cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Living dangerously: Burkholderia pseudomallei modulates phagocyte cell death to survive.

Abstract Melioidosis, caused by the Gram-negative bacterium Burkholderia pseudomallei, is a major cause of sepsis and mortality in endemic regions of Southeast Asia and Northern Australia. As a facultative intracellular pathogen, B. pseudomallei produces virulence factors to evade innate host response and survive within host cells. Neutrophils and macrophages are phagocytes that play critical roles in host defense against pathogens by their ability to detect and eliminate microbes. Host defense processes against B. pseudomallei including phagocytosis, oxidative burst, autophagy, apoptosis, and proinflammatory cytokine release are all initiated by these two phagocytes in the fight against this bacterium. In vitro studies with mouse macrophage cell lines revealed multiple evasion strategies used by B. pseudomallei to counteract these innate processes. B. pseudomallei invades and replicates in neutrophils but little is known regarding its evasion mechanisms. The bidirectional interaction of neutrophils and macrophages in controlling B. pseudomallei infection has also been overlooked. Here the hypothesis that B. pseudomallei hijacks neutrophils and uses them to transport and infect new phagocytes is proposed as an evasion strategy to survive and persist in host phagocytes. This two-pronged approach by B. pseudomallei to replicate in two different types of phagocytes and to modulate their cell death modes is effective in promoting persistence and survival of the bacterium.
Differences in sleep between concussed and nonconcussed college students: a matched case-control study.

Study Objectives To describe sleep 2-3 days postconcussion through symptom recovery and make comparison to well-matched nonconcussed controls. Methods Twenty college students were physician diagnosed with a concussion and compared with 20 nonconcussed controls matched on age, sex, physical activity, and sleep quality. A wrist-worn ActiGraph GT9X Link was provided during initial evaluation (within 72 hr postinjury for concussed) and worn continuously until symptom resolution (duration matched for nonconcussed). All participants completed a sleep symptom severity checklist, the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index (PSQI), and the Epworth Sleepiness Scale (ESS). Separate 2(group) × 3(time points) mixed model ANOVAs were conducted to compare actigraphy sleep outcomes (sleep onset latency [SOL], normalized wake after sleep onset [WASOnorm], total sleep time [TST], sleep efficiency, and number of awakenings) across recovery stages (2-3 days postinjury, mid-point, and end of recovery). Intraindividual coefficient of variation was calculated for each sleep outcome. Mann-Whitney U tests compared PSQI global score, ESS total score, and sleep symptom severity between groups (α = 0.05). Results At 2-3 days postinjury, concussed individuals took longer to fall asleep compared with controls (p = 0.002). Greater intraindividual variability in WASOnorm (p = 0.017) and TST (p = 0.044) existed in concussed individuals across recovery. Poorer sleep quality (p < 0.001), excessive daytime sleepiness (p = 0.014), and worse sleep symptoms (p < 0.001) existed in concussed compared with controls. Conclusions Concussed individuals took longer to fall asleep 2-3 days postconcussion, experienced greater variation in sleep fragmentation and sleep time until symptom resolution, and reported worse sleep quality. Our preliminary findings may guide researchers interested in better understanding sleep postconcussion.
Testing salt stress on aquatic plants: effect of salt source and substrate

The purpose of this study was to examine the use of industrial sand and commercial salts for mimicking brackish systems in laboratory and greenhouse experiments. Many wetland and freshwater aquatic plants are adversely affected by salt stress and increased salinity concentrations. Sea level rise can increase salinity in aquatic ecosystems and shift vegetation compositions toward more salt-tolerant species. Many studies focus on salt tolerance mechanisms to understand the impacts of wetland salinization and saltwater intrusion. Ideally, natural substrates and seawater should be employed in these experiments to represent the natural environment, but acquiring seawater and field soil is not always feasible, so researchers use proxies to simulate these materials in greenhouse experiments. In this study, we evaluated the growth of Vallisneria americana and Hydrilla verticillata under four salinity levels (0.5, 1.0, 2.5 and 5.0 ppt) induced by four salt sources commonly used by researchers (seawater, Instant Ocean Aquarium Mix, laboratory-grade NaCl and Morton Sea Salt). Plants were grown in separate fertilized pots filled with field-collected soil or silica sand and were submersed in 60-L mesocosms filled with pond water. Salinity levels were increased gradually, and water level, salinity and pH were monitored every week. Our results showed that Instant Ocean Aquarium Mix is an appropriate proxy for inducing salinity in mesocosm experiments as its effects on plant biomass were similar to those produced in seawater. Substrate type did not affect the biomass of either plant species, which suggests that sand could be utilized in these types of experiments, provided plants are grown with sufficient fertilization.
Strategic Design toward Foundational Learning Goals in Introduction to Sociology

Scholars of teaching and learning in sociology have argued that introductory courses should teach toward foundational learning goals instead of providing an exhaustive review of the discipline. Nevertheless, prior research has provided far more guidance on what instructors ought to teach than how they can cohesively support learning across the goals advocated. Additionally, few studies have considered whether introductory course designs adequately address students’ diverse reasons for enrolling. To address this gap in the literature, we offer insights from our experiences with a redesigned introductory course tailored to support student learning in the areas recommended by earlier work. After describing our learning goals and the elements of our course design, which are grounded in empirical findings from the literature, we present evidence for the efficacy of this design in achieving key disciplinary learning goals, serving students’ personal learning goals, and attracting new and existing majors and minors.
Exciton-induced transparency in hybrid plasmonic systems

We present a microscopic model for exciton-induced transparency (ExIT) in a hybrid system comprised of an emitter resonantly coupled to a surface plasmon in a metal-dielectric structure. We obtain an effective optical polarizability of such a system with coupling between the system components expressed in terms of energy transfer rates. We demonstrate that, in the weak coupling regime, the underlying mechanism of ExIT is the energy exchange imbalance between the plasmon and the emitter in a narrow frequency region. We derive in analytic form a frequency-dependent function that accurately describes the shape and amplitude of the transparency window in scattering spectra, supported by numerical calculations.
Unusual Fatigue and Failure to Utilize EMS Are Associated With Prolonged Prehospital Delay for Suspected Acute Coronary Syndrome.

BACKGROUND Rapid reperfusion reduces infarct size and mortality for acute coronary syndrome (ACS), but efficacy is time dependent. The aim of this study was to determine if transportation factors and clinical presentation predicted prehospital delay for suspected ACS, stratified by final diagnosis (ACS vs. no ACS). METHODS A heterogeneous sample of emergency department (ED) patients with symptoms suggestive of ACS was enrolled at 5 US sites. Accelerated failure time models were used to specify a direct relationship between delay time and variables to predict prehospital delay by final diagnosis. RESULTS Enrolled were 609 (62.5%) men and 366 (37.5%) women, predominantly white (69.1%), with a mean age of 60.32 (±14.07) years. Median delay time was 6.68 (confidence interval 1.91, 24.94) hours; only 26.2% had a prehospital delay of 2 hours or less. Patients presenting with unusual fatigue [time ratio (TR) = 1.71, P = 0.002; TR = 1.54, P = 0.003, respectively) or self-transporting to the ED experienced significantly longer prehospital delay (TR = 1.93, P < 0.001; TR = 1.71, P < 0.001, respectively). Predictors of shorter delay in patients with ACS were shoulder pain and lightheadedness (TR = 0.65, P = 0.013 and TR = 0.67, P = 0.022, respectively). Predictors of shorter delay for patients ruled out for ACS were chest pain and sweating (TR = 0.071, P = 0.025 and TR = 0.073, P = 0.032, respectively). CONCLUSION Patients self-transporting to the ED had prolonged prehospital delays. Encouraging the use of EMS is important for patients with possible ACS symptoms. Calling 911 can be positively framed to at-risk patients and the community as having advanced care come to them because EMS capabilities include 12-lead ECG acquisition and possibly high-sensitivity troponin assays.
Studies on CRMP2 SUMOylation-deficient transgenic mice reveal novel insights into the trafficking of NaV1.7 channels

Voltage-gated sodium channels are key players in neuronal excitability and pain signaling. Functional expression of the voltage-gated sodium channel NaV1.7 is under the control of SUMOylated collapsin response mediator protein 2 (CRMP2). If not SUMOylated, CRMP2 forms a complex with the endocytic proteins Numb, the epidermal growth factor receptor pathway substrate 15 (Eps15), and the E3 ubiquitin ligase Nedd4-2 to promote clathrin-mediated endocytosis of NaV1.7. We recently reported that CRMP2 SUMO-null knock-in (CRMP2K374A/K374A) female mice have reduced NaV1.7 membrane localization and currents in their sensory neurons. Preventing CRMP2 SUMOylation was sufficient to reverse mechanical allodynia in CRMP2K374A/K374A female mice with neuropathic pain. Here we report that inhibiting clathrin assembly in nerve-injured male and female CRMP2K374A/K374A mice, increased pain sensitivity in allodynia-resistant animals. Furthermore, Numb, Nedd4-2 and Eps15 expression was not modified in basal conditions in the dorsal root ganglia (DRG) of male and female CRMP2K374A/K374A mice. Finally, silencing these proteins in DRG neurons from female CRMP2K374A/K374A mice, restored the loss of sodium currents. Our study shows that the endocytic complex composed of Numb, Nedd4-2 and Eps15, is necessary for non SUMOylated CRMP2-mediated internalization of sodium channels in vivo.
Impact of 2016 SCCT/STR guidelines for coronary artery calcium scoring of noncardiac chest CT scans on lung cancer screening CT reporting

The 2016 SCCT/STR guideline for coronary artery calcification (CAC) scoring on non-cardiac chest CT (NCCT) scans explicitly calls for the reporting of CAC. Whether the publication of the 2016 SCCT/STR guideline has had any impact on CAC reporting in lung cancer screening (LCS) scans has not been investigated. Consecutive patients with a LCS scan were identified from the University of Minnesota LCS registry and evaluated for CAC reporting in 3 separate cohorts: 6 months before, 6 months after, and 1 year after the publication of the 2016 SCCT/STR guideline. Scans were evaluated for CAC and quantified using the Agatston method. CAC reporting, downstream testing and initiation of preventive therapy were assessed. Among 614 patients (50% male, mean age 64.1 ± 6.0 years), CAC was present in 460 (74.9%) with a median Agatston score of 62 (IQR 0, 230). Of these, 196 (31.9%) had a CAC score of 1–100, 125 (20.4%) had 101–300, and 118 (19.2%) had > 300. Overall, CAC was reported in 325 (70.7%) patients with CAC present. CAC reporting relative to publication of the 2016 SCCT/STR guideline was as follows: 6 months prior—74.1%, 6 months after—64.6%, and 1 year after—77.5%. In the 308 patients with a new diagnosis of sub-clinical CAD based on CAC presence, 6 (1.9%) patients were referred to cardiology, and 15 (4.9%) patients underwent testing for obstructive CAD. Only 6 (1.9%) and 9 (2.9%) patients were newly started on aspirin and statin respectively. CAC detected incidentally on lung cancer screening CT scans is prevalent, and rarely acted upon clinically. CAC reporting is fairly high, and publication of the 2016 SCCT/STR guideline for CAC scoring on NCCT scans did not have any significant impact on CAC reporting.
Hypervalent Carbon Atoms in a Ferrocene Dication Derivative - [Fe(Si2C5H2)2]2+

Pentacoordinate carbon atoms are theoretically predicted here in a ferrocene dication derivative in both staggered- [Fe(Si2C5H2)2]2+ (1; C2h) and eclipsed-[Fe(Si2C5H2)2]2+ (2; C2v) forms for the first time. Relative energy difference between these two ranges from -40.34 to 2.47 kJ/mol at different levels. The planar tetracoordinate carbon atom in the ligand Si2C5H2 becomes a hypervalent pentacoordinate carbon upon complexation.
Crystal structures of two copper(I)-6,6'-dimethyl-2,2'-bipyridyl (dmbpy) compounds, [Cu(dmbpy)2]2[MF6]·xH2O (M = Zr, Hf; x = 1.134, 0.671).

The syntheses and crystal structures of two bimetallic mol­ecular compounds, namely, bis[bis­(6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bi­pyridine)­copper(I)] hexa­fluorido­zir­con­ate(IV) 1.134-hydrate, [Cu(dmbpy)2]2[ZrF6]·1.134H2O (dmbpy = 6,6′-di­methyl-2,2′-bipyri­dyl, C12H12N2), (I), and bis[bis­(6,6′-dimethyl-2,2′-bi­pyr­idine)­copper(I)] hexa­fluorido­hafnate(IV) 0.671-hydrate, [Cu(dmbpy)2]2[HfF6]·0.671H2O, (II), are reported. Apart from a slight site occupany difference for the water mol­ecule of crystallization, compounds (I) and (II) are isostructural, featuring isolated tetra­hedral cations of copper(I) ions coordinated by two dmbpy ligands and centrosymmetric, octa­hedral anions of fluorinated early transition metals. The tetra­hedral environments of the copper complexes are distorted owing to the steric effects of the dmbpy ligands. The extended structures are built up through Coulombic inter­actions between cations and anions and π–π stacking inter­actions between heterochiral Δ- and Λ-[Cu(dmbpy)2]+ complexes. A comparison between the title compounds and other [Cu(dmbpy)2]+ compounds with monovalent and bivalent anions reveals a significant influence of the cation-to-anion ratio on the resulting crystal packing architectures, providing insights for future crystal design of distorted tetra­hedral copper compounds.
Water and Equity

In 2010, the UN recognized the right to clean water for drinking and sanitation as a human right. Yet, water injustices persist. Climate change, depletion of groundwater, and the migration to mega-cities without an adequate infrastructure have contributed to the inequities. While most scholars agree that water injustices exist and acknowledge those most affected are vulnerable, marginalized communities, disagreement persists as to the solution. Some scholars favor more reliance on a global, neo-liberal approach where market-based norms will facilitate an efficient distribution of water resources. In contrast are those favoring more local control over water resources, integrating traditional ecological knowledge. Adding to these discussions is the work of indigenous groups such as the Mayan, seeking compensation for the massacre and displacement they suffered when the Chixoy Dam was constructed.
Transoral Sistrunk Procedure

Abstract Thyroglossal duct cysts are a common congenital, midline neck mass. Surgical excision of the mass and its embryonic tract including the middle portion of the hyoid bone and suprahyoid musculature, is known as the Sistrunk procedure and is a key to preventing recurrence. One of the few drawbacks of this surgical approach is that can leave aesthetically noticeable scars. A novel way to avoid such a scar is to use a transoral endoscopic vestibular approach similar to what is used in the transoral endoscopic thyroidectomy vestibular approach. This approach is both safe and effective in the appropriately selected patient. It allows for adequate resection of the thyroglossal duct cyst and its tract while avoiding a cervical incision.
Differential RNA splicing and post-translational cleavages in the human salivary proline-rich protein gene system.

Abstract The nucleotide sequences of cDNAs coding for human salivary proline-rich proteins (PRPs) were determined. Clones cP1 and cP2 contain repetitive regions in which sites for the restriction enzyme HaeIII occur repeatedly; they code for the precursors of acidic PRPs. Clones cP3 to cP7 contain repetitive regions in which BstNI sites occur repeatedly; they code for precursors of basic and glycosylated PRPs. The clones cP3, cP4, and cP5 are identical except that cP4 and cP5 are missing 399 and 459 base pairs, respectively, from the repetitive region of cP3. The sequences at these deletion end points are homologous to the consensus sequences of RNA splicing donor and acceptor sites. This strongly suggests that all three cDNAs are derived from the transcript of a single gene via differential RNA splicing. All of the precursor proteins share a feature--the N-terminal region, following the signal peptide, is acidic, while the remainder of the molecule, made of proline-rich repeats of about 21 amino acids, is basic. Each precursor can generate multiple PRPs by various post-translational cleavages on the carboxylic side of specific arginine residues. The data show how differential RNA splicing and post-translational cleavages could generate a large number of proteins, such as those found in saliva, from a much smaller number of genes.
Visualizing spatial distribution data sets

In this paper, we define distributions as a new data type and address the challenges of visualizing spatial distribution data sets. Numerous visualization techniques exist today for dealing with scalar data. That is, there is a scalar value at each spatial location, which may also be changing over time. Likewise, techniques exist for dealing with vector, tensor and multivariate data sets. However, there is currently no systematic way of dealing with distribution data where there is a collection of values for the same variable at every location and time. Distribution data is increasingly becoming more common as computers and sensor technologies continue to improve. They have also been used in a number of fields ranging from agriculture, engineering design and manufacturing to weather forecasting. Rather than developing specialized visualization techniques for dealing with distribution data, the approach presented in this paper is to find a systematic way of extending existing visualization methods to handle this new data type. For example, we would like to be able to generate isosurfaces of 3D scalar distribution data sets, or generate streamlines of vector distribution data sets. In order to accomplish this goal, we propose the use of a set of mathematically and procedurally defined operators that allow us to work directly on distributions. Color images can also be found in www.cse.ucsc.edu/research/avis/operator.html.
Periapical actinomycosis: An unusual case report

An unusual case of actinomycosis in the oral cavity is reported. The strict anaerobic qualities of Actinomyces israelii make laboratory culturing and growing of this organism difficult. Accordingly, the diagnosis was based on the histopathologic report. Because of the atypical clinical presentation, i.e., lack of any discharging sinus tract on the skin surface, and the histopathologic reports, it was postulated that the actinomycosis was superimposed on an existing granulomatous tissue.
Tick paralysis; three cases of tick (Dermacentor variabilis Say) paralysis in Virginia; with a summary of all the cases reported in the Eastern United States.

The three cases of tick paralysis occurring in Virginia in the last two years are presented. One of these cases required the respirator. In this case the tick was identified as Dermacentor variabilis Say. Only ten other cases of tick paralysis have been reported in the eastern United States. A summary of the findings of these cases is charted. Three recent cases in the west, also charted, showed only one case needing a respirator. A brief review of the epidemiology, symptoms, signs and treatment of tick paralysis is given. The seriousness of tick paralysis, if the tick is not found and removed, and the usual dramatic recovery after removal make it extremely important to consider this condition in any case showing such neurologic manifestations as those presented in this report. During an epidemic of poliomyelitis, tick paralysis should always be kept in mind as a possible alternative diagnosis.
Theory of Photons in a Fully Ionized Gas. I. Photon Momentum Distribution

The role of the photon momentum distribution and its relation to the thermal radiation spectrum in a fully ionized gas is studied. An analytic continuation of the theory to low-momentum quantum numbers is developed which is valid for the nonrelativistic system at high temperature and low density. A mass renormalization is carried out in order to treat the electromagnetic self-energies systematically, after which several new results are calculated for the number density, energy density, and momentum distribution for photons. Leading-order effects due to Coulomb interactions are also found for the thermodynamic functions of the radiation field. Of particular importance is a careful analysis of the dependence of the radiation spectrum on the photon momentum distribution, and this relation is found to be far from straightforward.
Ultraviolet extension of the simplest little Higgs model

We present an ultraviolet extension of the ``simplest little Higgs'' model. The model marries the simplest little Higgs at low energies to two copies of the ``littlest Higgs'' at higher energies. The result is a weakly coupled theory below 100 TeV with a naturally light Higgs. The higher cutoff suppresses the contributions of strongly coupled dynamics to dangerous operators such as those which induce flavor changing neutral currents and CP violation. We briefly survey the distinctive phenomenology of the model.
Review of "The Rise of the Blogosphere" by A. Barlow

Something akin to Peter Allen's “Everything Old is New Again” comes to mind frequently while reading Aaron Barlow's 15-chapter review of American journalism of all types and its interrelationship t...
State of InfiniBand in designing HPC clusters, storage/file systems, and datacenters [datacenters read as data centers]

Summary forn only given. The tutorial aims to familiarize with IBA, its benefits, available IBA hardware/software solutions, and the latest trends in designing high-end computing, networking, and storage systems with IBA, and providing a critical assessment of whether IBA is ready for prime-time or not.
Determining environmental fate of pesticides with microagroecosystems

There are no simple or inexpensive tests for determining the fate of chemicals in the environment. Of numerous approaches, the three most often taken are: (1) measurement of the change in pesticide content in various field environmental compartments (i.e., soil, plant, water, or air) where all the interacting forces, processes, and pathways are at work; (2) measurement of environmental parameters and relating the measured changes in pesticide content to the parameters; or (3) measurement and relation of change in pesticide content in a small segment of the environment (e.g., as simulated in a laboratory flask) in order accurately to measure parameters and processes by minimizing interacting forces or multiple pathways for pesticide dissipation that exist in the field. tiWhen the laboratory approach is taken, the various segmented values have to be combined to describe the total chemical environmental system. Unfortunately, when a segment is iso- lated from interacting forces, processes, and pathways of the environment the value obtained may under- or overemphasize its importance. The best we can hope for is that the sum of the values, when combined, will offset each other and give us a realistic description of the chemical environmental system. When the field approach is taken, control and measurement of the various parameters usually are so limited it is often difficult to relate the results to any given parameter or situation.
The role of long polar fimbriae in Escherichia coli O104: H4 adhesion and colonization

A renewed interest in Shiga toxin-producing Escherichia coli (STEC) strains was sparked due to the appearance of an outbreak in 2011, causing 3,816 diarrheal cases and some deaths in Europe. The causative strain was classified as enteroaggregative E. coli of serotype O104:H4 that had acquired Shiga toxin genes. The ability of STEC O104:H4 to cause disease relies greatly on the bacteria’s capacity to colonize, persist, and produce Shiga toxin. However, not much is known about the colonization factors of this strain. Because long polar fimbriae (lpf) lpf1 and lpf2 operons encode important colonization factors in other STEC isolates and E. coli O104:H4 possesses both loci, we hypothesized that Lpf is required for adhesion and colonization. In this study, isogenic lpfA1 and lpfA2 major fimbrial subunit mutants were constructed. To determine their role in O104:H4’s virulence, we assessed their ability to adhere to non-polarized and polarized intestinal epithelial cells. The ΔlpfA1 showed decreased adherence in both cell systems, while the ΔlpfA2 only showed a decrease in adherence to polarized Caco-2 cells. We also tested the O104:H4 mutants’ ability to form biofilm and found that the ΔlpfA1 was unable to form a stable biofilm. In an in vivo murine model of intestinal colonization, the ΔlpfA1 had a reduced ability to colonize the cecum and large intestine, consistent with the in vitro data. Further, we tested the lpfA1 mutants’ ability to compete against the wild type. We found that in the in vitro and in vivo models, the presence of the wild type O104:H4 facilitates increased adherence of the ΔlpfA1 to levels exceeding that of the wild type. Overall, our data demonstrated that Lpf1 is one of the factors responsible for O104:H4 intestinal adhesion and colonization.
Understanding Signal and Noise in Heat Assisted Magnetic Recording

In this paper, we report a micromagnetic modeling study on the recording processes in heat-assisted magnetic recording. By solving coupled Landau-Lifshitz-Bloch equations, recording simulations are performed for granular FePt-L10 thin film media. The calculated signal-to-noise ratio shows strong dependence on recording field amplitude, especially for media of small size grains. It is found that low field amplitude yields unsaturated recording whereas high field amplitude causes transitions to be broadened immediately after writing. High thermal gradient will alleviate the transition broadening, allowing high field amplitude to be employed so that completed magnetization in the recorded bits can be achieved in small grin size media. The study concludes that the ability in obtaining the expected signal-to-noise ratio performance at very small grain pitches would critically rely on whether sufficiently high thermal gradient can be achieved in the media.
Selective Neural Regulation of Epinephrine and Norepinephrine Cells in the Adrenal Medulla-Cardiovascular Implications

The innervation of the adrenal medulla regulates the release of catecholamines from the two, epinephrine (EPI) and norepinephrine (NE), populations of chromaffin cells. Adjustments in the neural output to the adrenal medulla are made by centers in the brain that integrate the sensory input arising from a variety of challenges and the resulting changes in secretion assist in the restoration of homeostasis. Interestingly, the adrenal medullary secretory responses do not simply reflect increments a fixed ratio of EPI to NE as might be expected if release was proportional to the number EPI and NE cells. Instead, the ratio of EPI to NE changes depending on the magnitude and type of stimulus that initiates neural activation of the medulla. The variability in the EPI:NE release ratio implies that the EPI and NE cells can be differentially stimulated. Although the underlying mechanisms are not fully characterized, this review presents an emerging view that the selective control of EPI and NE cells is accounted for, first, by the existence of separate neural circuits between brain centers and the chromaffin cells, and second, through neuromodulation that selectively influences EPI and NE cells. The presence of mechanisms that allow for separate control of the EPI and NE cells may significantly augment the range of cardiovascular and metabolic responses mediated through activation of the adrenal medulla.
The situation is this ....

One normally accepted taxonomy classifies simulations into continuous, discrete, and hybrid. But this taxonomy fails to note a significant division of simulations, particularly for the purposes of instruction and personnel training. Most business and research simulations--and many instructional simulations--are of the laboratory type (see figure 1). The simulation operator sets up the operating conditions--i.e. the values of the independent variables and parameters that define the initial state--then allows the computer model to run. This model is usually a set of mathematical functions that are sequenced by an algorithm and may contain one or more stochastic variables. This is the type of simulation subdivided in the taxonomy.
Magnetism of the Moon

The Malkus theory of a precessionally driven magnetoturbulence in a liquid core is applied to the Moon. It is shown that a lunar magnetic field requires the presence of a non-metallic core at at least 2500K or of an iron core at at least 2000K. Within the limits of our present knowledge these requirements may have been satisfied in the past. A new mechanism is proposed which is based on tidal effects in the outer solid and liquid shells whose existence is suggested by measurements of lunar radioactivity. This mechanism could account for the generation of local rather than poloidal fields at low latitudes in agreement with observation.
The human serotonin receptor 2B: coding region polymorphisms and association with vulnerability to illegal drug abuse.

Objective and methods5-Hydroxytryptamine (serotonin) receptor 2B (HTR2B) is involved in brain development. Although expressed in the human brain, HTR2B has not been investigated much for its role in higher brain functions. Here we describe a genome-scan with 391 simple sequence repeat markers in 300
Marijuana use and achievement of abstinence from alcohol and other drugs among people with substance dependence: A prospective cohort study

Abstract Background Many with alcohol and other drug dependence have concurrent marijuana use, yet it is not clear how to address it during addiction treatment. This is partially due to the lack of clarity about whether marijuana use impacts one's ability to achieve abstinence from the target of addiction treatment. We examined the association between marijuana use and abstinence from other substances among individuals with substance dependence. Methods A secondary analysis of the Addiction Health Evaluation And Disease management study, a randomized trial testing the effectiveness of chronic disease management. Individuals met criteria for drug or alcohol dependence and reported recent drug (i.e. opioid or stimulant) or heavy alcohol use. Recruitment occurred largely at an inpatient detoxification unit, and all participants were referred to primary medical care. The association between marijuana use and later abstinence from drug and heavy alcohol use was assessed using longitudinal multivariable models. Results Of 563 study participants, 98% completed at least one follow-up assessment and 535 (95%) had at least one pair of consecutive assessments and were included. In adjusted analyses, marijuana use was associated with a 27% reduction in the odds of abstinence from drug and heavy alcohol use (adjusted odds ratio 0.73 [95% CI, 0.56–0.97], P = 0.03). Conclusions Marijuana use among individuals with alcohol or other drug dependence is associated with a lower odds of achieving abstinence from drug and heavy alcohol use. These findings add evidence that suggests concomitant marijuana use among patients with addiction to other drugs merits attention from clinicians.
Odd character correspondences in solvable groups

Abstract Let G be a finite solvable group, p be some prime, let P be a Sylow p -subgroup of G , and let N be its normalizer in G . Assume that N has odd order. Then, we prove that there exists a bijection from the set of all irreducible characters of G of degree prime to p to the set of all the irreducible characters of degree prime to p of N such that it preserves ± the degree modulo p , the field of values, and the Schur index over every field of characteristic zero. This strengthens a more general recent result [A. Turull, Character correspondences in solvable groups, J. Algebra 295 (2006) 157–178], but only for the case under consideration here. In addition, we prove some other strong character correspondences that have very good rationality properties. As one consequence, we prove that a solvable group G has a non-trivial rational irreducible character with degree prime to p if and only if the order of the normalizer of a Sylow p -subgroup of G has even order.
Treatment of lichen amyloidosis (LA) and disseminated superficial porokeratosis (DSP) with frequency-doubled Q-switched Nd:YAG laser.

Background. Under normal practice, the full thickness of the epidermis is peeled off when treating pigmented lesions with a frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser. Based on this observation, it is postulated that this laser may be effective for treating lichen amyloidosis (LA) and disseminated superficial porokeratosis (DSP) for which the pathologic changes are limited to the epidermis and papillary dermis. Objective. To investigate the clinical effect of frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laster treatment for one patient with LA and for one patient with DSP. Methods. Frequency-doubled 532 nm Nd:YAG laser pulses were delivered to the lesions on the limbs of a patient with LA and the face and forearms of a patient with DSP. Lesions of LA were treated two or three times, and those of DSP were treated four times, treatment sessions being 1 month apart. For this investigation, biopsies were taken from untreated lesions prior to treatment, lesions immediately after laser treatment, and lesions present at a 9-month follow-up investigation. Results. Both the patient with LA and the patient with DSP responded well to treatment, the results of which remained unchanged at a follow-up conducted 9 months after the final treatment session. Conclusion. Frequency-doubled Nd:YAG laser treatment provided excellent results for the patient with LA as for the patient with DSP. The effectiveness of this method deserves further study in a larger group of test patients.
Processing cellular spheroids for histological examination

Cellular spheroids are three-dimensional cell cultures that mimic native tissues and produce their own extracellular matrix. Spheroids are being used in research for basic science, developmental biology, cancer biology, tissue engineering, drug discovery, and toxicity testing. As spheroids become increasingly used in these applications, it is critical to understand and visualize cells and extracellular matrix content over time. Standard histological methods cannot be applied for fixation and processing of spheroids due to their small size and delicate nature. Given this, there is a need to develop a method to prepare and process spheroids for histological sectioning and examination. A technique was developed for preparing spheroids and tissues composed of spheroids for histological examination, using cellular spheroids for tissue engineering applications.
Assessment of interspecific interactions among parasitoids on the outcome of inoculative biological control of leafminers attacking chrysanthemum

Indigenous natural enemies occur within field grown crops at varying densities dependent upon a variety of other biotic and abiotic parameters. This natural control often does not provide adequate suppression, which results in the application of other pest management solutions including augmentative biological control. When releasing mass-reared natural enemies into a backdrop of existing natural enemy populations, competitive interactions are likely to occur. To assess the influence of these interspecific interactions on the outcome of such biological control practices studies were conducted in a simulated, field cage grown, cut chrysanthemum production system. Competitive interactions of two commercially available parasitoids were studied both in terms of parasitoid-host population dynamics and the impact of interspecific interactions on crop quality at harvest. The parasitoids Diglyphus isaea and Dacnusa sibirica attacking the leafminer Liriomyza langei were used as the model insect system. Both parasitoids are cosmopolitan and are known to occur in many ornamental production areas. Treatment comparisons included single species releases with complimentary releases of both species either simultaneously or with 2-week time lags, as well as a no release control to measure the background effects of natural mortality. Conclusions drawn from results of population-level studies replicated within and among years were that levels of interspecific competition among parasitoid species were undetectable at leafminer densities typical of field-grown ornamental crops (low densities), and thus, the efficacy of one species released into a backdrop of potentially competing parasitoids did not negatively or positively affect the outcome of the augmentative biological control, nor was there a positive outcome; however, crop quality at harvest was influenced.
Putting phonetic context effects into context: A commentary on Fowler (2006)

On the basis of a review of the literature and three new experiments, Fowler (2006) concludes that acontrast account for phonetic context effects is not tenable and is inferior to a gestural account. We believe that this conclusion is premature and that it is based on a restricted set of assumptions about a general perceptual account. Here, we briefly address the criticisms of Fowler (2006), with the intent of clarifying what a general auditory and learning approach to speech perception entails.
Mining improbable postulates and the theory of diverting toys(Advances in General Equilibrium Theory) Donald A. Walker Edward Elgar, 1997, 165 pp.

Walker'sAdvances in General Equilibrium Theory summarizes his position on the usefulness and appropriateness of much of modern general equilibrium modeling. He argues that much of modern general equilibrium modeling does not have the objective of explaining the real economy. His comments concerning general equilibrium theory are easily seen to be related to his study of Walras. In his text, Walker is critical of the general equilibrium theorizing of a number of well-known economists. He spends the majority of the book tearing down general equilibrium theory and models as they are presented in literature. He concludes his book by summarizing his opinion about how realistic models of the economy should be structured.
Study of Using Oxygen-Enriched Combustion Air for Locomotive Diesel Engines

A thermodynamic simulation is used to study the effects of oxygen-enriched intake air on the performance and nitrogen oxide (NO) emissions of a locomotive diesel engine. The parasitic power of the air separation membrane required to supply the oxygen-enriched air is also estimated. For a given constraint on peak cylinder pressure, the gross and net power output of an engine operating under different levels of oxygen enrichment are compared with those obtained when a high-boost turbocharged engine is used. A 4 percent increase in peak cylinder pressure can result in an increase in net engine power of approximately 10 percent when intake air with an oxygen content of 28 percent by volume is used and fuel injection timing is retarded by 4 degrees. When the engine is turbocharged to a higher inlet boost, the same increase in peak cylinder pressure can improve power by only 4 percent. If part of the significantly higher exhaust enthalpies available as a result of oxygen enrichment is recovered, the power requirements of the air separator membrane can be met, resulting in substantial net power improvements. Oxygen enrichment with its attendant higher combustion temperatures, reduces emissions of particulates and visible smoke but increases NO emissions (by up to three times at 26 percent oxygen content). Therefore, exhaust gas after-treatment and heat recovery would be required if the full potential of oxygen enrichment for improving the performance of locomotive diesel engines is to be realized.
Off-diagonal occupation numbers in local-density theory

We introduce a new method for specifying the occupations of states in local-density theory by allowing "off-diagonal occupation numbers" (i.e., a generalized density matrix). We show that this technique has important applications to superlattice and slab geometries, allowing bonding-type interactions between defects, molecules, or surfaces to be effectively eliminated. Moreover, previously inaccessible charge states may now be studied. The method is shown to have the full sanction of local-density theory.
Reirradiation of glioblastoma through the use of a reduced dose rate on a Tomotherapy unit

Pulsed Reduced Dose Rate (PRDR) is a method of irradiation designed to minimize radiation-related toxicities in patients undergoing reirradiation for loco-regional reoccurrence of glioblastoma. PRDR delivers a standard 2 Gy fraction delivered on a conventional medical linear accelerator using conventional 3D conformal beam arrangements. To reduce the likelihood of normal tissue complications, radiation is delivered over ten 0.2 Gy sub-fractions with a 3 minute time interval between subfractions to give a maximal time averaged dose rate of 4 Gy/hr. However, a TomoTherapy unit has a fixed output rate of 8 Gy/min. If the dose per fraction is conventionally planned at less than 0.6 Gy/fraction, the result is a clinically unacceptable treatment plan. The method described in this paper involves a virtual grid style blocking scheme, where half of the beam angles are directionally blocked using 15 equally spaced segments surrounding the center of the image set. Ten patients treated using conventional PRDR with an average PTV volume of 353.3 ml were retrospectively re-planned using five techniques (standard 2 Gy fraction, 2 Gy in ten 0.2 Gy fractions without grid blocking, two grid patterns, and a combination plan incorporating both grids) and analyzed with conformation numbers (CN), homogeneity indexes (HI), and dose volumes to normal tissues. Plans were optimized using equal constraints and machine parameters. The grid method allowed for clinically acceptable treatment plans at 0.2 Gy with a treatment time < or = 3 min per subfraction. The average HI was slightly poorer for the combination plan versus the standard 2 Gy fraction plan (0.064 versus 0.027) and the CN was similar over all techniques (0.72 - 0.73) employed. Normal tissue dose volumes for each patient were also similar for each technique. Initial ion chamber measurements agree with predicted values for a 0.2 Gy subfraction. PRDR is deliverable on a TomoTherapy system using our virtual directional blocking method. Results can be slightly improved through the use of two grids alternated on a daily basis. The dose to normal structures for individual patients was similar for all methods.
Tokamak superbanana transport – revisited

The problem of ripple transport in a tokamak operating at low collisionality is re-examined. Such a calculation is highly sensitive to the particular condition imposed to determine the perturbed distribution function. The condition employed here is derived in a fashion fully analogous to that previously employed in simpler transport problems. In contrast, previous work on ripple transport has invoked more ad-hoc conditions based on heuristic considerations, which often turn out to be incorrect. The difference between imposing the present and previous conditions (which are themselves not in agreement) can completely change the resultant appropriate expression for the transport coefficients.
Work-Arounds Observed by Fourth-Year Nursing Students

Much has been written about the need for health care professionals to consistently promote policies and best practices that create safe, high-quality care environments. At times, nurses deviate from established policies and procedures to create work-arounds or changes in work patterns to accomplish patient care goals. The purpose of this study was to identify common work-arounds and describe what influenced the nurse to engage in the work-around as observed by fourth-year baccalaureate students in clinical settings. A descriptive qualitative approach was used to describe the findings from a Quality and Safety Education for Nurses-based assignment. Ninety-six individual student assignments were included in this analysis; the themes of infection prevention and control and medication management emerged. The theme of workload emerged as the reason why students believed nurses engaged in work-arounds. Further studies are needed to determine how work-arounds influence short- and long-term patient outcomes.
The Interpretation of Norm-Based Scores from Individualized Testing Using the Iowa Tests of Basic Skills.

School teachers and administrators are often faced with the dilemma of deciding what level of an achievement test to assign a child whose developmental rate is atypical of his peers. It is not attractive to mismatch the developmental and achievement test level; however, alternative procedures often call for extra testing time. The ITBS has an out-of-level option which allows for a developmental/achievement test level match that does not require additional testing. Since the procedures used by ITBS to assign grade equivalent scores do not take grade level into account, questions have been raised about the interpretation of grade equivalent scores achieved from out-of-level testing. This research addresses the question of the comparability of equal scores on the same test from children in different grades. The results indicate that the scores are comparable and support the assignment of ITBS levels that match the child's developmental level.
A neuro-computational intelligence analysis of the ecological footprint of nations

The per capita ecological footprint (EF) is one of the most-widely recognized measures of environmental sustainability. It seeks to quantify the Earth's biological capacity required to support human activity. This study uses three neuro-computational methodologies: multi-layer perceptron neural network (MLP), probabilistic neural network (PNN) and generalized regression neural network (GRNN) to predict and classify the EF of 140 nations. Accuracy indices are used to assess the prediction and classification accuracy of the three methodologies. The study shows that neuro-computational models outperform traditional statistical techniques such as regression analysis and discriminant analysis in predicting and classifying per capita EF due to their robustness and flexibility of modeling algorithms.
Eosinophilia in Patients Infected with Human Immunodeficiency Virus

Patients infected with human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) frequently are said to have eosinophilia. To evaluate this assumption, the differential blood cell counts of 855 HIV-infected patients were examined over 4 years. All differential cell lines in the HIV-infected population were less than those in a noninfected control group, but the difference was much less pronounced for eosinophils than for the other blood cell components. For HIV-infected patients, the eosinophil count increased and the other blood cell components decreased as the CD4 cell count decreased. The increase in eosinophils was the result of eosinophilia in a subgroup of patients and a preservation of that cell line for the other patients. No etiologic agent was associated with eosinophilia; hence, HIV infection itself may induce proliferation of eosinophils while other cell components are declining.