cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Arabidopsis cotyledon-specific albino locus: a possible role in 16S rRNA maturation.

We report here the isolation and characterization of a cotyledon-specific albino locus of Arabidopsis, WHITE COTYLEDONS (WCO). This recessive mutation in the WCO locus, located on the top of Chromosome 1, results in albino cotyledons but green true leaves. An accumulation profile of chlorophylls and ultrastructure of chloroplasts indicate that WCO is necessary for development of functional chloroplasts in cotyledons but is dispensable in true leaves. This was further supported by the fact that the mutants request feeding of sucrose for their survival at the early seedling stage where true leaves have not emerged, but the mutants which have developed true leaves are able to grow autotrophically without sucrose supplementation. The wco mutants accumulate low levels of chloroplast mRNA encoding photosynthesis-related proteins and have a specific defect in 16S rRNA maturation in a cotyledonspecific manner. Although wco mutants exhibited abnormal chloroplasts and chloroplast gene expression in cotyledons, nuclear genes for photosynthetic components are expressed at similar levels to those found in wild-type siblings. This lack of suppression of the nuclear genes is not due to a defect in the signaling of the so-called "plastid factor" to the nucleus since normal suppression of the nuclear genes was observed in response to the photo-oxidative damage due to norflurazon application.
Isolation of Avian Paramyxovirus 1 from a Patient with a Lethal Case of Pneumonia

An unknown virus was isolated from a lung biopsy sample and multiple other samples from a patient who developed a lethal case of pneumonia following a peripheral blood stem cell transplant. A random PCR-based molecular screening method was used to identify the infectious agent as avian paramyxovirus 1 (APMV-1; a group encompassing Newcastle disease virus), which is a highly contagious poultry pathogen that has only rarely been found in human infections. Immunohistochemical analysis confirmed the presence of APMV-1 antigen in sloughed alveolar cells in lung tissue from autopsy. Sequence from the human isolate showed that it was most closely related to virulent pigeon strains of APMV-1. This is the most completely documented case of a systemic human infection caused by APMV-1 and is the first report of an association between this virus and a fatal disease in a human.
Modeling of ship trajectory in collision situations by an evolutionary algorithm

For a given circumstance (i.e., a collision situation at sea), a decision support system for navigation should help the operator to choose a proper manoeuvre, teach him good habits, and enhance his general intuition on how to behave in similar situations in the future. By taking into account certain boundaries of the maneuvering region along with information on navigation obstacles and other moving ships, the problem of avoiding collisions is reduced to a dynamic optimization task with static and dynamic constraints. This paper presents experiments with a modified version of the Evolutionary Planner/Navigator (EP/N). Its new version, /spl thetav/EP/N++, is a major component of a such decision support system. This new extension of EP/N computes a safe-optimum path of a ship in given static and dynamic environments. A safe trajectory of the ship in a collision situation is determined on the basis of this algorithm. The introduction of a time parameter, the variable speed of the ship, and time-varying constraints representing movable ships are the main features of the new system. Sample results of ship trajectories obtained for typical navigation situations are presented.
Biomechanical analysis of the C2 intralaminar fixation technique using a cross-link and offset connector for an unstable atlantoaxial joint.

Abstract Background context C2 intralaminar screws offer the advantage of avoiding the vertebral artery; however, biomechanical studies have demonstrated inferiority of C2 intralaminar screw fixation compared with C2 intrapedicular fixation in the presence of an odontoid fracture. Addition of a transverse cross-link may improve stability afforded by the lamina screws but will require the use of offset connectors to complete the construct. Purpose The aims of this project were to evaluate whether transverse cross-links can add adequate stability to atlantoaxial constructs using C1 lateral mass and C2 intralaminar screw fixation. The secondary objective was to determine the biomechanical contribution of the C2 offset connectors. Study design In vitro human cadaveric biomechanical study. Methods Ten cadaveric specimens were obtained and instrumented with C1 lateral mass, C2 pedicle, and C2 intralaminar screws. After intact spine testing, each C1–C2 construct was nondestructively evaluated under axial rotation (AR), flexion extension (FE), and lateral bending (LB). Intralaminar fixation was tested with and without offset connectors, which allowed for cross-link addition to the construct. After normal state evaluation, the odontoid was resected and analyses were repeated. Results Postreconstruction range of motion in AR, FE, and LB showed no significant differences between the four fixation constructs in the stable specimens. Transpedicular fixation at C2 proved superior to intralaminar techniques without a cross-link in AR and LB after destabilization with an odontoidectomy. The addition of a cross-link to the intralaminar construct improved segmental AR and LB stability to the level afforded by the transpedicular fixation. Offset connectors appeared to marginally weaken the intralaminar fixation, but the findings were not significant. Conclusions Coupled with an offset connector and a cross-link, C2 intralaminar screws offer similar segmental stability to intrapedicular fixation in the presence of an unstable dens fracture. Lateral offset connectors at C2 do not significantly compromise stability of C1 lateral mass—C2 intralaminar fixation.
Bridging the Quantitative-Qualitative Divide in Political Science

In Designing Social Inquiry, Gary King, Bob Keohane and Sidney Verba (KKV) have performed a real service to qualitative researchers. I, for one, will not complain if I never again have to look into the uncomprehending eyes of first-year graduate students when I enjoin them (pace Przeworski and Teune) to "turn proper names into variables." The book is brief and lucidly argued and avoids the weighty, musclebound pronouncements that are often studded onto the pages of methodological manuals. But following KKV's injunction that "a slightly more complicated theory will explain vastly more of the world" (p. 105), I will praise them no more but focus on an important weakness in the book. Their central argument is that the same logic that is "explicated and formalized clearly in discussions of quantitative research methods" underlies-or should-the best qualitative research (p. 4). If this is so, then they really ought to have paid more attention to the relations between quantitative and qualitative approaches and what a rigorous use of the latter can offer quantifiers. But while they offer a good deal of generous (at times patronizing) advice to qualitatively oriented scholars, they say very little about how qualitative approaches can be combined with quantitative research. Especially with the growth of choicetheoretic approaches, whose users often illustrate their theories with stories, there is a need for a set of ground rules on how to make intelligent use of qualitative data. KKV do not address this issue. Rather, they use the model of quantitative research to advise qualitative researchers on how best to approximate good models of descriptive and causal inference. (Increasing the number of observations is their cardinal operational rule.) But in today's social science world, how many social scientists can be simply labeled "qualitative" or -quantitative"? How often, for example, do we find support for sophisticated game-theoretic models resting on the use of anecdotal reports or on secondary evidence lifted from one or two qualitative sources? More and more frequently in today's social science practice, quantitative and qualitative data are interlarded within the same study. A recent work that KKV warmly praise illustrates both that their distinction between quantitative and qualitative researchers is too schematic and that we need to think more seriously about the interaction of the two kinds of data.
Dental management of long‐term amyotrophic lateral sclerosis: Case report

Amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) is a progressive motor neuron disease. Methods of dental treatment of a young male patient with ALS are presented. This case is unusual in several respects: the early age of onset, the long survival time, and the period of time in which the case was followed in our dental clinic. Aspects of ALS which are of concern to dentistry, as related to clinical care and strategies for effective oral health delivery, are presented.
Dynamic mental models in weather forecasting

There are many definitions, descriptions, and usages of the term "mental model." Frequently, the definition of mental model is not described, leaving what the author means as an exercise for the reader. I propose a very explicit definition for a dynamic mental model and then show how that definition can be applied in the domain of meteorological forecasting. Specifically, I suggest that a dynamic mental model is a mix of images and propositions, relies on qualitative and spatial relationships, allows dynamic, runnable results to be inspected, and results in an inference. Finally, I offer suggestions on how to improve the usefulness of the term mental model.
A nonlinear model of the U.S. economy

According to orthodox Keynesian economic theory, sig nificant unemployment and inflation should not occur simultaneously (i.e., "stagflation" should not exist) in a highly developed modern economy. However, both have occurred simultaneously in the United States since 1973.This paper describes an economic model being developed to investigate the causes of stagflation; this model includes nonlinearities and discontinuities not in corporated in other macroeconomic models. In its present form the model does not include all the var iables necessary to achieve its purpose, and its parameters and initial conditions have been set at arbitrary "reasonable" values. Much work remains to be done before it can simulate stagflation in the economy of the United States. The responses of the present model to initial conditions leading to stag nation, moderate growth, and high-pressure growth situations are reported and analyzed in this paper.The results obtained by experiments conducted on the model reflect the behavior o...
APPROXIMATE MOTION SYNTHESIS OF SPHERICAL KINEMATIC CHAINS

In this paper we present a novel dimensional synthesis technique for approximate motion synthesis of spherical kinematic chains. The methodology uses an analytic representation of the spherical RR dyad’s workspace that is parameterized by its dimensional synthesis variables. A two loop nonlinear optimization technique is then employed to minimize the distance from the dyad’s workspace to a finite number of desired orientations of the workpiece. The result is an approximate motion dimensional synthesis technique that is applicable to spherical open and closed kinematic chains. Here, we specifically address the spherical RR open and 4R closed chains however the methodology is applicable to all spherical kinematic chains. Finally, we present two examples that demonstrate the utility of the synthesis technique.Copyright © 2007 by ASME
THE DEFLOCCULATION OF CLAY SLIPS AND RELATED PROPERTIES1

In an earlier paper2 the authors have given the particle analysis and other tests of a number of English china clays, one English ball clay and several domestic kaolins. In this paper are presented the following additional data for the same clays: the carbon content as a measure of organic matter; the change in state of dispersion with pH for 20% slips as determined by settling tests; the change in viscosity with pH as determined with 40% slips; the alkali absorption for 20% and 40% slips. The more plastic clays are characterized by high organic content, high alkali absorption, and dispersion at low pH. Casting slips made up with the different china clays and two ball clays in varying proportions show that ball clay causes fluidity and that the plastic china clays produce more viscous slips than the less plastic.
Dynamic data rectification using the expectation maximization algorithm

Although on-line measurements play a vital role in process control and monitoring process performance, they are corrupted by noise and occasional outliers (such as noise spikes). Thus, there is a need to rectify the data by removing outliers and reducing noise effects. Well-known techniques such as Kalman Filtering have been used effectively to filter noise measurements, but it is not designed to automatically remove outliers. A new methodology based on the Kalman filter rectifies noise as well as outliers in measurements. Filter equations were formulated in the form of probability distributions. Then the Expectation-Maximization algorithm was used to find the maximum-likelihood estimates of the true measurement values based on a state-space model, past data, and current observations. This approach was evaluated when the assumption of normally distributed outliers is not valid. The method can be used with any dynamic process model, as shown by integrating it with an extended Kalman Filter and by an augmented linear state-space model to account for unmeasured disturbances. It also can be used to provide diagnostic information about changes to the process or sensor failures.
Modulation of Testicular Receptor 4 Activity by Mitogen-activated Protein Kinase-mediated Phosphorylation

Testicular receptor 4 (TR4) is an orphan member of the nuclear receptor superfamily. Despite the lack of identified ligands, its functional role has been demonstrated both in animals and cell cultures. However, it remains unclear how the biological activity of TR4 is regulated without specific ligands. In this study, we showed that in the absence of specific ligands the activity of TR4 could be modulated by mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK)-mediated phosphorylation of its activation function 1 (AF-1) domain. A mass spectrometry-based proteome analysis of TR4 expressed in insect cells revealed three phosphorylation sites in its AF-1 domain, specifically on Ser19, Ser55, and Ser68. Site-directed mutagenesis studies demonstrated the functionality of phosphorylation on Ser19 and Ser68 but not Ser55. We also demonstrated that MAPK-mediated phosphorylation of the AF-1 domain rendered TR4 a repressor, mediated through the preferential recruitment of corepressor RIP140. Dephosphorylation of its AF-1 made TR4 an activator due to its selective recruitment of coactivator, P300/cyclic AMP-responsive element binding protein-binding protein-associated factor (PCAF). The biological effects were validated by using the wild type TR4 and its constitutive negative (dephosphorylated) and constitutive positive (phosphorylated) mutants in the studies of regulation of its natural target gene, apoE. This study uncovered, for the first time, a ligand-independent mechanism underlying the biological activity of TR4 that was mediated by MAPK-mediated receptor phosphorylation of AF-1 domain.
The Effects of Nutrition on Plasma Cholinesterase Activity and Cocaine Toxicity in Mice

AbstractBackground: Low plasma cholinesterase activity is associated with severe cocaine toxicity in human subjects and animal experiments. Exogenously enhanced plasma cholinesterase activity is protective against cocaine toxicity in animals. Cocaine users tend to have lower plasma cholinesterase activity than controls. Yet, when cocaine users are allowed to use cocaine in controlled settings without dietary restriction, their plasma cholinesterase activity increases. This study evaluates the influence of diet on plasma cholinesterase activity and cocaine toxicity. Methods: Forty-five Swiss albino mice were maintained on a high (30%) protein diet for 3 weeks. They were then randomized into equal groups and given either the high protein diet, an isocaloric low protein diet, or a protein and calorie deficient diet which consisted of reduced intake of the high protein diet. Body weights and plasma cholinesterase activities were measured after a 21-day study period. All animals then received a fixed dose of i...
The Image of an Orphan: Cambodian Narrative Sites for Buddhist Ethical Reflection

Much of the work in the relatively new field of Theravāda Buddhist ethics has been directed toward critiquing the Weberian characterization of Buddhism as primarily “mystical” and oriented away from social, political, and domestic attention toward the world. Ancient Buddhism, Max Weber wrote, “is a specifically unpolitical and anti-political-status religion, more precisely, a religious ‘technology’ of wandering and of intellectually-schooled mendicant monks” (1996, 206). It is a tradition lacking “a concept of neighborly love,” a sense of social responsibility or “any bridge to any actively conceptualized ‘social’ conduct,” and “almost all beginnings of a methodical lay morality” (208, 213, 218). Even though Buddhism developed some formulations of a lay-oriented social ethics in order to accommodate the sponsorship of rulers beginning with Aśoka, Weber argued, it remained in its various forms throughout Asia a fundamentally mystical and magical (or nonrational) religious tradition, exhibiting a “devaluation of the world” characteristic of mysticism (330–43).
Cadaveric validation of porcine model suggests noninvasive positive pressure ventilation may be safe following esophagectomy

Background: We previously used a pig model to demonstrate that noninvasive positive pressure ventilation (NPPV) may be a safe alternative to endotracheal intubation (ET). We sought to validate our model by quantifying the pressure threshold of esophageal anastomoses in human cadavers as a step before a clinical trial. Methods: We performed stapled side-to-side, functional end-to-end esophageal anastomoses in 10 cadaveric specimens from autopsy. With intraluminal pressure monitoring, we insufflated the anastomosis with air until a leak was observed, and measured the maximum tolerated pressure. Results: Cadaveric esophageal anastomoses tolerated 101±39 cmH 2 O (range, 63-140 cmH 2 O) of pressure before leak was observed. The maximum pressure threshold ranged from 59 to 246 cmH 2 O. The leak was always at the anastomosis. There was no significant difference in pressure threshold between cadaveric and previously described porcine anastomoses. Conclusions: We created a human cadaveric model that in conjunction with our porcine data demonstrates that a human esophageal anastomosis can tolerate manifold higher pressures than are delivered to the esophagus by NPPV. This is the final step before a trial of NPPV in patients following esophagectomy.
Community College Leadership Transition Through the Framework of Appreciative Inquiry

ABSTRACTOur paper considers a critical juncture in community college leadership as many community college leaders approach retirement. These transitions are inescapable. How will institutional memory (Parker, 2011) be preserved with the passing of the leadership mantel to a new generation? These transitions also impact ways in which leaders influence student success, institutional mission, and the overall health of the institution (Boggs, 2011). We view these leadership transitions through the lens of Appreciative Inquiry (AI). We ask: How might AI be utilized to successfully navigate community college leadership transitions? Examining two cases where AI was applied within higher education environments, we discuss the potential for such a model to effectively address pending leadership changes within the community college environment. These cases illustrate ways in which AI has been applied in different institutions, yet each provides insight into the ways AI may ameliorate knowledge transfer through narr...
Characterizing the Microstructures of New Polymers

This chapter emphasizes physical techniques for characterizing polymer microstructures at different levels of resolution. Relevant practical aspects of thermal analysis, microscopy and diffraction are described in some detail.
Building a Straight State: Sexuality and Social Citizenship under the 1944 G.I. Bill

For more than fifty years now, scholars have celebrated the G.I. Bill of Rights as one of the most important public policy innovations of the post-World War II era. The G.I. Bill is often credited with moving millions of working-class Americans into the middle class by democratizing higher education and home ownership and with ushering in the postwar economic boom. The G.I. Bill deserves celebration-it was one of the most far-reaching pieces of social policy legislation in the second half of the twentieth century. Yet while there is no denying the scope and scale of the G.I. Bill, the celebratory literature has not fully acknowledged the many exclusions built into the program. Some historians have noted that the design and implementation of the legislation made G.I. Bill benefits most accessible to white middle-class men. Much less commonly remarked upon is a 1945 Veterans Administration (VA) ruling that denied G.I. Bill benefits to any soldier with an undesirable discharge "issued because of homosexual acts or tendencies."'
Behavioral Response of Corn Rootworm Adults to Host Plant Volatiles Perceived by Western Corn Rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae)

We used field bioassays to evaluate maize silk volatiles with electroantennogram (EAG) activity in western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, for effects on the behavior of feral adult western and northern corn rootworm, D. barberi Smith and Lawrence. Test volatiles from maize silk were 2-tridecanone, ( E,Z) -2,6-nonadienal, ( E,E )-3,5-octadien-2-one, and ( E )-2-nonenal. Two analogs of the silk volatiles, ( E, Z)-3,7-decadien-2-one and 3-nonene-2-one, also were tested. None of the EAG-active maize silk volatiles was attractive to either Diabrotica species, whether tested alone or in selected mixtures, although there was evidence of slight attraction to ( E, Z)-3,7-decadien-2-one by northern corn rootworm females. A mixture of 2-tridecanone, ( E,Z) -2,6-nonadienal, ( E,E )-3,5-octadien-2-one, and ( E, Z)-3,7-decadien-2-one markedly reduced capture of both sexes and species on traps also baited with a standard lure. In some cases, the same mixture when tested by itself reduced northern corn rootworm capture below that on control traps, suggesting mixture repellency. Activity was traced primarily to 2-tridecanone for northern corn rootworm, but this ketone had no tendency to repel western corn rootworm. ( E,Z) -2,6-Nonadienal interfered weakly with western corn rootworm response to the standard lure, but did not account for mixture potency. Potential applications of adult repellents to protect maize from corn rootworm damage are discussed.
A Connective Tissue Stain for Glycol Methacrylate-Embedded Tissue Sections

Sirius red F3BA can be combined with resorcin-fuchsin and fast green FCF to produce a stain for collagenous and elastic connective tissue elements in glycol methacrylate-embedded tissue. Fine cellular detail is preserved with virtually no background staining.
Effectiveness of Fenoxycarb for Control of Red Imported Fire Ants (Hymenoptera: Formicidae)

The insect growth regulator fenoxycarb reduced colony size indices of laboratory colonies of red imported fire ants, Solenopsis invicta Buren, by 93-98% within 8 wk after treatment. Reductions were caused by lethality to developing immatures, inhibition of egg production by the queen, and a shift in caste differentiation from worker to sexual forms. No significant difference was noted in the response of colonies to 5 or 10mg (AI) per colony; the majority of colonies treated at either dosage died as a result of the treatment. In field tests, baits containing fenoxycarb eliminated ca. 60% of the colonies on treated plots and reduced total ant population indices by 67-99% within 12-13 wk after treatment at rates of 6.2-22.6 g (AI)/ha.
Individual Service in the Library of Specializational Hospital

In the thesis, We have a brief intuoduction of the way of individuation service in the library of specialization hospital .
Metal-Promoted Cyclization. Part 20. Palladium-Catalyzed Cyclization of Alkenyl and Aryl Halides Containing α,β-Unsaturated Carbonyl Groups via Intramolecular Carbopalladation.

2-Iodobenzyl bromide (I) reacts with the deprotonated esters (II) to give the α,β-unsaturated carboxylates (III) which are cyclized in the presence of a Pd(0) catalyst to form the indenes (IV).
Neuroscience, psychiatry, psychoanalysis--crisis and opportunity.

Psychiatry is now facing the latest of several crises in its relatively brief history. The present one is related to its recent fascination with modern neuroscience findings. It poses a challenge to psychoanalysis and the entire field of psychodynamic psychotherapy
The Promises of Quantitative Proteomics in Precision Medicine

Precision medicine approach has a potential to ensure optimum efficacy and safety of drugs at individual patient level. Physiologically based pharmacokinetic and pharmacodynamic (PBPK/PD) models could play a significant role in precision medicine by predicting interindividual variability in drug disposition and response. In order to develop robust PBPK/PD models, it is imperative that the critical physiological parameters affecting drug disposition and response and their variability are precisely characterized. Currently used PBPK/PD modeling software, for example, Simcyp and Gastroplus, encompass information such as organ volumes, blood flows to organs, body fat composition, glomerular filtration rate, etc. However, the information on the interindividual variability of the majority of the proteins associated with PK and PD, for example, drug metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and receptors, are not fully incorporated into these PBPK modeling platforms. Such information is significant because the population factors such as age, genotype, disease, and gender can affect abundance or activity of these proteins. To fill this critical knowledge gap, mass spectrometry-based quantitative proteomics has emerged as an important technique to characterize interindividual variability in the protein abundance of drug metabolizing enzymes, transporters, and receptors. Integration of these quantitative proteomics data into in silico PBPK/PD modeling tools will be crucial toward precision medicine.
How planting configuration influences plant secondary metabolites and total N in tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.), alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) and birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.): Implications for grazing management

Theories suggest that incorporating alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.; Alf) or birdsfoot trefoil (Lotus corniculatus L.; BFT) into endophyte-infected tall fescue (Festuca arundinaceas Schreb.; E+TF) pasturelands may improve livestock production. We investigated how planting configuration might influence plant secondary metabolites (PSM) and nitrogen concentration in these forages. Total nitrogen (N), in addition to condensed tannins (CT), saponins and ergovaline (EV), was compared in BFT, Alf and E+TF, respectively, when forages grew in monocultures and all possible two-way “mixtures” using a block design with repeated measures in three blocks. Ergovaline (p .10). We conducted an in vitro trial to determine whether CT or saponins isolated from BFT and Alf, respectively, would bind to EV in water. Ergovaline bound to saponins to a greater extent (39%; SE = 0.25) than CT (5.1%; SE = 5.13; p < .05). Because EV was lower in E+TF monocultures than in E+TF–legume mixtures, and because CT and saponins may form complexes with EV which may alleviate fescue toxicosis, animals may benefit from systems which allow them to graze monoculture patches of E+TF and Alf or BFT rather than grass–legume mixtures.
CNFL: Categorical to Numerical Feature Learning for Clustering and Classification

Categorical data exist in many domains, such as text data, gene sequences, or data from Census Bureau. While such data are easy for human interpretation, they cannot be directly used by many classification methods, such as support vector machines and others, which require underlying data to be represented in a numerical format. To date, most existing learning methods convert categorical data into binary features, which may result in high dimensionality and sparsity. In this paper, we propose a method to convert category data into an arbitrary number of numerical features. Our method, named CNFL, uses simple matching to calculate proximity between instances, then uses an eigendecomposition to convert the proximity matrix into a low-dimensional space, which can be used to represent instances for classification or clustering. Experiments on 21 datasets demonstrate that numerical features learned from CNFL can effectively represent the original data for machine learning tasks
Contextual Factors Associated with the Achievement of African American and European American Adolescents: A Diversimilarity Approach

The current study is an extension of Luster & McAdoo9s 1994 study of African American children and ecological factors impacting academic performance of these children. Luster and McAdoo found that maternal educational level, income, number of children and living conditions were related to how well children performed in school. Those children from impoverished backgrounds with uneducated mothers had lower quality academic performance. Using the Nation Longitudinal Survey of Youth data (1992), the current study investigated similarities and differences in the impact of ecological factors in European American(n = 266) and African American adolescents (n = 400). The results indicated that the home environment best predicts academic performance in African American adolescents while neighborhood conditions are better predictors of academic performance in European American adolescents. This difference may be related to the function of education for the two groups. Education may be a vehicle for status enhancement for European American adolescents. For African Americans, education may enhance class but not social status associated with racial minority status. These results suggest that educational efforts be developed to assist all adolescent in achieving both status and class objectives.
The OCR Procedure as Applied Dynamic Process-Oriented Soil Science

Chapter 5 moves from the theoretical to the practical. Attempts to understand and explain the apparent anomalous results obtained from the Walkley-Black and Ball Loss on Ignition procedures when applied to subsurface and archaeological soils resulted in the development of the OCR procedure, a carbon-dating technique that combines these two organic carbon analyses to calculate age estimates for soil organic carbon. This procedure has also proven to be a valuable tool for the physiological assessment of soils as dynamic systems. Development of the OCR procedure, the early false assumptions made, and the insights these errors provided into how soils behave are presented.
Data Augmentation Schemes Applied to Image Restoration

Many medical imaging systems produce images that are degraded by statistical noise and blurring. This paper describes a physical model for the generation of images associated with these systems and presents a restoration algorithm that is designed to compensate for these sources of degradation. The restoration algorithm is based on the idea of Bayesian data augmentation and utilizes a Gibbs prior for the image. This prior incorporates two essential features necessary for the restoration of such images. First, boundary detection is included so that nonhomogeneous regions can be identified. Second, an expanded neighborhood system is proposed to permit the deconvolution of blurring effects. Additionally, a procedure for choosing parameters of the Gibbs prior is discussed.
Abstract 17226: Vascular Smooth Muscle Responsiveness to a Nitric Oxide Donor is Impaired in Healthy Adults with Increased Adiposity

Background- Vascular smooth muscle responsiveness to an exogenous nitric oxide donor (i.e., nitroglycerin-induced dilation; NID) is impaired in cardiovascular disease and in adults at risk for atherosclerosis. Although adiposity is associated with increased risk of atherosclerosis, its relation to NID is poorly defined. We sought to examine the relation of NID to total and abdominal adiposity in a healthy group of men and women varying widely in adiposity levels and age. Methods and Results- In 224 carefully screened adults (age:18-79 yrs, body mass index (BMI): 16.4-42.2 kg/m 2 ), we measured NID, total body adiposity (BMI and % body fat (%BF); dual-energy x-ray absorptiometry) and indices of abdominal adiposity (waist circumference (WC) and waist to hip ratio (WHR)). In a subgroup of 74 subjects, we also measured total abdominal (TAF), abdominal visceral (AVF) and subcutaneous fat (ASF) using CT scans. NID was determined as the vasodilator response (brachial ultrasonography) to 0.4 mg sublingual nitroglycerin. Based on multiple linear regression analyses, NID was negatively related to BMI (part correlation coefficient (r part )=-0.19, P=0.004) and not related with total %BF (r part =-0.12, P=0.07), whereas it was consistently negatively related with abdominal adiposity (WC, r part =-0.22; WHR, r part =-0.19; TAF, r part =-0.36; AVF, r part =-0.36; and ASF, r part =-0.30, all P≤0.009), independent of sex. Accounting for systolic blood pressure, high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and fasting blood glucose reduced all of the sex-independent relations between NID and adiposity by 3 to 42%, but overall the relations remained significant (P≤0.05). NID was 35% lower in a subgroup of subjects with the highest compared to the lowest quintile of abdominal visceral fat (P=0.003). This difference in NID was abolished after accounting for systolic blood pressure (P=0.2) and HDL cholesterol (P=0.1) but was not changed after accounting for fasting glucose (P=0.002). Conclusions- Total adiposity is modestly (BMI) or not related (% body fat) with NID, whereas abdominal adiposity is more consistently and strongly related with NID. Adiposity may influence NID in part via modulation of blood pressure, HDL cholesterol and/or fasting glucose.
PSA density to predict the risk of biochemical relapse in high-risk prostate cancer patients who underwent radical prostatectomy.

e17045Background: PSA density (PSA-D) has an established role in prostate cancer (PCa) screening by improving the diagnostic value of PSA, but its correlation with biochemical relapse after radical...
Entrepreneurship and a healthcare system in Africa: a theoretical reflection

AbstractIn a continent that hordes many illnesses and conditions it is surprising that many do not have the means to see a healthcare specialist when they need one desperately. This discussion addressed the situation in which many Africans continue to find themselves when confronting their many ailments. The continent was deprived from its wealth of natural and affordable potent ways of curing diseases and today many who are sick often find themselves left to a dismal fate. There is a prospect and possibility to seize and engage in entrepreneurship: Investing in a healthcare system in many countries in the African continent, the beginning of the solution to the lack of healthcare access in Africa. This reflection breaks ground by offering a theoretical model of failed healthcare systems remedied by the creation of African Healthcare Corps, a call for the urgency for Africans to rethink the current untenable healthcare situation in Africa
Food Faiths: Gut Science and Spiritual Eating

Sylvester Graham might be the prototypical diet guru of today, save that he was born in 1794. Famous for preaching a regimen of abstention, he championed a vegetarian diet of fruits, vegetables, and whole grains well before the rise of modern biomedical science suggested the same. And although he was a Presbyterian minister, Graham brought Jacksonian temperance movements together with contemporary medicine to create a perspective on food and wellness that is still with us today. The chapter considers how Graham’s spiritual belief in his dietary philosophy is best illustrated in the first-person testimonials to the efficacy of his diet in battling the cholera epidemic of 1832, included in his self-published tract, The Aesculapian Tablets of the Nineteenth Century.
Renal Recovery following Liposomal Amphotericin B-Induced Nephrotoxicity

Background. Acute kidney injury (AKI) is a common complication of treatment with liposomal amphotericin B (LAmB). The trajectory of renal recovery after LAmB-associated AKI has not been well described, nor has effect of LAmB dose on recovery of renal function been explored. Objective. Characterize the pattern of renal recovery after incident AKI during LAmB and determine potential influencing factors. Methods. This retrospective cohort study analyzed patients who developed a ≥50% increase in serum creatinine while on LAmB. Patients were followed up until complete renal recovery or death or for 30 days, whichever occurred first. The primary outcome was complete renal recovery, defined as serum creatinine convalescence to within 10% of the patient’s pretreatment baseline. Multivariable modeling was used to identify independent predictors of renal recovery. Results. Ninety-eight patients experienced nephrotoxicity during LAmB, 94% of which received doses <7 mg/kg/day. Fifty-one patients at least partially recovered renal function and, of these, 32 exhibited complete recovery after a mean 9.8 ± 7.8 days. No statistical relationship was found between LAmB dose at the time of AKI or cumulative exposure to LAmB and the likelihood of renal recovery. Concomitant nephrotoxins, age, and pretreatment renal function did not modify this effect in multivariable analysis. Conclusion and Relevance. Our data suggests that LAmB dose did not impact the likelihood of renal recovery. Additional investigation is needed to confirm these findings when aggressive dosing strategies are employe. Additional research is also warranted to further characterize the course of recovery after LAmB-associated nephrotoxicity and comprehensive spectrum of renal outcomes.
Thiamin deficiency in low- and middle-income countries: Disorders, prevalences, previous interventions and current recommendations.

Background:Thiamin deficiency is a major public health concern in several low- and middle-income countries (LMICs)—current attention to the problem is lacking.Aim:This review discusses prevalence o...
Abstract 028: Increase in Abdominal Visceral Adipose Tissue Accelerates Two Years Prior to Menopause: The Study of Women’s Health Across the Nation (SWAN) Heart

Introduction: Abdominal visceral adipose tissue (VAT) contributes to pathogenesis of cardiometabolic disease through endocrine and paracrine secretion of adipocytokines. Midlife women experience ad...
FLIPPING THEORY: WAYS IN WHICH CHILDREN’S EXPERIENCES IN THE 21ST CENTURY CLASSROOM CAN PROVIDE INSIGHT INTO THE THEORIES OF PIAGET AND VYGOTSKY

Although established in the last century, the theories of two well-known psychologists, Jean Piaget and Lev Vygotsky continue to be used throughout the world to prepare teachers and caregivers of young ch ildren(ACEI/Wortham, 2013). From an historical perspective, their theories provide insight regarding children’s growth, development, and learning. Beyond a general understanding however, in what ways do the theories of Piaget and Vygotsky impact 21st century pedagogy, and what might the implementation of those theories look like in today’s classrooms? Observations of children’s experiences in two constructivist oriented classrooms help to provide connections between practice and theory. One classroom draws upon the work of Charlotte Mason, a pioneer of early childhood education in the late 1800’s and early 1900’s and considers the relevance of constructivist education as children examine themselves and develop high moral standards. The second example provides examples of constructivism from a more traditional kindergarten classroom, but one where a teacher uses principals of constructivism to guide developmentally appropriate practices for young children. The purpose of this article is to show how using examples of practice in early childhood classrooms can provide the means for learning about theories of learning and development. Rather than professors using practice to help students understand abstract theory, we flip this pedagogical practice to show how theory can be used with intentional reflection to help teachers understand the practice they
Tissue Tropism in Streptococcal Infection: Wild-Type M1T1 Group A Streptococcus Is Efficiently Cleared by Neutrophils Using an NADPH Oxidase-Dependent Mechanism in the Lung but Not in the Skin.

ABSTRACT Group A Streptococcus (GAS) commonly causes pharyngitis and skin infections. Little is known why streptococcal pharyngitis usually does not lead to pneumonia and why the skin is a favorite niche for GAS. To partially address these questions, the effectiveness of neutrophils in clearing wild-type (wt) M1T1 GAS strain MGAS2221 from the lung and from the skin was examined in murine models of intratracheal pneumonia and subcutaneous infection. Ninety-nine point seven percent of the MGAS2221 inoculum was cleared from the lungs of C57BL/6J mice at 24 h after inoculation, while there was no MGAS2221 clearance from skin infection sites. The bronchial termini had robust neutrophil infiltration, and depletion of neutrophils abolished MGAS2221 clearance from the lung. Phagocyte NADPH oxidase but not myeloperoxidase was required for MGAS2221 clearance. Thus, wt M1T1 GAS can be cleared by neutrophils using an NADPH oxidase-dependent mechanism in the lung. MGAS2221 induced robust neutrophil infiltration at the edge of skin infection sites and throughout infection sites at 24 h and 48 h after inoculation, respectively. Neutrophils within MGAS2221 infection sites had no nuclear staining. Skin infection sites of streptolysin S-deficient MGAS2221 ΔsagA were full of neutrophils with nuclear staining, whereas MGAS2221 ΔsagA infection was not cleared. Gp91phox knockout (KO) and control mice had similar GAS numbers at skin infection sites and similar abilities to select SpeB activity-negative (SpeBA−) variants. These results indicate that phagocyte NADPH oxidase-mediated GAS killing is compromised in the skin. Our findings support a model for GAS skin tropism in which GAS generates an anoxic niche to evade phagocyte NADPH oxidase-mediated clearance.
Surgical and anesthetic procedures performed in bovine practice and proficiency expected of new veterinary graduates.

Bovine practice is perceived to be changing, with the emphasis shifting from diagnosis and treatment of disease in individual animals toward enhanced production and disease prevention in herds. Therefore, faculty members at veterinary colleges must periodically ascertain the most relevant procedures and skills for veterinarians entering bovine practice, and adjust curricula accordingly. Of particular concern is ensuring that new graduates are proficient in surgical and anesthetic procedures deemed most important by practitioners, given declining case loads at most teaching hospitals and attempts to find alternatives to live animal surgical laboratories. To assist with curriculum adjustment at the University of Illinois, a mail survey was conducted to determine procedures performed most frequently in bovine practice, and skills expected of new veterinary graduates.
Threat From the South: Is American Religion Bad News for Canadian Social Welfare?

Recent advances in the role of religion in social welfare in the USA pose both threats and opportunities for social welfare in Canada. Should Canada emulate or resist the US pattern of increased partnerships between government and religion in addressing social problems? This paper raises three questions for consideration regarding the role of religion and its relationship with government in Canadian social welfare: 1) To what extent does government’s relationship with religion favour particular religious groups over others? 2) To what extent does government’s relationship with religious groups encourage or limit freedom of religious expression for individuals and groups? 3) To what extent does government’s relationship with religion indicate a retreat from state responsibility for addressing social problems? The paper concludes with implications for Canadian social welfare and suggests how the social work profession can respond.
Physics Language Anxiety among Students in Introductory Physics Course.

In this research an instrument was developed to measure students’ anxiety about the jargon of physics. Levels of anxiety were then compared with student content performance and general classroom anxiety. Anxiety levels were also compared based on students’ language of origin (native vs. nonnative English speaking students). Statistical analyses indicated that the created instrument was reliable and that a larger percentage of students admitted that the vocabulary of physics creates anxiety in their physics learning and that fear of communication apprehension was prevalent than fear of peer evaluation. There was a negative but small correlation between anxiety about physics vocabulary and student course performance. The correlation between anxiety about physics vocabulary and general classroom anxiety was moderate. There was no significant difference in levels of anxiety between native and nonnative English-speaking students. A comparison between results of this research and previous studies (theories) sheds more light into the implications for conducting studies relating to academic anxiety.
Urinary levels of environmental phenols and parabens and antioxidant enzyme activity in the blood of women.

Abstract Background The balance between oxidative stress and antioxidant enzymes is one biological mechanism by which environmental and lifestyle exposures affect health outcomes. Yet, no studies have examined the relationship between environmental phenolic compounds and parabens or their mixtures in relation to antioxidant enzyme activity in women of reproductive age. Methods Sixteen environmental phenols and parabens were measured in urine 2–5 times across two months of follow-up in 143 women aged 18–44 years. Four antioxidant enzymes, erythrocyte and plasma glutathione peroxidase (eGPx, pGPx), glutathione reductase (GSHR), superoxide dismutase (SOD) were measured in plasma. Linear mixed models were adjusted for age, body mass index, race, and creatinine and were weighted with inverse probability of exposure weights. Multi-chemical exposures were estimated using hierarchical principal component analysis (PCA). Results In line with our hypothesis that environmental phenols and parabens would be associated with decreased antioxidant enzymes, butyl, benzyl, ethyl, and propyl parabens were associated with lower levels of eGPx. Methyl paraben, 2,4-dichlorophenol and 2,5-dichlorophenol were associated with reduced SOD. 2,4,6-trichlorophenol was associated with increased levels of pGPx and GSHR. Several parabens were associated with modest decreases in eGPx and SOD, biomarkers of antioxidant defense. Increases in pGPx and GSHR were noted in relation to butyl and ethyl parabens. Co-exposures to parabens were associated with decreased eGPx (β = −1.08, 95% CI: −1.74, −0.43) in principal components mixed models, while co-exposure to benzophenones-3 and -1 were associated with increased eGPx (β = 0.92, 95% CI: 0.20, 1.64). Conclusion These findings indicate that nonpersistent chemicals altered antioxidant enzyme activity. Further human studies are necessary to delineate the relationship between environmental phenol and paraben exposures with erythrocyte and plasma activities of antioxidant enzymes.
Acute Paronychia and Felon

Acute paronychia and felon are two of the most common infections of the hand. Knowledge of digital anatomy is key for diagnosis and treatment. Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus has become an increasingly prevalent organism in these infections.