cssi/SciSciGPT-SciSciNet huggingface dataset:
Federalism, Constitutional Law, and the Politics of Freedom

This chapter defines the major role that public servants play, as constitutional stewards, by engaging in constitutional politics to defend and nurture the US constitutional system and to foster changes in the governance of American society. After discussing two of the features of constitutional politics (federalism and constitutional law), the chapter examines the explosive dynamic of each by analyzing the historic debates over homeland security and slavery. This analysis demonstrates the significant, long-lasting impact of public servants’ participation in constitutional politics through the way societal tensions and political conflicts of antebellum America culminated in extreme interpretations of federalism and constitutional law that favored slavery and secession and influenced constitutional thinking and politics after the Civil War and well into the twentieth century.
THE WAY I SEE IT: Hardwiring Serendip: Give chance its due

L'auteur estime que le don de faire par hasard des decouvertes heureuses doit etre favorise: il propose que les interfaces OPAC (catalogue en ligne) ait un bouton aleatoire: un clic sur ce bouton permettrait d'obtenir par exemple dix titres choisis par un generateur de nombres aleatoires dans la base de donnees de l'OPAC
Comparing the validity of the payment card and structured haggling willingness to pay methods: The case of a diabetes prevention program in rural Kenya

Abstract Background The objective of this study was to compare the theoretical validity of two willingness-to-pay (WTP) methods, the commonly used payment card (PC) and the recently developed structured haggling (SH), for estimating the potential benefits of a diabetes prevention program in rural Kenya. Methods A convenience sample of adult residents from a rural county in Kenya (Kiambu), with no history of diabetes, was randomly assigned to one of two WTP methods, PC or SH, using structured face-to-face interviews from December 2011 to February 2012. Results A total of 376 respondents completed the interviews using PC (n = 185) or SH (n = 191). More than 95% of respondents were willing to pay something for program access. The study showed that both methods were feasible in rural Kenya. SH resulted in a higher annual mean WTP than PC, Ksh504.05 (US$7.25) versus Ksh619.95 (US$5.90), respectively (p Conclusion Both PC and SH showed theoretical validity in rural Kenya. However, the use of SH over PC in rural Kenya may be the better choice given that SH more closely mirrors marketplace transactions in this setting and the use of SH resulted in more significant variables in the GLM models.
Biliary cancer: intrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma vs. extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma vs. gallbladder cancers: classification and therapeutic implications

Biliary cancers (BCs) are a diverse group of tumors that arise from the bile duct epithelium and are divided into cholangiocarcinomas of the intrahepatic and extrahepatic cholangiocarcinoma (EHCC) and cancer of the gallbladder. Despite improvements in treatment and diagnosis, BCs are often diagnosed at an advanced stage and associated with poor prognosis and limited treatment options. Recent discoveries have allowed us to have a better understanding of the genomic diversity in BC, and identify genes that are likely contributing to its pathogenesis, proliferation and treatment resistance. Additionally, these advances have allowed us to reason that each anatomic group within BC behave as distinct diseases, with differences in prognosis and outcomes. Based on this knowledge, recent advances have allowed us to identify actionable mutations that form rational therapeutic targets with novel agents, where their relevance will be better understood through the completion of prospective clinical trials.
The application of a Matsuoka-Nakai-Lade-Duncan failure criterion to two porous sandstones

Abstract We summarize two suites of recent true triaxial tests in two porous sandstones, Coconino and Bentheim. One suite of tests conducted under constant σ 2 and σ 3 , which revealed the effect of σ 2 and σ 3 on rock failure. The other suite of tests, performed under constant Lode angle, determined the failure dependencies on mean stress and Lode angle. Building and modifying failure descriptions by Matsuoka - Nakai (MN) and Lade-Duncan (LD), an explicit failure criterion (modified-MNLD) that generalizes a class of failure forms is used to fit the novel loading path data of both sandstones. The determined failure descriptions fit both rocks well over a wide range of failure conditions. Then, the generated failure descriptions were further used to predict failure conditions under the constant σ 2 and σ 3 loading path. The predictions by the modified-MNLD are generally consistent with these data. The predictions also successfully replicated the variation of σ 1,peak with σ 2 under constant σ 3 , suggesting the potential of the modified-MNLD to clarify the effect of σ 2 on rock failure.
After the Riot: Teatr.doc and the Performance of Witness

Between 2011 and 2013, during the height of the protest movement then sweeping across Russia, the Moscow documentary theatre Teatr.doc experimented with a new form of “witness theatre,” staging a series of participatory performances in which audience members listened to and offered testimony about recent events. The trial of Pussy Riot became an occasion for one such performance.
INCOME, ENERGY CONSUMPTION AND STATE SOCIAL QUALITY OF LIFE IN U.S.A. 1960, 1970 and 1978

ABSTRACT This paper attempts to develop a quality of life indicator accounting model for examining social well-being improvement in general, energy and technological impacts assessment in particular. Based primarily on criteria developed by former President Eisenhower's Commission on National Goals, the quality of life index in the U.S., state by state, will be quantitatively assessed and indexes for various socioeconomic, political environmental, energy and technological accounts will be developed.
The effects of class size in online college courses: Experimental evidence

Class size is a first-order consideration in the study of education cost and effectiveness. Yet little is known about the effects of class size on student outcomes in online college classes, even though online courses have become commonplace in many institutions of higher education. We study a field experiment in which college students were quasi-randomly assigned to either regular sized classes or slightly larger classes. Regular classes had, on average, 31 students and treatment classes were, on average, ten percent larger. The experiment was conducted at DeVry University, one of the nation's largest for-profit postsecondary institutions, and included over 100,000 student course enrollments in nearly 4,000 classes across 111 different undergraduate and graduate courses. We examine class size effects on student success in the course and subsequent persistence in college. We find little evidence of effects on average or for a range of course types. Given the large sample, our estimates are precise, suggesting that small class size changes have little impact in online settings.
Investigating sources of pharmaceutical pollution: Survey of over-the-counter and prescription medication purchasing, use, and disposal practices among university students

Pharmaceutical pollution in surface waters poses a range of risks to public health and aquatic ecosystems. Consumers contribute to pharmaceutical pollution via use and disposal of medications, though data on such behaviors is limited. This paper investigates the purchasing, use, and disposal practices among a population that has been researched only minimally to date, yet will determine pharmaceutical pollution for decades to come: young adults represented by a university student population. We employed an online, 21-question survey to examine behaviors related to pharmaceuticals among students at the University of Vermont (n = 358). Results indicate that the majority of respondents had purchased medications in the previous 12 months (94%), and had leftover drugs (61%). Contrary to previous studies of older populations, only a small proportion of students had disposed of drugs (18%); municipal trash was the primary route of drug disposal (25%), and very few students disposed drugs via flushing (1%). Less than a quarter of students were aware of drug take-back programs (24%), and only 4% had ever used take-back services. These findings indicate that the university student population may be storing a large volume of unused drugs that will require future disposal. Increasing awareness of, access to, and participation in pro-environment pharmaceutical behaviors, such as purchasing over-the-counter medication in smaller quantities and utilizing drug take-back programs, could minimize future pharmaceutical pollution from this population.
Geographies of migration II: The racial-spatial politics of immigration

This second report on geographies of migration examines scholarship on the racial-spatial politics of immigration in the Global North, which have emerged as important issues in the context of rising nativism, the criminalization of immigrants, and the racist exclusion of immigrants from polities. The report first highlights research that has revealed the entanglements of race, immigration law, and citizenship before turning to ‘new immigrant destinations’ as central contemporary sites where race and belonging are hashed out. The following section examines the effects of anti-immigrant policing and racist politics on the health and well-being of immigrants. Activism and immigrant youth mobilization that challenge anti-immigrant politics and racist exclusions from citizenship are at the center of the arguments I discuss in the penultimate section. I conclude by calling for more geographic analysis of the racial-spatial politics of immigration, as well as of the activism that challenges such politics.
Male-Specific cAMP Signaling in the Hippocampus Controls Spatial Memory Deficits in a Mouse Model of Autism and Intellectual Disability

Abstract Background The prevalence of neurodevelopmental disorders is biased toward male individuals, with male-to-female ratios of 2:1 in intellectual disability and 4:1 in autism spectrum disorder. However, the molecular mechanisms of such bias remain unknown. While characterizing a mouse model for loss of the signaling scaffold coiled-coil and C2 domain-containing protein 1A (CC2D1A), which is mutated in intellectual disability and autism spectrum disorder, we identified biochemical and behavioral differences between male and female mice, and explored whether CC2D1A controls male-specific intracellular signaling. Methods CC2D1A is known to regulate phosphodiesterase 4D (PDE4D), which regulates cyclic adenosine monophosphate (cAMP) signaling. We tested for activation of PDE4D and downstream signaling molecules in the hippocampus of Cc2d1a-deficient mice. We then performed behavioral studies in female mice to analyze learning and memory, and then targeted PDE4D activation with a PDE4D inhibitor to define how changes in cAMP levels affect behavior in male and female mice. Results We found that in Cc2d1a-deficient male mice PDE4D is hyperactive, leading to a reduction in cAMP response element binding protein signaling, but this molecular deficit is not present in female mice. Cc2d1a-deficient male mice show a deficit in spatial memory, which is not present in Cc2d1a-deficient female mice. Restoring PDE4D activity using an inhibitor rescues cognitive deficits in male mice but has no effect on female mice. Conclusions Our findings show that CC2D1A regulates cAMP intracellular signaling in a male-specific manner in the hippocampus, leading to male-specific cognitive deficits. We propose that male-specific signaling mechanisms are involved in establishing sex bias in neurodevelopmental disorders.
Quantity Adjustment in an Arrow-Debreu-Mckenzie Type Model

Our purpose is to examine long run entry/exit dynamics in a limit economy with infinitesimal firms and in Cournot economies (where firms recognize their influence on price) which are “close” to the limit economy. In the short run certain factors are immobile, and short run equilibrium prices reflect only the relative scarcity of factors that are instantaneously variable. The returns to immobile factors are not necessarily equalized. In the long run all factors are free to vary, and the factors that are immobile in the short run “flow towards that branch of production” in which there are profits to be realized. We formalize this in a long run entry/exit dynamics for a limit economy with infinitesimal firms. We also examine the long run dynamics in Cournot economies, with non-infinitesimal firms, because we view perfect competition as an idealization which should be interpreted as a limit of imperfect competition. With this view, the properties of the dynamics (and the equilibria) of the Cournot economies are the true objects of interest, and the dynamics (and the equilibria) of the limit economy are of interest only insofar as they represent limits of the results for a sequence of Cournot economies which converge to the limit economy. See Novshek and Sonnenschein [1983] for an extensive discussion of this point of view and the basic framework of the analysis. Here we amplify and extend the discussion of dynamics in that paper by explicitly treating decreasing returns to scale in the aggregate and also discussing the dynamics in the Cournot economies.
Chromosomes in mitosis: chance and checkpoint

Errors in chromosome distribution in meiosis and mitosis result in cells with missing or extra chromosomes, which can cause birth defects in children and cancer in adults. Chromosome distribution is determined by chromosome attachment to the mitotic spindle (reviewed in [1]). Proper attachment of daughter chromosomes to opposite spindle poles leads to movement to opposite poles in anaphase, with the fortunate consequence that each daughter cell contains one copy of each chromosome. Attachment begins with chance events, in which growing microtubules accidentally encounter a kinetochore, the microtubule attachment site on each chromosome (Fig. 1).
Materials Processing in Zero Gravity

While the exploration of space is under continuous development, the exploitation of the orbital flight capabilities is already successfully underway in unique world-wide communications, weather and Earth observation applications. Considering the accomplishments of space technology over the last decade, turning now toward realization of low cost space transportation systems, the time has come to align our conventional thinking about manufacturing towards application of the unique space environments for the achievement of product characteristics superior to, or not attainable on Earth.
Multiplying Channel Capacity: Aggregation of Fragmented Spectral Resources

The explosive growth of mobile Internet-based applications and ecosystems has been driving insatiable demands for data transmission speed. From third generation to fourth generation, the typical data rate of cellular networks has been significantly enhanced from a megabits-per-second to almost a gigabits-per-second level [1]. According to Shannon?s communication theory, an increase of frequency bandwidth plays the key role in expanding channel capacity. However, the highly scattered allocation of long-term evolution (LTE) bands does not support contiguous expansion of bandwidth and acts as the major barrier to further channel capacity enhancement. Therefore, the LTE Advanced standard proposed the concept of carrier aggregation (CA) for the first time, as illustrated in Figure 1(a) [2]. This enables concurrent operation of multiple spectral resources such that the channel bandwidth can be effectively multiplied without increasing the signal-to-noise ratio across the entire channel [3].
Applying Socio-technical Thinking in the Competitive, Agile, Lean, Data-Driven World of Knowledge Work and Smart, Service-Oriented, Customer-Centric Value Creation Ecosystems

This article responds to a need for a socio-technical systems (STS) perspective that fits in a world that has changed greatly over the decades since the socio-technical movement began. This article identifies conditions and paradoxes that limit traditional STS approaches in current business practice. A newer work system perspective (WSP) combines aspects of work system theory (WST), WST extensions, and the work system method (WSM). This WSP frames socio-technical thinking in a straightforward way that helps in describing and discussing socio-technical systems. It also provides many ideas that can help in negotiating and designing improvements. After summarizing WSP and some of its possible applications to work systems, this article uses the various topics in its title to indicate how WSP-based socio-technical thinking might be more suitable for today’s world.
Acetabular growth and influencing factors after closed reduction in development dysplasia of the hip

Objective To explore the progress of acetabular index (AI) in patients with developmental dysplasia of the hip (DDH) within 4 years after closed reduction and determine the association between final acetabular index (AI) and various factors.Methods From 2005 to 2008,62 (74 hips) patients diagnosed with DDH underwent closed reduction and were followed up for at least 4 years.Radiological examination was performed during each outpatient visit.They were divided into 3 groups according to age:A (0-12 months,18 hips),B (13-18 months,24 hips) and C (＞18 months,32 hips).Two-way ANOVA for repeated measures was used to evaluate the growth of acetabular over time.And multiple linear regression was employed for analyzing the association between final AI and various factors,including initial treatment age,gender,initial center-stage angle,initial acetabular index,initial CHDD,bilateral involvement or not and avascular necrosis of femoral head.Results No difference existed in AI among 3 groups prior to reduction (P＞0.05).AI decreased in all groups after reduction.At 4 years post-reduction,the values of AI of group A (21.9 ± 4.4)° were significantly smaller than group B (24.2 ± 3.4)°and group C (26.8 ± 3.8)°(P＜0.05)and group B was significantly lower than group C(P＜0.05).The total AI improvement rate was 28.6％.And the AI improvement rate of group A (0.35 ± 0.11) was significantly higher than that of group C (0.25 ± 0.10) (P =0.005).Linear regression suggested that age and initial AI were significantly correlated with final AI (R2 =0.617,F=15.031,P＜0.000 1).Other factors,such as gender,center-edge angle of Wiberg (CE),CHDD,bilateral involvement and AVN of the femoral head had no correlations with final AI (P ＞0.05).According to the coefficients,initial AI (β1 =0.432,P＜0.000 1) had greater effect than age on final AI (β2 =0.197,P =0.023).Conclusions AI decreases in all patients after reduction and achieves a steady angle at 3 years post-reduction.Age and initial AI are early predictors of the progress of AI after closed reduction in DDH patients.And AI improvement rate is negatively correlated. Key words: Hip dislocation, congenital; Age groups; Comparative stugy
Using First-Order Stochastic Based Optimizers in Solving Regression Models

In this research we examine different methods of optimization for Artificial Neural Networks (ANNs) with Deep Learning (DL). We examine the generalization performance of some existing optimizers that exist in the Keras library as Stochastic Gradient Descent (SGD) with and without Nesterov momentum, Adam and AdaMax in solving regression tasks. We use the following activation functions: Rectified Linear Unit (ReLU), Swish, and Sigmoid. We utilize TensorFlow as a backend on a GTX 970 GPU and use a neural network topology based on Deep Learning Multilayered Perceptron (DLMLP) with backpropagation.
Current Controversies in the Treatment of Geriatric Proximal Humeral Fractures.

» Multiple studies comparing nonoperative and operative treatment for displaced proximal humeral fractures in the geriatric population have demonstrated minimal differences in functional outcomes. Factors such as surgeon experience as well as the quality and maintenance of the reduction may influence operative outcomes, and their impact on these findings merits further investigation. » In the treatment of 2 and 3-part fractures involving the surgical neck, intramedullary nailing has demonstrated functional outcomes that are comparable with those of open reduction and internal fixation (ORIF). » In the geriatric population, reverse total shoulder arthroplasty has demonstrated improved functional outcomes, with a decreased rate of reoperation, compared with hemiarthroplasty. Tuberosity repair has been shown to improve functional outcomes and range of motion after both procedures and should be performed at the time of arthroplasty. » Several authors have demonstrated the negative effect of osteopenia on outcomes after ORIF of proximal humeral fractures. Augmentative procedures, including cortical strut augmentation, are being investigated to address this issue; their role in the treatment of these fractures is unclear at this time.
Responding to Transnational Terrorism Under the Jus ad Bellum: A Normative Framework

This chapter explores the jus ad bellum—that aspect of international law governing the resort to force by States—applicable to counterterrorist operations. It begins by considering the possibility of a mandate to conduct such operations under Chapter VII of the UN Charter, concluding that such an authorization from the Security Council would be lawful. The chapter then examines self-defense pursuant to Article 51 of the Charter (and customary international law) as a possible basis for cross-border counterterrorist operations. It argues that despite suggestions to the contrary by the International Court of Justice, self-defense is a legitimate ground for actions against non-State actors such as terrorist groups, even when such groups are located in another State’s territory. However, strict conditions apply as to when and how they may be conducted.
Germination of Clostridium cylindrosporum Spores on Medium Containing Uric Acid.

Clostridium cylindrosporum spores germinated rapidly under reducing conditions when bicarbonate, uric acid, and calcium were present. Germination rates on 10 mM urate increased with increasing Ca2+ (maximum rate at 5 mM Ca2+ or greater). Germination rates on urate (limiting Ca2+) increased with increasing urate concentrations to 10 mM urate. At 10 mM Ca2+, germination rates reached a maximum at 1 mM urate and remained constant thereafter. Cations (Na+, K+, Li+, and Mg2+), purines, purine analogs, and EDTA inhibited germination at limiting calcium concentrations but not (except for 10 mM adenine) at 10 mM Ca2+. Methyl viologen or formate did not inhibit germination. Germination was not observed in solutions containing xanthine, hypoxanthine, caffeine, theophylline, 6,8-dihydroxypurine, adenine, allopurinol, formate, glycine, or acetate, even though some of the purines are growth substrates.
Morphology‐Dependent Water Budgets and Nutrient Fluxes in Arctic Thaw Ponds

Thaw ponds on the Arctic Coastal Plain of Alaska are productive ecosystems, providing habitat and food resources for many fish and bird species. Permafrost in this region creates unique pond morphologies: deep troughs, shallow low-centred polygons (LCPs) and larger coalescent ponds. By monitoring seasonal trends in pond volume and chemistry, we evaluated whether pond morphology and size affect water temperature and desiccation, and nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P) fluxes. Evaporation was the largest early-summer water flux in all pond types. LCPs dried quickly and displayed high early-summer nutrient concentrations and losses. Troughs consistently received solute-rich subsurface inflows, which accounted for 12 to 42 per cent of their volume and may explain higher P in the troughs. N to P ratios increased and ammonium concentrations decreased with pond volume, suggesting that P and inorganic N availability may limit ecosystem productivity in older, larger ponds. Arctic summer temperatures will likely increase in the future, which may accelerate mid-summer desiccation. Given their morphology, troughs may remain wet, become warmer and derive greater nutrient loads from their thawing banks. Overall, seasonal- to decadal-scale warming may increase ecosystem productivity in troughs relative to other Arctic Coastal Plain ponds. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Studies of hereditary-obese mice (obob) after implantation of pancreatic islets in Millipore filter capsules.

Obese mice were implanted with Millipore diffusion chambers containing islets isolated from pancreas of normal littermates. Controls in this study were either obese implanted with encapsulated obese islets and empty chambers or non-obese implanted with encapsulated obese islets, non-obese islets and empty chambers. — Regular checks were made on all mice for weight gains and glucose levels. In addition, samples of blood were pooled from each group for immunoreactive insulin determinations. All mice, except one-half the experimental group, were sacrificed at 45 days andpost-mortem examinations performed. The capsules containing non-obese islets were removed from the remaining obese mice and weight gains followed for an additional 45 days. These mice were then sacrificed and determinations made for glucose and insulin levels. — The results showed that weight gain was stabilized, glucose and insulin levels in obese mice were reduced within 14 days after implanting Millipore diffusion chambers containing non-obese pancreatic islets. Weight gain resumed immediately and elevated glucose and insulin levels were found 45 days after removing Millipore diffusion chamber. — These results led to the following conclusions: 1. The spontaneous obesity which develops in the hereditary obese mouse results from a missing or defective pancreatic islet factor or factors. — 2. This factor originates from the islets of Langerhans and is capable of passing through 0.45 μ pores of the Millipore membrane. — 3. This factor's presence is necessary for normal glucose and lipid metabolism and insulin sensitivity.
Zinc and immunity

Nutritional deficiency of zinc is widespread throughout the developing countries and a conditioned deficiency of zinc is known to occur in many diseased states. Zinc is known to play an important role in the immune system and zinc deficient subjects may experience increased susceptibility to a variety of pathogens. We have studied the effects of a mild deficiency of zinc on T cells in an experimental model of human zinc deficiency. We showed that T cell functions were affected adversely even when the deficiency of zinc was mild in humans. Characteristically during zinc deficiency, the serum thymulin activity (a thymic hormone) was decreased which was restored following zinc supplementation. Our studies also showed that zinc deficiency caused an imbalance between TH1 and TH2 functions. The production of IFN-g, IL-2, TNF-a (products of TH1 cells) were decreased, whereas the production of IL-4, IL-6 and IL-10 (products of TH2) were not affected during zinc deficiency. T cell subpopulation studies revealed that the CD4+ CD45RA+ to CD4+ CD45RO+ ratio was decreased as a result of zinc deficiency, suggesting that zinc may be required for the regeneration of new CD4+ T cells. We further documented that zinc deficiency decreased NK cell lytic activity and caused a decrease in the percentage of CD8+ CD73+ T cells which are known to be predominantly precursors of cytotoxic T cells. In a suitable cell culture model our studies revealed that the gene expression of a DNA synthesizing enzyme TK was affected adversely which resulted in delayed cell cycle and decreased cell growth. The above immunological consequences of zinc deficiency may be responsible for decreased cell mediated immune functions in zinc deficient subjects.
Fluid Transport Across Airway Epithelia

Active ion transport across the surface epithelium of dog trachea results in fluid transport. The direction and amount of fluid transported may depend on a balance between active chloride secretion and active sodium absorption. In contrast, fluid movement across submucosal gland epithelium does not seem to depend on active salt transport. Instead, water may be drawn into the duct lumen by simple osmosis after the release of the osmotically active contents of secretory granules. Cell culture may provide a means of studying the secretory properties of the individual cell types of airway epithelia. We have produced primary monolayer cultures of cells from dog tracheal epithelium which retain the differentiated salt and water transport of the original tissue.
Construction of Volatility Indices Using a Multinomial Tree Approximation Method

This paper introduces a new methodology for an alternative calculation of market volatility index based on a multinomial tree approximation of a stochastic volatility model. The estimation is performed by constructing synthetic options with consistent properties. Several variants of this index are calculated and their performance is analyzed over the whole dataset and over a subset of data corresponding to particular market events. The proposed index is compared with the VIX produced by CBOE.
Binary-Response Models

This chapter is concerned with estimating the binary-response model $$ Y = \left\{{\begin{array}{*{20}{c}} {1\;if\;Y* > 0\;}\\ {0\;otherwise} \end{array}} \right. $$ (3.1a) where $$ {Y^*} = X\beta+U $$ (3.1b) Y is the observed dependent variable, X is a 1 × k vector of observed explanatory variables, β is a k × 1 vector of constant parameters, Y* is an unobserved, latent dependent variable, and U is an unobserved random variable. The inferential problem is to use observations of (Y, X) to estimate β and, to the extent possible, the probability that Y =1 conditional on X.
The efficacy of 4 years alendronate therapy in patients with primary osteoporosis.

Objective:To study the calcium compound with alendronate for osteoporosis in patients’bone mineral density and bone turnover biochemical markers four-year clinical Observation. Method:60 cases of patients with primary osteoporosis fasting using oral alendronate 70mg one time a week, while resupply calcium and vitamin D (Le-force) twice gram every day. Separately checked patients’lumbar spine ,femoral neck and total hip bone density, Serum alkaline phosphatase (ALP) and serum type Ⅰ collagen cross-linked carboxy-terminal peptide (CTX).in 6 months, 2 and 4 years before and after the treatment. Results:Compared with the pre-treatment , the condition of lumbar spine, femoral neck and total hip bone mineral density (BMD)in 6 months and 2 years after the treatment were significantly increased (P0.01); Compared with the condition after 6 months’treatment, the condition the various parts of BMD in 2 years and 4 years after the treatment were significantly increased, Compared with the condition after 2 years’treatment, the condition the various parts of BMD in 4 years after the treatment continues to increase and the change was obviously ( P0.05), while the femoral neck and total hip BMD in the basic position remains unchanged. After 6 months’treatment, ALP and CTX was significantlydecreased compared with the condition before treatment ( P0.01). Treatment of 2 and 4 years later, these two indicators of bone turnover remained low, but there is no further significant decline. Conclusions Compared with osteoporosis in patients before treatment, after taking alendronate for 6 months, 2 years and 4 years can significantly reduce biochemical indictors of bone turnover, increasing male patients with primary osteoporosis the BMD, moreover, the security of taking alendronate for four years was good.
Inverse regulation of the yeast COX5 genes by oxygen and heme.

Abstract The COX5a and COX5b genes encode divergent forms of yeast cytochrome c oxidase subunit V. Although the polypeptide products of the two genes are functionally interchangeable, it is the Va subunit that is normally found in preparations of yeast mitochondria and cytochrome c oxidase. We show here that the predominance of subunit Va stems in part from the differential response of the two genes to the presence of molecular oxygen. Our results indicate that during aerobic growth, COX5a levels were high, while COX5b levels were low. Anaerobically, the pattern was reversed; COX5a levels dropped sevenfold, while those of COX5b were elevated sevenfold. Oxygen appeared to act at the level of transcription through heme, since the addition of heme restored an aerobic pattern of transcription to anaerobically grown cells and the effect of anaerobiosis on COX5 transcription was reproduced in strains containing a mutation in the heme-biosynthetic pathway (hem1). In conjunction with the oxygen-heme response, we determined that the product of the ROX1 gene, a trans-acting regulator of several yeast genes controlled by oxygen, is also involved in COX5 expression. These results, as well as our observation that COX5b expression varied significantly in certain yeast strains, indicate that the COX5 genes undergo a complex pattern of regulation. This regulation, especially the increase in COX5b levels anaerobically, may reflect an attempt to modulate the activity of a key respiratory enzyme in response to varying environmental conditions. The results presented here, as well as those from other laboratories, suggest that the induction or derepression of certain metabolic enzymes during anaerobiosis may be a common and important physiological response in yeast cells.
Influence of Maintenance Steroids on the Outcomes in Deceased-Donor Kidney Transplant Recipients Exposed to Prolonged Pretransplantation Dialysis

Abstract Background Pre-transplant dialysis duration exerts a graded negative influence on outcomes after kidney transplantation. Higher immune reactivity associated with prolonged dialysis with consequent increased acute rejection could be contributory. Methods Using the Organ Procurement and Transplant Network/United Network of Organ Sharing database, we identified patients ≥18 years of age who received deceased-donor kidney (DDK) transplants from 2000 to 2008 after being on maintenance dialysis for ≥4 years. Patients received induction therapy with rabbit antithymocyte globulin (r-ATG), alemtuzumab, or an interleukin-2 receptor blocker (IL-2B) and were discharged on calcineurin inhibitor (CNI)/mycophenolate mofetil (MMF)–based immunosuppression with or without steroid. Unadjusted and adjusted graft/patient survivals were compared in steroid versus no-steroid groups by induction type. Results A total of 14,459 patients were identified, of which 7,684 received r-ATG (steroid, 6,098; no-steroid, 1,586), 1,292 alemtuzumab (steroid, 362; no-steroid, 930), and 5,483 an IL-2B agent (steroid, 5,107; no-steroid, 376). Adjusted graft survivals were similar for steroid versus no-steroid groups in r-ATG (hazard ratio [HR] 1.10, 95% confidence interval (CI) 0.96–1.26, P = .16), alemtuzumab (HR 0.88, 95% CI 0.65–1.19; P = .40), and IL-2B (HR 0.91, 95% CI 0.73–1.13; P = .38) groups. Adjusted patient survival for steroid versus no-steroid groups was inferior in r-ATG (HR 1.41, 95% CI 1.17–1.71; P P = .80) and IL-2B (HR 1.17, 95% CI 0.86–1.58; P = .32) groups. Conclusions Our analysis failed to show a graft survival benefit for the addition of steroid to a CNI/MMF-based immunosuppression after induction with r-ATG, alemtuzumab, or an IL-2B agent in DDK recipients exposed to prolonged pretransplantation dialysis.
DIURNAL VERTICAL MIGRATION OF AN ESTUARINE CLADOCERAN, PODON POLYPHEMOIDES, IN THE CHESAPEAKE BAY.

Populations of the marine cladoceran Podon polyphemoides (Leuckart) in the Chesapeake Bay (USA) zooplankton typically occur in large patches, extending the length of the estuary. These patches are characterized by well defined maxima, which do not move seaward during a given season. During the day, the bulk of the population is situated in the upper part of the two-layered estuarine circulation, where it is subjected to transport by net non-tidal seaward current. One mechanism for maintaining the population within the estuary is provided by the diurnal behavior of the podonids, which migrate to deeper water during the night. The landward advection of the deeper currents, thus, helps to counterbalance seaward population loss during the day. The extent of the vertical movement of the population can be modified by various environmental factors, but a suggestive correlation with light was found. It is thought that the downward component of the migration is due to passive sinking.
Recombinant leukemia inhibitory factor suppresses human medullary thyroid carcinoma cell line xenografts in mice

Medullary thyroid carcinoma (MTC) is a neoplasm of the endocrine system, which originates from parafollicular C-cells of the thyroid gland. For MTC therapy, the Food and Drug Administration recently approved vandetanib and cabozantinib, multi-kinase inhibitors targeting RET and other tyrosine kinase receptors of vascular endothelial growth factor, epidermal growth factor, or hepatocyte growth factor. Nevertheless, not all patients with the progressive MTC respond to these drugs, requiring the development of additional therapeutic modalities that have distinct activity. Previously, we reported that expression of activated Ras or Raf in the human MTC cell lines, TT and MZ-CRC-1, can induce growth arrest and RET downregulation via a leukemia inhibitory factor (LIF)-mediated autocrine/paracrine loop. In this study, we aimed to evaluate bacterially-produced recombinant human LIF for its efficacy to suppress human MTC xenografts in mice. Here, we report that, consistent with its effects in vitro, locally or systemically administered recombinant LIF effectively suppressed growth of TT and MZ-CRC-1 xenografts in mice. Further, as predicted from its effects in TT and MZ-CRC-1 cell cultures in vitro, recombinant LIF activated the JAK/STAT pathway and downregulated RET and E2F1 expression in tumors in mice. These results suggest that LIF is a potent cytostatic agent for MTC cells, which regulates unique mechanisms that are not targeted by currently available therapeutic agents.
Personality Measured in Elementary School Predicts Middle School Addictive Behavior Involvement

Middle school addictive behavior involvement is highly predictive of future dysfunction. We tested whether a set of high-risk personality traits, measured in elementary school, predicted drinking, smoking, and binge eating in middle school. We studied 1,906 children in two waves: Wave 1 was the last year of elementary school and wave 2 was the first year of middle school in the participating schools. In a design controlling for sex, pubertal status, prior engagement in addictive behaviors, and other high-risk personality traits, we found that (a) fifth grade urgency, the tendency to act rashly when emotional, predicted drinking, smoking, and binge eating during sixth grade; and (b) fifth grade low conscientiousness, which reflects a failure to plan ahead or persevere on tasks, predicted drinking and smoking during sixth grade. It appears that high-risk middle school addictive behavior can itself be predicted from individual differences present in elementary school. Implications for future research and prevention are discussed.
Neurally and ocularly informed graph-based models for searching 3D environments

Objective. As we move through an environment, we are constantly making assessments, judgments and decisions about the things we encounter. Some are acted upon immediately, but many more become mental notes or fleeting impressions—our implicit ‘labeling’ of the world. In this paper, we use physiological correlates of this labeling to construct a hybrid brain–computer interface (hBCI) system for efficient navigation of a 3D environment. Approach. First, we record electroencephalographic (EEG), saccadic and pupillary data from subjects as they move through a small part of a 3D virtual city under free-viewing conditions. Using machine learning, we integrate the neural and ocular signals evoked by the objects they encounter to infer which ones are of subjective interest to them. These inferred labels are propagated through a large computer vision graph of objects in the city, using semi-supervised learning to identify other, unseen objects that are visually similar to the labeled ones. Finally, the system plots an efficient route to help the subjects visit the ‘similar’ objects it identifies. Main results. We show that by exploiting the subjects’ implicit labeling to find objects of interest instead of exploring naively, the median search precision is increased from 25% to 97%, and the median subject need only travel 40% of the distance to see 84% of the objects of interest. We also find that the neural and ocular signals contribute in a complementary fashion to the classifiers’ inference of subjects’ implicit labeling. Significance. In summary, we show that neural and ocular signals reflecting subjective assessment of objects in a 3D environment can be used to inform a graph-based learning model of that environment, resulting in an hBCI system that improves navigation and information delivery specific to the user’s interests.
No change in emotionality of rats following bulbectomy

An attempt to replicate the hyperemotionality syndrome seen in rats following olfactory bulb ablation was unsuccessful, despite the use of a single-blind testing procedure and seven response measures. No difference in postoperative emotionality was found when males and females were compared. Procedural differences were discussed which might account for the failure of the present study to replicate previous results.
Assesing Interorganizational Networks for Public Service Delivery: A Process-Perceived Effectiveness Framework

Cross-sectoral partnerships among public, nonprofit, and for-profit organizations are increasingly gaining prominence in the production and delivery of publicly funded social services. This paper i...
An Update on Magnetic Resonance Guided Focused Ultrasound Surgery (MRgFUS) of Uterine Fibroids

Magnetic resonance-guided high focused ultrasound surgery (MRgFUS) is a non-invasive treatment option for uterine fibroids. In addition to offering excellent anatomical depiction of the uterine fibroids and uterus, magnetic resonance imaging offers functional imaging and thermal guidance for safe delivery of the focused ultrasound beam. Once appropriately selected for treatment, this out patient treatment option is well tolerated by patients and results in sustained symptom relief. More recent advances in this technology allows for quicker treatment times, allowing for greater nonperfused volumes to be attainable within the allotted scanner time. Also, upon review of fibroid and patient characteristics, the optimal candidates for successful MRgFUS are becoming more established.
Reevaluation of Arterial Constitutive Relations: A FINITE-DEFORMATION APPROACH

The purpose of this investigation was to use the finite-deformation theory of elasticity to interpret pressure-diameter data for in situ canine aortas and other arterial response data reported in the literature. A meaningful mechanical property for arterial tissue was identified as ∂ W 1/∂ I , the partial derivative of the strain-energy density function with respect to the first strain invariant. An exponential function was found to characterize the mechanical property ∂W1/∂I for all arteries considered. Thin-walled tube stress approximations were found to result in inaccurate values for arterial stresses and incremental elastic mechanical properties. Wave speeds calculated using ∂ W 1/∂ I for these arterial tissues agreed well with experimental measurements of wave speeds reported in the literature. Elevated values for strain-energy density were found in the inner arterial tissue layers. These high values for strain energy may contribute to atherogenesis in relatively straight arteries (e.g., the abdominal aorta) subjected to hypertension.
Evaluation of Lines Derived from Wild Emmer Chromosome Substitutions: II. Agronomic Traits

Improving yield and other agronomic traits in durum wheat(Triticum turgidum L. var. durum) depends on adequate genetic diversity. Genetic diversity in durum wheat is limited. An accession of wild emmer (Triticum turgidum L. var. dicoccoides) with high protein concentration was used to develop a complete set of ‘Langdon’ (T. dicoccoides) [LDN(DIC)] substitution lines. This study was conducted evaluate the potential of using these substitution lines as parents for deriving lines with acceptable agronomic traits. Each of the 14 substitution lines and Langdon were crossed to a common male parent, ‘Vic’. Parents, F₂:₄, and F₂:₅ lines were grown in replicated trials at two locations in North Dakota in 1989 and 1991, respectively. Days to heading, plant height, grain yield, and kernel weight were measured. Population means and genetic variances were compared to those of the Langdon/Vic population to identify substitution lines that conferred favorable agronomic characteristics to derived lines. Heritabilities were estimated based on parent-offspring regression and variance components. All substitution populations except these with LDN(DIC) 4B and 5B were earlier in heading date than the Langdon/Vic population. Langdon dicoccoides substitution populations 1A, 2A, 4A, 6A, 7A, 1B, 4B, 5B, and 6B were significantly shorter than the Langdon/Vic population. Langdon dicoccoides substitution population 4B had higher yield than the Langdon/Vic population. Langdon dicoccoides substitution populations 2A, 3A, and 5B had a mean kernel weight greater than the Langdon/Vic population. Our data suggests that there is a possibility of deriving lines with high grain yield and good agronomic traits from LDN(DIC) 4B. Contribution from North Dakota Agric. Exp. Stn. Research partly supported by North Dakota Wheat Commission and the National Pasta Association, and represents partial fulfillment of Ph.D. degree requirements of second author.
Means for finding meaningful levels of a hierarchical sequence prior to performing a cluster analysis

When the assumptions underlying the standard complete linkage method are unwound, the size of a hierarchical sequence reverts back from n levels to n·(n−1) over 2 +1 levels, and the time complexity to construct a hierarchical sequence of cluster sets becomes O(n4). Moreover, the post hoc heuristics for cutting dendrograms are not suitable for finding meaningful cluster sets of an n·(n−1) over 2 +1-level hierarchical sequence. To overcome these problems for small-n, large-m data sets, the project described in this paper went back more than 60 years to solve a problem that could not be solved then. This paper presents a means for finding meaningful levels of an n·(n−1) over 2 +1-level hierarchical sequence prior to performing a cluster analysis. By finding meaningful levels of such a hierarchical sequence prior to performing a cluster analysis, it is possible to know which cluster sets to construct and construct only these cluster sets. This paper also shows how increasing the dimensionality of the data points helps reveal inherent structure in noisy data. The means is theoretically validated. Empirical results from four experiments show that finding meaningful levels of a hierarchical sequence is easy and that meaningful cluster sets can have real world meaning.