cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Quality of life 12 months after radical prostatectomy.

Objective To evaluate the impact of radical prostatectomy (RP) upon quality of life (QOL) in patients with prostate cancer. Patients and methods Seventy-nine patients with prostate cancer were recruited to evaluate the impact of RP upon QOL. The patients comprised two groups: the first group (n= 51) was evaluated 12 months or longer after RP; and the second group (n= 28) was evaluated 1 month prior to RP. All patients completed two previously reported QOL measures: the Functional Living Index Cancer (FLIC) and Profile of Mood States (POMS), and a series of questions which evaluated bladder, bowel and sexual function. Results Comparison of patients before RP with those after RP at 12 month follow-up revealed significant (P<0.05) deterioration in sexual function, continence and hardship scores following RP while tension scores improved significantly. Although 10 other subscale parameters were analysed, no other differences were observed. Of the 51 post-RP patients, 46 (90%) stated that given a choice they would have their surgery again. Conclusion The Results reported show that RP has minimal overall impact upon patient QOL. Although minimal voiding and bowel dysfunction was reported, many patients were dissatisfied with post-operative sexual function.
Catalytic partial oxidation of methane over Ba-Pb, Ba-Bi, and Ba-Sn Perovskites

Abstract Catalytic behaviors of the stoichiometric perovskites BaPbO 3 , BaBiO 3 , and BaSnO 3 , and of corresponding materials containing excess Ba, have been investigated for the oxidative coupling of methane. The Ba-Pb and Ba-Bi perovskites are more active and produce substantially higher C 2 product yields (12-15%) at 800°C than does the Ba-Sn material (4%). XRD analyses of the used catalysts indicate that BaPbO 3 and BaBiO 3 undergo extensive bulk decomposition under CH 4 /O 2 reaction conditions, forming BaCO 3 and BaO 2 phases, together with either PbO x , or Bi 2 O 3 . XPS characterization reveals that the surfaces of both materials become enriched in Ba as a result of their bulk decompositions. BaSnO 3 , by contrast, does not undergo significant changes in either its bulk or surface compositions as a result of the oxidation reaction. A significant portion of the surface Ba on these materials during reaction exists as BaCO 3 , which is generated from the CO 2 reaction product and which is partially converted into the active BaO 2 phase by reaction with O 2 .
A high throughput glucocerebrosidase assay using the natural substrate glucosylceramide

Glucocerebrosidase is a lysosomal enzyme that catalyzes the hydrolysis of glucosylceramide to form ceramide and glucose. A deficiency of lysosomal glucocerebrosidase due to genetic mutations results in Gaucher disease, in which glucosylceramide accumulates in the lysosomes of certain cell types. Although enzyme replacement therapy is currently available for the treatment of type 1 Gaucher disease, the neuronopathic forms of Gaucher disease are still not treatable. Small molecule drugs that can penetrate the blood-brain barrier, such as pharmacological chaperones and enzyme activators, are new therapeutic approaches for Gaucher disease. Enzyme assays for glucocerebrosidase are used to screen compound libraries to identify new lead compounds for drug development for the treatment of Gaucher disease. But the current assays use artificial substrates that are not physiologically relevant. We developed a glucocerebrosidase assay using the natural substrate glucosylceramide coupled to an Amplex-red enzyme reporting system. This assay is in a homogenous assay format and has been miniaturized in a 1,536-well plate format for high throughput screening. The assay sensitivity and robustness is similar to those seen with other glucocerebrosidase fluorescence assays. Therefore, this new glucocerebrosidase assay is an alternative approach for high throughput screening.
College Students’ Perceptions of Peers’ Disclosures of Histories of Child Sexual Abuse

We used an analogue experimental method to assess how undergraduate students from two universities in the southwestern United States (n = 241) would perceive same gender peers disclosing a history of sexual abuse in childhood (CSA), in comparison to those disclosing a death of their mother or of a pet. Consistent with hypotheses, males perceived a peer disclosing CSA less positively than peers disclosing the other two histories. Women’s perceptions were less globally negative, with anticipations that peers disclosing CSA would have poorer health and interpersonal adjustment, but strengths in coping and likeability. We also examined participants’ expectations of how a peer would evaluate their own self description, finding gender differences and differences based upon personal history of CSA.
The vibrationally adiabatic torsional potential energy surface of trans-stilbene

Abstract The effect of vibrational Zero Point Energy (ZPE) on the torsional barriers of trans-stilbene is studied in the adiabatic approximation. The two torsional modes corresponding to phenyl rotation are explicitly separated, and the remaining modes are treated as normal coordinates. ZPE reduces the adiabatic barrier along the in-phase torsion from 198 to 13 cm−1. A one-dimensional adiabatic potential for the anti-phase torsion, including the ZPE of the in-phase torsion, reduces the adiabatic barrier from 260 to 58 cm−1. Comparison with recent electronic structure benchmark calculations suggests that vibrational corrections play a significant role in trans-stilbene’s experimentally observed planar structure.
Experimental investigation of the machinabilty of polycarbonate reinforced with multiwalled carbon nanotubes

The machinability of a polycarbonate nanocomposite containing multiwalled carbon nanotubes is investigated and contrasted with its base polymer and with a conventional carbon fiber composite. The material microstructures are characterized using transmission electron and scanning electron microscopy methods. Micro end milling experiments are conducted on the three materials. Chip morphology, machined surface characteristics and the nature of the cutting forces are employed as machinability measures for comparative purposes. Polycarbonate chips are seen to transition from being discontinuous to continuous as the feed-per-tooth (FPT) increases, while, at all FPT values the nanocomposite is seen to form comparatively thicker continuous chips. The nanocomposite and the carbon fiber composite are seen to have the lowest and the highest magnitudes, respectively, for both the surface roughness and cutting forces. Shearing along the nanotube-polymer interface and better thermal conductivity are speculated to be the mechanisms responsible for the observations seen in the nanocomposite.Copyright © 2005 by ASME
Benign lipomatous masses of the heart: a comprehensive series of 47 cases with cytogenetic evaluation

Benign lipomatous lesions of the heart encompass an apparently etiologically diverse group of entities including neoplastic, congenital, and reparative phenomena. Among these, lipomas and lipomatous hypertrophy of the atrial septum (LHAS) represent 2 commonly encountered mass lesions. To date, no study has systematically and comparatively evaluated the morphologic and genetic characteristics of these lesions. Tissue registry archives of Mayo Clinic were queried for cases of cardiac lipoma and LHAS (1994-2011). Clinical, imaging, and pathologic findings were reviewed. Representative cases in each cohort were evaluated by fluorescence in situ hybridization (FISH) for HMGA1 and HMGA2 loci rearrangement and for MDM2/CPM locus amplification. Five cases of cardiac lipoma were identified (mean age, 67 years; range, 48-101; 3 men): 4 right atrial and 1 left ventricular. Forty-two cases of LHAS were identified (mean age, 75.6 years; range 45-95; 20 men), 39 of which were autopsy derived. The median size was 3.4 cm for lipomas and 2.8 cm for LHAS (n = 14). A single case each of cardiac lipoma and LHAS were found to harbor HMGA2 rearrangement, whereas no case showed cytogenetic abnormality of HMGA1 or CPM. This represents the largest series of histopathologically confirmed cardiac lipomas from a single institution. In addition, it is the first to evaluate cardiac lipomas and LHAS for genetic alterations associated with extracardiac lipomatous lesions. The genetic and morphologic similarities found provide evidence in support of the neoplastic classification of cardiac lipomas. A single case of LHAS contained an HMGA2 rearrangement, challenging the currently accepted hypothesis of pathogenesis for this lesion.
The arflike gene encodes an essential GTP-binding protein in Drosophila.

Abstract We have identified a Drosophila gene (arflike, arl) encoding a protein that is structurally related (approximately 55% identity) to the ADP-ribosylation factors (ARFs) of yeast and mammals. Biochemical analyses of purified recombinant arl-encoded protein revealed properties similar to the ARF proteins, including the ability to bind and hydrolyze GTP. Clear functional differences between arl and ARF proteins, including a complete lack of ARF activity, suggest that arl is not a functional homolog of ARF. A recessive lethal arl mutation was recovered, demonstrating that the arl locus is an essential gene. We conclude that the arl locus encodes an essential member of the ARF subfamily of small GTP-binding proteins in Drosophila.
Identification of nuclear proteins that are developmentally regulated in embryonic rat brain.

: To identify nuclear proteins that might play a role in the acquisition of neuronal phenotype, two-dimensional polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis (2D-PAGE) was used to analyze nuclear proteins expressed over the course of embryonic rat brain development. Metabolically labeled rat brain nuclear proteins from embryonic day 14 (E14) were compared with proteins from embryonic day 20 (E20). Over this period, the rat brain develops from a collection of relatively homogeneous precursor cells into a complex structure containing many different classes of neurons. Computer-assisted analysis of 2D-PAGE fluorograms identified 11 proteins that show increases in their rate of synthesis between E14 and E20. Twenty proteins that consistently appear at E20 are not detectable on fluorograms of E14 nuclear proteins, even after long exposures, and thus may be considered to appear de novo. Fifty-eight proteins show consistent down-regulation between E14 and E20, and of these, 19 are not detectable on fluorograms of E20 nuclear proteins. The electrophoretic properties of many of these proteins suggest that they are previously unreported, developmentally regulated nuclear proteins. Some of the developmentally regulated, brain-enriched nuclear proteins identified here may play a role in regulating the expression of neural genes important for cellular differentiation in the mammalian CNS.
Nucleotide sequences from the colicin E5, E6 and E9 operons: presence of a degenerate transposon-like structure in the ColE9-J plasmid.

The nucleotide sequences of 1288 bp of plasmid ColE5-099, 1609 bp of ColE6-CT14 and 2099 bp of ColE9-J were determined. These sequences encompass the structural genes for the C-terminal receptor-binding and nuclease domains of colicins E5, E6 and E9, theircis- ortrans-acting immunity proteins and four lysis proteins including an atypical one of non-lipoprotein nature (Lys*) present in the ColE9-J plasmid. The ColE6 gene organisation, in the ordercol-imm-E8imm-lys, is identical to that found in the previously described double-immunity gene system of ColE3-CA38 (an RNase producer). The corresponding genes in the two plasmids are 87%–94% homologous. In ColE9-J, the genes are organised ascol-imm-lys *-E5imm-lys. The E9col-imm gene pair is homologous to the colicin E2-P9 type (a DNase producer). Downstream from E9imm is an E5imm (designated E5imm[E9]) which istrans-acting. Neither the predicted structures of E5Imm[E9] nor thecis-acting Imm resident in the ColE5-099 plasmid which differs by a single amino acid shows any resemblance to other immunity structures which have been sequenced. Furthermore, the E5col sequences differ from those predicted previously for other colicins except for the conservedbtuB-specified receptor-binding domain. A novel 205 nucleotide long insertion sequence is found in the ColE9-J plasmid. This insertion sequence, which we named ISE9, has features reminiscent of the degenerate transposon IS101 previously found in plasmid pSC101. One effect of ISE9 is the presence of the atypical lysis gene,lys *. The presence of a transposon-like element in the ColE9 plasmid exemplifies a new phenomenon relevant to the evolution of colicin E plasmids.
An Application of Linear Programming and Geographic Information Systems: Cropland Allocation in Antigua

This paper is focused on the application of linear programming (LP) in combination with a geographic information system (GIS) in planning agricultural land-use strategies. One of the essential inputs for planning any agricultural land-use strategy is a knowledge of the natural resources. This is even more critical in small countries such as those in the Eastern Caribbean, where land-area limitations dictate a greater need for careful assessment and management of these resources. The first step of the proposed methodology is to obtain an assessment of the natural resources available to agriculture. The GIS is used to delineate land-use conflicts and provide reliable information on the natural-resource database. This is followed by combining the data on natural resources with other quantifiable information on available labour, market forecasts, technology, and cost information in order to estimate the economic potential of the agricultural sector. LP is used in this step. Finally, the GIS is applied again t...
Variational calculations for solid and liquid 4He with a "shadow" wave function.

A new class of trial wave functions is introduced to compute variationally the ground-state energy of solid /sup 4/He. This wave function is symmetric under particle exchange, translationally invariant, and does not require the a priori introduction of a crystal lattice. It gives a lower energy than and has properties comparable with those given by previous calculations in which atoms are explicitly localized. The same functional form of the wave function is used to investigate the liquid phase, where a lower energy than those given by a wave function of the Jastrow form is obtained as well.
Using Head-on Collisions to Compare Risk of Driver Death by Frontal Air Bag Generation: A Matched-Pair Cohort Study

US air bag regulations were changed in 1997 to allow tests of unbelted male dummies in vehicles mounted and accelerated on sleds, resulting in longer crash pulses than rigid-barrier crashes. This change facilitated depowering of frontal air bags and was intended to reduce air bag-induced deaths. Controversy ensued as to whether sled-certified air bags could increase adult fatality risk. A matched-pair cohort study of two-vehicle, head-on, fatal collisions between drivers involving first-generation versus sled-certified air bags during 1998-2005 was conducted by using Fatality Analysis Reporting System data. Sled certification was ascertained from public information and a survey of automakers. Conditional Poisson regression for matched-pair cohorts was used to estimate risk ratios adjusted for age, seat belt status, vehicle type, passenger car size, and model year for driver deaths in vehicles with sled-certified air bags versus first-generation air bags. For all passenger-vehicle pairs, the adjusted risk ratio was 0.87 (95% confidence interval: 0.77, 0.98). In head-on collisions involving only passenger cars, the adjusted risk ratio was 1.04 (95% confidence interval: 0.85, 1.29). Increased fatality risk for drivers with sled-certified air bags was not observed. A borderline significant interaction between vehicle type and air bag generation suggested that sled-certified air bags may have reduced the risk of dying in head-on collisions among drivers of pickup trucks.
Postprandial inhibition of gastric ghrelin secretion by long-chain fatty acid through GPR120 in isolated gastric ghrelin cells and mice

Ghrelin is a gastric peptide hormone that controls appetite and energy homeostasis. Plasma ghrelin levels rise before a meal and fall quickly thereafter. Elucidation of the regulation of ghrelin secretion has been hampered by the difficulty of directly interrogating ghrelin cells diffusely scattered within the complex gastric mucosa. Therefore, we generated transgenic mice with ghrelin cell expression of green fluorescent protein (GFP) to enable characterization of ghrelin secretion in a pure population of isolated gastric ghrelin-expressing GFP (Ghr-GFP) cells. Using quantitative RT-PCR and immunofluorescence staining, we detected a high level of expression of the long-chain fatty acid (LCFA) receptor GPR120, while the other LCFA receptor, GPR40, was undetectable. In short-term-cultured pure Ghr-GFP cells, the LCFAs docosadienoic acid, linolenic acid, and palmitoleic acid significantly suppressed ghrelin secretion. The physiological mechanism of LCFA inhibition on ghrelin secretion was studied in mice. Serum ghrelin levels were transiently suppressed after gastric gavage of LCFA-rich lipid in mice with pylorus ligation, indicating that the ghrelin cell may directly sense increased gastric LCFA derived from ingested intraluminal lipids. Meal-induced increase in gastric mucosal LCFA was assessed by measuring the transcripts of markers for tissue uptake of LCFA, lipoprotein lipase (LPL), fatty acid translocase (CD36), glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored HDL-binding protein 1, and nuclear fatty acid receptor peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ. Quantitative RT-PCR studies indicate significantly increased mRNA levels of lipoprotein lipase, glycosylphosphatidylinositol-anchored HDL-binding protein 1, and peroxisome proliferator-activated receptor-γ in postprandial gastric mucosa. These results suggest that meal-related increases in gastric mucosal LCFA interact with GPR120 on ghrelin cells to inhibit ghrelin secretion.
Nowcasting Intraseasonal Recreational Fishing Harvest with Internet Search Volume

Estimates of recreational fishing harvest are often unavailable until after a fishing season has ended. This lag in information complicates efforts to stay within the quota. The simplest way to monitor quota within the season is to use harvest information from the previous year. This works well when fishery conditions are stable, but is inaccurate when fishery conditions are changing. We develop regression-based models to “nowcast” intraseasonal recreational fishing harvest in the presence of changing fishery conditions. Our basic model accounts for seasonality, changes in the fishing season, and important events in the fishery. Our extended model uses Google Trends data on the internet search volume relevant to the fishery of interest. We demonstrate the model with the Gulf of Mexico red snapper fishery where the recreational sector has exceeded the quota nearly every year since 2007. Our results confirm that data for the previous year works well to predict intraseasonal harvest for a year (2012) where fishery conditions are consistent with historic patterns. However, for a year (2013) of unprecedented harvest and management activity our regression model using search volume for the term “red snapper season” generates intraseasonal nowcasts that are 27% more accurate than the basic model without the internet search information and 29% more accurate than the prediction based on the previous year. Reliable nowcasts of intraseasonal harvest could make in-season (or in-year) management feasible and increase the likelihood of staying within quota. Our nowcasting approach using internet search volume might have the potential to improve quota management in other fisheries where conditions change year-to-year.
Prevalence of training in addiction psychology and treatment in APA-accredited clinical and counseling psychology doctoral programs

Clinical and counseling psychologists trained in the United States have reported receiving little or no formal education in substance use disorders (SUD). We, therefore, sought to determine the extent to which American Psychological Association (APA) accredited doctoral programs in clinical and counseling psychology provide education in addictive disorders., Based on past research, we predicted that (a) most doctoral programs would not offer formal SUD training courses; (b) the available courses would more likely be elective than required; (c) Psy.D. (Doctor of Psychology) programs would be more likely to offer required SUD courses than Ph.D. (Doctor of Philosophy in Clinical and Counseling Psychology) programs; and (d) Psy.D. programs would have a higher number of faculty members who include SUD in the topics of their research interests than Ph.D. programs. We thoroughly surveyed curriculum webpages of all APA-accredited clinical and counseling psychology programs. We tallied the number of programs that ...
Characterization of dacC, Which Encodes a New Low-Molecular-Weight Penicillin-Binding Protein in Bacillus subtilis

The pbp gene (renamed dacC), identified by the Bacillus subtilis genome sequencing project, encodes a putative 491-residue protein with sequence homology to low-molecular-weight penicillin-binding proteins. Use of a transcriptional dacC-lacZ fusion revealed that dacC expression (i) is initiated at the end of stationary phase; (ii) depends strongly on transcription factor s H ; and (iii) appears to be initiated from a promoter located immediately upstream of yoxA, a gene of unknown function located upstream of dacC on the B. subtilis chromosome. A B. subtilis dacC insertional mutant grew and sporulated identically to wild-type cells, and dacC and wild-type spores had the same heat resistance, cortex structure, and germination and outgrowth kinetics. Expression of dacC in Escherichia coli showed that this gene encodes an ;59-kDa membrane-associated penicillin-binding protein which is highly toxic when overexpressed. The polymerization and cross-linking of peptidoglycan in bacteria is catalyzed by a group of enzymes known as penicillin-binding proteins (PBPs). In Bacillus subtilis, a gram-positive bacterium that forms heat-resistant endospores upon nutrient deprivation, PBPs are required not only for synthesis of peptidoglycan in vegetative cells but also for synthesis of the sporulation septum and the spore’s primordial germ cell wall and cortex (7). Low-molecular-weight PBPs are usually monofunctional DDpeptidases, which regulate the number of peptide cross-links formed in the peptidoglycan (11, 12). To date, three genes from B. subtilis (dacA, dacB, and dacF) encoding polypeptides with high sequence homology to low-molecular-weight DD-peptidases have been cloned and characterized (8, 45, 49). The most well characterized of these is the PBP5*-encoding gene, dacB, which is transcribed around stage III of sporulation from a s E -dependent promoter (8, 37), suggesting a role for PBP5* in spore cortex synthesis. Indeed, spores of dacB null mutants are heat sensitive (6, 30), and their cortex has more peptide side chains, a higher degree of cross-linking, and less muramic acid lactam residues than that of wild-type spores (4, 29, 30). The gene encoding PBP5, dacA (45), accounts for most if not all DD-carboxypeptidase activity in exponentially growing B. subtilis (22, 45, 47) and is present in lower amounts in stationaryphase and sporulating cells (39). Inactivation of PBP5 is not lethal for the cell (5, 45) and also has no effect on spore heat resistance (6, 30). However, overexpression of Bacillus stearothermophilus dacA in Escherichia coli results in cell lysis (10), and attempts to transform E. coli with a plasmid containing B. subtilis dacA were unsuccessful (45). The dacF gene product has not yet been identified biochemically, but studies using dacF-lacZ transcriptional fusions showed that dacF is transcribed in the forespore compartment of the sporulating cell (49) and that this transcription is s F dependent (36). Disruption of dacF has no obvious effect on spore formation, spore
Proteolytic Processing and Deubiquitinating Activity of Papain-Like Proteases of Human Coronavirus NL63

Human coronavirus NL63 (HCoV-NL63), a common human respiratory pathogen, is associated with both upper and lower respiratory tract disease in children and adults. Currently, no antiviral drugs are available to treat CoV infections; thus, potential drug targets need to be identified and characterized. Here, we identify HCoV-NL63 replicase gene products and characterize two viral papain-like proteases (PLPs), PLP1 and PLP2, which process the viral replicase polyprotein. We generated polyclonal antisera directed against two of the predicted replicase nonstructural proteins (nsp3 and nsp4) and detected replicase proteins from HCoV-NL63-infected LLC-MK2 cells by immunofluorescence, immunoprecipitation, and Western blot assays. We found that HCoV-NL63 replicase products can be detected at 24 h postinfection and that these proteins accumulate in perinuclear sites, consistent with membrane-associated replication complexes. To determine which viral proteases are responsible for processing these products, we generated constructs representing the amino-terminal end of the HCoV-NL63 replicase gene and established protease cis-cleavage assays. We found that PLP1 processes cleavage site 1 to release nsp1, whereas PLP2 is responsible for processing both cleavage sites 2 and 3 to release nsp2 and nsp3. We expressed and purified PLP2 and used a peptide-based assay to identify the cleavage sites recognized by this enzyme. Furthermore, by using K48-linked hexa-ubiquitin substrate and ubiquitin-vinylsulfone inhibitor specific for deubiquitinating enzymes (DUBs), we confirmed that, like severe acute respiratory syndrome (SARS) CoV PLpro, HCoV-NL63 PLP2 has DUB activity. The identification of the replicase products and characterization of HCoV-NL63 PLP DUB activity will facilitate comparative studies of CoV proteases and aid in the development of novel antiviral reagents directed against human pathogens such as HCoV-NL63 and SARS-CoV.
Carbohydrate craving in obese people: Suppression by treatments affecting serotoninergic transmission

We examined the existence of carbohydrate cravings, and the effects on such cravings of treatments that enhance serotonin release, among 24 obese subjects who claimed to have excessive appetites for carbohydrates. Subjects living in a college dormitory for four weeks were given three fixed meals daily and allowed to choose at will among five protein-rich or five carbohydrate-rich isocaloric snack foods, provided via a vending machine. For two weeks, they received no treatment (study 1) or a placebo (study 2); for the next two weeks, they received placebo, d-1 fenfluramine or 1-tryptophan. All but one of the subjects exhibited a marked preference for carbohydrate-rich over protein-rich snacks during the first two weeks of the study. The average daily intake of carbohydrate-rich snacks was 4.1 ± 0.4 and of protein-rich snacks 0.8 ± 0.3. Seventeen of the subjects failed to consume any protein snacks on most days during the baseline or test periods, thus it was not possible for us to examine the effect of test treatments on protein snack intake. Fenfluramine administration significantly reduced carbohydrate snacking in six of nine test subjects, as well as in the group as a whole (2.4 ± 0.6 snacks/day vs 4.2 ± 0.6 during the two-week baseline period). Tryptophan significantly diminished carbohydrate intake in three of the eight treated subjects, and increased it in one subject; it did not significantly modify snacking patterns in the group as a whole. Placebo administration did not affect carbohydrate intake in any of the seven test subjects. These observations show that some obese people do consume carbohydrate-rich snacks frequently and preferentially, and that this behavior can sometimes be diminished by treatments thought to enhance serotonin's release (fenfluramine) or synthesis (tryptophan).
The emulsion copolymerization of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate

The emulsion copolymerization of styrene and sodium styrene sulfonate has been shown to be a feasible preparative route to ionomeric sulfonated polystyrene. The properties of these copolymers are reported elsewhere. The copolymerization rate was found to be dramatically enhanced when compared to that for the emulsion copolymerization of styrene under identical conditions. This copolymerization was studied in detail and two mechanisms were proposed to account for these rate differences. An increase in the number of polymerizing particles in the copolymerization with consequent rate enhancement was substantiated by electron microscopy. However, the data indicate that the rate differences cannot be fully accounted for by this effect. In addition, a gel effect is proposed as a second contributor to the enhanced rate. This gel effect is believed to result from the intermolecular association of the incorporated metal sulfonate units in the growing polymer particles. When a third monomer that plasticizes the ionic interactions is used the polymerization rate decreases. This supports the gel effect hypothesis.
Viewpoint-Coded Structured Light

We introduce a theoretical framework and practical algorithms for replacing time-coded structured light patterns with viewpoint codes, in the form of additional camera locations. Current structured light methods typically use log(N) light patterns, encoded over time, to unambiguously reconstruct N unique depths. We demonstrate that each additional camera location may replace one frame in a temporal binary code. Our theoretical viewpoint coding analysis shows that, by using a high frequency stripe pattern and placing cameras in carefully selected locations, the epipolar projection in each camera can be made to mimic the binary encoding patterns normally projected over time. Results from our practical implementation demonstrate reliable depth reconstruction that makes neither temporal nor spatial continuity assumptions about the scene being captured.
Quantitative morphometric measurements using site selective image cytometry of intact tissue

Site selective two-photon tissue image cytometry has previously been successfully applied to measure the number of rare cells in three-dimensional tissue specimens up to cubic millimetres in size. However, the extension of this approach for high-throughput quantification of cellular morphological states has not been demonstrated. In this paper, we report the use of site-selective tissue image cytometry for the study of homologous recombination (HR) events during cell division in the pancreas of transgenic mice. Since HRs are rare events, recombinant cells distribute sparsely inside the organ. A detailed measurement throughout the whole tissue is thus not practical. Instead, the site selective two-photon tissue cytometer incorporates a low magnification, wide field, one-photon imaging subsystem that rapidly identifies regions of interest containing recombinant cell clusters. Subsequently, high-resolution three-dimensional assays based on two-photon microscopy can be performed only in these regions of interest. We further show that three-dimensional morphology extraction algorithms can be used to analyse the resultant high-resolution two-photon image stacks providing information not only on the frequency and the distribution of these recombinant cell clusters and their constituent cells, but also on their morphology.
Outcomes following liver transplantation in intensive care unit patients.

CONCLUSION: Although ICU patients when compared to non-ICU patients have lower survivals, outcomes are still acceptable. Pre-transplant ventilation, hemodialysis, and vasopressors were not associated with adverse outcomes.
Metabolic Syndrome Is It a Syndrome? Does It Matter?

To provide useful answers to the title questions, the first issue to resolve is what is meant by the term “metabolic syndrome.” If it is supposed to refer to a loose clustering of signs that are associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD) and type 2 diabetes mellitus, which can largely be ascribed to what we conceptually call “insulin resistance,” then the term may have some utility. However, if the term represents a very specific algorithm that should be used to diagnose a unique disease, it is highly misleading and ineffective. Unfortunately, many proponents of the term write about and discuss it as if both meanings are interchangeable, and as a result, they effectively blur all the problems that have arisen when referring to the term, confuse practitioners who are unable to easily understand the distinction, and do clinical medicine a great disservice. Let’s look closely at the issues. Response by Beaser and Levy p 1811 For several decades, we have had many terms that represented a clustering of signs related to CVD and diabetes mellitus that seemed to occur more often than chance would dictate. Certainly, an aggregate of signs associated with a morbid process that together constitute the picture of a disease may be rightly called a syndrome. In the early days, many investigators put a name to the condition that reflected its “metabolic”1–3 or “insulin resistance”4 origin. At that time, the cluster referred to the presence of obesity, hyperglycemia, hypertension, hyperlipidemia, and sometimes hyperuricemia. Reaven, in his now classic publication,5 provided an elegant explanation for how insulin resistance and its compensatory hyperinsulinemia could predispose individuals to the above conditions and thus was the underlying cause of much CVD and, of course, diabetes mellitus. Among its many attributes, Reaven’s publication opened the door to considerably more research …
Changes in Organic Matter Biodegradability Influencing Sulfate Reduction in an Aquifer Contaminated by Landfill Leachate

In situ experiments were conducted to measure sulfate reduction rates and identify rate-limiting factors in a shallow, alluvial aquifer contaminated with municipal landfill leachate. Single-well, push–pull tests conducted in a well adjacent to the landfill with >8 mM dissolved organic carbon (DOC) exhibited a sulfate reduction rate of 3.2 μmol SO4−2 (L sediment)−1 day−1, a value in close agreement with laboratory-derived estimates. Identical tests conducted in wells located 90 m downgradient where DOC levels remained high (>3 mM) showed no detectable sulfate consumption, and laboratory assays confirmed this observation. However, the rates of sulfate reduction in sediment samples obtained from this site were three times larger when they were amended with filter-sterilized groundwater from the upgradient location. The effect of various amendments on sulfate reduction rates was further examined in laboratory incubations using sediment collected from the downgradient site amended with 35S sulfate. Unamended sediments showed only weak conversion of the tracer to 35S sulfide (5 to 7 cpm/cm2), whereas the addition of Desulfovibrio cells increased 35S sulfide production to 44 cpm/cm2. However, the application of heat-killed Desulfovibrio had a similar stimulatory effect, as did a lactate amendment. Collectively, these findings indicate that the lack of measurable sulfate reduction at the downgradient site was not due to the absence of the necessary metabolic potential, the presence of lower sulfate concentration, or the quantity of electron donor, but by its biodegradability. The findings also indicate that field bioaugmentation attempts should be interpreted with caution.
ON A TECHNIQUE FOR MEASUREMENT OF TURBULENT SHEAR STRESS IN THE PRESENCE OF SURFACE WAVES

Abstract Surface waves can produce large biases in estimates of turbulent shear stress obtained from single-sensor measurements of velocity if there is even a small uncertainty in the orientation of either the velocity sensor or the principal axes of the wave-induced velocity field. The wave-induced bias can be diminished substantially by differencing measurements obtained from two velocity sensors separated by a distance larger than the correlation scale of the turbulence but small in comparison to the inverse wavenumber of the surface waves. If the scale separation is sufficiently large, then minus the density times half of the covariance between horizontal and vertical velocity differences is a nearly wave-free estimate of the average of the turbulent shear stresses at the two sensors. A theoretical analysis determines the bias associated with this technique under simplified conditions, in which waves and turbulence are uncorrelated and the waves are weakly nonlinear and narrow-banded in both frequency...
RECENT EVOLUTIONARY HISTORY OF THE FOX SPARROWS (GENUS: PASSERELLA)

Abstract On the basis of plumage coloration and mitochondrial DNA variation, four main groups are recognized within the Fox Sparrow (Passerella iliaca): the red group (iliaca, RE), sooty group (unalaschcensis, SO), thick-billed (megarhyncha, TB), and slate-colored (schistacea, SC). To establish phylogenetic relationships among those four groups, we analyzed 2119 base pairs of sequence from four mitochondrial regions: ND2, ND3, cytochrome b, and control region. The control region is less variable than the coding genes surveyed. Both maximum parsimony and maximum likelihood resolved the same ingroup relationships (RE(SC(TB,SO))). However, placement of the root could not be established, even with four outgroups. Lack of resolution of the root is due to the nearest living relative of the Fox Sparrow being over 11% divergent. Despite lacking a clear root, the data suggest that the two taxa connected by a hybrid zone (TB, SC) are not sister species, which has implications for species limits because under the bi...
History of European Genetic Psychology

In the context of natural science, phenomenology is based upon methodology, and methodology always has a scientific history. Therefore, this beginning chapter is being devoted to the historical aspect of European genetic psychology, and its various phases, but without attemptingto present a comprehensive history of the subject which falls outside the scope of the present treatise.
Equidistribution of the crucial measures in non-Archimedean dynamics

Abstract Text Let K be a complete, algebraically closed, non-Archimedean valued field, and let ϕ ∈ K ( z ) with deg ⁡ ( ϕ ) ≥ 2 . In this paper we consider the family of functions ord Res ϕ n ( x ) , which measure the resultant of ϕ n at points x in P K 1 , the Berkovich projective line, and show that they converge locally uniformly to the diagonal values of the Arakelov–Green's function g μ ϕ ( x , x ) attached to the canonical measure of ϕ. Following this, we are able to prove an equidistribution result for Rumely's crucial measures ν ϕ n , each of which is a probability measure supported at finitely many points whose weights are determined by dynamical properties of ϕ. Video For a video summary of this paper, please visit https://youtu.be/YCCZD1iwe00 .
Aggressive Behaviour by Australian Owlet-nightjars Defending Fledglings

I report observations of aggressive behaviour by Australian Owlet-nightjars Aegotheles cristatus defending newly fledged juveniles. Aggressive behaviour in Owlet-nightjars is uncommon, and an ‘attack’ on another species has not been described previously.
The Power of Knowing the Rules

This article presents a case study of the Louisiana Broadband Technology Opportunity Program (BTOP). An initial consideration would portray the events described herein as a policy implementation failure, but the investigation revealed something more profound. Extensive interviews and investigation of official documents, including transcripts of meetings, revealed the ambiguity of failure and the invisibility of power in administrative contexts. Hendrik Wagenaar’s argument that administrative action is underlined by an administrator’s deep understanding of the rules is used here to show the important relationship between the visible aspects of legible rules and the invisible dimension of using the rules. The Louisiana BTOP grant highlights the important tension between closure through administrative rationality and the resistance to such closure through channels of contestation.
Toward Novel Polymer-Based Materials Inspired in Blood Clotting

Blood clotting provides a beautiful playground to explore polymer-based materials used in natural self-healing scaffolds with applications in multiple highly sought-after areas that include rheological modifiers, self-healing materials, and targeted drug delivery. In this Perspective we present an overview of blood clotting with particular emphasis on the dynamics of biopolymers involved during the first stages of the clotting cascade. We cover from single molecule dynamics in multiple types of flows to complete plug assembly. Different interaction models between monomers and between monomers and platelets/colloids are considered. The many-body polymer and colloid dynamics during the assembly of blood-clotting scaffolds is discussed in detail. Throughout this Perspective insights and connections between the natural system and synthetic systems are highlighted. We finalize by presenting a list of emerging areas inspired by the clotting process. These emerging areas not only present new and interesting scie...
Development of Boron Cage Compound Nanocomposite Elastomers

A wide variety of nanofillers of varying compositions have been used to create polymer nanocomposites, including tubes, wires, fibers, sheets, and particles. A new class of compounds has been identified for use as nanofillers, boron cage compounds. Boron cage compounds are discrete, icosahedral closed cage molecules of high boron content and examples include carboranes and dodecaborate salts. Several chemically modified boron cage compounds have been incorporated into polyolefin elastomers, such as poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate), poly(ethylene-co-vinyl acetate-co-vinyl alcohol), poly(ethylene-co-ethyl acrylate), and poly(ethylene-co-octene), among others. The resulting thermal and thermomechanical properties were evaluated in order to determine when plasticization and reinforcement occur to better understand the chemical structure/physical property relationships. Materials with a wide range of properties were produced, however under certain conditions, advanced materials were created with high boron contents, improved thermal stability, mechanical strength, and significant reinforcement.
Clinical efficacy of An-Fa-Te in treatment of chronic hepatitis B

Objective To explore an effective therapeutic regimen for treatment of chronic hepatitis B and for resistance to liver fibrosis.Methods 208 patients with chronic hepatitis B were divided into two groups,a therapeutic group and a control group.The two groups received the same basic combined treatment.Moreover,the therapeutic group was orally given An-Fa-Te(compound fetal cow liver extract) as well.Before and after treatment,the indexes of serum type Ⅲ(PC-Ⅲ),hyaluronic(HA),type Ⅳ collagen(Ⅳ-C) and hepatic indexes were measured in were measured and the clinical efficacy were observed. Results In the therapeutic group,the serum liver cirrhotic indexes(PC-Ⅲ,LN,HA,and Ⅳ-C),alanine transaminase(ALT),aspartase transaminase(AST), serum total bilirubin(TBiL) and albumin(ALB) were improved after treatment.In comparison to those before treatment and those in the control group,there were statistically significant differences(P0.01),respectively.The clinical therapeutic efficacy was better than that of the control group(P0.05).Conclusion An-Fa-Te is more effective in protecting liver function and in resistance to the liver tissue fibrosis.
A comparative study on tobacco advertising and tobacco control reporting in television program between 2009 and 2013

Objective To compare tobacco advertising and tobacco control reporting in television program between 2009 and 2013,and evaluate the regulation implementation of banning tobacco advertising in television program in China. Methods All the programs of 31 television channels in 2009 and 32 television channels in 2013 were collected for one week in May and analyzed. Results 61. 0% of television channels had tobacco advertisements and 562 tobacco advertisements were released in 2009. In 2013,9. 4% of television channels had tobacco advertisements and 159 tobacco advertisements were released. The proportion of direct tobacco advertising dropped from 60. 7% to 0. The proportion of tobacco advertising at prime time were fallen from 89. 7% to 27. 0%. However,the number of tobacco control program decreased from 52 to 12,32. 3% television channel in 2009 while 18. 8% in 2013. Conclusion Tobacco advertising was still broadcasted on television. The regulations about tobacco advertising should be developed. The tobacco advertising must be supervised more strictly. Media working staffs should understand more information about tobacco control.
Causes and Management Strategy of Conflicts between Ideological & Political Teachers and Students in Universities

The conflicts between ideological political teachers and students in universities,mainly including the conceptual and psychological conflicts.The causes of teacher-student conflict,in addition to the differences in motivation,objectives and roles,still include such factors as the loose classroom organizational structure.Once the conflict happens,both the sides should treat it in a positive and rational way,and manage rationally the conflict by depending on the cooperation and the construction of multiple organizational mechanisms in universities so as to make the conflict become constructive rather than destructive.
Characterization of B-cell leukemias: a tentative immunomorphological scheme.

Analysis of the morphological and immunologic [surface (Sm Ig) and cytoplasmic (Cy Ig) immunoglobulin, faintness (f.imfl) or brightness (b.imfl) of surface immunofluorescence, rosette formation with mouse erythrocytes (MR), or sheep red cells coated with C3 (EAC)] characteristics of the neoplastic lymphocytes involved in 137 cases of B-cell leukemias allowed the differentiation of the following cytologic categories: B1 small lymphocytes (71); SM Ig+, f.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR+, EAC+; B2 prolymphocyte (4): SM Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR+, EAC+. B3 plasmacytoid lymphocyte (2): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig+/-, MR+!-, EAC+/- B4 small cleaved lymphocyte (23): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR-, EAC+. B5a large cleaved and B5b noncleaved lymphocytes (14): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR-, EAC-. B6 small noncleaved “Burkitt-like” lymphocyte (5): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR-, EAC-. B7 plasma cell (2): Sm Ig+, MR-, EAC-. B8 hairy cell (16): Sm Ig+, b.imfl., Cy Ig-, MR-, EAC-, also exhibiting ingestion or attachment of particulate material, not seen in other types. Improved delineation of the heterogeneous group of B-cell leukemias might be of developmental significance in lymphocyte differentiation and improve current prognostic and therapeutic criteria.