cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Music in Stone: Ecomusicology and the Burren

Writers and activists have relied on similar rhetorical strategies to render the ostensibly barren Burren eminently worthy of protection. Environmental musicology, or ecomusicology, is a relatively new subgenre of musicology that emphasizes the connection between music and the environment, the cultural relationship of humans to their physical surroundings, and the study of sounds found in nature. From poets such as Moya Cannon, Michael Longley, and Seamus Heaney, whose celebration of the music in nature affirms the values of the environmental movement, to the CD produced by the Burren Action group, The Sound of Stone, music has been instrumental in environmental protest in Ireland.
A mechanism by which MnTE-2-PyP suppresses growth in prostate cancer cells

Rationale: MnTE-2-PyP is a Mn-based SOD mimic that inhibits PC3 (advanced prostate cancer cells) growth both in vivo and in vitro. Prostate cancer cells have shown defect antioxidant systems and higher oxidative stress. Hypothesis: We hypothesize that MnTE-2-PyP increases H2O2 levels in PC3 cells, and the oxidation of key proteins that regulate cell cycle contributes to the cancer growth arrest. Results We have found that MnTE-2-PyP inhibits proliferation of PC3 by 30% after 4 days of treatment. MnTE-2-PyP increased H2O2 levels in PC3 cells by 63.3% (p = 0.0080) as compared to PBS-treated cells. Accordingly, we found that many proteins undergo thiol oxidation in the presence of MnTE-2-PyP. One protein identified to be oxidized was protein phosphatase 1 (PP1), which resulted in a 22.5% (p = 0.022) decrease in PP1 activity in MnTE-2-PyP-treated PC3 cells as compared to controls. PP1 regulates cell signaling through dephosphorylation and one of its targets is Cyclin D1. Accordingly, phospho-cyclin D1 to total cyclin D1 ratio increased to 165.3% (p = 0.0018) in MnTE-2-PyP-treated PC3 cells as compared to controls. Cyclin D1 regulates pRB phosphorylation and MnTE-2-PyP treatment caused a 46.2% decrease (p = 0.017) of phospho-pRB to total pRB. We also detected that low-Ki67 populations were significantly enhanced in PC3 cells at all cell cycle phases, and correspondingly, multi-nucleated PC3 cells percentage was increased by 172.3% with MnTE-2-PyP treatment (p = 0.023). However, overall cell cycle progression was not affected by MnTE-2-PyP treatment. Conclusion MnTE-2-PyP increases H2O2 levels in PC3 cells, which causes PP1 oxidation and activity reduction. The PP1-interacting mitotic protein Ki67 is downregulated due to MnTE-2-PyP treatment, which may account for the cell quiescence and multi-nucleation of the cancer cells.
Thermal comfort investigation of stratified indoor environment in displacement ventilation: Climate-adaptive building with smart windows

Abstract The impact of combination of a passive ventilation system and smart windows in a climate-adaptive building is studied. A 3D steady-state RANS CFD simulation with a SST k-ω turbulence model was used to evaluate the temperature distribution and age of air for two cases of heat source and smart windows and two ventilation openings. The model was first validated for the first case with full-scale experimental data. For window-to-wall-ratio (WWR) ranges of 20–40% and four different room outlet opening locations, the validated model was used to determine the thermal comfort metrics of the studied building with smart windows cases. The mixed-climate environmental conditions of Atlanta-GA was used for setting up the boundary conditions. The results of thermal comfort analysis showed WWR = 30% and 40% are preferred for all studied windows and smart windows with electrochromic glazing, respectively. It also showed that up to 50% temperature difference reduction between the floor and ceiling is achievable with electrochromic windows. Smart windows with/without electrochromic glazing reduced the maximum relative air temperature between the floor and ceiling by 87%/30% compared to regular windows. This paper provides a resource for designing climate-adaptive buildings, improving occupant thermal comfort in existing buildings, and enhancing building aesthetic view characteristics.
The Influence of Focused and Sustained Spatial Attention on the Allocation of Spatial Attention.

Objective The objective of this study was to evaluate the impact of directed and sustained attention on the allocation of visuospatial attention. Healthy people often have left lateral and upward vertical spatial attentional biases. However, it is not known whether there will be an increase in bias toward the attended portion of the stimulus when volitional spatial attention is allocated to a portion of a stimulus, whether there are asymmetrical spatial alterations of these biases, and how sustained attention influences these biases. Methods We assessed spatial bias in 36 healthy, right-handed participants using a variant of horizontal and vertical line bisections. Participants were asked to focus on one or the other end of vertical or horizontal lines or entire vertical or horizontal lines, and then to bisect the line either immediately or after a 20 second delay. Results We found a significant main effect of attentional focus and an interaction between attentional focus and prolonged viewing with delayed bisection. Focusing on a certain portion of the line resulting in a significant deviation toward the attended portion and prolonged viewing of the line prior to bisection significantly enhanced the degree of deviation toward the attended portion. Conclusions The enhanced bias with directed and sustained attention may be useful modifications of the line bisection test, particularly in clinical populations. Thus, future studies should determine whether prolonged viewing with delayed bisection and spatially focused attention reveals attentional biases in patients with hemispheric lesions who perform normally on the traditional line bisection test. (JINS, 2019, 25, 65-71).
Deficiency One Theory

The Deficiency Zero Theorem tells us, among other things, that for all weakly reversible deficiency zero networks taken with mass action kinetics, the induced differential equations admit precisely one equilibrium in each positive stoichiometric compatibility class. This holds true regardless of values the rate constants take and regardless of how intricate the differential equations might be. It turns out that there is an easily described but even broader class of networks for which the same statement can be made. This is the subject of the Deficiency One Theorem.
Establishing the baseline for using plankton as biosensor

Plankton is at the bottom of the food chain. Microscopic phytoplankton account for about 50% of all photosynthesis on Earth, corresponding to 50 billion tons of carbon each year, or about 125 billion tonnes of sugar[1]. Plankton is also the food for most species of fish, and therefore it represents the backbone of the aquatic environment. Thus, monitoring plankton is paramount to infer potential dangerous changes to the ecosystem. In this work we use a collection of plankton species extracted from a large dataset of images from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institute (WHOI), to establish a basic set of morphological features for supporting the use of plankton as a biosensor. Using a perturbation detection approach, we show that it is possible to detect deviation from the average space of features for each species of plankton microorganisms, that we propose could be related to environmental threat or perturbations. Such an approach, can open the way for the development of an automatic Artificial Intelligence (AI) based system for using plankton as biosensor.
Solving Operations Research Problems with Neural Networks

As stated in Chapter 1, neural network models are in principle capable of solving certain finite choice problems arising in operations research. Generally we wish to build a dynamical system which has as its attraetors feasible solutions of a finite choice problem. Also, we wish to design the regions of attraction so that optimal or near optimal solutions are favored when the system is started at a random point x in n-space with |xi| < 1. Thus the attraetors (answers) are implicitly built into the system functions of the model and are discovered by repeated simulations starting at randomly selected points inside the n-cube with vertex components ±1.
Evaluation of Soil Water and Nitrogen Distribution by Site-Specific Irrigation Scheduling Method in Tomato Crop Grown on Sandy Soil

Irrigation scheduling based on a real-time and location-specific (RT-LS) model increases irrigation water savings and yield. The RT-LS irrigation scheduling models have been developed as smartphone applications and have been used for crop-specific irrigation requirements. Although many RT-LS irrigation models have been tested and used in several agronomic and horticultural crops in Florida, none of these irrigation-scheduling models has been tested for their impacts on nutrient distribution in Florida’s sandy soils. A two-season (fall 2015 and spring 2016) study was conducted to determine the effects of an RT-LS–based irrigation scheduling on soil water, NO₃⁻–N, and NH₄⁺–N distributions during a tomato cropping season. In both seasons, an RT-LS model for tomato was evaluated at three irrigation application rates (66, 100, and 150% RT-LS–suggested amounts) and compared with a historic evapotranspiration (ET)-based irrigation schedule (Historic ET) currently recommended in Florida. This study suggests that the RT-LS model improves water savings by 20 and 17% for the fall and spring seasons, respectively, compared with the Historic ET irrigation scheduling method. No specific pattern was observed for soil NH₄⁺–N concentration between scheduling methods, but the RT-LS model maintained a higher soil NO₃⁻–N concentration within the crop root zone and hence could reduce NO₃⁻–N leaching potential. In each season, compared with the Historic ET irrigation method, the RT-LS improved both nitrogen recovery and irrigation water use efficiency in the open-field fresh-market tomato production system. Results obtained in this study clearly demonstrate that irrigation applications using the RT-LS irrigation scheduler improved irrigation scheduling accuracy by maintaining nutrients within the tomato root zone and hence could reduce nutrient leaching potential in sandy soil.
Management of Botryosphaeria canker and blight diseases of temperate zone nut crops

Abstract Species of Botryosphaeriaceae family cause detrimental damage and yield losses in perennial crops. In California, Botryosphaeriaceae species cause three major diseases, the panicle and shoot blight of pistachio; the canker, dieback, and blight of walnut; and, the band canker of almond. The control of Botryosphaeria diseases of pistachio and walnut by applying synthetic fungicides has been an effective management strategy. Conversely, because the unique disease cycle of almond band canker, attacking the almond trunk through the growth cracks, fungicide applications are not recommended for controlling this disease after expression of symptoms. Whatever the disease, integrating the different management practices, such as cultural practices, plant resistance, or biological control, is a necessity. Here, we review the available management strategies that can be used by pest control advisers and farmers of nut crops in order to control these important diseases.
Continuations of time, format, and subject to variation in recreation experience preference measurement.

The purpose of this study was to estimate the extent to which time of measurement, scale format, and item domain introduce variance into the measurement of Driver's (1977) recreation experience pre...
Adoption of e-filing: the US journey

To promote effective tax administration, the United States Congress set a goal of 80% of all tax returns filed electronically by 2007. The deadline was extended to 2012, which saw 69% accomplished. Using time series analysis from 2005 to 2016, this study analyses the advancements of electronic tax filings in the USA. Several interesting observations are reported. First, individual e-filing has reached the goal in 2012. Second, overall trends indicate continuous and steady progress both by volume and by share. Third, the total e-filing ratio shows monotonical increase over the years but is still shy of the target in 2016. Fourth, individual e-filing constitutes the majority while business and tax-exempt e-file comprises 15% of the total. Fifth, employment tax e-file, while constituting over half of business e-file, ranks the lowest due to few mandates. Finally, several strategies and recommendations are proposed to reach the composite target.
MIPSPILOT: a compiler-oriented MIPS simulator

The MIPS architecture is studied at many universities because its instruction set is fairly clean and orthogonal. As a result, a number of simulators/assemblers/debuggers have been produced to support teaching of, and development on, MIPS. The focus has been to support that of teaching assembly language programming or computer architecture. MipsPilot is a MIPS simulator with features that are tailored for the support of a compiler design course. This paper discusses desirable features of an assembly language simulator for a compiler designer, and compares MipsPilot with two popular MIPS simulators.
Adults Who Stutter and Their Motivation for Attending Stuttering Support Groups: A Pilot Study

Purpose While the benefits of participating in stuttering support groups are well known, the factors that motivate adults who stutter (AWS) to continue attending these meetings are not documented. ...
Elimination of clonogenic tumor cells from HL-60, Daudi, and U-937 cell lines by laser photoradiation therapy: implications for autologous bone marrow purging

Laser photoradiation therapy was tested in an in vitro model for its efficacy in the elimination of non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma cells. Results show that at 31.2 J/cm2 of laser light in the presence of 20 micrograms/mL of merocyanine 540 (MC540) there was greater than 5 log reduction in Burkitt's lymphoma (Daudi) cells. Similar tumor cell kill was obtained for leukemia (HL-60) cells at a laser light dose of 93.6 J/cm2. However, to obtain the same efficiency of killing for histiocytic lymphoma (U-937) cells, a higher dose of MC540 (25 micrograms/mL) was required. Clonogenic tumor stem cell colony formation was reduced by greater than 5 logs after laser photoradiation therapy. Under identical conditions for each cell line the percent survival for granulocyte-macrophage colony-forming units (CFU-GM, 45.9%, 40%, 17.5%), granulocyte/erythroid/macrophage/megakaryocyte (GEMM, 40.1%, 20.1%, 11.5%), colony-forming units (CFU-C, 16.2%, 9.1%, 1.8%), and erythroid burst-forming units (BFU-E, 33.4%, 17.8%, 3.9%) was significantly higher than the tumor cells. Mixing of gamma ray- irradiated normal marrow cells with tumor cells (1:1 and 10:1 ratio) did not interfere with the elimination of tumor cells. The effect of highly purified recombinant interferon alpha (rIFN) on laser photoradiation therapy of tumor cells was also investigated. In the presence of rIFN (30 to 3,000 U/mL), the viability of leukemic cells was observed to increase from 0% to 1.5% with a concurrent decrease in membrane polarization, suggesting an increase in fluidity of cell membrane in response to rIFN. However, at higher doses of rIFN (6,000 to 12,000 U/mL) this phenomenon was not observed. The viability of lymphoma cells remained unaffected at all doses of rIFN tested. These results may have therapeutic relevance in patients undergoing interferon treatment who require bone marrow transplantation, as the complete elimination of tumor cells by marrow-purging procedures may be hampered by this increased survival in the presence of interferon.
Rerandomization in 2K factorial experiments

With many pretreatment covariates and treatment factors, the classical factorial experiment often fails to balance covariates across multiple factorial effects simultaneously. Therefore, it is intuitive to restrict the randomization of the treatment factors to satisfy certain covariate balance criteria, possibly conforming to the tiers of factorial effects and covariates based on their relative importances. This is rerandomization in factorial experiments. We study the asymptotic properties of this experimental design under the randomization inference framework without imposing any distributional or modeling assumptions of the covariates and outcomes. We derive the joint asymptotic sampling distribution of the usual estimators of the factorial effects, and show that it is symmetric, unimodal and more “concentrated” at the true factorial effects under rerandomization than under the classical factorial experiment. We quantify this advantage of rerandomization using the notions of “central convex unimodality” and “peakedness” of the joint asymptotic sampling distribution. We also construct conservative large-sample confidence sets for the factorial effects.
Manipulating Anger Does Not Affect Risky Decision Making

To date, multiple studies have examined the influence of negative mood on per­formance on behavioral decision-making tasks. Self-reported negative mood was inconsis­tently associated with subsequent decision making, and a similar inconsistent pattern was seen when negative mood was manipulated in the study session. The present study sought to examine how deliberately inducing a particular negative mood, anger, would affect risky decision making. College student participants reported their political beliefs, then were randomly assigned to one of several mood manipulation conditions (political anger, anger, sadness, fear, control) prior to completion of standard behavioral risky decision-making tasks including the Iowa Gambling Task, Game of Dice Task, Balloon Analogue Risk Task, and Columbia Card Task. Results indicated an increase in negative mood in the anger condition following the study manipulation, but only minimal effects of negative mood on risky decision making across tasks. Future assessments of mood and decision making should address multiple negative mood affects in addition to manipulation tech­niques in order to determine if a specific mood and/or manipulation is contributing to an individuals’ risky decision making.
Results of monitoring indicators of iodine deficiency disorders in Guangming District of Shenzhen City in 2010-2012

Objective To know the current situation of prevention and control of iodine deficiency disorders in Guangming District of Shenzhen through analyzing related monitoring indicators from 2010-2012.Methods According to the "National Iodized Salt Monitoring Program",in Guangming District of Shenzhen,2 Street Offices were chosen,then 4 Neighborhood Committees were chosen in each Street Office randomly,15 household salt samples were selected randomly in each Neighborhood Committee; 5 primary schools were chosen in this district,and 20 urine samples were selected from 8-10 years old children in each school in 2011,one source water and one tap water sample were collected of all the water supply companies in this district in 2012.Salt iodine was determined by direct titration method; urinary iodine was determined by As3--Ce4+ catalytic spectrophotometry method; water iodine was determined by sulfate Ce catalytic spectrophotometry of drinking water standard test method.Results Salt iodine were 27.13 and 21.23 mg/kg in 2010 and 2012,respectively.The rates of qualified iodized salt in 2010 and 2012 were 93.33％ (112/120) and 90.00％ (108/120),respectively.The median concentration of urinary iodine of 8-10 years old children in 2011 was 208.19 μg/L.The median concentration of water iodine in 2012 was 31.60 μg/L.Conclusions The district isn't an iodine excess.The rates of qualified iodized salt in resent years are in line with national standards.There is no iodine deficiency in children and additional supplementation of iodine is not necessary.But relevant monitoring still needs to be improved. Key words: Iodine ; Deficiency diseases ; Salts ; Urine ; Water
Pleiotropic actions of Vitamin D in composite musculoskeletal trauma

Composite tissue injuries are the result of high energy impacts caused by motor vehicle accidents, gunshot wounds or blasts. These are highly traumatic injuries characterized by wide-spread, penetrating wounds affecting the entire musculoskeletal system, and are generally defined by frank volumetric muscle loss with concomitant segmental bone defects. At the tissue level, the breadth of damage to multiple tissue systems, and potential for infection from penetration, have been shown to lead to an exaggerated, often chronic inflammatory response with subsequent dysregulation of normal musculoskeletal healing mechanisms. Aside from the direct effects of inflammation on myogenesis and osteogenesis, frank muscle loss has been shown to directly impair fracture union and ultimately contribute to failed wound regeneration. Care for these injuries requires extensive surgical intervention and acute care strategies. However, often these interventions do not adequately mitigate inflammation or promote proper musculoskeletal injury repair and force amputation of the limb. Therefore, identification of factors that can promote tissue regeneration and mitigate inflammation could be key to restoring wound healing after composite tissue injury. One such factor that may directly affect both inflammation and tissue regeneration in response to these multi-tissue injuries may be Vitamin D. Beyond traditional roles, the pleiotropic and localized actions of Vitamin D are increasingly being recognized in most aspects of wound healing in complex tissue injuries - e.g., regulation of inflammation, myogenesis, fracture callus mineralization and remodeling. Conversely, pre-existing Vitamin D deficiency leads to musculoskeletal dysfunction, increased fracture risk or fracture non-unions, decreased strength/function and reduced capacity to heal wounds through increased inflammation. This Vitamin D deficient state requires acute supplementation in order to quickly restore circulating levels to an optimal level, thereby facilitating a robust wound healing response. Herein, the purpose of this review is to address the roles and critical functions of Vitamin D throughout the wound healing process. Findings from this review suggest that careful monitoring and/or supplementation of Vitamin D may be critical for wound regeneration in composite tissue injuries.
Association of Race/Ethnicity and Other Demographic Characteristics With Use of Physical Restraints in the Emergency Department.

This cross-sectional study assesses the association of race/ethnicity and other demographic factors with risk of receiving physical restraint during an emergency department (ED) visit.
Morphological Changes in the Mandibles Accompany the Defensive Behavior of Indiana Mite Biting Honey Bees Against Varroa Destructor

The honey bee (Apis mellifera) is the most important managed pollinator to sustainable agriculture and our ecosystem. Yet managed honey bee colonies in the United States experience 30–40% losses annually. Among the many biotic stressors, the parasitic mite Varroa destructor is considered one of the main causes of colony losses. Bees’ mite-biting behavior has been selected as a Varroa-tolerant or Varroa-resistant trait in the state of Indiana for more than a decade. A survey of damaged mites from the bottom of a colony can be used as an extended phenotype to evaluate the mite-biting behavior of a colony. In this study, on average, 37% of mites sampled from the breeding stocks of 59 colonies of mite biters in Indiana were damaged or mutilated, which is significantly higher than the 19% of damaged mites found in commercial colonies in the southern United States. Indiana mite biter colonies had a higher proportion of damaged mites, although among the damaged mites, the number of missing legs was not significantly higher. In addition, the morphology of pollen-forager worker bee mandibles was compared by X-ray microcomputed tomography for six parameters in two populations, and a difference was detected in one parameter. Our results provide scientific evidence that potentially explains the defensive mechanism against Varroa mites: structural changes in the worker bee mandibles.
Enumerating Descents on Quasi-Stirling Permutations and Plane Trees

Gessel and Stanley introduced Stirling permutations to give a combinatorial interpretation of certain polynomials related to Stirling numbers. A natural extension of these permutations are quasi-Stirling permutations, which are in bijection with labeled rooted plane trees, and can be viewed as labeled noncrossing matchings. They were recently introduced by Archer et al., who conjectured that there are \((n+1)^{n-1}\) quasi-Stirling permutations of size n having n descents. Here we prove this conjecture. More generally, we enumerate quasi-Stirling permutations, as well as a one-parameter family that generalizes them, by the number of descents, giving an implicit equation for their generating function in terms of that of Eulerian polynomials. We also show that many of the properties of descents on usual permutations and on Stirling permutations have an analogue for quasi-Stirling permutations.
Some Aspects of Diplomatic Immunities in the United States

Traditionally, the term "privileges and immunities" in relation to diplomatic agents was employed to designate two groups of rights. Privileges included the personal inviolability of an agent, his residence and property; immunities, his freedom from the jurisdiction of the receiving state. A more modern classification, however, usually encompasses within the term immunities the rights formerly associated with the agent's privileges, i.e., immunity from interference generally, as well as immunity from jurisdiction. Under present day concepts, privileges comprise the additional benefits accorded the agent, e.g., tax and customs concessions. The modern classification1 is used in this study which is primarily concerned with some principles governing specific immunities and their interpretation and application.
Effects of pressure on the band structure of highly mismatched Zn1−yMnyOxTe1−x alloys

We report photomodulation spectroscopy measurements of the pressure dependence of the optical transition in Zn1−yMnyOxTe1−x alloys that is associated with the lowest Γ conduction band (termed E− subband). The pressure-induced energy shift of the E− transition is nonlinear and much weaker as compared to the change of the direct band gap of Zn0.88Mn0.12Te. The weak pressure dependence of the E− transition can be fully understood based on the band anticrossing model in which the E− subband results from an interaction between the extended ZnMnTe conduction-band states and the localized O electronic states.
Energy Distribution of Planetary Nebulae (UV to Radio)

The past decade has seen significant progress in our understanding of spectral energy distribution of planetary nebulae over the entire wavelength range from UV to radio. In this review we show the detailed breakdown of the energy budget for a planetary nebula as a system of the three components, i.e., the central star, the gaseous nebula and the dust shell. This picture of the energy distribution is further discussed in the context of planetary nebula evolution.
Topological Quantum Computation

Following a suggestion of A. Kitaev, we explore the connection between fault-tolerant quantum computation and nonabelian quantum statistics in two spatial dimensions. A suitably designed spin system can support localized excitations (quasiparticles) that exhibit long-range nonabelian Aharonov-Bohm interactions. Quantum information encoded in the charges of the quasiparticles is highly resistant to decoherence, and can be reliably processed by carrying one quasiparticle around another. If information is encoded in pairs of quasiparticles, then the Aharonov-Bohm interactions can be adequate for universal fault-tolerant quantum computation.
Ezymatic breakage and joining of deoxyribonucleic acid. VII. Properties of the enzyme-adenylate intermediate in the polynucleotide ligase reaction.

Polynucleotide ligase from Escherichia coli infected with bacteriophage T4 catalyzes the esterification of interrupted phosphodiester bonds (single strand breaks) within a DNA duplex. Purified preparations of the enzyme also catalyze an isotopic exchange reaction between ATP and 32PPi. However, they do not catalyze a measurable exchange between 3H-AMP and ATP. A radioactively labeled ligaseAMP complex has been isolated by gel filtration and its properties have been studied. Although purified preparations of polynucleotide ligase require ATP for the esterification of interrupted phosphodiester bonds in a DNA substrate, preparations of ligase-AMP can form phosphodiester bonds in the absence of added ATP. Release of AMP occurs during this reaction and is dependent on the presence of 5′-phosphomonoesters at single strand breaks in the DNA duplex. The extent of the release of AMP is proportional to the number of internal 5′-phosphomonoesters present in the reaction mixture. Native T7 DNA, denatured DNA, sonically treated DNA, and DNA containing only 5′-hydroxyl end groups produce little, if any, ligase-AMP breakdown. The DNA-dependent breakdown of the ligase-AMP complex provides a sensitive method for determining the number of internal 5′-phosphomonoesters in preparations of duplex DNAs.
Misinterpretation of evidence synthesis and ASIPP guidelines by Chou.

To the Editor: We read with great interest, Chou's [1] review of evidence usage in pain practice. However, Chou misunderstood not only the evidence synthesis, but also the guidelines by the American Society of Interventional Pain Physicians (ASIPP). As Chou mentions, ASIPP guidelines [2] are not recommended for primary care settings. We were rather surprised that Chou has chosen not to utilize any of the evidence developed by the Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality [3]. Chou is focused solely on randomized controlled trials; consequently, evidence may be misinterpreted. There are numerous levels of evidence available and ASIPP utilized what was considered as the best. We refer Chou to reassessment of evidence synthesis of the American College of Occupational and Environmental Medicine practice guidelines [4] that utilizes only randomized controlled trials, yet arrives at a different conclusion. It is surprising that Chou also has not considered the quality of evidence rating developed by the United States Preventive Services Task Force [5] …
Universal properties of linear magnetoresistance in strongly disordered MnAs-GaAs composite semiconductors

Linear magnetoresistance occurs in semiconductors as a consequence of strong electrical disorder and is characterized by nonsaturating magnetoresistance that is proportional to the applied magnetic field. By investigating a disordered MnAs-GaAs composite material, it is found that the magnitude of the linear magnetoresistance (LMR) is numerically equal to the carrier mobility over a wide range and is independent of carrier density. This behavior is complementary to the Hall effect that is independent of the mobility and dependent on the carrier density. Moreover, the LMR appears to be insensitive to the details of the disorder and points to a universal explanation of classical LMR that can be applied to other material systems.
Chapter 10 – Quantification approaches

Publisher Summary This chapter classifies quantification approaches into two categories: first, diffusion tensor imaging (DTI) is used to improve existing quantification approaches; second, DTI can provide new anatomic information. These approaches are discussed in detail. The conventional quantification approach can be used with any magnetic resonance (MR) image as long as it is co registered to DTI. It implies that one can measure T1, T2 (weighted images), ADC (apparent diffusion constant), FA (fractional anisotropy) of specific white matter tracts that can be discretely identified in color-coded orientation maps. This is indeed a powerful technique enabled by DTI. However, as most DTI is based on echo-planar imaging (EPI)-based data acquisition, the images become distorted. This can be corrected either by undistorting the DTI images or acquiring all coregistered magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) with the same EPI-based method—as all the images are distorted in the same way. The quantification of anisotropy and tract sizes by DTI that involves the quantification of contrast and morphology are also discussed in the chapter.
Cholinergic neuromuscular synapses in Aplysia have low endogenous acetylcholinesterase activity and a high-affinity uptake system for acetylcholine

In the present study, we have demonstrated that ACh is the predominant fast excitatory transmitter used by identified motor neurons innervating feeding muscles in Aplysia. A detailed study of ACh metabolism was then carried out in a well-characterized neuromuscular preparation, intrinsic muscle 5 (15). This neuromuscular system has a high-affinity uptake system for choline. The rate of uptake of choline was increased by motor neuron stimulation, and this increased uptake appears to be selectively targeted to motor neuron terminals. These properties appear similar to those observed in vertebrate neuromuscular preparations. However, we have made two observations that are surprising in light of our knowledge concerning the vertebrate neuromuscular junction where released ACh is rapidly hydrolyzed by acetylcholinesterase (AChE) to choline, which is then taken up by a high-affinity uptake system. This Aplysia neuromuscular system has limited endogenous AChE activity and contains a separate high-affinity uptake system for ACh itself that actually has a higher velocity than that for choline uptake. It is possible that the uptake system for ACh is involved in terminating the action of released transmitter in a manner similar to that previously described for noncholinergic transmitters. Using this preparation, we have demonstrated release of labeled ACh in response to intracellular stimulation of identified motor neurons. The release per spike appears to be highly plastic,increasing markedly with stimulation frequency. This preparation is amendable to study the regulation of release of peptide and conventional transmitters from the terminals of individual neurons.
Foreclosure Depresses Voter Turnout: Neighborhood Disruption and the 2008 Presidential Election in California

Objective We investigate whether voters in communities with high rates of foreclosure will find it more difficult to participate in elections, given social disruptions associated with home loss in their neighborhoods. Methods We estimate the community-level effects of foreclosure on turnout rates in California ZIP Codes during the 2008 presidential election and an individual-level turnout model using housing data merged with California voter data. Results Foreclosure rates are associated with reduced participation independent of local economic conditions, rates of education, ethnic composition, or individual partisanship, age, and habitual participation. Conclusion Given the relationship between the foreclosure crisis and political participation, this research suggests the need for further investigation. We are especially interested in the potential that housing foreclosure further exacerbates ethnic and economic inequality due to the preponderance of subprime loans, distressed mortgages, and foreclosures in communities of color and lower socioeconomic status.
Systematic biases in large‐scale estimates of wetland methane emissions arising from water table formulations

[1] Most earth system models that simulate wetland methane emissions ignore spatial variability of water table depth. We compared methane emissions estimated using two commonly-used water table approximations (wet-dry and uniform) to a scheme that accounts for spatial variability, for several combinations of methane model parameter values and a range of water table depth spatial variability (σzwt). The approximations' biases were consistent across methane model parameter sets. The wet-dry scheme's biases were smallest in absolute value (+/−5–10%) when σzwt was large (38 cm) but increased to between −85% and −95% as σzwt approached 0. The uniform scheme's biases were largest (+/−100% or more) when σzwt was large and vanished as σzwt approached 0. For σzwt values typical of boreal wetlands, these schemes' previous predictions that global wetland methane emissions will double by 2100 are in error by factors ranging from 0.7 to 1.3. Similar biases may affect paleoclimate studies.
Antiproliferative factor regulates connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) expression in T24 bladder carcinoma cells

Antiproliferative factor (APF) is a sialoglycopeptide elevated in the urine of patients with interstitial cystitis (IC)—a chronic, painful bladder disease of unknown etiology. APF inhibits the proliferation of normal bladder epithelial and T24 bladder carcinoma cells in vitro by binding to cytoskeleton-associated protein 4 (CKAP4) and altering the transcription of genes involved in proliferation, cellular adhesion, and tumorigenesis; however, specific molecular mechanisms and effector genes that control APF's antiproliferative effects are unknown. In this study, we found that there was a 7.5-fold up-regulation of connective tissue growth factor (CTGF/CCN2) expression in T24 bladder carcinoma cells treated with APF. Western blot revealed a dose-dependent increase in CCN2 protein levels, with secretion into the culture medium after APF treatment. CCN2 overexpression enhanced APF's antiproliferative activity, whereas CCN2 knockdown diminished APF-induced p53 expression. Using a luciferase reporter construct, we found that APF treatment resulted in fivefold activation of the CCN2 proximal promoter and, of importance, that small interfering RNA–mediated knockdown of CKAP4 inhibited CCN2 upregulation. In addition, we demonstrate that CKAP4 translocates to the nucleus and binds to the CCN2 proximal promoter in an APF-dependent manner, providing evidence that CCN2 regulation by APF involves CKAP4 nuclear translocation and binding to the CCN2 promoter.
Food-related stimuli increase desire to eat in hungry and satiated human subjects

In the present study, the effect of food-related cues on the desire to eat chocolate in hungry and satiated subjects was investigated. Subjects (n=46) were randomly assigned to either a hungry or satiated group and then assigned to a group receiving one of the following stimuli: taste (2 M&Ms), sight (a photograph of M&Ms), cognition (a passage describin M&Ms), or control (no stimulus). In each testing session, subjects rated their desire to eat chocolate before and after the 90-s presentation of the particular stimulus. Each subject was then given a half pound of M&Ms so that actual consumption could also be measured. Results indicated that, following the presentation of the sight and taste stimuli, the subjects’ desire to eat chocolate was significantly increased. Furthermore, no differences in chocolate consumption due to state of hunger or type of food-related stimulus presented were found.
Role of genetic factors in depression based on studies of Tourette syndrome and ADHD probands and their relatives

Tourette syndrome (TS) is a common, neuropsychiatric disorder which has many similarities to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). TS probands have a high frequency of a variety of behavioral disorders including depression. The depression may be due to a pleiotropic effect of the Gts genes, proband ascertainment bias, or a result of coping with the chronic tics. To distinguish between these hypotheses we examined the responses to 17 Diagnostic Interview Schedule questions to evaluate the 9 DSM-III-R criteria for major depressive episode in 1,080 adults consisting of TS and ADHD probands, their relatives and controls. Using a Bonferonni corrected p there was a significant progressive increase in 16 of 17 depressive symptoms and for a life time history of a major depressive episode in groups with increased genetic loading for Gts genes. Similar trends were seen in the small number of ADHD probands and their relatives. There was also a significant increase for these variables in non-proband TS relatives versus non-TS relatives, indicating the association of depression with Gts genes was not due to ascertainment bias or the inappropriate choice of controls. Multiple linear regression analysis indicated that obsessive-compulsive behaviors, sex, ADHD, drug abuse, and age all showed a moremore » significant effect on depressive symptoms than the number of tics. The presence or absence of TS in the relatives had a much greater effect on risk for depression than the presence or absence of an episode of major depression in the proband. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that Gts and ADHD genes play a major role in depression. 69 refs., 5 tabs.« less
Diels-Alder cycloadditions of rigid dienophiles: a probe for allylic axial substituent control of the pi-facial selectivity in the Diels-Alder reaction

Summary A study of the pi-facial selectivity of the Diels-Alder reaction of N -benzoyl 5-methoxycarbony 1–2-aza-oxabicyclo[2.2.2]oct-4-ene, a rigid electron deficient dienophile bearing two allylic axial heteroatom substituents, with 1-methoxy-3-trimethylsilyloxybutadiene, a representative electron rich diene, is detailed.
Synchronicity: a post‐structuralist guide to creativity and change

Synchronicity was coined by Jung in 1955 to refer to the meaningful and acausal, or chance, correlation between an inner and outer event. Insofar as creativity is dependent upon chance for novelty, then creativity and synchronicity may have a supportive relationship. This paper uses narrative to explore the role of paradox in meaning, in chance, and in creativity. The nature of synchronicity, the relationship between synchronicity and creativity, and the implications of this relationship for management are discussed. Such implications include encouraging multiple points of view, understanding the role of emotion in creativity, allowing for movement across metaphorical and physical boundaries, honoring the body, and maintaining a lightness (with humor zand joy) with which to adapt to inevitable “accidents”.
Mercapturic acid conjugates of 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal and 4-oxo-2-nonenal metabolites are in vivo markers of oxidative stress.

Oxidative stress-induced lipid peroxidation leads to the formation of cytotoxic and genotoxic 2-alkenals, such as 4-hydroxy-2-nonenal (HNE) and 4-oxo-2-nonenal (ONE). Lipid-derived reactive aldehydes are subject to phase-2 metabolism and are predominantly found as mercapturic acid (MA) conjugates in urine. This study shows evidence for the in vivo formation of ONE and its phase-1 metabolites, 4-oxo-2-nonen-1-ol (ONO) and 4-oxo-2-nonenoic acid (ONA). We have detected the MA conjugates of HNE, 1,4-dihydroxy-2-nonene (DHN), 4-hydroxy-2-nonenoic acid (HNA), the lactone of HNA, ONE, ONO, and ONA in rat urine by liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry comparison with synthetic standards prepared in our laboratory. CCl4 treatment of rats, a widely accepted animal model of acute oxidative stress, resulted in a significant increase in the urinary levels of DHN-MA, HNA-MA lactone, ONE-MA, and ONA-MA. Our data suggest that conjugates of HNE and ONE metabolites have value as markers of in vivo oxidative stress and lipid peroxidation.
One adaptive modeling with Markov-chain decision tree in application of independent combinational components installing test

The software functional test goal is to detect and remove as many defects as possible with a series of test case. In order to solve the problem of paradox of defects coverage and time cost in installation of independent combinational components(ICCI), one adaptive modeling algorithm with Markov-chain decision tree based on some necessary assumptions is proposed in this paper compared to the traditional matrix methodology. After comparing two searching strategies called two- binary search and bottom-to-top respectively, we also do some edges cunning work according to improved understanding of correct probability of software product during testing and defect verification. Combining the merits of the two strategies with layer controlling, empirical results with one of our product Tivoli Integrated Portal is also collected to demonstrate the effectiveness of such solution.
Joint congestion control and routing subject to dynamic interruptions in cognitive radio networks

Cognitive radio networks suffer from dynamic interruptions from primary users. The joint congestion control and routing are tackled using stochastic control techniques. Centralized dynamic programming is applied for the primal optimization, which provides a performance upper bound. Q-learning is applied when the primary user knowledge is unknown. Dual optimization based decomposition is used to decentralize the stochastic control. A heuristic scheme based on the limited lookahead policy (LLP) and binary pricing is proposed to tackle the prohibitive difficulty in the dual optimization. Numerical simulation shows that the proposed algorithms achieve the optimal or near-optimal performance.
Normal tissue tolerance to intraoperative radiotherapy

Much experimental evidence has been accumulated assessing the tolerance of various tissues to IORT, and much of the tolerance data have resulted from the use of canine models. Guidelines of IORT tissue tolerance established in experimental models have been used in the clinical application of IORT at numerous institutions. Although the radiotolerance of differing tissues can vary among species, sufficient clinical experience has accumulated to validate the canine tissue tolerance model as representative of human tissue responses to IORT. Cellular effects from radiation principally stem from direct damage to DNA, and thus proliferating tissues are among the most radiosensitive, with arrested or abnormal cell division. These tissues can manifest striking early toxicity, reflecting the rate of cell division that is affected by the radiation. Irradiation of nonproliferating or slowly proliferating tissues may show little or no early toxicity, but late effects can be manifested to considerable and varying degrees. In much of this late toxicity, pathologic changes develop from progressive ischemia, brought about by the gradual obliteration of small blood vessels. Irradiated endothelium often becomes replaced by a thickened fibrous layer, which, in small vessels, leads to occlusion and ischemic necrotic changes in the supplied tissue. In larger vessels, fibrosis can lead to wall weakening and aneurysmal dilatation, rupture, or thrombosis. The common denominator, then, of radiation damage to many tissues is related to vascular effects. Although the tolerance to IORT-induced toxicity can vary considerably among tissues, doses ranging to 25 Gy can generally be tolerated without significant toxicity. Vital areas where IORT dose must be carefully monitored include critical vasculature, gastrointestinal viscera, ureter, significant motor or sensory nerve trunks, and central nervous system structures. Higher doses can generally be delivered safely to anatomic areas at risk for tumor that are at a distance from sensitive organs or tissues. The general principle providing the rationale of IORT should always be practiced: maximize the radiation dose to the tumor and tumor-harboring tissues while minimizing dose exposure to surrounding normal tissues.
Observations on the delayed first heart sound in mitral stenosis and hypertension.

The measurement of the time between the onset of ventricular depolarization and the first heart sound, the Q-1 interval, has been employed in the phonocardiographic evaluation of patients with rheumatic heart disease. Prolongation of this interval has been noted frequently in patients with mitral stenosis and may be used as evidence in weighing the advisability of operation. In the present study, delayed appearance of the first heart sound was often noted in patients with hypertensive vascular disease as well. The mechanism for these changes as well as their significance in the phonocardiographic evaluation of patients with combined valvular disease and hypertension is discussed.