cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Linking of oligoesters hydrolysis to polyurethane coatings

The hydrolytic stability of a series of oligoesters comprised of three and four different monomers was evaluated. The hydroxyl terminal oligoesters were prepared from adipic acid (AA) and isophthalic acid (IPA), with six different diols and one triol, which included: 1,4-butanediol, 1,5-pentanediol, 1,6-hexanediol, neopentyl glycol, 2-methyl-1,3-propanediol, trimethylolpropane, and 2-butene-1,4-diol. The hydroxyl terminated oligoesters were reacted with phenyl isocyanate to form telechelic urethane groups. Hydrolysis rate constants were obtained from plots of acid number vs. time. It was observed that ternary oligoester systems had lower hydrolysis rates than quaternary systems. In addition to investigating the hydrolytic stability of the synthesized oligoesters, polyurethane coatings were produced by reacting the hydroxyl-terminated oligoesters with an aliphatic polyisocyanate (1,6-hexanediisocyanate trimer). Model oliogester hydrolysis was then correlated to the weatherability of a crosslinked polyurethane film. © 2013 Wiley Periodicals, Inc. J. Appl. Polym. Sci. 2014, 131, 40198.
Cardiocyte Functional Data Analysis: A Novel Approach

Current laboratory methods used to assess neonatal and adult cardiocyte function include measurement of gene and protein expression levels, calcium transients, and contractility. Our goal was to develop simple tools to analyze such data readily. We created two MATLAB®-based toolboxes; the Contraction Video Processing (CVP) and the Cardiocyte Functional Response Analysis (CFRA) Toolbox. Videos of contracting cultured cardiocytes are acquired using a digital camera attached to an inverted phase microscope. Video frames are analyzed using digital imaging processing techniques along with several contraction assessment methods available through the CVP toolbox. The CVP offers direct correlation, pixel intensity tracking and Polar Fourier transform methods for the analysis of neonatal cardiocyte contraction. Analysis of adult cardiocytes includes those implemented on neonatal cardiocytes in addition to area boundary tracking, Fourier descriptor analysis, and cell length tracking methods. The resulting contraction records are processed using the CFRA toolbox to provide quantitative analyses of cardiocyte contractility and calcium transient responses. Transient data are obtained by measuring the calcium fluxes using the fluorescent dye Fluo-3, and a Photon Technology fluorometer system running Felix software. Data analysis routines have been created and tailored exclusively to the characteristics and needs of cellular cardiovascular research investigators. The analytical methods created are used to find the onset of contraction, perform signal averaging, and acquire statistical information of functional data. CFRA toolbox contractility processing yields onset time, time-to-peak, duration, and fast and slow recovery times. CFRA toolbox calcium transient signal processing yields onset time, signal intensity, and fast and slow exponential recovery rates associated with SERCA and NCX channels respectively. The toolboxes allow examination of beat-to-beat contractility and calcium transient variations within the same cardiocyte as well as from cell population to population. Supported by NIH/NIGMS SDSU MARC Program 5T34GM008303-22
The Clinical Significance of the Pulmonary Collateral Circulation

The clinical significance of the normal and the expanded pulmonary collateral circulation is considered from the point of view of its nutrient, hemodynamic, and respiratory functions. In the normal lung, the collateral arterial circulation is too diminutive to serve other than a nutrient function. Its roles in preventing pulmonary infarction after embolization, in producing "ischemic lung disease," and in the direct treatment of pulmonary carcinomas are considered. The expanded collateral arterial circulation associated with localized pulmonary lesions or which occurs after ligation of a pulmonary artery seems to be without appreciable hemodynamic effect on either the pulmonary circulation, the left heart, or the systemic circulation. Only in patients with generalized suppurative disease of the lung has it been shown to affect the pulmonary circulation by diverting mixed venous blood away from diseased areas. The possibility exists that the increment in pulmonary blood flow contributed by the collateral a...
Community Economic Identity: The Coal Industry and Ideology Construction in West Virginia

Economic changes and the machinations of the treadmill of production have dramatically reduced the number of jobs provided by extrac- tive industries, such as mining and timber, in the United States and other affluent nations in the post-World War II era. As the importance of these industries to national, regional, and local economies wanes, community resis- tance to ecologically and socially destructive industry practices threatens the political power of corporations engaged in natural-resource extraction. Here we argue that to maintain their power (and profits) as their contribution to employment declines, extractive industries have increased their efforts to maintain and amplify the extent to which the "economic identity" of commu- nities is connected with the industry that was historically an important source of employment. We fit this argument within the neo-Marxian theoretical tradition, which emphasizes the roles ideology and legitimation play in main- taining elite rule. We illustrate this theorized process by analyzing the efforts of the West Virginia coal industry, which, through its (faux) "grassroots" front group "Friends of Coal," attempts to construct the image that West Virginia's economy and cultural identity are centered on coal production. Our analysis relies on content analysis of various sources and on experience gained from field research. We find that key strategies of the Friends of Coal include efforts to become pervasively visible in the social landscape and the appro- priation of cultural icons that exploit the hegemonic masculinity of the region. These findings have implications for how industries around the country, and the world, work to maintain their power through ideological manipulation.
Mechanical Response of Aramid/Epoxy under Tensile, Compressive and Shear Loading

The results of an extensive room temperature mechanical characterization of unidirectional aramid/epoxy carried out using three different test methods are summa rized. The three test methods employed in the above investigation were: off-axis tension and compression tests and Iosipescu shear test. The tests were performed under mono tonic and quasi-static cyclic loading conditions in order to determine the initial elastic pa rameters and characterize subsequent nonlinear response, including failure stresses, under combined loading. It is demonstrated that the initial elastic response correlates well with the predictions of the transformation theory. The nonlinear response obtained from the three test methods is essentially dissipative, exhibiting apparent permanent strain accu mulation and hysteresis loops. The extent and character of nonlinearity and dissipation is a function of the applied load with respect to the fiber direction and depends on the sign of the load. The dramatic differences observed in t...
Supporting the development of narrative skills of an eight-year old child who uses an augmentative and alternative communication device

Narrative abilities have been linked to literacy, communicative competence and development of identity. Children who use augmentative and alternative communication (AAC) may be at risk for difficulties in the development of narrative skills due to differences in their language learning opportunities and limitations of their AAC systems. The structural dimensions of the narrative discourse produced by children who use AAC have been observed to be poorly organized, limited in coherence and severely impoverished in both vocabulary and grammar. In addition, the children usually rely heavily on narrative co-construction and may not be given sufficient opportunities by their communication partners to provide narrative features. This study describes the process used to support the development of autonomous narrative skills of an eight-year old child who uses a voice output communication aid (VOCA) to communicate and who demonstrates significant delays in narrative formation. Results indicate that narratives produced with her VOCA improved in both
Morphology of Elimia livescens (Mollusca: Pleuroceridae) in Indiana, U.S.A. Covaries with Environmental Variation

We examined covariation of morphology with local and regional environmental variables in the widespread North American freshwater gastropod Elimia livescens (Menke, 1830). Geometric morphometrics was used to quantify shape of individuals collected at sites in Indiana, U.S.A. We used the Procrustes superimposition method and relative warp analysis to examine variation among individuals. We found that shape of E. livescens covaried signifi cantly with fl owing versus non-fl owing habitats, drainage area, latitude and longitude, water temperature, conductivity, substrate type, and the presence of woody debris. Individuals with smaller apertures and streamlined shape occurred in smaller watersheds in the southeastern regions of Indiana, and in local habitats with low water fl ow, low conductivity, large, coarse substrate (rip-rap), low frequency of woody debris, and higher dissolved oxygen. We suggest that morphological variation is an integral part in maintaining a wide distribution and maximizing local success for an aquatic gastropod that occurs in a variety of environments.
Gummy Smiles: The Challenge of Gingival Excess: Prevalence and Guidelines for Clinical Management

Orthodontic treatment planning should be a multidisciplinary approach to achieve periodontal health and maximal esthetics. The presence of altered passive eruption may complicate treatment in the presence of inflammation and compromise esthetic outcomes. The prevalence, diagnosis, and treatment of active and arrested passive eruption in the orthodontic patient will be the focus of this article. In a recent landmark study, the prevalence of altered passive eruption in postorthodontic patients, and the same patients 5 years after treatment, were studied for their need for periodontal plastic surgery, esthetic crown lengthening. Less than ideal smile characteristics, namely length-to-width ratios and asymmetry, were found in 65% and 60% of patients, respectively. Enhancing orthodontic results and providing the patient with maximal esthetic results can be achieved through the control of inflammation and esthetic crown lengthening.
Principles of design methodology management for electronic CAD frameworks

The author introduces a set of design methodology management (DMM) modeling principles as applied to VLSI design environments consisting of CAD tools that were not purposely developed so as to be included into design flows and then do not conform to any specific procedural interface. In the author's view DMM services have two major goals: to discipline designers' behavior and to automate the run of tool sequences. The foundation of a model that includes a taxonomy of design methodologies and supports their representation, enforcement and automation is described. >
One Piece of the Puzzle: Individual Leadership and EU Foreign Policy Development

The Search for a Common European Foreign and Security Policy: Leaders, Cognitions, and Questions of Institutional Viability. Edited by Akan Malici. New York: Palgrave Macmillan, 2008. 219 pp, $79.95 hardcover (ISBN: 978-0230604469). The slow evolution of a Common Foreign & Security Policy (CFSP) is often attributed to diverging national interests and identities, the transatlantic divide or the EU's emphasis on civil power. For all those who are in search of alternative explanations for the gradual evolution of the EU's CFSP beyond statist or institutionalist approaches, Akan Malici's book delivers a complementary theory stressing the cognitive strategic propensities of individual leaders. It seeks to overcome some of the perceived shortcomings of traditional comparative European Foreign Policy Analysis by incorporating insights from political psychology, which could explain the “black box” of individual decision-making, and challenges conventional invariant models of state behavior (p. 20). In the introduction, the author introduces the reader to the idea of political leadership in the context of European security integration, provides an intergovernmental account of the evolution of CFSP, and lays out the structure of his book. Chapter 2 presents his “cognitive theory of institutional viability,” which is based on the fundamental understanding that “institutions are human constructions” (p. 17) and that intergovernmental institutions, as in the case of the CFSP, are subject to governmental leadership-agency rather than the established institutional structure, thus reflecting a larger trend in institutional research. Malici then proposes his concept of decision-making bodies as “shared mental models” (p. 18), predicated upon previous work by political psychologists who advocate the existence …
An approach to the cephalotaxine ring skeleton using an ammonium ylide/Stevens [1, 2]-rearrangement

Abstract Ammonium ylides derived from the Cu(II)-catalyzed decomposition of α-diazo carbonyls tethered to tertiary amines underwent a benzylic Stevens [1, 2]-rearrangement to give tetrahydroisoquinolines or benzazepines containing fused five-membered rings, a feature found in the cephalotaxus and lycorane alkaloids.
Measurement of magnetic field using collaborative AUVs

This paper describes an effort to adapt a fleet of autonomous underwater vehicles (AUVs) for the measurement of the magnetic signature of surface ships. Currently, two such vehicles have been upgraded with the necessary navigation and measurement hardware to perform magnetic measurements. Initial testing has been performed at the Naval Acoustic Research Detachment at Lake Pend Oreille, Idaho. Two vehicles have leveraged formation control algorithms originally developed for mine countermeasure missions to operate collaboratively. In the testing area, changes in ambient field were measured to be ∼1,000–2,000 nT. Over one square meter area segments, the standard deviation of total field measurements was below 25 nT. When a steel barge was located in the testing area, localized fields of ∼50,000 nT to ∼62,000 nT were observed.
Personalizing search via automated analysis of interests and activities

We formulate and study search algorithms that consider a user's prior interactions with a wide variety of content to personalize that user's current Web search. Rather than relying on the unrealistic assumption that people will precisely specify their intent when searching, we pursue techniques that leverage implicit information about the user's interests. This information is used to re-rank Web search results within a relevance feedback framework. We explore rich models of user interests, built from both search-related information, such as previously issued queries and previously visited Web pages, and other information about the user such as documents and email the user has read and created. Our research suggests that rich representations of the user and the corpus are important for personalization, but that it is possible to approximate these representations and provide efficient client-side algorithms for personalizing search. We show that such personalization algorithms can significantly improve on current Web search.
Influence of Visual Masking Technique on the Assessment of 2 Red Wines by Trained and Consumer Assessors

During sensory evaluation assessments, visual masking techniques are frequently employed to disguise color differences between samples and minimize perceptual bias. Particularly in wine, the impact of these masking techniques on panelist evaluations has not been well studied. The objective of this study was to study the influence of visual masking techniques on the aroma and flavor assessment of 2 red wines and observe the impact of these techniques on trained and consumer sensory panels. Specific masking techniques included (1) blue wine glass/white illumination; (2) clear glass/red illumination; and (3) clear glass/white illumination. Ten panelists were trained to recognize 7 aroma and flavor attributes, while consumer panelists (n=80) evaluated attributes and liking. For the trained panel, the visual masking technique affected only perceived spicy flavor of Syrah (P < or = 0.05), with the clear glass/red illumination resulting in more intense spicy flavor compared to the other 2 conditions. Principal components analysis showed that for the 2 red wines evaluated by the trained panel, red illumination resulted in higher spicy attributes and perceived astringency while wines served in blue wine glasses were higher in perceived astringency. For the consumer panel, red illumination resulted in wines higher in perceived astringency and blue wine glasses resulted in wines higher in perceived flavor liking. These results indicated that the visual masking techniques may influence both trained and consumer panel evaluation of aroma and flavor attributes of red wine. However, beyond red wine, this study makes the larger point that the choice of masking technique does impact sensory evaluations.
Analysis of joint iterative decoding and phase estimation for the noncoherent AWGN channel, using density evolution

Coding for the additive white Gaussian noise (AWGN) channel that also introduces an unknown carrier phase rotation is considered in this work. A simple model that captures the phase dynamics is one, where the unknown carrier phase is considered constant over a block of N symbols, and independent from block to block. In this work, LDPC codes in conjunction with pilot symbols are considered. In particular, a single pilot symbol of specified power is inserted in the beginning of each block of length N, in order to aid the joint estimation and decoding process. As expected, the presence of a pilot symbol implies an inevitable loss in the transmitted power, resulting in a trade-off between the power allocated between the pilots and the coded bits, and the quality of the joint estimation and decoding process.
The disassembly, reassembly and stability of CCMV protein capsids.

Efficient procedures are described for the disassembly of Cowpea Chlorotic Mottle Virus (CCMV) into its viral-RNA and capsid-protein components, the separation of the RNA and protein, and the reassembly of the purified protein into higher order nanoscale structures. These straightforward biochemical techniques result in high yield quantities of protein suitable for further biophysical studies (AFM, X-ray scattering, NMR, osmotic stress experiments, protein phase-diagram) and nanotechnology applications (protein enclosed nanoparticles, protein-lipid nanoemulsion droplets). Also discussed are solution conditions that affect the stability of the self-assembled protein structure and explicitly show that divalent cation is not required to obtain stable protein structures, while the presence of even small amounts of Ba 2+ have a significant impact on protein self-assembly. However, since high ionic strength solution conditions result in good yields of CCMV-like protein capsids, it is suggested that the highly charged cationic protein N-terminus could act as an electrostatic switch for protein self-assembly and therefore be modulated by ionic strength and salt type. It was also found that CaCl2/RNA precipitation methods do not yield sufficiently pure protein samples. © 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Combining Hedgehog Signaling Inhibition with Focal Irradiation on Reduction of Pancreatic Cancer Metastasis

Pancreatic cancer often presents in advanced stages and is unresponsive to conventional treatments. Thus, the need to develop novel treatment strategies for pancreatic cancer has never been greater. Here we report that combination of focal irradiation with hedgehog (Hh) signaling inhibition exerts better than additive effects on reducing metastases. In an orthotopic model, we found that focal irradiation alone effectively reduced primary tumor growth but did not significantly affect metastasis. We hypothesized that cancer stem cells (CSC) of pancreatic cancer are responsible for the residual tumors following irradiation, which may be regulated by Hh signaling. To test our hypothesis, we showed that tumor metastasis in our model was accompanied by increased expression of CSC cell surface markers as well as Hh target genes. We generated tumor spheres from orthotopic pancreatic and metastatic tumors, which have elevated levels of CSC markers relative to the parental cells and elevated expression of Hh target genes. Irradiation of tumor spheres further elevated CSC cell surface markers and increased Hh target gene expression. Combination of Hh signaling inhibition with radiation had more than additive effects on tumor sphere regeneration in vitro. This phenotype was observed in two independent cell lines. In our orthotopic animal model, focal radiation plus Hh inhibition had more than additive effects on reducing lymph node metastasis. We identified several potential molecules in mediating Hh signaling effects. Taken together, our data provide a rationale for combined use of Hh inhibition with irradiation for clinical treatment of pancreatic cancer patients.
Biomaterial design motivated by characterization of natural extracellular matrices

A growing trend in tissue engineering and regenerative medicine is to view cells, matrices, and whole tissues from a materials science perspective. The rationale behind this novel approach to considering biological problems is that the material properties at these different length scales both define their physical stability and also provide instructive cues. These cues can maintain homeostasis in healthy tissues or drive dynamic events during development, wound healing, and disease progression. However, one must map and characterize the physical properties of the natural extracellular matrix environment found in vivo in order to guide the design of synthetic or naturally derived materials to control cell function. This article reviews the study of natural tissues as materials, and sheds light on the use of this information to develop novel synthetic materials that guide cell function.
A latent class approach to examining forms of peer victimization

There is growing interest in gender differences in the experience of various forms of peer victimization; however, much of the work to date has used traditional variable-centered approaches by focusing on scales or individual forms of victimization in isolation. The current study explored whether there were discrete groups of adolescents who experience distinct forms of peer victimization by bullying (e.g., physical, verbal, relational) among middle and high school-age youth, and whether membership in a particular victimization group was associated with internalizing problems and aggression. Latent class analyses examining 10 different forms of victimization were conducted on a diverse sample of middle school (n = 11,408) and high school (n = 5,790) students. All forms of victimization were less common among high school students, except cyberbullying and sexual comments/gestures. The analyses revealed that there were 4 distinct victimization patterns for middle school students (Verbal and Physical; Verbal and Relational; High Verbal, Physical, and Relational; and Low Victimization/Normative), whereas high school students fell into a similar pattern with the exception of a Verbal and Physical class. These patterns of victimization were functionally associated with co-occurring internalizing problems and aggression. There were also some notable gender and developmental differences in the pattern of victimization and its relation with adjustment problems. These findings enhance our understanding of the complex patterns of peer victimization that are experienced by middle and high school students. Implications for educational researchers and school-based bullying interventions are discussed.
Biosynthesis of caffeic acid in Escherichia coli using its endogenous hydroxylase complex

Caffeic acid (3,4-dihydroxycinnamic acid) is a natural phenolic compound derived from the plant phenylpropanoid pathway. Caffeic acid and its phenethyl ester (CAPE) have attracted increasing attention for their various pharmaceutical properties and health-promoting effects. Nowadays, large-scale production of drugs or drug precursors via microbial approaches provides a promising alternative to chemical synthesis and extraction from plant sources. We first identified that an Escherichia coli native hydroxylase complex previously characterized as the 4-hydroxyphenylacetate 3-hydroxylase (4HPA3H) was able to convert p-coumaric acid to caffeic acid efficiently. This critical enzymatic step catalyzed in plants by a membrane-associated cytochrome P450 enzyme, p-coumarate 3-hydroxylase (C3H), is difficult to be functionally expressed in prokaryotic systems. Moreover, the performances of two tyrosine ammonia lyases (TALs) from Rhodobacter species were compared after overexpression in E. coli. The results indicated that the TAL from R. capsulatus (Rc) possesses higher activity towards both tyrosine and L-dopa. Based on these findings, we further designed a dual pathway leading from tyrosine to caffeic acid consisting of the enzymes 4HPA3H and Rc TAL. This heterologous pathway extended E. coli native tyrosine biosynthesis machinery and was able to produce caffeic acid (12.1 mg/L) in minimal salt medium. Further improvement in production was accomplished by boosting tyrosine biosynthesis in E. coli, which involved the alleviation of tyrosine-induced feedback inhibition and carbon flux redirection. Finally, the titer of caffeic acid reached 50.2 mg/L in shake flasks after 48-hour cultivation. We have successfully established a novel pathway and constructed an E. coli strain for the production of caffeic acid. This work forms a basis for further improvement in production, as well as opens the possibility of microbial synthesis of more complex plant secondary metabolites derived from caffeic acid. In addition, we have identified that TAL is the rate-limiting enzyme in this pathway. Thus, exploration for more active TALs via bio-prospecting and protein engineering approaches is necessary for further improvement of caffeic acid production.
Analog Numerical Representations in Rhesus Monkeys: Evidence for Parallel Processing

Monkeys have been introduced as model organisms to study neural correlates of numerical competence, but many of the behavioral characteristics of numerical judgments remain speculative. Thus, we analyzed the behavioral performance of two rhesus monkeys judging the numerosities 1 to 7 during a delayed match-to-sample task. The monkeys showed similar discrimination performance irrespective of the exact physical appearance of the stimuli, confirming that performance was based on numerical information. Performance declined smoothly with larger numerosities, and reached discrimination threshold at numerosity ''4.'' The nonverbal numerical representations in monkeys were based on analog magnitudes, object tracking process (''subitizing'') could not account for the findings because the continuum of small and large numbers shows a clear Weber fraction signature. The lack of additional scanning eye movements with increasing set sizes, together with indistinguishable neuronal response latencies for neurons with different preferred numerosities, argues for parallel encoding of numerical information. The slight but significant increase in reaction time with increasing numerosities can be explained by task difficulty and consequently time-consuming decision processes. The behavioral results are compared to single-cell recordings from the prefrontal cortex in the same subjects. Models for numerosity discrimination that may account for these results are discussed.
The protective role of school friendship ties for substance use and aggressive behaviors among middle school students

BACKGROUND: Few studies have examined the interplay among quantifiable aspects of peer bonds, friendship types, personal characteristics, and behavioral outcomes in schools in distressed neighborhoods. The aim of this study was to identify compensatory and protective factors that can be promoted in school-based prevention programs. METHODS: The sample was comprised of students in East Los Angeles County (N = 184). We investigated the association between 3 measures of social influence (friends in gangs, nominations of schoolmates as friends [out-degree], and the number of nominations received from schoolmates [in-degree]) and social self-control with lifetime alcohol, tobacco, inhalant, "other" drug use, and aggression. RESULTS: Friendships were protective for substance use and aggression and moderated the relationship between social self-control, substance use, and aggression. We found important sex differences; girls who nominated more friends were less likely to report alcohol use and aggression relative to boys but were more likely to have reported drug use as social self-control scores increased. CONCLUSIONS: Our results have important implications for school-based prevention and intervention programs. We provide preliminary evidence that school ties and perceptions of belongingness can mitigate the effects of several risk factors linked to substance use and aggression. Language: en
THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN PHYSICS AND PHILOSOPHY

Working physicists, I believe, almost inevitably have strong philosophical interests, regardless of whether they have taken courses labeled “Philosophy” and whether they have liked what they have sampled. Their interest is implicit in the discipline of physics itself. Peter Bergmann, in the introduction to his Basic Theories of Physics I attributed to Einstein the view that “a theoretical physicist is ... a philosopher in workingman’s clothes.” I would omit the adjective “theoretical” and apply the characterization to experimentalists as well. This claim depends, of course, on a conception of what philosophy is. I propose the following: philosophy is the systematic search for perspective, for connections among aspects of the world, and for depth of explanation. Some physicists are drawn into their profession from the beginning because they have been convinced by a few revealing examples that the procedures of physical investigation help to achieve perspective, connections, and depth of explanation. These are philosophers from the start. Others are drawn in because of their fascination with specific phenomena. In my case, the onset of curiosity about the physical world, so far as I can recall, came at the age of four, when I saw my father siphoning wine out of a barrel, and I was amazed that the wine went up in the siphon before it descended. But even if the route to professional physics is via wonder at specific phenomena, an approach to philosophy, in the sense mentioned, is unavoidable, because the physicist’s understanding of phenomena goes beyond the phenomena themselves to underlying causes and to connections.
Treatment of extensive stage small cell lung cancer.

Thymomas and thymic carcinomas are unique tumors of the anterior mediastinum. The association of a variety of different paraneoplastic syndromes with such lesions has fascinated physicians and researchers for years. Most recently, it has been demonstrated by numerous authors that thymomas are chemosensitive tumors. Their indolent nature and relative rarity have made evaluation through prospective randomized clinical trials extremely difficult. Further information regarding the molecular nature of these neoplasms and immunologic aspects is needed in future investigation.
A Web-based Geographic Information System Application for Description of American Viticultural Areas in Texas

A geographic information system (GIS) application was developed containing 18 layers of spatially explicit environmental data relevant to characterization of the eight officially recognized American Viticultural Areas (AVAs) for wine grape (Vitis vinifera) production in Texas. GIS climate variables included daily minimum temperature, daily maximum temperature, daily average temperature (TAVG), growing degree days (GDD), ripening period mean temperature (RPMT), annual precipitation, solar radiation, vapor pressure, and number of frost days. Soil attributes were texture, depth, available water capacity, pH, permeability, and bulk density. These data were used to develop interpretative descriptions of Texas AVAs published on the Winegrowing Regions of Texas web site, which also serves as the public portal to the interactive GIS (AVATXIS). Individuals can use AVATXIS to access data and visualize spatial variability on maps to characterize Texas AVAs for any or all of the environmental factors and to examine spatial relationships among factors.
A Sample of a Scattered Group

) City directory and block supplement techniques are used as the sample design for a scattered metropolitan population. The problems arising out of varying selection rates within dwelling units are handled by the use of a screening phase in the field and subsequent stratification of dwelling units by number of eligible respondents. The results of this design point up the feasibility of using a city directory technique to sample widely scattered groups with relatively small increases in sample variances.
Staphylococcal β-barrel Pore-Forming Toxins: Mushrooms That Breach the Greasy Barrier

Staphylococcus aureus exhibits a myriad of virulence elements, including β-barrel pore-forming toxins (β-PFTs). The primary mission of these protein toxins is to destroy the physical and chemical gradients across the membrane of the targeted cell by generating well-defined transmembrane pores, ultimately causing the cell death. Such a form of biomolecular attack is a ubiquitous membrane-perforation mechanism in numerous organisms, including bacterial systems and eukaryotes. One unusual commonality of the β-PFTs is their amphipathic nature, enabling sophisticated conformational alterations that are required for their transit from the secreting to attacked cell. Intriguingly enough, proteinaceous toxins are secreted as a hydrophilic form. Then, they must navigate within the aqueous phase between the two cells and ultimately breach the hydrophobic barrier posed by the susceptible cell membrane. The archetype of these non-enzymatic staphylococcal β-PFTs is the homoheptameric α-hemolysin (αHL) protein. Moreover, S. aureus has the ability to secrete up to four heteromeric, bi-component β-PFTs. Although the homomeric and heteromeric β-PFTs are related in sequence, homology, and structure, they demonstrate distinct biophysical features.
The Insufficiency of Nomological Explanation

Within the broadly Humean tradition of twentieth-century analytical philosophy, causation and explanation have both been analysed in terms of logical or probabilistic relations among true propositions, some of them natural laws. It has been thought, or hoped, that explanation could be fully captured in terms of such an analysis. To understand causation, on the other hand, has usually been thought to involve additional elements. In Hume these additional elements are the temporal priority of the cause and, perhaps, the contiguity of cause and effect. The customary transition of the mind from the impression of the cause to the idea of the effect and from the impression of the effect to the idea of the cause is best interpreted as an element in a sketchy pragmatic analysis of the notion of a law and thus involved in both the analysis of explanation and causation, not as an additional element needed particularly for the analysis of causation.
Progress and Prospects of Materials Characterization at Subnanometer Spatial Resolution using Finely Focussed Electron Beams

The prospects of microanalysis using 0.5 nm diameter electron beams are reviewed. This paper will discuss the various characterization possibilities with emphasis on incoherent imaging, energy loss spectroscopy and convergent probe diffraction. Some examples indicating characterization at a 0.5 nm lateral spatial resolution scale will be presented and we will conclude with a discussion of the limits of nanometer characterization.
Linking Teacher Instruction and Student Achievement in Mathematics: The Role of Teacher Language

Although high-quality early educational environments are thought to be related to the growth of children’s skills in mathematics, relatively little is known about specific aspects of classroom instruction that may promote these abilities. Data from a longitudinal investigation were used to investigate associations between teachers’ language while teaching mathematics and their students’ growth in mathematical skill during the 2nd grade. Specifically, the extent to which mathematics lessons included cognitive-processing language (CPL)—instruction that is rich in references to cognitive processes, metacognition, and requests for remembering—was related to changes in students’ math achievement. Demonstrating the role of the language of instruction, the findings indicated that children whose 2nd-grade teachers included greater amounts of CPL during instruction evidenced greater growth in math fluency and calculation than did their peers whose teachers employed lower levels of CPL.
155 COMPLICATIONS OF SIMULTANEOUS TREATMENT OF TUBERCULOSIS AND HIV IN AN HIV-POSITIVE MAN

Introduction: In HIV-tuberculosis (TB) coinfection, treatment (Rx) principles for TB are identical to HIV-uninfected individuals. However, Rx problems may be encountered, including drug interactions and paradoxical immune reactions, as illustrated by a HIV-TB coinfected individual with extrapulmonary complications of TB. Case Report: A previously healthy 17 year old Hispanic male presented to Medical Center of Louisiana, New Orleans(MCLNO), with 8 week history of cough, pleurisy, dyspnea on exertion, fever, night sweats, chills, and 10 pound weight loss. Pertinent findings on admission were T 39.4°,BP 110/60, P 108, RR 26 with unremarkable physical examination and laboratory results. CXR revealed hilar fullness but no infiltrate. Chest CT scan revealed superior and mediastinal lymphadenopathy. Sputum acid-fast bacilli (AFB) smears and TB skin test were negative. HIV test was positive with a CD4 count of 41/mm3 and viral load (VL) of 199,000 copies. The patient was empirically treated with levofloxacin (levo) with improvement and discharged. Two weeks after initial hospitalization, the patient was readmitted with worsening symptoms, and isoniazid, rifampin (RIF), pyrazinamide, and ethambutol were started empirically with improvement. On day 20, initial sputum culture turned positive for Mycobacterium TB. Highly active antiretroviral therapy (HAART) was started as an outpatient with D4T, 3TC, and abacavir. On day 60, the patient presented to an outside hospital with return of fever, chills, and pleurisy. Echocardiogram revealed large pericardial effusion with tamponade. Thoracoscopic pericardial window and biopsy was performed with removal of 700 cc of serosanguinous fluid but minimal relief of symptoms. Levo was substituted for RIF,and HAART was changed to D4T, DDI, and lopinavir/ritonavir. The patient continued to worsen and on day 81 was transferred back to MCLNO. HAART and levo were discontinued and RIF reinstituted. Indomethacin failed but prednisone gave complete resolution of symptoms and pericardial fluid by day 88. HAART was restarted with D4T, 3TC, and efavirenz, with subsequent VL suppression and CD4 peak of 294/mm3. The patient completed 10 months of anti-TB therapy with no recurrence for >3 years. Discussion: Due to high mortality in HIV infected persons with TB, early treatment with HAART is recommended, but time of initiation is controversial. Providers must be alert to complications such as drug interactions and immune reconstitution syndrome that may mimic worsening of TB.
Analysis of 38 cases of ADR reports of Ginkgo Leaf Extract and Dipyridamole Injection

Objective To explore the rules and characteristics of adverse reactions of Ginkgo Leaf Extract and Dipyridamole Injection,to provide a reference for clinical rational drug use.Methods 38 ADR reports of Ginkgo Leaf Extract and Dipyridamole Injection were analyzed retrospectively from gender,age,time of adverse reactions,clinical manifestation,etc.Results Main clinical manifestation of adverse reactions were rash,nausea,vomiting,choking,dizzy,shivering,mainly appeared in the injection process.New serious adverse reactions achieved a higher proportion,23 cases(60.5%).1 case was serious allergic shock.Over 50 years old had a higher incidence.Conclusion It is necessary to strengthen the monitoring of adverse reactions of Ginkgo Leaf Extract and Dipyridamole Injection,master the related factors and clinical manifestation of Ginkgo Leaf Extract and Dipyridamole Injection,and promote rational drug use.
Die russische Diaspora in Deutschland

Bevor es um die konkrete Darstellung der empirischen Ergebnisse geht, soll im folgenden Kapitel zunachst ein knapper Uberblick uber die russische Diaspora in Deutschland gegeben werden, der die empirischen Ergebnisse entsprechend kontextualisiert. Erortert werden in einem knappen Umriss insbesondere deren historische und demografische Entwicklung sowie soziokulturelle Besonderheiten. Daruber hinaus werden einige vorliegende Ergebnisse zum Medienangebot und zur Mediennutzung dieser ethnischen Gemeinschaft diskutiert, um auf die daran anschliesenden Ergebnisse der empirischen Analyse hinzufuhren.
COMPLEX STRUCTURES AND NEW SURPRISES IN SV40 mRNA

ABSTRACT We have determined the nucleotide sequences of many of the SV40 mRNAs produced in virus transformed cells, and early and late in lytically infected cells. Late lytic mRNAS exhibit a multiplicity of 5′ ends. 16S mRNAs all contain contiguous stretches of RNA coding for VP1 spliced onto three classes of 5′ terminal leaders. One class of leaders contains an intraleader splice while another contains a duplication of 93 nucleotides at the 3′ terminus of the leader. 19S mRNAs contain coding information for VP2 and VP3 and fall into four classes, one of which is comprised of unspliced species and three of which contain different 5′ terminal splices. 16 and 19S mRNAs share only one major leader. The late mRNA leaders are transcribed from a region of approximately 10% of the viral genome. SV40 large and small T antigen early mRNAs isolated from infected and transformed cells exhibit single well-defined overlapping splices and a limited degree of 5′ terminal heterogeneity.
Surgical management of bilateral vocal fold paralysis: A cost‐effectiveness comparison of two treatments

Objectives/Hypothesis Endoscopic management of bilateral vocal fold paralysis (BVFP) includes cordotomy and arytenoidectomy, and has become a well-accepted alternative to tracheostomy. However, the costs and quality-of-life benefits of endoscopic management have not been examined with formal economic analysis. This study undertakes a cost-effectiveness analysis of tracheostomy versus endoscopic management of BVFP. Study Design Cost-effectiveness analysis. Methods A literature review identified a range of costs and outcomes associated with surgical options for BVFP. Additional costs were derived from Medicare reimbursement data; all were adjusted to 2014 dollars. Cost-effectiveness analysis evaluated both therapeutic strategies in short-term and long-term scenarios. Probabilistic sensitivity analysis was used to assess confidence levels regarding the economic evaluation. Results The incremental cost effectiveness ratio for endoscopic management versus tracheostomy is $31,600.06 per quality-adjusted life year (QALY), indicating that endoscopic management is the cost-effective short-term strategy at a willingness-to-pay (WTP) threshold of $50,000/QALY. The probability that endoscopic management is more cost-effective than tracheostomy at this WTP is 65.1%. Threshold analysis demonstrated that the model is sensitive to both utilities and cost in the short-term scenario. When costs of long-term care are included, tracheostomy is dominated by endoscopic management, indicating the cost-effectiveness of endoscopic management at any WTP. Conclusions Endoscopic management of BVFP appears to be more cost-effective than tracheostomy. Though endoscopic cordotomy and arytenoidectomy require expertise and specialized equipment, this model demonstrates utility gains and long-term cost advantages to an endoscopic strategy. These findings are limited by the relative paucity of robust utility data and emphasize the need for further economic analysis in otolaryngology. Level of Evidence NA Laryngoscope, 2016
DOES THE EARNED INCOME TAX CREDIT REDUCE SAVING BY LOW-INCOME HOUSEHOLDS?

This paper analyzes the effect of the Earned Income Tax Credit (EITC) on investment income. Policy-makers have devoted substantial time and resources toward increasing the saving rate of low-income...
Feasibility of computer-based self-administered cancer-specific geriatric assessment (SA-CSGA) in older pts with gastrointestinal malignancy (GIM).

e19586 Feasibility of computer-based self-administered cancer-specific geriatric assessment (SA-CSGA) in older pts w/ gastrointestinal malignancy (GIM) Background: The CSGA (Hurria, JCO 2011) is a ...
Using the Moist Static Energy Budget to Understand Storm-Track Shifts across a Range of Time Scales

AbstractStorm tracks shift meridionally in response to forcing across a range of time scales. Here the authors formulate a moist static energy (MSE) framework for storm-track position and use it to understand storm-track shifts in response to seasonal insolation, El Nino minus La Nina conditions, and direct (increased CO2 over land) and indirect (increased sea surface temperature) effects of increased CO2. Two methods (linearized Taylor series and imposed MSE flux divergence) are developed to quantify storm-track shifts and decompose them into contributions from net energy (MSE input to the atmosphere minus atmospheric storage) and MSE flux divergence by the mean meridional circulation and stationary eddies. Net energy is not a dominant contribution across the time scales considered. The stationary eddy contribution dominates the storm-track shift in response to seasonal insolation, El Nino minus La Nina conditions, and CO2 direct effect in the Northern Hemisphere, whereas the mean meridional circulation ...
Banana Kiss: A Participatory Interactive Installation to Enhance Intimacy with Kiss Interaction

Kissing has been a vital part of human communication since the beginning of time. Banana Kiss is a participatory interactive installation that explores how to enhance intimacy using kissing behavior. After presenting the motivation for using kissing as a tool for human-computer interaction, we describe the design process that led to an intuitive interactive system for naive users in public spaces. The installation further explores the role of participation and intimacy in participatory installations.