cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
A lesson from the New York Times: Timing and the management of cultural change

The author places newspaper decision-making models within a timing framework, using the infamous New York Times-Jayson Blair-plagiarism case to illustrate how the U.S. newspaper industry can feasibly and sincerely engineer the change in newspaper culture suggested by an earlier industry-commissioned study. Using arguments from timing theory, the author illustrates how the framework generates timing-related questions about management style that would not normally get asked. Ultimately, the argument challenges newspaper managers to re-consider the essence of the managerial concept of control and, eventually, their own managerial style and culture. Cultural transformation, the author argues, does, indeed, start at the top but with management acknowledging that it has much to learn and that popular culture-enhancing management tools must be used only when managers consider the timing-induced paradoxes inherent in decision-making, where the “when”; becomes just as important as the “what.” ACCESS TO FULL TEXT
Tactile discrimination performance deficits following unilateral microinjections of catecholaminergic blockers in the rat.

Abstract Unilateral microinjections of aqueous solutions of acetylcholine, scopolamine, serotonin, methysergide, dopamine, haloperidol, or norepinephrine into the lateral hypothalamic region had no measurable effects on neurological tests or on an appetitive discrimination in which the rats were trained to turn toward the side opposite to a touch to the flank. Unilateral injections of the adrenergic blockers phentolamine or propranolol produced pronounced neurological asymmetries and selectively disrupted only those discrimination trials in which the touch was presented ipsilateral and the required response was a turn contralateral to the injection. The unimpaired performance seen on the remaining trials when the stimulus was contralateral to the injection suggested that the adrenergic blockers disrupted response output processes rather than sensory processes. In a second experiment using different rats and a slightly different task, the dopaminergic blocker haloperidol when injected into the caudate produced a deficit closely similar to that produced by phentolamine in the lateral hypothalamus.
Formaldehyde and acetaldehyde exposure mitigation in US residences: in-home measurements of ventilation control and source control

Measurements were taken in new US residences to assess the extent to which ventilation and source control can mitigate formaldehyde exposure. Increasing ventilation consistently lowered indoor formaldehyde concentrations. However, at a reference air exchange rate of 0.35 h(-1), increasing ventilation was up to 60% less effective than would be predicted if the emission rate were constant. This is consistent with formaldehyde emission rates decreasing as air concentrations increase, as observed in chamber studies. In contrast, measurements suggest acetaldehyde emission was independent of ventilation rate. To evaluate the effectiveness of source control, formaldehyde concentrations were measured in Leadership in Energy and Environmental Design (LEED)-certified/Indoor airPLUS homes constructed with materials certified to have low emission rates of volatile organic compounds (VOC). At a reference air exchange rate of 0.35 h(-1), and adjusting for home age, temperature and relative humidity, formaldehyde concentrations in homes built with low-VOC materials were 42% lower on average than in reference new homes with conventional building materials. Without adjustment, concentrations were 27% lower in the low-VOC homes. The mean and standard deviation of formaldehyde concentration was 33 μg/m(3) and 22 μg/m(3) for low-VOC homes and 45 μg/m(3) and 30 μg/m(3) for conventional.
Oocyte and embryo donation 2006: reviewing two decades of innovation and controversy

For over 21 years, oocyte and embryo donation have been used to treat infertility caused by a variety of conditions affecting the ovary. Many disorders, including premature ovarian failure, advanced reproductive age, unexplained recurrent implantation failure and inherited conditions, are amenable to gamete donation, with high pregnancy rates and good obstetrical outcomes observed in recipients. Protocols for the medical screening of recipients and donors, as well as infectious disease and genetic testing, have become relatively uniform and well accepted. Established guidelines allow synchronization of the menstrual cycles of both women to ensure that embryos are transferred to a receptive endometrium. The high demand for donor services has led to escalating costs and long waiting lists. American programmes bid against each other to secure the participation of young women often motivated as much by financial reward as altruism. In the United States, where the majority of oocyte donation is practised, more than 100,000 treatment cycles have occurred. However, to date no meaningful longitudinal studies detailing the long term effects of treatment on donors, recipients, children born, or families created have been published. Throughout its history, oocyte and embryo donation has proven to be both efficacious and clinically innovative, yet remains highly controversial.
Cancer, Conflict, and the Development of Nuclear Transplantation Techniques

The technique of nuclear transplantation - popularly known as cloning - has been integrated into several different histories of twentieth century biology. Historians and science scholars have situated nuclear transplantation within narratives of scientific practice, biotechnology, bioethics, biomedicine, and changing views of life. However, nuclear transplantation has never been the focus of analysis. In this article, I examine the development of nuclear transplantation techniques, focusing on the people, motivations, and institutions associated with the first successful nuclear transfer in metazoans in 1952. The conflict between embryologists and geneticists over the mechanisms of differentiation motivated Robert Briggs to pursue nuclear transplantation experiments as a way to resolve the debate. Briggs worked at the Lankenau Hospital Research Institute, a research facility devoted to the study of cancer. The goal of understanding cancer would play a role in the development of the technique, and the story of nuclear transplantation sheds light on the role that biomedical contexts play in biological research in the second half of the twentieth century.
Exposure to drug trafficking among urban, low-income African American children and adolescents

OBJECTIVE: To examine the association between exposure to drug trafficking (selling or delivering drugs) and exposure to other forms of community violence and risk behaviors among urban, low-income African American children and adolescents. DESIGN: Community-based, cross-sectional survey. SETTING: Ten public housing developments in a large eastern city in the United States. PARTICIPANTS: Three hundred forty-nine urban, low-income African American children and adolescents (198 boys and 151 girls), aged 9 to 15 years. MAIN OUTCOME MEASURES: Exposure to drug trafficking and other forms of community violence (as either a victim or a witness), risk behaviors/perceptions including risk-taking/delinquency, drug use, perpetration of violence or other crimes, threats to school achievement, and perceived peer involvement. ANALYSIS: Exploratory factor analysis was performed to examine whether exposure to drug trafficking is a risk factor that is distinct from other exposure to violence. Multivariate analysis of variance and chi2 tests were performed to assess the relationship between exposure to drug trafficking and other forms of community violence and risk behaviors/perceptions. RESULTS: Of 349 participants, 63 (18%) had been asked to traffic drugs and 134 (38%) had seen someone else being asked to traffic drugs. Factor analysis indicates that exposure to drug trafficking appears to be different from other forms of community violence. However, having been asked and having seen other people being asked to traffic drugs were both strongly associated with exposure to other forms of community violence. Compared with children and adolescents who had not been exposed to drug trafficking, those who were exposed to drug trafficking reported more risk-taking and delinquent behaviors, drug use, threats to achievement, and a perception of more peer involvement in these risk behaviors. CONCLUSION: Exposure to drug trafficking is a unique risk factor that is strongly associated with exposure to other forms of community violence and involvement in other risk behaviors. Language: en
Focus on “Cholangiocytes exhibit dynamic, actin-dependent apical membrane turnover”

in the past decade, there has been an explosion of interest in and information about cholangiocytes, the epithelial cells that line the intrahepatic bile ducts. This increased attention relates to at least three developments: first, the evolution of new experimental models and techniques to directly
Performance analysis of bit-interleaved space-time coding for OFDM in block fading channels

The performance of a bit-interleaved space-time coding (BISTC) scheme is investigated for OFDM systems. The BISTC scheme considered here concatenates bit-interleaved coded modulation (BICM) with the well-known space-time trellis code (STTC) of V. Tarokh et al. (see IEEE Trans. Info. Theory, p.1456-67, 1999). The codeword of the BISTC system spans space, time and frequency dimensions, while spatial and temporal/frequency diversity are conveniently decoupled and exploited separately by the STTC and BICM, respectively. Performance analyses based on both pairwise error probability (PEP) and error bounds are conducted over a more general block fading channel that possesses both frequency and time diversity, and of which the fast and quasi-static fading channels are two instances. An improved error bound, assisted by a limitation and uniform interleaver approach, is derived and shown to provide much more accurate error rate estimation than the standard union bound in block fading channels. Both simulation and error bound analysis indicate that BISTC is efficient in taking advantage of available diversity. Simulation results also show that iterative decoding/demodulation (IDD) in BISTC allows the frame error rate performance to approach the theoretical bound.
Human serotonin transporter variants display altered sensitivity to protein kinase G and p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase

Human serotonin [5-hydroxytryptamine (5-HT)] transporters (hSERT, 5HTT, and SLC6A4) inactivate 5-HT after release and are prominent targets for therapeutic intervention in mood, anxiety, and obsessive-compulsive disorders. Multiple hSERT coding variants have been identified, although to date no comprehensive functional analysis of these variants has been reported. We transfected hSERT or 10 hSERT coding variants and examined total and surface protein expression, antagonist recognition, and transporter modulation by posttranslational, regulatory pathways. Two variants, Pro339Leu and Ile425Val, demonstrated significant changes in surface expression supporting alterations in 5-HT transport capacity (Vmax). Regardless of basal transport activity, all SERT variants displayed a capacity for rapid, phorbol ester-triggered down-regulation. Remarkably, five variants (Thr4Ala, Gly56Ala, Glu215Lys, Lys605Asn, and Pro612Ser) demonstrated no capacity for 5-HT uptake stimulation after acute protein kinase G (PKG)/p38 mitogen-activated protein kinase (MAPK) activation. Epstein–Barr virus (EBV)-transformed lymphocytes natively expressing the most common of these variants (Gly56Ala) exhibited a similar loss of 5-HT uptake stimulation by PKG/p38 MAPK activators. HeLa cells transfected with the Gly56Ala variant demonstrated elevated basal phosphorylation and, unlike hSERT, could not be further phosphorylated after 8-bromo cGMP (8BrcGMP) treatments. These studies reveal cellular phenotypes associated with naturally occurring human SERT coding variants and suggest that altered transporter regulation by means of PKG/p38 MAPK-linked pathways may influence risk for disorders attributed to compromised 5-HT signaling.
Eliminating Location Dependent Unfairness in WLANs

IEEE 802.11 DCF mode is a distributed channel access method for standard Wireless Local Area Networks (WLAN) with a goal of providing long-term fair channel access for the nodes. Due to the characteristics of radio signals, such as propagation attenuation and capture effect, WLAN users may experience unfair medium allocations depending on their locations. Our analysis shows that a user near the access point (AP) can access the medium several times more than a user located far away. Advanced Distributed Coordination Function (ADCF), a variant of Distributed Coordination Function (DCF) mode of IEEE 802.11, was proposed to achieve distributed weighted fair queuing. In this paper, we show that the ADCF alleviates this location dependent unfairness. Simulation results show that the ADCF mode improves the overall performance of a WLAN considerably.
On explicit steady-state solutions of Fokker-Planck equations for a class of nonlinear feedback systems

We study the question of existence of steady-state probability distributions for systems perturbed by white noise. We describe a class of nonlinear feedback systems for which an explicit formula for the steady-state probability density can be found. These systems include what has been called monotemperaturic systems in earlier work. We also establish relationships between the steady-state probability densities and Liapunov functions for the corresponding deterministic systems.
Vegetation characteristics of forested hillside seeps in eastern Maine, USA1,2

Abstract The influence of forested hillside seeps on local biodiversity is not well known in the glaciated northeastern USA. We documented the physical and vegetative characteristics of fifteen forested seeps and adjacent uplands to determine their contribution to local biodiversity and to improve existing regional seep classification methods. We determined the uniqueness of plant species using the Indicator Value Method, a method that combines individual species' relative abundance with its relative frequency of occurrence to produce a score (0–100%) based on the ability of that species to be associated within a defined group. We used nonmetric multidimensional scaling (NMDS) to address species-site relationships. Hardwood seeps were always located on slopes from 8–12° and were between 5 and 800 m2 in area. Conifer seeps were also located on similar slopes, but were typically larger (900 to 3600 m2) and within areas of lower topography or ‘benches’ on a hillslope. Herbaceous layer diversity (H′) was high...
Changing the subject : on the subject of subjectivity

In this paper I shall attempt to argue for the simple view of personal identity. I shall first argue that we often do have warrant for our beliefs that we exist as continuing subjects of experience, and that these beliefs are justified independently of any reductionist analysis of what it means to be a person. This has two important implications that are relevant to the ongoing debate concerning the number of persons that are in existence throughout any duration in time: (1) the lack of logically or metaphysically necessary and sufficient conditions for distinguishing one person from another should imply neither that there is only one person nor that personhood is not individuative; and (2) the lack of such universally applicable identity criteria should not imply that the term ‘person’ is a folk term with no real application. In other words, lack of reductionist analysis does not entail lack of existence.
Is sextremism the new feminism? Perspectives from Pussy Riot and Femen

As Pussy Riot has changed the face of political protest in Russia, to the south, Ukraine has seen the emergence of Femen, famous for their topless protests against everything from sex tourism and trafficking to hot water shut-offs in Kyiv to sexism in the Ukrainian government to Putin's visits to Ukraine. Their concurrent appearance in the post-Soviet sphere encourages a discussion around the mobilization of sexuality as protest in the region. Both groups appropriate sexual language and imagery as well as physical sexuality in protest of their current regimes. This article engages the question of similarities between the two groups’ efforts and considers what differences structure their political goals and philosophies. What potential does the global visibility of these groups have to influence an emerging women's movement, and, more generally, how can sexuality be harnessed as a unifying force in anti-government activism in post-socialist Russia and Ukraine?
Transfiguring Modern Temporality Zhang Taiyan’s Yogācāra Critique of Evolutionary History

Although Zhang Taiyan is famous for being a late Qing nationalist and revolutionary, scholars have yet to explore fully the significance of his Buddhist writings, especially as they relate to time and history. This article closely examines Zhang’s writings about time and history and points out that Zhang made two interrelated but potentially conflicting arguments. On the one hand, he invoked Yogācāra Buddhism and Zhuang Zi to expound a relativistic vision of time and history. From this perspective, each nation has its historical particularity and cannot be judged from an external standard. However, on the other hand, in a context where intellectuals were uncritically adopting a framework of history as progress, Zhang grounded the theory of evolution in a theory of karmic seeds to develop an interpretation of history as a double movement in which the good gets better and the bad gets worse. The article delves into the significance of Zhang’s arguments by highlighting the symmetries between Zhang’s expositi...
Critical appraisal: post-op sensitivity with direct composite restorations

Sales of self-etch adhesive systems have grown considerably over the last 10 to 12 years. One of the most important factors contributing to this growth is the perception that self-etch adhesives cause less postoperative sensitivity than etch-and-rinse adhesives. Certainly, there is much anecdotal evidence supporting this perception. But what does the science say? This Critical Appraisal presents evidence from several clinical trials of postoperative sensitivity in posterior composite restorations.
Local regularity and non-recrossing path in transition state—a new strategy in chemical reaction theories

Abstract We analyze local regularities in the regions of transition states of a 6-atom Lennard-Jones cluster to demonstrate how one can choose a non-recrossing reaction path in phase space along which the transmission coefficient for the classical reaction path is unity from threshold up to a moderately high energy, above which the transition state is chaotic, and how one can picture the nonlinear, full-phase-space character of the dividing hypersurface by projecting it into spaces of only a few dimensions. These overcome one of the long-standing ambiguities in chemical reaction theories, the recrossing problem, up to moderately high energies, and make transition state theory more generalized, applicable even in cases in which apparent recrossings spoil the conventional theory.
Body Surface Area Prediction in Normal, Hypermuscular, and Obese Mice

Background Accurate determination of body surface area (BSA) in experimental animals is essential for modeling effects of burn injury or drug metabolism. Two-dimensional surface area is related to three-dimensional body volume, which in turn can be estimated from body mass. The Meeh equation relates body surface area to the two-thirds power of body mass, through a constant, k , which must be determined empirically by species and size. We found older values of k overestimated BSA in certain mice; thus we determined empirically k for various strains of normal, obese, and hypermuscular mice. Materials and methods BSA was computed from digitally scanned pelts and nonlinear regression analysis was used to determine the best-fit k . Results The empirically determined k for C57BL/6J mice of 9.82 was not significantly different from other inbred and outbred mouse strains of normal body composition. However, mean k of the nearly spheroid, obese lepr db/db mice ( k = 8.29) was significantly lower than for normals, as were values for dumbbell-shaped, hypermuscular mice with either targeted deletion of the myostatin gene ( Mstn ) ( k = 8.48) or with skeletal muscle specific expression of a dominant negative myostatin receptor ( Acvr2b ) ( k = 8.80). Conclusions Hypermuscular and obese mice differ substantially from normals in shape and density, resulting in considerably altered k values. This suggests Meeh constants should be determined empirically for animals of altered body composition. Use of these new, improved Meeh constants will allow greater accuracy in experimental models of burn injury and pharmacokinetics.
Can Students Change Their Homework Behavior After The Midterm? Does It Help?

Using the Internet to administer homework allows us to determine if students change their homework habits during a semester and if this change results in an improvement in grades.
Plasma cell crystalline inclusions.

A woman presented to her primary care physician with right shoulder pain. There was no history of trauma to the shoulder. Her past medical history was notable for a left nephrectomy 25 years earlier, secondary to complications of sepsis. At time of presentation, the woman had hypertension, osteoarthritis, and mild renal insufficiency with proteinuria. Radiographs of her shoulder revealed a large bony lesion of the proximal humerus with an associated pathologic fracture. Other lytic lesions were identified in the glenoid, the distal right clavicle, and the inferior scapula. Laboratory values included calcium, 9.9 mg/dL (2.48 mmol/L) (reference range, 8.4– 10.2 mg/dL [2.05–2.55 mmol/L]); phosphorus, 3.8 mg/dL (1.23 mmol/L) (2.7–4.5 mg/dL [0.74–1.52 mmol/L]); glucose, 84 mg/dL (4.7 mmol/L) (70–105 mg/dL [2.8–4.4 mmol/L]); sodium, 140 mEq/L (133–145 mEq/L); potassium, 3.6 mEq/L (3.3–5.1 mEq/L); creatinine, 1.4 mg/dL (107 mmol/L) (0.4–1.2 mg/dL [8–31 mmol/L]); serum urea nitrogen, 16 mg/dL (5.7 mmol/L) (6–19 mg/dL [2.9–8.2 mmol/L]); and albumin, 3.9 g/dL (3.9–4.8 g/dL). A urine and serum immunofixation electrophoresis revealed a monoclonal gammopathy of free k light chain. A bone marrow aspirate and biopsy was done to rule out multiple myeloma. The bone marrow aspirate was also sent for flow cytometry. The bone marrow biopsy showed hypercellular marrow (60%–70%) with replacement by plasma cells. Several megakaryocytes were noted, and erythroid and myeloid precursors were decreased. The plasma cells were atypical and had large nuclei. The bone marrow aspirate stained with Wright-Giemsa showed several crystalline structures in the cytoplasm of the plasma cells (50%–60%) (Figure, oil immersion, original magnification 3760). They were unstained, needlelike in shape, and were not birefringent. Cytoplasmic immunoglobulin stains revealed k light chain restriction; however, the crystals remained unstained. The bony trabeculae were unremarkable. Prussian blue stain showed iron present mostly in macrophages. No ringed sideroblasts were noted. Flow cytometry confirmed a clon-
Trends in Water Clarity of the Lower Great Lakes from Remotely Sensed Aquatic Color

Satellite observations of aquatic colour enable environmental monitoring of the Great Lakes at spatial and temporal scales not obtainable through ground-based monitoring. By merging data from the Coastal Zone Color Scanner (CZCS) and the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor (SeaWiFS), monthly binned images of water-leaving radiance over the Great Lakes have been produced for the periods 1979–1985 and 1998–2006. This time-series can be interpreted in terms of changes in water clarity, showing seasonal and inter-annual variability of bright-water episodes such as phytoplankton blooms, re-suspension of bottom sediments, and whiting events. Variations in Secchi disk depth over Lakes Erie and Ontario are predicted using empirical relationships from coincident measurements of water transparency and remotely-sensed water-leaving radiance. Satellite observations document the extent to which the water clarity of the lower Great Lakes has changed over the last three decades in response to significant events including the invasion of zebra mussels. Results confirm dramatic reductions in Lake Ontario turbidity in the years following mussel colonization, with a doubling of estimated Secchi depths. Evidence confirms a reduction in the frequency/intensity of whiting events in agreement with suggestions of the role of calcium uptake by mussels on lake water clarity. Increased spring-time water clarity in the eastern basin of Lake Erie also corroborates previous observations in the region. Despite historical reports of localised increases in transparency in the western basin immediately following the mussel invasion, image analysis shows a significant increase in turbidity between the two study periods, in agreement with more recent reports of longer term trends in water clarity. Through its capacity to provide regular and readily interpretable synoptic views of regions undergoing significant environmental change, this work illustrates the value of remotely sensing water colour to water clarity monitoring in the lower Great Lakes.
The Plasma Aminogram in ‘Small for Dates’ Newborn Infants

Many newborn babies, who are unduly short and light for the period of gestation (‘short and light for dates’ or ‘small for dates’, SFD, by definition below the ioth percentile for gestational age) show certain clinical features indicating impairment of prenatal nutrition (I). In addition to growth retardation they may suffer from hypothermia and hypoglucosaemia, sometimes with symptoms from the CNS. The hypoglycaemic attacks occasionally seen in growth retarded newborn babies seem to be aggravated by a high protein intake (2). These problems are also well known to those dealing with the rehabilitation of postnatal undernutrition (3).
Towards uncertainty quantification and parameter estimation for Earth system models in a component-based modeling framework

Component-based modeling frameworks make it easier for users to access, configure, couple, run and test numerical models. However, they do not typically provide tools for uncertainty quantification or data-based model verification and calibration. To better address these important issues, modeling frameworks should be integrated with existing, general-purpose toolkits for optimization, parameter estimation and uncertainty quantification.This paper identifies and then examines the key issues that must be addressed in order to make a component-based modeling framework interoperable with general-purpose packages for model analysis. As a motivating example, one of these packages, DAKOTA, is applied to a representative but nontrivial surface process problem of comparing two models for the longitudinal elevation profile of a river to observational data. Results from a new mathematical analysis of the resulting nonlinear least squares problem are given and then compared to results from several different optimization algorithms in DAKOTA. HighlightsIntegration of modeling frameworks and uncertainty analysis toolkits is discussed.General-purpose uncertainty analysis toolkits such as DAKOTA are discussed.Two models for longitudinal elevation profiles of rivers are analyzed with DAKOTA.New nonlinear least squares' results are given for river elevation profile models.Enhanced modeling frameworks will make it easier to analyze model uncertainty.
Comparison of Capacity of Some Nitrated Phenols to Stimulate Respiration of Yeast.

We have shown that the action of several of the nitrated phenols on the respiration of yeast may be excitatory or inhibitory, depending on the dosage, and that the undissociated form is the active agent in such stimulation or inhibition.1, 2, 3 A method for comparing the activities of nitrated phenols as metabolic stimulants has been developed and applied to 3 of the dinitrophenols and to the mononitrophenols.3 We present herewith the results of experiments designed to compare the activities of 5 nitrated phenols which have been used extensively as metabolic stimulants. These are 2–4 dinitrophenol,4 4–6 dinitro-o-cresol,5 2–4 dinitro-α-naphthol,6 2–4 dinitro-cyclo-pentyl phenol6 and 2–4 dinitro-cyclo-hexyl phenol.6 The last 2 compounds were provided through the kindness of Dr. M. L. Tainter, who obtained them from Hoffman, LaRoche and Company. In every case aqueous solutions of the sodium salts were employed.The pure yeast culture and the experimental methods have been described elsewhere.2, 3 In every ca...
Damage Evolution in Xe-Ion Irradiated Rutile (TiO2) Single Crystals

Rutile (TiO 2 ) single crystals with (110) orientation were irradiated with 360 keV Xe 2+ ions at 300K to fluences ranging from 2×10 19 to 1×10 20 Xe/m 2 . Irradiated samples were analyzed using: (1) Rutherford backscattering spectroscopy combined with ion channeling analysis (RBS/C); and (2) cross-sectional transmission electron microscopy (XTEM). Upon irradiation to a fluence of 2×1O 19 Xe/m 2 , the sample thickness penetrated by the implanted ions was observed to consist of three distinct layers: (1) a defect-free layer at the surface (thickness about 12 nm) exhibiting good crystallinity; (2) a second layer with a low density of relatively large- sized defects; and (3) a third layer consisting of a high concentration of small defects. After the fluence was increased to 7×10 19 Xe/m 2 , a buried amorphous layer was visible by XTEM. The thickness of the amorphous layer was found to increase with increasing Xe ion fluence. The location of this buried amorphous layer was found to coincide with the measured peak in the Xe concentration (measured by RBS/C), rather than with the theoretical maXimum in the displacement damage profile. This observation suggests the implanted Xe ions may serve as nucleation sites for the amorphization transformation. The total thickness of the damaged microstructure due to ion irradiation was always found to be much greater than the projected range of the Xe ions. This is likely due to point defect migration under the high stresses induced by ion implantation.
Describing the User Experience of Wearable Fitness Technology through Online Product Reviews

Regular exercise has many health benefits, however a major problem in the United States is that Americans do not exercise enough to reap these advantages. Although there are many ways that one can ...
352 EFFECTS OF THE XENOESTROGENS DDT AND TCDD ON DISEASE ACTIVITY IN MURINE LUPUS

Objective To examine effects of the environmental xenoestrogens o,p9-dichlorodiphenyltrichloroethane (DDT) and tetrachlorodibenzodioxin (TCDD) on development of autoimmunity in the female NZB x NZW F1 (B/W) mouse model of lupus. Methods Development of murine lupus was assessed during the lifespan female B/W mice given 3.2 μg of DDT (n = 13) or TCDD (n = 13) compared to female B/W mice given vehicle (n = 13). At 8-week intervals, mice were examined for weight change, albuminuria, antibodies to DNA, and IgG immunoglobulin levels, morbidity, and mortality. Parallel groups of mice were examined for thymic/splenic histopathology and CD4/CD8 ratio. Results The administration of DDT or TCDD was well tolerated without apparent side effects. Weight gain in exposed B/W mice and control mice was identical through 32 weeks of age. In DDT-exposed female B/W mice, the development of albuminuria was accelerated compared to control mice, but there was no significant effect on total IgG, anti-DNA antibodies, thymic/splenic cellularity, or mortality. In contrast, TCDD-exposed B/W mice had lower total IgG concentrations, significantly lower levels of anti-DNA (p Conclusion The environmental xenoestrogen DDT increased the incidence of albuminuria in lupus-prone mice but did not significantly alter other disease parameters or mortality. In contrast, TCDD, a different environmental estrogen, suppressed markers of autoimmunity and the development of autoimmune glomerulonephritis compared to control mice. These results suggest that environmental estrogens, at molar concentrations similar to endogenous 17β-estradiol, do not markedly accelerate autoimmunity, and, in the case of TCDD, are immunosuppressive, either through a direct immunotoxic effect on thymus and spleen or indirectly through hormonal mechanisms. Further studies of dose-response relationships, specific mechanisms, and synergistic effects may elucidate environmental influences on human SLE and immune response.
Combined comparative genomic hybridization and single-nucleotide polymorphism array detects cryptic chromosomal lesions in both myelodysplastic syndromes and cytopenias of undetermined significance

The diagnosis of myelodysplastic syndrome (MDS) can be challenging, and may be facilitated by correlation with cytogenetic testing. Microarray analysis using comparative genomic hybridization and/or single-nucleotide polymorphism array can detect chromosomal abnormalities not seen by standard metaphase cytogenetics. We examined the ability of combined comparative genomic hybridization and single-nucleotide polymorphism analysis (hereafter referred to as 'combined array') to detect changes among 83 patients with unexplained cytopenias undergoing pathologic evaluation for MDS and compared results with 18 normal bone marrow controls. Thirty-seven patients (45%) were diagnosed with MDS, 12 patients (14%) were demonstrated to have 'indeterminate dyspoiesis' (insufficient for classification of MDS), 27 (33%) were essentially normal, and 7 patients (8%) had alternative pathologic diagnoses. Twenty-one MDS patients (57% of diagnoses) had effectively normal metaphase cytogenetics, but combined array showed that 5 of these (13% of MDS patients) harbored major cryptic chromosomal aberrations. Furthermore, nearly half of patients with 'indeterminate dyspoiesis' and 1 with normal morphology had clonal cytopenia(s) of undetermined significance by combined array analysis. Cryptic array findings among MDS patients and those with clonal cytopenias(s) included large-scale copy-neutral loss of heterozygosity (up to 118 Mb) and genomic deletion of loci implicated in MDS pathogenesis (eg, TET2 (4q22) and NUP98 (11p15)). By comparison, in MDS patients with abnormal metaphase cytogenetics, microarray mostly recapitulated findings seen by routine karyotype. Combined array analysis has considerable diagnostic yield in detecting cryptic chromosomal aberrations in MDS and in demonstrating aberrant clonal hematopoiesis in cytopenic patients with indeterminate morphologic dysplasia.
MR IMAGING OF THE THORACIC AORTA

Abstract The evaluation and diagnosis of thoracic aortic disease using magnetic resonance imaging, including magnetic resonance angiography, is assuming an increasing role in clinical practice. Comparison with other modalities, including computed tomography and echocardiography, is discussed. Newer magnetic resonance imaging techniques, including 3-D breath-hold time-of-flight sequences are highlighted, as well as imaging strategies using standard magnetic resonance imaging techniques. Thoracic aortic disease entities covered include aneurysm, dissection, penetrating ulcers and intramural hematoma, aortitis and infection, tumors, and congenital aortic disease.
Prosodic cues to disengagement and uncertainty in physics tutorial dialogues

This paper focuses on the analysis and prediction of student disengagement and uncertainty, using a corpus of dialogues collected with a spoken tutorial dialogue system in the STEM domain of qualitative physics. We first compare and contrast the prosodic characteristics of dialogue turns exhibiting disengagement or not, and those exhibiting uncertainty or not. We then compare the utility of using multiple prosodic features to predict both disengagement and uncertainty.
Finite sample performance of specification tests for correlated random effects quantile panel regressions

ABSTRACTWe investigate the finite sample performance of the Abrevaya and Dahl (2008) test for coefficient heterogeneity for a correlated random effects ‘mean’ (CREM) panel quantile regression estimator. We assess size and power of the test over a range of sample sizes and panel dimensions. The test is undersized for small-to-moderate sample sizes and displays low power even with a high degree of heteroscedasticity. Size and power improve substantially in larger samples. Our results provide insight for applied researchers.
Status Construction Theory

Status construction theory describes how structural conditions in society frame and constrain social encounters among people from socially different groups (e.g., racial, ethnic, or gender groups), so that these encounters foster the development of shared status beliefs about the social difference. Status beliefs are cultural beliefs that people in one category of a social difference (e.g., whites) are more socially esteemed and considered generally more competent than people in a contrasting category of the difference (people of color). The key structural condition that causes encounters to induce status beliefs is the unequal distribution between the groups of a factor like material resources or technology that allows actors from one group to become more influential in cross-difference encounters than actors from the other group. When status beliefs about a social difference become widely shared in a population, they have widespread consequences for inequality among socially different individuals and groups. Keywords: gender; inequality; race and ethnicity; social psychology; sociology of groups
Radix-4 square root without initial PLA

A systematic derivation of a radix-4 square root algorithm using redundance in the partial residuals and the result is presented. Unlike other similar schemes, the algorithm does not use a table-lookup or programmable logic array (PLA) for the initial step. The scheme can be integrated with division. It also performs on-the-fly conversion and rounding of the result, thus eliminating a carry-propagate step to obtain the final result. The selection function uses 4 b of the result and 8 b of the estimate of the partial residual. >
A Dialectical Process View of Cultural Diversity and Geographic Diversity for Emerging Market MNEs

We investigate input states, outcome states, and necessary conditions in the process by which diversity improves performance in emerging market multinational enterprises (EM MNEs). We focus on geog...
Posttransplantation Lymphoproliferative Disorder (PTLD) in Liver and Small Bowel Transplant Recipients

The incidence, morbidity, and mortality of PTLD in liver and intestine transplantations have significantly decreased over time. Incidence of PTLD in pediatric liver transplantation is currently 2–3%, and is approaching the 1–2% rate of PTLD seen after adult liver transplantation. Improvements in immunosuppression, EBV monitoring, pre emptive therapy, and treatment have led to this reduction in incidence as well as to a concomitant reduction in mortality. The incidence of PTLD in pediatric intestine transplantation has been dramatically reduced from historical rates of 30–40% to approximately 8–10%. PTLD occurs in approximately 13% of children as compared to 5% in adults. Therapy for PTLD differs based on the transplanted organ. In liver transplantation, cessation of immunosuppression is recommended as the mainstay of therapy for PTLD. In intestinal transplantation, the extent of the lowering of immunosuppression is limited by the immunogenicity of the transplanted bowel. Antiviral therapies with ganciclovir and intravenous immune globulin (IVIG) are used in both instances. Additional therapies such as rituximab (anti CD20 antibody) and low dose chemotherapy options have significantly contributed to improved outcome after PTLD in intestine transplantation.
SEF view deletion under bounded condition

Abstract Deletion propagation problem has been an important role in data lineage, is a classic problem in the database research on data provenance and quality. As a more restricted version of classic view update problem in relational databases, it is defined on a given database D , a monotonic relational algebraic query Q and its materialized view V of D , deletion propagation aims to find a tuple set ΔD whose deletion from D guarantees that the result of Q is exactly the view V minus an intended deletion ΔV , i.e., ΔD will not produce side-effect on view. Such ΔD is side-effect-free if no side effect produced by deleting it from D . We study the complexity of finding side-effect-free deletion in this paper. We also consider the functional dependency restricted version deletion propagation problem ‘ b -dp ’ which generalizes the computational issues involved in data lineage, it is to find the ΔD not only view side-effect free but also without introducing inconsistency with respect to the predefined functional dependencies. Both data and combined complexity of b -dp are studied under both single and group deletion. Plenty of analysis are provided on this problem with respect to queries in different classes on either complexity aspect.
BARIATRIC SURGERY IN MORBIDLY OBESE ADVANCED HEART FAILURE PATIENTS

This case study illustrates the importance of a multi-disciplinary team approach to the management of the advanced heart failure (HF) patient with multiple co-morbidities, requiring a near flawless work up process from the point of consult for advanced HF, to the need for mechanical support and
Gloss and Surface Roughness of Anterior Pediatric Zirconia Crowns.

Purpose The purpose of this study was to determine gloss and surface roughness (Ra) of pediatric anterior zirconia crowns. Methods Gloss of labial and lingual surfaces of pediatric anterior zirconia crowns from three manufacturers was measured on 20 specimens using a small area gloss meter on each. Ra (μm) was measured using a contact-type surface profilometer. Data were evaluated by analysis of variance and pair-wise comparison at the 0.05 level of significance. Results There were statistically significant interactions between surface location and crown type for both gloss and Ra scores. NuSmile had higher mean gloss scores and lower mean Ra scores than both Kinder Krowns and EZCrowns. Kinder Krowns showed lower mean gloss scores and higher Ra scores than other crown groups. Conclusion Among all crowns, there was a trend of higher mean gloss paired with lower mean surface roughness, and lower mean gloss paired with higher mean Ra. Hand smoothed followed by mechanically polished zirconia crowns (NuSmile) displayed the highest mean gloss and lowest mean Ra compared to hybrid polishedglazed zirconia crowns (Kinder Krowns, EZCrowns). Of the hybrid polished-glazed zirconia crowns, Kinder Krowns displayed the lowest mean gloss and highest mean Ra.
On the estimation and secrecy capabilities of stochastic encryption for parameter estimation in IoT

In Internet of Things (IoT) applications requiring parameter estimation, sensors often transmit quantized observations to a fusion center through a wireless medium where the observations are susceptible to unauthorized eavesdropping. The fusion center uses the received data to estimate desired parameters. To provide security to such networks, some low complexity encryption approaches have been proposed. In this paper, we generalize those approaches and present an analysis of their estimation and secrecy capabilities. We show that the dimension of the unknown parameter that can be efficiently estimated using an unbiased estimator when using these approaches, is upper bounded. Assuming that an unauthorized eavesdropper is aware of the low complexity encryption process but is unaware of the encryption key, we show successful eavesdropping, even with a large number of observations, is impossible with unbiased estimators and independent observations for these approaches. Numerical results validating our analysis are presented.
Collective band in 193Hg with Ex >= 5.7 MeV.

The nucleus $^{193}\mathrm{Hg}$ was populated in the reaction $^{176}\mathrm{Yb}$${(}^{22}$Ne,5n) at the incident energy E${(}^{22}$Ne)=110 MeV. Reaction \ensuremath{\gamma} rays were detected with a Ge-detector array. A new ``collective'' structure was observed at ${\mathit{E}}_{\mathit{x}}$g5.7 MeV. The states of the structure extend from I\ensuremath{\ge}47/2 to I+10, and they decay with competing dipole and quadrupole transitions. The structure is populated very strongly in this reaction: the lowest member is produced with \ensuremath{\sim}20% of the $^{193}\mathrm{Hg}$ cross section.
Comprehensive Diagnostic Testing for Stereocilin: An Approach for Analyzing Medically Important Genes with High Homology

Next-generation sequencing (NGS) technologies have revolutionized genetic testing by enabling simultaneous analysis of unprecedented numbers of genes. However, genes with high-sequence homology pose challenges to current NGS technologies. Because diagnostic sequencing is moving toward exome analysis, knowledge of these homologous genes is essential to avoid false positive and negative results. An example is the STRC gene, one of >70 genes known to contribute to the genetic basis of hearing loss. STRC is 99.6% identical to a pseudogene (pSTRC) and therefore inaccessible to standard NGS methodologies. The STRC locus is also known to be a common site for large deletions. Comprehensive diagnostic testing for inherited hearing loss therefore necessitates a combination of several approaches to avoid pseudogene interference. We have developed a clinical test that combines standard NGS and NGS-based copy number assessment supplemented with a long-range PCR-based Sanger or MiSeq assay to eliminate pseudogene contamination. By using this combination of assays we could identify biallelic STRC variants in 14% (95% CI, 8%–24%) of individuals with isolated nonsyndromic hearing loss who had previously tested negative on our 70-gene hearing loss panel, corresponding to a detection rate of 11.2% (95% CI, 6%–19%) for previously untested patients. This approach has broad applicability because medically significant genes for many disease areas include genes with high-sequence homology.
THE ROLE OF AMPHIBOLES AND WATER IN CIRCUM-PACIFIC VOLCANISM

Abstract It is generally acknowledged that water plays a major role in the origin and evolution of calc-alkaline magmas at plate boundaries, such as those of the circum-Pacific zone. Recent petrographic, chemical, and high-pressure experimental evidence strongly suggests that amphiboles are a major carrier of H2O in subducted oceanic slabs and that crystal-liquid equilibria involving amphiboles are fundamental to mechanisms involved in the genesis of these calc-alkaline magmas. High-pressure experiments on basaltic and andesitic compositions reveal that amphiboles are important liquidus or near-liquidus phases over a wide range of pressures, bulk compositions, fO2, and fH2o Fractionation of these silica-poor amphiboles (40–46% SiO2) or partial melting of amphibolite in the basalt-crust component of a subducting slab can produce the voluminous basalt-andesite clan of the orogens. Chemical and petrographic evidence reveals that polymineralic crystal clots that commonly occur in orogenic andesites are products from preexisting amphiboles with compositions similar to those produced experimentally. The distribution patterns of the rare-earth elements are generally consonant with the amphibole-fractionation scheme, but they are not supportive of the involvement of eclogite in magma genesis in subduction zones. Amphiboles are not stable at depths greater than about 80 km; at greater depths, serpentine, humites, and other hydrous silicates may be important sources of H2O for melting, but phlogopite probably does not occur in this geologic setting. Nevertheless, the basaltic-andesitic magmas of the circum-Pacific zone probably originate at depths less than 80 km, within or near the limits of the stability of amphibole, at the top of the subducting slab. Thus the depths of magma generation of these plate boundaries are less than those of the seismic Benioff zones.