cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Outcomes in adults with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis: A retrospective cohort study.

Abstract Most patients with cerebral venous sinus thrombosis (CVST) treated with anticoagulation have good outcomes. We examined which factors were associated with poor outcomes after treatment. We retrospectively reviewed patients ≥18 years old who were diagnosed with CVST between 1997 and 2015. Good (modified Rankin score [mRS] ≤2) and poor outcomes were dichotomized. Demographic, historical, clinical, imaging, and treatment characteristics were compared. Eighty-nine patients received treatment for CVST (52.8% males, 74.2% Caucasian). Sixty-eight (76.4%) had good outcomes and 21 (23.6%) had poor outcomes. Poor outcome was associated with systemic or central nervous system (CNS) infection (p = 0.002), lower use of heparin-only therapy than interventional-only treatments (p = 0.003), and increased use of craniectomy (p = 0.002). Good outcomes were associated with migrainous headache on presentation (p = 0.01) and involvement of superficial cortical vessels only (p = 0.02). No prothrombotic or imaging findings correlated with poor outcome. Multivariable analysis showed that any clinical risk factor (p = 0.02) and headache (p = 0.02) predicted improved outcome whereas systemic or CNS infection (p = 0.02) and craniectomy (p = 0.02) predicted poor outcome. A published risk score showed a moderate ability to predict good outcome but not poor outcome. Overall sensitivity (23.8%), specificity (75.0%), and positive (24.0%) and negative (77.0%) predictive value suggested moderate prediction of good outcome and limited prediction of poor outcome. Rates of poor outcomes in CVST were comparable with previous investigations (23.6%), but prediction of poor outcome remains challenging in patients with CVST. Our results suggested that systemic infection and craniectomy were the most robust predictors of poor outcome.
Parity and Time Reversal Symmetry Violation in Atoms and Molecules

The importance, beauty and wide applicability of symmetry principles in physics have long been appreciated. The fact that such principles are empirical statements whose validity requires experimental verification has only more recently been explicitly realized. This realization has stimulated a remarkably fruitful series of investigations into the fundamental symmetries of nature which continues today.
The physics of field reversed mirrors

ABSTRACT Since the earliest days of fusion research it has been hoped that diamagnetic currents flowing in a plasma could be used to help confine the plasma. Recently this hope has been strengthened both by theoretical advances and by experimental results made possible by technological developments. On the theoretical front analytical treatments and computer simulation studies have demonstrated equilibrium solutions existing both in the fluid limit and in the large-orbit limit. Progress has also been made in determining the conditions required for the stability of field-reversed entities. It appears that configurations of the general form of fat doughnuts, possibly elongated to napkin-ring form, represent stable states. Building on previous experimental work, several investigators have been able to create field-reversed states. One method, based on the ASTRON idea of Christofilos, traps an intense relativistic electron beams (REB) to create a field-reversing current ring. Other approaches use either the reversed field theta pinch technique or REB pulses to create field-reversing diamagnetic currents in a long cylindrical plasma. In the former method, millisecond-long field-reversing electron rings have been achieved; in the latter method field-reversed plasma states lasting 30 to 50 microseconds have been achieved. Another approach under investigation is the Field Reversed Mirror (FRM) created by the tangential injection of high current neutral beams. Plasma states that approach field reversal have been achieved by this technique. The motivations for achieving field reversed states are strong: The possibility of achieving compact high density confined plasma states for fusion power generation that make maximal effective use of the confining field.
Toward Online Modeling for Lesion Visualization and Monitoring in Cardiac Ablation Therapy

Despite extensive efforts to enhance catheter navigation, limited research has been done to visualize and monitor the tissue lesions created during ablation in the attempt to provide feedback for effective therapy. We propose a technique to visualize the temperature distribution and extent of induced tissue injury via an image-based model that uses physiological tissue parameters and relies on heat transfer principles to characterize lesion progression in near real time. The model was evaluated both numerically and experimentally using ex vivo bovine muscle samples while emulating a clinically relevant ablation protocol. Results show agreement to within 5°C between the model-predicted and experimentally measured end-ablation tissue temperatures, as well as comparable predicted and observed lesion characteristics. The model yields temperature and lesion updates in near real-time, thus providing reasonably accurate and sufficiently fast monitoring for effective therapy.
Association between patient outcomes and accreditation in US hospitals: observational study

Abstract Objectives To determine whether patients admitted to US hospitals that are accredited have better outcomes than those admitted to hospitals reviewed through state surveys, and whether accreditation by The Joint Commission (the largest and most well known accrediting body with an international presence) confers any additional benefits for patients compared with other independent accrediting organizations. Design Observational study. Setting 4400 hospitals in the United States, of which 3337 were accredited (2847 by The Joint Commission) and 1063 underwent state based review between 2014 and 2017. Participants 4 242 684 patients aged 65 years and older admitted for 15 common medical and six common surgical conditions and survey respondents of the Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Provider and Systems (HCAHPS). Main outcome measures Risk adjusted mortality and readmission rates at 30 days and HCAHPS patient experience scores. Hospital admissions were identified from Medicare inpatient files for 2014, and accreditation information was obtained from the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services and The Joint Commission. Results Patients treated at accredited hospitals had lower 30 day mortality rates (although not statistically significant lower rates, based on the prespecified P value threshold) than those at hospitals that were reviewed by a state survey agency (10.2% v 10.6%, difference 0.4% (95% confidence interval 0.1% to 0.8%), P=0.03), but nearly identical rates of mortality for the six surgical conditions (2.4% v 2.4%, 0.0% (−0.3% to 0.3%), P=0.99). Readmissions for the 15 medical conditions at 30 days were significantly lower at accredited hospitals than at state survey hospitals (22.4% v 23.2%, 0.8% (0.4% to 1.3%), P Conclusions US hospital accreditation by independent organizations is not associated with lower mortality, and is only slightly associated with reduced readmission rates for the 15 common medical conditions selected in this study. There was no evidence in this study to indicate that patients choosing a hospital accredited by The Joint Commission confer any healthcare benefits over choosing a hospital accredited by another independent accrediting organization.
The Poetic Generation of Place: Ethnography for a Better World

In this article, I employ the ethnographer poetic as a strategic provocation to rethink the foundation of contemporary ethnography. The root of the word poet or poem is the ancient Greek concept of poiesis. Poiesis is defined as making. While in the Greek tradition poiesis foregrounded an analysis of the arts or aesthetics, contemporary usages highlight the making of a social or political dimension. Drawing from the social and political dimensions of poiesis, I argue that the ethnographer does more than simply represent a social context, and, instead, calls the place into existence. The ethnographer poet transforms ethnography from a representational form of inquiry into a generative poetics of place. This allows for a new social mythos to emerge in which the field of ethnography is brought into the service of envisioning and working toward a society that is hopeful, abundant, vibrant, and just.
ACTOR: Active Cloud Storage with Energy-Efficient On-Drive Data Processing

Storage systems are indispensable for big data processing and cloud computing services today. The ever-growing size of computation and data analytic results demands larger storage capacity, which challenges data processing and storage scalability. Moreover, the increasing complexity of storage hierarchy and "passive" storage devices make todays storage systems inefficient, which necessitates the adoption of new storage technologies. In this paper, we explore new Ethernet connected drives with on-drive embedded CPU and DRAM to develop an active cloud storage system where data can be processed on disk drives without data movement. These drives are micro-storage servers that can support software-defined storage. In addition to I/O operations, we test and evaluate on-drive data processing, including data compression, aggregation and erasure encoding, which provide natural support for data-intensive applications. Our experimental results show that Open Ethernet Drive can significantly lower the energy consumption while maintaining the data processing throughput simultaneously by ensuring data availability and storage scalability. Results and findings from this work will facilitate scheduling of on-drive compute resource for building active and scalable cloud storage systems.
The Marine Corps and Technology

Lake examines the Marine Corps, an organization whose culture and approach to war demonstrate relatively little affinity for technology, and shows that the Corps is also subject to the American affinity for technology. This chapter focuses on how the amphibious warfare and expeditionary warfare missions have shaped the Marine Corps, and how the particular needs of those missions have created the conditions for the Marines to also push for technological solutions. By looking at specific Marine procurement programs such as the Expeditionary Fighting Vehicle (EFV), V-22 Osprey, and F-35B “jump jet,” Lake shows that the Marines are also prone to the enthusiastic embrace of technology in ways that increase their potential for suffering from overstretch.
Nanofabricated SiO2-Si-SiO2 Resonant Tunneling Diodes

Resonance Tunneling Diodes (RTDs) are devices that can demonstrate very highspeed operation. Typically they have been fabricated using epitaxial techniques and materials not consistent with standard commercial integrated circuits. We report here the first demonstration of SiO 2 -Si-SiO 2 RTDs. These new structures were fabricated using novel combinations of silicon integrated circuit processes.
Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma and the role of liver transplantation

Abstract Undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver (UESL) is a rare but aggressive pediatric tumor. Historically, treatment for UESL has consisted of combination therapy with surgical resection and chemotherapy. In some cases, surgical resection is not appropriate due to limiting factors such as tumor size, location, and lack of response to treatment. Orthotopic liver transplant (OLT) has been suggested as a promising alternative in these cases. We present a case of an 8 year-old boy with a large undifferentiated embryonal sarcoma of the liver who experienced disease progression after initial neoadjuvant chemotherapy. His tumor was considered unresectable after internal tumor board review due to its size and significant vascularity, ultimately making OLT the only curative option for this patient.
Breaking the Binds of Enclosure: Chet Bowers and the Commons in Educational Theory.

This article explores the impact of Chet Bowers’ scholarship on critical and ecojustice studies of the relationship between commons and enclosure in educational theory. In the eyes of critical scho...
Is Evolutionary Psychology Possible

In this article I argue that evolutionary psychological strategies for making inferences about present-day human psychology are methodologically unsound. Evolutionary psychology is committed to the view that the mind has an architecture that has been conserved since the Pleistocene, and that our psychology can be fruitfully understood in terms of the original, fitness-enhancing functions of these conserved psychological mechanisms. But for evolutionary psychological explanations to succeed, practitioners must be able to show that contemporary cognitive mechanisms correspond to those that were selected for in the environment of evolutionary adaptedness, that these present-day cognitive mechanisms are descended from the corresponding ancestral mechanisms, and that they have retained the functions of the ancestral mechanisms from which they are descended. I refer to the problem of demonstrating that these conditions obtain as “the matching problem,” argue that evolutionary psychology does not have the resources to address it, and conclude that evolutionary psychology, as it is currently understood, is therefore impossible.
James Robert Alfano, A Giant in Phytopathogenic Bacteria Effector Biology

The worldwide molecular plant-microbe interactions research community was significantly diminished in November 2019 by the death of James "Jim" Robert Alfano at age 56. Jim was a giant in our field, who gained key insights into plant pathogenesis using the model bacterial pathogen Pseudomonas syringae. As a mentor, collaborator, and, above all, a friend, I know Jim's many dimensions and accomplishments and, sadly, the depth of loss being felt by the many people around the world who were touched by him. In tracing the path of Jim's career, I will emphasize the historical context and impact of his advances and, finally, the essence of the person we will so miss.
Pinus halepensis and Eucalyptus camaldulensis Grown in Egypt: A Comparison Between Stem and Branch Properties for Pulp and Paper Making

The utilization of branchwood as lignocellulosic raw material source for paper production may have the potential of solving the problem of the availability of raw material in the pulp and paper industry. This study therefore compared the chemical composition and fiber morphological indices (according to Franklin’s method) of stemwood and branchwood in Eucalyptus camaldulensis and Pinus halepensis trees grown in Egypt. The statistical analysis showed a significant effect of species, wood type (stem and branchwood), and their interaction on the measured chemical constituents and fiber morphological indices at 0.05 significance level. In both genera, the stemwood exhibited a higher percentage of cellulose and hemicellulose and was lower in lignin, total extractives, and ash than those measured in branchwood. Also in both genera, the stemwood was higher in fiber length, Runkel ratio, rigidity coefficient, Muhlsteph ratio, and Luce's shape factor, and lower in basic density and flexibility coefficient than those in branchwood. Based on the chemical analysis and the fiber morphological indices, the stemwood and branchwood of both species were suitable for paper production with various qualities. Moreover, good correlations were found in both stem and branchwood between the basic density and the fiber wall thickness and fiber lumen diameter. ln contrast, there was an independent association between the stemwood basic density and the fiber length, and this relationship in branchwood was positive for both genera.
Influence of Frame Size and Zeranol on Growth, Compositional Growth and Plasma Hormone Characteristics

A 2 X 2 factorially arranged trial was conducted to compare effects of implant (zeranol) and frame size on weight and compositional gain, and plasma hormone concentrations. Angus, Charolais X Hereford and Hereford X Angus yearling steers (34 steers averaging 270 kg body weight) were randomly assigned to treatments of small (SF) vs large frame (LF) and implant (I) vs no implant (NI). Steers were implanted at 0 and 97 d and individually fed an 81% whole shelled corn and 11.5% corn silage-based diet (dry basis) for a 175-d period. Shrunk weights and body measurements for frame size determination were taken initially and at approximately 28-d intervals; blood was collected via venipuncture at 14-d intervals for analyses of insulin (IN), triiodothyronine (T3), thyroxine (T4) and glucose concentrations. Steers were also counted in a whole body counter for measurement of 40K content and prediction of whole body protein and fat. The I steers showed an improvement (P less than .05) in daily gain regardless of frame size for the total trial. The I LF steers required 18% more dry matter to attain higher daily gain for 97 to 175 d; I steers were more efficient (P less than .05) at converting dry matter to gain during 0 to 97 d and 0 to 175 d. Daily fat deposition was increased (P less than .05) in I steers, while protein deposition was not affected by I. Plasma IN concentrations were numerically elevated (P less than .10) in I steers regardless of frame size, during the initial 97 d. Implant did not influence (P greater than .10) plasma T3, T4 and glucose concentrations regardless of frame size. Steers responded differently to zeranol implant over time regarding plasma T4 concentrations (P less than .003). Steers differing in frame size responded similarly in rate of gain, in feed conversion and in patterns of plasma insulin concentrations to zeranol implants.
Load-Sharing Classification Score as Supplemental Grading System in the Decision-Making Process for Patients With Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity 4

BACKGROUND Patients with Thoracolumbar Injury Classification and Severity (TLICS) score of 4 fall into a gray zone between surgical and conservative management. The integrity of posterior ligamentous complex (PLC) evaluated by magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) contributes to surgical decision-making. Load-sharing classification (LSC) may provide a modifier to further guide decision-making in these patients. OBJECTIVE To evaluate associations between LSC score and MRI acquisition, compromise of PLC on MRI, and surgical intervention in TLICS 4 patients. METHODS A cohort of 111 neurologically intact patients with isolated thoracolumbar burst fracture with TLICS 4 was evaluated. LSC score was determined based on degree of comminution (1-3), apposition (1-3), and kyphosis (1-3), total composite score of 3 to 9. RESULTS Overall, 44 patients underwent MRI, 15 had PLC injury, and 32 (28.8%) underwent surgery. LSC score was higher in patients who had an MRI (median 6 vs 3, P < .001) and patients who had surgery (median 7 vs 4, P < .001). In univariate logistic regression, LSC score was associated with MRI acquisition (odds ratio [OR] 1.7; 1.32-2.12; P < .001), presence of PLC injury on MRI (OR 1.5; 1.2-2.0; P = .002) and, in multivariate logistic regression, undergoing surgical intervention (OR 3.7; 2.3-5.9; P < .001), independent of MRI or PLC injury. CONCLUSION LSC score in neurologically intact patients with isolated thoracolumbar burst fracture with TLICS 4 was independently associated with operative intervention. The application of LSC may further guide decision-making in this patient group.
Using a choose-your-own-adventure game to explore the complexity of workplace compassion

Organizational Communication, Business/Professional Communication.This activity is designed to help students respond to their peers’ challenges in a more compassionate and helpful way. At the end o...
The Science of Reading as Applied to the Reading of Science

H ow does one tie in the science of reading with the reading of science? The science curriculum introduces the learner to a whole new concept in reading. Instead of reading pure narrative from readers and English literature texts, the student is exposed to mathematical formulas, chemical and physical equations, experimental procedures, charts and graphs of data, and countless other concepts. How do teachers prepare their students for reading in this new discipline? Do instructors automatically assume that all students can read the material and comprehend it adequately? Should reading specialists be entrusted with this task or do teachers assume the responsibility themselves? Do they confine their teaching of the discipline solely to the textbook and, if so, how does the appropriate textbook get chosen? What other media are available and how do teachers access them? What methods can be used to facilitate understanding of the textbook material and to make comprehension enjoyable and meaningful? I will attempt to answer these and other questions and to provide promising alternatives. Who is ultimately responsible for teaching content reading in a particular classroom? Should it be the content teacher, a reading specialist, or the content teacher in another class? Davis (1978), in her workshop report, attempts to address this issue. The attendees agreed that it is the science teacher (not the reading teacher) who is best equipped to prepare lessons, lectures, worksheets, games, puzzles, and demonstrations that enable students to efficiently use the parts of their specific content-area textbooks. How does a school go about developing a good, well-organized program for encouraging teachers to use content reading strategies? Gove (1981) states that for a program to be successful, it must
Fostering a Sense of Community in Residence Halls: A Role for Housing and Residential Professionals in Increasing College Student Persistence

Fostering a sense of community should be at the center of every housing and residence life professional's efforts. Research conducted by Braxton et al. (2014) revealed that students who are able to identify with their residence hall community, interact with peers in this community, and find solidarity within the community experience an increased sense of communal potential. This heightened communal potential is positively correlated with student persistence. Therefore, this article explores Berger's (1997) three dimensions of community—identity, interaction, and solidarity—by identifying currently implemented policies and practices within residence hall communities that seemingly foster these dimensions of community. These policies and programs, and the like, are strongly encouraged within residence hall communities, especially those housing first-year students.
Evolution of Coronal Magnetic Structures

Several classes or types of coronal transients are believed to originate near the solar surface at the base of pre-existing coronal magnetic loops. These loops often lie beneath an overlying open-field region in a typical coronal- or helmet-streamer configuration. Recent experimental results indicate that these pre-existing magnetic loops may be torn open by the explosive force of the solar phenomena responsible for the transient. Numerical solutions of the time-dependent, two-dimensional, dissipationless, MHD equations of motion (the equations are discussed by Steinolfson et al. (1978)) are used to examine the formation of a coronal streamer magnetic structure and the evolution of the streamer following an explosive solar event in the closed-field region.
Short-term cytotoxic effects and long-term instability of RNAi delivered using lentiviral vectors.

RNA interference (RNAi) can potently reduce target gene expression in mammalian cells and is in wide use for loss-of-function studies. Several recent reports have demonstrated that short double-stranded RNAs (dsRNAs), used to mediate RNAi, can also induce an interferon-based response resulting in changes in the expression of many interferon-responsive genes. Off-target gene silencing has also been described, bringing into question the validity of certain RNAi-based approaches for studying gene function. We have targeted the plasminogen activator inhibitor-2 (PAI-2 or SERPINB2) mRNA using lentiviral vectors for delivery of U6 promoter-driven PAI-2-targeted short hairpin RNA (shRNA) expression. PAI-2 is reported to have anti-apoptotic activity, thus reduction of endogenous expression may be expected to make cells more sensitive to programmed cell death.
Structural and electrical characterization of a‐plane GaN grown on a‐plane SiC

Planar nonpolar () a-plane GaN thin films were grown on () a-plane 6H-SiC substrates via metalorganic chemical vapor deposition by depositing a high temperature AlN buffer layer prior to the epitaxial GaN growth. The orientation of the GaN film and AlN buffer layer directly match that of the SiC substrate, as determined by on- and off-axis X-ray diffraction measurements. The morphological evolution of GaN grown on the AlN buffer layers was investigated using atomic force microscopy. Microstructural characterization of the coalesced a-plane GaN films provided by plan-view transmission electron microscopy revealed threading dislocation and stacking fault densities of ∼3 × 1010 cm−2 and ∼7 × 105 cm−1, respectively. Structural comparisons to a-plane GaN films grown on r-plane sapphire substrates are presented. Si-doped films were grown with a variety of Si/Ga ratios and electrically characterized using Hall effect measurements. A maximum Hall mobility of 109 cm2/Vs was attained at a carrier concentration of 1.8 × 1019 cm−3.
Characteristics of Students Related to Computer-Mediated Communications Activity

AbstractHow do various characteristics of high school students correlate to the amount they use several different computer-mediated communication (CMC) tools? This article describes a study of individual differences among high school students that relate to and predict their use of a suite of CMC tools. The students in the study used e-mail, Usenet news, and a multimedia notebook to support project-based science learning. Findings of the study indicate that skill and experience with computers, parental education, access to computers, and academic self-concept are all reliable predictors of student CMC activity, while such attributes as communication apprehension and sex are related to activity with specific tools. This research provides insight into why some students use CMC tools more than others and provides guidance to those who wish to design or teach in CMC-rich classrooms.
Resilient monitoring systems: architecture, design, and application to boiler/turbine plant

Resilient monitoring systems, considered in this paper, are sensor networks that degrade gracefully under malicious attacks on their sensors, causing them to project misleading information. The goal of this paper is to design, analyze, and evaluate the performance of a resilient monitoring system intended to monitor plant conditions (normal or anomalous). The architecture developed consists of four layers: data quality assessment, process variable assessment, plant condition assessment, and sensor network adaptation. Each of these layers is analyzed by either analytical or numerical tools. The performance of the overall system is evaluated using a simplified boiler/turbine plant. The measure of resiliency is quantified based on the Kullback-Leibler divergence and shown to be sufficiently high in all scenarios considered.
ℒ 1 adaptive control of system with unmatched disturbance by using eigenvalue assignment method

ℒ 1 adaptive architecture require the desired system dynamics to be minimum phase because the control law for these architectures performs explicit inversion of the desired dynamics. This paper presents a novel control law which relaxes this assumption and allows the desired system to be nonminimum-phase. This control law is inspired by the eigenvalue assignment method and does not require dynamic inversion of the desired system in the control law design. The disturbance will be compensated following a performance determined by the eigenvalues assigned to the controller. Choosing Appropriate eigenvalues will result in an reasonable fast response to cancel the disturbance.
Optical recording of activity in the hamster gustatory cortex elicited by electrical stimulation of the tongue

Etude electrophysiologique des potentiels evoques au niveau du cortex gustatif du hamster en reponse a la stimulation electrique ou mecanique de la langue et de l'influence de la section et/ou la stimulation de la corde du tympan sur ces potentiels
Asleep-awake-asleep craniotomy: A comparison with general anesthesia for resection of supratentorial tumors

The anesthetic plan for patients undergoing awake craniotomy, when compared to craniotomy under general anesthesia, is different, in that it requires changes in states of consciousness during the procedure. This retrospective review compares patients undergoing an asleep-awake-asleep technique for craniotomy (group AW: n = 101) to patients undergoing craniotomy under general anesthesia (group AS: n = 77). Episodes of desaturation (AW = 31% versus AS = 1%, p < 0.0001), although temporary, and hypercarbia (AW = 43.75 mmHg versus AS = 32.75 mmHg, p < 0.001) were more common in the AW group. The mean arterial pressure during application of head clamp pins and emergence was significantly lower in AW patients compared to AS patients (pinning 91.47 mmHg versus 102.9 mmHg, p < 0.05 and emergence 84.85 mmHg versus 105 mmHg, p < 0.05). Patients in the AW group required less vasopressors intraoperatively (AW = 43% versus AS = 69%, p < 0.01). Intraoperative fluids were comparable between the two groups. The post anesthesia care unit (PACU) administered significantly fewer intravenous opioids in the AW group. The length of stay in the PACU and hospital was comparable in both groups. Thus, asleep-awake-asleep craniotomies with propofol-dexmedetomidine infusion had less hemodynamic response to pinning and emergence, and less overall narcotic use compared to general anesthesia. Despite a higher incidence of temporary episodes of desaturation and hypoventilation, no adverse clinical consequences were seen.
Genetic and Functional Analysis of the Otosclerosis-Like Condition of the LP/J Mouse1: Analyse génétique et fonctionnelle du modèle otoscléreux de la souris LP/J

The LP/J mouse is the only available genetic model for otosclerosis. The otosclerosis-like condition of the LP/J mouse resembles the human condition in several ways, although there are differences in the two species in the most common locus of the displasic otic lesions. The mouse model would be more useful if its auditory dysfunction and genetic inheritance could also be compared with the human disease. Matings of the otosclerosis-like LP/J and the normal CBA/J inbred mice were used to generate Fl and backcross generations. The Fl showed neither functional (electrocochleographic) nor anatomical abnormalities, indicating a recessive nature of the mouse genetic disease. This is in contrast to some reports of dominance (with incomplete penetrance) of otosclerosis in humans. No evidence of X-chromosome-linked genetic influence was found in the mouse, in agreement with the human condition. These interpretations were confirmed in tests of the backcross of the Fl to the CBA/J parental genotype (BC). The anatomi...
A generalized impure public good and linear characteristics model of green consumption

Abstract This paper provides a general framework for understanding consumer behavior related to goods and services that may be considered environmentally friendly, ethically produced, fairly traded, or some combination thereof. We generalize the impure public good model and derive its comparative static properties. The model accounts for any number of impure public (green) goods and joint production of any number of both private and public characteristics. The generalization provides a bridge between the impure public good model and the well-known linear characteristics model, both of which are special cases of the model developed here. The results show how demand for green goods and characteristics such as environmental quality depends on wealth, exogenously given levels of public goods, and the technologies of joint production. The effects of changes in technology depend critically on whether jointly produced characteristics are complements or substitutes in consumption. Several of the results are rather counterintuitive and differ in meaningful ways from existing models of impure public goods and linear characteristics. The results also illuminate several reasons for greater caution about whether it is reasonable to assume that green goods and services are necessarily beneficial for the provision of public goods.
Associations of cardiac structure with obesity, blood pressure, inflammation, and insulin resistance in African-American adolescents.

To determine if obesity, blood pressure (BP), markers of inflammation, and insulin resistance are associated with cardiac structure in African-American adolescents, a cross–sectional study was performed on a cohort oversampled for high BP and obesity. Measurements included the following: anthropometrics, BP, homeostasis model assessment (HOMA) to assess insulin resistance, high-sensitivity C-reactive protein, and plasma adipokines (adiponectin, interleukin-6, plasminogen activator inhibitor-1). Echocardiogram measurements were left-ventricular mass index (LVMI) (g/m2.7), LV relative wall thickness (LVRWT), left-atrial diameter index [LADI (mm/m)], and LV diastolic time intervals. LADI (r 2 = 0.25) was associated with body mass index (BMI) systolic BP (SBP) and female sex. LVMI (r 2 = 0.35) variation was associated with BMI SBP, heart rate, age, and male sex. LVRWT (r 2 = 0.05) was associated with HOMA. Tissue diastolic intervals were not associated with any risk factor. Inflammatory markers and adipokines were associated with BMI but were not independently associated with any echocardiographic measures. In African-American adolescents, BMI and SBP, but not inflammatory markers or adipokines, are important correlates of LA size and LVM.
Second-order sum-frequency wave loads on large-volume structures*

The second-order sum frequency wave loads on the stationary ISSC Tension-Leg Platform (TLP) are obtained by the three-dimensional boundary integral equation method. The numerical results for the full TLP are compared with approximate estimations based on the results for a single column (Kim and Yue5) or four columns only (Chau11), where both or the latter part of the wave interaction between four columns and the influence of pontoons are neglected. Unlike the first-order problem, it is shown that both wave interaction and pontoon effects are generally important to the calculation of second-order sum-frequency wave loads even at relatively high frequencies. Particularly, the vertical forces and pitch moments can be greatly amplified in consequence of the second-order interaction between columns, and the resulting standing wave effects. Therefore, it is not conservative to estimate the springing wave loads on a TLP by such approximation methods despite the substantial savings in computing, time. To support this rather surprising conclusion, the vertical forces are also calculated based on the asymptotic formula of the second-order diffraction potential which is valid at large depths (Newman12).
Stabilization of Carboxylate Surface Species on Pd(111)

The stabilization of formate and acetate surface species on Pd(111) has been studied by temperature-programmed desorption and infrared reflection absorption spectroscopy (IRRAS). In addition to the previously reported stabilization of carboxylate species by the pre-adsorption of oxygen, an even bigger stabilizing effect was observed upon the adsorption of carbon monoxide onto formate- and acetate-covered surfaces. The presence of carbon monoxide delays the decomposition of carboxylate species by blocking surrounding sites. Proper use of co-adsorbed species could help to improve selectivity or activity in heterogeneous catalytic reactions.
Prosocial behavior in families: Moderators of resource sharing

Abstract Archival studies of within-family prosocial behavior ( Judge & Hrdy, 1992 ; Smith, Kish, & Crawford, 1987 ) have shown that inheritance patterns support Hamilton’s (1964) theory of inclusive fitness, such that people will more of their estates to relatives of closer genetic relatedness. In a survey-based simulation of these studies, students allocated one of three lotteries to their blood relatives. As expected, participants allocated greater proportions of their lotteries to relatives of greater genetic relatedness. This effect became stronger with decreasing lottery amounts. Relatives of certain relatedness were favored over relatives of uncertain relatedness (via paternal uncertainty), and this effect was stronger among those with less money to allocate. Male participants tended to favor their young female relatives over their young male relatives when given the smallest lottery, but this sex preference reversed when male participants were given the largest lottery. In general, scarcer resources led to more evolutionarily conservative investment strategies.
Depolarization of lidar returns by small ice crystals: An application to contrails

Measurements of the lidar linear depolarization ratio δ can be a powerful remote sensing technique for characterizing the microphysics of contrail particles. Since young contrails often consist of relatively small ice crystals, the quantitative interpretation of lidar measurements requires accurate theoretical computations of δ for polydisperse, randomly oriented nonspherical particles with size parameters ranging from zero to at least several tens, thus ruling out most of the currently available numerical techniques. In this paper we use the recently improved T-matrix method and compute δ for polydispersions of randomly oriented ice spheroids, circular cylinders, and Chebyshev particles with sizes typical of young contrails. We show that ice crystals with effective radii as small as several tenths of a micron can already produce δ exceeding 0.5 at visible wavelengths. This may explain the frequent occurrence of large δ values for very young contrails. We also show that observed increases of δ with the contrail's age can be explained either by a rapid increase of the particle size parameter from essentially zero to about 5 or by assuming that the contrail particles originate as perfect spheres and then acquire a certain degree of asphericity.
S.A.W. frequency synthesis using a monolithic ZnO-on-Si convolver

A synthesiser for frequency-hopped waveforms is demonstrated by mixing two chirp signals in a zinc-oxide-on-silicon surface-acoustic-wave nondegenerate convolver. The convolution electrode is segmented into taps which can be independently switched on or off. A separate frequency output is available at each tap.
Prolactin isoform 2 as an autocrine growth factor for GH3 cells.

Because PRL has growth factor activities in several tissues, we have asked whether it also has autocrine growth factor activity in pituitary GH3 cells. GH3 cells were grown at increasing densities in the presence or absence of antirat PRL (polyclonal and monoclonal) or nonspecific antibodies. Cell proliferation increased with increasing cell density, as did the concentration of PRL in the medium. Antirat PRL, but not control antibody, markedly inhibited but did not eliminate cell proliferation, and this effect was diminished with increasing PRL concentration in the medium. PRL receptors were demonstrated on 40-50% of the cells by indirect immunofluorescence using a specific antirat PRL receptor monoclonal antibody. Cell surface PRL was colocalized to the same 40-50% of the cells and copatched or cocapped along with the receptors. Absence or presence of PRL receptors did not correlate with stage of the cell cycle, as judged by ethidium bromide dual labeling. Cell surface PRL was found to be on PRL-containi...
Forerunners: Outer rims of solar coronal transients

The large loop or blob-like transient events viewed in the white-light corona are rimmed by broad regions where the density is slightly enhanced above the pre-transient corona. Every one of the Skylab events studied for which sufficiently good Skylab coronagraph coverage is available shows this effect. The upper boundaries of these ‘forerunners’ blend gradually into the background corona 1 to ≥2R⊙ above the transients' leading edges. In any single event, the coronal mass enhancement represented by the forerunner comprises up to 25% of the total excess mass present in the coronagraph's field of view and includes a much larger volume of the corona than previously attributed to the underlying transient. We have not yet seen a forerunner without an accompanying transient. Clearly, forerunners must be reckoned with in any proposed models of discrete outward coronal mass motions, because they indicate the presence of disturbed corona far ahead of the denser portions of the event.
Genomic and Physiological Characterization of the Verrucomicrobia Isolate Diplosphaera colitermitum gen. nov., sp. nov., Reveals Microaerophily and Nitrogen Fixation Genes

Previously we reported the cultivation of novel verrucomicrobia, including strain TAV2 (93% 16S rRNA gene identity to its nearest cultivated representative, Opitutus terreae PB90-1) from the gut of the termite Reticulitermes flavipes. To gain better insight into the Verrucomicrobia as a whole and understand the role of verrucomicrobia within the termite gut ecosystem, we analyzed a draft genome and undertook a physiological characterization of TAV2. Strain TAV2 is an autochthonous member of the R. flavipes gut microbiota and groups phylogenetically among diverse Verrucomicrobia from R. flavipes and other termites that are represented by 16S rRNA gene sequences alone. TAV2 is a microaerophile, possessing a high-affinity cbb3-type terminal oxidase-encoding gene and exhibiting an optimum growth rate between 2 and 8% (vol/vol) oxygen. It has the genetic potential to degrade cellulose, an important function within termite guts, but its in vitro substrate utilization spectrum was limited to starch and a few mono- and disaccharides. Growth occurred on nitrogen-free medium, and genomic screening revealed genes for dinitrogenases, heretofore detected in only a few members of the Verrucomicrobia. This represents the first (i) characterization of a verrucomicrobial species from the termite gut, (ii) report of nif and anf genes in a nonacidophilic verrucomicrobial species, and (iii) description of a microaerophilic genotype and phenotype in this phylum of bacteria. The genetic and physiological distinctiveness of TAV2 supports its recognition as the type strain of a new genus and species, for which the name Diplosphaera colitermitum gen. nov., sp. nov., is proposed.
The Spectrum of Certain Invariant Differential Operators Associated to a Hermitian Symmetric Space

Let G/K be an irreducible Hermitian symmetric space of rank n and let g = t + p + + p − be the usual decomposition of g = Lie(G). Let us write P, D, and W = P ⊗D, respectively, for the algebra of holomorphic polynomials, the algebra of constant coefficient holomorphic differential operators, and the “Weyl algebra” of polynomial coefficient holomorphic differential operators on p−, and regard all three as K-modules in the usual way.
Angioplasty of coronary trifurcation lesion—A case report

Angioplasty of bifurcation lesions using double guide wires and kissing-balloon inflations to prevent plaque shifting is well described. We describe angioplasty of a trifurcation lesion with three guide wires and kissing-balloon inflations in adjacent vessels.
Role of maintenance therapy after autologous stem cell transplant for multiple myeloma: lessons for cancer therapy.

Recently, in an attempt to determine the role of maintenance therapy, 2 large studies reported longer progression-free survival (PFS) in patients undergoing an autologous stem cell transplant who were then randomized to lenalidomide (Revlimid; Celgene, Summit, NJ) vs placebo.1,2 After a single autologous stem cell transplant for symptomatic multiple myeloma, 614 patients were given consolidation with lenalidomide followed by randomization to maintenance with either lenalidomide or placebo. Progression-free survival from the time of randomization improved to 42 months with lenalidomide maintenance therapy vs 24 months with placebo. The 5-year postdiagnosis overall survival (OS) was 83% in both arms.1 In another study of 460 patients who received an autologous stem cell transplant and were then randomized to receive lenalidomide or placebo, time to progression was 42 months for lenalidomide vs 22 months for placebo. No survival data have been reported.2 In keeping with the principles of primum non nocere (“First, do no harm”), physicians should carefully consider a number of points about maintenance therapy in patients with myeloma. A discussion of these principles and their potential application to other cancers follows.
Chiral edge states of vortex matter

We study the evolution of the excitation spectrum of a trapped rotating Bose-Einstein condensate as a function of increasing rotational frequency and discuss chiral edge states supported on the condensate surface. We describe these modes in the context of a mean-field Bogoliubov--de Gennes treatment. We find that they dominate the spectrum at fast rotation, and the dispersion relation for these excitations becomes linear in the limit of high angular momentum as in the quantum Hall effect. We also identify the edge states as primary agents in the nucleation and decay of the lattice.
Constitutive (pro)insulin release from pancreas of transgenic mice expressing monomeric insulin

To evaluate the role of protein aggregation and calcium in the sorting of insulin for regulated vs. constitutive release from the intact pancreas, we targeted the expression of a monomeric mutant form of human (pro)insulin (B9/B27) to the pancreatic beta-cells of transgenic mice. This mutant insulin does not form dimers or hexamers, but can aggregate at high concentration in the presence of calcium. A homozygous line (171) was produced that expressed 55% of the total (pro)insulin message in their beta-cells as the mutant form and had normal pancreatic total (pro)insulin content [measured as immunoreactive insulin (IRI)]. Fasting glucose levels in these transgenics and in homozygous control mice expressing native human (pro)insulin were normal, although levels were abnormally elevated during ip glucose tolerance testing. In the presence of extracellular calcium, regulated IRI release from the isolated perfused pancreas of the transgenic mice was undetectable in the absence of secretagogues and responded with normal phasic kinetics when stimulated with increasing steps of glucose, with glucose plus isobutylmethylxanthine, or with arginine. Without extracellular calcium (0 calcium plus EGTA), normal pancreas did not release IRI in either the presence or absence of secretagogues. In contrast, without calcium or secretagogues, transgenic pancreas spontaneously and constitutively released IRI at high levels equivalent to those elicited by glucose (22 mM) plus calcium from normal pancreas. This release was partially inhibited by glucose or arginine. Constitutive secretion was acutely sensitive to calcium; inhibition occurred within minutes after the addition of calcium and quickly returned to its characteristic level (with overshoot) when calcium was subsequently removed. Somatostatin, at a concentration that caused 50% inhibition of normal glucose-stimulated secretion, did not affect constitutive release. Control pancreas from the transgenic mice, expressing native human (pro)insulin, responded normally to secretagogues and did not constitutively release hormone in the absence of calcium. It is concluded that expression of monomeric human insulin in pancreatic beta-cells from transgenic mice did not interfere with normal phenotypic insulin secretion, indicating that the functional secretory apparatus was not impaired. Constitutive secretion of IRI from the intact pancreas requires both the expression of a monomeric form of insulin and the absence of extracellular calcium, two conditions that reduce aggregation. These results are consistent with the hypothesis that protein aggregation favors sorting to the regulated pathway, whereas suppressed aggregation causes sorting for constitutive release.