cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
BioChain: lexical chaining methods for biomedical text summarization

Lexical chaining is a technique for identifying semantically-related terms in text. We propose concept chaining to link semantically-related concepts within biomedical text together. The resulting concept chains are then used to identify candidate sentences useful for extraction. The extracted sentences are used to produce a summary of the biomedical text. The concept chaining process is adapted from existing lexical chaining approaches, which focus on chaining semantically-related terms, rather than semantically-related concepts. The Unified Medical Language System (UMLS) Metathesaurus and Semantic Network are used as semantic resources. The UMLS MetaMap Transfer tool is used to perform text-to-concept mapping. The goal is to propose concept chaining and develop a novel concept chaining system for the biomedical domain using UMLS lexicon and the ideas of lexical chaining. The resulting concept chains from the full-text are evaluated against the concepts of a human summary (the paper's abstract). Precision is measured at 0.90 and recall at 0.92. The resulting concept chains are used to summarize the text. We also evaluate generated summaries using existing summarization systems using sentence matching, and confirm the generated summaries are useful to a domain expert. Our results show that the proposed concept chaining is a promising methodology for biomedical text summarization.
Trampling as a cause of bone surface damage and pseudo-cutmarks

There have been many recent observations of trampling and its effect on bone surfaces1–8 as well as some experimental investigation of the process9–14. Although there is known to be a relationship between trampling and scratches on bones, there has been no detailed microscopic comparison with marks made by stone tools. As distinguishing cutmarks from other types of surface features is important in interpreting early hominid behaviour9,14–18 and the entry of humans into the New World7,19–20, we have examined possible mimics caused by trampling in an attempt to define diagnostic criteria for cutmarks. We find that microscopic features alone are not sufficient evidence to distinguish human-generated cutmarks from the results of trampling. We suggest different lines of evidence which together may achieve this goal.
The Financial Stakes in Due-On-Sale: The Case of California's State-Chartered Savings and Loans

On August 25, 1978 the California Supreme Court ruled that enforcement of due-on-sale clauses unduly restricts the right of homeowners to sell their homes. On June 28, 1982, the U.S. Supreme Court ruled that the Federal Home Loan Bank Board could permit due-on-sale enforcement because such enforcement was important to the financial stability of savings and loans. Both courts' decisions, though contrary in their effect on the clause, are based on the economic importance of the clause. Just how important is the clause? This paper calculates how much money the 1978 California decision (Wellenkamp) transferred from affected savings and loans to homebuyers. The yearly transfer by 1981 is estimated at between $58 and $170 million. For the lenders, this amounts to between a tenth and a quarter of total 1981 losses. For affected homebuyers, the savings average 25% of mortgage interest payments. On the basis of these calculations, both courts are correct about the importance of the clause.
Understanding the role of politics in successful project management

Abstract Successful project management is directly linked to the ability of project managers and other key players to understand the importance of organizational politics and how to make them work for project success. While most of us view politics with distaste, there is no denying that effective managers are often those who are willing and able to employ appropriate political tactics to further their project goals. This paper offers some thoughts on the role of politics in successful project management, identifying ways in which project managers can use politics in a positive and effective manner.
Multimodal biometric fusion using multiple-input correlation filter classifiers

In this work we apply a computationally efficient, closed form design of a jointly optimized filter bank of correlation filter classifiers for biometric verification with the use of multiple biometrics from individuals. Advanced correlation filters have been used successfully for biometric classification, and have shown robustness in verifying faces, palmprints and fingerprints. In this study we address the issues of performing robust biometric verification when multiple biometrics from the same person are available at the moment of authentication; we implement biometric fusion by using a filter bank of correlation filter classifiers which are jointly optimized with each biometric, instead of designing separate independent correlation filter classifiers for each biometric and then fuse the resulting match scores. We present results using fingerprint and palmprint images from a data set of 40 people, showing a considerable advantage in verification performance producing a large margin of separation between the impostor and authentic match scores. The method proposed in this paper is a robust and secure method for authenticating an individual.
Integrating superscalar processor components to implement register caching

A large logical register file is important to allow effective compiler transformations or to provide a windowed space of registers to allow fast function calls. Unfortunately, a large logical register file can be slow, particularly in the context of a wide-issue processor which requires an even larger physical register file, and many read and write ports. Previous work has suggested that a register cache can be used to address this problem. This paper proposes a new register caching mechanism in which a number of good features from previous approaches are combined with existing out-of-order processor hardware to implement a register cache for a large logical register file. It does so by separating the logical register file from the physical register file and using a modified form of register renaming to make the cache easy to implement. The physical register file in this configuration contains fewer entries than the logical register file and is designed so that the physical register file acts as a cache for the logical register file, which is the backing store. The tag information in this caching technique is kept in the register alias table and the physical register file. It is found that the caching mechanism improves IPC up to 20% over an un-cached large logical register file and has performance near to that of a logical register file that is both large and fast.
Use of World Wide Web Server and Browser Software To Support a First-Year Medical Physiology Course

We describe the use of a World Wide Web (Web) server to support a team-taught physiology course for first-year medical students. Our objectives were to reduce the number of formal lecture hours and...
DNA duplication associated with Charcot-Marie-Tooth disease type 1A

Charcot-Marie-tooth disease type 1A (CMT1A) was localized by genetic mapping to a 3 cM interval on human chromosome 17p. DNA markers within this interval revealed a duplication that is completely linked and associated with CMT1A. The duplication was demonstrated in affected individuals by the presence of three alleles at a highly polymorphic locus, by dosage differences at RFLP alleles, and by two-color fluorescence in situ hybridization. Pulsed-field gel electrophoresis of genomic DNA from patients of different ethnic origins showed a novel SacII fragment of 500 kb associated with CMT1A. A severely affected CMT1A offspring from a mating between two affected individuals was demonstrated to have this duplication present on each chromosome 17. We have demonstrated that failure to recognize the molecular duplication can lead to misinterpretation of marker genotypes for affected individuals, identification of false recombinants, and incorrect localization of the disease locus.
A Cooperative Dual Access Multi-Channel MAC Protocol for Ad Hoc Networks

We present a multi-channel MAC protocol for ad hoc networks, for nodes equipped with a single half-duplex transceiver, combining the use of OFDMA and CDMA. To ease OFDMA channel management the network is clustered. Channel groups are defined by a resolvable {\em balanced incomplete block design} (BIBD) to minimize interference. Unique CDMA codes are assigned to each cluster. Clusterheads manage and assign channel groups through an extended handshake. Idle nodes that overhear the handshake cooperate to reduce the incidence of the multi-channel hidden- and exposed-terminal problems, and also the near-far problem of CDMA. Simulation results show a significant improvement in average delivery ratio and delay, especially in dense network topologies.
Conservation and divergence of microRNAs in Populus

MicroRNAs (miRNAs) are small RNAs (sRNA) ~21 nucleotides in length that negatively control gene expression by cleaving or inhibiting the translation of target gene transcripts. miRNAs have been extensively analyzed in Arabidopsis and rice and partially investigated in other non-model plant species. To date, 109 and 62 miRNA families have been identified in Arabidopsis and rice respectively. However, only 33 miRNAs have been identified from the genome of the model tree species (Populus trichocarpa), of which 11 are Populus specific. The low number of miRNA families previously identified in Populus, compared with the number of families identified in Arabidopsis and rice, suggests that many miRNAs still remain to be discovered in Populus. In this study, we analyzed expressed small RNAs from leaves and vegetative buds of Populus using high throughput pyrosequencing. Analysis of almost eighty thousand small RNA reads allowed us to identify 123 new sequences belonging to previously identified miRNA families as well as 48 new miRNA families that could be Populus-specific. Comparison of the organization of miRNA families in Populus, Arabidopsis and rice showed that miRNA family sizes were generally expanded in Populus. The putative targets of non-conserved miRNA include both previously identified targets as well as several new putative target genes involved in development, resistance to stress, and other cellular processes. Moreover, almost half of the genes predicted to be targeted by non-conserved miRNAs appear to be Populus-specific. Comparative analyses showed that genes targeted by conserved and non-conserved miRNAs are biased mainly towards development, electron transport and signal transduction processes. Similar results were found for non-conserved miRNAs from Arabidopsis. Our results suggest that while there is a conserved set of miRNAs among plant species, a large fraction of miRNAs vary among species. The non-conserved miRNAs may regulate cellular, physiological or developmental processes specific to the taxa that produce them, as appears likely to be the case for those miRNAs that have only been observed in Populus. Non-conserved and conserved miRNAs seem to target genes with similar biological functions indicating that similar selection pressures are acting on both types of miRNAs. The expansion in the number of most conserved miRNAs in Populus relative to Arabidopsis, may be linked to the recent genome duplication in Populus, the slow evolution of the Populus genome, or to differences in the selection pressure on duplicated miRNAs in these species.
Enhancing Initial Communication and Responsiveness of Learners with Multiple Disabilities A Tri-Focus Framework for Partners

The purpose of this article is to review pertinent issues addressed in the literature relating to communication of learners who have multiple disabilities, identify progress made in communication research and practice, and propose strategies for partners' interactions with individuals who do not use symbols for communication. This article is particularly directed toward learners who communicate in a preintentional or emerging intentional manner using nonsymbolic expressions. The enhancement of partner skills and the engineering of contexts for enhanced communication are emphasized. Interventions most conducive to establishing an initial communication repertoire and facilitating alert, responsive behavior are presented using the Tri-Focus Framework, which encompasses learner, partner, and environmental context. Discussion of the Tri-Focus Framework synthesizes findings from a diverse extant literature base and suggests a unique, holistic perspective from which one might view intervention for those learners...
Genetic diversity, reproductive mode, and dispersal differ between the cryptic invader, Phragmites australis, and its native conspecific

Genetic diversity and reproductive mode can control whether an introduced species becomes invasive. Here we use genetic tools to compare the non-native, invasive Phragmites australis to its native conspecific, P. australis subsp. americanus, in wetlands of Utah and southern Idaho. We found striking differences in genetic structuring, population diversity, and mode of reproduction between the two lineages. Non-native P. australis exhibited substantially more genetic homogeneity among populations, greater local genet richness, greater genetic diversity among individuals, and smaller average clone size compared to the native lineage. These findings suggest that non-native P. australis relies more heavily on sexual reproduction and disperses pollen and/or seeds more widely than native P. australis. We also found no evidence of hybridization between the two lineages, nor did we find evidence of local extirpations of native by non-native P. australis based on historical collection sites we revisited. Given the ability of non-native P. australis to disperse widely by seeds, we recommend careful monitoring of critical wetland habitat to detect new non-native P. australis invasions and incorporating new practices into Phragmites management that limit sexual reproduction.
Hierarchically Ordered Multi-Component Block Copolymer/Particle Nanocomposite Materials

This contribution reviews the structure formation processes that are observed in binary diblock copolymer/particle and ternary diblock copolymer/particle1/particle2 mixtures. The particle core size, the polymer domain spacing as well as the particle surface chemistry are shown to determine three distinct morphological types in particle/block copolymer composites, which is the preferential layer homogeneous distribution, the interfacial segregation and center alignment of the nanocrystals within one polymer domain. The different microstructural environments of the sequestered component that are implied by the respective particle distribution result in distinctively different optical properties of the composite and have important consequences for the prospects of metal nanocrystal/block copolymer composites as a platform for photonic crystal engineering. A detailed comparison between morphological studies and theoretical predictions will be presented that aims to better understand and control morphologies of structured cluster matter and its relation to the respective optical and mechanical properties of new microstructured composite materials.
The effect of time pressure, time elapsed, and the opponent's concession rate on behavior in negotiation.

Abstract Eighty students were run in a laboratory paradigm of negotiation resembling that employed by Siegel and Fouraker. On the first trial, increased time pressure resulted in less ambitious goals, lower levels of demand, and less bluffing. Level of demand and amount of bluffing were reduced over subsequent trials, but goals remained unchanged. Neither time pressure nor the other negotiator's rate of concession affected the rate of change in demand or bluffing over trials. Several items of evidence suggest the presence of substantial wishful thinking about the other negotiator's goals.
Opening of circumaxillary sutures by alternate rapid maxillary expansions and constrictions.

Abstract Objective: To analyze quantitatively the circumaxillary suture opening after alternate rapid maxillary expansions and constrictions (Alt-RAMEC). Materials and Methods: Twelve inbred cats were randomly grouped into two equal groups for 1 week of rapid maxillary expansion (RME) (1 mm/day) or 5 weeks of Alt-RAMEC (1 mm/day). At the end of the experiment, the craniofacial skeleton of each cat was harvested. Each circumaxillary suture was then probed at three sites with a 0.5-mm pointed periodontal probe. A smooth probing without penetration was an ineffective suture opening ( 0.5 mm). For each suture, the quantity of suture opening (%) was the effective suture opening/(effective + ineffective suture opening). The intergroup differences were analyzed by chi-square test (P < .05). Results: Five weeks of Alt-RAMEC opened the circumaxillary sutures significantly more than 1 week of RME. This affected the circumaxillary sutures ru...
Research on Family Interaction I: Static and Dynamic Models

A static and dynamic model of family structure are presented and illustrated in clinical application to a pilot study. The basic measure is a content-free assessment of the sequence of states of interaction in family sessions. Using Markov process concepts, certain parallels between the behavioral variables (state transitions) and the more abstract clinical concepts of family structure can be identified. By subsuming the latter structural concepts under a framework of “balance theory” (Heider; Cartwright and Harary) considerable reduction in complexity is achieved without sacrificing clinical relevance. Still to be explored are the applications to the study of therapist-family interaction and of treatment-related changes in structural and behavioral measures.
Land ownership and landscape structure: a spatial analysis of sixty-six Oregon (USA) Coast Range watersheds

Patterns of land ownership and forest cover are related in complex and ecologically significant ways. Using a Geographic Information System and regression analysis, we tested for spatial relationships between the structure of land ownership and forest cover across 66 watersheds in the state of Oregon (USA), Coast Range mountains. We found that in these watersheds (1) forest cover diversity increased with land ownership diversity, (2) size of forest patches increased with size of land ownership patches, and (3) connectivity of forest cover increased with connectivity of land ownership. Land ownership structure explained between 29% and 40% of the variability of forest cover structure across these watersheds. Driving this relationship are unique associations among particular ownership classes and various forest cover classes. The USDA Forest Service and the USDI Bureau of Land Management were associated with mature forest cover; private industry was associated with young forest cover; nonindustrial private forest owners were associated with a wide diversity of cover classes. Watersheds with mixed ownership appear to provide greater forest cover diversity, whereas watersheds with concentrated ownership provide less diverse but more connected forest cover. Results suggest that land ownership patterns are strongly correlated with forest cover patterns. Therefore, understanding landscape structure requires consideration of land ownership institutions, dynamics, and patterns.
Vitamin D deficiency is associated with mortality in the medical intensive care unit

The incidence of vitamin D deficiency in critically ill patients has been reported to range from as low as 17% to as high as 79%. Data regarding the relationship between 25-hydroxyvitamin D levels and outcomes in the medical intensive care unit are sparse. The goal of the study was to evaluate the prevalence of 25-hydroxyvitamin D deficiency in the medical intensive care unit and its relationship with outcomes. This was a retrospective study in a medical intensive care unit (MICU) at an inner city community hospital. The study period was between October 2009 and February 2010. Of the 932 patients admitted during the study period, 25-hydroxyvitamin D vitamin D (25(OH)D) levels were available in 523 (53%); 86 of them were excluded from the study due to readmission to the intensive care unit. Deficiency was defined as 0 to 19.9 ng/dL 25(OH)D levels, insufficiency as 20 to 29.9 ng/dL, and normal levels as ≥30 ng/dL. Of the 437 patients studied, 25(OH)D deficiency was identified in 340 (77.8%), insufficiency in 74 (16.9%), and normal levels in 23 (5.3%) patients. Patients with 25(OH)D deficiency/insufficiency were younger (P = 0.015), were male (P = 0.001), and had kidney disease (P = 0.017) and lower total serum calcium levels (P = 0.003). Hospital mortality was higher in patients with 25(OH)D deficiency (P = 0.01). No differences in ventilator days or length of stay in the MICU were evident among the three groups. Analysis by multiple logistic regression demonstrated that acute physiology and chronic health evaluation (APACHE) IV score ((odds ratio (OR) 1.036; 95% confidence interval (CI) 1.024-1.048, P < 0.0001), ventilator requirement (OR 7.7; 95% CI 4.3-13.98, P < 0.0001), 25(OH) D levels(OR 0.942; 95% CI 0.942-0.904, P < 0.0005) and 25(OH) D deficiency (OR 8.7; 95% CI 1.03-72.8, P < 0.0469) showed statistical significance. There was no association between 25(OH)]D insufficiency and hospital mortality. The mean 25(OH)D level of survivors (27.9 ± 9.7 ng/dL) was higher than for non-survivors (9.7 ± 4.7 ng/dL; P < 0.0001). The study results demonstrate an association between 25(OH)D deficiency and hospital mortality in MICU patients. A randomized prospective study to evaluate the effect of vitamin D replacement therapy on mortality is warranted.
Acute stroke care at rural hospitals in Idaho: challenges in expediting stroke care.

: Context: Thrombolytics are currently the most effective treatment for stroke. However, the National Institute for Neurological Disorders and Stroke criteria for initiation of thrombolytic therapy, most notably the 3-hour time limit from symptom onset, have proven challenging for many rural hospitals to achieve. Purpose: To provide a snapshot of stroke care at rural hospitals in Idaho and to investigate the experiences of these hospitals in expediting stroke care. Methods: Using a standard questionnaire, a telephone survey of hospital staff at 21 rural hospitals in Idaho was performed. The survey focused on acute stroke care practices and strategies to expedite stroke care. Findings: The median number of stroke patients treated per year was 23.3. Patient delays were reported by 77.8% of hospitals, transport delays by 66.7%, in-hospital delays by 61.1%, equipment delays by 22.2%, and ancillary services delays by 61.1%. Approximately 67% of hospitals had implemented a clinical pathway for stroke and 80.0% had provided staff with stroke-specific training. No hospitals surveyed had a designated stroke team, and only 33.3% reported engaging in quality improvement efforts to expedite stroke care. Thrombolytics (tPA) were available and indicated for stroke at 55.6% of the hospitals surveyed. Conclusions: Rural hospitals in Idaho face many difficult challenges as they endeavor to meet the 3-hour deadline for thrombolytic therapy, including limited resources and experience in acute stroke care, and many different types of prehospital and in-hospital delays.
In Search of Respect: Violating Apartheid in the United States

We love listening to you talk. It makes us laugh. You sound just like a television advertisement. giggling eight-year-old My research on the streets of Spanish Harlem almost came to a disastrous end just after the halfway point when I inadvertently “disrespected” Ray, the man who owned the crackhouses where I spent much of my time between 1985 and 1990. It was just after midnight, and Ray was visiting his most profitable sales point to make sure the manager of the late-night shift had opened punctually. Business was booming and the heavyset, thirty-two-year-old Puerto Rican crack entrepreneur was surrounded by his coterie of employees, friends, and wanna-be acquaintances – all eager for his attention. We were on the corner of 110th Street by the entrance to the Lexington Avenue subway station right in front the abandoned four-story tenement building occupied by Ray's dealers. He had camouflaged the ground floor as an after-hours bootleg social club and pool hall. Ray and many of his employees had grown up in this very tenement before its Italian owner burned it down to collect its insurance value. Their corner has long been nicknamed “La Farmacia” because of the unique diversity of psychoactive substances available: from standard products like heroin, Valium, powder cocaine, and crack to more recherche, offbeat items like mescaline and angel dust.
The Collateral Effects of Joint Attention Training on Social Initiations, Positive Affect, Imitation, and Spontaneous Speech for Young Children with Autism

Joint attention may be a core deficit in autism which underlies the abnormal development of later emerging social-communication behaviors. Given this theory, researchers have suggested that teaching young children with autism to engage in joint attention may lead to collateral increases in other non-targeted social-communication behaviors. In this study, children with autism participated in a 10-week joint attention training program and collateral changes in non-targeted behaviors were assessed. Following participation in the intervention, positive collateral changes were observed in social initiations, positive affect, imitation, play, and spontaneous speech. Results support the hypothesis that teaching joint attention skills leads to improvement in a variety of related skills and have implications for the treatment of young children with autism.
Adopting an Attitude of Wisdom in Organizational Rhetorical Theory and Practice: Contemplating the Ideal and the Real

Research and practice in external rhetoric often fall short of ideals both in terms of widespread use of a rhetorical perspective and in achieving dialogic conditions in the public sphere. In this ...
The periplasmic membrane proximal domain of MacA acts as a switch in stimulation of ATP hydrolysis by MacB transporter

Escherichia coli MacAB-TolC is a tripartite macrolide efflux transporter driven by hydrolysis of ATP. In this complex, MacA is the periplasmic membrane fusion protein that stimulates the activity of MacB transporter and establishes the link with the outer membrane channel TolC. The molecular mechanism by which MacA stimulates MacB remains unknown. Here, we report that the periplasmic membrane proximal domain of MacA plays a critical role in functional MacA-MacB interactions and stimulation of MacB ATPase activity. Binding of MacA to MacB stabilizes the ATP-bound conformation of MacB, whereas interactions with both MacB and TolC affect the conformation of MacA. A single G353A substitution in the C-terminus of MacA inactivates MacAB-TolC function by changing the conformation of the membrane proximal domain of MacA and disrupting the proper assembly of the MacA-MacB complex. We propose that MacA acts in transport by promoting MacB transition into the closed ATP-bound conformation and in this respect, is similar to the periplasmic solute-binding proteins.
Titin and the developing heart.

See related articles, pages 967–975 and Circ Res. 2004;94:505–513 During gestation, the mammalian heart operates under very different loading conditions than those seen during adult life. Ensuring that cardiac output is sufficient at the low filling pressures found in the fetal circulation requires mechanical strategies and protein complements different from those seen in the adult. The studies by Opitz et al,1 in this issue of Circulation Research , and Lahmers et al,2 published recently in this journal, provide some clues as to the molecular basis of these strategies. Both studies examined the developing heart and found correlations between the expression of titin isoforms and the increased stiffness of the myocardium as the organism progressed from fetus through neonate to adult. The pattern of findings is remarkably consistent across both studies and, despite differences with earlier claims of a less compliant fetal heart, leads to the conclusion that the fetal sarcomere is more compliant than the adult and that this is in large part due to the expression of particular isoforms of titin. But why is a more compliant titin isoform beneficial to the fetus? We will briefly review the properties of titin here. Primary sources may be found by consulting recent reviews.3–9 Titin, also known as connectin, is a relatively recently discovered giant protein (3 to 4 MDa ) that is the third most abundant protein in striated muscle, forming up to 10% of the total protein content of the cell. Titin extends half the length of the sarcomere from the Z-disc through the I-band and A-band to the M-line, a distance of about 1 μm.7 The N-terminal end of titin is capped by telethonin, a 19-kDa protein that appears to be confined to striated muscle and that may have a role in organizing myofibrillogenesis.10–12 …
A separable filter for directional smoothing

Anisotropic and directional filters can smooth noisy images while preserving object boundaries. Data from remote sensing instruments often have missing pixels due to geometric or power limitations. In such cases, these nonisotropic filters are very inefficient, because transform methods cannot be used when there is missing data or when logical operations need to be performed. A directional filter is introduced in this letter that retains the ability to handle missing data and is separable, making it computationally efficient. We demonstrate the directional filter on weather radar data where it can be used to smooth along fronts. Since the filter introduced here can be parameterized for scale, orientation, and aspect ratio, this filter can be used in any directional filtering application where transform methods cannot be used, but computational efficiency is desired.
Mode-specific physical activity and leukocyte telomere length among U.S. adults: Implications of running on cellular aging.

Abstract Background Previous research demonstrates that physical activity participation is associated with longer leukocyte telomere length, with shorter leukocyte telomere length being a hallmark characteristic of cellular aging. What remains under-investigated, however, is whether there is a mode-specific association of physical activity on leukocyte telomere length, which was this study's purpose. Methods Data from the 1999–2002 National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey were used ( N = 6474 adults analyzed). Leukocyte telomere length was assessed using quantitative polymerase chain reaction. Physical activity was assessed via self-report, with participants classified as meeting physical activity guidelines (≥ 2000 metabolic equivalent of task-min-month) for 9 separate physical activities, including aerobics (unweighted percent meeting guidelines: 2.98%; n = 193), basketball (2.0%; n = 129), bicycling (3.71%; n = 240), dance (2.30%; n = 149), running (3.09%; n = 200), stair climbing (1.33%, n = 86), swimming (1.85%, n = 120), walking (13.53%; n = 876), and weight lifting (2.61%; n = 169). Results In a single multivariable linear regression model including the independent variables of age, gender, race-ethnicity, weight status, total cholesterol, C-reactive protein, total metabolic equivalent of task-min-month of physical activity and the 9 binary meeting physical activity guideline variables, the only mode of physical activity that was significantly associated with leukocyte telomere length was meeting physical activity guidelines from running ( β = 0.06; 95% CI: 0.01–0.11; P = 0.03). Conclusion Running-specific physical activity was the only evaluated physical activity associated with leukocyte telomere length, which may provide one potential mechanism (i.e., leukocyte telomere length) through which running-based physical activity may help to prevent cardiovascular disease and premature mortality.
Color Centers in Glass Optical Fiber Waveguides

Color centers formed in the core and cladding of optical fiber waveguides by exposure to nuclear radiation can greatly increase the attenuation in the infrared spectral region of interest for optical communications. The radiation-induced paramagnetic defect centers in pure silica, silica doped with Ge, P, or B, and heavy metal fluoride glasses have been identified and thoroughly characterized by electron spin resonance (ESR) techniques. This paper will review the results of recent studies of color centers in optical fiber waveguide materials and their Identification via correlations of the radiation-induced optical absorptions and defect centers elucidated by ESR.
Separated Anode Experiment to Measure Gas Transport and Methane Reforming within Solid-Oxide Fuel Cell Anodes

Solid-oxide fuel cell (SOFC) performance depends greatly upon electrode design. The composite anode plays a critical role in fuel reforming, especially when hydrocarbons are included in the fuel mixture. Because direct observation of fuel reforming in a functioning SOFC is difficult, if not impossible, an alternative experimental configuration is needed to evaluate anode performance. The Separated Anode Experiment (SAE) is designed to isolate and study porous-media transport and heterogeneous reforming chemistry in SOFC anodes. Although the experiment does not incorporate a dense electrolyte membrane or a cathode, it is configured to replicate important aspects of anode behavior in a fully operational SOFC. The experiment is also designed to facilitate model-based interpretation of the results. Comparisons of two significantly different anode structures are used to illustrate the experimental and modeling capabilities.
Association of depression and anxiety in underserved women with and without urinary incontinence.

Objectives Depression and anxiety are found in increasing rates in those with lower urinary tract disease. The manner in which this association further impacts underserved women has not been fully evaluated. Methods For this study, 429 patients were included from general gynecology and female pelvic medicine and reconstructive surgery clinics between the ages 18 and 80 years at a Los Angeles County teaching hospital. Patients who met the study criteria completed the following questionnaires: the Beck Depression Inventory-II (BDI-II), Beck Anxiety Inventory, Pelvic Floor Distress Inventory Short From, Pelvic Floor Impact Questionnaire Short Form, and the SF-12 Health Survey. Data analyses included descriptive statistics, tests of mean difference, correlations, and regression models to compare with categories of incontinent and continent women. Results Of the 429 patients, 71.8% were Hispanic with a mean age of 46.6 years (range, 18-80 years) and median parity of 2.83 (0-17). Among the patients with incontinence, 34.1% reported mild, moderate, or severe depression on the BDI-II compared with 21% patients without incontinence (P = 0.003). In addition, 20.4% of the incontinent group had severe depression (BDI-II, >20), whereas only 8.2% in the continent group had severe depression (P = 0.001). The higher Urinary Distress Inventory scores did correlate with the worsening Patient Health Questionnaire (r = 0.263; P = 0.0001), BDI-II (r = 0.209; P = 0.002), and SF-12 Health Survey mental scores (r = -0.140; P = 0.04). Conclusions Current findings show that approximately one third of the women reporting incontinence in our sample had depression. Underserved patients seeking medical care for incontinence in publically funded hospitals may have depression and anxiety at rates higher than those reported in the general population.
Ambulatory blood pressure and renal function in healthy children and adolescents.

Our previous studies using noninvasive ambulatory blood pressure (ABP) monitoring demonstrated racial differences in the diurnal pattern of blood pressure (BP), with higher nighttime BP for African-Americans than for Anglo-Americans despite similar daytime BP. We have hypothesized that the increased BP load in African-Americans contributes to the increased prevalence of hypertension and BP-induced target organ damage in adults. The purpose of this study was to examine the relationship between ABP patterns and renal function in healthy, normotensive black and white youths. The subjects were 22 African-American and 28 Anglo-American children and adolescents aged 10 to 18 years. Renal function was estimated by creatinine clearance (CCr). The African-American and Anglo-American subjects were similar in age, gender composition, casual BP, and CCr. The relationship between CCr and BP was not significant for casual BP or daytime BP for either group, or with nighttime BP in the Anglo-American subjects. In contrast, CCr was related negatively to both nighttime systolic BP (r = -0.47, beta = -1.21; P < .02) and nighttime diastolic BP in the African-American subjects (r = -0.45, beta = -2.13; P < .03). These results are consistent with our hypothesis.
ON THE PROPER USE OF THE BENDER GESTALT TEST.

Four aspects of a study by Weinstein and Johnson (1964), who failed to find differences between schizophrenics and lobotomized epileptics on the Visual Motor Gestalt Test, were critically examined.
A Graphical Determination of the Nature of the Roots of a Cubic

(1961). A Graphical Determination of the Nature of the Roots of a Cubic. Mathematics Magazine: Vol. 34, No. 4, pp. 221-222.
Role, Power, Ritual, and Resistance: A Critical Discourse Analysis of College Classroom Talk

This project examines student–teacher talk, offering findings that show the participating teacher questioning and directing students in routinized ways, with students responding passively and participating in familiar discursive patterns. The study also shows subtle but important shifts in authority that function to unsettle normative teacher–student interaction. Ultimately, this research implies that classroom talk can be steeped in hegemonic practices while demonstrating that critical discourse analysis is an effective means for interrogating social relations and power structures in educational contexts.
Sapwood area as an estimator of leaf area and foliar weight in cherrybark oak and green ash

The relationships between foliar weight/leaf area and four stem dimensions (dbh, total stem cross-sectional area, total sapwood area, and current sapwood area at breast height) were investigated in two important bottomland tree species of the southern United States, cherrybark oak (Quercus falcata var. pagodifolia EN.) and green ash (fraxinus pennsylvanica Marsh.). In all models tested and for both species, total sapwood area was consistently more highly correlated with foliar weight and leaf area than were the other three measures. However, there was little difference in accuracy among simple linear, multiple, and nonlinear models that used total sapwood area to predict either foliar weight or leaf area. Accuracy was improved slightly through the addition of total height and live crown ratio to the linear model. Foliar weight of both species was best described as a function of total sapwood area and live crown ratio (3 = 0.97, n = 16 for both species). Leaf area of cherrybark oak was best described as a function of total sapwood area, total height, and live crown ratio (?= 0.96, n = 16), whereas leaf area of green ash was best described as a nonlinear function of total sapwood area (? = 0.95, n = 16). In contrast with other studies on upland oaks in relatively cool climates, we found that current sapwood area was only a fair estimator of foliar weight and leaf area in cherrybark oak and was a poor estimator in green ash. These results lead to the speculation that more of the sapwood than just the most recent one or two growth rings may be active in water conduction in bottomland species in warm climates. Specific leaf area was highest in the lower crowns of trees of both species and was highest among trees of the lower crown classes. Although based on a limited sample size of four trees per crown class per species, we found that the vertical distribution of foliage within the crown differed among crown classes in both species. Most of the foliage on dominant and codominant trees of both species was concentrated in the upper one-third of the crown, with only a very small proportion of the foliage in the lower one-third of the crown. Intermediate and overtopped cherrybark oaks and intermediate green ash trees had a more even distribution of foliage throughout their crowns, while the foliage of overtopped green ash trees was highly concentrated in the lower one- third of the crown. The leaf area:sapwood area ratio did not differ significantly among crown classes in either species, but averaged 0.67 m2 cm-* in cherrybark oak and 0.24 m* crne2 in green ash. F OR.
Epidemic Characteristics of Human Macracanthorhynchus Hirudinaceus in China

Objective To analyze the epidemic characteristics of human Macracanthorhynchus hirudinaceus(HMH) in China,for purpose of pertinent preventative measures.Methods Domestic HMH data from 1964 to Jun.2012 from parasite medicine books,monographs,magazines,parasite sci-tech journals,etc.were systematically reviewed and collected.Statistical analysis were carried out on aspects of morbidity situation, clinical symptoms,misdiagnose factors and species of beetles ate by patients.Results The HMH patients distributed in 38 cities and counties of 15 provinces from 1964 to June 2012,and totally 248 people were attacked.Patients were all contaminated after eating raw or half-raw beetles and Scarabaeidae,etc.The patients in rural areas were more than that in cities.The patients ranged from 1.8 to 53 years old,yet concentrated under 14 years old,accounting for 82.36%.Males(161) were more than females(76).The disease mostly was prevalent from March to November,and peaked in July to August.The main clinical features were abdominal pain,diarrhea,melena,bloody purulent stool,abdominal tenderness,rebound pain,positive FOBT,intestinal perforation and intestinal necrosis.About 44% of total patients were operated excision of 15-150 cm necrotic intestine during surgery.Up to 99.20% of the patients failed to be detected with the parasitic eggs in their stool samples.Conclusion The HMH cases are relatively rare in China,and take on areal distribution.The onset of the disease is related with behaviors of eating Scarabaeidae.The high risk population is mainly children under 14 years.
The effect of information on preferences for treatments of metastatic renal cell carcinoma

AbstractObjective: Limited information exists regarding the effect of uncertainty in outcomes on patient preferences for metastatic renal cell carcinoma (mRCC) treatments. This study tested the effect on patients’ preferences and willingness to tolerate toxicities when patients were provided with information about possible correlations between treatment-related toxicities and efficacy.Research design and methods: Patients with self-reported RCC diagnosis completed an online survey. Respondents were randomly assigned to the information treatment (i.e. information about the possible correlation). Medicines were defined by progression-free survival (PFS), three toxicities potentially correlated with PFS, and one toxicity uncorrelated with PFS. Direct-elicitation questions measured willingness to tolerate the toxicities, preferences for medicines with higher toxicity but a higher chance of longer PFS, and preferences for medicines with higher toxicity during treatment and a 2 week dosing schedule break. A dis...
Energy and Entropy

The concepts of energy and entropy are crucial in the development of a quantitative and predictive science. They also provide the basis for much of the discussion to follow. The most important aspects of the economy and the environment can be traced to the flow of energy through these systems. Entropy, on the other hand, provides an important constraint on how this energy can flow. We will apply these concepts to the human body and the economy in this chapter, to the environment in Chap. 7, and to space travel in Chap. 10
Modern Techniques for Protein Assessment

Despite the advances in modern medicine, our ability to adequately diagnose and treat a number of disease processes is still lacking. Key to our knowledge is the understanding of genetic regulation, intracellular activity, and cell-to-cell interactions. It is estimated that there are 20,000–30,000 genes that comprise the human genome; these genes code for greater than one million different proteins, any of which may be biomarkers for disease, targets for drug therapies, or insights into formulating better or more tolerable treatment strategies. With the expanding interest in basic and translational science in the field of surgery, it is important that the academic surgeon revisit the fundamentals of protein analysis to successfully formulate an experimental design. There are an endless number of ways to purify, identify, and classify the function of proteins. The major steps in protein analysis involve (1) determining the source, (2) extracting the protein, (3) purifying the protein, (4) identifying and/or quantifying the protein, and (5) establishing its function by assessing how it interacts with other proteins. This chapter reviews the current methods involved with each of these steps and acts as a guide to answering the academic surgeon’s queries.
Noise measurement of cryogenic low noise amplifiers using a tunnel-junction shot-noise source

Cryogenic noise measurements are typically carried out using a variable-temperature load or a commercial noise diode in conjunction with a cryogenically-cooled attenuator. In both of these cases, thermal gradients can present a significant source of uncertainty. In the astronomy community, SIS mixers biased beyond their gap voltage are often used as shot-noise sources and employed to determine the noise of IF amplifiers. In this work, a tunnel junction with metal electrodes is used as noise source for characterization of cryogenic amplifiers. It is shown that this method is easily calibrated and can provide results that agree well with those obtained using the cold-attenuator method.
Pericytes: new EPO-producing cells in the brain.

In this issue of Blood , [Urrutia et al][1] identified pericyte as a novel erythropoietin (EPO)-producing cell type in the brain. The brain pericytes function as oxygen sensors and respond to hypoxia. They are regulated by hypoxia-inducible factor (HIF)-2 and prolyl-4-hydroxylase (PHD) 2 and 3.[1][2
Mini-Slings: Unique Issues

Single-incision mini-slings (SIMS) are the third generation, minimally invasive alternative to traditional midurethral slings (MUS), like the transobturator (TOT) and retropubic slings (RPS). SIMS are being developed to decrease many risks and complications associated with MUS, including blind trocar entry, postoperative pain, and hematoma formation to name a few. However, akin to MUS, SIMS do not come complication free. No ideal candidate has been identified yet for SIMS procedures. Until then, many of the patient risk factors used to evaluate an MUS candidate may be extrapolated to use in SIMS patients until more data emerges. In recent studies, many perioperative and postoperative complications and issues observed with SIMS are similar to those associated with MUS. Surgeons must be cognizant of intraoperative risks with SIMS, including bladder and vaginal perforation and hematoma formation. Postoperative complications such as failure to treat stress incontinence, recurrences of stress incontinence, de novo urge incontinence, voiding dysfunction, mesh exposure/erosion, and dyspareunia have been observed with SIMS procedures. This chapter serves to discuss the unique issues discovered to date that are associated with SIMS. Due to the paucity of data, there are no long-term studies evaluating the efficacy and safety of SIMS. Continued research is underway evaluating the unique issues presented in this chapter regarding single-incision mini-slings.