cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Rapid Systems of Systems Integration - Combining an Architecture-Centric Approach with Enterprise Service Bus Infrastructure

Rapid, yet methodical, systems of systems integration is in high demand. Application areas such as homeland security and disaster response add to the challenge because of a unique set of integration requirements; three examples are: (1) a high demand for flexibility with respect to the configuration and support of business processes to anticipate and cater to changing threat and mitigation scenarios, (2) high agility demands during both development and production to address legacy and emergent capabilities, processes, applications and technologies, (3) wide variety of trust relationships among and across stakeholders and their organizations. In this paper we report on an approach for balancing challenging integration requirements while rapidly delivering a high-quality, value added, integrated system architecture and service-based implementation infrastructure. In particular, we show how the choice of an Enterprise Service Bus as a deployment infrastructure helps discharge many of the obligations induced by the mentioned requirements - if it is combined with an agile, yet systematic approach for architecture discovery and design.
Sexual well-being among partnered women with breast cancer recurrence.

Purpose A woman's risk for sexual disruption after breast cancer recurrence has received little clinical or research attention. Patients and Methods Breast cancer patients recently diagnosed with recurrence (n = 60) were initially assessed at baseline and completed follow-ups at 4, 8, and 12 months. They were compared by age, stage, and duration and frequency of follow-up with matched patients who remained disease free (n = 120). Using linear mixed modeling, the groups were compared in their trajectories of change on measures of sexuality, relationship satisfaction, cancer-specific stress, and physical functioning. Recurrence subgroups, those with locoregional versus distant disease and those younger versus older than 52 years, were also compared. Results At baseline, the recurrence group had significantly lower intercourse frequency and physical functioning compared with the disease-free group and these differences were maintained. There were no significant differences in the frequencies of kissing or se...
Application of Work Zone Road User Costs to Determine Schedule-Related Incentives and Disincentives: Conceptual Framework

Time-related contract clauses are primarily designed to encourage contractors through incentives and disincentives to complete construction projects on or ahead of schedule. Highway agencies have gained extensive experience with the application of incentives and disincentives. Agencies typically use work zone road user costs (WZRUCs) as an economic and legal basis to establish incentives and disincentives. It is common practice to estimate the value of incentives or disincentives by applying a multiplier or discount factor to a sum of the estimated WZRUCs and other owner costs. There is adequate literature available on how to estimate WZRUCs and establish incentives and disincentives; however, there is little guidance on the selection of discount factors. In addition to reemphasizing the importance of adequately compensating the contractor for accelerating construction through incentive mechanisms, this paper presents a conceptual framework for effective schedule management that incorporates the costs of ...
Recording and Decoding for Neural Prostheses

This paper reviews technologies and signal processing algorithms for decoding peripheral nerve and electrocorticogram signals to interpret human intent and control prosthetic arms. The review includes a discussion of human motor system physiology and physiological signals that can be used to decode motor intent, electrode technology for acquiring neural data, and signal processing methods including decoders based on Kalman filtering and least-squares regressors. Representative results from human experiments demonstrate the progress that has been made in neural decoding and its potential for developing neuroprosthetic arms that act and feel like natural arms.
Prehypertension in Pregnancy and Risks of Small for Gestational Age Infant and Stillbirth

It is not fully known whether maternal prehypertension is associated with increased risk of adverse fetal outcomes, and it is debated whether increases in blood pressure during pregnancy influence ...
H-1 VIRUS VIREMIA IN THE ADULT HAMSTER.

SummarySubcutaneous injection of H-1 virus in adult hamsters produced a cyclic-type viremia and the appearance of titratable HA-I and neutralizing antibodies while viremia was still present.
Toward a Poetics of Social Change: Truth, Modernity, and the National Subject in José María Arguedas

Although the poetico-ideological designs of the authors on whom this study focuses are connected to very different projects, it is interesting to note that both frequently engage in similar modes of reflection, confronting comparable dilemmas related to the representation of Peruvian society and culture.
Enzymatic Hydrolysis of Cellulose for Ethanol Production: Fundamentals, Optimal Enzyme Ratio, and Hydrolysis Modeling

Abstract Cellulose hydrolysis during bioethanol production from lignocellulosic biomass requires the use of strong acids or synergistic action of several cellulase enzymes. The high cost of cellulase enzymes is considered as the big hurdle in the commercialization success of the process. This chapter provides the basics of cellulose structure, the mechanism of the synergistic action of enzymatic hydrolysis, and the factors affecting enzymatic hydrolysis. Synthetic enzyme mixtures, a novel approach to reduce the overall enzyme cost, is discussed in the chapter. The chapter also provides an overview of the various approaches used to model enzymatic hydrolysis, along with their major assumptions and limitations.
Pathophysiology—Prostate Cancer

Androgen deprivation therapy (ADT) is the foundation of systemic therapy for prostate cancer. Although it is an effective cancer treatment in a variety of clinical settings, it causes accelerated loss of bone mineral density (BMD) and is associated with an increased incidence of fractures. National Comprehensive Cancer Network (NCCN) guidelines for the management of prostate cancer advocate use of the World Health Organization (WHO) fracture risk assessment model (FRAX) for fracture risk assessment among men receiving ADT for prostate cancer. Several classes of agents have been shown to produce benefits among men in need of drug therapy. Bisphosphonates improve BMD among men receiving ADT. A large phase III placebo-controlled fracture-prevention trial showed that denosumab improved both BMD and fracture risk among men receiving ADT. The potential for treatment-related adverse effects with these agents highlights the need for rational selection of treatment candidates.
Using Multisite Experiments to Study Cross-Site Variation in Treatment Effects: A Hybrid Approach With Fixed Intercepts and a Random Treatment Coefficient

ABSTRACTThe present article considers a fundamental question in evaluation research: “By how much do program effects vary across sites?” The article first presents a theoretical model of cross-site impact variation and a related estimation model with a random treatment coefficient and fixed site-specific intercepts. This approach eliminates several biases that can arise from unbalanced sample designs for multisite randomized trials. The article then describes how the approach operates, explores its assumptions, and applies the approach to data from three large welfare-to-work trials. The article also illustrates how to report cross-site impact findings and presents diagnostics for assessing these findings. To keep the article manageable, it focuses on experimental estimates of effects of program assignment (effects of intent to treat), although the ideas presented can be extended to analyses of multisite quasi-experiments and experimental estimates of effects of program participation (complier average cau...
Capturing the Processes of Our Transformative Learning in a Transdisciplinary Research Course

Transdisciplinary scholarship has experienced a renaissance in higher education. Yet, little research has captured transformations in students’ viewpoints as they collaborate in transdisciplinary courses to consider solutions to complex societal problems. In this narrative inquiry, I chronicled my doctoral students’ perspectives and my thinking in a Transdisciplinary Research class in which students attempted to unravel the social justice dilemma of escalating economic disparities between rich and poor citizens in the United States. I believe knowledge is socially constructed. Therefore, student collaboration and sharing of their reflective stances were integral to the curriculum.
Mentoring: Supervision of Young Researchers

More and tighter coupling between academic and other social institutions has prompted increased attention to ethical aspects of the relationships between established researchers and researchers-in-training, including graduate students and new researchers in the United States and other countries. Questions about the responsibilities of individual and institutional parties to these relationships arise, and persons and institutions try to respond. This article reviews recent guidance that scholars and professional groups have developed, particularly in the United States, and ends with suggestions for departments and institutions that can help them fulfill requirements for appropriate mentoring and supervision.
The Effect of Patient Age and Calendar Year on the Incidence of Idiopathic vs. Secondary Venous Thromboembolism (VTE): A Population-Based Cohort Study.

If the observed dramatic increase in VTE incidence with advancing age is due to increased VTE risk factor exposure (i.e., secondary VTE), the incidence of idiopathic VTE should not vary with age or calendar year. Objective: To estimate the incidence of idiopathic and secondary VTE by age and by calendar year. Methods: Using the resources of the Rochester Epidemiology Project, we identified the inception cohort of Olmsted County, MN, residents with a first lifetime VTE during the 30-year period, 1966–1995 (n=2761). For each case, we reviewed the complete medical records in the community for 48 baseline clinical characteristics that are commonly-accepted risk factors for VTE. We categorized VTE cases as idiopathic (n=305) if no such characteristics were present; the remaining cases were categorized as secondary. Age- and sex-specific incidence rates were calculated using idiopathic or secondary VTE cases as the numerator, and age-, sex- and calendar year-specific estimates of the population of Olmsted County as the denominator. Results: The incidence of both idiopathic and secondary VTE increased exponentially with age for both men and women (p Conclusions: The dramatic increase in VTE incidence with age likely reflects the biology of aging, although as yet unidentified VTE risk factors cannot be excluded. The reason for the decreased incidence of idiopathic VTE over the last 30 years among women is unclear.
STEM Histories: Complicating Dominant (Object-Oriented) Narratives

This chapter suggests that oral history archives can help to (re)orient science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) students’ ways of knowing, inviting them to look at disciplinary knowledge through a lens of the human experience as opposed to seeing primarily, or even exclusively, through the lens of objective truths. Oral histories can elucidate for STEM students the influence of a scientist’s positionality on scientific findings, the process and not just the products of STEM discovery, and the agency one has to shape social realities.
A Systematic Review and Narrative Synthesis of Interventions for Parental Human Immunodeficiency Virus Disclosure

Introduction: Disclosure of parental HIV infection to their children remains a difficult process for parents living with HIV (PLWH). In order to identify the best strategies to facilitate parental HIV disclosure, it is necessary to examine the efficacy of existing interventions designed to help PLWH parents with the disclosure process to their children. Objectives: To systematically review the efficacy of interventions designed to assist PLWH disclose their HIV status to their children. Methods: We conducted a systematic review and narrative synthesis of interventions designed to assist PLWH disclose their HIV status to their children. MEDLINE/PubMed, PsycINFO, Embase, Global Health, and Web of Science were searched. Results: Studies were eligible for inclusion if they evaluated an intervention for parental HIV disclosure. Five studies published between 2001 and 2015 met the inclusion criteria. The interventions were conducted in South Africa, China, and the United States. Three of the studies used two-arm randomized controlled trials (RCTs), in which the intervention group was given enhanced care while the control group received standard care. Four of the 5 studies included a theoretically informed intervention and three were limited to mothers. Results showed that four of the interventions increased parental HIV disclosure. Conclusion: The findings suggest that parental HIV disclosure interventions are successful in assisting parents with the disclosure process and can be adapted in different cultural context. Future parental HIV disclosure interventions should include fathers in order to assist men with parental HIV disclosure.
Complications of axial arthropathies.

SUMMARY Involvement of the cervical spine by rheumatoid arthritis may have severe consequences secondary to subluxation, erosive changes, and soft-tissue inflammation. Unfortunately, the severity of radiographic findings may not directly correlate with the occurrence of cervical myelopathy. MRI has emerged as a noninvasive method of assessing the condition of the spinal cord and thecal sac as well as more precisely defining the nature of inflammatory soft-tissue changes that may result in bony erosion and cord compression. Ankylosing spondylitis is an arthropathy that classically involves the axial skeleton. Complications include acute fracture and pseudarthroses of the spine. Rarely, the development of a cauda equina syndrome has been reported. In addition to classic erosive arthropathies affecting the axial skeleton, ossification of the posterior longitudinal ligament may be associated with the development of severe myelopathy. A recently described type of amyloidosis characterized by beta-2 microglobulin deposition has been reported in patients on long-term hemodialysis. Bony erosion is seen in the spine in these patients. A causal relationship between beta-2 microglobulin and hemodialysis spondylarthropathy has yet to be definitely established.
Studies on the biosynthesis of heme in vitro by avian erythrocytes.

1. A method, based on the uptake of radioiron into heme, is described for the measurement of heme synthesis in a hemolysate of chicken erythrocytes. 2. The addition of glycine, δ-aminolevulinic acid, porphobilinogen or protoporphyrin 9 to the system augmented heme synthesis. 3. Citrate potentiated heme synthesis in the presence of glycine, but had no effect when porphobilinogen was added. Succinate, in the presence of glycine did not enhance heme synthesis. 4. The addition of coproporphyrin I or III, or uroporphyrin I or III, did not augnment the uptake of radioiron into heme. The addition of mesoporphyrin 9 or hematoporphyrin 9 enhanced the uptake of radioiron. These studies are iterpreted as suggesting that protoporphyrin, but not uroporphyrin or coproporphyrin, is a precursor of heme. For reasons discussed, further work will be necessary to determine if mesoporphyrin and hematoporphyrin are precursors of protoheme. 5. The synthesis of heme was inhibited by the addition of malonate or lead. Evidence is presented that both of these substances affected heme synthesis at several different levels, particularly the formation of δ-aminolevulinic acid and the incorporation of iron into protoporphyrin. 6. Plasma extracts from chickens, made anemic by bleeding or by the administration of phenylhydrazine, did not potentiate heme synthesis. 7. Normal, nonreticulated, human erythrocytes failed to synthesize heme in the presence of glycine, δ-aminolevulinic acid, porphobilinogen on protoporphyrin 9.
Association between physician US News & World Report medical school ranking and patient outcomes and costs of care: observational study

Abstract Objective To investigate whether the US News & World Report (USNWR) ranking of the medical school a physician attended is associated with patient outcomes and healthcare spending. Design Observational study. Setting Medicare, 2011-15. Participants 20% random sample of Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries aged 65 years or older (n=996 212), who were admitted as an emergency to hospital with a medical condition and treated by general internists. Main outcome measures Association between the USNWR ranking of the medical school a physician attended and the physician’s patient outcomes (30 day mortality and 30 day readmission rates) and Medicare Part B spending, adjusted for patient and physician characteristics and hospital fixed effects (which effectively compared physicians practicing within the same hospital). A sensitivity analysis employed a natural experiment by focusing on patients treated by hospitalists, because patients are plausibly randomly assigned to hospitalists based on their specific work schedules. Alternative rankings of medical schools based on social mission score or National Institute of Health (NIH) funding were also investigated. Results 996 212 admissions treated by 30 322 physicians were examined for the analysis of mortality. When using USNWR primary care rankings, physicians who graduated from higher ranked schools had slightly lower 30 day readmission rates (adjusted rate 15.7% for top 10 schools v 16.1% for schools ranked ≥50; adjusted risk difference 0.4%, 95% confidence interval 0.1% to 0.8%; P for trend=0.005) and lower spending (adjusted Part B spending $1029 (£790; €881) v $1066; adjusted difference $36, 95% confidence interval $20 to $52; P for trend Conclusions Overall, little or no relation was found between the USNWR ranking of the medical school from which a physician graduated and subsequent patient mortality or readmission rates. Physicians who graduated from highly ranked medical schools had slightly lower spending than graduates of lower ranked schools.
Multiscale Modeling of Total Ionizing Dose Effects in Commercial-off-the-Shelf Parts in Bipolar Technologies

A multiscale modeling platform that supports the “virtual” qualification of commercial-off-the-shelf parts is presented. The multiscale approach is divided into two modules. The first module generates information related to the bipolar junction transistor gain degradation that is a function of fabrication process, operational, and environmental inputs. The second uses this information as inputs for radiation-enabled circuit simulations. The prototype platform described in this paper estimates the total ionizing dose and dose rate responses of linear bipolar integrated circuits for different families of components. The simulation and experimental results show good correlation and suggest this platform to be a complementary tool within the radiation-hardness assurance flow. The platform may reduce some of the costly reliance on testing for all systems.
8.08 – Regulation of Xenobiotic Sensor PXR and AhR by NF-κB and Its Roles in Xenobiotic Detoxification and Inflammation-Associated Carcinogenesis☆

Recent studies have uncovered cross talks between nuclear factor-κB (NF-κB)-regulated inflammatory pathways and nuclear receptor-regulated pathways. These interactions are mediated at least in part by interactions between various NF-κB family proteins and a group of ligand-dependent transcription factors with xenobiotic sensor functions including pregnane X receptor (PXR) and aryl hydrocarbon receptor (AhR). These interactions are particularly important in tissues/organs that come in contact with toxicants, such as the gastrointestinal (GI) tract. Research on these interactions is important for understanding diseases such as liver and colon carcinogenesis, where inflammation is a significant risk factor. In addition to regulation of detoxification pathways, novel functions of PXR have recently been discovered, which include regulation of cell proliferation, apoptosis, cancer cell growth and interaction with commensal microbiota. Collectively, these novel findings suggest a multitude of PXR functions in reducing mutagenic exposure through metabolic detoxification as well as in regulation of cell proliferation and cancer growth. PXR, AhR, and NF-κB are transcriptional factors that can be regulated by various natural and synthetic ligands, and research on their interactions may provide a basis for identification of therapeutic and preventive applications and development of novel compounds that target these proteins for treatment and prevention of human diseases.
Perceptions of the Diabetes Online Community's Credibility, Social Capital, and Help and Harm: Cross-Sectional Comparison Between Baby Boomers and Younger Adults.

Background: The use of online health communities such as the diabetes online community (DOC) is growing. Individuals who engage in the DOC are able to interact with peers who have the same medical condition. It is not known if older adults are perceiving the DOC differently compared with younger adults. Methods: This study represents a subset of participants from a larger study of DOC users. Baby boomers and younger adults with diabetes were recruited from the DOC to participate in a cross-sectional survey. Demographics, electronic health use (reasons to join the DOC, DOC intensity, DOC engagement, internet social capital, and help or harm from the DOC), source credibility, health-related quality of life, and diabetes self-care data were collected. We examined the differences between baby boomer and younger adult responses. Results: The participants included baby boomers (N=76) and younger adult counterparts (N=102). Participants scored their diabetes health care team (mean 33.5 [SD 8]) significantly higher than the DOC (mean 32 [SD 6.4]) with regard to competence (P<.05) and trustworthiness (diabetes health care team mean 36.3 [SD 7.1]; DOC mean 33.6 [SD 6.2]; P<.001). High bonding and bridging social capital correlated with high DOC intensity (r=.629; P<.001 and r=.676; P<.001, respectively) and high DOC engagement (r=.474; P<.01 and r=.507; P≤.01, respectively). The greater majority (69.8%) reported the DOC as being helpful, and 1.8% reported that the DOC had caused minor harm. Baby boomers perceived DOC credibility, social capital, help, and harm similarly to their younger adult counterparts. Conclusions: Baby boomers are using and perceiving the DOC similarly to younger adults. DOC users find the DOC to be credible; however, they scored their health care team higher with regard to competence and trustworthiness. The DOC is beneficial with low risk and may augment current diabetes care.
Reporting Skill: The Missing Ingredient in Concussion Reporting Intention Assessment

Background:Extant literature suggests that a substantial portion of athletes may not report a possible concussion and that concussion knowledge is insufficient to predict concussion reporting behav...
Development and validation of a high-throughput whole cell assay to investigate Staphylococcus aureus adhesion to host ligands

Staphylococcus aureus adhesion to the host's skin and mucosae enables asymptomatic colonization and the establishment of infection. This process is facilitated by cell wall-anchored adhesins that bind to host ligands. Therapeutics targeting this process could provide significant clinical benefits; however, the development of anti-adhesives requires an in-depth knowledge of adhesion-associated factors and an assay amenable to high-throughput applications. Here, we describe the development of a sensitive and robust whole cell assay to enable the large-scale profiling of S. aureus adhesion to host ligands. To validate the assay, and to gain insight into cellular factors contributing to adhesion, we profiled a sequence-defined S. aureus transposon mutant library, identifying mutants with attenuated adhesion to human-derived fibronectin, keratin, and fibrinogen. Our screening approach was validated by the identification of known adhesion-related proteins, such as the housekeeping sortase responsible for covalently linking adhesins to the cell wall. In addition, we also identified genetic loci that could represent undescribed anti-adhesive targets. To compare and contrast the genetic requirements of adhesion to each host ligand, we generated a S. aureus Genetic Adhesion Network, which identified a core gene set involved in adhesion to all three host ligands, and unique genetic signatures. In summary, this assay will enable high-throughput chemical screens to identify anti-adhesives and our findings provide insight into the target space of such an approach.
Diagnostic accuracy of the Cogstate Brief Battery for prevalent MCI and prodromal AD (MCI A + T + ) in a population-based sample

Introduction This study evaluated the diagnostic accuracy of the Cogstate Brief Battery (CBB) for mild cognitive impairment (MCI) and prodromal Alzheimer's disease (AD) in a population-based sample. Methods Participants included adults ages 50+ classified as cognitively unimpaired (CU, n = 2866) or MCI (n = 226), and a subset with amyloid (A) and tau (T) positron emission tomography who were AD biomarker negative (A-T-) or had prodromal AD (A+T+). Results Diagnostic accuracy of the Learning/Working Memory Composite (Lrn/WM) for discriminating all CU and MCI was moderate (area under the curve [AUC] = 0.75), but improved when discriminating CU A-T- and MCI A+T+ (AUC = 0.93) and when differentiating MCI participants without AD biomarkers from those with prodromal AD (AUC = 0.86). Conventional cut-offs yielded lower than expected sensitivity for both MCI (38%) and prodromal AD (73%). Discussion Clinical utility of the CBB for detecting MCI in a population-based sample is lower than expected. Caution is needed when using currently available CBB normative data for clinical interpretation.
Unwrapping Toy TV: Ryan’s World and the Toy Review Genre’s Impact on Children’s Culture

YouTube Influencers have become an increasingly important part of children’s media ecosystems and have a significant impact on both toy and entertainment culture. This chapter explores the toy review/unboxing genre and its intersections with the toy and media industries through the case study of Ryan’s World. Ryan’s World’s star has been YouTube’s top earning personality, and his channel has become very popular with young children, spawning a multi-media franchise and toy line. This chapter traces the evolution of the Ryan’s World brand and how it evolved from a small family YouTube channel focused on toy play and opening surprise toys to a multi-million brand with global licensing, toys, video games, and a Nick Jr. television series. It argues that as the channel becomes increasingly integrated with established industry practices and businesses, its focus shifts to accommodate new priorities: expanding the channel’s characters, focusing increasingly on its own brand, and ultimately diversifying beyond toy-related content. It further contends that the interests and structures of the YouTube genre impact the toy industry in promoting and proliferating an interest in surprise toys and, ultimately, in the incorporation of some key program attributes in a traditional television series—Ryan’s Mystery Playdate.
Evaluating and Improving Small Subunit rRNA PCR Primer Coverage for Bacteria, Archaea, and Eukaryotes Using Metagenomes from Global Ocean Surveys.

Small subunit rRNA (SSU rRNA) amplicon sequencing can quantitatively and comprehensively profile natural microbiomes, representing a critically important tool for studying diverse global ecosystems. However, results will only be accurate if PCR primers perfectly match the rRNA of all organisms present. To evaluate how well marine microorganisms across all 3 domains are detected by this method, we compared commonly used primers with >300 million rRNA gene sequences retrieved from globally distributed marine metagenomes. The best-performing primers compared to 16S rRNA of bacteria and archaea were 515Y/926R and 515Y/806RB, which perfectly matched over 96% of all sequences. Considering cyanobacterial and chloroplast 16S rRNA, 515Y/926R had the highest coverage (99%), making this set ideal for quantifying marine primary producers. For eukaryotic 18S rRNA sequences, 515Y/926R also performed best (88%), followed by V4R/V4RB (18S rRNA specific; 82%)-demonstrating that the 515Y/926R combination performs best overall for all 3 domains. Using Atlantic and Pacific Ocean samples, we demonstrate high correspondence between 515Y/926R amplicon abundances (generated for this study) and metagenomic 16S rRNA (median R2 = 0.98, n = 272), indicating amplicons can produce equally accurate community composition data compared with shotgun metagenomics. Our analysis also revealed that expected performance of all primer sets could be improved with minor modifications, pointing toward a nearly completely universal primer set that could accurately quantify biogeochemically important taxa in ecosystems ranging from the deep sea to the surface. In addition, our reproducible bioinformatic workflow can guide microbiome researchers studying different ecosystems or human health to similarly improve existing primers and generate more accurate quantitative amplicon data. IMPORTANCE PCR amplification and sequencing of marker genes is a low-cost technique for monitoring prokaryotic and eukaryotic microbial communities across space and time but will work optimally only if environmental organisms match PCR primer sequences exactly. In this study, we evaluated how well primers match globally distributed short-read oceanic metagenomes. Our results demonstrate that primer sets vary widely in performance, and that at least for marine systems, rRNA amplicon data from some primers lack significant biases compared to metagenomes. We also show that it is theoretically possible to create a nearly universal primer set for diverse saline environments by defining a specific mixture of a few dozen oligonucleotides, and present a software pipeline that can guide rational design of primers for any environment with available meta'omic data.
Storm Induced Mass-Wasting in the Oregon Coast Range, U.S.A.

The rugged slopes of the Oregon Coast Range rise abruptly from the Pacific Ocean, where their folded sediments and volcanic intrusives interrupt the flow of the moisture laden subtropical jet stream yielding orographic precipitation exceeding 2000 millimeters annually. The dense conifer forest cover and deep soils allow copious rates of infiltration and throughflow, leaving sheetwash and rainsplash as relatively ineffective sediment transport processes. The steep slopes show ample evidence of deep-seated earthflow in areas of weaker bedrock, and frequent debris avalanche activity stripping soils from the surfaces covering the more resistant volcanics. The stream channels impacted by this debris quickly winnow away the fines, leaving behind gravels and large organic debris, the materials which form the gravel spawning beds and rearing pools for the region’s anadromous fish.
Tourism dynamos: Selective commodification and developmental conservation in China’s protected areas

Abstract At scenic sites across China, rural officials compelled to maximize revenue use local state authority over protected areas to foster “tourism dynamos”. Local states set up infrastructure and institutions around rural attractions that channel the circulation of tourists, churning out revenues that meet quotas and fund further expansion of attractions and towns. To make these dynamos turn, local authorities have displaced resident-led tourism operations they had previously helped set up. Residents are reincorporated in varying ways and often retain land use rights. Meanwhile, as revenues stream out of attractions, what little is invested in environmental protection goes to maintaining scenery. Local governments also accomplish spatial transformations, within each park intensifying surplus generation in areas zoned for tourism while reserving other areas from use, and beyond park boundaries linking attractions together on tourism circuits radiating from central towns. This state-driven transformations depend on how the reservation of land from commodity exchange within protected areas comes together with specific state capacities to enable tourism intensification. These processes, which I label “developmental conservation,” call attention to selective commodifications and the mediating role of the state in protected area governance in China and beyond.
Evolving spiking neural networks: A novel growth algorithm corrects the teacher

Spiking neural networks (SNNs) have generated considerable excitement because of their computational properties, believed to be superior to conventional von Neumann machines, and sharing properties with living brains. Yet progress building these systems has been limited because we lack a design methodology. We present a gene-driven network growth algorithm that enables a genetic algorithm (evolutionary computation) to generate and test SNNs. The genome length for this algorithm grows O(n) where n is the number of neurons; n is also evolved. The genome not only specifies the network topology, but all its parameters as well. In experiments, the algorithm discovered SNNs that effectively produce a robust spike bursting behavior given tonic inputs, an application suitable for central pattern generators. Even though evolution did not include perturbations of the input spike trains, the evolved networks showed remarkable robustness to such perturbations. On a second task, a sequence detector, several related discriminating designs were found, all made “errors” in that they fired when input spikes were simultaneous (i.e. not strictly in sequence), but not when they were out of sequence. They also fired when the sequence was too close for the teacher to have declared they were in sequence. That is, evolution produced these behaviors even though it was not explicitly rewarded for doing so. We are optimistic that this technology might be scaled up to produce robust SNN designs that humans would be hard pressed to produce.
Evaluation of beta-absorbed fractions in a mouse model for 90Y, 188Re, 166Ho, 149Pm, 64Cu, and 177Lu radionuclides.

Several short-lived, high-energy beta emitters are being proposed as the radionuclide components for molecular-targeted potential cancer therapeutic agents. The laboratory mice used to determine the efficacy of these new agents have organs that are relatively small compared to the ranges of these high-energy particles. The dosimetry model developed by Hui et al. was extended to provide realistic beta-dose estimates for organs in mice that received therapeutic radiopharmaceuticals containing 90Y, 188Re, 166Ho, 149Pm, 64Cu, and 177 Lu. Major organs in this model included the liver, spleen, kidneys, lungs, heart, stomach, small and large bowel, thyroid, pancreas, bone, marrow, carcass, and a 0.025-g tumor. The study as reported in this paper verifies their results for 90Y and extends them by using their organ geometry factors combined with newly calculated organ self-absorbed fractions from PEREGRINE and MCNP. PEREGRINE and MCNP agree to within 8% for the worst-case organ with average differences (averaged over all organs) decreasing from 5% for 90Y to 1% for 177Lu. When used with typical biodistribution data, the three different models predict doses that are in agreement to within 5% for the worst-case organ. The beta-absorbed fractions and cross-organ-deposited energy provided in this paper can be used by researchers tomore » predict mouse-organ doses and should contribute to an improved understanding of the relationship between dose and radiation toxicity in mouse models where use of these isotopes is favorable.« less
DMEFS Web Portal: A METOC Application

Distributed Marine Environment Forecast System (DMEFS) is a research testbed for demonstrating the integration of various technologies and components prior to operational use as well as a framework in which to operate validated meteorological and oceanic (METOC) numerical models. The focus of the DMEFS is to create an open computational web portal for a distributed system for describing and predicting the marine environment that will accelerate the evolution of timely and accurate forecasting. The primary goals are to first, focus the adaptation of distributed (scalable) computational technology into oceanic and meteorological predictions, and secondly, to shorten the model development time by expanding the collaboration among the model developers, the software engineering community and the operational end-users. The web portal provides a secure, seamless access to high performance resources, hiding their complexity. It is extensible and is designed for rapid prototyping, validation and deployment of legacy computational models as well as new models and tools by providing a set of common toolkits.
Spatial warping of DWI data using sparse representation

Registration of DWI data, unlike scalar image data, is complicated by the need of reorientation algorithms for keeping the orientation architecture of each voxel aligned with the rest of the image. This paper presents an algorithm for effective and efficient warping and reconstruction of diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) signals for the purpose of spatial transformation. The key idea is to decompose the DWI signal profile, a function defined on a unit sphere, into a series of weighted fiber basis functions (FBFs), reorient these FBFs independently based on the local affine transformation, and then recompose the reoriented FBFs to obtain the final transformed DWI signal profile. We enforce a sparsity constraint on the weights of the FBFs during the decomposition to reflect the fact that the DWI signal profile typically gains its information from a limited number of fiber populations. A non-negative constraint is further imposed so that noise-induced negative lobes in the profile can be avoided. The proposed framework also explicitly models the isotropic component of the diffusion signals to avoid undesirable reorientation artifacts in signal reconstruction. In contrast to existing methods, the current algorithm is executed directly in the DWI signal space, thus allowing any diffusion models to be fitted to the data after transformation.
The effect of 5-fluorouracil on the synthesis and methylation of low molecular weight nuclear RNA in L1210 cells.

The effect of 5-fluorouracil on the synthesis, methylation and its incorporation into low molecular weight nuclear RNA was studied in L1210 cells in vitro. 5-Fluorouracil was incorporated into high molecular weight, 5 S and 4 S nuclear RNA at a linear rate for 2 hr following an initial lag period. Drug concentrations of 1 x 10-5 to 1 x 10-4 M did not have a marked effect on the incorporation of [3H]adenosine into 5 S and 4 S nuclear RNA; however, the synthesis of high molecular weight nuclear RNA was inhibited 10-60% depending on the length of time of labeling and the drug concentration. 5-Fluorouracil impaired the methylation of 4 S nuclear RNA in a dose-dependent manner and affected high molecular weight nuclear RNA to a lesser extent. 5-Fluorouracil at 1 x 10-4 M inhibited the methylation of eight methylated nucleosides in 4 S nuclear RNA, but at 5 x 10-5 M preferentially affected 7-methylguanosine, N2, N2-dimethylguanosine and 5-methyluridine. These results indicate that the methylation of 4 S nuclear RNA is impaired by 5-fluorouracil at concentrations of drug which do not significantly impair its transcription.
Network Effects: The Influence of Structural Social Capital on Open Source Project Success

What determines open source project success? In this study, we investigate the impact of network social capital - the benefits open source developers secure from their memberships in a developer collaboration network - on open source project success. We focus on one specific type of success as measured by the productivity of open source project team. Specific hypotheses are developed and tested on a longitudinal panel of 2378 projects hosted at Sourceforge. We find that network social capital is not equally accessible to or appropriated by all projects. Our main results are (1) teams with greater internal cohesion are more successful, (2) external cohesion (cohesion among the external contacts of a team) has an inverse U-shaped relationship with the project's success; moderate levels of external cohesion are the best for a project's success, rather than very low or very high levels of this variable, (3) the technological diversity of a contact also has the greatest benefit when it is neither too low nor too high, and (4) the number of direct and indirect external contacts are positively correlated with a project's success with the effect of the number of direct contacts being moderated by the number of indirect contacts. These results are robust to a number of control variables and alternate model specifications. Several theoretical and managerial implications are provided.
Calciphylaxis: Emerging Concepts in Prevention, Diagnosis, and Treatment

Calciphylaxis is a small vessel vasculopathy involving mural calcification with intimal proliferation, fibrosis, and thrombosis. This syndrome occurs predominantly in individuals with renal failure and results in ischemia and necrosis of skin, subcutaneous fat, visceral organs, and skeletal muscle. The syndrome causes significant morbidity in the form of infection, organ failure, and pain. Mortality rates are high. In individuals with renal failure, risk factors for the development of calciphylaxis include female sex, Caucasian race, obesity, and diabetes mellitus. Many cases occur within the first year of dialysis treatment. Several recent reports demonstrate that prolonged hyperphosphatemia and/or elevated calcium x phosphorus products are associated with the syndrome. Protein malnutrition increases the likelihood of calciphylaxis, as does warfarin use and hypercoagulable states, such as protein C and/or protein S deficiency. Recent advances in diagnostic tools and therapeutic strategies have helped in the management of patients with calciphylaxis.
How elastic are sea, sand and sun? Dynamic panel estimates of the demand for tourism

This paper employs recent advances in dynamic panel data analysis to study the determinants of tourist flows to the Caribbean. Consistent with the theoretical literature, the results are found to be highly sensitive to estimation technique. The preferred GMM system suggests income and price elasticities substantially above those found in the literature.
Studies of plasma equilibrium and transport in a Tokamak fusion device with the inverse-variable technique

Abstract We describe an accurate and efficient model for studying the evolution of tokamak plasmas. The equilibrium problem for a plasma with a free boundary is solved using the "inverse variable" technique. The one-dimensional (averaged on magnetic surfaces) system of transport equations are solved together with the circuit equations for the vacuum vessel and the passive and active coils. As an example of the application of this method, we simulate the discharge in the T-3M tokamak as it transiently evolves to a separatrix configuration.
Forecasting House Seats from Generic Congressional Polls: The 2010 Midterm Election

Our multi-level prediction builds on our successful model predicting the House seat division in 2006 (Bafumi et al. 2008) .a The model has two steps. Step 1 predicts the midterm vote division from only two variables, the generic poll result and the party of the president. With this measure of the partisan tide in place, step 2 forecasts the winners of 435 House races using separate statistical models for open seats and races with incumbent candidates. At each step, the forecast takes into account uncertainty about the inputs. The final product is a prediction of the partisan division of House seats, as well as a probabilistic statement regarding the likelihood of the Republican Party regaining control of the chamber.
Measurement of plasma renin activity in the freshwater turtle

Components of the renin angiotensin system have been identified in many nonmammalian vertebrates. However, in many of these animals, including reptiles, the physiological functions and importance of the system remain unclear. To aid in the study of the system in a reptile we modified a commercially available radioimmunoassay (RIA) kit containing antibody against human angiotensin I (ANG I) for use in the freshwater turtle, Pseudemys scripta. Cross-reactivity between anti-human ANG I antibodies (Rainen Angiotensin I RIA Kit, New England Nuclear) and turtle ANG I was demonstrated. Cross-reactivity with the antibody in two other human ANG I assay kits (Travenol-Genentech and Biotecx) was very limited. Blood for assay was collected from conscious turtles in EDTA, centrifuged, and the plasma frozen at -20 degrees. Turtle ANG I was generated by incubation at 0.5 ml plasma at pH 5.5 for 2 hr at 30 degrees with addition of dimercaprol and 8-hydroxyquinoline. Angiotensin generation increased with temperature and with generation time. The recovery of turtle ANG I added to turtle plasma prior to incubation was 92-97%. The assay procedure was used to measure plasma renin activity (ng/ml/hr incubation) from unstimulated turtles.
Gastroschisis with jejunal and colonic atresia, and isolated colonic atresia in dichorionic, diamniotic twins

Despite the increasing incidence of gastroschisis, the cause remains unknown. Genetic factors may contribute to bowel anomalies as demonstrated by cases of gastroschisis in twins and siblings, and other types of bowel anomalies in twins. Atresia of the colon represents one of the rarest causes of neonatal intestinal obstruction. We present the first case of dichorionic, diamniotic male twins in which there was gastroschisis with jejunal and colonic atresia in Twin A and isolated colonic atresia in Twin B.
Use of hydroperoxides in the studies of glutathione metabolism in rat lens

Abstract t-Butyl hydroperoxide, a substrate for glutathione peroxidase, has been used to enzymatically oxidize lens GSH. t-Butyl hydroperoxide, 2 m m and 5 m m , oxidized almost 80% of lens GSH in vitro in 30 min and 8 min, respectively, at 25°. After treatment with 2 m m t-butyl hydroperoxide for 30 min, total GSH and GSSG in the lens could not account for about 50% of GSH present in the lens at 0 hr. However, incubation of these lenses, treated with t-butyl hydroperoxide, in the presence og glucose regenerated more than 80% of total glutathione in about one hour. This indicated that during oxidation with t-butyl hydroperoxide glutathione gets bound to proteins. A substantial amount of mixed disulfide of proteins and glutathione (protein-S-SG) is formed when GSH in the lens is oxidized with 5 m m -t-butyl hydroperoxide for 8 min. The mixed disulfide thus formed could be cleaved with glutathione reductase-NADPH system and by potassium borohydride to release GSH. However, a portion of protein-bound GSH as determined by the borohydride method could not be cleaved by the glutathione reductase-NADPH system. The glycolytic and shunt pathway enzymes of glucose metabolism were not affected by incubation of the lenses with 5 m m -t-butyl hydroperoxide for 8 min at 25°.