cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Comparative out-of-hospital mortality of long-acting opioids prescribed for non-cancer pain: A retrospective cohort study.

Purpose Despite significant growth of opioid prescriptions, only limited data are available regarding the comparative safety of long-acting opioids for chronic non-cancer pain. Recent data suggest that transdermal fentanyl and oxycodone CR may have greater toxicity than morphine SR in patients with non-cancer pain. Thus, we compared the risk of out-of-hospital deaths in patients with non-cancer pain filling prescriptions for transdermal fentanyl or oxycodone CR with that for morphine SR. Methods We conducted a retrospective cohort study in 50 658 patients enrolled in Tennessee Medicaid who filled prescriptions for transdermal fentanyl (n = 8717), oxycodone CR (n = 14 118), or morphine SR (n = 27 823) between 1999 and 2011. We excluded individuals with cancer or other life-threatening diagnoses and used propensity scores to adjust for multiple potential confounders. The primary outcome was out-of-hospital mortality. Results During 44 385 person-years of follow-up, 689 patients died. The out-of-hospital mortality rate among all study subjects was 155/10 000 patient-years. Contrary to earlier data suggesting greater risk, mortality was not significantly different in patients filling prescriptions for transdermal fentanyl compared with morphine SR (adjusted HR = 0.96, 95% C.I.: 0.77-1.21); moreover, patients filling prescriptions for oxycodone CR had lower mortality risk compared with those filling prescriptions for morphine SR (adjusted HR = 0.79, 95% C.I. 0.66-0.95). Conclusion In the study population, long-acting opioids for non-cancer pain were associated with high out-of-hospital mortality rates. We found comparable out-of-hospital mortality risks associated with transdermal fentanyl and morphine SR. The risk of out-of-hospital death for oxycodone CR was lower than that for morphine SR.
Void spot assay: recommendations on the use of a simple micturition assay for mice.

Investigators have for decades used mouse voiding patterns as end points for studying behavioral biology. It is only recently that mouse voiding patterns were adopted for study of lower urinary tra...
Transcriptional profiling of irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) in a mouse model identifies specific patterns of gene expression and immune-regulation

Abstract Background Irritant contact dermatitis (ICD) is a cutaneous inflammatory response to a variety of triggers that requires no sensitization and accounts for up to 80% of occupational dermatitis cases. IL-6 has been alternately associated with both allergic and irritant dermatitis and is closely linked to skin wound healing, therefore making it an ideal candidate to investigate in the mechanism of ICD. Results Despite being a well-known pro-inflammatory cytokine, IL-6 deficient (IL-6KO) mice show much more severe ICD than controls. Transcriptome analysis was employed to examine irritant-exposed and control skin samples from C57BL/6 and IL-6KO mice. Over 1900 transcripts were found differentially modulated between C57 (1184 total) and IL-6KO (802 total) mice with the magnitude of expression significantly disparate. Overall gene ontology revealed metabolic and cellular enriched functional processes but numerous pro-inflammatory and immune associated genes (Cxcl2, Cxcl3, Cxcl5, Acod, Hamp, c-Lectins, for example), keratin associated genes (Krt6b and various Krtaps), and members of the Sprr and Lce family, which promote skin barrier integrity and keratinocyte functions, were also differentially modulated. Conclusions The altered expression of these genes may provide a potential mechanism to explain the increased ICD severity in IL-6-deficient mice. Overall, this study offers new insight into the pathogenesis of ICD, indicates new mediators/biomarkers that may influence the variability of responses to irritants and provides potential targets for therapeutic development.
Biofeedback for pelvic floor muscle training in women with stress urinary incontinence: a systematic review with meta-analysis.

Abstract Background Several clinical effects have been attributed to the use of biofeedback (BF) as an adjuvant in the treatment of women with stress urinary incontinence (SUI). Objectives To determine whether BF is more effective than other interventions for women with SUI in terms of quantification of urine leakage, episodes of urinary loss, quality of life and muscle strength. Data sources Science Direct, Embase, MEDLINE, Pedro, SciELO, CINAHL and LILACS from January 2000 to February 2017. Study selection Randomised controlled trials (RCTs) addressing the effects of pelvic muscle floor training (PFMT) with BF for the conservative treatment of women with SUI. Data extraction and data synthesis Two independent assessors extracted data from articles. The risk of bias for individual studies was assessed using the Jadad scale and Physiotherapy Evidence Database (PEDro) scale. Mean differences (MD) and 95% confidence intervals were calculated and combined in meta-analyses. Results In total, 1194 studies were retrieved and 11 were included in this review. Only two RCTs demonstrated a low risk of bias according to the PEDro scale. The results demonstrated that PFMT with BF was no better than alternative interventions in terms of muscle strength measured using a perineometer. Limitations Low methodological quality of studies, heterogeneity of outcomes, and differences in implementation of intervention protocols and BF modalities. Conclusions PFMT with BF does not offer therapeutic benefits over alternative interventions (no training, PFMT alone and vaginal electrical stimulation) for the treatment of female SUI. Systematic review registration number PROSPERO CRD42017060780.
Minimally invasive tubular retractor-assisted biopsy and resection of subcortical intra-axial gliomas and other neoplasms.

Background Deep-seated, subcortical tumors represent a surgical challenge. The traditional approach to these lesions involve large craniotomies, fixed retractor systems, and extensive white matter dissection, each with their own associated morbidity. We describe our experience with the use of tubular retractors for accessing these deep-seated lesions. Methods Fifty consecutive patients operated on for an intra-axial brain tumor (both biopsies and resection) from January 2016 to December 2017 by a single surgeon using tubular retractors with exoscopic visualization were prospectively identified and included in this consecutive case series. Results Thirty-five patients (70%) underwent surgical resection and 15 (30%) underwent excisional biopsy for tumors located a median (interquartile range [IQR]) distance of 5.4 (4.5-6.1) cm below the cortical surface within the thalamus and/or basal ganglia in 12 (24%), centrum semiovale in 17 (34%), cerebellar in 8 (16%), peri-Rolandic in 6 (12%), visual tracts in 5 (10%), and intraventricular in 2 (4%). The median IQR percent resection was 100 (95-100)% and all patients had diagnostic tissue. Pathology was high grade glioma in 30 (60%), metastatic in 14 (28%), and cavernoma in 2 (4%). The postoperative median IQR KPS was 80 (80-90), where 18 (36%) had improved, 29 (58%) stable, and 3 (6%) worsened KPS as compared to preoperatively. Conclusions The tubular retractor is a useful tool in the armamentarium of brain tumor surgery, and the exoscope provides an ergonomic means of visualizing the surgical field. It is meant to be used as a tool to access and resect deep-seated lesions while preserving and displacing superficial white matter tracts and cortical regions, provide a protected corridor to minimize inadvertent tissue injury during the resection, and circumferential tissue retraction to minimize risk of ischemia and damage to white matter tracts. As with any procedure, there is a learning curve with this surgical adjunct.
The Strategy in Competitive Interactions

This paper reviews, discusses, and expands the “core guidance” definition of strategy as “the smallest set of choices to optimally guide (or force) other choices.” It first discusses what this defi...
TAMIS: Indications and Contraindications

Transanal minimally invasive surgery (TAMIS) is gaining increasing recognition worldwide as an economical alternative to transanal endoscopic microsurgery (TEM). Like TEM, it offers improved visualization in the confined space of the anus and rectum. However, the TAMIS platform is easier to employ. It can be used for local excision of benign neoplasia of the rectum. In addition, TAMIS can be used for the local excision of very select, early-stage invasive rectal cancer, as well as the excision of other, rare neoplasms including gastrointestinal stromal tumors and carcinoid tumors. In appropriately selected patients, local excision via TAMIS can lead to increased rates of organ preservation, without compromising oncologic outcomes. In this chapter we will review the indications and contraindications to the use of TAMIS for local excision.
Living Within The Veil: How Black Mothers with Daughters Attending Predominantly White Schools Experience Racial Battle Fatigue When Combating Racial Microaggressions

Using data from a mixed methods study with suburban Detroit, middle-class mothers as participants, we explore the relationship between racial microaggressions and the racial battle fatigue experienced by Black mothers with young daughters attending predominantly White schools. We find that Black mothers are regularly subjected to racial microaggressions by the White teachers, administrators, and parents with whom they interact. When experiencing slights, insults, and indignities, mothers report taking direct action—borne from African American motherwork—to combat the racial microaggressions. In the context of predominantly White schools, Black mothers enact aesthetic presence, maintain a visible presence, and are strategic in their interactions with school personnel. Racial battle fatigue is evident as they experience and combat racial microaggressions. To extend understanding of racial microaggressions, we apply the sociological concept of the Du Boisian Veil to our analysis. We discuss how the Veil—a barrier which protects the Black psyche by grounding the racialized self while simultaneously precluding racial equality by sustaining racial oppression—can induce the racial battle fatigue that is manifested when one is deluged by racial microaggressions.
Team-Based Learning and the Team-Based Learning Student Assessment Instrument (TBL-SAI): A Longitudinal Study of Master of Occupational Therapy Students' Changing Perceptions.

OBJECTIVE Despite evidence showing that team-based learning (TBL) is accepted by students, a gap in evidence exists regarding how students' experiences with TBL may change over time. In this study, we explored changes in accountability, satisfaction, and preference for TBL or traditional lecture among occupational therapy students using TBL across 1 yr of occupational therapy education. METHOD Forty-one pairs of data from first- and third-term occupational therapy students were analyzed to determine changes in students' experience with TBL over time. RESULTS Data analysis of first- and third-term students showed significant changes in accountability with TBL (p = .027), satisfaction with TBL (p = .021), and preference for TBL over traditional lecture (p = .019). CONCLUSION Considerable differences were found in individual cohorts regarding satisfaction, accountability, and the overall TBL experience; however, no notable differences were found between cohorts.
Protection Order Policy-making in the U.S. State Courts of Last Resort from 1980 to 2019:

This article examines the development of policy designed to target intimate partner violence, or domestic violence, through the use of protection orders in the U.S. state courts of last resort, or ...
Gender as a Risk Factor for Functional Movement Disorders: The Role of Sexual Abuse.

Author(s): Kletenik, Isaiah; Sillau, Stefan H; Isfahani, Sanaz Attaripour; LaFaver, Kathrin; Hallett, Mark; Berman, Brian D | Abstract: BackgroundThe prevalence of functional movement disorders is 2 to 3 times higher in women than in men. Trauma and adverse life events are important risk factors for developing functional movement disorders. On a population level, rates of sexual abuse against women are higher when compared with the rates against men.ObjectivesTo determine gender differences in rates of sexual abuse in functional movement disorders compared with other neurologic disorders and evaluate if the gender prevalence is influenced by higher rates of sexual abuse against women.MethodsWe performed a case-control series including 199 patients with functional movement disorders (149 women) and 95 controls (60 women). We employed chi-squared test to assess gender and sexual abuse associations and Bayes formula to condition on sexual abuse.ResultsOur analysis showed an association between sexual abuse and functional movement disorders in women (odds ratio, 4.821; 95% confidence interval, 2.089-12.070; P l 0.0001), but not men. Bayesian analysis found the functional movement disorder prevalence ratio between women and men conditional on sexual abuse to be 4.87 times the unconditioned ratio.ConclusionsThere is a statistically significant association between sexual abuse and functional movement disorders in women and a greater likelihood that women who are sexually abused will develop functional movement disorders than men who are sexually abused. Our findings suggest that the increased prevalence of functional movement disorders in women is associated, at least in part, with sexual abuse and its sequelae; however, further research is needed to explore the role of other traumatic and nontraumatic factors.
The Platforms of Podcasting: Past and Present:

This article explores the role of digital platforms in podcasting (both past and present) and their impacts on the emergent podcast industry structure, content, and governance. Nieborg and Poell’s ...
Monitoring Ectotrophic Root-Infecting Fungi Associated with Bermudagrass Putting Green Roots Using Quantitative Multiplex Assays

Bermudagrass decline (BD) is a destructive root rot disease of hybrid bermudagrass putting greens in the southeastern United States. Previous studies reported a single ectotrophic root-infecting (E...
Union: An Automatic Workload Manager for Accelerating Network Simulation

With the rapid growth of the machine learning applications, the workloads of future HPC systems are anticipated to be a mix of scientific simulation, big data analytics, and machine learning applications. Simulation is a great research vehicle to understand the performance implications of co-running scientific applications with big data and machine learning workloads on large-scale systems. In this paper, we present Union, a workload manager that provides an automatic framework to facilitate hybrid workload simulation in CODES. Furthermore, we use Union, along with CODES, to investigate various hybrid workloads composed of traditional simulation applications and emerging learning applications on two dragonfly systems. The experiment results show that both message latency and communication time are important performance metrics to evaluate network interference. Network interference on HPC applications is more reflected by the message latency variation, whereas ML application performance depends more on the communication time.
Symptoms of Anxiety in College Students and the Influence of Social Determinants of Health

Approximately 62.9% of college students felt “overwhelming anxiety” in the past year, even when a diagnosis was not present. Understanding social factors that can contribute to anxiety will better ...
Shedding of Viable SARS-CoV-2 after Immunosuppressive Therapy for Cancer.

Shedding of SARS-CoV-2 after Immunosuppression The prolonged contagious period after viral infection in immunocompromised patients may affect how long precautions will be necessary to reduce furthe...
Disorders of Sensory Selective Attention

Hemineglect and inattention syndromes are among the most dramatic examples of attentional disturbance in humans and one of the most intriguing disorders seen by neuropsychologists in clinical settings. We begin with a discussion of these syndromes, continue with a more general consideration of temporal and parietal lobe influences on attention, and then hemispheric asymmetries of attention.
Existence of minimisers of variational problems posed in spaces of mixed smoothness

The present work constitutes a first step towards establishing a systematic framework for treating variational problems that depend on a given input function through a mixture of its derivatives of different orders in different directions. For a fixed vector $\mathbf{a} := (a_1, \ldots, a_N) \in \mathbb{N}^N$ and $u \colon \mathbb{R}^N \supset \Omega \to \mathbb{R}^n$ we denote by $\nabla_{\mathbf{a}} u := (\partial^{\alpha} u)_{\langle \alpha, \mathbf{a}^{-1} \rangle = 1}$ the matrix whose $i$-th row is composed of derivatives $\partial^\alpha u^i$ of the $i$-th component of the map $u$, and where the multi-indices $\alpha$ satisfy $\langle \alpha, \mathbf{a}^{-1} \rangle = \sum_{j=1}^N \frac{\alpha_j}{a_j} = 1$. We study functionals of the form $$ \mathrm{W}^{\mathbf{a},p}(\Omega;\mathbb{R}^n) \ni u \mapsto \int_\Omega F(\nabla_{\mathbf{a}} u(x)) \, \mathrm{d} x,$$ where $\mathrm{W}^{\mathbf{a},p}(\Omega; \mathbb{R}^n)$ is an appropriate Sobolev space of mixed smoothness and $F$ is the integrand. We study existence of minimisers of such functionals under prescribed Dirichlet boundary conditions. We characterise coercivity, lower semicontiuity, and envelopes of relaxation of such functionals, in terms of an appropriate generalisation of Morrey's quasiconvexity.
High Pitch Helical CT Reconstruction

To avoid severe limited-view artifacts in reconstructed CT images, current multi-row detector CT (MDCT) scanners with a single x-ray source-detector assembly need to limit table translation speeds such that the pitch ${p}$ (viz., normalized table translation distance per gantry rotation) is lower than 1.5. When ${p}>{1.5}$ , it remains an open question whether one can reconstruct clinically useful helical CT images without severe artifacts. In this work, we show that a synergistic use of advanced techniques in conventional helical filtered backprojection, compressed sensing, and more recent deep learning methods can be properly integrated to enable accurate reconstruction up to ${p}={4}$ without significant artifacts for single source MDCT scans.
Association of Bariatric Surgery With Vascular Outcomes.

Importance Bariatric surgical weight loss is associated with reduced cardiovascular mortality; however, the mechanisms underlying this association are incompletely understood. Objectives To identify variables associated with vascular remodeling after bariatric surgery and to examine how sex, race, and metabolic status are associated with microvascular and macrovascular outcomes. Design, Setting, and Participants This population-based longitudinal cohort included 307 individuals who underwent bariatric surgery. Participants were enrolled in the bariatric weight loss program at Boston Medical Center, a large, multi-ethnic urban hospital, with presurgical and postsurgical assessments. Data were collected from December 11, 2001 to August 27, 2019. Data were analyzed in September 2019. Exposure Bariatric surgery. Main Outcomes and Measures Flow-mediated dilation (FMD) and reactive hyperemia (RH) (as measures of macrovascular and microvascular function, respectively) and clinical variables were measured preoperatively at baseline and at least once postoperatively within 12 months of the bariatric intervention. Results A total of 307 participants with obesity (mean [SD] age, 42 [12] years; 246 [80%] women; 199 [65%] White; mean [SD] body mass index, 46 [8]) were enrolled in this study. Bariatric surgery was associated with significant weight loss and improved macrovascular and microvascular function across subgroups of sex, race, and traditional metabolic syndrome (mean [SD] pre- vs postsurgery weight: 126 [25] kg vs 104 [25] kg; P < .001; mean [SD] pre- vs postsurgery FMD: 9.1% [5.3] vs 10.2% [5.1]; P < .001; mean [SD] pre- vs postsurgery RH: 764% [400] vs 923% [412]; P < .001). Factors associated with change in vascular phenotype correlated most strongly with adiposity markers and several metabolic variables depending on vascular territory (eg, association of weight change with change in RH: estimate, -3.2; 95% CI, -4.7 to -1.8; association of hemoglobin A1c with change in FMD: estimate, -0.5; 95% CI, -0.95 to -0.05). While changes in macrovascular function among individuals with metabolically healthy obesity were not observed, the addition of biomarker assessment using high-sensitivity C-reactive protein plasma levels greater than 2 mg/dL identified participants with seemingly metabolically healthy obesity who had low-grade inflammation and achieved microvascular benefit from weight loss surgery. Conclusions and Relevance The findings of this study suggest that bariatric intervention is associated with weight loss and favorable remodeling of the vasculature among a wide range of individuals with cardiovascular risk. Moreover, differences in arterial responses to weight loss surgery by metabolic status were identified, underscoring heterogeneity in physiological responses to adiposity change and potential activation of distinct pathological pathways in clinical subgroups. As such, individuals with metabolically healthy obesity represent a mixed population that may benefit from more refined phenotypic classification.
The effect of toxicity on COVID-19 news network formation in political subcommunities on Reddit: An affiliation network approach

Political polarization remains perhaps the "greatest barrier" to effective COVID-19 pandemic mitigation measures in the United States. Social media has been implicated in fueling this polarization. In this paper, we uncover the network of COVID-19 related news sources shared to 30 politically biased and 2 neutral subcommunities on Reddit. We find, using exponential random graph modeling, that news sources associated with highly toxic - "rude, disrespectful" - content are more likely to be shared across political subreddits. We also find homophily according to toxicity levels in the network of online news sources. Our findings suggest that news sources associated with high toxicity are rewarded with prominent positions in the resultant network. The toxicity in COVID-19 discussions may fuel political polarization by denigrating ideological opponents and politicizing responses to the COVID-19 pandemic, all to the detriment of mitigation measures. Public health practitioners should monitor toxicity in public online discussions to familiarize themselves with emerging political arguments that threaten adherence to public health crises management. We also recommend, based on our findings, that social media platforms algorithmically promote neutral and scientific news sources to reduce toxic discussion in subcommunities and encourage compliance with public health recommendations in the fight against COVID-19.
The quality of relationships with adult children and depressive symptoms among grandparents.

Objectives: The present study aims to identify distinct types of relationships between grandparents and their adult children, measure the associations between these relationship types and depressive symptoms among grandparents, and determine whether these associations vary by grandparent status.Method:This study uses data from a sample of 1,196 grandparents age 51 and older from the 2014 Health and Retirement Study. Latent class analysis (LCA) is applied and identifies types of grandparent-adult children relationships. Ordinary Least Squares (OLS) regression models are used to estimate the association between relationship types and depressive symptoms by grandparent status.Results: LCA identified four grandparent-adult children relationship types: amicable, ambivalent, detached, and disharmonious. Custodial and co-parenting grandparents were most likely to report having an ambivalent relationship with their adult children. Among co-parenting and custodial grandparents, disharmonious relationships were associated with more depressive symptoms.Conclusion: Interventions are suggested to improve emotional relationships with adult children and dyadic family relationships among grandparent families.
Graphonomics and its contribution to the field of motor behavior: A position statement

The term graphonomics was conceived in the early 1980s; it defined a multidisciplinary emerging field focused on handwriting and drawing movements. Researchers in the field of graphonomics have made important contribution to the field of motor behavior by developing models aimed to conceptualize the production of fine motor movements using graphical tools. Although skeptics have argued that recent technological advancements would reduce the impact of graphonomic research, a shift of focus within in the field of graphonomics into fine motor tasks in general proves the resilience of the field. Moreover, it has been suggested that the use of fine motor movements due to technological advances has increased in importance in everyday life. It is concluded that the International Graphonomics Society can have a leading role in fostering collaborative multidisciplinary efforts and can help with the dissemination of findings contributing to the field of human movement sciences to a larger public.
Do all SINEs lead to LINEs

More than 30% of the human genome consists of retroposed sequences—including retroposons and processed genes—but retroposition events are rare. New experimental methods that accelerate retroposition are now clarifying the mechanisms that shape the genome.
Nelson Lichtenstein and the Politics of Reuther Scholarship

IN THE SUMMER OF 2001, while conducting research in the George Meany Memorial Archives, I came across a curious document. Thorough and meticulous, it detailed a 1939 meeting held in Detroit that identified Walter Reuther as a member of the United States Communist Party (CPUSA). In a subsequent Notes and Documents contribution, "Reassessing the Historical UAW," I situated this piece of evidence historically and historiographically and suggested the possibility of revising our understanding of Walter Reuther's politics and rethinking the role of Communists in the early United Automobile Workers (UAW). Nelson Lichtenstein, author of a landmark biography of Reuther, strongly disputes the document's implication that as late as 1939, the UAW leader and subsequent pivotal player in the construction of trade union liberalism was a Communist. I am flattered by Lichtenstein's attention. Although the relevant historical evidence is complex and, in some cases, open to multiple interpretations, I am unconvinced by Lichtenstein's largely negative arguments. Lichtenstein agrees with my assessment of the document's likely source — an adherent of Jay Lovestone "spying" for Homer Martin's anti-Communist, anti-cio faction of the autoworkers' union. He asserts that the gathering recorded in the crucial document could not have been a meeting of the "Political Buro" of the CPUSA's National Committee. Lichtenstein instead claims that it was a meeting of the CPUSA auto fraction, the UAW's pro-cio Unity Caucus, or an amalgamation of all three
Reinventing Environmental Enforcement and the State/Federal Relationship

Most federal environmental statutes currently operate under a framework known as "cooperative federalism", in which states receive primary authority to implement the requirements of federal laws, under EPA supervision. Over the years, states have gradually assumed "primacy" in more and more areas; they now have authority to implement approximately three-quarters of the major federal environmental programs that can be delegated to them, and carry out in the neighborhood of eighty percent of the enforcement actions under the federal statutes. While states have long resented aspects of EPA oversight, some states traditionally relied on the presence of the federal "gorilla in the closet" to motivate compliance by regulated entities. But in the 1990's, tensions between EPA and the state grew considerably. States began vigorously pressing for increased autonomy and flexibility from the strictures of EPA oversight. They formed a highly effective organization of environmental commissioners (the Environmental Council of States, or ECOS) in 1993 to represent their interests in Washington, D.C. As a result, EPA embarked on efforts to rethink how its relationship with the states should be structured, leading in 1995 to the creation of the National Environmental Performance Partnership System ("NEPPS"), described as "the most substantial reform in the EPA-state relationships since those relationships were first established over twenty-five years ago".This book provides an in-depth examination of the evolution of environmental enforcement policy and federal-state relations, beginning with the cooperative federalism model, first formalized in the mid-1980's, up through the current period of ongoing change and reevaluation. Our focus is on the fundamental questions at stake in the continuing and vigorous reinvention debate: Is deterrence-based enforcement, the prevalent societal approach for enforcing the law, best suited for ensuring compliance with environmental requirements? How well are the states performing their roles as the primary implementers and enforcers of federal environmental law? What does the "new relationship" between EPA and the states look like and can it be successfully integrated into EPA's traditional approach for evaluating state programs?
The future of distance learning - the process and the product

The paper first presents the basic premise and rationale covering distance learning development. It shows that with the emergence of distributed learning technologies, universities have increased access to markets outside of their normal geographic region through distance learning. Also, as new technologies emerge, they impact the way in courses are delivered to remote audiences. As technology evolves, it continues to be a great enabler of education, and universities should have deliberate strategies for selecting and employing technology in support of distributed education. The paper then addresses the three generations of distributed learning technology, and their impact on the development of both the process and product. The first generation was broadcast technologies for distribution of learning beyond the campus with very little change in the instructional model. The second generation used interactive television and the initial use of the Internet to support education (Web sites, electronic course materials, etc.), but still saw very little change in the instructional model. The third generation uses Internet technologies that enable two-way communication and collaboration for increased interaction between students and more of a virtual learning community (online conferencing, chat rooms, etc.), and forces changes in the instructional model. In the fourth generation, the paper peeks into the future utilization of the newest technologies for distance learning, such as PDAs, wireless devices, iPods, etc., to provide innovative learning experiences for students that further revolutionize the way in which instruction is provided. In each of these, the authors take advantage of their extensive Rensselaer experience, as well as more broadly discuss the global implications of; the role distance learning plays in the university relative to its vision and mission; the way in which technologies for distance learning are selected and deployed; the impact technology has on the design and delivery of courses via distance; the need for faculty development and support in integrating technology into their course delivery and the organizational and budgetary models for supporting technology for distributed learning.
Phytoseiids in Washington commercial apple orchards: biodiversity and factors affecting abundance.

Galendromus occidentalis (Nesbitt) is an important biological control agent of spider mites (Acari: Tetranychidae) in Washington apple orchards. It was thought to be essentially the sole phytoseiid existing in this system, due in part to its resistance to commonly used orchard pesticides, and organophosphates in particular. To test this assumption, we conducted a survey of 102 commercial apple blocks in Washington to characterize the community of phytoseiid species. Seven phytoseiid species were found in our samples; G. occidentalis and Amblydromella caudiglans (Schuster) were found in the greatest abundance. We hypothesized that the gradual shift away from the use of organophosphates in recent decades may have caused the change in phytoseiid community structure. The survey data and information regarding the management, location, and surrounding habitat of each block were used to determine what factors affect phytoseiid abundances. Galendromus occidentalis abundance was positively affected by the use of conventional (vs. organic) spray programs, and the use of the acaricide bifenazate. Amblydromella caudiglans abundance was negatively affected by bifenazate use and positively affected by herbicide strip weediness; it was also less prevalent in ‘Golden Delicious’ blocks compared to other cultivars. These results indicate that A. caudiglans reaches higher abundances in orchards that lack certain agricultural disturbances, whereas G. occidentalis can survive in more disturbed environments. Surveys of this nature can provide valuable insight to potential drivers of community structure, allowing for the improvement of integrated pest management programs that incorporate conservation of newly recognized biological control agents such as A. caudiglans.
Thermal stability of biological lipids. I. Differential scanning calorimetry of mixtures of cholesteryl myristate and cholesteryl palmitate.

Abstract Differential scanning calorimetry was used to study phase transitions in binary mixtures of mesomorphic (liquid crystalline) saturated cholesteryl esters. The solid to mesomorphic phase transition temperatures for binary mixtures of cholesteryl myristate and cholesteryl palmitate are lower than the phase transition temperature for either pure compound. An apparent eutectic phase formation was found for all compositions of the two components. The mesomorphic phase consists initially of a smectic phase, which converts to a cholesteric phase as the temperature is increased. The cholesteric phase exists over a narrow temperature range, above which the system becomes an isotropic liquid. The phase transition temperatures of the smectic to cholesteric and the cholesteric to isotropic phase transitions are virtually linear functions of the composition of the mixtures. The ∆ H values for each phase transition were determined. The inajor portion of the overall ∆ H for the solid to isotropic phase transitions for these mixtures occurs at the solid to mesomorphic phase transition. The behavior of these mixtures is of interest since mesomorphic mixtures of these cholesteryl esters along with other cholesteryl esters are components of the lipid deposits of atheromatous lesions.
Dual regulation of meiosis in yeast.

The two regulatory pathways appear to come together at the IME1 gene. It is clearly regulated by mating type and induced by starvation as well. Overexpression of IME1 completely overcomes MAT defects but may not circumvent all nutritional control. Kassir et al. (1988) found that overexpression of IME1 allowed sporulation in the presence of glucose and nitrogen. They also have found a meiotic level of message in temperature-sensitive cdc25 diploids shifted to high temperature in rich medium (Simchen and Kassir, 1989). Smith and Mitchell (1989) found that overexpression of IME1 induced an early meiotic event (recombination) in rich medium, but later meiotic events did not occur (i.e., they detected no spore formation). Mitchell (personal communication) has suggested that the difference may be due to differences in the amount of nitrogen present in the two experiments. Thus, while it is clear that IME1 is a necessary positive regulator of meiosis, responding both to mating type and nutritional conditions, it is not clear if it is sufficient. It is possible that other genes are involved in the response to starvation. One interpretation is that a separate nutritional control is exerted for events starting with meiosis I. Much of the regulatory pathway that allows yeast cells to enter meiosis has been determined. As in the case in many sensory transduction pathways, the initial signal for starvation is not yet known, nor is the nature of the proposed downstream phosphorylated effector. Given the power of yeast molecular genetics, answers to both these questions seem attainable. Another area that remains unclear is the difference between responses to nitrogen starvation versus carbon source. Many of the experiments discussed above do not address this question. The strategies used by yeast may be utilized in the developmental decisions used by other, more complex eukaryotes. Certainly several of the gene products involved in nutritional control in yeast have homologies in mammalian systems. For example, the human H-ras gene can substitute for yeast RAS; the relationship is sufficiently close that dominant Ha-ras mutations that inhibit CDC25 have been found (Powers et al., 1989). Furthermore, these dominant Ha-ras mutations have the appropriate phenotype in mammalian cells, suggesting the presence of a CDC25-like protein. Although the major components of mating type control appear to have been defined, the mechanism of the RME1-IME transcriptional control remains to be determined.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 400 WORDS)
OMVPE growth mechanism for GaP using tertiarybutylphosphine and trimethylgallium

Abstract The pyrolysis mechanism of tertiarybutylphosphine (TBP) on a GaP surface and also of mixtures of TBP and trimethylgallium (TMGa) for the growth of GaP were investigated. The reaction products for the decomposition of TBP alone on a GaP surface are similar to the products on an SiO 2 surface, i.e. C 4 H 10 , C 4 H 8 , PH 3 and H 2 ; however, the products are more strongly dominate by the C 4 H 10 species. The addition of TMGa to the gas mixture formed additional products CH 4 ,CH 3 D and (CH 3 ) x PH 3− x ( x = 1–2). The increased decomposition of TMGa at high TBP/TMGa ratios indicates that TBP enhances TMGa decomposition, but the decomposition of TBP is hindered by the presence of TMGa. The decomposition of TBP on a GaP surface occurs via a chain reaction. Surface adsorbed PH x species ( x =1–2) react with adsorbed TBP to form the volatile reaction product C 4 H 10 , and also propagate the PH x radicals. The terminating step in this chain reaction is the recombination of the adsorbed PH x species to form P x H 2 , and/or PH 3 molecules which then desorb. Additional chain terminating steps occur when TMGa is introduced. The PH x species react with adsorbed TMGa molecules to grow GaP, thus depleting the surface radical population, resulting in reduced TBP decomposition. The reactions between the surface adsorbed radicals resulting from TBP decomposition and the group III alkyls may be responsible for the low carbon incorporation observed in the organometallic vapor phase epitaxial (OMVPE) growth using TBP.
Dissection of the 16S rRNA binding site for ribosomal protein S4

The ribosomal protein S4 from Escherichia coli is essential for initiation of assembly of 30S ribosomal subunits. We have undertaken the identification of specific features required in the 16S rRNA for S4 recognition by synthesizing mutants bearing deletions within a 460 nucleotide region which contains the minimum S4 binding site. We made a set of large nested deletions in a subdomain of the molecule, as well as individual deletions of nine hairpins, and used a nitrocellulose filter binding assay to calculate association constants. Some small hairpins can be eliminated with only minor effects on S4 recognition, while three hairpins scattered throughout the domain (76-90, 376-389 and 456-476) are essential for specific interaction. The loop sequence of hairpin 456-476 is important for S4 binding, and may be directly recognized by the protein. Some of the essential features are in phylogenetically variable regions; consistent with this, Mycoplasma capricolum rRNA is only weakly recognized by S4, and no specific binding to Xenopus laevis rRNA can be detected.
Pacemaker/implantable cardioverter–defibrillator dose in balloon high-dose-rate brachytherapy for breast cancer treatment

PURPOSE: To retrospectively report pacemaker (PM)/implantable cardioverteredefibrillator (ICD) dose in balloon high-dose-rate (HDR) brachytherapy and provide distanceedose graph and table to approximately estimate the maximal device dose. METHODS AND MATERIALS: For 3 patients (A, B, and C), PM/ICD was retrospectively contoured on planning computed tomography images and its maximal dose was extracted from a doseevolume histogram. The surface of 1 cm expansion from balloon was prescribed to 34 Gy and the inverse square law was dominant factor in dose calculation. Therefore, the maximal PM/ICD dose was approximately estimated from the distanceedose graph or table and compared with that of the treatment plan. RESULTS: The minimal deviceeballoon surface distance was 10.9, 18.4, and 4.3 cm for patient A, B, and C, respectively. The maximal dose estimated from the proposed table/graph was 2.1 vs. 1.61 Gy for patient A, 0.87 vs. 0.49 Gy for patient B, and 8.9 vs. 9.14 Gy for patient C compared with that from the treatment plan. CONCLUSIONS: Depending on the location of PM/ICD relative to the tumor bed, balloon HDR brachytherapy is feasible if the maximal dose is less than or equal to the dose limit. The proposed distanceedose graph and/or table enable to approximately predict the maximal device dose based on the measurement of minimal distance between lumpectomy and the device before balloon implantation for the suitability of balloon HDR brachytherapy. 2012 American Brachytherapy
The ideologically objectionable premise model: Predicting biased political judgments on the left and right

Abstract This paper introduces the ideologically objectionable premise model (IOPM), which predicts that biased political judgments will emerge on both the political left and right, but only when the premise of a judgment is not ideologically objectionable to the perceiver. The IOPM generates three hypothesized patterns of bias: biases among both those on the left and right, bias only among those on the right, and bias only among those on the left. These hypotheses were tested within the context of the dual process motivational model of ideological attitudes (DPM; Duckitt, 2001), which posits that right-wing authoritarianism (RWA) and social dominance orientation (SDO) are related but distinct ideological attitudes. Across two studies, all three IOPM hypotheses were tested and supported on the RWA ideological attitude dimension, and two of the three IOPM hypotheses were tested and supported on the SDO dimension. These findings indicate that the context of the judgment is an important determinant of whether biases emerge in political judgment.
Nuclear factor of activated T cells (NFAT) signaling regulates PTEN expression and intestinal cell differentiation

The nuclear factor of activated T cell (NFAT) proteins are a family of transcription factors (NFATc1-c4) involved in the regulation of cell differentiation and adaptation. Previously we demonstrated that inhibition of phosphatidylinositol 3-kinase or overexpression of PTEN enhanced intestinal cell differentiation. Here we show that treatment of intestinal-derived cells with the differentiating agent sodium butyrate (NaBT) increased PTEN expression, NFAT binding activity, and NFAT mRNA expression, whereas pretreatment with the NFAT signaling inhibitor cyclosporine A (CsA) blocked NaBT-mediated PTEN induction. Moreover, knockdown of NFATc1 or NFATc4, but not NFATc2 or NFATc3, attenuated NaBT-induced PTEN expression. Knockdown of NFATc1 decreased PTEN expression and increased the phosphorylation levels of Akt and downstream targets Foxo1 and GSK-3α/β. Furthermore, overexpression of NFATc1 or the NFATc4 active mutant increased PTEN and p27(kip1) expression and decreased Akt phosphorylation. In addition, pretreatment with CsA blocked NaBT-mediated induction of intestinal alkaline phosphatase (IAP) activity and villin and p27(kip1) expression; knockdown of either NFATc1 or NFATc4 attenuated NaBT-induced IAP activity. We provide evidence showing that NFATc1 and NFATc4 are regulators of PTEN expression. Importantly, our results suggest that NFATc1 and NFATc4 regulation of intestinal cell differentiation may be through PTEN regulation.
The three colors of Novorossiya, or the Russian nationalist mythmaking of the Ukrainian crisis

While the annexation of Crimea boosted Putin's popularity at home, the Donbas insurgency shattered the domestic ideological status quo. The Kremlin's position appeared somehow hesitant, fostering the resentment of Russian nationalist circles that were hoping for a second annexation. In this article, I explore the term Novorossiya as a live mythmaking process orchestrated by different Russian nationalist circles to justify the Donbas insurgency. The powerful pull of Novorossiya rests on its dual meaning in announcing the birth of a New Russia geographically and metaphorically. It is both a promised land to be added to Russia and an anticipation of Russia's own transformation. As such, Novorossiya provides for an exceptional convergence of three underlying ideological paradigms – “red” (Soviet), “white” (Orthodox), and “brown” (Fascist). The Novorossiya storyline validates a new kind of geopolitical adventurism and blurs the boundaries, both territorial and imaginary, of the Russian state.
Anisotropic Growth of PbSe Nanocrystals on Au–Fe3O4 Hybrid Nanoparticles

Two of the most important research directions in the preparation of nanocrystals are the growth of non-spherical quantum-confined structures and nanocrystal heterostructures. Non-spherical structures provide a means of understanding the effect of dimensionality and structural anisotropy on quantum-confined optoelectronic behavior and also introduce new degrees of freedom in engineering nanocrystal-based devices. Semiconductor nanorods have potential technological advantages over spherical nanocrystals in applications such as polarized light emitters [1] and photovoltaics. [2] Preparation of nanocrystal heterostructures enables new combinations of material properties, such as photonic and magnetic properties, to be achieved. This opens up new possibilities for investigating interactions between nanoscale components of different materials, and new technological applications based on combinations of material properties not attainable in homogeneous nanocrystals. Colloidal chemistry provides the basis of a modular approach for integrating different materials and, therefore, different functionalities in these nanocrystal heterostructures. Anisotropic growth of semiconductors with the wurtzite crystal structure has been achieved using multiple surfactants, exploiting inherent differences in growth rates between different crystal directions, [3,4] which are modulated by differences in the affinity of surfactants for the different crystal faces. In other cases, a solution-liquid-solid (SLS) method that employs molten metal particles as seeds for heterogeneous nucleation and growth of semiconductor wires has been used. [5–13] For groups IV, II–VI, and III–V materials, there is a substantial body of knowledge on the growth of anisotropic nanostructures. However, understanding of anisotropic growth of IV– VI materials is less well developed. Hull et al. have prepared