cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Religious Freedom and Indian Rights: The Case of Oregon v. Smith

The Supreme Court's controversial decision in Oregon v. Smith sharply departed from previous expansive readings of the First Amendment's religious freedom clause and ignited a firestorm of protest from legal scholars, religious groups, legislators, and Native Americans. Carolyn Long provides the first book-length analysis of Smith and shows why it continues to resonate so deeply in the American psyche. In 1983, Klamath Indian Alfred Smith and his co-worker Galen Black were fired as counselors from a drug rehabilitation agency for using peyote, a controlled substance under Oregon law, in a religious ceremony of the Native American Church. Both were subsequently denied unemployment benefits, which the State of Oregon claimed was permissible under its police powers and necessary in its effort to eradicate drug abuse. But Smith and Black argued that the denial of unemployment benefits constituted an infringement of their religious freedom and took their cases to court. Long traces the tortuous path that Smith followed as it went from state courts to the Supreme Court and then back again for a second round of hearings. A major event in Native American history, the case attracted widespread support for the Indian cause from a diverse array of religious groups eager to protect their own religious freedom. It also led to an intense tug-of-war between the Court and Congress, which fought back with amendments to the American Indian Religious Freedom Act (to protect the religious use of peyote) and the Religious Freedom Restoration Act of 1993, which protected religious freedom for all Americans. The Court subsequently ruled the latter act unconstitutional in "Boerne v. Flores" (1997). Long provides a lucid and balanced view of the competing sides in Smith. Drawing on interviews with Smith and his family, as well as with lawyers, judges, and congressional and interest group representatives involved in this struggle between Congress and Court, she takes the reader from the rituals of a peyote religious ceremony to the halls of government to reveal the conflicting interests that emerged in this key First Amendment case. She also clarifies how the Court reversed longstanding precedent by replacing the balancing test of "compelling state interest" and "least restrictive means" with a new "reasonable basis" argument that theoretically could be used to curtail religious practices well beyond those of the Native American church. Ultimately, the Supreme Court ruled that the First Amendment protection of religious freedom applies only to laws that specifically target religious behavior and that an individual's religious beliefs do not excuse one from complying with statutes that indirectly infringe on their religious rights. Engagingly written, Long's study highlights the resultant struggles, but without ever losing sight of the rich human dimensions of the story.
Obesity and prostate cancer-specific mortality after radical prostatectomy: results from the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database

At the population level, obesity is associated with prostate cancer (PC) mortality. However, few studies analyzed the associations between obesity and long-term PC-specific outcomes after initial treatment. We conducted a retrospective analysis of 4268 radical prostatectomy patients within the Shared Equal Access Regional Cancer Hospital (SEARCH) database. Cox models accounting for known risk factors were used to examine the associations between body mass index (BMI) and PC-specific mortality (PCSM; primary outcome). Secondary outcomes included biochemical recurrence (BCR) and castration-resistant PC (CRPC). BMI was used as a continuous and categorical variable (normal <25 kg/m2, overweight 25–29.9 kg/m2 and obese ⩾30 kg/m2). Median follow-up among all men who were alive at last follow-up was 6.8 years (interquartile range=3.5–11.0). During this time, 1384 men developed BCR, 117 developed CRPC and 84 died from PC. Hazard ratios were analyzed using competing-risks regression analysis accounting for non-PC death as a competing risk. On crude analysis, higher BMI was not associated with risk of PCSM (P=0.112), BCR (0.259) and CRPC (P=0.277). However, when BMI was categorized, overweight (hazard ratio (HR) 1.99, P=0.034) and obesity (HR 1.97, P=0.048) were significantly associated with PCSM. Obesity and overweight were not associated with BCR or CRPC (all P⩾0.189). On multivariable analysis adjusting for both clinical and pathological features, results were little changed in that obesity (HR=2.05, P=0.039) and overweight (HR=1.88, P=0.061) were associated with higher risk of PCSM, but not with BCR or CRPC (all P⩾0.114) with the exception that the association for overweight was no longer statistical significant. Overweight and obesity were associated with increased risk of PCSM after radical prostatectomy. If validated in larger studies with longer follow-up, obesity may be established as a potentially modifiable risk factor for PCSM.
Blood Pressure Variability Predicts Clinical Outcomes: Now What?

See related article, pp 599–607 The high prevalence of hypertension means that even small refinements to treatment can have a significant impact on population health.1 However, hypertension treatment seems to have much more benefit for some patients than others, largely because of differences in baseline risk. Thus, 2 patients who achieve similar relative risk reduction can have much different absolute risk reductions based on their baseline level of risk. Table demonstrates this for stroke, using 4 studies that I admittedly chose to make this point.2–5 Age and baseline systolic blood pressure (BP) were the most obvious risk factors generating the widely disparate event rates in these studies. Current guidelines use these and other established risk factors to classify patients as at low, medium, or high risk, but with minimally different recommended approaches to treatment.1,6 Researchers have identified additional potential risk factors more recently, including variability in BP.7 View this table: Table. Progressive Increase in Absolute Risk Reduction With Increasing Baseline Risk and Stable Relative Risk Reduction in a Series of Clinical Trials In this issue of Hypertension , Juhanoja et al8 present research with several methodological strengths to argue that variability over several days in home BP measurements is associated with cardiovascular risk. Previous studies have demonstrated the association of adverse cardiovascular outcomes with variability among BP measurements separated by months and variability that occurs over the course of a single day.7 In particular, their study population combines 4 population-based, geographically diverse cohorts with excellent and long-term (mean 9.3 years) follow-up using validated outcome ascertainment methods. They are able to adjust for the baseline risk factors included in commonly used risk calculators (population averages had be used to estimate total and high-density lipoprotein cholesterol for ≈10% of …
Recent Developments in Tsunami Hazard Mitigation

Tsunamis are a series of ocean waves generated by abrupt, large disturbances of the ocean surface such as earthquakes, volcanic eruptions, landslides, slumps, and meteor impacts. These waves can engulf a coastal community within minutes of their birth and cause loss of life, catastrophic destruction to structures and infrastructure, and severe erosion of the shoreline by hours of repeated attack of waves many minutes apart (Figure 1). Human suffering during tsunami flooding can be enormous: people are swept along with other debris in the tsunami-induced currents at speeds up to 60 km/hr, resulting in drowning due to multiple injuries like broken bones, lacerations, abrasions, punctures, and crushed body cavities. Following the hours of tsunami attack, survivors may suffer from exposure to the environment; untreated shock may lead to gangrene, exacerbating the injuries and leading to more deaths. Since 1850, tsunamis in the Pacific have caused the death of over 120,000 coastal residents. Tsunamis are a major hazard to coastal residents in earthquake-prone regions (Table 1).
A comparative analysis of the distinct evolution of cataloging and information technology towards the creation of the next generation library system

Technology plays an important role in the evolution of cataloging systems and its use is fundamental in disseminating information to the public. Libraries must find innovative ways of meeting their patrons’ informational needs in order to remain relevant. The challenge is that cataloging rules and formats and library systems are out of synchronization and slow to evolve to meet these informational needs. Catalogers from around the world struggle to find ways to create bibliographic records and access points to accommodate new electronic formats while information systems struggle to search and display the information that cataloging rules and formats seek to convey to patrons. Future cataloging systems are slowly evolving in synchronizing these two entities in order to create a global cataloging environment. They are slowly bridging the language barrier by properly displaying diacritics and special characters. They are making progress on creating a discovery layer that retrieves accurate holdings information for an entire library collection. They are also utilizing new cataloging formats that seek to replace MARC21 and are expandable to accommodate all formats. This evolution is creating an international partnership that will help maintain the relevance of libraries around the world. To write this paper, the author collects filed data as well as secondary source data through a comparative analysis of the progression of cataloging rules and formats and library systems. The first part of the paper will review the history of cataloging rules and formats and library systems to establish a progression timeline. The second part of the paper will focus on the current state of both and how it is impacting the ability to disseminate information to patrons. The third part of the paper will look to the requirements of the future of cataloging systems. This study concludes that cataloging and information technology will ultimately merge into the next generation library system in order to help libraries remain relevant.
National Survey of Emergency Physicians Concerning Home-Based Care Options as Alternatives to Emergency Department-Based Hospital Admissions.

Abstract Background Emergency departments (EDs) in the United States play a prominent role in hospital admissions, especially for the growing population of older adults. Home-based care, rather than hospital admission from the ED, provides an important alternative, especially for older adults who have a greater risk of adverse events, such as hospital-acquired infections, falls, and delirium. Objective The objective of the survey was to understand emergency physicians' (EPs) perspectives on home-based care alternatives to hospitalization from the ED. Specific goals included determining how often EPs ordered home-based care, what they perceive as the barriers and motivators for more extensive ordering of home-based care, and the specific conditions and response times most appropriate for such care. Methods A group of 1200 EPs nationwide were e-mailed a six-question survey. Results Participant response was 57%. Of these, 55% reported ordering home-based care from the ED within the past year as an alternative to hospital admission or observation, with most doing so less than once per month. The most common barrier was an “unsafe or unstable home environment” (73%). Home-based care as a “better setting to care for low-acuity chronic or acute disease exacerbation” was the top motivator (79%). Medical conditions EPs most commonly considered for home-based care were cellulitis, urinary tract infection, diabetes, and community-acquired pneumonia. Conclusions Results suggest that EPs recognize there is a benefit to providing home-based care as an alternative to hospitalization, provided they felt the home was safe and a process was in place for dispositioning the patient to this setting. Better understanding of when and why EPs use home-based care pathways from the ED may provide suggestions for ways to promote wider adoption.
Pediatric Hematopoietic Cell Transplant Patients Who Survive Critical Illness Frequently Have Significant but Recoverable Decline in Functional Status

Abstract The number of pediatric hematopoietic cell transplant (HCT) patients who survive pediatric intensive care unit (PICU) admission is increasing, yet little is known about their functional morbidity after PICU discharge. We hypothesized that relative to control subjects, pediatric HCT patients who survive PICU admission would have greater rates of new functional morbidity at the time of PICU discharge and only some of these patients would return to their functional baseline by the end of the hospitalization. We performed a retrospective cohort study with secondary data analysis of the Trichotomous Outcomes in Pediatric Critical Care dataset. The pediatric HCT cohort was identified by querying International Classification of Diseases, 9th edition, diagnostic codes. A control group consisted of previously healthy patients matched 4:1 on age, sex, and illness severity, as estimated by the Pediatric Risk of Mortality (PRISM) score. We benchmarked our findings by comparing with a previously healthy group of children with lower respiratory tract infections. Functional impairment was measured by the Functional Status Scale, wherein new morbidity was defined as an increase of ≥3 points relative to the prehospital baseline. Relative to matched control subjects, HCT patients had similar admission PRISM scores (P = .516) but greater PICU mortality (12.9% [11/85] versus 6.2% [21/340], P = .035). However, among those who survived to PICU discharge, HCT patients had similar rates of new morbidity at PICU discharge (14.9% [11/74] versus 17.2% [55/319], P = .622) and similar rates of resolution of new morbidity by hospital discharge (54.5% [6/11] versus 60.0% [33/55], P = .737). Relative to the comparison group with lower respiratory tract infections, HCT patients had both greater admission PRISM scores (P
Oral Nitroglycerin Solution May Be Effective for Esophageal Food Impaction.

Abstract Background Esophageal food impaction is a common illness presenting to emergency departments (ED), and is frequently resistant to pharmacologic therapy. Several medications have been promoted for this indication, but so far have not proven effective. Endoscopic removal is frequently required to resolve the impaction, resulting in risks from anesthesia and the physical procedure, and in prolonged hospital stay for recovery. Oral nitroglycerin solution was recently used in two such cases and may represent a new therapeutic option. Case Reports A 49-year-old man presented to an ED with dysphagia 30 min after eating steak. He was given 0.4 mg nitroglycerin dissolved in 10 mL tap water orally, and obtained complete relief of symptoms within 2 min. A 43-year-old man with eosinophilic esophagitis and two prior food impaction episodes presented to a community ED with dysphagia and epigastric discomfort 110 min after eating steak. Five hours after symptom onset and after failure of intravenous glucagon, he was given 0.4 mg nitroglycerin sublingually, which resulted in headache but no relief in dysphagia. Twenty-nine minutes later he received 0.4 mg nitroglycerin solution, as above, with symptom resolution within 2 min. Why Should an Emergency Physician Be Aware of This? The cases presented above demonstrate close temporal relationships between administration of oral nitroglycerin solution and symptom relief. Oral nitroglycerin solution for esophageal food impaction seemed effective in these cases, but further research on this therapeutic option is warranted.
A Potential Function for Band Structure Calculations

Since 1951, when Slater1 proposed the local ρ1/3 approximation for the exchange potential, it has been much used in atomic and solid state band structure calculations. Recently there have been many attempts at modifying the method. Most of these efforts come from solid state physicists which is fair evidence, I think, that the method suffers from real difficulties when used for solids.
Screw distraction technique for gaining fibular length

Shortening of fibular length is most commonly secondary to fracture, especially in cases of malreduction, malunion or nonunion. In the presence of deltoid ligament incompetence, a shortened fibula causes lateral talar shift, widening of the mortise, decreased tibiotalar contact area and increased incidence of post-traumatic arthrosis. Restoring fibular length is important for normal anatomic relationships and kinematics of the ankle joint. While several techniques have been described for restoring length, some limitations exist. We describe an alternative surgical technique that is straightforward and reproducible that allows for restoration of fibular length and rotation.
Wood and Blood

I review the life and work of Texas singer-songwriter Guy Clark, highlighting his custom of affixing his bloody thumbprint as a seal on the guitars he built. I discuss the allegorical implications of this gesture as they apply to our vocational practice and sealing.
Effect of high intensity focused ultrasound power level on device focal length

In the past several studies have been performed investigating the thermal impact of high intensity focused ultrasound HIFU beams on real as well as artificial tissue samples The goal behind such investigations is to develop HIFU as a reliable non invasive thermal therapeutic modality for curing tumors In order to ascertain the correct amount of thermal dosage delivered by the HIFU device or transducer it is important to develop a reliable method to determine the relationship between operating parameters like sonication time and power level on characteristics of the zone of ablation also called the lesion While MRI thermometry and imaging and visual examination are attractive investigation techniques for determining lesion shape and size under variable conditions investigating variation of focal distance or distance between the lesion center and transducer surface under variable conditions like power level by such methods is difficult and has not been attempted In order to corroborate and augment findings of MRI based HIFU studies it is desirable to perform investigations using alternate methods In this study HIFU sonications were performed off the junction of thermocouples embedded in a tissue mimicking phantom in order to avoid thermocouple related artifacts Analysis of temperature measurements revealed new and useful information regarding the effect of power level on focal length an important performance characteristic It was conclusively found that the HIFU focal length or beam location with respect to the transducer varied with power level a rare and useful finding in HIFU studies
Conditional Volatility, Volume Shocks, and GARCH Effects

Using daily closing level of S&P500 index and daily trading volume from 1/2/1990 to 12/31/2010, this study examines the relationship between conditional volatility and trading volume at the market level. It is shown that linking volatility to total volume does not extract all information. In fact it is found that at the market level total volume is not a good proxy for the information flow, the latent mixing variable in the Mixture of Distribution Hypothesis, and is unable to explain GARCH effects and has no impact on conditional volatility. However after partitioning volume into expected and unexpected components, private information proxied by unexpected volume shocks, although unable to reduce volatility persistence due to its random nature, is positively associated with conditional volatility. This relation is shown to be asymmetric in the sense that only positive unexpected volume shocks are the contributing factor and negative shocks have no impact. Moreover, evidence suggests that this often reported positive relationship between volume and volatility in equity market is mainly driven by two factors: Costly short selling constraint, and Maturity of the US equity market. Thus the positive relation between volatility and volume in a mature equity market where the number of traders can reasonably be assumed to be constant, is a manifestation of differing cost of taking long and short position. Results indicate that in futures market where the cost of taking long and short positions is symmetric, such a relationship cease to exist. Furthermore, it is documented that in an expanding market characterized by growing number of traders, consistent with the theory, this relationship is still significant but in reversed direction.
Microscale direct measurement of localized photothermal heating in tissue-mimetic hydrogels.

Photothermal hyperthermia is proven to be an effective diagnostic tool for cancer therapy. The efficacy of this method directly relies on understanding the localization of the photothermal effect in the targeted region. Realizing the safe and effective concentration of nano-particles and the irradiation intensity and time requires spatiotemporal temperature monitoring during and after laser irradiation. Due to uniformities of the nanoparticle distribution and the complexities of the microenvironment, a direct temperature measurement in micro-scale is crucial for achieving precise thermal dose control. In this study, a 50 nm thin film nickel resistive temperature sensor was fabricated on a 300 nm SiN membrane to directly measure the local temperature variations of a hydrogel-GNR mixture under laser exposure with 2 mK temperature resolution. The chip-scale approach developed here is an effective tool to investigate localization of photothermal heating for hyperthermia applications for in-vitro and ex-vivo models. Considering the connection between thermal properties, porosity and the matrix stiffness in hydrogels, we present our results using the interplay between matrix stiffness of the hydrogel and its thermal properties: the stiffer the hydrogel, the higher the thermal conductivity resulting in lower photothermal heating. We measured 8.1, 7.4, and 5.6 °C temperature changes (from the room temperature, 20 °C) in hydrogel models with stiffness levels corresponding to adipose (4 kPa), muscle (13 kPa) and osteoid (30 kPa) tissues respectively by exposing them to 2 W/cm2 laser (808 nm) intensity for 150 seconds.
Values in science

Introduction We have already discussed how the logical empiricists sought to develop a scientific philosophy that would enable investigators to reason in a manner that would be independent of their commitments to ideologies or political causes. Philosophers sometimes refer to this aspect of the logical empiricists' project as the ideal of a value-free science. But what are values? Humans spend a lot of effort evaluating things, whether they be sneakers, songs, or senators. We can evaluate how honest a person is, how tasty a doughnut is, or how probable it is that an asteroid will collide with the Earth. One way in which such evaluations differ concerns what we value and how we value it. We value both honesty and tastiness, but in different ways. Valuing the continued survival of ourselves and other species, we might prefer that an asteroid not hit the Earth, but it would be odd to say that we value the probability of this happening: that would be something that we simply want to know. We might think of the category of things we value as those things that we take to be good , and the features of good things that give us reasons to value them (i.e., to regard them as good) we might call values.
Responsive and Foldable Soft Materials

Stimulus-responsive soft materials that can enable folding of a 2D sheet into a 3D object have potential significant applications, including wearable electronics, biomimetic machines, soft robotics, drug delivery, biomedical devices, and responsive buildings. The responses can be tuned by the materials chemistry, composition, and type of external stimulus; the direction and magnitude of the deformation can be varied by geometric design and incorporation of nonresponsive materials and nanofillers. In this review, we overview different types of responsive materials (e.g., responsive hydrogels, shape memory polymers, liquid crystal elastomers, and polymer composites) and some of the basic folding mechanisms. We highlight the required material properties, fabrication techniques, and structural designs for desirable folding structures.
Cultural Considerations for Schizophrenia Spectrum Disorders II: Assessment and Treatment

This chapter reviews culturally informed evidence-based approaches for assessment and treatment of schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders. The first part of the chapter outlines cultural considerations for a comprehensive assessment of psychotic disorders including structured and semi-structured interviews, psychotic symptom measures, and tests of neurocognition and daily functioning, with an overview of translations of these assessment tools and selected psychometric information. Topics of culture-related diagnostic issues, cultural mistrust, differential symptom expression across racial/ethnic groups, and fairness in testing are discussed. The second part of the chapter begins with a discussion of the most recent review on common themes of culturally adapted interventions for schizophrenia. Cultural adaptations of seven evidence-based therapy approaches for schizophrenia that received a rating of “strong support” by the American Psychological Association’s (APA) Division 12 are reviewed, with an overview of references of treatment manuals to aid clinicians in accessing these resources. We conclude that most research is available for culturally adapted cognitive behavioral therapy for psychosis (CBTp), social skills training, and family psychoeducation approaches and suggest a general approach that allows the integration of cultural factors into any type of treatment approach. The goal of this chapter is to provide a basis for clinicians and researchers to continue to develop their cultural competence when working with people with schizophrenia spectrum and other psychotic disorders.
Contemporary Social Movements in a Hybrid Media Environment

Media are central to the dynamics of protest and social movements. Contemporary social movements face a shifting environment composed of new media technologies and platforms that enable new identit...
Multi-stakeholder perspectives of environmental barriers to participation in travel-related activities after spinal cord injury.

Purpose: To help enhance participation, the study aims to identify and document a comprehensive list of environmental barriers for people with SCI in the broad travel setting.Methods: Semi-structured interviews were conducted among four stakeholder groups: people with SCI (n= 39), caregivers and family members of people with SCI (n= 24), therapists who work with people with SCI (n= 9), and travel professionals specializing in accessible travel (n= 11).Results: Five major categories of travel barrier emerged from the interviews: Partial Accessibility, Systemic Ignorance, Travel Hassles, Poor Service Performance, and Lack of Support. Detailed barriers in each category are described. The analysis of multi-stakeholder perspectives indicates while respondents with SCI offered the most specific information about the barriers, family members/caregivers were most concerned about the impact of systemic ignorance on their loved ones. Therapists focused on offering their clients tools to overcome barriers, and travel agents emphasized their limitations of serving customers with disabilities.Conclusion: Results of the study should help not only health and travel professionals better assist individuals to reintegrate into society after SCI, but also travel and hospitality businesses to better meet the accessibility needs of people with SCI.Implications for rehabilitationTravel is important to full participation in society for people after SCI.The study has identified five categories of barriers to travel participation after SCI: partial accessibility, systemic ignorance, travel hassles, poor service performance and lack of support.While traveling is important for participation in society for people with SCI, rehabilitation professionals should work together with policy makers, travel and hospitality businesses and agencies to lower the found barriers.
Reliability Evaluation of Distribution Network Considering Uncertainty of Photovoltaic Generation Output

With the development and utilization of renewable energy, a large number of distributed power sources are connected to the power distribution network, which has changed the reliability calculation models and methods of the original power distribution network. A reliability calculation method for power distribution system based on Markov model and minimum cut set method is proposed. This method can solve the reliability calculation problem of multi-power network when distributed photovoltaic power are running in grid-connected and islanded operation modes. In this paper, the output model of the photovoltaic output power is established, and the sufficient conversion rate in the island is calculated in combination with the time-varying load model. The Markov process is used to study the impact of the dynamic changes on the system reliability. The simulation analysis in the IEEE-RBTS BUS6 shows that the algorithm can quickly and accurately evaluate the reliability of the power distribution system including distributed photovoltaic power.
Desiccation limits recruitment in the pleometrotic desert seed-harvester ant Veromessor pergandei.

The desert harvester ant Veromessor pergandei displays geographic variation in colony founding with queens initiating nests singly (haplometrosis) or in groups (pleometrosis). The transition from haplo- to pleometrotic founding is associated with lower rainfall. Numerous hypotheses have been proposed to explain the evolution of cooperative founding in this species, but the ultimate explanation remains unanswered. In laboratory experiments, water level was positively associated with survival, condition, and brood production by single queens. Queen survival also was positively influenced by water level and queen number in a two-factor experiment. Water level also was a significant effect for three measures of queen condition, but queen number was not significant for any measure. Foundress queens excavated after two weeks of desiccating conditions were dehydrated compared to alate queens captured from their natal colony, indicating that desiccation can be a source of queen mortality. Long-term monitoring in central Arizona, USA, documented that recruitment only occurred in four of 20 years. A discriminant analysis using rainfall as a predictor of recruitment correctly predicted recruitment in 17 of 20 years for total rainfall from January to June (the period for mating flights and establishment) and in 19 of 20 years for early plus late rainfall (January-March and April-June, respectively), often with a posterior probability > 0.90. Moreover, recruitment occurred only in years in which both early and late rainfall exceeded the long-term mean. This result also was supported by the discriminant analysis predicting no recruitment when long-term mean early and late rainfall were included as ungrouped periods. These data suggest that pleometrosis in V. pergandei evolved to enhance colony survival in areas with harsh abiotic (desiccating) conditions, facilitating colonization of habitats in which solitary queens could not establish even in wet years. This favorable-year hypothesis supports enhanced worker production as the primary advantage of pleometrosis.
A Rationally Designed c-di-AMP Förster Resonance Energy Transfer Biosensor To Monitor Nucleotide Dynamics.

3'3'-Cyclic di-AMP (c-di-AMP) is an important nucleotide second messenger found throughout the bacterial domain of life. c-di-AMP is essential in many bacteria and regulates a diverse array of effector proteins controlling pathogenesis, cell wall homeostasis, osmoregulation, and central metabolism. Despite the ubiquity and importance of c-di-AMP, methods to detect this signaling molecule are limited, particularly at single-cell resolution. In this work, crystallization of the Listeria monocytogenes c-di-AMP effector protein Lmo0553 enabled structure-guided design of a Forster resonance energy transfer (FRET)-based biosensor, which we have named CDA5. CDA5 is a fully genetically encodable, specific, and reversible biosensor which allows the detection of c-di-AMP dynamics both in vitro and within live cells in a nondestructive manner. Our initial studies identified a distribution of c-di-AMP in Bacillus subtilis populations first grown in Luria broth and then resuspended in diluted Luria broth compatible with fluorescence analysis. Furthermore, we found that B. subtilis mutants lacking either a c-di-AMP phosphodiesterase and cyclase have higher and lower FRET responses, respectively. These findings provide novel insight into the c-di-AMP distribution within bacterial populations and establish CDA5 as a powerful platform for characterizing new aspects of c-di-AMP regulation. IMPORTANCE c-di-AMP is an important nucleotide second messenger for which detection methods are severely limited. In this work we engineered and implemented a c-di-AMP-specific FRET biosensor to remedy this dearth. We present this biosensor, CDA5, as a versatile tool to investigate previously intractable facets of c-di-AMP biology.
Raf1: Raf1 protein kinase (vertebrates)

Raf1 is a serine/threonine-specific PK that functions in a signal transduction pathway(s) between the cell membrane and the nucleus. On mitogen stimulation of resting cells, Raf1 becomes hyperphosphorylated, which correlates with an increase of Raf1 kinase activity. Raf1 then phosphorylates and activates MAP kinase kinase (Mek), which in turn, activates MAP kinase (Erk1/2), leading to transactivation of transcription from promoters bearing AP-1 (Jun/Fos), Ets, and other response elements. Raf1 is required for the activation of c-Jun via phosphorylation in the transactivation domain. The enzyme is usually assayed in immune complexes as a mitogen-dependent transfer of radioactivity from [γ32P]ATP to Raf1 (autophosphorylation), histone type V-S, or any of several peptide substrates. The best assay for Raf1 activity is incubation with dephosphorylated MAP kinase kinase (Mek), which can then be assayed by phosphorylation of, or reactivation of, MAP kinase (Erkl/2). The recent cloning of Mek should allow direct assays of Raf1 phosphorylation. Raf1 mRNA is expressed in all human and mouse cell lines and all mouse tissues examined to date, as 3.1 and 3.4 kb RNAs in mouse and human, respectively. The levels of expression vary by as much as 5- to 10-fold between different mouse tissues. In mouse testes, Raf1 is expressed in both the somatic and germ cell compartments.
A one-dimensional model for viscoelastic diffusion in polymers

Publisher Summary This chapter presents a one-dimensional model for viscoelastic diffusion in polymers. Flow occurs in a mixture with relative motion between components, driven by a combination of thermodynamic and mechanical forces. The simplest case involves only two components with no applied mechanical tractions; the relative motion is mutual diffusion, generally resulting in flow of each component dominated by dilation. This situation is discussed for one-dimensional motions in the case of a binary mixture with one viscoelastic component and the other an ordinary viscous fluid. A quantitative understanding of mutual diffusion in concentrated polymer/viscousfluid mixtures is of great practical importance to understand and control a number of polymer processing operations and end-use applications. Experimental studies indicate that unsteady, one-dimensional diffusion in concentrated polymer/viscous-fluid mixtures ranges from ordinary Fickian behavior to strongly non-Fickian, depending on some conditions. A one-dimensional nonlinear model for viscoelastic diffusion in concentrated polymer-fluid mixtures is constructed by an ad-hoc generalization of the linear response model.
Thriving in a Global Economy: The Truth About U.S. Manufacturing and Trade

Reports of the death of U.S. manufacturing have been greatly exaggerated. Since the depth of the manufacturing recession in 2002, the sector as a whole has experienced robust and sustained output, revenue, and profit growth. The year 2006 was a record year for output, revenues, profits, profit rates, and return on investment in the manufacturing sector. And despite all the stories about the erosion of U.S. manufacturing primacy, the United States remains the world's most prolific manufacturer - producing two and a half times more output than those vaunted Chinese factories in 2006. Yet, the rhetoric on Capitol Hill and on the presidential campaign trail about a declining manufacturing sector is reaching a fevered pitch. Policymakers point repeatedly to the loss of 3 million manufacturing jobs as evidence of impending doom, even though those acute losses occurred between 2000 and 2003, and job decline in manufacturing has leveled off to historic averages. In the first six months of the 110th Congress, more than a dozen antagonistic or protectionist trade-related bills have been introduced, which rely on the presumed precariousness of U.S. manufacturing as justification for the legislation. Justification for those bills is predicated on the belief that manufacturing is in decline and that the failure of U.S. trade policy to address unfair competition is to blame. But those premises are wrong. The totality of evidence points to a robust manufacturing sector that has thrived on account of greater international trade.
Immunologic studies on aspirin: Clinical studies with aspiryl-protein conjugates

Abstract Aspiryl-chloride was conjugated with human serum albumin, human gamma globulin, rabbit gamma globulin, and poly- l -lysine. These conjugates were evaluated in skin tests, indirect hemagglutination, lymphocyte culture, and in an immunofluorescent test on tissues and sera of patients sensitive to aspirin. No evidence of specific immunologic reactions was found. Possible explanations for these results are discussed, and three possible nonimmunologic mechanisms for adverse reactions to aspirin are offered.
Comparative Rates of Western Juniper Afforestation in South-Central Oregon and the Role of Anthropogenic Disturbance

We examine changes in canopy cover for adult western juniper from the 1960s to 1994 in central Oregon using repeat aerial photography. We compare changes at four sites with a land-use history of minimal anthropogenic disturbance to changes on adjacent sites that have a disturbance history more typical of central Oregon rangelands. Canopy cover increased at all sites, but afforestation on sites with domestic livestock grazing was greater. The potential driving forces common to all sites include a long fire-free interval, early twentieth-century favorable climatic conditions, biological inertia, and atmospheric CO2 enrichment.
Imaging of eye tumor in the mouse model of retinoblastoma with spectral-domain optical coherence tomography

ABSTRACT Noninvasive in vivo examination of the rodent retina without sacrificin g the animal is the key to being able to perform longitudinal studies. This allows the monitoring of disease progression and the response to therapies through its entire course in individual animal. A high-speed high resolution three-dimensional spectral-domain OCT is built for non-contact in vivo imaging of rodent retina. The system is able to acquire high quality 3D images of the rodent retina in 2.7 seconds (total imaging time is ~5 minutes ). The system was tested on mice with normal retina (B6/SJLF2), mouse model for photoreceptor degeneration (Rho -/- ), and mouse model for retinoblastoma (LH BETA T AG ). For the first time to our knowledge, 3D image of the tu mor in retinoblastoma mouse model was successfully imaged in vivo . By segmenting the tumor boundaries in each frame of th e OCT image the volume of the tu mor was successfully calculated. Keywords: optical coherence tomography, retina, mouse, rat, tumor
Formation of ileal conduit utilizing ileal patch from augmentation cystoplasty

Abstract We present a patient in whom an ileal conduit was fashioned from the ileal patch of an augmentation cystoplasty, and discuss the advantages of this technique when cutaneous diversion is required in a patient with an augmented bladder.
George W. Bush & the missionary position

broadly appealing justifications for the project of global nation building as a moral crusade. He spoke with an uncan ny prescience and with intimations of the preemptive use of American force to promote human progress. The date was January 29, 2002. The oc casion was Mr. Bush's first State of the Union address to Congress and the na tion after the terrorist attacks of Septem ber 11. Listen carefully to his augury: America will lead by defending liberty and justice because they are right and true and unchanging for all people everywhere. No nation owns these aspirations and no na tion is exempt from them. We have no in tention of imposing our culture, but America will always stand firm for the non-negotiable demands of human digni ty, the rule of law, limits on the power of the state, respect for women, private prop erty, free speech, equal justice and reli gious tolerance.
Improving Middle School Professional Development by Examining Middle School Teachers' Application of Literacy Strategies and Instructional Design.

The goal of this article is to explore the effects of professional development on middle school teachers' understanding and application of literacy strategies supporting and enhancing instruction across the curriculum. This study investigated the extent to which reading and writing strategies, along with sound instructional design, were implemented by middle school teachers in their content areas based on data collected from self-reports (i.e., strategy and design checklists) and authors' classroom observations. Results from the analysis of the data collected suggest that the sampled middle school teachers used a wide variety of instructional strategies and instructional designs throughout their teaching. While certain instructional designs (whole-class discussion) and strategies (note-taking and graphic organizers) were used universally throughout the school, perhaps more important was the fact that others were selected dependent upon the unique content area they taught.
Photoinduced stereospecific formation of substituted hydantoin from hexobarbital

Abstract The irradiation (253.7 nm) of the anion of S( + )-5-(1′-cyclohexenyl)-1,5-dimethyl-2,4,6(1H,3H,5H)-pyrimidinetrione (the well-known drug, hexobarbital ( 1 )) induces stereospecific conversion to R( + )-5-(1′-cyclohexenyl)-3,5-dimethyl-2,4-imidazolidinedione ( 2 ). Partial inversion of the configuration of 1 (2%–5%) is also observed. The overall quantum yield of photolysis vs . temperature relationship can be interpreted in terms of reversible homolytic cleavage of the C4–C5 bond of 1 . An extended mechanism of reaction leading to hydantoin ( 2 ) and including inversion of configuration of the substrate is proposed. The features and applications of the stereospecific contraction of the pyrimidine ring of 1 are also discussed.
An ion chromatographic analysis of water-soluble, short-chain organic acids in ambient particulate matter

Recent studies have shown that the inclusion of water-soluble short-chain (WSSC) organic acids in source apportionment using positive matrix factorization (PMF) resulted in an improvement in the model's ability to resolve sources, and in understanding secondary particle formation. In the United States, numerous network samplers are operational. Quartz-fibre filters for thermal optical carbon analysis have been collected over a period of years as a part of these sampling campaigns on a routine basis. However, only a small portion of these filters are used for the carbon analysis. Thus, there is the potential to utilize these samples to enhance organic speciation for subsequent use in source apportionment. In this work, an ion-chromatographic method was developed to identify and quantify the WSSC organic acids present in fine particulate matter (PM2.5). Samples collected to measure the concentrations of particles (PM2.5) in south-western (Stockton) and northern (Potsdam) New York, USA from November 2002 to ...
Synthetic Vision Enhanced Surface Operations and Flight Procedures Rehearsal Tool

Limited visibility has been cited as predominant causal factor for both Controlled-Flight-Into-Terrain (CFIT) and runway incursion accidents. NASA is conducting research and development of Synthetic Vision Systems (SVS) technologies which may potentially mitigate low visibility conditions as a causal factor to these accidents while replicating the operational benefits of clear day flight operations, regardless of the actual outside visibility condition. Two experimental evaluation studies were performed to determine the efficacy of two concepts: 1) head-worn display application of SVS technology to enhance transport aircraft surface operations, and 2) three-dimensional SVS electronic flight bag display concept for flight plan preview, mission rehearsal and controller-pilot data link communications interface of flight procedures. In the surface operation study, pilots evaluated two display devices and four display modes during taxi under unlimited and CAT II visibility conditions. In the mission rehearsal study, pilots flew approaches and departures in an operationally-challenged airport environment, including CFIT scenarios. Performance using the SVS concepts was compared to traditional baseline displays with paper charts only or EFB information. In general, the studies evince the significant situation awareness and enhanced operational capabilities afforded from these advanced SVS display concepts. The experimental results and conclusions from these studies are discussed along with future directions.
Water loss and survival in embryos of the domestic chicken

In this report we show that the amount of water lost during incubation is an important determinant of hatchability in embryos of the domestic chicken. However, when the loss of water is restricted to the first half versus the second half of the total incubation period, it is the loss of water during the first half that affects hatching success. We propose that regulating the permeability of the egg shell may be important in preventing excessive drying of the inner shell membrane during early development along with limiting the total amount of water lost from the embryo during incubation.
Mood States Associated with Transitory Physical Symptoms Among Breast and Ovarian Cancer Survivors

This study used electronic diaries to examine patterns of mood and physical symptoms within and across days in two independent samples of cancer patients. Twenty-three breast cancer survivors (post-treatment) and 33 ovarian cancer survivors (on chemotherapy) recorded mood and physical symptoms 4 times daily for 7 consecutive days. A series of repeated-measures multilevel models using SAS Proc Mixed were calculated to estimate the degree to which physical symptoms (e.g., pain, fatigue, and nausea) were associated with participants’ moods. Across days, mood vectors with a pleasantness component (i.e., happy-sad and calm-anxious) and mood vectors with an arousal component (i.e., active-passive and peppy-tired) were significantly associated with physical symptom severity. Specifically, breast cancer survivors with greater fatigue and pain reported more negative moods (η 2≤0.33). Ovarian cancer survivors with greater fatigue (η 2≤0.35), pain (η 2≤0.04), and nausea (η 2≤0.04) also reported more negative moods. Diurnal analyses showed that happy-sad (η 2≤0.16), active-passive (η 2≤0.27), and peppy-tired moods (η 2≤0.33) were significantly negatively associated with fatigue at each of the four daily assessment times in both samples. Although correlational, our findings are consistent with previous studies suggesting that variations in both pleasant and aroused mood covary with changes in real-time physical symptom reports.