cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An assessment of medical care provided by Nevada's high school athletic programs

An assessment of medical care provided by Nevada’s high school athletic programs by Brooke Allen-Burnstein Dr. Janet Dufek, Co-Chair of Advisory Committee Associate Professor, Kinesiology and Nutrition Sciences Dr. Jerry Landwer, Co-Chair of Advisory Committee Professor Emeritus University of Nevada, Las Vegas Even with preventative measures, injuries are inherent in sports. Almquist (2001) indicated that almost 60 percent of athletic injuries occur during practices. The American Medical Association recommends that all high schools establish an athletic medical team, but the National Athletic Trainers’ Association (NATA) has estimated that only 42% of all high schools in the United States have access to a certified athletic trainer. In 2002, a NATA inter-association task force created the Appropriate Medical Care for Secondary School-Aged Athletes (AMCSSAA) Consensus Statement, which outlined the minimum standards for health care for adolescent athletes. The purpose of this study was to assess the athletic medical care provided by Nevada’s high schools in relation to the recommendations set forth by the AMCSSAA Consensus Statement. A modified version of the Appropriate Medical Care Assessment Tool (AMCAT) was used to achieve this purpose. The tool was validated by a panel of experts using Cronbach’s alpha. Seven dependent variables and ten independent variables (factors associated with higher quality of care) were subsequently identified. The tool was sent via email to the athletic administrators of the member schools in the
Online and Recursive Algorithms

Online algorithms are those that process an indefinite amount of data using a fixed number of variables. Sections 7.6 and 8.5 presented programs for computing the Fibonacci sequence {Fi}i ≥ 0 defined by: F0 = 1, F1 = 1, and for all i ≥ 2, Fi = Fi−1 + Fi−2.
Practice patterns in the diagnosis and treatment of fecal incontinence with sacral neuromodulation: Can urologists impact this gap in care?

Objective The prevalence of fecal incontinence (FI) is 8% in the United States. Many patients will not seek treatment and the condition is underdiagnosed. Sacral neuromodulation (SNM) is effective in treating FI, and so urologists can play a key role in its treatment. We examine the practice patterns and treatment of FI with SNM in our institution. Material and methods The electronic medical record was queried for the proportion of patients seen for FI in the institution, the urology department, and among the female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery (FPMRS) urologists. The patients who underwent SNM for FI were evaluated for progression to second stage procedure. Results The proportion of patients seen for FI is 0.96% in the institution as a whole, 7.9% in the urology department, and 17.9% among FPMRS urologists. Fourteen patients underwent first stage SNM for FI or dual urinary/fecal incontinence, and they all progressed to a second stage procedure. Thirteen of these were performed by FPMRS urologists. Conclusion In our institution, the proportion of patients seen for FI was lower than the prevalence of this condition. Because patients with urinary incontinence are more likely to have FI, urologists are in a unique position to identify these patients and offer treatment that can improve their quality of life. We acknowledge a gap in care of the patients with FI and an opportunity for urologists to help patients with this devastating yet treatable condition.
Faculty perceptions of librarian value: The moderating relationship between librarian contact, course goals, and students' research skills

Abstract Faculty perceptions of librarians' contributions to students' research skills has been linked to frequency of librarian contact in the extant literature. Yet, to date, no studies have tested this hypothesis via a large-scale nationally representative data set. In addition, the hypothesis that faculty perceptions of librarians might also be a function of faculty course goals has yet to be tested. This current study analyzed the most recent Ithaka S + R US Faculty Survey responses to evaluate the relationship between librarian contact, course goals, and faculty perceptions of librarians' contributions. The analyses support the conclusion that perceived frequency of librarian interaction and faculty course goals are both associated with faculty perceptions of librarians' contributions to students' research skill development. Furthermore, this study unveiled a moderating effect between perceived frequency of librarian contact and faculty course goals; that is, one is contingent on the other.
Distributions of pattern statistics in sparse Markov models

Markov models provide a good approximation to probabilities associated with many categorical time series, and thus they are applied extensively. However, a major drawback associated with them is that the number of model parameters grows exponentially in the order of the model, and thus only very low-order models are considered in applications. Another drawback is lack of flexibility, in that Markov models give relatively few choices for the number of model parameters. Sparse Markov models are Markov models with conditioning histories that are grouped into classes such that the conditional probability distribution for members of each class is constant. The model gives a better handling of the trade-off between bias associated with having too few model parameters and variance from having too many. In this paper, methodology for efficient computation of pattern distributions through Markov chains with minimal state spaces is extended to the sparse Markov framework.
Larval amphibians rapidly bioaccumulate poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances.

Abstract Poly- and perfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are ubiquitous contaminants that can bioaccumulate in aquatic taxa. Amphibians are particularly vulnerable to contaminants and sensitive to endocrine disruptors during their aquatic larval stage. However, few studies have explored PFAS uptake rates in amphibians, which is critical for designing ecotoxicology studies and assessing the potential for bioaccumulation. Uptake rates of perfluorooctane sulfonate (PFOS) and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) were measured for larval northern leopard frogs (Rana pipiens), American toads (Anaxyrus americanus), and eastern tiger salamanders (Ambystoma tigrinum) during a 240-h exposure to 10 and 1000 μg/L concentrations. We measured body burden and calculated bioconcentration factor (BCF) every 48 h during the experiments. For all species and exposures, body burdens often reached steady state within 48–96 h of exposure. Steady-state body burdens for PFOA and PFOS ranged from 3819 to 16,481 ng/g dry weight (BCF = 0.46–2.5) and 6955–489,958 ng/g dry weight (47–259 BCFs), respectively. Therefore, PFAS steady state occurs rapidly in the larval amphibians we studied and particularly for PFOS. This result reflects a high potential for PFAS trophic transfer because amphibians are often low in trophic position and are important prey for many aquatic and terrestrial species.
A Circuit Model for Fault Tolerance in the Reliable Assembly of Nano-systems

As still in infancy, emerging technologies are exhibiting high defect rates; this is mostly due to the stochastic nature of the bottom-up chemical and physical self-assembly processes that are commonly employed in manufacturing. As relationships between components are very complex, a system-level solution is commonly pursued. This challenge is commonly identified with the generic problem of building reliable systems out of unreliable components. In this paper, a novel model which exploits the universality of some circuits (such as a multiplexer), is proposed. In this model a feature that is employed in the presence of errors due to faulty gates, is given by the capability of a restorative stage to have a controlled functional relationship between inputs and the output. Using bifurcation and its geometric representation, the gate error probability is analyzed in detail. Differently from a single gate, the 4-to-1 multiplexer based implementation is considered as instance of a multi-level universal (MLU) circuit. It is proved that in the presence of multiple faulty gates, compensation takes place among them, such that a correct output is still generated at a higher threshold failure probability (for a region bounded within the values of 0.471 and 0.523) as compared with previous schemes. Due to its MLU nature, the proposed model operates in a mode that allows generality and flexibility in implementation for threshold analysis.
National trends in CT utilization and estimated CT-related radiation exposure in the evaluation and follow-up of stone patients

Abstract Objective To describe trends in computed tomography (CT) use and estimate the radiation exposure among stone formers using a national insurance claims database. Methods Within MarketScan, adult stone patients from 2007 to 2013 were identified using International Classification of Diseases-Revision 9, International Classification of Diseases-Revision 10, and Current Procedural Terminology codes. Patients were classified as “active” (≥2 diagnosis codes for nephrolithiasis, or receipt of stone surgery) or “inactive” (1 stone diagnosis) and compared to age- and gender-matched controls. CT utilization was tracked over 3 years for each group. Annual CT-related radiation exposure was estimated using previously published dose values and compared using Kruskal-Wallis and χ2 tests. Demographic factors associated with greater CT exposure were identified on multivariate logistic regression. Results Of active stone patients, 112,140 underwent surgery and 215,376 were managed nonoperatively. There were 175,228 inactive stone patients and 502,744 controls. On average, active stone patients received nearly 10 times as many CTs as controls at 3 years (P 20 mSv in the first year alone. Conclusion CT use and nonsurgical radiation exposure for active stone patients is significant. Over 10% are estimated to exceed occupational limits in the first year. Judicious CT imaging and low-dose protocols are critical for stone patients.
Phenotype transitions induced by mechanical stimuli in airway smooth muscle are regulated by differential interactions of parvin isoforms with paxillin and Akt

Mechanical tension and humoral stimuli can induce transitions in airway smooth muscle phenotype between a synthetic inflammatory state that promotes cytokine secretion and a differentiated state that promotes the expression of smooth muscle phenotype-specific proteins. When tissues are maintained under high tension, Akt activation and eotaxin secretion are suppressed, but expression of the differentiation marker protein, smooth muscle myosin heavy chain (SmMHC), is promoted. When tissues are maintained under low tension, Akt activation and eotaxin secretion are stimulated, and the differentiated phenotype is suppressed. We hypothesized that mechanical stimuli are differentially transduced to Akt-mediated signaling pathways that regulate phenotype expression by α-parvin and β-parvin integrin-linked kinase/PINCH/parvin (IPP) signaling complexes within integrin adhesomes. High tension or ACh triggered paxillin phosphorylation and the binding of phospho-paxillin to β-parvin IPP complexes. This inhibited Akt activation and promoted SmMHC expression. Low tension or IL-4 did not elicit paxillin phosphorylation and triggered the binding of unphosphorylated paxillin to α-parvin IPP complexes, which promoted Akt activation and eotaxin secretion and suppressed SmMHC expression. Expression of a nonphosphorylatable paxillin mutant or β-parvin depletion by siRNA promoted the inflammatory phenotype, whereas the depletion of α-parvin promoted the differentiated phenotype. Results demonstrate that phenotype expression is regulated by the differential interaction of phosphorylated and unphosphorylated paxillin with α-parvin and β-parvin IPP complexes and that these complexes have opposite effects on the activation of Akt. Our results describe a novel molecular mechanism for transduction of mechanical and humoral stimuli within integrin signaling complexes to regulate phenotype expression in airway smooth muscle.
Growing an artificial intelligence capability: challenges and opportunities

Artificial Intelligence’s (AI) potential to augment or auto-mate human decision making has caught the attention of many within the Department of Defense (DoD). Effective AI implementations, originating from well-scoped use cases, require the alignment of people, processes, and technologies. While many focus on the opportunities that these systems provide for leap ahead improvements to the future state of DoD business processes and warfighting capabilities, the challenges that must be overcome must not be under-estimated and expectations should be man-aged appropriately with an understanding that achieving the desired end state will be a long term endeavor. This paper provides a brief overview of some of the challenges that must be overcome in order to realize the opportunities presented by AI systems.
Electric Field Sensor Design for Longwave Radio Reception

A novel electric field sensor is presented to detect longwave radio waves (≪500 kHz) with an ideal sensitivity of 6.8 nV/m(Hz)-1/2. A magnetic field version already exists, known as the AWESOME instrument, which is deployed worldwide for ionospheric remote sensing, lightning geolocation, space weather monitoring, and more. We present here the electric field companion, including design and performance characteristics of the electric field sensor as well as longwave sensor design considerations. We also describe extended applications of AWESOME enabled by combining magnetic and electric field sensors.
A MicroRNA Expression Signature as Prognostic Marker for Oropharyngeal Squamous Cell Carcinoma.

BACKGROUND Improved prognostication of oropharyngeal squamous cell carcinoma (OPSCC) may facilitate individualized patient management. The goal of this study was to develop and validate a prognostic signature based on microRNA sequencing (miRNA-seq) analysis. METHODS We collected tumor specimens for miRNA-seq analysis from OPSCC patients treated at Washington University in St Louis (n = 324) and Vanderbilt University (n = 130). OPSCC patients (n = 79) from The Cancer Genome Atlas Program were also included for independent validation. Univariate and multivariable Cox regression analyses were performed to identify miRNAs associated with disease outcomes. All statistical tests were 2-sided. RESULTS By miRNA-seq profiling analysis, we identified a 26-miRNA signature. Based on computed risk scores of the signature, we classified the patients into low- and high-risk groups. In the training cohort, the high-risk group had much shorter overall survival compared with the low-risk group (hazard ratio [HR] = 3.80, 95% confidence interval [CI] = 2.37 to 6.10, P < .001). Subgroup analysis further revealed that the signature was prognostic for HPV-positive OPSCCs (HR = 3.07, 95% CI = 1.65 to 5.71, P < .001). Multivariable analysis indicated that the signature was independent of common clinicopathologic factors for OPSCCs. Importantly, the miRNA signature was a statistically significant predictor of overall survival in independent validation cohorts (The Cancer Genome Atlas Program cohort: HR = 6.05, 95% CI = 2.10 to 17.37, P < .001; Vanderbilt cohort: HR = 7.98, 95% CI = 3.99 to 15.97, P < .001; Vanderbilt HPV-positive cohort: HR = 8.71, 95% CI = 2.70 to 28.14, P < .001). CONCLUSIONS The miRNA signature is a robust and independent prognostic tool for risk stratification of OPSCCs including HPV-positive OPSCCs.
Total elbow arthroplasty cases involving orthopedic residents do not affect short-term postoperative complications:

BackgroundImpact of resident participation on short-term postoperative outcomes after total elbow arthroplasty has not been studied. The aim was to investigate whether resident participation affect...
Study on the Corresponding Relationship Between Critical Points of P-V Curve and V-Q Curve of Simple Thevenin Equivalent System

With the further increase in power demand for highly concentrated load centers and the gradual formation of a power system with a high proportion of new energy sources, China will face severe risk of voltage instability. In this paper, firstly, the load bus voltage equation of simple Thevenin equivalent system is derived, and then the P-V and V-Q curves are obtained respectively. Secondly, the mutual restriction relationship between active and reactive power of load is discussed when there is a real value solution to the voltage. Finally, the relationship between the voltage of critical points of the P-V curves and the reactive power of the load, and the relationship between the voltage of critical points of the V-Q curves and the active power of the load are deduced respectively. The relationship of one-to-one correspondence between critical points of P-V curves and critical points of V-Q curves is proved according to the mutual restriction between active power and reactive power of load and monotonicity of critical voltage and load power function.
Toward a Diagnostic Test for Human African Trypanosomaisis

Human African Trypanosomiasis (HAT), caused by Trypanosoma brucei, T. brucei, disproportionately affects inhabitants of Sub Saharan Africa. T. brucei gambiense and T. brucei rhodesiense are the only strains that produce illness in humans. The purpose of this project is to determine if T. brucei Superoxide Dismutases, TbSODs, can be used as a biomarker for positive diagnosis of HAT. The hypothesis to be tested is if a rat is infected with T. brucei, then it will have traces of tbSOD in its bloodstream because as the rat’s immune system fights T. brucei infection some parasitic cells will lyse excreting many internal proteins including SOD into the bloodstream. Our methodology will consist of developing a modified version of the Villagran et al 2005 protocol whereby a series of blood tests will be performed on infected rats. If the blood tests positive for TbSOD then it is assumed that they have a strain of T. brucei. Finally, after confirming the presence of TbSOD, we will use ELISA to establish a correlation between TbSOD’s level and the degree of progression of the infection.
Sensitivity to erlotinib (Tarceva) depends on cyclin-dependent kinase 2 activity

Proc Amer Assoc Cancer Res, Volume 46, 2005 1670 The epidermal growth factor receptor (EGFR, HER1) is highly expressed in a variety of solid tumors. Activation of EGFR signaling pathways in tumor cells has been linked with increased proliferation, angiogenesis and metastasis and decreased apoptosis, and hence EGFR has been proposed as a target for anticancer therapy. Erlotinib, an orally available, quinazoline-based agent, inhibits EGFR tyrosine kinase (TK) by competing with ATP, inhibiting phosphorylation of this kinase. Some reports indicate that EGFR expression level does not predict sensitivity to EGFR-TK inhibitors such as erlotinib (R. Bailey et al, Lung Cancer 2003; Sirotnak FM et al, Clin Cancer Res 2000; Baselga J, J Clin Oncol 2004), while other reports suggest that somatic mutations in the TK domain of EGFR reflect the sensitivity of lung cancer cells to EGFR-TK inhibitors (Lynch TJ, et al, N Engl J Med 2004; Paez JG, et al, Science 2004). Thus far, such mutations have been found only in non-small cell lung cancer, and other factors for predicting response to EGFR-TK inhibitors are yet to be defined. We assessed whether cyclin-dependent kinase 2 (CDK2), a final downstream target in EGFR signaling pathways, is involved in sensitivity to erlotinib in 1 epidermoid carcinoma cell line (A431) and 10 breast cancer cell lines (MDA-231, -361, -435, -453, -468; SKBr-3, BT-20, BT-474, T47D, and MCF-7). MTT assays showed that A431 and SKBr3 cells were quite sensitive to erlotinib (A431, IC50 = 1.531 uM, IC25 = 4.748 uM; SKBr-3, IC50 = 3.980 uM, IC25 = 10.628 uM) and BT-474 and T47D cells were moderately so (BT-474, IC50 = 5.005uM, IC25 > 20uM; T47D, IC50 = 9.803uM, IC25 > 20uM). Flow cytometry confirmed that erlotinib-sensitive cell lines showed G1 arrest and increases in sub-G1 cells. EGFR overexpression (detected in A431, MDA-468, and BT-20 cells by western blotting) was not associated with sensitivity to erlotinib, even though EGFR phosphorylation was inhibited in both sensitive (A431) and resistant cell lines (MDA-468, BT-20). However, loss of CDK2 activity after erlotinib treatment strongly correlated with sensitivity to erlotinib. Restoration of CDK2 activity by transfecting cells with an adenovirus containing wild-type CDK2 partially restored proliferation in A431 cells and SKBr3 cells treated with erlotinib (A431, IC50 = 4.630uM, IC25 > 20uM 4.748uM; SKBr3, IC50 > 20uM). These results indicate that sensitivity to erlotinib depends in part on CDK2 activity; that suppression of CDK2 is critical to the activity of erlotinib regardless of erlotinib’s upstream molecular effects; and that measurement of CDK2 activity after a brief exposure to erlotinib may prove to be a predictive marker of sensitivity to erlotinib.
A National Survey of Small College Counseling Centers: Successes, Issues, and Challenges.

Abstract The policies and practices of small college counseling centers have been neglected in the literature at a time when campus mental health services are under scrutiny. A national sample of 181 small campus counseling center directors responded to the Iowa Counseling Center Survey-Revised. Their responses were compared with information about large university counseling centers, as assessed in a previous national survey (Stone, Vespia, & Kanz, 2000). With a modal full-time staff of one, small centers faced professional isolation and diverse student needs. They were significantly less likely than large universities to employ psychologists, assign DSM-IV diagnoses, or use formal treatment plans. They were more apt to provide long-term therapy and follow-up with referred clients. Research, clinical, and training implications are discussed.
Hospital outcomes associated with guideline‐recommended antibiotic therapy for pediatric pneumonia

BACKGROUND Recent national guidelines recommend use of narrow-spectrum antibiotic therapy as empiric treatment for children hospitalized with community-acquired pneumonia (CAP). However, clinical outcomes associated with adoption of this recommendation have not been studied. METHODS This retrospective cohort study included children age 3 months to 18 years, hospitalized with CAP from May 2, 2011 through July 30, 2012. Primary exposure of interest was empiric antibiotic therapy, classified as guideline recommended or not. Primary outcomes were length of stay (LOS), total hospital costs, and inpatient pharmacy costs. Secondary outcomes included broadened antibiotic therapy, emergency department revisits, and readmissions. Multivariable linear regression and Fisher exact test were performed to determine the association of guideline-recommended antibiotic therapy on outcomes. RESULTS Empiric guideline-recommended therapy was prescribed to 168 (76%) of 220 patients. Median hospital LOS was 1.3 days (interquartile range [IQR]: 0.9–1.9 days), median total cost of index hospitalization was $4097 (IQR: $2657–$6054), and median inpatient pharmacy cost was $91 (IQR: $40–$183). Between patients who did and did not receive guideline-recommended therapy, there were no differences in LOS (adjusted −5.8% change; 95% confidence interval [CI]: −22.1 to 12.8), total costs (adjusted −10.9% change; 95% CI: −27.4 to 9.4), or inpatient pharmacy costs (adjusted 14.8% change; 95% CI: −43.4 to 27.1). Secondary outcomes were rare, with no difference in unadjusted analysis between patients who did and did not receive guideline-recommended therapy. CONCLUSIONS Use of guideline-recommended antibiotic therapy was not associated with unintended negative consequences; there were no changes in LOS, total costs, or inpatient pharmacy costs. Journal of Hospital Medicine 2015;10:13–18. © 2014 Society of Hospital Medicine
Secondary concentrators for parabolic dish solar thermal power systems

A variety of different concepts are currently being studied with the objective to lower the cost of parabolic mirrors and to provide alternatives. One of the considered approaches involves the use of compound concentrators. A compound solar concentrator is a concentrator in which the sunlight is reflected or refracted more than once. It consists of a primary mirror or lens, whose aperture determines the amount of sunlight gathered, and a smaller secondary mirror or lens. Additional small optical elements may also be incorporated. The possibilities and problems regarding a use of compound concentrators in parabolic dish systems are discussed. Attention is given to concentrating secondary lenses, secondary imaging and concentrating mirrors, conical secondary mirrors, compound elliptic secondary concentrating mirrors, and hyperbolic trumpet secondary concentrating mirrors.
Lipogenesis by Acini from Mammary Gland of Lactating Rats

Abstract Intact acini were prepared from the mammary gland of lactating rats by treatment with collagenase. The acini were obtained in high yield. The preparation offers considerable advantage over the use of tissue slices. The acini were incubated with glucose, lactate, pyruvate, and acetate labeled with 14C and tritium, as single substrates or in combination with glucose. Synthesis of fatty acids from glucose was about 2500 µatoms of carbon per g of dry fat-free tissue, or approximately 150 µmoles of acetyl units per g wet weight per hour. Lactate as the sole substrate is oxidized to a small extent and fatty acid synthesis is negligible. Acetate as the sole substrate is hardly utilized. Pyruvate is oxidized at a rapid rate, but lipogenesis is much lower than that from glucose. Addition of glucose stimulates lipogenesis from lactate and acetate, but not from pyruvate. Lipogenesis from glucose is stimulated slightly by acetate, depressed by lactate, and nearly completely inhibited by pyruvate at concentrations of 10 mm. Lipogenesis from lactate plus glucose, and acetate plus glucose, is greater than that from glucose alone. With 5 mm glucose and 5 mm lactate, lactate contributes three-fourths of the fatty acid carbon; with 5 mm glucose and 2 mm lactate, the contribution of the two substrates is approximately equal. A balance between reducing equivalents and ATP production and utilization was calculated for glucose alone and for glucose in the presence of lactate and acetate. There is an excess of reducing equivalent production in the cytosol over the requirement for lipogenesis. In all of the conditions, there was a large apparent excess of ATP production over the requirements for biosynthesis.
Optimization of Proteomic Sample Preparation Procedures for Comprehensive Protein Characterization of Pathogenic Systems

Mass spectrometry-based proteomics is a powerful analytical tool for investigating pathogens and their interactions within a host. The sensitivity of such analyses provides broad proteome characterization, but the sample-handling procedures must first be optimized to ensure compatibility with the technique and to maximize the dynamic range of detection. The decision-making process for determining optimal growth conditions, preparation methods, sample analysis methods, and data analysis techniques in our laboratory is discussed herein with consideration of the balance in sensitivity, specificity, and biomass losses during analysis of host-pathogen systems.
Indexing Volatility Risk Control

Volatility risk control strategies have become increasingly popular in this post-financial crisis environment where diversification as the sole form of portfolio risk management has been put under the microscope. The recent anomaly that investors may possibly reduce their overall portfolio volatility without sacrificing return has led to the success of several low volatility index launches over the past couple of years. This article studies the rapid evolution of volatility risk control indexes intended to gauge portfolio risk by targeting desired risk tolerances.
Reliability issues of InAlAs/InGaAs high-electron-mobility transistors

The effects of thermally stressing submicron In/sub x/Ga/sub 1-x/As/InAlAs/InP (x>or=0.53) HEMTs for storage periods of up to 100 h at 200 degrees C are discussed. DC characteristics are found to degrade. I/sub DSS/ decreased from 299 mA/mm to 182 mA/mm. G/sub m/ decreased from 513 mS/mm to 209 mS/mm. Decreases in microwave performance were also measured. f/sub T/ and f/sub max/ decreased by more than 30% and 20%, respectively. Evidence indicates that changes in the channel/buffer interface and layers manifested by the presence of additional trapping are responsible for this. Measurements of ohmic contacts show an increase from 0.19 Omega -mm to 0.26 Omega -mm. Results of X-ray analysis and Hall characterization are presented. >
Auxin inhibition of acid-and fusicoccin-induced elongation in lentil roots.

Both acid pH (4.0) and fusicoccin (FC) strongly stimulate root elongation in intact lentil (Lens culinaris Med.) seedlings. FC-induced elongation is apparently mediated by FC-enhanced H+ secretion since the toxin induces massive secretion of H+ in these roots after a latent period of less than 5 min. Auxin (indole-3-acetic acid) strongly inhibits elongation in control roots as well as acid-induced and FC-induced root elongation. Treatment of apical root segments with auxin causes only a slight apparent uptake of H+ and has no inhibitory effect on FC-induced H+ secretion, whether the hormone is given before or after the toxin. Auxin induces ethylene production in excised roots of lentil but the latent period is at least 30 min while inhibition of root elongation by IAA is maximal within 30 min. It is concluded that the inhibitory action of auxin on acid-and fusicoccin-induced root elongation is a direct effect, independent of auxin-induced ethylene production or auxin-mediated modification of cell-wall pH.
Detection of Reactive Oxygen Species via Endogenous Oxidative Pentose Phosphate Cycle Activity in Response to Oxygen Concentration IMPLICATIONS FOR THE MECHANISM OF HIF-1α STABILIZATION UNDER MODERATE HYPOXIA

The oxidative pentose phosphate cycle (OPPC) is necessary to maintain cellular reducing capacity during periods of increased oxidative stress. Metabolic flux through the OPPC increases stoichiometrically in response to a broad range of chemical oxidants, including those that generate reactive oxygen species (ROS). Here we show that OPPC sensitivity is sufficient to detect low levels of ROS produced metabolically as a function of the percentage of O2. We observe a significant decrease in OPPC activity in cells incubated under severe and moderate hypoxia (ranging from
Unintended Pregnancy: Worldwide Levels, Trends, and Outcomes

Unintended pregnancy can carry serious consequences for women and their families. We estimate the incidence of pregnancy by intention status and outcome at worldwide, regional, and subregional levels for 2008, and we assess recent trends since 1995. Numbers of births are based on United Nations estimates. Induced abortions are estimated by projecting from recent trends. A model-based approach is used to estimate miscarriages. The planning status of births is estimated using nationally representative and small-scale surveys of 80 countries. Of the 208 million pregnancies that occurred in 2008, we estimate that 41 percent were unintended. The unintended pregnancy rate fell by 29 percent in developed regions and by 20 percent in developing regions. The highest unintended pregnancy rates were found for Eastern and Middle Africa and the lowest for Southern and Western Europe and Eastern Asia. North America is the only region in which overall and unintended pregnancy rates have not declined. We conclude with a brief discussion of global and regional program and policy implications.
Target detection using multi-resolution forward-looking SAR imagery

The objective of the present investigation is to use radar data to detect targets situated on or under a road surface, and, at the same time, minimize the number of false alarms. The data used here have been collected by the Army Research Laboratory (ARL) Synchronous Impulse Reconstruction (SIRE) Radar. These data have been processed at different ranges from the radar, at different depression angles, and with different resolution. This has been achieved by integrating the data collected during the forward motion of the radar along the road. As a result, it has been possible to produce a series of images of the road in front of the radar at progressively better resolution. We show how the exploitation of the different behavior of clutter and targets at different resolution allows higher rates of target detection at lower false alarm rate than otherwise possible.© (2012) COPYRIGHT Society of Photo-Optical Instrumentation Engineers (SPIE). Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
CONTEXTUAL ASSESSMENT OF COUPLES THERAPY: THE CLINICAL DISCOURSE Q‐SETS

This article describes a method for creating highly contextual assessments of couples therapy interaction using concepts from Systemic Functional Linguistics (SFL). According to SFL, talk in interaction serves three primary functions: to mediate social relations, to negotiate representations of reality, and to organize and structure the event as coherent. These concepts are operationalized using observational q-methodology. The Clinical Discourse Q-Sets (CDQS) include three separate q-sets for use by trained observers in rating 12-min segments of couples therapy conversation. Each q-set captures one aspect of the communication process as defined by Systemic Functional theory. Good-to-high reliabilities for the q-set profiles over various (n = 16) couples therapy episodes were found. Preliminary evidence for the conceptual structure and clinical validity of the system was found.
Sir3p phosphorylation by the Slt2p pathway effects redistribution of silencing function and shortened lifespan

An organism's lifespan is modulated by environmental conditions. When nutrients are abundant, the metabolism of many organisms shifts to growth or reproduction at the expense of longer lifespan, whereas a scarcity of nutrients reverses this shift1,2,3. These correlations suggest that organisms respond to environmental changes by altering their metabolism to promote either reproduction and growth or long life. The only previously reported signaling mechanism involved in this response is the nutrient-responsive insulin/insulin-like growth factor-1 receptor pathway1. Here we report another pathway that controls the length of yeast lifespan. Commitment to cell growth activates the Slt2p MAP kinase pathway, which phosphorylates the transcriptional silencing protein Sir3p, resulting in a shorter lifespan. Elimination of the Sir3p phosphorylation site at Ser275 extended lifespan by 38%. Lifespan extension occurs by a mechanism that is independent of suppressing rDNA recombination. Thus, Slt2p is an enzymatic regulator of silencing function that couples commitment to cell growth and shorter lifespan.
Raising academic standards and vocational concentrators: Are they better off or worse off?

In this paper we measure the impacts of tougher graduation requirements on course‐taking patterns, college attendance and completion, and post‐high school labor market outcomes for vocational concentrators and non‐concentrators. Our main goal was to assess whether vocational education students were specifically affected (positively or negatively) by the policies’ heavy emphasis on the academic part of the high school curriculum. Our results show how requiring higher number of academic credits to graduate and introducing a Minimum Competency Examination help high school graduates to be more successful in the labor market, but reduce their chances of obtaining a college degree. Vocational concentrators are better off in Minimum Competency Examination states. The positive signal they send to employers reinforces the occupational skills that vocational concentrators possess.
Monotonic and fluctuated cooling approaches in secondary cooling zones during continuous casting

AbstractThe effects of modelled cooling approaches on heat transfer phenomena in the secondary cooling zones of continuously cast steel slabs have been investigated. Two strategic cooling approaches namely a monotonic cooling approach MCA and a fluctuated cooling approach FCA have been used to evaluate the Newtonian heat transfer coefficients. A one-dimensional heat flow model has been applied to calculate surface temperature, isotherms and solid shell resistance. The model predictions were compared to surface temperature measurements. The results indicate that FCA is more accurate than MCA to predict the surface temperature profile and to estimate the heat transfer value between a pair of rolls. The effects of various cooling approaches on the cooling curves, isotherms and solid shell resistance have been compared and discussed. © 1997. Published by Elsevier Science Ltd. All rights reserved Resume On a examine les effets d'approches modelisees du refroidissment sur les phenomenes de tansfert de chaleur d...
Gender-specific reduction of hepatic Mrp2 expression by high-fat diet protects female mice from ANIT toxicity

Emerging evidence suggest that feeding a high-fat diet (HFD) to rodents affects the expression of genes involved in drug transport. However, gender-specific effects of HFD on drug transport are not known. The multidrug resistance-associated protein 2 (Mrp2, Abcc2) is a transporter highly expressed in the hepatocyte canalicular membrane and is important for biliary excretion of glutathione-conjugated chemicals. The current study showed that hepatic Mrp2 expression was reduced by HFD feeding only in female, but not male, C57BL/6J mice. In order to determine whether down-regulation of Mrp2 in female mice altered chemical disposition and toxicity, the biliary excretion and hepatotoxicity of the Mrp2 substrate, α-naphthylisothiocyanate (ANIT), was assessed in male and female mice fed control diet or HFD for 4 weeks. ANIT-induced biliary injury is a commonly used model of experimental cholestasis and has been shown to be dependent upon Mrp2-mediated efflux of an ANIT glutathione conjugate that selectively injures biliary epithelial cells. Interestingly, HFD feeding significantly reduced early-phase biliary ANIT excretion in female mice and largely protected against ANIT-induced liver injury. In summary, the current study showed that, at least in mice, HFD feeding can differentially regulate Mrp2 expression and function and depending upon the chemical exposure may enhance or reduce susceptibility to toxicity. Taken together, these data provide a novel interaction between diet and gender in regulating hepatobiliary excretion and susceptibility to injury.
U.S.A. Standards On OTF

A draft proposal for a documentary standard on the Optical Transfer Function has been prepared by a task force reporting to American National Standards Committee PH3 (Photographic Apparatus), subcommittee PH3-2 (Lenses, Projection and Printing Equipment). This proposal is currently under review by PH3, and its present form and status are described briefly here. The aims of the proposed document are to provide, for imaging devices in general and particularly for lenses, a consistent set of definitions and nomenclature for the spread, transfer, and pupil functions, the relations among them, and the parameters on which they may depend; to describe basic principles of measurement, using several alternative measuring techniques as detailed examples, and advise on some common sources of error and their minimization: to enumerate conditions that need to be specified in connection with OTF testing; and to provide a basic format and nomenclature for specifying the extent of such tests and for reporting the results. It is expected that subsequent standards, using this document as foundation, can concisely specify particular test limits or measuring methods, as appropriate to particular devices or applications. Some other documentary standards relating to image quality, under current consideration by PH3-2, are also very briefly described.© (1977) COPYRIGHT SPIE--The International Society for Optical Engineering. Downloading of the abstract is permitted for personal use only.
The fluidity of presidential policy choice: the space station, the Russian card, and U.S. foreign policy

Abstract This paper examines the general executive policy processes that were in place in 1984. These processes, through which the original space station budget proposal was approved, became so uncontrolled that a severe and publicly embarrassing retrenchment became necessary in 1993 to enable the program to survive for another year. The focus here is on how presidential leadership is exercised in the science and technology policy arena which is normally viewed as peripheral to the president's major policy interests. The survival of the current International Space Station now depends upon it remaining central to the president's foreign policy agenda—which prompts recollections of earlier Apollo Program experiences.
Spike afterpotentials in single, identified fast and slow motor neurons in the crab Pachygrapsus crassipes

Abstract 1. 1. In the fast (FBE) and most slow (SBE) bender excitor axons the spike was followed by a depolarizing afterpotential (DAP). The DAP reversal potential was about 25 mV above resting in FBE and 7 mV above resting in SBE. 2. 2. The resting potential and action potential amplitude were larger in FBE, while the input resistance was larger in SBE. 3. 3. In both axons, warming or addition of 200 mM ethanol to the saline decreased spike amplitude and increased DAP amplitude. 4. 4. In both axons there was a space between the axon membrane and the adaxonal glial cell.
Classical Rhetoric and Group Decision Making A Relationship Warranting Further Inquiry

This article argues that a modification of the heuristics of classical rhetoric will facilitate both an understanding of the dynamics of group decision making and provide a systematic process for attaining consensus.
QUANTIFYING SPATIOTEMPORAL OVERLAP OF ALASKAN BROWN BEARS AND PEOPLE

TROY N. TOLLEFSON, School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA COLLEEN MATT, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 333 Raspberry Road, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA JOE MEEHAN, Division of Wildlife Conservation, Alaska Department of Fish and Game, 333 Raspberry Road, Anchorage, AK 99518, USA CHARLES T. ROBBINS,1 Department of Natural Resource Sciences and School of Biological Sciences, Washington State University, Pullman, WA 99164-4236, USA
Genetics of Cerebrovascular Disease

Stroke is a complex disease, with both genetic and environmental factors having a role in its pathogenesis. A review of past studies shows some evidence of genetic influences in the development of stroke. This is supported by studies of cardiovascular disease, which indicate major genetic influences at several levels including the development of risk factors. New approaches to phenotypic classifications, patient ascertainment, and genetic analysis will stimulate research into the role of genetics in cerebrovascular disease.
Building automatic mapping between XML documents using approximate tree matching

The eXtensible Markup Language (XML) is becoming the standard format for data exchange on the Internet, providing interoperability among Web applications. It is important to provide efficient algorithms and tools to manipulate XML documents that are ubiquitous on the Web.In this paper, we present a novel system for automating the transformation of XML documents based on structural mapping with the restriction that the leaf text information are exactly the same in the source and target documents.Firstly, tree edit distance algorithm is used to find the mapping between a pair of source and target documents. With the introduction of tree partition, the efficiency of the tree matching algorithm has been improved significantly. Secondly, template rules for transformation are inferred from the mapping using generalization. Thirdly, a template matching component is used to process new documents.Experimental studies have shown that our methods are very promising and can be widely used for Web document cleaning, information filtering, and other applications.
Heavy-quark symmetry violation in semileptonic decays of D mesons.

The decays of $D$ mesons to $\mathrm{Kl}\ensuremath{\nu}$ and ${K}^{*}l\ensuremath{\nu}$ final states exhibit significant deviations from the predictions of heavy-quark symmetry, as one might expect since the strange quark's mass is of the same order as the QCD scale. Nonetheless, in order to understand where the most significant effects might lie for heavier systems (such as $B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}\mathrm{Dl}\ensuremath{\nu}$ and $B\ensuremath{\rightarrow}{D}^{*}l\ensuremath{\nu}$), the pattern of these deviations is analyzed from the standpoint of perturbative QCD and $O(\frac{1}{{m}_{s}})$ corrections. Two main effects are noted. First, the perturbative QCD corrections lead to an overall decrease of predicted rates, which can be understood in terms of production of excited kaonic states. Second, $O(\frac{1}{{m}_{s}})$ effects tend to cancel the perturbative QCD corrections in the case of $\mathrm{Kl}\ensuremath{\nu}$ decay, while they have minimal effect in ${K}^{*}l\ensuremath{\nu}$ decay.
Theory and praxis: A heuristic for describing, evaluating, and intervening on sexual desire disorders when sexual expression interferes with humanistic expression

Abstract This article reports on both an abridgment of my comprehensive theory on sexual desire and the results of my related study. This research develops a functional theory which deconstructs sexual desire to include two conceptually meaningful variables which comprise a person's “bifurcated love map”: an emotional disposition toward fantasy and an emotional disposition toward interpersonal relationships. The purpose of this study was to determine the relationship between objectified, i.e., depersonalized, sexual fantasies and interpersonal attachments, specifically investigating the “personal bias” held toward objectified fantasies among people with chronic hypersexuality, e.g., sexual addiction/compulsiv-ity and the internal working models these persons hold toward “comfortable interpersonal attachments.” A quantitative analysis suggests that 22 (N = 22) self-identified sexual addicts were able to reduce the power of their objectified fantasies and increase their “underdeveloped” sense comfort with i...
Natural frequencies for out-of-plane vibrations of continuous curved beams

Abstract An analytic technique is presented for the determination of natural frequencies of continuous curved beams vibrating out of their initial plane of curvature. An example of a two-span circular curved beam is given to show the effect of the central angle of the arc upon the natural frequencies of the beam.
Effect of Lowered Tire Pressures on Road Erosion

The effect of tire pressure on sediment produced by loaded logging trucks operating on low-quality aggregate surfaced roads is analyzed. Rainfall and runoff were measured for three winter seasons with logging truck traffic. Sediment eroded from the road surface from moderately reduced tire pressure road sections averaged 45 percent less than from the highway tire pressure sections. An average reduction of 80 percent was measured from the section used by trucks operating with low tire pressure sections. Because the processes responsible for sediment reduction are not site specific, lowering tire pressures in logging trucks on unpaved roads can reduce the sediment loss from many unpaved road surfaces. The results were used to calibrate the Water Erosion Prediction Project (WEPP) model. Once calibrated, the model estimated the sediment reduction expected at representative locations for all national forests. The WEPP model demonstrated its ability to be helpful in estimating the sediment reduction from forest...