cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
p107 and p130 Coordinately regulate proliferation, Cbfa1 expression, and hypertrophic differentiation during endochondral bone development.

Abstract During endochondral bone development, both the chondrogenic differentiation of mesenchyme and the hypertrophic differentiation of chondrocytes coincide with the proliferative arrest of the differentiating cells. However, the mechanisms by which differentiation is coordinated with cell cycle withdrawal, and the importance of this coordination for skeletal development, have not been defined. Through analysis of mice lacking the pRB-related p107 and p130 proteins, we found that p107 was required in prechondrogenic condensations for cell cycle withdrawal and for quantitatively normal α1(II) collagen expression. Remarkably, the p107-dependent proliferative arrest of mesenchymal cells was not needed for qualitative changes that are associated with chondrogenic differentiation, including production of Alcian blue-staining matrix and expression of the collagen IIB isoform. In chondrocytes, both p107 and p130 contributed to cell cycle exit, and p107 and p130 loss was accompanied by deregulated proliferation, reduced expression of Cbfa1, and reduced expression of Cbfa1-dependent genes that are associated with hypertrophic differentiation. Moreover, Cbfa1 was detected, and hypertrophic differentiation occurred, only in chondrocytes that had undergone or were undergoing a proliferative arrest. The results suggest that Cbfa1 links a p107- and p130-mediated cell cycle arrest to chondrocyte terminal differentiation.
Sedimentation in Santa Barbara Basin, California: ABSTRACT

The Santa Barbara basin off California (depth, 575 m) obtains its surface water from the California Current, which brings cold, nutrient-rich waters from the north and from the subsurface through upwelling. This combination of events causes a high level of plankton productivity. The deep basin water is derived from the oxygen-minimum zone below the California Current, which is centered between 500 and 1,000 m depth and which is a consequence of in situ oxygen depletion by decay and respiration processes and of advection of oxygen-poor water. The bottom water of the basin is trapped below sill depth (480 m) and is nearly depleted of oxygen, because the only exchange is with low oxygen water and because the sediments have high organic content. Burrowing animals therefore are absent in the center of the basin and sediment deposition is undisturbed. Sediments come from two sources, plankton and land detritus. The winter rains increase the supply of terrigenous detritus, whereas summer production supplies organic material. This biannual variation is recorded in the sediment as annual layers or varves. Varves develop only below sill depth, and sediments away from the central region show progressively less stratification. Freeze coring and other new sampling techniques, as well as X-radiography, show that the varving extends from the surface to at least a 2-m depth in the central basin sediments, except where turbidite layers disturb the sequence. The characteristics of varved sediments may be useful in reconstructing the history of ancient anaerobic basins. End_of_Article - Last_Page 468------------
Genetic instability in colorectal cancers

It has long been considered that genetic instability is an integral component of human neoplasia1–3. In a small fraction of tumours, mismatch repair deficiency leads to a microsatellite instability at the nucleotide sequence level4,5. In other tumours, an abnormal chromosome number (aneuploidy) has suggested an instability, but the nature and magnitude of the postulated instability is a matter of conjecture. We show here that colorectal tumours without microsatellite instability exhibit a striking defect in chromosome segregation, resulting in gains or losses in excess of 10 –2 per chromosome per generation. This form of chromosomal instability reflected a continuing cellular defect that persisted throughout the lifetime of the tumour cell and was not simply related to chromosome number. While microsatellite instability is a recessive trait6,7, chromosomal instability appeared to be dominant. These data indicate that persistent genetic instability may be critical for the development of all colorectal cancers, and that such instability can arise through two distinct pathways.
Oxygenic photoreduction of ferredoxin independently of the membrane-bound iron-sulfur centers of photosystem I

Abstract An investigation of the photoreduction of soluble ferredoxin and membrane-bound Fe-S centers of chloroplasts yielded results that are incompatible with some basic postulates of the now prevalent concept of photosynthetic electron transport (the “Z scheme”). In the Z scheme, plastquinone serves as an essential link in a linear electron transport chain from water via photosystem II to photosystem I and thence to the bound Fe-S centers, soluble ferredoxin and NADP + . In this formulation the oxygenic photoreduction of ferredoxin and of the Fe-S centers should have the same sensitivity to the plastoquinone inhibitors, dibromothymoquinone (DBMIB) and dinitrophenol ether of iodonitrothymol (DNP-INT). We found that the photoreduction of ferredoxin and the Fe-S centers exhibited differential sensitivity to these inhibitors. Ferredoxin was fully photoreduced by water at inhibitor concentrations that abolished the photoreduction of the Fe-S centers. These findings suggest that the oxygenic photoreduction of ferredoxin does not involve the participation of the Fe-S centers or other components of photosystem I. Only when an artificial, direct donor to photosystem I is used is the reduction of ferredoxin invariably preceded by the reduction of the Fe-S centers.
The HFE Cys282Tyr mutation as a necessary but not sufficient cause of clinical hereditary hemochromatosis.

It is not unusual for a disease to be considered rare when first described and to prove to be much more prevalent as the medical profession becomes aware of its existence. This seemed to be the case with hereditary hemochromatosis. But now the perception that hemochromatosis is a common disease has
Evaluation of Two Models for Human Topoisomerase I Interaction with dsDNA and Camptothecin Derivatives

Human topoisomerase I (Top1) relaxes supercoiled DNA during cell division. Camptothecin stabilizes Top1/dsDNA covalent complexes which ultimately results in cell death, and this makes Top1 an anti-cancer target. There are two current models for how camptothecin and derivatives bind to Top1/dsDNA covalent complexes (Staker, et al., 2002, Proc Natl Acad Sci USA 99: 15387–15392; and Laco, et al., 2004, Bioorg Med Chem 12: 5225–5235). The interaction energies between bound camptothecin, and derivatives, and Top1/dsDNA in the two models were calculated. The published structure-activity-relationships for camptothecin and derivatives correlated with the interaction energies for camptothecin and derivatives in the Laco et al. model, however, this was not the case for several camptothecin derivatives in the Stacker et al. model. By defining the binding orientation of camptothecin and derivatives in the Top1/dsDNA active-site these results allow for the rational design of potentially more efficacious camptothecin derivatives.
Nonlinear Elliptic Equations on Expanding Symmetric Domains

Abstract In this article we study the problem --EQUATION OMITTED-- in the case Ω a is an expanding domain. In particular, for n ⩾2 when Ω a ={ x ∈ R n : a x | a +1} is an expanding annulus as a →∞, we prove the existence of many rotationally non-equivalent solutions obtained as local minimizers of the corresponding energy functional. Moreover, we study the exact symmetry and the shape of these solutions, and under certain conditions we prove the existence of solutions with prescribed symmetry.
Multivariate analysis of TLD orientation effects

The effect of orientation on extruded thermoluminescent dosimeters has been investigated. TLD's placed on the surface and within a phantom were exposed separately to five diagnostic beam qualities and to 60Co gamma rays. The resulting data were subjected to analysis of variance and examined for significant correlations. The response of dosimeters on the phantom surface varied with orientation and was energy dependent. In the phantom and with 60Co, no orientation effects were observed.
Maize haplotype with a helitron-amplified cytidine deaminase gene copy

Genetic maps are based on recombination of orthologous gene sequences between different strains of the same species. Therefore, it was unexpected to find extensive non-collinearity of genes between different inbred strains of maize. Interestingly, disruption of gene collinearity can be caused among others by a rolling circle-type copy and paste mechanism facilitated by Helitrons. However, understanding the role of this type of gene amplification has been hampered by the lack of finding intact gene sequences within Helitrons. By aligning two haplotypes of the z1C1 locus of maize we found a Helitron that contains two genes, one encoding a putative cytidine deaminase and one a hypothetical protein with part of a 40S ribosomal protein. The cytidine deaminase gene, called ZmCDA3, has been copied from the ZmCDA1 gene on maize chromosome 7 about 4.5 million years ago (mya) after maize was formed by whole-genome duplication from two progenitors. Inbred lines contain gene copies of both progenitors, the ZmCDA1 and ZmCDA2 genes. Both genes diverged when the progenitors of maize split and are derived from the same progenitor as the rice OsCDA1 gene. The ZmCDA1 and ZmCDA2 genes are both transcribed in leaf and seed tissue, but transcripts of the paralogous ZmCDA3 gene have not been found yet. Based on their protein structure the maize CDA genes encode a nucleoside deaminase that is found in bacterial systems and is distinct from the mammalian RNA and/or DNA modifying enzymes. The conservation of a paralogous gene sequence encoding a cytidine deaminase gene over 4.5 million years suggests that Helitrons could add functional gene sequences to new chromosomal positions and thereby create new haplotypes. However, the function of such paralogous gene copies cannot be essential because they are not present in all maize strains. However, it is interesting to note that maize hybrids can outperform their inbred parents. Therefore, certain haplotypes may function only in combination with other haplotypes or under specialized environmental conditions.
Secure and policy-compliant source routing

In today's Internet, inter-domain route control remains elusive; nevertheless, such control could improve the performance, reliability, and utility of the network for end users and ISPs alike. While researchers have proposed a number of source routing techniques to combat this limitation, there has thus far been no way for independent ASes to ensure that such traffic does not circumvent local traffic policies, nor to accurately determine the correct party to charge for forwarding the traffic. We present Platypus, an authenticated source routing system built around the concept of network capabilities, which allow for accountable, fine-grained path selection by cryptographically attesting to policy compliance at each hop along a source route. Capabilities can be composed to construct routes through multiple ASes and can be delegated to third parties. Platypus caters to the needs of both end users and ISPs: users gain the ability to pool their resources and select routes other than the default, while ISPs maintain control over where, when, and whose packets traverse their networks. We describe the design and implementation of an extensive Platypus policy framework that can be used to address several issues in wide-area routing at both the edge and the core, and evaluate its performance and security. Our results show that incremental deployment of Platypus can achieve immediate gains.
Identification by Subtractive Hybridization of a Novel Insertion Element Specific for Two Widespread Burkholderia cepacia Genomovar III Strains

Species of the Burkholderia cepacia complex cause chronic and life-threatening infections in persons with cystic fibrosis. Epidemic strains infect multiple patients, reside primarily in genomovar III, and have an apparent enhanced capacity for human infection and/or interpatient transmission. By using subtractive hybridization, a novel insertion element, designated IS1363, was identified in epidemic strain PHDC, known to infect many cystic fibrosis patients in the mid-Atlantic region of the United States. IS1363 was also found in most isolates of the ET12 lineage, responsible for infecting large numbers of patients in Ontario, Canada, and the United Kingdom. Southern blot analysis demonstrated that whereas multiple copies of IS1363 were present in strain PHDC, only one copy was present in ET12 isolates. IS1363 was used to probe a collection of 943 B. cepacia complex isolates, representing all nine genomovars, recovered from 761 cystic fibrosis patients or the natural environment. IS1363 was not found in other genomovar III strains and, with the exception of B. ambifaria, was absent from other B. cepacia complex species. Genotyping analyses of all IS1363-positive isolates demonstrated that strain PHDC was more widely distributed in the United States than previously appreciated; 212 cystic fibrosis patients in 24 states were identified as being infected with PHDC.
Pulsed Corona Plasma Pilot Plant for VOC Abatement in Industrial Streams

A pulsed corona plasma-based mobile pilot plant was developed for demonstration of the emerging technology for volatile organic compounds (VOC) abatement in industrial streams of paper and wood industry. Pilot plant development was sponsored by the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Office of Industrial Technologies in the framework of the Forest Products program. The heterogeneous pulsed corona discharge was chosen as the best non-equilibrium plasma approach for control of the vent emissions from Brownstock Washers in paper industry, and the pilot plant was initially designed for demonstration on this kind of vent stream. Later it was modified for possibility of operation in the wood industry where water discharge is prohibited. The technology base of the pilot plant, as well as history of its development and the results obtained during testing are presented in this paper. For VOCs of interest to the paper and wood industry, (methanol, acetone, dimethyl sulfide and α-pinene), high removal efficiencies were obtained with power consumptions competitive with the present technologies for the VOCs control.
S-Learning: A Biomimetic Algorithm for Learning, Memory, and Control in Robots

S-learning is a sequence-based learning algorithm patterned on human motor behavior. Discrete-time and quantized sensory information is amassed in real-time to form a dynamic model of the system being controlled and its environment. No explicit model is provided a priori, nor any hint about what the structure of the model might be. As the core of a Brain-Emulating Cognition and Control Architecture (BECCA), S-Learning provides a mechanism for human-inspired learning, memory, and control in machines. In a simulation of a point-to-point reaching task, S-Learning demonstrates several attributes of human motor behavior, including learning through exploration and task transfer.
Soluble settlement cue in slowly moving water within coral reefs induces larval adhesion to surfaces

Abstract Larvae of many benthic marine animals are induced to settle and metamorphose by dissolved chemical cues released by organisms on the substratum. Can dissolved cues released into the turbulent, wave-dominated flow typical of many shallow coastal areas affect the adhesion of settling larvae to benthic surfaces? We addressed this question using larvae of the nudibranch, Phestilla sibogae, which settle and metamorphose in response to a water-borne, species-specific metabolite of their prey, Porites compressa, abundant corals forming reefs in shallow habitats in Hawaii. Field measurements of water velocities showed oscillatory wave-driven flow above reefs with peak instantaneous velocities of 0.10–0.40 m/s, much slower back-and-forth water movement through the spaces within reefs with peak velocities of 0.02–0.04 m/s, and net shoreward transport of water through reefs of ∼0.01 m/s. We used a water channel in the laboratory to measure the wall shear stresses required to dislodge larvae of P. sibogae from various surfaces. We found that cue from P. compressa is necessary for the larvae to attach to surfaces and, if cue is dissolved in water bathing the larvae, they can adhere to surfaces other than living P. compressa. After 2 h of exposure to cue and a surface, the adhesive strength of the larvae reached its peak value and did not change during the next 20 h. The mean nominal wall shear stress required to dislodge larvae of P. sibogae attached to P. compressa tissue (1.59±0.64 Pa, n=10 experiments) was not significantly different from that necessary to wash them off coralline algae (2.53±2.45 Pa, n=8) encrusting coral skeleton collected within reefs, but they stuck more tightly to glass (4.26±1.04 Pa, n=13). It is likely that most P. sibogae larvae initially settle onto surfaces within reefs because (1) settlement cue released by P. compressa and sinking larvae of P. sibogae accumulate in the slowly moving water within a reef; (2) larvae exposed to cue are able to stick to surfaces such as coralline algae that are common within the reef; and (3) P. sibogae develop their full attachment strength slowly, and the magnitude and frequency of peak shear stresses due to turbulent sweeps that might wash larvae off surfaces are much lower within than at the top of the reef.
Incorporating electronic monitoring feedback into clinical care: A novel and promising adherence promotion approach

This paper presents case examples that document the preliminary clinical utility of using electronic monitoring (EM) feedback to tailor empirically validated adherence-promoting interventions, delivered in standard clinical practice. Challenges of utilizing EM in standard clinical practice as well as future directions are also discussed. Two adolescents referred for behavioral adherence promotion intervention are described. Each youth was provided a MEMS® bottle and one oral medication was chosen jointly by the therapist, family, and medical provider for adherence monitoring. Graphical MEMS® feedback was provided to families during intervention visits and subsequently used to tailor adherence interventions to target each family’s unique needs. EM feedback was a feasible and clinically rich supplement to adherence-promoting interventions. EM facilitated identification of adherence barriers and successes, and open and non-adversarial discussions regarding adherence between patients, families, and clinicians...
Transgenic mice overexpressing protein kinase C epsilon in their epidermis exhibit reduced papilloma burden but enhanced carcinoma formation after tumor promotion.

To determine the role that protein kinase Ce (PKCe) may play in skin growth, differentiation, and tumor promotion, transgenic mice were generated that overexpressed an epitope-tagged protein kinase Ce (T7-PKCe) in their epidermis using the human keratin 14 promoter. Three independent mouse lines that overexpressed the T7-PKCe in their epidermis were produced. The three independent lines 206, 224, and 215 exhibited a 3-, 6-, and 18-fold elevation, respectively, in the level of PKCe immunoreactive protein. Line 215 exhibited a 19-fold greater phosphatidylserine and 12-O-tetradecanoylphorbol-13-acetate (TPA) stimulated kinase activity than line 224. Line 206 exhibited a low basal T7-PKCe activity, which failed to be stimulated by phosphatidylserine and TPA. All of the line 215 transgenic mice (F0 to the F2 generation) displayed phenotypic changes in the skin. The phenotypic changes progressed gradually, starting around 4–5 months of age, with mild dryness of the tail accompanied by hair loss and inflammation at the base of the tail. Hyperproliferation and ulceration of the affected regions were observed around 7–8 months of age. The hyperproliferative epidermis from the affected regions exhibited an expansion of the suprabasal epidermal cells. Inflammation and/or ulceration were also observed in the dorsal skin, the ears, and around the eyes. The line 215 mice, which expressed the highest level of PKCe, were evaluated for sensitivity to mouse skin tumor promotion by TPA. Tumors were elicited by the initiation (7,12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene, 100 nmol)-promotion (TPA, 5 nmol/twice weekly) protocol. The papilloma burden was reduced by 95–96% for male and female T7-PKCe mice compared to wild-type controls. However, carcinomas developed rapidly in the T7-PKCe mice treated with 7, 12-dimethylbenz[a]anthracene and TPA. These carcinomas appeared to form independently of prior papilloma development. These results demonstrate that PKCe is an important regulator of skin tumor development.
Improving Supply-Chain-Reconfiguration Decisions at IBM

We developed a decision-support system for IBM's supply-chain-configuration decisions. Managers and analysts used this prepackaged multiobjective decision-analysis procedure in facilitated workshops to analyze mid-level supply-chain configuration decisions based on 22 considerations covering cost, quality, customer responsiveness, strategic issues, and operating constraints. These multiattribute utility analyses incorporated uncertainty through expert estimates of probabilities and were implemented in a spreadsheet environment. We applied the approach to five IBM supply-chain decisions, and the results satisfied internal stakeholders that the analysis correctly included financial and nonfinancial considerations along with the associated risks and provided a useful audit trail for executive management. IBM now views this decision-support system as a potential template for future supply-chain decisions.
Lung retransplantation in children: appropriate when selectively applied.

Background Lung retransplantation (re-LTx) in children has been associated with lower survival rates compared with primary lung transplantation. However, improving survival for primary LTx has led to more patients presenting for re-LTx. Therefore, an analysis of the UNOS (United Network of Organ Sharing) database to evaluate the effectiveness of pediatric lung retransplantation in the United States was completed. Methods The UNOS registry was queried for pediatric re-LTx patients from May 1988 to May 2008. There were 81 (10%) re-LTx out of a total 802 pediatric lung transplants. Results Median age and weight at re-LTx were 14 (range, 0 to 18) years and 32 (4 to 58) kg. Indications for re-LTx were obliterative bronchiolitis in 50 patients (62%), primary graft failure in 8 (10%), and other in 23 (28%). The Kaplan-Meier graft survival for re-LTx patients was worse than for primary transplant patients (p Conclusions Pediatric lung retransplantation within the first year after primary transplant does not appear advisable. Pediatric re-LTx greater than 1 year after primary transplantation may be a reasonable strategy for end-stage graft failure. Patients greater than 1 year posttransplant and not ventilator dependent appear an even more compelling group in which to consider lung retransplantation.
Methods for exploiting SAT solvers in unbounded model checking

Modern SAT solvers have proved highly successful in finding counterexamples to temporal properties of systems, using a method known as "bounded model checking". It is natural to ask whether these solvers can also be exploited for proving correctness. In fact, techniques do exist for proving properties using SAT solvers, but for the most part existing methods are either incomplete or have a low capacity relative to bounded model checking. In this paper we consider two new methods that exploit a SAT solver's ability to generate refutations in order to prove properties in an unbounded sense.
Knowledge and Use of Office Spirometry for the Detection of Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease by Primary Care Physicians

BACKGROUND: The importance of office spirometry has been strongly advocated in the pulmonary community, but whether its importance is recognized and accepted by primary care physicians is less well established. METHODS: To assess primary care physicians9 knowledge and use of office spirometry for the detection of chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, we conducted a brief mail survey on the local practice of office spirometry, barriers to performing office spirometry, and general knowledge about spirometry. We also provided 60-min educational workshops to assess whether such an approach would increase spirometry testing or perceptions about spirometry. RESULTS: Twenty-nine of 57 (51%) primary care offices responded to the survey. Of these, 66% owned their own spirometer. The most common reasons for not performing spirometry were uncertainty about the impact of the test (41%), physician and staff unfamiliarity (38%), and lack of training (34%). Twenty-one respondents participated in the workshops. In the 3 months following the workshops, the number of spirometry tests increased by 59% (p = 0.004). After the workshops, the proportion of clinics that reported reasons for not performing the test decreased by 13% (p = 0.01), but important barriers to performing office spirometry were still present, including physician and staff unfamiliarity (22%), uncertain interpretation of results (22%), time (22%), and reimbursement (22%). CONCLUSIONS: The general knowledge and use of office spirometry in the primary care community is poor, but can be improved, at least in the short-term, by a simple educational workshop.
Demand equations for business simulations with market segments

This article presents a demand model which combines normal economic factors, such as price and advertising, with a set of physical attributes of products in establishing the market share allocations, as well as the aggregate levels of demand for business simulations. The usual assumptions of demand equations used in simulations (multiple firms producing homogeneous products and selling to a single market) are expanded to a more realistic representation of an actual marketplace. Multiple market segments exist, each with their own preference mapping. Different products may have different sets of physical attributes. Each product has its own set of attributes which are determined by the management team of the firm producing the product. In this model buyers choose among alternative products, selecting those that best fit their needs and desires. If similar products are produced, the market cannibalizes one productfor the other. If a product has only a few desirable characteristics, then the market will large...
The Pediatrician’s Guide to Managing the Difficult Pediatric Headache Patient

Pediatric headache is a common pain complaint in children and adolescents, and pediatricians are the first source of headache assessment and treatment. This article provides guidelines for pediatricians in managing difficult headache patients typically seen in our practice. The 3 categories we typically evaluates and treats include (a) “It’s medical, not psychological”; (b) “You’re the only doctor who can help me”; and (c) “My child is perfect.” A brief case presentation illustrates each of these categories of patients. Specific recommendations for treatment, as well as guidelines for parents, are provided.
Alcohol Fueled Heavy Duty Vehicles Using Clean, High Efficiency Engines

Ethanol and methanol derived from a variety of sources could make a substantial contribution to replacing oil-derived transportation fuels and reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Particularly important are next generation, low carbon biofuels derived from agricultural, forestry, municipal and industrial waste by biochemical or thermochemical processes including plasma gasification, as well as specially grown biomass such as switchgrass. Ethanol, methanol or mixtures of these fuels can be used in turbocharged direct injection spark ignition engines which are as or more efficient than diesel engines and also provide advantages of lower cost, lower emissions and higher power. The strong knock suppression resulting from direct alcohol injection enables engine operation with power densities of up to three times that which can be provided by diesel engines. A representative power density is 200 hp/liter. The introduction of these engines in heavy duty vehicles could be relatively rapid because of the need to replace present heavy duty diesel engines in order to meet more stringent air pollution regulations and relatively modest fueling infrastructure requirements. During the initial market introduction phase the fuel could be presently produced ethanol. In addition, these engines could be operated as flexible fuel engines to allow use of gasoline as the main fuel when alcohol fuel is not available or it is more economically attractive to use gasoline. The flexible fuel engines could use a secondary tank of independently controlled direct ethanol injection to prevent knock and allow operation primarily on gasoline without compromising performance. Depending on the application the amount of alcohol from this second tank would be around 15-20 % of gasoline use for prolonged high torque operation long haul trucks with gasoline alone in the main tank. It would be less than 3% for a typical non long haul truck operation drive cycle. The high power density turbocharged operation enabled by the knock suppression from direct alcohol injection could allow super engine downsizing where, for example, a 5 liter spark ignition engine could be used to provide the same power as a diesel engine with an 11 liter displacement and possibly a 15 liter diesel engine. High power density, alcohol fueled heavy-duty vehicle engines could be used for both long and short haul trucks, buses and off road vehicles. Dedicated ethanol operation could be particularly attractive for farm vehicles. High power density alcohol fueled engines can also be attractive for light duty vehicles.
Governing metropolitan climate-energy transition: A study of Lyon’s strategic planning

Given that in-depth place-specific studies are needed for a better understanding of the role of cities in coping with climate change and implementing the energy transition, this paper, based on the case of Lyon (France), brings empirical evidence of how climate and energy are being governed at a city level. A comprehensive understanding of this is achieved with emphasis put on the modes of governing enacted by the local authority, as well as the positioning of the city at broader scales. The framing and localising processes involved in the policy-making process are at the core of this analysis, with a particular focus on two interrelated questions: how are climate and energy making their way as new urban issues that call for specific responses, and how do they reinforce—and are they also reinforced by—metropolitan-wide governance in a context of institutional change?
Method for Visualizing and Quantifying the Nonvalence Character of Excess Electrons.

States formed by attachment of excess electrons to molecules or clusters can be broadly classified into valence and nonvalence states, but many of these states do have both, some valence and some nonvalence character. Here a new analysis scheme for this type of state is presented. It is based on considering the density of the excess electron as a function of the distance to the nearest atom, and this vantage point yields, in the first place, an intuitive picture akin to the well-known atomic radial distribution function, and, in the second place, a distance-from-the-atoms measure that is directly related to the nonvalence character of the excess electron. As a first test the analysis scheme is applied to the occupied orbitals of the water monomer, the water hexamer, and benzene, and its properties are contrasted to those of other frequently employed measures, such as the radius of gyration. Then its utility is demonstrated for three anions: CH3NO2–, which has both a valence and a nonvalence state, NaCl–, ...
The Promise-and Pitfalls-of Computerized Provider Alerts for Laboratory Test Ordering.

“asasasasassasasasasasdasdasdfasdfasdfasdfasdfasdfasdffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffffff” The above expletive was typed as “justification” to override an alert message recently implemented in a computerized provider order entry (CPOE)2 system designed to reduce unnecessary repeat laboratory testing. Similar permutations of the home keys “asdf” were also observed. These responses provide clear evidence that the alert was not always welcomed by providers, but they do not clarify whether the failure was due to provider intransigence or poor alert design. In this issue of Clinical Chemistry , Moyer et al. describe the implementation and findings of a CPOE alert designed to reduce unnecessary repeat ordering of 3 tests—ionized calcium (iCa), serum magnesium (Mg), and N-terminal pro-brain natriuretic peptide (NT-proBNP)—in 5 intensive care units at a single institution (1). Unlike the above example, their alert demonstrated considerable success, with decreases in test volumes of 28%–48% in the 90 days following the introduction of the alert. It provides a model for large clinical systems to effectively introduce evidence-based decision-making tools into laboratory ordering practices. It is no secret that laboratory tests are overordered in the clinical environment; a recent metaanalysis demonstrated that tests are overused by 20.6% on average (2). The ordering of unnecessary tests on such a massive scale may impact not only direct healthcare costs, but also patient safety, and may lead to unnecessary follow-up investigation and iatrogenic blood loss due to excess phlebotomy (3). Unfortunately, in large hospitals with high patient volumes, it would be impractical for laboratory directors to evaluate every test individually for appropriateness, and even more difficult to convince providers to change ordering practices. Meeting other evidence-based quality objectives in laboratory ordering is similarly labor-intensive. One increasingly popular method …
A Trial for Peri-menopause and Postmenopause Women is Chongzhou: A Population-Based Across-sectional Study

Objective:To investigate the situation of productive health of perimenopausal and postmenopausal women in Chongzhou by an epidemiological study and then to provide health care for these women was made.Methods:A population-based cross-sectional study in 375 women who were over 45 years old in Chongzhou county.Results:The mean age of menopause was 48 0 years old.There were almost sixty percent of women who had abnormal bleeding before menopause.About one third of post-menopausal women had experienced perimenopausal symptoms.And the main problems were hot flash,night sweating,sleeping problem,and urinary infection.There were only 58 women who ever used or currently use estrogen therapy.Most of them only had a short duration of treatment(1 year).Conclusion:We found that middleaged and older women were highly susceptible to be symptomatic which was related to menopause.It's necessary to provide productive health care for them.
Dental Calculus Arrest of Dental Caries.

Background An inverse relationship between dental calculus mineralization and dental caries demineralization on teeth has been noted in some studies. Dental calculus may even form superficial layers over existing dental caries and arrest their progression, but this phenomenon has been only rarely documented and infrequently considered in the field of Cariology. To further assess the occurrence of dental calculus arrest of dental caries, this study evaluated a large number of extracted human teeth for the presence and location of dental caries, dental calculus, and dental plaque biofilms. Materials and methods A total of 1,200 teeth were preserved in 10% buffered formal saline, and viewed while moist by a single experienced examiner using a research stereomicroscope at 15-25× magnification. Representative teeth were sectioned and photographed, and their dental plaque biofilms subjected to gram-stain examination with light microscopy at 100× magnification. Results Dental calculus was observed on 1,140 (95%) of the extracted human teeth, and no dental carious lesions were found underlying dental calculus-covered surfaces on 1,139 of these teeth. However, dental calculus arrest of dental caries was found on one (0.54%) of 187 evaluated teeth that presented with unrestored proximal enamel caries. On the distal surface of a maxillary premolar tooth, dental calculus mineralization filled the outer surface cavitation of an incipient dental caries lesion. The dental calculus-covered carious lesion extended only slightly into enamel, and exhibited a brown pigmentation characteristic of inactive or arrested dental caries. In contrast, the tooth's mesial surface, without a superficial layer of dental calculus, had a large carious lesion going through enamel and deep into dentin. Conclusions These observations further document the potential protective effects of dental calculus mineralization against dental caries.
Potential climate change impacts on green infrastructure vegetation

This study investigated the impacts of successive simulated droughts and floods on two plant species (Carex lurida and Liriope muscari) commonly installed in green-infrastructure (GI) sites built in the urban northeast USA. The instantaneous stomatal conductance, and belowground biomass growth (in a second drought experiment only) were used as metrics, since they are indicators of the ability of plants to provide ecosystem functions such as transpiration and carbon uptake. The results indicate that both species have greater tolerance for floods than for droughts. Signs of stress were only evident after a simulated flood exceeding the duration of 95% of all storms that occurred in this geographic region between 1950 and 2000. By contrast, simulated droughts had a more pronounced effect on both the instantaneous conductance measures during drought and the recovery following the cessation of drought in both species. Liriope subjected to drought treatments were all able to recover and to re-establish stomatal conductance levels similar to those displayed by a control group even after repeated drought treatments. By contrast, Carex showed reduced recovery after multiple droughts, in two separate rounds of experiments. However, regardless of moisture conditions and treatment, Carex generally displayed higher stomatal conductance than Liriope, indicating greater transpiration, and CO2 uptake than Liriope. The belowground biomass results supported this finding, i.e. Carex gained more belowground biomass than Liriope during all experiments. At the end of the experiment, the Carex subjected to drought had less than one sixth the belowground biomass of the control treatment, whereas for Liriope this ratio was only 50% (drought to control). The drought treatments, therefore, reduced the biomass of Carex more than it did Liriope, when compared to the respective control plants. Nonetheless, both species survived repeated cycles of droughts and floods, suggesting that these particular species are both likely suitable for use in GI facilities, despite projected future increases in the frequency and intensity of floods and droughts in this geographic region. From a practical perspective, the results suggest no need for irrigation or potential replacement of plants in GI systems in a changed climate.
Optimum Methods for Keeping the Abdomen Open

Damage control laparotomy, also known as an “open abdomen,” is a life-saving maneuver frequently used to treat severely injured and emergency general surgery patients. Several techniques exist to keep the abdomen open; temporary abdominal closure methods have evolved over time from inexpensive, simple techniques to more advanced methods utilizing commercially available products with improving results. In this review, we describe the techniques of open abdomen management along with their advantages and drawbacks as well as advanced management of patients with open abdomens.
Filling the Data Gaps in Mountain Climate Observatories Through Advanced Technology, Refined Instrument Siting, and a Focus on Gradients

The mountain research community is still contending with the need to monitor ecosystems, both to improve local management practices and to address regional and global science questions related to the Future Earth themes of Dynamic Planet, Global Sustainable Development, and Transformations Towards Sustainability. How such efforts may be designed and coordinated remains an open question. Historical climate and ecological observatories and networks typically have not represented the scope or spatial and topographic distribution of near-surface processes in mountains, creating knowledge gaps. Grassroots, in situ investigations have revealed the existence of topoclimates that are not linearly related to general atmospheric conditions, and are also not adequately represented in gridded model products. In this paper, we describe how some of the disconnects between data, models, and applications in mountains can be addressed using a combination of gradient monitoring, uniform observational siting and standards, ...
Distributed robust stochastic learning in asynchronous networks of sampled-data systems

This paper presents a stochastic distributed algorithm for robust learning in networks of asynchronous sampled-data systems characterized by strongly connected directed graphs, where the response map of each sampled-data system has a quadratic structure, and the interactions between systems describe a Nash game. It is assumed that each sampled-data system has an individual resetting clock, as well as plant dynamics modeled by a differential inclusion. In order to achieve convergence in a practical mean-square sense to the Nash equilibrium of the game, we propose a robust distributed stochastic hybrid algorithm that coordinates and synchronizes the actions of the agents by using only local information from the network. A numerical example illustrates the results.
The autism “epidemic”: Ethical, legal, and social issues in a developmental spectrum disorder

Classic autism has gradually evolved into the concept of a larger "spectrum disorder." The rising prevalence of autism and autism spectrum disorder (autism/ASD) diagnoses can be largely attributed to broader diagnostic criteria, adoption of dimensional assessment strategies, increased awareness, linking of services to diagnosis, and the inclusion of milder neurodevelopmental differences bordering on normality. The spectrum disorder diagnosis raises numerous bioethical issues for individuals and society. Three groups of caregivers have important ethical, legal, and social obligations to individuals with autism/ASD: (1) families and advocates of individuals with autism/ASD; (2) health care and other professionals; and (3) governments. Each group may have different views of autism/ASD diagnostic criteria, screening, testing, and the effectiveness of various interventions. All see timely diagnosis as desirable, but earlier diagnosis may not be better, morally or practically. The growing practice of genetic testing in milder ASD raises ethical questions because of its uncertain scientific validity and limited clinical utility. Individuals with autism/ASD have various kinds of needs but all want acceptance and most deserve better accommodations. Governments struggle to provide a fair allocation of appropriate special education and supportive services. This article examines the evolving dimensions of the autism/ASD diagnosis, outlines certain bioethics principles related to its evaluation and management, reviews relevant laws and disability rights, and emphasizes the societal obligation to recognize neurodevelopmental variation and human neurodiversity. Future directions in the evaluation and care of autism/ASD should attempt to integrate the roles and responsibilities of all agents caring for each unique autistic individual.
Hospital-Based Emergency Department Visits With Dental Conditions: Impact of the Medicaid Reimbursement Fee for Dental Services in New York State, 2009-2013.

Abstract Objectives Hospital-based emergency department (ED) visits for dental problems have been on the rise. The objectives of this study are to provide estimates of hospital-based ED visits with dental conditions in New York State and to examine the impact of Medicaid reimbursement fee for dental services on the utilization of EDs with dental conditions. Methods New York State Emergency Department Database for the year 2009-2013 and Health Resources and Services Administration's Area Health Resource File were used. All ED visits with diagnosis for dental conditions were selected for analysis. Results The present study found a total of 325,354 ED visits with dental conditions. The mean age of patient was 32.4 years. A majority of ED visits were made by those aged 25-44 years (49%). Whites comprised 52.1% of ED visits. Proportion of Medicaid increased from 22% (in 2009) to 41.3% (in 2013). For Medicaid patients, the mean ED charges and aggregated ED charges were $811.4 and $88.1 million, respectively. Eleven counties had fewer than 4 dentists per 10,000 population in New York State. Conclusion High-risk groups identified from the study are those aged 25-44 years, uninsured, covered by Medicaid and private insurance, and residing in low-income areas. The study highlights the need for increased Medicaid reimbursement for dentists and improves access to preventive dental care especially for the vulnerable groups.
Experimental study: Underwater propagation of polarized flat top partially coherent laser beams with a varying degree of spatial coherence

Abstract We report on experiments where spatially partially coherent laser beams with flat top intensity profiles were propagated underwater. Two scenarios were explored: still water and mechanically moved entrained salt scatterers. Gaussian, fully spatially coherent beams, and Multi-Gaussian Schell model beams with varying degrees of spatial coherence were used in the experiments. The main objective of our study was the exploration of the scintillation performance of scalar beams, with both vertical and horizontal polarizations, and the comparison with electromagnetic beams that have a randomly varying polarization. The results from our investigation show up to a 50% scintillation index reduction for the case with electromagnetic beams. In addition, we observed that the fully coherent beam performance deteriorates significantly relative to the spatially partially coherent beams when the conditions become more complex, changing from still water conditions to the propagation through mechanically moved entrained salt scatterers.
Codemotion: expanding the design space of learner interactions with computer programming tutorial videos

Love them or hate them, videos are a pervasive format for delivering online education at scale. They are especially popular for computer programming tutorials since videos convey expert narration alongside the dynamic effects of editing and running code. However, these screencast videos simply consist of raw pixels, so there is no way to interact with the code embedded inside of them. To expand the design space of learner interactions with programming videos, we developed Codemotion, a computer vision algorithm that automatically extracts source code and dynamic edits from existing videos. Codemotion segments a video into regions that likely contain code, performs OCR on those segments, recognizes source code, and merges together related code edits into contiguous intervals. We used Codemotion to build a novel video player and then elicited interaction design ideas from potential users by running an elicitation study with 10 students followed by four participatory design workshops with 12 additional students. Participants collectively generated ideas for 28 kinds of interactions such as inline code editing, code-based skimming, pop-up video search, and in-video coding exercises.