cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Breast Cancer Screening in Patients With Newly Diagnosed Lung and Colorectal Cancer: A Population-Based Study of Utilization.

Abstract Purpose To assess breast cancer screening utilization in Medicare beneficiaries with colorectal and lung cancer versus cancer-free controls. Methods Female fee-for-service Medicare beneficiaries who were ≥67 years old and diagnosed with lung or colorectal cancer between 2000 and 2011 and who reported to a Surveillance, Epidemiology, and End Results (SEER) registry (case group) were followed for 2 years after their diagnoses, unless death, a diagnosis of breast cancer, or the end of 2013 came first. A similar number of cancer-free controls were individually matched to cases by age, race, registry region, and follow-up time. Screening utilization was defined as the percentage of women with ≥1 screening mammogram during follow-up. Results Overall, 104,164 cases (48% colorectal, 52% lung; 30% advanced cancer) and 104,164 controls were included. Among women with lung or colorectal cancer, 22% underwent ≥1 screening mammogram versus 26% of controls (odds ratio [OR] 0.80; 95% confidence interval [CI] 0.78-0.82). Stratified by cancer type, 28% of colorectal cancer cases versus 29% of controls (OR 0.98; 95% CI 0.95-1.01) and 17% of lung cancer cases versus 23% of controls (OR 0.63; 95% CI 0.60-0.65) received ≥1 mammogram. When stratified by stage, 8% with advanced cancer versus 18% of controls (OR 0.33; 95% CI 0.31-0.35) and 30% with early-stage cancer versus 30% of controls (OR 1; 95% CI 0.97-1.02) underwent ≥1 mammogram. Conclusion Screening mammography utilization rates are similar between Medicare beneficiaries with early-stage cancer versus controls. Although the majority of patients with advanced-stage cancer appropriately do not pursue screening mammography, a small number (8%) continue with screening.
Background subtraction using low rank and group sparsity constraints

Background subtraction has been widely investigated in recent years. Most previous work has focused on stationary cameras. Recently, moving cameras have also been studied since videos from mobile devices have increased significantly. In this paper, we propose a unified and robust framework to effectively handle diverse types of videos, e.g., videos from stationary or moving cameras. Our model is inspired by two observations: 1) background motion caused by orthographic cameras lies in a low rank subspace, and 2) pixels belonging to one trajectory tend to group together. Based on these two observations, we introduce a new model using both low rank and group sparsity constraints. It is able to robustly decompose a motion trajectory matrix into foreground and background ones. After obtaining foreground and background trajectories, the information gathered on them is used to build a statistical model to further label frames at the pixel level. Extensive experiments demonstrate very competitive performance on both synthetic data and real videos.
Thrombophilia Testing, a Quality Improvement Measure

This short letter to the editor provides ideas on Thrombophilia testing, a quality improvement measure.
Clinical studies in CRS and HIPEC: Trials, tribulations, and future directions-A systematic review.

Background The field of cytoreductive surgery (CRS) and hyperthermic intraperitoneal chemotherapy (HIPEC) has suffered from a lack of clinical trials to validate its expanding use. Objective To evaluate published and ongoing clinical trials seeking to better define role of CRS/HIPEC in the treatment of peritoneal surface malignancies. Methods Systematic review by PubMed search was performed using terms "Clinical trial," "intraperitoneal chemotherapy," and "HIPEC." ClinicalTrials.gov and EudraCT registries were searched for active clinical trials. Eligibility included CRS/HIPEC trials investigating adult patient populations from published clinical reports and/or trials currently accruing or at completion. Results Thirteen published trials and 57 active clinical trials were included for review. Conclusions Published and ongoing U.S. and international clinical trials for CRS and HIPEC are defining important parameters that include improving patient selection, strategic sequences of treatment, cytoreductive strategies, chemotherapeutics, optimal hyperthermic temperature and timing, and toxicity profiles. Main barriers or limitations to trial development remain patient enrollment, trial design, and oncologic community collaboration. Overall progress is positive with increasing number of clinical trials throughout the world. Collaboration between surgeons and the wider oncologic community will be crucial to validate this important treatment strategy.
Supporting Data-Driven Workflows Enabled by Large Scale Observatories

Large scale observatories are shared-use resources that provide open access to data from geographically distributed sensors and instruments. This data has the potential to accelerate scientific discovery. However, seamlessly integrating the data into scientific workflows remains a challenge. In this paper, we summarize our ongoing work in supporting data-driven and data-intensive workflows and outline our vision for how these observatories can improve large-scale science. Specifically, we present programming abstractions and runtime management services to enable the automatic integration of data in scientific workflows. Further, we show how approximation techniques can be used to address network and processing variations by studying constraint limitations and their associated latencies. We use the Ocean Observatories Initiative (OOI) as a driving use case for this work.
Disengagement and Alienation in Modern American Institutions

The term “community” often engenders feelings of longing, togetherness, and social connectedness. Yet in practice, there is a great deal of evidence that Americans have become increasingly distrustful of public institutions and each other, especially across lines of race, class, and political affiliation. This chapter will examine the causes and consequences of growing disengagement from institutions. I will focus on variation in levels of distrust and disconnectedness across social class in particular. I also examine Americans’ turn to the market to meet the needs once met by informal and formal community organizations, and discuss this shift in terms of its consequences for inequality and social mobility.
He’s in There Somewhere! Reflecting on the Past, Present, and Future of Disorders of Consciousness

In 1985, as a fourth-year medical student, I did an elective rotation on a brain injury rehabilitation unit. Among my patient assignments, I was asked to follow two young men—hospital roommates—who...
Structure of Norwalk virus.

Norwalk virus is the major cause of epidemic viral gastroenteritis of humans. Attempts to grow this virus in laboratory cell lines have been unsuccessful. However, the Norwalk virus capsid protein, when expressed in insect cells infected with a recombinant baculovirus, spontaneously assembles into viruslike particles. We have determined the 3-dimensional structure of baculovirus-expressed Norwalk virus using electron cryomicroscopy and computer image reconstruction to a resolution of ~ 22 A. These particles, having a diameter of 380 A exhibit T = 3 icosahedral symmetry. The 3-dimensional structure is composed of 90 dimers of the 58 000 molecular weight (58 K) capsid protein, each of which forms an arch-like capsomere. The structure of the protein subunit is modular with three distinct domains. The distal globular domain that appears bilobed is connected to the lower shell domain by a central stem-like domain. We also have been able to grow crystals of the baculovirus-expressed Norwalk virus particles suitable for high resolution X-ray crystallography.
Asi1 regulates the distribution of proteins at the inner nuclear membrane in Saccharomyces cerevisiae

Abstract Inner nuclear membrane (INM) protein composition regulates nuclear function, affecting processes such as gene expression, chromosome organization, nuclear shape and stability. Mechanisms that drive changes in the INM proteome are poorly understood in part because it is difficult to definitively assay INM composition rigorously and systematically. Using a split-GFP complementation system to detect INM access, we examined the distribution of all C-terminally tagged Saccharomyces cerevisiae membrane proteins in wild-type cells and in mutants affecting protein quality control pathways, such as INM-associated degradation (INMAD), ER-associated degradation (ERAD) and vacuolar proteolysis. Deletion of the E3 ligase Asi1 had the most pronounced effect on the INM compared to mutants in vacuolar or ER-associated degradation pathways, consistent with a role for Asi1 in the INMAD pathway. Our data suggests that Asi1 not only removes mis-targeted proteins at the INM, but it also controls the levels and distribution of native INM components, such as the membrane nucleoporin Pom33. Interestingly, loss of Asi1 does not affect Pom33 protein levels but instead alters Pom33 distribution in the NE through Pom33 ubiquitination, which drives INM redistribution. Taken together, our data demonstrate that the Asi1 E3 ligase has a novel function in INM protein regulation in addition to protein turnover.
Activation of miR-21-Regulated Pathways in Immune Aging Selects against Signatures Characteristic of Memory T Cells

Summary Induction of protective vaccine responses, governed by the successful generation of antigen-specific antibodies and long-lived memory T cells, is increasingly impaired with age. Regulation of the T cell proteome by a dynamic network of microRNAs is crucial to T cell responses. Here, we show that activation-induced upregulation of miR-21 biases the transcriptome of differentiating T cells away from memory T cells and toward inflammatory effector T cells. Such a transcriptome bias is also characteristic of T cell responses in older individuals who have increased miR-21 expression and is reversed by antagonizing miR-21. miR-21 targets negative feedback circuits in several signaling pathways. The concerted, sustained activity of these signaling pathways in miR-21high T cells disfavors the induction of transcription factor networks involved in memory cell differentiation. Our data suggest that curbing miR-21 upregulation or activity in older individuals may improve their ability to mount effective vaccine responses.
The large UV/optical/infrared surveyor (LUVOIR): decadal mission study update

NASA commissioned the study of four large mission concepts, including the Large Ultraviolet / Optical / Infrared (LUVOIR) Surveyor, to be evaluated by the 2020 Decadal Survey in Astrophysics. In response, the Science and Technology Definition Team (STDT) identified a broad range of science objectives for LUVOIR that include the direct imaging and spectral characterization of habitable exoplanets around sun-like stars, the study of galaxy formation and evolution, the exchange of matter between galaxies, star and planet formation, and the remote sensing of Solar System objects. To meet these objectives, the LUVOIR Study Office, located at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC), completed the first design iteration of a 15-m segmented-aperture observatory that would be launched by the Space Launch System (SLS) Block 2 configuration. The observatory includes four serviceable instruments: the Extreme Coronagraph for Living Planetary Systems (ECLIPS), an optical / near-infrared coronagraph capable of delivering 10(exp -10) contrast at inner working angles as small as 2 lambda/D; the LUVOIR UV Multi-object Spectrograph (LUMOS), which will provide low- and medium-resolution UV (100 - 400 nm) multi-object imaging spectroscopy in addition to far-UV imaging; the High Definition Imager (HDI), a high-resolution wide-field-of-view NUV-Optical-NIR imager; and Pollux, a high-resolution UV spectro-polarimeter being contributed by Centre National d'Etudes Spatiales (CNES). The study team has executed a second design iteration to further improve upon the 15-m concept, while simultaneously studying an 8-m concept. In these proceedings, we provide an update on these two architectures.
Fragility models of electrical conductors in power transmission networks subjected to hurricanes

Abstract Power transmission conductors work as links in power transmission system. They allow the bulk transportation of energy between power plants and substations. A large number of these conductors may fail when subjected to hurricanes. Failure of these conductors may result in significant disruption in the power network and millions of dollars of replacement cost. This paper presents a framework for the development of fragility models of the transmission conductors. The framework considers the uncertainties in the wind turbulence and conductor capacity. The modal superposition method has been used to model the mechanical response of the conductors efficiently, and is validated by nonlinear finite element analysis. The first order reliability method has been implemented to capture the low failure probability of a single conductor with sufficient accuracy as confirmed by Monte Carlo simulation. The results of this study show that the failure probability of the conductors increases significantly once the wind speed reaches a certain critical value. The wind direction and span length have large influence on the failure probability. Therefore, the variability of span lengths over the transmission network has a substantial effect on the overall system failure. The fragility model provided in this research constitutes a major component for risk assessment of power transmission networks against hurricane hazards. It can be used to help engineers gain fundamental insights on the mechanical and probabilistic performance of power transmission conductors.
A bifurcated continuous field-flow fractionation (BCFFF) chip for high-yield and high-throughput nucleic acid extraction and purification

We report a bifurcated continuous field-flow fractionation (BCFFF) chip for high-yield and high-throughput (20 min) extraction of nucleic acids from physiological samples. The design uses a membrane ionic transistor to sustain low-ionic strength in a localized region at a junction, such that the resulting high field can selectively isolate high-charge density nucleic acids from the main flow channel and insert them into a standardized buffer in a side channel that bifurcates from the junction. The high local electric field and the bifurcated field-flow design facilitate concentration reduction of both divalent cation (Ca2+) and molecular PCR inhibitors by more than two orders of magnitude, even with high-throughput continuous loading. The unique design with a large (>20 mM mm-1) on-chip ionic-strength gradient allows miniaturization into a high-throughput field-flow fractionation chip that can be integrated with upstream lysing and downstream PCR/sensor modules for various nucleic acid detection/quantification applications. A concentration-independent 85% yield for extraction and an overall post-PCR yield exceeding 60% are demonstrated for a 111 bp dsDNA in 10 μL of human plasma, compared to no amplification with the raw sample. A net yield four times larger than a commercial extraction kit is demonstrated for miR-39 in human plasma.
Collection efficiency for millimeter and submillimeter wave antenna-coupled detection

The goal in the design of an efficient and low-noise antenna coupled receiver is to achieve a maximal capture cross section for the incident electromagnetic radiation compared to the dimensions of the sub-wavelength sized sensor loading the antenna. Collection efficiency captures this concept of power output/input and is made up of several subefficiencies. In the ideal case all of the available, incident power is collected and transferred to the load. However, many of the fundamental limits of antennas are based on theory describing the transmitting mode, whereas certain questions remain open for receiving antennas. Textbook antenna theory predicts that only 50% of available incident power can be absorbed by an antenna, yet under specific conditions this limitation can be surpassed. Two considerations are presented; (1) fundamental limits on antenna absorption, and (2) practical participation of dissipative media in achieving impedance matching between antenna and load, and the associated performance compromise. Specifically we seek to determine whether antenna-coupled detectors can approach unity absorption efficiency under matched conditions. Further, we identify practical conditions that must be met in order to overcome fundamental limitations that inhibit total absorption. Then antenna loss is split into radiative and dissipative terms in order to identify trade-offs between impedance matching and radiation efficiency.
Impact of using words with unpleasant emotional connotations on perceived patient discomfort during vaginal speculum examinations: A randomized controlled trial.

Abstract Objectives Many providers often use terms such as “this might hurt”, or “you might feel pressure” during exams with the intention to be compassionate and to help decrease discomfort. No evidence exists to support this practice. Our objective was to evaluate the impact of the use of words with unpleasant emotional connotation on perceived discomfort at the time of vaginal speculum examination. Study design A randomized trial was performed on premenopausal women undergoing a routine well-woman speculum exam. 120 total patients were included and randomized into one of two groups; phrases with unpleasant connotation (n = 60) vs. objective phrases (n = 60). During the speculum exam, the provider used either phrases with unpleasant connotation (i.e., “You are going to feel a lot of pressure”), or objective phrases (i.e., “I am going to introduce the speculum”). Following the exam, patients were asked to rate the level of discomfort/pain experienced during the exam and to compare their actual experience to their anticipated experience. Descriptive statistics were performed. Chi-square and independent samples t-test were used with a significance of p Results Patients in the phrases with unpleasant connotation group had significantly higher pain scores than the objective phrases group (2.9 ± 1.5 vs. 0.8 ± 0.8 (p Conclusion Healthcare providers performing speculum examinations should use objective statements and avoid the use of phrases with unpleasant connotation with the intention to minimize perceived pain during exams.
Intentional Training in Two- vs. Three-Dimensional Spatial Environments to Enhance Spatial Cognition

Spatial cognition encompasses the ability to recognize dimensional properties of objects, individually and with respect to other objects. Studies demonstrate that intentional training in spatial cognitive tasks in two-dimensional environments can effectively improve spatial cognitive abilities. The increasing popularity of and access to virtual reality (VR) inspires the question of whether virtual training environments could equally or more effectively improve spatial cognitive abilities. Thirty-three participants (15 males, 18 females) were randomly assigned to one of three groups: control, two-dimensional training, and three-dimensional training and completed a pre- and post-test separated by group-specific training. Reaction times and accuracy rates of completing Shepard-Metzler mental rotation tasks (MRT), cube rotation tasks (CRT), and verbal analogies tasks (VAT) were observed to compare the effectiveness of the training methods. The reaction time results demonstrated a significant improvement from pre- to post-test compared with control in the MRT and CRT in the two-dimensional (MRT: t = 2.663, p 0.05), but did have greater improvement than control (p < 0.1). These results indicate that traditional two-dimensional and virtual three-dimensional training give equal improvement in spatial cognitive training outcomes.
Causal Deep CASA for Monaural Talker-Independent Speaker Separation

Talker-independent monaural speaker separation aims to separate concurrent speakers from a single-microphone recording. Inspired by human auditory scene analysis (ASA) mechanisms, a two-stage deep CASA approach has been proposed recently to address this problem, which achieves state-of-the-art results in separating mixtures of two or three speakers. A main limitation of deep CASA is that it is a non-causal system, while many speech processing applications, e.g., telecommunication and hearing prosthesis, require causal processing. In this study, we propose a causal version of deep CASA to address this limitation. First, we modify temporal connections, normalization and clustering algorithms in deep CASA so that no future information is used throughout the deep network. We then train a $C$ -speaker ( $C \geq 2$ ) deep CASA system in a speaker-number-independent fashion, generalizable to speech mixtures with up to $C$ speakers without the prior knowledge about the speaker number. Experimental results show that causal deep CASA achieves excellent speaker separation performance with known or unknown speaker numbers.
Mid-term outcomes of cor triatriatum repair: comparison of biventricular physiology and univentricular physiology.

Background: Cor triatriatum is the rarest of all congenital cardiac diseases, accounting for 0.1–0.4% of congenital heart diseases. Atrial septal defect is the most common associated defect; however, cor triatriatum is sometimes associated with univentricular heart. Methods: This single-centre retrospective study involved all patients who underwent the repair of cor triatriatum at Kobe Children’s Hospital between 2000 and 2020. Twenty-four patients were required surgery. We conducted a survey of survival rate, early and late pulmonary vein stenosis in each group. Results: The survival rate of 5 years after cor triatriatum resection was 100% in the biventricular group and 82.1% in the univentricular group, respectively. The free rate for pulmonary stenosis of 5 years after surgery was 100% in the biventricular group and 90.0% in the univentricular group, respectively. There was no statistical difference in survival rate and 5 years free rate for pulmonary stenosis after surgery. Conclusions: The results showed that surgical correction offers good early and mid-term outcomes for both cor triatriatum with biventricular and univentricular physiologies.
Responses of US-based Muslim organizations to being stereotyped as ‘terrorists’

The stereotype literature views responses of a subordinated group to stereotypes as a unified attempt to counter the control and domination of its identity. Complexities that exist within the unifi...
EMC: Efficient Muller C-Element Implementation for High Bit-width Asynchronous Applications

A Muller C-Element is a digital circuit component used in most asynchronous circuits and systems. In Null Convention Logic, the Muller C-Elements make up the subset of THmn threshold gates where the threshold, m, and the input bit-width, n, are equal. This paper presents a new Efficient Muller C-Element implementation, EMC, that is especially suitable for Null Convention Logic applications with high input bit-widths, and it is much faster and smaller than standard implementations. It has a two-transistor switching delay that is independent of the input bit-width, n, and exhibits low noise and static power consumption. It is suitable for all Muller C-Element applications, especially those like Null Convention Logic register feedback circuits that can have large input bit-widths. To reduce static power consumption, it uses active resistors that are only turned “ON” when necessary. Two output stages are presented to implement the required Muller C-Element digital hysteresis: standard, semi-static cross-coupled inverter version, and differential sense-amplifier option. For large values of n, our circuit requires approximately one-half fewer transistors than combining smaller Null Convention Logic THmn semi-static threshold gates. We have successfully simulated up to n = 1024 at a 65 nm node.
Public preferences for five electricity grid decarbonization policies in California

The climate crisis and associated push for distributed, renewable electricity generation necessitate policy changes to decarbonize and modernize the electricity grid. Some of these changes—e.g., smart meter rollouts and tax credits for solar panel adoption—have received attention in the media and from social scientists to understand public perceptions and responses. Others—e.g., allowing peer‐to‐peer electricity sales, promoting residential electrification, requiring solar panels on new development, funding microgrids, and paying customers to allow for utility control of electricity use—have received less attention. Here, we explore public perceptions of these understudied policies among California residents (n = 804), a state recognized for innovative energy policy. A majority of respondents supported only one of the policies—requiring solar panels on new development. Others elicited more indecision; few were strongly opposed. In general, male respondents and those with college degrees were more supportive of such policies, as were those more concerned about climate change and with a more open orientation to smart home technologies. 气候危机和分配式可再生电力生产的相关助力让以电网低碳化和现代化为目标的政策变革成为必要。一些变革—例如引入智能电表、因使用太阳能板而获得的税收抵免—已获得媒体和社会科学家的关注，以期理解公众感知和响应。其他变革受到的关注较少，例如允许P2P售电、推动居民电气化、要求进一步开发太阳能板、资助微电网、以及支付消费者以期控制用电量。我们探究了加利福尼亚州居民（n=804）对这些研究不足的政策的公众感知，该州拥有公认的创新能源政策。大多数受访者仅支持了其中一项政策—要求进一步开发太阳能板。其他受访者表示不确定；少部分人表示强烈反对。整体而言，男性受访者以及取得大学学历的受访者更支持这类政策，那些更关心气候变化以及对智能家庭技术持更开放态度的受访者也是如此。 La crisis climatica y el impulso asociado para la generacion de electricidad renovable y distribuida requieren cambios de politica para descarbonizar y modernizar la red electrica. Algunos de estos cambios, por ejemplo, la implementacion de medidores inteligentes, los creditos fiscales para la adopcion de paneles solares, han recibido atencion en los medios de comunicacion y de los cientificos sociales para comprender las percepciones y respuestas del publico. Otros, por ejemplo, permitir las ventas de electricidad entre pares, promover la electrificacion residencial, requerir paneles solares en nuevos desarrollos, financiar microredes y pagar a los clientes para permitir el control del uso de la electricidad por parte de los servicios publicos, han recibido menos atencion. Aqui, exploramos las percepciones publicas de estas politicas poco estudiadas entre los residentes de California (n = 804), un estado reconocido por su politica energetica innovadora. La mayoria de los encuestados apoyo solo una de las politicas: requerir paneles solares en los nuevos desarrollos. Otros provocaron mas indecision; pocos se opusieron firmemente. En general, los hombres encuestados y aquellos con titulos universitarios apoyaron mas estas politicas, al igual que aquellos mas preocupados por el cambio climatico y con una orientacion mas abierta a las tecnologias inteligentes para el hogar.
Ru(II)-Based Acetylacetonate Complexes Induce Apoptosis Selectively in Cancer Cells.

The synthesis, chemical and biological characterization of seven Ru(II) polypyridyl complexes containing acetylacetonate (acac) ligands are reported. Electronic absorption spectra were determined and electrochemical potentials consistent with Ru(III/II) couples ranging from +0.60 to +0.73 V vs Ag/AgCl were measured. A series of complexes were screened against MDA-MB-231, DU-145, and MCF-10A cell lines to evaluate their cytotoxicities in cancer and normal cell lines. Although most complexes were either nontoxic or equipotent in cancer cells and normal cell lines, compound 1, [Ru(dpqy)(acac)(py)](PF6), where dqpy is 2,6-di(quinolin-2-yl)pyridine, showed up to 2.5:1.0 selectivity for cancer as compared to normal cells, along with nanomolar EC50 values in MDA-MB-231 cells. Lipophilicity, determined as the octanol/water partition coefficient, log Po/w, ranged from -0.33 (0.06) to 1.15 (0.10) for the complexes. Although cytotoxicity was not correlated with electrochemical potentials, a moderate linear correlation between lipophilicity and toxicities was observed. Cell death mechanism studies indicated that several of the Ru-acac compounds, including 1, induce apoptosis in MDA-MB-231 cells.
Super Stable Division Rings

Publisher Summary This chapter discusses super stable division rings. A structure is called stable, super-stable, or ѡ-stable if its first order theory has the corresponding property. An ѡ-stable field is finite or algebraically closed; however, it is not known whether other super-stable fields exist. The chapter proves that when D is a super-stable division ring, then D is finite dimensional over its center. This result implies that an ѡ-stable division ring is commutative. The theorem also implies that if D is assumed as a division ring of infinite dimension over its center, T as the first order theory of D, and κ > א o a cardinal, then T has 2 κ nonisomrphic models of cardinality κ .
Structural dynamics of bacterial ribosomes. II. Preparation and characterization of ribosomes and subunits active in the translation of natural messenger RNA.

Abstract Ribosomes from Escherichia coli were tested for activity in initiation with R17 RNA as messenger. All vacant 70 S ribosomes but not all subunits were found to be active. The ability of 30 S and 50 S subunits to form a 70 S couple at Mg2+ concentrations above 4 m m is a stringent test for activity. Fresh extracts, prepared at 10 m m -Mg2+ from cells harvested after slow cooling contain up to 80% of the ribosomes in the form of vacant 70 S couples and 20% of free subunits. The proportion of subunits increases with standing as a result of the preferential inactivation of the 50 S particles. “Native” subunits are heterogeneous and consist mostly of active 30 S and inactive 50 S particles. In contrast to 50 S subunits, 30 S subunits prepared by exposure of 70 S ribosomes to low Mg2+ concentrations, are largely inactive and unable to reassociate with their active 50 S counterparts. However, both initiation and association activity can be restored by heating. The results imply that the structures necessary for subunit association are most critical for the biological activity of ribosomes, presumably because they are topologically closely related to the binding sites for messenger RNA, transfer RNA, and the protein factors for initiation, translocation and termination.
Civic Engagement Among Older Adults in a Rural Community

Abstract This article presents a case study of how an elder-helping-elder volunteer program-the Senior Companion Programpromotes civic engagement among older adults in a rural community. In-depth interviews were conducted with 30 individuals in the community to assess the impact of the program for individual elders and the community at large. Three overarching themes emerged from the narrative data: Maintaining Community, Filling Gaps in the Service System, and Government Should Do More for Elders. These themes are described using research participant quotes. The article concludes with study implications for community practitioners including advocacy for program expansion.
Cometary and Asteroidal Sources of Interplanetary Dust

The Infrared Astronomical Satellite has provided extensive observations of the zodiacal cloud at high spatial resolution which will not be matched in the forseeable future. Within the zodiacal cloud, IRAS discovered extended dust structures providing the link between the interplanetary dust complex and the asteroids and comets which are its source. These are the asteroid dust bands and the cometary dust trails.
Quality measurement in the service sector

The authors attempt to provide an understanding of total quality management (TQM) and its relationship to measurement. The focus is on the service sector and the development of a systematic approach to continuing improvement of quality through measurement. It is concluded that measurements of service sector work appear to be practical and must be developed on a case basis. >
Community Ecology Perspectives on the Structural and Functional Evolution of Consumer Electronics

Summary This article describes how biological ecology models are adapted to analyze the dynamic structure and function of a consumer electronic product “community.” Treating an entire group of interdependent and continually evolving electronic devices as an ecological community provides a basis for more comprehensive analyses of the energy, material, and waste flows associated with household consumption than would be possible using conventional per product approaches. Results show that, similar to a maturing natural community, the average U.S. household electronic product community evolved from a low-diversity structure dominated by a few products to a highly diverse, evenly distributed community of products between 1990 and 2010. The maturing community of household electronics experienced increased functionality at a community and product level resulting, in part, from introduction of new products, but primarily as a result of increasing ownership of multifunctional products. Multifunctional mobile products are driving increased functionality in a manner similar to a broadly adaptive invasive species, but the community's high functional redundancy, as the result of device convergence, resembles a stable natural community. These results suggest that future strategies to encourage green design, production, and consumption of consumer electronics should focus on minimizing the total number of products owned by maximizing multifunctionality with convergent device design.
Substantial work disability and earnings losses in individuals less than age 65 with osteoarthritis: Comparisons with rheumatoid arthritis

Abstract Substantial earnings losses and work disability were seen in individuals less than age 65 with asymmetric oligoarthritis, a surrogate for osteoarthritis, almost as great as those seen with symmetric polyarthritis, a surrogate for rheumatoid arthritis. The proportions of individuals who were working was 66.7% for men and 35.5% for women with asymmetric oligoarthritis, compared to 56.1 % and 31.0% of those with symmetric polyarthritis, and 89.4 and 61.6% of those with no arthritis. Rates of work disability in individuals with asymmetric oligoarthritis involving one knee or one hip were in the same range as those in individuals with symmetric polyarthritis involving two knees or two hips. The earnings of women and men with asymmetric oligoarthritis were only 30 and 63% respectively of the earnings of persons with no arthritis. However, less than one-third of these earnings losses were explained by the presence of arthritis, with further explanation from higher age, lower formal education levels, and comorbidity in individuals with asymmetric oligoarthritis. These results suggest that greater attention to demographic and comorbidity variables may be indicated in efforts to control economic losses associated with arthritis.
Soluble and particulate glycolysis in developing castor bean endosperm.

Abstract Proplastids from developing castor bean endosperm have been isolated in a discontinuous sucrose density gradient. There was little contamination of the proplastids by mitochondria. Pyruvate kinase activity and phosphofructokinase activity closely correlated with triose phosphate isomerase activity, a proplastid marker, suggesting these two enzymes were contained in the proplastid. Aldolase was also found in the proplastids. The presence of these enzymes indicates that a glycolytic pathway operates in the proplastid.
NMR behavior of the clathrate hydrate of tetrahydrofuran. II. Deuterium measurements

Deuterium NMR lineshapes, spin-echo signal shapes, and spin-lattice and spin-spin relaxation times of the hydrate of perdeuterated tetrahydrofuran (THF-d8·17H2O) were measured between 6 and 277 K. Below about 20 K the D quadrupole coupling constant for encaged THF-d8 is 173 kHz. At higher temperatures guest-molecule reorientation occurs with an effective activation energy of 0.92 kcal/mole, in agreement with previous proton NMR and dielectric results. The D measurements clearly show a degree of inequivalence among the preferred orientations of the encaged molecules up to about 200 K. This anisotropy disappears at higher temperatures, where reorientation of water molecules leads to an averaging of the 16-hedral cage coufigurations to the tetrahedral symmetry shown by X-ray studies. The D quadrupole coupling constant and asymmetry parameter of THF·17D2O are 215 kHz and 0.11, respectively, at 37 K. An activation energy of 7.2 kcal/mole for reorientation of D2O molecules is derived from T1 measurements.
Synthesis and functionalization of non-toxic visible-emitting nanocrystals

We have studied phosphor doping of core / shell nanocrystals (NCs) where the impurity emitter resides in the shell. We have found that a two step synthesis can be used to create these non-toxic materials that efficiently transfer energy from the core to the doped shell. These core / shell NCs retain ample brightness when solubilized in water. We explored the functionalization of these materials in water as well to create ratiometric chemical sensing agents. First, we used a method of controlled polymerization to synthesize amphiphilic polymers to solubilize the intrinsically hydrophobic NCs into water. The polymer has a build in "chemical handle" which we use to functionalize the polymers closely bound to the NC with a fluorescent dye in aqueous solution. We have found that there exists efficient Forster resonant energy transfer from the shell doped phosphors to the surface bound dyes. Conjugation of the NC to an environmentally sensitive dye such as fluorescein has also demonstrated that non-toxic doped NCs can be used to develop ratiometric sensing / biological imaging agents. Last, we have found that the same technique can be applied to functionalize non-emissive magnetic nanocrystals as well.
Effects of expected effort on attitude change prior to exposure

Abstract The present experiments were both designed to test the following hypothesis: If an individual commits himself to be exposed to a counterattitudinal communication, positive attitude change prior to exposure will occur in direct proportion to the amount of effort he expects to exert in order to hear the communication. In the first experiment expectation of effort was manipulated through variation of the length of delay subjects expected before hearing a counterattitudinal communication. In the second experiment effort was manipulated by leading subjects to believe that they would have to run while standing in place (high effort) or sit quietly (low effort). The dependent measure of attitude was administered immediately after subjects had been informed of the effort required and the attitudinal position to be advocated in the communication. The hypothesis was supported, and the results were interpreted in terms of effort justification through anticipatory attitude change.
Distribution and Biology of the Golden Nematode, Heterodera Rostochiensis in Newfoundland1)

The golden nematode, Heterodera rostochiensis, was first discovered in Newfoundland in August, 1962. Surveys conducted from 1962 to 1964 showed that this pest was widely distributed in eastern and southern Newfoundland but it was not found in the north or in Labrador. Only three communities were contaminated in the western area of the Province. Infestations were generally confined to small gardens in seventy-eight communities, and very few commercial farms were affected. From 50 to 58 days are required for the golden nematode to complete its life-cycle under Newfoundland soil and climatic conditions. There is only one generation per year. The potato varieties Arran Victory and Urgenta were found to be very tolerant to high nematode populations at Cupids, Newfoundland. In one infested area, seven successive crops of Urgenta potatoes were produced without a single crop failure.
Updating binary system files: CaOAlO1.5

Abstract Whenever the thermodynamic properties of an end member pure compound are revised, it is necessary to revise all the terms used for binary systems including that compound. A simple first approximation procedure for making these changes is presented, and illustrated by application to the CaOAlO1.5 binary system. Refinement to a second approximation is discussed and demonstrated. A set of parameters is given for CaOAlO1.5 appropriate to a heat of fusion for CaO lowered from 68 to 59 kJ mol−1 and an increased heat capacity for AlO1.5(l). The AlO1.5 SiO2 system has been similarly updated.
Prioritizing Invasive Plant Management Strategies

Invasive plants have many serious impacts on range- land throughout the world. They can displace desir- able species, alter the ecological function of the eco- system, destroy wildlife habitat, decrease productivity, and facilitate frequent wild res, with impacts costing bil- lions of dollars annually. Major invasive plant management programs are established in most countries. Although a sub- stantial effort to manage plant invasions is underway in the United States, the conservation bene ts are questionable because these programs are expensive and risky to imple- ment for the long term. Ecologically Based Invasive Plant Management (EBIPM) has the potential to provide an im- proved decision-making process, but managers are often uncertain about how to get started implementing this type of program. DOI: 10.2458/azu_rangelands_v34i6_smith
Distinction of endometrial stromal sarcomas from ‘hemangiopericytomatous’ tumors using a panel of immunohistochemical stains

Endometrial stromal sarcomas are low-grade malignant tumors that may pose a diagnostic challenge, especially when they are present in an extrauterine site. Owing to the presence of an arborizing vasculature and cells with an undifferentiated appearance, endometrial stromal sarcomas can be confused with several soft-tissue neoplasms. We studied 17 endometrial stromal sarcomas, eight hemangiopericytomas, 14 solitary fibrous tumors, and 16 synovial sarcomas immunohistochemically, detecting the following antigens: CD10, estrogen receptor, progesterone receptor, bcl-2, CD34, smooth muscle antigen, epithelial membrane antigen and cytokeratin (AE1/AE3). Most endometrial stromal sarcomas stained positively for CD10 (16/17), estrogen receptor (17/17), progesterone receptor (15/17), and bcl-2 (17/17). Staining with antismooth muscle antigen was seen in 11 of 17 cases of endometrial stromal sarcoma, with more intense staining seen in areas showing smooth muscle differentiation. Staining with AE1/3 was seen in four of 17 endometrial stromal sarcomas, with two of the positive cases containing epithelioid cells. None of the endometrial stromal sarcomas expressed epithelial membrane antigen or CD34. More than half of the hemangiopericytomas (4/8) and solitary fibrous tumors (9/14) cases demonstrated CD10 expression either focally or in a patchy cytoplasmic and membranous pattern. Hemangiopericytomas, solitary fibrous tumors, and synovial sarcomas did not express estrogen receptor. Four of eight hemangiopericytomas and seven of 14 solitary fibrous tumors also showed patchy progesterone receptor expression. CD34 expression was identified in six of eight hemangiopericytomas and 13 of 14 solitary fibrous tumors, but we did not find expression of CD34 in synovial sarcoma. Differences between endometrial stromal sarcoma and other soft-tissue tumors were detected for all of the immunohistochemical markers (P<0.05), except anti-bcl-2 and AE1/3. Antibodies against CD10 mark a substantial number of hemangiopericytomas and solitary fibrous tumors (albeit not diffusely) and should always be combined with antiestrogen receptor and CD34 when the differential diagnosis includes endometrial stromal sarcoma. Unlike estrogen receptor antibodies, progesterone receptor antibodies show at least focal nuclear staining in most hemangiopericytomas, solitary fibrous tumors and rare synovial sarcomas, and are not useful for this differential diagnosis. All endometrial stromal sarcomas expressed bcl-2, mostly in a diffuse pattern, but this did not distinguish between endometrial stromal sarcoma and mimics. We therefore recommend the use of a small antibody panel comprising anti-CD10, anti-estrogen receptor, and anti-CD34 to distinguish endometrial stromal sarcomas from tumors with a predominant hemangiopericytomatous growth pattern.
Exponential decay, recurrences, and quantum-mechanical spreading in a quasicontinuum model

We consider a single quantum state coupled equally to each of a set of evenly spaced quasicontinuum (QC) states. We obtain a delay differential equation for the initial-state probability amplitude, and this equation is solved analytically. When the QC-level spacing goes to zero, the initial-state probability decays exactly exponentially. For finite QC-level spacings, however, there are recurrences of initial-state probability. We discuss Tolman's ''quantum-mechanical spreading'' of probability and also a classical analog of our model.
In vitro and in vivo investigation of matrix metalloproteinase expression in metastatic tumor models.

Abstract Introduction Overexpression of matrix metalloproteinases (MMPs), particularly MMP-2 and MMP-9, has been correlated with poor prognosis in several cancer types including lung, colon and breast. Noninvasive detection of MMP expression might allow physicians to better determine when more aggressive cancer therapy is appropriate. The peptide CTT (CTTHWGFTLC) was identified as a selective inhibitor of MMP-2/9 that inhibits the growth of MDA-MB-435 human breast cancer xenografts. Methods CTT was conjugated with the bifunctional chelator DOTA (1,4,7,10-tetraazacyclotetradecane- N , N ′, N ″, N ‴-tetraacetic acid) for radiolabeling with 64 Cu ( t 1/2 =12.7 h, 17.4% β + , 39% β − ), a radionuclide suitable for positron emission tomography (PET). In vitro affinity was determined in a fluorogenic substrate assay. Tumor gelatinase targeting was evaluated in both biodistribution and microPET imaging studies. Results Cu(II)-DOTA-CTT inhibited hMMP-2 (EC 50 =8.7 μM) and mMMP-9 (EC 50 =18.2 μM) with similar affinity to CTT (hMMP-2 EC 50 =13.2 μM; mMMP-9 EC 50 =11.0 μM). In biodistribution and microPET imaging studies, 64 Cu-DOTA-CTT was taken up by MMP-2/9-positive B16F10 murine melanoma tumors. Subsequently, imaging studies using 64 Cu-DOTA-CTT were performed on MDA-MB-435 tumor-bearing mice. With zymography, tumor MMP-2/9 expression in this model was shown to be inconsistent, resulting in microPET detection of the MDA-MB-435 tumor in only 1 of 24 imaged mice. Following limited imaging success, 64 Cu-DOTA-CTT was shown to have poor in vivo stability. Conclusions Despite some evidence for selective uptake of 64 Cu-DOTA-CTT by gelatinase-expressing tumors, the low affinity for MMP-2 and MMP-9 and in vivo instability make this an inadequate radioligand for in vivo tumor evaluation.
Health, Nutrition, and Cost Outcomes of Human Milk Feedings for Very Low Birthweight Infants

This symposium examined the impact of human milk (HM) from the infant’s own mother on health, nutrition, and cost outcomes in very low birthweight (VLBW; <1500 g birthweight) infants. The 4 symposium speakers presented original research and summarized existing evidence about these primary outcomes. The conclusions from the symposium suggest that: 1) HM feedings for VLBW infants in the neonatal intensive care unit (NICU) reduce the risks and the associated costs of late onset sepsis and necrotizing enterocolitis (NEC); 2) the gut microbiota of the VLBW infant is influenced by multiple factors, some of which are modifiable, and that the milk microbiota affects the developing gut microbiota in a positive manner; 3) the clinical realties of feeding HM in the NICU that compromise safety and efficacy of HM can be addressed with evidence-based clinical practices; and 4) piglets can serve as a model for the premature infant to assess the impact of HM and formula additives on intestinal development.