cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Observations of upper tropospheric/lower stratospheric water vapor and its isotopes

[1] Airborne observations of high-resolution infrared absorption, recorded between 1978 and 2005, are used to retrieve column amounts of H216O, H217O, H218O and HDO. Observations span a wide range of years, seasons and latitudes, all made with essentially the same spectrometer system. A spectral optimal estimator fitting technique, SFIT2, has been used uniformly to analyze all the data. The latitudinal distributions of H216O, H217O and H218O are similar and much like those from other observations (e.g., SPARC (Kley et al., 2000)). The column of HDO above 13 km exhibits a distribution with latitude that is much less pronounced. From 1978 to 2005 the long-term increase in the column of Northern Hemisphere H216O above 13 km is found to be 1.16 ± 0.4%/year, consistent with previous observations. HDO is found to decrease by about 0.4%/year during the same period. In low latitudes, from 35°S to 35°N, large depletions of HDO relative to H216O, δD (−460 ± 21‰), and H218O relative to H216O (−104 ± 47‰) are determined. δD shows an unexpected trend of enhanced depletion of about 5–6‰ per year for the period from 1978 to 2005.
Computed tomography for clearance of cervical spine injury in the unevaluable patient.

Objective To review computed tomography (CT) as a stand-alone test for the clearance of cervical spine injury in the unevaluable patient population. Methods A PubMed database search was performed using a combination of search terms and Medical Subject Headings. Studies that met inclusion criteria were those with unevaluable patient populations suffering blunt trauma who underwent both CT and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) of the cervical spine. Results Our analysis of 13 articles revealed that a total of 1322 unevaluable patients with a negative CT C-spine who also underwent MRI; 137 of these patients (10%) had positive findings on MRI. Among nine studies with patient management data, a total of 115 patients had positive MRI findings in the setting of a negative CT. Of those 115 patients, 52%, or 60 patients, had changes to their management based on MRI findings. Surgical stabilization was required in three patients, representing 2.5% of the 115 patients with positive MRI findings. The total number of patients in these nine studies who had a negative CT was 855. Therefore, the negative predictive value of a negative CT in this patient population was 92.9% for clinically significant cervical spine injury and 99.6% for cervical spine injury requiring operative intervention. Conclusion The evidence supporting CT for the stand-alone evaluation of the cervical spine in the unevaluable patient is insufficient. We contend that a CT of the cervical spine must be supplemented by an additional examination addressing ligamentous instability in this patient population.
Diffusion in catalyst pellets

Abstract A theory is proposed for predicting diffusion rates at constant pressure through bi-disperse porous media. The total rate is the sum of separate contributions for diffusion through macropores, micropores and a series path. To apply the theory requires a knowledge of the pore volume-pore radius distribution for the porous material. Experimental diffusion measurements are reported for five high-area alumina pellets of different densities made from the same Boehmite powder. The results show that for the least dense pellets macropore diffusion is dominant. In contrast the micropore contribution controls the diffusion rate in the most dense pellet. The theory predicts rates in good agreement with the data over the pressure range investigated, 1–12 atm. Comparison with other diffusion data is hindered by the lack of pore-volume-distribution information. However, such data are available for a silver catalyst and for a low-area alumina. For these different materials the theory also predicts reliable diffusion rates.
Music of the Future, Music of the Past: Tannhääuser and Alceste at the Paris Opééra

Abstract The 1861 productions of Wagner9s Tannhaauser and Gluck9s Alceste at the Paris Opeera led to a major turning point in reception of both composers in France. After Tannhaauser 9s spectacular failure in March of that year, the management of the Opeera decided to mount Alceste , a move that critics took as an invitation to compare the two. It was in the preface to Alceste , after all, that Gluck had directly expressed his famous operatic reforms, which Wagner9s later aesthetic principles were often perceived to echo or, less charitably, to plagiarize. Critics in the 1850s had begun to make connections between the two composers, but reception of these two 1861 productions cemented a link that would last well into the twentieth century. Despite the considerable amount of scholarly attention devoted to reception of Wagner in France, to date his link to Gluck in contemporary French criticism has not been examined in detail. Yet ideas about Gluck9s achievements provided the framework for how critics, and presumably their readers, understood the ““music of the future.”” A close examination of critical reception of the 1861 productions of Tannhaauser and Alceste sheds new light on perceptions of both Gluck and Wagner in nineteenth-century France and reveals the extent to which their musical identities were intertwined in French music criticism.
Excitation Profiles and the Continuum in SERS: Identification of Fano Line Shapes

We extend a previous theoretical expression of SERS to include the possibility of coupling of the molecular levels with the continuum of levels in the conduction band in the metal. We modify the expression for excitation profiles to account for interference between nearby conduction band levels, producing an asymmetric Fano line shape. Both charge-transfer and molecular transitions are considered since both can contribute to the SERS enhancement. We test the theory by comparison with the observed profiles in pyridine, p-aminothiopehnol (PATP), and an azo dye (DABS). The experimental profiles are clearly asymmetric, dipping into the continuum on one side and approaching the continuum asymptotically on the other. In each case, an excellent fit of the Fano profile is obtained.
Effect of gamma radiation on colorimetric determination of iron

Summary The effect of γ-radiation on the spectrophotometric determination of iron by three major methods has been studied. The thiocyanate method is particularly sensitive to γ-radiation because the iron(II) formed by reaction of thiocyanic acid and iron(III) is radiolytically reoxidized. It has been proven that the positive error caused by γ-radiation on the 1,10-phenanthroline method is due to radiolysis of the constituents of the blank and not the iron complex. This error may be largely eliminated by carrying a blank through the total procedure under radiation and reading the sample against the blank. The radiation-induced error in the α,α′-bipyridyl method was not found to be of the same nature and is therefore not amenable to the same correction. Data on the radiolysis effect on each of these methods are presented.
Temporal logic programming is complete and expressive

This paper addresses semantic and expressiveness issues for temporal logic programming and in particular for the TEMPLOG language proposed by Abadi and Manna. Two equivalent formulations of TEMPLOG's declarative semantics are given: in terms of a minimal Herbrand model and in terms of a least fixpoint. By relating these semantics to TEMPLOG's operational semantics, we prove the completeness of the resolution proof system underlying TEMPLOG's execution mechanism. To study TEMPLOG's expressiveness, we consider its propositional version. We show how propositional TEMPLOG programs can be translated into a temporal fixpoint calculus and prove that they can express essentially all regular properties of sequences.
Response: Dialogue with Sociohistorical Vygotskian Academia about a Sociocultural Approach

I argue that all four commentators belong to the cultural-historical paradigm that I described and discussed in my original article, based on their opposition to a sociocultural approach, and their...
NMR Studies of Hindered Rotation. The Diels-Alder Adduct of Phencyclone with Maleic Anhydride: Restricted Motion of Bridgehead Phenyls

Abstract 1H NMR studies at 300 MHz have been performed for the Diels-Alder adduct of phencyclone and maleic anhydride in CDCl3 at ambient temperatures. The 1D spectrum shows four equal (2H) intensity doublets in the aryl region (in addition to other absorptions) which is fully consistent with a slow exchange limit (SEL) spectrum of a system in which the unsubstituted bridgehead phenyls exhibit hindered rotation around the C(sp2)-C (sp3) bond on the NMR timescale. These protons are assigned to H-1,8 and H-4,5 of the phenanthrene moiety and to H-2′ and H-6′ of the phenvls based on the two-dimensional (2D) homonuclear chemical shift correlation spectrum (COSY) together with arguments regarding carbonyl and aromatic ring anisotropy. Full proton assignments are given.
Motivation for hepatitis B vaccine acceptance among medical and physician assistant students

PURPOSE: To evaluate the acceptance rate and motivation for acceptance of hepatitis B virus (HBV) vaccine among pre-clinical medical and physician assistant (PA) students in comparison with similar data obtained from resident and staff physicians.
Geographical patterns of Guinea worm infestation in Ghana : An historical contribution

Abstract Guinea worm disease (dracunculiasis) is caused by a parasitic worm, some 2–3 ft in length. Its victims suffer prolonged pain, physical incapacitation, and social and economic disruption. This study identifies geographical patterns of guinea worm disease in Ghana in 1989, just before a national eradication campaign was launched. The broadest belts of disease correspond with long dry seasons, water shortages, and deep water tables over Voltaian sandstone formations. A major “disease hearth” is located in the Northern Region savanna woodland, with rates rising to about 200 per 1000 population. In the rain forest, rates drop below 1 per 1000. Cyclical and seasonal labor migrations result in regional spread of dracunculiasis. The Upper Regions enjoy low rates of infestation, despite constant disease assault by returning migrants. This outcome is based on favorable geology, and hand-pump tube well programs. Village water security in the Upper West Region is associated with a reversal of the seasonal incidence of dracunculiasis. The dry coastal plains are associated with elevated dracunculiasis, but irrigation projects appear to be a compounding influence in the creation of “hot spots” or foci of disease. Notorious in the transtlantic slave trade, and historically long entrenched in rural areas, guinea worm now faces global extinction.
An approximate MO-LCAO-SCF method including overlap

A molecular orbital method is described which can be applied to molecules where the restrictions of π-electron theory are not fulfilled. It has the following main characteristics: 1. Atomic SCF functions are used as a basis, 2. Core-valence interactions are treated by means of perturbation theory, 3. Mulliken type approximations are used for many-center integrals.
The radiation order-disorder transformation — initial transient☆

Abstract A refined model for ordered alloys is presented to describe the combined effect of radiation disordering and radiation-enhanced reordering when the sink density varies with time due to radiation-induced loop formation. Point defect concentrations, which are directly dependent on sink density, are responsible for the reordering process. The efficiency of reordering by vacancies is higher at early times in the case of thermal neutron irradiation because focused replacement sequence events are the dominating disordering mechanism.
An integrated approach for classifying mitochondrial DNA variants: one clinical diagnostic laboratory's experience.

An integrated approach for classifying mitochondrial DNA variants: one clinical diagnostic laboratory’s experience
14N(n, α)11B reaction at 14.1 MeV

Abstract Natural N2 gas was bombarded with 14.1 MeV neutrons, and alpha particles from 14N (n, α)11B reactions were observed with a telescope consisting of two proportional counters and a CsI(Tl) scintillator. Absolute differential cross sections were measured for the (n, α) transitions to the ground state and to the 2.14 MeV level of 11B. The observed angular distributions were fitted with curves, calculated using two-mode PWBAE, 3He pick-up and diffraction theories.
A comparison of 35 mm cine film and digital radiographic image recording: implications for quantitative coronary arteriography. Film vs. digital coronary quantification.

To assess potential differences in the intrinsic properties of image recording media and their impact on quantitative coronary arteriography, we used an automatic quantitative arteriography computer program to analyze cine film and digital radiographic images of a radiographic arterial phantom. The phantom consisted of a lucite plate with precision-drilled lumena ranging from 0.5 to 5.0 mm in diameter. Film images were digitized at 2048 X 2048 pixel resolution, and digital radiographic images were acquired at 512 X 512 and 1024 X 1024 resolution. Arterial geometric diameter, percent diameter stenosis, densitometric relative cross-sectional area, and densitometric percent area stenosis were measured. All three techniques were equivalent in measuring diameters with a high degree of overall accuracy (R greater than .992). All methods overestimated diameters below 1.0 mm. Both 512 X 512 and 1024 X 1024 digital images were superior to film for densitometric measurement of relative area (R = .995 vs. R = .940, P = .0032). We conclude that automated analysis of digital radiographic images yields results that are similar in geometric precision but greater in densitometric precision than film analysis.
Binding of both acrosome-intact and acrosome-reacted guinea pig sperm to the zona pellucida during in vitro fertilization

Abstract Mammalian sperm-egg adhesion occurs when sperm bind to the zona pellucida of the egg. In this study with guinea pig gametes, we have asked if sperm can initiate binding to the zona before and after the acrosome reaction and if the sperm surface protein PH-20 is involved in the binding at these two stages. Sperm binding to the zona was examined under a variety of conditions. Sperm were suspended in 0.9% NaCl or capacitated by two different methods. Eggs were immobilized on lectin-coated coverslips, compressed between a coverslip and a glass slide, or free in tissue culture dishes. The sperm-egg interaction was recorded on videotape or assessed after fixation of the eggs with bound sperm. Under all conditions studied, both acrosome-intact and acrosome-reacted sperm initiated binding to the zona. The binding was persistent and not transitory. In particular, acrosome-intact sperm that bound to the zona were observed to remain bound for up to 80 min. One acrosome-intact sperm, bound to the zona, was videotaped while it acrosome-reacted. When mixed sperm populations (on the average 24% acrosome-intact and 76% acrosome-reacted) were incubated with eggs for 30 min, an average of 10% of the bound sperm were acrosome-intact. The PH-20 monoclonal antibody has previously been shown to inhibit zona binding by guinea pig sperm of undetermined acrosomal status ( P. Primakoff, H. Hyatt, and D. G. Myles (1985), J. Cell Biol. 101, 2239–2244 ). In this study, when the two populations of sperm were counted separately, PH-20 inhibited the binding of acrosome-reacted but not acrosome-intact sperm. Our results show that both acrosome-intact and acrosome-reacted guinea pig sperm can initiate binding to the zona; however, the binding in the two cases may not occur by the same mechanism.
Forces between glass surfaces in mixed cationic-zwitterionic surfactant systems.

We report atomic force microscopy (AFM) measurements of the forces between borosilicate glass solids in aqueous mixtures of cationic and zwitterionic surfactants. These forces are used to determine the adsorption of the surfactant as a function of the separation between the interfaces (proximal adsorption) through the application of a Maxwell relation. In the absence of cationic surfactant, the zwitterionic surfactant N-dodecyl-N,N-dimethyl-3-ammonio-1-propanesulfonate (DDAPS) undergoes little adsorption to glass at concentrations up to about 2/3 critical micelle concentration (cmc). In addition, DDAPS does not have much effect on the forces over the same concentration range. In contrast, the cationic surfactant dodecylpyridinium chloride (DPC) does adsorb to glass and does affect the force between glass surfaces at concentrations much lower than the cmc. In the presence of a small amount of DPC (0.05 mM = cmc/300), the net force between the glass surfaces is quite sensitive to the solution concentration ...
Cross Validation for Selection of Cortical Interaction Models From Scalp EEG or MEG

A cross-validation (CV) method based on state-space framework is introduced for comparing the fidelity of different cortical interaction models to the measured scalp electroencephalogram (EEG) or magnetoencephalography (MEG) data being modeled. A state equation models the cortical interaction dynamics and an observation equation represents the scalp measurement of cortical activity and noise. The measured data are partitioned into training and test sets. The training set is used to estimate model parameters and the model quality is evaluated by computing test data innovations for the estimated model. Two CV metrics normalized mean square error and log-likelihood are estimated by averaging over different training/test partitions of the data. The effectiveness of this method of model selection is illustrated by comparing two linear modeling methods and two nonlinear modeling methods on simulated EEG data derived using both known dynamic systems and measured electrocorticography data from an epilepsy patient.
Immediate placement of a porous-tantalum, trabecular metal-enhanced titanium dental implant with demineralized bone matrix into a socket with deficient buccal bone: A clinical report

A missing or deficient buccal alveolar bone plate is often an important limiting factor for immediate implant placement. Titanium dental implants enhanced with porous tantalum-based trabecular metal material (PTTM) are designed for osseoincorporation, a combination of vascularized bone ingrowth and osseointegration (bone on-growth). Demineralized bone matrix (DBM) contains growth factors with good handling characteristics. However, the combination of these 2 materials in facial alveolar bone regeneration associated with immediate implant therapy has not been reported. A 65-year-old Asian woman presented with a failing central incisor. Most of the buccal alveolar bone plate of the socket was missing. A PTTM enhanced implant was immediately placed with DBM. Cone beam computed tomography scans 12 months after the insertion of the definitive restoration showed regeneration of buccal alveolar bone. A combination of a PTTM enhanced implant, DBM, and a custom healing abutment may have an advantage in retaining biologically active molecules and form a scaffold for neovascularization and osteogenesis. This treatment protocol may be a viable option for immediate implant therapy in a failed tooth with deficient buccal alveolar bone.
Whole-book recognition using mutual-entropy-driven model adaptation

We describe an approach to unsupervised high-accuracy recognition of the textual contents of an entire book using fully automatic mutual-entropy-based model adaptation. Given images of all the pages of a book together with approximate models of image formation (e.g. a character-image classifier) and linguistics (e.g. a word-occurrence probability model), we detect evidence for disagreements between the two models by analyzing the mutual entropy between two kinds of probability distributions: (1) the a posteriori probabilities of character classes (the recognition results from image classification alone), and (2) the a posteriori probabilities of word classes (the recognition results from image classification combined with linguistic constraints). The most serious of these disagreements are identified as candidates for automatic corrections to one or the other of the models. We describe a formal information-theoretic framework for detecting model disagreement and for proposing corrections. We illustrate this approach on a small test case selected from real book-image data. This reveals that a sequence of automatic model corrections can drive improvements in both models, and can achieve a lower recognition error rate. The importance of considering the contents of the whole book is motivated by a series of studies, over the last decade, showing that isogeny can be exploited to achieve unsupervised improvements in recognition accuracy.
Treadmill training regulates β-catenin signaling through phosphorylation of GSK-3β in lumbar vertebrae of ovariectomized rats

Postmenopausal osteoporosis is associated with high level of adipogenesis within the bone marrow at the expense of osteoblast population. The mechanical effect on β-catenin through phosphorylation of glycogen synthase kinase-3β (GSK-3β) is critical for inhibition of adipogenesis in mesenchymal stem cells in vitro. In present study, we hypothesized that treadmill training could regulate the β-catenin signaling through phosphorylation of GSK-3β in the lumbar vertebrae of ovariectomized (OVX) rats. 3-month-old female Sprague-Dawley rats were divided randomly into the following four groups: (a) Sham, (b) OVX, (c) OVX exercised (EX), and (d) OVX estrogen replacement (E(2)). At the end of the experiment, the serum levels of estradiol (E(2)) and luteinizing hormone (LH), the ultimate lumbar vertebra strength, as well as the protein expression for peroxisome proliferators-activated receptor γ (PPARγ), β-catenin, P-GSK-3β, and osterix (Osx) in lumbar vertebrae were analyzed. Moreover, the protein expression for β-catenin and P-GSK-3β were also examined in the uterus. The EX group had lower protein level of PPARγ, higher ultimate lumbar vertebral strength, and higher protein levels of β-catenin, and P-GSK-3β in lumbar vertebral bodies compared with sedentary OVX group. The effects of EX treatment on the protein levels of β-catenin and P-GSK-3β in bones were not reproducible in the uterus. Moreover, exercise treatment produced no estrogenic effect as evidenced by serum level of LH. In conclusion, this study suggested that treadmill training could activate the GSK-3β/β-catenin signaling and inhibit the production of PPARγ in lumbar vertebrae of OVX rats, which may contribute to the prevention of bone loss in OVX rats.
Assessment of dietary strontium-90 through urine assay.

SINCE the manner in which the body handles ingested strontium is quite well established1–3, the chief problem of determining the relative strontium-90 hazard from food concentration data is that of defining the overall average diet with precision. Thus the usual problems concomitant with obtaining dietary intake for nutritional or other purposes apply. In addition to this there is the rather severe problem, generally of minor importance with respect to nutrients, of selecting for assay representative aliquots of individual food items. Whereas differences in the vitamins or mineral content by a factor of two are rare for a given food, differences in strontium-90 content by a factor of ten or more are not uncommon4.
Solid‐phase extraction of carbaryl and malathion from pond and well water

An analytical method was developed using C8 solid-phase extraction columns to extract carbaryl and malathion from well and pond water. Mean percent recovery over a concentration range of 1 μg/L to 10,000 μg/L was consistently between 80 and 100. Well-water samples fortified with carbaryl and malathion were solid-phase extracted, and analytes were stored on solid-phase extraction columns at —4°C for 30 d without significant decomposition. The method was field-tested by collecting pond water before and after an application of malathion. It provided significantly higher recovery of malathion than a liquid-liquid extraction procedure.
Hepatitis C Plus Alcohol or Marijuana: Which Is Worse?

Despite advances in hepatitis C therapy and better knowledge of viral/host factors related to disease progression, the hepatitis C virus remains the leading cause of chronic liver disease, causing progression to end-stage liver disease (ESLD) as well as the development of hepatocellular carcinoma. Because hepatitis C virus acquisition is linked to an addictive behavior (ie, injection drug use), any perceived dependence has been a major reason for treatment denial as well as exclusion from clinical trials. Of special interest are two such dependences: drinking alcohol and smoking marijuana (cannabis). We review the available evidence for the effects of alcohol and cannabis on liver disease progression in chronic hepatitis C, and conclude with recommendations regarding the use of these two substances in the setting of chronic hepatitis C.
The 2004 GSS Finding of Shrunken Social Networks: An Artifact?

McPherson, Smith-Lovin, and Brashears (2006, 2008b) reported that Americans' social networks shrank precipitously from 1985 to 2004. When asked to list the people with whom they discussed “importan...
Genetic mutations and arrhythmia: simulation from DNA to electrocardiogram

Abstract In the past two decades, mutations in cardiac ion channels have been shown to underlie a number of rare inherited cardiac arrhythmias. Defects in cardiac Na + channels can disrupt channel gating and cause electrical abnormalities that increase susceptibility to cardiac arrhythmia. Dozens of mutations have been identified in the gene SCN5A , which encodes the α subunit of the cardiac Na + channel, and have been causally linked to a wide spectrum of cardiac arrhythmic disorders. An important step in understanding genetically based arrhythmias is to clarify the relationship between molecular defects and the disruption of the delicate balance of dynamic interactions at the cell, tissue, and organ levels. Here, we provide an overview of cardiac Na + channel mutations that are associated with inherited arrhythmia syndromes. We also address pros and cons of current methodologies used to understand how specific genetic defects disrupt channel-gating kinetics and underlie cardiac arrhythmia. Finally, we discuss effects of mutations on predictability and efficacy of treatment with Na + channel–blocking drugs.
Estrogen receptor mRNA alterations in the developing rat hippocampus

We previously reported transiently elevated ER protein levels in the postnatal rat hippocampus suggesting that this brain region may be sensitive to estrogenic trophic and organizational influences during a ‘critical period’ of sexual differentiation. In order to examine whether alterations in ER gene expression underlie the ontogenetic pattern of the hippocampal ER, we examined ER mRNA levels over the early postnatal period and in adult rats. This was accomplished by both a highly quantitative RNase protection assay and in situ hybridization histochemistry. Hippocampal ER mRNA levels increased significantly (P < 0.005) between birth and postnatal day (PND) 4 when peak concentrations were found and then declined by PND-10. Adult male hippocampal ER mRNA values were similar to those found in newborn and PND-10 animals but were significantly less (P < 0.05) than those observed on PND-4. Results from the in situ hybridization experiments correlated well with those from the RNase protection analysis. High levels of ER mRNA were present in the CA3 pyramidal layer with somewhat lower labeling intensities present in CA1 and the dentate gyrus of the PND-4 animal. In contrast, adult male animals demonstrated little hybridization throughout the hippocampus. Thus, the temporal pattern in ER mRNA levels in the hippocampus found in the present study correlates well with our previous developmental profile of the ER protein. These findings suggest that the ontogeny of ER in the hippocampus is regulated by alterations in ER gene expression in specific neuronal populations.
Different patterns of behavior produced by haloperidol, pentobarbital, and dantrolene in tests of unconditioned locomotion and operant responding

Three motor-impairing drugs with different putative mechanisms of action (haloperidol 0.00, 0.075, 0.15, 0.30 mg/kg IP; pentobarbital 0.00, 4.5, 9, 12 mg/kg IP; and dantrolene 0.00, 5, 7.5, 10 mg/kg IP) produced strikingly similar patterns of dose-dependent attenuation in unconditioned locomotor behavior. However, the same drugs and doses produced highly divergent patterns of disruption when tested using different groups of rats in a food-rewarded operant task, which included both response initiation and maintenance components (FR1-FR1 two lever chain). Haloperidol animals began the session as fast as vehicle animals and slowed dose-dependently across trials; pentobarbital animals started off significantly slower than controls but soon achieved comparable speeds; and dantrolene animals were slower throughout the session. These results suggest that the observed neuroleptic-induced deterioration in responding over trials, especially in response initiation, was not simply a result of motoric disruption. Rather, the profile of this deterioration is consistent with the anhedonia hypothesis of neuroleptic action and supports the view that dopamine neurons are involved in the biological basis of food reward.
X=M for symmetric powers

Author(s): Schilling, Anne; Shimozono, Mark | Abstract: The X=M conjecture of Hatayama et al. asserts the equality between the one-dimensional configuration sum X expressed as the generating function of crystal paths with energy statistics and the fermionic formula M for all affine Kac--Moody algebra. In this paper we prove the X=M conjecture for tensor products of Kirillov--Reshetikhin crystals B^{1,s} associated to symmetric powers for all nonexceptional affine algebras.
Unilateral testicular torsion with necrotic outcome: dilemmas of surgical timing.

Objective To investigate the possible presence of infection in necrotic nonsalvageable testes of patients presenting with testicular torsion and to question the rationale for deferring orchiopexy in such situations to a later date. Material and Methods Between 2003 and 2011, 16 consecutive patients underwent same-time contralateral orchiopexy and ipsilateral orchiectomy for testicular torsion with necrosis. In all cases, peritesticular fluid or aspirate directly from the necrotic testes was investigated with Gram staining and culturing. The patients were followed at 1 and 3 months after operation for infection of the scrotal incision, or of the remaining testis. Results The median age of the patients was 17 years (range 13-32) and the duration of illness ranged from 3-17 days. Both Gram staining and culturing of the peritesticular fluid or testicular aspirate failed to reveal the presence of pathogenic organisms. On follow-up at 1 and 3 months, there was no clinically evident infection of the scrotal incision, or of the remaining testis. Conclusion In cases where testicular torsion with necrosis dictates that unilateral orchiectomy must be done, there is no evidence to suspect the presence of bacterial infection in the necrotic testis or surrounding fluid. There is no evidence that one-stage surgery—ipsilateral orchiectomy and contralateral orchiopexy—carries a risk of clinically evident infection related to the necrotic testis and as such patients should be offered one-stage surgery. Continuous and sustained effort should be made toward assuring that testicular torsion receives timely assessment and referral to qualified medical personnel.
Functional domains of the transcriptional activator NUC-1 in Neurospora crassa.

The NUC-1 regulatory protein directly controls the transcription of genes encoding the phosphorus acquisition enzymes in Neurospora crassa. To understand how NUC-1 regulates the transcription of these genes and how the activity of NUC-1 is modulated by other regulatory proteins, two putative functional domains of NUC-1 were analyzed: the DNA-binding domain and the regulatory domain. The DNA-binding activity of NUC-1 has not been directly demonstrated; however, results of deletion analysis, sequence analysis of the nuc-1 mutant alleles, and strong sequence similarity with the Saccharomyces cerevisiae PHO4 protein strongly suggest that the basic helix-loop-helix motif of NUC-1 forms a DNA-binding domain. Deletion and mutant analyses revealed that 39 amino acid (aa) residues (aa 463 to 501), or fewer, of NUC-1 are interacting with the negative regulatory factor(s), the PREG and/or PGOV proteins.
Towards Agile and Test-Driven Development in NLP Applications

c-rater® is the Educational Testing Service technology for automatic content scoring for short free-text responses. In this paper, we contend that an Agile and test-driven development environment optimizes the development of an NLP-based technology.
Structure of a glutamate transporter homologue from Pyrococcus horikoshii

Glutamate transporters are integral membrane proteins that catalyse the concentrative uptake of glutamate from the synapse to intracellular spaces by harnessing pre-existing ion gradients. In the central nervous system glutamate transporters are essential for normal development and function, and are implicated in stroke, epilepsy and neurodegenerative diseases. Here we present the crystal structure of a eukaryotic glutamate transporter homologue from Pyrococcus horikoshii. The transporter is a bowl-shaped trimer with a solvent-filled extracellular basin extending halfway across the membrane bilayer. At the bottom of the basin are three independent binding sites, each cradled by two helical hairpins, reaching from opposite sides of the membrane. We propose that transport of glutamate is achieved by movements of the hairpins that allow alternating access to either side of the membrane.
Students' Development of Length Concepts in a Logo-Based Unit on Geometric Paths

We investigated the development of linear measure concepts within an instructional unit on paths and lengths of paths, part of a large-scale curriculum development project funded by the National Science Foundation (NSF). We also studied the role of noncomputer and computer interactions in that development. Data from paper-and-pencil assessments, interviews, and case studies were collected within the context of a pilot test of this unit with 4 third graders and field tests with 2 thirdgrade classrooms. Three levels of strategies for solving length problems were observed: (a) apply general strategies such as visual guessing of measures and naive guessing of numbers or arithmetic operations; (b) draw hatch marks, dots, or line segments to partition lengths to serve as perceptible units to quantify the length; (c) no physical partitioning—use an abstract unit of length, a “conceptual ruler,” to project onto unsegmented objects. Those students who had connected numeric and spatial representations evinced different and more powerful problem-solving strategies in geometric situations than those who had forged fewer such connections.
Mining Imbalanced Data with Learning Classifier Systems

This chapter investigates the capabilities of XCS for mining imbalanced datasets. Initial experiments show that, for moderate and high class imbalances, XCS tends to evolve a large proportion of overgeneral classifiers. Theoretical analyses are developed, deriving an imbalance bound up to which XCS should be able to differentiate between accurate and overgeneral classifiers. Some relevant parameters that have to be properly configured to satisfy the bound for high class imbalances are detected. Configuration guidelines are provided, and an algorithm that automatically tunes these XCS’s parameters is presented. Finally, XCS is tested on a large set of real-world problems, appearing to be highly competitive to some of the most well-known machine learning techniques.
Cardiovascular Effects in Rats following Exposure to a Receptor Tyrosine Kinase Inhibitor

The receptor tyrosine kinase receptor (RTK) signaling pathway, mesenchymal-epithelial transition factor (c-Met)/hepatocyte growth factor receptor (HGFR), has been implicated in oncogenesis and is a target of interest in cancer therapy. PF-04254644 is a potent and selective inhibitor of c-Met/HGFR. Wide ligand binding profiling of PF-04254644 revealed a potentially significant interaction with phosphodiesterase (PDE) 3, and follow-up PDE enzyme activity assays confirmed PF-04254644 as a potent inhibitor of PDE3 as well as other PDEs (1, 2, 5, 10, and 11). Clinical observations, laboratory, and echocardiography parameters were recorded in Sprague-Dawley (SD) rats that received PF-04254644 oral dosing for up to seven consecutive days. Toxicological evaluations revealed myocardial degeneration as an adverse event at all tested doses. Echocardiographic evaluations revealed an increase in heart rate (HR) and contractility after the first dose with PF-04254644 and myocardial fibrosis correlated with decreased cardiac function after repeat dosing. A study in telemetry-instrumented rats substantiated that PF-04254644 induced a sustained increased HR and decreased contractility after six days of treatment. Data suggest that the decreased cardiac function and cardiotoxicity are likely due to inhibition of multiple PDEs by PF-04254644.
On Blow-up Solutions to the 3D Cubic Nonlinear Schrödinger Equation

For the 3d cubic nonlinear Schrodinger (NLS) equation, which has critical (scaling) norms L 3 and u H 1/2 , we first prove a result establishing sufficient conditions for global existence and sufficient conditions for finite-time blow-up. For the rest of the paper, we focus on the study of finite-time radial blow-up solutions, and prove a result on the concentration of the L 3 norm at the origin. Two disparate possibilities emerge, one which coincides with solutions typically observed in numer- ical experiments that consist of a specific bump profile with maximum at the origin and focus toward the origin at rate ∼ (T − t) 1/2 , where T > 0 is the blow-up time. For the other possibility, we propose the existence of "contracting sphere blow-up solutions", i.e. those that concentrate on a sphere of radius ∼ (T −t) 1/3 , but focus towards this sphere at a faster rate ∼ (T − t) 2/3 . These conjectured solutions are analyzed through heuristic arguments and shown (at this level of precision) to be consistent with all conservation laws of the equation.
A framework for best evidence approaches can improve the transparency of systematic reviews.

Abstract Objective Systematic reviewers often use a “best evidence” approach to address the key questions, but what is meant by “best” is often unclear. The goal of this project was to create a decision framework for “best evidence” approaches to increase transparency in systematic reviews. Study Design and Setting The project was separated into three areas: 1) inclusion criteria, 2) evidence prioritization strategies, and 3) evaluative approaches. This commentary focuses only on the second task. The full report is available on the Effective Healthcare Web site of the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Results The four identified strategies were as follows: 1) Use only the single best study; 2) Use the best set of studies; 3) Same as 2, but also consider whether the evidence permits a conclusion; and 4) Same as 3, but also consider the overall strength of the evidence. Simpler strategies (such as #1) are less likely to produce false conclusions, but are also more likely to yield insufficient evidence (possibly because of imprecise data). Conclusion Systematic reviewers routinely prioritize evidence in numerous ways. This document provides a conceptual construct to enhance the transparency of systematic reviewers' decisions.
Introduction: The JEMCO Workshop-Description of a Longitudinal Study

This article describes the longitudinal study on which all of the articles in this issue ofSmall Group Research are based. It begins with a discussion of why studying groups over time and under cha...
Equity Risk Premiums (ERP): Determinants, Estimation and Implications – The 2018 Edition

Equity risk premiums are a central component of every risk and return model in finance and are a key input into estimating costs of equity and capital in both corporate finance and valuation. Given their importance, it is surprising how haphazard the estimation of equity risk premiums remains in practice. We begin this paper by looking at the economic determinants of equity risk premiums, including investor risk aversion, information uncertainty and perceptions of macroeconomic risk. In the standard approach to estimating equity risk premiums, historical returns are used, with the difference in annual returns on stocks versus bonds over a long time period comprising the expected risk premium. We note the limitations of this approach, even in markets like the United States, which have long periods of historical data available, and its complete failure in emerging markets, where the historical data tends to be limited and volatile. We look at two other approaches to estimating equity risk premiums – the survey approach, where investors and managers are asked to assess the risk premium and the implied approach, where a forward-looking estimate of the premium is estimated using either current equity prices or risk premiums in non-equity markets. We also look at the relationship between the equity risk premium and risk premiums in the bond market (default spreads) and in real estate (cap rates) and how that relationship can be mined to generated expected equity risk premiums. We close the paper by examining why different approaches yield different values for the equity risk premium, and how to choose the “right” number to use in analysis.
Nonlinear Concentration Effects on Radionuclide Diffusion and Mobility in Compacted Bentonite.

This paper examines some previously reported experimental results on the migration behavior of selected radionuclides in compacted bentonite and demonstrates that a much better agreement between observed and theoretically predicted migration behavior can be obtained when the model considers nonlinear concentration effects. The radionuclide transport model used in this study employs a semianalytic, integral equation approach to the solution of the diffusion equation with nonlinear retardation mechanisms. The effect of radionuclide concentration on species mobility is modeled as a highly nonlinear Freundlich isotherm. Several empirical correlations using the Freundlich isotherm form for retardation are presented and are shown to account for the deviation from linearity in the diffusion model for migration behavior. These correlations are then used in further numerical studies of long term backfill barrier performance for 3 and 4 member chain species after a hypothetical canister failure. The overall importance of nonlinear concentration effects to radionuclide migration estimation is discussed.
Melatonin: A novel protective agent against oxidative injury of the ischemic/reperfused heart

This brief review summarizes the recently obtained evidence which illustrates the beneficial effects of the endogenously produced antioxidant, melatonin, in reducing tissue damage and reversing cardiac pathophysiology in models of experimental ischemia/reperfusion. The report also describes the actions of other antioxidants, especially vitamin E and antioxidative enzymes, in altering the degree of ischemia/reperfusion damage in the heart. Based on the data available, melatonin seems to have advantages over other antioxidants tested in terms of ameliorating the hypoxia and reoxygenation-induced damage. While the bulk of the studies that have used melatonin to overcome cardiac injury following transient arterial occlusion and subsequent reperfusion have used pharmacological doses to achieve protection, two recent reports have further shown that merely reducing endogenous circulating concentrations of melatonin (by surgical removal of a source of melatonin, i.e. the pineal gland) exaggerates the degree of injury and reduces survival of animals as a result of induced ischemia/reperfusion of the heart. These findings are consistent with observations in other organs where the loss of physiological concentrations of melatonin results in increased oxidative damage during hypoxia and reoxygenation. These findings have implications for the elderly since in the aged endogenous levels of melatonin are naturally reduced thereby possibly predisposing them to more severe cardiac damage during a heart attack. To date, the bulk of the studies relating to the protective actions of melatonin in reducing cardiac ischemia/reperfusion injury have used the rat as the experimental model. Considering the high efficacy of melatonin in limiting ischemia/reperfusion damage as well as melatonin's low toxicity, the studies should be expanded to include other species and models of cardiac ischemia/reperfusion. The results of these investigations would help to clarify the potential importance of the use of melatonin in situations of oxidative damage to the heart in humans.
Not All Droughts Are Created Equal: Translating Meteorological Drought Into Woody Plant Mortality

Widespread drought-induced mortality of woody plants has recently occurred worldwide, is likely to be exacerbated by future climate change and holds large ecological consequences. Yet despite decades of research on plant–water relations, the pathways through which drought causes plant mortality are poorly understood. Recent work on the physiology of tree mortality has begun to reveal how physiological dysfunction induced by water stress leads to plant death; however, we are still far from being able to predict tree mortality using easily observed or modeled meteorological variables. In this review, we contend that, in order to fully understand when and where plants will exceed mortality thresholds when drought occurs, we must understand the entire path by which precipitation deficit is translated into physiological dysfunction and lasting physiological damage. In temperate ecosystems with seasonal climate patterns, precipitation characteristics such as seasonality, timing, form (snow versus rain) and intensity interact with edaphic characteristics to determine when and how much water is actually available to plants as soil moisture. Plant and community characteristics then mediate how quickly water is used and seasonally varying plant physiology determines whether the resulting soil moisture deficit is physiologically damaging. Recent research suggests that drought seasonality and timing matter for how an ecosystem experiences drought. But, mortality studies that bridge the gaps between climatology, hydrology, plant ecology and plant physiology are rare. Drawing upon a broad hydrological and ecological perspective, we highlight key and underappreciated processes that may mediate droughtinduced tree mortality and propose steps to better include these components in current research.
Modeling ion-solid interactions for imaging applications

Ion beams are now widely used to thin, shape, or cut materials on the submicrometer scale. This is possible because ions can sputter (i.e., physically remove) material from the target. Ions can also be used to image materials because the incident beam generates ion-induced secondary electrons (iSE). In both cases, the nature of the target material and the choice of the ion employed and its initial energy will determine not only how quickly the beam can thin a specimen, but also the resolution and contrast of the iSE image that is generated. Clearly, there is a need to be able to predict parameters, such as the nature, information content, and spatial resolution of the iSE image. These and other related questions have been investigated using Monte Carlo simulations. We show how the parameters defining quantities, such as depth of penetration and the energy deposited by the incident beam, or the signal yield and resolution of the iSE image, can be predicted using this approach and how these results make it possible to interpret data and optimize operating conditions.