cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Geoheritage and Museums

Abstract The chapter is focused on ex situ geoheritage, i.e., to say on collections, and more specifically those hosted by museums. These objects have different status. They were collected for different purposes (e.g., scientific value, aesthetic appearance, archive significance) and therefore their use varies accordingly. Geoheritage collections disseminate knowledge, both for students and the general public. Acquisition policy is therefore guided by the preservation of a current state of nature, culture or mankind. Regarding acquisition, a new concern has arisen in the last years since science has been confronted by issues of land rights and rightful ownership. Acquisition policy has to conform with international conventions and the International Council of Museums Code of Ethics and needs to address two issues: the commercial value of geological samples and the political interest of governments.
Autonomic Nervous System: Central Cardiovascular Control

Rapid adjustments in the circulatory system rely on neurons within the brain stem, spinal cord, and peripheral nervous system that constitute the autonomic reflex pathways required to cope with acute changes in physical and metabolic demands. Perhaps the most important among these neural reflexes is the parasympathetic arterial baroreceptor reflex that normally dominates heart rate control on a beat-to-beat basis. At its simplest core, the baroreflex includes only two central neurons, and yet the integrity of this compact reflex loop is one of the best clinical indicators of the risk of sudden cardiac death.
An anti-jamming strategy for channel access in cognitive radio networks

We address an anti-jamming strategy of channel access for secondary user in a cogntive radio network when some idle channels of the primary user are being jammed in each time slot. Given the secondary does not know what idle bands are under attack, using our method it tries to choose the best possible channel in each time slot to avoid the jammer. We show this problem can be formulated as a multi-armed bandit process and compare the results of different approaches for channel selection including e-greedy, e-first, and random. Simulatons verify that our method results in selecting channels with an average of almost 50% improved signal to noise ratio (SNR) over randomly selected channels.
Representations of Men and Women in Introductory Economics Textbooks

Abstract This paper examines the frequency and ways in which men and women appear in principles of economics textbooks. Men account for more than 90 percent of business leaders, policymakers, and economists mentioned in textbooks. In addition, women are a minority of the fictionalized people appearing in textbooks and a minority of celebrities. Fictionalized women are shown taking fewer actions and are more likely to be involved in food, fashion, or household tasks, while men are more likely both to be in leadership positions and in business or policy.
Development of electrocatalysts for carbon dioxide reduction using polydentate ligands to probe structure-activity relationships

This paper describes the use of polydentate ligands to optimize the performance of palladium catalysts for CO2 reduction and to probe mechanistic aspects of catalytic reactions. Polydentate ligands can be used to precisely control coordination environments, electronic properties, and specific steric interactions that can lead to new insights into the relationship between catalyst structure and activity.
Trends and Issues in Library and Information Science

Events this year emphasize that education is continuing to embrace technology at a dramatically accelerated pace. In his third State of the Union Address, President Obama called for greater technological literacy among young people in the country (Birch 2012). He subsequently challenged states to meet the goal of adopting the use of digital textbooks for every student by 2017. States are taking measures to integrate digital learning and technology into the educational process as a means to help ensure that all students graduate from high school prepared for college and a career. The majority of states have some type of online learning programs for K-12 students and to date at least five states have laws requiring students to take virtual classes (Davis 2011). Across the country, schools are moving swiftly towards the ultimate goal of 1:1 computing and relying on digital resources for teaching and learning.
Some Algorithms for “Bond Energy” Data Analysis, Including Simulated Annealing

The applicability of Simulated Annealing (SA) (Kirkpatrick et al. (1983)) is studied in the context of the data analysis scheme of the “bond energy algorithm” originally proposed by McCormick et al. (1972) for permuting rows and columns of data matrices into visually interpretable forms. To evaluate the performance of three variations of SA, they were compared to two deterministic, heuristic methods known to perform well for the particular type of data analysis task chosen: (1) the streamlined implementation of the Bond Energy Algorithm (BEA) of Arabie et al. (1988) and Schleutermann (1989) that improves upon the original version of McCormick et al. (1972), and (2) the well-known Lin and Kernighan Algorithm (LK) (1973) for the Traveling Salesman Problem (TSP). Contrary to earlier findings (e.g., De Soete et al. (1988a, 1988b)), a version of simulated annealing was developed that performs well in a time complexity comparable to that of our implementation of Lin and Kernighan’s algorithm. From the empirical results, it appears that suitable implementation of a simulated annealing algorithm can outperform good deterministic algorithms in some data analysis applications. For speeding up execution of the SA algorithm, the focus here is on the use of a state transition scheme less randomized than others often suggested in the literature on SA.
Exact Methods for the Transient Analysis of Nonhomogeneous Continuous Time Markov Chains

Most common performance and reliability models assume that rates associated with events such as arrivals, service completions, failures, repairs, etc. are all constant in time. Many practical systems, however, require time- (age-) dependent rates. For example, the use of Weibull failure rates is quite common in many reliability models. Likewise, most actual local area network (LAN) systems experience surges in the number of users that vary in magnitude over time. These surges may often be approximated by a periodic process. Therefore, nonhomogeneous continuous time Markov chains (CTMCs) may be well suited to model such systems. The transient analysis of time-varying linear systems is highly advanced in the field of systems and control theory. We present a review of some useful results, and then apply them to the analysis of nonhomogeneous CTMCs (especially periodic ones). One of the results of this analysis is, that for a certain class of useful nonhomogeneous CTMCs, a very simple method exists for transforming such a CTMC (and not just a periodic one) to an equivalent homogeneous CTMC that is then amenable to such homogeneous methods as Jensen’s method (also known as uniformization or randomization).
A comparison of individual-level vs. hypothetically pooled mercury biomonitoring data from the Maternal Organics Monitoring Study (MOMS), Alaska, 1999-2012

Biomonitoring for heavy metals is important to assess health risks, especially in Arctic communities where rural residents rely on locally harvested foods. However, laboratory testing for blood contaminants is expensive and might not be sustainable for long-term monitoring. We assessed whether pooled specimen biomonitoring could be a part of a plan for blood contaminant surveillance among pregnant women in rural Alaska using existing blood mercury level data from three cross sectional studies of pregnant women. We applied a hypothetical pooled specimen template stratified into 8 demographic groups based on age, coastal or inland residence, and pre-pregnancy weight. The hypothetical geometric mean blood mercury levels were similar to the individual-level geometric means. However, the 95% confidence intervals were much wider for the hypothetical geometric means compared to the true geometric means. Although the variability that resulted from pooling specimens using a small sample made it difficult to compare demographic groups to each other, pooled specimen results could be an accurate reflection of the population burden of mercury contamination in the Arctic in the context of large numbers of biomonitoring samples.
Impact of Covid-19 on the urology service in United States: perspectives and strategies to face a Pandemic

Over the course of several weeks following the first diagnosed case of COVID-19 in the U.S., the virus rapidly spread across our communities. It became evident that the pandemic was going to place a severe strain on all components of the U.S. healthcare system, and we needed to adapt our daily practices, training and education. In the present paper we discuss four pillars to face a pandemic: surgical and outpatients service, tele-medicine and tele-education. In the face of unprecedented risks in providing adequate health care to our patients during this current, evolving public health crisis of COVID-19, alternative patient management tools such as telemedicine services, allow clinicians to maintain necessary patient rapport with their healthcare provider when required. As a subspecialty, urology should take full advantage of telehealth and tele-education at this juncture. As tele-urology and tele-education can obviate the potential drawbacks of "social distancing" as it pertains to healthcare, the platform can also reduce the risk of COVID-19 spread, without compromising quality urological care and educational efforts. Telehealth can bring urologists and their patients together, perhaps closer than ever.
Apparent Treatment-Resistant Hypertension Assessed by Office and Ambulatory Blood Pressure in Chronic Kidney Disease-A Report from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort Study.

Background Apparent treatment-resistant hypertension is common in patients with CKD. Whether measurement of 24-hour ambulatory BP monitoring is valuable for risk-stratifying patients with resistant hypertension and CKD is unclear. Methods We analyzed data from the Chronic Renal Insufficiency Cohort study, a prospective study of participants (n=1186) with CKD. Office BP was measured using standardized protocols; ambulatory BP was measured using Spacelabs monitors. Apparent treatment-resistant hypertension was defined on the basis of office BP, ambulatory BP monitoring, and use of more than three antihypertensive medications. Outcomes were composite cardiovascular disease, kidney outcomes, and mortality. Groups were compared using Cox regression analyses with a control group of participants without apparent treatment-resistant hypertension. Results Of 475 participants with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension on the basis of office BP, 91.6% had apparent treatment-resistant hypertension confirmed by ambulatory BP monitoring. Unadjusted event rates of composite cardiovascular disease, kidney outcomes, and mortality were higher in participants with ambulatory BP monitoring–defined apparent treatment-resistant hypertension compared with participants without apparent treatment-resistant hypertension. In adjusted analyses, the risks of composite cardiovascular disease (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% confidence interval [95% CI], 0.59 to 2.7), kidney outcomes (hazard ratio, 1.68; 95% CI, 0.88 to 3.21), and mortality (hazard ratio, 1.27; 95% CI, 0.5 to 3.25) were not statistically significantly higher in participants with ambulatory BP monitoring–defined apparent treatment-resistant hypertension compared with participants without apparent treatment-resistant hypertension. Conclusions In our study population with CKD, most patients with apparent treatment-resistant hypertension defined on the basis of office BP have apparent treatment-resistant hypertension confirmed by ambulatory BP monitoring. Although ABPM-defined apparent treatment-resistant hypertension was not independently associated with clinical outcomes, it identified participants at high risk for adverse clinical outcomes.
Stem cells and lung regeneration

The ability to replace defective cells in an airway with cells that can engraft, integrate, and restore a functional epithelium could potentially cure a number of lung diseases. Progress toward the development of strategies to regenerate the adult lung by either in vivo or ex vivo targeting of endogenous stem cells or pluripotent stem cell derivatives is limited by our fundamental lack of understanding of the mechanisms controlling human lung development, the precise identity and function of human lung stem and progenitor cell types, and the genetic and epigenetic control of human lung fate. In this review, we intend to discuss the known stem/progenitor cell populations, their relative differences between rodents and humans, their roles in chronic lung disease, and their therapeutic prospects. Additionally, we highlight the recent breakthroughs that have increased our understanding of these cell types. These advancements include novel lineage-traced animal models and single-cell RNA sequencing of human airway cells, which have provided critical information on the stem cell subtypes, transition states, identifying cell markers, and intricate pathways that commit a stem cell to differentiate or to maintain plasticity. As our capacity to model the human lung evolves, so will our understanding of lung regeneration and our ability to target endogenous stem cells as a therapeutic approach for lung disease.
The Chinese Church: A Post-denominational Reality?

The Chinese church is officially ‘post-denominational’ a stance which has its roots in early twentieth century anti-Imperialist movements and the drive by Chinese Protestants towards an autonomous church. Post-denominationalism, with its positive rejection of the western divisions of the imported church is not the whole story of the contemporary Chinese church, however Unregistered churches of indeterminate affiliation probably form the majority of Christian worship places in contemporary China and ‘heretical’ sects, denounced by both the government and the official church, have sprung up with surprising regularity since religious regulation was relaxed in the early 1980s. As different theological and ideological affiliations have re-surfaced in the reform era, new networks of churches, both local and trans regional, have grown up alongside the state churches. This chapter traces some of the competing descriptions of ‘church’ in China and places them in the context of historical developments in the twentieth century. It surveys the ideology behind the post-denominational stance of the Chinese church and considers how recent developments are complicating the official discourse. The aim is to trace intellectual lineages and to assess the rhetoric of church structures against their reality rather than map the church numerically or spatially. The chapter begins by considering “Ecclesial Identities” in China, then examines sects and independent expressions of Christianity before turning to “Theological Identities,” based on Zhuo Xinping’s threefold division of Chinese, Sino-Christian, and Academic theologies in China. It discusses how and why the political and ecclesial investment in the term ‘post-denominationalism’ are at odds with the reality of church growth and divisions, but point to interesting new patterns of church belonging.
Real-time thermoacoustic imaging and thermometry in bovine udder tissue comparing two calibration methods

Thermoacoustic (TA) thermometry requires calibration to establish the relationship between the change in TA signal with the change in temperature. Previous studies have used a priori slopes values (i.e. TA signal vs temperature), typically determined experimentally from previously performed standard calibrations. However, standard calibration requires more than one test and is not robust to changing sample orientation or composition. The goal of this study is to compare a previously studied self-calibration method to the standard calibration method in estimating temperature using real-time 3D TA thermometry in bovine udder tissue kept in the same orientation for both methods. The self-calibration and standard methods estimated temperatures of the udder sample during localized heating with a normalized root mean square errors (NRMSE) of 7.1% and 8.4%, respectively. The predicted temperatures produced by the self-calibration method were less variable than the standard method. Overall, the qualitative and quantitative results comparing predicted change in temperature suggested that self-calibration is as accurate as standard calibration with less variability and less experimentation. These advantages point to self-calibration being a more preferred method to provide temperature predictions for feedback control in future breast cancer ablation therapy.
Stimulus-selective lateral signaling between olfactory afferents enables parallel encoding of distinct CO₂ dynamics

An important problem in sensory processing is how lateral interactions that mediate the integration of information across sensory channels function with respect to their stimulus tunings. We demonstrate a novel form of stimulus-selective crosstalk between olfactory channels that occurs between primary olfactory receptor neurons (ORNs). Neurotransmitter release from ORNs can be driven by two distinct sources of excitation, feedforward activity derived from the odorant receptor and lateral input originating from specific subsets of other ORNs. Consequently, levels of presynaptic release can become dissociated from firing rate. Stimulus-selective lateral signaling results in the distributed representation of CO₂, a behaviorally important environmental cue that elicits spiking in only a single ORN class, across multiple olfactory channels. Different CO₂-responsive channels preferentially transmit distinct stimulus dynamics, thereby expanding the coding bandwidth for CO₂. These results generalize to additional odors and olfactory channels, revealing a subnetwork of lateral interactions between ORNs that reshape the spatial and temporal structure of odor representations in a stimulus-specific manner.
Social Media and Foreign University Collaboration: A Multi‐Perspective Descriptive Analysis for Indonesian Private Universities

The importance of social media for universities is an important tool for marketing purposes by adopting aggressive marketing strategies. The existence of foreign-based Higher Education Institutes (HEI) in Indonesia is almost non-existent. The government of Indonesia through education ministry requires any foreign HEIs that will operate in Indonesia to have a formal collaboration with the government accredited Indonesian HEIs. The paper empirically studies the multiple-perspective (management role and students’ role) descriptive approach in evaluating the social media usage and the importance of foreign university collaboration. The data collected from 34 universities (management perspective) and from the 5 most populated universities (for student perspective). The data analyzed and compared using graphs to draw some meaningful conclusions. The paper concludes with empirical findings based conclusions to managers to effectively using social media to its optimum benefit and gaining potential assistance from foreign university collaboration. Some meaningful suggestions to the management as how strategically social media should be managed.
Quantifying grammatical impairments in primary progressive aphasia: Structured language tests and narrative language production.

Abstract Purpose This study examined grammatical production impairments in primary progressive aphasia (PPA), as measured by structured tests and narrative samples. We aimed to quantify the strength of the relationship between grammatical measures across tasks, and identify factors that condition it. Three grammatical domains were investigated: overall sentence production, verb morphology, and verb-argument structure. Methods 77 participants with PPA (34 PPA-G, 16 PPA-L, 15 PPA-S and 12 other) completed a battery of grammatical tests and a narrative language sample was obtained. Accuracy scores were computed for the language tests and the narrative samples were analyzed for both accuracy of selected narrative variables as well as grammatical diversity across the three grammatical domains. Principal components analysis (PCA) and multiple regression were used to examine cross-task relationships for all measures. Results As expected on the basis of classification criteria, accuracy scores were lower for the PPA-G group as compared to the PPA-L and PPA-S participants for overall sentence production and verb morphology, but not argument structure. Grammatical accuracy in narratives strongly predicted overall language test performance in PPA-G, whereas grammatical diversity in narratives did so in PPA-L, and no significant correspondence between narrative and language test performance was found for PPA-S. For individuals with severe grammatical impairments only, error distribution for both morphology and argument structure was strongly associated in structured tasks and narratives. Conclusions Grammatical production in narrative language predicts accuracy elicited with structured language tests in PPA. However, unique narrative production patterns distinguish PPA by subtype: accuracy for PPA-G, and grammatical diversity for PPA-L. The impairment in PPA-G is likely to reflect a core impairment in grammar whereas that of PPA-L may be closely tied to the word retrieval and verbal working memory deficits that characterize this variant. This underscores the theoretical distinction between PPA-L and PPA-G, as well as the importance of including grammatical diversity measures in analyses of language production, especially for patients who do not display frank agrammatism. Further, the results suggest that measures of domain-specific language deficits (i.e., verb morphology vs. argument structure) are robust across tasks only in individuals with severe grammatical impairments.
Squamous cell carcinoma of the head and neck with unknown primary: trends and outcomes from a hospital-based registry

Background Squamous cell carcinoma of unknown primary of the head and neck region is a known entity described mainly by retrospective reports. We searched a hospital-based registry to better describe the changing incidence, and to assess diagnostic and treatment strategies. Methods The National Comprehensive Cancer Database was queried for head and neck cancers from oropharynx, tonsil, tongue, larynx, hypopharynx primary sites with a designation of clinical T0, representing an unknown primary. Kaplan Meier, Cox multivariate models, and propensity matched cohorts were used to assess significant factors for overall survival. Results There were 964 cases that met the criteria, and 468 cases with known treatments, staging, and survival data. The incidence increased over time, with the highest rates supported in the last 5 years. In patients who underwent HPV testing, 72% were positive. Patients with AJCC 7th clinical N2c or N3 disease had significantly worse outcomes despite the majority receiving neck dissection, radiation, and chemotherapy. Local surgery, compared to incisional or excisional biopsy, had the highest diagnostic yield of finding a primary tumor. In multivariate models, no combination of surgical approach, radiation, or systemic therapy was significantly associated with improved survival. This remained true in 1:1 propensity matched cohorts for age, comorbidities, and clinical nodal burden. In a subset of cN1 patients, combined chemoradiation therapy after excisional biopsy or local surgery was associated with (not statistically significant) improved survival compared to radiation alone (P=0.054). Conclusions The incidence of unknown primary head and neck carcinoma is increasing, and current cases have a high proportion of HPV positivity. HPV positivity predicts strongly for a tonsil primary. Local surgery was associated with the highest diagnostic yield. Clinical nodal burden strongly predicts for overall outcome, and type of treatment facility is an important driver of survival. A subset of cN1 patients may benefit from the addition of chemotherapy to radiation.
Food Insecurity of Children in the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina Food Bank Service Area

North Carolina is labeled as the 10th hungriest state in America, with almost 1 in 5 children in North Carolina facing hunger regularly. Based on these numbers alone, childhood hunger is an important issue that needs to be addressed. This paper focuses on the thirty-four counties serviced by the Food Bank of Central and Eastern North Carolina. Each county is mapped out, showing the percentage of children receiving free or reduced meals. These numbers are then compared to the number of Weekend Power Packs, Kid Cafes, and School Pantry locations per county. This project illustrates the strength of visual analytics for decision making.
Abstract 12588: Characteristics and Survival After Transcatheter Aortic Valve Replacement in Immunocompromised Patients: A Cohort Study

Background: Immunocompromised (IC) patients are at greater risk from cardiac surgery. Transcatheter aortic valve replacement (TAVR) may be more preferable for treating severe aortic stenosis (AS), ...
Increases in Maternal Education and Child Behavioral and Academic Outcomes

Consistently, research has shown that higher levels of maternal education are linked to positive child outcomes; however, few studies have examined whether increases in maternal education after the child is born are a protective or a risk factor for child outcomes. Given a large minority of mothers complete education after having children, understanding the impact of maternal increases in education may be important. We aimed to examine the association between increases in maternal education during the first five years of the child’s life and later child outcomes and explore the mediating role of the home learning environment and positive parenting. Further, we examined the moderating role of baseline education in the association between increases in maternal education and parenting behaviors. Data from the Fragile Families and Child Wellbeing Study (FFCWS), a longitudinal birth cohort study comprising 4898 families, were used. Using structural equation modeling, findings indicated that increases in maternal education were significantly associated with greater child academic skill at age nine (b = 0.04) but not with child externalizing behavior. Increases in maternal education were not linked to home learning environment or positive parenting at age five; however, higher levels of positive parenting and a better-quality home learning environment were associated with more optimal child outcomes. Baseline maternal education did not moderate the association between increases in maternal education and home learning environment and positive parenting. Models accounted for associations with several demographic covariates, including maternal intellectual ability, child effects on parenting behaviors, and continuity of child outcomes. Findings provide limited support for policies that offer support for mothers to complete educational programs that may subsequently foster child academic skills.
Spidey Sense: Designing Wrist-Mounted Affective Haptics for Communicating Cybersecurity Warnings

Improving end-users’ awareness of cybersecurity warnings (e.g., phishing and malware alerts) remains a longstanding problem in usable security. Prior work suggests two key weaknesses with existing warnings: they are primarily communicated via saturated communication channels (e.g., visual, auditory, and vibrotactile); and, they are communicated rationally, not viscerally. We hypothesized that wrist-based affective haptics should address both of these weaknesses in a form-factor that is practically deployable: i.e., as a replaceable wristband compatible with modern smartwatches like the Apple Watch. To that end, we designed and implemented Spidey Sense, a wristband that produces customizable squeezing sensations to alert users to urgent cybersecurity warnings. To evaluate Spidey Sense, we applied a three-phased ‘Gen-Rank-Verify’ study methodology with 48 participants. We found evidence that, relative to vibrotactile alerts, Spidey Sense was considered more appropriate for the task of alerting people to cybersecurity warnings.
Stock Price Prediction Model Based on the Short-term Trending of KNN Method

With the development of society and economy, the stock market becomes an important part in the financial markets. Real-time forecast of stock prices is conductive for all parties to grasp social and economic development trend and make favorable decisions. This paper proposes an improved model of predicting KNN stock price based on short-term trends. When predicting the stock price of the current trading day, this model considers the price trend of several previous trading days, and theoretically has better performance in prediction. Analysis of the data from experiments shows that the improved model of KNN performs a better and precise result of prediction than the logistic regression models and traditional KNN model.
Paralleling of Four 650V/60A GaN HEMTs for High Power Traction Drive Applications

This paper presents design considerations and experimental verification of a GaN-based half-bridge 650V/160A power converter block with four parallel 650V/60AGaN High Electron Mobility Transistors (HEMTs) for high-power traction drive applications. Paralleling of semiconductor devices is common for high power density applications. However, paralleling more than two GaN devices is challenging as parasitic inductances and resistances need to be well matched for all the devices. In addition, the DC loop inductances must be minimized to reduce the device voltage overshoot during turn-off. The gate loop inductances must also be matched and minimized to improve current sharing and reduce gate voltage oscillations. A detailed design method of a half-bridge with four parallel devices is discussed in this paper for matching gate and DC loop inductances. A half-bridge test circuit with four parallel enhancement-mode GaN (e-GaN) HEMTs is designed following the design method. The inductance matchings are verified with a detailed Q3D simulation. Finally, Double Pulse Test (DPT) results at 400V/160A are presented in this paper to demonstrate the half-bridge converter block’s current sharing and loss distributions.
The Econometrics of Matching Models

Many questions in economics can be fruitfully analyzed in the framework of matching models. Until recently, empirical work has lagged far behind theory in this area. This review reports on recent developments that have considerably expanded the range of matching models that can be taken to the data. A leading theme is that in such two-sided markets, knowing the observable characteristics of partners alone is not enough to credibly identify the relevant parameters. A combination of richer data and robust, theory-driven restrictions is required. We illustrate this on leading applications.
Do early skin care practices alter the risk of atopic dermatitis? A case-control study.

: The rise in atopic dermatitis prevalence observed in industrialized countries is unexplained. We hypothesized that certain skin care practices early in life may increase the risk for developing atopic dermatitis. Our case-control study could not identify any one practice that increased the odds of developing atopic dermatitis, but it revealed that regular lotion use was very common in infants who later develop atopic dermatitis.
Ethyl p‐Dimethylaminophenylacetate

Ethyl p-dimethylaminophenylacetate product: ethyl p-dimethylaminophenylacetate Keywords: alkylation, N-alkylation; reduction, miscellaneous
Signals and noise in micromechanical measurements.

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses the signals and noise in micromechanical measurements. A variety of single-molecule experiments, ranging from optical tweezers and scanned-tip microscopies to single-molecule fluorescence methods, have recently begun to explore the new territory. Researchers are faced with a multitude of challenging problems, one of which is noise that sets limits on the resolution of single-molecule measurement. Instrumentation must be designed with enough stability to make measurements on nm-length scales, and a thorough understanding of the subtleties of data analysis is necessary to push the limits of detection and to avoid artifacts. The chapter discusses noise issues mainly in the context of optical tweezers experiments, but much of the discussion applies to other micromechanical experiments as well. Optical tweezers, also known as laser trapping, is a micromechanical technique that is finding increasing use in a broad spectrum of experiments in biology. Optical trapping of particles uses the momentum transfer from light scattered or diffracted by an object immersed in a medium with an index of refraction different from its own.
Electron Paramagnetic Resonance

Electron paramagnetic resonance (EPR), also known as electron spin resonance (ESR) or electron magnetic resonance (EMR), is the method of choice for characterizing unpaired electrons in materials. With proper attention to experimental methods, EPR can provide quantitation of the concentrations of unpaired electrons and characterize the chemical environment of the spin. It is routinely applied to solid or liquid samples. Cryogenic temperatures may be needed to observe transition metal ions with rapid electron spin relaxation. Keywords: electron spin; organic radical; metal ion; unpaired electron
Edmund Burke in America: The Contested Career of the Father of Modern Conservatism

In Edmund Burke in America, Drew Maciag presents an excellent chronological exposition of the symbolic and instrumental role Edmund Burke has played in American political and intellectual discourse...
Squamous cell carcinoma of the cervix: a cytology-histology-human papillomavirus correlation in clinical practice.

Context Cervical cancer mortality has declined by 74% in the United States since the implementation of the Papanicolaou (Pap) test. Nevertheless, more than 12,000 US women annually develop cervical cancer, and squamous cell carcinoma (SqCa) remains the predominant cervical malignancy. Objective To evaluate screening techniques used in the detection of SqCa of the cervix and provide insights regarding which technique(s) is (are) most efficacious in our study population. Design We retrospectively reviewed all available cytologic, human papillomavirus (HPV), and histologic malignancy burden data from patients diagnosed with SqCa. The clinical data were collected from 2 geographically and socioeconomically diverse hospital systems. Cases in which identified patients had a Pap test with a negative result/unsatisfactory specimen within 5 years of SqCa tissue diagnosis were considered Pap test screening failures. Cases in which patients were diagnosed with HPV-negative SqCa were considered HPV screening failures. Results Eighty-eight cases (patients' ages ranging from 19 to 73 years) were identified. Of those, cytologic history was available for 64 cases present in our electronic medical history record. Three cases were cytology screening failures (one being an unsatisfactory specimen) and 3 cases were HPV screening failures (one being the cytologic unsatisfactory case). Although measuring sensitivity in practice has limitations, we calculated the SqCa detection sensitivity at 95.3% by Pap test alone and 97% when HPV DNA testing was incorporated. Conclusions Our results highlight the necessity of combining Pap and HPV testing. Although the number of cases identified is relatively small, our data suggest detection failures will decrease as the practice of combining HPV and Pap testing increases.
High-Volume Hospitals and Surgeons Experience Fewer Early Reoperation Events After Adolescent Idiopathic Scoliosis Surgery

Abstract Study Design Retrospective analysis of relevant in-hospital patient records from the New York State Inpatient Database. Objective We aimed to assess reoperation risk in adolescent idiopathic scoliosis (AIS) by surgeon and hospital operative volume. Summary of Background Data The need for early reoperation can be devastating for patient and family, is a burden to the physician and adds significant cost. Previous studies have shown improved outcomes associated with higher volume surgeons and hospitals, but reoperation events have not yet been explored. Methods The 2008-2011 New York State Inpatient Database was queried using International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification (ICD-9-CM) codes for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis patients aged 10-21 undergoing spine arthrodesis. Patient identifiers and revisit linkage variables were used to identify reoperation events. Annual surgeon and hospital volumes were stratified into tertiles (low, medium, high) via identifier codes. The relative risk of reoperation after spine arthrodesis was computed based on relevant patient inpatient stays. Results Over 2008 to 2011, a total of 3,928 primary fusion operations for AIS were identified. The overall rate of reoperation after spine fusion for idiopathic scoliosis was 7.1%. Low volume surgeons performed less than 6 AIS fusions per year, medium volume surgeons performed less than 43, and high volume surgeons performed from 43 to 228. Reoperation after a primary fusion for adolescent idiopathic scoliosis showed reduced frequency among higher volume surgeons (14.1% for low vs. 5.1% for high, p Conclusions Early reoperation after spine fusion for idiopathic scoliosis is seen more frequently in lower volume institutions and surgeons. Appreciating the resources and limitations at a clinician's institution is important to developing practices to prevent these devastating events. This work also has implications for strategies that aim to direct limited healthcare resources to centers with low complication rates.
Ankle-brachial index and inter-artery blood pressure differences as predictors of cognitive function in overweight and obese older adults with diabetes: results from the Action for Health in Diabetes movement and memory study.

Objective Ankle-brachial index (ABI) and interartery systolic blood pressure differences, as markers of vascular disease, are plausible risk factors for deficits in cognitive function among overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes. Methods The ABI and maximum interartery differences (MIAD) in systolic blood pressures were assessed annually for five years among 479 participants assigned to the control condition in a randomized clinical trial of a behavioral weight loss intervention. A battery of standardized cognitive function tests was administered 4 to 5 years later. Analyses of covariance were used to assess relationships that ABI, MIAD, and progression of ABI and MIAD had with cognitive function. Results There was a curvilinear relationship between ABI and a composite index of cognitive function (p = 0.03), with lower ABI being associated with poorer function. In graded fashions, both greater MIAD and increases in MIAD over time also had modest relationships with poorer verbal memory (both p ≤ 0.05), processing speed (both p ≤ 0.05), and composite cognitive function (both p < 0.04). These relationships were independent of each other and remained evident after extensive covariate adjustment. Conclusions In overweight and obese adults with type 2 diabetes, lower ABI and larger interartery systolic blood pressure differences have modest, independent, graded relationships with poorer cognitive function 4–5 years later. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
A method for rapid enzyme kinetic assays at increased hydrostatic pressure.

Abstract A stainless-steel cylindrical vessel is described with optical ports which can be pressurized to 1000 atm (hydrostatic). Constituents for enzymic reactions are injected directly into the vessel, sealed without use of tools, and pressurized. All these operations can be completed in about 10 sec. The vessel fits in the optical path of a spectrophotometer; continuous readout of the progress of the reaction is recorded. Complete reactions may be flushed from the cylinder and a new reaction initiated within a minute. A wide range of modifications of the apparatus is possible. Operation of the apparatus is demonstrated using operation of the enzymic hydrolysis of p -nitrophenyl phosphate as model system.
Law of assembly in China: People's Republic of China vs. Republic of China

Abstract This paper is a comparative study of law of assembly between the People's Republic of China (PRC) vs. the Republic of China (Taiwan) (ROC). The comparison is achieved by looking at how these two societies regulate and police assembly, procession, and demonstration (hereinafter “public assembly”). Particularly it looks at the constitutional mandate and legal limitations on police powers in managing such public gatherings, e.g. what are the role and functions, and powers and limitation of the police in dealing with public assembly application and conduct. This comparative project is conducted with a view to understand the relative development in police powers in the two Chinese societies, once linked by history and culture and now divided by geography and ideology. It is assumed that in order to achieve a political “unification” of the two societies under a “one country two systems” formula,or any other viable political settlement, some understanding of how the two legal systems work is important in breaching their differences. In a still larger context, this research rides the tide of comparative policing in exposing and explicating how police in these two closed societies, ROC (Confucianism) and PRC (Socialism), come to terms with social protests and political challenges; more broadly how they balance the forces of reform and control with the use of law.
Mucosal DNA vaccination with highly attenuated Shigella is superior to attenuated Salmonella and comparable to intramuscular DNA vaccination for T cells against HIV

Abstract An immunization strategy using attenuated bacteria to deliver DNA vaccine plasmids to mucosal sites may induce protective T cell responses against sexual HIV transmission. In a murine intranasal (i.n.) immunization model, we demonstrate that transiently persistent Δasd Shigella flexneri strain 15D harboring DNA vaccines induces HIV- and SIV-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ) producing CD8+ T cells among splenocytes more efficiently than either a longer persisting ΔaroD Salmonella typhimurium strain SL7207 or transiently persistent S. typhi strain Ty21a harboring DNA vaccines. Also, the frequency of antigen-specific gamma interferon (IFN-γ) producing cells induced by Shigella 15D harboring a DNA vaccine were comparable to that induced by intramuscular (i.m.) immunization with purified DNA vaccine. Moreover, the magnitude of mucosal and systemic antigen-specific IgA and IgG responses after immunization were dependent upon the route (i.m. vs. i.n.) of inoculation, with i.n. Shigella 15D DNA vaccines generating higher levels of HIV-specific IgA in vaginal washings than i.m. purfied DNA vaccine. Δasd S. flexneri is a promising vector for mucosal DNA vaccine immunization against HIV.
An assay for adenyl cyclase based on a combination of sodium borate electrophoresis and paper chromatography.

We describe a method for the assay of adenyl cyclase in whole tissue homogenates. Adenosine 3′:5′-cyclic monophosphate (cAMP) formed from α-32P-, 14C- or 3H-labeled adenosine 5′-triphosphate (ATP) substrate is isolated from all known ATP metabolites and an unknown metabolite by electrophoresis in 1% sodium borate for 40 min, followed by overnight descending chromatography in 95% ethanol:1 m ammonium acetate (70:30). The purity of the cAMP isolated is established by chromatographic techniques as well as by utilizing a purified cyclic nucleotide phosphodiesterase. The method described here also makes possible the measurement of phosphodiesterase activity in homogenates. It is rapid enough to allow routine assay of 180 samples per day, although the number of samples processed depends on the number of electrophoretic and chromatographic units available.
The Aversives Controversy: Policy Issues in Behavior Modificaiton and Therapy

Abstract The widespread debate regarding aversives has divided both parents and professionals into two camps — those who advocate the use of aversives and those who wish to prohibit their use altogether. Resolution of this conflict is imperative in order that clients' rights are protected, including the right to the most effective treatment. Both sides of the issue are discussed as well as research relevant to the issue. The present authors suggest that what is important is not the banning of aversives altogether, but rather insuring that aversives are used only when necessary and with proper regulations and safeguards.
Lateral segregation of sterol and channel proteins in the mitochondrial outer membrane induced by phospholipase A2: evidence from negative-stain electron microscopy using filipin.

The channel protein in the mitochondrial outer membrane of Neurospora crassa aggregates laterally into crystalline arrays by the action of phospholipase A 2 . When mitochondrial outer membranes are reacted with filipin and examined by negative-stain electron microscopy, filipinsterol complexes are found everywhere on the membranes except on the crystalline channel arrays. This suggests that the channel-rich membrane domains may have a relatively low content of accessible sterol. It is proposed that in vitro segregation of protein and lipid membrane components by phospholipase A 2 may reflect a mechanism by which the endogenous enzyme organizes the native mitochondrial membrane into functional domains.
ANTIGEN IS REQUIRED FOR THE ACTIVATION OF EFFECTOR ACTIVITIES, WHEREAS INTERLEUKIN 2 IS REQUIRED FOR THE MAINTENANCE OF MEMORY IN OVALBUMIN-SPECIFIC, CD8+ CYTOTOXIC T LYMPHOCYTES

The mechanisms that maintain memory in T cells are not completely understood. We have investigated the role of antigen and interleukin (IL)-2 in the growth and maintenance of CD8+ T cells using a cytolytic T cell line specific for ovalbumin (OVA)257-264 presented by H-2Kb. This line does not secrete IL-4 or IL-2; hence, stimulation with the OVA-transfected EL4 line (E.G7-OVA) does not induce proliferation without addition of exogenous growth factors. Furthermore, this line can be maintained continuously by weekly addition of irradiated, splenic filler cells and IL-2, with or without E.G7-OVA. Although IL-2 induced proliferation of these cytotoxic T lymphocytes (CTLs), production of interferon gamma and tumor necrosis factor alpha required stimulation of the CTL with E. G7-OVA. The kinetics of lymphokine secretion after stimulation by E. G7-OVA were the same whether the CTL had been maintained with or without antigen (Ag). In addition, both CTL lines killed E.G7-OVA target cells within 4 h. Thus, the effector functions of these CTLs were rapidly induced by T cell receptor (TCR) occupancy. CTLs cultured with or without Ag also served as memory T cells when parked for 100 d in unirradiated, syngeneic recipients without OVA. In the absence of OVA, the precursor frequency was identical in spleens of normal and beta2-microglobulin knockout recipients, but significantly less in IL-2 knockout mice. The decline of memory in the absence of IL-2 supports data from other investigators, suggesting that cell cycling is important to the maintenance of CD8+ T cell memory. These data also suggest that stimulation of OVA-specific CTLs by lymphokines seems to be more important to maintaining memory than stimulation of TCRs by cross-reactive peptides complexed to class I molecules.