

Swarming behaviours in animals have been extensively studied owing to their implications for the evolution of cooperation, social cognition and predator–prey dynamics. An important goal of these studies is discerning which evolutionary pressures favour the formation of swarms. One hypothesis is that swarms arise because the presence of multiple moving prey in swarms causes confusion for attacking predators, but it remains unclear how important this selective force is. Using an evolutionary model of a predator–prey system, we show that predator confusion provides a sufficient selection pressure to evolve swarming behaviour in prey. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the evolutionary effect of predator confusion on prey could in turn exert pressure on the structure of the predator's visual field, favouring the frontally oriented, high-resolution visual systems commonly observed in predators that feed on swarming animals. Finally, we provide evidence that when prey evolve swarming in response to predator confusion, there is a change in the shape of the functional response curve describing the predator's consumption rate as prey density increases. Thus, we show that a relatively simple perceptual constraint—predator confusion—could have pervasive evolutionary effects on prey behaviour, predator sensory mechanisms and the ecological interactions between predators and prey.
Gaussian mixture model with feature selection: An embedded approach

Abstract Gaussian Mixture Model (GMM) is a popular clustering algorithm due to its neat statistical properties, which enable the “soft” clustering and the determination of the number of clusters. Expectation-Maximization (EM) is usually applied to estimate the GMM parameters. While promising, the inclusion of features that are not contributing to clustering may confuse the model and increase computational cost. Recognizing the issue, in this paper, we propose a new algorithm, termed Expectation Selection Maximization (ESM), by adding a feature selection step (S). Specifically, we introduce a relevancy index (RI), a metric indicating the probability of assigning a data point to a specific clustering group. The RI index reveals the contribution of the feature to the clustering process thus can assist the feature selection. We conduct theoretical analysis to justify the use of RI for feature selection. Also, to demonstrate the efficacy of the proposed ESM, two synthetic datasets, four benchmark datasets, and an Alzheimer’s Disease dataset are studied.
Recovering the TV career of Korean American comedian Johnny Yune

This article examines the late Korean American stand-up comedian Johnny Yune’s television career at NBC. Yune made his comedy debut on The Tonight Show starring Johnny Carson in 1978 and charmed th...
Atrial Fibrillation in Patients Hospitalized With COVID-19: Incidence, Predictors, Outcomes and Comparison to Influenza.

OBJECTIVES: The goal of this study is to determine the incidence, predictors, and outcomes of atrial fibrillation (AF) or atrial flutter (AFL) in patients hospitalized with coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19). BACKGROUND: COVID-19 results in increased inflammatory markers previously associated with atrial arrhythmias. However, little is known about their incidence or specificity in COVID-19 or their association with outcomes. METHODS: This is a retrospective analysis of 3,970 patients admitted with polymerase chain reaction-positive COVID-19 between February 4 and April 22, 2020, with manual review performed of 1,110. The comparator arm included 1,420 patients with influenza hospitalized between January 1, 2017, and January 1, 2020. RESULTS: Among 3,970 inpatients with COVID-19, the incidence of AF/AFL was 10% (n = 375) and in patients without a history of atrial arrhythmias it was 4% (n = 146). Patients with new-onset AF/AFL were older with increased inflammatory markers including interleukin 6 (93 vs. 68 pg/ml, p < 0.01), and more myocardial injury (troponin-I: 0.2 vs. 0.06 ng/ml, p < 0.01). AF and AFL were associated with increased mortality (46% vs. 26%, p < 0.01). Manual review captured a somewhat higher incidence of AF/AFL (13%, n = 140). Compared to inpatients with COVID-19, patients with influenza (n = 1,420) had similar rates of AF/AFL (12%, n = 163) but lower mortality. The presence of AF/AFL correlated with similarly increased mortality in both COVID-19 (relative risk: 1.77) and influenza (relative risk: 1.78). CONCLUSIONS: AF/AFL occurs in a subset of patients hospitalized with either COVID-19 or influenza and is associated with inflammation and disease severity in both infections. The incidence and associated increase in mortality in both cohorts suggests that AF/AFL is not specific to COVID-19, but is rather a generalized response to the systemic inflammation of severe viral illnesses.
Hot melt extrusion: An emerging manufacturing method for slow and sustained protein delivery

With the rapid development of the biopharmaceutical industry, an increasing number of new therapeutic protein products (TPPs) have been approved by the FDA and many others are under pre-clinical and clinical evaluation. A major limitation of biopharmaceuticals is their limited half-life when administered systemically. A one-time, implantable, sustained protein delivery device would be advantageous in order to improve the quality of life of patients. Hot melt extrusion (HME) is a mature technology that has been extensively used for a broad spectrum of applications in the polymer and pharmaceutical industry and has achieved success as evidenced by a variety of FDA-approved commercial products. These commercial products are mostly for sustained delivery of small molecule therapeutics, leaving a significant gap for HME formulation of therapeutic proteins. With the increasing need of sustained TPP delivery, HME shows promise as a downstream processing method due to its high efficiency and economic value. Several challenges remain for the application of HME in protein delivery. Progress of HME for protein delivery, challenges encountered, and potential solutions will be detailed in this review article. This article is categorized under: Implantable Materials and Surgical Technologies > Nanomaterials and Implants Biology-Inspired Nanomaterials > Protein and Virus-Based Structures.
Bladder Agenesis and Bilateral Ectopic Ureters in an Infant Male With Cystic Renal Dysplasia, Imperforate Anus, and Penoscrotal Transposition.

Abstract Bladder agenesis is a rare congenital anomaly infrequently reported in the literature, with an incidence of 1/600,000 patients. 1 Commonly associated with other fatal malformations, the condition is often incompatible with life. 2 Prior reports estimate that over 90% of living children born with this malformation are female, owing to renal preservation resulting from low pressure drainage of urine into the vagina, uterus, and vestibule. 3 , 4 Herein we report a rare case of an infant male born with penoscrotal transposition and end stage renal disease secondary to bilateral cystic renal dysplasia found to have concurrent bladder agenesis and bilateral ureteral ectopia.
Risks for acquiring hepatitis C virus among women in the United States

Objective To conduct a literature review about the breadth of risks for acquiring hepatitis C virus (HCV) among women who are living in the United States. Design A mixed research synthesis of qualitative, quantitative, and mixed-methods studies guided by the Socioecological Model and Theory of Gender and Power. Sample and analytic strategy The sample consisted of 29 studies: 10 qualitative, 18 quantitative, and one mixed-methods studies. Data were analyzed using a segregated approach and integrated into a narrative synthesis of themes by components of the Socioecological Model. Results Individual risks themes were drug use as a coping strategy, transition to injection drug use, and lack of awareness about HCV. Interpersonal risks themes were social norms of drug use and drug use and sexual activities. Community risks themes were community re-entry, housing instability, and community HCV resources. Societal risks themes are policies affecting drug markets and social construct of "worthlessness." Conclusions Findings highlight the need for comprehensive gender-specific HCV prevention strategies built around harm reduction. In partnership with women with lived experience, public health nurses can apply findings to build harm reduction collaborations aimed at implementing HCV risk-reduction or risk-elimination strategies.
Evaluation of the potential for wake steering for U.S. land-based wind power plants

The wind power plant-wide control strategy known as wake steering involves the misalignment of upstream turbines with the wind direction to deflect wakes away from downstream turbines, increasing net wind plant power production. In this paper, we evaluate the potential of wake steering for U.S. land-based wind power plants. First, we outline a method for simulating and optimizing wake steering control for existing wind plants by combining the flow redirection and induction in steady state wake steering engineering model with the U.S. Wind Turbine Database and Wind Integration National Dataset Toolkit wind resource dataset. Next, to better understand the potential benefits of wake steering beyond those for existing wind plants, we evaluate the relative impacts of turbine specific power, turbine spacing, and mean wind speed on energy gain and levelized cost of energy (LCOE) using a model land-based wind power plant. For a subset of 60 existing wind plants, assuming a constant turbulence intensity of 8%, wake steering was found to yield an average annual energy production (AEP) gain of 0.80%, equivalent to recovering 13.85% of baseline wake losses. Further, we present a linear approximation between baseline wake losses and AEP gains that can be used to estimate wake steering gains for other wind power plants. Highlighting additional benefits of wake steering, for the model wind power plant we found that energy gains from wake steering enabled an approximate 30% reduction in turbine spacing while keeping LCOE constant.
Secondary immunodeficiencies: An overview

Abstract Objective To review the different causes of secondary immunodeficiencies and provide clinicians with an updated overview of potential factors that contribute to immunodeficiency. Data Sources Recent published literature obtained through PubMed database searches, including research articles, review articles, and case reports. Study Selections PubMed database searches were conducted using the following keywords: immunodeficiency, antibody deficiency, immunosuppressive drugs, genetic syndrome, malignancy, HIV infection, viral infection, secondary immunodeficiency, nutrition, prematurity, aging, protein-losing enteropathy, nephropathy, trauma, space travel, high altitude, and ultraviolet light. Studies published in the last decade and relevant to the pathogenesis, epidemiology, and clinical characteristics of secondary immunodeficiencies were selected and reviewed. Results Researchers continue to investigate and report abnormal immune parameters in the different entities collectively known as secondary immunodeficiencies. Immunodeficiency might occur as a consequence of malnutrition, metabolic disorders, use of immunosuppressive medications, chronic infections, malignancies, severe injuries, and exposure to adverse environmental conditions. The neonate and the elderly may have decreased immune responses relative to healthy adults. Each of these conditions may present with different immune defects of variable severity. The acquired immunodeficiency syndrome results from infections by the human immunodeficiency virus, which targets CD4 T cells leading to defective immune responses. Rituximab is a monoclonal antibody that targets CD20 B cells, and its use might result in persistent hypogammaglobulinemia. Conclusion Clinicians should consider secondary immunodeficiencies in the differential diagnosis of a patient with recurrent infections and abnormal immunologic evaluation. The use of biological agents for the treatment of inflammatory conditions and malignancies is an increasingly important cause of secondary immunodeficiency.
The Trend of Fertility in Prince Edward Island

Rapid and continuous decline in the size of the human family has been widespread during the last half-century. The main facts are widely known. A brief summary will serve as an introduction to what follows. In most European countries a period of continuous decline in the birth-rate began about 1870. In France the decline began much earlier, in eastern European countries somewhat later. We find the same picture, varying only in time of origin and tempo, in the United States of America, the British Dominions, Russia, and probably in Japan. A precise measure of the trend in terms of gross and net reproduction rates cannot be given over a long period, but the changes in these measures are available for several countries from 1911 to 1931. The drop in the gross reproduction rate in these twenty years was 50 per cent in Sweden, 38 per cent in Denmark, 37 per cent in England and Wales. In Australia it was 41 per cent between 1912 and 1933. Studies of smaller population units reveal the same trend. Among the counties of England and Wales, the smallest percentage decrease between 1911 and 1931 was 18 per cent. In Scotland a few counties showed smaller percentage decreases, the smallest being 11 per cent.
Celebrity Politics, by Mark Wheeler

Mark Wheeler's (2013) Celebrity Politics distinguishes itself by considering the democratic potential of a phenomenon that most political communication and political science scholars have denigrate...
Surface micromachined and integrated capacitive sensors for microfluidic applications

We have demonstrated an entire series of capacitive sensors using a multi-layer parylene/photoresist surface micromachining technology. The developed sensors are designed for total integration into parylene-based microfluidic systems for real-time system monitoring. Sensors have been demonstrated for the following applications: in-line pressure sensing (range: 0-35 kPa, resolution: 0.03 kPa); liquid front position and/or volumetric measurements (range: 0->50 pL, resolution: <5 pL); and dielectric measurements, which can be used to deduce fluid properties such as liquid composition. The reported sensor technology demonstrates versatility, high sensitivity, small footprints, and easy integration.
Ribosomal protein L10(L12)4 autoregulates expression of the Bacillus subtilis rplJL operon by a transcription attenuation mechanism

Ribosomal protein genes are often controlled by autoregulatory mechanisms in which a protein encoded in the operon can either bind to newly synthesized rRNA during rapid growth or to a similar target in its mRNA during poor growth conditions. The rplJL operon encodes the ribosomal L10(L12)4 complex. In Escherichia coli L10(L12)4 represses its translation by binding to the rplJL leader transcript. We identified three RNA structures in the Bacillus subtilis rplJL leader transcript that function as an anti-antiterminator, antiterminator or intrinsic terminator. Expression studies with transcriptional and translational fusions indicated that L10(L12)4 represses rplJL expression at the transcriptional level. RNA binding studies demonstrated that L10(L12)4 stabilizes the anti-antiterminator structure, while in vitro transcription results indicated that L10(L12)4 promotes termination. Disruption of anti-antiterminator, antiterminator or terminator function by competitor oligonucleotides in vitro and by mutations in vivo demonstrated that each structure functions as predicted. Thus, rplJL expression is regulated by an autogenous transcription attenuation mechanism in which L10(L12)4 binding to the anti-antiterminator structure promotes termination. We also found that translation of a leader peptide increases rplJL expression, presumably by inhibiting Rho-dependent termination. Thus, the rplJL operon of B. subtilis is regulated by transcription attenuation and antitermination mechanisms.
Fluorescent genetic barcoding in mammalian cells for enhanced multiplexing capabilities in flow cytometry

The discovery of the green fluorescent protein from Aequorea victoria has revolutionized the field of cell and molecular biology. Since its discovery a growing panel of fluorescent proteins, fluorophores and fluorescent-coupled staining methodologies, have expanded the analytical capabilities of flow cytometry. Here, we exploit the power of genetic engineering to barcode individual cells with genes encoding fluorescent proteins. For genetic engineering, we utilize retroviral technology, which allows for the expression of ectopic genetic information in a stable manner in mammalian cells. We have genetically barcoded both adherent and nonadherent cells with different fluorescent proteins. Multiplexing power was increased by combining both the number of distinct fluorescent proteins, and the fluorescence intensity in each channel. Moreover, retroviral expression has proven to be stable for at least a 6-month period, which is critical for applications such as biological screens. We have shown the applicability of fluorescent barcoded multiplexing to cell-based assays that rely themselves on genetic barcoding, or on classical staining protocols. Fluorescent genetic barcoding gives the cell an inherited characteristic that distinguishes it from its counterpart. Once cell lines are developed, no further manipulation or staining is required, decreasing time, nonspecific background associated with staining protocols, and cost. The increasing number of discovered and/or engineered fluorescent proteins with unique absorbance/emission spectra, combined with the growing number of detection devices and lasers, increases multiplexing versatility, making fluorescent genetic barcoding a powerful tool for flow cytometry-based analysis.
Single Figure Publications: Towards a novel alternative format for scholarly communication

The single figure publication is a novel, efficient format by which to communicate scholarly advances. It will serve as a forerunner of the nano-publication, a modular unit of information critical for machine-driven data aggregation and knowledge integration.
Weighted quadrature by change of variable

The standard way of dealing with singular integrals is first to write the integral in the form ∫ab: f(x)w(x)dx with a weight function w(x) > 0 and a relatively smooth function f(x). Polynomials orthogonal on [a, b] with weight function w(x) are then used to derive accurate formulas for approximating the integral. The approach developed in this paper is to use a change of variable to obtain an integral over a finite interval that has a relatively smooth integrand and no weight function. Popular formulas can be applied to this standard problem to obtain easily alternatives to all the common schemes for weighted quadrature. Moreover, the approach provides a way to apply schemes for estimating the error in the unweighted case to integrals involving weight functions. It can be used with popular codes to approximate integrals with some kinds of strong end point singularities. Implementation of the approach is quite convenient in MATLAB.
Thyroid shields and neck exposures in cephalometric radiography.

The thyroid is among the more radiosensitive organs in the body. The goal of this study was twofold: (1) to evaluate age-related changes in what is exposed to ionizing radiation in the neck area, and (2) to assess thyroid shield presence in cephalometric radiographs Cephalometric radiographs at one academic setting were sampled and neck exposure was related to calendar year and patient's gender and age. In the absence of shields, children have more vertebrae exposed than adults (p < 0.0001) and females have more neck tissue exposed inferior to the hyoid bone than males (p < 0.0001). The hyoid bone-porion distance increased with age (p <0.01). Thyroid shields were visible in 19% of the radiographs and depended strongly on the calendar year during which patient was seen (p-value <0.0001). Compared to adults, children were less likely to wear thyroid shields, particularly between 1973 and 1990 (1.8% versus 7.3% – p-value < 0.05) and between 2001 and 2003 (7.1% versus 42.9% – p-value < 0.05). In the absence of a thyroid shield, children have more neck structure exposed to radiation than adults. In agreement with other reports, thyroid shield utilization in this study was low, particularly in children.
Online Analytical Processing (OLAP)

Online analytical processing (OLAP) represents a natural extension to traditional reporting in decision support environments. Generally, decision support has followed two tracks: the first driven by the information technology (IT) professional leveraging database technology and the second by the computer scientist utilizing artificial intelligence. The associated concepts of data warehousing and OLAP are driven by business needs and the IT industry. In this chapter, we review the technology of OLAP, its utility in e-commerce applications, sample OLAP designs, and a sample information architecture for enabling clickstream analysis. We also advance a business intelligence architecture to support knowledge-based work. Keywords: clickstream analysis; data warehousing; database technology; decision support; executive information system (EIS); meta-data; multidimensional data
Developmental Trajectories of Marital Happiness Over 16 Years

Longitudinal studies often conclude that marital happiness declines over time. The present study examined marital happiness trajectories over the first 16 years of marriage and implications of trajectories for divorce. Participants included 373 (174 White, 199 Black) couples who first participated in 1986 and were re-interviewed years 2, 3, 4, 7, and 16. Analyses revealed that husbands and wives fit into distinct marital happiness trajectory groups characterized with either high stable marital happiness over time or moderate to low happiness that declined over time. Trajectories significantly predicted divorce. Findings support the enduring dynamics and gradual disillusionment models of marital development.
Gas evolution during pyrolysis of various Colorado oil shales

Abstract Rates of evolution of C0 2 , CO, H 2 , CH 4 and the C 2 and C 3 hydrocarbons during the pyrolysis of seven Colorado oil shales have been measured. These shales, which are from various depths at two different sites, yield 34–255 ¦ of oil per tonne raw shale (9–61 US gal of oil per short ton raw shale) and linear heating at a rate of 2°C min −1 was used for the retorting of all samples. The objective of the study is to monitor variations in gas evolution from shales of different organic content and from various stratigraphic and areal locations. Comparisons between shales from each site are made together with correlations with data from Fischer assays. A kerogen concentrate (mineral fraction removed by HCl-HF treatment) and retorted shale from a Fischer assay are also included. The ability of a kinetic model due to Campbell et al . to predict gas evolution is tested and it is found necessary to modify slightly some of the stoichiometric coefficients to obtain good agreement. The resultant kinetic model should adequately describe the gas and oil evolution behaviour of shale from the upper portion of the Green River formation.
Mature Drosophila Meiosis I Spindles Comprise Microtubules of Mixed Polarity

New information has been obtained recently regarding microtubule organization in Xenopus extract spindles. These spindles assemble in vitro by chromatin-mediated microtubule nucleation and consist of randomly interspersed long and short microtubules with minus ends distributed throughout the spindle. Fluorescence speckle microscopy has led to the proposal that the Xenopus steady-state spindles contain two overlapping arrays of parallel or antiparallel microtubules with differing poleward-flux velocities. Although some of these features have also been reported for C. elegans female meiotic spindles, it is not clear whether they are representative of microtubule organization and dynamics in oocyte meiotic spindles. Here we examine anastral meiosis I spindles of live Drosophila oocytes expressing the microtubule plus end-tracking protein, EB1, fused to GFP, and find fluorescent particles throughout the spindle and movement toward both the poles and the equator. EB1 particle velocities, corresponding to microtubule growth rates, are similar in both directions, but slower than growth from the poles in mitotic spindles of early embryos. Meiosis I spindles yielded data from photobleaching analysis showing similar microtubule growth rates and dynamics at the poles and the equator, consistent with spindle microtubules of mixed polarity, differing from early-embryo mitotic spindles.
The Implications and Challenges of Enhanced Heat Transfer for the Chemical Process Industries

This paper considers the many techniques that have been developed to enhance convective heat transfer, with the emphasis on heat exchangers found in the chemical process industries. A summary is given of the techniques that are effective for the various modes of heat transfer. Of particular interest currently is compound enhancement that involves the simultaneous application of several techniques, so as to produce an enhancement that is larger than the individual techniques operating separately. There are many experimental and analytical challenges that relate to obtaining and applying data. The current advanced enhancement represents third generation heat transfer technology. This technology will find increasing application in all industries.
Opioids and Cancer Survivors: Issues in Side-Effect Management

PURPOSE/OBJECTIVES To describe the most common side effects associated with the use of opioid treatment in patients with moderate to severe cancer pain; to discuss research findings specific to the use of opioids for cancer pain in long-term cancer survivors. DATA SOURCES Published research, articles from a literature review, and U. S. statistics. DATA SYNTHESIS Side effects associated with opioid use are a major contributor to patient reluctance to follow treatment plans for cancer pain. Clinicians must follow the critical steps necessary to build comprehensive treatment plans that include a preventive approach to side effects and opioid rotation when side effects do not resolve. CONCLUSIONS Side effects associated with long-term use of opioids by cancer survivors are a major contributor to patient reluctance to follow a cancer pain treatment plan. Patient education efforts must promote open and clear communication between survivors and their providers about side effects and other important issues related to long-term use of opioids in managing pain related to cancer and its treatment. IMPLICATIONS FOR NURSING Oncology nurses recognize that patients often require the long-term use of opioids when they experience chronic pain as a result of their disease or its treatment. The long-term physical and cognitive effects of such opioid use are not well known, despite the advances that have been made in cancer pain control and research. Survivors should communicate their concerns about side effects to the treatment team. In addition, patients and family members must be encouraged to inform their providers about personal attitudes, beliefs, and practices that may affect decisions about taking their analgesics as prescribed. Most importantly, oncology nurses must teach patients and their families to self-advocate for optimal pain relief with minimal side effects.
TIMEX: A simple IBM AT C language timer with extended resolution

The simple timing method of reading the IBM-BIOS tick counter is extended from 55-msec to 54-µsec resolution by reading the 8254 hardware counter. Subroutine timex( ) implements the timer in Borland Turbo C on an IBM AT and on a PC or XT if the 8253 timer chip is replaced with an 8254 chip. A more limited version operates on an unmodified PC or XT.
Cytosolic phospholipase A2 as a molecular target for the radiosensitization of ovarian cancer.

In ovarian cancer, the molecular targeted chemotherapeutics could increase the efficiency of low-dose radiotherapy while decreasing injury to adjusted organs. In irradiated A2780 human ovarian carcinoma cells, cytosolic phospholipase A2 (cPLA2) inhibitor AACOCF3 prevented activation of pro-survival Akt signaling and enhanced cell death. The potential molecular mechanisms of this effect could involve signaling through lysophosphatidic acid receptors. In the heterotopic A2780 tumor model using nude mice, cPLA2 inhibition significantly delayed tumor growth compared to treatment with radiation or vehicle alone. These results identify cPLA2 as a molecular target to enhance the therapeutic ratio of radiation in ovarian cancer.
Multiple Meanings of Minority Concentration: Incorporating Contextual Explanations into the Analysis of Individual-Level U.S. Black Mortality Outcomes

Prior research on mortality for U.S. blacks focuses on the detrimental effects of minority concentration and residential segregation in metropolitan areas on health outcomes. To date, few studies have examined this relationship outside of large U.S. central cities. In this paper, we extend current research on the minority concentration and mortality relationship to explain the rural advantage in mortality for nonmetropolitan blacks. Using data from the 1986–1994 linked National Health Interview Survey/National Death Index, we examine the rural-urban gap in mortality for U.S. blacks. Our findings indicate that blacks in nonmetropolitan areas experience a lower risk of mortality than metropolitan central city blacks after indicators of socio-economic and health status are controlled. Our findings also point to the importance of accounting for contextual factors. Net of individual level controls, minority concentration exerts differential effects across metropolitan and nonmetropolitan areas, such that nonmetropolitan black residents experience a lower risk of mortality in high minority concentration areas than blacks in metropolitan central city areas. This finding suggests a reconceptualization of the meaning for minority concentration with respect to studies of health outcomes in nonmetropolitan communities.
Institutionalization of Modern Science and Technology in Non-Western Societies: Lessons from Japan and India.

This article argues that the role of the state is vitally important in the process of institu tionalization of modern science and technology in non- Western societies. The sustained institutionalization of modern science and technology in a given society depends primarily on three sets of conditions: the prevalence of a creative, competitive, and relatively autonomous internal environment for the doing of science; the cultivation of dynamic linkages between the society's institutions of scientific work and those of the global knowledge system; and the establishment of appropriate and adaptive linkages between its own knowledge system and its knowledge-utilizing regions of development. The nature and degree of development in these spheres of institutionalization will significantly depend on how the strategic political, bureaucratic, and intellectual elites in non- Western societies perceive the nature, role, and significance of modern science and technology. The cases of the institutionalization of modern ...
Phosphodiesterase protein activator mimics red blood cell cytoplasmic activator of (Ca2+-Mg2+)ATPase.

Summary Human red blood cells (RBC) contain a cytoplasmic protein which increases the activity of membrane-bound (Ca2+-Mg2+)ATPase. The RBC cytoplasmic activator bears similarities to certain previously identified Ca2+-binding proteins. Three such proteins were tested for their ability to increase (Ca2+-Mg2+)ATPase activity of human RBC membranes. Parvalbumin and troponin-C produced a modest increase in activity at high concentrations. Phosphodiesterase activator (1.5 μg/ml from bovine brain produced the same maximal activation of (Ca2+-Mg2+ )ATPase (370%) which was obtained with a partially purified RBC cytoplasmic activator preparation. Both phosphodiesterase activator and RBC cytoplasmic activator increase the Vmax and the apparent affinity of (Ca2+-Mg2+)ATPase for Ca2+. It is suggested that phosphodiesterase activator and RBC cytoplasmic activator may be the same protein.
Selective differential fingerprinting. A method for identifying differentially expressed genes in a family between two samples.

A method termed selective differential fingerprinting (SDF) has been developed that enables one to investigate the level of expression for afamily of genes between two samples. SDF produces a fingerprint (on a sequencing gel) on reverse transcription polymerase chain reaction (RT-PCR) of a sample with degenerate primers designed from conserved regions of a family of genes. By comparing fingerprints obtained after SDF with primers representing the transforming growth factor-beta (TGFβ) family of growth factors between a low-grade and a high-grade tumor from the same patient, a TGFβ family member known as osteogenic protein 1 (OP-1) or bone morphogenic protein 7 (BMP-7) was found to be greatly overexpressed in the high-grade tumor compared to the low-grade one. SDF also has the potential to identify novel genes. SDF offers a general way to identify differentially expressed genes for a family between two given samples.
Genetic analysis of purple adenine (ad-3) mutants induced by methyl methanesulfonate in Neurospora crassa.

Abstract The mutagenicity of methyl methanesulfonate (MMS) was studied in a genetically marked two-component heterokaryon of Neurospora crassa . Types of genetic alterations detectable in this system are ( I ) point mutations in the ad -3 A and ad -3 B loci; ( 2 ) multilocus (chromosome) deletions in the ad -3 region, and ( 3 ) recessive lethal mutations in the whole genome. Study of the inactivation kinetics of the heterokaryotic and homokaryotic conidial fractions has made it possible to distinguish between nuclear and cytoplasmic inactivation. Forward mutations in the ad -3 region induced by MMS in the heterokaryotic fraction of conidia were obtained by a direct method with the following results: ( I ) The overall ad -3 forward mutation frequency increases in proportion to the 1.91 power of the concentration of MMS. ( 2 ) The forward mutation frequency of point mutations at the ad -3 A and ad -3 B loci increases in proportion to the 1.68 power of the concentration. ( 3 ) The forward mutation frequency of chromosome deletions in the ad -3 region increases more than exponentially with increasing concentrations of MMS. ( 4 ) After treatment for 300 min with 20 m M MMS, 15.5% of the ad -3 mutations are multilocus deletions. Tests for genotype and allelic complementation of the point mutations showed that ( I ) the ratio between ad -3 B and ad -3 A mutants was 1.75, ( 2 ) 52.1% of the ad -3 B mutants showed allelic complementation, with 39.2% non-polarized and 12.9% polarized complementation patterns and 47.9% noncomplementing mutants, and ( 3 ) both the ratio between point mutations in the ad -3 A and ad -3 B loci and the spectrum of complementation patterns among the ad -3 B mutants were independent of MMS concentration.
Interferometric studies of a piano soundboard

Electronic speckle pattern interferometry has been used to study the deflection shapes of a piano soundboard. A design for an interferometer that can image such an unstable object is introduced, and interferograms of a piano soundboard obtained using this interferometer are presented. Deflection shapes are analyzed and compared to a finite-element model, and it is shown that the force the strings exert on the soundboard is important in determining the mode shapes and resonant frequencies. Measurements of resonance frequencies and driving-point impedance made using the interferometer are also presented.
Comparison of pore water sampling techniques for trace metals

Abstract Four methods of sediment pore water collection—centrifugation, squeezing, vacuum filtration, and dialysis—have been compared using an artificial sediment system containing cadmium. It was found that vacuum filtration and squeezing gave cadmium concentrations much higher than expected. Centrifugation and dialysis gave similar, but slightly lower than expected concentrations. However, it is recommended that centrifugation be used based on the physical disadvantages for dialysis of placement and retrieval and equilibration time.
Goodness-of-fit tests for the Cauchy distribution

This article presents several modified goodness-of-fit tests for the Cauchy distribution with unknown location and scale parameters. Monte Carlo studies are performed to calculate critical values for several tests based on the empirical distribution function. Power studies suggest that the modified Kuiper (V) test is the most powerful standard test against most alternate distributions over a full range of sample sizes. A reflection technique is also employed which yields substantial improvement in the power of this test against symmetric distributions.
Impact of access restrictions on varenicline utilization.

Aim: To assess the impact of access restrictions on varenicline utilization. Methods: Employer-sponsored health plans contributing to the MarketScan Commercial Claims and Encounters Database were categorized according to 2009 varenicline access restrictions: no coverage; prior authorization; smoking cessation program requirement; no restrictions. The cohort comprised all adults continuously enrolled in plans during 2009. Each restriction cohort was compared with the no restrictions cohort using descriptive analyses. Data were assessed using logistic regression; demographic and clinical characteristics were covariates. Results: In this study (no coverage, n = 454,419; prior authorization, n = 171,530; smoking cessation program, n = 108,181; no restrictions, n = 607,389), compared with the no restrictions cohort, the odds of treatment were 71% lower (odds ratio: 0.29; 95% CI: 0.26, 0.31) in the smoking cessation program cohort (p < 0.001) and 80% lower (odds ratio: 0.20; 95% CI: 0.19, 0.22) in the prior aut...