cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Disentangling Spin Dependent GPDs through Deeply Virtual Processes with Polarizations and Azimuthal Correlations

Spin and transverse momentum dependent parton distributions - Generalized Parton Distributions (GPDs) - are at the interface between the QCD structure of the hadrons and observable quantities. The GPDs are linear superpositions within helicity amplitudes. The amplitudes are probed in high energy leptoproduction processes through angular dependent cross sections and polarization asymmetries. Phenomenological extraction of the amplitudes and the distributions is a challenging task. We present observables that connect particularly with the chiral odd quark-nucleon helicity amplitudes for Deeply Virtual p 0 Production.
Atrophy of Anuran Tail Muscle During Metamorphosis.

The total atrophy of the larval Anuran's tail constitutes one of the most striking changes evidenced during metamorphosis. The general concept held by many workers has been that the growth of the urostyle so impinges on the arteries supplying the tail that a condition of acidosis results in the latter structure due to inadequate circulation. This acidosis then results in the histolysis of the various tissues with resultant total atrophy. In a recent communication, Helff1 has shown that the urostyle cannot be concerned since normal atrophy occurs following the removal of the larval urostyle before the latter undergoes growth. At the same time Lindeman2 was able to show that tail integument underwent normal degeneration during metamorphosis when previously transplanted to the back of tadpoles. The present paper describes the similar transplantation of tail muscle to foreign regions to see whether or not normal atrophy would occur during metamorphosis.All transplantations were made on large Rana clamitans' t...
Street Life in London: Context and Commentary

This is a capacious, comprehensive volume, the latest in the series Verticals, studies in the history of photography. John Thomson, the prime figure of this account, is renowned in the annals of ph...
A randomized trial of videoconference‐delivered cognitive behavioral therapy for survivors of breast cancer with self‐reported cognitive dysfunction

Background Long-term chemotherapy-related cognitive dysfunction (CRCD) affects a large number of cancer survivors. To the authors' knowledge, to date there is no established treatment for this survivorship problem. The authors herein report results of a small randomized controlled trial of a cognitive behavioral therapy (CBT), Memory and Attention Adaptation Training (MAAT), compared with an attention control condition. Both treatments were delivered over a videoconference device. Methods A total of 47 survivors of female breast cancer who reported CRCD were randomized to MAAT or supportive therapy and were assessed at baseline, after treatment, and at 2 months of follow-up. Participants completed self-report measures of cognitive symptoms and quality of life and a brief telephone-based neuropsychological assessment. Results MAAT participants made gains in perceived (self-reported) cognitive impairments (P = .02), and neuropsychological processing speed (P = .03) compared with supportive therapy controls. A large MAAT effect size was observed at the 2-month follow-up with regard to anxiety concerning cognitive problems (Cohen's d for standard differences in effect sizes, 0.90) with medium effects noted in general function, fatigue, and anxiety. Survivors rated MAAT and videoconference delivery with high satisfaction. Conclusions MAAT may be an efficacious psychological treatment of CRCD that can be delivered through videoconference technology. This research is important because it helps to identify a treatment option for survivors that also may improve access to survivorship services. Cancer 2016;122:1782-91. © 2016 American Cancer Society.
Information-centric network virtualization for QoS provisioning over software defined wireless networks

The software defined network (SDN) has emerged as an efficient network technology capable of supporting the dynamic nature of network functions while lowering the operating costs through simplified hardware, software, and management. The SDN is an efficient implementing technique for network function virtualization, because SDN maximizes network utilization by decoupling the wireless network infrastructure from the service that it provide, so that differentiated services can share the same infrastructure. One the other hand, information-centric network technique can reduce duplicate transmissions for popular contents by adopting caching strategy and enabling mobile-users to access popular contents from caches of nearby network gateways. One of the main challenges of implementing SDN is how to transmit the time-sensitive multimedia data with the delay-bounded quality of service (QoS) guaranteed in SDN environments. To overcome these difficulties, we propose an information-centric wireless network virtualization technique, which integrates the wireless network virtualization with information-centric networking. We formulate this data transmission problem over virtualized information-centric wireless network as follows. The mobile-user requests the data-source from the network controller. Network controller finds this data-source (located at the end host or a cache), and sets up a data delivery path for the mobile-user. We apply the effective capacity theory to measure the delay-bounded QoS for time-sensitive multimedia data transmission. The data delivery path is established based on a flexible network architecture, which can maximize the effective capacity, for the delivered data. In the delivery process, the data can be copied and stored in a network node as the cache for other mobile-users requests, aiming at minimizing the average transmit power consumption over all mobile-users.
Synthesis of low energy sensitive hybrid photovoltaic cells using carbon nanotubes: A 3D application device

Over the last 30 years organic carbon nanotube-yarn (CNTY) based dye-sensitized solar cells (DSSCs) have received considerable interest. CNTY based DSSCs have become a main focus of alternative energy source research. CNTY based PV cells have an advantage over cells based on non-flexible substrates, such as fluorine doped tin oxide glass; as a foundation for dye-sensitized solar cells, CNTYs are superior due to their low-cost, environmental sustainability, high mechanical integrity, and numerous beneficial practical applications. CNTY based DSSCs also have additional advantages because of their low electrical resistance, excellent electrocatalytic activity, and ultra-high mechanical integrity. Additionally, quantum dots and polymers have shown great promise for photovoltalic application due to their tunable bandgap and wide photon absorption range. This research explores the barrier characteristics associated with new absorbing photovoltaic materials that promote electron/hole pair separation and transportation. Utilizing the hybrid bandgap structures of quantum dots and polymers as well as the flexibility of CNTY, we reported a 3D flexible DSSC with an efficiency of 2.9%.
SimP: Secure interoperable multi-granular provenance framework

We propose a provenance framework which includes an expressive provenance model able to represent the provenance of any data object captured with various granularities. The model is represented according to relational and graph specifications. The framework is interoperable with two standard provenance models: OPM and PROV. In addition, the framework captures access control policies for data objects and secures the provenance storage itself. We have integrated our framework with CRIS — a real world system for managing scientific data.
New Institutionalization in Long-Term Care After Hospital Discharge to Skilled Nursing Facility

Background/Objectives Approximately half of individuals newly admitted to long-term care (LTC) nursing homes (NHs) experienced a prior hospitalization followed by discharge to a skilled nursing facility (SNF). The objective was to examine characteristics associated with new institutionalizations of older adults on this care trajectory. Design Retrospective cohort study. Setting SNFs and LTC NHs. Patients Medicare fee-for-service beneficiaries admitted to 7,442 SNFs in 2013 (N = 597,986). Measurements We used demographic and clinical characteristics from Medicare data and the Minimum Data Set. We defined “new institutionalization” as LTC NH residence for longer than 90 non-SNF days, starting within 6 months of hospital discharge. Results For individuals who survived 6 months after hospital discharge, the overall rate of new LTC institutionalizations was 10.0% (N = 59,736). Older age, white race, being unmarried, Medicaid eligibility, higher income, more comorbidities, cognitive impairment, depression, functional limitations, hallucinations and delusions, aggressive behavior, incontinence, and pressure ulcers were associated with higher adjusted odds of new LTC institutionalization. In analyses stratified according to race and ethnicity, higher income was associated with lower odds of LTC institutionalization for whites (odds ratio (OR) = 0.92, 95% confidence interval (CI) = 0.89–0.96) and greater odds for blacks (OR = 1.40, 95% CI = 1.27–1.55) and Hispanics (OR = 1.44, 95% CI = 1.25–1.66). Moderate or severe depression, functional limitations, hallucinations and delusions, aggressive behavior, and being unmarried were stronger risk factors for LTC for cognitively intact individuals than for those with moderate to severe cognitive impairment. Being unmarried and having more comorbidities were stronger predictors in those aged 66 to 70 than in those aged 81 to 85 and 91 and older. Conclusion Associations between risk factors and new LTC institutionalizations varied according to race and ethnicity, age, and level of cognitive function. Programs that target older adults at greater risk may be an effective strategy for reducing new institutionalizations and fostering aging in place.
Teaching health in an era of inequality

With rising inequalities in the USA health disparities are also increasing, which is especially pronounced when viewed by racial/ethnic group and by socio-economic status. This paper provides an outline for instructing on these disparities, and specifically their impact on health outcomes.
Advanced Response Limiting Technique for Lightly Damped Structures

Response limiting capabilities of vibration controllers can be insufficient to compensate for lightly-damped structures with high Q values and narrow resonance skirts during high sweep rate sine sweep tests. Structures with these characteristics are common in the aerospace industry. This paper outlines and exhibits an automated method developed and validated cooperatively by M + P International and engineers at Harris Corporation to predict and compensate for response limit overshoots. The method employed utilizes data from lower-level sweeps to modify response limit tables. It has been demonstrated to be effective for linear structures with constant transmissibilities in terms of amplitude and frequency.
In Vitro Analysis of Quail Neural Crest Cell Differentiation

Many organs and tissues of the adult vertebrate organism are derived from a common embryonic structure, the neural crest. Neural crest cells are of neuroectodermal origin and are initially localized in a midline position along the entire neuraxis. Later in development, they migrate into the embryo, home into various locations, and differentiate. They contribute to the cranial nerves V, VII, IX, and X, and they give rise to autonomic ganglia, nerve-supporting cells of the PNS, pigment cells of the dermis, the epidermis, the mesenteries, and internal organs, sensory ganglia, and certain endocrine cells, e.g., adrenal medulla and calcitonin-producing cells in the ultimobranchial bodies. In the head region, neural crest cells also form bones and cartilage of the facial and visceral skeleton, dermis of the face and the ventral part of the neck, connective tissue, ciliary muscles, and the musculoconnective wall of the arteries derived from aortic arches, and they contribute to striated muscles in the face, jaw, and tongue (Weston, 1970; Noden, 1980; Le Douarin, 1980; Ayer-LeLievre and Fontaine-Perus, 1982).
Nutrient and Drug-Nutrient Interactions Due to Formula Foods

Formula foods are used to supply liquid diets to infants and to individuals of all ages whose capacity to ingest, absorb, or utilize conventional food sources is markedly impaired. Formula foods may be prepared from milk, cream, eggs, and other common foods, but are usually semisynthetic. The nitrogen source within the formulas may be milk powder, casein, hydrolyzed casein, soy protein isolate, or a mixture of essential and nonessential amino acids. The carbohydrate in these diets consists of corn syrup solids, modified tapioca starch, sucrose, glucose, and lactose as well as glucose polymers. Fat in the formula may be hydrogenated soy oil, coconut oil, or medium chain triglycerides. Fat- and water-soluble vitamins, minerals, and trace elements are added at levels to supply or slightly exceed daily requirements. Intentional additives are added to formulas as antioxidants or stabilizers. Formulas are prepared for use in oral feeding and for use in enteral or parenteral hyperalimentation. They may be used to supplement the diet or to supply total daily needs for food-energy and nutrients.
Syndioselective Polymerization of a BN Aromatic Vinyl Monomer

A new synthetic platform accessing stereoregular polar polyolefins is introduced. We showcase the stability of aromatic azaborine derivatives by demonstrating the syndioselective polymerization of BN 2-vinylnaphthalene (BN2VN) by a monocyclopentadienyl titanium complex. Homogeneous early transition metal catalysts are well-established systems for the synthesis of highly stereoregular syndiotactic polystyrene (sPS), but the oxophilic nature of these complexes results in catalyst decomposition with polar monomers. BN2VN’s compatibility with coordination polymerization, and its ability to intercept the mechanism of styrene polymerization, is attributed to its aromaticity. Stereoretentive postpolymerization oxidation of the organoborane side chain generates syndiotactic poly(vinyl alcohol) (sPVA), an example of PBN2VN’s potential for diverse postfunctionalization.
Redox Pioneer: Professor Hideo Kimura.

Abstract Dr. Hideo Kimura is recognized as a redox pioneer because he has published an article in the field of antioxidant and redox biology that has been cited >1000 times, and 29 articles that ha...
Don Juan’s Numerals

Don Juan’s numerals are inescapable: its numbered cantos and stanzas allow us to track the poem’s growing chain of ottava rima, even as figures appear prominently within the verse. They often emerg...
High-Fidelity Nanopore Sequencing of Ultra-Short DNA Sequences

Abstract Nanopore sequencing offers a portable and affordable alternative to sequencing-by-synthesis methods but suffers from lower accuracy and cannot sequence ultra-short DNA. This puts applications such as molecular diagnostics based on the analysis of cell-free DNA or single-nucleotide variants (SNV) out of reach. To overcome these limitations, we report a nanopore-based sequencing strategy in which short target sequences are first circularized and then amplified via rolling-circle amplification to produce long stretches of concatemeric repeats. These can be sequenced on the Oxford Nanopore Technology’s (ONT) MinION platform, and the resulting repeat sequences aligned to produce a highly-accurate consensus that reduces the high error-rate present in the individual repeats. Using this approach, we demonstrate for the first time the ability to obtain unbiased and accurate nanopore data for target DNA sequences of One Sentence Summary We introduce a simple method of accurately sequencing ultra-short (
Ibogaine Consumption With Seizure-Like Episodes, QTc-Prolongation, and Captured Cardiac Dysrhythmias.

Abstract Background Ibogaine is a psychoactive indole alkaloid that has been investigated for use as a treatment for opioid addiction. While not commercially available in the United States, it is available via Internet suppliers. Ibogaine use has been associated with significant cardiac and neurologic effects, such as QT-segment prolongation, cardiac dysrhythmias, hallucinations, seizures, and central nervous system depression. We present a case of verified ibogaine exposure with associated QTc prolongation and torsade de pointes with qualitative analysis of the ingested substance, and examine the history, social context, availability, and perceptions of ibogaine's effects and safety. Case Report A 34-year-old white woman with medical history significant for heroin and cocaine use disorder presented with reported seizures 1 day after ingestion of 2 g ibogaine powder purchased from an Internet supplier. Shortly after ingestion, she experienced hallucinations and was reported by family to have four to five seizure-like episodes, at one point becoming apneic. In the emergency department, she was noted to have QTc prolongation and several episodes of torsade de pointes. Qualitative analysis confirmed the presence of ibogaine in the empty foil packages containing the ingested substance. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? As increasing numbers of opioid-dependent patients attempt to curtail their substance use disorders, we anticipate a rise in ibogaine exposures, necessitating awareness by front-line clinicians in recognizing and treating a drug exposure that can rapidly become life-threatening.
Boda Bodas and Road Traffic Injuries in Uganda: An Overview of Traffic Safety Trends from 2009 to 2017.

Introduction: Road traffic injuries (RTIs) are an important contributor to the morbidity and mortality of developing countries. In Uganda, motorcycle taxis, known as boda bodas, are responsible for a growing proportion of RTIs. This study seeks to evaluate and comment on traffic safety trends from the past decade. Methods: Traffic reports from the Ugandan police force (2009 to 2017) were analyzed for RTI characteristics. Furthermore, one month of casualty ward data in 2015 and 2018 was collected from the Mulago National Referral Hospital and reviewed for casualty demographics and trauma type. Results: RTI motorcycle contribution rose steadily from 2009 to 2017 (24.5% to 33.9%). While the total number of crashes dropped from 22,461 to 13,244 between 2010 and 2017, the proportion of fatal RTIs increased from 14.7% to 22.2%. In the casualty ward, RTIs accounted for a greater proportion of patients and traumas in 2018 compared to 2015 (10%/41% and 36%/64%, respectively). Conclusions: Although RTIs have seen a gross reduction in Uganda, they have become more deadly, with greater motorcycle involvement. Hospital data demonstrate a rising need for trauma and neurosurgical care to manage greater RTI patient burden. Combining RTI prevention and care pathway improvements may mitigate current RTI trends.
Stability and Change within Indigenous Land Use in the Ecuadorian Amazon.

Abstract In the Amazon basin and other tropical forest regions, many forested landscapes are inhabited by indigenous peoples who are increasingly exposed to infrastructure expansion, large-scale natural resource extraction, and development programs. How indigenous land use evolves in this context will be a critical determinant of the future of these forests. To date, few studies have had access to longitudinal, large-sample and field-based data that enables the measurement of indigenous land use change and its correlates in these contexts. To address this lacuna, we make use of a unique multi-ethnic household survey conducted in 32 indigenous communities of the Northern Ecuadorian Amazon in 2001 and again with the same households in 2012. We analyze these data to measure land use and land use change as well as their determinants. This reveals that the overall household agropastoral footprint has remained close to constant over time, but with important changes within particular land uses and ethnicities. Notably, cacao has largely replaced coffee (tracking commodity price changes), and Kichwa and Shuar households have intensified production on increasingly subdivided plots, with the Shuar specializing in cattle. In contrast, Waorani and Cofan households have maintained small footprints, while Secoya households largely abandoned cattle ranching. Taken together, the results emphasize ethnic heterogeneity in indigenous land use change, a pattern which is only visible through the use of a longitudinal, large-sample, field-based design.
Mechanistic Understanding and Rational Design of Quantum Dot/Mediator Interfaces for Efficient Photon Upconversion

ConspectusThe semiconductor-nanocrystal-sensitized, three-component upconversion system has made great strides over the past 5 years. The three components (i.e., triplet photosensitizer, mediator, ...
A kinetic model of multi-step furfural hydrogenation over a Pd-TiO2 supported activated carbon catalyst

Abstract The multi-step, aqueous phase hydrogenation kinetics of furfural (FUR) to furfuryl alcohol (FA), 2-methylfuran (2MF), tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol (THFA) and 5-hydroxy-2-pentanone (5H2P) over Pd-TiO2 on an activated carbon catalyst (derived from a monolith structure) was studied (180 °C, 2.1 MPa). Titanium addition created a metal–acid functional catalyst and promoted 5H2P synthesis from furfural. A Langmuir-Hinshelwood model with two active sites (a metal site for hydrogenation steps and an acid site for ring opening step) was applied to fit the kinetic data and parameters of the reaction system were obtained using non-linear regression of experimental data. The kinetic model showed an acceptable agreement with the experimental data with R2 of 0.93–0.96 and concentration residuals (experimental-model) typically ≤ 5%. Adsorption constants of 2MF and THFA were significantly lower than the adsorption constants of the other three compounds. A reaction rate constant of 1.6–1.8 mol/gcat.h for furfural consumption was predicted by the model. Reaction rates of 0.2–0.35 mol/gcat.h, 0.1–0.13 mol/gcat.h and 0.8–1.0 mol/gcat.h were predicted for formation of 2-methylfuran, tetrahydrofurfuryl alcohol and 5-hydroxy-2-pentanone, respectively. External and internal mass transfer criterion indicate intrinsic rate parameters were estimated and indicate the model can be used to perform monolithic reactor design for aqueous phase hydrogenation of furfural.
Effects of SARS-CoV-2 on the Practice of Otolaryngology

Coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has created new challenges for the healthcare field as a whole, and otolaryngologists in particular have been found to be a high-risk group for COVID-19 infection Governmental regulations in response to the pandemic have further affected medical practice This article evaluates the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on practicing otolaryngologists in the state of Texas Supplemental digital content is available in the text Objectives: Otolaryngologists in Texas have been greatly affected by the coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic Executive orders and professional recommendations have changed the way otolaryngologists practice The objective of the study was to determine the effect of COVID-19 on otolaryngologists in the state of Texas Methods: We surveyed the Texas Association of Otolaryngology to evaluate burnout, research output, and ability to respond to the pandemic We also looked at the effect of Texas governmental executive orders GA-09 and GA-15 on work hours and patient load Results: Our survey showed no significant difference in personnel contracting COVID-19 with perception of adequate personal protective equipment (P = 0 203), population density (P = 0 445), or type of practice (P = 0 763) The phenomenon of "pandemic burnout" was prevalent, with prolonged uncertainty the primary contributing factor for burnout caused by the pandemic Conclusions: The response to COVID-19 and the course of the pandemic are continuing to evolve and may play a significant role in how otolaryngologists practice and on their well-being during the pandemic [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR] Copyright of Southern Medical Journal is the property of Lippincott Williams & Wilkins and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use This abstract may be abridged No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract (Copyright applies to all Abstracts )
Improving fragment-based ab initio protein structure assembly using low-accuracy contact-map predictions.

Sequence-based contact prediction has shown considerable promise in assisting non-homologous structure modeling, but it often requires many homologous sequences and a sufficient number of correct contacts to achieve correct folds. Here, we developed a method, C-QUARK, that integrates multiple deep-learning and coevolution-based contact-maps to guide the replica-exchange Monte Carlo fragment assembly simulations. The method was tested on 247 non-redundant proteins, where C-QUARK could fold 75% of the cases with TM-scores (template-modeling scores) ≥0.5, which was 2.6 times more than that achieved by QUARK. For the 59 cases that had either low contact accuracy or few homologous sequences, C-QUARK correctly folded 6 times more proteins than other contact-based folding methods. C-QUARK was also tested on 64 free-modeling targets from the 13th CASP (critical assessment of protein structure prediction) experiment and had an average GDT_TS (global distance test) score that was 5% higher than the best CASP predictors. These data demonstrate, in a robust manner, the progress in modeling non-homologous protein structures using low-accuracy and sparse contact-map predictions. Predicting protein structure from sequence is still not possible for all proteins. Here, the authors introduce a method that integrates deep learning and information about protein co-evolution to guide the prediction of non-homologous protein structures with greater accuracy.
Case 17: A Near Tragedy

You, an anesthesiologist, are relaxing on a beach south of Durban in South Africa. The beach is overlooking the Indian Ocean and the weather is wonderful. Just behind the beach is a large lagoon. When the tide is coming in, the Indian Ocean enters the lagoon at a small inlet at one end of the beach where there are many rocks/boulders. Suddenly there is a cry for help and you rush to the rocks to see a 6-year-old boy in the water to his armpits with the tide coming in. He is screaming that he cannot get his foot out. Two men are both busy trying to release his foot. It will not come out. Over 200 people are now gathered around. You introduce yourself; offer help, as an anesthesiologist, to the two men; and discover that the one is an orthopedic surgeon and the other a cardiac/thoracic surgeon. They say they may need your help as in less than 10–15 min the water will have risen over the boy’s head. Should that happen, then they will need to amputate the foot. You run to your car. In the boot, you have all your anesthetic drugs and equipment (including a draw-over vaporizer) (Case 16) you will need to anesthetize the child. You return to the scene and now the water is at the boy’s clavicle.
Carbon Flow in Mercury Biomethylation by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans

Radiocarbon incorporation from pyruvate and serine into monomethylmercury by Desulfovibrio desulfuricans was consistent with the proposal that the methyl group originates from C-3 of serine. Immunodiagnostic assays measured 4 to 35 mug of tetrahydrofolate and 58 to 161 ng of cobalamin or a closely related cobalt porphyrin per g of cell protein in D. desulfuricans. The light-reversible inhibition of mercury methylation by propyl iodide in D. desulfuricans indicates methyl transfer by a cobalt porphyrin.
An Evaluation of the Effects of Stacking Sequence and Thickness on the Fatigue Life of Quasi-Isotropic Graphite/Epoxy Laminates

Notched and unnotched geometries at 16, 32, and 64-ply thicknesses of a 90/45/0-45 (ns) laminate and a 45/0/-45/90 (ns) laminate were tested in compression-compression fatigue. The fatigue life and the initiation, type, and progression of damage were determined. Interlaminar stresses generated at straight, free edges of axially loaded laminates were used to interpret the test results. The fatigue lives of the notched specimens did not appear to be a strong function of laminate stacking sequence or specimen thickness. The stress concentration at the hole dominated over the interlaminar stresses at the straight free edge. The unnotched specimens of the 90/45/0/-45 (ns) laminate with tensile interlaminar normal stresses delaminated more readily than did the 45/0/-45/90 (ns) laminate with compressive interlaminar normal stress. The life of the 16-ply unnotched specimens was lower than the 32- and 64-ply specimens. Delaminations were located at the interface where the maximum shear stress occurred regardless of the sense or magnitude of the interlaminar normal stress. An antibuckling fixture was effective in preventing out-of-plane motion without overconstraining the specimen.
Modeling respiration from snags and coarse woody debris before and after an invasive gypsy moth disturbance

Although snags and coarse woody debris are a small component of ecosystem respiration, disturbances can significantly increase the mass and respiration from these carbon (C) pools. The objectives of this study were to (1) measure respiration rates of snags and coarse woody debris throughout the year in a forest previously defoliated by gypsy moths, (2) develop models for dead stem respiration rates, (3) model stand-level respiration rates of dead stems using forest inventory and analysis data sets and environmental variables predisturbance and postdisturbance, and (4) compare total dead stem respiration rates with total ecosystem respiration and net ecosystem exchange. Respiration rates were measured on selected Pinus and Quercus snags and coarse woody debris each month for 1 year in a northeastern U.S. temperate forest. Multiple linear regression using environmental and biometric variables including wood temperature, diameter, density, species, and decay class was used to model respiration rates of dead stems. The mass of snags and coarse woody debris increased more than fivefold after disturbance and respiration rates increased more than threefold. The contribution of dead stems to total ecosystem respiration more than tripled from 0.85% to almost 3% and respiration from dead stems alone was approximately equal to the net ecosystem exchange of the forest in 2011 (fourth year postdisturbance). This study highlights the importance of dead stem C pools and fluxes particularly during disturbance and recovery cycles. With climate change increasing the ranges of many forest pests and pathogens, these data become particularly important for accurately modeling future C cycling.
Molecular breeding: the natural approach to protein design.

Publisher Summary This chapter reveals the advances in protein design termed “molecular breeding,” allows protein engineers to homologously recombine multiple related genes by a process that closely mimics sexual recombination to generate functionally diverse libraries of chimeric proteins from which improved variants can be selected. Molecular breeding effects the permutation of diversity within a pool of related sequences and has proven to be an extraordinarily effective method to evolve proteins and pathways for better function. The most widely used format for molecular breeding is in vitro fragmentation and reassembly of DNA. The highly active, functionally diverse gene libraries generated by molecular breeding have extended directed evolution to a plethora of proteins for which only limited throughput screens are feasible. The chapter discusses the method for molecular breeding involves recombination of homologous genes obtained from nature, in order to permutate the proven diversity. Molecular breeding (also called DNA shuffling) was developed to mimic this essential feature of natural evolution.
Exact Quantum Chemistry by Monte Carlo Methods

With Monte Carlo methods it is now possible to solve the Schrodinger equation for systems of a few electrons without systematic error. The first quantum calculation to achieve an absolute accuracy of 1.0 microhartree for a polyatomic system was a quantum Monte Carlo calculation for the molecular ion. The first to achieve an absolute accuracy of 0.01 kcal/mole for the H-H-H system was a Monte Carlo calculation for the barrier for the reaction H + H2→ H2 + H. The first to achieve an absolute accuracy of 0.1 K for the stable dimer He-He was a quantum Monte Carlo calculation. In this chapter we review the exact quantum Monte Carlo method, its successful applications thus far to systems of a few electrons, and its prospects for successful applications to larger systems.
Biomolecular Interactions of Small‐molecule Inhibitors Affecting the YopH Protein Tyrosine Phosphatase

We have developed competitive and direct binding methods to examine small-molecule inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity. Focusing on the Yersinia pestis outer protein H, a potent bacterial protein tyrosine phosphatase, we describe how an understanding of the kinetic interactions involving Yersinia pestis outer protein H, peptide substrates, and small-molecule inhibitors of protein tyrosine phosphatase activity can be beneficial for inhibitor screening, and we further translate these results into a microarray assay for high-throughput screening.
Deconstructing fatalism: ethnographic perspectives on women's decision making about cancer prevention and treatment.

Researchers have long held that fatalism (the belief in a lack of personal power or control over destiny or fate) constitutes a major barrier to participation in positive health behaviors and, subsequently, adversely affects health outcomes. In this paper, we present two in-depth, ethnographic studies of rural women's health decisions surrounding cancer treatments to illustrate the complexity and contestability of the long-established fatalism construct. Narrative analyses suggest that for these women, numerous and complex factors—including inadequate access to health services, a legacy of self-reliance, insufficient privacy, combined with a culturally acceptable idiom of fatalism—foster the use of, but not necessarily a rigid conviction in, the notion of fatalism.
Kernel-Based Texture in Remote Sensing Image Classification

Texture has been of great interest to remote sensing analysts for more than three decades. This paper is a review of texture approaches that are based on a moving window, or kernel, and that generate a summary measure of local spatial variation, which is assigned to the central pixel of the kernel. Texture methods are challenging to implement, partly because of the many parameters that need to be set prior to running a texture analysis. The list of parameters includes the texture order, metric, kernel size, and spectral band. For second-order metrics, additional parameters that need to be set include radiometric re-quantization, displacement, and angle. Although few general rules of thumb can be provided in selecting texture analysis parameters, understanding the conceptual role of these parameters helps illuminate the options available. In addition, future opportunities in object-oriented texture, adaptive texture measures, and multi-scale texture fusion offer the potential for addressing some of the inherent challenges in the application of texture in image analysis.
Bank Liquidity Creation (Previously titled 'The Measurement of Bank Liquidity Creation and the Effect of Capital')

Although the modern theory of financial intermediation portrays liquidity creation as an essential role of banks, comprehensive measures of bank liquidity creation do not exist. We construct four measures and apply them to data on virtually all U.S. banks from 1993-2003. We find that bank liquidity creation increased every year and exceeded $2.8 trillion in 2003. Large banks, multibank holding company members, retail banks, and recently-merged banks created the most liquidity. Bank liquidity creation is positively correlated with bank value. Testing recent theories of the relationship between capital and liquidity creation, we find that the relationship is positive for large banks and negative for small banks.
Non-Nutritive Sweeteners and their Role in the Gastrointestinal Tract

Context: Non-nutritive sweeteners can bind to sweet-taste receptors present not only in the oral cavity, but also on enteroendocrine and pancreatic islet cells. Thus, these sweeteners may have biological activity by eliciting or inhibiting hormone secretion. Because consumption of non-nutritive sweeteners is common in the United States, understanding the physiological effects of these substances is of interest and importance. Evidence Acquisition: A PubMed (1960–2012) search was performed to identify articles examining the effects of non-nutritive sweeteners on gastrointestinal physiology and hormone secretion. Evidence Synthesis: The majority of in vitro studies showed that non-nutritive sweeteners can elicit secretion of gut hormones such as glucagon-like peptide 1 and glucose-dependent insulinotropic peptide in enteroendocrine or islet cells. In rodents, non-nutritive sweeteners increased the rate of intestinal glucose absorption, but did not alter gut hormone secretion in the absence of glucose. Most ...
Transverse temperature distributions in isotachophoresis columns of rectangular cross-section

Abstract An analysis of the transient and steady state heat conduction problem in isotachophoresis columns of rectangular cross-section is given, based on a linear variation in electrical conductivity with temperature and accounting for the effects of wall thickness. The predictions are qualitatively similar to those obtained for circular cross-section columns in an earlier paper. The importance of the rectangular column lines in its potential for greater productivity in preparative applications.
Global Environmentalism and Local Politics: Transnational Advocacy Networks in Brazil, Ecuador, and India

Global Environmentalism and Local Politics: Transnational Advocacy Networks in Brazil, Ecuador, and India. By Maria Guadalupe Moog Rodrigues. Albany: State University of New York Press, 2004. 195p. $57.50 cloth, $18.95 paper. This book brings a new angle to the study of transnational advocacy networks (TANs) by making local choices, priorities, and outcomes the central focus of its analysis. TANs link actors at local, national, and international levels in campaigns across national boundaries. As Maria Guadalupe Moag Rodrigues points out, most such studies have focused on the campaigns' impacts on governmental policies or on public opinion. Her focus is on a network's influence on a part of itself instead. Are local participants empowered by TANs to formulate their own autonomous conceptions of sustainable development and to gain institutionalized mechanisms to articulate those? To answer these questions, a focus on the internal dynamics of politics, resources, cohesion, and legitimacy in the network becomes central. This is not a wholly new approach and is actually quite common in other fields, but does represent a departure from many studies of similar phenomena in political science. Rodrigues argues that it is especially important to look at the impact on local network members because that is central for local outcomes.
Breathing Back My Life

This article is a performative personal narrative inspired by the writing of Eve Sedgwick (1998) and Stacy Holman Jones (2011) using a Halibun style of writing (a method of writing employed by the Japanese poet Basho that combines prose and haiku poetry to describe life experiences in a poetic manner) as a way of enhancing events that have led the author to give up a familial relationship. The article examines a failed relationship between father and son. The author discovers that not all familial relationships are healthy and that not all investigations lead to a positive conclusion. It is the process that is most healing. Rather than experiencing reconciliation, the reader is left with the understanding that it is acceptable to let go of a relationship—even a familial one—that stifles, which then allows a refocusing of energy on those relationships that lift us and allow us to breathe. Using breathing as a metaphor, the narrative reveals the difficulty of allowing ourselves the ability to let go of a fa...
Prevention of mother-to-child transmission of HIV: reflections on implementation of PMTCT in the developing world.

In a series of controlled clinical trials effective antiretroviral regimens to decrease transmission of HIV from women to their infants over the past 7 years have been defined. It is estimated by the US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) that the number of HIV-infected infants born in the US has been reduced by 280–370 each year from 1999 to 2001. Studies that use antiretroviral therapies diminish transmission antepartum and intrapartum. Currently the only proven means to decrease HIV transmission post-partum during breastfeeding is replacement feeding. There continues to be a need for research to help us learn how to decrease transmission during breastfeeding. Based on these studies and other observations the rate of antepartum transmission is approximately 8%. Antiretrovirals decrease this to 1–2%. These studies also suggest that very little transmission occurs prior to 28 wk gestation. Treatment with AZT AZT/3TC DDI DDI/ D4T has been used effectively in antepartum regimens of approximately 4 wk duration. (excerpt)
An approach to goal‐based evaluation of school psychological service departments

Increasingly, there has been concern among school psychologists for evaluating goal attainment of their services. Although adequate discussion has ensued about goalbased evaluation of individual programs (e.g., behavior management) and group programs (e.g., group counseling), little attention has been given to goal-based evaluation of organizational programs such as a department of school psychological services. This paper describes an approach for goal-based evaluation of school psychological service departments, termed “Needs-Based Goal Attainment Scaling,” that builds upon previously developed approaches to goal attainment scling.
Measurement of triclosan in water using a magnetic particle enzyme immunoassay.

A sensitive magnetic particle-based immunoassay to determine triclosan [5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenol] in drinking water and wastewater was developed. Rabbit antiserum was produced by immunizing the rabbit with 6-[5-chloro-2-(2,4-dichlorophenoxy)phenoxy]hexanoic acid-keyhole limpet hemocyanin. Horseradish peroxidase was conjugated with 4-[3-bromo-4-(2,4-dibromophenoxy)phenoxy]butyric acid via N-hydroxysuccinimide (NHS) and 1-ethyl-3-(3-dimethylaminopropyl)carbodiimide (EDC). The triclosan antibody was coupled to magnetic particles via the NHS/EDC reaction. The antibodies were able to recognize some structurally related polybrominated biphenyl ethers but did not recognize various common pollutants that were less similar to the hapten. The ELISA could detect triclosan in standard solution (25% methanol/H2O v/v) at 20 ppt and its metabolite, methyl-triclosan, at 15 ppt. Water samples from different treatment stages were prepared to contain 25% methanol and analyzed directly without any sample extraction or preconcentration. The results showed that recoveries were >80% and the % CV was 3000 ppt in water entering the WWTP) with the levels decreasing as the water proceeded through the processing plant ( 5000 ppt). Measurement of methyl-triclosan (in WWTP) using GC-MS demonstrated the levels of this compound to be low. In summary, a rapid, sensitive, accurate, and precise magnetic particle-based immunoassay has been developed for triclosan analysis, which can serve as a cost-effective monitoring tool for various water samples.
On the Red Rectangle optical emission bands

We have observed the Red Rectangle nebula with the Multi-Object Spectrograph on the WIYN telescope. Moderate-resolution spectra (Δλ=0.4 A) in the region of 5800 A were obtained in 3-arcsec apertures at over 50 positions in the nebula. Accurate and precise wavelength calibrations were obtained against a thorium–argon lamp and the sodium lines in the sky and nebula. The peak position and full width at half-maximum of the 5800-A Red Rectangle band (RRB) were measured to beyond 15 arcsec from the star. The shortest wavelength of the band is found to be 5799.10±0.15 A in the rest frame of the nebula. None of the emission bands has intensity coincident with the wavelength of the diffuse interstellar band (DIB) at 5797.11±0.05 A. The 2-A offset cannot be explained by an instrumental, spectroscopic or photophysical effect. The hypothesis that the same molecule may be the carrier of the RRB and the DIB is contradicted by these observations. As a further test of the hypothesis, absorption has been sought that would be due to a potential DIB carrier in the nebula. Tentative evidence for absorption is found in the RRB spectra taken within 9 arcsec of the star; but any absorption has a peak position essentially coincident in wavelength with the band maximum of the emission band.
From evolution to Larry P., or what shall we do about IQ tests?

Abstract IQ tests are a dilemma in that great morality play. “Who Shall Enjoy Society's Privileges?” Legal authorities battle over IQ tests as heroes or villians. The stages are courts around the nation jammed with plaintiffs whose test scores were used to reject them from desired educational and occupational positions or whose scores exceeded those of others who were selected for desired positions on nonintellective bases. Larry P. Bakke, and Griggs are but a few of the plaintiffs whose names may become household words in the late '70s. Judges know little about the technical construction of IQ tests, their appropriate use and interpretation, and about the underlying issues of inequality that bring the adversaries to court. But the judges will decide how, when, and for whom IQ tests may be used to make life decisions.
Calcium Plays a Critical Role in Determining the Acetylcholine Receptor-clustering Activities of Alternatively Spliced Isoforms of Agrin

Neural agrin, an extracellular matrix protein secreted by motor neurons, plays a key role in clustering of nicotinic acetylcholine receptors (AChR) on postsynaptic membranes of the neuromuscular junction. The action of agrin is critically dependent on an eight-amino acid insert (z8 insert) in the third of three consecutive laminin-like globular (G3) domains near the C terminus of neural agrin. Alternatively spliced agrin isoforms in non-neural tissue including muscle lack the z8 insert and are biologically inactive. Extracellular calcium has been shown to be imperative for the AChR-clustering activity of neural agrin. It is unclear, however, whether calcium preferentially interacts with the neural isoform or whether it acts solely as an intracellular messenger that mediates agrin signaling. Here, we report the G3 domain of rat neural agrin (AgG3z8) expressed in Pichia pastoris promoted AChR clustering on surface of C2C12 myotubes in a calcium-dependent manner. Direct binding of calcium to AgG3z8 was demonstrated by trypsin digestion and thermal denaturation experiments. Moreover, calcium induced a significant change in the conformation of AgG3z8, and the effect was correlated with an enhanced binding affinity of the protein to muscle receptor. Mutation of calcium-binding residues in the G3 domain diminished the conformational change of neural agrin, reduced its binding affinity to muscle membrane, and inhibited AChR-clustering activity. Conversely, the G3 domain of muscle agrin (AgG3z0) displayed little structural change in the presence of calcium, bound poorly to muscle surface, and was inactive in AChR-clustering assays. We conclude that distinct interactions of the G3 domain with calcium determine the biological activities of alternatively spliced agrin isoforms during synapse formation.