cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
An Economic System Planning Interactive Load Flow Adaptable to Existing Computer Systems

Abstract This paper describes the development of an inexpensive interactive load flow system utilizing an existing load flow program. The system was Installed on a computer network which supports a time sharing option (TSO). Minor modifications were made to the Philadelphia Electric Company Power flow program to enable interactive operation Including a convergence record display On a cathode ray tube (CRT) screen during program execution. Routines composed of executable sequences of TSO commands were developed to enable a user to exercise control over program Initiations, executions, cancellations, modifications, and the editing of results. The user can then create, modify, and delete data sets by easy interaction with the CRT. These capabilities, combined with the ease of operation, and the economical implementation make this system quite attractive and practicable for many existing computer systems with remote terminal capability. This system can quickly provide electric utility system planning engineers with load flow solutions with significant cost savings due to more efficient utilization of engineering time.
Addressing Compassion Fatigue and Stress of Special Education Teachers and Professional Staff Using Mindfulness and Prayer

Alternative therapies are promising nursing interventions for improvement of compassion fatigue in educators working in special education. A convenience sample of 27 teachers and professional staff working in special education participated in a quasi-experimental pilot study and completed a pre/posttest of demographic questions, the Perceived Stress Scale (PSS) (10-item) and Professional Quality of Life (ProQOL). All attended a presentation on stress, compassion satisfaction (CS), mindfulness, prayer, and social support. Nearly, one half received weekly electronic text message reminders encouraging use of mindfulness and prayer. All were offered support groups. Use of alternative therapies was self-selected and self-reported. Significant improvement occurred in posttest PSS scores ( p = .0485) of participants with the highest reported levels of use of mindfulness. ProQOL CS scores ( p = .0289) and PSS scores ( p = .0244) significantly improved when evaluating difference in means between groups with the highest levels and lowest levels of prayer and mindfulness. ProQOL burnout scores ( p = <.0001) increased from pretest to posttest. Findings were not significant in regard to reminders and social support.
FLPing Genes On and Off in Drosophila

The fruit fly, Drosophila melanogaster, has been a favorite experimental system of developmental biologists for more than a century. One of the most attractive features of this model system is the clarity by which one can analyze mutant phenotypes. Most genes are found in single copies, and loss-of-function mutants often have obvious phenotypes that can be analyzed during development and in adulthood. As with all metazoans, a significant fraction of Drosophila genes are used during both embryonic and postembryonic development, and null mutants often die during embryogenesis thereby precluding the analysis of postembryonic tissues. For several decades researchers worked around this problem by either studying gynandromorphs or irradiating chromosomes carrying mutations in the hope of inducing mitotic recombination which would then allow for the analysis of mutant phenotypes in smaller populations of cells. The former method suffers from the fact that mutations in the gene of interest are often lethal when generated in large sectors, which is a hallmark of gynandromorphs. Clonal induction with the latter method occurs at relatively low frequencies making this method laborious. The introduction of the yeast FRT System/FRT site-directed recombination system to Drosophila has made generating loss-of-function mosaic clones simple and easy. Over the years several variants of this method have allowed developmental biologists to remove genes, overexpress genes, and even express one gene in patches of cells that are mutant for a second gene. In this review we will briefly discuss some of various FRT System/FRT-based approaches that are being used to manipulate gene expression in Drosophila. The individual FRT System/FRT-based methods are described in the papers that are cited herein. We will outline the procedure that our lab uses to prepare and analyze mosaic clones in Drosophila eye-antennal imaginal discs.
A review of the performance of different methods for propensity score matched subgroup analyses and a summary of their application in peer-reviewed research studies.

Purpose When evaluating safety signals, there is often interest in understanding safety in all patients for whom compared treatments are reasonable alternatives, as well as in specific subgroups of interest. There are numerous ways that propensity score (PS) matching can be implemented for subgroup analyses. Methods We conducted a systematic literature review of methods papers that compared the performance of alternative methods to implement PS matched subgroup analyses and examined how frequently different PS matching methods have been used for subgroup analyses in applied studies. Results We identified 5 methods papers reporting small improvements in covariate balance and bias with use of a subgroup-specific PS instead of a mis-specified overall PS within subgroups. Applied research papers frequently used PS for subgroups in ways not evaluated in methods papers. Thirty three percent used PS to match in the overall cohort and broke the matched sets for subgroup analysis without further adjustment. Conclusions While the performance of several alternative ways to use PS matching in subgroup analyses has been evaluated in methods literature, these evaluations do not include the most commonly used methods to implement PS matched subgroup analyses in applied studies. There is a need to better understand the relative performance of commonly used methods for PS matching in subgroup analyses, particularly within settings encountered during active surveillance, where there may be low exposure, infrequent outcomes, and multiple subgroups of interest.
Power management, intelligent control and protection in micro-grids - a review

Micro-grid is defined as a local power network with distributed energy resources (DERs) as micro-power sources scattered throughout the supply area. For reliable and short range transmission of power, micro-power sources are controlled as standalone as well as grid-synchronized power sources. The idea is to design a resilient, efficient and cost effective infrastructure based on advanced communication and information technologies (ICT) to meet the needs of future energy demand and quality. As the grid is being modernized, the constraints in operation such as power fluctuations, voltage instabilities, frequency deviations, transition management and wide area monitoring must be addressed. Therefore, more advanced and robust control techniques are needed to deal with the complexity of modern power infrastructure. In this paper, a review of power management, intelligent control and protection techniques is presented for designing efficient, reliable and sustainable grid.
Efficacy of Nisin-Coated Polymer Films To Inactivate Salmonella Typhimurium on Fresh Broiler Skin

Nisin is an antimicrobial peptide produced by the food-grade microorganism Lactococcus lactis subsp. lactis. This peptide inhibits many gram-positive bacteria, and when combined with chelating agents it inhibits gram-negative bacteria such as Salmonella sp. The efficacy of packaging films treated with nisin-containing formulations to reduce Salmonella contamination of fresh broiler drumstick skin and increase the refrigerated shelf life was investigated. Three films (5.1 cm2) of varying hydrophobicities (polyvinyl chloride [PVC], linear low density polyethylene, nylon) were coated with one of three liquid formulations (pH 3.5 to 3.8) composed of 100 microg/ml nisin and varying concentrations of citric acid, EDTA, and Tween 80. The treated films were applied either wet or dry to 5.1-cm2 broiler drumstick skin samples inoculated with a nalidixic acid-resistant (NAr) strain of Salmonella Typhimurium. After incubation at 4 degrees C for 24 h the populations of surviving Salmonella TyphimuriumNAr organisms were recovered from the skin and film samples using a rinse procedure and enumerated on brain heart infusion agar containing 800 ppm NA. Log reductions (untreated versus treated skin) in Salmonella TyphimuriumNAr populations ranged from 0.4 to 2.1. Treatment formulation compositions and wet versus dry treatment application also influenced the extent of kill. The shelf life of refrigerated broiler drumsticks was extended by 0.6 to 2.2 days following a 3-min immersion in a nisin-containing treatment solution and subsequent storage in a foam tray pack containing a nisin-treated PVC overwrap and a nisin-treated absorbent tray pad. These findings demonstrated that Salmonella Typhimurium and spoilage microorganism populations on the surface of fresh broiler skin and drumsticks can be significantly reduced using immersion treatments, absorbent tray pads, and packaging films treated with nisin-containing formulations.
An Evo-Devo Perspective on Hybrid Infertility and Speciation

Understanding how new species arise and become reproductively isolated lineages is a fundamental problem of evolutionary biology and can provide us insights into the mechanisms of fertility, genomic incompatibility, and behavioral choice. Here we focus on hybrid infertility, a reproductive barrier that prevents gene flow among different species, with a special emphasis on hybrid female sterility among Drosophila species. We briefly review germline development in flies, describe classical interspecific transplantation experiments of germline cells, and discuss how hybrid infertility genes may be uncovered using current genomics and developmental biology tools.
Severe unintentional first trimester carbon monoxide poisoning: case report.

Background The fetus is uniquely susceptible to carbon monoxide (CO) exposure. We present a case of severe unintentional CO poisoning in the first trimester of pregnancy. Case A 23-year-old G5P2022 female at 11 weeks' gestational age sat in a car with the engine idling. She was unaware that the vehicle's exhaust pipe was blocked with snow. She was found to be unresponsive, with an initial carboxyhemoglobin (COHb) concentration of 47.1%. She underwent emergent treatment with hyperbaric oxygen therapy. The remainder of her pregnancy was complicated by a diagnosis of myasthenia gravis. She delivered a full-term infant who was noted to have persistently small head circumference. Discussion Fetal hemoglobin binds to CO more tightly than adult hemoglobin, and fetal carboxyhemoglobin concentrations are reported to exceed maternal levels. Fetal abnormalities may occur after CO poisoning in pregnancy and vary based on the gestational age of the fetus at the time of the exposure as well the chronicity of the exposure. Conclusion Fetal survival after maternal CO exposure is possible even with significantly elevated maternal COHb concentrations, although teratogenic effects may occur depending on the timing of exposure.
Endoscopic Lumbar Interbody Fusion

Spine surgeons have recently developed more advanced and less invasive techniques. One significant example of recent surgical innovation is the advent of endoscopic-assisted spine surgery. Endoscopic lumbar interbody fusions are increasingly used to treat lumbar degenerative disease in a minimally invasive approach that minimizes pain and maximizes outcomes. Numerous technical refinements to ultraminimally invasive approaches have occurred since their initial use, which has resulted in substantial clinical benefit for patients that remains stable over time. Serious complications can occur and thus, the spine surgeon adopting endoscopic techniques must be aware of the early learning curve.
Real Time and Mapping Spectroscopic Ellipsometry for CdTe Photovoltaics

Real time spectroscopy ellipsometry (RTSE) has been implemented in studies of the structural evolution during magnetron sputtering of the polycrystalline CdS and CdTe thin film components of CdS/CdTe solar cells on glass substrates coated in turn with transparent conducting oxide (TCO) top contact layers. RTSE provides detailed information on various structural features identified during CdS and CdTe film growth. These include (i) formation of the TCO/CdS interface as the surface modulations of the high resistivity transparent (HRT) layer are filled with the depositing CdS during its initial growth; (ii) evolution of the CdS bulk layer thickness and associated surface roughness layer thickness; (iii) formation of the CdS/CdTe interface as the depositing CdTe fills the modulations of the CdS surface, resulting in the heterojunction; and (iv) evolution of the CdTe bulk layer and surface roughness layer thicknesses. The structural and optical models established in the analysis procedures for RTSE data acquired from the film side at a single location on the solar cell surface are also applied in the analysis of ex situ mapping spectroscopic ellipsometry (M-SE) data acquired in through-the-glass mode over the entire area of the completed solar cell structure. In fact, M-SE has been applied to generate maps in the effective thicknesses (or volumes/area) of layer components over the 225 cm2 areas of the solar cell structures for spatial correlation with the performance of arrays of 256 dot cells fabricated over the same areas. The results of such M-SE studies are presented in detail including those from several investigations designed for process optimization of the CdS/CdTe solar cell on TCO-coated glass. In the solar cell fabrication process, the CdS/CdTe structure is subjected to various processing steps after deposition of the heterojunction materials. The first steps include an anneal of the structure with simultaneous CdCl2 exposure of the CdTe film surface, followed by a deposition of ultrathin Cu by thermal evaporation on the CdTe surface. The additional steps that complete the device include a deposition of a metal back contact layer and a final anneal to promote the diffusion of Cu into the underlying CdTe. M-SE studies are described for CdS/CdTe solar cells fabricated with different thicknesses of the CdTe absorber layer within the range from 0.5 to 2.5 μm, focusing initially on the influence of the CdCl2 treatment duration which ranges from 5 to 30 min. In addition, processing-property-performance relationships are identified and presented for the CdS top window layer and the Cu back contact layer; the effective thickness of each layer is critical for the optimization of the solar cells. Relationships between the solar cell performance parameters and the effective thicknesses from M-SE analysis for solar cells fabricated under different processing conditions are demonstrated to facilitate process optimization.
Cluster Complexes of Polythioether Macrocycles: The Synthesis and Molecular Structures of Ru6(CO)13(cis-SCH2 CHMe(CH2SCH2CHMe)2CH2)(μ6-C) and Ru6(CO)13(trans-SCH2 CHMe(CH2SCH2CHMe)2CH2)(μ6-C)

The reaction of a mixture of cis-3,7,11-trimethyl-1,5,9-trithiacyclododecane, cis-Me312S3, 1 and trans-3,7,11-trimethyl-l,5,9-trithiacyclododecane, trans-Me312S3, 2, with Ru6(CO)17(μ 6-C), 3, yielded three new cluster compounds Ru6(CO)13(μ-η3-cis-SCH2CHMe(CH2SCH2CHMe)2CH2)(μ 6-C) 4, and two isomers of Ru6(CO)13(μ-η3-cis-SCH2CHMe(CH2SCH2CHMe)2CH2)(μ 6-C) 5a and 5b. The molecular structures of 4 and 5b were established by single crystal X-ray diffraction analyses. In both complexes, the macrocycles have adopted tridentate coordination with one of the sulfur atoms in a bridging position. Two carbonyl ligands occupy bridging positions in each compound. Crystal Data for 4·Me2CO: space group=P21/n, a=11.295(1) A, b=17.547(3) A, c=20.318(3) A, β=93.71(1)°, Z=4, 2900 reflections, R=0.025. Crystal Data for 5b·1.5 C6H6: space group=Pbca, a=31.8900(8) A, b=23.4330(6) A, c=21.6240(4) A, Z=16, 12163 reflections, R=0.040.
The Perils of Perfectionism.

OBJECTIVE. The purposes of this article are to describe the perfectionism that occurs among radiologists and to propose methods of assuaging it. CONCLUSION. Perfectionism can take a great toll on r...
Gender disparities in award recipients from surgical specialty societies.

Abstract Introduction Women are underrepresented as recognition award recipients across several medical specialties. This phenomenon has not been investigated in surgery. This study investigates the prevalence of female award recipients among the major American surgical societies. Methods Publicly available lists of surgical society award recipients from 1998 to 2017 were analyzed. Awards intended primarily for physicians presented a minimum of five times were included. The primary outcome was the percentage of award recipients who were female. Trainee-specific and nontrainee-specific percentages of female award winners were compared with national percentages of female surgeons. Analysis was performed for awards based on the type of award (achievement, research, and service). Society-specific analyses were performed. Results Of the 1,222 awards presented by 20 societies studied, 420 (25.6%) were awarded to women. A total of 37.7% of trainee-specific awards and 20.6% of nontrainee-specific awards were presented to women. Women received 12.9% of achievement, 29.9% of research, and 24.0% of service awards. Society-specific rates of female award recipients ranged from 5.3% to 50.0%. Conclusion Overall, female trainees are proportionately represented as winners of awards from surgical societies, but nontrainees receive a disproportionately higher percentage of awards as compared with the national rates of female surgeons. However, there is significant variation among societies. Further research is warranted to elucidate why this variation exists and what can be done to remedy it.
The Teahouse under Socialism: The Decline and Renewal of Public Life in Chengdu, 1950–2000

In the years following China’s reform and opening (gaige kaifang), historians in China and the English-speaking world have produced a steady stream of books and monographs about Chinese cities. The...
CAN RUNNERS PERCEIVE CHANGES IN HEEL CUSHIONING AS THE SHOE AGES WITH INCREASED MILEAGE

Background For those runners who utilize footwear and have a rearfoot strike pattern, the durability of the midsole heel region has been shown to deteriorate as shoe mileage increases. Purpose The purpose of this study was threefold: 1) to determine if the runner can self-report changes in heel cushioning properties of the midsole after an extended period of distance running, 2) to determine if force and plantar pressures measured in the heel region of the midsole using a capacitance sensor insole change after running 640 km, and 3) to determine if a durometer could be used clinically to objectively measure changes in the hardness of the material in the heel region of the midsole. Study design Cross-sectional Study. Methods Fifteen recreational runners voluntarily consented to participate and were provided with a new pair of running shoes. Each participant's running style was observed and classified as having a rearfoot strike pattern. Inclusion criteria included running at least 24 km per week, experience running on a treadmill, no history of lower extremity congenital or traumatic deformity, or acute injury six months prior to the start of the study. The ability of each participant to self-perceive changes in shoe cushioning, comfort and fit was assessed using the Footwear Comfort Assessment Tool (FCAT). In-shoe plantar pressures and vertical forces were assessed using a capacitance sensor insole while runners ran over a 42-meter indoor runway. A Shore A durometer was used to measure the hardness of the midsole in the heel region. All measures were completed at baseline (zero km) and after running 160, 320, 480, and 640 km. In addition to descriptive statistics, a repeated measures analysis of variance was used to determine if the FCAT, pressures, forces, or midsole hardness changed because of increased running mileage. Result While plantar pressures and vertical forces were significantly reduced in the midsole heel region, none of the runners self-reported a significant reduction in heel cushioning based on FCAT scores after running 640 km. The use of a durometer provided an objective measure of the changes in the heel region of the midsole that closely matched the reductions observed in pressure and force values. Conclusion The results indicated that runners who have a rearfoot strike pattern will have a 16% to 33% reduction in the amount of cushioning in the heel region of the midsole after running 480 km. Although there were significant reductions in heel cushioning, the experienced recreational runners in this study were not able to self-perceive these changes after running 640 km. In addition, the use of a durometer provides a quick and accurate way to assess changes in the hardness of the heel region of the midsole as running mileage increases. Level of evidence 3, Controlled laboratory study.
Criminogenic risk and mental health: a complicated relationship

The relationship between criminogenic risk and mental illness in justice involved persons with mental illness is complex and poorly understood by clinicians, researchers, administrators, and policy makers alike. Historically, when providing services to justice involved persons with mental illness, clinicians have emphasized mental health recovery (eg, psychiatric rehabilitation) at the exclusion of treatments targeted at criminogenic risk. More recently, however, researchers have demonstrated with great clarity that criminogenic risk not only contributes but is likely the leading factor in the criminal behavior committed by persons with mental illness. Yet, we still do not know the nature of this criminogenic-mental illness relationship, how this relationship impacts treatment needs, and of ultimate concern, what this relationship means in terms of individual and societal outcomes. In this paper we briefly define criminogenic risk and the research that demonstrates the role of criminogenic risk in criminal justice involvement of persons with mental illness. We also review prevalence rates of persons with mental illness justice involvement, and then discuss important factors to be considered when assessing risk to include both criminogenic and mental illness risk. We conclude this paper by reviewing treatment and management strategies for persons with mental illness that are criminal justice involved particularly reviewing and building off the recommendations put forth by Bartholomew & Morgan.
Differences in the response of two light guide technologies and two readout technologies after an exchange of liquid argon in the dewar

Abstract In this investigation the response to the scintillation light generated by through-going cosmic muons in liquid argon (LAr) was measured by two light guide technologies and two readout technologies after five weeks of running in the TallBo dewar at Fermilab. The response was remeasured after the dewar was drained of LAr, refilled, and then run again for an additional four weeks. After the dewar was refilled, there was clear evidence that the scintillation signal had dropped significantly. The two light guide technologies were developed at Indiana University and MIT/Fermilab. The two readout technologies were boards that passively or actively ganged 12 Hamamatsu MPPCs. Two possible explanations were identified for the degraded signal: the response of the two light guide technologies degraded due to damage caused by thermal cycling, and/or unknown differences in the trace residual Xe contamination in the fills of LAr led to the observed drop in scintillation light. Neither absorption nor quenching by N 2 , O 2 , and H 2 O contamination can account for the degradation. Neither the individual Hamamatsu MPPCs nor the passive/active ganging boards appear to have been affected by the thermal cycling. The path length distributions of the cosmics traversing the dewar appear quite similar in both event samples.
Financial incentives versus standard of care to improve patient compliance with live kidney donor follow-up: protocol for a multi-center, parallel-group randomized controlled trial.

Live kidney donors (LKDs) account for nearly a third of kidney transplants in the United States. While donor nephrectomy poses minimal post-surgical risk, LKDs face an elevated adjusted risk of developing chronic diseases such as hypertension, diabetes, and end-stage renal disease. Routine screening presents an opportunity for the early detection and management of chronic conditions. Transplant hospital reporting requirements mandate the submission of laboratory and clinical data at 6-months, 1-year, and 2-years after kidney donation, but less than 50% of hospitals are able to comply. Strategies to increase patient engagement in follow-up efforts while minimizing administrative burden are needed. We seek to evaluate the effectiveness of using small financial incentives to promote patient compliance with LKD follow-up. We are conducting a two-arm randomized controlled trial (RCT) of patients who undergo live donor nephrectomy at The Johns Hopkins Hospital Comprehensive Transplant Center (MDJH) and the University of Maryland Medical Center Transplant Center (MDUM). Eligible donors will be recruited in-person at their first post-surgical clinic visit or over the phone. We will use block randomization to assign LKDs to the intervention ($25 gift card at each follow-up visit) or control arm (current standard of care). Follow-up compliance will be tracked over time. The primary outcome will be complete (all components addressed) and timely (60 days before or after expected visit date), submission of LKD follow-up data at required 6-month, 1-year, and 2-year time points. The secondary outcome will be transplant hospital-level compliance with federal reporting requirements at each visit. Rates will be compared between the two arms following the intention-to-treat principle. Small financial incentivization might increase patient compliance in the context of LKD follow-up, without placing undue administrative burden on transplant providers. The findings of this RCT will inform potential center- and national-level initiatives to provide all LKDs with small financial incentives to promote engagement with post-donation monitoring efforts. ClinicalTrials.gov number: NCT03090646 Date of registration: March 2, 2017 Sponsors: Johns Hopkins University, University of Maryland Medical Center Funding: The Living Legacy Foundation of Maryland
Marriage and Fertility Preferences among Young Women in China: Changes over Time:

China has undergone considerable social and economic change over recent decades and, more recently, has altered its fertility policies. Using data collected at several Chinese universities from 201...
A dynamical systems approach to examining the efficacy of suicide-focused interventions

Objective Suicide risk is a nonlinear temporal process, but the ways in which suicide-focused interventions have statistically examined risk effects have ignored these nonlinearities. This paper highlights the potential benefits of using data analytic methods that account for nonlinear change patterns. Method Using a dynamical systems perspective, interventions are framed in terms of attractor dynamics. An attractor has three primary qualities where an intervention can have an effect. These correspond to contextual differences, shifts in the underlying temporal patterns, and changes in the stability of the temporal pattern. Results/conclusions It is argued that the ideal effect is one in which there is both an observed change in stability and a shift in the underlying temporal pattern toward less risk. Other types of intervention effects can have alternate explanations that are less desirable. Mean, variance, and growth differences are discussed within a systems context, and an example model is provided using Latent Change Score Modeling (McArdle, Annual Review of Psychology, 60, 2009, 577-605).
Acquisition of Developmental Milestones in Hypomyelination With Atrophy of the Basal Ganglia and Cerebellum and Other TUBB4A-Related Leukoencephalopathy:

Mutations in TUBB4A are associated with a spectrum of neurologic disorders categorized as TUBB4A-related leukoencephalopathy. Affected children can present with global developmental delay or normal early development, followed by a variable loss of skills over time. Further research is needed to characterize the factors associated with the divergent developmental trajectories in this rare monogenic disorder because this phenotypic spectrum is not fully explained by genotype alone.To characterize early psychomotor features, developmental milestones and age of disease onset were collected from medical records (n=54 individuals). Three subcohorts were identified: individuals with the common p.Asp249Asn variant vs all other genotypes with either early (<12 months of age) or late onset of presentation. Individuals with the p.Asp249Asn variant or those with non-p.Asp249Asn genotypes with later disease onset attained key milestones, including head control, sitting, and independent walking. Subjects with early-onset, non-p.Asp249Asn-associated disease were less likely to achieve developmental milestones. Next, we defined the developmental severity as the percentage of milestones attained by age 2 years. The mild form was defined as attaining at least 75% of key developmental milestones. Among cohort categorized as mild, individuals with p.Asp249Asn variant were more likely to lose acquired abilities when compared with non-p.Asp249Asn individuals.Our results suggest multiple influences on developmental trajectory, including a strong contribution from genotype and age of onset. Further studies are needed to identify additional factors that influence overall outcomes to better counsel families and to design clinical trials with appropriate clinical endpoints.
Association between human immunodeficiency virus serostatus and the prevalence of atrial fibrillation.

ABSTRACT Atrial fibrillation (AF) leads to increased risk for stroke. Human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) is associated with cardiovascular disease (CVD), although it is unclear if HIV is associated with AF. The purpose of this study was to evaluate the association between HIV serostatus and the prevalence of AF in the Multicenter AIDS Cohort Study.A cross sectional study was conducted among 1674 HIV-infected (HIV+) and uninfected (HIV-) men who completed resting 12-lead electrocardiograms, and/or ambulatory electrocardiogram monitoring. Multivariable logistic regression was used to evaluate the association between AF, defined as the presence of either AF or atrial flutter, and HIV+ serostatus. Associations were adjusted for demographic variables, and then also for CVD risk factors.HIV+ men were younger than HIV- men (median 55.5 vs 61.7 years, P < .001) and were more frequently African-American (30.5% vs 17.8%, P < .001). Most HIV+ men (81%) had undetectable viral load. The age and race adjusted prevalence of AF was 3.0% in HIV+ and 3.3% in HIV- men. There was only 1 case of AF among African-American men. There were no associations between AF and HIV serostatus after adjusting for demographic factors (odds ratio 0.76; 95% CI 0.37 to -1.58; P = .47) or after further adjustment for CVD risk factors (odds ratio 0.84; 95% CI 0.39 to -1.81; P = .66).We found no association between HIV and AF in this cohort in which viral replication among the HIV+ men is generally suppressed. The overall prevalence of AF was low and was rare in African-American men.
Methyl-Lysine Recognition by Ankyrin-Repeat Proteins

The ankyrin repeats (ANKs) of the methyltransferases G9a and GLP bind methyllysine (meK) in a surface aromatic cage. Binding the methylation product with the very same polypeptide that generates it seems essential for some G9a/GLP functions, but it is dispensable for others. We first consider the structure of ANKs, particularly to illustrate that different binding modes can exist on the same scaffold and to facilitate the search for other meK-binding ANKs. Huntingtin (HTT)-interacting protein-14 (HIP14) was predicted based on conservation of key cage residues to also have a surface aromatic cage. This prediction has been confirmed, but the HIP14-binding partner remains elusive. HIP14 interacts with HTT through its ANKs. HTT directly binds a methyltransferase and manifests improper patterns of post-translational modification in Huntington’s disease. We have extended the search for other ANKs with meK-binding potential, and we present our results.
Feeding Ecology of Guerezas in the Kakamega Forest, Kenya: The Importance of Moraceae Fruit in Their Diet

Eastern black-and-white colobus (Colobus guereza), or guerezas, have long been considered to be one of the most folivorous primates. I conducted a study of the feeding ecology of two guereza groups (T and O) over an annual cycle in the Kakamega Forest of western Kenya. I found that the annual diets of both groups comprised mostly of leaves (T: 48%, O: 57%) though fruit (T: 44%, O: 33%) also accounted for a substantial portion of the diet. In the six months when fruit was most abundant, fruit consumption constituted an average of 58% of T-group's monthly diet and 42% of O-group's monthly diet. In contrast to most previous studies of colobines, in which seeds were the primary fruit item consumed, almost all of the fruit eaten by guerezas at Kakamega consisted of whole fruits. At least 72% of the whole fruits consumed by T-and O-groups were whole fruits from trees in the Moraceae family, which dominates the tree family biomass at Kakamega. Unlike at sites where guerezas consumed fruit primarily when young leaves were scarce, at Kakamega guerezas ate fruit in accordance with its availability and irrespective of the availability of young leaves. My findings demonstrate that guerezas are more dietarily flexible than was previously known, which may help to explain why the species can survive in such a wide variety of forested habitats across equatorial Africa.
DOES COMPACTNESS INDUCE SECONDARY STRUCTURE IN PROTEINS ? A STUDY OF POLY-ALANINE CHAINS COMPUTED BY DISTANCE GEOMETRY

Abstract A few years ago, lattice model studies indicated that compactness could induce polymer chains to develop protein-like secondary structures. Subsequent off-lattice studies have found the amounts of induced structure to be relatively small. Here we use distance geometry to generate random conformations of compact poly-alanine chains of various chain lengths. The poly-alanine chains are subjected only to compactness and excluded volume constraints; no other energies or conformational propensities are included in the chain generation procedure. We find that compactness leads to considerable stabilization of secondary structure, but the absolute amount of secondary structure depends strongly on the criteria used to define helices and sheets. By loose criteria, much secondary structure arises from compactness, but by strict criteria, little does. The stabilization free energy of secondary structure provided by compactness, however, appears to be independent of criteria. Since real helices and sheets in proteins can be identified by strict criteria, we introduced small energy perturbations to compact poly-alanine chains using the AMBER force field. Small refinements produced good α-helices. For β-sheets, however, larger refinements are necessary. Compactness appears to impart stability, but not much structural specificity, to secondary structures in proteins. Compactness acts more like diffusion as a force, a result of ensemble statistics, than like pair interactions such as hydrogen bonding.
Preferences for Water Policy in the Ogallala Region of New Mexico

In the late-1970s, Congress formed the High Plains Study Project to assess and study various management and water supply strategies for the Ogallala basin. In the early-1980s, the High Plains Study Council released its findings and recommendations, which in turn stimulated numerous interpretive critiques. A decade has passed since the High Plains Study Council report, yet water management problems persist. Using data from a survey of water experts in New Mexico, we identify the determinants of support and opposition to three water management options: voluntary conservation, mandatory regulation, and water importation. Preference for water management strategies is a function of how policy is perceived (regulatory vs. distributive). Water users in the Ogallala East region of New Mexico tended to oppose mandatory regulatory policies that provide the best option for conserving ground water resources for future generations; voluntary conservation-the least effective option—enjoyed the strongest support from respondents. The findings of this research should be of interest to persons concerned with the future of the Ogallala aquifer and to students of public policy.
Event Sequence Analysis: Methods

This article is reproduced from the previous edition, volume 7, pp. 4966–4969, © 2001, Elsevier Ltd, with revisions made by the Editor.
How Useful are Recasts?: Factors Influencing Their Success and Problems in Testing

As the popular focus of instruction in language classrooms becomes increasingly meaning-oriented, teachers must nevertheless ensure that their students are also learning the correct form of the language they are studying. One of the ways to achieve this task is to provide negative feedback—correcting the student, either implicitly or explicitly. The most common type of negative feedback used in the classroom is recasting (Sheen, 2006; Panova & Lyster, 2002; Loewen & Philp, 2006). Recasting is defined as the reformulation of a non-native speaker’s incorrect utterance by a native speaker in order to correct it (Gass & Selinker, 2008). Recasts are a common type of feedback for many possible reasons; one of the main reasons may be that they allow the teacher to maintain a focus on meaning while still giving the non-native speaker implicit correction on form (Han, 2002). The prevalence of recasts in the classroom has led to many studies on the topic, but results from the research have generally not provided strong evidence of its effectiveness.
A matrix transform imager and architecture

We introduce our transform imager technology and architecture. This approach allows for retina and higher-level bio-inspired computation in a programmable architecture that still possesses similar high-fill factor pixels to APS imagers. This imager is capable of programmable matrix operations on the image, where we can represent the image as either a full matrix or using block matrix operations. The resulting data-flow architecture directly allows computation of spatial transforms, motion computations, and stereo computations. The core imager performs computation at the pixel plane. but still holds to a fill factor greater than 40 percent. Each pixel is composed of a photodiode sensor element and a multiplier.
Proficient incubation by inexperienced Savannah Sparrows Passerculus sandwichensis

We compared the incubation behaviour of 1-year-old female Savannah Sparrows Passerculus sandwichensis nesting for the first time with that of older females that had nested in previous years on Kent Island, New Brunswick, Canada. Using temperature probes inserted into 32 nests, we determined the length and variability of incubation shifts and recesses over 99 nestdays. At 14 of the nests, known-age females were matched, each pair consisting of an inexperienced yearling and an experienced older female, and nest temperatures were measured simultaneously. In addition, we quantified the duration of night-time incubation and the mean length and variation of more than 1350 incubation shifts and recesses as a function of female age, weather, time of day and date. In all respects, yearling and older females had equivalent incubation behaviour. The similarity between yearlings and older females suggests that fundamental aspects of incubation behaviour may be largely innate and unaffected by prior reproductive experience or other age-related variables.
Seasonal Influences upon and Long-Term Trends in the Length of the Atlantic Hurricane Season

AbstractConsidering a subset of the North Atlantic Ocean south of 30°N and east of 75°W, Kossin found that the Atlantic tropical cyclone (TC) season increased in length, at 80%–90% confidence, by about 2 days per year between 1980 and 2007. It is uncertain, however, whether the same is true over the entire Atlantic basin or when the analysis is extended to 2014. Separately, it is unclear whether meaningful subseasonal variability in the environmental factors necessary for TC formation exists between early- and late-starting (ending) seasons. Quantile regression is used to evaluate long-term trends in Atlantic TC season length. No statistically significant trend in season length exists for the period 1979–2007 when considering the entire Atlantic basin or for the period 1979–2014 independent of the portion of the basin considered. Linear regression applied to June and November monthly mean reanalysis data is used to examine subseasonal environmental variability between early- and late-starting (ending) sea...
Pin1-FADD interactions regulate Fas-mediated apoptosis in activated eosinophils.

Abnormally long-lived eosinophils (Eos) are the major inflammatory component of allergic responses in the lungs of active asthmatics. Eos recruited to the airways after allergen exposure produce and respond to IL-5 and GM-CSF, enhancing their survival. Prosurvival signaling activates Pin1, a peptidyl-prolyl cis-trans isomerase that binds to Bax and prevents its activation. How long-lived Eos, despite the continued presence of GM-CSF or IL-5, eventually undergo apoptosis to end allergic inflammation remains unclear. In this study, we show that Pin1 location, activity, and protein interactions are jointly influenced by Fas and the prosurvival cytokine IL-5. Fas signaling strongly induced the phosphorylation of FADD at Ser194 and Pin1 at Ser16, as well as their nuclear accumulation. Phospho-mimic Ser194Glu FADD mutants accelerated Eos apoptosis compared with wild-type or Ser194Ala mutants. Downstream of FADD phosphorylation, caspase 8, 9, and 3 cleavage, as well as Eos apoptosis induced by Fas, were reduced by constitutively active Pin1 and enhanced by Pin1 inhibition. Pin1 was activated by IL-5, whereas simultaneous IL-5 and anti-Fas treatment modestly reduced peptidyl isomerase activity but induced Pin1 to associate with FADD after its phosphorylation at Ser194. Mechanistically, Pin1-mediated isomerization facilitated the subsequent dephosphorylation of Ser194 FADD and maintenance of cytoplasmic location. In vivo–activated bronchoalveolar Eos obtained after allergen challenge showed elevated survival and Pin1 activity that could be reversed by anti-Fas. Therefore, our data suggest that Pin1 is a critical link between FADD-mediated cell death and IL-5–mediated prosurvival signaling.
ARE EVOLUTIONARY/COGNITIVE THEORIES OF RELIGION RELEVANT FOR PHILOSOPHY OF RELIGION?

. Biological theories of religious belief are sometimes understood to undermine the very beliefs they are describing, proposing an alternative explanation for the causes of belief different from that given by religious believers themselves. This article surveys three categories of biological theorizing derived from evolutionary biology, cognitive science of religion, and neuroscience. Although each field raises important issues and in some cases potential challenges to the legitimacy of religious belief, in most cases the significance of these theories for the holding of religious beliefs is not very great.
The American idol effect: Are students good judges of their creativity across domains?

Students are often asked to judge their own creativity. There is some evidence that such judgments correlate modestly with other self-report data and some divergent thinking test measures. Only limited work, however, has been done comparing self-reported creativity with actual creative performance. Because levels of self-reported creativity might vary across domains— which would allow greater likelihood of accuracy of such reports—we examined self-reports of creativity in four domains and compared these with expert ratings of subjects' work in those domains (as judged using the Consensual Assessment Technique). Subjects were 78 fourth-grade students. The students did not predict uniform levels of creativity for themselves across domains (all self-assessments correlated across domains less than .30). However, these predictions did not match expert ratings of the students' creative products in each domain. These results challenge the validity of self-assessments of creativity among students of this age, eve...
Effect of sample dimensions, lubrication and deformation rate on uniaxial compression of gelatin gels

The response of 10% gelatin gels to uniaxial compression is determined in part by frictional effects at the gel-platen interface. By using teflon-coated plates, lubricated with paraffin or silicone oil, these frictional effects are effectively eliminated. The stress-strain response can then be described by the two-constant Mooney-Rivlin relation, the sum of the two parameters (C1 +C2) being about 25% lower in lubricated compression than the value obtained in simple shear and torsion. Cross-head speed (for total testing times of 0.2–3 min) had no effect on material response, but long-term stress relaxation does occur over periods of about 30 min and longer. Sample radius did not affect the response in lubricated compression but had a major effect under unlubricated conditions. No systematic change in response was seen with sample diameter to height (aspect) ratios between 9.6 and 3.1 in lubricated compression, but data scatter for a given sample diameter was worst at the lowest heights (highest aspect ratio). Agreement of all true stress versus strain data was within about ± 7% regardless of sample height or deformation rate.
Design Evaluations of Radial Arm Saws

Due to the recent do-it-yourself philosophy of marketing for general furniture and household items in addition to the actual financial savings associated with producing one's own items of need have increased the market for miniaturized production type equipment such as drill presses and radial arm saws. Thus far such equipment only existed in shops where they were only used by the professionals and the novice had only the least access to them. Due to the changes in the market, it has become evident that the design of such equipment should be monitored to ensure that all users are effectively considered in their design.This paper reviews the design of small production type equipments with emphasis on a typical radial arm saw. The actual operation of the saw is presented and the design problems are noted. The critique was based on several widely used human factors design criteria. Further specific solutions are provided for a redesign of the equipment. A mock-up of a newly designed saw is then presented whe...
It is our destiny to die: The effects of mortality salience and culture-priming on fatalism and karma belief

The current study explores whether Asians use culture-specific belief systems to defend against their death anxiety. The effects of mortality salience (MS) and cultural priming on Taiwanese beliefs in fatalism and karma were investigated. Study 1 showed that people believe in fatalism and karma more following MS compared with the control condition. Study 2 found that the effect of MS on fatalism belief was stronger when Taiwanese were exposed to an Eastern cultural context than to a Western cultural context. However, a matched sample of Western participants did not show increased fatalism belief after either a West- or East-prime task. The present research provides evidence that Asians may use some culture-specific beliefs, particularly fatalism belief, to cope with their death awareness.