cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Decadal change in northern wetlands based on differential analysis of JERS and PALSAR data

We have been developing a continental-scale map of the North American boreal wetlands based on L-Band SAR imagery collected in 1997–1998 by the Japanese Earth Resources Satellite (JERS) [1]. The map currently covers the entire state of Alaska, identifying up to nine wetlands classes and two uplands classes. We have also recently obtained and classified a region of L-Band SAR imagery collected in 2007 by the Advanced Land Observing Satellite (ALOS) Phased Array L-Band SAR (PALSAR). Herein, we compare the results of the PALSAR classification to those of the JERS classification in order to detect changes in wetlands type or extent during the decade-long interval between the two sets of SAR imagery.
Adapting the floristic quality assessment index to indicate anthropogenic disturbance in central Pennsylvania wetlands

Abstract The floristic quality assessment index (FQAI) is an evaluation procedure that uses measures of ecological conservatism (expressed numerically as a coefficient of conservatism or C value) and richness of the native plant community to derive a score ( I ) that is an estimate of habitat quality. We evaluated the ability of the FQAI to indicate the level of anthropogenic disturbance in headwater wetlands in the Ridge and Valley physiographic province of central Pennsylvania. I scores were highly correlated with disturbance, with scores generally decreasing with increasing levels of disturbance. However, we found that I did not equally characterize sites with differing species richness. I scores were higher for sites with greater intrinsic native species, regardless of other influences on floristic quality. To eliminate sensitivity to species richness, we evaluated sites using mean conservatism values ( C ¯ ) and a variant of the I score (adjusted FQAI, hereafter cited as I ′) that considered both the contribution of non-native species and the intrinsic low species richness of high quality forested wetlands. C ¯ values were more highly correlated with disturbance than I scores; however, site assessments based on C ¯ values alone were misleading. I ′ scores were also more highly correlated with disturbance than I scores and were robust to differences in native species richness. Therefore, we offer I ′ as an improved formulation of the index that, in addition to serving as a useful condition assessment tool, addresses two problematic issues that have plagued the FQAI since its conception: the overwhelming influence of the species richness multiplier and the role of non-native species in floristic assessment.
Aging Affects Epidermal Growth Factor Receptor Phosphorylation and Traffic Kinetics

With increasing donor age, cultured human fibroblasts express fewer epidermal growth factor receptors and display decreased mitogenic responsiveness to epidermal growth factor. To determine age-associated differences in epidermal growth factor receptor phosphorylation and traffic kinetics, we studied in fibroblasts derived from donors of different ages autophosphorylation of the receptor after ligand binding and trafficking of the receptor-ligand complexes. We now report an age-associated delay in the rate of receptor phosphorylation after epidermal growth factor stimulation. Furthermore, receptor/ligand trafficking is affected by aging. There is an age-associated decrease and delay in the number of occupied receptors that are transported intracellularly and in their rate of clearance from the plasma membrane. Our data show that aging affects receptor/ligand activation and processing and suggest that the decreased cellular mitogenic response with aging may be, at least in part, the result of decrements in receptor activation and processing.
A computerized test battery for the assessment of cardiovascular reactivity

Recent evidence has suggested a possible relationship between the tendency to exhibit excessive cardiovascular reactions during psychological challenge and the risk of cardiovascular disease. Valid techniques for reliably assessing such reactions are, however, minimally available. A test battery for the assessment of cardiovascular reactivity to experimental challenge is currently being developed at the University of Pittsburgh in conjunction with the University of Miami and Duke University. An IBM-AT compatible microcomputer is being used for the concurrent collection of physiological data and presentation of the laboratory stressors. Digitized cardiovascular data being collected include EKG, Impedance Cardiogram (ICG), phonocardiogram, and a peripheral pulse wave measure. Blood pressure readings are also being collected and stored on disk. The computer presents three challenging video games, each designed to elicit cardiovascular reactions. Processing programs are being used and developed for the standardized scoring of the digitized signals. To assist in epidemiological research a mobile testing unit has been assembled for the easy administration of the test battery in varying geographical locations. The test battery being developed will increase the feasibility of epidemiological and clinical assessment of stress-induced cardiovascular responses which may substantiate a link between reactivity and cardiovascular disease.
FAULT STRUCTURES IN THE FOOTHILLS AND EASTERN ROCKY MOUNTAINS OF SOUTHERN ALBERTA

In the southwest part of Alberta, Canada, the eastern Rocky Mountains have been considered to be fault blocks in which most of the faults, as interpreted, remain separate at depth. In the adjoining foothills to the east of the mountains drill holes show that many faults join at depth into sole faults which in relatively incompetent beds closely follow bedding planes and in more competent beds diagonally cut across the bedding. This is step faulting as described by Rich in the southern Appalachians in which the faults are directly related to the beds that are intersected. Recent drilling in the Livingstone Range of Southern Alberta has shown that this mountain is composed of superimposed folded fault slices. It is believed that the folding resulted from the faulting and is not necessarily subsequent to the faulting as has been generally assumed. The eastern Rocky Mountains, as typified by the Livingstone Range, may be composed of superimposed folded fault slices rather than individual fault blocks as has been formerly thought.
Modulation of Autophagy-Like Processes by Tumor Viruses

Autophagy is an intracellular degradation pathway for long-lived proteins and organelles. This process is activated above basal levels upon cell intrinsic or environmental stress and dysregulation of autophagy has been linked to various human diseases, including those caused by viral infection. Many viruses have evolved strategies to directly interfere with autophagy, presumably to facilitate their replication or to escape immune detection. However, in some cases, modulation of autophagy appears to be a consequence of the virus disturbing the cell's metabolic signaling networks. Here, we summarize recent advances in research at the interface of autophagy and viral infection, paying special attention to strategies that human tumor viruses have evolved.
The Trouble with Chemical Energy: Why Understanding Bond Energies Requires an Interdisciplinary Systems Approach.

Helping students understand “chemical energy” is notoriously difficult. Many hold inconsistent ideas about what energy is, how and why it changes during the course of a chemical reaction, and how these changes are related to bond energies and reaction dynamics. There are (at least) three major sources for this problem: 1) the way biologists talk about chemical energy (which is also the way we talk about energy in everyday life); 2) the macroscopic approach to energy concepts that is common in physics and physical sciences; and 3) the failure of chemistry courses to explicitly link molecular with macroscopic energy ideas. From a constructivist perspective, it is unlikely that students can, without a coherent understanding of such a central concept, attain a robust and accurate understanding of new concepts. However, changes are on the horizon, guided by the increasing understanding that difficult concepts require coherent, well-designed learning progressions and the new National Research Council Framework for K–12 Science Education. We provide supporting evidence for our assertions and suggestions for an interdisciplinary learning progression designed to better approach the concept of bond energies, a first step in an understanding chemical energy and behavior of reaction systems that is central to biological systems.
Improving Student Performance in Organic Chemistry: Help Seeking Behaviors and Prior Chemistry Aptitude.

Organic Chemistry is perceived to be one of the most challenging of undergraduate science courses, and attrition from this course may impact decisions about pursuing a professional or academic career in the biomedical and related sciences. Research suggests that chemistry students who are strategic help seekers may outperform those students who avoid seeking help, and that encouraging self-regulated learning behaviors can benefit academically at-risk students. In the current study we present the results of action research conducted in an Organic Chemistry classroom at a large, urban, public university over the course of three semesters. Results suggest that encouraging academic help seeking, a type of self-regulated learning, improves student outcomes. Implications for other science courses and for similar student populations (underrepresented minorities and first generation to attend college) are discussed.
Corn stover as a biofuel feedstock in Iowa’s bio-economy: An Iowa farmer survey

The state of Iowa possesses the largest quantity of corn stover in the United States. With a representative survey we examine what Iowa crop farmers think about harvesting and selling corn stover and to what degree they may be interested in providing stover to a biorefinery. Iowa farmers are in an overall learning phase regarding corn stover yet believe that harvesting stover will require an increase in capital investment, additional managerial knowledge and a well-developed support infrastructure. The data suggests some degree of farmer ambivalence regarding what institutional support would be needed to facilitate market entry. Statewide, only 17% of Iowa’s farmers currently express interest in harvesting their stover; though 37% are undecided. The farmers who are interested in marketing stover tend to be: younger, will be farming in 10 years, are at least somewhat knowledgeable about stover, manage large amounts of land and have hectares currently in continuous corn rotations. Regionally, farmers in North Central, IA–the Iowa region with the highest capacity to produce corn stover–tended to be more interested in harvesting stover. Environmental concerns that appear to be important stover supply barriers as farmers who anticipate the negative impacts of corn stover removal on environmental quality tend to be less interested in harvesting corn stover. Overall, the results of this study strongly suggest that future supply assessments consider farmer participation more explicitly and forego arbitrary assumptions regarding farmer behavior as previous supply analyses may have overstated the proportion of farmers interested in harvesting stover.
The Ideological and Organizational Origins of the United Federation of Teachers’ Opposition to the Community Control Movement in the New York City Public Schools, 1960–1968

In The Strike That Changed New York, historian Gerald Podair argues that race was the fundamental issue that divided the city during the United Federation of Teachers’ (uft) strike that shut down the New York City public schools for weeks in the fall of 1968, idling more than a million students.1 Running along a black-white (or, more pointedly, a black-Jewish) binary, Podair’s analysis depicted the largely Jewish teachers union,2 led by Albert Shanker, in opposition to black militant (and increasingly black nationalist) elements in several poor communities in Brooklyn and Manhattan that supported community control and opposed the uft strike. Inflected by a then relatively new “whiteness” studies interpretation, Podair’s analysis of the uft’s success in winning the strike focused on its and Albert Shanker’s efforts to generate a
Association genetics of chilling injury susceptibility in peach (Prunus persica (L.) Batsch) across multiple years

Peach and nectarine (Prunus persica L.) are highly perishable; they ripen and deteriorate quickly at ambient temperature. Storage at low temperature (0–5 °C) is a common strategy used to slow the ripening processes and to extend shelf life. However, if susceptible varieties are held too long at a low temperature, they will not ripen properly and will develop chilling injury (CI) symptoms like mealiness (M), flesh browning (FB), and flesh bleeding (FBL). Understanding the genetic control of these traits to produce CI resistant cultivars will greatly benefit producers, shippers and consumers. In this study, we evaluated a population of 51 individuals from Pop-DG across 4 years with CI traits observed in one or two time points to detect molecular marker association with selected 960 single-nucleotide polymorphisms (SNPs) from 1,536 SNPs chip. Genotypic and phenotypic data were analyzed by general linear model and mixed linear model to see comparative results from both analyses. Among 960 SNPs used, 22 SNPs were found associated with CI susceptibility traits like M, FB, and FBL. Many SNP markers were located in or close to previously reported quantitative trait loci mapped by linkage analysis.
Reverse Temperature Dependence of Circuit Performance in High- $\kappa$ /Metal-Gate Technology

The temperature dependence of ring-oscillator delay of high-kappa /metal-gate (HKMG) and poly-Si/SiON technologies are analyzed. HKMG gate stacks drive significantly stronger threshold temperature dependence over poly-Si/SiON. This effect, together with the reduced mobility temperature sensitivity, result in higher drive current at elevated temperature for HKMG devices. This is in contrast to poly-Si/SiON technology where the low-driven current performance-limiting corner is typically at high temperature.
Inhaled corticosteroids: a controversial add-on treatment in COPD

To the Editors: Loke et al. 1 provide an excellent meta-analysis of the risk of cardiovascular events (CVEs) associated with inhaled corticosteroids (ICSs) in patients with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) 1. In their editorial, Sin and Man 2 point out that the incidence of CVEs was very low, and I am also concerned that the available trials do not provide a definitive answer because of the way in which CVEs were ascertained. The only trial that explicitly ascertained CVEs as a cause of death and verified them using an adjudication committee was the TOwards …
Rodrigo's Committee Assignment: A Skeptical Look at Judicial Independence

Is judicial independence, that much-vaunted ideal, an empty paired platitude lacking much in the way of cash value? My young friend Rodrigo Crenshaw presents eight doubts about this value, which is a mainstay of a type of liberal evangelizing.
Suppression of Isoproterenol-Induced Hyperglycemia by Ethanol

SummaryEthanol inhibited markedly the hyperglycemic response to isoproterenol in the fasted rat, whereas the hyperglycemic response to epinephrine was not changed significantly. Since ethanol is a potent inhibitor of gluconeogenesis, these data give support to the suggestion that isoproterenol produces its hyperglycemic effect in the fasted rat by mechanisms involving gluconeogenesis. Furthermore, this work suggests that isoproterenol-induced hyperglycemia in the fasted rat may provide an animal model for testing other inhibitors of gluconeogenesis.
Effect of IP-10 on Th1/Th2 cytokines in the model of allergic contact dermatitis

Objective: To study the function of interferon-inducible protein-10(IP-10) in ACD through observing its effect on Thl/Th2 cytokines.Methods: The ACD mouse model was established with 2,4-dinitrochlorobenzene(DNCB).After the separation and purification of spleen lymphocytes from mice,spleen lymphocyte was co-cultured with IP-10.RT-RCR was used to detect the mRNA of IFN-γ and IL-4.2-△△CT method was used to analyze the difference of IFN-γ and IL-4 mRNA among the four groups.Results: Compared with the control group,20 and 100 ng/ml concentration groups of IP-10 could remarkably promote the expression of IFN-γ in vitro culture CD4+T cell of ACD mouse(P 0.01,P 0.05),while there was no significant difference between the 10 ng/ml concentration group of IP-10 and control group.There was significant difference among three different concentration groups of IP-10 in their promoting the expression of IFN-γ in vitro culture CD4+ T cell(P 0.01,P 0.05);There was no significant difference among the three different concentration groups of IP-10 on the expression of IL-4 in vitro culture CD4+T cell,as well as when they compared with the control group(P﹥0.05).Conclusion: IP-10 may play an important role in the imbalance between Th1 and Th2 by inducing the expression of IFN-γ,which promotes the development of ACD.
Crafting Effective Child Abuse Prevention Systems: A Legacy of Vision

Throughout his career, Henry Kempe operated well ahead of what others were thinking. This was particularly true in the area of child abuse prevention. While guided by empirical evidence, Dr. Kempe based his policy recommendations not simply on what was known but also on a keen sense of social justice. As he outlined in a 1976 article on prevention, he envisioned a universal system of home health visitors for new parents that would prevent child abuse by providing children a gateway to effective comprehensive health care and support. He viewed such support as a child’s right, and society had the responsibility to work with parents to see it was secured. This article contrasts Dr. Kempe’s bold vision of prevention with the home visiting structure outlined in the Maternal, Infant and Early Childhood Home Visitation (MIECHV) program passed by Congress in 2010.
Management of Children With School Problems

SUMMARY AND CONCLUSIONS It is important to bear in mind that identical symptoms can be due to a variety of causes. Restless children with poor school behavior and learning difficulties may be suffering from environmental stresses, psychological problems such as neurotic depressive and anxiety states, or from neurological disorders, including minimal brain dysfunction. It is vitally important to make an accurate assessment of the child to determine the cause of the symptoms in order to institute appropriate treatment. Primary care physicians often can eliminate environmental causes of children's school problems, and provide information and help with feelings about environmental conditions which have to be endured by the child. In the case of children with inner problems, the primary care physician can often overcome the parents' resistance to seek help and successfully refer the child for a psychiatric evaluation. This may require discussing with parents their fears that only “crazy people” are sent to psychiatrists. Parents who feel compelled to handle emotional problems without outside help can be reminded that this is no more logical than to feel they should remove their child's appendix or treat his pneumonia by themselves. The primary care physician is in a unique position to coordinate efforts of various disciplines working with children who suffer from learning disabilities or minimal brain dysfunction, and to insist that these children get more help than merely a trial on medication. Special educational measures are usually needed and parent counselling can often be most effectively done by the child's physician whom the parents know and trust. When the child has developed secondary emotional problems, he should have psychotherapy.
Crystal Structure of the Apicoplast DNA Polymerase from Plasmodium falciparum: The First Look at a Plastidic A-Family DNA Polymerase.

Abstract Plasmodium falciparum , the primary cause of malaria, contains a non-photosynthetic plastid called the apicoplast. The apicoplast exists in most members of the phylum Apicomplexa and has its own genome along with organelle-specific enzymes for its replication. The only DNA polymerase found in the apicoplast (apPOL) was putatively acquired through horizontal gene transfer from a bacteriophage and is classified as an atypical A-family polymerase. Here, we present its crystal structure at a resolution of 2.9 A. P. falciparum apPOL, the first structural representative of a plastidic A-family polymerase, diverges from typical A-family members in two of three previously identified signature motifs and in a region not implicated by sequence. Moreover, apPOL has an additional N-terminal subdomain, the absence of which severely diminishes its 3ʹ to 5ʹ exonuclease activity. A compound known to be toxic to Plasmodium is a potent inhibitor of apPOL, suggesting that apPOL is a viable drug target. The structure provides new insights into the structural diversity of A-family polymerases and may facilitate structurally guided antimalarial drug design.
Numerical computations and laboratory measurements of electromagnetic scattering

Solving the energy-budget and optical characterization problems formulated in Section 1.4 relies on one's ability to: • compute the time-averaged Poynting vector and/or • model theoretically the net signal recorded by a (polarimetric) WCR. To accomplish either task one usually needs a direct computer solver of the MMEs. This solver may be required, for example, to calculate the spatial distribution of the Poynting vector inside a densely packed particulate medium, or to compute the extinction and phase matrices needed to analyze the reading of a far-field WCR. Depending on the complexity and size of the scattering object (cf. Plate 1.1), direct computer solvers of the MMEs can become inefficient and may need to be replaced with a well-characterized and manageable approximate solution. For example, we will see in Chapter 19 that certain observable manifestations of scattering by a large random group of sparsely distributed particles, as well as its electromagnetic energy budget can be quantified by solving the so-called radiative transfer equation. However, two key quantities entering this equation, the single-particle extinction and phase matrices averaged over all particle micro-physical states ξ, must still be calculated by using a numerical solver of the MMEs. We have seen that the same is true of the FOSA derived in Chapter 14 for a small group of randomly and sparsely distributed particles observed from a sufficiently large distance.
Self-dual Artin representations of dimension three

Abstract We give an unconditional proof that self-dual Artin representations of Q of dimension 3 have density 0 among all Artin representations of Q of dimension 3. Previously this was known under the assumption of Malle's Conjecture.
Magneto-thermal modeling of biological tissues: A step towards breast cancer detection

In this paper, a new breast cancer detection method that combines thermography and high frequency imaging techniques is presented. The proposed method uses the distribution and variation of the temperature on the breast surface in order to estimate the location and size of a breast malignant tissue (a cancerous tumor). First, breast tissue is excited with a printed dipole antenna array following which an electromagnetic analysis is conducted. Next, the heat equation is used to estimate the distribution of surface temperature. Simulation results show that both the temperature and the specific absorption rate (SAR) increases as the tumor gets bigger or closer to the surface. Finally, thermal responses (such as temperature distribution on the skin and its change during time) and electromagnetic responses (such as transmission and reflection s-parameters) are employed to estimate the size and location of the tumor.
Inference of cell type specific regulatory networks on mammalian lineages

Transcriptional regulatory networks are at the core of establishing cell type specific gene expression programs. In mammalian systems, such regulatory networks are determined by multiple levels of regulation, including by transcription factors, chromatin environment, and three-dimensional organization of the genome. Recent efforts to measure diverse regulatory genomic datasets across multiple cell types and tissues offer unprecedented opportunities to examine the context-specificity and dynamics of regulatory networks at a greater resolution and scale than before. In parallel, numerous computational approaches to analyze these data have emerged that serve as important tools for understanding mammalian cell type specific regulation. In this article, we review recent computational approaches to predict the expression and sequence-based regulators of a gene's expression level and examine long-range gene regulation. We highlight promising approaches, insights gained, and open challenges that need to be overcome to build a comprehensive picture of cell type specific transcriptional regulatory networks.
Cenozoic Muricidae of the Western Atlantic Region Part X- The Subfamily Muricopsinae

The muricid subfamily Muricopsinae includes a total of 88 named taxa, of which 7 4 are considered valid. This number includes 12 new species described herein, from either fossil or living material in the western Atlantic. There are ten genus groups recognized: six genera and four subgenera, with a maximum of 20 to a minimum of one species included in each. New species described include three from the Early Miocene Chipola Formation: Muricopsis (Muricopsis) shirleyae, ?Murexsul nanissimus, and Murexiella (Murexiella) parvula. There are four Recent species: Muricopsis (Muricopsis) josei and Muricopsis (Muricopsis) marcusi, both from Brazil; Muricopsis (Muricopsis) perexigua, from the Caribbean and the Bahama Islands; and Favartia (Favartia) barbarae, from off Yucatan, Mexico. The other new species are: Murexsul comptulus, Waccamaw Formation, South Carolina; Murexsul amphilogos, Moin Formation, Costa Rica; Murexiella (Murexiella) petuchi, Pinecrest beds, Florida; Murexiella (Murexiella) stephensae, (?)Tamiami Formation, Florida; and Favartia (Caribiella) carmenae, (?)Medias Aguas Formation, Veracruz, Mexico. An additional nine forms are cited only as "sp.," making a total of 83 taxa treated systematically in this report.
Secretory pathway Ca2+-ATPases promote in vitro microcalcifications in breast cancer cells

Calcification of the breast is often an outward manifestation of underlying molecular changes that drive carcinogenesis. Up to 50% of all non-palpable breast tumors and 90% of ductal carcinoma in situ present with radiographically dense mineralization in mammographic scans. However, surprisingly little is known about the molecular pathways that lead to microcalcifications in the breast. Here, we report on a rapid and quantitative in vitro assay to monitor microcalcifications in breast cancer cell lines, including MCF7, MDA-MB-231, and Hs578T. We show that the Secretory Pathway Ca2+ -ATPases SPCA1 and SPCA2 are strongly induced under osteogenic conditions that elicit microcalcifications. SPCA gene expression is significantly elevated in breast cancer subtypes that are associated with microcalcifications. Ectopic expression of SPCA genes drives microcalcifications and is dependent on pumping activity. Conversely, knockdown of SPCA expression significantly attenuates formation of microcalcifications. We propose that high levels of SPCA pumps may initiate mineralization in the secretory pathway by elevating luminal Ca2+ . Our new findings offer mechanistic insight and functional implications on a widely observed, yet poorly understood radiographic signature of breast cancer.
Neurological Complications of Sarcomas

Sarcomas are malignant tumors that are derived from mesenchymal cells and can originate from a large variety of tissues including bone, muscle, fat, cartilage, and peripheral nerves. They are a heterogeneous group of tumors that account for approximately 1% of cancers overall. Sarcomas rarely involve the central nervous system (CNS), and when they do, treatment options are often limited due to poor CNS penetration of many conventional chemotherapy drugs. Sarcomas can also cause neurologic complications when occurring outside of the CNS depending on proximity to peripheral nerves or through paraneoplastic syndromes.
Iterative volume of interest based 4D cone-beam CT

Purpose 4D cone-beam CT (CBCT) has potential applications in soft tissue alignment and tumor motion verification at the time of radiation treatment. However, prominent streak artifacts with conventional image reconstructions have limited its clinical use and alternative reconstructions are generally too computationally expensive for the time available. We propose an iterative volume of interest based (I4D VOI) reconstruction technique, where 4D reconstruction is only performed within a VOI, to limit streak artifacts with limited added computation time. Methods The I4D VOI technique is compared to standard cone-beam filtered back projection (FDK), an FDK VOI technique, and unconstrained total variation (TV) minimization by comparing tumor motion quantification errors and image quality. 14 long CBCT scans (6.5 to 12 minutes) of patients receiving radiation treatment for lung cancer were used for the comparison. Rigid registration between phase images of FDK reconstructions using all projections were used to quantify the gold standard motion. Projections were removed to simulate 2 minute scans and these new projection sets were used for each of the test reconstructions. Results Excluding 2 patients where registration failed, the average root mean square (RMS) error for each method was as follows: 1.5 ± 0.2 mm for FDK, 1.4 ± 0.2 mm for FDK VOI, 1.3 ± 0.2 mm for I4D VOI, 1.7 ± 0.4 mm for low regularization TV minimization, and 1.1 ± 0.2 mm for high regularization TV minimization. No significant difference was observed between RMS error for I4D VOI and the other methods, except for unsmoothed FDK VOI (p=0.02). An increase in RMS error difference between I4D VOI and smoothed FDK VOI was observed going from 2 minute to 1 minute scans (0.1 mm to 0.3 mm, p=0.20 to p=0.09). Conclusions I4D VOI and FDK VOI reconstruction measured tumor trajectories with equivalent accuracy as TV minimization with improved bony anatomy image quality and computation time (I4D VOI was approximately 15 and 95 times faster than low and high regularization TV minimization, respectively). Within the VOI, streak artifact reduction compared to FDK VOI may be beneficial for tumor visualization and motion measurement, but requires further study. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.
Validation of Scores from the High School Version of the Self-Efficacy to Teach Statistics Instrument Using Preservice Mathematics Teachers.

Recently adopted state standards for middle grades and high school mathematics content have an increased emphasis on statistical topics. With this change, teacher education programs may need to ada...
Vasoproliferation in the Neonatal Dog Model of Oxygen- Induced Retinopathy

Purpose. To examine the time course and relative degree of proliferative response associated with revascularization after hyperoxic insult in the dog model of oxygen-induced retinopathy. Methods. Mitotic cell profiles (MCPs) were counted in serial cross-sections of ADPase flatembedded retinas of air-reared control 8-, 15-, and 22-day-old dogs and of age-matched oxygentreated animals (4 days, 100% oxygen) after return to normoxia. Sectioning and analysis were performed along the radial axis of the forming primary vasculature from optic nerve head to periphery. Results. In air-reared control animals, lumenal-associated cell mitosis was low, with an average of 9.6 MCPs/mm 2 of nerve fiber layer tissue in the 8-day-old dogs, 6.5 MCPs/mm 2 in the 15day-old dogs, and 8.4 MCPs/mm 2 in the 22-day-old dogs. In oxygen-treated animals, however, the number of lumenal-associated MCPs was significantly higher, with an average of 52.5 MCPs/mm 2 of tissue in the 8-day-old dogs, 45.1 MCPs/mm 2 in the 15-day-old dogs, and 26.8 2 in the 22-day-old dogs. Additionally, extracellular spaces in avascular retina were obliterated in oxygen-treated animals. Conclusions. This study demonstrates that in the neonatal dog, revascularization after hyperoxic insult involves a period of marked vasoproliferation that peaks somewhere between 3 to 10 days after return to room air. Oxygen-induced changes in the extravascular milieu are likely to affect the pattern of reforming vasculature and may restrict growth anteriorly. Invest Ophthalmol Vis Sci. 1996;37:1322-1333.
Engineering enzymes for noncanonical amino acid synthesis.

The standard proteinogenic amino acids grant access to a myriad of chemistries that harmonize to create life. Outside of these twenty canonical protein building blocks are countless noncanonical amino acids (ncAAs), either found in nature or created by man. Interest in ncAAs has grown as research has unveiled their importance as precursors to natural products and pharmaceuticals, biological probes, and more. Despite their broad applications, synthesis of ncAAs remains a challenge, as poor stereoselectivity and low functional-group compatibility stymie effective preparative routes. The use of enzymes has emerged as a versatile approach to prepare ncAAs, and nature's enzymes can be engineered to synthesize ncAAs more efficiently and expand the amino acid alphabet. In this tutorial review, we briefly outline different enzyme engineering strategies and then discuss examples where engineering has generated new ‘ncAA synthases’ for efficient, environmentally benign production of a wide and growing collection of valuable ncAAs.
Techno-economic Analysis of An Off Grid Hybrid Renewable Energy System for Hydrogen Production

The use of renewable energy sources (RESs) such as photovoltaic (PV) and wind energy is one of the promising ways for the decentralized and centralized clean hydrogen (H2) production. In such case, both on and off grid hybrid renewable hydrogen production system (HRHPS) can be used. In this study, off grid HRHPS is completely modeled and investigated from the techno-economic point of view. This system consists of a PV array and wind turbine for clean energy generation. This energy is fed to the electrolyser for hydrogen production. HRHPS includes a lead-acid battery bank as an energy storage system (ESS). In the economic analysis, net present cost (NPC) method is used to determine the total annual cost (AC T ) and cost of energy (COE). Furthermore, cost of hydrogen (COH) is equally calculated based on the total annual cost and the amount of hydrogen produced. At the optimal design of HRHPS, the values of COE and COH are 0.47 $/kWh and 26.56 $/kg.
Superior Capsular Reconstruction With the Addition of an Acromial Acellular Dermal Allograft Spacer

Abstract Superior capsular reconstruction has emerged as a promising technique in the treatment of massive irreparable rotator cuff tears. The technical aspects of the surgery continue to evolve, and scientific studies to evaluate these techniques are emerging. One such area of interest concerns the appropriate thickness of the graft and its role as a spacer. The original description of the graft was an autograft tensor fascia lata, which was folded to achieve a thickness of around 8 mm. It has been demonstrated that an 8-mm graft is superior biomechanically to a 4-mm graft, which exceeds the typical human dermal allograft thickness. Herein we describe a technique in which an acellular human dermal allograft was used to perform a superior capsular reconstruction and the remainder of the graft was used to resurface the undersurface of the acromion. This modification of the technique allows for arthroscopic acromial resurfacing, as well as effectively doubling the thickness of the spacer function of the graft. The technique and justification are described in detail, and this has become the senior author's standard approach to the massive irreparable rotator cuff tear in patients with Hamada stages 2 and 3.
High risk clinical characteristics for pyogenic spinal infection in acute neck or back pain: Prospective cohort study

Abstract Objective To identify clinical characteristics associated with pyogenic spinal infection among adults presenting to a community emergency department (ED) with neck or back pain. A secondary objective was to describe the frequency of these characteristics among patients with spinal epidural abscess (SEA). Methods We conducted a prospective cohort study in a community ED enrolling adults with neck or back pain in whom the ED provider had clinical concern for pyogenic spinal infection. Study phase 1 (Jan 2004–Mar 2010) included patients with and without pyogenic spinal infection. Phase 2 (Apr 2010–Aug 2018) included only patients with pyogenic spinal infection. We performed univariate and multivariate analyses for association of clinical characteristics with pyogenic spinal infection. Results We enrolled 232 and analyzed 223 patients, 89 of whom had pyogenic spinal infection. The median age was 55 years and 102 patients (45.7%) were male. The clinical characteristics associated with pyogenic spinal infection on multivariate analysis of study phase 1 included recent soft tissue infection or bacteremia (OR 13.5, 95% CI 3.6 to 50.7), male sex (OR 5.0, 95% CI 2.5 to 10.0), and fever in the ED or prior to arrival (OR 2.8, 95% CI 1.3 to 6.0). Among patients with SEA (n = 61), 49 (80.3%) had at least one historical risk factor, 12 (19.7%) had fever in the ED, and 8 (13.1%) had a history of intravenous drug use. Conclusion Male sex, fever, and recent soft tissue infection or bacteremia were associated with pyogenic spinal infection in this prospective ED cohort.
Pharmacokinetics of chloramphenicol base in horses and comparison to compounded formulations.

Chloramphenicol is commonly used in horses; however, there are no studies evaluating the pharmacokinetics of veterinary canine-approved tablets. Studies using different formulations and earlier analytical techniques led to concerns over low bioavailability in horses. Safety concerns about human health have led many veterinarians to prescribe compounded formulations that are already in suspension or paste form. The objective of this study was to evaluate the pharmacokinetics of approved chloramphenicol tablets in horses, along with compounded preparations. The hypothesis was that chloramphenicol has low absorption and a short half-life in horses leading to low serum concentrations and that compounded preparations have lower relative bioavailability. Seven horses were administered chloramphenicol tablets (50 mg/kg orally). In a crossover design, they were administered two compounded preparations to compare all three formulations at the same dose (50 mg/kg). Cmax was 5.25 ± 4.07 μg/ml at 4.89 hr, 4.96 ± 3.31 μg/ml at 4.14 hr, and 3.84 ± 2.96 μg/ml at 4.39 hr for the tablets, paste, and suspension, respectively. Elimination half-life was 2.65 ± 0.75, 3.47 ± 1.47, and 4.36 ± 4.54 hr for tablets, paste, and suspension, respectively. The AUC0→∞ was 17.93 ± 7.69, 16.25 ± 1.85, and 14.00 ± 5.47 hr*μg/ml for the tablets, compounded paste, and compounded suspension, respectively. Relative bioavailability of compounded suspension and paste was 78.1% and 90.6%. Cmax after administration of all formulations did not reach the recommended MIC target of 8 μg/ml set by the Clinical Laboratory Standards Institute (CLSI) for most bacteria. Multidose studies are warranted, but the low serum concentrations suggest that bacteria with MIC values lower than CLSI recommendations should be targeted in adult horses.
Characteristics and Stability of Incidental Iron Oxide Nanoparticles during Remediation of a Mining-Impacted Stream.

Acid mine drainage (AMD) produces nanoparticulate Fe oxides and sorbed toxic metals, such as Cu and Zn. As an indirect product of human activity, these Fe oxides can be classified as incidental nanoparticles (INPs) and their colloidal aggregates. Research in nanoparticle fate and transport has advanced with the development of single particle inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry (spICP-MS), but AMD INPs have received little attention. We examined the characteristics and abundance of Fe oxide INPs in an AMD-impacted stream over the first 6 months of remediation. Fe and Cu INP concentrations were approximately 107 and 105 particles mL–1, before and after treatment, respectively. Overall, ∼4 Cu-containing INPs were counted for every 100 Fe-containing INPs. We also studied surface chemistry changes during the treatment period using hematite, a model Fe INP, suspended in filtered field waters. Changes in zeta potential and INP size, measured by dynamic light scattering, support that the contaminated stream chemistry (low pH, high ionic strength) promoted rapid aggregation while improved water quality favored stability. However, the water chemistry and INP stability during snowmelt were additionally impacted by electrolyte dilution, the addition of dissolved organic matter, and physical scouring. By linking field measurements to laboratory experiments, this work explores the effects of surface chemistry on AMD-generated INP behavior before and during remediation in a hydrologically dynamic alpine stream. To our knowledge, this is the first investigation of remediation effects on AMD INPs and the first use of spICP-MS as a technique to measure them.
Assessing the function of geophagy in a Malagasy rain forest lemur

Geophagy has been observed in nearly every long‐term study of folivorous primates. Yet despite frequent observations of this behavior, conclusive explanations for soil consumption remain ambiguous. This study tests the most frequently proposed hypotheses for geophagy using data collected on the geophagic behavior of the Milne‐Edwards’ sifaka (Propithecus edwardsi) living in two forests with varying levels of disturbance within Ranomafana National Park, Madagascar. Field data were collected from December 2002 to November 2003, during which time soil samples were collected for mineral analyses from 102 sites selected for geophagy and 42 control sites at which no geophagy was recorded. Results indicate that control soils differ significantly between the two study sites and that this difference is primarily attributable to varying levels of habitat disturbance. The frequency of soil consumption also does not vary significantly by sex or between logged and unlogged habitats. Soil consumption significantly correlated with fruit/seed consumption overall, but to a lesser degree in logged compared with unlogged sites. Clay minerals found in soils likely prevent absorption of dietary toxins in the gut and/or may mediate gut pH. This provides strong evidence for the protection hypothesis for geophagy, which may be especially important in areas where logging, or other forms of habitat disturbance, has been experienced. Abstract in French is available with online material.
Stability of Human-in-the-Loop Multiagent Systems with Time Delays

We study a group of agents with linear time-invariant (LTI) dynamics commanded by a human operator with a general LTI model and a reaction time-delay. Under remote operation, the human receives time-delayed information from a subset of the agents, and commands, under another time-delay, the same or a different subset of the agents. Stability of this human-in-the-loop multiagent system is next studied both in “time-domain” and “frequency-domain”, specifically to investigate how the system network graph affects the largest delay tolerable before losing stability. In a case study, system stability is shown to hold for larger delays in graphs with fewer edges than in a strongly-connected graph.
A population-based case-control study of glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) gene polymorphisms and risk of breast cancer

4917 It has been suggested that oxidative stress play an important role in breast cancer carcinogenesis. Glutathione peroxidase 1 (GPX1) is involved in the detoxification of hydrogen peroxide, and is one of the most important antioxidant enzymes in humans. Several putative function polymorphisms of the GPX1 gene have been reported. Among them, Pro198Leu, Ala repeat polymorphisms in the coding region and +2C/T polymorphism in the non-coding region are known to decrease GPX1 enzyme activity and transcriptional activity. We evaluated these three functional polymorphisms in association with breast cancer risk using data from the Shanghai Breast Cancer Study, a population-based case-control study conducted in urban Shanghai during 1996 to 1998. Included in this study were 1134 cases and 1230 age-matched community controls who had completed the in-person interview and donated a blood sample to the study. Pro198Leu, Ala repeat, and +2C/T polymorphisms are in strong linkage disequilibrium. The minor allele frequencies of these polymorphisms among controls are low, with Ala5 = 0.075, Ala6 = 0.005, 198Leu = 0.065, and +2T = 0.073. None of the polymorphisms showed a statistically significant association with breast cancer risk. TT genotype of +2C/T polymorphisms was associated with a non-significantly increased breast cancer risk (OR=1.6, 95% CI=0.7-3.4). Analysis combining three polymorphisms did not reveal a significant association with breast cancer risk. No apparent interaction between these polymorphisms and antioxidant intake was found. Results of this study suggest that the three GPX1 gene polymorphisms understudy do not play a major role in the etiology of breast cancer among Chinese women.
The Politics of Transgender Asylum and Detention

Immigration procedures related to asylum and detention are based on sex/gender binaries. Such binaries frame the bodies of undocumented transgender asylum seekers as unintelligible to immigration l...
THE GREAT MIMICKER: AN UNUSUAL CASE OF CARDIAC AMYLOIDOSIS PRESENTING AS HYPERTROPHIC CARDIOMYOPATHY WITH DYNAMIC OBSTRUCTION

Cardiac amyloidosis is an infiltrative cardiomyopathy with high morbidity and mortality. A 69 year-old lady presented with exertional dyspnea, light headedness, lower extremity swelling, & 20-pound weight gain over six months. Trans-thoracic echocardiography with provocation maneuver showed dynamic
The conundrum of contrast-induced acute kidney injury

More than sixty years have elapsed since contrast induced nephropathy (CIN) was first described in the medical literature. This term has since been extensively explored, with a variety of studies conducted to investigate its incidence and various mechanisms examined to explain its pathophysiology. However, the topic of CIN remains one of controversy with a widely variable and often questionable incidence derived from various studies. The past two decades have seen a surge in reports questioning the existing of CIN altogether and if more harm is actually being caused to patients out of fear of this potential complication. We have attempted to review relevant studies regarding CIN and highlight the key points of its surmised understanding. The review has a higher focus on more recent literature and updates, in order to determine if an accurate estimate can be made on the incidence of CIN. While there was certainly no lack of material available, practically all the studies reviewed were limited by one or more significant drawbacks that limited the reliability of their conclusions regarding CIN. Based on the information reviewed, the strengths and the flaws encountered in other studies can be used to design a randomized control trial that may help in concluding the longstanding debate on this topic. However due to time, financial, and perhaps even ethical constraints such a trial will be difficult to arrange, and so a definitive answer on CI-AKI, and whether it really exist, may continue to elude clinicians.