cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Enlightenment and minority cultures: Central and East European higher education reform ten years later

The article discusses general trends of the higher education reform in the Central and East Europe and the countries of the former Soviet Union over the last decade. Author notices that reflections on the reforms have not reached deeper levels than first diagnostic articles of the early 1990s have. It is explained as a result of the literal lack of the reforms as planned and purposeful changes. While many agencies are interested in continuation of the reform discourse, the actual activities are not coordinated. Discussing the issues of changing relationships between higher education and the State, financing, staffing, quality assurance, content of studies and institutional mission, author finds similarities between current political statements and those made earlier this century under different circumstances. Author concludes that the gap between the official reform discourse and realities of higher education threaten the very existence of public higher education in the region.
Do global statistics represent local reality and should they guide conservation policy?: Examples from Costa Rica

Recent analyses of global population change data have indicated accelerated human population growth near protected area edges in Latin America and Africa. The authors hypothesised that this growth is driven by opportunities created by integrated conservation and development. This paper highlights three Costa Rican protected areas that illuminate the problems inherent with the use of context-independent global statistics. This paper employs grounded, contextual data to suggest that hypotheses derived from global level analyses must be cautiously applied to conservation policy and praxis.
Initiating preservice education majors in the integration of health instruction in middle schools

Losses to the workforce and drains on the national economy posed by illnesses, injuries, and environmental hazards dictate that schools operate to prevent, intervene, and help resolve these social and personal health issues. The costs to society for the medical care of children born to addicted and abusive parents, exposure to smoke and pollution, and preventable diseases are escalating. Type 2 diabetes is on the rise due to inactive lifestyles. As awareness of health threats grows, schools are under pressure to provide instruction for safety, disease prevention, and survival. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (2002) identified behaviors often established during youth that are linked to the leading causes of disease, impairment, and death among adults and children. Training teachers to integrate health education into their classes poses a challenge to preservice teacher educators who face an overcrowded curriculum. In programs where few required courses relate to health education, the work presented here may assist higher education faculty in increasing their students' competencies and knowledge of health education. The sample lessons presented in this document both promote health instruction as a responsibility for all teachers regardless of their subject matter and involve middle school students in discussions of health issues. Students in the class Instructional Theory into Practice at a private university in New Jersey developed these lessons and delivered them to grade 5-8 students. Language: en
The role of GTP in transient splitting of 70S ribosomes by RRF (ribosome recycling factor) and EF-G (elongation factor G)

Ribosome recycling factor (RRF), elongation factor G (EF-G) and GTP split 70S ribosomes into subunits. Here, we demonstrated that the splitting was transient and the exhaustion of GTP resulted in re-association of the split subunits into 70S ribosomes unless IF3 (initiation factor 3) was present. However, the splitting was observed with sucrose density gradient centrifugation (SDGC) without IF3 if RRF, EF-G and GTP were present in the SDGC buffer. The splitting of 70S ribosomes causes the decrease of light scattering by ribosomes. Kinetic constants obtained from the light scattering studies are sufficient to account for the splitting of 70S ribosomes by RRF and EF-G/GTP during the lag phase for activation of ribosomes for the log phase. As the amount of 70S ribosomes increased, more RRF, EF-G and GTP were necessary to split 70S ribosomes. In the presence of a physiological amount of polyamines, GTP and factors, even 0.6 microM 70S ribosomes (12 times higher than the 70S ribosomes for routine assay) were split. Spermidine (2 mM) completely inhibited anti-association activity of IF3, and the RRF/EF-G/GTP-dependent splitting of 70S ribosomes.
Flight mechanics expert systems

A method is established which can be used to solve any problem in equation-driven disciplines. This is accomplished by solving all applicable equations of the given discipline for all variables which occur in each of the equations. The system then provides logic tests to determine if enough information is available to calculate a new variable. By recording the order in which the equations are used, the machine can also supply a derivation of the answer to each problem.
Reply to Coffman on closure and skepticism

E. J. Coffman defends Peter Klein’s work on epistemic closure against various objections that I raised in an earlier paper. In this paper, I respond to Coffman.
Do inexperienced and experienced writers differentially evaluate Ault's (1991) "What goes where".technique

This article replicates and extends Ault's (1991) “what goes where!” active-learning exercise by evaluating its use with inexperienced and experienced writers of research reports. Results confirm some of Ault's observations.
Portal flow is the main predictor of early graft dysfunction regardless of the GRWR status in living donor liver transplantation – A retrospective analysis of 134 patients

Abstract Background Sometimes even in adequate graft to recipient weight ratio (GRWR) settings and after ruling out all other causes, recipients still show features of the small for size syndrome. The purpose of this study was to evaluate all causative factors responsible for early graft dysfunction fulfilling the definition of the small for size syndrome, regardless of the GRWR status, and with particular emphasis on portal flow (ml/min/100 g). We also tried to establish whether a high portal flow on intraoperative Doppler study immediately after reperfusion can predict graft dysfunction. Material and methods Early graft dysfunction was defined according to the definitions given for the small for size syndrome by the Kyushu University Group. Patients undergone living donor liver transplantations between January 2010 and December 2012 were analyzed. We routinely do Doppler ultrasound (USG) immediately after reperfusion and daily for 5 days. The portal vein flow after routine Doppler examination immediately after reperfusion was noted as the portal vein flow at day 0. Results 19 of 134 patients showed features of early graft dysfunction as defined. On univariate analysis, hepatitis C virus (HCV) and portal vein flow immediately after reperfusion were significant predictors of postoperative graft dysfunction. ( p = 0.008 and p p = 0.002) remained as the significant predictor of postoperative graft dysfunction. A portal flow of greater than 190 (ml/min/100 g) was significant in predicting graft dysfunction ( p Conclusion A portal vein flow immediately after reperfusion >190/ml/min/100 g. reliably predicted whether a graft would behave as small for size or not, regardless of the GRWR status. Portal vein flow was the most significant predictor of graft dysfunction.
Diastereoselective synthesis of the key lactone intermediate for the preparation of hydroxyethylene dipeptide isosteres

Abstract An efficient and highly stereoselective route for preparing hydroxyethylene dipeptide isosteres from α-N,N-dibenzylamino ketones has been developed.
Persons, polities and planning

Deliberative democracy often presumes that the deliberators are members of a political community who often share common understanding about their values, even when they disagree about them. Participatory planning processes building upon these ideas argue that planning itself has to be communicative among a variety of interest groups and should, usually, result in a common consensus. However, the boundaries of these groups rarely get attention. These boundaries shape not only the discursive practices within groups but also among them, and therefore need to be examined more thoroughly. Furthermore, the relationship of membership to substantive issues of planning is important yet underexplored. Political membership in a diverse, mobile, transient and multicultural world is a contested subject and should be given deserving attention for its implications for planning practice.
All Solution-Based Fabrication of CIGS Solar Cell

This paper presents fabrication of copper indium gallium di-selenide (CIGS) solar cells using all solution-based deposition processes. CIGS nanoparticles were synthesized through multi-step chemical process using copper chloride, indium chloride, gallium chloride, and selenium in oleyamine. CIGS thin films were constructed through layer-by-layer (LbL) self-assembly and spray-coating techniques. Chemical-bath-deposition and spray-coating methods were used for cadmium sulfide and zinc oxide film depositions, respectively. Initial thin film solar cell devices exhibited promising 0.3 mA short circuit current and 200 mV open circuit voltage. The solar cells fabricated through the all solution-based processes are cost-effective, thus, have potentials of providing a viable, renewable and sustainable energy source. The proposed processes can further be realized on flexible substrates, which may broaden the applications range for the solar cells.Copyright © 2013 by ASME
Exploring the Work Experiences of School Counselors of Color.

In spite of research suggesting the importance of diverse professionals in education (Mattison & Aber, 2007), no studies have explored the professional experiences of school counselors of Color. In...
Gray and white matter brain volumes in older adults with bipolar disorder.

Objectives Structural magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) studies have been inconsistent in demonstrating volumetric differences in subjects with bipolar disorder. Most studies have not found difference in total gray or white matter in bipolar patients compared with controls, but there have been several studies suggesting that regional abnormalities are present. These have predominately been located in the frontal and temporal lobes. Since age has been inversely correlated with total gray matter in patients, analyses of gray matter changes in older adults or in studies that have included older subjects have been difficult. This study assessed the presence of gray matter volume, and the potential for regional volumetric differences in older adults with bipolar disorder. Methods Fifty-six older adults with DSM-IV bipolar disorder (mean age 60.5) and 43 non-psychiatrically ill controls (mean age 58.1) had structured interviews and MRI scanning on a 1.5T GE Scanner. Image parcellation divided the cerebrum into 16 units. Volumetric differences were examined using the multivariate linear regression models with α = 0.05. Results Relative to controls, the older adults with bipolar disorder had significantly smaller gray matter volumes bilaterally in the inferior frontal areas. White matter volume was also reduced in these same areas but did not reach statistical significance when controlled for gender and age. No significant difference was noted in total gray or white matter volumes. Conclusions Older adults with bipolar disorder showed gray matter volumetric deficits in inferior frontal lobe regions which include structures identified as contributing to the anterior limbic network. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Ecological thinking: Four qualities

O artigo propoe uma viagem em torno dos pressupostos ecologicos ou atributos do pensamento ecologico. Identifica as suas principais quatro qualidades e procura demonstrar como se podem fundamentar em evidencia empirica. A primeira das premissas focaliza-se na interdependencia das pessoas e os seus ambientes sociais, a segunda que as metodologias de investigacao podem ser congruentes com a cultura de um lugar ou de um contexto concretos. Em terceiro lugar que ao(a) psicologo(a) comunitario e requerido que desenvolva relacoes de confianca e a quarta que na sua busca de entendimento acerca da comunidade aprenda mais sobre si proprio(a).
Analytical study of swirler effects in annular propulsive nozzles

THIS paper presents an analytical performance prediction methodology for annular propulsive nozzles with swirl introduced ahead of the combustor that feeds the nozzle. The methodology is applied to investigate the effects of swirier design on nozzle performance. Four types of swirlers are investigated: free vortex, constant angle, forced vortex, and Rankine vortex swirlers. Discharge coefficients and specific impulses are presented. Contents
Mutational Analysis To Define an Activating Region on the Redox-Sensitive Transcriptional Regulator OxyR

The OxyR transcription factor is a key regulator of the Escherichia coli response to oxidative stress. Previous studies showed that OxyR binding to a target promoter enhances RNA polymerase binding and vice versa, suggesting a direct interaction between OxyR and RNA polymerase. To identify the region of OxyR that might contact RNA polymerase, we carried out alanine scanning and random mutagenesis of oxyR. The combination of these approaches led to the identification of several mutants defective in the activation of an OxyR target gene. A subset of the mutations map to the DNA-binding domain, other mutations appear to affect dimerization of the regulatory domain, while another group is suggested to affect disulfide bond formation. The two mutations, D142A and R273H, giving the most dramatic phenotype are located in a patch on the surface of the oxidized OxyR protein and possibly define an activating region on OxyR.
A consensus approach to electrolytes and blood pressure. Could we all be right

This commentary sets forth the hypothesis that the putative beneficial or detrimental effects of specific electrolytes on blood pressure regulation in fact reflect highly integrated responses to interactions among these cationic and anionic species. In this paradigm, the impact of any given intake of an electrolyte on arterial pressure will be influenced by the concurrent consumption of other electrolytes. Thus, the heterogeneous blood pressure response in humans to isolated manipulations of nutrients such as sodium, calcium, and potassium may be determined, in part, by the adequacy of the dietary intake of other mineral elements. If this hypothesis is validated by continued research in this area, we would have new strategies available to improve blood pressure control in humans. For example, treatment of "NaCl sensitivity" in some humans might be more effectively approached by correcting dietary deficiencies of either potassium or calcium than by restricting dietary NaCl.
Carbon debt and carbon sequestration parity in forest bioenergy production.

The capacity for forests to aid in climate change mitigation efforts is substantial but will ultimately depend on their management. If forests remain unharvested, they can further mitigate the increases in atmospheric CO2 that result from fossil fuel combustion and deforestation. Alternatively, they can be harvested for bioenergy production and serve as a substitute for fossil fuels, though such a practice could reduce terrestrial C storage and thereby increase atmospheric CO2 concentrations in the near-term. Here, we used an ecosystem simulation model to ascertain the effectiveness of using forest bioenergy as a substitute for fossil fuels, drawing from a broad range of land-use histories, harvesting regimes, ecosystem characteristics, and bioenergy conversion efficiencies. Results demonstrate that the times required for bioenergy substitutions to repay the C Debt incurred from biomass harvest are usually much shorter (< 100 years) than the time required for bioenergy production to substitute the amount of C that would be stored if the forest were left unharvested entirely, a point we refer to as C Sequestration Parity. The effectiveness of substituting woody bioenergy for fossil fuels is highly dependent on the factors that determine bioenergy conversion efficiency, such as the C emissions released during the harvest, transport, and firing of woody biomass. Consideration of the frequency and intensity of biomass harvests should also be given; performing total harvests (clear-cutting) at high-frequency may produce more bioenergy than less intensive harvesting regimes but may decrease C storage and thereby prolong the time required to achieve C Sequestration Parity.
The Fast Convergence of Boosting

This manuscript considers the convergence rate of boosting under a large class of losses, including the exponential and logistic losses, where the best previous rate of convergence was O(exp(1/∊2)). First, it is established that the setting of weak learnability aids the entire class, granting a rate O(ln(1/∊)). Next, the (disjoint) conditions under which the infimal empirical risk is attainable are characterized in terms of the sample and weak learning class, and a new proof is given for the known rate O(ln(1/∊)). Finally, it is established that any instance can be decomposed into two smaller instances resembling the two preceding special cases, yielding a rate O(1/∊), with a matching lower bound for the logistic loss. The principal technical hurdle throughout this work is the potential unattainability of the infimal empirical risk; the technique for overcoming this barrier may be of general interest.
Changes in stomatal conductance along grass blades reflect changes in leaf structure.

Identifying the consequences of grass blade morphology (long, narrow leaves) on the heterogeneity of gas exchange is fundamental to an understanding of the physiology of this growth form. We examined acropetal changes in anatomy, hydraulic conductivity and rates of gas exchange in five grass species (including C3 and C4 functional types). Both stomatal conductance and photosynthesis increased along all grass blades despite constant light availability. Hydraulic efficiency within the xylem remained constant along the leaf, but structural changes outside the xylem changed in concert with stomatal conductance. Stomatal density and stomatal pore index remained constant along grass blades but interveinal distance decreased acropetally resulting in a decreased path length for water movement from vascular bundle to stomate. The increase in stomatal conductance was correlated with the decreased path length through the leaf mesophyll. A strong correlation between the distance from vascular bundles to stomatal pores and stomatal conductance has been identified across species; our results suggest this relationship also exists within individual leaves.
Innovative technologies and vadose zone treatment of chlorinated volatile organic compounds: Case study

Over the last 10 yr, a mix of innovative and conventional characterization techniques has been used to assess the contamination of vadose zone sediments beneath the pilot-scale test facility known as TNX at the Savannah River Site in South Carolina. Shallow soils and groundwater beneath the TNX facility are contaminated with chlorinated volatile organic compounds (CVOCs), trichloroethylene (TCE), carbon tetrachloride (CCl4), perchloroethylene (PCE), and chloroform (CHCl3). An interim pump-and-treat remediation system was placed in operation in 1996 to provide hydraulic containment of groundwater containing greater than 500 g/L dissolved TCE. In 1994, a vadose zone study was initiated to determine the degree and extent of CVOC contamination above the contaminated groundwater. Headspace sampling and analysis, acoustic infrared spectroscopy, cone penetration testing, and vadose zone pumping tests were used to determine contaminant concentrations and physical properties related to soil vapor extraction (SVE). In 2001, SVE, a presumptive remedy for CVOCs in soils similar to those present beneath TNX, was selected to treat the CVOC contamination. Cone penetration testing with soil vapor sampling provided a detailed understanding of the subsurface geology and CVOC distribution, which was essential for proper well design and placement. Twelve SVE wells were installed using direct push technology and were tested to determine specific capacity and CVOC concentrations. This information was then used to develop a strategy for operating the SVE system. Based on the results of the baseline testing and previous studies, sets of two to three extraction wells will be treated using SVE at 1-month intervals. This will allow continuous operation of the SVE system and give individual wells up to 3 months for rebound between treatments. This method of operation is intended to maximize contaminant recovery from individual wells and reduce the overall capital investment and operating cost of the SVE system.
The Implementation of an Energy Balanced Routing Protocol with Dynamic Power Scaling in TinyOS

In this paper, we study an energy balanced routing protocol based on dynamic power scaling techniques for wireless sensor networks. In the proposed protocol, each node maintains a list of neighboring nodes and their corresponding statistical residual energy information. The energy balanced routing distributes the levels of residue energy evenly throughout the network, while the dynamic power scaling scheme achieves further energy savings by adjusting transmission power to meet signal strength requirement at the receiver. In order to demonstrate the increased energy efficiency of the proposed protocol, we have conducted an experimental study. The results of our experimental study clearly show that the proposed energy balanced routing scheme with dynamic power improves energy efficiency while achieving energy balance as well.
Reduced complexity blind 2D RAKE receiver for CDMA

We previously presented a blind 2D RAKE receiver for (direct sequence spread spectrum) CDMA that cancels strong multi-user access interference (MAI) and optimally combines multipath. After passing the output of each antenna through a matched filter based on the spreading waveform of the desired user, one estimates the signal plus interference spatio-frequency correlation matrix during that portion of the bit interval where the fingers of the RAKE occur, and the interference alone spatio-frequency correlation matrix during that portion of the bit interval away from the fingers. A reduced complexity scheme that outperforms the previous algorithm in a MAI dominant environment is presented based on a data adaptive transformation to a beamspace of dimension equal to the effective number of spatial degrees of freedom taken up by the desired user's multipath.
Brain natriuretic peptide levels in managing pediatric patients with pulmonary arterial hypertension.

Background Pulmonary arterial hypertension (PAH) is an important determinant of morbidity and mortality in children. In this study, we aimed to investigate the value of brain natriuretic peptide (BNP) in a cohort of children with PAH, with respect to monitoring disease severity as assessed by hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters. Methods We performed a prospective study to determine whether BNP varies over time in this population and whether these changes track with hemodynamic or echocardiographic parameters. The population included a group of 78 pediatric patients from January 2005 to April 2008. All patients had received a diagnosis of PAH and had serum BNP, catheterization, and echocardiographic variables collected longitudinally. Results The median BNP level, for all observations, was 36 pg/mL (interquartile range, 18 to 76 pg/mL). There was no strong correlation found between commonly used echocardiographic or hemodynamic data and BNP. However, using a bivariate model, the change in BNP measurements over time significantly correlated with the change in the hemodynamic and echocardiographic parameters. Patients with a BNP value > 180 pg/mL had a decreased survival rate. Conclusions BNP could be a useful marker to monitor disease severity in pediatric PAH. We show that simple correlations between variables and BNP are not likely to illustrate its usefulness due to variations in the normative levels. Instead, we propose that patient BNP levels should be monitored over time, as changes in BNP within a patient are likely to be more informative.
Limits of TMD evolution in SIDIS at moderate Q

We investigate semi-inclusive deep inelastic scattering measurements in the region of relatively small Q , where sensitivity to nonperturbative transverse momentum dependence can dominate the evolution. Using SIDIS data from the COMPASS experiment, we find that regions of coordinate space that dominate in TMD processes when the hard scale is of the order of only a few GeV are much larger than those commonly probed in large Q measurements. This suggests that the details of nonperturbative effects in TMD evolution are especially significant in the region of intermediate Q . We emphasize the strongly universal nature of the nonperturbative component of evolution. and its potential to be tightly constrained by fits from a wide variety of observables that include both large and moderate Q .
Systematic Review and Meta-Analysis of Recombinant Human Bone Morphogenetic Protein-2 in Localized Alveolar Ridge and Maxillary Sinus Augmentation.

Purpose Recombinant human bone morphogenetic protein-2 (rhBMP-2) is approved by the Food and Drug Administration as a viable alternative to bone graft in spinal fusion and maxillary sinus lift. The research questions for meta-analysis were: Is rhBMP-2 an effective bone graft substitute in localized alveolar ridge augmentation and maxillary sinus floor augmentation? What are the potential adverse events? Materials and Methods A search of MEDLINE from January 1980 to January 2014 using PubMed, the Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews and Controlled Trials, CINAHL, and EMBASE was performed. Searches were performed from Medical Subject Headings. The quality of each study included was graded by Review Manager software. The primary outcome variable was bone formation measured as change in bone height on computed tomogram. A systematic review of adverse events also was performed. A random-effects model was chosen. Continuous variables were calculated using the standardized mean difference and 95% confidence intervals (CIs) comparing improvement from baseline of the experimental group with that of the control group. Change in bone height was calculated using logarithmic odds ratio. Test of significance used the Z statistic with a P value of .05. Results Ten studies met the criteria for systematic review; 8 studies were included in the meta-analysis. Five studies assessed localized alveolar ridge augmentation and resulted in an overall standardized mean difference of 0.56 (CI, 0.20-0.92) in favor of BMP; this result was statistically important. Three studies assessed maxillary sinus floor augmentation and resulted in an overall standardized mean difference of −0.50 (CI, −0.93 to −0.09), which was meaningfully different in favor of the control group. Adverse events were inconsistently reported, ranging from no complications to widespread adverse events. Conclusion For localized alveolar ridge augmentation, this meta-analysis showed that rhBMP-2 substantially increases bone height. However, rhBMP-2 does not perform as well as the autograft or allograft in maxillary sinus floor augmentation. Long-term clinical success and adverse events need to be reported with more consistency before definitive conclusions can be made.
Inferring the Causes of Population Fluctuations

Many natural populations fluctuate in abundance, in ways that appear random to the eye and to some standard time-series analyses. This paper reviews the methods, and results, of recent attempts to determine if the fluctuations are chaotic rather than random. Early “indirect” methods (fit a model to the data, and see if the model is chaotic) found no evidence of chaos, but the results are sensitive to the choice of model and parameter-estimation methods. “Direct” methods (based on reconstructing trajectories in time-delay coordinates) appear to reveal “strange” (i.e., fractal) attractors that are a hallmark of chaotic dynamics. Reconstruction is model-free, but offers no way of objectively evaluating one’s visual impression of the attractor. Fractal dimension calculations, using a new maximum-likelihood method for short time-series (Ellner 1988), can be used to test for fractal structure (non-integer dimension) if there’s enough data. For some measles incidence data, dimension calculations suggest an attractor with dimension between 2 and 3, supporting the visual impression of a strange attractor underlying the fluctuations.
In Vivo Load-Displacement Behavior of the Carpal Scaphoid Ligament Complex: Initial Measurements, Time-Dependence, and Repeatability

Hyperextension injuries of the wrist account for a wide variety of wrist pathology, from what may be perceived as a mild “sprain” to the extreme of fracture-dislocation. Ligamentous injuries, which are notoriously difficult to diagnosis with imaging techniques, may progress to overt instability and carpal collapse. Without radiographic carpal malalignment, wrist instability may be assessed by isolating and manually displacing portions of the carpus. This clinical “scaphoid shift test” is an attempt to dorsally subluxate the scaphoid with a manual load applied at its tubercle.8 An observation of increased carpal displacement, especially if symptomatic, may indicate ligamentous injury or disruption. However, a clinical observation such as this is subjective.
Trajectory Sensitivity Analysis for Dynamic Security Assessment and Other Applications in Power Systems

Real-time stability evaluation and preventive scheduling in power systems offer many challenges in a stressed power system. Trajectory Sensitivity Analysis (TSA) is a useful tool for this and other applications in the emerging smart grid area. In this chapter, we outline the basic approach of TSA, to extract suitable information from the data and develop reliable metrics or indices to evaluate proximity of the system to an unstable condition. Trajectory sensitivities can be used to compute critical parameters such as clearing time of circuit breakers, tie-line flow, etc. in a power system by developing suitable norms for ease of interpretation. The TSA technique has the advantage that model complexity is not a limitation, and the sensitivities can be computed numerically. Suitable metrics are developed from these sensitivities. The TSA technique can be extended to do preventive rescheduling. A brief discussion of other applications of TSA in placement of distributed generation is indicated.
A spatiotemporal analysis of tropical cyclone tracks in the Atlantic Basin and their relationship to El Niño-Southern Oscillation

AbstractThere has been an enhanced focus on Atlantic tropical cyclone climatologies with the significant cyclones of the past decade and the associated loss of life and property. This study examines the geographic location of cyclone tracks and their relationship to El Nino-Southern Oscillation (ENSO). The average annual cyclone track latitude and longitude correlate positively with hurricane-season El Nino indices, indicating that during El Nino conditions, tropical cyclone tracks are shifted northward and eastward. June–November indices explain 11–22% and 3–11% of the variance in cyclone track latitude and longitude, respectively. Examination of the strongest and weakest El Nino years yields similar results. Higher sea level pressure over North America, a slight contraction of the Bermuda High, and a slight decrease in 500 mb heights during El Nino years helps to explain the observed northward and eastward movement of tropical cyclone tracks during El Nino years. Additionally, weaker easterly and strong...
Schottky Barrier Heights of Refractory Metals on Silicon

Measurements of Schottky-barrier heights in the temperature range 175–295 K for refractory metal-silicon and corresponding silicide-silicon interfaces are presented. Refractory metal silicide formation is shown to have only a small effect on the barrier height. The n-type and p-type barrier heights for both the metal and the reacted silicide phase are shown to decrease with increasing temperature with the stun equal, within the experimental accuracy, to the indirect energy gap of silicon at any measured temperature. These results indicate that the temperature dependence of the barrier heights is mainly due to that of the indirect energy gap in the silicon.
Sphenoid Sinusitis and Migraine-Type Headache

Three case histories of children (ages 10, 12, and 14 years) with isolated sphenoid sinusitis who presented with acute, subacute, and chronic headache symptoms resembling migraine are reported from the University of Texas-Houston Medical School.
Effects of secretin and glucagon on intestinal transport of ions and water in the rat.

SummarySecretin reduced and glucagon enhanced absorption of ions and water from the small intestine of the rat, when administered intravenously in high doses.
Interventions in Retinopathy of Prematurity

Retinopathy of prematurity is one of the leading causes of childhood blindness and emanates from abnormal retinal vascularization during development. Management of the disease is bound by very specific screening protocols to which visual outcomes are believed to be exquisitely sensitive. Although current treatments generally revolve around laser or cryotherapy destruction of pathologic retina in an effort to reduce the angiogenic drive toward worsening disease, new pharmacologic strategies are at various stages of clinical development. We here review the pathology of retinopathy of prematurity and its relationship to such new advances in treatment. Specifically, the use of laser photoablation, cryoablation, anti–vascular endothelial growth factor therapy, insulin growth factor-1, long-chain polyunsaturated fatty acids and propranolol is reviewed in the context of both clinical trial and animal model data.
Sigmoidal mixed models for longitudinal data

Linear mixed models are widely used to analyze longitudinal cognitive data. Often, however, the trajectory of cognitive function is nonlinear. For example, some participants may experience cognitiv...
New species and combinations in Costa Rican orchids. II

Govenia viaria, from Monteverde to the Dota area, and Palmorchis eidae, from the area of Golfito, are described and illustrated, and Dichaea elliptica, from Panama and southern Costa Rica, is described. A new combination is published for Chondroscaphe endresii, a distinct species that has been confused with C. bicolor; a broader concept of Scaphyglottis calls for the following new combinations: Scaphyglottis bidentata, S. cuniculata, and S. imbricata. The new name Pleurothallis grammata is published, based on Myoxanthus vittatus Pupulin & M.A.Blanco.
The Effects of Blood Sugar Levels on the Levels of sICAM-1 and U-mALB in Pregnant Women and the Correlation Analysis

Objective:To explore the relationship and correlation analysis among blood glucose levels, serum intercellular adhesion molecule-1(sICAM-1) levels and urinary albumin(U-mALB) in pregnant women. Method:Groups were divided according to three different blood glucose levels in pregnant women. Group A(54 cases):blood glucose levels were 4.0-5.0 mmol/L; Group B(76 cases):5.0-6.11 mmol/L; Group C(72 cases):≥ 6.11 mmol/L. While 40 cases of hospital healthy women were considered as normal control group. And the fasting blood glucose, sICAM-1 and U-ALB's were detected respectively. Result:The blood glucose levels of pregnant women were significantly increased compared with the control group, and the difference was statistically significant(P0.05). Compared with the control group, the sICAM-1 levels and U-mALB levels in pregnant women increased significantly. With elevated blood sugar levels, maternal serum sICAM-1 and U-mALB levels increased accordingly(correlation coefficient:r=0.836, r=0.765). Conclusion:This work suggesting that preventing damage to the kidneys is an important part in women in clinical under the premise of strengthening prevention of pregnancy hyperglycemia.
Research Progress of Erucin

Consumption of cruciferous vegetables can cut the risk of developing a variety of cancers.Erucin is an isothiocyanate present in Eruca sativa.The structure and chemical properties,metabolism and bioavailability of erucin and the mechanism underlying its cancer-preventing function are discussed in this paper.Therefore,erucin will be a potential anti-cancer substance in the future.
Patient Care and Airway Control During Maxillofacial Surgery

Much of the reported morbidity and mortality in maxillofacial and craniofacial surgery is the result of anesthetic and airway problems. This article lists a number of precautionary measures that can be routinely employed to establish and maintain airway control during these procedures.
Abstract A26: Relative influence of home and school environments on specific dietary behaviors among postpartum, high-risk teens

Background: Nearly one third of adolescent girls are overweight or obese, and this risk is significantly heightened for postpartum, high-risk teenagers. Interventions among this difficult to reach population are critical for the prevention of obesity and related health effects, including several types of epithelial cancers. Targeting the home and school environment, where teens spend most of their time, may be particularly effective at reducing behaviors associated with obesity. Previously, in a study of high-risk postpartum teens, we found a greater influence of the perceived home food environment (vs. school) on total calories consumed from food and beverage groups. Here we aim to build upon these findings, looking at consumption of specific food and beverage items and the relative influence of school and home food environments, and whether relationships vary by baseline body mass index (BMI). Methods: This is a cross-sectional, baseline analysis of 875 girls enrolled in the Balance Adolescent Lifestyle Activities and Nutrition Choices for Energy (BALANCE) study, a weight loss intervention designed to prevent obesity among postpartum, high-risk adolescents across 26 states. A total of 8 items were used to assess perceived healthful school and home food environments, respectively, on a 5-point Likert Scale. Ratings were averaged and dichotomized to generate an overall environment score. To assess the relative influence of home and school environment, we created the following categories: 0,“negative school & home”; 1, “positive school only” 2, ”positive home only” 3, ”positive school & home”. Frequency of specific food and beverage items were collapsed into binary categories to reflect infrequent (0-3 days/week) and frequent (4-7 days/week) consumption. Height and weight were obtained by trained staff and used to calculate BMI-for-age (dichotomized as normal [ Results: Among 875 postpartum teens, a positive home environment was significantly associated with decreased consumption of chips and increased consumption of fruit and vegetables (p Conclusions: In this understudied population of postpartum teens, the home environment was associated with healthy dietary behaviors. Results indicated that having a positive home environment was enough to influence behavior and for many items, the added benefit of a positive school environment was relatively low. Improving the home environment may be particularly important among this population of teen moms who are at increased risk for obesity and who are in a position to pass down their food behaviors to their children. Citation Format: Megan A. Clarke, Rachel G. Tabak, Cynthia D. Schwarz, Debra L. Haire-Joshu, Corinne E. Joshu. Relative influence of home and school environments on specific dietary behaviors among postpartum, high-risk teens. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the Thirteenth Annual AACR International Conference on Frontiers in Cancer Prevention Research; 2014 Sep 27-Oct 1; New Orleans, LA. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Can Prev Res 2015;8(10 Suppl): Abstract nr A26.
Physically-Based Building Load Model for Electric Grid Operation and Planning

This paper describes a building electrical-thermal load model that is both suitable for power system analysis as well as retains essential thermodynamic information. The model is developed using observations made over multiple time windows to elicit both steady state characteristics, for planning, as well as dynamic behavior, for demand side control applications. Consequently, multiple model evolutions based on data availability are presented. Physically-based parameters are used in the modeling process to describe the influence of building automation systems on the electrical load profile. The end goal is to provide an improved understanding of building temperature-load interactions to facilitate more efficient use of buildings as demand side resources.
Cost-constrained delay minimization of C-RAN and its multiplexing gain

The recently-proposed centralized cloud radio access network (C-RAN) promises to deal with the ever-increasing traffic volume and reduce network cost by centralizing the baseband operation and simplifying radio access points. However, compared with traditional radio access network, whether it always has performance gain, and how large the gain will be are still open questions. This paper presents and analyzes a simple stochastic model for C-RAN wherein dynamic resource sharing is allowed in the centralized pool. Based on this, a cost-constrained delay minimization framework for C-RAN is proposed to optimize its capacity configuration. With the same network cost and traffic load, the multiplexing gain of C-RAN over traditional access network is analyzed under this framework. Bounds of the multiplexing gain are obtained, and the conditions under which C-RAN performs better are derived. Besides showing the optimal delay and multiplexing gain performance under homogeneous traffic scenario, numerical results also extend to heterogeneous arrivals, where the impact of traffic heterogeneity on the multiplexing gain is explored.
Passivity-Based Control of Electric Motors

In this chapter, the passivity-based approach to control design for electromechanical systems is described and applied to electric motors. The notions of dissipativity and passivity are powerful tools for design and analysis of control systems [3, 71, 170, 207, 212, 213] . For completeness, we will start with definitions and some results on dissipativity and passivity.
The Invasion of the Land

The early manifestations of life detailed in Chapter 2 and those plants described in Chapter 3 gave rise to organisms from which land plants might evolve. A detailed study of early vascular plants, then, should shed light on the speed and direction of their evolution. The patterns of early vascular plant evolution have long fascinated botanists, and there is voluminous literature on the subject. However, many conclusions that have been drawn suffer from two serious deficiencies. First, the number of plants proven to be vascular is small, and details of their structure are extremely limited. Second, the precise age of the rock strata whence they have been collected has often been unknown or unrecorded, or has been revised in accordance with new data provided by animal paleontology and stratigraphy. The viewpoint presented here relies on newer studies that have added markedly to our knowledge of the plants themselves and on more recent analyses of the age of the various subdivisions of Devonian time (Table 4-1). Underlying the various descriptions that follow are the ever-present questions: Do the early plants resemble those we know today? How rapidly did the first land plants become diversified? Are there some early plants which appeared and then became extinct? Can we find early plants that were successful on the new terrestrial environment and from which other forms may be descended?
Review of Arciero's article (1994) on arthroscopic Bankart repair versus non-operative treatment for acute, initial anterior shoulder dislocations: does the same hold true in 2016?

This classic reexamines the landmark publication ‘Arthroscopic Bankart repair versus non-operative treatment for acute, initial anterior shoulder dislocations’ by Arciero et al , published in 1994 in The American Journal of Sports Medicine. The authors provided pertinent evidence to support the use of arthroscopy to repair associated Bankart lesions found after acute, initial anterior shoulder dislocations in the young, athletic patient population. The recommendations put forth were a departure from the established teachings at the time. The article demonstrated a significantly reduced rate of recurrence after arthroscopic stabilisation compared with non-operative management in US Military Academy cadets. The majority of patients who failed non-operative treatment required subsequent open repair. At the time of arthroscopy, a Bankart lesion was diagnosed in all patients, which the authors postulated are consistently present after acute first-time dislocations. The authors concluded that in young athletes, particularly in this case, military cadets, return to previous levels of activity and training is imperative. These findings remain relevant today and provided the impetus for the evolution in surgical techniques and implants over the past 20 years. Subsequent randomised controlled trials have largely supported the use of arthroscopic stabilisation in the young, high-demand population. Other subsequent studies have further reviewed the risk factors for failure after surgery to continue to refine the treatment algorithm. The treatment of initial anterior dislocations of the shoulder remains a challenging endeavour, with an ever-expanding list of options. This classic work challenged the established treatment approach in a particular patient group, the young athlete. The teachings imparted in the article, and reiterated in subsequent research studies, have taught us treatment decisions should be personalised and formulated on an individual basis.
Bladder exstrophy and postoperative intussusception due to Meckel's diverticulum: A confluence of congenital anomalies

• We report on a case of an intussuscepted Meckel's diverticulum in a post-operative bladder exstrophy patient.
Recent advances in human norovirus detection and cultivation methods

Human norovirus is a leading cause of foodborne illness worldwide. For years, the detection of the virus in foods and determining its inactivation during food processing have been challenging. Recently, there have been promising advances in human norovirus cultivation and several innovative approaches have been developed as in vitro methods to estimate human norovirus infectivity. The establishment of a robust cell culture system for human norovirus has broad implications for virology, public health, and food microbiology. New in vitro methods will undoubtedly increase the ability to establish more accurate survival data for human norovirus in foods and the processing environment. These novel approaches will enhance the field of food virology.
HETEROGENEITY AMONG SUPPRESSOR T CELLS

Publisher Summary This chapter focuses on the heterogeneity among suppressor T cells. Thymus-derived lymphocytes are capable of suppressing both humoral and delayed-type hypersensitivity (DTH) responses. In a study described in the chapter, while low- and high-density T cells capable of suppressing DTH reactions differed in their in vivo sensitivity to CY, the regulatory activity of both populations was sensitive to in vitro irradiation. Thus, low- and high-density T cells irradiated, in vitro , with 650 rads, did not manifest suppression. The ability of low-density T cells to amplify direct and indirect PFC responses was not reduced by similar in vitro irradiation. High-density suppressor populations are relatively more sensitive to CY than low-density DTH suppressor T cells.