cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
The Role of Primary Care Physicians in Attention-Deficit/Hyperactivity Disorder

The AAP diagnostic and treatment guidelines provide important evidence-based recommendations for the care of children with ADHD in primary care settings. Implementing the guidelines in primary care requires a pro-active approach on the part of clinicians and office staff to develop a system of care for children with ADHD in the office setting. Changes in office systems are most sustainable when they are well-defined (delineating the who, what, where, when and how), small in scope initially, and tested to determine how successful the proposed change has been. This will require that key office team members commit to defining the who, what, where, when and how of each recommendation and to testing the solution proposed. The task can seem daunting to even the most committed clinician and office team. However, several organizations, including the AAP ADHD Toolkit project, the National Institute for Children's Healthcare Quality (NICHQ), and several research studies funded by the National Institute of Mental Health (Improving Pediatricians' Use of AD/HD Guidelines and the San Diego ADHD Project (SANDAP)), have been working with primary care clinicians since the guidelines were published to identify necessary steps to be taken for clinicians to implement the guidelines. These efforts have led to a better understanding of the steps that physicians and offices need to consider as they seek to implement these guidelines. These projects are working to develop diagnostic and treatment tools as well as sample flowcharts to aide offices as they develop a delivery system design. These tools and flow charts can be easily modified to work in different settings, and can substantially decrease the start-up time for implementing the guidelines in the office setting. In addition, the AAP is working with health plans and legislatures to address some of the reimbursement issues that challenge offices intent on providing high-quality, evidence-based care in primary care. The ultimate goal is that the 4-12% of children with ADHD in the population experience a reversal of a predictably negative developmental trajectory, and that they, their families, their peers, and their teachers, see these children as functioning, productive, and important members of society. The efforts involved are entirely worth it, especially to hear a parent say “I enjoy being with my child now!” and to see the confident, shy smile of a child who is experiencing success for the first time.
Crystallographic anisotropies in carbon formation and removal on nickel in CO and H2 atmospheres

Abstract A clean curved nickel single crystal exposing the [100]-[111]-[110] zone was used to study crystallographic variations of carbon and removal upon exposure to pure CO, Co-H2 mixtures, and pure H2 at ≈1 Torr. The reactions are CO disproportion and hydrogenation, respectively. Exposure to pure CO for 10 min produced up to one-half monolayer of carbon on the (100) and (111) planes and approximately on the (110) and high-index planes. Carbon formation probabilities were ≈10-8, and carbon coverages did not change with prolonged exposures of up to 30 min. Auger spectra show that carbon is carbinic on (100) and (111) and a mixture of carbon and graphite on all other planes. The carbon produced from a CO/H2 mixture yielded a very different variation with surface srystallographic orientation. The carbon coverage was significantly lower on the planes along the [111]-[110] zone, although the (100), (111) and planes within 20° of (100) showed only slightly less carbon than in the case of pure CO. When the carbon produced from the CO/H2 mixture was then heated at 600 K in 2 Torr of pure hydrogen, the carbon coverage was quickly reduced to a low value on planes except neaer (100). The implications of these observations on the crystallographic anisotropy in yileds and selectivity of methanation are discussed.
Using best practices to respond to an OR fire.

A FIRE IN MY OR nnovation can require incorporating established processes into new contexts. For example, AORN has recently introduced the evidence-rating process into the continual revision of its Perioperative Standards and Recommended Practices. These documents have long guided the standardized development of policies and procedures for ORs all over the world. The context of evidence rating has taken these trusted documents to a new level and increased their credibility and acceptance by regulatory agencies and among our medical colleagues. With the evidence-rating process in place, four AORN recommended practices documents have been accepted by the National Guideline Clearinghouse (NGC), an initiative of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. This accomplishment builds on AORN’s reputation for being focused on patient advocacy, particularly with regard to quality and safety, and reflects the Association’s mission of being the indispensable resource of evidence-based practice and education for our members. One of these innovative documents, the evidence-rated “Recommended practices for a safe environment of care,” which is also NGC-9624: Recommended practice for safe environment of care (B Milavec, e-mail communication, February 2013), directly pertains to a recent incident at my facility and demonstrates the clinical relevance of evidence-based practices.
Wind turbine on line in Hawaii

The largest wind machine in the United States started generating electricity in late July in Hawaii. The Mod-5B wind-powered turbine, located on the northern tip of the island of Oahu, is rated at 3.2 megawatts and is expected to generate enough clean electricity to supply the needs of 1300 homes. The machine was developed at the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) Lewis Research Center in Cleveland, Ohio, and paid for by the Department of Energy. The turbine is based on new technology that allows its 320-ft (∼100-m) rotor to operate at variable speeds to suit changing wind conditions. It is the result of 15 years of federally sponsored research at NASA-Lewis. Conventional turbines operate at a fixed speed. After 6 months of tests, Mod-5B will be taken over and operated by the Hawaiian Electric Company, under a sales agreement with NASA. The turbine was located at the northend of Oahu primarily because of the high incidence of steady trade winds in that part of the Hawaiian chain. Renewable energy sources like the turbine are also desirable in Hawaii because of the high cost of electricity on the islands, which is principally the result of the need to import all diesel fuel and a prohibition on nuclear power plants in the state.
Marketing defibrillation training programs and bystander intervention support.

This exploratory study identifies perceptions of and participation in resuscitation training programs, and bystanders' willingness to resuscitate cardiac arrest victims. While most of the study's participants greatly appreciate the importance of saving someone's life, many indicated that they did not feel comfortable assuming this role. The findings also demonstrate there is a relationship between type of victim and bystanders’ willingness to intervene. Yet, bystander intervention discomfort can be overcome with cardiopulmonary resuscitation and defibrillation training, particularly when the victim is a coworker or stranger. Further implications of these findings are discussed and modifications to public access defibrillation (PAD) training programs' strategy and communications are proposed.
SPINDLE: SPINtronic deep learning engine for large-scale neuromorphic computing

Deep Learning Networks (DLNs) are bio-inspired large-scale neural networks that are widely used in emerging vision, analytics, and search applications. The high computation and storage requirements of DLNs have led to the exploration of various avenues for their efficient realization. Concurrently, the ability of emerging post-CMOS devices to efficiently mimic neurons and synapses has led to great interest in their use for neuromorphic computing. We describe SPINDLE, a programmable processor for deep learning based on spintronic devices. SPINDLE exploits the unique ability of spintronic devices to realize highly dense and energy-efficient neurons and memory, which form the fundamental building blocks of DLNs. SPINDLE consists of a three-tier hierarchy of processing elements to capture the nested parallelism present in DLNs, and a two-level memory hierarchy to facilitate data reuse. It can be programmed to execute DLNs with widely varying topologies for different applications. SPINDLE employs techniques to limit the overheads of spin-to-charge conversion, and utilizes output and weight quantization to enhance the efficiency of spin-neurons. We evaluate SPINDLE using a device-to-architecture modeling framework and a set of widely used DLN applications (handwriting recognition, face detection, and object recognition). Our results indicate that SPINDLE achieves 14.4X reduction in energy consumption and 20.4X reduction in EDP over the CMOS baseline under iso-area conditions.
Effect of Ca2+ on presynaptic facilitation

Abstract We investigated and modeled the effect of Ca2+ on presynaptic facilitation. Facilitation of transmitter release from a presynaptic terminal is believed to arise from the local increase of Ca2+ concentration. We measured and simulated the effect of Ca2+ on facilitation at the lobster neuromuscular synapse. Facilitation was measured using quantal analysis of postsynaptic potentials recorded focally during trains of stimuli. We found a facilitation component, which was not affected by Ca2+ concentration. Transmitter release was simulated using a model of two pools of presynaptic vesicles available for release. The simulation reproduced quantitatively Ca2+-dependent and Ca2+-independent components of facilitation.
SHARING THE WEALTH: FACTORS INFLUENCING RESOURCE ALLOCATION IN THE SHARING GAME

Students chose between two allocation options, one that gave the allocator more and another participant still more (the “optimal” choice) and one which gave the allocator less and the other participant still less (the “competitive” choice). In a within-subjects design, students' behavior patterns were significantly correlated across the two rounds of decision-making; however, students allocated more optimally when the allocation involved real rather than hypothetical money, suggesting that both motivational context and individuals' personality and/or experience influence preference patterns. The nature of the putative other participant did not affect the allocation: students allocated in a comparable fashion whether the other participant was said to be male, female, or a computer.
Intratracheal instillation versus intratracheal inhalation: influence of cytokines on inflammatory response.

Our laboratory has developed a method of particle exposure whereby anesthetized rats intratracheally inhale, at a regulated breathing rate and pressure, an aerosolized test material. This method is...
Isolated limb perfusion with tissue plasminogen activator for acute hand ischemia.

A 62-year old woman presented with an ischemic hand postoperatively from an open abdominal aortic aneurysm repair. Traditional open embolectomy techniques were attempted but failed ≤ 24 hours. She was then taken for isolated limb perfusion with tissue plasminogen activator for ongoing ischemia of the hand. A satisfactory technical result was achieved, and the patient remains with a functional extremity.
Brown at 50 The Dream is Still Alive in Urban Catholic Schools

In light of the elimination of busing to achieve racial integration and judicial reluctance to consider creative, new ways to provide integrated, high quality learning environments for poor and minority children, advocates of the principles established by Brown must no longer accept the public schools as the best hope for providing integrated schooling. Educators should seriously consider supporting Catholic schools as a viable option in effort to advance racial integration since absent immediate support, these models for integration might be lost for future generations.
Image Analysis Quantitation of Type 2 Cells and Alveolar Walls Part I: Influence of Time on the Developing Mouse Lung

Quantitative measurements of the lungs of Swiss-Webster male mice at 6, 10, and 16 weeks of age were obtained using image analysis. The measurements included numbers and area of type 2 cells, and t...
Double folding model analysis of 7Li scattering

Abstract Elastic scattering angular distributions have been measured for the scattering of 7 Li by 44 Ca, 56 Fe and 58, 60 Ni at E( 7 Li ) = 34 MeV . These data are well described by the optical model using volume Woods-Saxon potentials. These and previously measured 7 Li scattering data also have been analyzed with a double-folding real potential which employs the nucleon-nucleon potential of Bertsch et al. The overall best fit to the experimental data down to σ/σ R ~ 10 −3 is obtained when the DF potential is multiplied by approximately 0.6. However, the best fit for the peripheral data alone ( σ / σ R ∼ 10 −1 is obtained without any renonnalization.
Metoclopramide mimics a D-1 type of dopamine action in rabbit superior cervical ganglion

Metoclopramide (MCP) in a sufficiently high concentration (100 microM) induced a large and persisting potentiation of slow-excitatory postsynaptic potentials (s-epsp) and slow-inhibitory postsynaptic potentials (s-epsp) but depressed in fast epsp. This modulatory action of metoclopramide was markedly suppressed by (+)-butaclamol (7 microM) and, to a lesser extent, by spiroperidol (2.5-4 microM). Metoclopramide also possessed weak anti-acetylcholinesterase activity(I50% = 245 microM; measured by Dr N. Inestrosa), but this was shown not to account for the potentiating actions of metoclopramide. Thus, although metoclopramide is a D-2 antagonist, it appears to mimic the D-1 action of dopamine in modulating the slow psps.
Transcriptional regulatory code of a eukaryotic genome

DNA-binding transcriptional regulators interpret the genome's regulatory code by binding to specific sequences to induce or repress gene expression. Comparative genomics has recently been used to identify potential cis-regulatory sequences within the yeast genome on the basis of phylogenetic conservation, but this information alone does not reveal if or when transcriptional regulators occupy these binding sites. We have constructed an initial map of yeast's transcriptional regulatory code by identifying the sequence elements that are bound by regulators under various conditions and that are conserved among Saccharomyces species. The organization of regulatory elements in promoters and the environment-dependent use of these elements by regulators are discussed. We find that environment-specific use of regulatory elements predicts mechanistic models for the function of a large population of yeast's transcriptional regulators.
An Astronomical Puzzle Called Cygnus X-3: The early history of an x-ray, infrared, cosmic ray, and radio emitting star system

The events of Sept. 1972 in which Cyg X-3 went through 2 major outbursts are described in detail. Radio, infrared, x-ray, and cosmic-ray observations are summarized. (WDM)
Fully-automated fibroglandular tissue segmentation and volumetric density estimation in breast MRI by integrating a continuous max-flow model and a likelihood atlas

Studies suggest that the relative amount of fibroglandular tissue in the breast as quantified in breast MRI can be predictive of the risk for developing breast cancer. Automated segmentation of the fibroglandular tissue from breast MRI data could therefore be an essential component in quantitative risk assessment. In this work we propose a new fullyautomated 3D segmentation algorithm, namely the continuous max-flow (CMF)-Atlas method, to estimate the volumetric amount of fibroglandular tissue in breast MRI. Our method goes through a first step of applying a continuous max-flow model in the MR image intensity space to produce an initial voxel-wise likelihood map of being fibroglandular tissue. Then we further incorporate an a-priori learned fibroglandular tissue likelihood atlas to refine the initial likelihood map to achieve enhanced segmentation, from which the relative (e.g., percent) volumetric amount of fibroglandular tissue (FT%) in the breast is computed. Our method is evaluated by a representative dataset of 16 3D bilateral breast MRI scans (32 breasts, 896 tomographic MR slices in total). A high correlation (r=0.95) is achieved in FT% estimation, and the overall averaged spatial segmentation agreement is 0.77 in terms of Dice’s coefficient, between the automated segmentation and the manual segmentation obtained from an experienced breast imaging radiologist. The automated segmentation method also runs time-efficiently at ~1 minute for each 3D MR scan (56 slices), compared to ~15 minutes needed for manual segmentation. Our method can serve as an effective tool for processing large scale clinical breast MR datasets for quantitative fibroglandular tissue estimation.
Resistance of Zinc-Supplemented Candida albicans Cells to the Growth Inhibitory Effect of Calprotectin

Calprotectin is a neutrophil cytoplasmic protein with significant microbistatic activity. This protein may compete for zinc, or the metal may inactivate a different microbistatic activity of the protein. To distinguish between these possibilities, the sensitivity to calprotectin was determined for zinc-supplemented Candida albicans cells. The latter had increased growth in cultures containing either human empyema fluid as a source of calprotectin or purified calprotectin itself. This increased growth did not appear to be due to leakage of zinc into the medium. In other experiments, empyema fluid supernatants did not suppress C. albicans growth across a dialysis membrane; however, other studies suggested that it is difficult to significantly suppress C. albicans growth by zinc depletion unless the depleting agent remains in the cultures. These results indicate that calprotectin inhibits C. albicans growth through competition for zinc.
Electrokinetic behavior of fluorite as influenced by surface carbonation

Abstract The electrokinetic response of fluorite, as a function of pH, is shown to be due to a surface carbonation reaction of the type: CaF 2( surf ) + CO 3  → CaCO 3( surf ) +2 F  . The carbonation reaction can be predicted from thermodynamics of solution chemistry and has been verified by infrared measurements in the laboratory. In systems open to the atmosphere, 300 ppm CO2, the carbonation reaction begins above pH 8 at which point the electrokinetic response of fluorite becomes strongly dependent on pH. In addition, settling rate experiments revealed that the electrokinetic response of fluorite was sensitive to, and could be predicted by, the partial pressure of carbon dioxide.
Association of complement factor H tyrosine 402 histidine genotype with posterior involvement in sarcoid-related uveitis.

Purpose To determine whether the complement factor H ( CFH ) tyrosine 402 histidine (Y402H) variant, recently shown to be associated with age-related macular degeneration (AMD) and multifocal choroiditis, is associated with specific ocular sarcoidosis clinical phenotypes in black and white persons. Design Case-control study. Methods The CFH Y402H polymorphism (rs1061170) was genotyped in 41 subjects with ocular sarcoidosis and 393 control subjects. Allele frequencies in the ocular sarcoidosis cases were compared with controls using chi-square score tests. Genotypic model-based (dominant, recessive, and additive) associations of the rs1061170 allele were tested using multivariate logistic regression. Bayesian information criteria were used to formalize model selection. Genotypes were correlated with disease characteristics and severity of ocular inflammation. Results The C allele (rs1061170) was found in 35% of controls, but occurred with a significantly higher frequency (48.7%) in ocular sarcoidosis cases (odds ratio, 1.72; 95% confidence interval, 1.09 to 2.78; P = .018). Logistic regression demonstrated an association between rs1061170 and ocular sarcoidosis in 2 of 3 genetic models (additive, P = .0078; recessive, P = .0018). Posterior uveitis and panuveitis were overrepresented significantly in cases with the homozygous variant genotype (CC, 91%; P = .047). The population-attributable risk related to this CFH risk variant was 20%. Conclusions The Y402H polymorphism of CFH seems to be associated with ocular sarcoidosis in black and white persons. Carriage of the CFH Y402H polymorphism in both alleles is associated with an increased risk for posterior uveitis and panuveitis presentation. The prognostic importance of this genotype will require prolonged follow-up studies.
Some Ichneumonid-Sarcophagid Interactions in the Gypsy Moth Porthetria dispar (L.) (Lepidoptera: Lymantriidae)

Four ichneumonid species, Itoplectis conquisitor (Say), Pimpla pedalis Cress., Theronia atalantae (Poda), and Theronia hilaris (Say), were seen attacking the gypsy moth, Porthetria dispar (L.), in the Town of Glenville, Schenectady County, New York. These species stung and killed many more host pupae than they successfully parasitized (success here being measured by the development of an ichneumonid offspring within the host). The ratio between the total number of hosts stung by ichneumonids and the number of ichneumonid offspring emerging was different for each of the three primary ichneumonids studied, ranging from 4 to 1 for T. atalantae to more than 200 to 1 for I. conquisitor.The sarcophagids associated with the gypsy moth, although apparently parasitic, are largely scavengers. Their attacks almost always follow those of ichneumonids. Since the sting by an ichneumonid kills the host but is not always discernible, the number of pupae containing sarcophagid larvae has been used to, indicate the true effects of ichneumonids on the host population.
Altered lipid transport during aflatoxicosis

The effects of graded doses of dietary aflatoxin (0, 0.625, 1.25, 2.5, 5.0 and 10.0 μg/g) on serum triglyceride fatty acids, serum total phospholipids and serum free and esterified cholesterol were measured in chickens. These classes of lipid were decreased significantly (P < 0.05) by a dose of 0.625 μg/g, and a dose of 2.5 μg/g was required to decrease the growth rate and the ribonucleic acid content of liver. The deoxyribonucleic acid content of liver was unaffected even by 10 μg/g. These data suggest that lipid transport is a primary lesion during aflatoxicosis in the chicken and is not secondary to the general effects on nucleic acid metabolism.
Abrahamic Values for Ethical Leadership

This paper examines Abrahamic values that can be used to improve the world and promote ethical leadership. Abraham, a simple clan leader from Ur of the Chaldees, sowed the seeds that helped defeat paganism, planted the roots for the three major monotheistic religions (Judaism, Christianity, and Islam), and subsequently became “the father of a multitude of nations”. He permanently transformed the world with the revolutionary ideas of ethical monotheism, social justice, brotherhood of man, love of the stranger, tolerance, and compassion for the weak.
Support for High-Frequency Streaming in CMPs

As the industry moves toward larger-scale chip multiprocessors, the need to parallelize applications grows. High inter-thread communication delays, exacerbated by over-stressed high-latency memory subsystems and ever-increasing wire delays, require parallelization techniques to create partially or fully independent threads to improve performance. Unfortunately, developers and compilers alike often fail to find sufficient independent work of this kind. Recently proposed pipelined streaming techniques have shown significant promise for both manual and automatic parallelization. These techniques have wide-scale applicability because they embrace inter-thread dependences (albeit acyclic dependences) and tolerate long-latency communication of these dependences. This paper addresses the lack of architectural support for this type of concurrency, which has blocked its adoption and hindered related language and compiler research. We observe that both manual and automatic techniques create high-frequency streaming threads, with communication occurring every 5 to 20 instructions. Even while easily tolerating inter-thread transit delays, high-frequency communication makes thread performance very sensitive to intrathread delays from the repeated execution of the communication operations. Using this observation, we define the design-space and evaluate several mechanisms to find a better trade-off between performance and operating system, hardware, and design costs. From this, we find a light-weight streaming-aware enhancement to conventional memory subsystems that doubles the speed of these codes and is within 2% of the best-performing, but heavy-weight, hardware solution.
Individual Differences in the Effects of Music Engagement on Responses to Painful Stimulation

Abstract Engaged attention, including music listening, has shown mixed results when used as a method for reducing pain. Applying the framework of constructivism, we extend the concept of engagement beyond attention/distraction to include all cognitive and emotional/motivational processes that may be recruited in order to construct an alternative experience to pain and thus reduce pain. Using a music-listening task varying in task demand, we collected stimulus-evoked potentials, pupil dilation, and skin conductance responses to noxious electrocutaneous stimulations as indicators of central and peripheral arousal, respectively. Trait anxiety (Spielberger State-Trait Anxiety Inventory) and absorption (Tellegen Absorption Scale) provided indicators of individual differences. One hundred and fifty-three healthy, normal volunteers participated in a test session in which they received 3 stimulus intensity levels while listening to background tones (No Task) or performing a music-listening task. Linear slopes indicating net engagement (change in stimulus arousal relative to task performance) decreased with increasing task demand and stimulus level for stimulus-evoked potentials. Slopes for pupil dilation response and skin conductance response varied with task demand, anxiety, and absorption, with the largest engagement effect occurring for high anxiety/high absorption participants. Music engagement reduces pain responses, but personality factors like anxiety and absorption modulate the magnitude of effect. Perspective Engaging in music listening can reduce responses to pain, depending on the person: people who are anxious and can become absorbed in activities easily may find music listening especially effective for relieving pain. Clinicians should consider patients’ personality characteristics when recommending behavioral interventions like music listening for pain relief.
The Social Class of the Cappadocian Fathers

Although the past two decades have shown signs of scholarly interest in the social history of fourth- and fifth-century Christianity, especially among British scholars, much remains to be done before a synthetic reconstruction will be justified. Among the tasks to be completed is the determination of the social class backgrounds of the later empire's Christian clergy. For if these backgrounds can be established, it will be possible to investigate how extensively they influenced the clerics' thought and action. Unfortunately, the determination of social origins in antiquity is not always a straightforward enterprise. This is particularly true in the case of the Cappadocian Fathers, whose social class membership is the topic of the present essay.
Response of stream salamanders to experimental drought in the southern Appalachian Mountains, USA

Droughts act as significant disturbances to freshwater animals and their ecosystems. Given the impending threat of more frequent and persistent droughts because of global climate change, the lack of data on the responses of many aquatic animals to drought is a cause for concern. This study examined the body condition of the most commonly detected species (Desmognathus quadramaculatus) and abundance of commonly found species after two years of experimental drought in two first-order streams in the southern Appalachian Mountains. Our results indicated negative effects of drought on the stream salamander community. The body condition of D. quadramaculatus larvae in experimental drought transects was significantly lower than larvae captured in control reaches, which may have resulted from lower macroinvertebrate production in experimental reaches. Additionally, larval D. quadramaculatus abundance declined 47% in experimental drought transects, and Eurycea wilderae larvae and D. ocoee adults were 70% less likely to be captured in experimental stream transects. Our findings contribute additional evidence that stream plethodontids have little resistance to drought. With extended droughts resulting from climate change more likely in the future, more research is necessary to determine if reduced body condition, production, and lowered abundance have effects on longterm population viability.
Numerical method of solving singularity problems on potential computation in spheroidal systems

The explicit finite-difference solution method for computing potential distribution within spheroidal systems attracts special difficulties because of the presence of mathematical singularities at the central and pole regions of the spheroids. In this paper, we implement a method for treating the singularities at the pole regions. This entails taking a quarter of the spheroidal cross-section and imposing a Neumann boundary condition along the two lines of symmetry. The results obtained agree perfectly with those obtained from exact solution.
Neural network moving averages for time series prediction

ARMA (autoregressive--moving average) time series methods have been found to be effective methods of forecasting and prediction. Using AR (autoregression) methods, predictions rely on regressing previous time series input values, while in MA (moving average) methods, predictions are calculated by regressing previous forecasting errors. We can improve ARMA type forecasts with backpropagation by nonlinear regression of both the inputs and the previous forecasting errors. The new predictions are calculated by adding a feedforward neural network that accepts the previous forecast and previously generated forecast errors as inputs and produces new forecasts having smaller prediction errors. The accuracy of these forecast can exceed that of ARMA, or backpropagation forecasts alone. The improved predictions of AR and backpropagation network forecasts are shown using the Mackey-Glass chaotic time series.
A Biogeographic Synthesis of the Amphibians and Reptiles of Indochina

ABSTRACT Indochina (Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam) houses over 600 species of amphibians and reptiles, roughly a quarter of which has been described within the last 15 years. Herein, we undertake the first biogeographic synthesis of the regional herpetofauna since the first half of the 20th century. We review the literature to measure and map species richness and endemism, the contributions of regional faunas, and ecological characteristics of Indochina's amphibians (Anura, Caudata), and reptiles (Serpentes, Sauria, Testudines, Crocodylia). Dividing Indochina into 19 subregions defined by topography and geology, we estimate the similarity among the regional faunas and appraise the effects of area and survey effort on these comparative analyses. Variation in species composition is broadly correlated with topography, habitat complexity, and proximity to regions outside Indochina. Indochina's herpetofauna is dominated (in decreasing order) by endemic species, widely distributed species, a South China fauna, an...
No necessary tradeoff: Context, life course, and social networks in the identity formation of second-generation Nigerians in the USA

Based on 25 semi-structured interviews, this article examines the racial, ethnic and national identities of second-generation Nigerian immigrants from the San Francisco Bay Area. I elaborate on the segmented-assimilation literature that considers economic circumstances to be a key determinant in identity formation. I show that participants form highly fluid identities throughout the life cycle, pinpointing factors that often get overlooked or de-emphasized in the second-generation incorporation literature such as youth co-ethnic community access, the college integrative experience and transnational social connections, particularly in adulthood. This article extends the black immigration literature that contends that ethnic identity is primarily used as a means of distancing from ‘downwardly mobile’ African-Americans. My findings highlight that respondents embrace a black racial identity that is neither oppositional nor associated with a downward trajectory, lending empirical support for the ‘minority cult...
Perceived Racial, Ethnic, and Gender Differences in Access to Developmental Experiences:

Research on relationships with supervisors has addressed gender and racial differences. However, few studies included minority groups other than Blacks. The present study used multivariate analysis...
Cancer prevention with dehydroepiandrosterone and non-androgenic structural analogs

There is increasing evidence that the adrenocortical steroid, dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA), is an important mammalian hormone. Administration of DHEA to laboratory mice and rats inhibits development of experimental tumors of the breast, lung, colon, liver, skin and lymphatic tissue. In the two-stage skin tumorigenesis model in mice, DHEA treatment inhibits tumor initiation, as well as tumor promoter-induced epidermal hyperplasia and promotion of papillomas. There is much evidence that DHEA produces its antiproliferative and tumor preventive effects by inhibiting glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase and the pentose phosphate pathway. This pathway is an important source of NADPH, a critical reductant for many biochemical reactions that generate oxygen free radicals, which may act as second messengers in stimulating hyperplasia. The therapeutic use of DHEA in humans may be limited by its sex hormonal side effects. DHEA is metabolized in vivo to both testosterone and estrone, producting both androgenic and estrogenic effects in laboratory animals. We have developed a synthetic steroid, 16α-fluoro-5-androsten-17-one, which does not demonstrate the androgenic or estrogenic activity of DHEA, yet retains the antiproliferative and cancer preventive activity of the native steroid.
Adaptive compression of intense 250-nm-bandwidth laser pulses

Self-phase modulation produced by propagation of a 50-fs laser pulse in a hollow-core fiber capillary filled with argon gas was used to broaden the bandwidth from 30 nm to 250 nm. A subsequent compressor utilizing a pair of gratings and cylindrical optics compressed the pulse to 12.5 fs. A liquid-crystal spatial light modulator (SLM) was placed in the compressor, and an evolutionary algorithm based on feedback from the second-harmonic signal was used to control the SLM and optimize the pulse duration. The algorithm increased the second-harmonic signal by a factor of two, indicating that it has substantially improved on the 12.5-fs pulse duration.
Investigation of the Jahn Foundry and CTA Acoustics dust explosions: similarities and differences

Abstract The Jahn Foundry in Springfield, Massachusetts and CTA Acoustics in Corbin, Kentucky experienced devastating dust explosions in 1999 and 2003, respectively. At the time, Jahn Foundry was a gray iron casting facility that used phenolic resin powder as a binder for sand molds. CTA Acoustics was a manufacturer of thermal acoustic insulation that used phenolic resin powder as a binder for fiberglass mats. In both facilities the phenolic resin was able to migrate from the process, accumulate in the facility, and fuel catastrophic dust explosions. In this paper we review Exponent's investigation of the two incidents and identify root causes of the incidents and applicable standards that, if followed, could have prevented or mitigated the incidents. Throughout the paper we identify similarities and differences between the two facilities. For instance, in both facilities hazardous levels of dust had been allowed to accumulate due, in part, to inadequate housekeeping. However, a significant difference between the two facilities was that Jahn Foundry had no dust collection systems while the CTA Acoustics facility had dust collection systems designed to minimize the release of dust into the plant. The paper summarizes lessons learned from these two incidents that should be remembered when designing new facilities and analyzing hazards at existing facilities.
Effect of Indomethacin on the Pathophysiology of Experimental Meningitis in Rabbits

The effects of indomethacin on central nervous system abnormalities in rabbits with experimental pneumococcal meningitis were studied. As expected, prostaglandin E2 levels in cerebrospinal fluid were significantly lower in the indomethacin-treated group, indicating that the drug effectively reduced prostaglandin synthesis. Brain edema was markedly attenuated in the indomethacin-treated group; however, cerebrospinal fluid white blood cell counts, lactate and protein concentrations, and intracisternal pressure were not significantly different between groups. It seems that indomethacin, while effective in reducing brain edema, does not significantly affect other important pathophysiologic alterations in experimental pneumococcal meningitis.
Rate of Advance of the Woodfordian (Late Wisconsinan) Glacial Margin in Illinois: Stratigraphic and Radiocarbon Evidence

Thirty radiocarbon dates from 18 localities were used to document the rate of advance of the Woodfordian glacial margin in Illinois. These dates were obtained from the Robein Silt (formerly called Farmdale Silt) of the Farmdalian Substage, the top of the overlying Morton Loess (Woodfordian Substage), and the base of the Wedron Formation (Woodfordian Substage). Robein Silt accumulation ended with the initial deposition of the overlying pro-glacial Morton Loess followed by deposition of the Wedron Formation. The base of the Wedron Formation is time-transgressive. In northeastern Illinois it has been dated at 23,000 radiocarbon yrs B.P. However, in south-central Illinois at the southern limit of the Woodfordian glacial advance, it has been dated at 20,000 yrs B.P., and at the western margin it has been dated at 19,000 yrs B.P. For distances up to 250 km in Illinois, therefore, the base of the unit transgresses 3,000 to 4,000 radiocarbon yrs. The net rate of advance of the Woodfordian glacial margin can thus be calculated as being of the order of magnitude of 62 m per radiocarbon yr. Although this rate is approximate, it falls within the range of rates (25 m to 106 m per yr) reported from Ohio.
The fucose sulfate polymer of egg jelly binds to sperm REJ and is the inducer of the sea urchin sperm acrosome reaction

The sea urchin sperm cell is an advantageous model for studying ligand-mediated exocytosis. Sperm can be obtained in vast quantities and induced to undergo exocytosis of the acrosomal vesicle with great synchrony. During sea urchin fertilization, egg jelly (EJ) triggers the sperm acrosome reaction (AR) which is required for sperm binding and fusion with the egg. Uncertainty exists as to the exact biochemical nature of the AR inducer. The following study was performed in an attempt to clarify the nature of the inducer. EJ from individual females (Strongylocentrotus purpuratus) was analyzed on SDS-PAGE gels. Each female had a unique composition of EJ macromolecules, but all females possessed the previously described fucose sulfate polymer (FSP). Two electrophoretic isotypes of FSP were discovered; 87% of females had only one isotype and 13% had both. Both FSP isotypes bound to the REJ protein (receptor for egg jelly) purified from sperm. The two FSP isotypes had almost equal potency in inducing the AR. EJ was fractionated by DEAE chromatography in 6 M urea/4% beta-mercaptoethanol. All AR-inducing activity coeluted with FSP. FSP, purified by trypsin digestion followed by dialysis, was twice as active as the non-trypsin-digested control at inducing the AR. EJ was digested with proteinase K, boiled in detergent and beta-mercaptoethanol, and subjected to sucrose density gradient sedimentation. The FSP and AR activity had superimposable sedimentation patterns. Purified FSP had no associated peptide component. Sperm from individual males differed in the concentration dependency of purified FSP to induce the AR. The data indicate that the 138/82 kDa EJ glycoproteins, previously thought to act as AR inducers, do not appear to be involved in triggering the AR. The data are consistent with the hypothesis that FSP is the only inducer of the AR of this sea urchin species.
Motivation matters? The relationship among different types of learning motivation, engagement behaviors and learning outcomes of undergraduate students in Taiwan

The purpose of this study is to understand predictors of different learning outcomes among various student background characteristics, types of learning motivation and engagement behaviors. 178 junior students were surveyed at a 4-year research university in Taiwan. The scales of motivation, engagement and perceived learning outcomes were adapted from the Motivated Strategies for Learning Questionnaire and the National Survey of Student Engagement College Student Report. Multiple hierarchical regression analysis was used in data analysis. Findings confirm that different student background characteristics and learning motivation can predict different learning outcomes. However, student engagement behaviors cannot significantly predict different types of learning outcomes when student background and learning motivation variables are included. This study also finds that student’s majors play an important role in explaining learning outcomes. Overall, the findings highlight the importance of learning motivation and suggest that instructors can provide students with more successful learning experiences to ensure more confidence in their learning abilities.
Condensation of isolated semi-flexible filaments driven by depletion interactions

Using fluorescence microscopy, we directly visualize the condensed structures of individual semi-flexible actin filaments in a poor solvent. The condensation of filaments into either ring-like or racquet-like structures is driven by non-adsorbing polymers which induce attractive interactions between filaments via the well-known depletion mechanism. A quantitative analysis of the racquet structures yields a direct measurement of the adhesion strength between a pair of filaments. We also compare our experimental data with a theoretical model, demonstrating that in the limit of weak binding, thermal fluctuations can renormalize the effective strength of the attractive depletion interactions. Our experimental methods can be applied to other filamentous structures to directly measure their attractive intermolecular potentials.
Maximizing the benefit of liver transplantation: Implications for organ allocation and clinical practice.

whereH denotes health statuswith treatment, andHdenotes health status without treatment. In other words, benefit combines both need and outcome. “Health status” can be broadly divided into two categories: quality of life and quantity of life. Therefore, “beneficial” medical interventions are those which improve quality or quantity of life (or both). Value is simply Benefit * Cost, so medical interventions that create significant benefit at low cost are termed “high value care” [1].
Estradiol reverses TGF-β1-stimulated type IV collagen gene transcription in murine mesangial cells

We have previously shown that estradiol suppresses types I and IV collagen synthesis by mesangial cells grown in the presence of serum. In the present study, we examined the interaction between est...
The Sensitivities of Aerodynamic Forces and Moments of a Reusable First Stage Booster to Design Parameters

During a return to launch site maneuver, a reusable first stage booster experiences a wide range of flight conditions. Its aerodynamic configuration must be a compromise to allow it to successfully glide from supersonic speeds down to landing. Previous studies into similar vehicles have shown that reusable first stages have problems maintaining trim throughout this glide back. In order to investigate the design space of a reusable booster, a parametric outer mold line tool was created, and computational experiments were run using Euler CFD. One result of these experiments is that the sensitivities of the aerodynamic forces and moments with respect to vehicle design parameters become readily available. This paper examines the global and local sensitivities as well as the effect of a wing-body blending on the aerodynamic characteristics of a reusable first stage booster.
Analysis of geographical variations of healthcare providers performance using the empirical mode decomposition

Performance of healthcare providers such as hospitals varies from one locale to another. Our goal is to study whether there is a geographical pattern of performance using metrics reported from over 3,000 hospitals distributed across the U.S. Empirical mode decomposition (EMD) is an effective analysis tool for nonlinear and non-stationary signals. It decomposes a data sequence into a series of intrinsic mode functions (IMFs) along with a residue sequence that represents the trend. Each IMF has zero local mean and has exactly one zero crossing between any two consecutive local extrema. An IMF can be used to assess the instantaneous frequency. Reconstruction of a signal using the residue and those IMFs of the lower frequency can reveal the underlying pattern of the signal without undue influence of the higher frequency fluctuations of the data. We used a space-filling curve to turn a set of performance metrics distributed irregularly across the two-dimensional planar surface into a one-dimensional sequence. The EMD decomposed a set of hospital emergency department median waiting times into 9 IMFs along with a residue. We used the residue and the lower frequency IMFs to reconstruct a sequence with fewer fluctuations. The sequence was transformed back to a two-dimensional map to reveal the geographical variations.
Tranexamic Acid Reduces Blood Transfusions in Revision Total Hip Arthroplasty.

Abstract Background The use of tranexamic acid (TEA) can significantly reduce the need for allogenic blood transfusions in elective primary joint arthroplasty. Revision total hip arthroplasty (THA) requires increased utilization of postoperative blood transfusions for acute blood loss anemia compared with elective primary hip arthroplasty. There is limited literature to support the routine use of TEA in revision THA. Methods We performed a retrospective review of 161 consecutive patients who underwent revision THA from 2012 to 2014 at a single institution by 2 fellowship-trained surgeons. We compared the transfusion requirements and the postoperative hemoglobin drop of the TEA group (109 patients, 114 hips) vs the no-TEA group (52 patients, 56 hips). Our standard protocol for administering TEA is 1000 mg IV at incision and the same dose repeated 2 hours later. The no-TEA group did not receive the medication because of previous hospital contraindication criteria. Results The transfusion rate was significantly less for the TEA group (7%) compared with the no-TEA group (34%; P P Conclusion The routine use of TEA during revision THA demonstrated a significant reduction in allogenic blood transfusion rates. The postoperative hemoglobin drop was also significantly less with the use of TEA. We recommend the routine use of TEA during revision THA.