cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Soot formation in diffusion flames of fuel/oxygen mixtures

Sooting trends have been measured as a function of equivalence ratio of fuel/oxygen mixtures over the range of infinity (pure diffusion flames) to low values (double flames; an inner premixed flame and an outer diffusion flame combination). All interesting observations have been explained on the basis of changes due to oxygen addition in the fuel pyrolysis chemistry, flame structure, and interaction of double flames. This effect of oxygen addition to the fuel on soot formation has been studied in coflow and counterflow diffusion flames of ethene and propane by performing smoke, height, laser light extinction, temperature, and velocity measurements. In counterflow diffusion flames (CFDF's) established around a porous cylindrical burner, the equivalence ratio (φ) of the fuel/oxygen mixtures ranged from infinity to 2.60. Oxygen addition increased the, soot formed in ethene flames to anof about 6.0. Greater oxygen addition resulted in a sharp reduction of the soot loadings and no soot was detected in flames with an φ The smoke height measurements in coflow diffusion flames (CDF's) are in complete agreement with the CFDF results. Whereas oxygen addition to ethene decreased the sooting fuel flow rate substantially, an increase was measured for propane and isobutane. Moreover, CDF's with φ's less than about 3.6 for propane and 6.7 for ethene could not be stabilized due to flashback, and just before flashback propane flames were observed to soot copiously.
Constraining Novices to Perform Expertlike Problem Analyses: Effects on Schema Acquisition

Novice physics students were constrained to carry out qualitative and hierarchically structured problem analyses that were designed to mimic those used by experts. Each problem analysis required that novices consider questions concerning principles, concepts, and procedures. The effects of structuring novices' problem analyses in this way were assessed in three areas: (a) judgments of solution similarity, (b) reasoning about solution similarity, and (c) problem solving. Experiment 1 provides evidence that performing qualitative and hierarchically structured problem analyses leads novices to make more expertlike judgments of solution similarity. As shown in Experiment 2, this shift is due to an increased focus by novices upon the deep structure of problems. The results of Experiment 3 indicate that qualitative and hierarchically structured problem analyses can improve novices' ability to solve problems. We discuss the pedagogical implications of these findings.
Viscosity of chalcogenide glass-forming liquids: an anomaly in the ‘strong’ and ‘fragile’ classification

Abstract High purity chalcogenide glasses with an average coordination number, 〈r〉, between 2 and 2.8 were prepared by vacuum melting of pre-distilled samples in the GeSe binary and GeSbSe ternary systems. Viscometry and scanning calorimetry were performed to understand the nature of the property thresholds observed with respect to 〈r〉 in these glass-forming systems. There is a lack of correlation between viscosity-based and heat capacity-based classifications of strong and fragile liquids in the overconstrained region of these glass-forming systems. An argument based on Adam-Gibbs equation and mode decoupling is put forward for the observation of the anomaly.
The relapsing fevers: Tick-spirochete specificity studies

Abstract Three pairs of ticks, each pair of which at times occupies the same habitat and presumably feeds on the same host, have been tested for the transmission of spirochetes native to each. These were Ornithodoros turicata and O. talaje, O. erraticus and O. normandi, and O. talaje and O. rudis. As O. rudis and O. normandi spirochetes were not available for this study, the results were supplemented by reports from other sources. There was the same degree of tick-spirochete specificity as has thus far been reported for the Western Hemisphere.
Growth inhibition in Rana pipiens due to sperm irradiation with ultraviolet rays.

When sperm are irradiated for periods varying from 5 to 120 seconds at 31 ergs/mm2, then allowed to fertilize untreated eggs, the ensuing embryos display distinct growth inhibition. The degree of growth inhibition is not proportional to the exposure; this is indicated by the condition observed in the five second embryos where growth is most retarded and abnormal. Cells in the irradiated embryos are shown to be smaller than the control. A possible mechanism for this reduced cell size is proposed based on the theory that chromosomes replicate in some linear fashion. It is also proposed that the abnormalities found in embryos subjected for five seconds be used to detect small radiation damages in other organisms.
The running athlete: stress fractures, osteitis pubis, and snapping hips.

Context:Pelvic stress fractures, osteitis pubis, and snapping hip syndrome account for a portion of the overuse injuries that can occur in the running athlete.Evidence Acquisition:PubMed searches w...
An electrophoretic study of lactate dehydrogenase isoenzymes, protein and lipoprotein of Drosophila melanogaster larvae, pupae and adults

Abstract 1. 1. Anodal polyacrylamide-gel electrophoresis of Drosophila melanogaster larvae , pupae and adults has shown lactate dehydrogenase (LDH) to consist of six, three and six isoenzymes, respectively. 2. 2. In terms of electrophoretic mobility, LDH-6 of adults corresponds to LDH-3 of pupae, and LDH-1 and 4 of adults correspond to LDH-1 and 5 of larvae, respectively. 3. 3. These results suggest the possibility of a dimeric structure for LDH in larvae and pupae, and that different loci are responsible for synthesis of LDH in these two life-cycle stages. 4. 4. A combination of the loci that are active in larvae and pupae may be responsible for LDH synthesis in adults. 5. 5. Dramatic differences were found when the protein and lipoprotein banding patterns of larvae, pupae and adults were compared. 6. 6. These differences were manifest in changes in the number, density and electrophoretic mobility of protein and lipoprotein bands.
Histology’s Nomenclature: Past, Present and Future

Histology’s nomenclature has grown and changed since tissues were first conceived and identified grossly, sectioned, and observed microscopically. But this nomenclature has been dominated by static views of adult tissues and has not incorporated insights acquired through modern techniques for preparing and examining tissues and contemporary theories of tissue dynamics (e.g., stem cells). Hopefully, incorporating dynamics into tissue nomenclature will illuminate tissues’ relationships to each other and their evolution, and alter concepts of tissues’ mechanisms of development, maintenance, and pathology.
Performance monitoring and evaluation of a UPC implementation on a NUMA architecture

UPC is an explicit parallel extension of ANSI C, which has been gaining rising attention from vendors and users. In this paper, we consider the low-level monitoring and experimental performance evaluation of a new implementation of the UPC compiler on the SGI Origin family of NUMA architectures. These systems offer many opportunities for the high-performance implantation of UPC They also offer, due to their many hardware monitoring counters, the opportunity for low-level performance measurements to guide compiler implementations. Early, UPC compilers have the challenge of meeting the syntax and semantics requirements of the language. As a result, such compilers tend to focus on correctness rather than on performance. In this paper, we report on the performance of selected applications and kernels under this new compiler. The measurements were designed to help shed some light on the next steps that should be taken by UPC compiler developers to harness the full performance and usability potential of UPC under these architectures.
Morphing Low-Affinity Ligands into High-Avidity Nanoparticles by Thermally Triggered Self-Assembly of a Genetically Encoded Polymer

Multivalency is the increase in avidity resulting from the simultaneous interaction of multiple ligands with multiple receptors. This phenomenon, seen in antibody−antigen and virus−cell membrane interactions, is useful in designing bioinspired materials for targeted delivery of drugs or imaging agents. While increased avidity offered by multivalent targeting is attractive, it can also promote nonspecific receptor interaction in nontarget tissues, reducing the effectiveness of multivalent targeting. Here, we present a thermal targeting strategy—dynamic affinity modulation (DAM)—using elastin-like polypeptide diblock copolymers (ELPBCs) that self-assemble from a low-affinity to high-avidity state by a tunable thermal “switch”, thereby restricting activity to the desired site of action. We used an in vitro cell binding assay to investigate the effect of the thermally triggered self-assembly of these ELPBCs on their receptor-mediated binding and cellular uptake. The data presented herein show that (1) ligand ...
Biogenic Cross-Lamination Produced by the Pistol-Shrimp Alpheus bellulus in Microcosm Experiments

Abstract Study of aquaria containing the shrimp Alpheus bellulus and poorly sorted, coarse-grained sand has revealed the potential for macroorganisms to create structures closely resembling ripple cross-lamination, including climbing-ripple cross-lamination. A. bellulus excavates decimeter-scale craters in the sediment, carrying sediment grains up the steep inner (stoss-equivalent) slope of the crater and depositing them on the outside (lee-equivalent side). The fabrics produced resemble hydrodynamically produced ripple cross-lamination, particularly when observed in the limited cross sections available in core. This biogenic cross-lamination can be distinguished from hydrodynamic cross-lamination in that the biogenic cross-lamination is steeper than is typical for current-generated ripple cross-lamination, the tabular foresets are close to angle of repose, and the structure has a circular ripple crest.
Extension of a shortened ureter using the in situ appendix during Indiana pouch urinary diversion

A short ureteral length can preclude the use of a continent urinary diversion during urinary tract reconstruction after bladder removal. We present a surgical technique using the in situ appendix to provide length to a shortened left ureter, thus allowing formation of a continent ileocecal urinary diversion.
Site-specific N-terminal labeling of proteins using sortase-mediated reactions

This protocol describes the use of sortase-mediated reactions to label the N terminus of any given protein of interest. The sortase recognition sequence, LPXTG (for Streptococcus aureus sortase A) or LPXTA (for Staphylococcus pyogenes sortase A), can be appended to a variety of probes such as fluorophores, biotin or even to other proteins. The protein to be labeled acts as a nucleophile by attacking the intermediate formed between the probe containing the LPXTG/A motif and the sortase enzyme. If sortase, the protein of interest and a suitably functionalized label are available, the reactions usually require less than 3 h.
Three Reasons to Abandon Low-Density Lipoprotein Targets An Open Letter to the Adult Treatment Panel IV of the National Institutes of Health

The updated clinical guidelines for cholesterol testing and management (Adult Treatment Panel (ATP) IV) from the Expert Panel on Detection, Evaluation, and Treatment of High Blood Cholesterol in Adults are under development and due to be published in 2012. These influential guidelines are organized and funded by the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute (NHLBI) and carry the imprimatur of the federal government. In this iteration, the NHLBI has a stated goal of integrating its set of Cardiovascular Risk Reduction guidelines.1 A primary focus of the previous version of the guidelines, ATP III, was a strategy of treating patients to target low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol levels. ATP III stated that “recent clinical trials robustly show that LDL-lowering therapy reduces risk for CHD. For these reasons, ATP III continues to identify elevated LDL cholesterol as the primary target of cholesterol-lowering therapy. As a result, the primary goals of therapy and the cutpoints for initiating treatment are stated in terms of LDL.” This reasoning, however, diverged from the clinical evidence, recommending an approach that was not tested in any clinical trial. Outcomes research promotes the need to demonstrate benefit before making recommendations for medical intervention.2,3 In that spirit, we present an open letter to the ATP IV Committee that provides the rationale for why the new guidelines should abandon the treat-to-target paradigm. Dear ATP IV Committee, We are writing to encourage you to abandon the paradigm of treating patients to LDL targets, a change that will better align ATP IV with current clinical evidence. Changing long-held beliefs is never easy, even when the need for change is based on strong evidence. Change is especially difficult when prior beliefs are firmly embedded in culture, accepted as dogma, and codified in books, articles, guidelines, public service announcements, and performance measures. …
Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities of supersonic, magnetized shear layers

Etude de la stabilite lineaire d'ecoulements cisailles MHD, compressibles, d'epaisseur fine, le long de la direction z, avec un champ magnetique dans le plan (y, z). La formulation inclut les effets des gradients de densite et pression dans la couche cisaillee en equilibre
The Use of a Stably Expressed FRET Biosensor for Determining the Potency of Cancer Drugs

Many cancer drugs are intended to kill cancer cells by inducing apoptosis. However, the potency assays used for measuring the bioactivity of these products are generally cell viability assays which do not distinguish between cell death and growth inhibition. Here we describe a cell-based fluorescence resonance energy transfer (FRET) biosensor designed to measure the bioactivity of apoptosis inducing cancer drugs. The biosensor contains cyan fluorescent protein (CFP) linked via caspase 3 and caspase 8 specific cleavage recognition sequences to yellow fluorescent protein (YFP). Upon caspase activation, as in the case of apoptosis induction, the linker is cleaved abolishing the cellular FRET signal. This assay closely reflects the mechanism of action of cancer drugs, in killing cancer cells and therefore can function as a potency test for different cancer drugs. We rigorously demonstrate this through characterization of a class of proteins targeting the death receptors. The one-step assay appears to be superior to other apoptosis-based assays because of its simplicity, convenience, and robustness.
Interleukin-12 Therapy Reduces the Number of Immune Cells and Pathology in Lungs of Mice Infected with Mycobacterium tuberculosis

Alternate modalities for the treatment of Mycobacterium tuberculosis are needed due to the rise in numbers of immunosuppressed individuals at risk for serious disease and the increasing prevalence of multidrugresistant isolates. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) has been shown to improve immune responses against M. tuberculosis infection in both humans and mice. Previous studies using high-dose IL-12 in various disease models reported a paradoxical immunosuppression. We demonstrate here that exogenous administration of IL-12 for 8 weeks after an aerosolized low dose of M. tuberculosis results in increased survival and decreased pulmonary bacterial loads for CD4-T-cell-deficient mice, most likely due to an early increase in gamma interferon. IL-12 treatment did not impair or enhance the ability of the wild-type mice to control infection, as measured by bacterial numbers. Two novel findings are reported here regarding exogenous IL-12 therapy for M. tuberculosis infections: (i) IL-12 treatment resulted in decreased numbers of immune cells and reduced frequencies of lymphocytes (CD8, CD4, and NK cells) in the lungs of infected mice and (ii) IL-12 therapy reduced the pathology of M. tuberculosis-infected lungs, as granulomas were smaller and less numerous. These studies support an immunoregulatory role for IL-12 in tuberculosis. Mycobacterium tuberculosis remains a significant cause of morbidity and mortality throughout the world. Worldwide, tuberculosis (TB) causes 2 to 3 million deaths annually. In addition, one-third of the world’s population is infected. The cornerstone of controlling tuberculosis remains antimycobacterial therapy. Given the increase in numbers of immunosuppressed individuals (including human immunodeficiency virus [HIV]-positive individuals) at risk for infection and the rising prevalence of multidrug-resistant isolates, other treatment modalities for TB, such as immunomodulators, are becoming more attractive. Interleukin-12 (IL-12) is a heterodimeric cytokine (p70) consisting of subunits p35 and p40. This cytokine is produced by dendritic cells (DCs) and phagocytes after microbial or cytokine stimulation (47). The activation of T cells and NK cells increases the production of the IL-12 receptor (beta 1 and beta 2), which explains why IL-12 can direct the proliferation and activation of T lymphocytes, NK cells, and NKT cells and can induce both gamma interferon (IFN-) and increased cytotoxic activity (47). The IL-12 receptor beta 2 subunit is expressed mainly on cells of the Th1 T-cell subpopulation, which also explains the responsiveness of these cells to IL-12 (47). IL-12 is an excellent inducer of IFN- and can form synergy with other cytokines (notably IL-2, IL-18, and IL-27) to further increase IFN- production. IFN- is essential for the immune response against M. tuberculosis (11, 23, 34). In studies using a neutralizing antibody against IL-12 (9) or IL-12 knockout mice (p35 / , p40 / , or double knockouts) (7, 8), the lack of IL-12
CHEMILUMINESCENCE FROM AUTOXIDIZING 6‐HYDROXYDOPAMINE: THE INVOLVEMENT OF ACTIVATED FORMS OF OXYGEN

— The autoxidation of the catecholamine neurotoxin 6-hydroxydopamine (20 μM) gave rise to a chemiluminescence which was greatly stimulated by FeSO4 (20 μM) or by hydrogen peroxide addition (20 μM to 2 mM). The luminescence of both 6-hydroxydopamine alone or 6-hydroxydopamine plus hydrogen peroxide was strongly inhibited by catalase and by superoxide dismutase (both at 10 μg/m/); bovine serum albumin at 10 μg/m/ had no inhibitory effect. The luminescence was also strongly inhibited by several potent hydroxyl radical trapping agents and also by low concentrations of the 1O2 quencher DABCO (l,4-diazabicyclo-2.2.2.-octane). Chemiluminescence was greatly enhanced in D2O, a solvent in which 1O2 has a prolonged lifetime. These data demonstrate the involvement of hydrogen peroxide, the superoxide radical and the hydroxyl radical in the chemiluminescence. The data are also consistent with some role for 1O2.
Participation in the Environmental Movement Analysis of the European Union

The article establishes which determinants contribute to involvement in the European environmental movement, whether participants in the movement are unique from participants in other new social movements (NSMs), and the effects of biographical availability and national social structure on environmental activism. Relevant questions include the way values, education and income, family responsibilities, national economic development and population density influence differential participation in the movement across nations. This study relies on data from Eurobarometer 25, a biannual questionnaire administered across 12 European Union nations to examine the influence of individual factors, and data from Eurostat to test the influence of national social structural factors on participation. Participation is measured by whether respondents contributed money to environmental organizations and/or participated in environmental associations, local restoration projects or demonstrations to protect the environment. Lo...
Intelligent Order-Based Method for Synthesis of NRF Spectra and Detection of Hazardous Materials

Clandestine transport of hazardous materials has been recognized as a major challenge for global aviation, water and land transport and homeland security. Nuclear resonance fluorescence (NRF) provides a high-potential physics basis for efficient detection of such materials at the entry points of a country. NRF’s potency, however, is diminished due to varying environmental conditions and noisy background. Hence, fast and accurate signal processing algorithms are needed for detection and diagnostic purposes. In this paper a new method for identification of hazardous materials is proposed. The synergy of NRF signal processing and fuzzy logic allows an automated procedure for the detection of such materials. Automated decision making that does not require human interference improves the speed of the algorithm execution. The proposed method is tested on various scenarios aiming at the detection of Uranium-238 in NRF spectra.
Minitrack on computer design: a new grand challenge

Grand challenge computational applications have been identified in a number of scientific and engineering disciplines, and significant attention has been placed on them in part due to the national High-Performance Computing end Communications (HPCC) Initiative. Computational tools are extensively used in designing computers, yet this has not been recognised as a grand challenge comparable in significance to modeling proteins, turbulence and the environment, to name three accepted grand challenges. The increasing recognition of the cost of the time required to bring a new design to market will place new demands on modeling capability. A number of opportunities for improved analysis and design are outlined. Computer manufacturing is a major industrial consumer of computation for design. As competition increases, the design cycle will continue to shorten, requiring significant increases in computer power to support the design process. Scenarios of this sort in other industries prompted the establishment of the HPCC Initiative and the formation of Grand Challenge Application Groups to tackle prototypical problems in science and engineering. The objective of these groups is two-fold. There is the need to develop algorithms and related software suitable for large-scale parallel computation. In addition, there is the need to understand types of computation that can provide useful insight. The author addresses both of these aspects. >
TPX2 is required for postmitotic nuclear assembly in cell-free Xenopus laevis egg extracts

Cell division in many metazoa is accompanied by the disassembly of the nuclear envelope and the assembly of the mitotic spindle. These dramatic structural rearrangements are reversed after mitosis, when the mitotic spindle is dismantled and the nuclear envelope reassembles. The targeting protein for XKlp2 (TPX2) plays important roles in mitotic spindle assembly. We report that TPX2 depletion from nuclear assembly extracts prepared from Xenopus laevis eggs results in the formation of nuclei that are only about one fifth the size of control nuclei. TPX2-depleted nuclei assemble nuclear envelopes, nuclear pore complexes, and a lamina, and they perform nuclear-specific functions, including DNA replication. We show that TPX2 interacts with lamina-associated polypeptide 2 (LAP2), a protein known to be required for nuclear assembly in interphase extracts and in vitro. LAP2 localization is disrupted in TPX2-depleted nuclei, suggesting that the interaction between TPX2 and LAP2 is required for postmitotic nuclear reformation.
Unique Retrotransposon LINE-1 Distribution at the Prader–Willi Angelman Syndrome Locus

We analyzed the distribution of long interspersed nuclear elements (LINE)-1 (L1) along mouse autosomes at a 1-Mb scale, and found a unique combination of high density and strand asymmetry of L1 elements at the imprinted Prader–Willi syndrome/Angelman syndrome (PWS/AS) locus on mouse chromosome 7. This L1 signature overlaps the paternally expressed domain of the locus, excluding the maternally expressed Ube3a gene, and is conserved in rat and human. Unlike the PWS/AS locus, other instances of high L1 density and strand asymmetry in the mouse are not associated with imprinted regions and are not evolutionarily conserved in human. The evolutionary conservation of the L1 signature at the PWS/AS locus despite differences in composition of L1 elements between rodent and human, requires a mechanism for active perpetuation of L1 asymmetry during bursts of L1 activity, and indicates a possible functional role for L1 elements at this locus. Aside from the PWS/AS locus, rodents have a far greater correlation of L1 densities between DNA strands than do humans; we provide evidence that this difference in interstrand correlation between the two taxa is due largely to the difference in average age of the dominant L1 families.
Characterization of amplified femtosecond pulses for quantum control

We discuss the use and importance of phase-sensitive pulse diagnostics for the optimization of ultrafast lasers and for implementing quantum control. Knowledge of the exact phase structure is needed in order to determine the phase and amplitude transformations that are required to produce a desired tailored pulse. A special case of pulse shaping is the phase and amplitude compensation of amplified pulses to yield transform-limited pulses. Full intensity and phase measurements of a kHz amplified femtosecond laser system are presented. These measurements provide considerable information about the phase structure which is acquired during amplification and the changes needed to minimize the pulse width. In addition, a versatile light pulse synthesizer which is currently under development is described for producing amplified femtosecond pulses tailored in phase and amplitude.
Emerging from Hjort's Shadow

Early in the 20 th century, Johan Hjort developed compelling arguments and hypotheses to explain recruitment variability that became dominant for more than 75 years. A cautious emergence from Hjort’s shadow began late in the 20 th century. Hjort’s “Critical Period” hypothesis, i.e., failure of first-feeding larvae to find food, and a second hypothesis, “Aberrant Drift” of eggs and larvae, were proposed to explain causes of recruitment variability. Tests of the Critical Period hypothesis became an obsession, although support for it was inconsistent and equivocal. Single-minded research on the Critical Period hypothesis gave way to realization that recruitment variability was the outcome of complex trophodynamic and physical processes acting over many temporal and spatial scales and throughout pre-recruit life. A complex mix of main effects and interacting factors can easily generate order-ofmagnitude variability in recruitment via small effects on mortality and growth rates during the abundant egg and larval stages, or via cumulative effects during the pre-recruit juvenile stage. New considerations of compensatory mechanisms that can dampen variability and stabilize recruitment emerged. A little density dependence, especially in the relatively long juvenile stage, can regulate recruitment. Multidisciplinary programs instituted in the 1990s and successful development of statistical models and coupled bio-physical models, offered new insights into mechanisms generating recruitment variability. Despite progress, forecasting recruitment remains a formidable challenge. “Solving the recruitment problem” is no longer the Holy Grail of fishery science. Appreciating recruitment variability, explain ing its probable causes, considering implications for management, and understanding it in the context of broader variability in marine ecosystems, are all worthy goals.
The effect of insurance status, race, and gender on ED disposition of persons with traumatic brain injury☆

The objective of this study was to assess the effect of insurance status and demographic characteristics on ED disposition among patients with traumatic brain injury (TBI). Statewide hospital discharge and ED datasets in South Carolina, 1996-2001, were analyzed by primary or secondary diagnosis of TBI in a multivariable logistic regression model. Of 70,671 unduplicated patients with TBI evaluated in the ED, 76% were treated and released; 26% had no insurance. The strongest predictors of hospital admission were TBI severity and preexisting health conditions. However, the uninsured and black females were less likely to be hospitalized after adjusting for demographic, clinical, and hospital characteristics (odds ratio [OR], 0.52; 95% confidence interval [CI], 0.48-0.55 and OR, 0.79; CI, 0.72-0.87, respectively). Although this study does not infer causality, insurance status, race, and gender were significant predictors of hospital admission. These results suggest that inpatient resources are not equitably used.
Evaluation of Habitat Suitability Models for Forest Passerines Using Demographic Data

Habitat suitability is often used as a surrogate for demographic responses (i.e., abundance, survival, fecundity, or population viability) in the application of habitat suitability index (HSI) models. Whether habitat suitability actually relates to demographics, however, has rarely been evaluated. We validated HSI models of breeding habitat suitability for wood thrush (Hylocichla mustelina) and yellow-breasted chat (Icteria virens) in Missouri, USA. First, we evaluated HSI models as a predictor of 3 demographic responses: within-site territory density, site-level territory density, and nest success. We demonstrated a link between HSI values and all 3 types of demographic responses for the yellow-breasted chat and site-level territory density for the wood thrush. Second, we evaluated support for models containing HSI values, models containing measured habitat features (e.g., tree age, tree species, ecological land type), and models containing management treatments (e.g., even-aged and uneven-aged forest regeneration treatments) for each demographic response using model selection. Models containing HSI values received more support, in general, than models containing only habitat features or management treatments for all 3 types of wildlife response. The assumption that changes in habitat suitability represent wildlife demographic response to vegetation change is supported by our models. However, differences in species ecology may contribute to the degree to which HSI values are related to specific demographic responses. We recommend validation of HSI models with the particular demographic data of interest (i.e., density, productivity) to increase confidence in the model used for conservation planning.
Snakebite A Pediatric Problem

Poisonous Snakebite! An event which evokes terror and fear in the victim and his parents. It presents the physician with an emergency which requires knowledge and skill in management. The purposes of this report are: ( 1) to define the snakebite problem, (2) to describe how to identify poisonous snakes, (3) to discuss the diagnosis of snake venenation, and (4) to provide a guideline for treatment.
Abstract IA01: Immunologic heterogeneity of cancer: Determinants of response and resistance to immunotherapy

Complex interactions between the immune system and cancer influencing tumor invasion, metastasis, and treatment outcomes are poorly understood. Similar to the influence of intra- and inter-tumoral genetic heterogeneity on response and resistance to molecularly targeted therapies, immunologic heterogeneity may explain the outgrowth of resistant tumor clones under the selection pressure of immunotherapy. Evidence for this phenomenon emerged from the results of high-dose IL-2 therapy, with responding metastases showing brisk CD8+ T cell infiltration, while non-responding lesions in the same patients were lymphocyte-poor. It has also been shown in patients receiving adoptive cell transfer therapies (TILs, CARs), with initial tumor regression followed by the outgrowth of tumors that have down-regulated target antigens. More recently, clinical experience with drugs blocking immune checkpoint molecules such as CTLA-4, PD-1 and PD-L1 has revealed unconventional response patterns in 5-10% of patients, including mixed tumor regressions (simultaneous progression/regression at different metastatic sites in an individual patient). Our investigations of the immunosuppressive ligand PD-L1, expressed by many human tumors, as a potential biomarker of response to anti-PD-1 therapy have revealed intra-tumoral as well as inter-tumoral heterogeneity of expression. Within individual tumor lesions, PD-L1 protein expression (IHC) can be patchy or focal, co-localizing with lymphoid infiltrates. Further study on a molecular level revealed expression of IFN-g in the same microenvironment as PD-L1, along with PD-1 and other immunosuppressive molecules, generating the adaptive immune resistance hypothesis. Examination of PD-L1 protein expression in multiple tumor lesions from individual patients showed variability over time and at distinct anatomic sites, consistent with the dynamic and context-dependent nature of immune responses, suggesting that inter-lesional variability could influence susceptibility to anti-PD-1 or PD-L1 therapy. Innovative approaches such as neoadjuvant immunotherapy trials or rapid autopsy analysis are needed to gain a deeper knowledge of tumor immunologic heterogeneity and potential intersections with genetic heterogeneity. This will be critical to understanding the evolution of anti-tumor immunity and developing more effective immune-based and combinatorial therapies. This work was supported by grants from Bristol-Myers Squibb, the National Cancer Institute (R01 CA142779), the Melanoma Research Alliance, the Barney Family Foundation, the Dermatology Foundation, and Stand Up To Cancer. Citation Format: Suzanne L. Topalian. Immunologic heterogeneity of cancer: Determinants of response and resistance to immunotherapy. [abstract]. In: Proceedings of the AACR Precision Medicine Series: Drug Sensitivity and Resistance: Improving Cancer Therapy; Jun 18-21, 2014; Orlando, FL. Philadelphia (PA): AACR; Clin Cancer Res 2015;21(4 Suppl): Abstract nr IA01.
First-degree atrioventricular block: risk marker or innocent finding?

First-degree atrioventricular (AV) block is a relatively common electrocardiographic finding, defined as PR interval >200 ms. Traditionally, isolated first-degree AV block or PR prolongation had been considered as a benign phenomenon, but this perception has been challenged by a report from the Framingham Heart Study, suggesting that first-degree AV block was associated with increased risk of atrial fibrillation, pacemaker implantation and all-cause mortality in this population.1 This, together with the ongoing search for non-invasive risk markers for prediction of cardiovascular disease, has sparked a renewed interest in first-degree AV block, resulting in the publication of a dozen studies on its prognostic significance during the last 7–8 years. However, results have been mixed, and the clinical significance of PR prolongation has remained elusive. Consequently, the current meta-analysis on the prognostic significance of prolonged PR interval by Kwok et al in Heart 2 is a welcome addition to the literature. Their analysis was conducted from 14 studies published between 1972 and 2011, the majority in recent years, with >400 000 participants. Some of the individual studies included in the meta-analysis demonstrated increased risk of adverse outcomes associated with prolonged PR interval, while others suggested no clinical significance. When studies performed in the general population and adjusted for potential confounders were combined, PR prolongation …
Acute-Care Nurse Practitioners: ‘Strangers in a Strange Land’

In 1961, Heinlein described a "stranger" from another planet struggling to comprehend and integrate the cultural idiosyncracies of earthlings in his adopted land. One could compare that situation with what confronts acute-care nurse practitioners (ACNPs) as they embark into the practitioner's world of acute care. Rather than embrace the expensive and fragmented patient-care world through collaboration with its "strangers," ACNPs would benefit from clinging to elements of their own native nursing culture and become "nesters" rather than "perchers" in the quest for improved health care.
Seismic Inversion Using Low-Frequency Seismic Impedance Trend Computed From CSEM Data.

Summary Seismic inversion is highly dependent on the initial P-wave impedance model. We generally use filtered well log data combined with moveout velocities to constraint this model, but generally at shallow depths no well log data is available. Also, conventional seismic reflection data has an information gap in the ~2-10 Hz frequency band, and does not contain information about the background impedance trend. On the other hand, controlled-source electromagnetic (CSEM) data have low resolution and contain information in this gap about the earth’s resistivity structure. Rockphysics relations between resistivity and porosity, and acoustic impedance and porosity can be used to extract information from the CSEM data to provide constraints on the low-frequency and the shallow seismic impedance section. Porosity is the main link that allows us to develop and use these cross-property relations. We used Archie’s equation and soft-sand model to estimate the low-frequency seismic impedance trend from CSEM data. We combined this trend with well log data information to estimate an initial model for seismic inversion. Results show that appropriate cross-property relations can capture the background low-frequency impedance trend, particularly at shallow depths where no well information is available, and can provide useful constraints on prior models for inversion. Validation test showed that residuals are lower, and the fit is better with the background model contrained by the impedance trend obtained from CSEM data.
Co-polymer of histidine and lysine markedly enhances transfection efficiency of liposomes

Development of nonviral delivery systems is progressing toward a transfection efficiency sufficient to affect metabolic and neoplastic diseases in humans. Nevertheless, inadequate transfection efficiency of target cells with current nonviral systems still limits the utility of this therapy. In the current study, we have determined that a co-polymer of histidine and lysine (H-K) enhances the transfection efficiency of liposomes, a leading nonviral system. We found that in the absence of serum, the addition of this polymer increased transfection as much as 10-fold in comparison with the liposome:DNA complex alone. More impressively, the co-polymer in the presence of serum increased transfection efficiency up to 100-fold. Furthermore, in vivo expression of luciferase in a tumor increased 15-fold with the addition of H-K polymer to the liposome:plasmid DNA complexes. Without liposomes, the H-K polymer had little to no effect on transfection efficiency. We anticipate that further modifications of this co-polymer will yield molecules with both increased complexity and transfection efficiency.
ASIC1-mediated calcium entry stimulates NFATc3 nuclear translocation via PICK1 coupling in pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cells.

The development of chronic hypoxia (CH)-induced pulmonary hypertension is associated with increased pulmonary arterial smooth muscle cell (PASMC) Ca2+ influx through acid-sensing ion channel-1 (ASI...
Universals: Moderate nominalism and properties

In Chapter 2, reasons were given for thinking that extreme nominalism is an inadequate view of properties. However, even if this is correct, it would be premature to conclude that properties are universals because moderate nominalism – the view that properties exist and are abstract particulars – is a live option. On this view, Socrates and Plato each has its own redness, red 1 and red 2 , respectively, and red 1 and red 2 are individualized properties. In this century, the three most prominent moderate nominalists have been G. F. Stout, D. C. Williams and Keith Campbell. Rather than analysing moderate nominalist treatments of predication, resemblance and abstract reference in topical fashion, it will be more useful to approach moderate nominalism by stating and evaluating the positions of its major advocates. Stout's moderate nominalism will be mentioned only briefly because although it is an important and distinctive version of moderate nominalism it has not been particularly influential, at least not in its idiosyncratic features. Williams's moderate nominalism has been appropriated, clarified and expanded by Keith Campbell, who is, arguably, the most articulate advocate of moderate nominalism. Thus, Williams's views will not be examined directly and will be mentioned only when it is helpful in clarifying the exposition of Campbell. In what follows, Stout's moderate nominalist will be investigated, followed by a detailed treatment of Campbell's position. Along the way, issues in predication, resemblance and abstract reference will be central to the dialogue.
Case Studies in Pediatric Endocrinology: An Interactive Learning Module.

Abstract Introduction Pediatrics is an exciting field because it requires having a background in physiology that evolves as the patient ages. As a subspecialty, pediatric endocrinology encompasses ...
Hominins: Context, Origins, and Taxic Diversity

Abstract Four taxa have been suggested as the stem hominin, Ardipithecus ramidus, Ardipithecus kadabba, Orrorin tugenensis, and Sahelanthropus tchadensis, but none of the claims are convincing. We review the logic and evidence for two different views of the hominin clade. Is it a simple “ladder-like” sequence of ancestors and descendants, or is it more complex and “bushier”? We consider the evidence that more than one hominin species is sampled in a series of time intervals since 7 Ma, and conclude that taxic diversity is a consistent feature of the hominin clade from c.4.5 Ma until c.40 ka years ago.
Whose banner are we waving? Exploring STEM partnerships for marginalized urban youth

This case study examines after school programming in citizen science from the perspective of Critical Race Theory. During the course of enacting community outreach projects this data was used to examine the positioning of experts, student, and teachers within the program. This study explores the role of race and ethnicity, and the ways in which marginalization can manifest itself with black urban youth and teachers. Implications for partner selection and training are addressed.
On the impact of ISO 9000 certification on organisations: a comparative study

This paper presents the results of a research project focusing on the advantages associated with ISO 9000 certification. In particular, this study compares the impact of ISO 9000 certification based on samples from US and Indian companies. A survey involving both ISO 9000 certified and non-certified companies from the USA and India is conducted and the results are presented. The impact of certification on the organisational effectiveness of companies with and without certification for each country is compared, based on a number of factors such as customer satisfaction, profitability and productivity.
Performance Comparisons on Spatial Lattice Algorithm and Direct Matrix Inverse Method with Application to Adaptive Arrays Processing

Lattice algorithm has been employed in numerous adaptive filtering applications such as speech analysis/synthesis, noise cancelling, spectral analysis, channel equalization. In this paper we are concerned with the application to adaptive arrays processing. The advantages are fast convergent rate as well as computational accuracy independent of the noise and interference conditions. The results produced by this technique will be compared to those obtained by the direct matrix inverse method.
Dialogic Discourses of French and English in Acadie

Debate in the Acadian media over the quality of the French language is a recurrent aspect of sociolinguistic life in this region of French Canada. In the fall of 2012, this debate was relaunched by an incendiary newspaper column, written by a Quebec-based journalist, questioning whether the French spoken by young Acadian musicians was really a language at all. Based on twelve interviews conducted shortly after this debate, this article examines how university students in Acadie take up these media discourses about the quality of the French language. In general, the students interviewed regarded the French language as inherently rule-bound and structured, in contrast to English, which many held to be comparatively without rules, even easygoing. The author suggests that this particular view has developed in part because of exposure to discussion over the quality of French in Acadie, and that any attempt to improve what is perceived as the poor quality of French in Acadie cannot ignore the very terms in which it portrays the French language. These figurations become part of the linguistic ideologies of young French speakers in Acadie and potentially feed into the very state of affairs that commentators lament.
Meninges-derived cues control axon guidance

The axons of developing neurons travel long distances along stereotyped pathways under the direction of extracellular cues sensed by the axonal growth cone. Guidance cues are either secreted proteins that diffuse freely or bind the extracellular matrix, or membrane-anchored proteins. Different populations of axons express distinct sets of receptors for guidance cues, which results in differential responses to specific ligands. The full repertoire of axon guidance cues and receptors and the identity of the tissues producing these cues remain to be elucidated. The meninges are connective tissue layers enveloping the vertebrate brain and spinal cord that serve to protect the central nervous system (CNS). The meninges also instruct nervous system development by regulating the generation and migration of neural progenitors, but it has not been determined whether they help guide axons to their targets. Here, we investigate a possible role for the meninges in neuronal wiring. Using mouse neural tissue explants, we show that developing spinal cord meninges produce secreted attractive and repulsive cues that can guide multiple types of axons in vitro. We find that motor and sensory neurons, which project axons across the CNS-peripheral nervous system (PNS) boundary, are attracted by meninges. Conversely, axons of both ipsi- and contralaterally projecting dorsal spinal cord interneurons are repelled by meninges. The responses of these axonal populations to the meninges are consistent with their trajectories relative to meninges in vivo, suggesting that meningeal guidance factors contribute to nervous system wiring and control which axons are able to traverse the CNS-PNS boundary.
Scottish life and society: a compendium of Scottish ethnology, volume 2: farming and the land, edited by Alexander Fenton and Kenneth Veitch

Full disclosure: I love encyclopaedias. I curled up with the World Book as a child. The brief overviews got me interested in learning more, and I never tired of flipping the pages. Farming and the ...
Spirituality at the end of life.

Purpose of review There is increasing emphasis on medical care of the whole patient. This holistic approach encompasses supporting the spiritual or religious needs of the patient. Particularly at the end of life, spiritual concerns may come to the fore as patients recognize and accept their impending death. Physicians may also recognize this spiritual distress but may not be clear on how to provide spiritual support. Recent findings Tools to screen for spiritual concerns are available for physicians to use. Some physicians wish to go further, supporting patients at the end of life in their spiritual quest. Other physicians express concern about causing more distress to patients in a time of significant need. Descriptions of educational tools, as well as the difference between spiritual generalists and spiritual specialists have emerged. Integration of chaplains into the medical team caring for patients at the end of life will also enhance care of the whole patient. Summary The increasing emphasis on whole patient care is leading to increasing focus on spiritual concerns of patients. Although not every patient has an interest in spiritual conversation, most do and medical teams will need to become more educated about appropriate spiritual engagement.