cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Trends in the surgical management of ischemic mitral regurgitation.

The surgical approach to ischemic mitral regurgitation (IMR) remains a topic of considerable controversy. Will coronary artery bypass alone suffice, or should the valve be intervened upon? The poor late survival of patients with IMR is well recognized, but it remains unknown if this can be altered by addressing the valve directly. And if surgery is undertaken, should the valve be repaired or replaced? The underlying mechanisms of IMR remain incompletely understood, and although current theory focuses on the role of alterations in ventricular geometry in its pathogenesis, IMR is most often addressed by annuloplasty alone. Is this sufficient, or does the ventricle itself require “remodeling?” The debate is confounded by imprecise terminology that fails to distinguish between acute and chronic disease, and active ischemia from completed infarction. Available clinical information is from retrospective studies with all of their inherent limitations and potential for bias. Still, progress is being made as increasing attention is focused on this clinically important entity.
White blood cell transfusions for control of infections in neutropenic patients.

Four hundred and fifty-four leukocyte transfusions from unrelated donors with chronic myelogenous leukemia were given to 128 patients during 179 febrile episodes with a median circulating granulocyte count prior to leukocyte transfusions of 80/cm. Forty-nine per cent of the serious and life-threatening infections responded to a combination of granulocyte transfusions and appropriate antibiotic therapy. Minor complications occurred in approximately 25 per cent of patients and more severe toxicity was seen in only 2 per cent. No deaths were attributed to leukocyte transfusions.
Detection of an Mr 200,000 glycoprotein in the culture medium of skin fibroblasts from patients with Huntington disease.

Abstract Huntington disease is a progressive neurological disorder with an autosomal dominant mode of inheritance. Using high resulution two-dimensional gel electrophoresis, we analyzed the intracellular and the released protein patterns of skin fibroblasts from HD patients and compared them to cells from apparently normal individuals matched for age and sex. No consistent differences were found in the pattern of total cellular proteins. In contrast, the culture medium from HD patients (12 of 19) contained an M r 200,000 glycoprotein not found in twelve control cultures. The relation of this protein to the HD gene is unknown.
A nonlinear low-frequency instability phenomenon in audio amplifiers

UNDER certain conditions, audio amplifiers with feedback may exhibit instability at low frequencies, which is not predictable by conventional linear analysis. This instability caused by nonlinear effects can occur when the final stage is in class B operation and is preceded by a variable-gain stage, such as a pentode or tetrode.
ADULT RECRUITMENT IN CHORUS FROGS: EFFECTS OF SIZE AND DATE AT METAMORPHOSIS'

A cohort of tadpoles of the chorus frog, Pseudacris triseriata, on Isle Royale, Michigan, was marked to determine the effect of body size and date at metamorphosis on survivorship to maturity. The cohort was classified at metamorphosis into four categories based on size and date of metamorphosis: large-early, small-early, large-late, and small- late. The number of frogs in each category that returned to breed on the study area was monitored for the following 2 yr. Long larval period and small body size at metamorphosis influenced recruitment to the breeding population by delaying maturity. Frogs that meta- morphosed at large size maintained their size advantage at maturity. Large body size and early date at metamorphosis increased survivorship to maturity by enhancing the chance that reproductive size was attained within 1 yr of metamorphosis. Frogs that were recap- tured in the 2nd yr after metamorphosis, when all frogs had attained mature size, were from all four categories in the same proportions marked at metamorphosis, indicating that unless breeding during the Ist yr led to higher mortality of large individuals, survival rate after metamorphosis was not related to size or date at metamorphosis.
Oncology and Hematology

Since the mapping in 1990 of a breast cancer susceptibility gene—dubbed BRACA1 —to the long arm of chromosome 17, 1 an intensive effort has been under way to isolate the gene. This gene was predicted to account for a large proportion of breast cancers arising in families with histories of early onset of both breast and ovarian cancers, and some sporadic cases of breast cancer. A strong candidate was announced in the past year. 2 The new gene is very large and contains sequences that suggest that it has DNA binding and translational activity, consistent with function as a transcription factor. Mutations were identified in five of eight kindreds tested; those identified to date are predicted to lead to protein with altered or lost function. In each of the kindreds with early onset of breast cancer, at least one woman carried the gene but survived to the age of 80
Anxious personality predicts an increased risk of parkinson's disease

We studied the association of three personality traits related to neuroticism with the subsequent risk of Parkinson's disease (PD) using a historical cohort study. We included 7,216 subjects who resided within the 120-mile radius centered in Rochester, MN, at the time they completed the Minnesota Multiphasic Personality Inventory (MMPI) for research at the Mayo Clinic from 1962 to 1965. We considered three MMPI personality scales (pessimistic, anxious, and depressive traits). A total of 6,822 subjects (94.5%) were followed over four decades either actively or passively. During follow-up, 227 subjects developed parkinsonism (156 developed PD). An anxious personality was associated with an increased risk of PD [hazard ratio (HR), 1.63; 95% confidence interval (CI), 1.16-2.27]. A pessimistic personality trait was also associated with an increased risk of PD but only in men (HR = 1.92; 95% CI = 1.20-3.07). By contrast, a depressive trait was not associated with increased risk. Analyses combining scores from the three personality scales into a composite neuroticism score showed an association of neuroticism with PD (HR = 1.54; 95% CI = 1.10-2.16). The association with neuroticism remained significant even when the MMPI was administered early in life (ages 20-39 years). By contrast, none of the three personality traits was associated with the risk of non-PD types of parkinsonism grouped together. Our long-term historical cohort study suggests that an anxious personality trait may predict an increased risk of PD developing many years later.
Recent trends in faculty employment in sociology

Using 1996-2000 data from the American Sociological Association Employment Bulletin, we examined trends in the availability of full-time, tenure-track faculty positions in sociology. In doing so, we found evidence that This information should be useful for both propective faculty members and employers as they attempt to navigate the academic marketplace.
Quantitative determination of the thyroxine, triiodothyronine, monoiodotyrosine and diiodotyrosine content of desiccated thyroid.

The effectiveness of the following proteolytic enzymes: protease (Sigma), protease (Calbiochem), erepsin, trypsin, chymotrypsin, pepsin, pancreatin and peptidase, on the hydrolysis of desiccated thyroid and the release of iodoaminoacids was investigated. Protease (Sigma), in borate buffer, pH 8.0, in a concentration of 2 mg enzyme/mg desiccated thyroid incubated for 24 hr was found to be most effective. The other enzymes either released significantly less iodoaminoacid or caused greater deiodination. Sixtyfour per cent of the total supernatant iodine was recovered as iodoaminoacids when separated by the resin column chromatographic method of Lewallen, compared to 54 % when paper chromatography was employed. Total recovery of added 131I- and 127I-labeled MIT, DIT, T3 and T4 was at least 93% when using the column chromatographic procedure. The iodoaminoacids of biologically active porcine and bovine desiccated thyroid, and a biologically inactive porcine desiccated thyroid which had met the standards of the...
Asynchronous switching of flagellar motors on a single bacterial cell

Abstract Salmonella possesses several flagella, each capable of counterclockwise and clockwise rotation. Counterclockwise rotation produces swimming, clockwise rotation produces tumbling. Switching between senses occurs stochastically. The rotational sense of individual flagella on a single cell could be monitored under special conditions (partially de-energized cells of cheC and cheZ mutants). Switching was totally asynchronous, indicating that the stochastic process operates at the level of the individual organelle. Coordinated rotation in the flagellar bundle during swimming may therefore derive simply from a high counterclockwise probability enhanced by mechanical interactions, and not from a synchronizing switch mechanism. Different flagella on a given cell had different switching probabilities, on a time scale (>2 min) spanning many switching events. This heterogeneity may reflect permanent structural differences, or slow fluctuations in some regulatory process.
Electronic charge density of aluminum

Abstract The valence electronic charge density is calculated for aluminum from wave-functions obtained via Ashcroft's pseudopotential. A contour plot of the charge density is presented in the (100) plane. The Fourier transform of the charge density is used to calculate the atomic form factors which are compared with experimental X-ray form factors. The accuracy of the wavefunctions are further tested by comparing calculations of the imaginary part of the frequency dependent dielectric function with and without the effect of core states.
The cost of capital in internationally integrated markets: The case of Nestlé

This paper argues that the cost of capital for firms in small countries should be estimated using the global CAPM rather than a local CAPM. Two related formulas showing the mistake made when using a local CAPM rather than a global CAPM are presented. the global CAPM is implemented for the case of Nestle and the results are compared to the cost of capital estimate one obtains for Nestle using a local CAPM when the global CAPM is appropriate.
Triatominae (Hemiptera: Reduviidae): Systematic questions and some others

The Neotropical Chagas' disease vectors are classified as members of the reduviid subfamily Triatominae. However, this classification has been suggested to be incorrect, and the suggestion has been treated as fact by some authors; the suggestion is that some (all?) groups in Triatominae had different nontriatomine reduviid ancestors. In this article I raise this question explicitly and ask other questions ancillary to it. I do not answer these questions. Of particular interest is the systematic position of Linshcosteus, the only genus of Triatominae all of whose species occur outside the New World (in India). Related to this question is that of the origin(s) of the several species and populations probably derived from the tropicopolitan Triatoma rubrofasciata (De Geer). Answering these questions is of more than academic interest, for if triatomines had more than one nontriatomine ancestor, and therefore are not phylogenetically close, it is impossible to generalize what is known about one group to others, and this inability may hinder control of these disease vectors. It is therefore vital (literally!) to determine if Triatominae is a holophyletic group and, if not, to determine which groups now classified as triatomines are related to which others. This determination may best be accomplished with a cladistic analysis of the genera now included in Triatominae. Some comments on cladistics are presented in an Appendix.
Consumers' inferences about quality across diverse service providers

When consumers encounter different services as part of the same service experience they may use information about one group of service providers to draw inferences about the quality they expect to receive from another group of service providers. This research identifies the conditions under which information about the quality of one type of service (e.g., a hotel's front desk) influences quality perceptions of another type of service (e.g., a hotel's tour services). Results show that consumers' beliefs about managerial control influence generalizations across service providers. Also, consumers infer managerial control from the spatial proximity between the premises of the service providers. © 2009 Wiley Periodicals, Inc.
Effects of temperature and stress on the interface between concrete and its carbon fiber epoxy-matrix composite retrofit, studied by electrical resistance measurement

DC electrical resistance measurement was used to investigate the effects of temperature and stress on the interface between a concrete substrate and its carbon fiber epoxy-matrix composite retrofit. The apparent resistance of the retrofit in the fiber direction was increased by bond degradation, whether the degradation was due to heat or stress. The degradation was reversible. Irreversible disturbance in the fiber arrangement occurred slightly as thermal or load cycling occurred, as indicated by the resistance decreasing cycle by cycle.
LCR-Dependent Gene Expression in β-globin YAC Transgenics: Detailed Structural Studies Validate Functional Analysis Even in the Presence of Fragmented YACs

Yeast artificial chromosome (YAC) transgenesis is associated with a high frequency of deletions in the integrated transgenes. To determine the impact of these rearrangements on the ability to derive structure-function relationships using YACs, transgenic mice were generated with 248 or 155 kb beta-globin locus YACs. The transgenics were examined for structural integrity of the YAC using an approach of structural analysis that unambiguously demonstrates intactness of YAC transgene copies. Globin gene expression per copy of each integrated transgene and the profiles of globin gene expression during development were determined. Diverse deletion patterns were observed in one or more integrated YACs in all the 248 and most of the 155 kb transgenic lines we analyzed. However, when the structure of the major regulatory element of the beta-globin locus, the locus control region, was preserved, the genes of the beta-globin locus functioned normally and globin transgenes of both the 248 and 155 kb beta-YACs were expressed in a position-independent, copy number-dependent manner. Furthermore, the globin genes of both beta-YACs displayed normal developmental regulation. We conclude that YACs can be used for analysis of structure-function relationships of large genes or multigene loci in spite of the tendency for rearrangements and deletions of the integrated transgenes. However, detailed structural evidence for integrity and continuity of locus sequences is required for correct interpretation of functional data.
Siphon‐induced intermittent discharge

Periodic Spring discharges cold water from an unenterable cave in the Madison Limestone along the axis of the Periodic anticline in the Absaroka thrust sheet of the Salt River Range of western Wyoming. As shown on the cover, the spring “turns on and off with variable cyclicity during low discharge stages. The intermittent yield is not the result of hydrothermal activity; rather, it is caused by the mechanical operation of a siphon in the cave behind the spring.
Comparative effects of scaffold pore size, pore volume, and total void volume on cranial bone healing patterns using microsphere-based scaffolds.

Bony craniofacial deficits resulting from injury, disease, or birth defects remain a considerable clinical challenge. In this study, microsphere-based scaffold fabrication methods were use to study the respective effects of scaffold pore size, open pore volume, and total void volume fraction on osseous tissue infiltration and bone regeneration in a critical size rat cranial defect. To compare the healing effects of these parameters, three different scaffolds types were fabricated: solid 100 μm spheres, solid 500 μm spheres, and hollow 500 μm spheres. These constructs were implanted into surgically created rat calvarial defects. By 90-days post op, results of micro computed tomography (CT) analysis showed that all scaffolds generated similar amounts of new bone which was significantly greater than untreated controls. Interestingly, the spatial distribution of new bone within the defect area varied by scaffold group. MicroCT and histological analysis demonstrated healing restricted to the dural side in the hollow 500 μm group, whereas the solid 500 μm group demonstrated healing along the dural side and within the center of the defect. Solid 100 μm groups demonstrated healing along the dural layer, periosteal layer, and within the center of the defect. These results suggest that pore size and closed void volume may both play important roles in scaffold degradation patterns and associated bone healing.
Cultural differences in the lateral occipital complex while viewing incongruent scenes

Converging behavioral and neuroimaging evidence indicates that culture influences the processing of complex visual scenes. Whereas Westerners focus on central objects and tend to ignore context, East Asians process scenes more holistically, attending to the context in which objects are embedded. We investigated cultural differences in contextual processing by manipulating the congruence of visual scenes presented in an fMR-adaptation paradigm. We hypothesized that East Asians would show greater adaptation to incongruent scenes, consistent with their tendency to process contextual relationships more extensively than Westerners. Sixteen Americans and 16 native Chinese were scanned while viewing sets of pictures consisting of a focal object superimposed upon a background scene. In half of the pictures objects were paired with congruent backgrounds, and in the other half objects were paired with incongruent backgrounds. We found that within both the right and left lateral occipital complexes, Chinese participants showed significantly greater adaptation to incongruent scenes than to congruent scenes relative to American participants. These results suggest that Chinese were more sensitive to contextual incongruity than were Americans and that they reacted to incongruent object/background pairings by focusing greater attention on the object.
Antenna avoidance in layer assignment

The sustained progress of very-large-scale-integration (VLSI) technology has dramatically increased the likelihood of the antenna problem in the manufacturing process and calls for corresponding considerations in the routing stage. In this paper, the authors propose a technique that can handle the antenna problem during the layer-assignment (LA) stage, which is an important step between global routing and detailed routing. The antenna-avoidance problem is modeled as a tree-partitioning problem with a linear-time-optimal-algorithm solution. This algorithm is customized to guide antenna avoidance in the LA stage. A linear-time optimal jumper-insertion algorithm is also derived. Experimental results on benchmark circuits show that the proposed techniques can lead to an average of 76% antenna-violation reduction and 99% via-violation reduction.
The model simplification of open-loop arms and its application to closed-loop arms

The author discusses the general form of transmission and introduces the definition of time-invariant transmission. The use of this general time-invariant transmission to decouple the inertia matrix of two-link manipulator arms and to find its actual form is then considered. The general time-invariant transmission and the particular conclusion on two-link arms are exploited to design the structure of n-link arms and to obtain the necessary and sufficient conditions on the decoupling of the inertia matrix. The final solution unifies and completes all existing theories on the design rules which generate the model with decoupled inertia matrix. The design rules for open-loop arms extended to cover closed-loop arms. >
Development of a Media Campaign on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders for Northern Plains American Indian Communities

Alcohol-exposed pregnancies are especially of concern for American Indians. The Indian Health Service reported that 47% to 56% of pregnant patients admitted to drinking alcohol during their pregnancy. In addition, rates of Fetal Alcohol Syndrome are estimated to be as high as 3.9 to 9.0 per 1,000 live births among American Indians in the Northern Plains, making prevention of alcohol-exposed pregnancies an important public health effort for this population. The goal of this article is to add to the literature on universal prevention of Fetal Alcohol Spectrum disorders by describing the development, dissemination, and evaluation of a media campaign on Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders that was created by and for American Indian communities in the Northern Plains.
Just a guy in pajamas? Framing the blogs in mainstream US newspaper coverage (1999—2005)

When new technologies are introduced to the public, their widespread adoption is dependent, in part, on news coverage (Rogers, 1995).Yet, as weblogs began to play major role in the public spheres of politics and journalism, journalists faced a paradox: how to cover a social phenomenon that was too large to ignore and posed a significant threat to their profession. This article examines how blogs were framed by US newspapers as the public became more aware of the blogging world. A content analysis of blog-related stories in major US newspapers from 1999 to 2005 was conducted. Findings suggest that newspaper coverage framed blogs as more beneficial to individuals and small cohorts than to larger social entities such as politics, business and journalism. Moreover, only in the realm of journalism were blogs framed as more of a threat than a benefit, and rarely were blogs considered an actual form of journalism.
Fast MCMC sampling for hidden Markov Models to determine copy number variations.

Hidden Markov Models (HMM) are often used for analyzing Comparative Genomic Hybridization (CGH) data to identify chromosomal aberrations or copy number variations by segmenting observation sequences. For efficiency reasons the parameters of a HMM are often estimated with maximum likelihood and a segmentation is obtained with the Viterbi algorithm. This introduces considerable uncertainty in the segmentation, which can be avoided with Bayesian approaches integrating out parameters using Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) sampling. While the advantages of Bayesian approaches have been clearly demonstrated, the likelihood based approaches are still preferred in practice for their lower running times; datasets coming from high-density arrays and next generation sequencing amplify these problems. We propose an approximate sampling technique, inspired by compression of discrete sequences in HMM computations and by kd-trees to leverage spatial relations between data points in typical data sets, to speed up the MCMC sampling. We test our approximate sampling method on simulated and biological ArrayCGH datasets and high-density SNP arrays, and demonstrate a speed-up of 10 to 60 respectively 90 while achieving competitive results with the state-of-the art Bayesian approaches. Availability: An implementation of our method will be made available as part of the open source GHMM library from http://ghmm.org .
Why Treat Noncompliant Patients? Beyond the Decent Minimum Account

Patients' medical conditions can result from their own avoidable risk taking. Some lung diseases result from avoidable smoking and some traffic accidents result from victims' reckless driving. Although in many nonmedical areas we hold people responsible for taking risks they could avoid, it is normally harsh and inappropriate to deny patients care because they risked needing it. Why? A popular account is that protecting everyone's "decent minimum," their basic needs, matters more than the benefits of holding people accountable. This account is deficient. Protecting the decent minimum is not always served by offering noncompliant patients either nonbasic or basic care. Nor is protecting that minimum always served by unconditional medical care better than by nonmedical interventions. To interpret the decent minimum in democratic terms is a futile response to these challenges. Ideas for new accounts are suggested.
En)gendering Multicultural Identities and Representations in Education

Abstract This article examines the place of women of the world in the implicit and explicit social studies curriculum of the schools. The authors establish a postcolonial feminist framework for dealing with this topic and draw on evidence from personal testimonies of immigrant and native women, the treatment of women of the “third world” by mainstream media, social studies curriculum standards, and one classroom teacher's story. Central to the article is an examination of the tension teachers face in dealing with issues of gender cross-culturally as they navigate between ethnocentrism and cultural relativism towards what is called “the middle ground.” The authors offer suggestions at the end of the article for incorporating material about women of the world into the social studies curriculum from a postcolonial feminist perspective.
Recent US Cybersecurity Policy Initiatives: Challenges and Implications

In recent years, the US government has introduced several policy measures aimed at tackling the growing cyberthreats facing the country, but many challenges and concerns could arise as a result of their implementation.
Mass Transfer Processes During Multicomponent Bender Thermolysis

Both the binder viscosity and the % saturation will change during the removal of multicomponent binder systems. The effects of these changes were evaluated for the polyvinyl butyral (PVB) - dibutyl phthlate (DBP) system as the plasticizing constituent was selectively removed at isothermal conditions (Tiso < 170°C). Experiments were performed to determine the viscosities of the PVB-DBP system at various isotherms and at different concentrations of DBP. A scaling model was developed to determine the relative importance of capillary forces on the distribution of binder within ceramic compacts during thermolysis. This model was modified to account for the influence of fluid saturation on both the capillary driving force and the permeability of the wetting phase (i.e., binder). Two important results are derived from this analysis: (1) the change in binder viscosity affects the length scale (h) over which capillary forces act to redistribute the PVB-DBP to a greater degree than the change in saturation, and (2) the value of h can be significantly lower than the representative macroscopic dimension of the green compact and still permit a capillary-controlled distribution process for multicomponent binders.
Reduced-size ultra-wideband true-time-delay beam-forming receivers

This paper presents two novel ultra-wideband (UWB) true-time-delay beam-forming receiver architectures to reduce the size of the receiver compared to the reported beam-forming receivers. Size reduction is due to lowering the total amount of delay by half and employing a negative feedback loop in the receiver. The proposed systems are analyzed to investigate their response, Inter-symbol-Interference (ISI) rejection, stability, beam width, signal to noise ratio (SNR) and the effect of non-idealities. The simulation results prove that the first proposed system has lower area for the same number of antennas and half the delay compared to the existing receivers at the cost of lower SNR and wider beam width. The second system results in a smaller size and better SNR for half the delay compared to the existing receivers at the cost of higher complexity.
A Wedging System for Downhole Accelerometers

Abstract A wedging system for coupling downhole accelerometers into cased boreholes has been developed and deployed at an EPRI/USGS instrument array located in the Cholame Valley near Parkfield, California. The wedging system allows downhole accelerometers to be set and retrieved by hand. With this system accelerometers can be readily retrieved from cased holes for inspection, maintenance, or redeployment.
Using computational modeling to transform nursing data into actionable information

Transforming organizational research data into actionable information nurses can use to improve patient outcomes remains a challenge. Available data are numerous, at multiple levels of analysis, and snapshots in time, which makes application difficult in a dynamically changing healthcare system. One potential solution is computational modeling. We describe our use of OrgAhead, a theoretically based computational modeling program developed at Carnegie Mellon University, to transform data into actionable nursing information. We calibrated the model by using data from 16 actual patient care units to adjust model parameters until performance of simulated units ordered in the same way as observed performance of the actual units 80% of the time. In future research, we will use OrgAhead to generate hypotheses about changes nurses might make to improve patient outcomes, help nurses use these hypotheses to identify and implement changes on their units, and then measure the impact of those changes on patient outcomes.
Direct Write Metallizations for Ag and Al

We have employed inks containing nanometer-sized particles of Ag and Al (nano-Ag and nano-Al, respectively) as precursor inks for the formation of contacts to n- and p-type Si, respectively. The particles as formed by the electroexplosion process were dispersed in toluene, applied to Si and annealed above the respective eutectic temperatures. In the case of nano-Ag, this directly yields an ohmic contact. However, the nano-Al was found to be coated with an oxide layer that impairs the formation of an ohmic contact. A chelating chemical etch involving treatment with hexafluoroacetylacetone was developed to remove this oxide coat. This treated nano-Al produced a good ohmic contact. Smooth, pure Ag films have also been deposited by spray printing organometallic inks prepared from Ag(hfa)(SEt2) and Ag(hfa)(COD). These films are deposited in one step onto heated glass and Si substrates at one atmosphere pressure. The films show resistivities of ∼2 µΩ·cm. These inks appear to be amenable to ink-jet printing of Ag lines and as a low temperature glue for the Ag nanoparticles for thicker metallizations.
Association of vascular compression in trigeminal neuralgia versus other facial pain syndromes by magnetic resonance imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging was performed in 13 patients with trigeminal neuralgia and 18 control patients with facial pain of other types. Among trigeminal neuralgia patients, eight (62%) had vessels seen abutting, or immediately adjacent to, the trigeminal nerve on the side of their symptoms. Only three control patients (17%) had such vessels. The proportion of patients having a trigeminal region vessel associated with their symptoms was significantly higher in patients with trigeminal neuralgia than in controls (p = 0.0086). These findings provide evidence supporting the theory that trigeminal neuralgia is associated with vascular compression of the fifth cranial nerve.
Theory of vaporization of a rigid spherical droplet in slowly varying rectilinear flow at low Reynolds numbers

The vaporization of a droplet in rectilinear motion relative to a stagnant gaseous atmosphere is addressed for the limit of low Reynolds numbers and slow variation of the droplet velocity. Approximations are introduced that enable a formal asymptotic analysis to be performed with a minimum of complexity. It is shown that, under the conditions addressed, there is an inner region in the vicinity of the droplet within which the flow is nearly quasi-steady except during short periods of time when the acceleration changes abruptly, and there is a fully time-dependent outer region in which departures of velocities and temperatures from those of the ambient medium are small. Matched asymptotic expansions, followed by a Green's function analysis of the outer region enable expressions to be obtained for the velocity and temperature fields and for the droplet drag and vaporization rate. The results are applied to problems in which the droplet experiences constant acceleration, constant deceleration and oscillatory motion. The results, which identify dependences on the Prandtl number and the transfer number, are intended to be compared with experimental measurements on droplet behaviours in time-varying flows.
Strain differences in taste reactivity to NaCl

The taste reactivity test was used to determine whether strain differences in response to NaCl revealed by preference tests were attributable to taste or postoral factors. Taste reactivity data revealed significant differences between sodium-replete Fischer 344 (F-344) and Wistar strains in response to NaCl for both aversive and ingestive oral motor behaviors. Because the taste reactivity test analyzed the immediate response to orally applied chemical stimuli, these data support a strain difference based on taste factors. Taste reactivity data also indicate strain differences in ingestive but not aversive scores to other normally ingested chemical stimuli, water, and two sucrose concentrations. In response to normally avoided quinine, F-344 and Wistar strains did not differ in either ingestive or aversive score. To investigate whether strain differences revealed when rats were tested while sodium replete would persist in the sodium-deficient state, both strains were treated with the diuretic furosemide. Taste reactivity tests revealed that in response to sodium deficiency both F-344 and Wistar strains shift their oral motor response profile to NaCl; strains did not differ in either ingestive or aversive score when sodium deficient. NaCl intake and preference measures also support the fact that both strains demonstrate a sodium appetite. Interpretive limitations based on ceiling and floor effects within taste reactivity and preference data were discussed.
SIBLING SPECIES, CALL DIFFERENCES, AND SPECIATION IN GREEN LACEWINGS (NEUROPTERA: CHRYSOPIDAE: CHRYSOPERLA).

Green lacewings of the morphologically homogeneous carnea-plorabunda-downesi group within the chrysopid genus Chrysoperla produce unique, species-specific, substrate-borne songs during courtship and mating; both sexes sing, and partners must reciprocally exchange their acoustical signals before copulation will occur. Two widespread, sympatric North American representatives of this complex, the sibling species pair C. plorabunda and C. downesi, hybridize readily in the laboratory but not in nature. This species pair has been presented as exemplifying sympatric speciation by disruptive selection. Here, it is shown from tape-playback and female-choice experiments that calls represent bona fide reproductive isolating mechanisms between the two species. Furthermore, call analyses of F1 , F2 , F3 , and backcross progeny of the two species confirm polygenic control of call expression, in which different alleles at each of several loci are fixed in each taxon. Sex linkage of traits is absent, but the various features of the calls are not completely independent of one another in their patterns of inheritance. These and other life-history data cast doubt on several major premises of the sympatric speciation hypothesis and suggest that call alteration might have triggered the speciation event giving rise to the siblings. A complex of cryptic "song morphs" physically and ecologically identical to C. plorabunda and C. downesi, but singing different songs, exists in the mountains of western North America, while the Alps of central Europe harbor populations of C. carnea that have undergone call differentiation in an analogous but independent manner. It is proposed that call divergence may in itself be driving the speciation process within this section of Chrysoperla, by greatly accelerating the rate at which full reproductive isolation between populations can be achieved.
BIOCHEMICAL EVOLUTION ASSOCIATED WITH ANTIPREDATOR ADAPTATION IN DAMSELFLIES.

Previous studies have shown that at least two lineages of Enallagma damselflies (Odonata: Coenagrionidae) shifted from inhabiting lakes with fish as top predators to inhabiting ponds and lakes with large dragonflies as the top predators. In adapting to living with the new predator type, these lineages evolved much greater swimming speeds to avoid attacking dragonflies. In this paper, I test whether biochemical adaptations to fuel swimming arose in concert with previously identified morphological changes that increase swimming speed. I assayed the mass-specific enzyme activities of three enzymes involved in fueling strenuous activity: pyruvate kinase and lactate dehydrogenase (enzymes involved in glycolysis) and arginine kinase (the enzyme that recharges the ATP pool). Enzyme activities were determined for 14 Enallagma species from across the genus. Species that coexist with dragonfly predators had significantly higher mass-specific arginine kinase activities than species that coexist with fish, and the results of evolutionary contrasts analyses indicate that this difference between the two groups is the result of evolutionary change associated with the habitat shifts of lineages from fish lakes to dragonfly lakes. Although significant evolution was documented for lactate dehydrogenase and pyruvate kinase across the genus, evolutionary change in the activities of these enzymes was not consistent with adaptation to coexisting with dragonfly predators. Swimming bouts to avoid dragonfly predators last for only a few seconds, and the action of arginine kinase to phosphorylate ADP to make ATP will extend the duration of maximal exertion for swimming for a few seconds. However, much longer time periods (over 45 sec) are required to generate ATP via glycolysis. Therefore, selection may have favored adaptation only at the arginine kinase locus.
Effect of vaginal fluid on adherence of type 1 piliated Escherichia coli to epithelial cells

Colonization of the vaginal mucosa with uropathogens from fecal flora is an important step in ascending urinary tract infections (UTIs) in women. Colonization is influenced by interactions between uropathogens, vaginal fluid, and epithelial cells. In this study, vaginal fluid from 21 women was assessed for effects on adherence of type 1 piliated Escherichia coli to the A431 cell line. Adherence to cells was enhanced by all fluid specimens when tested at low fluid protein concentrations in an in vitro assay. At higher concentrations, certain specimens maintained enhanced binding whereas others resulted in diminished binding. Increases in adherence were associated with increased binding of E. coli to vaginal fluid in vitro and with higher vaginal fluid pH. These results demonstrate that vaginal fluid significantly alters the adherence of type 1 piliated E. coli to epithelial cells in vitro and, therefore, should be studied as a potential modifier in bacterial colonization and UTIs in vivo.
Bridging the gap from screening assays to estrogenic effects in fish: potential roles of multiple estrogen receptor subtypes.

This study seeks to delineate the ligand interactions that drive biomarker induction in fish exposed to estrogenic pollutants and provide a case study on the capacity of human (h) estrogen receptor (ER)-based in vitro screening assays to predict estrogenic effects in aquatic species. Adult male Japanese medaka (Oryzias latipes) were exposed to solutions of singular steroidal estrogens or to the estrogenic extract of an anaerobic swine waste lagoon. All exposure concentrations were calibrated to be equipotent based on the yeast estrogen screen (YES), which reports activation of hERα. These exposures elicited significantly different magnitudes of hepatic vitellogenin and choriogenin gene induction in the male medaka. Effects of the same YES-calibrated solutions in the T47D-KBluc assay, which reports activation of hERα and hERβ, generally recapitulated observations in medaka. Using competitive ligand binding assays, it was found that the magnitude of vitellogenin/choriogenin induction by different estrogenic...
At Home in the World: Supporting Children in Human Rights, Global Citizenship, and Digital Citizenship

In September 2015, when the UN General Assembly included a global education-focused target in the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, they signaled the importance of a new set of skills and knowledge that all learners must acquire. Indeed, it is no longer enough for every child to have access to education and to master reading, writing, and math. The global community is now endeavoring to develop students into global citizens, capable of finding solutions for the world's greatest challenges and motivated to instill peace and justice into their communities. Educators must understand these important concepts, such as global citizenship, education for sustainable development, human rights, and the promotion of a culture of peace, that shape children's lives if they are to effectively support children in their development and prepare them for the 21st century.
Improving Population Health Management Strategies: Identifying Patients Who Are More Likely to Be Users of Avoidable Costly Care and Those More Likely to Develop a New Chronic Disease.

Objective To explore using the Patient Activation Measure (PAM) for identifying patients more likely to have ambulatory care–sensitive (ACS) utilization and future increases in chronic disease. Data Sources Secondary data are extracted from the electronic health record of a large accountable care organization. Study Design This is a retrospective cohort design. The key predictor variable, PAM score, is measured in 2011, and is used to predict outcomes in 2012–2014. Outcomes include ACS utilization and the likelihood of a new chronic disease. Data Our sample of 98,142 adult patients was drawn from primary care clinic users. To be included, patients had to have a PAM score in 2011 and at least one clinic visit in each of the three subsequent years. Principal Findings PAM level is a significant predictor of ACS utilization. Less activated patients had significantly higher odds of ACS utilization compared to those with high PAM scores. Similarly, patients with low PAM scores were more likely to have a new chronic disease diagnosis over each of the years of observation. Conclusions Assessing patient activation may help to identify patients who could benefit from greater support. Such an approach may help ACOs reach population health management goals.
Surface grinding of carbon fiber-reinforced plastic composites using rotary ultrasonic machining: Effects of tool variables

Carbon fiber–reinforced plastic composites have many superior properties, including low density, high strength-to-weight ratio, and good durability, which make them attractive in many industries. However, due to anisotropic properties, high stiffness, and high abrasiveness of carbon fibers in carbon fiber–reinforced plastic, high cutting force, high tool wear, and high surface roughness are always caused in conventional machining processes. This article reports an investigation using rotary ultrasonic machining in surface grinding of carbon fiber–reinforced plastic composites in order to develop an effective and high-quality surface grinding process. In rotary ultrasonic machining surface grinding of carbon fiber–reinforced plastic composites, tool selection is of great importance since tool variables will significantly affect output variables. In this work, the effects of tool variables, including abrasive size, abrasive concentration, number of slots, and tool end geometry, on machining performances, in...
Relativistic solutions to directed energy

This paper analyses the nature and feasibility of using directed energy to propel probes through space at relativistic speeds. Possible mission scenarios are considered by varying the spacecraft mass, thickness of the sail and power of the directed energy array. We calculate that gram-scaled probes are capable of achieving relativistic speeds and reaching Alpha Centauri well within a human lifetime. A major drawback is the diffraction of the beam which reduces the incident power on the sail resulting in a terminal velocity for the probes. Various notions of efficiency are discussed and we conclude that directed energy propulsion provides a viable direction for future space exploration.
The leptin receptor gene: Effect on body composition.

Fifth AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research, Nov 12-15, 2006 A200 Obesity raises the risk for several types of cancer, including breast cancer among postmenopausal women. Factors that promote the occurrence of obesity may therefore lead to an increased likelihood of obesity-related cancers. Genetic polymorphisms, an important underlying cause of obesity, may function by interacting with overabundance of food and lack of exercise to promote a higher prevalence of obesity among susceptible groups. We chose to conduct candidate gene studies of the leptin-receptor gene (LEP-R), because the leptin-receptor may share etiologic pathways with both obesity and breast cancer. We report results from two studies of women: a clinical study of overweight to obese postmenopausal women, and a population-based study of normal-weighted pre and postmenopausal women. Our clinical candidate gene study utilized a cross-sectional sampling design. Subjects were 36 healthy, overweight to obese postmenopausal women of Caucasian and African American ancestry (age 45 to 72 y, body-mass index (BMI): 26 to 58 kg/m2). We conducted measurements of body fat (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DEXA)); anthropometry (scale/stadiometer); and LEP-R genotyping of variants; K109R, Q223R (restriction endonuclease digestion); and K656N (direct sequencing). We observed an association between DEXA-measured total percent body fat and the K109R variant (age-adjusted p=0.01), but not Q223R or K656N. Further adjustment by race, yielded a slightly less precise estimate (p=0.06). The K109R association with body fat was stronger among non-users or past users of hormone replacement therapy and among older women. We are currently studying LEP-R in relationship to breast cancer risk in a population-based case-control study (813 cases; 905 controls) that was previously conducted in the San Francisco Bay Area. We constructed crude models of the association between the three LEP-R variants, K109R, Q223R and K656N, and body composition measures among the healthy controls to evaluate whether these variants are associated with body composition before studying whether they are related to breast cancer risk. We observed a sizeable association between waist-to-hip ratio and the LEP-R variant, K109R, among White pre and postmenopausal women (p = 0.02) in the three-allele groups, and in the collapsed version of the gene (p = 0.01). The other two variants, Q223R and K656N, were not associated with body composition among the controls. We adjusted the K109R model for age and menopausal status. The association was slightly attenuated, but remained consistent (p = 0.05). We observed associations between percentage of total body fat in the clinical study and waist-to-hip ratio in the population-based study with the leptin-receptor gene variant, K109R that have not been previously reported in the literature. These results may be important with regard to breast cancer risk among postmenopausal women.
‘Socialist friends should help each other in crises’: Sino-Polish relations within the Cold War dynamics, 1980–1987

AbstractThe article argues that the deep political, economic, and social crisis in Poland in 1980–1981 served as a vehicle for China to pursue its political and ideological agenda towards Eastern Europe, which it previously treated as marginal in its economic modernization efforts. The article also shows that while the Polish leadership used China economically to help with its survival, it did not go beyond the constraints laid out by the framework dictated by the Sino-Soviet split.